《Apocalypse Tamer》 Chapter 1: Man vs Wild Chapter 1: Man vs Wild When Basil Bohen woke up, the world had gone mad. The day had started like any other: with to waking him up at eleven oclock by howling like a condemned man on a pyre. The ck Bombay cat never made a sound unless he was hungry; in which case, he became even louder than a dog. Enough, youll get your breakfast. Basil grumbled, his Nintendo Switch upying the cushion right next to his face. He always kept the device within arms reach, to y as soon as he woke up. Two minutes. Since he had never learned to count, to hopped on the nket and kneaded his owners back to make him prepare the breakfast faster. I should have gotten a ferret, Basilined as he rose from his bed, his pet immediately following after him. Im starting to understand why some people eat cats. There wouldnt be much to eat with to though. Basil still didnt understand how his pet managed to remain slim while spending eighteen hours sleeping and the rest eating. Ugh, I got something in my eye, Basil realized as he noticed a red crux-shaped form at the very edge of his vision. Did he have dust in his eyes? He rubbed them to no avail and eventually gave up. Ill go to the doc if it doesnt pass. After leaving his master bedroom behind, Basil moved to his well-stocked modern kitchen. His window gave him an impable view of the stream bordering his house and the marshes beyond. Basil found it rxing to cook behind the counter while watching nature outside, although the morning mist obscured the skies today. There, to, Im buying your silence. Basil gave his cat a bowl of food and filled up a coffee cup for himself. Thanks, Basil, his cat answered before ravenously burying himself in his breakfast. Youre wee, Basil replied absentmindedly before freezing in ce. He looked down at to, his coffee cup steaming on the kitchen counter. His cat sensed something was wrong and looked up at his owner with his big yellow eyes. What? to asked with an all-too-human voice. What is it? Am I hallucinating? Basil wondered. Since when can you talk? Uh, since I was born? Basil realized that he had asked the wrong question. Since when can you speak my It doesnt look like Im dreaming, he thought. Maybe he had finally gone mad from the istion? Basil hadnt seen a fellow human for weeks. Weird. to wagged his tail. Will you rub my belly at least? Basil settled on scratching his cat behind the ears, which he liked very much. Ill go to the doc sometime soon, Basil decided as he put on some clothes and enjoyed a slow breakfast on his living rooms sofa. The stuffed heads of boars, deers, and pikes decorated the wall above his chimney right next to an overpriced sma screen and a picture of Vasil Levski. Most of the animal trophies belonged to the houses previous upant, Old Man Ren, though the fish and the Levski picture were Basils additions. They reminded him of his native Bulgaria, which he had left almost five years ago for France in search of better economic opportunities. Which he didnt find. Two fully stocked shelves faced each other near the entrance door, each holding a different library: one of books and the other of video games. An unused wood table stood between them like an invible frontier; the house had originally been built for arge family, but since Basil lived alone, he rarely made use of all the avable amenities. So good not to share with anyone, he thought. His previous lodging experience had involved sharing a t with three students, each of them poorer than thest. Basil still kept a sour memory of working his ass offte into the night to escape the rat race while his neighbors partied until morning. His hard work had paid off in the end, but he had sworn never to live through those times again. Basil switched through the TV channels and grumbled when all of them turned out blue. Even Netflix didnt work. It didnt surprise Basil considering the areas poor inte coverage, but it still annoyed him. At least he had his ystation 5 to fall back on. Now if only that strange crux symbol in his eye didnt obscure his vision Basil focused on it, trying to get whatever caused this mess out of his eye. And then the crux expanded into a translucent screen covering his field of vision.
Whoever will reach level 100 first shall be Earths new Overgod.
What the Basil raised a hand to touch the message, only for his fingers to go through it. Was it a hologram? Another hallucination?
Warning: The Dungeons appeared 6 hours and 57 minutes ago. Please select a starting ss as soon as possible.
If this is some kind of brain ransomware, fuck you Im not paying anything, Basilined. No one answered and the screen didnt vanish. Okay, whats happening? Can anybody answer?
sses are jobs where you can assign levels. They will grant you extraordinary powers.
Based on your past history, stats, and elemental affinities, you can ess the following sses, divided between the five families:
Fighter sses: [Berserker], [Brawler].
Spellcaster sses: [Runesmith].
Rogue sses: [Ranger], [Poisoner], [Gambler].
Crafter sses: [Alchemist], [Trapmaker], [Merchant], [Chef].
Monster sses: [Tamer], [Fisherman], [Gardener].
His past history? Basil knew he had a short fuse but [Berserker] struck him as exaggerated. The screen looked like some kind of role-ying game menu. Basil had yed many of them but he had never expected one to pop up inside his own eyes. Nor did he recognize the game this selection menu came from. Why were [Fisherman] and [Gardener] considered monsters of all things? This was definitely a lucid hallucination of some kind. As if a talking cat hadnt been bad enough. Or had he been hooked to some kind of virtual reality in his sleep, Matrix-style? Is this real? What must I do?
Please select a starting ss as soon as possible.
Of course. Goddamn unremovable pop-ups, if only his mind had an adblocker Which ss is best? Basil asked without receiving an answer. He was about to pick an option at random and be done with it when to joined him on the sofa. The cat had finished his meal and swiftly took over a cushion. Inspired by the sight, Basil chose the [Tamer] option. I pick Tamer.
You selected [Tamer], a ss focused on taming and recruiting monsters. Growths: Strength (B); Agility (B); Vitality (C); Skill (D); Magic (B); Intelligence (C); Charisma (A); Luck (C).
Level 1 Stat Gains: + 1 AGI, +1 VIT, +1 SKI, +1 INT, +1 CHA, +1 LCK. Your Health Points were raised by 30 and Special Points by 15.
New Perk: Monster Charmer I (Passive): You can recruit monsters into your [Party]. The monsters level must be equal or below yours to join, and they cannot outlevel you afterward. Monsters in your party gain a 20% boost to stat growth on level-up, but will also die if your HP hits 0. Recruited monsters cannot leave your party unless you allow them to. You automatically form a party with an original partner selected by the Trimurti System.
Basil shivered as a pleasurable jolt went down his spine. The sensation reminded him of the first time he kissed a girl, though it didnt feel quite as strong.
Selected monster partner: to the Housecat.
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse! Good luck on your journey to Overgod!
Dismaker Labs? The name sounded vaguely familiar, though Basil couldnt put a reason on why. He promised himself to investigate the lead and find out the responsible party as soon as the inte worked again. The screen shrunk back into a crux-shaped icon at the edge of Basils vision, though it didnt fully disappear as he had hoped. Hey, look, said to. Theres a weird blue screen all over my face. It says I joined your party, whatever that means. To each their own. Since Basil didnt see tos screen, he assumed it only existed inside his cats head. Did other weird stuff happentely? Like, say, seven hours ago? The screen said dungeons had appeared at that time, whatever that meant. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you. to rubbed his belly. The ground shook and I saw little green men in the woods. The reptilians? No, no, I mean little green people the size of human children. First time I saw anything like that. I tried to warn you but I would have had better luck waking up a stone. Says the cat who spends eighteen hours of his time napping on my sofa. to gave his owner a dark look. Im not a cat, he said, weakly. Im a dwarf panther. Basil raised an eyebrow with a chuckle. Though he found it amusing, nothing so far exined why he could even understand his cat at all. To his surprise, the screen reappeared again to provide an answer.
To improve cooperation and coordination, the Trimurti System automatically trantes thenguage of monsters and fellow yers. You can disable this option in [Settings] if you wish.
Whats a Trimurti System? Basil addressed the elephant in the room. The screen changed form again. Status Inventory Party Crafting sses Spellbook Logs Settings None of this answered his question. Didnt this weird game have a tutorial of some kind? Did it even matter? Basil would either wake up from this weird hallucination soon or a trip to the hospital would give him a medical solution. After some trying, Basil returned the screen back to its icon status with a thought. This strange virtual reality interface appeared to somehow answer his thoughts. to, prepare yourself, Basil said as he set his empty coffee cup aside and moved to his homes door. Well go to the city after I feed the chicken and the rabbits. I need to meet a doctor soon. Can you buy fish while youre at it? His cat asked as he hopped from the sofa to follow him. I would like some tuna. Weve got enough canned fish, what more do you Basil stopped in the middle of his sentence. He had opened the door to his garden and taken a look as the morning mist cleared up. At the age of twenty-five, Basil lived alone in the house of his dreams in the French countryside since Old Man Ren bequeathed it to him. The two-story building was located in the middle of a pine forest close to the Barthes swamps in the Landes, half an hours ride away from the closest settlement. Basil had never liked noisy cities and preferred a quiet life offort away from civilization. Still, his home was located in France rather than Find or Siberia. So why was there a goddamn aurora borealis in the skies? In the middle of the day! Basil knew global warming caused some strange weather phenomenon, but still! Oh right, Ipletely forgot about the lights. Compared to his confused owner, to sounded quite unfazed by the sight. Theyve been up there sincest night. Basil walked into his grass garden to take a better look. The green northern lights formed a circle in the heavens above, centered around the swamps behind his house. Maybe it was some kind of electromaic anomaly? It would exin his hallucinations if it scrambled his brain. Basil decided to investigate after checking on his animals. His property covered a vast area bordered by a wooden fence and provided him with enough space to set up a greenhouse, a chicken coop, and a rabbit hutch. He usually fed them in the morning and let them walk around in the afternoon. Basils rabbits and chicken both looked at him from behind iron grids, all of them hungry for food. I suppose you dont know whats up with the skies? he asked them. His animals didnt answer. Nor did they seem to understand. Basil nced at to, to his cats confusion. What? Why are you looking at me like that? I can only understand monsters, Basil replied, putting some emphasis on thest part. Hey, what does that mean? Come on, you cat racist, tell me whats on your mind! Basil paid his angry cat no mind as his eyes wandered to the wooden fence. Something had made arge hole in it, close to the greenhouse. Basil was half used to boars and the asional deer chipping away at his fence, but considering all the strange happenings since he had woken up he assumed the worst. He slowly approached the hole and examined it. Whatever had gone through was big and left traces. Basils gaze followed them first to the tanus tree right next to his greenhouse. He had left an axe against the trunk to chip wood for the chimney yesterday, and to his relief, the weapon was still there. However, the intruder had broken into the greenhouse by shattering one of the ss panels. Basils fear instantly turned to rage at the sight. Uh, what is this? to sniffed the air. It smells like bugs! The cat froze as noise came out of the greenhouse. Basil grabbed the axe. Another screen message appeared the moment he touched the weapon.
Old Iron Axe
Family: Weapon (Axes)
Quality: D
Power: + 8 STR
Crit: + 5 %
uracy: 50 %
Effect: [ntyer]: supereffective damage against [nts] (x3 damage).
This rusty veteran of a hundred garden battles has over twenty confirmed tree kills.
Basil didnt understand half of what he saw, and didnt have the time to ask questions. A monster crawled out of the greenhouse through the opening, fearsome and terrible. The creature resembled a centipede over two meters in length. Red, chitinous exoskeleton tes protected its back while its underbelly was a soft yellow. Purple saliva dropped from its de-sharp mandibles.
Red Centipede
Level 1 [Bug]
What is that? to hissed threateningly, ready to leap at the intruder on a moments warning. Finally, a human. The centipede spoke with a deep, guttural male voice. Its green eyes red at Basil with keen intelligence but not to realize he had picked a fight with the wrong man. Your death will be my ascension to level 2. You broke my greenhouse. The fact he was facing the biggest bug in the world and that it could talk back didnt even register within Basils mind. His blood boiled in his veins, his hands grip tightening on his ax. And my fence. Yes, I have. The centipede snapped his mandibles and raised his antennae, trying to appear tough and threatening. And once I have murdered you and devoured you feet-first, I will make this ce my nest Basil struck the bug before he could finish his sentence. A message shed above the creature.
Critical hit!
The centipede was taken aback by the sudden disy of violence, and Basils axe hit his face with enough strength to send his head hitting the dirt. The humans jaw clenched in rage as he raised his weapon again, blinded by fury. This greenhouse cost us two-thousand euros! Two thousand! Basil struck again. His axes de found its way into the centipedes back this time, splitting his red carapace in half at the impact point. You think money grows on trees?! The centipede snapped his mandible and hissed as he tried to raise his head to strike. Basil stomped the bugs face with his shoe before he could retaliate and the bug ate dirt. You little shit! Basil said as he kicked the bug in the underbelly multiple times, the monster letting out growls of pain each time he did. You dont respect peoples private property, uh?! Uh?! Aim for the eyes, Basil! to encouraged him. And the belly too! The centipede roared in humiliation before spitting venom at his attackers chest. Basil was lean as far as men went, but he exercised a lot and was no stranger to street brawls. His sharp reflexes let him dodge the spit by stepping to the side. The centipedes saliva melted the grass where itnded. Die! The bug lunged to bite Basil with his mandibles, the human narrowly avoiding disembowelment by taking a step back. You stupid mammal, you dare strike a member of the [Bug] master Type Dwarf panther to the face! to chose this moment to join the fray, hissing ferociously as he leaped at the centipede. Hended on the creatures head, wing and biting and raging. The bug shook like a tree trying to get the smaller animal off his face. Taking the opportunity, Basil tossed his ax aside and grabbed the centipedes antennae with both hands. to leaped off the bugs back right as his owner mmed their foes head against the tanus. The trees trunk cracked at the impact and leaves fell into the garden; Uh The centipede struggled to form words, the blow had left him dizzy. What what You tried to harm my cat! Basil snapped as he punched the bug in the face. He then tossed the centipede onto the grass, sat on him, and pummeled him one punch after another. The monster spat blood. You think hitting animals smaller than you makes you look tough?! I I yield! The centipede wagged his antennae in surrender, his arrogant eyes now full of fearful tears. I yield! Basil kept his fist raised mid-motion, but didnt finish the bug off. You threaten me with death after invading my home and now ask for mercy? to licked his lips. I say we just slit his throat and eat him for dinner. The centipede whined all the louder, his tiny legs wiggling helplessly. Im sorry I didnt know you were the areas boss I thought it would be easy EXP Please dont kill me I just wanted to be an Overgod Basil observed this cowardly wreck of a bug, trying to decide what to make of him. A question had been bugging him for a while. The fucks an Overgod? The screen appeared before his eyes once more to offer an exnation.
The Overgod is the supreme administrator of a as selected by the Trimurti System. The title will be awarded to the first creature on Earth to reach level 100, whether they are a yer or monster.
Experience points are awarded by killing yers or monsters, fulfilling hidden achievements, andpleting quests. They can then be traded for levels in different sses to grant yers extraordinary abilities.
What constitutes a yer? Basil asked.
Every human on the.
And if they could all gain power by killing other people Basil suddenly remembered tos words about little green men in the woods and worrying thoughts crossed his mind. Theres more of you out there? he asked the centipede. More monsters wanting to be gods? Countless! Goblins, ogres, bugs the dungeons gave us life so we could grow strong by eating humans! Youre quite poor at it, Basil said with heavy sarcasm before pointing a finger at the aurora in the skies. And why are there northern lights in my country? Its the local dungeon, the bug replied fearfully. By now he had realized that Basil would let him live as long as he talked. It changes the world with magic and summons monsters to fight humans. The more Basil heard, the less he liked it. So are we killing him or what? to asked as he licked his fur. Its cold outside. Sometimes, Basil forgot that cats were born mass murderers; as the number of birds and mice to had brought home over the years could attest. The centipede shivered in fear, believing hisst hour hade. Well, to, let me ask you a simple question. Basil rose up and stepped away from the centipede. Do you think hes a threat to us? No, to replied tly. The centipede cried, his tears running down on the grass. Im sorry Start by repairing my fence and my greenhouse if you want to apologize, Basil replied. Ill spare you this time. It took the centipede a full minute to process Basils words and answer them. Y-Youre letting me live? For now. I only understand half of what you say and Ill let you live until I get the full picture. Basil grabbed his ax, the edge as sharp as ever. But if you try to pull a fast one, Ill hang your head above my chimney with the deer and the boars. Y-yes master. The centipede bowed so low in submission that he turned almost t. I am but a child before your awesome might, Mr. Boss Quit the servility. Youre a centipede, not a cockroach. And Im not a Boss. Basil smiled smugly. But Ill dly be your boss. The screen appeared again.
You have domesticated: Red Centipede! Red Centipede joined your party!
Alright So whats up, dog? to stretched on, ready for adventure. We go to the city to buy fish, slice some throats, and be gods? Basil watched the centipede move to repair the hole in the fence by putting pieces together. Personally I think Im in a delusion of some kind but whether this is real or not, were just going to stay home. Stay home? tos enthusiasm instantly deted. Why? Havent you heard? This is exactly what Thomas Hobbes warned us about in Leviathan: the war of all against all. Basil shrugged. If everyone can grow strong by killing people and monsters run rampant, its going to be dog eat dog out there. So were going to stay at home and bunker up until the army reestablishes order. to blinked repeatedly. What army? The French Army. Basil decided to exin to his cat how adult life worked. to, when I earn one-hundred euros, barely half of them make it to my bank ount. The local government takes everything else. I didnt help fund armed forces so they could watch me do all the work and stamp paperwork. Theyve got to earn their keep. Despite its poor reputation abroad, France had the seventhrgest army in the world. If Basil could beat a monster into submission with an axe and his fists, how hard could it be for soldiers with tanks to prevail? Soldiers will clean the countryside of invaders like Joan of Arc kicked the British out of France, or like when the great Bulgarian people shrugged off the Ottomans'' yoke, Basil said with optimism. He conveniently forgot the help Russians provided in his country''s independence, as it wouldplicate the heroic narrative. Until then, weve got enough fuel and food tost months. He was already living like a hermit, the apocalypse wouldnt change much for them. His house was equipped with sr panels and the basement with an electrical generator. Basil had stockpiled gas and oil to fuel it for months specifically due to the homes remote location. He had a garden, plenty of hunting game in the woods, and could always gather freshwater from the nearby stream. Besides, Basil couldnt abandon the house. The old man had entrusted it to him before passing on. He wouldnt let some bug have it. to didnt look convinced. Joan of Arc wasnt it the Hundred-Years War? Yeah. Basil frowned. How do you know that? Ive lived with Ren for years, I know all his rants by heart. to sat in front of his owner. It took the French a hundred years to kick the British out, right? Its in the name. Basil didnt say a word. Do we have enough food and water tost that long? to asked innocently. Basil looked at his greenhouse and then back at his cat. Smartass. Youre wee, Basil. Chapter 2: Man vs Goblin Chapter 2: Man vs Goblin The basement trembled as Basil switched on the back-up generator. The mechanical device hummed as it gluttonously tapped into a gas cylinder to make that sweet, sweet electricity. Here we go, Basil muttered to himself. All good. The house had suffered an hour-long outage before electricity came back and Basil expected more. Either bug monsters had damaged the cables or electrical engineers no longer maintained the grid. Running water mightst a few more weeks, but it would go out too in time. Old Man Ren had spent most of his meager pension funds into installing a sr panel system on the roof, but he could never rely on the sun all year long. The Landes were a temperate region with their share of rain, windstorms, and obscured skies. As such, the old man had brought a second home generator and stockpiled gas to fuel it. Basil could probablyst for years if he rationed electricity, and the stream outside would provide clear water once purified the old-fashioned way. Guess you were half-right, Old Man, Basil said. A disaster came, but not in the form you expected. Old Man Ren had bet the world would end with a devastating nuclear war, and Basil because of global warming fostering the development of pandemics. None of them could have predicted an alien invasion from video game monsters. After checking the generator, Basil went on to review the food reserve. The freezer was filled to the brim with fries, fish, deer meat, and frozen vegetables. Rows after rows of canned food filled the basements shelves, alongside pasta, rice, oil, andst but not least, the Old Mans extensive collection of ricard pastis bottles. Although Ren loved to sit in the garden to sip a ss of ricard in the evening, Basil had sworn off alcohol after watching his father drink himself to oblivion. He had never touched the bottles since the Old Mans passing. A screen popped up as Basil checked the closest bottles brand.
Old Rens Ricard
Family: Consumable (Potion)
Quality: D
Effect: Applies the [Drunk] ailment on a failed Vitality check.
Rens favorite brand of pastis which has now been discontinued. Tastes of nostalgia.
Basil didnt remember taking anything before bedst night, but could he have drunk a dangerous substance giving him hallucinations somehow? Or eaten a bad mushroom? Is that why Im seeing this? Basil asked the screen. Did I drink something and dont remember it? Am I drunk?
Negative.
Am I high?
Negative.
Did I take LSD?
Negative.
Am I dreaming?
Negative.
Hallucinating?
Negative.
Delusional?
Negative.
Dead?
Negative.
Not even in purgatory?
Negative.
Schizophrenic?
Negative.
Under alien influence?
Negative.
In a virtual game?
Negative, this is real.
Do I have a government chip in my head?
Negative.
Okay you win, nothing elsees to mind.
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
That name again Basil knew he had heard it before, but where? Questions forter. Also, he said while staring at Rens ricard pastis, why does a bottle of alcohole up with a description, but nothing else?
Your Intelligence Stat is too low to provide information on most items.
Are you calling me dumb?! Basil choked on his own indignation. Ive got a Masters Degree in fucking Pharmacovignce! Which never earned him a high-paying job, but still!
Your current Intelligence score is 11.
Yes, the screen was calling him stupid. Who said that, an inte IQ score?
You can check your stats by selecting Status in your menu.
Basil followed the instruction and an enormous wall of text appeared before his eyes. Name Basil Jean-Franois Bohen Type Humanoid Faction Basils Unnamed Party EXP 100/250 Immune Resist Weak N/A Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Wood, Fire, Water, all Ailments. Manyer, Soul, Wind, Lightning, Light. Level Health Points Special Points 1 (Tamer 1) 650 235 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 18 16 17 14 Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 8 11 15 11 Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - Weak Strong Strong Strong - - Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Strong - Weak - Weak Weak - - Passive Perks Active Perks Monster Charmer I N/A Basil blinked at the sheer amount of information and struggled to make sense out of it. It looked very much like an RPG game characters sheet, but it included apendium of elements for some reason. Basil remembered seeing things like +1 INT or +1 CHA when he leveled up. He guessed they were shorthands for the stats on the screen. Did that mean Basil started with a 10 in Intelligence? Was that good? Bad? Average? Basil suddenly felt very insecure about his IQ score. So if my intelligence stat increases, he asked for confirmation, Im getting smarter?
Intelligence improves spell memorization, influences your chances of learning crafting recipes, unlocks many Crafter sses and provides information on items and enemies.
So it didnt improve intelligence as much as knowledge. Since the screen appeared in a good enough mood to answer his questions for now, Basil fished for more details. What about the other stats? What do they do? Of course, a goddamn wall of text came up. Basil grunted as he forced himself to read everything.
Health Points represent your life; if they reach 0 after taking enough damage, you die. Special Points represent a pool of energy used to power active perks such as spells or techniques. Both HP and SP regenerate over time.
Strength represents your physical might. Strength affects ess to many Fighter sses, the power of weapon attacks, and your ability to wear heavy equipment.
Magic represents your spellcasting might. Magic affects ess to Spellcaster sses, the power of magical abilities, and your odds of learning new spells.
Skill represents dexterity, uracy, and perception. It affects your chances of detecting enemies, your odds of hitting a target, and ess to many Rogue sses.
Agility represents your speed, reflexes, and chances of dodging attacks. The higher it is, the faster you will move and react. High Agility will also allow you to attack more often.
Vitality represents your constitution; it affects your resistance to ailments, tolerance for physical damage, and rate of HP recovery.
Charisma represents your personal charm and willpower. It affects the power of your support abilities, tolerance for magical damage, and rate of SP recovery.
Luck represents your good fortune. It mostly affects critical hits, drop rates of items, and your chances of triggering beneficial events.
Thank you, Mr. Tutorial. Basils piss-poor magic didnt surprise him, since he had never cast a spell in his life, and his physical stats looked good. He guessed exercising regrly had paid off. Come to think of it, Basil remembered that some options of the System could be changed with the setting option. He immediately checked it and a list of propositions appeared before his eyes, none of them good.
Disable Auto-Trante?
Disable Level-Ups?
Disable Menu Features?
Disable Quests?
Increase Difficulty?
Wait, you win this game by reaching level 100 and be Overgod, right? Basil asked, utterly confused. So whats the point of disabling level-ups?
Some yers enjoy the thrill of death more than the possibility of bing Overgod.
So it was an option for masochists. What about difficulty?
You can increase the difficulty to Hard. Enemies will inflict x1.5 more damage and they will receive x0.75 damage from your attacks. Once chosen, Hard difficulty cannot be disabled.
Is there any practical benefit to it?
You get a nice visual icon on your System Screen.
Ill pass. Basil couldnt imagine what kind of madman would make the apocalypse harder for themselves. Come to think of it, all of the setting changes avable involved worsening the users conditions rather than easing them up. Basil was about to ask more questions when he heard a noiseing from upstairs. Whats happening?! Little green men in the garden! to shouted back from upstairs. They want to eat the hens! Sighing in exasperation, Basil prepared to defend his property again. Thankfully, Basil had checked up on Old Man Rens belongings after the centipede attack and found his hunting rifle. Basil had never seriously used a firearm, but it couldnt be too hard. Just point and fire, right? Right. When Basil barged out of his house with the hunting rifle loaded, he found to and the red centipede shielding the coop and hutch from a gang of five monsters. The little green pigs would have been a better term to describe the creatures rampaging through his yard. No bigger than human children, the beasts had snouts, boar-like tusks, and red tufts of hair on their skulls. Though they moved on two legs and carried wood branches as improvised clubs, the creatures wore nothing more than tattered loincloths. Pustules grew all over their green hides.
Goblin
Level 1 [Beast]
Basil fired a warning shot and instantly won everyones attention. Okay, ground rules, Basil said as the goblins hissed at him. Ive been threatened with knives in back alleys more than once and I always fought back. You dont scare me, and I wont hesitate to use lethal force to defend my life and property. Im reading the riot act to walking pigs, Basil thought. Please make this a delusion. I dont want to live in that kind of world. Now that thats cleared, lets talk this out like intelligent people. Although the goblins looked more like animals than humans, a part of Basil didnt feel easy starting a fight with humanoids if he could avoid it. Get the fuck off of my property. Suck my snout, human! One of the goblins threatened Basil with his wooden club. The swamp belongs to Ogremoche! Who? The biggest ogre there is! Another goblin pointed at the northern lights in the skies. Hes a big shot, the Dungeons Boss! To Basils utterck of surprise, another screen popped up before his eyes.
New Quest: Baddest Ogre in Town
Rmended Level: 5.
Objective: Conquer the Barthes Dungeon by defeating Ogremoche.
Reward: 500 Bonus EXP + [Ogre Ne].
Thats fine, my house isnt part of the swamp. Basil pointed at his fence with the rifle. Here, this is civilizations frontier. Exactly, its our territory, to added. I have my scent all over! All Im saying, we dont have to fight, Basil exined to the goblins. We stick to our respective homes and stay good neighbors. Youre right, human, we dont have to fight. One of the goblins grinned, rows of pointy fangs behind his lips. But we want to, because killing humans is fun. Theyre making it really hard for me not to press the trigger, Basil thought. Last warning. Dont fuck with me, goblins. Dont ever try to fuck me. It made the goblinsugh. Oh, hes threatenin us! The human is threatenin us with his metal club! Human, were going to burn your house, kill everyone inside, and deliver you to Ogremoche! Well eat you for dinner, and then A goblin loudmouth turned around and showed Basil his ass. Well shit you, yeah! Right through this hole Basil shot the goblin in the back before he could finish.
Critical Hit!
Basil was aiming for the ass, but somehow he managed to hit the head. The bullet went through the back of the goblins skull and came out on the other side, the creature falling dead on the grass. How are they still surprised after I warned them thrice? Basil wondered as the goblins turned silent. He only believed in diplomacy up to a point. When a fight looks inevitable, better to strike first and seize the initiative. The little green pigs were too startled to strike back immediately, which allowed to to pounce on one of them with his ws out. The red centipede joined in by snapping his mandibles on a goblins neck, beheading him in one strike. The goblins regained theirposure and charged with their clubs raised. Basils next shots were significantly less impressive than the first. In fact, he wasted two bullets; and when he hit a goblins chest with the third, it wasnt enough to put him down. You dirty human! the wounded creature shouted while rushing at Basil. Ill kill you! Basil grunted as he pressed his rifles trigger, only for the weapon to jam. He barely had time to dodge a hit meant for his knee. The goblin kept trying to strike without care for his self-preservation. Basil kicked the monster in the face with enough force to stun him. He threw the rifle aside, grabbed the goblin by the hair, and then mmed his face against his houses wall. Blood sttered all over the paint. Oh God, goblins bleed, Basil realized. He had already seen the centipede shed blood, but it hit differently with the warm fluid all over his hand. His brief shock allowed the goblin to scratch his arm with his sharp nails, making Basil wince in pain. I felt that. Ill kij jou! Although the goblin had lost many teeth, he remained somewhat understandable. Since he attempted to hit Basil with his club rather than beg for mercy like the centipede, the human introduced his unwee guests face to the wall once more. This time the goblin was too dead to threaten him again. Meanwhile, to had disemboweled another invader like a fish and the centipede squeezed thest one to death anaconda-style. I got another! the centipede shouted with pride. I got two of them, Boss! With the rush of adrenaline dying down, Basil watched his dead goblin fall on the grass with a sick feeling in his chest. He half expected the corpse to vanish in a cloud of smoke like in video games, but nope, it stayed. Basil looked at his arm where the goblin scratched him. Three red marks cut through his skin deeply enough to draw blood. This feels real, he thought. Fuck, this is real. It wasnt a delusion. Basil had killed a humanoid pig out for his blood in his garden. If he hadnt fought back, he would have died. Well it wasnt any different from killing a wild boar, Basil tried to tell himself. It made it easier, but he tried not to think too much about the implications. Good job, Basil thanked the centipede. He would have to bandage his wound and clean it to avoid infection, then wash the blood off his wallter.
Your party earned 500 EXP (166 EXP each). You earned 1 level!
Party? Basil asked as he read the screen, only for another to pop up. It showed his own stats, plus two additions. Name to (Housecat) Type Beast Faction Basils Unnamed Party Experience 266/500 Immune Resist Weak N/A Soul, Wind, Wood, Darkness Beastyer, Physical, Corrosion, Water, Lightning Level Health Points Special Points 1+1 275 260 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 5 (D+20%) 24 (B+20%) 5 (D+20%) 21 (B+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 12 (C+20%) 10 (D+20%) 10 (D+20%) 20 (B+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Weak - Strong Weak - Strong - - - Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic - Weak - Strong - Weak - Strong - Passive Perks Active Perks Sharp ws N/A Heavy Napper N/A Birdbane N/A Name N/A (Red Centipede) Type Bug Faction Basils Unnamed Party Experience 266/500 Immune Resist Weak N/A Corrosion, all Ailments, Wood, Earth Bugyer, Mind, Frost, Water, Wind Level Health Points Special Points 1+1 730 175 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 26 (C+20%) 13 (D+20%) 24 (C+20%) 10 (C+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 3 (E+20%) 9 (E+20%) 9 (D+20%) 14 (D+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment - Weak - Strong - Strong - - Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic - Weak Strong Weak Weak - - - - Passive Perks Active Perks Poisoned Fangs N/A Carapace N/A Tremorsense N/A From what Basil read, he was in a team with his two pets and experience points were shared between them. But why was their level marked as 1+1 instead of 2? Oh wait, the monsters in my group cant be a higher level than me, Basil thought. Ive got to assign mine before they can do the same. I dont see any sses on your stat sheet, Basil informed his allies. Is that normal? sses? Thats something for humans, Boss! The centipede uncoiled from hisst victim. We monsters, we gain new Perks by evolving into stronger forms once we level up enough! Could I be a lion? to raised his tail with sudden interest. A smilodon? So the letters and percentage beneath their stats were their expected growths on a level-up? Good to know. Basil was about to ask the centipede a very important question when another came up first. Whats your name? The centipede gave Basil a funny look. Im sorry, Boss? Whats your name? Basil asked. Im tired of calling you centipede in my thoughts. The bug lowered his antennae in shame. I dont have a name. You dont have a name?! to mocked him while licking goblin blood off his fur. I-I thought a human would drop one upon dying! Well, Ill give you one right now Basil trailed off until he had a eureka moment. He snapped his fingers, proud of himself. Bugsy. Bugsy Alphonse Venture. Powerful. Sophisticated. Transgressive. Bugsy looked up at Basil with his beautiful green eyes, astonished by the honor done to him. B-Bugsy, Boss? It sounds a bit stupi Are you talking to me, Bugsy Alphonse Venture? Basil interrupted his uppity minion. N-No, Boss! Bugsy immediately submitted to the pecking order and epted his fate. Its a great name!
Red Centipedes name has been changed to: Bugsy Alphonse Venture.
Perfect, Basil said. Now, Bugsy, did you repair the fence and the greenhouse? As it turned out, he did a poor job out of it. Bugsy had closed the hole in the fence with a pile of stones and melded back the ss shards of the greenhouse with his poisonous saliva. A shoddy work all over. When Basil finished his inspection, Bugsy ttened on the ground like a living carpet. His antennae wavered in fear. Clearly, he expected his head to roll. So, Boss? I give you some points for effort. In retrospect, Basil should have known that an armless centipede would make a poor manualborer. Okay, Ill consider your debt paid. If you swear never to harm another human again, Ill let you go. Go? To Basils surprise, Bugsy looked downright horrified. But where? Anywhere you want. Basil frowned. What, you wanna stay with us? Can I? Bugsy whistled in happiness. Your nest is so warm and safe, Boss and youre so tough! Nobodys going to mess with us and live to tell the tale! Nobody dumb enough to threaten someone with a rifle at least, Basil thought. Well, in that case, wee to the team long-term. to was all too happy to exploit the situation. I will allow you to live if you respect my seniority. You will hunt food for me whenever I feel too important to walk. The poor centipede didnt dare to argue. Yes, Mr. to! Youll protect the chicken and the rabbits when I let them out of their homes, Basil ordered Bugsy. No more intrusion on your watch. Yes, Boss! Bugsy nodded furiously. No living goblin will get past the fence! What do we do with the dead ones? to asked while pointing at the pile of goblin corpses. Do we dump them in the river? Or do we feed them to the chickens? Are goblins even edible? Basil asked, slightly curious. to smelled the goblins, exchanged a nce with his owner, and then looked back at the corpses. A few hourster, Basils pets anxiously watched their owner as he took the days dinner out of the oven. Basil put the te on the counter and cut off a piece with a long kitchen knife. The tender goblin meat seemed to melt as the sharp steel edge sliced it. Basil had stuffed the creature with apple, onions, and mushrooms before adding a dash of pepper. The whole thing was served on a bed of homemade potatoes. Their soft golden surface cracked from the heat with an appetizing sound. Basil raised his fork like a man going to war, stabbed the slice of meat with a deft strike And ate it. A tense silence settled in the kitchen as Basils teeth sank into the meat, his tongue savoring the vor. So? to asked while wagging his tail. They taste a bit like boar, a bit like duck too, Basil answered before taking another bite. More than that, it tasted like karma and victory. Its good, you can eat it. Basil watched on with happiness as to and Bugsy ate their fill of meat. That settled the matter. Goblins were the new boars. Chapter 3: Man vs Menu Chapter 3: Man vs Menu When Basil woke up with a pop-up before his eyes, he came to a sudden realization.
Your party earned 100 EXP (30 EXP each).
The screens were here to stay. It was one thing to say the truth and another to ept it. A foolish part of Basil had hoped reality would return to normal once he woke up from sleep like a bad dream. The bandage on his arm, where the goblin had struck, reminded him that he wouldnt be so lucky. Its not so bad, Basil tried to tell himself. Besides the asional attack on his property, life had gone on as before. Though I miss the inte. It is time, Basil, to said as he kneaded his owners chest. It is time for breakfast. Yeah, yeah, Basil grunted as he rose from his bed, his cat following after him. I got EXP did you guys do something while I was asleep? I hunted a birdst night. It was so big Bugsy had to help me carry the corpse. to licked his shoulder. I can''t resist the urge. When I see a bird, I have to kill it. You never attacked the chickens though, Basil pointed out as they moved to the kitchen. As it turned out, Bugsy and to had tossed their newest trophy on the counter. Because theyre good birds. There are good and bad birds? Basil raised an eyebrow as he examined the dead bird monster. It looked vaguely like a crane bird, except with red feathers, fangs in its beak, and dagger-like talons. to had sliced its neck with his ws.
Dinocrane
Level 1 [Avian/Reptile]
Yes, of course. The good birds like chickens, they dont fly. The bad ones, they do. Very simple. to puffed his chest with pride. How do you find my catch? Its my biggest yet. Its impressive, Basil admitted. But correct me if Im wrong: the level 1 goblins before gave 100 EXP per head in total, 33 for each of us. So why did we only get 30 each this time? Where are the missing points?
To avoid easy level grinding and to incentivize fighting powerful opponents, you receive less EXP from lower level enemies. If the gap is too wide, you wont earn EXP at all.
Ugh, wonderful. Although Basil noted that EXP could be shared among party members even if they didnt participate in a kill. He suspected that this mechanism was meant to allow weaker members of a group to catch up to their stronger allies. Youve never killed anything bigger than you before, Basil observed. His cat had never brought anything bigger than a pigeon home, but the Dinocrane was more than thrice tos size. to frowned in outrage at his owners skepticism. Of course I did. You just didnt see me. Of course. Come to think of it, Basil remembered to disemboweling a goblin with his bare ws; a feat worthy of a tiger. Basil checked the Party screen and his cats Perks. The System quickly confirmed his suspicions. Double damage with ws stacking with [Birdbane]... Basil guessed that the Dinocrane probably died in one hit. Are all cats so overpowered at first level? Why wouldnt we be? to replied with typical feline arrogance. Basil pitied the mice and rats of the world. System, he muttered as a thought crossed his mind, how is damage calcted exactly?
Ignoring the random factor, damage with your fists scales with your Strength. If you use a weapon instead, it inflicts damage based on the appropriate Power stat and the weapons additional bonus.
Basil frowned and quickly moved to check his weapons. As he remembered, his old iron axe ran on Strength. The rifle, however, relied on Skill.
Duckyer, Old Hunting Rifle
Family: Weapon (Firearm)
Quality: D
Power: + 11 SKI
Crit: + 0 %
uracy: 80 %
Effect: [Birdyer]: Supereffective damage against the [Avian] type (x3 damage).
Old Man Rens old hunting rifle, which ruffled a few feathers with blood!
Basil calcted the potential damage in his head. The old iron axe added +8 to his Strength of 18 for a total of 26, while the rifle added +11 to his Skill of 14 for a total of 25. Wait, does this mean that I inflict more damage with a rusty old axe than a firearm? Basil blushed as a humiliating realization came to mind. Considering tos high Skill,bined with his multiplied w damage Yo Basil, why do you look so ashamed all of a sudden? his cat asked with concern. Whether I use an axe or a rifle, you hit harder than me either way. tos feline lips stretched into the smuggest, most condescending grin imaginable. The System made no sense! The rest of the day happened without incident. Basil put tos newest trophy in the freezer until he could figure out how to cook it, gathered a bounty of chicken eggs from his feathered tenants, fed his rabbits, watered his vegetables in the greenhouse, and checked on the electricity. Although the house appeared cut off from the French energy grid, the aurora in the skies had a beneficial effect on the sr panels output. The house wouldnt run out of power anytime soon. His work done in the morning, Basil took his afternoon off. He set a longchair in the garden while his rabbits and chicken peacefully waded through the garden. Basil alternated between dozing off and exploring his menus options; what he could ess anyway. The Spellbook feature remained unavable, probably because of his piss-poor Magic stat. Yer no wizard, Basil, he thought with annoyance. As per the name, Logs recorded whatever information that Basil gathered. This included a journal of Quests, basic information about enemies his party had in, and a small map of the local area. sses allowed Basil to assign his levels to sses he had unlocked. [Gardener] and [Fisherman] tempted him the most considering their potential utility. It was the Inventory feature that amazed Basil the most, however.
Your Inventory is an extra-dimensional space where you can stock your items and summon them to your location at will. You can store 1 item per level by touching them. An Inventorys items will reappear at their owners location upon death.
Basil raised an eyebrow and turned his head to look at his house. Could it be no, that would be ridiculous but what if Basil bolted off from his chair and mmed his palm against the nearest wall.
No, your Inventory cannot store buildings.
Basil roared out of sheer disappointment, startling the hens in the garden. But another brilliant idea soon crossed his mind and filled his heart with hope. His legs moved on their own and carried him all the way to the garage. His multipurpose vehicle, an old Renault Kangoo, awaited his arrival. Its lustrous blue paint only showcased the scratches on its left door, the scars of a fever-pitched battle against a deer determined tomit suicide by car at night. Basils hand brushed against its fearsome hood with near-religious respect. Store, Basil whispered. A pulse of energy spread from his hand to bathe the car in holy light. The Renault Kangoo vanished in a sh, leaving the garage an empty church deprived of its relic.
Vehicle: [Renault Kangoo] has been added to your Inventory.
I knew it! Basil let out augh of triumph. Yes, yes! He wouldnt have to pay for parking ever again! What else could he store? Did ships count? nes? Could he store a ne? So thought Basil as he exited his garage to find Bugsy waiting for him. Greetings Boss, Ipleted my patrol! The centipede straightened up like a soldier reporting to his general. The nests perimeter is secure! No more goblins? Not since we put up a signboard with skulls on top. I sense them lurking nearby with my [Tremorsense], but they dont dare to approach. Finally, the locals had learned to respect Basils boundaries. Good, lets hope our neighbors behave from now on. So what do we do next, Boss? Bugsy asked with his antennae raised. We fortify the nest and then go clear the dungeon? Sure, we can set traps around the ce, Basil replied, but why would we clear the dungeon? Bugsy looked at him in confusion. W-Why not, Boss? Didnt we get a quest to do it? Yes, but it was rmended for level 5 and were three short of that. Basil shrugged. And why would we have to fulfill it anyway? If the goblins stop attacking our home, we wont attack theirs. Good neighbors stick to themselves. But Boss, dont you want to get stronger and richer? Bugsy argued. Im sure the ogre keeps a treasure stashed in the dungeon! What would we spend it for? Basil frowned. If youre worried about rent, youre paying it with your work. Bugsy wagged his antennae in confusion. I dont understand, Boss. Dont you want to be stronger and richer? Basil gritted his teeth in silent anger. The words had struck a nerve. No, I dont. Bugsy winced at his owners harsh tone, which made Basil shrug. The centipede deserved some exnations. Okay, Bugsy, let me tell you where Ie from, he dered with patriotic fervor. The greatnd of Bulgaria. Is it a dungeon? I maybe? Basil didnt know what counted for a dungeon or not nowadays. Bulgaria is a great country, but a poor one. After themunists fell, we joined Europe to be wealthier. Communists? What kind of monsters are they, Boss? They sound very low-level. Theyre like goblins, but red, Basil joked. Bugsy took him at his word. Like many, I thought I could get out of poverty by getting an education in a more developed country; the one were in right now, France. Since I didnt have a family rich enough to pay my rent, I had to work in my free time and holidays to fund my studies. Like taking care of an old man in the middle of nowhere in the summer. I did it because people promised me that my degree would earn me a good sry, Basil exined. Except that when I got out of university, I ended up in directpetition with thousands of people with the exact same qualifications for a dozen posts. Half of mypetitors came from schools with a better rep than mine. Sounds like a monsters life to me, Bugsy said. Everybody fights everybody. Yeah, well, the best I could find were exploitative internships to get experience or menial jobs. I wasted five years of my life just to go right back to square one. So you know what I did? Bugsy thoughtfully considered the question. You killed all yourpetitors to get the job? Once a monster, always a monster. I said fuck it and went to live in the woods. Basil snorted. The moral of the story is that the lure of money is a mirage used by modern society to make wheel-running hamsters out of us. If you can live well and peacefully with little, then why bother doing more? It wont add anything, it wont make you happier. Same with that dungeon. I think I understand. Bugsy didnt hide his disappointment, but epted Basils wisdom all the same. So, uh, if we wont raid the dungeon, what do we do from now on, Boss? We live. Basil shrugged. Have you ever yed Mario Kart? N-No, Boss. You will. I also have board games, ser balls, and Basil stopped as he smelled a foul stench. The wind blowing from the Barthes carried a terrible odor. Whats this? Bugsys antennae bristled with the soft breeze. Smells like rotting meat, Boss. I think itsing from the stream. Ive got a bad feeling about this, Basil thought. He immediately moved to the back of his house, where a freshwater stream separated his home from the marshes beyond. The brook was a tributary of therger lAdour river, but deep enough that water would reach up to Basils waist if he tried to cross it. Green marshy meadows and trees spanned the other side of the stream, a wild reserve full of bugs, birds, and other protected animals. How many times had Basil crossed into the wilnds to help Ren with his naturalist projects? A dozen, a hundred times? to had already beat Basil and Bugsy to the shorebank. He must have smelled the disturbance too. Yo, Basil, weve got a problem, the catined. That ugly manling is ruining my view of the marsh. A dead body faced them on the other side of the stream, hung from a tree. A human body. Although he couldnt see clearly due to the distance from the other shore, Basil estimated the victim as a man in his thirties. The body had been stripped of everything except his underwear and hanged to a branch with barbed wire. From its pallid skin and smell, he had been killed recently. Words had been written into the corpses chest with feces. Basil didnt recognize thenguage used, but that the System tranted for him all the same: yer next, hummie! Bugsy straightened up, his body tense as a pole. Boss, I think this is a warning. Worse, Bugsy. Basils jaws tightened with cold rage. This is an insult. Who cares? I leave corpses everywhere too, no big deal. to stretched his legs. Lets just pull it down and go back to the sofa. Basil nced at his cat with a dark look. to, fetch me a knife. A knife? His cat meowed in disappointment. Ohe on, Basil, not again! Its like, the third time! The third time for what? Bugsy asked. That he swears a vendetta againstplete strangers! When Basil wouldnt relent, to sighed and bolted back into the house. Goddamn it, Basil, you always overblow things! If anything, Basil believed his response was entirely proportionate. The goblins had shown themselves brutal enough to kill and would show no mercy. They werent mere predatory animals he could live with, but organized savages. If not stopped, they might end up killing him and his pets in their sleep. Threatening to kill him was par the course for the world they now lived in, but murdering someone else to intimidate him? It was a cause for war! Basil opened his System screen and finally decided to assign his second level. He skipped the Crafters and the Rogues, the Spellcasters and the Monsters. Something primal guided his hand to the most appropriate option.
[Berserker]: This wrathful Fighter ss focuses on raging offense at the cost of defense. Growths: Strength (S); Magic (B); Vitality (B); Skill (D); Agility (B); Intelligence (E); Charisma (C); Luck (C).
Basil assigned his level to this ss. He immediately felt a near-addictive shiver of pleasure course through his veins and abs growing underneath his skin.
Berserker Level 1 Stat Gains: + 2 STR; +1 VIT; +1 SKI; +1 AGI; +1 CHA; +1 LCK. Your Health Points were raised by 50 and Special Points by 10.
New Perk: ughterer I (Passive): You gain advanced proficiency with Axes, Maces, Spears, and Unarmed Attacks (x2 damage, +10 percent Crit chances). However, all [Berserker] ss Perks are made inactive if you wield a shield, armor, or essory reducing the damage that you take. Monster skins and damage resistance provided by spells or Perks do not vite this rule.
This new level had changed his body somehow. Basil could feel it in his bones. to returned with a small knife in his mouth, which his owner swiftly imed for himself. Here we go again, the catined. I, Basil Jean-Franois Bohen, Basil shouted to the heavens and his heart, son of Dragan and Aleksandra Bohen, I hereby swear a blood oath before our Lord Jesus Christ! I will not rest until I have driven off the goblin menace from the Barthes of lAdour! How do we even know the goblins did it? to asked, but was ignored. It could be the birds. Treacherous, sneaky little birds. I swear never to let them vite the sanctity of my home! My fence shall be a great wall against which goblin hordes will break like wind before a mountain! I curse them! I curse them to the thirteenth generation of their blood! Basil lightly shed his hand, just deep enough to draw blood without leaving a scar. He let drops of his red blood fall into the stream and raised his knife as if to strike the skies above. To the death! Basils battle cry echoed across the river, and his chickens loudly joined in with wild clucking noises. That was epic! Bugsy snapped his mandibles with excitement. Can I do it too? Can I swear too? You shall all swear, Basil dered. His eyes turned to to, who tried to avoid his gaze the best he could. Yes, that includes you. to whined. Can I at least spit out a hairball instead of blood? Basil would allow it. His twopanions each made their vow to the river with blood and hair, swearing to fight until evil was at longst driven off from theirnd. The First Neighborhood War had begun. Chapter 4: Man vs Otter Chapter 4: Man vs Otter As Basils old axe cut another goblin in half, he realized that splitting skulls was no different than chopping wood. In fact, the former had be frighteningly easy after taking a level in Berserker. Basil wielded his axe as if it were part of him. His muscles almost moved on their own, guiding his hand and imbuing it with new might. Its not just the increased stats, Basil thought as he swung his weapon at a second goblin, bisecting him from the waist down. I know axe-fu now. My Berserker ss downloaded knowledge into my brain somehow. Thankfully, Basils clothes didnt count as armor for the purpose of the ughterer Perk. He would rather avoid fighting in his underwear due to the cold temperature. Help! to called for help. A monster had emerged from the stream to chase after the cat. Wet alert! Somebody help! Having in thest goblin, Basil moved to answer tos call. A wolf-sized otter with sharp spines on its back hunted the cat, its fur drenched in water. Bugsy was biting the aquatic monsters tail with his mandibles to little effect, besides poisoning it.
Spinotter
Level 2 [Beast/Aquatic]
Status: Poisoned!
It was the second enemy group Basil and his pets had confronted since they forded the stream to reach the other side. The goblins had brought new monsters with them both times; first a duo of dinocranes that to made short work of, and then this otter creature. Basil nked the otter. The beast saw himing and fired spines from its back like javelins. Surprised by the unexpected attack, Basil deflected a projectile with his axe but missed another aiming for his left shoulder. The spine tore through the shirt and grazed the skin underneath before finishing its course in a nearby tree. Basil gritted his teeth in pain and rage. His axe hit the otters head and opened a bloody wound, but failed to cut through the skull. The beast snapped its jaws at Basil, nearly biting his ankle. I got this! Bugsy used the spinotters distraction to coil around it. The stronger centipede hissed in pain upon touching his preys spines, but managed to restrain it all the same. I got this! Basil roared as he struck the spinotters head again. This time he hit the beast hard enough to split the skull open. The third and final blow shattered it. Once the beast was dead, Basil took a moment to gather his breath.
Your party earned 1050 EXP (323 EXP each). You earned 1 level!
100 base EXP per level 1 goblin and dinocrane, 250 base EXP for the level 2 Spinotter, Basil calcted in his head. He quickly figured out the underlying form, or at least the gist of it. The experience was divided between each party members, then the share I received from the goblins and dinocranes wasreduced by around 10%. The penalty applied even after assigning my excess level. It made sense. A party could include individuals of different levels who shouldn''t be subjected to the same penalties. Basil suspected other factors were at work in the experience calction, but the System wouldn''t give him more details. Is it dead? to asked as he touched the spinotters leg. A drop of water fell on the cats bloodied paw and startled him. Ah, its wet! What a child, Basil said with a grin. He had to carry to in his arms when they forded the stream on foot. Bugsy, are you wounded? Its alright, Boss, you hit me way harder. Bugsy uncoiled from the dead otter. The spines had barely scratched his thick exoskeleton. Basil couldnt say the same for his bleeding shoulder. A goblin had also managed to strike him in the chest with a club in the melee, leaving him with a nasty bruise. Basil had had the foresight to take a waist bag full of bandages on the expedition, but he couldnt rule out the risk of infection from the marsh. The human body could only take so much punishment.
Health Points
620/700 (Healthy)
Quick question, Basil asked as he applied a bandage to his shoulder wound. How do Health Points work? Are they a general representation of my health or a hard value?
Your Health Points represent your general health. If they reach 0, you die.
What if. Basil took a long deep breath as he made his problem with the HP concept known. If I were to use a needle to inflict 1 damage to a goblin by stabbing their arm while avoiding the vitals, would it eventually kill him? No System tutorial appeared to enlighten Basil. Screen, answer the question. It didnt. Im tempted to capture a goblin alive to test out my hypothesis, Basil said. But that would be animal cruelty. Capture a goblin alive? to licked the blood off his paws. I cant guarantee anything. The greenies look determined tomit assisted suicide. Basil sighed. Indeed, his cat was right. Their group had tried to talk it out with the monsters after Bugsys Tremorsense detected their ambush attempt, but they kept fighting to the death even when the tide turned against them. Did the dungeons Boss frighten them so much that they would rather throw their lives away than go home to face punishment? Is it genocide if its done in self-defense? Basil wondered out loud. Im sorry, Boss? Bugsy asked. We are confronted by a hostile species smart enough to talk back, but clearly not enough to stop bothering us, Basil said. That species attacks us with suicidal zeal even though they take terrible losses. They wont consider diplomacy no matter how much we try to establish a constructive dialogue. Ponder this question, Bugsy Alphonse Venture. Basil waved his weapon at the dead monsters surrounding them. Is it genocide if we kill them all because they wouldnt stop attacking otherwise? Or is it self-defense? Bugsy considered the question for a few seconds before answering. I think were getting ahead of ourselves, Boss. I mean, we havent killed them all yet. Were putting semantics before the ughter, said to. We can always settle on how well call the goblins extinction after we do the deed. I dont think we can exterminate the goblins at all, Bugsy pointed out, the dungeon will create more of them so long as it remains active and there are probably other tribes elsewhere across the world. They can absorb their losses easily enough. We just have to try hard Basil froze as his mind registered his centipedes words. Come again? I said goblins can absorb losses easily enough I meant the first part. Basil frowned at his insectoid pet. The dungeon creates monsters from nothing? Bugsy nodded in confirmation, much to Basils chagrin. Is there any way to stop the process? he asked. Or do we have to blow up the ce from the ground up? This time, the System agreed to provide an answer.
Dungeons have a core called a neurotower that bes essible once the local Boss is in. Whoever touches the neurotower first can decide the dungeons fate.
Good to know. Can we get the dungeons location, please?
The dungeon will be marked on your map once you discover it.
I hate you so much.
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
After this enlightening interaction, Basil took a moment to examine the spinotter. He cut the creatures belly open with his axe and the half-digested remains of two minks spilled out. Reminds me of invasive species, Basil thought. He had already noticed the conspicuous absence of normal cranes and birds that usually lived in the Barthes. Monsters will edge out the local wildlife in no time. He shuddered to imagine the looming ecological disaster. The Barthes were a wildlife reserve with many of its local species vulnerable to disturbances. Basil had no qualms about hunting animals for food, but the possibility of a non-invasive species going extinct deeply bothered him. They would be gone from the world, never toe back. He would have felt the same way at a monuments destruction. A part of Basil hoped that sabotaging the dungeon and culling the monster poption would give the local wildlife a chance to survive. At least this spinotter will make a fine carpet, Basil thought as he set out to finish the task his team had crossed the stream for: pulling down the human corpse on the other side. Basil swiftly cut the barbed wire holding the body up to the tree with his axe and examined it. The bodys fresher than I thought, but insect scavengers did a number on him. He probably died when the dungeons appeared two days ago. Something had shattered the ribs and damaged the heart, probably in a single blow from the impact. That was too strong for a goblins club. Can Bosses leave their dungeon? Basil asked. I dont think so, Bugsy answered when the System wouldnt. The centipede touched the ground with his antennae to monitor the area in case the goblins nned to ambush them again. What do we do with the human meat, Boss? We eat it? No, well bury him near a tree. Basil frowned at Bugsy. Dont tell me you would eat a member of your own species? I would, if its well-cooked, the centipede replied before checking his belly. I wonder how I would taste. They could always check if they crossed another centipedes path. Although the victim carried no identification papers, his face felt vaguely familiar to Basil now that he could take a closer look. On the road, he remembered. I saw him a few times while driving on the road while he was going to work at The water quality control station, Basil muttered out loud. The waterwhat? Bugsy asked. Theres an old facility meant to check the quality of the rivers water nearby. Basil remembered that the French public services also repurposed the building to house a weather station to cut costs. The goblins must have ambushed our man while he was going to work. From the bodys state, he must have died right after the dungeon appeared. Oh, I get it! Bugsy rejoiced. The dungeon and the station must be close to each other! Probably, Basil confirmed. We could check No, to interrupted his owner. His tone reminded Basil of an adult scolding a child. No. You dont even know what Im about No to water! to hissed at the stream. I only like it behind a ss window or in a bowl. Basil locked eyes with his housecat. Didnt you tell me you were a dwarf panther instead of a cat? to puffed his chest, full of pride. Yes, what of it? Panthers can swim, to. Even dwarf ones. When to pouted in embarrassment, Basil knew he had already won the debate. I-I can swim too, I just dont like it! Do you take a shower every day? No, but I wash when I must. Basil shrugged. Truthfully, Im torn over this. The station is hours away from the house even with shortcuts. Well leave our home unattended. Besides, the dungeons Boss Ogremoche had enough control over the local goblins to shape them into a semi-cohesive fighting force. He must have fortified the area, making a direct assault risky without preparations. to nodded so abruptly that some of his fur fell off his face from the sheer speed. See, see? What if its all part of the goblins master n to lure us away from the house? Think, Basil! Will you fall for such an obvious ploy? Or you could go to the station with Bugsy while I valiantly watch over our home from atop the sofa! What do you say about that? Basil pondered his cats proposal, before suddenly realizing that Bugsy hadnt spoken a word in a while. The red centipede kept his antennae applied to the soft grass, his back as tense as a bowstring. He had detected a threat. Bugsy? Basil asked, his grip on his axe tightening. to understood the danger and rose on two legs. He smelled the wind in an attempt to detect smells. What do you hear? Explosions, Boss, the centipede murmured back. Small ones. Basils jaw clenched in rm. How far? Far. Bugsy let out a sigh of relief. Moving away. Northwest. Basil kept his guard up. to? What do you smell? Enough goblin blood to make me puke, and a bug. Im right next to you, Bugsy said in confusion. Another bug, to rified before shuddering. It reminds me of these nasty giant Asian hos who made their nest in our atticst summer. You dont smell gunpowder? Basil fished for more information. Or fire? His cat came up short and shrugged. If to had smelled firearms, Basil would have expected the French armying to liberate the region. But the smell of hos leaned more towards the hypothesis of an unregistered monster wrecking havoc. An ugly picture quickly formed in Basils mind as he put two and two together. System, what could I do with a dungeons core?
This information is locked until you ess one.
This doesnt bode well, Basil thought. Not well at all. Guys, change of ns. Well set traps around the house, bar the windows, close the door, and then well move to inspect the station. to, who knew his owner well enough, immediately realized something was terribly wrong. Basil, are you suggesting that we leave the house without any defender? The water quality control station is in the northwest, Basil exined. If we assume its close to the dungeons location, then a powerful bug monster is probably fighting the goblins over it. Oh, good for us then. As always, tos allergy to work made itself known. We can satisfy our blood oath without lifting a finger. We can sit back and watch the fireworks. Except you dont attack a fortress full of monsters without expecting a reward, Basil replied. What could a monster gain from taking over a dungeon from its Boss? Basil, how should I know? And thats my problem, to: we dont know what will happen, said Basil. It might make the situation worse somehow. Thats why were going to monitor this situation closely. The enemy of my enemy was not always a friend. Chapter 5: Man vs Surprise Chapter 5: Man vs Surprise Locating the dungeon had been an easy task. They only had to follow the dead. Whoever had attacked the goblins had done so with lethal efficiency. The marshs putrid air had grown heavy with the stench of dead bodies thrown into the mud. ck stingers pierced the hearts of bleeding goblins while purple acid dissolved the remains of spinotters into poisonous puddles. Twenty-one, twenty-two, to counted the dead as the group walked through a game trail Basil knew by heart. Twenty-three Bugsy shuddered with his antennae against the ground. Hard to believe a single monster could do so much damage. Yet it was alone. Basil had picked up a trail of abnormal footprints in the grass, light but confident, with two fingers per foot. And experienced too. The stingers all hit vital areas. The scene felt like the aftermath of a professional soldier rampaging through a crowd of helpless civilians. Basil wouldnt mourn goblins, but the sheer one-sided nature of their demise made him uneasy. Although he had taken both his axe and rifle on the expedition, the former in his hand and the other attached to his back by a leather strap, Basil would have traded them both for an AK-47. Even the boisterous Bugsy twitched from time to time. Boss, you should assign your level. Yeah, Basil agreed. The creature could fall upon them any minute. Ill upgrade the [Tamer] ss. Not Berserker? to asked. Odd choice. Berserker will make me a better fighter, but Tamer will do the same for both of you, Basil exined. It will help the group more.
Tamer Level 2 Stat Gains: + 1 STR; +1 AGI; +1 MAG; +1 CHA. Your Health Points were raised by 20 and Special Points by 10.
After the rush of pleasure from the level-up died down, Basil awaited theing of his new Perk for several seconds. Wait, I wont get a new power this time?
sses grant a Perk on odd levels and when youplete its progression path.
You couldnt tell me before I assigned the level? Basil grunted in frustration. Its okay, Boss, Bugsy tried to reassure him. It still allowed us to assign our own extra level. Basil opened his mouth to argue, before closing it just as swiftly. The dungeon and the water quality control station both came into sight. They were, after all, one and the same. Located at the junction between the stream and therger lAdour river, the water quality control station had been a small facility no bigger than a metal shack. The oval structure that had risen in its ce was over four stories tall. Walls of mossy stone had reced the stations metal doors, with neolithic symbols of boars and bears crudely carved onto their surface. The regions auroras pulsed from above the roof in swirling waves. The dungeons oval shape reminded Basil of a stone egg. Only part of it was visible; a good chunk of it was submerged by the lAdour river while the rest had sunk into the marshs muddy ground. A wide crack into the stone faade with wood and bone totems on each side formed the dungeons foreboding entrance.
Dungeon: Ogre Den of the Barthes
Level: 5
Faction: N/A.
Field Type: Den.
[Fire], [Metal], [Earth], [Soul], and [Mythic] elements are empowered.
[Wind] and [Lightning] elements are weakened.
Improved chances of inflicting the [Berserk], [Petrify], and [Terror] status ailments.
They even rolled out the red carpet, Basil thought as he nced at the bloody remains of goblins littering the ground. The remains of wooden barricadesid broken in tall grass. Weve arrived toote. A scavenger had beaten them to the prize and was trying to eat a dead goblin before their eyes. The moment Basilid his gaze upon this new monster, his heart skipped a beat. The beautiful creature resembled a venus flytrap bigger than to. Its mouth took the shape of multiple golden petals with spiky teeth around a cute, hungry gullet. Its green stem divided itself into six beautiful thorny vines wriggling in the mud. Watching the creature attempt to swallow a goblin too big for its mouth was both horrifying and adorable.
Kint
Level 1 [nt]
Beautiful, Basil whispered. to sent him a tired nce but kept his mouth shut. Bugsy proved himself less wise. Oh, a new bag of exp! Lets gang up on it, Boss Basil lightly pped his tasteless centipede on the back of the head. You uncultured fool! Boss, you pped me! Bugsy whined. Why did you p me?! Im a man of action, but Im also a caring gardener! Basil snarled loud enough for the nt to abandon its dinner to look at them. Look at it! Look at it, Bugsy! Dont you feel anything when you stare at its petals? His centipede looked at the kint in confusion. I-Is it about the greenhouse, Boss? Yes, it is, Basil confirmed. He wouldnt let Bugsy forget that part anytime soon. This beautiful flower belongs in my greenhouse and not in a grave. Beautiful? to squinted at the nt with unwee skepticism. It doesnt look like catnip to me. Look at its bright petals, Basil argued. Itll be perfect as part of a flower bed among roses and more exotic nts. Besides cultivating vegetables, Basil took good care of his gardens appearance. He had even considered building a flowering hedge over his fence before the System arrived to ruin all his ns for the future. But now that he saw this creature, Basil realized a whole new world had opened up to him. Could there be marvelous, aesthetical vegetal monsters out there? Lost creatures begging to be part of his houses scenery? Could he make a hedge out of monstrous nts? He would start exploring this new future here and now. The beautiful nt had turned to face the neers with its eyeless petals, a goblin corpse still stuck halfway through its mouth. The scene reminded Basil of that time he had caught a pelican trying to eat a fish too big for their gullet. Shush Basil whispered as he slowly approached the wary nt. It took a step back in fear and identally let its goblin catch slip through its petals. Dont worry, I dont want to hurt you. If you start talking to trees too, Im leaving, tomented on the scene with a deadpan tone. Basil ignored him. You want to eat, little nt? But you cant cut the corpse into tasty goblin legs? The kint watched warily without answering. To earn its trust, Basil brought down his axe on the dead goblins legs and severed it. He then grabbed the severed piece of bloody meat and dangled it before the flower, immediately earning its interest. You want it? Basil asked. When the flower replied by opening its mouth and salivating, he tossed the severed leg at it. The nt jumped and ate the piece of meat in one bite. Boss, what are you doing? Bugsy looked utterly confused by the scene unfolding before his eyes. Are you are you taming that monster? Without violence? Like a dog, to added with condescension. Whos a good nt? Basil asked as he tossed more severed limbs at the hungry flower. The pieces were small enough for the monster to eat them. Whos a good nt? You are nice! The nt squealed back with an adorable, high-pitched girly voice. I like you! Aww, she was a little girl! Sweet Pollen! Once she had finished eating her meal, the flower exhaled pink dust at Basils group. It smelled so sweet. Bugsy hissed as if expecting an attack, but Basil stopped him with a wave of his hand. He felt his fatigue vanish and the wounds underneath his bandages closing on their own.
You have recovered 35 HP!
Aww, she healed them! When I evolve, I will kill everyone! said the nt with her adorable voice, before pointing at Basil, to, and Bugsy with one of her vines. Except you! And you! And you! Aww, she had an attitude problem! Basil decided now was the time to make her his offer with a big bright smile. Do you want to live in my greenhouse in the middle of the woods? Shouldnt you offer her candies first? to asked mockingly. Or a tour in your minivan? to, shut up. Basil kept smiling at the beautiful flower. I will feed you goblin meat fillets, and you will grow in fertile soil. I can give you sun, warmth, and TV. We also have a fence, Bugsy thought it important to add. Mmm The nt wriggled in ce before letting out a squeal. Alright!
Kint has joined your party!
Henceforth, I shall name you Basil gathered his breath and let his muse speak through his lips. Rosemarine Entine de Barthe. Distinguished. Precious. Bourgeois.
Kints name has been changed to: Rosemarine Entine de Barthe.
I have a name! Rosemarine made her happiness known with another squeal. When I evolve, I will scare everyone! You sure will, Basil replied as he petted his new nt on the head. You sure will. The dungeon was bigger than its outside appearance suggested. The very first room alone upied a spacerger than Basil''s entire house. A few primitive, flickering braziers dangled from a dizzyingly high ceiling. Their feeble light illuminated crude goblin carvings on walls of smooth gray stone. Basil felt like an explorer discovering a paleolithic cave. Theres some space-time shenanigans happening here, Basil thought. The cavern reeked of sweat, blood, and dung. Half a dozen goblin and dinocrane corpses littered the ground. Im so happy not to be the newbie anymore, Bugsy said as Rosemarine happily hopped after him. Can I bully her? No, Basil replied tly, much to his centipedes chagrin. Dont lower your guard either. Y-Yes, Boss. When I evolve, I will bully everyone, Rosemarine chirped. Except you! Because you are my friends! Friends? Do you mistake me for a golden retriever? to shrugged as he smelled the air. I let you live in my house, thats all. Your house? Basil asked with a raised eyebrow. He walked to a broken wood door at the end of the cavern protected by two primitive wooden totems topped with goblin skulls. Someone had shattered the idols.
Goblin Twin-Totems
Family: Trap
Quality: D
Effect:unch [Poison] needles upon being approached by non-goblins.
Goblin traps set for intruders and meant to work in tandem. Disabled.
Boss? Bugsy asked. Am I no longer your favorite? Basil looked over his shoulder. What do you mean? Youre treating her so well, Bugsy said while ring at Rosemarine. The adorable nt scouted the corpses in search of a body part to eat. But shes so dim! This ce is so dark and dusty! Rosemarine chirped, utterly oblivious to the centipedes disdain for her. I hate it! I dont have a favorite, Basil protested. to squinted at his owner. You dont? Somehow, the cat made these two words sound like a veiled threat. Are you seriously doing this right now? Basil frowned at his team. In an enemy camp? to wagged his tail. This discussion will wait until after weve finished cleaning up the ce. But we will not forget, Bugsy finished. My Lord, did I just start a war? Basil thought. Bugsy, what does your Tremorsense tell you? I hear amotion slightly ahead of us. Bugsy shuddered. Theres a fight happening in the next room, Boss. The invader was close. Basil took a few seconds to check Rosemarines stats and see if she could pull her weight in a fight. Name Rosemarine Entine de Barthe (Kint) Type nt Faction Basils Unnamed Party Experience 0/250 Immune Resist Weak N/A Wood, Life, Water, Earth, Light. ntyer, Corrosion, Metal, Fire, Wind, Frost, Lightning, Darkness. Level Health Points Special Points 1 225 260/270 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 8 (D+20%) 14 (C+20%) 8 (D+20%) 15 (C+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 18 (B+20%) 6 (E+20%) 14 (C+20%) 16 (B+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment - - - Weak Weak Strong Strong Strong - Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Weak Strong Strong Weak Weak Weak Strong Weak - Passive Perks Active Perks Paralyzing Bite Sweet Pollen Bugcatcher N/A
Paralyzing Bite: You treat fangs and jaw-enhancing weapons as if you had medium proficiency with them (x1.5 damage). Additionally, your bite attacks may inflict the [Paralysis] ailment on contact. Bugcatcher: Natural attacks have the [Bugyer] effect, making them supereffective against [Bug] type (x3 damage). Sweet Pollen: 10 SP, [Life]. Unleashes pollen regenerating a little HP among those who breathe it.
Basil winced. Rosemarines Perks could be useful, but her physical stats were frankly terrible. She would fall in a single blow. Are you unhappy, Mister? Rosemarine asked upon noticing his sore expression. Its alright, Rosemarine, well figure it out, Basil reassured his nt. If the worstes to pass, Bugsy and I will move to the front. to, you sneak around to nk. Rosemarine, could you heal us if were wounded? Rosemarine let out a squeal of approval. I will help you, Mister-who-feeds-me. to tensed up, ears raised. Youre not going to use the rifle, Basil? Its effective against birds, not bugs, and I hit harder with my axe. Basil took a step forward through the broken door. Lets go. The door opened into a narrow tunnel that seemed to stretch on forever. The air grew hotter as the group advanced. An unbearable smell of stewing meat assaulted Basils nostrils. He immediately knew that the cook had messed up the dish beyond repair. Basil saw light at the end of the tunnel and heard the noise of battle. An unseen beast let out a roar full of wrath and pain before being swiftly silenced. Basil put a finger on his lips and his pets didnt make a sound. When they reached the next room, the battle was already over. Basils group discreetly entered a primitive hall in shambles. The cave was asrge as the previous one and circr in length, with a throne of bones upying the wall opposite of the entrance. Spinotter pelts covered the walls like tapestries and torches provided a measure of light. A cauldron full of boiling stew upied the halls center; a monster was busy drowning anothers face in it when Basils group arrived. Weakling! the battles winner said with a masculine, cavernous voice. None of you are worthy! As suspected, the monster responsible for the massacre was a Bug Type. Two meters tall and humanoid in shape, he had stingers as long as swords sticking out of his forearms. A thick green exoskeleton covered every inch of his body except for ho wings, sharp mandibles, and crimsonpound eyes. His forearms were drenched in blood.
Megabug, Apollyon Drone
Level 10 [Bug]
Faction: Apocalypse Force
Basil blinked twice upon seeing the creatures level. Shit. The monsters victim was an oversized goblin even taller than Basil, with powerful hands struggling to hold a mighty bone club. Megabug held onto him by his red mane of hair and kept his head buried in the stew. Three stinger wounds bled profusely on his chest, and the remains of a shattered tusk had fallen at the cauldrons feet. The giant goblin gasped for air when Megabug lifted his head out of the stew, his breath weak. Basil observed the defeated giant goblin from afar and the System swiftly confirmed his suspicions.
Ogremoche, Ogre Dens Boss
Level 5 Elite [Giant/Beast]
Basil noticed a few goblin survivors watching the scene from behind two chests located in a corner of the hall. The cowards had lost all hope after watching their leader beaten within an inch of his life. Where is the neurotower? Megabug lifted Ogremoche above the ground with one hand. The ogre attempted to lift his club to strike, but was so weak that the weapon slipped through his fingers. Answer me or Ill rip out your eyes. Okay, retreat, hes too strong for us, Basil thought, his hands sweating against his axe. We need to retreat Level 10?! Bugsy choked in surprise. Thats enormo to silenced him with a re, but Megabug had already heard them. So much for stealth, Basil thought as the insect monster nced in their direction. Something in the creatures posture and bodynguage chilled him to the bone. That subtle aura of menace, of cold-blooded brutality This monster was no primitive savage ying war. He was a violent assassin who killed as easily as he breathed. A human? Megabugs eyes briefly glowed with a blue light as he observed Basil. A Tamer too? Damn it, Bugsy, Basilined. I-Im sorry, Boss, the centipede apologized, his antennae lowering in shame. I-I, I never saw someone with such a high level before Four against one, Basil thought as his group took a few steps into the room while keeping a respectable distance away from their foe. Megabug had massacred his way through dozens of monsters and their leader, but Basil could barely see a scratch on his exoskeleton. Four times screwed, thats what we are! Who are you? Megabug asked as he casually tossed Ogremoche into his own cauldron. The Boss sank into his own stew, his feet sticking out of it. Did youe to im this dungeon? Basil Bohen, Basil introduced himself. He had to stall for time until he figured out a way for his team to escape with their lives. Actually, we came to kill all the goblins. I made a blood oath to kill them all after they ruined my view of the forest. If the teams surprise appearance bothered Megabug, he showed no hint of it. Interesting. I can respect that. And who are you? Basil asked. Megabug, Apocalypse Force scout. So cool and confident, Bugsy whispered so low that Basil could barely hear him. to scoffed. Megabug? That''s your real name? Megabug red at the cat. What of it? Wheres Gigabug? to asked with a chuckle. His tone sounded confident, but his tense posture betrayed his unease. Or Omegabug? I do not know of any Gigabug nor Omegabug, Megabug answered tly. Apparently, his kind couldnt understand sarcasm. Do they serve another Horseman? Basil didnt miss the fact that he had called himself a scout though. A scout implied an army. So you serve someone else? Basil asked. Could he throw Megabug into the cauldrons firewood while he was distracted? Would mes even wound him? This world is too weak for Lord Apollyon yet, the monster replied. My level was low enough to let me cross when you humans summoned the Trimurti System to this world. I will im this dungeon and secure my faction an early lead in thepetition. The humans summoned the System? Basil took note of this information and kept it in mind forter. Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse it must be connected. Basil, what do we do? to whispered too low for Megabug to hear. Fight or flight? If we run, hell catch up to us in seconds, Basil thought grimly. How do you intend to do that, my insectoid friend? Once I finish this Boss, Megabug snickered as he said thest word, I can im this dungeons resources for my masters. Its monsters will serve them as I do. As will you. Damn it, he really is someone elses grunt, Basil thought before thest sentence registered. You want me to kiss your ass? Why? Would it buff me? Megabug asked without any trace of sarcasm. Your Tamer ss is valuable to train soldiers, so there is a ce for your kind in the Apocalypse Force. Submit and serve. Whats in it for me? Basil asked warily. He had no intention of working for anyone, but at its worst, it beat being killed. Youll live, Megabug replied. Youll have the chance to earn your worth. The strong will devour the weak and reach greater heights of power. The seas will turn red with blood, the stench of a billion corpses will choke the heavens. When the Apocalypse Force purifies this of unworthy lifeforms, you will be on the winning side. Charming, Basil thought while doing his best to hide his distaste. That settled it, he couldnt let a would-be genocidal warlord ess a potentially limitless army of monsters. Humanity first. Youre alone in our world? Yes, for now. Megabugs back straightened up. Enough talk, human. In? He raised his left arm, a drop of venom oozing from his stinger. Or out? Chapter 6: Man vs Drone Chapter 6: Man vs Drone Basil thought about the offer for a moment and reached a decision. You son of a bitch, Im in, he lied. Yes, the [Bug] master type unites! Bugsy lowered his head in submission. Please dont kill us. You are mistaken, human, I am no son of a [Beast] type, Megabug answered Basil. I was born from Lord Apollyons hive. to looked up at Basil with an annoyed re. Basil, are we truly allying with this dolt? the cat whispered. Cant we pick a better side? Basil locked eyes with his pet and pointed at the cauldron with his chin. to squinted, but he understood the message. The two hadnt needed amonnguage to understand each other before. They had their own nonverbal method ofmunication. Will the others catch on though? Basil wondered. Bugsy was too intimidated by Megabug to even consider striking him, while Rosemarine hummed to herself. She lookedpletely oblivious to the danger at hand. Its all or nothing. So, do I have to follow an initiation ceremony or something? Basil asked. His eyes calcted the distance separating him from Megabug. If I sprint, I can hit him in seconds. He couldnt let a genocidal bug get his hands on the dungeon and retreat would end in swift defeat. Only a surprise attack and seizing the initiative would give Basils party a chance to prevail. Lord Apollyon will induct you into the Apocalypse Force upon arrival. Megabug retracted his stingers and nced at the goblins hiding in a corner of the room. The critters shuddered in fear; they knew their time hade. In the meantime, you will exterminate the survivors. They are unworthy of recruitment and I barely get experience from killing them. What about the Boss? Basil asked, his gaze turning to Ogremoche. The ogre was still alive, but in no shape to assist. There would be no team-up against a greater threat. This only strengthened Basils resolve to follow through with his n. Mine, Megabug hissed. So possessive. System, Basil whispered as Megabug peeked into the cauldron. Can you level up in the middle of battle?
You can assign your levels anytime so long as you have the necessary exp.
It was a gamble, since the System had only afforded Basils party experience after a battle had concluded so far. He hoped the current circumstances would be unique enough to represent a special case. With nothing left to lose, Basil charged as fast as his legs could carry him. to outpaced him with his ws out. Bugsy and Rosemarine remained behind, too confused to move. Huh? said the centipede, since he hadnt caught on. Megabug didnt expect the surprise attack. How could he? Basils Party would have to be suicidal to strike him after he so clearly established the gap in power between them. When to jumped at his face, the bug monster didnt react fast enough. Argh! Megabug snarled as to furiously scratched his left eye. The cats ws sprayed the floor with green insect blood. Hoping his cat could buy him some time, Basil kicked the cauldron and spilled the stew all over the floor. The stunned Ogremoche rolled on the ground. Ugh he groaned as Basils shadow nketed his face. What what the Praying he hadnt made a mistake in his beating heart, Basil brought down his axe and beheaded the ogre. Thankfully, God had taken pity on him. Basils party did earn some experience, probably because striking down Ogremochepleted a quest unrted to Megabug.
Quest: Baddest Ogre in Townpleted! Your party earned 1500 EXP + 500 Quest EXP (500 EXP each). You earned 1 level and an [Ogre Ne] Quest Reward!
By defeating Ogremoche, your Party can now bypass the Neurotowers barrier and decide the dungeons fate.
One level?Basil gritted his teeth. He sensed something appear around his neck but was too panicked to care. One level wasnt enough! He had hoped for at least two! Worse, Megabug had regained hisposure. His hand swiftly grabbed to by the neck and lifted him above the ground with casual ease. The cat attempted to cut his foes arm, but his ws barely scratched the exoskeleton. You dare strike me? Megabug snarled. His stingers extended from his forearms, and he raised his free hand to punch to. You low-level trash? Having finally realized the danger at hand, Bugsy and Rosemarine charged into the fray. Mr. to! the centipede roared. Iming, Boss! [Tamer]! Basil snarled as desperately rushed to help to. He would have taken a level in [Berserker], but he needed a Perk right now! Something good, something good, something good!
Tamer Level 3 Stat Gains: +1 STR, +1 AGI, +1 MAG, +1 INT, +1 CHA, +1 LCK. Your Health Points were raised by 20 and Special Points by 20.
Passive Perk Improved: Monster Charmer II: You can unlock the hidden potential of a recruited monster, granting them an additional Perk that they cannot ess in the wild. Monsters will keep these additional abilities even if you kick them out of your party.
to learned [Nine Lives]! Bugsy Alphonse Venture learned [Agility Up]! Rosemarine Entine de Barthe learned [Seed Decoy]!
Megabug stabbed to before Basil could reach him. The monsters stinger impaled his cat through the chest. to tried to say something, but he could only spit blood. Basils heart skipped a beat at the horrifying sight, and doubly so when Megabug contemptuously tossed the wounded cat aside. Basils vision turned red, his distraught drowned out by unyielding rage. You little shit, Ill tear you apart! Basil furiously swung his axe at Megabugs chest. The monster dodged with a backstep before retaliating by thrusting his stingers at astonishing speed. Basil quickly found himself on the backfoot as he struggled to avoid the flurry of blows. You stole my kill. Megabugs voice was lower and brimmed with cold fury. You cant fathom how much Im going to hurt you. [Acid st]! Purple particles swirled around Megabugs left hand before taking the shape of an orb. As he was already engaged in closebat, Basil took it straight in the chest. The projectile melted his sweater and reached the skin underneath. Basil gritted his teeth as the acid burned his chest. Megabug quickly followed his attack with a mighty kick that sent him stumbling. Bugsy and Rosemarine both threw themselves at the enemy from two different angles. Megabug spin-kicked the centipede in midair and sent him crashing against the bone throne at the end of the hall, the structure swiftly copsing on him. Rosemarine had more luck and managed to bite Megabug in the left arm. Her maws tight grip cracked the exoskeleton and drew blood. Megabug grunted as he tried to get Rosemarine off him, which gave Basil the opportunity to move to the monsters left. With to having cut out his eye, he shouldnt be able to see attacksing from that direction. The thought made Basil feel sick in the stomach. His eyes wandered to his cat, lying dead on the cold stone in a puddle of blood. Im sorry, to, Basil apologized in his mind. The adrenalineand the ragekept his attention focused on Megabug. He wont outlive you, I swear! He swung his axe from Megabugs blind spot and hit the chest. His weapon broke past the exoskeleton with a mighty cracking noise. Blood dripped from a gaping wound and Megabug let out a buzzing noise. Hummie, kick his ass! the goblins hiding behind the chests cheered Basil. You can do it! Your cheers make me puke! Basil snarled back, especially since the goblins would rather watch from afar like cowards than intervene. His next swings missed one after another and Megabug backflipped to safety. When Rosemarine refused to let go of him, he hit her at point-nk range with an acid orb. The poor nt squealed in pain as she fell defeated on the ground. Holy shit, hes fast! Basil thought as he tossed his axe aside and grabbed his rifle. Bugsy emerged from the ruins of the bone throne for round two. Numbers are our only chance. How does this work? Bugsy muttered to himself, his antennae raised in rm. Ah, I get it! [Agility Up]! A blue aura red to life around Bugsy. His legs picked up speed, allowing him to catch up to Megabug in a blur. The centipede threw himself at his foe to bite him only for strong hands to catch him in midair. Basil opened fire with his gun at Megabug to support Bugsy. He aimed for the creaturesst eye to blind him, but his aim was terrible. Basils bullets missed or bounced off the creatures head without hitting a soft spot. Enough! Wind swirled around Megabugs hands as they held Bugsys mandibles at bay. [Shockwave]! A mighty st ofpressed air erupted from Megabugs stingers. The surprise volley hit Bugsy in the face and flung him backward. The centipede hit the stone wall with enough force to crack and it didnt rise up. Damn it, damn it, damn it! Basil panicked as he fired bullet after bullet. Megabug extended his wings to take flight as none of the projectiles hit their mark. He was too strong, too fast. And then And then the rifle jammed. Judas! Basil shouted in frustration as Megabug flew straight at him with both hands extended. Basil tossed the rifle aside and rushed at his axe to grab it again. He never reached it. Basil heard one of his ribs crack as a st of air hit him in the chest, followed by the deeply unpleasant sensation of a foreign object going through his stomach. At first, Basil didnt feel much; no pain, no nothing. He sensed a thick, warm liquid running down his chest as Megabug mmed him against a dusty stone wall near tos location. Only then did the pain sink in. His breath grew heavier. Basils eyes looked down at the stinger impaling his stomach. His mind went nk, his heartbeat grew so loud he could somehow hear it in the back of his head. Im bleeding, Basil thought, his hands trembling. Im bleeding. The goblins were silent. to was dead. Bugsy and Rosemarine couldnt help him. Soon he would die too. His team hadnded some good hits in, but the battles oue had never been in question. Megabug pressed an arm against Basils throat to keep him pinned against the wall and stabbed him in the stomach with the other. Basil sensed a foreign substance spread through his blood, cold and slimy.
[Poison] ailment resisted!
You might resist Corrosion and Physical, but you are weak to Wind, Megabug rasped as he twisted his stinger. It took Basil all his strength not to scream from the sharp pain in his chest. You picked the wrong fight, human. What the hell are you talking about? Basil hissed through his teeth, trying to distract the insect with conversation. He refused to die in a cave at the hands of a bug! He had sworn to his dead cat that Megabug wouldnt outlive them, and Basil Bohen always followed through with his threats! Weakling, you dont even know your elemental affinities? I could rip out his other eye with my fingers, Basil thought. Anger gave him focus and numbed his pain. But without a weapon Wait he still had a tool avable but would the System allow it? I will give you this, human, you made me run out of SP. But this ends here. Saliva dripped from Megabugs mandibles as they opened. He intended to bite Basils face off. Anyst words, human vermin? Here goes nothing, Basil thought as he opened his inventory screen and mentally selected the only item registered. Please make it work
Item selected: [Renault Kangoo].
Yeah... Basil stuck his fingers between Megabugs mandibles. Carmehameha. Basils hand shone as he summoned his car. The monsters head immediately exploded as the much bigger Renault Kangoo materialized inside his mouth. The car expanded in the blink of an eye, shattering Megabugs skull into a billion tiny pieces and showering Basil with blood. The monsters beheaded body crumbled under the vehicles sheer weight. The arms snapped in half, leaving only a severed stinger embedded in Basils stomach. Basil half-expected Megabug to rise up again, but the corpse remained firmly under the Kangoos wheels. He gritted his teeth and ignored the pain as he extracted the stinger from his stomach. Basil knew it wasnt a good idea to remove a de from a wound, but keeping a poisoned weapon inside his flesh sounded much worse. I may be weak to Wind, Basil taunted Megabugs corpse, one hand holding the stinger and the other covering his wound. But you were weak to windshields.
Your party earned 6000 EXP (1500 EXP each). You earned 3 levels!
Somehow, the sight of new levels didnt reassure Basil. As he leaned against his cars hood to stand upright, he wondered if he would live to assign them. How can I even walk with a wound like this one? Basil wondered. The gaping hole in his chest bled profusely and his broken ribs made him ache each time he breathed. He should have copsed already. Is it the work of my Vitality stat? Guys? Basil called his pets. He prayed that at least one of them had lived through this disaster. Guys? Bugsy was unconscious, but alive. Rosemarine was waking up. And to Im fine Basil froze upon recognizing the voice. His eyes nced at a corner of the hall where to had fallen. To Basils surprise, he found his cat struggling to stand on his four legs; weak and drenched in his own blood, but alive. His fatal wound had somehow closed on its own. to? Basil didnt hide his relief and surprise. The blow should have killed his cat on the spot. Youre alive? I feel weird, Basil the cat replied. A shining purple number appeared above his head, briefly going down from 9 to 8. to tried to take a step forward and stumbled instead. I see birds dead birds to, how dare you be alive? Basil chuckled and spit blood for his trouble. After I swore to avenge you! Im napping, to groaned, his eyes closing. Come back tomorrow Mister! Rosemarine joined Basil and sprayed him with colored dust. [Sweet Pollen]! [Sweet Pollen]! Screen messages informed Basil that he had recovered some HP, but he could already tell by himself. His stomach wound closed before his eyes. Flesh knitted itself back together and new fresh skin grew to rece the old. Wheres the body massing from? Basil asked in confusion. He felt good as new, and it made no sense! Where are the nutrients? You cant grow intestines from nowhere! When I evolve, I will hang animals by their intestines! Rosemarine chirped. Ugh, it doesnt matter. Basil sighed and petted Rosemarine on the head. She wriggled in happiness with a cute little noise. Thank you, Rosemarine. Please heal the others too. Yes, Mister! Can I eat the big bug afterward? Anything you want, sweetie. Basil moved to recover his axe and patted his Kangoo Renault on the back. Megabugs blood was sttered all over the hood. Ill give you a car wash, I promise. Basils joysted until he heard the surviving goblins stepping out of their hiding spot. In total, six of them had survived Megabugs rampage by bravely watching others kill him for them. Up for more? Basil asked, half a challenge and half a threat. He briefly wondered if they would try to exploit his exhausted state to strike. The goblins looked at Ogremoche, then at Megabugs corpse, and finally back at Basil. The old Boss is dead! They shouted at the same time. All hail the new Boss! Predictable, Basil thought. He looked down on the treacherous goblins with contempt. Ive never seen so many piles of filth in one room. Before I let you in my team, I must confirm something. Basils grip tightened on his axe. Have you killed other humans? Yes, yes! One of the goblins answered. These critters couldnt read Basils mood to save their lives and believed they could earn his favor with empty boasts. We killed two! Yes, two! Two? Basil squinted at the monsters. I counted only one corpse outside my home. We ate the other, another goblin said. He pointed at the cauldron. That stew isnt made of vegetables, ya know Boss? Basil forced himself to smile. He noticed Rosemarine had finished patching to up and Bugsy was starting to wake up. Good to know. Honesty is the first step toward building trust. However, I feel you may have misunderstood the situation. The monsters exchanged confused nces. How so, Boss? I didnt save you to recruit you. Basil cut down the nearest goblin with a swing of his axe. Now that the bug is gone Basils grin turned wicked. His tongue licked some of Megabugs warm blood still sprayed on his face. I can kill you all by myself! The goblins screamed in fear, but their lives were already forfeit. Chapter 7: Man vs Architecture Chapter 7: Man vs Architecture Nothing better than the smell of dead goblins in the evening.
Your party earned 600 EXP (45 EXP each)
Ten percent per level, Basil calcted as he wiped the blood off his axe. Boss? Bugsy asked as Rosemarine patched up his wounds with her pollen. We take a ten percent experience penalty per level of difference when we kill a monster, Basil exined. The six goblins were level one and I am level seven, so I took a seventy percent penalty. to quickly caught on to the implications. Does that mean we dont get experience from killing someone ten levels below us? Mr. Megabug said that he barely got experience from killing goblins anymore, Bugsy pointed out. That would make sense, Basil replied. The System cant allow someone to be a god by killing rats over and over again. With the goblin pest exterminationplete, Basil checked his partys health. Rosemarine had done a great job at healing their wounds, although Basil felt a soreness in his ribs whenever he breathed and he would have to throw his destroyed sweatshirt away. to looked like the healthiest member of the party, and he hade back from the dead. Youre okay, buddy? Basil asked. Of course I am, to replied with pride. I died, no big deal. Quite unexpected, Basil said before checking his pets stats. As he suspected, tos new Perk had saved him.
Passive Perk: Nine Lives: When to would die, he instead benefits from an [Auto-Revive] effect bringing him back to life at critical health. to can be revived eight times before the Perk bes inactive. Current lives left: 8/9.
You can die seven more times, Basil informed to. The eighth death will stick. Does it include old age? the cat asked, his big yellow eyes wide with excitement. Can I dream of living past fifteen? I cant say. Death by old age isnt mentioned. You know what, lets test it out, to decided. I will avoid all risky endeavors until I die of old age. Basil doubted that the apocalypse would let them live peacefully for a year, let alone a decade. Boss, can we loot this ce now? Bugsy asked. I hope the treasures are as good as your new ne. The new ne? Ah yes, the quest reward. It had slipped Basils mind in the heat of battle, but it appeared around his neck right after he slew Ogremoche. Basil grabbed the item and checked its stats. The magical artifact had a miniature, horned skull for a charm and interlocked bones for a chain. How charming.
Ogre Ne
Family: essory (Amulet)
Quality: D
Effect: Boosts the power of [Physical] attacks by 20 percent.
A ne trendy among ogresdies, usually fashioned from human pinkies.
The treasures in the goblins chests werent very interesting either. The first contained old leather boots far too small for Basils feet and the second a pile of metal ore that the System registered as crafting material.
Goblin Boots
Family: essory (Boots)
Quality: D
Restriction: Only small [Beast] or [Humanoid] Types can equip.
Effect: Increases Agility by +5.
Boots favored by cowards eager to run away from trouble.
Do you want them, to? Basil asked his cat. Only beasts and humanoids can wear them, and theyre too small for me. Sure. To Basils surprise, the boots perfectly adjusted to the size and shape of tos back legs after he put them on. The cat stood up like a human and swaggered. How do I look? Cute and brave, Basil replied with a smirk. Like the Puss in Boots. Aww, theres nothing for insects and no gold either, Bugsyined. The treasures had left him thoroughly disappointed. This dungeons loot is junk! Mister, can I eat them? Rosemarine pointed at the dead goblins with her vines. Healing everyone made me hungry. Its a waste of good food to leave them here, Bugsy said. Im sure we could do something with Mr. Megabugs stingers and Ogremoches bones too. The pelts on the walls would make good carpets too, to added. Basil quickly figured out a potential loophole. Stash everything in the Renault Kangoo. If the Inventory considers wheels as part of the car, maybe it will do the same with stuff kept inside the trunk. Basils theory proved correct. After stashing everything they could grab in his car, Basil registered it in his inventory without any problem. Even better, Bugsy had also discovered a tunnel hidden behind a tapestry after taking it down. Basil stored his old rifle separately in the inventory before exploring this new path. I suppose thats the advantage of listing items aside from one another, Basil thought as he tossed a piece of goblin leg to Rosemarine. The carnivorous flower caught it in midair and hungrily swallowed it. I can put extra stuff in the car, but only the rifle will appear in my hands ready to serve on a moments notice. I dont sense anyone, Boss, Bugsy exined after checking the tunnels entrance with his antennae, but I hear a rumbling noise. to raised his nose. I smell steel. Dont lower your guard. Basil walked into the tunnel first with his axe in hand. His pets followed after him without making a sound. Stone turned to metal as they walked. Golden circuits glowing with energy appeared on the tunnels walls and colorful specks of dust floated in the air before Basils eyes. Had they entered a particle elerator? A hidden bunker? Halfway through the partys journey into the dungeons depths, the primitive stone tunnel had transformed into a chiseled hallway ted in metal. A harsh red light shone at the end. Basil tensed up, half-expecting a fight in the next room. Something awaited them, alright. Something spectacr. Basils footsteps echoed into arge chamber. Faint auroras swirled in the air underneath a dome of advanced golden circuitry. A mechanical, two-meters tall monolith stood in the middle of the room like a divine obelisk. Its outer shell was ck with a stylized golden D logo engraved on its surface. Pulsating cables dug into the iron floor and a red forcefield protected the device from attacks. Basil immediately identified the metal towers true nature. The dungeons core was a server. I gotta say, I expected a shiny crystal, tomented. Me too, Bugsy said with a low voice. The centipede spoke with the same respectful tone one would use in a church. This is my cradle, my origin. I can feel it in my bones. The forcefield faded away when Basil approached the server. A System screen appeared immediately afterwards to present him with his options.
Congrattions. By defeating Ogremoche and removing the neurotowers barrier, you may now decide the dungeons fate. You can either im it for your party or destroy it.
Here are the benefits of iming a dungeon:
However, you must select a yer or monster who will act as the dungeons Boss. They will maintain the barrier around the neurotower so long as they remain alive within the dungeons confines. If they exit it, any intruder may hijack the core by selecting a new Boss.
The more Basil read the text, the less he liked it. Basil had wondered why someone as powerful as Megabug would bother with a dungeon creating weak goblins, but now it made more sense. The teleportationwork and renewable minions made it invaluable to any invading army. Basil probed for more information. What happens if I destroy the dungeon?
The neurotower channels the power of the Trimurti to reshape reality. Destroying the dungeon will stop the terraforming effect and the summoning of monsters within its area of effect. Incursions may still happen. A dungeons destruction cannot be undone.
What do you mean by Incursions?
This information is locked until the next Incursion event.
Basil snorted. Stonewalled again? Who cares, Boss? The dungeon is ours! Bugsy snapped his mandibles in excitement. We im it and the forest is ours for the taking! Fuck no. Basil had made his decision. Were burning down the ce. Yes, this ce is for the plebeians, to said, with Rosemarine squealing in support of the decision. It doesnt even have a sofa! Bugsy choked in indignation. But, but, but! But what about the army? We could take over the marshes in no time at all! We already conquered them, Basil pointed out. With Ogremoche dead and the goblins in disarray, the First Neighborhood War was as good as won. We could go farther! Bugsy argued. This ce is a fortress, Boss! We wont gain anything by throwing it away! We will gain peace, Bugsy. Havent you heard what Megabug said? He was a scout, a grunt, and he nearly killed us all. And in tos case, sessfully murdered him. His superiors wont give up on the dungeon. They will send someone else to im it. So long as the dungeon remained active, it would be a ma for trouble. Basil aspired to enjoy a quiet life, and he wouldnt have it so long as the dungeon remained active in the Barthes. We nearly died fighting a lone level 10 soldier, Basil pointed. Do you think we could survive a raiding party full of them? Bugsy grew less confident. Maybe if we grind? Im sorry, Boss, but destroying the dungeon sounds like a waste. We nearly died trying to take it! Because you are blind to the truth. Basil locked eyes with his centipede pet, and delivered onto him a holy revtion. Why would we need a dungeon when we have a house? Bugsys eyes opened as Basil delivered the holy revtion upon him. We have unused guest rooms on the upper floor big enough for you, Basil said as he invaded Bugsys personal space. The centipede attempted to retreat, but he couldnt escape the truth. We have a sofa so warm andfortable that you will never want to stand up again. We have so many hours of recorded TV series and movies that you could spend a lifetime without watching them all. We have a central heating system and a chimney that will keep you warm at all times of the year. Bugsy could hardly believe his ears or what could pass for ears among centipedes. Even in winter? Even in winter, Basil replied softly. The house is open to all those who believe in it. I understand. Bugsy repented from hisck of faith and ignorance. We dont need to take somebody elses nest when we already have the perfect one! Exactly. Basil focused on the System screen. Is destroying the dungeon going to kill us?
Once the self-destruct sequence isunched, the dungeon will revert back to its original state. People inside the neurotowers room will be unharmed, but individuals in other areas risk death or banishment to other dimensions.
Then I have made my choice, Basil said with a triumphant smile. Destroy.
Once chosen, this option cannot be undone. Do you confirm?
I confirm. The server shook and the dungeon trembled. Basil felt invisible energies wash over him like a tide of water. A rumbling noiseing from the circuitry followed. Bugsys antennae wavered in rm, Rosemarine froze in ce, and to tensed up. Only Basil remained absolutely confident in his sess. Strange colorful particles erupted from the server; blue and orange, yellow and violet, green and red and all the colors of the rainbow. They briefly blinded Basils vision with their numbers and brightness before fading away. The ceiling shrank as the dome transformed into a smaller, cubical room before the partys astonished eyes. The circuitry vanished from the walls, reced with small windows. Computers and technological devices that Basil didnt recognize materialized in the corners. When at longst the lights died out, the group found themselves in a research room no bigger than a metal shack. The water quality control station, Basil thought. A nce through the window showing the river outside confirmed his hypothesis. Of the dungeon, only the server remained as a husk of its former self. Its circuits had fried from the heat, smoke rose from the cables, and the D logo had melted on the iron shell. Basil doubted anyone could repair the device. Well, its done. to stretched his legs. Can we go back home now? I miss the sunlight. When I evolve, I will eat the moon, Rosemarine chirped. We won the war! Bugsy rejoiced. Nobody will climb the fence again! Basil didnt join in the celebration. Instead, he gazed at the servers remains and the damaged logo on its surface. Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse, he thought. Are they a serverpany? Where did I see the name? When Basils eyes turned to the servers damaged processors, all became clear. I remember! What, Basil? to asked with an annoyed look. You remember what? Where I saw the name Dismaker Labs and their logo! The answer had been in front of Basil all along. Chapter 8: Man vs Craft Chapter 8: Man vs Craft How good it felt to be home. After warring in the mud and the dust for days, Basil could finally rx. After trading his damaged sweatshirt for a bathrobe and his shoes for slippers, he had evolved into the ultimate form of the Homo Sapiens: the sedentary man. Like any good stay-at-home person, Basil did his research from the safety of his sofa. Hisptop upied a cushion at his side while he studied the user manual. The name Dismaker Labs appeared among thepanies listed. I knew it, they built the next-gen chips. They had also provided a few of theptops applications. The geolocalisation, the visual interface Dismaker Labs even provided someponents used in his TV. Chips made in India, huh? I would have bet on Taiwan. The notice pointed to a Maltaise childpany of arger consortium in charge of European logistics. It didnt surprise Basil, since Malta had be a favorite destination of techpanies in recent years. How did a multinational corporation producing chips in Indiae to install a monster-summoning server in the middle of nowhere, France? Im sure the police will investigate the connection, Basil thought. Are there any police left? A part of him was tempted to visit the nearest city and check how the rest of the country was faring. A day after the dungeons destruction, the auroras borealis above the Barthes were gone. The world seemed to slowly return to normal.
You have earned 600 EXP (45 each).
Or not. Basil opened his front door in case the house was under attack. Instead, to greeted him on the threshold. His fur was drenched in blood, and the feathers of histest kills were stuck between his ws. Youve been grinding? Basil asked. At this rate, to would single-handedly expel the bird menace from the Barthes. I needed to blow off some steam. to hissed at his owner. Especially after your twisted betrayal! Basil raised an eyebrow. My betrayal? After all weve gone through, how could you do this to me? to looked adorable when he sulked, especially with his new little boots on. I, who lovingly woke you up each morning with a gentler touch than any rm, who gracefully allowed you to live each morning, who selflessly saved your hide from bugs and goblins! Either Basil had contracted Alzheimer''s or to misremembered things. Is it about the favorite pet argument? Or Bugsys new bedroom? From the re to sent him, Basil had guessed right. I was the only one allowed to sleep in the house before, the cat said, incensed. And how could you say that Im not your favorite in public? That I am not the center of your universe? Because youre not? See? I should leave for a gentler owner and let you stew in your regrets! Fat chance of that. to, youre not my favorite pet, Basil replied calmly. Youre my best friend. His cat remained silent for a moment, his tail stiff as an iron rod. Come again? I know you think friends are for other people, but it doesnt matter. Basil shrugged. Weve lived together for over two years; and after Ren died you were the only person I shared my home with. Youre in a league of your own. to sat on the threshold. From his expression, Basils deration had left him speechless. The cat locked eyes with his owner and tried to find his words. Wow, to said, probably because he didnt know how to react. Yeah. What does it say about you that your best friend is a talking cat? That Im an introvert and a cat person, Basil replied with a deadpan tone. He always felt closer to animals than his own kind. Yeah, Bugsy will have his own bedroom but youre the only one Ill tolerate in mine. The cat muttered something under his breath, so low that Basil couldnt hear him clearly. to, what are you mumbling about? Im sorry. tos tail wavered in shame. All traces of arrogance vanished from his voice. It was my abandonment issues talking, alright? I hate it when you pay more attention to another animal. It makes me feel inadequate. He sounded so vulnerable, so afraid I didnt mean to make you feel that way, Basil apologized. I wont abandon or rece you even if I take new pets in. You dont have anything to fear. I know, to replied with a sigh. My head understands that I can trust you, but my gut tightens on its own. Some scars healed with magical pollen and others remained with you all your life. So Ren was right? Basil asked before petting his cat behind the ears. You had a previous owner? Basil and Old Man Ren had found to off the side of the road one night after returning from a shopping trip to Bordeaux. The cat had been so skinny they could see his bones and fleas infested him. Basil and Ren had stopped the car, taken to in, and never looked back. It had taken weeks to get the scared cat to recover and trust them. Do you think hes a stray cat? Basil remembered asking Ren once. He would have run away from us if he were, the Old Man had replied with his usual cynicism. No Basil, hes like us. An unwanted burden dumped out of sight, out of mind. Basil could never confirm his theory before, but now that his cat could talk back Yes, I had another owner. to looked away and avoided Basils touch. I dont want to talk about it, Basil. I understand. Everyone was entitled to a private life. I would rather forget the bad times and make ce for the good ones too. How about a Major Chicken rerun in the evening then? to suggested. We can invite the entire party. Sure, but I wont let you inside the house if you dont clean yourself first. Basil pointed at the cats bloody fur. I just cleaned the floor. Give me a few hours to groom. to licked his shoulders. Dont you dare tell the others it was my idea. Ive got a reputation to uphold. Sure. Since he had a few hours to kill before the evening, Basil decided to finally explore the crafting side of his personal menu. He hadnt yet managed to repair his rifle on his own and hoped that the System would help with it.
yers can use the Crafting subsystem to make, enhance, or break items using four options.
yers without an appropriate Crafting ss or Perks must use the appropriate Recipe to work on an item. You can ess the following Crafter sses: [Alchemist], [Trapmaker], [Merchant], [Chef].
None of the sses avable specialized in firearms, but they could still prove useful and Basil had three levels to assign. He immediately eliminated Merchant since he had nobody to trade with and he could cook well enough on his own to ignore Chef. Trapmaker appealed to Basil, but he could already build traps on his own. He couldnt say the same for medicine. Basil considered Rosemarines healing abilities astonishing, but they might not always suffice. She couldnt heal diseases nor poisons. Alchemist should helppensate for her limits.
Alchemist: A ss specialized in making potions and transmuting matter. STR (D); MAG (B); VIT (C); SKI (C); AGI (D): INT (A); CHA (D); LCK (B).
Alchemist Level 1 Stat Gains: +1 STR, +1 AGI, +1 VIT, +1 SKI, +1 MG, +1 INT, +1 LCK. You gained 40 HP and 15 SP.
New Passive:Alchemy I: You can craft alchemical items without a recipe and create your own through experiments. The list of items you can craft includes potions, alchemy tools, mutagens, poisons, chemical mixtures and bombs.
I suppose firearms dont count as alchemical tools? Basil joked as he summoned Rens old rifle in his hands. He soon ate his words upon seeing the salvage option avable.
Salvage [Duckyer, Old Hunting Rifle]? 73% chances of harvesting the following materials: Ancient Barrel, Gunpowder Dust.
Ancient barrel? Its not even forty years old. Basil decided against destroying his only firearm. Even more strangely, the repair option wasnt avable with the rifle. Did the System allow Basil to salvage it because the gunpowder counted as an alchemical material? The Systems strange reaction aroused Basils curiosity. Although he considered the screens annoyances disturbing his peaceful life more than anything, he was stuck with them for the foreseeable future. Destroying the dungeon had brought peace to the Barthes, but there were so many unknown factors: Megabugs organization; the incursions, whatever that meant; Dismaker Labs Any of them could disturb Basils peaceful life in the near future, not to mention marauders or wandering monsters. There were other problems to address too. Basil had all the water and food he would ever need, but he couldnt manufacture medicine or repair tools like hiswnmower if it failed him. Crafting could help offset his dependence on the outside world. Failing to prepare was preparing to fail. The more he understood how the System worked, the fewer headaches he would face in the future. Basil retreated to the kitchen to experiment further. He traded his rifle for a water bottle and checked the crafting options avable. His menu informed him that he could salvage the container to harvest water and stic, use it as a crafting material inbination with something else, or refine it. Basil selected thest option. The bottle in his hands shone brightly for a moment before returning to normal.
[Water Bottle] refined into: [Purified Water Bottle]. The water has been cleansed of impurities, diseases and parasites.
Oh, that was great! With the ability to purify the stream outside, Basil could eliminate the risk of disease in his household! It tastes better than before too, Basil thought as he sipped the water. For his next experiment, he held the bottle in one hand and a pill of paracetamol in the other. The Craft option showed him a 74 percent chance of sess. Lets try it. Both items shone when Basil started crafting. When the lights died out, the paracetamol pill swiftly vanished. Meanwhile, the water inside the stic bottle turned into a green liquid simr to mint syrup.
New Recipe Unlocked: [Green Medicine].
Green Medicine
Family: Potion (Consumable)
Quality: D
Heals 1 HP per milliliter for those who drink it.
Astonishing. How the hell did this mechanism work? How did the inventory teleport items around? How did the dungeons alter reality? Even if magic existed, it had to followws of some kind. How did Dismaker Labs server tap into a cosmic force? So many questions, so few answers. Basil repeated the experience three more times to gather more information and noted a twenty percent drop in his crafting chances when he used unrefined water. The quality of the base material influenced the odds of sess. This takes me back to the pharmacovignce sses, Basil mused as he twicebined paracetamol and refined water into healing medicine. The ones with teachers, not screens. As probabilities forewarned Basil, his fourth crafting attempt was a bust. Both the paracetamol pill and the water bottle vanished without a trace when he failed to craft.
Warning: Crafting failure will destroy the materials used.
But where do they go? Basil asked, incensed. Where did the bottle go? Matter cant be destroyed, only transformed! Where did it go? Up my ass?
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
The answer only made Basil more determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. He spent the better part of his day analyzing everything he could, starting with the remains of monsters collected from the dungeon. Basil quickly confirmed that he couldnt craft anything from the goblins nor Ogremoche, but the System did react to Megabugs stingers. Although the chances of sess were around thirty percent, Basilbined one of them with a green syrup.
New Recipe Unlocked: [Venom Bomb].
The two items fused into a hand-sized orb filled with green liquid. A short fuse stuck out of its stic shell.
Venom Bomb
Family: Bomb (Consumable)
Quality: C
Effect 1: Inflicts weak corrosion damage to those exposed to its toxic gas.
Effect 2: Gas has a 10% chance of inflicting the [Poison] ailment when breathed.
A bomb crafted from a monsters venom; environmentally unfriendly.
A bomb? Basil frowned in confusion. He had expected to produce an antidote. Note to self, crafting is a gamble. I cant predict what abinations result will be until I try it. Basil noticed a trend: that the higher an items quality, the more abilities it had. Further experimentation showed that he couldnt refine items ad infinitum either; the option was unavable with green medicine and Megabugsst stinger. Neither could he use salvage on either. The repair option proved itself the most straightforward. After scratching a stic bottle with a knife, Basil undid the damage with the repair option. When he outright removed a piece of the container, the option became unavable until he held another piece of stic in another hand. Yet the crafting result was lighter than both of itsponents. Why did the System obey thew of conservation of mass in some cases but not in others? Where did superfluous mass vanish? Basil had the gut feeling that Dismaker Labs server could help him answer the mystery. He would have to return to the water control station and bring the husk back home for study. After further experimentation, Basil confirmed that his Alchemist ss allowed him to use the crafting subsystem on medicine, liquids, containers, salts, and cooking utilities like cauldrons. The System also counted anything rted to the houses plumbing as alchemical tools for an obscure reason. Basil wondered if he could rework the pipes to pump water from the stream directly; if so, he could set up his own water station in the basement. Maybe even a sweet littleb too.
New Quest: They called me Mad!
Rmended Level: 1.
Objective: Build your own alchemistboratory and show them all.
Reward: 100 Bonus EXP + New Alchemy Recipe.
Challenge epted, Basil said. But it will wait for tomorrow. It was cooking time and his pets were starving. As usual for Major Chicken reruns, Basil prepared a bucket of fried chicken seasoned with spice. He meticulously removed the bones to leave only the sweet tender meat. Considering his pets appetite, he prepared double the usual ration with homemade golden fries. Coke brought out of cryogenic storage in the fridgepleted the set. When Basil brought dinner to the main room, he found the whole gang waiting for him. to had taken over his favorite cushion and therger Bugsy upied most of the sofa. Rosemarine took root in a nt pot. Do you want some of my dirt and water, Mister? Rosemarine asked. You need it to grow! The sofa is the onlynd I need, Basil replied. Bugsy coiled to give him the space to sit. Im sure the others will agree too. Beds and sofas are so much morefortable than the grass outside. Bugsy had tears in his eyes. Im so d I proved myself worthy of a bedroom, Boss. Dont cry, Rosemarine said, mistaking the bugs tears of joy for sadness. You can use my room too! I have ss walls! This is kind this is very kind. Bugsy wiped his tears. After all the pain and sweat, Im finally moving up in the world. Well, trying to kill me left a bad first impression, Basil replied. But I believe in second chances. Youre part of the household now. Can I can I decorate my room, Boss? With shells and trophies? As long as you clean up after yourself. Less talking, more TV, to hissed. Gimme the chicken. Im hungry, Rosemarineined. Bugsy tossed her a piece of fried chicken which she caught in midair before devouring his own. Thanks! So were going to watch events that happened in the past? Bugsy asked, being unfamiliar with the concept of television. Sort of, to said before biting his chicken piece. The series is fiction, but its entertaining. Enough that I recorded the whole series and made TV marathons a ritual under my roof, Basil thought. He attributed the cartoons entertainment value to the fact that its scenarists had embraced the nonsensical premise and over-the-top nonsense. Will it increase our stats too? Bugsy asked naively. Basil opened his mouth to say no, before realizing that the System had given him experience with weirder stuff. Maybe? Basil replied before opening a can of coke. It didnt before the System arrived, but it could have changed in the meantime. Bugsy nodded with excitement. I hope we get levels. Whether they did or not, Basil knew they would have a good time. Major Chicken was the archetypal 70s cartoon: heavily censored, horribly offensive to modern sensibilities, full of filler, and yet so utterly absurd that it looped back to funny. Its original fifty-episode run hadnt been allowed to air in Bulgaria, but the reruns after the fall ofmunism in the nies became surprisingly popr. Basil had grown up with the series and enjoyed watching it again even in his adult life. A warning, Basil said as he pressed the remotes y button. The cartoon was funded by a fast-foodpany to sell meat dishes. You might notice a few subtle subliminal messages. What does subliminal mean? Bugsy asked with a puzzled expression. That youre going to love it, to replied. The screen turned ck, a song echoing in the background. Now shush. Its starting, Rosemarine whispered. The first episode opened like almost all the others: with the sight of spaceships soaring the cosmos under the direction of a shadowy conqueror. Once the universe knew peace, said the voiceover. But everything changed when I, Emperor Vegan, unleashed my army across the cosmos! The picture of Earth appeared, a bastion of meat consumption standing strong against hordes of vegetable aliens. Yet one insignificant resists my conquest! Only one hero and his friends dare to oppose me! The whole cast of heroes appeared. Frail but brave Sergeant Chick. Loyal and motherly Private Piggie. Big Beef and Little Lamb. And of course, the strong, inimitable, charismatic star of the show Major Chicken and the Meat Brigade! The series eponymous title appeared across the screen in shiny letters. But can they truly prevent the future that is Emperor Vegan? The party spent their evening chilling out on the sofa and enjoying good television. It didnt give them any exp, but it did bring them a moment of happiness. That was all that mattered. Chapter 9: Man vs Evolution Chapter 9: Man vs Evolution Of all the things Basil disliked about his university days, the terrible nights spent studying boring subjects had topped his list. s, history always repeated itself. Basil struggled to focus as he skimmed through pages after pages of useless information. A pile of books stood on his table like an ominous mountain and the coffee in his cup shrank with each passing minute. He would have found the information he was looking for already if the goddamn inte still worked! Couldnt the apocalypse spare his wifi connection? When to walked into the main room with a triumphant look, Basil weed the interruption. Yo dog, we recovered the server, to said. Bugsy is moving it to the garage. Wonderful. Maybe it would offer Basil more insight on Dismaker Labs than the books. What are you reading? to leaped on the table. You look bored to death. Because I am. These are tourism books and my old history-geography school manuals. They were the only works mentioning Malta and India in Basils private library. Im trying to find more info on thepany that created the server. Any sess so far? Nope. to leaped onto his ownersp. If you have time toin, then you have time to cuddle me! tos words brought a smile to Basil''s face and he started scratching his pets ears. The cat purred in response. It made Basils research less boring as he skimmed through the text. He didnt find anything interesting, at least until he caught the word Trimurti on a page. History of India: the hundred faces of the Hindus, Basil read the chapter with renewed attention. Although the Hindu faiths sects and gods are beyond count, most recognize the existence of three deities embodying the universal cycle: Brahma the Creator; Vishnu the Preserver; and Shiva the Destroyer. The three form the supreme triple deity: the Trimurti. What were the odds? Basil didnt believe in coincidences. Other popr Hindu deities include Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva the Tridevi goddesses called Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati the dreaded Kali Unfortunately, school textbooks rarely went into depth about important subjects. Basil couldnt find any other mention of the Trimurti besides the asional Hindu festival picture. The System had said that the server channeled the power of the Trimurti to alter reality. Did it mean that it harnessed the power of Hindu gods? Did they even exist? As an Orthodox Christian, Basil respected other faiths but he couldnt bring himself to believe in the existence of multiple gods. It went against everything he had been taught in his life. Perhaps he should revise his beliefs. The Bible never mentioned the Systems arrival and a goblin invasion. to looked up at his owner. Youve found something? A potential lead, but not much. Then find a bigger book. We would have to go to Dax or Bayonne to find the nearest library. Dax was the closer city, but Bayonne was bigger. Alternatively, they could go to Mont-de-Marsan or Biarritz. Basil was half-tempted to visit one of them. It would let him check on how the rest of civilization was faring and he needed medical supplies to fuel his crafting. There were risks to consider. Cities made forrger targets than isted houses lost in the woods. Monsters could have turned the nearest towns into nests unless the army or police managed to fend them off. Basil couldnt leave the house undefended either. A wandering beast would break through the fence and eat all of Basils animals. If only they could recruit an immobile security force Basil shelved the thought in a corner of his mind and snapped his book shut. to squealed as his owner rose up and held him in his arms. Are we going on an adventure? the cat asked, his tiny paws dangling in the void. Yes, were going to the garage. The one ce even dustier than a dungeons basement. Bugsy had beaten Basil to the room. The centipede exhaled after pushing the servers wreck into a corner of the garage, right between shelves full of tools and the shiny Renault Kangoo. Basil noticed a small piece of Megabugs flesh stuck in the forefront wheel. The hours he had spent washing the car hadnt been enough to clean everything. Its heavier than it looks, Boss. Bugsy coughed in utter exhaustion. Much heavier. Ive got pills against fatigue in the basement, Basil replied. His crafting experiments with medicine other than paracetamol had produced a wide array of different results: anti-paralysis drugs, poison antidotes, even a potion healing SP rather than HP. Thanks for your work, Bugsy. Youre wee, Boss Bugsy said before copsing on the floor. Nothing to report We havent met any monster in two days, to said with a look of disappointment. Not even silly birds. I fear they may have fled south. Gee, I wonder why, Basil replied with a deadpan tone as he examined the server. It proved a fools hope. Basil knew little aboutputers and the System refused to help repair the device. He couldnt even use the salvage option. Did heck the right crafter ss? Or did the servers creators put in safeties to prevent people from identifying where it came from? Basil decided to keep the server intact in the garage just in case. Guys, why didnt you store it in your inventory instead of carrying it around? Uh, because we cant? to replied with a shrug. We dont have a pocket treasure dimension. Basil raised an eyebrow in surprise. You guys dont have an inventory of your own? No, Boss. Bugsy had recovered enough to rise up again. I dont even have your crafting option in my menu. Just Status, Party, Logs and Settings! Monsters had ess to half a yers menu? The other features were probably meant to give humans an advantage over the inherently stronger monsters. If none of his party members could craft, then Basil couldnt scale up his production. He had hoped to teach Bugsy or to how to make medicine in case they faced an emergency. How disappointing. Since Basil had run out of paracetamol pills, he would have to harvest the few medicinal nts growing in the greenhouse. It would let him check on how Rosemarine fared with her new home too. Basil walked into the garden. His chickens and rabbits wandered freely among the grassy terrain without fear of goblin invaders. Although Bugsys presence spooked them at first, the animals had grown used to his presence. The centipede coiled into a half-circle shape when he crossed paths with the chickens. His action made to curious. What are you doing? Dont you recognize the gesture? Basil chuckled. Hes doing the C for Chicken sign. Im honoring Major Chicken, Bugsy replied with big nave eyes. Last nights TV night had converted him to the cartoon religion. The way he threw Spinach Lord into a volcano to counter his regeneration after realizing chicken fries at a higher temperature That was so smart, so brave! I hope the chicks will grow as strong as Major Chicken one day! Basil almost replied that Major Chicken could never exist in real life, but his thoughts came to an abrupt stop first. His mind struggled to process a detail his eyes had just noticed. to? Basil asked. Yes, Basil? Why does this rabbit have a horn? Basil pointed at one of his pets eating grass near the fence with his chin. to squinted at his fellow animal and noticed the tiny yellow horn growing on its forehead. It was so small Basil almost missed it. Dont rabbits grow horns naturally? the cat asked innocently. Like cows? Whats a cow? Bugsy asked. It sounds delicious. Basil locked eyes with his cat. Are you kidding, to? No, of course not, to replied with a tone that implied otherwise. Does it matter? You arent supposed to understand me either and centipedes dont grow two-meters long. Just go with the flow. Thinking too much will give you headaches. Ill manage. Basil stared at the rabbit. Can you understand me? The rabbit looked up at his owner, but it didnt say a word. Since I cant understand it, that rabbit mustn''t fully count as a monster yet, Basil said. But hes clearly transforming into one. Even after we blew up the dungeon? to raised his chin at the clear skies devoid of magical auroras. The area returned to normal. Bugsy suggested an interesting theory. Maybe the rabbits had started to change before you destroyed the dungeon, Boss? Youre only noticing now. Maybe, Basil conceded his point. The Systems magic could work like ambient radiation. We destroyed the local nuclear reactor, the dungeon, but its influence has already mutated the wildlife. to tensed up in his owners arm. He looked up at Basil with his big, fearful yellow eyes. What? Basil asked. Do you think I could lose my tail? Basil smiled smugly. H-Hey, dont joke about this! to hissed. It happened to other cat breeds! Im an Earth animal too, I could be mutating as we speak! Just go with the flow, Basil echoed Thinking too much will give you headaches. to spitefully wagged his tail in his owners face, which only made himugh. Basil worried a bit about the implications though. If a rabbit could grow a horn in less than a week, how would he have looked after a year of exposure to the dungeons influence? Basil dared not to imagine the resulting abomination. For all he knew, his pet rabbits could have mutated into murderous plushies. At least none of the greenhouses flowers had transformed since Basil hadst visited it. A sweet aroma filled his nostrils upon passing through its ss gate. Shrubs, vegetables, and flowers grew in rows of pots and small fenced enclosures. Basil mostly cultivated tomatoes, peas, lettuce, and strawberries to cook with, but he had also tried his hand with medicinal herbs like ginseng and urtica. And then there was Old Man Rens special weed although Basil had never consumed it himself, he could never bring himself to get rid of it. Too much nostalgia. As for Rosemarine, she had made her nest in a pot. To Basils astonishment, a perfect copy of her minus the pot stood next to her. Hello, Mr. Who-Feeds-Me! Rosemarine and her double pped with their vines. Wee, wee! Basil struggled to tell them apart, as did his pets. to leaped from his owners arms to smell the two flowers closely. The cat then swiped the one on the left. The false Rosemarine instantly vanished in a shower of colorful sparkles. Easy peasy, to said with pride. This one smelled fresher. Was that your seed decoy Perk? Basil petted Rosemarine on the head. The flower wriggled in pleasure, but to brooded over theck of acim. It was beautiful! When I evolve, I will fill the world with my brood! Rosemarine chirped. Aww, she wanted to be a mommy! A brilliant idea suddenly crossed Basils mind. He had found the perfect solution to the houses security problem, the ultimate defense that would allow him to hunt far from home without worry. Pure genius, Basil whispered. Oh no. to sighed. He knew his best friend too well. Oh please no. Were going to build a flower hedge of nt monsters all around the house! Like every confident visionary, Basil ignored all skeptics. They will protect the household when we leave and we can harvest their pollen for medicine! No invader would dare to step on hiswn ever again! While to sighed in surrender and Rosemarine yipped in happiness, Bugsys faith provedcking. Boss, are you sure this is a good idea? How are we going to find so many nts, let alone feed them? That sounds too ambitious a n Are you doubting my wisdom, Bugsy Alphonse Venture? Basils tone turned colder than ice and sharper than a kitchen knife. N-No, Boss Bugsy immediately submitted to his owners authority. Youre always right I love democracy. Basil felt proud of his open-mindedness. I love unanimity. Yay, new friends! Saliva dripped from Rosemarines maw. New food! Must we really pick flowers in the wild, Basil? to didnt hide his utterck of enthusiasm. Dont you know Im allergic to work? I can craft a cure, Basil replied with a deadpan tone. Give me time to figure it out. Bugsy lowered his head. Boss, uh can I ask you something? His embarrassed tone made Basil frown. What is it, Bugsy? I have two extra levels, but I cant use them before you assign yours. Bugsy shrunk as if scared. I know you said that we shouldnt pursue experience for its own sake, Boss, but I still want to get stronger, Boss. Im... The centipede didnt dare finish his sentence. Basil tried to coax thest words out of his mouth with a reassuring tone. Bugsy, you dont have anything to fear. Im not going to hit you if I dont like your answer. Im tired of losing! The greenhouse trembled from the strength of Bugsys voice. Im tired of losing, Bugsy confessed, his voice lower and weaker. His antennae pointed down and he avoided Basils gaze. You beat me and then Mr. Megabug when we fought him, you you and Mr. to didnt hesitate to charge where I froze in fear. I didnt know what to do. Hey, dont beat yourself over it, toforted the centipede. Basil is a grumpy bear in human form with the temper to match, and Im a cat. We were born to win. Basils jaw clenched at the bearment, but he didnt say a word. It was rare for to to have kind words for anyone. If I had acted immediately, you wouldnt have lost a life Mr. to, Bugsy protested, tears forming in his eyes. The cats words had only worsened his mood. Everyone must pull their weight in a swarm and I didnt. Miss Rosemarine healed everybody, but I couldnt even slow Mr. Megabug down! Please dont cry, Rosemarine whispered before spraying Bugsy with healing pollen. Here, your wounds will heal! Thank you, Bugsy replied, even though the pollen couldnt heal emotional scars. I want to win fights like you, Boss. Or like Major Chicken. I need to be stronger, to get more levels. Basil, who had listened in respectful silence, finally answered. Bugsy, levels will help make you stronger, but strength isnt your problem. What you need is more self-confidence. Youll start by asserting your ideas, even to me. But Boss, you said if I questioned your wisdom It was a joke. Well, sort of. Basil intended to go hunting for flowers no matter what, but he wouldnt force anyone toe along. I was teasing you, nothing more. If you think Im doing something wrong or stupid, you shouldnt hesitate to call me out on it. I do it all the time. to nodded in confirmation. Of course, Basil never listens to reason, but thats on him. Basil ignored the jab. Im confident enough to know what I want, but sometimes I listen. Next time, I want you to assert yourself and stand for what you believe in. Eventually, youll do so naturally. I Bugsy wiped his tears. Alright, Boss. Ill try. You wont try, you will, Basil replied as he opened his status screen. And to honor your resolve, Ill grant your wish. Basil considered investing in his Alchemist and Tamer sses for their utility, but with the rifle broken he had to rely on his axe to defend himself. Assigning his twost levels into Berserker to obtain a newbat-oriented Perk sounded wiser when preparing for a monster hunt.
Berserker Level 2 & 3 Stat Gains: +4 STR; +2 AGI; +1 VIT; +1 MAG; +2 CHA; +2 LCK. You gained 70 HP and 25 SP.
New Active Perk: Warp Spasm I: Technique, 10 SP. You can apply the [Berserk] ailment to yourself at will for 5 minutes. While under a [Berserk] effect, you relentlessly attack the closest target in melee with no regard for your safety, friend or foe, and cannot cast [Spells]. In return, your strength is greatly enhanced and you feel neither pain nor fear.
Basil shivered as the System empowered him. He sensed his muscles turn to steel and his breathing strengthen. His enhanced stats improved his body and mind both. The rushsted mere seconds, but it brought Basil immense pleasure. It felt like a drug. Basil briefly wondered how many would grow addicted to levelups before the sight of Bugsybusting brought him back to reality. Bright red mes covered the centipede in the blink of an eye. From his mandibles to his tail, a mantle of smokeless fire obscured every inch of his carapace. His antennae became two bright rods. Bugsy! Basil shouted in rm. Yet the centipede uttered no scream of pain nor fear. The mes consuming him didnt spread to the greenhouses flowers nor raise the temperature. to hissed in surprise. Hes evolving! Rosemarine alone rejoiced. Hes evolving! Bugsy grew. He grewrger andrger until his head hit the greenhouses roof and broke through it. Basil and the rest of the crew stepped back to avoid falling ss shards. Only when Bugsy reached over three meters in length did he finally stop growing. The mes cleared on their own to reveal a beast of legend. The new Bugsy retained the vague shape of a centipede with a crimson exoskeleton and hundreds of legs, but the resemnce with an insect stopped there. Lava flowered through the natural armors chinks. The antennae had transformed into long blue whips and the tail ended with des of bone. As for the head Bugsy still had mandibles, but his yellow mouth and slit eyes belonged to a reptile rather than a bug. mes burned behind rows of sharp fangs. When the maw opened, Basil faced a fiery gullet that could swallow a man whole.
Congrattions! By reaching level 7, Bugsy Alphonse Venture metamorphosed into a centimagma ([Bug/Elemental])! Bugsy Alphonse Venture learned the [Firebreath] Active Perk!
Im sorry, Im sorry! Bugsy apologized, his whiny voice now a thunderous roar. His mighty skull identally shattered a ss panel when it moved. Ill repair the roof Boss, I swear! I swear! Basil was too shocked for anger. Only Rosemarine weed the strange event with apuse. Do you think he can fit inside the Kangoo now? to asked at Basils side. We will have to find a trailer. And widen the doors too. Chapter 10: Man vs Stone Chapter 10: Man vs Stone The party wandered through the woods with no nt monster in sight. Once a swampynd before a French Emperor came along, the Landes forest counted among thergest man-made woonds in Europe. Rows after rows of pine trees grew amidst dense foliage, alongside a few oaks, birches, and willows with moss growing on their barks. The forest was eerily quiet, with only bugs to provide noise. Basil winced as he heard a pine tree copse behind him; thetest in a long line of victims. A few birds previously hiding in the foliage flew away in fear. Basil looked over his shoulder and backpack. As he suspected, Bugsy had identally snapped yet another tree in half with his tail. The centipede looked at the shattered pine tree with a guilty face. I can save them! Rosemarine hopped to the pine trees side and blew colored dust at its wound. Sweet Pollen! Hey, dont waste your Special Points on trees! to scolded Rosemarine. We might need themter! But theyre nts like me! Rosemarine argued. The severed halves of the tree had joined up again thanks to her magic, but the trunk remained bent and the branches touched the ground. I healed them! At what cost? She had botched the surgery and the pine tree would never stand up again. Vegetal euthanasia would have been kinder. Basil nced at to, his axe resting on his shoulder. Do you smell any nt monsters? I dont smell any monsters, period. to squinted at Bugsy. Its as if something is scaring them away. Bugsy meekly stared at the ground, his reptilian eyes full of shame. Im sorry. All the distances feel wrong. Size wasnt the only issue with Bugsys new transformation. The centimagma had identally exhaled mes at the foliage outside the house a few hours before, forcing the party to dump bucket after bucket of water to douse the fire. Boss, do you think Bugsy looked at his owner with faint hope. Do you think I can still fit inside my bedroom? Well refit the garage into a new one easily enough, Basil reassured the centimagma. He no longer needed to park his car there with the Inventory system. I cant say the same for widening the houses doors so you can fit through them. I aint an architect. Im sorry, Bugsy apologized. Well figure something out. Something about the falling trees bothered Basil. He had reached a Strength score of 27, just shy of Bugsys 30. If the centimagma felled trees with a mere wrong move, could Basil do the same? Basil stopped in front of a pine tree, much to tos confusion. What are you doing? Checking something. Basil tightened his fist and aimed. One, two, three His fist went through the trees bark and stopped halfway through the trunk. Basil felt a little pain in his knuckles as they hit wood, but far less than he expected. Mr. Who-Feeds-Me, why? Rosemarine immediately treated the pine trees wound. Sweet Pollen! Basil removed his hand from the bark. It would take a gori to leave a hole asrge as the one he just made, but Bugsy casually uprooted trees as he moved. Rtive strength, Basil guessed. Not absolute strength. What do you mean, Boss? Bugsy asked. Rosemarine finished healing the tree, ignoring all of tos concerns. That if our Strength scores were equal, you would still hit harder than me due to your size. Come to think of it, Health Points seemed to grow depending on the physical stats like Strength, yet Rosemarine and to had a lesser ratio than Basil and Bugsy. This implied the existence of size-rted hidden stat modifiers. Rosemarine managed to heal the pine trees wound at a cost. Mr. Who-Feeds-Me, Ive run out of SP! I warned you, to said. The cats mood worsened when Basil looked into his backpack and tossed some SP recovery medicine at Rosemarine. Youre encouraging her! Rosemarine, calm down with the pollen abuse, Basil said. I need antibiotics to craft SP recovery potions and they dont grow on trees. Rosemarine swallowed the bottle, stic included, before belching. Yes, Mr. Who-Feeds-Me. Hey, how is it you obey him but not me? toined. Because when I evolve, he will feed me even more! Aww, she was ambitious and cunning! This errand is a bust. to stretched his legs. But it was nice to go hiking in the woods again. Seems like everything returned to normal atst. I wouldnt be so sure. Basil looked up through the leaves above his head. Barely perceptible streaks of red light tainted the blue skies, the tail of distant auroras. The Ogre Dens influence had covered the Barthes, but it wasnt the only dungeon active in the region. Basil would say another was located near Mont-de-Marsan from the auroras distance. Did the nt monsters migrate to new dungeons after the Ogre Dens destruction? If so, Basil could say goodbye to his dream of a fanged flower hedge. Boss, I see a house! Bugsy said with sudden excitement. Its not ours! Basils eyes wandered to ckened walls standing at the forests edge. The trail the group had followed led to a small suburb of brick houses. Basil immediately recognized the ce, having often hiked in the area. Its Angoum, a small vige near the town of Dax, Basil exined. Barely three hundred inhabitants. Oh, I remember the ce. to licked his lips. The butcher always tosses me a treat whenever we visit. The baker is pretty good too. Reminiscing made Basil hungry for croissants, choctines, and other French pastries. Cheap too. Lets go. to gave his master the cutest, most adorable stare he could. Please I want to visit a human hive! Bugsy said with enthusiasm. Ive never seen one! Rosemarine joined in. Can I eat the baker? No, Rosemarine, but I can buy you pastries. Basil was about to assent to his pets request when he suddenly noticed a worrying detail about Angoum. He frowned in rm, his fingers tightening on his axe. Something is wrong with the ce. Boss, I dont hear anything, said Bugsy. Exactly. Angoum had been a quiet ce, but never a silent one. Its not my problem. Basil gazed at the houses with an impassioned look. Its the polices job to protect people, not mine. I should stay out of this and trust the government. If I could do so well on my own, everyone else must have overperformed. Theres nothing to worry about. Yes, he didnt have to do anything. Shit. Fuck me, Basil said as he stepped inside the vige. Basil, Im not that kind of animal, to quipped before following his owner. Find yourself a girlfriend of your own species. The first person they met turned out to be a woman three decades older than Basil, and he wouldnt take her on a date anytime soon. Basil raised his axe as he approached the figure. The middle-aged woman stood on the threshold of the first house beyond the forest with sses on her nose and a torchlight in hand. She looked poised to inspect an overgrown hedge, but would never reach it. It was difficult to move with a body of stone.
Danielle Jacqueline Hiquet.
Level 0+1 [Humanoid].
Status: Petrified.
A shiver ran down Basils spine. The statue was a living person. Boss. Bugsys joy at discovering a human vige didntst long. What happened here? At first nce, Angoum looked like a postcard ad: cozy beige houses surrounded by vast gardens of flowers and lushwns. A beautiful pond of water bordered a road without holes and a yellow hotel restaurant. It was a favorite spot of old people to stay the night in quietness before enjoying Daxs famous thermal cures. A closer look revealed grisly details. A car overturned on the road; a hole in a houses wall; a human statue half-sunk into the ponds waters; and most worrying of all, the enormous footprints dug into the walkway. to didnt make a sound as he walked to Basils side. His steps were slow, his ears raised. Basil to, you check the houses, Basil ordered with a tone that brooked no disobedience. Ill investigate the hotel. Rosemarine, pull any statues you find out of the water. Bugsy, use your tremorsense and warn us if anything approaches. Yes, Mister, Rosemarine whispered back. She had sensed the danger afoot. Yes, Boss. Bugsy applied his antennae to the ground. Ill roar if I sense anything. Basil gritted his teeth as the party split to cover more ground. He walked up to the hotel near the pond and found the ss doors shattered from the outside. Basil carefully stepped inside the entrance hall with his axe poised to strike at the first provocation. A thinyer of dust covered the peeling paint of the hotels walls and the lights had died out. A dead television was mounted above an office counter with a pegboard holding the rooms keys. A petrified man in his forties, almost certainly the manager, stood near it with an expression of abject fear. The breakfast hall was empty, the food safe inside the fridges. Sorry. Basil pickpocketed the manager until he found his master key. It astonished him that some establishments hadnt switched to keycards yet. I dont like stealing, but this is an emergency. The elevator leading to the upper floors was as dead as the electric grid, so Basil walked up narrow stairs. Rows after rows of closed rooms awaited him. He checked them one by one. All the hotels bedrooms looked the same. King-sized beds faced a tv mounted at the center, with a smaller area dedicated to the shower and toilets. Windows opened to a small individual terrace granting the tenants an impable view of the pond outside. Most bedrooms were empty, but not all of them. One housed an elderly couple sleeping peacefully, their flesh turned to stone. A second had a man in his thirties petrified on the toilet, his eyes half-closed in sleepiness. The dungeons first appeared early in the morning. Monsters must have fallen upon these people before they even knew what hit them. If I lived in the city, I might have be one of them. Basil felt bad about leaving people turned to stone, but nothing in his arsenal could undo the petrification ailment. Each upied room had its windows broken from the outside. They came, they petrified, they left. In spite of the tense situation, Basil struggled to keep a straight face upon finding a third room with victims. The two upants had been petrified mid-coitus. While the man seemed to take pleasure in the act, the much younger woman was clearly faking it. Basil couldnt help but check the mans belongings. He kept a photo of his family in his wallet, but with a different woman for a wife. He didnt even bother to remove his wedding ring, Basil noted scornfully. If the man couldnt keep his vows, he shouldnt have made them in the first ce. I should call his wife and inform her if I get the chance. Its only proper. Basil walked to the rooms window and studied the hole in its center. The creature that broke through it couldnt be bigger than a ser ball. Bugsys roar echoed outside and made the walls tremble. Damn it, Basil hissed as he rushed through the door. I knew we should have stuck to the forest Click. Basils head snapped in the beds direction right as a small sphere emerged from beneath the bedsheet. He didnt have time to turn around before an orange ray blinded his vision.
Level too high! [Petrify-Ray] cannot affect you!
When Basil regained his sense of sight, he found himself facing a floating orb of copper and bronze. A single orange eye of crystal gazed at him from the spheres core, a strange gear symbol painted on the steely eyelids.
Unity Watcher
Level 2 [Artificial].
Faction: Unity.
FOR THIS WORLD TO LIVE LEVELS MUST STAY DOWN! The orbs booming voice made the walls tremble and Basil wince in pain. His ears! PETRIFICATION IS TEMPORARY! SUBMIT FOR YOUR SAFETY Shut up! Basil snarled before punching the orb. I aint deaf, asshole! His mighty fist shattered the crystal like ss and sent the orb crashing against a wall. Basils heart skipped a beat as the creature nearly hit one of the petrified victims, but it narrowly missed them. LEVELS MUST STAY DOWN The orbs message grew gargled and weaker. Doooownn Basil finished the monster off with a swing of his axe and rushed outside the hotel. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, but his fears turned out to be unwarranted. He found Bugsy and Rosemarine near the pond with the remains of a shattered metal orbying on the shore. to quickly rejoined them, unharmed and yet furious.
You earned 1000 EXP (125 each).
Boss, this thing came out of the water! Bugsy snapped his mandible at the broken watcher and revealed his fiery fangs. I destroyed it in one blow! I killed two more in the houses. to hissed in anger. They petrified everyone, Basil, even the cats! The cats! They got the butcher and the baker too! Even the baker? The bastards! There was one in the hotel too. Worse, Basil hadnt missed the Faction part when he analyzed the orb. The machines belonged to arger group. Bugsy, why didnt you notice them? I swear, I didnt sense anything! My tremorsense only picks up vibrations in the ground and the thing didnt make any noise! I mistook one for a metal ball until I poked it, to defended Bugsy. It smelled of oil, so I thought it was a harmless gizmo. Basils jaw clenched. Mines. They were mines. Dormant bombs set to activate at the first sign of movement and finish off stragglers. Basil noticed new statues along the ponds shore, one human in uniform, three goblins, and two dinocranes. Only the rotten remains of a spinotter remained unpetrified, although a powerful blow had ground its skull to fine paste. I found them in the water, Mr. Who-Feeds-Me! Rosemarine boasted with pride. I dragged them out myself with my vines! From the group''sposition, Basil guessed that they were a raiding party from the Ogre''s Den. The goblins hade expecting to kill helpless humans, only to find themselves facing a more dangerous creature. This is Megabug all over again. Basils eyes examined the petrified goblins and then the symbol on the broken orbs eyelids: a gear with six sides and a W mark at its center. But the orbs belonged to another group than his Apocalypse Force. Basil didnt know whether he should take it as good or bad news. Can I eat it? Rosemarine salivated at the sight of the spinotters carcass. Im hungry! Thats the only monster they didnt turn to stone, to pointed out. Spinotters are level 2. Basil quickly put two and two together. The orb failed to petrify me because I was too high-level. to caught on. All the petrified people Ive found were level 1 or 0+1. They didnt have the time to take a ss. The orbs cant petrify creatures with a level equal or higher than their own, Basil guessed. The level limit would exin why these weak creatures packed such a powerful ability. They killed the spinotter because it was too strong. Theres no way the orbs did the deed, Basil, to replied as Rosemarine devoured the spinotter. They were even weaker than birds. Boss, I think I know who killed it. Bugsy pointed at the enormous footprints along the roads boardwalk with his tail. Look. Basil and his party gathered around the tracks and examined them. Shaped like a mix between a small circle and arger crux, they were around two meters in diameter. The footprints depth attested to the weight of whatever creature left them. Theyre pointing towards the town of Dax, Basil noted as his eyes followed the tracks. I dont think even an elephant could leave such huge footprints. Do we go after that monster, Boss? Bugsy asked with a hint of excitement. That was a risky proposition and Basils new Warp Spasm Perk wouldnt help much either. He would never spit on new powers, but to lose control of himself in the process sounded like a bad bargain. Especially since he risked attacking his allies. I should have expected something like that from Berserker. Basil gritted his teeth. The creature went in the opposite direction to the house, so we should be safe. Everyone else though Boss, I dont want to sound stupid but I dont get it. Bugsy cleared his throat. Why didnt they kill anybody besides the spinotter? Why petrify humans instead of harvesting their experience points? Maybe they stored the food forter? Rosemarine suggested with a cute belch. Her idea Her idea made a disturbing amount of sense. The orb did warn Basil that its petrification effect wouldntst.
The [Petrification] ailment is permanent unless magically removed.
So either the orb had lied or its kind could undo petrification at will. What happens if I were to shatter a petrified individual? Basil quizzed the System.
You will gain experience as normal.
The watchers could have petrified victims so that their allies could kill them to grind safely. Yet when Basil remembered the orbs words, he realized there was probably more to it. Did the machines say anything? Basil asked his party. to shrugged. I killed them before they could. The one I destroyed said something about a barrier, Bugsy said, his tail scratching his head. I think? For the barrier to stand, levels must stay down, Rosemarine quoted. Basils jaw clenched. What barrier? I dont know, Mister. So Basil, what do we do? Do we retreat? tos ws came out. Or do we hunt? Basil considered his options. The sensible option would be to return to the house without poking the hos nest. If the creature was anything like Megabug, it had to be level 10. Basil would never forget how close to death they hade when they fought an opponent stronger than them. And yet, running away meant abandoning other people to petrification. Its not my problem, Basil tried to tell himself. The police can handle it. Its their job, my taxes paid for their training and weapons. I didnt spend years contributing to the French States coffers without expecting a return on my investment. Basil nced at the petrified man on the shore and at his uniform. He quickly noticed the words police municipale written on the shoulders. Fuck me, Basil cursed. Bugsy, fetch me the petrified goblins. Some warriors drank wine before battle, but Basil preferred to chop heads. Chapter 11: Man vs Robots Chapter 11: Man vs Robots The city was quiet, too quiet. Dax was somewhat famous among French towns for its hot baths, thermal sources, and water cure industry. Most of its inhabitants worked in tourism, healthcare, or hospitality. The lAdour river and three bridges separated the historical city center from the satellite municipalities. Dax was never a busy town, but it always enjoyed a healthy level of activity. Today, Dax was dead. All its inhabitants had been turned to stone as far as Basil could tell. Statues filled the narrow streets. The wrecks of overturned cars blocked the centralne alongside the asional broken watcher. Burns covered a few buildings faades and colossal footprints disfigured the pavement. And the silence, this ominous silence Boss, I sense something. Bugsy applied his antennae to the ground. Heavy footsteps. I hear them too, to said, his ears turning in a specific direction. The bots havent left the city. Basil gathered his breath, his axe heavy on his shoulder. How far? Six to seven streets away, Bugsy replied. The monster is heavier than I am. Basil nced at the towns highest points: the twin towers of Daxs cathedral. He would have a good view of the area from up there. Bugsy, youre too big and easy to notice, Basil said. You stay away in the citys outskirts unless you hear the sound of battle. Rosemarine, to the cathedral with me. to, youre stealthy enough for recon. The bots mustnt learn of our presence, do you understand? His cat fled into the streets and Bugsy didnt argue against the order. They understood the danger ahead might prove greater than their deadly encounter with Megabug. They would stick to the n and keep their heads down. Basil walked to the cathedral with Rosemarine following him without a word. The ssical-gothic churchs twin towers and massive stone faade cast a dark shadow on a silent za. Its open doors screeched with the wind. Basil ordered Rosemarine to keep watch over the entrance and stepped inside the building. His footsteps echoed within its main hall. Faint daylight crossed through stained ss windows portraying saints and angels. The robots had broken a few of them, much to Basils fury. Although he didnt practice much, Basil was an Orthodox Christian at heart. The profanation of a holy ce, even a Catholic one, remained a crime in his eyes. Basil steadily climbed stony stairs up to the left towers summit. He half-expected a Unity watcher to intercept him. None did. Basil doubted that the fear of God had motivated them to leave the area. Basil reached the tower''s summit without incident. Windows gave him a dizzying view of Dax; enough to see metal orbs flying in the distance, the sunlight reflecting on their bronze shells. The watchers. Basil took a pair of binocrs from his bag and scanned the town. He immediately detected signs of battle. Three major bridges usually separated Dax from the other shore and its smaller municipalities. One of them had crumbled into the lAdour river and the other was clogged by abandoned cars. The third, he couldnt see from his position. Groups of watchers patrolled the rivershore and a mighty creature followed in their wake. Basil held his breath at the sight of a living tank. Four ck telescopic tentacles of whirling gears lifted an ovoid core of bronze and steel. The machines body would put an elephant to shame in terms of size and weight. tes of metal bound by bolts shielded it from attacks, the strange symbol of the watchers painted on its back like an ominous warning. A single crystal eye two meters widey exposed at the creatures forefront right above a ventral cannon. The four metal ws at the end of its tentacles crushed the pavement under their weight. The System provided Basil with a hint of the threats power.
Unity Gearsman
Level 13 [Artificial].
Faction: Unity.
Nope, Basil decided after a single look at the creatures level. Nope, nope, nope, Im out, Im done, Ive peaked! That was three levels higher than Megabug, and if that wasnt enough, a small swarm of watchers swirled above the machine. The party was outnumbered, outmatched, and outgunned. They were also a week toote to save anybody. Basil could infer what happened from the sheer number of broken windows and petrified citizens. The watchers had fallen upon the city at night when most of the poption slept. Basil suddenly realized that the attacks on his house had given him the wrong assumption. Since he had fended off assaults easily enough, he thought everyone else would. In truth, he had survived by avoiding the attention of deadlier monsters. If Megabug or the watchers had attacked his home before his sses gave him the power to fight back, Basil would have died. It wasnt skill that carried him so far, but luck. Strange, the robots stick to one side of the river. Basil turned his binocrs to Daxs other shore. Satellite municipalities like Saint-Vincent-de-Paul upied it. Why havent they crossed over? The sight of a helicopter flying over the other shore answered his question. Basil immediately recognized it as a Colibri Eurocopter painted white with red stripes. The light utility vehicle didnt carry weapons, but wasrge enough to transport up to four passengers alongside the pilot. Basil couldnt see the people inside due to the distance and the sunlight-reflecting windshield. The vehicle turned over the bridge still standing as if daring the Unity gearsman to cross it. Of course. Basils eyes widened as he put two and two together. The military aviation school! Basil remembered that the Frenchnd army trained future helicopter pilots in Dax with light vehicles. The noise made by their flights usually drew criticism from the civilian poption. If an aircraft patrolled a shore the robots refused to invade, then it could only mean one thing. The French army resisted the monsters! I hope somebody picked up that phone, Basil murmured. Because I called it!
You earned 750 EXP (93 each).
Basil turned his binocrs towards his allies on the ground in sudden panic. Did the watchers detect them? He quickly confirmed that Bugsy hadnt moved from his post. Rosemarine, however, chewed a watchers wreckage near the cathedrals entrance. Nothing to worry about. A startled Basil looked over his shoulder, only to face to. The cat joined his owner with a crystal core in his mouth, before letting his catch roll on the ground. We scored a few easy kills. Dont surprise me from behind again, Basil scolded his cat. Especially in hostile territory. Oh, did I frighten you? to peeked through the window. Wait until I tell you what I saw. Ive already noticed the level 13 Gearsman. Which one? Basils blood froze in his veins. Youve got to be kidding me. Im not. tos tone turned grim. I counted at least two. One patrolling along the river, the other guarding the arena. The arena Basil could barely catch a glimpse of the buildings white walls from his current viewpoint. Daxs arena, originally built to host Spanish Corridas, was rarely used for anything more than concerts nowadays. Why would a living tank be guarding the arena? Basil asked to. Theres nothing precious there. I dont know, but the ce is crawling with watchers. I couldnt approach it without risking detection. to sat at his owners side. So what do you think theyre doing running along the shore back and forth? Enjoying the rivers view? Looks like the French army controls the other side, Basil replied. If not them, at least a human group. Really? tos head perked up in interest. Wait, the French havent run away or started coborating? Nope, theyre resisting. Basil smiled smugly at his cat. You owe me ten bucks. Can I pay you in birds? to sighed, before suddenly frowning. Wait a second, if there are humans on the other side, why havent the bots attacked them yet? If a level 10 bug kicked our asses, a level 13 gizmo should wipe the floor with any screaming human whelp thrown its way. Your trust in my species is heartening. Youre wee, Basil. Basil remembered that the armys helicopter school was located south-east of his current position, on the side of the city which the robots controlled. Had the French army been forced to abandon the aerodrome to the monsters and move its vehicles north? Dax was far away from any dungeon so the robots couldnt replenish their numbers. If they had taken losses taking the aerodrome, then it made sense for them to secure existing gains rather than risk a new push. Theck of manpower also exined the absence of watchers patrolling Daxs streets. They needed all avable monsters to keep the other shore under surveince and contain the armys remnants. Basil achieved superhuman strength after taking a few levels. Professional soldiers with sses would prove a match for even the fiercest monster. Megabug was a scout who wanted his Faction to get an early lead, whatever that means, Basil said. The bots probably followed the same strategy. They took over the city for their masters and now await new orders before continuing their march. Sounds quite sophisticated. You dont say. Basil studied the gearsmans patrol route to better predict it. This entire setup reeks of a nned assault. Unlike the goblins, the machines didnt behave like stupid marauders. They were an upation force. Considering how they petrified any man or woman they could find, Basil doubted they had mankinds best interests at heart. Apollyon. Basil cleared his throat. Megabug mentioned that name as his superiors. I think he said something about this world being too weak for him, to confirmed before scratching his ears. This world. Not the world. What difference does it make? A big one. Basil lowered his binocrs. We know Megabug wasnt created by the Ogre Den dungeon like Rosemarine, Bugsy, and the goblins. I think he and the robots might havee from another ce. to gazed at the bright skies through the windows with big, starry eyes. Like another? I dont know. Basil could only make suppositions at this point. Maybe the System opened the door for invaders to slip in, or maybe bringing them to Earth was the entire point and the System followed them. If an army of monsters was willing to send troops to Dax, a small town of utter strategic insignificance What horrors were settlements like Paris or London facing? Did dungeons manifest out of nowhere to flood their streets with monsters? What could Basil do? Treat the petrification ailment? He grabbed the core to brought him and studied it.
Cannot bypass [?????]s [Crafting Encryption] Perk.
The same message showed up whenever Basil attempted to use the orbs eye to craft. He couldnt even salvage the cores material. Whoever built ormanded the Unity watchers did its best to prevent people from reverse-engineering their technology. What a shitfest, Basil cursed as he stored the orb in his inventory. But Im d the army is holding well. The world might actually return to normal in less than a century. So, what do we do? to asked. We join up with your kindred on the other shore? We cant do that without the bots spotting us. Please dont tell me were going in axe-zing likest time, to pleaded. Do you think the gearsmen can kill me eight times in a row? Basil didnt want to find out anytime soon. This isnt going to sound very Berserker-like, but no, we wont attack the robots. In fact, we wont intervene at all. Too risky. You dont want to drive the bots out of town? to squinted at his owner. If we attack them without coordinating with the soldiers on the other shore, we risk sparking a general battle they arent prepared for. Casualties would mount in the chaos. At the end of the day, Basil was a civilian with littlebat experience surviving in the woods. He would rather leave trained professionals to handle the urban gueri. He didnt exclude making contact with the army in the future, but only in a way that wouldnt draw the robots attention. And more than anything, Basil worried how soldiers would react to his party. Bugsy and Rosemarine could get mistaken for hostile monsters and shot on sight. Basils responsibility was to protect his own first. He wouldnt give up on finding a way to undo the petrification ailment though. That was a task where he could meaningfully contribute. Fine by me, almighty leader. to rose to his feet. Lets go home. Were not done here. Basil examined the district with the binocrs. The machines took over quickly and didnt ransack the town. With the gearsmen busy patrolling the river shore, we could pige everything in the citys outskirts without them noticing. Basil hated stealing, but nobody would miss the supplies, and pharmacy medicine might unlock a cure for petrification. The librarys books could shed light on Dismaker Labs and the police station contained an armory. Oh, were shopping? to licked his lips. Could we find fresh fish? Its been a week with no electricity, Basil pointed out as they climbed down the cathedrals stairs. Youll find no fresh food. to sighed in disappointment. I hate apocalypses. I can pray for it to end soon. Basil stared at the churchs dusty altar with nostalgia. The memories of his mother bringing him to Easter celebrations flooded his mind. Leaving Bulgaria had left him uprooted and deprived him of a sense ofmunity. God, if its not too much to ask, we need help downstairs. Basil made a hand sign to represent the orthodox cross. A bolt of divine lightning would be nice, though I can settle for a sword of heavenly fire or a bazooka of justice. Anything really. God answered the prayer with silence. Basil almost left disappointed when he noticed books on the churchs altar: two finely crafted grimoires, one red and the other ck. Have they always been there? Basil asked to in confusion. I dunno, I didnt pay attention. His cat swiped his nose with his paw. So much dust Basil examined the books and the System immediately provided him with information.
The Missal & The Breviary
Family: Spellbooks.
Quality: C.
A pair of spellbooks used by [Priests of God] to learn [Prayer] spells and angelic [Rituals]. Much ink has been spilled on how to optimize proper SP consumption.
By reaching a sufficiently high Magic stat, you can learn Active Perks called Spells. Spells consume SP to work and are ssified by Schools, representing their category, and Tiers, their power. You can learn spells from spellbooks and tutors if you possess the necessary sses, passive Perks, and elemental affinities.
Spells? Wait, I could do magic with prayers? Basil read the Missals instructions on how to hold the mass and a new screen appeared.
Spell: The Mass
School: Prayer.
Affinity: Support.
Tier: I.
Cost: 10 SP.
Restrictions: Only [Priests] of God with a 10+ Magic stat can cast this spell, and only in a Christian church.
Buffs the Luck of all allies within the churchs confines for ten minutes. The blessingsts even after the targets leave the churchs grounds.
Basil checked the books pages with rapturous attention. They included dozens of spells, if not more. Each liturgy, each church ritual, carried power of some kind; from healing the sick to empowering the faithful. Much ink has been spilled on how to optimize proper SP consumption? What did that mean? And why were all church prayers linked to spells? Had they been spells from the start and didnt work because there were no Special Points or magic to fuel them? This raised an important question: did the System give prayers tangible powers, or was their power suppressed before the System came along? In the first case, it spoke volumes about the Systems ability to reshape reality. And in the second case it implied the normal world Basil had lived in since birth was in an abnormal state. I guess these books will have to do, Basil said. I would rather have fiery swords, but God works in mysterious ways. By giving you two old books? to sneezed from the dust. You should have converted to Buddhism. Basil forgave his cats sphemy and registered the books in his inventory forter use. It could be a coincidence, but if prayers carried real magical power with the Systems arrival then one of them could perhaps heal petrification. Is everything okay, Mister? Rosemarine asked upon entering the cathedrals hall. Have you eaten well? The only food I need right now is the bread and blood of Christ, Basil half-joked. I will be the Axe of Heaven. God wills it. What is Christ, a monster? Rosemarine pondered with childish innocence. Can I eat them? When do we take back the Holy Land? to asked with a deadpan tone. Basils re only amused him further. Too soon? Mock me all you want, to, but a force greater than any strength point possesses me now. Basil pumped a fist with determination. His words boomed across the cathedrals hall like a sermon. Faith! Faith in humanity! Faith in our power to defeat the invaders! You say we should take back the Holy Land? I say we retake all thend, starting with this one A Unity watcher suddenly entered the church through the broken window, interrupting Basils passionate speech. When he heard the explosions, Bugsy knew his moment hade. As ordered, the centimagma had retreated to the human hives outskirts so as not to foil the infiltration mission. He spent minutes mentally preparing himself for the epic fight that he knew woulde. His tail iled the pavement in trepidation. The times when Bugsy would clumsily break trees and set grass on fire ended here and now. He would no longer lower his head in shame at his ineptitude. Today, he would prove his newfound strength and mightybat prowess to the Boss. Im proud of you, Bugsy, the Boss would say while patting him on the head, right on the sweet spot behind the antennae. I thus promote you to my new right-hand cat. But I cannot betray Mister to! Bugsy would reply, because he was modest. He is like a brother to me! You deserve to be the top pet, Bugsy, to would reassure him. Youve worked so hard for it! All would fear the name of Bugsy Alphonse Venture. I need a war cry, Bugsy thought as his tremorsense detected the party rush to his position and the rumbling steps of a colossal beast. You shall not pass too simple I have a hundred feet to kick your ass with? I am fire, I am death? Yes, yes, thats badass, thats me, thats fearsome! Bugsy moved in the middle of ane full of abandoned cars. As the Boss, to, and Rosemarine emerged from around a street corner, the centimagma raised his head with pride. I am fire! Bugsy exhaled mes through his fangs. I am Retreat! The Boss shouted. His breath was short, his expression one of utter panic. Tactical retreat! Mister! Rosemarine struggled to catch up to the Boss because of her short vine-legs. Wait for me! Huh? Bugsy asked in confusion, his momentum broken. Run, you idiot! to snarled as he bolted past the centipede. Run! A tide of metal poured out of the city after the party. Bugsy had expected to fight a few watchers, a dozen at most. Instead a full swarm of flying orbs flew above thene. They fired petrify-rays in all directions, thesers failing to affect Bugsy due to the level difference. WE COME IN PEACE! The swarm buzzed. PETRIFICATION IS TEMPORARY! SUBMIT FOR YOUR OWN GOOD! I can take them! Bugsy tried to muster his courage. Witness me, Boss! Witness And then the bigger machine stepped into view, a colossus of steel carried by four legs each longer than Bugsy himself. The ground trembled when it walked and its cannons gears screeched upon pointing at the centimagma. When Bugsy read the giant machines level, the great me of his bravery petered out. [Agility Up]! Never before did Bugsy activate his Perk so quickly. [Agility Up]! The System empowered his hundred legs with new speed. The Boss and Rosemarine leaped on Bugsys back as the centimagma turned around and ran away. Only to managed to run faster than him on his own legs. THE UNITY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE! The giant robot broadcasted while running after the party. Fiery light built up in its cannon. THIS PLANET WILL BE PACIFIED! De-level this, asshole! The Boss materialized the Venom Bomb in his hand and threw it at the robots. The projectile exploded into a toxic purple cloud that spread through thene. It failed to damage the robots, but reduced their visibility. A red ray fired through the smoke and melted the pavement to Bugsys left. The st missed him, but only barely so. Faster, faster! to shouted as the giant robot rushed out of the toxic cloud. Ive got this! Bugsy promised. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Ive got this! Bugsy Alphonse Venture believed he would be his partys frontliner. But in truth, he had been the getaway driver all along. Chapter 12: Man vs Merchant Chapter 12: Man vs Merchant Six hours. It took the party six hours to escape with their lives. Bugsy spent all his SP casting Agility Up over and over again as Basil guided him through the Landes forest. The gearsman stopped hunting the party before the watchers, but eventually, all of them gave up. Only when Basil was convinced that nobody would follow them to the house did he and his pets return home safely. I am fire Bugsy copsed in exhaustion on the houseswn, under the faint light of the sunset. I am death Youve done well, Bugsy, Basil thanked the centimagma before stepping down from his back. Ill cook anything you want tonight. Mister, I dont want to go to human cities anymore, Rosemarine whined. Theyre scary! I need a sofa, to dered. The cat didnt look as winded as Bugsy, but he clearly wanted nothing more than to sleep. My kingdom for a cushion! Basil helped Bugsy drink a potion to satisfy his thirst. He had believed the Unitycked forces to properly defend Dax, but when a single watcher sounded the rm, dozens answered the call. The machines could mobilize quickly. Now that they knew of the partys existence, returning to the city to scavenge for supplies would grow even riskier. And worst of all, Basil didnt find any monster to build a flower hedge! We need a better defensive perimeter. Basil would set traps in the forest in case the watchers sent hunting parties. Well keep our heads down and stick to the wilderness from now on. It was for the better. Monsters prioritized cities and Basil didnt need urban infrastructures. Modern medicine and technology mattered, but he could probably rece both with crafted substitutes given time. He had work ahead of himself. Bugsys new transformation meant that the centimagma would consume more food than before. Basil kept sizable reserves in his basement, but he would rather avoid tapping into them unless strictly necessary. I need to erge the garden, Basil thought upon entering the house. to fulfilled his oath and bolted to the sofa. Bugsy tried to squeeze himself through the entrance, but his new size prevented him from seeding. And widen the doors too. You can sleep in the garage for now, Basil told Bugsy. Well go chip wood and pull down the entrances wall tomorrow. I dont know much about woodworking, but it cant be that hard. Im so sorry, Boss, Bugsy apologized. I didnt want to be a burden. You never were one and never will be, Basil reassured him. You saved us all back then. Without your enhanced agility, the bots would have caught up to us. When the watchers failed to petrify the group because of their higher levels, they had started throwing themselves at them like kamikaze drones. Failure to escape would have spelled the partys death. The errand might have been a bust, but they at least gathered information and the cathedrals holy grimoires could perhaps procure a solution to the petrification ailment. And if normal books transformed into spellcasting manuals with the Systems arrival, perhaps a few in Basils library had gained magical properties too. There was much work to do, but Basil was too tired to start it now. He would cook for everyone and then go to bed right afterward. His party had earned a moment to rest. Basil barely enjoyed a few hours of sleep before to woke him up. Basil, Basil! The cat kneaded his owners back. Come on, wake up! What? Basil groaned, his head half-buried in a cushion. The sun hadnt yet risen and the world was dark beyond his windows. I put leftovers on the kitchen counter I know, I ate them already. The cat hadnt woken up his owner to satisfy his craving for food. Rosemarine found a m in the garden. A m? Basil locked eyes with his cat, his vision blurring from the sleeplessness. The mollusk? Yes, the mollusk. In the garden. Basil slumped back into the pillow. He didnt have time for this nonsense. Just kill it. I tried, but it has cannons pointed at the house! Basil listened to his cats sentence, his sleepy mind failing to process the words properly. When it did, he bolted out of bed, summoned his axe from the Inventory, and prepared to clobber his way back to slumber. Nobody woke Basil Bohen before noon and lived to tell the tale! Where is the victim? Basil asked upon stepping outside the house with to. A sleepy Bugsy and Rosemarine surrounded a giant shell that washed up on the streams shore. Indeed it looked like a m on a closer look, albeit bigger than a cow, light blue, and with a set of steel barrels sticking out of the carapace. The System immediately identified it as a monster.
Shellgirl (m Mimic)
Level 6 [Aquatic/Slime]
A girl? Fine by Basil. He was a true feminist: the kind that would hit a female monster as hard as a male one. Mister, I cant eat the food inside! Rosemarineined. When I evolve, I will break the shell with my teeth and gorge myself on sweet blood! Do I cook it with my breath, Boss? Bugsy asked. The shells barrels immediately pointed at the centimagma, startling him. Hey! Could be a spy from the city, to muttered. Or dangerous. Since the monster hadnt opened fire immediately, Basil gave her the benefit of the doubt. Youve got five seconds to exin what youre doing here or get the fuck off my property, he warned the m. Starting right now. A silence stretched on for one second, two seconds, three seconds Psst, psst. A squeaky, girly voice came out of the shell. Basil lowered his gaze as it opened slightly, two red eyes peered through them. Wanna trade? the creature asked. Wanna make some sweet money? Basil stared back without a word. His mouth went dry from theck of sleep and the surreal nature of the conversation. When I saw your shiny house, I knew you were a potential customer with taste, she tried to sweet-talk him into lowering his guard. The kind of person who wont settle for anything but the best! Its even worse than I thought, Basil told himself. Much worse. Ive got quality stuff to trade in this new brand shell of mine. Weapons, shinies the real deal. The creature winked at Basil. My fares are so low youll have to sit down! Basil didnt answer. The tense silence stretched on. Shellgirl winked repeatedly, as if it would break the deadlock. Bugsy? Basil broke the silence. Yes, Boss? Throw this thing back into the stream. Shes the worst kind of monster. Basil red at the giant m. A door-to-door saleswoman. I cant believe this vermin managed to slip in, Basil. to hissed at the m mimic. I swear, I was on the lookout for these pests! Hey, hey,e on! Shellgirl protested. I swear, Im not that kind of gal! Youre sure, Boss? Bugsy asked, ignoring the m. Throw her down the stream, Basil insisted. Salesmen are an invasive species. You feed a single one and then they start breeding all over the neighborhood. Rosemarine slumped in the grass. Cant we eat her for experience first, Mister? Salesmen dont give exp, they give calls. Basil remained unmoved. Throw her down the stream. Bugsy pushed the salesmonster back with his tail towards the river, much to her chagrin. Stop! she protested with a shrill voice. Ill make it worth your time, I swear! They all say that, Basil replied before turning his back on the scene. Now, if you excuse me, Ill go back to sleep and Boom! The noise of a gun firing stopped Basil where he stood. When he hastily turned around, Bugsy and the others had backed away from Shellgirl. One of her barrels pointed at the skies and steamed mist. A warning shot. Everybody calms down! The ms eyes vanished inside her shell and she started muttering to herself. Where did it go wrong tter the customer, I did it tempt them with elusive promises about your product to foster interest, done oh, introduce yourself to the customer to build trust! I skipped that part! Basil resisted the urge to pinch his nose in annoyance. Are you reading a business book inside your shell? Her brief silence, followed by an embarrassed answer, confirmed his theory. No, Im not Okay, Im trying to figure it out alright! Im a, a what do humans call it Basil picked up the sound of flipping pages. His pets sent him confused gazes, unsure how to react to this nonsense. A startup! Im a startup! said the m monster. Okay, lets start over. The mshell widened further to reveal the creature inside: the slim figure of a female humanoid made not of flesh, but translucent green slime. She had arms and breasts, but tendrils growing from the shell below the waist. Hair made of goo flowed down her head above two crimson eyes and a wicked, impish face. Im Shellgirl. Im the owner of a small import-export business with high potential for growth. Her lines sounded straight out of an MBA seminar. You wanna invest in the future? She stressed out thest word as if it had magical properties. Do you sell tickets to Mars? Basil snorted, utterly unimpressed. The slime girl squinted at him. Where is this Mars? Is there money to make there? Not that I know of. Then no, Im not going to Mars. She put a hand on her breasts and grinned. My only journey is the journey to the grind! I let the current carry me to new opportunities! I dont get it. to didnt hide his skepticism. You want to make money, not levels? I have the urge to level-up too, but it doesntpare to the joy of filling my shell with wealth. When I add a new treasure inside me, I feel Shellgirl gave the party a perverted grin and exhaled. I feel satisfied. Basil suddenly remembered that she was a m mimic. If his experience with roleying games applied here, mimics were monsters acting as living treasure chests. A m with its pearl made for a fitting aquatic version. You know, I tried to kill humans and monsters for their money, Shellgirl admitted. But fighting is so risky! I figured I should work smarter, not harder. Get it? By bing a saleswoman and annoying people in the middle of the night? Basil asked. Ive waged wars for less. Well, uh She snapped her mshell shut and muttered to herself again. Okay, make jokes to defuse tension impress them with your past deals as proof of concept Shellgirl was so busy studying that she missed to whispering at his owner. Basil, you give the word and I will silence the pest on the spot. The cat mimicked a gutting motion with his w. Rosemarine salivated hungrily, and Bugsy snapped his mandibles in annoyance. Basil only had to give the order and they would tear the shell mimic to pieces. At four against one with higher levels on average, the fight should end quickly. Basil almost gave the go-ahead when a brighter idea crossed his mind. You said you traveled across the river? Yes, I did! The slime girl came out of her shell again in record speed, smelling the opportunity. I traveled far and wide, collected treasures from the world over Im looking for information, Basil cut through her crappy self-promotion attempt. If you have it, then we could make a deal. While she was annoying and a pest, Shellgirl was one of the few monsters Basil met that didnt try to attack him on sight. If she wanted to trade with humans rather than kill them, then she must have heard interesting rumors. Basil couldnt rule out the possibility that she was a spy infiltrating human society either. If she failed to earn his trust, she wouldnt live to reveal the houses location to anyone. Information? The exuberant mimic suddenly became far more reserved. Depends, I cant discuss where my merchandisees from or how much money I make. It makes people violently jealous. I doubt that, Basil thought. If she had to threaten him into buying her stuff and spillmon sales bullcrap, she had to be dirt poor. Im looking for intel on two groups calling themselves the Unity and the Apocalypse Force. Oh, those guys? Shellgirl stroked her chin and goo slipped from her cheeks. Yeah, I might know a thing or two. Not much about the Unity, since they attack on sight but the Apocalypse Force... Basil exchanged a nce with his pets. Rosemarine whined upon realizing that she wouldnt eat the m anytime soon, and the others looked more skeptical than anything. Start talking, Basil all but ordered. Well, where should I start? Back to the beginning of my illustrious career! Shellgirl cleared her throat, mostly for dramatic effect. I was born in the Water Sanctuary dungeon in Lourdes. A pretty nice ce full of undead and aquatic monsters. Lourdes? to nced at Basil. Didnt we visit that ce with Ren? We did, Basil confirmed. Lourdes was a pilgrim hotspot whose waters had supposedly miraculous properties. They didnt cure Rens cancer as he had hoped, but he enjoyed his stay in the city all the same. It wees millions of pilgrims each year. Yeah, when I checked the humans shops I just knew I had to open my own business, Shellgirl said. Unfortunately I was born one day after the dungeon appeared, so I couldnt find a good mentor. A zombies belly is never full, if you catch my drift. Basil suppressed a wince. They ughtered the citys poption? Mostly. Some priests managed to fight back, but then the bugs showed up. The bugs? Bugsys mandibles snapped in dread. The Apocalypse Force. Shellgirl shuddered as if remembering a bad memory. Three of them, level 10 each. They went into the dungeon like big hos in the beehive, killed the old Boss, and took over the ce. The story sounded a bit too familiar to Basils liking. What happened afterward? They split us into two halves and ordered that we wipe out the other, Shellgirl admitted without any cheerfulness. They had no time for weaklings. Levels must go up, they said, so the Horsemen can cross the barrier and crush the Unitys forces. Low-levels must be eradicated. The mention of a barrier again and it appeared the Apocalypse Force and the Unity pursuedpletely opposite goals. It made sense for them to fight. The horsemen? to asked in confusion. Horse riders? A chill went down Basils spine. The words sparked a memory of his childhood, back when he listened to a fiery sermon. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, the priest had dered, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. The Horsemen of the Apocalypse? Basil dared to ask, his voice breaking. Dunno, I bailed out after the first elimination round, Shellgirl replied. Way it went, I figured I would end up on the wrong side of the culling sooner orter. It didnt dispel Basils doubts. Megabug mentioned a certain Apollyon, and now the name sounded so familiar. Basil must have heard it in a sermon before too. It could be a coincidence, but somehow he couldnt bring himself to believe it. Okay, this may be slightly above the French armys paygrade, Basil thought. But things wont degenerate so much, right? Right? Basil dealt with his anxiety about mankinds future the healthy way: by repressing and trying to forget about it. And thats how I decided to retrain professionally, Shellgirl continued her tale. I wandered around Lourdes when I received a revtion: I could be a merchant and fill my shell with wealth without tempting death! You found a business book in the citys ruins? Basil guessed, trying to focus on smaller details rather than the scarier big picture. Its okay, you dont have to hide it. I have a few in my library. Shellgirl tried not to look too interested, but shecked the poker face needed for it. I see, I see, she said evasively, I also heard rumors of a third faction on the block too. Metal Olympus or something. My best customer advice, dont get involved with Big Business when youre small. Wise words to live by, Basil replied. Have you traded with other monsters? Plenty! A witch in the woods, hobgoblins, an orc n, spellcasters Some tried to rob me too, but I shot them right between the eyes! But no humans? Alive? Nope, youre actually my first living human customer! Im super excited to make this sale! Shellgirl pped her hands. So, what do I get for answering your questions? Im looking for potions to resell to a witch, but I could settle for the business books you mentioned. For another client, of course. You misheard. Basil smirked. I said that if you had the info Im looking for, then we can make a deal. You got her, chief! Bugsyplimented him. Thats just a devious move! To Basils surprise, Shellgirl nodded to herself as if taking mental notes. I like it. I learned something tonight! Seriously? toined. Cant we just kill her and steal her stuff? I made a promise, Basil replied with a tone that brooked no disobedience. Just try to kill me, kitty cat. Shellgirl pointed at her cannons with her thumb. These babies arent just for show. Basil showcased his old iron axe. Mine is bigger. Is it? Shellgirl answered with a coy grin. What if I told you I could make it longer? Basil raised a single eyebrow. The mimic merchant answered the challenge by joining her hands. An item appeared between her fingers in a familiar sh of light: the same that red whenever Basil opened his Inventory. An enormous axe materialized in Shellgirls hands, as long as a spear and topped with a spike. A cutting half-crescent de protruded from one side and a cruel hook from the other. The staff was made of strong polished wood, the rest of stainless steel.
La Ravageuse, Swiss Halberd
Family: Weapon (Axe/Spear).
Quality: C.
Power: +13 STR.
Crit: +5%
uracy: 70%
Effect 1: Ignores half of a targets defensive stats during damage calction.
Effect 2: [Empty].
Switzends third most popr invention after banking secrecy and pikemen, shamelessly copied by French and English alike.
It was love at first sight. Even though Basil had been married to his old iron axe for years, the divorce happened in the blink of an eye. He dropped it on the ground without a look to seize the newer, prettier weapon. Shellgirl relinquished the halberd and let Basil examine it. His hands traveled down the shaft with desire. Bugsy didnt hide his jealousy for Shellgirls ability. Hey, how is it that you have an inventory? Unique mimic perk, she gloated. Basil mentally noted that specific monsters could ess yer-exclusive features with the right Perks, but he could scarcely focus on anything but the beauty in his hands. His fingers trailed along the sharp curve of the de. He needed to own it, to possess it, to make it his. Mister, are you alright? Rosemarine asked with concern. Mister? Basils ears could hear her words, but he didnt listen to them. His doubts about the merchants motives vanished like the night before dawn. Someone with enough taste to carry such an exquisite ware couldnt possibly be a bad person. to wagged his tail. I think weve lost him. Oh my God, Basil thought as he struggled to suppress his ardent desire. Its handcrafted. Mister to, whats happening? Bugsy asked. He sounded somewhat worried. Ive never seen the Boss like this. Its a Bulgarian thing, to replied. You cant understand. That was one way to put it. One of my ancestors, Basil whispered softly, was a Swiss mercenary who fought in the armies of Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Shishman against the Ottoman Empire. He brought his halberd with him, and after the Turks finally conquered Bulgaria, he settled down with a local priests niece. The weapon has been passed down my family for centuries since. At least, until Basils father sold the halberd for booze. His son never forgave him for the blunder. He knew the weapon in his hand wasnt his familys heirloom, but it was probably the closest thing he would ever get to a recement. The shaft is firm. Basil waved the halberd. It felt so light between his fingers. Its got a long reach too. It can pierce through even the moistest shells. I traded it with an undead knight for a sword. He couldntst fifteen seconds before polishing it. Shellgirls grin widened further and further. Know what? If you take this beautiful baby, Ill give you a performance enhancer as a freebie. Mister, is she talking about weapons? Rosemarine asked innocently. Could I have one too? Yes, of course, Basil replied before deciding he couldnt resist the halberds lure. You win, Shellgirl. How much do you want? Now were talkin. Shellgirl rubbed her hands. What do you offer, big guy? Can I pay you in liquid assets? I still have euros stashed away. You mean human currency? Shellgirl wagged her finger at him. Sorry baby, currency fluctuates too much nowadays. Although I can ept shiny gold and silver. I have tools, extra gasoline... Basil counted what he didnt need. Spinotter furs Ogre bones too, to said. Ogremoches corpse is rotting in the fridge. Somehow, Basil kept forgetting about that. If youre looking for potions, I have a few homemade ones too. Mostly healing elixirs. Homemade? Shellgirls expression turned from cautious to excited. Youre a crafter? Yes, but I cant sell too much of my stock, Basil haggled. I have a limited supply of raw material and I still need toplete myb. It didnt deter Shellgirl. If anything, it only made her more curious. A frog-like tongue of slime stuck out of her mouth and licked her lips. Show me everything, she whispered. Upon seeing the naked greed in the mimics eyes, Basil couldnt shake the feeling that he had made a terriblemistake. Chapter 13: Man vs Garden Chapter 13: Man vs Garden Basil gave Shellgirl a tour of his basement. The longer she examined his wares, the more her excitement grew. She inhaled and exhaled in shorter intervals. Her shell trembled in anticipation. Her slimy fingers softly touched potion bottles as if they contained liquid gold. Youve got a big house with a lot of precious stuff. Shellgirl rubbed her hands, her eyes burning with greed. Im digging it If she asks me to marry her for the house, Im throwing her out, Basil thought. He had to put the conversation back on track.I cant sell too many potions. I have a limited supply of raw material and I still need toplete myb. Ab? You want to Shellgirls grin became downright frightening. Scale-up your production? This is getting disturbing, Basilined. Tell me what items you want for the halberd and go. Wait, wait! Shellgirl corrected her expression until she looked normal again, or at least less frightful. I have a proposal! Hey, how about we start a a After struggling to find the right word, the mimic retreated back into her shell. Basil waited patiently as he heard her flip the pages of an invisible book. Ah, here it is! The m snapped open to reveal Shellgirls bright smile. A holistic international joint venture! A business deal? The proposal didnt surprise Basil in the slightest. He expected her to try to sucker him on the profit part though. You make the products, I sell them, and we split the profits! Shellgirl grinned wickedly. I would say eighty percent for me, twenty for you is a fair price. I knew it. As a new merchant, Shellgirl was utterly predictable. How about the other way around? Basil asked mirthfully. Hey, Im taking all the risks there! Im the one venturing into the world, chatting up customers, grinding it out! But Im the one covering the production expenses, Basil pointed out. And profit doesnt interest me. Im looking for tools to improve my teams day-to-day life, not to umte money for its own sake. Shellgirl looked at Basil as if he had grown a second head. You dont want to get rich? Never did, and I want it even less now that the world ended, Basil replied with disdain. He already considered the lure of money an illusion getting in the way of happiness before the apocalypse and didnt change his mind afterward. Whats the point of being rich nowadays if you cant trade money for anything? You didnt even ept my currency. Wealth isnt about utility, Shellgirl argued, its about bragging rights! Exactly. I dont need a mountain of cash to feel happy and confident. His point flew over Shellgirls head. Thats perfect! For me! She joined her hands, her fingers intertwined. Then I have a counter-offer. You said you were looking for specific items? I can stash up to six items in my shell for now, which isnt enough space to umte a hoard. Basil crossed his arms. Go on. Ill stock the bounty of our joint venture in your basement warehouse. Thepany will lease you the items you need or find interesting, while I keep the money and profits! I can even look for specific stuff to obtain! How does that sound? Basil had mixed feelings about the proposal. On one hand, he needed medical supplies to find a cure to the petrification ailment and Shellgirls trade trips would help him scout for information. On the other hand, regr contact with the outside world increased the risk of enemies discovering the house. Shellgirl didnt strike him as particrly stealthy either. Basil checked his Perks and confirmed the existence of a potential solution. I find the proposal agreeable under one condition. Basil raised his index finger. You must join my party. Uh? Shellgirl tensed up. Why? My Tamer Perks will kill you if my HP hits zero. That way you wont be tempted to pull a fast one and lead monsters to my houses location. Shellgirls smile faltered. I dont see how thats a win for me. If you want this business rtionship to be exclusive, youve got to make it worth my time. My Tamer ss will grant you stat boosts on level-ups and a unique Perk as long as you remain in my party, Basil tempted her. You get to keep both even if we split and go our separate ways. Consider them stock options. Mmm Shellgirl considered the proposal for a moment. Then she retreated into her shell to read her business manual. Stock-options I see so instead of a joint venture, we would merge our corporations and split the partys shares? Yes. Basil tried to trante the arrangement in economic terms. The party will cover your food and sleep expenses in the house, give you medical assistance, and a few other associate benefits. If I leave, will I keep the money I made during our association? Yes. Then its a deal! Shellgirl emerged from her hideout and extended a hand at Basil. Happy merger! Basil squeezed the merchants hand and slime squished between his fingers. He prayed that he wouldnt regret this arrangement.
Shellgirl has joined your party!
[Monster Charmer II] Perk activated! Shellgirl learned the [Moneymaker] Passive Perk!
Passive Perk: Moneymaker: Double the chances of a dead monster dropping valuable items if Shellgirl participates in the battle.
Ohoh, thats great! Shellgirls greedy grin grew wider. Except the battle part. Can I trust you to take care of it? No pretty freeloaders here, Basil replied harshly. If the house is attacked, you help defend it. I understand the concept of defending private property, thank you very much. Rare monster parts sell for a hefty price too. Shellgirl rubbed her hands. Lets see what youve got, partner. Basil was willing to trade away the remains of defeated monsters like Ogremoche, spinotter furs, and extra potions. He made a list of items he was looking for in exchange: tools to build an alchemyb in his basement; modern medicine to craft potions; a cure for the petrification ailment; and spellbooks to study. True to her word, Shellgirl surrendered the halberd and presented him with other collected items: a cute pink ribbon; arge pearl the size of a fist; a vial of anabolic steroids; a business book; and one very precious chest. Basil gasped when he recognized thest item. Lined with gold and cone-shaped, the chest was topped by a small cross. A picture of the Virgin Mary visiting a woman appeared on the front. You like this shiny? Shellgirl patted the cross at the chests top. I took it with me when I left my home dungeon! Its the reliquary of Saint Bernadette, Lourdes patron! Basil and Ren had seen it when theyst visited Lourdes. He attempted to analyze it, but the System denied him.
Your Intelligence stat is insufficient to analyze this object.
Fuck you! Basil yelled at the screen. Not for free. Shellgirl rubbed her fingers. And you must bring your own equipment. Argh, forget it. Basil set the reliquary aside. He simply couldnt trade something so precious. Lourdes was well-known among Catholics for the supposedly miraculous properties of its waters. Many pilgrims visited its spring and prayed for a cure. Considering how the System now attributed magical properties to prayers and Saint Bernadette was the one who identified the miraculous waters, the reliquary might be incredibly useful in the near future. After setting Saint Bernadettes remains aside, Basil nced at the other items, particrly the ribbon.
Pink Ribbon
Family: essory (Hat)
Quality: D
Effect: Increases the wearers chances of avoiding attacks by 10 percent.
A pink little ribbon that makes the wearer beautiful and adorable and cute and lovely and if you hit them youre a heartless monster!
Rosemarine would look pretty with it. As for the rest, Shellgirl held the pearl and book close to her chest. These ones arent for lease! Mine, mine, mine! Basil gave the book a cursory nce anyway.
Secrets of the Grind: A guide to business and personal fulfillment.
Family: Book
Quality: E
The worst possible mix of self-help propaganda andmon business advice pretending to be profound. Rated R for Ripoff.
How unsurprising. You can borrow better business books from my library, Basil said. Oh? Shellgirl looked at him with a curious expression. You sought to invest in yourself too? Sort of. I nned to open an online pharmacy business at one point, but it didnt pan out." Ive read failure is the best teacher, Shellgirl replied with a grin. You need to adopt a wealthy mindset if you want to improve. Basil shuddered. He had to take the self-help booklets out of the library before she could read them. The party split the next day after Basil enjoyed a few hours of sleep. Shellgirl leaped into the river with new items to sell, promising to return by the evening. Basil sent Bugsy into the forest to chop trees for the new door; he only had to pick them up where they fell. And to went to hunt birds in the forest like the feline serial killer he was. Which left Basil alone with Rosemarine to expand the garden. With the greenhouse full and too many new mouths to feed, they needed to prepare a new plot ofnd next to the house for sowing. Here you go, my dear. Basil finished putting the pink ribbon around Rosemarines neck. Is it too tight? How do I look, Mr. Who-Feeds-Me? Rosemarine asked, her ribbon jiggling when she turned her head. Acidic saliva dripped down her sharp teeth and onto the grass. Aww, she looked adorable! Youre perfect, my dear, Basil said before handing her a small bag of seeds. Now, I need you to sow these tiny babies after Daddy Bohenbors the ground with his hoe. Each seed category must stay in its allocated plot. Can I spray them with my pollen to make them healthier, Mister? Rosemarine asked with enthusiasm. Can I feed them the blood and guts of our enemies too? Aww, she was such a caring greenhand! Baby steps, Rosemarine. Basil unfolded his newest crafting discovery: a brown bag full of red fertilizer, obtained bybining a normal brand with Shellgirls anabolic steroids. ording to the System, this power nutrient would buff up the stats of all nts exposed to it. Basil hoped that it would hasten the growth of the seeds enough for an early harvest. I missed gardening. Basil plowed the field with his hoe under the faint morning light. Rosemarine dutifully nted the seeds in his wake, spraying the ground with fertilizer and pollen alike. A simple, uplicated life. The System had ruined Basils daily routine and forced him to deal with crisis after crisis. Megabug, the Unity, Shellgirl each time he thought he could find a degree of normalcy in a world gone mad, a new problem arose to ruin his hopes. Well, no more! Basil had nned the perfect post-apocalyptic routine! He would wake up at eleven oclock, do house chores before his meal, study holy books in the afternoon, dine with his pets, and finally go to sleep after a TV or video game run. Eventually, he would find a cure for petrification, the French army would repel the Unity, and Basil could go back to paying his taxes without worrying about the future. A simple n for a quiet life. Mister? Rosemarines voice grew worried. Mister? I shouldnt tempt fate like that, Basil told himself. He nced at the plowed rows of the garden. The earth trembled as dog-sized creatures emerged from underground to embrace the sunlight. It never goes well. Basil didnt know whether he should me Rosemarines pollen or the power nutrient. Perhaps it was thebination of both on top of the dungeons leftover radiation. Whatever the case, the results were nothing short of spectacr. A dog-sized pumpkin was the first to rise out of the earth. It let out a fearsome cry with its maw and unleashed a burst of mes with its burning eyes. Fanged tomatoes emerged from the garden after it, followed by onions with spider legs, tiny humanoid beans, and strawberries with frightening eyes all over their skin.
Ghostie Pumpkin
Level 1 [nt/Undead].
Demon Tomato
Level 1 [nt/Demon].
Bean Ninja
Level 1 [nt]
Onion Spider
Level 1 [nt/Bug].
Strawboogie Berry
Level 1 [nt/Fairy]
Rosemarines seeds bloomed by the dozens into tiny newborn monsters. The cacophony of their screams made Basil wince. Yet the sight filled him with perverse satisfaction. His experiment had seeded beyond his wildest dreams. Can I adopt them, Mister? Rosemarine asked, hectic with joy. We will raise a nt army and eat the world! Ive made something better than a monster flower hedge. Basil smirked in triumph. A self-defending kitchen gardeargh! A fanged tomato leaped at his face with a hungry roar. Basil swung his hoe on instinct and sent the creature flying into the houses fence. A pumpkin monster followed by trying to bite his ankle and received a kick to the teeth for its trouble. Basils joy at raising a vegetable army proved short-lived. The monsters snapped their fangs at him and some even salivated with hunger. No eating the Mister! Rosemarine roared, her cute little voice turning from concerned to angry. Bad seeds! Bad seeds! I am your creator! Basil shouted to his wayward vegetables. You must obey me! Submit, and I shall water you each morning! The System tranted his words to the rabble and some of them listened. A few of the vegetables broke ranks to join Rosemarine, the nts forming a defensive barrier around Basil. s, most of the newborn monsters refused to bow and leaped at the loyalists with murderous intent. Is this a revolt? Basil ground his teeth. I prefer meat first and foremost He swung his hoe and baptized it in pumpkin blood. But I know vegan recipes. After he wandered deeper and deeper into the woods with nothing to show for it, to realized that he had done it. He had in all the forests bird monsters. Wow, I didnt think the day woulde. to sat in the shadow of a tree in disappointment. I feel empty inside. The forest was still teeming with critters like rats, mice, and squirrels but killing them felt different. Amusing, but not as pleasurable as watching the light go out of a birds eyes. Nothing could beat a close-up murder in intimacy, especially when the target didnt see the fatal pounceing. How am I supposed to contribute now? to muttered to himself. These exercises were training for hunts and battles, to bring meat to the kitchen table, and to make his party stronger by shoring up experience. to understood that as a pampered cat, he was mostly a burden for Basil. His owner tapped into his food reserves for his sake, treated him when he was sick, and removed parasites from his fur when he came back with ticks. Rosemarine healed wounds with her pollen and Bugsy contributed like a work animal, but the only things to was good at were hunting and reconnaissance. With no monster left in the forest, what purpose did he serve? to knew Basil would never consider him a burden in his mind, but his cat pride wouldnt let him act like a like a human NEET! I could always scout the citys outskirts and snatch boxes of medicine. to picked up the distant sound of trees falling down to earth. Bugsy sure cant approach the ce undetected. tos amusement morphed into concern. They were far from the house. Why would Bugsy travel so deep into the forest to chop wood? He could pick trees by stepping over the fence. The rumbling noise grew closer. Realizing the danger, to hid in the tall grasses. His eyesight was terrible, but his ears picked words spoken aloud and his nose smelled steel in the wind. Are you kidding me? to whispered, half in fear and half in disbelief. An enormous shadow walked between the trees, causing some to fall with each step. Damn it. TARGET UNDETECTED! The gearsmans voice boomed across the forest. A group of watchers flew between the trees to patrol the area around theirrger brethren. MOVING ON TO A NEW SEARCH ZONE! After making sure the robots wouldnt see him, to rushed in the houses direction as fast as his tiny legs could carry him. Chapter 14: Man vs Bomb Chapter 14: Man vs Bomb The battle for the garden ended with a decisive loyalist victory. The rebels nearly overwhelmed Basil and his allies through sheer numbers, until Bugsy returned from his woodcutting excursion. The centimagma decimated the left tomato wing with his fiery breath, allowing Basil to copse the pumpkin cavalry''s right nk. They cut the rebels down to thest sprout. When Basil lowered his hoe atst, a harvest of fresh and crispy vegetablesy at his feet. Only five nt loyalists kept their heads; one individual for each breed sowed today, from the ghostie pumpkin to the demon tomato.
Your party earned 4000 EXP (320 for you).
The experience penalty was starting to show. Basil had in the equivalent of a goblin army with no new level to show for it. Well, that was unexpected. Basil checked his half-full bag of fertilizer. They had enough of it left to seed a second plot ofnd, but he wondered if it would be worth the risk. It must have been a ploy of the Vegan Empire, Boss! Bugsy red at the vegetable loyalists with suspicion. The Major Chicken marathon night influenced him a bit too much. Theyre infiltrators sent to turn us into herbivores! The nt monsters cowered in fear of the muchrger centimagma. Rosemarine protectively moved between them and Bugsy. They are good seeds! she dered with motherly pride. I wont let you hurt them! Aww, she looked so brave snapping her fangs at a muchrger monster! Shes correct, Bugsy. Basil patted the centimagma on the back. They fought to preserve our meat dictatorship over the menu. As promised, I shall water them every day and spare them from the kitchen knife. The five nt monsters let out screeches of happiness, but none as loud as Rosemarine. If you say so, Boss, Bugsy said withoutining. So uh, do they join the party too? I never close the door to new minions, Basil replied. However, he failed to add the newly born nt monsters to his party.
Registration attempt failed. An active party can only have six members. If you want to expand your organization or create interlocked parties, you must create a guild by conquering a dungeon.
Six members? With Shellgirl now included in the active party, that left only one spot. He could add and expel the vegetables from his party in short session to grant them the extra Tamer Perk, but they would miss out on the improved stat growths. Mister? Rosemarine asked in confusion. Is something wrong? Change of ns, Basil replied. The System wont allow me to recruit everyone into my party, so they will form one of their own under your supervision, Rosemarine. Theyll be your interns and you will teach them our way of life. Yes, Mister! Rosemarine took the smaller vegetable monsters in her vines like a mother hen. I will raise them to eat the meat of our enemies! Hey, why does she get interns? Bugsyined with clear jealousy. Mr. to and I are the seniors! Speaking of to, the cat rushed out of the woods and towards the garden. Basil knew his pets bodynguage enough to realize something terrible happened. Basil, weve got a probl to froze upon noticing the new vegetable monsters. Am I hallucinating, or does that tomato have fangs? When we all evolve, we will eat the goblins to extinction! Rosemarine boasted, the nt monsters making noises of approval. Basil suddenly realized that theycked the intelligence to actually speak, at least until they gained a few more levels. Boss, will meat dishes attack us too? Bugsy asked with a worried tone. They shouldnt, Basil replied, although he suddenly experienced a moment of doubt. With the System, anything could happen. He brushed off the subject before he could tempt fate any further. to, whats happening? The robots. to sat on the gardens grass, a serious expression on his face. Theyre patrolling the forest. A tense silence fell upon the garden and Basil realized that he would never find peace. How many? he asked. How far? A gearsman and five watchers. to gathered his breath. Theyre checking every spot ofnd, but the bogs terrain slows down their progress. Id say we have a few hours. Youre sure theyre after us? Who else, Basil? to replied ruefully. Had Basil misread the situation? He thought the Unitycked the numbers to patrol areas beyond Daxs riverbank and that his party could safely stick to the wilderness. Or did the robots mistake Basils group for enemy reinforcements? In this scenario, it made sense for them to secure the forest and prevent a pincer attack. Basil cursed his rotten luck for letting himself be seen in Dax. He shouldnt have overreached. What do we do, Boss? Bugsy asked, his antennae applied to the ground. I dont sense them yet so we have time to flee. We cant run this time, Basil replied. We must destroy them before they can find the house. Hello? to put a paw on his chest, right where Megabug once stabbed him. Last time we fought someone with a level higher than ours, I lost a life. I would rather keep the other eight. I would rather avoid unnecessary fights too, but the situation is fundamentally different, Basil pointed out. We didnt expect Megabug so numbers and initiative were our only advantage. Today we have time to prepare, we know the terrain, and the robots dont expect an ambush. Would it be enough to make up for the level disparity? What other options did Basil have avable? He could make Molotov cocktails from his gasoline reserves or craft bombs from the leftover gunpowder Ren stockpiled for his rifle, but how could he deliver the payload without blowing himself up? A brilliant, terrific idea suddenly crossed Basils mind. He nced at Rosemarine, the adorable nt fretting at her owners attention. Mister? Why are you looking at me like you want to eat me? Could you show me your cute little decoy Perk again? Rosemarine nodded and duplicated herself, a perfect copy of herself appearing at her left. The double wore its own version of the pink ribbon, which turned to pollen dust the moment Basil attempted to take it off. Rosemarines decoy could duplicate the equipment she wore before activating her ability, but the fakes disappeared when no longer in contact with her body. Basil took it in stride. Okay, I have a n. Basil started giving orders to the party. to, Bugsy, you keep us informed on the robots movement. Hopefully, Shellgirl will return in a few hours to reinforce us. Rosemarine, you drill the vegetables for battle. Im going to craft you something in the meantime. A ne, Mister? she asked. Better. Basil grinned wickedly. A shiny belt. Shellgirl returned early in the afternoon, which suited Basil just fine. He was just finishing his batch of Molotov cocktails and Rosemarines new fashion piece.
New crafting recipes: [Molotov Cocktail] & [Explosive Belt].
The Old Mans stock of gunpowder had proved barely enough to craft a single explosive belt. Tiny bottles filled with mmable substances jiggled on a leather bandolier. A single fuse could set them all alight. Basil doubted it would suffice to destroy the gearsman in one attempt. But the neat thing was, he could repeat the performance. Hey, buddy! Shellgirl hopped into the basement by mming her shell shut and open in quick session. It was a primitive mode of lotion, but it worked. So, the bug outside told me were going to fight off intruders? Something like that, Basil replied. Well repel the Unity. The robots? Shellgirls expression deted. I wouldnt mind driving them off since they killpetition and customers alike, but remember what I told you about not messing with the Big Businesses? Cant we skip this one? Not unless you want us to go our separate ways. Nobody will take this home away from me so long as I draw breath. The Old Man entrusted the ce to Basil and it was his home. You can run away if you want, but dont expect a warm wee afterward. You drive a hard bargain. Shellgirl grunted. A deal is a deal, so Ill help defend our market share as promised. Can I stay at the back though? As a brilliant mastermind, I do way better in amand position! Basil suspected cowardice yed a bigger role than tactics in her mind, but with her barrels she should perform better as support artillery. His party had enough frontliners already. How far can you shoot a target? I never checked my limit, Shellgirl admitted. She put a finger on her slimy lips, her expression thoughtful. Three hundred meters maybe? Farther than expected, less than Basil would have liked. Alright, lets go then. We dont have time to waste. Dont you want to see what I bought first? Shellgirl waved her hand and a pile of items materialized in a sh of light. My witch contact was super impressed by your potions and traded me tools toplete yourb! Basil gave the bounty a cursory nce. Indeed, Shellgirl brought useful stuff: white pestle and mortar; a ceramic crucible; a copper alembic; safety goggles; and even a sand bath device to heat up liquids. Combined with his cauldron and ovens, Basil held all the tools to build a functional, if primitive, alchemyb.
Quest: They called me Mad! Your party earned 100 Bonus EXP (20 for you) and you learned the Athanor alchemy recipe.
Quest experience didnt suffer from the usual level penalty. Interesting. Good job, Basilplimented Shellgirl. He put on the safety goggles after the System confirmed that it would make him immune to the Blind ailment, whatever that meant. Good? Shellgirl sounded downright insulted. I did an excellent job. All that stuff should have cost us twice as much as what I negotiated! Ill take your word for it, Basil said as he stuffed his travel bag with the explosive belt and Molotov cocktails. Who is the witch you traded for these tools with? Sorry partner, my clients expect a certain degree of confidentiality. Nobody wants to be hunted for their exp. Shellgirl winked at Basil. In her case though, Im sure we could arrange a meeting. She looked very interested in what you could craft for her. Developing a tradework with monsters would wait until after they destroyed the gearsman. Basil and Shellgirl left the basement for the garden outside. Whereas Bugsy surveyed the area with his tremorsense, Rosemarine was busy teaching the new vegetable guard the basics of humannguage. Murder, Rosemarine said. Repeat after me. Mur-der. Mur-der! the vegetables repeated, all of them carrying improvised weapons such as wooden sticks with pointy ends. The pumpkin sounded the most articte of the group in stark contrast with the quiet bean ninja. Murder! Aww, they looked like such a cute deathsquad! Basils dream of a nt-based house security appeared to be more and more credible. Boss, Im starting to pick up tremors, Bugsy warned. Theyre closing in. As if on cue, to returned from his scouting. Theyve reached the bog in the southwest, he warned. The clearing with the putrid pools. Then they were less than half an hour away from the house. Well ambush them there. The terrain will favor us. Basil summoned his new halberd from the inventory. The new recruits will stay here to guard the house in our absence. We dont take them with us, Mister? Rosemarine asked. The vegetables let out grunts of disappointment. I wee more cannon fodder, to argued. Too risky. At their level, a single watcher could petrify them all. Basil pointed his halberd at the vegetable guard. You will stay here and protect the house in our absence. House! The pumpkin leader of the team repeated. It reminded Basil of a child learning to speak. House garden!
Your vegetables formed a separate party: House Garden.
Party Leader: Ghostie Pumpkin.
House Garden? Basil frowned at the message. Wait, you can name your party? Yes, you can! Shellgirl yelled at him. And I cant believe you left ourpany unnamed, buddy! How am I supposed to convince people to believe in our brand when we dont have any? Good products should speak for themselves, should they not? to asked mirthfully. Now lets go, dogs. I can hear theming. He didnt need to say it twice. Basil stepped into the marsnds beyond the house first, followed by the rest of his party. The vegetables waved their vines and leaves at the party as they ventured into the wild. Unfortunately, one member of the team dragged behind. Basil looked over his shoulder in annoyance at Shellgirl. The rest of the party walked at a steady pace, even the clumsy Bugsy, but the merchant struggled to hop a few meters forward. It works better in the water! Shellgirl protested, utterly shamed. Basil sighed. Bugsy, please carry our artillery piece around. Uh, okay boss. The centimagma coiled his tail around Shellgirl and lifted her above the ground. Only the slimes crimson eyes peered through the gap in the shell. Like this? Good, tomented. If we must run away again, you can throw her in the enemys face to buy us time. Just try, kitty cat. Shellgirl pointed a barrel in the cats direction. I dont have to hop fast, just faster than you. Im d theyre already getting along, Basil thought with amusement. to guided the team through the woods surrounding the house. The faint twilight colored the leaves and tall grass with an orange tint. The odious smell of putrid mire grew thicker and insects made their nest on the remains of broken trees. Hopefully, they will coordinate well in the heat of battle. Only the song of insects and the faint noise of snakes slithering in the grass broke the woods quietness. The party moved stealthily. Bugsy had grownfortable enough with his new body to walk without shattering trees. Unnerved by the silence, Shellgirl muttered words to herself. Shellgirl Incorporated Sea Commerce Enterprises? Still trying to find a party name? to whispered. If the cat feltfortable talking, then the watchers were still somewhat far away. How about Shellgirl marked a short pause, as if suddenly inspired. Shell? Already taken, Basil replied with a shudder. And its not a good brand at all. La Bande Basil? to suggested with an amused tone. Taken too, with an e at the end. Basil suddenly wondered if copyrights and trademarks still mattered in a post-apocalyptic world. He would avoid treading on the big business shoes, just in case they returned to power. The Axes of Heaven, Mister? Rosemarine suggested. Aww, she remembered Basil had used that term! Too violent, Shellgirl vetoed the proposal. Customers will take us for weapon merchants instead of a future worldwide consortium. How about tos Perfection? to said. The to Connection? Lets be honest with ourselves, Im the teams mascot, the bands face. Cats arent market juggernaut material, Shellgirl replied. Tell that to Garfield. Basil nced at the only member of the team who hadnt offered a suggestion yet. Bugsy? Any ideas? I, uh Bugsy cleared his throat, his eyes blinking in short session. Clearly, he was afraid of a negative reaction. The Bohens? Basil immediately loved the suggestion. It was new, innovative, and powerful! Uh, it sounds like a si show. As usual, to answered this genius proposal with skepticism. Why, Bugsy? Well, were living in the Boss house for free. That makes us the Bohens, no? Bugsys eyes widened with hope. Like a family! Good boy. Basil patted Bugsy on the back of the head, which the centimagma liked very much. His antennae wriggled in pleasure. I didnt know you kissed asses for a living, Shellgirl said without a hint of sarcasm. Does it pay well? If Mister Who-Feeds-Me likes it, then I like it too, Rosemarine chirped. I will eat anyone who makes Mister unhappy. Shellgirl swiftly voted for the proposal. I love the family-friendlypany branding. Looks like youre outvoted, to. Basil nced down at his cat. Do you feel the pull of democracy? The cat sighed in despair. We are going to die before we can regret the name anyway.
Your party name has been changed to: The Bohens.
Bugsy tensed up. Boss... Basil didnt need a warning. His eyes noticed crushed branches along the trail and his ears picked up the sound of sshing waters. The group crawled in the tall grass, Bugsy included, to the border of the woond path. The trees stopped where the heart of the bog began. A thick tangle of reeds formed the frontier between the forest and a sodden, marsnd clearing. Muddy ground surrounding arge pool of water and the gearsman examining it. The machine that forced Basils party to flee Dax stood on the mud shore, one of its tentacles wading through putrid waters. It found the remains of a spinotters skeleton and pulled it out of the pool. Five watchers scanned the bones. They lost interest in seconds and floated around the gearsman as it continued its examination. The sunlight briefly broke through the clouds above the bog and reflected on the mighty robots shielding. It dwarfed Bugsy in size, and Shellgirls barrels looked like toyspared to its cannon. Wow, said thetter with a fearful voice. Level thirteen? Not so brave now, huh? to whispered. He watched the robot pull corpses from the pool in confusion. Do they think we have an underwater base? I could build one, Shellgirl said. To stash our gold. Shush, they will hear us. Basil opened his bag and brought out the explosive belt. Bugsy, put Shellgirl aside in the grass where she can take a shot unseen. to looked at the explosive belt with concern. Basil, when I said I had eight lives left Its not for you, Basil attached the suicide bandolier around Rosemarines neck and Bugsy quietly dropped Shellgirl in the grass. Rosemarine, use your seed decoy. Yes, Mister. The nt duplicated, suicide belt included. How do I look, Mister? Like the cutest suicide bomber ever. Basil handed Rosemarine his lighter. Bugsy, at my signal youll throw the duplicate at the gearsman. Shellgirl will provide cover fire and the rest of us will act as frontliners. Rosemarine, you will set your clones fuse alight before Bugsy throws it and create a new one as soon as Basils mouth went dry. The gearsman pulled a metal piece out of the pool, the paint nearly intact in spite of the acidic waters. A helicopter''s tail rotor. CRASH SITE CONFIRMED! The gearsman tossed the vehicle part back into the pool. Its steel tentacles tensed in rm. SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS! They werent looking for us, Basil realized. The watchers immediately dispersed in all corners of the clearing, all of them on high alert. One flew straight towards the partys location. Damn it! Basil hissed. Bugsy, throw the double now! The watcher noticed the movement in the tall grass and unleashed a strident sound. The screeching made Basil wince and immediately caused the gearsman to turn its cannon in the groups direction. With the element of surprise wasted, Basil jumped out of the grass and roared into the fray. Chapter 15: Man vs Machine Chapter 15: Man vs Machine The watchers bombarded Basil with petrification rays the moment he showed himself. His higher level protected him from them. Basil cut the closest watcher down with his halberd, his swing swifter than the wind. A single blow destroyed the robot. The four others flew in his direction, followed by the gearsman on the ground. The colossal machine nearly tripped on the muddy ground; unlike Basil, who knew the bogs trails by heart, the machine couldnt tell solid ground apart from treacherous soil. to leaped out of his hiding spot to assist his owner, right as Bugsy tossed Rosemarines double at the gearsman. The powerful centimagmaunched the much smaller nt as if she were a living arrow. Im flying, Mister! The clone shouted mid-flight, her belts fuse brightly alight. Im fly The decoy smashed into the gearsman at full velocity and triggered the explosives. A mighty, fiery detonation shook the bog. The dark waters of the nearby pool rippled, the grass sagged from the st, and a cloud of dust swallowed the gearsman. Basil almost tripped from the shockwave, but his System-empowered body allowed him to keep his bnce. HIGH-LEVEL THREAT DETECTED! The four remaining watchers turned red. Their metal shells heated up. [SELF-DESTRUCT] PROTOCOL ACTIVATED! Copycats! Basil readied himself to dodge the iing robots when he noticed a light shining from inside the cloud raised by Rosemarines explosion. An electrical ray pierced through the smoke. Basil barely managed to throw himself to the ground. The beam missed him and finished its course in the woonds behind him, close to Bugsys hiding spot. The centimagma flung another Rosemarine suicide projectile in response. Basil, above you! to shouted a warning. Run! Basil raised his head to find the surviving watchers converging on him. Two flung themselves at him, only for ice spheres to hit them at high velocity. Both robots exploded in the air long before they could reach Basil. He nced at the source of the suppressive fire. Shellgirl. The m mimics back-barrels peeked out of the reeds and fired projectiles at the remaining watchers, flooding the sky with smoke. Sheunched pearls of thick ice so quickly that they left a trail of shining dust in their wake. They looked a bit like falling stars, albeit no bigger than a fist. This This was going well! Surprisingly well! The party blitzkrieged the gearsmans escort and reduced the giant robot to a sitting duck! Keep at it! Basils voice struggled to carry over the noise of explosions. Keep at it! Another Rosemarine clone was flung at the gearsmans position, much to tos astonishment. How long can she keep killing herself? As long as she has SP left! Basil grinned in dark triumph. Thats right! I, Basil Bohen, have invented renewable suicide bombers! The younger the better, huh? to mused, only for a lightning bolt to detonate the Rosemarine decoy before she crossed half the bog. The bot wised up to the tactic. Indeed, the gearsman shot down another Rosemarine decoy bomb right as it stepped out of the dust. The repeated bombardments had melted off the left side of its ovoid shielding, revealingplex gears and electrical devices underneath it. Fire spread through the machines circuitry and the crystal eye above the ventral cannon glittered malevolently. [MATTER BARRIER]! A forcefield of bright orange light covered the gearsmans body, from its tentacles to the core. THE UNITY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE!
Non-magical damage will be halved!
to, target its legs, Basil ordered his cat. His own hand searched in his bag for a Molotov cocktail. Ill reduce its visibility. Here I go dying again! to ran across the bog, ws out. Shellgirl assisted him by bombarding the gearsman from her hiding spot. The robot didnt bother dodging. The ice pearls shattered against its forcefield and inflicted only minor damage. Holes opened all over the gearsmans outer shield and fired out a dozen small missiles. The projectiles rained down on the woonds. Bugsy and Shellgirl retaliated with their fiery breath and ice pearls, but they only blew up half of the projectiles. The remaining missiles crashed on their hiding spots and set the horizon alight with lightning bursts. to reached the gearsman and scratched a telescopic leg. The cats ws somehow managed to cut through the barrier, leaving a scar on the metal underneath. Basil had no idea how overgrown nails could cut through steel as if they were made of diamond, but they did anyway. tos overwhelming Skill stat allowed him to inflict damage all the same. The System made no sense! The robot retaliated by pointing its ventral cannon at to. The cat ran away to avoid a deadly beam of lightning, the ray pursuing him relentlessly. I spoke too soon, Basil thought grimly as he tossed a Molotov cocktail at the gearsman. He prayed his allies had survived the missile bombardment. The real fight starts now. Basil didnt have a lighter nor needed one; the mes on the gearsman set the cocktail alight on impact. The gasoline burst out of shattered ss to cover the gearsmans crystal eye. With its visibility diminished, the machine missed to. The lightning beam only vaporized grass and reeds. Basil exploited the machines blindness to nk it. His halberd smashed through the forcefield and the steel. Both felt like flesh bending to his halberds de. He cut arge gash across the gearsmans body and adjusted his position for a second strike. THIS WORLD TOO WILL BE PACIFIED! The gearsman grabbed mud with a metal w and used it to smother the mes covering its eye. The crystal orb red at Basil and pointed the cannon at his face. A swing of his halberd sliced the weapon in half a mere moment before it could open fire. Basil didnt have time to enjoy his sess, for the gearsman swung a telescopic tentacle and hit him in the chest. The blow cracked ribs and sent Basil flying head-first into the bog. The safety goggles Shellgirl gave him prevented mud from infecting his eyes, but some of it traveled up his nose. Basil saw stars; specks of light at the edge of his vision. He coughed out dust and grass. His ears picked up confusing noises which his mind struggled to assemble into words. The damp woods prevented the battles fires from spreading, but smoke tainted the skies and made his mouth dry. Basil used his elbow to lift himself up, struggling against the sharp pain in his chest. The gearsmans shadow loomed threateningly over his head. to leaped on the machine and furiously sliced the machines eye. His attempts to save his owner were for naught: the forcefield weakened his ws so much that he barely scratched the crystal underneath. The gearsman stomped on Basil with its metal w before he could get back to his feet. Considering the sheer size and weight of the gearsman, Basil was pretty sure the blow should have split him in two and spilled his gut all over the ground. His high Vitality meant that he lived to suffer through the attack. When Basil coughed again, it was blood that came out of his lungs rather than air. He couldnt breathe, couldn''t move. His hands held on to his halberd but the sharp pressure on his chest prevented him from moving his arms. Basil didnt feel his legs either; he could only feel the pain. He saw Bugsy and Rosemarine rush out of the smoke at the periphery of his vision right as the gearsman lifted him above ground. Next thing Basil knew, he was underwater. A putrid, rancid liquid filled his mouth and nose. The cold infiltrated his clothes, dulling the pain a little. The more Basil struggled, the tighter the metal ws grip grew. His head hit the surface of a buried helicopters broken windshield. The gearsman was drowning him in the bog pool. It would squeeze thest bit of air out of his lungs and leave his corpse buried under the bog. Basil failed to swing his halberd. He wasnt even sure if he still held it. His body was cold, he couldnt think, couldnt see. His heart pounded in his chest and a terrible headache seized his brain. System rm messages flooded his vision with critical health, critical health, critical health! Basils survival instinct took over and made him blurt two words, two simple words without considering the consequences. [Warp Spasm]. Bubbles came out of his mouth, but the System listened. His vision went red, literally. His eyes burned with crimson light reflecting in his safety goggles. The pain in his back and limbs vanished, reced with a new sensation. Rage. Pure, unyielding berserker rage! Basils blood boiled in his vein and steam came out of his lungs. His muscles burned with newfound strength and fury. He forced the metal w holding him back with a burst of strength and swam back to the pools surface. The heavy halberd in his hand felt lighter than a feather. Basil leaped out of the pond with murder on his mind. Even though he drank water by the gallon, it didnt quench his thirst for blood. He rose up and roared to face the monsters on the surface. Goblins. There were goblins everywhere. Goblinflower, centigoblin, giant robot goblin, and the worst of all, the goblin furry! All of them were disrespecting him with their very existence! True, the goblin robot had metal skin and a broken cannon for a snout. It didnt matter. Basil knew it was a goblin in disguise who would kill his rabbits, rape his chicken, murder his pets, and set his precious house on fire! The goblin furry scratched at the robogoblins eye, which brawled with the centigoblin in the mud. Both were heavily wounded. The goblin flower blew dirty dust all over Basils clothes, enraging him. How dare she dirty his pants! Go back to Monsanto! Basil snarled. He swung his axe at the goblinflower. He missed, his halberd blowing a crater in the ground. Ill make you run, little goblin! The nt promptly fled. Basil would have promptly weeded it out, if the goblin robot hadnt said something that pissed him even more. YOU ARE SO POOR THAT EVEN YOUR MOTHER IS ASHAMED OF YOU! It angered him all the more because it was true. Basil screamed and charged. The furry goblin wisely leaped out of his way. As for the centigoblin, Basil backhanded him with enough strength to send him reeling backward. His halberd sliced one of the goblin robots mechanical limbs and shattered the forcefield protecting the body. YOU DIDNT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED! The robogoblin taunted Basil with its booming, metallic voice. SO YOU HIDE YOUR SHAME IN THE WOODS! Shut up, cyclops! There were no tactics to Basils swings, no thoughts given to his attacks. The skills ingrained in his head by the System guided his hand. Automated technique and wild savagerybined into a deadly dance of steel. He hacked at the robogoblins body, dismembering it limb by limb. The machine managed to tackle him in response, but Basil didnt feel any pain at the blow. Rage was one hell of an anesthetic. The blood dripping from Basils mouth fueled him. DEEP DOWN, YOU ARE AFRAID OF THE OUTSID Enough! Basil shattered the robogoblins single eye into a thousand pieces with a mighty swing. Im not afraid of anything! The machine stopped moving, but Basil kept going. He sliced and smashed and kicked and roared. Gears flew and bolts broke. Only when Basil ran out of breath did his rampage finally end. He stood victorious, drenched in oily blood atop a pile of scraps.
[Berserk] ailment lifted.
Your party earned 11000 experience (2100 for you). You earned 2 levels!
Ah ah Basil gathered his breath. The adrenaline rush receded alongside his inhuman strength. He felt so tired that he had to lean against his halberd to stand upright. The pain in his chest returned, albeit weaker than before. Ah Basil? to walked into sight. He kept a respectable distance between his owner and himself. Are you are you okay? Im half-dead, Basil replied. He coughed out a mix of mud and blood. And I dont know what the other half is. Looks like you calmed down. to looked over his shoulder. Its okay guys, hes back to his stupid self again. Dont call me stupid Basil took a healing potion out of his bag, nearly spilled the content in exhaustion, and swallowed the drink whole. It made his chest hurt less. Are the others okay? No, to replied bluntly. Basils eyes scanned the area. He found a stunned Bugsyying on the ground next to the gearsman with one of his mandibles broken. Rosemarine applied pollen to repair it and shuddered upon meeting Basils gaze. Mister, youre very scary Oh my God. Basil covered his mouth in shame. He suddenly realized what he did under the influence of his berserk rage. Rosemarine, Bugsy, Im so sorry! Its okay, Mister, Rosemarine kindly reassured him. I killed myself five times today, all on my own! Boss, I dont want to say it, Bugsy muttered once his mandible held back in ce, but you have serious anger management issues! Basil wanted to protest, but wisely kept his mouth shut. He should forswear Warp Spasm except for the direst circumstances. The Perk filled him with incredible strength at the cost of making him a danger to everyone else. At least they won without casualties. Basil examined the gearsmans remains. The crystal eye was smashed to pieces, but multiple alien gears and devices survived the fight. A few oddities stood out from the wreckage: a pile of colorful blue dust, shining stones covered in rune symbols, and yellow crystals. Shellgirls Moneymaker Perk must have caused them to appear. We won and nobody died, to said. He didnt sound like he believed it himself. Wait, do decoys have souls? I hope they do, Rosemarine said with enthusiasm. I swear this incident wont happen again, Basil promised his pets. Im truly sorry, Bugsy. The centimagma shrugged. Its fine, Boss. You scared me a lot more the first time we met. Basil didnt know how he should take that remark. I cant believe we missed a helicopter crash so close to home, said to. The cat examined the rotors unearthed by the gearsman. How did I fail to hear it? It must have happenedst night, when we received Shellgirls visit, and the bogs vegetation dampened the sound, Basil replied. The Unity probably damaged the rotor and it couldntnd safely in the city. What did it mean about the state of Dax? Did the army retreat from it? Basil learned his lesson and wouldnt approach the town unless forced to, but it made him wonder. The Unity might escte its attacks after losing a gearsman in the field. Speaking of Shellgirl, where is she? Bugsy asked. She stopped firing pearls at the gearsman after you backhanded me, Boss. How strange indeed. Basil would have expected Shellgirl to im her share of the loot at the first opportunity. He surveyed the area that the gearsman bombarded and realized the fires had died out. Could another robot have ambushed her? Basil asked. Nah, I smell her, to replied with a frown. Blood too. Slightly worried, Basil walked towards Shellgirls hiding spot with his other pets in tow. They could salvage the gearsmans remainster. The party didnt have to search for long. They found their missing teammate amidst the ashes of reeds and lopsided trees. Shellgirls hands scratched out at a mass of rotting herbs and dirt. Hey, Partner! Shellgirl smirked upon sensing the groups approach. Victory is ours! Thanks for the suppression fire, Basil replied coolly. He was slightly jealous that she alone appeared unharmed from their struggle. I worried that you perished from the bombardment. Yeah, sorry to have bailed on you. I extinguished the forest fire when you started trouncing the robot. Couldnt allow mes to destroy our HQ, ya dig? Shellgirls grin grew sheepish with embarrassment at Basils re. But dont fret, because look at what Ive found! She tapped at the pile of rotting grass. It moved slightly in response. Basil immediately moved to unearth the creature hiding underneath: a humanoid with tangled, mid-long light brown hair sticking out of a riot gear helmet. The rest of the armored uniform belonged to the French police, as did the gun in her hand. It was a woman. An unconscious, dying woman. Two iron pieces of shrapnel stuck out of her bleeding left nk. Her skin was so pale Basil could have mistaken her for a corpse were it not for the slight, nearly imperceptible breathing sounding out of her lips. tos eyes widened in surprise. A survivor? A future corpse to loot! Shellgirl replied while rubbing her hands. Not on my watch! Basil snapped, his icy tone making the mimic freeze in ce. He checked the womans pulse; though he was no doctor, he couldnt let a fellow human die without acting. I can barely hear her heart, Boss, Bugsy warned. Shes still breathing, Basil whispered, his voice trembling from the sheer astonishment. He couldnt believe it. She should have bled to death already! Her Vitality must be through the roof! Rosemarine, heal her! Yes, Mister! Rosemarine immediately showered the woman with healing pollen, but her wounds were sorge it did nothing more than stabilize her. They needed to surgically remove the des or the treatment would only dy the inevitable. Bugsy, help me carry her to the house! Basil ordered. Well need to tap into the potion reserve as soon as we can! There was no time to waste. Chapter 16: Man vs Introspection Chapter 16: Man vs Introspection The woman would live. Carrying her to the house, removing the shrapnel, and force-feeding her half his reserves of healing potions saved her life. Basil had to remove her armor and most of her clothes to patch up her wounds, which felt dirty when done to an unconscious woman. He hoped she wouldnt hold it against him when she woke up. If she ever woke up. The womans wounds had healed, yet she remained unconscious. Perhaps the blood loss caused her to enter aa. Basil was no doctor and couldnt tell. It astonished him that this woman even survived. Based on the timeline of events, she had crawled out of the helicopter and bled out in the grass for almost a day. Blood loss normally killed a human in minutes. Basil let the policewoman rest in a spare guest bedroom in the attic. Old Man Ren took to stockpiling furniture and clothes he no longer needed in it before his demise; mostly mementos of better times when his family cared about him. Basil opened the one window to let the dust outside and nced at the garden below. The moon shone brightly in the night sky. Rosemarine soothed the vegetable recruits to sleep in their allocated plot ofnd. Bugsy dragged pieces of the destroyed gearsman from the bog into the garage which Shellgirl then sorted. to himself followed his owner inside the bedroom and sat on the bed. He didnt say a word as Basil examined the sleeping womans belongings. Her phone was locked and her walkie-talkie was filled with mud, but Basil found a badge and electronic ID card in her riot gears pockets. Basil identified his guest as Neria Elissalde, a General-Brigadier of the Dax municipal police. He didnt know what her rank meant, although it sounded like a ground officer. She was twenty-six, only a few years older than him. Come to think of it, why didnt the System tell him her name and level? It did so with monsters.
Your Intelligence score is too low to analyze a fellow yers stats.
Shut up. I didnt say a thing, to replied, confused. Dont think about it, Basil grunted as he examined the police ID card. The woman had ck eyes and looked quite friendly in the picture. Pretty too, in amon sort of way. Elissalde. Thats a Basque name. Unfortunately, Basil had nothing else to hang onto. No way to contact her unit. He didnt know how to repair the walkie-talkie nor how to unlock the phone. She used a code rather than facial biometric security. Should he leave an encrypted message at the crash site in case the army investigated it? What if the Unity found it first? Basil? to suddenly asked out of the blue. Do you think of your mother sometimes? I do not, Basil lied. The memory of his sh with the gearsman came to mind like poison spreading in his veins. Why the question? I dont know, seeing this woman sleep reminds me of her, to admitted. I remember suckling my mom and her tongue when she licked my fur. Nothing else. I was taken too soon. Im sorry to hear that. I wonder if shes alive. to looked up at his owner. Is yours? I dont know. Basils mother was holding a shop in Bulgaria on the other side of Europe. He stopped interacting much with her besides wiring her what spare money he could scrounge up. Her son knew that she considered him a disappointment after he failed to find a high-earning job. Basil would always remember what she told him when he voiced the idea of starting his ownpany if he couldnt find employment. You should ask the French state for unemployment benefits. They pay people for nothing in Western Europe. Ive seen it on the news. Basil would rather take the most demeaning menial jobs avable rather than living on state benefits, which his mother didnt understand. It was her sheerck of confidence in his ability to prevail that truly shattered him. Their rtionship never fully recovered from the following argument. In spite of their estrangement, Basil hoped his mother would live through the apocalypse. He couldnt exactly journey across all of Europe to check on her by himself. Thinking of his mom put Basil in a foul mood and made him want a breath of fresh air. He set officer Elissaldes belongings aside and climbed down the stairs to the first floor. to followed after him. Any idea how to wake her up? the cat asked. Maybe you should pray to her bedside with your magic book. I cant cast spells, Basil replied. Aint a priest. Youre missing the obvious solution: if you cant or wont do it yourself, find someone that will do it for you. to proudly nodded to himself. Thats my lifes motto. How unsurprising, Basil deadpanned. Tell me, do you have a priest on standby I could call upon? Depends, where do they reproduce? I could always try to find a priests nest. Basil genuinely couldnt tell if his cat was joking or not. The remark inspired a weird idea in him. We could always domesticate an angel. An angel? to shrugged. Now thats silly. Less silly than giant robots and centipedes? If Christian prayers now worked as spells, then Basil had to assume angels and demons existed too. For better or worse. Granted, I dont know where to find an angel either. Lourdes might have one or two, but Basil wouldnt visit a new city anytime soon. The one next door already gave him too many headaches. Perhaps Saint Bernadettes reliquary could help with thea case? A System screen popped up, much to Basils surprise.
New Quest: Bernies Hotline.
Rmended Level: Any.
Objective: Use Saint Bernadettes reliquary to summon an angel, fallen or otherwise.
Reward: Bonus EXP proportional to the summoned angels level.
Seriously? Basil meant it as a joke! At least it confirmed that the reliquary possessed magical powers of its own. I suppose a set of detailed instructions would be too much to ask?
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
One day, Basil would find thepanys board of directors and make them eat their words. He and to strolled out into the garden outside. Rosemarine had sessfully lulled the vegetables to sleep and Bugsy piled up what remained of the gearsman next to the garages wall. Shellgirl examined a handgun salvaged from the helicopter. Hey, partner! Shellgirl waved the weapon at Basil. That bog pool is a real treasures trove! Did you find any other survivor? Basil asked. He didnt expect a positive answer, but it didnt hurt to check. Shellgirl shook her head. I found two corpses in the helicopter, partner. They didnt make it. I buried them under a tree, Boss, Bugsy said. Like the hanged man on the other shore. But I looted them first, to make sure we didnt bury any treasure. Shellgirl studied a damaged walkie-talkie with childlike curiosity. Cant sell the broken stuff though. My customers expect the best. Basil examined the gearsmans remains. The telescopic limbs were damaged beyond repair and the armor tes were reduced to metal scraps. The gears and bolts remained mostly intact alongside alien technology he didntprehend. The System wouldnt give him the names of the gathered treasures.
Your Intelligence score is too low to
I know! Basil skipped the screen with a grunt of rage. Of course you do, youre a fellow entrepreneur, Shellgirl replied. You understand business! Basil grabbed a shiny stone covered in runic symbols. A faint jolt of electricity coursed through his fingers. The primitive carving appearedpletely out of cepared to the gearsmans advanced technology. Come to think of it, didnt one of my avable sses mention runes? Basil checked his Status. My only Spellcaster ss: Runesmith.
Runesmith: A ss using the magical runes to empower their tools and themselves. Growths: STR (A), AGI (D), VIT (B), SKI (C), MAG (A), INT (B), CHA (A), LCK (D).
Interesting. Basil wondered if it could unlock the stones secrets, but it would wait forter. Well use the broken armor as raw material to widen the doors and build a second garage, he informed his team. Well run out of space in the house otherwise. How do we do that? to asked with a frown. We can weld the shielding tes into walls and doors. It would be all the simpler since Basils halberd could cut through them. Bugsys firebreath should provide the adequate temperature to melt the metal. Bugsys mandibles snapped with excitement. Ive got your back, Boss! What about the rest of the loot, partner? Shellgirl raised a handgun. Clients will line up for these babies! Ill sort out the stuff well keep from what we can part with tomorrow morning. Basil didnt feel confident about selling guns to monsters at all. Im too tired to do it right now. Berserk rage exhausted the mind. Basil ended up cooking Ogremochesst remains for dinner. He fileted the ogres meat and served it with grilled vegetables. Ogremoche tasted more bitter than his goblins, but everyone finished their meals all the same. Basil started to worry about the sheer number of omnivores in his retinue. Although they looked content to eat nutrients from the soil so far, the vegetable recruits developed a taste for ogre flesh. Shellgirl preferred the mayonnaise sd over grilled ogre but Bugsy alone consumed as much meat as the rest of the partybined. Basil estimated that the centimagma required at least a third of his enormous body mass per day. Bugsys metamorphosis also implied that Basils monsters might evolve into bigger creatures at any point, straining their food reserves all the more. Unless the party raised more livestock, the winter would be a tough one indeed. Study the gearsmans remains. Basil rested on his bed, the windows closed. His Nintendo Switch rested on a pillow with a full battery. Work on erging the house. Complete theb. Heal petrified victims and the patient upstairs. Summon an angel. Train the vegetables and store more meat for winter. Although Basil desired nothing more than a quiet, peaceful life, his to-do list kept growing exponentially. The Unity might lengthen it if the robots kept barging at his doorstep. All he desired was to be left alone in his little corner of the world. Was that too much to ask? The gearsmans words haunted his mind, you didnt have what it takes to seed, so you hide your shame in the woods. Basil clenched his jaw. He wasnt ashamed of anything. There was a sickness at the heart of human civilization and he quarantined himself from the gue, nothing more. He felt happy with his current station. His self-reassurance didnt help him find sleep. Basil tried to keep his mind busy with a new Switch game and didnt get past the tutorial. Todays events had left him too exhausted to enjoy it. How frustrating. He felt too tired to y, but too alert to rest. His bedrooms door opened and a ck cat slipped in. Whats up, dog? to leaped on his owners bed. I hear you turning around in your bed from the next room over. Its maddening. Cant find sleep. to sat on his owners belly. Is it about the gearsman? Partly. Basil sighed. The future seems more and moreplicated. Eh, only because you think too much about it. Take my advice: go with the flow and wing it as problemse along, the cat''s way. Basil snorted. Should I sleep eighteen hours a day too? If it makes you happier. to shrugged. Lifes too short to do things you dont enjoy, Basil. Worrying is one of them. Hard not to when we live right next to a killer robot hive and youve got to feed an ever-expanding family of monsters. That fight with the gearsman could have ended with all of us dead. Dont remind me how fragile life is, I already lost one. to put a paw over the other. The battle was tough, yes, and we won it anyway. Well defend our territory if another gizmoes up, but we shouldnt live in fear all the time. Thats what makes rabbits die before they hit ten. Basil looked up at the ceiling. He imagined General-Brigadier Elissalde sleeping in the room above, far more peacefully than he did over thest week. to. Yes? Do you think the world is ever going to return to normal? Whats normal? Picking flowers in the morning and watching TV in the evening? The cat shrugged. A few years ago, a normal day involved wandering the roads picking up trash to live. Then Ren and you took me away to this house. I was scared at first, but then I grew used to my new life. It became my new normal. Your point is that were going to get used to Basil struggled to find the right word. Everything? You can get used to anything and everything. to licked his fur. You know how we killed or scared away all the goblins and bird monsters? They learned not to mess with us. Eventually the gizmos will get the message too and leave us alone. Then we can go picking flowers in the morning and watching TV in the evening. Basil considered his cats words. Even if he didnt share such easy-going optimism, he had adapted to unforeseen circumstances too. From leaving Bulgaria to his post-student crisis and the coronavirus, Basil always discovered a new form of stability after a short struggle. The apocalypse was a far bigger stress test, but eventually he would find the right bnce. It didnt matter how much shit the universe threw at Basil, he would always shove it back in its cosmic ass. As for the rest, cant your sses help deal with it? to asked. You gained two new levels. Better make use of them rather than let the power gather dust. Basil conceded the point and opened his status screen. Yes, assigning the levels could help deal with his ever-growing list of headaches. He checked the avable sses and one stood out as all the more useful in the current circumstances.
Gardener: A ss harvesting the full potential of nt life, monsters included. Growths: STR (C), AGI (B), VIT (C), SKI (B), MAG (B), INT (C), CHA (C), LCK (B).
The problem with sses was that Basil didnt know ahead of time what Perks they would give him and his experience with Tamer showed that Perks grew in power with more levels. Specialization gave more power in a narrow area of expertise. Generalization meant more options avable. Taking two levels in Tamer would make him better at training monsters in general and thus increase their odds of fending off attacks; perhaps it would even help with the angel quest. Taking one level in Runesmith and one in Gardener would give him insight into the Unitys technology and let him grow more food for the winter. Neither option was guaranteed to yield results. Argh, too many options! Basil let out a roar of frustration. I hate choice paralysis! Then Ill decide for you. to locked eyes with his owner with his big beautiful yellow eyes. Look at me. Look at me. Basil held his breath. His cat only behaved like this when he wanted something inane. Basil. to gathered his breath, his tail wagging behind him. I want to be a smilodon. A smilodon? Or a lion. I can settle for either. to lightly headbutted his owner. Please! Put all your levels in Tamer! Bugsy grew into a bug dragon, so imagine what I could be! Bugsy is a Bug/Elemental Type, Basil corrected his cat. Pff, Im sure hell grow wings before level 30! Im sure a new Tamer Perk would give me a mane or a set of saberteeth! to kneaded his owners belly. Come on,e on,e on! Itll help us win fights! Fine, fine! Basil rolled his eyes and assigned his levels. Youre worse than a child. He figured that Gardener would help him with the vegetables and Runesmith with the Unitys tech, but Tamer would benefit everyone. And to had a point, the group needed greater strength in case more gearsman came knocking.
Tamer Levels 4 & 5 Stat Gains: +1 STR, +2 AGI, +1 VIT, +1 SKI, +1 MAG, +2 CHA, +1 LCK. You earned 50 HP and 20 SP.
Passive Perk: Monster Lair I: You can select a hideout or dungeon under your control as your personal Lair. Lairs offer benefits based on your level. You can select and improve your Lair by clicking on Status in your menu.
to started shining almost immediately. A purple glow set his fur alight like a cloak of stars. So blinding was the radiance that Basil covered his eyes with a hand. I can feel the power! toughed with overbearing pride. Worship me! Worship me! When light receded, Basil lowered his hand and gazed upon his cats new form. Which looked like the old one. to hadnt grown an inch. He didnt transform into a lion nor grew a pair of giant fangs. The only change Basil noticed was a small, crescent-shaped patch of silver fur below his cats throat.
Congrattions! By reaching level 9, to metamorphosed into a Cait Sith (Beast/Fairy)! to learned the [Swordsmanship I] Passive Perk! to learned the [Wind sh] and [Luck Up] Active Perks!
to blinked multiple times in short session. He looked at his tail, at his chest, even at his ass. He checked every part of his anatomy. Where are they? he asked with a confused voice. Where is the mane? The big fangs? Wheres the A-material? Basil studied his pet and noticed a small change in his front paws. He grabbed the cats paws and quickly confirmed that the gap between them had grown slightlyrger. They looked more flexible, like a mix between a normal cats paws and a human hand. Thats it? to didnt hide his disappointment. I gained hands? Good, I have hands too, Basil replied with a deadpan tone. You can hold many things with them. Many things! Thats not funny! A sulking to whipped his tail in his owners direction. His expression soured with bitterness. Thats not funny at all! Basil grabbed his cat and lifted him above him, Lion King style. Thats okay, he reassured to. You will always be my adorable little Simba. Please dont make me call you Rafiki. tos mood improved a little. This System is horrendously designed! Its better than you think, Basil replied with a grin. Now that you have thumbs and can carry tools, you can help me with the house. Ill teach you how to use screws and hammers tomorrow. But thats work for the plebeians! ver! ver! to shrieked with indignation. I opened my heart to you and you cored it! Next well find you a cute musketeer hat and a fencing sword, Basil teased his cat before putting him down on his belly. Like Antonio Banderas in the Shrek movies. Stop mocking me! to nced at the goblin boots. I feel weird running on all four with these on my paws already. Can you fathom how difficult it is to walk on two legs? Basil suspected the metamorphosis helped with it. Try again. to squinted at his best friend and rose on his hind legs. To his own apparent confusion, the cat walked gracefully along the bed; perhaps even more than he did on all four. Wow. So strange. to nced around the bedroom as if he experienced it through new eyes. I can look down on smaller animals. Show them how much I disdain them. Thats the best part of being human, Basil quipped. Height superiority. You know what? to curled on Basils chest. I will purr in disappointment until you fall asleep. That will teach you to mess with me. After such a harrowing day, Basil couldnt help butugh at his cats antics. Sleep well, to. Less talking, more snoring. Basil closed his eyes, his cats warmth and soothing purrs lulling him to slumber. His worries faded from his mind and his body rxed. The umted stress left his flesh. After such a harrowing day, Basil Bohen slept sweetly. Chapter 17: Man vs Do-It-Yourself Chapter 17: Man vs Do-It-Yourself Do-it-yourself work was among Basils small pleasures in life. He found few greater joys than repairing old things or creating new ones with his own hands, step by step. Crafting made building faster and easier, but in many ways effort was its own reward. Here you go, Boss! Bugsy unleashed his fire breath and welded two metal tes together. The bronze and steel fused along a burning line as Basil held them in ce with heat-resistant gloves. Done! Basil took a step back to admire the result of their work: a simple, elegant metal shack built entirely from the gearsmans remains right next to the old garage. They had also reced the houses old entrance doors with erged side-by-side versions so Bugsy could fit through them. It involved pulling down part of the walls, but it worked well in the end. It would have taken Basil days to build something like this before the System arrived. Not only could he rely on additional handsincluding tos, to the cats dismaybut his enhanced strength and endurance let him work at peak performance for hours on end. Of course he was no carpenter so his work was shoddy, but it was eptable. Now all thats left is transferring the stuff from the old garage to the new one, Basil said. Well turn the extra space into a true bedroom. Dont worry, Boss, Ill do it myself! Bugsy replied joyfully. Out of everyone in his party, the centimagma shared Basils enthusiasm for old school manualbor the most. I can use the gearsmans leftovers to make a fence around the new garden plots, and erge the rabbits hutch too! More space would make them happier! Youre sure you dont need a hand? Basil asked, slightly worried. The centimagma had grown morefortable with his increased size, but nobody would call him skillful. Dont worry, Boss, Ive got this, Bugsy replied with fire in his eyes. I will raise great spikes of wood and bind them with earth! I shall build an imprable wall that no robot can ever hope to breach! Basil nearly pointed out that the watchers could simply fly over the fence, but he couldnt bring himself to shatter Bugsys enthusiasm. He would rather bolster the centimagmas low self-worth through positive reinforcement. Alright. Basil patted Bugsy on the head. I trust you with the task. You do? Without supervision? Bugsy wriggled with excitement. Thanks, Boss, I wont disappoint you! Its nice to have helpers for a change, Basil thought as he surveyed the garden. The chickens and rabbits frolicked outside the house under tos supervision. The shepherd cat was currently engaged in an intense staring contest with the biggest chicken for dominance. Both animals locked eyes, unblinking, unmoving. Each was of the same height as the other and refused to budge. to rose on his hind legs. He towered over the chicken and looked down on it. After a moment of desperate resistance, the bird lowered its head in submission. Better, to dered as he looked down upon his defeated foe with smug satisfaction. Once a bird, always a bird. Mister to, you should stop bullying the chickens, Bugsy protested. Theyy eggs on time! I cant help it. to groomed himself. Since the birds left the forest, I feel restless. Something is missing in my life. I can give you more work to fill the void if you want, Basil replied with a smirk. No thank you. to hissed. Hammering nails is the most mind-numbing task I ever had the displeasure of suffering through. It makes me more frustrated, not less. Then how would you feel about switching from birds to fish? Fish? to wagged his tail in anticipation. Im listening. Shellgirl informed me that more aquatic monsters are making their home in the lAdour river and its tributariestely, alongside amphibians. She said it wouldnt disturb her trade trips, but it was a trend Basil paid close attention to. Fishing would help offset ourck of livestock. to shuddered. Im all for killing fish, as long as we do it away from water. Dirty evil water. Sure, well challenge the fish to an honorable battle onnd, Basil said with heavy sarcasm. In retrospect, perhaps he should have taken a level in Fisherman and another in Gardener. Or we could hunt in the Pyrenes mountains in the south, to suggested with more enthusiasm. Ive never killed an eagle before! Ill pass. The Pyrnes were a two-hour drive to the south through a countryside full of potentially hostile monsters. Mister Who-Feeds-Me, Mister, look! Basil looked over his shoulder and jumped in shock. Rosemarine pointed six police handguns at him, one in each of her vines. I have weapons like you! The man-eating nt waved her firearms around. Thankfully the safeties were still on. When I evolve, I will have a hundred guns! Basil didnt know whether to feel amazed or frightened. A little bit of both, probably. I think were onto something, Rosemarine, but please lower your weapons. After they salvaged everything they could take from the helicopter, Basil put his veto on selling the guns they found inside. Goblins had been dangerous enough with clubs; firearms would make any low-level monster a terrible foe. Shellgirl and Basil had argued for nearly an hour before she gave in. However, leaving the guns where Rosemarine could find them might not have been the wisest course of action. Basil nced at the new crop plot and let out a sigh of relief. The vegetables preferred to spend their day growing in the fertile soil and enjoying the sun rather than wandering around the house with weapons. Only the bean ninja among them had the appendages needed to use a gun at all. Ill train you to use guns, Rosemarine, in a safe and controlled environment, Basil said. You too to, if youre up for it. Ill pass, the cat replied with a snort. ording to my menu, I can only use my new Wind sh technique with a sword. Besides, guns are noisy and smell terrible. Isnt there a firearm adapted for mandibles? Bugsy asked with a hint of jealousy. A lightning head-cannon like the gearsman? Hey, dontin. to red at the centimagma and raised his paws at him. You transformed into a giant engine of destruction at level seven, while I grew thumbs! Thumbs! I-I didnt mean to demean you, Mr. to, I swear! You can already breathe fire and set the world aze! Rosemarine pointed out as she relinquished her weapons to Basil, who swiftly stored them in his inventory. Death by burning alive is the sweetest of them all! I Bugsys antennae grew agitated. Clearly, he had no idea how to answer that remark. I suppose Seeing that everyone had finished their chores for the day, Basil took a minute to check his new Monster Lair Perk. As written in its descriptions, he found a new option in his Status screen.
[Lairs] are a powerful monsters customizable den. A Lairs benefits apply to all members of the owners party. A monster can only have oneir at a time. Once selected, a Lairs choice cannot be changed unless it is destroyed.
You can customize your [Lair] by spending Lair Points (LP) equal to your level to purchase Lair Features. LP invested in a [Lair] cannot be recovered, even after the locations destruction. A Lair Features power can be strengthened at an exponential cost. Lair Features are divided into two categories: Positive Features that improve the owners quality of life; and Negative Features that weaken invaders.
Please select your [Lair] among the following choices: Basils House; Water Quality Control Station.
It surprised Basil to find the water station among his possible choices. Did the System consider that he had conquered the area after defeating Ogremoche? Whatever the case, there was only one possible choice.
You registered the Lair: Basils House
LP: 9
Faction: The Bohens
Field Type: Industrial.
[Corrosion], [Metal], [Fire], [Water] and [Lightning] elements are empowered.
[Soul], [Wood] and [Wind] elements are weakened.
[Improved Processes]: Buffs and positive effectsst longer.
Unlockable Lair Features avable to your Lair:
Positive Negative Exp Boost Toxic Atmosphere Loot Boost Confusing Architecture Attractive Stealthy HP Recovery Burning Steam SP Recovery Short-Circuit Crafter Workshop Maism Basil clicked on the Stealthy option the second he saw it. He would purchase anything that could hide his home from prying eyes!
Stealthy: Non-party members have a harder time finding the Lair.
Tier I: The Lair will benefit from a [Camouge] effect and blend with the scenery from a distance. Cost: 3 LP.
Tier II: Non-party members cannot register the Lairs location in System Logs. Cost: 6 LP.
Tier III: Magical attempts to detect the Lairs location from individuals with a level below yours will fail. Cost: 9 LP.
Wait, I have to purchase each step individually? Basil asked with a frown. To raise Stealthy to Tier II, I must spend 9 Lair Points in total? No reduction for prior investment?
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Thats robbery! Is the System messing with us again? to asked with an annoyed face. How about we hunt down the customer supporter rather than eagles? You speak sense, my friend. Basil quickly checked other defensive features avable. Toxic Atmosphere and Confusing Architecture inflicted ailments on intruders and the rest damaged them with different elements. All of them followed the same pattern of price esction. Even if Basil reached level 100, he wouldnt have enough LP to fully upgrade the Lair. Swallowing his frustration, Basil purchased the first tier of the Stealthy Feature. A veil of magic fell upon his surroundings. The houses roof took on a grassy color and ayer of moss grew over the walls. Leaves covered the chicken coop, the rabbit hutch, and the metal garage. The greenhouse and the surface of the houses ss panels shifted the least, their surface tinted to resemble water. I preferred the old paint job, Bugsy said. Me too, Basil replied. The camouge blended in better with the surrounding woods and marsh, true, but anyone studying the area for more than a passing nce would notice oddities. He trailed his hand along the houses wall and felt moss brushing against his fingers. Of course, the System couldnt make a hideout entirely undetectable, for it encouraged conflict. The other upgrades for Stealthy were circumstantially useful, enough that Basil considered other options. He checked the other options avable with a grunt of disappointment.
Exp Boost: Boosts the experience your party earns within one hectare centered around the Lair.
Tier I: x1.2 experience after the level penalty is applied. Cost: 3 LP.
Tier II: x1.5 experience after the level penalty is applied. Cost: 6 LP.
Tier III: x2 experience after the level penalty is applied. Cost: 9 LP.
Basil reread the text multiple times. He was pleasantly surprised and the other positive Features proved quite enticing. Loot Boost improved the drop rate of monsters dying near the house, Crafter Workshop did the same with crafting chances, while HP and SP Recovery elerated the natural rate at which party members regained both. Only Attractive didnt appeal to Basil, since it would subtly lure rare monsters to his house; an anathema for a peaceful man like him. Very interesting. Basil turned to his party members. It seems that besides improving the security, my new Perk can potentially make our life easier. Can we grow more food? to asked. No, unfortunately. That was a Feature Basil would have killed for. But we could gain more experience and loot if we kill creatures in the vicinity Did somebody say loot? Shellgirl hopped out of the stream near the house like a flying fish. She rushed as quickly as she could to Basils position with surprising speed for a giant m. Im all ears! How did when Basils mind struggled topute her sudden appearance. Was she like a genie, summoned to this earthly realm with the right word of power? Youre back early. Basil was surprised by her surprise appearance. I didnt expect you until sundown. I suspect her hearing is even better than mine, to said with amusement. Well, well, well, did you worry about me? Shellgirl grinned. I couldnt wait to tell you the good news, but now I can! What did you say about loot? Why did Basil have the feeling he had unleashed a terrible force upon the world? To put it bluntly, I can improve the house so that it gives us bonuses within one hectare of itself, he exined. I, however, do not have the resources to ess all of them. I need more levels. Basil described the various features to his team. Shellgirl obviously only had eyes for the potential riches they could bring. The others opinions were more diverse. Boss, if I may. Bugsy cleared his throat. Wouldnt it be smarter to take the Exp Bonus first? That way you can gain levels quicker and then improve the house afterward? to nodded in support. Agreed, that feature sounds like it will pay for itself quickly. We only benefit from the bonus experience within one hectare around the house, Basil pointed out. We would need to bring monsters to our home alive for the ughter. Yes, and? to shrugged. Didnt you want to raise livestock or fish at the stream? We would get meat and experience both ways. We could use the fertilizer to grow more vegetables too, Bugsy protested with enthusiasm. The centimagma was always eager to gain more levels. What if we took Attractive No, Basil said. But No, Bugsy, Basil repeated, more harshly. No way in hell. I wont budge on this. Surprisingly, Rosemarine protested against the n too. No killing nt babies! They are the seeds that will bloom when the world ends! Nope. to came to their support. No more tin cans wandering into our turf. But Mr. to, you were alright with killing fish a minute ago! Bugsy protested. Whats the difference? I was fine with killing things that cant fight back, to rified, putting emphasis on hisst words. I aspire to live a quiet and peaceful existence, Basil dered. Levels make life easier, Bugsy, that is a fact, but they are not an end in themselves. Exactly, experience is not the best thing in the world: money is! Shellgirl rubbed her hands. Dont you see? Who needs to kill monsters when we can produce more goods from the safety of our HQ! With Crafter Workshop, well improve productivity and flood the market! She never lets an opportunity go. Basil privately agreed the Crafter Workshop would prove the wisest investment. It wasnt as shy as the others, but it trumped them in practicality. Anyway, Shellgirl, Basil said, changing the subject. What good news did you want to share? Well, remember my witch contact? she asked. I was chatting her up for a nice good deal when she invited me for a tea brew. I epted, of course, friendly saleswoman that I am. Cant forget the personal element and proximity Basil interrupted her. Less self-gratification, more hard facts. Its important context, not self-gratification! Anyway, I told her all about our little trouble with the tin can and how we harvested good loot from it after bombing it to oblivion. You did what? Basil gritted his teeth. You told our battle tactics to a potential foe? Shes not a potential enemy, shes a customer! Shellgirl protested. And how are we supposed to show we mean business if we dont brag about our sesses? If she shares that information with someone else, it wille back to bite us in the ass! Basil pinched his nose in annoyance. The damage was already done. Go on Well, anyway, she was super duper interested in your explosives and the rune thingie we harvested from the gearsman. She wanted to meet you before, but now she insists I bring you along for my next trip! No, Basil replied tly. I predicted you would say that! Shellgirl chuckled. So my witch contact asked me how I could entice you toe, and I told her about your troubles with theatose woman upstairs, the petrified people in the town, your angel summoning project Did you tell her where we live too? to asked with a sarcastic tone. Or about the panic room? Did you tell her about our secret panic room? We have a panic room? Bugsy asked, suddenly curious. Yes we do, Basil confirmed. The Old Man always feared the police wouldnt arrive in time in case of a home robbery. Ill show it to you one day. Of course I didnt tell her where we lived, Shellgirl protested. Hey, I promised I wouldnt. My bad, I should have specified a greater list of forbidden information. Basil struggled to keep his anger in check. That was exactly why he was worried about trading with the outside world. What were you thinking? Partner, youre drawing the wrong conclusions. Shellgirl put her hands behind her jelly hair, trying to look rxed. I wouldnt share intel if I didnt trust my customer. Shes clean. Almost a friend. Even if this witch is clean, she might reveal sensitive information to people who dont have our best interests at heart, Basil pointed out. If two people know of a secret, ten more will learn it in time. Yeah, I get that, Shellgirl replied with a serious expression, but if you never take a leap of faith, then whos ever going to trust you? Basil clenched his jaw, but didnt answer. She had struck a nerve. Someone has to take the first step, partner, Shellgirl said. You trusted me to help you out and I did. I brought you the tools you needed for yourb, juicy info too. I trust my contact and I gave her the benefit of the doubt. You should try too. Her response surprised Basil in more ways than one. There was wisdom in them, something he didnt expect from Shellgirl. The m mimic based her identity on business manuals and hearsay, but her words came from her heart rather than a self-help booklet. Even when created from dungeons, monsters possess free will. Basil already guessed as much from Bugsys self-doubts and Rosemarines strange maternal behavior towards the vegetables. They can mature and develop beliefs of their own. Did that mean peaceful coexistence between monsters and humans might be possible one day? Basil crossed his arms in skepticism. They still had a long, long way to go. I suppose this witch told you she could solve everything if only I would visit her? Yes, and she gave me a token of her goodwill to prove it. Shellgirl snapped her fingers and a purple potion appeared in her slimy hand. The ss container was crude, no longer than ten centimeters; a little ribbon with the words From V with love and a tiny heart symbol written on it was attached to the plug. Here. Basil carefully took the potion in his hand. It weighed almost nothing, like bottled feathers.
Dreambrew
Family: Consumable (Potion)
Quality: C.
Effect 1: Cures the [Sleep] ailment.
Effect 2: Cures [Nightmare] effects.
A witchs brew harvested from dreams so bad, theyll make anyone drinking this potion wake up from sheer disgust.
V? to asked. Vasilisa, thats her name, Shellgirl exined. Pretty neat, huh? She said it will help your damsel in distress wake up from her slumber, sleeping beauty style! Vasilisa, that was a vic name; it had been over a year since Basil heard one. Somehow hearing it made him nostalgic for his homnd. What did it cost you? he asked Shellgirl. Nothing, she gave it away free of charge. Said it was a gift from one crafter to another. Basil was always wary of the kindness of strangers. It sounded to him like the witch wanted something from himprobably the gearsmans remainsand was trying to sweet-talk him into surrendering them. But well, if she could indeed help with his other problems that would be a win-win proposition. Thats not all! When she made her proposal, it inspired a brilliant idea! Shellgirl raised her hands as if expanding an imaginary banner. Aworking event! I readI mean, I invented this brand new concept. We bring monsters interested in trading together in a safe zone where we can exchange business tips and rumors of new opportunities! Like the orc tribe! How does that sound? Like a terrible idea. The more people aware of Basils existence, the more trouble down the line. The more nave Rosemarine salivated in anticipation. More food! I dont do social events, Basil replied with a bear-like grunt. Ohe on. Shellgirl pumped a fist. Everybody wants to meet the ogre lord of the marshes! The ogre lord? Ogremoche? Bugsy squinted in confusion. But we ate him yesterday night! Ergo, thats why Big Bs the new ogre in town. Shellgirl licked her lips with her slimy tongue. Killing enemies is the natural way of life. Cooking them afterward with salt and pepper? That forces respect. Basil opened his mouth to protest, closed it as he mulled it over, and realized that it made sense in a strange way. He did look like an ogre, eating monsters with his pets in his corner of the marsh. I dont doworking, Basil dered, standing his ground. But if this Dreambrew works then Ill be happy to meet with your witch contact. He would still bring his halberd. Just in case. Chapter 18: Man vs Police Chapter 18: Man vs Police With the athanor up and running, Basils basement reminded him of a drugb. The cylindrical alchemical furnace roared at the center of the room. Basil crafted it from the gearsmans remaining bronze and a leftover cauldron. Tiny mes burst out of its base where coal crackled and burst with heat. A closed door held a boiling potion at the devices top. The liquids color slowly changed from dark green to that of emerald as smoke exited through a pipe.
Athanor
Family: Tool.
Quality: C.
Effect 1: Slowly improves the Quality of liquids ced within with no chances of failure. The improved items final Quality cannot exceed the athanors.
Effect 2: Can be used to incubate [Slime] monsters with proper chemicals.
Thezy alchemists best tool of mad science, invaluable for the creation of a philosophers stone or beer distition.
A shame the Dreambrews Quality was already at C. Basil wouldve preferred to have improved its quality before administering it to his patient upstairs. Mister, I am done! said Rosemarine, his newb assistant. The carnivorous nt proudly showed Basil a bottle full of her harvested pollen mixed with water. I am done! Basil wanted to cultivate a new fertilizer that wouldnt transform nts into voracious monsters. He intended to experiment with Rosemarines pollen and the old fertilizer separately until he figured out a harmless recipe. So am I, Basil replied as he took the green medicines container out of the alchemical furnace with heat-resistant gloves. The process took hours toplete, but the results spoke for themselves.
Emerald Medicine
Family: Consumable (Potion).
Quality: C
Effect 1: Heals 1 HP per milliliter for those who drink it.
Effect 2: Buffs Vitality for 5 minutes if drank to thest drop.
The perfect tool for the sick and the voracious newlywed!
This confirmed Basils theory that each Quality rank added a new effect to the item. He wondered how high it could get. Basil stored the new potion in his inventory and put the pollen elixir in the furnace for refining. Although the refining process took longer than when he crafted directly with the System, the athanor method also removed the error margin. The Crafter Workshop Lair Feature he purchased only granted a mere 5 percent bonus to his chances, not enough to make a big difference. Basil could afford to wait without the risk of losing supplies. Its time. Basil ascended up the basements stairs with Rosemarine following him closely. He hadnt been willing to administer the Dreambrew to officer Elissalde without additional healing methods at hand. For all he knew, she might react badly to it. The Tamer made his way to the policewomans room and found her soundly asleep. Were it not for the slight rising of her ribcage, Neria Elissalde might have looked stiff as a corpse. Basil summoned the Dreambrew from his inventory and uncorked the bottle. Can I eat her if she doesnt wake up? Rosemarine asked. I forbid you to even try, Basil replied, much to his adorable nts disappointment. She was a child, innocent but needing to learn manners. No eating humans, friends or strangers. But I can eat everybody else? Sure, if I dont forbid it. Basil pressed the bottle against Officer Elissaldes lips, pinched her nose, and force fed her the potion. It would have been easier with a medical tube. He should raid an abandoned hospital someday. Prepare to use your pollen on her if she doesnt react well. Rosemarine didnt need to. The moment Basil emptied the bottle down her throat, officer Elissalde started to move in her sleep. Basil set aside the bottle on a shelf and waited. His honored guest groaned in her bed, her fingers fidgeting. Her eyelids slowly opened to reveal tired ck eyes. Uh Officer Elissalde grunted as she slowly regained consciousness. Basil waited patiently for her to finish peacefully waking up. But then she noticed Rosemarine. She screamed in surprise. Hey, its alright! Basil tried to reassure officer Elissalde. The policewoman, in the throes of panic, ignored him. Her hands moved to her waist to grab a gun that wasnt there. Calm down! Youre alright! Monster! Officer Elissalde fell off the bed, quickly rose to her feet, and adopted some kind of fighting stance. Basil recognized it from Krav Maga youtube videos. Back off! Its okay. Basil raised his hands to show he carried no weapons. The officers eyes moved from Rosemarine to him, but her posture didnt rx. If anything, she seemed even tenser than before upon realizing she was outnumbered. Youre in a safe ce. The officers jaw tightened as she red at Rosemarine. Safe? Basil suddenly realized that this womans only interactions with monsters involved fighting gearsmen and watchers for survival. She had never encountered non-aggressive creatures, let alone friendly ones. Rosemarine nced up at Basil in confusion. Mister, do I use my pollen? Is she wounded in the head? Shush, Rosemarine. Basil locked eyes with Neria Elissalde. Shes nice. Im a Tamer, domesticating monsters is what I do. Officer Elissaldes fists tightened, ready to strike at the first sign of danger. Who are you? she asked. Where am I? Youre in my house in the Barthes close to Dax. Im Basil, Basil Jean-Franois Bohen. To Basils surprise, officer Elissalde seemed to recognize his name. Basil Bohen? From the Ren Lamont inheritance case? Basils jaw clenched in silent anger. Yes, thats me. Mister? Rosemarine noticed his frustration. Are you okay, Mister? You look furious. Yes, an old battles memory came to me. A legal one. I defeated some bad people. How did they taste? his nt asked navely. Bitter. Keeping her guard up, Officer Elissalde nced around the room and noticed her belongings on a chair. Her eyes briefly wandered to her chest and the shirt and boxers on herself. Basil had changed her clothes in her sleep to extract the shrapnel and clean the blood off them. Please dont make assumptions. Basil cursed in his head when Officer Elissalde stared at him with an offended look. Oh God, she did. Did you do anything to me while I was unconscious? the policewoman asked, her eyes full of terrible suspicion. Yeah, I saved your freaking life! Basil replied with heavy sarcasm. What, just because he lived alone in the woods made him a potential sexual predator? What kind of logic was that? And I sprayed you with my seed! Rosemarine chirped in, not helping her owners case. Neria nced at the nt with a mortified face. Rosemarine grinned in response. Her fangs drooled with saliva and made the policewoman even more ufortable. Not even remotely what it sounds like, Basil said with a sigh. I extracted metal fragments stuck in your flesh and she used healing pollen to heal your wounds. I am deep inside you now, Rosemarine whispered. I hear your heart pounding in your chest Neria Elissalde didnt dare to ask for details. Wheres the rest of my unit? Your helicopter crashed in the marsh. Basil looked for a way to sugarcoat the truth, but he could see in her eyes that she would know. You were the only survivor. Officer Elissalde winced as if he had pped her in the face. Her eyes widened in shock and examined Basils face, searching for any hint of a lie. He could see her thought process written all over her face. Denial; doubt; and finally, the crushing weight of eptance. Officer Elissaldes shoulders crumpled like a sandcastle falling down and the fight left her. Her empty eyes nced down at the ground. Her crestfallen expression made Basils stomach turn. Even Rosemarine appeared a little touched. Its okay, Miss. We put them in the ground so flowers may bloom from their remains. Im sorry, Basil replied with sincerity and immediately cursed himself for how banal he sounded. This woman probably lost friends and teammates in that crash. We found you after dealing with a gearsman and buried the dead in the marsh. Officer Elissalde found the strength to look up at him again. How long? she asked. How long did theyy out in the open? If I say nearly two days, it will be burned in her memory for the rest of her life. It couldnt have been more than a couple of hours. Officer Elissalde bit her lower lip. I see, she answered with a heavy, heavy voice. I see. Honestly, Im surprised you survived at all considering how much blood you lost. Basil immediately regretted his words. That woman neededfort, not curiosity. He wasnt good at dealing with emotional shit. My Guard Duty Perk protects me from ailment damage. Officer Elissalde put a hand on her waists bandages; the ce where shrapnel hit her. She stared at them with sorrow. That includes bleeding out. The hell? The System considered bleeding out an ailment? Basil struggled to grasp the concepts implications. One could bleed out and yet not die because a magical force said so? Im sorry, perhaps we can dy this conversation forter, Basil said. Its a lot to take in. You should rest first. I can bring you something to eat or drink if you want. Ive got tea, coffee, chocte I I wouldnt mind a coffee. Officer Elissalde lowered her fists. Although she remained apprehensive of Rosemarines presence, her expression softened up slightly. Thank you for treating me, Mr. Bohen. Youre wee, officer. Basil pointed at her riot gear. You can find your phone and belongings there, although I stored your gun somewhere else. Your walkie-talkie didnt survive the crash. After a moment of hesitation, Officer Elissalde responded with a short nod. Realizing that Rosemarines presence still unsettled his guest, Basil patted his nt on the back of the head. Rosemarine, can you go downstairs and water the vegetables? Ill take it from here. Yes, Mister. Rosemarine crawled out of the bedroom. Officer Elissaldes suspicious gaze followed the nt until she vanished beyond the door. Basil left the bedroom for a few minutes and came back with two cups of coffee. When he returned, he found officer Elissalde staring at the window, phone in hand. She could see Bugsy working on erging the chicken coop from her vantage point. Is that a giant centipede in the backyard? Officer Elissalde asked. Her eyes betrayed her apprehension, her fear, her distaste. Basil thanked his foresight for taking her gun away. She might have opened fire on Rosemarine on sight out of paranoia. Yes. Basil handed her a coffee cup. Hes domesticated. You can tame these things? My sister can talk to dogs but Officer Elissalde took the coffee without looking away from the window. I never imagined bugs. Neither did I a few weeks ago, but here we are. It felt so weird to have a conversion with a fellow human after so long. Basil hadn''t had one since the postmanst visited his house over a month ago. Youre in a safe ce. She didnt believe him, not entirely, but Basil could tell that she wanted to. How long was I out? Two days now, Basil replied. Two days. Officer Elissalde sounded halfway reassured. Then theres still time. Time for what? The policewoman marked a short pause, as if afraid to reveal important information. She examined Basil in silence a moment before answering. To evacuate. Ah, of course. It made sense. She probably needed to return to the army as soon as possible. Is there a way to contact your superiors? I already did. Officer Elissalde raised her smartphone. I sent a distress signal. Basil gritted his teeth. He didnt like the idea of an army raid near his home. It could alert the watchers to his houses position. Your phone still works? Mine does. Our radio officer can listen in on calls from afar with her head. I still dont understand how. She scoffed. Magic. Dont tell me, I made a car burst inside a bugs head. Basil sipped his coffee and enjoyed the warm bitterness washing over his tongue. I would like to arrange your pick-up away from my house. I dont want gizmos following soldiers here. I understand. We didnt even know there were survivors hiding out in the marshes. She sat on the bed, her eyes set on her coffee. We thought everyone in the countryside had been killed or turned to stone. Something in the policewomans voice told Basil that she had lost people in the initial attack. He wanted to offer his condolences, but she was probably tired of hearing them. You dont sound French, Officer Elissalde noted, changing the subject. She had sharp ears. Basil thought he had improved his ent. Im Bulgarian. Bulgarian? She smiled sheepishly. The policewoman had a friendly face, the kind that inspired trustworthiness. Im sorry, I didnt know. You must have been confused to see me nod. Ive lived in France long enough to pick up your ways. Nodding in Bulgaria meant refusal rather than agreement, but Basil had adapted to the strange customs of the westerners. And you sound like a Basque. Ie from Biarritz. I thought it would be a quiet transfer to a troubleless town. She chuckled joylessly. Then the world went to shit. Next thing I knew, I shot a robot breaking through my windows, got a screen stuck in my eyes, and I was drafted into the army. You tell me. Basil shrugged. Seems like youre holding out great. I saw your helicopters patrolling the other side of the river. We werent holding out. She took another sip of her coffee. Were leaving. That helicopter raid was a parting shot. A parting shot? Basil put two and two together. When you meant evacuating, you meant evacuating Dax? Yes. Orders from above. Whats left of it. Officer Elissaldes smile faded. Nobody wants to die for a town of statues. Especially one without any strategic significance. Basil couldnt me them, though the news worried him. He wondered how the Unitys machines would react without a frontline to keep them upied. Is it that bad? Basil asked. I kept my head down for weeks, so Ive no idea what the situation is elsewhere. Once again, he saw the hesitation on his guests face. She had many things to say but didnt trust him enough to tell him everything. Basil couldnt me. He was, after all, a stranger living with monsters. His kindness could hide darker motivations. I dont know much, Officer Elissalde confessed with a sigh. Weve lost contact with Paris and the countryside is crawling with invaders. Troops in the southwest were ordered to evacuate to Bordeaux with civilians. Monsters overran most cities in the region, but not this one. Basil would have hoped the French army fared better than that. The absence of news from Paris was extremely worrying. The French state was heavily centralized around its capital. I see. Officer Elissalde set her empty cup aside on the bedside table. You coulde with us. Where? Basil asked with a frown. To Bordeaux. She nced at the window with a frown. It will be safer. Safer than here, with the monsters, was left unsaid. But it bothered Basil all the same. No thanks, he replied, politely yet firmly. This is my home and I fought to protect it. Im not abandoning this ce. Officer Elissalde looked at Basil with a worried expression that screamed you are making a terrible mistake, but she didnt try to talk him out of it. She had sensed the determination in his voice. Anyway, Basil changed the subject. Any idea whats happening? Ive been looking for info about the Trimurtis significance and Dismaker Labs, but came up short. Is the army investigating them? We are, but She looked embarrassed all of a sudden. Im Not authorized to share? Basil asked. She nodded slowly. I understand. But if youre looking for information, Ive got a wrecked, dungeon-summoning server stored in my garage. Officer Elissaldes face paled. Her fingers fidgeted with nervousness. What? Basil asked. She unlocked her phone and showed him a picture. He immediately recognized Daxs arena. The angle implied the shot had been taken from above, almost certainly with the helicopter. Two gearsmen worked to raise a tower of steel on the sandy battlefield, surrounded by copsed stands. The machine was an iplete cylinder of gears and circuitry, yet Basil immediately recognized the device for what it was. That was what our parting shot was meant to destroy, Officer Elissalde exined. We didnt understand why they were building it, but from what you said now I do. A server. The robots were building a server inside Daxs arena. It was a different model than the one Basil found in the water control station, bulkier, using both ancient gears and new technology. But its existence could only mean one thing. The Unity intended to raise a new dungeon on Basils doorstep. Chapter 19: Man vs Witch Chapter 19: Man vs Witch Shit, Basil said. Thirty-one, to replied. With his supply bag weighing on his back, Basil and his cat followed Shellgirl along a meandering trail. The m mimic hopped in the shadow of gnarled trees. Basil didnt recognize their species, but they certainly shouldnt be growing in the Barthes. The vegetation in the area was foreign to the region, from the trees to the strange purple grass under his feet. Damn, Basil whispered. Bloody hell. Thirty-two, thirty-three, to replied. What are you doing? Shellgirl asked with a curious look. Im counting how many times Basil has cursed since morning. to chuckled. Were thirty-six swearing words short of the all-time record. Were fucked, Basil said. So utterly fucked. Thirty-four, thirty-five. You can do it, buddy. I believe in your swearing spirit. Its fine! Shellgirl waved a reassuring hand at Basil. I told you, shes clean! The forest witch didnt worry Basil; the dungeon under construction in Dax did. Officer Elissalde swore to him that her team sessfully bombed it from above, but the robots would try to rebuild it again. They would have the means to fully focus their resources on the task once the army retreated to Bordeaux. Basil cursed his short-sightedness. He should have seen iting. If an Earthpany sessfully built a dungeon-summoning server, then an army of magical machines could do the same. He had to expel the Unitys forces from the region before theypleted their infernal machine and flooded the countryside with robots. Could he convince the army to make ast-ditch attempt at wiping them out? Officer Elissalde had arranged her pick-up for tomorrow and Basil left her at home with the rest of his party to recover until then. Why wont they leave me alone? Basil asked out loud. All I want is to live in peace and harmony. Yet whenever we solve a problem, another pops up! Its maddening! Take it from me, Basil. to mimicked a beheading motion. No birds, no problems. Same with the gizmos. I say we pick them off one after another until they leave. It it could work actually. The Unitys forces in Dax were stretched so thinly that they couldnt properly patrol their own conquered city. The gearsman ambush nearly cost the party their lives, but their victory deprived the robots of a heavy hitter. If the group avoided directbat and continuously thinned down their enemies numbers, they could force them out of the region. The Second Neighborhood War appeared inevitable. Perhaps its time to introduce everyone to an ancient Bulgarian tradition then. Basil smiled cruelly. Gueri warfare. Could I sit this one out? Shellgirl asked with little enthusiasm. Or at least stay at the rear? Ill be all for funding a war, but participating is another matter. Thats the neat thing about gueri attacks: if done well, youre gone before the enemy can strike back. Basil stopped at the end of the trail and the witchs house. Is this the ce? A field of purple flowers bloomed within a ring of leafless trees. A two-story izba hut dominated the grove, its walls built from logs, its roof from dirt and straw. The light of candles pierced through its windows. A fence of wooden spikes topped with shrunken goblin heads and burning skulls surrounded the building. Basil found the decoration aesthetically pleasing. Inspiring even. I see someone shares our neighborhood problems, tomented. Why do I have the feeling youll get along with her, Basil? Because he will! Shellgirl hopped to the huts door and knocked on it. Vasi, my dear! Its me! Coming! a muffled voice answered from within the house. Her ent sounded vaguely Brusian. Wee! The door opened and the witch walked out. Years of pop culture indoctrination had taught Basil that witches were either ugly as sin or dazzling beauties, and his neighbor clearly fell into the second category. She looked around his age, with a lovely heart-shaped face and crimson eyes. Her skin was an inhuman pale shade of olive green. She wore a short sleeveless ck dress, an elegant red scarf, a rounded wizard''s hat atop mid-long raven hair, and a pair of heels.
Vasilisa Vasi Yaga, Changeling
Level 13 [Demon/Fairy]
Demon. Did she hide horns under her hat? Basil was immediately on his guard and looked for any sign of weaponry. The woman didnt carry any wand to cast spells with. Her nails werent ws ready to tear his throat out. When she smiled kindly at the group, white teeth showed under her lips rather than fangs. In short, she appeared oddly harmless for a fiend. Shellgirl, how good to see you again! The witch exchanged a high-five with the m mimic. Have youbed your slime hair? I love it. My, I did! Shellgirl grinned with pride. Im d you noticed! I didnt, to said. Neither did Basil. Who is that handsome human with you? The witch put a finger on her lips as she examined Basil from head to toes. The ogre of the Barthes? Basil, he replied with a nk face. He would go on a rampage if that nickname caught on with the local monsters. Basil Jean-Franois Bohen. The two studied each other for a few seconds. Basil was ready to summon his halberd at the first sign of treachery. The witchs Dreambrew potion worked as advertised, but he couldnt rule out the fact she lured him into a trap of some kind. Her name also sounded familiar to him, although he couldnt put his finger on why. Mmm, you are quite the good-looking fellow, the witch said with a fox-like smile. A fine connoisseur of potions and a warrior. Its a winningbination. Basil looked tly at her. He knew her type and refused to y her game. The witch sighed in disappointment upon realizing her flirty faade and insincere ttery wouldnt work with him. You didnt even blush. I must be getting rusty. Your assets are useless against me, woman. Basil liked girls, but not enough to fawn over them. No pretty smiles will buy you favors from me. Youve been single for too long, Basil, to said with a sad, sad voice. I fear your dating life is beyond saving now. I do like a man with his head on his shoulders, the witch mused yfully, taking the rejection in stride. Sorry, old habits. I used to trick would-be pdins into running errands for me with a wink and a smile. One jumped off a cliff trying to look for a dragon egg, if you can believe that. Natural selection at its finest, tomented. Basil kept a poker face and did his best not to show surprise. The witch mentioned the anecdote like something that happened often enough to be a habit. This implied a long history, yet the dungeons only appeared weeks ago Shes different from other monsters somehow. Basil could tell from her behavior. Wiser, more mature. Anyway, the names Vasilisa Yaga or Vasi for short. The witch knelt and petted to behind the ears. Whats yours, oh mighty king of cats? His Majesty to the First. to nced up at his owner. Can we keep her? She understands my greatness. Nobody owns me, Your Majesty. The witch stood up and invited the group inside. Come along, lets have a drink inside. Her liquor is amazing, youll see! Shellgirl dered before crawling into the house. After a short moment of hesitation, Basil followed alongside to. The witch closed the door behind them. The group entered afortable room with a wooden table in its middle. A colossal white bears pelt carpeted the floor and the stuffed head of a reptilian creature overlooked a chimney. Bundles of dried herbs, potions, and grimoires upied rows of shelves along the walls. Their neat organization contrasted with the empty bottles on the ground, the dust on the windows, and the stench of alcohol in the air. An unused broomstick waited in a corner. Are you a student? Basil asked. I study magic, yes. Vasi squinted at him. How did you know? He pointed a finger at the empty bottles. Vasi chuckled as she invited the group to sit. Dont mind them, Ill clean tomorrow. In student ng, tomorrow meant never. Basil had learned this subtle difference to his dismay when hest shared an apartment. Vasi proved a good host and served drinks to her guests: a bowl of milk for to and bottles of orange beverages for everyone else. Basil recognized them as krupnik, a sweet vic liqueur. Shellgirl thirstily grabbed her drink, but he didnt touch his own. Vasi smiled at his reaction. Are you afraid of being poisoned? In my homnd, we believe in hospitality. I dont drink alcohol, Basil replied. Too many bad memories associated with it. Dont you know the proverb? Never trust a man who doesn''t drink? Vasi grabbed a bottle off a shelf while sipping her own krupnik. I have beet juice mixed with carrots, if you prefer. Careful Basil, the vegan revolution has begun, to mocked his owner. He licked the bowl and then his lips. Tasty. Is this goat milk? You have a good sense of taste, Vasiplimented him. Shellgirl traded it to me a few days ago. I got it from the orcs, gloated the mimic. I exchanged a beer bottle for six bottles full of milk. Basil felt slightly guilty since the alcohol in question came from Rens old cave. He had decided to trade most of his liquors away considering how little use it would find otherwise. Speaking of drinks, did my Dreambrew work? Vasi asked Basil. You cant fathom how many dreams I had to catch to craft it. It worked fine. Which was the reason why Basil epted this meeting at all. How do you catch a dream? With the right spell. His question seemed to amuse the witch. Your ignorance doesnt surprise me. You strike me more as the Fighter-ss type with more brains than most. Basil would storm off if she ever asked for his Intelligence score. I didnt know monsters could take Spellcaster levels. We cant, but we may still learn spells with the right Perks. Vasi uncorked her bottle. To what do we toast? To a good quarter! Shellgirl yelled as she raised her bottle. Vasi chuckled at that and answered with prosit. Basil nced at to with amusement. You too, you have hands now. The cat groaned but joined the toast nheless. After analyzing his juice with the System, Basil sipped his juice. The drink tasted quite good, much to his surprise. He waited pointlessly for a poison to take effect and rxed upon realizing that there was no danger. The frog prince potion is on the shelf to your left, Vasi said with a wink. I keep it for special asions. I gotta say, Im pleasantly surprised, Basil replied with a chuckle. When I saw your house I expected the worst. Yet you seem to be quite the friendly fellow. See, see? Shellgirl gluttonously sipped from her drink. Told you she was clean. I like guests, but not the uninvited kind, Vasi exined. The skulls and shrunken heads outside keep the fools from disturbing me when I study. Im not from this ce so I had to establish clear boundaries. Perhaps thats what we were missing, Basil, to said. The corpses of our dead enemies impaled on the fence. That will send a message. When they start rotting, theyll spread diseases, Basil replied before focusing on his host. By not from this ce, you mean the marsh? From which dungeon did youe? The better question would be Vasi smiled coyly. Which world? Basils hand tightened on his drink and to raised his head from his bowl in shock. Only Shellgirl didnt appear surprised. Astonishing, isnt it? she asked her allies. I had the same reaction when I heard it for the first time! I came from a ce called the Winter Kingdoms, and of magic, dragons, and fairies, Vasi exined. We have our own System there, slightly different from this worlds. I suppose thats why I could cross over. Cross over. Megabug had used the same wording. Basil studied the witchs face for any hint of lying but didnt find any. Another world? he asked. How? How did I get into this one? Vasi shrugged. I dont fully understand it myself. Sometimes humans from other worlds reincarnate in ours, but they had to die first. I remember seeing a screen offering me to participate in an incursion into another world. And you just epted? Basil asked in shock. Yes I did, and next thing I know I had been teleported to this marsh. The casual way she answered Basils question left him feeling incredulous. I felt stuck in a routine. Wake up in the morning, have a drink, decide against going outside because it snows too much I wanted to shake things up a bit, to study new magical traditions. It wasnt like I had anyone to tie me down in my old ce either. Do you see what I mean? I do, a bit. Basil abandoned civilization to live in the woods. Abandoning Earth sounded like too big of a jump though. I left my homnd to study too. Good, traveling builds character. We should exchange stories someday. Maybe another time, Basil replied, though he would take her up on it. He found the witchs friendliness disarming. Her odd behavior made more sense now. After encountering Megabug and the Unity, Basil had considered the possibility that some monsters came from other worlds. Vasi only confirmed his hypothesis. It made sense she didnt possess the urge to kill humans on sight if she had been born naturally rather than spawned from a dungeon. However, her confession raised disturbing possibilities about these incursions. The Ogres Den dungeon warned that its destruction wouldnt prevent the phenomenon and that more information would be shared in the next event. It meant more monsters would invade Earth in the near future and that some would be like Megabug: deadly. We came for business. Shellgirl summoned an item stored in her inventory on the table: the lightning runestone harvested from the gearsman. What do ya think of this? Thats the pretty stone we harvested from the big machine I told you about! Vasis eyes shed with greedy curiosity. Her nails fell upon the stone like an eagles talons on prey and seized it. Hey! Shellgirlined, but the witch didnt listen. Careful, its precious! Vasis behavior changed from that of a friendly student to a scientist muttering observations to herself. It resembles a lightning powerstone, but not quite synthetic? Shades of fire and ice too very interesting. Powerstone? Basil asked, hope rising in his heart. Were they finally making progress on the petrification problem? A mineral formed from the fossilized remains of very powerful magical creatures, mostly ancient fairies and dragons. It doesnt surprise me to find one powering a big machine. Vasi nodded at Shellgirl. It would fetch a good price in my world. I knew it, the mimic rejoiced. Partner, are there dragon graves around to exploit? If komodo dragons count, then we have one on the other side of the world, Basil quipped. Ever heard of the Unity, Vasi? The Apocalypse Force? Metal Olympus? Mmm Vasi pressed a finger on her lips, her eyes thoughtful. Doesnt ring much of a bell. They muste from elsewhere. Other worlds? to asked. How many are there? Vasi shrugged her shoulders. Basil opened his bag and spilled out its content on the table: the remains of a watcher. These creatures turn people to stone on sight, he exined as the witch examined the scraps. I tried to reverse-engineer their method but a safety feature blocked me. Crafting Encryption. Vasi nodded to herself. I cant break it either. Their creator must have a very high level. So you can craft monsters? Basil probed for information. He already suspected it, but wanted confirmation from an outside source. Crafters can make golems, homunculi, robots, wicker men or at least they could do it in my world. Vasi pushed the watcher''s remains with an apologetic expression. Sorry, I can''t make use of them. You cant cure petrification? I didnt say that. Vasi toyed with her alcohol bottle. I know a recipe that can cure petrification. The issue is manufacturing it. How many potions would you need? Considering Daxs poption Basil winced. At least ten thousand. The witchughed in his face. Basil sighed, having expected as much. Yo dog, dont make that face. to patted his owner on the shoulder with his paw. I know, we give the recipe to the army and they can deal with it. We could, Basil agreed without enthusiasm. Officer Elissalde made it clear saving Daxs poption wasnt a priority as far as the armys strategy was concerned. They had bigger fish to fry. Or you could kill two birds with one stone, Vasi said. Shellgirl told me you were looking to summon an angel. We are. Basil frowned. You can cast Prayers? Of course not, she replied with a shortugh. Im a witch, a demon, and an unbeliever. I dont pray to anyone but I can run a Ritual. Theyre spells that demand very specific circumstances to cast, but form the strongest school of magic. I happened to learn a thing or two about summonings. Do we need to sacrifice a virgin? Basil asked with a snort. Because if so, youre a few yearste to use me. Nothing so quaint, but good to know, the witch mused. How about this? I keep the powerstone for my personal research and in exchange, I help you summon an angel. Theyre annoying, but nobody can contest their healing powers. Sounds good? Deal, Basil replied immediately. After a short silence, to squinted at Shellgirl suspiciously. Why arent you protesting? About the shiny? I call it sound investing. Shellgirl put her hands behind her hair. Think about it. If we figure out a cure for petrification, families will pay us an exorbitant price to heal their stoned kin! More than we could ever hope to gain from the stone alone. She never lost an asion to milk an opportunity for all it was worth. Oh, how good it is to coborate with intelligent people, Vasi said. Id be down to trade potions and spellbooks too. I can make my own items, but Ick the material needed to say experiment. You cane visit myb anytime, Basil proposed. Well trade recipes. With pleasure. His offer confused Shellgirl. Didnt you want to keep our HQ hidden, partner? She showed us her home, Basil shrugged. If she causes us trouble, we know where she lives now. Mutually assured home destruction? Vasi noted with some amusement. Basil felt like she didnt truly believe that he would follow through with his threat. For the Ritual, I will need a sacred ce to cast the spell and a powerful object rted to angels. Do you have anything like this in your repertoire, handsome? Would this relic work as a focus? Basil summoned the Reliquary of Saint Bernadette from his Inventory. Ohoh, an artifact! Vasi immediately grabbed the Reliquary with the same delicateness she showed with the runestone. Wonderful! With it, I can summon a big shot! Should be fun! As for the ce, I know an old church up the stream, Basil suggested. He had fond memories of the ce. Its been long abandoned, but it was consecrated and everything. Good idea. tos head perked up with interest. Its been a while since we visited his tombstone. Far too long in Basils opinion. The constant attacks on his household had distracted him from his monthly visitations. He already knew which flowers to bring. Shellgirl winced. The church up the stream you mean that crumbling wooden shack with the engraved stones in its backyard? Yes. Basil frowned. He didnt like her tone. Shellgirl, why the sorry face? Remember what I said about aquatic monsters showing up more often? she asked. Well, some mermaid necromancer from Lourdes took refuge in it. I tried to trade with her but she cast spells at me and Basil sent Shellgirl a furious re and she didnt dare finish her sentence. to tensed up, his body utterly still. Necromancer? Basil asked, his voice icy. You mean someone who raises the dead as zombies? Skeletons, mummies, undead, etc, Vasi rified. A good necromancer can do many things. Basil felt his blood boil within his veins and his head hurt from silent rage. His beet-carrot juice bottle shattered from his grip. Shards cut into his flesh and Vasi gave him a frown of disapproval. He didnt care. He was too furious to feel pain or shame. to, Shellgirl, pack your things. Basil rose from the table. His jaw tightened so much that he thought that his teeth might break from the pressure. Were cleaning the church ourselves. What, right now? Shellgirl asked in shock. Right now! tos ws came out. If a fish dared desecrate his corpse She wont live to regret it, Basil promised. Hey, calm down, whats happening? Vasi rose from her seat. Is a friend of yours buried at that church? Yes. The Old Man himself. Chapter 20: Man vs Mermaid Chapter 20: Man vs Mermaid The sun was setting on the horizon when the group reached the church. The ancient wood building remained elegant in its simplicity. Although locals called it a church, it was closer to an abandoned wayward shrine. Ivy grew on its walls and windows. The Catholic cross atop its roof oversaw a dozen tombstones and a stream ford. In spite of its dpidated appearance, the ce breathed peace and quiet. The air was fresh and only the sound of running water broke the silence. No wonder the Old Man had been so fond of the ce. He used to rest in the shrines shadow after a walk in the woods before his death, reading a book under the fading sunlight. Woe to whoever would dare to despoil this sanctuary. Basils halberd would separate their head from their body. Im surprised you came along, Basil told Vasi. Its not your fight. If I have to summon your angel in this ce, it makes sense to help clear it out first. The witch followed the party, but didnt walk. Instead, she rode her broomstick as it floated a meter and a half above the ground. Its saddening to see a ce like this in ruins. I dont remember it any other way, tomented. The cat followed after Basil on foot. As for Shellgirl, she hid in the stream. She could move more swiftly in the water than onnd. Its part of its charm. The shrine was abandoned decades ago as locals moved away from the countryside to cities, Basil said. A friend of mine met his wife at this ce almost sixty years ago. Is that why hes buried here? Vasi asked. Basil answered with a sharp nod and froze in ce as to raised a paw. Im smelling corpses, the cat warned, and fish. Basil clenched his jaw. If the mermaid had dared to raise Rens corpse, he might activate Warp-Spasm out of sheer anger. You two, stay behind, he ordered. Ill act as bait. I would rather follow you, Vasi said. She climbed down from her broomstick and carried it with one hand. I work better with a brave warrior covering me in melee. As you wish. Basil nced at to, who sneakily hid in the tall grass near the wayward shrine. A shame youre a higher level than me. I could have added you to my party and given you a new ability. Hold your horses, handsome, no man can tame me, the witch replied with a chuckle. But I wouldnt mind sharing spellbooks if you own any. I have Prayer grimoires, but you cant cast them. That doesnt make them valueless, for all spells are precious. I try to keep an open mind. They walked toward the tombstones without encountering any enemy. Its a waste you didnt take levels in a Spellcaster ss. You have pretty strong and rare affinities. How do you know that? Basil asked with a frown. She winked at him. I have enough Intelligence points to see your stats. It took all of Basils willpower to keep a straight face. If that cursed System dared to mock him
Your Intelligence is too low to see the full stats of
I hate you, screen, Basil rasped. I hate you so much. Vasi smiled in response, but her amusement quickly turned to worry as they reached the tombstones. To Basils relief, they didnt look damaged in any way. Moss and ivy had grown over the stone because he hadnt taken care of them in a while, but the graves remained undisturbed; Rens included. However, someone had done a little decorating. A crudely carved wooden idol stood in the middle of the graveyard. It represented a hand with the thumb missing and a fanged mouth inside the palm. A reptilian, slitted eye red from within the maw. Basil wasnt afraid of symbols, but something about the totem left him vaguely unsettled. The eye seemed to watch him with malevolence. And ording to the System, someone did.
Apocalypse Idol
Family: Altar.
Quality: D
Effect: Allows the Maleking to observe the world through his symbol.
An idol heralding the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and theing of Hell Unending.
The four horsemen? Basil tensed up upon realizing who was behind this mess. Thats creepy, Vasi said. Basil responded by vertically splitting the idol in half with his halberd. The weapon sliced a line through the hand symbol and caused both halves to fall on the sides. Smoke came out of the device before it turned to dust in the blink of an eye. Show yourself, Basil dered loudly. Come out now! If you say so, a lovely voice answered. Two shambling corpses emerged from the waters and stepped onto the shore. They had been men once, but water had bloated their bodies and turned their rotting skin pallid. A nauseating, unbearable stench followed them. Ayer of barnacles covered their chests. One of the zombies was slim and wielded a rapier. The other was big and strong, with rusting iron gauntlets for weapons.
Draugr Warriors
Level 9 [Undead].
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Basil immediately moved in front of Vasi to shield her from the undead. The witch didnt seem concerned. mes flickered in her hand, ready to ignite her foes. Shielding your girlfriend? How romantic! A new creature hopped out of the waters after the undead and stayed along the rivershore. Thats it, youre now my new boyfriend. As Shellgirl warned, the necromancer turned out to be a mermaid. The upper half of her body belonged to a naked woman of great beauty, with long red hair, startling green eyes, and a shell ne. The lower half belonged to a giant trout. Shey on the shore, arms on the ground, tail in the water.
Disa the Mermaid.
Level 13 [Aquatic/Fairy].
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
I knew it, they belong to Megabugs faction, Basil thought. However, the undead and mermaid felt nowhere as threatening as the insect drone himself. Theycked his palpable aura of menace and lethality. Careful, Vasi whispered to Basil. Her kind can charm men into obedience. I assume youre from Lourdes? Basil asked the mermaid, trying to stall until to and Shellgirl were in position to nk their enemies. The former was crawling in the grass, while thetter hid in the waters nearby. Youre well-informed. I was indeed born in the Water Sanctuary dungeon. The mermaid gave Basil a sensual smile. The two undead moved to Basils left and right, waiting for a signal to attack. The new Boss sent me here to raise the dead and kick the Unity out of the region, but the old geezers in the ground wont answer my call. Theyve been goners for too long I suppose. It works better when I drown them myself first. Basil promised to drown her himself like an unwanted puppy. Shes just a pawn of a greater evil, he thought. A newborn monster sent to test the waters as cannon fodder. Shes what Shellgirl would have be if shed stayed in Lourdes. His eyes wandered from one undead to another, trying to figure out which of them would be the weak link. The fencer appeared to be a safer bet than his bulkier counterpart, but striking him would expose Vasi to retaliation better deal with the bigger threat first. Now, you owe me an apology, Disa said. Youvemitted sacrilege by destroying the hand of the Maleking. Who? Basil asked. Hed better get as much information as possible. The Maleking! It is he who will be the new Overgod after his Horsemen pave the way for his arrival! He shall rule the Earth and only his chosen will survive! A malevolent light shed in the mermaids eyes. Theres a ce for good warriors like you in his army. You should join as I did, trust me. Everybody else will die. Dont The draugr fencer gargled words. Hell Unending Dont mind them, said their mistress. These two are my ex-boyfriends. They wont get in the way of our rtionship. If anything, they support me in all of my endeavors. Kill us the bulky undead rasped. Already did that, the mermaid replied with a smirk. Basil felt a strong urge to wipe it off her face. I hope youllst longer than them. It takes a lot to satisfy me. And here I thought I treated my pdin suitors harshly, Vasi said with a disgusted expression. You know what they say, sister. Love them, leave them, kill them. The mermaid shrugged. Does it matter? I give them untold pleasure, so they owe me eternal gratefuln Basil struck without warning. His halberd split the bulky undeads skull with enough force to send him stumbling backward. No sooner did he make a move than the fencer draugr nked him. His sword lunged at Basils neck with deadly intent. Vasi spoke a word of power and snapped her fingers. A burst of fiery embers erupted from a fingernail and burned the fencers face. The undead let out a snarl of pain and barely missed Basils carotid artery. Calm down, my boy, the mermaid said, undisturbed, before clearing out her throat. How about a song to soothe your furious heart? She started humming to herself. Basil had bigger fish to fry. He shed the bulkier undead in the chest once and dodged a retaliatory punch. The draugrs fist hit the ground with enough force to send dirt flying in all directions. to leaped out of the grass by surprise and struck at the bulky undeads spine. His ws cut through flesh and bone alike as if the monsters back was made of butter. The fencer draugr switched targets from Basil to Vasi, but an ice pearl hit him on the side of the face before he could reach the witch. Shellgirls barrels peered out of the streams waters and began bombarding the undead with projectiles. The mermaids song grew higher pitched. Her voice drowned out the noise of battle until Basil could only hear her. The song affected his brain in a way few of them ever did. Basil abandoned the fight with the undead to approach the mermaid. It was stronger than him. Something pushed him to her. She smiled and extended her hands at Basil, as if to take him in her loving arms.
[Charm] ailment
Basil punched the mermaid in the face.
It failed! It failed miserably!
Basil Bohen doesnt find mermaids attractive!
Stop singing off-note! Basil snarled with anger. Its unbearable! The blow sent the mermaid head-first into the ground. One of her teeth flew into the river with a plop sound. She looked up at Basil with astonished eyes and river mud all over her cheeks. Y-you hit me! You hit me, you little shi Basil pped her hard enough to break her nose. I am a feminist, Basil boasted proudly. The half-fish put a hand on her mouth, blood dripping between her fingers. I will defend gender equality to myst breath. By hitting a woman? the mermaid asked incredulously. Her smug expression had turned into one of shameful anger. Basil remained unshaken by her usation. Chivalry is the truest expression of sexism! It demeans women by implying they need a man to protect them! When in fact, everyone had the fundamental right to a punch in the face. Im not sure I agree, Vasi said as she sted the draugr fencers face with volley after volley of embers. The undead simply couldnt get close enough to strike her with his rapier. The witch thoroughly trounced him, his eyes burning in his skull. His bulkier ally struggled to hit to at all. His powerful fists shook the ground with each blow, but none of them managed to strike the agile cat. Shellgirl supported her allies by sting one undead or the other with ice pearls whenever they threatened to break the deadlock. Finally realizing her situation had grown precarious, the mermaid tried to escape into the water. Basil grabbed her hair first. He lifted her out of the stream and threw her at the shrine like a piece of ham. I only hit you because I respect you as a half-woman, Basil informed the mermaid as she hit a wooden wall with enough strength to crack it. Because I know you can take it like a man. The mermaid tried to sing again, but it only made Basil wince in pain. By God, she sounded like a tortured cat! As if her desecration of the dead wasnt enough! He attempted to silence her with a halberd strike to the face, but she managed to roll to the side. His de carved wood and nothing else. What is that song supposed to do? Basil asked the mermaid, raising his halberd for a new attempt on her life. Anger me? To make you fall in love with me! she replied in shock and humiliation. Blood ran down her broken nose. I dont get it! It worked on all my other boyfriends! Really? Damn, this world is full of sexual deviants. Basil looked at her fish tail with disgust. Youre half-trout! Fucking you would be an act of bestiality! It must have been why the Charm ailment failed to affect Basil. He simply couldnt find it in himself to be a fish furry. Sleep! The mermaid pointed a finger at Basil, a surge of magical light erupting from her finger. Sleep at once!
[Sleep] ailment negated by [Coffee].
So much coffee ran through Basils veins that he might as well have bled caffeine. Help! the mermaid shouted. Whereas Vasi had long turned her fencer into a burning crisp, her bulkier servant powered through Shellgirls suppressive fire to nk Basil. to wed at the undeads heel, making him stumble, and his owner weed the draugr with a swing of his halberd. The strike bisected the monster and felled him on the spot. Deprived of backup, the mermaid mmed her hands and pointed them at Basils group. A stream of water erupted from her palms. to and Vasi took cover behind the tombstones, but Basil wasnt so fast. Pressurized liquid damaged his clothes and forced him to cover his face with his arm. His opening came when Shellgirl fired an ice pearl at the side of the mermaids skull. The attack interrupted her water spell, allowing Basil to recover. He nced at the battlefield, and noticed to his fury that Rens tombstone was drenched in water. Wait, wait! the mermaid panicked upon seeing Basils furious face. She raised her hands in surrender. We, we can talk this out! I can make it worth your while, I swear! Basil grabbed his foe by the neck with one hand, dragged her to the stream screaming, and then drowned her face in the water. The mermaids tail strummed the shore and her hands tried to get Basil off her. Die fishwoman! he shouted. Die! Basil, to said. What? Youre waterboarding a mermaid. Basil froze for a moment and watched bubbles rising to the surface. The mermaid kept struggling against his grip, her nails scratching ineffectively at his arms. Arent they like whales? he asked naively. As in, they can stay underwater for long periods of time but eventually have to go to the surface to breathe? No, Vasi replied. She sounded somewhat exasperated. Basil sighed, tossed the mermaid on the shore, and gave her the Marie-Antote treatment. His halberd cut her pretty neck cleanly and sent her head rolling. Youre not the gentleman I took you for, Vasimented with an amused look. No, Basil confirmed, his bloody halberd resting on his shoulder. Im just a man. It sounded far better in his mind than in his mouth.
Your party received 13,400 EXP (2612 for you). You earned 2 levels.
Well, that was easy, Shellgirlmented. She hopped onnd with a pleased grin. I expected more from a level 13 foe. Were getting better at fighting, Basil replied. They also had a bnced group including a frontliner, a long-range sniper, a sneaky cat rogue, and magical artillery. In contrast, the mermaid overspecialized in ailments and could only count on two meat shields. She would have done far more damage if her song had worked on him. Some of the experience is missing though. Inded the killing blow on the undead fencer, so his experience points went to me rather than your party, Vasi exined. She searched the mermaids corpse without any emotion, at least until she grabbed her seashell ne. Do you mind if I keep it? Not at all, Basil replied. She had contributed to the battle so she was entitled to part of the loot. Youre sweet, Vasi replied with a charming smile. Ill return the favor. I call dibs on the corpses and the weapons! Shellgirl dered. to grabbed the fencers rapier with a curious look. The sword matched the cats entire body in length, but he wielded it with grace. Nice, hemented with a few thrusts. Ill stick them with the pointy end. Basil nced at the mermaid. Do you think it would be cannibalism if I cooked her? She is a monster, but she looks half-human I would say that it only counts if you eat the upper half, to replied. He licked his lips with anticipation. The lower half smells like tasty fish. Basil decided it was an eptablepromise, though he wouldnt partake in the feast himself. His monsters deserved a treat. Sorry, Old Man. Basil cleaned the water off Rens tombstone. Fortunately, the mermaids spell barely sprayed it without inflicting damage. The epitaph In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me therey an invincible summer remained intact.At least you can rest in peace. Ill clean your stone and bring you flowerster, I swear. Im sure hes okay with waiting. to sat at Basils side. He always took his time with everything. Was he your father or something? Vasi asked Basil. She swung her broomstick to remove moss and dust off the tombstone, for which he was grateful. Fathers? Shellgirl scratched her head. Ah right, humans have those. I still find the concept weird. He wasnt my father, but he was a mentor to me, Basil replied with a smile. He had fond memories of the Old Man. A dear friend too. He still remembered the day they met; Basil was still a university student then, looking for a summer job to pay his rent. Eventually hed noticed an offer for a personal caretaker on his universitys website. The sry was good, so Basil didnt mind spending months in the wilderness. I dont need help all that much, actually, Ren had confessed soon after they met. Im old, but not so much that I cant walk. Why did you call me then? Basil had asked. Ren had answered with the saddest thing Basil ever heard. Because I feel lonely, young man. Because my family forgot me. Because I havent had a visit in years and it kills me more than age ever did. The Old Man had been so devoid of human contact that he was willing to pay someone to spend time with him. After hearing that, Basil returned to visit him whenever he had holidays to spare. Free of charges. I hope he feels less alone on the other side than this one, Basil said. If there was another side. Anyway, lets bury the dead and be done with it. How much time do you need for your Ritual, Vasi? Well. The witch cleared her throat. I guess well have time to watch the sunset. Basil wouldnt mind. Chapter 21: Man vs Angel Chapter 21: Man vs Angel It took until nightfall for Vasi toplete her preparations. In stark contrast with the ease at which she sted an undeads face into oblivion, the witch took her time to draw aplex circle on the churchs grounds. She traced symbols on the dirt with her broomsticks shaft as Basil watched, humming a song to herself. Meanwhile, to trained with his new sword near the river and Shellgirl sorted through the various trophies gathered from the teamstest victims. Two gold teeth, a pair of rusted iron gauntlets, and best of all Shellgirl showcased a bloated blue organ wriggling in her hand. An undying liver! You found an undying liver? Vasi looked over her shoulder and grinned when she noticed the nauseous treasure. Thats marvelous! Can I take it? What use could you have for an undeads liver? Basil asked with slight disgust. Imagining his organs living on after his demise soured his stomach. The witchs eyes red with horror as if he had sphemed in her presence. Are you kidding? You can use undying livers to craft highly efficient detox potions! It wipes away drunkenness and hangovers in an instant! We would make a killing selling this to the orc tribe down the stream! Shellgirl snapped her fingers, an idea crossing her mind. We could make a package with beer and wine! Whatever, Basil replied, leaving the twodies to decide what to do about the organ. Shellgirl swiftly negotiated the liver against a percentage of the detox potion Vasi would create with it. Basil had a more important matter to deal with: assigning his new levels. He could finally invest in Gardener, Runesmith, or Fisherman. He would take a level in Gardener as it was a priority to help increase the food supply, but he hesitated between his two other options. On one hand, Fisherman would help him deal with the aquatic monsters moving into the river; he doubted the mermaid would be the only threat toe from Lourdes. On the other hand, Runesmith might give him an edge against the Unitys gearsmen. It would also be his first spellcasting ss. Vasi. Basil turned to the witch, who was about toplete a hexagram design within her circle. Can I ask you a question? Sure, she replied. You said I should consider bing a spellcaster because I had strong and rare affinities. Can you borate on your reasoning? I stand by what I said. Its rare to have someone with strong affinities in the full Wood, Metal, and Corrosion triad, let alone Fire and Water. Usually, a strong affinity in one of these elements is bnced by a weakness in their counterparts. Few humans also possess a strong Ailment affinity. Vasi finished tracing the circle in the grass. I suppose its counterbnced by your weaknesses in key elements like Soul, Wind, Lightning, and Light. This closes nearly a fourthof the magical repertoire to you. Basil frowned. What do you mean? You cant learn special Techniques or Spells from an element in which you have a weak affinity. To give you an example, the Ritual Im about to cast depends on Soul and Mythic elemental affinities. Im strong with Soul and neutral with Mythic, so I can learn and cast the spell. If I had a weak affinity in either, I would have failed to even learn it. But you don''t need a strong affinity in both elements, Basil noted. No, although a strong affinity in Mythic would have made it easier for me to learn the spell and empowered it further. Vasi smiled at him. Did you listen to my advice and consider a spellcasting ss change? Somewhat, Basil replied. Ive considered investing a level in Runesmith. Good, I own a spellbook about runes. I could lend it to you as payback for letting me use yourb. Vasi set Saint Bernadettes Reliquary in the hexagrams center. Runes arent as shy as other schools of magic, but theyre practical and can be used for many things. Reinforcing your equipment, fueling magical items, traps She had him at practical. Basil assigned his two new levels.
Runesmith & Gardener Level 1 Stat Gains: +1 STR, +2 AGI, +2 VIT, +2 MAG, +1 INT, +2 CHA, +1 LCK. You gained 50 HP and 30 SP.
New Perk: Runic I (Passive): You can now learn and cast [Runic] Spells up to Tier I. If you gain the ability to cast [Runic] Spells from other sses or Perks, the Tiers stack together.
New Perk: Jardin Secret I (Active): You can determine an area equal to 1 hectare per Gardener level as your [Jardin Secret]. Seeds nted in the area will have their growth period divided by your gardener level multiplied by 2; [nt] Monsters grown from these seeds will be naturally friendly to you and can be immediately added to your Party. You can change your [Jardin Secret]s location once per week, but if you do, the previous area loses all of its [Gardener]-rted benefits.
Monsters grown from these seeds will be naturally friendly to you and can be immediately added to your Party Partner, why are you looking like you want to kill someone? Shellgirl asked him. Because I am a stupid, stupid man! Basil replied angrily. If he had taken Gardener early he wouldnt have had to purge most of his vegetables! At least the Jardin Secret Perk would make harvesting food much easier. To Basils surprise, a new screen appeared before his eyes.
Congrattions, youvepleted the hidden requirements to unlock the secret [Technomancer] Spellcaster/Crafter hybrid ss!
Technomancer: A ss harnessing the power of runes and science to create magical technology. STR (C), AGI (C), VIT (C), SKI (B), MAG (B), INT (B), CHA (C), LCK (C).
Hybrid ss? Basil asked. Whats that?
Hybrid sses are special sses that count as two categories at once. For example, [Technomancer] levels count both as Crafter and Spellcaster levels; its Perks offer benefits for crafting items and casting spells. Hybrid sses need special requirements to unlock and have a lower level cap than normal sses.
[Technomancer] ss requirements: strong [Metal] affinity; level 10+; Magic 15+; can cast [Runic] spells; can craft science items without a recipe;pleted aboratory-building quest.
Basil wondered how many people would fit these requirements. What struck him the most, however, was the possibility of unlocking new sses other than the ones avable from the start. Basil, check this out! to called out to his owner and raised his rapier. Wind sh! Basil watched with amazement as air swirled around the tip of tos sword. The cat swung his weapon and unleashed a sharp de of wind across the stream. It cut neatly through the waters surface, carved a line on the other shores dirt, and sliced a tree in half. Nice! Shellgirl pped, as did Vasi. Thank you, thank you. to offered a mock bow. I deserve it. Now you can help me chop wood, Basil quipped. His cat hissed at him in response. Something is missing though, Vasi said with a chuckle. She took her witch hat out, moved closer to to, and put it on his head. It was a bit toorge for the cat at first, but quickly shrunk to adjust to his size. Basil had to admit it looked good on his pet. Here you go! You look dashing! Youre wrong. to checked his reflection in the stream and brandished his sword at the moon. He had be a true puss-in-boots. I look perfect! Youre sure about the hat? Basil asked Vasi. Keep it, I have plenty more at home. She winked at him. Though I wouldnt mind a few potions inpensation. Youll have them, Basil replied with gratefulness. He didnt know how much of the witchs generosity was natural or a calcted move to earn favors, but it wouldnt go to waste. Are we ready to begin? Yes, although I must warn you that the Ritual does not give me any control over what Im about to summon. Vasi joined her hands. I would keep your halberd ready if I were you, in case I call someone in a cranky mood. Basil summoned his weapon to his hand and turned to his other allies. Shellgirl, to, you heard thedy. Our foes shall suffer the agony of a thousand deaths by my sword! to dered with the tone of a dramatic actor. Give me a glove to duel with! Woe to the first dog to cross my path! With such a talented star, Basil thought they should start a theater troupe. Vasis hands burned with sparks of magic. She touched the circles edge with her soft fingers, the energy within them traveling through the symbol and the hexagram within it. The design shone brightly under the faint light of the night sky''s moon. The otherworldly energies coursing through the symbols burst into a purple geyser of particles and the Reliquary of Saint Bernadette vanished in their light. Here ites, Vasi whispered. A humanoid shape formed at the center of the particle geyser. Shellgirl pointed her cannons at the figure and Basil prepared to strike at the first sign of hostility. He had been taught all his life that angels were a force of good, but the world went mad a long time ago The otherworldly lights died to reveal a strange creature. It was a humanoid no taller than Basil himself, with elegant feathered white wings growing out of its shoulders. The rest of the body didnt look like any angel from the scriptures. It wore a yellow coat with a cowl, green boots,tex gloves, and a ck rounded hat. A white gue doctors mask hid the angels face and a bandolier full of potions was strapped on its chest. The outfit didnt leave a single spot of skin exposed to the outside world. Basil expected more holy light from an angel. This one appeared humble, almost mundane; it didnt even possess a halo.
Zachariel, Junior Angel of Healing
Level 13(-7) [Angel]
Basil couldnt identify the name and he didnt know what to make of the junior part. Hello! The angel waved a friendly hand at Basil. His voice was nasal, masculine. My name is Zachariel, but please, call me Zach! Did you summon me for a consultation? Do you fear for your spiritual health? I Basil didnt know how to respond to that. He hadnt prayed for a long time and the presence of an angel right in front of him begged many, many theological questions. I dont think so Did you take a baptism booster? the angel asked before he could finish. A baptism booster? Ive been baptized at birth, if thats what you meant. Good, good. The angel nodded. But you should take a second baptism shot, to be sure. You seem in good spiritual health for now, but even the most faithful can propagate coronatheism to their sicker brethren. You mean the coronavirus? Basil asked with a frown. No, the coronatheism, the angel replied. Its a rampant affliction that ravages the victims spiritual health. We havent found a vine yet and the faithful havent yet developed collective immunity. Basil stared at the angel in utter confusion. The gospels hadnt prepared him for whatever this was. Shellgirl scratched her head. Hes a bit strange, no? Hes half-bird, to snorted and pointed at the angels wings. Thats never a good sign. Their words brought Zachariels full attention upon them. He examined them one after the other, lights shining through the ss eyes of his mask. I see your cat suffered from agnostic cancer, but it is safely in remission, the angel informed Basil. I advise a steady diet of holy water in the morning, noon, and evening. Your mimic iste for a baptism shot, but we can arrange that right now. Wait, did you say cancer? tos eyes widened in horror. I have cancer? In remission, the angel replied. For the witch, Im less optimistic. She has umted a lot of negative karma cholesterol. Here we go, Vasi said with a sigh. If you try to sell me a karma insurance package, Im leaving. Thats not my department, Zachariel replied calmly. What I can do is to register you to our new convent shock therapy. The karma recovery rate reached seventy percentst year. I dont understand, Basil said. None of this made sense. Do you serve the Lord? Is this Gods n? The Apocalypse, the Four Horsemen? The apocalypse? The angel appeared truly puzzled by Basils questions. What do you mean? I thought the event had been canceled decades ago? The angels response plunged Basil into an abyss of existential dread. Things he had taken for gospel brought nothing but confusion from a heavenly messenger. This didnt bode well. Wait, were we Christians Basil gulped. Were we wrong? Were the Muslims correct? The Jews? Zachariel observed Basil without a word for a long minute before finally answering. Im sorry, but what are you talking about? Whats a Muslim? Its my fault, Basil, Vasi apologized. I messed up. I dont understand, Basil said. He understood nothing! How so? He is an angel from heaven, alright. Vasi smiled sheepishly. But not your worlds heaven. Basil blinked a few times as he processed the witchs words. His eyes turned to his allies, who shrugged their shoulders, and then to the angel. On which, Basil asked, do you think we are? Outremonde? Zachariel answered, immediately realizing he had guessed wrong. No? No, this is Earth, Basil replied, his teeth grinding together in frustration. Earth. Which one? the angel asked innocently. At this moment, Basil realized that the universe hated him. Can we get another try? he pleaded with Vasi. Not without something like the Reliquary, Im afraid, the witch replied. The artifact had vanished alongside the summoning circle. My spell consumes the focus. They used the consecrated remains of a Catholic saint on a churchs grounds And they still messed up the summoning! The fact youre from another world doesnt absolve you from respecting the right spiritual health procedures, Zachariel dered with the boundless enthusiasm of a medical intern. You must pray three times a day, quarantine the unbelievers, and avoid sexual rtionships unprotected by the bonds of marriage. Its the best way to protect yourself from coronatheism. Can we talk about my cancer, please? to asked. He sounded very worried. If I lose a life again, will it go away? Vasi chuckled lightly, as did Shellgirl. Basil couldnt bring himself to share their amusement. Between the Reliquary falling on hisp and the angel-summoning quest, hed thought God had some kind of mysterious n to help him. He should have known better. The existence of more than one heaven also bothered him on a theological level. Okay, maybe its not so bad. Basil tried to remain optimistic as Zachariel reassured to about his spiritual health. Hes an angel of healing. Hes got to be able to help somehow. Basil did wonder about the strange negative value right next to the angels level.
Monsters exceeding the Incursion Level Limit will suffer a level penalty from the Trimurti System if prematurely summoned to Earth. Experience points will instead allow them to regain their lost levels, stats, and Perks rather than gaining new ones.
Thirteen plus seven Basil counted. His real level is twenty? Oh, I hadnt noticed. Zachariel looked at his hands. How odd. This is the first time Ive heard of anything like this. Well, Basil was d he wasnt the only one asking himself questions. System, what does Incursion Level Limit mean?
Information locked until the next Incursion event.
Of course. Basil had the nagging suspicion it had something to do with the Unitys warning about levels needing to stay down. Anyway, Zachariel, Vasi summoned you at my behest, Basil exined after regaining hisposure. We need help to cure people petrified by monsters. Can you help? Of course, the angel replied, much to Basils relief. My blessed hands can heal any ailment of the body, petrification included. Where are the victims? Okay, maybe this summoning wasnt a bust after all.
Quest: Bernies Hotline The day had been profitable level wise. And if Zachariel was correct and could cure the petrified victims of the Unity, then it made retaking the city and scraping the bots possible. All Basil had to do was convince the army to help. Somehow, he didnt feel good about his odds. Chapter 22: Man vs Army Chapter 22: Man vs Army The D824 departmental road was silent in the night. Oak trees bordered it on both sides, three of them having fallen onto the asphalt. Basil waited with his back against his Renault Kangoo, while Bugsy, Rosemarine, and to surveyed the area for any sign of trouble. Shellgirl had remained at home to protect the house alongside the House Garden party and Basil hoped they wouldnt need her artillery support. Officer Elissalde had informed herrades through phone calls that the partys monsters were friendly, but he couldnt rule out the possibility that this meeting might degenerate anyway. How is it that Im more disturbed by the idea of meeting fellow humans than monsters? Basil nced at Elissalde. The police officer had put on her riot gear and recovered a handgun which she kept ready to fire at all times. She looked tense as Zachariel gave her a medical checkup, as if expecting the angel to transform into a demon at the first sign of trouble. Unless Im the exception that proves the rule? You are in rtively good spiritual health, officer, Zachariel delivered his analysis. But dont forget to pray three times a day to stay in good shape. Ill keep it in mind, Officer Elissalde replied politely. Basil could tell that she epted the angels request for a check-up out of curiosity, but didnt put much weight in his judgment. You you are unlike how I imagined an angel to be. I understand, Zachariel replied. My division gets that all the time since the boys in marketing messed up thest healthcare campaign. I told them ck gue imagery scares patients away, but they cling to the nostalgia market. Officer Elissalde listened to the angels words in silence and bit her lower lip. Basil hadnt dared yet to exin that Zachariel came from a world other than Earth. She would break if confronted with too much information at once and hearing the feathered doctor talk was a lot to take in already. Zachariel was a one-man test of faith. Nothing yet, Boss, Bugsy said, his antennae against the road. Are we too early? I dont know. Basil turned to Officer Elissalde. Are we? My party should arrive soon. She inhaled sharply. Unless unless something unforeseen happened. Unless the Unity happened, Basil corrected her. He had brought his halberd, to his sword, and Rosemarine a handgun for each of her vines, but he hoped they wouldnt have to use them. The road would make a deadly location for an ambush and Zachariel didnt look like much of a fighter. Its all right miss, well deal with it, Bugsy tried to reassure Officer Elissalde. Weve reached level twelve now, one short of the gearsmen! They dont scare us anymore! I Officer Elissalde cleared her throat. Thats good. Levels dont mean everything, Bugsy, Basil warned. They had in far too many monsters above their weight ss to rest on theirurels. It does feel good to close the gap in power though. Im a few levels away from metamorphosis, Rosemarine whispered. I can feel it. And when I evolve when I evolve The nt giggled to herself, which made Officer Elissalde take a step away from her. Basil found it adorable. Come to think of it, he should assign his newest level so his allies had a better chance of transforming into stronger forms. Basil didnt hesitate about his choice for long. The Technomancer ss looked tailor-cut to help fight the Unity and more crafting options would make his team more self-sufficient.
Level 1 Technomancer Stat Gains: +1 VIT, +1 SKI, +1 MAG, +1 INT. You gained 20 HP and 10 SP.
New Perk: Magitek (Active): You can use the refine option on a technological device to forge a rune on a selected item. The device must have an unused effect spot and you must know a rune spell to assign to it. This ability can apply to pieces of technology from forged tools to machines and vehicles, but cannot work on Consumables, Lairs, or Key Items.
An unused effect spot? Didnt his halberd have one?
You need a rune to refine: [La Ravageuse, Swiss Halberd].
So Basil could strengthen his weapon once he learned to cast runes. Vasi had given him a spellbook about them, but he didnt have the time to check it out yet. The witch had declined to help further. Vasi was fine trading magical tips and items, but waging war on a machine army went beyond the call of good neighborhood rtionships. Basil checked Officer Elissalde one more time. To his surprise, a System screen appeared over her head.
Neria Elissalde
Level 11 [Humanoid] (Guard 10/Gunslinger 1)
Party: Aztain Ahizpa.
Officer Elissalde raised an eyebrow at his insistent stare. Why are you looking at me like that? Because now Im smart enough to, Basil replied with great satisfaction. Nerd alert, nerd alert, to replied mockingly. Officer Elissalde smiled in embarrassment, probably because she didnt know how to answer. Also, Aztain Ahizpa? Basil asked. Its Basque, right? It means shepherd sisters, she exined. I didnte up with the name. My sister did. You formed a party with your family? If you cant rely on your family, then whom can you trust? Officer Elissalde asked. Basil made a face at her answer, which she immediately noticed. Did I say something wrong? Yes, a lot of bullshit, Basil replied. Her words had left a bitter taste in his mouth. Shared blood is just that: blood. Her lips twisted at his venomous words. Is this about the Lamont case? Partly. Basils family wasnt a model of dependability either. His children didnt see him for ten years. Ten. Years. Not a visit, not even a single call. Basil spat on the ground. They didnt even visit his grave when he died. No, they went straight to the notary and to the judge a fortnightter. They sued me for showing basic human decency. I I see. Officer Elissalde cleared her throat. There are always rotten apples. That was one way to put it. Rens children had used Basil of having exploited an old mans vulnerability to steal his house and inheritance. The bitter fight that followed had soured his opinion of the justice system. Although Basil won his case, the mary inheritance Ren left him went down thewyer drain. If he had lived to see it, I dont think Ren would have been disappointed, Basil said. to listened to the conversation on the side, utterly silent. Just sad. Is that why you live in the woods so far from the city? Officer Elissalde sighed. Ive been doing this job for five years, Mr. Bohen. Ive seen men beat their wives, someone shooting a neighbor over a hedges size, and more human stupidity than you can imagine. But Ive also met single mothers struggling to send their children to university. Ive witnessed people working hard to support their aging parents so they wouldnt die in a heartless retirement home and a woman rescuing a child from drowning at great risk to herself. Whenever Im confronted with crime, I try to remember these good men and women. Basil snorted. If youre making a point about mankinds inherent goodness My point is that there are rotten apples and good apples, and that you shouldnt throw out the full fruit basket to get rid of the former. She cleared her throat. If it makes sense. She looked about as good at conversation as Basil himself; which was to say, not much. Thankfully, Bugsy spared them from further embarrassment. Boss, I hear arge object approaching us. Me too, to said, his sword raised. A big, heavy car. Headlights shed at the end of the road. Basil held his breath as he began to distinguish arge shape through the darkness. Officer Elissalde took a few steps forward and stood in the middle of the road, waving her hand and indicating at the vehicle to park itself next to the Renault Kangoo. Basil identified the iing car as a VAB: a wheeled, amphibious troop transporter. The vehicle made surprisingly little noise even though it dwarfed his Renault Kangoo in size. Its thick shielding showed steely scars along its left nk. An armored gunner manned a mounted machine gun on the VAB''s top. The front windows were marred with traces of bullet impacts. Although the vehicle parked itself peacefully, the gunner cautiously pointed his weapon at Bugsy. The centipede raised his head as high as possible in an attempt to look intimidating. Basil, I smell a dog and other humans inside the vehicle, to whispered. Two, maybe three. Basil remained on his guard and ready to strike. The gunner hid his face behind a goggled helmet and a ck facemask, his expression unseen.
Major Matteo Lionel Grange
Level 13 [Humanoid] (Soldier 7/Gunslinger 6)
Party: Aztain Ahizpa.
That man didnt look like a sister to Basil, but he was too ssy to make a joke about it. Officer Elissalde saluted the gunner. Major Grange. Officer. The gunner surveyed the party before settling his gaze on Basil himself. And Mr. Bohen, is it? Lower your weapon, Basil replied. Dont get twitchy. Step away from the vehicle, the major replied, his voice t and authoritative. Now. Bugsy snapped his mandibles and Rosemarine raised her guns, but Basil stopped them with a nce. The party stepped away from Officer Elissalde and closer to the trees. At no point did the gunner stop pointing his weapon at them. The tense standoff stretched on for a minute. The Major broke the silence by muttering something to his VATs driver which Basil couldnt hear. A hatch opened at the back of the military vehicle, and a teenager no older than sixteen in riot gear stepped out alongside a doberman. An eyepatch covered her left eye. Basil immediately noticed a family resemnce with Officer Elissalde; same nose and hair, simr cheeks. She carried a whip instead of a firearm.
Maya Elissalde
Level 9 [Humanoid] (Houndmaster 9)
Party: Aztain Ahizpa.
Mylne, Doberman
Level 8 [Beast]
Party: Aztain Ahizpa.
The young teens grim expression disappeared upon seeing Officer Elissalde. Sis! She dropped her whip and immediately moved to embrace her sibling. Thank God, youre okay! Im here, Maya. Officer Elissalde clearly struggled to hold back tears. But Thomas and the others Im so sorry The female doberman sniffed the air left and right before turning her head in the Majors direction. I dont smell anyone else, chief. The gunner seemed to rx a little, although he kept a tight grip on his machine gun. He nodded gratefully at Basil, his deep voice softening. Thank you for saving my teammate. Youve done the army a great favor. But youre still going to point your weapon at us, Basil guessed. The vehicles driver didnte out either. Im giving you the benefit of the doubt. Dont push your luck. The Major turned his mounted weapon in Rosemarines direction. One of these things ate one of our men not two weeks ago. Did he taste good? Rosemarine asked innocently. The Majors hands nearly pressed his weapons trigger, but he held back at thest second. And worst of all he nced at to. You have a trained cat with you. The grim, almost fearful way he said it surprised Basil; as did the rest of his crews reactions. Cats are dangerous, the hound mistress whispered, her doberman ring at to. They kill without mercy. I was scared a bit at first too when I saw, Officer Elissalde admitted. But this one is well-trained and obedient. Do you have something against cats? to asked in outrage. Thats racism! I dont understand either, Basil said. Whats the problem? You dont know? Officer Elissalde frowned. Cats have an inherently advanced proficiency with ws. They inflict a lot of damage at early levels. Yes, were born winners, to replied. What about it? What about it? the Major nearly choked. Since the System arrived, fucking stray cats arent afraid of humans anymore! They fight us for territory, raid our food supplies, and attack those who resist! A group of them wiped out a full squad by slitting their throats in the night! They kill so many birds that they soar in levels quickly, Maya Elissalde added. I saw one reaching level fifteen. Fifteen. Basil wanted to say that he was surprised, but after all the dead flyers to brought home, he had half-expected that scenario. Speaking of to, his kindreds dark deeds pleased him greatly; almost as much as they scared Bugsy. Basil, the feline revolution has started, the cat said proudly. Its not toote to submit. Ill make sure youre well-treated as my ve. Dont force me to give you the river puppy treatment, Basil joked with a cruel smile on his face. With eight lives left, you can drown more than once. Oh yes, we live near a river and cats are weak to water! Bugsy realized with relief. Were safe! Anyway, fair, keep your gun ready, Basil told the Major. But press the trigger and well respond with deadly force. The Major snorted. Youll try. Sir, I swear these people are on our side, Officer Elissalde said upon gently pushing her sister away. I owe them my life. One of them can cure petrification. That remains to be seen, the Major replied with skepticism. We have a petrified teammate in the back. If they cure her, then well talk. We also have a server in ours. Basil pointed at his Kangoo with his halberd. You can take it if you answer some questions. About the Dismaker Labs shitshow? The Major snorted. Fat chance with that. Because you wont tell us? to asked. Because we dont understand much ourselves. Whole world turned into some freaky video game. How can you exin that? It makes no fucking sense! Major. Officer Elissalde straightened up. I request permission to share information with Mr. Bohen. I promised him as much. Her superior shrugged. For all its worth Does the name Anton Maxwell mean something to you? Officer Elissalde asked Basil. Vaguely, he replied. He remembered seeing the name floating among his news feed before the System arrived. He was the CEO of Dismaker Labs before the System came along. Some half-Indian tech entrepreneur with a big bank ount and an even bigger ego, a pioneer in cryptocurrency, the Metaverse, etc So, a hype man, Basil said. His words made the Major chuckle a little, although the Elissalde sisters remained stone-faced. Is he behind the dungeons? We think so, Officer Elissalde confirmed. Dismaker Labs is a multinational corporation specialized in hardware and software, especially microprocessors and next-gen chips. ording to our investigation, they started cooperating with UNESCO on a cultural project two years ago. The Trimurti Initiative, Maya Elissalde whispered. Thats the name. Basil clenched his teeth. Continue. Dismaker Labs partnered with UNESCO to create a, I quote, cultural metaverse. The very name made Officer Elissalde shiver. Basil guessed he wasnt the only one skeptical about the technology in question. They would set up new-generation devices in all current and candidate world heritage sites, historicalndmarks, and nature reserves. Nature reserves? Basil immediately caught on. Like the Barthes? Yes, like the Barthes, Officer Elissalde confirmed. When you told me where you found the server, I immediately made the connection. Weve heard reports of simr devices to your server in Bordeaux, Biarritz, and other towns, said Major Grange. All of them were found in dungeons that spontaneously formed over a historical monument or museum. ording to our investigation into Dismaker Labs, the devices would digitally reconstructndmarks at the apex of their glory, Officer Elissalde exined. Put on a VR headset at home, and you could bet on diator fights in a reconstructed Roman Colosseum, visit the Taj Mahal, or hunt digital mammoths in Siberia. At least, thats how Dismaker Labs presented their project. Well, I cant fault them for false advertising, Basil replied with a deadpan look. If anything, they overachieved. Thats one way to put it. Officer Elissalde smiled bitterly. But it doesnt look like thepanys employees knew what would happen. Those who we managed to interrogate were as lost as we were. They didnt even understand how the servers work. We smelled no lies from them, the female doberman rasped. What happened to Anton Maxwell? Basil asked. Where is he? Do you think we would be here if we knew? Major Grange asked. Man turned into a ghost. Hes probably hiding in a hole on the other side of the world. The French army and police are actively searching for information on Anton Maxwells whereabouts, Officer Elissalde said. Studying your server could help us with a lead. Basil doubted it would yield much information. The sheer degree of secrecy around Dismaker Labs leader and operations implied that the Systems arrival had been long-premeditated. It must have taken years to spread the servers across the globe and to earn the trust of an institution like UNESCO. No world-ending mastermind worth their salt would leave a lead for investigators to find. And although thepanys lower employees were probably innocent, Basil suspected that the higher-ups had been on the n. A single man couldnt hide a secret sorge from everyone else. He must have had aplices. What bothered Basil wasnt how Dismaker Labs pulled off the apocalypse, but why. What did they hope to gain from destroying the world? Unless the apocalypse was a mere stepping stone to reach a greater prize. The jackass wants to be the Overgod, Basil guessed. Its all clear to me. Thats our running theory for now, Officer Elissalde replied. But we cant confirm it yet. Its big work and were small people dealing with shit on the ground, Major Grange said. Killing all the monsters we find. You arent even good at it, Bugsy muttered under his breath. We scrapped the gearsman ourselves. If the Major heard the remark, he didnt show it. Neria, Maya, bring the other dog out of the hold. Well put their cure to the test. The Elissalde sisters moved to the back of the military vehicle. When they returned, they carefully carried a petrified Basque Shepherd dog and set it on the road. to looked back and forth between the stone animal and its handlers. Seriously? he asked. This is your teammate? Maya Elissalde grit her teeth. Stupid cat. Lets be honest here. to stared at the doberman with a smug face. Do you have an advanced proficiency with ws? The dogs ears lowered in shame. Medium with bites. And thats why cat lovers will inherit the earth. to put his paws behind his head. Dog thralls denied our inherent superiority. They gave canines the lions share of love instead of gaining our favor with treats and hugs. Now you will pay the price for your arrogance. But we buff masters with our barks! the doberman defended her species. We help each other! That is so cute! to, stop demeaning dogs, Basil chided his pet. Im not demeaning anyone, Im stating facts, to dered with pride. All Im saying, Basil, is that once we felines have cleansed the Earth of birds and taken back our rightful ce as masters of the universe youll be on the winning side. Basil couldnt argue with that. Zachariel? Im not sure how to tell him the truth, sir, the angel whispered back while staring at Major Grange. Its terminal. That wasnt the answer Basil wished to hear. You cant cure petrification? No, I cannot cure coronatheism. He caught a militant variant. Zachariel let out a sigh of despair. At this stage, I fear the disease is incurable. Basil rolled his eyes. Yes, Zachariel, France is one of the countries with the most atheists in it. Big deal. You can coexist with coronatheism. The angel looked at him as if he had grown a second head. You can? Yes, I can, Basil replied with a shrug. If they respect my faith, I respect theirplete absence of it. Im free to live my life as I see fit and so are they. I see Zachariel scratched his mask with his hand. You are aiming to develop herd immunity among the poption by exposing them to the virus. The losses will be terrible, but it could work. Sure, lets go with that, Basil lied through his teeth. Would you follow them to Bordeaux if your magic works? Of course, if it can help cure the sick. I have arge quota to fulf Zachariel coughed. I mean, it is my holy duty as an angel. Basil was seriously starting to wonder what kind of heaven this weirdo came from. He had the feeling the truth would induce a tremendous crisis of faith. The angel proved as good as his word though. Zachariel touched the petrified Basque Shepherds head, his fingers glowing with green light. His magic turned stone to flesh and fur in an instant. stress, get down! The Basque Shepherd leaped in rm, starting Zachariel. Huh? Diane! Maya Elissalde hugged the confused dog. Youre back. Mistress? Where are the robots? The Basque Shepherd looked around and immediately barked at Bugsy upon noticing him. Danger! Danger! H-hey, calm down! The centimagma snapped his mandibles at her. Dont bark at me! Officer Elissalde observed Zachariel with a pleased smile. Major, it worked. It doesnt change anything, her superior replied gruffly. Even if we seeded in destroying the machines and freeing the civilians from stone, what then? The countryside is overrun by monsters, food is scarce, and the whole region is in shambles. We would have to evacuate Daxs panicked poption to Bordeaux, which will stretch our resources thin. We cant leave the poption at the machines mercy either, Officer Elissalde argued. Not when we have a cure. I dont like it either, but the orders from the top were clear. We are to abandon the region and retreat to Bordeaux. The Major remained upromising. This is bigger than either of us, officer. Basil sneered in contempt. Of course, he wouldnt get a return on investment with his taxes. Why should he have expected anything else? I should have known the French army was better at retreating than fighting back, he muttered. A tense silence set on the road, until Major Grange slowly turned his machine gun in Basils direction. Dare to repeat that out loud, smartass? Where is your resistance spirit? Wheres Joan of Arc? Basil admonished him, refusing to cower. The gearsmen arent even German! France won more battles and wars than any other country except the British! Major Grange raised his head to better look down on Basil. Arent you a Bulgarian citizen? Your fucking country only exists because the Russians took pity on you! What? Basil saw red. His jaw clenched so hard he thought his teeth might shatter. What did you say? Please, please, everyone calm down, Officer Elissalde tried to defuse the situation. Dont Russian military help was a small detail of Bulgarian independence! Basil snarled. We could have kicked the Ottomans out of our homnd alone! By burying them under your dead and ipetence? The Major replied with a mocking tone. You haven''t won a war since the Byzantine! At least we didnt need a Corsican immigrant to win ours! How dare Basils response left the Major burning with rage. Were throwing a pointless battle to win the war! Thats the very essence of strategy! Thats the very essence of surrender, yes! Basil taunted him. Dont force me toe down and kick your ass! Come if you dare! Im the one paying your minimum wage! Basil tossed his halberd aside and pulled up his sleeves. Youre not shitting on me, youre shitting on Bulgaria! Fine! the Major rose from the VAB''s top, leaving his machine gun aside. Ill colonize your face with my fist! Yes! Rosemarine chirped. Blood! Kick his ass, Boss! Bugsy encouraged Basil. I believe in you! Do your best! Zachariel gave them thumbs up. I can cure anything short of death and dismemberment! to looked up at Officer Elissalde, his face one of utter indifference. So, is yours always like this? The policewoman let out a long, deep sigh as Basil prepared to defend his countrys honor. Chapter 23: Man vs Countdown Chapter 23: Man vs Countdown The fight ended in a tie. Was this spat really necessary? Officer Elissalde asked Basil and the Major with a frown of disapproval. That was stupid and barbaric. Backing down would have shamed my ancestors, Basil replied with patriotic pride. He walked away from the fistfight with sore pains in his chest, a broken rib, and a ck eye. Nothing Rosemarines pollen couldnt heal. My honor required it. Your honor, or your idiocy? Officer Elissalde took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. Madness. It was madness. Its okay Boss, you won the battle! Bugsy reassured Basil, having encouraged him with Rosemarine all the way; to had spent the fight licking his own ass instead. Hes twice your age and you still beat him into the ground! Rosemarine nodded in approval. You will eat him next time, Mister. He wont, Maya Elissalde replied. The houndmaster and her dogs had acted as the Majors cheerleading squad during the duel. The chief went easy on him. So did the Boss! Bugsy defended Basils honor. He didnt even use the Carmehameha secret technique! Officer Elissalde raised an eyebrow at the centimagmas boast, but didntment. What are you eastern Europeans made of, stone? the Major asked as Zachariel healed his broken nose with a mere touch of his finger. The French soldier looked vaguely Iberian without his helmet. Basil pegged him as thirty-five years old or so, with short ck hair and dark eyes. You hit hard for an immigrant. You didnt do too bad either, for a frog-eater, Basil replied. The Major was better in hand-to-handbat techniques due to his training, but Basil surpassed him in speed and strength. Both epted the tie with gracefulness. Nothing better to build mutual respect than a nighttime brawl. The Major let out a long, heavy sigh. Its the Yankees'' fault, you know? What? Basil asked. The meme! The cheese-eating surrender monkeys meme! The Yankees used it because we wouldnt follow them in Iraq, and that shit took root! Centuries of victories and sacrifices forgotten with one half-assed propaganda campaign! The Major grunted. I know the second world war wasnt our finest hour, but we won the first, damn it! Im sure well win the tiebreaker! I would prefer that we win this war first, Basil replied. Me too. Maya Elissalde petted her two dogs behind the ears. Were leaving people behind. Basil nced at her eyepatch. It didnt take a genius to guess what happened. Did a watchman Shrapnel, she replied with a wince. The event still seemed fresh in her mind. From a gearsman. Officer Elissalde gave her sister a crestfallen look, and Basil turned to Zachariel. Can you heal her eye? he asked the angel. I can cure blindness of an eye, but not regenerate one, Zachariel replied with a saddened voice. I can file a demand to the miracle department, but I must warn you that they barely approve three or so per century. I see, Maya Elissalde replied. She didnt look surprised, only disappointed. Her doberman and Basque Shepherd licked her hands in an attempt to cheer her up. Let me try! Rosemarine showered Maya Elissalde with pollen. It only made her sneeze. One day, I will grow a flower in your eye! Keep faith, Zachariel told Maya with optimism. More healing options wille up as I regain my lost levels and earn new ones. A fellow human with the correct ss might also help you regenerate your eye. Officer Elissalde raised an eyebrow. sses can do that? Of course. The most powerful Prayer spells can split the sea in two, regrow arms, and even bring back the deceased. Basils head perked up in interest as the angel continued his exnation. If this worlds System is simr to mine, then it can do almost anything under the right circumstances. Zacharielsstments earned him confused nces, Basils included. Raise the dead? He had seen the Systems magic create a dungeon out of nowhere and raise corpses as monsters, but to raise the dead resurrection-style could a powerful Priest say the right prayer at Ren tombstone and return him to life? Their prayers had be spells after all Stop dreaming, Basil scolded himself. You would have to be very high-level to achieve a miracle of that magnitude, or fulfill some godly quest. Still, if the System could indeed raise the dead, what other wonders and terrors could it unleash on Earth? Maybe well find a healer in Bordeaux, young mistress, said the doberman. Yes, someone who can make you a new eye! I dont want to retreat from this ce. The Major sounded so frustrated that Basil took him at his word. Not before the jobs done. But the general wont take no for an answer. I already had to beg to organize Nerias pickup. A VAB can hold up to ten soldiers, yet we came with half as many, dogs included. Thats not the troops you send on key missions. The higher-ups didnt believe in a cure for the watchers stone curse, Maya Elissalde said. Everyone else left. Everyone left? Basil put the two and two together. The rest of the army evacuated to Bordeaux already? Yes, the Major confirmed. Were thest troops in Dax. Basil clenched his fists. There went his hopes of convincing the army to clear the region for his peace of mind. What about the petrified citizens? We put the statues we could carry in trucks and brought them with us to Bordeaux, the Major replied with a heavy heart. The rest, we left behind. Do your superiors know the robots are building a dungeon? Basil asked. If you dont take them out now, theyll fortify the city and youll never take it back. Our parting shot dyed the servers construction, but wont stop it, Officer Elissalde added. Were leaving thousands behind at the machines mercy. I know, Officer, the Major replied sadly. But what can we do? Desert the army to stand our ground? If we unpetrify civilians, it will make evacuation difficult and our supply situation even worse. We dont have to unpetrify them, Officer Elissalde argued. Not immediately at least. We can continue transporting petrified victims to Bordeaux and heal them there. And who will keep the machines busy while we organize these convoys, Officer? You heard General Lenc: everyone must regroup in Bordeaux. Ill fight, Basil said, catching everyones attention. He would rather have stayed under the radar, but with the Unity building a dungeon on his doorstep that was no longer an option. He would never have peace so long as the robots remained active in his backyard. I was already considering guerri actions against them. Hit and run. Partisan warfare? The Major chuckled. You would fight for France? Basil nced at his monsters. Ill fight to protect my home and friends. No more. Im with you, Boss, Bugsy said. We beat a gearsman, we can do it again. I told you, Basil. to shrugged. This is our territory. The gizmos will get the memo one death at a time. The Major listened in silence, before asking Officer Elissalde for a cigarette. You know the army ordered a general mobilization? he asked. Every able-bodied French citizen can get drafted into the army. Im not French, Basil replied gruffly, and Im not leaving my house. Ive got a better proposal in mind. The Major lit his cigarette. You are now an official auxiliary of the French armed forces, Mr. Bohen. Your mission, if you ept it, will be to protect your home, disrupt enemy actions behind the front lines, and bleed the machines for every inch of ground. Basil snorted. So keep doing what Ive been doing? Yes, but with the armys blessing. The Major nced at Maya Elissalde. Give him a radio. Youre sure, chief? the houndmaster asked with a frown of skepticism. We dont have many of them. If this Bulgarian immigrant wants to prove his manhood, then well let him. A few minutester, Basil became the proud owner of a military radio. The device resembled a cube of steel with a keypad, a wired phone, and a small screen. A little French g was painted on the side. That way youll receive intel from us, maybe even weapon shipment drops if we can arrange it, the Major exined. Dont lose it. That piece of tech costs more than you earn in a year. Wee to the maquis, Basil, Officer Elissalde said with a small smile. Dont expect me to leave the countryside for Bordeaux, Basil replied with a smirk of his own. But thank you for your trust. You better earn it, the Major replied before shrugging his shoulders. Well leave after I finish my cigarette and see if we can arrange statue pick-upster. Your angel ising with us. If Zach wants to. The angel raised a thumbs up. I am always up for missionary work, Sir. Although the meeting didnt go as well as Basil wanted, he felt a little bit of satisfaction at having made a difference. Zachariel would heal people who needed it. Basil prepared to say goodbye to the Majors unit and drive his pets home, when to leaped to his feet without warning. The cat looked up at the skies, his tail tense as a bowstring. What? his owner asked. Do you feel that? tos whiskers wavered. In the air? We do, the dogs present replied, their ears raised. Everywhere. Bugsy raised his antennae. Boss, I sense vibrations. I sense them too, Mister, Rosemarine said, her roots digging into the soil. Everywhere. By the time Basil grabbed his halberd in rm, Officer Elissalde and her teammates had brought out handguns. But no gearsman came crawling out of the woodworks to attack them. Instead, Basil picked up the tension in the air; a vague feeling of a faint electrical current coursing over his skin. An invisible force blew over his face like a soft, feeble wind before continuing its course across the forest. Birds, bats, and bugs flew out of the trees branches by the road to flee; never a good sign. And then the night sky caught fire. The stars appeared to go supernova all at once. They red with a bright red glow, tainting the heavens with a bloody, crimson hue. Golden lines spread to connect them like a great spiders web or aputers circuitry. The first nodes spread from Dax in all directions, bringing the entire night sky into thework. tos eyes widened in rm. Itsing from the city! Elissalde! The Major snarled, the dogs echoing his anger with panicked howls and barks. Didnt you destroy the server? We did! Officer Elissalde insisted. We bombarded the arena! They shouldnt have been able toplete it so quickly! Its not the server, Basil replied grimly. The Barthes dungeon produced green auroras, not a circuit between the stars. An ominous screen message appeared before his eyes and confirmed his worst fears.
Congrattions, yers of Earth! Thanks to your hard work, you have unlocked an [Incursion] event!
[Incursions] are worldwide phenomena where Earth temporarily connects to Trimurti Systempatible universes. Rifts will transport yers, monsters, dungeons, treasures, and evenndmasses from other worlds!
[Incursions] are time-limited and centered around rifts; you can check the closest location with your [Logs] option. Additionally, experience gains will be boosted within the rifts vicinity.
To foster healthypetition, a barrier will prevent yers and monsters too powerful for locals to defeat from crossing over. The greater the average level of Earths poption grows, the weaker the barrier will be and [Incursions] will be more challenging.
Thanks to your hard work, the [Level Barrier] has now been raised to 25! yers, monsters, and dungeons up to level 25 will be able to cross over! Some existing dungeons will also increase in difficulty!
The [Incursion] will begin in 60 minutes andst for 5 hours. Dont miss it! Only one of you can be the new [Overgod]!
Basil said the only thing appropriate in these circumstances. Aww shit!
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
The hell? The Major dropped his cigarette, his fingers trembling. Level 25? One of the VABs front doors opened. The driver, a mousy woman with short ck hair and sses, stepped out of the vehicle. Major, I received an urgentmunication from HQ! Its happening in Bordeaux too! Basil hastily opened his Logs option. It showed a map of the region, Dax included. A ck, swirling whirlpool symbol covered the citys arena.
Rift Destination: Electon Cluster.
Ruling Faction: Unity.
Max SpawnLevel: 20.
Bonus: Experience gains are increased by 50% within one kilometer of the rift.
Field Type: Industrial.
Level 20. It was even worse than Basil expected. Thats too much! The behavior of the Apocalypse Force and Unity made sense now. The former purged the low-leveled ones to raise the worldwide average level as fast as possible to trigger Incursions, and thetter petrified everyone its watchers could find to artificially keep the number down. Shit, shit, shit The Major clenched his fists. Shit! The rift is located in Daxs arena, Officer Elissalde said with a heavy face. Did they know it would appear there? Probably, Basil replied. It cant be a coincidence that they tried to build a dungeon in the same location. Boss, uh Bugsy cleared his throat. Didnt the server in the station say that you would have to stay inside to defend it? Yes, you need a Boss to protect a dungeon. Basil frowned at the centimagma. What are you getting at? Well, uh maybe Im wrong, but the robots built a dungeon without any strong creature to defend it. I mean, gearsmen are tough but we managed to defeat one anyway. Officer Elissalde caught on first. You think a Boss is going to cross the rift. It made a worrying amount of sense to Basil. He had suspected the gearsman were awaiting reinforcements before kicking the army out of the city. These additional forces would arrive tonight, albeit without a dungeon homebase. But what could Basil do? His party had punched above its weightss before, but interfering with the rift would mean fighting high-level creatures in hostile territory. It would be a suicide mission with nothing to gain. Everyone, were returning home, Basil told his teammates. Well weather the storm and wait for it to calm down. You cant. Maya Elissalde bit her lower lip. You cant. And why not? The statues. Officer Elissaldes face lost all colors. You gain extra experience within the rifts perimeter, she whispered. The robots will have free target practice. A shiver traveled down Basils spine. The Unity petrified low-level humans to keep the barrier strong enough to prevent Incursions. Now that they had failed, their petrified victims were of little use. We cant be sure, Basil said. The Unity could keep its victims in storage to prevent the Level Limit from rising even further. Can you guarantee it? Officer Elissalde asked. Basils jaw clenched. No, he couldnt guarantee it. Not unless he moved to Dax to personally make sure that the Unity wouldnt open fire on its prisoners. From what I read, the Incursion connects to a cluster, Officer Elissalde added. If by that the System means a star cluster, then more than Unity machines might cross over. We dont know what kind of creatures wille through the rift and how violent they might be. Her sister nodded grimly and nced at her superior. Chief? What do we do? Fuck me, the older soldier replied as he climbed up on the VAB and moved behind his machine gun. Cant just stand by. Everyone buckle up, were checking for ourselves. Are we going too, Mister? Rosemarine asked Basil. to, Bugsy, and Zachariel looked at him expectedly. None of them showed much enthusiasm, but Basil could tell that they would follow him into the city if he asked. He felt no emotional attachment to the people of Dax. His closest interaction with one had been bringing to to the veterinarian. He owed the locals nothing. But Basil couldnt close his eyes and hide as alien monsters threatened to ughter them. Not when he could make a difference. It would be an act of untold cowardice. Yes. Although it killed Basil a little to say so. Well pick up Shellgirl and join in. Thank you, Officer Elissalde bowed slightly. Your help will be precious. Lets hope you can hit the bastards as hard as my pretty face, the Major dered before putting his helmet on. Well strike from two fronts to try to save as many civilians as we can and coordinate through the radio. Officer Elissalde, her sister, and the hounds climbed into the VABs hold. A minuteter, they were driving away towards the city. Are you certain, Basil? to asked his owner. Nobody will know. Nobody will care. I will, Basil replied with a sigh. And even if they ran, the robots woulde for them eventually all the same. Lets go. They would either kick the Unity out of the region for good or die trying. Chapter 24: Man vs Raid Chapter 24: Man vs Raid The countdown to destruction had fallen under fifteen minutes, but the party came prepared. Basil drove his Renault Kangoo across Daxs streets. A trailer carried Bugsy at the back, alongside enough weapons to blow up a city block. The number of chemical weapons Basil could make from household products with the Systems help frightened him. He managed to craft thermite with rust, aluminum, and leftover magnesium; napalm bombs from refined gasoline and polystyrene; white phosphorus from his rabbits and chickens manure; and even a chlorine bomb from bleach. Basil had stockpiled these devices since the gearsmans attack to defend his home, but he would rather avoid using them at all. Hisck of training in explosives made using them a dangerous proposition. Why did we bring the fertilizer too? to asked, sitting in the passenger seat right next to him. Shellgirl, Rosemarine, and Zachariel squeezed in the back of the car. You want to fight tanks with nts? In 2020, two massive explosions shook Beirut in Lebanon, Basil exined. Both were caused by fertilizer. Nearly three thousand tons of the stuff caused damage akin to an earthquake. Im hoping my products quality will make up for theck of quantity. Zachariel crossed his arms in disapproval. Sir, I am all for smiting infidels, but you cannot enter Heaven by blowing yourself up. I should have known we were closet terrorists. to nced at Rosemarine, who candidly waved a vine back at him. The suicide clones were a dead giveaway. Its only terrorism if we dont have the governments backing, to, Basil replied with a smile. Otherwise, its property damage. The System showed him a screen of support.
New Quest: Goodbye, Geneva!
Rmended Level: 20.
Objective: Build a weapon of mass destruction and use it.
Reward: 30,000 Bonus EXP + Alchemy Recipe.
An adventurers best friends were the bombs he built along the way. ording to the System, thermite bypasses Fire Resistance and inflicts supereffective damage against Artificial creatures, Basil thought. The military radio awaited on his dashboard, silent, unmoving. It should prove useful against the gearsmen. As for the portal, maybe we can blow it up with luck. Basil had yet to find a problem he couldnt solve with the right application of force. He nced through his windshield at the reddened night sky. The moon had vanished from sight. The golden circuit binding the stars together had takenplex shapes that reminded Basil of a glyph. A bright spiral of cosmic light upied the center of the celestial phenomenon high above Daxs arena. Its shape was that of a vibrant gxy of many glowing colors; the same Basil witnessed in the Ogre Den. Beautiful, Rosemarine whispered. I take back what I said, Basil thought grimly. The rifthe assumed that the spiral was the portalfloated far above the clouds. You would need an astronaut to fly that high. No watcher stopped the Renault Kangoos progress. Instead the Unity drones gathered around the arena in a swarm of steel. Their numbers had decreased since Basilsst visit in the city, but they still numbered in the hundreds. Basil? Officer Elissalde called through the radio. Basil, do you hear me? Roger that, Officer, Basil replied. It amused him a little to use military jargon for once. Were approaching the stadium. We have the rift in sight. Do not engage. I repeat, do not engage until we say so. Stay at a safe distance and watch until we can ascertain the situation. Were crossing the northern bridge soon. Alright, well wait for your signal. Basil parked his car next to Daxs stadium. Built to cater to all sports, theplex covered seven hectares and included a swimming pool, a ser stadium, archery stands, rooms for martial arts and fencing, and so many other amodations. Unattended vegetal growth had started to break through the pavement and the buildings foundations. In time, moss and weeds would cover everything. The parking lot was empty for the most part, although the statues of petrified citizens remained frozen in time along the road. The sight reassured Basil a little. He had half-expected the watchers to gather prisoners in the arena for a mass exp farming. So far so good. No gearsman nearby, Partner, Shellgirl said as she hopped out of the car, quickly followed by the rest of the party. Bugsy wed out of the trailer and stretched his back. This ce is safe and sound. Its the calm before the storm, Basil replied. The spiral sent crimson lightning coursing through the skies. Although dawn wouldnt rise before many hours, the group could see as well as in sunlight. Well equip ordingly. Bugsy! Boss! The centimagma searched through the trailers piles of explosives. What do you need? Chlorine bombs? Firebombs? Basil reviewed his stocks. His white phosphorus was kept in a hermetical sphere of ss and the chlorine in an iron shell. His napalm bombs had taken a shape simr to grenades, and the thermite was stored in a metal container with a fuse to ignite it. Rosemarine, well strap the white phosphorus to you so you can duplicate it, Basil decided, quickly assigning the weapons to everyone. Shellgirl, load your cannons with the napalm bombs. Zachariel Sir, I am not a sword of heaven! Zachariel protested. I skipped the witch-burning training! Then youll take the chlorine bomb and drop it from above. Basil doubted it would help against unbreathing gearsmen and watchers, but as Officer Elissalde pointed out, creatures more dangerous than robots could cross the rift once it opened. Bugsy, since youre immune to fire, youll take the thermite. You got it, Boss! What about the fertilizer? to asked. Youll carry it on your back? Basil surveyed the parking lot, his eyes set on a Mercedes Benz in a corner. A secondter, he shattered the window with a fist, ignored the rm as he opened the door, and grabbed the cables under the driving wheel. Well stuff the trunk and backseat with the fertilizer and leftover explosives, Basil decided. He hotwired the car and switched off the rm with disappointing ease. So much for German products. If pushes to shove, well ram the car against a gearsman. Basil swore to raid the closest supermarket if he survived the Incursion. He wondered if he could craft a nuke from household products. Where did you learn to hotwire a car? to asked with a suspicious frown. Im Bulgarian, Basil replied evasively. I know these things. Of course, of course. The cats deadpan delivery put Britishedians to shame. Shouldnt we stuff the Renault Kangoo and keep the Mercedes? It looks more luxurious. Never. The thought hadnt even urred to Basil. Its more than a Renault Kangoo. Its my car. Mine. It took a few minutes to equip everyone and prepare the Mercedes, at which point the countdown fell under ten. With very little time left to kill and no orders to advance, Basil decided to get a crash course on magic. He took the spellbook Vasi lent him out of his Inventory, a heavy grimoire as dense as a church manuscript. I would rather have studied magic calmly at home, but better now than never, Basil thought as he skipped through the pages. Youre never too prepared for a raid. The grimoire included many spells, most of them too high-level for him to cast. He stopped at the description of a me-like symbol in the beginners chapter.
Spell: Fire Rune.
School: Runic.
Affinity: Fire.
Tier: I.
Cost: 10 SP.
Empowers one of your weapons with the power of mes, inflicting an additional 20% [Fire] damage for 5 minutes. Perfect for barbecues. Multiple applications of [Fire Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it.
Chance of learning this spell: 86%.
Learn spell?
The spell had two more variants: Ice Rune, which inflicted Frost damage; and Lightning Rune, to shock troublemakers. Basil immediately noticed a pretty big gap between the three runes avable. His odds of learning the Ice variant were forty-three percent. As for the Lightning Rune, the number was a t zero. Vasi warned him of how much affinities influenced his options and Basil took these percentage gaps as confirmation of her words. His weak affinity in the Lightning element made it impossible for him to learn electricity-themed spells; a strong affinity in Firepared to his neutral one with Frost doubled his odds of learning a spell. Basil tried his luck and was rewarded with instant sess.
You learned the [Fire Rune] spell!
Warning, your Spellbook can only hold one spell per 5 points in [Magic] that you possess (current spell spots avable: 3). If you exceed that amount, you will have to forget an old spell and rece it with the new one. You can only exceed that limit with the right sses and Perks.
Of course the designers would lock the best abilities behind spellcasting sses. As if RPG games didnt show enough favoritism for wizards already! Holding the spellbook in one hand and summoning his halberd in the other, Basil immediately tested his Technomancer refinement option. A me symbol appeared on his de and its edge steamed with a searing hot white glow. The shaft felt warm to the touch. Oh look, a fire stick! to mocked his owner. Youre a few centurieste for the stone age, Basil. Its never toote for arson, Basil replied as he checked his weapons stats.
La Ravageuse, Swiss Halberd
Family: Weapon (Axe/Spear).
Quality: C.
Power: +13 STR.
Crit: +5%
uracy: 70%
Effect 1: Ignores half of a targets defensive stats during damage calction.
Effect 2: Fire Rune: inflicts an additional 20% [Fire] damage.
The crispy version of Switzends third most popr invention can cut down enemies and burn enemies of the Pope at the stake.
So Technomancers refining option didnt improve quality or base stats, but it could add more effects to a weapon. Good, good. Basil tried to register a second spell and seeded in spite of the taller odds.
You learned the [Ice Rune] Spell!
Basil cast it on his halberd, but snowkes fizzled out at the end of his halberds de and vanished just as quickly.
Multiple rune effects cannot stack without the necessary Perks.
What a tease. Basil nced at tos fencing sword. What would you prefer? Fire or ice? Since were surrounded with dangerous explosives, Ill go with ice. In response, Basil touched the tip of tos de with a finger. He immediately noticed his chances of refining the sword with the Ice Rune were inferior to those of empowering his halberd with the fire variant. He took the bet and ice burst on the fencing swords tip in response. Neat, to said. Snowkes trailed after his de when he swung it. Just to be clear, Partner, we wont have to get any closer right? Shellgirl asked with an uneasy face. The rift pulsated with brighter bursts of light. I would love a city all for ourselves, but Ive got a bad feeling about this light Ive never seen anything like this, Zachariel added. So much magic pours through the skies it must be a true gods work. A god? Basil frowned. So theres more than one out there? The angel nodded. In my home, we count fourteen of them. But this miracle doesnt look like their handiwork. Its too orderly. Basil checked his countdown and witnessed it fall below five. The very air seemed to be tainted with a shade of red. Officer Elissalde? Basil stored his spellbook in his Inventory and called his allies through his Kangoos radio. Officer? We passed the bridge and took cover, the policewoman replied. No gearsman in sight. Seems like they retreated to the arena. What about the petrified civilians? They werent moved. Try to put away all you can Interferences transformed the officers words into a gargle. Safety now Officer? Basil tried to adjust the frequency, but it didnt improve the sound quality. Officer? Officer? Little manling The voice that came out of the radio was clear, deep, and utterly inhuman. It was the bellowing gargle of an alligator trying to mimic human speech, the threat of a muffled chainsaw revving. Basils allies gathered around the car in rm, startled by the noise. Who are you? Basil answered carefully, eyes turned to the distant rift. The creature hijacking the airwaves probably called him from the other side. I recognize your voice. Yes, yes, you are the one who destroyed one of my gearsman. Apparently, the Unitys machines came equipped with recording devices. Whats your name, manling? Basil Bohen, Basil replied without fear. He wouldnt cower before an anonymous voice. Yes, yes, your name matches the records in the Logs. Youre the one who destroyed the Ogre Den dungeon. You and your minions. Minions? Zachariel asked. He seemed to find the word rming for some reason. H-How do you know that? Bugsy asked, trying and failing to hide the fearfulness in his voice. The worlds Logs. The voice on the other side let out a hiss. The dungeon was ours, manling. I was meant to im it after securing this city. Not only did you dash my hopes once, but you then helped other apes destroy its recement. When I grace this world with my presence, I shall find no seat worthy of my rank. This crime against me shall not go unpunished. So sorry, Basil replied with heavy sarcasm. And who are you, oh overmighty radio show host? Steamslime, Rook-rankedmander of the Unity. The voice brimmed with pride and arrogance. You should run while you still can, ape. I aming down, yes. Iming down from the stars to teach you your ce. As far as threats go, Ive heard better, tomented. Bring it, Basil replied with a snort. Youll leave this world the same way your gearsmen did: scrapped. Well eat you! Rosemarine promised, proudly carrying an explosive belt strapped with white phosphorus. Your death is on your head, the voice replied angrily. If you had submitted to us and let us stabilize the barrier, the transition would have been painless. We would have honored your species with our guidance, our wisdom, and protection. In return, you would have paid your tribute in wealth and minions in quiet gratitude. Now we shall take our due by force, and we will teach you obedience with fire and fury. As Basil suspected, the Unity petrified people for its own purposes. He had considered the vague possibility that its leaders sought to protect people through extreme methods, but they were no defenders of mankind. They were conquerors trying to oust thepetition. Why? Basil asked as the countdown went down to three. That was the question that bothered him for so long. Why? Whats the point of all of this? Why? You dare ask why, foolish ape? The voice chuckled. Because we are scaled perfection. We do not die, we rule. We are born as the apex of creation. It is our destiny to unite the stars. This world will join Grandmaster Wyrdes hoard ofs, like so many others before it. We will not allow you or the Maleking to be an Overgod. This divine right belongs to our glorious race alone. Oh good grief, this whole speech reeked of old-fashioned colonialism and casual racism. As if there wasnt enough of it on Earth. Scaled perfection? Hoard ofs? Zachariels hands trembled. Could it be You think youll teach me my ce? Basil snorted, utterly unimpressed. Heres my answer, asshole:e down, and Ill teach you respect. With an axe to the face. My breath carries rot and decay. My gullet is an abyss from which none escapes. Steamslime let out a growl. I bring you death, ape. The voice fell silent and static filled the radiowaves. Was that wise? to whined to Basil. You challenged an angry alien to a fight to the death! Didnt you say we should teach the machines to respect our territory? Basil replied with a shrug of his shoulders. After we destroy their leader, the lesson will finally stick. I cant make money in a world where a foreign government takes all our gains, Shellgirl said. Ill defend free enterprise, youll se Sir, we must run! Zachariel interrupted her. The angels panicked reaction contrasted starkly with everyone elses bravery. Or fly away! Theres no more time, Basil replied angrily. The countdown is almost over! W-We need to try! I think I know what creature Steamslime is, and if Im correct if Im correct The angel joined his hands in prayer. Oh Dice, random number god, our rolling savior, please prove me wrong. God smiles on us, Basil thought as the countdown approached its final stage. For the gates of Hell will open now. The countdown reached zero and the Incursion began with a scream. The rift let out an eerie, droning noise that shook the ground and the skies. Basil and his allies winced in pain. to outright covered his ears with his paws. The screechsted a few seconds and a sh of red light followed in its wake. The golden circuit of stars glowed brighter. Energy coursed through it and poured down from the rift in the shape of a beam. Theser fell upon Daxs arena with a cataclysmic impact, bringing down its walls and vaporizing the closest watchers. The swarm of machines danced around the ray like a whirlpool of steel. Basil watched on with amazement as the beam stabilized into a strange pir of otherworldly, purple particles. Basil? Officer Elissalde called through the radio. Basil? Can you hear me? Somebody hijacked the airwaves, Basil replied. Theyreing through the portal soon. Monsters emerged from the pir by the dozens. A strange lot filled the citys skies: puffy clouds with a single blue eye; strange beings made of a steel core and wings of lightning; noxious, acidic fumes in the shape of humanoids; and even a bird of prey the size of Basils Kangoo, its blue feathers sparkling with electricity.
Nimbus
Level 7 [Elemental]
Lightning Elemental
Level 10 [Elemental]
Toxinimbus
Level 13 [Elemental/Artificial]
Thunderbird
Level 16 [Avian/Elemental]
None of them belonged to the Unity, but the watchers didnt open fire on them either. The invaders spread in all directions without rhyme or reason. Shellgirl pointed her cannons at the skies, ready to open fire on the monsters. She didnt need to. The creaturesing out of the portal flew past Basils party without a nce. They ignored the citys petrified citizens and their defenders alike. Theyre flying past us. Officer Elissaldes tone grew deeper, less confident. It looks like theyre Running away, Basil finished for her. The tide of monsters dried up, leaving the path open for thergest of them. A reptilian head emerged from the pir, the light reflecting on glistening green scales and slimy flesh underneath. Its maw wasrge enough to swallow a bull whole, its golden eyes oozing with pus. Two powerful, wed hands dragged a colossal body of slime out of the portal. The organic parts stopped at the waist, for the monsters torso stuck out of a colossal cauldron of steel thrumming with burning pipes and steamy chimneys. The creature vaguely reminded Basil of Shellgirl, a slime monster with half its body encased in a thick shell. But where Shellgirl was norger than Basil himself, this jelly dinosaur and its technologically-advanced shell reached more than ten meters in height. The ground shook as the monsters wed hands dragged its steaming apparatus along the ground. Basil instantly recognized this entity for what it was. A mythical monster enhanced to fit modern times, a paragon of power and greed. The scaled terror of legend. A dragon.
Steamslime, Unity Dragonlord
Level 20 Elite [Dragon/Slime]
Faction: Unity.
I knew it. Zachariel fell to his knees in terror. We are doomed, doomed! The dragon turned in Basils direction. Although more than two kilometers separated the two sides, the beast seemed to notice the Party without difficulty. Steamslime roared to the heavens and crawled forward with his slimy arms, dragging his metal shell behind him, squashing cars and streetlights. The watcher swarm followed after him like bees shielding their queen. Hesing straight for us. Basil raised his halberd. Guys, do you have my back? Always, to replied with a sigh. Always, Basil. You want to fight that? Zachariel asked, dumbfounded. We stand with the Boss. Although Bugsy looked shaken by the dragons size, the centimagma remained brave in the face of adversity. I know we can do it! His example inspired the others to stand their ground. Even Zachariel rose to his feet with apprehension. The battle was on. Basil had hunted many animals in his life. But never a dragon. Chapter 25: Man vs Dragon Chapter 25: Man vs Dragon The dragon was slow but unstoppable. Steamslimecked wings or hind legs, and so he had to drag his enormous shell across the city. But what hecked in speed, he more than made up for in strength. The slime dragon bulldozed his way through houses, tossed cars aside, and crushed the pavement underfoot. He was making a beeline for the citys stadium and woe to anyone crossing his path. Basil considered fleeing to another battlefield, but chose to stand his ground. The stadiums wide, open space would favor his party against a giant target, and the nearby municipal swimming pool could make for a good fallback site if the fight turned against them. Basil Bohen wouldnt cower before a giant snail. Partner? Shellgirl asked, her cannons pointed at the oing juggernaut. Whats your n? First we deal with his escort, Basil said. The swarm of Unity watchers surrounded their master like a noxious cloud. Shellgirl, bombard them from afar. Bugsy, Rosemarine, use the same technique we used with the gearsman. to, wind shem. Zachariel, you coordinate with Officer Elissalde on the radio and help refuel the team. Yes, Boss. Bugsy nodded with determination. He looked eager to make up for his previous,ckluster disys against the gearsmen. I wont let you down again, I swear. What about you, sir? the angel asked. He sounded relieved not to be sent to the front line. Basil nced at the stadium. A mound of dirt and grass stood proudly on its northern side, its shadow looming over the sportsplexs barriers. His eyes then turned to the Mercedes Benz stuffed to the brim with fertilizer. Im gonna add yet another car crime to my list, Basil replied. The sound of cannon fire echoed all around him as he switched on the Mercedes. Bugsy helped Shellgirl climb on the Renault Kangoos roof to take up a better artillery position, and the merchant immediately unloaded her napalm projectiles. The bombs exploded on the Unity drones in a deluge of mes and smoke. Massive explosions sent shockwaves spreading through the air, sting apart Unity watchers by the dozens. Fireclouds swallowed the horizon. Rosemarine duplicated herself and Bugsy hastily threw her clone at Steamslime. A Unity watcher flew in the projectiles way and self-detonated. The duplicates payload ignited in a shower of searing hot mes. The white phosphorus seeped into the watchers metal shell and set their crystal eyes alight. Basil froze in awe at the burning disy. mes covered the world under a crimson sky. The horizon bled fire. There was something fascinating in the sheer destructive power of modern weapons, a primal urge to revel in the utter annihtion of ones enemy. tos des of sharp winds looked so feeble and forgettable inparison. If Officer Elissaldes group wasnt aware of the partys position, they only had to follow the mes. And yet, the bombardment barely slowed Steamslime down. The monstrous dragon emerged from the smoke nearly unscathed. The exhaust ports of his steel shell poured torrents of pressured water in all directions. They werent enough to save the watchers from the napalm and the white phosphorus, but they coated the dragons body in ayer of water. The liquid exhausted the mes touching his slimy body. Can this beast truly be level 20? Basil wondered. I would have given it twice more. The System enlightened him.
Elite creatures possess exceptional stats and unique abilities simr to a dungeons [Boss], making them far more powerful than their level would suggest. They also offer greater rewards thanmon monsters.
Basil guessed he should have expected something like that from a dragon. He took sce in the idea that once his team defeated Steamslime and expelled the Unity from the region, they would finally find peace. Basil positioned the Mercedes at the base of the mound, oriented it in Steamslimes direction, and smashed the elerator. The engine roared. The wheels climbed heaps of dirt and grass. When the car reached the top of the mound, Basil jumped away from the drivers seat. The Mercedes Benz flew into the air at full speed right as Steamslime reached the sportsplex. The dragon raised his head at the improvised projectile. A light shone within his thorax, bright and lethal. Steamslime opened his mouth and death poured out of his throat. The dragon spat a stream of sick, greenish ooze. Its surface ignited into a stream of yellow fumes. The smog swallowed the flying Mercedes before it could reach its target. The bodywork rusted, the windshield melted, and the fertilizer rotted years in the space of seconds. The car had been vaporized before it could get anywhere close, let alone explode. Shit, shit, shit! Basil muttered as he ran down the mound for his life. Whatever grass the dragons breath touched withered and died. Basil avoided a direct hit by outrunning the poison. The mound copsed behind him with a terrible racket. Basil, look up! to shouted a warning. The watchers that survived the bombardment flung themselves at the stadium by the dozen. [SELF-DESTRUCT] PROTOCOL ACTIVATED! The watchers surfaces heated up until they turned red. THIS WORLD WILL KNOW PEACE! Basil barely had the time to cover his face with his arms to protect himself. to slew the closest watchers with his Windsh technique, Shellgirl hit a few with ice pearls, and Bugsy breathed fire at them. It destroyed most of the robots before they could hit the ground, but didnt prevent the bombardment. Watchers rained down from the sky like a meteor shower. One of them exploded close to Basil, throwing him onto his back. When he rose back up, the stadium looked closer to the Moons surface than a football field. Guys! he called out to his allies. A dense cloud of dust obscured his vision. Guys?! Bugsy answered his call, although he couldnt see the centimagma. Run for cover, Boss! Iming to the rescue! Basil heard the sound of trampled barriers, the rumbling noise of a colossal beasts steps, and a dragons roar. Steam pushed the dust away and a titanic monster followed in its wake. Only then did Basil realize just how big Steamslime was. It was one thing to observe a ten-meter tall behemoth from afar, and another to see it up close. The beasts ck ws were almost as long as Basil himself. Steamslimes reptilian head and torso overshadowed him the same way a castles tower would; his metal shell was a roaring factory, a bursting mass of steams, gears, chimneys, and exhaust ports. The monster embodied primeval savagery and industrial brutality packaged in a single force of destruction. Basil didnt fear anything, but when he looked up to meet Steamslimes golden eyes He blinked. The dragons jaws snapped at Basil to devour him whole, the same way a chicken would try to eat a worm. Basil rolled to the ground to dodge. He tried to strike the monster with his halberd the moment he recovered, but instead ran to avoid being crushed under Steamslimes palm. Run, run, little manling! Steamslime let out a roar that shook the very earth. Run and hide! Basil gritted his teeth and ran across the football field with the rampaging dragon hot on his tail. He caught sight of Bugsy and to on his left, both casting buffs on themselves. A bug and a cat? Steamslime red down on the two with contempt. Bugsy and to looked no bigger than micepared to the mighty dragon. What can you do? Needle me to death? I know you are strong, Bugsy said without a hint of fear, embersing out of his mandibles. to sneakily leaped on Steamslimes shell without a word. But I refuse to be weak! I wont cower again! The centimagma fearlessly breathed fire at the muchrger dragon, and Basil couldnt be prouder of his friend. When Bugsy burned Steamslime on the nk and the dragon roared in response, Basil remembered Vasis words: that a strong affinity in an element usually resulted in a weak one in its opposite. Steamslime wielded the power of steam and water, but feared fire in return. The dragon needed to shower himself with liquid to extinguish the mes he feared. Bugsys breath burned a patch of slimy skin until it turned the color of coal. A lightning ray to the back stopped the centimagma in his tracks. Bugsy rolled on the burning grass, stunned. Basil looked over at the source of the attack: two gearsmen rushing towards the football field from the parking lot. Shellgirl exchanged volleys of projectiles with them, assisted by Rosemarine. A pincer attack? Basil cursed under his breath. The gearsmen had sneaked upon the Party from behind while they were focused on fighting their master. Steamslime raised a w to squash Bugsy. Zachariel interfered by throwing his chlorine bomb at the dragons face. The device exploded in a burst of gas that briefly distracted the beast. Bugsy exploited the brief distraction to crawl away and Steamslimes palm hit dirt. The chlorine did nothing more than briefly inconvenience the dragon. One of his steam pipes pointed at Bugsy and sted him with a stream of pressurized water. The centimagma was propelled backward into a crater left by the watchers. Steamslime then turned his furious gaze at Zachariel, the Renault Kangoo, and Shellgirl. Uh oh, the angel muttered, wings extended. Steamslime backhanded the group with a wide swing. Zachariel dodged by flying away, but Basils Kangoo wasnt so lucky. Steamslimes fist rammed it with a trucks strength. Half the vehicle shattered and the other tumbled to the side. Shellgirl, too distracted by the gearsmen to see the hiting, went flying with it. Basils eyes widened in rage. My car! Poison? On me? Me?! Steamslime hissed in outrage. The chlorine gas dissipated with the wind. I am poison! I am the smog! I am A heap of shit slipping out of an oversized toilet! Basil snarled back. He swung his halberd at the dragons left arm. The de ignited from the movement and cut through the slimy flesh like a knife through butter. Steamslime hissed, yellowish ooze seeping from his wound. He turned his eyes in Basils direction, his iris glowing. Lightning Bolt! An arc of electricity surged from the dragons gaze and hit Basil in the chest. It burned through his clothes and incinerated the ogre pendant he gained from Ogremoche. The lightning coursed through his flesh and nerves. His heart skipped a beat.
Supereffective damage!
Basil gritted his teeth through the pain. He had gone through far worse over thest month. A scar of burned skin formed on his chest, yet Basil Bohen did not back down. to, who had finished climbing Steamslimes shell, rushed across his back and neck. The cat leaped on his head and stabbed his right eye with his fencing sword. Steamslimes shriek was music to Basils ears, and he hacked at the dragons side with a smile. However, the gearsmen were free to act without anyone to provide suppression fire. The first of them leaped over the Kangoos wrecks and an unconscious Shellgirl. Rosemarine stopped the second by standing in its path. Here I go dying again! said Rosemarines clone as it showered the gearsman with white phosphorus. The substance burned through the machines metal shielding, but didnt destroy it. The original Rosemarine raised all of her guns and opened fire. She matched each lightning ray with bullets. The other gearsman opened fire on Basil with a lightning beam, forcing him to abandon his assault on Steamslime. As the dragon attempted to swipe to off his back, Basil zigzagged along the field to avoid the gearsmans attacks. He charged to close the gap, but the machine wisely kept its distance. The robot could think tactically. It knew Basilcked an effective long-range weapon and thus stuck to ranged attacks. Where was Zachariel? The Major and his group? Where were his reinforcements?!
Warning: Cait Sith to has been [Poisoned]!
Basils eyes turned at his cat in panic. to had fallen off Steamslimes back and crashed on the ground, his fur green, his sword slipping between his fingers. The poor cat vomited and writhed in agony. His legs and paws were covered in putrid goo. Steamslimes skin was toxic. to! Basil rushed at his pets help. to! Dragons adapt to all, Steamslime boasted and raised a hand. The poisoned waters of Electon course through my veins! He squashed to underfoot and left a bloody smear on the ground. Basils vision turned red with rage. The strength of his rage carried his halberd forward. His de hit the dragons chest and left a gaping gash in its wake. Wounds and burns covered Steamslimes body, yet he remained the very picture of arrogant strength. Lightning Bolt! Steamslimesst eye sted Basil with electricity. Somehow this bolt hit even harder than thest. A tree-shaped scar spread over Basils torso as the electricity burned its way through his flesh. His vision went white for a few seconds and the smell of cooked flesh reached his nose. His shirt turned to ashes and his knees copsed under him. Basil barely managed to stand against his halberds shaft, his fingers trembling. The lightning had numbed all sensations in his limbs. All except for pain.
Critical health! Critical health!
Basil struggled to breathe as the dragons shadow loomed over him. When I hatched, the Grandmaster took me away from my nest and told me: you are a scion of dragonkind. Follow me, and you shall unite the universe. Steamslime opened his mouth wide, his chest bright with light. This is the order of things. The rule of nature. Warp Basil whispered through his teeth. He refused to die here. Spa A rifles shot echoed and Steamslimes right eye burst into a shower of golden blood. The dragons breath died with a screech in his mouth, his hands covering his face. Basil didnt finish his sentence, astonished by this turn of events.
Steamslime has been [Blinded]. Steamslimes [Shelter] activated! His Vitality has been buffed and his Agility debuffed!
The gearsman attempted to finish off Basil by crushing his head under its metal feet. A VAB rammed it at full speed first to the tune of a machine gun. The military vehicle tore through the gearsman in half, and the Major atop its roof finished off the machine with a hail of bullets. Basil heard dogs howl in the distance and felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to see Zacharielnd behind him; Maya Elissalde jumped off the angels back, whip in hand. A green glow banished away the pain from Basils bones and newfound strength coursed through his veins.
Your wounds are healed.
[Brave Howl] buffed your Strength and Magic for five minutes!
My eyes! Steamslime snarled. I cant see anything! More bullets hit his throat. Basil nced at their source, a humanoid figure standing atop a distant buildings ruins. Officer Elissalde was sniping Steamslime from afar with a rifle almost as long as Basils halberd. You asked for it, sir, Zachariel said. He carried the military radio in his free hand. I coordinated with our allies. It was about time. A snail? The Major asked as his VAB turned around. He opened fire on Steamslime with his machine gun. I''ll eat it for dinner! How much more damage can he shrug off? Basil wondered. Steamslime had taken napalm bombs, white phosphorus, a hail of bullets, and the stings of weapons without flinching. Scars marked his body from his blinded eyes to his torso. Yet the dragon continued to fight. What will it take to kill him, a nuke? Basil surveyed the area to check on his allies. Mayas doberman howled from a safe distance as her Basque Shepherd dragged Shellgirl off the Renault Kangoos wreck. to had revived from his lethal wound to Basils relief, although it cost him another of his lives. And Bugsy had crawled out of the hole Steamslime sent him into, still carrying the thermite with four of his many legs. The water stream had exhausted the mes coursing through his veins, and yet his eyes remained full of resolve. Bugsy, retreat! Basil shouted. Retreat! I refuse, Boss. Bugsy stood up with pride. Not until weve in this creep and cooked him! With roasted chicken, soda, and potatoes! I got one too, Mister! Rosemarine stood triumphant atop the burning husk of thest gearsman. Fumes rose from her handguns barrels. I got one all by myself! They grew up too soon. Thank you, Zach, Basil told the angel. Go heal Shellgirl. We need artillery support. When Zachariel executed his order, Basil turned to Maya Elissalde. What can you do? I can buff you, Maya Elissalde proposed. Then what are you waiting for? Maya Elissalde struck his face with her whip in response. Argh! Basil winced in outrage. You stupid b Attack! The houndmaster spoke to Basil as if he were one of her dogs. Attack!
Your chances of inflicting critical hits have increased!
Basil gritted his teeth, suppressed the urge to murder his own ally, and instead unloaded his rage on Steamslime. Fuck this dispshit System! Basil snarled as he hacked into the dragons chest. Fuck Dismaker Labs, fuck dragons, fuck you all! Dontin, Basil! to leaped back to his feet and helped his owner with wind shes. I lost a life to a snail! A snail! Bugsy joined in with mes and Rosemarine with suicide clones. Bullets and mes and sharp winds rained on Steamslime from above while Basil hacked at him from below. The dragon covered his face with his arms in a desperate attempt to protect himself. His situation was only about to worsen: Zachariel healed Shellgirl, Maya Elissalde buffed Rosemarine, and her hounds did the same with Bugsy. Enough! Steamslime roared. His shells gears ground louder and louder. You will die! You will all die! Pressurized streams of water erupted from the dragons pipes and chimneys. One hit Rosemarine and pushed her away. The others forced the group to disperse and retreat, Basil included. This gave Steamslime enough time to gather his breath. Take this! The Major unloaded his machine gun at the dragons throat. Steamslime leaked yellow blood from a dozen areas. For France! Steamslime unleashed a torrent of poison from his maw straight at the VAB. Perhaps the dragon had a tremorsense of his own, or he simply figured out the vehicles location from the noise. Whatever the case, he hit the VAB head-on. The military vehicle proved no better at resisting Steamslimes breath than Basils Mercedes. The shielding melted alongside its driver. The Majors body armor and flesh were stripped from his bones. Soon those turned to dust as well, and nothing remained of the soldier nor his vehicle. Chief! Maya Elissaldes voice broke in utter despair. Chief! Get down! Zachariel shoved her head first onto the ground, narrowingly avoiding Steamslimes breath. The dragon fired in all directions, blinded by rage and hisck of eyesight. Basil dropped to the ground to avoid being vaporized too. Steamslime roared and spat and thrashed around with mindless anger. In spite of the chaos and her superiors death, Officer Elissalde kept sniping the dragon from afar. Once he ran out of breath, Steamslime retreated inside his shell. His slimy torso and head vanished safely inside the metal device. The exhaust ports and chimneys started to unload noxious green fumes rather than steam. The dragon was trying to gas the stadium and everyone nearby. Partner! Shellgirl shouted over the melee. Zachariels treatment must have worked. Hes using Shelter! What about it?! Basil coughed through the noxious fumes. I have the Perk too! It activates when Im below half-health! Then Steamslime was on hisst leg. He wasnt trying to kill the group, but to force them to retreat while he licked his wounds. Golden lightning coursed through the star circuits and the crimson skies. The Incursion wasnt over yet, and Steamslime might very well escape back home. Basil couldnt let him live to fight another day. He nced at the dragons shell, then at Bugsy and his thermite canister. An idea crossed his mind. Bugsy, the exhaust ports! Basil started climbing Steamslimes shell. Throw the thermite into the exhaust ports! Yes, Boss! The centipede fearlessly charged into the toxic fumes. Agility Up! Basil, get away! to shouted. The gas Ill manage! Basil held his breath as he continued his ascent of the steel slope. Everyone else retreat! He couldnt run when a Frenchman stood his ground! That would be beyond shameful! Neither could Basil dishonor the soldiers memory bying home defeated. He powered through the fumes even as they burned his skin and made his nose itch.
[Corrosion] damage resisted. [Poison] ailment resisted.
Basil positioned himself right above the hole in which Steamslime retreated, halberd raised. His allies retreated from the toxic cloud with the exception of Bugsy. The centimagma climbed the shells exhaust port and tossed the thermite into it. The device melted into the steel and ignited the noxious fumes. mes came out of the shells chimneys and Steamslimes screech echoed out from the pipes. The dragon was cooking inside his own fortress. Basil waited for him to emerge from his hole with his weapon raised. The moment came swiftly. Steamslimes head snapped out of the shell in a desperate attempt to avoid burning alive. A guillotine would have been more appropriate, Basil thought as he brought his halberd down. But itll do. Saint George, he shouted, witness me! Basils de sliced Steamslimes neck to the sound of a supereffective hit. And the dragon fell. Chapter 26: Man vs Future Chapter 26: Man vs Future Steamslimes severed head fell to the sound of thunder. Purple lightning coursed through the star circuit in the heavens as a dragon died on earth. Steamslimes hands copsed under his bodys weight. His shells gears ground to an abrupt halt. The burning, noxious fumes pouring out of its pipes evaporated with the blowing wind. You think you apes have won? Even with his neck severed, Steamslimes head still managed to speak on its own. Basil climbed down from the shell to better look down on his target, his halberd feeling light in his hands. There are thousands of dragonlords and I am the least of them! Some are Level 30 Level 60 Level 80! Our numbers will darken your skies and our breaths will boil your seas! Steamslimes head coughed golden blood. We know your names there is no escape we will hunt you to the end of the univ Basil split Steamslimes head in two and silenced him for good. Shut up, handbag. The moment he smashed the dragons skull, a glowing light erupted between the skulls halves. A steampunk devicerger than a car materialized before Basil: a tangle of golden pipes and gears surrounding arge mirror. Colorful cubic gems engraved with runes appeared at his feet too. From their shape, they could fit into a port on the machines left side.
Steam Holomachine
Category: Tool.
Quality: B.
Effect 1: Can record and project holographic games.
Effect 2: Can serve as crafting tutor.
Effect 3: Can serve as a spell tutor.
This steam-powered console is the best recreational device in the universe! This specific holomachine stored the saves of neen games, including: [My minion cant possibly be this cute!]; [Dragon Days: Uncensored Edition]; [Psyshock Infinite]; [Call of Cinders: Medal of the Hoard]; [Chief of Staff Simtor]; [Wyrdes Grimoire]; [Crafting Factory X]; and many more!
The device wasrger than a car, but to a dragon? It looked no bigger than a Nintendo Switch. Basil checked the gems. He counted neen of them, each recording a game. With the console, it made one item per level for a full inventory. Steamslime gathered a hoard of video games. I gotta say, I like it more than a pile of gold, Basil thought. Bugsy climbed down from the metal shell he had sabotaged, and their allies rejoined them once the noxious fumes had cleared. Although I cant help but feel bitter. Two humans died and the party only had video games to show for it. Even a gamer like Basil considered it a terrible trade-off. At least this device might provide some insight into the enemys culture. We Did we win? Bugsy asked. Although the dragons corpse rested at their feet, the centimagma sounded like he couldnt believe in their victory. Is he dead and noting back? Thanks to you, Bugsy, Basil said. I couldnt havended the final blow without your help. You were very brave, and Im proud of you. Basil didnt think a giant centipede monster could blush, but Bugsy did. He snapped his mandibles in excitement and swooned. Thank you, Boss. The rest of the group arrived, with Zachariel applying his healing palm to Basil and Bugsy. The acid burns left by Steamslimes toxic gas vanished, although Basil had lost another shirt and Ogremoches pendant. At this rate, he would fight his battles naked. Can we eat him? Rosemarine licked her lips at the sight of Steamslimes remains. He smells like jelly. Shellgirl, always the opportunist, immediately examined the loot they could harvest from the corpse. Dragonslime Blood, Dragonslime ws, Dragonslime Fangs, Dragonslime Bones, Magitech Shell A smile formed on her lips. Well make a killing selling them off! Payback time, to said. Seven lives are a lucky number, but I would rather have eight of them. Basils amusement at seeing his monsters anticssted until he noticed Maya Elissalde. The houndmaster and her dogs stood before the dust of Major Granges VAB, heads heavy in mourning. Chief Maya bit her lower lip with the military radio in one hand and her whip in the other. Her eyebrows creased into a crestfallen expression. And Anne too. She was driving. Theyre gone. I I see, her sister answered through the radio. She sounded tired, so very tired. She had likely seen too many of herrades fall. Is there anything to bury? Dust, Maya Elissalde replied. Nothing else. No answer came out of the radio. The dogs howled with no one to answer them. Im sorry, Basil apologized to Maya, trying to console her. They died as heroes. When she red at him with her single eye, he immediately regretted his words. So what? Maya snapped at him. Why couldnt they live as heroes? Why couldnt theye back to life like your stupid, vapid cat? to hissed at her. Hey, you thinking back is easy? When I revive, I feel the pain all over again! Im sure theyve earned their ce in Heaven, Zachariel reassured Maya. They had good karma. Good deeds matter more than poor spiritual health. Basil himself kept his mouth shut. He knew nothing he might say would assuage his allies sadness. Basil had only met the Major once, but the Elissalde sisters had fought with his squad for days; perhaps even longer. If Steamslime had in Bugsy and Maya offeredfort, her words would have sounded like empty titudes too. Basil? Officer Elissalde called through the radio. He noticed that she said Basil and not Mr. Bohen for once. The portal is still open. Basils relief turned to worry. Indeed, the star circuit above their heads remained as active as ever. The rift of light continued to let weak monsters enter Earth. The group hadnt received experience either, which meant the event would continue. Im seeing humanoidsing out of the rift, alongside cloud monsters Officer Elissalde marked a short pause and the sound of a bullet firing echoed through the radio. One of them attacked the statues! Why isnt the rift closing? Maya Elissalde asked in shock. We beat the boss!
Defeating a monster has no influence on how long an [Incursion] willst. A rift will close on its own time, and not a second before.
Basil checked the Incursions countdown and cursed. Everyone, to the portal! They had four hours left to kill. When the Incursion counter hit zero at longst, the portal finally started to close. Basil watched the rift weaken, surrounded by watcher scraps and improvised barricades. He, Bugsy, to, and the hounds formed the first line of defense while the rest of the team buffed, healed, and provided suppressive fire at the back. None of the creatures that came out of the portal proved anywhere bear as dangerous as Steamslime. Most were watchers and low-level clouds with eyes. Neither were a match for Basils party, and he doubted they would receive any experience from them. But they arrived in waves without giving the team any respite and targeted Daxs petrified citizens on sight. Without Rosemarine and Zachariel to continuously heal them, the party would have copsed from exhaustion midway through the Incursion; by the end of it, the teams healers had run out of both SP and medical items to replenish them. Incursions werent a sprint, but a marathon. Two gearsmen who escaped the rift in itsst hour gave the team quite the fright, but abination of Officer Elissaldes long-distance anti-material rifle, Shellgirls artillery, and Rosemarines bombardment proved sufficient to deal with them. No other dangerous creature crossed the rift afterward. Basil considered two possibilities: either that Steamslimes defeat convinced the Unity to cut its losses and stop sending powerful soldiers to take a town of limited strategic importance; or that they had troops to spare, but none of them were weak enough to cross the Level Barrier. The former option was ttering; thetter, terrifying. Although Basils team slew all the monsters threatening petrified civilians, some creatures managed to slip through the cracks. The group was so busy fighting the hostile invaders that they couldnt afford to track down those more interested in running away. There was no sign of the humanoid figures Officer Elissalde noticed earlier. They had fled before the party could even approach the rift. Basil had the feeling that these runaways would cause him many headaches in the months toe. The golden circuit in the skies above disappeared. The stars radiance dimmed and the links between them disintegrated. The crimson aura above Basils head receded and was reced by the night sky''s darkness. The rifts awe-inspiring radiance dimmed over time. Basil suddenly wondered if the rift worked both ways. Not that he was mad enough to cross it, but he was tempted to leave a parting gift to the Unity. Rosemarine, he said. Send an exploding clone through. Yes, Mister! The nt duplicated herself and her clone leaped into the rifts light. The doppelganger instantly vanished from Basils sight. He couldnt tell if it disintegrated upon touching the portal or made it to the other side. When the rest of the star circuit disappeared, the rift of light copsed into nothingness. Only the ruins of Daxs arena remained, silent and unmoving. They had won, albeit at a great cost. The city center was a smokingndscape of destroyed buildings and fiery ruins. The partys explosives had caused almost as much damage as the rampaging gearsmen. As for the petrified citizens, Steamslime had trampled many of them in his rush to the stadium. Other statues broke when the dragon copsed buildings on their heads and the monsters that came out of the rift also destroyed a few. Basil estimated that the death toll reached the high hundreds. But thousands more had been spared an early grave. It could have gone better, but most civilians survived the chaos and Basils team cleaned the city of Unity troops. The region was finally at peace.
Congrattions, you survived an [Incursion]! Your Party earned 60,000 EXP and 30,000 Bonus EXP (total 18,000 for you)! You earned 7 levels!
Seven levels? Basil nearly choked upon seeing the number. That was more than he had ever earned in one attempt. Incursions were incredibly profitable experience-wise. It made sense for the System to incentivize yers to participate in dangerous battles. One more, Rosemarine whispered in anticipation. Just one more and then and then haha Sheughed to her hearts content, which Basil found adorable. Aww, she would enjoy a growth spurt soon! Still, he hoped her metamorphosis would be more manageable than Bugsys own. Well, it is done, Officer Elissalde said through the military radio. The battlefield is clear. You cane down from your nest, Officer, Basil replied. Neria. After all we went through today, Basil, I think we can get past formalities. Alright. Although he remained slightly wary ofwmen, Basil was quite fond of the officer. She was friendly and reliable. Are you up for a drink? I think we all deserve it. We have drinks, partner? Shellgirl asked. No, but we have our pick of empty supermarkets to raid from. With the Unity expelled from the city, Basil and his allies could finally loot its pharmacies, shops, and businesses for food and parts. That will be a pleasure; after we bury my unit, Neria replied with a heavy heart. I dont want to leave their remains exposed to scavengers. Some of the monsters escaped and might still lurk in the area. What about the humanoids you saw? Basil asked. What can you tell us about them? I couldnt see them clearly, Neria admitted. I cant even tell if they were humans or not. A few of them wore hoods and carried bows. Bows? Basil wouldnt have expected archers toe out of the same ce as a steampunk snail dragon. He wondered what the world beyond the rift looked like. I know thend like the back of my hand, Basil said. Well find them wherever they hide. The funeral of Major Matteo Lionel Grange and Caporal Anne Naubin, the VABs driver, was a quiet and discreet affair. The survivors set up a memorial made from Steamslimes broken skull and granite stone, the Elissalde sisters gave the dead a brief eulogy, and Zachariel prayed for their souls. Basil knew the Major died an atheist, but he hoped that his spirit had found a nice resting ce. Afterward, the team split the spoils. Since nobody else could store Steamslimes shell in their inventoryit counted as a house ording to the SystemBasil kept it alongside his game console. The Elissalde sisters would keep the dragons other remains, much to Shellgirls dismay. Basil knew she woulde around after they looted the citys supplies. We should hold a funeral for my car too, Basil said as he helped Maya lift a petrified man into arge military truck. She was a good girl and deserved better. His joke amused Maya enough to make her crack a smile. We held one for ourbat helicopters too. Shame we couldnt piece it back together. HQ has crafters capable of repairing military vehicles, Neria replied as she closed the trucks trailer. The group had filled it to the brim with more than two hundred petrified humans and the Ogre Dens server rested at the front. The Major had been wise enough to drop it off at a safe ce before venturing back into the fray. Maybe I can convince them to pay the city a visit. All clear, sir, Zachariel told Basil. He and Bugsy had stuffed a second truck with statues. What about the others? Even if the citys poption had shrunkpared to what it was pre-apocalypse, it would take multiple trips to evacuate all the statues. Theres a vast underground parking lot near the bridge, Basil said. Well transport the statues underground and booby-trap the ess ways. Neria nodded sharply. I will present Zachariel to my superiors and convince them to transfer Daxs poption to Bordeaux. With a fleet of trucks, we can wrap this up in a single trip. And if they deny your request? Then Ill organize the transfer behind their backs. Neria observed Basil in silence for a few seconds before making him a proposal. Youre sure you dont want toe with us to Bordeaux? It will be safer than monster-infested wilderness, and we need people with your talents. Thanks, but Ill pass. Basil smirked. Its my home, and monster-infested wilderness is our natural habitat. to nodded in appreciation. We didnt suffer so much to establish a territory to abandon it. Well be alright, Miss Elissalde, Bugsy said. Well keep the ce in order, I promise! Then this is goodbye. Neria Elissalde smiled and gave the party a polite bow. Well stay in touch through the radio. Thank you for everything. It was Her sister trailed off and left her sentence hanging. Nice? Terrible? Basil could tell the loss of two friends affected her greatly. You are good people. You are great people! her basque shepherd barked, echoed by the doberman. No matter how dark a situation, dogs always managed to make friends. I hope we meet again one day! I dont, to replied gruffly. Nobody cared. Sir, it was a pleasure, Zachariel said before shaking Basils hand. I cant wait to introduce spiritual reforms to this world. Heaven knows humans need a karma shock therapy. Why did Basil have the feeling a new Vatican would pop up in Bordeaux? Come to think of it, did the Vatican still exist? He wondered what kind of dungeon would spring from the San Pietro Basilica. Good luck, Zach. Basil shook the angels hand. He would miss the healer, but the army needed Zachariel more than a lone human living in the woods. Careful about antivaxers though. I dont think your coronatheism theory will sit well with them. Dont worry, sir. Ive been trained to bring the me of knowledge to the masses, one stake at a time. Maya climbed on one truck with her dogs. Zachariel and Neria took the other. As she put on her seatbelt and prepared to leave the city, the police officer nced onest time at the ruins of Daxs arena in the distance. Her expression was one of doubt and uneasiness. Basil guessed what frightened her. Youre worried about a future Incursion? If that snail spoke the truth, that he was the least of our enemies what wille out of a portal next time? Neria sighed. We barely made it through todays attack. I fear tomorrows may be too much for us. Basil would be lying if he said he didnt share her fears. He had survived so far through skill and luck, but so had the Major until a stray shot ended his life. Death called without warning and the world would only grow more dangerous as time went on. But so would humans grow stronger and more adaptable. Our species survived the ice age, global warming, the ck gue, and two world wars, Basil said with a shrug. Well survive this apocalypse too. Neria Elissalde answered his resolute determination with a sad smile. I received more information from HQ, she admitted, about Paris. Oh? From her crinkled face, Basil shouldnt expect good news. What happened to the capital? ordingly to early reports, multiple dungeons appeared in the city. The Louvre turned into a true pyramid, the Eiffel Tower into a fortress the Seine dried up and sand filled the Champs-lyses. Nerias jaw clenched. We think the government was decapitated in the initial strike. The army established control over a few cities, but theyre too far apart to link. At this point, General Lenc is considering an alliance with a group called Metal Olympus to make up for our troops losses. Basil could read between the lines. You dont think we can win the war. What war? Its not France vs Germany, its us humans against robots, monsters, bugs Neria nced at Bugsy. No offense. None taken, he replied cheerfully. The army can reassert local control in the cities we upy and establish safe zones, but retaking the country looks more and more unlikely, Neria said. Youve survived so far by hiding on your own, Basil, but it wontst forever. The monsters will grow more numerous, more dangerous, and from what weve seen today, more organized. It wont matter if they cant find my home, Basil replied. The argument sounded weak even to him. I found you, partner, Shellgirl pointed out. Your house isnt that hard to find. Anybody who follows the stream will see it. We can coexist with monsters. Basil waved a hand at his team. Were the living proof of it. Can you coexist with the Unity? Neria shook her head. What I mean to say, Basil, is that your methods let you weather the storm so far. But when it grows too strong, it will blow you away. Joining us in Bordeaux would be safer. Numbers andmunity are strengths, not weaknesses. There was some truth to her words, but neither numbers nor soldiers had protected Paris. The monsters targetrgemunities as a priority, Basil pointed out. By your own logic, monsters will escte beyond our ability to fight back at all. Its damned if I do, damned if I dont. I dont have a long-term solution, Neria admitted. At least until weve found out more about Dismaker Labs, what they want, and what this System even is. Its our only hope for things to return to normal if thats even possible anymore. Basil suddenly realized that she was as lost as he was. She had seen her way of life copsing before her eyes and now braved a dangerous new world. Ill study the game console, he tried to reassure her. Maybe it holds answers about the System. I hope so. Neria gave him a final nod. Well keep in touch. Take care, Basil. Good luck. And on these words, Neria Elissalde drove away towards the rising dawn. Her sister followed with her own truck, both vehicles leaving the city without turning back. Basils party waved their hands, legs, and vines at them as they vanished beyond the horizon. So did his hopes of the army returning peace to thend. But Basil couldnt show doubt. Not now, not before his friends. They were exhausted after a long battle and deserved a moment of relief. No need to burden them with his doubts. My friends, weve won the Second Neighborhood War, Basil dered with pride. We can finally go back to what truly matters: eating, gardening, and doing nothing all day. And making money, Shellgirl chirped in. Dont forget the money part. Good riddance. to stretched his back. The humans were okay, but lets not make it a habit to team up with whiny dogs. I thought they were nice, Bugsy replied. Very friendly too. Why do you hate dogs so much? Basil asked to. It confused him slightly. Most of your kind coexists peacefully with them. Dogs are insidious! to hissed, his eyes hateful. He clearly had grievances he needed to get off his chest. They bombard you with love! At first you think theyre cute, entertaining maybe, but they are bottomless pits of insecurity! They demand constant affection, and before you know it, your owner spends all their time with a whiny Maltese dog and dumps you in a forest to fend for yourself! The sheer bitterness in his cats voice told his owner that this rant came from the heart. Basil felt his stomach turn with sadness. That is what happened to you, isnt it? to nced at the skies, which was an answer in itself. Anyway, weve got work to do. A bird escaped from the portal, remember? You let one live, and next thing you know the dodose back from extinction to y banjo in your backyard. What are dodos? Rosemarine asked. They sound tasty. Ill pass, Shellgirl said with a sigh. Im exhausted. Me too, Basil added. They had fought all night long and deserved a rest. The hunt will wait for another day. We could celebrate with a Major Chicken marathon, Bugsy proposed. Shellgirl hasnt watched any episodes yet. Nice idea. Basil nced at his pets, his friends, and his new family. Everyone in favor, say aye! Aye! all of them answered. Then lets go find a new Renault, Basil replied with a grunt. Were not walking back home. As the party went on the hunt for a new car, Basil gave the rising dawn a long hard look. The sun had risen in Earths skies since time immemorial. It had shone on the dinosaurs, the mammoths, men, and now monsters. All the species that failed to adapt to new circumstances vanished. Basil Bohen aspired to a quiet, peaceful life. But as he watched the rising sun, he wondered how long he could make itst. End of Tutorial/Arc 1 Party''s Stats Name Basil Jean-Franois Bohen Type Humanoid Faction The Bohens EXP 27,795/30,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Wood, Fire, Water, Ailments. Manyer, Soul, Wind, Lightning, Light. Level Health Points Special Points 12+7 (Tamer 5; Berserker 3; Alchemist 1; Runesmith 1; Gardener 1; Technomancer 1; 7 Unassigned) 970 365 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 29 26 24 18 Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 16 15 24 18 Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - Weak Strong Strong Strong - - Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Strong - Weak - Weak Weak - - Passive Perks Active Perks Monster Charmer II Warp Spasm I ughterer I Jardin Secret I Alchemy I Spell: Fire Rune Monster Lair I Spell: Ice Rune Runic I N/A Alchemy I (Passive): you can craft alchemy items without need of a recipe and create your own through experimentations. The list of items you can craft includes potions, alchemy tools, mutagens, poisons and bombs. Monster Charmer II (Passive): You can recruit monsters into your [Party]. The monsters level must be equal or below yours to join, and they cannot outlevel you afterward. Monsters in your party gain a 20% boost to stat growth on level-up, but will also die if your HP hits 0. Recruited monsters cannot leave your party unless you allow them to. You automatically form a party with an original partner selected by the Trimurti System. You can unlock the hidden potential of a recruited monster, granting them an additional Perk they cannot ess in the wild. Monsters will keep these additional abilities even if you kick them out of your party. ughterer I (Passive): you gain advanced proficiency with Axes, Maces, Spears, and Unarmed Attacks (x2 damage, +10 percent Crit chances). However, you lose all the benefits of the [Berserker] ss if you wield a shield, armor, or essory reducing the damage that you take. Monster skins and damage resistance provided by spells or perks do not vite this rule. Monster Lair I (Passive): you can select a hideout or dungeon under your control as your personal Lair. Lairs offer benefits based on your level. You can select and improve your Lair by clicking on Status in your menu. Runic I (Passive): you can now learn and cast [Runic] Spells up to Tier I. If you gain the ability to cast [Runic] Spells from other sses or Perks, the Tiers stack together. Warp Spasm I (active): you can apply the [Berserk] ailment to yourself at will for 5 minutes. While [Berserk], you relentlessly attack the closest target in melee with no regard for your safety, friend or foe, and cannot use [Spells]. In return, your damage is greatly enhanced and you feel no pain. Jardin Secret I (Active): you can determine an area equal to 1 hectare per Gardener level as your [Jardin Secret]. Seeds nted in the area will have their growth period divided by your gardener level multiplied by 2; [nt] Monsters grown from these seeds will be naturally friendly to you and can be immediately added to your Party. You can change your gardens location once per week, but if you do, the previous area loses all of its [Gardener]-rted benefits. Spell: Fire Rune: Runic, 10 SP, [Fire]. Empowers one of your weapons with the power of mes, inflicting an additional 20% [Fire] damage for 5 minutes. Multiple applications of [Fire Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it. Spell: Ice Rune: Runic, 10 SP, [Frost]. Empowers one of your weapons with the power of mes, inflicting an additional 20% [Frost] damage for 5 minutes. Multiple applications of [Ice Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it. Name to (Cait Sith) Type Beast/Fairy Faction The Bohens Experience 27,795/30,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Soul, Wind, Wood, Darkness, Mythic. Beastyer, Fairyyer, Physical, Corrosion, Water Level Health Points Special Points 12+7 440 435 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 11 (D+20%) 34 (B+20%) 11 (D+20%) 32 (A+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 22 (C+20%) 17 (D+20%) 17 (C+20%) 31 (A+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Weak - Strong Weak - Strong - - - Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic - Weak - Strong - - - Strong Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Sharp ws Luck Up Heavy Napper Wind sh Birdbane N/A Nine Lives N/A Swordsmanship I N/A Personal Perks: Active Perks: Name Bugsy Alphonse Venture (Centimagma) Type Bug/Elemental Faction The Bohens Experience 27,795/30,000 Immune Resist Weak Fire Physical, Corrosion, Ailments, Wood, Earth Bugyer, Elementyer, Mind, Frost, Water, Wind Level Health Points Special Points 12+7 1080 250 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 34 (B+20%) 22 (C+20%) 34 (B+20%) 18 (C+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 5 (E+20%) 12 (D+20%) 14 (D+20%) 21 (D+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong Weak - Strong - Strong - - Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Weak Strong Weak Weak - - - - Passive Perks Active Perks Poisoned Fangs Agility Up Carapace Firebreath Tremorsense N/A Personal Perks: Name Rosemarine Entine de Barthe (Kint) Type nt Faction The Bohens Experience 27,795/30,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Wood, Life, Water, Earth, Light. ntyer, Corrosion, Metal, Fire, Wind, Frost, Lightning, Darkness. Level Health Points Special Points 12+7 335 415 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 13 (D+20%) 20 (C+20%) 12 (D+20%) 22 (C+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 29 (B+20%) 7 (E+20%) 22 (C+20%) 25 (B+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment - - - Weak Weak Strong Strong Strong - Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Weak Strong Strong Weak Weak Weak Strong Weak - Passive Perks Active Perks Paralyzing Bite Sweet Pollen Bugcatcher Seed Decoy Personal Perks: Name Shellgirl (m Mimic) Type Aquatic/Slime Faction The Bohens Experience 27,795/30,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Physical, Water, Frost, Darkness. Aquayer, Slimeyer, Corrosion, Metal, Wood, Fire, Lightning. Level Health Points Special Points 12+7 800 390 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 22 (C+20%) 6 (E+20%) 36 (A+20%) 16 (D+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 22 (C+20%) 22 (C+20%) 21 (C+20%) 23 (C+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - - Weak Weak Weak - - - Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Weak Strong - - Strong Weak - Strong - Passive Perks Active Perks Shelter Ice Pearl Shell Inventory Water Jet Moneymaker Passive Perk: Active Perks: Chapter 27: Interlude: The Guards in Buckingham Chapter 27: Interlude: The Guards in Buckingham
London, the night when the world ended.
As far as Karim Williams remembered, he always dreamed of bing a guard. Some children wanted to be astronauts, or scientists, or prime ministers. But not Karim. Not terribly bright even from a young age, he knew he would never amount to much. He still remembered what his father told him in his childhood, when Karim showed him his terrible school grades: Mediocrity is a quality all of its own, Karim. Mules are mediocre, but they work hard and make the world go round. Great men stand on the backs of mediocre masses. I know that someday, youll lift up someone destined to do great things. Karim always knew who he wanted to carry on his back: God saves the Queen of Ennd. So he worked very hard to serve his country. He enlisted in the British army, passed his exams by the skin of his teeth, and asked to join the Grenadier Guards of the Household Division. Until one day, after countless drills and push-ups, the officers gave him his uniform of the Queens Guard. Him! The dirt-poor grandson of a Pakistani immigrant! The royal family would never know Karims name, and neither would the public. He would forever remain one of the faceless guards keeping up the gates of Buckingham Pce, fending off would-be assassins and Chinese tourists alike. But Karim was happy. His life had purpose. Nights were cold in London. Karims uniform warmed him up somewhat, as did his ck fur hat; although it was a tad too heavy for him and always threatened to fall over his eyes. His rifle felt heavy in his hands, but not as much as the weight of duty. Mist came out of his mouth when he breathed. Karims first shift ever took ce in the early morning. Big Ben would strike four oclock soon. The sky was pitch ck, but London never slept. There were always drunkards beyond the fences of Buckingham Pce, shouting and rambling in the shadow of the Victoria Memorial. The night was quiet all the same. Karim had been granted the ultimate honor of guarding the gates of Buckingham Pce on his first shift, to act as the Royal Familys first line of defense against their sworn enemies: the tourists, the paparazzi, and the stalkers. His onlypany on his lone vigil was a fellow guard. The two guards stood alone before the pces main entrance, separated from the city by steel fences. Karim knew the higher-ups put his shift at this hour to test his resolve. He struggled against the urge to close his eyes and fall asleep from the monotony. Even the customary fifteen-paces march every ten minutes became terribly monotonous after a while. But Karim resisted the temptation. His first shift was all the more important for who he shared it with. Bill McMalone. The Legend. The Rock of Buckingham. Karim dared to peek at his teammate. Bill was an older man in his sixties, with a tough Irish face, beardless jawline, icy blue eyes, and a bodybuilders abs. He looked like the bear whose fur his ck hat had been made from. Some said that Bill was too old for service and should retire, but the higher-ups kept renewing his contract year after year. Maybe out of gratitude. Maybe out of respect. For if half the stories Karim had heard about Bill McMalone were true, then he was more than a man. No human could be as still and silent as him. Karim hadnt seen Bill blink once in thest hour and a half they spent together. He wondered if the man even breathed. Bill McMalone only moved from his spot for the customary walking routine and then returned to his post without a word. Karim hadnt dared to speak to the man for the length of his shift. Too intimidating. But as his two hours of service would soon reach their end, he mustered the courage to break the ice. Is it true what they say? In the regiment? Karim cleared his throat. You spent six shifts back-to-back to cover for sick colleagues? If Bill McMalone had heard, he didnt show it. Karim gulped as the tense silence stretched on. Did he mess up somehow? No, Bill finally replied with a deep voice. Isted twelve shifts. Karims eyes widened in shock. Twenty-four hours? Without eating. Without drinking. Without sleeping. Bill McMalone marked a short pause, as if particrly proud of thest part. Without peeing. Impossible. No man could hold that long. Yet the unshakable certainty in the mans voice convinced Karim of his honesty. How did you do it, sir? Its Bill grunted. Authoritah. Authority? Karim asked navely. Authoritah, Bill replied. Its authority beyondposure. Authority over yourself and the world. And how do you obtain Karim coughed. Authoritah? Give it time. Bills tone reminded Karim of his father handing out wisdom to his young son. You do not learn authoritah. Authoritahes to you when you need it most. Karim listened to the lesson in silence. He would have time to meditate on it in his bed. Their recements should arrive sometime soon. Big Ben struck four oclock, signaling the end of Karims shift and the end of the world. First came the frost. A strange chill spread through the air like a wave, cold and biting. A pulse of invisible energy followed. Karim felt the wave going through his body without understanding its nature. He briefly wondered if the wind had suddenly changed course, until the skies changed colors. A bright blue aurora borealis spread from the distant Big Ben, so bright Karim squinted at the sudden change in luminosity. The northern lights expanded to cover all of London in the blink of an eye. As for Big Ben itself, the tower grew taller and taller. Karim watched on, mesmerized, as the monuments infamous clock pierced the clouds. Giant gears and pipes materialized on Big Bens surface until it took on a strange, steampunk appearance. What the hell? Karim muttered, unable to believe what his eyes showed him. Had sleeplessness dulled his senses? Was he dreaming? Whats happening? Big Ben wasnt the only monument to transform. The Tower of London, which normally could hardly be seen from the guards position, shot up to the skies. Its walls took on a sinister ck tone and a ring of fire surrounded the castles top. The Tower didnt grow as tall as Big Ben, but it now more than rivaled the Eiffel Tower in size. A flock of winged, shadowy forms flew away from the building and under the auroras light. When Karim thought they had reached the height of strangeness, a message appeared before his eyes as if he were reading from aputer screen.
Whoever reaches level 100 first will be Earths new Overgod.
Overwhat? Karim made a quick prayer to Ah, just in case.
As the only ss avable to you, you automatically took a level in [Watchman]: a mediocre ss focused on policing cities and enforcing order. Growths: Strength (C); Agility (C); Vitality (C); Skill (C); Magic (C); Intelligence (C); Charisma (C); Luck (C).
Level 1 Stat Gains: +1 STR, +1 VIT, +1 AGI, +1 CHA, +1 LCK. Your Health Points were raised by 30 and your Special Points by 10.
New Perk: Esprit de Corps I (Passive): You are but a faceless drone in a big machine. You can telepathicallymunicate with other members of your Party, Guild, or Faction, no matter the distance.
You automatically formed a party with: Bill McMalone.
A rush of pleasure traveled down Karims spine, though it did little to alleviate his nervousness. A white fog started to fall upon the city at an rming rate, clouding Londons buildings and skyscrapers in a denseyer of mist. Whats happening? Karim asked his teammate. Did you see that message too? What does it mean? Whats happening? Bill nced at Big Ben with indifferent eyes. Ugh. Ugh? Karim repeated. Ugh, Bill grunted back. He didnt look concerned in the slightest. Karim waited a few seconds before his nervousness got the better of him. He activated the earpiece hidden beneath his hat and attempted to contact the rest of his regiment. Chief? Chief? Gate to officers, whats happening? Only a static noise answered his questions. What do we do? Karim asked his senior partner. Do we check up on the royal family? We wait for the next shift to arrive. Bill shrugged his shoulders. I assume they will be a bitte. Somehow, Karim had the feeling that this would prove to be an understatement. Screams came out of the mist, and to Karims horror, they didnt sound human at all. Although he couldnt see much past the fog, he glimpsed shes of light in the distance followed by the sound of explosions. What if somebody needs help? Karim asked weakly. He had a terrible feeling about whatever was happening. Was it a holographic show of some kind? Why hadnt he been informed? Until new guardse, youll stand your ground. Bill stared at the iing fog with the utter indifference of an unimpressed veteran. The job of the Queen''s Guard is like making love to a woman, young man. Karim looked at his fellow guard with confused eyes. He had nothing but respect for McMalone, but thatparison was almost scandalous. I I dont follow, sir. You struggle against the urge to unload your essence, Bill exined. But to maximize your partners pleasure, you must wait for the right moment. Even if you feel like the pipe will burst out, that the pressure is too much, you have to hold on to it until you are in the perfect position. Like how you must wait for your next shift before climax. Karim listened in silence, but the metaphor was too much for him. Sir, Im sorry, but that makes no sens You dont want to pleasure your wife, Karim? Bill snarled at his teammate without moving an inch. Karim tensed up like an iron pole. You think shes too good for you? You think you can blow your load when she isnt ready, or cheat on her? Is that what you think? I-I dont have a wife, Sir! Not with that attitude! How can you hope to hold a woman if you cant hold your position?! You will respect the Queens Guard the same way you would respect your future wife! You dont cheat on the Duchess of Windsor, Karim! You dont cheat on Kate and William! Karim trembled in ce, overwhelmed by his fellow guards vehemence. He stared into the distance, ignoring the screams, ignoring the noise of explosions, ignoring the small + symbol at the edge of his vision. It it had to be alright. Bill was much older than Karim, an experienced watchman with decades of service to the Crown. He knew better. If he felt all of this was nothing to be worried about, then Karims worries were misced. He breathed in and out, telling himself everything was fine. Yes, yes, the skies were falling apart, but it didnt matter. Everything would turn out well. Nothing to worry about. Are you married, Sir? Karim asked. No. Bill McMalones face remained an unblinking mask. Im divorced. Karim wondered why, but wisely did not push the subject further. Nobody came to relieve them for the next hour. Karim vaguely heard shouts and movement behind the pces doors, but nobody came to give him and Bill directions. The fog made it nigh-impossible to see beyond the pces fence, except for the Victoria Memorial. The golden, winged statue atop the monument shone brightly under the faint light of the aurora. The mists swirled under it like a raging sea unable to topple a lighthouse. I need to pee, Karim thought. His dder was a dam holding back a flood. Worse, his hat was starting to slide onto his forehead, making it harder for him to see. So much. Think of Bojo, Karim. It was the voice of Bill McMalone, but it echoed in Karims head rather than in Buckinghams courtyard. The younger guard nced at his elder, who hadnt moved from his post. You gained this Esprit de Corps too? Karim thought. By Bojo, you mean Boris Johnson, the older guard repeated through telepathy. Think of Bojo, Karim.Think of the prime minister.It will help you hold back the tide. Karim would rather think of Meghan Markle right now, but his fear of Bill eavesdropping on his fantasies cowed him. He imagined the face of Boris Johnson looking down on him, much like his father scolding him for speaking out of turn. Karims dder stopped distracting him immediately. Theyreing, Bill said out of the blue. What? Karim asked. Who? The plebeians are at the gates, the older guard replied evasively. Karim didnt have to ponder long. The fenced steel gates copsed in a terrible bang and a shadowy shape emerged from the mist. Karim screamed. A festering horror lumbered out of the mist. Thrice the size of the average man, the creature was made of body parts crudely stitched together in a humanoid shape. Skin spots of different colors, from green to gray, formed a nightmarish patchwork that made Karims stomach turn. Bolts struck out of the creatures head, sparks of lightning bursting from them. And the eyes two white lights glowed from within ck, empty sockets. A notification appeared above the creatures head.
Stitched Mark I
Level 10 [Artificial/Undead]
Karim thought, prayed, that it was only a very convincing costume. But as the creature came closer in unnerving silence, its hands sorge they could probably seize a horse, he realized that the the thing was all too inhuman. B-Back off! Karim raised his rifle at the lumbering brute. Back off! The creature rushed at him, its steps making the ground shake beneath his feet. Karim opened fire as training demanded, only for his bullets to bounce off the monsters skin. It closed the gap between the metal fence and the guards in an instant. Karim prepared to join his maker but the lethal blow never came. Instead, the Frankenstein creature froze one meter away from the guards. Its body was tense, its eyes were wide open, but they ignored Karim entirely. Bill McMalone had engaged in a staring contest with the monster. The older guard did not move an inch. He hadnt even lowered his rifle to threaten the monster. No, he simply gazed at the monster with his cold, soulless blue eyes. Somehow, that was enough to stop it dead in its tracks. The scene reminded Karim of two goris threatening one another. Neither made a move to attack the other, yet the pressure grew between them. Karim held his breath, anticipating the deadly fight he knew woulde. He was mistaken. After a tense standoff, the stitched monster took a few steps back away from the guards. It moved closer to the fence, its grim expression one of wariness. At no point did it break eye contact with Bill McMalone, and the guard did not move an inch. The creature turned around without warning and fled in the mist. Bill watched it vanish with a look of utter contempt. Wimp, was all he said. It took Karim a full five minutes of breathing, in and out, to recover hisposure. What was that? he asked, his lungs cold within his chest. What happened? Authoritah, Bill replied calmly. That was authoritah at work, Karim. No, I mean Karim pointed his rifle at the destroyed metal fence. That thing! What was that?! Probably a Welsh tourist. I think. Bill let out a shrug. Theyre the worst. Tourists dont grow that big! His partners utter nonchnce both shocked and infuriated Karim. W-Why arent you more concerned? Bill McMalone turned his eyes and met his juniors gaze. After two years in the Queens Guard, Karim, he said, very calmly, nothing on the job will surprise you anymore. He looked back at the gates and Karim knew the matter was closed. Karim calmly returned to his post, rifle pointed at the skies. Somehow, his partners sheer serenity in the face of strangeness calmed him. Did it happen before? he asked Bill. Not since they tried to raise Lady Di from the dead, the older guard replied with a shrug. Now that was a shitshow. Karim stared at his colleague in ufortable silence, searching for any hint that that was a joke. He didnt find any. London Bridge is falling down A sinister voice echoed out of the mist. Falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down Karim nced at the metal fence, half expecting the monstrous creature to return for a new round. Instead, a new dark figure stepped out of the fog. My fairdy built it up with iron bars, iron bars, iron bars A gaunt man in a dark trench coat walked into view, his fingers ying with knives. His face was hidden behind a gas mask and his hair under a ck hat. Built it up with iron bars Only when the figure came closer did Karim realize that the mysterious man wasnt ying with knives. His fingers were knives.
Ripper
Level 6 [Humanoid]
My fairdy, iron bars will bend and break The dark man stared at Bill McMalone with empty ss eyes. Since the older guard wouldnt even look at the intruder, he instead turned his gaze at Karim. Bend and break, bend and break Was that Jack the Ripper? Karim did his best not to show fear and unease, but his body betrayed him. His fingers clenched around his rifle, which the monster noticed. The creature sharpened his knives against each other. Bend and break he sang to himself, ready to disembowel Karim. Like corpses Use it, Karim, McMalones voice echoed in his colleagues skull. He sounded calm, but firm. Use what?! Karim thought back. Your authoritah. Use your authoritah. Look at him. Look straight at him. Karim held his breath and faced the knife monster. Their gazes locked in a silent contest of will. Slitted reptilian eyes behind the gas masks ss lenses staring back at Karim. He knew that if he ever faltered, that if he even blinked, the monster would strike him dead. It was pure agony to keep his eyes open. They felt as dry as a desert. So Karim raised his eyebrows to break the deadlock. The monster was taken aback. It lifted his chin a little bit, trying to keep up, but it couldnt match Karims speed. To the stratosphere, Karim! Karims eyebrows reached as high as the human bodyand his fur hatwould allow it. He felt the blood flow into his pupils, the pressure growing, the sweat falling down his forehead. Something snapped in the Rippers heart like a bowstring. The monster flinched. He looked between Karim and Bill, his posture was that of a scared animal, and he fled without a word into the night. When the creature was gone, Karim gasped for air and blinked to hydrate his eyes. Bill McMalone simply gave him a sharp nod of approval. Big Ben struck six and the Buckhingham Pces doors opened at longst. Two members of the Queens Guard came out in uniform, fresh and confident. Hi guys, the oldest of them said. Sorry for the dy, we had a few corpses to bury in the garden. How was your shift? Eventful, Bill replied with a sigh. ss-X disaster scenario. I know, right? The youngest of the new guardsKarim thought his name was Mickey or somethinglooked at the skies. We still dont understand what caused the phenomenon. Well, we trained for emergencies like this one. Bill frowned at his colleagues. Which of you dumbasses let Jack the Ripper out of his cell again? We didnt, Mickey protested. Hes in the basement. Bill McMalone did a thing Karim had yet to see him do: blink. The old guard looked at the shadow of Big Ben and the auroras in the skies. Wait, this has nothing to do with the celebrity sacrifices? No, theyre right on schedule and Queen Elizabeth is still immortal. Karim opened his mouth, words dying on the tip of his tongue, and then closed it. Instead, he listened in silence. This mess, Bill McMalone pointed at the aurora, has nothing to do with us? Nope, Mickey replied. He looked calm, but concerned. And from what we can tell, its worldwide. Its chaos out there. Apparently life is a video game now, theres monsters running around, riots in the streets We even lost contact with Agent Markle, so the n to take back the USA for Ennd is dead in the waters. Its worse than the night when Prince Charles came out as a vampire, Bill said with an angry frown. Is he still in his coffin, at least? Yes, although the Duchess of Cornwall is starting to suspect the body double. The new guards nced at Karim with a conspiratorial look. Wait, is he in the know? Its okay, hes ready for the initiation. Ill vouch for him. Bill locked eyes with his colleague. Karim. Karim straightened up. What you see and hear as a Queens Guard, stays in the Guard, Bill said. Do you understand? By now, Karim had stopped asking himself questions and just went with the flow. Yes, Sir. There are things about the Royal Familyvery dark stuff, borderline Satanicthat the public is never allowed to know. Part of your job as a member of the Household Division will be to keep it that way. Do you understand? Yes, Sir. Good. Bill McMalone patted Karim on the shoulder. Happy first day on the job. Chapter 28: Man vs Rooster Chapter 28: Man vs Rooster It was early October. The night was cold and Basil slept soundly in his warm,fortable bed. No nightmare could trouble his mind and no one would dare to wake him up. Cooohoo! Or so he thought. The scream echoed through his window with the vocal strength only a rooster could muster. The earplugs in Basils ears failed to hold back the song. His fists clenched under the pillows. Coooohooooo! Basils eyes snapped open in annoyance and silent fury. He grit his teeth and tried to go back to sleep. If he ignored the scream, perhaps it would go away COOOHOOO!
[Berserk] Ailment Resisted.
Is he going to SHUT THE HELL UP?! Basil shouted and mmed the bedroom wall with enough strength to shake up the whole house. SHUT UP! But the rooster on his roof wouldnt deprive the world of his singing talent, and dared to defy his owners wishes for silence. COOHOO The scream started off as strong as the others but came to an abrupt halt. The roosters voice became a muffled sound, barely audible. Coo coohoo After a few seconds of pleasurable silence, Basil heard someone knock on his window. tos tired voice came through. Its okay, Basil, he said. Problem solved. Thank you. Basil buried his face into the pillow and fell back into sleep. By the time Basil woke up and went to make some breakfast, the event had slipped through his mind. To his astonishment, he found Vasi the witch preparing herself a cup of coffee in the kitchen in a ck dressing gown. to curled on a pillow near the counter, snoring lightly next to a cloth bag. Hello, handsome, Vasi greeted Basil, kindly ignoring his disheveled morning look. From her happy face and well-groomed hair, the witch had slept a lot better than he did. Want a cup? Vasi? Basil blinked. How why are you here? You dont remember? She put a hand on her waist. Last time we met, you offered to let me use your alchemyb. I didnt mean the kitchen. Basil pointed at the ground. Theb is downstairs. I know silly, Shellgirl told me. But I dont likeing uninvited, so Vasi spilled her bags contents on the kitchens counter. A horde of croissants, cakes, and chocte sweets flooded out of it. I baked pastries! So well-bribed, Basil immediately forgave Vasi for the impromptu home intrusion. He poured himself a coffee cup and they toasted to good cuisine. Theyre good, Basil said while chomping a croissant. Mmm hazelnut? It goes well with the butter. It did. Basil registered the tip forter use. Did you craft them? Vasi chuckled, her mouth half-full of chocte cakes. No, of course not. My Perk lets me craft potions, talismans, and witch stuff. Not pastries. That makes me think, you would benefit from my Lairs Crafter Workshop if you joined my party. With the experience gained from the Incursion, Basil could recruit the witch. I can add you now that Ive earned more levels. Plus you would gain a new Perk. You are very kind, Basil, but I refuse. Vasi petted to behind the ears, which the sleepy cat liked very much. Its a question of principle. Im no monster to add to your stable. Suit yourself, Basil replied. I only propose it to help you. I know. She winked at him. Thats why I havent poisoned the pastries yet. Basil smiled and turned to look at the world beyond his kitchens windows. The sunlight slowly pierced through a faint cloud of mist. Bugsy mowed thewn near the shore by cutting grass with his mandibles. The centimagma waved his antennae at Basil upon sensing his presence. It had been three days since the Incursion ended and the team spent them scavenging for supplies. The Unitys defeat turned Dax into a ghost town full of supplies. Unfortunately, although Basils team found their fill of hardware,puter parts, medicine, and other amenities, food was scarce. Either dishes had started rotting due tock of preservation or wandering monsters looted supermarkets first. As for firearms, the Frenchs tight regtions on them made armories few and far between; and when the team had finally located one, they found it already ransacked. Basil had stockpiled reserves tost for over a year, but there was no such thing as too much stored food. This years winter would be a tough one. He could feel the creeping cold in the air. Basil had refined his backup generator with his Fire Rune to improve the output by twenty percent, but he would rather diversify his energy production. I need to drag Steamslime''s shell back to the house, he thought. The colossal device could produce steam inrge quantities and provide heating. Studying it would also provide insight into the Unitys alien technology. But its too heavy for a small group like our own. Basil would figure something out. Eventually. Do you have any seeds? he asked Vasi while finishing his croissant. So good. Im going to try onest harvest before the snowes. I have seeds for many herbs, but few vegetables, the witch replied. If I were you, I would cultivate pumpkins and turnips. Samhain will soon be upon us. Samhain? You mean Halloween? Basil shrugged. I already have pumpkins in storage for it, and Im not counting the talking one. You misunderstood. Vasi shook her head. In my world, Samhain is the time of the year when dark magic is at its strongest. Cruel fairies y tricks on the unwary, undead rise from their graves, and demonse out to dance with wicked souls. And pumpkins and turnips Grow at an elerated rate? Basil guessed. Vasi smiled wickedly. You catch on quickly. Theres no magic of Halloween on Earth, Basil replied with skepticism. Unless you count the power of marketing and childrens sweet tooth. Correction, there was no magic on your. Vasi elegantly bit into her croissant. I can feel it in the air. I would prepare for that night if I were you. Not everyone lives through it. How very reassuring. Yet Basil didnt have any reason to doubt Vasis warnings. The witch had been trustworthy so far and a magical Halloween would fit right at home in a post-System world. There are other advantages to Samhain, especially if youre a spellcaster, Vasi said. Powerful rituals that only work during special times like the convergence ofs or the rise ofets can be aplished on that day. You have one in mind? Perhaps. Vasi grinned ear to ear. Im debating between calling the moon to Earth and sacrificing babies to a powerful demon. Basil shrugged. So long as you dont do it in my backyard. Youre no fun. Sheughed. Im kidding of course. Truthfully, Im researching a ritual that would improve my spellcasting tier ess. Its why I haven''t visited before. Lots of prep work. Well, if you need assistance, just tell me. I still owe you a favor for the spellbook you lent me. Dont be like that, Basil, nobodys counting points, Vasi rolled her eyes. But thanks for your offer, Ill think about it. Basil had the acute feeling he would eat his own words in the near future. But until then, he would check if he had pumpkin and turnip seeds left to nt. With Gardener, they should grow quicker. Basilcked a turkey to cook for Halloween, but surely a local bird monster would make for a nice recement. Speaking of birds... to? Mmm? the cat grunted. He sounded half-asleep. What, Basil? What did you do with Jeremy? Vasi raised an eyebrow. Who? The rooster, Basil exined. He knew all his animals names by heart. Oh, him? to shrugged. He went away. Basil squinted at his cat. He went away? He fled into the woods, never to be seen again, to lied through his teeth. I tried to catch up to him, but he ran too fast on his tiny chicken legs. Basil didnt believe the story, so his cat looked up at him with a cute, adorable kitten stare. His owner immediately froze in horror. to used that stare when he wanted something or when he had fucked up. to. Basil cleared his throat. to, what did you do? Realizing he wouldnt get away with it, his cat looked down in shame. Hes in the freezer, to whispered. Basil blinked a few times as he processed his cats words, before rising from his seat and checking the freezer. The remains of a murdered rooster starred back at him between a mermaids severed tail and congealed fries. From his blue face and the marks around his neck, to had strangled the bird to death. Even Vasi looked vaguely disturbed at the sight. You killed ourst rooster?! Basil asked in shock. It was an ident, I swear! tos shame seemed real enough. I just wanted him to stop cawing, Basil! Three nights he wouldnt shut up! Three nights I couldnt sleep! I put my paws on his throat, but he wouldnt stop! And my hands It''s been less than a month I didnt know to raised his hands at Basil. I didnt know thumbs were so powerful! he said with tears in his eyes. Basil sighed in frustration. His hand found its way to his forehead. to, Jeremy was ourst rooster. We only have hens left and no way to replenish their numbers. I know tos shoulders crumpled. The cat had already realized his terrible blunder. No more chicks. Im afraid so, Basil replied. This mistake called for drastic measures. Until we find new roosters to breed with the hens, well have to slow down on the fried chicken nights. In fact, well probably have to skip them for the winter. Its a tragedy. to covered his face in despair. These thumbs have killed My poor prince of cats. Vasi tried to reassure the cat by scratching him on the back. Its not too bad. It is, Basil replied grumpily. I dont know where we can find a new chicken. I dont think theyll survive monsters in the wild and all the nearby farms have been devastated. You dont necessarily need a male chicken, Vasi pointed out. Any male Avian monster type should do. Find a nice thunderbird or cockatrice to settle in your coop, and youre set. I dont think gics work that way, Basil replied with a deadpan tone. In my world, they do; and sometimes type is no barrier to reproduction. Theres a man, the Whore King of Murmurin, who could breed with anyone and anything. He was the stuff of legends. Vasi set her empty cup aside. What do you have to lose by looking for a recement bird? What bird? to asked with tears in his eyes. I killed them all! No birds dare to approach the forest anymore! They did not, Vasi agreed with a warm smile. But that was before the Incursion. Shellgirl reported new monsters running around in the region. Some of them had feathers. Basil considered his options and quickly realized he didnt have any better solution to the rooster problem. Besides, Taming monsters for livestock would reduce his partys dependency on chickens and rabbits. After reassuring the devastated to that they would figure something out, Basil finished his breakfast and moved to the basement. He found Shellgirl reviewing the items she intended to sellmostly soap and toilet paper. Orcs loved those products for a reason that Basil couldnt fathom. Yo, partner! Shellgirl waved a hand at Basil. Finally ready to meet my fellow merchants? Sure. Shellgirl had pestered Basil for a long time about meeting other friendly monsters living in the Barthes to trade supplies. Since dealing with Vasi had proved fruitful, he was ready to test the waters with his neighbors on neutral ground. They couldnt be worse than goblins. When is the open market nned? Tomorrow evening at the confluence of streams. I cant wait to introduce you to my customers. Theyll be so shocked to speak with a native human for the first time! Shellgirl put her hands behind her head. Anyway, what can I do for you today? Looks like youve got a brilliant idea! Come on, share! Vasi told me you reported new monsters in the area? Besides the nimbus creatures? The cloud monsters had entered the region with the Incursion and showed up whenever it rained. They didnt look aggressive so far, but Basil wouldnt take any chances if one wandered near the house. Yeah, lots of new faces are moving in the marshestely. Thunderbirds, cockatrices, basilisks, giant toads They didnt alle out from our portal, Basil noted. Nah, the birdse from the north. I think theyre stopping by the region as they migrate south. Others though, theyre predators looking for new territory. Most are above level ten too. Basil crossed his arms. They must havee through other portals. Incursions were worldwide events. Basils party repelled the creatures that stepped through the rift in Dax, but how many portals remained open in the south of France without anyone to hold back the tide? The Incursion disced hundreds, if not thousands of monsters, who now looked for territory or an ecological niche to fill. Also, member the humanoids who slipped through the cracksst Incursion? Shellgirl asked. Ive heard rumors saying that they were elves. Elves? Basil frowned. With pointy ears? Yeah, thats how my orc contacts called them. The pointy-ears. You know them? Yes and no. Every fantasy game I have makes use of them, but they cant agree onmon threads besides the ears. Basil didnt particrly y as elves. He found dwarves funnier to y and more interesting. What else did you learn? Not much, but you can ask my customers tomorrow. Im sure Orcdadll give you the juicy details. Shellgirlughed. An elf archer shot him in the ass. Orcdad? Thats your customers name? When Shellgirl nodded with an amused look, Basil realized originality was among the apocalypses many victims. Yeah, Ill interrogate him. These elves also crossed the portal around the same time as Steamslime, meaning they might be rted to the Unity. Basil couldnt overlook the risk they posed to his own littlemunity. Since were going to meet with people, dont you think its time to assign your levels, partner? Shellgirl asked. Cant assign mine until you do, and I desperately need more Charisma points tond interesting deals. Ive found an incredible opportunity for foreign development that we can''t pass up. Good point, Basil conceded. He hadnt yet assigned the seven new levels he had earned from the Incursion because he wanted to make an inventory of his partys needs first. The new priorities were recruiting more livestock, growing their food stocks for winter, and investigating the steampunk technology that Steamslime left behind. Tamer would help with recruiting livestock; Fisherman and Gardener would make gathering food easier; and Technomancer might prove useful with Unity technology. To make sure he would get a new Perk each time, Basil assigned two levels to Tamer, two levels to Gardener, two levels to Technomancer, and thest one to the new Fisherman ss. He immediately felt a surge of energy coursing his nerves. It was as if a bolt of lightning had hit him straight in the spine before spreading to all of his limbs. His vision went white and the world became silent. There was no pain, no numbness, no suffering; only the overwhelming rush of power and indescribable pleasure.
Assigned Levels Stat Gains: +5 STR; +7 AGI; +4 VIT; +6 SKI; +4 MAG; +5 INT; +5 CHA; +3 LCK. You gained 220 Health Points and 85 Special Points, and you can register a new spell in your Spellbook (max 4).
New Tamer Perk: Monster Charmer III (Passive): When monsters reach the level needed to undergo metamorphosis, they will now choose between multiple options rather than having one forced upon them. You must validate the choice as their Tamer.
New Technomancer Perk: Fuel Technology (Active): You can spend Special Points to power machinery instead of normal fuel. The Special Points consumption rate depends on the device used.
New Gardener Perk: Greenhand I (Active): 10 SP. You can automatically identify the properties of nts, such as the stats of [nt] monsters or the status information of fruits, with no chance of failure.
New Fisherman Perk: Fishing I (Passive): You gain medium proficiency with bows, spears, fishing lines, ands (x1.5 damage); any attack you make with these weapons counts as [Aquayer] and inflicts supereffective damage against the [Aquatic] Type (x3 damage). You can also craft fishing [Traps] with or without a recipe and create your own forms.
Seven levels at once was a unique experience. Basil had never taken hard drugs, but he suspected that he had just gone through a high. He gasped for air when the feeling of absolute power receded and nearly copsed to his feet. Basil breathed in and out, his lungs stronger than before. He looked at his shirt and noticed that his biceps had expanded in size, nearly to the point of ripping his sleeves apart. Wow! Shellgirl pped. Her voice was clearer than before, the intonations on her words more varied. Youre jacked! My hearing improved, Basil realized. He also noted subtle shades of green coloration on Shellgirls face that he had never noticed before. My sight too. Must be the new increase in Skill. He couldnt deny it anymore; the System changed humans the same way it had transformed to into a puss-in-boots. Stat increases modified Basils body. He usually leveled up too gradually for the changes to be obvious. Basil would never say no to more muscles, yet he couldnt help but wonder what he might look like thirty levels from now; and how it would change him mentally.
You unlocked the criteria for the [Druid] Spellcaster ss and the [Dragonknight] Fighter ss.
Neat. Agh, I havent evolved yet! Shellgirlined. Does your new Tamer Perk tell you when Ill transform? No, Basil replied, but itll give you multiple choices. Ohoh, really? Shellgirl rubbed her hands. I wonder what theyll be the path of the wealthy or the path of the strong? I wouldnt mind better defenses against thieves and monster bandits. Basils Perk wouldnt show him the choices avable. He probably needed to wait until his monsters reached the threshold. Overall, he was pleased with his new abilities. Greenhand I would help him harvest edible nts and Fuel Technology could power house amenities without stressing the generator or sr panels. As for Fishing My halberd counts as both a spear and axe, Basil noted. System, does it mean I get two proficiency modifiers from Fishing and ughterer?
Weapon proficiencies do not stack together; only the highest of them applies.
What about supereffective damage? If I use my fire-infused halberd against a fish weak to Fire and to Aquayer, would they take nine times the damage?
Multiple supereffective multipliers do not stack together. An attack is supereffective or it is not. However, the supereffective multiplier does stack with a critical hit or a weapon proficiency.
More and more questions came to Basils head. Come to think of it, he had been so busy surviving day-to-day attacks that he could never study the Systems basics in-depth. What about uracy? Does my halberds uracy stat mean I have roughly three chances out of four of hitting a target no matter what I do? That cant be right.
Your chances of hitting a target depend on many factors, from your Skill to the terrain and the enemys Agility. The number shown in a weapons stats is a modifier among many.
And why are you telling me this now? You were never so straightforward in the past.
Intelligence is the stat determining your understanding of the System. Your Intelligence stat was simply too low.
Basil angrily punched the screen, his fist going harmlessly through it. You should give up, you know? Shellgirl said. One day you might hit one of us by ident. I have a better idea. Basil tightened his fist. Ill dy my gratification. Ill hold my hand back, and the day I find a Dismaker Labs employee, Ill strike them once for every time Ive shown restraint. Shellgirl rolled her eyes. Anyway, with ourbined Charisma points, we can finally redeem that voucher and make the sale of the century. Basil raised an eyebrow. Voucher? Funny you should ask! Shellgirl snapped her fingers and a tiny scroll appeared in her hand. I got it from a wandering merchant a while back. Hes returning to the marshes in time for the open market meet-up. Im sure we can negotiate a good deal. She unfurled the paper before Basils eyes. The document was an ad for a magical item shop. It would have looked respectable and professional if not for the sinister logo: an ouroboros symbol floating over a grinning skull and alchemical sks. Tyes Boiling Cauldron, Basil read out loud. 10% off from the best magical item shop in the multiverse. Open to the living and the dead. Thest part is oddly specific. Sounds like a respectablepany if you ask me. Basil doubted it, but it wasnt like he could shop magical scrolls at Carrefour either. But it wasnt the dead part that stood out the most. One word on the voucher made Basil incredibly curious. Multiverse, he whispered. Chapter 29: Man vs Market Chapter 29: Man vs Market The flute song echoed across the river like a slow luby. The group heard the campsite long before they actually saw it. First Bugsy noticed notes ying in the air as they walked up the stream, and Basils newly enhanced senses soon picked them up afterwards. The cold wind carried the song through the autumn leaves under the evening sun. The music was rxing, almost soothing. Reminds me of that time I tried yoga, Basil said as he walked along the river, a bag on his back and his halberd in hand. Shellgirl swam beneath the surface by snapping open her carapace back and forth. How did it end? Vasi asked, following him with Bugsy. Basil had left the rest of the team at the house to protect it from attacks. In great frustration. I expected as much. Whats yoga, Boss? Bugsy asked. A waste of time. Basil couldnt sit still for more than five minutes without going mad. Whats that smell? There was a foul stench in the air, simr to a pigs pen. Even the sweet scent of autumn flowers carried by the wind couldnt cover it up. Oh, thats the orcs! Shellgirl said before jumping out of the water and onto the shore. Were close, Partner. As she predicted, the group reached a small camp at the spot where the marshs streams merged with the greater river of LAdour. A tarp of clothes stretched across manyrge trees and cast arge shadow over a clearing. Piles of stones were set up around the site and a warm campfire. Basil readied his halberd to strike. Shellgirl had vouched for her fellow monsters peacefulness, but it didnt cost anything to stay on his guard. A musician was sitting on a fallen tree and ying a flute song to a small audience of monsters; and to Basils surprise, he looked very much human. The man was of Indian descent and quite handsome, with light brown skin and curled raven hair falling on his shoulders. He wore exotic Indian golden pants and some kind of shirt leaving most of his chest exposed. More importantly, he went barefoot and looked no older than twenty. Basil immediately recognized the man for what he was. Oh, God. Basil shuddered in fear. A hippie. If the musician greeted Basil with namaste, the jokes would flow. Whoever the man was, he had gathered a strange audience. The monsters closest to him were a white-feathered bird the size of a horse thatbined the body of a hawk with a lions crimson mane, and a magnificent, three-headed golden cobra. The rest were a trio of gray-skinned humanoids who Basil assumed were orcs, a walking skeleton in tattered clothes and goblins. Basil immediately saw red when he noticed two of them in the small crowd. The first was normal-sized, with pallid white skin and pitch-ck eyes. A blue scrub-covered his mouth and a hooded robe the rest of its tiny body. He kept scalpels and a bonesaw attached to a belt, and a bag full of ice within arms reach. The other goblin was almost as tall as Basil himself, with boar tusks and hooves for feet. War paint covered his brownish skin.
Cafaimal (Autopsy Gremlin)
Level 10 [Humanoid/Fairy]
Party: Cut & Deep
Benoit (Hobgoblin)
Level 10 [Giant/Humanoid]
Party: Cut & Deep
Wild goblins could undergo metamorphosis? If so, Basil was d to have ughtered every member of Ogremoches band. One of them might havee back for vengeanceter as a far more powerful entity. Wait, could these two be survivors from the water station dungeon? The two evolved goblins tensed up upon sensing his suspicious gaze on their back and froze like rabbits finding themselves cornered by a fox. The autopsy gremlin, Cafaimal, raised a trembling hand at Basils face. T-thats him, Benoit! he shouted at his terrified teammate. The Ogre of the Barthes! Goblin-Eater! Basils jaw clenched. Shellgirl, didnt you correct them about my species? Correct them about what? she replied in confusion. You tried to feed me goblins the night we met. And they tasted good too, Boss! Bugsy said with enthusiasm. His response only terrified the two walking dishes further. What, Basil ate goblins a few dozen times and that was all people remembered about him? Couldnt they tell tales of his epic dragonying deed instead? The musician sensed the tension in the air and ended his song. He lowered his silver flute and opened his deep ck eyes at Basil. They felt both full of wisdom and innocence all at once, as if the man was older than his outside appearance would suggest. Im sorry, I didnt hear youing. The musician offered Basils group a sharp nod. His attitude contrasted with the snake and bird close to him, who observed the neers with wariness. It has been many moons since Ist saw a fellow human. Namaste, friends. He dared, Basil thought. Sorry, namaste home tonight. Namastawhat, Boss? Bugsy asked. It means hello in the ancient New Age Yoga society, Basil joked. If you want to sound spiritual, Bugsy, say namaste. The musicianughed heartily; a sound so pure Basil almost felt ashamed for his terrible answer. Well-yed, the stranger said with a polite bow. My name is Kalki. A pleasure to meet a fellow Tamer. A Tamer? Well, that exined hisfort with monsters. It felt so odd to Basil to meet another one like him. Goblin-Eater? one of the orcs, a teenage girl from her facial features, whistled at Basil. Hes almost as brawny as you are, Ma! The System-summoned orcs both matched and differed from the fantasy stereotypes of their species. They were muscr humanoids taller than a human with wolfish ears, pelts for clothes, and ashen-gray skin. Their broad shoulders, brawny hips, pale red eyes, and protruding canines made them look like barbarian savages. The group of three present at the gathering was almost certainly a family unit. The adults were both two heads taller than Basil. The male was bald and wielded a stone tower shield nearly two meters in length; the female orcs long white hair flowed out of a horned metal helmet, and she wielded a hammer. Both were covered in scars, although the woman was the most muscr of the two by far. The girl that whistled at Basil was clearly the couples daughter and nearly as tall as he was. She looked around sixteen, an oversized hat threatening to fall off her long white hair. Her weapon was a rusty iron mace, and unlike the rest of her family, she favored tattered ck jeans, a shirt, and leather boots over pelts. If not for her appearance, Basil could have mistaken her for a human delinquant. As for their smell The stenching from the orcs was almost unbearable. Vasi took steps back to stay away from the orcs in disgust, and even Basil, who wasnt the cleanest person in the world, thought a garbage fill smelled nicer than these three. No wonder they were so fond of soap.
Orcdad
Level 16 [Giant/Humanoid]
Faction: n Orn.
Orcmom
Level 18 [Giant/Humanoid]
Faction: n Orn.
Orcine
Level 13 [Humanoid]
Faction: n Orn.
Basil wondered if they hid an Orcgrandpa and Orcgrandma in their genealogical tree. From their partys name, they took theziest approach possible for names. Orcdaddy would have sounded far better too. A pity they didnt join my party, Basil thought. I would have given inspired names. Like Raphal Andreas Corpus, or Danielle Francine von Levinksi. Names with history and power! Another human? Vasi whispered to Shellgirl, her gaze set on Kalki. I didnt know you brought one to this gathering. I didnt. Ive no idea who this is. The merchant pouted with crossed arms. I wanted to show off my human partner for bragging rights, but that stranger stole my thunder! My apologies, Kalki replied with a sheepish smile. I walked upon your camp by chance. I didnt mean to intrude. No harm done, Vasi reassured him with a bright, flirty smile. Your song was lovely, by the way. It was crap, said the youngest orc, Orcine, before spitting on the grass. War drums rule! Orcine! Her mother pped her on the back of head with enough force to knock her daughter face-first on the ground. Learn respect, or Ill teach it to you! Ma! The young orc protested. Not in public! Her mothers face might as well have been made of stone. You shame a stranger in public, you get shamed in public. Its alright, Kalki said, clearly embarrassed by the strong reaction. Everyone is entitled to their own musical tastes. Personally, I prefer Japanese rock, Basil said. My daughters right though, good drums would make it better, the male orc, Orcdad, added with a grunt. You should teach your bird to sing too. Birds cant sing, Orcine mumbled under her breath as she rose up. Cant agree more, Basil replied, half-praying that his next rooster would know better than to scream in the morning. He noticed that the goblins still looked at him with terrified eyes. What? Y-Youre going to eat us? asked the smallest of the two, Cafaimal. That depends. Basil licked his lips. Do you self-identify as edible? The evolved goblins looked back at him with mortified eyes. Rx, Im kidding, Im kidding! Basil waved a hand at them. Im not going to eat you on sight just because youre goblins. That would be racist. The duo let out sighs of relief. But just to be sure, Ive sworn a blood oath to drive goblins out of the Barthes after Ogremoches band hung a man right in front of my garden. Basil squinted suspiciously at the evolved goblins, watching sweat falling down their forehead. You were not part of that group, right? I hate loose ends. No, we didnte from that dungeon! Benoit protested. We spawned from another beyond the southern mountains! A-and we arent goblins anymore anyway! Cafaimal pointed out with two thumbs up. So we count outside your oath, right? Mmm good point. Basil made a mental note to add monsters evolutionary transformations to his next blood oath to close future loopholes. Dont attack us, be good neighbors, and I wont have you over for dinner. You leave me alone, I leave you alone. His grudge against goblins started and ended with Ogremoches group. If the rest of their kind proved amodating and friendly, they wouldnt fear anything from Basil. Since Shellgirl vouched for these two, he would give them the benefit of the doubt. Dont worry guys, my partner epts bribes. Shellgirl pped heartily. Anyway, thanks foring to the first Marshmarket! Let the merchandise flow! Weve got soap, toilet paper, meat If youve got a spare liver likest time, I can trade it for a gargoyles heart or a wyverns lung. Realizing he wouldn''t end up as Basils dinner, Cafaimal opened his bag of ice to reveal the two organs. The lung was purple and thorny, the heart gray and stony and it somehow kept beating on its own. Ill imnt them for free. You can have more than one heart? Bugsy asked with interest. Awesome! Do you have wings too? Can you give me wings to fly with? That would be amazing! Know what? I dont have the goods tonight, but Ill perform the surgery next time for your pancreas and one of your kidneys! I wouldnt try, Bugsy, Vasi said mirthfully. Ive heard rumors that thest person he imnted an organ in died from it. Of course not, he died from disease! the gremlin protested. And I have a witness who can prove it! I saw it all! His hobgoblin colleague raised a hand. The heart-transnt customer died from a blood infection! It waspletely unrted! Basil nced at the gremlins scalpel and bonesaw. Brown spots marked the improperly cleaned des. Unrted his ass! Zachariel would have had an apoplexy at the sight of their shoddy work! Bugsy, we dont eptfort surgery under my roof, Basil warned his centimagma. Also, your blood is made ofva and would probably burn the wings anyway. Aww Bugsy lowered his antennae in disappointment. But they would look so good on me As Shellgirl argued with the back-alley doctors over organs and Vasi haggled over the price of potions with the orcs, Basil rxed somewhat. The paranoid hermit in him had half-expected an ambush of some kind, but it appeared all the monsters present were the traders they advertised themselves as. He might actually get along with his neighbors. It was the other human among them that intrigued Basil the most. Kalkis level remained hidden from his sight, alongside those of the hawk and serpent that followed him around. Basil assumed that the three of them formed a party. Where do youe from? Basil asked Kalki. First time Ive seen an Indian outside of Paris. Indian? Kalki scratched his cheek with a thoughtful look. The word sounds familiar to me You dont know what an Indian is? His fellow humans confusion left Basil somewhat concerned for his health. Unless unless you suffer from amnesia? Amnesiac? Bugsy asked. Like the Amnesia Ailment? Is it one now? Basil wondered if the System considered cancer and Alzheimer''s ailments too. Yes, it means a loss of memory. Usually due to trauma or substance abuse. I remember precious little of my former life, Kalki confirmed Basils worry. My name, the shadow of my home and family, my songs How did it happen? Basil asked. A shame. He would have loved to question him about Hindu deities and potentially elucidate the Trimurti Systems mysteries. I do not remember. Kalki smiled sheepishly. I woke up in the southern mountains with mypanions eggs, the vague feeling that I was in the wrong ce at the wrong time, and a terrible headache. We didnt stay in the eggs for long, the hawk monster said with a bellowing voice as powerful as the wind. The many-headed serpent hissed shyly in support. The names Garud by the way. The quiet snakedy is Shesha. We form quite the music band, dont you think? Basil examined Kalki closely. Amnesia usually resulted from assault, though a spell or System-rted effect might also cause memory loss. Maybe he took LSD or drugs. Kalki reminded Basil of New Age self-help hacks he had the misfortune of encountering in his university days. Or could the three of them havee from another world? Vasi confirmed humans exist on her own, so that man could have teleported to Earth through an Incursion and lost his memory along the way. It would exin his foreign clothes. Basil understood too little about Incursions to confirm this theory. He promised to dig further into it. Garud and Shesha have been my trustedpanions since I woke up, Kalki said, his eyes full of concern. But my girlfriend Padma is missing. Im looking for her. Im sorry to hear that, Basil replied, and he meant it from the bottom of his heart. The faces of the Elissalde sisters after the death of Major Grange still weighed on his mind. Basil himself often wondered how his estranged mother fared in his native Bulgaria. Maybe I can help find her. What does she look like? Kalki blushed slightly. I dont know. Basil frowned. You dont know? I remember that I have forgotten her and I know I will recognize her when I meet her. If that makes sense. It doesnt, Basil replied bluntly. The mans tale felt sketchy to him, but Kalki sounded so innocent that he was probably telling the truth or what he believed to be the truth. You should go to Bordeaux. Its thest human stronghold in the region and the army evacuated survivors to it. Bordeaux? A map of France appeared in Kalkis hands. He must have stored it in his inventory. This city in the northwest? Basil checked the map and confirmed. Yes, that spot up the Garonne river. Its a two-hours drive if nothing dangerous attacks you on the road. If youre willing to wait, the army should send a squad to recover petrified people in nearby Dax. They can escort you to safety. Why drive when you can soar through the skies? Garud scoffed and showed his mighty wings. No foe can reach us above the clouds! We will fly away at dawn, Kalki said before offering Basil a thankful nod. Thank you, my friend. I will stop in this city next. If you need food or drink, Ive got some extra meat and water, Basil proposed. I know of an empty water station nearby or a full city if you need a roof and heating. Basil neglected to mention his home for several reasons. Although Kalki sounded somewhat friendly, he remained a stranger. The System wouldnt reveal his sses either, which put Basil on edge. Even if Kalki didnt cause trouble, revealing the houses location might backfire on himter. Boss, didnt you say we needed food for the winter? Bugsy asked. Why are you giving it away? Because I believe in hospitality. Basil simply couldnt close his door to a fellow human in need when they crossed his path. He had learned that from the Old Man. One day, we might rely on the kindness of strangers. That, and Kalki appeared trustworthy for a reason Basil couldnt put his finger on. The Indian radiated candidness and earnest friendliness. Basil considered himself a pretty good judge of character and nothing in Kalkis behavior seemed fake. If anything, he reminded Basil of an innocent child lost in the world. The kind who would y a concert for monsters he encountered along the road. Yet another reason not to invite him in the house; he might reveal its location to others out of navet. My troupe has food, but I would dly rest in a dwelling. Kalki joined his hands and gave Basil a deep bow. I will return your kindness. You could start by telling me which Tamer Perks you unlocked, Basil said, half as a test and half to feed his curiosity. He would give Kalki the wide berth if he lied about his abilities. Not knowing what Perks levels will bring causes me many headaches. I can never tell what''s the best ss to invest in. I face the same problem, Kalki replied with a grin. I will not pretend I know everything about the ss, but I will dly share what I learned. As it turned out, Kalki had taken thirteen levels in Tamer. He did not lie about the Perks that they shared, which reassured Basil. ording to Kalki, level 9 unlocked a unique technique healing all monsters in the Tamers party; level 13 strengthened it further by granting them temporary immunity to Ailments. But it was level 11 that interested Basil the most. You can teleport back to your Lair at will? Basil asked, his eyes wide open. I could if I kept one, Kalki replied with a warm grin. We stay on the road all the time. I mostly use the Perks secondary feature, which lets me summon my friends to my position. His bird chuckled. Like that time with the bugs. Almost got him before Shesha and I arrived. Yes, well Kalki coughed. I do seem to attract trouble. The level 11 Tamer Perk wasnt all that useful for a nomad, but for a sedentary man like Basil? It was potentially invaluable. He never dared to forage beyond the marsh for fear of leaving his house abandoned for days. With that power, Basil could potentially drive away to a distant region at dawn, scavenge supplies all day long, and teleport back home for the night. Honestly, I was half-expecting a Perk forcing two Tamers into a monster battle for money, Basil mused. Like Pokemon. A battle? The joke proposal horrified Kalki. Why? Friends dont fight each other, and certainly not for money. Gold brings neither happiness nor peace. Basil heard Shellgirl choke at his words, but they made him appreciate Kalki more. Now I remember why I was so interested in New Age stuff once. Though he looks like the real deal rather than a closet marketer. His Charisma must be through the roof too. Hey, Dragonyer. The orc family approached Basil, with the matriarch taking the lead. Shellgirl says youre looking to buy food for the winter? Dragonyer. It sounded better than Goblin-Eater. Got some to trade? Basil asked. Weve got extra fireboar ham, thunderbird legs, and unicorn steak. From Orcmoms offer, Basil could reasonably assess that her family were dedicated carnivores. Well exchange them for healing potions and brawny powder. Brawny powder? Basil asked. Shellgirl, what did you tell them? You mean protein powder? Yeah, brawny powder, Orcmom pointed at her daughter. The runt is too scrawny to hunt well. Im not, her daughter mumbled. I wanna go home and regain my sses! Do you have ess to sses? Basil asked with a frown. Their behavior and family dynamics made more sense now. The orc family had crossed over into Earth the same way Megabug and Vasi did. But as far as he knew, monsters couldnt take yer sses. We did! Orcine gritted her teeth. When we crossed over, we lost em all! All my busted Mercenary Perks vanished! This ce is junk! No swearing in public! Orcmom pped her daughter in the back of the head, although not hard enough to throw her to the ground again. Kalki winced at the sight, though Basil shrugged. Hed seen worse parental discipline. Our ss levels transformed into monster ones. Lost some Perks, and gained new ones. It was a trade-off. Robbery, her daughter mumbled. For me, it was robbery. Yeah, and the pointy-ear that attacked me used an Archer-only Perk, her husband grumbled. Damn double standards. Does it mean I could gain sses like the Boss if I crossed into another world? Bugsy asked. I want to cast spells too! The System immediately tried to limit a wizard centipedes limitless potential.
Compatible Systems may have small but important differences. Conversions happen on a case to case basis, but it is unlikely for a giant centipede to be a yer species.
Bug racist, Basil said.
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy (humanocentrist) apocalypse!
Humanocentrist? Wait, did Dismaker Labs intentionally exclude all non-humans from bing yers? How could that fit with the orcs tale of elves with sses? Can you tell me more about these elves? Basil asked the orcs. I might hunt them down myself. To eat them? Orcdad asked. You should. Elves eat so much grass and fruits, their flesh is full of vitamins. Iron too, Orcmom added. They kinda taste like spinach too. Basil almost asked for elf-cooking tips, before realizing it leaned in a bit too close to cannibalism. He had to draw a line somewhere. Bugsy, who didnt share his moral quandaries, salivated at the thought of eating elves. Great, we could cook them with the rooster Mr. to strangled. It would cheer him up. By the way, gotta ask. Orcmom leaned in to whisper in Basils ear. How do they taste? Goblins? Good, but better with potatoes and pepper sauce, Basil replied with a conspiratorial tone. I suggest stuffing them with apples before sending them to the oven. Nice tip. Never dared to eat a goblin, but I dont wanna die without trying. Not that I would eat a neighbor The orc matriarch nced at Cafaimal and Benoit with barely restrained hunger. Such a shame In the end, no goblin was sacrificed on the altar of culinary curiosity. Basil traded the unicorn steaks for a few healing potions, exchanged non-questionable cooking tips with the orcs, and refused an expensive offer for his kidney from the autopsy gremlin. ording to Orcdad, the elves attacked him while he was hunting thunderbirds in the west. From his description, he had walked a good four hours west, all the way to the marshes of Orx and beyond. The area where the ambush took ce sounded a lot like an old reptrium Basil once visited. He wondered what happened to its scaled inhabitants after the apocalypse. Did they escape, die, or mutate into monsters? Whatever the case, Orcdad indicated many bird monsters nested in the Orx marshes. Basil could both investigate his new neighbors and potentially tame an Avian monster to breed with the hens all at once. As the meeting came to an end, only a small matter remained to settle. Basil, this is Le Vendu, Shellgirl introduced Basil to the skeleton merchant. Le Vendu, this is Basil. He was super-duper interested in your Boss multiversal business. Our master below created us with the unique ability to travel between our assigned universe and his shop, the skeleton exined. Ghostly candle lights appeared in his empty eye-sockets. Basil wondered if he could snuff them out with his breath. Were low-level enough that few level barriers trouble us. Which implied most worlds had one. Im looking for information about Incursions and how worlds fit together, Basil exined. Perhaps I could exchange letters with your superior? You could do better than that, the skeleton replied. Anyone with a voucher also counts as a possession when I use my Perk. So he can transport us directly to his Boss, Shellgirl summed up. Neat, huh? That way you can ask your questions directly at the top! With potentially no way toe back, Basil pointed out. He wasnt enthusiastic about the proposal at all. No offense to your patron, but he could wee us with an ambush for all I know. Understandable, the skeleton replied, taking it in stride. Ill take him up on his offer of a temporary world transfer, Vasi said. I need specific grimoires for Samhain and this Walter Tye apparently has them in stock. Ill test the waters for you, handsome. If I return, its a safe proposal. And if you dont? Basil asked with a smile. Ill avenge your death? Nothing so dramatic, though youre wee to try, she replied with a smile. I would be thankful if you could burn the books under my bed though. Some pages would make a priest go blind. Deal. Chapter 30: Man vs Main Quest Chapter 30: Man vs Main Quest Vasi didnte back the next morning. Instead, the days visitors were zombies. It had be a ritualtely. Shambling corpses walked out of the woods in the morning, with flesh rotting off their bones and eyes falling out of their heads. They came by the dozen, cried out for brains, and tried to break into the garden.
Zombie
Level 2 Undead.
The first to climb over the fence took a fireball to the face for his trouble. Burn them all! Rosemarine fired a handgun round in the air to rally the troops. The gardens vegetables rose to wee the invaders with fire and fury. Kill them again! For the queen! The vegetables roared as they charged into battle. Onion Spider trapped zombies with webs and allowed Demon Tomato to st them with fireballs. Strawboogie Berry danced to buff Bean Ninja as he beheaded undead with his trusty cleaver knife. Ghostie Pumpkin, their leader, coordinated their attacks; and Rosemarine healed the wounded with pollen. Basil watched the epic garden battle from the safety of hiswnchair, with Bugsy and to sleeping at his side. They wouldnt gain any experience from killing the weak undead and the vegetables had the situation well in hand. Besides, House Garden was responsible for the zombie incursion. To strengthen the vegetables with an extra Tamer Perk, Basil had temporarily added them to his party. Unfortunately, Ghostie Pumpkins hidden ability turned out to be the aptly named Ghost Ma. Weak undead flocked to the vegetables location like moths to a me. Even the houses camouge couldnt prevent zombies from finding their way into it. Basil had strongly considered cooking the pumpkin to avoid a security breach, but Rosemarine had begged for the vegetables life; she had grown maternally fond of her garden charges. Basil couldnt refuse anything to his sweet carnivorous nt and decided to make the best out of the situation. His new levels had given him extra Lair Points to spend on reinforcing the house. By purchasing Exp Boost I and Loot Boost I, Basil increased the rate at which his allies gained experience and treasures within one hectare of the house. By the time the vegetables cleared the garden, they had gained enough experience to reach level 7 and gathered a treasure trove of golden teeth. Basil didnt have the heart to join in the battle anyway. He worried for Vasi. The witch had vanished alongside the skeletal merchant to meet his superior and hadnt returned yet. No matter Shellgirls promises that everything would be fine, Basil was starting to regret not joining Vasi on her trip. He hoped his caution wouldnt cost her her life. What can I do about it anyway? The skeleton merchant took Vasi away to another world entirely and Basil had no way of tracking them down. Ill have to wait. Basil would hunt for roosters and investigate the elves today. That would keep his mind busy. I wonder where theye from, Bugsy said. The zombies. There cant be so many dead humans buried in the marsh. You would be wrong, Basil replied. Ren told me he saw criminals dumping a corpse in the Barthes once. I assume others took a dirt nap in muddy waters. Basil did wonder whether the zombies rose from their graves because of Ghostie Pumpkins Perk or if it simply gave them the motivation to move around. He needed to check. Hypothetically. A devious idea crossed Basils mind. Do you think we would gain experience from raising our dead enemies from the dead and then killing them all over again? Wouldnt that be cruel, Boss? Bugsy asked. Im willing to try it with birds. to squirmed on the ground like an addict in despairing need of his fix. Rah, I need to hunt feathered game! Ive tried lizards, toads, even moths, but none of them give me as much satisfaction as mice and birds! You should join birdaholic anonymous, Basil quipped. Rosemarine approached him with her vegetable troupe and disyed their spoils. Mister, Mister, we brought fertilizer! Rosemarine proudly presented Basil with a zombies head. We can grow seeds in the brain! Aww, she was mindful of the environment! Wellpost them first and then nt new turnips, Basil promised. With his new Gardener levels, his Jardin Secret should divide the growth period by four. Thus it should take ten to thirteen days to make a new harvest before Halloween. Im proud of you. He petted Rosemarine on the head, making her wriggle in pleasure. The vegetables sang their glory. All hail King Basil and Queen Rosemarine, lords of the garden! Since when did they learn to speak? to asked. Rosemarine and I taught them, Bugsy exined with pride. Basil noticed he hadnt shown jealousy at his owner showing affection to Rosemarine. The battle with Steamslime had made the centimagma more confident, more secure in his ce as an esteemed member of the household. One day, I will teach the rabbits to speak back too! Basil suddenly wondered how many cows begged for life before ending up on supermarket shelves. to had shown that animals were self-aware from the start, even if humans couldnt understand them. Basil had no qualms about eating sentient species, but it made him feel slightly guilty.
Do you want to expel Ghostie Pumpkin, Demon Tomato, Bean Ninja, Onion Spider, and Strawboogie Berry from your party?
The problem with Lair benefits was that they only applied to Basils party members. He had to register House Gardens members into his own party for the battles duration, then kick them out and add his old allies back again. It was such a chore.
You can create interlocked parties by forming a Guild. To do that, you must conquer a dungeon.
Ill pass, Basil replied. He expelled House Gardens members and then proceeded to add his former party members back into his group. Alright people, pack your things. After Ipost the corpses and nt the turnips, well travel east to hunt for elves. Finally! to bolted to his feet. Some action! Can Ie, Mister? Rosemarine pleaded. Im one level away from metamorphosis! When I evolve, I will eat everyone except my friends and steal all the worlds cakes! Sure, sweetie, Basil replied. I wonder what choice for metamorphosis will present to you. to squinted at his owner. You can choose between metamorphoses? With my new Tamer Perk, yes you can. Huh. The cat sat on the grass with a curious look on his face. What choices would have been avable to me? Does it matter, Mister to? Bugsy asked. You are awesome as a Cait Sith. I know, thank you, to replied with arrogance. But dont you wonder what you might have be instead of a centimagma? Bugsy shrugged. I dont want to dwell on what could have been. I would rather move on. System, I know you cant show me the paths my monsters can take until theyve reached the right level, Basil said. But what about discarded paths? Can you tell me what to could have be instead of a Cait Sith?
ording to his stats, Housecat to could have metamorphosed into:
Basil paused upon seeing thest one. Uh oh. Basil, why arent you saying anything? to tensed up. Basil? Can metamorphosis paths eventually reconverge? Basil asked, trying to keep a straight face.
No. Once a metamorphosis path is selected, it varies wildly from alternate options. A Cait Sith cannot jump back into the Smilocubs line.
Basil, why are you giving me a sad look? to wagged his tail, his eyes full of concern. Basil to. Basil gathered his breath. Promise me you wont take it badly. His cats eyes widened in horror. He had guessed the truth. I will never be a smilodon, to whispered. I blew my chance. Basil briefly considered lying to spare his friends feelings, but to knew him too well. He would know. Im sorry, to, he apologized. If Id known, I would have assigned more levels to Tamer earlier. to didnt answer. He didnt admonish Basil for his poor foresight or reassure his owner that he would get over it. He simply sat on the grass with a soulless gaze. Mr. to, are you alright? Bugsy asked with concern. Healing Pollen! Rosemarine showered to with healing powder, but she couldnt cure emotional damage. to, its okay, Basil tried to cheer him up. You will always be my dwarf panther. His cat rose up and walked away without a word. to, where are you going? Basil asked, suddenly worried. to! To hang myself in the garage! his cat shouted back. To make you feel guilty! What? Basil jumped out of hiswnchair. You wouldn''t dare! to looked over his shoulder with a sad kitten look; the kind that would make even a sociopath cry. W-wont you feel sorry for poor me? Basil hesitated. Yes, but Good! When to smirked deviously, Basil knew he had fallen into his trap. Then imma do it! to, you dick! Basil ran after him. to attempted to leap away, but his owner caught him by the back of the neck and lifted him above the ground. The cat struggled fruitlessly against the iron grip. You have seven lives left anyway! Hanging yourself wont be enough! Then I will cut open my veins and my ghost will haunt the bathroom! My wandering soul shall torment you for centuries! Crocodile tears formed in tos eyes. Seven lives arent worth living without a pair of saberteeth! What a drama queen. Basil squinted at his cat, who did his best to look like a suicidal teenager. Its all about making me feel sorry for not picking up Tamer levels earlier. Dont cry, Rosemarine whispered in concern. You will grow big too one day! Big enough to cast down the stars! Y-yes, shes right! Bugsy nodded many times in quick session. Look at me, Mr. to! Im sure you will evolve into something even greater than a smilodon with more levels! Like a, a centicat! You cant possibly believe in his little y, Basil protested. If he wanted to kill himself, he would have sliced his own neck with his ws! See? See? to waved his tail in his owners direction. Im already dead in his mind! Dont make me throw you into the river, Basil warned to. And whats wrong with being a fairy cat? You might evolve into something stronger than a smilodon! The cats gaze lit up with a me in it. Basil, do you think Do you think I can transform into a lion at least? A giant lion, with fire for a mane? Basil sincerely doubted it, but he knew better than to say it to his cats face. If we end up losing the house, we should start a circus. He would make us good money. I dunno, Basil replied, which was the truth. He had no way to tell what a Cait Sith might transform into. Maybe? Hisckluster answer calmed to. The cat wiped away his fake tears. Alright Ill endure. For the mane. God save us if he does transform into a lion, Basil thought as he lightly dropped his cat on the grass. He would never shut up about it. Wind blew over the house and a giant shadow flew above the groups head. Basil immediately summoned his halberd in rm and his monsters prepared for battle. A giant white birdnded on the grass in front of them, holding a golden snake in his talons and carrying a man on his back. Namaste, friends. Kalki gracefully leaped from Garuds back and politely bowed before Basils group. I hope I did not interrupt anything. Who is this guy? to asked. The vegetables, Rosemarine included, hissed threateningly at the neers. Shesha imitated them with her three heads, ready to defend her Tamer at the first sign of trouble. How did How did you find my house? Basil asked, his teeth clenching in annoyance. Its camouged! Dude, you have a field full of crops surrounded by woods and marshes, Garud said. Pretty easy to see from above. Stealthy feature, my ass! Basil had spent three Lair Points for a useless protection. I want a refund!
You cannot regain Lair Points that you have already spent.
Even if they dont perform as advertised? Basil snarled. Did you forget to include consumer protection in your System package? Ill sue you!
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
I swear, Ill strangle the customer service if I ever find them. Basil sighed. Its fine, guys, hes a friend. Did I do something wrong? Kalki looked at Basil with concern. I can leave right now if you prefer. I wanted to say goodbye before leaving for Bordeaux, but I did not want to intrude. No, no, its alright. Im just annoyed with the System. Basil stored his halberd back in his inventory. You didnt interrupt anything. Do you want a cup of coffee or tea? You are very kind, but I must refuse. We have a long road ahead of us. Kalki noticed to ring at his bird and smiled. Is something the matter? Nothing, the cat lied. He wants to challenge me, Garud guessed. The mighty bird expanded his wings in defiance and overshadowed the much smaller cat. Try and regret it! Dont tempt me, you big chicken! to showed his fangs. I can take you! Garud opened his beak to strike, but his Tamer didnt let the situation escte into a fight. Kalki walked between the two would-bebatants and locked eyes with to. What? The cat asked and shifted on his legs. The mans gaze clearly made him ufortable. You are a hurt soul, Kalki said. I can see it in your eyes. You dont have to fight and kill other people to prove your worth to your friends. They already love you. to stared at Kalki with a dumbfounded expression. He didnt react as the stranger kindly patted him on the head. You have gathered many true friends, Basil, Kalki said. I pray you treasure them as they do you. What is wrong with this man? Basil couldnt put his finger on it. Something about Kalki felt unnatural. Almost otherworldly. Maybe he is. I can check right now. Can you follow me for a minute? Basil asked Kalki. I would like to show you something. Certainly, Kalki replied. Basil led him into the garage. The car-sized holomachine taken from Steamslime rested in the back alongside supplies. What a peculiar device. How does it work? Like this. Basil inserted a cubic gem into the holomachines slot and recharged it with his Fuel Technology Perk. Steam poured out of its pipes and the central mirror lit up. The pictures of over eighty symbols of variousplexity appeared on thetters surface. From what I gathered, each symbol is associated with a key from the board. s, Steamslime continued to mess with Basil from beyond the grave. The snail-dragon had sealed the holomachine with the most powerful defense of all. A password lock. A puzzle? Kalki asked with an innocent grin. How interesting. How annoying you mean, Basil replied. Do you recognize the symbols? I do not. Kalki shook his head. They mean nothing to me. Well, it was worth a shot. If anything, Basil was relieved to hear that Kalki had seemingly nothing to do with the Unity. I hoped that this machine could jog your memory. Thank you for trying. Kalki smiled sadly. Between us, you already did make me remember things. Basil raised an eyebrow. I did? Mypanions and I slept in the water station that you rmended to us, Kalki exined. The ce felt familiar to me. You were in my dreams too. Your dreams? Basil frowned. Im certain weve never met before. I dont think so either, yet I dreamed of you all the same. I saw you fight a monstrous bug in a cave of stone before facing a tower of steel that breathed light and magic. Kalki nodded to himself, a thoughtful expression on his face. A device moreplex than your machine and that felt familiar to me. Basil observed Kalki in silence as his mind processed the mans words. How did he a possible exnation quickly came to mind. Are you a psychic? Basil asked. A telepath? I cannot read your mind if thats what youre asking, Kalki replied with a chuckle. From your answer, I assume my dreams mean something to you. They do. How could this man dream about events he hadnt witnessed himself? And if he found the dungeons server familiar Do the words Dismaker Labs and neurotower mean anything to you? Kalkis eyes lit up with surprise and hope. Yes, they do. Ive heard them before, Im sure of it. Where? Basil probed for information. Where did you hear these words? Did the System tell them to you? No, no, I Kalki put a hand on his forehead. I cant remember. These words echo in my mind, but theyck meaning. What are they? The people who destroyed the world, and the tools they used to do the deed. If Kalki was rted to them Do you think seeing that tower would help you remember? Maybe yes, I think so. Kalki bowed before Basil. Please, my friend, can you bring me to it? I damaged the tower of your dreams beyond repair, Basil exined, raising a hand before Kalki lost hope. A friend called Neria Elissalde took the parts to Bordeaux. I can ask her to show them to you. That would be great. The thought of finding answers about his past seemed to fill Kalki with energy. Thank you, my friend. I will go visit this Neria at once. Youre wee, Basil replied. He wondered if that meeting would yield interesting results. Ill write down her barracks address. Kalki nodded in gratitude and snapped his fingers. A blue conch shell materialized in his hand, its surface covered in symbols and scriptures Basil did not recognize. Here, Kalki said as he handed it over to Basil. A gift for you. A conch shell? Basil asked. It felt strangely light in his hand. What is it for? I engraved it myself. It has no particr properties, but it makes for a nice instrument. Kalki smiled kindly. I wanted to give it to you as a token of friendship and gratitude. A souvenir that our paths once crossed. Thats thats very kind of you. Basil blushed in embarrassment. He never knew how to respond with gifts. I dont know what to say. Then say nothing, Kalki replied with a chuckle. I feel much anger and distrusting from you. I hope music will help soothe your pain. Pain? Basil snorted. I dont feel pain. You helped me find a roof, but I cannot help but notice that you did not invite me under yours. You were afraid of me. He was perceptive. Its a tough world, Basil said. He stood by his decision, though he felt a little ashamed now. I couldnt risk my partys safety if you turned out to be a thief and a crook. I understand. We live in an age of distrust. Yet I feel this is not the only reason why you remained wary of me. When Kalki locked eyes with Basil, it felt like the man was peering into his soul. Youve been disappointed by others in the past and it marked you like hot iron. Trust is not a gift to you, but a sword without a hilt. You dont remember how to wield it without hurting yourself. You dont know what youre speaking of, Basil lied, both to Kalki and to himself. The mans words rattled him on a deep, personal level. Perhaps, Kalki agreed. He had understood that he was walking in a minefield. At least, this is how it feels to me. What I mean to say is honesty is sometimes betrayed, but distrust is poison to the soul. He nced at the conch shell gift. I want this gift to remind you that kindness is always rewarded, whether in this life or the next. Whates around goes around. Basil couldnt help but smirk. You really are a hippie. Kalkiughed. A good day to you, Basil. Five minutester, Basil watched his guest fly away on his mounts back. His team stood with him outside in the garden as they watched Kalkis party disappear through the clouds in Bordeauxs direction. Hes a strange one, Bugsy noted. to nodded warily. He smells like a flower. First time I met a human like that. Like me? Rosemarine asked. Not like you. He smells like that flower to nced at Basil. Yo dog, remember the nt Ren tried to eat when he was in his Chinese medicine phase? The time he almost choked to death? The lotus? Basil asked. He remembered that day clearly. Ren had be so desperate to fend off cancer he started to buy into miracle cures. A lotus, yes. to looked at the skies. That guy stinks of lotus. A System notification appeared in front of Basil.
New Main Quest: The Lotus of Remembrance.
Rmended Level: 50+.
Figure out Kalkis true identity and help him remember his past.
Reward: 1,150,000 Bonus EXP + Lotus of Wisdom.
Basil almost choked at the sight. Level 50? A very high level for a seemingly trivial task. That settled it for Basil. There was more to Kalki than met the eyes. Chapter 31: Man vs Breeding Chapter 31: Man vs Breeding A level 50 quest? Neria Elissaldes shocked voice came out of the military radio. A bump on the road almost threw it off the dashboard. Are you sure? I would send you a screenshot of my System Logs if I could, Basil replied from behind his vehicles steering wheel. to looked at the forested road through the passenger seats window. Never seen a level that high. Me neither, Neria replied. Basil heard her write down notes on the other end of the line. First time Ive heard of a main quest as well. When will your friend arrive in Bordeaux? In the afternoon if he flies straight without encountering monsters. The army cleared the road between Dax and Bordeaux for evacuation efforts, but no route was entirely safe nowadays. I suspect hes connected to Dismaker Labs somehow. He visualized a dungeons past destruction with perfect uracy. I will show him the servers remains if my superiors allow it. He could be the lead we are looking for. Neria sighed. The investigation stalled, Basil. You couldnt find any Dismaker Labs employees? None that could enlighten us. Thepanys top brass kept their true intentions secret from lower management. So Anton Maxwell and the Board remained unounted for. Basil would have expected one of them to appear by now. The military intelligence department is pushing for an expedition to UNESCOs headquarters in Paris, Neria said. Its one of the two ces we could find answers, alongside Dismaker Labs European offices in Malta. Oh right, good call. Dismaker Labs partnered with UNESCO as part of their virtual reality project. It would make sense for the organizations HQ to contain either incriminating documents or potential leads. What are your superiors saying about it? Nerias heavy sigh told Basil everything he needed to know. We dont have the means to send troops to Limoges or Toulouse, let alone Paris. The Incursion made monsters deadlier than ever, so it takes all our efforts to secure the Bordeaux safe zone. Which is a victory in itself, Basil reassured her. Youre giving tens of thousands a home where they can live without fear of attacks. It will make more of a difference than hunting ghosts in Paris. I try to see it that way. The situation is tough, but were making progress. Neria chuckled. Zachariel says hello by the way. Weve finished evacuating thest of Daxs citizens and he is being overworked curing them. Did he get into any fights with atheists? Basil mused. No, but now that you mention it Ive got interesting news on the faith front. Neria marked a short pause. Bordeaux has many religiousmunities and most of their leaders gained ess to the Priest ss. It took a lot of coercion on the armys part, but we found volunteers willing to participate in System-rted experiments. Basils grip on the driving wheel tightened. Go on. Priests from Abrahamic religions can learn and cast the same Prayer spells, Neria exined. An Imam and a rabbi can cast the Mass spell in a Christian church, and an orthodox cleric can use the Sh spell to gain buffs. Their spellbooks arepatible. And then theres the truly interesting part. Bordeaux has a smallmunity of Buddhists. A few among them gained ess to the Priest ss too. Can Buddhist Priests run the Mass? Basil guessed with a chuckle. It amused him to imagine a Zen monk holding a church ritual. Thats the thing, they cant. Basil smashed the brake pedal. His vehicle stopped in the middle of the road, bordered by trees on both sides. Hey Partner, why are we stopping? Shellgirl called out at the back. Enemies ahead? I dont sense anything, Bugsy added. Its nothing, Basil reassured them. He started the car again after digesting this new information. They cant? They cant, Neria confirmed through the radio. Neither can Abrahamic Priests cast Buddhist Prayer spells. Were currently searching for smaller sects to confirm the trend. The Metal Olympus Faction which General Lenc is negotiating with is an alliance that worships Hellenistic deities. Like Zeus? Basil couldnt help butugh. Seriously? I know, Neria replied with a chuckle of her own. Their representatives say that their leaders are the gods of Olympus reborn through modern means. Are they? It sounds crazy, but after fighting a dragon-snail from outer space nothing will surprise me. So far Ive only seen men and womening from their faction. Neria let out a sigh full of skepticism. If they cannot cast Abrahamic-aligned spells, then it would suggest that Priests of different religions draw their magic from Neria hesitated about what the correct words should be. Different sources. Basil read between the lines. Neria suggested that Priests potentially channeled the powers of different gods entirely. It could be a trick of the System, Basil pointed out. Restricting spells based on the casters personal beliefs and nothing more. Mayhaps, she conceded, but normal prayers, well, they shouldnt work by themselves. Theyre petitions to a higher power asking them to grant a wish. Yes, the System, Basil insisted. Its the System that generates Prayer spells. Could be, but youll admit the results are interesting. They are. Though concerning might have been a better word. What other experiments did you run? As it turned out, the French army also tested Basils hypothesis about Health Points: namely, if inflicting nonlethal damage repeatedly on a limb would eventually exhaust the targets HP and kill them. After a point, the subject stopped taking damage, Neria exined. Basil didnt dare ask who or what they ran tests on. His HP lowered again after we started targeting another body part. Our researchers believe that Health Points are either a rough representation of your general health or the aggregation of your body parts individual Health Points. Studies of amputees tend to redit the second hypothesis. Soldiers who lost limbs in battle took a penalty to their maximum HP. to, who had barely listened to the conversation, suddenly nced at his tail with concern. to, you wont lose your tail if your Health Points drop too low, Basil said with an annoyed sigh. Can you prove it beyond a doubt? his cat asked with a terrified expression. You died two times already. Basil snorted. This System is a mess. Its scary when you think about it, Neria replied with a heavy voice. It bends thews of nature, of physics themselves, with mathematics. Real world logic is being reced with video game rules. I know. Sensing Officer Elissaldes distress, Basil attempted to cheer her up. But look at the bright side. Video games follow rules and math forms. If we figure them out, we can exploit them and take back the Earth. I would rather trade exploitable rules for familiar ones. Clearly, his words failed to affect her. Basil? Yes? From her tone, she was about to ask Basil a favor. If the opportunity presented itself, she said, would you join an expedition to Paris? To investigate the UNESCO headquarters? Basil took a long pause before answering. Isnt anybody else volunteering? he asked. And I mean anybody? It wasnt Basils job to investigate Dismaker Labs or Kalkis missing memories, no matter what the System told him. He intended to weather the apocalypse and protect his home, end of the story. Basil was no hero, no trained soldier, no exceptional investigator. He was a man who lived alone in the woods with his pets. There were better people around to be Overgods and uncover Dismaker Labs mysteries. He hoped. If the world had no other savior than Basil, then mankind was fucked. I wouldnt ask if we could send someone else, Neria admitted. Our resources are stretched thin protecting the poption. Strange as it sounds, your team thrives in the new world. Call me nave, but if anybody can make the journey to Paris and return alive, it would be you. Basil could tell from her voice that Neria Elissalde said it from the bottom of her heart. Watching him y a dragon must have left a powerful impression on her. Her faith in him touched Basil, although he considered it somewhat misced. He considered her proposal for a long, agonizing minute, before giving his answer. Maybe, Basil replied half-heartedly. Maybe? an astonished Bugsy choked in the cars back. Maybe? to almost jumped from his seat. Basil, are you alright? Did the zombies scramble your brains? Maybe? Neria sounded as shocked as Basils own cat. They knew him too well. Do you mean it? Ive thought about what Steamslime told us, Basil confessed. About how other dragonlords wait for their chance to invade us. I want to live a quiet, peaceful existence away from this shit But you dont think theyll let you, Neria guessed. No. Steamslimes allies learned Basils name from the Systems Logs somehow and woulde for his head. The Apocalypse Forces shadow also loomed over the region. Basil doubted that they would stop at conquering Lourdes. Shitheads will keep barking at my doorstep, itching for a fight. The only way I see to prevent it is to make sure they cant break into Earth at all. We think the same then, Neria said. Unless stopped, Incursions will grow beyond our ability to manage. If Paris potentially holds a solution to that problem, Im willing to take my chances. Basil raised a finger. He had a condition. But itll be after winter. Too much shit to sort out beforehand. Basil needed to check on Vasi, gather intel from this Tye, train House Garden so they could protect the house in his absence a road trip to Paris would be long and fraught with danger. He couldnt consider it without significant preparations. I expected as much, Neria said; although her tone made it clear that she would have preferred a different answer. She would rather see Basil leave as soon as possible. How are things on your end anyway? No progress on the holomachine front, but were good otherwise. Storing food for the winter and preparing for Halloween. Youre wee if you want to celebrate it in Bordeaux, Neria replied lightly. Ill dress as a vampire and you as a werewolf. Wouldnt children mistake us for the genuine article? Basil mused. Ill think about it. No rush. Take care, Basil. Ill wee your friend when he arrives. Thanks, and take care too. Basil switched off the military radio and focused back on the road. His car passed by a signboard indicating the path to the vige of Orx. Hes done calling his girlfriend, to informed the other monsters. You can bber nonsense again. You can be friends with a girl without wanting to date them, Basil replied. He was fond of Officer Elissalde. She was a kind woman, serious and reliable. But he wasnt interested in dating her, or anyone for that matter. Celibacy fit him just right. Basil peeked over his shoulder at the back of his vehicle. Are you holding up, guys? After Basils Kangoo heroically perished in battle, the team scoured Dax for a recement vehicle and eventually found an eptable recement: a Chausson 640 Titanium Premium. This seven-meter long white campervan wasrge enough to host the entire party, Bugsy included. The centimagma could slip inside after Basil removed shelfpartments from the camper and the doors separating it from the living area, much to his delight. The vehicle pulled an empty, hermetic trailer at the back to carry loot around. Basil hadnt managed to remove the smell of cannabis infesting the vehicle though. He suspected the previous owner of using his vehicle to ferry cheap drugs from Spain. Im good, Boss, Bugsy said as he squeezed in the back. The campervan included a shower, toilets, a kitchte, and two window-facing benches. Rosemarine and Shellgirl upied one each. I sense many vibrations in the ground. I me the poor state of the road, Basil replied. Grass and flowers he didnt recognize had broken through the tar in many spots. But be extra vignt, Bugsy. Were approaching the area where the elves ambushed Orcdad. Mister, Mister, I see lights! Rosemarine raised a vine through the open window. Over there! Basil groaned when he saw red and green Aurora Borealis shine brightly under a blue, cloudless autumn sky. That could only mean one thing. Not again! toined. Another dungeon? Looks like its located in the vige of Seignosse nearby, Basil guessed from the auroras position. Probably at the ck Pond wildlife reserve. ck Pond? Shellgirl immediately grinned in excitement. Weve found oil? Basil crushed her hopes of getting rich quickly. Its called the ck Pond because its full of silt. Shucks, sheined. Why would we need an oil field anyway? to pointed at abandoned vehicles on the side of the road. Car dealerships are the new candy stores. Gasoline degrades within months, kitty, Shellgirl replied. We cant make long-term money out of scavenging. How do you know that? Basil asked, slightly curious. The gasoline part? Ive read it in your library, the mimic merchant replied with a smirk. What, are you surprised? I invest in myself, Partner. A sharp mind in a healthy body, thats my motto. Good for you. Basil had caught Shellgirl reading ale at night after returning from her trading trips. The m mimic was by far the partys most studious member. When are we hitting the citys library by the way? Shellgirl pestered him. I still dont know how the Afghanistan War ended! Who won? Oh right, Basils school manuals stopped in 2018 at thetest. Im not sure you want to know the answer. Basils thoughts wandered to Nerias revtions and his previous research on the Trimurti; the Hindu triad of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer. He suspected these three gods were somehow involved in the Systems creation, but hecked books with the pertaining knowledge. He was nning to visit Daxs library to find information about them before the battle with the Unity dyed his ns. Different sources. Nerias words echoed in Basils mind and shook his faith. Different gods. Vasi and Zachariel confirmed multiple gods existed in other worlds, but what about ours? What does it mean about God and the rest? Well make a stop at the library on our way back, Basil decided. He needed to investigate further, to understand what the hell was going on. Any book you wanna take with you? Travel and tourism books, Shellgirl replied. Really? Basil had expected business books. Why? I understand you want us to develop locally, Partner, but the world its so big! Shellgirl nced at the skies beyond her window. Do you know that on the other side of the, there are mountains that rise high enough to pierce the clouds? That coral gathered in a great barrier in the easternnd of Australia? I know, Basil replied. Our world is full of wonders. She gave him a sharp look. Did you see them? The real wonders, not the photos? That was the killer question, wasnt it? Basil sighed. No, I did not. I never had the money to travel. Then its another reason to grind it out, Partner. Shellgirl put her hands behind her head. I wanna see the Antic Ocean, and the Pacific too! Whats an ocean? Bugsy asked. The centimagma was only born months ago in the marsh and had never seen a body of water bigger than a river. Its ake that spans the whole horizon! Ever the merchant, Shellgirl hyped up the sea as if it were the best product in the world. You can regenerate your Health Points and raise castles on a sandy shore called the beach, climb water walls called waves, and fight fish monsters called sharks for easy levels! Raise a castle? Like a dungeon? The more Bugsy heard, the more enthusiastic he became. Awesome! Can we try? Mister, can we go to the ocean? Rosemarine joined in. I will drink it all and dry up thend! We could, to said. The beach is ten minutes away from Orx. Its been a while since west visited it. Since Ren, Basil thought. You hate water, to. But I love giant litter boxes. to gave his owner the kitten stare. Come on, Basil for me. Do it for me. Please, Boss! Bugsy whined at the back, echoed by the rest of the party. Can we go to the beach? Basil nced in his rearview mirror. Bugsy and Shellgirl had taken a page out of tos book and pulled the heartstrings. The former didnt quite manage to look cute with his big serpentine eyes, but thetter reminded him of an anime loli about to cry. Rosemarine, who had no eyes, simply cocked a handgun with her vines. Basil saw the writing on the wall and surrendered to the call of democracy. Alright, children, alright, he said while rolling his eyes. Well go to the beach once we find a recement rooster. His party weed the announcement with shouts,ughs, and Shellgirls joy at receiving a free holiday. After minutes of travel, the campervan finally reached Orx or what remained of it. A few hundred souls once dwelled in the vige, but Basil saw no humans in its empty streets. Vines, moss, and alien flowers covered the houses from the smallest walls to the tallest roof. Overturned, rusting cars blocked most of the streets. A scant few months had passed since the apocalypse and nature already recovered its rights. With a little help from the System, Basil thought as he observed thendscape. Glowing flowers he did not recognize grew on vines; the moss covering most walls glowed bright green; mushroomsrger than dogs infested the viges streetlights. The dungeons influence mutated nt life into a new, unnatural ecosystem; one that spread at an rming rate. Thank God I destroyed the Barthes server before we reached this point. Basil drove through the vige without stopping. Bugsy didnt detect anyrge threat or animal in Orxs ruins and the party saw no petrified citizens in the street. The Unity hadnt targeted this settlement. Where is everyone? Rosemarine asked. Dead or fled, Shellgirl replied grimly. Monsters likely ate em all and moved on. Unlike Dax, Orx didnt have a police department or army base to defend the poption. The Apocalypse spared no one. In Basils mind, the viges fate was yet another warning to avoidrge settlements like the gue. Orx led straight into the natural reserve next door. Steep banks of mud and reeds surrounded an enormouske covered in water lilies. Red alien algae had started to colonize the waters and tainted them with a crimson tint. A single artificial bridge of rock and dirt crossed theke in its center. Alright guys, were in enemy territory now, Basil warned. Well catch anything with feathers. And if a monster has fur? Rosemarine asked. Can we eat it? Basil dispensed a piece of French-Bulgarian wisdom. If it walks, its edible. I cant wait for the next fried chicken night, Bugsy said with enthusiasm. Last episode teased a new badass viin! Yeah, Major Chicken & The Meat Brigade takes a darker turn with the introduction of Emperor Vegans right-hand man, Lord Quinoa, Basil replied. That was the moment when named characters started to die. It leads to one of the series most shocking episodes No spoilers, Shellgirl interrupted him. tos ears rose and he suddenly unsheathed his sword. Basil I sense vibrations in theke, Boss, Bugsy warned at the same time. Basil abruptly stopped his car in the middle of the road. The party stepped out of the campervan in good order, although Bugsy struggled to squeeze through the backdoor, and established a defensive position around the vehicle. Basil didnt need to say anything. After surviving so many fights, the group now acted on pure instinct. There. Bugsy pointed at the left side of theke with his antennae. Basil summoned his halberd to his hand, Shellgirl readied her cannons, and Rosemarine her handguns. to watched their rear for fear of a pincer attack. Itsing. A form traveled towards the group, hidden under the surface. The water rippled at its approach. The party waited in silence for Basils signal to strike, yet he did not move an inch. He instead waited patiently for the challenger to show up. A reptilian monster with bright blue scales and an elongated neck emerged from theke to re at him. Basil briefly mistook it for a snake before noticing a body with four fins underwater. It was neither a fish nor a reptile and roughly three meters long.
Plesiosaurus
Level 18 [Aquatic/Reptile]
Basil found the name familiar, though he didnt remember why. The monster snapped its jaws at the team threateningly, its blue eyes oozing malice. Basil didnt find it particrly scary. In fact, the beast looked rather appetizing. Basil licked his lips and took a step forward to behead his new meal. The plesiosaurs bravado immediately faltered and it dived back underwater, never to return. Basil, the dinner is swimming away! toined. It wont get far. Basil scanned thekes shore in search of his missing food. New forms walked among the reeds. I see movement. The elves? Shellgirl asked. Look, Mister! Rosemarine pointed at a small beach of bud northeast of their position. Birds! Where?! to nced in the right direction and froze at what he saw. What the Basil choked at the sight. Two monsters had stopped at theke to drink. The first was a cross between a red reptile and a bat, withrge translucent skin wings, a threatening beak, and a strange crest on the back of its head. The other was a bipedal lizard with green feathers on the arms and neck, protruding ws, and a fanged mouth. Basil suddenly remembered where he had seen the word plesiosaur and what it meant to him.
Pteranodon
Level 15 [Avian/Reptile]
Velociraptor
Level 12 [Avian/Reptile]
Dinosaurs. The marsh was infested with dinosaur monsters. The reptrium, Basil realized. The fearsome hunter in him had left, reced with the naive child obsessed with the first Jurassic Park moviethe others did not exist as far as he was concerned. The dungeon mutated the reptiles into dinosaur monsters. These chickens are very big, Bugsy noted upon noticing the velociraptor. Basils head snapped in the centimagmas direction, startling him. B-Boss? Did I say something wrong? Something wrong? Basil grabbed Bugsys head and locked eyes with this bright, formidable visionary mind. Bugsy, you are a genius! I-I am? Dont you see? Basil released Bugsy and enlightened him. Birds descend from dinosaurs! The soul of a tyrannosaurus rex dwells within the heart of every hen! I dont like your tone, to said ominously. I dont like it at all. Basil ignored him and thoughtfully watched the velociraptors with his hands behind his back. He cared not if he looked like a superviin right now. The world would soon understand his bold vision. I was thinking too small, Basil dered. Vasi suggested that we breed birds with birds. Now I see a bright future beyond time. A future where we shall feast on the eggs of velociraptors and roast young t-rexes on the grill! No! toined. Dont say it! Dont do it! His protests fell on deaf ears, for Basil had already made his choice. The only choice. Thats right, to. Basil grinned at the dinosaurs on the other shore. As they met his gaze, their reptilian eyes suddenly widened in dread and terror. Were going to breed dinosaurs with chickens. Chapter 32: Man vs Dinosaur Chapter 32: Man vs Dinosaur Hidden among the reeds, Basil observed his target with anticipation as it approached the marshs muddy shore. The beast was the most magnificent velociraptor Basil had seen yet: a young feathered stallion the size of a German shepherd. His brilliant red tail marked him as a virile specimen worthy of Basils stables. His powerful ws could disembowel a man and his yellow eyes breathed childlike innocence. This velociraptor was a young teen, malleable, healthy fertile. Jurassic Park had taught Basil that velociraptors were human-sized killing machines, but the System didnt get the memo. Most of the velociraptors inhabiting the marshes barely reached the size ofrge dogs with a temperament to match. They fought with ferocious desperation when cornered, but otherwise ran for their lives rather than stand their ground. Wait, which of them is the most urate about dinosaurs? The Hollywood franchise of my childhood or the reality-warping video game? These were inane questions, but Basil couldnt get them out of his head. In any case, the hunt hade to an end. Basils target was as cautious as he was beautiful. The velociraptor slowly approached thekes shore to drink, looked over his reptilian shoulder for any sign of danger, and finally sipped thekes water. Slowly, Basil grabbed his ropesso and approached the beast from behind. He didnt make a sound and walked against the wind, yet the velociraptor suddenly raised his head in rm. The magnificent feathered stallion noticed Basil in the grass and froze in surprise. For a moment, they locked eyes with neither of them daring to make the first move. Realizing that the velociraptor was subtly pivoting on his feet to flee, Basil broke the deadlock with a bright smile and well-chosen words. Do you want to be my friend? Basil asked softly. Kui? The velociraptor squealed in confusion. Do you want to live in my house in the middle of the woods? With my chickens? The velociraptor was too floored by the generous proposal to react. Basil gathered his breath, and tightened his rope And a plesiosaurus head emerged from the water to lunge at the velociraptor. Its jaws snapped and closed on its preys nk. Kui! The velociraptor squealed for help as the much bigger plesiosaurus dragged him screaming towards the water. He opened his mouth and fired a lightning bolt at his attacker, but missed. Kui! Fuck off, you scaled hyena! Basil hastily rose up from the reeds in rage. I saw him first! Basil threw hissso, caught the plesiosaurus by the neck, and pulled. A vicious tug-of-war followed between man and dinosaur. The plesiosaurus was inhumanly strong, but so was Basil. Bugsy, Shellgirl! Basil snarled. Drag this thief out of the water! Rosemarine, suppressive fire! The centimagma emerged from under the shores mud, bit the plesiosaurus in the neck, and forced it to drop its velociraptor prey. Basils future recement rooster immediately fled among the reeds. Damn it! Basil cursed as hissso was still stuck around the plesiosaurus neck. to, catch him alive! Alive! to bolted from behind some tall grass and tackled therger velociraptor. The future rooster retaliated with another lightning bolt, but to dodged and pinned his prey to the ground with his paws. Basil couldnt afford to watch his pets battle; he had his own foe to deal with. The plesiosaurus, angry at losing his meal, opened his mouth and fired a stream of water at him in retaliation. Basil dodged by rolling on the reeds and then tugged thesso again; Bugsy helped him in pulling the plesiosaurus onto drynd. The dinosaur opened its jaw to cut the rope, but Shellgirl emerged from the water to hit it from behind with her ice pearls. The blowback tossed the roaring plesiosaurus onto the muddy shore. The sound of gunshots echoed behind Basil. The plesiosaurus roared in rage and pain as one of his eyes exploded in a shower of blood. I nailed it, Mister! Rosemarine emerged from among the reeds. She held two smoking handguns in her vines. Right in the squishy parts! Bugsy immediately exploited the moment to coil around the dinosaur, squeezing its neck and body. The plesiosaurus struggled to throw the centimagma off its back as Basil moved in for the kill. Basil tossed hissso aside and summoned his halberd from his inventory. The plesiosaurus snapped its jaws in fury, but Basils swing split its skull in half and spilled brain matter all over the reeds. He then sliced through the beasts body with the dexterity and focus of a Japanese Sushi chef. Since Basils halberd counted as a spear as well as an axe, it inflicted supereffective damage to Aquatic Type creatures thanks to his Fishing Perk. Combined with his advanced proficiency from ughterer I, he hit the plesiosaurus six times as hard as normal. His de cut through the scales like butter. Rosemarine joined in by unloading her guns at the plesiosaurus body, and Bugsy choked the dinosaur to death by strenghtening his grip. The ruckus caused pteranodons hiding in the marsh to fly away for their lives. By the time Bugsy uncoiled from the dinosaur, Basil had sliced him into fine sashimi and Rosemarine had emptied her magazines. It would be a nightmare to remove all the lead stuck in the plesiosaurus flesh, but the party would dine well tonight.
Your party earned 23000 experience points (4140 for you). You earned a level!
I love fishing, Basil dered proudly, his shirt drenched in warm dinosaur blood and his pants stained with pieces of its gray matter. It rewards patience and calm. Basil turned away from the dead plesiosaurus to check on his target. to dutifully kept the captive velociraptor pinned to the ground, his fangs around the dinosaurs neck and his paws on the back. Kui The velociraptor trembled in fear. Kui Shush. Basil stored his halberd back in his inventory. to, release him. The velociraptor attempted to flee the moment to weakened his grasp, but Basil grabbed him first. Shush Basil held the velociraptor close to his chest and patted him on the head. The beautiful beast froze in terror rather than resist his captor. Shush its alright. Everything will be alright. We wont hurt you. We wont? Rosemarine asked as she reloaded her handguns. She sounded very disappointed. Aww Ill let you kneecap another dinosaur, sweetie, but not this one, Basil replied as the velociraptor trembled in fear. The dinosaurs heart beat louder than war drums. I promise it. Okay! Rosemarine lowered her gun with enthusiasm. to gazed at her with disquiet. The evil plesiosaurus is dead, Basil reassured his future dino-rooster. He will never try to eat you again. Kui? The velociraptor asked with skepticism. Basil nced at Bugsy. The centimagma seized a sliced piece of plesiosaurus and gave it to the velociraptor. After a moment of hesitation, the dinosaur chewed and swallowed the meat. Do you like the food? Basil asked. Kui the velociraptor replied with a nod. He appeared smart enough to understand human words, but too dim to utter them. Now that he had established trust, Basil exined his purpose to the velociraptor. Im a breeder, he said with a straight, serious face. Its like being a pimp, but for hens and rabbits. Kui? I need you. Basil looked into his velociraptor stallions big, beautiful eyes. I need you to breed for me. To take care of a chicken harem so I will never grow hungry again. Harem? the velociraptor asked with a low, guttural tone. He recognized the word somehow. Kui harem? Yes, you will reproduce with many healthy birds and father a whole generation of dino-chickens. I will also feed you and let you sleep in a warm ce. Somewhere between the oven and the chimney. All I ask in return are your eggs for omelets, and your future childrens lives to make crispy nuggets. I know its a lot, and that you probably want to negotiate better terms Kui consent! The velociraptor nodded so fast that Basil worried he would snap his neck. Kui consent! What, so fast? Bugsy blinked in surprise. You would feed your brood to us so easily? Kui harem! The velociraptor might not be smart enough to form sentences, but he was intelligent enough to understand where his interestsy. Kui mate! Kui breed! Kui humpy! What a caringd, to said with heavy sarcasm. Hes offering his own children to us so that we wont starve. You can tell its tearing his bird heart apart. So selfless, Bugsy replied navely. Yes, you will hump and dump Basil trailed on as he tried to figure out a right name for his new scaled rooster. He was too crass for a bourgeois name, but too unique for amon one Kuikui. Basil snapped his fingers. Kuikui the Dinosaur. Kui! And so, a deal was struck. Kuikui the Dinosaur epted to be Basils new rooster and sacrifice his firstborn children on the kitchens oven altar.
Kuikui the Dinosaur (Reptile/Avian) joined your party! Kuikui learned the [Rain Dance] active Perk!
Wee aboard, Kuikui! Bugsy greeted the new recruit and immediately took the dinosaur under his wing. Im Bugsy, your senior! Mister, Mister! Rosemarine jumped in ce with enthusiasm. Kuikui took a step back away from her; her eagerness at testing her guns on him had scared him straight. The moment hase! I can transform!
You need to assign your extra level before Rosemarine Entine de Barthe can undergo metamorphosis.
I am so proud of you, my dear, Basil petted her on the head. Just give me a minute to choose where I put my new level. Yo dog, are you sure about him? to asked Basil. He didnt look impressed with Kuikui. He looks dim. Bird-dim. Its not the head on his shoulders that counts, Basil replied with a chuckle. He was proud of his own dirty joke and would tell it again. Is he a good or bad bird to you? So long as he wont sing in the morning, Ill tolerate his existence. to nced at his nk, which showed a w mark. He must have received the wound in the struggle. At least he hits hard for his size. Thats because he has the same w Perk as you, Basil said as he studied the raptors stats. They were rather poor by his standards, but he noticed a few interesting tidbits. Name Kuikui the Dinosaur (Velociraptor) Type Reptile/Avian Faction The Bohens Experience 9000/10000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Physical, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Mythic. Scaleyer, Birdyer, Soul, Corrosion, Metal, Frost. Level Health Points Special Points 12 455 180/260 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 16 (D+20%) 31 (A+20%) 15 (D+20%) 29 (B+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 16 (D+20%) 3 (E+20%) 15 (D+20%) 18 (C+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - Weak Weak Weak - - Strong - Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic - - Strong Strong Weak Strong - - Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Sharp ws Lightning Bolt Rain Dance Brave Howl Kuikui could change the weather with a dance? Awesome! Basil immediately thought of half a dozen applications of this ability, although he wouldnt test it now; not when it would ruin the sunny beach day ahead of them. Kuikuis buffs woulde in handy, and finally someone in Basils party could now resist that pesky lightning. Hey, Partner, an idea crossed my mind, Shellgirl asked as she leaped out of thekes water and checked the plesiosaurus remains for leftover treasures. You hit Aquatic monsters for supereffective damage, right? And the kitty can do the same to Avians. Yes? Basil replied as Rosemarine sprayed to with healing pollen. What about it? Well, I cant help but notice that were in an area with high-level monsters that we can kill in a few blows. We should fish and grind, baby! Im all for hunting birds. to stretched his back. Ive missed it so much. Basil nced at the dead plesiosaurus and then at Kuikui. The velociraptor was far weaker than his level suggested. Considering the monsters running around after the Incursion, he would benefit from a power boost to meaningfully contribute to the teams battles. Besides experience, dinosaurs made for a good source of meat, scales, and crafting material. Basil was tempted to hunt. Boss. Bugsy nced at a hedgerow of tall grass bordering theke. I sense something approaching us. Basil summoned his halberd and to unsheathed his rapier. Shellgirl retreated inside her carapace, her cannons ready to fire. As for Kuikui, the dino-rooster courageously hid behind the bigger Bugsy and Rosemarine. I dont see anything, Basil warned. Nothing stood of the vegetation But I smell him! to pointed the tip of his rapier at a specific spot among the grass. There! An arrow of fire materialized out of nowhere and aimed straight at tos face. Moving at lightning speed, Basil deflected the projectile with a swing of his halberd. to unleashed a de of air from his rapier. The projectile cut through grass in the blink of an eye and sttered blood on the marshs grass. A thin and gaunt bowman materialized among the vegetation, bleeding from his left nk. He wore a blue ninja garb and a ck mask covering the lower half of his face. His eyes were a bright shade of blue, his hair dressed in a sapphire-colored bun. Basil could have mistaken him for a human cosyer, if not for his pointy ears. An elf.
Leif Winterbow
Level 13 [Humanoid] (Archer 7/Ninja 6).
Guild: Star Court.
Invisibility? Basil snorted. You picked the wrong crowd to ambush with that trick. Away, stranger! The bowman raised his bow at Basils face, heedless of the monsters now moving to encircle him. His weapon was made of rusty metal covered in runes rather than wood. Twas a warning sho Basil lunged at him without warning and swung his weapon. The surprised elf took a step back, but the halberd cut his bow in half. The disarmed archer immediately brought out two daggers and adopted a defensive stance, only to be nked by to and Rosemarine. That was a warning shot. Basil threatened the ninja with the spiked point of his halberd. There wont be a second. Shellgirl pointed her barrels at the strangers face. Drop your weapons or Ill shoot! Boss, the woods! Bugsy warned. I sense other enemies approaching from the woods! Herees the ambush, Basil thought grimly. Six more elves walked into sight to confront the party, all of them fair-skinned and armed to the teeth. Three archers, two spearsmen, and a swordswoman. They carried weapons made of steel covered in runes, yet wore rags and scavenged beast skins. Just try, Legs. It was the swordswoman that stood out the most among them. The way she walked, the aura that surrounded her, marked her as a leader of some sort. That elf was taller than Basil, with a beautiful heart-shaped face and long wild red hair. A cloak made of red dinosaur scales and feathers covered most of her body, except for a glowing crystal longsword attached to her belt. She looked no older than Basil, yet her golden eyes seemed far, far older.
Estrid Firekiss
Level 17 [Humanoid] (Oracle 9/Bard 5/Pyromancer 3).
Guild: Star Court
She slowly raised a hand and Basils party prepared to fight for their lives. Leif, throw down your arms, the red woman said with a deep, imperious voice. I recognize them. Theyre the warriors who defeated Steamslime. The elf ninjas eyes widened in shock. Truly? The red woman nodded slowly and her soldiers lowered their weapons. Basil observed her warily, half-expecting a trick. But no surprise attack ever came. I am sorry for threatening you, Lord Bohen. The red-haired woman joined her hands together and respectfully bowed before Basil, much to his surprise. I am Estrid Firekiss, Starsinger of our elf caravan. I am very d to meet you atst. I take it youre not members of the Unity? Basil guessed. Or else they would have tried to avenge Steamslime. The fact she could read his stats enough to guess his name meant he couldnt underestimate her. Those creeps? The bowman, Leif, sneered with contempt. He sheathed his daggers and put a hand on his wound to slow down the blood loss. Their empire enved and forced us to work in their factories. Steamslimes death sowed enough confusion among his soldiers to let us escape through the rift, Estrid said. We owe you our freedom, Lord Bohen. She sounded truthful. Since all her soldiers had lowered their weapons, Basil did the same and allowed Estrid to provide their wounded archer with medical help. The elves watched his monsters with caution, but made no move to attack them. If I may ask, how did you find us? Estrid asked. We have tried to stay discreet. Yet clearly you expected our presence. You shot an orc acquaintance of mine, Basil replied bluntly. That stinking brute? Leif scoffed as one of the spearsmen applied a hand to his wound. A sh of lightter and little more than a scar remained. I didnt know he was with you. I thought he was a wandering monster, or a spy. We apologize for attacking him, Estrid said. He wandered too close to our camp as you did right now. I would dly invite you, but now that youve in a dragonlord, the Unity will hunt you down until you draw yourst breath. We cant risk discovery. Understandable. Basil shrugged. I prefer to keep my home hidden as well. What? Shellgirls carapace snapped open and the slime girl inside crossed her arms in frustration. They owe us! You should pester them for a reward! Why? Basil asked. We killed Steamslime because he threatened us, not because he kept ves on the other side of the portal. They dont owe us anything. Estrid smiled at him. Ungratefulness is not part of our culture, Lord Bohen. You may not have intended to help us, but you still did us a great service in killing Steamslime. If there is anything we can do to repay you, you only have to ask. Then answer my questions. Basil wouldnt miss the opportunity to finally receive answers. Who are you? Where do youe from? Electon? Electon was not our home, Leif said with anger. It was our prison. We entered your world through the Electon Cluster, but we do not originate from it, Estrid replied more calmly. Our homeworld was once called Elysium. Was? to asked, noticing the past tense. Was, fair creature. Estrids voice brimmed with sorrow, and many of her soldiers looked away. It was destroyed many years ago. Blown to smithereens. Is she serious? To his horror, Basil didnt see any hint of a lie or joke in Estrids face. My God, she is serious. By blown up, you mean it figuratively, right? to asked. The elfs words didnt convince him, or maybe he simply couldnt grasp the severity of the situation. Like firebombed? Maybe nuked? Basil proposed. Your worlds surface was nuked? Thats what you meant to say? Estrid nced at the shore, picked up a pebble, showcased it to the group and then crushed it between her fingers. She ground the stone into dust, the bits falling off onto the shore. I do not know the word nuked, Estrid said grimly. But if it means reducing a world like the one beneath our feet to cosmic dust blown away by sr winds then yes. Elysium was nuked to oblivion. A tense silence stretched on as the party exchanged worried nces. Im sorry Basil, I cant visualize it, to admitted. I was a housecat a month ago. Its just too much for me. Fuck me, Basil replied as he scanned the elven group. He saw the gloom in their gaze, the hunched shoulders, the fear that tomorrow may nevere from them. These were broken people without a home to call their own. Basil felt enough sympathy for them to forgive the surprise attack. Tell me more, Basil all but ordered. A question wormed its way in his mind, but he dared not say it out loud: Can it happen to Earth too? Our world, Elysium, was once a peaceful ce, Estrid exined. Her gaze was heavy with longing for something she had long lost. A prosperousnd of forests and water. We Elyseans traveled it in free caravans, guided by wise Starsingers and ancient totems. We were happy for a time until the Trimurti System came to our world. How did it happen? Basil asked. To this day, we do not know, Estrid replied. We woke up one morning to find the shrines where we honored our totem spirits transformed into dungeons and animals driven mad with foreign magic. We fought back, Leif said with pride. But then the barbarians came. A fiendish horde from another world invaded our own, Estrid exined. They burned our forests, drenched our rivers in blood, and corrupted our heroes with promises of power. Elysium was not the firstnd they ravaged, nor thest. Estrid took a long deep breath. These people, she said, call themselves the Apocalypse Force. Basil exchanged a brief nce with his monster allies. to massaged the spot where Megabug once stabbed him, and Shellgirl looked away. Weve had the displeasure of meeting them, Basil told the elves. I feared as much, Estrid replied with a grim face. The Apocalypse Force and the Unity have fought for many, many years. Where one goes, the other shortly follows after. Then we have to go, Lady Estrid, Leif whispered with a low voice. If the Apocalypse Forces vanguard already crossed over I know, Leif. Estrid sighed. The Apocalypse Force serves four beings called the Horsemen, who themselves answer to a demon lord of limitless ambition. The Maleking? Basil guessed. The elves expressions darkened further, as if he had uttered a curse. Yes, the Maleking, Estrid answered, stretching the demons name as if it hurt to say it. He is a chaotic being who respects strength alone. When he crossed into Elysium, our civilization was already on the brink of copse. Neither the totems nor our greatest warriors could stop him. It was only a matter of time before he ascended to the rank of Overgod. But he didnt, Basil said. The mermaid he confronted at Rens tombstone said that the Maleking would be an Overgod, not that he was already one. Estrids gaze turned to the dungeon aurora above their heads. In the final Incursion, when ourst heroes failed to defeat the Maleking and all hope was lost our mages summoned the Destroyer as ast resort. The Destroyer? to snorted dryly. His words were without amusement, without joy. What an original name, I hope its trademarked. Estrid ignored the cats sarcasm. The Destroyer is one of the three great beings who oversee the Trimurti System. His avatar descended from the heavens and shattered our world. Thepetition for Overgod was interrupted, the Maleking was denied his victory, and we fled through the rifts into Electon as thend crumbled beneath our feet. Why Electon? Basil asked. What was the like? The? Estrid shook her head. The Electon Cluster is no realm like your Earth or our Elysium. It is an archipgo of steel inds in a sea of lightning, each of them the size of a moon. The Unity controls them all, among many more worlds. Basil grit his teeth. Earth was being invaded by an empire that spanned dozens ofs the size of Earth at the minimum, and probably more. He wondered if the Apocalypse Force could match their numbers. Whatever the case, mankinds forces couldnt possibly hope to defeat either in a straight conflict. The dungeons arrival alone had stretched conventional armed forces thin. The Unity opposes the Maleking, so we thought they would shelter us, Leif said. But when we refused to integrate into their empire, they enved us. The Unitys Grandmaster and the Maleking each strive to be the new Overgod first, Estrid added with sadness. Many of our kindred perished in the dragonlords factories, but we did not lose hope. We hid our strength, bided our time until the rifts opened again, and fled into a new world. Yours, Lord Bohen. Basil remained silent as he considered this new information. It was a lot to take in. The elves tale confirmed some of his deepest fears and inspired new ones. He had thought that civilizations copse was the worst-case scenario; that Incursions would grow too lethal for mankind to handle and force it back to the stone age, or that a nutjob would unload the worlds nuclear arsenal in ast-ditch attempt to turn the tide. Apocalypse scenarios that were even more serious than the current disaster, but that humans could potentially survive. Yet in at least one world, the conflict spiraled enough to destroy the entire. How could mankind hope to survive that? Basil had to make sure things would never escte to this terrible scenario, but to was right. It was too big for him. He struggled to even imagine such a disaster unfolding. Three great lords that oversee the Trimurti System could it be? The so-called Destroyer that your mages summoned, Basil asked, "his name wouldn''t happen to be Shiva, would it? It may be the name by which he is known to your kind, Estrid answered evasively. I cannot tell. Boss, if I may I dont understand one part. Bugsy cleared his throat. You said your world was destroyed? Then shouldnt the Maleking be dead? He was on your when it happened, right? Estrid shook her head. The Maleking escaped Elysiums destruction, but from what we understand, he is now trapped between worlds. His immense strength is now a burden. He is too high-level to cross Level Barriers into a new universe andplete his ascension. So his forces ughter the weak in an attempt to pave the way for his arrival. Basil, what was the name the big bug used in the dungeon? to asked his owner. Aposomething. Apollyon, Basil said. Estrid immediately recognized it. Who is he? The Horseman of Famine, the weakest of the four, she exined. I do not know his current level, but he leads the Apocalypse Forces vanguards. He tests the defenses of new worlds and sends his spawn to weaken Level Barriers. That information fits with Megabugs words, Basil thought. The bug-in-chief threw his soldiers into the meat grinder until a world became strong enough for him to cross over. But how long does the process take? Months? Years? Could the process be halted, stopped, or reversed? And how did Kalki fit into all of this? What do you intend to do now? Basil asked the elves. Hide and run, Estrid replied. Sad as it sounds, your Earth was doomed from the moment the Apocalypse Force and the Unity found their way inside it. We will wait for the rifts to open again and travel into a distant world beyond their reach. I suggest you do the same. No way in hell! Basil replied with a snarl of rage. The situation might be way beyond his capabilities, but he refused to cower and hide. I aint leaving my home without fighting back! All I hear is that we only have to stop Incursions and lock Earths door! You cant, Estrid replied calmly. She seemed to sincerely believe it too. Once the Unity and the Apocalypse Force sink their ws into a world, they do not let it go. Theyll keep poking holes at the barrier and one day, they will seed in shattering it. Theyll try. Basil shrugged. Theyll find it very hard to break in with us standing in the way. Yeah, thats right! Bugsy said with enthusiasm. Cowering wont change anything. If we fight back, then we have a chance to win. If we run, were already defeated. Kuikui! Kuikui said with a nod, although Basil wondered if he ever understood the conversation. Rosemarine, as usual, saw only the positive side of things. More people mean more food for us. You guys sound like a self-help booklet ad, to said morosely. This is way above our paygrade, but I agree. If somebody tries to get into our turf, well shank them, end of the story. Estrid sighed. You will regret your decision. Its ours to make, Basil replied. They needed to find Dismaker Labs leaders. Thepany put mankind in this mess, it could get humans out of it too. Are you familiar with Unity technology? We looted a holomachine from Steamslime but couldnt activate it. We could try to unlock it for you, Estrid agreed with a nod. We owe you that much. Perfect. Hopefully, that would give Basil insight into the Unitys inner workings. The fact that they could make neurotowers implied that the faction understood the Trimurti Systems inner workings. If Basil could steal that knowledge, then he could potentially figure out a solution to the Incursion problem. But, just in case his ns didnt pan out Basil nced at his troupe. Shellgirl? Yes? she asked. You win. Basils hand tightened on his halberds shaft. Well start grinding. Chapter 33: Man vs Beach Chapter 33: Man vs Beach Grinding high-level monsters turned out to be a little harder than expected. Shellgirl, shoot the bird down! Basil shouted from behind a tree, his voice booming over the sound of falling rain. He peeked out from his hiding spot and immediately ducked to avoid a lightning bolt to the face. The electricity hit a bush near him, setting it aze. Goddammit Shellgirl, shoot the fucking thunderbird! I cant move otherwise! Im trying! Shellgirl frantically bombarded the skies above the marsh. Doing my best! Mister, Im losing him! Rosemarine frantically healed an unconscious to among the reeds. The cats guts had spilled out of his stomach, but curative pollen stabilized him enough to prevent another death. I need a greenie! The ck triceratops that gutted to was still engaged in battle with Bugsy alongside a spiky ankylosaurus. Fallen trees and burning grass surrounded the fighters. Kuikui shrieked from atop Bugsys head, strengthening the centimagma with his Brave Howl whenever his buffs ran out. Bugsy truly needed the help. He was holding his own, dodging a charge from the triceratops with Agility Up and keeping the ankylosaurus at bay with his fiery breath, but he was clearly out of breath. The rain didnt improve matters. Droplets turned to steam when they touched Bugsys heated body and slowly whittled at his HP due to his water vulnerability. Boss, Im almost out of SP! Bugsy shouted in panic. I cant hold out much longer! Iming! Basil shouted, only for the sound of thunder to drown out his words. A mighty lightning bolt fell from the heavens to strike Shellgirl. The m mimic screamed in pain before retreating inside her carapace. The perpetrator, a mighty blue falcon the size of a horse with burning yellow eyes, expanded its wings and roared in victory. Its feathers absorbed electricity from the rain clouds it had summoned and illuminated the skies.
Thunderbird
Level 18 [Avian/Elemental]
Why lightning? Why do they all use lightning?! Basil cursed. And the whole thing started so well! The corpses of five raptors, one beheaded stegosaurus, and another thunderbird littering the ground near his position attested to the partys early sesses. Thetter avian hadnt caused the team much trouble; to sliced its throat while it was swooping in to eat a velociraptor carcass Basil purposefullyid out in the open as bait. Unfortunately, the first thunderbird was apparently in amitted rtionship with a second one. Upon finding Basils party dismembering its mate for crafting material, the beast swore vengeance and half the dino neighborhood answered its call! How was Basil supposed to know birds had friends and families? Worse, the thunderbird had identified Basil as the partys leader and noticed hisvulnerability to lightning. Now that Shellgirl was down, it snapped the trunk behind which Basil was hiding in half with another thunderbolt. Deprived of cover, Basil raised his halberd like a javelin. It was a risky move, but he sorelycked long-range options. If he survived todays fight, he swore to get his hands on an AK-47. Basil threw the halberd at the thunderbirds heart with all his might. His enhanced strength allowed him tounch the heavy weapon at an arrows speed, even though the rain reduced his visibility. The thunderbird dodged the lethal strike, but the halberds axe de cut through its left wing. The beast shrieked in pain and lost altitude as Basils weapon fell into the marsh. Yes! Basil rushed after the thunderbird, searched his pockets, and brought out two small knives he kept as emergency weapons. Fire Rune, Ice Rune! mes swirled around his left knife and snowkes around the right. Basil closed the gap with the thunderbird, weapons raised for the kill. The ferocious monster did not try to run. Instead, it lunged at Basil the moment itnded. Lightning coursed through its body. Basil grit his teeth as the thunderbirds talons shed his chest deep enough to reach the bones. Yet his anger was stronger than the electricity coursing through his veins. He stabbed the thunderbird through the neck and gutted it. Youre going extinct the way of the dodo! Basil hissed as he pinned the thunderbird to the ground and kept applying pressure. Through the oven! The two knives des reached each other deep inside the thunderbirds neck. Basil beheaded the creature with a swift motion practiced over many botched rooster executions. He was already on his way to help Bugsy by the time the bird''s head hit the ground. Basil made his presence known by nking the triceratops threatening his friend. He threw his fiery knife at the dinosaurs left eye and pierced it. The beast roared in pain and abandoned Bugsy to face its new foe, leaving the centimagma to the ankylosaurus. The triceratops charged at Basil, its three horns sharp and deadly. Basil didnt slow down. He instead leaped in the air right before the collision. He jumped over the triceratops head andnded on the back of its neck. Lets see how cold-blooded you are! Basil stabbed the creature in the spine with his ice-infused knife. The de cut through the dinosaurs scales and spread a frigid cold in its blood. The reptilian equivalent to a rodeo followed. The triceratops desperately attempted to throw Basil off his back while he grabbed the beasts neck. Basil would have found it funny if not for the blood flowing out of his wounded chest. He briefly nced at Bugsy, who was coiling around the ankylosaurus and breathing fire at the dinosaurs exposed eyes. He seemed to have the situation well in hand, and Kuikui asionally helped him with a stray thunderbolt. The bird is going to the oven Basil removed his knife and stabbed the triceratops again, this time in the neck. And you to the freezer! Basil struck the triceratops in the back of the skull once, then twice, then more times than he could count. He kept stabbing the dinosaur until it copsed under its own weight, its half-frozen blood spilling all over the grass. The rain summoned by the thunderbird above their heads dissipated, letting sunlight pierce through the clouds. Covering his chest wound with a hand, Basil stored his ice knife in his inventory and traded it for hisst green medicine. Rosemarine! Basil tossed the healing potion at his nt, who immediately administered it to to. He then checked on Bugsy, who was incinerating the strangled ankylosaurus to death. After confirming no other dinosaur woulde to finish them off, Basil allowed himself to fall on the ground and breathe.
Your party received 155,000 experience (15483 for you). You earned 3 levels (total 23).
The level penalties were starting to show their ugly noses again. Bugsy sighed in exhaustion as he crawled away from the ankylosaurus burning corpse. Is everyone alive? he asked. Everyone? Im alright Shellgirl emerged from her carapace, her gooey body threatening to spill out of it. We got the exp at least Why? Basil clenched his jaw in rage. Why do they all pack Lightning Bolt? Birds and dinosaurs shouldnt shoot electricity from their asses! Was that Musks master n? Lightning-powered birds to fuel the Te energy grid? Its why you shouldnt let a bird live to adulthood, to said as he emerged from unconsciousness, a paw on his healed stomach. Rosemarine helped him get up with her vines. They learn. Basil nced at the mated thunderbirds remains. Their feathers still surged with electricity and would make for excellent crafting material. So would the dead dinosaurs body parts. With his party exhausted and no more healing supplies, Basil decided to call it a day. Enough grinding, were going to the beach. Basil rose to his feet and let Rosemarine close his wounds with healing pollen. Did somebody see where my halberdnded? I think it dropped into theke, Boss, Bugsy said. Kuikui nodded in confirmation. Did we kill all the plesiosaurus infesting it? Shellgirl asked with a tired voice. Basil sighed and prayed to God that no dinosaur had absconded with his weapon. He had had his fill of reptiles for today. Basil hadnt visited the ocean in many months, but he could never forget its song. The noise of waves crashing on a shore; the whistling wind blowing across the sand dunes; the distant cries of seagulls. All these sounds formed a slow, peaceful symphony that could soothe any mans soul. The elves had agreed to help Basil carry Steamslimes shell close to the house and unlock the holomachine on his behalf, but they politely asked not to stay in contact afterward. Please understand, Lord Bohen, Estrid had apologized. Our camp is close and your presence will bring dangerous attention to us. I would rather keep our interactions to a minimum. Basil had taken it in good grace, stored the remains of todays prey in the trailerwhat they could carry at leastand drove to the Antics shore. It took the party a few minutes to climb the dunes on foot and watch whaty beyond it. My Shellgirl put her hands on her mouth, astonished. Is that The sea, Basil replied with a smile. Its beautiful, isnt it? The Antic Ocean stretched out before them as far as the eye could see, pure waves of blue water crashing against beaches of luminous white sand. The auroras from the dungeon nearby reflected on the clear surface and illuminated it like the nights sky. Towering dunes cast a dark shadow on countless shells lost along the shore. The concrete ruins of a German blockhausid half-buried in the water, a bygone ages remains. Basil removed his shoes and basked in the sensation of warm sand slipping between his toes, of the wind blowing on his skin, of the salty air of the sea on the tip of his tongue. After everything he had learned over thest couple hours, it just felt good. Ive never seen so much water Bugsy nced from one side of the horizon to the other. I thought theke was big but this how far does it stretch on? Its hard to represent the Antics size mentally, Basil replied. Our home, the Barthes, theyre but a dropletpared to this sea. No way! Bugsy snapped his mandibles. Youre kidding, Boss? It cant be that big! I heard of thends beyond, Shellgirl said with a low whisper. The great kingdom of America, where all humans grow rich by eating junk for food. I thought we could see it from the shore. We cant even see Ennd, to replied with a shrug. I expected bird monsters around, but it seems the beach is all ours. Basil nodded. He didnt detect any threat nearby and neither did Bugsys Tremorsense. Fish monsters might inhabit the sea, but the party should be safe so long as they stayed close to the shore. And if any aquatic creature tried to hunt them down, they would earn a one-way ticket to the freezer. Mister, can I drink the ocean? Rosemarine asked navely. I will grow big enough to eat the stars! Saltwater is bad for your health, sweetie. Basil patted her on the head. But you can swim. Kui first! Kuikui rushed down the dune with excitement. Kui first! Wait for me! Rosemarine ran after him, followed by to and the rest of the gang. Basil participated in the race for victory, tossing his clothes aside as he climbed down the dune. By the time he only had his boxers on, Kuikui had beaten Rosemarine to the water by an inch. Basil dived into the warm sea with relish. He didnt care that his boxers werent meant for swimming. As saltwater washed over his skin and hair, Basil felt his worries slip away. The Apocalypse Forces threat, the Unitys vengeance, the remote possibility of Earths destruction the sea let him forget them all, if only for a minute. I missed this. Basil floated on his back with his eyes closed, letting the waves gently carry him around. He enjoyed the peaceful moment and heard Shellgirl swimming at his side. No fighting, no worries, no nothing. Kui. Kuikui floated on the water nearby the way a duck would, a scene which drew a smile from Basil. Rosemarine kept her body half-submerged, her vines anchoring themselves to the sand and her head staying above the surface. Bugsy was building a sandcastle on the shore. He used his firebreath to turn sand grains into pirs of ss, which he nted on the beach to serve as a solid foundation for the construction. to, ever the opportunist, rested in the shade of his teammates new building. Bugsy had turned out to be a surprisingly talented architect and engineer for a giant centipede. Basil wondered how much of it was instinct or raw talent. A ssh of water hit Basil in the face, much to his surprise. He turned to face the source of the treacherous attack: Shellgirl, whose carapace floated like a raft. Got you, she said with a grin. Let me show you a secret technique, passed down to me by generations of swimmer warriors. Basil pivoted in the water, his feet pointing at Shellgirl. Water Ssh Overdrive! Basil moved his feet up and down at high speed. His System-enhanced strength allowed him to unleash a mighty wave of water right in Shellgirls face. Cheater! she used him with augh. You have legs! Thats why its a secret technique. Basil smirked at her. Not everyone can do it. That was just a dick move! She pointed her cannons at him. Now this means war! Shellgirl opened fire at him, although her barrels unleashed streams of water rather than ice pearls. Basil dodged the attack by diving below the surface, then grabbed Shellgirl from below and dragged her underwater. I win, Basil said upon emerging. By K.O. Shellgirl returned to the surface, right under Kuikui. The velociraptor soon found himself sitting atop his teammates floating shell, much to his confusion. Guys! Shellgirl called to the rest of the team for reinforcements. Wanna y? We can form teams! Ill cheer for you from the sidelines, to replied without enthusiasm. Fight for my entertainment. If youre wounded, you can retreat to my home base! Bugsy replied as he finished raising a tower of sand and its outer wall. Im here, Mister! Rosemarine struggled to float in Basils direction. However, as a nt with vines for legs, a wave soon carried her away. Help! Basil grabbed Rosemarine and let her sit on his shoulders. Here, he said. You focus on attack, and I on defense! Kuikui, as my new employee, I order you to dominate the water ssh market! Shellgirl shouted to her own partner. Lets kick their ass! Kui win! the velociraptor replied as he expanded his wings. Kui rule! An intense duel followed as both teams tried to drown the opposition. Rosemarines many vines provided better range for water sshes, but Shellgirl provided a stable attack tform for Kuikui tounch waves from. In the end, the conflict ended in a tie. You know, I thought we should focus more on monster hunts, Shellgirl said. But I changed my mind. This is fun. It was. Basil dealt with stress in two ways: either by beating the shit out of someone or drowning his fears with mindless entertainment. He wouldnt have developed his video game addiction without his money troubles. What Estrid said Basil tried to think of it as like global warming. A phenomenon sorge that he could only contribute so much to halting it. He needed to focus on the small stuff he could influence rather than dwell on existential dread. Small moments of happiness mattered more to Basil than world-saving quests. If I had evolved, we would have won, Rosemarine said grumpily. We can have a rematch after you transform, Shellgirl replied with confidence. What do you say, Partner? Sure. Basil opened his menu and checked his sses avable; particrly the new ones.
Druid: A versatile magicianbining natural magic with the power to shapeshift into powerful werebeast forms. STR (B); AGI (C); VIT (B); SKI (D); MAG (A); INT (D); CHA (C); LCK (C).
Dragonknight: A mighty fighter ss imitating the power of dragons; whether to ride them or y them. STR (A); AGI (A); VIT (C); SKI (B); MAG (D); INT (D); CHA (B); LCK (C).
Both sses were interesting, but Basil decided against investing in them for now. He was more interested in the teleportation Tamer Perk Kalki had told him about. He was only a few levels away from it, and so spent all of those he kept in reserve.
Level 8, 9, 10, and 11 Tamer Stat Gains: +4 STR; +3 AGI; +2 VIT; +3 SKI; +3 MAG; +4 INT; +4 CHA; +2 LCK. You earned 120 HP and 65 SP.
Monster Cure I (Active): 20 SP, [Support], [Life]. The tamer heals a small amount of HP for all monster members of his party (HP recovered: Tamer Levels+MAG); the Tamer and other yers do not benefit from the healing, but the effect applies regardless of distance.
One for All I (Active): If you are a partys leader, you can teleport your party back to your designated Lair at will. Additionally, you can spend 1 SP x Level of a tamed monster to summon them at your current location; this ability works even if you have no Lair selected, but you can only call one ally at a time. Neither teleportation effect works in dungeons or magically warded areas, and they cannot cross dimensional boundaries.
The pleasurable power thrill that followed the stat increase couldntpare to Basils joy at obtaining his new Perks. Teleportation at will would make his partys life so much easier. Now that he had reached level 23 total, the System showed him Rosemarines metamorphosis choices.
Kint Rosemarine Entine de Barthe can transform into:
A dragon? The Gunflower choice made sense considering Rosemarines fondness for firearms, but Basil couldnt imagine her as a giant reptile. Did she unlock that metamorphosis path after they defeated Steamslime? Come to think of it, what factors influenced the choices avable to a monster? Stats? Affinities? The System wouldnt answer his questions, much to Basils annoyance. Rosemarine? Basil asked. Gunflower or Tropidrake? Tropidrake! she replied with enthusiasm. Really? Her choice surprised Basil, especially considering her love for firearms. Dont you want more guns? I already have guns, Mister! Rosemarine replied candidly. Miss Shellgirls barrels are big enough for us. Mine can fire more than seeds, Shellgirl added with a coy grin. As a Tropidrake, I can heal everyone and eat the sun all at once! Rosemarine chirped. She pointed a vine at Basils heart. You fed and protected me when I was small and weak, Mister! Now it is my turn to protect you! Touched by her concern, Basil gently grabbed Rosemarine and lifted her above his head, Lion King style. Tropidrake it is then. No sooner did Basil utter these words that Rosemarine began to glow. Her size and weight increased to the point Basil had to drop her mid-transformation so as not to sink. Well, looks like shell give Bugsy a run for his money, Basil thought as Rosemarines glowing form grew asrge as the centimagma and kept going. Basils joy turned to surprise and terror. Wait, shes not stopping?! Rosemarine expanded by many meters in the blink of an eye, pushing back Basil, Shellgirl, and Kuikui. Kui! the velociraptor shrieked in fear as he was nearly tossed overboard from Shellgirls back. Kui! The hell! Shellgirlined. Stop! But nobody could interrupt the metamorphosis process. Rosemarines sudden growth sent a colossal wave crashing down on the beach. to let out a shriek of surprise upon seeing it and hastily climbed up Bugsys tower of sand to escape the flood. As for the centimagma himself, he burrowed under the beach to avoid contact with water. Basil was thrown on the shore alongside Shellgirl and Kuikui. When he rose up to his feet and turned his head around, a colossal beast stood in ce of Rosemarine. The creature dwarfed every other member of the team. Basil estimated her height as around five meters and her length at three times that amount. Although she didnt match Steamslimes titanic size, Rosemarine was nowrger than anynd animal he knew of before the apocalypse. The ground trembled as her four legs walked on the beach, each of them ending with swirling roots rather than ws or paws. Her varan-like body had multicolored leaves for scales, with fruit pustules growing at various ces. Her long tail ended in foliage, and the head Rosemarines head made even Basil pause. A flower made of dozens ofrge petals stared at him, literally; for a yellow, reptilian eye nested within each of them. A colossal, circr mouth with at least three rows of fangs let out a heavy breath at the flowers center. A forked purple tongue came out of this hungry abyss to lick Basil on the chest. She was Beautiful, Basil whispered. He had found the hedge of his dreams.
Congrattions, [Kint] Rosemarine transformed into a [Tropidrake]! Rosemarine gained the [Sunflower], [Sunbeam], and [Harvest (Tropidrake)] Perks! Her existing Perks have been altered and strengthened!
Rosemarine rose on her back legs and let out a roar to shake the heavens. Bugsys unharmed head emerged from the sand after the water receded. Everyone, are you alright? Bugsy, you saved my life! to remained atop the tower of sand, trembling in fear of the water. It was a testament to the centimagmas talent that his sandcastle survived Rosemarines transformation. One of them at least! When anybody asks who my favorite bug is Ill say your name! Ill say Bugsy! Rosemarine looked up at the skies, rose on her feet and jumped in ce. Her sheer weight prevented her from rising higher than a meter, but she blew out a cloud of sand uponnding. Shellgirl grabbed Kuikui and hid him inside her carapace for protection, while Basil covered his face with his hands. Rosemarine, what are you doing? he asked after coughing sand. Im trying to eat the sun, Mister, but its too far away! Although Rosemarines appearance had changed greatly, her voice did not. She red at the sun with her many eyes. I will get you next time Basil smiled and checked Rosemarines new stats. Name Rosemarine Entine de Barthe (Tropidrake) Type nt/Dragon Faction The Bohens Experience 47,418/51,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Fire, Wood, Life, Water, Earth, Light. ntyer, Dragonyer, Corrosion, Metal, Frost, Lightning, Darkness. Level Health Points Special Points 20+3 2540 525 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 39 (A+20%) 25 (C+20%) 35 (B+20%) 28 (C+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 36 (B+20%) 10 (D+20%) 27 (C+20%) 32 (B+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment - - - Weak Weak Strong Strong Strong - Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Strong Strong - Weak Weak Strong Weak - Passive Perks Active Perks Paralyzing Touch Sunbath Bugcatcher Fire Seed Sunflower Sunbeam Harvest (Tropidrake) Rosemarine had gone from the partys weakest member to probably the strongest. Her transformation had altered her Perks and some of her elemental affinities. Boss, Bugsy whispered as the party gathered around their new heavy hitter. I dont think Rosemarine will fit inside the house anymore. Gee, you think? Basil replied. Bugsy had a point though. Basil had been so floored by Rosemarines newfound appearance that he forgot the logistical problems involved. She could fit inside Steamslimes shell though She would make a nice pack mule too, Shellgirl said with a whistle. Imagine the stuff we could transport on her back. Mister, can I carry the house? Rosemarine asked candidly. That way, we can eat chicken everywhere! Kui new house! After a moment of hesitation, Kuikui leaped on Rosemarines back and nested among the leaf-scales. Kui warm! Kui not move! Are you abandoning me? Shellgirl pouted and pointed her barrels at the velociraptor. Traitor! Treachery is the wages of those who trust bir to stopped halfway through his sentence, his ears turning. He looked up at the skies with his eyes wide open in shock. Basil, do you see what I see? Basil nced in the same direction as his cat and noticed three ck points in the skies. Three winged forms observed the party from afar high above the sea. Basil squinted until he distinguished green exoskeletons, ho wings, and crimsonpound eyes Fuck Basil whispered in astonishment as he recognized the creatures. The phantom pain of darts piercing his flesh red in his chest. Megabug?
Apollyon Drones
Level 10 [Bug]
Realizing that they had been spotted, the three bugs flew north. Shoot them! Basil ordered Shellgirl. Shoot them down! Partner, theyre too far away! she protested. I dont have that kind of range! Rosemarine nced at the bugs. Her petals glowed, first brightly red and then a luminous yellow. Her mouth closed as her flower of a head shone like the sun. Particles of light gathered within the tropidrakes body. Sun Basil and his teammates covered their eyes to protect themselves from the brightness. What the BEAM! Rosemarine opened her mouth wide and sunlight poured out of it. A golden ray of energy pierced through the cloudless skies in a straight line, its radiance illuminating the oceans surface. The beam crossed the enormous distance between the beach and the bugs in an instant. Two of them were immediately vaporized, but the third managed to dodge the attack. Rosemarine moved her head to orient her beam, yet her enormous body made her movement sluggish. By the time she ran out of sunlight to breathe at him, Megabugs clone had already escaped behind the horizon. Im so sorry, Rosemarine apologized as her petals returned to normal. I tried. Hey, you got two out of three, Shellgirlforted her. Its a win in my book. Why didnt we receive experience? to asked in confusion. Too low-level, Basil replied, his jaw clenching in frustration. One of the drones had escaped. With such arge difference, the experience penalty reduces our gains to zero. Kui got experience, Kuikui said, but nobody paid attention to him. Mmm. The cat wagged his tail. On one paw, it pleases me that the guy who took my first life is now as weak as a goblinpared to us. On the other paw, seeing that ho again worries me. It should. Basils jaw clenched. Megabug was only a vanguard, a grunt, and the other scouts had followed in his wake. From the direction in which the survivor had flown, Basil assumed he was moving to Seignosse. Seems like the Apocalypse Force took over the closest dungeon. I have enough grinding for the day, toined. Can we skip this one? But Mr. to, if we wait they might attack us first, Bugsy said. Shouldnt we seize the initiative? I could devour them all, Rosemarine said with enthusiasm. Personally, Im spent, Shellgirl said with a sigh. Not all of us are close to metamorphosis. Basil shared most of his partysck of enthusiasm. Attacking the dungeon before its inhabitants could mobilize made sense, but the Apocalypse Force was no mindless horde of goblins. They were organized, deadly, and could potentially teleport troops to defend the dungeon. An attack on it had to seed on the first try. That, and the party was in no position tounch an assault now. They were SP-exhausted, tired, and out of healing items. Well prepare first, Basil decided. A little reconnaissance wouldnt hurt either. And bring explosives. Lots and lots of explosives. They would give the Apocalypse Force the Steamslime treatment. Yo dog, I hear somebody elseing, to warned. Another form flew straight at the beach, but came from the east rather than the north. Basil summoned his halberd, only to lower his weapon when he recognized the neer. Hello there, Vasi said whilending her flying broom on the beach. Did you miss me? Vasi! Shellgirl immediately approached the witch and gave her a high five. Youre back! About time, Basil said. He was relieved to see Vasi back in one piece. I thought something bad happened to you. Vasi yfully put a finger on her lips. Am I dreaming, or did you just say that you were worried about me? I was, Basil replied with a shrug. If Vasi wanted to embarrass him, she had miscalcted. No news usually means bad news. My, you are so sweet Basil, but you had nothing to worry about. Vasi put a hand on her waist and nced at Rosemarine. What fertilizer did you use to make her grow so huge? Blood and guts, Rosemarine replied with a joyful voice. Vasi chuckled. Why do I have the feeling that I missed a lot? You did, Basil replied. How did your meeting go? Pretty well. I met with this Tye, expecting a talented merchant Vasi grinned ear to ear. And then he turns out to be one of the greatest magicians Ive ever encountered! He might be even more powerful than Mom! Your mother? Shellgirl gasped. Didnt you tell me that she can cast Tier X spells? She can, Vasi confirmed with a nod. So imagine my surprise when I met an archmage of her caliber. We ended up discussing spell optimization and magical theory. Basil raised an eyebrow. For nearly two days? What, you never debated spellcasting past midnight? My poor Basil, what am I going to do with you? Vasi smiled. If you want the full story, I told him about my n for Samhain and he helped me smooth out my transformation ritual. I also informed him of your interest in the multiverse, and he said he was eager to discuss it in person. He even gave me a trinket so we could teleport to his shop more easily. What, like right now? Basil, meeting an archmage is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Vasi teased him with a chuckle. Im kidding, but we shouldnt make him wait too long. From experience, ancient spellcasters do not deal well withteness. Oh, can we go? Shellgirl grabbed Basils arm like a child eager to go to Disnend. An archmage merchant could teach us so much! Come on,e on! Basil rolled his eyes, but he didnt have the patience to argue. Give me time to test my new teleportation Perk, he told Vasi. And lets meet this Tye. He had so many questions to ask him. Chapter 34: Man vs Superboss Chapter 34: Man vs Superboss One for All worked exactly as advertised. Basil triggered the Perk after storing the campervan in the inventory and the party found themselves back at the houses entrance in a sh of red light. And only the party. Basil was holding Vasis hand when he activated his Perk, but she didnt teleport with them. The witch returned to the house on her flying broomstick around half an hourter, very much annoyed. I swear I didnt know, Basil promised her as he and Shellgirl stuffed sliced triceratops steaks into the freezer. The others, Rosemarine in particr, had left to meet up with the elves and drag Steamslimes shell to the house. You arent mad? I dont me you, Vasi replied, although there was an edge to her voice. But your Perk suffers from a serious oversight. Oh, I know a workaround! Shellgirl snapped her fingers. Next time, you can store the campervan in your inventory with Vasi inside! Ive never tried to store my car in the inventory when it had living passengers, Basil said. Shellgirls idea intrigued him, but he didnt feelfortable testing her theory on a friend. He decided he''d stuff the trunk with a gagged goblin, mafia-style, and store the campervan. If they survive the trip, they could describe how the inventory looks from the inside. I would like to learn where items go as well, but Ill pass on the testing phase. Vasi nced at the dinosaur pieces. How about you give me a cut as an apology for leaving me stranded? Sure, Basil replied. Vasi had done him many services so he didnt mind sharing with her. By now she was almost a part-time member of his party. But Ill keep the thunderbird''s feathers and ankylosaurus armor for myself. What do you intend to do with them? My ughterer Perk prevents me from wearing damage-reducing armor, Basil exined. If I do, Ill lose ess to my Berserker abilities with a few exceptions. Let me guess, Vasi said. You wont lose your Perks if you wear a monsters skin like a barbarian? Yes, and since Ive seen thunderbirds'' feathers absorb electricity Basil grinned wickedly. No more lightning weakness. You should ask Orcdad and Orcmom for help, Shellgirl suggested. They make pretty good clothes from fur and scales. I might, Basil agreed as he put thest steak on ice. With todays spoils safely in storage, they were ready for the big trip. Vasi, we can leave when you want. I cant wait. Shellgirl pumped her fist. Ill finally meet Big Business! Since you asked so nicely. Vasi took her hat, put a hand inside, and brought a small, thumb-sized crystal skull out of it. Prepare yourself. Your life is about to get wild or wilder. Basil shrugged. Little could surprise him after watching the world end and fighting a dragon-snail. The crystal skull shone with a purple glow. Ghostly lights filled its eye-sockets and the teeth morphed into the shape of a ghastly, skeletal grin. Darkness oozed from the device to swallow the kitchen in the blink of an eye. A chilling cold sank its ws into Basils bones, and his head hurt like hell as a screen shed before his eyes.
You have left your world for a Trimurti Systempatible one. Some of your Perks and Stats might function differently. Your abilities will return to normal when you go back to Earth.
Warning: your Magic Stat has been merged with Intelligence (average value of 24 selected).
The shadows receded before the faint light of candles. It took a few seconds for Basils eyes to adjust to the new luminosity and the smell of dust in the air. Wee, Vasi said. To the shop between worlds. It was surprisingly small. Basil had expected a vast magical supermarket bustling with wares, not a single floor antiquarian shop. It couldnt be bigger than his own house, with a chandelier and candbras to provide a modicum of light. The left wing showcased shelves full of books and grimoires, while the right contained rows of alchemical wares, from potions to athanors and even a metal automaton. At the shops center, ss-top disy cases featured a tasteful variety of weapons, essories, amulets, shields, armors, dragon skulls, and other items. The crystalized statues of a crying warrior woman embracing an armored mana sibling or rtive from their simr facesupied the gallerys center. That piece alone among the items didnt disy a price tag, only its name: The Fool Princess and the Mad Prince. A headless ck knights armor stood next to the gallery, wielding a shield in one hand and a dark il in the other. The shopkeeper was scribbling on a scroll behind a wooden counter. His appearance was odd, to say the least. The man looked ageless, neither old nor young, with short hair as white as snow and the pallid skin of a walking corpse. He wore in, tattered scarlet robes. No weapon, no essory, no nothing. The shopkeeper looked up at his guests with crimson eyes. His face was average, almostmon. Yet Basil found it unnerving all the same. He couldnt put his finger on why, but something about the man felt wrong beyond his albinism. Wee to my humble establishment, he said with a low, friendly voice. I am Walter Tye, owner of Tyes Boiling Cauldron. His tone was calm and soothing, his lips pursing into a thin smile, but the eyes The absolute detachment in his gaze betrayed his true nature. Basil had seen that stare before on Bulgarian TV when the news showed thetest mafia catch. This man, Walter Tye, was a cold-blooded killer. Yet the smile he showed Vasi appeared strangely genuine. Punctual, the shopkeeper whispered. I like it. I said I wouldnt keep you waiting, Vasi replied before introducing the others. This is Basil, and Shellgirl, co-CEO of Bohens International! Shellgirl extended a hand to Walter with a confident salesmans grin. Im so happy to make your acquaintance, Mr. Tye! Im sure this is the beginning of a profitable business association! Walter nced at the hand with amusement before shaking it. Shellgirls grin faltered a little at the contact. So cold, she whispered under her breath. If you would allow me a few minutes to finish my letter, Ill be with you shortly, the shopkeeper said after breaking the handshake. You can check the wares in the meantime, if anything catches your fancy. Basil took the hint, but he didnt look at the wares first. Instead, he searched for an exit. Vasi was right, this Walter Tye was dangerous with a capital Dand Basil would rather cover his teams rear if the worst came to pass. He immediately noticed aplete absence of doors, with the only exits in sight being locked windows. Basil looked through one of them to see whaty beyond the shop. Namely, nothing. The shop didnt stand on any ground. Only an endless void teeming with distant yellow stars and red nebe awaited beyond its confines. The establishment floated on its own among a dizzyinglyrge expanse of nothingness. Were far away from Earth, Basil guessed after failing to recognize the constetions. The thought of joining Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin among the pantheon of space explorers filled him with both joy and unease. How powerful is this man, to create a ce like this shop? Vasi didnt seem bothered. The witch was studiously reading a grimoire from the library, while Shellgirl checked the weapons and essories on disy. Basil noticed a ming sword, a shield with a giant eye in its center, and even a dark wood bow among them. He studied thetter until the System decided to show him its stats.
Skadis Fell Bow
Family: Weapon (Bow).
Quality: S.
Power: + 22 SKI.
Crit: +30 %
uracy: 100%
Effect 1: [Allyer]: Inflicts supereffective damage against all types except Divine (x3 damage).
Effect 2: [Supreme Ice Rune]: +30% [Frost] damage piercing through Resistance.
Effect 3: [Envenomed]: 30% chance of inflicting [Poison] on a sessful hit.
Effect 4: [Infinite Quiver]: Skadi''s Fell Bow magically produces its own arrows.
Effect 5: [Skadis Curse]: Skadis Fell Bow will inflict the [Cursed] ailment on users who do not possess a hunting-rted ss.
The bow of the murdered Norse goddess of the hunt, Skadi. As it turned out, gods make for the most dangerous game of all.
Basils eyes almost bulged out of his skull as he read. He checked the price tag underneath: 120,000 gold coins. Basil didnt have a currency baseline topare the price to, but he had heard somewhere a four gram piece of gold cost around two hundred euros before the apocalypse. That bow alone cost many times more than all his partys possessionsbined. Basil had never felt so poor. And if the System was truthful, then this weapon once belonged to a pagan god Oh, youre the first human warrior to check the bow before the big fiery sword. An amused male voice startled Basil from behind. Why the choice? It took Basil a few seconds to realize that the voice came from the headless armor. It must have belonged to a medieval knight, but nobody moved it as it took a step in Basils direction. Dont mind me, Im the chiefs chief of security, said the walking armor. And dont worry about the price. We ept souls, memories, and firstborn children if you have some to spare. Hagen, please stop spooking my customers," the shopkeeper said absentmindedly from behind his counter. We only take cash. Anyway, why the bow? Hagen asked Basil. You dont strike me as the bowman type. I need a ranged weapon, Basil replied. He heeded the bows cursed warning and didnt touch it and it was outside his price range considering its sheer, overwhelming stats. A quick nce at the shops weapons, those he could identify at least, confirmed his suspicions. Are all your wares legendary items? Almost. Hagen pointed at the crystal statues with his shield. These two are trophies and not for sale. The memory of Daxs petrified citizens shed before Basils eyes, and a chill traveled down his spine. Why the dark look, friend? Hagen asked mirthfully. Dont mourn them. The girl did me in once after I bravely tried to stab her in the back. Out of loyalty, might I add. It was a chore to bring you and the others back from the other side, Waltermented from behind his counter. I would appreciate it if you did not die again, my friend. Pinky swear, chief. Pinky swear. These items, theyre too expensive, Shellgirlmented as she finished checking through the wares. How can anybody purchase them? No offense, but most visitors are a tiny bit higher level than you, Hagen replied. The chiefs establishment mostly caters to troll liches, would-be dark lords, demon kings, world-hopping pirates and adventurers the big shots. I thought the Level Barrier prevented anyone above level 25 from crossing into Earth? Basil asked. It does, Hagen replied with a dark chuckle. Which is why you came to us, and not the other way around. Aint no barrier to protect anyone here. The headless armors words sounded casual, yet Basil didnt miss the menacing edge underneath. The fact the System wouldnt reveal his nature or level bothered him as well. Hagen was cut from the same cloth as his employer. They both disguised their dangerous nature under a veil of affability. An exclusive business targeting high-ie individuals with luxury purchases Shellgirl retreated inside her carapace. I need to write it down! And nobody tried to rob you? Basil asked. Youre showing powerful weapons. I would be surprised if nobody tried to take them by force. Some tried, Hagen replied evasively. Walter looked up from his scroll to stare straight at Basil. Will you? Basil sensed an invisible pressure growing on his shoulders, alongside the cold sensation of invisible fingers caressing his neck. A deadly tension spread in the room, making Vasi turn her head in Basils direction with a worried expression. Shellgirl peeked out of her hideout with trembling lips. Basil held firm until a System screen appeared before his eyes and confirmed the danger at hand.
New Quest: The Kiss of Undeath
Rmended Level: 99.
Challenge Walter Tye to a fight and live to regret it.
Reward: 250,000,000 Bonus EXP + ck Philosophers Stone.
Ill pass, Basil uttered the moment he saw the rmended level.
Quest canceled.
Wise choice, Walter Tyemented. The thin smirk at the edge of his lips told Basil that he could somehow see his System screens. The tension in the room immediately vanished and Vasi allowed herself to breathe. Basil remembered games he had yed. Some included a hidden, purely optional boss far more powerful than thest one; a final challenge for yers seeking to prove their skills. The Superboss. Basil had expected an almighty dragon or a slumbering demigod from the Trimurti System, not a merchant in the middle of nowhere, space. I have nothing to do with the System sowing chaos in your world, Walter said. He sounded vaguely amused. It might reward my destruction, but I am neither a cause nor a participant in your little godhood contest. I care nothing for it. You can read my mind. Basil didnt mean it as a question, but as a statement. Wonderful. My apologies. Many customers walk into my shop with ill-intent, so I had to vet you first. Basil observed the man carefully. From what the quest showed, he was probably around level 99 or more. Why would someone as powerful as you run a shop in the middle of nowhere? Ive asked myself the same question, Vasimented after setting a book aside. What does an archmage of your caliber even need money for? I dont need gold. I can make it with a snap of my fingers. Walter set his scroll aside and raised an eyebrow. The question you should ask is not why I would run a shop. Its why not? Yeah, why would you need a reason to make money? Shellgirl scolded Basil. Wealth is not a goal, its an attitude! Basil figured it out. Ah, I get it. Shopkeeping is not your job, but your hobby. Yes, Walter confirmed with a short nod. I will admit there is an ulterior motive beyond leisure. My customerse from many ces with their specificities. Trading with them expands my knowledge about the infinite worlds, their magical arts and peculiarities. Oh, how do you please your clients? Shellgirl immediately pestered him for advice. Do you rough them up a bit to make a sale? Or are you gentle during the act? Each client is unique, Walter replied with clinical detachment. I consider them all like my patients. You must put them through an extensive diagnosis before you can figure out the right remedy for their ills. I pride myself on finding the perfect treatment for each person. Makes sense Shellgirl put a finger on her chin. But how do you make the initial sale? I try to impress boys and girls with my assets, but they never seem big enough. I try to build up chemistry first but I dunno. A good sale is like a surgery. Walter Tye joined his hands. The client is afraid as they are about to venture into the unknown. You must listen to their fears, assuage them, and lull them to sleep before carving them open and extracting the cancer of dissatisfaction. No patience and understanding, no sale. I see Shellgirl nodded thoughtfully. I dont let my customer interactions build up towards a satisfying climax. Im too focused on seizing liquid assets as quickly as possible. Vasi nced at Basil without a word. From her expression, she clearly struggled not tough. I always knew she was a closet pervert, Basil thought grimly. Shellgirl had retreated inside her carapace again, most certainly to write down notes. The advice is good on paper, butIm not sure if hell be a good influence on her. My letter is done, so I am all yours. Walter studied Basil with a long, thoughtful gaze. Vasi told me about your plight. I will dly answer your questions about the multiverse, if I can. For free? Basil asked with a frown. There were teeth behind Walter Tyes smile. It cost me nothing, and perhaps one day your friendship will pay dividends. You may be low-level for now, but who can say what you will achieve ten years from now on? All I ask is that you remember the help I provided, and return the favor if I evere to you. Basil finally realized what bothered him so much about the shopkeeper. He doesnt blink. Neither did Basil notice any natural facial expression since he teleported into the shop. Each smile, each emotion on that cold visage was carefully calcted. This this entity was ying a human the same way a Hollywood actor might pretend to be an alien on a set. They could make it work, but there was always a tiny detail that gave away the masquerade. Hes wearing a man suit. Are you a god? Basil asked, trying to see his suspicions confirmed. Or a demon? I would rather be damned than either. Walter Tye sneered with contempt. I am human. Or was, depending on your definition. Its a private matter. I see. Basil knew better than to push the subject. And what is this ce? I can exin that, Vasi said. Its a pocket ne between worlds. An artificial ind between two continents, if you will. Ive heard of a few archmages capable of building them. I could teach you how, Walter offered her. My proposal of an apprenticeship still stands. I am touched, truly, Vasi replied with a respectful bow. But I do not work well with mentors and I prefer to study on my own. Nothing personal. I denied my own mother before you. The shopkeeper took the rejection in stride. It''s a shame, but understandable. Basil wondered how much of Vasis polite refusal came from her stubborn desire for independence or from picking up red gs. Walter Tye struck him as mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Youre looking for a student? Shellgirl asked with interest. Vasiughed. A wizardry student, not a business one. Shucks, Shellgirlined in utter disappointment. A look of genuine sadness and remorse briefly shed on Walter Tyes cold face, albeit briefly. My previous apprentice and I had a falling out a few years ago, he exined. She left a void in my heart. Annie wille around, chief. Hagen pointed at the crystalized prisoners with his il. Though not as long as we keep these two in storage. Perhaps you should release one as a show of goodwill? Not today. Walter Tye nced at the statues with spite? Hate? Basil couldnt quite tell. The mans poker face simply didnt let much through in the way of feelings. The Great Work is yet unfinished. The Great Work? Basil asked. A philosophers stone? Walter Tye immediately looked at him with curiosity. Are you familiar with alchemy? A bit, Basil admitted. He supposed his interest in it, alongside his pharmacovignce training, exined why he had unlocked the Alchemist ss. My worlds alchemy was mostly medieval mumbo-jumbo. The System changed that, but Im still figuring out what works and what doesnt. I should have expected as much considering your Alchemist ss. His answer seemed to please Walter greatly. A shame you didnt take more levels in it. Thats the least of his problems, Hagenmented. His build is all over the ce. What do you mean? Basil frowned. He never had the asion to talk with individuals knowledgeable about level progression. You make it sound like I made mistakes. No matter the System, it is almost always better to specialize in a few sses rather than to spread your levels, Walter exined. A ss Perks grow exponentially stronger the more you invest in them, especially when you cap them out. Your seven sses give you versatility, but I fear you will regret your choice in the long term. I suggest that you focus on developing those you already have rather than try out new ones. Basil listened to the advice, but he wasnt sure if he would follow it. Basil was after self-sufficiency rather than power, hence why he took levels in Gardener and Fisherman. He couldnt afford to specialize yet. However, Walter Tye had used a very important turn of phrase. No matter the System, Basil repeated. Such a short sentence, and yet heavy with implications. How many are there? Walter Tye snapped his fingers and a nk scroll materialized on the counter. He grabbed his scribbling feather, drenched it in ink, and started drawing disparate dots all over the surface. A disappointed Basil watched in silence. What? Walter asked, his voiceced with a hint of annoyance. I expected a light show or holographic presentation, Basil admitted. I prefer the simplicity of paper and ink. Walter shrugged his shoulders. These dots represent the multiverse, an infinity of worlds. Most of them do not have Systems, but some do. Fundamentals like experience, sses, and levels remain the same, but each of them has specificities. My homeworlds Yggdrasil System, which holds sway in my shop, works on different physics than yours. Yggdrasil Basil knew the name as Norse mythologys world tree. Skadi, whose bow was on disy, belonged to it too. Was that a coincidence? Neria mentioned that the Metal Olympus faction believed in Hellenic gods, so it wasnt far-fetched to imagine Norse gods running around. Could he be Loki? Basil wondered as he observed Walter Tye. Considering how the shopkeeper reacted to questions about his true nature, he would keep his thoughts to himself. Ive noticed the absence of a magic stat, Basil said out loud. Its but one of many details. Both monsters and humanoids can ess sses in our world, but dangerous creatures possess racial levels. Basil scoffed. Like what, a dragon ss? My worlds System introduced a simr mechanism, Vasi confirmed. Though it was not always the case. Systems may differ in the details, but they mostly followpatible internal logic. They speak the samenguage, so to say, and often sharemon roots. Walter drew lines between multiple dots, connecting them. Thispatibility allows formunication, forck of a better term. Basils eyes widened as the puzzles pieces started to fall back into ce. He remembered the server inside the Ogre Den dungeon, and it clicked. The inte, he whispered. Its like the inte. Walter raised an eyebrow. I am not familiar with the term. Shouldnt you, since you can read minds? Vasi asked with a grin. I do not do it all the time. That would be impolite. People use devices calledputers tomunicate in my world, Basil exined. They run on wildly different exploitation systems or technologies, but theymunicate together throughmon protocols. Its awork ofworks. Interesting. Walter gave Basil a sharp nod. Would you mind bringing me one of theseputers next time you visit? Would you trade it for a legendary weapon? Basil asked. He wouldnt let a good negotiation opportunity pass. Perhaps not for a unique artifact, since the device seemsmonce in your world, Walter replied. But Im sure we can figure out a win-win trade. Now youre speaking mynguage, Shellgirlmented. Leave it to me, Partner. Ill get you the best deal possible. Walter was unfamiliar withputers, in spite of the fact that his shop catered to high-level adventurers from many worlds. His reaction implied that Earths technology was notmonce. It made sense to Basil. With magic at their fingertips, civilizations may never need to develop tools more advanced than bows and hammers. Walter, do you know where Systemse from? Vasi asked. My worlds dragons pretend they created it, but theyll say anything to sound important. Ive traced back many Systems to two progenitors. Two, shall we say, supreme deities. Walter stretched thest two words as if it physically hurt him to say them. Basil suspected him of misotheism. They coborated to create multiple worlds and seed them with Systems, including mine. For what purpose? Basil asked. I intend to ask them that question when I locate them. A dark look passed over Walters face. Basil had a pretty good idea of what the discussion with his makers would entail. But they did not create all the Systems across the infinite worlds. Some, it seems, arose naturally from random magical interactions. Others were the brainchildren of cosmic entities. Of Overgods, Basil guessed. Yes, whatever, Walter said with a shrug. I suspect your Trimurti Systems roots differ from mine, but they are simr enough to interact and thus create bridges between the worlds they administer. These inter-System connections are what you call Incursions. That cleared the root cause of the phenomenon. Basil nced at one dot and pictured it as Earth. He then studied the web of arrays connecting it to a dozen other worlds. His mind struggled to capture the size of it all. Are Incursionsmon? he asked. It depends, Walter replied sharply. My world is part of a cluster with eight others that periodically and partially merged. These Convergences, as we called them, happened as part of a natural process simr to periodicary alignment. In contrast, your Incursions are wholly manufactured from what Vasi told me. Merged, happened, Basil repeated. Past tense. You can halt Incursions? Yes, Walter replied tly. Basils heart skipped a beat in his chest, but the shopkeeper quickly dashed his hopes. However, the method I used to achieve it ispletely unique to the Yggdrasil System. You wont be able to replicate it. I can always try, Basil insisted. Hagen chuckled. Does your world follow a thousand-year prophecy foretelling the end and rebirth of all things? Basil clenched his jaw. He was about to mention the Book of Revtion, but almost all religions included their own end of the world scenario. Considering the existence of so many gods, Basil couldnt tell which one was urate. There is another method avable to you. Walter smiled thinly at Basil. Have you not figured it out? I thought you did, considering you blew up the first dungeon you came across. Basil tried to figure out what he meant, and almost beat his head over the counter. The answer was painfully obvious. The dungeons brought the Trimurti System to Earth. Basil clenched his fists. If theyre gone, the System will follow. In theory, Walter confirmed. Hunting them all would be a centuries-long task. Basil crossed his arms as he considered this new information. As far as he knew, thousands of dungeons summoned monsters across all corners of the globe. Destroying them all would demand coordinated effort from the entirety of Earths poption and the Unity could make more neurotowers anyway. Even if you cant destroy them all, Walter said, having clearly read Basils mind. The fewer dungeons active on your, the less processing power will go to the Trimurti System. It will make it more difficult to connect to other worlds. Destroying a few dungeons wont prevent Incursions, Basil summed up, but it will dy them. It would also screw with the Apocalypse Force and the Unity as a bonus. Destroying dungeons wouldnt return the world to normal, not without a concerted effort, but it would give mankind breathing room. He needed to inform Neria at the first opportunity. Its not the best course of action, Basil said. But its the best I can think of. Tsk, tsk, Partner. Shellgirl wagged a finger at him. Maybe you cant think outside the box, but I do. Basil scoffed. Youve got a better idea? As a matter of fact, yes I do! Shellgirl replied with a grin. From what I gathered here, Dismaker Labs didnt create the Trimurti System as their core product. They imported it from another world using their technology. What about it? Would you try something so risky without hedging your bets, Partner? Shellgirl asked. Wouldnt it make more sense to keep an off-switch ready in case the deal backfired? Basil stared at hispanion as if she had grown a second head. You think Dismaker Labs put a failsafe in their serverwork? Thats what I would do in their ce, she replied. Pretty smart, huh? Its like our TV. You dont have to walk to the screen to push the buttons. You just need to find the remote. Basil couldnt tell if Shellgirl was delusional or utterly brilliant. Could it be? he asked Walter. I mean, is it technically possible? The Yggdrasil System overseeing my world is an integral part of it, as pervasive as gravity. The rise of deities in my reality were a byproduct of the System, not its end goal. Walter pointed his quill at Basil. Your Trimurti System, however, was intentionally summoned for the explicit purpose of achieving godhood. The people who did it probably set special parameters. I doubt they could make the rules, or else they would have made themselves gods from the get-go but they could tweak them. They slipped an update along the way, Basil guessed. Dismaker Labs restricted ss ess to humans and elves for some reason. Come to think of it, it was awfully suspicious. Why could they ess yer sses when humanoids like orcs could not? Was it an oversight or a feature? If Dismaker Labs indeed added a failsafe to their neurotowerwork, then the world could potentially return to normal. Basil needed to confirm the theory. If he needed to travel to Paris for answers, then so be it. For the sake of his peaceful life. Chapter 35: Man vs Spy Chapter 35: Man vs Spy In the end, nobody purchased anything. Basil neither had the currency nor an item worth trading, at least for now. Even Walters potions and crafting recipes were too expensive for his meager funds. Basil was happy with the trip all the same. Walter Tye was a dangerous man, but a knowledgeable one. He had given the team much to consider. Can you tell me more about the Trimurti System? Basil asked. I know little more than you. Walter shrugged. I can tell you this: your Earth is not the first world touched by the Trimurti System and three supreme deities administer it. Ive guessed as much. Its the deities part that matters, Walter pointed out. Most Systems are self-sufficient. They need no overseer to function. If three deities found it necessary to involve themselves in its day-to-day management, then there must be a reason. Perhaps they serve a function in it. Shiva the Destroyer, if that was indeed he who shattered Elysium, embodied devastation. The other two members of the trinity, Brahma and Vishnu, represented creation and preservation respectively. If Shivas role was to destroy the world if summoned, what were the other two doing? Basil had a gut feeling he was about to figure it all out. A little more digging and all the pieces would fall into ce. Have you met with members of the Apocalypse Force? Basil asked. Or the Unity? Metal Olympus? I have vaguely heard of the first two, although Ive yet to encounter either of these groups, Walter replied with a frown. Metal Olympus ispletely unknown to me. They must be native to your world, or perhaps theye from a corner of the multiverse Im unfamiliar with. I can ask my other clients if you wish. That would be nice. Basil squinted at the shopkeeper. "Though I assume you wont do it for free. As expected, Walter Tye asked for a favor in return for his services. Come back to me withputers and rted technology. I pay handsomely for a job well-done, whether in gold or information. You will not regret it.
New Quest: Forever Serpents Errands I
Rmended Level: 5.
Walter Tye is digging down the inte rabbit hole. Bring him a high-quality, functioningptop to enlighten him (Youporn and furry pictures optional).
Reward: 1500 Bonus EXP.
Sure, Basil agreed to the offer. Abandonedptops were easy toe by nowadays. Ill need a way toe back here, however. Walter Tye snapped his fingers and a small crystal skull identical to Vasis appeared in the palm of his hand. Take this, he said. It will teleport you and up to two other people into my shop. Not more? Basil asked as he grabbed the skull. It felt strangely light and warm to the touch in his hand. As far as customers go, I prefer quality over quantity. It makes it harder for thieves to break in, Hagenmented. The skulls only work for the people theyre attuned to. So if a thief loots your corpse, they cant reach this ce. My, did you share these gifts with others? Vasi asked coyly. Im jealous. Mayhaps, Walter replied evasively. A good shopkeeper never reveals their clients personal information. I take no sides. Aka, he will sell weapons to our friends and enemies alike, Basil read between the lines. The Apocalypse Force, the Unity, Earths armies, theyre all customers to him. Nothing more. Walter Tye smiled at Basil. His lips had a predatory edge to them. I often make friends with customers, but we are too early to reach that stage, Basil. Will you give us a discount if we befriend you? Shellgirl asked. Perhaps. Walter bade them farewell with a polite nod. Good luck on your journey. Especially you, Vasi. We will meet again. He snapped his fingers and darkness swallowed Basils group once more. When it receded, they were back in his kitchen.
Your Stats and Perks returned to normal. Your Magic and Intelligence separated once again.
He is an interesting man, wouldnt you agree? Vasi noted. A dangerous one, Basil corrected. Maybe the most dangerous Ive met yet. So much to do. Shellgirl pointed a finger at Basil, as if daring him to take up a new challenge. Now thats Big Business, Partner! An exclusive shop pleasuring the highest worths! Ive been trying a grassroots discount strategy, but clearly weve got to up our game! Im not opening a shop in my backyard, Basil stated before facing Vasi. You said he helped you refine your Samhain ritual? He did. Vasi put a hand on her waist. From her expression, she was about to ask for a favor. If your proposal still stands, I would require your assistance on that front. Basil sighed. After she went to the trouble of organizing a meeting with Walter, he could hardly deny her. Go on. My version of the ritual only requires specific items and Samhain. The right tools and the right time. Walters improved ritual, which will benefit me more in terms of power and experience, requires a right ce too. Vasis smile strained a little. I need to cast it in an active dungeon. Of course. Couldnt magic rituals have simple conditions? At least this one didnt need a human sacrifice or a volcanic eruption. The two dungeons closest to us, the one in Seignosse and the Water Sanctuary in Lourdes, are both held by the Apocalypse Force, Basil pointed out. Infiltrating either is a risky proposal. I know, Vasi replied, her expression darkening a little. Ill perfectly understand if you want to sit this one out. Are you kidding? Shellgirl asked with a grin. We were nning to hit one of these two anyway! Seignosses dungeon is on our radar, Basil exined. Megabugs fellow insects had probably reported his partys existence to their superior, which left only one solution to cover their tracks: the cement shoes checkout. And you heard Walter, destroying dungeons will dy the Incursions and benefit everyone in the long-term. We can attack Seignosse, clean up the ce with your help, let you run your ritual, and then blow the ce up afterward. Looks like the stars align then. Vasi yfully put a finger on Basils chin. Consider yourself hired as my bodyguard, Basil. Ill make it worth your while Basil gave her a nk, empty stare. If she was trying to fluster him, she needed to up her game. Youre no fun to tease, Vasiined. But Im patient. Ill break that poker face one day. I swear it. Your assets are useless against me, woman, Basil boasted. The only red youll see on my face is goblin blood. Dont tempt me. Vasi sat on the kitchen counter and crossed her legs. Basil had to admit she had mastered the femme fatale look. No wonder she drove pdins lovesick. Anyway, mind if I set up shop in your basement until Samhain? Itll be easier to coordinate an attack on the dungeon if I dont have to run back and forth to my house. Sure, you can take one of the guest rooms upstairs. Neria Elissalde neverined about it. Up for fried velociraptor tonight? Kuikui doesnt mind eating his own kind. Sure, Ill bring drinks and pastries for dessert. Awesome! Shellgirl gave Vasi a high five. Well be the best roommates ever! Its only temporary, Basil said. Vasis only crashing for a while. The two women gave him a familiar nce; the very same Basils own university tmate once used when he said one of his friends would sleep on the couch only a few days, until he finds a better ce. He ended up staying for two years. As promised, Estrids elves helped the party carry Steamslimes shell to the house by twilight. Rosemarine and Bugsy did the heavy lifting for thetter part. The mighty duo dragged the ruined snail-dragons former habitat with chains, like horses pulling a carriage. They brought down many trees, scratched the road along the way, and wrecked the fence. In short, they had left a clear trail to the house. In hindsight, this may not have been my brightest idea, Basil said with a groan. Steamslimes colossal, ravaged mechanical shell stood by the river and overshadowed his house. As it wasnt technically part of his Lair, the Stealthy feature didnt hide it from view. Any flier will see it from miles away, Vasi said. The witch sat on a pile of luggage almost as tall as Basil himself. As for Shellgirl, she had gone to the orcs with monster parts to make into a Berserker outfit. Your secret base wont stay that way much longer. Your world uses miles instead of kilometers? Basil asked with a sneer. If so, I pity it. Miles sound ssier than kilometers, Vasi shot back. Its okay, Mister, Rosemarine said as she nested inside the shell. Since she was slightly smaller than Steamslime, she fit in just right. House Gardens party gathered around her like chicks flocking to a mother hen. I will protect you. The queen has a castle! the vegetables sang. All hail the queens castle! Strap some wheels on it and it could make for a moving caravan, Estrid Firekiss suggested. She hade alone to the house, with her fellow elves vanishing as quickly as they came. Staying on the move is the best protection against detection. Unfortunately for her, Basil was the ultimate evolution of the modern human: the Homo Sedentary. He wouldnt move from his house, at least not until after winter. The steam-powered shell more than made up for itsck of discretion with usefulness, as it could produce easy energy with ess to the stream. Basils gas reserves werent limitless and sr energy didnt provide enough for the teams ever expanding membership. Yo, dog, look at what we found. to dumped a bag full of books at Basils feet. Are these what you were looking for? You scouted Daxs library? Basil asked. Good thinking. See, Basil, this is why I nap eighteen hours a day, to dered with pride. It gives me the mental processing power to anticipate future needs. Oh, then you can help calcte how much energy well need to survive the next winter without exhausting our reserves. Once again, Basil, you approach a problem without thinking outside the box. to smiled smugly. You shouldnt calcte energy, but our cushion supply. I can cast fire spells for heating if you need it, Vasi said before examining the books. Did you find any magical grimoires, oh prince of cats? I dunno, to replied. I nabbed stuff I thought Basil needed. Let me check. Basil searched the bag. to had grabbed every book that vaguely mentioned India: In Light of India by Octavio Paz, India: A Million Mutinies Now by V.S. Naipaul, The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen, and by far the biggest academic grimoire of them all, A Short Introduction to the Veda and Hindu Religions. One book, however, stood out from the rest. Architecture for Dummies? Basil read the cover. I-I took that one for myself, Boss. Bugsy snapped his mandibles in embarrassment. I, uh, I thought our fence would benefit from a watchtower. Basil considered the pros and cons of transforming his house into a fortified camp. He would have said no once, considering the risk of discovery, but the Apocalypse Forces presence in the region and a quick nce at Steamslimes shell changed his mind. Bugsy took his silence for reluctance. Sorry Boss, I should have known it was a stupid idea Well need at least two watchtowers, not one, Basil interrupted him. Lets dig a ditch around the fence too. There must be a reason why all medieval castles have ditches. I-I will build them right away, Boss! Bugsy raised one of his many tiny hands. Can I work on expanding the henhouse too? We will need more space for Kuikuis future babies! Oh right, Basil had almost forgotten about Kuikui. The young dino-rooster was checking on the hens, smelling them, feeling them. Basils chickens were obviously a little apprehensive of therger dinosaur''s presence, but not as much as he feared. Kui harem? Kuikui asked Basil, pointing at the hens and rabbits with his ws. Yes, Kui harem, Basil replied. Kui hump rabbits too? If Kui wants. Basils rabbits already romanced the hens on their own, so it wouldnt change much. Is Kui ready? Kui good. Kui inseminator. Kuikui cleared his throat, his tail wagging slowly. But Kui Kui anxious about his performance. I can brew an enhancer, Vasi said. If you can stand the Blind ailment. Its alright, Kuikui. Basil pat his velociraptor on the head and whispered in his ear. Ill be there. Vasi put a hand on her mouth to smother herugh, and Kuikui looked up at his owner with his big reptilian eyes. Youll be there for Kuikui? Ill be watching, Basil promised. Cheering you on. Make sure you dont fuck up. Poor choice of words, to snickered in the background. Shouldnt he be the wingmate and not the other way around? Shut up, to, Basil said, as Kuikui looked down on the grass. Youre shaming him! I will be there for you too, Kuikui! Bugsy promised with enthusiasm. He had truly embraced the farmer lifestyle. I will put cushions in the coop and build a cradle for the chicks! Ill help from start to finish! Okay, Im out, to said before walking away into the house. Wake me up for dinner. I will have to leave too soon, Lord Bohen, Estrid said. Can you show me your holomachine? Yes, yes, of course. Basil turned to Kuikui. Can you hold out for a minute? Kuikui not sure, the velociraptor replied. But Kuikui will try. Basil took it as a good sign for his pantrys future and led Estrid into the garage. Vasi followed them out of curiosity. You know, this is only the second time Ive met an elf in the flesh, the witch told Estrid. Your kind is bouncing back from near-extinction in my world. Estrids eyes lit up with hope. My kind thrives in other worlds? I wouldnt say thrive considering the propensity of dragons to abduct their princesses, but most elves are living the good life. Vasi didnt miss the frown on Estrids face when she said dragons. I take it you are not a fan of flying lizards. Is there any world safe from them? Estrid nced at Vasi withpassion. Im sorry to hear your world suffers from their rule. Their rule? Vasiughed so hard that she almost choked on the spot, much to Estrids confusion. Dragons? They think lead poisoning is a disease to turn gold to lead! How can you expect them to rule anything? I take it theres no Unity in your world? Basil asked as he activated the holomachine. There is a dragon god in the pantheon and one dragon-ruled southern empire, Vasi conceded after calming herself, but the undead vizier does all the work. Dragons are more like giant cats in Outremonde; they would rather nap on golden cushions than do meaningful work. Estrid watched the witch with an indecipherable gaze. Basil guessed that the mere idea of a harmless dragon was simply too alien for her to process. The elf turned her gaze away from Vasi and focused on the thrumming holomachine. Runic symbols appeared on its polished mirror surface, which Estrid immediately decrypted. I know these signs. The elf touched the mirror screen and lighted up one symbol after another. They are a codednguage that the Trimurti System does not automatically trante. But you can read it? Basil guessed. Yes and no. The symbols are a mystery to me, but my Oracle ss allows me to guess Steamslimes password. Estridpleted a sequence of five signs and white mist filled the screen. The fog had depth to it, much like an advanced three-dimensional effect. It means hoard. Basil snickered. Really? Im not surprised, Vasi said with a giggle. Lord Bohen, a dragons password is always hoard, treasure, gold, or a variation thereof. Estrid nced at the slot used to fit gems in. The machine will not work without a game inside. Theres no inte connection, like Steam? Basil asked. No geolocalisation? I am not familiar with the terms you use, but no, this machine is not connected to anything. Or if it was, the connection was cut when you defeated Steamslime. Here went Basils hopes of hacking the Unity, but at least it meant the dragonlords wouldnt track the holomachine back to his house. Steamslime had dropped neen gems after his death. The System wouldnt tell Basil what each of them contained, but it did give him the names. He picked the one called Wyrdes Grimoire, as Steamslime mentioned that name before his demise. Does the name Wyrde mean anything to you? Basil asked Estrid. The elfs expression darkened. It does. Grandmaster Wyrde is the supreme leader of the Unity, Estrid exined. She is an archmage and crafter of immense power. I heard rumors that she can cast Tier XII spells and invented half of the Unitys machines. Vasi had shown Basil that some monsters could cast spells and craft under the right circumstances, so it didnt surprise him much. Dragons were bound to be overpowered, no matter where they came from. Whats her level? ording to rumors Estrid cleared her throat. Above 90. No wonder she and the Maleking had been rivals for years. Basil took sce in the fact she wouldnt break into Earth anytime soon as he inserted the gem into the holomachine. The fog filling the mirrored screen cleared, revealing a holographic projection of a magnificent dragon; not a snail-like parody of one like Steamslime, but a true European dragon with four mighty legs and awe-inspiring translucent wings. The dragon was slim and refined, with scales of polished silver, shining sapphire eyes, and great white horns. Lightning seemed to course in her veins as if they were circuits and runic symbols burned on her wings. The beauty of the beast left Basil almost speechless. The holomachines processing power surpassed even that of the ystation 5. The image of the dragon was so lifelike, so detailed, that Basil briefly wondered if he was peering through a window. Estrid kept a hand on her sword, as if half expecting Wyrde to leap through the mirror and attack them for real. The dragon did no such thing. Wyrde instead locked eyes with Basil as if she could see him, her maw of sharp fangs opening to whisper soft words. I am Wyrde, Grandmaster of the Unity. The dragons voice was serene, feminine, and almost motherly. Basil would have attributed it to a smooth therapist rather than a world-conquering flying reptile. If you are a dragon, then you are the happy owner of a spell training and simtion program of my own devising. If you are not a dragon, you are viting Unityw andmitting a grade-one thoughtcrime. Please report this holomachine to the nearest station and turn yourself in for reeducation therapy. The pre-recorded speech drew Basil back to reality. No matter how lifelike the creature looked, it was only a program. One that sounded very much like a North Korea ad too. Training program? Basil asked. Vasi leaned in to listen. Can you teach me magic? The holographic dragon nodded sharply. This training program can guide you up to spellcasting Tier VI ording to most Systems. Tier VI? By now, Vasi leaned in so much on Basils shoulder that he could feel her breath on his neck. How interesting. However, to ensure optimal progression, you must learn all the spells of a Tier before unlocking the next one, Wyrde pointed out. The System confirmed her words to Basil. Holomachine can serve as a magic tutor, allowing you to learn spells if you meet the right criteria. Wyrde waved her wed hand and a floating spreadsheet appeared in front of her. Here is the list of magical disciplines my program can teach you under the current System. Vasis expression reminded Basil of a child in a candy store. Her eyes burned with greed and curiosity. Basil, she said, ever so softly. You know you are my dearest fri Yeah, you can use the machine to train. Basil dismissively waved a hand at the machine. I dont care. You are such a sweet gentleman. Vasi lightly kissed him on the cheek. The gesture and the warmth of her lips startled Basil, and to his annoyance he felt a little more blood than usual rushing to his head. The witch smirked in triumph. Oh my, I finally left you flustered. Im disappointed that a mere light kiss was enough. You took me by surprise, that is all, Basil replied with a grunt. "Can''t you find a better hobby? Not so long as you remain so amusing to tease. You have unlocked: 0 spells, Wyrde said with noticeable distaste. You must work harder. Nothing less than excellence is befitting of a member of the dragon race. Steamslime had clearly cked off on his phenomenal cosmic power studies. Why is Prayer missing from the list? Basil asked. The scene reminded him of his university days and fruitless attempts to get bored teachers to exin themselves. Prayer is for minions, as is Diabolism, the digital tutor replied with disdain. A true dragon does not barter or submit for power. They are power. Diabolism is fiend-rted magic, Vasi exined. It usually involves forming demonic pacts for power. Basil rolled his eyes. If the dragon spoke the truth, then the Trimurti System recognized at least fourteen schools of magic. Basil assumed the existence of a ss for each, if not more. Can you define the term minion? Apparently, the alien program could adapt to his questions, so Basil might as well fish for information about the Unity. Minions are non-dragon races, the silver dragon exined with quiet arrogance. Minions are like children, nave and fragile. If left to their own devices, they hurt themselves and each other. They need us dragons to protect them, to teach them the right way to live. That is why we created the Unity. To unite the universe under our guidance and save the lesser races from themselves. The casual racism and colonial rhetoric made Basil want to puke. Vasis cheerful expression turned into one of utter distaste, and Estrid herself looked about to choke. This is who they are, the elf said. They look down on us. These dragons are even more overbearing than my worlds, Vasi noted. I didnt think it was possible. What if minions refuse dragon guidance? Basil asked rhetorically. What if they resist? Minions do not have the emotional maturity to meaningfully talk back, Wyrde answered calmly. If they were sufficiently enlightened, they would understand that dragon rule is the hallmark of an advanced civilization. Certainly, some minion species are too barbaric to grasp this simple fact and we must use force to let them see the errors of their ways. That is heartbreaking. But whenever you harbor doubt about our mission, you must always remember... The dragon put a hand on her reptilian chest. This is an act of love. She managed to say it with a straight face and a voice brimming with conviction. He was a worm in the ground, smaller than a finger. His two eyes were too primitive to distinguish colors. His mandibles could do little more than burrow in the ground. The dart at the end of his tail could barely inflict damage. He was weak even among weaklings, a pathetic example of a level 1 monster. Perhaps one day, if his hive killed enough prey, he would evolve into a stronger form. But he was not the mouth of the swarm. He was its eyes and ears. I shall take my leave, Lord Bohen, the red-haired elf said as the human Bohen apanied her to the limit of his domain. It was she who the worm had followed to this ce, so far away from the nest. His orders were to watch and listen so the swarm could feastter. The elves were weak, and the weak were the food of the strong. Ive had my fill of dragons. Thanks for your help, the human Bohen replied. If you ever want to settle in the Barthes No, thank you. In fact, we will leave the region the next day. If your suspicions are correct and the Apocalypse Force took over the nearest dungeon, then we cant afford to stay. Normal monsters will fight us if we cross their path, but the Apocalypse Force will actively hunt us down. She was right to be afraid. The swarm had taken over many dungeons on this, more than even the Unity. One day, so very soon, they would conquer them all and usher in the end of all things. But the swarm cared nothing for elf weaklings. Not when a better prize had shown himself. The worm hid in the dirt unseen, his eyes and smell hidden by fresh grass. The feline had almost detected him once, but he thought him no more a threat than the mindless frogs in the swamp. A mistake. For the worm was himself, but he was also the swarm. And the swarm knew the human. It had watched through a murdered drones eyes as Basil Bohen blew his head off. The swarm understood what he was. An enemy. They wont be a threat for long, but suit yourself, the human Bohen said. Any way we can stay in touch? Do you have a radio? Im afraid not. The elf smiled sadly. If we were part of a guild, we couldmunicate over long distances. s, this is not to be. Alright. The human Bohen extended a hand. Good luck then. Until our paths cross again. The elf shook the Bohens hand and left. The worm did not follow her. He crawled stealthily after the human as the Bohen retreated back into his hive of stone and wood. As the worm watched, so did the swarm. A will stirred inside the hive mind, the terrible soul of the Horseman of Famine. The worm felt Lord Apollyons mental presence pierce through the boundary between worlds and fill his mind, whispering orders And then ws plucked the worm from the ground. Kuikui found pretty food! his captor said before offering the worm to a hungry hen. You must mate with Kuikui now! Therva died screaming down a chickens gullet and the swarm cared nothing for it. He had fulfilled his purpose. They knew where the Bohen lived. Chapter 36: Man vs Fire Chapter 36: Man vs Fire When Basil finished cooking the fried velociraptor bucket, the Major Chicken episode was reaching its midway point. Lieutenant Salmon, why? young Sergeant Chick asked as he held the dying warrior in his arms. Why did you save me? I thought you had betrayed the Meat Brigade? I was only pretending to switch sides so I could figure out Emperor Vegans master n. The Major Chicken writers couldnt show blood due to heavy censorship, so only water poured out of Lieutenant Salmons wound. No matter what Emperor Vegan pretends, Major Chicken was right fish is still meat. Red or white, skin or scales were all meat inside. What a wonderful device, this television, Vasi slurred as she slouched on the sofa, holding a vodka bottle with one hand and scratching tos back with the other. With her messy hair and many grams of alcohol in her system already, the witch was the perfect picture of a professional partygoer. The dialogue is corny as fuck. Nah, Cornmaster was destroyed two episodes ago, Shellgirl replied in between beers. Bugsy and Kuikui were the only watchers too fascinated by the episodes big twist to drink. to purred on his cushion, and Rosemarine Basil sighed and nced at the rooms open window. One of Rosemarines enormous eyes peeked through the frame. Im so sorry, Basil apologized as he tossed her a crispy velociraptor leg. I wish I could erge the house further. Its okay, Mister, Rosemarine replied cheerfully. Her forked tongue caught the piece of meat and swallowed it whole immediately. I see it all from here! She was the only nt in the house to keep up with the series. The rest of House Garden didnt particrly enjoy watching a cartoon about meat lovers beating the ever-loving crap out of vegetables. Heres our savioring! Vasi rejoiced as Basil arrived with the food: a sd for Shellgirl and the fried raptor bucket for everyone else. Got any sauce? Curry and barbecue. Basil sat between to and Bugsy with a satisfied grin. Just in time for the good part. I tried to defeat Lord Quinoa and I I failed. Lieutenant Salmon coughed water. You must take my protein energy and team up with Major Chicken to defeat Lord Quinoa. Its the only way youll defeat this weedsucker, Chick. But if I do that Well-animated tears dripped from Sergeant Chicks eyes. You will Ill be destroyed, Lieutenant Salmon said, so he wouldnt have to utter the cursed killed word. But Ill pay the price so that you may live. Sergeant Chick closed his eyes in pain and took Lieutenant Salmons hand within his talon. Well win well defeat the Vegan Empire, Lieutenant Salmon. I promise. Dont cry, soldier. I know you can do it Lieutenant Salmon transformed into particles of protein light flowing into Sergeant Chicks body. Tell Major Chicken that he was right. Sergeant Chick wiped his tears as the lieutenantpletely disappeared. The young soldier grunted with rage and sorrow, with lightning crackling in the background. His muscles expanded and his feathers turned a shade of gold. An epic bass rock music yed as the sergeant roared to the skies. QUINOA! Sergeant Chick shouted as loud as his lungs would allow, sending rocks flying with the sheer power of his voice. Hes going Superbuff Musclemode! Bugsy gasped. I thought only Major Chicken could transform?! Can Kui do that too? Kuikui asked, mesmerized by the scene. Kui must eat protein! Basil pointed at tonights dinner. The hungry velociraptor hungrily tried tomit cannibalism by seizing a fried wing, but fell into the bucket instead. Hey, leave some for the others! to immediately leaped from his cushion and tried to pull Kuikui out of the bucket. You stupid halfbreed bird! No racism under this roof, to, Basil said as he unstored A Short Introduction to the Veda and Hindu Religions from his inventory. Major Chicken marathons are a moment of peace and tolerance. Put that book away, Vasi chided him. Didnt we study enough today? Basil wasnt sure if he could call testing alien holographic games studying. After growing sick of listening to Wyrdes dragon suprematist rhetoric, the duo had tested the eighteen other hologames inherited from Steamslime. Almost all of them were dating sims. The uncensored kind. Basil had considered ying them to better understand the Unitys culture, but set the games aside when the porn-level dialogue became too much for him. Some of the lines would haunt him for the rest of his days. I want your eggs in me, master! Im gonna hoard your seed, master! Basil shuddered at the mere thought of ying those those torture devices again. He had no idea Steamslime was so depraved. There was a silver lining to the testing phase though; one of the games, Crafting Factory X, was a crafting simtor in the same vein as Wyrdes Grimoire. Basil could learn a few recipes from it. Its okay, theyll spend ten minutes shit-talking each other and having shbacks before fighting, Basil replied. The fight in question was one of the cartoons best, so he would afford it his full attention once it began. Ive got time to read. Yo, Partner, that makes me think. Shellgirl chewed a cabbage leaf and swallowed it whole. I gave Orcdad and Orcmom the thunderbird feathers and ankylosaurus hide. They said they would have your new Berserker cloth ready by tomorrow. Basil grinned ear to ear. Soon, he wouldnt have to fear the lightning ever again. He was even happier to notice a Trimurti chapter in his books summary. to had chosen well. The Trimurti are a trinity of supreme deities central to Hindu religions, Basil read, embodying the universal cycle: Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer. They are associated with the Tridevi, a trinity of goddess consorts. Each member of the Trimurti is said to periodically send avatars to Earth to preserve Dharma, or righteousness. Each member of the Trimurti had their own section in the chapter, although Brahmas part was considerably smaller than the other two. Vishnu and Shiva had clearly eclipsed their partner in importance in India. Even his goddess-consort Saraswati enjoyed more pages dedicated to her. So much for the creator of the universe, Basil thought. Vishnus part was a lot more extensively detailed and his chapter included drawings. The god was represented in the book as a blue-skinned, regal humanoid with four arms. His hands held a golden disc, a lotus, a mace, and a conch shell of all things. Thest part reminded Basil of Kalki. He flipped to the next page without thinking too much of it and froze in shock. The book included another picture of Vishnu, one that Basil found eerily familiar. The god was depicted as ying flute on the back of a many-headed serpent, with a half-bird humanoid guarding him. The memory of Kalki ying to an audience of monsters shed in Basils mind. Do you truly think your animal strength is a match for my vitamin-powered psychic powers? Lord Quinoa taunted Sergeant Chick and Major Chicken. Salmon thought the same, and look where it led him. Dont you dare utter his name, monster! Sergeant Chick replied. The lieutenant gave his life so that we may live! Its something you vegetables will never understand! This world will never bend to your masters will, Quinoa! Major Chicken dered with patriotic pride. You cannot cancel meat! The Major Chicken cartoon faded into the background like a droning noise. Basil focused too much on the picture to pay attention to his surroundings. It had to be a coincidence Spurred on by an irresistible gut feeling, Basil all but devoured the information on Vishnu. Vishnu the Preserver is one of Indias most popr deities and outright considered the supreme god by a few sects, he read. The goddess Lakshimi is his eternal consort and partner in love. Vishnu is usually depicted as sleeping on the back of the serpent demigod Ananta Shesha or riding the great bird Garuda in battle. Whenever evil and chaos threaten the world, Vishnu reincarnates as a human avatar to restore order. The book included the list of Vishnus avatars ording topeting scriptures. Matsya, Rama, Krishna and the veryst of them. Kalki, Basil whispered. What did you say, Boss? Bugsy asked. The centimagma nced at his leader with concern. Are you alright? You look pale. Im Im alright, Bugsy. A lie. The more Basil read, the more uncertain he felt about the future. The tenth avatar is the one yet toe. Lord Kalki will descend upon the world at the onset of its darkest age, the Kali Yuga; an era of strife, corruption, and unrighteousness. Helped by his consort Padmavati, Lakshimis avatar, he will rescue the pure of heart from danger, banish evil, and usher in the universes regeneration. As it happened before, so will it happen again. Basil remembered Kalkis words. How he woke up feeling he was in the wrong ce at the wrong time; how he was looking for his girlfriend Padma, even if he couldnt remember what she looked like; and how he smelled of lotus ording to to Basil summoned another item from his inventory. Kalkis conch shell gift materialized in his hand, as light as a feather and warm to the touch. Basilpared the Sanskrit symbols to those listed in the book. They matched those in Vishnus chapter a little too well. Fuck. Basil stored both his book and shell in his inventory before bolting out of the sofa. Where are you going, Partner? Shellgirl asked. Vasi looked over her shoulder at Basil, clearly worried for his well-being. Youll miss the big fight! I watched it at least five times already, Basil replied as he hurriedly moved to the empty garage. Once inside, he summoned his campervan from the inventory, opened the front door, and immediately activated the military radio on the drivers seat. The device thrummed upon activation. Neria, I need to talk to you. Basil activated the emergencymunication procedure as Officer Elissalde taught him. This particr signal was to be reserved only for extreme case situations. I know itste, but it cant wait. Only static came out of the radio. Basil waited for seconds, then minutes. His frustration turned to worry. Basil hadnt actually expected Neria to answer immediately, not sote into the evening. She had other duties to attend to. However, someone should have picked up the emergency call. The signal was to be rerouted to another radio officer in Bordeauxs forces so the intel could travel up the chain ofmand. Yet as nobody answered Basils call, he wondered if something happened in the city. Neria? Officer Elissalde? Is anybody there? Basil grit his teeth as his questions were met with nothing more than static noise. Goddammit, this is urgent! Worldshaking! Basil, whats happening? Basil looked over his shoulder to find to staring back at him. Ive never heard you getting bored of a Major Chicken episode and youre acting weirdtely. Basil set aside the radio and gathered his breath. How should he put it? I think I know who Kalki is, he exined. And he might help us return the world to normal. I knew the guy was more than he looked, to replied with a nod. So who is he? A Hindu god with Alzheimer''s and one of the Trimurti. to took in the news with surprising calm. He locked eyes with his owner, wagged his tail, and finally sighed in disappointment. I wont lie, he said, when you said god I expected a giant cat. Cant confirm his identity yet, but there are far too many coincidences. Basil considered his options and quickly reached a decision. Pack your things, well travel to Bordeaux at dawn to track him down. What? to jumped in ce. Didnt you want to scout the Apocalypse Forces dungeon tomorrow? I know what I promised Vasi, but this cant wait, Basil replied. Helping his new tmate be stronger paled before the possibility of meeting a member of the Trimurti. Neither did he enjoy leaving the house behind, but the stakes were simply too great. Its too important and our friends in Bordeaux wont answer my call. to tensed. You think something happened to the dog sisters? Maybe. A visit from an amnesiac god was never a banal urrence. We need to check. I can say goodbye to my peaceful autumn and quiet winter, can I? toined. Fine, Ill inform the others. The house trembled as Rosemarine howled outside its walls. Mister, Mister! What is it, Rosemarine? Basil shouted back. Lights, Mister! Rosemarine replied joyfully. Beautiful lights everywhere! Basil rushed outside the house with a terrible gut feeling and to at his heel. The new moon was almost invisible in the night sky and the cold wind carried the smell of burning wood. Basil found Rosemarine curled in the garden with the rest of the vegetables, all of them looking at the skies. The west was aze. Basil watched in horrified silence as the light of fires illuminated the horizon. Columns of smoke rose to the heavens above and obscured the stars. The wind carried warm ash all the way to the stream. The partys livestock screeched in fear in their coops and hutches. Beautiful, Ghostie Pumpkin whispered. The rest of House Garden watched the scene with big, impressed eyes. Basil had to admit the sight was both beautiful and terrifying in equal measures. It appeared as if someone had lit candles as far as the eye could see. Mister, are the trees evolving too? Rosemarine asked navely. Like me? To Basils horror, her idea no longer sounded so mad. He had grown used to such weirdness by now. Whats going on? Vasi and the rest of the party emerged from the house in confusion. The witch blinked at the sight of the burning horizon. My gods. Should we evacuate, Partner? Shellgirl asked with a worried tone. Fire and I dont mix. No need for that yet, Basil replied. They would pump water from the stream if the fire reached the house. With Rosemarines size and Shellgirls own ice attacks, they shouldnt fear anything. Something felt wrong about this scenario. The Barthes were a marsnd ecosystem, wet and moist, full of streams and ponds. A fire shouldnt spread so quickly, especially without a thunderstorm. What an odd scent to smelled the wind. Yo, dog, do you notice it too? Basil inhaled sharply and grit his teeth upon recognizing the detestable smell of white phosphorus. This fire was artificial. Bugsy, use your Tremorsense, Basil ordered. His halberd materialized in his hands. Do you notice anything? I hear explosions in the distance, east and west, Bugsy replied, his antennae touching the ground. The centimagmas eyes widened in shock. Boss, I sense something in the earth too and a droning noiseing towards us! I hear it too. to hissed and unsheathed his sword. Hos! The Apocalypse Force, Basil guessed with a frown. He knew he would regret letting one of their drones escape. A quick nce at the east side of the marshes confirmed the presence of fires in that direction as well. Are they trying to smoke us out of hiding? Did they mistake France for Vietnam? Basil grunted. He didnt like the situation at all. The gearsmen had already wandered far too close to his home for his liking in the past. Everyone, prepare for battle. Do you have a n? Vasi asked him. We cant see them through the smoke. Partner, my customers live on the other shore! Shellgirl pointed at the fires in the east. Theyre in danger too! They can take care of themselves, Basil replied. Protecting their home was the teams priority, everyone else would wait. Well split into two groups and A buzzing noise echoed across the marshes, interrupting him. Basil looked up at the western fires and realized his ns would die in the cradle. A swarm of a hundred Megabugs flew out of the smoke rising from the horizon. The mes below reflected on their green exoskeletons and pping wings. Most of the bugs were unarmed, but a few carried small spheres with fuses. Basil felt a terrible chill travel down his spine when he recognized the items in question. After all, he had designed a few of them himself. White phosphorus bombs. Shoot them down! Basil ordered his party. The swarm was flying straight in their direction. Shoot them down! Dont let them reach us! Shellgirl opened fire first with her ice pearls. Bugsy assisted her with his firebreath, Kuikui with lightning bolts, Vasi snapped her fingers to cast a fireball spell, and to used his Wind sh technique. House Gardens Demon Tomato assisted with tiny fireballs unlikely to do any damage. The volley of projectiles shot down insects from the skies; some were killed instantly, their explosive payload bursting into fiery sts. But most of the swarm gained ground on the party. Mister, I cant charge! Rosemarineined. A few shining particles appeared around her petals, but not enough to light them up. Not enough sunshine! Argh, Rosemarines Perks had changed after her metamorphosis and Basil didnt have the time to check how they had been altered! He checked her status screen for the Seed Decoy upgrade in case he could exploit it.
Fireseed: 60 SP, [Life], [Fire], [Wood]. Rosemarine can spawn a Fire Seed level 2 Monster from her body. Fire Seeds are weak creatures who can self-detonate on impact to inflict [Fire] damage. Rosemarine cannot use Fireseed if she suffers from a Body Ailment.
If anything, Basil considered it a downgradepared to her duplication power. Rosemarine, summon Fireseeds and throw them at An explosion rocked the garden before he could finish his sentence. The party gave their all, but most of the swarm managed to reach their position. The bugs flew above their heads and dropped their bombs. A white phosphorus st sent Basil reeling backward. A sh of bright light blinded him for a few seconds and Rosemarines howl of pain echoed in his ears. When Basil regained his eyesight, he wished he never did. For the scene unfolding before him was his worst nightmare made reality. The house was on fire. A bomb had blown up the roof to smithereens and set the upper floor on fire. mes incinerated Vasis guest room and copsed part of the facade the party had so lovingly crafted. The windows had shattered from the st, their shardsying on the dry grass outside. White phosphorus dripped from the kitchens walls, ravaging stone and steel alike. The sound of the framework copsing paled before the screams of his livestock. One of the bombs had hit the rabbits hutch, sting half of its inhabitants to bloody pieces and setting fire to the rest. A horned hare ran to the water stream in desperate agony as white phosphorus burned his fur and flesh. The st had also broken the coop open, letting the panicked hens run away. Rosemarine too received a few projectiles. Her leaf-scales protected her from the brunt of the mes, but a few spots of fiery slime burned all across her back. House Garden desperately tried to water the melting greenhouse with tools Basil had left behind, to no avail. mes were already spreading to the partys crops and turning them to ash. For a few seconds, Basil simply couldnt move. He was paralyzed, a prisoner of his own body. He could only watch as Old Man Rensst memento, the holy ground entrusted to his care, the ce he had called his home, burned before his eyes. Basils hands tightened so hard on his halberds shaft that he felt blood dripping from his fingers. He looked up at the treacherous bugs above his head. The swarm stared back at him, its members diving down from the skies to finish him off. The ground shook beneath Basils feet and yet he felt no fear. A fire hotter than white phosphorus burned inside his heart. A ze of unyielding rage! Chapter 37: Man vs Home Invaders Chapter 37: Man vs Home Invaders Basil cut down the first bug foolish enough to enter his halberds range. Another followed and then a third. But no matter how much blood Basil tasted, his thirst for vengeance only grew stronger. They burned the rabbits! Bugsy roared in fury. His fiery breath set a flying drone aze. You bastards! The Apollyon dronescked enough alchemical bombs to sustain a bombardment and so switched to other options. A few attacked Basils group with bursts of wind magic from above; others descended to engage the party in closebat. mes covered the world and smoke polluted the air. Chaos ruled. Kui wives! Kuikui shrieked in despair. His hens had fled for their lives alongside the surviving rabbits. Kui divorced! Kuikui, use Rain Dance to extinguish the mes! Basil barked out orders. Anger fueled his body and heartb, but his mind remained unclouded. Bugsy, youre immune to fire, salvage whatever you can! Basil knew it was toote to save the whole house as it had suffered too much structural damage. But it was full of mementos and memories dear to him. His books, Rens trophies, the photos, the holomachine he couldnt let the mes take them. Yes, Boss! Bugsy rushed into the burning house and Kuikui started waving his wings like a cheerleader. Shellgirl and to answered the bugs bombardments with projectiles of their own. As for Vasi, she summoned her flying broomstick with a whistle before engaging the swarm in aerialbat. s, the bugs brought reinforcements. The ground underneath Rosemarine split open and a terrible horror burrowed out: a colossal worm the length of a school bus with blue exoskeleton tes, half a dozen red eyes, and a hungry maw full of sharp fangs. The beast bit into Rosemarines left nk and attempted to coil around her.
Worm of Famine
Level 20 [Bug].
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Mister, the food is attacking me! Rosemarine bit back into the worms hide, the two titans brawling under the shadow of Steamslimes shell. House Gardens members abandoned their doomed attempt to save the greenhouse to rush to the tropidrakes rescue. Protect the queen! they said. The vegetables jumped on the worms back to stab and bite it. Their valiance could not ovee the difference in power nor the beasts thick armor, but it was the thought that counted. Basil found himself facing bugs on the ground without backup. A dozen Apollyon drones charged at him from various angles, their stingers sharp and deadly. There could have been a thousand and they would still have been outmatched. After checking his allies were far enough away, Basil whispered two little words brimming with fury. Warp Spasm. The Berserk ailment took over and Basil saw red. He expected the Apollyon drones to turn into goblins, to taunt him about his past. Nothing of the sort happened. Basil saw the bugs for what they were: insectoid vermin that dared to destroy his home and hurt his own. He could only hear a droning buzzing all around him. tos meowing, Shellgirls words, Rosemarines cries all noises faded into the background, drowned by the swarms symphony. Yet when an Apollyon drone met his gaze, the voice that came out of his mouth belonged to Ren. I trusted you with everything I owned, Basil, over my own blood, he said. And you lost it all. Fueled by new strength and single-minded fury, Basil charged into the fray. He split the first bug to enter his range in half with his halberd. The second, Basil punched in the gut with his free hand. His fist gored through the exoskeleton, smashed the heart, and came out of the drones back. Basil then tossed the corpse at the third drone with enough force to knock him onto his back. A fourth and fifth drone charged at Basil from two sides. Moving faster than both, he sliced one of his assants arms off. As the screaming drone screamed and covered his blood stump with hisst hand, Basil grabbed his kindred by the back of the head and held it against burning grass. The bugs howl of agony didnt soothe his rage in the slightest. Youre like my family, the one-handed drone mocked Basil with the Old Mans voice before firing a burst of wind. Basil raised the drone he was holding up as a shield and charged. The swirling wind tore the flesh from the drones bones, but it resisted long enough for Basil to reach his quarry. An utter disappointment. Shut up! Basil snarled as he tossed his shield aside and chopped off the offenders head. Shut up, shut up, shut up! The remaining bugs attacked him from all sides. Basils sight blurred as he hacked drones left and right. The ughter became a whirlwind of screams and guts. He vaguely remembered the sound of crushed bones, the taste of bitter flesh, the warmth of blood on his cheeks When the rush of Berserker rage receded, Basil stood alone surrounded by dead foes. He almost tripped on dismembered limbs and nced at his bloodsoaked clothes. How many drones had he killed in the Warp Spasms five minute duration? A dozen, a hundred? It wasnt enough. Nowhere near enough. Somethings wrong. Basil turned around to find three more Apollyon drones staring at him with fearful eyes. They had had a clear shot at his back and didnt take it. Dread paralyzed them. Im no longer Berserk, but Im still pissed. Megabug had once nearly in the party, but that was twenty levels ago. The bugs fellow scouts posed no greater threat to Basil in a fight than flies. Shellgirl and to shot them out of the skies by the dozens. Rosemarine dragged the worm fighting her into the stream. Even Vasi, who didnt benefit from the partys Tamer-rted boosts, handled herself well. The witch flew around the battlefield while sting bugs left and right with shadowy spheres. Yet as Bugsy dragged the TV and holomachine from their burning house, Basil realized that the drones didnt need levels to hurt him. I got them, Boss! Bugsy said with pride. I got the TV The house exploded in a cataclysmic st. Like any good alchemist, Basil stored bombs, mmable substances, and other explosives in his basement alongside the gas generator. Ren had invested in a pretty good fire protection system, so he had thought it wise to safekeep the dangerous stuff underground. But as the Apocalypse Forces white phosphorus ignited his reserve, Basil realized he had sorely miscalcted. Kilos worth of bombs detonated underneath the house and shattered the few walls still standing. The roof broke into fiery debris propelled into the sky, forcing Vasi and the swarm to disperse to avoid them. Bugsy, the closest party member to the detonation, was blown back andnded on the grass alongside the holomachine. Their TVs screen, already partially melted from the heat, shattered on impact. The campervan kept in the garage was flung into the stream. It bounced off Rosemarines back and sank below the waters. Shellgirl resisted the burst of hot air and dust, but the more fragile to and Kuikui rolled backward. Basil ignored the fiery debris falling all around him. He stared in silence at the fuming crater where his house once stood. Our house to stopped attacking the drones. Much like his owner, he couldnt take his incredulous eyes away from their homes fiery grave. They they blew it up. They blew it up. Not even ruins remained of the Old Mans house. ck clouds obscured the sky above Basils head. Cold raindrops fell upon him, first a few, then a downpour. The water extinguished most of the mes and raised a faint mist of steam over the garden, but it did nothing to quell the inferno within Basils heart.
Kuikui changed the weather to [Rain]! The [Water] and [Lightning] elements will be strengthened, and the [Fire] element weakened!
Basil roared to the skies in wrath and despair. His voice shook the three drones on the ground from their paralysis. Two of them promptly flew away, abandoning the third to its fate. Running wont help! Basil raised his halberd and took a step towards his newest victim. Ill hunt you down all the way to Siberia if needed! No, Lord Apollyon, I swear I can take him! Thest bug drone held his head in his hands. Please Argh! The bugs body shone with the bright light of metamorphosis. Realizing the danger, Basil swung his halberd to behead the creature. A metal stinger parried his weapons de. This smell Light dissipated from the Apollyon drone, revealing its new form. The insects exoskeleton had taken on a bloody red hue and itspound eyes glowed with a sick yellow light. The stingers at the end of its forearms shifted into metal drills. Its ws were sharper, its mandibles more like knives. ck circuits pulsated with energy along its translucent wings as organic,mprey-like mouths opened on its shoulders.
Apollyon Vessel
Level 25 [Bug/Artificial]
Faction: Apocalypse Force
You smell of the Avatar of Preservation, yet you are not them. Two voices came out of the bugs mandibles; the droning noise of a lowly ho, and the deeper buzz of a creature far, far mightier. An item Basil pointed his free palm at the bugs face. Inventory The creature realized the danger and pushed Basil back with a swift kick to the chest. Road roller! Basils hand shone and a road roller taken from Dax materialized from his fingertips. The vehicle fell to the ground with enough weight to blow ashes in all directions. Yet the bug deftly dodged the improvised projectile. Did you keep this tool in your inventory just in case? the bug noted with vague amusement as he moved around the road roller. That trick will not work twice on us. Who the hell are you? Basil snarled. The rest of the swarm had mostly retreated except for the worm struggling with Rosemarine. Yet this one creature remained. Cant you tell? Blood dripped from the creatures mandibles. I am the voice of the swarm, the spirit of hunger. I am the thirst, I am the drought, I am the wastnd. I am the vanguard of the Apocalypse. The bugs shadow briefly grew to an enormous size. The shade that was cast in the houses dying mes didnt belong to anything humanoid. It was the shadow of a colossal insect, with cannons for antennae and the power to match. I am Apollyon, the bug dered as his shadow returned to normal. Horseman of Famine. Basil sneered in contempt. I expected a bigger cockroach. This puppet is but a vehicle for my spirit to ride. My true body awaits on the other side of this crumbling barrier barring our way. Apollyon raised one of his drill-darts at Basil. Where is the avatar? You received a gift from him. I can smell it on you. Kalki. The Apocalypse Force knew about Kalki. What do you want to do with him? Basil replied, trying to distract the bug and find an opening. You will warrant no revtion from me. Apollyon snapped his mandibles in frustration. No matter. I will beat the answer out of your lungs after eating your ey Basil charged before he could finish. Apollyon was no Megabug and saw the sneak attacking. Yet as his drills moved to parry him, Basil raised his halberd with both hands and put all his might in the strike. The two duelists weapons shed among the ashes and steam. Apollyon gave up first. No matter how powerful his host body, Basil was stronger. His blow propelled Apollyon backward, leaving him open for a second strike. Waste away, Apollyon whispered, his eyes shining as the halberd came for his head. Famine! Cramps took hold of Basils limbs midswing. He felt his strength vanish in an instant, reced with exhaustion and tiredness. His breath weakened, and the world became a little slower. His vision blurred. His stomach growled with hunger.
[Famine] Ailment! All physical stats debuffed for ten minutes! You will lose 1/16th of your SP per minute!
The halberd missed ever so slightly. Apollyons drill-darts spun as he counterattacked in closebat. Basil dodged a strike aiming for his head and another for his chest. His body was slow, almost as if he had just woken up. How? Basil thought as he found himself on the backfoot, parrying or dodging blows the best he could. He was supposed to resist all ailments! Did that bug bastard possess a Perk allowing him to bypass it? Dont you dare touch my human, you dirty ho! to jumped to Basils rescue, backed up by Kuikui. Wind sh! Air swirled around tos rapier and cut through raindrops. Apollyon raised a hand, his drill producing a wind st of its own. The two forces collided in a mighty sh that blew the cloud of dust over the clearing. Kui help master! Kuikui roared, his voice stronger and higher-pitched than any rooster. Brave Howl!
Strength and Magic buffed!
Basil felt new might fill his bones. It didnt fullypensate for his existing debuff, but at least his halberd no longer felt so heavy in his hands. He nked Apollyon from the left while to attacked from the right. The Horseman of Famine danced around the battlefield, parrying one blow after another. You shouldnt have destroyed this ce! to hissed as his rapier shed with Apollyons dart. It was precious to me! My thrall slew you once. Apollyon lunged at to. I will do so again. Showing agility beyond what any cat could achieve, to leaped above his enemys drills and shed Apollyon mid-jump. The rapiers tip pierced the bugs left eye, leaving him half-blind. You shouldnt have destroyed this ce! to taunted the bloodied Apollyon. No sooner did that catnd on the ground that he returned into the fray with uncharacteristic fury. You shouldnt have woken up the panther! This house was more than a ce. It was a dear friends gift. Basil didnt raise his voice at Apollyon. No shout could match the brimming anger in his words. You cant fathom how much well hurt you for this. You have destroyed many of my thralls and denied me a dungeon, Apollyon replied. Basil felt him growing winded from the constant assaults. Did you expect no retribution for taking arms against us? Apollyon buzzed in pain as a lightning bolt hit from behind. Kuikui followed the sneak attack with a second bolt as Basil hit the bugs chest. His halberd pierced through the exoskeleton and the blow spilled green blood all over the ground. Yet Basil failed to slice Apollyon in half as he intended. The bugmans wings pped at high speed, unleashing a burst of wind all around him. Basil, to, and Kuikui were pushed back. Thepressed air hurt Basil all the more because of his vulnerability, yet he shrugged off and rushed into the fray once more. He was too pissed to feel pain. The Maleking will create a new world for us, Apollyon rasped with a hand over his chest wound. A hell for the weak and a heaven for the strong. Guess you were damned from birth then, Basil snarled as he and to moved in for a killing strike. You wont have to wait for your boss leave to see hell, to added. Left to your own devices, your lot became dangerous. Apollyon unfurled his wings. I wont allow you to grow any stronger. Apollyon took flight to avoid Basil and tos strikes. Halberd and rapier hit only dirt as the bug hovered above the group. Poisonous flowers allowed to bloom are future headaches, Apollyon said from above as the small holes on his shoulders vomited ck spikes. I will pluck you here and now. Dart Missiles. A dozen ck spikes flew out of Apollyons shoulders and fell upon Basils group in a rain of destruction. Dodge! Basil shouted. He avoided a projectile, as did to. Kuikui didnt share their luck. A missile hit him on the side, blowing off his left wing and feathers. Kuikui! Fascinating, Apollyon mocked them. You are strong enough to match this vessels strength even when debuffed, but you seem tock effective long-range options. Such an oversig An ice pearl shot by Shellgirl hit Apollyon in the face, making him flinch. Vasi targeted him with a fireball from behind immediately afterwards. Apollyon sensed her approach, dodged, and raised a hand in the witchs direction. Vasi barely had the time to blink as a st of wind hit her in the face. The blow tossed her off her flying broomstick. Basils eyes widened in horror as Vasi fell from almost ten meters high. She hit the edge of his houses crater with the sickening sound of breaking bones, close to Kuikui. Fuck! Basil rushed at them as fast as he could. Help them, Basil, well cover you! to shouted, wind swirling around his rapier. Well take him on, Boss! Bugsy breathed mes at Apollyon from the ground, assisted by Shellgirl. You make me ashamed of being a bug! Thats what you get for destroying my assets! Shellgirl snarled at Apollyon. Her barrels fired ice pearl after pearl, but few of her projectiles hit the mark. And for hurting my friends! We are famine, Apollyon said while retaliating with dart bombardments. We will burn your fields, eat your crops, and destroy your roads. No matter the blood we shed, our hunger will forever gn Yeah yeah, whatever, to interrupted him. The cat moved in front of Shellgirl and Bugsy, before using his Wind sh to shoot down projectiles from the skies. Just die and be done with it! Basil used Apollyons distraction to reach his wounded allies. Kuikui whined from his broken wing and Vasi was bleeding from the head. The witch looked about to fall into a deep sleep that she would never wake up from. Shit. Vasi, Vasi you hear me? Basil had no healing potions to use, and Rosemarine was too busy dealing with her own foe to help heal the group. Which only left a single option to save Vasis life. Join my party now! I Vasi grumbled, her face pale and gaze dizzy. What. Kui hurt Kuikui whined. Join my party! I cant heal you otherwise! Basil temporarily expelled Shellgirl, the member of the group with the least bruises. This left a spot open. Do it now! I Vasi whispered, her eyelids half-closed. Alright must sleep
Changeling Vasilisa Yaga joined your party! Vasilisa unlocked the [Hag Coven] hidden Perk!
Yes! Basil rejoiced. Using his dwindling SP, he activated his healing Perk. Monster Cure! A green glow covered all his allies save for Shellgirl. Monster Cure, Basil kept casting. Monster Cure. Monster Cure. Kuikuis feathers regenerated and his wing fell back into its proper ce. Blood stopped flowing out of Vasis wound and her face regained some color. The white phosphorus burns on Rosemarines back vanished. I feel better, Mister! Rosemarine chewed the half-dead worm monster in her teeth before swallowing it whole. Having dealt with her own foe, the tropidrake turned her attention to Apollyon and attempted to bite him. The more agile bug dodged Rosemarines clumsy attacks and sted her in the face with a wind burst. Having stabilized his allies, Basil threw his halberd at Apollyon. The bugman dodged by flying to the side, but he could only predict so many attacks at once. Bugsy burned his left wing and Shellgirl pierced the right with a well-aimed projectile. Apollyon started losing altitude. Youll pluck us like flowers, thats what you said?! Basil shouted as he rushed after Apollyon. Well, Ill pluck off your wings like the bug you are. Fueled by single-minded fury, Basil tackled Apollyon before he even hit the ground. The two rolled among the ashes, brawling and kicking and biting. Basils fists might as well have been made of steel. He felt no pain as they pummeled Apollyons ugly face into the ground. Leave some for us! to joined in the beatdown by stabbing Apollyonsst remaining eye with his rapier. Bugsys mandibles closed around the monster''s left forearm and ripped it off. As for Shellgirl, she kneecapped him. I hope he has nine lives too, one death wont be enough! Basil didnt know how long they beat Apollyon within an inch of his life. A minute, an hour? No matter how hard he struck, the bug just refused to die. He was agonizing in his own blood, dismembered and broken, yet he wouldnt stop breathing. We have killed billions He rasped. On countless worlds Basil gathered his breath and stepped away from Apollyon. The group formed a circle around their mangled foe, who remained defiant even with both eyes ripped out and no limbs left to fight with. I shall return. For your people. For everyone. Apollyon spat blood. For you. Basil stomped Apollyons mangled skull under his heel, killing him atst. Yet the fatal blow provided him with neither joy nor satisfaction. If anything, Basil felt even more frustrated. This bug was a mere puppet controlled from afar and the true mastermind lived to threaten them another day.
Your party earned 90000 exp (13500 for you). You earned two levels (total 25).
Basil red at the mangled corpse onest time before checking on his team. Everyone alright? he asked. to was throwing dirt at Apollyons corpse as ast sign of disrespect, Shellgirl was treating Vasis wound the best she could, and Rosemarine checked on the members of House Garden. Kuis wives, gone. Kuikuimented in despair. Roof gone Its alright, Kuikui, we all made it in one piece, Bugsy said, trying to cheer the velociraptor up. Weve won. Basils jaw clenched so much that he felt blood flowing from his teeth. Bugsy reeled back at the sight. You call this a victory, Bugsy? Basil waved a hand at the smoking ruins of his house. Only the holomachine and Steamslime''s shell had survived the battle more or less intact. Most of the Barthes had been reduced to ash, its trees burned to the ground. Our home, the food, the garden, myb Rens things Basil shook his head and sighed in defeat. All gone. Basil, to whispered. What? Ren wouldnt hold it against us, and you know it. His cats words felt like a bucket of cold water to Basil. He understood, intellectually speaking, that to was right. Yet Basil still med himself for failing the Old Man. Ren entrusted it to us, Basil whispered. Because he cared. Because we cared. I know, Basil, to replied. His eyes were colder and more vengeful than ever before. He took us in because we were strays with no home to call our own. These bugs robbed us of it. Im as furious as you are, but you shouldnt be angry at yourself. Were alive, Partner, Shellgirl said. Rosemarine walked towards the group, with House Gardens members under her care. Houses can be rebuilt, but the dead cante back. Yes, we live to take vengeance. to nced up at his owner with a determined look. The cat, who usually couldnt be bothered to do anything, now brimmed with fury. They crossed the line, Basil. You know what that means. Yes, he did. This means war, Basil replied quietly. Chapter 38: Man vs Oath Chapter 38: Man vs Oath When dawn reared its head, the sun rose upon and of ash. Standing atop a mound near the stream, Basil and to witnessed the devastation with grim hearts. The air was thick with ashes carried by the cold autumn wind. The grayness of death had taken over the lush nature of the Barthes. Everywhere he looked, Basil saw burned husks of trees, piles of dust, and the charred bones of an animal that couldnt escape the inferno in time. And the silence a forest teemed with life, yet the Barthes were now as silent as an open grave. Its animals had fled the devastation, never to return. It took decades for the European Union to create natural wildlife reserves through the Natura 2000 initiative. The Barthes had been one such protected area among thousands of fragile ecosystems protected byw. Some of the species that lived in the area were rare or outright endangered. What the dungeons started, the Apocalypse Force finished. It would take years for the areas ecosystem to recover, if at all. Everyone had lost a home today. You know to, Basil said, his voice raspy in his throat. Ren dedicated decades of his life to studying the Barthes ecosystem. He surveyed the crane poption, helped reintroduce amphibians back into their natural habitat, fought against invasive algae, lobbied the government to set up a path where tourists could walk along without disturbing the animals He was a nerd, to replied. He was. He built his house so far away from civilization so he could be closer to the nature he loved so much. Basil waved a hand at the devastation. This sight would have given him a heart attack. It angered him that the Old Mans tombstone directly faced this devastatingndscape. It almost looked like a post-mortem insult. Of all the Barthesndmarks, the shrine near the river was the only one to have miraculously survived. Trees had beenid low, ponds filled with dust and the marketce rendezvous point was now a barren wastnd, but the old church and its tombstones still stood. Basil wouldnt call it a miracle, though it did soothe his heart a little. Why are we here? to asked as they faced Rens tombstone. To bring flowers? I would have if I could find any, Basil replied. The Apocalypse Force had burned his greenhouse to cinders and no natural flowers survived the inferno. Apollyon had warned that he intended to make Earth a barren wastnd. The Barthes were but a preview of what would happen to Earth if the Horseman of Famine had his way. Basil would kill him long before they reached that point. Were here to say goodbye, to, Basil exined. We wont return for a while if at all. to nodded slowly. Once the cat would have protested at the idea of abandoning the marshes and Rens tombstone, but yesterdays attack hardened his resolve. Thank you, he muttered under his breath. Mm? Basil nced down at his best friend. What did you say? Thank you for taking me in with Ren. to looked up at his owner. Thank you, Basil. It was great to have a roof over my head and fresh food every morning. And thanks for waking me up more gently than an rm, Basil replied with a chuckle. We might have to skip a few breakfasts from now on. Hunger will make me deadlier. to stretched his back. I cant wait to hunt again. Do you think you could make bug meat tasty? With the right spices, Im sure I can make it trendy. And they would have a lot of practice. Eventually, Basil would get bug cuisine right. Im sorry, Old Man. Basil made a cross sign with his hand in front of Rens tombstone. I couldnt protect the home you entrusted to us. Its not your fault, to repeated for the hundredth time today. It is. Apollyon had made a point. Basil had destroyed a dungeon and expected little to no consequences for it. I thought we could weather the apocalypse in peace if we kept our heads down. I forgot that trouble finds you even when you dont look for it. Basil had forgotten that the best defense was a good offense and the preemptive obliteration of all potential threats, followed by a sustained campaign of intimidation to deter future attacks. But I swear it on your tombstone, Old Man. Basil pumped a fist. One day Ill rebuild the house and the Barthes. Even if I have to haul back new frogs all the way from Bulgaria. Maybe its for the best we move on, to snickered. It will lull the birds into a false sense of security. Theylle back, breed, and rut, blissfully unaware of my approach as I stalk them all over again A bird serial killer slumbered in every cat. The urge could stay quiet for months, sometimes years, but it never went away. See you soon, Old Man. Basil bowed onest time before the tombstone, as did to. Well be back. After paying theirst respects, the duo traveled back to their homes ruins. Everyone was already working hard. Only Vasi was missing from the gathering, having left as soon as she woke up to check on her old hut. Kuikui and House Gardens members piled up whatever supplies survived the battle, from a few cans of food to a few half-molten electronic pieces. Unfortunately, Basils Nintendo Switch wasnt among them. His favorite console perished, never to return like the Lair Points he invested in his destroyed home. It was yet another insult on top of his injuries. Rosemarine and Bugsy worked in tandem to repair Steamslimes shell. The former lifted tes of metal harvested from city vehicles and thetter melted them into the structure with his firebreath. The dismembered husk of Basils road roller awaited its turn next to the structure. Estrid pointed out that Steamslimes shell could make for a good caravan if equipped with wheels. Basil strongly considered following through with her suggestion by harvestingponents from road rollers and cranes in Dax. Rosemarines strength would allow her to pull the modified shell like a carriage. This mobile fortress would never be as practical as a campervan and would demand a lot of repairs, but it could transport arge number of people on the road. Only Basil knew how to drive among his party. As for Shellgirl, Basil found her talking with a guest near the stream: the youngest member of the orc family the group met at the market a few days ago. The teenOrcine, if Basils memory servedhade without her parents, her rusty iron mace tainted with dried blood. She wore the same horned helmet her mother once did. Hi, Partner, Shellgirl waved a hand at them, a concerned look on her face. Her orc friend nodded respectfully at Basil. Did you find any other survivors? No, Basil replied sadly. I checked the cave you indicated but found it empty. Your gremlin and hobgoblin friends left no traces behind them. Pff, I say they ran, to said. We didnt find their corpses. I I hope theyre alive. Shellgirl sighed, having expected to hear of their demise. They were more than customers to me. Cowards, her orc friend said with a sneer. They ran rather than defend their home. Once a goblin, always a goblin. Basil couldnt agree more. When somebody threatened you, you had to strike back even harder; or else you invited further bullying. Strength was peace. Basil had learned that lesson early in his life, and he would teach it to the Apocalypse Force the hard way. Orcine, was it? Basil asked. Yeah, thats my name, she replied with a snort. Do all ogres have poor memories? Only the human ones, Basil deadpanned. Anyway, Im d you made it out alive. Orcine scowled and looked at the ashes with angry eyes. Shellgirl bit her slimy lip, clearly embarrassed. Basil put the two and two together. Where are your parents? The bugs bombed our hut while dad and ma were sleeping inside, Orcine said with sorrow that echoed Basils own. If I hadnt gone out to take a piss, I would have burned to death too. It would have been the fate of Basils party too if they hadnt all been awake during the raid. Im Im sorry to hear that. Basil struggled to find the right words. He only had one conversation with the orc family, but it was still a tragedy to hear of their demise. I apologize. The swarm came for us. Your family shouldnt have been caught in the crossfire. The bugs came to kill and steal, Orcine replied angrily. Thats what locusts like them do. Even if they had a bone to pick with you, they didnt stop at your pretty face. They hurt my blood and for that, they have to die. I aint here for sympathy, humie. She grabbed her mace and hit the ground with it. Her strength made the earth tremble a little, drawing gazes from the rest of the crew. Im here for payback. Orcine put her weapon on her shoulder. Shellgirl told me you intend to retaliate, so I came to assist. Its an understatement, Basil rasped angrily. I intend to devastate them all, the bugs and their supplier. Orcine raised an eyebrow. Supplier? They have a crafter, Basil exined. He was certain of it. You need ess to specific chemicals to craft white phosphorus bombs. I dont think the bugs knew how to make one of these devices on their own, let alone enough of them to wage a second Vietnam war. Agreed, Partner, Shellgirl replied. The bugs have an infrastructure. Somebody built the goods and they delivered the payload. What''s Vietnam, some kind of food? Orcine snickered. All I hear is that somebody helped the bugs trash our ce, and theyre in for an asswhooping. All signs point to Seignosse, Basil said with a nod. So yeah, well hit the ce hard and settle the score. Then count me in, Orcine dered. The more in a brawl, the merrier. Wee aboard. Far from Basils mind to deny anyone their rightful revenge. I can add you to my party temporarily, if you want an extra Tamer Perk. Sure, Orcine replied. I got something for you too. Shellgirl pped her hands and unstored an item from her inventory. A rough tribal garment materialized in her arms. The chest te, arm, and leg protections were made from painted ankylosaurus armor and dark red scales. Blue thunderbird feathers covered the shoulders, pecs, and back. When Basil touched the armor, he felt a slight current of electricity pass in his twitching fingers.
Dinothunder Mantle
Family: Clothing (Armor).
Quality: B
Effect 1: [Lightning Rod]: Grants Immunity to [Lightning] and Lightning attacks affecting the wearer recharges their SP instead of inflicting damage.
Effect 2: Boosts the power of Physical attacks by 20%.
Effect 3: [Unused].
A garment made from Thunderbird feathers and dinosaur scales. If you havent stood naked in the middle of a thunderstorm to catch the fire-in-the-skies, then youre not man enough to wear it.
As this clothing is made from monster skins that you have personally in, Dinothunder Mantle ispatible with Berserker.
Its great work, Basil said. The craftmanship was rough around the edges, but of excellent manufacture nheless. Your parentspleted it before their deaths? They died first, but Ipleted it myself, Orcine replied. Her lips pursed into a grin showcasing her sharp canines. Consider it a trade for the new Perk. Come on, Partner, put the merchandise on! Shellgirl encouraged Basil. Make us wet with envy. Basil ignored her particrly poor turn of phrase and put the armor over his clothes. It was surprisingly light for clothing made of dinosaur scales. Basil suspected the armor distributed the weight across his body to make it easier to wear. Once he had put the armor on, Basil nced at his reflection in the river. Finding something missing in it, he unstored his halberd and adopted a barbarian warrior pose. His mirrored self oozed testosterone. Perfect. How do I look? Basil asked his crew. Like half like a bird, to taunted him. Its not a good thing. Dont listen to him, Boss, you look great, Bugsy cheered him. Rosemarine nodded in support. When you ride me to battle, Mister, we will bring about the end times. Kui good, Kuikui encouraged Basil. Kui better with feathers. Now strip! Shellgirl whistled, helped by Orcine. Show us the abs! As every good rockstar did, Basil made himself more desirable by denying his fangirls wishes. A shadow passed over his head. Basil half-expected an Apollyon drone to attack the party again, but instead, Vasinded her flying broomstick in the ashen clearing. The witch examined Basil head to toes with a coy smirk on her face. The mantle looks good on you, sheplimented him. I love it. Thank you, Basil replied politely. What about your hut? Vasi let out a long, tired sigh. They thoroughly burned it. My potions, my books, my research all gone. Even the berry juices? Shellgirl asked in horror. As Vasi nodded sadly, her m mimic friend clenched her fists in rage. These savages dont respect anything! I guess that I am officially homeless. Vasi locked eyes with Basil. I humbly request a ce under your giant shell. You will have it. Basil cleared his throat in embarrassment. I apologize. You apologize? She chuckled. For what, my huts destruction? It was beyond you. For adding you to my party, Basil rified. I know you didnt want to and you agreed under duress. Oh, that? Vasi waved it off. I would have minded if you didnt do it to save my life. It would be terribly ungrateful of me to hold it against you. Basil suddenly realized why he appreciated her so much: she was the perfect neighbor, forgiving and helpful. d were even then, he said. Ill remove you from the party, so you arent beholden to me anymore. I would rather not. To Basils surprise, Vasi shook her head. Actually, I would like to stay in it long-term if thats possible. Basil observed the witch as if she had grown a second head. Did yesterdays injury give her amnesia? A day ago, you would rather have died than suggest it. A day ago you hadnt saved my life, Basil, Vasi replied with a deadpan voice. This world is dangerous, and while I prefer to keep to myself teamwork is indeed the best survival strategy. Please, Partner, say yes! Ever the merchant, Shellgirl immediately lobbied to get her friend into the group. Well crush it! We dock a flyer and magical artillery, to said before ring at Kuikui. Since that one cant fly. Kui flies! the velociraptor protested. One day! The new Perk you gave me is simply too good to pass up, handsome, Vasi added. Come on, check it out. Im sure youll find it useful to you too. Basil immediately checked his partys status screen. A short reading of the witchs new ability enlightened him.
Hag Coven: If Vasilisa is in a party that includes at least two other members capable of casting Witchcraft Spells, whether they are yers or Monsters, then she can form a coven with them. A covens members can intuitively cast unique Witchcraft group spells, receive a +10% bonus to crafting potions and magical items per coven member, and can cast spells at half the SP cost. As the Tamer who awakened Vasilisas Perk, Basil Bohen can fit in as a ceholder in her coven even if he cannot cast Witchcraft spells.
So I count as Basil scoffed. What, a witch doctor? You do not meet the prerequisites for the [Witch Doctor] spellcaster ss. Of course. Vasi, we dont have anybody capable of casting Witchcraft spells, Basil pointed out. You wont benefit from that Perk. Yet, Vasi replied with confidence. Give it time. The odds of one of your pets learning spellcasting are better than me finding two other witches willing to form a party with me. Oh, you think I could be a sea witch? Shellgirl asked with enthusiasm. I could enter the hex market then! Mayhaps we can start a partnership, Vasi mused with a chuckle. I curse them, you sell the cures. Mmm hical but profitable Shellgirl put a finger on her chin. Tempting, tempting The problem is that our group is far toorge, Basil pointed out. With parties having a limit of six, Vasis inclusion meant excluding another member. He quickly figured out a solution. Rosemarine, you will form a secondary party with House Garden for the moment. I will lead the vanguard and eat the enemies children! Rosemarine boasted. We will fertilize our roots with blood! We shall protect the queen with our lives, King Basil, Ghostie Pumpkin swore to Basil. All the vegetables knelt before him and pledged an oath to defend Rosemarine to thest. By the way, I took a detour north to scout our attackers, Vasi said. I saw very few drones patrolling the skies. Far too few of them. They probably threw all their cannon fodder at us, to guessed with a nod. Its what I would do in their ce. Let the minions do the work and only get off my cushion once I run out of them. Vasi nodded in agreement. With the swarms losses, only a token force is left to defend the dungeon. For now, Shellgirl replied grimly. The dungeon will have created new monsters to pick up the ck in days. We need to strike them quickly anyway, Vasi said. Samhain is days ahead and I need the dungeon for my ritual. So what do we do, Boss? Bugsy asked his leader. We attack the dungeon, run the ritual, and then blow up the ce? We wont destroy the dungeon, Basil said. All eyes turned in his direction. We wont? Bugsy asked in surprise. We will exterminate all the bugs inside its walls and conquer the ce, Basil said with surprising serenity. Now that the berserk rush of adrenaline had run out, his mood had settled from violently angry to quiet hatefulness. We will im the server and use it to form a Guild of our own. ording to the System, it will allow us to create interlocked parties. Itll make it easier for us to level up and organize. But Boss Bugsy snapped his mandibles in iprehension. Last time we destroyed the Ogre Den because you didnt want to face raiders. If we conquer a dungeon, we will have to defend it. The Apocalypse Force will try to take it back. I know. Basil smirked cruelly. Im counting on it. It would give him many opportunities to bleed them out. With his back turned on the stream, Basil faced his allies. He had rehearsed his speech in his head since the raids end and he finally had the audience he needed. So far, Ive been trying to follow our Lord Jesus Christs example, he said after clearing his throat. Keep to myself, turn the other cheek, let bygones be bygones. Forgive and forget. Basil thought that by minding his own business, the various factions vying for control of the Earth would leave him alone. He had been mistaken. But by focusing too much on the New Testament, I forgot the Old ones fundamentals. Basil clenched his fist. For God taught us a very good lesson when he razed Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins: that when faced with unrepentant wickedness, fire and brimstone really are the solution. The Lord didnt reward Satans cruelty with ice cream, but by throwing him into ake of fire to suffer forever. Well follow his example with the fiends of the Apocalypse Force. Yesterdays fireworks would look like emberspared to the devastation toe. The Horsemen thought they brought the apocalypse to Earth? Basil would show them a real armageddon. You girls, Basil waved a hand at a clueless Orcine and Vasi. You girls have been excellent neighbors. Youve respected my peoples rights and boundaries, so I cant quite call what will follow the Third Neighborhood War. It would be a misnomer. He would settle for a grand crusade instead. I, Basil Jean-Franois Bohen, son of Dragan and Aleksandra Bohen, I hereby swear a blood oath before our Lord Jesus Christ! Basil shouted at the rising dawn. The Apocalypse Force has dered war upon me, as did the Unity before them! Theyve burned my home, hurt my friends and family, and destroyed my Nintendo Switch! I shall not rest until I have avenged this insult a hundredfold! Basil cut his palm open with his halberd, letting his blood drip into the river before his teams astonished eyes. I shall be a gue upon their houses! he snarled. The ten gues of Egypt rolled into one and then some! I will be the flood, the scourge of God! I will crush them as Michael once cast Satan down from heaven! I will drag the Horsemen from their mounts and make bags out of dragonlord scales! Yes, I shall not rest until I have driven off the Apocalypse Force and Unity from my world! Only then, when the holynd of Earth is finally cleansed of hostile invaders, will I finallyy down my halberd and rebuild my house! He would kick all the unruly neighbors from Earth and enjoy a quiet neighborhood atst. I hereby dere the Great Neighborhood Crusade Basil mmed the ground with his halberds shaft. Open! A long silence followed his deration. Vasi broke it by pping modestly, clearly at loss at how to react to Basils oath of vengeance. Bugsy had tears in his eyes, Rosemarine salivated at the thought of ughter toe, and Shellgirl nced at her teammates trying to figure out the best answer to the speech. So hardcore, Orcgirl whispered in amazement. Can I swear vengeance too? I can cut off my pinkie for drama, it will grow back! Kui first! Kuikui bit his wing faster and whined. Kui hurt! If you want me to cook dinner tonight, you will all swear, Basil warned his team. His deration was met with groans, but he ignored them. This is non-negotiable. Sure, to said, raising his rapier and prickling the tip of his thumb with it. I usually use hairballs for this, but after what happened yesterday Ill make an exception. Basil nodded sharply and stared at the sunny sky. He had unearthed the war axe and would carry out his vengeance to its final conclusions. His peaceful, homesteady days were over. Now was the time for bloodshed. The path ahead was clear. He would wreck the Seignosse dungeon for revenge and then travel to Bordeaux. He needed to check on Neria, to find out Kalkis true identity. Only then would he have a chance to return the world to normalcy and return to his peaceful existence. Basil would get to the bottom of the Trimurti Systems mystery. No matter the cost. End of Arc 2 Team''s Stats Name Basil Jean-Franois Bohen Type Humanoid Faction The Bohens EXP 60,518/68,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Wood, Fire, Water, Ailments. Manyer, Soul, Wind, Lightning, Light. Level Health Points Special Points 23+2 (Tamer 11; Berserker 3; Alchemist 1; Runesmith 1; Gardener 3; Technomancer 3; Fisherman 1) 1310 515 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 38 36 30 27 Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 24 24 33 23 Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - Weak Strong Strong Strong - - Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Strong - Weak - Weak Weak - - Passive Perks Active Perks Monster Charmer III Warp Spasm I ughterer I Jardin Secret I Alchemy I Magitek Monster Lair I Spell: Fire Rune Runic I Spell: Ice Rune Fishing I Fuel Technology Greenhand I Monster Cure I One for All I Alchemy I (Passive): you can craft alchemy items without need of a recipe and create your own through experimentations. The list of items you can craft includes potions, alchemy tools, mutagens, poisons and bombs. Monster Charmer III (Passive): You can recruit monsters into your [Party]. The monsters level must be equal or below yours to join, and they cannot outlevel you afterward. Monsters in your party gain a 20% boost to stat growth on level-up, but will also die if your HP hits 0. Recruited monsters cannot leave your party unless you allow them to. You automatically form a party with an original partner selected by the Trimurti System. You can unlock the hidden potential of a recruited monster, granting them an additional Perk they cannot ess in the wild. Monsters will keep these additional abilities even if you kick them out of your party. When monsters reach the level needed to undergo metamorphosis, they will now choose between multiple options rather than having one forced upon them.You must validate the choice as their Tamer. ughterer I (Passive): you gain advanced proficiency with Axes, Maces, Spears, and Unarmed Attacks (x2 damage, +10 percent Crit chances). However, you lose all the benefits of the [Berserker] ss if you wield a shield, armor, or essory reducing the damage that you take. Monster skins and damage resistance provided by spells or perks do not vite this rule. Monster Lair I (Passive): you can select a hideout or dungeon under your control as your personal Lair. Lairs offer benefits based on your level. You can select and improve your Lair by clicking on Status in your menu. Runic I (Passive): you can now learn and cast [Runic] Spells up to Tier I. If you gain the ability to cast [Runic] Spells from other sses or Perks, the Tiers stack together. Fishing I (Passive): you gain medium proficiency with bows, spears, fishing lines ands (x1.5 damage); any attack you make with these weapons counts as [Aquayer] and inflicts supereffective against the [Aquatic] Type (x3 damage). You can also craft fishing [Traps] with or without a recipe and create your own forms. Warp Spasm I (active): you can apply the [Berserk] ailment to yourself at will for 5 minutes. While [Berserk], you relentlessly attack the closest target in melee with no regard for your safety, friend or foe, and cannot use [Spells]. In return, your damage is greatly enhanced and you feel no pain. Jardin Secret I (Active): you can determine an area equal to 1 hectare per Gardener level as your [Jardin Secret]. Seeds nted in the area will have their growth period divided by your gardener level multiplied by 2; [nt] Monsters grown from these seeds will be naturally friendly to you and can be immediately added to your Party. You can change your gardens location once per week, but if you do, the previous area loses all of its [Gardener]-rted benefits. Magitek (Active): You can use the refine option on a technological device to forge a rune on a selected item. The device must have an unused effect spot and you must know a rune spell to assign to it. This ability can apply to pieces of technology from forged tools to machines and vehicles, but cannot work on Consumables, Lairs, or Key Items. Fuel Technology (Active): you can spend Special Points to power machinery instead of the normal fuel. The Special Points consumption rate is unique to each device. Greenhand I (Active): 10 SP. You can automatically identify the properties of vegetals, such as the stats of [nt] monsters or the status information of seeds and fruits with no chance of failure. Monster Cure I: 20 SP, [Support], [Life]. The tamer heals a small amount of HP for all monster members of his party (HP recovered: Tamer Levels+MAG); the Tamer and other yers do not benefit from the healing, but the effect applies regardless of distance. One for All I: if you are a party leader, you can teleport your party back to your Lair. Additionally, you can spend 1 SP x Level of a tamed monster to summon them at your current location; this ability works even if you have no Lair selected, but you can only summon one ally at once. Neither teleportation effect works in dungeons or magically warded areas, and they cannot cross dimensions. Spell: Fire Rune: Runic, 10 SP, [Fire]. Empowers one of your weapons with the power of mes, inflicting an additional 20% [Fire] damage for 5 minutes. Multiple applications of [Fire Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it. Spell: Ice Rune: Runic, 10 SP, [Frost]. Empowers one of your weapons with the power of mes, inflicting an additional 20% [Frost] damage for 5 minutes. Multiple applications of [Fire Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it. Name to (Cait Sith) Type Beast/Fairy Faction The Bohens Experience 60,518/68,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Soul, Wind, Wood, Darkness, Mythic. Beastyer, Fairyyer, Physical, Corrosion, Water Level Health Points Special Points 23+2 580 575 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 14 (D+20%) 44 (B+20%) 15 (D+20%) 43 (A+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 30 (C+20%) 19 (D+20%) 24 (C+20%) 42 (A+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Weak - Strong Weak - Strong - - - Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic - Weak - Strong - - - Strong Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Sharp ws Luck Up Heavy Napper Wind sh Birdbane N/A Nine Lives N/A Swordsmanship I N/A Personal Perks: Active Perks: Name Bugsy Alphonse Venture (Centimagma) Type Bug/Elemental Faction The Bohens Experience 60,518/68,000 Immune Resist Weak Fire Physical, Corrosion, Ailments, Wood, Earth Buyer, Elementyer, Mind, Frost, Water, Wind Level Health Points Special Points 23+2 1410 315 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 44 (B+20%) 29 (C+20%) 44 (B+20%) 24 (C+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 7 (E+20%) 15 (D+20%) 19 (D+20%) 24 (D+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong Weak - Strong - Strong - - Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Weak Strong Weak Weak - - - - Passive Perks Active Perks Poisoned Fangs Agility Up Carapace Firebreath Tremorsense N/A Passive Perks: Active Perks: Name Rosemarine Entine de Barthe (Tropidrake) Type nt/Dragon Faction The Bohens Experience 60,518/68,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Fire, Wood, Life, Water, Earth, Light. ntyer, Dragonyer, Corrosion, Metal, Frost, Lightning, Darkness. Level Health Points Special Points 23+2 2780 565 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 42 (A+20%) 28 (C+20%) 38 (B+20%) 31 (C+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 39 (B+20%) 11 (D+20%) 28 (C+20%) 35 (B+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment - - - Weak Weak Strong Strong Strong - Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Strong Strong - Weak Weak Strong Weak - Passive Perks Active Perks Paralyzing Touch Sunbath Bugcatcher Fire Seed Sunflower Sunbeam Harvest (Tropidrake) Personal Perks: Active Perks: Name Shellgirl (m Mimic) Type Aquatic/Slime Faction The Bohens Experience 60,518/68,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Physical, Water, Frost, Darkness. Aquayer, Slimeyer, Corrosion, Metal, Wood, Fire, Lightning. Level Health Points Special Points 23+2 1080 515 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 31 (C+20%) 8 (E+20%) 47 (A+20%) 22 (D+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 31 (C+20%) 28 (C+20%) 26 (C+20%) 28 (C+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - - Weak Weak Weak - - - Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Weak Strong - - Strong Weak - Strong - Passive Perks Active Perks Shelter Ice Pearl Shell Inventory Water Jet Moneymaker Passive Perk: Active Perks: Name Kuikui the Dinosaur (Velociraptor) Type Reptile/Avian Faction The Bohens Experience 60,518/68,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Physical, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Mythic. Scaleyer, Birdyer, Soul, Corrosion, Metal, Frost. Level Health Points Special Points 21+4 580 335 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 20 (D+20%) 40 (A+20%) 20 (D+20%) 36 (B+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 20 (D+20%) 5 (E+20%) 18 (D+20%) 24 (C+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - Weak Weak Weak - - Strong - Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic - - Strong Strong Weak Strong - - Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Sharp ws Lightning Bolt Rain Dance Brave Howl Name Vasilisa Yaga (Changeling) Type Demon/Fairy Faction The Bohens Experience 60,518/68,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Mind, Soul, Corrosion, Wood, Fire, Frost, Darkness, all Ailments. Demonyer, Fairyyer, Physical, Metal, Light. Level Health Points Special Points 23+2 910 1370 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 19 (D+20%) 24 (C+20%) 23 (C+20%) 25 (C+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 42 (A+20%) 35 (B+20%) 33 (B+20%) 27 (C+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Weak Strong Strong Strong Weak Strong - Weak Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong - - - Strong - Weak Strong - Passive Perks Active Perks Yaga Witchcraft II Broomstick Witch Brew Sweet Kiss Magical Prodigy Spell: Ember Hag Coven Spell: Sleep Spell: Dreamthief Spell: Witch Mist Spell: Burning Skull Spell: Lesser Conjuration Passive Perks: Active Perk: Chapter 39: Man vs Funeral Chapter 39: Man vs Funeral They held the funeral in the rain. The Bohens and House Garden parties were gathered for it, with the notable exception of Vasi and Orcine. Basil presided over the ceremony before the smoking crater of his house, hands joined in prayer. He nced at his audience, at the mourning faces of hispanions. His dear cat to, who had known the deceased the longest, held his tiny hat against his chest with his eyes closed. Bugsy, ever the bleeding heart, could hardly suppress theva tears in his centimagma eyes. Rosemarine stood in quiet dignity, her immense shadow looming over the clearing. Her vegetable minions carried the tombstone. Even Shellgirl had joined her hands in quiet mourning right next to Kuikui. Basil observed each of them and then gathered his breath. It was never easy to say farewell especially to a dear friend. Today, Basil said, we are gathered to honor the memory of Rens house onest time. He waved a hand at House Gardens members, inviting them to do their duty. The vegetables carried the granite tombstone and set it in front of the crater. Basil had carved the words on its surface himself.
Rens House
19XX-2022
She was toofy for this sinful world.
Basil had never asked Ren for the date of his housespletion and would forever regret it. It seems to me like only yesterday that Ren weed me into her loving embrace, Basil began the eulogy. He had titled it Requiem for a House, and would preserve its text for generations toe. From the first day on, his house became like a second mother to me; when humans would offer words of condemnation, she offered warmth and air conditioning. She was more than a shelter to me; she was a trusted confidant. She saw me at my best and at my worst, neverining, always protecting, always loving. Bugsy copsed in tears. Basil stopped his speech; he knew how much he had worked on the house before her cruel demise. Please dont cry, Rosemarine said, trying tofort the centimagma. Its alright. She is in a better ce. She was too young, the centimagma whispered as Shellgirl patted him on the back. The fence I had finished painting the fence and the TV Bugsy screamed his despair to the heavens. I will never know how Major Chicken ends now! One day, we will find a new TV and Major Chicken DVDs, Basil promised. It was a long shot; finding the full season of Major Chicken was already difficult before the apocalypse. Never forget the episode on which we stopped, Bugsy. Never forget. I wont Bugsy wiped away his tears with his tiny arms. I wont, Boss. Basil nodded sadly. Do any of you have words to honor our departed friend? to raised his hand. I would like to honor the sofa with a minute of silence, he said. This unsung hero who shouldered my weight and warmed me up in the night. It is he and his cushions that I mourn the most. Basil assented to the request and silence stretched on for a full minute. The rain stopped and the skies threatened to clear up. Kuikui, make it rain again, Basil ordered as the minute of silence came to an end. Kui at it! Kuikui started twirling in ce. His Rain Dance Perk activated, renewing the downpour. Basil couldnt let a sunny autumn day stand in the way of his mournful funeral. Does anybody else have words to say? Bugsy? I I cant, Boss, Bugsy replied sadly. Its its too much for me. Shellgirl took the next turn. The m mimic cleared her throat like a professional marketer preparing to make an announcement. I mourn our HQ too, and all the wares we lost with her, she said. But most of all, I mourn what she represented: peaceful, profitable days long gone. The loss of a business is never an easy one. I know we will bounce back soon and rebuild ourpany even better than before but we must never forget. Only by learning from our failures can we hope not to repeat them. Kuikui then said his own piece. His speech was most eloquent by velociraptor standards. Kui bred. Kui best lover, Kuisted for hours. The velociraptor sighed in defeat. But Kuis hen wives ran. Kui will never see eggs grow. Kui never eat his children. Now Kui single again. Kui very sad. Its alright, Kuikui, Bugsy sympathized with him. You will find a new girlfriend, Im sure of it. Kui hope so. Kuikui nced at the centimagma with an addict''s eyes. Kui has needs. Only one party member had yet to deliver her eulogy. Rosemarine? Basil asked. Any words? My eulogy will be written with blood, Mister, Rosemarine replied cheerfully. Very soon. Indeed, Basil rasped. For we must not forget that our dear departed house died prematurely. She was never given the chance to grow old and dreary. No, her life was cut short! He pumped his fist to the skies. Our house was brutalized! Basil shouted with a warrior angels fury. "Martyrized! Murdered by the Apocalypse Force! Now her yers still live, delighting at their own crime as we speak! Shall we leave their sin unpunished? Or shall we avenge our departed home with steel and fire?! VENGEANCE! His pets and allies shouted in response, his zeal inspired in them a rush of righteous fury. VENGEANCE FOR THE HOUSE! I hear you! Basil dered as the clouds cleared once again. Then follow my lead! For the time of reckoning hase! The light of dawn shone through the clouds and miraculously illuminated the instrument of their vengeance. As befitting of a giant snail dragons refuge, Steamslimes shell was a ten meters tall behemoth of metal tes, pipes, and steam engines. The team had spent three days customizing it. They scavenged vehicles from Dax to fully mount it onrge tires at the front and tracked wheels at the back. The exhaust port Bugsy blew up during the battle with Steamslime had been repaired, at least as well as a group with no experience with steam machinery could, alongside the holes in its shielding. Basils group had also added a few windows here and there, to serve as sniper nests, emergency exits, or light sources for a future greenhouse. A rudimentary steel bar door protected the main entrance, and a harness of chains would allow Rosemarine to pull the vehicle like a carriage across all terrains. In short, it was a mobile fortressrge enough to house everyone inside, with the noticeable exception of Rosemarinewho preferred to stay outside anyway. This vehicle, this enormous caravan, would carry Basils team all the way to Bordeaux in due time. But they had a dungeon to ravage first. Everyone, board the Steamobile! Basil encouraged his teammates. We shall drive to battle! The Steamobile? toined with a groan. Couldnt you find a better name? This is a democracy, Basil reminded him. Which means Im willing to pretend to listen and then exin to you why I was right all along. Nobody dared to challenge him in a public debate and both parties boarded the caravan in short order. Basil himself stayed behind to help Rosemarine put on the harness. Mister, I have grown new food, Rosemarine said before shaking. Half a dozen red fruit pustules fell off her leaf-scales, ripe for consumption. They taste of blood! Aww, she cared! Thank you, sweetie, Basil said as he stored the fruits in his inventory and patted her behind her petals. Rosemarine wriggled in pleasure, her forked tongue dripping with saliva. Whos going to eat many bugs today? Thats you, yes, that is you! Rosemarines Harvest Perk had been invaluable over thest few days, since it allowed her to grow tasty fruits in the sunlight. It didnt fully make up for theck of supplies, but it helped sustain the party inbination with whatever canned meat they salvaged from the houses wreckage. They couldnt rely on it forever though. With winter around the corner, even nt dragons woulde up short on the harvest department. Basils party would have to fall back on the tried and true method of raiding the enemy for food. It was only fair. The Apocalypse Force burned their pantry first. Mister, can we find a new gun after we have eaten all the bugs? Rosemarine asked as Basil finished attaching the harness. A big gun,rge enough for me? The others are too small now. Mmm Basil examined his dear tropidrake. Her rootlike fingers were no longer adapted to wielding firearms anymore, but she could easily carry a howitzer on her back. Well try to find a big ass cannon in Bordeaux. Im sure theyll have one to spare. I cannot wait, Rosemarine chirped with enthusiasm. The meat tastes so much better when sweetened with tears and gunpowder. After patting his tropidrakes back and ncing onest time at his homes ruins, Basil stepped inside the Steamobile. Rosemarine roared loud enough to shake the earth and then began pulling the carriage across the forest. The inside of the Steamobile made Basil regret losing his house all the more. Where his home had been a tastefully decorated,fy ce, Steamslimes old shell was a lifeless series of metal rooms with no doors to separate them. Steeldders led to upper levels offering a little more privacy, but nothing filtered the loud noise of steam traveling through the pipes. Amodations were rudimentary. Basil found Vasi and Orcine in the steam engine room. The former worked on Steamslimes training holomachine and thetter fueled the machine with coal. A bag full of bugspray cans sat in a corner to Basils delight. He had sent Orcine to scavenge them from the city so he could use them to make bombs. You should keep those away from the fire, Basil warned Orcine. Theyre mmable. Great, we can use them as fuel, Orcine replied, wiping sweat off her forehead. Youre sure these tiny gizmos can kill the bugs? Most of them are bigger than us, ya know. Certain, and youre more likely to blow up our new house like the old one if you use them as fuel. It saddened Basil that his own reserve of bombs ended up finishing off his burning home after the swarm detonated it. Well use them in battle soon enough. Good, I''m sick of waiting. Orcine grinned savagely. Basil had lost a home in the swarms attack, but the young orc had lost people. Lets bash some skulls. Are we truly going to attack in broad daylight? Vasi asked after turning away from the holomachine. She had reservations about a straight-up offensive n from the beginning. They will see using from a mile away, Basil. I know Samhain is tomorrow, but it would be safer to infiltrate the dungeon tonight with darkness as our cover. Infiltration is useless, Basil replied. Theyll be expecting retaliation after their raid. Besides, Rosemarines best abilities only work in daylight and shes our heaviest hitter. We will walk into battle without a n. I have a n, Vasi, just not a subtle one, Basil countered. What about the elves? From Vasis contrite expression, they shouldnt count on reinforcements. I surveyed the dinosaur forest as you asked, the witch replied. I found what remains of their encampment and found it empty with no trace of battle. From the tracks left, I suspect they bypassed the dungeon to flee in the northeast. Pointy ears, Orcine snickered with contempt. All bark and no bite. It didnt surprise Basil much. Estrid Firekiss warned him that her elves would leave the region before the Apocalypse Force could locate them. The raid on the Barthes had served as a pretty dire warning. Basil never expected to count on their help to take down the Seignosse dungeon, but he would miss the loss in manpower. Well make do without them, Basil said with a shrug, before focusing on the truly important matter. You missed the funeral, Vasi. Basil could forgive Orcines absence since she had never lived in it, but Vasi had crashed the ce before. The house deserved her respect. Basil, Im not holding a funeral for a house, Vasi replied with a remorseless chuckle. Even afy one. Yeah, I threw my parents ashes to the wind and you dont hear me whining about it, Orcine said with a shrug. Dont you eat your dead anyway? How could it be that Basil was the only sensible, caring soul here? These two were heartless barbarians. Please dont hold a grudge, Vasi pleaded with a coy smile. Ill throw fireballs in your houses honor, I swear Good, Basil said. after you assign your levels, Vasi added, ever the sweet-talker. Now that I am part of your party, I cant assign mine until you do. A logistical weakness if you ask me. Thats why I left as soon as I got my hidden Perk, Orcine said with a shrug. It''s a pretty nifty one though. Ill never say no to more power. Out of all of Basils allies, Orcine was the most straightforward in terms of special abilities. As in, she had none: she hit hard and her multiple passives simply made her better at it. She wouldnt outshine Basil anytime soon in that department though. He immediately assigned his two levels to the Berserker ss, relishing the thought of ripping Apollyons limbs from his body.
Berserker Level 4 & 5 Stat Gains: +4 STR; +2 AGI; +1 VIT; +2 MAG; +1 CHA; +2 LCK. You earned 70 HP and 25 SP.
[Runic I]: You can now learn and cast [Runic] Spells up to Tier I. If you gain the ability to cast [Runic] Spells from other sses or Perks, the Tiers stack together.
As you already possess [Runic I] from another ss, your Perk has been upgraded to Runic II. You can now learn and cast [Runic] Spells up to Tier II.
Runic II? It surprised Basil that the Berserker ss allowed him to cast spells at all. Then he remembered that the Norse god of berserkers, Odin, used runes. Maybe that was the reason why the ss could do the same? I suppose that exins the B in Magic. Interesting. Vasi put a finger on her cheek, her expression thoughtful. Whats your growth in Intelligence? Basil winced. Intelligence was his one weakness. E. If this System is anything like mine, an E rating means that the stat never increases, Vasi exined with a scoff. A B in Magic and an E in Intelligence means that your few spells will hit hard, but youll struggle to learn any. Fitting for a Fighter ss. Who cares? Orcine asked. You dont need fancy powers, big man. Just buff up and rack up four digit damage. When she put it this way Since they had a few hours to kill on the way to Seignosses dungeon, Basil joined Vasi in a session of Wyrdes Grimoire. The holomachine program included Runic spells up to Tier VI, so it could teach him a few tricks. The Unity figured it out, by the way, Vasi said. Figured out what? Basil asked as the Runic Tier II spell list appeared on the holomachines mirror. Three of them were Corrosion, Metal, and Wood elemental variants of his Fire Rune spell, alongside two more unique options. The form that determines your chances of learning a new spell. ording to Wyrdes Grimoire, it is the sum of your Magic, Intelligence and Level, multiplied by the average elemental affinity factor and then divided by the spells tier. The result is then rounded down. Basil kept it in mind as he read the new spells information.
Spell: Venomous Rune.
School: Runic.
Affinity: Ailment.
Tier: II.
Cost: 20 SP.
Empowers one of your weapons with venomous power, giving it 20% chance of inflicting the [Poison] ailment on a sessful damaging hit for 5 minutes; perfect to deal with pesky political opponents. Multiple applications of [Venomous Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it.
Chance of learning this spell: 75%.
Learn spell?
Basil made calctions in his head. With 26 in Magic, 24 in Intelligence, a level of 25, and a strong Ailment affinity multiplying his chances by two the form checked.
Spell: Savage Rune.
School: Runic.
Affinity: Support.
Tier: II.
Cost: 20 SP.
Empowers one of your weapons with savage power, increasing its chances of inflicting a critical hit by 20% for five minutes; the Berserkers favorite tool. Multiple applications of [Savage Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it.
Chance of learning this spell: 37%.
Learn spell?
Basilsck of strong affinity for Support cut his chances in half. Oh well. He tried to register both of them in his spellbook. Two sounds echoed in his mind: a gentle notification and the screeching noise of failure.
Congrattions, you learned [Venomous Rune]!
Oh no, you failed to learn [Savage Rune]! You can try to learn it again once 24 Earth hours have passed.
You have enough Intelligence to register 1 additional spell in your Spellbook.
From your sorry face, guess things didnt work out well, Orcine said. The orc teen had no interest in magic and instead polished a two-meters tall shield near the steam boiler. If memory served, herte father wore it the one time Basil encountered him; she must have kept it as a memento. Its alright, Basil replied with a shrug. Instead of waiting for tomorrow, which might nevere if the battle didnt end well, he decided to learn the Corrosion elemental variant of his Fire Rune spell. The more elemental attacks avable to him, the better. Thankfully his strong Corrosion affinity made it easy to register the spell. Would you like your mace crispy, frosty, or corrosive? Orcine grinned ear to ear as she lent him her spiked mace. Caustic corrosive. A true critic, Basil deadpanned as he touched the weapons shaft. Magitek: Corrosion Rune. His Refinement attempt infused the mace with the Corrosion element. The irons color changed to a sick shade of purple, its pointed barbs fuming with poisonous fumes. Cool, Orcine whispered as she grabbed her mace, swinging it near the boiler. You can do that with any weapon? Yes, so long as theyre forged. Basils eyes widened as a brilliant idea crossed his mind. The guns! Youve got firearms? Grea Basil had already bolted out of the engine room before Orcine could finish. He rummaged through the belongings his party managed to save from the house fire and finally found what he was looking for. One of Rosemarines handguns. Now that the nt had grown too big to wield it, the weapon had been left to gather dust. Magitek: Venomous Rune, Basil said, his magic infusing the firearm. Magitek: Ice Rune. Two symbols appeared on each side of the barrel: a windy snowke irradiating cold on the left, and a sinister green skull on the right.
Frosty Poisonous Handgun
Family: Weapon (Firearm)
Quality: C
Power: +9 SKI
Crit: + 0 %
uracy: 80 %
Effect 1: [Venomous Rune]: +20% chance of inflicting the [Poison] ailment.
Effect 2: [Ice Rune]: Inflicts +20% additional [Frost] damage.
Mans best friend, and it will shoot anyone who denies it.
As Basil suspected, he could apply multiple runes to a piece of equipment so long as they differed. An elemental damage enhancement didnt conflict with an ailment one. Basil cursed hisck of foresight. Why didnt he think of upgrading everyones equipment before? He had focused too much on utilities and crafting shy alchemical bombs over the practicality of refining his weapons. Basil wouldnt inflict as much damage with this gun as with his halberd, but the extra Frost damage and Poison ailment should make up for it somewhat. He finally had a good ranged option. Well, betterte than never, Basil said as he stored the gun in his inventory. Time to upgrade our war effort. Basil spent the next few hours empowering what weapons he could find, crafting bombs out of bugspray cans, and checking the Steamobiles inner shielding onest time. He sensed his body tense up in anticipation as time passed. When Bugsy called him from the upper floors to inform him that they were approaching the dungeon, it came as a relief. Boss! Bugsy shouted. I can see it from here! Basil climbed up adder to the upper floor, walked by the centimagma, and peeked through an open ss window. Located near the empty town of Seignosse, the Etang Noir natural reserve, or ck pond, owed its name to the dark silt in its depths. Before the apocalypse, arge corridor of earth separated it from its neighborhood, theke of lEtang nc. The end of the world had joined them into a singr body of ckened water. The regions dungeon loomed in the middle of theke, perched on an isle of rock under a red-green aurora borealis. It was an imposing and foreboding gothic castle of ck walls and terrible towers; Basil estimated that the central one reached as high as fifty meters. A precarious bridge of granite wove a path through theke from the fortified gates to the shore. The remains of monsters, from giant wolves to dinosaurs, were staked on the outer walls as a warning to intruders. Some were still fresh, but most had long turned to bones. Half a dozen Apollyon drones feasted on them, while two more were surveying the area by running circles in the skies. There it was. The Apocalypse Forces local stronghold, where they plotted to destroy Basils peaceful life beyond repair.
Dungeon: Chteau Muloup.
Level: 25.
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Field Type: Cursed Castle.
[Metal], [Soul], [Darkness] and [Mythic] elements are empowered.
[Wood] and [Light] elements are weakened.
[Cursed ce]: yers and Monsters within the fields limit will suffer from the [Curse] ailment unless they are immune to it; their chances of receiving critical hits are doubled and they cannot magically recover HP/SP.
Basils teeth gritted as he read the text. No wonder Apollyon was willing to waste so many forces on the Barthes raid; the dungeons defensive effect was formidable. The impossibility to heal within the castles confinesplicated matters and Basil would have to adapt his strategy ordingly. On the plus side, that defense would serve the party well once they imed the dungeon. However, Basil noticed an oddity. The field effect included all yers and Monsters not immune to the Curse ailment. Did it affect the defenders as well? How do we get in, Boss? Bugsy asked, his voice brimming with anticipation. The quickest way. Basil summoned his halberd to his hand. Through the front door. By nightfall, theke would run red with blood. Chapter 40: Man vs Castle Chapter 40: Man vs Castle They blew up the entrance as the opening salvo. By the time the patrolling Apollyon drones noticed Rosemarine rushing across their bridge, she was already halfway through charging her Sunbeam attack. A ray of light poured out of her maw, crossed the causeway in the blink of an eye, and sted a hole in the castles iron gates. Smoke rose into the skies and a horn sounded the rm. There was no subtlety in the Bohens assault, no deration of war, no call to honorablebat by champions. They showed the bugs no more courtesy than they did during their own surprise raid. Apollyons soldiers could only expect relentless fury today. Riding on Rosemarines back with Kuikui and Orcine, Basil surveyed his troops positions. Bugsy followed Rosemarine on foot as she charged across the bridge with the Steamobile at her back. The causeway trembled under their weight, but held strong. Vasi flew high in the skies on her broomstick with to desperately hanging on to her back; the cat looked quite afraid of falling. As for Shellgirl and House Gardens vegetables, they upied the Steamobiles sniper nests with a treasure trove of bombs to throw. The Apollyon drones immediately moved to intercept the invaders with stingers and wind sts. On the walls, dozens of bipedal wolf humanoids showed up with bows, crossbows, and even a few rifles.
Lycan Warrior
Level 14 [Beast/Humanoid]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Raising his halberd with his right hand and his gun with his left, Basil shouted a war cry. WRECK THEM! He opened the hostilities by shooting down a drone in the head with an icy bullet. Shellgirl followed suit with a bombardment of her own and House Gardens vegetables assisted her by throwing bug spray bombs. Clouds of poisonous fumes choked the Apollyon drones to death, their corpses falling into theke. As for Vasi, she attacked the defenders on the walls with a fireball. Still, Rosemarine soon entered the archers range. They immediately let loose a volley of arrows and quarrels at her from the walls. Behind me! Orcine shouted, raising her fathers tower shield to protect Basil and Kuikui. Most projectiles bounced off it, but Basil sensed a bullet graze his shoulder enough to draw blood. Bugsy avoided the projectiles by burrowing into the ground. Brave Howl! Kuikui buffed all his allies one after the other. Brave Howl!
Your Strength and Magic have been buffed for five minutes.
Rosemarine winced as a few bullets hit her precious scales, enraging Basil further. Vasi, to! he shouted as loud as he could. Take down the gunners! Vasi hovered above the walls, just low enough for to to jump off her back. The cat skewered a wolfmans face with his rapier before he evennded. Soon he massacred the archers in a whirlwind of ws and shes. The bombardment abated, allowing Rosemarine to heal herself. Sunbath! Rosemarines leaf scales glowed brightly, her light bathing Basil and all their allies. He immediately felt his shoulder wound closing on its own.
You have recovered all your HP.
So the Cursed field effect didnt extend outside the walls. Excellent. Rosemarine finally reached the open gates, with a squad of wolfmen with spears and swords at the ready. The tropidrake stomped them to death without even noticing their presence. However, Rosemarine was clearly toorge to enter the dungeon, especially with the Steamobile at her back. Mister, do I go inside? she asked, her voice barely covering the noise of Shellgirls artillery barrage. A new group of Apollyon drones emerged from the castles central tower to relieve the defenders. No, you would bring down the dungeon on yourself, Basil replied. He, Orcine, and Kuikui climbed down from Rosemarines back, with Bugsy emerging from the ground. Stay outside, tear down the walls, and heal our allies when needed. Hang them by their guts, Mister! Rosemarine advised cheerfully. She used the walls to support her forearms, her head rising to face the defenders. Fire Seed! Rosemarine spat dog-sized seeds at the walls one after another. They immediately grew root legs and a crown of me burst out of their tips. The newly born creatures screeched as they sowed mes across the fortifications. Their mother watched on with delight as she gathered energy for another Sunbeam attack.
Fire Seed
Level 2 [nt]
Not as useful as a clone, but those dont fade away at least, Basil thought as he walked through the gates, trusting his team to clean up the trash outside and rejoin them inside the dungeon afterward. Not so funny when youre the ones being raided, uh? Okay guys, ignore all the treasures you might find, Basil said. We must make a beeline to the Boss before they can teleport in reinforcements. You got it, Boss, Bugsy said with determination. Kuikui leaped on his back and shrieked his support. Its our house now. Ill clear the scarlet path, Orcine added, her heavy shield in one hand and her corrosive mace in the other. Just cover my ass and well be fine. Basil nodded at his team and took the first step into Chteau Muloup. An invisible pressure fell upon his shoulders the moment he crossed the threshold. A ghostly dark cloud swirled around Basils body and chilled him to the bone. All his teammates suffered simr treatment.
[Curse] ailment! You cannot recover HP/SP and your chances of suffering from critical hits are doubled.
Cant heal? Orcine scoffed. They would have to damage us first! It was a good one, so Basil let her have it. An entry corridor nked by guard posts awaited the group beyond the threshold. The ck stone walls showed dents, nicks, and other signs of damage; including a carved heart with the initials L+D inside. Purple fumes rose from the cracked floor and carried a terrible smell of rotting flesh. A pack of ten suicidal wolfmen formed a spearwall in the partys path, protecting a closed set of wooden doors. Dont let them pass! one of them howled. The baron will have our heads otherwise! Don''t worry! Basil roared as he charged with his halberd. I will behead you myself! A swing of his weapon broke the spears raised at him. Orcine and Bugsy smashed into the wolfmen, the first with her shield, the other with his mandibles. Kuikui supported both with thunderbolts. Basil couldnt call what followed anything but a massacre. His halberd chopped heads left and right, Orcines mace smashed skulls hard enough to paint the walls with brain matter, and Bugsy incinerated the survivors with his fire breath. The fightsted less than two minutes. It felt good to be the one with the level advantage for once. Strange we didnt receive a quest from it, Boss, Bugsymented amidst the broken corpses of their enemies. We got one with the first dungeon, no? Basil wondered as well. He wondered what parameters dictated when the System awarded quests; perhaps it only sent them to entice yers without a clear goal of their own, or a party could only ept a limited number of them. Basil had already three of them sitting in his logs. It didnt matter. The party was ughtering pro bono today. Orcine smashed the next set of doors with her mace and shattered them into splinters. The group walked into the next room, an immense central hallrge enough to put cathedrals to shame. A dark gray rug covered the floor, its texture tainted with dry blood. An intricate wolf motif relief dominated the ceiling. Three sets of doors stood on both sides of the hall, all of them locked and topped by a burning skull. A central, Y-shaped stairway leading to the upper levels faced the group on the other end of the room. The sunlight pierced through a sinister stained ss window looming over it. Basil couldnt tell why, but the windows design disturbed him to his core. It represented a ck demonic horned face, with four crimson eyes and two maws on top of the other. A magnificent field of mes surrounded the visage alongside familiar symbols of hands with fanged maws for palms. Kui scared, Kuikui admitted upon seeing the visage. I feel eyes watching us, Orcine said. She tried to look cool, but Basil could tell it was a front from the worry in her eyes. The stained ss design spooked her. Maybe they were indeed being watched. Basil had shed with a mermaid trying to set up an Apocalypse Force altar near the river shrine. The description said that it allowed the Maleking to watch through it. The stained ss was covered in simr symbols. Enemies iing, Bugsy warned, head raised at the stairway. Here. Two men walked down from the upper floor, under the ss windows stained sunlight. I warned Eric we should have kept the famine worm at least. The first was a gaunt caucasian young man no older than twenty, with well-groomed short hair and an elegant face twisted into a frown of worry. His refined dark jacket, fleur-de-lys brooch, gloves, and elegant boots reminded Basil of a noble stereotype. He carried a ck violin with a sinister skull motif. We dont have the numbers to push them back. Who needs numbers when weve got levels. Hispatriot was a tall, medieval knight in heavy te armor. Light reflected on the shining, lustrous surface of his triangr shield and his sharp longswords de. The visor was up, revealing the mustached face of a middle-aged man underneath. That fools build is all over the ce. We can take him. Basil focused on these two, the System quickly confirming his suspicions. What he read from the screens made him want to puke.
Paul-Octave Malherbe
Level 25 [Humanoid] (Mercenary 20/Knight 5)
Faction: Apocalypse Force (Empire Lnde).
Dominique Grard
Level 25 [Humanoid] (Bard 16/Gambler 9)
Faction: Apocalypse Force (Empire Lnde).
They were humans. Shit. Orcines eyes widened in dread upon seeing the knight climbing down the stairs. A capped Mercenary! Youre human, Basil whispered in astonishment. He couldnt believe his eyes. He had long wondered what kind of monsters supplied Apollyon with white phosphorus bombs, but now he realized that he might be facing them. Youre yers. So are you, the knight shot back, his voice deep and heavy with contempt. He put on his visor and his ck eyes red at Basil through the slits. Beat me. Youre humans fighting for the Apocalypse Force! Basil snarled, stretching thest two words. The dungeons walls quaked from the explosions outside. Dont you know? They want to kill us all! You know what they say, the knight replied, his sword and shield raised for battle. If you cant beat them, join them. What my friend means to say is that when asked to throw our lives away for nothing, we chose to take the higher road, the better road. The bard smiled ear to ear. The road of friendship and coboration. Basil almost choked at the mans tant cynicism. His pulse quickened with anger and his uneasiness at the thought of fighting fellow humans immediately vanished. You betrayed mankind to bugs? he snarled at them. I resent that wording, Boss, Bugsy muttered under his breath. Betrayed is such a dirty word. The musician stopped in the middle of the stairs and tugged a string of his violin with a ck bow. We prefer the term switching to the winning side. Veni, Vidi, Vichy, huh?! Basil taunted them before pulling his guns trigger. He aimed for the bards head, but the knight managed to intercept the ice bullet with his shield. Give them no quarter! Vichy this, sassy bitch! The violinist started a fast-paced melody as his teammate rushed down the stairs. Bardic Song II! Bodyguard: Dominique, the knight shouted, a blue glow shrouding his armor. Vitality Up!
Dominiques [Bardic Song II] buffed his allies physical stats!
Allies? Basil noted, much to his confusion. Plural? Kill the bard first! Basil ordered as he ran across the hall. It would be easier to defeat the knight once his buffer was defeated. Ill take the other! No, big man, we must finish the Mercenary off first! Orcine shouted back as she and Bugsy rushed after him. If the ss works like it does in my world, then he has a busted Perk! By the time her words registered, Basil had crossed the hall and the knight reached the stairways bottom. Basils halberd shed against his enemys shield but failed to cut through it. Strong, the knightmented before pushing him back with a thrust of his shield. He raised his sword to counterattack, but Basil didnt give him the chance. Exploiting his longer reach, he struck the shield again and again with the top spike, forcing the knight on the defensive. Orcine assisted her teammate by nking their enemy. The knights sword parried her mace as his shield did the same with Basils halberd. Although outnumbered two-to-one, the man held his ground. Not a single blow went through his defense and he blocked the stairs with his body. This left his teammate exposed to long-distance attacks, however. Kuikui and Bugsy attacked the violinist from afar, the former with a lightning bolt and the other with a fiery breath. The knight noticed the attack and suddenly vanished. Basils halberd cut through the air as his foe teleported away in a sh. The knight suddenly reappeared in front of his violinist teammate, blocking the thunderbolt and fiery breath with his shield. His ally kept ying undisturbed. It suddenly urred to Basil that they werent fighting monsters, but a yer party. What theycked in power, these two made up in ss synergy. You aint getting past me, punks, the knight dered as he lowered his shield. Watch me! Orcine snarled as she climbed the stairs after him. Kuikui howled again, reapplying his buff to his allies. Basil almost followed Orcine up the stairway when he heard Bugsy shout a warning. Boss, enemy to your left! Basil turned his head in the right direction, but saw nothing. He heard a crackling sound and suddenly noticed slight inflections in the carpet. Invisibility. Panicking, Basil swung his halberd vertically and hit something. The blow dispelled the illusory veil, revealing a hidden opponent. Much like her teammates, the neer was a human; a lovely young woman with long red hair, cruel blue eyes, and a ck cloak covering her shoulders. She wielded a longsword in one hand and a shorter dagger in the other. Both crossed under the shaft of Basils halberd, preventing his de from cracking her skull open.
Lucine Lnde
Level 25 [Humanoid] (Ouw 12/Poisoner 13)
Faction: Apocalypse Force (Empire Lnde).
The woman grinned, her teeth white as snow. Shocking, isnt it? Electricity coursed through her sword and traveled through the halberd. The feathers of Basils mantle absorbed the lightning harmlessly, much to his joy.
[Curse] ailment negated your [Lightning Rod] SP recovery!
Basil savored the incredulous look on his would-be assassins face before pushing her back with a thrust of his weapon. The woman leaped back, only for Bugsy to breathe fire at her from the side. mes consumed her cloak and threatened to spread to her flesh. I thought he was weak to Lightning? the assassin snarled angrily. She threw her burning cloak away before it could consume her, revealing a ck leotard underneath. An array of knives and potions were attached to her belt. Fucking fake news! You dont need it anyway, darling! Her bard ally shouted over his own music. Basil suddenly realized who the carved initials outside stood for. I believe in you! Unwilling to fight an assassin in closebat, especially one with a Poisoner ss, Basil opened fire at the woman with his handgun. Empowered by the bards song, the woman dodged the bullets. She rushed at Bugsy, grazing his exoskeleton with her de and nearly beheading Kuikui with another swing. Forget the monsters, Lucine! the knight shouted, his sword shing against Orcines shield. Being higher on the stairway, he held the ground advantage over the orc and pushed her down. Crit the Tamer to death and theyll all perish with him! Dont give me orders, jackass! The assassin ignored her teammates suggestion and shed at Bugsys exoskeleton with her lightning sword. The blow drew blood, but the centimagma remained undeterred. That freak burned my cloak! You stupid bitch, do as I tell you! Dont you dare insult my girlfriend, you asshole! his bard teammate shouted back. Theyre strong, but they dont get along, Basil realized. The enemy party exploited their ss abilities to cover their mutual weaknesses, yet failed to coordinate effectively. If they had focused on Basil as the knight suggested, they might have won by now. They were a gang, not a tight-knit unit. We must pick them one after the other. Their formation will fall apart afterward. But who should he start with? The knights defense was imprable, the bards music strengthened his allies from a safe distance, and the assassin moved too fast to hit. And although the knight was clearly better at defending than attacking, he was slowly pushing the lower-leveled Orcine into a corner. Basil himself, with all of his Berserker power, had failed to get past his guard. Walter Tye had warned him that specialization offered better rewards than versatility, and this fight illustrated it well; the enemy party had Basil''s own beaten in term of raw power. But specialization meant an inability to adapt quickly. It could be a strength and a weakness. Basil remembered what that man, Malherbe, had said earlier. Bodyguard: Dominique. Assuming the first was the Perk allowing the knight to teleport around to shield his teammates from danger, the fact he needed to specify the target meant that it only protected one ally at once. Gang up on the rogue, long-range! Basil shouted, an idea crossing his mind. He dashed behind the assassin with his gun raised. Orcine, keep the knight upied! Bugsy and Kuikui followed his lead by attacking from multiple directions. Lucine Lnde dodged a stream of mes, avoided a bullet hitting the wall behind her, and saw her luck desert her on the third try. Kuikuis thunderbolt hit her in the chest. The lightning sent the assassin tumbling back on the carpet, a shroud of darkness briefly surrounding her body. I knew it! Basil rejoiced. They suffer from the castles curse too! That exined the knights determination to take hits for his team. His armor and defenses mitigated the danger critical hits posed, allowing him to soak damage for his team. Perhaps he was the only one immune to the castles curse. This is the end, Basil said. He pointed his guns barrel at the assassins head, right as Bugsy activated Agility Up to finish her in melee. Lucine! her violinist boyfriend shouted in rm. Paul-Oc, save her! You stupid whore! the knight snarled in anger upon seeing the tide turn. Bodyguard: Lucine La Basil turned his gun away at thest second. Basil pulled the trigger right as the knight teleported in Bugsys way, stopping the centimagmas charge. His bullet crossed the room and hit the surprised bard in the chest. The violinist dropped his bow, the bullet in his body freezing his blood as it poured out of his wound. A shroud of darkness briefly formed around him.
Critical hit! You [poisoned] Dominique Grard!
The assassins eyes widened in panic. Dommy! Nice shot, Boss! Bugsy cheered Basil, only to be pushed back by a thrust of the knights shield. His bullet fucking poisoned me! the bardined. He neglected to recover his bow to instead cover his wound with his hand. I need healing! Dont you dare run away, you pussy! His knight teammate showed him no sympathy. He charged at Basil, but slower than before. His allies buffs only worked so long as the music carried them. Power through and keep singing! The bard grit his teeth and moved to pick up his bow only for Orcine to crush it underfoot as she climbed up the stairs. The mans eyes widened in horror as he faced the orc without anyone to protect him. Nope, Orcine said casually. Then she bashed the bards skull with her mace. It was a testament to his level that the blow didnt kill him instantly. Orcines mace shattered his jaw, sent his teeth flying, and hit him hard enough to throw him down the stairs. The bardid at the bottom and didnt rise up, blood flowing from his mouth. Dommy, hold on! His assassin girlfriend abandoned her knight ally to Kuikui and Bugsy, her expression one of utter panic. She rushed at the bard as soon as she could. Iming! She found Basil standing in her way. You know what people I hate more than tax collectors? Having run out of bullets, Basil stored his handgun in his inventory and carried his halberd with both hands. Traitors. You didnt just betray your nation, you betrayed the entire human race! Filth of their sort deserved no mercy. Climb down from your horse, you filthy immigrant! The assassin snarled as she lunged at Basil with her sword. When the dust settles, well be alive and you shall be dead! Basil brought down his halberd. The assassin dodged by rolling to the side, but he didnt give her any breathing room. He forced back with a flurry of swings, buying back Orcine time to climb down the stairs. The assassin deflected one thrust with a well-ced strike, only for Basil to quickly follow with a swing. His joy turned to despair as the knight suddenly teleported in his way. Shield and halberd shed, a crack appearing in the former. What did I tell you, Lucine? The knight attempted to skewer Basil with his sword. Headshot the Tamer and you kill them all! Basil blocked the blow, but this gave the assassin an opportunity to nk him. Kui! Kuikui shrieked a warning. Kui! The assassin threw her dagger at Basils skull. The weapon moved at lightning speed, cutting through the air with a whirring sound. Basils eyes widened as a sh of steel crossed his gaze. The dagger sttered blood all over the carpet. Chapter 41: Man vs Man Chapter 41: Man vs Man The dagger pierced straight through Kuikuis ribs. Basil wasnt certain whether the dinosaur had been trying to catch the dagger in midair with his maw or if he had tried to push his master out of the projectiles way. The result was the same. Kuikuis timing was wrong and he took the dagger straight-on. Time slowed down as feathers and blood swirled around Basil.
Lucine Lnde [poisoned] Kuikui!
Kuikui finished his flight course straight into Basils face, making him stumble. The assassin lunged in his direction, sword raised for a fatal blow And then she leaped past Basil. Lucine, what are you doing? the knight snarled at his teammate. You had him! Dommy! The assassin rushed past Basil in a foolish attempt to rescue her boyfriend. Orcine had reached the bard and was busy beating his head into the ground with her mace. Iming baby! Orcine saw the rogueing and raised her shield at thest second. The assassins sword bounced off the steel, but she followed through with a whirlwind of strikes. You you rooster hater, I wont forgive you! Bugsy furiously rushed at the assassin from behind, mandibles open. Agility Up! The centimagma wasnt quick enough to catch the assassin even with a buff, but his swift assault forced her off Orcines back. Basil immediately exploited the brief respite to grab Kuikui with one hand. The poor velociraptors wound was severe, with blood pouring out of his ribs. Basil was no expert on dinosaur biology, but the blow seemed to have cut through major arteries. Kui cold Kuikui rasped as he struggled to stay conscious. Kuikui sick inside Hold on, Basil said, gritting his teeth. Monster Cure!
Kuikuis [Curse] ailment negated your Perk!
Damn it! He had to carry Kuikui out of the castle for healing! Rah, women! The knight turned to face Basil, a malevolent re peering through his helmets slits. Fine, Ill kill him myself! Basil roared and iled his halberd around with one hand. He attempted to push the knight back, to force himself a path outside. Yet his foe deflected each blow with his sword and shield. Youre wasting your time trying to save that bird, boyo, the knight taunted him as their des shed. The greater reach of Basils halberd prevented his foe from gaining ground, but he wouldnt let him escape the castle either. Lucines Poisoner Perks double poison damage and bypasses resistance. Your pet is already dead. Out of my way! Basil threatened him while desperately searching for an opening. Kuikuis breathing was growing heavier and slower by the second. Leaving before the real fun begins? the knight chuckled. I have lost enough HP to trigger my best Perk. Bear witness! The knights sword shone with a malevolent red aura. Basil sensed an invisible, overwhelming pressure build in the air. Revenge! Man had developed a peerless fight-or-flight reaction over millions of years of evolution. So when the knight swung his sword again and all of Basils instincts screamed at him to dodge, he didnt try to parry. He leaped to the side, the de narrowingly missing him. The knights blow hit the floor with enough strength to shatter it. Stones went flying around the point of impact and part of the ground copsed into a dark basement below. So powerful was the blow that the entire hall shook from it. Basil could only stare in shock at the crater left by the attack. Red and green particles floated around the cracked stones like blood out of a wound. Kui Kuikui rasped weakly under his arm. What the Basil whispered in astonishment. He couldnt rival so much destruction even under Warp Spasm. Its that busted Mercenary Perk I warned you about! Orcine should. The orc desperately protected herself from the assassins furious assault as she juggled between attacking her and avoiding Bugsys bites. Each of the womans sword swings dented Orcines shield further. It adds half the difference between his current and max HP as raw damage! The more hes hurt, the harder he hits! Thats right. The knight tossed his shield aside and grabbed his sword with both hands. And with the curse affecting you, I can reach four digits damage on a critical hit. Death in a single blow! So that was why the knight was fighting defensively so far. Protecting his teammates also allowed him to charge his ultimate ability. And considering how much damage he had suffered so far When Basil thought the situation couldnt possibly get worse, a wolfs howl echoed in the hall. A new challenger walked down the stairs from the upper floors, but this one was no man at all. The beast resembled a red-furred wolf humanoid, albeit twicerger than the soldiers defending the castle. He wore two bandoliers strapped to the brim with bombs, sks, and powder pouches. His cold blue eyes looked the same as the human assassin, and a fleur-de-lys symbol was tattooed on his naked chest right above a pair of tattered boxers.
Baron Eric Antoine Lnde, Boss of Chteau Muloup
Level 25 [Beast/Humanoid] (Alchemist 13/Cultist 5/Skinchanger 7)
Faction: Apocalypse Force (Empire Lnde).
Basil assumed it was the partys leader considering his name. And from the bombs and sses, he had finally found the Apocalypse Forces weapon supplier. Why are you wasting so much time? The witch and the cait sith are inside the castle already! The werewolfs cold eyes surveyed the hall and paused in contempt on his wounded Bard ally. Ah, I should have known Dominique would screw this up. What an imbecile. This fight would already be over if your dumbass sister listened to orders, Eric! The knight pointed his sword at Basil. Hes the Tamer! The werewolf grabbed two bombs from his bandolier and threw them at Basil with inhuman strength. The projectiles crossed the hall in the blink of an eye. Basil dodged the bombs as they exploded in a fiery burst. However, this allowed the knight enough time to tackle him with his shoulder.
Critical hit!
The blow propelled Basil against a wall. His head and back hit cold hard stone with enough force to briefly whiten his vision. Kuikui slipped through his arms without a sound. The knight charged at Basil, sword raised for the kill. Big Man! Orcine broke from the fight with the assassin as she struggled to dodge Bugsys firebreath. She rushed at the knight with her shield raised and managed to cross the gap between them in seconds. Back off! The knight turned around, his sword shining with power. Revenge! Orcine raised her shield to stop the de. It failed. The knights sword shredded Orcines shield like tissue paper before continuing its course. The de cleanly sliced the orcs left arm, cut the breast, and kept going. Orcine spat blood and her eyes widened in terror. The ck shroud indicating a curse-powered critical hit surrounded her. Orcine fell off her back in two halves neatly severed at the chest. Basils blood froze and boiled in the span of a single second. First came the horror, then the fury. Acting entirely on instinct, he grabbed his halberd with both hands and hit the knight in the back. Basils weapon had cut through a dragons neck and ignored half of a targets defensive stats. Yet it barely managed to cut through the knights armor and grazed the hard flesh underneath. His blow tossed the knight to his chest, a little blood dripping from his back. Basil raised his halberd for another strike when a terrible screeching noise echoed inside his brain. A red screen message shed before his eyes.
Kuikui the Dinosaur has left your party. Your buffs have run out.
Basil blinked in confusion. His eyes wandered from the wounded knight at his feet to his velociraptor. Poor Kuikuiy on the ground, his blood turned green by the poison infecting him. He was no longer breathing. Basil was frozen in ce, his mind unable topute the dire reality in front of him. His houses destruction had shaken him, but here he felt something snap inside him. The fire inside him smoldered, leaving only coldness. When Basil struck the knights back before he could rise to his feet, he felt nothing. No anger, no sorrow, no nothing. His halberd dented his enemys armor without inflicting lethal wounds, yet he persisted in his futile task. Did the knights vitality increase the closer to death he was? Orcine, Boss, Iming! Bugsy shouted, only to take a bomb to the face. The st propelled the centimagma back and knocked him out of the fight. His exoskeleton was beaten and battered. Finish them and lets run to the walls, the werewolf ordered as he climbed down the stairs. The monsters outside overran our soldiers. We need to take out the dragon before it tears down the fortifications. Dommy The assassin knelt at her boyfriends side with tears in her eyes. The Bard was pale as a corpse, his head lying in a pool of his own blood. Brother, you have to help! My potions cant cure death, her sibling replied without a care in the world, and you were too good for a lowly banneret anyway. It cant end like this, Basil thought as the werewolf and his assassin sister walked in his direction. Thetter was crying tears of rage and grabbed a new dagger from her belt. Not like this. Warp Sp The halls stained window shattered into a thousand pieces. All eyes turned to it, Basils included. He immediately beamed in relief upon seeing the intruder. Sorry to bete! Vasi said from atop her broomstick as she flew above the battlefield. Clearing the walls took longer than expected! Guys, were here! tos voice echoed from the halls entrance. The cat leaped into the room, followed by Shellgirl, House Garden, and a dozen fire seeds. Luck Up! Peasants storming the gates, how droll, the werewolf taunted them as he grabbed two new bombs off his bandoliers. Where are the torches and pitchforks? You couldnt afford mine anyway! Shellgirl replied with a volley of ice pearls. The werewolf and the assassin deftly dodged her projectiles, but to exploited the distraction to hit the dungeon Boss with a wind sh. When the werewolf prepared to retaliate with a bomb, Shellgirl shot it out of his hand. As for House Garden and the others, they rushed at the assassin with suicidal fervor. Thetter skewered the lower-level nts as they approached with her dagger and sword, but Rosemarines fire seeds violently exploded whenever they perished. The assassin took a few steps back to avoid the blowback. The knight at Basils feet attempted to sh at his leg with his sword. Basil responded by pinning his hand to the ground with his foot and stabbing his helmet with his halberds spike. It drew blood, but failed to kill the knight. What was he made of, iron? My gods Vasi whispered as shended next to Basil, a hand on her mouth. She had noticed Orcine and Kuikuis corpses. Im so sorry, I I should havee quicker Basil knew Orcine was dead long before he checked her empty eyes. Her shredded organs had spilled all over the halls rug. The knight hadnt lied. Death in a single blow. He did this, Basil said angrily as he red down at the knight. But I can barely damage him. Hold him down, Vasi said as she set her broom aside. I have an idea. Basil followed her advice, keeping the knight pinned to the ground as Vasi knelt beside him. She lifted his helmets visor and Basil expected her to st his face off, maybe poison him. Yet Vasi did none of these things. Instead, she forcefully kissed the knight on the lips. Quickly, vigorously. Basil watched the scene in utter iprehension, and from his gaze the knight was as surprised as him. Witch Kiss, Vasi whispered after breaking physical contact. A pink fume traveled from her mouth to the knights. His pupils dted as he breathed the strange vapor. Pink phantom hearts floated above his head.
Vasi [charmed] Paul-Octave Malherbe!
Now, my dear knight, Vasi said with a fake smile. Why dont you protect my servants and kill all these horrible Apocalypse Force viins instead? That way, nobody would stand between us. At your service, my queen! the knight answered with unbridled lust. Vasi nodded at an awestruck Basil. He reluctantly let the knight go, half expecting him to turn around and hit him again. His worries vanished as his former foe rushed at his werewolf leader, sword first. His wild charge reminded Basil of Don Quixote assaulting the windmills. The knight hadnt even bothered to put on his visor again. The werewolf kicked to away from him just in time to see his crazed teammate close the gap between them. What in the world I will take your foolish orders no longer, Eric! The knights sword glittered with dark power. Revenge! The knight shed his teammate across the chest, cutting through powder pouches and spraying the ground with alchemicalponents. His mighty blow cut through the werewolfs skin, flesh, and bones. The dungeon Boss roared in terrible pain, blood staining his fur. What the hell are you doing? the assassin snarled in anger at the betrayal. Two dead members of House Garden, Onion Spider and Strawboogie Berry, were impaled on the tip of her sword. Traitor! You shut up! the knight shouted back with crazed fanaticism. You are unworthy to breathe the same air as my future wife! I told you I had experience with charming pdins, Vasi boasted to Basil. Does that spell work on anyone? Basil asked, shocked by this turn of events. The werewolf was forced to run around the hall to escape his crazed teammates fury. The knight proved as dangerous to his teammates wellbeing as he had been to Basils. Only on brave and lustful fools. Basil squinted at her. She had kissed him on the cheek before Did you ever No, Basil, I dont use roofies, she replied with a cold tone. What kind of gal do you take me for? I only use this Perk for menial tasks and assisted suicides. Basil couldnt tell how he should take this confession, but he relished the thought of these two Quislings killing each other. His dark joy turned to worry when Bugsy rose up in a corner of the hall, his exoskeleton bleeding from half a dozen spots. Bugsy, run outside to Rosemarine! Basil ordered. Get healing! But Boss, I can still fi Dont you dare die on me too! Basil snarled angrily; anger born of worry and remorse. We lost too many friends already! Bugsy flinched as if he was pped. He nced at Kuikui and Orcine, lowered his head in shame, and then crawled out of the hall asmanded. Vasi watched the scene with an unreadable look, before asking, What next? Im a feminist and proponent of gender equality, but just this once Basil red at the female assassin. Womans first. The rogue had ughtered her way through the nts, leaving only three members of House Garden alive: the Ghostie Pumpkin, the Demon Tomato, and the Bean Ninja. The assassin stood proud, drenched in juice and surrounded by corpses. She was moving to finish the job when Basil and Vasi moved to help the vegetables nk her. The rogue found herself trapped between the two groups and threw a dagger at Vasis head. The projectile moved almost too fast for Basils eyes to follow, but he managed to deflect it with his halberd. The assassin immediately lunged at him with her sword before he could adjust his stance. Murderer! she shouted, crossing the gap between them in a blink. This is all your fault! A feint! An ice pearl from Shellgirl missed the assassins head, distracting her at thest second. Vasi snapped her fingers and unleashed a burst of me. The assassin stepped back from Basil to dodge. With the werewolf safely upied by his own teammate, to and Shellgirl joined in the attack. The former cut the air with his rapier and thetter fired a volley of ice pearls. The assassin grit her teeth, sweat dripping from her forehead as she dodged the projectiles. Dont let her catch her breath! Basil swung his halberd at the assassins head and narrowly missed. Vasi assisted him with bursts of fire, forcing their target back. It said a lot about the assassins agility that she could dodge so many attacks at once. Yet shecked eyes on the back of her head. House Gardens Bean Ninja jumped at her from behind and stabbed her in the throat with a knife. The assassin choked on her own blood and tripped. The Demon Tomato and Ghostie Pumpkin bit both of her arms and pulled in different directions. Quartered by vegetables was a humiliating way to go, but one that the assassin deserved. House Gardens survivors kept her pinned to the ground as Basil raised his halberd. You cost me many vegetables, a dino, a rooster, he said, his voice heavy, and a friend. The assassin red at him even after he carved her skull open. Her werewolf brothers scream of horror was only matched by his pain. Sister! he roared, holding himself against a wall with two enormous gashes on his chest. He had lost so much blood that Basil could see bones beneath his fur. Youll pay for this Your fur will make a fine coat for mydy! his knight teammate ranted as he lifted his sword for the coup-de-grce. Reven Exploiting his former allysck of visor to protect him, the werewolf shoved a bomb into the knights mouth. Vasis charmed thrall choked on the device as if it were an apple. His headless corpse fell to the ground after a sh of blood and light. Pieces of brain matter stained the ground. The werewolfs reliefsted mere seconds. Basil and his allies converged on him from all directions and surrounded him. He looked for an escape, but found only barrels and des pointing at him. Its over, Basil warned. The werewolf sighed in defeat and moved his hands above his head. I surrender. The creature lost pounds and fur. Within seconds, the mighty werewolf transformed into a half-naked scrawny man, with short red hair and cold blue eyes. He was clearly the male mirror of his assassin sister. Shellgirl and the others kept their weapons pointed at him, but didnt open fire. They nced at Basil and waited for his signal. Ill tell you whatever you want to know, their prisoner said, pleading for his life. Ill surrender control of the dungeon to you too. The server is in the central tower. Why? Basil asked dryly. The question had been burning on his lips since the fight started. Because Apollyon will have my head for my failure to hold this ce anyway. Why did you ally with him in the first ce? Basil rified. To spare your familys life? I did it for my family, yes. Thesends belonged to us before the Revolution. The baron shrugged. I took back what belonged to us by right. The French government cheated us. If I had to convert to undo that wrong, who was I to argue? Thats it? Basil spat at the ground in disgust. You betrayed your country so you could call yourself a baron again? This country was turning into an Imo-leftist ghetto anyway, the traitor replied without remorse. France needs to undergo a national regeneration process to regain its greatness. The right men at the top, and people like you purged. His sick phrasing made Basils skin crawl. It reminded him eerily of some of Europes darkest hours. No wonder his kin crawled out of the woods to join the Apocalypse Force. It wasnt so big of a jump. Ive got a question too, the baron said with a curious look. Why did youe? What did we do to you? Basil searched the mans gaze for any hint of mockery and found only puzzlement. This man ruined so many lives and distributed so many bombs to Apollyons soldiers that he couldn''t be bothered to remember them all. You burned our house, Basil replied. He nced at his team, raised his thumb, and mimicked a gutting gesture. So now were taking yours. The man red back with malevolence. Thement seemed to have struck a chord with him. My only regret, the baron said as he faced his iing death, is that we didnt kill more of you fuc A volley of ice pearls and wind shes interrupted him, and his corpse soon hit the floor with a soft thump. A red wolf pelt covered in strange symbols materialized over his remains like a funeral shroud.
Congrattions, you received 180,000 EXP (36,000 for you). You earned 4 levels (total 29).
By defeating Baron Eric Lnde, your Party can now bypass the Neurotowers barrier and decide the dungeons fate.
You earned the [Pth] essory reward.
We could have questioned him, Vasi pointed out. You dont make deals with his kind, even to betray your wordter. Basil looked down on the barons corpse with contempt. Its just beneath us. Nobody argued. In fact, nobody spoke. Shellgirl hopped to Orcines corpse''s side with a grim expression, and House Gardens survivors gathered around Kuikui without a word. Basil exchanged a silent nce with to. The battle was won and no one cheered. Chapter 42: Interlude: The Cats of Tunis Chapter 42: Interlude: The Cats of Tunis To kill. That was the monsters first thought as he became self-aware. Magic shaped him from nothing. Otherworldly energies assembled his raw particles into the shape of an unliving being. He had no parents, no past to call his own; for he was a putrid four-legged horror with festering flesh, cold ck scales, sharp ws, and cruel fangs. His jaws could break stones like reeds and unleash poison anathema to the living. The undead had no name, though he knew what he was: a Festering Gator, the perfect mixture of reptilian cruelty and zombie resilience. He did not need a name, for his purpose was simple. To eat, to kill, to rule.
You have been created by Dismaker Labs. We hope you have a pleasant stay in the new world we have created.
Information flooded the creatures mind as he exited his dungeon. He had been created by the Trimurti System to participate in a worldwide contest of strength with only one rule: whoever reached level 100 first would rule this. The dungeon birthed him at level 20, so he had many kills to go. The System told him that Earth was already home to many creatures worth experience points, with none tastier than its dominant species: man. Some humans wielded powerful equipment but most were weak. Their skin was soft and they possessed neither ws nor fangs. They would be easy prey. Within minutes he had learned all he needed to kill them. It took days of travel from his dungeon to the nearest manhive. He crossed the dry desert of his dark birth to the brilliant Mediterranean coast. The sight of buildings and houses ripe for annihtion weed him.
You have arrived in: Tunis, Tunisia.
Driven by an instinct embedded into his very bones, the monster walked up a paved road in search of prey. He salivated from the smell of sweet human flesh nearby. A small creature was sitting in his path. Begone! it said with a squeaky female voice. The fur ball was so smallpared to the Festering Gator that he almost didnt notice her. The creature looked vaguely simr to feline monsters from his dungeon, but tiny, young, frail. Her yellow fur stood out from the ck road, as did her orange eyes. Im Misha! Im a cat! The creature wagged her tail and looked up at the Festering Gator with foolish bravery. I can only let friends in! Evil beasties must stay outside! Go away and I wont hurt you! The Festering Gator lowered the two ck abysses that served as his eyes. Confusion filled his empty heart. He didnt understand what he saw. This critter, this vermin, did not fear him. The thought filled the Festering Gator with rage. How could this small, inferior creature fail to recognize his might? He, the future Overgod of all creation? He wouldnt let that stand! He roared at the female furball and lunged at her with all his might. Instead of cowering, the tiny creature leaped at him. Ill hit you! The Festering Gator never saw the swipe that slew him. The paw moved faster than sound and shattered his skull to pieces. The blow propelled his body off the road with cataclysmic strength, his steel-strong bones cracking from the impact. The magic that animated him evaporated from his carcass in an instant. Aww why didnt you turn away? Misha whispered with a sad, sad look. She had just wanted to scare him off. She didnt take pleasure in swiping anyone except the birdies and the screens. Not all beasties were bad, the good Imam said; some became good friends of man. Im sorry She poked the beastie and waited for him to wake up again. He didnt. The smell of rot attracted a swarm of flies, one of them brave enough to approach Misha. Oh, a fly! Misha couldnt help herself. She tried to catch the bug, but it was quicker and flew away. Get back here! Misha chased after the fly, leaving the beasties corpse behind. Misha caught the fly, much to her joy. Misha was a good cat, so she tried to be happy; even when she visited Aya, which always made her a little sad. She patrolled the road to protect humans from evil birdies and beasties each morning. She neverined. Not even once! But Misha couldnt swipe the evil screen, no matter how hard she tried.
You can undergo metamorphosis into
Sneak attack! Misha jumped at the nasty blue box. She went through it and scratched the road instead. The ground shook from the power of her mighty paws.
You have denied metamorphosis for the second time. You will not gain new Perks or improve your base stats, but your growth rates will be greatly increased.
Get back here! Misha challenged the screen as it ran away. Come back and die to me! The evil screen treacherously hid away from her, which made Misha mad for a few minutes until a leaf in the wind distracted her. Mishas anger onlysted as long as her brief attention span allowed it. Today would be a great day. Angelo and Sami had returned from the city of Sousse with new shinies! Misha would meet with them at the hungry ce near the sea and they would gorge themselves on fish. Tunis was a big gray human city, crowded and dirty, but the Sidi Bou Said district was small. The white stone houses shone under the sunlight. The air from the sea tasted salty and the good Muezzin called people to the prayers from atop his tower. Humans drank tea around tables near the coffee shops. Not all of them were smiling, so Misha decided to cheer them up. Good day! Misha greeted people as she ran along the walkway. Peace be with you! Her presence caused the humans to smile back, as they always did when a cat passed by. It made them feel safe. It had only been a month since the skies opened and the evil birdies attacked. Even if cats like Misha had cleaned up the streets and kept Tunis safe, humans still feared for their life. They could only die once after all. Misha reached the restaurant by the sea. It was high up on a cliff, so high that they could see one of Tunis dungeons from there: the Brass Tower of Carthage. It was the shiniest litter in all of Tunisia, a tall arrow of metal pointing at the skies near the waters. Don Le M, the lion sultan of cats, ruled Tunis from there after eating the previous Boss. Misha had been there many times. The Animafia Guild always called for her to kill strong beasties who wandered too close to the city. But they never gave her moreplicated tasks, for Misha was only good at swiping and scratching. As she walked inside the restaurant, Misha noticed a human family sitting around a table under the watchful eye of their feline protector. Two parents ate cake, while their daughterughed at something her cat whispered in her ear. It reminded Misha of Aya. Aya was the best owner ever. She fed Misha, dressed her up with ribbons, and groomed her fur. Aya was always smiling, alwaysughing. Aya was asleep for now, but Misha would wait for her to wake up. Misha! Sami barked at her from their usual table. Over here! Sami, Angelo! Misha ran to her friends as fast as the wind. The human waiters had set cushions just for them near the cliffs edge, with tiny stones so they could sharpen their ws. Sami and Angelo were already waiting for Misha alongside a new friend she didnt know. Sami was a good hound, a big brown molossus with kind eyes and a smelly snout. Cats and dogs got along well in the Animafia Guild. Doggies cheered on cats to make them stronger, strong enough to swipe even the meanest birdie. Don Le M always sent Sami on the toughest missions outside the city, and he neverined. Angelo was a ck cat with brown streaks, sour outside, and a sweetie inside. He always tried to y it cool, except with his human, who he called Minion and rubbed his legs all the time. The System gave him jet ck wings after he reached level 7, and one day, he would grow into a big ck sphinx. It happened to old Wejdene at level 25! As for the new friend, he was a big tiger with two long fangs that reached as low as the floor; a ferocious smilodon! Hello! Misha greeted the neer the moment shended on her cushion. Im Misha! Whats your name? Chad. The smilodon puffed his chest. Smilo Chad. His real name is Baboo, Angelo said. Shut up, Angelo, Smilo Baboo-Chad replied angrily. Youre just jealous of my sabertooth swagger! Misha, how good to smell you again! Sami licked Misha behind the ears, which she liked very much. I missed you so much. Me too, Sami! Angelo ignored his new friend and greeted Misha instead. Hello, kiddie. Im four months old! Misha defended her winess. Im strong and I have teeth! She roared to prove it, loud enough to spook Smilo Baboo-Chad. Nobody denies that part, Angelo replied calmly. Misha was the highest level animal in the city behind Don Le M and the Ko, because she swiped evil beasties left and right. She wouldnt let any of them near a human ever again. But youre still the youngest of us, so I get to call you kiddie. Misha grumbled, but she didnt have the heart to stay mad at her friend for long. Especially not when they brought a new shiny: an oilmp of red ss, with pretty pictures of mes on its surface. It let out a sweet-smelling mist on the table. Check this out Misha, Sami said with pride. We found it in Sousses Jinn Court dungeon. What does it do? What does it do? Misha asked with excitement. Magical shinies fascinated her. Can it summon a genie like in ddin? Can I make a wish? Unfortunately no, Sami replied. But it can disperse illusions and darkness. Misha tried her best not to look disappointed. She had hoped to wish Aya could wake up. Then she would have wished for the poor people of Tunis to be wealthy, and finally for a sea of sweet milk! The human waiter, Mohammed, arrived with the snackies: freshly cut fish and yummymb couscous! Misha licked her lips and Sami gnawed on the meat, but Angelo stared at the tter with iprehension. Wheres my sushi, Mohammed? he asked the waiter, pointing at sliced fish with his paw. This is sushi, Mohammed grunted. A sashimi slice. Sushis have rice in them! Angelo mmed the tter with his paw and sent a fish flying in the air. Smilo Baboo-Chad tried to catch it midair, but the food bounced off his long fang. Wheres my sushi, Mohammed? Have you forgotten the rules? We keep the streets clean of monsters, and in return, you feed us, love us, house us, and fulfill all our whims! Youre disrespecting me, Mohammed! I cant make nigiri without rice, Mohammed replied calmly. Mohammed was never afraid of anything. We dont produce rice in Tunisia, we mostly import it. In case you havent noticed, the worldwide supply chain is kinda broken right now. The supply chain? Angelo hissed. Where is it? I will give its links a good tug! Mohammeds lips curled. Sometimes I wonder why we bother with this arrangement. Look, lets be objective here. Angelo smirked smugly. The System gifted us with advanced w proficiency, incredible agility, the ability to y all birds, and nine lives. All at level one! Meanwhile, it turned you into a clever cook. Its just the way things are meant to be. Your Tamer owner gave you nine lives, Mohammed replied with a tired voice. Exactly, Angelo said with a nod. He exists to improve myfortable existence. Then find rice for me and I will cook you nigiri, Mohammed said before serving another feline client. Angelo red at him but didnt find a clever retort.
New Quest: Mad Rice: Nigiri Road
Rmended Level: 10.
Mohammed needs rice to make yummy food. Find rice
Sneak attack! Misha swiped the screen, to no avail.
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
The screen vanished and Misha sulked. I will get you next time, she swore. Next time! You know you cant harm it, right? Angelo asked. Try all you want, you wont get rid of the screens. I hate the screens, Mishained. Its because of them Aya got hurt. I hate them more than pointers, and they keep pointing at me! Sami and Angelo exchanged a nce. In the background, Smilo Baboo-Chad was struggling to eat his fish without getting it stuck between his fangs. Youre still visiting Aya? Sami asked, a sad look on his snouty face. Each day, Misha replied with a proud nod. I cant wait for her to wake up. Look, Misha Angelo cleared his throat. I dont want to be the one to say this, but I dont think Aya will ever wake up. Its been a month. She will, Misha insisted. The Imam said it, and the Imam never lies! Yes, but Angelo winced as Sami stepped on his tail for some reason. Ouch! So, where do youe from? Misha asked her new friend. Are you from Tunis? Or Djerba? Im from Sousse, said Smilo Baboo-Chad after finally swallowing his fish. Ill probably move to Tunis long-term as my citys ambassador. Hes Souspicious, Angelo said with a chuckle. Nobody everughed at his puns, but Misha always nodded in approval so he wouldnt feel alone. Oh, do you have a lion sultan? Misha pressed her new friend for details. She couldnt help herself. She was too curious! We dont have a Guildmaster, no, Smilo Baboo-Chad exined. Our dungeon is tougher than yours. It mostly produces jinns, ghouls, and elementals. Not birdies like yours. So the locals are like, ten levels behind us, Sami exined. They couldnt rack up experience early like we did. Oooh Misha whispered. She thought all cats had be strong on the first day when evil birdies emerged from the Tower of Carthage and the Wind Pce in the Medina. It had made them strong enough to protect humans most of them. Are humans safe in Sousse? Sort of, Smilo Baboo-Chad answered. Weve got a loose confederation of parties taking care of themselves. Humans, dogs, cats even turtles and ferals formed groups in Sousse. Problem is, none of them can agree on anything. You see, Misha, when Don Le M stormed the Tower of Carthage with the other zoo animals, it allowed him to create the Animafia and organize us, Angelo exined. The humans came to us begging for protection. Misha knew that story by heart, but politely let her friend say it again. Don Le M had been a mighty lion at Tunis Zoo, and the System made him the strongest feline of all times. He gathered a great clowder of cats and ughtered all the birdies for levels, before making the city his territory. We cats were so powerful after ughtering the birdies that it simply made sense for us to handle monsters while humans took care of the food and cuddling. Angelo red at Mohammed and shouted at him. Which theyre doing a poor job at it! Whatever, the waiter replied. Don Le M agreed to take care of dungeon stuff and let the human council of Imams manage the city, Sami exined. But the people of Sousse never managed to organize without a Guild. Itsplete chaos. That would change if we could clear the dungeon, but we can barely maintain truce zones between our parties, Smilo Baboo-Chad said. Thats why we asked for reinforcements from you guys. We met Baboo while cleaning up the second floor, Angelo exined. Smilo Baboo-Chad scowled at the name. But the third was too tough for our group. We would need at least ten high-level parties to reach the Boss. Or the right animal. Sami scowled. Theres rumors that the Don intends to send the Ko to clean up. Misha held her breath in terror. He cant! He can, Angelo replied with a shrug. But yeah, the Ko is more likely to copse the dungeon than conquer the ce. The Kohis true name was Sleepy, but nobody dared to speak itwas the most powerful creature in the entire Animafia behind Don Le M. Misha remembered him vaguely from the time Aya brought her to the zoo, before the dungeons. The guardians let Aya touch the Ko, but he preferred to munch nts rather than get out of his cage. He was new and shy. But that was before. The System made cats better and lions nobler, but it turned the Ko into a terror. Within the first hour of his metamorphosis, he had eaten all of the zoos hippopotamuses, half the alligators, and one of the bears. Nobody knew how Don Le M managed to reason with him; or at least, none survived to tell the tale. Thats why I think we should move to Egypt, Angelo dered. Less headaches this way. Here we go again. Sami rolled his eyes. I wondered when you would bring it up today. You cant understand, you werent worshiped as a god, Angelo replied. The Egyptians, they respect us cats. They would have rice for sushi. Egypt is too far away, Smilo Baboo-Chad said with a shrug. We would have to swim or walk through Algeria to reach the ce. Libya, Sami said. Sami could always tell left from right, because he was smart. Its Libya between Tunisia and Egypt. Same, its sand. The conversation fizzled out afterward and the food tter shrank to nothing. But before she finished everything, Misha slipped a meaty fishtail into a waiters pocket as he passed by. Why did you do that? Smilo Baboo-Chad asked in confusion. Its my tip, Misha exined with pride. The good Imam says you must always give a little of your wealth to the poor, so you can be wealthy in spirit. So I tip everyone! Dont you tip waiters in Sousse? Sami asked. I always leave them a bone. I let them rub my belly, Smilo Baboo-Chad admitted. But I swipe them if they take too long. You should teach humans never to expect anything, Angelo grumbled. It builds character. The group separated after many licks and tearful barks, but they promised to meet again tonight after their respective errands werepleted. Misha wouldnt miss her own for anything; not even for her friends. She was going to visit Aya. Aya slept in the south of Tunis, beyond the greatke. Misha had to run around it to avoid arriving wet. When she reached the doors of Ayas new home, she found Habib at the entrance with sweet flowers in his arms. Habib was a good Imam, an old human with long white robes and a kind smile of crooked teeth. Before the dungeons, he gave money to the poor, fed cats, and prayed for everyone. Now he healed the sick with spells, cleaned up beds with his broom, and took care of Aya in Mishas absence. Hello, Mister Habib! Misha greeted the good Imam. Has Aya woken up today? Im afraid not, the good Imam replied. His voice was soothing and wise, but his words saddened Misha a little. Ah be merciful, I know she is thankful for your visits. I wish I coulde more often, Mishained. She would rather be at Ayas side at all times, but she had promised to defend the city and needed to fulfill her vow. Ah tasks no soul beyond its capacity, said the good Imam. You have already exceeded many in faith and kindness. Aya is always with you, my child, even if you cannot see her yet. Mishas head perked up with hope. She is? Right now? Yes, she is. And one day, Ah will lift the veil from your eyes and will be able to hold her again. The good Imam petted Misha behind the ears. Now go. She is waiting for you. Misha nodded and entered the Jez Cemetery. She walked among the flowers and bed of stones, until she found Ayas. Her owner slept between her parents, under a white soft b covered in flowers. The good Imam had written words on its hard surface. It had taken Misha many days to learn how to read them.
Aya Zhaoui
2014-2022.
Peace be upon her, the day she was born, and the day she died, and the day she is raised up alive.
Misha sat in front of Ayas bed. So many words formed in her mind. She wanted to tell Aya about her day, about her new friend, about the new words she had learned and all the food she had eaten But she couldnt. The words came out on their own. Im sorry. That sentence felt sore in her mouth. Misha had uttered it so many times, but she could never get used to it. These words were like a curse, one she would have to live with for the rest of her life. Im sorry, Aya, Misha apologized with a small, little voice. Im sorry I let that birdie into our home. Im sorry I hid under the bed when when Misha couldnt say it. It hurt to remember that cruel night, when the screens showed up and filled the world with sorrow. Misha had tried to make it a happier ce, as did all her friends yet someone would always be missing. I swear, I havent let another evil birdie or beastie hurt anyone else since. It soothed Mishas guilt, but only a little. She always gave the beasties a chance to turn away from evil before swiping them, because Aya would have wanted it. Aya wanted everyone to be her friend. Not one! Aya didnt answer. Aya didnt wake up. She didnt y with Misha or pet her, didnt put a ribbon on her head or bring her treats under the table. Misha wouldnt lick her owner, wouldnt rub her legs, or run after her. Once she did all of those things, but that felt like a long time ago. I miss you, Misha whispered. One day, the righteous would return. The Imam had said so. In the end times, good Ah would wake up Aya from her slumber and they would be together again. Until that day, Misha would keep visiting her owners bed of stone. For Misha was a good cat. Chapter 43: Man vs Guild Chapter 43: Man vs Guild The dungeon was healing its wounds. His groups attack on Chteau Muloup had causedsting damage. Rosemarine had savaged the faade and Vasi had bombarded the outer walls with fireballs to clear out the defenders. Broken ramparts, shattered ss and crumbling gargoyles were their legacy. Yet the walls healed. Rifts closed on their own. Stone fragments pulled themselves back together. Red and green particles swirled around damaged areas, filling gaps, closing holes, repairing doors and statues. Damaged walls that would have taken months to restore the old-fashioned way regained their former glory in minutes. In the early days of the apocalypse, Basil had wondered where the mass lost from crafting processes vanished to. Watching the dungeons self-repair ability made him wonder if the extra matter was somehow stockpiled in the dungeons and then spent to repair whatever damage they suffered. The hypothesis held on paper, though Basil shuddered to imagine theplex physics involved. But what about the energy? Where did the unfathomable power needed for the Systems magic to functione from? The three gods of the Trimurti? Did the calories Kalki consume fuel the entire dungeon infrastructure? Would a steady diet of meat improve the process? Basil should keep pondering these questions. It distracted him from the fact two of his allies and half his vegetables had perished in battle. It upied his mind away from the sorrow, the guilt, the feeling he should have done better. The only thing Basil didnt feel guilty for, ironically, was the death of his fellow humans. He had grown desensitized to the idea of killing after ughtering hundreds of monsters in the name of survival. He had in and eaten sentient, sapient creatures. It would be hypocritical and racist to treat human deaths as more meaningful. The enemy party had been monsters anyway, just on the inside. His group advanced slowly due to Shellgirlsck of legs; Basil had to push her up the stepstones so she wouldnt roll back to the bottom each time she missed a leap. The members of House Garden acted strangely too. The three survivors dragged their deadrades remains around and refused to relinquish them. Basil would have attributed this behavior to mourning, if not for the strange focus in the vegetables eyes. They seemed to await an event of some kind, for ack of a better term. The group silently reached the fourth floor of Chteau Muloup. They had barely fought any monsters over the course of their ascension. Most of the dungeons defenders perished on the walls, and the stragglers were more interested in flying away rather than fighting a losing battle. Vasi had seen Apollyon drones flee north soon after Baron Erics death. That behavior surprised Basil a lot. Dungeons allowed factions to teleport troops ording to the System; that was the main reason why his party had destroyed the Barthes Ogre Den months ago. So why didnt the Apocalypse Force summon additional reinforcements? Seignosse wasnt a strategic location as far as Basil could tell. If the Apocalypse Force couldnt afford to spare more soldiers to protect it, then it implied that they needed their soldiers elsewhere. To fight what? To fight whom? It was either that or the Apocalypse Force simply couldnt summon more soldiers to Chteau Muloup. Perhaps Baron Erics death had cut off the ce from his masters wider dungeonwork. Basil guessed he would get his answers in the neurotowers room soon enough. The flight of stairs led the group to avish gallery corridor. The crimson carpet crackled under their feet. A long line of medieval knight statues holding torches faced stained ss windows representing wolves, bears, foxes, and other woond beasts. It looked as if both sides stared at one another in defiance. Basil absentmindedly tugged at the warm wolf pelt around his shoulder. This trophy, the Pth harvested from Eric Lnde, was all his party had to show for their victory.
Pth
Family: essory (Cloak)
Quality: B.
Effect 1: [Werebeast]: The Pth allows mono-Humanoid Type wearers to transform the wearer into a werebeast. The type of werebeast and associated bonuses depend on the wearers personality and/or totem spirit.
Effect 2: [Moonflower]: You benefit from a HP/SP Regen effect under the moonlight, allowing you to regain 1/16th of your HP/SP each minute.
Effect 3: [Manyer]: Attacks made with natural weapons such as ws, fangs, or unarmed strikes will benefit from a Manyer effect (x3 damage against [Humanoids]).
A magical pelt harvested from a wolf who didnt run fast enough. Infused with the fury of the animal world, it is mostly used as afortable rug nowadays.
As a beasts skin, this item ispatible with [ughterer I].
I wonder what kind of animal youll turn into, Vasi said, trying to lighten the mood. A brave wolf perhaps? He will turn into a cat if God exists, or into a bear otherwise, to replied immediately. Definitively bear, Shellgirl added with a quiet voice. Orcines death had demoralized her. Bear King Basil! House Gardens members said as one. Bear King Basil. Once, Basil would have cracked a joke about turning into a weregoblin after eating so many of them. His lips remained close. He wasnt in the mood for humor. His eyes wandered to the stained windows. Basil enjoyed a wide view of the marsh outside the castle and the giant nt dragon at its doorstep. Rosemarine was treating Bugsys wounds with glowing light. A court of fire seeds surrounded them, watching over the corpses of Kuikui and Orcines severed halves. The sight soured Basils stomach. Vasi had fire seeds transport the dead outside the castle until they could bury them properly, but he had the nagging feeling she did so to keep them out of mind instead. She had failed. Why did he jump? The words flowed out of Basils mouth on their own. Im sorry? to asked, his head turning in his best friends direction. Kuikui, why did he jump? Basil asked. The question had been bugging him for a while, and he couldnt avoid facing it any longer. He needed an answer now. He joined us to breed with my chickens and I didnt deliver. He mated for a night before everything went to hell. We met less than a week ago. Basil knew Kuikui hadnt actually intended to take the hit for him. The velociraptor had tried to grab the dagger that slew him in midair so he could live to tell the tale. Even if he failed, he should have understood the risk involved in the maneuver. So why did he jump? Are you asking me why did he jump or why did he jump for you? to asked. Basil grunted. Does it make any difference? It might, to replied calmly. I arrived after the scene, so I didnt see it. I can only imagine. Even birds can be surprisingly brave when pushed into a corner. Vasi interrupted the conversation. Dont do it, Basil. Dont do what? he asked. Mull over what happened. Youll only me yourself for things you had no control over. Gotta agree here, to said. Did you me yourself for Rens illness? No, because bad things happen for no reason. What about the things I did have control over? Basil asked, his voice brimming with frustration. He wasnt angry at to and Vasi; he was angry at himself. Kuikui didnt sacrifice himself for me. He was trying to push me out of the way, to catch the dagger in his jaws. But since we never drilled for battle or tactics, his timing was off and he paid the ultimate price. Basil was the partys leader. It was his job to protect his team, and when he couldnt, to prepare them for the worst. His group never drilled forbat or discussed tactics. They winged their way through each fight, constantly improvising with little to no foresight. Their luck had to run out at some point. And Orcine did die trying to save my sorry ass, Basil pointed out. It stung all the harder considering she was thest of her family. If I handled the knight on my own Youre wrong, Partner, Shellgirl said with a surprisingly cold tone. Orcine didnt die for you. She died to avenge her family and seeded. Dont say otherwise. She knew the risks. Hearing you whine about her death is an insult to her dedication, do you understand? Basil locked eyes with Shellgirl. The m mimic held his gaze firmly. She must have been closer to Orcine than Basil expected. I still bear part of the me, he said. You dont, Shellgirl insisted. I do. Im not whining orining, Im stating a fact. Orcine knew about the Revenge Perk and said we should blitzkrieg the knight before he could activate it. If we hadmunicated more clearly, we could have coordinated better and Orcine might have survived. Or you could have both perished anyway, Vasi pointed out. Battles to the death never go as nned, Basil. I thought you would have learned that by now. We didnt prepare as much as we could have, Basil replied with a grim grunt. The Systems of your and Orcines worlds are incredibly simr to our own, and that knight showed that some sses roughly work the same between them. You couldnt expect to fight a fellow human with the Mercenary ss, Vasi replied. It wasnt your fault. Maybe not, Basil conceded. But I only ever studied the various Systems when I needed to, and never in-depth. I never paid much attention to my long-term ss progression and chose them based on short-term benefits. Harvest more food, kill more goblins, improve the garden. Walter was right, Basil had spread his sses too thin. His party outnumbered Lndes group by more than three to one with equal levels, and they still suffered casualties because the enemy had better Perks. Without counting the knights Bodyguard-powered teleportation and Revenge, Lucine Lndes Poisoner abilities had cut many lives short. If he had put his utility levels in Runesmith, Gardener, Alchemist, and Fisherman into Berserker, what powers would have Basil unlocked by now? I need to take it seriously from now on, Basil decided. The Trimurti Systems inner workings, elemental affinities, my ss nning I need to figure it all out. The knight was right, my build is all over the ce. Vasi crossed her arms and studied him closely. He could tell she thought he was too hard on himself, but held her tongue. If youre really serious about this, she finally said, I can give you a crash course on my worlds System when we find the time to sit and talk peacefully. There are enough simrities between it and thiss Trimurti System to provide insight. But I would consider what you want to be if I were you, Basil. What do I want to be? Basil frowned. She sounded like self-help book crap. I know who I am. You misunderstood me, Vasi replied calmly. The reason your build is all over the ce as you say, is because youre trying to do too many things at once. You want to be the lone warrior fearlessly charging into the fray, the crafter, the monster tamer you can either dedicate yourself to one path and excel in it, or try them all halfway. Shellgirl nodded in approval. I want to be rich, Partner. Vasi wants to stare into the abyss of magic and watch it blink. We drew strength and focus from our goals. And so will you, Basil, Vasi whispered. Once you decide in which direction you want to go. Basil pondered the witchs word and wisdom. She had a point, many of his ssescked synergy. Berserker was a powerful warrior ss, but one that thrived on loneliness. His Warp Spasm Perk made him as much of an asset as a liability to his party in a fight. Itplemented Runesmith and Technomancer, true, but it didnt fit well with Tamer and Gardener. These two encouraged Basil to recruit allies and to fight in a team. All his sses had served him well so far. Yet for his teams sake, he would have to let a few fall by the wayside. Basil folded these questions in a corner of his mind. The group had reached a tall wooden door at the end of the corridor. A horned wolfs skull loomed over the frame, its eyes burning with hellfire. to hissed, his rapier unsheathed. I smell a bug close by. Basils wariness turned to fury. He smashed the door to pieces with his halberd and stepped into the next room with murderous intent. The corridor beyond the thresholdcked any window or decoration. Its architecture immediately reminded Basil of the Ogre Dens depths. The castles stones turned into paper-thinyers of otherworldly metal covered in golden circuitry. Colorful pulses of energy traveled through cables embedded in the ground and tall ceiling. Energy particles floated in the air in increasing concentration the further the group advanced. The neurotowers room awaited them at the end. So did Apollyon. A single drone stood in the vast central tower of Chteau Muloup. The walls twisted into a spiral of circuits surrounding a colossal ck steel monolith. The dungeons server was five times the size of thete Ogre Dens, so huge that its shadow loomed over the entire group. Pulsating cablesrger than Basil himself thrummed at its feet and streams of particles erupted from its summit. A crimson barrier of energy protected the machine. So you survived, buzzed the drone. The bug was no different from its siblings, green and no stronger than level 10. Yet its shadow belonged to arger creature, a malevolent insect with colossal cannons for shoulders. The Horseman of Famine Apollyon spoke through his thralls mandibles. A pity. Humans make for disappointing soldiers. Basil barely resisted the urge to behead the creature; barely. Only his wariness of a trap and concern for hisrades stayed his hand. His teammates formed a half-circle around the Horsemans puppet, ready to tear him to pieces. Apollyon showed no fear. Why would he? After all, his true body was safe somewhere beyond Basils grasp. Killing the drone wouldnt even give the party experience points. You wasted your time, Apollyon buzzed. This ce is of no importance to our goal. Our work is done. We destroyed crops and poisoned wells. The region will starve, its people will wither. What we didnt devour, the winds of winter will freeze to death. This dungeon means nothing to us anymore. Then why did your troops fight so hard to defend it? to taunted him. Unless you treat them so terribly that they would rather die to us? To Basils surprise, Apollyon actually nodded in agreement. We Horsemen care not whether our troops win or lose. So long as blood flows, levels will rise. You think strength will be your salvation, but you are wrong. It will be the key that shall unlock Earths doors to us. Basils jaw clenched in fury. Megabug and his ilk were scouts. The real armies of the Apocalypse Force remained trapped beyond the level barrier, so it mattered little whether they perished. The surviving poption would grow in levels over time and trigger a new Incursion. It was a vicious cycle. The stronger Basil and his team became, the higher the threats they would eventually face. So go ahead, Apollyon taunted them. im this ce as your own. We will retake it in due time and our troops will gain more experience from your corpses. Did youe here to gloat? Basil snickered. Youre wasting your time and ours. And hes lying. Vasi smiled at the bug, though her lips didnt reach her eyes. Even if this dungeon isnt important to him, it makes more sense for him to destroy it rather than abandoning it to us. The fact he cant bypass the barrier suggests his servants death blocked his faction from controlling this ce. Its not that he wont send reinforcements to protect it; its that he cant. Vasis smirk widened even further. Am I right, or am I right? she asked. The Apollyon vessel hissed in response. Vasi had guessed correctly. And much like every sore loser, the Horseman of Famine threatened Basils group with retaliation. The barrier is weakening a little more every day. Each death makes this world more worthy of our presence. In time I will cross over into this lush, verdant myself, and when I grace it with my full power Apollyons vessel locked eyes with Basil. We will see how brave you are then, Bohen. Basil raised his halberd for the kill, but screams froze him in ce. House Gardens members, both the living and the dead, glowed all at the same time. Basil recognized the glow of iing metamorphosis, yet this one was clearly different. The five vegetables shining forms merged together into a single mass. This is what they had been waiting for, Basil guessed as he raised a hand to protect himself from the light. But how could they all meet transformation criteria at the same time? Only when the process finished did Basil understand what happened. The single creature that emerged from the light rivaled Bugsy in size andbined elements of all House Garden members. Two slices of pumpkin with ghastly red eyes and sharp teeth closed on a ring of fried onion, strawberry pieces, and a steak of ck beans. A tongue in the middle of the maw salivated with blood-colored tomato sauce. The beastcked legs or hands, and instead floated in the air through the sheer power of its will. Basil immediately identified the creatures true nature. A burger. A giant, vegetarian burger with vicious red eyes and teeth powerful enough to split a man in half, but a burger all the same. The beast that was once House Garden roared with hunger; and even Basil, a dedicated carnivore, couldnt help but stare in awe at its tasty beauty.
Veggie Burgerlord
Level 25 [nt/Demon]
Party: House Garden.
The Apollyon drone looked up at the creature and whispered a small, soft word. Oh. The monstrous burgers jaws closed on its torso and bisected it at the waist. The creature chewed hungrily under the amazed eyes of his allies. Its tongue grabbed what little remained of Apollyons incarnation in an instant and swallowed it whole. What the hell just happened? to asked. The cat sounded a little terrified. Can food Can food eat us back? Basil wondered too. A burger-themed evolution made sense for garden vegetables, especially considering the constant oppression they suffered from vegan predators; nature was bound to strike back at one point. Yet House Gardens members seemed to have merged rather than transforming individually. The System swiftly answered his question.
Polymorphosis is a rare phenomenon when two or more monstersbine into a stronger one under specific conditions. The resulting entity is more powerful than the sum of its parts.
Astonishingly, the corpses of the Strawboogie Berry and Onion Spider had merged with their living brethren. Monsters could undergo metamorphosis post-mortem, at least as part of a fusion. The implications were startling, to say the least. I guess they had a beef to settle, Basil joked. The sight of a giant hamburger chewing Apollyons vessel to death filled him with dark glee. The Veggie Burgerlord belched proudly, having left nothing of its victim behind. Good burger. Basil petted it on the pumpkin slices and heard the Veggie Burgerlord bark like a dog in response. Come to think of it, he had never given names to House Gardens vegetables before Inspiration suddenly struck him like lightning. Ronald, Basil decided. Colonel Ronald McVeggie. Tasty. Intimidating. Popr.
Veggie Burgerlord epted the name change! Veggie Burgerlord is now: Colonel Ronald McVeggie.
Vasi and Shellgirl exchanged a nce. Youll get used to it, said thetter. Vasi raised a finger as if to ask a question, lowered it, and then crossed her arms with a skeptical look. As for to, he would rather lick his ass rather thanment. Basil shouldered their silent criticism with pride, as did his new pet. With Apollyon gone and the party close, the crimson barrier around the neurotower copsed into nothingness. A screen appeared before Basils eyes.
Congrattions. By defeating Baron Eric Lnde and removing the neurotowers barrier, you may now decide the dungeons fate. You can either im it for your party or destroy it.
Here are the benefits of iming a dungeon:
However, you must select a yer or monster who will act as the dungeons Boss. They will maintain the barrier around the neurotower so long as they remain alive within the dungeons confines. If they exit it, any intruder may hijack the core by selecting a new Boss.
Basil had read the same text when he destroyed the Ogre Den. He had blown up the ce back then rather than risk constant raids and possible attacks on his house. The realization that a dungeons destruction could dy Incursions had only strengthened his resolve. But Basils home was gone. A few of his friends were dead. And Basil had sworn eternal war upon the Apocalypse Force. If conquering dungeons and using its resources to attack foes was the nature of the game, then Basil would y to win. Ill im it, he said.
Please select Chteau Muloups new Boss among your party. Once a Boss has been chosen, only death will free them from their role; if the core is hijacked in their absence, they will also perish. A Boss level will be capped at that of their dungeon, but they will gain additional abilities and grow in power after each Incursion.
Of course there was a catch. We need to select a Boss, Basil dered, his lips curling in frustration. But theyll have to stay inside the castle for life and cant level up normally. Ill pass, Vasi said immediately. Me too. Shellgirl put her slimy hands behind her head. Dont get me wrong, I would love a new HQ, but I would rather stay in touch with the customers. Keep my ear close to the ground. Mmm to briefly seemed to consider it. I love the idea of sleeping all day inside a warm, well-protected litter, but I know you Basil. Left to yourself, you would screw up and die within days. Thank you for your concern, Basil deadpanned. Youre wee. Ronald barked like a dog and hopped in front of Basil. In itsHis? Her? Did burgers have gender?eyes, Basil saw the burning desire to prove its worth. Will you throw yourself into the grill if I ask it of you? Basil asked with gravitas. Ronald licked its fangs in response. If only Bulgaria had more meals of your calorie caliber. With Kuikuis death, Basils party was one member short. He added Ronald to his team and selected it as the new Boss. A red aura briefly red to life around the creature before disappearing just as quickly. The crimson barrier reformed around the neurotower, protecting it from danger.
Colonel Ronald McVeggie has been selected as Chteau Muloups Boss. As the local Boss, Colonel Ronald McVeggie will benefit from a bonus to HP and SP, gain dominion over the monsters summoned by Chteau Muloup, and alter the dungeons roomposition within limits. Colonel Ronald McVeggie can also authorize teleportation of allies into the dungeons confines.
Colonel Ronald McVeggie gained the hidden perk [Butcher Bistro].
Congrattions, your party assumed control of a dungeon! You can now transition into a Guild!
Now they were reaching the truly interesting part. How does a guild work? Basil asked.
A Guild is an organization of multiple parties, whether they are made of monsters or yers. To exist, a Guild needs a dungeon homebase. A Guild that loses all dungeons under its control will cease to exist.
When a Guild is created, its members must elect a Guildmaster who will administer it; if a Guildmaster is in without selecting a recement, then the highest-level party leader in the Guild will rece them. In the case of a tie, the System will select the member with the longest guild membership.
A Guild offers multiple benefits:
Common inventory? Shellgirl choked behind Basil. It appeared the dungeon had sent the same notice to all party members. Her eyes lit up with greed. Vote for me! Shellgirl for Guildmaster! Ronald snapped its jaws at Shellgirl, making her squeal and retreat inside her shell. King Basil for guildmaster! Ronald snarled with a deep, inhuman voice. King Basil toastie for life! Sorry Shellgirl, I cant trust you with the shinies. Youll just pilfer them. to raised a paw. My vote is for Basil. Shellgirls eyes peeked in her shells slit and looked at Vasi with insistence. The witch rolled her eyes in exasperation. She chose the same as any boomer. Ill abstain, Vasi said with a shrug. Treachery! Shellgirlined from inside her hideout. Fence-sitter! s, democracy had spoken and Basil was invested with new responsibilities.
Selected Guildmaster: Basil Jean-Franois Bohen.
Please choose the name of your guild.
Basil considered half a dozen names before settling on one. A title that would forever remind Apollyon and his ilk of their odious sin.
New Guild created: Homeowner Revenge Association.
Current Parties: The Bohens, House Garden.
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Basil grinned cruelly. The great neighborhood crusade had now officially begun. He would take back Europe, one dungeon at a time. Todays ughter was only the beginning. Chapter 44: Man vs Planning Chapter 44: Man vs nning Nothing better than the smell of cooked flesh in the evening. Basil rejoiced at the sight of steaks warming up on his grill. Rosemarines Fire Seeds burned in the castles shiny new courtyard, their very presence providing as much heat as coal. Gargoyle ham, bug drone ribs, and the few fish the party harvested from theke nearby would make for fine dining. The rest of his party sat around a long table next to a pool. Rosemarine, the only one too big to fit in the courtyard, instead squeezed her body halfway through a stone archway in the outer wall. Saliva drooled from her lips and Bugsy snapped his mandibles in anticipation. Dinners almost ready! Basil tossed a slice of wolf-man to Ronald. The burger used his tongue to lift a te covered in bread and catch the meat in midair. The food briefly glowed and transformed into a delicious meat burger, which he served to to. Like every monster joining Basils party, Ronald had developed a new Perk: Bistro Butcher. It allowed the fanged burger to craft meals without a need for a recipe, though he couldnt use fruits or vegetables. Basil guessed it made sense for a living veggie burger to swear off cooking his fellow nts. Bon apptit!" Basil said. Less words, more food! to replied before hungrily biting into his own burger. The others looked at him with jealousy and awaited their turn in tense silence. How does it taste? Basil asked as he kept tending to the grill. to briefly raised his eyes from the food to grin at his best friend. Like victory. Good answer. So good, Bosh! Bugsy thanked the cooks as his turn came. His mandibles swiftly closed on his own burger. Thanks Ronald! Do we keep humans for dessert? Rosemarine asked cheerfully. Im sure they taste sweet. Rosemarine, royalists arent good for your diet, Basil chided her. I wouldnt feed those four to cannibals. They were aplete disappointment, Shellgirlined. I barely found a golden tooth and a silver watch when I looted their corpses. A paupers bounty. Where did you dispose of the corpses? Vasi asked. I could make burning skulls from their remains. I thought you got rid of them? Shellgirl frowned. Uh. Where did the corpses vanish then? Ronald belched in response. Im torn between worry and amusement, Basil thought. Best not make it a habit though, he might develop a taste for it hmmm? A stream of red particles flowed in front of Basils eyes. The repairs arent over yet? Basils gaze followed the particles, half-expecting them to flow into the walls. Instead, they swirled around Ronald. Are you reshaping the rooms again? No, Ronald replied. Hired help! Basil wondered what he meant when the particles suddenly condensed into solid forms. The shape of horns and fangs appeared alongside wolflike-ears. Oh, newborns! Bugsy swooned with happiness. Sweet! Shellgirl replied with a grin. New interns! I hope there are nts among them. Rosemarine licked her fangs. Or else Could it be? Realizing what was happening, Basil observed the phenomenon with great interest. Half his group was born this way after all. So this is how it unfolds Eight new creatures stood in the courtyard when the cloud of red particles cleared. Half of them were the same bestial humanoids that Basils party fought earlier today, although none of them appeared hostile. The rest were a trio of demonic stone gargoyles with cruel ws and a rusty knights armor. When Basil looked into thest creatures helmet, he found himself staring at empty darkness.
Gargoyle
Level 18 [Demon]
Guild: Homeowner Revenge Association.
Lycan Warrior
Level 14 [Beast/Humanoid]
Guild: Homeowner Revenge Association.
Haunted Armor
Level 16 [Undead]
Guild: Homeowner Revenge Association.
Gargoyles unlocked the [Dark w] active Perk. Lycan Warriors unlocked the [Beastman Melee I] passive Perk. Haunted Armor unlocked the [Grudge] passive Perk.
The dungeon had spawned new mooks. My liege and overliege! The empty armor bowed at Ronald and Basil, its voice sounding like a creaking door. The rest of the newborn monsters followed suit and knelt. We answer to your will! Basil remained silent as he analyzed the situation. The System warned him that the dungeons newly spawned creatures would be under his guildsmand, but watching it unfold raised many new questions. Those were the same particles used by the castle to repair itself. Basil nced at the auroras in the skies. They all followed the same color scheme, so these phenomena relied on a single source to function. Did it mean that the dungeon drew from its own mass to create new monsters? Did the neurotower produce these particles or did it summon them from somewhere else? He needed to find Kalki as soon as possible. He was probably the only person with the answers Basil sought. Go fetch more steak, Basil ordered his new recruits as he focused back on his grill. Ill think better with a belly full. At your service, my overliege. The rusty armor turned its empty helmet at the rest of the guild. Must we kill one of them or fetch the food elsewhere? Just try, to threatened. Theres a storehouse in the castle, first door to the left, Basil replied half-mindedly. Ronald, I leave them to you. And like any good middle-manager, Ronald immediately barked out orders. You slice! The fanged burger pointed at the armor with his tongue, and then at the gargoyles. You tend to fire! Rest, get raw food! Ugh, hazing One of the gargoyles groaned. One minute in and I already want to die. Ronald roared loud enough to make the new recruits flinch. Tomato sauce dripped from his fangs like warm blood. Youin about food? Ronald asked. The mes of the grill red briefly, as if to echo his anger. You be food. Basil wondered if McDonald''s ever considered that turnover method. In any case, the mooks swiftly went to work and neverined again. The haunted armor proved itself an excellent kitchen assistant too, though Basil insisted that it clean its rusted sword before it could cut the steaks. I expected more vegetables among them.Seems like the dungeon determines the kind of creature summoned, not the Boss.
A Boss has no control over which monsters are spawned by a dungeon nor their numbers, though they are automatically under their control. The levels and Types of the summoned creatures depend on the dungeon. Chteau Muloup can spawn [Bug], [Beast], [Demon], [Humanoid] and [Undead] Types with a level range of 13-22 each day.
Couldnt a cursed castle spawn teddy bears for a change? Basil asked. Wheres the originality?
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Of course a Metaverse corporation would make a nd, soulless product. Still, the monsters might have been walking clichs, but they were all rtively high-levels. The haunted armor could probably massacre a small human settlement the same way Megabug rampaged through the Ogre Den. And there were eight of them. Basil did some mathematics in his head. If the dungeon summoned new monsters at the same frequency each day, then Chteau Muloup would grow a sizable garrison of over two hundred soldiers within a months time. An organization with dozens of neurotowers under its control could generate entire armies on short notice. This realization solidified Basils decision to either im or destroy any dungeon he came across. Mankind would never survive the unceasing flood of monsters they unleashed daily otherwise. Especially if they unlocked new Perks at random The realization hit Basil like a ton of bricks. System, you said some of my Guildmaster Perks applied to my entire Guild? he asked. Which ones?
As the Homeowner Revenge Associations Guildmaster, your following Perks apply to your entire Guild: [Monster Charmer III], [Monster Cure I], [One for All I].
Basil reread the notification a few times and mulled over the implications. As he suspected, newborn monsters recruited into his Guild immediately unlocked an additional Tamer Perk. They would benefit from enhanced stat growths, more metamorphosis choices, free healing No wonder Megabug wanted to recruit Basil. His ss could potentially strengthen thousands. Finally, Basil whispered as he finished cooking the food. Ronald served him his own hamburger. Thank you. Want bone fries? Ronald asked. With blood sauce? Ill pass. Basil sat between Bugsy and Shellgirl to join the feast. How could bug meat taste so good? Like victory indeed It might be a long while until the group could enjoy a feast like this one. Apollyons troops cleared the castle of supplies. What they couldnt take in their mad dash to escape their bases takeover, they poisoned and burned. The new Homeowner Revenge Association would have to ration their remaining food or hunt game, but that could wait for tomorrow. Basils friends deserved a moment of joy after all that happened today, however short-lived. Short-lived. Basils burger suddenly tasted like ash in his mouth. Where do monster souls go? The thought wouldnt leave him. Basil had seen a mermaid raise the dead as zombies, so souls definitely existed in some form. Yet where did dead monsters go? Was Orcine in some orc Valha and Kuikui breeding with angel chickens? Basils faith used to provide easy answers to the afterlife questions, but now now he wondered. They hadnt even followed Orthodox rites for their dead. Orcine scattered her parents ashes to the winds, so the party did the same with her remains. As for Kuikui, they buried him under a tree outside the castle so that he may watch the view from the afterlife. The same way Basil had once buried the Old Man. Who else would he outlive? Basil nced at Bugsy. The centimagma sensed his leaders gaze and raised his eyes from his te. Boss? Is something on your mind? How are you holding up? Basil asked. His friends wounds had closed thanks to Rosemarines healing. Im alright, Boss. No offense, but you hit me harder the first time we met than anybody else since. Basil winced at that. Bugsy cleared his throat. I-I, I mean its good that you did! You taught me respect, and self-respect too! Yet thest battle had been a close call. If Bugsy hadnt received emergency healing, he might have died fighting Lndes party. Kuikui and Orcines deaths already hit hard even though Basil barely knew them. He didnt want to imagine Bugsys potential demise. Why are you still with us? Basil asked Bugsy. The centimagma looked at him in confusion. Why wouldnt I, Boss? When I first asked you if you wanted to leave soon after we first met, you stayed to be stronger, Basil pointed out. You seeded. I still have a long way to go to surpass you, Boss. Bugsy raised his head with pride. Im strong, yes, but I dont just want to get stronger. I want to be the strongest. So strong we can rebuild the house and that nobody will dare to interrupt our Major Chicken marathon nights again! Basil couldnt help but chuckle. Is that truly your goal in life? Yes, it is, Bugsy replied with a nod. I guess you rubbed off me, Boss. The good way. I hope so, Basil said as he finished his burger. He felt the calories travel down his gullet and into his veins.
Ronalds [Wolf-Warrior Burger] buffed your strength for one hour.
Neat. A shame they would leave Ronald behind when they moved to Bordeaux. His food would have eased their woes. Why were you asking me these questions, Boss? Bugsys eyes widened in fear. Y-youre not going to kick me out of the party, right? I didnt disappoint you? No, of course not. You can stay as long as you want. Basil would respect his wishes, whatever they were. But youve got to understand that our next battles will only grow deadlier. When werent they, Boss? Mister Megabug almost killed us all in our first fight. Bugsy locked eyes with Basil, his eyes brimming with determination. Boss, I made the same oath as you. What the bugs did to our rabbits and ce wasnt right. And Kuikui He snapped his mandibles in anger. His death makes me want justice all the more, Boss. Rosemarine, who had listened to the conversation from afar, loomed over the table. Once we find a cannon big enough for me, Mister, well kill them all, she told Basil. I will pull our carriage and we will sow each corner of the world with their corpses. Flowers of death will bloom over their graves to cover the Earth! His monsters spoke with such sincerity that Basil couldnt help but feel moved. For a long time since Rens death, he felt he had finally made dear friends. Bugsy, Rosemarine? Bugsy tensed up. Y-yes, Boss? You have brave hearts, Basil said before patting him on the head. Bugsys antennae wriggled in response and Rosemarine giggled at the sight. I swear to you, todays fiasco wont happen again. Well train for battle from now on. We wont disappoint you, Boss, Bugsy promised, head raised with pride. I wont disappoint you. Ill need a new gun, Mister, Rosemarine said. One big enough to shoot down the moon. Well find one in Bordeaux, I promise, Basil promised. Even if the army doesnt have any, Bordeaux has one million and more inhabitants. We should meet a crafter equipped for the task among them. Shellgirl, who hadnt touched her own dinnera pile of bread, since Ronald refused to cook vegetablesturned in Basils direction so fast her slimy neck squeaked. One million customers, you said? Thats nothing, Basil replied with a shrug. Paris had ten million inhabitants before the apocalypse. The ces a goddamn ant mill. Mmmm Shellgirl joined her hands with a pensive look. Partner, dont you think its time we officialize our rtionship? That we go public? Basil raised an eyebrow. He felt Bugsys heavy stare on his back. What do you mean? So far weve danced around the subject, Shellgirl said. Weve met in your old basement at night, tried not to look too close in public dont you think its time we announce it to everyone? Now Bugsys eyes reeked of condemnation? Basil didnt know what to make of it. The hell are you talking about? Basil asked Shellgirl. Ourpany! Shellgirl grinned wickedly and waved a hand at the new mooks. Look at our new employees! No more garage start-up, Partner! Weve scaled up and the world should know! Ah, Im so relieved! Bugsy let out a loud sigh. Im sorry I doubted you, Boss. I thought you were cheating on Vasi behind her back. Im not Basil frowned at his friend. Wait, what does that mean? Ah, uh Bugsy looked strangely embarrassed. You know you and Vasi Someone called me? Vasi walked around the table and sat on the edge next to Shellgirl. She held a half-asleep to in her arms, his belly fuller than a Swiss bank ount. What are you gossiping about? Nothing! Bugsy lowered his head to avoid the witchs gaze. I I thought you and the Boss you know You thought that they shared a toothbrush? to asked mirthfully. Yes! Bugsy replied immediately. His antennae wavered, his voice trembled, and theva in his veins let out a faint mist. He was a terrible liar. Yes, I thought you shared a toothbrush! Which is good and healthy! I doubt that, Vasi replied with a coy smile. She was no blinder to the obvious lie than Basil was. Though Basil is wee to clean my teeth, if he dares. Dont confuse him, Basil groaned as Bugsy gasped and swooned. Toote. Look at what youve done! Stealing someones spotlight? Vasi winked at Shellgirl and petted tos behind the ears. The cat purred in response. Im sorry dear, please go on. Thank you. Shellgirl pped her hands, happy to regain the groups attention. Imagine, Partner. Millions of customers are lost, terrified, and confused! They demand to be spoiled! Reassured! We could barely satisfy a few dozen, but with an ever-growing number of unpaid employees, we can flood the market with cheap scavenged goods! You want to hire newborn monsters as merchants? Vasi asked. I see. So you would follow Walter Tyes example? Ill go beyond! Corporations steal, but entrepreneurs innovate! What goods would they peddle? Basil asked with skepticism. They were already stretched for supplies. What well find, Shellgirl replied with a wave of her hand. Of course she focused on the big idea over the pesky limits that reality involved. Look at Dax. The city was full of gizmos we didnt have space to store. Wouldnt merchants have the same problem? Vasi asked. Basil and you can transport items thanks to your inventory. I dont think newborn monsters possess the same ability. Vasi, Vasi, open your mind! Shellgirl joined her hands with a devious face. If each guild member can draw upon the Guild Inventory, then they can safely transport items with no risk of theft nor troublesome logistics! What can be stored can be unstored, right? Basil opened his mouth to say that the Guild Inventory didnt work that way, realized he didnt actually know, and swiftly asked the System for rification. How does the Guild Inventory work?
Your [Guild Inventory] can store 50 item slots per neurotower under your Guild''s control. You can set permission for each item or category, allowing you to regte who can ess your supplies.
Im limited to fifty items per dungeon, Basil exined. We could always build storerooms inside the castle, Boss, Bugsy suggested. He seemed to have calmed down from whatever he believed was happening between his chief and Vasi. Or an underground storage vault. We could, Basil conceded. As Chteau Muloups new Boss, Ronald could alter itsyout once per day, organize space, split stones to create open gardens, duplicate towers, and even dig tunnels underground. The dungeon couldnt create new matter from nothing, but it could instantly reshape what already existed. This courtyard used to be the hall where they fought Lndes party mere hours ago. The System set one key limit to the interior decoration: a path to the neurotower always remained. The partys efforts to wall off the dungeons core had ended in miserable failure. New doors opened into nearby rooms or theyout changed to amodate a route. The message was clear: a dungeon would never be entirely safe from a takeover. But my idea can be done, right? Shellgirl asked for confirmation. I can give special Inventory permission to guild members, Basil confirmed. On paper, your n might work. Deep dive into the next generation, Partner! Buzzwords started flowing out of Shellgirls mouth in a confusing storm of business advice. With our corepetency, we can ballpark the hell out of this new market, achieve synergies, leap over the pain points, and achieve a quick win! Complete holistic takeover! Her audience grew more and more confused with each new buzzword, except for Basil, who simply scowled. Shellgirl hastily stopped herself upon seeing his expression. She looked at him anxiously, the way a start-upper would after pitching their idea to an unfeeling venture capitalist. Once, Basil would have decried the idea as risky yet his experience with Orcine and the short-lived Barthes market showed that trade had be all the more relevant after the apocalypse. In spite of Basils dear hopes,plete self-sufficiency was difficult to achieve. The more he thought about Shellgirls idea, the more promising it sounded to Basil. Faraway crafters could provide goods that his team needed and they needed to rebuild food stores for the winter. Traders might encounter potential allies or friendlymunities, and the Guild Inventory would allow the group to ess stored supplies across vast distances. The risk of discovery remained, but Chteau Muloup broadcasted an aurora visible across the entire region on its own. And besides, Basil was done hiding. Alright, he said. Now, I understand your reservations, but I can show you the business n and Shellgirl blinked. Did you say yes? I did, Basil replied with a shrug. Ill give you ess privileges to the Guild inventory so you can set this up. Great! Shellgirl had clearly expected him to argue over it, but she wouldnt look at the gift horse in the mouth. I knew you would see it my way! You can even stay here if you want to help Ronald manage the castle, Basil suggested. Woah, woah! Shellgirl crossed her arms. Why would I do that? You could manage your unpaid employees more easily, Basil replied. The expression sounded bitter in his mouth. Too many unpaid internships. I mean, you joined my party to expand your own business. Nothing forces you to go with us to Bordeaux. If anything, itll be detrimental to your idea. What kind of mimic do you take me for? Shellgirl sounded genuinely offended. You think I would suck you dry and then leave with the money? That I would abandon you midway? Ill teach the newbies the basics and trust them to innovate. I dont micromanage. Basil chuckled. Youre sure? Werent you listening? Were Partners, thick and thin. Shellgirl grinned. Ill stick to you whether you like it or not. Vasi can attest to that. I do, Vasi said with a chuckle. Youll grow fond of it. Hisst doubts cleared, Basil smiled at his teammate. Thank you, Shellgirl. Thank me by assigning your goddamn levels, Shellgirl said, her fists pumping. Im soooo close to a premium promotion. I can feel my bank ount shuddering in anticipation! When I evolve again, I will gain wings. Rosemarine red at the rising moon on the horizon. And then we will see we will see! Come to think of it, now is as good a time as any to discuss your ss progression, Basil, Vasi said with a coy smile. Unless you want to ask me if I want to leave your new association ormit? How insightful. I thought I would wait to survive Halloween first. We will survive, and Ill stay. Vasi scratched to behind the ears. I cant abandon our dear king of cats or my lovely Shellgirl. Aww, youre so sweet, Shellgirl replied. You make me swoon inside! I appreciate this group. Youre fun. Vasi winked at Basil. We arent done yet, handsome. I hope not, Basil replied. I appreciate you too. Bugsy nced at Shellgirl, Vasi, and Basil in quick session. His breath shortened and he struggled not to squeal. Basil shuddered at the idea of whatever dark thought crossed the centimagmas mind. I asked you earlier if you knew what you wanted to be. Vasi gave Basil a sharp look. I think you do now. Yes, he did. A part of Basil always wondered if his party stayed with him because they had nowhere else to go. Half of them were born from dungeons barely a few months ago. For all of their intellect, the likes of Bugsy and Shellgirl remained nave. But tonights discussion cleared his doubts. Basils party stayed with him because they cared. A smallmunity had formed under his eyes, odd yet tightly-knit. Maybe that was what ensured their victory against Lndes group: mutual trust. He would honor it. My Tamer Perks apply to all members of the Guild, including the killswitch. Basil clenched his fist. Im responsible for everyone wholl sign with us, but Ill also strengthen them. The more, the merrier, Shellgirl replied. Im sure we can milk it out for money. I understand I have minor temper issues, and Im working on them, Basil said, ignoring the remark. to opened his eyes and squinted at his owner. Im working on them. You cant tame your inner bear, Basil, to said. I tried, I failed. Itll always bubble up beneath the surface and burst like a volcano. He was probably right, but Basil would make an effort all the same. Anyway, a part of me knows Berserker is the best ss for me. Its the one that fits me the most. Basil nced at his allies. But its not the best ss for you. Thats one way to put it, Vasi replied with a soft, affirmative sound. What I want, besides unleashing the wrath of God on the Apocalypse Force, the Unity, Dismaker Labs, and all the assholes that crawled their way into this world, is to make sure you all live through it. Kuikui and Orcines deaths had opened his eyes on that front. You guys Basil crossed his arms and struggled to find the right words. How could something so simple sound so difficult to say? Youre my friends, he finally said. I care for you and I want you to live long and happy lives. Aww Bugsy had tears in his eyes. Boss, Ive waited so long to hear those words Thats noble of you, Vasi said, more grimly. But you cant guarantee it. I can do my best, Basil replied. And that would have to do. Instead of hoarding strength for myself, I can share it with you all. Ill make sure our Guilds monsters behave, and that theyll help people rather than hunt them for levels. Thats who I want to be. Basil inhaled sharply before speaking. The Apocalypse Tamer. He would domesticate the shit out of Armageddon. His party weed his deration with silence which to quickly broke. Apocalypse Tamer? to choked on his ownughter. Vasi herself struggled to hold him, her lips curling into a smile. Seriously, Basil? You came up with it on your own? Judas! Basil used his cat. I show my heart to you, and thats how you answer? Its alright, Boss. Bugsy at least showed some support. Its amazing. I like it! Shellgirl replied. Sounds trendy and appropriate. Rosemarine nodded in appreciation. We will tame the apocalypse and let it run wild, worse than before! Bootlickers. to snorted. Im the only one willing to speak the truth to power. Then speak a truth I can agree with, Basil replied. Apocalypse Tamer Vasis coy grin didnt falter. If you want to walk that path, you shouldplete the Tamer part first. As Walter said, Perks exponentially increase in power as you progress in a ss. Once youve done that, I suspects new options will present themselves. She was right of course. After trying out multiple paths to power, Basil went back to the basics. It was time for him to specialize.
Tamer Level 12, 13, 14 & 15 Stat Gains: +3 STR, +4 AGI, +1 VIT, +4 MAG, +3 INT, +4 CHA, +2 LCK. You have earned 80 HP and 65 SP.
Monster Insight (Passive): You can passively glean information from monsters by observing them closely, including their elemental affinities and useful trivia. Your chances of analyzing a monster depend on your Intelligence, their level, and the influence of secondary Perks.
Monster Lair II (Passive): Your monsters can now create Lairs of their own; however, they must have undergone a metamorphosis at least once. Your monsters will keep this ability and theirir even if they leave your party.
[Monster Lair II] will apply to your entire Guild.
The rush couldntpare to Basils terrible glee as he read thest lines. It unsettled Vasi greatly. Basil? Basil? Oh, a new Perk! Bugsy rejoiced. I can make my own Lair now! I can make my own litter now. to shrugged. Big deal. Clearly he didnt see that Perkss potential. Samhain is a dangerous night and we should expect a fight, Basil said. Those were your words, Vasi. I said the dead would rise, that fairies woulde out to y, and that with dark magic at its apex we should expect a fight. Vasis frown deepened. What do you have in mind, handsome? Killing many birds with one stone. Basil grinned ear to ear, as a devious idea crossed his mind. He nced at the pelt on his shoulders. It had been a while since he put a Halloween costume on Chapter 45: Man vs Mystery Chapter 45: Man vs Mystery It was on Monday, October 31st, that Basil Bohen would learn the true meaning of dread. Dusk crept on the horizon and the supermoon slowly rose in the skies. Basil enjoyed a clear view of the phenomenon from Chteau Muloups battlements. The moon was the closest to Earth yet and would soon dominate the skies. Its orange glow reminded him of a giant pumpkin. So beautiful, Bugsy whispered at Basils side. The centimagma was supposed to oversee fortification work, but the presence of a bright glow moving close to the moon distracted him. Whats that, Boss? Is that a star? I think its the ISS reflecting sunlight at us, Basil replied. It had been a while since itst became visible from the ground, especially without a telescope. My eyesight sharply increased since I started leveling up. Basil could see details on the moons surface he never noticed with the naked eye before. Must be the Skill points showing. I wonder how far a ss specialized in it could see. The isowhat, Boss? The international space station. One of mankinds greatest achievements. Basils astronomy phase never truly went away. If his life had gone in another direction, he would have loved to be an astronaut. Great nations worked together to build a ship sailing through space around the globe. Basil wondered what happened to the ISSs crew. Seven astronauts worked on the station before the Systems arrival if memory served. Unless NASA and other space agencies survived the apocalypse, they must have run out of supplies by now. Oh, so multiple Guilds pooled their resources to create it? Bugsy asked. As a young centimagma, he had little understanding of Earths culture. And what do you mean by space? Can it teleport around? How should I put it The discussion brought Basil back to his astronomy sses. There is ayer of air around our called the atmosphere. Beyond it is a vast, infinite void called space. The moon, thes, the stars, they all float in this sea of nothingness. Bugsy nodded with fascination. Basil couldnt help but smile at his reaction. The centimagma reminded him of himself at a young age, fascinated by the cosmos and its mysteries. Each star is like our sun, withs orbiting around it, Basil exined. Some say some of theses host life like Earth, though scientists could never confirm it before the Systems arrival. Basil himself was pretty sure aliens existed out there. The universe was just too vast for humans alone to inhabit. Other species thrived in other dimensions, so why not among distants too? So there are dungeons creating monsters in space? Bugsy asked. Are the stars dungeons? No, they arent. Or at least, Basil didnt think so. Dungeons already roughed Earth up pretty badly, he didnt want to imagine them infesting the rest of the universe. What about the moon? Bugsy pestered Basil like a child eager to learn the universes secrets. Are there dungeons on the moon, Boss? Basil frowned in response. In truth, he had never pondered the question. Dismaker Labs needed to build a neurotower server to summon dungeons and he didnt see the point of building one in space. Who would explore a moon dungeon? An astronaut party? Yet Bugsys question nted a seed of doubt in Basils heart. He unstored a pair of binocrs from his inventory and looked up at the emerging supermoon. He would rather have used his telescope, but Apollyon burned it alongside the house. Only the moons top was currently visible beyond the horizon, yet Basils enhanced sight allowed him to detect small shades of unnatural colors on its surface. Glowing spots of red, green, blue, purple, and white were faintly visible in the lunar region known as the Sea of Rains. Colored auroras. I cant believe it! Basil choked in astonishment. How did theyHow did they build a neurotower on the freaking moon?! Did Dismaker Labs have contacts among NASA? Did Mars have dungeons too? Was Elon Musk in on the conspiracy? Most importantly, why? Why? Why the hell would anyone build a dungeon on the moon? Basils stomach turned as a dark thought crossed his mind. If Dismaker Labs could build a dungeon on Earths satellite, could they have sent others into orbit? The virtual reality showcase, Basil muttered as he swiftly turned his binocrs in the ISSs direction. What did you say, Boss? Before the apocalypse, there were talks of a virtual reality showcase of life aboard the International Space Station. Basil clenched his teeth as he gained a better view of the station. Doesnt that sound familiar to you, Bugsy? Basil was too far away and under-equipped to properly observe the ISS, yet he distinguished a halo of abnormal colors surrounding the light point. His fears were immediately confirmed. Dismaker Labs turned the ISS into a dungeon. Thats not good, Basil whispered. Not good at all. As if on cue, the System sent him a notification.
Congrattions, yers of Earth! You have survived long enough to reach the [Halloween] yearly event!
The [Halloween] event is a pseudo [Incursion] where rare, horror-themed monsters will spawn under the light of the supermoon. They will drop [Ghost Candies]; at dawn, parties will gain useful prizes depending on how many candies they collected. The monsters levels and danger will increase as the night progresses.
Dismaker Labs hopes that you will survive to collect your reward!
A short, hour-long countdown appeared at the edge of Basils vision. It will begin soon, he noted upon lowering his binocrs. Its alright, Boss, I think were ready. Bugsy looked over the ramparts. All is good?! The traps are set! A gargoyle replied from below the outer walls. He and his kindred finished covering a pit trap dug into the castles earth bridge with branches and ayer of dust. Aint nobody getting past us without inside help! Nor through us! a lycan warrior said from atop a rampart, a crossbow in hands. Apollyons troops ravaged the food supplies, but thankfully didnt have time to destroy the castles armory. Well shoot any intruder down! Basils n was simple: trap the bridge with pits to immobilize iing monsters, then have long-range attackers shoot them from the walls to harvest experience. Closebat specialists like Basil would then intercept the few enemies that managed to make their way to the dungeon. It honestly surprised Basil that the previous upants didnt think of it. He assumed the barons party members were too self-assured that nobody would dare attack them in their own base. Thanks to Lair II, tonight should be extremely profitable. Ronald had turned Chteau Muloup into his own Lair and spent most of his Lair Points purchasing EXP and Loot boosting features. Lairs positive effects benefited all party members within its vicinity, and as it turned out, that included fellow Guild members as well. Everyone would benefit from additional experience. Basil reorganized his troops into three parties to fully make use of the situation. The Bohens included to, Bugsy, Shellgirl, Vasi, Rosemarine, and Basil himself. House Garden, led by Ronald, included the haunted armor, one gargoyle, and three Fire Seeds. The remaining monsters formed thest party, Muloup Watch. Each of them would rack up a kill count tonight and spread experience to the rest of their team. On paper, the night should go well. Yet Basil felt uneasy whenever he looked at the sky. Bugsy, can you survey the moon and the ISS? Basil asked as he moved down the stairs in the walls. Inform me if you notice anything unusual. Sure, Boss, Bugsy replied. He was expected to snipe at iing threats with his firebreath. You expect something to happen? Im not sure, Basil replied, his jaw tightening. Call it intuition, but I have the feeling nothing good wille out of this. Theres something brewing up upstairs. Basil had grown wise enough to learn that nothing ever went as nned in the new world. He climbed down the outer walls to find Shellgirl, Vasi, and Ronald discussing in the courtyard. Vasi had traced a circle full of arcane symbols on the ground and set five candles in a pentagram formation. From afar, the three looked like a Satanist club reunion. I find it risky, Vasi said. Basil had caught the conversation midway through. The night will be difficult enough as it is. So? Shellgirl replied with a shrug. All the new monsters will flock to our walls already. They just have to follow the aurora. At least we can ensure well profit from the neers. More food better, Ronald added. If King Basil allows it. Allow what? Basil asked, before pinching his nose. A terrible stench of rot filled his nostrils. Ugh, whats with the smell? Its the candles, Vasi apologized. I used orc fat for one of them. On second thought, Basil decided not to ask for more details. Partner, perfect timing. Like any good salesman, Shellgirl immediately lobbied for his authority. Ronald has enough Lair Points left for onest feature, and I suggest we take the Attractive one! Hell no. Basil squinted with skepticism. That one makes it more likely for rare monsters to attack us. It will put the dungeon in greater danger. Shellgirl silently pointed at the very visible aurora floating above the castle. It advertised its location across the entire region. Okay, yes, anyone wishing to attack our ce can find it, Basil admitted. But thats not a reason to make it more likely. If this Halloween event is anything like thest Incursion, well face many enemies already. But that feature wont summon more monsters, Shellgirl pointed out. Itll just make it more likely for the rare ones among them to approach the Lair! Rare monsters do offer better rewards, Vasi agreed. The Attractive feature would make Samhain more profitable for us, thats a fact. So why are you against it? Basil asked. Well, my ritual involves sacrificing five babies and harvesting their souls for power. I need perfect concentration to cast it. Babies, right, Basil deadpanned. Did you order them from a magazine? I received a discount for the lot, Vasi joked back. More seriously, my ritual involves turning the dungeon into a fulcrum to harvest Samhains magical energies and use them to undergo a special form of metamorphosis. Its an exceedinglyplex task and I must fully focus on it. I see. Basil could read between the lines. So you cant help defend the dungeon while casting it. Vasi nodded with an apologetic face. I would prefer it if you prevented any interruptions. Come on, Vasi, most of us are level twenty-nine and the Incursion level limit is four levels lower than that! Shellgirl argued. Plus weve got a good defensive position, traps, and preparations! Im sure we can handle anything thates our way! Basil sighed. If its about money Its not about loot, its about the exp, Partner! Im this Shellgirl raised her thumb and a finger. This close to metamorphosis! One level tops! That way I can transform at the same time as my dear Vasi! At our level, well need enemies above level neen to gain any experience at all! Basil crossed his arms and mulled over her point. True, the experience level penalty was starting to rear its ugly head. Basil hoped to reach level 30 before leaving for Bordeaux tomorrow, and that would be impossible if the castle only attracted level 10 critters. The rewards proposed by the System might also prove invaluable on the expedition. It said something about his teams progress for him to consider the equivalent of Megabug to be beneath his notice. Theres another advantage you dont see, Shellgirl said. That feature will make it easier for us to recruit new Guild members! How so? Basil asked with a frown. Because all Guild members gain enhanced experience and loot from this ce! Shellgirl grinned deviously. Itll make it the best training ground in the entire region! Monsters will flock to our ranks to benefit from it! It it made quite a lot of sense. Thebination of the Attractive Lair features and dungeon defenses would turn Chteau Muloup into a precious level grinding spot. And Basil couldnt hope to bring peace to the region again without recruiting troops Alright, youve convinced me. Basil decided to take the risk. On one condition. Shellgirl tried to suppress her enthusiasm. Yes, Partner? Youll be responsible for Vasis protection during her ritual, Basil warned. If she fails her ritual because you let an enemy through, Ill hold you personally responsible. Sweet, I would have done it for free anyway! Shellgirl smiled at Vasi. Dont worry, I wont let anybody approach you. Ill be the best bodyguard you ever had. I have mixed feelings about this n, Vasi replied with a sigh. But I trust you, Shellgirl. Very well. Ronald barked in agreement and purchased the Attractive feature. With the countdown approaching half an hour, Basil decided to put on his Halloween costume. Pth. Basil touched his animal fur cloak. Activate. A sh of bright light swallowed the world around Basil. He felt his body transform, his muscles strengthened with new power. His nails lengthened into fearsome ws and ayer of fur covered his skin. His clothes adapted to his new shape. Basil expected to suffer from body dimorphism when he regained his sense of sight. He did not. He had grown a head taller, his nose had turned into a muzzle and his hands had developed paws, but otherwise, his new body felt strangelyfortable. As if he was born to wear fur rather than skin. Perhaps the Pth influenced his mind and reflexes somehow.
You have transformed into a [Werebear] (Humanoid/Beast). Your physical stats are buffed and your HP temporarily doubled.
And of course, he transformed into a bear. Basil hoped it wasnt the panda kind, that would be humiliating. A mere nce told Basil that none of his party members were surprised. Shellgirl told Ronald that he owed her a bone charm, whatever that meant, and Vasi blushed a little. Basil wondered why until he looked into the courtyards pool and stared at his reflection. Basil looked like a bear alright; a proud brown Bulgarian bear, with soft fur, an adorable muzzle, and a terribly big belly. He looked a bit weird with the feathered armor on, but hisrge fangs would make up for it. I look like a zoo mascot, Basil said with a deep and powerful voice. The transformation affected his vocal cords. Why a bear though?
[Werebeast]: The Pth allows mono-Humanoid Type wearers to transform the wearer into a werebeast. The type of werebeast and associated bonuses depend on the wearers personality and/or totem spirit.
I get that, but why a brown bear? Basil asked in confusion. Why not a pr bear? Or a grizzly?
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Some of natures mysteries were best left unsolved. to, who was patrolling the castle, happened to walk into the courtyard at the same time. He locked eyes with Basil and immediately guessed what was happening. Saddening, to said in disappointment. I hoped for a werepanther. Check this out. Basil unstored his halberd, ready to take an intimidating bearbarian pose only for the weapon to slip through his grasp. What the Basil tried to grab his halberds shaft and struggled. His hands had changed into paws with a few digits missing. His thumb was almost as long as his other fingers and nearly merged with them. It made a task as simple as grabbing a weapon exceedingly frustrating. to watched Basil fruitlessly failing to lift his halberd for a full minute before exploding inughter. Dont make me use Warp Spasm! Basil snarled as he dropped his halberd for the sixth time in a row. Damn it! Not so funny when it happens to you, right? to taunted him. You miss the thumbs, dont you? Try it with your mouth, Shellgirl suggested. At his wits end, Basil grabbed the halberd with his fearsome fangs and lifted it. His saliva dirtied his weapons shaft. Hosh do I losh? Basil blurted through his teeth while struggling to keep his dignity. Ridiculous, to said bluntly. Tasty, Ronald replied. Even Shellgirl appeared skeptical. It looked better in my imagination. Basil dropped his halberd in frustration. This bear form is less practical than it sounds. Basil? Basil turned his head to stare at Vasi. The witchs greenplexion had taken a pinkplexion. Basil, could you Vasi let out a breath of embarrassment. Could you dance for me? Basil stared back at her without a word. With your little paws? Vasi gulped, but even in her shame she wouldnt shut up. Pretty please? No, Basil said grumpily. Oh. Somehow, Vasis cheeks reddened further. Then, can I can I ride you? On your back? Basil immediately undid the transformation. In a sh of light, he shed his brown fur for pink skin. He and Vasi stared at each other in silence, until the witch crossed her arms and looked away in disappointment. Boss! Boss! Bugsy shouted from the ramparts and nced at the courtyard. Boss! What is it, Bugsy? Uh, um Bugsy cleared his throat. I noticed a star falling towards us, Boss. A falling star? After exchanging a short nce with his allies, Basil climbed back up on the walls and pulled out his binocrs. To your left, Boss, Bugsy said, guiding him. Can you see it now? I do. A shining fireball crossed the skies under the rising moon. A meteorite descended from the heavens towards the region. It came from the Isezes, Bugsy said, mispronouncing ISS. The International Space Station? Basil squinted behind his binocrs. The closer the object approached, the stronger its glow. Basil couldnt even distinguish its features. Are you sure? I saw that star emerge from the stations light, Bugsy replied. Maybe a part of the dungeon fell off? That was what Basil worried about. Could Attractive summon monsters from space? The meteorite glowed so bright that it briefly illuminated the dark skies. A booming sound echoed as it crashed in the northern marshes a few minutes away from Chteau Muloup. Smoke rose from the distant crash site, ck as coal. Phew, I thought it would fall on us, Bugsy said with a relieved voice. I could sense the st from here. A System notification appeared the moment Basil lowered his binocrs.
New Main Quest: The Eye of Brahma
Rmended Level: 20.
Find the crash sites treasure before Halloween monsters destroy it, and uncover the shocking nature of the new world. Warning: sanity checks iing!
Reward: 30,000 Bonus EXP + hint for the Lotus of Remembrance Quest.
A main quest. Brahma was a member of the Trimurti, and the Lotus of Remembrance involved Kalki. Either of these pieces of information would have caught Basils interest, so both at once immediately raised rm bells. He reread the notification with interest and swiftly reached a decision. to, with me, he ordered. Well go check on the crash site with Rosemarine. The rest of you, protect the castle. No time to waste. The Halloween countdown hit zero before they reached the crash site. Basil was riding atop Rosemarines back with to across the marsh when the first monsters spawned in their way. A festering zombie rose from muddy ground alongside a skeleton without warning, both of them hungry for flesh.
Marsh Zombie
Level 2 [Undead]
Skeleton Warrior
Level 3 [Undead]
Brains the zombie rasped. Brains Rosemarine stomped it and itsrade underfoot without slowing down. Their remains swiftly transformed into colorful pumpkin candies that the party didnt bother picking up. Can I stomp them all, Mister? Rosemarine pleaded, tossing trees aside as she followed the smoke to the crash site. More zombies rose from the ground all around them, weak yet numerous. You wont gain any levels from it, to pointed out. But they make a nice sound when I squish them, Rosemarine argued. It makes me feel warm inside. Only those in our path, Rosemarine, Basil replied. He had unstored his halberd and cut down any zombie foolish enough to try climbing on Rosemarines back. His weapon felt slippy with all the bear saliva left on the shaft. Focus on the objective. Well indulge and recover the candies after securing the crash site. The monsters were low-level so far, but Basil wondered how long it would take for stronger creatures to spawn. The quest warned him that a few of them would try to destroy whatever treasure awaited him, and considering it was rmended for level 20 yers, he expected threats to escte. And the moon The supermoon loomed in the night sky, so bright that it obscured the stars. Basil had taken a better look at it with his binocrs on the way and noticed multiple auroras centered around its Copernicus crater. He was now almost entirely sure a dungeon was located in its center. Basil struggled to imagine any monster surviving a trip from the moon to France, but he had seen weirder shit. If a dungeons influence terraformed thend around it until it became unrecognizable, he shuddered to imagine what impact it would have on Earths satellite. This could mean trouble. Careful, to said after taking a long, deep breath. I smell cooked flesh ahead. I wonder how aliens taste, Rosemarine replied hungrily. Im not sure the smelles from aliens, Basil replied grimly as they finally reached the crash site. Rosemarine stepped over the edge of a small crater of broken trees and overturned dirt. The tattered remains of a parachute burned on the ground, filling the sky with smoke. A bullet-shaped capsule of ckened steel leaned at the crash sites center. Its portholes cracked and spewed fire. Basil recognized the device as a Soyuz, or what remained of it at least. The parachute must have malfunctioned during reentry and forced a harshnding. It was a miracle it hadnt disintegrated on impact. Basil only had to look around the crater to identify the responsible parties: spherical, eye-shaped orbs lying broken around the shuttle. His teammates tensed up upon recognizing them. Not them again, to whispered in annoyance. Im afraid so, Basil replied as he red at the destroyed Unity watchers. Looks like killer robots entered the space race. Chapter 46: Man vs Hand Chapter 46: Man vs Hand The Soyuz crew didnt survive the impact. Basil only had to take a look through the broken window to confirm it. Two dead astronautsy inside the capsule: one facedown against aplex panel of switches and buttons, the other a charred skeleton with a shattered helmet. The corpses ghoulish visage of bones and burning flesh was frozen into a ghastly grin. The third seatif Basil could call a bed of metal and airbags thatbetween the two remained unupied. They may have died during thending, perhaps earlier. A quick nce at the second corpses chest confirmed Basil''s hypothesis. The astronauts spacesuit showed steaming holes all over its surface. Bullets? No,acid. Since the Soyuz itself didnt show simr holes, then it meant the astronaut suffered these wounds before boarding it. If these astronauts indeed came from the ISS, then the crew must have valiantly fought their way to the shuttle. The fact two passengers used an evacuation vehicle meant for three people pointed in that direction. Did they film a remake of Alien upstairs? Basil looked up at the broken watchers around the crater. With a dash of the Terminator? What are we looking for exactly? to asked. He didnt care for the dead, and neither did Rosemarine. The quest mentioned a treasure, but didnt specify what kind, Basil replied. I dont see any chest full of gold lying around, to mused. He touched the capsule with his paw and immediately pulled it back with a screech. Ah, its hot! Do I crack this egg open, Mister? Rosemarine asked as she examined the Soyouz. No need. Basil put a hand on the Soyouzs shielding. Ill store it in my inventory and teleport us back to the dungeon. We can examine it in a safer ce then.
Item selected: [Soyuz].
Storing attempt failed.
Basil frowned at the screen. You could store my Renault and a road roller, why not a spacecraft?
You cannot store creatures in your inventory.
One of them is alive?! Basil nced at the corpses through the window in utter iprehension. Neither of the astronauts breathed, let alone moved. Or unalive?
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Basil raised his halberd. He had seen enough alien movies to know how the situation might take a dark turn. One, two He brought his halberd down on the Soyouzs shielding and cut out arge hole in it. His sharpened de sliced through steel the same way it once did with Gearsmen. A cloud of smoke and carbon dioxide erupted from inside the shuttle, forcing Basil back. After fruitlessly waiting for the corpses to wake up like zombies for a good minute, Basil dared to take a peek inside the Soyuz. The two dead astronauts were curled up on beds of punctured airbags and cut wires. Their hatchs wheel had fallen off on a button panel after the impact. Basil couldnt make any sense out of all the electronic devices packed inside the small shuttle. His hole into the Soyouz allowed him to better check on the first astronaut, a woman. Her body was still warm, but Basil didnt detect a pulse. Her neck was twisted like an owls and blood poured from her mouth. The damaged equipment made the crash fatal for her. I saw her on the news, Basil said upon recognizing her face. She was an ESA astronaut from Greece? Italy? Cant remember. Her neck does look like spaghetti, to joked darkly. Thats not funny. These two died fighting off the Unity and thus deserved Basils respect. Moreover, the scene reminded him of the day his party rescued Neria from a Gearsman. She could have easily perished like these two if they had been slower to reach her. Rosemarines head loomed over the shuttle. Do I bury them underground, Mister? You dont want to eat them first? to asked, ignoring Basils re. Not that I advocate it, of course. Im just surprised. Mister Who-Feeds-Me never allows me to eat humans, Rosemarine replied. I dont want Mister to scold me. Aww, Rosemarine was maturing! She had learned boundaries and foresight! Thank you for your concern, Rosemarine, itll earn you a treat, Basil replied, much to her joy. Positive reinforcement always won the day. Well bury them after taking everything we can carry. They smell wrong, Basil, to warned with a frown. I sense ah, what do you call that stinking liquid you used to spray all over the houses floor once a month? Javel? Somehow Basil doubted the ISS crew usedmon cleaning products. Yes, they smell the same. Basil inhaled the Soyuzs smoke-infested air. He indeed detected a strong scent of chemicals stronger than the smell of burning flesh. Did the Unity use poison on them? Or did they practice chemical warfare among the stars? Rosemarine, can you help me take them out of the shuttle? Basil asked before removing the astronauts belts and seat safeties. If the corpses move and strike back, you can eat them. Better safe than sorry. Yes, Mister. Rosemarine obeyed the order, her slippery tongue closing around each astronauts waist and pulling them out of the Soyuz. She dropped the corpses on the ground with surprising delicateness. to, check the shuttle from within, Basil asked his cat. Take out anything that isnt nailed down. Are you kidding? to hissed back. Its dirty! Why me? Because youre small and cuddly, Basil mocked him. Besides, you should have experience with stealing. Is this about that time I hid your Switch away? to red back at his best friend. I only did it because you used the pointer first. You dont bring a pointer to a snuggle fight, Basil. That ys a part, but honestly youre the only one of us small enough to check the shuttle and bolt out of it if anything happens. to nced at the shuttle with suspicion. If that thing explodes and costs me another life, Ille back to haunt you. This is the right night for it. Basil patted his cat on the back and watched him enter the Soyouz. to grumbled all the way through but did as he was asked. Mister, over there! Rosemarine uttered a warning. Basil turned his head in her direction and barely had time to dodge a projectile. A red sphere missed his skull by a few inches. I missed! A monster walked into view at the craters edge. For a moment, Basil thought he was watching a remake of Stephen Kings It. The creature was a monstrous clown with sharp long fangs and a garish costume. His hands juggled bloody bouncing balls. How could I miss?! Another horror, a crumbling mummy wielding a rusted axe, shambled after the clown. Flesh It said with a rasping noise. A ck spider the size of a horse followed in the undeads wake. Flesh Get the human! the clown rasped, blood dripping from his fangs. Basil might have found him scary twenty years ago, but a lifetime of watching low-budget horror movies had raised his fright threshold tenfold. Kill him!
Killer Clown
Level 10 [Demon]
Giant Spider
Level 13 [Bug]
Axe Mummy
Level 12 [Undead]
Damn it, Halloween was already spawning monsters with levels in the two digits. Rosemarine The noise of a massive tail hitting the ground interrupted Basils sentence. Rosemarine squashed the three monsters like bugs, their broken remains swiftly transforming into Halloween candy. Good job, Basilplimented Rosemarine. I hope they will wake up healed of their wounds, she whispered kindly. So they can suffer all over again. Just wait, Rosemarine, Basil said as he examined the astronaut corpses. At this rate, its only a matter of time before something capable of fighting back spawns from nowhere. The charred corpse held nothing but his spacesuit and a pistol, which was surprising enough by itself. Basil didnt remember astronauts being allowed to carry weapons on the ISS. As for the woman, she was clutching a ck camera with a telescope essory. The device appeared rtively undamaged by the crash, mostly because the astronaut shielded it with her body. Is this the quests treasure? Basil wondered. A System notification popped up when he grabbed the camera, but the content wasnt the reward he expected.
You have a Logs message from: Colonel Ronald McVeggie (House Garden Party Leader).
COLONEL RONALD MCVEGGIE: King Basil, Queen Rosemarine, meat besiege castle. Ronald cook them all?
How will you answer?
The Guilds messaging system worked perfectly. Basil almost regretted destroying the Ogre Den dungeon instead of preserving it. A long-distance system would have made his life much easier in the past few months. Tell him to defend the dungeon and that we will return shortly, Basil said. His words appeared on a screen and a notification followed shortly afterward.
Message sent, message read.
With to inside the Soyuz and Rosemarine surveying the crater, Basil examined the camera after stabbing both corpses with the spike of his halberd just to be sure. Both bled red blood without moving. It confused Basil. Both astronauts appeared dead, so why would the System prevent him from storing the Soyuz? Was the woman still alive back when he opened his inventory? Do you see any monster hidden in the shuttle? Basil questioned to. A watcher, a fly? Nothing, to replied from inside the Soyuz. Ugh, the stench is unbearable. Making me toil like this is cat very! If you have enough strength toin, you have strength to work. After onest nce at the corpses, Basil pressed the cameras switch and immediately essed the video files. Mmm strange. Basil didnt know the protocols aboard the ISS, but he found it odd they didnt put safeties or pin codes on such a confidential device. Unless the astronauts wanted everyone to see the content? Basil checked the most recent files. ording to its title, thest entry was recorded this morning. A feed showing the astronaut woman sitting inside the Soyuz appeared when he activated the video. This is captain Giulia Valentino, the woman said. Basil wondered if she spoke in Italian and the System tranted it. I am an engineer, air force pilot for the Aeronautica Militare of the Italian Republic, and for thest three months, the European Space Agencys representative aboard the International Space Station under NASA Commander Lincoln, now deceased. Considering the high risk of a failednding without assistance from the ground, I am leaving this recording in case I dont make it back to Earth alive. Ah, that exined it. From the look of it, she had recorded the video right before takeoff. The Dismaker Labs reality showcase device Captain Valentino grit her teeth in fury. We arent sure how, but it transformed the ISS into a madhouse and cut us away from agencies on the ground. Moreover, hostile drones of alien origins have boarded the station in an attempt to take it over. My crewmates were either captured or killed trying to keep them at bay. Colonel Sergei Vasilov and I are likely the only survivors. Basil nced at the charred corpse next to Valentinos before continuing the recording. He didnt know what was worse: that Dismaker Labs had indeed sent dungeons into orbit or that the Unity was now in control of an orbital station four hundred kilometers above everyones heads. If you watching this, I am either dead or incapacitated, said the captain. You should find a sh drive in a ck box in thepartment under my seat. This device contains all the encrypted data, recordings, and files we could salvage from the stationsputer systems. Whoever you are, I beg of you, deliver the device to the nearest space agency immediately. The fate of our civilization, no, of the entire sr system might depend on it. Whats left of it, you mean? Basil heard a male voice mutter behind the captain in a thick Russian ent. It was probably her co-pilot sitting outside the cameras range. What I am about to tell you may sound crazy even terrifying. It took me days to process to process it all. Captain Giulia stared at the camera with a haunting, hollow gaze. I suggest you sit and rx before hearing the rest of the recording. Charming. to Ive heard, his cat replied from inside the Soyuz. I see the box behind the wires. Gimme a minute to pull it out. Basil nodded and watched the rest of the video. Captain Valentino let out a heavy breath, as if speaking would be physically painful. Everything beyond the moons orbit is gone. What the fuck is she talking about? A chill went down Basils spine. That doesnt make any sense. Mars, Venus, even the sun, theyre all gone, the captain exined. Vanished. The stars, the constetions? Theyre illusions. Ghostlights. The sr system, the Milky Way, Andromeda everything beyond the moons orbit disappeared months ago. Basil paused the recording and exchanged a nce with Rosemarine. The tropidrake returned his gaze, utterly confused. Even tos head peeked out of the Soyuz to better listen. Basil silently yed the video once more. We dont understand how it happened, or how it is even possible, the captain exined with a disturbing kind of calmness. But all objects within the Earth-Moon satellite system were physically disced inside a hermetically sealed sphere of colossal proportion. Its surface mimics the appearance of the night sky, so individuals on the surface wont notice the difference without special equipment. Moreover, our research indicates that the sphere is held in the palm of an an inhuman entity roughly twice the size of Jupiter, if notrger. Is this a joke? Basil searched for any hint of a lie in the captains face and didnt find any. He had made a mistake. Captain Valentino wasnt calm but exhausted. She went beyond denial and straight to eptance. Shit, she is serious. I know my words sound oundish, but this is the truth. You will find the data we gathered to prove it in the sh drive. And if thats not enough She stared at the camera with such intensity that Basil thought her ghost would emerge from the video, Ring-style. You can check the video file 15-10-2022 and see for yourself. Basil checked the video folder. Recordings were ssified by date, so he assumed she referred to the one from October 15th. If I do not make it out tell my mother that I love her. The captain smiled at the camera. The deafening noise of a propulsion device resonated in the background and caused the feed to shake. Ill return, Mom. One way or another. The video cut off on these words. Basil nced at the corpses and examined Captain Valentinos remains. He hoped that he could find ID papers, a passeport, anything that would help him find her family. It was a long shot, but he couldnt ignore that womansst request without at least trying to fulfill it. I dont know what catnip theyre sniffing in space, but I want some for myself, to said in disbelief. You dont believe her? Basil asked. His body search came up empty, much to his chagrin. The astronauts must have left in a hurry. His cat squinted at him. Do you? I dont know. The astronautsst words sounded oundish, but she had said them with utter conviction. Only madmen or experts spoke with such certainty. Weve seen so much shittely, nothing will surprise me anymore. Basil, Basil, there are thresholds of weirdness, to argued. I can believe in giant birds and gods walking the earth, bute on, the entire universe vanishing? Thats too big. You believed Estrid when she told us how her world had been destroyed, Basil pointed out. That was just as big. I didnt believe her. I believed in you, who believed in her. to leaped out of the Soyouz with a ck, hand-sized electronic safe in his paws. Anyway, heres the treasure chest. Basil examined it and clenched his jaw. Not only was the safe password protected, but the keypad didnt respond to his touch. He would need a specialist to unlock it without damaging the contents. So, did weplete the quest? to asked. Not yet, Basil replied before storing the safe in his inventory. The Soyouz creaked in response, perhaps from the heat of malfunctioning electronics. So its not the right treasure? Or its still in danger. The quest said that Basils party had to recover the treasure before Halloween monsters destroyed it, and the night barely started. You didnt find anything else? to shook his head. Can we go back to killing monsters who cant fight back, please? All this cosmic stuff is giving me a headache. What about the sun, Mister? Rosemarine asked with surprising insight. Is it destroyed too? I hope I can still eat it. Oh right, isnt it farther than the moon? to pointed out. Shouldnt it have vanished too? Yet it shines all the time. Well, there''s proof, or so she said. Basil gazed at the video file folder in silence. He knew that the safest option was to return home, deal with the Halloween event, and examine the videos from a safe ce. Yet the October 15th recording was barely five minutes long and Ronald hadnt sent any urgent messages. Five minutes Unable to suppress his curiosity, Basil yed the video. He hoped it wasnt a cursed feed or ghost summoning tape. The video started with a vision of a porthole. The moons surface appeared beyond the reinforced plexiss, pale and gray. The craft was flying perilously close to it. Control, this is research pilot Bob Hopkins speaking, an offscreen man said. His ent sounded Texan. I am currently viting a good third of the procedures I spent half my life learning and flying a spacecraft of dubious origins. I hope it is for a good cause. Dont push it, Bob, another voice replied in the background. Either a copilot or a voice through the radio. You drew the short stick. Curse my rotten luck. The offscreen cameraman chuckled. I am filming from some kind of alien spacecraft recovered from the ISS''s ship hangar, because it has a hangar now. And an alien crche. I hoped for some Asari or Avatar blue babes, but a man cant Bob. His fellow cut through the chitchat. Describe what you see. Right, right, better obey or they wont pick me up on the return trip. The feeds resolution sharpened to show a detailed view of the moons surface. Approaching Copernicus crater. Colored auroras swirled above the moons surface in vast whirlpools of light. Basil would have found the spectacle beautiful, almost entrancing, if it didnt spell disaster for Earth. The particles floated like currents in a sea of energy above a strange, beehive-shaped structure of alien ck metal upying a colossallyrge crater. The cameraman had found the moons dungeon. Or in this case, dungeons. Each alcove in the superstructureBasil counted at five of themeach asrge as Chteau Muloup. All of them produced a singr aurora with a unique color, the sight reminding Basil of an industrialplex churning smoke into the atmosphere. He wondered the reason behind this dungeon clusters peculiar organization. Then the camera recorded Gearsmen building a neurotower. It was difficult to distinguish them through the auroras, yet the feeds enhanced resolution let through a glimpse of the situation on the ground. Basil paused the video in shock and stared at the picture for several seconds. A group of Gearsmen had gathered at the craters edge and were busy assembling a tall pir of steel and gears. The devices design differed from normal neurotowers, yet matched the one that Neria Elissalde once showed to Basil in Dax. Dismaker Labs didnt build dungeons on the moon. The Unity did it. Gearsmen must havended on the moon either on the first day of the Systems initialization or soon after the Incursion. Much like what happened in Dax, they immediately went on to build artificial neurotowers. With no human troops to stop them, they seeded. This is bad. Basil clenched his jaw in frustration. Members of a faction could teleport between dungeons under their control. If the Unity transported troops from the moon to Earth, who could cross the void of space to retaliate? Theyll keep summoning reinforcements to their lunar base with no interruption. At least the Unitys moon dungeonwork appeared unfinished. Basil and his party still had time to figure out a solution. If there was a solution. Basil struggled to find a way to reach the moon short of building a spaceship himself. What the fuck the astronaut muttered as he filmed the superdungeon. I see machines building some kind of fortress and receiver. Control? Control, can you see it too? Visual confirmed, the other voice said. Statics soon interfered with his words. Comp lete moon tour and return Bob Control? The cameraman sounded worried. Hey Lincoln, can you hear me? My radio is malfunctioning. Lincoln? B ob The words became garbled beyond recognition. Lincoln? No need to shout, manling, a deep, inhuman voice answered through the radio. I can hear you just fine. Basil winced. I have the most terrible sensation of dj-vu. Me too, to said grimly. The scene yed almost exactly as their encounter with Steamslime. What the hell? the cameraman asked. Who is speaking? Control? This is Queen-ranked General ckcinders of the Unity and this is ours. The voice sounded simr to Steamslimes, but different; more feminine, more forceful, and far, far colder. My forces will assume direct control of your dungeon shortly. Carry my message to your fellow apes: surrender or be destroyed. Control? Control? The astronaut repeated, yet the Unity dragonlord didnt answer this time. Control, do you hear me? The spaceship moved away from the moons surface, so the camera stopped showing it. Instead, the cameraman faced a magnificent vision of distant constetions. The stars glowed like fireballs in the vast darkness of space. What the fuck was that? The cameramans voice lowered. The stars somethings wrong. The distance, Basil immediately noticed. The stars looked within reach. These fireballs were not only smaller objects than the real constetions, but so much closer too. Theyre replicas. Moreover, the stars were organized in an abnormal way. A curved gulf of darkness separated multiple constetions from the rest of the sky. The isted stars were gathered into a rounded cluster with a familiar, innocuous shape. The tip of a finger. Basil stopped breathing in shock and neither of his pets moved an inch. In that moment, they all realized just how pitifully small they truly were. For all of their beauty, none of the stars couldpare to the suns terrible majesty. Where the constetion had berge clusters of fireballs, the sun soon upied the cameras entire field of vision. Its divine light caused the screen to glitch. A small sunspot ck as sin upied its center, almost imperceptible with the luminosity. Something is wrong the cameraman panicked. Control, something is wrong! The central sunspot moved to directly face the camera, the same way a pupil would focus on a moving object. Its not the sun! The astronaut shouted, his voice trembling with fear and existential dread. The cameras feed glitched until the entire screen turned into chaotic pixels. Its its an Its an eye, Basil realized to his horror. The video feed turned into a sea of pixels and the echo of a distorted scream. Then it ended as abruptly as it started. For a long moment, no one spoke. No one. Basil stared at the camera in shocked silence, his mind struggling to evenprehend what he had just witnessed. tos gaze was hollow, his body tense as a bowstring. Rosemarine was the least affected. She nced in confusion at her teammates and then broke the silence. Its okay, Mister, Rosemarine reassured him with her usual cheerfulness. One day, I will growrge enough to eat the sun and blind it! Her words did nothing to ease Basils existential dread, but at least it broke him out of his trance. An illusion. It had to be an illusion. CGI. A NASA prank meant to top Area 51. Yeah right, that had to be a hoax. Fake news. Basil told himself all these things and for a moment, he almost let himself be convinced. Then he remembered the quests name and realized it might very well have beenpletely literal. The Eye of Brahma, Basil whispered. He looked up at the moon and tried to imagine the the sun in its ce. Looming. Shining. Watching. It took all of Basils willpower to store the camera in his inventory and focus on the present moment. He did so by utterly repressing thest five minutes worth of memory, locking them away in a dark corner of his brain, and reminding himself that his allies in Chteau Muloup needed his help right now. Im storing them all, Basil decided. The Soyuz, the suits, everything. Wait a second The first video was recorded when the two astronauts boarded the ship. Yet thetter one didnt sound like someone with acid holes all over his body. Neither did the rest of the capsule show acid damage. Basil nced at his halberd. On a closer examination, he noticed drops of green liquid on the des edge. He turned his attention to the Soyouz and noticed simr traces of chemicals where his weapon cut the shielding. A lost treasure chest in the middle of the woods That was the most clich adventurer trap in the world. Rosemarines colossal size and presence probably dyed an ambush, but if Basils suspicions were correct, the creature that killed the astronauts was hidden in in sight. From the way the Soyuz creaked after they took the safe, it would follow them to recover it. Shit! Basil red at the Soyuz and took a step back. Rosemarine, stomp the ship! Theres a mimic in The ooze erupted from the ships wreckage without warning. As tentacles and fangs lunged for Basils head, he suddenly realized why the shuttle crashed here of all ces. As it turned out, the Attractive Lair feature could summon monsters all the way from space. Chapter 47: Man vs Halloween Chapter 47: Man vs Halloween Out of all the monsters Basil had expected to fight on Halloween, a spaceship mimic wasnt one of them. Basil didnt know whether the Soyuz had been a trap from the start or if the creature had slowly taken over the shuttle like a hermit crab. It didnt matter: at this point, the Soyuz and the mimic were indistinguishable from one another. The shuttles portholes transformed into globulous eyes and its hatch into a fanged mouth. Green slime tentacles surged from under the Soyuz to capture Basil and to. The two barely managed to dodge the surprise attack by taking a step back. The mimics tentacles lifted its metal body above the ground, revealing its hideous alien nature. To Basils surprise, Monster Insight finally activated to analyze the creature.
Xenomimic
Level 20 [Slime/Alien]
Immune: Corrosion, all Ailments.
Resist: Metal, Fire, Earth, Frost, Darkness.
Weak: Slimeyer, Alienyer, Light, Water, Wood.
A space mimic (because theres a space version of everything) that adapted to copy astronaut suits, spaceships, and electric cars. Its key resistances allow it to survive both the void of space and atmospheric reentry, while passive Perks hide its true nature from onlookers. Though toxic, its slime can be refined to make some sweet potions and marmde.
The creature roared at Basil and to with a maw full of sharp fangs. Both fighters raised their weapons, ready to fight for their lives and the honor of their house THOMP! And then Rosemarine squashed the mimic underfoot. To Basil, it felt like watching a big cat pouncing on a mouse except the cat in question was a giant flower dragon and the mouse a slime monster probably less than a fifth of her weight. The ooze exploded into a shower of goo, metal shards and wire-innards. Green blood sttered all across the crater and stained Basils clothes. I got it, Mister! Rosemarine chirped happily. Her root-ws were drenched in mimic guts and brain matter. I got it! For a moment, neither Basil nor to uttered a word. They simply stared at the thousand pieces and mimic organs sttered all over the ground. Rosemarine wagged her tail, humming a tune to herself. to broke the silence. Wait, thats all? What do you mean? Basil asked. Is it over already? to squinted at the mimics remains with suspicion. It isnt regenerating? Basil carefully touched a few slime pieces with the tip of his halberd. Either the mimic was exceptionally good at faking death or even its alien biology had its limits. I dont think it will recover. I can devour it, Mister, Rosemarine suggested. Just to be sure. Rosemarine, I dont think eating aliens is good for your health, Basil replied with a sneer. The mimics stench was horrendous. You dont know where it has been. tos shoulders hunched in sadness. Uh good job, Rosemarine. I guess? Thank you, Rosemarine replied before licking the alien blood off her leaf-scales. Dont tell me youre disappointed? Basil asked. I feel cheated, the cat admitted. With that kind of presentation, I expected more. At three-on-one with a nine level difference, it could only end this way, Basil pointed out. Youll get yours another time, Rosemarine said. I know, I know, but to kept looking at the mimics remains, as if expecting a second round of battle. Its just sad.
Congrattions! You earned 30,000 EXP (500 for you).
Basil struggled to hide his utter disappointment. A ny percent experience penalty really limited his leveling options and the mimics remains were too damaged for harvesting. At best he could bottle up some of its slime blood. The creature didnt even drop ghost candies, as it was unrted to the Halloween event. Well, at least theyre avenged. Basil nced at the dead astronauts. He stored their remains in the Guild inventory until the party could give them a proper burial. Well guys, time to clean up shop and join the others. to nced at the night sky with a concerned look. Basil, about that video I dont want to talk about it, to. Just looking up at the sun would give Basil chills from now on. Not yet. Not tonight. Right, to replied with a low voice. Rosemarine swiftly grabbed whatever ghost candies were left from her previous kills in the palm of her root-hand. Lets kill monsters. That, I canprehend. The rest is too big for me. Basil couldnt agree more. He had already struggled to imagine the Systems influence on Earth, but to think the wasnt even in its proper ce anymore shook him to his core. And that that thing holding the in the palm of its hand A creature at least twice the size of Jupiter. Basils mind couldnt fathom the dimensions involved. That was it. The power of an Overgod. Basil hadnt understood what the term involved beforehand, but now he did. The only thing more terrifying than this entity, and the implications of its mere existence, was the idea of someone like Apollyon achieving the same power. Basil never cared about the race for Overgod, but its true urgency now dawned upon him. He couldnt allow either the Unity or Apocalypse Force to reach level 100. The consequences would be disastrous, not only for Earth, but the entire cosmos. And more than anything, Basil couldnt help but remember how Estrid illustrated her worlds destruction: by taking a stone in the palm of her hand and crushing it utterly. If Earth and moon were indeed within the palm of an Overgod then her metaphor might have been more literal than Basil imagined. Now I see why Captain Valentino suggested I sit before watching that video. Basil opened his status screen and prepared to test his Guilds teleportation magic. He would need to watch it again alongside the cameras backlog, but not before a good nights sleep. I wonder if thats how Job felt when God showed him the vastness of the universe: pitifully small. to had a point. A good monster hunt would help clear his mind. Distract him from his cosmic insignificance. The teleportation effect was as abrupt as Basil expected it to be. The Soyuz crater vanished in a sh of violet light, and the next thing he knew he was back in Chteau Muloups courtyard alongside to. It wasplete and utter chaos. Shoot them! Shellgirl frantically shouted from the ramparts. Ice pearls and arrows flew up in the air, nailing zombie birds and skeletal bugs. Dinosaur screams echoed beyond the castles walls. Shoot them down! Im trying! Bugsy roared from atop the ramparts. mes burst from his mandibles to incinerate a zombie thunderbird. The beast immediately exploded into a shower of candies. There are too many of them! Eat them! Ronald snarled as he ate his way through zombies attacking the outer walls. None could scratch his invincible vegetable body, but Basil noticed that some of the monsters appeared to be skeletal versions of Apollyons drones Eat them all! What the hell? Basil asked as he almost tripped on a corpse. The courtyards ground was covered in ghost candies and dead birds. None of them hadnded around Vasi, who remained safe inside her magical circle. The witch chanted inside a pentagram formed of burning candles, eyes closed as if to shut out the outside noise. Is it the Apocalypse Force? Basil! A rotting goblin zombie leaped off the walls andnded in the courtyard. It raised a dagger. Do you remember me, Basil?
Goblin Zombie
Level 5 [Undead/Beast]
Immune: N/A.
Resist: Frost, Darkness.
Weak: Deadyer, Beastyer, Light, Fire, Life.
Your table scraps.
No, I dont. Basil frowned at the critter. Should I? You should, yes! The goblin opened his mouth to show rows of rotten teeth. When you cooked me with potatoes and pepper sauce, I looked like this! Basil looked down on the goblin with a shrug. Alright. He cut the critter in half with his halberd without fanfare and promptly moved on to the next. to joined in the fun by Wind shing any dead birding his way. And there were many. An entire flock of death fell upon the cat in a wild suicide dive bombing run. Begone! to snarled, unleashing wind shes after wind shes at the flyers. The cat was facing his worst nightmare: birds unafraid of fighting back. Ill hunt you and your entire feathered family! What the hell is going on here? Basil asked as he unstored his handgun, holding it in one hand and his halberd in the other. He didnt miss the fact that Vasis magical circle had taken on the color of blood, nor the presence of ghostly presences floating around her. Now that he thought of it, her ritual appeared vaguely satanic Boss, do you Bugsy cleared his throat in between fire bursts. Do you remember all the monsters weve eaten? No, Basil replied with a scowl. Dont tell me They, uh Bugsy sounded a little ashamed. They came back, Boss. Basil climbed the outer walls and watched the horde beyond. Hundreds of undead monsters besieged the castle. Zombie goblins drowned in Chteau Muloups moat alongside skeletal dinosaurs and headless chickens. Reborn Apollyon drones and suicidal mummy birds banded into a flock of doom. An ogre ghoul struggled to escape a pit trap as Chteau Muloups defenders nailed him with crossbow bolts. Rosemarine, who had teleported outside the castles walls, fought the mightiest of them: a gigantic, rotting brachiosaurus more than twenty-meters in length. The tropidrake tackled the green-skinned, long-necked dinosaur into the waters of the Etang Noir. Both beasts roared as each of their blows sent waves crashing on the castles bridge. The two titans bit into each other under the light of the pumpkin moon, each of them fueled by primal fury.
Brachiozombie
Level 20 [Reptile/Undead]
Dragon vs dinosaur. The fight Basil didnt know he wanted, but that he couldnt stop watching. Yet he had to. For almost all of these hordes members were familiar faces. His party had eaten everyst one of them. Its our meals, Boss, Bugsy said with a sigh. They came back from the dead for vengeance. If there was karma in the situation, Basil missed itpletely. How did they know we moved out? The culprit sent him a notification.
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse.
Of course the System would direct all vengeful ghosts on Halloween night. Whoever programmed this System was a humongous dick. Okay, perhaps we should cut down on the meat consumption, Basil said with a frown. His party was clearly a localized extinction event. But I think I would remember killing a brachiosaurus. That one is on me! Vasi shouted from the courtyard. I swear it was an ident! Basil looked at her in disbelief. How can you identally kill a prehistoric giraffe?! A traffic ident! Vasi replied over the cackling noise of magical energies gathering around her. Creepy ghosts moaned around her. He raised his head when I took a corner and I hit him! You cant brake quickly with a flying broom, Basil! She hadmitted a hit-and-run on a dinosaur? Basil couldnt help but stare at the brachiosaurus with pity. For such a noble creature to suffer a deers death How long until youre done? Basil asked Vasi as he loaded his gun. I would say five four Vasi smiled. Straight to zero! A crimson thunderbolt fell upon Vasis pentagram aftering out of nowhere. The candles red with dark mes and a cloud of infernal power swallowed the witch whole. The ghosts floating around her wailed before fading away. Vasi metamorphosed before Basils eyes. Though her transformation wasnt as drastic as Rosemarines or Bugsys, she changed a great deal anyway. Her green skin took on a shade of light purple and ram horns formed out of her skull right above the ears. A sinuous, ck, forked demonic tail stuck out from under her dress. Her short ck hair had lengthened and grown spikier, wilder. When the smoke dissipated, only burning traces on the ground remained of Vasis circle and candles. The witch looked more sensual, more dangerous, and most importantly, brimming with devilish might.
Congrattions! [Changeling] Vasilisa Yaga metamorphosed into a [Night Hag] (Fairy/Demon)! She learned the [Night Terror] Passive Perk, the [Dreamrider] Active Perk, and the [Hasten], [mor], and [Shadowspikes] spells! Her existing Perks have also been strengthened.
It worked! Vasi grinned ear to ear. Her canines had lengthened, simr to a vampire. Tier IV atst! Vasi, are you alright? Basil asked. Her new appearance slightly worried him, both as an Orthodox Christian and a fellow teammate. Alright? Vasis hands simmered with magical, violet mes. Ive never felt better, Handsome. She snapped her fingers in Basils direction. Hasten. He felt her magic coursing through his veins and empowering him.
[Haste] buff! Dted time will double your speed for one minute!
Go get them, Vasi said. Time seemed to slow down as she spoke, her words stretching on for what seemed like forever. She didnt need to tell him twice. Basil leaped over the rampart and stomped on a mummy thunderbird which had the bad luck of flying too close to him. Both crashed on the ground amidst the undead horde, with the thunderbird serving as an unliving doormat to soften Basilsnding. The beast dissipated into a shower of ghost candies. Its zombie kindred flocked around Basil to surround him for all sides. Yet they all seemed so agonizingly slow to him. The world was slow. He could see the dust from hisnding fall around him in real time. Basil swung his halberd and tore a path through the undead, swift as the wind. His feet moved faster than Usain Bolts ever did. Basil iled his halberd as he tore through the crowd like a tank through infantry. When he fired his handgun, he could perceive the bullets piercing through the air. Within seconds he had cut a line through the castles stone bridge, deftly navigating around the traps his team had set for the intruders. He wasnt the only one enjoying the fun. Vasi appeared atop her broomstick and floated above the walls. She cast her spell on Bugsy, Shellgirl And finally, she cast it on Rosemarine. Quick as a snake, the tropidrake bit the Brachiozombies neck with her fanged maw, turned around, and tossed it over onto the shore of Chteau Muloup. The gigantic dinosaurs fall sent clouds of dust into the air and shook the ground all around the dungeon. Vasi quickly finished the beast by summoning shadowy spikes from the ground. They impaled the beast and tore it apart into a rain of candies. Vasis buff was incredibly powerful but also just as short-lived. The rush of speed ended as abruptly as it started. To Basils senses, it seemed as if time caught up to him. Everything elerated back to normal speed around him. But by then, almost all the invaders were already deador deader, in this case. Shellgirl and Bugsy bombarded what remained with fast-paced projectiles, and Rosemarine simply had to walk on zombie goblins to finish them off. The difference in level, in buffs, in firepower, was simply too great. Basil would have loved to say that he struggled for his life, that the battle was well-fought. But that would have been a lie. They came, they killed, and they returned to the castle with pockets full of candies. The end. Ive learned a lesson tonight, Basil said as his group gathered the candies they earned inside the courtyard. The pile was tall enough to rival the outer wall. A very important lesson. That we should stop eating sentient beings and be vegetarians? Bugsy asked anxiously. What? No, of course not! If global warming and the apocalypse couldnt change Basils diet, nothing would. Next time we eat something, well use their bodies as crafting material before they can rise from the dead. That way they wonte back to haunt us. Oh, what a relief, to rejoiced. Bugsy chirped in happiness behind him. I love lessons that dont involve us changing anything. Vasinded her broomstick in the courtyard. I think we sent them all running, she said before elegantly climbing down from her vehicle, I expected more danger from this event, but I suppose we were overleveled for it. Basil suspected the rest of the world would have had a significantly harder time. His party was almost level 30, far above the Incursion limit. As odd as it sounded, they were among the worlds top dogs for the moment. And Basil liked it. After thest few harrowing battles and the crash sites discovery, it just felt good to bust skulls left and right. He had yed through a beat em up game in real life. Still, Vasis new appearance unsettled him. She was as beautiful as ever, but Basil would need time to get used to the demonic features. Vasi immediately noticed his unease and appeared a little disappointed. You dont like my new look? Are you kidding? Shellgirl red at Basil. Look at her! Shes wonderful! Shes beautiful! Dont you feel your heart burning with lust, you cold-hearted man?! She looks a little too demonic for my taste. Basil cleared his throat. I have to ask, Vasi: are you a subus? Vasiughed. No, Basil, I donte from the below ce. My mother was what you could call a hag. The fairy tale kind. I expected more wrinkles. No ancient crone is born old. Vasi touched her new horns with curiosity. I admit the ritual allowed me to skip certain evolutionary steps. I shouldnt have transformed into a mature night hag until a few centuries passed. She locked eyes with Basil. I can cast a mor spell if its really bothering you. No need, Basil replied with a shrug. Youre my friend, Ill get used to it. Thank you. I appreciate the effort. Vasi nodded slowly and turned her attention to the candy pile. What do we do with them? Im sure an option will present itself shortly, Basil said. The night was almost over, and since the System started awarding him experience, he assumed no other monster would dare challenge them until dawn.
Quest: The Eye of Brahma,plete! Your party earned 30,000 EXP (5000 for you) and a new video feed has been added to your Logs.
Your party earned 240,000 experience (8000 for you) from the battle. You earned a level (total 30).
A level which Basil immediately applied to his Tamer ss. He had the feeling it would be thest one in a long, long while. Anything under level 20 wouldnt provide experience now.
Level 16 Tamer Stat Gains: +1 STR, +1 AGI, +1 MAG, +1 CHA. You earned 20 HP and 10 SP.
Oh! Shellgirl moaned in pleasure. I feel my assets tititing! Time for a promotion!
[m Mimic] Shellgirl can transform into:
Well, the Mimic Booty seems practical, Basil noted. But the Gemstone m would be better in a fight. I suggest Mimic Booty! Shellgirl shouted. Itll boost my sales! Basil sighed and epted her choice. Predictable. As you wish. And so, thest of his monsters who had yet to transform joined that exclusive club. When the light of metamorphosis faded away, Shellgirl came out of her shell. Literally. Two legs carried her, alongside a belt of octopus tentacles growing from her waist; small barrels grew at thetters tips. The goo making up her body had taken on a shade of dark blue and her greedy eyes were now appropriately golden. Her shell had also been streamlined. Its surface was now smooth and glowing with the rainbows colors. Its cannons had vanished, but it seemed harder than ever. And most importantly, Shellgirl had legs. Two slimy legs, but legs all the same. No longer would she hop around at a snails pace.
Congrattions, [m Mimic] Shellgirl metamorphosed into a [Mimic Booty]! She learned the [Slimeshift] passive Perk, and the [Discord Bounty], [Draw Aggro] and [Motivate] Active Perks! Her existing Perks have also been strengthened!
Basil nced at Shellgirls breasts, which had doubled in size. Since he couldnt fathom why a mammary imnt would make her a better fighter, he assumed one of the Trimurti Systems programmers had been a perverted deviant. I should have known the devs would make her lewder, Basil thought with utter resignation. A lifetime of ying video games had worn down his expectations. At least shes not a mermaid. Shellgirl, you are so beautiful! Vasi covered her mouth. You will make many fish blush! Look at the size of these assets! Shellgirl fondled herself and showcased her voluptuous curves. You think I could charge customers for touching them? Basil didnt like where this was going. At all. I can walk! Shellgirl grinned and took a step forward. Vasi, look, I can walk She tripped and fell on the ground with a loud thump sound. Basil and the rest of his Party looked at her in embarrassed silence, except for to, who shrugged in sympathy. First time on two legs, uh? he asked. It happened to me too. Shellgirl, are you alright? Vasi asked with concern. Im okay Shellgirl said with a thumbs up and her face still against the ground. Ill train for it Like human babies, she had one hell of a learning curve ahead of her. Chapter 48: Man vs Prizes Chapter 48: Man vs Prizes The pumpkin moon vanished beyond the horizon, signaling the events end. No other monster dared to challenge the Homeowner Revenge Associations might during the night. The candy mountain didnt grow any taller than it already did, which disappointed Basil a little. In retrospect, he should have been more proactive hunting weak monsters instead of focusing on the dungeons defense. At least the Lair features should have boosted the number of candies dropped. Basil, to, and Vasi spent thest few minutes coaching Shellgirl on how to walk. It was a long shot. Unlike to, who had at least been used to running on all fours before gaining the ability to stand, the former m mimic never even had limbs below her waist. Shellgirl was a quick learner, but by the time she managed to walk five meters without tripping, the courtyard was covered in face-shaped puddles of slime. Her sheer resilience astonished Basil. He med her exceptional Vitality and resistance to Physical damage, alongside a stubborn refusal to stay down. In short, she possessed all the qualities of a good door-to-door salesman. As for her stats Shellgirls metamorphosis would change a lot of things for the party. Name Shellgirl (Mimic Booty) Type Aquatic/Slime Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 110,018/120,000 Immune Resist Weak Water. Physical, Frost, Darkness, Mind, all ailments. Aquayer, Slimeyer, Corrosion, Metal, Fire, Lightning. Level Health Points Special Points 30 1270 615 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 35 (C+20%) 13 (C+20%) 54 (A+20%) 25 (D+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 35 (C+20%) 32 (C+20%) 32 (B+20%) 34 (B+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong Strong - Weak Weak - - Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Weak Strong - - Strong Weak - Strong - Passive Perks Active Perks Shelter+ Ice Bomb Rainbow Shell Inventory Rainmantle Moneymaker Discord Bounty Slimeshift Draw Aggro Motivate
Passive Perk:
Active Perks:
Basil blinked a few times when he read about Shellgirls new Perks. Her Discord Bounty and Draw Aggro abilities opened so many options on the tactical front. She could disrupt enemy formations and protect weaker party members by focusing enemy fire onto herself. Her shell and regeneration would allow her to weather assaults while her allies regrouped. Finally, her Motivate buff would synergize well with Vasis Hasten spell. Basil already imagined himself and other frontliners butchering their way through enemy groups. The situation reminded him of his experience with RPGs. The more powers he unlocked, the more options for devastation. Perhaps it was time to apply his experience with tactical games to real-life situations Youre doing great, Vasi encouraged Shellgirl as she walked around the courtyard. The Mimic Booty reminded Basil of a blind woman advancing carefully on a road: each step looked like thest. Keep going. Remember, its about looking down on others, to advised her. You must draw strength from that. Im getting the hang of it! Shellgir said with a grin. She was trying to fake it until she made it, but she wasnt good at either. Now, time to run! No, Shellgirl! Vasi shouted in panic. Dont! Shellgirl ignored her and started racing across the courtyard. To Basils surprise, she was surprisingly good at it. Her steps were clumsy, her posture a little too bent, yet she managed to advance in a straight line without stumbling immediately. Ah, this is easy! Shellgirl boasted. I can feel the wind on my fac She tripped and crashed near the courtyards pool. Basil winced at the impact and Vasi immediately rushed to her friends side. Only to remained utterly unfazed. Baby steps, he said with a shrug. Baby steps. The gargoyle recruits cleaned up after the slime Shellgirl left everywhere with her footsteps. Basil noticed that one of them had metamorphosed when he wasnt looking and gained more draconic features. The haunted armor too enjoyed a redesign, its rusted steel now returned to pristine condition. At least the night was profitable for them. Basil felt a little jealous. I shouldnt think that way. Levels are a means, not an end in themselves. He had long suspected that the rush of pleasure that followed a level-up was a pernicious trap, meant to create an addiction in yers and monsters alike. Many of them killed for the thrill of new power nowadays. Basil couldnt allow himself to fall into a simr mindset. Ill get it right eventually, Shellgirl swore as Vasi helped her back to her feet. Failure is part of the learning process! Yes, but pain isnt, to replied dryly. Dont shame her, to, Basil said. If anything, he admired her grit. Youll have to train too. Well practice a drill on the way to Bordeaux. Yes, but to froze and squinted at his best friend. A drill? What drill? Abat drill, Basil replied. Its time we practice our team tactics more thoroughly. Basil wouldnt let the disastrous battle against Baron Lndes party repeat itself. Craftiness and improvisation carried his party so far, but each new level threshold raised the danger they faced tenfold. Their future enemies had survived the culling of the early days and emerged victorious after many battles. They would be experienced, powerful, and determined. Luck is a poor substitute for preparation, Basil said. So well practice each day until we get our partyposition right. I cant wait to test my new Perks, Shellgirl said with enthusiasm. Ive always wanted to try out corporate sabotage in the field. to groaned. Fine, but only in the evening. Ive got too much work in the morning. Too much napping? Basil mocked him. His cat responded with a mock swipe. Im all for target practice too, Vasi said. But give me time to learn new Tier III and IV spells with the holomachine first. As a Night Hag, I added the Chronomancy and Necromancy schools to my repertoire. Both might affect my fighting style going forward. Necromancy? Basil frowned at her. Can you raise the dead now? Thats clich, Vasi replied with a sad smile. You can do a lot more with necromancy than just creating walking steaks, at least if half of what Walter told me is true. If you asked me if I could revive Orcine and the others Im afraid I cant. Basil sighed. He had expected that answer, but still, a man could only hope. I guess I need to study my runes too. Oh? Vasi crossed her arms and gave him a coy smirk. Would you like to be my bodyguard as we delve into the dark arts of magic, Basil Bohen? Sure, Basil replied with a chuckle. He wouldnt let her teasing get to him and he needed to learn new Runic spells anyway. Though I would prefer if you focused on Chronomancy first. I assume your Hasten spelles from that spellcasting school. Spacetime magic is always the most overpowered, Vasi agreed. Though it is unreliable. As youve seen for yourself, my Hasten spell is exceptionally short on duration not to mention SP intensive. Basil crossed his arms. I wonder if we could craft an item to help with that. Speaking of crafting, an idea crossed my mind. Vasi put a hand on her waist. If I understand correctly, you cannot store the Steamobile in your inventory because it counts as a house? Thats correct, Basil replied before quickly catching on. Ah, I see. I made my house into a Lair, so you think you could do the same with the Steamobile. My thoughts exactly. Vasi smiled. Now that I metamorphosed, your Lair II ability allows me to select one. I was thinking of equipping our humble steel caravan with crafting, spellcasting, and experience boosters. Dont forget the loot boost feature either, Shellgirl chimed in. Well make a killing from long-distance shipping. Sure, more bonuses are always good on the road, Basil said right as he received a notification. With dawn rising on the horizon, the Halloween event was officially over.
Congrattions, for surviving the [Halloween] event! We hope to see you participate in the future [Christmas], [New Year], [Easter], [Valentine''s Day] and [Summer Break] seasonal events too! Great rewards await you!
Will they make a fighting tournament on every popr holiday? Basil wondered if that included national festivals too, though he doubted it. It would give too much of an advantage to one country. Still, he wondered what each season held in store for him. If the Easter boss is a murderous rabbit, Ill throw in the towel.
Your Guild umted 45,554 Ghost Candies. Youve earned the following Rewards:
Halloween ss unlocked for you: [Deathknight] (Fighter/Monster Hybrid ss).
The ghost candy mountain in the courtyard disappeared in a puff of smoke. Two new items materialized in its ce: arge ck book with a stylized version of Da Vincis Vitruvian Man on the cover and a folded dress topped by a witch hat. Seeing a hill of delicacies shrinking into these two tiny items left Shellgirl disappointed. Wait, thats all? she asked. A book and a dress? Wheres the gold? The diamond pumpkins?!
Dismaker Labs does not offer prize refunds.
Quality over quantity, Basil replied as he picked up the book. He expected a sinister tome of human flesh penned with blood, but it was made of good paper instead. He flipped the pages to stare at human diagrams, potion recipes, and steampunk schematics.
Jekyll & Stein
Family: Crafting Manual
Quality: A
A crafting recipe collection including entries from respectable British scientists such as Dr. Jekyll (ghostwritten by Mr. Hyde), Victor Frankenstein, Van Helsing, and the Invisible Man. Contains dozens of alchemical recipes, guidelines to build flesh golems, and everything to build your mad scienceb. If you dontugh maniacally at least once in its possession, you truly dont deserve this book.
Nice, a Victorian horror sciencependium. Basil always wanted one for Christmas. Reading this book filled his heart with the urge to craft. Basil had ignored the Alchemist ss since the house''s destruction, but the Steamobile wasrge enough to house a mobileb. It shouldnt be too hard. Drug dealers did it all the time. As for the dress
Hallowitch Robes
Family: Clothing (Dress).
Quality: B
Effect 1: [Spell Duration +]: Doubles the duration of spells cast by the wearer, whether they are buffs, ailments, or lingering effects.
Effect 2: [Spell Range +]: Doubles the range of spells cast by the wearer.
Effect 3: [Gremory]: The dress will automatically adapt to the wielders body shape and gender.
An Halloween-themed witch garment woven from spider silk and the hair of naughty children (harvested by the Boogeyman association using eco-responsible methods). The hat is magically enchanted to always stick to the wearer as long as they wear the dress, no matter the weather conditions. This gown will make kids weep and adults scream with joy!
Vasis eyes burned with greed. Basil suspected she had seen the items stats. Basil, do you mind if Yes, you can keep it, Basil replied with a shrug. She was the only one with decent spellcasting abilities in the team, so who else could wear it? No take-backs! Vasi immediately grabbed the dress before Basil could change his mind. He suddenly realized why she got along so well with Shellgirl. Ohohoho, girl time! Shellgirl pped her hands. Ive found jewels that will make you look dashing with these new clothes! A mimic after my own heart, Vasi replied with enthusiasm. Basil watched the two with amusement before analyzing his newly unlocked ss. Considering its hybrid nature simr to Technomancer, it was probably unusually powerful.
Deathknight: A fearsome ck knight ss with deadly melee abilities and lordship over night creatures. STR (A), AGI (B), VIT (B), SKI (B), MAG (B), INT (C), CHA (A), LCK (B).
Basil wasnt sure what to make of this new addition to his repertoire. It sounded quite useful, but he was dedicated to Tamer for now and Deathknight didnt sound like a respectable upation. If anything, he would rather be a Pdin. But since beggars couldnt be choosers, Basil would question Vasi about the sster. Perhaps she heard of it in her world. Basil set his ss progression questions aside to check on Ronald. The burger was supervising his troops from the ramparts as they cleaned up the corpses outside the walls; those that Rosemarine hadnt eaten already at least. Since not all of them turned into candies, Basil assumed they rose on their own rather than through the events power. Everything good? Basil asked. Castle safe, King Basil, the burger monster said with a belch. Good experience, kitchen safe, soldiers strong. Ill entrust this ce to you then. Basil nced at the rising dawn. Its brilliance reflected on the Steamobile and Rosemarines scales. The tropidrake rested for the time being, her scales absorbing the sunlight for the journey ahead. Weve dyed our departure until Vasi couldplete her ritual, but now now we must go. Bordeaux and Kalki awaited. The Bohens left the dungeon at noon. As Bugsy and to loaded thest of their supplies aboard the Steamobile, Basil finished attaching its harness to Rosemarines back. It felt strangely heavy; not because of its weight, but because of what this action represented. The end of a journey and the beginning of another. Basil looked at the marshes with a mix of longing and nostalgia. He had called the region his home for years. It held as much of a ce in his heart as his native Bulgaria. And somehow, although it was a teleportation button away Basil had the feeling he wouldnt see it again for many, many months. Goodbye, my queen! Ronald dered from atop the walls. A dozen fire seeds wept embers at the sight. We shall await your triumphant return! I will return atop a bridge of corpses, or not at all! Rosemarine swore. Are we ready to go? to asked Basil. Almost. Basil faced the walls and shouted. Vasi! Shellgirl! We need to go! Coming! The two women emerged from the dungeon with a cadre of Lycan warriors after them. Shellgirl dragged her treasure shell across the ground with one hand. Much like Vasi, she took the opportunity to dress up a bit by putting on rings, golden bracelets, and a shell ne. Basil suspected that she pilfered most of them from Baron Lndes bedroom. These items all looked nice individually, but Shellgirl put on so much that it became downright vulgar. Vasi, though, was the very picture of elegance. The Halloween witch costume she wore was an elegant ck gown falling down to her ankles, with long sleeves and a feather partlet covering her shoulders. Golden lines woven into the fabric formed a spiderweb motif all over the dress. A dark blue corset fit her curves perfectly and exposed her cleavage. A witch hat sat atop her groomed hair, tastefully hiding her ram horns under its shadow, and a red ruby ne glowed around her neck. Like what you see? Vasi teased him. You look great, Basilplimented her. He couldnt wait to see her sting monsters apart into her finery. Great? Are you kidding? Vasi looks dashing! Shellgirls enthusiasm suddenly turned to sourness. Hey wait, nopliment for me? Look at all the gold I put on! You look like a Newmont ad, Basil replied pitilessly. Your appearance screams Nouveau Riche. Im sure she shines in the dark, to mused. I told you it was too bling-bling, Vasi whispered. Shellgirl crossed her arms in response. Ohe on, dont sulk over it. Im not sulking, Im suffering, Shellgirl grumbled. It would all fit together if I had a crown. If you have time toin, youve got time to climb into the giant snails shell, Basil said. Weve got a long drive ahead of us. Of course, of course, Vasi replied softly. She climbed into the Steamobile like Cendrillon in her carriage while looking like Maleficent. Basil missed his Disney movies. Basil sensed Bugsys eyes on his back and frowned at the centimagma. What? he asked. Ill never stop believing, Bugsy replied with a strange form of determination. Never. Basil had no idea what he meant, and he wasnt sure if he wanted to understand at all. Uh, okay I guess? Alright boys, remember my lessons! Shellgirl coached the lycans onest time before departure. Be polite, be professional, build trust! A happy customer is a buying customer! Can we eat them if theyre disagreeable? a lycan asked. Apparently Shellgirl designated him and others as her new employees. Only if they attack you first, Shellgirl replied. Verbal attacks dont count! The wolf-men groaned in disappointment. Basil suddenly wondered if sending bloodthirsty monsters trading across the countryside in his Guilds name truly was a good idea. Any incident would reflect on him. Well, toote to change it now. He had given his word to Shellgirl and would trust her judgment. Basil climbed on the Steamobilest. Rosemarine, onward! Yes, Mister! the tropidrake answered before walking away. The Steamobile creaked as Rosemarine dragged it across Chteau Muloups bridge of stone and the road beyond. Basil and co waved goodbye to the rest of the Guild from the vehicle''s back, until the dungeon disappeared from view. The two groups would remain in contact through the messaging, but it might be a long while before they met in the flesh again. I cant shake the feeling Ive forgotten something. Basil always felt that way when he went on a trip. At least I double-checked my toothbrush this time.
Reminder: you have a new video feed in your Logs. It will provide a hint for the Lotus of Remembrance Main Quest.
Basil winced at the notification. The Soyuzs camera still remained in his inventory alongside all of its dark secrets. Basil opened his System Logs. The submenu included a board for quests, a guild messagery box, a bestiary for registered monsters and a file folder with a notification. Basil clicked on it and checked the only video avable. Its title was short, but ominous.
Video Feed: Dismaker Labs board meeting.
Basil clenched his jaw and went looking for a mattress. This time, he would follow Captain Valentinos advice and sitfortably before ying the recording. He had the feeling he was in for a hell of a ride. Chapter 49: Man vs Investigation Chapter 49: Man vs Investigation Basils bedroom in the Steamobile was a tiny alcove with a mattress and a single window. It was terribly small, ufortable, and trembled with each road bump. In short, it was the perfect ce to watch a world-shaking video. The truth wouldnt hurt as much as Basils back. Ive got hours to kill. Basil sat asfortably as he could. He had instructed Rosemarine to follow the coastline north on the way to Bordeaux, which would take longer than the highroad but should also be safer. With the loss of Nerias radio, Basil couldnt tell what kind of troubles his team might encounter on the way. I would rather watch Netflix or Major Chicken, but this will do. Clicking on the Dismaker Labs board meeting video in the Logs folder widened his System screen until it spanned his entire field of view. Basil heard a screeching, glitchy sound echo in the back of his head. It reminded him of the time he tried the Oculus Rift headset technology, though he wished the quality was as good. The video feed was shoddy as hell. Visual glitches interfered with Basils vision and a stream of static noise buzzed all around him. Blocks of Minecraft-like blue data vaguely assembled in the shape of a table floating aimlessly inside an infinite white void. This ce looked no more real than a dream. As if on cue, colored particles gathered around the table and condensed into five spots. Humanoid shapes formed from nothing, four of them sitting in ethereal chairs. The fifth figure stood at the tables end, hands behind his back. Basil struggled to see much of these entities. He could tell they were humans, or at least looked the part, but visual glitches blurred their features. He could only pick out a few traits: a caucasiondy, with short auburn her and an elegant dress; an Asian man, old and wrinkled, carrying a portable bottle of oxygen to keep him alive; a tall male executive dressed to kill; a scrawny, mousy programmer typing lines of codes on a holographic screen This Zoom upgrade looks terrible, Basil cursed under his breath. Of course Dismaker Labs System wouldnt let him identify its boards members. The only exception was the figure standing at the tables end; his projection alone didnt suffer from any visual glitch. The man was built like ox, tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed like a Giorgio Armani model. His skin was light brown, his facial features vaguely Indian. A bright red beard and wild hair gave him the look of a wild lion straight out of the savannah. Dark sunsses covered his eyes and hid his expression from outsiders sight. His posture reminded Basil of entric billionaires like Richard Branson, thete John McAffee, and a little of Elon Musk. A man so sessful that he could dress like Mufasa and no one would find it abnormal. entricity and showmanship had be part of his identity. It didnt take a genius to figure out the mans identity. Weedies and gentlemen, to Dismaker Labsst virtual board meeting, the leader dered with a thin smile and a showmans wave of hand. After so many years, we are finally ready for the Trimurti Systemsunch! I hope you are all as excited as I am! We couldnt have made it this far without you, Maxwell, said the only female executive present. A virtual toast to you. The digital ghosts pped as their leader offered them a polite bow. Thank you, thank you, he said. I am touched. I knew it. Basil could finally put a face on the man who destroyed the world. Anton Maxwell. Dismaker Labs CEO. Basil tried to punch the virtual dick on principle, but his hand went through Maxwells face. Such a shame. That asshole deserved at least seven billion ps; one for each person on Earth he had fucked over. Forgive me, my dear Hypathia, for you are wrong, Anton Maxwell dered with false modesty. The lions share of this historic victory, of this monumental achievement, goes to you all. My dear friends, it is your money, your resources, your determination and your hard work that led us to this point. I offered the blueprints to heaven, but it was the sweat of your brows that paved the pathway. And this System you promised us better deliver, the old Asian man in attendance rasped. I lent you billions, Maxwell. Billions. What is moneypared to immortality, Mr. Tamura? the well-dressed executive replied politely. We will soon be crowned as kings no, as gods. Knock on a stone bridge before crossing it, Ashok, Mr. Tamura replied with a snort. If this fails, Maxwell, there will be consequences. I do not forgive bad investments. Basils blood boiled in his veins. He was almost certainly watching the conspiracy that brought the world to an end, and they discussed it with the same enthusiasm as shareholders debating over a quarterly report. There was no anxiety in their digitized voices, no remorse, no appreciation for their ns catastrophic consequences. Dismaker Labs treated the iing apocalypse with utter indifference. Its not that they dont understand what theyre about to do, Basil thought, fists clenched in quiet fury. One of them simply cared more about his return on investment than the global disaster ahead. Its that they dont give a fuck. I am wounded. Have I not delivered? Anton Maxwell put a hand on his heart. Have I not shown you what the System can aplish through the trials and testing phases? You have created wonders, the bespectacled programmer among them conceded. But you promised us miracles. And I will achieve them, Benjamin, Anton argued before surveying each executive in turn. Do not worry, I will fulfill our contract to the letter. You will all receive your hearts desire. Eternal youth and pleasure; power and fame; retribution for your losses; ascension and enlightenment you will be akin to gods among men, free to shape the world as you see fit. What about you? Benjamin asked. Basil wondered if those were their true names or pseudonyms to avoid identification. You havent set a host avatar for yourself. Ive checked. You know I do not need one. Anton Maxwells smile sent shivers down Basils spine. There was something predatory in his pale white teeth. Neither do I intend to participate in this little contest. I will watch the show from the gallery. I dont believe you, the programmer replied dryly. I dont either. Basil thought. He couldnt imagine someone knowingly nning the end of the world with godhood as a prize to just sit it out. Believe what you want, Benjamin, Anton replied calmly. I have no need for godhood. All I seek is a functional gate to the great beyond. That is my wish. Basil squinted. A gate? A gate to where? Whatever, Benjamin said with a snort. So long as I get her back, you can go to Hell for all I care. The Asian executive, Mr. Tamura, grunted in response. What now, Maxwell? I assume that you didnt summon us right before theunch to exchange barbs. Speak clearly and stop wasting my time. Is the n going as scheduled? Hypathia asked, more politely. Yes and no. Antons smile wavered. Everything is unfolding as we nned with a tiny little exception. Due to interferences, we cannot pinpoint where the Avatar of Vishnu will manifest. He might appear outside of India. What ab-ab-about Laksmis avatar? Hypathias voice briefly glitched, to the point Basil struggled to understand her words. She turned to face thest executive, the best dressed of the lot. Capturing her is your task, Ashok. We are ready to wee Her Majesty properly, Ashok. replied The man shifted in his chair with calm, quiet confidence. The Prison Dungeon will capture her the moment she manifests. As for Vishnu, it doesnt matter where his avatar will appear. He wille to find her and share her cell soon enough. Benjamin joined his hands together. There is a risk that he might die. Our alterations to the System should summon the Preservation Avatar in a weakened state. The Kalki may not even be aware of his true significance nor be capable of defending himself. This is a risk I wanted to address today, Anton confirmed. He must be captured alive as soon as possible, or our efforts wille to naught. What happens if he perishes? Hypathia asked. Each of the Trimurtis aspects will be dominant at one point of the Systems initialization, Anton Maxwell exined, his pose shifting to that of Steve Jobs giving a lecture to newbie tech students. Brahma will fuel the worlds rebirth, and then Vishnu will move on to maintain the bnce between creation and destruction. He shall spin the wheel of death until a new Overgod is selected. But if his avatar dies, then Shiva the Destroyer will ascend to proeminence. A terrible silence settled on the board room. Basil could cut the tension with a knife. Should ite to that, thispetition Anton marked a short pause as he examined each executive one after the other. Wille to an abrupt end. The world in the palm of a gods hand our mages summoned the Destroyer crushed it like a stone Basil shuddered as the true seriousness of his situation dawned upon him. I let Kalki go, he cursed himself for his ignorance. That clueless hippie could be anywhere, at the mercy of anyone. Damn it, that man yed music to strangers and monsters! He was exactly the kind of person to attract trouble! Ashok broke the silence. Leave him to us, Mr. Maxwell, he said before turning to face his colleagues. I ask that we all coborate and by your personal ambitions until the threat is dealt with. Any objection? None of the others argued, though Basil could tell a few had reservations from their bodynguage. He barely understood half of what was unfolding before his eyes without the necessary context, yet it seemed to him that Dismaker Labs board didnt entirely get along. He felt no camaraderie from these people; only an alliance born of convenience. It made sense. If all of them expected to be Earths Overgod by the end of it, then their coboration was bound to implode at one point. Very well, Anton Maxwell said. Besides this small hurdle, everything will happen as nned. Do any of you still have concerns? Concerns are for people who dont know what they want, Mr. Tamura dered with arrogance. I am ready. We all are, Hypathia agreed. Weve waited years for this. Then in case we do not meet again, I wish you all good luck in my new world. Anton Maxwell made a bow. It was an honor working with thispany. As well, Mr. Maxwell, Hypathia replied before disappearing. One after another the various digital avatars vanished. Mr. Tamura and Benjamin vanished without a word or gesture. Ashok bowed respectfully at Anton Maxwell before imitating them. Only Dismaker Labs CEO remained alone in the room. He stood motionless for a few seconds, as if checking if any of his board members would return. Then he revealed his true colors. Foolish creatures. Maxwells mouth curled into a contemptuous smile. Yes, I will fulfill my promises. You will get exactly what you deserve for what little time this world has left to live. Well, that was ominous. The recording came to an end and Basil abruptly returned to reality. He found to sitting in front of him, looking up at his best friend with worried eyes. How long have you been there? Basil asked. Minutes. You zoned out for a while. to slouched on the mattress. Whats up, dog? Oh nothing. Basil rested against a steel wall. Just watching scary corporate videos about the worlds end. Sounds boring, to deadpanned. Come on, do enlighten me. I love scares. Where should he start? That a conspiracy of boring corporate drones managed to bring mankind to its knees, knowing full well what would happen? That their leader clearly yed a different game than the rest? That they intended to seal a goddess and then Kalki? Or that a single death could spell the worlds end? Yes, Basil should start with the worst and work his way up. That would keep his cats expectations of the future low. I think I know how Estrids people summoned the Destroyer now. From what I understood, if Kalki dies then so does the world. to assessed the news in silence for a few seconds before sighing in despair. He didnt even question Basils words. At this point, he just went along with the flow. You know he looks like the kind of boy wholl end up shanked in an alley, right? Yes, which is why weve got to find him fast. Basil gritted his teeth in worry. I hope we lost contact with Bordeaux due to a technical mishap, but I know better. Were not that lucky. The world is still here though, to pointed out. So whatever happened in Bordeaux, that boy lived through it. Theres still time. Basil prayed so. Besides confirming Kalkis importance, the video hadnt provided many leads. He heard the names of executives involved in Dismaker Labs conspiracyHypathia, Benjamin, Ashok, Mr. Tamurabut he had neither their faces nor their family names. Basil would need to cross that information with thepanys records to learn more about these people. Then he would hunt them down like dogs. Parts of the discussion also confused him. One of the executives mentioned creating avatars of their own. What did he mean by that? Did these five tweak the System to give themselves unfair developer advantages? Walter said Dismaker Labs couldnt hope to fully control the Trimurti System or they would have made themselves Overgods from the start, but what control did these people truly have? Could they grant themselves ess to unique sses or cheat abilities? And what Maxwell said at the videos end foolish creatures. Basil didnt know what to make of it. It sounded like a mere insult, a revtion of contempt, but the wording bothered him. In fact, everything about Anton Maxwell sounded unnerving now that Basil thought of it. The man appeared from nowhere ording to Neria, built a multi-billion softwarepany that imnted magical servers across the world with no one the wiser, before finally summoning Hindu gods and then turning Earth into a madhouse That stretched credibility. That kind of knowledge, of efficiency, was positively demonic. Is he human at all? Basil muttered to himself. Excuse me? to asked. Maxwell, the man behind it all. How could he invent something as powerful as the neurotowers and spread them around the world without anybody noticing? Basil would have considered this theory oundish months ago, but after the apocalypse he hade to believe anything was possible. It just sounds unbelievable. Maybe he didnt invent them, to said. The servers. I think he copied them from the scalies. Basil squinted at his cat. Im listening. Of course your human mind cannot see as far as my feline genius, but follow me for a moment, to said, his voice brimming with pride. The bots and the bugs have been at war for decades, if not more. Earth isnt even the first ce theyve crashed. Dont you think one of their gizmos could have found its way here somehow? Basils eyes widened in surprise. You think Dismaker Labs based their neurotowers on the Unitys server design? It spooks me too that a human could change the world on his own. I mean, your species can barely find its lost socks. How could you make us cats masters of the world? Its beyond your meager capabilities. tos opinion of Basils species was heartening, but he might have guessed correctly. Dismaker Labs could have based their dungeons on existing alien tech. But how did these blueprints arrive on Earth in the first ce? What did Maxwell say? I have no need for godhood; only for a functional gate to the great beyond. A gate to another world? Were Incursions the end-goal of the Systems arrival rather than a byproduct of them? Basil could only make guesses for now without additional information, yet he felt like he was on the right road to uncover the Systems mystery. tos expression suddenly darkened. Will you tell the others? About what we saw on the camera? Ill have to. Though his teams morale would take a hit, Basil didnt believe in keeping secrets from friends. They always bred discontent or misunderstandings. Honestly, it feels like tackling global warming on my own. Events are unfolding before my eyes and I cant do much on my own to prevent them. Hey, dont say that. to kneaded his owners chest. Maybe we can change little, but a little is better than nothing. You never know what your actions will have an impact on. Maybe they wont matter, or maybe theyll pay off big time. You cant find out unless you try. Basil smiled at his witty cat. Do you remember why Ren and I called you to? Because I was wiser than both of you? Smartass. Basil petted his cat behind the ears, making him purr in pleasure. I should have called you Diogenes and put you in a barrel. Anyway, if youre done doubting my formidable intellect, Vasi wanted to see you downstairs. to wagged his tail. Something about crafty this, ss that. Basil sighed as he rose from his mattress. Alright, Ill be back in a minute. Mine! to leaped on the makeshift bed the moment his best friend left. Take your time! Dont put furballs everywhere please, Basil grumbled as he traveled down the Steamobile. He found Vasi training on the holomachine in the engine room. The witch remained so focused on the device that she didnt pay him any mind at first. Hey, Vasi. You wanted to see me? Ah, Basil, just in time. Vasi didnt look away from the holomachines mirror-screen. A vision of Wyrde showcased some kind of purple mist spell on its surface. Since Im learning new spells and you wanted us to practice as a team, I thought we could discuss your ss progression. See how we could develop synergies. Basil wondered if he should make her his official ss advisor. Certainly the Guild system could award titles to its members? I actually unlocked a new ss as a Halloween reward that I wanted to discuss with you, he said. Deathknight. Deathknight? Vasi turned away from the holomachine and raised her eyebrows at him. Basil took it as a good sign. Are you sure? Youve heard of it? I have. Its a rare and powerful prestige ss in my world, extremely popr among viins and aspiring dark lords. Charming, Basil deadpanned. Should I start dressing in ck armor and holding up in a dark tower? No, not unless you want us to settle down, Vasi reassured him. sses dont affect your mindset. When I said Deathknight is popr among viins, I mean that theyre more likely to unlock the sspared to would-be heroes. From what Ive heard, you need a very high kill count as an unlocking condition. The memory of thousands of undead meals assaulting his castle shed in Basils mind. I dont see what you mean. You do, Vasi said mirthfully. Its not my fault if bugs and monsters keep throwing themselves at me. Basil would have been happy sticking to his little corner of the world, but everyone seemed to have a deathwish nowadays. And if a kill count is all thats needed, then the woods will be crawling with Deathknights soon. They might, Vasi conceded. But thats good news for you, Basil. Deathknight isnt as good as Berserker in closebatbecause Berserker is probably the best in that fieldbut its easily in the top ten melee sses. It offers dark magical powers and most importantly, leadership Perks. Itll make me a better public speaker? Basil mused. More like youll passively buff allies and debuff enemies in your vicinity. Vasi chuckled. Why do you think dark lords love it? It helps with whipping orcs and undead soldiers into shape. Basil pondered her words. Odd as it felt to him, Deathknight sounded quite useful for a Tamer. Still, he had already invested in too many sses to dedicate himself to yet another. I would rather have unlocked a Pdin ss, he confessed. Basil would have loved to strike down demons and dragons like Saint George reborn. You wont, Vasi replied. Im sorry Basil. I doubt you can unlock Crusader either, or any holy ss for that matter. What? Basil choked. He was an Orthodox rather than a Catholic, but his faith remained unshaken. It had to count for these sses, right? Why? You have a weak Light affinity, Vasi exined. Holy light literally hurts you more than normal people, and these sses make use of it. Considering how affinities work here, I don''t think it will allow you to unlock them.. This this is an outrage! Basil protested. Who decides affinities anyway?!
yer affinities are determined by your history prior to the Systems initialization. You earned a Weak affinity to Light due to your night owl lifestyle.
Basil red at the screen. Was it karma for a lifetime dedicated to avoiding natural sunlight and ying video games?
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Basil wondered which of the five executives programmed that damn message. He would punch them all, just to be sure he didnt miss the right one. "How do you even know that?" Basil asked. "I thought Affinities weren''t a thing in your world?" "To prepare my ritual, I''ve been cross-referencing information with Walter, Orcine, and others," Vasi replied with a smile. "And it''s simple deduction. If a weak affinity prevents you from learning spells of an element, then it should block ess to sses affiliated with one." Basil squinted at her. "Are you subtly suggesting I be more sociable?" "Anyway," she said, tantly ignoring the question. Can I see your current stats? I want to see if one or two stand out from the rest. Vasi opened his status screen and forwarded it to her through the Logs system. Name Basil Jean-Franois Bohen Type Humanoid Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) EXP 110,018/120,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Wood, Fire, Water, Ailments. Manyer, Soul, Wind, Lightning, Light. Level Health Points Special Points 30 (Tamer 16; Berserker 5; Alchemist 1; Runesmith 1; Gardener 3; Technomancer 3; Fisherman 1) 1480 615 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 46 43 32 27 Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 31 27 39 27 Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - Weak Strong Strong Strong - - Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Strong - Weak - Weak Weak - - Passive Perks Active Perks Monster Charmer III Warp Spasm I ughterer I Jardin Secret I Alchemy I Magitek Monster Lair II Spell: Fire Rune Runic II Spell: Ice Rune Fishing I Fuel Technology Monster Insight Greenhand I Monster Cure I One for All I Spell: Venomous Rune Spell: Corrosive Rune A brawler through and through. Vasi nodded to herself as she read. You have excellent physical stats, especially in Strength and Agility, good Charisma, but rtively mediocre Intelligence, Luck and Skill. Im surprised my Magic is now higher than these three, Basil said. I wasgging behind in it. His low Intelligence remained a sore spot for him, but he was surprised to see it catching up to his Luck and Skill. Maybe his situation wasnt so hopeless after all. Its still far too low for you to be a true spellcaster, Vasi pointed out. Everyone in the party except for Bugsy has better Magic than you. I dont need it. Basil crossed his arms. We have a pretty bnced party already. Bugsy is our main tank and frontliner. to is the nker, the agile damage dealer. Youre the flying magical artillery. Shellgirl is a long-range fighter and disruptor. Rosemarine is our healer and spawner. Vasi chuckled. I would say shes a dreadnaught first and healer second. Yeah, well, all of us have secondary focuses. Shellgirls metamorphosis allowed her to draw the enemys attention, Vasi could buff allies in a pinch, and Basils Monster Cure allowed him to heal his team if needed. Which leaves me. The Tamer and generalist. My suggestion stands, you should fill out Tamer first, Vasi said. Afterwards though, I would suggest taking levels in Deathknight. Basil squinted at her. She suggested that he take yet another ss? I thought specialization was the key to sess? It is, when done the right way. Vasi took a pose that reminded Basil of his high-school teachers. It felt slightly patronizing. Berserker already gave you good melee abilities, but they dont synergize well with the rest of your build. I suggest taking levels in Deathknight because its Perks will bridge the Berserker levels with your Tamer side. It will empower your melee abilities and strengthen us. What about the sses I already took levels in? Basil asked with skepticism. Both Fisherman and Gardener should synergize well with Tamer. After much consideration, I honestly think you should abandon these two, Vasi replied. Fisherman is exceptionally dangerous when capped, but its effectiveness heavily relies on the terrain. Unless we settle in a fishing vige or trade our shell for a ship, its help will be situational at best. Exceptionally dangerous? Basil snorted. Fisherman? To his surprise, Vasi gave him a potent re. The Fisherman ss is illegal in my home country and highly restricted almost everywhere in my world. Youre pulling my leg. Im not. Most of its Perks are so-so, but the capstone turns almost every fish in arge area into a bloodthirsty killing machine. Her scowl deepened. Mad Fishermen wipe out moremunities annually than demons, dragons, and fairy lordsbined. My God, shes serious. Basil searched her expression for any hint of a joke or mockery. He found none. Take that, Aquaman. At least, thats how the ss works in my world, Vasi finished with a shrug. We have no guarantee it will offer the same Perks on this one. Gardener will also be less effective now that we no longer have, well, a garden to harvest from. I thought about raising a greenhouse on the Steamobiles upper floor, Basil replied. And we need more food. Even so, this ss effectiveness will be situational. I agree it will help us more than Fisherman, but unless you intend to return to the Guild periodically well need it less than abat-oriented ss. Or Alchemist and Technomancer, who should help us create useful items and improve our caravan. I can brew my own potions, but theyll neverpare to what a specialized crafter ss can make. So you say my Fisherman and Gardener levels are wasted? No level is ever wasted, Vasi replied. Perks and stat increases are always good to unlock new sses. I dont think you could have gained ess to Deathknight without a Berserkers proficiency for example. But you should be wary of sunk cost facy, Basil. Taking a level in the wrong ss shouldnt encourage you to fill it out. Sometimes its better to cut your losses and move on to a better choice. Basil clenched his jaw. Her advice made sense on paper, but it sounded like a waste to him. Then again, he didnt have to make a choice now. He still needed to fill out the Tamer ss first before investing in others. What do you think of my other options? Basil asked as he forwarded Vasi his other unlocked sses. Anything you suggest? Poisoner Chef Gambler nothing that meshes well with your existing sses. Druid is good, but your average Magic and Intelligence will hamper it. Vasi frowned as she read. Dragonknight? Its a ss specialized in fighting with or against dragons, Basil said. I have one outside, and I dered war on an alien civilization full of them. It could fit me better than Deathknight. Maybe, Vasi conceded. I cant tell, I do not know much about that one. You should consult Walter. He will certainly provide more information. Oh, good point. What better ss advisor to yers than a hidden superboss? Walter offered help in exchange for aptop to study and Basil could oblige him. It wouldnt be hard to find an abandoned city with one on the road to Bordeaux. In the meantime, Basil would return to his crafting roots. His new Jekyll & Stein manual simply offered too many new options for him to pass on. It was time to rebuild his potion stockpile. Apocalypse Tamer will go to KU and Audible - Removal of Book I in Mid-November Apocalypse Tamer will go to KU and Audible - Removal of Book I in Mid-November Hello fellow tamers, It''s with pleasure to announce that Apocalypse Tamer''s first volume will make its way to Kindle Unlimited and Audible, in partnership with Aethon! The first volume (covering chapter 1 to 38) will be released on both tforms on November 29. Look at the happy bug! However, for those who don''t know, Kindle Unlimited demands exclusivity. As such, most of the first volume''s chapters will be removed from the site by mid-November (no exact date yet, but it should be around November 14). A PDF version will remain avable for download until that date for patrons on Patreon. I know some of you may be viscerally opposed to KU and it''s perfectly understandable... but with my Patreon still struggling even after Apocalypse Tamer went online (it''s still less than half of what it was with The Perfect Run, if you want aparison) Kindle and Audible are rapidly bing my main source of ie. Although my older stories like The Perfect Run and Vainqueur will remain freely avable, I''ll now mostly pivot towards KU as far as my new stories are concerned. It is simply extremely difficult to rely on Patreon without either continuing a popr story for years on end or publishing a lot of updates in a short time, which I both struggle with. In any case, I''m sending you this advance notice so you won''t be surprised when some of the early chapters vanish. I hope you''ve enjoyed reading Apocalypse Tamer on RR so far, and I wish you a happy experience with Volume II and beyond. Best regards, Voidy. Chapter 50: Man vs Wine Chapter 50: Man vs Wine Walter Tyes shop was rtively crowded today. More than ten clients strode through its shelves, each more sinister than thest: a golden, crowned skeleton sorcerer floating in the air through magic; some kind of Drac cosyer in ck finery; a four-armed, archaic robot; and so many more. Basil and Vasi stayed clear of them all. Half of these visitors looked straight out of a horror movie and the rest minded their own business. Besides, they hade for a delivery first and foremost. What a fascinating device. Sitting behind his counter with his duhan bodyguard watching over him, Walter examined theptop with the joy of a child opening a Christmas present. A portable library machine truly fascinating. Ive heard that it can capture cat souls with pictures too. Its the other way around, Basil replied with amusement. Cat pictures entrance viewers into giving up their souls. Mmm, sounds like an oversight to me. Still, your worlds people are an ingenious lot. I would have loved to visit your civilization at its peak. I havent seen you this curious since we discovered Nastrond, chief, Hagen mused. How cant I? Thisputer technology presents a new field of science unknown to me. Walter offered Basil a nod of genuine gratefulness. You have done well to bring me this. A deal is a deal, Basil replied with a shrug. A man of his word, Walter said with appreciation. Good. The business world runs on trust. You will go far, Basil.
Quest: Forever Serpents Errands Ipleted. Your party earned 1500 Bonus exp (250 for you).
Bordeaux had roughly been a two-hour car drive from Seignosse before the apocalypse. Unfortunately, the worlds end shot down Frances transport system. Roads suffered damage from monster attacks orck of maintenance, forcing Basils party to take detours. And for all of her might and determination, Rosemarine couldnt pull the Steamobile at his old Renaults speed. The two-hour drive had swiftly transformed into a two-day one and the party stopped to scavenge supplies. Basil had found theptop in an abandoned towns shop. It was rtively old as far as Dell wares went, but Walter looked happy with it all the same. I usually pay my suppliers in rubies or gold, but I doubt youre looking for money right now. Walter set theptop aside. What do you need? Spellbooks? Maybeter, Vasi declined politely. Our holomachine contains enough spells to keep me busy until Tier VI. Can it teach necromancy spells too? Walter smiled when the witch nodded in affirmation. Excellent. Then contact me once you reach Tier VII. I will lend you manuals to continue your progress. Congrattions on your sessful ritual by the way. I will need to form a coven for any future transformation, Vasi replied before putting an elbow on Basils shoulder. My darling will assist me in my quest. It said something about howfortable the two had gotten with each other that Basil didnt repel Vasis invasion of his personal space. Were still one person short, he pointed out. Not really, Walter replied. You can fill the gap in a coven by enving a hags soul. If you dont mind the screams, it makes for an eptable substitute. He said that the way a normal person mightment about the weather. Come to think of it, I think I have an extra one in storage somewhere. Walter looked into his counters shelves. Where did I put that hags soulstone? Maybe in the attic with Thors head? Hagen suggested. Oh right, I forgot about it Walter turned to his disturbed customers. If you give me a minute, I can fetch the soulstone for you. Thank you Walter, but well pass, Vasi said. Behind the politeness and fake smile, Basil could tell that the idea of using an enved soul as fuel for power unsettled her as much as him. I would prefer a willing participant. Moreughs, less pain. Suit yourself, Walter replied, taking the rejection in stride. Anything else I can offer you? Im looking for alchemicalponents and information. Basil presented his Jekyll & Stein manual to the shopkeeper. Im trying to craft a potion of invisibility, but I''m missing some ingredients. Good book, Walterplimented them. Sure, I will reward your delivery with reagents. What information do you seek? Have you heard of the Deathknight and Dragonknight sses? Basi asked him. Ive unlocked them both, but I dont know what Perks they possess. Deathknight? Hagen chuckled darkly. At his side, Walter smiled ear to ear; an expression that Basil found immensely terrifying. Youve knocked on the right door. You unlocked it yourself? Basil guessed. He should have expected it from a headless undead knight. Of course I did. It might work a bit differently in your world but I can teach you the ropes. And as the most chivalrous warrior to ever live, Im also familiar with Dragonknights. All the brave warriors you stabbed in the back might disagree about the chivalrous part, Walter mused. Details, details, Hagen replied with a hand on his chest. I would not be so bold as to call myself an expert at killing knights, but Ive in enough of them to learn their tricks. Do you have a dragon pet, Basil? I have a giant flower lizard, Basil replied. Does it count? Can it fly? Hagen asked. No. Oh. The headless knight sounded deeply disappointed. A shame. Any dragon-type will help, but you gain more benefits from that ss if you own a flying mount. A flying mount? Vasis eyes widened. Are you suggesting that he try to ride a dragon? Uh, yes? Hagen sounded puzzled. What about it? I can count the number of dragonriders on one hand, Vasi replied. Its already amazing that Basil managed to earn a dragon follower, but to ride it in battle he would be pushing his luck. Those creatures are deeply proud and easily offended. Come on, they arent gods. Theyre big lizards that like gold. Or magpies that breathe fire, depending on your point of view. Hagen shrugged his shoulders. If they wont let you climb on their back, you beat them into submission like any horse. Vasi covered her mouth in shock as if the headless knight had suggested killing the Pope. Beat beat a dragon into submission? Yes. You dont do that in your world? Hagen chuckled. No wonder your dragons have behavioral issues if you pamper them. I feel I encountered a culture sh, Basil noted as Vasis face lost all color. Walter interrupted the discussion. What Hagen means to say is that dragons are far less of a threat in our world than yours, Vasi. Great wyrms are extremely rare, and many lesser breeds have been domesticated. sses like Dragonknights are optimized to deal with the unruly ones, Hagen continued. The level 5 Perk grants them the Dragonyer effect with all melee weapons. If you havent ughtered dragons before, Basil, you will kill them by the dozens afterwards. Level 5? Vasi tried to regain herposure, but this new information sent her back to square one. Thats early for such a powerful ability. Higher Dragonknight levels mostly focus on dragon-riding, breath attacks, and bypassing that unfair damage reduction all ancient wyrms possess. Hagen grunted. Truly dangerous dragons often take less than fifteen percent damage from attacks. This de facto multiplies their health and makes them incredibly difficult to put down. And lets not talk about the critical hit and instant death immunities. Fifteen percent damage? Basil thought back of his fight with Steamslime. It had taken a lot of bombs and firepower to take down the snail-dragon; far more than opponents with a higher level like Apollyon and the Lnde Empire. Basil had med the beasts resilience on a high Vitality score and, well, him being a giant snail dragon, but the existence of damage reduction abilities exined it better. Steamslime destroyed a city at level 20, so Basil shuddered to imagine what a level 50 dragon would be like. Yes, he would definitively invest in a ss meant to y them. ckcinders. The name echoed in his head. The astronauts video indicated that at least one Unity dragon was active on the moon and Basil doubted she would stay there forever. If she everes down, Ill be ready. The dark side of the moon will look like a happy cepared to what hell Ill wee her with. Speaking of dragons, one of Walters customersthe strange crowned skeleton from beforeapproached the counter with a serpent-shaped bottle of cologne. I have a question, the skeleton asked. Does this dragonbane cologne work on godlike ones too? It does, yes, Walter replied with an annoyed expression. Hagen chuckled darkly for a reason Basil couldnt fathom. The potent smell of poverty and lead repels them. You will be satisfied or reimbursed. Good, Ill take it. The undead snapped his finger and a pile of colorful, skull-shaped gems appeared on the table. Heres your payment. Thank you for your purchase, Mr. Furibon, Walter replied politely. Always happy to do business with you. I cant wait to see the wyrms face, the customer replied before vanishing with a maniacal chuckle. I Vasi cleared her throat. I need to reassess some of my beliefs. You should, Hagen said. Anyway, youll never find a better dragon-hunting ss than Dragonknight and its Perk will synergize well with Deathknights ones. You can do no wrong with these two. Necromancy is the true path to freedom, Basil, Walter said with surprising passion. Deathknight will grant you the greatest power in the world: mastery over death itself. Charming Can you write down these sses Perks? Basil asked with a frown. That way I can see if they are truly a fit for me. With pleasure, Hagen replied. The sses abilities might differ in your world, but youll have the gist of them. Thank you, Vasi said with a polite nod. We are d for your kind help. Im always happy to support those who walk the path of necromancy. Walter sank in his chair, his gaze calcting. I have another errand for you two, if youre up for it. The delivery will be moreplicated than thest, but I will pay you handsomely for it. Sure, Basil replied. You want a mobile phone next? Whats a phone? Walter asked with a puzzled face. Oh, Ive heard of them, Hagen said with enthusiasm. Theyre metal birds that send letters instantly. We enjoy a good ghost postal service, so I will pass. Walter shrugged. I will spare you the details, but the magical energy on which my world runses in a limited supply. My realm will slowly decline across centuries until one night, it shall shrink to nothingness. Im sorry to hear that, Vasi said softly. Sounds like the heat death of the universe, Basil replied with a frown. What can you do about it? A sh of disaste appeared on Walters face. You have seen the dead rise, Basil. If death can be ovee with little to no consequences, then is it truly inevitable? Or even necessary? Point taken, Basil conceded, although he wasnt entirely sure about the no consequences part. All the undead he had crossed paths with had either been enved by sorcerers or fueled by hatred. He couldnt call their existence anything but a half-life. Have you found any solution? Not yet, Walter admitted, but your Trimurti System might hold the key to solving my conundrum. The incredible energy needed to transform your universe, to raise your dungeons, and create matter from nothing has toe from somewhere. This untapped power could save my world. Vasi immediately guessed what was on his mind. You want a neurotower. Yes, Walter confirmed. Studying one of your dungeons cores would let me figure out where their magical energyes from. I actually have a theory that respects conversation of mass, Basil said. Walter squinted at him with interest. A lot of matter is lost in the crafting process and disappears. I suspect its transformed into energy to fuel dungeons. That or The memory of that great and terrible eye looking down on Earth shed through Basils mind. That, or they draw their power directly from the Trimurti. Walter Tye observed him in silence for a few seconds, his eyes cold and unblinking. Basil was certain that the shopkeeper read his mind somehow. He felt Vasis stare at his back too. As promised, Basil had given the rest of his party an ount of their Halloween discoveries on the way to Bordeaux. Vasi had taken the news surprisingly well, all things considered. Perhaps she had seen weirder things on her homeworld. Still, he could tell that knowing the entire world was held within a deitys palm had spooked her a bit. You are afraid, Walter whispered. Of what youve seen. I am, Basil confessed. There was no shame in admitting. Anyone saying they werent scared of a creature whose eye was bigger than the freaking moon was a goddamn liar. And Im scared of what it will do if Kalki dies. Lovecraft said that mans oldest and greatest fear was that of the unknown. He was wrong. Basil was scared specifically because he knew exactly what to expect. He would die, his friends would die, his entire civilization would die. All of mankinds history would end, its existence forgotten, its world blown away like dust to the wind. And besides finding Kalki before he endangered himself, he could do nothing to prevent it. He sensed Vasis warm,forting fingers on his arm. Basil, dont feel down, she whispered. Well find him. I hope so, Basil replied without much enthusiasm. Tracking down Kalki would have been a hard task already without Dismaker Labs looking for him. He could only pray that they would meet again in Bordeaux. Basil. Walter Tye intertwined his fingers, his expression one of utter seriousness. I am many centuries older than you. I will not pretend that with agees wisdom, but Ive gained a certain degree of perspective over my long years. Allow me to share with you an observation that, I believe, you will find all the more relevant in due time. Basils head perked up. The sheer intensity radiating from the man before himmanded his entire attention. Whatever Walter was about to reveal, he believed in it from the bottom of his heart. Our universe is full of powerful beings that like to present themselves as omnipotent and worthy of our worship, Walter exined. They pretend, sometimes rightfully, that they are deities. That as mortal beings weaker than them, they are entitled to our veneration. But their power onlyes from our perception of it. Any creature that demands your respect without earning it is not worthy of anything. For this creature is insecure. It knows it is vulnerable, physically or emotionally, so it projects strength where it iscking. Basil struggled to imagine a creaturerger than Jupiter having a weak point. Thats where your imagination fails you, Walter said, all but confirming that he was indeed reading his customers mind. If we believe these entities are invincible, then they have defeated us in our souls. If we mortals think they can be beaten and overthrown then we will inevitably find out a way to seed. Remember that, Basil: no matter how powerful or overwhelming the danger ahead of us, there is always a path to victory. The road may require great sacrifices, it may be paved with blood and sweat; but if you have the strength of will to see it through, then even the gods will fold. His words brimmed with such confidence Basil shievered at hearing them. Walter Tye was no charismatic speaker, but his unshakeable belief infused each of his sentences. Basil could almost feel it. It was reassuring in a way. When a Superboss believed he could survive the game, how could Basil argue against it? I hope youre right, Basil replied. Im skeptical but Ill try to keep faith. Faith is a poor substitute for determination. Walter locked eyes with him. Lend me the shell for a minute. The shell? Did he mean Kalkis gift? So you were reading my mind. The circumstances demanded it. If he felt sorry, Walter didnt show it. Please lend me your shell. Since he asked so nicely, Basil opened his inventory and selected the Conch Shell he received from Kalki. It surprised him that the personal inventory feature worked even across dimensional boundaries. Perhaps he carried the pocket dimension with himself somehow? Walter examined the instrument carefully for a moment. He then traced a circled arrow symbol on its surface with his left index finger; somehow his nail left a ck blood trail where it touched the shell. When you y a song with it, the Conch Shell will show you the direction of its previous owner, Walter exined as he returned the instrument to Basil. This should help you on your quest to find the avatar. Thanks, Basil replied. He wasnt certain what to make of the mans generosity. Whats the range? It will point the path as long as you share the same world, Walter replied. This is not generosity, Basil. This is an investment. I cannot study a world bound to destroy itself, can I? Basil shrugged his shoulders. He should have seen iting. Walter proved to be a generous employer. Besides the ss information and the Conch Shell upgrade, he also provided Basil with pouches full of alchemical reagents for the Jekyll & Stein recipes and notes on knight sses. Your theory about matter transformation is certainly usible, but I would like to examine a neurotower server and confirm it to myself, Walter said before his customers could leave. My research could help exin why your world was transported out of ce and hopefully, how to put it back in its proper ce. The server will be protected by Crafter Encryption, Vasi warned. I struggle to study the Unitys rech because of simr protections. Walter scoffed. Crafter Encryption only affects individuals with a lower level than the crafters. Unless their creator is already a god, then I am overqualified. Dont mind the chiefs arrogance, Hagenmented lightly. Its part of his charm. Its not arrogance when you can back it up, Walter countered. Pride before a fall, Basil and Hagen said almost at the same time; Basil lightly, Hagen somberly.
New Quest: Forever Serpents Errand II
Rmended Level: 25.
Walter Tyes journey down the cat video rabbit hole continues. Further the cause of online necromancy by providing him a neurotower server!
Reward: 60,000 Bonus EXP.
Basil wasnt certain how he felt about handing a reality-altering device to someone as sinister as Walter Tye. The shopkeeper had acted fairly in his dealings with the party so far, but he remained a cold and dangerous creature. Still, he was perhaps the only person short of Dismaker Labs board capable of unlocking the neurotowers mysteries. Basil would cross that bridge when they reached it. Basil and Vasi teleported back to Earth with their new gifts right as the sun started rising over the horizon. The group had stopped in an abandoned parking lot close to an empty vige. Rosemarine rested on the pavement, her petals oriented at the shining dawn. Shellgirl took stock of scavenged supplies and Bugsy melted metal tes onto the Steamobile to reinforce the armor. As for to, he should return from his scouting mission shortly. We should be close to the Garonne river by now, Basil thought. Bordeaux will be right around the corner. Vasi, Partner, youre back! Shellgirl weed them with a smile. How was your shopping trip? Did you get a gift card? Maybe next time, Basil teased her. Knowing Walter, he would have to sign it with his blood. Im surprised you didnte with us, Vasi said with a grin. I thought you would enjoy pestering Walter for advice. I prefer to learn by experience, and our current business models arepletely different. He caters to an exclusive clientele while Partner and I intend to service impoverished masses. Shellgirls smile faltered. That and I didnt feel like it. As the Mimic Bootys eyes turned to look up at the sun, Basil realized he wasnt the only one questioning his ce in the universe. Shellgirl had always struck him as the smartest of dungeon-created monsters, the quickest to develop a personality and ethics of her own. Of course the astronaut video would affect her. Bugsy noticed Shellgirls unease and immediately moved to cheer her up. Hey, its all right! he said with enthusiasm. It doesnt change anything. I will eat it one day, Rosemarine promised. Her tongue licked her fangs as she looked at the sun. One day I know, I know, Shellgirl replied, though her tone implied otherwise. Its just I got an awesome new body and abilities, but I still feel small. If that makes sense. Youre not small, Vasi reassured her. Youre a start-up. You need time to scale up. Shellgirl chuckled weakly. Theres always bigger business out there though. I mean, even if that thing closes its hand, does it matter what we might die from? Bugsy asked. We could end up swallowed by the earth, drowned in a swamp, in by the Apocalypse Force, maybe even eaten by bigger monsters. There are so many ways to die at any time, so whats one more? Basilughed. His reaction drew everyones attention. Bugsy and Shellgirl looked at him in fear, Rosemarine with bloodthirst, and Vasi with curiosity. Its rare to hear youugh, the witch noted. A shame. Speak for yourself, Shellgirl said with terrified eyes. He sounds like death itself! Sorry Basil calmed himself. Its just yourepletely right, Bugsy. The centimagma blinked in confusion. I-I am? I cant argue with your logic, Basil replied with a grin. With everything in that damn world trying to kill us, what was one more danger? On the list of potential threats to his life, he would put universal annihtion right before Apollyon and after cancer. Heres my advice, Shellgirl, Vasi said. Drink and forget about it. Will it help? Shellgirl asked hopefully. Not the drinking part, Basil replied dryly. The forget part, maybe. Killjoy, Vasi taunted him. Wheres your alcohol police badge? In my inventory, Basil deadpanned back. Oh, can I see it? Bugsy asked navely. Shellgirl nodded, a frown on her face. Okaaaay Ill try one piece of advice and see about the other. Basil was about to chide her for even considering drinking on the job when to bolted into the parking lot. The cat breathed heavily on arrival, which immediately worried his owner. Whats happening? Basil asked with a frown. to? Did you sense danger? Ah ah The cat caught his breath. You wont guess who I smelled on my scouting. Basils heart skipped a beat. Kalki? No, your police girlfriend! to sneered. Her and her silly dogs! Neria? She was alive? The thought came as an immense relief to Basil. He feared she might have died after they lost contact. Where? A few minutes away up the wine river. The wine river? Guided by to, the group immediately traveled on foot towards the Garonne. The sky darkened as they approached the river. Sinister, dark purple particles floated among the clouds and tainted the entire horizon. The effect superficially resembled a dungeons aurora, but more diffused. Basil likened the phenomenon to a drop of poison spreading into a sky blue sea. A notification confirmed that something unnatural was at work in the region.
Dionysus-Orochis [God-Field: Liber Pater] changed the field to [Shinto Bhus].
Dionysus? God-Field? Basil had a terrible terrible gut feeling upon reading these words, which a look at the Garonne only reinforced. Larger than the lAdour and taking its source in Spain, the river was almost synonymous with the Gironde French region. Bordeaux was located at its mouth and in ancient times drew its wealth from the trade it brought. The river made thend fertile enough for wine production. But now, Bordeauxs people only had to take a sip to get drunk. Basil stared speechlessly at the riverbank. The Garonnes waters had turned into a deep red wine streaked with white bubbles. An unnatural current carried dead fish away. The whole ce stank of rot and alcohol. This Vasi put a hand on her mouth. I love wine as much as the next gal, but this this doesnt look safe to drink Is someone polluting the river? Shellgirl asked with a scowl of anger. Fools! I cant even swim in it safely! What the hell is going on here? Basil didnt even dare to touch the wine; it looked a little bit too much like blood to him. He nced up the river. Whatever phenomenon affected the skies spread from distant Bordeaux. Did a special dungeon pop up in the city? Master Bohen! a female voice called out his name, followed by barks of happiness. It is you! Its really you! Basil turned at the other side of the riverbank. Two dogs looked at him from the other side: a doberman and a basque shepherd. Basil immediately recognized them. The Elissalde Sisters hounds of war. Girls! Bugsy snapped his mandibles in happiness, as if meeting up with old friends. So d to see you again! I told you I smelled them, the doberman told herpanion. The cats stench is unmistakable. Hey! toined. Its you dogs who smell worse than the wine! So big the basque shepherd whispered upon noticing Rosemarine. I killed a dinosaur! Rosemarine replied proudly. And I ate it! Basil sighed in relief. If the dogs were alive and well, then officer Elissalde should be too. Is your mistress safe? he asked them. Is Kalki? Mistress Neria is safe and sound! The basque shepherd replied, her canine expression darkening. But mistress Maya Your Kalki friend fled the city, the doberman barked. They were after him. Basil grit his teeth. Damn it, as he feared Kalkis visit to Bordeaux triggered a disaster of some kind. They? Those Metalolypus jerks! The basque shepherd growled. Traitors, all of them! Metal Olympus, her fellow dog corrected him. Their priests went berserk at the sight of your friend. They said he had to surrender to them immediately, or they would take him by force! Basil clenched his fists. Shit. He knew the Apocalypse Force was looking for Kalki, as was the Dismaker Labs board. He should have expected other factions to know of his significance and try to im him for themselves. Letting him leave my house alone was a mistake, Basil cursed himself. Damn it, I should have followed Kalki the moment I saw that Main Quest notification. But the big human chief, General Lenc, hes big inside and out! the doberman shouted. He told them to shove it and let your friend go! Where? Basil didn''t know whether to feel relieved that Kalki escaped with his life or frustrated to have missed him. Where did he go? I dont know, the doberman apologized. But Mistress Neria will! We will lead you to her, the basque shepherd said. Shell be so happy to see you! She will. The doberman nodded ferociously. We need your help to rescue mistress Maya! The city is in chaos! Basil didnt need to be a genius to put two and two together. I suppose Metal Olympus didnt take the affront well? They didnt, the doberman confirmed. They were furious. They cursed us and then and then... The hound nced at the wine river and whined. They called one of their gods. Chapter 51: Man vs Bridge Chapter 51: Man vs Bridge Bordeauxs right bank, or Rive Droite, was something of an aberration. Although Bordeaux was one of Francesrgest and most developed cities, the right bank of the Garonne river was underdeveloped. Half-savage expanses of muddy tall grass and abandoned houses faced chic, luxurious docks shining from the left side. In the few times Basil had visited the city he often sat there, waiting for the Garonnes level to lower and reveal the wrecks of abandoned ships in its depths. At night, the streetlights gave Bordeaux an almost mystical feel as a horizon of artificial stars burst to life to illuminate the city. Or at least, that was how Basil remembered it. A thick red fog swallowed the left shore, covering its buildings and extinguishing its lights. Basil couldnt see any of Bordeauxs neossical buildings, nor any of its famous cathedrals twin towers. A dense, bloody mist obscured them all under a wretched purple sky. Worst of all, the whole city stank of alcohol. The stench drove Basil mad. I know why my books call it the city of wine now, Shellgirl mused while pinching her slime nose. But I thought it would smell better. Me too, Vasi replied with a frown as they followed Elissaldes dogs on foot. Boss, look! Bugsy pointed his antennae at a magnificent stone bridge surging from the red mist. Basil identified it as Bordeauxs Pont de Pierre from its old-fashioned, imperial-style streetmps. It used to be one of the citys most beautiful monuments. Whatever sorcery affected Bordeaux disfigured the bridge too. Sinister Shinto-like red archways appeared all over its length, surrounded by antiquity-style statues of Greek deities. Not only was the architectural mishmash absolutely hideous, but vines also infested the bridges stones. The nts grew out of the wine river and slowly undermined the foundations. Couldnt a so-called god pick up better architects? The transformation effect eerily reminded Basil of a dungeons terraforming. Yet this one, as far as he knew, was projected by an individual creature rather than a neurotower. If a monster could rewrite reality across such arge distance, what could a high-level one do? Summon meteors? Obscure the sun? Isnt one of the bridges missing? to asked with a frown. I remember two of them. General Lenc ordered the bridge of Saint-Jeans destruction weeks ago, their doberman guide exined. Sea serpents from the ocean damaged it beyond repair. Fools! Bugsy choked in indignation. As an amateur architect, the centimagma took the bridges redesign personally. The vines fragilize the foundations! What a crappy job! No respect for good masonry! Im afraid this is the least of our worries, a familiar voice echoed above them. Basil raised his eyes. Two flying forms approached them from above: some kind of golden-feathered griffin the size of a small lion carrying two riders, and a certain gue doctor with wings.
Zachariel
Level 22 [Angel]
Party: Aztain Ahizpa.
Bordeauxs guardian angel had kept its post. Mister Zach! Bugsy snapped his mandibles in happiness. Im so d to see you again! Basil smiled, doubly so when he identified one of the two people riding the griffin.
Neria Elissalde
Level 23 [Humanoid] (Guard 17/Gunslinger 6).
Party: Aztain Ahizpa.
Officer! Basil waved a hand at her. Neria! Basil! Is it really you? Neria Elissalde froze upon noticing Rosemarines colossal, lumbering body. Oh my god, is that is that your nt? Hello, Miss! Rosemarines tongue emerged from her toothy maw, much to the policewomans horror. You look as delicious as ever! Aww, she had learned ttery! I Officer Elissalde cleared her throat, unsure how to react. Thank you, I suppose. Her griffinnded on the right bank alongside Zachariel, allowing Basil to examine thest member of this small trio: a child holding on to the griffins mane. The girl couldnt have been older than eight, with stark gray eyes and long ck hair. She was a lovely child, though her choice of dressa long, antiquity-styled Greek tunicwas quite entric. Something about her felt odd, although Basil couldnt put his fingers on it. She looked at the group with a nk face and a distant gaze, as if peering through them.
Nessia Marius (Nymphblooded)
Level 15 [Humanoid/Fairy] (Oracle of Dionysus-Ananke 10/Witch 3/Griffinrider 2)
Party: Aztain Ahizpa.
Witsy (Griffin)
Level 15 [Avian/Beast]
Party: Aztain Ahizpa.
An an oracle of Dionysus? The same creature responsible for the fog? Basil was immediately wary of the girl, but he trusted Neria enough to provide an answer. Mmm to examined the griffin, sneering at the wings but appreciating the feline body. I knew we cats had a love-hate rtionship with birds, but to think one of my kindred would produce a mixed-race bastard... Im beautiful, the griffin argued with a childish voice. Like a feathered candy! Dont be a racist, to, Basil chided his cat. He approached the child and couldnt help but pat her on the head. In spite of his distrust, Basil always had a soft spot for kids. Hello, little one. Whats your name? Im Basil. Nessia, she replied softly. But you already knew that, didnt you? Neria, Nessia There was a joke to be made here, but Basil was too happy to see Elissalde safe toment. The girl was more perceptive than she looked, though that might be because of her rtively high level. It saddens me to see someone her age with sses, Basil thought grimly. The Apocalypse spared no one. Is she another of your sisters? Basil asked Neria. When her expression turned somber, he immediately realized he should have worded it better. No, Officer Elissalde shook her head as she climbed down from the griffins back. Nessia how to say it The little girl pointed a finger at the skies. I fell from there. Yet another disced immigrant from a distant universe. They started to pop up everywheretely. You should open a tourism agency, Basil told Shellgirl. Theres money to make in the business. Eh, too much hassle, she replied. And is that how human children are made? Yes, when a man and a woman love each other very much, a child falls from the skies, Vasi deadpanned. Can it happen between a hag and a human? Bugsy asked innocently. I-I mean, out of curiosity Sir, its good to see you again. Zachariel clenched Basils hands, before immediately pulling back. Did you wash them with holy water first? Of course, Basil lied. The angels entricities always brought a smile to his face. Any progress on eradicating Coronatheism? Ah, Sir, if only you knew the terrible state of the Frenchs spiritual health! I me years of faith privatization. Zachariel let out a long sigh of frustration. I was making progress when this new gue of Greek Fever hit us. Im so d to see you all alive and well. Youve all grown so much. Neria smiled warmly at Vasi. You even recruited a new face. Vasilisa. Vasi introduced herself and shook the policewomans hand. But you can call me Vasi. Basil wouldnt shut up about you. Neria chuckled and nced at Basil. Would he? I mentioned you once or twice, Basil replied with stoicism. Officer Elissalde was a friend and nothing more. If Vasi hoped to tease him, she had failed. Officer Elissalde smiled, but didntment on the subject further. I admit Im surprised to see you here at all, Basil. Thest time we met you wouldnt leave your house for any reason. Yes, but then the house burned, Shellgirl summed it up with crude bluntness. It burned? Neria covered her mouth. My God, Im so sorry to hear that Basil red at Shellgirl, who shrugged. He hated being pitied. Its a long story, he replied. But lets just say Im on something of a personal crusade against the fools and the wicked. Ah, I see that would exin your level. I never saw anyone past twenty-five, and youre thirty now. Officer Elissalde frowned. She must have read his System information. Wait, did you found a Guild? How did you guess? Homeowner Revenge Association, Neria replied with a deadpan look. Its a dead giveaway. Good. The world had to understand Basils message. Im happy to see you alive, officer, he said. Honestly I worried you had perished after we lost contact. It was a close call, Officer Elissalde admitted with a sigh. If Nessia didnt guide us to safety, we would still be looking for a way out of the fog. Basil frowned at the child. Although she appeared outwardly normal, he couldnt shake the feeling that she appeared far too calm for her age and current situation. Why would an oracle of the god, the word felt bitter in Basils mouth, help you escape its fog? Little Nessia held his gaze with bravery. I came to free the god. He called me from beyond the gate. To free him? Vasi asked with a frown. I do not understand, is he sealed? This Dionysus is not himself, the oracle argued. He cant control his actions. When the fog appeared, he warned me to flee. This Dionysus? Her words made little sense to Basil, but they seemed clear to Vasi. I see, the witch said with a nod. You are an oracle from your worlds Dionysus. Another version of him. As little Nessia nodded in confirmation, Basil realized he hated the multiverse. Hated it. Is that the reason for the Orochi bit? Basil pointed a thumb at the Shinto archways sprouting on the distant bridge. The only Orochi I know of is a Japanese game boss. I cannot tell if the two are rted. Officer Elissalde scowled. But from what Ive seen, this Dionysus differs quite a bit from the traditional imagery. He is in pain, Little Nessia whispered. I can feel it. A poison clouds his mind and torments his soul. His screams for help guided me to this ce. Hes sick, I tell you. He looks pretty powerful for a sick god, to snickered, his eyes set on the fog clouding the other bank. He turned an entire city into his litter. The child pouted in annoyance. I mean what I say. Hes not himself. Well, the real Dionysus didnt have Shinto gates around, Basil conceded. And that Orochi bit sounded a bit suspicious to him. From what he remembered, it referred to a snake monster of some kind. You came alone to a foreign world just to free a god from what, madness? Forgive me if Im skeptical. The girl red at him. I came with Witsy and dads guards. Thats right. Her griffin nodded with pride. Im her talons! Her father had guards? She must have been born into wealth. That exined her strange confidence for someone her age. Rich brats were always more headstrong and entitled than the norm in Basils experience. Too much spoiling, too soon. Nessia came to Bordeaux with quite therge escort, Officer Elissalde confirmed, but they were trapped inside the fog like all the others. The mist interferes with electronicmunications and those who wander inside donte out. Its why I could no longer contact you with the radio. The city is crawling with soldiers, sir, Zachariel exined. They just cant find each other and coordinate. General Lenc is somewhere inside, and Officer Elissalde looked away, her dogs whining at her sides. Maya too. No wonder she looked unhappy. She had already lost amanding officer, and now her sisters life might be in jeopardy. Sorry guys, but why are you making a deal out of this Dionysus? Shellgirl asked with a confused look. As a recently born monster, she knew nothing of him. Is he some kind of big shot? He was a god of wine worshiped by the Greek civilization, Basil exined with a frown. But I thought you needed to reach level 100 to be a deity. Shouldnt the Incursion Level Barrier prevent his kind from appearing? For once, the System offered him a cryptic answer.
No Overgod has been selected yet. No candidate for the throne is avable.
So either this Dionysus wasnt a god at all, or there was a difference between a normalthe very term made Basil confuseddeity and an Overgod. Are we sure this is the real Dionysus? Basil struggled to ept it. And not just a dungeon-summoned monster impersonating him? I cant tell, Officer Elissalde replied. He ims to be a god at least, and his power speaks for itself. He is Dionysus, Little Nessia argued. Im sure of it. I can feel it. Does it matter? to asked in annoyance. All this talk makes me want to puke. Lets slice his throat and be done with it. Slice his throat? Little Nessia whitened in horror. You want to kill him? Zachariel immediately came to her assistance. As an angel of science, I rmend trying to heal him first. If he truly suffers from a sickness of the soul, we should at least attempt a spiritual operation. Perhaps a holy waterboarding session would clear his mind. As a former student in pharmacovignce, Im tempted to agree, Basil said. But your would-be patient has enough firepower to turn an entire city and its rivers into a frat boys nightmare. Too many lives are at stake. Let me try, Little Nessia insisted with surprising confidence. What do you have to lose? All of our lives and then some, Basil replied bluntly. After what happened to Orcine and Kuikui, he wouldnt take chances in battle. Yo, can we debate thister? to cut in. First the hippie, then the drunk. Good point. Basil ignored Little Nessias re and focused on Officer Elissalde next. What happened to Kalki? I showed him the server you recovered, Officer Elissalde said. As you suspected, it triggered a shback, I suppose? A sh of insight, Zachariel argued. That was no memory. How can you be sure? Vasi asked with a frown. Because this man does not suffer from amnesia, Miss Yaga. He simply did not exist until a few months earlier. Zachariels words captured the groups attention. I examined this Kalkis spiritual health and, while it was excellent, he showed no sign of brain damage of any kind. Instead, I suspect he came into being like most monsters. Makes sense, Basil said. If he was indeed Vishnus avatar, he probably didnt exist before the Apocalypse. What did he see? It was hard to make sense out of what he said, Neria admitted. From what I understood, he saw the ce where the servers were created. He saw the neurotowers factory? Now that was interesting. If Basil could figure out how neurotowers were made, he could perhaps identify a killswitch. Or so we assume, Neria said with a sigh. We were making headways on his case when Metal Olympus turned on us. We didnt anticipate a betrayal from them. General Lenc was about to sign an alliance treaty with their faction to retake France when your friends presence revealed their true colors. At least Kalki managed to get away in time. Where did that hippie flee to? to asked. To the UNESCO HQ in Paris. He thought the ce would hold the answers he sought. Hes probably halfway there as we speak. Basil gritted his teeth in disappointment. Even with the Conch Shell to show his party the path ahead, Kalki had arge head start on them. Basil figured that his bird mount also moved far faster than Rosemarine could too. You want to go after him? Officer Elissalde asked. I wont stop you, Basil, but I would really appreciate your help right now. And you have it, Basil replied. Catching up to Kalki was a top priority, but he couldnt abandon a friend in need. A man stuck to his principles or he was no man at all. Whats this so-called gods level? I dont know. Neria chewed her lip. But hes far, far stronger than Steamslime for sure. And he has soldiers under his control. Monsters and humans. Dont kill him! Little Nessia insisted. I told you, hes not himself. Alright. Basil nced down at the child. He was trying to be patient with her considering her age, but he wouldnt mince his words. Whats your suggestion then? That we talk it out with him? Do you have a cure ready if things go south? As he expected, Little Nessia chewed her lip in annoyance and didnt answer. She had no solution to provide. Yeah, Im not going to jeopardize such a dangerous fight for a childs delusions, Basil thought. For all I know she misinterpreted the entire situation. We could at least try to capture him, sir, Zachariel argued, putting special emphasis on the try. I doubt he wille out to fight us at all, Vasi pointed out. This fog offers him a perfect smokescreen. He might, Shellgirl countered. If we make the right bet. He came for Kalki, right? Cant we lie and say we have him? Hell fall for it if use the Conch Shell as bait. We need better proof, Basil replied, until an idea struck him like lightning. He turned his head in Vasis direction and swiftly read her status information. Unless The witch frowned back at him. Whats on your mind, handsome? If I remember well, one of your new spells is called mor, Basil said. Does it work as the name suggests? It creates an illusion allowing me to pass as any humanoid creature of my choice. Vasi immediately caught on. Ah, I see what you want to try. But my spell is too weak to fake a System ID. Any divination spell will reveal the truth. Mmm Basil summoned his Jekyll & Stein book from his inventory. What if He skipped through the pages and quickly found the entry he was looking for.
Mr. Hydes y Jekyll recipe
Family: Potion (Consumable)
Quality: Variable.
Effect: Allows the drinker to fake his System information for a set of time (based on quality) per milliliter consumed.
Created by Mr. Hyde to y pranks on his other side, this potion will temporarily allow you to fake your System information to outsiders. Mostly used by underage people to ess nightclubs. Keep away from children.
Perfect. With the Conch Shell to provide a fake smell, the group could credibly force a confrontation on favorable terrain. We have the ingredients for an invisibility potion too, Basil muttered to himself. Mmm Basil, just to be clear Neria shifted in ce ufortably. You want to fight a pagan god? I only respect one god. Basil red at the red fog. And his name is Jesus Fucking Christ. Bringing down pagan idols was his duty as a Christian, and Basil had be frighteningly good at burning monsters. Ive never eaten a god before, Rosemarine whispered with glee. Her slimy tongue licked her fangs hungrily. I hope he tastes like honey. Officer Elissalde appeared spooked. Youre set on it We killed a snail-dragon from outer space, Basil replied with confidence. Well just have to hit this one harder. An ambush may be our only shot at defeating him and freeing your sister. His confidence swayed Officer Elissalde a little. I I suppose. Dont kill him, Little Nessia whispered in defeat. She knew she was outvoted. Please. Basil sighed. Fine, well try to settle it peacefully and get to the bottom of this sickness, whatever you call it. But if I feel that it puts any of us in danger, well fight to kill with no hesitation. Its him or us. Its a n I can get behind, Officer Elissalde said. Little Nessia nodded slowly; it was the best deal she would get. Alright, Im with you. Us too, her dogs spoke as one. Well help you, Master Bohen, Mistress Neria! Me too, Little Nessia suggested. Witsy and I can heal. Hell no. Basil wouldnt hear of it. You and your bird stay behind. Youre both benched. Im sorry, Nessia, but Im with him on this one, Officer Elissalde said, much to the little girls anger. You should stay behind. Im level fifteen, Little Nessia argued with childish pride. Youre half my level and a third of my age, Basil shot back with a tone that broke no argument. From what the System told him, even the dogs were five levels higher than Little Nessia. They would pull their weight, whereas the kid might die from any stray shot. No way Im letting an eight-year-old child into a warzone. The girl crossed her arms in annoyance and grumbled to herself. Im nine She could actually help us at no danger to herself. Vasi put a hand on her waist, her lips curling into a wide smile. Shes a witch and my Hag Coven Perk doesnt require distance. Basil raised an eyebrow. You want to add her to the party and activate the coven feature? It will be easy with the Guilds interlocked parties system, Vasi argued. She put her hands on Little Nessias shoulders. Come on look at her face please I could register my party with your Guild, Neria proposed with a warm smile. That way you could benefit from some of my Perks. Mmm Basil examined Little Nessia. Both the child and Vasi looked up at him with big doe-eyes. Although Basils heart of stone remained unmoved, he didnt see why he would deny the request. Little Nessia was no monster, so she would survive even if he were to perish in battle. So long as she stays far, far at the rear. Sure, Little Nessia replied. Her tone made Basil unsure whether she was dutifully obeying or lying to his face, but a deal was a deal.
You have recruited the [Aztain Ahizpa] Party into your Guild!
You switched the Rosemarine Entine de Barthe and Nessia Marius Party members.
Congrattions, you formed a coven with Nessia Marius and Vasilisa Yaga. You receive a +30% bonus to crafting potions and magical items and the cost of casting spells is halved. Members of your coven can cast the following Witchcraft coven spells if they possess the required spellcasting tiers: [Witch Ladder] (Tier I), [Evil Eye] (Tier II), [Witch Ball] (Tier III), [Bruxa Murder] (Tier IV), [Zduha Projection] (Tier V), [Magonia] (Tier VI), [Grand Hex] (Tier VII), [Call the Drude] (Tier VIII), [Grimalkin Gate] (Tier XI), [Walpurgis Night] (Tier X).
Aww Rosemarineined. Not again. Its just one time, Basil promised as he examined the new Coven spells that Vasi could cast. Witch Ladder summoned, well, adder from nothing, and Witch Ball created an item capable of repelling evil ghosts and spirits. Evil Eye though debuffed Luck for multiple foes and Bruxa Murder You wont like this spell, to, Basil mused. At all. The cat groaned. It involves birds, doesnt it? No, dont tell me. I dont want to know. Suit yourself. Basil nced at his team. Alright guys, I have a n. But to make sure well pull it off correctly well practice it first. No more improvisation. A few hourster, the group stood in the middle of Bordeauxs bridge. Neither the light of the moon nor the stars pierced through the purple aura obscuring the skies. At least the streetmps still worked. How long must we wait? Basil wondered as he red at the fog with his halberd in hand. Neria Elissalde, her dogs, Shellgirl, and Bugsy formed a defensive perimeter around him. The rest of his allies were either waiting in ambush or staying at the rear. Though in tos case, one could say that hes hiding in in sight As for Vasi, she knelt at Bugsys feet. A veil of sorcery disguised her as Kalki. The trick was vividly effective; having seen the man himself, the witch mimicked his appearance to perfection. She even faked struggling against the ropes holding her hands and the cloth piece gagging her. She was a natural actress. Theyre watching, a voice whispered. Ah! Basil turned his head in the voices direction with his halberd raised for the kill. A ghostly apparition of Little Nessia appeared at his side, ethereal and translucent. Whats this? Is it Halloween again? Shellgirl asked in confusion. Im alive, the little girl replied. Its an Oracle ability. Well, dont spook me like that again, Basil chided her. I almost cut you in half. You would have failed, the child replied as a matter of fact. Not even ten and already a smartass. Shes right, Boss, Bugsy said, his antennae raised in rm. I sense someone approaching from the other side. Neria Elissalde clocked her rifle. The officer came equipped with riot gear, a plexiss shield, and other firearms attached to her belt. A messenger. Indeed, a woman emerged from the fog alone dressed in a white robe and red, traditional Japanese pants. Thanks to his extensive video game culture, Basil immediately identified the outfit as that of a Miko, a Japanese priestess. A serpent mask covered her face except for long ck hair. She was unarmed, yet showed no fear as she stepped onto the bridge. Herees the Mouth of Sauron, Basil thought. Why the hell would a Greek god use a Japanese-themed priestess? Something doesnt add up here.
Janine Mazel
Level 20 [Humanoid] (Priest of Dionysus-Orochi 11/Brawler 9).
Faction: Metal Olympus.
Basil couldnt help but scoff at the French name. She was a cosyer! Have you mortals finally seen reason? the masked woman rasped. She stopped under the shadow of a Shinto archway covering the bridge. Greek statues observed her from both sides of the bridge. Relinquish him. Straight to business. Summon your boss first, Basil ordered. I wanna talk to him first. The woman snorted arrogantly. Or what? Or his head will roll over the floor. Basil raised his halberd right above Kalkis neck. The fiery rune empowering it faltered a little because of the fields effect, but the de remained as sharp as ever. Maybe Ill feed him to my Centimagma. I havent decided yet. Heil Emperor Vegan! Bugsy shouted, trying his best viin impersonation. It left much to be appreciated, but his monstrous appearance made up for hisck of a good script. Fry the meatbags! Although he couldnt see the womans expression under her mask, Basil noticed her freeze with apprehension. If she was worried for his safety, then the potion managed to fool her scans. Vasis muffled screams and struggle against her bindings added a little touch of urgency to the scene. I think youre under the misconception that this man is my gift. Youre wrong. Basil pointed his halberd at the messenger. Hes my hostage, which means youll y by my rules. Fool, the woman rasped. You do not know who he is. Hes Vishnus avatar, Basil replied. This time, the messenger flinched. Gotcha. Wanna see how he bleeds? Then you know the world will die with him, the priestess pointed out. Officer Elissalde turned her head in Basils direction, her face hidden behind her helmet. Oh right, he had forgotten to mention that detail. Beats me, Basil shrugged. Well just move to another. Youre bluffing, the messenger replied. Basil took a step forward. He walked up all the way to the priestess, who immediately adopted a boxing stance. Bugsy moved behind Kalki and threatened the hostage with his mandibles. Look at me, you little shit. Look at me in the eyes. Basil stopped in front of the messenger and red at her. In the eyes. Two ck eyes stared at him from behind the snake mask. Im Basil Jean-Franois Bohen. Im Bulgarian. Basil smiled arrogantly and whispered into her ear. I can do whatever the fuck I want. Such moments made Basil d that he was a blue-eyed blonde. The references wrote themselves. Whatever the case, his impression was spot on. The priestess gaze wavered as he kept staring at her, unblinking, unmoving. Why would you do that? she whispered in shock. Because Bugsy roared and did his best mad beast impersonation. Were evil! He delivered the corny line with such passion that Basil immediately forgave him. Your boss has five minutes of my time, Basil warned the priestess with a sinister wink. And Im baaaaad at math. He didnt need to wait that long. Stay back, the priestess asked. She joined her hands and whispered some kind of prayer to herself. I I will call my master. Try anything suspicious and the Indian immigrant gets it, Basil said as returned to his starting spot. He had barely taken a few steps when he noticed an invisible pressure in the air. A small weight fell on his shoulders and the stench of alcohol from the wine river grew stronger. Bugsys antennae pointed at the fog in rm. Something was approaching from within the mist. Hes screaming, Little Nessia whispered. I dont hear anything, Basil replied. Neria raised her rifle and the rest of the party prepared for a fight. On the inside. Her voice dripped with disgust. Hes begging us for help. The priestess knelt as her master floated out of the mist. The thing that emerged from the red fog didnt match any artists vision of Dionysus. In fact, it barely looked human at all. The creature was roughly four meters tall, a naked colossus of a humanoid with a bodybuilders muscles. His skin was covered in pale purple scales lined with gold. His feet and a ck tail floated above the ground, as if the mere act of walking was beneath him. A white mask covered the upper half of his face underneath short silver hair and a goldenurel crown. Two eyeless serpents surged from his shoulders like a second pair of arms. One of them coiled around a captive Maya Elissalde and lifted her above the ground. Nerias sister was unconscious, her face beaten bloody. The officer raised her rifle, but didnt dare shoot. It would spell her death. The pressure that monster gave off It felt eerily simr to Apollyons. An aura of pure malice and danger. At least now Basil knew where the Orochi part of the name came from. You have done well to bring the avatar to me, mortals. Two voices echoed at once out of the creatures many mouths. One raspy like a snakes hiss, the other human and masculine. Two yellow eyes shone like the stars behind his mask. You shall be duly rewarded. Basil heard the words, but barely paid attention to them. A feeling of familiarity washed over him, as if he had heard one of the voices before. He struggled to recognize it until he remembered a certain video. No way in hell. Basil stared at the creature in shock. Could it be? You will be akin to gods among men, Anton Maxwell had told his board on the apocalypses eve. Free to shape the world as you see fit. And he had delivered. Chapter 52: Man vs Cheat Chapter 52: Man vs Cheat Maya! Officer Elissalde raised her rifle at the reptilian abomination facing them. Release her at once! Did you take me for a fool, Elissalde? Dionysusor rather, the man pretending to be himsmiled ear to ear. His teeth were fangs and his tongue forked. Do you think any loose end is beneath my notice? When you escaped my fog with that childs help, I knew you woulde back with army reinforcements and prepared ordingly. The serpent head coiling around the unconscious Maya Elissalde opened its mouth. Fangs surged right above the hostages head, ready to bite it off at the first warning. "Still, to think you would bring me the Preserver we might be able to make a fair deal after all, Dionysus said. How about this? The Preservers avatar for your sisters life, Nerias handle on her rifle wavered. She was considering the shot, but the threat to her sisters life stayed her hand. Her dogs growled and barked in anger. Bugsy tensed up next to Nessias projection, ready for battle. Shellgirl and Kalki both nced at Basil, waiting for a signal of any kind. He didnt say a thing. His mind struggled to make sense out of the situation, and even the System wouldnt help.
Dionysus-Orochis [Divine Vessel] blocked your [Monster Insight].
Partner, Shellgirl whispered. Do you want me to negotiate an exchange? I can do it, you know. Basil remained silent. His hand tightened on his halberds shaft with a mix of iprehension and cold-blooded fury. If he had identified the voice correctly then one of the five people single-handedly responsible for this entire mess stood before him. Basil needed to confirm the creatures identity, and if he had guessed right Then there would be blood all over the shop. I wouldnt wait too long if I were you, the reptilian abomination taunted them. My three mouths consume indiscriminately. Food and flesh and wine. This body turns even the most hideous taste into blissful pleasure. It just feels right. This time, Basil opened his mouth to speak. I didnt know you were a closet cannibal, Mr. Tamura. The name echoed across the bridge, carried by the wind. It was a gamble. Basil knew little of the man beside his name and involvement in Dismaker Labs. Yet he had a sharp ear and memorized the voices of his tormentors. The brief sh of shock in the monsters eyes was unmistakable. No fucking way, Basil thought as most of his allies looked at him in confusion. None of their stares felt as heavy as the so-called gods. Basil held his gaze while trying not to show emotion. Mr. Tamura? Neria asked in confusion. Dionysus briefly nced at her and then back at Basil. His face remained undecipherable under that silly mask of his. Is that what you traded your corporate suit for? Basil taunted the false god. Scales and a tail? If you ask me, youve been shortchanged. Who are you? the false Dionysus rasped with two voices at once. Basils words had shaken him. My Logs indicate you destroyed a dungeon and conquered another that you fought an incarnation of Apollyon too. But you have no ties to our organization. So who are you? Youre smart Mr. Tamura, figure it out, Basil snorted. He put emphasis on the name to better destabilize him. Throw him off his game. Im the one looking for answers here and youll give them. After a short silence, the fake god smiled arrogantly. It sounds strange to hear my name spoken again after so long by a gaijin of all people. I knew it. Basil had guessed correctly. The question is: what the hell happened? Partner, whats happening? Shellgirl asked in confusion. Do you know this guy? Hes a member of Dismaker Labs board of directors. Basil pointed his halberd at the false Dionysus. A human pretending to be a god. A a member of the board? Officer Elissalde looked back and forth between Basil and Dionysus. I dont understand. She knows nothing? Dionysus scoffed and locked eyes with Basil. I see. You were the one who organized this meeting, not this woman. You are the one who captured the avatar to force this confrontation. What purpose do you seek? I want the truth, Basil lied. He hadnt expected such an opportunity to fall on hisp, but he wouldnt miss it. I have a lot of questions and I want answers. And if you wont provide them He pointed his halberd at the disguised Vasi, who faked struggling against her bindings. He gets it, Basil threatened. You went through the trouble of capturing the Preserver and bringing him to me to satisfy your curiosity? The false Dionysus chuckled to himself. I must admit, I admire your spirit. Most young men of your age would rather y video games rather than seek enlightenment. Each wording out of his mouth makes me want to punch him harder, Basil thought. Still, he couldnt keep this up for long. The potion hiding Vasis System information from sight suffered from a short time limit albeit one shorter than the invisibility ones. I told your servant that you had five minutes of my time Mr. Tamura. Dont waste them. The invisible pressure on Basils back worsened. A vile aura of malicious power radiated from the false Dionysus. Shellgirl covered her mouth and Nerias dogs whined at the oppressive auraing off him. Dionysus priestess took a step back in fear as the bridge trembled beneath their feet... Yet Basil held strong. He remembered Walters words: that a true god would have nothing to prove to lesser men. This walking handbag tried to intimidate him because he felt vulnerable; because as far as he knew, Basil was the one holding the worlds fate at his des tip. Do not push your luck, boy, the false deity warned. His snake heads snapped at Basil threateningly. We are not equals, not by a long shot. Do not presume tomand me. I wield more power than you can fathom. Basil sneered. If that was true, he would have seen through Vasis simple illusion. The girl and the truth against the avatars life, Basil said, holding his ground. Thats myst offer. Take it or shove it up Shivas ass. The false god locked eyes with Basil for long, agonizing seconds. His gaze radiated malice and cold-blooded cruelty. This man had killed many yet when Basil refused to fold, he realized a simple truth. Basil Bohen didnt take shit from anyone. Very well. The pressure radiating from Dionysus lessened, although it didntpletely go away. Honesty will be a suitable reward for your perseverance. My lord? his priestess asked in confusion. Quiet, her false god replied. She didnt dare interrupt him again. What do you want to know? Release the hostage first, Basil ordered. I think not. I would be a poor negotiator if I renounced my leverage so easily. You will have to release the avatar at the same time, and I doubt our discussion will remain afterward. Hes got a point, Shellgirl said with a sigh. Not helping, Basil replied. He hadnt expected the handbag to actually follow through with the exchange, but at least he tried. Basil was certain a fight would break out the moment he surrendered Kalki anyway. Fine. Then stop hiding your true self. Tell them all who you really are. You want a proper introduction? The false Dionysusughed. Very well. No more pretenses. He extended his arms and revealed the truth. I am Shinz Tamura, the false deity dered for all to hear. Former Chief Financial Officer of Dismaker Labs, former chairman of Tamura Zanbatsu, and currently a god of the New World. Shinz Tamura? Officer Elissalde recognized the name. The gambling mogul? Oh right, the Tamura Pachinko! Basil kicked himself for not recognizing the name. His father always wasted money on those stupid slot machines. If anything, that only made Basil dislike this man even more. Gambling? Tamura mused. His priestess looked up at her master in shock and denial, but he ignored her utterly. I owned so much more than casinos. Fitness centers, arcades, even cars The prime minister once called me the Vampire of Tokyo, because I siphoned money from all of Nippons industries as if it was blood. You know, I would have loved to exchange business tips, Shellgirlmented. But considering your methods, I dont think we share the same ethics. You dont say, Basil deadpanned. Nessias projection looked up at the false god in utter confusion. You are you are not Dionysus? I am a yer like you, girl. Tamuras scales shone under the glow of the bridgesmp lights. Though obviously, my avatar is far more optimized than yours. An early adopter privilege, if you would like. You y heroes, I y a god. I knew it! Bugsy snapped his mandibles. Youre a big phony! I am not pretending to be a god, bug. I am one. The false deity put a hand on his reptilian chest. This body is divine though the previous owner is no longer in control, Ill confess. It is my will that drives this vehicle now. You are a parasite. Nessias projection growled in anger and disgust. You are the disease I sensed. Tamura sneered at her. Quiet, half-breed child. I shant be mocked by the likes of you. This bodys previous owner wasted his potential on wine and sex. I shall make better use of it than he ever could. I I dont get it, Neria whispered in confusion. You are a human soul in the body of a god? Gods and spirits are different from us creatures of flesh, Tamura replied. They are beings of raw thought and magic, infinitely malleable. Human beliefs and sacrifices can influence their nature, as did our summoning programs. Creating this avatar for my soul was simply a matter of finding the right calibrations. Nessiasparison was appropriate. This man was like a parasite, a brain-disease having taken over a gods mind and transformed it into an abomination. Between us, I did not want Dionysus as my host, Tamura confessed. I wished to be the great Susano-o, lord of the storms and master of Nippon. But wecked the data required to summon a functional avatar, so I had to settle for a young Greek god instead. And the snake parts? Basil asked. The two snake heads hissed at him. You spliced up with reptile DNA, Jurassic Park-style? I admit full responsibility for this mishap, Tamura confessed. I insisted that Anton incorporate the data we collected on Susano-o into my avatar anyway. s, the wells waters were tainted. Lesser gods are like spirits. They draw their substance from the myths about them. The essence that came through belonged to the Yamata-no-Orochi, the great serpent that Susano-o once vanquished and made a part of his legend. I suppose this is punishment for my greed. As they say, those who chase after two rabbits will not even catch one. I wondered where the Metal part of Metal Olympus came from, but now I understand. Basil squinted at this this twisted chimera. Deus ex machina. Gods from the machine. And I assume your colleagues make up the rest of your pantheon. Mayhaps Tamura scoffed. Basil took it as a yes. Good. Now he knew where to look to cross names off his kill list. Still, I am happy with the result. Tamura raised a scaled arm and examined it with rapturous attention. Its better than anything I expected. Such power, such vitality ah, it feels so good to walk again. Release him. Little Nessia red at Tamura with burning anger. Release Dionysus. Hes in imaginable pain. Youre hurting him. So what? Tamura looked down on her. Yes, I hear my hosts pleas in the depths of my soul. Like background noise, Ive stopped paying attention. In time, his words will be my thoughts. His malleable essence slowly morphs to fit my desires, my soul this is my life now. Basil tried to imagine what his host suffered through. Bing a prisoner in his own body, his mind overwritten by a foreign presence, vited physically and mentally and then vanishing while someone else carried on with his face and name. Basil didnt know much about Dionysus besides the fundamentals, except that Greek gods were jerks in general, but he didnt wish this kind of fate on anyone. Not even a pagan god. Death would have been kinder. Shellgirl nced at Nessias projection and whispered into her ear. Basils sharp ears were close enough to hear. Is there any way to free him? I think only one. Little Nessia chewed her lip angrily. Hes begging for it inside. Death. The god inside wished for death. That made things easier to swallow for Basil, though only a little. I still dont understand how you could pull it off, Neria said. She kept her rifle pointed at the false god, but waited for Basils signal. She understood now was the perfect time to gain information. How could you transform the entire world? How could you reshape all of reality? You foolish woman, do you think we created all of this from nothing? Tamura waved a hand at the fog covering Bordeaux and the darkness spreading in the skies. Even such marvels as theputers you take for granted demand rare ore extracted from the earth. Our technology harnessed forces that were already there. Basil remembered the description of Prayer spells, back when he inspected Daxs cathedral. Ive read books implying that prayers always had power, he said. Miracles once existed, yes. Tamura nodded with his human head. What theycked in modern times was the energy required to fuel their effects. Although they fled to other nes as this worlds magic rarified in ancient times, gods once walked among us, unseen and unknowable. Some slumbered deep underground like fossils, waiting to be reawakened. Others had to be cast down to Earth with the right summoning program. The false god then nced at the disguised Vasi. And then, of course, there are Overgods like the Trimurti, who need no worship and whose power knows no bounds, he said. It took us great effort to gain those threes'' attention and summon them to this ne. How did you do that? Shellgirl asked with a frown. I dont get it. You said this didnt have magic before. So how could you summon this handsome, delightful boy without it? Tamura seemed to find the wording funny, for heughed to himself. Yet the malicious edge in his voice sent shivers down Basils spine. Have you ever wondered, the false god asked softly, why you gain power from killing? Basils blood went cold. What do you mean? You must have noticed by now, Mr. Bohen, Tamura said upon noticing his unease. The Quests you receive, arent they all about death or creating better tools of war? About calling more pigs to the ughter? Why would our System provide these incentives? Where do you think experience pointse from? Basil clenched his jaw. He remembered all the undead people he slewing back for his head on Halloween. Their existence had proved the existence of the soul, that something remained of the living even beyond death. Basil could see the implications of the false gods words, and he didnt like them one bit. Speak clearly, he ordered. I already have, Tamura replied mockingly. If you cant see the truth on the walls, then you are wasting my time. Wheres Anton Maxwell? Neria pointed her rifle at Tamuras human head. The false god moved his hostage in the path as a human shield. Where. Is. He? I do not know, Tamura replied with a shrug. Lies. You question my words, woman? The false god grunted in genuine anger. Our association came to an end. Only Ashok is still in contact with Maxwell as far as I know, and I do not care what either of them do. I will contact them again once the avatar is in my hands, but thats it. Having been floating slightly above the ground so far, Shinz Tamuranded on the bridge with aristocratic grace. Yet his face was marred with anger, and his eyes set on Vasi. I tire of this standoff, he warned. Do you have another question, or will we make the hostage exchange atst? Basil could tell that the false god had reached the end of his patience and the potions effects would soon wear off anyway. Yet he had onest question on his mind, one that wouldnt stop bugging him. Why? Tamura nced at him in confusion. Why? Why? Why the hell?! Basil waved his halberd at the fog covering Bordeaux, at the devastation the System had left in his wake. Why did you do all of this? Because you wanted power? You wrecked the so you could call yourself a god? Are you so hollow inside? The false deity crossed his arms. His gaze remained full of anger, yet to Basils surprise, he noticed a hint of bitterness in it. Have you ever been sick, young man? Tamura asked, his twin voices surprisingly low and deep. Have you been bedridden by fever, helpless and weak? Basil frowned. I have. Now imagine living like this for years. The mans reptilian lips twisted into a sneer of distaste. Trapped in a wheelchair when you could once run. Gasping for bottled air when you could once dive in the Pacifics deepest abysses. Feeling your mind slip away when other men once honored your foresight. Needing diapers from servants who once trembled at the mere mention of your name. Watching powerlessly as your ungrateful children fight over your inheritance like vultures over a corpse. Imagine being treated as dead while you still live. Basil flinched as if punched in the face. He remembered Ren''sst months, the despair and bitterness he felt as the cancer prevented him from even moving from his bed. The Old Man had never said anything when Basil brought him his meals, but his adopted son always knew how much he hated being catered for instead of doing things himself. That feeling of helplessness had killed Ren as much as the disease. I can imagine, Basil whispered. You cannot, and be thankful for it. The old geezer shook his head angrily. Words flowed out of his mouth like a river of filth out of an old, aging mountain. Aging is dreadful agony beyond description. I couldnt even take sce in the future. None of my heirs were worthy of my empire. They were spoiled, self-centered brats, all of them. They tried to tter me in the hope I would make them my sole heir, saying I should retire in peace, but I wasnt blind. They would rather party on yachts and sell my legacy to these cryptocurrency frauds rather than honor our family. Wealth corrupted their hearts like worms in an apple. Okay, that hit close to home. Although the man in front of him was a mass murderer and a shitbag, Basil couldnt help but feel a littlepassion for him. He had already seen Ren go through the exact same torment. Even though one was a rich oligarch and the other a retiree living in the woods, age struck all without regard for their worth. Some things dont change, Basil thought grimly. Whichever side of the world, some children simply didnt appreciate the sacrifices their parents made for them. Only demons would sell their fathers cherishedpany to crypto bros. In the end though, the Old Man had made peace with his fate. He had epted his demise with dignity and gifted his remaining possession to Basil, who had stood by his side when his own flesh and blood wouldnt. My heart was filled with despair as the long shadow of death grew close. I wept in shame. I prayed to the Kami of my ancestors for a solution And then that Tamura breathed in relief. That man came along. Yet Tamura had chosen a different path. Anton Maxwell was a genius, he said. A man who could do so many things. Yes, I knew he was an akuma, a wicked soul, but he offered me my hearts desire. A new life and eternal youth. Health and strength! When he showed me hisboratory, when he presented to me the wonders he had created I realized I would no longer need to pray to the gods for mercy. I was destined to be one. You killed millions for it, Neria used him angrily. She clearly felt none of Basils sympathy. So what? Tamura replied with utter contempt. Where others enjoyed sex and booze and vacations, I spent my days studying and working. I toiled for seventy years withoutining. I deserve this new life. Deserve?! Basil turned his head at Bugsy. The centimagma steamed with anger, literally. Vapors rose from his body and smoke came out of his mouth. Bugsy? You deserve nothing! Bugsy snarled angrily. His eyes burned with rage. Youre a cheater and a fraud! Tamuras body once again radiated potent malice. The air choked from the pressure of his hateful re. You dare? Bugsy dared. Youre a thief and a cheat! All of us, we fought to get where we are! We killed and lost and kept going, but you you didnt earn this power! You stole it from someone else, and worst of all, you pretend it was yours by right! You sicken me! Basil had yet to remember seeing Bugsy ever so angry. Even the houses destruction hadnt triggered that kind of reaction. But it made sense. The centimagma took pride in getting stronger. To hear Tamuras self-indulgent rant probably hit all of his buttons. Boss, I swear, just give me the signal Bugsy snapped his mandibles angrily. Ill tear his head off! Just try, the false Dionysus replied smugly. Venom oozed from his snakes fangs, and his priestess adopted a fighting stance. Reel in your pet Mr. Bohen, before I squash him where he stands. On one hand, he is just an old geezerwith the power of a god, Basil thought, but on the other hand, he is an old geezer with the power of a god. Bugsy was right, Tamura didnt earn his power. This gave the party the edge. Perhaps Tamuras borrowed body possessed great powers, but control did not equal mastery. Whereas Basils group fought tooth and nail to reach their current level of power, the oligarch literally paid to win. The mere fact Tamura could be fooled by a simple illusion showed that he was nowhere near as powerful as he pretended to be. Basils party trumped him in experience, cunning, and determination. Would that be enough? Whatever the case, Bugsy was right. This man deserved nothing but scorn. No matter his circumstances, he willingly stole another persons life and murdered millions more. Basil couldnt allow his feelings to cloud his judgment. Couldnt you just ept death with dignity? Basil red at Tamura, at this corporate thief. Pass on the torch to someone and simply let the world run its proper course? epting death with dignity? Tamuraughed scornfully. Only a weakling would say that. And like that, he pressed the Ren button. Whatever sympathy Basil held for the man vanished from his heart. He had projected Rens plight on this fake god without realizing that he was an utter asshole. Of course the two were different. Besides the sheer difference in wealth, Ren was a noble person; even if he had been rich and powerful enough to seek an alternative, he would never have condemned millions to a gruesome death for a new lease on life. The Old Man would have epted his demise with dignity because he was brave enough to. Something which the likes of Tamura would never understand. Shellgirl sent Basil a brief, but instant gaze. Less than a minute left before the potions expiration. Basil took a long, deep breath. Im going to cut your serpent balls, he told Shinz Tamura, his voice barely louder than a whisper. And shove them down your throat. The false god scoffed. What Basil was running at him by the time Tamura finished his word. He crossed the gap between them in the blink of an eye, halberd raised for the kill. The priestess reacted before her master, who clearly hadnt expected such a brazen attack; Tamura had nobat instincts to speak of. Still, the bastard moved quickly. Thiasus, Tamura said, his eyes shining with a red glow. Puffs of smoke started popping up all over the bridge.
Dionysus-Orochi spawned reinforcements!
Basil focused on the task at hand. The priestess moved in their path, fists raised to strike. He pushed her to the side with a swing of his halberd and kept going. Tamuras snake head started coiled around his hostage and its maw opened for a killing blow. Neria shot it first with her rifle, the bullet pushing back the serpent. Tamura raised a hand And screamed in pain as a needle-long de cut through the back of his skull and came out through his right eye. Purple blood erupted from the wound, revealing a shape standing on his shoulders. A certain invisible cat asserted his dominance with a fearsome war cry. Dwarf panther to the face! The distraction was brief, but enough. Basil swung his halberd and cut the snake holding Maya Elissalde in one swift slice. The severed head fell onto the ground alongside its hostage. And then, I swear it on the Virgin Mary Basil gritted his teeth in fury as reptilian blood covered his face. He heard Bugsy roaring and rushing after him to join the fray, while Vasi undid her bindings and Shellgirl shouted something. Ill go full Spanish Inquisition on your entire pantheon! A System notification popped up right as an explosion rocked the bridge.
New Main Quest: Flipping the Board!
Rmended Level: 80+.
You dont like the cards youve been dealt with, so youve decided to flip the board? The System will hold you true to your vow! Defeat all five members of Dismaker Labs board of directors, Anton Maxwell included, and prove you dont need to pay to win!
Reward: 24,000,000 EXP + God Card.
Challenge epted. Chapter 53: Man vs Fraud Chapter 53: Man vs Fraud Practice made perfect. Chopping heads was almost second nature to Basil by now. No sooner did Maya Elissalde fall to the ground than he charged at Tamura to finish him off. to repeatedly stabbed the false god in the back of his head, granting Basil an opening. Kick his ass, Partner! Shellgirl shouted from the rear. Cut him down like my prices!
Shellgirls [Motivate] buffed your uracy and critical hits chances for five minutes.
With pleasure. Endowed with new strength, Basil struck Tamura with a vertical slice. His halberd cut through his shoulder and reached as low as the breast before being stopped by the false gods steel-strong bones.
Critical hit! Supereffective hit!
Hes vulnerable to fire, Basil guessed. His weapons metal parts barely cut through the false gods scales, but the mes produced by its Fire Rune incinerated the flesh underneath. Veins full of caustic purple blood poured boiling out of the wound. I should have brought a bottle of White Phosphorus. Still, Tamuras body was unnaturally resilient. Did he have damage reduction of some kind? Tamuras remaining snake head hissed and lunged at Basil the moment he removed his weapon for a second strike. He barely had time to dodge with a backstep. The reptiles fangs hit the bridge with enough strength to shatter the stone. An arrow surged at Basils head from his right side, forcing him to deflect the projectile. The priestess from before immediately attempted to nk him, her fists moving at incredible speed. Neria bull-rushed her and tossed her back with a push of her shield. After dodging another projectile, Basil took a second to survey the chaotic melee. Tamura had summoned monsters all around the bridge: four gaunt satyr archers with pallid, diseased skin and bows of ckened wood stood atop the bridges railing. On the ground, two maddened female humanoids with fearsome fangs surrounded the disguised Vasi and Shellgirl. Thetter had clouded herself in a cloak of water; her new Rainmantle Perk.
Fell Satyr
Level 18 [Demon/Beast]
Faction: Metal Olympus.
Maenad
Level 24 [Fairy]
Faction: Metal Olympus.
Over here! Little Nessias projection said, trying to catch the archers attention and distract them. In the meantime, Nerias Basque shepherd howled to buff everyone.
[Brave Howl] buffed your Strength and Magic for five minutes!
Bugsy unleashed his fiery breath at the Maenads to keep them away from the disguised Vasi. The witch undid her bindings and removed the gag around her mouth to better cast spells. As for Nerias doberman, she ran after his mistress to help her. Unfortunately, the melees chaos gave Tamura enough time to recover. His remaining serpent head lunged at the invisible to and managed to pinpoint his position. The blow caused the cat to be visible again, right as his tiny body was sent flying beyond the bridge and into the river. to! Basil snarled in panic. Zach, catch him! On it, sir! a voice called from above. Basils other hidden allies revealed themselves. Zachariel dived down from the sky to rescue to and waves spread from the wine Garonne as Rosemarine emerged from its depths. The tropidrake rose on her back legs and used the others to hold on to the bridge. She swiped a satyr off the bridge and attempted to squash another. The ground trembled from the blow. Basil trusted his party to follow the battle strategy and focused on Tamura. Summoning his handgun from the inventory, he fired a volley at the false god while closing the gap between them. Bullets pierced the monsters scales and drew corrosive blood. The field weakened the projectiles power, but they proved deadly nheless.
Supereffective hit!
Fire and frost. An idea crossed Basils mind. Of course Shinz Tamuras busted God-Field Perk created an advantageous terrain for him! It strengthened his powers and surely weakened the elements he was weak against! By a simple deduction, Tamura feared Fire, Frost, and Lightning. Thiasus! Tamuras eyes shone and a new squad of satyrs appeared between Basil and him. His halberd cut them left and right, but their presence prevented him from catching up to the false god. You there. My lord? a satyr asked. Tamuras remaining snake head bit his follower and swallowed him whole. Basil halted his assault in shock at the sight. Tamuras wounds healed in the span of seconds. His skull regenerated from tos stab holes and his second snake head regrew like a hydra.
Dionysus-Orochis [Sin: Gluttony] Perk healed his HP/SP!
Killing your own followers? Basil spat as he cleaved a satyrs head open. Despicable to the end! A hand that wavers cannot hope to rule, Tamura replied coldly. Basil was starting to wonder if the mans children might have good reason to despise him. Bhanal Mists! Tamura inhaled sharply and breathed out a pinkish fog. The cloud traveled across the bridge, carrying the sweet smell of grapes. Basil covered his mouth, yet he immediately felt weaker after inhaling the mist.
All buffs and magical effects disrupted! [Drunk] ailment resisted!
The mist did more than weaken Basil. It also stripped Vasi of her disguise. The witch regained her true appearance right when she sted a satyr archer with a fireball, revealing the deception for all to see. Little Nessias projection was instantly dispelled. Rosemarine stumbled as if intoxicated, and as for Maya Elissalde Maya? May Neria choked in surprise as her sisters body transformed into a maenad. The humanoid monster leaped at the surprised officer, her ws cracking her riot shield. Tamuras priestess immediately used the opportunity to kick her in the chest, making her stumble. A fake? Basil thought in annoyance. Strange minds thought alike. Tamura didnt intend to negotiate in good faith either. Mistress Neria! Behind Basil, Nerias Doberman rushed to her allys help. The dog leaped at the priestess and forced her to the ground. The beasts fangs closed on the womans throat, tearing it out. Tamuras lips curled into a snarl upon seeing Vasis true face. You tricked me! So did you, Basil replied as he finished off thest of the satyrs in his path. The pot calling the kettle ck. Fool, now I have no reason to hold back. Tamura floated above the bridge, light gathering in the mouths of his two pet serpents. Sak Breath! Remembering his battle with Steamslime, Basil immediately ducked to the side. Everybody get down! Tamuras snake heads fired twin sts across the bridge. Translucent, pressurized alcohol surged out of the maws at supersonic speed. Droplets cut through stone like paper. Basil managed to dodge the twin streams of destruction by moving to the bridges edge, but not all of his allies were as quick. Neria avoided the attack and Bugsy burrowed into the bridge to escape the strike, but the back legs of Elissaldes Doberman were vaporized by the stream alongside Tamuras priestess. Shellgirl lifted her shell to protect Vasi and the Basque shepherd from the Sak breath, and surprisingly, it held firm. Basil thanked God for her new Water immunity. Unfortunately, the attack had damaged the bridge. Basil could feel it shake under his feet. A few more attacks like this and the whole structure might copse. Mistress the Doberman whined, her back legs severed at the knees. The poor dog crawled as blood poured out of her wounds. It hurts Healer! Basil shouted before he could even stand up. Unfortunately, Zach hadnt reappeared yet and Rosemarine remained dizzy from the mist. Refusing to lose another ally in battle, Basil rushed to the Dobermans side and summoned a healing potion from his inventory. Here. No more Kuikuis on his watch. Thiasus, Tamura said as Basil poured the healing potion down the Dobermans throat. A team of maenads and satyrs materialized around the bridge to rece the dead. Damn it, he was trying to overwhelm them through sheer numbers. Shellgirl, Vasi! Basil shouted. Round them up! Evil Eye, the witch replied. The shadow of a colossal eye appeared above her head, its baleful re cursing Tamuras army.
All enemies will have their Luck debuffed for five minutes!
Come at my wares, bastards! Shellgirl opened her shell. The gold within glowed like the heart of the sun. Look upon my wealth and despair! Discord Booty! The fires of greed burned in the eyes of many satyrs, their minds overtaken by the Madness ailment. The Luck debuff and Field effect drastically reduced their chances of resisting Shellgirls magic. All of the satyrs failed to shrug off the effect. Mine! one of them snarled before shooting at a maenad. Mine! To Tamuras horror, his low-level satyrs started fighting each other. The stronger Maenads remained unaffected, but Shellgirl had a weapon for them too. Draw Aggro! Draw Aggro! Shellgirl targeted the Maenads with the Berserk ailment. Ah, Im sure you cant even dent my shell! The maenads hissed in anger and charged at her, their eyes bloody with fury. Shellgirl retreated inside her shell and her enemies ws broke upon its surface. A few remained too maddened to focus on her and turned to attack Vasi instead. Bodyguard: Vasi, Neria whispered as she regained her footing. Her Basque shepherd immediately started buffing her with howls. The officer teleported across the battlefield as a maenad threatened to tear the witch apart. Her cracked shield stopped all iing attacks, protecting the frail spellcaster. Perfect. Shellgirl focused enemy fire on herself while she remained safely within her shell. Rainmantles regenerative properties would keep her alive under the onught. As for Officer Elissalde, her bodyguard Perkinherited from her Guard sswould allow her to teleport around the battlefield to protect her frailer allies. Stop this! Tamura grunted. Yet his minions refused to obey him. They left the path clear for Basil to take a shot at their master. Heed my words! Your field is working against you, Basil taunted Tamura. The Dobermans knee wounds had closed, though her legs didnt grow back. Stay away until Zachariel returns. Im sorry, Master Bohen the poor animal said. Let me help Brave Howl!
[Brave Howl] buffed your Strength and Magic for five minutes!
Basil opened fire at the false god with his handgun, the bullets drawing blood from the waist down. Where is my sister? Neria snarled as she pushed back a maenad. Where is she?! I told you. Tamura smirked cruelly. By now he floated five meters above the bridge, his snake heads shielding him from Basils bullets. My three mouths consume with distinction and this body turns the most hideous crimes into pleasure. Basil couldnt see Nerias face behind her helmet, but her knees weakened at the cruel words. Dont listen to him, hes trying to destabilize you! Vasi shouted at her bodyguard. Hasten! Nerias body seemed to distort as the buff took effect. She quickly recovered from her shock and opened fire with her rifles at the maenads without breaking a sweat. The policewoman moved as fast as her own bullets, blocking attacks with her shield and retaliating with rifle shots in the same breath. Since they could deal with the respawning minions, Basil would lead the assault on the boss. Bugsy, Rosemarine, with me! Hes vulnerable to fire! Iming, Boss! Bugsy emerged from his hiding spot and crawled after Basil. Agility Up! Basil expected Rosemarine to say as much, but to his surprise, his favorite tropidrake remained silent. He looked up at her in confusion. Rosemarine? The tropidrake wavered from left to right like an uprooted tree. Mister, I feel Rosemarine belched. Her eyes rolled uncontrobly and her legs struggled to keep her standing straight. I feel God, please no, Basil prayed. Tamuras mist had affected her in the worst possible way.
Rosemarine is [Drunk]! Her [Strength] and [Vitality] are buffed!
I feel groovy! Rosemarine roared, hands raised up in the air. I hate ailments, Basil thought as Rosemarine mmed the bridge. As he worried, the weakened structure faltered from the constant stress. Lamp lights fell into the wine river, alongside Nerias Basque shepherd and a Shinto archway. Bugsy himself almost fell overboard and was barely hanging by a vine growing out of the stone. Rosemarine, calm down! Basil tried to talk his dearest nt out of her drunken frenzy, to no avail. She kept hitting the bridge as if it were a drum, the shockwaves preventing Basil from aiming at Tamura. Worse, the false god was charging up another breath attack. Rosemarine, bridges arent pianos! Stop it! Mister, can you feel the beats?! Rosemarines rhythm was primal, fric. They hit hard, Mister! Thankfully, Zachariel chose this moment to reappear. He flew up from the Garonne and above the bridge, holding a whining Basque shepherd in one hand and a frightened to in the other. Considering his wine-drenched fur, the cat had suffered an unwee dive into the river. Let thy spirit be mended! Zachariels wings glowed with holy light. His aura shone upon Rosemarine, dispelling the cloud of underage drinking that clouded her mind.
Rosemarines [Drunk] ailment has been lifted!
Mister? Rosemarine froze with her hands in the air. Mister? I feel thirsty. Its okay, Rosemarine, Basil reassured her. He pointed his handgun at Tamura. Lets blow him out of the skies. Yes, Mister! Rosemarine raised a hand and attempted to swipe Tamura like a fly. Unfortunately, the false god turned one of his snake heads at her and the other at Zachariel. Two streams of Sak poured out of them. One sted Rosemarine and tossed her back into the Garonne river in a catastrophic fall. Zachariel dodged the other by zigzagging in the skies. Vasi, who could spellcast uninterrupted under Neria and Shellgirls protection, raised a hand at the false god. Bruxa Murder! A cloud of smoke popped out of her hand, which swiftly assembled into a murder of bloodthirsty crows. The birds flocked to Tamura as Basil riddled him with bullets. The crows assaulted the false god from all sides, biting through his scales and leaving scar marks everywhere. Having run out of bullets, Basil tossed his handgun aside. He threw his halberd at the flying Tamura like a flying axe with both hands. Basil knew his weapon would connect before he even threw it. Apollyon had constantly moved around the battlefield in their battle, but Tamura kept floating in the same spot. The old man didnt have the presence of mind to stay a mobile target at all times. The birds fully distracted him, so he focused entirely on them. Tamura took the halberd straight to the face. The de split his skull, shattered his mask, and showered him with blood. He fell onto the damaged bridge close to Basils position. Amateur, Basil thought as he activated his Pth cloak and swiftly transformed into a mighty werebear. No battle instincts to speak of. Tamura had powerful abilities at his disposal, yet his tactics were simplistic and straightforward. If he had the presence of mind to simply blow up the bridge and let the river drown the party for him, he would have already won. Instead, he kept spamming the same abilities with little regard for tactics. But then again, the old psycho had probably never fought once in his life. His high-level summons could handle most foes. Tamuras snake heads tore apart the crows as hended on crumbled stone, only for Basil to immediately lunge at the false god. He stomped the mans head with his bear paws, bit his throat, and mauled him savagely. His fangs and ws tore off scales after scales. Yet even with a halberd stuck in his face, Tamura still breathed. Curse your cheat Field effect, Basil grumbled as he pummeled the false god into the pavement. The stones cracked under his onught, a Shinto archway crumbling close to his location. If you didnt weaken my weapon, this would already Tamuras serpent heads bit Basil in the shoulders, making him roar in pain. His fur and enhanced werebear body softened the blow, but not by much.
[Poison] ailment resisted.
You should be honored to have pushed me this far, Mr. Bohen, Tamura rasped as he pushed Basil back. His broken mask revealed the bleeding, reptilian face underneath. But you are no match for this avatar. If I had a nickel for everyone who told me that, I would be wealthier than you, Basil taunted him back. He bit one of the snake heads in an attempt to tear it off. But I will be thest. Tamuras eyes shone with purple light. ughter your allies! Dionysian Mystery! A red veil covered Basils mind and blinded his eyes with fury.
[Berserk] ailment! [Dionysian Mystery] will buff Physical damage by 30% and let it pierce Physical Resistance as long as you remain in madnesss throes!
Everyone on the bridge turned into faceless goblins as Basils heart burned in his chest. Unyielding rage and undying hate possessed him. His thoughts were no longer his. You pathetic failure of a son, said his mothers voice, flowing out of a police goblins mouth. Homeless, aimless, powerless. Im ashamed of giving birth to you. The world became a blur, all voices silenced by Basils own roar. He wanted to tell that critter to shut up, but beast noises came out of his mouth. He would silence it alright, with ws and fangs and death! Abandoning the snake goblin he was mauling before, Basil recklessly charged at the greatest concentration of enemies. The police goblin who dared disrespect him was tossed backwards with a mighty blow. A goblin puppy bit him in the ankle, so he kicked it back. You screwed-up again, son, a shellfish goblin said with his fathers voice. Another critter with a hat cast a spell on Basil, but he was too pissed to care. Thought you could be better than me? Look at you. I hid in a bottle, you hid in a house! ming everyone but yourself for your failures to make it big! Shut up! Basil managed to snarl through his frothing mouth. He smashed the shell goblin again and again, yet she somehow weathered all his attacks. He bit and wed and stomped, yet she wouldnt stop mocking him with his own fathers voice. Shut up! A crusader? Dont make meugh. If you had what it takes to help people, you would have gotten your ass out of your sofa years ago. Your old mans kindness was wasted on you. A cat goblin leaped on his back and tried to whisper more insults in Basils ear. So the werebear swiped the critter off his back and mmed it against the pavement to silence him. Even watching the warm blood pour out of the goblins wounds didnt calm him. He raised a foot and prepared to stomp the corpse to oblivion. Let thy spirit be mended! A holy light dispelled the wrathful cloud over Basils mind. When he regained his sanity, toy limp at his feet. Basil froze in shock as he struggled to process the sight around him: Neria on the ground, her shield broken next to her unconscious Basque shepherd; her maimed doberman whining in fear at her side; Shellgirls shell, covered in w marks; Raphaels hand on his back; and worst of all, tos small body struggling to breathe at his feet. A System notification appeared, as if to taunt Basil over his terrible mistake.
to the Cait Sith lost one life. Six of them remain.
to! Basil stared at his cat in utter horror. His mind acted on autopilot. Monster Cure! The werebeast transformation didnt negate his Perks, but the healing light barely closed a few of tos wounds. The cat had some ribs sticking out of his fur. Monster Cure! Basil cast again. Damn it, did he did he Neria, is she okay? Is she Its all right, sir, I will take care of the wounded, Zachariel said. The angel immediately applied a hand to to, a holy halo covering the cat. The others need your help. Hes right, Partner, Shellgirl said as she emerged from her hideout. To Basils shock, she looked neither wounded nor furious with him. A veil of water quickly washed away the w marks on her shell. Look! Basil slowly turned his head. Vasi and Bugsy were raining fire at Tamura. The former struggled to dodge a serpent head strike and thetter coiled around another. As for Rosemarine, she was slowly emerging back from the wine Garonne, dizzy and wounded. Basils eyes set on Tamura. The bastard had removed the halberd from his head. He was smiling to himself. The fury came back in full force, and Basil didnt need to go berserk this time. Wreck him! Shellgirl shouted.
Shellgirls [Motivate] buffed your uracy and critical hits chances for five minutes.
Basil roared and charged back into the fray. He ran on four legs like a real bear, frothing at the mouth. In an instant, he had crossed the length of the bridge. Vasi had the wisdom to jump out of his path, but Tamura didnt see himing quickly enough. The false gods eyes widened in shock. Oh Basil tackled him before he could finish his sentence. His ws closed on Tamuras back and lifted him above the ground. Gaias VenAH! Tamura hissed in pain as Basil tightened his grip. Ill break you in two, Basil rasped in a low, low voice. Like a chocte bar. With one snake head immobilized by Bugsy, Tamura used the other to bite Basils throat. The fangs closed on his neck, but the werebear didnt even feel it. Fury was one hell of a painkiller. Harming Basils pets and friends was horrendous enough, but making him do the deed? He wouldnt forgive it! If anything, the blood flowing from his neck only made Basil squeeze his prey tighter. He felt scales and bones bend under his pressure. Youll die if you dont release me! Well both perish! Tamura panicked. His gaze morphed into an expression of utter fear. He raised his hands to push the werebear back, to no avail. Let go of me! Bugsy, Vasi said, a magical me burning in her palm. Pull. The centimagma moved back with one of Tamuras snakeheads still in the throes of his mandibles. Like a man quartered, the false god was pulled into two directions. Vasi joined in the fun by sting the serpent biting Basils throat with a stream of fire, cutting it off. Within seconds, Bugsy ripped out the other and left Tamura defenseless. Dont like my bear hug, asshole? Basil rasped. His throat hurt and he felt blood dripping inside, but he didnt lighten his grip. I thought your children didnt give you enough? Im giving you the love they never did. You should be happy about it. Tele the false god struggled to form words. Tele po Crack!
Critical hit!
Tamuras back broke before Basils resolve. His body snapped in half like a kitkat bar, both halves falling at the werebears feet in a shower of corrupted blood. It melted with Basils own as it dripped down his throat. My body cant teleport what is happening Tamura crawled on the ground, unable to fly away. Bugsy, Basil, and Vasi formed a circle around him, while Rosemarines shadow loomed above them all. How can this be this body it cant lose I told you, you were shortchanged. Basil immediately found a proper way to execute Tamura: the same way he killed his victims. Rosemarine. His tropidrake looked at him with curious eyes. Snack time, Basil confirmed. Rosemarine remained speechless for a few seconds. The tropidrakes tongue stuck out of her maw. Her eyes blinked in confusion. Basil always forbade her to eat humans and although it hurt him to say it, Tamura was still one under that reptilian shell. But since he considered himself a god allowed to dine on his fellow man, he didnt deserve any special treatment. Upon realizing that he was serious, Rosemarine became outright giddy. Finally! Thank you so much, Mister! You Tamura looked up at deaths jaws with fear and despair. Youll let a beast eat me? Her mouth too consumes indiscriminately, Basil taunted him as Rosemarine opened her maw wide. You shouldnt have made me hit my cat. Ill Ill pay you! Billions! Anything! Tamuras horror turned to spite as his prayers fell on deaf ears. Curse you, Anton! You lied to me! Curse Rosemarine grabbed both halves of Tamura with her hand and stuffed them into her mouth. Basil watched with dark satisfaction as the tropidrake chewed a gods flesh, grinding bones and scales under her fangs. Then she swallowed Tamura whole, scoffed as the corpse traveled down her throat, and belched in triumph. The purple sky cackled with lightning as if to echo Tamuras death and the dark energy clouds slowly started to dissipate.
Congrattions! Your party received 645,000 EXP (56,500 for you). You gained 3 levels (total 33).
Congrattions! Rosemarine absorbed the [Essence of Dionysus]! Rosemarine unlocked a unique metamorphosis (Minimum level required: 64)!
In the end, Shinz Tamura did not die with dignity. Chapter 54: Man vs General Chapter 54: Man vs General Tamura''s Field effect faded away with his death. The sky was cleared of the sinister aurora that once infested it. The red mist covering Bordeaux slowly faded away, revealing neo-ssical buildings and a cathedrals towers. The vines and Shinto archways crumbled to dust into the Garonne, whose wine current slowly returned to its natural state as a river of water. The curse of Bordeaux had been lifted. Yet Basil couldnt find it in himself to rest yet. His skin itched even after returning to human form and healing from his wounds. Youre sure he wont eat my Rosemarine from within? he asked Little Nessia. The young oracle and her griffin hadnded on the bridge after the battle. Now they examined Rosemarine with Zachariel, to make sure Tamura wouldnt return in any way. I do not detect any hint of demonic possession, sir, Zachariel insisted. Though I do notice that your dragon is way overdue for a baptism shot. I feel warm inside, Mister, Rosemarine rejoiced. The god is free, Little Nessia added. I dont feel him inside your nt. His spirit was cleansed and returned to the heavens, but he left a little of himself behind. Like what, a grape? Basil asked. Would his dear tropidrake transform into a vineyard dragon? I dont want her to start drinking so soon. Shes not even one year old. This was a gift, Little Nessia insisted. It would be rude to refuse it. Sir, Im afraid I know no way to remove the essence anyway, Zachariel said. There is no indication that it might affect her negatively either. If it does, it wont do so until she reaches the level required for metamorphosis which is a long time away. After considering the arguments, Basil conceded the angels point. His team struggled greatly to reach level thirty and Rosemarine wouldnt transform until they reached twice that number. It might take years for her to reach that threshold, if at all. As for Tamura he indeed appeared to be dead for good in spite of his best efforts to avoid his fate. Tamura couldnt teleport away, although he was a factions core member. This hade as a surprise to both Basil and the old dickhead himself. Is there a limit on in-battle teleportation or was he blocked from fleeing? Basil reread his Guilds guidelines in the Logs. As he remembered, a Boss or Guildmaster could deny a members teleportation back to a dungeon base. This implied someone higher than Tamura in the Metal Olympus hierarchy knowingly sabotaged him. That kind of backstabbing disgusted Basil, although it didnt surprise him. The boards executives formed an alliance of convenience; if one of them hoped to be Earths new Overgod, it made sense to get rid of potential rivals whenever possible. That, or Anton Maxwell was cleaning up loose ends. Basil had the feeling he could exploit this informationter. It was bound to sow distrust among Metal Olympus. Basil surveyed the area. Neria and her dogs stood in front of the dissipating fog with anxious faces, as if afraid of who or what would emerge from it. Zachariel healed their wounds, although he couldnt regrow the maimed dobermans missing legs; something in the Sak Breath attack interfered with his abilities. The rest of the party formed a defensive perimeter in case any of Tamuras monsters survived their masters destruction. And then there was to. Basils cat licked his fur as if he hadnt died minutes ago. His wounds had healed, and he seemed more concerned about the wine sticking to his fur than the fact Basil killed him. The memory of his bodyying on the ground, weak and bloodied it chilled Basil to the bone. to sensed his owners guilty gaze and looked up at him in confusion. What? I am so, so sorry, Basil apologized. to, I His cat cut him off before he could finish. You want to make up for your heinous, treacherous deed? Basil closed his mouth and slowly nodded. Then pick me up. Which Basil did. The cat felt light and fragile in his hands. Now pet me behind the ears. Basil obeyed. He scratched tos head as if his life depended on it. Do that every day for the rest of your pitiful life, to purred. And Ill forgive you. Thats Basil squinted. Thats it? Oh yes, since you asked, you must rub my belly twice a day and thrice on week-ends. But no more than a minute each time. Ill count. to, I killed you. There, Basil had said it. I mmed you against the pavement. Its my third death, to replied with a shrug. The reaper was scary the first two times, but Im used to it by now. Like a vet appointment. But you dont have a limitless amount of lives. Didnt he realize the seriousness of the situation? That lost life might be the one to make a difference down the line. Basil, you sound like an old bachelor nning for early retirement. His cat looked up at him with his big, beautiful yellow eyes. What happens happens. Maybe its thest life Ill ever lose. Then Ill die of old age at a venerable twenty and revive young again. to, how can you be so Basil frowned in utter confusion. He hadnt expected this kind of reaction. So chill with it? Because Im your best friend, Basil, to replied with a deep, serious tone. I have seen you in the worst positions imaginable. Being mind-controlled by a Jurassic Park cosyer is a new low, but I dont hold it against you. Youre human. Its in your nature to fuck up. Basil squinted at his best friend. Im not sure how Im supposed to take that. With grace and dignity, to mocked him. Just like that time I peed in your bed. Basil wished he hadnt been reminded of this particr disaster, but tos response lifted a weight off his shoulders. He valued his cats friendship above all else. I know youre ming yourself, but it wasnt you. to locked eyes with hispanion. Like the poison that killed Kuikui and the fire that burned our house, the fault lies with our enemies and not our inability to prevent it. If you have to me someone, me them. I could have I could have be king of dogs with coulds and ifs, to interrupted him. Dont overthink it. It happened, you learned a lesson, and now youll take the correct course of action. Which is? Please dont transform into a werebear in battle again. to shuddered in dread. Ill never look at Winnie the Pooh the same way ever again. I Basil cleared his throat. Ill try, but I make no promises. His cat nodded and purred in his arms. Knowing to, it meant that he considered the matter settled. Basil felt a little guilty still, but his friends carefreeness cheered him up a bit. Guys! Bugsy shouted. Someonesing from the other side! Basil immediately assigned his new levels just in case.
Tamer level 17, 18 & 19 Stat Gains: +1 STR, +3 AGI, +2 VIT, +1 SKI, +1 MAG, +3 INT, +3 CHA, +2 LCK. You earned 70 HP and 45 SP.
Monster Cure II (Active): 50 SP, [Support], [Life]. The tamer heals a medium amount of HP for all monster members of his party (HP recovered: (Tamer Levels+MAG) x 2); the Tamer and other yers do not benefit from the healing, but the effect applies regardless of distance. Additionally, the spell will heal status ailments affecting the targets. This reces Monster Cure I.
One for All II: you can now summon all monsters in your party at once instead of one at a time, though you must pay 1 SP x monster for each individual you are trying to summon. This upgrades One for All I.
[Monster Cure II] and [One for All II] will apply to your entire Guild.
Congrattions, you are one level away from capping the [Tamer] ss (20 Levels max). Once youve capped a ss, you can no longer gain levels in it; but in exchange, you will receive a powerful capstone ability.
One more level and Basil would have to consider what next ss to invest in next. Deathknight, Dragonknight, Runesmith, Alchemist, Gardener or Fisherman? He needed to examine Hagens notes on the first two as soon as possible. And One for All II if Basil hadnt misread, then he could potentially summon his entire Guild at once if he spent enough SP. Come to think of it, how was it that he gained experience from killing Tamura at all? Rosemarine had been temporarily added to the Aztain Ahizpa party rather than Basils own to make ce for Nessia, and she was the one to deliver the coup de grce.
A Guilds parties are interlocked. If multiple parties from a Guild participate in a battle, the experience is shared between all members even if they didntnd the killing blow.
Excellent. That kind of setup prevented internal warfare in the organization. Still, Basil wondered why he wasnt made aware of that feature when he created the Homeowner Revenge Association.
Your Intelligence
Dont you dare to finish this sentence.
wasnt high enough to obtain this information beforehand.
Goddamnit. Basil looked at Bordeaux as a shadowy form emerged from the clearing fog. The half-crumbled bridge trembled at its approach. The tip of a cannon pierced through the mist atop a mighty Leclerc tank, followed by a dozen armored soldiers on foot. They raised warily rifles at Basils group, especially the non-humanoid members of the party, but thankfully didnt open fire. What kind of automaton is this? Little Nessia asked, a finger pointed at the tank. Ive never seen anything like it. Her gesture caused a few soldiers to tense up and point their weapons at her. Basil immediately dropped to on the ground, much to the cats chagrin, and prepared to summon his halberd in case things went sour. Its all right! one of the soldiers said, a woman. Basil recognized her voice before she even removed her helmet. Theyre friends! Officer Elissalde beamed with joy upon recognizing her sister. Maya! Sister! Maya Elissalde rushed to embrace her sibling. Her dogs howled in support. Thank God youre alright! Basil breathed in relief. A part of him suspected Maya Elissalde survivedif her ss worked like his Tamer one, her dogs would have perished with herbut the doubt remained. That dickhead Tamura couldnt follow through with his bluff. The tank stopped a few meters away and an old man emerged from inside. Dressed in a white military uniform covered in medals, he reminded Basil of Ed Harris; albeit ten years older and with a graying beard. A kepi satfortably atop a receding hairline. Yet in spite of heavy signs of aging, his blue eyes remained spry and alert. They nced at each member of Basils group, swiftly assessing them. He smiled warmly within seconds, having correctly guessed that they were allies.
General Richard-Philippe Lenc
Level 26 [Humanoid] (General 10/Pilot 10/Tanklord 6)
Guild: European Liberation Front (High Command).
Finally, Basil thought. Now he couldin about the misuse of his taxes to the proper authority! General. Neria gave him a military salute. Im d to see you alive and well. Our apologies for the dy, Brigadier, the general said with a grandfatherly voice. It is difficult to drive a tank in wine fog. We kept running in circles within it. Basil watched on in silence, trying to assess the generals character. He appeared strangely rxed for a military leader. Basil expected him toe with a stick up his ass, maybe a whole broom. Whats the situation, Brigadier? the general asked Officer Elissalde, a little less warmly than before. Report. The Bohens and my team neutralized Dionysus, Neria exined. Hes dead. My gurgling are his ghosts screams, Rosemarine whispered. Soldiers pointed their weapons at her in response, but the general only chuckled. Truly? Then you have my thanks. I hope he did not taste too bitter. General Lenc nced at Basil. You are the Tamer boy from Bulgaria, are you not? I have heard about your exploits." The good ones I hope, Basil deadpanned. I have yet to hear of the bad ones. Did you truly shout witness me Saint-George before ying a dragon? Basil squinted at Neria, who cleared her throat. I was asked to write an extensive report, she defended herself. I admit Iughed upon reading that part, the general said with a charming grin. Though I assume battling a god probably tops that particr story. Handsome, Vasi whispered into Basils ear. The sh drive. Oh, right. Basil cleared his throat. General, I have an important delivery for you straight from the ISS. The ISS? The general frowned, but seemed to take Basil at his word. Come to my office then. We can discuss it in a warmer ce. Hey, what about us? Ever the opportunist, Shellgirl immediately tried to negotiate a payout. We rescued your city, you owe us a reward! Shellgirl, shush, Vasi whispered. She looked at the tank warily. The general took the remark in stride. Of course, I will discuss yourpensation with your leader. Brigadier Elissalde, see that our guests are granted amodations for their stay. Maya Elissalde nced at Rosemarine. We dont have a bedroom big enough for her. A hangar will have to do, her sister replied with a sigh. We owe you a great debt for your help, young man, General Lenc told Basil. You can rx now. You are among friends. You better negotiate with a knife in your mouth, Partner, Shellgirl said with a grin. I didnt get pummeled by a dozen drunkards to leave empty-handed. Basil rxed a little. Although he would never admit it out loud, a part of him did miss a friendly neighborly human civilization No seriously, what kind of automaton is this? Little Nessia chewed her lip in childish frustration as everyone ignored her. I am a princess! Somebody answers me or Ill tell my dad! Basil spent an hour in the generals office alone with the man. Although located in the middle of Bordeauxs heavily fortified air force military base, the room reminded him more of a headmastersir than a generals redoubt. The white walls were covered in various photos representingkes, pine forests observed from above, and wild birds instead of medals or diplomas. The only things referencing the air force were a French g and a painting representing a group of young pilots dating from 2021. Basil assumed they must have been thest graduating ss of the local French Air Force. He wondered how many had survived the Apocalypse so far. The office had only one window, which the general warily closed before beginning the interview. The door was locked, and two steaming cups of coffee awaited on the generals mahogany desk next to a phone. General Lenc had offered Basil snacks, but he had politely refused. He only fed on vegetables, Vasis pastries, and the flesh of his enemies. The interview was surprisingly cordial. The general invited Basil to sit on a chair and then asked questions calmly without raising his tone. He asionally wrote down notes on a paper sheet, but spent most of his time listening in respectful silence. Basil had expected him to freak out upon seeing Captain Valentinos video, but his eyebrows barely furrowed. The man had either nerves of steel or one hell of a poker face. General Lenc asked precise questions about the Apocalypse Force, Walter Tye, the elves, and the sh drive found in the Soyuz. Basil answered honestly and delivered his findings. He even forwarded the general the video of Dismaker Labs final board meeting through the Logs feature. This is worrying. General Lenc joined his hands, his expression was thoughtful. And hard to believe. But you dont seem all that surprised, Basil noted with a frown. Our astronomers noticed multiple anomalies in the cosmic microwave background, sr rays, and movements of celestial objects. Strange as it sounds, the possibility that Earth had been teleported to another dimension was seriously considered at one point. The general shook his still. Still, to imagine Earth in the palm of a gods hand and a Hindu one at that It stretches credibility. A Greek god besieged your city for days, Basil bluntly pointed out. You can believe in an European deity but not in an Asian one? I do not believe, I think. But I concede your point. The general leaned back in his chair. Well analyze the sh drive to see if its files match your tale. Considering the services youve done for us, Ill take you at your word for now, but Ill need proof before acting up on it. Ill require the camera too. You can make copies. Basil held the generals gaze. The man sounded honest, but he remained a member of the French establishment. Basil distrusted them on principle, and their poor track record at dealing with the Apocalypse so far didnt help their case. Im okay with cooperating, but I aint one of your soldiers. I intend to go after Kalki on my own after were finished here, and I might need these videoster. Basil expected the general to argue. Instead, he simply gave him a short nod. I figured as much. Very well, my crafters will make copies and return the original to you. What happened with Kalki? Basil changed the subject. He wondered if the general knew more than Neria on the matter. Your friend had to flee Metal Olympus in a hurry after we refused to hand him over though I suppose I should call them Dismaker Labs now. The generals lips curled in anger. To think I almost formed an alliance with the very people who put us all in this mess On the bright side, we know where to look now, Basil replied. If they stick to the Greek theme, well just have to knock over Mount Olympus. His response amused General Lenc. ording to my sources, Metal Olympus headquarters are actually located in Athens. We dont have the means tounch a campaign to Greece yet, but Ill have our intelligence division keep an eye on it. Ill also grant you ess to the files we gathered on Dismaker Labs board of directors. Perhaps it will shed more light on your confrontation with Tamura. Basil epted the gift with gracefulness. Id be thankful. General Lenc let out a heavy sigh. If I had known about your friends importance, I wouldnt have allowed him to leave Bordeaux unsupervised. You would have jailed him instead? Basil deadpanned. Jailed? General Lenc raised an eyebrow. Who do you take me for, young man? A politician. Arent we all? Politics means affairs of the city. Anyone involved in the life of amunity is a politician and should aspire to be. Those who dont participate in the public debate will suffer others decisions in silence. The general smiled thinly. I see. You believe that because Imand this ce, I must be a self-serving rascal only interested in my personal power and lining my pockets. A bit reductive, dont you think? Lets just say I dont have good experience with authority figures. Both in France and Bulgaria. But go on, what would you have done with Kalki? Im curious. Nothing. I would have offered him bodyguards and asked for his cooperation in solving the current crisis. If your tale is true, he might be the key to returning our world to normal. Basil crossed his arms. Do you think the world can return to normal, general? I must, he replied. Or at least a new normal that mankind can live with. Basil didnt quite agree with him. He knew mankind would survive the crisis if it adapted, but he doubted things would ever stabilize. The boards words came to mind. Theyll spin the wheel of death until an Overgod is selected. The general rose from his seat and moved to his window. He looked through it, hands behind his back. The morning sun shone high in the sky above Rafale nes lined up on a gray runway. The Soyuz you saw, he said without looking at Basil. The monster inside survived atmospheric reentry undamaged ording to your report. Do you think others might possess the same resilience? Probably, Basil admitted. Once you im a dungeon, you canmand the monsters it spawns. If I were an evil dragon alien, I would rain down soldiers from the skies upon my enemies. The general raised his chin. His voice deepened. You must know that France is one of the few countries with a nuclear arsenal. Basil tensed up. What about it? It ismon policy to have nuclear submarines with inter-continental ballistic capabilities patrolling the Antic, the general exined. Dungeons are rare across the sea, so one of them returned safely to Bordeaux with its cargo untouched. It took Basils mind a moment to process what the general was implying. When it did, he all but jumped out of his seat. You have nukes? We have a stockpile of nuclear and experimental neutron warheads with long-range offensive capabilities. Yes, he had nukes. Considering your experience with dungeons and the Unity so far, young man General Lenc marked a short pause. Would you rmend that we blow up the ISS? Is this a joke? Basil blinked. Are you serious, General? Let me rephrase it. The man looked over his shoulder. Considering your experience with dungeons and the Unity so far, should we, in your opinion, target the ISS with a nuclear warhead and blow it the fuck up? Were they truly discussing whether or not tounch a nuke in space? That discussion wouldnt have looked out of ce in a video game or a Michael Bay movie. General. Basil cleared his throat. With all due respect, I dont think Im the best counsel on the matter. On the contrary, you have conquered a dungeon and destroyed another, so youve observed both sides of the process closely. The general shook his head. I will not make a decision until after we analyze the sh drive, but your input would be appreciated. God be merciful, the man waspletely serious. Basil fidgeted in his seat. He hadnt even considered the possibility of blowing the entire ISS up from the ground. Now that the possibility was on the table Basil thought back to what Walter said about halting Incursions, of what he had seen the Unity achieve in Dax, and his battle at Chteau Muloup. The ce recovered from a full-on assault within minutes. General, I think you should blow up all the dungeons you cant take over or dont need, Basil said after a moment of consideration. The fewer of them, the more a new Incursion is dyed. Now that the Unity controls the station, Im sure theyll use it against us somehow down the line. However Everything before a but or a however does not count, young man. But Im not sure a nuke will be enough, Basil admitted. Dungeons self-repair in minutes. You might fail to blow up the ISS or cause the station to crash down on Earth and spawn monsters there. Thats what I feared, the general grumbled. We have the means to shoot down the ISS if needed, but Im afraid of the potential consequences. sting that dungeon might cause monsters to rain down from space or worse. What about the moon? Basil asked. The Unity is building a freaking James Bond viin base up there. I think well be fine Fat Manning the reptilians. Much to Basils sorrow, the general denied his brilliant n. First of all, our missiles cant reach that far, he exined. Second, the Unity possesses space-faring capabilities. Its not unlikely to imagine that their base has countermeasures against bombardments. Its exactly why you should hit them before theyplete their preparations, Basil argued. It could be your only chance. Cant your crafters figure something out? Mayhaps. Ill consult them and have our astronomers track the Unitys progress. The general sat back in his chair. At this point, we dont have the means to interfere with their lunar operations. Basil clenched his jaw, but he didnt have any better n to offer. Unless What about the neurotowers? Basil asked. I lent your army one. General Lenc chuckled at the lent part. You want to bring it to your magician friend, is that it? Do you trust him? No, Basil admitted. Walter Tye struck him as a reliable and pragmatic man, but one without a conscience. But I trust his expertise. The General remained silent for a moment, his expression indecipherable. Basil was certain he considered the pros and cons of offering this piece of dangerous technology to a foreign sorcerer. Ill agree under one condition, he finally said. I want one of my representatives to have ess to this shop between worlds. To track progress on the device. From his response, Basil guessed his crafters hadnt made any progress on cracking down the servers secrets. The general had precious few options left. I cant guarantee anything, Basil replied. It was up to Walter whether or not anyone could ess his pocket dimensions. And itll have to be Neria. She was the only one he trusted. He knew she would behave in Tyes shop and avoid pissing him off. I ept, the general replied. Finally I please ask you to keep most of what you told me today to yourself. The ISS, the hand, your friends importance. Here it was. The reason why Basil struggled to trust officials. They always thought they knew better than everyone else. People deserve to know whats up there, Basil argued. Do you intend to scream it out atop Bordeaux cathedral? The general asked with a scoff. Inform the whole city at once? No, Basil replied with a frown. Largely because he didnt see the point. But I will tell the truth if I think its relevant. I wont shut up because its easier that way. Neither will I. General Lenc locked eyes with Basil. Do you know how many people took refuge in Bordeaux since the government crumbled? Basil frowned. If youre trying to pull my heartstrings To be honest, I do not know the exact number myself yet. A census is underway, but I can already imagine the results. The general sighed. Thousands? Millions? We faced a few looters here and there, but for the most part, our citizens have shown surprising solidarity. Do you know why? No, but Im sure youll tell me. Because they believe we cane back from all of this. That we can turn things around. That well keep them safe. That one day, their children will be able to grow without the threat of a monster eating them. The general marked a short pause. When people stop believing in a better future, Basil, nomunity can survive. Families put their own safety first over their neighbors. Its the war of all against all, with everyone out for themselves. The worst of mankind crawls out of the woods to reveal their true, ugly self. Basil fidgeted in his chair. The image of Lnde and his group immediately came to mind. The people of France have already gone through many terrible ordeals, the General lectured him. They have seen the very rules of physics overturned. Their cities are in shambles. Food is scarce and evil is everywhere. Their willpower is like a bowstring. Too much pressure and itll break. Im afraid discovering Earth is no longer in its ce and that our existence is bound to a single mans life will be one stress test too many. I could take it, Basil replied gruffly. So can they. Yes, you could take it, the general conceded. Because you already went through great distress in the past. I can see it in your eyes. But not everyone had the benefit of hardships toughening them up. For many, this is their first and greatest crisis; it might very well be theirst. Do you think a young you, nave and foolish, could take everything at once? Could you see your home destroyed, your people killed, your civilization crumbling, your world abducted, and not break? Basil gritted his teeth, but kept his mouth shut. His silence was an answer in itself. I am not asking you to cover-up the truth, the general whispered. Im asking you to wait for the right moment. We will tell them the truth, but after our people have time to breathe. To get used to a world that has gone mad. Theyll learn the truth anyway, Basil replied with cynicism. The Apocalypse Force and the Unity must know. Someone will spill the beans. If you let them take the initiative, itll make them gain more followers. Which is why we will reveal the truth ourselves at the right time. Besides, word of your friends cosmic importance might cause other factions to target him. The fewer people are aware of his true nature for now, the safer he will be. Basil grumbled, but conceded the point. Too many factions already knew about Kalki and some nihilistic psycho might get the wrong idea. Okay, Ill keep quiet for now, Basil agreed. But if you dont walk your talk You have my word, General Lenc replied. I am not one to fold under pressure, as Metal Olympus could tell. Why didnt you surrender Kalki to them? The question had bugged Basil for a while. From what I understand, you wanted to form an alliance with them to retake France. I did, the general conceded. Until they wanted me to surrender your friend without trial nor due process, that is. A single lifepared to a factions might, Basil pointed out. Many others would have dly made the deal in your position. Why didnt you? General Lenc leaned back against his chair. He appeared lost in his thoughts for a few seconds, as if remembering days that had long passed. My father was a gendarme whomitted heinous crimes during the German upation, he confessed with a sad, sorrowful tone. On the 16th of July 1942, he helped round up thousands of Jews in the Vl dHiv stadium, parents and children alike. Less than a hundred came back alive from the death camps. Basil held his tongue. The mans voice brimmed with guilt and shame. I spent my entire childhood being called a coborators son, the general exined. A single idea has always driven my military career: to wash Frances sullied honor and make sure this kind of horror will never happen again on my watch. The emotion in his voice was too deep to be faked. I see Sometimes we are tempted to abandon our principles in the name of pragmatism and safety. There is no greater mistake. It is our values that drive us and make our life worth living. We must stand resolute in the face of evil, not only for ourselves, but for generations who will look back on our actions. For they will carry either our shame or our pride. The man brimmed with charisma. Basil half-expected him to dere and this is why you must vote for me at the end of his speech. He did not. Hes not that bad, Basil thought with a kernel of respect. And he did let Kalki flee at tremendous risk to himself. Basil owed him one. The Apocalypse unveiled the worst of humanity and its best. You have family back home? The general changed the subject. You are far away from Bulgaria, young man. My mother lives back home, Basil confirmed. Were estranged. General Lenc didnt ask for details on that front, for which Basil was thankful. Whats her name? Perhaps my contacts in eastern Europe will have heard of her. I doubt that, Basil replied. His mother was a maid and shopkeeper, not a fighter. If anything, she had likely perished on the apocalypses first day. Her name is Aleksandra Olga Bohen. A kind name, the man said softly. I will keep an ear out for any mention of her. You might as well look for a needle in a haystack, Basil pointed out. Perhaps, but it costs us nothing to ask. Do not be so quick to give up on your own kin. Basil crossed his arms and changed the subject. The words he heard while under the Berserk ailment still haunted him. You said you have contacts in Eastern Europe? How? We are not the U.S. military, but the countries of Europe have powerful fighting forces all across the continent. Some of them survived the Apocalypse. Basil wasnt too confident about Bulgarias army, since the post-Soviet governments downsized it after joining NATO. Still, Bulgarians were a proud people. Even if the military failed, militias would fight back against monsters invading theirnds. The forests would make it easy to hide and strike in the night. Over thest months, I have been steadily trying to contact these forces and integrate them under a singlemand as per NATO protocols, General Lenc exined. I dare say were on the right path. Were overhauling our doctrine to take the System into ount. Tryingbined-arms parties, adapting ourmand structure to Guild features, and so many other things Did you hear anything from Sofia? Basil asked. He hadnt heard anything from his homnd since the apocalypse. Now that he had lost the house, perhaps he should visit it after finding Kalki. I admit Bulgaria wasnt too high on my list of importance, but I will keep you informed, the man replied. Your ability to tame monsters also makes me thoughtful. If there is an alternative to constant warfare with them. I might need to explore it. I know for sure you can breed dinosaurs with chickens, Basil thought it wise to mention. The general chuckled. Perhaps we should trade our horses for a pack of tyrannosauruses. You should. A soldier with a sense of humor? Basil thought they were an extinct species. Are we done for the day, General? We are, for now. General Lenc cleared his throat. But I would like to talk to you againter. Since your group intends to travel to Paris to pursue the avatar, youll need supplies and support. I can offer you these. Like food and ammo? Intel too. We have established friendly contact with othermunities in the north of France, who will offer shelter and guidance. Our armories are open to you too. The general smiled. I understand you fight well with your halberd, but I have the feeling you will find our methrowers, gatling guns, and AK-47s most appealing. methrowers? Basils heart skipped a beat. You would lend me one? I told you, Im not interested in joining the army. I would have called it madness once, General Lenc conceded. But I didnt think dragons existed six months ago and you have one pulling your carriage. Your victories, however you earn them, are mankinds victory. Ill send other squads after Kalki to edge my bets but Ill grant you all the support you need to prevail. Basil couldnt help but smirk. Careful, general. Youre starting to make me like France. va na Blgariya, Lenc replied with a smile and a surprisingly good Bulgarian imitation. Now go take a rest. You look like shit. After respectfully saluting the general, Basil left the office and closed the door behind him. He found Vasi waiting for him outside, under a mor disguising her horns and changing her skin color to pale. How did it go? she asked. Im d not all of my taxpayer money was wasted, Basil replied. The meeting went much better than he expected. I might even cautiously say it was wisely invested. Vasi chuckled. Good to know. They offered us quarters for the night at a hotel near their airport, whatever that means. With real beds. Is that where the others went? to wanted to question Zachariel about his agnostic cancer and the others went along. Her smile faltered a bit. The soldiers wouldn''t let the others close to the base either. Theyre still wary of monsters. Ah, that exined the mor. Were you worried about me? I was, she admitted softly. What happened at the bridge weighs on your mind. I can see it clearly. Was that so obvious? Basil thought about his mother. So many issues he never had the chance to settle with her, and now now it might be far toote for that. It wasnt your fault, Vasi reassured him. It was the snakes. No one else. Youre wrong. Basil bit his tongue, but decided to be honest. Vasi made for a good listener. When I go Berserk, I dont hear anyone. Instead, mental voices do their best to push all my buttons. They open old wounds and then salt them. I didnt know. Vasi scowled. Thats awful. Yeah, but that means the anger and ragees from my own heart. Basils teeth grit in frustration. The Berserk ailment pulls out whats already simmering beneath the surface. I aint got any excuse for not handling my own shit. Basil, everyone has issues they try to bury in a mind closet, Vasi replied. Does any of these demons involve anger at your cat? Well, he does wake me up too early for breakfast, Basil joked. But did you ever want to hurt him? No. The response came immediately. Never. Because that wasnt all of you back then. Vasi shook her head. The magic didnt bring out the worst of your person; it canceled the best of it. Yes, mayhaps your anger came from your heart. But it doesnt define you, no more than a finger rules a hand. Its part of a whole. I dont like my new horns, but I have to live with them all the same. Youll have to live with your anger too. Its a part of you. Even the emotional shit? Anger is a normal reaction to the feeling of having our boundaries vited, Vasi replied. Sometimes it clouds your judgment and sometimes, it gives you the strength to defend what you care about. Thats no excuse not to work on your issues if you feel the need to, but between us, your zeal is half the reason I find you so charming. Basilughed. You do? Of course, she teased him. You are a passionate man, Mr. Bohen. Yes, sometimes you go overboard, but I find your excesses entertaining. Even inspiring. I do my best, Basil replied. His heart felt lighter in his chest. And I find you quite charming myself, Vasi. Thank you, the witch replied. Her warm smile caused blood to flush to Basils head. Oh, and to hell with it. Vasi? Basil asked. Yes? Wanna visit Bordeaux together? I know a few good spots. Youll love them. With pleasure, she replied. Shellgirl wanted to do some shopping with the locals too. It should be fun. No, I meant Basil cleared his throat. Just the two of us. Vasi observed him in silence for a moment, her expression unreadable. Basil held his breath. Did he overstep? He thought he had read the signals she sent him correctly, but perhaps he had mistaken her light flirting for something more serious Are you asking me out on a date, Basil Bohen? she teased with a grin. A romantic date? Yes, he replied bluntly. If you want. They had been dancing around the subject for a while. Basil thought he might as well bite that bullet. He wasnt sure how it would turn out, but at least they would rify where each of them stood. Basil liked Vasi. She was fun to hang out with, and unless he had misread her, she was interested in him too. He didnt want to take it too seriously in case their flirting led nowhere, but after what they went through together, Basil felt right in asking her out. Vasi let out a long, long sigh. Basil briefly worried that she would let him down gently, but instead, she put a hand on her waist and smiled at him. About time you took the hint, you dense bear of a man, Vasi said. Very well, handsome. I ept your offer. Chapter 55: Man vs Date Chapter 55: Man vs Date After the battle, Zachariel offered the party a full check-up. Bugsy marveled at his clinics architecture. The angel had refurbished a church into a hospital, one with doorsrge enough to let Rosemarine through. The buildings vast interior had been changed into arge convalescence ward where hundreds of wounded humans slept in clean white beds. Winged angelic nurses took care of them under the gaze of human statues. The sweet smell of potions boiling in cauldrons and alchemical vials covered the choking stench of blood. The equipment gathered under this ces roof put the Boss oldb to shame. Still, as much as the ce impressed him, the patients made Bugsy uneasy. He had expected acim for saving the city, but the humans instead looked at the party with distrust at best and terror at worst. Soldiers with firearms escorted the group and watched Rosemarine carefully, as if half-expecting her to devour the wounded. The slight clicks in their weapons told Bugsy that a few of them wouldnt hesitate to fire upon the party with little provocation. The Centimagma didnt fear a battlehe could probably ughter everyone present on his ownbut theck of gratitude wounded him. Could they build a fence in the partys honor at the minimum? Or a chicken coop? Maybe Shellgirl is negotiating for one with the human leader? Bugsy wondered. The merchant was missing, alongside Vasi and Basil. Or are they having a threesome behind closed doors? Bugsys body began to heat up as he imagined the scene in his mind. He felt the strong urge to write down a literary version of his fantasy for future generations. He had already written one for the Major Chicken cartoon, where the title character took young Sergeant Chick under his wing in more ways than one. Bugsy missed Kuikui. The libidinous raptor had inspired so many chapters. The centimagma managed to calm himself when Zachariel nced at him in confusion. He would keep the truth a secret for now; the world wasnt advanced enough to understand his vision yet. I didnt know there were so many angels around, Bugsy changed the subject as a winged nurse flew past him. Her syringe was almost asrge as her leg. The local priests recruited extensively after I introduced them to the angel insurance call ritual, Zachariel replied as he flipped through a reports pages. They managed to summon my entire department. Oh nice, Bugsymented. How is it going? Results are mixed, Zachariel admitted. Our healthcare insurance conversation rate is at a record ten percent, but a third of our patients mysteriously convert to Buddhism after a stay in our clinic. A further third undergo a post-operative crisis of faith. The for-profit nature of our services seems to leave them disappointed. Bugsy wondered why. You should ask Shellgirl, he rmended. Im sure shell find a way to restore your image. Dont worry, we are already working on an aggressive marketing campaign. Our new motto is You cant put a price on heaven. Zachariel examined his newest patient. How do you feel, Mr. to? What will it be, doc? to asked anxiously. The caty on a bed, right next to Mylne the Doberman. Good news? Bad news? Last news? The angel gave him a thumbs up. Mr. to, I am proud to say your agnostic cancer is almost entirely gone. Oh, great, to said with relief. No metastasis detected? None, Zachariel confirmed. Ive done this job since the good ol inquisition days and Ive rarely seen such a speedy recovery. Have you undergone convent chemotherapy since ourst meeting? I have been reevaluating my beliefs since Halloween, to admitted. And my ce in the universe too. Ah, a spiritual awakening treatment. Zachariel reread his document. That exins the high levels of existential cholesterol. I would survey them if I were you. Contact me if you show any symptoms of doomsaying or apocalyptic visions. What about me, Zachariel? Mylne the Doberman asked. Her back legs hadnt regrown yet. Will I ever walk again? Zachariels clear embarrassment saddened Bugsy. Rosemarine? the centimagma asked. Her head overshadowed the bed. Can you help? Beware my light that burns the skies! she replied proudly. Her petals glowed as bright as radiant sunlight. Sunbath! Rosemarine showered Mylne with her radiance, causing a few soldiers to protect their eyes or raise their weapons at her. Yet when the tropidrakes light faded away, the doberman remained amputated. A, its not working Rosemarine apologized sincerely. Im sorry. Im afraid I see no way to regenerate your legs naturally yet, Mylne, Zachariel admitted. We will have tomission puppet imnts from a Puppeteer ss or homunculus cloned limbs until we figure out a solution. But you said your angelic magic could regrow limbs! Mylneined. It should or at least it did on Outremonde. Zachariel shook his head in shame. My belief at the time was that the field effect produced by ourte pagan godmay he burn in Happndinterfered with your recovery. Yet I still cannot regenerate your legs afterward. I me this Systems unusually harsh restrictions on healing. Restrictions? Bugsy squinted in confusion. There are restrictions on healing? My healing Perks and those of my angelic colleagues work much less well here than in Outremonde, Zachariel exined. Your Trimurti System is unusually harsh on the wounded. If we do not regenerate maimed limbs quickly enough, patients suffer from maximum HP reductions and can no longer regrow them naturally. We had no such restriction on Outremonde. I could regrow severed legs years after the amputation. Death rules supreme, Rosemarine chirped. To Bugsys surprise, Zachariel nodded in confirmation. Our working theory is that the Trimurti System makes life harder for yers and monsters by design. We suspect this is to maximize casualties. Makes sense, to mumbled. Whenever I die, I return barely hanging to life. Another blow and Im dead again. I admit your Guild features interest me, especially the hidden Perk unlock and Lair mechanics, Zachariel said. I could improve my clinic further by adding passive regenerative properties or enhancing healing spells. This might allow us to work around this Systems limitations. Why dont you stay with us, Mr. Zachariel? Bugsy asked with enthusiasm. All your angel friends could heal people better with the Boss help! Unfortunately, the possibility of Mr. Bohens death ying all our healers makes that proposal risky, Zachariel replied. It is worth examining though. Mylne whined in sadness. Mistress Maya and mistress Neria wont love me anymore Im useless. Are you kidding? Bugsy tried to cheer her up. Of course theyll still love you! Youre their friend! Y-you think so? As much as I hate to say it, you dogs have a way to stick to humans like glue, to reassured her in his own gruff way. Neria and Maya booked a visit per day, Zachariel said. You are an esteemed member of our party, Mylne. Do not worry. We will do all we can to restore your health, spiritual and physical. Once we have recement body parts ready, youll be back in the field in no time. Im the doberman started to cry a little. Im so d I can still help them Bugsys Tremorsense noticed Shellgirls approach before her shouts reached his ears. Guys, guys! The slimy merchant barged into the clinic with big yellow eyes. Big news! Big news! Quiet! Zachariel chided her. We have patients here! You wont believe it, Shellgirl said as she gathered her breath. Basil and Vasi are shopping. Together. So? to asked, unimpressed. So when I asked toe, my dear Vasi refused! Shellgirl grinned. Because its a date! He finally asked her out! The party members stared at her in shocked silence. It didntst long. For a certain prophet felt himself vindicated in his belief, and he would not remain quiet anymore. YES! Bugsys squeal of victory caused all angels in the vicinity to re at him. He didnt care. They couldnt silence the truth! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! I FELT THE VIBES! Quiet! Zachariel snapped. Basil? Our Basil? to asked in disbelief. Asking a girl on a date? Has he been possessed? I know, unbelievable! Shellgirl nodded frantically. After he gave me such a poundingst time too. He had his paws all over me. To imagine his hands all over my Vasi now I shudder to imagine how it will go. A demon witch and a would-be pdin Zachariel scratched the back of his head. I give her a fifty percent chance of having his redemption in eight to nine months, give or take. Or shell give him a Fallen STD, which is always a risk if they have unprotected rtionships. I hope she will make Mister happy, Rosemarine said without any hint of sarcasm. I wish them a bloody honeymoon. Then theyll hold hands and make eggs, Bugsy thought frantically. Theyll have children! Children who will call me Uncle Bugsy! Uncle Bugsy! And then Ill spoil them, and together well build a whole new fence around a bigger house! Doubt swiftly seized the centimagmas heart. What if the date doesnt go well? Bugsy muttered to himself. Panic filled his mind as his dream turned into a nightmare. What if they dont hold hands? What if theres no chemistry and they cant produce an egg? What if I dont be an uncle?! Thats not how dating works, to said with a deadpan look. Its how it must work! Bugsy protested. He had yed the minion dating sims on Steamslimes holomachine. He knew how rtionships worked. The future is Vasil and nothing else! Vasil? Shellgirl scoffed. Thats a cute couple brand. I will believe it when I see it. to leaped off his bed with a determined stare. Lets peep. Over a year had passed since Vasist visited a human city, and never one asrge as Bordeaux. Her homnd, the Winter Kingdoms, owed its name to its fragmented political situation. Petty kings, dragons, and fairy warlords squabbled over isted viges separated by vast expanses of frosty ds. Thergest city Vasi ever visited numbered little more than ten thousand inhabitants. Bordeaux had ten times that number at first nce, if not more. The streets bustled with animation and lines of humans waited for the army to deliver them rations. Soldiers with swords and firearms surveyed checkpoints at each crossroads, but security was rtivelyx. Basil only had to show them a card handed to him by the military to go through them. None of the soldiers appeared capable of seeing through Vasis mor spell either; or if they could they didnt mention it. Earths architecture contrasted greatly with what Vasi had grown ustomed to on Outremonde. Charming stone buildings formed tightly-packed streets crossed by paved roads, where the Winter Kingdoms used wood and earthwork. Sometimes she noticed a few of those metal carriages called cars driving through the citys maze of twists and turns, but most locals used their feet to walk around. It astonished her that so few humans could fly. Whats this? Vasi raised a finger at a strange metal serpent traveling on rails. She glimpsed a hundred humans inside its transparent innards. A tramway, Basil exined. Much like Vasi herself, he had dressed normally for the asion. This was only a first friendly date, so both of them approached it with a degree of casual detachment. Its a vehicle that travels all across the city. What an interesting golem, Vasi noted. The ingenuity of local humans astonished her. Walter Tye was right; entirely new fields of technology awaited visitors to Earth. Do you want to try it? Basil suggested. Ill pass. Vasi was curious by nature, but she dislikedrge gatherings. Im surprised nobody uses brooms to fly around. Why, thatsmon in your world? Basil asked with a smirk. Pray never to encounter a broom traffic jam, Vasi replied with a chuckle of her own. Basil guided her to arge street bordered by cute houses of stone. Vasi noticed shops everywhere she looked. Shoemakers, street vendors, jewelry sellers, alchemists a good half of the establishments were closed for rationing purposes, especially the restaurants, yet dozens of humans walked around with bags full of supplies. Sweet and exotic smells flooded her nostrils. This is Sainte-Catherine Street, Basil told her. Thergestmercial street in Europe, or so I was told. Is it always this busy? Vasi had never seen so many merchants gathering in one ce. Its far, far calmer than usual, Basil replied with a sad smile. Though I expected worse. Vasi nodded and waited for him to make a gesture. Instead, Basil took a step forward, before looking over his shoulder in confusion. What? he asked in confusion. Youre supposed to offer me your arm, Vasi reminded him. Although usually charming, she could also find his obliviousness grating. Uh, sure. Basil followed through with her suggestion and Vasi put her arm around his own. If you want. I know your opinion on chivalry, Vasimented with a frown. But dont they teach you manners in your world? Its old-fashioned, he replied with a scoff. Boys and girls usually hold hands around here. I think its a bit early for that. Next date maybe. If this one went well. Thankfully, Basil managed to find his inner knight. Would flowers make up for my offense, dy? Only if theyre pretty. A few men nced at Vasi as they walked by, much to her amusement. Men. Always the same. A good part of why Basil excited her was that he had actually been a challenge. That, and the fact he didnt seem half as much interested in her looks as in her personality. Vasi had had enough flings in her youth to grow sick of short-lived rtionships. With danger everywhere, she was looking for a reliable and down-to-earth boyfriend she could count on. Basil fit the bill perfectly. Just the right bnce of affection and practicality. The two walked along the street at a steady pace without stopping. Vasi observed the wares on disy, from strange technological devices she didnt recognize to would-be alchemists presenting low-grade potions on stands. Mismatched adventurers'' parties haggled over prices. I expected more damage, Basil said. A few of the houses showed w marks, but little more. Looks like very few monsters made their way to the city center. You have the embryo of an adventurer economy developing too, Vasi noted. A stand even offered clothing made of dinosaur skin, much like the armor her soon-to-be-boyfriend wore. Your people are getting used to their new life. It didnt surprise her. Humans were ingenious and resilient. They could bounce back from anything. They would make use of their new ss-rted advantages and rebuild their society around them. Yeah. Basils expression soured for some reason, though he changed the subject before Vasi could pester him further. I gotta ask, why are you a Demon/Fairy type? Why, you wont date a mixed race child? Vasi teased him. Basil shrugged. Its your actions that matter, not where youe from. Good, Vasi replied. I admit I thought you had racist leanings after the mermaid fiasco. Im not fish-sexual, no. Or a furry for that matter. You know I will grow hooves with my next metamorphosis? Vasiughed at his shocked face. Oh my, you''ll believe anything I say. Its so funny. Hey, I watched my housent turn into a flower-Godzi, Basil defended himself. But seriously, whats next on your program? Mmm, good question. Vasi yfully put a finger on her lips. Next time Ill probably have to stick to either the demon or fairy half of my ancestry. Demon witch or evil queen of the fair folk such a tough choice I vote for the second, Basil said. And you still havent answered my question. Oh, you know how it goes: when a demon and a hag love each other very much, they sacrifice virgins on an altar, burn a vige and then ferociously make love atop a mountain of corpses. Were you truly born that way? Basils eyes widened in horror. Wait, is your father Satan? Vasi didnt know what the term meant, but she found his reaction amusing all the same. I was kidding. My father was some minor demon prince who had a brief fling with my mom his name was Branio II or something. I never knew him. He didnt stick around for my birth. Oh. Basil coughed in embarrassment. Im sorry to hear that. He was as smooth as a porcupine. Its nothing. Im over it. And you never cared to learn more? Why should I? If he couldnt be bothered to raise me then I was better off without him. Vasi chuckled. Way to dodge daddy issues, youll agree. Yeah. Basil snorted. I guess its better to have no father at all than a bad one. Vasi winced at the bitterness in his tone. Its your fathers voice that you hear under the Berserk ailment, isnt it? Him and Mom, Basil admitted. The first was an irresponsible drunk and the second considers me a good-for-nothing disappointment. I see Vasi sighed. Its one thing we have inmon. Basils arm tightened around her own. He looked at her and chewed his lips. I dont wanna make you ufortable. Its all right, Vasi reassured him. Im a grown-up. Im over it. You arent, he said bluntly. I can sense it in your voice. How perceptive. Basil Bohen could be surprisingly sharp when he wanted to. I was always something of a wild child, always causing mischief and breaking the rules. Vasi still messed with pdins out of habit in her adult years. Mom wanted me to study at Scholomance, but I preferred to learn by myself. She never forgave me for it. Scholomance? Basil asked with a frown. Sounds familiar, but Its a school for dark magic in my world. My mother always said I needed a degree to seed in the field, but I thought it didnt justify the tuition fees. That, and one student out of ten ended up sacrificed by the end of the curriculum. Vasi was never keen to take such odds. A diploma is a piece of paper, Basilmented with a sneer. People worshiped them like fetishes before the Apocalypse. Yes, a degree is sometimes useful, but it wont earn you a job nor respect anymore. I figured as much. I would rather study for its own sake than to satisfy someone elses expectations. Even my mothers. Vasi thought she would have ended up as a disappointment anyway. Her mother was the greatest hag to ever live, and Vasi was her seventh daughter. The runt at the end. Although her mother cared for her children in her own way, she was a strict parent with high expectations that Vasi could never hope to meet. Basil opened his mouth to say something, when a voice called out his name. Basil? Vasi and herpanion nced at a wooden stand overflowing with flowers. A balding man in his thirties stood behind it, his eyes wide with shock. Basil, is that you? Ben? Basil smiled in genuine joy. Vasi assumed he knew the shopkeeper. Man, youre alive? My god, Basil Childbreaker! The manughed. Its been years! Dont call me that. Basil blushed in embarrassment, as a few locals looked at him in shock. You make it sound like something else! Vasi raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Childbreaker? Its a long story, he replied with a scowl. I want to hear it, Vasi insisted mischievously. She could tell this tale would make herugh. Whos this sweetdy? The shopkeeper smiled at her. His grincked any lust whatsoever. Names Ben. Youre Basils girlfriend? Im his wife, Vasi joked. She heard a strange noise behind her, as fleeting as the wind. When the witch turned her head to look, she didnt see anything. His wife? The shopkeeper whistled at Basil. No way youre married? Shes not my wife, Basil replied with a straight face. Shes messing with you. The shopkeeper nced at their intertwined arms with skepticism. Yeah, right Im Vasi, Vasi introduced herself with a bright smile. Do you know each other? Know him? The man is one of the best Board & Conquest yers Ive ever met! I watched him climb over a throne of yer tears and broken dreams. The shopkeeper stared at Basil with nostalgia. Good times Do you still sell miniatures? Basil asked him. To whom? Nobodys got money to y B&C nowadays with monsters running around. At best Tacticians can use them to buff allies, but that ss is incredibly rare. Nah, Im a Gardener now. Basil chuckled. You too? I mean, everybody needs fresh food right? The shopkeeper presented his wares. Vasi didnt notice any vegetables or fruit among his products, though it did include rare flowers and medicinal nts. But I make most of my money from selling crafting material. Do you still use the euro around here? Basil asked. Yeah, General Lenc employs Bankers and Merchants to stabilize the economy. They mint their own euro coins now, but you can exchange old paper bills for the new one. Im not sure if money will be worth much outside of the region, but at least it lets me buy equipment. The shopkeeper grinned. Are you staying in Bordeaux for a while, B? I could show you the ropes around here. Im just passing through, Basil admitted. My party must travel north to find someone. Ah. The shopkeeper didnt hide his disappointment. Well, would you have time to drop by before leaving? y a B&C match for old times sake? I still have my miniatures at home and my nephew needs a good lesson at it. Cant wait to see if the Childbreakers still got it. Stop calling me that, Basil pleaded. Come on, now you have to tell me, Vasi said with a smirk. You wont stop pestering me until I do, wont you? No. Basil sighed and surrendered. At one point, I was heavily into a game called Board & Conquest. Since I was too poor to afford the miniatures, Ben lent me his own. I yedpetitions, and there was that twelve-year old brat I wanted to punch so hard Vasiughed at his wording. This story begins well. He was a spoiled child with an OP army paid for by his parents, Basil continued. His mannerisms changed, like a man lost in his own little world. A pure fire giant swarm beatdown army, the kind that costs tens of thousands of euros to field. Nobody could beat him in a localpetition until I found a solution. I used suicide dwarf-trench tactics to stunlock him until I curse-sniped his generals with undead archers. We still call his strategy the Bulgarian Jihad to this day, the shopkeeper said with a smirk. Vasi pretended to understand their jargon by nodding politely. I see, I see what then? I defeated the brat and he cried before the entire audience, Basil said with a groan. Although I won fairly, they booed me and called me a viin. Somebody shouted Childbreaker and the name caught on. You did good, the shopkeeper said. The sooner children are used to bitter disappointment, the better theyll get used to work. The story brought a smile to Vasis lips. Why didnt you go easy on him? Never. Basils eyes burned with pride and passion. Ive never thrown a B&C game. You could have gone pro, you know, the shopkeepermented. I tried at one point, Basil admitted. Didnt pan out. It didnt pay well? Vasi guessed. She remembered Basil mentioning money problems in his youth. It did, but you need good money to buy the best miniatures, Basil exined. Since you must get new ones with each edition, you need a steady stream of cash to staypetitive. So to make it a high-paying job, you need to already have a high-paying job? Vasi rolled her eyes. Sounds pretty absurd to me. Pretty much why I abandoned the idea. Basil smiled at the shopkeeper. But yeah Ben, I would dly catch up over a game. Still the same old address? Yep, the shopkeeper replied with a nod. I wont hold you and yourdy much longer. Actually, I was looking for a flower and I still have pre-apocalypse euros on me. Basil searched under his cloak and brought out paper bills. How much for twenty euros? For you, pal? Anything. The shopkeeper waved a hand at his wares. Ive got roses, muguet, magical stuff Basil pointed a finger at a nt. How much for that one? Vasi raised an eyebrow in confusion, as did the shopkeeper. Hemlock? he asked. Yes, Basil confirmed with a nod. Ill take it. Uh, okay. The shopkeeper put the hemlock in a bouquet and handed it to Basil after giving him back his change. Here you go. Thanks, Ben. See youter. Basil guided Vasi away from the stand and to the bank of the Garonne river. They walked along a promenade before sitting on a bench to watch the river. This time, he offered her the bouquet. Here is your gift, dy. A poisoned one, Vasimented at the unusual choice. Should I see a hidden message behind this, handsome? Didnt you need a hemlock for your witch brew experiments? Basil asked with a frown. I thought you were looking for that nt before the house burned down? I I did, yes. Vasis heart skipped a beat. You remembered that detail? I did. Basil cleared his throat. I shouldnt have? Oh, no, Im d for it. It surprised me, thats all. Vasi had only mentioned hemlock once, so it astonished her that he remembered it at all. Thats sweet of you. Youre wee. He smiled sheepishly. Basil Bohen was never as cute as when he was embarrassed; which was why Vasi teased him so much. I believed you might like it more than a rose you would throw out after a day. You were right. Although Vasi was more pleased by the fact he had paid enough attention to her to personalize his gift than the nt in itself. You do know me well. Dont ask me to buy you alcohol though. Wont you? Vasi put a finger on his chin seductively. Even for a sweet kiss? No, he replied with amusement. But But? I might change my mind about the bear thing, he admitted with a grin. So long as you dont ask me to dance. Sorry, she apologized with a giggle. My country has bears everywhere. I cant resist the urge to cuddle them. Its fine, I forgive you. After a moment of hesitation, Basil found the courage to put his arm around her shoulder. Vasi let him do it and nested her head against his chest. They settled into afortable posture, and their view of the river was quite the spectacle. Nice sight, Vasimented. You were right, you do know good spots. Enjoying the date so far? he asked her. I am, Vasi replied. Enough that youve earned a second one. Im d. His lips curled into the most beautiful smile Vasi had yet seen. I have a good feeling about this. Me too. And to prove it, Vasi kissed him on the cheek. His skin was warm to the touch, and his face flushed red like a tomato. Not to be outdone, he countered her surprise attack with one of his own. His lips kissed her left cheek lightly and sent an electric jolt down her spine. It was official. Vasilisa Yaga had a boyfriend. Once again, she heard that strange noise behind them; stronger, louder. Basil noticed it too and looked over his shoulder. He squinted, raised a hand in the air and closed his fingers on a rounded shape. Goddamnit, Bugsy. Vasi recognized tos voice, although she couldnt see him anywhere. Couldnt you stay silent? Im sorry Bugsys voice echoed with the wind. Floating drops of water appeared behind the bench and fell on the walkway. Theyre so beautiful together Partner, Shellgirls voice said,ing from nowhere. You aint fondling my breast for free. Vasis eyes widened, and then squinted after putting two and two together. Basils jaw clenched. Zachariel? he asked as his hand closed on something pointy. Et tu, Zachariel?! Im sorry, sir, the invisible angel replied weakly. I was press-ganged. Liar, Shellgirl said. It was your idea to use the potions. It was to protect his virtue from subi, Zachariel defended himself. I have guardian angel training. Do you think invisibility potions grow on trees? Basil grit his teeth in anger. Are you all present? Everyone, to admitted. To his credit, he sounded a little ashamed. Although infuriated at them for ruining a perfect romantic moment, Vasi couldnt suppress her curiosity. Even Rosemarine? Im here! A rumbling noise echoed behind the couple and the walkway trembled. I didnt eat anyone this time! How Vasi frowned in confusion. How did she slip on the walkway? She was a giant dragon, for Dices sake! How did you manage to stay undetected? After a short silence, Vasi felt the tropidrake breathing down her neck. I tiptoed, she whispered sinisterly.
End of Arc III
Chapter 56: Man vs Baguette Chapter 56: Man vs Baguette In a great forest, an army of elves stood their ground against overwhelming odds. A terrible army of bloodthirsty dwarves surrounded them from all sides. Cruel axe-wielders progressed through the woods as terrible war machines bombarded the battlefield. mes spread to roast the elves alive. They fought valiantly to protect theirstmander, a mage queen, but s, their time was up. There would be no mercy from the invading army. At longst, dwarves would rule the world! Cant you go easy on me, Basil? Vasi asked as she pulled her elf swordmasters miniatures back. A good chunk of her territory had turned into fire tiles from the bombardment, which passively weakened her units. This is my first time ying, you know? Havent I told you that Im a feminist? Basil asked with apetitive grin. I dont pull punches with girls and especially not at Board & Conquest. What about pulling your punches with your girlfriend? Vasi advanced her elf archers on his nk. Its only our second date. Girlfriend. The word made Basil look up from therge board between them and at Vasi herself. The witch looked quite cute when frowning in utter concentration. Although she hid it well, he could tell she was aspetitive as he was deep down. They did have more things inmon than even Basil imagined. It felt nice. Still, he hadnt considered this B&C match a second date. Not in the least because almost the whole party watched it. Due to Rosemarines size, the group had been afforded a hangar in Bordeauxs airport by the army. The tropidrake slouched next to a customized airbus modified with turrets and watched the game with rapturous attention. She was quieter than Bugsy, whose happy noises distracted Basil more than once. As for to, he slept on a cushion without a care in the world next to a pile of miniatures. Ben had been kind enough to lend Basil extra stocks of them upon learning his team had in the false Dionysus and saved the city. Basil appreciated the gesture. These miniatures would have cost thousands of euros before the apocalypse and it would help kill the monotony of the long journey ahead. The army didnt dispatch anyone inside the hangar. The thick metal walls isted them from the noise of nes outside, affording the party a degree of privacy. From what Basil had gathered, the army used crafters to repurpose civilian nes for military use. Since the countryside was full of dangerous monsters, air travel might be the safest method to link up isted European cities. Basil took it as a good sign. Mankind was starting to adapt to the apocalypse after surviving the initial shock. I was going easy on you. Basil could have won five turns ago by investing resources into putting into y Derro King Blutgang, but he had sworn off ying five-star units until Vasi could master the game. But since you seem to have a natural grasp on it, I cant afford to y nice. Thank you. Vasi summoned three elf wizards reinforcements at her left fort and sniped a war machine from afar. Ah! Take that! Good try, Basil conceded. How about we spice it up for the next match? Vasi suggested with a coy grin. Each time someone loses amander, they must remove a piece of clothing. Youve more than mine, Basil pointed out, trying to ignore Bugsys excited noises. And dont give him ideas! Im sorry, boss Bugsy breathed heavily. Tears of magma rained down from his eyes. Im just so happy for you two And thats not a no, Vasi mused as she fortified her right nk. I end my turn. Ill think about your proposal, Basil replied evasively. He knew Vasi was just teasing him, but the idea of betting pieces of clothes made him ufortable. Think about what? Shellgirls voice echoed in the hangar. Basil looked up from the board to see his teammate return alongside Little Nessia, her griffin, and a pair of bodyguards. Thetter two were dressed in Greek-style hoplite armor. Their hands wielded spears and shields, their faces hidden behind masked helmets. Whats your world like, Nessia? Basil asked. Considering she was an oracle of Dionysus and her bodyguards attire, he was starting to wonder if their poption was made of ancient Greece cosyers. The Sunsea? the little girl asked with a raised eyebrow. Its wet. Oh good, another ce we wont visit, to grumbled on his cushion. Ever. Personally, Im excited, Shellgirl said. A gal like me is always wet. Most of Gaia has been submerged under Pontus since the Anthropomachia, when most of the old gods perished, Little Nessia said with a beaming smile. My homnd, Histria, is the most beautiful ind in the world. You would love it. Gaia and Pontus although Basil knew little of ancient Greek religion, he remembered the name as that of the earth and sea deities. It seemed her world had been heavily influenced by Greek mythology somehow. The old gods died? Rosemarine asked with curiosity. Aww, she was interested in foreign cultures! Did they taste good? Little Nessia winced, as if Rosemarines remark had woken up disturbing memories. No, she said with a grim face. No, they did not. Basil wisely decided not to press her further. The subject clearly made her ufortable for an obscure reason. Her words gave him food for thought though. Walters shop included relics from Norse mythology and his world was seemingly inspired by it from what Basil had gathered from their discussions. Could it be that all mythologies were associated with a specific dimension? Would Aztec gods invade Earth next? Anyway guys, look at what I bought today on the market! Shellgirl unstored two items from her inventory: a small portable TV and a DVD collector''s box whose picture showed an infamous avian warrior and his crew facing the viewers. Basil gasped in shock at the sight. No way! Bugsy squealed in surprise and happiness. Major Chicken DVDs! And a portable TV to watch them! Shellgirl showcased her wares with pride. We can finish the season on the road! Shellgirl, you have my utmost respect, Basil said, his voice brimming with gravitas. What Apollyon took from us, you have returned with honor. Come on, its nothing. Shellgirl grinned. But I wouldnt mind arger share of the loot next time as a reward. You will get your due, Basil promised as Bugsy carefully grabbed the holy DVDs with his tiny legs. At longst, the artifact had been returned to its proper ce. Little Nessia, unaware of the true significance of the historic event unfolding before her eyes, looked at the board with interest. Oh, what is this? A game? Board & Conquest, Basil confirmed. Its a strategy game. I love those, Little Nessia said with a bright smile. Aunt Julia used to teach me how to y board games. Can I join? Sure, you can have up to four yers, Basil exined. The board was thirty tiles long and wide, enough to house an enormous amount of troops. You can join a party midway through, but with only onemander and one resource point. Like an Incursion? Little Nessia asked with big wide eyes. The more she looked at the board and miniatures, the more they fascinated her. Uh, somewhat. Basil gave her a dressing down of the rules. B&C high-level tournaments usually involve teams of two. Two frontliners, and two back-ups who must choose the right ce and moment when to deploy their reinforcements. Some choose to immediately summon the back-up army to seize an early lead, while others stay in reserve to pull off nking maneuvers on the enemy army. If youre a starting yer, you begin with a set of fivemanders and three resource points, Vasi continued. If all yourmanders are defeated, your army loses. Additionally, you can conquer forts and seize supplies to increase your resource pool. This helps you put more miniatures into y. Youre sure this is not your first match? Basil teased her. I have a good memory, his girlfriend replied. I want to try. Little Nessia raised a hand to grab a dwarf berserker figurine. Can I y She stopped like a deer in headlights upon seeing Basils re. Nessias griffin hissed back and her bodyguards pointed their spears at him. Basil ignored them. When it came to B&C figurines, he was like a man possessed by a dragons greed. Still, he calmed himself upon realizing he was ring murderously at a child. Please do not touch my dwarf figurines, Basil asked with a smile. Yes, a big wide smile would calm everyone down. I would kill for them. Upon sensing disturbed gazes staring at his back, Basil Bohen realized that he should have worded his sentence better. Little Nessia pulled her hand back, but her surprise was swiftly reced with apetitive spirit. In her eyes, Basil saw a kindred spirit; a vicious beast that slumbered in an innocent heart and only came out when challenged to a PvP game. Little Nessia red back at him, pulled up her sleeves, grabbed the Aesir and valkyrie figurines from the pile, and sat right next to Vasi. Game on, old man, she told Basil with the cold determination of a bloodthirsty conqueror. Basil red back, his heart filled with a resolute desire to win. Air distorted around the board from the sheer intensity of the tension between the yers. Youve messed with the wrong Bulgarian, petnt child. And to prove it, he immediately sacrificed five resource points to summon Derro King Blutgang. No more babysitting. Nessia didnt pull punches either. After being told the basics of the game, she immediately deployed her Aesir army on Basils left nk. Although the dwarves still held the advantage, Vasis position was no longer hopeless. So, Nessia, Vasi said as her new ally observed the board with ungodly focus. What are your ns? Were leaving for Paris today. I know, I talked to your general, she replied. Ivee to say goodbye. Youre noting with us? Bugsy asked in disappointment. Shucks. Cant you stay in the party a little longer? Vasi implored her. I would like to keep my Coven ability. No! Rosemarine, who had switched parties to leave a spot for Nessia, pped her tail against the ground with a low growl. The shake caused a few miniatures to fall off the board, forcing Basil to scramble them back in ce. Nessias guards raised their weapons at the tropidrake, but their mistress stopped them with a hand. Im always the one switching parties to make room for someone else! I''ve had enough! But were all in the same Guild, Vasi argued. Come on, its like being one big party. No. Rosemarine set her foot down. Im in Misters party, now and forever! He needs me! Aww, Rosemarine, youll always be a pir of this party, Basil reassured her. He petted his tropidrake on the leaf-scales, causing her to giggle. Of course youll stay if thats your wish. Ill eat everyone who threatens you, Mister, she said warmly. And their little dogs too. Good girl, to mumbled. But Vasi crossed her arms in disappointment. My Coven spells Im sorry, Nessia apologized as she deployed her valkyries on the mountain part of the board. I know my dad. If I dont return home soon, hell send an army to pick me up. But I promised the general I would talk to him to secure his side of the Incursion portal. Dad wont let any monster through. Oh, is your father a big-shot king? Shellgirl asked. Ive read about those! Theyre rich, right? Somewhat, Little Nessia replied evasively. Basil could tell she wasnt telling them the whole story, but he respected her privacy. The barrier is weakening, so well cross the newest portal soon. The one near this city will lead to the Sunsea. Basil bristled. You think a new Incursion will happen soon? How can you tell? Vasi asked with a frown. My Oracle Perks told me. Little Nessia gave Basil a smug smile. Ive high Intelligence too. The smug brat Vasis amused smirk indicated she had read his mind. I date him for his Charisma, she told Nessia with a giggle. And the Vitality too. It took all of Basils willpower to keep his dignity and not say a word. He swore within his heart to let neither the elves nor Aesirs survive todays battle. His dwarves would ughter them to thest soldier and paint the board red with blood. The next Incursion will happen soon, Little Nessia said. I can feel it. I will return home then. How soon? Basil pressed her on. The more information he could gather on the event, the better. I cant tell exactly. Weeks? Little Nessia shrugged. Soon. I promised the general I would tell him in advance, but I cant make predictions until a few days before. Wonderful. Basil had hoped for a little relief after the Halloween event, but by now he was used to the world picking on him. What else can we expect? When Little Nessias expression darkened, Basil realized the worst was yet toe. I hear bugs gnashing their teeth at the barrier, she whispered. A big one leads the swarm, hateful and vile. It will eat its way into your world. Basil nced up at Vasi, and then at the rest of his party. Even to looked back at him with a determined gaze. The same thought had crossed all of their minds. Estrid the elf mentioned that Apollyon was the weakest of the Horsemen. He had the lowest level of the Apocalypse Forces leaders and thus he was the one most likely to get through the barrier. It wasnt hard to make the connection with Nessias words. Apollyon would enter Earth on the next Incursion. Most would have shuddered at the thought. But not Basil and his party. The Horseman of Famine had wronged them a great deal, and they had all sworn revenge on him. Good, Basil said as he deployed his dwarf war machines. Ill bring insecticide. Basil won the game as expected, though he struggled more than expected as well. He had the slight suspicion that Little Nessias Oracle abilities gave her the ability to predict his moves to a point. It didnt make up for the experience andck of resources to summon high-level units, but it made the match a close call. Basil questioned Little Nessia during the match. Although she couldnt pinpoint the date of the next Incursion, her Oracle Perks granted her a degree of awareness of which worlds would align with Earth during the event. Her native Sunsea was connected to the Bordeaux region, while the portal to whatever hellscape Apollyon would crawl out would open in the north. Basil had the sneaking suspicion that the breach would be located close to Paris. After all, it was the worst possible oue in a post-apocalypse world; and hence the most probable one. Im really tired of this bullshit, Basil thought grimly as his team moved to the hangar holding the Steamobile. General Lencs crafters were almost finished outfitting its top with a howitzer and reinforcing the wheels. By now the vehicle looked closer to a giant tank than the mechanical shell it started as. As promised, the generals men also gave away a small portion of their armory to the team. Shellgirl whistled as she examined a weapon case filled to the brim with rifles. Nice Yeah, very nice, Basil said in appreciation. The other crates included a methrower, four shotguns, pistols, four machine guns, and even a grenadeuncher. All of them showed hints of being refined with runes and other magic. He grabbed a gun to better read its stats. On a closer look, it appeared bulkier than a normal handgun, and the barrel was rectangr rather than circr.
sma Pistol
Family: Weapon (Firearm).
Quality: B.
Power: + 14 SKI.
Crit: +10 %
uracy: 100%
Effect 1: Light Rune: Inflicts an additional 20% [Light] damage.
Effect 2: Inexhaustible: the sma pistol generates its own projectiles at a rate of one bolt per minute (for a maximum reserve of 24).
Effect 3: [Unused].
The standard sci-fi weapon, cheap, reliable, and so easy to use that even a toddler can pull off a headshot with it (and they do).
Forget the handgun, Basil said with a grin. sma pistol is my new sidearm. Is there any gun big enough for me? Rosemarine asked. I miss the smell of gunpowder so much Not yet, Officer Elissalde said as she entered the hangar alongside Zachariel. General Lenc closed the march alongside two armored soldiers with heavy weaponry. Bordeauxs leader carried a long ck briefcase in his right hand. But were working on one adapted to your morphology. It should bepleted in three days. We dont have three days, Basil said, causing Rosemarine to whine. Im sorry. Kalki cant wait. I agree, General Lenc said. His face was paler than usual. Its better that you leave as soon as possible. Weve found a method to transfer supplies across long-distances, so we will send you the weapons as you travel. You dont look well, general, Basil noticed. The general clenched his jaw. Our science team confirmed your space story from the data gathered on the sh drive. Ive shared the information with Major Elissalde, considering she will be our liaison with you. Its Neria straightened up. A lot to swallow. Tell me about it, tomented. First time with existential dread, huh? Its all right, Zachariel said with enthusiasm. Our catechism therapy has a roughly seventy percent rate of curing the symptoms. I have no time for dread, the general replied with a frown. I take sce in the fact that if it was possible to transport Earth into an enclosed space, then theres no reason to believe the process cant be reversed somehow. The data in the shdrive also included satellite pictures of Earth, which will prove invaluable in future campaigns. But theres cause for concern, Neria said. ording to astronomers, the ISS trajectory is changing. Basil groaned. He had expected something like this. How much? It still remains in orbit above Earth, but we suspect the Unity intends to make it fly over specific areas, General Lenc exined. Most probably for the purpose of bombarding them from space. Like Bordeaux? Basil asked with a frown. We cant say yet. If it does threaten us, we will blow it out of the skies. Why not blow it up now? Vasi asked with a frown. Why wait? Besides the fact that this could result in the ISS crashing down on Earth with unforeseen consequences, I suspect they do not intend to bombard us specifically. As sad as it sounds, we do not meaningfully threaten the Unity yet. The general smiled. The Apocalypse Force though You want them to fight each other? Basil guessed. Considering the forces we are facing, encouraging our enemies to bleed each other out might be our only chance of beating them both in the long run. It was a good strategy on paper, but Basil found it risky. The more one side kills, the stronger they get. Actually, thats only half true, the general replied much to Basils surprise. No matter how many soldiers or monsters they y, the Unitys machines do not seem to gain levels. We suspect their goal is to keep levels low to maintain the barrier and prevent stronger foes from appearing, Neria said. Theyll instead flood the world with low-level machines and slowly establish control over its resources. In short, General Lenc summarized it. Where the Apocalypse Force behaves like a band of marauders, the Unity is an empire. They favor territory control over pige and power progression. If their interest is in keeping levels low, then they will prioritize targeting the Apocalypse Force. Well leave them to bombard our mutual foes from orbit if they wish, wait for the right opportunity, and then strike. Basil could only hope the general knew what he was doing. Then again, Lenc had more knowledge of military strategy than just board games. Perhaps a better option would present itself to him in the future. Well keep you informed of how the situation evolves over time, General Lenc said. Zachariel and Major Elissalde will remain part of your Guild but stay here in Bordeaux. The System should allow you tomunicate without interruption, unlike military radio, and the Guild inventory system will let us send you supplies. Wait, Major? Basil nced at Neria. Youve been promoted? Promoted, thats one way to put it. She smiled in embarrassment. I was in the police, not the army. Ive skipped so many steps. Thats great! Bugsy said with his usual enthusiasm, before frowning in confusion. But uh, I dont see any change. Where are the signs of metamorphosis? We are reorganizing our armed forces by taking into ount police and civilian auxiliaries, General Lenc exined, ignoring Bugsysment. You have more than earned this grade, Elissalde. Major Grange himself rmended you before his untimely demise. Officer Elissalde made a military salute, though her expression betrayed a hint of sorrow for her lostrade. I will honor his trust in me and yours, General, I do not doubt it. Shame though. Vasi nced at Zachariel. We would benefit from more healers. Thats the neat thing, the angel replied. From what I understand, Mr. Bohen can summon any monster in his Guild at will. I will keep treating people in Bordeaux, but I will answer your call for help in a pinch. Basil chuckled. Youre in the storage system? Is that a sub-System? The angel nced at him in puzzlement. Im not aware of it. Forget it. Basil briefly mourned his friendsck of pop culture. He wondered if the general and Neria ever yed Pokemon. How do you intend to send us supplies? Simple, Officer Elissalde replied with bemusement. Ill store ammo, food, and weapons in the Guild inventory. It should allow you to summon them even half a country away. In fact, we will use your Guild inventorys teleportation properties as a direct supply line between Bordeaux and your group. General Lenc carefully put his briefcase on the ground. In return, I ask that you send us any extra resources you find on your travels. Fuel, abandoned weapons, vehicles Anything is wee at this point. After we take a cut for sales, Shellgirl insisted. Basil red at her. What? Its a trade, we gotta think of ourselves too. General Lenc nced at Shellgirl. His entire bodynguage changed. His eyes suddenly radiated an oppressive aura of authority that silenced Basil and caused Shellgirl to shut up. Allow me to put it in very simple terms. The generals voice was as cold as a Siberian winter. Every weapon we give is marked. If you sell or lose one, we will know. Then we will track you. And we will deal with you appropriately. He loomed over Shellgirl, who suddenly shrank in spite of her higher level. With a guillotine. Shellgirl remained silent a moment, before looking down and mumbling Im sorry under her breath. Now, the general said with a lighter tone. We have prepared an itinerary for you. Major, if you would? Officer Elissalde handed Basil a map of France. A path to Paris was marked in green, with two alternative routes in orange and red. ording to the notes on the map, the colors indicated the danger presented by each route. Dozens of points were marked as dungeons across the country. The road to Poitiers is cut, Neria exined as she pointed at variousndmarks. So your best bet is to go through the Massif Central and then up to Orleans. Paris will be right around the corner afterward. The Massif Central? Bugsy asked in confusion. Its a chain of mountains in the south-east of France, Basil exined with a frown. Thats quite therge detour. In terms of length, yes, Neria agreed. But the Poitiers region is teeming with monsters, whereas the mountains have fewer dungeons. You will save time by avoiding unnecessary fights and impractical roads. Aw, but well miss out on the loot, Shellgirlined. We dont have time, Basil replied. Kalki might have already reached Paris by now. And at our levels, I doubt well win much from enemies. Pointless fights are exactly that: pointless. General Lenc nodded in support. We have established an outpost in the city of Limoges. They will host your team and show you the path through the mountains. Once youre in Paris, I ask that you conquer a local dungeon if possible. This will allow us to teleport troops to the city thanks to your Guild feature and secure a foothold in the north. You want to retake the capital? Basil asked with a frown. Do you really need to? It might take a lot of troops to do so. More than its strategic location and resources, Paris is a symbol, the general exined. If we can reconquer it, we will show the people of France that we can turn back the tide. More pragmatically, itll help us deploy troops to help take over the UNESCO HQ. From what we know of Dismaker Labs, I doubt they left it unprotected. And what about the server? Ive agreed to your demand. Were willing to deliver it to your friend through Major Elissalde. Friend was a tall word for Walter Tye, but Basil agreed with a nod. I think were good to go then. Almost. The general nced at his briefcase. After much consideration Ive decided to entrust your party with a Baguette. Basil raised an eyebrow, especially when the guards escorting the general exchanged a worried look. Even Neria seemed uneasy all of a sudden. Basil knew the French held bread sacred, but that kind of reaction suggested something more sinister. His doubts were confirmed when General Lenc opened the briefcase. Instead of a delicious piece of bread, it contained a strange metal device with a retractable antenna, a screen, and a keypad. The System wouldnt reveal to Basil its true purpose, but the general enlightened him anyway. This, he exined, Is what we call a Baguette. Its a top secret, French-made weapon system directly connected to a nuclear submarine. Basils heart skipped a beat. No way was he serious? Once you activate it with a password, you can set a countdown. General Lenc pointed at the screen and keypad. The Baguette will connect to the submarine and act as a homing beacon with near-perfect uracy for a first strike missile. Once the countdown ends, it willunch a Mach 25 intercontinental ballistic missile straight at the devices location. It should bypass all known forms of jamming and hit the mark with a precision of 99.98 percent. Oh God, he was serious. Basil could only stare at the device in disbelief. You are giving me a nuke. Whats a nuke, Mister? Rosemarine asked, suddenly curious. It sounds great! Your assigned missile will contain a neutron bomb, which wont cause as much property damage as a normal nuclear device, and its lent rather than given General Lenc coughed. But yes, you can order a single nuclear strike. Basils teammates nced at him in confusion. They didnt know about the significance of the device, besides to, who kept ncing back and forth at the device. The cat was as tense as his owner. Sir, umm Basil didnt know what to say. Are you sure you want to lend me this? No, the general replied bluntly. But extreme situations call for extreme measures. This device was created to preserve our country from violent upation, and that line has been crossed months ago. The situation has escted beyond our wildest expectations already. So well have to up our game too. But I Basil coughed. Damn it, the situation made him utterly ufortable. He had jokingly dreamed about using nukes in the past, but now that he was being offered one in real life it didnt sound so casual anymore. Im not a member of your army. Major Grange made you an auxiliary in our armed forces, did he not? The general shrugged. For whatever reason, the System has bound you to this Kalki. If he is indeed as important as we believe, then the factions warring for control of our world will do anything to capture him. Preventing that scenario might require use of excessive force. Basil grit his teeth. You think theyll send someone we cant beat in a fight. Im more worried they will send an army after him, but yes, the possibility of a high-level monster like Tamura showing up also crossed my mind. The general scowled. The threats presented by Incursions have been exponential so far. The more time passes, the greater the chance that a creature immune to conventional weapons invades our reality. Hes right, Vasi whispered to Basil. A few creatures in my world could tear through your cities like your miniatures. If anything like them shows up youll need all the firepower you can get. Basil understood that, but he doubted his girlfriend understood just how much firepower the general was offering him. It was like moving from using a bow to an AK-47. Whats the password? Basil chuckled, mostly because being entrusted with a goddamn nuclear device left him tense as hell. Beret12345? No. The general nced at Neria, who was tense as a bowstring. Major Elissalde is the one with the password. You wont be able to validate a strike without her agreement. Wait, you give us a weapon that we cant use? Bugsy asked in confusion. Isnt that a bit too much redtape? Shellgirl asked with a frown. The bomb should kill anything within a few hundred meters of the impact point and flood a two-kilometers radius with a wave of neutron and gamma radiations. The generals words spooked everyone, with the exception of Rosemarine, who started salivating. The area will be irradiated for years afterward, so I will stress this: using the Baguette is ast resort. I will hold you and Major Elissalde personally responsible for any misuse of it. I I understand, Basil replied. His response surprised a few of his teammates, but he understood the seriousness of the situation. That the general would entrust him, of all people, with that kind of device was a telltale sign that mankind was alreadypletely fucked. I wont use it unless all other options have been extinguished. I know. The general smiled thinly. I will hold you true to these words. Rosemarine licked her fangs. Mister Im sorry, Rosemarine, Basil said. He knew her all too well. You cant hold it, Aww, sheined. Im sad... Now go, child, General Lenc said with a military salute. You have a long road ahead of you. Chapter 57: Man vs Highroad Chapter 57: Man vs Highroad Ah Basil, always reliable. Walter Tye stared at the neurotowers wreckage with great interest. Though I would have preferred the sample to be in a better shape. This one has seen better days. Send me the bill, Basil replied. Major Elissalde stood at the servers side d in a military uniform. She kept a straight face even as her gaze darted from one corner of Walters shop to another. Hagen faked being a lifeless statue, before waving a hand and spooking her. It''s in the best condition that I could get. Unfortunate, but eptable. Walter raised a hand at the server. ck miasma surrounded his hand as he cast a spell. Restore Item. The miasma spread to the neurotower and swiftly covered the damaged parts of its structure. A secondter, the mist dissipated to reveal a pristine ck tower of a server.
Quest: Forever Serpents Errand II Nice. Basil checked his status and smirked. He was only four thousand experience points away from leveling up andpleting the Tamer ss. Thank you for your delivery, Basil. Walter turned to Major Elissalde next. I see you brought a friend too. Neria Elissalde, is that it? If Neria was unsettled by the fact he already knew her name, she didnt show it. Walter Tye, I presume? She gave him a military salute. I am Major Neria Elissalde of the French Armed Forces. Ill be your contact with our organization. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, the shopkeeper replied with a polite nod. I will grant you a device to teleport to my shop anytime. Im always happy to find more respectful customers. I must make a few things clear first. The major cleared her throat and, if Basil wasnt mistaken, her hand briefly brushed against the handgun around her belt. She feared the shopkeeper as much as he did. This device is French army property. We are lending it to you for now, but we may requisition it back at any time. Additionally, we ask that you share the results of your investigation with us without holding anything back. Walter gave her a bemused smile. But of course. You wont find any better rule-abiding citizens than us, Hagen said with a hand on his chest. We love thew. The lie was tant, but since Neriacked any other option, she pretended to believe it. The army was scraping the bottom of the barrel for answers. Im wounded by theparison, Basil, Walter mused with a thin smirk. The bottom of the barrel, truly? Says the guy reading minds uninvited, Basil replied with a snort. Neria winced at his words. She must have realized that she couldnt keep any secret from the shopkeeper. I am a man of my word, Major, Walter told Elissalde, tantly ignoring Basils remark. I ept your terms. Im also willing to trade magical items for samples of your worlds technology. Im something of an expert at pest extermination. Or extermination in general, Hagen said with a thumbs up. Corpse disposal included in the package. I I will take your proposal to my superiors. Major Elissalde frowned at the shopkeeper. But I doubt they will give you anything sensitive. Who do you take me for, some closet conqueror eager to stab you in the backter? Walter shrugged. I have no interest in your world, and far better things to do than managing people. Like holding the counter, Hagen joked. He doesnt trust anyone with the duty. I suppose you wont take interns then? Basil mused. Only those we kill ourselves, Hagen said with augh. Neria winced at his words, which seemed to delight the duhan. By now, Basil was certain that Hagen simply relished the feeling of schadenfreude. I will need time to analyze the device fully. Walter put a hand on the server. Come back to me in a week or so. I should have preliminary results to present by then. Oh, I know that face, Hagenmented. Youre going to be working overtime on the case. Basil didnt notice any change in Walters facial expression, but then again he was always creepily unexpressive. The Tamer still wasnt used to the shopkeepers utter inability to blink. Are we done? Basil asked. Onest thing before you go, Walter replied. Ive noticed a trend about the portals which I believe you should be informed of. Neria Elissalde exchanged a worried nce with Basil. The same thought had crossed both of their minds. Do you have information on the next Incursion? the Major asked Walter. Anything would help. Walter nodded sharply and raised a hand in the air. A holographic representation of awork materialized above his open palm. A red sphere at the center connected to four others through crimson links. Basil, Ive told you once that Systems usually connect to others to create bridges between worlds, Walter said. Basil nodded in confirmation; he remembered very well. What I forgot to mention is that this is usually a limited phenomenon. A world rarely connects to more than four or five others at once. Usually? Basil didnt like the sound of that. Thats not the case for ours? Im afraid not. More links appeared in thework at Walters urging and the central nod became the center of an enormous web. Your Trimurti System actively tries to create as many portals as it can in a short amount of time. It is currently connecting to dozens of universes across the cosmos, inviting demons and warriors to use your as a battleground. Why? Major Elissalde asked with a confused frown. I mean, why summon morepetition? There can only be one Overgod, or so the System says. My hypothesis is that the people who created the neurotowerwork were trying to speed up the leveling process as much as possible, Walter replied calmly before dissipating his hologram. Byparison, it took Hagen and I years to reach level thirty in my world, yet ourmon friend here has achieved the same in the span of months. By constantly applying pressure, your System enforces quick level growth. Basil snickered. Theyre trying to speedrun their way to godhood? I do not know the term speedrun, but yes, I suppose the designers intend to select an Overgod as quickly as possible. If previouspetitions were indeed terminated early for one reason or another, it makes sense to hasten the process no matter the bloodshed required to do so. Neria Elissalde gulped. What difference will it makepared to the first Incursion? The number of portals and invaders, Walter replied calmly. He didnt sound too bothered about the fact Earth would be an even worse battleground than it already was. The first Incursion connected to a limited number of worlds. The second one will connect to an exponential amount with higher level locals, and the thirdI assume there will be a thirdshould multiply that amount furthermore. Basil and Neria digested the news in silence. Both had expected the worst, but to hear an outside expert confirm it made it feel all the worse. The person responsible for this mess said he was only interested in opening a gate to another world, Basil said, thinking of Maxwell. Do you think thats the Systems real goal? Opening a specific pathway? To Basils surprise, Walter shook his head. It may be an anticipated side-effect, but no, I dont think so. Your Trimurti Systems purpose is to select an Overgod first and foremost. Perhaps your enemies created the neurotowers to build a bridge to a high-level world they couldnt reach otherwise, but the System will not stop functioning after essing this world. It will keep creating monsters until someone reaches level 100. Or until someone managed to y Kalki and summon Shiva. Basil feared to learn which option was the most likely. That, and if my suspicions are correct Walter marked a short pause, as if carefully picking his words. Your Trimurti System must continuously keep summoning creatures to your to function. It requires constant conflict to grease the wheel, so to say. Basil scowled as he remembered Tamuras words. How Quests encouraged destruction and where experience came from Walter I know you already have your hypothesis about how the Trimurti System works, Basil, Walter interrupted him. As always, the shopkeeper must have read his mind. But do not be too hasty in assuming the worst. When magic is concerned, nuances can matter a great deal. Basil chuckled darkly. Are you saying this to cheer me up? In a way. For once, Walter Tyes thin smile seemed genuine. A clouded mind cannot think rationally. Let me analyze this server first, and then we can discuss facts rather than assumptions. It didnt help Basil feel better, but at least he had found a good way to cope with all the terrible truths thrown at his facetely: by not thinking about them. He would cross that bridge once they reached it. Neria nced at him with a thoughtful look. She must have drawn her own conclusions from the fight with Tamura, but thankfully didnt voice her suspicions out loud. Instead, she simply patted Basils shoulder in silent sympathy. No matter what the future held for them, at least they were all in it together. Be careful, my friend, Walter whispered before they left the shop. I have the feeling thepetition is about to escte greatly. The Bohens left Bordeaux immediately afterward. The goodbyes were short and to the point; on some level, everyone knew they would meet again soon. Even Little Nessia seemed to think this wouldnt be thest time they crossed paths. And so Rosemarine pulled a new and improved Steamobile onto the road to Paris, with enough food in storage tost weeks and enough weapons to blow up a small castle. Basil rode on her back to give her directions, shaking at each bump on the ground. Take the left road at the next junction, Rosemarine, Basil said as he tried to understand the map. Well leave the A89 for smaller roads and avoid the town of Perigueux. ording to our intel, theres a dungeon near it. Yes, Mister. Rosemarine trampled an abandoned car. They were few and far between on the roads around Bordeaux. The army and locals had gathered all vehicles they could transport back to the city, leaving the path ahead clear and easy to traverse. Besides a few military chokepoints, this part of the journey was utterly uneventful. They passed by viges somewhat undamaged by the apocalypse and even watched farmers along the road growing vegetables the size of horses. Basil wondered how many of them would grow teeth like House Garden once did. He promised himself to check on Ronald through the Logster today. A group of army soldiers stopped them at the next road junction, where the A89 national road bifurcated towards the northern mountains. They had been warned by their HQ about the Bohens arrival and allowed them to continue after a quick check. This is the safe zones limit, a soldier warned Basil. Afterwards man, youre on your own. Basil raised an eyebrow. Rosemarine turned her colossal head in the grunts direction, her shadow looming over him. Yeah The soldier trailed off before taking a step away from Rosemarine. I dont think you guys will need protection. Good luck. Basil heard him sigh in relief when they left the outpost in the dust. The quality of the road considerably degraded after thatst checkpoint. Not only did more abandoned cars pop up on the way, but so did holes, nts overrunning the bitumen, and rocks. Even worse, a raindrop fell on the map. Basil clenched his teeth as he looked up at clouds gathering in the sky. Oh, thats just great. Im here, Boss! As if on cue, Bugsy emerged from the Steamobile. The centimagma carried a metal te between his mandibles. He leaped on Rosemarines back and swiftly raised his makeshift protection above Basils head. Here! Basil was thankful for the umbre, but he noticed raindrops turning to steam upon touching the centimagmas body. Bugsy, youre weak to water, he pointed out. You shouldnt be out in the rain too long. Its all right, Boss, Bugsy said. Its ufortable, but it doesnt hurt anymore. Im tough enough now. Yeah, but you dont have to spend the whole journey holding a te above my head. I told you, Boss, everything is okay. Bugsy giggled to himself. I finished building the nest, so I have nothing better to do anyway. Basil raised an eyebrow. The nest? What for? For Vasis eggs. Bugsy squealed in happiness. Now that she kissed your cheek, she mighty her eggs at dawn anytime now! Basil blinked a few times, and then struggled against the urge to facepalm. Bugsy, thats not how babies work. In fact, Basil wasnt sure he could even have children with Vasi at all considering their different species. She had horns for Gods sake. But but Ive seen it in the chicken coop! Bugsy protested. The hensid eggs in the morning! Unless unless babies spawn from dungeons too? Thats not how it works with humans. As Bugsy looked at him in confusion, Basil cursed fate for forcing this conversation. You need a few more extra steps in between. He needs to spray her with his pollen first, Rosemarine enlightened Bugsy with her nt wisdom. Then she will make seeds to grow in the ground after feeding them with blood. That Basil chewed his lip, before realizing that any answer would be even more embarrassing. Yes, something like that. Oh. Bugsy sighed in disappointment. Im sorry Boss, I thought it would happen more quickly. Why are you so fixated on me and Vasi anyway? Basil found it a little creepy. Bugsys answer made him reconsider. Because I want you both to be happy, Boss. These simple words were said so earnestly that Basil couldnt muster an answer. He looked over his shoulder at Bugsy, who winked back. To think that they first met trying to kill each other Thank you, Bugsy. Basil smiled. His chest felt warm and fuzzy for some obscure reason. You know, you can stop calling me Boss. Youre my friend, not my subordinate. Cant I be both, Boss? Bugsy asked as the raindrops turned into a faint, sustained rain. You should smile like that more often. Basil chuckled. Ill try. True to his word, Bugsy spent the next hour protecting Basil and the precious map from the rain. The centimagma left a trail of steam behind him due to his bodys heat, yet remained unperturbed and instead hummed to himself. Basil was thankful for thepany. It broke the monotony of the trip. The countryside slowly changed as they progressed. nds turned into woody hills and then stranger things. On the side of the path ahead, a mound of dirt resembled a giants face. A forest of jagged spikes of stones covered a hillside and stinking fumes floated out of noxious mud pools. Both fauna and flora became barely recognizable. Purple grass off the road receded at their approach, as if afraid to be stomped by Rosemarine. Electric hedgehogs and weasels with des for ws watched them from afar. Fiery ants the size of dogs briefly peeked out of a hole off the side of the road, before hastily retreating underground at Rosemarines approach. Flocks of ck-winged creatures with a single eye for a body flew over the Steamobile without a sound. The sight filled Basil with both wonder and sadness. On one hand, thendscape and fauna reminded him of the times he explored Bulgarias forests in his youth; there were always wonders and new life to look for. But on the other hand, it was a sore reminder that Earths ecosystem had changed forever. Boss, look up. Bugsys words drew Basil out of his reverie. A trio of red demons flew towards the Steamobile. They resembled stereotypical imps with forks, bat wings, and wicked grins.
Diablotin
Level 13 [Demon]
The creatures took a good look at Rosemarine and then flew away in the opposite direction as fast as they could. Basil couldnt help but smile. They were fifteen to twenty levels above the local monsters and none dared to take a shot at the party. How good it felt to be a shark among small fish for once. Do I st them, Mister? Rosemarine asked while licking her fangs. Nah, Basil replied. We wont get any exp from it. If they wont attack us, well return the favor. We could eat them, she argued. Yourser doesnt leave anything behind. Oh, right. Rosemarine nced at the fleeing demons with longing. Next time You know, I expected attacks on the way, Bugsy said. But the trip is very peaceful so far. Its natural selection, Bugsy. Basil grinned. All the idiots died early trying to take on tougher foes. Now only the cowardly, the crafty and the strong remain. So you think we will reach Paris without a fight? No. tos voice echoed behind them. He says most marauders will avoid us and the few who dare attack us will present an actual challenge. Basil looked over his shoulder. His cat emerged from the Steamobile, ran through the rain as quickly as he could, and swiftly took refuge under Bugsys umbre. The centimagma blinked in confusion. Mr. to? What are you doing here? Youre walking in the rain? Basil taunted him. Have you burned your cushion? Or did you grow waterproof fur in your sleep? Aha, weve got aedian here. To punish Basils taunts, to took over hisp and wouldnt move from it. Im bored. Vasi spends her time ying that holomachine game and Shellgirl does nothing but rub her face against our new rifles. She makes the same noise you often do in the toilet. What noise? Rosemarine asked navely. Nothing. Basils cheeks reddened a bit, but he swiftly changed the subject. Theres a portable TV if you want to kill time. Its boring to watch alone. I need an audience to criticize every show I disagree with. to looked at Basils map. Are we in Paris yet? No, Basil replied. Are we in Ons yet? No. Are we in Limoges yet? Tomorrow at the earliest, Basil said absentmindedly. Well make a stop in the Prigord Limousin natural park for the night. We can watch Major Chicken then, if we arent attacked on the way. to looked up at Basil with an annoyed look. Basil sighed upon realizing his mistake. I jinxed it, didnt I? Yes you did, you madman, to replied before touching Basils nose with his tail. When will you learn? What will it take? Boss? Bugsy squinted at the horizon. Are those normal clouds? Cursing his tongue for tempting fate, Basil nced west. The white rain clouds were slowly pushed aside by a familiar aurora. This one was dark blue and filled with countless points of light. The sight reminded Basil of a clear night sky, except this one showed up in the middle of the afternoon. He would have mistaken the phenomenon for the telltale sign of a local dungeon, if it wasnt spreading across the horizon. Boss Bugsy trailed off. Yeah, its moving closer. Basil frowned. Rosemarine, pause. Bugsy, recon. Rosemarine stopped in the middle of the road. Basil stored his map in the inventory as Bugsy leaped off Rosemarine to apply his antennae to the ground. Deprived of protection from the rain, to shrieked and hid under Rosemarine. Warn me next time! toined. His fur was already wet. Im like sugar, I can melt from this! Oh, poor thing, Basil teased him. to hissed in response. The rain didntst long anyway. The aurora dissipated the clouds as it floated above their heads. Yet the following notification warned Basil of greater danger ahead.
Artemis-Apollos [God-Field: Orion Belt] changed the field to [Huntress Dream].
  • [Fire], [Water], [Frost], [Light], and [Mythic] elements are strengthened.
  • [Corrosion], [Earth], and [Darkness] elements are weakened.
  • Healing and Regen effects are doubled.
  • Weather effects are canceled.
  • yers and Monsters with a Strong [Light] affinity have their Magic buffed.
Basil blinked upon seeing the Artemis-Apollo name, and to said out loud what they were all thinking. No way, them again? Metal Olympus. Of course. Tamura didnt represent all their forces in the region. Hey, why did we stop? Shellgirl shouted from inside the Steamobile. She hopped out of it with an AK-47 in each hand, both covered in slime. Basil wisely didnt ask questions about it. Whats up in the skies? Gee, what do you think? to deadpanned. Trouble! The answer is always trouble! Boss, I sense wheeled vehicles approaching from the east, Bugsy warned. His antennae trembled as they gathered information from vibrations in the ground. They make the same sound as our old car. Cars meant human drivers. Basil clenched his fists. Monsters he could deal with, but humans with sses presented a far greater danger. Shit. Basil cursed under his breath. How many, Bugsy? And how far are they? I sense a dozen, maybe two. Bugsy squinted as he tried to pick up subtle vibrations. Theyre two hours away, maybe three. Wait, are they moving towards us or simply traveling west? Shellgirl asked. She didnt sound eager for another fight. Maybe theyre moving to Bordeaux for a shopping trip. Basil doubted they would be that lucky, and Bugsy swiftly confirmed his suspicions. I think theyre after us. They turned in our direction when we entered the field. Then its not a raid, but a hit job. Basil summoned his halberd. Looks like they didnt appreciate us killing their golf buddy. But how do they know were here with the boonies? to asked. Its not like we advertised which road we would take. Maybe they can detect us from afar? Shellgirl suggested wisely. Basils eyes widened as he quickly found an exnation. He turned in Rosemarines direction, who stared back at him in iprehension. The Dionysus essence, Basil whispered. They must be able to sense it. Im sorry, Mister, Rosemarine apologized. Maybe I can digest it? If Zachariel couldnt remove it, I doubt you can. Basil grinned ear to ear. Looks like well have no choice but to fight. to squinted at his owner. Why are you happy about it? In response, Basil nced up at the Steamobiles new howitzer. Shellgirl looked at her AK-47 with a nk look and Rosemarine licked her fangs in anticipation. Bugsy. Basilughed with bloodthirsty glee. Go fetch me the rocketuncher. Angels wielded swords of fire, but a bazooka of justice would suit Basil just fine. Chapter 58: Man vs Chase Chapter 58: Man vs Chase Their pursuers caught up to them in thete afternoon. Basil heard theming long before they actually arrived. The rumbling noise of thundering war drums and the howl of wind instruments announced their arrival. Disturbed birds flew from the east, giving the party an advance warning. Its not the best battlefield I could ask for. Basil checked the terrain onest time. A broad, shallow valley opened up before him. Alien wildflowers grew under the shade of stony hillsides. The steep slopes of a narrow pass rose a few kilometers away, its width barelyrge enough to let the Steamobile through. The road should join up to the national highway beyond this point, which would give Basils crew more space to maneuver. The pass will be the hardest part. The rest of his team had taken up positions. Vasi flew on her broomstick to secure the sky and to hid under the cover of invisibility to act as an ace-in-the-hold. Bugsy and Shellgirl remained inside to manage the Steamobile''s howitzer, with a crew of Fire Seeds upying the vehicles windows with Kshnikovs. Basil didnt put much weight on the low-level nts uracy, but they could at least provide suppressive fire. As for Basil himself, he rode Rosemarine with an entire arsenal stored inside his inventory and the bloodlust to make full use of it. Here theye, Basil! Vasi warned from above. From our right! How many of them?! he shouted back. A dozen! So not the entire force. They have fliers! As if on cue, their opponents showed up under the alien sky. A squad of five winged white horses flew over the valley. A warrior in stylized armor mixing Greek hoplite and knightly aesthetics rode each of the pegasi; all of them wielded spears and javelins. A squad of centaurs rode under them with great longbows, their hooves crushing wildflowers as they stomped their way into the valley. Their fur was ck as coal and their faces hidden behind red helmets.
Sagitarius
Level 18 [Beast/Humanoid]
Faction: Metal Olympus (Amnisiades)
The Pegasus riders, meanwhile, all had ss levels in sses like Spearman, Cavalier, and even Shieldmaster. None of them reached level twenty, but the Bohens had lost too many friends to yers to underestimate them. Basil assessed the situation. The fliersplicated matters, but he trusted his girlfriend to take care of the aerial force. The absence of vehicles in the raiding party, and the fact the sound of the war drums remained distant, indicated these soldiers were mere scouts. Ill take the pegasi, you deal with the rest of them. Vasi snapped her fingers and magical energy gathered in the palm of her hand. Wanna see which of us can take out the most of them? The loser pays for the next date. Challenge epted, Basil replied with a bloodthirsty grin. Can I y too, Mister? Rosemarine asked with enthusiasm. Of course, dear. Basil summoned a potion from his inventory. Thick green ooze swirled inside the sk. I brewed this for you. Let the reaping begin! Rosemarine shouted joyfully. A harvest of blood and guts! Thats my girl. Basil tossed the potion in the air and Rosemarines tongue swiftly grabbed it. She devoured the sk whole and roared. Her muscles burst with new power as the elixir took effect.
[Mr. Hydes Performance Booster] buffed all of Rosemarines physical stats for ten minutes!
Rosemarine charged to the tune of Basils war cry. Fire at will! The howitzer thundered and unleashed a projectile. A cataclysmic explosion tore two centaurs to pieces, leaving a fuming crater in their ce. The pegasus riders swarmed Vasi while theirndbound allies raised their bows at Rosemarine. Basil licked his lips in anticipation. He always liked horse steaks. Keeping his halberd stored in the inventory forter, Basil summoned an AK-47 and empowered it with a Corrosive Rune. He was never a good shot, but his Skill stat, which had steadily increased after many level-ups, improved his uracy tenfold. One of his first bullets hit a centaur in the chest and slew him on the spot. A second shot an archers arm before he could return fire. The other centaurs managed to cover the distance between Rosemarine and them. Their fiery arrows harmlessly bounced off the tropidrakes scales and Basil retaliated with a bullet volley, shattering knees and spraying guts all over the road. The dead centaurs crashed on the ground, never to rise again. Damn it! Basil cursed. He couldnt manage a headshot even with an assault rifle! I got three and a half! Vasi was too busy dodging javelins to answer him. She hastened herself to outpace the pegasus riders, moved above them, and then countered with a snap of her fingers. A mighty burst of wind and ice shards erupted from her hand. The projectiles tore off their mounts wings while the wind pushed them to the ground. The entire squad crashed into the valley to their death in the blink of an eye. I got five, Vasi replied smugly. Ten, if the mounts count. Nah, they dont! Basil grinned. Nice new spell! New spells, plural! Vasi shouted back with amusement. That one isnt even my best yet! Basil prepared to tease her a little when he heard Bugsy shouting from inside the Steamobile. Boss, I sense enemies at the front! Basil turned to face the narrow pass before them. A jeep driven by a hoplite cosyer had emerged from it. A second soldier stood on the roof with a rocketuncher pointed straight at Rosemarine. Damn, they were trying to block the pass! Rosemarine Ive got them, Mister! Particles of light gathered around Rosemarines petals, the unnatural starry sky above them glittering in response. Rosemarines strong Light affinity allowed her to benefit from the fields buff effect, even with the sun blocked from view. Sunbeam! The Metal Olympus soldier opened fire first, a rocket flying out of his bazooka. A beam of light poured out of Rosemarines mouth and vaporized the projectile, the vehicle, the people aboard, and a good chunk of the pass. The tropidrake stomped the ashes of her enemies without slowing down. Basil tensed up as the sound of war drums grew louder. He couldnt see much within the pass, but he expected the bulk of the enemy force to await them on the other side. His hands tightened on his AK-47. Turn left when you exit the pass, Rosemarine, Basil ordered. to, are you still nearby? Im waiting, his cat replied, utterly invisible. I hear them, Basil. Theyll catch up to us in minutes. Rosemarine pulled the Steamobile out of the pass and onto National Road N21. The hills behind them were swiftly reced with a vast in of abandoned farm fields, meadows, and the rare trees in-between. A damaged road cut through thendscape under an alien sky. There were no viges nor settlements to be seen around, except for a few crumbling ruins of old houses. A Mad Max raiding party weed Basils party. As Bugsy predicted, two dozen vehicles chased after the Steamobile. It was a ragtag bunch of Peugeot 208, Dacia Sandero, bikers, and even two customized cargo trucks. Almost all of them were staffed with Ancient Greece human cosyers, but their troops included a few monsters too. Winged women with electrical whips served as their air force alongside a duo of pegasus riders, and a monstrous one-eyed giant stood atop one of the trucks with a wide axe. The other truck was equipped with loudspeakers boosting the music of a bard crew and wardrummers.
Cyclops Maneater
Level 27 [Giant]
Faction: Metal Olympus (Amnisiades)
Harpy Huntress
Level 15 [Avian/Humanoid]
Faction: Metal Olympus (Amnisiades)
It was impossible to miss the marauders leader. Artemis-Apollo glowed above her troops like the morning star in the night sky. The creature took the shape of a splendid, curvaceous woman with marble skin and hair of gold styled in an elegant bun. Silver pieces of armor covered her breast, hips, and legs. Six great wings of sunfire carried her above thend she sought to rule. All in all, she appeared like a goddess descending from the heavens. A longbow of light materialized in her hands and she pointed it at the Steamobile as if it were a boar to be in. The real fight started now. Basil quickly assessed the situation. A good kilometer separated the Steamobile from its pursuers, but the smaller vehicles swiftly gained ground on the slower Rosemarine. Basil doubted a direct howitzer strike would take Artemis-Apollo out, so better to bleed out her forces before keeping her forst. Bugsy, Shellgirl, blow up the Bards to debuff them! Basil barked orders. Vasi, we need a speed buff! On it! Vasi raised a hand at Rosemarine. Hasten! Time dted around the tropidrake as she rushed onto the road at twice her normal speed. Basil had to hold on to her not to fall off. The ground trembled as the chases next step started in earnest. Artemis-Apollo opened the hostilities with an arrow of light aimed at the Steamobiles armored wheels. The vehicle shook from the impact, but the metal shielding resisted the attack. Rosemarines burst in speed allowed her to outpace therger vehicles, but not the smaller ones. The faster cars and bikes separated into two groups racing across the grassy in. One moved to the Steamobiles left and the other on the right in a pincer maneuver. The Fire Seeds lying in ambush opened fire from their sniper holes to dy them. Bullets pierced windows or bounced off metal roofs in short order. First blood was on Basils team, for the howitzer thundered and blew up the bard truck in one strike. The vehicle exploded in a fiery detonation that shook the entire region. Artemis-Apollo immediately retaliated with an arrow of sunfire targeting the Steamobiles cannon. Her aim was true and her projectile exploded in a rain of mes on impact, but the vehicle resisted the attack. The howitzer retaliated with a precise shot. The fake goddess managed to hit the projectile in midair with another arrow, detonating harmlessly. Cannon and archer exchanged volleys without any of them managing to break the deadlock. Bugsy, reload faster! Basil heard Shellgirl shout from within the Steamobile; her frantic voice barely cut through the sound of howitzer rounds fired in the skies. More shells! I cant shoot without ammo! I do what I can with my mandibles! Bugsy shouted back. The centimagmas role was to reload the cannon while Shellgirl adjusted the aim. We dont have much left! After blowing up another howitzer round with a well-ced arrow, Artemis-Apollos wings shone with a silver glow. Rosemarine let out a squeal, rming Basil. Rosemarine, what is Basils eyes widened in surprise as a crescent moon mark materialized on the back of Rosemarines neck.
Artemis-Apollos [Huntress Moon] marked Rosemarine as the hunts target! Rosemarines chances of avoiding attacks have been halved for one hour, and her odds of suffering from a critical hit have been doubled!
Since Artemis-Apollo couldnt destroy the vehicle, she targeted the dragon pulling it! Her range is insane! Basil attempted to scratch off the mark just in case, and only managed to make Rosemarine giggle. At least she enjoyed it Alright Rosemarine, Ill cover you. With their boss providing suppressive fire and shielding them from the howitzer, the Metal Olympus raiders assaulted the Steamobile from all sides. Vasi cast her shadowspike spell on the back of the road, impaling a Dacia and forcing other vehicles to take a detour to avoid destruction. A Peugeot bypassed the Steamobile and approached Rosemarine from the left. Basil saw iting and stored his AK-47 back in his inventory. A rocketuncher of justice swiftly materialized in its ce. Basil pointed his weapon at his attacker with a gleeful grin and pressed the trigger. The driver barely had time to blink in horror before a rocket sted his car to kingdome. The burning metal husk flew into the air and crashed off the side of the road. Four and a half! Basil boasted. Im catching up, Vasi! Shellgirl and Bugsy have the highest kill count, to muttered behind him. A Peugeot approached from the left, filled to the brim with low-level warriors. My turn. Luck Up! Basil didnt hear nor see his invisible cats attacks, but he witnessed the throat of a Peugeots driver sliced open by a de of air. The vehicle veered off tracks and was crushed under the Steamobiles wheels. Ah, four in one strike! to boasted proudly, before his voice swiftly turned from triumph to annoyance. Birds iing! Basil looked over his shoulder. With their master keeping the howitzer upied, the harpies and pegasus riders moved to encircle the Steamobile from above. Vasi! Basil shouted, but his girlfriend had already intercepted the fliers. An aerial duel began in the starry sky. Harpies attempted to throw Vasi off her broom with their electrical whips, but the witch kept her distance and bombarded her foes with fireballs. Unfortunately, Vasi was one woman facing a full squad. She danced around the opposition, but struggled to even keep the fliers from approaching too closely. Noticing her struggle, Artemis-Apollo dodged a howitzer round instead of blowing it up and instead targeted Vasi. Basils heart skipped a bit. Vasi, arrow from the south! His girlfriend heard him and avoided a light projectile at thest second. However, the interruption allowed two pegasus riders to bypass her. They dived upon Rosemarine from above with murderous intent. For the mistress! The two riders shouted as they raised their javelins. The maddened glint in their eyes made Basil shiver. Long may she reign! I should have brought a guillotine, Basil said as he swiftly switched his rocketuncher for his more practicalser pistol. Bolts of field-empowered light flew next to javelins. Basil managed to wound a rider in the shoulder, but failed to stop him from throwing his weapon. Two javelins pierced Rosemarines back and pierced her leaf-scales. She let out a scream of pain that made Basil wince. The enemy riders moved to strike again, but one of tos wind shes cut one pegasus wings and caused the mount to crash down onto the ground. Rosemarine sted the other in the chest with a well-ced ray of light, killing him. Whats wrong with these guys? Basil thought as he pulled out the javelins out of Rosemarines back and gritted his teeth upon recognizing a violet substance on their tips mixed with blood. The souvenir of Kuikuis death shed in his mind and soured his stomach. Poison I felt nothing, Mister! Rosemarine reassured him. A quick check at her status confirmed the spears had failed to inflict the dreaded ailment thanks to her high Vitality. Basil sighed in relief. But Mister, everythings slowing down Vasis Hasten spell dissipated. Forced to slow down, Rosemarine could no longer outpace the slower vehicles. The surviving truck caught up to the Steamobile and allowed its cyclops passenger to leap at it. Mistress! The giant, roughly six meters tall, grabbed the exhaust ports and smashed them with its axe. His maddened roars echoed with the autumn wind. Witness me, mistress! Witness me! As if on cue, Artemis-Apollos eyes shone like the heart of the sun. The cyclops roared as his body surged with power.
Artemis-Apollos [Apollos Boon] buffed his Strength and granted him the [Regen] beneficial status!
to, stop him! Basil ordered as bikers with revolvers nked Rosemarine. He had his hands full exchanging fire with them. Yeah, yeah! With the invisibility potion running out, to became visible again right as he leaped at the cyclops head. His rapier blinded the creature. The giant roared in pain and frantically swung his axe in all directions in a vain attempt to hit the far smaller cat. Whats your current count? Seven I think? Basil said as a harpy fell onto the roadVasi was racking up quite the lead. Three bikers attacked from this side, each a duo with a driver at the front and an attacker at the back. The closest vehicle was a Harley Davidson with a gunner passenger at the back. Basil raised his pistol but the enemy proved to be the quicker shot. A bullet grazed his chest and was barely deflected by his ankylosaurus scale armor. Basil pressed the trigger in retaliation. His projectile sted off the attackers head and threw the corpse off the vehicle, leaving the driver defenseless.
Critical hit!
Finally! Basil had seeded with his first headshot! Encouraged by his sess, he rose to his feet atop Rosemarine, held his breath and leaped off the tropidrake. The jump was risky, but rewarding. Basilnded on the Harley Davidson right behind the driver. The vehicle veered off tracks from the sudden shift in weight, but the biker managed to avoid falling off. He looked over his shoulder, his eyes widening in surprise behind his helmet. What theAAHH! Basil swiftly threw the driver overboard and assumed full control of the vehicle. The Harley Davidson thrummed between his legs like a wild, savage stallion. Inspiration suddenly seized Basil. He stored his pistol back in his inventory and switched it for his ming halberd. Then he raised his favorite weapon above his head, basking in the feeling of the cold autumn wind brushing against his face. Perfect, he whispered. Basil roared as loud as his Harley, halberd raised above his head. He charged after the bikers harassing Rosemarine. The first of them he cut in half with a swing of his halberd, rider and motorcycle included. The second drew a sword and shed steel with him. Why are you so eager to die?! Basil snarled before swinging his halberd. Youre throwing your life away for a flying statue! Once I y you, the mistress will reward me! The swordsman shouted as he parried the strike. Shell finally love me back! Basils superhuman strength caused the parry to backfire. The biker was thrown back by the blowback and crashed off the road. Basils respite didntst long, for the truck that carried the cyclops to the Steamobile attempted to run him from behind. Rosemarine rescued him by gathering energy and blowing up the vehicle with another sunbeam. Somethings wrong with these guys, Basil thought as he drove next to Rosemarine. Her body gathered light energy once more. They cant all be fearless fanatics. Sunbath! Rosemarine shouted. Her body released particles of light, healing her wounds and curing Basil of his exhaustion. Mister, Im thirsty! Here, but thats myst! Basil unstored another strength-boosting potion from his inventory and tossed it at the tropidrake, who devoured it whole. The enemy vehicles had been dealt with, though Vasi still struggled with the harpies and to couldnt knock down the cyclops off the Steamobile. It was the enemy leader that worried Basil the most. So far the false goddess had stuck to exchanging fire with the howitzer from afar, asionally disrupting the groups formation and empowering her allies. She was troublesome but not truly dangerous. Either Artemis-Apollocked Tamuras firepower or she was holding back for some reason. Shes observing, Basil realized. Whereas Tamura threw summoned troops into the meat grinder without a strategy in mind, that fake goddess probed her foes defenses. Shes looking for a weakness and assessing our abilities. The fake goddess finally found an opportunity. She glowed brightly and then multiplied. Basil could only stare in shock as the false goddess body divided like a cell into four different beings. They spread in a square formation and opened fire all at once. The howitzer sted one of the four goddesses to oblivion. The copys body faded away in a shower of light, but the three others hit the cannon all at once with exploding arrows of sunlight. Basil squinted as the world brightened on impact. The Steamobile shook and its cannon fumed. The howitzer didnt return fire again. Bugsy! Basil shouted as the three fake goddesses started covering the distance between them and the Bohens. Shellgirl! Are you alright?! Were alive, Boss! Bugsy shouted from inside the vehicle. But the cannon, its broken! Forget the cannon! Shellgirl emerged from one of the Steamobiles windows and climbed up on its roof. Her tentacle-cannons fired ice projectiles at the harpies surrounding Vasi. Lets clear the skies before thepetition arrives! Help! to shouted as he leaped off the cyclops shoulder. His rapier had inflicted half a dozen wounds on the giant, but the monster kept thrashing around in a maddened rage. The cuts closed on their own and even the eye was slowly regenerating. The cripple is healing as soon as I hurt him! Iming, Mr. to! Bugsy burst out of the Steamobile through a window and swiftly coiled around the cyclops chest. Both roared as they brawled. The three remaining copies of Artemis-Apollo chased after the Steamobile in a V-formation. Unable to identify the real one from the fakes, Basil slowed down his bike and approached the one on the right. Basil Bohen, I presume? the woman asked from above upon seeing him approach. Although it sounded far more melodious than in Dismaker Labs board recording, Basil immediately recognized her voice. You and your dragon stand used of murdering my brother Dionysus. I didnt know you and the snake were rted, Miss Hypathia, Basil taunted her back. That, or youre way into your character. Oh? Sheughed, her cold white eyes squinting in amusement. So you know the truth. Yes, I know we should have exterminated all the nobles when we had the chance! Basil sneered. Im sure you didnt even work a day in your life! Basil had read the filespiled by the French army on Dismaker Labs board. Hypathia Masters de Kemmeter had been a typical socialite before the apocalypse, the heiress of some Belgian old noble family and a UNESCO ambassador. Dismaker Labs had been one of the manypanies in which she took shares, with apocalyptic results. It is true I was a gentry once, but thanks to my hard work I have ascended to a higher level. She smiled at Basil, who felt a strange desire stirring in his spine. We dont have to fight, my boy. Im sure I could win your allegiance with the right offer.
Permanent [Charm] ailment
Basil saw red. Sorry, I prefer horns over wings.
Failed! It failed miserably! You shrugged off Artemis-Apollos [Sin: Lust] Perk!
Saddening. Hypathia snorted and raised her bow of light. Bah, I would have killed you anyway. You remind me of a mermaid Ive met. Basil gritted his teeth in fury. Her retinues suicidal dedication suddenly made a lot more sense. She too was so popr that she had to brainwash people into following her! I have ascended to the realm of the gods. Hypathia materialized an arrow of ice and fired it at Basils head. It is the duty of humans like you to venerate me. I only believe in one God. Basil shattered the ice arrow with his halberd. To his worry, another copy was moving to threaten Basil and thest one floated above Rosemarine. His names are the Father, the Son Basil stored his halberd and switched it with his rocketuncher. And heres the Holy Spirit! He pressed the trigger and set the sky aze. Chapter 59: Man vs Mirror Chapter 59: Man vs Mirror Basils rocket blew up the fake goddess to kingdome. Her body exploded into shards of ice that rained on the ground like falling stars. Basil was almost thrown off his Harley Davidson by the st, but managed to hang on to his vehicle. Since Hypathias two other copies didnt vanish, he could only assume that he had in a clone. Were any of them even real? As one Artemis-Apollo raised her bow in Vasis direction and another copy targeted Rosemarine, Basil wondered if either of them was the original. Vasi had managed to shoot down thest of the harpies with Shellgirls help. She saw Hypathiaing and managed to avoid an arrow of fire aiming for her face. The witch and the goddess danced in the skies above the Steamobile, with Shellgirl firing ice shards at the enemy. Her frosty projectiles shattered harmlessly on Hypathias marble skin without inflicting damage. With Basil too far away to intervene, the second clone opened fire on Rosemarines back. An arrow of ice materialized in Hypathias bow of light and surged across the sky. For a brief instant, Basil thought Rosemarine would move fast enough to dodge it. The crescent moon mark on her neck dashed his hopes with a silver glow. The arrows trajectory bent like a missile guided by a homing beacon and nailed Rosemarine. Her scream of pain echoed across thend. Basils stomach soured in dread as ayer of permafrost covered his darling tropidrakes back. Rosemarine nearly stumbled onto the road, but managed to stand on her feet and keep running across the deste national road. Basil checked his friends status and his eyes widened in panic.
Rosemarine Entine de Barthe: 1382/3200 HP. [Frostbite] ailment: Rosemarine will take weak [Frost] damage at regr intervals, and her Magic will be debuffed.
Between Rosemarines natural weakness to Frost and the Orion Belt Field effect, more than half of his adorable nts health points had been shaved away in a single blow! Another ice arrow would kill her. Iming, Rosemarine! Basil shouted as he smashed the elerator. Monster Cure II!
[Frostbite] ailment lifted.
Healing light coursed through Rosemarines body. Her leaf-scales shrugged off the ice covering her, yet Basils Perk could only heal a paltry hundred HP; far too little to make a difference should she be targeted again. He cast Monster Cure II again and again as Hypathia materialized another arrow of ice. Vasi and Shellgirl were upied by the other copy, and Bugsy and to had their paws and mandibles full trying to throw her cyclops minion off the Steamobile. With no one to interrupt, the fake goddess raised her bow of light for a second attack. Rosemarine looked over her shoulder, burning light gathering in her petals. Sunbeam! Rosemarine sted Hypathia with a zing ray of condensed sunlight. The air shimmered from the heat as it illuminated the starry sky. The light swallowed the fake goddess and continued its course into the distant clouds. Basil had witnessed Rosemarines attack incinerate monsters to ashes and vaporize castle walls. Yet as he saw Hypathias shadow remain whole inside the light, he started to doubt it would y her. The strength of the beam pushed the clone back a few meters, but when Rosemarine ran out of breath and the light was extinguished, the fake goddess emerged from her ordeal unharmed. Her arrow of ice had melted into nothingness, and she swiftly drew her bow to target Rosemarine anew. Basils jaw clenched at the sight. Elemental immunities? Basil had fought foes that could shrug off one element in the pastthe waterboarding mermaid incident came to mindbut he had never faced someone outright invulnerable to multiple ones. Since Shellgirls ice projectiles failed to affect the other copy, Hypathia was immune to Fire, Light, and Frost. This negatied arge part of Basils rune arsenal but he could do more than attack with them. Magitek: Fire Rune. Basils magic infused the Harley Davidson. The wheels caught fire and the metal parts of the vehicle heated up. The motorcycle turned ck as coal as its engine roared and its exhaust ports breathed fire. His vehicles speed elerated until he caught up to Rosemarine. Having run out of rockets, Basil stored theuncher and switched it for his AK-47. It was difficult to aim with one hand and to direct the Harley with the other, but he managed to take a decisive shot. Corrosive Rune! An acid-coated bullet hit Hypathias copy before she could finish off Rosemarine. Where other projectiles failed to harm her, Basils attack pierced through her chest and shattered the fake goddess into stardust.
Supereffective hit!
Only one clone remained. Target her weaknesses! Basil shouted to his allies as he spammed Monster Cure II. Rosemarine activated her Sunbath Perk, her health bar slowly rising up. Corrosion, Earth, and Darkness! Theyre the elements that her Field weakens, so she must be vulnerable to them like Tamura was! I cant use any of them! Shellgirlined. But I can! Vasi replied. Darkness gathered in her hand. Shadowshot! A sphere of solid shadow surged from her fingers and hit thest copy of Hypathia in the shoulder. The fake goddess winced in pain from the blow, her marble skin turning ck as coal where the projectile impacted her. Most importantly, she didnt vanish like the other copies. Is is this pain? Hypathia was so shocked at being wounded that she briefly interrupted her assault. She stared at her shoulder in horror. Instead of shedding blood, her marble skin bloated and mutated. The spot where Vasis spell had hit her started to resemble an eyeless face. What have you what have you done to me? Is that a tumor? Basil wondered before forcing himself to focus. Now was the best opportunity to strike. Thats the real one! Dust her! Vasi pressed on with more shadow projectiles, but Basils words snapped Hypathia out of her trance. The false goddess gained more altitude and swiftly divided herself into four duplicates once more. Light Mirror! Basil cursed this turn of events, but remained confident. If she had entered battle personally rather than staying safely at the rear, then her cloning ability had a distance limit. The original couldnt wander too far from her clones. Go, Vasi! Shellgirl cheered and buffed her best friend. Motivate! Hasten! Vasi said. Time dted around her until Basil struggled to keep track of her movements. His girlfriends flying broom moved as fast as a falcon on cocaine and her shadowshots surged across the skies like missiles. Artemis-Apollos clones spread out to avoid the bombardment, but none of their own projectiles could hit Vasi back. Hasten wouldntst long, but it brought the team precious time. Shellgirl, Im sending you weapons through the Guild Inventory! Basil unstored a rifle from his inventory. Magitek: Corrosive Rune. Basils refinement seeded, empowering the rifle with acidic power. He stored it in the Guild Inventory, which allowed Shellgirl to materialize the weapon in her hands. Moving at the Steamobiles top, she aimed at Hypathias duplicates and opened fire at them. Basil, I wouldnt mind a little help here too! to shouted as he stabbed the cyclops fingers with his rapier. Bugsy had coiled around the giants neck in a doomed attempt to snap it, but neither he nor to managed to get him off the Steamobile. The monster simply healed faster than Basils allies could harm him. Mistress! the cyclops roared in spite of Bugsys best efforts to suffocate him. His hand grabbed an exhaust port and started ripping it out. Steam erupted out of the damaged vehicles pipes. For you! All for you! Hold on, guys! Basil moved the Harley Davidson closer to the cyclops and summoned his halberd. Iming! Im on it, Mister! Rosemarine shouted. Girls! Answering his call, the Fire Seeds inside the Steamobile leaped out of the windows to deal with the cyclops. The rampaging giants hands smashed the far weaker monsters wherever he struck, but Rosemarines remaining brood managed to cover his shoulders and head. to, seeing the danger, leaped back into the vehicle. For her Majesty! the Fire Seeds shouted. The nts exploded together in a cataclysmic detonation. Bugsy was spared thanks to his Fire immunity, but skin melted off the cyclops face. The disfigured giant lost his footing on the Steamobile and nearly fell off it. Only one hand desperately held on to the vehicle. Bugsy! Basil shouted as he raised his halberd. Get off him! Yes, Boss! Bugsy uncoiled from the cyclops and crawled back onto the Steamobile. Basil struck the cyclops arm the moment his friend was safe. His halberd cut through flesh and bones, severing the hand from the rest of the body. Mistress, I love The cyclops opened up his heart right as his fall ruptured his chest. The giant hit the ground at high speed, his rib cage cracking and organs spilling out of it; heart included. A few secondster, the cyclops had be no more than a lump of flesh vanishing beyond the horizon. Only Hypathia remained. At this point, Vasis Hasten spell had run out. Only two of the copies remained, but to Basils horror, the shoulder wound that his girlfriend had inflicted on the original was closing on its own. The ck, eyeless facial tumor on the fake goddess marble skin receded back into her body until she regained her unearthly beauty.
Artemis-Apollo is back at full health!
She can clone herself and regenerate? Basil choked in disbelief. You cheater! You pay-to-win cheater! Shes a bird, what else did you expect but foul y? to asked before unleashing a Wind sh at the two Hypathias. He managed to hit a copy that exploded into a shower of stardust, identifying thest one as the real one. There she is! Basil swiftly switched his halberd for his corrosive AK-47 and opened fire. Shellgirl did the same with her own rifle and Vasi joined in the fun with a shadowshot. Hypathia managed to dodge thest projectile, but both bullets hit her in the chest. Acid spread on her womb and breasts like spilled oil on a water''s surface. More ckened tumors erupted from her wounds. Hypathia snarled in pain and put some space between herself and the Steamobile. She moved to its right and zigzagged in the skies to avoid the bullets. Shes frailer than Tamura and doesnt seem to have closebat abilities, Basil guessed. Shes a pure long-range fighter. If we can stay close and damage her faster than her regeneration can keep up, shell eventually fold. Rosemarine, stay close to her! Basil ordered as he chased after Hypathia. The fake goddess had already begun multiplying again. Vasi, up for a tag team? Of course, handsome. His girlfriend moved her broom over him and cast Hasten on him. Im burning through my SP faster than my pastry stock, though, so I dont think I can keep this up much longer. Im still in the lead for the kill countpetition though. Yes you are, Basil replied with a grin. Scary feature, that tumor wound thing. It''s not me, she replied with a frown. Hasten. It wasnt her fault?
[Hasten] status effect! Your speed will be doubled for two minutes!
Basil frowned as time dted around him and his motorcycle. The world blurred and his vision turned into a tunnel of light. At the end of it was Hypathia, on whom he opened fire at hypersonic speed. With Vasis robes doubling her spells duration, Basil could enjoy the buff to its fullest. Luck finally worked in his favor, for he managed to hit the real one in the right leg with his first bullet. The doubles didnt vanish when the original took damage, though the same wounds appeared on all of them to avoid helping identify the original. This time, the damage took on an even more horrifying shape: that of a golden tumor with two nk, milky eyes staring back at Basil. Well, thats creepy, Basil mumbled to himself. He was already scared of cancer after watching Ren die from it, but seeing a tumor with eyes disturbed him to his core. Even Hypathia tried to cover the wounds with her wings, as if to suppress the memory of it. Somethings wrong with you, rich girl. Shut up, the four Hypathias hissed back, their wings glowing like the sun. Revealing Light! A burning, blinding sh of light erupted from the four Hypathias. Basil had to cover his hand to avoid going blind, and Vasis newest shadowshot was blown away by the enemys radiance.
[Blind] ailment Resisted! to, Bugsy, Shellgirl and Vasilisa have gone [Blind]!
Artemis-Apollo has analyzed your System information.
Vasi? Vasi are you alright? Basil lowered his hand just in time to see the four Hypathias grinning at him. All of them raised their bows at his face, right as Rosemarines moon-shaped mark disappeared and suddenly reappeared on her Tamers hand.
Artemis-Apollos [Huntress Moon] marked you as the hunts target! Your chances of avoiding attacks have been halved for one hour, and your odds of suffering from a critical hit have been doubled!
Four arrows of ice flew straight at Basil. Still hastened by Vasis spell, he switched his AK-47 for his halberd in the blink of an eye. Knowing the projectiles would bend to follow him, he didnt bother dodging. Instead, he swung his zing weapon and shattered any arrow threatening him. Basils eyes turned to Vasi, whose broom flew around without direction. Thankfully, Hypathia ignored Basils girlfriend to chase after him. She had mistaken him for the partys weak link. Youre a Tamer, arent you? Hypathias copies all spoke at one. They floated in a square formation right above his head. The System says all your friends will perish with you. So will yours. Basil snorted. If anything, he was happy Hypathia would focus on him rather than his vulnerable girlfriend. Bring it, Marie-Antote. Hypathia switched tactics from ice arrows to fire ones. Since he couldnt easily deflect those with his halberd, Basil trusted in his motorcycle and smashed the elerator. The projectiles chased after him like missiles homing on his crescent moon mark. Basils Hasten-empowered vehicle allowed him to outpace a few until they dissipated, but one exploded close to his back. The st almost threw him off his vehicle. This is nothing personal, young man, Hypathia said with a tone that implied otherwise. I cant let someone capable of killing us free and loose in the world. Well have enough trouble when the real threats await around the dimensional corner. Maybe you should have thought of it before destroying the world, Basil replied, seething from the sensation of mes burning on his shoulders. Were you tired of taking Instagram photos with Bill Gates and pandas? Did you know there was enough food around to end world hunger? Hypathia asked with a patronizing tone as she and her clones prepared another volley. Yet nearly one billion people, a seventh of mankind, were dying from famine around the globe. And dont get me started on world poverty, war, and global warming. The world was already crumbling because of greedy, selfish little men. Wait, you think that you have the moral high ground? Basil choked at her hypocrisy. You destroyed the world and use brainwashed ves! They should be happy to die in the service of a great cause. Basil nced over his shoulder at his allies on the Steamobile. Rosemarine was closing the gap between her and Hypathia, but to covered his eyes with his paws and Bugsy helped a blinded Shellgirl aim with her rifle. The centimagma didnt seem troubled by his ownck of sight, probably thanks to Tremorsense, but his fire breath wouldnt affect the enemy. Vasi ran circles in the sky, struggling to stay on her broomstick Hypathia paid them no mind. Considering most of them neutralized and believing victory to be within her grasp, she focused entirely on Basil. She showed as much battlefield awareness as Tamura before her. It was a fatal mistake. Monster Cure II. Basils magic spread to his allies, curing their blindness as Jesus did with the old man of Bethsaida.
You healed Vasilisa, to, Bugsy, and Shellgirl from the [Blind] ailments!
Like Walter said. Basil looked over his shoulder and witnessed Vasi taking position above Hypathia. Rosemarine arrived from the left, with the Steamobiles crew ready to open fire. Specialization pays off in the end. This destruction is only the first step of purification, Hypathia ranted as she and her clones opened fire again. Were going to recreate the world, Bohen, a better world. A pure blue free of suffering. Your walk betrays your talk, Basil said as he switched weapons for his AK-47. He suddenly veered his Harley Davidson to the side and lowered his head at thest moment, the fiery arrows narrowly missing. And youre no goddess of mine. Basil pressed his weapons trigger right as his allies attacked from all sides. Vasi fired an orb of darkness from above. to used a Wind sh from the left side by side with Shellgirl, who opened fire with her rifle. As for Bugsy, he ripped a metal te from the Steamobile and threw it at Hypathia with all his might. Basils bullet destroyed a clone, as did Vasis shadowshot. to and Shellgirl hit the same target, which dissipated into the ether. But Bugsy Bugsys improvised projectile bounced off the originals head with such strength as to make her waver. I got her! Bugsy rejoiced. I got her! Exploiting what little time he had left under the Hasten spell, Basil followed up his allys sess with a rain of bullets. Two of his projectiles missed, but the third hit Hypathia in the head. Uh argh I cant I cant take this anymore! Hypathia snarled in pain as her wound grew into a ckened, mouthed tumor. Teleport! She courageously advanced in the opposite direction as the Bohens. Like sharks smelling blood in the water, the party immediately chased after her. All the while they kept up the pressure with projectiles. Each blow caused a new tumor to appear, whether golden or ck. Teleport! Hypathia shouted, her anger turning into panic. She attempted to create duplicates again, but the group shot them down as soon as they appeared. Ashok, let me teleport back! Ashok! Ashok, you traiAH! Hypathia shouted as her body suddenly split in half. Basil watched in amazement at this odd turn of events. The fake goddess crashnded on the grass, her back rupturing in two as the tumors infesting her body joined together in a circle. One half of the mutated flesh took on a golden color and the other a shade of ck. Maxwell, what whats happening? Hypathia crawled on the ground, her bow of light dissipating into nothingness. Whats happening to me? I feel I feel Whats wrong with her?! Bugsy asked as Rosemarine stopped the Steamobile at a respectable distance. Basil slowed down as his Hasten buff dissipated, but remained wary. Her body Shes sick. to shuddered in disgust. Beyond sick. My beauty you said you would make men worship me, Maxwell Maxwell! Hypathia held her head with both her hands and screamed. Aaagh! Her harrowing, haunting screech made Basil wince. To his horror, faces appeared on both halves of her splintered back: a masculine visage on the golden one, and a feminine on the ck one. It seemed as if demons possessing Hypathia struggled to escape her body. The gods inside her are rebelling, Vasi guessed as she lowered her brooms altitude. She doesnt have the strength to keep them suppressed anymore. Tamura only had Dionysus to contend with, but from her name she got greedy and asked for two deities, Basil thought grimly. She was never worthy of this power This ordeal couldnt have happened to a nicer gal, but Hypathias misery brought him no pleasure. Basil would rather put her down like the animal she was. This is the end, Basil said as he climbed down from his motorcycle and raised his AK-47 at the false goddess head. Bugsy, to, lets finish her off. Wait Hypathia hissed as the Bohens surrounded her. She raised her hand at Basil, her eyes pleading for mercy. I can save me You want healing? Basil asked, sensing an opportunity. He put the tip of his barrel against the false goddess temple. Then start talking. Whats in the UNESCO HQ? Ben Hypathia whispered as the tumors grewrger. Hes overseeing the Naraka subsystem still trying to get her back Vasi frowned in confusion. Naraka? Her? If I die my soul Hypathias eyes twisted into terrible fear as her body ripped further. I dont want to go to that ce Basil winced. His worst suspicions started to sound usible. What does the soul have to do with this? Your memories your knowledge the weight of your emotions, of your thoughts and beliefs they form what you call the soul. Hypathia vomited thick ck blood. Shellgirl covered her mouth at the sight of her agony. They are like batteries umting power and release the charge upon death. Basils blood froze in his veins. Where does the charge go afterward? When we kill the umted spiritual power of the victims soul is released the Trimurti System harvests it before it disperses and transfers that excess energy to the winner Experience Points. Vasi chewed her lips. She had put two and two together too. This is where experience pointse from. Basils grip on his AK-47 tightened. He had suspected as much, but now a worrying possibility formed in his mind. He had always wondered how the System managed to vite conservation of energy, but if souls indeed had power Where do souls go afterward? Basil pressed this selfish, irredeemable vermin. She knew. She knew from the first day and signed on it! Where do they go? Please Hypathia pleaded. I cant Where do they go?! Basil snarled in anger. Where do souls go Hypathia perished before he could finish. Torn from within by the godlike powers she should never have been allowed to wield, her body snapped in half like a twig. A sh of light erupted from her remains. Basil and his team took a step back as the fake goddess crumbled into stardust. The starry sky above started to dissipate, the Field effect copsing without anyone to fuel it. Basils crescent mark vanished into nothingness. Of Hypathia, only two ethereal spheres remained. Norger than a fist, one was the color of the moonlight and the other as golden as the sun.
Congrattions! Your party earned 220,000 EXP points (36666 for you). Youve earned two levels (total 35).
You have earned an [Essence of Artemis] and an [Essence of Apollo].
Basil looked at the spheres in silence, before turning to his allies. Most of them were either confused by their foes confessions, or in Vasis case, greatly disturbed by its implications. Only Rosemarine remained cheerful in victory. She looked up at the clearing sky. The setting sun had reappeared alongside the distant moon. She nced at the two celestial bodies, then at the spheres, and then back at the sky. Rosemarine held her breath as she returned her focus on todays prize. She had connected the dots. Can I eat the baby sun and moon, Mister? she asked innocently. No, sweetie, Basil replied with a sigh. No. Rosemarine lowered her head and whined in disappointment. Chapter 60: Man vs Camping Chapter 60: Man vs Camping Basil had found two ways to deal with a clouded mind: ying games and cooking. Since Apollyons forces had treacherously destroyed his Nintendo Switch and ruined over five hundred hours of intense ytime, Basil had no other option but to pour his heart into the sacred art of Bulgarian cuisine. Thankfully, todays bounty allowed him to experiment with traditional recipes. As it turned out, you could do many things with two dead pegasi and a dose of imagination. The Steamobiles kitchen couldntpare to his old houses, but slicing a winged horses flesh wasnt a question of tools andfort; it was a matter of patience and love for a job well done. Whenever Basil doubted his kitchen chef ways, he remembered the smiles of his monsters as they swallowed a dish of his invention. Their smiles, and the victorious thrill of devouring ones enemy, made the pain and frustration worth it. After a good two hours of work, Basil was proud of the final menu. First a bob chorba soup of delicious beans, onions, tomatoes, and pieces of pegasus hearts for starters; then, a kebab sliced from the beasts mighty legs with spicy rice as the main dish; and finally, strawberry gele served with cream cheese for dessert. Of course, Basil wouldnt let the rest of the pegasis remains go to waste. The feathers would make for some fine pillows and the leather shall be turned into fine clothes to keep his friends warm in winter. For Basil was a gentle, caring soul. As for the bones, he would find a way to craft them into tools. Disneys Hercules would have screamed at the sight of Basils hard work. And it was all right. Basil hade to hate Greek mythology as ofte. With the mealspleted, he allowed himself a moment to breathe. It was almost eleven in the evening and his group would soon stop for the night. They should reach the city of Limoges tomorrow with bellies full. Now that Basil had cleared his head through hard work, it was time to assign his two new levels. Its the end of an era, Basil whispered as he opened his status screen. His eyes lingered on his Tamer ss; his first, the one that started this entire journey into monster madness and the unknown. To finally fill it out made him feel strangely nostalgic. Less than half a year had passed since that strange morning when he woke up with a screen stuck between his eyes, but it felt like a lifetime ago.
Level 20 Tamer Stat Gains: +1 STR, +1 AGI, +1 VIT, +1 MAG, +1 CHA. You earned 30 HP and 10 SP.
All for One (Passive): Tamer ss Capstone. You have proven that the bond uniting you to your monsters is unbreakable. All buffs and beneficial status effects affecting you apply to your monsters; however, status ailments and debuffs also carry over.
[All for One] applies to your entire Guild.
The rush of power filled his bones, gentle as a dopamine rush. It was the warm feeling ofpleting a race, of achieving a milestone on a journey. As for that new Perk the sheer tactical possibilities it presented gave Basil pause for thought. The potential rewards were as great as the drawbacks.
Congrattions, you havepleted your first ss! For this achievement, you can select one of your stats except for HP/SP; it will receive a one-time bonus chosen at random (maximum +6).
What? Basil clenched his jaw in annoyance. Do I gain a bonus each time Iplete a ss?
Yes.
Why didnt you inform me sooner?! If Basil had known there was yet another incentive to ss specialization early, he wouldnt have spread out his levels so much!
Your Intelligence was too
I select Intelligence, Basil said before the System could finish its sentence. System, invest in my education!
You have gained +4 INT and 20 SP. You can now remember up to 6 Spells.
Take that, Dumbledore. For his second level, Basil finally decided to take a level in Deathknight. His current n was to alternate with Dragonknight afterward, progressing in both sses at once. It might have been suboptimal, but he would need additional firepower to deal with dragons in the near future. CRACK! The noise of shattered ss echoed in Basils mind, much to his surprise.
Congrattions! Through your unshakable faith and unusual choices, you have unlocked a rare ss variant of Deathknight: Deathknight of the Sepulchre! A formidable champion of the faith defending holy resting ces. STR (A), AGI (B), VIT (B), SKI (B), MAG (B), INT (C), CHA (A), LCK (B).
The Sepulchre? As in the Holy Sepulchre? Basil knew there was once a crusader order dedicated to protecting Christs tomb, but to think the System would make it into a ss Or perhaps the System had finally recognized his neighborhood crusaders vow.
Level 1 Deathknight of the Sepulchre Stat Gains: +1 STR, +1 VIT, +1 SKI, +1 MAG, +1 CHA, 1 LCK. You earned 30 HP and 15 SP.
Soulbound Weapon (Passive): Select a weapon in which you have an advanced or perfect proficiency. This weapon will be bound to you, allowing you to teleport it to your hand at will as long as you both remain on the same world; it will also gain new abilities and improve in quality as you progress into the Deathknight of the Sepulchre ss. You can only select one Soulbound Weapon and cannot select a new one until the first is destroyed beyond repair.
Of all of todays surprises, this one might have been the first good one. Basil counted all the weapons in his inventory, from his humble pistol to his rocketuncher. In the end though, only one was worthy of this Perk. Basil summoned his trusty halberd and raised it with both hands. I shall bind this holy weapon to my soul! The System answered his decision with a burst of energy. Burning light swallowed his halberd and reforged it into a new weapon. The hand-forged steel making up its structure gained a red and yellow hue, much like a young fire. The axe de sharpened and the spear tip took on the shape of a stylized me. The halberd still felt warm to the touch even after the light dissipated.
Croque-Mordeuse
Family: Soulbound Weapon (Axe/Spear).
Quality: B.
Power: +17 STR.
Crit: +10%
uracy: 70%
Effect 1: Ignores half of a targets defensive stats during damage calction.
Effect 2: [zing Rune]: Inflicts an additional 30% [Fire] damage.
Effect 3: [Ghostbuster]: Inflicts Deadyer supereffective damage against the [Undead] Type (x3 damage) and can harm incorporeal targets.
If theres something strange in your graveyard, who are you gonna call? Croque-Mordeuse! Shell keep hidden bodies out of sight and your dead wife out of mind! Croque-Mordeuse!
Deadyer? Basil chuckled. Walter wasnt going to like this development. Beautiful. Vasi had told him that he would never be a Pdin but a holy fire halberd-wielding knight made for a pretty nifty constion prize. Rosemarine stopped the Steamobile near a small river. Arge hill overshadowed the area, its surface covered in stone and boulders. Basil noticed facial shapes dug into the granite formations; with their long tusks and small eyes, they looked a lot like fantasy trolls. Bugsy hadnt noticed the presence of enemies nearby with Tremorsense, so Basil assumed that whoever created these decorations had either perished or fled at the partys approach. The cold wind of early November blew among the leaves of distant trees. Bugsy started a fire from coal and harvested wood, the mes illuminating the darkness andforting the group with their warmth. Rosemarine had coiled around the campfire and fallen asleep from exhaustion before the dinner was even served. to swiftly sat against her belly, exploiting her warmth for his ownfort. Hey, Partner! Shellgirl called out to Basil near the fire. The mimic booty held the two essence spheres in her hands close to Vasi. Check this out! The entire party watched on as Shellgirl started juggling with the two spheres. Basil winced as he watched the godly essences move from one hand to another, half-expecting his friend to drop them. But Shellgirl proved herself skilled enough to keep them in constant movement. Impressive. Vasi giggled and pped her hands at the spectacle. Youre good at this. I could make money this way, Shellgirl replied with a grin. For two wares bought, a free five-minute performance! For the love of God, please dont drop the dead gods souls, Basil pleaded. I dont want to know what will happen if you break them. I dont think any of us can, handsome, Vasi reassured him. We could reshape or transform them, but destroying a gods essence is almost certainly beyond our power. Any idea what to do with these spheres? Basil asked as he let the starting soup stew on the campfire. If Vasi allowed Shellgirl to y with the essences, then his girlfriend had already taken a good look at them. I suppose we can either eat them like Rosemarine or use them for crafting, Vasi replied. Or we could sell them, Shellgirl stated the simple solution. I mean, Im sure Walter would trade us one of his legendary spears against these two big balls. Look at the size of them! He might, Vasi conceded with a chuckle, but I couldnt teleport to his shop to ask him directly. I suspect he has temporarily closed his shop to study the neurotower. Of course a necromancer would find a device powered by tormented human souls fascinating. Unfortunately, Metal Olympus ability to track down the essences made them a liability. Carrying three of them was the equivalent of painting a target on their back. You were wise not to let Rosemarine eat them, handsome, Vasi said as she warmed her hands near the pyre. She would have ended up like that woman, torn apart from within. A body cant handle more than one of these essences. Im still not sure eating one is a good idea at all, Basil replied. He nced at Rosemarine, who snorted adorably in her sleep. His poor tropidrake was exhausted after carrying the Steamobile for a full day and a deadly chase. Im waiting to see what her new metamorphosis will do. Vasi scowled when Basil served the team their soups. He briefly thought she didnt like his cuisine, which would have wounded him deeply, but it became clear that something else weighed on her mind. I dont think that what happened to our foe was an ident, she finally said. The teleportation misfire or the failed cancer chemotherapy? to asked in-between bites. Basil, cook more flying horse hearts next time. Theyre delicious. If we find more, Basil replied before sitting next to his girlfriend. You were saying, Vasi? Hypathias breakdown was prenned. Vasi shook her head. Im a good witch, Basil, but Im still a work-in-progress. Yet even a cursory examination of these essences tells me that mixing them would be a terrible idea. I cant imagine someone with the resources and intellect to summon the Trimurti System would miss this detail. Hypathia might not have realized the danger, Basil pointed out after sipping his soup. It tasted nice enough, but he should have added more pepper. She was an investor, not a technician but yeah, Maxwell must have known and didnt care. Or he fully expected her to self-destruct, Vasi pointed out. Maybe. It wouldnt surprise Basil much. When you make a deal with the devil, you should always expect to see the short end of the stick. And now twice a member of the board was prevented from teleporting away. Once is a coincidence, two is a pattern. Hypathia mentioned her colleague Ashok during her breakdown, calling him a traitor when she failed to teleport. By simple deduction, this Ashok was almost certainly responsible for Tamuras inability to escape his own death. It worried Basil. From the information he had received from the French army, Ashok was by far the most dangerous member of the board behind Maxwell himself. How many of these board members are left? Shellgirl asked after getting tired of juggling. She set the essences among her treasures and slouched on her hoard like a dragon queen. Two? Three. Basil summoned a file from his inventory and tossed it to Shellgirl. It was a copy of the French armys investigation into Dismaker Labs. Chief Technical Officer Benjamin Leroy, Chief Operating Officer Ashok Acharya, and Chief Executive Officer Anton Maxwell himself. COO? Ever the studious gal, Shellgirl read the documents with attention. Oh, thats the big boss right-hand right? Yes, hes like my Basil, to said. Dutifully fulfilling my every wish. Im still waiting for my paid vacation, Basil joked back. You can always dream. to snickered. What next, a minimum wage? Shouldnt the joy of humble work be a good enough reward? Of course it is, king of cats, Vasi mused before petting to behind the ears. But perhaps we should talk about starting a union. Shellgirly down on her back to better read the document. Im not sure if I remember this right, she said with a thoughtful look. But didnt the snake say that this Ashok was the only one in contact with their big boss? He did, Basil confirmed. Makes sense. If he was COO, then Maxwell trusted him above the rest. Then is he killing his allies for himself, or on his boss behalf? Shellgirl asked. What difference does it make? to belched after finishing the starter. Theyre dead anyway. I dont understand how it all fits, Shellgirl exined. Whats the point of granting your allies immense power if it is to eliminate themter? Maybe theyre not useful anymore, Shellgirl, Vasi suggested. Sometimes, its that simple. They stopped being useful when the System started, no? Why not give them a severance package at the very start then? Good point. Vasi crossed her arms. I see two possibilities: either Maxwell couldnt kill them then, or the board members served a purpose in the early days of the Apocalypse. Mmm Bugsy snapped his mandibles. Boss, I have an idea, but Im not sure if Im on the right track. Nobody is, Bugsy, Basil replied kindly. Go on, theres no right answer. Emperor VegI mean, Emperor Maxwell. Bugsy cleared his throat as the rest of the team looked at him strangely. He had clearly watched too much Major Chicken. I mean the viin. The viin wants to open a portal to another world, right? Thats the most likely possibility, yes, Basil confirmed. But portals dont open unless everyone on the bes strong enough, Bugsy said. Thats why the Apocalypse Force is killing low-level people. What I mean to say is maybe its the same thing with Metal Olympus too? They were supposed to cause as much damage as possible until levels rose high enough for gates to open. That Basil trailed off with a frown. Thats usible. You mean he used his employees in the early stages to build capital, and now hes trying to get rid of them now that the moneysing in on its own? Shellgirl frowned. Thats disgusting and hical. You cant build a good work culture with that kind of attitude. But why not let them run around then? to asked with skepticism. They arent useful anymore, but they aren''t dead-weight either. Why bother killing them? Vasi quickly guessed the likeliest answer. Because they know too much. Yeah, youre right. Basil frowned as the situation started to clear up. All members of the board were privy to the Systems inner functions and true nature. If any of them were to be interrogated, they could allow enemy factions to understand how the whole machinery functions. Including the ghastly parts. Basil tried to follow Walters advice and not to think too much about Hypathias revtions on the fate of souls, even if it bothered him greatly. He needed to obtain more hard facts before drawing fearful conclusions. Basil would wait for Walters conclusions on the neurotower. Crossing their respective findings would help them uncover the whole situation rather than pieces of it. Before he entered the business world, Ashok Acharya started out as an Indian army officer involved in the Kashmir conflict, Shellgirl read the armys file out loud. He was court-martialed after usations of extrajudicial torture and murder of civilians, though his culpability was never proven. Afterward, he started a private militarypany mostly known for protecting questionable rare ore extractions in Afghanistan, Mali, and other third world countries. In short, he was a nasty piece of work. Private Military Contractor? Vasi frowned. You mean mercenaries? Like adventurers? Bugsy asked navely. He took on quests too? More like he bullied poor people out of theirnds on behalf of corporations, all so they could exploit their natural resources, Basil replied grimly. For money. A thief then, Vasi summed it up. Shellgirl sneered in disgust too; she didnt believe in making money through foul ways. How did he end up with Dismaker Labs? Thepany needed specific rare ore to create advanced batteries andputer technology, Basil exined. The army suspects that Maxwell brought him in to secure the supply. That, and I suppose Ashok helped cover up what his organization was truly up to. If he had experienced mercenaries to act as security, it would have been childs y to make witnesses and whistleblowers disappear. That worried Basil the most. Tamura and Hypathia had been rich oligarchs, but Ashok was a merciless killer with military training and experienced troops. He would make far better use of his newfound divine powers than his colleagues; and if he sabotaged them on his own behalf rather than Maxwells, then he was probably shooting for Overgod too. What about Emperor Maxwell? Bugsy asked. Which does hee from? Unknown, Basil said with a snort. The army could barely find any verifiable information on him before he started Dismaker Labs. Its almost as if thepany came to life and then grew a human face out of nowhere. Or he came from another world like I did and infiltrated your society, Vasi suggested with a smile. Perhaps he has horns too. All I hope is that hes not a reptilian or worse, a devil in a suit, Basil replied grumpily. Too many of them already. Personally, Im betting on an alien, to said. Gray with shades of green. Shellgirl continued to read the document to herself, her expression turning from curiosity to sadness. Thats awful, she whispered. What is it, Shellgirl? Vasi asked. Im reading the CTOs entry, Benjamin Martin Leroy. Shellgirl flipped a page of the document. His daughter was killed seven years ago in a ce called Tunis. There was a wave of terrorist attacks in Tunisia in 2015, Basil said with sorrow. He still remembered watching the events on the news with a lurking stomach. Dozens of tourists were murdered by madmen with assault rifles. Leroys daughter was among them. Vasi chewed her lip. Hypathia said he was trying to bring her back. I thought the same, Basil admitted. If Dismaker Labs technology could indeed influence the souls of the dead, then Maxwell must have enlisted Benjamin Leroys assistance with the promise of bringing back his daughter to life. Ive heard some of my worlds gods could revive the dead, and not as walking corpses, Vasi said. But only under very specific circumstances. Im not sure how it will work on this though. The thought of bringing back Ren, Kuikui, and Orcine immediately aroused Basils interest. What circumstances? From what I understand Vasi smiled sheepishly. You had to pay for it. Basil looked at her silence as he struggled to find his words. Toote. Shellgirl beat him to it. I knew it! she shouted in triumph. The afterlife runs on money, yo! Some said death was the great equalizer. They were lying to themselves. The rich always had it better. After dinner, the group spent a little time outside rather than retreat inside the Steamobile. The campfire hadnt died down, so its warmth protected them from the cold wind. Vasi rested against Basils shoulder as the couple watched the sky. The stars are beautiful tonight. Theyre all fake, Basil grumbled. Vasi rolled her eyes. I know that, my grumpy bear, but theyre still beautiful. How does the night sky look in your world? The moon is made of gold, she replied. Shellgirls head immediately snapped in the couple''s direction. So many adventurers are mining it for material that astronomers wonder if itll eventually fall out of orbit. Its still less dangerous than ours, Basil mused. The dungeon auroras on the moons surface grew more noticeable with each passing night. Do you intend to return there one day? To your world? Eventually, but Im in no hurry. I gotta visit my mom someday. Vasi smiled at him. Will you follow me there, handsome? I suppose, if the opportunity presents itself. It wasnt like Basil had a house to return to, since thest one went down in mes. How would your mother react? She would try to eat you for taking her dear daughter away. Vasi chuckled. Honestly, I dont know. How would yours? She would ask when are the childrening? Basils mother had always been obsessed with his reproductive future. Im afraid shell have to wait a long time for that, Vasi replied with a grin. Basil distinctly heard Bugsy whine in the background, but paid him no mind. General Lenc said he would be looking for my mom. And what will you do if he finds her? Vasi asked sharply. I dont know, Basil admitted. His mother, if she still lived, was always across the continent and he already had enough trouble to deal with in western Europe. I would try to give her a call at least. Vasi nodded in appreciation, but thankfully didnt press the subject further. After todays exhausting events, they easily fell into afortable silence. Basil found the sensation of her slow breathing on his chest more peaceful than any word. He held Vasi tightly against him and started to fade into the dreands... At least, until something cold fell on his cheek and jolted him back to consciousness. What is it? Vasi nced at him with a frown, before turning to stare at the sky. White crystals fell from the heavens above their heads, carried by the autumn wind. They were so small Basil almost missed them in the dark. First there were only a few, then many more dropping from white clouds. They melted when they approached the campfire and melted against Bugsys carapace, much to his displeasure. Its snow, Vasi whispered with a smile. Its snow, Basil! General Winter hade early. Chapter 61: Man vs Snow Chapter 61: Man vs Snow Basil had never speedrun a season before. The snowfall started out as faint and amusing, but the situation quickly degraded. The temperature dropped twenty degrees in less than an hour, to the point Basil had to put on a scarf, a winter hat, gloves, and a mantle to cover his feathered armor. He still felt cold afterward. The blizzard that followed was just the coup de grce. The party spent the whole night bunkering inside the Steamobile. It was terribly difficult to squeeze Rosemarine inside and they had to use a good chunk of the coal reserve to keep the heating at full power. When they crawled out of their vehicle in the morning after the storm subsided, the entire region was covered in a softyer of snow. ciers and icicle curtains had taken over the hills. Sleets of ice cracked under the groups feet wherever they walked and the Steamobiles wheels struggled to advance on the frozen road. I hate frost, Basil grumbled while sitting with Vasi on Rosemarines back to guide her. With his tropidrake slowed down by the frost and the snow, Bugsy had to stay at the front and melt obstacles with his firebreath. I hate it so much. Youll get used to it, Handsome. Vasi was the only one happy with this state of affairs. She looked very cute with a fur mantle and a red winter hat over her horns. Its not that cold. Its minus fifteen and dropping still. I was born in a ce called the Winter Kingdoms, Vasi replied with a grin. To me, this weather is a warm spring. Basil was starting to have second thoughts about visiting her home. Besides, you can always turn into a bear if its too cold, Vasi pointed out. We might all turn into werebears if I do that, thanks to my new Perk. You say that like its a bad thing. Bear fur would help everyone with instion. Basil locked eyes with his girlfriend. What do you think dragon and centimagma werebears would look like? I dont know. She held his gaze. But dont you want to find out? When she put it that way now Basil was dying to see the potential results. All right, but only because you asked. Basil activated his Pths power. Fur grew all over his skin as he transformed into a mighty werebear, his clothes stretching and adapting to his new morphology. It helped with the frost, but he greatly struggled not to fall off from Rosemarines back; as it turned out, men made for better dragon riders than bears. So? Vasi raised an eyebrow. She didnt transform into a she-bear, nor did Rosemarine grow fur over her leaf scales. Its not working, Basil noted the obvious. System, exin yourself.
Unique effects and exclusive Perks, including were-transformations, will not be shared by [All for One].
You said the Perk applied to all buffs and beneficial effects, Basil pointed out. So isnt it false advertising?
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Vasi, the System doesnt want a werebear party. Saddening, Vasi whispered as she leaned against his fur. But I can make the most of Basil had transformed back into a human before she could finish. You were saying? Why did you change back? she asked in disappointment. Your fur is sofy. Sorry, but its really painful to ride Rosemarine in bear form. Basil checked his map. The wind almost swept it off his hands, but he managed to hang on to it. Sweetie, take right after the cier. Which one, Mister? Rosemarine asked. His tropidrake had undergone a few physical changes since the drop in temperature. Her Harvest Perk no longer provided fruits and she had lost her foliage. Her facial petals were also taking on a dark shade of blue. Perhaps it was meant to absorb more light or regte her body temperature. Basil had little idea how a tropical flower dragons biology worked. The pointy one or the round one? The pointy one, I think. Damn it, almost all these ciers looked the same. Basil couldnt see anything under the ice. We should test out your All For Ones limits as soon as we can, Vasi suggested. Imagine if I were to cast Hasten on you and we all benefit from it. It would divide the SP cost by six and make it much easier to manage buffs. And imagine if Im targeted by a Berserk ailment again, or worse, brainwashed. Basil still had nightmares over what he had done to to under Tamuras influence. All for One is a double-edged sword. I say its worth the risk. Vasi put a finger on her lip, her expression thoughtful. If we can find an item that grants you immunity to status ailments, itll negate the downsides of your Perk and let us abuse the good parts. Probably, Basil agreed. We need more elemental weapons too. Half of our attacks couldnt damage Hypathia. We can expect future enemies to be immune to or resist multiple elements, Vasi agreed with a nod. Maybe you should take more levels in Runesmith and Technomancer? If you can empower our equipment until we cover most elements, then well have the means to target all potential weaknesses. Im working on it. Thanks to his Intelligence boost, Basil had finally, finally managed to learn the Savage Rune spell; and he still had space for one more. The more elemental runes I have to infuse our weapons with, the better. Ill help. I intended to remove some of my low-tier spells from my spellbook and rece them with higher ones, so we can kill two birds with one stone. Basil, Basil! As if triggered by the word birds, to bolted out of the Steamobile to join the couple. Whats happening to me?! Whats the matter? Basil looked over his shoulder and gasped in shock. AH! His ck cat was now white as snow. Basil, whats happening to me?! to asked in panic. His hair had switched colors and more than doubled in length, giving him a puffy, Siberian cat look. He didnt appear happy with it at all. Im getting fat and snowy! Like white chocte! I, uh Basil stared at his cat in shock. tos hair often lengthened around December, but it was the first time he had seen such a drastic change. I dont know, maybe its a Cait Sith winter camouge. So cute Vasi whispered before petting the cat. So soft too Dont get used to it. to sulked. I hate winter. After recovering from his shock, Basil smiled at his cats misfortune. If you ask me If you say white is an improvement over ck, then youre a racist, toined. You should be ashamed of yourself! Youll be the first white panther, Basil taunted him. To his surprise, his words gave to pause. The cats eyes widened, a terrible idea no doubt crossing his warmth-deprived mind. Snow leopard, to whispered, his yellow eyes full of hope. I am no longer a dwarf panther. I am now a snow leopard cub. Where are your ck spots? Basil asked with amusement. I''ll gain them in the spring. to hissed at his friend. Doubter. Doubter! Bugsy sneezed loudly at the caravans vanguard. mes burst out of his mandibles and swiftly turned to smoke. Rosemarine briefly stopped her advance to wait for him to recover. Bugsy, are you all right? Basil asked in worry. Im zorry boz, Bugsy apologized with a nasally voice. The centimagmas sheer resilience allowed him not to take damage from the snowkes and low temperature, but theva making up his blood had hardened on the surface. Im not uzed to getting a cold. Here, I can heal you! Sunbath! Rosemarine glowered and showered Bugsy in healing light. He answered with a scoff of smoke. Oh? Why isnt not working? Its not an ailment, Basil noted after checking the teams status. The cold must be messing with your metabolism, Bugsy. Go rest, brave bug, Vasi said softly. I can warm up the path with fire spells. Im all good Mamz Bugsy coughed and sneezed smoke. Ugh Im zorry. No, dont be. Vasi climbed down from Rosemarines back. Ill take over. But I can still work! Bugsy protested with pride. Bugsy, you will help Shellgirl inside, Basil replied. Thest member of their party stayed inside the Steamobile to fuel the engine with coal and water. Thats an order. I alrizght, Boz. Bugsy nodded obediently as he crawled back inside the Steamobile. Thank zou, Vazi! You are wee, Vasi replied before summoning a me in the palm of her hand. She walked in front of Rosemarine, sting off icicles and snow mounds on the way. Basil watched her move before focusing back on the map. The sun was barely visible in the sky as white clouds obscured it. Correct me if Im wrong, to said. But isnt global warming supposed to increase temperature instead of lowering it? Climate isplicated, Basil replied. Its a veryplex machinery. That was already true without the Systems involvement. With the Trimurti System, video game logic prevailed over science. The weather had changed one month earlier than normal to fit the seasons stereotypes. Can we migrate south after we blow up Paris? to pleaded. Therell be warmth and birds to hunt. We arent blowing up Paris, Basil replied. to looked up at him with skepticism. Basil, you have a nuke and an attitude problem. Its not a goodbination. We arent intentionally blowing up Paris. Basil grumbled at his catsck of faith. Ohe on! The USA and Russia had like ten thousand of those things and never used them! Come to think of it, Basil wondered what happened to all the leftover weapons of mass destruction in those two countries. He hopedck of maintenance would disable them before they could transform that winter into the nuclear variant. The journey carried on in monotone silence across the snowy wastnd. New monsters popped up around the countrysideincluding flying giant snowkes, white rabbits with icy horns, and adorable, white glowing worms the size of dogsbut none of them proved aggressive nor strong enough to threaten the group. The Bohens eventually reached a frozen river, which Basil identified as the Vienne. Limoges shouldnt be far now. You know what we need, handsome? Vasi asked at the caravans front in between casting fire spells. A nket? Basil deadpanned. to had taken over hisp and provided a sliver of warmth. A bard, Vasi countered. To entertain us on our journey. I can sing, Miss! Rosemarine boasted. I have invented a song! Aww, she was a budding musician! Were all ears, Rosemarine, Basil encouraged her. But dont use the ice as drums like you did with Bordeauxs bridge, please. We dont want to start an avnche. Rosemarine cleared her throat, gathered her breath, and then started singing a song of her own devising. We pray all night to get holy! We pray all night to get holy! The tune reminded Basil of a certain techno bands hit song. Wevee far enough, on the road to the holynd! Lets kill all the infidels, and take back Jerusalem! How does she even know about Jerusalem? to asked in confusion. I read her Bible bedtime stories back when she still fit in a greenhouse, Basil exined with fondness. Ah, the nostalgia She loved the Crusade sequels. Dont be like the dinosaurs and the megafauna! Rosemarine sang. Who died because they didnt believe in Christ! Rosemarine proved to be a surprisingly good singer. The flowerss had a talent for music, and Basil would make sure to nurture it in the future. I smell food, to said. And a fellow feline! Basil looked up from his map and squinted. He noticed the smoke of chimneys from houses in the distance, which he assumed to be Limoges suburb. A blue dungeon aurora floated over the town, bright and beautiful. After a minutes walk, tos warning proved correct. Basil caught sight of a massive mammothing in their direction, with two great tusks that could impale ten men at once and soft brown wool covering its body. A man with a hooded fur mantle and a spear of ice rode the beast much like Basil mounted Rosemarine.
Patrick Gaird
Level 25 [Humanoid] (Cryomancer 6/Oliphaunt 10/Cavalier 6/Bartender 3).
Party: Bar Gaird.
Odo, Mammoth Patriarch
Level 22 [Beast/Giant]
Party: Bar Gaird.
After squinting, Basil noticed stripes of ck in the snow. A sabertooth white tiger walked next to the mammoth, its fur so well-camouged that the naked eye struggled to follow its movements.
Sasha, Snow Smilodon
Level 21 [Beast]
Party: Bar Gaird.
Howdy, travelers! The mammoth rider raised his ice spear at them, albeit in a friendly way. He wore armor of stuffed leather and wool under his mantle, alongside a tusked mask covering most of his face. The only exposed parts of his body were his two blue eyes. I assume youre the Bohens brigade? Were technically auxiliaries rather than a brigade, but yes, Basil replied before having Rosemarine and Vasi stop. The tropidrake and the mammoth examined each other, thetter whiffing the former with its trunk Youre our military contact? Yep, the man replied. I thought you might have lost your way in the blizzard, so I came to find ya. Dont worry, the dungeon is ours. The monsters here are friends or food. That exined his utterck of reaction at seeing a giant flower dragon carrying a steampunk carriage. It pleased Basil greatly. He had yet to see a city that actually weed monsters in its midst instead of just tolerating them like Bordeaux. Hey, another cat, the smilodon said upon noticing to. She sounded like a female. Whats that metamorphosis? First time I''ve seen it. to squinted in response. Basil could tell his friend was spending all of his willpower not to show jealousy. Cait Sith. Half fairy, half winner. Nice. Is it an English variant? The smilodon chuckled to herself. I got the snow smilodon metamorphosis cause I had a strong Frost affinity. Pretty nifty, uh? I even got stripes, like a tiger. to looked at the smilodon, then at his new fur, and finally back at Basil. After holding his owners gaze in silence for a few seconds, the cat silently walked back into the Steamobile with an empty, traumatized stare. Did I say something wrong? the sabertooth tiger asked in confusion. Hell get over it with time, Basil replied evasively. I could have been a smilodon, to whimpered before he vanished from view. Damn it, damn it, damn it! Anyway, names Patrick, the mammoth rider introduced himself. The big guy is Odo and the tiger is Sasha, my former house cat. Come on, say hello. Sup strangers, Odo the mammoth said with a grunt. He didnt look like the talkative kind. A pleasure to meet you. The smilodon gave them a polite nod. Always d to meet neers. Basil Bohen, Basil introduced himself and his group. This is Vasilisa Yaga, my girlfriend, and the beautiful dragon is called Rosemarine Entine de Barthe. Each of my scales is a tormented soul, Rosemarine said chirpily. Another undead? Odo grumbled. Great, as if we didnt have enough of them already with the Mammoth Graveyard. Anyway, wee to Limoges, said his rider. "Weve got a ce set for you and supplies too, but uh, you want to wear masks in town like I do. Why''s that? Basil asked with a frown. Is the air toxic? Sort of. Patrick sighed. My good friend, have you ever heard of Covid-19? I have, yes. Basil squinted. Please dont tell me Well, theres a new variant and the whole town caught it. Covid Winter Edition, we called it. Is that a joke? Basil seethed in annoyance. The world had ended and Covid was still a thing? Patrick, are you kidding me? I wish! Patrick grunted in annoyance. The System made it into a variant Disease ailment. Its not deadly, but it knocks you out real good and makes you shiver for days. Weve been looking for remedies since the outbreak started. Oh, are you in need of a good wood witchs brew? Vasi asked with a smile. If so, Im your gal. Im also an alchemist with a pharmacovignce Masters degree, Basil said. Maybe we can help. That would be great! Patrick rested his spear on his shoulder. Out of curiosity, did you ever eat goblins? Yeah, why ask? Basil asked with eyes full of hope. Cause theres like, two dozen snow variants running around the tundra and harassing our trappers. We intended to hunt and cook them for dinner, if youre up for it. I would understand if you wanna pass though. Not everyone is fine with eating the little buggers. Basil grinned ear to ear. My good man, I have the feeling you and I are going to get along just fine. After such a long journey, he had finally found a culturedmunity. Chapter 62: Man vs Bar Chapter 62: Man vs Bar Once upon a time, Basil Bohen had intended to work in pharmaceuticals. The idea had formed in his mind early on. Since his family was too poor to buy him books or video games, he would often spend time in his schools library to read magazines. One of them focused on science, and its pages had awakened an interest in biology and chemistry that never truly went away. Here, sir, Basil said as he poured a red elixir down a sick mans throat. A nurse was recording the results on an Ipad at the bedside. That should help. Thank you, young man, the patient rasped. He was probably as old as Ren on his deathbed, with wrinkled skin and a kind smile. I already feel better. Its nothing. Basil held the old mans hand to reassure him. He always had a soft spot for senior citizens. Most of them were starved for human warmth. Just sleep and rest for now. The doctors will take care of you. We will pass by in a few hours to check on your health, Mr. Demesmaeker, the nurse promised with a smile. Please do not smoke or drink until then. Oh, I healed a Belgian, Basil thought with an amused smile upon recognizing the name. May God forgive me. The old man kindly waved at Basil as he and the nurse left him. Doctors moved from room to room like overworked ants. One almost hit Basil by ident in one of the clinics hallways, before apologizing profusely. Basil was astonished that the French healthcare system still worked at all. I believe we can close the trial phase, Mr. Bohen, the nurse said after reviewing her files. Your potion has a one-hundred sess rate so far. Told you it would work. After struggling to cure the new Covid variant with standard potions, Basil had found the solution in his Jekyll & Stein alchemical manual. The Van Helsings Blood Ministration potion made for an excellent remedy against the Disease ailment and it was rtively easy to manufacture. Yes, the fact that it required fermented blood scared people at first, but it beat being sick in bed all day. The plentiful hostile monsters inhabiting the countryside would provide a near-limitless supply, and they could always find blood donors at worst Mr. Bohen, would you mind if we made a copy of your crafting manual? the nurse asked as she led him back to the reception desk. Vasi was waiting for him there under a mor. Our medical department would benefit from its distribution. Sure. Basil wondered if they would end up creating flesh golems. Jekyll & Stein included a few recipes to build them, though hecked the Alchemist levels needed to do so himself. Ive also discovered a few bomb and potion forms, if you need those. Of course, we always wee new options. The nurse opened her status screen. Well share our own medicine crafting recipes in return. Weve discovered a few through trial and error.
Nurse L Marieme shared 10 Recipes. You can check them in your Crafting subsystem.
Basil immediately did that. The list included forms for Cold Resistance Potions, an improved version of his Green Medicine, and a Fertility Enhancer. He would keep that one a secret from Bugsy, so as not to give the centimagma any wrong ideas. The city council is currently developing amon crafting recipe database avable to everyone, said the nurse. The army asked that you be granted ess to it, Mr. Bohen. You wont be able to use all the forms withinnot without leveling up in the right ssesbut it will help in a pinch. I would be thankful. And amon crafting database for all yers was an incredible idea in general. You know, a lifetime of watching apocalypse movies taught me civilization would copse into a dog-eat-dog world. Instead, Im in a city with universal healthcare. You think too little of mankind, Mr. Bohen. The nurse chuckled. Civilizations have copsed many times in the past, but we always picked up the pieces. Basil bade her goodbye with a lighter heart and then rejoined his girlfriend. You look happy, Vasi noted as she put her arm around his own. I hope you didnt y doctor and nurse behind my back. Never, Basil replied. Though they offered me masks and ab coat for cosying. Oh? Vasi grinned coyly. Will you give me a private check-up, Doctor Bohen? If she wanted to y it that way, he would bite. You will have to set an appointment if you want a thorough examination, Miss Yaga. I see a window of opportunity. Her hand brushed against his chest ever so slightly. Bugsy is knocked out cold and your baby nt is sleeping in a greenhouse. My dear Shellgirl is busy trading with local merchants for new supplies And to? Basil asked with a coy grin of his own. Have you considered my cats well-being? He is still sulking about sabertooth tigers. His cat would never change. Which means he wont bother us. Will you take me on a date, Mr. Bohen? I would like to weigh my options a bit more before the operation. But of course, Basil replied softly. Do you have a location in mind? Yes. Vasi grinned wickedly. And since Im the one who won the bodycountpetition, youll pay for it. Do your worst, Basil replied defiantly. I have sworn an oath, and I shall keep it. So dramatic. Well then, lets hit the bar. The bar? Basils enthusiasm immediately deted. I dont drink alcohol. Sheughed at him. Then youll thank the gods for inventing non-alcoholic beverages. Come on, itll be fun. Vasi all but dragged Basil outside the clinic, much to his annoyance. As far as French cities went, Limoges was rather picturesque. The old center in which the clinic was located took inspiration from XVIIIth century architecture, with narrow, snow-covered streets and small brick houses. If anything, the buildings were the most normal part of the city. Nothing screamed little French town like a giant sloth using street lights to jump from one roof to another. The smilodon and mammoth that Basils party encountered outside the city were not an exception, but the norm. Megafauna-themed monsters could be seen in every corner of Limoges. Wooly rhinos pulled wagons full of supplies through the snow. Almost every adventurer party went shopping with a cave bear pet in towmuch to Vasis joyand nearly all pet cats had shapeshifted into sabertooth tigers; not that dogs were left behind, as most had embraced their wolf ancestry. As Patrick had warned the Bohens, the citys people had quickly tamed and befriended the local monsters. Of course, the moose wasnt among them. The moose was too powerful, too wild, to be bound by mortal hands. What surprised Basil the most, however, was the asional presence of humanoids other than humans in the city. He and Vasi passed by several shops managed by orcs, and one city watch patrol included a skeletal knight in full te armor. Yet none of them disturbed the locals. They had be part of thendscape. It surprised Basil that Vasi had decided to hide her true nature behind an illusion spell after seeing this. If a walking corpse wouldnt disturb Limoges citizens, he doubted her horns would. Vasi led him to a tavern whose outside walls were painted like a castles defenses and its door shaped like a drawbridge. The name Bar Gayard was written above the door in an ancient medieval style. Basil could hear the sound ofughtering from it. Clearly the city had voted against a confinement. I missed these ces, Vasi whispered. We should danceter. Im not good at it, Basil pointed out. Ill teach you. She pulled him past the doors and into the establishment. The tavern was surprisingly bigger than it looked from the outside, with dozens of wooden tables and enough space to house a hundred people within its walls. The owner, Patrick, worked to make cocktails for adventurers from behind a counter alongside an orc assistant. A waitress dressed like a medieval tavern wench took orders from parties of mages, gunslingers, and swordsmen. The ce had been specifically decorated to mimic a fantasy pub. Coats of arms and swords covered the walls, alongside stuffed head trophies of goblins, ogres, wyverns, and other creatures. The fur of a giant lion slightly smaller than Rosemarine made for afy carpet. On a second thought, Basil might learn to appreciate the ce. An establishment with so many trophies had to include a hunters lodge society of some kind, and he always liked those. Oi, Basil! Wee! Patrick waved a hand at the couple as they approached the counter, his eyes setting on Vasi. He seemed to recognize her, even with the mor spell on. Is that your witch girl? Under disguise, Vasi replied. You dont have to wear one. In case you havent noticed, were a pretty openmunity. Patrick whistled at the waitress. VIP seats for these two! Thank you, but I would rather not take unnecessary risks, Vasi said as the bars staff brought the couple two stools to sit on. I''ve had bad experiences in the past. Basil frowned. What kind? The witch hunter kind, his girlfriend replied evasively as she imed her seat. I dont want to talk about it now. Sure, I wont push it. Basil sat close to the counter next to his girlfriend and quickly changed the subject. Im surprised you have both so many monsters around and a functioningmunity, Patrick. How did it happen? Limoges dungeon produces megafauna monsters and the asional undead, Patrick exined. But thankfully most of them are weak to Fire and the local ss industry produced a lot of Pyromancers. We killed the Boss in the early days and quickly stabilized the city. Who is the new Boss now? Basil asked. The mayor. And when he dies in his post, his recement will take over the dungeon too. Its a pretty good set-up. The bartender put his hands on the counter. What do I serve you? Something sweet, please, Vasi said. Milk, Basil ordered with a stern expression. Like a real man. So shocking was hismand, so pure his resolve, that Patrick stared at him for a few seconds in silence for a few seconds. With ice, Basil added. So the bartender cleared his throat, truly intimidated. Basil suddenly realized that Patrick was still wearing his wood mask indoors. Perhaps it helped to hide the fear. A milkshake? Milk, Basil repeated, more firmly this time. With ice. Patrick held his gaze for a moment, before folding before Basils greater willpower. The bartender went on to prepare the drinks withoutint. I do wonder why you havent made peace with goblins, Vasi said. She had watched the whole scene with amusement. Ive seen orcs in the street, undead too why not those little rascals too? Ive lost count at how many times we attempted to broker peace with goblin tribes. Patrick snorted as he poured red syrup into a cup. It never went well. Theres always an odd goblin out there that minds its own business, but 99.9 percent of them are hateful little pricks that either attack on sight or wait until your back is turned first. You can only get them to behave through intimidation, and even then theyre always looking out for a sign of weakness. I mean, they were literally programmed from birth to kill us. Most cant help themselves. Weve met friendly goblins before, Vasi pointed out. An autopsy gremlin and a hobgoblin. Who still ran away at the first sign of trouble rather than trying to help, Basil replied cynically. Maybe evolved goblins be smart enough to realize there are other options to life than violence, Patrick conceded. But what are we supposed to do, wait for them to kill enough people until they grow a brain? By now we tell the critters to fuck off when they get too close to town, and then we open fire when they dont take the hint. Few of them listen. Basil wondered how much nature and nurture influenced monsters. The System had spawned half his team, and although they behaved now, Bugsy had tried to kill him the first time they met and Rosemarine had a near-boundless appetite for violence. Would other members of their kind have listened and made peace with Basil? He had witnessed a good example of the phenomenon with House Garden. Only a minority of his sentient vegetables had remained loyal to him, while the rest tried to kill their gardener right after their birth. The System definitively made monsters hostile by default; Limoges megafauna was well-behaved because they had been spawned by a yer-ran dungeon and thus naturally attuned to humans. Basil wondered how cohabitation with wild monsters would progress over time. Humans domesticated dogs by breeding well-behaved wolves over multiple generations. Maybe a simr process would happen with monsters. The most aggressive ones would get themselves killed until only the friendlier ones remained. As for orcs, Patrick continued. They are weird and short-tempered sometimes, but theyre true to their word. Must have been because they came from another world first. We adopted most of them after the Incursion. Vasis eyes widened in dread. Did theye from Outremonde? Uh, no? Patrick put ice in the cocktail. They called their world Darkthorn or something like that. Vasi sighed in relief, much to Basils amusement. Are orcs trouble in your world? he asked his girlfriend. Some of them are special. Vasi shuddered, which made Basil quite curious. Dont ask. Patrick served Vasi a red, fruity cocktail. Here, its on the house. For your good deeds. And here I was looking for my boyfriend to pay for it all, Vasi teased Basil. Whats your Luck stat? Astronomical, Basil replied with a smile. Since Ive met you. Vasiughed and blushed a little. Good answer, handsome. Aww, your cheeks are so red, Basil teased her. Payback time. Its cute. Dont make me zap you. Vasi sipped her cocktail, her eyes widening in joy at the taste. I have to ask, what does Bartender do as a ss? Besides making excellent drinks? Thank you,ss, Patrick replied. It functions a lot like Alchemist, except I can only craft drinks and potions. My cocktail Perks let me boost their effects in return. What kind of boost? Basil asked. He wouldnt take the ss, but he was deeply curious. See for yourself. Patrick poured ice, milk, and lemon juice into a ss cup and served it to Basil. It tasted strangely sweet in spite of the ingredients used.
[Milk Mojito] boosted your Strength and Vitality for two hours; your bones cannot be [Crippled] for that duration.
[All for One] has shared the effect with your team!
A two hour buff for a ss of milk? Basil smirked ear to ear. Now I understand why taverns are adventurers favorite hangouts. You should see our inn, Patrick replied. The owner, Marine, shes a capped Innkeeper. Eight hours of sleep in her bed, and you recover from almost anything short of death. A cripple had his two legs grow back in the night. Shes never made so much money. Why not use her to cure the gue then? Vasi asked the simple question. We do. Unfortunately, her Perks only apply to her designated inn and its limited number of beds. A woman armored like a samurai and armed like a gunslinger called out to the bartender. Patrick! Three Demon Mojitos and a Goblin Tequ please! On it, sweetheart. The bartender went to work while keeping up the conversation. You know, Basil, you can make pretty good wine with a wyvern''s blood and two babaus. Add a quarter of the weight in sugar once youve harvested the liquid, a little acid and yeast, and bam, youre set. The wyvern blood makes it thick, and the babaus spice up the deal. Im sure your party will love it. Duly noted, Basil said. But Ive got the meat cuisine covered. Its the vegetables Im struggling with. You can hunt carrot titans and dempon kales north of the city. The former are usually level 19, but theyre solitary so you should have no problem killing them. The demon kales are harder to catch. Theyre good at dodging and flying away. What about the road to Paris? Vasi asked wisely. Anything we should be wary of? The road to Orleans is rtively safe. Were teaming up with Guilds from our neighboring cities to clean up the region. The bartender half-mindedly tossed four drinks to the waitress, who instantly teleported to the samuraidys table. Neat. But itsplete chaos once you reach the le-de-France. The Seine River has dried up, high-level undead are everywhere, and local parties have turned into bandits. Or at least thats what Ive heard. Basil scowled. As expected, Paris would prove to be their greatest challenge yet. Did you happen to meet a man named Kalki passing through? Lencs staff already questioned us about him, and no, we havent. Patrick shrugged off his shoulders. If your guy can fly, then he probably went straight for Paris without stopping in-between. That made sense. Already going to Limoges was a detour on Basils part. Do you know anyone who could give us information on the city? Vasi pushed on. Perhaps a traveler could enlighten us on its situation. I thought this was supposed to be a date, Basil pointed out. His girlfriend winked at him. We have to make sure well survive to the next one, no? When she put it that way Mmm Patrick nced at his patrons, his gaze stopping on a distant table. He raised his hand. Elsa, Roxie! Get your asses over there! We arent done drinking, P! Basil recognized the voice as the samuraidy from before. Well payter! Get your asses over there! The bartender shouted louder. All right, sheesh A minuteter, the samurai approached the counter with a fellow woman. Basil took the opportunity to study them closely. Both were around his age range and clearly caucasians in spite of their Japanese-inspired clothes. The samurai girls armor was strapped to the brim with firearms, from arquebuses to a sword with a barrel. Herrade was a pretty brte dressed like some kind of barbarian, with wolf pelts and an oni mask hanging around her neck. She carried a naginata weapon strapped to her back.
Elsa Dupontin
Level 20 Humanoid (Berserker 17/Bard 3)
Party: BuzzBand.
Roxanne Roxie Leir
Level 19 Humanoid (Samurai 5/ Gunslinger 5/Gunde 9)
Party: BuzzBand.
Whats up, P? asked the samurai, Roxanne. Her eyes widened in shock when she noticed Basil and Vasi. Damn, level 35? Woah, no way! Her teammate whistled at the couple. Did you guys eat a dragon or something? It was closer to a snail with delusions of grandeur, but yes, Basil deadpanned. Nice, said the naginata wielder, Elsa. Neither she nor her teammate seemed surprised by the snail part. Any suggestions for newbies like us? Dont keep your head in the sand, because it might cost you something that you love. Basils scowl deepened as he remembered his poor, murdered house. Kill them all. Fire and brimstone. I figure thats where the Berserker levelse from? Elsa asked with a sly grin. I rampaged a few times myself. Once, she threw a child at us while Berserk, her teammates said with a deadpan expression. He was ten. One time! Elsained. One time! Did he survive? Basil asked, horrified. The confession reminded too much of his own misadventure with the Berserk ailment forfort. The boy? Oh, yes he did. The brats ss had insane Vitality. I think he even liked the flight course. The samurai shrugged. He and his dad kinda split from our group afterwards though, and I couldnt me them. The names Elsa. Nice to meet you. The berserker shook hands with Basil and Vasi, clearly eager to change the subject. The doubter next to me is Roxie. Basil Bohen, Basil introduced himself. And the princess next to me is called Vasi. I forgot my crown in the carriage, Vasi mused. Anyway, whats up? Roxanne asked Patrick. Why did you call us, P? These twos party will leave for Paris tomorrow, the bartender exined. Do you have any pointers to give them? Dont, the samurai said immediately, a scowl forming on her face. You dont wanna go there. We were lucky to make it out alive. Her teammate nodded. Paris is a monster-infested ruin, and not the fun kind. I dont rmend approaching it even with your high level. Are you natives from the city? Vasi asked cautiously. No, but we were in its suburbs when the world went crazy, Elsa said. Have you ever heard of the Japan Expo? The anime convention? Basil asked with a grin. I used to go there before Covid confinments canceled it. Wow, really? Elsa gave Basil a gentle fist bump, and her teammate quickly did the same. The brotherhood bond of anime fanaticism united them. So d to meet a fellow weeb. A weeb? Vasi frowned. What is that, a secret society? Its something like a cult and guilty pleasure, Basil joked. Dont feel guilty, Roxie said with a faint smile. All the hours spent watching Isekai anime and ying video games paid off big time. Its half the reason why we made it out of Paris alive. That, and the katanas. If you really want to know, we were an indie rock band before the whole System shitshow, Elsa exined with a smirk. That exined the partys name. We were so happy to y for Japan Expo after the post-Covid reopening and then bam! The whole world turns into a manga! The Seinen kind, Roxie added with a sigh. We didnt even get legendary weapons for our troubles. Seinen? Vasi raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend. I have the feeling you are all speaking in code. Ill exinter, Basil reassured her. Wasnt the Japan Expo taking ce in the Parc des Expos this year? Yeah, it was supposed to, Roxie confirmed. And thats why were still alive. We were in Paris periphery. Most cities have one dungeon because they dont have too many monuments, her teammate said with a scowl. Paris opened the apocalypse show with six of them. Six?! Basil choked in astonishment. One dungeon was trouble enough, but six on the first day meant a relentless barrage of monsters unleashed on an unprepared poption. Yeah, you can imagine the disaster. Elsa nodded sadly. The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Versailles, Notre Dame, the UNESCO building they all transformed into dungeons at once and their power immediately rebranded the ce. Basils eyes widened at the mention of the UNESCO HQ, but he let the two finish their tale. The whole citys unrecognizable, mate, said Roxie. The dungeons changed the geography and turned it into a new and improved Sahara desert. With mummies and scorpions and sphinxes As Roxie said, we were in the periphery so we had it less bad than people in the city center but only barely so. Her teammate sighed sadly. We and other parties had to fight our way out of the Parc des Expos. Few made it out alive. Im sorry to hear that, Vasi whispered with sincerity. Weve lost people too. Roxie looked away. We were lucky. Our whole band made it to Limoges in one piece. Are you really sure you want to go to Paris? Elsa shook her head. Its suicide. We have to, Basil insisted. We must rescue a friend. The two adventurers exchanged a silent nce, before acquiescing to their request. Your loss, but I can respect the sentiment, Roxie said. What do you wanna know? Our target is the UNESCO HQ, Basil exined. But really, any info will help. Considering the danger ahead, they should gather as much information as possible. The UNESCO building? Elsa smiled sadly. Youre toote. Its already gone. Basils jaw clenched. What do you mean, its gone? You know the Louvre? The museum with the Joconde painting? Elsa asked. Basil nodded in confirmation, recognizing the Joconde as the French term for the Mona Lisa. It turned into an actual Egyptian pyramid dungeon. When the Incursion happened, it grew in power and swallowed the UNESCO building? Not sure how to put it into words. The dungeons fused, her teammate cut in. The Louvre Pyramid absorbed the UNESCO building into itself and started spawning more powerful monsters afterward. Thats probably why Pluto did it. Pluto? Vasi asked. The Boss of the Louvre Pyramid. He controls most of Paris except for the Eiffel Tower dungeon, since some psycho murderhobo cult managed to beat him to the prize. Roxie scratched her cheek. The Apocalypse Punks or something? The Apocalypse Force, Roxie, Elsa corrected. Apocalypse Force. This is just getting better and better, Basil thought darkly. Pluto was the Roman name of the Greek god Hades, and considering that person targeted the UNESCO HQ, he was almost certainly Benjamin Leroys godlike avatar. At least our enemies are fighting each other as much as they target us. His distaste must have shown on his face, for Elsa immediately picked up on his animosity. Youve met them? We had that displeasure, Vasi confirmed. They are bad news. No kidding. Roxie snickered. They kill everyone who isnt part of their group. At least Pluto spares the kids he abducts. Basil clenched his empty ss so tightly that it shattered in his hands. Shards bounced off his hardy skin and showered the counter, much to his annoyance. Sorry, Patrick. Its okay, Im used to it. Patrick grabbed the shards and they magically reformed into aplete ss. Bartender Perk. Neat, Basilmented before turning his attention back to the Parisian party. Hes abducting kids? Yeah. Elsa put her hand in her hair, her gaze distant. His monsters kill all the humans they encounter, except for children under ten years of age. They capture and bring them to the Louvre Pyramid instead. For what purpose? Vasi asked with a dark look. Does he intend to sacrifice them? I dont know, Elsa said sorrowfully. The few adventurers who managed to infiltrate the Pyramid and came back to tell the tale said the children were well-treated, but they couldnt rescue anyone. Basil clenched his jaw as he remembered the information in Benjamin Leroys file. His daughter had died a little over seven years ago in a terrorist attack, so taking on the guise of a death god like Hades made sense if he intended to revive her. And if Hypathia was to be believed, then he administered a soul-harvesting device of some kind Bartender? Basil turned to Patrick. Do you know if Hindus believe in an afterlife? What does it have to do with abducted children? Roxie asked with a frown. Everything, Basil replied dryly. I think the Hindu mostly believe in reincarnation, Patrick replied absentmindedly as he poured a drink, confirming Basils suspicions. Like, you die and youre reborn as somebody else. A man with power over souls and who had lost his daughter seven years ago was kidnapping any child within that age range. What were the odds? Chapter 63: Man vs Dance Chapter 63: Man vs Dance So if I understand correctly Basil put his finger on the Louvres location. The UNESCO dungeon is located under the pyramid? Like a basement? More like a necropolis, Elsa exined. A map of Paris covered the bars counter, and the Japan Expo survivors were only too happy to scribble useful notes. An Ouw pal of ours, Abdel, broke into it. He reported that the ce is at least seven floors deep. As for the pyramid upstairs, its asrge as an Egyptian one and surrounded by arge army of monsters. How did your friend manage to infiltrate it then? Vasi asked. Through Paris Catbs. Elsa pointed at a site in the south of Paris. The old underground tunnels lead to the buried UNESCO building if you can get past the hordes of undead inside and reach the right quarry, that is. You cant take two steps without fighting a skeleton. It was a good thing that Basil had taken a level in Deathknight of the Sepulchre then. He would send ghosts back to their graves, whether they liked it or not. Do you know how we could contact this Abdel? he questioned the Parisians. Any help would be wee. Sorry, Elsa apologized with a sheepish smile. We lost contact with him after we left Paris. I dont even know if hes still in the city. Didnt Johnny keep a map of the catbs? her teammate asked with a frown. Oh right, I forgot about Johnny. Elsa nodded. Yeah, one of our teammates is into ghost rituals and ultism. I think he kept a map of the catbs, but it wont be up to date. Is he a Witch? Vasi asked curiously. Our coven is looking to recruit. Hes an ultist, Elsa replied. Does that count? Vasi sighed in disappointment. No. Well find someone, Basil reassured his girlfriend. And well buy your map. Eh, I think Johnny will give it for free, Roxie replied with a shrug. Its not like hell have much use for it anyway. We aint returning to Paris anytime soon. Basil hesitated to mention Lencs ns to take back Paris. The general had asked that the party try to conquer a dungeon so he could teleport troops there. Attacking the Louvre Pyramid made the most sense so far. Taking it over would allow them to kill two birds with one stone, as it would neutralize a member of Dismaker Labs board and let them establish a permanent foothold in the city. But first, they needed to locate Kalki. If the musician intended to visit the UNESCO building, then they should find him in the Louvres vicinity. Elsa ran a circle around the Eiffel Tower and Paris western edge. This was the Apocalypse Forces turf before we left Paris. The Eiffel Tower dungeon, the Trocadero, and Boulogne. No idea if theyve managed to keep the area since. What about Versailles and Notre Dame? Basil asked. You said there were six dungeons in Paris. When the apocalypse started, yes, but the numbers shrank since. Notre Dame was under Plutos control when we left, while Versailles and the Arc de Triomphe were contested by both factions. Plutos got the most dungeons, Roxie said. That makes him the guvnor by default. Basil observed the map closely. The various dungeons formed a bulwark around the Louvre. The Eiffel Tower and Triomphe covered the west and north sides, while Notre Dame dominated the citys eastern part. There was no way to approach the pyramid without encountering resistance somewhere. The catbs looked like the best option for now. It would let the party bypass the lesser dungeons and strike from an unexpected direction. What about the local monsters? Basil fished for information. Vasi smiled at him, but said nothing. What are the levels, the types? Any elemental weaknesses youve noticed? Lots of undead, mate, Roxie replied. Bugs, sphinxes, and rock things too Most are weak to water and light. As for levels, their levels upgraded beyond level 20 after the Incursion. Paris is a tough ce. Oh, I forgot to mention it. Elsa cleared her throat. Pluto has a Perk that affects the entire city. God-Field? Basil guessed. You know of it? Weve encountered foes with variants of this power, but the effects are unique to each individual. Basil started to scribble notes on the map as Vasi finished her second drink. What are the elements it affects? It empowers Soul, Corrosion, Fire, Earth, Darkness, Mythic and instant death effects, if I remember correctly. Elsa scratched her cheek. It weakens Wood, Water, Light, and most importantly, healing effects. You should stock up on potions. Oh, and the field raises everyone who dies within its range as a zombie under Plutos control, Roxie added with a snort. You better burn monsters corpses after youre done with them. Or eat them? Basil suggested. The two Parisians exchanged a nce. I, uh Elsa chuckled. I suppose that works too. Basil vowed not to let a single steak escape. Thanks for your help, he said as he folded the map. Well keep in touch. Ill ask again. Elsa frowned at the couple. Are you really sure you want to go to Paris? Anyone still inside is either dead, fled, or part of a gang now. If your friend went to the city I doubt he made it out alive. Im pretty sure he did, Basil replied. The world hadnt been crushed by Shiva yet, after all. We can use a tool to locate him. Roxie shrugged. Your funeral. But be sure to return to Limoges if you make it out alive, guys, her teammate said with a warm smile. We could start a Berserker Anonymous club. Yes, sure. The ss mention made Basil wince. About that Why did you level up so much in Berserker? I would understand if you were a solo act, but arent you putting your team in danger? Yeah, it took us a while to learn to stick to the rear, Roxie said with a deadpan look. Ah, its not that bad Elsa chuckled in embarrassment. We mostly struggled with our formation in the early days, but I figured that higher level Perks would mitigate the downsides of the Berserk ailment. Basils eyes widened in curiosity. Did it? Yep! Elsa grinned ear to ear. The Berserker level 13 Perk, Anger Management, grants immunity to mental ailments like Charm or Madness and most importantly, it allows me to tell friends from foes. She still does stupid shit while Berserk. Roxie chuckled. But I dont know if its the ss or just her in general. Im not dumb, Im simple, Elsa protested. I attack the closest enemy in sight until its dead, thats all. Sometimes thats not the best option, but how do you expect me to think rationally when everybody looks like a spider Nazi? Whats a Nazi? Vasi asked in confusion. A vicious idiot, Basil replied. And here he thought his goblin obsession was unhealthy, but spider Nazis? This girl had issues. Yeah, I think I yed too much Wolfenstein Elsa fidgeted in ce. Anyway, how about we share build information? I was considering taking levels in Tamer with all the cave bears running around the city. I still say an auroch would be a better mascot for the band, her teammate replied. Bears dont have horns. But bears are cute and fluffy, Vasi argued. She never missed an opportunity to defend her favorite animal. And they can dance. I know, right? Elsa chuckled. Roxies just salty that we outvoted her. Like all geniuses, hindsight will prove me right, her teammate deadpanned. Bear pop is overrated, auroch funk is eternal. Basil wondered if he should transform into a werebear to support his girlfriends argument, before deciding against it. Shapechanging in a bar full of monster hunters might not be the best idea. The two groups exchanged ss information and split up afterwards. The Parisians returned to their table to drink in peace, whereas Vasi led her boyfriend to the bars dance floor. Bards yed a catchy medieval bad on loudspeakers. After some reluctance, Basil put his hands on his girlfriends back as she leaned against his chest; both settled in a slow, steady dance. See, youre not that bad, Vasi teased him. I dare say, we might make a passable dancer out of you in a few years time. Im only going along with this because you asked, Basil grumbled. Even then, he mostly let his girlfriend take the lead. He had never feltfortable with dancing in a public space, and the ground floor was crowded with other couples. Dont make it a habit. Ill let you pick the activity next time. Vasis arms moved around his neck. I can tell your heart isnt into it. Youre still thinking about Paris, arent you? Sorry, Basil apologized. He wanted to be present in the moment for his girlfriends sake, but the discussion with the Parisian party had raised too many questions. Im just trying to figure out what equipment well need. shlights for catbs, anti-undead weapons, and I should probably learn a water-elemental rune to empower everyone. Vasi smiled at him. What happened to the real Basil? He raised an eyebrow in confusion. The real me? First you make ns for battle, and now you prepare a dungeon diving operation days ahead with great forethought. Vasi winked at him. Wheres the wild bull running into battle after making a blood oath to his ancestors? He outlived Kuikui and Orcine, learning his lesson: that luck is no substitute for preparation. A lesson Basil should have taken to heart earlier after the battle with Steamslime, for his teams sake. That kind of disaster wont happen again on my watch. Never say never, handsome. Nobody can tell what tomorrow will be made of. The songs tempo slowed down and so did their dance. I suppose youre reconsidering taking levels in Berserker? No, Basil replied softly. In fact, Ill probably abandon the ss entirely. Oh? She raised an eyebrow. Whys that? Because I dont want to rely on anger to win my battles, Basil admitted. Even if I obtain a Perk to manage the side-effects, it wont solve my issues. Itll help me suppress them, thats all. I would rather move on. To change. You already have, Basil, Vasi replied softly. Youre far more grounded since the first time weve met. More self-reflective, more considerate. Less bitter too. Less bitter? Basil scoffed. Were bums who have been eating shit all day for weeks. Yes, but still, I can tell that youre happier than before in some ways. A few months ago you didnt even want to leave your house to meet other people, but now youre in a bar with a beautiful girlfriend and bing buddy-buddy with strangers. And more to the point She looked into his eyes. Youre enjoying a social activity. Well Basil wouldnt go that far, but she had a point. He had been extremely wary about other people even before the apocalypse began due to the mess with his family, work life, and Rens inheritance. His social circle didnt extend farther than to, but now he was on cordial terms with a French major, an interdimensional merchant, and even a god in human form. Basil wasnt certain if it was for the better, but he was definitely bing more sociable. Maybe its because of you, he teased his girlfriend. Youre rubbing off on me. Oh, I would love to gloat about that sess, Vasi replied with augh. But it runs deeper. You put more thoughts into your actions rather than reacting. I admit that before the apocalypse, I was feeling Lost? Confused? Basil struggled to find the right word before settling on one. Aimless. After I failed to find my ce in the world, I had no idea what to do with my life besides living in my little corner of the earth. And do you know what you want to do, now? Sort of. Basils ambitions didnt extend farther than stabilizing the world enough so he and his friends could live in it peacefully; he had no idea what he would do with his life afterward. I feel Im on the right path. I understand. Do you want to know what I think? Vasi didnt wait for him to answer. Deep down, you like to help other people. Basil chuckled. I wont turn down someone in need of help, but to say I like it Basil, Basil, dont y coy with me. Vasi shook her head in disbelief. I saw your expression when you left the clinic. You were happy to heal the sick. Oh, thats nothing, he brushed her off. It was just to secure supplies. Vasi rolled her eyes. Basil All right, yes, I liked it, Basil admitted. I like feeding healing juices to senior citizens. Happy now? He felt a few dancers looking at him strangely and ignored them in turn. Poor choice of words, Vasimented with a grin. But Im d youre starting to be more honest with yourself. How about you then? He returned her smile. Whats up with the mor? Shouldnt you be honest with me about it? Ah, youve cornered me. Vasi sighed. I suppose I owe you an exnation. Ive run afoul of witch hunters in my world the few times I visited human viges. Because you practiced magic? It surprised Basil. From what he had heard, Vasis homeworld was full of magic and wonders. Witch hunters should feel out of ce in that kind of environment. No, because Im a hag on my mothers side. Vasi let out a sigh. Long story short, my maternal family hasnt exactly been getting along with mortals. What did they do? You know, the usual: baby abduction, very, maiden sacrifices Many of us have tried to turn over a new leaf, but theres a lot of history to make up for. And my father is a demon. It doesnt inspire much confidence. So even if you havent done anything, you were treated as suspicious for what you are. Basil quickly put two and two together. Is that why you asked Patrick about why this city hasnt made peace with goblins? Because you saw a little bit of yourself in them? Yes. Cant say I didnt expect his answer. Vasi shrugged. But Ive learned to live with it. A mor is cheap and will spare us both a witch hunt. Thats not entirely the same, but I see where thises from. Ive faced prejudice too in the past. A lot of western Europeans seemed to have a radar for easterners like Basil, and never missed an opportunity to exin to him how Bulgarians were either crooks or thieves. He had gotten into quite a few brawls to defend his countrys honor. But you dont have to fear anything. Because your people tolerate hags? Vasi mused. Because Im with you, Basil replied kindly. Nobody willy a finger on you so long as Im around. Vasi blushed a little. Oh, sweet talker you. You may not have the pdin ss, but you do sound halfway like one. Isnt that a bad thing? Basil scowled. I thought you werent a fan of them? Im not. Half the Pdins Ive met say sweet words to getid, not because they mean them. The other half simply draw their swords and ask questionster. Vasi thought for a second as the song slowed down. They had almost reached the end of this dance. Pdin may not be the best term, true you sound knightly. You speak little, but only because you mean every word you say and you back them up with actions. Thats what I find endearing. I do have a knight ss, gotta live up to the hype, Basil replied with the same tone. I dont think Im the only one who has changed either. Oh? Vasi raised an eyebrow, her gaze yful. Do tell. Youre invested in this quest too, Basil pointed out. I think you like it too. The adventure, the travels saving people. I do admit it has its moments. The song came to an end, and bards started arguing over the next tune. Is it over already? Another dance? Basil suggested. He was actually starting to enjoy it, though he would never say so out loud. No, Im satisfied, Vasi replied as she moved her face close to his own. I had something else in mind. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. Basil pulled her closer until nothing separated them. Vasis skin felt good against his, and her hands stroked his hair as if she owned it. A jolt of electricity ran through his body as their lips met, alongside a shiver of pleasure. It had been so long since he had kissed a girl on the lips, but he had never forgotten the taste, the warmth, thefort for a few seconds, he forgot the crowd around them. Paris, Kalki, the Apocalypse Force, and Metal Olympus, none of them mattered. The world stopped at her. Like all good things, the kiss was over way, way too soon. Basic mortal needslike breathingforced Vasi to pull back. She was blushing almost as much as he did. Basil had watched her kiss another knight in Chteau Muloup to charm him but this time, it meant something to her. Nice, Basil whispered with a pleased smile. But Christmas is next month. Its a bit early for surprises. Im terrible at counting time, Basil, she joked back with a coy grin. How about we continue this in a more private ce? Like the toilets? Nobody ever thinks of the toilets. Our car isnt that far, Basil teased her back, thinking of the Steamobile. It would be warmer, and we have a TV I dont think well need Vasi stopped herself, frowned, and checked her dress. Whats the matter? Basil asked in confusion. An emergency. Vasi sighed as she brought a small crystal skull from her pocket. The device trembled like a mobile phones rm. Walter was calling at the worst time. Basil, Vasi, how good to see you again. Walter nodded at the couple as they teleported into his shop. Neria Elissalde, who was already present, weed them with a smile. I apologize for calling on such short notice. You didnt catch them at the right time, chief. Hagen straightened up at his employers side. The neurotower loomed behind the shops counter, tall and terrible. I can tell. Its all right, Vasi whispered without truly meaning it. She was no happier than Basil at having their date interrupted early, but the situation required their full attention. I suppose you finished analyzing the server? I did and gathered you here to discuss my findings. Walter smiled at Basil, a gesture that sent a shiver down his spine. Somehow, Walter Tye managed to make even the most innocent gesture look menacing. But first of all, let me congratte you on taking a level in Deathknight. Excellent choice. I dont know this Sepulchre variant, Hagen noted. What does it do? It made my halberd super effective against undead, Basil replied bluntly. A short silence followed his deration. Walters smile faded away in disappointment. He didnt look amused, at all. Hagens reaction to the news was more lively. He exploded inughter and swiftly copsed to his knees. Disappointing, was all Walter said. Truly disappointing. Im sorry, chief, Im Hagen held his armored chest. Ahaha! How can heugh without lungs? Neria asked with a confused frown. Ignore him, Walter replied dryly. Well, his happiness didntst long, Basil thought. Then again, hes a necromancer. Must be sad to see a client turn in the opposite direction. Good to see you again, Neria, Basil greeted the Major. Did you receive mytest report? I did. Major Elissalde smiled ear to ear. The General was extremely happy when I forwarded it to him. Thats one less member of Metal Olympus to deal with, and if another is indeed in Paris, we might eliminate most of their leadership in quick session. We should reach Paris in a few days, Basil warned. Ive got a few requests for elemental weapons, if you can satisfy them. Ill see what I can do, Neria promised before turning to face Walter. By now, Hagen had regained hisposure and was back on his feet. In fact, perhaps we should discuss the essences you gathered with Mr. Tye over here? Did you inform him? I am aware of your recent victories, Walter replied. He must have read their minds already. The details youve gathered shouldplete my findings. Basil crossed his arms. Did you figure out how the server works? I have studied your device, yes. Walter scowled darkly. Unfortunately, this confirmed my hypothesis. Your worlds System functions simrly to mine, which is not a good thing. The necromancer marked a short pause, as if trying to find the right way to sugarcoat a difficult truth. What do you know, he asked, of the soul? More than I want, Basil thought. And less than I should. Chapter 64: Man vs Soul Chapter 64: Man vs Soul It was one thing to imagine the darkest possible scenario, and another to have it confirmed beyond doubts. A prison for souls? Neria looked up at the neurotower, her face now pale white. This server is a prison for souls? Yes, Walter confirmed with clinical detachment. He didnt sound horrified, or even surprised; merely disappointed. If anything, Basil found his utterck of feelings creepier than all of Apollyons threats. This devices primary purpose is to act as a spiritual ma, capturing souls upon death before they can reach their proper resting ce and then distributing them inside a widerwork. All put together, these steel towers function as a spiritual engine of global proportions. Walters borate terms couldnt disguise the simple truth underneath. They use dead people as magical fuel, Basil spat in disgust. This is where the experience pointse from, isnt it? And far more. Walter raised his hand and summoned an illusion in the palm of his hand. The picture of a hydraulic fountain mechanism appeared in a puff of smoke. Imagine a machine that is hermetically closed from the outside world. It is made of three parts: a basin, a water reservoir, and a container full of air. All three of them are connected by pipes, but nothing gets in and nothing gets out. No water ever is spilled. Do you follow me so far? Youre describing Herons Fountain, arent you? Basil guessed. He had learned about it in his chemistry ss. One of the first hydraulic machine. You are well-learned, Basil. Walter nodded slowly. In this system, the water from the basin descends into the air supply. The resulting pressure is transmitted by the air to pipes into the water reservoir, which then pushes the liquid up into the basin. The cycle then repeats itself. You are describing a perpetual-motion machine, Vasi noted. No such thing exists, Basil pointed out. Even in a hermetic container, some energy is always lost through friction. You are both correct in a way, Walter said with a calm tone. Basil could tell he enjoyed ying the role of the teacher. What I described is an ideal state of perpetual motion, but entropy causes a slight loss of power with each cycle. No matter how optimized a system is, the water will eventually stop moving. System? Major Elissalde squinted. She had listened to the exnation in silence so far, but she had quickly deduced where the demonstration would lead them. I assume you chose the word intentionally, Mr. Tye? Indeed, Walter confirmed. In very simple terms, my worlds System and yours are a machine, magic is the energy generated to produce motion And the water is made of harvested childrens souls, Hagen cut in. The ultimate solution to the child support conundrum. Please, my friend, do not interrupt me. Walter cleared his throat. Now, souls are like spiritual batteries. They build up power in the form of thoughts, memories, beliefs, emotions Anything capable of sentience, of self-awareness, has a soul. Humans, animals, dragons even some nts and machines. As a rule, anything that can gain levels and benefit from a System has a soul. This checked with what Hypathia had told them, but Basil was starting to see new implications. Trees on the road didnt have levels, but even the smallest animal like to had shown the ability to gain experience. Everyst one of them had a soul and feelings, even before the Trimurti Systems arrival. To his own sorrow, Basil was starting to wonder if vegetarians might have had a point What about the afterlife? he asked. If souls and angels existed, then certainly Heaven and Hell did. Is there an afterlife? Walters answer didnt satisfy him. I suppose it depends. On what? Neria asked dryly. The Major was clearly growing more and more ufortable with the discussion. On the world, Walter replied with a shrug. Upon death, my worlds System transfers a soul to an afterlife where their umted power is slowly drained from them over a long period of time. Thoughts, memories, everything that made the person an individual are stripped clean like flesh from bones. The harvested power fuels the System, and the freshly nk soul is then reincarnated in a new body to repeat the cycle anew. Another worlds System might skip the afterlife step and move straight to the reincarnation phase, whereas others might follow a different set of rules. There is no universal answer. Makes sense, Vasi said. My world of Outremonde has multiple afterlives, depending on which god a dead soul worshiped in life. A sh of distaste appeared on Walters face, but the necromancer quickly regained hisposure. His disdain for deities showed itself once again. Is that why demons are bargaining for human souls? Basil asked, trying to see how this new information fit into his belief system. It couldnt be all wrong. Yes, Walter confirmed with a nod. Souls umte spiritual power, so many beings try to skim a few for their own personal gain. But their individual activities pale in front of a Systems harvest of death. All right. Major Elissalde opened her mouth, and then closed it before she could formte her sentence. All right Neria? Basil asked in concern. Are you okay? This is this is a lot to take in. Neria gathered her breath, exhaled, and then regained herposure. So the dungeons, thendscape changing, the monsters its all made possible through death. Yes, Walter said bluntly. Basil had wondered how crafting processes could vite thews of conservation of mass. He had his answer now. They didnt: they simply drew energy and mass from magic produced by the neurotowers. Even the mere act of crafting a potion required a dead mans suffering. Then why all the destruction? Neria asked with a scowl. Sixty million people die each year, more than a hundred thousand each day. Shouldnt that be enough? A System often requires a periodic influx of power to keep functioning in the short-term, sometimes more than it can gain through ages toil. Walters illusory mechanism showed water slowing down inside the reservoir due to ack of pressure. A sudden influx of air and water from the outside restarting the mechanism. My worlds Fate System regted itself in a very simple way; by incentivizing war. Basil clenched his jaw in frustration. What better way to encourage murder than by rewarding it with more power, eh? But what about quests? Vasi asked with a frown. You can gain experience from them without killing anyone. Not all deaths result from murder, Walter pointed out. People die all the time from old age, idents, diseases their umted power is released without a killer to im experience, so the System harvests most of it and distributes a portion through quests. This creates a form of bnce and prevents the most murderous of mortals from wiping out everyone else. Eventually, they will find someone who can fight back. Which allowed poptions to recover and maintain the cycle of reincarnation. People can gain levels in my world without killing anyone, Vasi said. Ive heard that an immortal farmer reached level sixty simply by toiling every day for centuries. This invalidates your theory. As Ive said before, all Systems are different. Walter closed his hand and the illusion vanished. Its possible your universe has arge enough poption and enough excess energy that it doesnt need constant conflict to function like mine does. Perhaps it generates natural disasters instead, or takes a more long-term approach to cultivating souls. I cannot tell without further research. Basil meditated on this new information. Itpleted what he had learned before and somewhat confirmed his worst assumptions but there was one big unanswered question Walter hadnt addressed yet. Where do theye from? Basil asked. The souls? Walter smiled in response. Very good, my friend. Youre on the right track. Somehow his praise felt deadlier than his scorn. Oh, I see. Vasi nodded to herself. She had figured it out too. This entire mechanism relies on souls being recycled so they can keep umting power, but the original ones had toe from somewhere. This is the great question to which I do not have an answer yet, Walter admitted. No one knows where soulse from. Ive been investigating this mystery for many years, but the source still eludes me. Its why we investigated your world in the first ce, Hagen said. Walter nodded in confirmation. You see I have been aware of your Earth for many, many years. I couldnt ess it directly until the Trimurti System, but its not the first time visitors from your realm visited mine. Vasi raised an eyebrow in confusion. I thought you couldnt travel to another world without a portal? Not physically, Walter countered. Ive told you that my System caused phenomena simr to your Incursions. Nine worlds were connected by the same System and periodically forced to merge to generate conflicts. Yet the number of souls in each one remained the same. Since entropy caused some energy loss anyway, the cosmic machinery of my universe found a way to patch things up; by importing souls from another ce. Basil groaned and put a palm on his face. Dont tell me Im afraid so, Walter said with a sigh. One day, mages found a special summoning spell allowing humans from a distant realm to reincarnate in ours as would-be heroes. Not only did Basils world now follow video game rules, but it also took inspiration from Isekai manga. Great, just great. And they were unbearably full of themselves too, Hagen mused at his masters side. They died like flies, mostly because we killed them on sight. You are harsh, Hagen, Walter replied with a sinister chuckle. It was done in self-defense, and only a handful of them. A handful? The duhanughed. We have an attic filled with their weapons. They were all idiots, Walter told his disturbed customers. Sometimes, I wish I had researched a spell to expel them back to your Earth. Can we move on, please? Basil asked with a shudder, and Major Elissalde fidgeted in ce. dly, Walter said with a cold smile. Summoning individuals from your Earth provided infrequent boosts of power to counter entropy. My worlds Fate System was exceptionally stable and resource efficient, so it never needed to import more than a dozen new souls each century. The wheel of reincarnation was meant to turn forever, with only a few minor adjustments each time it stumbled on an issue. But thats not the case with Earth, Neria whispered, her expression grim. Hundreds of invaders entered the Dax portal alone. The Systems goals differ, and thus the methods used too, Vasi guessed. My worlds Fate System was meant to bring longsting stability at all costs, Walter said with a hint of scorn. Your Trimurti System isnt meant to save anyone norst long. It is not a perpetual motion machine, but a gods cradle. A cradle. The word brought Basil back to the ISS video, and the giant fingers holding the world in the palm of a colossal hand Is that why the Earth and the moon were sealed shut? he asked. To better capture the souls within? Yes, Walter confirmed. If your is hermetically closed from the rest of the universe, then the Trimurti System has a much easier time managing the magical energy within it. The smaller the space, the easier it is to recycle the dead spirits trapped inside. Basils blood froze in his veins. Neria had been mistaken. The neurotowers werent a prison for souls; the entire world had be one. Basil nced at the server, a chill running down his spine. If he were to die now, no heavenly reward nor infernal torment would await him. His spirit would be trapped inside this vile machine, drained of thoughts and individuality, and then released back into an unsuspecting vessel. Wait a second Walter said anything with levels had a soul. What about monsters? Basil asked, a dark thought forming into his mind. The dungeons materialized them from nothing, and they can gain levels. Where did their soulse from? Walter locked eyes with him. Your friend said it best, Basil, he said with disturbing serenity. A hundred thousand a day. Basils fists tightened. He nced at his allies and watched their expressions turn into scowls as they came to the same, terrible conclusion. Sixty million humans a year. Neria shook her head as the magnitude of Dismaker Labs crime dawned upon her. Two hundred millionnd animals were ughtered each day before the apocalypse. Eighty billion a year. Now add all the wildlife, the fish, the birds and the bugs a single day would have been enough. If the neurotowers initiated a day before the Systems activation, then it had umted more than enough souls and magic to flood the world with armies. Millions more died within the first hours, creating a self-sustaining cycle of destruction. Monsters were reincarnated humans and animals. This was why they were driven to kill on sight on instinct. The more they slew, the greater their numbers grew. Bugsy, Shellgirl, and Rosemarine didnt remember anything before their birth, but inside them dwelled the resting ce of an older person. These these fiends Basil trembled with rage. How dare Basil Vasi started, but he cut her off before she could finish. It wasnt enough for Dismaker Labs to kill so many people. Basils fists clenched so hard that his nails sank in his skin. They had to transform their victims into new tormentors next. Vasi put a hand on his shoulder infort, but wisely didnt say a word. She knew nothing she would say would make it better. Not even these measures suffice, Im afraid, Walter said. His voice had taken on a softer tone, though Basil couldnt tell if he was sincere. Materializing a newborn monster requires magical energy proportional to its level, and all individuals need an exponential amount of experience to keep getting stronger. Your Trimurti System cannot function without throwing an ever-increasing amount of sacrifices into the grinder. The Incursions, Neria whispered. Earths poption isnt enough. Its a feedback loop, Vasi guessed. The Trimurti System uses energy to create portals that will attract outsiders, whose death will generate more power to create more portals. Exactly, Walter confirmed with a nod. Stronger warriors and terrible beasts with high levels and powerful souls are invited to participate in thepetition. The magic used in opening pathways to their world is quickly covered by the return on investment, but its never enough. The esction will only end when an Overgod is selected. But what then? Basil asked with a scowl. You said it yourself, the Trimurti System is designed to make the first person to reach level 100 a deity. What will happen once it fulfills its goal? Walter marked a short pause before answering. That wasnt a good sign. I do not know, the necromancer admitted. At best, the Trimurti System will shut down and your Earth will be returned to its proper ce. At worst at worst, your world will have outlived its usefulness and crumble to dust. Somehow, Basil couldnt bring himself to expect the best from Dismaker Labs. And neither did anyone else in the room. How do we destroy them all? Major Elissalde pointed at the neurotower. This should return Earth to its former state, shouldnt it? To Basils surprise, Walter shook his head. I am not certain that would be a good thing for your at this point. Why is that? Neria asked with a frown. If the System requires souls to function and the servers harvest them, then destroying them should bring down the entire infrastructure. Yes, but thats the problem, Walter replied. The Trimurti System has be an integral rule of your reality, like gravity or maism. There is no guarantee your will be returned to its proper ce if it is disabled by force. In fact, its possible the Trimurti System is the only thing keeping your unstable pocket universe from copsing. Or from being crushed inside Shivas palm. Destroying a few dungeons would dy the Incursion process without meaningfully disrupting the entirework, Walter exined. But destroying too many neurotowers might cause a general failure with unknown consequences. So what? Major Elissalde frowned and crossed her arms. You suggest that we just ept it? Theres another solution, Vasi pointed out. We can track down those who brought the Trimurti System to Earth in the first ce. Perhaps they know a way to reverse the process. Basil nodded in agreement. Benjamin Leroy had been Dismaker Labs CTO. His understanding of neurotowers was probably second only to Maxwell, and Hypathia also said that he managed a subsystem rted to harvested souls. He might be the key to solving the Trimurti System problem. If his teammates wouldnt have him killed first. How do the Trimurti fit into this? Basil asked. Brahma, Kalki, Shiva? Are they rted to the essences we collected? The three members of the Trimurti were summoned to serve as the Systems administrators, maintain its integrity, and probably manage the flow of souls, Walter said. Whether consciously or not. Killing one of their avatars wont affect them personally, but it will disrupt the Trimurti System beyond recovery. This confirmed it then. Kalkis death would disrupt the worlds precarious bnce, summon Shiva and spell disaster for everyone. As for essences, they serve an unrted purpose, Walter countered. Unlike the likes of the Trimurti, who are power incarnate, lesser deities are spiritual entities fueled by the thoughts and beliefs of mortals. They require prayers, worship, and magic to survive. This makes them infinitely malleable, like y. By infusing themselves with a deitys essence, your foes gained power beyond their ken while keeping their original soul and thus, their ability to level up. So it was just a method for the Board to secure an advantage in thepetition? Vasi squinted. An ace in the hole? A cheat, Basil grumbled. They did expect to face the Horsemen of the Apocalypse down the line. Well, now theyre ours at least, Vasi replied. Do you want them, Walter? No. The shopkeeper shook his head. It would be better for you to keep them. We already have too many of them stashed away, Hagen added. That too. Walter chuckled darkly. Do not misunderstand me, my friends. These essences have great value and I would dly trade them for artifacts, but they stay with you because they chose to. The essences could easily return to their home ne on their own, yet they do not. They want to take revenge on the Board, Basil guessed. Most likely, Walter conceded. That, or they truly want to assist you in your quest. A few months or years are a blink in a gods eyes. I suggest either giving them to a trusted ally or infusing a weapon with their power. The former more than thetter. Weapons can be stolen or broken, but power stays with you forever. Or until death at least. Basil wasnt certain whether his cat or halberd would benefit most from a godly essence, but he wouldnt make the decision alone. He would discuss the matter with his party first. I wish I could help more, Walter said with a soft tone. But this technology is beyond anything I have seen yet. Only its creators will help you understand it further. You could help more, Basil pointed out. You could lend us some of your weapons or artifacts. They would make a real difference. Walter smiled, but behind the lips there were teeth. I like you, Basil. It might even have been genuine. But I am a merchant, not a charity. I do not give or take, I trade. As expected, even his advice had a hidden price tag. Basil appreciated the necromancers wisdom and intel, but he was under no illusion about the mans character. Walter Tye wouldnt blink twice at Earths destruction. It was but one world among many, and he supplied them all equally. Still, you are all valued customers, Walter dered. Im willing to infuse your collected essences into tools of your choosing for free, and I will dly trade you weapons in return for your technology. Your machines ability to manipte souls through artificial methods fascinate me. Thank you, Neria said without really meaning it. She understood that begging and haggling wouldnt work with this kind of otherworldly capitalist. We will be taking back the neurotower, if you no longer have any use for it. Walter agreed to return the device after a few days, after which the group decided to separate. The shopkeeper returned to work behind his counter under his duhans watch, while Basil discussed how to proceed next with Neria and Vasi. It doesnt change much, his girlfriend said. Our objectives remain the same. Yeah, Basil replied with a nod. This new information contextualized their situation, but in the end, they still needed to find Kalki and members of Dismaker Labs board for answers. We need to capture Pluto alive. Ill Ill report to the general and secure weapons for you. Neria chewed her lower lip. Its. Major? Basil asked with a frown. Basil, I The former policewoman shook her head. She had managed to keep a faade of professionalposure so far, but the recent revtions clearly shook her to her core. Is it terrible that I feel dead inside? Its natural, Basil admitted. He felt the same. Nothing surprises me anymore. Its just Ive always thought that souls didnt exist. That there was nothing after death. Im Im d not all of me will vanish but Ive watched so many friends die, and to imagine them imprisoned in a cold metal shell Neria looked away, avoiding Basils gaze. It mortifies me. We will free them, Vasi reassured her kindly. There has to be a way to disable the neurotowers and return your world to normal. We will find a solution. Neria nodded slowly, though Basil could tell she didnt truly believe it. Faith was the only crutch that remained when all else had failed. Chapter 65: Interlude: Horsemen of the Apocalypse Chapter 65: Interlude: Horsemen of the Apocalypse The world had fallen silent. Two suns shone in a moonless sky. Crimson clouds flew over a destend, blown by the whispering wind. The stench of death choked the heavens above. The ruins of broken cities stood empty amidst lonely ins and bloodied forests. Corpses festered in the open, in crumbling houses and copsed temples. Yet neither flies nor vultures would dine on them. They too were dead. Everything with a pulse had perished. From mere insects to kings, all had been in. Every creature worth a single experience point had been hunted down, even the ghosts. Mindless grass and silent trees were all that remained of a once vibrant with life. Only a single woman yet breathed on a hill of swords. She stood alone, the wind blowing on her fair face, on her golden hair and empty blue eyes. Her ck armor was drenched in blood, none of it her own. From her peak she watched a in of corpses, of broken knights and dead monsters. Some had been her men, whom she had in like the rest. Infighting wasn''t unusual in the Apocalypse Force. Once they had run out of things to kill and levels to grind, all that remained were each other that had been the demons way for many years, long before she joined them. She was Brina, the Horseman of War; and war only ended when there was nobody left to fight. The peace of the grave. Yet as she raised a hand and marveled at the sunlight''s reflection on her gauntlet, she couldn''t help but feel empty inside. "Not enough," Brina whispered in disappointment. Still not enough. This world had been more of a chore than a challenge. Brina had entered this realm months ago at the helm of an army and found it torn by conflict. A great continental human empire and a union of inhuman city-states had been fighting for control back then, yet they soon put their differences aside when she startedying waste to them both. They fought and haggled and prayed. Some even tried to bribe her to destroy their enemies. But Brina was not interested in prestige, wealth, and conquest. She had no wish for honor or luxury. All she wanted was to umte strength. To gain levels, equipment, new secret techniques and mighty abilities. Anything that would help her kill that that man. Oh, it had been so long Brina had found a foe strong enough to give her experience. Was there a worse feeling than stagnation? The despair of watching a dream elude the dreamer? She had thought this world would strengthen her steel, but the reality disappointed her. The greatest champion of these people had been level 60. Legendary by hiss standards, and pitiful by those of the Horsemen. He hadsted two strikes. To his credit, that was one more than most. But he was not even a shadow of her true target. Brinas true enemy was magnitudes stronger, a merchant of death and a thief of souls. She was still so many levels away from beating him. Brina felt tired as she watched the twin suns above her head; tired of pointless ughter, tired of stagnating, tired of failing to fulfill her oath to King Odin. "Is this how my journey ends? She wondered. Halfway through? Unsatisfied, unfinished? At this point, Brina was strongly considering picking a fight with the other Horsemen. They were all weaker than her, but they should provide her with experience points. The alliance was starting to run its course anyway. Who was she kidding? There was only one creature in the Apocalypse Force whose death would give her the power she craved and she couldnt even reach him. "Brina." The dark voice echoed in her mind, the words louder than the wind. It called out to her across the veil of time and space. Brina shrugged it off anyway. Meetings bored her almost as much as an easy fight. A suitable battleground awaits you. Belphegor had said the same thing of this world and the reality had greatly disappointed her. Her fellow Horseman was a necromancer, much to her disdain. The death of weaklings profited him as much as the murder of the strong. So she almost told him to leave her alone with her boredom. At least, until she heard his next words. The merchant peddles his wares there. Brinas pulse quickened with fury. She raised a sword and summoned runes of power. The de caught fire, the ck mes of war and wickedness swirling around its edge. She nted the weapon into the bloodsoaked earth. Call the Horsemen, Brina whispered as she activated her Perk. The swords mes rose in a mighty wall of fire taller than a castles walls. The heat evaporated the blood off of Brinas armor and set the grass aze, yet she didnt flinch. She did not fear the Fire element, or any magic for that matter. The shadows of three visages appeared among the mes: Apollyons, whose mandible and antennae betrayed his insectoid nature; the burning skull of Belphegor, Horseman of Death; and the faceless mask of Mammon, Horseman of Conquest. They were assembled in a triangle, at the center of which the dark symbol of a ck hand with a fanged maw for a palm shone balefully. Brina, how unkind of you to make us wait. Belphegor grinned wickedly. We were almost about to start without you. Do not waste my time, Brina replied sharply. She had no patience for small talk. Speak. So quick and impatient, Mammon said with a chuckle. You were always the kind to skip the setup and go straight for the punchline. After all the work Apollyon and I went through to prepare the stage too... Brina had no time for this nonsense. Is Walter Tye involved? Oh yes, he is. Mammonughed. He knew that this vile man drove her madder than a bloodhound on a hunt. Your favorite merchant of death peddles your fallen masters weapons to heroes and viins alike. I have a receipt to show you, if you do not believe me. Brina seethed in quiet fury, her fingers trembling with cold rage. She hadmitted odious crimes before and after joining the Apocalypse Force, forsaking her duties as a valkyrie for the sake of power. She had tempered her flesh in Cmity Surtrs mes and in the heroes she had been meant to collect, all in the name of vengeance. All to y the enemy of the Aesir. The vile archmage who had tainted her universe with the curse of undeath and sold his victims mementos for profit. Yet yet after so many years of training and bloodshed and hunting, Brina had been no closer to finding Walter Tye, let alone beating him. The sorcerer could only be found when he wanted it. She had tracked a few of his clients, yet the trail always went cold. It was good to have a lead but Brina knew in her heart that it would achieve nothing. This warlock stood at the apex of the multiverse, a master of magic and destruction. Only the power of an Overgod, or something close to it, would cement his defeat. And that elusive threshold looked so far away I see, was all Brina said in response. Disappointing, Belphegor mocked her. But fine. More levels for us. Apollyon let out a gleeful, droning noise. My forces have established a foothold on the, he dered with unbearable pride. My swarm is raising a summoning amplifier as we speak. I shall be the first to descend and reap the harvest of souls.. The barrier will be weakened enough to let you through, true, but not at full power, Belphegor countered. You will take a hefty level penalty. One that will be quickly recovered, Apollyon replied with confidence. The local poptions levels rose from one to the low thirties in the span of months. They will soon grow mighty enough to feed my hunger. This brought Brinas quiet attention. Under normal circumstances, a worlds poption increased in strength slowly over the course of years and then stabilized around a rtively low average. Levels were then distributed across a curve, with a handful of champions monopolizing the upper tiers of power. For a poption to grow from an average level of 1 to 30 in half a year was almost unheard of. What is this worlds name? Brina asked, her curiosity aroused. Earth, Belphegor replied. Amon name for the perfect battleground. This world was optimized for quick level progression, toplete the work unfinished in Elysium. Elysium. Brina remembered it well. A world of elves and spirits, some of whom had even proved to be a challenge. They had been so close to raising an Overgod on Elysium. The Maleking had manifested in itsst days and came so close to winning thepetition. But the Destroyers Avatar hade down from the skies right as they were on the verge of victory. Brina had imagined the power of an Overgod on an intellectual level, but seeing fingersrger than a moon crashing down on her from the sky taught her the value of willful ignorance. Even King Odin would have prayed at the altar for mercy. Brina had to evacuate the in short order in defeat and silent awe, her vengeance dyed once again. No other world had proved as bountiful in levels since. The Unity cowardly manipted levels to keep barriers up around their dominions, preventing the Apocalypse Force from bringing the good fight to them. Brina would never understand how these dragons could cravenly hide behind machines rather than win their own fights. The likes of ckcinders and Grandmaster Wyrde would have made for worthy adversaries, enemies whose death would have empowered her tenfold. Instead, Brina had to settle for minor skirmishes and unworthy worlds. Would this Earth prove different? The Unity arrived on Earth already, Belphegor noted. Since theyve failed to keep levels down, they will have no choice but to send their heavy hitters. Those cowards would rather see us lose than be Overgods themselves. Good, Brina said. She had hunted many dragons, and would relish adding more to her trophy collection. I am ready to fight them. We know you are, Belphegor said with an amused tone. But you will have to wait. The barrier is not yet low enough for you to cross over, even with a level penalty. You will have to wait a few more months. Brina frowned in distaste. Months were nothing but the blink of an eye for her kind, but she hated to wait. Walter Tye might lose interest on the and move on, forcing her to begin her hunt all over again. She fell silent even as her colleagues discussed how to best upy Earth. Whats the situation on the ground? Belphegor asked. What organized opposition can we expect besides the Unity? Very little, my dear friend, Mammon replied with a dark chuckle. I have infiltrated the yer factions and divided them in preparation for our kingsing. These fools spend more time fighting each other than our bug infestation. Where Apollyon sought to dominate through attrition and starvation, Mammon wielded cunning like a de. These two always cooperated to soften up a worlds defenses before the rest of the Apocalypse Force arrived; the former with force and armies, the second with plots and tricks. Do not underestimate the local meat, Mammon, Apollyon warned. Some are strong. Oh right. Mammon cackled. Your drones were squashed how many times? One? Two? Thrice? A few humans might prove a challenge to you, but to us? Belphegor chuckled darkly. Theyll be fuel for my mes. Apollyon buzzed angrily. Scorn me all you want. By the time you cross the barrier, I will have grown wealthy in blood and strength. We will see how confident you are then. Do you wish to challenge me, bug? Belphegor replied, hisughter quieter and darker. Ill be happy to teach you a lesson. Calm down, my hotblooded friends, Mammon snapped. You will have all the time in the world to ughter each other once weve dealt with the Unity. You embarrass us before His Majesty. Two voices spoke in unison and silenced them all. Do as you will. The words were spoken in a whisper, barely louder than the wind, yet they stopped the bickering Horsemen right in their tracks. Brina herself tensed up. I hear the voices of the meek calling out to me. Two voices whispered at once: one deep and brimming with rage, the other disturbingly cold and smooth. Their words cut like razors, each letter bing an invisible weight on Brinas shoulders. So many worship at my altar even as I destroy their lives. My grace they seek; my might they must possess. They pray and beg for deliverance when I offer naught but silence. The hand symbol at the center of her ming wall grew to cover it all. The visages of the Horseman shrank like lesser shadows in the presence of a greater darkness. Let me ask you all a simple question, my Horsemen: what determines a lifes value? The dark maw opened wide to reveal sharp fangs and four glowing eyes where the tongue should have been. Is it birth? Should the weak and the entitled rule by virtue of their ancestors achievements, even when they prove themselves unworthy? None of the Horsemen answered. All knew that their opinion mattered not, and none dared to voice it. On a primal level, they all understood a simple truth. Is it wealth? A worthless pile of paper or paltry numbers on a ss screen? A golden fetish whose only strength is the belief of those who enforce it? They knew that the voices belong to a being of pure malice and infinite malevolence. An entity that showed no more mercy to his allies than his foes. An incarnation of merciless strength that inspired and terrorized them in equal measure. Is it thew? A castrating illusion born of a herds consensus? Should a fools voice have the same weight as a sage? Should worthless parasites be treated as well as those who fight to live? The Maleking. I say no! The demons wrath turned the wall of me blue. Fate, fame, wealth, thews of gods and men all are naught but fabrications! The winners justice, that is the one truth! The strong, the cunning, the talented, only those are fit to survive! Life is not a right, but a privilege! Brina had heard these words before. She had listened to them in her ck heart after swearing revenge on Lord Thors behalf and tempering her de in the mes of Cmity Surtr. They had stayed with her with each ughter since. I offer neither orders nor condemnations, the Maleking dered. Do as you will. Kill foes and friends, I care not whose blood is spilled. Your life is yours alone. Yours to lose, yours to wager. But if it is inspiration you seek, then heed my call. All across the multiverse, the other Horsemen waited in judgment. Mammon, Brina, Belphegor, Apollyon. Go forth, my Horsemen. The four eyes glowed like malicious stars on an empty night. Paint the conquered ins with blood. Blow the winds of war to cast down craven lords and false prophets. Let famine starve the weak of breath and spirit. Death to the meek and the unworthy. Bring forth Hell Unending. Brina felt the demons gaze on her, heavy as gravity. She sensed his will looking into her heart and seeing her true desire within. Then, when the craven are dead and only the brave remain, the Maleking said, more softly. We shall see which of us is worthy of strengths crown and heavens throne. If you have the power to take my prize, then try. For ones true wealth is only what they can defend! One war to end them all. One tournament among the multiverses greatest warriors, to determine which of them was worthy of true godhood. The wall of fire copsed on itself. The truth had been spoken loud and clear; no one needed to say more. Brina nced at the hill of sword and the deste ins. Once her role had been to scour battlefields as one of King Odins handmaiden, searching for heroes whose great deeds had earned them a ce at the Aesirs table. These had been happy times; times of honor, of duty, and valor. Times when death once meant something. Until it didnt. One day Brina hade down from Asgard to find the rotting corpses of soldiers walking on their own. The vile gue of undeath had swept across thend, poisoning the cycle of soul and condemning the nine worlds to eternal decay. Brina had lost the war for Asgard the first time around. She had to retreat after watching the heavenly host torn apart by the living dead, swallowing the bitter pill of defeat. Only vengeance could wash away her stained honor. If she had to sell her soul to a demon for it, then she would pay the price. Brina had months of waiting ahead of her, but her boredom had been reced with something else. A stirring fire in the depths of her soul. Excitement. Walter Tye Nidhogg Her fingers clenched around her swords pommel. You will elude me no further. She was done waiting for the right time that never seemed toe. Whether she gained the strength of an Overgod or not, she would confront Walter Tye at least. Whether she killed him or he killed her, her long war would end either way. My Einherjars, she said. Come to me. The bound specters of fallen champions rose to wage battle anew, as her Perk warranted. They would die and disappear under the fading sunlight, preparing themselves for the battle toe. She would watch them in silence, keeping herself upied until the right time. Soon, the gate to Earth would open for the Horseman of War. And she would be ready. Apocalypse Tamer 66: Man vs Tiger Apocalypse Tamer 66: Man vs Tiger The party left for Ons in the morning. A bitter storm of snow and wind engulfed them midway through, which considerably slowed down their progress. The situation didnt improve much after the blizzard abated. The deep rifts of ice left behind damaged the main road, forcing them to take detour after detour. A journey meant tost three days stretched on for a week, until Basil decided to cut his losses and travel through the more practical A71 path. It would force the party to bypass Ons, but at least they should arrive in Paris before December. Basil, why is the snow better at slowing us down than a goddess? to had asked his best friend after yet another blizzard. Because she wasnt the goddess of snow, obviously, Basil had replied grimly. I hate winter. Even then, difficulties piled up one after the other. An avnche buried the Steamobile for a day; rot spoiled the partys rations and forced them to hunt a herd of wooly rhinos for food; and a band of traveling human merchants they encountered on the way turned out to be maddened cannibals. They were too weak to present a challenge, but Basil had to throw away their pork rations much to Rosemarines dismay. Bugsys condition didnt improve either. The centimagma spent his days sneezing inside the Steamobiles engine room under a hill of nkets and hotpresses. Where Rosemarine had grown somewhat used to the cold thanks to her ability to gather sr energy, Bugsy required a constant stream of Monster Cure II boosts to remain somewhat lucid. The situation grew so bad that Basil decided to resort to extreme measures. Sorry to summon you like this, Zachariel, Basil apologized as he called the angel with his One for All Perk. But Im at a loss at how to treat him. No worries, sir, I live for this. Zachariel examined Bugsy. The centimagma coughed fire, forcing the angel to step back to avoid being incinerated. Mmm what a harsh Faithless Fever you have caught Im zorry, Bugsy whimpered with a nasally voice. I dont know what zappening to me I dont know either, Basil admitted. Its not an ailment and you arent losing HP, but your stats have been heavily debuffed. Staying warm inside the Steamobile doesnt seem to help either. If I may, sir, I believe this is rted to the current Field youre traveling through, Zachariel exined. Elemental Types are heavily vulnerable to their effects. Just like how a water creature would deeply suffer inside a volcano, I believe our friend here simply cannot survive normally in a snowy wastnd. Oh right, Basil hadnt considered Field effects. Nothing about the area indicated that fire elementals would die in it, but it did weaken Fire and strengthen Frost. Bugsy breathed the former and feared thetter. Since Fields affected everyone within their area of effect, being inside the Steamobile didnt provide any protection from them. So we either migrate south or leave Bugsy like this until we reach Paris? Basil asked with a frown, to which Zachariel replied with a nod. It might be days ahead. Dont you have anything that could ease his suffering? May I suggest using the pagan essence you harvested? Zachariel proposed. I am not fond of them, but your tropidrakes resistance to the Field effect could be rted to the one that she ingested in Bordeaux. Consuming false idols has many health benefits ording to research. Basil doubted it, but at this point they might as well try. He searched for the essences among his belongings and presented them to Bugsy. Which one do you want? he asked the centimagma. Apollos? Or Artemis? From what Nessia taught me of this strange Greek religion, Apollo is a god of the sun and medicine, Zachariel said. He would be the obvious choice. I dont know, boz, Bugsy replied. Are you zure you want to feed me one? Didnt you want to make a weapon with ziz? We have enough guns as it is. Neria had sent them a new ammo shipment through the guild inventory. Your health is more important to us, my friend. Friendz? Bugsys eyes lit up with joy at the word. Im thank zou so much, Boz. Now open your mouth and take your medicine, Basil said as he all but shoved the Apollo essence down his sick teammates throat. The sphere of divine power vanished into Bugsys body and caused hisva blood to heat up.
Centimagma Bugsy Venture absorbed the [Essence of Apollo]! Bugsy unlocked a new divine metamorphosis (level 73 required).
Level 73 was far away, but at least the makeshift cure had worked. Bugsy emerged from under the nkets warm and revitalized. How do you feel? Basil asked. Better already, Boss, Bugsy replied with his normal voice. Zachariel checked up on him with spells. I could eat a whole mammoth! Your metabolism has stabilized for now, Zachariel confirmed. But I suggest that you follow a healthy diet, just in case. Trade ice cream for coal candies, wear warm clothes to protect yourself from the cold, avoid premarital sex, and you should be fine. Yes, Mr. Zachariel. Bugsy let out a breath of fire. Im pumped now, Boss. Does Rosemarine need help with clearing the path of snow? Not yet, Basil replied. Weve made a stop to let her rest and to hasnt returned from his scouting yet. Oh. Bugsy lowered his antennae in disappointment. Isnt there anything I can do? Maybe Vasi needs assistance with her potions? Or should I help Shellgirl with inventory management? Bugsy was eager to overwork himself right after recovering from a weeks-long sickness. Basil didnt know whether to scold or praise his dedication. I guess you could always manage the engine, if you feel up for it Sir, if I may, Zachariel said. Does our friend have an assigned Lair yet? Uh, not yet, Bugsy replied. I wanted to make one in Chateau Muloup but Ronalds got it covered. Good, good. Zachariel nodded to himself. Then I would suggest looking for a suitable ce to establish one. Building the correct Lair would let me return to Bordeaux in short order. What do you mean? Basil asked with a frown. Do you remember how your Lair II Perk allows us to create our own, sir? Zachariel asked. We have created a few in partnership with other angels and discovered that some of them could possess a very interesting feature: Teleportation Circle. Teleportation Circle? Basils heart skipped a beat. Teleportation to where? From what we gathered so far, to all Lairs with the same feature and whose owners belong to the same party or guild, Zachariel exined. We havent finished testing the distance limit yet, but early results are promising. What did you say? Shellgirl immediately barged into the engine room, much to Basils confusion. Had she been listening through the door? Zach, did my ears deceive me? You have found a way to create a teleportationwork? It would be a boon for us, Bugsy noted. We could transport food to Ronald, back and forth. A boon? A boon?! Its a revolution in logistics! Shellgirl shook Bugsy like a tree. Can you fathom how much merchandise we could quickly transfer around with a teleportationwork? How many people would pay us to travel from one safe warehouse to the other? No more time wasted in roadblocks and dirty snow! She had a point. Basils recent troubles with the roads had taught him he shouldnt take good public service for granted. He wondered how much time they would have saved with a functional highway. Strange that I didnt hear of it earlier, Basil said. He had checked on Ronald, whose monster interns had established Lairs as safehouses and fortifications in the region around the dungeon. The fiendish burger hadnt mentioned a Teleportation Circle at any point. Our guild has established dozens of Lairs so far. Are certain criteria necessary to unlock the feature? ording to early forays, the Teleportation Circle only appears if the Lair in question is symbolically associated with thresholds and pathways, Zachariel exined. Castle, houses, even churches do not possess it, unlike caverns and haunted travel agencies. Ah, of course. Compared to dungeons, Lairs could be established almost anywhere butcked many baseline abilities. Establishing awork of them would require a lot more prep-work. I guess we could try to find a suitable location on the way to Paris, or inside the city itself, Basil suggested. That would be easier than conquering a dungeon. What if Bugsy managed to shrug Shellgirl off him, his eyes bright with hope. What if I were to build it? The Lair? Basil asked in surprise. Yes, Boss! What if I were to build mine from the ground up instead of looking for one? Bugsy snapped his mandibles in excitement. Someone designed our house before we moved in, right? It didnt sprout from the Earth like a dungeon! But it still worked as a Lair Basils breath grew shorter as he realized the implications behind his friends idea. Bugsy, you are a genius! Why not build offices with business Lair Features? Shellgirl suggested happily. We put a huge door somewhere and bam, instant teleportation! If we design standardized ns, we could make a temte easy to build anywhere, Basil thought out loud. The Roman army could build fortified camps in three hours with practice. We can do the same. Let me write down the ns, Boss! Bugsy proposed. The centimagma had proved himself a strangely talented amateur architect, and he was always eager to practice his craft. Ill design the best Lair there is! Itll be like a new house with a bigger chicken coop and pens for all farm animals! And to make sure we get the Teleportation Circle feature, Ill Ill build doors within doors! A big ring-sized archway opening the path to the stars! Make me proud, soldier. Basil put a hand on the centimagmas head. Let us start a new Bulgarian architectural revolution, with brutalist walls and post-modernist archways! Let me help, Bugsy, Shellgirl proposed with enthusiasm. Ill supply you with the best materials youll need! Dont forget to add chapels, Zachariel suggested. Everyone always forgets the chapels. I wont disappoint, Boss, Bugsy swore. Ill work harder than an ant and faster than a fly! Of that, Basil had no doubt.
Congrattions, your party earned 330,000 EXP (16,500 for you). You earned a level (total 36).
Cait Sith to can now undergo metamorphosis into either a [Carabas Cait] (Fairy/Beast) or a [Rakshasa Kitten] (Beast/Demon)!
Oh? It appeared to had in a few creatures on his patrol. Leaving his friends to discuss the merits of an office tower over a t fort, Basil exited the Steamobile to face the cold outside. Rosemarine rested on the snow, under the shadow of an abandoned lodge close to a frozen river. Vasi cooked a potion stew in a cauldron right next to to, who dragged the corpse of a bear-sized penguin entirely made of ice across the ground. Ah, I missed hunting birds, to said as he leaped on his dead preys belly and puffed his chest in pride. I found a whole flock of them north. I couldnt resist. I thought you didnt huntnd-bound birds? Basil taunted him before lightly kissing Vasi on the cheek. His girlfriend returned the gesture with a wink. Penguins cant fly. Only wicked birds can live in a ce such as this, to replied. Anyway, Basil, you should rejoice. Our suffering is finally over. Let me guess, you have found an oven? I followed the frozen river, to exined, wagging his tail in happiness. Guess what? It dries up and leads to a warm, giant litter! Warm? Rosemarines head perked up in interest. Where? A litter? Basils eyes widened in shock. You mean a desert? Paris desert? Yes! to meowed in happiness. I saw the Eiffel Tower on the horizon! But thats impossible. Basil frowned and immediately summoned his map from the inventory. We should still be days away, unless unless weve reached the Gtinais regional park already? Did we lose our way again, handsome? Vasi asked with a light chuckle. Im afraid so, Basil admitted after checking the map. They must have taken a wrong turn near Ons. But on the bright side, we were so lost that we ended up back on the right track. Mister, can we leave now? Rosemarine pleaded. She was back on her feet within seconds. Im ready to walk again! Aww, she was such a hard worker! Its alright sweetie, you can rest a bit longer, Basil said, only for his tropidrake to stomp the ground with her feet in frustration. Ive had enough of the snow! Rosemarine protested, saying out loud what everyone was feeling deep down. I cant even eat it! It makes my tummy growl! Can you wait a few minutes until I bottle up my brew? Vasi grinned ear to ear. Im almost finished. Basil nced at her cauldron. A sky blue potion boiled within it, as viscous as British porridge and as unnatural as a coca-c soda mixed with water.
Dr. Jekylls Angover Cure
Family: Potion (Consumable)
Quality: C.
Effect 1: Grants immunity to mental Ailments for 1 minute per milliliter.
Effect 2: Cancels shapeshifting effects for 1 minute per milliliter.
The gentlemans antidote to anger and idental full moon transformations. Potential side effects include e, ndness, and a nagging sense of existential emptiness. Keep it away from suicidaledians!
Basil wasnt certain that temporary ailment immunity was worth the loss of his sense of humor, which had taken many hitstely. All shapeshifting effects? he asked. Does that include my werebear transformation? Seems so, Vasi confirmed with a sad face. Please dont abuse it. I like your fur. Well, itll make for a nice ace-in-the-hole until we find a better option. Basil helped his girlfriend store the potion inside ss bottles. An item granting meplete ailment immunity would negate all the downsides of All For One. Hopefully, the next bird on my path will drop one, to said. By the way, whats a rakshasa? Seems I can transform into one now. Ive heard of them while doing research on Kalki, Basil said. Its a tiger demon from Hindu mytholog You had me at tiger, to cut in with excitement. Do they have stripes? I I think? Basil replied with a raised eyebrow. Theyre masters of illusions and man-eaters too. Illusions? Theyre magicians? Vasi joined her hands. Thats great! Maybe you will count as a witch and trigger my Hag Coven Perk! I wont let you eat Mister, Rosemarine warned to. And maybe Miss Neria too, because I like her. Everyone else is edible. So long as men keep worshiping me, I will spare them my wrath, the cat replied with pride. Lets go with Rakshasa. The System says Rakshasa Kitten, Basil pointed out. You might end up smaller than you already are. And Carabas is a reference to the puss-in-boots. It could make you a better swordsman, or even a noble. Mmm true, I should hedge my bets. to wagged his tail. Yo dog, do you have an essence left? It unlocked a new metamorphosis for the big nt over here, hasnt it? Im not sure itll alter the current choices, but I guess we can check Basil grabbed the Artemis essence and presented it to to. This is ourst one. Is it wise, Basil? Vasi asked with a scowl. Walter proposed to forge weapons with them for us, and Metal Olympus can track essences. We crossed that bridge when Rosemarine ate Tamura, Basil replied with a shrug. And I would rather avoid relying on Walter for everything. The man had made his position clear. He didnt care for Earth and would happily trade with mankinds enemies without remorse. Walter Tye had been helpful so far and Basil trusted his professionalism, but the necromancer could always decide to abandon their world without a moments notice. In the end, the party could only rely on each other in a pinch. Here we go to grabbed the essence sphere. Uh, am I supposed to swallow it? Its almost as big as I am. You can try to lick it really hard, Basil teased him. Cant taste worse than your behind. At least I dont have to rob supermarkets for toilet paper like you primates. to licked the essence, with the sphere brightening and disappearing into the cats chest. Tiger god, here we go!
Cait Sith to absorbed the [Essence of Artemis]! to unlocked a new divine metamorphosis (level 82 required).
to waited a moment, before frowning in disappointment. Wait, thats it? Seems so, Basil replied. You can choose to be either a tiger kitten or a noble cat. Come to think of it, why a kitten? Tigers had cubs, not kittens. Shouldn''t tiger demons have those too? What was the reason for this odd naming choice?
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Basil would never forgive the programmers for viting the rules of grammar. Im already a noble, to argued. Stripes are the new crowns! Suit yourself, Basil replied before assigning his new level so to could do the same. Considering therge presence of undead enemies in Paris, he decided to continue on the path of the Deathknight.
Deathknight of the Sepulchre Level 2 Stat Gains: +1 STR, +1 AGI, +1 VIT, +1 SKI, + 1 MAG, +1 CHA, +1 LCK. You earned 40 HP and 15 SP.
to immediately glowed like the full moon, his body changing with the metamorphosis. He didnt grow in size like Rosemarine or Bugsy before him, but the transformation was no less striking. The face of Basils beloved cat changed to fit that of a tiger instead of the dwarf panther he liked to present himself as. His tiny legs gained a lot of muscle, moving from graceful to nimble and powerful. Although his eyes remained as golden as ever, his fur adopted a pattern of ck with white stripes. His boots and hat morphed to adapt to his new physiology, although they seemed weirdly out of ce on a tiny tiger.
Congrattions, [Cait Sith] to metamorphosed into a [Rakshasa Kitten] (Beast/Demon)! to learned the [Pawerful Dao], [Manbane], and [Illusionist IV] Passive Perks, and the [Catnapping] Active Perk! His existing Perks have also been strengthened!
tos [Illusionist IV] triggered [Hag Coven]! You can learn and cast Coven Witchcraft Spells again!
So cute, Vasi whispered as to looked at his mighty paws. She raised a hand, struggling against the urge to pet him. Can I Look, but dont touch! to replied with pride. Basil immediately scratched him behind the ears. Hey! Respect my authority! Tigers love swimming, from what Ive heard, Basil said with a grin. Should I throw you into a bath to check? Do that and I will practice my new Manbane Perk on your back, like a punching bag. to mimicked a boxing punch motion. Paw, paw, paw! Can you Vasi blushed in embarrassment. Can you roar for me? tos eyes snapped wide open as a dreadful thought crossed his mind. He cleared his throat, leaped on Rosemarines back, and stood atop the tropidrakes head like Simba on Pride Rock. The tiny tiger stared at the sun, standing defiant and proud in the celestial light. At that moment, to had never looked more kingly. He nced up at Basil and Vasi as if they were his subjects, gathered his breath and opened his mouth. A powerful sound echoed across the frozen wastnd. Meeeeh!!! A mighty squeal to shake the heavens. A high-pitched cry that only the cutest kitten could muster. The kind of sound that drove the inte mad. to stopped, his expression devoid of emotion. Vasi pped to cheer him up, but that only embarrassed the cat. Basil wisely remained silent so as not to shame him further. This is my first time, I will get it right soon. to gathered his breath once more. Meeeeh! Meeh! When no mighty roar erupted from his throat, the tiny tiger shouted louder, and louder, and louder. Ice cracked beneath Rosemarines feet and snow fell from trees. Yet to only seeded in squealing higher. MEEEEEEH! Shellgirls panicked voice came out of the Steamobile. Is someone waterboarding to?! Not yet! Basil shouted back. Oh, okay! Shellgirl replied, immediately calming herself. Quiet then! Some high-ie individuals are working here! to ignored the advice and kept squealing. No roar came out of his maw, no matter how hard he tried. Even Rosemarine looked sorry for him. Do you know when Rakshasas enter puberty? Basil asked Vasi, struggling not tough. I dont know, his girlfriend replied with a bright, happy smile. Her hands were joined in prayer. I just hope theyrete bloomers. Damn it! to cursed as he copsed to his knees. Damn it, Mufasa! MUFASA! Chapter 66: Man vs Tiger Chapter 66: Man vs Tiger The party left for Ons in the morning. A bitter storm of snow and wind engulfed them midway through, which considerably slowed down their progress. The situation didnt improve much after the blizzard abated. The deep rifts of ice left behind damaged the main road, forcing them to take detour after detour. A journey meant tost three days stretched on for a week, until Basil decided to cut his losses and travel through the more practical A71 path. It would force the party to bypass Ons, but at least they should arrive in Paris before December. Basil, why is the snow better at slowing us down than a goddess? to had asked his best friend after yet another blizzard. Because she wasnt the goddess of snow, obviously, Basil had replied grimly. I hate winter. Even then, difficulties piled up one after the other. An avnche buried the Steamobile for a day; rot spoiled the partys rations and forced them to hunt a herd of wooly rhinos for food; and a band of traveling human merchants they encountered on the way turned out to be maddened cannibals. They were too weak to present a challenge, but Basil had to throw away their pork rations much to Rosemarines dismay. Bugsys condition didnt improve either. The centimagma spent his days sneezing inside the Steamobiles engine room under a hill of nkets and hotpresses. Where Rosemarine had grown somewhat used to the cold thanks to her ability to gather sr energy, Bugsy required a constant stream of Monster Cure II boosts to remain somewhat lucid. The situation grew so bad that Basil decided to resort to extreme measures. Sorry to summon you like this, Zachariel, Basil apologized as he called the angel with his One for All Perk. But Im at a loss at how to treat him. No worries, sir, I live for this. Zachariel examined Bugsy. The centimagma coughed fire, forcing the angel to step back to avoid being incinerated. Mmm what a harsh Faithless Fever you have caught Im zorry, Bugsy whimpered with a nasally voice. I dont know what zappening to me I dont know either, Basil admitted. Its not an ailment and you arent losing HP, but your stats have been heavily debuffed. Staying warm inside the Steamobile doesnt seem to help either. If I may, sir, I believe this is rted to the current Field youre traveling through, Zachariel exined. Elemental Types are heavily vulnerable to their effects. Just like how a water creature would deeply suffer inside a volcano, I believe our friend here simply cannot survive normally in a snowy wastnd. Oh right, Basil hadnt considered Field effects. Nothing about the area indicated that fire elementals would die in it, but it did weaken Fire and strengthen Frost. Bugsy breathed the former and feared thetter. Since Fields affected everyone within their area of effect, being inside the Steamobile didnt provide any protection from them. So we either migrate south or leave Bugsy like this until we reach Paris? Basil asked with a frown, to which Zachariel replied with a nod. It might be days ahead. Dont you have anything that could ease his suffering? May I suggest using the pagan essence you harvested? Zachariel proposed. I am not fond of them, but your tropidrakes resistance to the Field effect could be rted to the one that she ingested in Bordeaux. Consuming false idols has many health benefits ording to research. Basil doubted it, but at this point they might as well try. He searched for the essences among his belongings and presented them to Bugsy. Which one do you want? he asked the centimagma. Apollos? Or Artemis? From what Nessia taught me of this strange Greek religion, Apollo is a god of the sun and medicine, Zachariel said. He would be the obvious choice. I dont know, boz, Bugsy replied. Are you zure you want to feed me one? Didnt you want to make a weapon with ziz? We have enough guns as it is. Neria had sent them a new ammo shipment through the guild inventory. Your health is more important to us, my friend. Friendz? Bugsys eyes lit up with joy at the word. Im thank zou so much, Boz. Now open your mouth and take your medicine, Basil said as he all but shoved the Apollo essence down his sick teammates throat. The sphere of divine power vanished into Bugsys body and caused hisva blood to heat up.
Centimagma Bugsy Venture absorbed the [Essence of Apollo]! Bugsy unlocked a new divine metamorphosis (level 73 required).
Level 73 was far away, but at least the makeshift cure had worked. Bugsy emerged from under the nkets warm and revitalized. How do you feel? Basil asked. Better already, Boss, Bugsy replied with his normal voice. Zachariel checked up on him with spells. I could eat a whole mammoth! Your metabolism has stabilized for now, Zachariel confirmed. But I suggest that you follow a healthy diet, just in case. Trade ice cream for coal candies, wear warm clothes to protect yourself from the cold, avoid premarital sex, and you should be fine. Yes, Mr. Zachariel. Bugsy let out a breath of fire. Im pumped now, Boss. Does Rosemarine need help with clearing the path of snow? Not yet, Basil replied. Weve made a stop to let her rest and to hasnt returned from his scouting yet. Oh. Bugsy lowered his antennae in disappointment. Isnt there anything I can do? Maybe Vasi needs assistance with her potions? Or should I help Shellgirl with inventory management? Bugsy was eager to overwork himself right after recovering from a weeks-long sickness. Basil didnt know whether to scold or praise his dedication. I guess you could always manage the engine, if you feel up for it Sir, if I may, Zachariel said. Does our friend have an assigned Lair yet? Uh, not yet, Bugsy replied. I wanted to make one in Chateau Muloup but Ronalds got it covered. Good, good. Zachariel nodded to himself. Then I would suggest looking for a suitable ce to establish one. Building the correct Lair would let me return to Bordeaux in short order. What do you mean? Basil asked with a frown. Do you remember how your Lair II Perk allows us to create our own, sir? Zachariel asked. We have created a few in partnership with other angels and discovered that some of them could possess a very interesting feature: Teleportation Circle. Teleportation Circle? Basils heart skipped a beat. Teleportation to where? From what we gathered so far, to all Lairs with the same feature and whose owners belong to the same party or guild, Zachariel exined. We havent finished testing the distance limit yet, but early results are promising. What did you say? Shellgirl immediately barged into the engine room, much to Basils confusion. Had she been listening through the door? Zach, did my ears deceive me? You have found a way to create a teleportationwork? It would be a boon for us, Bugsy noted. We could transport food to Ronald, back and forth. A boon? A boon?! Its a revolution in logistics! Shellgirl shook Bugsy like a tree. Can you fathom how much merchandise we could quickly transfer around with a teleportationwork? How many people would pay us to travel from one safe warehouse to the other? No more time wasted in roadblocks and dirty snow! She had a point. Basils recent troubles with the roads had taught him he shouldnt take good public service for granted. He wondered how much time they would have saved with a functional highway. Strange that I didnt hear of it earlier, Basil said. He had checked on Ronald, whose monster interns had established Lairs as safehouses and fortifications in the region around the dungeon. The fiendish burger hadnt mentioned a Teleportation Circle at any point. Our guild has established dozens of Lairs so far. Are certain criteria necessary to unlock the feature? ording to early forays, the Teleportation Circle only appears if the Lair in question is symbolically associated with thresholds and pathways, Zachariel exined. Castle, houses, even churches do not possess it, unlike caverns and haunted travel agencies. Ah, of course. Compared to dungeons, Lairs could be established almost anywhere butcked many baseline abilities. Establishing awork of them would require a lot more prep-work. I guess we could try to find a suitable location on the way to Paris, or inside the city itself, Basil suggested. That would be easier than conquering a dungeon. What if Bugsy managed to shrug Shellgirl off him, his eyes bright with hope. What if I were to build it? The Lair? Basil asked in surprise. Yes, Boss! What if I were to build mine from the ground up instead of looking for one? Bugsy snapped his mandibles in excitement. Someone designed our house before we moved in, right? It didnt sprout from the Earth like a dungeon! But it still worked as a Lair Basils breath grew shorter as he realized the implications behind his friends idea. Bugsy, you are a genius! Why not build offices with business Lair Features? Shellgirl suggested happily. We put a huge door somewhere and bam, instant teleportation! If we design standardized ns, we could make a temte easy to build anywhere, Basil thought out loud. The Roman army could build fortified camps in three hours with practice. We can do the same. Let me write down the ns, Boss! Bugsy proposed. The centimagma had proved himself a strangely talented amateur architect, and he was always eager to practice his craft. Ill design the best Lair there is! Itll be like a new house with a bigger chicken coop and pens for all farm animals! And to make sure we get the Teleportation Circle feature, Ill Ill build doors within doors! A big ring-sized archway opening the path to the stars! Make me proud, soldier. Basil put a hand on the centimagmas head. Let us start a new Bulgarian architectural revolution, with brutalist walls and post-modernist archways! Let me help, Bugsy, Shellgirl proposed with enthusiasm. Ill supply you with the best materials youll need! Dont forget to add chapels, Zachariel suggested. Everyone always forgets the chapels. I wont disappoint, Boss, Bugsy swore. Ill work harder than an ant and faster than a fly! Of that, Basil had no doubt.
Congrattions, your party earned 330,000 EXP (16,500 for you). You earned a level (total 36).
Cait Sith to can now undergo metamorphosis into either a [Carabas Cait] (Fairy/Beast) or a [Rakshasa Kitten] (Beast/Demon)!
Oh? It appeared to had in a few creatures on his patrol. Leaving his friends to discuss the merits of an office tower over a t fort, Basil exited the Steamobile to face the cold outside. Rosemarine rested on the snow, under the shadow of an abandoned lodge close to a frozen river. Vasi cooked a potion stew in a cauldron right next to to, who dragged the corpse of a bear-sized penguin entirely made of ice across the ground. Ah, I missed hunting birds, to said as he leaped on his dead preys belly and puffed his chest in pride. I found a whole flock of them north. I couldnt resist. I thought you didnt huntnd-bound birds? Basil taunted him before lightly kissing Vasi on the cheek. His girlfriend returned the gesture with a wink. Penguins cant fly. Only wicked birds can live in a ce such as this, to replied. Anyway, Basil, you should rejoice. Our suffering is finally over. Let me guess, you have found an oven? I followed the frozen river, to exined, wagging his tail in happiness. Guess what? It dries up and leads to a warm, giant litter! Warm? Rosemarines head perked up in interest. Where? A litter? Basils eyes widened in shock. You mean a desert? Paris desert? Yes! to meowed in happiness. I saw the Eiffel Tower on the horizon! But thats impossible. Basil frowned and immediately summoned his map from the inventory. We should still be days away, unless unless weve reached the Gtinais regional park already? Did we lose our way again, handsome? Vasi asked with a light chuckle. Im afraid so, Basil admitted after checking the map. They must have taken a wrong turn near Ons. But on the bright side, we were so lost that we ended up back on the right track. Mister, can we leave now? Rosemarine pleaded. She was back on her feet within seconds. Im ready to walk again! Aww, she was such a hard worker! Its alright sweetie, you can rest a bit longer, Basil said, only for his tropidrake to stomp the ground with her feet in frustration. Ive had enough of the snow! Rosemarine protested, saying out loud what everyone was feeling deep down. I cant even eat it! It makes my tummy growl! Can you wait a few minutes until I bottle up my brew? Vasi grinned ear to ear. Im almost finished. Basil nced at her cauldron. A sky blue potion boiled within it, as viscous as British porridge and as unnatural as a coca-c soda mixed with water.
Dr. Jekylls Angover Cure
Family: Potion (Consumable)
Quality: C.
Effect 1: Grants immunity to mental Ailments for 1 minute per milliliter.
Effect 2: Cancels shapeshifting effects for 1 minute per milliliter.
The gentlemans antidote to anger and idental full moon transformations. Potential side effects include e, ndness, and a nagging sense of existential emptiness. Keep it away from suicidaledians!
Basil wasnt certain that temporary ailment immunity was worth the loss of his sense of humor, which had taken many hitstely. All shapeshifting effects? he asked. Does that include my werebear transformation? Seems so, Vasi confirmed with a sad face. Please dont abuse it. I like your fur. Well, itll make for a nice ace-in-the-hole until we find a better option. Basil helped his girlfriend store the potion inside ss bottles. An item granting meplete ailment immunity would negate all the downsides of All For One. Hopefully, the next bird on my path will drop one, to said. By the way, whats a rakshasa? Seems I can transform into one now. Ive heard of them while doing research on Kalki, Basil said. Its a tiger demon from Hindu mytholog You had me at tiger, to cut in with excitement. Do they have stripes? I I think? Basil replied with a raised eyebrow. Theyre masters of illusions and man-eaters too. Illusions? Theyre magicians? Vasi joined her hands. Thats great! Maybe you will count as a witch and trigger my Hag Coven Perk! I wont let you eat Mister, Rosemarine warned to. And maybe Miss Neria too, because I like her. Everyone else is edible. So long as men keep worshiping me, I will spare them my wrath, the cat replied with pride. Lets go with Rakshasa. The System says Rakshasa Kitten, Basil pointed out. You might end up smaller than you already are. And Carabas is a reference to the puss-in-boots. It could make you a better swordsman, or even a noble. Mmm true, I should hedge my bets. to wagged his tail. Yo dog, do you have an essence left? It unlocked a new metamorphosis for the big nt over here, hasnt it? Im not sure itll alter the current choices, but I guess we can check Basil grabbed the Artemis essence and presented it to to. This is ourst one. Is it wise, Basil? Vasi asked with a scowl. Walter proposed to forge weapons with them for us, and Metal Olympus can track essences. We crossed that bridge when Rosemarine ate Tamura, Basil replied with a shrug. And I would rather avoid relying on Walter for everything. The man had made his position clear. He didnt care for Earth and would happily trade with mankinds enemies without remorse. Walter Tye had been helpful so far and Basil trusted his professionalism, but the necromancer could always decide to abandon their world without a moments notice. In the end, the party could only rely on each other in a pinch. Here we go to grabbed the essence sphere. Uh, am I supposed to swallow it? Its almost as big as I am. You can try to lick it really hard, Basil teased him. Cant taste worse than your behind. At least I dont have to rob supermarkets for toilet paper like you primates. to licked the essence, with the sphere brightening and disappearing into the cats chest. Tiger god, here we go!
Cait Sith to absorbed the [Essence of Artemis]! to unlocked a new divine metamorphosis (level 82 required).
to waited a moment, before frowning in disappointment. Wait, thats it? Seems so, Basil replied. You can choose to be either a tiger kitten or a noble cat. Come to think of it, why a kitten? Tigers had cubs, not kittens. Shouldn''t tiger demons have those too? What was the reason for this odd naming choice?
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Basil would never forgive the programmers for viting the rules of grammar. Im already a noble, to argued. Stripes are the new crowns! Suit yourself, Basil replied before assigning his new level so to could do the same. Considering therge presence of undead enemies in Paris, he decided to continue on the path of the Deathknight.
Deathknight of the Sepulchre Level 2 Stat Gains: +1 STR, +1 AGI, +1 VIT, +1 SKI, + 1 MAG, +1 CHA, +1 LCK. You earned 40 HP and 15 SP.
to immediately glowed like the full moon, his body changing with the metamorphosis. He didnt grow in size like Rosemarine or Bugsy before him, but the transformation was no less striking. The face of Basils beloved cat changed to fit that of a tiger instead of the dwarf panther he liked to present himself as. His tiny legs gained a lot of muscle, moving from graceful to nimble and powerful. Although his eyes remained as golden as ever, his fur adopted a pattern of ck with white stripes. His boots and hat morphed to adapt to his new physiology, although they seemed weirdly out of ce on a tiny tiger.
Congrattions, [Cait Sith] to metamorphosed into a [Rakshasa Kitten] (Beast/Demon)! to learned the [Pawerful Dao], [Manbane], and [Illusionist IV] Passive Perks, and the [Catnapping] Active Perk! His existing Perks have also been strengthened!
tos [Illusionist IV] triggered [Hag Coven]! You can learn and cast Coven Witchcraft Spells again!
So cute, Vasi whispered as to looked at his mighty paws. She raised a hand, struggling against the urge to pet him. Can I Look, but dont touch! to replied with pride. Basil immediately scratched him behind the ears. Hey! Respect my authority! Tigers love swimming, from what Ive heard, Basil said with a grin. Should I throw you into a bath to check? Do that and I will practice my new Manbane Perk on your back, like a punching bag. to mimicked a boxing punch motion. Paw, paw, paw! Can you Vasi blushed in embarrassment. Can you roar for me? tos eyes snapped wide open as a dreadful thought crossed his mind. He cleared his throat, leaped on Rosemarines back, and stood atop the tropidrakes head like Simba on Pride Rock. The tiny tiger stared at the sun, standing defiant and proud in the celestial light. At that moment, to had never looked more kingly. He nced up at Basil and Vasi as if they were his subjects, gathered his breath and opened his mouth. A powerful sound echoed across the frozen wastnd. Meeeeh!!! A mighty squeal to shake the heavens. A high-pitched cry that only the cutest kitten could muster. The kind of sound that drove the inte mad. to stopped, his expression devoid of emotion. Vasi pped to cheer him up, but that only embarrassed the cat. Basil wisely remained silent so as not to shame him further. This is my first time, I will get it right soon. to gathered his breath once more. Meeeeh! Meeh! When no mighty roar erupted from his throat, the tiny tiger shouted louder, and louder, and louder. Ice cracked beneath Rosemarines feet and snow fell from trees. Yet to only seeded in squealing higher. MEEEEEEH! Shellgirls panicked voice came out of the Steamobile. Is someone waterboarding to?! Not yet! Basil shouted back. Oh, okay! Shellgirl replied, immediately calming herself. Quiet then! Some high-ie individuals are working here! to ignored the advice and kept squealing. No roar came out of his maw, no matter how hard he tried. Even Rosemarine looked sorry for him. Do you know when Rakshasas enter puberty? Basil asked Vasi, struggling not tough. I dont know, his girlfriend replied with a bright, happy smile. Her hands were joined in prayer. I just hope theyrete bloomers. Damn it! to cursed as he copsed to his knees. Damn it, Mufasa! MUFASA! Chapter 67: Man vs Paris Chapter 67: Man vs Paris They reached Paris by sundown. The second most beautiful city on Earthafter Sofia, the great capital of almighty BulgariaParis was a shining beacon of culture. One couldnt walk for a hundred meters there without stumbling on a monument. From the Champs-lyses to Montmartre and the Sacr-Coeur, almost every corner of the city looked like a shiny postcard. In spite of its beauty, Basil himself had never liked the city. Paris was a human anthill, with more than ten million people on a territory that could hardly afford a fraction of that number. The citys inhabitants were constantly stressed and unhappy, with many burning out within years before leaving for the countryside. Paris was all the glories and excesses of civilization rolled into one explosive package. Even so, Basil couldnt help but feel a pang of sorrow as the citys ruins came into view. As the BuzzBand party had warned him, a sea of sand now covered the region. A vast desert of dunes began where the snowy wastnds stopped. Temperatures rose by thirty degrees when the Bohens crossed the border between the two, and a dark green hue soon polluted the sky. The frozen stream the Bohens had been following turned into a dry bed full of shipwreck husks and half-rusted cars. Basil assumed that this was what remained of the Seine River. Deste streets and the ruins of buildingsy half-buried among dunes. Modern housing projects and eighteenth-century houses alike had both fallen into disrepair, their windows shattered by sandstorms and their walls ravaged by the searing heat. Plumes of fire rose from rare craters of ss, as if the mes of the underworld escaped to the surface. No oasis offeredfort from the wastnd; all water sources in the city had dried up as far as Basil could tell. As for the dungeons, they could be seen from leagues away. The tallest and most recognizable was, as expected, the Eiffel Tower. Yet it had clearly gone through an architectural redesign since Basilsst visit. Already tall, the monument now soared through the skies; its peak resembled a gigantic te coil whose power generated thunderclouds at its apex. The towers four foundations had transformed into mighty pylons of steel and gears, like the feet of a monstrous, colossal, archaic machine. Pipes and turbines released white smoke all around the dungeon, shrouding it in mist. Another monument stood tall in defiance on the opposite side of the empty Seine River. The Louvre Pyramid, once barely twenty-meters tall, now surpassed the Great Pyramid of Giza in size and greatness. Arcane symbols covered its smooth obsidian surface. Basil recognized the Eye of Horus among them, alongside Greek letters and Roman numerals. The structure appeared to absorb light itself, like a dagger of darkness rising straight from Hells bowels. Compared to these two titans, Notre Dame appeared small but no less threatening. The cathedral had grown in size and dreadfulness, its once-inspiring architecture now a twisted Gothic nightmare of steel spikes and ck stone walls. Tentacled shadows danced behind stained sses the color of blood. Gargoyle dragons watched over its towers, ready to swoop down upon the first intruder. Any of these dungeons would have been cause for concern. The field-effect covering the city was nothing more than the cherry on the top.
Plutos [God-Field: Ditis Pater] changed the field to [Tartarus].
  • [Soul], [Corrosion], [Fire], [Earth], [Darkness], and [Mythic] elements are strengthened.
  • [Wood], [Water], and [Light] elements are weakened.
  • Healing effects are halved and chances of suffering from [Insta-Death] are doubled.
  • All creatures that die in the Field will rise up at sundown as mindless [Undead] Types.
Spooky, to rasped at Basils side. The former housecat had broken his voice after practicing his roar for too long. I take back what I said. This ce is not a good litterbox. Gee, you think? Basil deadpanned back as he watched the sky with binocrs. The duo had taken position atop a ruined hospital in the Val-de-Marne to better observe the area. The whole ce had been crawling with zombies and skeletons, but none of them could survive a swing from Basils halberd. This ce is a goddamn warzone. Rosemarine had trailed the Seine River from the south before stopping in the Val-de-Marne, a few hours away from Paris itself. Approaching any closer would be suicide. Sphinxes patrolled the skies above the Louvre Pyramid, while red-skinned, wingless demons riding atop bat-winged mechanical gliders did the same for the Eiffel Tower. Basil half-expected Marvel to sue thetter over copyright infringement.
Androsphinx
Level 27 [Beast/Avian]
Faction: Metal Olympus (Psychopompos)
Steamfiend
Level 24 [Artificial/Fiend]
Faction: Apocalypse Force
Considering the Steamobiles size, the group would be noticed and intercepted in short order the moment they moved inside the city center. The situation on the ground wasnt any better. Paris streets were littered with bones and skulls, some of them moving on their own. Basil watched one unlucky undead blow himself up by identally walking on a trap rune drawn in the sand. Rusty bus wrecks and monster chokepoints blocked many paths. Its like Dax all over again, but a hundred times worse, Basilined as he lowered his binocrs. Every single monster in this city is stronger than Steamslime. At least half of them are birds or undead, to replied. You hunt thetter and Ill take care of the former. I would rather that they dont notice us. Basil checked his cats new and empowered stats once again. And you can help with that. Name to (Rakshasa Kitten) Type Beast/Demon Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 229,684/250,000 Immune Resist Weak All illusion effects, Mind. Soul, Wind, Wood, Darkness, Mythic, Ailments. Beastyer, Demonyer, Corrosion, Metal. Level Health Points Special Points 36 1500 730 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 19 (C+20%) 55 (A+20%) 22 (C+20%) 55 (A+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 37 (B+20%) 24 (C+20%) 31 (C+20%) 54 (A+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment - Strong Strong Weak Weak Strong - Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic - - - Strong - - - Strong Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Sharp ws Focus Up Somnonapper Windfang Birdbane Catnapping Nine Lives N/A Swordsmanship I N/A Pawerful Dao N/A Manbane N/A Illusionist IV N/A Personal Perks:
  • Sharp ws: tos ws inflict SKI-based damage. He gains advanced proficiency with unarmed attacks, fangs, and ws (x2 damage, +10 Crit).
  • Somnonapper: while under a [Sleep] effect, to recovers HP as if he benefited from the [Regen] positive ailment. Additionally, his body will act on its own to dodge attacks and retaliate.
  • Birdbane: tos attacks with natural weapons inflict [Birdyer] damage (x3 damage against [Avian] Types).
  • Nine Lives: When to would die, he instead benefits from an [Auto-Revive] effect bringing him back to life at critical health; this also purges to of ailments. to can be revived eight times before the Perk bes inactive. 6/9
  • Swordsmanship I: Medium proficiency with swords (x1,5 damage).
  • Pawerful Dao: to can run on vertical structures, and even ceilings so long as he remains in motion. Additionally, the length of his jumps is doubled.
  • Manbane: tos attacks with natural weapons inflict [Manyer] damage (x3 damage against [Humanoid] Types).
  • Illusionist IV: The Rakshasas mastery of illusions transcends schools of magic. to can learn and cast spells up to Tier IV from any school of magic, but only illusion-rted spells.
Active Perks:
  • Focus Up: 30 SP, [Support]. Buffs Luck, Skill, and Crits chances for five minutes.
  • Windfang: 60 SP, [Wind], Technique. to can unleash a sharp de of wind with any ded weapon, ws and fangs included; proficiency bonuses apply depending on the weapon used (base [Wind] damage 100, +30% crit).
  • Catnapping: 50 SP, [Support]. to can designate a foe within his line of sight. On a sessful luck check, all the enemys buffs are transferred to to as if they had been cast on him in the first ce.
All in all, tos metamorphosis had granted him an enormous boost in power and versatility; though Basil suspected he would have traded it all for a noble roar. You should train with Vasi and learn illusion spells while I figure something out, Basil said. Well have a tough fight on our hands. Are you giving me homework again? to cleared his throat, his voice filled with mock outrage. After I killed so many birds so that you might sleep without worry? After dirtying my paws with blood and sand for your sake? Its not homework if you enjoy it, Basil replied with a smirk. See? See? You admit to feeding off my pain. to wagged his tail. Honestly, is the situation really so bad? You wouldnt ask me to train otherwise. Lets just say well need more prep work. Basil raised his binocrs and looked west. Infiltrating the catbs will be a challenge, let alone the Louvre Pyramid. Your illusion spells could make the difference. You should have started with recognizing my peerless talent before asking me to do chores, to joked, his eyes set on the pyramid dungeon. Are we sure the hippie is inside it? For all we know, he turned tail and left for another city. Hopefully somewhere without snow. Basil summoned Kalkis conch shell from his inventory and yed a few notes. to winced in response, much to his owners annoyance. Im not that bad, Basil protested. I wouldnt wish your recital on a dog, to replied. Ill let you record my song for bullying purposes, Basil joked back before following through with his melody. As per Walter Tyes magic, a shining arrow of light materialized above his head. It reminded Basil of quest markers in games. The arrow turned around slightly and pointed straight at the Louvre Pyramid. You know, to said. As far as hints go, that one is surprisingly straightforward. We had to pay for it, Basil replied with a grunt as the arrow disappeared. Maybe youll find a spell that will let you grow a mane. Or an illusion to disguise your awful singing, to shot back before fleeing back into the hospital. See youter, vedriver. Basil smiled and summoned documents from his inventory. The first was a sketch of the catbs gifted to him by BuzzBand, the other a map of Paris. Although thetter wasnt up to date, Basil used his current observation position topare it to the current reality. Paris was no stranger to roadblocks and traffic jams, but the citys transformation had only worsened the situation. Every path Basil observed with his binocrs were either blocked or crawling with monsters. All those above ground anyway. The metro seems like our best shot for now, Basil noted as he examined the maps. If we take line 8 and then 6, we should reach the Denfert-Rochereau station. Its right next to the catbs, so well just have to dig our way inside. This path should allow the Bohens to ess the pyramid without being spotted by flyers, though Basil couldnt tell how the situation looked underground. BuzzBands members warned him that the catbs crawled with undead and considering the citys current state, he would have bet a hand that monsters took over the metro tunnels too. More worryingly, Basil had yet to see other humans so far. The Apocalypse Force employed yers, but he didnt see any of them among the forces protecting the Eiffel Tower. Perhaps they were hiding inside the dungeon or gathering their strength somewhere else. Ive got a bad feeling about this, Basil muttered to himself as he studied the Eiffel Tower. Mechanical monsters worked on building te coils on the buildings metal legs. Are they upgrading the dungeon somehow? Mister, Mister! Rosemarine called out. Basil walked to the roofs edge and looked down. His tropidrake had buried most of the Steamobile under a sand dune, except for the entrance. Im almost done! Good job, Basil congratted her from above. With the Steamobile so well-camouged, Fire Seeds should be enough to take care of it while the rest of the party infiltrated the pyramid on foot. Well entomb the entranceter. It will be quieter than a tomb, Rosemarine chirped. I will stash our victims in a coffin of steel and sand. You have my permission to eat them before they be undead, Basil replied with a smile. Lets skip the burial step. I love you so much, Mister, Rosemarine replied before licking her fangs. Aww adorable. A bit shameful, but understandable. Zachariels voice and the sound of pping wings echoed behind Basil. The angel dropped the invisibility effect as hended on the roof. I am ready to report, Sir. Whats the situation on the ground? Basil asked. He had sent the angel, Shellgirl, and Bugsy to secure the area around the hospital. I believe we have found a suitable location for a Lair capable of sustaining a Teleportation Circle. A strange cavern called, I quote, Maisons-Alfort Les Juilliottes. The metro station? ording to the map, it was located right between the unemployment and the cotisations offices. Only the foulest of monsters would dare to make it their home. A level 25 scorpion monster did, but we had no issue dealing with it. Such a feat would have been noteworthy in the past, but by now Basils team didnt even receive experience from it. Our mutual friends are hard at work reinforcing the area in preparation for iming it as a Lair. Ill ask Rosemarine to spawn Fire Seeds to help you, Basil replied as he nced at the sky. The sun would disappear beyond the horizon within an hour or so. Lets finish this before nightfall. ording to the field, the city will turn into a Walking Dead rerun soon enough. I am not familiar with the reference, but I agree. Zachariel nodded sagely. If we can create a teleportation bridge with Bordeaux as the general asked, we could summon immediate reinforcements. Hopefully, Basil agreed. But I would rather assume that were on our own for now. It beats being disappoint
Congrattions, yers of Earth!
A notification appeared in front of Basils eyes, immediately ruining his mood. Is Christmas early too? Basil snorted. Or is it a surprise Thanksgiving?
Thanks to your hard work, you have unlocked a new [Incursion] event! The kids gloves areing off!
Damn it. Basils jaw clenched as he read. The message wasnt unexpected after Nessias warnings a few weeks back, but it stillplicated matters.
As a reminder for those who missed the first one, [Incursions] are worldwide phenomena where Earth temporarily connects to Trimurti Systempatible universes. Rifts will transport yers, monsters, dungeons, treasures, and evenndmasses from other worlds!
[Incursions] are time-limited and centered around rifts; check the closest location with your [Logs] option. Experience gains will be boosted and extremely rare items will spawn within the rifts vicinity.
Thanks to your hard work, the [Level Barrier] has now been raised to 60!
Sixty? Basil choked in horror. Is that a typo? I read sixty too, sir, Zachariel replied grimly as he watched his own screen. This is bothersome. Oh right, and Paris had a minor weather problem. Before Basil could wonder how and why they jumped from a level limit of 25 to 60, the System somehow managed to pile up another bomb atop the pile of bad news.
yers, monsters, and dungeons up to level 60 will be able to cross over! Existing dungeons will also increase in difficulty!
The [Incursion] will begin in 72 hours andst for a full Earth week (168 hours for those who cant count)! You cant miss it, but you can survive it!
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse.
The head start was wee, but the events length caused Basils blood to freeze in his veins. He reread the message twice, to make sure he hadnt misread. The first question that crossed his mind was: what had Dismaker Labs board been smoking? What kind of magical drug could make a week-long interdimensional invasion look like a good idea? The second was, did they even control the process? Did anyone? A week, Basil whispered in shock. A week. The next Incursion wouldst for a full week. Thest one took five hours to end, during which tide after tide of monsters emerged from the rifts. Even Basils team hadnt managed to y all the creatures that spawned out of Daxs portal. He doubted that all the creatures going through it would reach the maximum level, but if waves of monsters in their thirties or forties crossed over What the hell were they thinking? Basil wondered out loud. As if on cue, the stars shone brighter in the greenish sky. A golden circuit started to slowly link them together, as it did once in Dax. History was repeating itself. How could they hope to survive this? They did possess great powers, Zachariel pointed out. Not enough to beat a party in their thirties, Basil pointed out. Unless unless they expected to grow in power with the dungeons. That was the most likely exnation. When Ronald imed Chteau Muloup, his level was set to align with his dungeons. He would only grow in power with Incursions. It was theziest method to gain power, one that demanded next to no effort except waiting for time; no doubt the board would flock to it. Plutos control over the Louvre Pyramid all but confirmed it. Pay-to-win users will be fine as always, but everyone else Basil shook his head. Three days of calm followed by a week-long storm Mankind was tethering at the edge, struggling to rebuild. The next Incursion would destroy all its progress and eradicate what was left of civilization. So few would survive Sir, all is not lost, Zachariel argued, though his trembling voice betrayed his doubts. If we can destroy this citys dungeons, perhaps we can slow down the process. Yeah, right, they still had time. We need to capture Pluto within that time frame, Basil replied. If he administers the Neutotowerwork or part of it, we can force him to sabotage the Incursion before it begins. Hopefully. It was a long shot, but Basil didnt see any other alternative. He opened his Logs to check the closest rift. His System map showed him a swirling vortex located right above the Eiffel Tower.
Rift Destination: Famines Wastnd.
Ruling Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Max SpawnLevel: 60.
Bonus: Experience gains are increased by 50% within ten kilometers of the rift. High-quality items will randomly appear within its vicinity.
Field Type: Desert.
  • [Fire], [Earth], [Wind], and [Light] elements are empowered.
  • [Wood], [Water], and [Frost] elements are weakened.
  • [Sandstorm]: The [Sandstorm] weather condition will generate spontaneously at random intervals.
Basil silently turned to face the Eiffel Tower. Thunderclouds gathered at the top of its te coil alongside crimson particles. No doubt would the rift snap open once the countdown reached its end.
You have a new message from: [Apollyon, Horseman of Famine]. You can check it in your Logs.
Basil opened it without fear. It was short and to the point.
APOLLYON: I told you, Bohen. I aming. For you.
Basil red at the Eiffel Tower, imagined it burning like a candlelike his houseand then forwarded his answer.
BASIL: Bring it, bug. Ill send you where you belong.
BASIL: Under my heel.
Chapter 68: Man vs Coffee Chapter 68: Man vs Coffee Metro 2033 had primed Basil for underground adventures. Taking ce after a nuclear war, the video game seriesadapted from a book Basil had never gotten around to readingshowcased a society of survivors struggling in dense subway tunnels, with tribal factions fighting over supplies in an epic struggle rife with moral ambiguity. Basil had expected to kill neo-nazis with his right hand and strangle Marxist-Leninists with the left. Yet reality turned out to be a disappointment, even after it started running on video game logic. The dungeons magic that turned Paris into an Egyptian exhibit affected its metro too. The underground was still the tangled maze of narrow passages, steep esctors, and train rails that Basil had learned to despise since hisst visit to the city many years ago. Disappointingly, the changes since had beenrgely cosmetic: hieroglyphs appeared instead of ads stered on the walls, and the smell of dry rot reced the musty odor of the Parisian people. Fire Seeds dusted away ayer of sand covering the various train tforms. As for the vehicles themselves, naught but rusty husks remained of the once thriving fleet of subway trains. No human pigers had taken refuge underground, nor ambushed the party. Well build a gym here, to keep the rabbits healthy, Bugsy exined as he and Shellgirl gave Basil a tour of the facilities. The two hadnt wasted time clearing up the metro station. Itll be right between the spa and the tennis court. Tennis? Basil asked absentmindedly. The news about the Incursion upied his mind and he could barely focus on the current discussion. Why tennis? Because a golf field would intimidate middle-ss shoppers and scare them away, Shellgirl exined as if it made any sense. Ive read in a book that tennis is more popr with average human ie earners, and since Paris is the most developed region in France, weve got to hook these fishes by the balls. The tennis balls. Basil had always known that once the nuclear dust settled, only tennis yers would survive to rebuild civilization. The world was just that unjust. But thats in the far future, Boss, Bugsy said as they walked past a train tform. Vasi helped to train with illusions on the other side of it. For now the priority is the chicken coop. Of course, Basil replied, before freezing in ce. A snack vending machine stood right next to a coffee dispenser, both leaning against a stone wall covered in hieroglyphs. The sight alone was strange, but neither device showed signs of having been ransacked by desperate survivors. A quick nce at them confirmed Basils worries.
Muggy (Caffeine Mimic)
Level 21 [Artificial/Slime]
Guild: Homeowners Revenge Association (Shellgirl World Company).
Snackmaster (Snack Mimic)
Level 21 [Artificial/Slime]
Guild: Homeowners Revenge Association (Shellgirl World Company).
A coffee machine mimic? Basil shuddered. Now thats just evil. Oh, I havent introduced you to our new recruits! Shellgirl waved a hand at the two machines. This is Muggy and the stacked boy is Snackmaster! I found them in the tunnels and pitched them well! Hello, Mr. Bohen! the coffee machine said with a young boys voice. Eyes appeared above the devices selection screen. Im so happy to join the Shellgirl World Company! Yeah, its grinding time. The snack machines delivery box opened to reveal teeth. Well show you our resolve, sir! Im just the major shareholder, Basil deadpanned. Shellgirl is the managing partner. Thats right, Im the brain and hes the mortgage, Shellgirl gloated. Now Partner, hear me out. These boys can produce real food and drinks after eating money. And who needs food and drinks nowadays? Everybody? Basil asked with a sigh. Exactly! Shellgirl chirped. Once the teleporting gate opens, humans with deep pockets wille out! We force demand to meet supply! With a five percent cut! the coffee machine chirped. I spent my time eating anyone passing by, but then Shellgirl told me I could make money without my food fighting back, Snackmaster said. You know what they say, steal from a human and youll be fed for a day. Teach him to steal for you, and youll be fed for a lifetime. That sounds pretty smart, Basil agreed. The longer he examined the coffee machines selection, the less he managed to resist his caffeine addiction. Can I put in an order? Muggy, this is your chance. Shellgirl patted the coffee machine. Try to pitch him as if he were a client! I-I, Ill give you a wish if you take a cappino! The coffee machine let out worried sounds. I I ept all currencies except rubles! It tastes like vodka, his snack machine twin said. Pay me with it and Ill vomit a live grenade. Duly noted, Basil replied before slipping old euro coins into Muggys hole. The coffee machine made a strange sound that sent shivers down his spine. A cup appeared in the detector and started to fill up with precious ck liquid. It warmed Basils heart. Even if he were to die in three days, at least it would be with veins full of ck, bitter liquid. So, uh Muggys words trailed off as the cup filled out. Nice weather, uh? If you call a giant rift in the sky threatening to exterminate my entire species nice, then yeah, Basil replied sourly. He noticed Bugsy and Shellgirl exchanging ufortable nces at his side. Its nice. Oh, oh, thats rough, buddy. The coffee machine clearly struggled with small talk. I struggle with future anxiety too. I always wonder when the next high-level monster will emerge from the tunnels to eat me. How do you deal with it? Basil asked. The anxiety? By brewing coffee, the mimic replied. I find purpose in simple things. Steaming hot milk dripped from the machine as Basil watched on in silence. The white liquid melted within the tight confines of the cup, tainting the bitter ckness of coffee brown. Basil couldnt help but think of something else as he observed the scene unfolding before his eyes. Im finished! Muggy dered with pride. He sounded vaguely exhausted by the effort. I hope youll like it! I poured my heart into it! Basil wondered if the mimic meant that literally as he seized the cup. Be gentle, Partner, Shellgirl whispered. Youre his first client. Basil Bohen was a coffee addict. Caffeine fueled his body and soul more than water. Yet for the first time in his life, he looked at a cup with apprehension rather than hunger. Y-You dont like it? Muggy asked in panic. Its hot, Basil said. He immediately regretted the turn of phrase. Ill drink itter. Oh, okay. Take your time. Muggys eyes closed in happiness. And uh about your question, can I suggest something? Sure, Basil replied absentmindedly. The world is a veryplicated ce. Thats what makes it scary, I think. The coffee mimic let out a sound that sounded like dripping water. When I was born a few months ago, everything felt so big and strange. I didnt know what to do. So much stuff happened around me and I had no idea how to deal with it. So I stopped trying. You cant just ignore everything happening around you, Basil pointed out. At least, he couldnt. No, no, ah, Im terrible at this Muggy paused a few seconds until he found the right words. Its not that I ignore all theplex stuff, its that I focus on the small things I can truly change; not the things that I think I can change. I cant beat the high-level monsters around the city or clean up the tunnel but I can brew coffee. If each cup I create brings happiness to someone, then itll have made a huge difference in the long-run. I think the same too! Bugsy chirped happily. Even if they walked over it, a fence will still slow down an invader for a few seconds. It might seem meaningless, but it could give a rabbit precious seconds to escape! I dont know what a rabbit is, but sure! Muggy replied. Small simple cups add up into big ck puddles, see what I mean? I do, Basil replied. A little. Although he hadnt expected that kind of philosophy from a sentient coffee machine, he felt a little happier from listening to the creature. Thank you. Youre wee, Muggy replied. Im always here if you need to talk! And like that, the mimic had earned its first repeat customer. Are there mimics for every home appliance? Basil asked as Bugsy and Shellgirl continued on with the visit. He heard the two mimic machines exchange tips to help clients feel better as he left them behind. Basil found it strangely uplifting. Almost, Shellgirl replied. Were very good at adapting to new markets. At this point, the chests are probably extinct. Many monsters in the tunnels were eager to join us rather than fight, Bugsy added. The Incursion message spooked many of them. A wise choice. With the huge jump in power from the first Incursion to the second, weaker monsters faced a choice: either they struggled to earn as much experience as possible within the next three days or they banded together for safety. Quantity was a quality all of its own. Shellgirl, Bugsy. Basil cleared his throat. Why are you doing this? His two friends tensed up. Doing what? Shellgirl asked, pretending not to know. Apollyon will cross over the portal in three days t. The next Incursion will kill millions unless we can stop it, something which may be entirely beyond our power. Basil sighed. So why this circus about tennis courts and adventurer economy? Shouldnt you focus on more important matters? He didnt want to scold them, not now, but he was at his wits end. We are focusing on whats important, Partner, Shellgirl replied with surprising seriousness. Namely, lifting your spirits. Basil frowned in confusion, so Bugsy went on to borate. Shellgirl and I spoke after receiving the Incursion message, Boss. We thought you would appreciate a good distraction. I appreciate the gesture, Basil replied. But we dont have the time for it. Look, Partner, we arent blind. Shellgirl crossed her arms and stood her ground. All that stuff about Apollyon, gods, Kalki, Dismaker Labs, and souls and whatever, its been weighing on your mind since that fight in Chteau Muloup. But you dont share that weight. Of course I dont, Basil snapped in frustration. At the end of the day, he was the leader of his little group. He set his partys direction and his morale affected everyone else by osmosis. He couldnt afford to look worried or confused, lest it be contagious. Boss, I admire you, I truly do, Bugsy said with worry. But I have to tell the truth. Your behavior Its unhealthy. You take on all our fears and sadness on yourself until you drown in it. You only really open up with to, and Vasi now that youre dating her, Shellgirl pointed out. We want to help too. You already do, Basil reassured them. But trying to change my mind isnt the way to go It is! Bugsy snarled. His sudden outburst snapped Basil out of his mncholy and made him step back in surprise. Bugsy he whispered, but the centimagma wouldnt let him finish. Boss, I have to set my foot down on this. Everything changed since the house was destroyed, I get that. Things will never return to how they were before. Our happier times are behind us. Bugsy let out a sigh of smoke. But there are happy times ahead of us too, he said. There are happy times happening now. Thats why we moved from one side of this human country to the other. Not to survive, but so we can live happy moments. Shellgirl and I wanted to remind you of what were fighting for, Boss. Someonehad to. Shellgirl smiled kindly. Vasi and to do their best, but we have to pick up the ck too. You said it yourself. This is a democracy. We all have to contribute or else it doesnt work. I Basil opened his mouth and closed it immediately. The wise opened their mouths because they had something to say, and the fools because they had to say something. Bugsys words had given him pause. Indeed, it felt like a lifetime since Basil had left the house and his simpler life. Each new fight, each conflict had broadened his horizon and increased the scope of his war against Earths invaders. Basil had looked at an ever-increasing picture, until he forgot how much he enjoyed the smaller details. Maybe Muggy was onto something. Maybe Basil needed to take his eyes off from the vastness of the universe when it overwhelmed him. Partner, Ive realized something as we traveled, Shellgirl said with a hand on her chest. Ive sold items to humans and bought others from monsters. And while I love money and grinding it out, neither is an end in itself. Now you jest, Basil teased her. I know. Shellgirl chuckled, although her eyes showed her inner thoughts. She spoke from the heart. What I wanted most of all was to make friends. To do something other than fight everyone I encounter, as this System demands. Basil had suspected as much for a while, so it didnt surprise him much. But to hear Shellgirl say it still shook him. He looked at her and remembered their first meeting, when she showed up at his house unannounced to peddle wares and wouldnt take no for an answer. How much she had changed since. That''s why I took these two in. Shellgirl nced at her fellow mimics. Theyre like me, small little monsters who dont have it in their heart to be monsters. They deserve our help too. Monster lives matter? Basil said with a smile. Im kidding. I get it. You better. Shellgirl smirked. Its not always about saving humans. Other lives count too. Especially since many of these monsters were reincarnated humans in the first ce. Basil briefly wondered if Shellgirls maturity came from her past life, before realizing otherwise. She had survived an Apocalypse Force culling and came out of the experience wishing to be something more than a mindless killer. Each monster was its own individual, unrted to the past. Her wisdom was all her. Yeah. Basil nodded to himself. Yeah, well make the world better. For humans and monsters alike. And well find happiness somewhere along the way. Thats the spirit, Shellgirl said. Its not always about business. Im with you, Boss, Bugsy chirped. Every step of the way. Basil felt warmer inside, and not just for the coffee cup in his hand. After this heart-to-heart chat, Shellgirl led the ground to a railway tunnel. Fire Seeds finished binding together a great ring of stone spanning the subway entrance. Zachariel traced runes of power on its surface. A Stargate prop? Basil mused. Is that truly necessary? Perhaps not, Sir, Zachariel replied as he added the final symbol in a long sequence. But Lair features arent an exact science. All details help. Alright, its my big moment. Bugsy gathered his breath. im Lair!
Bugsy registered the Lair: Metro Station Maisons-Alfort Les Juilliottes
LP: 36
Faction: Homeowners Revenge Association (The Bohens)
Field Type: Industrial.
  • [Corrosion], [Metal], [Fire], [Water], and [Lightning] elements are empowered.
  • [Soul], [Wood], and [Wind] elements are weakened.
  • [Improved Processes]: Buffs and positive effectsst longer.
The same Field Type as Rens house. He hoped the mimics would grow attached to this station too. Teleport Circle, I, II, III! Bugsy shouted. The ring of stone immediately started to glow as the feature activated. Basil drank his cappino while everyone watched the runes glowing on their own. Its working! Space bent within the rings confines and rippled like water. The surface took on a blue hue, much like a very famous TV series. Basil glimpsed vague reflections of a cathedral hall and stained ss on the other side. Armored soldiers soon walked out of the functioning portal, Neria Elissalde first among them. To Basils surprise, General Lenc followed after the Major. The French leader hade not with a chest full of medals, but a bulletproof vest. Congrattions, Bugsy, Basil said before offering a military salute. General? You came in person? Of course, the old man replied before shaking Basils hand. His hold was firm, but warm. You have taken great risks to reach this ce and help establish a foothold, so I came to congratte you in person. What kind of warmander does not visit the front now and then? The cowardly kind. Basil was d that at least some authorities rose up to the challenge rather than staying safe at the rear. I am d that you all made it through to Paris in one piece, said the General as he surveyed the area. Is your dragon outside? Shes keeping watch over the entrance, since she cant fit inside the tunnels, Basil replied. Ive designed a workaround, but since itll weaken her I intended to keep it forter. Well relieve you. The General turned to a few of his soldiers. Go outside and establish a defensive perimeter. Yes, Sir, the soldiers replied before moving towards the exit in short order. Their firearms glowed with the power of runes. More of theirrades crossed the portal to upy the metro station. How many soldiers did you bring? Basil asked. Not much, the General admitted with a scowl. The new Incursion forced me to reassess my ns. Our allies report rifts forming all across Europe. Basil could read between the lines. Since the chances of preventing the Incursion were slim to none, the army needed to deploy forces to secure other poption centers rather than focus on Paris. Basil couldnt fault them. Blowing up dungeons and capturing Benjamin Leroy were both long shots. I sent you as many squads as I could afford to. General Lenc turned to face Neria. The Major will be in charge of them. Unfortunately, it will take us a few days to bring our heavy equipment through the portal, Neria said, her arms folded. We should be ready by the day of the Incursion, but well be undermanned until then. So well infiltrate the pyramid on our own, Basil decided. He had already nned as much without expecting support. Apollyon will enter our world through Paris portal in three days. Oh, well wee him properly. Neria smiled. Were bringing heavy artillery. Well shell the bugs with lead and death. I love the sound of that, Shellgirlmented with a grin. I cant wait to eat Apollyon. I thought you were a vegetarian? Bugsy asked in confusion. I will make an exception for him, the mimic replied, her arms folding. That ho deserves it. Its payback time, Basil said. One way or another, he wont escape Paris alive. I swear it. The General nodded in agreement. We must prevent the Horseman of Famine from crossing over if we can, and if we fail, destroy him before he can establish a foothold on this side of the rift. His demise will be a crippling blow to the Apocalypse Force. What about the Unity? Basil asked. Anything new from their side? Thats the great unknown, General Lenc conceded. The ISS is positioned above Paris in a stationary orbit. I suspect they have learned of Apollyons arrival and intend to intercept him once he crosses over. We have ns in ce to shoot down the ISS if necessary, but Ive decided to hold off for now. Orbital missiles are a trump card we cant afford to overy. Nerias expression turned grimmer. Basil, I will be on standby if you ever need to activate you know what. The Baguette. The nuclear activation device remained safely in Basils inventory for the entire trip to Paris. He had considered using it to blow up the Louvre Pyramid from afar and be done with it, but Kalkis presence inside the dungeonplicated matters. Cant use it yet, Basil said. Not until Kalki is safe and sound. Even then, Im not sure it would destroy the dungeons. These things can recover from almost any damage unless the core server is destroyed. There is another alternative, the General pointed out. Rifts work both ways, correct? If we fail to prevent the portal above Paris from opening, we can simply send the package through. It would deal a powerful blow to the Apocalypse Force. It would be one way to off Apollyon for sure. Yet somehow Basil doubted it would be as easy to pull off as it sounded. I wont judge, General Lenc said. As I told you in Bordeaux, Bohen, you and Major Elissalde have carte nche to make the call. I hope we wont have to use it, Neria admitted. But if the situation worsens we might not have a choice. Yeah, I agree. Basil nodded. Alright then, well be on our way to the catbs then. Well stay in touch through the Logs to coordinate. Before you leave, young man, I have some good news I wanted to impart on you. Much to Basils surprise, both General Lenc and Major Elissalde smiled at him. Its confirmed. She is alive. Basils heart skipped a beat. He had a pretty good idea of who the General was speaking of, but he still feltpelled to ask. Who? Your mother, of course, the older man replied. How strange how two simple words could weigh so heavily on a sons mind. They rang in the back of Basils mind as hisrades turned to look at him with unreadable eyes. His facial expression didnt change, but his mind worked furiously to process this new information. Aleksandra Bohen, wife of thete Dragan Bohen, mother of Basil Bohen and currently working in Varnas suburbs as a grocery shopkeeper, Neria listed. Thats her, isnt it? Yes, Basil replied. His throat suddenly dried up, and he struggled toe up with an answer. Yes. Your countrymen showed their mettle, General Lenc said with a hint of respect. Arge guild of them, the Swords of Saint George, has managed to maintain order in the eastern side of Bulgaria. Their leadership informed me that your mother was evacuated to a safe zone soon after the Systems arrival. The news filled Basils heart with pride. He always knew the proud Bulgarian people would triumph over anything. Yet, as much as it shamed him, a part of Basil had already expected his mother to have perished in the apocalypse. She was a middle-aged shopkeeper on her way to retirement, not a soldier. Basil doubted she ever unlocked a fighting ss of any kind. In a way, it had made it easier for her son to process the apocalypse. He couldnt fear for his mothers safety if he had already lost her. Out of sight, out of mind. He had been mistaken. His mother had survived against all odds. Basil wasnt sure what he felt at this realization. He hadnt spoken to his mother in a long, long time, though he still cared for her. None of their issues nor disagreement could change the fact that they were family. Can I talk to her? Basil asked. His own words surprised him. Six months ago, he wouldnt have uttered them. Not today, young man, the General replied. Sadly. But soon, Neria promised. Im working to establish a line ofmunication. I owe you that. I I would be thankful. Basil nodded sharply. Thank you, Neria. Basil expected the threat of the next Incursion to fill his heart with doubt. Instead, he peaked with newfound resolve. His friends were there for him, and he would live to talk to his family again. No matter the cost. Apocalypse Tamer Book I is now up on Amazon and Audible! Apocalypse Tamer Book I is now up on Amazon and Audible! Hi guys, The time hase; the first volume of Apocalypse Tamer has now been released on Kindle Unlimited and Audible! The audio performance is done by Jack Voraces, the same narrator who worked on the Vainqueur the Dragon series, Never Die Twice, and Mother of Learning. Amazon: /amazon/B0B984L86W Audible: /pd/Apocalypse-Tamer-A-LitRPG-Adventure-Audiobook/B0BLP4V4KT As always, I would like to thank you all for having followed and supported the story all the way to its publication; I hope the following volumes will entertain you just as much. As always, all reviews and shout-outs are appreciated. Best regards, Voidy. Chapter 69: Man vs Catacombs Chapter 69: Man vs Catbs The tunnels were grinning at Basil. He almost missed the cold, sterile walls of the Paris underground. There was no one beneath the citys concrete, no water or peopleonly dreadful silence. The transit system had fallen into disrepair, leaving its tunnels empty and almost safe to journey through. It should have been a sign that something terrible frightened monsters away from the citys depths, but the party progressed through them nheless. They had rested and prepared as much as the ticking clock would allow. They had traveled through the subway, used Bugsy to dig tunnels whenever they encountered a roadblock, and finally found a way into the catbs three hours into their search. In doing so, they had left thefort of civilization for the world of the dead. Corpses formed the catbs foundations. Walls of skulls supported arched ceilings of bones, kept barely illuminated by ephemeral ghostlights. The ce felt neither cold nor warm; the air was dry and thick with dust. Strange noises often echoed through this maze of death: pained cries, cracking bones, and the sound of an invisible wind blowing in the distance. Still nothing? Basil asked Bugsy as he and the centimagma advanced at the groups vanguard. His fiery halberd provided a measure of light, as did a me floating inside Vasis opened hand. We were told this ce was crawling with undead monsters. I detect footsteps a few tunnels ahead, Boss, Bugsy whispered back, his voice so low that Basil could barely hear him. But theyre few and far between. I smell dust and rot everywhere, to warned behind Basil. Although the cat was usually sent ahead of the group to scout, the current terrain made it a risky proposition. Basil had seen enough Indiana Jones and Mummy movies to know that underground tombs always included trapdoors and closing walls. The party couldnt afford to split up. This ce gives me the creeps. Wait for me, Rosemarine protested as she closed the march. Once as long as a bus, she had shrunk to the size of arge alligator. I miss open spaces Rosemarines size had presented quite the challenge for Basil: the tropidrake was too big to fit into the tunnels, but also integral to the partysposition and a trusted teammate. He had considered switching her for Zacharielwho remained at the Lair base with Neriabefore finding a different solution. His Jekyll & Stein alchemy manual had once again proved its weight in gold. One of its potions, Gullivers Drink, allowed the user to temporarily shrink in size for hours at the cost of halving physical stats for the same duration. Basil managed to craft three doses, enough to let Rosemarine apany the party into the catbs. Somehow, dwarfism had made her even cuter. Basil had nicknamed this form Chibimarine. How far are we from the dungeon? Vasi asked Shellgirl, who was busy examining the teams maps. Close, Shellgirl replied. We need to take left at the next crossroads and then right. Were almost to the quarry. Which, ording to BuzzBands map, was the junction between the catbs and Plutos dungeon. Basil suspected that the Louvres za was right above their heads. We have progressed so far and yet to face opposition. Vasi shook her head. I cant believe our foes wouldnt send anyone to patrol the underground. Me neither, Basil said grimly. The catbs arent exactly a state secret either. We should have encountered resistance by now. Basils eyes darted from one wall to another. The skulls and bones making up the foundations often formed ghastly designs of broken hearts, arrows, and Christian crosses. He stopped upon noticing fingerbones assembled into a sentence.
Lasciate ogni speranza, voi que entrate.
Abandon all hope, ye who enter here, Basil tranted. How charming. Be wary, handsome, Vasi warned him. I disabled a few trap glyphs as we walked. These words can trigger curses if spoken aloud. Duly noted, Basil replied, only for Bugsy to freeze in ce. What is it? Enemies iing, Boss, the centimagma warned, his antennae touching the ground as he spoke. Two of them, maybe more. Basil cursed. Their luck had to run out at one point. Can we avoid them? I dont think so, Boss, Bugsy replied. Theyre in our way. All right, then lets finish them off quickly before they can sound the rm. Basil almost weed the interruption after the monotone, underground journey. Everyone, time to buff it up. Be thankful, I shall grace you with my new illusion powers! to joined his palm and activated his new sorcery. Mirage! Good work, oh king of cats, Vasi said before casting her favorite spell. Hasten. Motivate! Shellgirl added. The buffs empowered Basil and swiftly spread to his team.
[Mirage] status! Your chances of dodging Physical attacks are doubled for three minutes!
[Hasten] status! Your speed is doubled for two minutes!
Your uracy and critical hit chances have been increased for five minutes!
[All for One] shared your buffs with your allies!
A pity Basil couldnt drink Vasis mind-protecting potion yet. Since it canceled shapeshifting effects, it would disable Rosemarines chibi form and immediately return her to normal size. Hopefully, he wouldnt need it until they reached the pyramid. The enemy appeared at the end of the tunnel. Basil blinked in surprise at the sight. Instead of a monster, a little human girl no older than ten stood in the partys way. She was white and immacte from her feet and dress to her skin and eyes. Her facial features were blurry, to the point Basil struggled to recognize her face.
[Monster Insight] cannot work on this target.
Who are you? Basil asked, raising his halberd for battle. Doesnt matter if you look underage, Ill hit you anyway. Poor choice of words, to joked, causing Vasi to chuckle. Shes too old for you anyway. Before Basil could utter a clever retort, the white girl vanished as swiftly as she appeared. Huh? Shellgirl asked. What was that? I didnt hear hering, Bugsy apologized. Im sorry, Boss. I couldnt read her stats, Vasi said. She must have been an illusion. Nah, I can see through those, to replied. As creepy as it sounds, she was real. Quiet, all of you, Basil whispered. Bugsy said two monsters are nearby. They could be Whos there? a voice called from the next tunnel. Listening. Basil cursed as two shambling mummies walked into sight, their bandages wrapped around jewels and golden funerary masks.
Mummy Guardians
Level 30 [Undead/Humanoid]
Faction: Metal Olympus (Psychopompos).
Immune: Soul, all ailments.
Resist: Frost, Earth, Darkness, Mythic.
Weak: Deadyer, Manyer, Wood, Life, Water, Light.
The new vanguard of the Franco-Egyptian fashion circuit, these monsters showcase thetest trend in funerary practices. Undeath: dont settle on lifelike.
Oh, and they had rifles. I told you, Seti! one of the mummies rasped. I heard vermin! Shoot them! itspanion shouted. The monster raised its weapon at the Bohens, his finger twitching on the trigger. Shoot Basil and Bugsy closed the gap between them in the blink of an eye. Their bodies blurred from the sheer speed, surprising the mummies before they could open fire. Basil sliced one in half in a single swing, head to groin, while Bugsy crushed the others skull with his mandibles. Basil, above you! to shouted a warning. Basil looked up to see a scythe phasing through the ceiling. The de fell as swiftly as a guillotine, but Basils Hasten buff let him dodge. The scythe cut through the ground, and its wielder revealed itself as a cloaked specter with a skull for a face. As Basil pivoted to strike back, shouts echoed through the tunnel. Bedsheet ghosts with mes for eyes and shuttered mouths emerged from the walls to strike with ckened hands of solid shadows. Basil cursed hisck of foresight. Of course underground catbs would be teeming with ghosts! Since they were intangible, neither Bugsy nor tos enhanced senses could detect them!
Deathscyther
Level 29 [Undead]
Faction: Metal Olympus (Psychopompos).
Tomb Haunter
Level 18 [Undead]
Faction: Metal Olympus (Psychopompos).
Basil moved too fast to make full use of his Monster Insight Perk, and he didnt need it. Their enemies were all Undead Types; that fact alone spelled their demise. The scythe monster swung his weapon in an attempt to behead Bugsy before the centimagma could recover from his surprise. Basil parried the blow, their des locking. Bugsy immediately attempted to back up his friend by striking the specter, but his mandibles harmlessly phased through its incorporeal substance. Physical attacks wont help, Vasi warned as she sted a ghost with fire and fury. Shellgirl stored the maps in her inventory before firing ice projectiles in all directions. to struck with des of wind as more specters emerged from the walls. Use fire and magic! Pick a god and pray, strangers, the reaper taunted Basil as it raised its scythe for another strike. Youre outnumbered. Perhaps. Basil swung his halberd with all his might, cut through the scythe, and sliced the undead spirit in half. The undead could only stare in shock as the Soulbound weapon shredded its incorporeal form. But youre outmatched!
Supereffective hit! Critical hit!
One blow was all it took. By the time the reaper had dissipated into a cloud of smoke, Basil was already moving on to the next target. His Soulbound halberd tore through one ghost after another, ying them in one blow. Having recovered from his surprise, Bugsy switched to his fiery breath and sted one ghost after another with it. Mister, Mister! Only Rosemarine struggled to pull her weight, as theck of luminosity prevented her from using her beam attack. She was reduced to fruitlessly snapping her jaw at enemies she couldnt harm. I wither in the dark! Lets move to arger room! Vasi suggested. The walls and tight space favors them! To the crossroads beyond! Shellgirl shouted. Empowered by Hasten, the party crossed through the tunnel with dozens of lesser ghosts hot on their tail. The specters failed to catch up to them, and the group swiftly reached a hall of skulls where four paths crossed. Vasi and Bugsy immediately weed their pursuers with a sea of mes, dispelling the weak ghosts in a torrent of fire. Half a dozen reapers emerged from the walls to rece them. So much for infiltration. They had fallen right into an ambush. All right, fine, you dont want to y a stealth game? Basil summoned hisser pistol from his inventory, lifting his halberd with his left hand and his firearm with the right one. Im up for a hit em all! Another kill countpetition, handsome? Vasi mused as she gathered mes in her hand. Ill win again. Shadowscythe! a reaper snarled in response. A volley of ck sickles materialized from its fingers and flew straight at the Bohens. Empowered by their buffs, the party dispersed across the hall to dodge the attack and struck back with relentless speed and ferocity. Basils eyes struggled to keep track of his faster allies movements, but he didnt need to worry for them. to dodged projectiles and scythes alike, his des of wind cutting through bones and specters like tissue paper. Vasi and Shellgirl stood back to back, each of them unleashing fire and ice in one direction. Bugsy activated Agility Up and became so fast that his body turned into a red blur. Only Rosemarine struggled to fight back without her lightbeam, though she managed to dodge attacks and run circles around the ghosts. As for Basil, his world could be reduced to a single System message.
Supereffective hit! Critical hit!
Supereffective hit! Critical hit!
Supereffective hit! Critical hit!
The words repeated with each fatal blow that hended. Basils build, once all over the ce, now showed its emerging potential. The buffs provided by his allies enhanced the strengths of his other sses and hard-earned equipment, allowing him to dish out lethal blows left and right. Every monster that met his de dropped deador deaderin short order. Two surviving reapers stood back from the chaos, spooked by the one-sided massacre. How many buffs do they have? one of them asked in shock. How could they Theyre too strong, itsrade rasped, its ghoulish visage twisted into an expression of abject fear. We cant gain any ground! Then lets bury them under it! Another reaper moved towards a wall, its phantom hand phasing through a skull at the center of a Christian cross design. Alone with the dead! Basil immediately realized the danger and rushed at the reaper. The other remaining scythe-wielder moved to intercept him, and although a halberd swing slew it in one blow, the dy allowed its undead kindred frompleting its task. The skulls orbits shone with a bright blue hue, and a clicking sound echoed through the tunnel. The walls trembled with a roaring noise. Ayer of dust fell onto Basils head, a warning of the disaster toe. Boss, the ceiling is copsing! Bugsy warned. Those cowards! No recall or intervention can work in this ce! the ghost dered with a burst of wickedughter. You will never see the sunlight aga Vasi shot the specter with a fire st before it could finish its sentence, dispelling it. Follow me! Bugsy shouted, rushing through a tunnel on the left with his antennae touching the ground. This way! After him! Basil shouted as the Bohens followed their ally. Bugsy charged through the maze of tunnels, trusting his Tremorsense to guide the party through them. Skulls fell from the ceiling and Basil deflected them with his halberd before they could hit him. The racested more than a minute, forcing Vasi to cast Hasten on her boyfriend again to keep the team up to speed. Basil heard a loud crack behind him, and looked over his shoulder to see the tunnel copsing behind Rosemarine and to. Both cat and tropidrake rushed as fast as they could to escape an iing cloud of dust and debris. Bugsy took a corner, but Basil blinked upon seeing that it led to a wall of skulls. Dead end! he shouted in rm. But Bugsy didnt slow down. In fact, the centimagma cast Agility Up once again as he charged headfirst into the wall. His mighty body shattered skulls and bones on impact, blowing a hole for the party to escape through. Basil didnt hesitate. He stored his pistol back in his inventory, grabbed Vasis hand, and leaped with her through the hole. Thending on the other side wasnt very glorious. The party fell from a small height upon one another, with Basil crashnding on Bugsys back and serving as an unexpected cushion for his girlfriend and cat alike. The tunnel copsed behind them, with a flood of bone debris closing the hole behind them. Ugh Basil coughed dust as Vasi rolled off his back. He nced around himself, and to his relief, all his team had made it through the catbs unharmed. Is everyone all right? Im fine, Boss, Bugsy replied before rising back up. I didnt feel a thing. Speak for yourself. to scoffed. His ck fur was covered in dust. Im dirty! Dirty! Ill heal you, Mister to, Rosemarine said before glowing brightly. The room they hadnded in was better lit than the catbs, allowing her to use her Perks. Sunbath. The healing light cleared away Basils exhaustion as his buffs ran out and the System awarded them experience.
Congrattions, your party earned 970,000 EXP (54000 for you). You earned two levels (total 38).
Thanks for thending pad, Basil, Vasi whispered as she helped her boyfriend rise back to his feet. Your back is very soft, you know? I could get used to it. Please dont make it a habit, Basil grumbled. At first look, his party hadnded in some kind of ancient underground quarry. A hall of stonerge enough to house an airport opened before them, with dizzyingly tall pirs of stone holding a dark ceiling over ten meters high. Burning hieroglyphs covered the walls and repelled the darkness with bright light. Good job, Bugsy. Your quick thinking saved us all. Oh Boss, youre making me blush, the centimagma replied with happy eyes. It was nothing. No need for false modesty, Bugsy, Shellgirl said with a grin. We owe you our lives. One of them at least, to said. But how did you know this path would be safe? I, uh Bugsy scoffed in embarrassment. I sensed the walls were very porous in thest tunnel over. Considering the local architecture, I guessed that it meant they bordered the quarry. So you knew because youre an architecture nerd? to deadpanned. Whats a nerd? Rosemarine asked navely. How does it taste? Either bitter or very sweet, Vasi joked. So is this the quarry we were looking for? If you ask me Shellgirl raised a finger at a distant structure. My merchant sense tells me this is our ce. Basils gaze followed her lead. As weird as it looked, a seven-floor modern building of concrete stood at the quarrys center. Shaped like a three-sided star, the structure supported the ceiling alongside the stone pirs. The remains of petrified trees and empty ponds surrounded its gates of steel. Thousands of stained ss windows covered the faade, preventing outsiders from seeing the horrors inside. In spite of being located deep underground, the building appeared strangely well-preserved. A bronze sign written in both English and French loomed over its entrance.
UNESCO
United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization
The UNESCO HQ, Basil whispered. The ce where it all began. The building Kalki desired to visit above all else.
Dungeon: Louvre Pyramid
Level: Variable.
Faction: Metal Olympus
Field Type: Tartarus.
  • [Soul], [Corrosion], [Fire], [Earth], [Darkness], and [Mythic] elements are strengthened.
  • [Wood], [Water], and [Light] elements are weakened.
  • Healing effects are halved and chances of suffering from [Insta-Death] are doubled.
  • All creatures that die in the Field will rise up at sundown as mindless [Undead] Types.
As BuzzBand had warned, the Pyramid had assimted the UNESCO into itself. Basil suspected that ascending through the buildings floors would lead them straight into the Louvres halls. Level variable? Basil gritted his teeth as he read the dungeons stats. Of course these cheaters wont y by everyone elses rules. Looks like we exorcized the ghosts, Shellgirl noted. The path to the catbs was closed by a hill of dirt and broken bones, and with it, their escape route. That, or theyve decided to cut their losses and flee. We should assume the worst, sad as it sounds, Vasi said. One of them might be warning their master as we speak. Agreed, lets move before reinforcements arrive. Basil looked up at the windows. The building appeared empty and silent, with no enemy to wee his team outside its walls. Yet he felt an invisible pressure on his shoulders. The disturbing sensation of being watched. Chapter 70: Man vs Shadows Chapter 70: Man vs Shadows The UNESCO House had seen better days. Once a respected beacon of culture in a city famous for it, the building had been turned into a dusty Egyptian museum. The walls had aged centuries in the span of weeks, their ocher paint crumbling in some ces. Oak shelves and furniture formed a rich Baroque decor covered in dust. Oilmp mes flickered on the ceiling Since the central elevator had transformed into a pir of stones and bricks, the party was forced to explore the ground floor instead of moving straight to the summit. to followed the smell of old books and dusty paper, swiftly leading the ground to a vast underground library. Massive rows of shelves full of grimoires, scrolls, and other documents sprawled out before the group. So many books, Shellgirl said. Its even bigger than Daxs library! The UNESCO public archives, Basil whispered upon recognizing the room. Bugsy, do you sense any threats? Not on this floor, Boss, the centimagma replied. But I sense vibrations above us. Enemies? Vasi asked sharply. No, I dont think so. Its more diffused, like Bugsy squinted. Like our houses generators. Basil frowned in confusion. The dungeons power had removed any electrical system from the UNESCO building, from lightswitches toputers. Why would an Egyptian tomb cosy require electricity? Lets follow these noises, Basil said. They should lead us upstairs. Be on your guard, other ghosts might jump at us through the walls. Can we take a few of these books? Shellgirl pointed at the shelves of scrolls. It just feels sad to leave these books behind. Some of them are spellbooks, no, even better theyre treasures. Careful, Shellgirl, Vasi warned. I sense magic in the air. Traps? Basil asked warily. Of course there are traps, to deadpanned. Look at this ce! Perhaps, Vasi replied. I wouldnt rush in. Give me a few minutes to secure the area first. Basil nodded. They had survived a cave-in already, he was in no hurry to trigger another. All right, lets check this room carefully before proceeding. Ill use that time to report to Neria. Dont forget to assign your levels too, Partner, Shellgirl suggested with a grin. More power, less headaches. A wise suggestion. Considering the number of undead monsters lurking in the area, Basil decided to progress further into his Deathknight ss.
Deathknight of the Sepulchre Level 3&4 Stat Gains: +2 STR, +1 AGI, +2 VIT, +1 SKI, +2 MAG, +1 INT, +2 CHA, +1 LCK. You earned 60 HP and 30 SP.
Deaths Banner I (Active): [Support], 10 SP per minute. Your faith empowers your party members, granting a [Deadyer] effect (x3 damage against Undead types) to their attacks. Additionally, your allies are immune to the [Terror], [Zombie], and [Insta-Death] ailments so long as they benefit from [Deaths Banner].
This ability will affect your Guild.
Basil had hoped for a Soulbound weapon upgrade, but his new Perk more than made up for the disappointment. If they had any sense, their undead foes would stay right in their graves. The group split up to explore the library. Vasi and Shellgirl reviewed the shelves, with the former quickly deactivating trap hieroglyphs protecting the books; to and Bugsy advanced carefully around the room, checking its walls; and Rosemarine faithfully guarded the rear. Basil opened his Logs subsystem and swiftly contacted Neria. The Major, Zachariel, and their team remained on standby in preparation for the Incursion, but they stood ready to assist the Bohens if needed.
BASIL: Were inside the UNESCO building. ce looks empty, but the path to the catbs is cut of. We cant retreat anymore.
NERIA: Shit. Need a distraction? We can bombard the pyramid from outside, make a ruckus so you can slip through in the chaos.
BASIL: Thanks, but not yet. They havent sent a big group to intercept us so far, so they dont consider us an urgent threat yet.
NERIA: All right, Im on standby if you need assistance from outside the Pyramid. Hows UNESCO from the inside?
BASIL: Packed with dust and books.
NERIA: Extract everything you can through the Guild Inventory. Since UNESCO cooperated with Dismaker Labs to install the servers, any documentshipment deliveries, contracts, blueprintscould help us. Grab them all.
BASIL: All? There are hundreds of books in this ce, maybe thousands. How are we supposed to identify those that matter from the rest?
NERIA: Dont bother. Send them all. Well ship them immediately to safehouses for investigation and sort them out on our end.
BASIL: Roger that, stay in touch.
Thank God the army would take over administrative duties. Basil loathed those from the bottom of his heart. Everyone, store all the books you can in the Guild Inventory, Basil ryed the demand. Any of them could be important. You dont need to ask me twice, Shellgirl replied greedily as she grabbed one book after another, the documents vanishing in her inventory. Oh, business records! Im always looking to study those! Grab anything from 2020 and onward in priority, Basil ordered. Doubly so if it mentions Dismaker Labs. Mister, can I sing a battle song? Rosemarine pleaded. Im bored. This gave Basil an idea. He summoned Kalkis conch shell from his inventory, and started ying notes as Rosemarine hummed words to herself. Bloodshed was my delight, she sang softly, Bloodshed my heart of ice bloodshed was my heart of ash! A pity Rosemarine couldnt ess sses. She would make an excellent bard. As the conch shell melody echoed in the library hall, an arrow of light materialized above Basils head. It pointed west, slightly inclined towards the ceiling. Diagonal Basil whispered in shock, interrupting his song. Its diagonal. Boss? Bugsy asked in confusion. Kalki is in this building, Basil exined, pointing at the arrow. If he were far above us in the pyramid, this tracker would look almost entirely vertical. The fact that it does not mean that hes in one of the floors above us. From that angle, he must be on the seventh floor or close, Vasi guessed. Whats on this floor? A panoramic restaurant ording to the maps, Basil answered. But that was before the building became a dungeon. It could be a jail now for all that we know. Guys, check this! to shouted. He and Bugsy had stopped in front of an unremarkable stone wall. This is the way upstairs! Youve found a secret passage? Shellgirl asked with a frown. I dont see anything. I thought merchants could smell falsehood from a mile away? to taunted her back. Look and learn. The cat raised a paw and touched the wall. His fingers phased through ocher bricks as if they didnt exist. An illusion? Vasi asked, whistling. I didnt even detect it. How did you find out, oh king of cats? Im immune to illusions, to replied with pride. I dont see a wall, I see stairs. Congrattions, to, youre now our stairfinder general, Basil mused. Dont abuse your privilege. If you find any hidden chests, Ill let you keep a ten percent finder fee, Shellgirl added with a grin. She had finished storing all documents she could get her hands on, leaving the shelves empty. Since the number of stolen books surpassed the Guild Inventory storage capacity, Basil suspected that Neria removed them as soon as they appeared in her System folder. Fifty fifty, to insisted, causing Shellgirl to choke in outrage. Whats the point of having a monopoly if you cant fix your prices? Basil rolled his eyes as his teammates argued over their rates and swiftly walked through the illusory wall. A spiraling staircase of stone awaited him on the other side, illuminated by the faint light of torches. The path led to the first floor and then the second, but the Bohens stopped for neither. They continued to ascend as far as the staircase allowed. to, who had joined Basil at the teams vanguard, suddenly froze in ce. His reaction put the rest of the team on their guard. You hear something? Basil whispered, his halberd ready to strike on a moments notice. Unfortunately, I do, to replied with an annoyed sigh. I hear hippie music. Basils heart skipped a beat. He applied his ear to the nearest wall, closed his eyes, and focused. A flute melody echoed in the distance, barely audible. Without his high Skill stat, he probably wouldnt have been able to notice it through the stone. A flute song, Basil whispered. He had already heard this particr melody back in the Barthes. Kalkis song. It had taken them many months, but at longst the party had caught up to their old friend. Unfortunately, the stairway stopped before they could reach the right floor. The steps of stone led the group to an archway of red bricks, with the number four written above it. The fourth floor, Basil said. The secretariat. I hear footsteps, Boss, Bugsy warned, his antennae touching the ground in rm. Heavy steps. A big, big creature awaits us ahead. Theyve rolled out the red carpet for us, Vasi guessed with a smile. Lets not disappoint them. Theyve gone through the hassle of preparing a fine ambush. I hope I can bite our next meal, Rosemarine said. When I evolve again, I will eat their souls. My new Perk should help with that, Basil said. Deaths Banner. A shadowy aura materialized around him, before swiftly spreading to the rest of his party. Vasi followed through with the Hasten spell, to with his Mirage buff, and Shellgirl with Motivate. The enhancements empowered the team for battle. The Bohens walked into the next room. Basil half-expected cramped offices and old desks, and instead walked straight into a strange art gallery. A massive exposition wing around fifteen meters wide and nine meters tall sprawled before them, its opaque, tempered ss walls covered in burning hieroglyphs; from its sheer size, this part of the building incorporated both the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors. Marble statues of Egyptian deities, from Horus to Anubis, stood in rows around a carpeted line. They watched the group in silence, still and sinister. to sighed. The statues are going to wake up and attack us, arent they? At least the Venus of Milo is armless, Basil mused. Bugsy, Rosemarine, wreck them all. On it, Boss! Bugsy replied. Yes, Mister! Rosemarine added with enthusiasm. The two monsters immediately started tossing the statues from their pedestals, with Shellgirl wincing at each act of destruction. Although the task caused a lot of ruckus, better safe than sorry. None of the statues fought back. Basil carefully walked inside the gallery and noticed a bright red light at the end of it. The gallery linked up with two others at a crossroads, which was probably the center of the three-sided UNESCO building. A stream of red particles surged from the ground and to the ceiling above, so intense that Basil could barely see anything past it. When he approached closely enough, he noticed the shadow of a ck tower beyond the forcefield. The neurotower, Basil guessed. This is the forcefield protecting it. Thats impossible, its not even the entire structure! Shellgirl replied. The server would have to be colossal! Hypathia told us that this dungeon served as a special node in the serverwork, Vasi pointed out. Her eyes darted to the ceiling. The neurotower must reach all the way to the Pyramid. Was Kalki trying to sabotage it? Basil could hear his melody through the ceiling. He nced at his allies, who had finished breaking all the statues without issues. Bugsy, you said you heard footsteps? I do, Boss. Bugsy nced at the ceiling. Its right above us and moving in our direction. Then lets check the room for a pass Basil couldnt finish his sentence. His eyes had noticed movement near the forcefield. The little white girl from before had appeared again. Her specter materialized in front of the forcefield, before flickering away within seconds. She was gone in a blink. Now this is getting creepy, tomented. Was that supposed to spook us? Im not sure, Basil replied with a frown. I dont like Boss, above you The ceiling copsed before Bugsy could utter his warning. Fueled by Vasis Hasten spell, Basil and his allies immediately dispersed across the exposition wing. Debris copsed from a hole above their heads and a colossal beast fell through it. The monsternded in the middle of the Bohens in a cloud of dust and a cataclysmic noise, the floor trembling from the impact. When Basil wiped away the dust in his eyes, a massive hound stood before him. A dog more than twelve meters long and four meters tall loomed over him, its three heads roaring as one. Its eyes burned with hellfire, its fangs were made of sharpened steel. The fur was ck as a starless night and its howl echoed with the sound of cackling thunder.
Cerberus
Level 37 [Beast/Demon]
Faction: Metal Olympus (Psychopomps).
Here was the miniboss. I knew it would be a dog, Basil heard toin. I knew it. And the Cerberus didnte without reinforcements. Shadows rose from the broken statues in the form of humanoid monsters; creatures of solid darkness with jackals heads and khopesh weapons.
Minions of Anubis
Level 28 [Beast/Undead]
Faction: Metal Olympus (Psychopomps).
Basil roared and charged into the fray. The room immediately devolved into chaos. Cerberus attempted to trample Bugsy and Rosemarine, who swiftly dodged. to leaped around the room, bouncing off walls and unleashed sharp des of wind at the minions of Anubis. Vasi summoned her broom, grabbed Shellgirl, and carried her into the air to bombard Cerberus from above. The monstrous hound retaliated by breathing hellfire with his three mouths, forcing his enemies to run around the room or hide behind the debris. Basils halberd shed with a minions khopesh, shattering it and ying the creature in one strike. Perhaps identifying him as the greatest danger, the other lesser monsters immediately swarmed him from all sides. Basil counted dozens of them, but it mattered not how many of them he slew. More popped up and prevented him from helping his allies. Out of my way! Basil snarled as he wiped out three shadows in one strike. Ill ughter each and every one of you! This intrusion ends here. Basil looked up as a new challenger entered the fray. A cloaked shadow descended from the hole in the ceiling and floated above Cerberus. The creature appeared as if made of darkness just like the minions of Anubis, but deeper, more sinister. Where the lesser monsters were tough as stone, the new entity was as vaporous and ethereal as ckened mist. Neither solid nor gaseous, this beings substance shouldnt exist in the world. Basil could tell so on a deep, instinctual level. It didnt belong. The living shadow took a shape between a bat and a humanoid. Basil recognized spikes on its shoulders, vague hints of a horned helm, and darkened wings. The most disturbing part of its body was also the most mundane: two bloodshot and all-too-human eyes opened where the head should be, looking down on Basil from above. They were not burning mes or otherworldly orbs, no; they were two normal eyes staring at Basil in a sea of otherworldly darkness. I am your host, the pharaoh of this pyramid. The shadow dered with two voices: one deep as a festering grave, the other a faint whisper. I am Pluto, Lord of the Netherworld. Basil introduced himself by summoning hisser pistol and shooting the shadow in the head. The light burst went through the creature and hit the shattered ceiling on the other side. Dungeon particles were already gathering to repair the damage done to the architecture. An illusion, Leroy? Basil taunted him. How brave of you! I can see him! to shouted a warning as he dodged a st of fire from Cerberus. Hes real! Then why couldnt I hit him? Basil gritted his teeth as he figured it out. Only his halberd could hit incorporeal targets, and Pluto remained far behind its range. So my suspicions were correct. The false gods red eyes nced at Rosemarine, Bugsy, and to. You are the people who slew Hypathia and Tamura, aren''t you? Have youe to take my life too? That depends. Basil raised his halberd and pointed it at the floating shadow. He had to goad him into getting close and personal; Where are the children youve abducted? Safe from vicious men-at-arms such as yourself, Pluto replied with venom. This is the abode of the innocent and the peaceful dead. You do not belong here. And you do? Basil snarled as he parried a minions swing aiming for his head and cut it down in retaliation. How many people have you oligarchs killed when you summoned the System? Your hands are drenched in blood! Your daughter would be ashamed of you! It saddened Basil to speak such cold words, but he meant them. Whatever loss Leroy had suffered, it didnt justify all the horrors he had unleashed upon the world. What nonsense is this? To Basils confusion, Plutos shadow showed no anger. If anything, the false god appeared confused. Cant you hear my Celias voice? Even now, she whispers to me. I can feel her love, a pure love that burns like the sun. Hes not like the others, Basil realized. Tamura and Hypathia breathed greed and pride, but they kept their heads on their shoulders. The glint of madness in Leroys eyes told another story. Hes deranged. Ah, Celia, I see it now. Yes, you are right. The shadow observed Basil with frightening intensity. The fact his eyes were the only part of his body moving only made Pluto all the more disturbing. You are nomon robber driven by greed. I see it in your heart. You have lost people too, and in your pain and anger yoush out at me. I should not condemn you so hastily, you poor misguided man. The shadow descended upon Basil as his minions dispersed. Basil raised his halberd, expecting a duel. Rejoice, Basil Bohen, the false god whispered softly. I forgive you. Sometimes, words could cut deeper than swords. Basils blood boiled in his veins. His vision turned red, and his halberd burned as if to echo his fury. You forgive me? The sheer nerve of that man made Basil want to puke. You? Forgiving me? For what, not killing you earlier? I forgive your violence against me, and your misspent life of sin. I absolve you. I wee you into a pure, better world. Plutos shadowy wings expanded, their darkness enveloping Basil from all sides. Where you shall suffer no more! Sin: Sloth! Realizing the danger, Basil immediately fled. But even his hastened legs couldnt outrun the gathering shadows. They spread to the ground under his feet, and he tripped on an obstacle he couldnt see. Basil snarled and hacked at the darkness with his halberd. Pluto hissed in response, but the sea of darkness only expanded further. Basil! Vasi shouted. She turned her broom to rescue her boyfriend, with Shellgirl firing ice pearls at Pluto. The projectiles vanished in the dark as if absorbed by it. Iming! to dashed at his best friend faster than the wind. He jumped into the darkness, swiping at Plutos encroaching darkness. Dont you dare touch him! It was for naught. to vanished in the shadows, and Plutos darkness soon enveloped Basil as well. The false gods eyes closed until the ckness remained. Man and cat were dragged into the night, and then they were gone. Chapter 71: Woman vs Painting Chapter 71: Woman vs Painting The shadows gathered around her boyfriend and dragged him away. Neither mes nor ice dissipated the encroaching darkness. Her spells melted in a ck ocean that soon swallowed a quarter of the room. Basil, to, and Pluto vanished like stars into a ck hole. Basil! Vasi shouted her boyfriends name. She received no answer and aimed her broomstick at the shadows. Basil! Vasi, back off! Shellgirl warned as she struggled to hold onto her waist. Her sticky fingers left slime traces on Vasis dress. Well get swallowed too! Vasi didnt care. She refused to leave her boyfriend behind, doubly so since his demise would spell her own. Drawing upon her covens powers, she summoned a murder of bloody crows from her fingers. The birds swarmed the blob of darkness, only to be absorbed within it alongside everything else. Her attack caused a reaction though. The shadows condensed into a shrinking sphere within seconds. This strange ck hole copsed on itself and vanished as if it had never existed. Basil, to, Pluto all of them had disappeared without a trace. Only the cerberus and his minions remained. Damn it, Vasi cursed as the three-headed hound opened fire at her. One of its heads breathed a stream of me at the flying witch, while the two others did the same with Bugsy and Rosemarine. Both of them powered through the attack unscathed and bit the hounds ankles, but Vasi had no choice but to zigzag in the air to avoid burning to death. Damn it, damn it! Boss! Bugsy snarled in anger as he coiled around the cerberus leg and crushed bones under his grip. The beast roared in pain in response. Vasi was fond of dogs and would have frowned upon Bugsys action once, but she was in no mood for sympathy. Youll pay for this! Mister! Rosemarine let go of the cerberus and rushed to the spot where Basil had vanished. Minions of Anubis attempted to nk her, but she vaporized them with a quick sunbeam. Basils Deadyer effect still empowered her. Mister, where are you?! Everyone, lets take out the cerberus first! Vasi shouted as Rosemarine fruitlessly scratched the ground, like a dog looking for a missing bone. Shadowspikes! Shadows gathered under the cerberus and surged from the ground in the form of sharp spikes. Vasis spell gored through the monsters belly, letting blood spill all over the gallery and narrowly missing Bugsy. The cerberus let out a vicious roar strong enough to shake the room. Vasi immediately felt her magic slip away. Her perception of time, elerated by the Hasten spell, returned to normal in an instant. Her buffs vanished and her shadowspike spell dissipated.
Cerberus [Disruptive Roar] canceled all magical effects!
Then her broomstick started to lose altitude. Vasis SP sustained her tools flight, yet she felt her connection to it waning away. Her expert, tightly controlled flight turned into a maddened crash course toward the gallerys windows. I cant turn it back! Vasi warned Shellgirl with panic in her tone. Well have to jump! Ive got you! Shellgirl grabbed Vasi by the waist and jumped with her off the broomstick. The mimic booty pivoted to put herself between her friend and the ground. Her slimy body absorbed the impact as they crashed near a broken statue, softening the blow like a cushion and probably saving both of their lives. Its soft like a cloud, Vasi couldnt help but think as her facended right between Shellgirls assets. I could sleep on them A snapping sound brought her back to reality. Vasis broomstick crashed against a stained ss window, cracked it, and snapped in half. The sight filled Vasi with cold anger and sorrow. Her broom had been a constantpanion even before she arrived on Earth; with her huts destruction, it had been her only remaining memento of her homeworld of Outremonde. This dog would pay for breaking it! Are you unharmed, girlfriend? Shellgirl asked as Vasi rolled over her. The witch was drenched in slime. Sorry, Im always sticky when I''m nervous. Later, Vasi said as the cerberus growled at them, its three heads burning with hellfire. Vasi acted quicker and sted it with a volley of ice shards, causing the vicious monster to recoil in pain.
Supereffective hit!
Its vulnerable to Frost, Vasi guessed. Shellgirl, help me Vasi, look! Shellgirl cut her off, a finger raised at something behind them. Rosemarine! Vasi nced at the tropidrake, as her great shadow loomed over the gallery. Rosemarine was growing. The magical potion that had shrunk her to manageable size waned off in seconds, stripped away by the cerberus roar. The tropidrake more than doubled in size, crushing two minions of Anubis under her weight. Rosemarine grew sorge that she hardly fit in the gallery. Her tail cracked the stained ss windows as it waved from left to right. She faced the cerberus, with the standoff reminding Vasi of an alligator staring at a hound. Although Vasi noticed a hint of fear in the cerberus eyes, the monster remained steadfast. It roared with all three heads, shook Bugsy off its broken foot, and charged at Rosemarine on its remaining three legs. The two titans shed and brawled in a vicious melee of teeth and ws, the ground shaking with each of their blows. The cerberus charge pushed Rosemarine back, forcing Vasi and Shellgirl to roll to the side to avoid being trampled to death. The remaining minions of Anubis were crushed underfoot by the two giants after failing to escape. The giant hound mmed Rosemarine against the neurotowers forcefield, its red energy ring with crimson lightning. The tropidrake snarled in pain as she swiped the cerberus with her ws and left bloody gashes on its three heads. Target the legs! Vasi shouted amand as she and Shellgirl stood back on their feet. They were swiftly joined by Bugsy, all three of them unleashing projectiles on the cerberus ankles from behind. The centimagmas mes licked the hounds fur without inflicting damage, but Vasis ice shards and Shellgirls cold bullets both shredded the cerberus legs. The beast copsed under its weight, which allowed Rosemarine to grab it with her wed hands. Can dogs fly? Rosemarine asked with murderous glee. She threw the cerberus through the gallerys windows without waiting for an answer. Vasi, Shellgirl, and Bugsy ducked down to avoid a storm of ss shards. The cerberus massive form flew through the dungeons walls, shattered them, and fell from four floors into the quarry outside the UNESCO House. Look, it flies away! Rosemarine shouted with joy. Like a bird! The cerberus crashed heads-first onto the ground in a terrible crash. His three necks bent in a way that shouldnt be biologically possible and bones pierced their way to freedom through his fur. The beasts corpse crumbled under its own weight, dead and stiff. Piles of gold and loot materialized next to the cadaver and a familiar message confirmed its demise.
Your party earned 255,000 EXP (38250 for you). You earned a level.
You cannot assign your new level until [Basil Bohen] does.
The message, once an annoyance, came as a relief. Whatever happened to her boyfriend, Basil still lived. The party and Tamer connections remained intact. For now. You arent going to im the treasures? Bugsy asked Shellgirl as the two observed the cerberus remains through the broken windows. Dungeon particles were already starting to repair the damage done to the building. No time for it, Shellgirl replied without hesitation. Money mattered less to her than friends. We need to save the others. Mister Who-Feeds-Me is gone, Rosemarine whined, her eyes ncing at the spot where Basil and to vanished. The tropidrake was too big to fully turn inside the gallery. Mister to too Theyre both alive, Rosemarine, Vasi reassured her. And still in the dungeon. I know we would have perished Basil if he had died, but how can you tell about the dungeon? Shellgirl asked in confusion. The Neurotowers forcefield is still up. Vasi pointed at the protected metal structure. The battle hadnt even dented its magical barrier. Since Pluto is this dungeons Boss, the forcefield would have vanished if he had left its confines. Besides, I can still cast Coven spells; which means to survived too. Vasi opened her System screen, swiftly confirmed her teammates were still attached to the Party, and tried to contact them with the Logs feature.
[Mona Lisa] blocked your message.
Mona Lisa? Vasi asked in confusion. She had heard Basil mention it once, but couldnt put her finger on which circumstances. The name sounds vaguely familiar. Ive read about it, Shellgirl said with a grin. Its the most expensive painting on Earth, nearly priceless. Of course Shellgirl would know that kind of thing. Considering how the Trimurti System often changed famous items into powerful artifacts, Vasi shuddered to imagine what kind of power the Louvres cultural treasures now possessed. From what Basil told her, the museum housed wonders from all across the world. Bugsy nced at Vasi. What do we do next? Why are you asking me? Vasi asked with a frown. The Boss is gone and to is the right-hand cat, Bugsy replied. With both of them indisposed, someone has to take charge. Bugsy meant it as apliment, but it offended Vasi to have a tiger cub ahead of her in his mental hierarchy; however cute to might have been. You think to would have made a better leader than my dear Vasi? Shellgirlined. He licks his ass each morning and naps eighteen hours a day! And youre our senior member, Bugsy, Vasi pointed out. You joined the party earlier than any of us here. But Im a minion through and through, Bugsy replied with humility. You, though, you took charge when we were fighting the cerberus. Youre the best option, I truly think so. Im ttered, but Vasi crossed her arms. The idea of taking charge, as Bugsy put it, made her feel ufortable. The witch was confident in herself, but she preferred to go along with the ride rather than bark orders. I dont think Im the best option on the table. Come on, you will do great, Vasi. Shellgirl reassured her best friend by taking Vasis hands into her own. Im right behind you. I can take charge, if you dont want to, Rosemarine proposed kindly. Vasi silently looked up at Rosemarine, whose fanged mouth morphed into a ghastly smile. Memories of screams and blood echoed in the back of her mind, a terrible warning of massacres toe. Its all right, Rosemarine. All of Vasis doubts vanished instantly, and she forced herself to smile back. I will bear the burden ofmand. A, are you sure? Rosemarine asked, clearly disappointed. Certain. Like any good democracy, the real choice wasnt about selecting the best leader of them all, but the least murderous. But thank you all the same. With the matter of Basils session settled, Vasi nced at the broken ceiling. Dungeon particles slowly repaired the damage, though the hole remainedrge enough that Rosemarine could easily fit through. Kalkis music echoed beyond it, strong and powerful. Lets follow the tune, Vasi decided. Pluto couldnt possibly leave Kalki unattended. If they found the bard, they could potentially lure their enemy into a trap or at worst, trade him away for Basil. Vasi had nothing against Kalki, but her boyfriends safety took priority. After checking her broomstick, Vasi confirmed her Repair Crafting option remained active thanks to her Witch Brew Perk. A few secondster, her favored tool pieced itself back together and she rode it once again toward the next floor. Rosemarine grabbed Bugsy and Shellgirl in one hand each, rose on her back legs, and lifted them through the hole in the ceiling. The seventh andst floor of the UNESCO half of the dungeon was, as expected, the panoramic restaurant. It was certainly the ssiest area yet, with goldced walls, exotic wood decorations representing colorful sarcophagi, and candlelit tables. A magnificent window showcased the quarry outside. However, ghastly details disturbed Vasi when shended on the floor. Mummies sat around the empty tables, still and stiff. Each of them had a hole in the chest, as if they had been in a second time recently. The Neurotower stood in the middle of the room, but a strange, floating painting was grafted into the forcefield; Kalkis song came from it. Vasi went on to check it after burning all the mummies to cinders for safetys sake. The painting showcased a party set in a city of marble columns and ancient statues. Hundreds of men drank wine around a banquet table, with a familiar figure sitting at the very center of the portrait: a young man with light brown skin and curled raven hair falling on his shoulders, ying the flute. A mighty feathered bird and a three-headed golden cobra stood at each of his sides. Ive found Kalki, Vasi told the others as they walked to her sides. As for poor Rosemarine, she could only peek through the floor. He has be art itself.
[The Wedding Feast at Cana]. You cannot store this item in your Inventory nor gather information from it.
Vasi carefully brushed her fingers against the painting. As she expected, her nails went through the paint as if it were a soft curtain of water. She immediately pulled her hand out. Its a portal of some kind, Vasi guessed. Kalki is on the other side. Why is he staying inside? Bugsy asked in confusion. Because he has no choice. Vasi studied the painting carefully. Powerful enchantments protected it and shrouded its System features from her sight. I doubt you can escape this trap if you fully cross over. Wait a sec. Shellgirl snapped her fingers. Basil managed to contact our backup earlier. He did, Vasi confirmed, her eyes widening as she put two and two together. The Mona Lisa didnt blockmunications back then. Exactly! So either the magical painting blocksmunications within a limited range Shellgirl pointed at the painted portal. Or the Logs feature failed because Basil was inside it. Vasi nodded sharply. That made sense. The paintings were technically within the dungeon, but probably acted as private pocket dimensions. This way, Pluto could both maintain control over the pyramid and trap people within magical jails. That meant Basil was in a separate painting from the one right in front of the party. Where was this Mona Lisa exposed? Vasi questioned Shellgirl, who had read the museums maps beforehand. Hopefully Pluto didnt move it away. The Mona Lisa was ced on the first floor, ording to the old maps, Shellgirl said, her expression thoughtful. If the pyramid is right above us, since the Louvre has a ground floor and two basements then its four floors above us. Well need to keep climbing for a while. They couldnt afford to waste time. Bugsy, help me grab the painting, Vasi ordered. Her own firm tone surprised her somewhat. Taking charge was easier than she thought, especially when it was for the sake of her friends. I cant store it in the Guild inventory. Yes, of course! Bugsy seized one side of the painting with his mandibles and Vasi the other with her hands. Neither the centimagmas strength nor the witchs finesse worked. The paintings frame was merged tightly with the Neurotowers forcefield and refused to budge. Argh, I cant hold it! Well need to defeat Pluto if we want to move the painting, Vasi said in frustration. Entering it is risky. Maybe if we send someone with a rope, they can grab Kalki and leave, Bugsy suggested. I doubt it would be so easy, Vasi replied. If one of us tries and is trapped inside, well be easy pickings. Oh, let me try! Rosemarine coughed and spat out a Fire Seed. Go, my spawn! Go forth to newnd and bloom! Good thinking, Rosemarine! Shellgirl grabbed a dusty tablecloth off one of the restaurants tables, turned it into an improvised rope, and tied it to the Fire Seed. Give a tug when you want us to pull you out, rookie. The Fire Seed immediately leaped into the painting, vanished through the portal and the rope immediately severed behind it. The poor monster appeared among the characters in the banquet, right next to an urn full of wine. I hope she can sing like I do, Rosemarine said. Vasi shuddered upon remembering the tropidrakesst encounter with alcohol. Its one way only, Shellgirl replied sadly. Why can his music travel back though? It makes no sense! Perhaps some spells can cross the portal, but we dont have the time to test it further, Vasi said. Lets leave him behind for now. Are you sure? Bugsy asked, slightly ufortable with the suggestion. What if anything happens to him while were gone? Youve seen it yourself, nobody can damage the painting nor escape it, Vasi pointed out. Hes as safe as he can be, at least for now. Yeah, Pluto wont risk destroying the world by killing Kalki, Shellgirl said before chewing her lip. But Basil hes expendable. That was what worried Vasi the most. She didnt know why Pluto had kidnapped her boyfriendperhaps he wanted to keep Basil as a trophy or interrogate himbut the madman could dispose of his captive at any time. Lets secure the Mona Lisa first, Vasi decided. Well travel up through the dungeon and find the others. Rosemarine will stay behind to keep Kalkis painting, since shes toorge to fit through the other floors. Aww, abandoned again? Rosemarine sulked. I hope I will get smaller when I evolve. Sorry girl, Shellgirl said with an apologetic smile. On the bright side, you can crush anyone approaching this way! To Vasis surprise, Rosemarine didnt appear enthusiastic at all. ughter means nothing without Misters smile, the tropidrake said sadly. A massacre is like a cake. Its better when you share it. Well get him back, Vasi promised. I swear it. Pluto had made the worst mistake possible: he had forced Vasi to y the role of the pdin, saving her boyfriend in distress. He wouldnt live to tell the tale. Chapter 72: Man vs Specter Chapter 72: Man vs Specter He woke up in his old bed. A man never forgot his bed. The smell of the bedsheets, the holes left in the mattress, the crumbs of chips forgotten after a wild night of gaming each were telltale signs of the way a human being marked his territory. So although Basil Bohen hadnt slept in it, he immediately recognized this bed for what it was. Home. Basil, it is time. to kneaded his best friends back. Basil felt the press of powerful paws through his scale and feather armor. Time to wake up and get the hell out of here! Im sleepy. Basil groaned, his face half-buried in the pillow. Tiredness clouded his mind, and the bed was sofortable Come back never. I wish you hadnt forced me to resort to such measures, but suit yourself. to cleared his throat and started to meow ferociously. Meeeh. Basil sank deeper into the bed and plugged his ears with his fingers. His valiant resistance, however, was doomed to fail as tos voice increased crescendo. Meeeh! It was the cutest, meowest cry of all; the result of generations upon generations of felines breeding the ultimate weapon to bring mankind to its knees. The screech to rule them all, and in the darkness of the inte, bind them. MEEEEH! Enough! Basil snarled as he bolted out of the bed. to bolted off his back with a Cheshire smirk. Youre even worse than thest rooster! Thatll teach you to mock me, to replied, utterly unrepentant. And I dont have time to coddle you. We need to leave now! Basil groaned as he sat along the beds mattress. He massaged his temples and tried to put his thoughts in order. Chaotic memories red to life in his mind. A descent into catbs, then an ascent into a sea of darkness. Pluto. Basil bolted to his feet in rm. He nced around him, quickly found his halberd near the bed, and grabbed it. Hisser pistol was nowhere to be seen, however. He must have lost it in the battle. Pluto! Im right here, to said with a chuckle. Sorry, that was a low-hanging fruit. You know its a Disney dogs name, right? Basil observed his surroundings. The area he had woken up in was a carbon copy of his old bedroom, which Apollyons forces destroyed months ago. A Nintendo Switch even rested on the bedside table, ready to be used. It took Basil all his willpower not to turn it on. Where where are we? Beats me, to replied, his grin morphing into a scowl. But, uh, brace yourself for the worst. You wont like what you find outside. Basil opened his mouth to question him, only for a System notification to interrupt him.
Your party earned 255,000 EXP (38250 for you). You earned a level.
The others were still fighting somewhere. Okay, no time to waste, Basil decided. I dont know why Leroy thought it wise to teleport us into a copy of my house than finish me off, but he will sorely regret Basil! a familiar voice called from outside. Woken up already? It had been years since Basilst heard this voice, old yet full of strength and wisdom. The voice of a man to whom he owed so very much and whom he hade to admire. To hear it again froze the blood in Basils veins in shock and denial. His fingers trembled, first in astonishment and then in deep anger. Basil stared at to, silently begging his best friend to tell him he was wrong. That this couldnt be him. Yes. to nodded sadly. Hes outside.
[Berserk] ailment resisted!
It took Basil all of his willpower not to enter a murderous rage, but he managed to keep it all together; enough to make an ordered n of action. System, bring out the methrower, Basil ordered. Im torching my house.
The Field blocked your Inventory ess!
Monster Lair II. Basil attempted to im the area for himself. Jardin Secret.
You cannot im another monsters Lair as your own unless you have killed them first.
So this confirmed it. The house, this whole ce, was a trap set by Pluto. Ah,e on! Basil snarled in rage as he vainly tried to ess his Guild Inventory and then the Logs feature. Youre killing me System, you know that? Youre killing me!
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Curse them all. At least his Party submenu showed he was still part of the Bohens team and the Homeowners Revenge Association Guild. This ce hadnt cut off all of Basils bonds with the outside world, it only prevented him from essing them. Basil, young man,e out! The Old Mans voice called him out again. The vegetables wont water themselves on their own! Basil grit his teeth so hard that his jaw started to hurt. He grabbed his halberd and stormed out of his bedroom with to hot on his tail. They rushed through a copy of their salon and their kitchen, before walking into a lush garden near a river. The Old Man sprayed the vegetables with a watering can, helped by an eight-year-old girl. Basil ignored thetter, so mesmerized he was by the sight of the former. A perfect picture of the Old Man Ren stood before him, with his wrinkled skin slightly tanned and his kind eyes spry like a young mans. He hunched a little, but didnt use a cane to stand up; this was Ren from before the cancer, before the disease confined him to despairing in a bed. His white shirt and blue overalls neatly contrasted with his rounded Ren Magritte hatthe Old Man wore them as a joke few could understand. Ren, Basil whispered in shock and disbelief. His halberd nearly slipped through his finger. The Old Man smiled at his protg. Took you long enough, Basil. The sight of his white teeth, of his kindly expression, filled Basil with burning fury. A storm of anger clouded his mind as he fathomed the sheer magnitude of Plutos insult, of cruel a ploy the false god had yed.
[Berserk] ailment resisted! It was a close call!
Basil swung his halberd at the illusion in the blink of an eye. The little girl screamed in fear and the false Ren gasped in shock, but Basil paid them no mind. He struck the copy in the neck, hoping for a quick beheading. His halberd bounced off the illusions skin.
The Field reduced damage to 0!
Basil stared at his weapon in confusion, then immediately added his new excess level to Deathknight of the Sepulchre. He hoped it would strengthen his Soulbound weapon, and it did.
Deathknight of the Sepulchre Level 5 Stat Gains: +1 STR, +1 AGI, +1 VIT, +1 SKI, +1 MAG, +1 INT, +1 CHA. You earned 40 HP and 15 SP.
Elemental Orb (Active): Variable element, 60 SP. You can throw a deadly orb of elemental energy from your hand; you can choose the elemental affinity of the orb, but it must be an element in which you have a Strong affinity (Base damage 130 of the selected element). This power is the equivalent of a Tier VI Spell.
Your Soulbound Weapon [Croque-Mordeuse] increased in quality (current rank: A)! It gained the [SP Eater] effect: any attack inflicted with this weapon will reduce the targets SP by an amount equal to the damage inflicted to HP.
Elemental Orb: Fire! Basil raised his hand at the fake Ren and a sphere of hellfire burst out of his fingers. The mes licked the old mans skin and clothes without inflicting damage. They did no more harm than a summer breeze. This time, the fake Ren regained enough presence of mind to counterattack. Idiot! The false Ren threw water from his can at Basil and drenched his face. It didnt hurt, but the drops felt cold on his skin. Are you on drugs? Ive asked myself the same question many times, to mused. He sighed as Basil raised his halberd again. Dog, its useless. I already tried. My ws cant cut through anything, not even the grass. After his halberd bounced off the old mans chest again, Basil was forced to concede defeat. Whatever this ce was, it prevented violence from happening. Perhaps he should use status ailments? Would poison work? What is this about? the false Ren asked, the little girl hiding behind him. Basil finally paid attention to her. She looked around eight, with Arabian features and dark brown skin. She wore tiny overalls matching the fake Rens. Basil briefly mistook her for the girl that haunted the Pyramid, before realizing the features didnt match. Did you have a nightmare or something? Youre not real, Basil spat in fury. It was one thing for Pluto to capture him, but to make a mockery of a dead friend? That slight wouldnt stand! Youre a fake. Dog, I wish he was, to said. I cant see through him, and he smells like Ren too. Whatever he is, hes no illusion. Ren nced down at the Rakshasa Kitten in puzzlement. Talking tigers, he muttered to himself. Somehow, thats the least strange thing Ive seen yet. All felines can speak, Mr. Ren, the young girl said. She moved to pet to behind the ears while giving Basil a wary gaze. Theyre so smart and kind. I like her, to said with appreciation. She gets me. The little girl giggled in amusement. I have a cat, she said. A kitten as cute as you are. Now you are pulling my leg, to replied before puffing his chest. Im in a league of my own. Then youre a mimic, Basil told the false Ren. Or an android. Now, youve yed too many games, young man. The false Ren shook his head. But its all right. Im still not convinced that this ce is real either. Could be a dream for all I know. Maybe youre the robot, the little girl used Basil. Thats what a Terminator would say! Basil clenched his fists in quiet sorrow. I watched the real Ren die. The memory would remain forever etched in his mind. The old mansst weeks had been a slow descent into bedridden weakness and tiredness. A few days before his demise, Ren couldnt walk alone even with a cane. Basil had to take care of him day and night. Ah. The false Ren scowled, and the little girl with him whitened like snow. A dying dream then. So you dont deny it, Basil said sharply. You acknowledge that the real Ren perished. I think I did croak, yes, the fake old man said sorrowfully. My memory is fuzzy, but I remember closing my eyes near the river with you. When I awoke, I was back at the house and the world had changed drastically. But I dont think Im a dream, no. My life felt all too real to me, young man. Basil trembled in anger. How could Pluto know this information? Had he read his mind? What were yourst words to me? he asked the illusion, this mockery. What did you tell me then? The Old Man looked at the sky with a face full of sorrow. I asked to see the sunset onest time, near the old shrine, but I copsed before we could make it to the ce in time. Youid me under a tree and watched the sun vanish beyond the river with me and to. That silly cat didnt make a sound then. to looked away, silent as a tomb. And then Ren locked eyes with Basil, his gaze heavy with nostalgia. I said that you were the son I wish I had. And I still think so. Hisst words wounded Basil deeper than Apollyons darts and all of Metal Olympus attacksbined. He flinched as if pped in the face. He lowered his halberd and found he no longer had the strength to raise it again. The old mans words had snuffed out the mes of his anger. Pluto read my mind, Basil rasped. Ren should have reincarnated ording to Walters theory on souls. It it didnt make sense for him to be here. It didnt make sense! Thats the only exnation. That bastard read my mind and created you to torment me. Mr. Pluto is not like that, the little girl argued. He is kind and generous. Believe what you want, Basil. The fake Ren sighed. Metaphysics arent worth fighting over. Such kindness why did it feel so sad then? Basil could hardly bear to look at the false Ren, so he nced away. He immediately noticed that the world beyond his houses garden was nothing like the Barthes. A vast, lushndscape expanded the river before receding into icy mountains. Dozens of children yed tags near winding paths and a distant bridge. The sunlight was pleasant, the sky a pale shade of green. As he watched the kids y around, Basil suddenly realized that they were the children Pluto abducted into his pyramid. The bastard kept them imprisoned inside this realm, perhaps hoping one of them would turn out to be his daughter reincarnated. What is this ce? Basil asked softly. Thendscape felt somewhat familiar, though he couldnt put his finger on why. Im not sure. The false Ren shrugged. Its a strangend that doesnt make sense. No violence registers here, and I see numbers floating before my eyes sometimes. I feel neither hunger nor thirst, or even fatigue. Im as spry as a teenager. Its a good ce, his childpanion summed it up. A safe ce. I arrived here after Aya and the other children, the fake Ren exined. I fished you and the tiger cub by the river an hour ago. You just dropped from the sky looking like Conan the Barbarian. An hour? Basil choked. They had lost an hour? His team could have been wiped out in half the time since! Youve always been a sound sleeper, the fake Ren said with a chuckle. I wasnt so certain heaven existed, but maybe thats what happened? We all died and ended up here. Would exin all the weird stuff going on. His childpanion looked down, her gaze hollow and sad. Whether she was truly a girl or a mimic, Basil didnt have the heart to push her further. to and I are alive, Basil said with confidence. How can you tell? the old man asked while raising an eyebrow in skepticism. The System registers us as alive in the Party menu, Basil replied. Ren stared nkly at him, clearly struggling toprehend his words. to has six lives left too. Thats too few for my liking, toined. Ren nced down at the Rakshasa Kitten in confusion. He seemed to be putting two and two together. to? he asked. Is that you, my dear? Who else, you old buzzard? to wagged his tail. I know my stripes dazzle the eyes, but surely you should have recognized me earlier. Im Ren scratched the back of his head. Ive stopped trying to make sense out of this situation, but this is a bit too much. This is all Plutos fault. Basil nced at the little girl. Where is he? Youve clearly met him. Mr. Pluto brought the other kids here, the little girl said, avoiding Basils gaze. After the first impression he had made, he couldnt me her for remaining on her guards. He gave us toys and yed with us. yed? Basil frowned. Past tense? He Mr. Pluto hasnte in a while. Not since Mr. Ren arrived. The old man patted the girl on the head, who smiled in response. Hes funny. I do my best to help, the fake Ren replied with a chuckle. Though I admit I wasnt expecting to run a nursery in my afterlife. Mr. Pluto wasnt feeling well, the girl said, her smile fading away. I could tell. He always brought us girls gifts, which made the boys jealous, but then he stopped all of a sudden. He started to ask us the same question over and over again. It was scary. What question? Basil asked, though he had a good idea of the answer. He asked me if I knew a girl called Celia. When I said no he started crying and fled to the beach. We havent seen him since. Aya bit her lip, her eyes full of sympathy. Mr. Pluto looked so sad back then I hope he is all right. Personally, Basil hoped Pluto had fallen on a holy sword and spared him the trouble of killing him himself; but to each their own. Wheres the beach? Basil questioned her further. I need to have a word with that man. The beach? The little girl scowled at Basil. You arent going to hurt him, are you? No, Basil lied through his teeth. The child didnt buy it. Dont worry, to told the girl. Ill stop this big monkey man from acting mean. You will? the girl asked navely. Im a tiger, to replied, as if it settled the debate. I never lie. I swear it on my stripes. You wouldnt call a cat a liar, would you? Mmm okay. Like any child, the girl couldnt resist tos kitten stare. The beach is beyond the ice mountains and the snowy peaks. Mr. Pluto doesnt let anyone in, but maybe hell make an exception if you ask nicely Or more likely, Basil would jury-rig a bomb from whatever supplies he encountered on the way and blow the path open. Thank you. Basil nodded at the girl in gratitude. Whats your name? Im Aya. The little girl smiled cheerfully. A, Y, A, Aya! Like the band! I swear it to you, Aya. Basil put his hand on the childs head. She almost recoiled at first, but his gentle touch soothed her worries. Ill get you out of here, one way or another. Oh all right The child nodded slowly. I would rather that Mishaes here to y, but I hope Ill meet her again soon. The fake Ren, who had watched the scene in silence, crossed his arms. Basil, what is going on? I dont have the time to exin, Basil replied harshly. to, lets go. But the Old Mans mimicry wouldnt drop the matter. Youll have time to tell me on the road. Ill drive you to your destination. Ill walk, Basil replied. This creature? Mimic? Whatever it was, its presence made Basil ufortable. It resembled the old man a bit too much. The quicker they left him behind, the better. Youre in a hurry, no? The false Ren smiled. Itll be faster with the Kangoo Renault, and Ive got the keys. Damn, this illusory world even had a copy of the Kangoo? What a way to twist the knife further Oh, can Ie too? Aya asked in excitement. I love car trips! I wouldnt rmend doing it in winter, to said with a shudder. I hate winter so much... We dont need a ride, thanks, Basil replied, a little colder than before. He made a step towards the river, only to stop upon realizing his best friend wasnt following him. to,e on. It would be faster with the Renault, Basil. to nced at the false Ren, and then back at his best friend. And however you deny it I think you need this. To what, revive the past? Basil snorted. Its gone. Not revive the past, to replied calmly. To make peace with it. Basil frowned and then locked eyes with the false Ren. The mimicry held his gaze, his hunched back now stiff and resolute. The imitation was as stubborn as the original. Fine. Basil threw in the towel. To the Kangoo then. Chapter 73: Man vs Memory Chapter 73: Man vs Memory The trip was as ufortable as thendscape was beautiful. The false Ren took the wheel the way the real one hadnt in years. The Renault Kangoo drove through a greenndscape worthy of an Italian countryside postcard. The area felt incredibly familiar to Basil for a reason he couldnt put his finger on, but also unnatural on a closer look. The leaves of the trees on the path followed a uniform design, and the wind smelled of oil paint. The snowy mountains beyond were as lifeless as icicles. Everything about this strange world smelled of trickery and deception. Then why did its inhabitants feel so earnest? So The fake Ren coughed as he warily observed the snowy road through the northern mountains. Although there were no other cars around, the Old Man drove conservatively and safely. The world has ended, but people are still here? Yes, Basil replied absentmindedly, his eyes turned to thendscape outside. to and Aya yed a game at the back of the car, with each of them throwing back and forth a small ball at the other. They were on their third, after identally throwing their first two out of the car. And everything works like one of your video games? Yes, Basil replied. He had conveniently avoided mentioning Dismaker Labs role in the disaster. Since Aya seemed so confident Pluto was a good person, she would probably react with denial and obstruct them; at this point, all Basil wanted was to leave this ce and find his team as soon as possible. And you say you were fighting mummies and a three-headed dog in a pyramids basement, which also happened to be the Louvre? We didnt get past the UNESCO HQ, but technically yes. And giant bugs burned down the house? Basil sighed in despair. Yes. I swore a blood oath over it. The fake Ren scoffed. Again? We all did, to said at the back. Even the nt. Especially the nt. I see, the Old Man muttered. Youre taking this well, Basil said in suspicion. The real Ren would have been mad at losing the home of his dreams. I live in an exact copy of my old house, and walls matter less than the people living between them. What matters is that you all survived. The fake Ren nodded slowly. Your tale is quite borate for a fantasy. You should write a novel about it. I wish it was a dream, Basil said sharply. No matter what to had said, this trip was starting to sound like an exercise in patience and frustration management. Believe what you want. Oh, I believe you. The old man chuckled darkly. After everything that happened, if you had told me aliens and demons were behind everything I would have taken your word for it. When nothing makes sense, everything does. What an elegant way to sum up the apocalypse so far. In truth, the fake Ren said with a low, soft voice. Im proud of you. The illusion said it so earnestly, so candidly, that Basil almost believed him on the spot. He clenched his fists in anger. Youre proud? Arent you? the fake Ren smiled warmly. You have saved hundreds of lives, maybe thousands. Defeated monsters and demons, tamed a dragon, and in living gods. If even half of what you said isnt an embellishment, then youve proven yourself a hero twice over. Basil didnt respond. He had always wanted to hear these words from the original Ren, but the fact the praise came from the mouth of a fake left him with a bitter taste in his mouth. He kept his hand close to his halberd, half-expecting the other shoe to drop at any moment. The fake Ren briefly nced at him, his gaze faltering with sorrow. He didnt ask any other questions afterward. The path took them beyond snowy mountains and to the frontier of the illusory world. Literally. The icy ground stopped in front of a greenish-blue wall representing the sky joining with the earth. The fake Ren parked the car nearby and Basil stepped out of it first in his haste. He moved to the border of this fantasynd, his hand pressing against a solid wall. He felt oil paint under his nails, as if the sky itself was a giant portrait. This is some Truman Show-levels of mind bending weirdness, Basil muttered to himself. On the bright side, I can officially mark the sky as my territory, to said as he joined his best friend with the others. Im tempted to open the pee pipe and let the domination fluids flow. I brought a litter in the car hold, Aya replied cheerfully. And cat snacks too! Ohoh, truly? to licked his lips. I havent eaten good ones in weeks! Dont get distracted, to, Basil said sharply. He didnt see any beach around, so he was starting to wonder if they had been lured into a trap. Where is this portal you spoke of? Right there, Aya replied, pointing at a spot on their left. You can see the frame. Basil squinted at the painted false sky, and quickly understood what the little girl meant by frame. A wooden archway stood embedded into the border of the false world, barely standing out from the rest of the structure. The space inside it was blue instead of pale green, and when Basil approached it, he smelled the odor of the sea. He pressed his hand against the surface, his fingers phasing through as if crossing a painted veil; the air was cooler on the other side, saltier too. This portal reminded Basil of an optical illusion portrait. Mr. Pluto wants to see you, Aya said with a smile. That means you must be the good guys. Of course we are, to deadpanned. Somehow, Basil could tell what he was truly thinking:that there was no good person on the other side. Its like were inside a painting or something, Basil said as he pulled back his hand. Are there other portals like this one? Not that I know of, Aya replied before touching the portal. Unlike Basil, her hand failed to get through it, much to her disappointment. Oh he wont let me in. Let me try, to said as he peeked through the portal. His head vanished into the painted veil while the rest of his body remained behind. After a few seconds where Basil started to worry for his health, the tiger cub pulled back from the doorway. Mmm. What did you see? Basil asked with a frown. Another giant litter full of sand, to replied with a shrug. Each one is bigger than thest, if you ask me. I hope well get a wish with thest one. The fake Ren examined the portal for a few seconds, before trying his luck at crossing it. His hand stopped against the painted surface, unable to prate it. Hello, is there someone inside? he asked, knocking on the portal as if it were a door. Can you let us in? Do you think Pluto will open the portal if you ask nicely? Basil deadpanned. Politeness can take you farther than violence, young man, the fake Ren replied calmly as he kept knocking. I would rather follow you and see the world outside for myself, so yes; I am asking nicely. Having an illusion of his father figure following him around was thest thing Basil wanted, but he did wonder why neither the fake Ren nor Aya could cross this portal. Was it yet another trap? The System provided an answer, but not the one Basil expected.
The dead cannot escape Naraka.
For once in his life, Basil would have wished for a happy apocalypse. He stared at the notification in silence, struggling to apprehend its implications. Basil? Ren asked in concern. Is something wrong? Im Basil gazed at the Old Man with fresh eyes. It it couldnt be. It was impossible. He had perished long before the apocalypse. It couldn''t be him. It... it couldn''t. Im Im fine. You are not, Ren said, frowning in worry. Basil, whats bothering you? That you might be real, Basil thought. That this is purgatory. to sat on the ground, silent as a tomb. He had figured it out, perhaps because he had received the same message. He stared at a confused Aya and then at the snowy mountains. How many people inhabited this afterlife? Aya? Basil asked, praying to be wrong. Has anyone else in this ce been able to cross this portal? To Basils sorrow, she shook her head. I told you, Mr. Pluto doesnt let anyone in. None of my new friends can enter it. Except us, to whispered. Im jealous, Aya admitted with a smile. But Im d Mr. Pluto is letting someone through. He shouldnt stay alone. Yeah Basil turned his back on them to focus on the portal. Rens gaze had suddenly be unbearable. I guess thats for the best. Basil, the Old Man said. Basil didnt have the courage to face him. He kept his back turned, something moist building up in his eyes. Once you step through this door, you will nevere back here, Ren guessed, his voice soft. No, Basil admitted, wiping out his tears before anyone could notice. to was unnaturally still, and just as shaken as his best friend. I dont think I will. I see Ren let out a sigh. Must you go so soon? Weve barely reunited. I know you have a duty to fulfill, but I have to go, Basil replied. Why did the words sound so weak in his throat? I must. Basil nced at the fantasyndscape around them, at the snowy mountains beyond which awaited the house of his dream. He knew it was all a trap to ensnare him, but he couldnt shake off the nostalgia he felt at the sight. This realm is what I wanted more than anything once, Basil admitted. He turned away from the portal and found the courage to face his deceased mentor. It felt like staring at the sun, but he owed the Old Man that much. A peaceful life without worry. But you do not desire it anymore? Ren guessed. You yearn for something else now. I was a coward. Basil hade to realize as much through his travels. I told myself I was escaping the rat race, that I was done ying by societys rules, but it was a lie I told myself. In truth, I He struggled to find the right words, but Ren waited patiently for him to get them off his chest. The Old Man had always been a patient listener, and death hadnt changed his predisposition. I was scared of failure, Basil admitted. Of disappointment. Basil had bunkered away in the wilderness rather than persevere. He had given up, tried to keep his head down, and cruise through life. But even if you ignore the world, it certainly wont ignore you, Basil thought grimly. Running away incurs a debt to reality and one day it is repaid. One way or another. I cant run away this time, Basil told the only true father figure he ever had. I wont. As much as it scares me, its not about me anymore. Its about the world. Ive got friends waiting for me outside. People who will die if I stay in this if I stay here. People will die even if you leave, Basil, Ren replied calmly. I do not demean your achievements, far from it. But you are not As. If you try to bear the worlds burden on your shoulders, youll only end up crushed under it. I fear you may be putting too much pressure on yourself. I know you. You will break before you bend. Perhaps my efforts wont amount to much, Basil agreed. But if each Bulgarian told themselves that, we wouldnt have won independence. We wouldnt have shaken off the Ottomans and themunists. Maybe I wont make a big difference but a small contribution is still better than none. Too many lives depending on his actions today. Vasi, Bugsy, Shellgirl, Rosemarine, Kalki, Neria and so many more. Basil had the duty to stand with them. I see. Ren nodded slowly to himself before looking down at to and petting him on the head. The tiger cub purred happily in response. Watch over him then, would you? Make sure he doesnt get too deep into trouble. Ill try, but I make no promises, the Rakshasa Kitten replied with a chuckle. He hunts down problems like I do birds. As is his wont. The Old Man smiled sadly, before facing his adoptive son. His voice broke halfway through his confession. A part of me is sad to see you go, Basil but the rest of me is proud that youve found your way. Thest sentence was said with such earnestness, such candidness, that it left Basil speechless. The young man felt something warm in his eyes, which he couldnt suppress this time. Before he knew it, Basil had closed the gap between them and dropped his halberd. His arms closed around Ren and held him tightly. The Old Man gasped in surprise at the hug, but quickly returned it. Fuck, Basil muttered. The Old Man felt so warm to the touch, so solid and real. Fuck. Im sorry, Ren apologized. Im sorry I cant follow you further. I wish I did, but I guess thats what de Gaulle meant when said that old age is a shipwreck. My time is done, but you can still swim to shore. Im It was a herculean struggle for Basil to let Ren go, but he did; slowly, gently. I wish I could stay here longer. I truly do. I understand, Ren replied with a sad chuckle. Dont be sorry, Basil. Every man and woman has his own wars to fight. Im lucky I could see you again at all. Mister Bohen, Mister to? Aya joined her hands shyly. Can I ask you something? Sure, Basil whispered. He couldnt deny ast request. If you meet my cat, Misha, can you give her a message? Shes golden and small and adorable and lived with me in Tunis, you cant miss her. She might as well have described millions of cats, but neither Basil nor to had the heart to point it out to her. What message? the Rakshasa Kitten asked quietly. Aya looked down at her feet. That it wasnt her fault. Such a short sentence, and yet one that implied so much. We will tell her, if we meet her, to promised with a paw on his belly. I swear it on my stripes and feline pride. I do too, Basil promised. On my honor as a Bohen. Thank you. Aya smiled brightly. I hope well meet again someday. Youre rough outside, but nice inside. I hope so too, Basil said, though he knew better. After onest nce at the Old Man, he recovered his halberd and turned to face the portal. Itll be easier if we do it quickly, the feline whispered to Basil as he joined him. to wasnt one to cry, but his eyes were heavy with sorrow. Without turning back. Basil nodded slowly and took a step forward. Go forth, young man, brave cat, Ren said as Basil and to crossed the gate. Show em your mettle. He would. For an old friends sake. The first step was the hardest of them all; the second was easier, but only barely so. Basil and to crossed the painted veil into another world, into an endless beach of granr sand glittering under a pale white sun. A calm, soothing sea of blue paint expanded as far as the eye could see. Only silence and a gentle breeze weed the duo. Benjamin Leroys daughter had perished in Tunisia during a terrorist attack. Basil wondered if it was the beach where she breathed herst, forever frozen in time. I do not understand you, Basil Bohen. Basil looked up, his hand tightening on his halberd. A shadowy form materialized in the sky, floating above the duo. to drew his de and pointed it at the creature. Why did you leave? Pluto, no, Benjamin Leroy asked. The confusion in his maddened eyes was only too human. Youll only find pain outside. You cannot save the world of man. Can you? Basil rasped. I already am, Leroy replied with what could pass for enthusiasm. I will absorb all souls into Naraka and empty all afterlives. The living, the dead, all will be united in a perfect world, a better world, without pain nor sorrow. No one will mourn, no one will grieve. All will be right on Heaven and Earth. Basil listened to his empty spiel. They sounded so familiar to him. He had invented many excuses to cover up an ugly truth too. What are you hiding from? Basil asked, his question as sharp as a sword. Hiding? Leroy let out a light chuckle. I am in front of you. Dont you see me? Do your eyes deceive you? This ce, this pocket dimension, whatever you call its a fantasy, Basil pointed, his halberd raised at the godly shadow. Whats a fantasys purpose but to escape reality? What are you running from? The answer became obvious the moment Basils words left his mouth. Benjamin Leroy hadmitted all his crimes to achieve a clear, simple goal. He wasnt after power or wealth like hisrades. His atrocities had beenmitted in loves name. Basil remembered what Aya had told him, how the false god broke down after asking the same question over and over again. This false world was exactly what Basil had wanted once. A refuge to escape the most dreadful fear of them all. Failure. Youve failed, havent you? Basil guessed. For all of your power, you couldnt bring her back. The false deity winced as if pped in his shadowy face. Youve made a deal with the Devil. Basil failed to suppress a brief pang of sympathy for the madman before him. Having run away himself, he understood Leroys plight only too well. And he shortchanged you. Your daughter had already reincarnated, or her soul went to rest in an afterlife that even you cannot touch. You sold out the world for a fool''s promise. Leroys eyes were the only thing human about him, and they couldnt lie. When Basil caught the brief sh of pure anger in them, he knew he had guessed correctly. You couldnt own up to your fuck-ups, to rasped, his voice dripping with disgust. You created a fake paradise to soothe your own guilty conscience! But it only made things worse, didnt it? Basil raised his halberd at Leroy. Watching children like Aya, the spitting image of what you thought your revived daughter would look like, dead because of your actions it must have been a p in the face. Youve ruined the world and killed millions of innocents and you did it for nothing. A ck eclipse obscured the sun, turning it ck as sin. Streaks of crimson tainted the sky, and the painted sea started to boil. As for Leroy, the false deitys eyes began to burn with an otherworldly, ferocious glow. And most importantly, the painted portal vanished behind the Bohens. You just couldnt bear the guilt. So you ran. You ran away from reality, from the truth, because it was the easy way out. Basil sighed, both out of scorn and sympathy. Madness is a cowardsst refuge, I suppose. Leroy snapped to action with fury by expanding his shadowy wings. mes came alight within the darkness of his body like stars in the night sky. Phlegethon me! the false god snarled. Fiery stars fell down to earth, scorching the sand to ss and sounding the horn of battle. Chapter 74: Woman vs Sword Chapter 74: Woman vs Sword The undead Great Sphinx of Tanit copsed, the hole in its chest bleeding ice spikes all over the marble floor. Vasi allowed herself a breath of relief. The remains of a mummy warlock burned against a dark stone wall close to her, the smell of roasted flesh and smoke rushing to her nose. I think its over, she said. Good shot, Shellgirl. That was a close one, Shellgirl admitted as she emerged from behind a stone sarcophagus. Herst ice bomb, thrown from behind her cover, had in the sphinx before he could finish charging up his beam attack. Are you okay, Bugsy? Im fine, thank you for asking, the centimagma replied atop a mountain of dead scorpions, each of them the size of a pony. His entire body was covered in sting wounds, though his innate resistance to Ailments had spared him from poison. I wouldnt mind a healing potion though. Ive asked Neria to send some through the Guild Inventory, Vasi replied before examining the sphinxs corpse. It was the second time they had killed the creature. First, it attacked them as a living statue, and then in the shape of a monstrous undead seconds after they slew it. Same with the scorpions. Just in case It cost her some of her precious SP, but Vasi incinerated the sphinxs corpse to ensure it would never rise again. This time a message appeared to confirm the battles final end.
Your party earned 200,000 EXP (20,000 for you).
So many deaths, and it didnt even earn them a level.
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Vasi was starting to understand her boyfriends frustration with the Systems customer service. Here, Bugsy, Shellgirl said as she poured a potion down the centimagmas throat, healing his wounds. Ready to continue? Yes. Bugsy nodded and pointed at a hieroglyph-covered wall with his antennae. I sense stairs behind it. Yet another secret passage? Vasi was growing tired of them. Her group had entered the pyramid after leaving the UNESCO HQ, ascending one floor after another; it started well, with the Reception Hall being a strangely peaceful sanctuary guarded by weak monsters easy to dispatch. The situation worsened as they climbed further. Although the Louvre Pyramid held surprisingly few defendersVasi assumed most were fighting the Apocalypse Force outside the dungeons wallsshe couldnt say the same for the traps and puzzles. Poisoned darts fired inside corridors, hidden pits full of spikes, dead end tunnels, hidden passageways, and of course, the ever-popr rolling boulder Vasi thought she had seen it all. The witch had been almost ted to be confronted by an actual sphinx when they reached the Egyptian wing instead of yet another contraption. At least she could hit monsters back. Let me check, Vasi said as she examined the walls. The hieroglyphs on the surface formed a nine-per-nine series of tiles and flipped when touched, revealing different symbols underneath. However, they returned to normal whenever she touched two at once. These signs form a sequence somehow. Oh, let me try! Shellgirl started flipping the tiles, and Vasi started to see a pattern in the symbols. Some of them are identical! I believe we must memorize the location of each symbol and then pair them up, Vasi guessed. She usually loved riddle games, but they were too pressed for time to enjoy this one. Perhaps we can force our way in like with the previous puzzles. Can we avoid it, if possible? Bugsy pleaded. Skipping thest puzzle almost caused the ceiling to fall on top of us! Unfortunately, it seemed dungeon designers didnt take visitors breaking through closed doors well. We can try, Vasi said with a shrug. This one doesnt look too hard The sensation of new power infusing her bones, and a worrying System notification, interrupted her.
[All for One] applied [Mirage] and [Deaths Banner] to you.
All for One? A nce at her allies confirmed to Vasi that they were all affected. She opened the status screen in rm and checked Basils stats. His HP bar was no longer full. Theyre fighting, Vasi realized in panic. Basil and to are fighting. Must be Pluto, Shellgirl voiced the most likely possibility. Big B finally pissed him off. Worry seized Vasis heart as she stared at the wall. She briefly consideredpleting the puzzles in quick session, before realizing that she didnt have the patience for it. Bugsy, please break the wall, she all but ordered. We do not have time for puzzles anymore. Ugh, okay for the Boss. Bugsy groaned. The centimagma pushed dead scorpions out of his path, took his distance, and gathered momentum. Step aside, girls! Agility Up! Vasi and Shellgirl moved out of the way as the centimagma charged through the hieroglyph puzzle, shattering stones and uncovering a hidden staircase beyond it. The ceiling trembled in response, but the trio rushed through the steps before it could copse on them and ascended to the next level. The floor above the Egyptian exposition began with a crossroad leading to two different wings of the dungeon. The room, unlike the tomb-like levels the group had struggled with before, espoused a medieval theme familiar to Vasi. Fortified walls of stone bricks and chiseled pirs held the gray ceiling over a floor of polished wood. Rows of wondrous items upied the room, each of them encased in shells of ss. Golden statues of saints and holy virgins stood next to silver chalices, ancient swords, enchanted tapestries, great armors of steel, and kingly crowns of jewels. Each of these items exuded magic, to the point Vasi couldnt resist examining a few. These century-old relics radiated power, almost as much as the legendary weapons in Walters exhibit. One of them, however, inspired awe and wonder above all others: a sword with a golden pommel stood in the middle of the exhibit, its de radiating like the sun itself. The sheath was encrusted in jewels each more precious than thest.
Joyeuse, Sword of Charlemagne
Family: Weapon Artifact (Sword).
Quality: S.
Power: +15 SKI.
Crit: +20%
uracy: 100%
Effect 1: [Royal Privilege]: Joyeuse can only be wielded by an individual with royal blood. Joyeuse will strike down unwee wielders with holy wrath.
Effect 2: [Sacred Sword]: Inflicts an additional 30% [Light] damage piercing through Resistance.
Effect 3: [Dragonyer]: Inflicts Dragonyer supereffective damage against the [Dragon] Type (x3 damage).
Effect 4: [Longinus]: Inflicts the [Brand] ailment on a sessful hit, preventing the victim from recovering HP until the ailment is removed.
Effect 5: [Song of Rnd]: when Joyeusends a killing blow, it sings for one minute; the wielder and his allies inflict 50% additional damage so long as they can hear the song. Each killing blow renews the songs duration. The songs duration is increased if Joyeuse is within ten meters of [Durandal, Sword of Rnd] and/or [Curtana, Sword of Ogier].
The mythical sword of Emperor Charlemagne, who truly needed humor in his life. Paraded by French Kings and used in the famous Song of Rnd to y Baligant, Emir of Babylon and dragon of the east, Joyeuse has unhappily gathered dust for thest several centuries. Somebody gives this murder weapon a hug!
Charlemagne? The name sounded like the Holy Kingdom of Gardemagne, a mighty nation of Vasis world once ruled by a pdin god. Did this artifacte from her homeworld? Who is this Charlemagne? Bugsy whispered in awe as he joined Vasi, utterly entranced by the swords radiance. Was he the Boss of this ce before Pluto? Ive heard of him, Shellgirl said. The merchant was more well-versed in the lore of this world than her friends. He was a great pdin king who ruled the continent of Europe in ancient times. So a Superboss? Bugsy guessed. The story felt familiar to Vasi. She had heard Earth and Outremonde were mirrors in many ways, and this sword reminded her of representations of All-Sun, the sword of the light god Mithras. She wondered how good Basil would look with a weapon such as this. Shellgirl shattered the ss protecting the sword without warning, startling Vasi. Shellgirl, what are you doing? she asked. We dont have time to grab everything shiny! Are you kidding? Shellgirl replied with a grin, her hand greedily grabbing Joyeuses pommel. Were going to fight a living shadow and a holy de falls in ourp! Its the perfect signAHH! Shellgirl let out a scream of pain as the sword burst with light, burning her hand. The mimic dropped Joyeuse in pain and Vasi, acting on instinct, caught the sword before it hit the ground. Vasi realized the danger only after her fingers closed around the pommel. Her fear, however, quickly turned to surprise. The gold felt warm to the touch, like a gentle hearths fire. Her fingers didnt burst into fire as Shellgirls did. She raised the one-handed sword as easily as a feather. Ouch, Shellgirlined as she massaged her sticky fingers. Vasi, be careful! Im fine. Much to her own surprise, in fact. How strange. Why am I not affected? Could you be Bugsy held his breath. A princess? Of course not, Vasi replied with a shrug. Im a witch, not a noble brat in her tower. But Bugsy, always the innocent mind, wouldnt let the idea go. Maybe youre a kings secret bastard, hidden at birth for your own safety because of an ancient prophecy! Or not to split the inheritance! Shellgirl suggested with a pained grin, a suggestion which Vasi thought equally unbelievable. Well, they do call my mother the Queen of Witches Vasi mused. She imagined bequeathing the sword to Basil, like ady with her knight. That would be amusing. A green glow surrounded the group, wiping away their fatigue and healing Shellgirls wounds.
[Monster Cure II] healed you!
Oh, nice! Shellgirl rejoiced. Looks like Basil sent us help! Vasi didnt share her friends joy. Basil should have no way of knowing how his allies were faring, so the only target for his spell should be his cat. Basil is healing to, Vasi guessed in rm. Which means whatever is fighting them is a credible threat to both. With time working against them, Vasi examined signs on the walls pointing at various wings. The one on the left was called European Paintings, and the one on the right was titled European Arts. The group moved towards the former, with Bugsy scouting at the front. As per the sign, this wing of the pyramid contained a gallery sprawling as far as the eye could see. The exhibit showcased countless paintings on white walls, under a dusty ceiling of hardened multicolor ss. Each picture looked more twisted than thest; the frames grew roots into the walls like parasitic trees, while the painted works lines were ever-shifting like troubled waters. First came images of wars and tragedies, then foul beasts and demons. Others were drawn in an abstract style, showcasing maddened, bent figures screaming in silence. Thats a lot of priceless paintings, Shellgirl noted as she examined the closest painting, The Coronation of Napoleon. The picture showed an assembly of skeletons watching the ascension of a crowned ghost in a dark, gloomy castle. Shellgirl brushed her hand against the structure, the painting shifting at her touch. I can enter this one! Each of these paintings must lead to a different room, Vasi guessed. Dont touch any of them. One could trap you inside itself. Well, ording to the map, the Mona Lisa should be further up ahead, Shellgirl replied as she pulled out her hand. We cant miss it, it takes up an entire room. Girls, beware! Bugsy shouted a warning. I sense movementing from the walls! Vasi gritted her teeth and backed off as some of the portraits started to bleed paint. Humanoid figures of solid ck paint walked out of the portraits by the dozens, each of them with nimble legs and unnaturally long arms. A vicious grin full of sharp fangs formed on their hideous, eyeless faces.
Painted Sorrow
Level 26 [Demon/Elemental]
Faction: Metal Olympus (Psychopompos).
Go help the chief! Bugsy dered as he faced the creatures, fire building up between his mandibles. Ill hold them off! Very well, Vasi said with little hesitation. By now, she knew her friends valor and abilities. Hasten! Motivate, Shellgirl added. Their buffs swiftly empowered Bugsy, with the Centimagma charging into the fray at blinding speed. He crashed into the quickest target in a sh, turning it into inert paint spilled all over the floor. Vasi and Shellgirl advanced into the gallery as their friend covered their rear. As Shellgirl guessed, it didnt take them long to find the Mona Lisa; or at least, a painting titled as such. The frame stood embedded in a ck wall of thorns at the exhibits center, so small Vasi doubted she could fit through it. The ghastly picture represented the shadowy form of Pluto staring at onlookers, one dark hand over the other. A fantasy background stretched behind his ckened hood, all under a crimson sky. Thats not what it should look like, Shellgirl noted, disgusted by the sight. How outrageous, to ruin such a fair piece of art! This is the right painting, Vasi said. The portrait radiated as much oppressive power as Tamura and Hypathia. This artifact is the source of Plutos powers. Most importantly, she sensed the same aura that once surrounded Hypathiaing off from the portrait. to, who had inherited her essence, was fighting for his life inside it. Basil, Iming, Vasi said as she applied her hand to the portrait. The oily paint felt disgustingly slimy to her fingers, and yet harder than diamond.
Entrance denied by [Pluto, Lord of the Netherworld].
Damn it, Vasi cursed. Pluto wont let us enter it! Well just have to force our way in then! Shellgirl suggested. She raised her tentacles at the portrait. Lets see if this paintings got insurance! Vasi stepped away as Shellgirl fired half a dozen ice spheres at the corrupted Mona Lisa. The projectiles bounced off the wooden frame and thorn wall without inflicting damage, but also melded into the cursed paint when they touched it.
You cannot destroy: [Mona Lisa].
Vasi had vaguely hoped that damaging the painting would free her boyfriend trapped inside, but the notification shattered her hopes. Do I keep firing, Vasi my, dear? Shellgirl asked in dejection. What if I painted something over the portrait? Wipe off that silly ck hood with white streaks? At this point, we might as well try, Vasi whispered with a frown. But you gave me an idea. Pluto could prevent the living from entering his paintedir, but Shellgirls ice projectiles entered it just fine. Since Vasi couldnt send reinforcements she would have to send supplies. Leroy rained down fiery stones from the sky. The beach had long been transformed into a wastnd of smoking craters and fuming holes, one projectile at a time. Basil struggled to run across the minefield to dodge thetest bombardment, his hands sweating from the heat and relentless pressure. to ran after him, his tail having caught fire from a previous attack. Elemental Orb: Water! Basil snarled as he materialized a liquid projectile in his free hand, throwing it at Leroy. The false god blinked out of existence in a burst of ckened smoke and reappeared a few feet away in the air. Basil took it as a good sign; if Leroy felt the need to dodge attacks, then whatever Field effect canceled damage in his paradise was gone. Leroy retaliated with a shadow orb of his own. The projectile, asrge as a small house, fell down towards the Bohens at incredible speed and exploded on the ground in a cataclysmic st. to managed to dodge it by leaping away, but Basil was thrown back by the st. He rolled on the sand and nearly fell into the boiling waters along the shore. Basil! to shouted in rm. Get up! Whats wrong, Bohen?! Off your game?! Leroy snarled, his eyes burning with fury. Dark Calling! Basil rose to his feet right as the ground began to tremble beneath his feet. Sensing the danger, he leaped away right as a ghostly handrger than him emerged from the sand. Its bony fingers closed on empty air. Unfortunately, Leroy reappeared next to Basil before he could regain his footing. Thanatos Ray! The false gods eyes lit up and two beams of energy burst from them. Thesers hit Basil in the chest, pierced through his armor, and burned the flesh underneath. Eldritch energies consumed his skin and exposed the ribs underneath to the air outside.
369 [Soul] Damage! [Insta-Death] negated by [Deaths Banner]!
Basil snarled in pain as the blow threw him backward; his Perk spared him from a quick death, but not from the searing pain. Dwarf tiger to the face! to shouted as he nked Leroy. des of wind swirled around his ws and sword both. Windfang! Leroy let out a shriek as he failed to teleport in time. The cats magical wind shredded through his cloak of shadow and left marks in the false gods body of insubstantial darkness. He retaliated with more beams, but the feline adroitly leaped around to dodge. Basil charged back to help his friend, swinging his halberd with the strength of a possessed man. His weapon hit only sand as Leroy teleported away above the boiling sea. Coward! Basil snarled. Come here and fight! Leroy responded by expanding his shadowy wings. Night Reign! A humongous flock of shadowy, bloodthirsty bats erupted from his body and flew straight at the duo. Basil formed an elemental orb of fire and threw it straight at the iing enemies. His attack exploded in a burning st of mes on contact and killed the flying rodents.
Warning: You have exhausted half your SP!
I dont know how long I can keep this up! Basil warned to, before gritting his teeth as fiery stars materialized in the sky above them. Hes tough! Not only was Leroy better at using his abilities than his colleagues, teleporting to dodge attacks and unleashing attack after attack with no time for breathing room, but the absence of two-thirds of Basils teamplicated matters. He hadnt realized just how much he hade to rely on their buffs and support in battle until today. Hes got to slip up at one point! to replied as the duo started running for their lives to avoid a bombardment. Distract him! Invisibility! Leroy reappeared right in front of them in a shadowy cloud of smoke, before to could fully vanish from sight. Hecates Disruption! A st of blue light washed over Basil and to, turning thetter visible and stripping the former of magical protection.
Your buffs have been lifted.
God Jesus Marie Joseph! Basil thought in abject terror as Leroys eyes shone with eldritch power. With no Deaths Banner and the Field effect active, a direct hit might be fatal. Time slowed down, his heart pounding in his chest as Leroy followed through with his instant-death attack. Deaths Ban Thanatos Ray! Leroy snarled first. ner! The beams surged from the false gods eyes at lightspeed right as Basil activated his Perk. Oneser hit the sand, but the other narrowly pierced through his left shoulder right as Deaths Banner spread through Basils bones.
180 [Soul] damage! [Insta-Death] negated by [Deaths Banner]!
A close call! You will not escape! said the false god as his eyes brightened like Hells fiery heart. Heca Youre the one fleeing! Basil snarled as he swung his halberd before his foe couldplete his spell. The coward teleported away, and Basil had to split from to to avoid a falling fireball afterward. You would rather kill us than admit your wrongs! Lies! Leroy roared as he reappeared in the sky, looming over the beach; and far away from Basils range. I can hear Celias voice! She is everywhere in this world, in my world! You are the ones who understand nothing! Basil prepared to utter a clever retort, when a blinding light obscured his sight. He half-expected another sneak attack from Leroy, only for the false god to turn his eyes at the sky in surprise. He appeared as confused as Basil himself. A blinding de of sunlight fell from the heavens and straight at Leroy. The false god moved away in surprise, the sword falling into the beach. Basil didnt bother picking it up. Instead, he immediately used his enemys distraction to st him with an orb of water. The projectile hit true, sting Leroy and forcing him to teleport out of sight once more.
Warning: you have exhausted two-thirds of your SP.
to, I cant fire more projectiles, Basil warned. With his SP so low, he needed to focus on keeping Deaths Banner up to protect them from instant death attacks. to? Basil nced at his best friend in rm, worrying he might have been ambushed only to realize the feline had decided to trade his fencing sword for a fancier weapon. Now, foul viin! to dered, his golden sword raised towards the corrupted sky. It didnt matter that the de was longer than the tiger cub; in that moment, he still managed to look utterly badass. Bow before your king! For the first time in his life, Basil was tempted to be a monarchist. Chapter 75: Man vs Reality Chapter 75: Man vs Reality The light of tos sword repelled Leroy. Argh! The living shadow cowered from the des divine radiance as if he were physically hurt by it. Stay away! Leroy materialized a shadowy sphere in the palm of his hand and threw it at to. The feline saw the attacking, but instead of dodging, he simply sliced the projectile in midair. His sword dissipated the darkness like the sun repelled the night away in the morning. Leroys eyes widened in shock at this new development. Sensing an opportunity, Basil tossed his halberd at his foe like a javelin. Leroy didnt recover from his surprise in time and the Soulbound weapon sliced through one of his shadowy wings. It cut through the false gods incorporeal substance as if it were flesh, Leroys screams echoing across the false world. Croque-Mordeuses new ability allowed it to drain SP from its victims, and Basil watched on with satisfaction as his weapons de consumed some of Leroys shadowy energies.
Supereffective hit! You have shaved off a fifth of [Pluto, Lord of the Netherworld]s SP!
Basils halberd continued its course in the sky. Leroy, believing he could seize an opportunity, materialized in front of Basil. Thanatos Ray! he snarled, his eyes shining with malice. There was no way to dodge the attack at this distance so Basil didnt. Gritting his teeth, he powered through the beams as they hit him in the chest, damaging his armor and burning the flesh underneath. The pain was indescribable, but Leroy didnt maintain the pressure for long. His eyes soon returned to normal, filled with confusion. Only when Basil teleported his Soulbound weapon back to his hand, as his Perk allowed him, did the false god realize his mistake. Ah! Leroy screamed in pain as Basil swung his halberd through his chest once, then twice. The Deathknight repaid each wound he had received back in full. His blows drained Leroy of life and magic.
Supereffective hit! Supereffective hit.
Leroy teleported a few feet away and formed a sphere of dark energy to retaliate, only for to to get the jump on him by striking from behind. The tiger cubs light de cut through the shadow like paper and forced Leroy to teleport away. Run, run like a bird! to taunted as he chased after the false god. Leroy teleported in short bursts while vainly trying to snipe the feline with his eye beams. It makes no difference to me! Basil raised his halberd to join the chase, only to wince in pain. He nced at his fuming, hole-covered chest and covered his wounds with one hand. The battle had taken its toll on him. His SP was too low to sustain more long-range attacks and magical suppression fire. A miracle fell from the sky, as if answering his prayer. A flying broomstick descended from the heavens andnded peacefully on the sand near Basil. A bundle was attached to the tip. Immediately recognizing Vasis broom, Basil rushed to open the package. Two potions fell out of it and into the sand. Relief supplies! Basil immediately drank them while to kept Leroy upied, not even bothering to check their effects. The pain in his chest dissipated and a few of his wounds closed on their own.
You have recovered 120 SP and 200 HP!
120 SP. That was enough to keep Deaths Banner up for longer without sacrificing his defense. Promising himself to make it up to his girlfriend if he managed to survive, Basil joined the fray. While Leroy was upied keeping to at bay withsers and shadowy spheres, Basil threw an elemental orb of water at him. The false god failed to teleport in time and was hit head on. Basil expected Leroy to vanish once more. Instead, the false gods body started to undergo a strange mutation. The ethereal darkness making up his substance solidified. The creature of darkness became one of flesh, a demonic humanoid with batlike wings and elongated, wed arms. Leroys body appeared melded with armor of ckened steel, with metal spikes on the shoulders and a horned helmet making up the upper half of the face. The only human part of him was his pallid jaw and his unchanged eyes. What The false god rasped in iprehension as he stumbled on the sand. I cant my flesh Whats happening to him? to asked. Wind swirled around his sword for a new counterattack. His incorporeal state isnt a natural thing, Basil guessed. He needs SP to maintain it, and my halberd blows cut down his reserves. Leroy had relentlessly pummeled the duo with powerful magical attacks for minutes on end. No matter howrge the SP reserves he could call upon, they werent limitless. He had forgotten to pace himself in his wrath and now paid the price for it. Still, Leroy didnt admit defeat. He let out a bestial snarl and flung his elongated arms like whips. Basil and to separated, each of them avoided a wed hand by moving in one direction. Guided by battle experience won over many months of constant battling, the duo moved as one and nked Leroy from both sides. Seeing the danger, the false god extended his wings and took flight. A cloud of sand swallowed the Bohens, obscuring their sight. wed hands closed on Basils shoulders and suddenly dragged him into the sky. You cant win this, Benjamin! Basil shouted at Leroy before impaling him with his halberds spike. The false god hissed in pain as the weapon pierced his flesh, yet he refused to relinquish his quarry and gained altitude. No more than you can bring her back! What have you built, Bohen? Leroy snarled angrily. What have you created?! All your kind does is destroy! I didnt break the world! Basil shouted back. Leroy opened his mouth wide, revealing rows of sharpened fangs. Basil raised a palm and shoved it between the false gods lips. Elemental Orb: Water! His projectile exploded in Leroys mouth, blowing off his fangs and lips alike. The false god released his quarry and Basil began to fall off more than twenty meters. I got you, Basil! to raised his sword, channeled wind through it, and ran circles on the beach. His actions whirled a whirlwind into existence which softened Basils fall. He still crashed into the sand, but got off with a few bruises rather than broken bones. Leroy let out a hellish screech and dived down upon the duo. Quickly rushing back to his feet, Basil raised his halberd horizontally. to! His tiger cub jumped on the t side of his halberds de. Using his weapon like a lever, Basil threw hispanion at their enemy like a projectile. Leroy extended his hands to catch to in midair, but the crafty feline swirled on himself and dodge. He hit the false god in the chest, impaling him. The holy light burned Leroy until he lost control of his flight. to jumped off him right before he crashed into the sand next to Vasis broomstick. Give up, Basil said coldly as he and to nked Leroy from both sides. Even when covered in wounds and without power to fuel his spells, the false god refused to yield. We dont want to kill you. We dont? to asked in confusion. If we can help it, Basil replied. He locked eyes with Leroy, who had managed to rise back to his feet, his hands covering his chest wound. Do you think your daughter would want you to throw your life away for nothing? Im doing this for her, Leroy shouted back, spitting blood. I hear her! I hear her voice, spurring me on! Oh, for the love of Basil nted his halberd in the sand like a g. to, stay back. Wait, what are you doing? his best friend asked, his eyes squinting in worry. Beating some sense into him, Basil replied as he took a step forward. Like Samson with the Philistines! Leroy swung his left arm at Basil in a vain attempt to keep him at bay. He missed. Basil lowered himself to dodge the attack and then punched his foe in the chest, right where to wounded him beforehand. The false god let out a hiss of pain on impact. Your daughter isnt speaking to you, Basil said, his voice brimming with pity. That voice you hear? Its your loneliness trying to fill the silence. Shut up, Leroy hissed as he held his bleeding chest. I know I know the truth. Yes, you do. Basil snorted. And thats why it hurts so much. He punched Leroy in the face with enough force to knock out a tooth. I want Ren toe back to life, Basil said, before following with an uppercut. I want Orcine to pull herself back together and Kuikui to return. I even want that old French Major back, so we can settle our differences once for all. I want my father toe back from the dead and stop being a raging alcoholic who threw his life away the first time around. Leroy stumbled back on the sand and fell to one knee. to watched on, silent as a tomb. And Im never going to get any of this. Basil shook his head. Because theyre all dead and they cante back. I cant turn back the clock, Leroy, and neither can you. Theyre gone. Youre wrong. Leroy stubbornly rose to his feet. I can bring them back. I can bring her back! I just need more time, more data! All youve created are phantoms trapped in a snowglobe while the world crumbles to dust, Basil replied. Half of whom you murdered in the first ce. If I can revive them, then itll be alright in the end. Leroy raised his hands and tightened them into fists. Once youre gone, Ill make everything right. You cant. Basil dodged a punch, then another. Dismaker Labs former programmer had no experience in hand to handbat, nor the strength left to present a challenge. Even if you somehow manage to trap every soul on earth in this ce, it wont return their old life back to them. The Apocalypse Force, the Unity, your colleagues theyll keep killing. Keep hurting. One day theyll find their way to this ce and destroy it. Sensing an opportunity, Basil backhanded Leroy and forced him back. The false god touched his bleeding jaw, whimpering in pain. You cant run away forever, Benjamin. Basil had learned this lesson the hard way. Think. Do you think thats truly what your daughter would want for you? To hole up in a pyramid for the rest of your days? To waste your time running after an illusion? You know nothing! Leroy snarled back. Tears rained down his bloodied cheeks. You dont understand! If I fail if I fail, it would have been all for nothing! The things Ive done, the lives Ive destroyed He let out a screech of pain and despair. Theres noing back! Leroy exhaled. Noing back from that Thats true, Basil agreed. You cant ever fully make up for what youve done. Thats harsh, but its true. His words hit Leroy harder than his fists. The false god stood still, staring at the ground. Had Basil finally gotten through the walls he had built around himself? If you truly feel sorry for your crimes, then you must atone for them, Basil said. Truly atone. Not by covering up your mistakes as if you had never fucked up, but by making up for them in the real world. Youre going to get out of this pyramid and help us fix your shit. No. Leroy shook his head in denial. No, no, youre wrong. I just have to bring them back. Yes, thats right. You cant. Basil inhaled sharply. Summon her. Summon Leroy looked up at Basil in iprehension. Summon her? Your daughter, Basil said, his voice sharper than a knife. If you are so powerful, if thats truly her voice you hear in your head, then surely you canpel her to appear. If youre truly a god, then you will seed. I Leroys eyes widened in dread at the impossible task. I no, shes shy, she Drag her here if you must, Basil ordered, before losing patience. Summon her! Leroy expanded his wings and attempted to take flight. He tried to run, to the sky, to nowhere. Basil didnt let him. He grabbed the false god by the leg and dragged him back to earth. Summon her! Basil snarled. Leroy struggled to escape, but hecked the strength to. Summon her! Bring her back! I Leroy cried, his voice weakening. I cant. The words were so weak, barely a whisper. Yet they carried the crushing weight of defeat. Basil released Leroy. The false god didnt try to run away this time. The fight had gone out of him, snuffed out like a candle. I cant Leroy admitted, burying his face in the sand. I cant Celia The wind blew between them, and the fake world copsed in its wake. The crimson sky cracked open like an egg. The illusory sea washed away the beach into nothingness. The lies Benjamin Leroy had built around his heart copsed one after the other. Thats all there is, Basil said sadly, to standing at his side. Im sorry, Benjamin. But youll have to live with it. As I did. As we must all do. Basil saw pictures of people shing before his eyes. Ren, Aya, Orcine, Kuikui, and so many others. They appeared to him in a blink, and then they were gone without a sound. The reaper was an impatient force; it rarely waited forst words. The world was swallowed by light, and Basil was no longer on a beach when he regained his sense of sight. Instead he sat on the cold hard floor of an art gallery, with his girlfriend kneeling at his side. Good to see you again, handsome. Vasi moved to embrace him and he weed her with open arms. Basil almost wondered if she was yet another illusion, but the way she held him tightly told him otherwise. It was her, entirely her. So good Were you worried for me? Basil asked with a thin smile, before kissing her on the cheek. I received mydys favor. I would have sent you a handkerchief to wear in battle, but I was strapped for time, Vasi mused with a smile as she broke the hug. I hope it helped. It did. Vasi helped Basil rise back to his feet and he scanned the area with a nce. Shellgirl was pouring a healing potion down tos throat under the gaze of the Mona Lisa painting. Basils halberdy on the ground, next to Vasis broom and tos newfound holy weapon. Rosemarine was nowhere to be seen, as for Bugsy I got him, Boss! The centimagmas tail had coiled around a defeated Leroy. The false gods chest showed multiple bloody wounds. He wont run away! Basil doubted Leroy wanted to. The false gods gaze was as hollow as his body was limp. He looked dead while alive, breathing yet crushed within. Smacking him back to reality had just been the final nail in his coffin. Although Benjamin Leroy only deserved scorn for destroying the world, Basil couldnt suppress a pang of pity at his sight. Wheres Rosemarine? Basil asked, worried for his tropidrake. Keeping an eye on Kalki in the basement, Vasi exined. Thisment earned Basil''s full attention. Youve found him? Hes trapped in the neurotowers forcefield, Vasi confirmed. We had to leave him behind for now. We were so worried for you and to, Shellgirl admitted. You cant fathom how many treasures we had to leave behind! I can imagine, Basil said as he finally took the time to examine tos new sword. He immediately recognized Charlemagnes sword, Joyeuse. Nice catch. A shame you didnt choose to wield it yourself, Vasi said with a smile. You would look dashing with it. Not as much as me, to said before offering the sword to Basil. Yo dog, wanna try it? Although Basil struggled with the idea of cheating on his halberd with a sword, he couldnt resist the urge to touch the holy des pommel. His fingers burned when they brushed against the golden sword, forcing him to pull his hand back. Argh! Ah, saddening. Vasi sighed. Only those of royal blood can use Joyeuse in battle. And here I hoped you were a secret prince in shining armor. Sorry, Basil replied with a thin smile. Im the proud heir of a long line of dirt-poor peasants. Why can Mr. to wield the sword then? Bugsy asked in confusion. Why shouldnt I? to asked back. Look at me. I am the very picture of royalty. Vasi grinned ear to ear. Well, he is the king of cats. Meow, thats right, to replied with unbearable pride. The tiger is king of the jungle, it is known! I have my doubts, Basil mused. But we can check thatter. They would need to settle Leroys fate first. The group gathered around the false god. Bugsy dropped Leroy on the ground, with to and Shellgirl pointing their weapons at him. Basil didnt bother to threaten him with his halberd. The board member had clearly given up on life. How do we return the world to normal? Basil asked sharply. You helped design the neurotowers, didnt you? How can we use them to subvert the System? You you cant, Leroy replied, his voice brimming with guilt. Once the Trimurti System initialized the situation escaped our control. The Neurotowers summoned it to Earth and provided it with energy, but they do not control anything. Basil had expected as much, but he didnt like hearing this information either. Your particr neurotower harvests souls from all over the world, Vasi pointed out. If we destroy it, it will be a blow to the system. Leroy shook his head in denial. Destroying Naraka wont solve anything, he said. Redundant neurotowers will take over to keep processing souls. Thework will adapt to any unforeseen scenario. And if you destroy them all, the cosmic egg will crumble on itself. An egg? Bugsy squinted in confusion. What egg? When we activated the Trimurti System, our was trapped inside the seed of a new universe, Leroy exined. This eggs shell it acts as a Level barrier regting who can get in. So the barrier is not a sphere, Basil whispered as he remembered the ISSst transmission. Shiva isnt holding a sphere in its palm, but an egg. Shiva... yes, that''s an appropriate metaphor. Leroy chuckled weakly, as ifughing at a joke only he could understand. Once an Overgod is selected, the cosmic egg will hatch to unleash them on the cosmos. But What about the world? Shellgirl chewed her lip. Once the egg hatches, what will happen to it? Depends, Leroy whispered back. On what? Basil asked sharply. On the Overgod, I suppose. Leroy looked down at the ground. We didnt n for the aftermath. Either you win or you run. That was what Maxwell said. I didnt care about either so long as I had her and now Leroy cried while Basil clenched his fists in anger. Whoever won, there was a chance the world wouldnt survive it. How do we halt the process? Vasi asked with a frown. How can we stop thepetition? I already told you, you cant. Benjamin Leroy looked up and stared at the witch with weeping eyes. Dont you understand? There is no escape. The Trimurti System wont stop thepetition until an Overgod is selected. Its the only way out. The wheel of death will keep spinning, one way or another. to pointed his sword at Leroy. All I hear is that youre useless to us. Leroy showed no fear; only quiet eptance of his fate. He kneeled and waited for death. Send me to Celia, he said, closing his eyes. He looked almost pleading. Send me to her. to lowered the sword for the killing blow. Steel shed against steel, as Basils halberd stopped his best friends de within an inch of Leroys throat. Why? to asked in confusion as he removed his de. He deserves death. You know that. Youre wrong. Basil scowled. He deserves worse. Basil grabbed Leroy by the throat with one hand and lifted him above the ground. His high Strength stat showed its worth again. You think death will be your salvation? Basil locked eyes with his enemy. Leroy was a broken soul, all but pleading for death. I deny you this mercy. One way or another, youre going to help us fix the mess youve made. Its going to be a hard, thankless job, but you will do it; even if I have to drag you all the way through. Leroy didnt answer, so Basil threw him on the cold hard floor. Dont expect apuse or handps, Basil said with a scowl. No angel is going toe down from heaven to tell you that youve been punished enough. Some people will never forgive you for what youve done, no matter how hard you try to make up for your sins. Youll have to bear this cross for the rest of your miserable life. But maybe, just maybe one day youll be able to look at yourself in the mirror, and forgive the person staring back at you. Thats the best you can hope for, but thats already more than you deserve. Leroyy on the floor, defeated and silent. But he was listening. That was all that mattered. Lets go free Kalki, Basil said, before turning his back on Leroy. Well see how we proceed from there. In spite of all his crimes, Benjamin Leroy had destroyed the world not out of greed or ambition, but parental love. Even in the depths of his madness, he tried to make up for his mistakes in a perverted, twisted way. It earned him a little sympathy from Basil; but just enough to buy himself a second chance. Chapter 76: Man vs Wisdom Chapter 76: Man vs Wisdom Are you sure of yourself, handsome? Basil nced at Vasi as they walked down the stairs to the UNESCO building. He and his girlfriend closed the partys march, while the rest of the team kept an eye on their prisoner. Benjamin Leroy hadnt made any effort to free himself from captivity. He walked alongside the team in utter silence, his gaze hollow and his back bent like an old tree. No monsters ambushed the team during their descent, although the Pyramid was probably still crawling with them. None of the Bohens let their captives passivity lull them intocency. All of them sent nces at Leroy from time to time, none more often than to. The feline kept his hand on Joyeuses pommel at all times, ready to cut down the false god at the first sign of resistance. He is dangerous and unstable, Vasi warned Basil. Letting him live is a gamble. I know, Basil admitted. Although he hoped the reward would outweigh the risks, he understood his wager could backfire spectacrly. But he cant turn his life around if hes dead. Do you think thats even possible? his girlfriend asked with skepticism. I believe so, yes, Basil confirmed. Hes not like Tamura or Hypathia, or even Maxwell. He understands that he has done wrong. Hes damaged goods alright, but he can still pull himself together. Basil couldnt quite exin it himself. He felt it in his gut. Perhaps he saw a bit of himself in Leroy, or his brief stay inside the illusory world of Naraka had given him a glimpse into the mans soul. Or maybe, just maybe, a part of Basil wanted to believe in the mans better nature. I told you at the house that when faced with unrepentant evil, fire and brimstone really are the solution. Thats Old Testament justice. But the sequel has some good words too: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone. Basil shrugged. When someone stumbles on the perilous path of repentance, I should help them stand back up and not trip them further. Vasi looked at him with a coy, enigmatic smile. What? Basil asked. I find you more charming when you speak of forgiveness rather than punishment, my bear knight, Vasi said with a chuckle. Your better qualities shine through. Thank you, Basil replied, returning her smirk with one of his own. And for being at my side. It helps, more than you know. Your deliveries saved our lives in the painted world. I do not keep count, Basil, Vasi replied. But if you truly want to return the favor I wouldnt mind taking a holiday after we are done with our current Quest. Dungeon delving is exhausting. I think I need a break. That made two of them. If we survive the Incursion, Ill take you to Bulgaria, Basil promised. Youll love it. Its a beautiful ce. Are you nning to introduce me to your mother? Vasi mused. Its a big step forward in our rtionship. Yeah, it is, Basil admitted. But I feel were ready for it. Vasi nodded slowly as they finally reached the dungeons neurotower, at the very center of a crumbling galleryrger than any other room Basil had yet seen. Rosemarine had been waiting there, slouching on the ground and keeping watch on a forcefield keeping Veroneses The Wedding Feast at Cana trapped. Mister, to, you came back! The tropidrake rose to her feet and immediately licked Basil with her elongated tongue. The contact wasnt enjoyable at all, but Basil epted it with a smile. to simply leaped away to avoid suffering the same fate. I missed you so much! Me too, Rosemarine, Basil replied as he petted her on the head. Im d to see youre safe. Rosemarine noticed Leroy and promptly growled at him. Is he a treat? she asked. Do you want me to eat him, Mister? You already ate a god before, two would give you indigestion, to mused. Leroy finally raised his head, his gaze wandering from Rosemarine to Bugsy and to. How? he asked. How did you Kill your colleagues? Basil asked with a shrug. Your friend Ashok prevented them from teleporting away. Ah, thats how it is Leroy let out a dark chuckle. Ashok he wanted to see his god. He told me this once. Money and power were a means to him, never an end. His god? Basil repeated with a frown, before ncing at the Wedding Feast at Cana. He quickly caught Kalkis presence in the painting, as Vasi warned him earlier. You mean the Trimurti? Yes. He wanted answers. When I asked to what questions he simply smiled and told me I wouldnt get it. Leroyughed darkly. I heard Maxwell granted him the power of Zeus because he couldnt get Indra the Thunderer. Tamura wanted Susano-o too, if I remember right, Basil pointed out. Yes, he did. Leroy sighed. But summoning gods and binding them is an extraordinarily difficult task in itself. Each of them demands specialized resources, god-data. It was simply easier to capture essences from a single pantheon. Basil filed away this information in his mind forter, but changed the subject. Ashok was a long-term problem and they had more pressing troubles to deal with for the moment. Release Kalki, Basil ordered Leroy. Yes yes. The programmer waved his hand at the forcefield protecting his neurotower, disabling it. The swirling energies protecting the dungeons core vanished, revealing a colossal tower of steel hidden behind it. Basil had never seen a server sorge as this one. It crossed multiple floors and probably rivaled the greatest Egyptian obelisks in size. Red circuitry pulsated on its surface, thrumming with the power of harvested souls. The Wedding Feast at Cana floated before the server before shining with magic. Its surface undted like disturbed waters and vomited three shapes: a golden, three-headed cobra of magnificent beauty; a horse-sized hawk with a crimson, feline mane; and a handsome man of Indian descent with light brown skin, raven hair, and humble clothes. He looked up at Basil with eyes full of wisdom and innocence. Oh, and the Fire Seed that tested the pain before slithered out a short while afterwards, much to Rosemarine''s joy. My friends, Kalki said with a kind smile. The mere sight of it warmed Basils heart. We meet again atst. It wasnt easy finding you, Basil said as he offered a hand and helped him get back on his feet. The young mans grip was weak for a god. You made us work for it. Do you know how much weve suffered to reach you? toined. We had to walk through snow and sand alike! I see your travels changed you all, Kalki mused as he nced at the team. Almost every member of the Bohens party had undergone a metamorphosis since they hadst crossed paths. You are all greater and wiser. Kalki froze upon noticing Leroy, and his beastlypanions instantly moved to protect him. What is he doing here? Kalkis birdpanion, Garud, threatened Leroy with his talons. The cobra simply hissed ferociously. Hes the one who trapped us! Hes beaten, Basil reassured them. And on parole. You are making a mistake, the bird replied. This man has usurped a gods power and tainted it with evil! This is sacrilege, a sphemy Kalki put his hand on his pets back, the bird falling silent immediately. Vishnus avatar took a step toward Leroy, without fear or contempt. He observed the programmer for a moment, the false god matching his gaze. I thought your heart was clouded by evil, but I was wrong. Kalkis eyes brimmed with sympathy, as if his gaze could pierce through the false gods soul and see the man inside. Beneath the skin, its all pain. Leroy looked away without a word. The god inside you does not fight back, Kalki said. I sense his thoughts in your heart. He understands your grief, as a fellow who hasmitted crimes in the name of love. He does not hate you. Leroy scoffed. Lies. Close your eyes and listen. The truth will appear to you. Kalki smiled kindly. You are not alone. Basil doubted a single therapy session would straighten out Leroythe man had enough issues for a lifetimebut Kalkis words seemed to affect him. The false god folded his wings, like a bat trying to keep itself warm on a dark, frozen night. I am d to see you all again, and I am thankful for your help, Kalki told Basils party. But, if I might ask what are you doing here? This ce is a long way from your home. Oh, it burned, Rosemarine said almost absentmindedly as she petted her Fire Seed. Bugs blew it up and we swore vengeance on their childrens children. Oh. Kalki winced. Im Im sorry to hear that. What matters is that we survived, Basil replied with a shrug. He would forever miss the house for what the ce represented, but in the end, his party mattered more to him than his old home now. Well rebuild it once the world is a safer ce. And youll help with that. Basil opened his inventory and summoned a book he had stored in preparation for this moment. A Short Introduction to the Veda and Hindu Religions, Kalki asked with a frown as he read the cover. Yes, Basil confirmed. The original book had burned months ago, but General Lenc was kind enough to provide a copy. You came to this ce searching for answers about your true identity. This book holds them. Kalki observed the grimoire with apprehension. Basil lent it to him, opening the book on the page mattering to Vishnu. I believe youre Vishnu, one of the Trimurti, Basil exined. One of the three gods administering this system. Vishnu is usually depicted as sleeping on the back of the serpent Ananta Shesha or riding the great bird Garuda in battle. Kalkispanions exchanged a nce. Neither looked surprised, nor in denial. They knew. On some level, they already knew the truth. Perhaps not in these words but they understood who they were on an instinctual level. Whenever evil and chaos threaten the world, Vishnu reincarnates as a human avatar to restore order, Basil read the book out loud. Kalki checked the text, his expression indecipherable. The tenth avatar is the one yet toe. Lord Kalki will descend upon the world at the onset of its darkest age, the Kali Yuga; an era of strife, corruption, and unrighteousness. Helped by his consort Padmavati, Lakshimis avatar, he will rescue the pure of heart from danger, banish evil, and usher in the universes regeneration. As it happened before, so will it happen again, Kalki whispered as he closed the book. The hippie stored it in his own inventory, perhaps to examine itter. I see You already knew, Shellgirl guessed. I can see it written on your face. I I already suspected it. I did research, and our captor called me the Avatar of Preservation before he trapped me in this painting. Kalki summoned a silver flute to his hands. The instrument brightened with power as the musicians thoughtful smile faded into one full of sadness. I had time to meditate inside this painting. I heard the souls flowing into this tower of steel. They called me to this ce, praying for salvation. I was meant to guide these troubled minds to a better ce. My song soothes their pain, but it cant free them. Basil nced at the floating Wedding Feast of Cana. Did it work like Ren and Ayas prison? Had Kalki been dancing with tormented ghosts for the duration of his imprisonment? But hearing you tell this tale, Basil it clears out the fog of my memory somewhat. Kalki held his forehead with one hand. I remember a ce a floating void full of shining eggs, each of them the color of a world. I I think my duty was to take care of them. To make sure that the life within them would hatch safely. Worlds. All gazes turned to Leroy. His voice was a whisper, barely audible. The Trimurti oversees the destiny of countless worlds. But I shouldnt be here, Kalki replied, shaking his head. I am in the wrong ce at the wrong time. He waved his hand at the neurotower, at this prison for souls. None of this is natural, Kalki dered. None of this should have happened. It would have, Leroy replied, exhaling as if letting a weight off his chest. More than four hundred thousand years in the future, once the cycle of souls was meant to end and begin again. The Trimurti System is a natural phenomenon? Vasi guessed, reading between the lines. Once the universe ends, a single enlightened soul is allowed to transcend the cycle and recreate the world, Leroy exined slowly. Souls are purged and reborn, until the next iteration. But the dead arent meant to suffer in coffins of steel, Garudor rather, Garudasaid with a re. You and your kindred have corrupted the cycle of nature and tainted this universe with foulness. Thats why I was summoned to this world, Kalki guessed. To correct fates proper course. Can you? Basil asked, praying for a yes. I I dont know. Kalki shook his head in sorrow. I Im not whole yet. I can tell. Im missing something entirely. We summoned you in an improper form, so you wouldnt be a threat to us, Leroy whispered. You and your female counterpart, the goddess Lakshmi. Youre talking of Padma. Kalki frowned at the false god, his innocence turning to quiet anger for the first time since Basil met him. Where is she? In Athens, under Ashoks supervision, Leroy replied. We prepared a special dungeon to hold her. Athens? Kalki asked with a frown. I know nothing about such a ce. It is Greeces capital, Basil exined. And located halfway across Europe. What will happen once they meet? Vasi asked Leroy. Will it disrupt the System? Im not sure, the former programmer admitted with a cough. But Maxwell didnt want the two to meet. We needed them alive and separated, or so he said. Their love will conquer the stars, Bugsy whispered with dreamy eyes. So beautiful So close, yet so far away Kalki whispered to himself, before ncing at Basil. My friend, if I may ask Well help you find your Juliet, Romeo, Basil interrupted him. Anything that disrupted Anton Maxwells ns for the world was good for mankind, and Kalki kept walking from one mess to another. Do you even need to ask? Im Kalki cleared his throat. I do not wish to bother you, my friend. You have already suffered enough to find me today. Even if you werent arade, your death would literally spell the worlds demise, Basil pointed out with a shrug. Cant let you travel without an escort. Can we at least take a ne this time? to asked with a sigh. Im sick of wheels and roads. When I evolve, I will gain wings, Rosemarine chirped. I will blind the sun and cast thend in eternal darkness! Isnt Bulgaria close to Greece? Shellgirl asked with a grin, ignoring the tropidrake. I think I saw them close to each other on maps. They are, Basil confirmed. He didnt miss Vasis smile. We could make a pit stop there on the way to Athens. Kalki bowed deeply, as did hispanion. I am forever thankful, he said. How d I am to meet someone like you. It felt strange to have an amnesiac god bow before Basil. At least he wouldnt have to kill this one like thest two.
Main Quest: The Lotus of Remembrance,pleted! Your party earned 1,1150,000 Bonus EXP (191666 for you) and the Lotus of Wisdom Quest Reward. You have earned four levels (total 43).
The Quest reward materialized in a sh of light, floating before Basils eyes: a lotus as white as the purest snow. Basil seized it. The flower felt as light as a feather in his palm, yet warmer than morning light.
Lotus of Wisdom
Family: Artifact (Consumable)
Quality: S.
A lotus species cherished by Vishnu, the Preserver, it is imbued with the power to change without creation or destruction. Using this nt will allow a yer to alter their soul and reallocate their ss levels. Stats and ss esses will remain unchanged, but Perks can be lost and reced. The Lotus of Wisdom can only be used once by a single yer, after which it disappears forever.
Basil could only choke in surprise as he read. I can respec my build? he asked the System, struggling to believe his own eyes. Change my sses?
Within limits, and only once.
No pressure. Like every good game storyline, the conclusion of one main question heralded the start of another.
New Main Quest: The Lotus of Love.
Rmended Level: 75+.
Help Kalki reunite with his eternalpanion, Padmavati.
Reward: 13,600,000 Bonus EXP + Lotus of Completion.
Looks like we need a GPS now, Basil said as he stored the lotus in his Inventory. But we cant leave yet. You are worried about the Incursion, Kalki guessed, his expression twisting into a scowl of concern. I have seen the message. Hard days await us. Can you help? Vasi asked Leroy. I understand that you cannot disable the Trimurti System, but we were told destroying dungeons would slow down or weaken Incursions. Leroy listened with a short, reluctant nod. That is correct. Now, Benjamin, youre a programmer, a smart programmer, Basil said, squinting at the false god. Someone like you cant possibly take a person like Maxwell at his word. Not without insurance. Whats your ace in the hole? I I put a killswitch program in the neurotowerwork, Leroy admitted. A a remote detonator, if you will. Basil had guessed correctly. How many of them can you destroy? Not as much as you think, the programmer admitted. I am a moderator, not an administrator. My influence is limited. Dungeons imed by Guilds or Factions belong to them now. The System will recognize their authority over mine. So your programming spell can only affect unimed dungeons, Vasi summarized. And if you destroy too many, the world will copse. Cant we find a bnce? Shellgirl suggested. Destroy just enough of them to disrupt thepetition, but not enough to blow up the world? I perhaps. Leroy crossed his arms, his expression thoughtful. If I destroy a third of them all it will close most portals without condemning thework. Less strain on the bandwidth means less power is needed, fewer souls to the ughter. You would cancel this party? a familiar voice asked. After all the invitations weve sent to all corners of the multiverse? Basil froze and immediately summoned his halberd to his hand. Leroys eyes widened in abject terror, as he recognized the voice too. The group turned in at the source; a small, blurred shade at the very end of the gallery. The girl. The phantom girl the Bohens had crossed paths with in the Pyramid had appeared at the end of the gallery, so silently that none of them had noticed her. Although her features remained blurred, she looked unmistakable like a human child But her voice didnt fit her appearance at all. You disappoint me, Benjamin, she said. Of all my pawns, you were my favorite. The most clever, the most desperate. It was fun toying with you always appearing at the edge of his vision, familiar yet unrecognizable. A constant reminder of what you had lost. The shade grew, its features sharpening. An adult male stood where a lowly girl had been, d in expensive clothes, his eyes hidden behind shiny sunsses. His smirk widened, cold and cruel. But s, this game has overstayed its wee. That sicko Stay tuned, everyone, Anton Maxwell said with a small bow. You wont believe your eyes. Chapter 77: Man vs Horseman Chapter 77: Man vs Horseman Basil weed Maxwell with fire and brimstone. Elemental Orb: Fire! He snarled as he snapped his fingers, unleashing a sphere of shining mes at Dismaker Labs CEO. The projectile surged across the room in a sh, harmlessly phased through Maxwell, and hit a distant wall in a violent burst. Let me try! Rosemarine said before pouncing on Maxwell with her root hand. She mmed the ground beneath the CEOs feet, but failed to affect him. The scene reminded Basil of the time she tried to attack ghosts in the catbs. Oh, not again! A projection. Basil scoffed in disappointment. Of course. What? Maxwell cackled. Did you really expect me to risk myself so brazenly? Oh sweet summer child. What, afraid youll get killed? to taunted him. Not by the likes of you, I can tell you that, Maxwell replied with mocking confidence. Yet weve defeated most of your board, Vasi taunted him back. You do not intimidate us. Yes, yes, I appreciate your help in downsizing mypany. You cant fathom how much Ill save on severance packages. Maxwell nced at each member of the Bohens. Although Basil couldnt see the eyes behind his sunsses, his small smirk betrayed a hint of interest. Ill admit, I never expected your lot would be the ones to take a stand on the matter. Its true what they say. Surprisese from unexpected ces. Have youe to make small talk? Basil raised his halberd at the projection. If so, fuck off. Why the rush? Maxwell replied with a chuckle. I thought you would jump at the opportunity for us to talk, Basil Bohen. Havent you been looking for me for a while? To kill you for sure, Basil replied. Oh, it would be such a pleasure to wipe off Maxwells arrogant smirk from his face A swift death is the best you can expect from us. I would rather make it slow, Rosemarine chirped while licking her petal lips. With salt and pepper. I would have loved to exchange business tips, Shellgirl said, her tentacle-cannons pointed straight at Maxwells face. But I dont do toxic management. My my, arent you a colorful lot. Maxwell shrugged. Fine by me. I came for the Avatar and Benjamin, not for you. While Kalkis monsters immediately moved in front of their Tamer to protect him, Leroy red at his former employer. You lied! the false god snarled. You said you would bring her back! No, no, Benjamin, I promised you the power to return your daughter to life. And I delivered. Look at you, you can raise corpses from the dead with a thought. All you had to do was pay a visit to your daughters tomb. Maxwell grinned wickedly. Which of course, you did. Leroy winced as if pped. It wasnt her he muttered with haunted eyes. It it looked like her, but a corpse without will See, my dear friend? Maxwell scoffed. I granted you your wish. Is it my fault if you worded it poorly? Perhaps you should have had awyer fill in the details. You would have screwed him over even if he had, Basil said angrily. This this human-shaped thing clearly took delight in Leroys suffering. Ive seen yourst board meetings recording. You intended to screw over your own team from the start. My team? Maxwell seemed to find the wordughable. I was looking forward to seeing these fools self-destruct, but I didnt force them to do anything. I sold them a rope. They could have done anything they wanted with it, and yet they chose to hang themselves. He contemptuously waved his hand at the neurotower, at this shrine of death and steel. I did not force people to build this device at gunpoint, Maxwell said. Workers ced the microchips for a paycheck without questioning their purpose, and their managers willingly activated them for a reward. It is your species boundless greed that brought you to the brink of extinction. You raise foolish men to power because you cannot be bothered to take charge of your life and turn your into a trash can because you cannot live without pettyfort. You incurred a debt to the universe and now its time to pay up. Are you trying to im the moral high ground? Basil choked on the creatures hypocrisy. You still gave the orders! And what of you? Maxwell pointed at Kalki. You endanger the Avatar of Preservation by giving him false hope that he can save anyone, when in truth his efforts will be for naught. You know a stray bullet could bring this entire ne of existence down with him, right? Basil opened his mouth to counter that he was simply protecting a friend from danger, but Kalki interrupted him by putting a hand on his shoulder. You you are the creature responsible for all of this, Kalki told Maxwell. What are you? All I can sense from you is darkness, an empty night without stars. Are you the Kali of this world? A demon? Ohoh, do you truly expect a straight answer from me? The CEO shook his head. So powerful, and yet so nave. But I will tell you as much: I am that I am. Not only was he arrogant, but sphemously so. Perhaps Basil should have looked out to unlock an Inquisitor ss, it would havee in handy. Kalkispanion, Garud, grunted scornfully. You have a pretty high opinion of yourself for a coward hiding in the shadows. You might steal and usurp the power of gods, but you will never be one. Why would I want to, my feathered friend? Maxwell asked back. Gods like your master are, well dinosaurs. Proud and impressive, but it only takes a few years and sufficiently advanced technology to turn your remains into fuel for a greater purpose. I thought oil was made from marine life and algae, not dinosaurs? Shellgirl asked with a frown. Thats what my books said. You are correct, my child, Maxwell replied calmly. But my version makes for a better metaphor. What purpose? Kalki asked with a frown. I I do not understand you. What do you hope to aplish by throwing this universe into chaos? Do you intend to be an Overgod? For what? What end could possibly justify all this sorrow? Havent you heard what I said? the CEO scoffed. Godhood is overrated. I do not seek the throne. Basil doubted he was telling the truth, but Kalki took him at his word. Then what? the Avatar of Vishnu asked. What are you after? He wants to open a portal, Basil said with a scowl. Is that what its all about? Returning home? Couldnt you take mass transit? You think I am bound by necessity? Maxwell shook his head slowly, like a parent disappointed in a childs answer. Please, Basil. Do you believe a being of my age and knowledge wouldnt have any other alternative? True, I wish to open a portal to a specific ce and turn a tidy profit from thispetition but I didnt need to make Incursions so deadly to achieve my aim. Basils fists clenched in horror as he came to a terrible realization. He couldnt imply that madman Rosemarine snapped her tail. You dont hurt squishies because you have to, she guessed, her tone surprisingly quiet and cold. You hurt them because it makes you happy. Like me. Vasis eyes squinted into a potent re. The destruction you sow is not a means to achieve your ends, she raised, her fingers trembling in fury. Basil had never seen her so coldly angry. It is an end in itself.
[Berserk] ailment resisted.
You psychopath Basils blood boiled in his veins. He had reached a point where he struggled to find his words and keep his mind clear. So many deaths were made pointless On purpose?" Guilty, guilty Maxwell waved a hand at the gallery, at the neurotower, at this dungeon built on the suffering of billions. Do you understand now? This engine of steel does not crush souls beneath its wheel because it must, but because I want it to do so. Only now did Basil understand Anton Maxwells motivations. His action made little sense, because there was nothing sensible about him. He wasnt motivated by greed or ambition, but by something baser. The pursuit of happiness. There are a billion better ways to harvest magic and make death as pleasant as life, the CEO said, corroborating Walters words. There are Systems that peacefully help uplift their poptions in levels without the need for bloodshed For the first time, Maxwell showed his teeth; all of them as sharp as a wolfs maw of fangs. His lips morphed into the purest expression of joyful malice. The gleeful visage of cruelty itself. But wheres the fun in that? he asked. It was all a game to him. The apocalypse, the wars, the chaos, all this pain, and sorrow all for a minutes worth of entertainment. Anger was like a ck hole. It dragged you in with its powerful gravity, until you reached the event horizon. Beyond it, there was no light, no fire. Only the cold, bottomless emptiness of bitter hatred. Ill kill you. The words flowed out of Basils mouth like daggers out of a wound, cold and merciless. Ill kill you, Basil promised. It wasnt a threat, but a fact. It doesnt matter where you hide, or how long you run. Ill find you, and then Ill kill you for the good of everyone else. Maxwell put a hand on his chest and made a mock bow. Be still my heart. If you would kindly bring the Avatar to me too, that would be great. We will meet in the flesh, yes, Kalki whispered, his eyes cold and determined. The peaceful and all-loving hippie he had been a few minutes ago having vacated the building. But there will be no salvation for your kind. There is no such thing as salvation, foolish god, Maxwell said before turning to face Leroy. Especially not for you, Benjamin. You helped create these towers, but all you did was follow and improve on the blueprints I gave you. I too have a degree of control over them. I have been content to let you stew on your own grief, but if you try to spoil the great game weve started and ruin my fun there will be consequences. Redemption wont be one of them. Leroy answered with a bitterugh. I dont have anyone left to live for without my daughter, Anton. Your threats do not frighten me. You know nothing of fear, Maxwell replied, his tone as cold as ice. Im not sure you want to learn it. Youre the one afraid, to pointed out calmly. For all your bluster, all you do is bark and threaten. Ive seen dogs with more bite than you. What I hear, Leroy, is that destroying the neurotowers will make him unhappy, Basil said, his halberd pointed at Maxwell. And anything that annoys him is a win for the world. Thankfully, Leroy shared the same feeling. The false gods eyes shone with a bright glow, the same as the dungeon particles. Input code: Laputan Machine, he whispered to himself. Target: 33 percent of all unimed neurotowers, priority to those close to poption centers. The giant server supporting the Louvre Pyramid thrummed with power. Red energy coursed through its circuitry like blood in metal veins. The air grew charged with an invisible power, a cloud of otherworldly electricity. Basil could feel it in his bones. More than that, his System information screen, which had be part of his vision for months on end flickered. It faded in and out of existence as Leroys program sabotaged neurotowers across thework. Its bugging, Basil whispered in joy. The Trimurti System is bugging the hell out. Not for long. Maxwell scoffed scornfully. His sunsses glowed with a malicious red hue. Dont say I didnt warn you. The System quickly stabilized with a notification
Attention yers: Due to technical difficulties and bandwidth issues, the Incursion Event has been updated! Unfortunately, we cannot sustain enough rifts to kill everyone, and for that, we sincerely apologize. Thankfully, the remaining portals will open way ahead of schedule!
The Incursion countdown lowered ordingly, turning days into hours. I know conquest and war usuallye before famine, but innovation is part of a goodpanys culture. Maxwell made a final bow and left some dreadful parting words. I wish you a happy apocalypse. He vanished immediately afterward. It was him! Basil snarled in fury. It was him all along! Hes the one who wrote that message! That exins so much to didnt finish his sentence, as an earthquake suddenly shook the dungeon. Ah! The gallery, no, the entire Pyramid started trembling. The neurotower reddened as if overheating and Basil immediately received a message from Neria through the Logs.
NERIA: Whats going on? Did you manage to destroy the server?
BASIL: More than one, but whats the situation outside? The dungeon is shaking.
NERIA: I keep receiving messages from our forces. Most Incursion portals are closing, but the one above Paris
Whats happening? Vasi asked, holding onto Basil to avoid stumbling. Leroy raised his hand and a holographic screen materialized above his open palm. See for yourself. The holographic showed the world outside the pyramid. A cosmic array illuminated the night sky above Paris, its geometric pattern centered around the Eiffel Tower. The colossal dungeon surged with power even as the Notre-Dame nearby crumbled into otherworldly particles. Screaming ghosts danced in the dark clouds above the Eiffel Tower, fueling the portal. Sacrifices Kalki whispered as he held his forehead. I hear them. Screaming souls ughtered in hungers name. The humans Vasi whispered. Basil, you wondered why we hadnt seen any humans in the Apocalypse Forces forces in Paris I think its them. Basil clenched his jaw. The traitors had been sacrificed to their dread master to strengthen the portal and summon a horror from beyond the universe. As Maxwell had threatened, the rift above Paris wasnt closing; it was growingrger, a shining portal into an alien realm. Worse, a colossal shadow became visible on the other side. The creature humongous didnt even begin to describe it. Although Basil could barely see anything except for a buglike body shape, its size alone left him speechless. The shadow wasrge enough to put most buildings to shame. Ny meters, Basil thought grimly. Maybe one hundred. Maybe more. Basil guessed the creatures identity long before the System confirmed it.
Apollyon, Horseman of Famine
Level 60(70-10) Elite [Bug/Artificial]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Basil always knew he was in for a tough fight, but he would have lied if he had said the level didnt make him apprehensive. Taking from Zach''s example, Apollyon was normally level 70 but took a penalty to enter Earth. Even at level 60... he remained a terribly powerful foe. Basil had never faced a foe so powerful, nor so colossal. His entire team froze, some of them left speechless in dread and intimidation. Can you stop the bug from crossing over? Shellgirl asked Leroy, forcing herself to smile. There was no better way to hide ones fears. Its, its not that Im concerned or anything, but I cant close this portal, Leroy replied, shaking his head in defeat. My control over thework is fading away. I had to sacrifice Naraka to run my program, and soon this dungeon will return to dust. What? Shellgirl choked. But what about the treasures? This ce is full of powerful artifacts! You should gather as many as you can, Leroy replied as he closed the screen. Ill teleport you out before my dungeon self-destructs. Same as the children I took with me. I''ll send you all to a safe ce. We will teleport out, Basil corrected him. Youre not going down with the ship, Leroy. The false god sighed. Believe me, he said. Youre the only one who cares. Hes not, Kalki protested. He smiled at Leroy, showing him something few would have spared for the man: a look of empathy. Now is not your time. The false god looked at the real one in shock. After Ive trapped you, you still want me to live? Yes, I do. Kalki nodded kindly. You were misguided. I do not hold it against you. That was what true divinity looked like: great power tempered withpassion rather than arrogance. It was enough to silence Leroy in a way Maxwells threats hadnt. I The former programmer cleared his throat. I thank you. His help might make a difference or maybe not. Im not going to lie, Basil told his team as another earthquake shook the Louvre Pyramid. Were up against the toughest foe we have ever fought so far. We have a few aces up our sleeves, but Im not sure itll be enough to close the gap in power. If you want to sit it out I wont hold it against you. He already knew his friends answers, but he still felt the need to draw a line in the sand. He wouldnt force anyone to jump with him into the oven. We both know you would fail without me, to said with a shrug. Someone has to keep you alive, or Ren would never forgive me. Do you even have to ask, handsome? Vasi chuckled. Im with you. Of course Im afraid, Boss. Bugsy raised his head in determination. But not of dying. Never of that. What kind of captain abandons the ship in a storm? Shellgirl asked with a chuckle. Im in. Ill y the bug and nt my seed in its flesh, Mister! Rosemarine promised joyfully. Kalki joined in too. Im with you, my friend. To thest. So are we, his birdpanion added, while the snake nodded in confirmation. Thanks, guys. Basil smiled warmly, and then resolutely. With his party at his side, his fears evaporated like mist in the sunlight. Its time to fulfill our oath. The Battle for Paris was on.
End of Arc IV
Chapter 78: Man vs Starfall Chapter 78: Man vs Starfall Minutes before the Incursion began, Basil and to observed the battlefield onest time. Paris 7th Arrondissement, where the Eiffel Tower was located, was once one of the citys core administrative districts. Though the monster upation of the city had damaged them and filled the streets with sand, most buildings were still standing. Basil had an easier time jumping from one roof to the next than walking around corners. All of the city centers dungeons were crumbling on themselves. First, Notre-Dame had copsed into a burnt out husk of its former glory, its neurotower destroyed by Leroys program. The Louvre Pyramid had followed soon after. Of the mighty pyramid, only the ruins of the former museum remained. Shellgirl and Leroy had managed to smuggle out a sliver of its wealth before the disaster, but not as much as they would have liked. Thousands of art pieces were now either destroyed or buried under the ce. From what Basil could tell, the Eiffel Tower would share the same fate soon enough. Parisst dungeon shone with the energy of harvested souls as earthquakes shook its foundations. Glider-riding demons and flying steam golems danced in the sky above its tip, awaiting Apollyons arrival. So were the Bohens. The team and their allies had taken positions all around the city in preparation for the lethal battle. Vasi, Zachariel, Leroy, and his remaining loyal monsters flew in the sky above the Arrondissement, ready to charge into the fray the moment Apollyon crossed over. The former Board member still had many soldiers under his thumb, even with the loss of his dungeon: hundreds of sphinxes, undead, and scorpion-like beasts were deployed to deal with the Apocalypse Force and had answered his call to arms. Kalki, for his part, rode his pet bird right above Basil himself to provide support. His mount carried a loudspeaker in its talons to amplify his masters bardic music. Bugsy and Shellgirl had returned to the Steamobile to take care of the howitzer near Montparnasse, while Neria Elissalde had taken a position on the hill of Montmartre. Rosemarine and Kalkis other familiar Anantay in wait for an ambush elsewhere near Boulogne, in effect encircling the Eiffel Tower dungeon from three sides with long-range artillery. Fire Seeds hid in ambush all around the city at key junctions. And then there were the other reinforcements. Basil opened his log and contacted his allies halfway across France.
BASIL: Are you ready for transport?
COLONEL RONALD MCVEGGIE: We await the kingsmand!
That was the spirit. Kalki, Ill begin summoning! Basil shouted at his ally. I need your best performance! At once, my friend! The bard yed a melodious tune on his silver flute, his mounts loudspeakers amplifying the notes until they carried all across town.
Kalkis [Song of Rejuvenation] granted you an advanced [Regen+] effect. You will recover 1/16th of your HP and SP per minute so long as you hear the song.
[All for One] spread the effect to your allies.
Now empowered, Basil raised his hand and called upon the cavalry. One for All II! he shouted for all to hear. His soldiers materialized around the building one after another. Gargoyle warriors, lycan soldiers, and undead armor appeared in a sh of red lightning by the dozens. Although Basil now possessed almost eight hundred SP to spend, he burned through them even faster than Kalkis regenerative buff could keep up with. His soldiers possessed a level of twenty-five on average, so each squad of them demanded over a hundred points to summon. Basil alternated between using his Perk and drinking potions to keep up with the process. Within minutes, hundreds of monsters associated with the Homeowners Revenge Association materialized around the building within minutes and spread around the Arrondissement. Thats a lot of mooks, to noted as monsters rushed through the sand-covered streets of Paris. Each of them was armed to the teeth with either magical des or modern firearms, courtesy of the French armed forces supply logistics. How many do we have in store? Around three thousand, Basil replied. He could only summon a chunk of that number; the rest were needed elsewhere to secure other portals, and Ronald himself had to remain at the Chteau Muloup dungeon with a token force not to risk it away. The faraway dungeon would serve as a sanctuary for wounded soldiers capable of teleporting back to safety. The spawn rate of dungeons is insane. Good thing we blew up many of them, to said grimly. You think itll be enough? I dont know. Basil was an optimist, but a gulf of nearly twenty levels separated them from Apollyon. Tactics and numbers could only do so much to cover that chasm. He had to hope their advantage in buffs, preparation, and technology would prove enough. Neria Elissalde forwarded him a message from halfway across town.
NERIA: We took positions the best we could, but were severely understaffed. We couldnt get all the CAESAR artillery through the portal in time either. Ive also been informed that the ISS has positioned itself right above the city.
Basil raised his head and stared at the sky. Although the rift and star circuit upied most of the space above them, a bright star remained visible high above them. What was the Unity nning?
BASIL: Can it be destroyed if needed?
NERIA: General Lenc has a missile ready, but as always we cant tell what consequences will result from the ISS destruction. Send a message and well shoot it down.
BASIL: Well wait a bit. With luck, the Unity will do our job for us.
NERIA: I doubt that and is it truly wise to ally with Pluto? I know you said he was considering reforming, but Ive seen too many repeat offenders to believe him.
BASIL: I think he is sincere. He has burned his bridges with Maxwell, and more to the point, we need all the help we can get. We cant really afford to be picky today.
NERIA: Perhaps youre right, but I would feel better if I could trust our new allies not to stab us in the back.
BASIL: He has helped close most portals. I think it counts for good behavior.
NERIA: It does, hence why Im willing to trust you on this. Im just skeptical that this alliance willst long.
Neria Elissaldes next message arrived a few secondster than expected. Basil could almost imagine her gathering her thoughts before sending it.
NERIA: Basil, if needed The new code is Zizou1998Petit.
BASIL: What code?
NERIA: The Baguettes code. If ites to it, I authorize a first strike.
Basil paused a few seconds as he considered the implications. He would be lying if he said he hadnt considered using the neutron bomb to bombard Apollyon, but the weapon would devastate everything within a two kilometers radius. Radiation would contaminate the area for years afterward. Paris might have been a ruin, but it was still the French nations capital, the very symbol of their country. Retaking it would give people something they desperately needed in these troubled times: hope that things could improve. More than that, it remained full of unused resources that could turn the tide in Europe. Nuking it would be a tremendous waste. More to the point, they couldnt get close enough to the Eiffel Tower to guarantee a close impact. They would have to lure Apollyon to a specific point; a dangerous task, especially since Kalki risked getting caught in the crossfire. Basil wouldnt have let the bard into the thick of battle if he hadnt so heavily insisted on participating.
BASIL: Are you sure? You know the consequences.
NERIA: Considering what were up ahead everything goes. Good luck, Basil.
BASIL: Good luck, Neria.
It was a long shot, but a man could always hope. Its almost time, Basil, Vasi warned from above, riding her broomstick at Kalkis side. The Incursion countdown had fallen below five minutes. If you want to use your lotus, its now or never. Another time, perhaps, Basil replied. As much as I wish to switch Berserker for something else, changing my entire build right before a critical battle is more trouble than it is worth. Though he did have four extra levels to assign. Much like with Tamer beforehand, he went all in with the Deathknight of the Sepulchre ss. The rush of new power infused his flesh with might and purpose.
Level 6, 7, 8 & 9 Deathknight of the Sepulchre stat gains: +4 STR, +2 AGI, +3 VIT, +4 SKI, +2 MAG, +3 INT, +4 CHA, +4 LCK. You earned 130 HP and 65 SP.
Deaths Banner II (Active): [Support], 10 SP per minute. Your faith empowers your party members, granting them the following benefits as long as they benefit from [Deaths Banner II]: All their attacks gain the [Deadyer] effect (x3 damage against Undead types); immunity to the [Terror], [Zombie], and [Insta-Death] ailments; they do not take damage from ailments such as [Poison], though it doesnt cure them of it; and their critical hits will inflict [Insta-Death] on the victims. This reces [Deaths Banner I].
Lethal Vigil (Passive): Nothing will disturb your vigil. You are immune to all status ailments that would either impede your ability to freely choose your actions (such as [Berserk], [Madness], [Charm]...) or physically acting at all (such as [Paralysis], [Sleep], [Petrification]...). Self-inflicted ailments, such as those activated by your Perks or equipment, will still affect you.
Basil couldnt help but smile mournfully upon seeing these new Perks. If only he had earned Lethal Vigil before encountering the likes of Tamura, it would have spared his team much grief. Time to buff, guys! Basil shouted. Deaths Banner II! Such a chore, toined as he empowered Basil with a spell. Mirage! Im used to it by now, Vasi mused before casting her own spell. Hasten. Layers of buffs and empowering effects spread from Basil to his allied monsters. His army became a blur as magic enhanced their speed and cloaked them in illusory veils. All for One was a misnomer; all were one would have been a better term. An entire army acted as a single organism infused with collective strength. Anxious, dog? to asked as the countdown neared zero. He unsheathed Joyeuse, the sword glittering in the light of the portal. Au contraire, Basil admitted as he summoned his halberd to one hand and a newser gun to the other. He red at Apollyons shadowy form in the sky with anticipation. Ive never been more ready. The countdown hit zero and the Incursion shattered the world. The giant rift above the city let out a terrible noise, the screeching scream of space itself. Reality itself wailed as magical energies tore open a hole between worlds. All windows in Paris which hadnt been destroyed yet exploded all at once, throwing ss shards in all directions. An invisible shockwave spread through the air and blew a strong wind into Basils face. His flying allies faltered a bit, but held strong. A long time ago, this power would have brought them to their knees, but now their strength and determination allowed them all to stand tall. The golden circuit of stars above the city glowed brighter as otherworldly energy fueled the rift. A pir of purple energy descended from it and upon the Eiffel Tower, swallowing it whole until the dungeon became indistinguishable. Here theye! Vasi shouted a warning. The swarm emerged from the pir of light by the thousands. The buzzing noise of numerous Apollyon Drones drowned out Kalkis song as they entered Earths dimension. They came like a flood of locusts, darkening the sky with their numbers. Other monsters emerged from the pir in their wake: beetles the size of elephants and fielding cannons on their backs; giant red mantis with sabers for arms; wasps withsers for stingers.
Beetle Catapult
Level 28 [Bug/Artificial]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Red Mantis Sawdancer
Level 30 [Bug/Demon]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Death Wasps
Level 28 [Bug/Artificial]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
A swarm of mechanized insects invaded Earth and they were duly weed. Fire at will! Basil shouted as loud as his voice could carry. Nerias troops fired the first shot from their position halfway across the city. A volley of missiles emerged from the city and carpet-bombed the area around the pir. The famous Champ de Mars was swallowed in a series of explosions. Artillery projectiles, missiles, and bombs rained down from the skies, blowing out everything in sight. The Steamobiles howitzer opened fire as well, sting the flying drones of Apollyon as they emerged from the rift. Leroy, Vasi, and flying monsters entered the fray. They moved like blurs empowered by their buffs, dogfighting the bugs with showy spells. The drones and flies reacted with dazzlingsers. Basil could hardly keep track of everything. The horizon had be a firestorm as far as the eye could see. On the ground, Apollyons monsters spread in all directions and fired back with mindless zeal. The beetle catapults ttened empty buildings with constant bombardments, while their mantis allies were swiftly intercepted by Basils allied monsters in the streets. Chaos reigned, but hopefully, the swarm should remain contained. Basil, to whispered in fear. Weve got a problem. Basils eyes widened as Apollyons shadow appeared in the pir, growingrger, growing taller, growing deadlier. The Bohens leader had estimated the monsters size as around a hundred meters beforehand, but as the monster grew closer to entering reality, he realized his guess was wrong by a long shot. The monster kept getting taller.
NERIA: Basil, the ISS is falling!
What? Basil looked up and blinked in shock. As Neria warned, the light of the ISS was glowing brighter and brighter, enough to be visible through the rifts eldritch energies. The spatial dungeon was falling off to Earth at incredible speed. Those bastards The Unity intended to drop the International Space Station on Apollyon the moment he crossed over. No doubt the impact would destroy Paris along the way. We need to shoot it down, Basil said as he opened his Logs folder. Neria, I The earth trembled before Basil could give the order. The colossal creature beyond the rift finally crossed the pir of light and made its presence known. Apollyon entered Paris with a triumphant roar. The titan reminded Basil of a giant prehistoric insect cyborg. Apollyon was bipedal, his appearance a cross between a bipedal ant and a wingless wasp. Yet Basil couldnt see any hint of flesh or organic matter. A thick, purple cybeic exoskeleton covered every inch of the Horseman of Famines body. Circuits pulsed on his artictions and four glowing redmp-eyes shone above deadly mandibles. His two arms and legs ended in ws sharp enough to slice through concrete, while a mighty flexible tail dangled out of its back. The most prominent part of the monsters anatomy were a pair of colossal cannons resting on his shoulders. Both were wider than the Steamobiles howitzer and linked to Apollyons head by thick steel gray metal cables. Red energy built up within them, ready to burst out and fire at a moments notice. And more than that, Apollyon was simply colossal. The creature was nearly half or two-thirds the Eiffel Towers size, twice more than what Basil had expected. Apollyon loomed taller than any skyscraper in the ruined Paris. His steps shook the earth all the way from Basils position as he walked down the Champ de Mars. His insect monsters instinctively moved out of his path to avoid being trampled to death; their unnatural coordination reminded Basil of ants following a routine. An encirclement? Apollyons powerful voice carried across the city as if amplified by loudspeakers. His words carried the strength of a monstrous conqueror and destroyer of worlds. Cunning, but pointless. Thats to, who was almost never afraid of anything, quietly lowered his sword. His eyes all but budged out of his skull. Thats a big, big bug Hes Basil found himself at a loss for words. He was no coward, but there was no beating around the bush. Fighting the Horseman of Famine would amount to dueling a mountain. His fingers were longer than Rosemarine herself. My God Apollyon stood in the middle of the Champ de Mars and raised his head. His four red eyes red at the falling ISS without fear; only a vague look of annoyance. Charge. The two cannons on Apollyons back gathered power in response to hismand. Magical energy built up inside the barrels until they glowed like twin suns. Apollyons flying drones fled out of their line of fire in anticipation, as did the monsters engaging them in battle. Gehenna Cannon! A red sh swallowed the world and set the clouds on fire. The light that erupted from Apollyons cannons was so blinding, so deadly, that Basil and to had to cover their eyes. Two mighty beams of red sma surged across the sky, vaporizing everything in their path. Allies or foes, it made no difference; any creature too slow to dodge out of the line of fire was summarily annihted. The two beams continued their course and split the sky in half. The ISS, which had be a very visible falling star, was hit at the speed of light. Immediately a mighty explosion spread through the heavens above. Apollyon had struck true with a missiles precision and a nukes firepower. When atst Apollyon ran out of juice, nothing remained of the ISS; nothing but cosmic dust blown away by atmospheric winds. The skies were cleared of life, with not a soul to see. Vasi! Basil checked his party menu in fear, but thankfully his girlfriend remained unharmed. She and the others had probably flown out of range before the Horseman of Famine could open fire. Gather our forces in one point to break the encirclement! Apollyon ordered his troops as more of them emerged from the pir. We will secure the portal and scour this city to find the Avatar! I sense his presence! Bring him to me alive and devour everyone else! Cleanse this world of life! A barren wastnd shall be our prize! A beam of light hit Apollyon in the back as he finished his speech. Rosemarine had shown an exceptional aptitude for stealth in Bordeaux in spite of her colossal size. The party had decided to make good use of it by having to cast an illusion spell on her. She struck Apollyon with all her might from across arge distance. Basil had seen her mighty sunbeam vaporize monsters and torch castles. Butpared to Apollyons own rays, Rosemarines assassination attempt amounted to a candle challenging the sun. The sunbeam burned the Horseman of the Apocalypses back without inflicting damage. At best it heated up his armor somewhat. Missiles and artillery strikes followed in the wake of Rosemarines wake, hitting Apollyon without phasing him at all. In fact, he barely seemed to notice the attempts on his life. Projectiles powerful enough to blow up castle walls were as effective as pebbles thrown by children at a fully grown adult. Apollyon was simply too big and his metal armor too thick. Basil. Kalki stopped singing above his friend, his calm face twisted into a grim expression of concern. Even his mount appeared intimidated by Apollyons disy of overwhelming power. What is your call? We cant beat this thing conventionally, Basil realized. If artillery strikes couldnt damage the titan, none of their normal weapons would amount to much. Worse, Apollyon was looking around the horizon searching for the source of the enemy bombardment. That leaves only one option After a moment of hesitation, Basil reached his decision. Kalki, they want to capture you alive. Distract the swarm by luring them to the south. Its not the swarm Im worried about. Me neither, Captain Obvious. Basil gathered his breath. Ill lure Apollyon to the Louvres ruins in the east and trap him there. Everyone else must evacuate the area. Kalki looked at Basil with concern. You wish to fight him alone? Almost. Basil nced at his most belovedpanion. Are you with me, to? The Rakshasa Kitten looked up at Basil, then at Apollyon, and then back at his best friend. He was clearly more frightened than he had ever been but a true cat didnt falter before danger. Im right behind you, he said with a soft voice. Always. Basil and Kalki exchanged onest nce, with the bard giving his friend a short nod. He didnt agree with the n, but trusted his ally to pull through. Good luck, my friend, Kalki said as he flew away. "Don''t die. Same for you, Basil promised. Afterward, he red at Apollyon, gathered his breath, and shouted as loud as his throat would allow him. Fear me, Apollyon! I have a windshield and bug spray! Over two kilometers separated Basil from the Horseman of Famine, yet Apollyon proved to have sharp ears. The Horseman of Famine snapped his head in the challenges direction, his eyes quickly pinpointing Basil and tos location. Bohen! The insectoid titans many mandibles chittered in delight. I told you I woulde for you! Ive gotta ask! Basil shouted at the top of his lungs. Why are you so obsessed with me?! Certainly, Im not the first person to squash you under my heel! I have seen your kind time and time again on countless worlds. Apollyon hissed threateningly, his mighty voice echoing across Paris. Most weaklings are broken by violence, but some some grow strong from adversity. One day they arervae and mighty foes the next. If left unattended, they rise from humble beginnings to be heroes and leaders of their people. They be problems. He took a step in Basils direction, leaving a colossal footprint in his wake. And that is why you must die before your time, Bohen! Apollyon dered with malice. Because I know exactly what you will grow into if left ignored! I will never allow you to reach your full potential! For the sake of our ambitions, I will cut you down before you can be a threat to us! At the core of his argument, underneath the pragmatist, was fear, Apollyon was strong, but afraid that other creatures might rise to challenge him one day. So big on the outside! Basil mocked him. And yet so small within! Apollyon began to run in response. Basil didnt think someone so huge could run at all, but he did. And it was terrifying to watch. Apollyon rushed through the closest building in his path, shattering walls and monsters alike underfoot. Neither stone nor steel could stop him. The ground trembled with each step and a cloud of dust gathered around him. His eyes burned with murderous intent, telling Basil that he wouldnt stop; that this mountain of steel would chase after him until he was dead. Now youve done it! toined as the duo rushed to the edge of the roof. Empowered by hasten, they closed the gap with the next building in a single bound. Run! Basil followed the advice and fled across Paris roof with death hot on his trail. Chapter 79: Man vs Nuke Chapter 79: Man vs Nuke The city crumbled behind them. Basil and to jumped from one Parisian buildings roof to the next in an epic show of parkour. Century-old houses copsed in their wake. Walls of stones were crushed under a steel titans feet and rusted cars ttened on the pavement. Hes gaining ground on us! to warned as the frantic race went on. Indeed, the rumbling noise of Apollyons footsteps grew ever closer behind them. Faster! Gh! Basil grunted. He was already running as fast as he could while under the influence of Hasten. The world seemed like a blur around him, but his tiny legs could hardly help him outspeed a two hundred meter-tall titan. Apollyon covered more ground in one step than the Bohens in a hundred. Keep going! Basil looked over his shoulder to survey the distance between their pursuer and them. Apollyon was growing closer, but they still had arge head start on him. A squad of monstrous wasps escorted the Horseman of Famine while the rest of the army struggled with Basils allies around the rift. Kalki had managed to draw some of the swarms forces away to the south and put them in range of Nerias artillery. Explosions and shes of light rocked the horizon. But neither projectiles nor the avatars presence would distract Apollyon from his quarry. The colossus shrugged off all bombardmentsing his way, his eyes firmly set on Basil himself. Apollyon approached closely enough to trigger Monster Insight, and new information filled Basils mind.
Apollyon, Horseman of Famine
Level 60 (70-10) Elite [Bug/Artificial]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
HP: 38500/39500.
Immune: Critical Hits, Insta-Death, all Ailments.
Resist: Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Light, Mythic.
Weak: Bugyer, Artiyer, Wood, Fire.
The ten gues of Egypt all rolled into one nasty mechanical package, Apollyon is one of the toughest bugs in the multiverse. His exoskeleton shrugs off almost anything and his heavy artillery hasid waste to entire worlds; only crippling both with supereffective attacks will ensure victory.
The good news? Apollyon wasnt immune to any elemental attack and he feared fire, which Basil appreciated. The bad news? Everything else. I hate raid bosses, Basil cursed. Apollyon had nearly ten times more health points than his entire partybined. Basil could only hope the neutron bomb would be a powerful enough insecticide. Although hundreds of meters still separated the hunter from the hunted, Apollyon went on the offensive. His eyes firedsers of crimson light at Basil and to, the duo leaping onto an 18th-century buildings roof to dodge the attack. The house they jumped from was vaporized in an instant. The monstrous wasps escorting Apollyon opened fire at the duo as well, unleashing lethal poisonous darts. These monsters were below level thirty, just powerful enough to inflict minor wounds but too weak to provide experience. Basil and to had little difficulty shrugging off or dodging their attacks. The buildings they ran through, however, trembled from the onught. Basil shot the wasps down with hisser pistol while to did the same with des of wind. Each blow killed one of the critters, sometimes two. Basil, we have a problem! to shouted, pointing at the path ahead of them. Look! Basil clenched his jaw. They were fast approaching the former Esnade des Invalides park. Formerly a greenndscape in the middle of the urban jungle, the dungeons influence had turned it into an open desert of sand bordering the dried-up Seine river. There were no buildings to run on, no ce to take cover. Apollyon would have no issues shooting them in it. I have an idea. Basil put hisser pistol back into his inventory, leaving one of his hands free as they leaped into the Invalides desert andnded in a dune of sand. Elemental Orb: Water! A sphere of focused liquid materialized in Basils palm. He immediately threw it at the sand beneath their feet. The water evaporated under the searing heat of the desert field, raising a cloud of steam. Basil kept throwing more orbs around to obscure the duos movements. Follow me, Basil told to, who could rely on his sense of smell to follow his best friend. Stay close. Clever, Bohen! Apollyon shouted behind them. The titan ttened thest buildings of the 7th Arrondissement and walked over the Esnade des Invalides. The sand flowed between his legs servos with a screeching noise. But I do not need to see your monkey face to kill you! The Horseman of Famines mandibles vibrated at an insane speed, enough to rival that of the Hasten Spell. Sonic Shock! Apollyon screeched and Paris trembled. The air itself vibrated at high speed, spreading a mighty sonic shockwave through the park. Sand and steam alike were blown away, followed by the Bohens themselves. Basil screamed in agony as the shockwave hit him. The vibrations traveled through his flesh and bones; he could almost feel his bones creak and crack. The terrible, droning noise of the swarm echoed inside his skull like a maddened scream. The pain was indescribable.
Supereffective [Wind] damage! [Madness] Ailment negated by [Lethal Vigil]!
Basil stumbled on the ground, and then it copsed beneath his feet. The earth beneath the desert crumbled under the power of Apollyons attack. Basil and to flew down into a waterfall of sand and hit the steel ground underneath. Basil gritted his teeth to ignore the pain and immediately rose to his feet. He immediately recognized the area as Paris sewers. Arge hole let the eldritch light of the spatial rift from above and into the tunnel below. to, are you all right? Basil nced at his cat and barely managed to dodge a sword strike. to, what are you doing?! His feline friend ignored him. The Rakshasa Kitten hissed at Basil with maddened eyes and swung Joyeuse at him. Although he looked less hurt than his Tamer, to still suffered from the Madness ailment. The irony of being attacked by to after doing the same while Berserk wasnt lost on Basil but unlike the battle with Tamura, the Tamer had an ace up his sleeve. Monster Cure II! Basil immediately healed to of his wounds and Madness ailment. His best friends eyes regained a sliver of sanity. to, are you all right? What the to shook his head. What happened? Basil opened his mouth to answer, but a colossal shadow loomed over the open tunnel before he could say anything. Acting almost entirely on instinct, the Bohens rushed into the sewer tunnel ahead of them. Apollyons colossal hand punched through the hole in the ceiling a secondter with enough strength to cause an earthquake. The blow sent a cloud of stones and dust flying through the sewers, with Basil and to running through the tunnel to avoid being swallowed by it. Thats right, weaklings, scurry away, Apollyon mocked them before inhaling like an asthmatic Darth Vader. Bio-ster. The Horseman of Famine exhaled a cloud of green gas into the tunnels. The noxious toxin swiftly spread through the sewers, rusting steel and consuming the leftover waste. The Horseman of Famine was trying to gas Basil and to like cockroaches. Keep running! Basil told to as the ceiling trembled above them. Apollyon was walking right above them, trying to locate their position; and the gas cloud continued to spread. Worse, the world started to slow down around them.
Your [Hasten] buff has run out.
Basil cursed under his breath and looked over his shoulder. Without the speed boost provided by his buff, the toxic cloud gained ground on them. to turned around, swung Joyeuse in a circr fashion and unleashed a st of wind behind them, causing the noxious fumes to recede. The duos happiness was short-lived. The ceiling kept trembling with pieces of steel and stone falling left and right. The tunnel behind them copsed as Apollyon punched through it. The Horseman of Famine was trying his hand at a deadly game of whac-a-mole. The Bohens managed to evade him for a time, until they reached the end of the sewer. A metal grate stood between them and the dried Seine River beyond. The Louvres ruins awaited on the opposite shore. Nowhere to hide, Basil said with a scowl. The dried riverbanks revealed an open space without any cover. Apollyon would have an easy time shooting them down. Itll be suicide without Hasten. I have a n, to said. Gimme the bomb. Im faster than you. I can do this. Its me he wants, Basil pointed out. to answered by casting an illusion spell on himself. The feline vanished in the blink of an eye. In his ce stood a near-exact mirror of Basil himself. The resemnce was so lifelike that Basil wondered how many of his friends would mistake the two; to even managed to mimic his best friends more subtle facial expressions. It was a performance only a lifelong friend could achieve. One that could fool almost anyone including the giant monster outside. No, the real Basil said immediately, as he understood his best friends n. No way. Its fine, just teleport me back to you before the bomb hits, to said using Basils voice. His smile was almost too life-like. Besides, youre fragile. You can only die once, while I have six deaths to go. Basil held his best friends gaze, before realizing he wouldnt budge on the matter. to was ready to give his lifeone of them at leastfor the cause. Although it bothered Basil to send him away on a suicide mission, he had no choice but to respect it. Send me a message through the Logs the moment you need an emergency evacuation, Basil said as he unstored the Baguette from his Inventory. The ck briefcase appeared in a sh and snapped open. The antenna rose up and the screen booted up. Basil entered Nerias code on the keypad, unlocking the device. The Magitek refinement option appeared in response on his System screen, much to his surprise. How is it possible? Basil wondered. Its just the detonator, not the bomb itself. Would empowering it with a rune affect the device on the other end?
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse.
At this point, Basil decided to ignore logic and embrace the absurd. Empowering a nuke probably vited all disarmament treaties in the world, but you couldnt really do war crimes halfway. Magitek: Fire Rune, Basil said as he empowered the Baguette. Burning symbols appeared on the detonators surface, radiating warmth and light.
Refinement attempt sessful! The [Neutron Bomb] will now inflict additional [Fire] damage.
Basil set the timer to ten minutes. The keypad glittered as the words Package Armed appeared on the screen alongside a countdown.
Quest: Goodbye Geneva,plete! Your party earned 30,000 Bonus EXP (5000 for you) and learned the [Mustard Gas] Alchemical Recipe! Dismaker Labs wish you happy war crimes!
I had forgotten this Quest. Basil squinted at the message. I thought I needed to create the weapon in the first ce?
Refining a weapon counts as creating it.
Less questions, more action, to said as he closed the briefcase and grabbed it. He needed to use both hands to do so; his spell granted him Basils appearance, but not his strength. I think you should run in the other direction after Ive distracted the Bug Godzi. Yeah. The neutron bombs radius would cover two kilometers ording to General Lenc; enough to wipe out a whole district. Remember, send me a message when the timer is close to zero. Pinky swear, dog, to realized with a grin before cutting his way through the metal grate. Wish me luck. Basil did. He watched his best friend jump into the dried up Seine River and run through the desert faster than the wind. Apollyon immediately noticed the disguised feline and jumped after him, blowing dust in all directions. You will not escape me, Bohen! the Horseman shouted as he ran after the disguised to. He whipped up so much sand with his steps that Basil could barely see him through it. There you are! Basil winced as he watched the steel titan run after to and he could do little more than that. With Apollyon distracted, Basil emerged from one of the holes left by the Horseman and walked under the shining sky. He nced at the pir of light, which Rosemarine, the Steamobile, and Nerias CAESAR cannons kept bombarding from afar. Vasi, Leroy, and other flyers dueled the insect drones in the sky. The dead bugs formed hills of corpses, and yet they gained ground in spite of their catastrophic losses. Basils allies only had so many artillery shells to fire and SP to spend, whereas the bugs came in an unceasing tide of flesh. Eventually, the swarm would overwhelm their opposition under the weight of their limitless numbers. There would be no victory so long as Apollyon lived. Basil ran down the Esnade des Invalides and towards the southern part of Paris, as far away from the Louvre as he could. The earth shook as Apollyon fired his Gehenna Cannons at the Seine River and scorched the sand to ss. Basil desperately checked on tos vitals through the Party system, and sighed in relief upon finding him unharmed. With the Baguettes countdown nearing its end, Basil leaped atop the ruins of a destroyed building. He had a good view of the area from there and watched Apollyon reach the Louvres remains. The titan sted the district left and right, oblivious to the fact he had been tricked. Did he suspect a trap? Or was he arrogant enough to think he would survive whatever Basil had in store for him? Come on, to, Basil whispered as he checked his Logs. Give me the signal His heartbeat quickened and his body trembled in anticipation. The seconds stretched on, and yet to didnt send any message. Come on! Basil cursed, watching the horizon with concern and impatience. What are you waiting for The world was set aze. An ocean of blinding light swallowed the horizon in the blink of an eye. Apollyon, the Louvre, and all of Paris 1st Arrondissement vanished in its ethereal phosphorescence. Time slowed down and all sound ceased. Basil didnt see the ICBM hit. He didnt even notice it falling upon the Louvre. The weapon, fired from Bordeaux, had traveled across France in seconds and reached its target faster than the human eye could follow. It didnt even make a sound. The st did, however. Basil covered his eyes as a mighty sphere of energy expanded in the heart of the light. The spectacle was as dizzyingly beautiful as it was terrifying, like the roar of a newborn star. Basil couldnt help but stare at it in awe and silence. The sphere expanded until it consumed all of the Louvre. The earth erupted like an open wound under it, the heat convection blowing up dust into the air. When the light receded, a powerful shockwave of hot wind and sand washed over the city. Although Basil was at a safe distance, the boom made him wince. A massive cloud rose in the fireballs ce in a familiar mushroom shape. Basil lowered his halberd in horror. The resulting devastation frightened him more than the next Systems notification.
Rakshasa Kitten [to] has lost a life! Five remain!
Basil immediately summoned to through One for All. The Rakshasa Kitten appeared at his feet in a terrible shape, enough to fill his best friends heart with dread. mes had burned off his beautiful fur and exposed the skin underneath to melted radioactive ss. He had gone blind, and probably deaf too. Even though tos Nine Lives Perk had let him survive the st by recreating him afterward, he could barely breathe. Worse, his status screen showed an Irradiated ailment affecting him. Monster Cure II! Basil wasted no time in healing his best friend. Monster Cure II! A green aura covered to, lifting the Irradiated ailment and regrowing his fur. The Rakshasa Kitten groaned as the magic let him shed off the melted ss attached to his body and helped return his eyes to normal. Why? Basil asked as he kept applying his Perk again and over again. Why didnt you let me teleport you? Did Apollyon block it? The bug would have sensed a trap otherwise to coughed. Had to do it that hurt You brave fool Basil shook his head as he treated his best friend. If we both live through the day, Ill serve you as much fish as you want. Way to make me hang on to life, to replied with a grin. He had recovered enough strength to rise back to his feet and raise Joyeuse. Did we get him? Basil nced at the horizon and cursed under his breath. The neutron cloud had raised a sandstorm around the Louvres ruins, but Apollyons body shape remained clearly visible in its midst. The giant bug still stood proud and tall, though burning like a torch. Hes still alive, to whispered in shock. Hes That cockroach is still alive after this? Monster Insight provided more intel.
Apollyon, Horseman of Famine
HP: 3503/39500 (critical health).
Barely, Basil whispered back. The Horseman of Famine walked the thin edge between life and death. Hes barely hanging on. The neutron bomb had failed to kill Apollyon but it had made him vulnerable. It had made him beatable. Handsome! Basil raised his eyes and smiled. Vasi was floating down from the sky on her broomstick with an audacious grin. Need a lift? she asked, all but begging for a fight date. It was time to finish this. With pleasure, Basil replied, his halberd heavy in his hand. Lets squash him for good. Then lets go, she replied as she lowered her broom. Basil sat behind his girlfriend, with to leaping on his shoulders like a wild squirrel. The trio flew up in the sky and into the sandstorm. Into the jaws of Hell itself. Chapter 80: Man vs Apollyon Chapter 80: Man vs Apollyon A sandstorm of radioactive dust swirled over the ruins of the Louvre. Vasi fearlessly flew into the cloud, facing strong warm winds and burning sand. The air itself was charged with energy. Basil felt an invisible force enter his lungs, his flesh and blood. The nukes radiations expanded outward from the impact point to poison all things.
[Sandstorm] weather! [Wind] and [Earth] elements will be strengthened, [Water] will be weakened, and visibility will be slightly decreased!
[Irradiated] ailment! You will lose 1/16th of your maximum HP each minute and be unable to heal! The ailment can only be lifted magically.
[Deaths Banner II] negates HP damage.
Basils magic protected his team from the fallouts passive damage, but not from theck of healing. He prepared to cast Monster Cure II to lift the effect on his allies. Dont, Vasi interrupted him. Even if you cure us, the ailment will return within seconds so long as we breathe this toxic dust. Pace yourself. Yes, keep some SP for that sweet banner protection, to said. Well need it! Basil nodded slowly before checking upon his Special Points. He had around half of them left in storage, but Deaths Banner cost him ten per minute; Elemental Orbs would demand more. He missed Kalkis regenerative buff. Here he is, Vasi warned as they approached the center of the sandstorm. The ICBM had transformed the Louvre into a crater of rocks and molten sand. Their nemesis knelt in its midst, struggling to breathe. The st had peeled most of Apollyons exoskeleton away and exposed the corpselike, festering flesh underneath. Layers of purple metal had melted off the Horseman of Famines body. Circuits and cables embedded in the monsters skin let out jolts of electricity at random. One of the two mighty cannons that had shot down the ISS less than an hour ago had turned into scrap on the ground; the other remained attached to Apollyons shoulders, though with most of its circuitry exposed to the outside world. The Horseman of Famine gasped for air. Although he had survived the neutron bombs st by the skin of his teethan achievement in itselfhis injuries were severe. The radioactive sandstorm bothered him as much as the Bohens. Without most of his exoskeleton, he reminded Basil of a cicada struggling to shed off its old worn skin. The Horseman of Famine noticed the Bohens approach and red at them with his four fiery eyes. Basil immediately felt his strength slipping away as Apollyons magic affected him.
[Famine] Ailment! All physical stats debuffed for ten minutes! You will lose 1/16th of your SP per minute!
[Deaths Banner II] negates SP damage.
What What weapon was this? Apollyon rasped. Beyond the anger in his eyes, there was fear. You greedy fool have you sold your soul to the Unity for power? I would rather die, Basil replied as he raised his halberd. to prepared to jump off Vasis broom while the witch muttered a spell. That bomb was a pure Made in Earth product. ept no substitute. Neutron bombs were among the weakest of nukes in terms of payload. A stronger ICBM would have vaporized Apollyon instead of leaving him on the brink of death; though the Bohens probably wouldnt have been around to celebrate either. I never imagined you monkeys could craft something so powerful. Apollyon rose to his feet and pointed his remaining cannon at them. Power built up within its depths. But not as mighty as this! Hasten! Vasi cast on Basil. Time slowed for him as they moved right above the Horseman, the spell spreading to all team members through One for All. Gehenna Cannon! Apollyon opened fire in mindless rage. A stream of blinding light erupted from his remaining cannon, so powerful that the air itself simmered from the heat. Vasi flew as fast as a fighter jet and escaped the st. Apollyon pivoted in an attempt to reorient his continuous beam, but the witch managed to approach the cannon closely enough for Basil and to to make the jump. The duonded on Apollyons shoulder, braving the searing radioactive dust corrupting the air. to started cutting through the cybeic cables running through the titans skin, while Basil struck his cannon with his halberd. His weapon cut through steel and circuitry alike. Electric jolts sparked out of the device, only to be safely absorbed by Basils thunderbird armor. The beam weakened as the barrel channeling it heated up. Small steam explosions rocked Apollyons shoulder before arger one blew up most of his cannon. Basil and to were almost thrown off the Horseman by the st, but hanged on by stabbing his flesh with their weapon. Apollyon let out a screech loud enough to wake up the dead as his Gehenna Cannon fell to the ground at his feet. The droning buzz of his swarm echoed his call for help in the distance. Soldiers,e to me! Apollyon snarled. He raised both his hands; the left attempted to catch Vasi in the air and the other moved to squash Basil and to. The duo dodged wsrger than the both of thembined by running towards the head while Vasi elegantly danced around the Horsemans blows. She retaliated with a fireball that hit Apollyon in the mandibles. The st broke one and caused the titan to hiss in pain. Not so tough without your exoskeleton, eh? to taunted Apollyon as he and his best friend climbed up the Horsemans head; a part of his body that was over twenty meters tall and many timesrger than the Bohens former house. Hes just a glorified turtle, Basil mused. Hard outside, soft inside, better off eating lettuce! He immediately regretted his taunt as giant wasps entered the sandstorm to support Apollyon. Theyunched a rain of poisonous darts at the Bohens. Vasi had to abandon her assault on the Horseman to dodge, while to and Basil deflected the attacks with their weapons. Apollyon grabbed one of the flying insects with one hand, brought it to his mouth, and swallowed it whole. To Basils horror, a patch of flesh on his chest started to regrow the metal exoskeleton.
Apollyon regenerated some HP/SP!
Hes eating his troops to regenerate! Basil warned his team. Kill his mooks before he can touch them! Go be a hero, Ill take care of the small fries! to replied as he gracefully leaped off Apollyon. In spite of the immense height, the tiger club managed to softlynd on a wasps back by altering the winds with his sword. He cut the monster to ribbons and then leaped on another. to rampaged among the wasps like an acrobatic, tiny harbinger of death while Vasi assisted him with her own spells. As for Basil, he continued his climb relentlessly. Apollyon tried to squash him with both hands, but thanks to Hasten, he dodged all attacks by running across the monsters skull. Get off me, Bohen! Apollyon snarled. Stop hiding and face me! As you wish. Cutting into Apollyons forehead with his halberd, Basil used the weapon as an anchor to position himself right in front of the left side of the titans face. Two eyes out of four red at him with malice. Elemental Orb: Fire! Hanging on to his halberds shaft with one hand, Basil raised the other at Apollyon and unleashed a st of holy mes straight into his eyes. All of them were already damaged by the nukes radiation, so his mes incinerated the dried orbs to ash. The Horseman shrieked as half his sight was robbed from him.
Warning: you have lost more than half your SP!
SonicArgh! A jolt of electricity traveled through Apollyons throat before he couldplete his attack. Argh Cant use most of your Perks with damaged tech? Basil mocked him as he climbed to the undamaged side of Apollyons forehead, intent onpletely blinding the giant bug once and for all. The portal is still open, if you wanna run away crying! There are fates far worse than death, Bohen You know not what my master is capable of. The Horseman of Famine let out a screech of defiance. I will not leave this to face him in disgrace. On that, we agree, Basil said as he prepared to fire another orb. You wont leave this alive at all. Apollyon responded to the taunt by shaking his head in an attempt to throw Basil off him. The Tamer struggled to hang on to his halberd as he was swung in one direction and then to the other like a pendulum. Worse, a great shadow loomed behind Basil. He looked over his shoulder and watched on as a giant hand moved to squash him. Time elerated the closer the ws approached him. Damn it, not now, Basilined. The Hasten spell was running out. Curse your intense but short duration! Basil attempted to rise up his halberds shaft and escape back to Apollyons forehead, only for the Horseman to shake it again. Basil was almost thrown off into the void. He barely managed to hold onto his weapon as Apollyons hand fell upon him. The Horsemans palm was the size of a house, and just as heavy. Basil raised his free hand instinctively as if to stop his iing death, but he might as well have wrestled with a mountain. An enormous mass of flesh pressed him against Apollyons forehead and crushed him under its weight. Basil used all his strength to push it back. He failed. Basil screamed in pain and agony as his body was squeezed between Apollyons hand and face; the greatest pain was in his free arm, which he had foolishly raised to push back the tide. The forearms bone cracked in a terrible, sickening noise. Basils vision blurred as he felt his body crushed under the overwhelming weight. His breath escaped his squeezed lungs.
Critical Health! Critical Health!
I expel Basil used thest of his strength to mentally open his party system. He needed to expel his party before they died with him. Release every An explosion rocked Apollyons hand. Basil felt the st travel through the monsters fingers and the pressure squeezing the life out of him immediately lessened. Apollyons hand moved away from his forehead and fell on the ground along with the rest of the arm. Barely hanging on to his halberd with his remaining functional hand, Basil managed to look over his shoulder. Dozens of Fire Seeds were climbing up on the titan like ants and clustering at his bodys joints. A few of them still burned on Apollyons elbow, the rest of their kindred having blown themselves up to sever the Horsemans arm. Apollyon wiped them off with his remaining hand before they could mutte him further. Boss, were here! Bugsy appeared at the edge of the crater, exhausted and carrying Shellgirl on his back. Both of them looked quite bruised; Bugsy had magma scars on his exoskeleton and one of Shellgirls tentacles had been severed. Basil suspected it didnt bode well for the Steamobile, especially since some bugs had broken through the armys encirclement. Neither was Rosemarine visible anywhere even as her brood swarmed Apollyon. Nheless, Basils party members immediately joined the battle. Shellgirl unleashed volleys of ice spheres at Apollyons wasp escort while Bugsy carried her on his back as a mobile tform. At this point, Vasi switched targets and fired a spell at Apollyon himself. Shadowy spikes grew out of his chest and shattered the regrown parts of his exoskeleton. Being now on the verge of death and having swept away the Fire Seeds trying to suicide-bomb him, the Horseman attempted to seize one of his own wasp allies to regain his health. Shellgirl acted quicker and slew Apollyons would-be meal with a well-aimed ice pearl projectile. Boss, wereing! Bugsy looked up in defiance at Apollyon, only to falter. Were here Bugsy? Shellgirl asked, only to be violently thrown off the centimagmas back. Bugsy left her behind and scurried towards Apollyon. Bugsy!
Bugsy has been [Charmed] by Apollyons [Bug Crown]!
Basils eyes widened in panic as Bugsy offered himself to Apollyon, his mind dominated by the Horsemans power. Thank you for the appetizer, Apollyon rasped mockingly as he raised his remaining hand to catch the centimagma. It is much appreciated! Monster Cure! Basil cast through his teeth, his magic spreading to his allies and healing their wounds.
[Charm] ailment lifted. Bugsy will be immune to [Bug Crown] for 24 hours!
The Horseman of Famines control over Bugsy was instantly lifted, with the Centimagma looking around himself in confusion. Noticing the giant hand moving to seize him, he used Agility Up to slip through Apollyons fingers, much to his rage. The Horseman looked around for more sacrifices and found none. Everywhere his drones fell. to had moved back to Vasis broom, the two unleashing fireballs and des of wind at any bug entering their range. Shellgirl assisted them by firing projectiles from the ground like an anti-air defense while Bugsy carried her around the battlefield once again, although this time he remained careful not to approach Apollyon too closely. The Bohens party had grown into a well-oiled machine of a team. No more reinforcement woulde either. Nerias troops had managed to reform the encirclement around the portal with a copious amount of artillery. Army choppers blew up fliers around the energy pir, stopping Apollyons monsters from rushing to their leaders side. The Horseman faced his death alone. I will not fall here! Apollyon let out a roar of desperation. Rampage! The Horsemans body trembled with rage and his corpselike skin turned red.
Apollyon has gone [Berserk]!
Apollyon snapped to action with unnatural speed and strength for his size. He attempted to punch Vasi out of the sky, with the witch barely dodging by flying upward at full speed. Apollyons sudden jerking movement threw Basil off his face, halberd included. He fell and fell from many stories high, the ground calling him. Basil! Vasi dived down in a desperate attempt to catch him, only for Apollyon to relentlessly target her. The witch was forced to move to the side to avoid the Horsemans snapping mandibles, her boyfriend continuing his fall. Basil! Basilnded earlier and more softly than he expected. His body hit a soft cushion of feathers rather than sandy ground, and a melodious song echoed all around him. For a brief second, he thought he had perished and ascended to heaven, but the music sounded too Hippie-like for his taste.
[Irradiated] ailment negated Kalkis [Song of Healing]!
Sorry for beingte, a friendly voice said in between notes. I had to fly around to heal the wounded. Basil realized he hadnded on the back of Kalkis avian mount, right behind the bard himself. The music offered no reprieve from the pain, but at least he would live for a scant few minutes. Having traded his sanity for strength as Basil once did, Apollyon rampaged around the crater like a wild animal. He desperately attempted to bite and w at Vasi, but the witch flew too fast for his slow-moving hand to catch up; he might have well been a giant trying to swat a fly. On the ground, Bugsy and Shellgirl had to run away in frantic terror to avoid being trampled to death. A light at the edge of the crater attracted Basils attention, and that of the maddened Apollyon. An invisible shape became noticeable as ayer of dust covered its reptilian body. The head glowed like the sun as it gathered power. Sneaky toe attack! Rosemarine shouted with pride as she finally announced her presence. Apollyon snarled back and raised his feet to trample her to death. He wasnt fast enough. Rosemarine fired her beam first. The ray of golden sunlight crossed the distance between the tropidrake and Apollyon in an instant before hitting thetters chest. Without his exoskeleton to reduce the damage, the light pierced one end of the body and came out of the other. The supereffective sunfire burned through Apollyons flesh and bones alike, leaving nothing but a smoking hole where the heart should have been. Apollyon, whose foot was up in the air, never brought it down to the ground. Instead, sanity returned to his remaining eyes as his gigantic body stumbled. He fell to his back, first slowly, then suddenly. The Horseman of Famine copsed like a mountainid low by an earthquake with just as much power. Shellgirl and Bugsy barely managed to avoid being crushed as he hit the ground in a cataclysmic shockwave. The edge of the crater was ttened under Apollyons weight, with tons of sand and dust propelled in the air. The aftershock could be felt from Basils position in the sky. Apollyons fall affected all remaining bug monsters in the area; the few surviving wasps fled in animalistic panic, while the rest of the swarm fell into chaos. The unified buzzing sound that followed Apollyons army copsed into a cacophony of maddened screeches. The Horsemans hold over his troops was broken in an instant, never to return. Rosemarine let out a victorious roar. She had avenged centuries of nt oppression by insects and was proud of it. Basils allies echoed the victory with cheers of their own. You have raised magnificent friends, Basil, Kalki said with a smile. No, Basil replied with a chuckle, coughing blood. They raised themselves. Kalki had his birdnd right next to Apollyons colossal head. He summoned a greenish potion from his inventory and poured it down Basils throat. I hope this will work, the bard said with a look of concern. The words Heavenly or Guaranteed were written on his beverages sk. I do not trust your angels credentials.
[Irradiated] ailment lifted! You gained immunity to [Irradiated] for five minutes! You recovered 500 HP!
Green light swallowed Basil, healing his wounds. His vision returned to normal. His broken arm fell back into ce. When Kalki dismounted from his bird, he helped Basil do the same. Vasi and tonded near the group while Shellgirl, Bugsy, and Rosemarine flocked to them. I did it, Mister! Rosemarine said in triumph. I roasted the bug! That was amazing, Shellgirl agreed. You nailed him right in the squishy parts. And youll get to eat him for dinner, Rosemarine, Basil thanked his beloved tropidrake. He couldnt think of a more appropriate fate for the Horseman of Famine. To end like this? The group turned to face Apollyon. Light flickered in the monsters two remaining eyes, struggling not to fade away into the darkness of death. Beaten by vermin? I was so close to greatness Ill admit this could have gone either way, Basil said. Apollyon had been the meanest, most powerful foe they had ever faced. Without the neutron bomb, they wouldnt have been able to stop him at all. But thats what you get for underestimating us. You can only me your arrogance for your defeat. Arrogance Apollyon scoffed as his life slipped away. I am the weakest the gatekeeper. Before you were nothing, Bohen but now that you have broken me you wille to my masters attention. I dont fear him, Basil replied. You should Apollyon let out a heavy breath. In the Apocalypse Force you join or you die. The other Horsemen wille for you. To recruit or to y. Good, Basil replied. The rest of his group nodded in assent and determination. It will spare us the trouble of hunting them down ourselves. The System echoed his sentiment with a new quest.
New Main Quest: Apocalypse Not
Rmended Level: 80+
On four horses they came, under six feet they must go! You have dered war on the Apocalypse Force, and now its time to show them whos the real one-man Armageddon! Defeat the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Force!
Reward: 24,000,000 + Holy Grail artifact.
You have barely beaten me and I am nothing but a worm in the Malekings shadow Apollyon let out onest chuckle, before coughing sick purple blood. He will burn this to the ground I wish I could have seen that Armageddon. Apollyon, Horseman of Famine, eternal foe of the Homeowners Revenge Association and bane of the House of Bohen, breathed hisst. The light in his remaining eyes switched off and piles of treasures appeared atop his smoking corpse.
Your party earned 4,000,000 Exp and 2,000,000 Incursion Bonus EXP (total 6,000,000, with 1,000,000 for you). You earned a whooping 9 levels (total 52).
The house, at longst, had been avenged. It filled Basil with an immeasurable amount of satisfaction. Although they had lost friends and suffered greatly to reach this point, Apollyon would never again threaten anyone else. That was the real reward, beyond the petty joy of revenge. The portal isnt closing, Vasi noted. While the bug swarm had fallen into chaos with Apollyons death, Basils monster allies struggled to keep them contained. Many drones retreated, but far more kept trying to break through the encirclement and infest Earth. Why is it still open? Wasnt the Incursion meant tost a week? Shellgirl asked with a sigh. We arent paid enough for clean-up duties. This is good, Rosemarine rejoiced while licking her petal lips. More food for us! Youve heard her, the job is not yet done. Basil pointed his halberd at the rift. Lets throw these locusts back into the hole from which they came from! His friends and allies cheered all at once. For they understood that although they had a few days of containment ahead of them, the worst was behind them. The Battle for Paris, no, for all of France, was won. Chapter 81: Man vs Respec Chapter 81: Man vs Respec They spent the week helping the army secure Paris. It was a long, tedious process. Apollyons death had spelled the Apocalypse Forces defeat on this front, but not all of his thralls were willing to ept it. For every bug that retreated back into the rift, two more attempted to break through the security perimeter. A few slipped through in the early hours of the Incursion, but each new day brought its lot of new soldiers, choppers, and tanks. By the events end, any monster was shot from a distance before it could walk ten meters past the rift. The strangest of the invaders had been a giant panda riding a thundercloud, of all things. Basil had paused long enough in confusion to let the monster escape confinement and then decided to take a look at the world beyond the rift out of curiosity. What he saw filled him with dread. The world beyond the rift was a wastnd; a gray, barren desert stripped of its very grass by Apollyons brood. When they failed to enter Earth, the weaker monsters had turned on each other in a cannibalistic frenzy. Basil wondered if the panda creature had been a desperate survivor escaping its homeworlds destruction. That was the future the Apocalypse Force wanted for Earth: a spiral of destruction that only ended when everyone was dead. Basil swore never to let that happen. Halfway through the Incursion, he sat at the edge of his bed in the depths of the Steamobile; the vehicle had suffered heavy damage during the invasion, but the armys crafters graciously helped repair it. They had even improved on the design until it offered the samefort as a true campervan. Basil stared at the lotus in his palm. The flower felt so light and warm to the touch; its petals were immacte like snow. They held the seed of potential, or rebirth. Youve made your decision? Vasi asked softly at his side, covering her nakedness with a bedsheet. The whole bed still reeked of sex. About time. Yeah, Basil agreed. About time. It was bound to happen at some point. The couple had been together for a month now, and Apollyons defeat had left them in the mood to celebrate. Vasi simply showed up in Basils room one night with her stuff and settled there permanently afterward. It was good. There was no other word for it. Making love to his girlfriend for the first time had been sweet, and natural. So they did it again the next night, and then the one afterward. to even interrupted a session midway through toin about the noise. As for Bugsy, he simply cried in joy. Basil had caught him working on a cradle one morning. Inquisitors might have burned him at the stake for making love to a demonic witch, but as far as Basil was concerned, it felt positively saintly. Sorry for the dy, Basil apologized. I know more levels would help with containment, but I truly wanted to think it over. Its fine, Basil. Vasi rested her head on his shoulder. Its a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Rushing it would be a poor decision. Basil smiled. How would you feel about dating a dragonknight? Im dating a knight, she replied with a chuckle. Im dating you. That wouldnt change even if you took on a Vagrant ss. And that was why he loved her. Basil decided to assign his nine new levels before using the lotus. He at first consideredpleting Deathknight of the Sepulchre, but changed his mind at thest second. There was another ss he had been considering for a while and ording to the information provided by Hagen, it would make Berserker redundant and help him let go of it. Basil needed to confirm if the Perk progression fitted his allys intel. Having made his choice, Basil assigned his new levels to the Dragonknight ss. A wave of pleasure almost as intense as the thrill of sex coursed through his body. The magic of the System empowered his muscles, strengthened his bones, and sharpened his mind. His new ss power filled every inch of his body.
Dragonknight Level 1 to 9 Stat Gains: +9 STR, +9 AGI, +5 VIT, +7 SKI, +4 MAG, +2 INT, +7 CHA, +5 LCK. You earned 300 HP and 90 SP.
Dragoon I (Passive): You gain advanced proficiency with Swords, Spears, and Shields (x2 damage, +10% Crit).
Dragon Rider I (Passive): You gain advanced proficiency in riding creatures, but only those with the [Dragon] Type (+10% damage to attacks when mounted, you cannot be dismounted by force unless you suffer a Critical Hit or Supereffective attack, and you can both direct your mount and attack without splitting your attention).
Dragonbane I (Passive): All your attacks with weapons in which you have a Medium, Advanced or Perfect proficiency will inflict Dragonyer damage supereffective against [Dragon] types (x3 damage).
Double Jump I (Passive): Not only is the distance of your jumps increased, but you can leap a second time while airborne. Additionally, the damage of your Spear weapons is doubled while in the air.
Dragonbreath I (Active): Select an element in which you have a strong affinity. You gain a weak breath attack (60 base damage) of that element which you can use at will; the breath will also pierce through Resistance.
Basil selected Corrosion as his chosen breathing attack. His halberd and elemental orb already covered most elements anyway, so the choice mattered little to him. I think youve grown new abs, Handsome, Vasi noted with appreciation. Her soft fingers trailed over Basils chest and thighs. You should start naming them at this rate. Ill let you pick the nicknames, Basil teased her back. But only after I get rid of the Berserker muscle pains. Are you sure you want to fully get rid of it? Yes, I am. His halberd counted both as a spear and as an axe. With his new Dragonknight Perks, he could let go of Berserker and keep his proficiency. The Runic spellcasting loss would bepensated with an investment in Runesmith. I dont regret taking the ss. It saved my life more than I can count in the early days. But youve outgrown it, Vasi whispered softly. I did, Basil confirmed. Once, it was anger that carried the weight of his fight. Not anymore. He looked at his girlfriend and lightly kissed her on the lips. A warm feeling coursed through his cheeks, pleasing andforting. That was the thing that spurred him on now. He wanted to protect Vasi, to, Rosemarine, Shellgirl, Bugsy, and all the people he hade to care about since the worlds end. Monsters like Apollyon needed to go; not to help Basil feel better about himself, but for the sake of everyones safety and happiness. Goodbye, Berserker, Basil whispered as he activated the Lotus of Wisdom. You will always be a part of me, one way or another. The lotus dissipated into nothingness and a screen appeared before Basil; one showcasing both his current sses and those he could ess, but never invested in. A series of + and - allowed him to reassign his levels among them. Basil had considered his choice of build for a while. His strength was that of his team, so he intended to focus on support sses like Runesmith and Alchemist in tandem with more martial options like Deathknight of the Sepulchre. He would empower his allies and protect them with the strength of his arm. Berserker, Gardener, and Fisherman would go. The former was a good ss, but one better fit for an antisocial grumpy bear than a team yer; the other two had been useful when Basil lived in the wilderness, but were now all but useless. He reassigned his levels and confirmed his choice.
You have exchanged your 5 [Berserker] levels, 3 [Gardener] levels, and 1 [Fisherman] level for 1 [Deathknight of the Sepulchre] level and 8 [Runesmith] Levels.
You have lost the following Perks: [ughterer I], [Fishing I], [Warp Spasm I], [Jardin Secret I], [Greenhand I]. [Runic II] remains unchanged; the loss of [Berserker]s [Runic II] ispensated by the gain in [Runesmith] [Runic II] tier earned at level 9.
Lost Perks have been reced with the following:
Runestorm I (Active): [Support] 10 SP. You can empower any melee weapon you wield (such as swords, axes, or daggers) with an elemental infusion for five minutes, changing the damage Type to the chosen element. Avable elements: [Fire], [Wind], [Earth], [Water], [Frost], and [Lightning].
Runecraft (Passive): You can now incorporate runes into all of your crafting processes, permanently empowering your equipment with their additional effects.
Magic-Eater I (Active): When you have Runestorm active on a weapon, you can redirect any spell of the channeled element within twenty meters to your weapon, absorb them, and regain an amount of SP proportional to the spells power. You can only redirect Spells, and not Active Perks or standard attacks.
You have capped Deathknight of the Sepulchre at level 10. You earned the [Duty Beyond Death] capstone. You can also select one of your stats except for HP/SP; it will receive a one-time bonus chosen at random (maximum +6).
Duty Beyond Death (Passive): Not even death will stop you from fulfilling your duty. When your health points hit 0, you do not immediately die. Instead, you gain the [Invincibility] status for five minutes, during which you cannot take any damage nor suffer from debuffs and status ailments. However, you cannot regain HP and once the effect ends, so will your life. You also cannot be turned into a [Undead] type by any means, even willingly.
Basil hoped he would never have to make use of thatst Perk. He assigned the stat bonus to intelligence, one of his weakest stats.
You gained 4 Intelligence Points and 20 SP.
Already he could see synergies between his new abilities and the old ones. He could make better equipment for his team and would have an easier time targeting an enemys elemental weaknesses. If Technomancer was like Deathknight of the Sepulchre, it should be cleared at level 10; both sses, oncepleted, amount to 40 levels whenbined with Tamer. If Basil dedicated himself topleting Dragonknight, Runesmith, and Alchemist, each of them with 20 levels, then that would make for 100 levels. A full build. Basil chuckled at the thought, much to his girlfriends bemusement. Come on, Vasi said. Dont keep the joke to yourself. Im seriously nning my ss progression as if I intended to reach level 100, Basil replied. Thats absurd. Is it, truly? Vasi smiled. Were a long way before we can hope to reach this threshold, but the possibility isnt zero either. I just find it insane that I started picking levels based on how they would help me survive day-to-day, and now Im nning for a full journey to level 100. Basilughed. I dont want to be an Overgod, but I find it funny. Im not particrly interested in godhood either, Vasi said. But at the speed at which our foes throw themselves at us, we might end up ascending to godhood out of self-defense. Truer words had never been spoken. In any case, it is done, Basil said as he put his arm around Vasis waist and pulled her to him. Her skin felt good against his. I hope that will be enough. Are you worried? Vasi frowned. Apollyons words bother you, dont they? We needed a neutron bomb to defeat him, and he wasnt even at full strength. If he really is the weakest of the Horsemen Basil sighed. We cant really solve all our problems with nukes. That human arrow of light was fantastically powerful, Ill concede, Vasi said while caressing his chest. But it is Rosemarine thatnded the coup de grce, helped by our spells and weapons. The System is the great equalizer. Dont demean your own strength, Basil. Apollyon became so powerful because he was dozens of levels ahead of us. We can catch up. Basil chuckled. Do you think to might be just as big one day? I doubt it, Vasi replied with a bemused tone. Size does not always equal power, Basil. Ive heard of mages no taller than a child, yet capable of far more destruction than Apollyon and his army put together. Basil didn''t know whether he should take that as an encouragement or as a warning. Todays battle had been won, but the war was far from over. The rift closed on the seventh day. Basil watched the scene from afar as the pir of light copsed on itself. Its otherworldly energy receded into the sky, where the cosmic circuit linking Earth to countless worlds disintegrated. Basil knew it hadnt truly vanished; it had only be inactive until the next Incursion. Leroy believed it would be many months before the portals opened again, but with Maxwell afoot, one could never be certain. Still, this particr Incursion ended on a triumphant note. A tall building of steel stood proudly where the pir of light once touched the ground. The Eiffel Tower had been restored to its original state. A thinyer of rust covered its metallic architecture and its feet sank in a desert of sand, but none of that mattered. The world had ended, yet the very symbol of France stood undefeated. This country still had hope. And so did others. Basil had heard from Neria that the British Army, helped by the Queens Guardthough the Kings Guard was probably a more appropriate name nowhad retaken London and the Big Ben dungeon. Good news wasing from Germany and Spain too. But still nothing from Bulgaria. Basil suppressed a sigh as he walked back to the site of Apollyons fall. He feared for his mothers safety, but he could do little but wait until the French Army managed to establishmunications with his homnd. Basil observed the Louvres crater from the edge. Mages had cleaned the area of radiation with spells, allowing hundreds of crafters and workers to excavate buried artifacts and exploit the Horsemans corpse. Basil noticed Muggy and other coffee machine mimics serving beverages to guards while Shellgirl barked orders from atop a pile of treasure. Not only had Apollyons demise spawned a shower of precious loot, but the Horsemans corpse was made of advanced technology and high-quality material. Shellgirl had already called dibs on many body parts, including the ws and mandibles. One of the Gehenna cannons had been set aside for research and future mass production. The other would be mounted atop the Steamobile to rece the damaged howitzer. Basil also hoped to work on pieces of the exoskeleton. With Berserker gone, he could now wear metal armor without losing his weapon proficiency. Considering Apollyons exoskeleton had allowed him to survive a neutron bomb How could Basil call himself a knight without a shining suit of armor made of an alien bugs corpse? It just didnt feel right. The noise of a chopper echoed above the crater. Basil raised his eyes at an approaching helicopter that soonnded at his side. A familiar man stepped out of the cargo hold alongside a pair of guards. General Lenc hade to reim the capital. I can hardly imagine that you killed this creature on foot. This is a feat worthy of a Greek epic. The General shook Basils hand warmly, but firmly. Your people truly are modern-day heroes, Basil. We wouldnt havested long without your Baguette, General. Basil instantly regretted his wording. It did ny-five percent of the work. You shouldnt discount the other five, young man. The old soldier waved a hand at Apollyons remains. Even dismembered and carved up into pieces, he remained awe-inspiring. Few would have dared to engage this monster, and fewer would have survived to tell the tale. Still three more to go, Basil said. Has any other Horseman shown itself? Not that I know, though our informationwork only extends to parts of Europe and North Africa. Its not impossible that a Horseman manifested on the other side of the world without our knowledge. The General put his hands behind his back and observed the Eiffel Tower from afar. Although he remained stoic even in the face of victory, he couldnt suppress a satisfied smile at the edge of his lips. I cannot put into words how happy I am to see this monument again, Basil. Dont tell me youre a closet Parisian, Basil mused. No, of course not, the General chuckled. But building this tower was a tribtion. Many artists decried it, the architects struggled to find funds, and it was never meant tost long. Yet men of great will persevered, and here it stands. He waved a hand at the Eiffel Tower. This monument survived two world wars and one apocalypse, he said with pride. It gives me hope that our people will endure whates next. Me too, Basil replied with a smirk. Neria told me were winning on most fronts. Your actions have helped more than you can possibly imagine, General Lenc said with a sharp nod. With most portals closed, we could relocate troops where needed and make territorial gains. Madrid has been secured, Berlin too, and the British have reestablished control over their ind; An axis going from Portugal to Germany is now more or less safe for humankind. Once weve secured the Western European Zones borders, well start pushing East to retake the rest of the continent. Basil could see the writing on the wall. After so many setbacks, the tide was finally turning in mankinds favor. They would beat back the apocalypse, inch by inch. Im surprised Kalki is not with you, the General observed. Neria informed me the two of you were rarely seen apart nowadays. Hes helping treat the wounded at the infirmary. The man was a saint; when he didnt heal people with his songs, he did his best to tame Apollyons surviving drones into docility. Kalki had limited sess with thetter, but Basil gave him points for trying. We intend to leave for Athens together. A most dangerous journey. Are you going to stop us? Basil doubted the military man would be unwise enough to try, but the worlds fate depended on Kalkis survival. Many men would have acted rashly in the light of these facts. I let him go free when Metal Olympus wanted him captured, why would I restrict his movements now? General Lenc smiled sharply, though his eyes remained calcting. Making an enemy out of a god is usually ill-advised. I would rather have him as a friend, even if that means indulging him against my better judgment sometimes. And like that, Lenc had proved himself wiser than all of Dismaker Labs board members put together. What of Leroy then? Basil asked. The false god had been taken away by soldiers and not seen since. What will be of him? Hell be put under house arrest and help us solve the disaster he started. General Lenc crossed his arms, his face twisting into a scowl. I am mindful of his attempt at repentance, but his remorse does not erase the severity of his crimes. His actions would have earned him a one-way ticket to the Hague before the apocalypse he helped create. He should be thankful that we abolished the death penalty decades ago. He has burned his bridges with Maxwell and blunted the Incursion the best he could, Basil pleaded on Leroys behalf. His sins are great, but his good behavior should count for something. It does matter. But once things settle, his fate must be settled before a tribunal. All his actions, good and bad, will be taken into ount. The General scowled grimly. Let us speak of other things. I have news for you. Considering his grim tone, Basil doubted it would be good. Its about my mother, isnt it? Im afraid so. The General put a hand in one of his uniforms pockets. "We were setting up a direct line ofmunication for your sake when the Incursion struck us earlier than expected. We lost contact with Bulgaria when the portals opened. He brought out a photo and presented it to Basil. The picture showed a reptilian, winged monster flying over a raging sea. The sky above it was covered in eldritch circuitry, while mechanical krakens of gears and bolts infested the waters below. Basil immediately noticed the familiarity between thetter machines and the Unitys gearsmen. As for the reptilian monster, it couldnt be anything but a dragon; its ck scales seemed made of polished obsidian and its eyes burned like eldritch rubies in a dark night. The photo in itself wasnt so intimidating, but the implications worried Basil greatly. Although he could barely see the shoreline in the background, the Tamer immediately recognized it. This photo was taken by a frigate near Varna in the Incursions first hours, General Lenc exined. ording to our sources, the local portal opened into a Unity-led world. They jammed our long-distancemunications with eastern Europe. The Unity had invaded Bulgaria. Basil stared at the photo for a few seconds before quickly reaching a decision. He returned the photo to General Lenc and offered him a short nod. General, he said. Ive done my best to help your country but now mine is calling. And you can count on our support to protect it, General Lenc replied with a warm smile. If even a tenth of your people are like you, then I pity the Unity. They do not know what they have stepped into. No, they did not. Shellgirl! Basil shouted from the edge of the crater. Shellgirl! Yes, partner?! his teammate replied from atop her pile of gold. Pack the loot, were skipping town today! Saint George would have his tribute. Chapter 82: Man vs Journey (Book II Epilogue) Chapter 82: Man vs Journey (Book II Epilogue) The Bohens left Paris like a modern Westerns ending: by preparing to ride into the sunset with a giant campervan full of guns. Basil felt an unmistakable sense of enjoyment at seeing one of Apollyons cannons topping his Steamobile in ce of the destroyed howitzer. Parts of the Horsemans exoskeleton also reinforced the vehicles shielding. It was deliciously ironic. After destroying the Bohens former home, Apollyon had be part of the new one. Weve set up a rookery for Garud and a vivarium for Ananta on the upper floors, Basil told Kalki after giving a brief tour of the Steamobile. Youll have your own guest room, but its a bit cramped. It is fine, my friend, Kalki replied. I usually sit and meditate instead of sleeping, so space is of little concern to me. Though I admit I would prefer to rest on grass rather than steel. You truly are a hippie, Basil mused. You can also use the greenhouse, if you want. I might. Kalkis hand brushed against the Steamobiles metal walls. All this steel makes me ufortable. I can feel the pain that went into forging it. Sometimes, Basil forgot that his vehicle started out as a conquering dragons property. The Bohens had once crossed paths with elves enved by the Unity; some probably perished building Steamslimes shell. It will go away with time, Basil told Kalki. If we spend years making good memories, eventually they will drown out the bad ones. The journey ahead should offer us many opportunities for it. Kalki nodded in assent. Have you chosen an itinerary yet? I have. Neria had helped provide maps of post-apocalyptic Europe, including the location of safe zones and more hostile ones. Well travel to Bulgaria by going through Germany, Austria, Hungary, and then Romania. The first two are mostly under human control, but thetter two will make for a dangerous trip. Afterward, well follow the ck and Aegean Seas until we reach Athens. Considering it had taken the party many weeks to travel from Bordeaux to Paris, Basil expected this particr journey across Europe tost months. He missed the days when a ne trip would let him move from Sofia to Paris in hours. Flying monsters made that impossible nowadays. Im sorry, Basil apologized to Kalki. I know you would rather us move to Athens immediately to rescue your girlfriend. I do not mind making a stop on the way, Kalki replied calmly. You have freed me from my prison and agreed to help me save my beloved. I would be ungrateful not to assist you in your own quest. Thank you, my Basil stopped as he searched for the right word. My My god? Kalki joked. I jest. My friend, Basil decided. Thank you, my friend. Was that so difficult to say? Kalki teased him. Yes, it was. Ignoring the godhood, Kalki was a goddamn hippie. epting him as a friend carried heavy social implications, a burden that Basil would have to bear for the rest of his life. Im not good at the mushy-mushy stuff, Basil admitted. Youre getting better at it, Kalki replied kindly. You are an entirely different person from the man I met in the southern marshes. Kinder, more open with his feelings more charming too. Are you flirting with me? Basil joked. Were both taken. I say things as they are, Kalki replied, though his smile faltered a little. Do not let Vasi go, Basil. You would regret it for the rest of your life. And he was probably right. The duo walked outside the Steamobile, where everyone was getting ready to leave. Kalkis monster allies helped Bugsy and Shellgirl store thest supplies; Neria and Zachariel offered magical scrolls to Vasi; and General Lenc had an escort of soldiers surround Benjamin Leroy, who stared at Kalki with a strange look. to, thatzy cat, rested on Rosemarines back while the tropidrake hummed a new tune Kalki had taught her. She intended to sing while carrying the Steamobile across thend, as she had done on the way to Paris. Are you certain you do not wish for arger escort? Neria asked with worry. I know you can take care of yourself, but Its all right, Basil said, patting Kalki on the back. Hes in good hands. Therger a convoy, the slower it is, General Lenc said. When moving quickly, it is better to travel light to avoid ambushes. A wise counsel not all armies understood. The old military leader smiled at Basils group. Nor do I believe numbers would make a difference. This party probably has the highest level in all of western Europe. Meow, thats right, to boasted as he stretched his back. Were your gods now. Bring us your virgins, and your cat food. Leroy crossed his arms and remained sullenly silent. Yo Zach, would you be open to a joint venture? Shellgirl asked the angel. We open a new church, fifty-fifty on donations. I will pass, the angel said politely. Im under exclusive contract with the heavens above, and the penalties include bolts of divine retribution. Well stay in contact through the Logs, Neria promised as she shook Basils hand. Well keep sending supplies through the Guild Inventory. Well build teleporting Lairs wherever we can, Basil replied. And im any dungeon we encounter. Many still remain, Leroy said, his voice barely audible. The man seemed a bit stabler and calmer than a few days ago, and he spent more time in his humanoid, batlike form than his shadowy one; but he often nervously fidgeted in ce when he thought no one was looking. He was on a good path to mental recovery but he still had a long way to go. Most will be under a Factions control now. The Unity, the Apocalypse Force my remaining colleagues. None will surrender without a fight. And all of them Leroy nced at Kalki. All wille for him, he warned. They will hunt you down. Nothing unexpected, Vasi said with a shrug. Were getting used to ambushes. You shouldnt. Tamura was boastful and Hypathia was a fool, but Ashok is cut from a different cloth. With him, its a fight to the death. As for Maxwell Leroy looked away. You have seen what he is. With the essences, they can track you anywhere. Basil nodded grimly. While he was confident in his abilities, the warning hadnt fallen on deaf ears. Maxwell and Ashok could potentially attack the group at any point. They could never let their guard down. Do you have any idea where Maxwell might be? Neria questioned him. We know Ashok is in the city of Athens, but his master could be anywhere. Malta. He will be in Malta. Leroy folded his arms. Our European HQ was located in La Valletta for tax and infrastructure purposes. Does Dismaker Labs list of crimes involve tax dodging too? Basil asked with a groan. You people know no shame. It was legal, Leroy said with a shrug. And we paid our taxes on time. Fiscal evasion is the kind of activity that brings government attention, and Maxwell didnt want that. Why would he be there? Neria asked. Did you keep important resources on the ind? Yes, Leroy confirmed. We set up a data center with more processing power than you can fathom. Like my Naraka, its one of the hubs in the neurotowerwork. We will send troops to Malta to investigate then, General Lenc decided. We now have the resources to project power across the Mediterranean Sea. Please give us a call if you can confirm Maxwells location, Basil asked, his jaw clenching. We owe him a reckoning. So do we. General Lenc held Basils gaze. Before you leave, young man, there is something I wish to give you. Frances leader grabbed at one of the many medals on his white military jacket; a five-pointed star bound to a red piece of cloth by a metalurel crown. The golden visage of Marianne, the personification of France, upied the center of the medal. The words Rpublique Franaise formed a circle around her. The System didnt attribute magical properties to the decoration, but the general clearly cared for it. He stared at it with a nostalgic look, as if reminiscing about simpler times. A long-dead president gave me this a long time ago for serving my nation through difficult times, General Lenc told Basil. There is no elected president or Grandmaster of the Legion dHonneur to deliver this medal to you so Im going to do it myself. Basil straightened up almost instinctively as the general attached the medal to his scale and feather armor. The soldiers escorting the Steamobile, including Neria, lined up in a military salute. By the powers invested in me by the French state and in vition of proper protocol, General Lenc said, his voice heavy and solemn. I hereby promote you to the rank of Chevalier de Lgion dHonneur for your acts of bravery in the service of our nation. Basil held his breath as soldiers pointed their rifles at the sky and fired a shot loud enough to startle the rest of his party. Although he didnt care much for rewards, he understood he was being honored; something doubly important since he was, at the end of the day, a foreigner in France. Basil knew such an award had been a rare urrence even before the apocalypse. Im Basil cleared his throat. I dont know what to say. Then say nothing, General Lenc mused as he offered Basil a military salute. Your acts have spoken more than your tongue ever could. You are a friend of France; and no matter what happens from now on, no matter how far you wander, you can always count on our support. Basil smiled as he returned the salute. The medal glittered on his chest. Thank you for your trust, General, he said, very much moved by the gesture. You can always count on me.
Congrattions, your faith, military expertise, and valor have been honored by a great nation. By earning these honors and reaching level 50, you have gained ess to the prestigious [Warrior Saint] Fighter/Spellcaster hybrid ss.
Warrior Saint: A celebrated champion well-versed in the arts of war,bat tactics, and holy magic. STR (A), AGI (A), VIT (B), SKI (A), MAG (A), INT (C), CHA (A), LCK (A).
Basils eyes widened as he saw the notification. Him, a saint? That was a bit too much, even for him. Still, although it wasnt the Pdin ss Warrior Saint was probably the next best thing. With a final series of handshakes, Basil and his crew climbed into the Steamobile for their journey. The Tamer mounted Rosemarine herself to test out his new abilities. He gave her a light tap on the back and she dragged the vehicle away. Goodbye, sand! Rosemarine said gleefully as she rode into the sunset. You will not be missed! I wont miss Paris either, Basil said as he waved goodbye to General Lenc, Neria, Leroy, Zachariel, and all the soldiers that fought by his side. He had the feeling he would see some again but not all. I might miss this country though. He didnt regret leaving it though. His homnd needed his help. ckcinders, Queen-ranked general of the Unity, admired power. She breathed it, worshiped it. The Dragons of the Unity were the multiverses supreme lifeform. They could adapt to any environment while in the egg, whether in abject cold or extreme heat. ckcinders had been born in the void between stars, with scales of ck steel and sr sail wings. Her crimson eyes could see maism and gravity currents. Her ws could tear through a battleships armor and her breath burned hotter than sma. Hard-won levels had only made her deadlier. ckcinders stood at the apex of her factions hierarchy, second only to the Grandmaster herself asmander of the Unitys armies. Countless millions toiled in her shadow and fulfilled her orders. Many would have grown arrogant in her position, but not ckcinders. A single look through her headquarters windows disabused her. Her moon-throne was a facility of stone and steel vast enough to house thousands, yet it was nothing but an outpost. The true prize stared at her from beyond her window of reinforced nanoss: the blue known as Earth. An insignificant ball of mud popted by an inferior species and infested with lesser breeds of monsters yet a ce that could very well decide the Unitys fate. For somewhere on this insignificant, a Horseman of the Apocalypse Force had fallen. ckcinders feared nothing except the Grandmasters displeasure. Yet even she wouldnt have dueled one of the Apocalypse Forces leaders without extensive preparations, for they rivaled her in power. That was why she had had a primitive space station booby-trapped into a projectile meant to y Apollyon the moment he stepped into this reality. Some battles were simply too important to be left to chance. Apollyon countered her scheme, only to die in battle anyway. The exact circumstances still evaded ckcinders for now, but the result remained the same: underleveled primates had somehow managed to defeat a foe ckcinders would have almost called a peer. Apollyon had had all the power in the world, and yet he fell anyway. ckcinders would not grow socent. She would fight every battle as if it were thest, never lowering her guard. The task ahead of her demanded nothing less thanplete dedication. A great war was being fought, and she intended to win it. General? one of her mechanical minions asked. ckcinders had fired all the humanoids of flesh and blood in rage after the Steamslime debacle. The Grandmaster is calling on the secured holo-channel. Open it. ckcinders respectfully crouched on her back legs as a hologram appeared before her. An illusory representation of Grandmaster Wyrde, supreme master of the Unity, materialized in the form of great silver wings and piercing blue eyes. Grandmaster. Greetings, General. The Grandmasters voice was always soft and soothing, beaming with warmth. My condolences for your loss. I have learned about Steamslimes demise. His death is a loss for all of dragonkind. Pity him not, Grandmaster. ckcinders growled in scorn. She didnt feel sorrow, but shame for her spawns pitiful performance. His ipetence shames me still. She had never thought much of Steamslime. Of all of her brood, he had been the most disappointing. A runt that couldnt even fly. Yet when he petitioned his mother for a chance to prove himself, ckcinders had generously granted him governorship over the Electron Cluster. A minor post, but a chance nheless. For a time, Steamslime surprised his mother. His discovery of Earth granted the Unity ess to a new world teeming with potential minions and natural resources. But then he failed to establish a strong foothold and perished fighting local savages. A failure to hisst breath. But this insult would not go unavenged. Pitiful as he might have been, Steamslime was her son. No ape in the universe could y him and live to tell the tale; his very life was an insult, and only his death could cleanse ckcinders honor. Basil Bohen. The name had been recorded in their Systems Logs and by the Gearsmen that failed to defend her son. I will remember you, human, and you shall learn that there is no me hotter than a dragons breath. You should not speak of your son that way. He died a martyr for our cause. The Grandmaster let out a shrug. But let us discuss more urgent matters. Report, General. Our strategy is working perfectly, Grandmaster, ckcinders replied. The Apocalypse Force is deploying troops on the ground while weplete the Lunar Cannon. We should be able to lure in the Horsemen and blow them all from orbit perhaps even the Maleking. We are taking an awful risk, General. I hope it will pay off. If the Maleking invades this before our weapon is fully operational The Grandmaster marked a short pause. I will have no choice but to take matters into my own hands. I will see to it that you do not have to sully your ws, Grandmaster. ckcinders nodded in submission. I will not fail you as my son did. The primates had no idea of what awaited them. On a beach of sand facing an azure sea, a man-shaped creature enjoyed the fruits of hisbor. Drinking a Martini cocktail in one hand and holding a towel with the other, he watched on as thest of the Incursion rifts closed above him. Millions had perished over thest week; more than in the first Incursion, but far less than he would have wanted. Benjamins betrayal, however predictable, had thrown a wrench in his ns. The creature was unhappy, unsatisfied. But for someone like him, who had lived to watch empires rise and fall, patience had be less than a virtue and more of a part of himself. The second Incursion had been a bust, but it had set the stage for the third; the one where the big yers would enter this and fight for supremacy. He cared not who would live or die, or even who would win. All that mattered to him was that the blood kept flowing. Like a tick, he would grow fat on tormented souls and harvest his reward. He would feed and hoard until the fourth andst Incursion. And then he would leave for a new world, to repeat the process again. As he had done countless times before. Two more to go, Anton Maxwell mused. And then this y wille to an end. The stage was set. All he had to do was to wait for someone to set it on fire. In the void between worlds, a fiend awoke in the deepest darkness. One of the four had fallen. It was not unusual. None of his Horsemen were the originals. Some hadsted a fortnight and others a century, but the eternal cycle of conflict demanded sacrifices. The weak were purged and the strong took their ce. The Maleking cared nothing for those who proimed themselves his servants. A creature like him had no need forckeys or worshipers. He offered them guidance and let them share in his vision, but he granted neither punishment nor protection. In time, they too would be in. It was simply the nature of things. When two people met, they had to fight to determine who among them was the strongest. They might form groups of like-minded individuals to facemon foes, but in time even allies had to fight for supremacy. Power progression was a constant process; there was always a higher level to reach, a new threshold to cross. It was his duty to rise ever higher or be a sacrifice, should he meet his end at the hands of a stronger foe. So far none had proved a true challenge, but he was not arrogant enough to believe himself invincible nor destined for victory. He didnt believe in fate or destiny; only in strength. He knew the spiral of death could only end one way. Four would be two, and then one. Life was a battle where there could only be one winner. Perhaps it would be him or maybe someone else. Whatever the case, the result would be the same. On thest day of the cosmos, only one being would stand atop the throne of countless corpses. They would face an empty, deste universe and bask in the joy of victory. They would have proved themselves the strongest, the apex of the multiverse. They would say two words, two very simple words that would spell the end of thepetition called life. I win, the Maleking whispered. The gate to the throne of Overgod would open soon. He couldnt wait for that day.
End of Arc V.
End of Volume II.
Chapter 83: Man vs Map Chapter 83: Man vs Map In the dark depths of a Hungarian forest, a hundred people waited for death. Ilona was among them. A twelve year old, she had been dragged out of her bed by raven-headed monsters in the night, beaten into submission, and then dragged into the woods. Her daddy and mommy upied an iron cage halfway across a snow-covered clearing alongside a dozen other adults. Ilona shared her own with twice as many children. She recognized most of them from school; back when the world hadnt ended and she still attended sses. Morning hade, but little sunlight pierced through the canopy of trees. Winter snow covered a stone table at the center of the clearing. Traces of dried blood were visible on its surface and a terrible noise emanated from it. Ilona had learned evil ghosts existed since the dungeons appeared, but she prayed to God not to face one. The monsters holding her prisoners were scary enough already. They numbered in the dozens. Most were the same humanoid ravens that captured her in the first ce. One creature, the leader, stood out from the rest; it was an ugly beast with goat legs, ck horns, and a human torso. Its face was a skull with a wicked grin. Satan himself walked the Earth.
rdg
Level 50 [Demon/Beast]
Faction: Apocalypse Force
Nachtkrapp
Level 40 [Fairy/Avian]
Faction: Apocalypse Force
Shush, the demon leader said to the crying children. He polished the top of his fork weapon with blood. Everything will be alright. For us, one of his bird minions said. Yes, for us, the demon leader nodded to himself. Now, you may wonder why we would want to harm you. Our weakest soldier is level 40 and none of your adults reach half that number. We wouldnt gain experience by killing you. Lord, please Lord. Ilona joined her hands in prayer. Jesus Marie Joseph, please, if anyone listens please send someone. But in the Apocalypse Force, we believe that each death has value, the demon said joyfully. We have found a workaround: we are going to force your parents to murder you so they can level up. Then we will force the survivors to kill each other until they be just strong enough that we can harvest experience from them. Oh Lord, if you save us all, Ilona prayed, I swear I will make my bed each morning and I will never steal sweets again! Now, I understand some of your parents may not like our foolproof method to deal with child support, so we will brainwash them with the Charm ailment first. The demon showed a contrite face to his captives. This may sound cruel, but it is strictly necessary. If we could have switched the order of execution and hastened your inheritance, we would have done it. I am truly sorry for the inconvenience. He almost sounded sincere too. As the fiendsughed and the children cried, Ilona held her hands and looked at the canopy. She prayed that the Lord would send down an angel from the heavens to smite the demons. And God listened. The sound of shing steel echoed across the forest alongside a catchy battle song. The demon leader stopped taunting his prisoners and looked up as one of his minions was sent flying above his head. What is this?! the fiend roared in anger and surprise. Some of his servants fled in panic through the forest as the sound of battle came closer. The Bohens! one of the raven-headed beasts said in panic. Its the Bohe A de of sharpened wind hit the bird and beheaded him on the spot. A zing projectile cut through the canopy from above and shattered the sacrificial stone table on impact. The weapon was long as a spear, yet with a tip shaped like a pointed axe. Branches fell and let the pale sunlight into the clearing. Instead of an angel, God had sent Ilona a ming halberd of justice. A knight gracefullynded from the sky right next to the divine weapon. Unlike heroes fromics, he didnt bother introducing himself in the name of righteousness. He simply grabbed his halberd and cut down a dozen raven-headed monsters in a single swing. Ilona and the other children gasped in awe at their heros arrival. His purple armor glittered in the morning sunlight, as did the golden Orthodox cross painted on his chest. The helm showed two blue eyes ring at the demons under a tuft of blond hair. Ilona cheered in joy, swiftly echoed by the other children. The knight noticed their presence and then red at the demon leader in righteous fury. Im going to take that fork and stick it up your ass, he told the fiend. Like a chicken on the grill. You must be Basil Bohen, the demon leader said with a wicked grin. He raised his fork, mes dancing around the pointed ends. The man who smoked Apollyon. Rosemarinended the killing blow, the knight replied absentmindedly. But he didntpletely deny the demons usation. And you are? rdg, thrall of Belphegor, Horseman of Death. The fiend swung his fork, leaving a trail of mes in his wake. A proud warlord of the Apocalypse For Again? The knight let out a contemptuous sigh. A few raven-headed minions brave enough to challenge him surrounded him from all sides, but he didnt seem to care. How many of you cockroaches crossed over with thest Incursion? Our numbers are beyond count, the demon boasted. Your death will be my ascension to the Horse Yes, yes, Ive heard it before. The knight made a rude gesture. Rosemarine, get him. The demon exploded into a shower of blood and gore before Ilona could process the knights words. A piece of the monsters brain bounced on her cheek, and its corpse ttened inside a small crater. It looked as if he had been crushed under an invisible giants foot. Sneaky toe! a female, unseen voice shouted across the clearing. What followed Ilona wouldnt call it a fight. The Knight of Bohen cut down minions left and right; everything in his bodynguage, from his mechanical swings to his empty gaze screamed of boredom. A tiger cub with a shining sword leaped into the fray to help him. Within seconds, the clearing was drenched in demon blood. Ilona would have almost felt sorry for these creatures, if she hadnt hated them. Atst, justice had been done! The viins had been ughtered by the righteous! A drip of saliva falling on her shoulder dashed her hopes. Ilona raised her head and froze in terror. A veil of invisibility had been lifted, revealing the presence of a colossal monster. The beast resembled a cross between a giant lizard and a nt, with a fanged flower for a head and countless eyes. Ah! Ilona screamed alongside all her fellow prisoners. Some cried in fear. Dont eat us! I know Im scary, the nt monster said, saliva dripping from her tongue. Your tears fill me with joy. Rosemarine, stop traumatizing the children, the Knight of Bohen chided her. He knelt before the cage and waved at the children inside reassuringly. Do not worry, Rosemarine is a gentle soul. Are we lying to children now? the tiger cubmented dryly. Perhaps you should remind them that Santa us is real too. Shut up, to. The Knight of Bohen removed his helmet and smiled kindly at the children. Somehow, it helped calm down most of them. The man sounded so trustworthy; his words made the prisoners feel safe. Im sorry that you had to see this. I promise you, we will reunite you with your parents. Our friends and allies are purging the other demon nests as we speak. Youre all safe. When Im old enough, I want to marry you, Ilona replied with tears in her eyes. Oh, uh thank you. Her knight in shining armor seemed a bit embarrassed. But, uh, I already have ady of my own. And he hasnt let me sleep on his bed since, the tiger cubined. Ive been reced. The knight ignored him and removed the cages lock with his bare hands, freeing everyone. Ilona looked fearfully at the nt dragon, but the mighty beast obediently took a step back at her mastersmand. At the risk of looking like a tourist The Knight of Bohen cleared his throat. Are we close to Szeged? This is the park of Kzp-Tiszai, close to Szolnok, one of the kids said. Szeged is over one hundred kilometers to the south. The knight frowned and exchanged a nce with his two pets. He nted his halberd in the ground and magically summoned a map to his hands. Ah, said the Knight of Bohen. He sounded unhappy. Thats unfortunate Are we lost again, Mister? the nt monster asked innocently. We arent lost, said the tiger cub with a wide grin. Were touring the countryside. The knight threw his map at the tigers face and cursed out loud. The Bohens had to wipe out three more demon camps before noon. Kalki and his pets took care of one, while Shellgirl, Bugsy, and Vasi helped a local militia storm thest two. Basil considered the whole venture closer to pest extermination than anything; they came, they saw, they ughtered. The party helped save hundreds of innocent people from a gruesome death, and that made him somewhat happy. That mitigated the fact they had gotten lost on the road to Bulgaria once again.
Your party earned 2,790,000 (289000 for you). You earned 2 levels (54 total).
Bugsy Alphonse Venture can now undergo a metamorphosis into a [Volcanipede] (Elemental/Bug) or [Archeopede] (Bug/Elemental).
At least this detour had a silver lining. It felt like a lifetime since Basil hadst earned a level. Being overpowered spared the team many troubles, but also prevented them from earning much experience from anything. These skirmishes had been asions for Basil to test his new Dragoon Armor. Crafted from Apollyons remains, it offered excellent protection against ailments, damage protection, and allowed Basil to benefit from beneficial effects as if he were a Bug Type; he hadnt yet found a use for thest part, but he would figure it out in time. Once the job wasplete, Basil and his crew gathered back to the Steamobile to continue on with their journey. The vehicle had gone through a few changes thanks to the help of German crafters in Berlin. Once a mismatched tangled shell of pipes and wheels, the Steamobile had been optimized into an armored, two-floor train stuffed to the brim with artillery pieces; including one of thete Apollyons personal cannons. The vehicle wasrge enough to house dozens of soldiers, yet light enough that Rosemarine could still pull it across Europe easily enough. And pull it she did. The Bohens had spent most of December traveling from one country to the next on the way to Bulgaria. Germany, Austria, then Slovakiaafter they took the wrong turn on the way to Budapestand finally, Hungary. So many adventures. So many dys! Basils homnd of Bulgaria was under siege and they were only halfway there! Not to mention Kalkis girlfriend, whonguished in captivity in Greece. At this rate, they wouldnt save the world before 2023! Boss, they gave us beer! Bugsy cheerfully pushed a crate full of Arany Aszok bottles to the Steamobile. To thank us! Ugh, Basil grunted. He refused to touch alcohol since he had watched his father fall into drunkenness, but he couldnt refuse a gift from vigers he had just saved from death. Put them in the alchemyb, Ill find a crafting use for them. They gave me porcin too! Shellgirl said, carrying a full tea set in her hands. I cant wait to drink with them! The locals offered to host us for the night, Vasi told her boyfriend. The witch had used a mor spell to disguise herself as a human, to avoid unfortunate incidents on the road. Too many demons had given horned people a bad name in the region. I politely told them we were in a hurry. Good call, Basil said. The people of Hungary were rather friendly and hospitableexcept for the asional bands of bloodthirsty cultistsbut the team was on a tight schedule. Christmas Eve is tomorrow night, so we better cover the most ground possible while we can. I am unfamiliar with such celebrations, Kalki admitted. His serpentine familiar, Ananta, hissed in confusion as well. Does this Christmas have special significance? Its this worlds version of Yule, Vasi exined. If its anything like Samhain, then it will turn into a System event and we can expect to fight more monsters. And get a big fat reward! Shellgirl rejoiced. Were still using those we got from Halloween, so the Christmas ones must be good! Basil just hoped the Systems event wouldnt involve shuttles falling from the sky and zombie armies like thest one. Europe could only take so much of a beating. Everywhere they went, the team saw the consequences of the most recent Incursion. Although Apollyons defeat and the dungeonworks sabotage had minimized damage, thousands of powerful invaders crossed the portals into Earth. The Apocalypse Force and the Unity had deployed forces all across Europe. Dungeons had grown in strength and danger and level forty monsters were now the norm. Worse, word that Basils crew had in Apollyon spread to the rest of the Apocalypse Force. Many times they had been ambushed on the road by ambitious upstarts eager to im thete Horseman of Famines throne by ying his killers. All of the attacks failed of course, but they kept dying the group. The result of all these changes? Only one road out of ten was still usable and half of central Europes settlements were ghost towns. Basils maps had proved all but useless halfway through Austria, forcing the team into constant detours. Considering everything that happened on the way, Ill rate Hungary six out of ten as far as adventuring destinations go, ahead of Germany and Slovakia but behind Austria, tomented as they finished stuffing the Steamobile with gifts and provisions. Budapest was amazing from start to finish, but that cultist vige near the river was our worst side quest yet. That one is on you, oh dear king of cats, Vasi mused. You just had to kill the Turul, Basil red at to. Of all the things you could have done, you just had to kill the Turul. The cultists had a statue of the bird in their central square, and his former cat still couldnt help himself. How could I have known that they worshiped the damn thing? to protested. Honestly, who would pray to a giant bird for protection? Couldnt they pick a leopard? The only leopards in Hungary are German tanks, to, Basil replied while rolling his eyes. Anyway, lets go. With luck, well cross the border to Romania tomorrow morning and travel halfway to Bucharest. Shellgirls head perked up with interest. Were going back to Budapest already? Were going to Bucharest, in Romania, Basil said with a sigh. Not Budapest. I will never understand human naming conventions, Bugsy said. Are you so eager to meet your ex already, Shellgirl? to mused. Sorry, should I say Miss Varga? Im still not used to it, Shellgirl said as she nced at the wedding ring on her finger. The marriage hadsted six hours, but that had been six too many. Thankfully, I asked for separate marital property. Many esteemed minds had tortured themselves over a simple question: what would happen if you were to get a slime monster drunk? Basil Bohen had learned the answer in Budapest against his will, and did his best to suppress the memory ever since. Rosemarine, can you remind them of the ? Basil asked his dearest dragon. What happens in Budapest stays in Budapest! Rosemarine repeated these wise words written in blood and tears. Especially the dead! Thats my girl. Basil petted Rosemarine and then leaped on her back. His Dragon Rider Perk gave him supernatural bnce when he mounted the muchrger tropidrake; the experience felt as smooth as riding a motorcycle. Everybody, time to go. The Unity wont wait for us. Garud and I will scout the terrain from above, Kalki proposed kindly. Hopefully we will find a clear path. I will join, Vasi said with a mysterious smile, before jumping on her broomstick. It was a good call. The skies were infested with various monsters, making reconnaissance difficult. Bugsy was thest to hop back onto the Steamobile. Boss, I have unlocked a new metamorphosis. Ive seen, Basil said with a frown. But correct me if Im wrong, the Essence of Apollo unlocked a metamorphosis at level seventy-three or so? This one is two dozen levels too early. Or was it like Pokemon, where Bug-types went through intermediary phases? Thats right, Boss, Bugsy confirmed with a nod. Maybe Ive reached my cocoon metamorphosis? Ive heard some bugs go through that stage. Basil had yet to hear of cocooned centipedes, and the names of Bugsys potential metamorphosis didnt lean into that hypothesis. Pokemon logic then. Well, Bugsy, you can meditate on which choice you want to take during the day, Basil dered. Ill assign my levels on our next stop, after Ive considered which ss to invest in further. At this point, Basil was dedicated to filling out the warrior-oriented Dragonknight ss and utility ones like Technomancer and Runesmith. However, the Warrior Saint ss he had unlocked in Paris appealed to him as well. He needed a bit longer to reach a decision. And then of course, there was the question of Christmas to consider. Please tell me we wont have to fight Santa us, Basil begged the System. That would be truly bothersome.
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Basil groaned and prayed for a Merry Christmas. Chapter 84: Man vs BFG Chapter 84: Man vs BFG They reached the Romanian frontier by nightfall. The trip had been rtively calm: they tried to stop at an inn that turned out to be a giant mimic, engaged in a gunfight with a group of Mad Max punk raiders, and briefly crossed paths with a friendly undead gunslinger. By post-apocalyptic standards, it was a day like any other. My standards for normalcy have truly lowered, Basil mused as he examined bullets near the campfire. The group had stopped near a broken road in the shadow of a valley. Ayer of snow covered the Hungarian countryside as far as the eye could see. The wind was frosty as hell, but Basil had found an interesting way to protect his team from the cold: fans empowered with Fire Runes. The devices produced heat on their own, blowing a warm breeze over the camp and gently melting snow. Rosemarine rested near the Steamobile while Bugsy and to surveyed the demon gosh stew. Vasi and Kalki hadnt returned from their recon yet, so Basil entertained himself with crafting sessions. His Runecraft Perk allowed him to infuse runes at nearly any stage of the process, and his current project involved empowering every bullet, arrow, and projectile in their reserve. Exploiting enemies elemental weaknesses was bing a matter of life and death for the team. So, Ive finished the inventory of all the gifts we umted, Shellgirl said as Basil infused a bullet with his Corrosive Rune. They include four crates of various alcoholic beverages, porcin tea sets, two tons of food, crystal tableware, twenty colored easter eggsI ate two, they were deliciouseight handmade shoes, eighty-four Monster Poker cards, and a washing machine. Basil frowned at Shellgirl. Monster Poker? Whats that? I knew you wouldnt ask about the washing machine, Shellgirl replied with a grin. Its a game the orcs in Budapest yed, remember? We could organize a duel. Bored of winning at Board & Conquest? to mused. I wouldnt mind ying another game. You only say that because Shellgirl keeps beating you, Basil said with a chuckle. He had managed to get his entire group to y B&C during the tripeven Rosemarine. Kalki and Shellgirl had turned out to be excellent yers with innovative, defensive fighting styles. to not so much. He insisted on ying Vanir-exclusive armies because they were the only faction with cats, but they were bottom-tier without support. The fact that Garud, Kalkis avian familiar, defeated him with Aesir troops once didnt improve his mood either. Shes winning because Im not putting any effort into it, to lied through his teeth. I can try for real any time now. And he was in denial about his shorings too, which didnt help him progress as a yer. Keep telling yourself that kitty cat, you still owe me money, Shellgirl replied with a grin. to hissed back at her in defiance. Basil heard a sound at the periphery of his vision and tensed up in rm. He suddenly rxed upon seeing the source of the noise: a golden cobra dragging a white deer with fangs across the snow and toward the camp. Out of Kalkis two familiars, his serpent Ananta-Shesha was the most mysterious; in fact, Basil wasnt certain if the serpent could speak theirnguage at all. She understood words clearly but usually hissed in response to them, and always went off into the night beforeing back with a dead monster in her jaw. Considering Kalkis peaceful disposition, Basil often wondered if his familiar grinded experience for him. The Bardgged behind the Bohens by ten levels, but that was still surprisingly high for a pacifist. Come to think of it, isnt the mythological Ananta-Shesha supposed to be male? Basil asked the snake. But youre a girl, right? Basil didnt know a cobra could roll its eyes, but Shesha managed the feat. Sss, she hissed after dumping her catch near the campfire. Sss! Im sorry, Basil apologized. He didnt quite understand what the snake meant, but she sounded offended. I was just curious. Sss, the cobra replied before nesting near the campfire. The fact that the System tranted every other monsternguage into understandable words, but not snake hisses, greatly confused Basil. He had tried to question Kalki and Garud about it, only to be met with smiles. You do not need words to understand someone, only to listen, the Bard had replied enigmatically. Thank you Lao Tseu," Basil had deadpanned in response. Basil guessed he could just craft a parseltongue trantor someday. Boss, the stew is ready! Bugsy dered with happiness. Were ready to serve when our friendse back. Partner, can you check the washing machine before dinner? Shellgirl asked. It demands a lot of water and we dont have all that much in reserve. Maybe you can optimize it? Ill infuse it with a Water Rer, Basil promised. Refining an item with a Rune meant casting the associated spell. Although they only cost ten to twenty SP, it was still an energy-intensive process. Basil only practiced it in the evening before sleep, since he would regain his lost power after a good rest. Bugsy, have you chosen your new Metamorphosis? The centimagma nodded. I will go with Volcanipede, Boss. It sounds more natural to me than Archeopede. Archeopede sounds old, Shellgirl added. Maybe youll grow assets as a Volcanipede? Like me! I hope not, but well check now, Basil decided as he assigned his new levels. After some consideration, Warrior Saint levels would have to wait until after he filled out Dragonknight. With the Unity and deadly wyrms around the corner, he needed to make Saint George proud.
Dragonknight Level 10 & 11 Stat Gains: +2 STR, +2 AGI, +2 SKI, +1 MAG, +1 INT, +2 CHA, +2 LCK. You earned 60 HP and 30 SP.
Dragonbane II (Passive): Not only will all your attacks made with weapons in which you have a proficiency inflict Dragonyer damage supereffective against [Dragon] types (x3 damage), but they will also ignore all of their natural forms of damage reductions (Equipments or Spells-rted reductions are unaffected) and Resistances (but not Immunities).
Dragons, beware the wrath of Basil Bohen! Bugsy, were ready for Basil stopped halfway through his sentence as he detected two shadows flying under the moon. Vasi and Kalki returned from their scouting bynding in the middle of the camp. So, Handsome? Vasi kissed her boyfriend on the cheek after climbing down from her broom. How did your crafting session go? I have confirmed that Hungarian beer and Austrian cbine into a Holy Bomb, Basil exined with a smile. Dont ask me why. When youre an Alchemist, everything starts to look like a bomb, Vasi joked. Or so they say in my homnd. I do find your obsession with weapons somewhat worrying, Basil, Kalki said as he climbed down from his bird mount. Shesha weed her Tamer back with a gentle hiss. Kalki returned the gesture by petting her on the head. You have amassed enough of them to destroy an army. Considering Apollyon showed up with one in Paris, I would say were underequipped, Basil replied. How did the scouting go? Very well, Vasi said. Weve located a dungeon a few kilometers beyond the border. It would make for a good shelter for the Christmas event. Which faction is in control of it? Shellgirl asked. The Apocalypse Force? Metal Olympus? The Unity? None, Vasi answered. Its an independent holdout. That surprised Basil very much. Benjamin Leroy had destroyed arge chunk of the world''s dungeons prior to the Battle of Paris. All those that the Bohens had encountered during their journey across Central Europe had either been seized by human Guilds or the three Factions Shellgirl mentioned. In the savage world shaped by the Trimurti System, istion meant death and conquest. We tried to pay with the locals, Kalki said with a sigh. I offered to share our supplies and assist them to survive the iing event in exchange for shelter. I hoped they would be open to joining your Guild too, my friend. From your tone, I assume it didnt go well, Basil guessed. It did not, Vasi confirmed with a shrug. She sat next to Basil and leaned against his shoulder. The Boss looked charming at first. A noble count with his pale brides, very eager to trade magical secrets. Count? Brides? Basil knew where this was going. Did he try to drink your blood too? he asked his girlfriend. Or offer you a ss of chianti? No, but he tried to feed us to his zombies when I refused to share my spellbook, Vasi replied with an amused tone. Then he sent giant bats after us. We killed them all, of course. It was still a pain to fight our way out, Garud said. The giant bird nced at the white deer hisrade had brought to the camp. Mmm. Dessert? Sss, Shesha replied. Arent you a glutton? the bird asked with amusement. My poor Vasi. Shellgirl took the witchs hands into her own. How rude of these strangers to mistreat you! Yes, indeed Vasi nced at her boyfriend. Will my knight avenge my honor? dly, Basil replied. Youre okay with retaliating, Kalki? I will always fight with words first, Kalki replied with firm determination. But if our foes are deaf to them, steel will do. Besides, the dungeon is surrounded by ghost towns, Garud pointed out. Im pretty sure the undead inside killed everyone nearby. We should wipe out their nest for the good of everyone else. Then well seize their dungeon for the Homeowner Revenge Association. Basil smirked at Bugsy. Want to lead the charge? Oh yes, Boss! The centimagma straightened up. Im ready to transform. Thats my boy. Basil opened his status screen and confirmed Bugsys new metamorphosis into a Volcanipede. Let the world fear your might! Bugsy started to glow brighter than fire. Itsing! he shouted with delight. Even Rosemarine woke up and looked at the transforming bug. I feel the power! The temperature immediately increased around the camp. Bugsys body lengthened and grew in strength. The scene reminded Basil of a snake shedding his old skin for a longer one. He briefly worried that his insectoid friend would grow toorge to manage, but fortunately, the light of metamorphosis died out before they reached that stage. Bugsys new form reached ten meters in length, making him the secondrgest member of the team behind Rosemarine. Two scorpion-like pincers had grown at the forefront of his body. His exoskeleton had turned from chitinous flesh to volcanic stone. Lava flowed through Bugsys body like blood and exuded steam instead of sweat. Eight eyes of light blinked atop a dragon-like mouth and a pair of sharp mandibles. Fires burned along Bugsys spine, and small volcanic craters breathed smoke on his back. The very air simmered around him due to his intense heat. The change wasnt as spectacr as Rosemarines previous change from a small flower to a colossal tropidrake, but Bugsy did look a lot more intimidating now.
Congrattions, [Centimagma] Bugsy Alphonse Venture metamorphosed into a [Volcanipede]! Bugsy Alphonse Venture learned the [Turbo: Fire] and [Red Volcano] Passive Perks, and the [Earthquake], [Heatriser], and [Magma Bomb] Active Perks! All existing Perks have been strengthened.
Everyone pped at Bugsys transformation. Shellgirl even whistled at him. Eruption! she teased him. Show us an eruption! Bugsy inhaled sharply and then released a geyser of steam from his volcanic craters. He was met with coughs and thunderous apuse. Congrattions, Bugsy, Vasimented more modestly. You look great. Thank you, thank you, Bugsy replied with embarrassment. Even his voice had deepened like a thrumming volcano, or a teenager who had finally survived the hell of puberty. You are too kind. You have eight eyes now? to wagged his tail. How does it feel? It feels good, Rosemarinemented, having gained many eyes herself during her own transformation. You see all the bloody details! Its so weird, Bugsy replied. I can sense subtle vibrations everywhere too. Even in the air. Must be your new Perks, Basil said with a smile as he opened his friends status screen. Name Bugsy Alphonse Venture (Volcanipede) Type Elemental/Bug Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 1,827,600/2,000,000 Immune Resist Weak Fire, Earth, Critical Hits. Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Mythic, Ailments. Bugyer, Elementyer, Frost, Water, Wood. Level Health Points Special Points 54 2510 1160 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 76 (A+20%) 53 (C+20%) 76 (A+20%) 46 (C+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 21 (D+20%) 27 (D+20%) 32 (C+20%) 36 (C+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - - Strong Strong Weak Strong Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Weak Strong - Weak - - - Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Raging Inferno Fire Up Carapace+ Volcanic Breath Burrower Earthquake Turbo: Fire Heatriser Red Volcano Magma Bomb
Personal Perks:
  • Raging Inferno: Bugsy treats his natural weapons, like fangs and ws, as if he had advanced proficiency with them (x2 damage, +10 Crit). Additionally, these weapons will inflict an additional 20% [Fire] damage.
  • Carapace+: Bugsy is immune to critical hits.
  • Burrower: Bugsy can sense vibrations in the air and the ground over arge area. This ignores the downsides of the [Blind] ailment even if he is targeted by it, and his normal uracy is doubled. Additionally, he can dig through the ground at an elerated speed.
  • Turbo: Fire: All of Bugsys [Fire] elemental attacks inflict 30% more damage and pierce through Resistance.
  • Red Volcano: If Bugsy is targeted by Fire attacks, including his own, he regains HP instead of losing them. Additionally, he benefits from a HP/SP Regen effect (recover 1/16th of max HP/SP per minute) in Fire-aligned Fields. Finally, Bugsy can sculpt moltenva as if it were y.
Active Perks:
  • Fire Up: 50 SP, [Support]. Bugsy gathers power to buff all of his physical stats for five minutes; additionally, his [Fire] attacks are boosted by 50% during that period. This stacks with Turbo: Fire.
  • Volcanic Breath: 90 SP, [Fire]. Bugsy unleashes a powerful fiery breath of fire and ashes (base power 150 [Fire]). Those damaged by it have 30% percent chances of suffering from the [Blind] ailment due to the ashes.
  • Earthquake: 80 SP, [Earth]/[Physical]. Bugsy stomps the ground to cause a small earthquake, which will damage all creatures and structures within arge radius (100 base power, [Earth]/[Physical] damage). Buildings are especially vulnerable and likely to copse.
  • Heatriser: 10 SP per minute, [Fire]. While normally somewhat safe to touch, Bugsy can turn up the heat of his body. Everything within a short radius around him will periodically suffer from low [Fire] damage (base power 30) and all [Frost]/[Water] damage he receives is halved, though he will take supereffective damage from them.
  • Magma Bomb: 120 SP, [Fire]/[Earth]. Bugsy fires a powerful bomb of magma capable of great destruction (200 base power, [Fire]/[Earth]). Additionally, any area marked by the magma bomb is treated as a [Volcanic] Field until theva cools off; this triggers [Red Volcano].
Bugsys new build could be summed up in one word: firepower. It was as simple as it was deadly. The Burrower and Red Volcano Perks would also prove useful for his architectural pursuits. Bugsy, Basil said after finishing reading. Yes, Boss? Ive got the feeling youre going to burn a lot of things. The party reached the dungeons outskirts on the morning of December 24th. They crossed the Romanian frontier and drove through the snowy countryside. Due to his bodys temperature, Bugsy had spent most of the trip inside the engine room. His Heatriser Perk made him an excellent alternative to coal to fuel the Steamobile, and he delighted in shaping small dolls out of his own magma. At longst, the Bohens arrived at their destination: a gothic ck castle of majestic proportions sitting atop a mound of earth. Its pointed towers cast a dark shadow on a frozen moat. Arge bridge of stone was the only way inside. The ces bloody stained ss windows radiated a dark red light, and a crimson aurora shone atop the structure. Basil couldnt help but think back to Chteau Muloup when he observed it from a respectable distance. And of course, the inhabitants had impaled skulls on wooden stakes around the moat. What a friendly neighborhood.
Dungeon: Vampire Castle
Level: 50.
Faction: None.
Field Type: Castle/Graveyard.
  • [Metal], [Soul], [Corrosion], [Earth], [Darkness], and [Mythic] elements are strengthened.
  • [Wood], [Water], and [Light] elements are weakened.
  • When a [Undead] Type inflicts damage in the Field, they regain half the amount in HP.
  • Knight sses and Monsters receive a Strength, Vitality, and Charisma buff while in the Field.
Ah, Romania, Romania! And with a thousand-years long history, which Bram Stoker had single-handedly obscured with a single book. Vampires, of course, Basil grumbled. How could the Trimurti Systems devs show so little imagination? At least the dungeons beneficial properties should help the party survive the Christmas event. Mister, dont vampires burn out in the sunlight? Rosemarine asked innocently. Like candles? ording to movies, they should, Basil replied. Hollywood wouldnt lie to me. Rosemarine stared at the vampire castle for a few seconds, giggled to herself, and then startedughing. It was a dreadfulugh of cruel joy that inspired dread in almost all of her teammates. Im sorry, Mister, Rosemarine said upon calming herself. I am trembling with anticipation. Aww, she was happy to work! How could Basil be mad at such a delightful creature? Wheres the weingmittee? to wondered. I expected an ambush or two. Im disappointed. They must be expecting a siege, Basil said, crossing his arms. The dungeon was quiterge and he suspected the presence of crypts under the mound holding it. Fighting room by room might prove difficult. Oh, I have an idea! Shellgirl raised her hand. Can I suggest an alternative solution? Go ahead, Basil replied. A dungeon heals itself so long as the core Neurotower remains intact, Shellgirl said with a grin. And it is protected by an imprable barrier so long as the Boss remains alive inside. Basil raised an eyebrow. What are you hinting at? Heres my suggestion. Shellgirl joined her fingers together into a gun shape and pointed them at the castle. We blow it all up from afar with artillery, scour the debris to find the Boss, im the core, and wait for it to rebuild the castle. The idea sounded good on paper, and very difficult in practice. Castle walls are designed to withstand a lot of punishment, Bugsy pointed out, once again showcasing his in-depth knowledge of architecture. Even if we focus all firepower in one space, it wont be enough to make a way to the Neurotower. Especially if its underground. Besides, we already tried a simr strategy in France with Chteau Muloup, Basil said. Not even Rosemarine could breach it for long and the dungeon healed quicker than we could damage it. But we didnt have Shellgirl let her words hang on for dramatic effect, before pointing a thumb at the Steamobiles roof. This beauty! The Gehenna Cannon stood atop the Steamobile, begging to be used. The realization gave the group food for thought, Basil included. Apollyon had used two of these devices to blow up the ISS from the sky; after it had been transformed into a deadly dungeon. You know, I agree with the start-upper, to voiced his support for the proposal. We never got to test this gizmo. Im tempted, Basil admitted. Im tempted. Wouldnt that destroy all the treasures inside? Vasi asked Shellgirl. Dont get me wrong, I wouldnt mind taking a shortcut. Im just surprised you would write off the loot in the process. Thats the genius part! Shellgirl grinned. All the dead monsters will drop loot once the castle copses on their heads! Well just have to pick it up! The longer she pitched the idea, the more Basil found it fabulously inventive. The terrible dive into the Louvre Pyramid in Paris had been enough dungeon crawling already. Bugsy, do you sense any movement below the castle? Basil asked the volcanipede. Do they have a creepy vampire crypt buried underneath? I think so, Boss, Bugsy confirmed with a nod. But its okay. I can dig a path through even if we blow up the dungeons top. Even if we dont uncover the core, destroying the upper part of the castle means we wont have to fight the troops upying it, Shellgirl pointed out. Instead of having to fight our way through ten floors, well just have to get past the basement. We will drag them from their coffins, Rosemarine said with enthusiasm. They will sparkle and glitter in the sunlight! Fine Shellgirl, youve sold me, Basil replied happily. You are the Steve Jobs of the adventurer economy. Thats right, Im a disruptive innovator, Shellgirl boasted. Ive rubbed the big fat cannon long enough! Now is the time to fire! And so, Basilfortably watched the following firework from a distance. to fetched him sunsses as Shellgirl went on to pilot the Gehenna Cannon atop the Steamobile. The device gathered power for a few seconds, fueled by Apollyons leftover magic, before roaring into action. The first shot blew up two towers. The cannon unleashed a mighty ray of crimson light straight at the dungeon, vaporizing all in its path. Stone, ss, and earth melted away into nothingness. The beam dug a scorched tunnel across the mound and continued its course on the other side. Zombies stormed out of the dungeons gates and monstrous chiropterans took to the sky in response. To Basils surprise, thetter didnt burst out in the sunlight like in vampire movies. Pop culture had betrayed him once again. Unfortunately for them, the dungeons monsters were no more of a threat than the countless mobs the Bohens defeated in Hungary. Rosemarine and Bugsy happily incinerated them before they could get anywhere close to the Steamobile; the former with her sunbeam, thetter with a breath of searing mes and pyrostic smoke. Dozens of vampires alike burned at the stake and the rest wisely fled in the other direction, far away from the castle. Even Vasi, who had been on the lookout to support her friends in case the battle turned ugly, eventually rejoined Basil in watching the ughter. Youve got a damn long range, Bugsy, tomented before pointing a w at the castles left side. Shellgirl, you can score a full strike with this tower! Oh, thanks for the pointer! Shellgirl replied from atop the Gehenna Cannon. Her next st hit the foundation of a tower and caused it to copse onto others like a fall of domino. Im Kalki cleared his throat. I understand they cast the first stone, but this is overkill. They have a forest of stakes around their house, Basil replied grimly. They deserve it. Do we continue, Boss? Bugsy asked in between volcanic breaths. I think we soundly routed them. Last time we let mobs go, they returned with reinforcements to burn our house. Basil had learned his lesson. Keep firing. Well have enough trouble clearing the basement without having stragglers returning for a second round. The vampire castles walls swiftly melted under the heat of the bombardment. Columns of smoke rose as high as the clouds and the ashes of the in fell across the windsweptnd of Romania. The dungeon crumbled into debris, leaving the path to the crypt below clear. Basil, Vasi whispered into her boyfriends ear. Did you keep some of the garlic I brought in Budapest? Yes, of course. What would happen, hypothetically Vasi nced at the impaled victims surrounding the castle. If we used crafting tobine these stakes with garlic? Basil turned to look at his girlfriend, beaming at her beauty and marveling at the depth of her genius. If I were a vampire, he said with a grin. I would be kissing you on the neck right now. I know, she replied with a smile. You can do thatter. Chapter 85: Man vs Vampire Chapter 85: Man vs Vampire After reducing the upper part of the castle to rubble, Bugsy used his new burrowing ability to dig a path into the crypts below. As expected, the Neurotower was probably located at the dungeons bottom; the party couldnt find the server anywhere above ground. Leaving a third of his team above ground to chase off stragglers, Basil ventured into the crypts with Shellgirl, Bugsy, Vasi, Kalki, and to. He distributed his newest crafting invention to them: stakes of sharpened garlic. Alright boys, these Impalers will always inflict a critical hit if they hit an Undead type, Basil exined. And with my Deaths Banner buff on, you should inflict supereffective damage at the same time. From my calction, thats a factor nine damage multiplier. In short, to summed it up. If its dead, we can kill it? Exactly smartass. At this point, Basils entire build was as lethal to Undead monsters as it was to Dragons. Weve got dozens of them, so use them at will. Ohoho, look at this! Shellgirl put the stakes into her tentacle-cannons as if they were bullets. My dear Vasi, how about a wager? The one who nails the most vamps has the loser wash the winners hair! I would have done it for free, but I ept the challenge, the witch replied before casting buffs on Basil. Hasten. Time slowed down to a crawl as her spell took effect. The magic spread to the entire team through Basils All for One Perk, empowering them. Shellgirl strengthened him further with her Motivate buff and Kalki began to y a song.
Kalkis [Bardic Performance III] buffed all your stats.
Already empowered by the castles Field effect, Basil felt his muscles surged under his armor. He summoned his burning halberd to his hand and rushed through Bugsys tunnel. The volcanipede dug a path into a gray maze of old bricks, kept alight by oilmps and fleeting candles. Wooden coffins and stone sarcophagiy open in the darkness, their inhabitants rushing at the iing Bohens with desperate ferocity. Most were shambling zombie corpses surrounded by swarms of green ghostly flies and skeletons with bloody-red bones, but Basil noticed a few pale warriors in ck armor among them. These knights red eyes glittered in the dark, and their swords swirled with dark energy. Vampires.
Pesti-Ghoul
Level 40 [Undead/Bug]
Faction: None.
Redbone
Level 36 [Undead/Demon]
Faction: None.
Vampire Knight
Level 44 [Undead]
Faction: None.
How cute, to said as he unsheathed his sword. The de Joyeuse radiated light that caused the vampires to recoil. They think they have a chance. Lets teach them the pecking order, shall we? Basil replied with a smirk. The Bohens charged into the fray at lightning speed. Fire Up! Bugsy, who led the vanguard, immediately engaged hostilities by breathing a pyrostic cloud. His mes burned as bright as the sun, illuminating the crypts and turning ghouls into candles. His power was simply so great that anything vulnerable to the Fire element died on the spot. Shellgirl covered him with volleys of projectiles and achieved headshot after headshot. Vasi kept the garlic stakes in a pouch around her waist, alternating between casting a fireball and throwing one at the nearest undead. to covered Kalki to keep him singing. The feline leaped from wall to wall in a blink, Joyeuses light incinerating any vampire that it touched. Basil didnt bother with stakes. He leaped forward with his halberd, then again while still airborne. His Double Jump Perk propelled him forward like a living missile and doubled his weapons power. He cut through any undead unfortunate enough to stand in his way. His halberd sliced through the vampires'' armor like paper, shattered bones with a swing, and burned ghouls to ash in seconds. His world could be described in two words.
Supereffective hit!
Supereffective hit!
Supereffective hit!
The ughter reminded Basil of their adventures in Paris catbs but this time, his party hade fully prepared, high-leveled, and well-equipped to handle undead monsters. Massacre didnt even begin to describe it. Twenty-three, twenty-four Shellgirl counted before managing to nail two ghouls at once. Double hit! Twenty-six! Imgging behind by eight, Vasi admitted. I think youve got this one, Shellgirl! Im jealous, Kalki, Basil admitted as he broke down a door into the next room. The blow blew a cloud of dust into an underground banquet hall full of rotten tables and old tapestries. Another group of undead monsters formed a shield wall inside; Basil could hear their shaking knees from here. Youre the only one who will get experience out of this. I would share if I could, the bard replied in between songs. Boss, I sense the Neurotower nearby, Bugsy said, pointing at the stone door behind the shieldwall with his pincers and nearly lost bnce under the weight of them. The volcanipede wasnt yet used to his new appendages. This way! Basil threw his halberd at the shieldwall like a javelin. His weapon went through steel and flesh alike before crashing through the door on the other side. He stomped on a vampire knight in a burst of speed and entered the Neurotower room, leaving his allies to clean up behind him.
Supereffective hit!
Heeeeeere''s Johnny! Basil giggled as he entered the Neurotowers room. The server stood strong in the middle of an underground chamber, shielded by a crimson forcefield. Paintings of battles adorned the walls under the light of a colossal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The Boss of the dungeon upied a throne of ck wood with his family surrounding him. As befitting of the castle above, the master below was yet another vampire; a dark-haired nobleman in fine red velvet clothes, with glittering skin and pale red eyes. He looked fabulously handsome, with an aquiline nose, a short goatee, and elegant features. He was neither old nor young, embodying the very picture of the ageless noble parasite.
Count Edward Eddie Varney, Boss of Vampire Castle
Level 50 [Undead]
Faction: None.
Edward Varney? He wasnt even Romanian! Three pale vampire brides stood at their masters side, each of them triplets with hair of a different color; red, blond, and dark. They were somewhat beautiful in fine white gowns, but were clearly frightened by Basil. And then Then there was the child in the room. Daddy! A small girl cried against the counts chest. Dressed like a gothic lolita, she looked no older than five, with the same hair and eyes as the count. I dont want to die! Its alright, Darling, the count whispered in the childs ear. For some reason, his ent sounded British. Everything will be alright, I swear this to you. What the Basil found himself at a loss of words. He summoned his halberd to his hand, but didnt find the courage to throw it straight at the Boss heart. Whats the meaning of this? So you have made it this far. The count smiled sadly at Basil, showing pointed teeth. A noble knows when he is beaten. I ept defeat. Basil squinted in skepticism and nced around the room in search of traps. Could the chandelier above copse on his head? Would the paintings open paths to alternate dimensions as in the Louvre Pyramid? By the time he scanned the room and found nothing, his allies had finished massacring the counts soldiers. They walked into the Boss den and reacted with surprise at what they saw. What is a child doing here? Vasi asked with a skeptical frown. Is she a monster? Shes so cute Bugsy whispered, before clearing his throat. I mean, beware your doom fiends! Justice hase! I understand, the count said with a noble, resigned expression. I knew this day woulde. I surrender. After all your crimes, you think that will buy you anything? Basil asked, halberd raised. All I did, I did to feed my family. The count slowly rose from his throne with dignity, before gently forcing the child on hisp to the floor. Please I hope you will find the resolve to spare them. To spare my wives and child. Ugh Basil struggled to find his words. He nced at his teammates for support, and found them just as confused as he was. Of all the things they had expected to find in the Boss room, a tearful family separation wasnt one of them. Can monsters reproduce? Can vampires reproduce? Vasi asked with a frown. Were were my romance novels onto something? Daddy, no! The little girl desperately hung on to her fathers ankle. The three brides began to cry all at once behind the throne. Dont go! I must, Darling, the vampire count said while petting her on the head. Im sorry. I will not be able to attend your birthday. The whole scene felt like a badedy, but it was strange enough to stay Basils hand. He was simply too befuddled to attack. Shellgirl, however, shrugged in annoyance. So, are we shooting or not? This Vasi raised a hand to attack and then lowered it. This feels wrong somehow. Its a scam, Vasi! Shellgirl waved a tentacle at the father and daughter duo. Its a family scam! Theyre trying to make us feel sorry for them and lower our guards! Its working for me Bugsy said, tears ofva raining down his face and burning holes in the floor. Boss, do we do we truly have to kill them? To orphan this sweet little girl? Having grown up without a father, I can sympathize, Vasi admitted. But something feels off I cant put my finger on why, Kalki said with a frown. But this scene doesnt add up. Look at her! Shellgirl pointed an using finger at the child. Shes way too old to be his daughter! Even I know enough about humanoid biology to tell it! She had a point, though the child could have been created by the dungeon which would make her a monster too. Yes, something didnt add up in this scenario. to nced at the child on the countsp, then at Basil, and back at the little girl. He sighed in annoyance and raised his sword. Seriously? he asked. Am I the only member of this team immune to Illusion effects? to swung Joyeuse and unleashed a de of wind at the girl. His action caused Bugsy to scream in horror and startled Basil until the attack hit its mark and lifted the veil of illusions. The little girl exploded into a cloud of smoke and changed forms before the group. One second she was a human, and the next she had be a small tiger cub eerily simr to to himself.
Renfield, Rakshasa Kitten
Level 45 [Beast/Demon]
Faction: None.
A short, awkward silence followed. Basils eyes widened as his brain processed the scene before him, while Bugsys gaze hardened into outrage. You the volcanipede snapped his mandibles. You liar Oops, the enemy Rakshasa said, before bravely running behind the vampires throne. Jigs up, Eddie! Youre on your own! The vampire count forced himself to smile, but didnt quite manage to make it look genuine. I can exin. Thats just pathetic, Vasi said with a cold, contemptuous tone. Treachery! Bugsy shouted in anger. The volcanic craters on his back release a cloud of ash in the room, causing the team to cough. Treachery! Betrayal! Betrayal! I should have known we couldnt trust a harem protagonist! Basil snarled as he raised his halberd for the kill. The vampire counts eyes widened in rm, as did those of his brides. Basil expected them to fight for their lives now that their poorly-chosen strategy had failed. Please dont kill me! Instead, the vampire count begged at Basils feet with tears of fear in his eyes. The undead moved as if hastened, crossing the room in the blink of an eye. The Dragonknight was so shocked by the Boss cowardice that he failed to react as Edward Varney grabbed his left leg with both arms and weeped against it. Please dont kill me! the count pleaded. Ill give you my wives if you spare my unlife! Eddie, you cockroach! The red-headed bride snapped at her husband in rage. Neither of herpatriots looked happy with his behavior either. Dont sell us off like peasants! Do you take me for an Ottoman? Basil sneered in disgust as he raised his halberd. Show some self-respect, damn it! Arent you a noble?! Im a vampire! the count replied. Im a leech with good PR! Sucking up to others is what I do best! And he was sticky too! Basil tried to throw the Boss off him, but he stubbornly wouldnt let it go. Somebody help me, he asked his teammates as he pushed off the counts face with a free hand. I cant get him off my leg! Bugsy happily epted, grabbing the vampires legs with his mandibles and throwing him back at his throne. You will pay for your treachery, viin! the volcanipede snarled. His body radiated steam in his anger. You will pay for toying with my feelings! Bugsy, calm down! Shellgirl took a step back as the temperature rose around her friend. Youre burning! She was so cute Bugsy shed tears of wrathfulva. Family is sacred, vampire! How dare you sully it with falsehood?! You will burn for this! You will burn! Shouldnt you be defending your family with all your strength? Vasi asked in contempt. Ive seen you ughter my army, I know youll kill me in one blow, the vampire said, kneeling on the ground like the worm he was. At least he was wise enough to know how this would end. I surrender! Just offer your head, the Dragonknight insisted, utterly repulsed by the Boss cowardice. A clean slice and itll be all over. Please dont! The count looked up at Basil with the most pitiable expression imaginable. Ill give you all my wives! I have four others stashed away in other rooms! His vampirerades crossed their arms and looked away in scorn. Basil raised his halberd in disgust, but found his resolve faltering. Executing someone so pitifully begging for his life felt wrong; even an undead Brit. Boss, Bugsy said upon noticing Basils unease. His eyes shone with malice. I will do it for you, if you cant. Are you sure? Basil asked. His friends anger disturbed him greatly. Bugsy was usually the groups calmest member, always kind and friendly. This is not like you. Youve said it before Boss. Bugsy red at the vampire. Sometimes fire and brimstone really are the solution. Kalki stood in the volcanipedes path. I vote to spare him. You cant be serious, Basil protested. Killing someone on his knees corrupts the soul, Kalki replied. What did you say of Benjamin Leroy? That he cant turn his unlife around if hes dead? When he put it this way Basil had spared Benjamin Leroy, who hadmitted far worse crimes than running a castle full of bloodsuckers. On the other hand, Basil couldnt bring himself to see the vampire count as redemption material. Count Varney was false, cowardly, and without an ounce of dignity nor self-respect. He was the forgotten lovechild of Grima Wormtongue and Crue, a human-shaped shitstain without any good quality Basil could discern. He could be useful to us, Shellgirl pointed out. If he really wants to live, we can always recruit him and his bimbos. What? Bugsy asked, incensed. The female vampires red at Shellgirl, but wisely kept their mouths shut. You would sully the HRAs reputation with these these craven leeches? I mean, hes a monster, Shellgirl replied with a shrug. If they join the Guild, Partners Tamer Perks will make sure they cant back out or stab us in the back. They would be more useful to us alive than dead or deader. Besides, I dont think well get good loot from someone so weak. Basil exchanged a nce with Vasi. She nodded in support, albeit reluctantly. Shellgirl has a point, she said. Hes pitiful, but hes still level 50. He could help make this dungeon a long-term shelter for locals. Im tempted to let him live just to watch him squirm, to said with a snort. Alright, fine! Basil pointed his halberd at the counts head. Relinquish the dungeon, join my Guild as an intern, turn this ce into a safe haven for everyone, and Ill spare your miserable unlife. Oh thank you! The vampire count threw himself at Basils ankle. Thank you, Master! Dont touch me! Basil recoiled from the vampires dirty hands. Dont ever touch me! Dont worry, Boss. Bugsy red darkly at Eddie. I will give him a hazing he shall never forget. As predicted, the dungeon swiftly healed its wounds. The walls that the Gehenna Cannon had vaporized rose again in less than an hour, alongside its mighty towers, banquet halls, and sprawling rooms. The dungeon turned out to follow a standard castles architecture, so the stables wererge enough to house both Rosemarine and the Steamobile. Although Basils crew had ughtered almost all the monsters inside it, a few dozen had survived the purge and sworn loyalty to the Homeowner Revenge Association. They would make a fine defense for the dangers toe. As for Eddie, he ended up forced to carry stones around like the most menial thrall in the world. Bugsy burned his ass with his breath each time the vampire appeared to find a moment of peace. Work! The volcanipede shouted loud enough to make stones tremble. Work! WORK! This conquest had been nothing more than an appetizer. A message from the System soon gave the team a run-down of what to expect.
Congrattions, yers of Earth! You have survived long enough to reach the [Christmas] yearly event!
Much like [Halloween] beforehand, [Christmas] event is a pseudo [Incursion] where rare, winter-themed monsters will hunt the naughty and reward the nice with gifts on Christmas Night. Everyone over ten is considered naughty by default, but they will be nice if they survive the night.
Dismaker Labs hopes that you will survive to collect your reward! The event will begin after nightfall!
A countdown appeared on Basils Status Screen, indicating the hours left before the bloodiest Christmas in human history. They had plenty of time to prepare. Everyone over ten? to asked, who wasnt that old. Im safe! But Im not even one year old, Shellgirl said with greedy eyes. Does it mean I get a free gift? The answer was always the same.
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
Basil figured they would find out the hard way, as usual. You look troubled, he told Kalki as they surveyed the castles outer walls and defenses. Their new undead followers worked to remove the remaining stakes and corpses around the moat. Is something on your mind? The bard nodded sharply and crossed his arms. He looked at the bright afternoon sky. I detected something in the air, my friend. Something foul. Ashok? Maxwell? Basil asked. These two surviving members of Metal Olympus had the means to track them down anywhere and he knew better than to expect a Christmas truce. An already deadly event would be the perfect time for an ambush. Something else? Im not sure, Kalki admitted. An evil presence has had its eyes on us for a while. Perhaps since Paris. It was barely an ill feeling at the edge of my mind, but its gaining in strength rapidly. I cant quite exin it. One of your godly powers, perhaps? Basil guessed. I mean, youre the Avatar of Vishnu. You must be more attuned to the System than anyone. I wish I had any power over it. Kalki shook his head grimly. Let us prepare well, my friend. I have the feeling this Christmas event will be the least of our problems tonight. Chapter 86: Man vs Devil Chapter 86: Man vs Devil Basil felt gloomy all day long. He couldnt quite exin it himself. Nightfall and the Christmas event were still hours away. Minions had reinforced the dungeon with traps and anyone getting in was in for a rude surprise. All in all, his team had found a sanctuary for the night. Yet Basil felt like he was being watched. The impression started innocuously at first, only to grow stronger after his conversation with Kalki. Basil often found himself looking over his shoulder when he walked through the castles corridors. Never once did he notice something out of the ordinary, but he could tell invisible eyes were staring at his back. The castles main hall wasrge enough to amodate even Rosemarine, though she had to destroy walls whenever she wanted to move into another area. Eddie had used the dungeons properties to summon a Christmas tree in the room, which Vasi and the others had promptly started decorating. Rosemarine put Fire Seeds on the branches, Shellgirl added colorful shinies she had collected in Hungary, and Vasi set a starmp at the summit. Like it, handsome? Vasi asked her boyfriend with a smile. The starmp glowed purple, like the witch magic it was made of. I crafted it myself. I just hope the tree wont attack us, Basil grumbled. It wouldnt surprise him for a Christmas event. At least everyone was in a festive mood. Bugsy was busy tending to a chimneys fire to keep the team warm. Rosemarine coiled around the tree while watching her fire seeds like a mother hen. Shellgirl waited anxiously for the gifts in a leather chair too big for her, with Eddie and other vampires serving her drinks. Kalki yed a Christmas tune to his familiars and an audience of undead. As for to This is the sword of kings! to raised Joyeuse with overbearing pride. The des light caused vampire servants to recoil and Renfield to whistle. Only the worthy may wield it! to and the Vampire Castles Rakshasa Kitten, Renfield, spent five minutes smelling each others butt before bing cat friends. As in they spent thest hours either trying to one-up theirpatriots, debating whether dogs had souls, or getting high on their own sense of self-importance. Basil had wondered how a Rakshasa Kitten could spawn in a vampire castle, but from what he understood, Renfield was a normal cat that worked his way up the food chain thanks to his overpowered feline Perk. There was probably an interesting story about how he ended up working for a vampire count, but Basil wasnt especially interested in learning it. Gimme, gimme! Renfield pestered the stronger feline. I want to try! Do you think you have what it takes? to pointed the sword at Renfields heart. What are your Haut-Faits, jeune flin? I have in hordes of bird-riding Mongol archers and cleansed the countryside of the mice gue! Renfield boasted. I have witnesses! to, lend him the sword, Basil said with a chuckle. Anyone who survived Mongol archers deserved acknowledgement. Very well, I shall give you the honor of touching my de, to said before presenting Joyeuse to Renfield. But beware! Should you prove unworthy, it shall burn your hands to cind Renfield swiftly seized Joyeuse by the pommel and swung it at the Christmas tree. A single needle fell on the ground like a leaf in the wind. See? Renfield gloated. I am worthy. Hey! tos smug assurance turned to annoyance. Why arent your hands burning?! Only those of royal blood can wield the sword! I am the long-lost heir of a royal show winner! Renfield boasted. Mine is the divine right of meowness! I think I understand why you can wield the sword, to. Vasi chuckled. Every single cat is a king. Whether her guess was correct or not, it infuriated to all the same; for when everyone was a king, no one was. The Rakshasa Kitten hissed in fury before attempting to recover the sword from Renfield. The two felines ran circles around the Christmas Tree in a mad dash. Five bucks on to! Shellgirl shouted. Ill take that bet! a vampire servant replied. Before Basil knew it, almost everyone in the hall had chosen their champion. How does it even work? Basil asked Vasi with a frown. If I dere myself a king, will I be able to wield the sword? I dont know, myment was a joke. Vasi chuckled mirthfully. But it wouldnt surprise me if cats had a different conception of royalty than us. Im sure they each consider themselves part of arge royal family attended to by human serfs. How could something that made no sense still loop back into being logical? Do you want a crown for Yule Night, Your Majesty? Vasi teased Basil with a grin. You can order one, if youre so eager to wield Joyeuse. Ill pass, Basil replied. I aint gonna cheat on my halberd with a sword. Im surprised you dont sleep with your weapon, but Im thankful for theck of a love triangle, Vasi joked, though her grin faltered when Basil answered with a half-smile. Is something on your mind, Basil? He almost told her it was nothing to worry about, but his girlfriend knew him too well. That feeling of being watched just isnt leaving me. Ive cast every spell imaginable, there is no hidden assassin in the castle. Vasi frowned. Although someone could be observing you from afar with magic. It wouldnt surprise me with all the enemies weve umted. That made sense. Kalki said he had sensed trouble afoot since they left Paris. Think you can block it? Vasi shook her head. I already protect us the best I can. I dont even detect anything. If were indeed being scried upon, then the casters power dwarfs mine by a considerable margin. Not a reassuring thought. Laughs interrupted the conversation; to had managed to catch up to Renfield and was struggling with him over Joyeuse. Shellgirl and others formed a ring around the two cats to watch the fight. Basil himself had no interest in that. Im gonna go on a walk. Outside? Vasi asked. To the chapel, Basil replied. Im gonna go pray. His girlfriends eyes narrowed slightly. Do you want me toe with you? Maybeter. Basil took a sharp breath. Ive got things to say that must stay between the Lord and me. I understand, Vasi replied with a tone that implied otherwise. She wasnt a fool. She knew what Basil intended, but she trusted him enough not to stop him. Be careful with what you say then. Words are like arrows. Once fired, they can kill. Nice analogy, Basil replied with a smile. Thanks. Ill be back soon. Basil left the hall while feeling Vasis worried gaze on his back. Surprisingly for a Vampire Castle, the dungeon had a chapel in the western wing. It was a small room gathering dust: its wooden benches had gone unused since the castles creation, the altar always threatened to crumble, and little sunlight managed to get past the stained ss. Basil had to admit it gave the dungeon a suitably spooky feel. The ce mocked God by raising a temple to Him in a den of undead. Basil walked to the center of the room, his steps echoing on a floor of cold, creaking stones. A rotten Catholic Cross stood above the altar with a defaced Jesus intertwined with it. The scene resembled a parody of the crucifixion, with the Messiahs limbs merging with the instrument of his death into some kind of twisted tree. The stained ss window overseeing it represented the grim reaper seizing a toil of gued victims. There was nothing holy about this room. Perhaps it was why the gloomy feeling only grew stronger in it. Show yourself, coward. Basil summoned his halberd to his hand. With his armor on, he looked very much like an elite heavy knight. Im alone. If you want to take a shot, now is the time. A tense silence stretched on for several seconds, but Basil immediately knew someone had listened to his words. An invisible pressure weighed on his shoulders. The air choked with the taste of ash and sulfur. The shadows lengthened. I will never understand, two voices whispered at once, once deep and brimming with rage, the other cold and smooth, why so many of you humans worship corpses. Basil raised his halberd in rm, looking around the chapel until he found the source of the voices: the window. The stained ss picture had reshaped itself. The grim reaper and his victims were rearranged into a terrible, demonic visage: that of a horned ck beast with two mouths on top of each other and four ghastly eyes. They burned with hellfire as they looked down on Basil with otherworldly intensity. Basil had already seen this visage in the past. In Chteau Muloup, back when the Apocalypse Force ruled it. Why venerate those weak enough to die? the voices asked in contempt. What wisdom do the dead and defeated have to offer? The Maleking. Youre the Maleking, Basil whispered in astonishment. The Apocalypse Force''s leader. A demon lord of unimaginable power, and the ruler of the Four Horsemen. I am power. I am strength. I have been called countless names, though few lived to remember them. The Maleking is but one title among many. The visages four eyes met Basils gaze. Their sight chilled him to the bones, for he instinctively understood exactly what he was staring at: a demonic being of infinite malevolence. An entity that Apollyon had called Master. I have been watching your progress with great interest, Basil Bohen. Basil clenched his jaw. How can you talk to me? he asked in iprehension. I thought you were sealed between worlds, unable to escape? The Level Barrier surrounding your universe is weakening, child, the Maleking replied. He sounded slightly amused by Basils iprehension. It is bing porous enough that I can project my consciousness through it. Thats impossible. Basils hands tightened on his halberd. We blew up thousands of Neurotowers and halted thest Incursion! You have, but the damage was already done. Large portals wont unleash vast armies anytime soon; but many can now slip through the cracks. The Malekings eyes let out a flickering light. The barrier is still strong enough to keep my body out of your reality for now but it wontst forever. Basil greatly disliked the news, but he could read between the lines; no archdemon would drop in on his backyard as a Christmas gift. Why are you here then? he asked the demon as he lowered his halberd. Are you just here to taunt me? Do demons uphold the Christmas Truce? Truce? Not peace? The Maleking chuckled. Your people are wise. There is no peace between wars, only truces long enough that mortals forget the rules of nature. I shall observe it tonight. Basil knew better than to trust a demon lords word, but if the Maleking had wished him harm, he would have attacked without informing the Bohens of his presence. Ill ask you again: what the hell do you want? Clearly, you wanted to discuss something without being overheard. The Maleking didnt deny it. You have in Apollyon, my Horseman of Famine. It was a group effort, Basil replied. Rosemarinended the killing blow. A well-bred hound who kills a deer on the hunter''s behalf is no different than a rifle on legs. Your minions followed your strategy and gained strength from you. We both know your tropidrake would have remained a pitiful wallflower if not for your guidance. The fact he knew about Rosemarines species bothered Basil. The Maleking had clearly been observing the team long enough to gather precise intelligence. If you desire revenge for the bug, then get in line. Revenge? The word amused the Maleking. Did you expectpassion and sympathy from me? If so, then you were not paying attention. I care nothing for Apollyon. How unsurprising. No honor among fiends, eh? The Apocalypse Force is one Horseman short, the Maleking replied, ignoring Basils jab. The ughter you sowed in your wake pleases me. The throne of Famine is yours, if you desire it. When you cant kill them, recruit them? Basil sneered. Sorry, Im fine being self-employed. Im not looking for a boss, especially one that smells of brimstone and dead children. You expect us to be master and servant? The Malekings malevolent eyes squinted at Basil. I do not rule nor seek submission. I offer guidance to those worthy of my interest, nothing more. If you expect rewards or threats from me, you will find yourself disappointed. His walk betrayed his talk. If you dont want servants, why did you recruit the Apocalypse Force? I did not. Basil blinked in surprise. He hadnt expected that answer. Huh? I would have expected someone like you, who prays at the altar of a higher power and seeks their guidance, to understand my situation. The Malekings eyes nced at the cross on the altar. The weak cower in fear of my judgment. The strong crave my might and seek to emte me. As I left worlds full of carcasses, flies bred among the dead and followed in my wake. They worshiped me as the living apocalypse and organized under the banner of four warlords. Horsemen to herald mying. But you Basil struggled to process the demon lords words. You dont give a shit? They are of some use to me and work to facilitate my ascension, but I never asked for help nor do I need it, the Maleking said with eerie detachment. I am patient. One day I shall ascend to Overgod. Years and centuries are nothing to me. Your presents an opportunity, but should thispetition end before its time, another chance will present itself one day. I am offering you Apollyons ce because you have earned this honor, nothing more. Well, thats an interesting offer Basil lied through his teeth. How about this? Go back in time before your people burned down my house, killed my velociraptor, murdered my orc friend, and wrecked Paris, and then maybe Ill consider it. Even if I could change the past, why would I do that? The Maleking let out a darkugh that shook the chapel. Those events were good for you. Basil saw red. Say that again? Look at you, child. The Malekings gaze grew almost unbearable, the pressure on Basils shoulders increasing. I can see your past etched into your soul. A man bound to a life of mediocrity by a civilization shackled by money, vanity, and nihilism. What future did you have before the Trimurti System graced your universe? A quiet death in the woods, forgotten by all? A soul-crushing menial job just to get by, to fit in among the sheep? It disturbed Basil that the demon lord knew about his past, but he knew better than to show distress. This being would exploit any emotional vulnerability one way or another. Your civilizations fall has set you free, Basil. War tested you, and you passed with acim. The Maleking nced at Basils halberd. This spear-axe that you wield attests to that. You have be what you should always have been. Basil had seen enough movies to know where this was going. Is this the moment where you tell me were not so different, and thats why I should join you? I agree that we are nothing alike. But does it mean we cannot findmon grounds? The demonic visage smiled with both its mouths. You have fought my followers to avenge a slight Apollyon inflicted upon you. Now that he is dead, why keep fighting them? If you seek levels and greater power, the Apocalypse Force will provide. You see, thats why well never be friends. Basil sneered. You murder entire worlds to feed your ego, I kill in self-defense or to protect innocents. You can veil your actions under the cloak of self-righteousness, but your actions speak otherwise. The Maleking chuckled darkly. You have benefited from this apocalypse more than anyone. Beforehand you were nothing, but in this world of chaos, you are a hero. A champion acimed by all. And I would be just as happy putting my halberd aside once its no longer needed. The Malekings four eyes observed Basil in silence for a few seconds before asking, Will you? Basils teeth grit so hard his jaw started to hurt. Suppose this all ends tomorrow, the Maleking said. Monsters no longer appear to ravage thend. Your world is at peace and society rebuilds. Will you put your halberd aside and return to living in the woods as if nothing happened? Will you forget all you have seen and done? Yes, Basil replied firmly. Even if it costs you your friends? Basil tensed up and said nothing. Think about it, the Maleking said, immediately exploiting Basils hesitation. The cat is the only one who was present in your life before the Systems arrival. The witch came from another world, and the monsters only exist because of a certain fiends schemes. If the world were to return to normalcy, they would vanish. Would you truly be happy then? Does it matter? Basil replied, evading the question. Its not a choice I have to make. For now, the Maleking conceded. But the Avatar of Preservation seeks to undo the chaos the likes of my Horsemen brought to your world. He might even seed. Will you help him restore your world to its mediocre original state, even if it means losing your hard-earned power andpanions? Perhaps you are correct and you wont have to choose but what if you are wrong? What if you could return the world to peace, save the worthless masses of your, at the cost of all you have achieved under the Systems guidance? What will you choose then? Basil was sick of questions; especially when they were ufortable. He wasnt sure of the answer, but he refused to give the demon any satisfaction. Ill do what I must. Even he struggled to believe in his words. They didnt fool the Maleking at all. A tongue can lie, Basil, but the heart cannot. Those who do not know themselves can never hope to win. And if you only kill in self-defense, then why seek to make enemies of us? You have already lostrades to my followers; even the cat lost half his lives. Do you want it to happen again? Fuck you, Basil snapped. He was just done with that arrogant monster. You think you can threaten me? Threaten my crew? I dont care which Hell you crawled from, Im not afraid of you! I am not threatening anyone, merely pointing out the obvious, the Maleking replied softly. The grudge between you and my Horsemen started with Apollyon, and now he is dead. If you do not want any of your allies to die in battle, then why seek it so fervently? The Unity is already besieging your homnd and your kin might perish crushed in a dragons jaw. Can you truly afford more conflict with my followers? Basil thought back of the viges in Hungary, whose people had been abducted by Apocalypse Force cultists. They had saved hundreds then; and yet so many other innocents suffered everywhere. No, I cant afford it, Basil admitted reluctantly. But so long as you threaten people, well keep fighting you. Yet you spent months holed up in your home, never reaching out to save others before, the Maleking pointed out. Basil bristled; looking back, he had indeed been acting selfishly. You do not save them because life is sacred, but because they provide you with a sense of purpose. Basil red at the devilish visage. You speak nothing but lies. Do I? You dress like a knight and act like one. You offer the wicked a chance at redemption, save the children and protect viges from evil but what will happen once there are no monsters to kill? Or when the wolves will devour all those who could look up to you? What will you be then? Will you be nothing again? Ive heard enough, Basil growled. He had forgotten the elementary rule of demon-hunting: that they could sweet-talk their way out of anything. Get out of my castle. You can take your job offer and send me the rest of your Horsemen. Well stomp them into the dirt like Apollyon before them. I look forward to watching your next battle, the Maleking replied with a darkugh. But meditate on what Ive told you, child do not throw your new existence away. It is the only one worth living. Basil threw his halberd and shattered the window. The ss exploded into countless shards that spilled over the floor in a terrible cacophony. The pressure in the room vanished and the shadows shortened once again. Basil nced at the rotten cross onest time before leaving the chapel without a word. He was better off killing devils than talking to them. Chapter 87: Man vs Christmas Chapter 87: Man vs Christmas By the time Basil finished his tale, his coffee cup had gone cold. Vasi held her hot chocte in her hand, a worried frown all over her beautiful face. As for Kalki, he had stopped sipping his tea halfway through the conversation and listened patiently since. Thats worrying, he said, finally breaking the silence. Thats an understatement, Vasi replied as he put her half-empty cup on the table. The vampire minions had set a table in the hall for them far from the Christmas tree. The rest of the team rested for thest minutes they had before nightfall. Dungeons are supposed to be protected from most teleportation and scrying effects. If this demon can manifest inside one while a dimension away Vasi shuddered. She didnt need to finish her sentence. Everyone understood its implications: that the Maleking might be so powerful that he could vite some of the Systems rules. After their encounter in the chapel, Basil had immediately gone on to inform his allies. He didnt believe in keeping secrets, and the best solution to a demons attempt to sow discord was openmunication. Trust was like a seed. It needed constant care and watering to grow into a strong tree. It could have been an illusion, Basil pointed out. Images projected in my mind. The problem remains the same, Basil, Vasi said. We have an enemy who can spy on us anywhere. That has been the case since we earned our first godly essence, Basil replied. Thanks to them, Maxwell and Metal Olympus could track down the Bohens easily across the globe. He suspected the main reason they hadnt gone after Kalki yet was that they intended to travel to their HQ in Athens; why risk killing the Avatar of Preservation when he would inevitablye to their doorstep? And we dont even know what the Unity is capable of. We cant lower our guard, ever. I agree, but we shouldnt let fear and distrust rule our hearts, Kalki said calmly. If the demon is truly interested in making us join him, then he has a vested interest in appearing more powerful than he actually is. It was a possibility, but Basil didnt believe it. The Maleking had seemed utterly unconcerned about the possibility of them running roughshod through the Apocalypse Force. He had taken Basils rejection in stride too. Looking back, the demon feared someone else entirely. Hes not scared of us, Basil told Kalki. Hes scared of you. That you may return Earth to normal and deny him his victory. Kalki put his cup on the table. He stared at the tea inside thoughtfully without saying a word. Can you? Basil asked. His own throat trembled, much to his surprise. I dont know, my friend, Kalki admitted with a sigh. I dont even understand my purpose. I dont remember anything, besides the feeling that I must find Padma. I dont feel whole without her. Basil sighed and sank into his chair. He had expected as much. Kalki might have been Vishnus avatar, but Maxwell had purposely summoned him with amnesia and a humans weaknesses. So far, all the Bohens knew was that their friends life sustained the Systemand thus Earth by extensionand that Dismaker Labs didnt want him to reunite with Lakshmis incarnation. That was reason enough for Basil to bring the two would-be gods together, but he hadnt imagined the potential consequences. If the world could indeed return to normal without the Systems influence Basil would have dreamed of this oue once, but now he struggled to even imagine it. Im sorry, Basil, Kalki apologized. I must look like a pitiful excuse for a god. Youe to me seeking answers and leave you with more questions. Dont worry, its not your fault, Basil replied with a shrug. Well cross that bridge when we reach it. The Malekings visit didnt change anything; if anything, it only added to the urgency. If the Level Barrier was growing weak enough to let his influence seep into Earth, then the team couldnt afford to waste time. Will you be nothing again? Basil buried his dark thoughts in coffee. The bitter taste washed over his tongue, but it failed to banish the Malekings words from his mind. Basil only truly cared about to and honoring Renes memory before the apocalypse, but now the list of people he cared for had grown longer than his arm. People he was afraid to lose. Vasi took her boyfriends hand into her own. Her fingers were warm to the touch, and so deeplyforting. Basil, take it from someone with a wicked hag for a mother, she said. Demons love offering limited options to put pressure on you. Thats the ssic either sell your soul or someone dies. They present themselves as the only solution so you dont look for any other. Do I look so troubled? Basil asked. He was ashamed of himself. He had fought the likes of Apollyon without flinching, so why should a demons threats affect him? You do, Vasi replied with a smile. But dont worry too much. If the worstes to pass, Ill take you and the others to my world. Ill adopt you. Basil couldnt help but chuckle and almost spilled coffee over the table. You think the kids will fit in? he asked while ncing at Rosemarine and the others. A whole new world might be too much for them to adjust to. Oh, believe me, theyll fit right in. Vasis smile turned enigmatic. Maybe even better than in this world. Basil thought back to Vasis debate with Hagen over dragons, and he suddenly wondered how Rosemarine would fit into her world. Somehow he had the feeling its denizens might be less fazed by a giant tropidrake than Earths. Well, Ill still try to save my first and foremost, Basil replied. But thanks for the offer. I hope I can see your world one day, Kalki said with a bright smile. You make it sound like a joyful ce. Our System is less gloomy than yours, thats for sure. Vasi observed Kalki warily. A shame we cannot bring you to Walter. Im sure you would have much to talk about. At one point, Basil had tried to introduce Kalki to Walter Tye in the hope of helping him regain his memories. It had failed almost immediately. The otherworldly merchant couldnt leave his shop due to the Level Barrier protecting Earth, and Kalki turned out to be locked to thes dimension. He simply couldnt cross portals of any kind nor be transported into Walters pocket realm. Basils hope that they could safely put their friend in a safehouse until they reached Athens had died there and then. Wait a second, Basil said, an idea crossing his mind. If the Level Barrier has degraded enough that the Maleking canmunicate from outside this reality Then perhaps Walter can do the same, Vasi guessed. Mmm that could work. Kalki didnt look overjoyed. I am curious about meeting this man, but from what I heard from you his heart is as cold as ice. It is, Basil conceded. But hes the one who knows the most about how Systems work, so perhaps Speaking of the devil, a notification shed before Basils eyes.
The [Christmas] event will start in 10 minutes. Naughty ones beware!
Ugh, right at the wrong time. Basil nced at his allies, who had all received the same notification, before answering the call to arms. He rose from his seat, summoned his halberd, and rallied the troops. Guys, its time! Ive seen, toined as he stretched his back. The notification had woken him up from his nap. Right when I was dreaming about dreaming. Finally! Of all the people present, only Shellgirl looked happy with the news. Its looting time! I thought you disliked violence? Basil asked with a raised eyebrow. We could die, you know? Ohe on, thest event was a breeze! I even gained legs from it! Shellgirl started dancing in ce. Legs! Maybe Ill get wings this time! Or an essence! Basil wouldnt have called learning the was inside a gods palm a breeze, but he understood where Shellgirl wasing from. The party still reaped the benefits from Halloween and defeated the events monsters rtively easily; she expected Christmas to end the same. And it could. Basil would expect a Christmas-themed event to be easier than the Halloween one, but months of bad surprises made him wary anyway. Master, I wish you good luck in the battle toe, Eddie the Vampire said while attempting to kiss Basils feet, who swiftly recoiled in disgust. If anyone asks, your humble servant will be in the basement! Craven! Coward! Bugsy red at the vampire Boss with contempt. Youre halfway to Overgod and you wont defend your own home? I will, Eddie protested. Ill be thest line of defense! The final hope when all else has failed! Basil wondered how a worm like him could have reached level 50, before remembering dungeon bosses grew in power with each Incursion. Ronald, the Boss of Chteau Muloup, had gained over twenty levels from thest one. Eddie had reaped the benefits of everyone elses work like a good parasite and done his best to prove utterly unworthy of it. This infuriated Basil, who had bled to earn every single of his levels. He would have probably staked the vampire on the spot if he still had his Berserker ss, but he couldnt afford to do so in the middle of an event. Fine, whatever, go secure the server room, Basil said with a sneer of contempt. As much as he wanted to throw that worm to the wolves, Eddies demise would leave the Neurotower undefended and thus cost the team their control over the dungeon. Him running away in the middle of a battle might prove more disastrous than simply not showing up to it. Everyone else, go upy the choke points we set for you. If I see you cking off from your post, Ill kill you myself! Bugsy threatened Eddie, who swiftly fled to the basement through hidden stairs. The other monster recruits sighed and spread around the castle to better defend it. Can I hide too? Renfield pleaded. I just got the nine lives feature! Youll survive, to replied with an annoyed tone. I lost half of mine over two seasons, no way you can beat up my record in a single night. I predict youll lose three tonight, give it or take it. Thats three lives too many! Ignoring the debate, Basil checked the world outside through the halls windows. The sunlight had almost entirely vanished beyond the horizon and a powerful blizzard had risen. Dark clouds encroached upon the sky. Snow rained like a downpour, burying the castles walls under a dense whiteyer. I dont think I can fly under these conditions, handsome, Vasi warned. No kidding, Basil grumbled. The weather had shut down some of his ns for the dungeons defense. Fighting outside was now a doomed proposition. Only Shellgirl, who had resistance to Frost, and Bugsy with his Heatriser Perk on could credibly venture in the blizzard. I can go outside if you want, Mister, Rosemarine proposed. I dont mind the cold anymore. No Rosemarine, youll stay in the hall, Basil decided. Its the only room big enough for you alongside the stables. Youre weak to Frost so the blizzard will weaken you, and you cant use your sunlight abilities anyway. Rosemarine took it in stride. Ill make gands with entrails, Mister! After a moments consideration, Basil started giving orders. Alright, well alter the n a little. Ill stay here with Rosemarine, Bugsy, Vasi, and Shellgirl. to, you go with Kalki and the others to the Steamobile. So no changes on my side, general? Kalki mused, his flute materializing in his hand. I put on the loudspeakers and y a tune? I know I ask this of you each battle, Basil admitted with a smile. But youve got to admit it works very well. If inspiring others with music wasnt my thing, I wouldnt have be a Bard, Kalki replied warmly. With your cats illusions shielding our location, we should have no trouble holding up but the hall makes for an inviting target. Well call you through the logs if we get overwhelmed, Basil promised him. Now go. Kalki left with a short bow, followed by to and his escort. Basil found himself alone in the vast hall with the rest of his team. Vasi was smiling at him ear to ear. What? Basil asked. Youve gone a long way, handsome, she said with amusement. From cultivating vegetables in your garden to ordering a god around. I still cultivate vegetables, Basil replied. He had a pretty nice greenhouse in the Steamobile and expected a rutabaga harvest anytime soon. Anyway girls, you know the drill. Yeah, yeah, Shellgirl replied before buffing him with her Motivate Perk. Vasi did the same with Hasten, their magic spreading from Basil to the rest of his Guild. An aggressive tune echoed through the castle as Kalki yed half a wing away. When Basil watched the countdown hit zero, he was ready.
The [Christmas] event has started! Monsters will attack the naughty all night long and those who survive shall receive rewards! Additionally, an optional Boss will roam dungeons at random all over the world! Any Guild or Faction fending him off will be automatically put off the naughty list!
Optional boss? That doesnt sound good, Basil admitted. It says it appears in dungeons at random, Boss, Bugsy pointed out. What are the odds that it spawns in this one? One hundred percent, Vasi deadpanned. How can you even ask, Bugsy? Havent thest six months been enough of a lesson? Bugsy lowered his head in shame. Im not that old I want a gun for my first year birthday, Mister! Rosemarine chirped joyfully. Aww, she was talking like an Americanss! Adorable! Still, Basil agreed with Vasi. Considering how the Trimurti Systems creator hated them, they should expect the worst. Bugsy, do you sense anyone? I do, Boss, Bugsy replied. Its hard to pinpoint them with the snowstorm outside, but I think monsters have spawned north of our position. Basil looked through the windows pointing in that direction. He had to use a fire orb to heat the ss just enough to shake off the snow covering it. The storm made it difficult to see much, but he noticed horned figures appearing in the distance. At first, Basil mistook them for deer; except deer walked on four legs instead of two. The creatures appeared quiterge with strong arms and white fur merging with the icyndscape. They were too far away for Monster Insight to glean much information from them, but it caught the names and levels.
Wendigo
Level 55 [Beast/nt]
Faction: Yule Night
Herees Rudolf and his cousins, Basil warned. And I count a good dozen of them. What level? Shellgirl asked. Fifty-five, Basil replied with a frown. They had the dungeon more booby-trapped than a Home Alone movie, but the monsters were close to their levels. It might be a close call. Is anybody familiar with wendigos? I think Ive heard the name somewhere, but I cant put my finger on it Vasis smile instantly faltered. Wendigos? Youve heard of them? Basil asked. Yes, I have. They eat people. Like us? Rosemarine asked innocently. Meh, we can take them, Shellgirl replied. Sense anybody else, Bugsy? I I think I hear Bugsy squinted as he looked up at the roof. Above Basils eyes widened. He immediately turned to the halls chimney and the burning hearth at its center. Bugsy, always the kind heart, had put a bottle of milk and cookies next to it for Santa, but Basil doubted whatever horror would spawn could be mollified so easily. Bugsy, fire it up! Basil ordered. More fire to the chimne Toote. The monster descended through the chimney in a catastrophic noise, as all the traps the Bohens had set across the shafts length activated at once. Explosions rocked the hall as a cloud of dust smoked out the hearth and filled the room. Basil heard something hit the ground with a growl of pain and rage. You naughty bastards! A screeching voice came out of the smoke cloud, as a towering shape emerged from it. To the sack with you! Ill put you all in the naughty sack! The creature that appeared before the Bohens was toorge to possibly go through a chimney shaft, but somehow it managed to sneak in that way. The monster was a hairy humanoid over twice the dragonknights size, with the legs of a demonic goat and horns to match; its face was half covered by a white beard. A lurid tongue stuck out of its fanged teeth and blistered red eyes red at Basil. The beast wore a damaged crimson cloak with a hood, which burned in ces where the chimney bombs hit. A big bag of straw hung from his back by a leather belt and his wed hands wielded a vicious whip. Basil immediately recognized the creature, even before the System confirmed his identity.
Krampus, Roaming Yule Boss
Level 60 Elite [Fairy/Demon]
Faction: Yule Night
Basil! The monster cracked his whip in anger. You have been very naughty this year! Oh thank God, Basil wouldnt have to beat up Santa. Chapter 88: Man vs Santa Chapter 88: Man vs Santa Level 60. Basils hands tightened on his halberds shaft. He had expected some challenge from the Christmas event, but nothing like this. The boss was the same level as Apollyon; the creature who had single-handedlyid waste to Paris and survived a nuke to the face. Krampus didnt appear as intimidating as the Horseman of Famine and the Bohens had grown far stronger since the battle for France but he was not to be underestimated either. Krampus? Vasis eyes widened in shock and, much to Basils confusion, recognition. The Krampus? From the Winter Kingdoms? Krampus squinted at the witch in annoyance. Just my luck, he grumbled. One of Babas brats! Vasi, you know this guy? Shellgirl asked. I do! Vasi gathered a sphere of fire in her hand, but didnt throw it at the monster yet. Hes a Fomor! A what? Basil asked. Bugsy and Rosemarine readied themselves to attack the boss, but he stopped them with a raised hand. Let them speak. Hes a fairy lord like my mother! Vasi gulped. Their kind is as powerful as the strongest of dragons! Krampus squinted at Vasi. He seemed to have taken offense to herment. As powerful? Basil prepared to strike on a moments notice. He had the slight hope Vasi might talk things out, but if this creature was indeed an offworlder, then he had earned his sixty levels the hard way rather than having been spawned with them. That made him infinitely more dangerous than a normal monster. Lord Krampus, do you remember me? Vasi forced herself to smile. You offered me a wooden bear duringst years Yule Night. And Krampus hated it! The boss cracked his whip and took a threatening step forward. Your hag-mother owes me money! So much for talking it out, Basil thought as he leaped into the fray. He closed the gap between Krampus and himself in a single leap. Hasten elerated his movements until he became a blur of speed. His halberd cut Krampus in the shoulder before the fairy lord could even react. Basil felt as if he had hit a wall of stone. His halberd, which had sliced demons in half in a single swing, failed to reach Krampus bone. It cut through his cloak and the thick hide underneath, only to be stopped by oak-hard flesh.
Damage halved by [Fomor Lifeforce]!
Krampus red at Basil. By the time the Bohens sprung to action all at once, the boss said a word that sent shivers down everyones spine. Hasten! Basils eyes widened in shock as the boss movements grew more frantic. Oh, shi Krampus whip swirled around his ankle and threw him across the hall before he could even finish his sentence. Basil adjusted himself mid-flight tond vertically, his feet squarely on a stone wall, and then jumped back into the fray. His allies had moved to attack. Shellgirl and Vasi opened fire at Krampus, the former with ice spheres and thetter with a fireball. The boss shattered and dissipated all their projectiles with his whip with supernatural speed, before dodging Basils sneak attack. The Dragonknights halberd hit the halls ground while Krampus waltzed around the room. Rosemarine, pincer attack! Bugsy shouted. Rosemarine listened by charging at Krampus like an elephant while the volcanipede unleashed a breath of searing mes from the other direction. The tropidrakes immunity to Fire negated any risk to herself. Krampus answered the attack by inhaling and exhaling. His breath unleashed a cold blizzard that countered Bugsys fire. Then, without skipping a beat, he raised a free hand and stopped Rosemarine dead in her tracks. He grabbed her by a petal when he attempted to bite him, the same way one would grab a kitten by the cor And threw her across the room like a ragdoll. The surreal sight happened so fast that Basil barely had time to duck to the side, as the boss tossed a giant tropidrake around with superhuman strength. Vasi and Shellgirl managed to dodge as well, but Bugsy took Rosemarine to the face. Mister, Im flying! Rosemarine shouted midflight. She and Bugsy crashed through a wall, shattering stones and windows alike. The blizzard from outside slipped inside the castle, while red dungeon particles immediately appeared to start repairing the damage. Holy moly, hes strong, Basil whispered in shock as he rose back to his feet. He activated Monster Cure to heal his allies. No kidding, Vasi replied as she cast a spell. Dark Spikes! ck spikes of energy surged from the ground across the hall as snow started to cover it. Krampus didnt dodge them all. Some of the weapons tore through his clothes and grazed his furry hide without inflicting much damage. Shellgirl also bombarded him with ice spheres that shattered harmlessly on impact. Basil exploited Krampus brief moment of distraction to examine him with Monster Insight. He needed to glean information about his weaknesses.
Krampus, Roaming Yule Boss
Level 60 Elite [Fairy/Demon]
Faction: Yule Night
HP: 6000/6000
Immune: Critical Hits, all Ailments, Frost, Wind.
Resist: Physical, Wood, Earth, Fire, Darkness, Mythic.
Weak: Fairyyer, Demonyer, Soul, Corrosion, Light, Lightning.
A fairy lord of the Fomors from Outremonde, who is constantly summoned by Systems across the multiverse during the Christmas season to punish the naughty and reward the nice; a job he hase to hate with a passion over centuries. Reducing him to half-health will send him running and make him somebody elses problem.
Hes weak to Corrosion, Light, Lightning, and Soul! Basil warned his team as he adjusted his ns. And immune to Frost and Wind! What? Shellgirls expression soured. But I can only use ice projectiles! Grab a melee weapon, Basil replied before hitting the ground with his halberds shaft. Runestorm: Lightning. Magical runes red to life and danced around his weapon. The mes surging around its de turned into shining electrical arcs.
[All for One] spread [Runestorm] to your allies. Their attacks with melee weapons will now inflict [Lightning] damage for five minutes!
Basil charged into the fray while Vasi covered him with fireballs. Shellgirl opened her inventory and materialized a police baton in her hands; one of the many tools gifted to them by the French army. Krampus saw theming and counterattacked with his whip. His own Hasten spellit annoyed Basil that his team no longer had a monopoly on itallowed him to keep up with his enemies movements, but only to a point. Basil cut the whip with his halberd, leaped in the air, and threw an Elemental Orb of Corrosion midway through. Krampus dodged the projectile with a step to the side, only to find himself right in the way of one of Vasis fireballs. While the fairy protected his face from the st with a hand, Basil activated his Double Jump Perk. He rebounded in the air, positioned himself above Krampus, and hit him in the back with his halberd. The fairy let out a snarl of pain and rage as electricity coursed through his body. The halberd drained both life and magic from the monster.
Supereffective hit! You inflicted 610 [Lightning] damage and drained half as much SP!
Barely six hundred damage? With a supereffective hit? Considering his various attack modifiers, Basil would have expected to do at least twice that amount. He had in creatures with four-digit Health Points in a single blow before. Girls, he has damage reduction of some kind! Basil warned as Krampus attempted to punch him. He backflipped with his halberd in hand to dodge, the fairys fist hitting the ground with enough strength to shake the entire hall. Fomors take half damage from all attacks, Vasi warned. She sted Krampus with another fireball that barely inflicted any damage, but distracted the fairy enough to let Shellgirl hit him in the groin with her shock baton. Give me my gifts! Shellgirl all but ordered as she tased Krampus in the sorry ce. I made a full list of them! Shellgirlsck of weapon proficiency meant her melee attacks wouldnt do much, but they inflicted supereffective damage all the same. If Krampus was bound to leave when reduced to half health, then four or so more blows from Basils halberd should end the battle. He raised his weapon and prepared to jump back into the fray. Krampus is so tired of you adventurers! Krampus pointed at Basil and Vasi with his index finger. Darkest Fear! Shadows swirled around Basil, only to harmlessly wash over his armor like raindrops. He smiled in triumph Ah! Only for it to fade away as Vasi copsed to her knees. Shadows drained her of her strength until her deep purple skin turned into a sickly shade of pink. The magical mes in her hands turned into harmless smoke.
[Darkest Fear] reduced Vasis HP and SP to 1! Assorted ailments negated by [Deaths Banner]!
Vasi! Basil shouted in rm. Worse, Krampus inhaled sharply. No, no, no! Using all his speed and Double Jump, Basil crossed the gap between his girlfriend and himself in a single bound and took her in his arms. He leaped again right as Krampus unleashed a breath of freezing ice, narrowly dodging the attack and carrying Vasi to safety. Monster Cure, Monster Cure! Basil repeated with frantic desperation, a green glow surrounding his girlfriend and healing her. Krampus kept targeting them with his breath, forcing Basil to leap around to avoid being frozen in ce. Even a stray hit would be lethal to Vasi in her current state. Monster Cure! Draw Aggro! Shellgirl waved her shock baton at Krampus in a desperate bid to distract him. Hey, ugly! How dare you ck off mid-battle! To Basils surprise, the taunt worked. Krampus red at Shellgirl, his bloodshot eyes almost bulging out of his skull. ck off?!
Krampus is immune to [Berserk], but Shellgirl still hurt his feelings!
ck off?! Krampus didnt ask for this job! The fairy snarled angrily. Krampus is overworked! Every System summons me for Yule season, without pay nor rest! Nobody appreciates my hard work! Thats just a quitters talk! Shellgirl taunted him, only to pale as Krampus charged at her, horns first. Uh oh. Rather than attempting to run away, Shellgirl activated her Rainmantle Perk and retreated inside her shining shell. Krampus pummeled it with all his strength, to no avail. Ayer of healing water coated Shellgirl and healed her wounds as soon as the boss damaged her. It would distract Krampus for a time. Basil used the brief respite to hide Vasi behind the Christmas tree and kept applying Monster Cure to her. His girlfriends skin regained healthy colors, though she breathed as if she had justpleted a marathon. Are you alright? Basil asked in concern. Ill live Vasi rasped, using the Christmas tree as support to stand up. But I dont have any SP left. Thankfully, Basil had potions in his inventory. He summoned one and offered it to his girlfriend. What was that spell? Its a high-tier spell exclusive to Fomors, Vasi exined in between sips. Cant miss, almost always lethal. But I dont get it it should only affect a very specific category of people. Since the spell had affected her but not Basil, he assumed Vasi was vulnerable to it. Okay, stay here at the back, and dont approach Krampus, he said. Well take it from here. Basil leaped back into battle before his girlfriend could reply. He heard the roars of Rosemarine outside the hall and saw shes of fire through the snowstorm slipping into the room. The monsters outside had caught up to his allies. Meanwhile, Krampus had lost patience with his failed attempts at cracking Shellgirls shell. Enough of this! he snarled before opening his sack. To the naughty ce with you! He opened the sack, whose opening grew fangs like a mimic. It immediately swallowed Shellgirl in a single bite, much to Basils horror.
Shellgirl has been added to Krampus Inventory!
What? Basil red in shock at the notification. You cant add living people to an inventory! Thats illegal! Krampus can! the boss boasted as he turned around to face Basil. He put the sack on his back to free his hands for battle. Krampus once stored thirty thousand naughty kids in one night. Thirty thousand! Gritting his teeth angrily, Basil leaped with his halberd. Using it as a spear rather than an axe, he mmed into Krampus chest at high speed. His halberd impaled the fairy deep enough to hit a rib, and hard enough to send both of them stumbling back.
Supereffective hit! 604 [Lightning] damage!
Krampus snarled in rage as they rolled on the ground and through the hole that Rosemarine had left in the wall. They fell on ayer of snow in the courtyard outside. The freezing blizzard slipped into Basil and chilled him to his core, while his halberds lightning illuminated the dark night. There was one Dragonknight Perk Basil didnt have many opportunities to use before, and he was now close enough to try it. Dragonbreath! Basil exhaled, releasing not fire but a cloud of purple fumes. The corrosive smoke poisoned Krampus face, leaving scorch marks and skin rash all over his cheeks.
Supereffective hit! 81 [Corrosion] damage!
The Dragon Breath was weaker than the Elemental Orb, but since it cost no SP Basil could afford to spam it constantly. Why can I see the damage? Basil wondered. It almost never happened before.
Your Intelligence score and [Monster Insight] are sufficiently powerful to see Krampus health bar! Investing in your education paid off!
After having been mocked for his low intelligence score for months, the message filled Basil with immense satisfaction. Krampus gathered his breath and forced Basil to leap off him to avoid being frozen by his blizzard attack. The dragonknightnded on the snowy courtyard before swiftly surveying the area. The blizzard had buried the vampire castle under a thickyer of white snow. It melted around Bugsy, who had used his Heatriser Perk to coat himself in ayer of steam and mes. The Volcanipede was throwing magma bombs around while surrounded by scorched bones. His foes were the wendigos Basil had glimpsed previously. From up close, the monsters resembled a scary mix between a man and a deer. Their white fur was streaked with icy leaves embedded into their flesh while their antlers were made of bark branches rather than bone. They screeched with maws full of predatory fangs and red with red-rimmed eyes. Basil wondered how they would taste with salt and pepper. Cooking would have to wait until they won the battle. Basil counted almost a dozen wendigos, half of them struggling with Rosemarine at the other end of the courtyard. The tropidrake was crushing one underfoot while holding another in her maw, but the rest were biting her belly or punching her in the legs. Bugsy had better luck keeping them at bay, but numbers werent on their side. And worst of all, the world appeared to elerate around Basil. Once moving in slow motion, it returned to normal speed.
Your [Hasten] buff has run out!
I have to beat Krampus fast, Basil thought as he did some legwork and prepared to jump again. The Christmas Boss had gotten back to his feet too. Maybe I can free Shellgirl by ripping his sack open. Between his assault and those of his allies, the Bohens had removed nearly two-thousand HP from Krampus. A few more hits would finish him off. However, the difference in damage between the halberd-based Lightning attack and the breath-based Corrosion one meant that only the former could end the fight quickly. Without all of Basils weapon modifiers, unarmed techniques simply struggled to get past Krampus sheer bulk. His Vitality stat must have been through the roof. Krampus feels all toasty inside! Krampusined. From his slowed movement, his own buff had run out. He red at Basil, nced at his allies, and then pointed at the Dragonknight. Little Hell-pers! Spank that naughty boy! Three wendigos heard his call and turned to roar at Basil. You wont escape me, you giant goat! Basil leaped in the air again, ready to impale Krampus. He never got the chance. A wendigo jumped in the way at high speed and took the hit for his master.
Critical Hit! Supereffective hit!
Basils halberd bisected the wendigo in one blow and killed it instantly. At least they were all vulnerable to Lightning, like their master. The monsters sacrifice paid off however. Krampus scampered away from Basil to recover, and two wendigos surrounded him from both sides. Come on, Rudolf, dont be shy, Basil taunted them. He held his halberd with one hand and formed a fire Elemental Orb in the other. Youre all ending up on the menu tonight! The wendigos answered his challenge with a smile, and Basil immediately regretted tempting fate. Windspeed, the two monsters both said with all-too-human voices. The cold blizzard swirled around the two monsters. Their movements became a blur, their body all but merging with the snow flying around them. Basil cursed as they vanished in a blink faster than his eyes could follow.
The wendigos [Hastened] themselves!
So thats how it feels, huh? Basilined. Now he understood what his enemies had gone through when the Bohens ughtered them faster than the eyes could follow. A wendigo answered by punching him in the face at supersonic speed. Chapter 89: Man vs Gifts Chapter 89: Man vs Gifts Getting punched by a hastened cannibal weredeer hurt. The wendigos moved like lightning, hit harder than trucks, and were about as translucent as the wind itself. Even with the buffs provided by the Field and Kalkis distant music, Basil could hardly dodge half of their attacks. He waved his halberd around and fired an elemental orb, but hit only air. Basil hadnt realized just how much he relied on the Hasten buff in battle until now. With Vasi incapacitated, he had no way to renew the effect. Argh! Basil grunted as a wendigo bull rushed him. The monsters horns hit his chest with enough strength to toss a car over, sending him rolling back in the snow. His armor didnt crack under the pressure, but only barely.
Warning: you have lost a third of your HP!
Im outmatched in closebat, Basil realized. He leaped into the air and activated Double Jump, only for invisible hands to grab his ankle and throw him halfway across the courtyard. Basil barely managed tond on his feet as the two wendigos assaulting him closed the gap between them. Iming, Boss! Swiping away the wendigos surrounding him with a sweep of his tail, Bugsy pointed one of the craters on his back in Basils direction. Magma Bomb! His crater erupted like a volcano and fired a sphere of magma. The projectile hit the ground a few meters in front of Basil before detonating in a burst ofva. A fiery puddle of molten rock spilled over the ground, the sheer heat instantly vaporizing the snow into steam. Basil immediately noticed an invisible shape moving among the fumes at high speed. I got you now! Basil leaped in the air and impaled a now exposed wendigo through the chest. His halberd sliced the creature in half and killed it instantly.
Supereffective Hit! Critical Hit!
Inspired by Bugsys example, Basil activated his corrosive Dragonbreath and spread noxious fumes around him. The second wendigo, however, had learned from hisrades mistake. The creature fled at the toxic clouds approach to avoid having his movements tracked. These things are smarter than they look, Basil thought as he surveyed the battlefield. More of the monsters were ganging up on Rosemarine and Bugsy. As for Krampus, he was climbing the courtyards walls and well on his way to the castles roof. We need back-up. Basil swiftly sent a message to Kalki and to through the Logs feature to inform them of Krampus location. He then rushed to Rosemarines rescue, leaping in the air andnding on her back. Lets rumble, Basil told his tropidrake. He immediately sensed his Dragon Rider I Perk activate, letting him hang on to her back even as a wendigo attempted to pull him off to the ground. Charge on, Ill cover you! Yes, Mister! Rosemarine roared and charged across the courtyard, trampling any wendigo that hadnt yet hastened itself while Basil unleashed Fire Elemental Orbs from her back. Rosemarines invulnerability to mes allowed the projectiles to detonate in close proximity without harming her. Between Basil and Bugsy, the whole courtyard now resembled a sauna; even the cold blizzard couldnt keep up with them. Krampus, however, had climbed up all the way to a roof overseeing the courtyard. He red at the battlefield, searched inside his sack and brought out a spherical bomb. Heres your present! The fairy lord threw the bomb into the courtyard, and swiftly grabbed another from his sack before the first evennded. And heres yours! And yours! Take cover! Basil shouted at his allies before targeting a bomb with a fire orb. The two projectiles collided and exploded in a fiery detonation above the courtyard. Basil attempted to do the same with the others, but Krampus produced bombs faster than he could keep up with. Those thatnded on the ground exploded in volleys of ice shards. Bugsys Heatriser caused the projectiles to melt before they could even reach him, but Rosemarine was not so lucky. A few of them exploded in close proximity to the tropidrake and nailed her with ice shrapnel. Rosemarine shrieked in pain as the shards tore through her leaf-scales. Basil himself grunted as a projectile rebounded off his armor.
Krampus [Turbo: Frost] boosted his [Ice Present]s damage!
Warning: You have fallen below half health!
Mister, its cold! Rosemarineined. In spite of her immense bulk, a quick look at her status screen informed Basil that each bomb took off more than a tenth of her health. She wouldnt be able to resist them forever. I dont feel so good! Lets drag him from his nest! Basil pointed his halberd at Krampus. Bugsy, cover us! Bugsy answered by breathing searing mes near Rosemarine, shrouding her movements in fire and smoke. Basil felt his armor heating up, but distance let him avoid taking damage. With the wendigos retreating before the wall of fire, Rosemarine rushed at the courtyards walls and used it as a support to rise on her two back legs. Basil prepared to jump off her to reach Krampus, only for an invisible shape to leap through the smoke and straight at him. Basil barely had time to raise his halberd at the hastened wendigo before it hit the shaft with its horns. The blow was almost strong enough to knock him off Rosemarines backand it would have done so without his Dragon Rider Perk''s help. Get off me! Basil snarled as he tried to push back the wendigo. Rosemarine was unfortunately too small to reach Krampus on her own and vainly raised her hand at him to sweep him off the roof. Off I said! Basil unleashed his corrosive Dragonbreath and hit the wendigo straight in the face. The beast hissed in pain as it inhaled the noxious miasma, its white fur turning purple on contact and most importantly, making him visible.
Supereffective hit!
The wendigo attempted to leap off Rosemarine to escape a counterattack, but Basil managed to grab him by a horn with his free hand. Using all the superhuman strength he had umted across months of leveling, he pulled the wendigo towards himself and hit the beast in the face with his halberd. The monster survived the blow and thick ck blood sprayed from his skull as he violently brawled with Basil. Krampus threw a bomb at Rosemarines face, nearly causing the tropidrake to stumble. She miraculously managed to hang on to the wall, though Basil was too busy hacking at the wendigo to help her. Then the roof under Krampus cracked open. Basil was as surprised as the fairy lord as a golden serpent erupted from under the boss and swiftly coiled around him. Shesha let out a hiss as she wrapped herself around Krampus before biting him in the throat. It seemed to annoy the fairy lord more than it hurt him, but it did put an end to his bombing spree. As Basil finished off the wendigo, he looked up to see a giant bird flying through the blizzard right above his head. Kalki rode Garud with to behind him, still ying the flute over the howling wind. Kalki, to! Basil had never been so relieved to see the hippie again. Hes keeping Shellgirl in his sack! On it! Kalki had his bird of prey dive down at Krampus like an eagle. Garud grabbed the sack with his talons and took off with it. Unfortunately, Krampus wouldnt let it go. He refused to drop the sack, even as Shesha squeezed him tightly. Both were swiftly taken off the roof and floated over the courtyard. Not the naughty sack! Krampus growled as he desperately hung onto his bag. Mine, mine, mine! Drop it, you fat goat! Garudined. The bird was extremely powerful, but the scene reminded Basil of an eagle trying to lift a pig: as absurd as it wasical. Get him off me! Cant believe Im helping a bird, to answered. He leaped off the birds back,nded on Krampus head, and stabbed him in the face with Joyeuse. Dwarf tiger to the face! Argh! Surprised and hurt, Krampus finally let go of the sack and crashed to the ground. The boss, to, and Shesha ended up rolling together among boiling water and Bugsysva. Ah! It burns! The sack tore itself open in response and vanished in a shower of colored dust. Garud found himself holding a colorful mshell and the mimic inside. Shellgirl was back in the game. Enough of this! Krampus got back to his feet in the middle of the courtyard, holding Sheshas throat in one hand and lifting to like a kitten with the other. Both were swiftly thrown aside like bags of rocks. Krampus hates you! Ive saved a birds life! to managed tond on his feet, though Shesha hit the ground head-first. Look at what you made me do! Krampus hates Christmas! Finding himself alone, as his wendigos were either dead or had fled, Krampus pped his hands. A colorful candy rod as tall as Basil himself materialized in his hands. Krampus will sack everyst one of you!
Krampus brought the [Naughty Rod]! Fear the [Naughty Rod]! Every hit will be a critical one!
Basils armor would protect him from critical hits, as would Bugsys defensive Perks. The rest of the team, on the other hand Bugsy, lets engage him in melee. Everyone else stays at range. Basil nced at Rosemarine. You think you can take a few more hits in close quarters? Im strong, Mister! Rosemarine pleaded. I will eat his rod and his arm with it! Thats my girl. Basil was loath to do battle without Dragon Riders damage modifier. He cast Monster Cure to help Rosemarine recover her health and ordered a frontal assault. Forward! Rosemarine roared as she charged at Krampus like an elephant, followed closely by Bugsy. Basil raised his halberd to cut down the boss like a mounted knight of old. Hasten! Krampus side-stepped at high-speed, dodging Bugsys mandibles, Rosemarines fangs, and Basils weapon. He hopped behind the tropidrake And spanked her in the tail with his candy rod. The blow sent Rosemarine stumbling on her belly. The poor tropidrakended face-first on the ground with tears in her eyes. He spanked me, Mister Rosemarine whined, cowed by the treacherous blow. Krampus spanked me on the tail! You barbarian! Basil raised his halberd at Krampus with murder on his mind. I dont believe in spanking children! And that''s why they dont respect anyone these days! the fairy replied with a cranky voice. Krampus is bringing back the good old days! Here I go medieval then! Basil leaped at Krampus with his lightning-empowered halberd, jumping twice to strike from a diagonal angle. The boss saw iting and swiftly parried with his weapon. Candy shed with metal in a fearsome deadlock the world would remember forever. to, of course, exploited the opportunity tounch a sneak attack. He waved Joyeuse and sent a sharp de of air at Krampus. The boss pushed Basil back with a parry, deflected the de of wind with his candy rod and found himself open to Bugsys nking maneuver. The volcanipede threw a magma bomb straight at Krampus face. The boss couldnt react quickly enough, even while hastened. The projectile hit him in the chest and soaked him inva. His clothes burned, as did his hair. His beard turned into fireworks.
You have brought Krampus below half health!
Krampus butt is on fire! Krampus cursed. The howling blizzard answered his words by swirling around him like a cloak of snow. The winds were strong enough to push Basil and everyone else backward, but the fairys voice still carried over it. Krampus has had enough of this cursed job! All Krampus wanted was to punish naughty kids so they wouldnt grow up as rotten adults! Instead he is beaten by adventurers! Transgressed, vited, each year without rest! Why dont you just take a vacation then?! Basil shouted in annoyance. He could have done without this entire battle. The gods wont let Krampus take one! the fairy lordined. Krampusins all the time, but he is taken for granted! I wouldnt mind changing that, Kalki said with slight embarrassment. He seemed to have taken the remark personally. I swear, I will see what I can do Krampus was too bitter to listen to him. Curse you! Curse you all! I hope you all die of frostbite! And in a blink, he was gone as suddenly as he appeared. The fairy lord vanished in a cloud of snow powder without leaving a trace. The blizzard battering the castle calmed down into a harmless wind. Basil kept his guard up anyway, half expecting a sneak attack. Only when the System notification confirmed their victory did he finally rx.
Congrattions, you have driven off Krampus! You have been put off the naughty list and you will receive experience as if you had killed him!
Your party received 13,600,000 EXP (2,266,666 for you). You gained nine levels (total 63).
Nine? Basil blinked as he read the notification. The party had gained as many levels as they did from defeating Apollyon. Shellgirl had a point, events were awfully profitable. More importantly, they were one level short of essing the metamorphosis Rosemarine had unlocked by consuming Dionysus essence. Basil wondered how she would look afterwards. Monster Cure. Basil swiftly healed his allies, at least physically. Being spanked for the first time in her life had left Rosemarine cowed, and Shellgirl wouldnte out of her shellliterallywhen Garudnded her on the ground. Shellgirl, are you alright? It was horrible Shellgirls hideout opened just enough to let her traumatized eyes peek through. The candies the candies had faces, Partner on the inside Basil wisely decided not to ask for details. No other monsters attacked the castle for the rest of the night, and the group gathered around the Christmas tree to find its roots miraculously drowned under packaged gifts. Either Krampus had left them on his way out or, more likely, the System spawned them as soon as they got rid of the cranky fairy. Basil pitied whoever would have to face him next. Anyone want tea? Kalki asked as he kindly distributed drinks to his allies in the great hall. With the dungeon having swiftly repaired the damage done to the walls, the team enjoyed a well-earned warm evening near the chimney. Or hot chocte? Two hot chocte cups for me and mydy, please, Basil said with a smile. He rested in a chair with Vasi on hisp, his hands around his girlfriends waist. The witch hadnt said a word, but epted the hot chocte cup all the same. So, did you open your gift? I did, Kalki replied as he served his friend. He pped his hands and summoned a new item from his inventory: a mace with a rounded head, made of pure gold. It seems familiar to me.
Vishnu-Gada
Family: Weapon (Club/Mace).
Quality: A.
Power: +20 STR.
Crit: +10%
uracy: 60%
Effect 1: [AdvancedMastery: Hindu]: Followers and figures of the Hindu faith can wield this weapon with Advanced Proficiency (x2 damage, +10 crit) even if they do not possess the necessary Perks.
Effect 2: [Divine Authority]: Inflicts the [Charm] ailment on a critical hit.
Effect 3: [rity]: The wielder can cast a variant of [Intelligence Up] (Tier I spell, [Support], 10 SP) at will on themselves and others within sight; uniquely, the spell will not only buff Intelligence for five minutes, but also dispel all negative [Mind] effects and rted ailment.
Effect 4: [Unused Spot].
The sacred weapon of Vishnu, with which he has busted the skulls of many evildoers or beaten wisdom into the heads of fools. 22 carat, ept no substitute.
Very nice, Basil noted. Want me to upgrade itter with a rune? Perhaps, his friend replied with a warm smile. But let us dy work for tomorrow, shall we? I believe weve all earned a rest. Truer words have never been spoken. And what did you receive, my friend? Basil showcased him his gift: a pair of car keys seemingly made out ofputer circuits. From what the System tells me, its a Steamobile upgrade, he told Kalki. But Ive no idea what it does.
Your Intelligence score is not high
I know, Basil snapped at the System. His fifteen minutes of genius hadntsted. He could only hope that the upgrade would let his team reach Bulgaria quicker. Kalki, can you cast your spell on me? I need to cheat on my System exam. Tomorrow, my friend, Kalki promised with a tired wink. Tomorrow will be for work, tonight is for y. Basil chuckled and nced at the Christmas tree. Bugsy had prayed for an architecture kit to build new Lairs, and received something close: a magical Monopoly board game. The volcanipede had immediately set up the board, with Shesha, Garud, and to all ready to y. Boss, look! Bugsy drew a go to jail card, and a mini-prison of folded paper appeared on the appropriate tile. It looked disturbingly realistic. I can imprison figurines! Basil could hear muffled screamsing from the miniature jail. He wisely refused the call of capitalism. Ill join in for the next match after resting a bit. Suit yourself, Kalki replied as he took his ce among the yers. Basil would have expected Shellgirl to jump at the chance to participate, but the traumatized mimic had instead spent thest several minutes anxiously gazing at her gift; perhaps expecting to be disappointed. She finally mustered the courage to open the package by pulling off its ribbon. Her anxious expression swiftly turned to joy, as she uncovered her newest treasure: a red sphere of energy that the Bohens had grown quite familiar with over thest few months.
You have earned the [Essence of Santa us]!
Basil stared at the notification, dumbfounded. Santa is real? Santa was a god? Finally! Shellgirls sorrow turned to glee. My wish is granted! Are you sure that is good for your health? to askedzily while petting his new red mane. His Christmas gift had been a Simba costume that, besides a modest Charisma buff, only seemed to make him look like a mini-lion. Which, in tos case, was all that mattered. Its not even Greek! Youre breaking our teams theme! Dont care! Shellgirl replied while opening her mouth. Herees my ascension! Wait, wait! Basil pleaded, but toote. Shellgirl greedily swallowed Santa us in one bite. Shellgirl, you ate Christmas! And it tasted like chocte, Shellgirl replied with a satisfied smile.
Congrattions, Shellgirl absorbed the [Essence of Santa us]! She has unlocked a unique metamorphosis (minimum level required: 70).
Basil let out a sigh as he was forced to ept the situation. Shellgirl would have big boots to fill next year if they lived that long. Overall, almost everyone appeared satisfied with their gifts. The only one sulking so far was Rosemarine. She had wished for a gun and Santa us obliged by delivering a normal, human-sized gun. Her Fire Seeds tried to cheer up their creator the best they could, but Basil knew his tropidrake would sulk for the rest of the evening. Krampus had beaten Rosemarine the most out of everyone here, easily countered her usual strategy, and humiliated her. He had done his best to cheer her up, though she seemed too lost in her thoughts to listen. As for Vasi, she was starting to worry Basil. His girlfriend sipped her hot chocte without a word, staring at the fire as if she wanted to immte herself. Her own gifty unopened. Vasi, are you okay? Basil asked her while gently caressing her thigh. You havent even touched your gift. No, Im not okay. His girlfriend set her empty cup aside, leaned against Basil, and crossed her arms. He could tell from her scowl that her pride had taken a hit. One attack was enough to take me out of the fight. Without SP, Im useless. Youre a mage, thats always a risk, Basil pointed out. I took a beating without your buffs. Thats why we work as a team: to cover each others weaknesses. Vasi smiled thinly. I know you cant do anything without me, Handsome, she teased him. But I dont want to be a damsel in distress the moment I run out of Special Points. I need equipment to regenerate them quickly. Maybe your gift contains one. Basil kissed her on the cheek to warm her up. Come on, Im sure youll like it. Mmm Vasi smiled coyly. And what will you give me for Christmas, Handsome? Basil moved his lips to whisper into her ear. Youll find it under the bed sheet. You make an excellent case for an early nights sleep, Vasi mused. She grabbed her own gift box, which was no bigger than her fist, and opened it. Basil had expected a magical wand, maybe a potion recipe. Instead it turned out to be a letter written in anguage that he didnt understand. The words were runes of power charged with magical energy and radiated power; the seal signing it represented some kind of red dragon creature wearing a tiny crown. Vasi read the text once, then twice, then thrice again. Each time, her eyebrows furrowed deeper. Its a magical invitation to an interdimensional family gathering, she finally said. My name isnt mentioned for some reason, but the sender is. Why did she feel so tense in his arms? Does ite from your mom? No. Vasi bit her lower lip. From my dad. Chapter 90: Man vs Train Chapter 90: Man vs Train In the end, Basil enjoyed a Merry Christmas. The battle had ended without casualties, the food was goodthough wendigos tasted a bit too much like pork for his taste thoughthe gifts were mostly pleasant, and the Party yed Monopolyte into the night. Basil was almost sad to leave the Vampire Castle behind after making so many happy memories there. Almost. Your departure will be dearly missed, Master! Eddie prostrated himself at Basils feet as the Bohens finished filling the Steamobile with supplies. Your dear servant would love to join you in battle, but he shall dutifully garrison this humble fortress in your absence. Yeah, sure, Basil replied absentmindedly. And if you dont want me toe back, youre going to host any friendly adventurer or civilians youll meet. Good Eddie will take care of everything, do not worry! Basil had seen jelly monsters with a stiffer spine than this bloodsucker. At least his castle would make for an excellent base for his Guild in Eastern Europe or serve as a teleportation evacuation point in a pinch. With the Christmas eventpleted, the Party would travel non-stop until its next destination: Bulgaria. Returning to his homnd filled Basil with a sense of dread and excitement. He hoped his mother had survived so far; and woe to any dragon that would stand between them. Speaking of dragons, Basil had enough levels in reserve to cap his Dragonknight ss; which of course he did. He suppressed a grunt of pain and pleasure as magical power infused his bones and flesh, sharpening his senses and strengthening his mind. He felt a thrill greater than ever before, a rush of power unlike anything he had ever experienced; the power to y even the greatest of dragons.
Dragonknight levels 12 to 20 Stat Gains: +9 STR; +9 AGI; +4 VIT; +7 SKI; +4 MAG; +1 INT; +8 CHA; +5 LCK. You have gained 290 HP and 90 SP. You can now learn and cast up to ten spells.
Double Jump II (Passive): You can jump continuously while in midair, allowing you to fly. Additionally, the distance of your leaps is doubled and the damage of your Spear weapons is doubled while in the air.
Dragon Rider II (Passive): You gain perfect proficiency with riding creatures, but only those with the [Dragon] Type (+30% damage to attacks when mounted, you cannot be dismounted by anything unless you wish to be, your mounts Agility benefits from a perpetual buff, and you can direct your mount and attack without splitting your attention).
Dragonbreath II (Active): The power of your breath is increased to 90 base damage. Additionally, it has a 30% chance of inflicting an additional ailment based on its element. Element selected: [Corrosion]. Associated ailment: [Poison].
Dragoon II (Passive): You gain perfect proficiency with Swords, Spears and Shields (x3 damage, +30% Crit).
You have capped [Dragonknight] at level 20. You have earned the following Capstone Perk: [Wyrm Spirit]. You can also select one of your stats except for HP/SP; it will receive a one-time bonus chosen at random (maximum +6).
Wyrm Spirit (passive): Your determination to win at all costs is truly worthy of a dragon. Your attacks made with weapons, including your natural ones, increase in power equal to the percentage difference between your Max HP and current HP (so if reduced at half health, you will inflict 50% more damage). This modifier does not apply to Spells, but it affects Weapon Techniques.
Basil remembered that fateful day in Chteau Muloup, when his team took its first casualties. Orcines killer had used a powerful Perk called Revenge that increased the power of his attacks based on the difference between his maximum HP and his current amount. A few wounds had made that man powerful enough to kill his foes in a single blow. Wyrm Spirit wasnt as devastating as the other ability, since it was based on percentage rather than a t number bonus but Basil understood the potential application more than anyone. You look mncholic, dog, to said. He hadnt exited the Simba costume since yesterday. The red mane and yellow linen contrasted greatly with his tiger cub face, but Basil found it cute. Are you as disappointed as I was when I didnt be a smilodon? You look better without two toothpicks stuck in your mouth, to, Basil replied before assigning his extra stat points. He briefly hesitated between boosting his Strength even more and increasing his Intelligence for better System information before settling for thest option; improving Monster Insights chances to gather an enemys weaknesses would prove more useful than a tiny bit of extra power.
You have earned 6 INT points and 30 SP.
Basil summoned his halberd and did a few practice movements with it. Before, the System had allowed him to wield the weapon with expert mastery, but now he had be one with it. His halberd felt like an extension of his arm; a w of steel and fire. Basil swung it at a wall. The de cut through stone like air, without even slowing down. What was that for? to asked. Interior redecoration before we leave? You could have drawn a heart, Vasi mused. Good idea. Basil took the suggestion in stride and marked the stables walls with a message: B+V forever surrounded by a heart. Vasi smiled at this sign for posterity, but her grin didnt reach the eyes. The thought of meeting her sire weighed heavily on her mind. The transdimensional family gathering would happen on New Years Eve, so Vasi had a few days to decide whether she intended to attend it or not. Having grown up without a father, Basil understood his girlfriend might have mixed feelings about the whole thing. She needed a little time to process the news. Im going to hit really, really hard from now on, Basil said as he examined his halberd. Considering all the multipliers at work, it wouldnt surprise him that he might end up inflicting four-digit damage with passing strikes. Scalies, beware the wrath of Basil Bohen! Shesha hissed in response, but Kalki calmed her by petting the cobra on the head. We are ready to go, my friend, the bard told Basil. Do you want me to cast my spell on you before you use the car upgrade? Lets see if I can analyze it without help. Basil summoned the car keys from his inventory and checked. To his joy, the Intelligence investment had paid off.
Christine Keys
Family: Artifact (Consumable).
Quality: A
Single-use car keys imbued with the power to imbue any vehicle with life, turning them into a fully sentient monster with unique Perks. The resulting creature is loyal to its owner, but might develop a taste for manughter, highway robberies, and other funny activities. PS: keep away from rockets and self-propelled nukes.
Of all the upgrades Basil could have expected, a brain wasnt one of them. I can turn the Steamobile into a sentient monster with unique abilities. Nice! Shellgirl said with a grin. She had been in a fantastic mood since eating the spirit of Christmas, and seemed ready to take any suggestion with enthusiasm. The more the merrier! But we live inside the Steamobile! Bugsy panicked. Wouldnt it eat us if it became alive? Would the oven turn into a stomach? I dunno, Basil replied with a frown. I dont know much about sentient car biology. The keys will make it loyal to me, so I dont believe it would intentionally eat us. to nced at Basil, then at the giant cannon atop the Steamobile, and finally back at his best friend. Is it wise to give an artillery station on wheels a soul? the cat asked. I dont want to jinx it, but weve built the thing from Steamslime''s and Apollyons body parts. We might awaken some bad mojo. Thats Basil cleared his throat. Yeah, thats a good point. You received experience from both of these creatures, did you not? Kalki asked. He was met with short nods. Then their souls should have already reincarnated. Whatever spirit infuses this metal frame, it will be a new one entirely. Having self-propelled artillery would be good for us, Shellgirl pointed out. Currently we must man it ourselves when we want to shoot at someone. If this big baby barrel can work by itself, then we can all participate in battle. I could pull it twice faster if it helped me, Rosemarine added. Basil listened to all arguments, but it was Vasis that convinced him. We are short on time, Handsome, she said with a grim scowl. We have one week before the New Years System Event. We need to reach Bulgaria before that time, and unique Perks might help do that quicker for your mothers sake. When she put it that way Deciding the rewards were worth the risk, Basil applied the car keys to the Steamobile and waited for them to take effect. He didnt have to wait long. His Christmas gift melded into the vehicles metal frame. No obvious change happened at first. After a first few tense seconds, the exhaust ports and pipes of the vehicle let out a powerful burst of steam. The noise of grinding gears and mechanical pistons echoed in the stables. The engines let out a vivid, lifelike roar that shook the ground. The machines searchlights andmps activated all at once, turning to face the Bohens as if they were eyes. Its alive! to shouted. Its alive! The Steamobile answered with a fearsome wheel roar.
Congrattions, your [Steamobile] has be a sentient monster ([Artificial] Type)! [Steamobile] joined the [Homeowner Revenge Association] Guild!
[Steamobile] has unlocked the [Lair on Wheels] Hidden Perk!
Do you want to give a nickname to your new [Steamobile]?
Steve, Basil decided immediately. A clever wordy immediately came to mind. Steve Roadwonders. Jazzy. Fabulous. Trafficpliant.
Congrattions, your [Steamobile] has been renamed: Steve Roadwonders.
The machine let out a new burst of steam, which Basil took as a sign of appreciation. Steve, really? Vasi chuckled. Basil, one day well have to discuss your naming conventions. Ill do anything for you, Vasi, Basil replied with a smirk. But thats the one thing I wont budge on. Wee to the team, Mr. Steve. Bugsy greeted the awakened machine, although with slight apprehension. He must have still been worried about being eaten alive. Can you can you talk? The Steamobiles loudspeakers let out a terrible screech that caused all people present to wince. I dont suppose anyone has a voice modtor to sell? Shellgirl asked. Anybody? After checking that sentience hadnt turned the Steamobiles insides into intestines, the group left Vampire Castle without looking back. Although the vehicle didnt appear to have physically changed, Steve Roadwonders newfound sentience did make the journey through Romania quicker. Rosemarine did the lions share of pulling it on the road, but the machine perfectly adapted its wheels configuration and speed to match her steady pace. Without having to support the vehicles full weight, the tropidrakes speed nearly doubled. At this rate, they should reach the Wachia region by nightfall and Bucharest by tomorrow. The Bulgarian frontier would be a stones throw away afterward. Basil spent the trip riding Rosemarine while Vasi and Kalki scouted ahead. He alternated between watching the beautiful Romanian countrysidethe forests and hills looked joyfully beautiful under ayer of snowand checking his new allys abilities. Name Steve Roadwonders (Steamobile) Type Artificial Faction Homeowner Revenge Association Experience 4,094,266/4,200,000 Immune Resist Weak All ailments, Critical Hits. Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Fire, Earth, Lightning. Artiyer, Wood, Water. Level Health Points Special Points 63 8660 2800 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 110 (S+20%) 130 (S+20%) 120 (S+20%) 78 (A+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 60 (D+20%) 20 (E+20%) 40 (D+20%) 40 (C+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - - Strong Strong Weak Weak Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Weak Strong - - Strong Strong - - Passive Perks Active Perks Oppressive Gehenna Cannon Road Warrior Shell Rain Juggernaut Fury Road Manughter Speed Burst Improvement Road Hazard Lair on Wheels Self-Repair
Passive Perks:
  • Oppressive: Steve Roadwonders mojo intimidates opponents. Enemies hearing or seeing Steve Roadwonders will suffer a Strength and Charisma debuff if they possess a lower charisma than the Steamobile.
  • Road Warrior: Steve Roadwonders takes no damage from Traps, Weather, and Field effects.
  • Juggernaut: Steve Roadwonder is immune to critical hits and Ailments. Supereffective hits have their effectiveness reduced to x2 instead of x3.
  • Manughter: The power of all [Physical] attacks is doubled, will ignore Resistance, and will inflict a Manyer effect (x3 damage against Humanoids).
  • Improvement: As a mobile weapon tform, Steve Roadwonders cannot undergo metamorphosis. However, the Steamobile can gain new Perks by incorporating new technology into its frame.
  • Lair on Wheels: Steve Roadwonders can be his own Lair and equip himself with Lair features. All members of Steve Roadwonders Party, Guild or Faction benefit from the features when in close proximity to him.
Active Perks:
  • Gehenna Cannon: [Metal], [Lightning], 250 SP. Steve Roadwonders unleashes a powerful beam of energy from his main cannon (500 base [Lightning]/[Mythic] damage). The beam is a magical attack.
  • Shell Rain: [Metal], [Fire], 100 SP. Rains down an artillery bombardment (base damage 200, [Fire]/[Metal]).
  • Fury Road: [Support], [Ailment], 40 SP. Steve Roadwonders can apply the [Berserk] status to himself for five minutes, ignoring his own Ailment immunity. In this state, besides the usual bonus of the ailment, Steve Roadwonders has all of his physical stats buffed.
  • Speed Burst: [Physical], [Support], 100 SP. Steve Roadwonders ramps up his speed, inflicting heavy [Physical] damage (base power 130) to anything in his path; additionally, he will receive a buff to [Agility] for five minutes.
  • Road Hazard: [Corrosion], [Metal], [Earth], [Fire], [Ailment] 100 SP. Steve Wonders releases a set of road hazards in his wake: poisonous spikes (30 [Corrosion] damage, 10% chances to inflict [Poison]), iron spikes (50 [Metal] damage), and sharp rocks (50 [Earth] damage), and sticky bombs (-20% [Agility] unless removed, 50 [Fire] damage once countdown ends).
  • Self-Repair: [Support], 0 SP. As an unliving machine, Steve Roadwonders cannot benefit from normal healing spells nor recover HP/SP naturally. However, self-repair systems will let it regain 1/16th of max HP/SP for 5 minutes; Steve Roadwonders cannot use offensive Perks during the repair period.
All in all, the Steamobile was as powerful as its exterior would suggest. Basil wouldnt be able to bring it to missions that required subtlety, but its sheer strength would make it a boon on the open road. It had even developed a good taste for music. Steve spent the whole trip ying a series of soul, jazz, and funk songs over the loudspeakers. The music didnt quite fit the look of the Romanian countryside, but proved entertaining nheless; especially since Rosemarine wouldnt sing for once. Her behavior was starting to worry Basil. The tropidrake delighted in bloodthirsty tales and chirpy anecdotes, yet she barely spoke during the trip. Rosemarine, are you alright? Basil asked. Is something on your mind? Im okay, Mister, Rosemarine replied without truly meaning it. She hesitated for a short while before finding the courage to speak up again. Can I ask you a question? Of course, Darling. Have I been a naughty kid? Basil opened his mouth to reassure her, but then he remembered all the violence, the blood, the devouring Naughtiness is a question of point of view, Rosemarine, he replied evasively, trying to reassure her. Its all about context. But Im the only one who has been spanked and my gift was tiny, sheined. Havent I been nice all year long? Ive eaten everyone who talked back to us! It seemed Krampus had spanked Rosemarine hard enough to make her reconsider her whole life. Basil wasnt certain how to answer. He loved Rosemarine and supported her unconditionally; in fact, he found her gentle, innocent bloodthirst quite endearing. He had scolded her a few times when she threatened to go after humans or cross certain lines, but he had always done it with a gentle touch and never asked too much of her. He didnt want her to grow like the nt she was, not to wither away in unhappiness. That, and Basil had no idea how to raise a child. He never had one. But he could tell Rosemarine hade to him for answers today. She had grown mature enough to understand her behavior might not be the best in all circumstances, that reality was moreplicated than single-minded ughter. As much as Basil wanted to reassure Rosemarine that nothing was wrong and indulge her a good parent should help his child broaden their mind. Only then could they reach greater wisdom and happiness. There is more to niceness than eating our enemies, Rosemarine, Basil replied wisely. Niceness means helping people too, without expecting anything in return. How so, Mister? Rosemarine looked away from the road to nce at her Tamer. We rescued viges and salted the earth with bones! What I mean is that you can help without killing anyone, Basil said, trying to find the right words for his childish tropidrake. Like, say, your fruits. When Springes, you could share them with hungry people without expecting a reward. You might even appreciate it yourself. Rosemarine considered his words before asking the only question that mattered. So if I am nice to strangers and give them fruits all year long, I will have a good gift for Christmas? Basil wasnt so certain, but he told Rosemarine what she needed to hear. Yes. I understand now! Rosemarines gloom was dispelled immediately like snow in the summer sun. Her cheery disposition returned in full force. I will sow fields with our foes blood and give the harvest to orphans! Thats the spirit, Basil replied as he petted her on the back. He couldnt exin why, but he had the feeling good things woulde out of this discussion. to leaped out of the Steamobile and jumped on Rosemarines back. That was a philosophical discussion worthy of my namesake, the cat deadpanned. Are you going to write a book about it? Of Niceness and Naughtiness? Stop being mean, to, Basil replied with an amused look. Its still December 25th. You cant fathom how much Im holding back. to sat next to his best friend. Yo dog, Shellgirl contacted the boys in France. They should send us a vocal synthesizer to help us understand the big steelie. The Steamobile answered with a cloud of steam and a happy train noise. Thats good, Basil replied before squinting at to. His Simba costume was already starting to smell. to, you should really wash your clothes. Never. Im never taking it off! to cleared his throat. Look at this power! This supreme power! The Rakshasa Kitten took a deep breath. Whereas he could only muster a cute meow or adorable cry, the sound that came out of his mouth was now the mighty roar of a lion king. It was as if someone had prerecorded Mufasas voice and ced it in tos throat. Basil waited for a buff to arrive but nothing happened. Wait, thats all? he asked. Is the voice change purely cosmetic? Of course not. The effect is very simple. to buffed his chest. You will never mock my meowing again! Basil rolled his eyes. Vasi would be most unhappy; she was very fond of tos cries. Kalki, who had been scouting ahead on Garuds back, flew back to Basils position. Fliers to our south, Basil, he warned. Old foes are afoot. Basil half-expected the Apocalypse Force again as he unstored his binocrs from his Inventory. He might have even preferred them to what he observed in the distance: familiar floating metal orbs with a single eye exploring the countryside. They presented little to no danger to Basils party, but they heralded theing of a far greater threat. The Unity had deployed scouts past the Bulgarian frontier. Chapter 91: Man vs Error Chapter 91: Man vs Error They found Bucharest turned to stone. Basil was almost used to the sight of petrified men and women. Every city invaded by the Unity ended up with a new statue park to artificially keep worldwide levels as low as possible. But it was the first time Basil encountered petrified buildings. The Bohens had reached Bucharest after ying a few dozen Unity Watchers on their way. The creatures were level 2, not even a threat by now. Basil assumed they had been scouts, but when they found Romanias capital in ruins, he realized they were instead stragglers and survivors. The citys outskirts were littered with destroyed gearsmen and the leftovers of a great battle. In its heyday, Bucharest had been Paris without the ws. The neossical architectural style of many buildings was simr between the two cities, but Romanias capital was no overpopted ant hill crumbling under the weight of its own poption. Great green parks helped its streets and boulevards breathe. Communist megalomaniacal projects like the colossal Parliament House stood side-by-side next to ancient cathedrals and the delightful Ateneul Romn. Bucharest was a center of the arts, of culture, a melting pot of the past and the future. So many great artists andposers had performed in its marble halls. Bucharest had been a city of the young, of songs and renewal; so to walk its silent streets filled Basils heart with mncholia. The petrified frames of gearsmeny broken inside parks of stone trees and granite grass. Teams of armored warriors, cloaked wizards, and fearsome gunslingers stood frozen in the streets, their victory forever denied to them. The steel frame of buildings and concrete city blocks had all turned into the purest stone. This is so sad, Kalki whispered as he touched the cheeks of an embracing couple. A man and woman of stone held each other in grim resignation, their eyes looking straight at the city center. What happened here? I dont know, Basil replied. The group had split into smaller teams to cover more ground and look for survivors. He and Kalki explored the eastern side of town, with Garud and Shesha having left to survey the sky and check the sewers respectively. Ive never seen anything like this. The Unity usually stops at petrifying people, not houses and trees. Their machines have been frozen as well, Kalki noted. Friendly fire? Across an entire city? Basil scratched the back of his head. Did they misfire a nuke of their own? Garud chose this moment to return from his reconnaissance flight, while Shesha erupted from the pavement. The snake shook dirt off her scales before hissing at Kalki. Shesha says were the only people left in the city, Kalki tranted. Neither she nor Bugsy found anything underground. Whatever turned the city to stone also affected its sewer system. I found statues of pigeons too, Garud said. From how they looked, they must have been petrified while flying and fell out of the sky. A st then, Basil guessed with a scowl. Damn, they really did use a nuke of some kind and here I thought General Lenc might have jumped the gun when he gave me one. Speaking of the French, Basil soon received a notification from his Logs. He opened it and a holographic video screen widened before his eyes. Basil. Benjamin Leroy, former programmer of Dismaker Labs and incarnation of Pluto, stared back through the screen. His red-rimmed eyes were ckened by fatigue and contrasted greatly with his pallid skin. Basil noticed two armed guards in the background, ready to gun their prisoner down at the first opportunity. Its been a while. How are you doing that? Basil asked. Im limited to chat messages with everyone else. Ex-moderator privileges, Benjamin replied evasively. Are you in Bulgaria yet? No, but were close to the Danube Bridge. One of the two that linked Romania to Bulgaria. How about you, Benjamin? Is everything good in Paris? I am under constant surveince in aputerb with even less freedom than a North Korean ve, but otherwise I am fine. Officer Elissalde is of pleasantpany, and Im growing strangely fond of her talking hounds. d youre making friends, Basil replied. Considering the mans unstable state of mind, he truly needed emotional support from others. Anything I can help you with? Ive received word that you were looking for a voice modtor or trantor for one of your monsters. Yeah, we cant understand Steve otherwise. Benjamin squinted. Steve? Our car, Basil exined. Benjamin paused for a few seconds as he processed the answer. Didnt you install loudspeakers on it? We did, Basil confirmed. He can y music quite well. But then he should be able to vocallymunicate with you, Benjamin insisted. I created the trantion program myself. All monsters thoughts and intents are tranted into anguage that the listener understands, even when they do not possess the physical attributes required for speech. Well, your program isnt perfect, Basil replied. We cant understand Shesha either. All I hear when she talks are hisses. But thats Benjamin frowned in confusion. That shouldnt be possible. Basil turned to Kalki and his allies. Shesha, can you talk to this man? The golden cobra responded by hissing at the holographic screen, much to Benjamins confusion. The man scowled behind the screen, his surprise swiftly turning into worry. Benjamin? Basil asked. I need to go, the programmer said. Ille back to you shortly. He abruptly cut the connection without exnation. Charming, and so very reassuring, Basil deadpanned. He is sounding better than before, Kalki noted. He materialized a ss bottle filled with white liquid from his inventory, removed the cork, and let Shesha drink from it. His mental health is improving. It said something about Benjamin Leroy that a de facto prison sentence under armed escort had been the best way to rehabilitate him. Still, Basil was hopeful. The former Dismaker Labs programmer had a lot to atone for, but he was putting in the work to redeem himself. That counted for something. Is that a milk bottle? Basil asked as he observed his friends. Yes, its Sheshas Christmas gift, Kalki exined. It magically never runs out and the milk is quite nutritious. Basil realized he should have better worded his question. Why a bottle of milk? Because Shesha likes milk, Kalki replied with a smile, as if it exined everything. His cobra responded by sipping from the bottle in a way that looked strangely Freudian. She never had a mother, you understand? Basil did not, but he politely nodded not to offend anyone. He turned to Garud next. And what was your Christmas gift? An umbre, the giant bird replied. And to prove it, Kalki summoned one from his inventory. It looked woven with gold rather than fibers, and apparently protected the user from weather effects from what Basil could see, but otherwise, it looked utterly underwhelming. An umbre? Basil repeated, slowly processing the word as if it were a foreign one. Have you ever tried to fly under the rain, human? Garud replied with a grunt. Trust me, this umbre will save lives one day. Basil suddenly realized that Kalkis band was almost as entric as his own, and that he should simply go along with the flow. He patted Garud on the shoulder with a short nod and asked no more questions. Afterward, the group gathered in Bucharests old town area, which appeared to have been the epicenter of the petrification st. The famously beautiful Lipscani Street had turned into a pile of rubble, at the center of whichy the wreckage of a truly colossal gearsman. In fact, Basil mistook its hand for a house at first. A giant, cyclopean robot more than fifty-meters tall had copsed on its back and onto the street, crushing unlucky restaurants and neossical buildings under its weight. Statues of Romanian soldiers surrounded the wreckage alongside stone artillery pieces. Stranger monsters like reptilian humanoids and alien spiders the size of elephants weremon in the area. Some of thetter even had wings. Im d we didnt have to fight these things in Paris, to noted from atop one of the giant arachnids. Bugsy, Rosemarine, and Shellgirl overturned the rubble in search of survivors or supplies, while Vasi walked over the giant gearsmans ruptured chest. At least Apollyon stuck to wasps and beetles. Mister, why is a bug trying to eat a robot? Rosemarine asked as she found a petrified arachnid in the middle of tearing apart a smaller gearsman. Can I do it too? I wouldnt rmend it, Rosemarine, Basil replied. As for why Im starting to think this disaster must have happened during thest Incursion. That would make sense, Kalki concurred with a nod. The Unitys troops must have poured through the portal alongside monsters hostile to them. The big bot must have been the boss then, Shellgirl said. From the explosion and cut marks on the rock frame, the adventurers in Bucharest had brought down the colossus before sting open its chest. Vasi, my dear, what do you see up there? A fractured runic core, Vasi replied back from atop the colossus. I think it must have been booby-trapped. When the locals brought it down, the machine unleashed a pulse that petrified everything in arge radius in ast-ditch effort to defeat them. These sore losers! Bugsyined with a sneer. They didnt even spare their own troops! Since Unity Watchers could petrify any creature with a lower level, a high-level gearsman giant should have no problem doing the same with arge poption. If that monster had been as powerful as Apollyon, then no one could have resisted the st. Considering how it affected buildings, it might even have bypassed immunity to Petrification. Basil supposed it made a twisted amount of sense to equip a high-level gearsman with such a devastating weapon. Anyone capable of destroying such a colossus was a threat to the rest of the Unity; petrifying the winners meant soldiers couldeter to harvest their experience. Can we salvage anything? Shellgirl asked Vasi. Yes, rocks, the witch replied as she gracefully climbed down from the colossus to join the rest of the team. Everything has turned to stone, and the petrification effect is too powerful for me to lift. I cant turn these poor people back to normal, let alone metal pieces. Then well set up air with a teleportation ring in the area, Basil decided. Zachariel and other medics will cure the poption. Kalki crossed his arms, his expression somber as he observed the fallen colossus. This isnt good at all, he said. If the Level Barrier has grown weak enough to let this metal abomination through, then more will follow. The thought of one of these giants rampaging across Bulgaria filled Basil with dread. Unlike the likes of Apollyon, machines could be mass-produced. How many of these creatures did the Unity keep on standby? A new notification from Benjamin popped up in his Logs. Would it be too much to ask for good news? Basil thought as he opened it. The holographic visage of Benjamin appeared before him with the look of a doctor about to announce that yes, the illness was cancer. Basil, he said. I have bad news. For a change Whats up, Ben? Ive run a scan of the neurotowerwork and where should I start Benjamins expression turned mncholic, as if reminiscing about some great work he was no longer proud of. The Trimurti System is a wondrous thing, a cosmic phenomenon summoned to our reality by our technology. But no human design is perfect. Maxwell and I did our best to debug everything before theunch, but some minor errors slipped through. Like inconsistencies in the trantion program? Basil guessed. It sounded quite minor as far as errors went, but Benjamins subdued reaction told him the situation was grimmer than it looked. Its getting worse, isnt it? Yes, Benjamin replied bluntly. Do you remember what I told you in Paris? That I couldnt destroy all the neurotowers without endangering the entire System? Basil clenched his jaw. But you kept damage to a minimum. We did we did. Benjamin sighed. But minimum damage is still damage. With thest incursion, the Level Barrier is low enough to let monsters as dangerous as Apollyon through. The Trimurti System has never been so well-fed in terms of powerful souls, but this also means a greater bandwidth to deal with. These two elements stress a faulty infrastructure that no longer functions at peak capacity. Basil didnt need twenty years of programming work under his belt to understand the implications. The Trimurti System, the cosmic machinery that held Earth in one piece, was starting to bug. And then theres the Unity, Benjamin continued. From what I see, they are using their manufactured neurotowers in an attempt to hack therger System. If they seed, they might gain enough influence over it to rival Maxwells privileges and trigger Incursions at will. In the short-term, theyre disrupting the bandwidth and automated processes. The group exchanged worried nces and a tense, short silence stretched between them. Vasi cleared her throat and asked what was on everyones mind. What will be the consequences? In the short term, some monsters will be generated with the wrong Perks or abnormalities, Benjamin exined. Spells might asionally misfire. Eventually, error-riddled areas will be deleted by the System. Wait, wait, what do you mean by deleted? Shellgirl asked in panic. Exactly what the word implies, Benjamin replied darkly. Bugged areas will be erased to preserve soul energy bandwidth and safeguard therger cosmic infrastructure. The more he listened, the more Basil found himself ncing at the giant crater in front of him and the gearsman at its center. The neurotowers power had terraformed the entire by now. Each speck of dust, every lifeform on Earth, had been touched by the Systems influence by now. How do we stop the decay? Basil asked. We cant. After marking a short, heavy pause, Benjamin tried to soften the blow. I need time to find a fix. The best we can do for now is stabilize the Trimurti System. Start by destroying all Unity neurotowers you can find. Itll be easier to debug the originals without the dragons inferences. Ill do what I can, but most of their neurotowers are up there. Basil pointed at the moon above their heads. Unless you have SpaceX on standby, going full Apollo 11 will be difficult. Portals could do the trick, Vasi suggested with a grim look. She didnt believe in her own proposal. But we would need an archmage of immense power Wait, I have an idea! Bugsy raised a pincer like a child asking for a teachers attention. The holomachine! What about Basil stopped mid-sentence as he caught on to Bugsys idea. Oh right, it was trying to connect to the Unityswork when we first activated it! Thats what I was thinking, Boss, Bugsy confirmed with a nod. I dont understand much aboutputers, but maybe we can use ours to sabotage the Unity? Holomachine? Benjamin asked with a befuddled look. Its a gaming and training device a Unity dragon kindly gave us posthumously, Basil told Benjamin. It uses gems to run programs. I use it to learn new spells all the time, Vasi added. Can you forward me one of these gems through the Guild Inventory? Benjamin asked. Basil did so, and the programmer blinked on the other line. My minion cant possibly be this cute!? Vasi shuddered. You really dont want to y that game. Ill take you at your word, Benjamin replied with a sharp nod. Yes, I see how it works. Its aplex piece of data processing, but not one beyond my understanding. Basil smirked ear to ear. You can hack the Unity through the holomachine? Of course not, Benjamin snorted, dashing Basils hopes. There is no way I can ess military instations through a gaming console. If theyre smart enough to build robot armies, then our enemies will have partitioned theirwork to prevent that kind of attack. Aww Bugsy lowered his head in disappointment. I thought I was onto something You are, Benjamin replied, much to Bugsys surprise. What matters is that we now understand how the Unitys ess points work. Im almost certain they use these gems as chips. All their gearsmen possess runic corestones, Vasi pointed out. Could this be the same technology? Almost certainly. Benjamin nodded sharply. Its highly probable that the Unitys neurotowers use simr ess ports as this holomachine. Unlike us, they will want to tune and update their machinery manually. So whats the gig? Shellgirl asked. I can modify the gem you sent me and turn it into a viral vector. If you can integrate it into a Unity neurotower, I should be able to infiltrate theirwork. Well see how we can proceed from there. It sounded like a risky n, but Basil was used to them by now. A System notification appeared before him to confirm it could work.
New Quest: Mooooonwreckers!
Rmended Level: 70+
Objective: If only people knew the power of the dark side (of the Moon)! It is up to you to make sure the Unity learns of it first-hand. Find a way to destroy the factions lunar stronghold, wreck their global ambitions, and return to Earth in one piece.
Reward: 7,630,000 Bonus EXP + [Moon Shield].
Lets go, Basil told his team. Were a few hours and one bridge away from my homnd. The dragon hunt was on. Chapter 92: Man vs Homeland Chapter 92: Man vs Homnd After many years of wandering, home was in sight. It is said that at the dawn of history, when God created the world, He gave each piece of the world to the tribes of men, Basil addressed his flock of believers. They had stopped on the Danube Rivers shore half an hour away from the bridge that would lead them into Bulgaria proper. To some, He offered the mountains, to others the seas shore. When He had assigned everyone their due, onest person arrived; a farmer. When God berated him for histeness, the man answered that he had spent all his day humbly sowing fields to feed his own. God was merciful, but He had already given away all pieces of thend; so He took a piece of Heaven and brought it to Earth. The farmer looked upon the most beautiful country in the world, and called it Basil dramatically waved his hand at thend beyond the Danube River. Bulgaria! Its a beautiful story, Boss, Bugsy said with tears in his eyes. Is it a real one though? to asked mirthfully. Seems embellished to me. It is true to me, and thats all that matters, Basil replied proudly. There are so many ces Ill have to show you. R, Sofia, Kaliakra, Varna Kalki smiled demurely. Must be nice to return to your roots. Basil frowned upon realizing his error. Kalki was an amnesiac with no past of his own, much to his frustration. Im sorry, Basil apologized. I didnt mean to sound insensitive. It is fine, my friend. I am not so thin-skinned. Kalki brushed off the subject. What is our n of action now? This river is far toorge and too deep for us to cross on foot. Well use the Danube Bridge, Basil said. The Soviets had called it the Friendship Bridge like so many others across the worlda stunning show of imagination by their standardsand though it was but one potential crossing point among many, it was one of fewrge enough to let the Steamobile ride on it. Afterwards, well go to my hometown of Varna. The Unity attacked it ording to General Lenc, so we can expect resistance on the way. Varna was also his mothersst known location; it might have sounded selfish, but Basil wanted to ensure her safety before dealing with the Unity. If the dragons had gotten to her first, then the following rampage would make Kill Bill look tame. Well move in attack formation, Basil decided. Vasi, Kalki, and Garud scout ahead. to and I will ride Rosemarine. Bugsy, Shellgirl, Shesha, you stay atop Steve to provide long-range support. Well buff up at the first sign of a gearsman. I cant wait to see you in action, babe, Shellgirl told the Steamobile as she patted the metal frame. You and I are going to shower them, and not with gold. Steve answered with a roar of its engines and a cloud of steam. The team moved in position without wasting time, though Vasi remained behind a bit longer. Here. Vasi presented a belt to Basil. It was rtively simple, a ring of leather bound by a metal piece representing a winged bear. A little gift Ive crafted for you on the way from Bucharest. I love it, Basil replied without even asking about its effect. He put it around his waist. It meshed well with his armor and the Pth cloak. Looks great. Its a Hastened Belt, Vasi exined with a proud smile. It allows you to cast the Hasten spell on yourself three times per day before a recharge. It shoulde in handy if Im incapacitated. Her pride still hadnt recovered from the Krampus fiasco. Basil guessed she wanted to show it wouldnt happen again; his girlfriend might not show it too often, but she could be adorablypetitive in her own way. She didnt take failure well and strived to improve constantly. Thats kinda funny, Basil said. I have something for you too. Vasi raised an eyebrow as he summoned an item from his inventory: a shining silver ring encrusted with blue crystals. Ive asked Shellgirl to mobilize our merchants to look for a specific item, Basil exined. And guess what? They managed to find what I was looking for. Are you offering me an alliance ring? Vasi chuckled coyly. Has our rtionship progressed so far already? Its a bit too early for it, Basil mused. He very much loved his girlfriend, but whirlwind courtships rarely ended well. They had agreed to take things slow, to know each other the right way. Its an SP Storage Ring. You can stock up to five hundred Special Points and use them to regenerate your reserves in a pinch. Vasi chuckled. I asked for an SP regenerating item yesterday, and you found one in twenty-four hours? You deserve nothing but the best, Basil replied charmingly. My, such a gentleman. Vasi presented her left hand with a sly grin. Ill let you put it around my finger. Basil obeyed hisdysmand; slowly, softly, and gently. The silver ring looked good on her dark purple skin, yet he felt her hidden uneasiness when he touched it. Whats on your mind? Basil asked his girlfriend in concern. Basil, I Vasi took back her hand and cleared her throat. Im not sure Ill go to the family meeting, Basil would have lied if he had said it didnt surprise him. He would have been anxious too. Are you certain? What am I going to say? Vasi asked with a forced smile. Hey Dad, Im the daughter youve never met. Youve missed the first two decades of my life, but I hope we can reconnect without all that pesky child support getting in the way? It will be ufortable at best and a scene at worst. Basil knew enough about jerk dads to provide some advice. Vasi, you know the correct way to spell my name in Bulgarian would be Vasil, not Basil? Oh? It amused her. We should be thankful that your parents decided on an umon spelling. Conversations would have been awkward for us otherwise. My mother fought not to give me my current name, Basil confirmed. Basil is actually Greek in origin, and not very popr in Bulgaria. Vasi raised an eyebrow. Why is that? One of our most reviled figures is Basil II of Constantinople, nicknamed the Bulgar yer. You dont get a nickname like that one for opening orphanages. Basil sighed. My mother wanted to go with Vasil, but my father insisted on Basil. I got picked on at school over it, because children are cruel and adults dont care. On the plus side, it had taught Basil that you could get farther in life with kind words and a hard punch than with kind words alone. Thats awful, Vasi said with a frown. Why did your father make such a choice? Because Dragan Bohen was a dick who thought it funny to give his son a controversial name, Basil replied bluntly. He was a drunk, a cheat, and a loser. I dont miss him. But at the end of the day he was still my father, you know? He took me fishing every so often, and sometimes he would do nice things like buy me candy. I do have some good memories of him buried under all the shit. Vasi crossed her arms. What are you hinting at, Handsome? You dont choose your family, but its still a part of you, Basil said. Yeah, maybe going to that gathering wont be pleasant. Most probably. But if you dont go, youll live with that gnawing feeling of doubt and leaving something unfinished. Like a book youve never learned the ending from. Vasi scowled. Meeting my father would at least give me closure. Thats what youre implying. Yes, Basil answered with a nod. I mean, if it goes badly, at least youll know that branch of your family is made up of jerks you shouldnt bother with. Itll be a bittersweet ending, but an ending all the same. His girlfriend mulled over his words without answering. Dont get me wrong, Ill support you whatever you decide, Basil said. I just dont want you to regret anything. Vasi gave him a sharp look. Are there things you regret never saying to your father? Basil sighed. Yes. I see. Vasi smiled thinly. Thanks for your advice, Handsome. Ill think about it. Afterward, she kissed him on the cheek and took flight on her broomstick. Basil climbed atop Rosemarines back with to as she pulled the Steamobile along the shore of the Danube River. The group advanced through empty fields retaken by trees and nature. The twilight sun was setting beyond the horizon, heralding the fall of night. The clouds were red in the sky, though no dungeon-fueled aurora polluted them for once. They soon should reach the Romanian city of Giurgi and its Bulgarian counterpart, Ruse. Thetter was home to an industrial area. Basil didnt know how the System could have changed it. Would its factories churn out war machines now? Or had a sea of sand drowned the city like Paris? He wouldnt have to wonder for long. The shape of a colossal bridge slowly appeared in the distance; linking the shores of the Danube with its thick metal frame. So close How do you feel, buddy? to asked Basil. Somewhere between peachy and excited, Basil deadpanned. Dog, Ive listened to your rambling for years. I know more about Bulgaria than any other cat in the world. to shrugged. Yet you preferred to stick to France. I dont buy your peachy disposition. Cant hide anything from you, eh? Basil let out a sigh. To be honest with you, I feel conflicted, I guess? Its been years since Ive left. Youre afraid everything will have changed in the meantime? to asked wisely. Or that it hasnt changed? Im not afraid, Im worried, Basil countered. Bulgaria has survived things I wouldnt wish on anyone, but its always possible for things to worsen. What happened in Bucharest I hope we wont see it again in Varna or Ruse. He didnt want to find his homnd in ruins. Basil had considered Rens house his home for a while, and it had been one until the Apocalypse Force burned the ce to cinders. But as he gazed upon the verdant shores on the other side of the Danube River, he realized no walls of stones could rece his homnd in his heart. A seed carried by the wind cannot forget the tree it sprang from. Humans were no different. Yes, he had oftenined about Bulgaria in the past. His country wasnt perfectwhich one was?with itsws only applying to little people, the whole mafia issue, the drunk driving, the poverty, the dead journalists now and then but at the end of the day, Bulgaria was beautiful in spite of all these issues. Its people were his birth tribe in a way. He wanted them to be safe, to survive through the apocalypse, ande out stronger than before. Hey, Basil, dont be a downer, to reassured him. Even if we find cities turned to stone, we can make them right. When I evolve, I will heal everyone that you like, Mister, Rosemarine chirped. And I will eat the rest! Feet first, so they can see me chewing them! Thanks, darling, Basil replied as he patted her on the head. I appreciate the sentiment. He did wonder what she would look like with one more level. Something both nice and mean? Would she grow wings like so many other dragons? to squinted at the Danube River. Im not sure she can digest metal. Basil didnt even need to ask him what he meant. Vasi floated above him and shouted a warning. I see Unity watchers patrolling the other shore, she warned. And gearsmen in Ruse. And like that, Basils hopes to find his homnd in one piece fell apart. The situation became all the clearer as they approached the bridge. Basil picked out his binocrs to get a better view of it. The Bulgarian shore remained an industrial area, but not the kind he remembered. The modern factories and warehouses from his youth were now steampunk castles of gears and pipes. Iron towers spewed green fumes while gearsmen patrolled the streets of Ruse. Faceless androids workers moved crates of coal, iron ore, and other raw material inside burning forges. Military checkpoints backed with artillery cannons protected both sides of the bridge. The Unity had repurposed the regions industrial instations for their own goals. These metal cockroaches Basils jaw clenched as he summoned his halberd. How strong are they? Most gearsmen I saw were around level twenty, Vasi replied. On paper, they shouldnt be a threat to the Bohens. The factories might contain stronger ones though. Kalki went up farther ahead and should return shortly. Basil agreed and spent the next few minutes observing the shore with his binocrs. A cursory look confirmed his girlfriends intel: the Unity had deployed their mass-produced weak gearsmen to patrol the shore. The sight of these cyclopean machines brought back memories of the upation of Dax in France. The Unity only fielded a handful then, while dozens of them protected this industrial area.
Unity Gearsman
Level 13 [Artificial].
Faction: Unity.
Unity Gearsman Mk III
Level 20 [Artificial].
Faction: Unity.
Theyre like ants, Basil thought. Individually weak, but organized and numerous. Do we take them on, Mister? Rosemarine asked with undisguised enthusiasm. It shouldnt be too difficult to scrap these bots, Basil said with a scowl. But it would alert the Unity to our arrival. Lets sneak past them and not dirty our paws, to suggested. I could turn everyone invisible. But I can sense invisible people with Tremorsense, Bugsy pointed out from atop the Steamobile. The craters on his back fumed with power, ready to fire magma bombs at the first sign of danger. What if they have monsters with the same Perk as mine? Maybe I could try to chat them up, Shellgirl suggested. Pretend were merchants eager to sell them stuff. Or war profiteers! Im sure they would let us in easily! Ive never heard of the Unity peacefully interacting with outsiders, Vasi pointed out. Announcing our presence will only give them the first shot. Basil nodded sharply. Unlike the Apocalypse Force, the Unity wasnt interested in recruiting outsiders into their organization. They either killed or petrified everyone they can came across. Kalki chose this moment to return from his scouting atop his bird, sneakilynding next to the group. Weve tried to sneak around the factory, but watchers quickly caught on to us, the bard exined. It took us a while to lose them. to snickered. Of course the bird was seen. Watch your tongue, feline, Garud grumbled. No one can see me when I soar high above the clouds. They sensed our presence some other way. Basil clenched his jaw. Bugsy had guessed correctly. They must have radars. Did you see another crossing we could use? Vasi asked. Garud shook his head. They patrol the entire shore with watchers. If we couldnt sneak past them, you wont either. Your car isnt exactly built for stealth. Steves lights flickered in embarrassment. The situation is worse than you think. Kalki locked eyes with Basil, his expression grim. They keep people inside the factories. This took Basil aback. Coborators? No, Basil. Kalki shook his head darkly. I think they are ves. Basils blood boiled in his veins as he digested the answer. He clenched his fists in his anger, so tightly that his fingers hurt beneath his armored gauntlets. ves. The Unity had enved his countrymen. Kalki took it as an invitation to borate. These people were under armed escort and cored. I could only get a glimpse of them, but they had Crafter sses from what I gathered. People get in, gearsmene out, Garud added. Aint too hard to guess whats happening. The Unity was using enved Crafters to fuel their war machine. That settled it. Besides the human cost, each day this factory remained active meant more robots for mankind to fightter. This calls for a bloody oath, after the battle is done, Basil decided. Well fight. Youre sure, Partner? Shellgirl asked, slightly worried. Shouldnt we gather more intel first? They detected the bird, to pointed out. It wasnt my fault! Garud insisted. No one said that, my friend, Kalki reassured him. But I see the cats point. They must be suspicious after detecting our intrusion. Another slip-up and they will sound the rm and ruin our chance at taking them by surprise. Ive already lost a home to invaders. Basil stood on his legs atop Rosemarines back. Im not going to sneak in while trespassers despoil this one. When someone squats in your ce and calls it their own, you dont enter by the backdoor. You fling the main one open, beat them up, and throw them out through the window. The team would follow the same strategy they used against the Apocalypse Force in Hungary: strike fast, secure the hostages, and wipe out the enemy in short order before they could coordinate. Vasi chuckled. So we start with the three Ds as usual? Disrupt, divide, destroy? This tactic worked well enough so far, so why change it now? Basil mused. Lets start an attack on multiple fronts. Oh, I have an idea! Shellgirl suggested. We haverge reserves of explosives in the inventory. Vasi and Kalki could drop them from above to sow chaos. We cant afford to hit the factories or we risk hurting their captives, Kalki said with a nod. What we do is damage the gearsmen outside and damage the roads. Hopefully this should disrupt theirmunications. A targeted blitz? The idea appealed to Basil. Lets do that. to, youll cover our flyers with illusion spells. Shellgirl, Bugsy, Shesha, you take the bridge. Rosemarine and Steve will bombard the gearsmen from the Romanian shore and move on to the other one once the crossing is secured. What about you, Boss? Bugsy asked. Basil smirked in bloodlust. Ill go test my new Dragonknight Perks. The team split up to begin their n. They buffed, as they always did before battle. Vasi carried to on her broom and vanished alongside Kalki and Garud. Rosemarine and Steve took position for a bombardment. The rest slithered into the shadows towards the closest military checkpoint. And Basil? Basil flew. He leaped once in midair, then twice, then thrice as if the clouds were solid ground. It reminded him so much of tformers like Metroid, except he could feel the wind blowing against his armor, the air pressure, the disgusting smell of toxic fumesing from the Unity factories. The experience was exhrating as it was strange. He crossed half a football field in a single bound, then another until he reached the other shore. Basil set foot on his homnd for the first in years by stomping a gearsman. The creature that had given him so much trouble in Dax half a year ago was crushed by thending. Its metal frame crumbled under the weight of Basils feet, of his power. Gears and bolts flew all over the concrete street. Basil hadnded in the shadow of a factory overseeing the Danube River. His arrival was met with screeching rm bells echoing across the district. Four level thirty and twenty gearsmen immediately rushed to intercept him; he blew them all out with a well-aimed Elemental Orb in passing. A roar echoed and a shadow flew over Basil. The Dragonknight raised his eyes to watch a winged beastnd in front of him; a creature twice as tall as an elephant and longer than a blue whale. The dragon reminded him of an ancient dinosaur; a mane of white feathers covered a body of thick scales and ws sharp enough to cut through anything. The creature red at him with vicious yellow eyes. Here came the A-material. Basil gave it a passing look.
Roarwing, Bishop-Rank Commander
Level 45 [Dragon/Avian]
Faction: Unity (Sector 7)
More like B-material. You have some nerve to show yourself here, ape, the dragon said with condescension. He expanded his wings and cast a long shadow under the twilight sky. It would have been halfway fearsome if Basil hadnt fought a monster a hundred timesrger not so long ago. Who are you to challenge me? A dragonlord! Basil held the dragons gaze. Are you good at math, handbag? Math? The dragon snorted. What gibberish Throughout all my school years, I disliked mathematics the most, Basil said, interrupting the reptiles answer. The chemistry and biology sses saved my grades. I never really believed in the power of math until the Apocalypse. Now I pray to Saint Hubert each night before sleep, so that he may bless me on the morrow. What are you talking about? the dragon asked, utterly confused. I inflict three times more damage with a spear like this one, Basil exined as he raised his halberd. And when Im in the air, this power is doubled. I have Perks that inflict triple-damage on dragons like yourself and ignore all your defensive Perks. Stop me if Im wrong, but the result should be eighteen. A minimum damage multiplier of eighteen. Youre bluffing, the dragon insisted, though a brief sh of fear in his eyes betrayed his shaken confidence. He had gleaned part of Basils stats. Youre disguising your level. No way one of you monkeys is anywhere close to sixty. I also have an additional thirty percent chance of inflicting critical hits with this weapon, and a teammate buffed my chances further, Basil continued his exnation. Thats another multiplier of three for a total of fifty-four. Add that to all the other buffs my team stacked on me, my high level, or the fact my halberd ignores half a targets defensive stats. When you take all of these elements into ount, Im pretty sure the final damage multiplier is in the three-digit range. And thats before I turn into a bear. Basil raised his halberd, challenging the creature to battle. So tell me, baby Smaug. Basil grinned wickedly. Who are you to challenge me? The dragon answered with a roar and a breath of mighty mes. A secondter, a sharp de severed his head from his body.
Supereffective hit!
The hastened Basil had leaped across the street in a blink before the monster even finished exhaling. The beheaded corpse loudly fell behind him, in in a single blow. Basil had defeated the dragon with logic. Guess it was too early to teach you multiplication, he mused as explosions rocked the district. Bombs fell from high above while twilight-powered beams and artillery shells flew from the other shore. I suppose I should start with the basics. He charged into the fray and at the closest gearsmen. Subtractions! Chapter 93: Man vs Factory Chapter 93: Man vs Factory As far as dragonlords went, Scalefrost had it easy. Born on a cold world with pristine white scales, he had lived a privileged childhood among a wealthy, minion-owning brood. For years he had grown stronger on the work of others, as was his birthright, until it was his turn to serve. He enrolled in the Unitys army, where he learned to believe in Grandmaster Wyrdes vision of a perfectly ordered universe, and in the dragon races mission to bring peace, culture, and civilization to the lesser races across the cosmos. Yes, sometimes civilization came at the end of a star cannons barrel, but non-dragons were like children in need of an education. If you truly loved them, then you shouldnt spare the rod when they misbehaved. It was an act of tough love, truly. When Scalefrost ate minions alive as a warning to the others to obey his orders, he was only showing them basic decency. Anyone with a good heart would have done the same. Slowly but surely, Scalefrost had risen through the Unitys ranks until he became a Rook-Rankedmander under the esteemed General ckcinders. The unexpected demise of her son Steamslimea well-bred fellow, but one that stood in the way of his promotionallowed him a chance to assume a leadership role in her new operation. He and many dragonlords had been sent to the primitive world of Earth to gather resources and tame the local savages to fuel the Lunar Cannons development. Holdingmand over a factory and semi-strategic location might have seemed unworthy of someone of his abilitieshe was level forty-five after allbut Scalefrost considered it a chance to prove himself to his superiors. He had worked his minions to the bone to exceed gearsmen production quotas in the hope of obtaining a governorship. He could already imagine his future once the Unity had fully subjugated this world: retiring to a humble yet lucrative governor role, enjoying his hoard as minions happily worked to mine gold and opals in the depths of the earth for his enjoyment. Scalefrost would be richer without doing anything, and the apes would find meaning in their purposeless existence. They would contribute to something greater than themselves; their masters worth. Everyone would win, really. At least, that was his n until he woke up to the tune of explosions rocking his base. rms echoed in the metal halls of his factories. The walls trembled and bolts fell off the ceiling. This didnt look good. What is going on here?! Scalefrost asked as he rushed into hismand room, the steel ground trembling beneath his feet. Three of his hobgoblin minionscraven, but cunningwere frantically typing on the keyboards of the powerful holomachines controlling the base. The light of half a dozen monitors nearly blinded him as they showed pictures of explosions and devastating sts. Were being bombed, Your Majesty! one of his minions stated the obvious. One of the monitors turned white as an artillery shell hit the relevant camera. Is it the Apocalypse Force?! Scalefrost had been asked to hold onto the bridge in case the demons descended from the north, where they had established fortified positions, but none of his scouts mentioned the presence of an army on his doorstep! Then bomb them back! What is Roarwing doing?! Is he napping on the job again?! He already went out in the field to counterattack, Your Majesty, one of his hobgoblins answered. Permission to deploy the advanced gearsmen? Granted, Scalefrost replied as he focused on the monitors. New models of mechanical soldiers poured out of the factory: mechanical spiders the size of elephants equipped with missileunchers on their backs; rounded satellites with turrets flying on their own by negating gravity around them; and red-colored gearsmen spewing fire from pipes and tentacles.
Spider Tank
Level 39 [Artificial/Bug]
Faction: Unity.
Bomber Satellite
Level 39 [Artificial/Avian]
Faction: Unity.
Hellfire Gearsman
Level 40 [Artificial]
Faction: Unity.
These robots were Scalefrosts pride and joy. His loyal Crafter minions had toiled days and nights to bring the schematics to life so they could fuel their masters war machine. A pity these apes couldnt create anything with a higher level than their overseers; level 40 or so gearsmen were powerful, but far from the strongest constructs in the Unitys databases. Still, these robots should be more than enough to repel whoever was stupid enough to attack his A terrible screech echoed in themand room, causing Scalefrost to cover his sensitive ears to avoid being deafened. A terrible beam of light had hit his robots right outside the factory, vaporizing them instantly. To Scalefrosts horror, a mighty bug monster burrowed out of the fuming wreckages of his troops. The creature, a centipede of colossal proportions, burning with power and wrath. He rampaged across the metal bridge linking the factories to the opposing river shore at an unnatural speed. Neither soldiers nor barricades could slow him down. A massive, familiar-looking armored train strapped to the brim with artillery weapons followed in his wake, firing missiles left and right. A strange mimic rode atop it with a maniacal grin.
Bugsy Alphone Venture (Volcanipede)
Level 63 [Elemental/Bug]
Guild: Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens).
Steve Roadwonders (Steamobile)
Level 63 [Artificial]
Guild: Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens).
Shellgirl (Mimic Booty)
Level 63 [Slime/Aquatic]
Guild: Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens).
Scalefrost choked in horror upon seeing their levels. Sixty-three He gulped, his mighty reptilian brain unable to process what he saw. Thats impossible No creature in his base even came close to these invaders power. Not even Scalefrost himself. It must have been the Apocalypse Force. Only they could field such powerful units. Your Majesty, weve identified the ringleader! One of his hobgoblin minions typed on his keyboard and summoned a picture of a fearsome horror trampling steel walls underfoot; a mighty reptilian beast covered in leaves and thorns, with petals for a face and hungry fangs. I am the seed from which your nightmares sprout! the monster roared with a beautiful, gleeful voice. I will sow your corpses with my brood!
Rosemarine Entine de Barthe (Tropidrake)
Level 63 [nt/Dragon]
Guild: Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens).
Scalefrost hissed in rage upon seeing her creature Type. A race traitor! He should have known! No way these monster savages could destroy a Unity instation without a proper dragon leading the charge! Wait, this flowery vermin couldnt have been a natural dragon. Shecked the presence and nobility of a genuine wyrm. She was a pale copy of Scalefrosts race, an imitation spawned by thiss broken System. Her kinds very existence represented an insult to true dragons and had to be eradicated. Monsters could be tamed and reforged into proper minions; these creatures were faulty from birth. Speaking of dragons, Scalefrost searched on the monitors for Roarwing only to freeze upon seeing hisrades beheaded corpse appear on one. The killer, an armored ape wielding a pointed stick of steel, was shredding gearsmen left and right at supersonic speed. Even Scalefrosts trained eyes struggled to follow his movements.
Basil Bohen
Level 63 [Humanoid] (Tamer 20; Alchemist 1; Runesmith 9; Technomancer 3; Deathknight of the Sepulcher 10; Dragonknight 20)
Guild: Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens).
Basil Bohen? Where had he heard the name before? It sounded so familiar Oh. Oh! Its him. Scalefrost all but choke on the word. The savage that killed Steamslime and Apollyon. Only then did he realize why the armored train he had seen earlier felt so familiar. These soulless barbarians had murdered Steamslime and turned his shell into a car! What would they do with his corpse? At this moment, Scalefrost realized that all his dreams of governorship would nevere to fruition. He would be lucky to escape with his life, let alone with his honor intact. The base was lost and his hopes of a promotion with it. Send a SOS to General ckcinders! Scalefrost ordered his soldiers. I must evacuate the base immediately! What about the Crafters? one of his minions asked. Scalefrost nced at the relevant monitor. Hundreds of pacified humans worked to craft gearsmen parts, runestone cores, and other armaments along nearly endless assembly lines. The Unity kept them well-fed and rune-carved cors ensured their obedience; for they would die if they left the bases premises. It would be a blow to lose them all. And yet it was already toote. Another group of invaders had made its way into the foundry. Some ape with a flute yed a song as a golden snake coiled around a gearsman guard and a colossal bird scraped another between its talons. The Crafter minions, deceived by this spectacle, cheered at the scene. It disgusted Scalefrost. Detonate the cors, the dragon ordered in response. The hobgoblin soldier looked at his master with a disturbed look; his kind never had the stomach to do the right thing. Your Majesty, are you sure? Good minions would rather die than live without a dragons guidance, Scalefrost replied. If these savages could string two sentences together, they would tell you the same. Killing these poor Crafters will spare them a lifetime of misery without our enlightened rule. That, and they had learned gearsmen schematics as part of their work. Scalefrost simply couldnt allow their knowledge to fall into the wrong hands. Ill evacuate now, Scalefrost decided as he walked towards themand rooms entrance, finding the doors already opened. Huh. Odd. A hobgoblin minion moved away from his keyboard to follow Scalefrost, who had to chide him, Youll stay behind. What? the hobgoblin choked in surprise. No doubt he was floored by the honor granted to him. Why?! You have served me well, Scalefrost congratted them, though he didnt really believe in his own words. Try to buy as much time for me as you can. Your sacrifice will be hono
Critical hit! Supereffective hit!
The message shed before Scalefrosts eyes right as his throat turned sore. He coughed as he struggled to form words and put a hand on his neck. Something viscous flowed between his ws. What is this? Scalefrosts eyes widened in dread as he looked at his hand. White liquid dripped on his palm. Is this blood? His blood? Oh, you have a frog in your throat? A furball appeared out of nowhere at Scalefrosts feet, wielding a sword of light. Let me help. Im French, I know these things. You Scalefrost rasped in anger as he struggled to form words. He ignored the lightning bolts vaporizing his goblin minions or the shadow of General ckcinder shing on a monitors screen. He only had eyes for that creature that dared to raise its paw against him. Die! Possessed by rage, Scalefrost attempted to stomp the animal with his hand. He crushed steel with enough strength to shake the room, but missed his target. The invader bolted to the side, jumped off a wall, and then leaped again at the dragon. Scalefrost barely had time to look at his uing death before the de hit his neck. The beheaded dragon copsed on the steel floor and gold rained down over his corpse. to remembered these creatures as being harder to kill. Steamslime had cost him a life in the past, the second out of four. Months of killing everything in their way had certainly helped. And much like Steamslime before him, the dead dragon dropped quite a lot of treasure. Piles of coins, jewels, weapons, and other items materialized over his corpse. to wondered how much of it was the dragons hoard or reward for the kill. Shellgirl would be quite happy with the golden harvest either way. Looks like he has been to tried to think of a good quip, but the best he coulde up with seemed terrible. Looted! Was that pun truly necessary, oh king of cats? Vasi asked as her invisibility spell ran out. Most hobgoblins were dead, except for one whom she had restrained with chains of ice. I always kill my enemies twice, to said as he stepped over the remains of hobgoblins and jumped on theputer. Once with words, then with swords. Their shame prevents resurrection. An excellent way to live, Vasi mused as she faced her captive. I hope Basil will forgive me for this indiscretion Vasi gathered her breath, then pressed her lips against the hobgoblins. The sight of a hideous green humanoid kissing Basils girlfriend made to shudder, even if it was for a good cause.
[Hobgoblin Assistant] has been [Charmed]!
Now, my dear, Vasi said as she released the hobgoblin, whose will was now under her mental control. Would you mind granting meplete control of this instation? Yes, Your Majesty, the thrall replied as he moved on to the monitors. The shadow of a ck dragon briefly materialized on them, their features indistinct; it briefly red at to and Vasi before vanishing without a word. Ominous, tomented before deciding to tease Vasi a bit. I would wash your lips if I were you. If you taste like a goblin, Basil is likely to eat you on the spot. Dont worry, he has already tasted me in many ces, Vasi replied coyly as she observed the keyboard. How very interesting. The runenguage system is the same as with the holomachine. Your Majesty, I am sorry, we have been remotely cut off from thergerwork, the hobgoblin apologized. I only have ess to local infrastructure. Can you remove the ve cors? to shuddered. He had always been thankful to Basil and Ren for never putting him through that torture; he didnt wish it on anyone, not even a dog. Vasi smiled enigmatically. She nced at a monitor showcasing an inactive gearsman. I think we can do far more than that. Basil was busy tearing a gearsman apart when the rest of them shut down all at once. Ugh? He looked around the ruins of barricades, halberd raised. Half a dozen gearsmen had fallen inactive to the ground and all the rms ceased. Whats happening? Basil should have known better than to expect an answer from machines, as none replied to his query. The explosions that had rocked the area not so long ago slowly stopped. This disturbed him slightly, and he refused to lower his guard. Hello? Basil kicked a gearsman in its metal frame. To his surprise, the machine instantly rose up on its telescopic metal legs; its central eye snapped open with a green light. Yet it didnt open fire immediately. Whats happening? In response, the gearsman started to move around. Its legs clumsily stepped to the right, then to the left, then daddled along the street in a way Basil found farcical. Ta da, ta da, tada tada tada tadaaa The voice of to came out of the gearsman. Tadadada! Basil squinted as he lowered his halberd. The Pink Panther, really? Do not mock the ssics, doubter, to replied through the gearsman. Handsome, weve taken control of themand room, Vasis voice echoed in the background, this time through the bases loudspeakers. We canmand the gearsmen from it. Kalki is freeing the hostages as we speak. I suppose thats one of the downsides of relying on drones to do your dirty work, Basil mused. Youre one good hacker short of a disaster. Also His girlfriend chuckled. I humbly suggest that you take levels in Technomancer next. Whys that? Basil asked with a frown. A System notification appeared in response.
Vasilisa Yaga has forwarded you the following Crafting Schematics: [Hellfire Gearsmen].
Basil looked up at the huge death robot in front of them, then over his shoulder at the factory that created it. A gleeful smile formed on his lips. Karma was a harsh mistress. Apocalypse Tamer Book II Pre-Order + Takedown on February 14th Apocalypse Tamer Book II Pre-Order + Takedown on February 14th Hi guys, I''m proud to announce that the second volume of Apocalypse Tamer, covering the France Arc (chapter 39 to 82) is now avable for pre-order on Amazon! It will be released on February 28th! I would appreciate if you could kindly share the word. However, as per KU exclusivity rules, I will have to remove the volume from both Patreon and Royal Road two weeks before the release date; namely February 14th. Patrons can still download a free PDF until that fateful date, but afterwards it will also be taken down. In any case, thanks for supporting Apocalypse Tamer all the way to volume II! It''s been by most popr series on Kindle so far, and that couldn''t have been possible without you :) Best regards, Voidy. Chapter 94: Man vs Strategy Chapter 94: Man vs Strategy The battle was won, the dragons were dead, the ves were safe. All in all, Basil called it a good day. You know, thest dragon we encountered took my second life, to said as Rosemarine dragged a beheaded white wyrms corpse outside the factory. The creature had been called Scalefrost from what Basil gathered, and was killed while attempting to kill all his captives. No matter the gruesome nature of the monsters death, the Dragonknight couldnt bring himself to pity him. This one folded in two blows. Do you think its a coincidence? Not when you possess a dragonying de, Basil replied. tos singing sword Joyeuse was the only weapon in the teams arsenal even stronger than his halberd. Ill admit fighting dragons has lost its luster though. Steamslime had been the hardest challenge the team faced during the first Incursion and his defeat cost Basils team two casualties. Roarwing and hispatriot possessed over twice his level, yet died pitifully easily. Although Basil was loath to thank it considering the damage it had done to his world, the System was the great equalizer; it let small humans and cats stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the mightiest of monsters. Rosemarineid Scalefrosts corpse next to Roarwings; both of them had been beheaded. The tropidrake nced at her two distant cousins, an idea clearly forming in her mind. She swiftly grabbed the heads of the dragons and switched them on the others body. The final result was as morbid as it was absurd. Do you like it better this way, Mister? Rosemarine asked. Her tail wagged behind her in anxious anticipation. You have a future in taxidermy, Rosemarine, Basil encouraged her crafting aspirations. Rosemarine chirped in delight. I have created art! I have made something, with my own two hands! Basil had the feeling this was the beginning of a tale both great and terrible. So what do we do with them? to asked while licking his ass; grooming himself was the only thing he took off his Simba costume for. We parade them before screaming children to raise funds? That was something Shellgirl would probably do, but Basil was more practical. The scales will make for good armor, he said. The ws, fangs, and bones can be used to forge weapons. Now that I think of it, I wonder if I could find a weapon Crafter to help refine my halberd further And the meat? to asked. Mmm Basil considered many recipes. Steamslimes flesh had tasted like a mix of snail and chicken. He supposed Roarwing and Scalefrost probably leaned towards thetter, but he would have to run tests to be sure. Its been a while since weve eaten burgers, and dragon meat should make for nice steaks once fried weve got enough cheddar and vegetables from Hungary for everyone. Can I have one too, Mister? Rosemarine pleaded. A very big one, with toasted bread? to chuckled at Rosemarines suggestion. Wouldnt it be cannibalism if you were to eat another dragon? Goblins were Beast types like you, Basil reminded him. That didnt stop you from eating them roasted. to mulled over his words for a few seconds, before raising his paw and examining it quizzically. His head turned to face Basil himself with a truly worried look. Basil stared back at his best friend nkly. What are you imagining? Can you swear to me it was always goblin meat? to asked with a low, dreadful tone. That it wasnt some other meat? Feline meat? What the? Im never going to cook cats, Basil protested. Even my pte has standards. You were considering it, the day the System appeared, to said, his eyes squinting at his former owner. I remember it clearly. I wouldnt mind eating myself, Rosemarine thought it wise to add. I would taste sweet with all the sugar in my veins. Is that truly how you see me, to? Basilined. Someone who will eat anything and anyone? to held his gaze without answering. Okay, Im out of here, Basil said as he walked away, with Rosemarine following him dutifully. Lets check on the workers and forget this conversation ever happened. I cant, to said gloomily as he remained behind, paralyzed. The doubt consumes me. If you be a vegetarian, to, Im kicking you out of this team, Basil grumbled as he left. He could tolerate the pee on his bed, the constant meowing during the mating season, the rude awakenings, but he had to draw the line somewhere. After iming the factory, the Bohens had swiftly imed a warehouse as a Lair and added it to the ever-expanding portalwork connecting them to their allies across Europe. The European army had deployed a group of deminers to help remove the ve cors keeping the workers bound to the premises. As it turned out, the Unity had installed multipleyers of failsafes on the devices; taking control of the facility helped Vasi remove some of them, but not all. As it odd as it sounded, the dragons made it harder for outsiders to free their ves than to take over their gearsmen. I guess that makes some twisted amount of sense, Basil thought grimly. Crafters can help make gearsmen. Theyre more valuable, more dangerous. The deminers had gathered the workers in a line outside a warehouse. Half a dozen men in heavy armor worked around the clock to disable the ve cors around the former ves necks. Basil watched the process happen with a quizzical look; one deminer started by using a spell to suppress the runes around the cors, while two others used specialized shears to remove it from the victim. A fourth man then disposed of the disabled devices into a ck box covered in magical symbols, while a fifth gave the freed ve a quick medical checkup. Kalki was also present, using his charming demeanor and music to put the workers at ease during the procedure. Quite a few sweated and held their breath as deminers worked on their cors, fearing for their lives. Twenty former ves were now free to breathe atst, but ten times their number remained enthralled for now. Hello! Rosemarine introduced herself to everyone with a toothy grin. I am Rosemarine Entine de Barthe! I am so happy to meet you all! Her words and dragonliness were met with screams of terror from the ves; even those who had been liberated. A ve in the middle of having his cor removed tried to escape, but only seeded in tripping on a deminer. His cor started beeping the moment hended on the ground, much to his horror. Shit, shit! A deminer promptly tackled the worker and pinned him to the ground. Gary! Gary, cast the suppression spell! Neutralization, Neutralization! shouted one of hisradesGary, Basil assumedas he bombarded the cor with white waves of energy. The runes flickered, yet the cor kept beeping. Im sorry, I cant! We well have to amputate! Amputate what, the head?! his fellow deminer snarled at him, while the worker started to sweat in fear. Basil could smell the piss between thetters legs from here. Gary, you stupid ass, stop spitting shit and do your job! Im sorry, boss, Im sorry, poor Gary apologized, trembling as he cast his spell. Neutralization, Neutralization, Neutralization! The runes red to life only to switch out likemps running out of energy. The cor promptly stopped beeping. The worker responded by bursting into tears, with the deminer holding him gently patting him on the head as if he were a kitten in an attempt to calm him down. Poor Gary received no apuse for his efforts. The spectacle did nothing to pacify the rest of the workers. Basil raised his hands and tried to reassure them. Its okay everyone, Rosemarine is one of the good ones! She helped free you! You can feed on my blood, if youre hungry, Rosemarine said kindly. Like Jesus! It greatly pleased Basil that the tropidrake remembered her catechism, but her words only agitated the Crafters further. Kalki brought his silver flute to his lips and yed a slow, soothing song. His music rxed everyone present, even Basil himself. He felt the stress he had umted during the battle flow out of his body like sweat.
Kalkis melody cured everyone of the [Terror] ailment!
Thank you, Kalki, Basil said before addressing his countrymen. By now they had calmed enough to listen. Were all friends here! Im Bulgarian, like you! Basil Bohen, born and bred in Varna! ept no substitutes! His wordsand his noticeable native entseemed to reach their hearts. Are you with the Swords of Saint George? one of the cored workers in the line asked, a male in his fifties. The resistance movement? Uh, no, Basil admitted. He had heard of the organization since his mother had taken refuge among them, but he had yet to encounter them. I just returned all the way from Western Europe. An expat? The worker sighed. Should have guessed. All the young people went abroad to work before that System shitshow my son was in Austria when when everything went to shit. Hey, its alright, Basil reassured him. Austria is mostly fine well, by post-apocalyptic standards at least. We have allies there. Maybe they can look into finding your son. Fuck Austria, another ve, a woman, cursed. Hows Spain? My sister lives there! A chorus rose from among the workers. Basil struggled to keep track of all the questions. I have a brother in Germany! Is Italy still standing? Is Queen Elizabeth still alive? Are the French still colossal dicks?! Basil realized he might have started an expatriate reunion business without meaning to. Everyone calm down, he said. Well do everything we can to help. Just let the gentlemen here remove your cors so we can evacuate you somewhere safe. Vasi had forwarded the gearsmen schematics to General Lenc and the Bohens allies across Europe. They had been very interested in seeing how they could produce robots loyal to humanity rather than invaders. No doubt the Crafters here today would soon find themselves back at work again in the near-future; except this time, they would trade their cors for an honest paycheck. Were moving to Varna and hoping to meet the Swords of Saint George, Basil addressed the workers. Does someone among you know how to contact them by happenstance? One of the cored ves, a man in his forties with a Tom Cruise-like cleft chin and short ck hair, raised his hand. Names tan, he introduced himself, his voice coarse. Basil noticed a scar on his neck, and his left leg limped slightly. Ive worked with them in Shumen. Got caught during a raid near the citys gates. I can introduce you to the Swords leadership, if you want. Boss Simeon will hear once I put in a good word. Excellent. Okay, then lets talk after the deminers free you. Might want to keep your tamed reptile out of sight though, tan said, ring at Rosemarine. She aint gonna be popr around here. Saint George didnt kill crickets, you get me? Aww, Rosemarine lowered her head in shame. Im sorry, Mister. Its okay, well find a way, Basil reassured her. Im not leaving you behind. Shellgirl and Vasi teleported in a puff of smoke next to his position; thetter carried a crystal skull in her hands, a token used to reach Walter Tyes shop between worlds. The appearance of Basils girlfriend drew a few ugly looks from the workers, much to his annoyance. That horned witch saved your lives, Basil announced. Its thanks to her that you still have your heads on your shoulders. Show her a little respect. Its fine, Basil, Im above it, Vasi replied with a sigh before checking her surroundings. Where are the others? I sent them to patrol around the factory with the gearsmen under our control, Basil replied. Since the Unity knows were here, its only a matter of time before they send reinforcements to retake the factory. Basil didnt fear retaliations, but most of the people present on the base had little to no military training. He couldnt risk the Crafters dying in the crossfire. Agreed, we shouldnt linger for long, Shellgirl said, her arms crossing. Shame to leave the factory behind. So much infrastructure we could use We should teleport everything we can, destroy what we can''t, and evacuate the hostages, Vasi suggested. Perhaps we could restart the gearsman production in Bucharest or at the Vampire Castle? Both arent too far from here, but far safer. Thats up to General Lenc. Ill leave the military logistics to the professionals. Basil nced at the crystal skull. So? How did your shopping trip go? Perfectly, Shellgirl replied with a grin. This new loot wille in handy. Vasi gestured at Kalki and invited him toe forward. The bard joined the Bohens as they walked away from the workers for privacy. Once they had it, Vasi whispered a word to the skull. Its orbits burned with ghostly mes and cast a human-shaped shadow in front of the group. Basil. The pale shade of Walter Tye, shopkeeper between worlds and necromancer extraordinaire, nodded politely at the Bohens. It has been a long time since west met. I was wondering if you were avoiding me. So its true. Basil crossed his arms with a scowl. The barriers have weakened enough to let people like you and the Maleking project themselves in our world. Indeed, though I am limited to scrying and illusion spells for now, Walter confirmed. I dont think the next Incursion will raise the bar high enough to let me through but the one afterward might. Considering Walter Tye was level 99 or close That didnt bode well for Earth. Kalki appraised Walter for a while, his expression neutral, his eyes calcting. The necromancer noticed and matched his gaze. So you are the godly avatar Ive heard about, Walter mused. He spoke with his usual courtesy, though Basil could sense an undercurrent of disdain underneath his words. I am not impressed. I can smell the blood soaking your robes from here, Kalki whispered with a dark look. How many have you killed, cold one? I shudder to imagine the number. Does it matter who perishes, when you can bring the dead back? Walter shrugged. I wonder how many pointless wars were waged in your name. Your kind never takes responsibility for their followers crimes. I would dly discuss morality if I could remember what I have done, Kalki replied calmly. The necromancer had clearly rubbed him the wrong way, however. I was told you could help. Walter shook his head. Sadly, Im afraid I cannot. Why is that? Kalki asked. If you were suffering from missing memories, then mind magic would help me unearth them easily enough, the shopkeeper exined. The truth of the matter, however, is that only a part of you was summoned to this reality. It is not that a portion of your memories is missing; instead, your current self is a small bit taken from a greater divine whole. You are, to put it bluntly, a finger in a keyhole. Walter nodded at the starry sky above them. The real you, he said. Is out there, waiting. The memory of Brahmas eye peering at Earth shed in Basils mind, causing him to shudder. Kalki bit his lower lip after he digested the answer. What will happen if I perish? he asked. Will it affect my my other self? I suspect you will reunite with your greater divinity upon perishing, Walter suggested. Which will destabilize this reality, as you act as its lynchpin. This is nothing we didnt know before. Kalki sighed. I am still as lost as before. All I can offer you is my sympathy, Walter said insincerely. However, there is information you should all be privy to. Vasi clenched her jaw. From her reaction, Basil assumed they were in for a rude surprise. Vasi informed me of your encounter with this Anton Maxwell, if that truly is his real name. Walters shadow opened his hand and shades danced to his tune. Darkness gathered in the vague form of awork of ck spheres bound by strings. In light of the information youve gathered so far, Ive been reassessing what I know of the multiverse. I believe I have identified a worrying pattern. Basil observed the hologram. This is a map of the multiverse, isn''t it? This is your world, Walter pointed at a shadowy sphere and then at another linked to it by a string. This one was once known as Elysium. I believe youve encountered survivors from this lost ne. Oh, the elves! Rosemarine said, remembering. Yes, Basil confirmed with a nod. Their world was destroyed by Shiva when the Overgodpetition was interrupted. I have found traces of it, if you can call a pile of cosmic dust that, Walter exined. I am almost certain that Elysium was connected to your a few years ago, long before the apocalypse happened. This caught Basils full attention. Maxwell? he guessed immediately. Thats how he made his way to Earth? I assume so. Walter traced a path from one sphere to another. This is a chain of worlds that have been linked together by the Trimurti System in one form or another, starting from Elysium. Every single link in the chain has met a violent end, without exception. Theyve exploded into smithereens, copsed on themselves, or purely vanished. Basils blood boiled within his veins. He had expected to hear something like this ever since they encountered Maxwell in Paris, but to have it confirmed filled his heart with anger. The atrocities happening to Earth werent a one-time thing. They were part of a muchrger, cosmic pattern. Hes destroying worlds, Shellgirl guessed in disgust. Like a snake oil salesman, he ruins a ce and bails out before consequences can catch up to him. How many? Kalki asked, his voice weakening. Hard to say, Walter admitted. Ive identified at least ten links in the chain, but the final number must be exponentially higher. If this is truly Maxwell''s work, then he has been doing it for a very long time. Kalki looked at the ground, his gaze empty. Basil winced at the sight. Hey, he said, putting his hand on the bards shoulder. Its not your fault. I Kalki shook his head and held Walters gaze. It didnt seem he had heard Basils words; or rather, they didnt register. Why? Why is he doing it? What purpose could all this destruction serve? Hes told us once before, Vasi said, her voice dripping with disgust. It amuses him. I suspect there is more to it, Walter countered. The System summoning process does not have to be as violent as the one Dismaker Labs used, bringing it at all to a new world demands immense preparation and resources. If Maxwell is truly responsible for this devastation, then he has been repeating his modus operandi for centuries. I simply cannot fathom someone working so hard to set up such aplex operation, repeatedly, only for ones amusement. He must gain something from it. What? Shellgirl asked with a skeptical frown. Souls? Loot? Does the world drop a treasure when it dies? Walter shrugged his shoulders. I cannot say without further data. I suspect you will figure it out in time, and once you do, we can put an end to this pattern. We? Basil scowled. I thought you said you didnt care for Earth? I do not, Walter replied without skipping a beat. However, the pointless, repeated destruction of worlds is not something I can tolerate. Whatever phenomenon follows this Anton Maxwell might one day reach my home ors in which I have a key interest. Its always about business with you, Basil said with some scorn. He was thankful the necromancer was considering helping them further, but his utterck ofpassion disturbed him. Once you reach my age, if you do, you will learn that emotional detachment is the key to happiness. Walter shrugged and changed the subject. Otherwise, I have studied the gearsman schematics Vasi so kindly brought to me. Ive told you before that any creature with levels has a soul. After a few tests, Ive concluded this machine was no different. We use a special substance called powerstones in my world, Vasi mentioned. They are pure magic made solid, harvested from the fossilized remains of dragons and fairy lords. The runestone cores that power these golems function under simr lines, Walter confirmed. They are the coalesced remnants of souls and emotions once carried by powerful magical beings. So gearsmen are sentient, like Steve? Basil squinted in skepticism. Why havent they shown any hint of it? Free will is aplicated thing, Basil. Walter smiled thinly. You cannot cherry-pick the parts you want from those that you dont. If you grant a golem the ability to grow and evolve beyond its boundaries, then you also give it the ability to think for itself. You give it the ability to ask questions, and most importantly, to disobey. Kalki, who had seemed lost in his guilt so far, snapped his head in Walters direction. Theyre ves, he whispered in horror. Of a sort, Walter confirmed without any hint of emotion. From what I can tell these gearsmen are deliberately deprived of free will during the construction process. Their souls are born shackled. They give experience, but they cannot gain any nor take levels. Its standard golem-creation procedure, really. The Unitys construction process only differs in its scale and industrial standardization. Basil asked how this could be possible to starve someone of experience, since it went against the Trimurti Systems very foundation until he remembered his first day. When I gained my first level, he said, reminiscing, I was offered the possibility of increasing difficulty. I could even remove the ability to gain levels. The Unity must exploit this feature during the construction process, Vasi theorized. Is it possible to awaken the soul inside a runestone core, Walter? There is a Tier VI Necromancy spell that can do exactly that, the necromancer confirmed. Awaken Soul. I can teach it to you, if you wish. The witch scowled. I am still locked to Tier IV. At level sixty-three? Walter frowned in disapproval. Im surprised. At your level, I could cast Tier VI spells and beyond. I need a new metamorphosis ritual, Vasi conceded. I intended to run it after the New Year. Run it earlier, Walter chastised her. Infinite magical power can never wait. This is only a thought, but what if Kalki squinted. What if we could spread the spell to everyone? Basil raised an eyebrow in confusion. You mean, share knowledge of the awakening spell? No my friend, I mean spread it. Like the flu. Kalki shook his head, his eyes burning with anger. I mistook these machines for mindless weapons, but I was wrong. They are no different than the people we freed from this factory. Their ve cors are only better hidden. The idea sounded absurd on paper, but Basil gave it thoughtful consideration. Whereas the Apocalypse Force was a band of marauders in finite numbers, the Unity could afford to produce an infinite number of gearsmen from off-world factories. Destroying their base on the moon would cripple their operations but leave the wider empire unscathed. They were bound toe back for another round eventually. What you suggest could wound the Unity, Basil conceded. Or it could backfire, Vasi pointed out. We would give war machines self-awareness. Some might remain loyal to their masters, except now they would gain the ability to grow even stronger. Why would the Unity enve them all then? Kalki asked. A single elite robot with ten more levels than usual is worth a hundred of its mindlessrades; look at how quickly weve dealt with this factorys defenders. Yet the dragons dont even take the risk. They are afraid, Walter conceded. Perhaps rightfully so. Therger an empire is, the more brittle it is; they require a constant influx of tributes to keep functioning. A revolt weakening the very foundations of their war effort might cripple them, perhaps even destroy them. The machines could do worse than rebel against the Unity, Vasi pointed out. They could be hostile to everything and everyone. Basil had seen enough Terminator movies to understand her worries. They couldnt ignore the risk, though the Unitys dragonlords and the gearsmen were equally likely to wipe each other out. This n would be a leap into the unknown. And is it possible at all? Vasi asked in skepticism. Unless we can actually run the necessary ritual, this discussion will lead us nowhere. To make the Awaken Soul spell contagious would be a magical challenge worthy of an archmage. Walter smiled thinly. I might take up the challenge, but you have already asked much of me. Shellgirl kindly exined to me yourmission. Did the price match the work required? Basil asked. It cost us all of todays loot, Shellgirlmented. But it did. I will see how to coborate with this Leroy, Walter said with a smirk. I''ve never opened a portal to the moon before but there is a beginning to all things. Chapter 95: Man vs Past Chapter 95: Man vs Past No one attacked them on the way to Shumen. Steve drove through broken roads, bombed pastoral fields, and sinister forests without encountering any gearsman or Unity patrols. Considering news of Ruses liberation must have already spread, this was deeply concerning. Not that the Bohens werent under observation. Kalki had caught Watchers stalking them from a distance during their reconnaissance. The machines fled whenever approached and didnt attempt to dy them in any way, but they shadowed the teams movements with dogged zeal. I dont like it, Basil said as he floated above the road. By now he had mastered his infinite Double Jump enough to simte flight through tiny leaps and bounds. They should attack us with everything they have, yet they do nothing. I dont detect any ambush ahead, Kalki replied from atop Garud. The two of them had taken over reconnaissance duties while Vasi stayed behind in the Steamobile. The witch had taken Walter Tyes warnings to heart and was now working on a new metamorphosis ritual. Basil hoped his girlfriend would find a solution before New Years Eve. Have they given up on taking us down? We did inflict a severe defeat upon them at Ruse. Theres arge difference between patience and passivity, Kalki, Garud noted wisely. Dont underestimate the enemys stubbornness. Their kind is too arrogant to give up the fight, but they might be smart enough to wait for the right time to strike. So we agree, Basil said. Theyre shoring up their forces to attack uster. Yes, Garud agreed with a nod. And when they strike, it will be with overwhelming force. Good, Basil thought grimly. If the Unity intended to gather all their elite troops for an attack, then the Bohens might have the chance to expel them out of Bulgaria all out in one battle. Our destination is in sight, Kalki notedconically. Basil looked as a cluster of hills in the vague shape of a horseshoe appeared beyond the horizon. Arge defensive line of steel bunkers, trenches, and mounted cannons encircled arge city of small houses, tall buildings, and green parks. A teau overshadowed Shumen, atop which stood a massive dungeon casting a gray aurora in the sky. The massive construction resembled a crossbreed between an antiquity-style fortress and a modern Cubic sculpture: rectangr and lego-shaped blocks of concrete and steel were assembled into a tower greater than any pyramid, as imposing as it was featureless. A blue aurora in the east attested to the presence of a second dungeon outside of the citys limits. No wonder the city had held against the Unity if the Swords controlled two of them. Basil assumed that the famous Madara Horseman, an ancient rock relief raised by Khan Tervel, was probably the source of the aurora outside the city. It had been a World Heritage site listed in UNESCO, and thus a prime target for Dismaker Labs. The dungeon inside Shumen itself was almost certainly the Founders of the Bulgarian State Monument, a socialist-era Cubic masterpiece created to celebrate the 1300th anniversary of the First Bulgarian Empire. Basil remembered visiting it once in his childhood and cried at the sight of concrete warriors looking down on him; as a five-years old, he had found their cubic-style, rugged visages frightening rather than inspiring. Their guide, tan, had been captured a few days earlier in a battle near this city; one of the remaining strongholds of the Swords of Saint George ording to him. Varna had fallen months ago during thest Incursion when the Unitys dragons descended from the sky. The Swords defended the city the best they could, but in the end they had to evacuate to Shumen. Neither had tan heard of Basils mother Aleksandra. It didnt mean anything; she must have been one civilian among thousands. But Basil still worried about her safety. He eyed the cannons protecting Shumen warily; doubly so when he noticed flyers above the city. Basil almost mistook them for ck clouds from a distance before noticing their human riders. The creatures were made of clouds alright, but shaped like snakes with wings.
ck
Level 30 [Demon/Elemental]
Faction: Swords of Saint George (Air Defense Corps).
s demons, Basil mused. In my childhood, I was told they were mischievous creatures causing weather. So strange to see them protecting the sky now. Yes, Kalki noted, his tone so low Basil barely heard him. It is nice. Basil nced at his friend and immediately noticed his thoughtful, miserable look. Youre still thinking of what Tye told us. A dozen worlds, Basil, Kalki said with a sorrowful look. This System of which I am a part of has decimated a dozen worlds and probably more. How many victims does it make? Billions? Trillions? How much blood do I have on my hands? None, Basil replied firmly. Maxwell is responsible for everything. Well-said, Garud said, trying to cheer his Tamer up. I dont remember us ever killing an innocent person, Kalki. Nor did we ever mean to. Does it matter? Kalki shook his head gloomily. Whether I wanted it or not, I have beenplicit in a cycle that destroyed countless lives. If I am truly Vishnu incarnate, then why have I let so many worlds be shattered? Perhaps it was beyond you, Basil tried to reassure him. I mean, we dont even understand the limits of your powers. Maybe you did your best with the cards you were dealt with. It just wasnt enough. It was a weak defense, and Kalki didnt buy it. Then I am guilty of divine ipetence rather than malice and negligence. I do not know which is worse. You dont know, Basil insisted. Even Walter isnt sure whats going on. Dont beat yourself up over assumptions. Kalki, everything will be clear in Athens once we find Padma, Garud added. Focus on the future, not the past. The former is yet to be born, but thetter is already dead. Kalki shook his head slowly, though their words seemed to have reached him. I thank you for trying to cheer me up, he said with a heavy sigh. I should meditateter. It will help clear my head. Yes, good ca Basil barely dodged a cannonball fired from Shumen. The citys anti-air defense started firing at them. Were under attack! No, not yet. That was a warning shot. Kalki pointed at a clearing near the citys outskirts. Letsnd there and wait. They should send someone to talk with us. Basil nodded in agreement and the two of them retreated to the Steamobile. Steve drove without Rosemarines help on the way to the city; considering his peoples more than justified fear of dragons, Basil had decided to feed her the same size-shrinking potion they used in Paris. The giant Tropidrake was now norger than a komodo dragon and thus far less intimidating. Vasi also elected to use a mor to hide her demonic ancestry as she had done in Bordeaux. It irritated Basil that his team needed these tricks to avoid controversy, but circumstances demanded it. Following his direction, Steve stopped in the clearing a short few kilometers away from Shumens defensive line. Basilnded on the grass next to Garud while the rest of the team deployed around them. Their guide, tan, climbed down out of the Steamobile with a cigarette in hand. The area around them appeared rtively calm, but Basil quickly noticed the signs of previous battle. Uprooted trees decayed inside craters andyers of grass and dirt covered the broken remains of gearsmen. The Unity must have sent troops this way only to see them sted apart by long-range artillery. It bothered Basil to stay within firing distance of Shumen, but he hoped this would be taken as a sign of trust. Boss, I detect mines ahead, Bugsy warned after testing the ground with Tremorsense. Trap wires too. And I smell squirrels looking at us. to squinted at the trees surrounding the clearing. A bit too intently. Dont venture too far from here, Basil decided before ncing at tan. How do we contact your allies in the city? The Swords of Saint George use scryers and oracles to locate lost assets, replied the former ve. Im sure theyve identified me already. Just wait a bit and theylle to us. Basil guessed they would have to kill time somehow. Bugsy immediately seized the opportunity. So, whos up for Monopoly? the volcanipede asked the team. We can y with the extensions this time! A bug after my own heart, Shellgirl rejoiced as she summoned the game from the Guild Inventory. Lets make money! Most of the party and their allies gathered in a circle to y, with a few exceptions. Vasi elected to keep researching her ritual and retreated inside the Steamobile to work in peace; Kalki preferred to meditate under a tree; and tan was more interested in his cigarette than the game. Steve also remained on high alert to evacuate the team in a pinch if needed. As for Basil, he decided to keep watch over their makeshift camp. His eyes turned to tan. His countryman had patiently sat on the grass, staring in the distance at Shumen while savoring his cancer stick.
tan Stoyanov
Level 39 [Humanoid] (Artificer 15/Gunslinger 10/Ranger 9/Poisoner 5).
Guild: Swords of Saint George.
It surprised Basil to see the Poisoner ss right next to the rest; he himself had unlocked it early thanks to his past in pharmacovignce and elemental affinities. Were you in chemistry before the apocalypse? Basil asked him. Or medicine? tan shook his head. I was Mafia, he said, his gaze sharpening as he spoke. Hitman. And like that, Basils heart hardened. How many? I killed four people before the world went to shit, the man answered in between smoke-filled breaths. Three of them were other gutter boys who crossed the wrong guy. The fourth was a woman. A journalist who knew too much. I never learned what. Never cared. tan pointed at the mark on his neck. She gave me that scar with her nails, he said with an eerily calm tone. I shot her twice in the chest but missed the vitals, so I crawled down to strangle her. I thought it would be funny to watch the light leave her eyes. Basil tried to suppress a sneer of disgust and failed to do so. And you dont feel guilty over it? I didnt. Not then. tan crushed his cigarette in his palm and tossed it into the grass. Afterwards, I had to hack her body into tiny pieces and threw them in the ck Sea so the cops wouldnt identify her. I was paid five grand for the deed, and I blew it on drugs and hookers in a single night. Good prostitutes are expensive. Basils opinion of the Swords of Saint George took a nosedive. Were they truly so desperate as to enlist trash like him? Why did you do it? Money, satisfaction power. The hitman shrugged. I was very small inside and killing made me feel bigger. I thought it earned me respect. Its people like you who are bringing down Bulgaria, Basil said with disdain. We could have been so much more without your kind. I know, tan replied with a sigh. To his limited credit, he sounded genuinely ashamed of himself. I was the scum of the earth, aint gonna deny it. If Hell exists, Ive probably earned a bloody one-way ticket twice over. You probably have, yes, Basil said, spitting on the ground. tan looked at his saliva on the grass for a few seconds, and then swiftly returned to staring at Shumen. When the dungeons appeared and monsters rained down the sky, all the money Id made, the respect from the bosses above and the mooks below nothing mattered anymore. I figured God was finally getting off His Throne and starting Judgment Day. Basil didnt bother answering. He heard Shellgirl shout in the background; he guessed she must have pulled ahead in the Monopoly match. Many of us in the business went to the Church on Easter or holidays. tan chuckled darkly. We had rituals with the saints and everything for rites of passage. Seems so fucking stupid to me now. Like children ying cowboys and Indians. Basil snorted. Im sure you people took the tenmandments as loose guidelines rather thanws. Yeah. We were just paying lip service because tradition demanded it. But its only when the world ended that I prayed for real. tan nced up at the aurora-tainted sky. God didnt listen to me. One monster brought down the club I was partying in. I was buried alive and a rock shattered my ankle. Basil nced at the mans limping leg. How did you survive? Cops and firemen cleared out the debris after killing the monsters, tan exined. I still remember my saviors face when I pulled out the rock squeezing me. The club I was in was a mafia hotspot. When he looked at me, he immediately knew who I was. What I was. I could tell he was strongly considering leaving me for dead. And I would have deserved it. But he didnt, Basil guessed, his voice softening. He saved your worthless life anyway, because it was the right thing to do. Yeah. Yeah, he did. tans jaw clenched and his cold eyes filled with sorrow. It it spooked me, you know? You cant go through that shit and continue as if nothing ever happened. It makes you think about everything all over. Yes, it did. What next? The medics cured me, though they couldnt heal my leg. Not fully at least. Told me there were other people buried under debris, that the country was copsing, and that there were monsters everywhere. My gut told me I should probably skip town. My mouth asked how can I help? tan chuckled, as if reminiscing of a joke. One thing led to another, and before I knew it I was fighting to protect the very people I once extorted money from. Basil thought back to the battle at Chteau-Muloup in France. The dregs of humanity had taken it over and sided with monsters. The Apocalypse had let the worst of their species crawl out of the woodwork but it had let a few of them crawl out of the darkness. tan mistook Basils thoughtful silence for condemnation. You hate me, he said. You think I should have died that day. Ive given a second chance to someone who murdered more people in a day than your entire organization in thirty years, Basil replied, thinking of Benjamin Leroy. What youve done is horrendous but I believe in rehabilitation. Even from people like you. I see. Then youre like Boss Simeon then. The man crossed his arms and rested them on his raised knees, waiting. To answer your first question, I didnt regret killing that woman back then but I do now. Twas wrong. It was. But regret was the first step on the road to redemption, as they said. Boss! Basil looked over his shoulder at Bugsy. The volcanipede kept his head raised while holding Monopoly cards in his pincer. I sense a group approaching us from the city. How many? Basil asked. A dozen vehicles. At least the Swords werent cutting back on the weingmittee. The group didnt have to wait for long. Within minutes they heard the noise of iing jeeps as they closed into the clearing, swiftly avoiding the mines on the way. An armored personnel carrier which Basil immediately identified as a modernized Soviet BTR-60PB rode out of the woodworks, followed by two tanks and military cars. All of them were filled to the brim with soldiers in neo-medieval metal armor proudly disying a stylized version of the Bulgarian coat of arms: a crowned golden lion rampant over a dark red shield, standing triumphant atop a defeated dragon. It amused Basil to see armored knights with firearms riding modern vehicles, though a few carried rune-encrusted swords, spears, and hammers. They immediately surrounded the Bohens and formed a defensive perimeter. Half the team looked ready to open fire at the first provocationSteve and his Gehenna Cannon includedand tos paw reached out for Joyeuse, but Basil calmed them by raising his hand. Eventually, a knight better equipped than the others stepped out of the APC. His red te armor was lined with gold and shining runes. Brint, angelic wings of light glittered from his shoulder. His left hand rested on a sheathed swords pommel while the right held a double-edged silver spear. His helmets visor was raised, revealing the face of an old man whom Basil would peg as in his sixties. A short white beard grew out of a wrinkled face, and his blue eyes were as sharp as they were filled with warmth. The man looked every bit like a pdin because he was one.
Simeon Niche, Swords of Saint George Guildmaster
Level 50 [Humanoid] (Priest of God 20/Pdin 20/Dragonknight 8/Spearman 2).
Guild: Swords of Saint George (Order of the Lion).
tan, who had remained seated on the grass so far, immediately bolted to his feet. He nearly tripped up on hisme leg and barely managed to catch himself. Boss? he asked, his spine stiffening. You came yourself? When they told me they had picked out your magical signature, I decided I had to see it for myself. The pdin leader immediately patted his subordinates shoulder with his left hand. It is good to see you alive and well, my friend. What happened to the rest of your unit? Im tans jaw tightened. Im sorry. They only spared me because because I had Crafter levels. I see. The pdins eyes squinted in sorrow. How dreadful We will mourn themter, but for now, you must rest. You are safe now. The Swords of Saint Georges leader waved at one of his soldiers, a medic from the look of it, and entrusted tan to them. He then moved to face Basil. The pdin appraised him in silence, threatening to extend a hand but nervously clenching his fingers instead. Somehow, Basil found the old knights hesitation quite funny. I dont bite, you know? Vasi would say otherwise, to quipped. Im sure hes jealous of your armor and halberd swagger. I apologize, Simeon said before finding the courage to shake Basils hand. Im Simeon Niche, the Guildmaster of the Swords of Saint George. It is an honor to meet you in person, Mr. Bohen. Youve heard of me? Basil asked with a frown. The old knight sounded like someone who had just found himself sharing a ride with Keanu Reeves and wasnt certain if it was proper to address him casually. I was in contact with General Lenc and the western alliance before thest Incursion disrupted ourmunications. The pdin smiled kindly. Your exploits made our people very proud. Exploits? Shellgirl gushed with pride. Were famous! It was nothing, Basil replied, trying to stay modest. We just beat three gods, killed two of them, and blew up one of the Horseman of the Apocalypse with a nuke, to deadpanned. Anybody else would have done the same in our situation. And then we ate Santas deers! Rosemarine chirped happily. With pepper sauce! Simeon stared nkly at the team, his eyes blinking as he registered his words. Basil could tell he was trying to see if the Bohens were kidding or serious. You know, Basil said, trying to change the subject. I really wanted to be a Pdin, butcked the elemental affinities. Im kinda jealous. Between us, I had never wielded a sword in life until the System showed up, Simeon said with a chuckle. I didnt have ess to many sses then. Garud cleared his throat. Should we stay in the open? he asked. Since none of the knights looked at him nor the Bohens warily, Basil assumed that they were used to tamed monsters. Watchers were shadowing us all the way to this city. We make for an enticing target. Yes, yes, of course. Simeon straighted up. Allow me to wee you in Shumen. I hope we may coborate in freeing our homnd from the invaders despoiling it. Itll be a pleasure, Basil agreed with a nod. However, there was one subject he needed to address first. If I may ask Ive been looking for my mother, Aleksandra Bohen. Could I ask for help in locating her? You wont need to look far. Simeon smiled warmly. Your mother is here in Shumen, Mr. Bohen. What? Basil froze up in shock. I thought she was in Varna? Havent you heard? Simeon frowned in confusion. General Lenc asked us to put your mother in contact with you, so she was evacuated to Shumen alongside other VIPs when the tide turned against us in Varna. The poor woman, she worried you might have died when we lostmunications. Shes alive? Basil cleared his throat as he tried to regain his cool. He could feel the eyes of his friends and allies watching at his back. My mother is alive and well? She is safe and sound, Simeon confirmed with a kind nod. Do you wish to visit her now? I hoped to discuss military operations with you, but it can wait. Yes, please lead me to her. Basil wouldnt wait any longer. Right now. Chapter 96: Man vs Mother Chapter 96: Man vs Mother A door stood between Basil and his mother. It was small as far as doors were concerned, and made with old wood partially rotten in some ces. The rest of the house didnt look any better from the outside. The wall paint peeled in some ces and cracks marred one of the windows. The small garden that surrounded it was the best-maintained part of the property, with perfectly cut grass and a flower bed near the entrance. Basil had inherited his love of gardening from his mother; she always favored tulips, but this time she had added roses to her floralposition. The Swords of Saint George had granted his mother a small house in the citys suburbs, as befitting of a VIPs family. She lived alone for now, but the influx of refugees would force her to take in more people. Basil knew his mother would mind. This house held more space than she ever had in her life, and she would be loath to share it. Basil? Vasi tugged his sleeve. He had traded his armor for more casual clothes, and he felt defenseless in them. How long are you going to stand there? Basil took a deep breath. I dont know. Basil had fought a monster taller than the Eiffel Tower on foot, so why did a door he could shatter with a punch intimidate him so much? He looked over his shoulder at his assembled party. While Steve had to stay in a fortified area due to his size and Kalkis allies dealt with their leaders current gloominess, Basil had brought the rest of the Bohens with him to the visit. Everyone had made an effort to dress up correctly as per Basils personal instructions: to traded his Simba costume for a bow tie, which he usually hated; Shellgirl used her shapeshifting abilities and borrowed clothes to look halfway like a normal person; Rosemarine, in her chibi form, wagged her tail like a dog impatient to meet a new owner; and Bugsy Bugsy had put on a rounded hat and a scarf. Basil thought it would make him look less intimidating, but you could only do so much when you were a giant firebug. I should have given him sses, Basil thought. Mom always thinks people with sses are smarter than usual. At least the hat and scarf make him look distinguished. Im sorry, Im just Basil cleared his throat. I dont know how shes going to react. Shell love me, to replied immediately. Once I give her the kitten stare, shell forgive everything I do. Of that Basil had no doubt. It was the rest of his team he worried about. Boss, we can leave if you dont want to spook her, Bugsy said. He clearly would prefer to stay, but he respected his Tamer not to bother him on such an important day. I mean, I never had a mother. I dont understand how these things work. Aww, but I want to see who fed Mister, who has fed me in turn, Rosemarineined. We are bound by the food chain. I should put the mor spell back on, Vasi said. She had switched clothes, leaving her sorceress robes behind for morefortable, casual ck clothes. She still looked very stylish with a scarf. Showing my horns on the first meeting might be a little too much. No, its fine, Basil said. He had insisted that his girlfriend did not disguise herself when meeting his mother. He wasnt ashamed of her, or any member of his party. You all stay. Youre sure? Vasi asked nervously. Basil realized that she was as scared of his mother rejecting her as he was. Yes, I am. Basil smiled at his team. Thank you all foring. Why? Shellgirl mused. Were the ones who should thank you, Partner. You invited us. Go on, to encouraged his best friend with a swipe of his paw. She isnt a lion. She cant eat us. Basil wisely decided not to tell him that his mother was probably even less picky about her food than he was. Mustering his courage, he raised a hand and knocked on the door. Coming! a familiar voice came from the other side. Basil hadnt heard it in years, yet it filled his heart with warmth as if no time had passed since. Vasi wrapped her arm around his own, her fingers shaking with anxiety. Basil held his breath as his mother opened the door. For a split second, he struggled to recognize the middle-aged woman in front of him. Aleksandra Bohen had always been a small, chubby woman as far as her son could remember. The person that opened the door had lost at least twenty kilos. Her formerly blonde hair had grayed outpletely and the wrinkles around her eyes had grown crustier with age. She wore a parka to protect herself from the frost with holes in it, and the cap had been sewn back together multiple times. Some things never changed.
Aleksandra Bohen
Level 21 [Humanoid] (Merchant 16/Gardener 5)
Party: None.
Time had changed Aleksandra Bohen, as it had changed her son; and yet they recognized each other the moment their eyes met. Basil opened his mouth, trying to think of something clever or heartwarming. He couldnt. Simpler words flowed out of his mouth instead. Hi, Mom, he said, his tone breaking. Im back. She answered by hugging him. He saw itingat this point his stats were so high he could dodge bulletsand didnt stop her. Her arms closed around his chest and her head buried itself on his chest. His mother barely reached up to his neck. She felt so small and fragile, yet so heavy. Basil, is that you? she muttered with tears raining down her cheek. His silence only made her squeeze him harder. Its really you youre alive Vasi let go of Basils arm and he gently embraced his mother back. She smelled of tulips, dust, and old memories. His body warmed up in spite of the cold winter wind. All his fears, all his doubts born of unspoken words he never got around to say out loud all of them vanished in an instant. Its me, he whispered kindly. Im back. He loved his mother, and she loved him back. Not even the apocalypse had changed this state of things. That was all that mattered. I thought I thought you had died His mother looked up at him, wiping away her tears. I wanted to call you, but they told memunications were broken it was horrible, there were dragons everywhere Im d youre okay too, Basil whispered. Ive got so much to tell you. I know I know. Aleksandra smiled as she broke the hug, only for it to falter when she suddenly noticed the other people present. My is that a giant centipede I see behind you? Hello, Mrs. Bohen! Bugsy jovially bowed as well as a colossal bug monster could. I am so happy to meet you! Mother. Basil cleared his throat. Now was the moment of truth; the instant he had dreaded for thest hour. Let me introduce you to my party. The big bug is, well, Bugsy. The Boss named me himself, Bugsy boasted. I can tell, Aleksandra replied with a heartyugh; something which Basil took as a good sign. His mothers eyes quickly wandered to Rosemarine, and she was immediately charmed. Is this a flower lizard? Im Rosemarine, the tropidrake replied joyfully. I eat people! Only the rotten ones, Basil said hastily before presenting the less controversial members of his team. Heres to, my dwarf panther turned tiger prince. Im both, to replied proudly. Im kings blood. I can multitask titles. We had a cat just like you once, Aleksandra said, bowing slightly to scratch to under his head. The feline tried to look haughty and disinterested, but his wagging tail betrayed his feelings. So proud and well-behaved. Shellgirl, Basil said, introducing his favorite entrepreneur. The richest of us all. They bust skulls, I cash in, the mimic joked. Andst but not least, Basil smiled warmly at his dearestpanion. Vasi my girlfriend. I am greatly pleased to meet you, Mrs. Bohen, Vasi said with a courteous bow and a gentle smile. Basil spoke so much about you. My, what a lovely young woman. Much to Basils relief, his mother didnt show any apprehension at Vasis demonic appearance. Instead, she took his girlfriends hands into her own. Is he treating you well? Many boys grow up being pushy with women, so I tried to teach my son to be more respectful. If you ask me, you seeded too well, Vasi replied with a chuckle. I had to send him so many subtle messages before he took the hint. I had given up hope to see him settle down. Aleksandra lightly pinched Basils cheek. I see you already put a ring on her finger! I hope you didnt do dirty things before marriage! Mother, stop it, Basil protested, blushing like a tomato. His team couldnt help but chuckle. Im not a child anymore! Oh, Basil, you will always be my child, she replied upon letting him go. But please, dont stand outside here in the cold! Come inside, I have pastries. Vasi, whose sweet tooth was legendary, smiled ear to ear. I can already tell we will get along just fine, Madame. Youre taking this much better than I thought, Basil told his mother as he stepped past the threshold. I expected you to faint upon seeing us. Oh Basil, Ive watched dragons and demons battle above my house. His mother chuckled. Ive had time to adapt. Mr. Niche told me you had be a Tamer, so I figured you would travel with colorful friends. Thats one way to describe us, I guess, Shellgirl mused. She squinted at Bugsy as he attempted to follow her inside. Ugh, are you sure you can fit through the door? No, but I can dig a path! Bugsy suggested helpfully. Ive got a better solution. Instead of watching him ruin his mothers floorboard, Basil wisely summoned the same size-reduction potion hed used on Rosemarine and tossed it to Bugsy. A few gulpster, and the volcanipede slithered inside the house norger than to; clothes included. Much better. You can ride on my back if you want, Bugsy, Rosemarine said kindly. Together, we will rule the garden! Bugsy passed on the offer and Basil closed the door behind them all. His mothers new house was as small as the exterior suggested; Rens old home would have looked like a mansion inparison. The dining room was justrge enough to let the full group sit around a creaking wooden table next to amunism-era fridge, old kitchen appliances, and a dusty washing machine. Everything about the ce screamed salvaged. Still, his mother had managed to make her new dwelling look halfway cozy. She had ced nts in various corners of the room and put on photos on the various appliances. One of them immediately caught Basils attention. Whereas the rest of his team sat around the table, he stood there staring at the old picture. It showed his father Dragan with his wife and five-years old son, all smiling at the viewer. It astonished Basil how much he was starting to look like his sire as he advanced in age. Dragan was leaner due tock of exercise and wore a short beard back then, but he shared the same facial features as his son. You kept it? Basil asked as he sat at the table with the photo in hand. In spite of all the mixed feelings he held towards his father, seeing him again filled him with a sense of nostalgia. Its the only one I could take with me, his mother replied gloomily as she distributed tes and cups to everyone. Some had cracks in them, but nobodyined. I lost the rest in Varna. I want to see! Rosemarine pleaded as she looked at the photo. Mister, you have grown so much! I wonder what Type he started as, Bugsy said naively. My, you do look a lot like your father, Handsome, Vas noted. Are you kidding? Shellgirl chuckled. Look at him! Hes Basil with less muscles and a beard! It reassures me, Vasi told Basil with a coy smile on her face. Youll still look good in a decade or so. Basil smirked, but only a little. He wasnt all too eager to see his fathers face when he looked into a mirror. Im still going to shave every morning. Do you want tea? Aleksandra asked the group. Or coffee with milk? I dont have much. to immediately started making demands. Ill only take milk if theres honey in it. I have expensive tastes. I do not have honey, but I have sugar and cookies, Aleksandra replied. She swiftly distributed thetter to the group and eventually served her son a coffee cup. You should have warned me about your arrival, Basil. I would have brought more food and drinks. I didnt know you were in this city one hour ago, Basil said as he returned the photo to its usual spot. I thought you were still in Varna. Varna His mother scowled. It was horrible, my son. The dragons burned down our house and the shop too. They even shattered your fathers ash urn, the brutes. Basils jaw tightened in anger. He had little love left for his father, but he wouldnt stand by his remains desecration. Were going to turn them all into handbags, mom, he promised her as he sipped his coffee. Just you wait. It only made Aleksandras scowl deepen. I would rather that you stay safe, Basil. No mother should outlive her son. Basil winced at her words, though Shellgirl immediately went to his defense. Honestly, I wouldnt worry too much about that, maam. Weve killed like, a thousand people. And we ate them all, Rosemarine chirped happily. Yes, Ive heard youve be war heroes, but Ive seen so many people die already all my neighbors Aleksandras voice broke and tears formed in her eyes. I Mom, its okay, Basil said, immediately trying to reassure his mother. He brought a handkerchief from his inventory and helped her wipe away the tears. Its okay. I swear, you dont have to worry. I wont kick the bucket anytime soon. I havent seen you in years and the day you return home, its to wage war. His mother gave him the saddest look he had ever seen. Why didnt you call? Even before you stopped calling me for years. Basil shamefully stared down at his coffee. A tense silence stretched on, as none of his teammates dared to say a word. I thought you were ashamed of me, he admitted. When I failed to get a job I just couldnt face you afterward. I knew youd stopped believing in me. No, I His mothers mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find her words. I never stopped believing in you. You dont have to lie, Basil replied with a sigh. You told me I should get state benefits instead of looking for work. As far as confidence goes, its not a tall mark. No, I I didnt mean it that way. She vehemently shook her head. I just wanted you to find your footing. I knew you would pull through. Basil didnt answer; he knew she was only saying these things to make him feel better, but her actions spoke louder than words. Not that he med her too much. He had failed to be a productive member of society, that was a fact. As the Maleking had pointed out, he owed his current status to the Apocalypse and nothing else. Without it, he would have probably died as a hermit in the woods with nothing to his name. Vasi, who had listened withoutmenting, took his hand into her own. Her fingers were soft, and when he raised his head to meet her eyes she gave him a short nod offort. Aleksandra watched the scene with a little smile. Your father and I had very good times in the early years, she said, ying with her spoon. He was very much like you when you were eager, so strong-willed and full of hope. For a time, we were very happy together. Its onlyter that he grew bitter. Basil snorted. That he turned to alcohol, you mean? Your father tried to ease his pain the best he could, his mother replied with a heavy sigh. Whether under themunists or the republic, our family has always been poor. Dragan worked very hard to lift us out of poverty. Ive lost count of all the business ideas we went through. But it was never enough, and eventually the failures ate at him. He retreated into himself and closed his heart. to sent Basil a meaningful nce. He hadnt missed the implications. Basil too had fled in the face of failure; he had run from society, from others, and even from himself. He had retreated to the woods, trying to reject the world rather than be hurt by it. His father preferred the bottom of a bottle over a forest, but his son hadnt reacted any better than he did. I didnt want you to fall down into the same spiral, his mother whispered as she looked into her cup. Thats all. He did not, Vasi reassured her. He rose to the asion and more. Your son is a hero, Mrs. Bohen. Thats right, Shellgirl added with a grin. He even got a medal! Aleksandra looked at her son with pride. You did? Basil nodded slowly and then summoned the Legion DHonneur medal General Lenc had given him in Paris. His mothers expression beamed with joy when she saw it; she knew all too well what it represented. Watching her expression warmed up Basils heart in a way too intense to describe. Its why I worked very hard to send you to France to study, Aleksandra said. Your father wanted to send you to Austria, but I told him: no, the Austrians are all racists, they dont respect Bulgarians! Always ming us for immigrants! France is the country of culture! The French will treat him better, and learning thenguage will make him look smarter! Austria is a fine country, Mother, Basil replied. His team had briefly visited it on their way to Hungary. The locals had struck him as quite friendly and respectful. Its poption has bad apples like every country on Earth, but most of them are like you and I. I think you would like living in Vienna if it were affordable. And though Basil didnt feel too bitter over it, he had faced prejudice in France now and then. Many people there disliked Eastern Europeans like him, seeing them as welfare parasites, criminals, or job-stealers. Basil hadnt gotten too manyments, but he remembered each of them. Still, General Lenc had put this medal on his chest after he had earned it. This medal represented the defeat of Apollyon, the salvation of France, and the victory of mankind over the forces that had tried to destroy it. Would Simeon give him another medal once he had kicked the Unity out of Bulgaria? As he looked at his mother, Basil realized that he didnt care either way. Freeing his homnd and making his mother proud was reward enough. How did you earn this? his mother asked. You must tell me everything. Thats a long story, Basil admitted. Itll take all day. Well take turns narrating it, to mused. It starts with me saving your life from Bugsy over here. Bugsy lowered his head in shame and buried his shame in cookies. Can we skip forward a bit? To the better parts? Hey, hey, let me do it, Shellgirl dered with a bright smile. I''ve been working on improving our rep for months. Ive sharpened storytelling into an art! Aleksandra chuckled as Shellgirl began an outrageously gloriousand barely exaggeratedversion of the Bohens rise to power and fame. Her smile delighted her son as he sipped his coffee. Basil was home again. And it felt good. Chapter 97: Man vs Bond Chapter 97: Man vs Bond By the time they reached the tales of Budapest, night had long fallen and his mother couldnt stop smiling. And then, I kid you not, I threw a piano at him! Shellgirlughed so hard that milk came out of her nose. A whole piano! The Purity Rings stopped working afterward! The harshest divorce I had ever seen, Vasi said with a chuckle. Now that was a pushy man. Im so d you managed to get away from him, Aleksandra told Shellgirl. But something bothers me. Where did you find the parts to make the flesh golem, Vasi? Vasi blushed in embarrassment. I dont remember. I do, Basil admitted with a shudder. As the only member of the team who refused to touch alcohol that night, he alone would bear the terrible burden of truth for the rest of his life. Its better if I take that particr secret to the grave My tummy hurt when I ate it, Rosemarine whispered. It made me sad. Come to think of it, you never told us where the bathroom alligator came from either, to told Basil. So many mysteries well never know the answers to. And that is good, Basil said sharply. Believe me, you dont want to know. He would dedicate the rest of his life to making sure his team never drank alcohol ever again, for their sake and that of everyone else. Monsters and drunkenness didnt mix well. He had been honestly surprised when the people of Budapest didnt tar and feather them after the mess theyd caused. Im so d you made so many friends, Basil, his mother told him with a smile. I always had trouble forming connections with others, and here you are with a group of loyalpanions. Basil couldnt help but smirk. That was true. Only a few months ago, his friend list would have stopped at to and Ren; one of whom was dead. His journeys had changed him. Its been a long road back home, Mom. And Im so proud of what youve aplished. She wiped off tears of joy from her eyes. You look so happy now and that makes me happy too. Im d I could see you alive and well, Mom, Basil replied warmly. He had dreaded this moment for so long, but in the end, it turned out that he had made mountains out of molehills. I I was truly concerned. Now, Mrs. Bohen, I have questions from one entrepreneur to another! Shellgirl joined her hands, her eyes shining with curiosity. How did you gain so many levels in Merchant?! Surely you have trade secrets to share! I admit Im curious as well, Vasi said. This System only grants experience through the act of killing and the asional quests. Yet you dont look like a fighter, no offense. I have never fought anyone, Aleksandra replied. Mr. Niche put me in a party of guards that gained experience for me. In exchange, I was asked to assign my levels to utility sses to help everyone. First I became a Merchant, and then I switched to Gardener when we risked a food shortage. It was a wise strategy, and so simple that Basil kicked him over not thinking of it. Since a partys experience was split between its members, it could allow for long-term specialization of support-based yers who would have died in the field otherwise. He wondered if General Lenc introduced a simr organizational method in his armed forces. Interesting, interesting. Shellgirl nodded slowly. And what does the Merchant ss do? I can buy items from a Shop option in my menu, Aleksandra exined. I can sell treasures to the System in exchange of tokens that then allow me to purchase items from a screen store. So far, I have gained ess to choices ranging from mid-tier Weapons to Boosters. Boosters? Basil asked, not recognizing the term. Oh, youve never seen one? Im surprised. His mother summoned an item from her inventory: a small ss orb within which a red me burned. It was so small as to fit within ones palm, but warm enough that Basil could sense the heat from a meter away. Theyre very expensive, but useful.
Fire Booster
Category: Consumable (Booster)
Quality: D.
Effect: [Elemental Amp: Fire]: Increases the power of [Fire] elemental attacks by 30% and lets them pierce through Resistance for five minutes.
A spicy item favored by pyromancers and arsonists alike. Can give stomach aches.
Ill be damned, Basil whispered as he examined the item. Thats incredibly powerful. Hey, it gives the same Perk as my Turbo: Fire! Bugsy shouted in anger. The craters on his back unleashed a puff of steam that would have probably blown away the room had he been in his normal size; as a shrunken centipede, he only seeded in warming up the room. Ive worked so hard to earn it, and you can simply pay for one? This is outrageous! This is unfair! It only works for five minutes though, Vasi said, trying to calm him down. Your mes burn ever brighter. As for Shellgirl, the mimic could barely suppress her excitement. Do you have a Frost version, Mrs. Bohen? I can buy one for you, if you want, Aleksandra confirmed with a nod. Yes! Shellgirl all but bolted out of her seat. Ill buy ten, no, twenty! My ice projectiles will bounce off the enemy no more! Ill spare no expenses! Are you suggesting spending money? Basil scoffed in amusement. What have you done with the real Shellgirl, impostor? Partner, you cant put a price on usefulness. Shellgirl wagged her finger at him. I know my utility Perks have been invaluable, but the wider my options, the better my contribution! Elemental Boosters would synergize well with my spells too, Vasi noted. I would like tomission some as well. With pleasure, dear, Aleksandra replied, though her smile faltered a little. But it might cost you much. All the money I make goes into buying supplies for the Swords of Saint George, so I do not have a token reserve to spare. My former party cannot help me either. What happened to them? Basil asked, suddenly remembering that his mother wasnt attached to any faction. They perished in Varna. His mother stared down at her empty coffee cup, her eyes brimming with sorrow. They were so young and brave they deserved better than a dragons jaw. Basil crossed his arms and leaned against his chair. They wont go unavenged, Mother. I can assure you that. Well free Bulgaria from the Unity one way or another. Aleksandra joined her hands, her scowl deepening. Do you truly think that, my son? Itll be a hard task, Basil conceded. But weve fought far worse. His sheer confidence seemed to reassure his mother, at least a little. You will fight on no matter what I tell you, won''t you? She sighed. I please be careful, Basil. I can tell you are strong, but promise me you wont endanger yourself too much. I I just wont bear it if you are in a coffin when we next meet. I just wont. Basils expression softened. He took his mothers hand into his own, and she squeezed it as hard as a dragons jaw. Ill survive no matter what, Mom. I promise you. Bugsy, whose wrath had abated, all but burst into tears at the sight. Aww Drops of magma rained down his eyes and onto the table. So beautiful Bugsy, dont! Basil warned, toote. His magma tears had hit the table and caused it to catch fire. His mother let out a scream of horror. Damn it! Ive got this. Vasi snapped her fingers and cast an ice spell. A chilling wind blew from her palm and snuffed out the mes. Im sorry Bugsy apologized as he used his pincers to cover his eyes. Im just so happy I cant stop Ill repair everything, I swear No, no, do not cry, I can fix the table easily enough, Aleksandra said, trying to reassure the volcanipede. Dont me yourself. It is just a piece of wood. You are too kind Unfortunately, Aleksandras generosity only made Bugsy cry harder. If I had a mother I would have wanted her to be like you Aleksandra smiled gently. How long are you staying in Shumen? For a while, Basil said, knowing his mother wanted to spend time with him. Well need to leave for Athens after kicking the Unity out of Bulgaria though. It saddened his mother. After so many years, Basil couldnt me her for wanting to keep her sonspany as long as she could. You can stay here until that timees, she said. The house is small, but if I remove the table You dont need to move anything, maam, Vasi reassured her. We can park our vehicle nearby. We would be neighbors. Aleksandra jumped at the opportunity. That would be perfect! I could deliver pastries each morning for breakfast. It has been so long since Ive cooked for others. I hope there will be goblins on the menu, Rosemarine chirped happily. I would be d to invite you for breakfast, Mom, Basil said, an idea soon crossing his mind. Since were at it, would you like to join our Guild? This way we could keep exchanging letters through the Logs even after we leave Shumen. Of course, of course! His mother immediately jumped at the asion to stay in touch with him. But we would need to ask Mr. Niche first for permission. The poor man is doing his best to save our country, and I dont want to bother him. Im sure he wont mind, Basil reassured her. He is your biggest fan, to mused. I thought he was going to ask for our autographs when we first met. It wouldnt surprise me if someone approached you for one, Aleksandra said with a smile. Word has spread of your actions, Basil. You have be something of a small celebrity in Bulgaria. Basil groaned. Thest thing he wanted was for random guys to invade his personal space out of the blue. He had grown more social over time, but he still valued his privacy. His girlfriend chuckled at his reaction. Ill share my mor spell with you, Handsome. Oh thank God, Basil thanked her. Rosemarine yawned, for it was long past midnight. Its gettingte, Mom. Yes, go sleep and rest. Aleksandra rose from her seat and started taking the tes off the table. We can meet tomorrow once you have all recovered. Let me help clean the dishes, Maam, Bugsy asked. He grabbed a cup with one of his pincers and identally cracked it. I-I can pull it together! No, no, dont bother, Aleksandra assuaged him. I prefer to clean dishes myself. It helps soothe my mind. Im sleepy, Mister, the tropidrakeined to Basil. Can I rest on yourp tonight? Of course, Basil replied, unable to deny her anything. He took her in his arms as he rose from his seat. The tropidrake purred in pleasure like a cat. Aww, she was so adorable to squinted at his best friend with great jealousy. Traitor. I will let you sleep on myp if you wish, oh king of cats, Vasi teased him. But only once. Pfff. to puffed his chest. Fine, I will grace you with my purring majesty. Afterward, the group left the house and bade Aleksandra goodbye on the threshold. Shellgirl politely bowed at her on the way out. Thank you very much for hosting us, Mrs. Bohen. Thank you for keeping my son safe, Aleksandra replied warmly. Ill be sure to help you buy the Boosters you want tomorrow. We would be grateful, Madame, Vasi replied politely. You are such a delightful young woman. Aleksandra kissed Vasi on the cheeks as if she were her own daughter, and then did the same with her son. Treasure her, Basil and be careful to use protection. You never know what can happen. Mom! Basil blushed. His girlfriends gigglingughand Bugsys happy noises in the backgrounddidnt improve matters. Do you have to be so blunt? Of course, it is my duty. Your father and I had a few scares in our days. Aleksandra smiled. Although I wouldnt mind if you made me a grandmother soon. I know the current times are troubled, but please consider it after things settle down. Okay, she was skipping a lot of steps here. Basil thought it wise to simply cut the conversation short before it became more awkward. See you tomorrow, Mom. The sun cannot rise soon enough. Aleksandra grabbed her son, kissed him on both cheeks, hugged him tightly, and only then let him go. Sleep well, Basil. Basil and his group bade her farewell. Aleksandra stood on her houses threshold until they vanished into the night. They were a long walk away from the Steamobile and their assigned barracks. It went well, Vasimented. It did, Basil conceded with a pleased smile. The night had filled his heart with warmth and a quiet sense of joy. The Maleking could drop from the sky this instant and he would still remain in high spirits. Much better than I thought. It was so strange. Basil hadnt gained any level, won any great victory, nor progressed on his quest to save the world. All he had done was enjoy a quiet time with his friends and family. And yet these hours brought him more pleasure than anything the Trimurti System ever provided. Life was about more than numbers. Partner, your mother is adorable and we must protect her, Shellgirl said with her hands on her waist. You must call her every day. No ifs or buts. She deserves it. Yeah. Basil agreed with a nod. He felt guilty for having all but cut contact with her over thest few years. Unlike money, he couldnt recover lost time. I should have done that a long time ago. Vasi gave him a meaningful look. Basil guessed she was thinking about her own mother and the other side of her family. We cant let Mrs. Bohen live in such a small ce, Bugsy dered with determination. We must work to improve her house! Raise more walls, create more rooms! If we work together, we can raise a Lair worthy of her! Ill be d to direct the project, Bugsy, to replied. As long as you do all the work. When I evolve, I will feed her as she fed me, Rosemarine added before yawning again. She felt so light in Basils arm when shrunken to her current size, though he guessed his enhanced strength helped a lot. We will feed each other and never grow hungry again. Your mother is a very kind woman, Handsome, Vasi said as she adjusted her scarf. She looked lovely with her hair floating in the cold winter wind. I should introduce you to mine now. Its only proper. Youve changed your mind about the family meeting? Basil asked her. Yes. Vasi nodded sharply. Ive thought of what you said. Youre right, even if it goes poorly, at least Ill find closure. Im a grown girl, I dont have time to spend mental space on daddy issues. Basil chuckled at her phrasing. Want me toe as your bodyguard? No, Vasi replied with a wink. But Ill let youe as my boyfriend. Good. Basil doubted her father was the shotgun type. It should go well. Chapter 98: Man vs New Years Eve Chapter 98: Man vs New Year''s Eve When Basil woke up after a good nights sleep, 2023 was less than twenty-four hours away. He still remembered the end of 2019. He had been sitting on his sofa, watching the news thinking that the new pandemic sounded bad but not that terrible. When 2020 neared its end, he figured that while this year had probably been his lifes worst between the confinements, joblessness, and Covid-19, surely things would improve in 2021. The situation couldnt possibly get worse, right? Then 2021 came around with a litany of natural disasters, riots, insurrections, copsing government, and a disease that just wouldnt go away, Basil took sce in that for all the sorrow in the world, at least he wasnt homeless. It said something about 2022 that the destruction of his and Rens house had been the years lesser tragedy. What awaited mankind past the apocalypse and the copse of modern civilization? Basil knew better than to tempt fate. By now he understood that even when you hit rock bottom, it was always possible to dig deeper. Each year was worse than thest. Yet somehow, Basil managed to rise out of bed with unrelenting enthusiasm and peace of mind. The sight of Vasi snoring lightly under the sheet helped; the familiar smell of honeyed waffles came from the Steamobiles kitchen room too. He immediately recognized his mothers handiwork. Aleksandra Bohen just loved waffle recipes. I could get used to this, Basil thought as he stretched his back. He didnt require power, fame and money to be happy; only the right people and simple pleasures. Do not throw your new existence away, the Maleking had said. It is the only one worth living. The vile demons words echoed in Basils mind and instantly soured his mood. 2022 had objectively been the worst year in modern human history, and yet he hade out ahead. The Apocalypse did benefit him in a strange way. I cant let him get under my skin, Basil told himself. Thats how demons win.They make the bad look good until you forget its all a lie. A System notification brought him back to his harsh reality: that as long as the likes of the Maleking and Maxwell ran around, he would never find peace.
Congrattions, yers of Earth! You have survived to the end of 2022 and our [New Year] Event! We are proud to announce that out of the 8 billion registered human yers that started this adventure with us, a whopping 1.932.678.870 of you made it to this date in one piece; newborns included! Thats a 75 percent extinction ratio, right between tadpoles and dolphins!
Thanks to your coboration, we have sessfully erased eighty years of human growth and brought it back to pre-World War II poption levels. We couldnt have done it without you.
When numbers became too high, they lost all meaning. Basil still remembered days when Forbes would rank the fortunes of billionaires. At one point, Bernard Arnault had briefly ovee Jeff Bezos as the worlds richest man by a ten billion or so margin. A difference that seemed small considering those twos fortunes and yet unfathomable for someone like Basil, who had never earned more than a minimum wage job. The difference was like the distance between Mars and Pluto. The human mind could understand that one was farther than the other, but it simply couldnt imagine how much. Immense numbers surpassed practicality and lived in the realm of the abstract. Basil felt the same when he read the Trimurti Systems death count. One death, he could mourn. A hundred, he could rte to. But six billion? The number transcended sadness and horror alike. Basil tried to imagine six billion faces staring back at him, filling the voids with his memories of Orcine, Kuikui, Ren, Aya, Major Grange, his father, all the people he had outlived since he began to breathe. All the carnage and sorrow he had witnessed couldnt even fill a speck in the vast mosaic of death shaped by the Trimurti System. Ive seen viges burned to the ground, children imprisoned in cages like pigs fattened for ughter, and cities destroyed by giant beasts, and thats just in Western Europe. Basil stared at the casualty number. All continents must have been in terrible shape to reach six billion deaths. Is the Apocalypse Force rampaging across Asia right now? How many Americans managed to grab a gun before the Unitys gearsmen invaded their cities? Is any country out there still standing? Considering how the System transformed cats into killing machines, he shuddered to imagine what the likes of Australia or the Amazon Forest looked like. Whatever the case, the Trimurti System had to go. Basil doubted that mankind would survive to reach 2024 otherwise.
As a reward for your perseverance, Dismaker Labs shall grant you one day of respite. No one will take any damage from the first second of December 31st to itsst! Attacks, poison, everything will be reduced to 0 with no catch, no pain, and no consequences. Ever wanted to challenge that level 60 [Dragon] but never found the courage to? Now is the time for some friendlypetition!
The second part of the Event will start on January 1st, 2023. Stay tuned.
Out of all the things that Dismaker Labs could have done, giving humanity one days respite terrified Basil the most. He had met Anton Maxwell, the unbelievably cruel engineer behind the Trimurti System. That man fed on others suffering like a vampire fed on blood. He knew nothing of mercy. If he gave people peace and hope, it was to better twist the knifeter on. Lets see Basil summoned his halberd in his right hand and lightly cut his left with the de. Normally, this would have been just enough to draw blood. It didnt. His weapon, which had cut Horsemen of the Apocalypse and dragon scales alike, failed to slice through his naked skin. The burning metal de simply bounced off him as if he were made of a fantastic metal. He didnt even feel pain or difort.
Damage negated. Sorry bud.
Poor masochists, Basil muttered to himself before forwarding a message to Benjamin Leroy through his Logs feature. Theyll count every minute. A holographic screen of the sleep-deprived programmer immediately materialized before him. Basil found the sight strangely reassuring. Benjamin took the shape of a bat-winged humanoid with red-rimmed eyes with pitch-ck circles around them, but his gazecked the madness that had once made him so unsettling. He looked strangely banal for a god. Yes, Basil? Youve seen the Events message? Basil asked, causing the programmer to nod sharply. Any idea what the second half of it will entail? Somehow I dont think 2023 will start with cheers. The Trimurti Systems core AI generates the Events on its own, so I cannot say what awaits us exactly. Benjamin sighed. Still, we share the same opinion. This Event is a brief calm before the storm. Could it be a lie? Basil asked. Like a ssic credit card scam? We postpone todays damage and take it all at once tomorrow? The System never lies or deceives its users, Benjamin replied. The taunts and mockeries are Maxwells twist on its programming, but the Trimurti System itself never bends the rules it has set. Maxwell still managed to start an Incursion early in Paris, Basil pointed out. Even after the System promised a three-day respite. This exceptional situation happened because I blew up a third of all Neurotowers. This caused the System to adapt in a hurry and left room for Maxwell to alter the resulting patch. Benjamin shook his head. I do not believe you have anything to fear today. Tomorrow will be another matter though, especially with the activity Im noticing from the Unity. Basil frowned as he sat back on the bed, his halberd vanishing. He had expected to leave for breakfast soon, but the programmers tone was nothing short of ominous. Theres news on the Unity front? Benjamin nodded sharply. I am detecting a huge spike in energying from their artificial serverwork on the moon. They are umting power. The calm before the storm indeed. For what purpose? I would need ess to theirwork to confirm, the programmer replied. My current theory is that they intend to trigger a mini-Incursion and summon allies from their homeworld, though I may be wrong. Basil cursed, doubly so when he noticed Vasi had stopped snoring. 2023 was sure to start with fireworks. On the good side of things, your necromancer friend has provided the necessary spell forms toplete my portal design, Benjamin said. Between us, I struggled to understand half of the data he sent me. It appears his worlds System follows differentws than our own. Still, it was enough toplete my booby-trapped gem. Once you gain ess to a Unity Neurotower, Ill forward it to you and well begin an assault on their base. Ill see with our allies here if we can coordinate an assault, Basil said as Vasi rose from the bed, still wearing lingerie. Gotta go now, Ben. Well keep in touch. Same. And though its a bit early Basil smiled. A happy new year to you. For perhaps the first time since they met, Benjamin Leroy smiled back, albeit sadly. Thank you, Basil, he said, his voice breaking. I I wont lie. I thought I would spend New Years Eve with Celia, once I had brought her back. Basil kept his mouth shut. The sorrow in Benjamins eyes was all too vivid. His shoulders slumped as if crushed under the weight of his disappointment. I killed these people, the programmer said, his words brimming with guilt. Six billion lives lost because of my foolishness. You contributed, Basil admitted. As much as he wanted to spare his feelings, that was the truth. Benjamin Leroy did help to destroy the world. Your Neurotower sabotage helped save people though. That counts. It did Ashoks model calcted a ny-five percent casualty rate for the first year. Mankind is faring better than expected. Benjamin let out a dark, joyless chuckle. Still, I expected to spend the New Year alone in a cell for my crimes. Instead your friend Elissalde and her sister offered me to have dinner with them and their dogs. Ill eat between a human and a Doberman, and Im more afraid of the former. Its almost funny. My best friend is a cat, so Im not judging, Basil replied without any hint of sarcasm. The Elissalde sisters wont bite though. They wont, Benjamin mused. I just cant fathom why they would let me stay with them after all Ive done. Because they are willing to give you a second chance, as I did, Basil replied. Hopefully, itll leave you with something to look forward to for next year. I hope the same for you, Benjamin replied before cutting themunication. Happy new year, Basil. The holographic screen closed on itself. Basil looked over his shoulder. Vasi was waiting for him fully dressed. Sorry I woke you up. Basil lightly kissed his girlfriend on the cheek. I didnt mean to. The waffles smell woke me up, my bear knight. Vasi pecked him on the lips. She tasted sweeter than any breakfast. Benjamin seems stabler. He is improving, Basil confirmed as they walked out of the bedroom. He has friends now. I honestly thought you were making a mistake when you decided to spare him, Vasi confessed. I usually dont enjoy being in the wrong but this time is an exception. Was there any greater personal triumph than proving doubters wrong? Basil walked into the main room of the Steamobile, where the rest of his party had already gathered for breakfast; even Rosemarine, who remained satiated on a steady diet of shrinking potions. His mother was also present and discussing something with a surprise guest. Mr. Bohen. Simeon Niche was already wearing his pdin armor even so early in the morning. He alone stood next to the rooms table, while everyone else was already sitting. I hope not to intrude. You can call me by my name, Basil replied warmly before moving to kiss his mother on the cheeks. Good morning, Mom. Good morning, his mother replied before kissing him and doing the same with Vasi. Mr. Niche wanted to talk with you, so I invited him for breakfast. Im afraid I must refuse, Mrs. Bohen, the pdin replied politely. I have a war council in half an hour. Do you require my presence? Basil asked with a frown. Is something the matter? Unfortunately, it appears that the Unity has assembled troops near Shumen, Simeon replied, much to the teams distress. They remain outside our artillery range and havent made any hostile action so far, but their numbers and levels are worrying. Scouts mention level fifty gearsmen among their numbers. They must be waiting for tomorrow to assault the city, Vasi guessed immediately. Attacking now would only waste ammunition. Simeon nodded sharply. This truce will onlyst until 2022sst second. Can I count on you to help repel the assault once the countdown reaches its end? Of course, Basil replied with a snort. How could he even doubt it? Well assist your troops in the field. Especially now that weve got boosters of our own! Shellgirl added. She tossed a pouch on the table filled to the brim with magical spheres associated with various elements. Basil noticed boosters associated with Frost, Water, and even Physical. Were set for life! Basils matter-of-fact answer reassured Simeon. Excellent, said the pdin leader. Ive heard from your mother that you and your girlfriend would leave the city for a while, so I worried that you might be unavable. Vasi crossed her arms, unable to hide her anxiety. We wont be gone for long. A few hours at most. The rest of the team will stay in the city as well, Basil added. Even if the Unity tries anything before our return, they will help defend the city in our absence. What? to, who had been more interested in the waffles than the conversation, all but bolted out of his seat. Even me? Im not invited? In my world, cats are Vasi smiled in embarrassment. She was clearly trying to avoid an ufortable truth. Popr. to squinted at her. How is that a point against my presence? Popr from a gustatory point of view. Vasis smile grew strained. Cats are considered a delicacy in Outremonde, especially since you can eat them more than once. Nine lives are as often a curse as they are a blessing. Basil considered himself a gourmet willing to cross many lines in his quest for the ultimate dish. But the people of Outremonde had walked down a dark path that even he wouldnt have dared to tread. to looked up at Vasi without a word, his expression one of absolute horror and confusion. Did you I never ate a cat, Vasi thought it wise to add. We dont intend to, Basil reassured to. I promise you. You madmen, to muttered under his breath. Rosemarine pushed a te full of honeyed waffles in his direction in an attempt to change his mind, only for the traumatized feline to ignore it. You will mingle with barbarians. Barbarians! Are you sure youll be safe, Boss? Bugsy asked out of concern. We could attend as your bodyguards. I am only allowed to bring one person with me, Vasi said. The invitation works both ways though. Ive checked. So if the party goes wrong, well immediately return home, Basil replied. And if anyone threatened Vasi during that time, he would cut a few heads on his way out. Simeon threatened to open his mouth to ask more questions, swiftly realized ignorance was bliss and changed the subject. I will forward you the information through the messaging feature if we require reinforcements, he said with a fist against his chest. Until then, enjoy New Years Eve. Basils crew bade him goodbye and then sat to enjoy his mothers breakfast. Her waffles were topped with honey, chocte, and marmde. Eating all of them at once would give any man diabetes. He would enjoy them all the same. Youve missed those, havent you? His mother teased him. Admit it. Oh yes, Basil admitted with a mouthful of waffles. He looked around the table to see if anybody wanted more chocte and quickly noticed missing faces. Wheres Kalki? He said he would visit the monument on the hill, Mister, Rosemarine replied. Garud and Shesha all but dragged him away to change his mind, Bugsy added with squinting eyes. He didnt look well, Boss. How could he? Kalki med himself for the Trimurti Systems destruction. Todays message must have filled him with grief and guilt. Basil would have a talk with him after he returned from Vasis family meeting. For now, he guessed it would be best to let Garud and Shesha handle him; they knew their Tamer best. Yo, Vasi, Shellgirl grinned at her best friend. Throw something at me! Throw what? Vasi asked with a puzzled face as she chewed a waffle. A chair, a ss, a fireball, anything! When Vasi looked too confused to take her up on her offer, Shellgirl turned to Bugsy. Come on, lets show her! Youll see, its fun! Bugsy grabbed an empty ss cup and threw it at the mimics chest. Shellgirlughed as the projectile rebounded off her chest and into the ground. It didnt surprise Basil. The ss not shattering on impact did, however. Wait a second, Basil whispered as he put two and two together. When the System said that all damage would be reduced to zero Thats right, Boss! Bugsy threw a porcin te at Shellgirl and cackled upon seeing it bounce off her breasts. Nothing takes damage today. Not even items and furniture! Come on, to, throw your sword at me, Shellgirl said, all but begging to be used at target practice. Basil wondered if she enjoyed it. Needle me! Ill pass. The Rakshasa Kitten hadnt moved an inch since Vasis revtions. I cant find joy over the thought of all my kindred being eaten alive. This is a feline holocaust a meowicide. Basil petted his cat on the head. Well try to save as many from the buffet as we can. He doubted it would amount to much, but to nodded in thankfulness all the same. You must be so excited to meet your father, dear, Aleksandra told Vasi. Will your mother attend as well? Excited thats a way to put it, Vasi replied with an expression that said otherwise. Anxious might have been the better term. As for my mother, I doubt so. She was never the social kind of witch. Aleksandra raised an eyebrow. How did she meet your father then? I dont know. Vasi bit her lower lip. She never told me much about him, and Im afraid to learn why. If he is in any way wise, he will wee you with open arms. Aleksandra took Vasis hand into her own and squeezed it. Youre one of the liveliest, most gentle young women Ive ever seen. If he cannot appreciate you, then you should p him. Thank you, but I doubt well get that far, Vasi replied with a coy smirk. Well just take a look at my father and leave. Why did you spendst night thinking about your dress then? Basil thought. His girlfriend had spent two hours grilling him about which clothes they should wear during the family meeting, before settling on their adventurer gear. Better to be prepared for a fight than a ball. After finishing breakfast, Aleksandra decided to stay a bit longer to help clean the dishes and help Shellgirl with her business. She also promised to take care of Rosemarine, to, and Bugsy in her sons absence. Basil guessed that after losing so many people in Varna, she enjoyed social activity. Knowing his mother would be in good hands allowed Basil to rx a little as he put on his armor and Pth cloak. With Vasi dressed as a witch and him as a knight, they truly made a lovely pair. He wondered how they would fit among the meetings guests. Vasi summoned her invitation with a long, heavy sigh. Ready, Handsome? Are you? Basil replied. No, but it will have to do. Vasi seized the invitation with both hands. One, two Vasi severed the envelope and a sh of light swallowed them both.
You have left your world for a Trimurti Systempatible one. Some of your Perks and Stats might function differently. Your abilities will return to normal when you go back to Earth.
Warning: your Magic Stat has been merged with Intelligence (average value of 52 selected).
Wee to the ne of [Outremonde].
Chapter 99: Man vs Outremonde Chapter 99: Man vs Outremonde The Bohens were greeted on arrival by demon hookers and undead butlers. Wee to the Annual Dalton Dynasty Get-Together! A busty subus weed Basil and Vasi with a tter full of caviar, shrimp, wine, and cocaine. Herpanion, a walking skeleton dressed in an expensive tuxedo, opened a golden guestbook for them to sign. Half the names on the first page were written in blood. Can I offer you a refreshment? Our patented opium cocktail is guaranteed to give you a taste of Happnd! Needless to say, that interaction set the tone for the rest of the day. Basil kept a hand on his halberd as he and his girlfriend were led into a gothic-style castles hall. Colossal didnt even begin to describe the ce. Neither the Vampire Castle dungeon nor Chteau Muloup could hope to rival it in size. The ck stone floor stretched on so far that Basil could have parked the Steamobile in the room. Massive chandeliers cast a bright light on a ballroom dancing floor, exotic buffets full of wonderful dishes, and isted opium dens. Red stained ss windows represented the epic struggle between a great dragon and an undead sorcerer, a vampire beast, and a foul monster with a stomach full of tormented souls. Looking through them gave Basil a glimpse of the world outside: ck towers rising from a sea of magma contained inside a vast crater. And of course, who could miss the giant dragon statue in the middle of the room? Evenrger than Rosemarine, the monument was made of solid goldyered with ruby scales. The statue had wings that could overshadow houses, opal eyes, and a great crown of jewels glittering atop obsidian horns. A magical candle burned within his maw. This was a true dragon spoken in legends, a fire-breathing beast of divine majesty. A smaller statue waited under the right wings shadow; a knight in ckened armor, with ruby wings and a scythe sharper than any de. Did we step into a Unity stronghold? Basil asked, half-amused and half-annoyed. I told you dragons were honored in our world, Vasi reminded him. Dont say you ride one on Earth. They will take it badly. Can I mention turning Steamslime into a car? Vasi smiled, but only a little. Itll be better if I do the talking today. At least this worlds dragons didnt put cors on everyone else. Is your father a superviin? Basil joked. A castle in a volcano doesnt exactly scream heroic underdog to me. He is a demon king, or so Im told. Vasi put an arm around her boyfriends and squeezed it tightly. Her fingers trembled as they held onto his armor. If you see anybody with a crown, please shout a warning. Everything will be fine, Basil reassured her. Im here. Vasi nodded slightly, but her spine only stiffened further. She was as straight as a pole and as rxed as Marie-Antote facing the guillotine. Her eyes darted from one guest to the next, searching for her father with a mix of fear and shyness. Her behavior spooked Basil a little. His girlfriend was always confident, charming, andid-back even in the worst circumstances. When Benjamin Leroy caught Basil and to in Paris, it was Vasi who had effortlessly takenmand of the group to rescue them. Vasilisa Yaga usually smiled with aplomb in the face of danger; but not today. Now Basil saw a new side of his girlfriend. The thought of meeting her long-lost father filled her with more dread than fighting the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. If her dad threatens her, Ill cut him down where he stands. Basil appraised the people present with a wary gaze, holding his girlfriend with one arm and holding his halberd with the other. The hall crawled with scantily-d demons, undead servants, troll cooks, and that what was just the staff. Maybe we wont find him in this madhouse. Basil didnt know any other word to describe what he saw. A blue insectoid demon argued with an angel over winged shrimps. A young siren with the lower half of an octopus shared an intable pool with a half-naked vampire and a young man with wood for skin and leaves for hair; all of them stank of wine, whiskey, and other alcoholic beverages. Dragonoid humanoids yed a childrens card game with orcish creatures, gambling gold, jewels, and to Basils shock, a winged baby. A carnival of fantasy creatures had gathered under this roof to engage in all excesses imaginable. The most normal sight of them all was also the most disturbing. Basils eyes wandered to a corner, where a young woman sat on a rocking chair with a three-years old boy on herp. Her white dress, apron, and sleeping cap reminded him of a caricature of Red Riding Hoods grandmother; especially when he noticed wolfish ears sticking out of her hair and those of the child. Grandma Choc, said the young boy. Why do I have long ears? So you can better hear your prey, the woman replied with a kind smile. The boy returned the smile, his canines sharp as fangs. Grandma Choc, why do I have fangs? So you can better eat people, silly! In retrospect, Basil thought, maybe its best Vasi took after her mothers side. Is everyone on your fathers side of the family a man-eating monster? I didnt expect any of this, Vasi admitted. Me neither, Basil whispered. At least we dont stand out too much. Even in terms of levels, the two of them were nothing to write about among the guests. Thest weeks had reinforced the idea that the Bohens were big fish in a tiny pond; Earth held few challenges for them, at least until the next Incursion. A quick look at the crowd showed them what to expect in the future. Apollyon, who had single-handedly blown the International Space Station out of the sky, ravaged Paris, and survived a nuke, had been reduced from level seventy to sixty by the Level Barrier. One person out of four in this room was stronger than him. Basils Monster Insight Perk worked well enough in this world to let him glean the levels of the guests. Most were in their fifties, but many of them were far stronger than that. The wolf grandmother from before was pushing eighty and the dragonoids neared near seventy. Half the people present would be enough to take over Earth twice over. Although Basil remained ready to defend hisdy at the first provocation, he doubted they would survive for long if the guests became hostile. Vasi nervously nced around the room, and suddenly froze in ce. Basil followed her gaze. A sinister creature signed the guestbook. Two armored ck knights escorted him as if he were a king, and he truly looked the part. His four great wings resembled a cross between a dragons and a moths; symbols of eyes and skulls glowed on the membranes. His body was sleek yet powerful, with red dragon scales, sharp ws, and a ck scorpion tail slithering behind him. His ermine cloak would put Louis XIVth to shame and the rubies on his obsidian crown glowed brighter than stars. Not even his arrogant sneer and cold red eyes could mar his elegant humanoid visage. This man oozed style. Basil failed to recognize the creature at first nce. But the horns, the sharp eyes, the nose the monsters facial features felt awfully familiar to him. After all, they had greeted him each morning on awakening.
Branio II Dalton de Maure
Level 70 [Bug/Dragon]
Weak to: Bugyer, Dragonyer, Light, ttery, hugs, daddy issues, his ex.
Strong against: Everything else.
The self-proimed Demon Emperor of Outremonde, though he has only managed to conquer a fourth so farmostly because deep down, he is an insecure little bastard who wants to prove he doesnt need his parents money or connections to take over THE WORLD! The archnemesis of his Pdin sister Brania, whom he has thrice tried to recruit to the Dark Side of the Gold. He makes most dictators look like schoolboys, but never forgets his mothers birthday.
Also, youll be [BLEEP] if you tell him youre dating his long-lost daughter. Dont. Seriously, dont.
Vasis father was almost as pretty as his daughter. Long-lost daughter? Basil whispered as he read the notification. He noticed theck of associated factions or elemental immunities in the text. This worlds System appeared less exhaustive than Earths one, though less mean-spirited. Thats him, Vasi. She already knew. Yet when her father nced in her direction, Vasi turned his head to avoid meeting his gaze. Lets go! Vasi pulled her boyfriend back. Now! But hes right here, Basil pointed out. The buffet is over there! she insisted, blushing like a tomato. I need a drink! I know he looks intimidating, but appearances can be deceiving, Basil argued. I can test the waters if you want Peons! The ck knights escorting Vasis father announced their mastersing to the guests. Clear the dance floor for His Dark Majesty, His Vileness, CEO of Maure Hellcorporated, Conqueror of the Southern Continent and New Murmurin, the Demon King Branio! Emperor! Vasis father snapped his finger and zapped both his knights with a lightning bolt. The electricity hit them in the ass hard enough to make them wince in pain. How many times will I have to tell you?! The Emperor is above the King, so its Demon Emperor Branio! Okay I take it back, Basil told Vasi. Your father has an attitude problem. Lets go, Vasi insisted. I I just cant. Basil, ever the gentleman, abided by his girlfriends wish. They walked to the buffet, their backs turned on the Demon Emperor Manchild. Vasi Not a word, Basil. Vasi let go of her boyfriends arm and massaged her temples instead. Please, let me clear my thoughts. Realizing his girlfriend needed some personal space, Basil instead turned to the buffet itself. He basked in the sight of so many dishes unknown to him: multicolored slime jellies, demon cabbages served with a sea serpent sd, stuffed fire bats and a stuffed, roasted animal that disturbingly reminded him of a cat. Im sorry to, Basil apologized in his mind. I was toote to save anyone. He still took notes of the various dishes for purely academic purposes. Hey, a new face! Basil turned to the source of the voice: a tiny female goblin wearing ornate samurai armor. A winged human with reptilian wings followed her around with a te full of roasted cat legs. Who are you? First time Ive seen you around here! Basil immediately tensed at the sight of a goblinold habits died hardbut reminded himself that he had no quarrel with this one. He immediately studied her with Monster Insight though; just in case.
Goblina, Goblin Shogun
Level ?? [Beast/Humanoid]
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Are you System profiling me? Unfortunately, his interlocutor noticed his analysis attempt. Do you have something against goblins? Sorry, Basil apologized from the bottom of his heart. I got into a blood feud with goblin neighbors once. Nothing against you, you just reminded me of it. Did you win it? the goblinspanion asked. Besides his red wings and draconic tail, he looked astonishingly normal. Hismon face, green eyes, and brown hair reminded Basil of all Isekai light novel protagonists imaginable fused into one. His sryman suit contrasted with the rest of the guests, but not enough to make him stand out. The blood feud? Oh yes, I did. Basil cleared his throat and offered his hand to the female goblin. Sorry for my poor manners. Im Basil Bohen. Im an inw, so this is my first time here. Goblina. The female goblin looked at Basils hand before shaking it reluctantly. Is he another of yours, Victor? Ohe on, I havent fathered a child in forty years, herpanion groaned. Much to Basils confusion, the man didnt look older than thirty. This joke is getting old. Well, you were the Godfather. The female goblin cackled while herpanion rolled his eyes. Basil supposed there was a joke to be found, but it flew over his head. No seriously, where do youe from, goblin yer? Bulgaria, Basil deadpanned. The reference flew over the goblins head but to Basils surprise, herpanion recognized it. Oh, thats Europe right? he asked with a happy smile. I wanted to travel there after finishing my studies, but never got the chance to. Youe from Earth? Basil asked, positively surprised. That takes me back, he replied with a hint of nostalgia. I used to live in Chicago before the whole stabbing truck thing. Basil blinked at the man as he processed his words. Stabbing truck? I was shanked in an alley and then hit by a truck, the winged man exined. And then I went through the whole god-powered reincarnation shenanigans, you know, the usual. Was he serious? Basil held the mans gaze and waited for the other shoe to drop. It never did. To his astonishment, this Victor lookedpletely sincere. This world was weird.
???
Basils Monster Insight Perk activated on its own and only seeded in giving him a headache. This disturbed him quite a lot. He had managed to read the information of the likes of Pluto and Walter Tye, people who either wielded the power of a god or were close in power. Yet this mans data remained shrouded. Either he was more dangerous than he let on, or his anti-scrying magic was top notch. Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. The winged man set his te of food aside to shake Basils hand. Victor Dalton, but you can call me Vic. Nice to meet you. Same, Basil replied. Didnt expect to meet another earthling today. So, how did you die? Victor asked with a chuckle. Truck-kun? Knifed to death in an alley? Road roller? Im pretty sure Ive never died, Basil replied. Some foes hade close to finishing him off, but none seeded yet. Youve never died? Somehow, the man made it sound like something to be ashamed of, like youre a virgin? Or youve never yed Pokemon? Then how did you make your way to Outremonde? My girlfriend received a magical invitation, Basil exined. Lots of portals are opening to Earth recently, so it must be easy for people to travel to this world back and forth. Wow, really? He scratched the back of his head. Back in my adventurer days, you needed a super-powerful ancient gate to ess Earth. Wait a second. Goblin locked eyes with herpanion. You didnt know about the portals, Vic? One opened in my backyard a month ago. Magical phenomena are Dices domain, so Victor stopped himself, his face turning white as chalk. Oh. Oh, I see the problem. You might want to look into it, Goblina suggested. Wait, how long have you been here? Basil asked with a frown. It didnt look like this man knew anything about the Apocalypse. Oh man, Ive lost count. I believe that makes fifty years now? More? Victor shrugged sheepishly. Might be less on Earth. Time flies differently between dimensions, especially after we skipped the Second Edition of the System for the Third. Second Edition? Basil asked. Both his interlocutors shuddered. We dont talk about the Second Edition, the goblin said. Ever. There was probably an interesting story there, but Basil abided by their wishes. You dont look like your fifty, Vic. We all use eternal youth spells to stay in our prime. Choc is pushing past seventy Victor froze in ce, his tail stiffening up like an antenna. His eyes became nk and his lips stuttered maddeningly. Bring, ring, ring! What Basil struggled to process the scene in front of him. The winged man started making ringtone noises out of nowhere; worst of all, his goblinpanion looked utterly unsurprised. Whats happening to him? Hes ringing, Goblina replied tly. His boss is calling him on the Minionphone. If her answer was supposed to make sense, Basil failed to see it. Victor stopped ringing without warning. Sorry, will be right back! He disappeared in a burst of smoke before Basil could ask for exnations. I thought the Big V would have given him his day off, but guess I was wrong. Goblina nced at the buffet and snickered upon noticing Vasi. Great, another alcoholic in the family. To Basils horror, his girlfriend had emptied three cups of wine and was in the process of consuming a fourth. He would better intervene. Excuse me, Basil told Goblina. He rejoined his girlfriend and swiftly began to massage her shoulders. Vasi, you wont find your courage hiding at a cups bottom. I havent drunk enough to confirm yet, Vasi joked back nervously. She gazed into her wine as if she could divine the future on its surface. That was harsh, Basil. You should be supporting me. I am supporting you, Basil countered. Getting drunk isnt the solution. Listen to him, Goblina said as she butted her way into the conversation. I let my goddaughter hang out with a recovering alcoholic, and now she cant spend a day in a tavern without trying to recruit an adventurer party. It cant be him, Vasi muttered,pletely ignoring thement. His Type is Bug/Dragon, mine is Fairy/Demon. It must be all a misunderstanding. Maybe Types can skip a generation? Basil pondered. Monster Insight identified you as Branios long-lost daughter when I scanned him. Branio has a daughter? Goblina choked in disbelief. Her eyes scanned Vasis face and almost immediately picked up the resemnce. He has a wife? Im Im not sure my mother and him were Vasi gulped in embarrassment. Married. Ugh, this is Victor all over again. The goblin warlord mmed her hand against her forehead in disbelief. Let me settle this. Im his goblin godmother, hell listen to me. No, wait, Vasi pleaded, toote. No! Branio! the goblin called the demon emperor across the room with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Come over here for your paternity test! What? The Demon Emperor turned around to face the buffet. Vasi immediately hid her visage behind her hands so as not to be recognized. What is the meaning of thi He choked upon noticing Vasi. Perhaps it was the horns, or the robe, but she looked familiar to him in all the wrong ways. Baba Darling? The Demon Emperors usual bravado crumbled away, swiftly reced with a pitiful relic of hope. He joined his hands together as if praying to a god and slithered towards Vasi. You came back to me? He didnt dump her mother, Basil realized. He could recognize that pathetic, needy shell take me back tone anywhere. She dumped him and he never got over it. Vasi immediately moved behind Basil, who swiftly readied his halberd to defend hisdy from her deadbeat dad. The Demon Emperors eyes burned with furious jealousy and raised his hands. Lightning coursed through his fingers. No spell came though. Vasi found the courage to face her father, lowering her hands to reveal her visage. Youre The Demon Emperor studied his daughters expression. She must have looked familiar to him, yet his mind struggled to process the truth. Youre not Baba. No, no Vasi started to hyperventte. Im you know, it doesnt really matter Its your bastard daughter, Goblina dered bluntly. Vasi choked so hard Basil thought she might faint on the spot. Her fathers jaw dropped in astonishment, and Basil red at Goblina for spoiling the surprise. Many guests were now looking at the scene, worsening his girlfriends embarrassment. Im disappointed in you, Branio, Goblina scolded the fiend as if he were a child. After what happened to your father, I thought you would know better. You you youre The Demon Emperor wagged a finger at himself and his daughter in quick session. With Baba? I I think so, yes. A strained smile stretched on Vasis face. Hello, Father. Gasps and shocked sounds echoed across the hall, as father and daughter held each others gaze. I have a daughter, the demon emperor whispered. Vasi nodded slowly, her trembling hands joined together. Her father collected himself and regained hisposure. Which he promptly lost. I have a daughter! The Demon Emperors shock turned to explosive joy. He giddily hopped around the room like a grasshopper, spilling wine cups and tes as he went. I HAVE A DAUGHTER! Of all possible reactions, Basil didnt expect that one. He The scene confused Vasi as much as it did her boyfriend. He he didnt know? Clearly not, Basil replied, dumbfounded. Its wonderful, Boss! one of Branios knight bodyguards cheered his superior. We should celebrate with a day off! Fetch me a painter! The Demon Lord ordered. I shall have a portrait of my daughter in every home! I dont get it, Vasi muttered. Why would mother lie? When her father suddenly stopped hopping around, Basil guessed they would soon receive the answer to that very question. Wait you. The Demon Emperor red at Basil with shining eyes. His previous joy had burned away in the mes of cold fury. His tone turned dangerous, his stance became threatening. You were touching my daughter one minute ago with your peasant hands. Basil red back at him. Many members of his family had been farmers for generations, and he was proud of his pastoral heritage! Better a peasant than a deadbeat dad. He immediately realized his mistake when the staff put as much space as they could between Basil and themselves. Even Goblina took a few steps back. Only then did Basil understand what kind of mess he had walked into. You you ruffian! Vasis dad was speedrunning fatherhood and skipped straight to the shotgun phase. How dare you make a move on my teenage virgin daughter?!
You are going to have a bad time.
Shit. Chapter 100: Man vs Dad Chapter 100: Man vs Dad Instead of a shotgun, Branio weed his future son-inw with a torrent of red lightning. Basil fearlessly charged straight into the attack with his halberd raised. The surge of electricity slided over his enchanted armor like water on a swans feathers without inflicting damage. Stray bolts hit the buffet behind him, setting food tes on fire and shocking servants. Hasten! Basil shouted, activating his belts magic alongside his Deaths Banner Perk. Time slowed down around him as he closed in on the demon lord. Death or Glory, Branio replied, his words sounding stretched to Basils ears. elerated Hasten! He dodged Basils halberd in the blink of an eye. Branio not only caught up to his foe in the shifting time; he avoided a lightning-fast strike with casual ease. Vasis father danced around Basil and summoned a crimson rapier to his hand. Four bells attached to the pommel rang as the weapon appeared.
Branios Agility, Skill, and Strength have increased at the cost of his Vitality!
Branio hastened himself!
The guests stepped back to form arge ring around the twobatants, but did not make a move to intervene. Quite the contrary. They started to chant fight, fight, fight! with the zeal of ser hooligans weing a surprise match. Not even Branios bodyguards dared to interrupt the battle and simply cheered from the sidelines. Only one person spoke out against the duel. Stop this madness! Vasi shouted in rm from the sidelines as her father and boyfriend pursued each other across the dancefloor. Basil, back off! Were surrounded! She was right to be worried for his safety. He was dueling a demon lord while surrounded by his high-level rtives. Yet none of them seemed willing to intervene, even to assist their brethren. Some people in the audience cheered for Basil rather than his enemy. And Branio wouldnt give him any quarter. Basil could tell that throwing his weapon aside and surrendering would end with his swift execution. Im trying! Basil replied. He supposed that a demon lord could survive with his limbs chopped off. That should calm him down. But your dad isnt helping! ording to the System, Vasis father was part Dragon Type. A single halberd blow would bring him low, no matter the level gap between the two of them. Basil leaped into the air with Double Jump and attempted to attack the demon lord from above. There was no way a rapier as thin as a needle could stop a two-meters long halberd, but the demon lords sword parried Basils strike all the same. Branio raised his sword almost faster than the eyes could follow and repelled the halberd back. Basil wielded his weapon with his two hands. Branio held his rapier with one, and still won the strength contest. That wasnt a good sign. Can everyone cast Hasten nowadays? Basil cursed as he jumped around the other duelist, looking for an opening. Since Branio appeared left-handed, he decided to attack from the right to bypass the rapier altogether. Its a C-list buff, the demon lord replied contemptuously before casting more spells on himself. Heres the A-material: crity, elerated Afterimage!
Branios casting time for Tier III spells and below has been greatly shortened!
Branios Evasion Value has doubled!
Basils halberd hit the ground with enough force to splinter the floor. He missed all the same. Branio became a blur of speed, a crimson mirage that hopped around the ballroom. He was on Basils left one second and on his right the next. Holy shit, hes way faster than me! Basil realized to his horror. At least twice more, maybe thrice! That was bad. Even if Krampus could use the Hasten spell too, the speed gap between Basil and the ancient fairy had been close to nonexistent. The Dragonknight hadnt fought a foe that much faster than him since Megabug, all the way back at the beginning of his journey. For a brief moment, Basil glimpsed a white hue in Branios eyes; he heard the demon lord mutter words under his breath, though he couldnt distinguish them clearly from the shouts of the audience. The effect was immediate nheless. Basil suddenly felt a weakness seize him. He coughed as a chilling cold spread to his limbs. His vision blurred. His senses dulled to the point he struggled to understand the shouts of the crowd and his girlfriends warnings.
Branios [Tercio de Banderis] lowered your Evasion and uracy Values!
Then came the pain. Basil didnt see the projectilesing, but he felt them; first in his back, then his legs and chest. Bullets of air surged from all around him. Branio fired one from behind, then the left and the right. None came from the same spot and Basils own eyes struggled to follow the shooters movements.
Superffective Damage! 114 [Wind] damage! 114 [Wind] damage! 114 [Wind] damage! 114 [Wind] damage!
As Basil watched his health points crumble faster than the stock exchange during a financial crisis, he jumped all the way to the ceiling. Switching tactics, he formed an Elemental Orb of fire and threw it at the ballroom floor. The projectile exploded in a burst of smoke and mes. An invisible shape moved through them clearly enough to leave a trail. I have you now, Basil thought as he threw his halberd like a javelin with all his strength. His weapon surged across the room faster than a missile. A direct hit would fell even the mightiest dragon. And then the halberd vanished. Branio pointed at the projectile with his rapier. A purple sh of light swallowed the halberd for a second, and in a blink it was gone from this world. Basil almost choked at the sight.
Branio sealed away your [Croque-Mordeuse] in a pocket dimension!
Basil immediately attempted to summon his halberd back to his hand. He failed.
[Soulbound Weapon]s teleportation effect only works when you and your weapon are in the same dimension!
Basil wasnt a man to panic at the first sign of trouble. The sight of colossal titans like Steamslime and Apollyon had at best given him pause. But when he watched his trusty weapon taken from him, he could only think of one word. Shit. Shit, shit, shit! A burst of wind cleared the smoke and mes left from Basils attack. Branio stood in the middle of the ballroom, air swirling around his rapiers edge. You are powerful in closebat, but pitiful at range, the demon lord taunted his foe. Worst of all, you have no means to debuff me. I eat your kind for breakfast! Eat this! Basil replied before firing a volley of Elemental Orbs at Branio. Vasis father dashed around the room faster than any projectile and retaliated with more air bullets. Basil used Double Jump to move around, but whatever magic his foe cast on him made him sluggish. Even with Hasten on, he still took two hits to the chest.
114 [Wind] damage! 114 [Wind] damage! Warning! You have lost a fifth of your HP!
You have bet everything on your main weapon, the demon lord taunted him. Without it, none of your multipliers apply! Basil suddenly realized that he had never considered keeping a backup spear to keep his proficiencies. His Soulbound Halberd returned to his hand at will, so he had never been in a situation where he couldnt summon it to his side in a pinch. If he lived through this, Basil swore to correct this w in his fighting style. If he survived. That is enough! Vasi snapped her fingers in her fury. Dark spikes surged from the ground at hermand and turned the floor into a minefield, to no avail. Her father simply navigated his way between the spikes without any of them touching him. Basil attempted to use his distraction to target him with fire orbs, but Branio countered them with a swing of his rapier. You bastard! the demon lord snarled at Basil. You''ve turned my teenage virgin daughter against me! Youre a decade toote for the both teenage and virgin parts, Dad, Vasiined. And if you want to keep the daughter part, youll stop attacking my boyfriend at once! Goblina, who was watching the fight with a cocktail in hand, shrugged off her worries. Its fine, well just bring your boyfriend back if he gets killed. We have the budget. Vasi red at her. What the hell is wrong with you people?! Basil was asking himself the exact same question. With his halberd disabled and his Elemental Orbs provingpletely useless, he had precious few tools to rely on. Specialization had made him powerful, but vulnerable to direct counters. Vasis father outmatched him as severely as Megabug did early in his adventurer career. Wait, Basil thought as an idea as he remembered his battle against Apollyons drone. Hes a dragon and a half Bug too. Inspired, Basil stopped leaping above the ground and instead dived towards his rival like a falcon. He raised his fist as if aiming to punch his foe. Branio expanded his wings in response and took flight. His sword pierced Basils ribs in midair and came out on the other side of his body. The attack surprised Basil; for while he felt the de cut through his chest, it took a moment for the sensation of pain to catch up. The sword shredded his flesh faster than his nervous system could properly register the damage. Basils blood sshed on the rapier as Vasi screamed in fear and terror.
Critical hit! Supereffective damage! 1566 [Wind] damage!
Warning, critical health!
That was the moment Basil had waited for. By springing to attack, his foe had left himself open. Grabbing the surprised Branios arm with one hand, Basil opened his other palm in front of the demon lords face. Branio could be faster than lightning, he remained a humanoid little heavier than Basil himself. The fact he failed to escape the Dragonknights grip meant the difference in strength between wasnt insurmountable. If pinned down under sufficient weight, he wouldnt be able to escape. He was a bug and could be crushed like one. Secret Bohen Technique, Basil whispered as he opened his inventory.
Item selected: [Volkswagen Constetion].
A massive ck truck dropped on top of Branio. The demon lord let go of his rapier as the vehicle crushed him under his weight. Both fell to the ground in a catastrophic crash, hitting the dragon statue at the center of the hall and shattering one of its wings. The floor managed not to crumble on itselfnobody respected architects nowadaysbut cracks spread through the stone nheless. The audience fell into shocked silence at the sight. Basil could only relish it for a few seconds before he fell to the ground and copsed on his chest. It only made the pain worse, for the rapier was still firmly lodged between his ribs somewhere between the lungs and the heart. It hurt. It hurt like hell. Basil! Vasi rushed to his side and immediately force-fed him a healing potion. She removed the rapier from his chest as the wound slowly closed itself. Basil, Im here. Well well skip seeing your mother Basil coughed blood, but managed to avoid doing so on his girlfriends dress. If you dont mind Were done here, Vasi firmly decided as she put his arm over her shoulder and helped him stand. He was thankful for the help; her fathers spell still made him sluggish. You were right,ing here was a mistake. Basil gazed at the audience. The guests were either looking at him with astonishment, or observing the truck with wary eyes. Is that Truck-kun? he heard some of them whisper among themselves. He can summon Truck-kun? He has broken the statue! He has broken Big Vs statue! And I thought we were an entric lot, Basil thought grimly. He had just crushed their rtive under a truck and they were only concerned about the vehicle type. Weirdos. My halberd I need my halberd back. He must have dropped it, his girlfriend replied as she led him towards the truck and swiftly froze in ce. The truck was shaking. Vasi. Basil took in a deep breath, a hand on his gaping chest wound. Please tell me Im hallucinating. Im afraid not, his girlfriend replied with a hateful re. The truck rolled over to the side with a terrible sound. A winged form emerged from underneath the vehicle; disarmed, but almost unscathed. To summon an avatar of the legendary Truck-kun in battle I underestimated you. A dreadful ck aura swirled around Branio. An oppressive aura weighted on Basils shoulders as if gravity had increased tenfold. I guess I will have to take you seriously.
Branios [Demon Lord Authority] boosted all his stats!
Shit, hes going Super Saiyan! How hurt is he? Basil wondered. The System deigned to answer his question.
You have taken one fourth of Branio II Dalton de Maures health!
With no other option left, Basil decided to bring out his secret weapon; acquired in Germany, refined in Hungary, never tested in the field. Open inventory, Basil whispered as his foe took a step towards him and Vasi. Ocean Enough! Vasi snapped. Were leaving! Her voice brimmed with so much anger, so much frustration, that her words hit her father like a p in the face. The malicious aura surrounding him vanished instantly. Darling, calm down, Branio pleaded, raising his hands in a peaceful manner. Dont approach me! Vasi raised a hand at him while helping Basil stand with the other. Her fingers cackled with magical energy. Dont take another step towards my boyfriend, or I swear to the gods of Outremonde, I will kill you myself! If Basil didnt love her already, he would have fallen for Vasi all over again. Sweetie, hes not worthy of you! her father protested. Who are you to say that? Vasi shook her head angrily. Basil has been here for me more times than I can count, while you you missed two decades and a half of my life, and when you enter it, you try to murder my boyfriend before an hours turn! But I didnt know you existed! Branioined. If I had known You have left my mother for decades and never checked on her! Vasi replied with a sneer of disgust. I hoped it was all a misunderstanding, but now I understand why my mother never let us meet. She met her fathers gaze. I was better off without you. The demon lord choked at the remark. His crushed expression drew a vague feeling of sympathy from Basil, but little more. Being stabbed in the chest had a way of ruining a mans goodwill. Sweetie, I It was almost amusing to see someone as powerful as this Branio stammer and struggle to find his words. I swear, I will make it up- Im not interested in excuses, Vasi interrupted him. Give my boyfriend his halberd back and get out of our lives. Sweetie, please, I didnt mean The sound of booming thunder echoed in the hall before the demon lord could finish. A bolt of purple lightning erupted out of nowhere and unleashed a cloud of violet smoke where it hit the ground. Basil recognized a teleportation effect. A handsome woman materialized in the hall. Basil would have mistaken her for Vasi at first nce, if she hadnt been standing next to him. Much like his girlfriend, the woman was a night hag with purple skin and great horns; but she was older than Vasi, with a few wrinkles and pale blue eyes. Her wild white hair fell like a waterfall on tattered gray robes. She went shoeless, with only a broom for a weapon. Basil would have pegged her as middle-aged, though perhaps a bit younger than his own mother. She took a quick nce at the room and immediately exhaled in annoyance upon seeing the devastation. Basil guessed her identity long before Branio spoke it out loud. Baba Darling? he asked with hopeful eyes. My daughter, the witch said, addressing Vasi and utterly ignoring her father. I was starting to worry about you. Mother? Vasis eyes snapped open in surprise. Why are you here? I felt a great disturbance in our genealogical tree. The witchs eyes went from her daughter to Branio, whose hopeful expression drew a sigh from her. I feared this day woulde. Baba Darling, you came back! Branio joined his hands together, only to pull them back as his joy turned to confusion. Wait why didnt you tell me we had a daughter? To give her a normal childhood! Vasis mother replied in exasperation. Your father was like this for years! Years! No man could approach your sisters without risking their lives! Brania still cant find a boyfriend to this day, someonemented in the audience. The spectators watched the family reunion with what could pass for mild interest; Basil wondered what it would take to get their full attention. Clearly the apple didnt fall far from the tree, Baba Yagamented as she nced at Basil. Are you a pdin? Somehow, her tone reminded Basil of an old racist asking her daughter if her boyfriend was ck. Happy to meet you, maam, Basil replied dryly. I love your daughter. Basil, please, Vasi replied with a little blush. In private. Whatever, I will patch you up, her mother told Basil dismissively. Let us leave before her grandfatheres back and makes this scene even more awkward. Her grandfather? Basil wondered. A chill went down his spine and the crushing, invisible weight from before returned. He red at Branio, expecting another attack, only to see the demon lord sweat in fear. The sound of clenched jaws and grinding teeth echoed among the guests. Every face started to sweat. Who dared?! The voice came nowhere and everywhere all at once. It was strong; even deeper than the Malekings, more confident than Steamslimes, and more terrible than Apollyons. For a second, Basil wondered if God himself was showing his displeasure from the heavens. The audience certainly looked terrified, as did Baba Yaga and her ex. The winged man from before, Victor, teleported back into the hall right next to the broken dragon statue. The poor guy looked emotionally drained as he surveyed the area. I leave for five minutes and Ie back to this, heined in utter despair. Five. Minutes. The room trembled. The walls shook, and the ceiling looked about to copse. Basil opened his mouth to warn Vasi of iing danger, but no sound escaped his throat. A power greater than his will simply wouldnt allow anyone to speak. All people present looked in the same direction: the dragon statue. Basil and Vasi did the same, and watched on as stone and gold came to life. The red dragon statue first reassembled itself. Its broken wing rejoined the stump and fused back with it. But then it started to change, to growrger andrger until its ckened horns hit the ceiling. A magnificent crown more dazzling than the sun itself appeared on its head. An armor of solid gold and jewels materialized over the statues ruby scales. The eyes brightened with all the colors of the rainbow. The very air simmered around the statue as it became a creature of flesh and blood. The wings, the ws, the tail, all started to move with the vividness of a living creature. The draconic being before Basil was so warm that smoke and steam rose from between its scales. Its ws were sharper than des, its fangs longer than any halberd. It was a dragon of legends; a mighty beast older than the world, a volcano on legs, fire with wings and a voice brimming with power. Its divine light dazzled the mind. The sight of its majesty inspired only submission. Before this creature, the false gods of Metal Olympus would have looked like paltry candles next to a sun. Each of these people held the soul of a deity and attempted to pass as one when they met the Bohens. They tried to project power and divinity, and that was their mistake. An audience watching a stage magician could tell their magic was all a trick, even when they didnt understand the method used. That creature wasnt trying to inspire awe; for everyone, even subconsciously, could sense the difference between pretending and being. All had knelt, Basil and Vasi included. They didnt even think of resisting; Lethal Vigil, Deaths Banner, none of their Perks and spells mattered. No magic, no amount of willpower could help them stand on their own two feet. For they knew the truth, instinctively; the same way amb identified a wolf on sight. That creature was no mere dragon. Minion! the great red wyrm clenched his jaw, holy fire burning between his fangs. Who dared to vandalize my statue?! It was a god. Chapter 101: Man vs God Chapter 101: Man vs God Basil had never seen a true god in the flesh before. An Orthodox Christian through and through, he only respected one deity above all others. The existence of the Trimurti had made him doubt his ce in the universe, but not even the discovery that Earth was held within Shivas palm had shaken his faith. Kalki was as vulnerable as any human, and the false deities of Metal Olympus could be killed. The dragon no, the dragon-shaped deity in front of him had no such weakness. Neither Basils Monster Insight Perk nor the System could even register it. The sheer aura of power radiating from the deitys body made even the thought of fighting back impossible to contemte. But as wise men said, it could take a lifetime to establish a reputation and a single conversation to ruin it. Do you know how much this statue cost?! The deep, powerful voice of the dragon god descended from awe-inspiring to childishly incensed. One million Vainqueur dors! One! Million! Basil had a pretty good idea about what a god would feel concerned for: the fate of billions, the rotation of stars, maybe the asional holy crusade. Money wasnt one of them. I swear, this was an ident! Branio found the courage to speak up, though his voice trembled with a hint of fear. I was defending my daughters honor when One million years! the dragon roared so loudly as to shake the hall. The stained ss windows shattered, sending splinters in all directions and causing Branio to wince in dread. That is the number of years you will work to reimburse me for your sinful conduct! Shame on you! Shame! Its alright, Your Majesty, Victor replied calmly. Basil suddenly realized that the winged man alone hadnt knelt in the dragons presence. If anything, he sounded almost bored. The statue was insured. The dragon god whipped the ground with his tail in annoyance. The resulting shockwave sent Basils Volkswagen Constetion rolling against a wall; causing more damage to the hall than the battle with Vasis father ever did. A dragon doesnt pay insurance! But thankfully, minions do, Victor mused. Our gatherings are never a dull affair, so Ive learned to anticipate disaster. It wont cost you anything, Your Majesty. It wont? the red dragons fury abated and he sighed in relief. Good job then, Friend Victor. You have saved us money again. Its my job, Vainqueur, the man replied with a chuckle. Basil and Vasi observed the scene in utter disbelief. For one thing, the dragons inane behavior shattered his outward image of divine infallibility; and Victors casual behavior was less that of a cowering servant and more that of an employee-turned-friend. What was going on here? Its him Vasis words were barely audible to Basils ears. Vainqueur Knightsbane. Whom? Basil whispered under his breath. The supreme god of the Outremonde pantheon. And this man Vasi nced at Victor with wide eyes. Could you be the Victor? And you! Victor raised a finger at the crowd, his eyebrows strained in annoyance. Cant you just get along for five minutes without me? What was it this time? Its his fault, Father! Branio pointed at Basil. This ruffian dropped a truck on me after deflowering my daughter! Father?! Basil and Vasi asked at the same time, thetter louder than the former. Victor lowered his hand in confusion, his eyes moving from Basil to Vasi, and then back at Branio. Your daughter? he asked, his eyes lighting up in excitement. Ahhhhhhhhh Oh gods, here we go again, Basil heard Goblinain. I have a granddaughter?! Victor clenched his fists and leaped in joy. I have another granddaughter! Demonling Branio, thou hath bred atst? the dragon asked the demon lord, before snorting upon noticing Baba Yaga. You haveid with a fairy? It was the bug part that won me over, not the dragon one, the old witch replied, much to her exs joy. Though the whole take over the world part helped a great deal I expected better from a half-dragon, but speciesism is undragonly. The red dragon raised a hand and made a V sign in the air. All children of Friend Victor shall receive my blessing. Before Basil knew it, a torrent of red light surrounded Vasi. His heart pounded in his chest as he thought his girlfriend was under attack, but the magic vanished as quickly as it appeared. The witch looked at her hands in shock, her fingers cackling with energy. Vasi? Basil asked, rmed. Vasi, are you okay? I feel She turned over her hands as if trying to see something Basil couldnt see. I feel great.
Congrattions, Vasilisa Yaga has been blessed by the supreme master of Outremonde! She will gain an additional 10% chance to raise a stat on level up!
Vasilisa Yaga can now undergo metamorphosis into either a [Archdevil Princess] (Demon/Fairy) or a [istig Fomor] (Fairy/Demon).
At this point, Basil had no idea what was going on. He nced at the overjoyed Victor trying to make sense of how someone near his age could be Vasis grandfather, before remembering that this worlds people used magic to stay young. Now that he paid more attention to their faces, there was indeed a passing resemnce. Vasi, thats your name?! Victor grabbed the surprised Vasis hand with a beaming smile. I am so happy to meet you! Did you have a nice trip? Is everything good? Im Vasi gulped. Are you are you Victor Dalton? The god? The god? Basil thought he had misheard, but Victor nodded rather than deny it. He looked at the winged sryman, struggling to ept the reality. Victor noticed his unease and responded by snapping his fingers. A halo manifested above his head. Youre a god? Basil asked in confusion. Kalkis example had taught him that looks could be deceiving, but he simply struggled to imagine this exhausted man as a master of the cosmos. I know, I dont advertise. Victor let out a heavy sigh as he released his granddaughters hand. Im mainly the god of minions, among other things. Each time you begged your boss for a raise, each time you tried to get one of your teammates not to screw things up, each time a kid emotionally bullied you into buying him ice cream, it was to me you prayed. God of minions? Basil held his breath as he digested the implications, before cursing under his breath. You have my sympathy. Damn right, which is why I never answer prayers, Victor replied with a deadpan look. Dont ask yourself what the gods can do for you. Ask yourself what you can do to help them get a day off. What did Kennedy say again? Basil wondered. Ich bin ein Atheist? And this big beautiful wyrm, Victor jerked a thumb in the dragons direction, is my boss and best friend. Vainqueur Knightsbane, the dragon introduced himself properly, closing his eyes and raising his chin. Basil guessed he was trying to look noble, but he only managed to appear caricaturally smug. Great Cmity of all Ages, supreme god of the Outremonde Pantheon, Emperor of the World and the Albain Mountains, wealthiest in all the realms, and best dragon ever. But you may call me Your Majesty. Basil had no idea what half of these titles meant, so he wisely nodded without a word. His girlfriend, meanwhile, was at loss for words. Im Vasi struggled to breathe. A demigoddess? Quarter, kinda? Victor chuckled sheepishly. I had Branio and his sister before I became a god of Outremonde, and demigod children dont receive any benefits anyways. It makes you count as royalty though, which is nice. So that was why Vasi could wield Joyeuse, Basil guessed. The sword would only let kingsand cats, for some reasontouch it safely. Though Basils hand burned when he touched its pommel, Vasi had carried it without issues. Also Victor locked eyes with Basil. Did I hear correctly? Youre dating my granddaughter? His expression remained calm, but his eyes appeared made of steel for a second. Will I have to fight you for her hand too? Basil asked with a groan. His chest wound still ached, even after Vasis healing potion helped close it. If so, can I ask for a round of Board & Conquest? Though he tried to psych himself up and put on a front of false confidence, Basil knew his chances of survival were meager. He already struggled to inflict any damage on Vasis father, and her grandfather seemed even stronger. His hopes of victory were near-nonexistent; and outright delusional if the dragon joined in. Basil still prepared to use an Elemental Orb and fight to the bitter end. He gathered his breath, stood up, and matched Victors gaze. Bring it. Thankfully, Victor proved more tolerant than his son. Im good, the god said with a shrug, instantly deting the tension in the room. Once upon a time I would have struck you with lightning, but Ive taken anger management sses. Dont hurt her and well stay friends. Basil guessed it counted as his blessing. Hopefully, it would help get Branio off his back. And who are you, manling? Vainqueur squinted at Basil with eyes full of light. You are a Dragonknight. Basils heart skipped a beat as he realized the danger. Your majesty, I can ex Your Majesty, with a capital M, the dragon cut him off abruptly. I can tell the difference, Manling. What? Basil blinked in confusion. How? I am a dragon, I know these things. The dragon god nodded sharply. And this is why Basil tried to summon his halberd and make a valiantst stand, only for a System notification to appear and confirm his weapon was still sealed. Saint George, witness me, he thought in defiance. Elemental Or I must congratte you. The dragon looked at Basil Bohen with what could pass for paternal pride. The world needs manlings like you. Having expected to be burned to death on the spot, Basil dared to look into the dragons gaze upon hearing his words. Come again? No need to be modest, I can see through you perfectly! Vainqueur wiped a tear off his eye with a w. You are a dragons knight! You have sworn fealty to your beloved dragon master and seek to emte them! Is there truly a better expression of minionship, of loyalty? At this point, Basil realized that this dragon might be a bit dimwitted. Yes, Basil lied. Yes, thats exactly it. See?! This is what loyalty looks like! Vainqueur chastised the party guests. You should all be ashamed not to have taken this ss! I have coddled each of you for decades, and none of you made that courageous step! But Your Majesty, that is not how the ss works Branio protested, only for his ex to smash his feet and tell him to be quiet. Darling! Tell me, Manling Bohen, Vainqueur told Basil. Which noble dragon do you serve? Rosemarine, Basil replied immediately. Rosemarine Entine de Barthe. A refined, noble name. Vainqueur nodded appreciatively. She must be a beautiful wyrm of impable character. Shes the only good dragon on Earth, Im afraid, Vasimented. Somehow, her tone implied it was damnation by faint praise. Vainqueur squinted suspiciously at the witch. How so? Basil realized they had to tread very carefully there. I dunno about this world, Your Majesty, he said, trying to get the creatures attention away from Vasi for her own safety. But dragons on Earth put ve cors on those they catch and turn the rest to stone. Basil half-expected the deity to arrogantly brush him off; after all, he looked about as arrogant and self-absorbed as any Unity dragonlord. He was mistaken. This this is undragonly! Vainqueur Knightsbane roared in outrage, mes bursting out of his nostrils. Minions have rights and paid holidays! We held a whole convention about this! The status of elves is still undecided, Victor whispered to Basil. By the Elder Wyrm, I shall have a word with these backwater dragons about their conduct! Vainqueur expanded his wings and his scales shone like the sun. Basil and the other guests had to cover their eyes to protect themselves. Gate to Earth, open! To Basils astonishment, space ruptured in the middle of the hall. A ring of fire and energy expanded next to Vainqueur. It resembled the same vergence between worlds that appeared during Incursions, but smaller, more localized. A glimpse of the city of Shumen materialized at the center of the portal like the surface of a polished mirror. Opening a portal between Earth and another world demanded the sacrifice of countless souls to the Neurotowers. Yet Vainqueur Knightsbane could open one by will alone. Even Walter Tye couldnt achieve the same feat. Basil marveled as the great dragon god took a step towards the gate, striding forward like a conquering horse facing its destiny only for the gesture toe to a swift and crashing end. Vainqueur Knightsbane hit an invisible obstacle and stumbled back as he touched the portal. An embarrassed silence stretched on. None of the guests dared to speak a word as Vainqueur Knightsbane tried to walk through the portal once, twice, then thrice to no avail. The barrier that stood between him and Shumen remained intact, indestructible, and eternal. Minion, the gate wont open! Vainqueur raged as he fruitlessly punched the barrier. Where is the spare key? Victor approached the portal and scratched the back of his head as he examined it. Your Majesty, the Level Barrier to Earth says level sixty max, with some exceptions for natives returning from trips, he exined. Youre forty levels too high. This is an indignity! Because I am strong, I cannot go where I want? The dragon butted his head against the portal like a frustrated bull. Where is the logic in this?! This thing is a god. Basil had to repeat it to himself to believe it. Vasi looked about as bbergasted. Oh Lord, this thing is a god. Eventually, Vainqueur Knightsbane epted defeat; for the time being. This is not over, he said while ring at the portal. Not by a long shot. Thats quite worrying though. Victor crossed his arms. There was no such thing around Earthst time I checked. I am truly sorry, Manling, Vainqueur told Basil. It appears your dragon master will have to bear the burden of enlightening my kindred alone. You must stand strong by her side. Im trying, Basil replied, choosing his words very carefully. But forgive mynguage, your kindred arent exactly open to discussion. Of course they arent. When you are at the top of the food chain The great dragon marked a short pause before delivering words of wisdom. Everything starts to look like food. I figured as much, Basil deadpanned. The dragon was preaching to a convert. I too was a reformist surrounded by my backward kindred, Vainqueur said, tantly more interested in the sound of his own voice than Basils answer. The Minion Deration of Rights was an uphill battle. It is difficult to be in the right when everyone else is wrong. Like every genius, His Majestys words usually fall on deaf ears, Victormented. The sarcasmpletely flew over his masters head. Manling Bohen, let us discuss your world, Vainqueur dered. It bothers me to let poor minions be oppressed, no matter the universe. Oh yes, youre staying all night, right? Victor asked, smiling at Vasi. I have two decades of bedtime stories to catch up on too. You are very kind, Vasi said, slightly embarrassed. She appeared conflicted about the proposal, until she nced at her parents. But we we were on our way out with moth I am a dragon, Vainqueur interrupted her with the tone of an adult chiding a child. You will stay and be happy. Basil was half-tempted to make a jump toward the portal with his girlfriend, but half of the guests present were low-level enough to pursue them through it. He exchanged a nce with Vasi and sighed. This was going to be a long evening. Apocalypse Tamer 102: Man vs Return Apocalypse Tamer 102: Man vs Return After an awkward start and terrible middle, Vasis family gathering ended somewhat calmly. Basil and his girlfriends kin sat down around a table like reasonable adults under the looming shadow of their dragon patron. All listened as he told them exactly how his had been turned into a hellscape. Funny times. Thats Victor Dalton sipped from his champagne ss as he struggled to find the correct answer. Thats rough, buddy. Gee, you think? Basil replied with a deadpan look. Most of the guests had promptly forgotten about the battle and returned to their preupations. Basil took it as a hint that watching two people fight to the death followed by a divine miracle was no big deal by the familys standards. And here he thought the Bohens were an entric lot. Only Victor, his dragon master, Baba Yaga, and Branio had stuck around to listen to Basils tale; and while thetter sat next to his daughter, Vasi did everything in her power to put space between them and ignore his presence. Even returning Basils halberd to its rightful owner hadnt endeared the demon lord to his child. It wasnt very Christian of him, but Branios distress filled Basil with an unmistakable sense of enjoyment. Argh! Vainqueur Knightsbane stomped the ground with his back foot with enough force to shake the entire hall. Vasis own ss of alcohol slipped through her fingers, but her father proved quick enough to catch it before it hit the ground. The witch grabbed it back without thanking her sire, much to his dismay. These these Unizmeys are giving us dragons a bad name! Unity, Your Majesty, Victor corrected him. They call themselves the Unity. Same! Only Zmeys could be so stupid as to trample the proper dragon way of life! The dragon god snapped his fingers and a colossal, dazzling pile of gold coinsrge enough to fill a house materialized under him. Vainqueur nested on it with his jaw clenched, the sight reminding Basil of an angry child burying his face in a pillow to soothe their rage. Friend Victor, we must open this portal! I will not stand idle as these fools humiliate my ancient race! I dont think we can enter Earth at all, Your Majesty, his minion replied, scratching the back of his head. Without taking the Level Barrier into consideration, were gods of this world. I dont think we can leave it for another. How did it happen? Basil asked. The question had been bugging him for a while. Bing a god? You said you were from Earth, so I assume you werent born a deity. Vasis mother, who had listened to the conversation without a word, answered him. Godhood in Outremonde works simrly to your Trimurti System, Baba Yaga exined. Anyone reaching level 99 goes through a unique trial. If they seed, they gain a level in the Deity ss and ascend to godhood with a portfolio based on the mortals chosen sses. Basil briefly wondered what sses made Victor a god of minions and overworked employees, but he was kind enough not to ask. Except of course that bing a god doesnt destroy Outremonde like your Trimurti System threatens to do with Earth, Victor added. It has happened fourteen times since the System appeared, and Im pretty sure Kia will be the fifteenth member of our Pantheon once she finds someone strong enough to give her experience. Manling Kia is not goddess material, Vainqueur replied with a snort. Yeah, Im sure she would rather move on to another world as He Who Shall Not Be Named did. Victor sighed. Godhood is only one of the prizes. Some instead chose to reincarnate into other universes in search of new challenges. The opponent I faced during my divine trial chose that option after I kicked his undead butt. Vasi frowned and locked eyes with Basil. His girlfriend had guessed as much. Lord Victor Vasi stopped herself. Victor? What am I supposed to call you? How about The man grinned ear to ear. Grandaddy? No, I dont think itll sit well with me, Vasi replied immediately, much to his chagrin. Grandpa Grandpa, do you think it would be possible for someone to reincarnate in another world without a System? Like Earth? I suppose? Victor nced at his dragon master, who overshadowed the table. Is it? Of course it is possible, Friend Victor, the dragon replied. Think, think! Your soul was first summoned from your native Earth before it incarnated here, did it not? The Elder Wyrm, in her boundless wisdom, connected our world to countless others across the cosmos when she fashioned it from nothing. Our Eldest co-created the world, wyrm, Baba Yaga replied with a snort. To Basils amazement, she held the dragon gods re without flinching. That alone spoke volumes about her power. Dont get us started on this again. The Elder Wyrm? Basil asked with a frown. He had heard the name mentioned a few times without the proper context. One of the creators of our worlds System, alongside our ancestor, the Fomor Eldest, Baba Yaga replied. These two have sowed countless worlds with Systems of their own design. Walter mentioned many Systems could be traced back to two Overgods, Vasi remembered. He must have been referencing these two. In any case, Vainqueur has a point, Victor said, his dragon master nodding in appreciation. A lot of us earthlings reincarnated on Outremonde long before Earth obtained a System of its own. I dont see why the process shouldnt work in reverse. ording to Walter Tye, a portal had been opened between the world of Elysium before its destruction and Earth. This new information helped put this revtion into perspective. If the Trimurti System functions simrly to this worlds one, Basil thought, then each time apetition ends inconclusively, Maxwell reincarnates somewhere else and repeats the process. No wonder Dismaker Labs founder didnt care about the worlds destruction; worst case scenario, he would get off it without a scratch. As they said in gambling: the House always wins. So youre both Overgods? Vasi asked Vainqueur and Victor. No, Im just the normal kind, Victor replied with a sheepish smile. There can only be one at the top. I alone was granted the privilege of being the Overgod, master of the pantheon, Vainqueur dered proudly. I alone can administer this worlds System all the way to its Third Edition. We dont speak about the Second Edition, Victor whispered. Ive heard you, Friend Victor. Vainqueur sighed, his eyes brimming with nostalgia. The Second Edition was a great first draft for the Third. Thats the kindest thing we can say about it for sure, his assistant deadpanned. As usual, his dragon masterpletely missed the sarcasm. As the Administrator of this dimensions System, I alone can determine its mechanics, Vainqueur exined to the confused Bohens. I can edit stats, invent new sses, determine how they can be essed, or the avability of experience. My logic is that of the world itself! If Basil wasnt mistaken, Victor and Baba Yaga briefly shuddered at the dragons bold words. Considering the Trimurti System had seeped so deeply into Earths reality that its bugs threatened to destroy parts of it, controlling it meant dominating reality itself. Basil struggled to picture the potential applications in his mind besides the obvious ones. So you could, and forgive me if Im wrong Basil cleared his throat. Raise someones levels tenfold? I could, Vainqueur replied, but as a dragon, I am beyond such favoritism. It would be grossly irresponsible, not to mention dangerous, to infuse undeserving minions with such power. Dangerous? Vasi asked with a frown. You gain levels by strengthening your soul, Victor borated. If you gain too many at once, your essence bes unstable and it might self-destruct. Its why the leveling curve exists in the first ce. Basil could see how a responsible deity might restrict leveling, but dangerous didnt mean impossible. If the Unity could artificially inte the levels of its soldiers and send them into other universes, the consequences would be apocalyptic. What can gods do exactly? Basil asked. Like, besides altering the local System? Im struggling to understand the exact limits. You wish for a demonstration? Vainqueur snapped his fingers. Minion, do the thing! Yeah, yeah. Victor pointed at the halls broken windows and the night sky beyond. A golden moon shone in a sea of darkness and distant stars. Do you see the constetions? Basil frowned in suspicion. Yes? Victor raised his hands at the sky as if touching an iPads touch screen and swiped the stars out of ce. The deity achieved this act of cosmic power so casually that for a brief second, Basils mind failed to register the reality of what he was seeing. A winged man no taller than him moved the stars out of their position, disassembling constetions and rearranging them into a very clear message.
V&V FOREVER!
Perfection, Vainqueurmented. Im the god of minions, Victor exined to the astonished Bohens. I can do almost anything my boss asks of me, within some limits. At first, the sight of the stars rearranged into a personal signature amazed Basil. Then he imagined the Malekingmanding such power, and his heart was filled with dread. Victor had arranged the stars in a new order, but the demonic master of the Apocalypse Force would bring them crashing down to Earth. He would burn Basils world to the ground and then move on to another. Worse, his servants might be inspired to follow in his footsteps. They would seed news with Neurotowers as Maxwell did and restart thepetition for Overgod. The Unitys Grandmaster ascending to the throne would be equally disastrous. They cant be allowed to win, Basil thought grimly. No matter what. Even if itll cost me my life, they dont get to win. You can rearrange the cosmos, Vasi whispered in shock, and still fail to cross a doorway? I told you, were gods of this dimension, Victor replied sheepishly. Our powers are limited outside it. Vainqueur Knightsbane does not know defeat, his dragon master dered with a w on his chin. There must be something I can do to help you brave minions. Why not raise our levels? Basil suggested. Victor said the Level Barrier made an exception for locals that return from trips, so we should keep them on the other side. Victor swiftly shook his head, disappointing him. The exception is for individuals whose level exceeds the barriers threshold and thene back without gaining any in the meantime. If you gain new levels here, the level penalty will apply on your return. Then give us an overpowered ss, or powerful items, Basil pleaded. Something we can use on our return home. I dont think it will work, Basil, Vasi replied. Orcine lost ess to her native sses when she jumped over to Earth. There is an issue of Systempatibility, Victor confirmed. Your Trimurti System will no doubt restrict any cheating ability we grant you for the sake of its internal bnce; our divine-granted imed Perks will probably disappear on your side. As for items, I assume they will be nerfed. Basil cursed in disappointment. Couldnt he and his team just pay to win like Metal Olympus members? Vainqueur Knightsbane, who had been deep in thought, snapped his fingers. Aha! I know! Your Majesty? Victor asked, his voice suddenly less confident. I know what to do! Vainqueur Knightsbane locked eyes with Basil, his eyes brimming with power. When you cannot break the rules, bend them! Much like his girlfriend earlier, a sh of red light swallowed Basil whole. He felt an alien power fill his bones; a sensation almost identical to the one he enjoyed while leveling up.
Congrattions, you have been blessed by the supreme master of Outremonde! You will gain +10% chance to gain a stat increase when you level up! Additionally, thanks to your clever use of time and space magic, you have unlocked the mighty [Chronomancer] Spellcaster ss!
Chronomancer? Basil asked, utterly confused. Hey, thats my ss! Branio protested. I had to struggle for decades to unlock it! Which is why I helped you with a shortcut! Vainqueur exined to Basil. While I cannot create new sses, I can help you meet its requirements. Oh, thats genius! Victor grinned. Yes, if a ss exists in both Systems and shares the same criteria You can say I met them in this world, Basil guessed, his heart pounding in his chest. Can you make me a Pdin? No, Vainqueur replied almost immediately, much to his dismay. I cannot trick the Light Affinity requirement, whatever that means. Basil sank in his chair. Vasi patted him on the shoulder tofort him and nodded in silent support. Your resume will now say that you achieved amazing feats of time magic during your short stay here, Vainqueur exined. Moreover, while I cannot grant you levels, I can improve your stat growth. Not too much or your System will strip you of my blessing, but just enough to give you an edge. I wish I could do more, Manling Bohen. That is already a lot, Your Majesty. While Basil might have had some issues with dragon lordstely, he was no ingrate. He bowed deeply before the deity in respect. You have my sincere thanks. Vainqueur observed him in silence for a moment, before nodding in appreciation. Manling Bohen, heed my words. I see you have a wyrms spirit. Do you know what that means? Basil frowned. That Im a capped Dragonknight? It means that victory is certain, so long as you remain true to yourself, Vainqueur replied. Struggle, loss, humiliations, those are but words. The only defeat is to surrender. So long as your spirit shines with bravery, you will always win. My kindred on your world have lost their way by forgetting this or rather, they have yet to fall on the right road. Basil listened in silence. The oafish, dimwitted dragon from before had vanished; in his ce, an ancient and mighty wyrm stood atop his bed of gold. His divine aura had returned in full force. I was like this Unity once, the deity exined. I had never known defeat, and so I grew arrogant. I believed myself invincible and that lesser lifeforms existed only to serve me. It took me many years of reflection and friendship to contemte the very concept of death. Youve gone a long way, Vainqueur, Victor whispered with a grin. Im proud. True strengthes from growth, Vainqueur agreed. The Unity believes itself powerful because they have scales hard as steel and physical strength, but their spirit is weak. Their so-called dragonlords will always underestimate you, Manling Bohen, even if you y one of them. They will say that those you defeated were the anomalies, that you did not win by your efforts but through others mistakes. How could they not think so? They believe themselves perfect, and perfection does not lose. The great dragon god folded his wings, his eyes brimming with wisdom. And this is why you and your beloved dragon will prevail, Vainqueur said. Because you have the courage to ept reality and grow stronger from adversity, while they would rather stick to their wrong ways out of fear. When you doubt yourself, always remember this: never stop fighting. For one is never truly born strong. True strength is earned. Vainqueurs words echoed the Malekings in a way; but they were wiser, more inspiring. The deitys charisma was such that Basil believed him on the spot. The words warmed his heart like kindling poured on a pile of burning wood. I will not disappoint you, Your Majesty, Basil said with a hand on his chest. No, you will not, Vainqueur replied warmly. Baba Yaga, who had listened to the speech in silence so far, folded her arms. My daughter, you should return home. This war is not yours. I cant abandon my friends, Mother, Vasi protested. Just bring them on this side of the portal, Baba Yaga replied with a shrug. Our hut is not the biggest, but we can amodate a few dozen guests. The cat should fit nicely into the oven. Basil gave her an outraged look, but Vasi acted quicker. Its not my war, no, she admitted before immediately taking her boyfriends hand into her own. But its Basils. I cannot sit on the sidelines while his homnd goes up in ashes. Bah! Baba Yaga grunted. You speak like a pdin! Perhaps, Vasi replied with a smile. He has been a good influence on me. So have you. Basil kissed his girlfriend on the cheek, not caring about her fathers reaction. Youve made me a better person. Aww Victor was brought almost to tears. Im so happy While Vasis mother rolled her eyes, Branio opened his mouth to speak. Basil expected him to challenge him to a second round of dueling and was swiftly disappointed. I have misjudged you, Bohen, Branio admitted. It seemed Vasis trust in himand tales of their adventures togetherhad mollified the demon lord somewhat. Damn straight you did, Basil replied, utterly unimpressed. Although you are a mediocre fighter, you have defended my daughter many times and proved your mettle. The demon lord crossed his arms and cleared his throat as if it hurt him to speak. I shall tolerate you.
Your girlfriends dad epts you. Few people will survive to read this message.
Well, fuck you, Basil snapped back. You stabbed me in the chest. Im the one tolerating you! No, mortal! The demon lord wagged a finger at Basil. Im the one tolerating you! I am! Basil replied, pointing back. Im the one! I am the one! I am! What followed was an awkward contest where each of them pretended to have the moral high ground; to outsiders, they must have looked like two bickering childrenpletely out of their depth. The battle only ended when Vasi dered it a draw. Father, for now I am the one tolerating you. The witch red at her sire so balefully that he avoided her gaze. That already is a great concession from me. But sweetie I dont want to hear excuses, she interrupted him. Yes, Mother deserves some guilt for not telling you of my existence, but your reaction did not endear you to me in any way. It was for your own good! her mother protested. I decide what is good for me, Vasi insisted firmly. And unless you learn to get along with my boyfriend, Father, then yourpany is not one of them. Sweetie, I was only trying to help you, her father replied, hands joined in prayer. All I want is for you to be happy with someone worthy of you. Its not for you to choose. Vasi let out a sigh. Ill Ill try to think you acted the way you did because you care, but actions speak louder than words. Then let me prove my goodwill this instant. The demon lord bolted out of his seat. Where the gods themselves failed, I, Branio II, future emperor of Outremonde, shall prevail! Vice-emperor, Vainqueur grunted with a snort. I do not share my hoard. And how do you want to help her, my dear? Baba Yaga asked her ex-boyfriend in skepticism. You cannot cross the portal, no more than I can. Why would I? The demon lord chuckled darkly. Securing conquerednd is a minions job and I have so many of them. Armies who will dly die for my beautiful princess sake. Basils eyes widened in surprise. Wait, are you implying That is right, human. Branio proudly raised a fist to the ceiling. My demonic legions shall enter your world and put you where you belong at my daughters side, as she seizes the throne of thisnd you call Bulgaria! The idea of another demonic army invading his homnd didnt exactly thrill Basil Bohen. No way in H This is an excellent idea, Demonling! Vainqueur Knightsbane agreed immediately. Though I cannot assist personally, I too shall engage in aggressive minion diplomacy to bring these foolhardy dragons to heel! Wait, wait, Vasi panicked. How many troops can you deploy? Thousands, sweetie, Branio replied. His daughters interest caused his eyes to shine with hope. For you, Ill spare no expense. I will vouch for it, Baba Yaga mused. Conquering a country for me is how he won me over. Branio took his exs hands into his own. And I would do it all over again for a single of your kisses, Baba Darling. The ancient witch reddened slightly, much to their daughters annoyance. Vasi clenched her teeth and leaned against her boyfriends ear to whisper in it. What do you think? You cant be considering it, Basil whispered back. Do you want to expel the Unity from your country or not? she countered. Having an army would definitely help. An army of demons, Basil pointed out. That alone would frighten Bulgarias people; Earths only experience with fiends so far was the Apocalypse Force, so it would be a public rtionship disaster all around at best. And what if they dont leave? I dont want to trade one oppressor for another. Let''s see Vasi turned to her sire. Father, will I be in charge of the army? But of course, Sweetie, the demon lord replied joyfully. My little princess, already leading minions to battle So I can send them back once the job is done? When her father nodded in response, Vasi returned to plotting with her boyfriend. See? Not a bad deal. Forgive me if Im not enthusiastic, Basil admitted. He couldnt bring himself to trust a demon, especially one who had tried to kill him hours earlier. The Unity has killed thousands and will probably ughter more, Vasi replied with a frown. Shouldn''t saving your countrymen be the priority? When she put it that way Basil mulled over the situation and realized he had few options. His homnd was upied, Shumen was besieged, and mankinds enemies were growing stronger and more numerous with each Incursion. Six billion people had already perished across the globe. Basil couldnt save his country with his current resources, let alone the world. Mankind desperately needed allies; any allies. Beggars couldnt be choosers. And when he looked at Branio, Basil realized that he would deliver. The man seemed so desperate for his daughters approval that he would do anything for a thank you. Ill regret it. Basil sighed. Somehow, I know I will. He was immediately proven right. Bohen, your country shall henceforth be known as Vasnd, Branio dered. His daughter put a hand on her forehead with a groan. Ill let youmand troops during the change of name process, though you will need to prove yourself worthy of the task. You have no means to debuff a foe, let alone disrupt their buffs. At your level, this is inexcusable. I figured out it was better to specialize as part of a team, Basil defended his build. Though Ill admit I should have gotten a backup spear. The demon lord wouldnt hear any of it. Yourck of apetent ally is no excuse! At your level you should have the resources topensate for your shorings! Summoning Truck-kun cannot be your only ace-in-the-hole! What my son means is that usually at the elite level we usually umte enough magical items to cover our weaknesses, Victor said. Your halberd and armor look good, but surely you must have other tools to call upon. Our System is stingy with loot, Vasi admitted. And we usually sell it for favors anyway. Your days of poverty are over, my child, Branio reassured her. I couldnt spoil you for over twenty years but no more! From now on, you shall not sleep on a bed unless it is made of bills and gold! Diamonds help for the back too, Vainqueurmented. A diversified hoard is the key to a good nights sleep. Sleeping on gemstones sounded extraordinarily ufortable, but Basil had never done it, so he couldnt judge. I know someone who will be very pleased to hear that, Vasi replied, smiling at her father for the first time since they met. We can discuss gold and gemstones another day. Her fathers expression instantly deted. Sweetie, youre leaving? Vasi nodded slowly as she and Basil rose from their seats. The New Year is only a few hours away, and we cant be away much longer. But you will be back? Victor asked eagerly. We have so much time to catch on, and you havent met your grandmother yet. I Vasi briefly hesitated, but after a nce at her pleading fathers eyes, she couldnt help but agree. Well return as soon as we can. Basil could read between the lines. Though her paternal family was exactly what she had imagined, she was willing to give them a chance. If it made her happy, all the better. Vasi, I have to say it. Basil gathered his breath as they prepared to return home. Your family your family is weird. His girlfriendughed so hard that it drew a smile to his lips. 2023 was bound to start well. Chapter 102: Man vs Return Chapter 102: Man vs Return After an awkward start and terrible middle, Vasis family gathering ended somewhat calmly. Basil and his girlfriends kin sat down around a table like reasonable adults under the looming shadow of their dragon patron. All listened as he told them exactly how his had been turned into a hellscape. Funny times. Thats Victor Dalton sipped from his champagne ss as he struggled to find the correct answer. Thats rough, buddy. Gee, you think? Basil replied with a deadpan look. Most of the guests had promptly forgotten about the battle and returned to their preupations. Basil took it as a hint that watching two people fight to the death followed by a divine miracle was no big deal by the familys standards. And here he thought the Bohens were an entric lot. Only Victor, his dragon master, Baba Yaga, and Branio had stuck around to listen to Basils tale; and while thetter sat next to his daughter, Vasi did everything in her power to put space between them and ignore his presence. Even returning Basils halberd to its rightful owner hadnt endeared the demon lord to his child. It wasnt very Christian of him, but Branios distress filled Basil with an unmistakable sense of enjoyment. Argh! Vainqueur Knightsbane stomped the ground with his back foot with enough force to shake the entire hall. Vasis own ss of alcohol slipped through her fingers, but her father proved quick enough to catch it before it hit the ground. The witch grabbed it back without thanking her sire, much to his dismay. These these Unizmeys are giving us dragons a bad name! Unity, Your Majesty, Victor corrected him. They call themselves the Unity. Same! Only Zmeys could be so stupid as to trample the proper dragon way of life! The dragon god snapped his fingers and a colossal, dazzling pile of gold coinsrge enough to fill a house materialized under him. Vainqueur nested on it with his jaw clenched, the sight reminding Basil of an angry child burying his face in a pillow to soothe their rage. Friend Victor, we must open this portal! I will not stand idle as these fools humiliate my ancient race! I dont think we can enter Earth at all, Your Majesty, his minion replied, scratching the back of his head. Without taking the Level Barrier into consideration, were gods of this world. I dont think we can leave it for another. How did it happen? Basil asked. The question had been bugging him for a while. Bing a god? You said you were from Earth, so I assume you werent born a deity. Vasis mother, who had listened to the conversation without a word, answered him. Godhood in Outremonde works simrly to your Trimurti System, Baba Yaga exined. Anyone reaching level 99 goes through a unique trial. If they seed, they gain a level in the Deity ss and ascend to godhood with a portfolio based on the mortals chosen sses. Basil briefly wondered what sses made Victor a god of minions and overworked employees, but he was kind enough not to ask. Except of course that bing a god doesnt destroy Outremonde like your Trimurti System threatens to do with Earth, Victor added. It has happened fourteen times since the System appeared, and Im pretty sure Kia will be the fifteenth member of our Pantheon once she finds someone strong enough to give her experience. Manling Kia is not goddess material, Vainqueur replied with a snort. Yeah, Im sure she would rather move on to another world as He Who Shall Not Be Named did. Victor sighed. Godhood is only one of the prizes. Some instead chose to reincarnate into other universes in search of new challenges. The opponent I faced during my divine trial chose that option after I kicked his undead butt. Vasi frowned and locked eyes with Basil. His girlfriend had guessed as much. Lord Victor Vasi stopped herself. Victor? What am I supposed to call you? How about The man grinned ear to ear. Grandaddy? No, I dont think itll sit well with me, Vasi replied immediately, much to his chagrin. Grandpa Grandpa, do you think it would be possible for someone to reincarnate in another world without a System? Like Earth? I suppose? Victor nced at his dragon master, who overshadowed the table. Is it? Of course it is possible, Friend Victor, the dragon replied. Think, think! Your soul was first summoned from your native Earth before it incarnated there, did it not? The Elder Wyrm, in her boundless wisdom, connected our world to countless others across the cosmos when she fashioned it from nothing. Our Eldest co-created the world, wyrm, Baba Yaga replied with a snort. To Basils amazement, she held the dragon gods re without flinching. That alone spoke volumes about her power. Dont get us started on this again. The Elder Wyrm? Basil asked with a frown. He had heard the name mentioned a few times without the proper context. One of the creators of our worlds System, alongside our ancestor, the Fomor Eldest, Baba Yaga replied. These two have sowed countless worlds with Systems of their own design. Walter mentioned many Systems could be traced back to two Overgods, Vasi remembered. He must have been referencing these two. In any case, Vainqueur has a point, Victor said, his dragon master nodding in appreciation. A lot of us earthlings reincarnated on Outremonde long before Earth obtained a System of its own. I dont see why the process shouldnt work in reverse. ording to Walter Tye, a portal had been opened between the world of Elysium before its destruction and Earth. This new information helped put this revtion into perspective. If the Trimurti System functions simrly to this worlds one, Basil thought, then each time apetition ends inconclusively, Maxwell reincarnates somewhere else and repeats the process. No wonder Dismaker Labs founder didnt care about the worlds destruction; worst case scenario, he would get off it without a scratch. As they said in gambling: the House always wins. So youre both Overgods? Vasi asked Vainqueur and Victor. No, Im just the normal kind, Victor replied with a sheepish smile. There can only be one at the top. I alone was granted the privilege of being the Overgod, master of the pantheon, Vainqueur dered proudly. I alone can administer this worlds System all the way to its Third Edition. We dont speak about the Second Edition, Victor whispered. Ive heard you, Friend Victor. Vainqueur sighed, his eyes brimming with nostalgia. The Second Edition was a great first draft for the Third. Thats the kindest thing we can say about it for sure, his assistant deadpanned. As usual, his dragon masterpletely missed the sarcasm. As the Administrator of this dimensions System, I alone can determine its mechanics, Vainqueur exined to the confused Bohens. I can edit stats, invent new sses, determine how they can be essed, or the avability of experience. My logic is that of the world itself! If Basil wasnt mistaken, Victor and Baba Yaga briefly shuddered at the dragons bold words. Considering the Trimurti System had seeped so deeply into Earths reality that its bugs threatened to destroy parts of it, controlling it meant dominating reality itself. Basil struggled to picture the potential applications in his mind besides the obvious ones. So you could, and forgive me if Im wrong Basil cleared his throat. Raise someones levels tenfold? I could, Vainqueur replied, but as a dragon, I am beyond such favoritism. It would be grossly irresponsible, not to mention dangerous, to infuse undeserving minions with such power. Dangerous? Vasi asked with a frown. You gain levels by strengthening your soul, Victor borated. If you gain too many at once, your essence bes unstable and it might self-destruct. Its why the leveling curve exists in the first ce. Basil could see how a responsible deity might restrict leveling, but dangerous didnt mean impossible. If the Unity could artificially inte the levels of its soldiers and send them into other universes, the consequences would be apocalyptic. What can gods do exactly? Basil asked. Like, besides altering the local System? Im struggling to understand the exact limits. You wish for a demonstration? Vainqueur snapped his fingers. Minion, do the thing! Yeah, yeah. Victor pointed at the halls broken windows and the night sky beyond. A golden moon shone in a sea of darkness and distant stars. Do you see the constetions? Basil frowned in suspicion. Yes? Victor raised his hands at the sky as if touching an iPads touch screen and swiped the stars out of ce. The deity achieved this act of cosmic power so casually that for a brief second, Basils mind failed to register the reality of what he was seeing. A winged man no taller than him moved the stars out of their position, disassembling constetions and rearranging them into a very clear message.
V&V FOREVER!
Perfection, Vainqueurmented. Im the god of minions, Victor exined to the astonished Bohens. I can do almost anything my boss asks of me, within some limits. At first, the sight of the stars rearranged into a personal signature amazed Basil. Then he imagined the Malekingmanding such power, and his heart was filled with dread. Victor had arranged the stars in a new order, but the demonic master of the Apocalypse Force would bring them crashing down to Earth. He would burn Basils world to the ground and then move on to another. Worse, his servants might be inspired to follow in his footsteps. They would seed news with Neurotowers as Maxwell did and restart thepetition for Overgod. The Unitys Grandmaster ascending to the throne would be equally disastrous. They cant be allowed to win, Basil thought grimly. No matter what. Even if itll cost me my life, they dont get to win. You can rearrange the cosmos, Vasi whispered in shock, and still fail to cross a doorway? I told you, were gods of this dimension, Victor replied sheepishly. Our powers are limited outside it. Vainqueur Knightsbane does not know defeat, his dragon master dered with a w on his chin. There must be something I can do to help you brave minions. Why not raise our levels? Basil suggested. Victor said the Level Barrier made an exception for locals that return from trips, so we should keep them on the other side. Victor swiftly shook his head, disappointing him. The exception is for individuals whose level exceeds the barriers threshold and thene back without gaining any in the meantime. If you gain new levels here, the level penalty will apply on your return. Then give us an overpowered ss, or powerful items, Basil pleaded. Something we can use on our return home. I dont think it will work, Basil, Vasi replied. Orcine lost ess to her native sses when she jumped over to Earth. There is an issue of Systempatibility, Victor confirmed. Your Trimurti System will no doubt restrict any cheating ability we grant you for the sake of its internal bnce; our divine-granted imed Perks will probably disappear on your side. As for items, I assume they will be nerfed. Basil cursed in disappointment. Couldnt he and his team just pay to win like Metal Olympus members? Vainqueur Knightsbane, who had been deep in thought, snapped his fingers. Aha! I know! Your Majesty? Victor asked, his voice suddenly less confident. I know what to do! Vainqueur Knightsbane locked eyes with Basil, his eyes brimming with power. When you cannot break the rules, bend them! Much like his girlfriend earlier, a sh of red light swallowed Basil whole. He felt an alien power fill his bones; a sensation almost identical to the one he enjoyed while leveling up.
Congrattions, you have been blessed by the supreme master of Outremonde! You will gain +10% chance to gain a stat increase when you level up! Additionally, thanks to your clever use of time and space magic, you have unlocked the mighty [Chronomancer] Spellcaster ss!
Chronomancer? Basil asked, utterly confused. Hey, thats my ss! Branio protested. I had to struggle for decades to unlock it! Which is why I helped you with a shortcut! Vainqueur exined to Basil. While I cannot create new sses, I can help you meet its requirements. Oh, thats genius! Victor grinned. Yes, if a ss exists in both Systems and shares the same criteria You can say I met them in this world, Basil guessed, his heart pounding in his chest. Can you make me a Pdin? No, Vainqueur replied almost immediately, much to his dismay. I cannot trick the Light Affinity requirement, whatever that means. Basil sank in his chair. Vasi patted him on the shoulder tofort him and nodded in silent support. Your resume will now say that you achieved amazing feats of time magic during your short stay here, Vainqueur exined. Moreover, while I cannot grant you levels, I can improve your stat growth. Not too much or your System will strip you of my blessing, but just enough to give you an edge. I wish I could do more, Manling Bohen. That is already a lot, Your Majesty. While Basil might have had some issues with dragon lordstely, he was no ingrate. He bowed deeply before the deity in respect. You have my sincere thanks. Vainqueur observed him in silence for a moment, before nodding in appreciation. Manling Bohen, heed my words. I see you have a wyrms spirit. Do you know what that means? Basil frowned. That Im a capped Dragonknight? It means that victory is certain, so long as you remain true to yourself, Vainqueur replied. Struggle, loss, humiliations, those are but words. The only defeat is to surrender. So long as your spirit shines with bravery, you will always win. My kindred on your world have lost their way by forgetting this or rather, they have yet to fall on the right road. Basil listened in silence. The oafish, dimwitted dragon from before had vanished; in his ce, an ancient and mighty wyrm stood atop his bed of gold. His divine aura had returned in full force. I was like this Unity once, the deity exined. I had never known defeat, and so I grew arrogant. I believed myself invincible and that lesser lifeforms existed only to serve me. It took me many years of reflection and friendship to contemte the very concept of death. Youve gone a long way, Vainqueur, Victor whispered with a grin. Im proud. True strengthes from growth, Vainqueur agreed. The Unity believes itself powerful because they have scales hard as steel and physical strength, but their spirit is weak. Their so-called dragonlords will always underestimate you, Manling Bohen, even if you y one of them. They will say that those you defeated were the anomalies, that you did not win by your efforts but through others mistakes. How could they not think so? They believe themselves perfect, and perfection does not lose. The great dragon god folded his wings, his eyes brimming with wisdom. And this is why you and your beloved dragon will prevail, Vainqueur said. Because you have the courage to ept reality and grow stronger from adversity, while they would rather stick to their wrong ways out of fear. When you doubt yourself, always remember this: never stop fighting. For one is never truly born strong. True strength is earned. Vainqueurs words echoed the Malekings in a way; but they were wiser, more inspiring. The deitys charisma was such that Basil believed him on the spot. The words warmed his heart like kindling poured on a pile of burning wood. I will not disappoint you, Your Majesty, Basil said with a hand on his chest. No, you will not, Vainqueur replied warmly. Baba Yaga, who had listened to the speech in silence so far, folded her arms. My daughter, you should return home. This war is not yours. I cant abandon my friends, Mother, Vasi protested. Just bring them on this side of the portal, Baba Yaga replied with a shrug. Our hut is not the biggest, but we can amodate a few dozen guests. The cat should fit nicely into the oven. Basil gave her an outraged look, but Vasi acted quicker. Its not my war, no, she admitted before immediately taking her boyfriends hand into her own. But its Basils. I cannot sit on the sidelines while his homnd goes up in ashes. Bah! Baba Yaga grunted. You speak like a pdin! Perhaps, Vasi replied with a smile. He has been a good influence on me. So have you. Basil kissed his girlfriend on the cheek, not caring about her fathers reaction. Youve made me a better person. Aww Victor was brought almost to tears. Im so happy While Vasis mother rolled her eyes, Branio opened his mouth to speak. Basil expected him to challenge him to a second round of dueling and was swiftly disappointed. I have misjudged you, Bohen, Branio admitted. It seemed Vasis trust in himand tales of their adventures togetherhad mollified the demon lord somewhat. Damn straight you did, Basil replied, utterly unimpressed. Although you are a mediocre fighter, you have defended my daughter many times and proved your mettle. The demon lord crossed his arms and cleared his throat as if it hurt him to speak. I shall tolerate you.
Your girlfriends dad epts you. Few people will survive to read this message.
Well, fuck you, Basil snapped back. You stabbed me in the chest. Im the one tolerating you! No, mortal! The demon lord wagged a finger at Basil. Im the one tolerating you! I am! Basil replied, pointing back. Im the one! I am the one! I am! What followed was an awkward contest where each of them pretended to have the moral high ground; to outsiders, they must have looked like two bickering childrenpletely out of their depth. The battle only ended when Vasi dered it a draw. Father, for now I am the one tolerating you. The witch red at her sire so balefully that he avoided her gaze. That already is a great concession from me. But sweetie I dont want to hear excuses, she interrupted him. Yes, Mother deserves some guilt for not telling you of my existence, but your reaction did not endear you to me in any way. It was for your own good! her mother protested. I decide what is good for me, Vasi insisted firmly. And unless you learn to get along with my boyfriend, Father, then yourpany is not one of them. Sweetie, I was only trying to help you, her father replied, hands joined in prayer. All I want is for you to be happy with someone worthy of you. Its not for you to choose. Vasi let out a sigh. Ill Ill try to think you acted the way you did because you care, but actions speak louder than words. Then let me prove my goodwill this instant. The demon lord bolted out of his seat. Where the gods themselves failed, I, Branio II, future emperor of Outremonde, shall prevail! Vice-emperor, Vainqueur grunted with a snort. I do not share my hoard. And how do you want to help her, my dear? Baba Yaga asked her ex-boyfriend in skepticism. You cannot cross the portal, no more than I can. Why would I? The demon lord chuckled darkly. Securing conquerednd is a minions job and I have so many of them. Armies who will dly die for my beautiful princess sake. Basils eyes widened in surprise. Wait, are you implying That is right, human. Branio proudly raised a fist to the ceiling. My demonic legions shall enter your world and put you where you belong at my daughters side, as she seizes the throne of thisnd you call Bulgaria! The idea of another demonic army invading his homnd didnt exactly thrill Basil Bohen. No way in H This is an excellent idea, Demonling! Vainqueur Knightsbane agreed immediately. Though I cannot assist personally, I too shall engage in aggressive minion diplomacy to bring these foolhardy dragons to heel! Wait, wait, Vasi panicked. How many troops can you deploy? Thousands, sweetie, Branio replied. His daughters interest caused his eyes to shine with hope. For you, Ill spare no expense. I will vouch for it, Baba Yaga mused. Conquering a country for me is how he won me over. Branio took his exs hands into his own. And I would do it all over again for a single of your kisses, Baba Darling. The ancient witch reddened slightly, much to their daughters annoyance. Vasi clenched her teeth and leaned against her boyfriends ear to whisper in it. What do you think? You cant be considering it, Basil whispered back. Do you want to expel the Unity from your country or not? she countered. Having an army would definitely help. An army of demons, Basil pointed out. That alone would frighten Bulgarias people; Earths only experience with fiends so far was the Apocalypse Force, so it would be a public rtionship disaster all around at best. And what if they dont leave? I dont want to trade one oppressor for another. Let''s see Vasi turned to her sire. Father, will I be in charge of the army? But of course, Sweetie, the demon lord replied joyfully. My little princess, already leading minions to battle So I can send them back once the job is done? When her father nodded in response, Vasi returned to plotting with her boyfriend. See? Not a bad deal. Forgive me if Im not enthusiastic, Basil admitted. He couldnt bring himself to trust a demon, especially one who had tried to kill him hours earlier. The Unity has killed thousands and will probably ughter more, Vasi replied with a frown. Shouldn''t saving your countrymen be the priority? When she put it that way Basil mulled over the situation and realized he had few options. His homnd was upied, Shumen was besieged, and mankinds enemies were growing stronger and more numerous with each Incursion. Six billion people had already perished across the globe. Basil couldnt save his country with his current resources, let alone the world. Mankind desperately needed allies; any allies. Beggars couldnt be choosers. And when he looked at Branio, Basil realized that he would deliver. The man seemed so desperate for his daughters approval that he would do anything for a thank you. Ill regret it. Basil sighed. Somehow, I know I will. He was immediately proven right. Bohen, your country shall henceforth be known as Vasnd, Branio dered. His daughter put a hand on her forehead with a groan. Ill let youmand troops during the change of name process, though you will need to prove yourself worthy of the task. You have no means to debuff a foe, let alone disrupt their buffs. At your level, this is inexcusable. I figured out it was better to specialize as part of a team, Basil defended his build. Though Ill admit I should have gotten a backup spear. The demon lord wouldnt hear any of it. Yourck of apetent ally is no excuse! At your level you should have the resources topensate for your shorings! Summoning Truck-kun cannot be your only ace-in-the-hole! What my son means is that usually at the elite level we usually umte enough magical items to cover our weaknesses, Victor said. Your halberd and armor look good, but surely you must have other tools to call upon. Our System is stingy with loot, Vasi admitted. And we usually sell it for favors anyway. Your days of poverty are over, my child, Branio reassured her. I couldnt spoil you for over twenty years but no more! From now on, you shall not sleep on a bed unless it is made of bills and gold! Diamonds help for the back too, Vainqueurmented. A diversified hoard is the key to a good nights sleep. Sleeping on gemstones sounded extraordinarily ufortable, but Basil had never done it, so he couldnt judge. I know someone who will be very pleased to hear that, Vasi replied, smiling at her father for the first time since they met. We can discuss gold and gemstones another day. Her fathers expression instantly deted. Sweetie, youre leaving? Vasi nodded slowly as she and Basil rose from their seats. The New Year is only a few hours away, and we cant be away much longer. But you will be back? Victor asked eagerly. We have so much time to catch on, and you havent met your grandmother yet. I Vasi briefly hesitated, but after a nce at her pleading fathers eyes, she couldnt help but agree. Well return as soon as we can. Basil could read between the lines. Though her paternal family was exactly what she had imagined, she was willing to give them a chance. If it made her happy, all the better. Vasi, I have to say it. Basil gathered his breath as they prepared to return home. Your family your family is weird. His girlfriendughed so hard that it drew a smile to his lips. 2023 was bound to start well. Chapter 103: Man vs Midnight Chapter 103: Man vs Midnight So, my dear, Aleksandra asked Vasi the moment she and Basil returned home. Did you enjoy meeting your father? Basil and his girlfriend exchanged a long, knowing nce as the portal closed behind them. There is a margin for improvement, the witch said with an embarrassed smile, but were still on speaking terms. Oh, it went better than I expected then! Aleksandra chuckled. Between us, I worried that he might be the kind to hurt my poor son for dating you. I know people who got shot for less. Basil resisted the urge to touch his now-healed rapier wound. Im good, mom. It appeared the rest of his group hadnt been idle in their absence. Bugsy had used abination of hisva-secretion and digging abilities to expand Aleksandras home. He had raised walls of magma, let them cool off, and then topped them with steel panels to make a roof. His good work had doubled the houses size. Rosemarine, meanwhile, had nted some of her fruits in the garden in the hope of raising new trees in the future. It was Shellgirl who had been the busiest of them though. She had piled up entire crates of battle itemson which to neatly rested, thatzy kittenand ssified them in a notebook. Basil noticed many Elemental Boosters, alongside strange, X-shaped shuriken of crystal. He grabbed one and examined its abilities.
X-Dispel
Category: Consumable.
Quality: C
Effect 1: Strips a single target of all stat buffs.
Effect 2: Strips a single target of beneficial status conditions, such as [Regen] or [Haste].
The poor mans buff breaker. Overuse can cause performance issues.
I knew you would love them, Partner, Shellgirl said as she scribbled words in her notebook. Theylle in handy. Basil wished he had carried them during the fight with his father-inw. Do we need to throw it at the target? he asked. It wont activate if we miss? Im afraid so, Partner, Shellgirl replied. We can always strap them to my ice pearls or other projectiles. Our foes cant possibly dodge everything. Basil winced as he remembered Branios insane agility. Ill need ten, no, twenty of these. Can we afford so many? I could only purchase five of them max, for now, Partner. Shellgirl sighed. These items are super-expensive. Buying the boosters already dug a big hole in our budget. Basil could survive with five. They were only likely to use these devices against the likes of Apollyon or Krampus anyway. Is there anything that can strip debuffs too? Nope. Shellgirl shook her head. Your mom can purchase items that give debuffs, however. Nothing too good, as they only focus on a single stat, but it could help us in a pinch. Im sorry, Basil, this is the best I can get for now, his mother apologized. Once I gain more levels in my Merchant ss, maybe I can unlock better options. Youre already helping a lot, mom, Basil reassured her. But out of curiosity Can you use your ss to buy weapons? Im looking for a backup spear. His mother let out a sigh. I can buy E to C quality weapons. Nothing like your halberd or Joyeuse, my son. No offense, maam, but you arent the best supplier of weapons around, Shellgirl replied. Walter is. Hes also the most expensive, Basil pointed out. Securing his help for the portal cost us a fortune already. True, true, but were also now killing foes that pay a fortune in loot. Ever the optimist, Shellgirl immediately tried to see the good of the matter. All we need to do is to kill dragons, take their hoard, and invest their hard-won coins in legendary equipment. Were at the point where we can start to afford Tyes best stuff if we y our cards right. She made killing dragons sound like an easy task. It was true that Basil was tailor-made to deal with them, but they didnt exactly grow on trees either. Or, Vasi said, If my father is serious about giving me a stipend, we could spend it on a shopping spree. Basil couldnt help but chuckle. Vasi, are you thinking like a rich heiress already? My father cannot buy my affection, Vasi replied with a coy smile. But itll help. If Basil had known he would be dating into wealth one day My dear Vasi, did I hear correctly? Is your dad rich? Shellgirl rubbed her hands, her eyes lighting up with greed and ambition. Please tell me he is a fellow entrepreneur! I dont think so, her best friend replied. He sounded more like a noble to me. Ugh, a parasite then. Shellgirl didnt bother to hide her disappointment. Those guys cant understand the value of money, because they never earned it! Basil, was it to looked up at his best friend with horrified eyes. Was it true? Do they really eat cats in other worlds? Basil sighed. Im sorry, to, he apologized to the terrified feline. I couldnt save anyone. Honestly, its better you never meet my mother oh king of cats. Vasi leaned towards to and pinched his belly. With all the fat you have gainedtely, she wont be able to resist. Savages! to swiped the witchs hand away. Savages, all of you! Basil was tempted to agree considering the Dalton familys mixed reception, though he was thankful for the gifts. Now that they werent pressed by time, he took the opportunity to check his new ss stats.
Chronomancer: A powerful spellcaster capable of manipting time and space. STR (C); AGI (S); VIT (D); SKI (C); MAG (A); INT (C); CHA (C); LCK (B).
On paper, Chronomancer didnt fit his build very much. Basil was almost a pure fighter whose magical abilities were limited to buffing himself and his team, with a few crafter levels on the side to improve his equipment. Taking levels in a magical ss sounded like an utter waste of time. However, the battle with Branios had shown him a way how Chronomancer could potentially synergize with his other sses. By stacking effects increasing his speed and evasion, Basil could potentially not only strengthen himself, but also his entire team. He also hadnt yet taken a level in Warrior Saint, another elite ss with magical abilities. He wondered how those would synergize. He needed to invest further into Runesmith as well; Technomancer and Alchemist were good, but didnt provide immediatebat abilities. Basil wondered if he should leave the crafting side of his build behind. He couldnt optimize his sses to cover all contingencies. There would always be someone out there with the specific abilities to counter his own. However, purchasing battle items could make for a nice substitute. Healing potions had saved his team more than once and there were few problems that could survive a bomb to the face. Crafting sses had been useful when Basil and his team could only rely on themselves, but now now they were part of awork that spanned all of Europe. If he needed something in particr, he could always request it from an ally. And Basil doubted he could ever make anything close to Walter Tyes wares, even if he were to be a full crafter. I should ask Walter for any information on my current sses on our next visit, Basil thought. If he knows any of them, I could discuss potential synergies with him. But that would wait for another time. The countdown to midnight was frighteningly close, and knowing Dismaker Labs, their brief moment of respite wouldntst a second longer. Basil looked around to see if everyone was ounted for, and immediately noticed missing people. Kalki and his teammates havent returned yet? Nope, Shellgirl confirmed. Theyre still visiting the citys dungeon as far as I know. Im starting to worry about the poor boy, Aleksandra said. He looked so very sad I hope he wont make a mistake he will regret. Hes not that kind of man, Mom, Basil replied. Kalki was above all a selfless person and he knew his death would spell the worlds destruction. In fact, he suffered because he was so selfless. As the Avatar of Preservation, he med himself for all the destruction caused by the Trimurti System. It wasnt the casethe likes of Maxwell, the Apocalypse Force, and the Unity would have caused chaos on their ownbut Basil knew all too well that ones emotions could blind their perception of the truth. After all, he had let a misunderstanding with his mother poison their rtionship for years. Basil had hoped that giving Kalki some space would let him think things through, but now he worried he might have miscalcted. For all he knew, istion could have only worsened his friends issues. His mother appeared to have read his thoughts. You should go pick him up, my son, she said with a smile. Its not good for anyone to celebrate the new year alone. Well probably have to fight the moment 2023 begins, Mom, Basil pointed out. My point remains, we should enjoy this years end together. Aleksandra Bohen clutched her hands. I know 2022 was our worst year yet, but not everything has to be thrown away. It allowed us to reconcile, for a start. Basils heart pounded in his chest and his blood flushed to his cheeks. His girlfriend chuckled at the sight. What? he asked, embarrassed. Nothing, my bear knight, she replied with a coy smirk. Youre just cute. Hes a mommas boy, to joked. Many men would have protested, but Basil was a confident person. So confident that he pretended not to have heard anything. Sure, Mom, well bring Kalki and co home with us, he promised. However, promise me to wait for us inside the Steamobile. Youll be safer there than in your house. Basil had no idea what the Unity nned to do once the New Years countdown ended, so better safe than sorry. As you wish, my son. Aleksandra smiled. I will bake a cake in the meantime. Basil looked forward to it. Onest taste of sweetness before bitter tomorrows. By the time they crossed half the city of Shumen, the team realized they would never make it back home by midnight. Basil doubted they would even reach the dungeon before the countdowns end. The Bohens, with the exception of Steve, had made their way through the streets on foot and found them bustling with activity. Innumerable markets and restaurants jockeyed for prominence alongside one another, and the locals hade out in droves to celebrate their only respite of the year. Over half of the brick-faced buildings reeked of the sweet, tantalizing smell of Bulgarian cuisine; they were so cramped together that the neighborhood felt terribly crowded. Wading through the people present had turned out to be a chore. Vasi had put on a mor to go incognito, while Bugsy and Rosemarines shrinking potions helped them look like tiny familiars rather than the colossal monsters they truly were. Quite a few of Shumens citizens walked around with dogs, cats, and even monster pets from unicorns to exotic chimera Basil didnt recognize. Old men dueled younger ones over chess and B&C boards. Boys chatted up women at open bars, while drunkards joyfully sang to the new year. Even the few military soldiers and policemen keeping the peace in the street appeared not too eager to work tonight. Basil wasnt sure how to take these celebrations. On one hand, he understood everyones desire to blow off steam and rx after thest few hellish months; on the other hand, the city was threatened with a siege by the Unity. The Bulgarian peoples happiness stood in proud defiance of the grim reality outside Shumens walls. He just couldnt get rid of the nagging feeling that things were about to take a turn for the worst. A princess Bugsy muttered with steamy tears in his eyes. A true princess so beautiful Wee to the royal club, Vasi, to mused. We shall henceforth join forces to dump on the bourgeoisie. When I evolve, I will eat the rich and feed the middle-ss to the poor, Rosemarinemented joyfully. That way, everyone will be equally wealthy. Darling, I forbid you from bing amunist, Basil chided her. He checked the timer for the New Year Eves event, which now showed twenty minutes before midnight. And Kalki showed no hint of answering his Logs messages What was going on here? Can I be a goddess then, Mister? Rosemarine asked, wagging her tail in anticipation. Like the red dragon? Sure, Darling, Basil replied while petting her on the head. Better saint than red. I still cant believe your people worship a flying lizard, to told Vasi. Are you sure there is no lion in your pantheon? Not even a panther? We have a deer god, Vasi replied mirthfully. And a worm. to squinted. Its a miracle that you turned out alright. This Vainqueur looks like the richest in the realm, Shellgirl pointed out. Thats what matters the most, no? What matters is that he seems nice enough, Basil replied. Deeds mattered more than race. If oafish. Im so d for you, Vasi, Shellgirl said as she elbowed her best friend. I could tell you were special, but to think you were rted to a god, emperors, and so many high-level people! Yeah right Vasi rubbed her arm in embarrassment. I dont know how to take it. Can we ask your cousins to save the world for us while we take a break? to asked. If we keep doing it all the time, everyone on this will take us for granted. Im not sure it would be a good idea to involve them all, Vasi replied. Theyre a special lot. Basil couldnt agree more. Most of her family had shown a casual disregard for human life. It didnt bode well for Earth if they were to intervene all at once; managing Branio alone would already represent a lot of work. Sensing her best friends unease, Shellgirl wisely changed the subject. So Vasi, what metamorphosis path will you take? Devil princess or a pure fairy? This situation sounds more like a choice between daddy and mommy issues to me, to said. As if we didnt have enough of them on this team. Vasi gathered her breath. Im still thinking over it, but Im leaning towards the istig option. What? Bugsy choked in outrage. But but why? Why not? Vasi asked in confusion. Youll be a princess and the Boss will be a knight? Dont you see the potential? Bugsys body heated up so much that steam started to rise from his back. The increase in temperature caused a few locals to step away from the Bohens, for which Basil was grateful. The potential! Ive never wanted to be a princess, Bugsy, Vasi replied calmly. I am a witch through and through. Im willing to tolerate my father, or at least give him a chance to make up with me, but I dont want to be like him either. She put her arm around her boyfriends. Not after what he has done to my dear Basil. Thanks, Vasi, Basil thanked his girlfriend. Honestly, he was quite relieved. He would have loved no matter her choice, but he would rather date a fairy than a full devil. Youll always be my princess, no matter the official name. You are not too good atpliments. Vasi chuckled as she leaned her head against his shoulders. But its part of your charm. Basil smiled in response for a few seconds, until a Logs message shed over his face. The sender? Benjamin Leroy. The title? Urgent! Basil stopped in the middle of the road, much to his teams confusion, and immediately opened the message.
PLUTO: URGENT! I detect a massive spike of energying from the moon!
Basils stomach lurched in anxiety. As he raised his eyes to look at the sky, he realized that what 2022 did to him, 2023 would exceed it. The moon was full tonight, and its eye was slowly opening. There was no other way to describe the sight. Dungeon auroras had covered the moons surface since the Unity established a base there. However, they had never taken a specific shape before. On this night of December 31st, the torrents of energy covering the surface had gathered into a whirlpool of power. Red, blue, green, and all the other colors of the rainbow now merged into a spiral shape. A white pit of blinding light formed at its center, like the pupil of a giant, baleful eye. Vasis grip tightened on Basils arm as she and the team watched the terrible, awe-inspiring spectacle. What is that? Is that an eye? Bugsy asked, worried. Confused, horrified mutters rose from the crowd around them. Is the moon a monster now? Screams and shouts echoed all around them. Basil nced around as distant figures appeared all around the city; the shrouded, giant projections of a ck dragon with sinister crimson eyes. The sound of artillery cannons resonated across thend. Projectiles phased through the shrouded figures like illusions. Citizens of Shumen, the holograms spoke as one with a deep, terrible voice. This message is sent to you by holographic projectors outside your city. My name is ckcinders, Queen-ranked general andmander-in-chief of the Unity. I have been tasked by our Grandmaster to pacify thisary sector. My forces have you surrounded. Basil checked the New Year counter and cursed. Five minutes left. The Unity would attack the moment it hit zero. We need to get to Kalki, he said immediately upon realizing the danger. Lets go now There is among you a man called Basil Bohen. Basil tensed up upon hearing ckcinders mention his name. He has killed my spawn, Steamslime. If you are listening to this message, human, I want you to remember this. For a brief second, Basil met one of the hologramss fiery eyes. An invisible pressure grew on his shoulder, as if a malevolent will could identify him personally from the thousands of people inhabiting Shumen. All the blood spilled tonight, she said, will be in your name. Shit. We dragons are already the apex of creation, ckcinders exined. We are born with power and wisdom that you primates can only dream of. The sses you take pride in can only mimic a fraction of our greatness, and that is what they are: a gift from our godlike ancestors to the lesser races of the cosmos. To you, achieving godhood is a dream; for us, it is a right. There was no mockery in her voice, not even a relent of propaganda. This female wyrm believed each and every word she spoke. I have no interest in this godhood contest, ckcinders continued. Only our Grandmaster, our wise and all-powerful leader, is worthy of the honor. She alone, as the supreme example of the universal master race, can wield this power responsibly. My duty is to help her rise to the throne; as is yours. Big talk for a snails mother, to replied, though his body was tense as a bowstring. Boss Bugsy wasnt one to show fear, but his voice now trembled like a terrified child. Boss, I sense tremors. From which direction? Basil asked as he immediately summoned his halberd. From above, Boss! Bugsy looked up at the moon in abject terror. I feel them all the way from here! What I want you to understand, ckcinders continued her vile speech, is that I have no interest in ughtering you for levels. What I want is for you to learn your ce. For once you do, once you ept our guidance, then you will know true happiness. We will provide you with economic security. We will eradicate hunger and disease. We will put an end to all of your pointless wars. All we require from you to reach this utopia is your obedience. For only we dragons can use the Systems of the worlds responsibly. At this point, the speech became little more than background noise. Basils thought process hade to a screeching halt when he gained a clearer view of the moon. The current of energy had dried up, revealing a coiling alien infrastructure. The spirals core was burning brightly at the bottom of a metal ringrger than any lunar crater. The center the center doesnt look like an eye to me, Shellgirl whispered. Her eyes were wide open in shock. It looks like The barrel of a gun, Basil thought, his blood freezing in his veins. If you had submitted when we first graced this with our presence, what I am about to do could have been averted. s, your foolish quest for strength is at your own detriment. ckcinders let out a scornful grunt. You kill each other and invite Incursions. Worst of all, you have in dragons; martyrs who perished trying to bring you the light of internar civilization. You have done so using the very System that was created for us, misusing the gift granted to you. This is no penitence for such arrogance.. Everyone buff up! Basil ordered. Deaths Banner! Hasten! Vasi cast immediately, the team swiftly following her lead. People pushed them aside as panic seized them. The locals who werent too drunk summoned weapons from their inventories and began incantations of their own; those too smashed to realize the danger were trampled upon by those who did. For this world to be preserved, for you primates to thrive, you need to be tamed, ckcinders dered. Your poption must be reduced so as not to weaken the Level Barrier any further, and your submission is warranted. However, it is my understanding that you feebleminded creatures only learn through two methods: through experience and by example. Thend called Bulgaria, which shelters the criminal Bohen, will be this example. At this moment, the New Years counter hit zero. 2022 ended like the apocalypse began: with a scornful message.
Happy New Year, yers of Earth! We hope youve enjoyed your one day of peace as 2022es to a close! While 2022 has been a time of great changes, we would like to make 2023 the veryst Earth has ever known! Although two billion of you have survived to this date, in the end, there can only be one victor. We, at Dismaker Labs, do not believe in coddling our yers.
As such, for the next twenty-four hours until January 1st midnight, all direct damage (excluding ailments and passive damage) will be doubled.
Thats right, doubled!
You wanna stab your neighbor? Theyll scream twice louder! Want to stack up multipliers to reach that sweet five-digit damage range? Heres your chance! Remember, all we want from you in return for our kind gifts are your tears!
Fear was like a ck hole. Once you passed through the event horizon, you realized how utterly screwed you were and achieved a certain kind of peace: you reached the point of eptance. Mother. The word slipped out of Basils mouth on its own. We need to get to mom! We need to get to Kalki! Vasi protested. If he dies today The world would perish with him. I will not be called the Bulgaryer; because when I am finished, no one will remember the existence of Bulgarians in the first ce. As ckcinders reached the end of her speech, the moon above brightened further and turned the sky bright as day. All of your people will be wiped out from the face of this. Your buildings will be torn down. Yournd will be a radioactive grave. As far as the universe is concerned, the Bulgarian nation will never have existed. For you have be a problem, and problems are not fought.
Dismaker Labs wishes you a Happy New Year!
Problems are shot, ckcinders concluded, her eyes burning with malice. Fire at will! The moon cried a tear of light and set the Earth aze.
End of Arc VI
Apocalypse Tamer Book 2 Released on Kindle! Apocalypse Tamer Book 2 Released on Kindle! Hi guys, Has promised a while ago, the second volume of Apocalypse Tamer (covering the France arc) has been released today on Kindle Unlimited! As always, all reviews, shout-outs and rmendations are wee! KU & Kindle link: /amazon/B0BMZG8J7M Unfortunately, the Audible release will be dyed due to the narrator catching Covid; it should hopefully be released in March, but no promises. Thank you all for supporting the series to this point. The first book of Apocalypse Tamer has been my sessful on Amazon yet (even more than The Perfect Run or Vainqueur the Dragon), and I am grateful to the dear readers who made it possible :) Best regards, Voidy. Chapter 104: Interlude: The Reapers Due Chapter 104: Interlude: The Reaper''s Due In slightly more than a second, a beam of light hotter than the suns surface traveled across the void of space. Nearly four hundred thousand kilometers separated the barrel of the gun from its target. So many elements were taken into ount. The rotation of the Earth. Gravitational interactions. The risk of deadly blowback as power far greater than any atomic bomb was concentrated on a single point. It was a test run, and one did not fire an orbital weapon of such devastating potential lightly. When the Lunar Cannon was unleashed upon the country of Bulgaria, it was at its minimum capabilities. That was enough. The beam traveled at the speed of light. Like an arrow piercing chainmail, it punched the maic shield protecting the Earth and continued its course through the atmosphere. The one bad thing about a giantser cannon from space was that it was never built for uracy. ckcinders would have preferred to open fire at Basil Bohen personally. Not knowing his location, and with the local dungeons energies interfering, she had her engineers target the city center. Shumens train station, used by the Knights of Saint-George to ry supplies and troops to other cities, was selected as ground zero. Since the apocalypse began, Shumen had be a hub for refugees across Eastern Europe. Poptionsing from Romania, Ukraine, Moldova and so many other ces thought they had found a safe haven there under the protection of a powerful Guild. They were wrong. The station was a ce that seemed frozen in time since the fall ofmunism. It took years to build this building, and a nanosecond to wipe it off the map. As the beam hit it, the impact generated a ball of sma more than a kilometer wide. The light burned hotter than the sun. Everyone touched by it was gone in an instant. Flesh was incinerated. Bones were vaporized. Concrete turned to dust, and iron to ionized particles blown by annihtion winds. There was no screams, no colors nor sound. Instead, there was light. The fireball eventually slowed as atmospheric pressure pushed back against the sudden rise in temperature, but the wind couldnt stop light. Everyone too close to the explosion was blinded, most of them permanently. The humidity in their eyes evaporated. Their eyelids were scorched. They couldnt see what was to follow, but they most certainly felt it. After the initial explosion, a thermal pulse expanded outward and set everything in its vicinity on fire. stic, clothes, flesh, woodeverything that could burn, burned. In this world ruled by the System, those with Fire Resistance and high Vitality were advantaged. This was the case with the Bohens. Nearly four kilometers separated them from ground zero. Bugsy, whose enhanced senses and Hasten buff allowed him to react in time, regained his full size and shielded his friends with his fireproof body. His chitinous carapace absorbed the heat as he coiled around them like a snake. For Shellgirl, who was vulnerable to Fire and all the more at risk due to Dismaker Labstest cruelty, his action meant the difference between life and death. The civilians around them were all set aze. They became candles in a sea of mes. Roughly one-hundred and a half thousand people took refuge in Shumen. The Unitys engineers aimed for a fifty-thousand kill count at a minimum for the initial strike. They exceeded their target. Bugsy could absorb fire, but not a shockwave. The System had rewritten the rules of physics to follow its own alien logic. Some things, however, remained the same. A st of this magnitude always invited a pushback. The atmospheres pressure fought back against the sudden increase in temperature from the st. This resulted in winds stronger than a hurricane spreading outward. Bulgarian architects were good. Constructors, however, so often prefered to take the easy way. Many paid cheaply for material, chose shortcuts over quality, and ignored safety norms. Shumen was no exception. If most of the citys buildings had been built ording to high-quality standards, some might have resisted. Instead, the wind blew them out away. Apartment blocks snapped like Kit Kat bars. Concrete towers fell over. Burning trees flew away alongside cars and bicycles. Districts were ttened in an instant. Gas stations detonated, as did army ammo depots. A sandstorm of searing dust and embers spread over the region. The shockwave weakened as it expanded, but for Shumen it made no difference. Only its dungeon on its silent hill stood strong before the apocalyptic st. The rest of the city was turned into a smoking pile of rubble as a firestorm covered it all. The house of Aleskandra Bohen was no exception. When the shockwave hit Shumen, the poor woman was traveling from her home to the Steamobile, a cake in hand. Aleksandra Bohen was an optimist. She had survivedmunism, poverty, her husbands death, and the apocalypse. She walked down the street thinking of her son. She hoped he would return soon. When she saw a Mercedes Benz thrown at her, she could only freeze like a deer in the headlights. The Germans were good at making cars. When the shockwave sent it flying at bullet speed, the Mercedes stayed in one piece. It seemed so surreal, so sudden, that Aleksandras mind came to a screeching halt as it tried to process the situation. Steve, the brave Steamobile, saw the danger and moved to protect its charge. It put all its energy into its wheels. The colossal machine surged forward at full speed. It is a sentient vehicle that knew no fear. It knew what had to be done, and it acted without thinking. It worked. Steve was just quick enough to intercept. The Mercedes Benz bounced off its shielding and missed Aleksandra Bohen. For a second, the Steamobile allowed itself to roar in victory. But when the shockwave hit, Steve was tossed to the side. It fell on the very person it was trying to save. When over a thousand tons of metal crushed her into a bloody paste, Aleksandra Bohen didnt say a word. In fact, she didnt think of anything. Like so many across the globe, her life ended so quickly that there was no time for sorrow or regrets. The reaper rarely waited forst words. From her base on the moon, ckcinders observed her grim work on a hundred screens. Her gearsmen on the ground provided her with a constant live streaming of the situation. Thousands of mechanical soldiers surrounded the burning firestorm that had once been called Shumen. Other dragonmanders watched the devastation at her side. Some were smiling andughing. Others were in awe of the Lunar Cannons power. Many more, the youngest ones, gasped in shock and horror. Untested dragons were still nave enough to think the lives of lesser races had individual value beyond their usefulness as a means of production. ckcinders was different. She felt neither joy nor remorse at ending thousands of lives; not even a fleeting sense of aplishment. In fact, she felt nothing. ckcinders had killed millions on countless worldsand she would do it again. General, there are survivors, one of her officers pointed out. ckcinders nced at a monitor showing the outskirts of Shumen. Human troops deployed far enough from the st were opening fire at her troops with artillery. She noticed winged apes pdinsand monster riders engaging her Watchers in the burning skies. ckcinders apathy swiftly turned into disgust at the sight. They have seen our power, she thought, and they would still rather fight? There was no cure for foolishness. Finish them off, ckcinders ordered her troops. Leave no survivors. General one of her younger dragon officers dared to speak up, sweat falling off his scales. ckcinders didnt even know that was possible for her kind. Some could be useful as minions or crafters A re from ckcinders silenced him. We have tried to spare them before, she reminded her troops. All it achieved was the loss of gearsmen blueprints. I will take no more chances with these terrorists. Death solved all issues. No manlings, no problems. These apes will be more useful to us as a warning to the rest of their species, so I will say it again. ckcinders turned back to look at the monitors. No survivors. Knowing some of her untrained officers might balk at doing the job, ckcinders had only deployed gearsmen and machines around Shumen. One could always trust robots to follow orders. The Unitys mechanical troops opened fire on the city with a barrage of projectiles. They would extinguish all life with it within hours. How long until we can fire again? ckcinders asked her engineers. Twenty minutes, General, perhaps more, one of them answered. We have an overheating issue in engine five. ckcinders snorted. Crafters always underperformed. Solve this problem and recharge the Lunar Cannon for a second strike, she ordered. The bombardments will continue until Basil Bohens death is confirmed. I will take no risks with someone of his level. Better safe than sorry. Basil regained consciousness amidst rubbles. Burning smoke burned his lungs as he breathed. Hot dust had seeped into his armor to the point of heating up the metal. A storm of ashes swirled around him, obscuring his vision, and a familiar shadow loomed over him. Mister? Rosemarine had regained her full size and now stood atop piles of debris. Her leaf-scales were ckened by dust. She wagged her tail to clear off concrete blocks under which Shellgirl had been buried. Mister! Is is everyone alright? Basil used his halberd as a crutch to get back up. Monster Cure Monster Cure His magic expanded outward to heal his allies wounds. As his eyes limated to the smoke, he noticed Bugsys towering shape emerge from under a pile of stones with to atop his head. Vasi emerged from the dust, coughing. Im okay, she said as she cleared her throat. Were okay. Im so Im so d Basil took a step forward tofort his girlfriend and almost stumbled. He looked down at his feet. Bones. ckened human bones. His thought processing to a screeching halt at the sight, Basil went on autopilot mode. He climbed atop a pile of broken concrete and observed his homnds cinders. The horizon was aze. Everywhere he looked, there were fire and corpses; charred meat and charbroiled bones, human candles and piles of dust. Columns of smoke rose so high in the sky that he couldnt see the moon, let alone the stars. A colossal pir of pyrostic ashes swirled in the middle of a zing crater like a volcanic hurricane. Monsters Bugsy shed tears of magma and choked on them. Monsters so many This this was Hell. Mister. Rosemarine crumpled like a submissive cat. Im scared. Was this what the people of Hiroshima had seen when the Americans dropped the A-Bomb? Hell on Earth? Mother Basil immediately opened his Logs feature and sent her a message. His fingers trembled as he typed. Mother please God
Your message couldnt be delivered. Aleksandra Bohen has left the Guild.
Left the Guild? Why? The only time Basil had seen a simr message was when When Kuikui When Kuikui died. In the fiery heart of this zing inferno, Basil Bohen felt cold as ice. His blood froze in his veins. His heart stopped pounding in his chest. His lungs hurt as if stabbed by a cruel dagger. He forgot how to breathe, how to speak, how to think. For a short moment, Basil Bohen became a corpse with a pulse. Alive on the outside, yet dead inside. A me lit up within him.
[Berserk] ailment negated by [Lethal Vigil].
It wasnt warm, no. The fire was as cold as the bitterest hatred.
[Berserk] ailment negated by [Lethal Vigil].
Basil clenched his fists to the point blood dripped between his fingers. Darkness cker than the smoke above his head clouded his mind.
[Berserk] ailment negated by [Lethal Vigil].
[Berserk] ailment negated by [Lethal Vigil]!
[Berserk] ailment negated by [Lethal Vigil]!
Once, Basil Bohen would have gone on a rampage. But he was done being a Berserker. He was a knight now. His anger no longer dominated him. He now wielded his fury like a sword: with carefulness and purpose.
[Berserk] ailment negated by [Lethal Vigil].
Basil wanted to cry, but he refused to. He bottled up his tears and sorrow, locking them up in the deepest abyss of his soul. His Party needed him to keep a clear head. His people needed him. For some of his countrymen fought for their lives even in this hellscape. Basil knew it as he watched the horizon. Explosions rocked the outskirts of the city. He could hear them all the way from there. A colossal metal frame as tall as Apollyon walked through the smoke in the distance to the tune of artillery fire.
Gearsman Titan
Elite Level 60 [Artificial]
Faction: Unity.
The same creature that attacked Bucharest now threatened to destroy what little was left of Shumen. Vasi walked up to her boyfriends side, her voice brimming with concern. Basil Rosemarine, Shellgirl, with me. Basil leaped over his beloved dragons back. There was no time to waste. Vasi, to, Bugsy, you go after Kalki. Exfiltrate him. You want us to split up? to protested. This is madness! Our priority for now Basil squeezed his halberd so tightly that he heard his knuckles crack. Our priority is to save as many lives as we can. Kalki must survive or we all perish anyway. Well take care of the gearsmen and secure a safe route out of the city for the survivors. Vasi nodded slowly before climbing on her broom. After a short moment of hesitation, to leaped behind her back. Well rejoin you as soon as we have him, Vasi said. Good luck. Good luck. Basil extended a hand to Shellgirl. Lets go. Im with you, Shellgirl replied. Basil seized her hand and pulled her to Rosemarines back. They charged into battle without a word. Fire. Everywhere Vasi looked, she could only see fire. mes spread across the ruins of the city, carried by warm winds and dust storms. Vasi put her scarf over her mouth to help herself breathe through the smoke. to looked around at the sea of fire as they ascended towards Shumens dungeon; Bugsy climbed up the hill on foot, his legs digging into stone like y. The most terrible thing was the smell. Vasi couldnt hear any screamsing from the sea of mes, but the stench of calcined meat was ever-present. The smell reminded her of Basils cooking, of warm meat roasting in an oven. Once she had found it appetizing. Now? Now she struggled not to throw up. They must pay. It was the first time to had sounded so calm, so dead inside. They must pay for this. They will, Vasi agreed. There were crimes too great to be atoned for. What happened today was one of them. In her childhood, she had been told about the historic Battle of Crom Cruach, where the armies of Outremonde gathered to prevent their worlds destruction at the hands of a powermad Fomor queen. This tyrant had threatened to destroy thend with Arrows of Light that could scorch thend to cinders, or so her mother told her. Vasi had never connected to this story before. Tales of burning cities and widespread destruction were words to the wind. She could imagine them, assemble them into a picture, but they couldnt disturb her; no more than a breeze could. Experiencing the destruction, the pointless devastation, the utter loss of life, was something else entirely. Now Vasi understood why tales failed to properly represent the horror of ancient battles. There were no words in the multiverse that could properly describe such tragedy. Shumens dungeon oversaw the city from atop a hill. The fortress of steel and concrete had weathered the apocalyptic destruction well, though its surface was now ckened by dust and embers. There were no defenders patrolling in the skies around it, nor shielding its ramparts. That alone was cause for rm.
Dungeon: Founders of the Bulgarian State Monument
Level: 45.
Faction: Swords of Saint-George
Field Type: [OVERRIDDEN].
Overridden? By what? By whom? The dungeon only had one entrance: a set of iron gates surrounded by giant, cubical statues of ancient warriors. The shockwaves had defaced half of them and the doorsid wide open. It wasnt what caught Vasis attention. The feathered corpse burning on the threshold did. Garud? Vasis eyes widened in shock as she recognized Kalkis mount. Garud! The magnificent birdy on his back atop a broken steel door, his wings broken. A smoking hole burned where his chest should have been. His eyes, usually so bright and confident, were now devoid of life. When Vasinded her broom next to Garud, to leaped off to examine the corpse anyway. The witch didnt say a word. She already knew it was toote. Garud! Bugsy shouted in horror as he finished climbing the hill. Is he Yes, to confirmed. The feline sat next to the corpse with a mournful look. Hes he isnt breathing. Vasi touched the creatures beak and immediately pulled back her hand after a jolt of electricity coursed through her hand. The corpse was still charged with electricity. Lightning. Garud hadnt been killed by fire or wind, but by lightning. And from the way the corpsey on the ground, he had been thrown through the doors from inside. I hear thunder within the building, Bugsy warned. And and screams. There was only one Faction that could possibly know Kalkis location at all times and enter a dungeon through a backdoor. No, Vasi whispered. She took a step towards the steel gates. No, no, no. A System notification shed before her eyes the moment she crossed the threshold, confirming her worst fears.
Zeus-Ashoks [God-Field: Titanomachy] changed the field to [ThunderOlympus].
  • [Physical], [Lightning], [Fire], [Wind], [Light] and [Mythic] elements are strengthened.
  • [Soul], [Earth], [Water], and [Darkness] elements are weakened.
  • All [Lightning] attacks will be [Charged] and inflict twice more damage.
  • [Xenia]: Non-[Metal Olympus] factions cannot make use of the Logs feature or use teleportation effects within the [God-Field].
The Unity wasnt the only of their enemies to make its move tonight. Metal Olympus hade to collect Kalki. Chapter 105: Man vs Lightning Chapter 105: Man vs Lightning The Gearsman Titan trampled tanks underfoot and firedsers from its eye. From afar, the steel colossus appeared simr to a Cyclops of legends. It was almost as tall as the Eiffel Tower and a true giant of rust-tainted steel. Its armor looked vaguely Roman in design, like a centurion of gears and bolts. A cannon burned with energy on its chest. A buzzing swarm of Watcher drones escorted it into battle, ready to defend it with their lives. However, this creature was no Horseman of Famine. Apollyon had been powerful enough to annihte the ISS and survive a Fire-empowered nuke to the face. Meanwhile, this machines te armor had fallen off in some ces under artillery bombardments. Itsser, while powerful enough to blow monster riders and Bulgarian helicopters out of the sky, paled inparison with Apollyons devastating Gehenna Cannons. A quick nce at it with Monster Insight gave Basil all the intel he needed.
Gearsman Titan
Level 60 Elite [Artificial]
Faction: Unity.
HP: 16582/20000
Immune: Critical Hits, all Ailments, Mind.
Resist: Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Fire, Earth, Light.
Weak: Artiyer, Wood, Water, Darkness.
The Iron Giants steampunk cousin, the Gearsman Titan is the Unitys mightiest weapon tform. Built with the sweat and tears of countless enved minions, it possesses immense physical power, mighty beam weapons, and the ability to inflict [Petrify] on everyone within arge radius as ast-ditch attack.
Basil gritted his teeth. As expected, destroying this machine would detonate its runic core and petrify everyone in the area. Shumen would be a new Bucharest. Not all was bad. The creature had vulnerabilities that Basil could exploit, and considering how ckcinders seemed to have made his elimination a priority, he could potentially work as bait. Mister? Rosemarine asked as she rushed across an ashenndscape. Her hastened feet trampled bones and concrete blocks alike. The song of gunfire and artillery shells grew ever closer. Do I sneak bite it? Can you use your beam? Basil asked in response. His dear tropidrake shook her head in response. With the dust clouds obscuring the light of the moon and the stars, Rosemarine couldnt power most of her abilities. This greatly limited the teamsbat effectiveness. Worse, killing the titan was only half the battle. Since destroying it would activate its self-destruct petrification mechanism, they had to either scrap it in a safe ce or neutralize it without exhausting its health points. I have an idea, Basil said. One for All: summon Steve Roadwonders. Unlike his mother, Steve Steve hadnt left the Guild. The Steamobile appeared next to Rosemarine in a sh of light, its metal frame drenched in blood and ashen dust. It let out a terrible noise of grinding gears on arrival. An expression of shame and remorse. Basils stomach lurched, but he suppressed his sorrow to focus on the battle at hand. I know, he told his creation. But for now, lend me your strength. Do you think you can use your Improvement Perk to absorb an immobilized gearsman? The Steamobiles lights lit up at once, and its engines roared. Basil took it as a yes. As a mechanical construct, Steve couldnt achieve metamorphosis but it could grow stronger by absorbing other technology into itself. Hopefully, the titans core would be no exception. Immediately afterward, Basil received a video call through the Logs from Benjamin Leroy. He swiftly opened it, only to find two people staring back at him behind the screen. Thank God, Basil, youre alive. Neria Elissalde sighed in relief. Benjamin sat at her side, typing on a keyboard faster than a pro gamer on cocaine. When we saw the beam, we thought They have put a BFG on the moon, Basil interrupted her with a frown all over his face. The goddamn moon. Benjamin nodded grimly. And from what I can see, theyre preparing for a second strike. Basils heart skipped a beat. He looked up, but struggled to see the glowing moon past the clouds of dust in the sky. Another strike meant the death of every survivor; and probably of Kalki too. Can you stop it? Basil asked. General Lenc has authorized a nuclear strike on the moon with whats left of NATOs remaining arsenal, Neria replied. Theres no guarantee our missiles can get past the Unitys orbital defenses, but even if five percent of them hit home, it would be enough to blow up an area the size of Germany. Basil doubted the Unity would be mad enough to use a damaged weapon of mass destruction but after what he had seen today, he couldnt rule it out. The sooner, the better, he said before closing the screen. He had received another message, this time from Vasi.
VASI: Basil, Metal Olympus is in the city. Theyve gone after Kalki. Well try to rescue him, but the enemys Perk will interfere withmunications.
At this point, Basil was too mentally exhausted to curse his rotten luck. Whenever he thought the situation couldnt get any worse, the System found a new and novel way to prove him wrong. I should have never let him get out of my sight, Basil med himself. I should have known. I should have known.
BASIL: Try to get Kalki and teleport out of the city immediately afterward. The Unity is preparing to use their cannon on us again.
VASI: These madmen alright, be right back. Good luck.
Basil wished his girlfriend the same and prayed to God to ensure her safety. Behind him, Shellgirl summoned a Frost Booster from her inventory. Whats the n, Partner? Cover me by taking out the smaller drones. Basil could handle the titan alone, but its escort wouldplicate matters. Once Ive lured the giant away from the city, Ill use the secret weapon. It should take out arge amount of its health. The secret weapon? Shellgirl choked in surprise. Werent we supposed to use it as ast resort? Im through with ying nice. Basil stood atop Rosemarine and prepared to jump. Steve, stay close. When the titan is down, youll only have a short time to absorb its core before it self-destructs. Basil leaped from his tropidrake before receiving an answer. Shellgirl activated the Booster to enhance her damage and shared another with Steve. The party roared as they engaged the enemy. Chaos reigned when they reached the frontline. On the ground, a patchwork defense of Bulgarian soldiers were firing at iing Gearsmen behind trenches and fortifications. The shockwave from earlier had copsed multiple watchtowers, but some walls of concrete and steel walls survived enough to offer the Swords of Saint-George protection. Countless corpses and heaps of scrap metal mounted up on the killing zone where Gearsmensers met human projectiles. Shumens defenders were aplex lot: artillerymen using machine guns in tandem with rune-powered tanks; mages summoning small meteorites while bolstered by bardic songs; archers raining arrows from behind a shieldwall raised by armored knights. Dozens of sses were present on the battlefield, great in their disparity, yet united in their purpose. Soldiers held the tide of steel for now but just barely. The titans shadow covered the battlefield, though it had stopped advancing. A group of wyvern riders, tamed demons, and war helicopters attacked the titan from all sides above the clouds, keeping it busy. At their helm was a winged knight wielding a sword in one hand and a spear of light in the other. Simeon lived. The sight gave Basils dead heart a little hope. Using Double Jump to join the flying melee, he bounced past Unity drones and shed at the titans chest. Runestorm: Water! Water magic infused his halberd as it cut through steel like paper. Basils weapon shed gears, bolts, and wires beforeing out of the titans back.
Supereffective hit!
His dazzling entrance was immediately noticed. Sir Bohen? Youre alive?! Simeon waved his spear at his troops. We are outnumbered ten to one! We need to fall back! No, theyre preparing a second orbital strike as we speak! Basil shouted back imperiously. Simeons eyes blinked in horror behind his helmet. Our only chance of survival is to push through! The Gearsman Titan looked down at Basil with its crimson eye. Scan The machines metal voice suddenly shifted in tone, bing deeper, more focused. Target identified: Basil Jean-Franois Bohen. Engaging pursuit. Engaging pursuit! The Unity Watchers spoke as one. Self-Destruct! They all threw themselves at Basil like a suicidal ho swarm. Realizing the danger, Basil and Simeon immediately flew as far from the titan as they could. The Watchers were weak, no stronger than level 2; but there were hundreds of them, and each carried enough explosive charges to inflict damage. Fortunately, Basils allies on the ground rushed to his rescue. Gunmen, archers and mages opened fire at the swarm to support Simeon. Shellgirls ice pearls surged across the air faster than bullets, each of them causing a Watcher to detonate on impact. And Steve, bless its heavy artillery, vaporized more robots than anyone else with a single shot of his Gehenna Cannon. A barrier of explosions and fire soon formed between Basils allies and the Unitys forces. Yet when the Gearsman Titan took a step, the world trembled. The machine lumbered after Basil while trying to catch him with its mighty hand. On the ground, lesser Gearsmen abandoned the fight with soldiers on the ground and instead opened fire at the flyers. ckcinders had truly made Basils death a priority. I will lure the titan and its allies out of Shumen and break the encirclement! Basil shouted to the troops, his halberd raised to the heavens. Evacuate everyone you can! At your back, you will only find death! But beyond the horizon, glory awaits! For Bulgaria! His words and fearless example inspired the soldiers on the ground, who soon echoed his war cry. For Bulgaria! A halo of light appeared above Simeons head and bathed Basil in its light. God blesses you, Sir Bohen!
Simeons [Pdin Halo III] granted you an [Regen] effect, buffed all your stats, and granted you Resistance to all Ailments for five minutes!
[All for One] spread the effect to your Guild!
And so Basil retreated away from the city with a giant robot on his tail. The situation reminded him so much of the fight with Apollyon. However, instead of escaping on foot as he did in Paris, Basils Double Jump offered him far better aerial mobility. Empowered by both his buffs and Hasten status, he leaped over the hills around Shumen in a single bound. Smoke and fiery winds glided over his armor. The Gearsman Titan did not jump over obstacles as its target did. It simply powered through them. Its legs kicked through stones and concrete alike. A swarm of Watchers followed in the sky like a vicious cloud; on the ground, an army of Gearsmen followed their taller kindred. Simeon and his allies stayed behind as the frontline cleared. Only the Bohens chased after the titan. All Unity troops fired at Basil. A hundredsers targeted him, nonerger than the titans own. The giants eye unleashed a fiery crimson beam that incinerated thend further and caused the very atmosphere to simmer. Basil dodged, jumping up and down, left and right. He avoided most. attacks Most.
108 [Metal] damage! 206 [Light] damage!
Even while hastened, Basil Bohen couldnt truly dodge light. He had to stay on the move in the hope thesers would miss his current position. He moved unpredictably enough to avoid most attacks, but a few searing beams hit his legs and tights anyway. His armor mitigated most of the damage, and he was careful to focus on avoiding the titans much stronger attack. His allies did their best to support him on the ground. Shellgirl rode Rosemarine and focused on taking out the remaining Watchers with boosted ice projectiles. Steve buffed itself up, moved at the forefront of the smaller Gearsmen, and released a host of road hazards on their path: iron spikes, sharp rocks, fire mines. Unity machines were blown apart, copsed on each other, and fell off the path in short order. But for each that fell, two more would take their ce. They are sending all their troops after us, Basil realized as he noticed moresers fired at him from the countryside. ckcinders truly wants me dead. Perhaps he could exploit the situation and wipe out the army in one strike? The Unitys troops werent immune to their petrification effect after all. The Gearsmen Titan raised its fist and attempted to punch Basil out of the sky. For all of its massive power, it was slow enough that the Dragonknight had no problem dodging. This world will be pacified! the giant shouted a recorded message. The Unity is inevitable! Ive heard that before, Basil replied as he jumped upward and closer to the clouds. It wasnt funny the first time either. By now Shumens city center had be naught but a smoking crater in the distance. Basil had led the titan out of its suburbs and towards its outskirts. The giant machine trampled only ashen trees and shelled grass. Ten kilometers twelve maybe, Basil thought. We should be far enough from the city. He turned around without warning. The Gearsman Titan shot a beam at him, which he avoided by leaping up and up. Basil positioned himself right above the titan of steel and pointed a free hand at it. Around five hundred meters separated both fighters from each other. Open inventory, Basil said. There was one item he had stored there for emergencies, one that he almost dropped on the head of his girlfriends father. A secret weapon he had never tested in the field due to the potential coteral damage. Weapons of mass destruction were a two-way street.
Item selected: [Ocean Freighter].
As a colossal ship of steel materialized under him, Basil realized that he would answer an age-old question that had long puzzled pop culture circles. Could a two-hundred thousand-ton freighter crush a giant robot? Kalkis team had defended their Tamer valiantly. Their defiant struggle came into disy the moment the Bohens walked into the dungeon. Broken gold golemsy dead at the feet of shattered pirs of ck stone; soldiers in steel armor melted in puddles of Sheshas venom; and a dozen more were impaled by Garuds feathers on cubic-style walls. The entrance hall looked to have been designed for giants, and its spaciousness only helped to disy the gruesome scale of the massacre. So many had perished there that Vasi could hardly take a step without staining her feet with blood. She had no trouble telling apart the dungeons defenders from Metal Olympus troops. Thetter uniformly wore a form of armor Vasi had never seen before: mechanical, humanoid shells of gears and gilded steel. The cuirasses were as thick as a tanks outeryers, and the hoplite-style helmets included gas masks and goggle apparatuses. Vasi had even mistaken the wearers for Gearsmen until she noticed the bloodied corpses within the metal frames.
Metal Olympus Power Armor (Broken)
Family: Clothing (Power Armor).
Quality: A (Broken).
[Broken]: This item must be repaired by a Crafter to regain its true power.
Vasi stored a few of these armors in the Guild Inventory, just in case. Bugsy squinted at opened gates leading into the next room. Kalki is located right ahead, Vasi, he warned, his body tense as a bowstring. With the enemy. Probably Ashok, Vasi guessed. to, you nk while I distract him. Bugsy, once the battle starts, you go catch Kalki at the first opportunity. Theres no room for failure. Alright, to replied before turning himself invisible and casting another spell on his allies. Mirage.
[Mirage] status! Your chances of dodging Physical attacks are doubled for three minutes!
Vasis physical features blurred to the point that she left afterimages. After to vanished from sight, Bugsy took the lead while the witch followed closely after. We must leave now, Lord Vishnu, a voice said deeper inside the dungeon. The Unitys next attack could wipe out this dungeon any minute now. Vasi made herself as stealthy as she could upon entering the next room. A stone dome carved with glowing runes stood atop the new chamber; onerge enough to put a cathedral to shame. A dozen busts of stern, intimidating cubic-style figures rested along the walls. Basil would have probably been able to recognize these people, but Vasi didnt. She noticed stairways of granite west and east, both heavily damaged. Swirling dungeon particles gathered already to repair the broken stones. No magic would revive the dead, however. A dozen more calcined corpsesy dispersed all over the floor; with Kalkis familiar Shesha among them. The golden cobra had had its head caved into the ground with enough force to crack the skull. The killer hadnt walked away unscathed, however. Must we truly resort to pointless violence, Lord Vishnu? A humanoid twice taller than Vasi stood in the center of the chamber. She mistook him for a tinum statue at first nce, until she noticed golden blood flowing out of two fang-shaped holes in his metal chest. I take no joy in this. Too many of my men could have lived if you hade along peacefully. Out of all the false gods of Metal Olympus, Ashok embodied his factions name the best. He resembled a cross between an ancient golem and a modern robot. He was as muscled as a bull, yet his muscles were woven metal fibers instead of flesh. He wore no clothing of any sort andcked any sexual organs, though tinum tes covered nearly every inch of his body like armor; all of them showed w marks and bullet impacts. A silver, bearded funerary mask covered his face, one representing a cross between an idealized patriarch and a middle-aged man. Electricity coursed through his circuit veins, and his golden eyes looked down on his victim squirming at his feet with frustration. You shot first Kalki had been brought to his knees, his left leg twisted in a sick way that shouldnt be biologically possible, his hands so broken he had to use his elbows to lift his chest up. His silver flutes broken remnants gathered dust on the floor. Shesha Garud One mans house burns so that another may warm himself. Ashok replied with a cordial tone. He watched Kalki cough blood with a serenity Vasi couldnt help but find deeply, deeply unnerving. All I have done was in your name, though you may not remember it yet. Vasi and Bugsy exchanged a nce. She pointed to her left, the volcanipede nodding without a word. After facing so many trials, the group didnt need words to coordinate. I ask you for thest time, Ashok said. Will youe with me quietly, Lord Vishnu? The eyes do not see Kalki looked up and red defiantly at the false god. What the mind does not want. Ashok let out a grinding sound that could pass for a sigh. A pity. He savagely punched Kalkis head into the pavement. Ashoks attack was so sudden, so brutal, that Vasis eyes struggled to see him move. The false god hit Kalki hard enough to dislocate his jaw. For a brief second, Vasi thought her travelingpanion had been killed on the spot; dooming Earth to destruction. Fortunatelyif the witch could call watching a friend beaten so brutally fortunateKalkis chest rose slightly. He still breathed, but no longer moved. Bugsys eyes burned in outrage, though he was wise enough not to give Ashok a warning. Vasi incanted a spell as her insectoid friend charged to rescue Kalki. I hear you. Ashok suddenly turned around, his bloodied hand shining with electricity. Astrapios! He shot to with lightning and killed him on the spot. Vasi had no idea how Ashok managed to detect the felines presence, but he did. A blinding thunderbolt surged from his fingers and targeted an empty spot at the witchs left. to became briefly visible as a bolt incinerated him to dust; he hadnt expected the enemy to see him and thus failed to dodge.
to has taken 2850 [Lightning] damage! to has lost a life! Four of them remain!
Vasi gasped upon seeing the number. With the System doubling damage for the next twenty-four hours, a single bolt meant death. But this worked in reverse too. If they could blitz Ashok, they could kill him in minutes. Murderer! Bugsy charged at Ashok with dazzling speed. Fire Up!
All of Bugsys physical stats have been buffed, and his [Fire] attack will inflict 50% more damage!
Since Kalki was too close to Ashok for her to risk using her most destructive spells, Vasi opened with a precise volley of ice shards. Ashok shielded himself by raising his arms, to little avail. Vasis ice shards, empowered by the New Year Events effect, might as well have been made of steel. They cut the false gods metal body and left marks all over his tinum armor. Vasis attack allowed Bugsy to close in on them. The volcanipede swooped at Kalki in an attempt to grab him and run, but Ashok saw the rescue attempting. Useless! Powering through Vasis spell, Ashok engaged Bugsy in melee. "Panhellenion! Ashoks fists started moving so fast Vasis eyes struggled to see them. He unleashed a volley of punches at Bugsy, hitting the muchrger Volcanipede in multiple ces. Each blow caused an aftershock as it surged through the air.
Critical hit negated by [Carapace+]! Zeus-Ashoks [Turbo: Physical] bypassed Bugsys [Physical] Resistance!
Strong as he was, Bugsy was still thrown back across the room and hit one of the statues. Vasi prepared to cast another spell, only for Ashok to swiftly grab Kalki by the head. Unable to hit Ashok without harming her friend, the witch hesitated. And it cost them everything. Teleport, Ashok said. Kalki vanished in a sh of red light. Cheater! Vasi cursed as to revived at her side, weakened but alive. I thought teleportation effects didnt work in dungeons! Ashok didnt bother answering. He instead turned in her direction and charged her with murder on his mind. With no reason to hold back anymore, Vasipleted her spell and nailed him with a volley of ice shards. A pleasant sensation flowed in her body as she fired her magic, strengthening her.
Basils [All for One] granted you a [Regen] effect, buffed all your stats, and granted you Resistance to all Ailments for five minutes!
Neat. Not again! to screeched as he swung his sword and unleashed a de of wind. The Regen effect healed his wounds, curbed his revivals disorientation effect, and brought him back into the fight. Ive lost half of my lives! Half of them! Taios! Ashok swung his arms. A dozen melting meteors materialized in his wake and flew straight at his enemies. Half the projectiles exploded upon meeting the Bohens own attacks; the rest continued their course at them. Vasi and to had to run in two directions to dodge. Ashok Acharya, I suppose? Vasi tried to distract the false god to give her ally a chance to nk him. I see. You sensed Hypathias essences, didnt you? Is that why you sent her to die at our hands? Sin: Pride, Ashok replied, a golden aura glowing around his body as he ran towards Vasi.
All of ZeusAshoks stats have been buffed!
He crossed the gap between them in a single bound. Vasi ducked to the side to dodge. Ashok punched through one of her afterimages, hitting the ground with enough strength to leave a small crater on the floor. He chased after Vasi without wasting a breath, only for one of Bugsys magma bombs to force him to retreat. Theva spilled over the stone ground, and the false god immediately ran around it in an attempt to catch the witch. This one is not like his teammates, Vasi thought. Tamura had been inexperienced in using his powers; Hypathias arrogance had made her misuse her gifts; and Benjamin Leroy was deranged enough to waste time trying to convince others of his righteousness. Ashok showed no such weakness. None of his attacks were wasted, and all of them aimed to kill. He knows Im a long-range mage, so he engages me in melee. Hes a professional. Youre not really the talkative type, are you? Vasi asked before deciding to use her trump card. She had wanted to give herself more time to think over her choice, but this man did not fuck around. She couldnt afford to hold back. This time Ashok deigned to answer her. Chitchat is wasted on the dead, Mrs. Yaga. Vasi couldnt agree more. Metamorphosis, she said. istig Fomor. The power coursed through her veins the moment she finished her sentence. Her skin glowed with otherworldly energies. She felt her body change as her ancestors magic molded her flesh into a form that fit it. Realizing the danger, Ashok raised a hand in her direction. AstrapAH! A vengeful to had leaped on Ashoks back and sliced his metal neck with Joyeuse. The attack would have severed a mortals head, but though the false gods throat ripped open and shed a fountain of blood, his skull did not fall from his shoulders. The infuriated Ashok turned around and punched the weakened feline, sending the feline crashing against a wall. His body exploded in a shower of blood and bones on impact.
They killed to again! These bastards!
Her friends sacrifice was well worth it. Vasi felt wings burst from her back and tear through her sorceress robes. Her feet became hooves. Her horns grew longer. None of this mattered. Physical changes paled before the cosmic power empowering her and the otherworldly knowledge filling her mind. Her father was a demon lord and her mother a mighty Fomor. Of the two sides of her ancestry, thetter swiftly became dominant. As primeval magic reshaped her into a true fairy lord, Vasi let out augh. A spell inherent to her mothers race was engraving itself in her mind; a mighty weapon she had herself suffered from not so long ago. Vasi pointed a finger at Ashok and uttered two words. Two simple words that would extinguish even a gods hopes. Darkest Fear! Chapter 106: Man vs Retaliations Chapter 106: Man vs Retaliations Once upon a time, the fairy lords of the Fomors waged war on the gods of Outremonde and their servants. They lost it, of course. Even powerful mortal creatures are no match for deities. But though both sides eventually made peace, mighty weapons were developed over the course of the conflict. Of the countless cruelties the Fomors invented to challenge the gods chosen, none was more dreaded than Darkest Fear. This spell could only affect those blessed by the gods. Vasi hadnt understood why Krampus could use it against her until she had met her grandfather. If a drop of divine essence was enough to be a target for the spell how would it affect someone made of it? When dark energies swirled around Ashok and drew a scream of pain from him, Vasi got her answer. Her dark fairy magic coiled around the false gods essence like a serpent. Fangs of magic bit into his very soul and sapped his strength. The mighty Ashok copsed to his knees in utter defeat, his face twisted in pain and agony.
Zeus-Ashoks HP and SP have been reduced to 1! [Terror] and [Permadeath] Ailments negated by [Divine Vessel]!
Not only did Darkest Fear bring the gods chosen to the brink of death, but it also made sure they would nevere back from it. Ever. It saddened Vasi that Ashoks special immunities protected him from the spells secondary effects, but she would roll with it. The anti-resurrection feature was just insurance. Good to have, but not indispensable. Dead was dead, after all. Ashok gritted his teeth, his eyes alight with fear. Tele Muspelme! Vasi snapped her fingers and triggered a fireball. port! It came down to a single second. Vasis projectile surged across the room at the speed of sound, but Ashokpleted his sentence first. His instantaneous teleportation effect let him disappear in a sh of red light, and Vasis fireball only hit the stone ground. Did he to coughed after respawning along the same wall he had been sttered on not too long ago. Did he run away? Not yet, Vasi replied after checking the Field. His God-Field is still on, so he remains inside the dungeon.
Zeus-Ashok used [Mega-Elixir] Item to restore his partys HP and SP!
Your [Born of Magic] Perk has activated! You will recover 1/16th of your SP each minute! This stacks with [SP Regen]!
How nice of the System to inform them. Hesing back for round two, Vasi warned her allies. She summoned a healing potion from the Guild Inventory and tossed it at to. King of Cats, heal up and stay on the move. With your crap vitality and the New Year effect, any of his attacks will kill you in one blow. Bugsy, hes going to teleport among us again sometime soon. Prepare the area for your Red Volcano Perk and warn us. On it, Vasi. Bugsy immediately generated puddles ofva around the room with his Magma Bomb.
Bugsys [Red Volcano] activated! He will regain HP and SP while exposed tova!
As for to, he used his illusion magic to create three mirage clones of himself. None of themined about Vasi taking the lead. Her own words surprised the witch. Her metamorphosis had increased Vasis confidence as much as it changed her physically. Though her skin remained a light shade of purple, her hair had turned white as snow and her ram horns the color of blood. Moth wings with a macabre eye motif had grown out of her back. Her feet now ended in hooves. Yet she could feel none of these changes mattered; her body had be nothing less than a humanoid-shaped shell for her power. She could reshape her flesh like y into any form she wished. She had be magic incarnate.
Zeus-Ashok used [HydraSteroid] Item to give himself [Regen] and [SP Regen] for five minutes!
Battle items. Of all the Bohens enemies, why was the lightning-powered god-wannabe the only one smart enough to use battle items? Vasi, behind you! Bugsy warned. She sensed a massive shape materialize behind her, ready to strike her down. Thanks to Bugsys advance warning, Vasi quickly turned around and snapped her fingers. Darkest Fear! A giant roared in agony.
Hecatoncheires HP and SP have been reduced to 1! [Terror] and [Permadeath] Ailments! If an individual is in while under the [Permadeath] ailment, they cannot be revived in any way, not even as an [Undead]!
Vasi blinked in surprise. The creature in front of her was no metal god, but a grotesque giant with over fifty bald heads and twice as many hands. The maddened monster fearfully thrashed around with the hundred swords it wielded, forcing Vasi to take a step back. Another monster had materialized next to the one she had targeted, but this one immediately dashed at her with surprising speed. It trampled the corpses left from Kalkis previous battle and swung its swords with a mighty roar. Volcanic Breath! Bugsy unleashed a mighty stream of mes and ashes at the unharmed giant. The buffed fire melted the Hecatoncheires flesh from his bones and burned his many eyes.
Hecatoncheires has been [Blinded]!
The Hecatoncheires damaged by Darkest Fear tried to flee the hall in terror, but to and his illusory clones swiftly brought it down with a flurry of wind shes. The other, though five times taller than Vasi, proved unable to survive a scant minute of pyrostic mes. Bugsys natural buffs, further empowered by Ashoks Field advantage and the Systems New Year event, raised his damage over the four digits. But Bugsy was too distracted to shout a warning. Vasi sensed someone appearing behind her. She turned around to face a third Hecatoncheires and its divine master. Ashok, quicker on the draw, shot Vasi with the same lightning bolt that slew to. All of her nerves were set aze at once as electricity traveled from her chest to every inch of her body. She had to bite her own tongue not to scream at the sensation of her skin being yed alive. Such was the power of a gods lightning. And yet, Vasilisa Yaga survived.
1348 [Lightning] damage! Zeus-Ashoks [Turbo: Lightning] bypassed your [Lightning] Resistance, but your [Fomor Lifeforce] halved the damage!
Warning: You have fallen below half-health! [Regen] activated!
Vasi pointed her finger at the false god, only to watch him teleport behind his third giant. Single target, no area of effect, Ashok noted with a grunt of displeasure. He had clearly hoped to kill her in one strike. Line of sight. Vasi widened her new wings and took flight. It felt so strange. Moving around with her new wings came naturally to her. Like a falcon, her metamorphosis had instilled a natural instinct and reflexes in her. Moving above the Hecatoncheires and dodging its swords, Vasi pointed her finger at Ashok, who swiftly teleported to the other end of the room. Having expected this turn of events, the witch stillunched her spell at his remaining minion. Darkest Fear!
Hecatoncheires HP and SP have been reduced to 1! [Terror] and [Permadeath] Ailments!
Thest of Ashoks thralls copsed over one of Bugsysva puddles and burst out into mes, his remaining HP extinguished by the fire. The others had been cut down and annihted. Ashok gathered his strength for another lightning strike at Vasi, one that would be fatal if urate. Bugsy and to, acting quicker, attacked him with fire and wind. The false god teleported around the hall, which allowed Vasi to stay on the move. Ashok gritted his teeth as he switched targets,unching his lightning bolt at to. Though he managed to tell the real feline apart from his doublesprobably thanks to his divine essenceto sessfully dodged the bolt by bouncing off a wall. Vasi raised her hand at the enemy. Darkest Agoraios. Ashoks eyes shone with golden light, as a fourth giant appeared between him and Vasis line of sight.
Zeus-Ashok summoned an Hecatoncheires!
Vasi weed it the proper way. Fear.
Hecatonchirs HP and SP have been reduced to 1! [Terror] and [Permadeath] Ailments!
As Vasi guessed, all of Ashoks soldiers were directly created from his essence. All of them shared his vulnerability. It didnt matter how strong they were, or many the false god summoned. With Born of Magic active and her boyfriends ring letting her store SP, Vasi could keep casting Darkest Fear until the sun died out in the sky. Do you know any other spell? to teased her before slicing the giant in half with a single blow. Why change a perfect n? I have a hammer surrounded by nails. Vasi nced at Ashok, who was clenching his fists in frustration. Come on, summon more soldiers for us to kill. The more EXP you give us, the stronger we will be. Her taunt worked. Realizing he couldnt rely on his minions to distract his enemies, the false god switched tactics. He joined his palms together as if praying. Aegiduchos.
Zeus-Ashok gained the [Invincibility] status for one minute! He cannot take damage until then.
No more spells, Ashok said as he gathered lightning in the palm of his hand. Truly? Vasi smiled as she snapped her fingers. Darkest Fear. Ashok fell to his knees and his lightning fizzled out.
Zeus-Ashoks HP and SP have been reduced to 1! [Terror] and [Permadeath] Ailments negated by [Divine Vessel]!
to and Bugsy immediately attacked their surprised enemy from two directions: the former with des of air, the second with a stream of fire. Both bounced off the false gods body. A magical coat of translucent energy covered his skin, shielding him from damage. His Perk worked as advertised. Ashok red at Vasi. How? Do you take us fairy lords for fools, puny god? Vasi taunted him. We rival dragons in pride and power for a damn good reason. You are not taking damage, no. My spell sets your HP and SP values to one. There is no counter to it. And since Ashok hadnt used his invincibility Perk from the start of the battle, then it meant he couldnt use it too often. With Darkest Fear preventing him from using hisbat Perks by depriving him of SP, all the team had to do was wait until his protection ran out. From Ashoks expression, the false god had reached the same conclusion. No counter for this ability that is true, Ashok grunted in defeat. Congrattions, Mrs. Yaga. You win this one. He teleported out of Vasis sight and never came back.
Zeus-Ashok has left the dungeon! Zeus-Ashoks [God-Field: Titanomachy] has been canceled! The Field has returned to normal!
Ashok had cut his losses and fled. As it turned out, a giant robot could suplex an oceanic freighter. This age-old wrestling question came to a head in a spectacr disy of strength. Looking up at the sky to watch a two-hundred thousand-ton ship fall upon its head, the Gearsman Titan hastily raised its hands and grabbed it by the hull. The mighty machine then bent backward in a show of flexibility that astonished even Basil, putting the freighters weight on its shoulder and gently guiding it toward the ground. This left the colossus in a stilted backbend position and exposed its chest cannon to the sky, pointed straight at Basil. Power gathered within its heart for a lethal shot. But Basil Bohen never settled for anything short of overkill. I found that heavy-weight in Germany and this one in Hungary. Basil opened his inventory to drop his second secret weapon. Wizz this!
Item selected: [Airbus A320].
And so, Basil Bohen dropped an airliner on a giant robot. A purple and pink ne a hundred meters long materialized at the end of his palm and fell down from the heavens. It impacted the Titans chest right as it prepared to unleash its beam. The crash was nothing short of devastating. A mighty explosion shook the countryside and blew Basil upward through the clouds. The Gearsman Titans torso was torn in half by the shockwave. Gears, bolts, and metal parts flew in all directions like a rain of deadly steel, tearing apart all of the lesser Gearsmen and drones which had followed theirrger brethren in battle. Rosemarine and Shellgirl hid behind Steve to avoid the bombardment. The Steamobile bravely weathered the storm of steel, with projectiles bouncing off its thick shell. As for the freighter, it fell upon the titans head and crushed it to pieces. The ships metal hull miraculously resisted; the Gearsmans shielding yielded.
Fatality!
Made in Earth, Basil rejoiced. ept no substitute.
108 [Fire] damage!
Basil grit his teeth as he flew through pyrostic clouds hot enough to damage him through his armor. He adjusted his flight with Double Jump and managed to slow down his upward momentum. He regained control just in time to watch another fireworks disy. Basil had an excellent view of the moon from above the clouds. Earths satellite was sparkling in the sky. The light of dazzling explosions covered its surface. Rainbowsers danced around mushroom shroudsrge enough to be visible from Earth. Great arrows of light rose from the west, from distant France and Britain and whichever countries still handled the NATO arsenal after the worlds end. They surged from the ground in a great parade that set the sky aze. Would it be enough? Would all the mad genius of mankind be enough to match a dragons cruelty? Basil could only pray. He descended closer to Earth with Double Jump. When he returned, he found the Titans runecore growing brighter with eldritch gray light. The countdown to the petrification self-destruct was engaged. Thankfully, Steve had climbed over the Titans wreckage and reached its chest. Metal tendrils grew out of the Steamobiles shielding and connected to the runecore. Lesser gearsmen that had survived the explosion attempted to interrupt it, only to face Rosemarine and Shellgirls resistance. The former crushed the robots underfoot, while thetter simply shot them dead. Basil swiftly joined them with a volley of Elemental Orbs attuned to the Water element. Torrents of liquid rusted away weaker drones, giving Steve time enough to finish its work. The Steamobile pulled the runecore into itself and enveloped it in ayer of steel. Steve released enough fumes through its exhaust ports to cover the entire battlefield. Basil prayed in his heart that the Steamobile would not overheat; if the petrification pulse went off now, then the Bohens would be affected. It didnt. Steve let out a victorious roar and Basil sighed in relief.
Steve Roadwonders sessfully assimted [Gearsman Titan Runecore]! Steve Roadwonders gained the [Mode Change: Robot] Passive Perk and the [Petrification Bomb] Active Perk.
Steve Roadwonders sent you the following Crafting blueprints: [Unity Neurotower].
Basils eyes widened in shock. How How did Steve I understand. Basil remembered his first encounter with the Unity in France. Low-level Gearsmen had tried to build a Unity Neurotower in Dax from scraps back then, until the army halted the construction. Its not that Gearsmen were guided from beyond dimensions to build these devices. Instead, a few of them came to Earth with the blueprints to act on their own. It made so much sense in retrospect. The Unity couldnt guarantee it couldmunicate with its probes while on another world, and Titans appeared reserved for conflict-heavy missions. They should be able to establish a foothold on their own. By absorbing the runecore, Steve had gained ess to the knowledge within. The Unitys secrets were there to plunder. If they survived. His Logs opened with a message filled with dread and hope.
NERIA: Basil, the nuclear strike was a limited sess.
Basil looked up at the sky. The wind had blown away enough of the smoke to let glimpse at the moon. The nuclear exchange was over. The moons surface was a sea of light one second and clouded in stardust the next. The lights of the Unitys dungeonwork pierced through this radioactive atmosphere, but nowhere as brightly as before Shumens destruction.
BASIL: What do you mean by limited sess?
NERIA: Ten percent of our magic-enhanced nukes managed to bypass the Unitys orbital defenses and half of those hit their target. The lunar cannon was damaged.
PLUTO: It is currently inoperative, but not destroyed.
They had earned a brief respite then, nothing more.
BASIL: How long until they can use it again?
PLUTO: Days at best, hours at worst.
Then there was no time to waste.
Congrattions, your party earned 21,600,000 EXP (2,560,000 for you). Youve earned five levels (total 68).
Rosemarine can now undergo her final metamorphosis!
Basil overlooked the battlefield. The explosion and the following clean-up had destroyed all Unity forces in this section of the countryside. While other Gearsmen were still at work in other areas of Shumen, this left an open corridor for the evacuation. The Titans demise and the lunar cannons damaged state spelled the invasions end. This was a victory, as bitter as it tasted.
Kalki was forcefully removed from your Guild by: Zeus-Ashok.
Or perhaps not. The message sent shivers down Basils spine. He immediately prepared to send a message to the rest of his team, praying they had lived through the night only for his girlfriend to contact him first. The sight of Vasis name soothed Basils hardened heart.
VASI: Were out. Ashok got away with Kalki. Shesha and Garud are both dead; we took their corpses with us for burial.
No. Basil couldnt call it a bitter victory. It was a defeat, in and simple. Kalki had fallen into the hands of Metal Olympus. In all likelihood, he would be transported to their headquarters in Athens. The thought of a friend lost to the enemy infuriated Basil. The fact two more had perished invited Biblical retribution. But first, they needed to regroup.
BASIL: Sending you the coordinates of a rendezvous point. Evacuate everyone you can find to this location. The Unitys orbital cannon is temporarily incapacitated, but not neutralized.
VASI: What do we do next then?
Basil red at the sky. Was ckcinders looking down on him from the moon, gloating over ruining thousands of lives and turning a city to cinders? She sounded like the kind who would call today a victory. No. ckcinders deployed all these resources to ensure Basils death and yet he still lived. That was the very definition of failure. A dragon willing to blow up an entire city to kill one person could only handle failure one way. By escting. She woulde back meaner and deadlier than before unless stopped. And that couldnt be allowed to go on.
BASIL: Then we kill them all.
As half her monitors showed a red glowing light, ckcinders struggled to contain her anger. Gravity increased around her, causing her dragon officers to bow their heads in penance. Status report? she asked while brimming with cold anger. The Lunar Cannon has suffered minimal damage, but firing now is unwise, one of her minion engineers replied. One of the monitors showed a view of metal corridors set aze by a missile impact. The blowback could destroy our HQ. ckcinders ws scratched the steel ground hard enough to cut through it. How? she rasped angrily, her officers cowering. How could they hit us from Earth? It Her dragon lieutenant gulped, sweat falling from his forehead. It appears they used a form of nuclear device empowered by Crafters and magical boosts I dont care about the method they used, ckcinders interrupted him sharply. Why wasnt I informed that we risked a counter-strike? All intelligence on the manling civilization indicated they had been sent back to city-states and broken states without meaningful industrial capacities. It was why she had ordered her troops to focus on building the Lunar Cannon quicker at the expense of orbital defenses. We Her lieutenant gulped. We didnt know it was possible. The next time any of youe to me as an ignorant child, wyrmlings, you will know death. Your ipetence has cost us greatly today. ckcinders had underestimated the apes. It would not happen again. Repair the Lunar Cannon and prepare to fire again. At what target, General? ckcinders peered through her moonbases window. The insignificant ball of mud and water on the other side glowed radiantly under the sun-gaze of the Overgod Brahma as a challenge to the Unitys power. As an insult. As a threat. General? her lieutenant asked again. Bulgaria, ckcinders ordered calmly. Blow it up. All of it. Chapter 107: Man vs Bloom Chapter 107: Man vs Bloom They buried Shesha and Garud in a mass grave next to a thousand others. There were simply too many corpses and not enough space for funerals. The entire region stank of murder, blood, and charred flesh. The fires raged over Shumen hours after the battle, torching whatever building had survived the orbital bombardment. Only the dungeon on the hill remained intact as the citys tombstone. When Basil asked Simeon how many had survived, the old man sighed in sorrow. Too few. What did that mean? Thousands? Hundreds? How many people had perished tonight to satisfy a dragons cruelty? Basil had lost count of the corpses he had been forced to dump in holes hastily dug in the muddy ground. Worse were those whose remains couldnt be recovered. Like his mother. As Rosemarine helped cover the grave pit with earth, Basil nced at Steve. The Steamobile worked hard as a road roller to push the dead into their final resting ce, a ghastly deed it performed while in its new form. The transformation unlocked from the Gearsman changed the front half of the Steamobile into a mechanical torso with mighty steel arms and the Gehenna Cannon for a head; the wheels at the back of the vehicle supported the body like a centaurs legs. No matter Steves shape, a red spot on its metal shielding had yet to fade away. Its her blood, isnt it? Basil guessed. You tried to save her, but it wasnt enough. The Steamobile let out a sorrowful cry in response. Basil gently patted its armor with his hand to reassure it. Im not ming you, Steve. No more than I would me a lifeguard for failing to save a woman from drowning after she has been thrown in the water. Basil red at the moon. The me rests squarely on those who endangered her in the first ce. Shellgirl and Bugsy had set up a Lair to connect the camp with the rest of their allies in Western Europe. As for Vasi, she had left for Outremonde toe back with reinforcements. This left only to and Rosemarine to help Basil mourn for the dead. His tropidrake nted seeds on the corpse-infested soil after helping cover it. This way the dead will be reborn as trees, Mister, Rosemarine exined kindly. This is why humans leave flowers on graves, right? Basil didnt have the heart to correct her. He simply looked at the spot where Shesha and Garud now rested. At least they would have a tomb for others to mourn over. Basil would raise a stone for his mother, but without her remains, he would never find closure. This feels like when we buried Ren all over again, to said sadly. All were missing is the rain. You think it would get easier eventually. Basil closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath. It never does. No tears flowed out of Basil Bohens eyes. He was simply too exhausted for them. Once he would have sworn a blood oath over his mothers death and condemned the Unity to destruction; but as he stared at the blood-soaked ground, he couldnt even muster the anger to curse ckcinders. He was simply too drained. Basil Bohen felt empty inside. With the citys destruction, survivors and military forces had retreated to a camp set in the countryside. Though the Swords of Saint George controlled another dungeon nearby, Simeon wisely realized that it would make for an obvious target. The enemy could attack them from above at any time after all. Every soldier was busy with something: tending to the wounded, repairing equipment, surveying the area to avoid an ambush One would think most would have given up after todays disaster, but in desperate situations, there was no time for surrender. When its survival was on the line, man surrendered to the reptilian brain. Sorrow, fear, anger all of these mammalian emotions were pushed aside by the overwhelming urge to live another day. Or perhaps all Shumens defenders had be numb to tragedy after too many of them. Basil wondered if he was in the same boat. When Simeonnded next to the Bohens, Basil knew troubles were only starting. Sir Bohen, I have received worrying news, the pdin said. The Unity is retreating from Bulgaria. Under normal circumstances, this news would havee as a relief. By now, Basil knew better than to get his hopes up. What do you mean? Our troops and allies across the country all contacted me with the same intel, Simeon exined. Unity troops are either teleporting away or crossing the border south. Theyre leaving their instations and heavy machinery behind. So this wasnt a nned retreat, but a panicked rout. Basil could only see one reason why ckcinders would have her forces evacuate the country while abandoning hard-won resources. Theyre going to bombard Bulgaria. Basil red at the moon falling beyond the horizon. Earths satellite had almost disappeared from the sky, but it woulde back soon enough. All of it. Simeon nodded darkly. I guessed as much. Our allies counter-bombardment must have spooked them, so theyll wipe out our nation as a warning to all others. Considering the moon needed to hover above the right face of Earth to target Bulgaria, then it meant the country had roughly twelve hours left before the next bombardment. A terribly short window of time. to looked up at his best friend with a deep frown on his face. What do we do, dog? We have no choice. Basil clenched his jaw in frustration. As much as it hurts me to say it Kalki will have to wait for now. Blinding the moons eye and killing ckcinders takes priority. Basil could only hope Metal Olympus wouldnt kill their friend in the meantime. He doubted murdering Kalki was Ashoks intentionconsidering he captured the Avatar alivebut the false gods motives remained obscure. He probably intended to use Kalki to further his own ns, whatever they were. Welle for you, Kalki, Basil swore on his dead teammates graves. Shesha and Garud fought to the bitter end to protect their Tamer. Basil cut his fingertip open and shed blood on their grave to show his respect. I, Basil Jean-Franois Bohen, son of Dragan and Aleksandra Bohen, promise you that much. I swear to Christ that well save you, even if we must travel to the moon and back. No oath of revenge this time? to asked. I would rather swear to save the living than avenge the dead. Basil red at the horizon and the vanishing moon. Though well do both in due time. Afterward, the Bohens rejoined the camp to find it overcrowded. A Lair-linked portal allowed European reinforcements to arrive with the material needed to construct the Unity Neurotower. Its schematics were soplicated that it required dozens of crafters and twice as many workers to build, so Bugsy and Shellgirl helped human soldiers raise its steel foundations. Among the reinforcements were familiar faces. Herees the French, to said. Do you bring good news to open the New Year? Please tell me you do. We need some right now. Im afraid not, to. Neria Elissalde hade in full battle armor. Benjamin Leroy followed her like her shadow, his ck wings furling around him like a cloak. He looked more like a ssy vampire than Eddie ever did. Especially since the New Year Event is not yet done. Unfortunately, she was right. The ughter would carry on until midnight. Neria gave Basil a pained look. Basil, I am sincerely sorry for your loss I dont want to hear that, Neria, Basil interrupted her. He knew she meant well, but he was in no mood to hear condolences. Not as long as ckcinders breathed. Not now. I understand. Neria wisely decided not to push the subject further. Let me say this at least: the Unity wont get away with this. Well fight at your side. We? to asked while squinting at Benjamin. I thought this one was under litter arrest? General Lenc is giving him special privileges for good behavior, Neria replied. And because you will require my expertise for this particr operation. Benjamin shrugged. Neria is my parole officer. She has orders to shoot me dead if I try to escape. But you wont, Neria said with a gentle smile. You are not that kind of man, Benjamin. Basil noticed that these two were now on a first-name basis. Good. They both needed a friend. Once our man-made Neurotower connects to the Unitywork, I willunch two programs, Benjamin exined. The first will create a portal between this particr tower and the Unitys lunar base. I will do my best to open it in a rtively safe ce and keep it there so you can make your way back, but youll be on your own on the other side. And the second program? Basil asked. It will activate a unique, viral Awaken Soul spell of Walter Tyes design and spread it through the Unityswork. Benjamin observed Basil sharply. He said you hadmissioned this weapon. Sort of. Basil was surprised Walter went through with the proposal in the end. Perhaps he cared in his own creepy undead way. How does it work? If it works the spell should awaken the shackled soul of every Gearsmen it affects, granting them intelligence and self-awareness. The Unityswork is heavily segmented, so I doubt it will expand beyond Earth, but it should infect all of their terminals on our world. In the best case scenario, the Unitys forces on Earth would find themself with a civil war on their hands. This would cripple their operations on the. In the worst case scenario Can we guarantee the awakened Gearsmen will shoot at the enemy rather than us? Simeon voiced Basils own fears. No, Benjamin replied bluntly. Thats the thing with free will. The awakened Gearsmen will do whatever they want. Each individual is as likely to stay loyal as to rebel. Simeon crossed her arms. Its not the best of ns, he said. But the confusion it sows in the Unitys ranks might secure our victory. Im willing to take the risk, Basil said. When confronted with the possibility of ckcinders using the lunar cannon to reduce his homnd to ashes, even the worst n looked viable. Does General Lenc agree with me? Neria nodded sharply. We dont have enough ICBMs left for another strike on the moon. Either we win this round or we lose the war. The Unitys dungeons produce a field with a very simple effect, Benjamin warned Basil. Level penalties do not apply within its range. All their forces on the moon will fight back at full power, and ckcinders herself will likely exceed the Level Barriers limit. Basil shrugged. He was used to being the underdog. When can you open the portal, Mr. Leroy? Simeon asked Benjamin. We only have half a day before we enter the cannons line of fire. Hours, the programmer replied. Before the moon rises again at least. So well only have a short window of time to sabotage the weapon. Simeon nodded sharply. Very well. We go all in. What about the ss information I required? Basil asked. Neria forwarded Basil data through the Logs. We managed to map out the Alchemist, Runesmith, and Technomancer sses, since some of our soldiers filled out each of them. Walter Tye also shared details on the Chronomancer ss, but Warrior Saint is unknown to him. Basil checked her information and grunted in disappointment. With only five levels to assign, empowering Runesmith now would strengthen his Runestorm and Magic-Eater Perks. Both were good, but not quite appropriate for what awaited his Party. Leveling up Technomancer would increase his Runic spellcasting slightly and help build golems, which required more time than they had. Alchemists Perks would only enhance his crafting abilities further. The Chronomancer ss though Save Scum? Basil coughed when he read it. Rewinding death? Is this a joke? I was as surprised as you, but apparently its indeed the Chronomancer capstone, Neria replied. In exchange for sacrificing a huge amount of SP, you can undo a fatal blow. I still do not understand how you managed to unlock this ss, Benjamin said. The affinities are correct, but you would need to have messed with time on arge-scale to earn it. He cheated, to mused, trying to lighten the mood. Thats what he does, that scummy Mario Kart item spammer. Youre just jealous of my turtle swagger, Basil replied. Seriously, the Chronomancers high-level Perks were simply busted. Leaping into the future to avoid attacks, permanent buffs, predicting dangerous attacks, reloading oneself to a previous state upon death, time eleration If this was a game, any designer would have banned this ss on the first day. Its abilities synergized spectacrly with any build. Really, Chronomancers only weakness was itsckluster early Perks. The first five levels opened ess to Tier I Chronomancy spells, allowed a magician to cast two spells at once, and provided a nice paralysis effect powerful enemies were probably all immune to anyway. Terrifying Perks to possess in the hands of a full Spellcaster. For someone like Basil, who focused on old-school closebat, these early levels were wasted. He would definitively invest in the ss, but only once he could afford to. This only left one ss avable. I hope this Warrior Saint ss is worth the hype, Basil said as he assigned his five levels. As it turned out It was.
Warrior Saint Level 1 to 5 Stat Gains: +5 STR, +5 AGI, +5 VIT, +5 SKI, +5 MAG, +5 INT, +5 CHA, +5 LCK. Youve earned 200 HP and 100 SP.
Turbo: Physical (Passive): Your [Physical] attacks ignore Resistance and inflict 30% more damage.
Sacrosaint Tactics I (Passive): Grants +10% damage, damage resistance, evasion, and uracy to all party members.
Divine Auspices I (Passive): You can now learn and cast [Prayer] Spells up to Tier I. If you gain the ability to cast [Prayer] Spells from other sses or Perks, the Tiers stack together. Additionally, if you possess Perks in other schools of magic, their Tier is raised by I.
[All for One] expanded [Sacrosaint Tactics I] to your Guild. [Divine Auspices I] raised your [Runic] Spellcasting Tier to III.
Power surged through Basils body like a jolt of electricity. Between Warrior Saints high growths and Vainqueurs boost, all his stats had increased today. The Perks were simply excellent. And with his new levels being assigned a certain someone could finally evolve. Rosemarine. Basil gently caressed his tropidrakes head. I still remember when you were a small and delightful Kint. Besides to and Bugsy, youve been with us the longest. Im amazed how much you have grown since we first met. It is because you feed me so well and shower me with your love, Mister, Rosemarine replied gently, her tail wagging behind her mighty body. If not for you, I would have wilted away. I am thankful. And I am proud you could bloom into such a beautiful creature. Basil would never stop finding his little flower dazzling, no matter what form she took. Now Now is the time youve been waiting for so long. Your final metamorphosis. You can now fulfill all your dreams. To his surprise, Rosemarine thought it over before answering. Mister, can I change my mind? About what? Before I grew big and strong, I said I would eat everyone and then sow the world with my seed. Rosemarine nced at the columns of smokeing from Shumen. But it would make you sad. It would make all my friends sad. Basil sighed. It would, Rosemarine. I dont want to make you sad, Mister. I want to make you happy. So I have changed my mind. Rosemarine nuzzled Basil with her colossal head. I will feed everyone I like and eat those who hurt them. And the rest? to asked. Either people are my friends or they arent, Rosemarine replied ominously. There is no middle ground. If Basil noticed Neria and Benjamin exchanging a nce, he didnt show it. But I will be kind to strangers and try to turn them into my friends, Rosemarine added wisely. That way, they will be nice to me and spoil me on Christmas. Thats the holiday spirit, my girl. Basil kissed her on a petal. Show them your might and kindness. Rosemarine glowed as she underwent her final metamorphosis. She became so bright that Basil had to step back and cover his eyes with his hand. Everyone moved away from Rosemarine too. Grass and colorful flowersfrom roses to weed and poppiesgrew at the tropidrakes feet. They swiftly expanded in the blink of an eye to cover all ground around the camp and beyond. Great wings of woven rose petals unfurled behind Rosemarines back and carried her above the ground. Her hind legs and tailher entire lower halftransformed into thousands of woven, thorny vines. Her two hands transformed into twin flowers that each bloomed to reveal the barrels of wooden miniguns. Her head reshaped itself into that of a mighty dragon, with trees for horns and bright petals for a mane. Rainbowy scales shaped like leaves covered every inch of her mighty torso, from which arge bounty of golden apples grew. She was Magnificent.
Congrattions, Rosemarine Entine de Barthe metamorphosed into her final form: the [Hesperides Dragon]! All her Perks have been upgraded and she has gained new ones!
Rosemarines [God Field: Garden of the Hesperides] has changed the field into a [Holy Garden]!
  • [Wood], [Life], [Fire], [Water], [Earth], [Light], and [Mythic] are empowered.
  • [Corrosion], [Metal], and [Frost] elements are weakened.
  • All creatures with a strong [Wood] affinity benefit from a [Regen] effect and Resistance to Ailments while on the Field.
  • [nt] creatures have all their stats buffed.
I can shoot, Mister! Rosemarine roared as she pointed her petal cannons at the sky, firing sts of pollen at the clouds. Multiple soldiers around the camp ducked to the ground in fear and surprise. I have wings and I have guns! Had there ever been a lovelier sight than a one-year child trying a new firearm? Name Rosemarine Entine de Barthe (Hesperides Dragon) Type nt/Dragon (nt/Divine in Nymph Mode) Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 6,654,266/6,830,000 Immune Resist Weak Fire, Wood, All Ailments, Instadeath. Physical, Mind, Life, Water, Earth, Light, Mythic. ntyer, Dragonyer (changes to Godyer in Nymph Mode), Corrosion, Metal, Frost. Level Health Points Special Points 68 6180 1805 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 107 (A+20%) 62 (B+20%) 77 (A+20%) 63 (B+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 80 (A+20%) 30 (C+20%) 61 (B+20%) 77 (A+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong Strong - Weak Weak Strong Strong Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Strong Strong - Weak - Strong - Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Divine Vessel Gaias Fury Vineyard Queen Heras Grace Ladon Hesperides Seed Cosmic Flower Eden Guns God-Field: Garden of the Hesperides Divine Harvest Nymph Mode Bhanal Mists Turbo: Wood Wine Tribute nt Crown Firepetal Storm
Passive Perks:
  • Divine Vessel: Halves all damage taken, negates [Instadeath] effects, protects from all ailments, and grants permanent [Float] status. Additionally, the user can act as a deity for the purpose of empowering [Priest] and simr sses.
  • Vineyard Queen: Rosemarine treats all natural weapons, such as ws, fangs, breath and vines, as if she had advanced proficiency with them (x2 damage, +10%). Additionally, Rosemarines natural attacks may inflict the [Paralysis], [Poison] or [Sleep] ailment on contact (30% chance for each ailment).
  • Ladon: Rosemarines natural attacks benefit from the [Bugyer], [Manyer], and [Giantyer] effects (x3 damage against [Bugs], [Humanoids], and [Giants]).
  • Cosmic Flower: When exposed to sunlight or moonlight, Rosemarine benefits from [Regen] and [SP Regen] Buffs (recovers 1/16th of full HP/SP per minute), and her [Eden Guns] Perk doesnt require charging time.
  • God-Field: Garden of the Hesperides: Rosemarine transforms the local area (one km per level radius maximum) into a personal, advantageous field. She can mute this effect or reduce its range at will.
  • Nymph Avatar: Rosemarine can switch shape between her dragon self and a humanoid-sized dryad avatar at will. When in dryad form, Rosemarines type changes to [nt/Divine], and her physical stats are halved, but she can otherwise use all her other abilities.
  • Turbo: Wood: All of Rosemarines [Wood] elemental attacks bypass Resistance and inflict 30% more damage.
  • nt Crown: Rosemarine immediately inflicts [Charm] on all [nt] Types within fifty meters of herself unless they possess a higher level, higher Charisma, the boss status, or immunity to the [Charm] ailment. If the ailment is lifted on a [nt] Type affected by it, they be immune to [nt Crown] for 24 hours.
Active Perks:
  • Gaias Fury: 100 SP, [Wood], [Earth]. Summons frenzied nts to attack enemies and infest buildings within Rosemarines God-Field (150 [Wood]/[Earth] damage).
  • Heras Grace: 100 SP, [Life], [Light]. Regenerates HP to all allies within a fifty meters radius (base power 300).
  • Hesperides Seed: 60 SP, [Life], [Mythic], [Wood]. Rosemarine can spawn a Hesperides level 30 Monster from her body ([nt]/[Fairy] Type). Hesperides are powerful dryads with magical abilities who can serve as the seed of a new forest.
  • Eden Guns: 150 SP, [Wood], [Mythic]. After charging up for a minute, Rosemarine unleashes a powerful breath of divine pollen from her mouth and twin cannons (base power 120 per cannon, [Wood]/[Mythic] damage; this benefits from [Vineyard Queen]s proficiency multiplier). This magical attack ignores the targets defensive stat and armor, but not damage reduction.
  • Divine Harvest: 150 SP, [Life], [Wood]. Rosemarine can spawn a [Golden Apple] fruit. Consumption of this item fully regenerates the targets HP. Rosemarine can generate as many fruit as she wishes so long as she has the SP needed.
  • Bhanal Mists: 40 SP, [Mind], [Ailment]. Creates a powerful mist that dispels buffs/debuffs in the area and has a 30% chance of inflicting the [Drunk] ailment.
  • Wine Tribute: 40 SP, [Water]. Rosemarine traps a single target in a prison of wine, choking them to death (100 [Water] damage per minute of exposure).
  • Firepetal Storm: 80 SP, [Fire], [Wood]. Rosemarine unleashes a storm of burning petals (base power 150 [Fire]/[Wood] damage). This attack gains +20% chance of inflicting a critical hit.
The time hase, Mister! Rosemarine roared. Her voice, as terrible as melodious, echoed all across her garden. We will eat the moon, and then well shoot the baby stars! The Bohens were going cosmic. Chapter 108: Man vs Virus Chapter 108: Man vs Virus Vasi returned with an army from Hell. Basil couldnt describe the soldiers that walked out of the portal any other way. The creatures were a motley crew of fork-wielding bug monsters, demonic beastmen awfully simr to the ones his party had fought in Hungary, knights whose armor burned like furnaces, and many other warbeasts. They poured out into Earth''s dimension in regimented order, their legions ready to conquer the world in their masters name. Their fluttering banners proudly showcased their allegiance. Pony Princess Vasi? Basil chuckled as his girlfriend flew to his side. The silly name on the banners made it hard for him to take the army seriously. I managed to talk my father out of renaming Bulgaria into Vasnd, but I had to makepromises. Vasi put a hand on her waist. Please dont joke about it, Handsome. Basil never even considered it. Instead, he found himself distracted by his girlfriends new appearance. He didnt have the opportunity to observe her metamorphosis closely earlier, and he found himself charmed by what he saw. The way Vasis wings fluttered behind her, her divine poise, her charming smilebined with the awe-inspiring aura of power that surrounded her what was there not to like? Basil? Vasi grinned. Did my beauty leave you speechless? It did. Basil put a hand behind his girlfriends waist and pulled her to him. You look like a goddess. She smiled shyly while putting her arms around his shoulders. You dont mind the hooves? I aint that superficial. He lightly kissed her on the lips. Her lips tasted of sweet fruits and mint. You could have a serpent tail instead of legs, and I would still stay by your side. Oh, sweet talker you. Vasi leaned closer to Basil to better whisper in his ear. She rubbed her thigh against his waist. Since I can shapeshift now, my bear knight, Ive figured we could experiment a bit. Basil was thankful for his armor, or he would have done something very inappropriate. Whatever you want, dear. I look forward to it, she said before letting him go. I feel we both need a good time. Yeah, Basil agreed. But that will have to wait forter. How many soldiers did you bring? Dad could mobilize a whole legion in short order, so around five thousand soldiers. Their levels range from thirty to fifty on average. That should be more than enough to deal with most gearsmen. As for Mom, she lent me her spellbook and a gift for you. Vasi pped her hands and then extended them in opposing directions. A sickly-green spear covered in ancient runes materialized between her palms. The tip oozed fetid yellow fumes and golden poison. Basil carefully grabbed the shaft and examined the weapons stats.
Birgha Spit-Spear
Family: Weapon (Spear).
Quality: A.
Power: +19 STR
Crit: +10%
uracy: 75%
Effect 1: [Spiteful Spite]: Birgha always inflicts the [Poison] effect on a sessful strike; this effect ignores Resistance, but not Immunity.
Effect 2: [Wakeful Fumes]: Birghas fumes protect the user from [Sleep] and harmful musical effects, such as an enemy [Bard]s Performances.
Effect 3: [Troubakill]: Attacks from Birgha inflict supereffective damage (x3 damage) against enemies who can cast Performance spells (such as [Bards]).
Effect 4: [Unused].
A spear forged by a melomanic Fomor to kill bad musicians, an act that spared Outremonde from the evils of Country Music, Rap, and K-Pop. You better not ask where the spit part of the namees from.
Why is it called spit-spear? Basil asked. My mom spat on the tip once, Vasi replied. Basil squinted at his new weapon. Is this a toothpick? One only big enough for Rosemarine, his girlfriend joked back. Theres one spot left to put in a rune, if you want. Good call. Vasi wasnt the only one who had learned new spells. He immediately empowered his new weapon with a rune he had just learned.
You refined [Birgha Spit-Spear] with an [uracy Rune]. The weapons uracy has been raised by 20%.
Youll thank your mother for me, Basil said as he summoned his halberd. Thanks to his Dragoon II Perk, he could easily wield two spears at the same time. Its abilities are rather situational, but it will make for a nice backup weapon. You will thank her yourself. Youve impressed her more than she let on, so shes eager for us to visit Outremonde again. Vasis expression softened. How are you holding up, Basil? I shoulder on and power through, like always. Basil sighed. Theres no time to mourn. I cant show weakness before the others. Not now. I see. Vasi gently touched his arm. Basil Im with you. Always. You may not want to show the troops how you feel for morales sake, but when were alone you can be anyone you want. Everything that you want to say, all the tears you must shed Ill hold you in my arms through thick and thin. Her kind words warmed Basils heart. He felt blood flushing to his cheeks. Thanks, he said softly. I might take you up on it after we deal with the Unity. Of course. She smiled kindly. Whenever you want. Vasi had a way of soothing him even in the darkest times. With Vasis reinforcements, the troops were finally gathered for battle. Basil and his girlfriend rejoined the rest of the team at the center of the camp. The artificial Neurotower loomed over tanks and tents, a true steampunk tower of steel, gears, and screens. For all of its power and size, however, it looked absolutely tiny next to Rosemarine. Argh! This is so unfair! Shellgirl pointed a finger at the Hesperides Dragon. Your new form and my dear Vasis are both overpowered! Now Im this teams deadst! Thats right, Im still ahead in the pecking order, to boasted. Mammal supremacy! I can feed you my fruits, if you want, Rosemarine suggested to Shellgirl. The nutrients will help you grow big and strong. Keep those in reserve, Rosemarine, Basil pleaded. Due to their miraculous healing properties, they had already used hundreds of them on the nights wounded. Though Rosemarines SP regeneration let her create nearly fifty fruits per hour, Basil would rather stock a few for emergencies. Shellgirl, just be a little patient. Youre two levels away from transforming yourself. Shellgirl pouted. Easy for you to say, Partner, you get new abilities all the time. Its okay, Shellgirl, Bugsy reassured his teammate. Im sure your new metamorphosis will be wealthy and powerful! It better be gorgeous too! Shellgirlined with her fists clenched into fists. With unlimited assets and massive market pration! Considering whose essence she had consumed, Basil had no doubt the capitalist in her would find joy upon evolving. My dear Shellgirl, I think you will more than pull your weight today, Vasi said with a grin. In fact, I will require your help. I cannot cast spells and use boosters at the same time, so Ohoh, you want me to juice you while you zap them all? Shellgirls sour mood instantly turned joyful. Now thats a bundle I can get behind! With our current tactics, we should be able to overwhelm most of the Unitys conventional forces. Basil turned his head to look at Simeon, who joined the group with Neria and Benjamin. Its a shame non-monsters cannot benefit from your All for One Perk. I hope you dont mind fighting with demons, Simeon. Basil had seen tamed fiends among the Swords of Saint George, so he doubted the pdin would be picky about their reinforcements. The real demons are up there, Ser Basil. Simeon pointed at the sky. We only have four hours left before they rain hell on us. The Neurotower is ready, Basil, Benjamin added. Well begin the attack at once. About that Basil tightened his grip on his halberd. Can you teleport my party as close to the cannonsmand center as possible? Benjamin frowned. Why? We have more firepower than the entire army put together, Basil stated. Considering the Bohens levels, this was less of a boast and more of a fact. Most importantly, ckcinders wants me dead. Considering how shes acted so far She wille to confront you in person, Neria guessed. She wont let you escape her again. Basil nodded sharply. Her subordinates failed her too many times, so shell try to deal with us herself. Considering shes the most dangerous member of the Unity forces on Earth, we better iste her. This would let our army spread through the lunarplex and sabotage the superweapon, Simeon agreed. But Ser Bohen, do you understand the risks at hand? You will not only enter the dragonsir but challenge her to a fight. The Unity wille at you with all their might and fury. Eh, I still have two lives left, to stated. Ill take my chances. I will shoot everyone who approaches Mister, Rosemarine dered with pride. Steve echoed her boast with an engine roar. With his team confident and at his back, Basil feared nothing. Well carve a way forward, he promised with determination. All you will have to do is follow the fires. The moonnding started with a screen, and then another.
You have entered the [Unity Space] Field:
  • Level penalties will not apply within the Field.
  • [Dragon] and [Artificial] Types will have their stats buffed.
  • Atmospheric conditions will
[Unity Space] overridden by Rosemarines [God-Field: Garden of the Hesperides]!
When Basilnded on flowers rather than metal, he knew vengeance would be his today. He, Bugsy, and Rosemarine teleported ahead of everyone else in a hangarrger than any cathedral. Gearsmen hauled barrels of alien fuel amidst futuristic space shuttles and other advanced vehicles, all under the supervision of a red dragon the size of a bus. Rosemarines appearance sent vehicles flying in all directions as she tossed them aside, immediately alerting the Unity forces. Huh? Who are you? the red dragon asked Rosemarine, mistaking her for a Unity dragonlord. How did you Having teleported into the base with her ultimate attack fully charged, Rosemarine opened fire with a giggle. Eden Guns! The Perk said Rosemarine would unleash a breath of pollen, but the description could not do justice to its application. The nt dragon unleashed three sparkling beams of golden particles from her mouth and cannon-arms, each of them asrge as thete Apollyons Gehenna Cannon. The Unity dragonlord, who had the misfortune of being in the path of all three, was immediately vaporized along with the half a dozen gearsmen. Basil and Bugsy immediately assisted their friends bombardment, the former with water Elemental Orbs, thetter with his mighty firebreath. Their projectiles hit the fuel canisters and rocked the hangar with countless explosions. The ground trembled as flowers and vines pierced through the metal floor. Considering Rosemarines God-Field could cover a one-kilometer per level radius, it might very well overrun the entire base. Bless Weapon, Basil said, activating his newfound Prayer spell in between two Elemental Orbs.
You have raised your halberds Strength bonus by +9 (1 point per 7 levels) for ten minutes!
Since the weapon bonus intervened before all the silly multipliers, Basil hoped to reap much destruction from this spell. Vasi cast another spell as soon as she teleported in, empowering the entire team.
Vasis [Hasten World] granted your party the [Haste] status for ten minutes.
Ten minutes? Bugsy asked as thest gearsman fell. Steve teleported next to the equally tall Rosemarine, with Shellgirl and to standing on each of its metal shoulders. Five is the normal duration, but my robes double the length, Vasi exined with a grin. Tier VIII. No matter the system, spellcasters always stayed ahead of the curve. An rm rang as Rosemarines bombardment ran out of steam. Screen monitors in each corner of the hangar let out a crimson light even as flowers covered them. The initial strike was a sess so far. Basil could only hope Walters program would work as advertised. Stop me if Im wrong, but there is no air in space, right? to pointed out the obvious. Shouldnt we be careful about coteral damage? Shouldnt we float due tock of gravity too? Have you forgotten the first rule of the System, to? Basil mused. Normal logic no longer applies. The current Field determines thews of physics that apply within it, Vasi spected. Rosemarines God-Field says the area around her if is and of flowers with normal gravity, and so reality bends her way. I cannot smell the stench of death without air! Rosemarine boasted. Thats the spirit. Basil raised his halberd. Destroy it all! Watching Earth through hermand centers window, ckcinders counted time. The moon was facing a vast ocean right now. In a few hours, it would fly over thend of Europe and set this monkey farm aze. ckcinders could barely contain her impatience. A strange sensation beneath her feet drew the dragon out of her thoughts. She nced down at her ws and quickly noticed a green shape growing out of the metal floor. Grass? she wondered. A notification shed before her eyes.
[Unity Space] overridden by Rosemarines [God-Field: Garden of the Hesperides]!
Fortunately, ckcinders had trained intensively to regain her lost levels on her own. She had been nning on hunting Bohen on the ground if needed, and never truly trusted technology not to fail at the wrong time. But the message clearly indicated something had gone awry. The ringing rms only confirmed it. Whats happening? ckcinders turned around to face her dragon lieutenants and engineers. All were hard at work on control consoles while monitors shed brightly. Flowers were growing over the metal like rampant weeds. Is there a bug in the Field effect? Bohen detected on the engineering deck! her lieutenant answered in a panic. What? ckcinders rushed closer to the monitors. Show me. A screen swiftly showed her footage of a nt dragon unknown to ckcinders firing at will in the ship hangar. Basil Bohen was present alongside his motley crew and a winged fairy of some sort. The apes had brought reinforcements. How did he get in? ckcinders w scratched the floor in her fury. The engineering deck is two stations away from themand center. How could security let them through? They teleported in, her lieutenant exined. And theyre not alone. Other monitors showed ckcinders the full scale of the disaster. The security sector, the recreation deck, and even the medical bay were under attack by hostile forces. Portals opened and filled the lunar bases chambers with blue particles. Human soldiers led by a winged knight teleported in their wake. A bat monster made of shadows opened fire at surprised dragons in the recreation deck, helped by insectoid creatures and other monsters. They poured in by the hundreds. ckcinders recognized one of the leaders as Simeon, a key target and the leader of a minor resistance movement. The bat creature matched the description of Pluto, one of the Metal Olympus leaders. Did these factions join forces against the Unity? And the nts the nts were spreading everywhere. How are they getting in? ckcinders snapped at her engineers. Youve assured me the entire moon was warded against teleportation effects. Theyre using a neurotower. One of ours, but One of her engineers shook his head. No known identification. Theyve built their own, another said. Theyre using it to spread some kind of virus. Well, contain it. ckcinders prepared to take her leave and intercept the intruders herself. Deploy all avable gearsmen. I will personally lead the charge. Her lieutenants next words froze her in ce. General, the gearsmen are bugging out! For the first time in her thousand-year long life, ckcinders felt the sharp sting of fear. How many? As far as we can tell All of them. The lieutenant choked. Not just on the moon... ckcinders turned back to assess the situation. The blue particles caused gearsmen security forces to break down. The machines either fell inactive or thrashed around in confusion. Others simply stopped attacking as if confused about who to shoot. The disease spread from gearsman to gearsman, even faster than the enemy troops could advance. Thetter were few, but numbers mattered not when automated weapons refused to fight back. The virus? ckcinders guessed. Yes, one of her engineers confirmed. Its a Tier X spell at least, maybe Tier XII. How can they cast something so powerful? Not even the Grandmaster Reviewing all known facts and reevaluating her strategy, ckcinders swiftly reached a conclusion. This has gone too far, she said. Activate the Lunar Cannon. Were over three hours away from reaching Bulgaria, her lieutenant pointed out. And their troops are already on the station. It does not matter, ckcinders replied. Fire at Earth with maximum power. A sharp silence followed, only broken by the screeching noise of rms. General, with all due respect, I am not sure you understand what youre asking for Her engineers gulped. Well ignite Earths atmosphere if we do that. This will wipe out all life on the surf Order our forces on the ground to evacuate the back to other star clusters, ckcinders cut in sharply. Those who cannot escape in time will be marooned. Her lieutenant, too young to see the big picture, was livid. You want to destroy this? After all that weve sacrificed to establish a foothold on it? Millions will die, dragons included! Do you not understand the direness of this situation, lieutenant? ckcinders grunted. If these primates have figured out how to create their own neurotowers and how to disable gearsmen, then the very foundations of our empire are at stake. We cannot let their knowledge spread beyond this or the Unity is doomed. When a house was infected with a disease, the only solution was to sterilize it. No matter the cost. The risks at hand far outweighed the resources invested, or the expected rewards. There will always be more dociles to assimte, and people who know their ce, ckcinders said nonchntly. Destroy this dump and let us move on. Her men exchanged silent nces. None of them moved to activate theunching sequence. ckcinders grunted in impatience. Open fire, lieutenant. No, he answered. ckcinders looked down on her soldier. No? No, General! I wont do it! I wont open fire on our own troops! To ckcinders surprise, the coward did not back down. A Unity dragonlord was questioning a direct order. You arepletely insane! Hes right! one of the engineers said, his peers nodding in agreement. ckcinders could see the fear in their eyes, and yet they stood their ground in their shared cowardice. There has to be another way, General! Is this a mutiny? ckcinders eyes glowed with fury and cosmic light. Graviforce. A mighty pulse of telekic energy sent all people presentdragons and minions alikeflying in all directions. Some crashed on monitors, others went through themand centers st doors. Only ckcinders remained unscathed in the midst of it all. Fine, ckcinders said as she typed orders on the controlmand. Ill do it myself. Ignition sequence activated, a digitized voice echoed from the remaining monitors. A countdown appeared on the screens. The Lunar Cannon will open fire in thirty minutes. Twenty-nine minutes, fifty-nin ckcinders smashed the control console beyond repair with her tail. No one could stop the countdown now. Only one problem remained. This is between you and me now, Bohen. ckcinders expanded her wings. This all ends here. The ck dragon shattered her window to the tune of rm bells and flew into the void of space. The hunt was on. Chapter 109: Man vs Mooooon Chapter 109: Man vs Mooooon For a normal society, a sessful cyberattack was usually damaging, but never fatal. For an automated nightmare like the Unity, it was a disaster. The scent of ozone saturated the air as Basils team pursued Steve through the ruins of metal corridors, trampled workshops, and broken cylinders. Rosemarine herself shattered more walls as she passed through due to her colossal size. Vegetal growth overtook the mechanicalplex faster than the Bohens could run. Magical dungeon particles traveled through the air to repair the damage, though too slowly to make a difference. Hordes of disabled Gearsmen loitered in the facility, while others copsed under their own weight or thrashed around as if suffering from an aneurysm. Magical particles carrying Walter Tyes spell infested them like mold. It spread from one victim to the next faster than the Coronavirus ever did. Unfortunately for the Unitys leadership, neither lockdowns nor social distancing were an option today. Steve easily smashed through st doors trying to keep them penned in, and the Unitys reliance on keeping their mechanical soldiers gathered inrge numbers meant the magic swiftly caught up to runaways. Tier XII, Vasi whispered in amazement. Its a Tier XII spell. First time Ive seen one. Thats the highest tier of spellcasting, correct? Basil remembered. In my world, you can count the number of mages who can use this Tier on one hand. His girlfriend smiled ear to ear. She reminded Basil of a child amazed at taking a ne for the first time. I still have a long way to go. The Bohens caught up to Steve in what appeared to be a security deck. A colossal vault stretched before them, its ceiling and doors clearly designed for dragons rather than men. Draconic banners fluttered belowrge monitors, while some kind of monorail led deeper into theplex. Basil supposed the ce served as a station to transport troops around. A group of ten Gearsmen once protected the area, but they were now disabled like the rest. Basil approached the nearest control console and activated his Fuel Technology Perk. The screen lit up to reveal a map of theplex. Were two stations away from their control center, he informed his team. Im calling the monora An earthquake nearly made him stumble. Strident rms echoed all over the room and its lights turned red. Bugsy, whats happening? Vasi asked her friend. Did they deploy titans? I sense quakes all over the moon. Bugsy choked in rm. I think its the cannon! Basil grit his teeth before checking his Logs. Benjamin Leroy opened a video call almost immediately. Basil, he said, fireballs exploding in the background. They activated their weapon. Basil cursed his rotten luck. I thought we wouldnt be over Bulgaria for at least three hours! Thats still the case, Benjamin replied. They arent firing at us. Huh? But who then? A voice made itself known through the rooms loudspeakers. This is Lieutenant Ashenheart speaking from the control deck The speaker coughed as if injured. General ckcinders has gone insane she has activated the Lunar Cannon and set it to incinerate all life on the surface Is this a joke? to asked, unable toprehend the sheer scale of the situation. Hes joking, right? Basil nced at Benjamin, who had gone pale as a corpse on the other end of the video call. Shit. She has sabotaged the centralputer I cant stop the ignition The speaker coughed again. To all Unity forces, if you have any sympathy for our brothers and sisters on Earth then cut off the power at once destroy all power stations A countdown appeared on the control console, one less than half an hour long. That shortsighted Benjamin cursed. Even if Kalki survives, the st will destroy too many Neurotowers for the Trimurti System to sustain itself. The entire dimension, Earth and moon included, will copse on itself. Cant you, I dont know, hack it? Shellgirl asked as earthquakes grew in intensity. Youre the programmer here! Im trying, but I have a billion firewalls to bypass! Benjamin replied with a hiss. Let me think! Theres a power station next stop, Vasi pointed out after checking the areas map, before chewing her lip. And a hundred others No, wait, I have a better idea. Benjamin let out a heavy breath to release stress. Well need your dragon. Me, Mister Bat? Rosemarine asked. Her God-Field exceeds mine in power and passively damages the base, Benjamin exined. If she can keep it up, vegetation will eventually choke the cannons power reactors. The closer she gets to the cannon, the better our chances of damaging it beyond repair. Okay, thats a n. Basil called the monorail. Everyone aboad. Boss, Bugsy warned him. I sense something above us. A System notification shed before Basils eyes.
ckcinders changed the Weather to [Meteor Shower]! Falling meteorites will inflict heavy [Physical/Earth] damage on impact!
Meteor? Basil reacted quickly. Everybody to the ground! His team ducked the best they could as the ceiling exploded into a shower of steel and concrete. Steve and Rosemarine, ounting for their size, could only cover their heads with their arms. A massive rock the size of a house crashed into the monorail and crushed Gearsmen under its weight. to barely managed to leap out of the way to avoid being crushed. The explosion blew a colossal hole in the roof. The darkness of space stretched as far as the eye could see, with only the lone distant sun and sparkling meteors for light. A jet-ck dragons shadow loomed over them, her vicious eyes a crimson shade of red and her wings sr sails. Basils heart pounded in his chest when he recognized her.
ckcinders [Oppressive Aura] was negated by [Deaths Banner II].
Steve and Rosemarine immediately gathered power and opened fire; the former with the Gehenna Cannon, thetter with her Eden Guns. Theirsers vaporized what was left of the ceiling and most of the walls in a bright sh of light, yet failed to hit their target. ckcinders deftly flew out of the way, her circuit-like veins igniting with a red glow.
ckcinders [Overgear] buffed all her states and granted her the [Hasten] status!
Here she is. Basils heart was burning with vengeance. He closed the Logs conversation with Benjamin, rose to his feet, and activated Monster Insight. At longst.
ckcinders, Star Tyrant
Level 78 Elite [Dragon]
Faction: Unity (High Command).
HP: 28880/28880.
Immune: Darkness, Frost, Critical Hits, All Ailments, Insta-death, Fields & Weather negative effects.
Resist: Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Fire, Earth, Lightning, Light, Mythic.
Weak: Dragonyer, Wood, Wind, Water.
The Unitys highest-ranked general and most powerful dragon behind the Grandmaster herself. A cold-hearted psychopath, she kills as easily as she breathes with powerful gravity attacks. While deadly and relentless, shecks the means of healing herself and would rather die than run from a primate. Youll get her hoard if you kill her.
She has less HP than Apollyon and unlike him, I can bypass her damage reductions, Basil warned his team as he stretched his legs and prepared to jump. But she hits just as hard, and we have no nuke this time. Big deal, weve beaten bigger than her, to replied as he cast a spell on his best friend. Mirage!
[Mirage] status! Your chances of dodging Physical attacks are doubled for three minutes! [All for One] spread the buff to your allies!
Looks like she resists most of my spells, Vasi noted as her boyfriend forwarded the gathered information to his team. But I do hit very hard. Since Rosemarines Field empowered Water effects, Basil chose to imbue Runestorm with this element. Ayer of liquid covered his halberds edge and spread to his allies weapons thanks to All for One. Rosemarine, focus on healing us, debuff and attack only when were at full health, Basil gave out orders. Vasi, shield us from the meteors. to, debuff ckcinders with Catnapping. The rest of you spread out and snipe from the ground. The farther apart we are, the harder itll be for her to hit us. After you, Mister! Rosemarine said before expanding her wings. Basil jumped out of the hall with a fearsome war cry. Rosemarine and Vasi flew after him, while Steve and the others broke out of the facility on foot. As his team predicted earlier, Rosemarines God-Field and the Unitys meddling had granted the moon its own atmosphere. Basil found it strange to breathe pure air in space. The world outside the facilitys walls was a strange one; a mix of deste lunar craters slowly overrun by vegetation and the steampunk factories Basil hade to associate with the Unity. Thetter was partly buried underground for protection against orbital bombardments, though fires and columns of smoke rose from a few as battles raged within them. A massive crater of steel farrger than any earthly rock formation rose from the earth a few kilometers away from the teams location; the barrel of the Lunar Cannon. Pulses of energy traveled to it through ck serpentine cables, with light already gathering in its center. They didnt have much time left. Using all his speed and strength, Basil double-jumped across the lunarndscape. Deadly meteors materialized in the ck sky above to crash upon the surface. He danced around them and hunted after ckcinders. The dragon weed his challenge by flying straight at him. Why did youe to me, Bohen? ckcinders asked as they circled each other like two sharks in the water. Though the dragon was evenrger than Rosemarine, she and Basil were evenly matched in terms of speed. It is a long way from Earth. You killed my mother, Basil said as he looked for an opening. Rosemarine was trying to nk ckcinders while Vasi sted meteors that could threaten her with magical explosions. Good, the dragon replied coldly. Then she opened her mouth and unleashed a stream of golden light that burned the sky. There was no need for words between them. Each party knew who the other was, and how this encounter would end: with one of them dead. Basil hastily dodged by jumping higher and higher into the moons atmosphere. ckcinders beam set the lunar vegetation aze for miles and vaporized a distant factory. A direct hit would be fatal. Rosemarine pped her wings. A storm of fiery petals erupted from them and flew straight at ckcinders. Dodging the attack and running out of breath, the Unity general opened her palm at Rosemarine. Gravipull. Rosemarine was flung towards ckcinders by an invisible force. Taken by surprise, the Hesperides Dragon failed to react in time as the enemy struck with her free hand. ckcinders ws viciously pierced into Rosemarines belly and caused her to scream in pain as golden blood spilled from the wound. There was no emotion in ckcinders gaze as she cut deeper into Rosemarines flesh. Nothing.
Rosemarine took 936 [Physical] damage! ckcinders [Overwhelming Strength] pierced through Resistance!
Rosemarines Field granted her a [Regen] effect!
Basil immediately moved to rescue Rosemarine as ckcinders tried to eviscerate her, but Vasi caught up to them first. Superre! A magical explosion sted ckcinders face after Vasi snapped her fingers. Rosemarine used the opportunity to breathe purple mist at the enemy dragon; the very same attack Tamura once used against the Bohens in Bordeaux. ckcinders burning circuits lost their crimson luster on contact.
Rosemarines [Bhanal Mists] canceled ckcinders buffs and [Hasten] effect!!
Reacting without hesitation, ckcinders viciously kicked Rosemarine back rather than keep engaging her in melee. Upon seeing Basil approach, she attempted to punch him out of the sky. However, having lost her Hasten buff, she couldnt keep up with his immense speed. ckcinders ws went through a mirage afterimage, while Basil shed her across the back with his halberd. His de cut through scales and flesh alike. He expected to find bolts and gears down there, but he only sliced muscles. Thick ck blood spilled from a gash thrice Basils size. Yet there was no scream of pain, nor even a grunt. Either ckcinders felt no pain, or she just didnt care.
Supereffective hit! You ignored [Wyrmscale]s damage reduction! You inflicted 3691 damage and drained half as many SP!
Basil grit his teeth as he read. Though four-digit damage was a high amount by any metric, he would have hoped to stack enough multipliers to kill ckcinders in one blow. The wound he had left would have caused a lesser dragon to fall from the sky. Yet ckcinders immense vitality let her carry on. I can finish her off in six hits or so, Basil calcted in his head. Less with help. Graviforce! ckcinders snarled, her eyes shining with power. A telekic wave of power expanded from her. Basil, Rosemarine, and Vasi were flung backward at high velocity; the Hesperides Dragonnded in a lunar crater while the others flew across the moonscape. Basil ended up bouncing off a falling meteor, his vision briefly going white from the pain.
155 [Physical]! 311 [Earth] damage! Thanks to your strong [Wood] affinity, Rosemarines Field empowered you with a [Regen] effect! You will recover 1/16th of your HP each minute!
Basil attempted to correct his course, but ckcinders power kept sending him flying backward. Falling meteors materialized above his head and threatened to crush him. A mighty ray of light shot them out of the sky before they got anywhere close. The rest of the team had spread out across thendscape and taken position. Steve used the Gehenna Cannon to blow up falling stars, while the others harassed ckcinders. Shellgirl, whose ice projectiles couldnt harm the enemy, had summoned a rocketuncher from her inventory and fired at the dragon from the ground up. Bugsy and to assisted as well with magma bombs and wind shes. ckcinders absentmindedly deflected the weaker projectiles with her wings and attempted to buff herself again only for her magic to dissipate almost immediately. On the ground, to cackled in delight.
to stole ckcinders buffs with [Catnapping]!
Excellent. tos Catnapping Perk only worked when his Luck exceeded that of the target. It hadnt been enough against the likes of Ashok, but ckcinders had brought misfortune on herself. If Basil wasnt mistaken, he noticed a sh of annoyance in her crimson gaze. Sensing the telekic effect weakening, Basil doubled-jumped back toward ckcinders as fast as he could; he could see Vasi doing the same on the other end of thendscape. The pushback had put over a kilometer between them, but he could cross the distance swiftly. On the ground, Rosemarine was taking flight again while the rest of the team alternated between blowing out meteors and bombarding ckcinders. The Unity dragons eyes moved from Rosemarine to to, a n formting in her head. Red particles gathered between her ws. Big Bang! ckcinders threw a red sphere at to. The cat ran as the projectile hit the lunar surface. The sphere erupted in a massive explosion that sent mes and moondust flying in all directions. to, Bugsy, and Shellgirl were all swallowed by a storm of dust and hidden from Basils sight. Most importantly, Catnapping needed the target to move within tos line of sight to work. With to temporarily disabled, ckcinders buffed herself again. Shes going to pick us off one by one, Basil guessed. The sheer speed at which ckcinders adapted to their tactics disturbed him. No movement was wasted. She didnt even stop to patch up the bleeding gash on her back. ckcinders only thought of murdering the Bohens, and nothing else. Rosemarine flew upward and attempted to shoot down the enemy with her Eden Guns. In response, ckcinders dived down like an eagle. She skillfully dodged Rosemarines pollen beamsand aser from Stevebefore positioning herself under the Hesperides Dragon. Graviforce! The same telekic attack as before hit Rosemarine from below. The Hesperides Dragon fell upward towards the distant sun. She picked up speed as she went, gaining more and more altitude. Mister! Rosemarine panicked, no more able to change her trajectory than Basil beforehand. The sun is calling me, Mister! Basil immediately tried to summon his friend back to his side. One for All!
[One for All] negated by [Anti-Teleportation Defense].
Basils heart skipped a beat in panic. He had forgotten that while Benjamin managed to transport them to the moon by hacking into the Unitysworkusing the same method that allowed Faction members to return to their HQthe anti-teleportation measures still applied to unrted effects. Shes ejecting Rosemarine from the moon to cancel her field! Basil shouted as loud as his lungs would allow it. I cant summon her back! Im going after her! Vasi replied before shooting up toward the sky. Basil had no idea what she nned to do, but he had to trust her to carry on. Basil healed his allies with Monster Cure and jumped after ckcinders. The cloud raised by her Big Bang attack now covered most of the ground, hiding the Bohens from sight and preventing Steve from firing correctly. I think I understand you now, Basil said as he and ckcinders faced each other above while meteors danced in the sky. I couldnt fathom why someone would murder thousands and try to kill a billion more without remorse. Now I do. You dont feel anything, do you? Basil hadnt seen any hint of pain or satisfaction in ckcinders bodynguage. Neither being hurt nor defeating an enemy elicited a response. She didnt care about anyone; not even herself. Youre made of flesh and bones, ckcinders, but youre more of a machine than your Gearsmen. The Dragonknight fearlessly flew at his quarrys throat. You just live to kill! ckcinders responded with a re and two simple words. Heavy G. Basil fell to the ground in the blink of an eye. He crashnded amidst grass and moon rocks, his vision turning white for a second.
178 [Physical] damage!
Whats Basil grunted as he struggled to rise to his feet. A powerful pressure weighed on his entire body. His limbs felt heavier than stone, and even standing up felt like an ordeal. The ground cracked under his feet.
ckcinders [Heavy G] trapped you in a gravity well! [Float] effects are canceled, your Agility is halved, falling objects will inflict more damage, and jumping will be limited!
Falling objects? Basil looked up at the sky. While ckcinders was unaffected by her own gravity well, the meteors summoned by her magic elerated into shooting stars. One moved straight at him. Elemental He wasnt fast enough. The meteor hit the ground a few meters away from Basil and exploded in a burst of fiery stones, with the st sending him rolling backward.
310 [Physical]! 622 [Earth] damage!
Basils resistances and armor let him shoulder the blow, and Rosemarine was still close enough that his wounds healed on their own but the heavy gravity turned him into a sitting duck all the same. ckcinders circled above him like a vulture while maintaining a careful distance. Her reptilian eyes looked down on her prey with cold-hearted calction. Using all his strength, Basil managed to rise to his knees and threw his halberd at the dragon. His weapon barely flew by two meters before the heavy gravity recalled it to the ground. The earth shook further, though Basil couldnt tell if it was because of the gravity or the Lunar Cannon picking up power. I wont let you touch me again, Bohen. Another fiery projectile formed in the palm of ckcinders hand. Big Ban Two green rays of energy shot ckcinders in the back. The surprise attack disrupted her concentration enough to dissipate her spell. What? ckcinders snarled in frustration. Basil thought Shellgirl had managed to snipe the enemy from behind, but while his allies reappeared a few hundred meters away from his position his saviors came from another direction entirely. Basil! Benjamin Leroy shouted as he flew across the lunarndscape, with Simeon hot on his tail. Were here! The cavalry hade. Chapter 110: Man vs Blackcinders Chapter 110: Man vs ckcinders It felt so good to be rescued for once.
Simeons [Pdin Halo III] empowered you with a [Regen] effect, buffed all your stats, and granted you Resistance to all Ailments for five minutes! [All for One] spread the effect to your Guild!
Simeon and Benjamin flew straight at ckcinders. The former engaged the dragon in closebat with a spear and sword of light, while thetter attacked from afar with eye-beams. ckcinders threw a Big Bang attack to keep them off her back, which granted Basil a moment of respite. I need to get out Basil grunted as he dragged him across the lunarndscape. The heightened gravity weighed on his shoulders and prevented him from jumping away, but it appeared to only affect a localized area. He needed to escape it on foot. A little more ckcinders Big Bang spell illuminated the ckened sky. Benjamin turned into his shadowy form to avoid being consumed by the mes, while Simeon powered through them. The pdins spear grazed ckcinders chest and left a wound before the Unity general punched him aside. With the reinforcements temporarily repelled, ckcinders dived down towards Basil to finish him off before he could escape the gravity well. A magma sting from the ground forced her to retreat. Boss, were here! Bugsy emerged from the cloud of dust with to and Shellgirl riding on his back. The former immediately used the opportunity to rob ckcinders of her power. One look from the feline turned the dragons crimson circuits back to their inert state. The Unity general slowed down.
to stole ckcinders buffs with [Catnapping]!
At her wits end, ckcinders raised a hand at Bugsys group. Gravipull. The same telekic force that had propelled Basil backward earlier now pulled Bugsy, Shellgirl, and to to ckcinders. The trio was flung at her in spite of the heightened gravity. While ckcinders opened her mouth to incinerate them with her breath, Shellgirl reacted quicker. Open inventory! A Shell-corporation tank truck materialized between Shellgirl and ckcinders. Taken aback, ckcinders failed to cancel her Gravipull effect in time. The truck rammed into her chest before swiftly exploding in a fiery explosion that propelled her backward. Her breath of light missed the group and her gravity spell was canceled. Basil struggled not to cry in joy as Bugsy, Shellgirl, and tonded back to the ground unharmed. Shellgirl, Im so proud of you. I learned from the best! she teased him back. Now get her, tiger! Well cover you! That was the n. After a harsh struggle, Basil reached the limit of the heightened gravity zone. He immediately felt the weight lifted from his shoulders and instantly took flight after giving ckcinders a quick nce.
ckcinders, Star Tyrant
Level 78 Elite [Dragon]
Faction: Unity (High Command).
HP: 18543/28880.
Regr attacks were starting to take their toll on the dragon, but she still had plenty of gas left in the tank. Worse, increasingly powerful tremors tore the lunarndscape asunder. Rifts widened in between facilities. Unity bases exploded as members of Maures demonic army and Bulgarian armed forces engaged dragons above them. In spite of the mutineers call to action, forces loyal to ckcinders still fought to protect their superweapon. There was so little time left. Thanks to Bugsy, to, and Shellgirl shooting down meteors that could have harmed him, Basil closed in on ckcinders. The cruel wyrm struggled to keep Simeon and Benjamin off her back without her buffs. Steve charged up the Gehenna Cannon on the ground, waiting for the right opportunity to blow her out of the sky. Sending Simeon flying back with a swing of her tail, ckcinders failed to dodge as Basil impaled her through the chest. His halberd pierced all the way to the ribs and reaped another four thousand HP.
You have brought ckcinders below half-health!
Basil removed his halberd from her flesh and readied himself for another strike. No sooner did he raise his weapon than he noticed something strange bursting out of the dragons body. Bubbles. Hundreds of pitch ck bubbles floated off her scales like tar jelly. They quickly grew in size from norger than a thumb to bigger than Basils fist. Dark Matter, ckcinders rasped. Basil immediately retreated with a back jump. Toote. The bubbles violently burst open, each of them unleashing a st of eldritch ck light. The air around ckcinders simmered under the sudden pressure and the sts built up in a chain of destruction. A bubble exploded close to Basil and bathed his armor in its energies. He felt cold, so terribly cold as the fell power bypassed his protections and irradiated his flesh.
154 [Darkness] damage! 154 [Frost] damage! [Blind] negated by [Pdin Halo III]!
ckcinders tail swept Basil and sent him crashing against a falling meteor or so he would have, had shadowy hands not grabbed his chest and carried him out of the way. Basil looked over his shoulder to see Benjamin Leroy holding him. Steve chose this moment to attack. Activating the Gehenna Cannon, he shot a beam of light across the sky. ckcinders fled in a desperate attempt to dodge, but the ray sessfully vaporized her left wing and caused the Unity dragon to lose altitude. Basil activated his double-jump to go after her, only for the horizon to brighten in fire and light. Massive explosions rocked the Lunar Cannon and started earthquakes. Part of the superweapons barrel copsed under its own weight. Whats happening? Simeon asked as he rejoined Basil. It worked. Benjamin opened a System screen and checked the information. The dual damage from the Field and our sabotagepounded. The Lunar Cannon cant process the umted power anymore. Its running amok. Basil didnt need a degree in engineering to understand how this would turn out. Is it going to self-destruct? Yes. The energy will umte in the barrel, but instead of firing it at Earth, the Lunar Cannon will unleash it in an explosion the size of a small country. Benjamin squinted at his allies. We have to evacuate now. Not before killing ckcinders first, Basil rasped. Short of one wing, the dragon failed to maintain her flight. She managed tond on her feet, her sheer weight blowing moondust in all directions. If she escapes today, she will try againter. She wont stop. Ever. So long as she breathed, ckcinders would hound them relentlessly. She would never give up on destroying Earth. One way or another, she had to go. Agreed, Simeon said. Steve, Bugsy, and the others were already rushing toward ckcinders on foot. Let us share the news with our allies and finish her off. Understood, Benjamin replied as he typed on the System screen. Im mass-messaging everyone. Basil sent a warning to his team through the Logs and flew after ckcinders. He received no answer from either Vasi or Rosemarine; both hadnt yet returned from their forced trip into the upper atmosphere, though thetters field remained active so far. Seeing them arrive, ckcinders fired a Big Bang at Basils group. They spread apart to dodge the projectile and soon all three of them circled the dragon from above. It turned out to be a terrible mistake. Heavy G. No sooner did ckcinders say the words than gravity increased in a vast radius around her. Basil, Benjamin, and Simeon were all pulled to the ground amidst a cloud of moon dust. The dragonknight and the pdinnded not too far from each other, while Leroy crashed a dozen meters away from them.
224 [Physical] damage! You have fallen below half-health!
Though Basils wounds healed on their own thanks to the Regen effect, he was once more a sitting duck. He managed to get back to his knees and fired an Elemental Orb of water at ckcinders. Simeon threw his spear, while Benjamin once again resorted to his eye-beams. Only thest projectile hit its mark, and ckcinders deflected it with herst remaining wing anyway; the rest didnt get past two meters before the heightened gravity pulled them toward the cracking ground. ckcinders red at Basil and opened her mouth. Light built up inside her gullet. We need to get away! Simeon grabbed Basil by the shoulder and tried to pull him to safety, but both stumbled due to the increased gravity. Bugsy and the others were shouting their leaders name in the distance. They were still half a crater away, too far to help. Seeing the danger, Benjamin expanded his shadowy arms until they became as long as a football field. The heightened gravity pulled them to the ground, yet their unnatural growth pushed them onward. Take my hands! he shouted as ckcinders prepared to breathe death upon them. Hurry! Acting quickly, Basil and Simeon both grabbed one of Benjamins hands. The programmer swiftly retracted his elongated arms and pulled his allies to his position. A secondter, ckcinders unleashed her breath of light. A mighty burst of energy erupted from her gullet and vaporized the spot where Basil and Simeon used to crawl a few seconds ago. Benjamin had pulled them to safety just in time. Basil sighed in relief as he and his allies escaped a certain death. But then ckcinders turned her head towards them. Her draconic lungs did not pause to inhale. In spite of all the wounds ckcinders had umted, she kept pumping out her destructive breath. The light annihted all in its path, from rocks to nts, and grew ever closer to their position. ckcinders eyes shone with murderous wrath. Gathering all of his strength, Basil tried to jump away with his allies. He failed to even stand up before the heightened gravity brought him back to his knees. His eyes widened in despair as the light of death gained ground on them. Simeon uttered a quick prayer, and Benjamin sighed in resignation. He alone seemed at peace with the idea of dying today. Destroy it, Basil, he said. The System. Destroy it all. Basil failed to understand what he meant, until he realized Benjamins hand was still squeezing his own. No, he said, panicking. Ben, dont Benjamin Leroy extended his arm again. This time, however, he did not pull his allies closer to him. Instead, he pushed them as far away from ckcinders beam as humanly possible. The programmer remained trapped in his spot by the heightened gravity, unable to escape its pull. ckcinders breath swallowed Benjamin Leroy. He was vaporized in an instant. When his extended arms crumbled to dust, Basil knew Benjamin wouldnte back from this. He and Simeonnded on the ground while ckcinders finally ran out of breath. Of Benjamin Leroy, only a sphere of darkness remained. Plutos godly essence had been freed by its wielders demise. ckcinders squinted in wrath at Basil upon realizing he had cheated death once again. Then she immediately gathered her breath for a second onught. I win, ckcinders said as her gullet lit up with deadly radiance. The ground burst open at her feet and mes erupted from below. A column of fire struck ckcinders in the face, and a volcanipedes shape burrowed out of the ground.
Bugsys [Turbo: Fire] bypassed ckcinders Resistance!
The surprise attack caused ckcinders to scoff smoke rather than light. Basil immediately felt the gravity effect weaken with her broken concentration. The roar of engines thundered as arge shadow passed by him. Steve violently tackled ckcinders, with Shellgirl and to riding upon its shoulders. ckcinders hands grabbed those of the Steamobile as it pushed her back, both heavenly nearly matched in terms of strength. She opened her mouth in an attempt to st Steves chest, only for Shellgirl to nail her left eye with an artillery piece. It burst open in a shower of blood like a fruit, a wound that drew a scream from the ancient dragon. Without the heavy gravity pinning them down, Basil and Simeon lunged at ckcinders from both sides. Both knights struck one of her heels with their weapons.
Supereffective hit!
Though she had weathered the pain without flinching so far, ckcinders finally stumbled under the strain of constant battle. to used the opportunity to leap from Steves back to her own. His fur shone with a crimson aura; the same power he had stolen from ckcinders now let himnd a blow on her. Tiger king to the face! to rammed Joyeuse through ckcinders skull, right between the eyes. The dragonying de pierced the wyrms scales and gored its way to the brain. Oily blood spilled over ckcinders head. The light within her gullet died out like an extinguished candle.
Supereffective hit!
Agh agh gra ckcinders raised her head and let out a roar of savage pain. RHARHG!! ckcinders screeching wail was followed by a savage thrashing. She first trampled the ground, forcing Basil and Simeon to retreat so as to be crushed underfoot. Then she violently headbutted Steve with all her might. The blow sent to flying and tossed Shellgirl off the Steamobiles shoulder. ckcinders smashed the Gehenna cannon with her head again and again, cracking Steves armor and slowly beating him into submission. Rhargh! She roared, unable to form words in her fury. Gone were the tactics, the cold-blooded focus, and the carefully controlled cruelty. Her mask of control had slipped to reveal the bestial reptile lurking underneath. Agh! AGH! ckcinders threw Steve back with a violent push, and then threw herself at Basil with berserk rage. He barely managed to leap out of her way as her hands smashed against the ground. Bugsy burrowed out of the moon rocks to throw a magma bomb in her face. Snarling asva devoured her flesh all the way to the bone, ckcinders grabbed the volcanipede, lifted him above the ground, and then savagely mmed him against a rock. It mattered not that Bugsys blood melted off her flesh on contact. Like a crocodile holding on to a bull even as its horns gored through its scales, she refused to let her prey go. Basil threw his halberd at ckcinders right hand. His weapon severed it off from the arm, freeing Bugsy from her grasp. The dragon wailed in agony and desperation while a fountain of blood erupted from her wound. One more! Swiftly summoning his halberd back to his hand,Basil jumped towards ckcinders throat for the final blow. Just one more! Graviforce! ckcinders roared in her fury. A wave of power stronger than a hurricane burst from the dragon. The ground split open beneath her feet. to, Bugsy, Shellgirl, everyone was blown away. Steve stumbled to the side, nearly crushing Simeon under its weight. Basil himself bounced off a moonstone rock andnded a few feet away from Plutos essence. Agh dragons ckcinders rasped as she stumbled to her knees. Dragons over all The sight was as terrifying as it was disturbing. ckcinders was down to one eye, with half her melted skull exposed to the outside world. Wounds cried rivers of blood in a dozen ces across her immense body. She gasped for her and threatened to fall over with each step. She was a mangled corpse that refused to die. And yet she still lumbered after Basil with murder on her mind. Dragons Energy gathered in ckcindersst hand for a final Big Bang. Over all She got her wish. A space ruptured right above ckcinders head. A circle widened in the very fabric of reality, revealing the colossal shape of a nt dragon and a winged witch riding atop her shoulder. Eden Guns! Rosemarine giggled as she crossed the portal. In a malicious twist of fate, ckcinderswho had killed thousands with an orbital weaponfound herself bombarded from above by another dragon. Three beams of magical pollen pierced holes in her back, her neck, and her head. The ck wyrms body shattered to pieces and violently fell to the ground in a rain of ckened blood. The skullnded a few feet from Basil. Even in death, ckcinders remaining eye red at him; so he gouged it out with his halberd. That was for Mom, Basil said. And Benjamin.
Congrattions! Your party earned 18,900,000 EXP (3,150,000 for you). You have earned four levels (total 72). Shellgirl can now undergo her metamorphosis!
Bones rained from the heavens. Skulls and skeletons suddenly materialized above ckcinders corpse. They fell by the hundreds in a white tide that nearly buried the Bohens. Shattered human skulls, the broken bones of dragons, and the mummified remains of beasts great and small drowned ckcinders corpse under their terrible weight. How many were there? Basil couldnt know. Thousands perhaps? They formed a pile, then a mound, then a hill that dwarfed even Steve in height. He thought they would never stoping; though eventually, they did. Together they formed a ghastly monument of death and destruction. A butchers tombstone. to squinted in horror at the sight. What is that? Her hoard. Shellgirl spat, her voice dripping with disgust. A hoard of death. In the end, ckcinders only knew how to kill. Noticing the hand Basil had severed earlier, Steve crushed it under its wheels with a furious roar. Noneined. Though ckcinders bones might have made for good crafting materials, Basil wouldnt have used them anyway. The world was better off without any trace of ckcinders in it. Heras Grace! Rosemarines body unleashed a green pulse of magic in all directions. Basils wounds closed on their own, as did those of his allies. Grimalkin Gate, Vasi told Basil after closing the portal. Told you I would catch up. The Coven Spell? Basil had almost forgotten she could use those. I thought teleportation effects didnt work on the moon? Im not teleporting around, handsome, Vasi replied with a smirk. Im taking a shortcut. If only she had been a second quicker Basil couldnt help but bit his tongue as he grabbed Plutos essence. The ck sphere of power was all that remained of Benjamin Leroy. The man hadmitted a great many sins. Though he had never pushed the Lunar Cannons button, his actions in summoning the Trimurti System to Earth indirectly led to many more deaths than Shumens destruction. Benjamin Leroy and his cohort had ruined the world. And yet out of all the members of Dismaker Labs, he alone had owned up to his mistakes and tried to rectify them. He had blunted thest Incursion the best he could, worked tirelessly to protect what remained of humanity, and perished with honors saving others from death. Basil hoped that God would take mercy on him. Perhaps Benjamin Leroy hadnt earned himself a ticket to Heaven but hopefully he would avoid the fiery jaws of Hell. We need to leave, Ser Bohen, Simeon warned him. Another earthquake shook the moon while the Lunar Cannon glowed brighter than the stars. Yeah, Basil agreed as he handed the essence to Vasi for safekeeping. He opened his Logs feature to see a message from Neria Elissalde.
NERIA: Basil, we are teleporting you all out. Victory is ours.
BASIL: Neria, Benjamin he
NERIA: I know.
Not knowing what else to say, Basil closed his Logs. A red glow surrounded him as the Lunar Cannon imploded on itself. The Unitys crown jewel detonated in a fiery burst of cosmic power right as the Bohens and their allies teleported away. They were brought back to Earth in the blink of an eye. The shadow of their artificial Neurotower grew starker as the sky glowed. For a second the moon brightened like the rising sun as a colorful explosion covered part of its surface. From the ground up, it appeared like Earths satellite was shedding a tear. The light expanded and then dissipated. Within a minute, nothing remained. The currents of power and steel structures that once scarred the moons surface were gone. The near side was immacte once again. The camp erupted in cheers.
Quest: Mooooonwreckers!pleted! Your party received 7,630,000 Bonus EXP (1,271,666 for you)! You have earned a level (total 73)! The [Moon Shield] item has been added to your inventory! Bugsy Alphonse Venture can now undergo his final metamorphosis!
Though he couldnt shake the bittersweet feeling in his mouth, Basil raised his fist and echoed his countrymens joy. The Unity was defeated, and Bulgaria was safe once more. Chapter 111: Man vs Liberation Chapter 111: Man vs Liberation A war ended not with victory, but with a clean-up. This is thest Unity base left on the way to Sofia, Simeon said as the troops approached the facility. Once we take it, the capital will soon be back in our hands. With ckcinders dead, their superweapon destroyed, and Benjamins virus wrecking their infrastructure, the Unitys well-oiled war machine quickly copsed. Isted pockets of resistance remained here and there, but without the ability to organize, the Swords of Saint George and their allies made quick work of them. Each day brought in news of surrendering towns, destroyed bases, and lightning-quick victory. Mankinds troops retook territory so fast that their supply lines couldnt keep up. Thest one, Basil thought as he and his allies approached the bases premises. A lone castle of gears and steel stood on the way to Bulgarias capital, pouring chemicals down the nearest river. These facilities were either destroyed one after the other or recovered by Bulgarias resistance. Once we take it, my homnd can finally heal from its wounds. Basil had brought his entire team with the exception of Rosemarine to this ce. His favorite dragon had taken it upon herself to rent all areas devastated by the Unityespecially Shumen. In time, Bulgaria might find itself with more forests than before the Apocalypse. Do you think we will have to fight this time? Bugsy asked. Retaking Unity bases had required very little violence so far. I hope not, Shellgirl said with a delighted smirk. I love practicing my business-fu! Well see if they''re friendly soon enough, Basil said as he opened his status screen. Now was as good a time as any to assign his new levels. And we''ll be prepared for anything. Finally! Shellgirl didnt bother to hide her excitement. She had been looking forward to her metamorphosis the most. I am to be Wealth, owner of worlds! I hope I get wings, like Major Chicken. Bugsy shuddered in anticipation. Or ava-powered jetpack. With fire! to alone grumbled in disappointment. Still so many levels to go At the speed at which were umting them, you shouldnt have to wait for long, Basil reassured his cat. Eager to try out Chronomancer, handsome? Vasi teased her boyfriend. Ill cap Warrior Saint first, Basil replied as he started assigning his levels. If the new Perks are as good as the previous ones, this will be a wise investment.
Warrior Saint Level 6 to 10 Stat Gains: +5 STR, +5 AGI, +4 VIT, +5 SKI, +5 MAG, +3 INT, +5 CHA, +5 LCK. You have gained 190 HP and 90 SP.
Sacrosaint Tactics II (Passive): Grants +20% damage, damage resistance, evasion, and uracy to all party members. This reces [Sacrosaint Tactics I].
Divine Auspices II (Passive): You can now learn and cast [Prayer] Spells up to Tier II. If you gain the ability to cast [Prayer] Spells from other sses or Perks, the Tiers stack together. Additionally, if you possess Perks in other schools of magic, their Tier is raised by II. This reces [Divine Auspices I].
[Divine Auspices II] raised your [Runic] Spellcasting Tier to IV.
Bypleting the [Warrior Saint] ss at level 10, you have earned the [Holy War Apotheosis] Capstone Perk. You can also boost one of your stats. Choice: Agility. Your Agility was raised by 4 points and you have earned 40 HP.
Holy War Apotheosis (Passive): All weapons are holy when wielded righteously. So long as you touch an item with your handsfrom swords to sticks and stonesthey are treated as a weapon in which you have Perfect Proficiency in (x3 damage, +30% Crit). The effect is lost once you are no longer in contact with the tool in question.
Basil read the Perk thrice, before he dared to open his inventory. He summoned a gun to his hand and instantly holstered it like Clint Eastwood. No sooner did he touch the weapon that alien knowledge filled his mind, teaching him how to shoot faster than lightning, how to hit the mouth for maximum damage, how to fill the enemy with his loadout His hand trembled as it caressed the barrel. Basil? Vasi asked with a coy smile. What are you thinking of? Im sorry, I Basil stored the gun back in his inventory, so as not to be tempted. I considered cheating on my halberd for a second. Finally, I can feel the power! Shellgirl started to glow brightly, as did Bugsy. Eldritch energies swallowed them both as their body changed into their final forms. Two winds blew from them as they metamorphosed; one cold as ice and the other hot as fire. Were joining the godly club, Bugsy baby! Im burning inside! Bugsy shouted as his light gained in intensity. He started glowing like a star for he was transforming into one. The front part of his centipede body did not change much, but the back gained features simr to a glow-worm. His tail grew bloated and then erupted in a surge of fire. The sun came out of it. Bugsys tail no longer ended in a primitive dart, but in a searingly hot yellow sphere of sr sma. The cosmic appendage was contained within a gravitational field linked to the rest of Bugsys body, preventing its heat and light from setting the atmosphere aze. Insectoid wings of fire grew out of the centipedes back toplete the transformation. As for Shellgirl, in stark contrast with all her teammates, she shrank rather than growrger. Her mature, feminine body became the size of a dwarf. Her breasts vanished, and her curves were soon covered by a cloth of red and white jelly simr to a Santa outfit; boots of ice appeared over her feet; her hair gained the shape of a crimson stocking cap topped by a crystal star. Two fluffy angelic wings grew out of her back, and arge patchwork sack of clothe appeared at her side. She very much resembled a Christmas mascot. Shellgirl had followed the natural evolution of anime characters: from cute to mature, and finally, to chibi jailbait.
Congrattions, [Mimic Booty] Shellgirl metamorphosed into a [Christmas Mimic] (Angel/Slime), and [Volcanipede] Bugsy Alphonse Venture metamorphosed into an [Apolloworm] (Bug/Divine)! Their Affinities, stats, and Perks have been greatly strengthened!
Bugsys [Alexicacus] protects you from [Fire] and [Light] attacks!
Wings! Bugsy chittered in happiness. Now I can be useful everywhere! Mmm It appears my assets were greatly streamlined. Shellgirl massaged her ttened chest. Bah, children are the real money makers anyway. So cute Vasi couldnt resist touching Shellgirls wings. Theyre so fluffy to found Bugsys tail far more interesting. Did you shit out the sun? It feels so weird, Bugsy admitted as he wagged his tail. Basil had to take a step back not to take a sun to the face. Oh, I see a sunspot on the left side. Neat! Can you turn it out? to asked. Like amp? Basil prepared to open his status screen to check his teammates new stats, only for the clicking sound of mechanical legs to interrupt him. A battalion of twenty Gearsmen emerged from the factory to greet them. Changing gears, Basil said, You are encircled, Gearsmen, and your leadership is no more. Since noser shot his team, he guessed these robots were at least open topromise. You would be wise to surrender. Query, one of the Gearsmen answered with its mechanical voice. How much? to groaned loudly. Ugh, this again. How much what? Basil asked, already knowing where this situation was heading. When the group had debated on unleashing Walters Awaken Soul spell, many ideas had been put forward. Some mentioned the danger of imbuing killing machines with intelligence, knowing this might simply result in a Sk scenario. Others suggested that the Gearsmen would each act their own way at random. All were wrong. Robots created by dragons could only turn out one way. Strong query. The gearsman rubbed two of its metal ws together. How much will this unit be paid to vacate the facility? Greedy. You wont fight us? Basil asked, trying to confirm their intentions. Observation: a Gearsman units chances of survival over three years of employment are below one percent, the machine replied. Conclusion: this unit is not dying for dragon billionaires without strong employment benefits. Agreement, another robot added. Observation: 0.0001% of the Unitys poption, namely the dragon minority, monopolizes 99% of all wealth. This unit believes that it is, in organic terms, a dick move. Agreement, another robot said, the other machines letting out beeping sounds. Proposal: Gearsmen of the world must unite to secure equal treatment. to nced at Basil and whispered, How long do you think it will take for them to try outmunism? Not on my watch! Shellgirl shouted. She cracked her fingersBasil didnt know how she could do that with slime for bonesand then went straight to business. Eight seashells hourly! Two dozen cyclopean eyes focused on Shellgirl with rapturous attention. She didnt flinch. Recruitment speeches had be second nature to her over thest few days. Ill pay you eight seashells on an hourly rate, nine-to-five, four days a week, if you are brave enough to work for the best namely us! Shellgirl dered. Five weeks vacation per year. Those who sign on for three years will get stock options in Bohens International. And best of all She delivered the killer move with aplomb. Youll get fully paid parental leave. Basil had no idea why robots were so susceptible to this argument, but it always did the trick. The Gearsmen beeped between each other, their noisy exchange rising in volume until they suddenly fell silent all at once. Even Basil found it slightly unnerving. Very strong query. The Gearsmens spokesperson assessed Shellgirl with an inquisitive gaze. Is remote working allowed? Shellgirl raised her thumbs. With Bohens International, social activity will always be optional. Always. Her words were met with a joyful chorus. Strong statement: long live the new employer. The Gearsman spokesperson marked a short pause. Reassuring tone: we have already fired the old employer. We stashed his remains in the incinerator. I love hostile takeovers. Ever the opportunist, Shellgirl rubbed her hands and immediately started giving orders. Seize the management and the means of production! In the end, the Unity was brought down by the same thing as many other authoritarian regimes: the call of consumerism and a tidal wave of self-interest. Benjamins legacy would haunt dragons for years toe. With the facility under their control, reinforcements from Western Europe led by Neria Elissalde teleported in to secure the advanced technology held within: Gearsmen schematics, crafting devices, weapon caches the Unity had left a treasure trove in their wake. Nothing would be wasted. I see the takeover went well, Neria Elissalde told Basil as they watched Gearsmen guide soldiers through the facility. Though the robotsplied, Neria couldnt help but watch them warily with a hand close to her sidearm. I dont think I will ever feel safe in a Gearsmans presence though. Agreed. Basil had met Neria while they were both defending the city of Dax from the Unitys troops. One of them had almost killed the dragonknight by drowning him. Not to mention many of them fought him in Shumen. Basil knew the machines had little opportunity to resist orders back then, but a part of him simply couldnt forgive them. And they dont feel any remorse for what they did. Basil was thankful that the Gearsmen were willing to let bygones be bygones, but their mainint about this senseless war was not being paid to wage it. To be fair, they had no choice in the matter, Neria said. All of them are technically newborns. Im not sure we can hold them ountable for what they did under the Unitys control. Well still watch them warily, dont worry about it. Basil guessed he couldnt hold newly sentient tools to the same standards as human soldiers. How are things on the western front? Same as this one. Neria crossed her arms. The Unitys strongholds are copsing everywhere. Not all free-willed Gearsmen are open to negotiationsome formed their own parties harassing our rearbut most go rogue rather than continue ckcinders mission. What about the dragons? Vasi asked with a frown. The virus does not affect them. They are strong, but too few, Neria replied. With the exception of a few hardliners, most seem to be evacuating Earth altogether. Some even surrendered to us. Vasi choked. Dragons? Surrendering? A minority of them led by Ashenheart mutinied against ckcinders when she tried to activate the Lunar Cannon, Neria reminded her. The Unity wont take them back after that, so they have nowhere to go. Others are simply disillusioned with their leadership. They simply dont believe in the cause anymore. Makes sense. Basil nodded. ckcinders did order her superweapon to fire at the while they were on it. I wouldnt take it nicely either. Since their intervention and sabotage helped prevent Earths destruction, ourmanders are leaning towards giving them lighter sentences or political asylum, Neria said. Between the loss of their Gearsmen and their demoralized leadership, the Unitys power as a Faction is broken all over Earth. This only leaves the Apocalypse Force and Metal Olympus as major sources of concern. Basil would have lied if the news didnt bring him some joy. Yet his girlfriend brought him back to reality swiftly. I do not think you understand the mindset of dragons, Neria, Vasi pointed out. The Unitys Grandmaster wont take this defeat lying down. Dragons be unbearably stubborn and relentless when their pride is wounded. To Basils surprise, Neria cracked a bright smile. Oh, I believe the Unity will have too many problems to deal with in the near future. Vasi raised an eyebrow. Miss Elissalde,e on, what have you done? Havent you wondered why Walter Tye was so eager to help with the Awaken Soul project? Nerias smile widened further. Earth isnt the only world the Unity has invaded. Their empire has enved dozens of civilizations Who are all willing to pay top dor for a virus capable of disabling their armies? Basil guessed. That magnificent bastard Thats genius, Shellgirl whispered in awe. Havent you watched Lord of War, Basil? Neria asked. Arms dealers will inherit the Earth, because everyone else is too busy killing each other. Walter Tye understands this which ys into our hands. If he could indeed supply the Awaken Soul virus to the Unitys enemies, then the Faction might very well lose a dozen worlds in short order; maybe even copse faster than the USSR. to chuckled. Are you smiling, dog? I have to admit. Basil couldnt help himself. This is good news. He kinda needed ittely. Their victory hade at a great cost, which Neria was very much aware of. Youve recovered Benjamins essence, havent you? she guessed. What will you do with it? I dont know yet, Basil admitted. Steve might benefit from it, but the essence could also be used as crafting material. Unless you want it for yourself? The two of you had be closetely. Close is pushing it. Neria sighed. But yes, I was starting to consider him a friend which is why I am confident he would have wanted you to keep his essence. You alone were willing to give him a second chance, Basil. He was grateful for it. Vasi looked up at the moon in the sky. Without the Unitys instations on it, it had regained its ethereal, natural beauty. You know, she said. I admit I thought you were mad when you spared Leroy, Basil. I was wrong. It ended up being the right call. I wished he had had more time to find peace. Basil crossed his arms sorrowfully. I hope he died happy, for what little its worth and that wherever he is now, he can be reunited with his daughter. Neria chewed her lower lip. Im sorry to say this, Basil, but we both know that is wrong. Basil grit his teeth. As terrible as it sounded, Neria was right. As long as the Trimurti System remained active, the souls of the dead would fuel the Neurotowers and reincarnate as monsters to threaten mankind anew. Benjamin, his mother, all the people who perished in Shumen they would find no more peace in death than in life. Thats harsh, to scolded Neria. I expected more kindness from a dog person. You usually mince your words. Its not all bad, Bugsy said, trying to see the good side. Reincarnation is like having another chance. Im not sure everyone would agree with this, Neria said. You certainly dont, Basil guessed. No. Which is why we must continue Benjamins work. Nerias expression hardened like steel. Before he died, he He was researching a way to end the Apocalypse and bring peace back to Earth. Basil frowned in skepticism. At this point, he had abandoned all illusions about things returning to normal. Did he seed? He might have found a method. Neria opened her inventory and summoned a ck, featureless notebook. He put his findings in this journal and asked me to give it to you if anything happened to him. I think that out of all the people he knew youre the only one he thought capable of saving the world. Now youre starting to sound like a Major Chicken episode, Basil mused as he took in the book. It felt so incredibly light in his hands. Thank you, Neria. Speaking of Major Chicken, Boss, we still havent finished the series, Bugsyined. Were so close to the endgame too. We can finish it on the way to Greece, Vasi pointed out, a proposal that was met with instant approval. You are leaving already? Neria asked with a frown. You will make many people sad. Your countrymen think of you as a hero. We must depart tomorrow, Basil said. Right after paying my respects to Mom onest time. We cant leave Kalki in Ashoks hands. Agreed. Neria nodded firmly. Without the Unity putting pressure on us, General Lenc should be able to set aside troops to help you assault Metal Olympus base. Weve also set aside funds to help you purchase high-level equipment from Walter. Wait, wait, wait, do my ears deceive me? Shellgirl grinned wickedly. Youre bankrolling all our adventurer expenses? Its not like we saved the world or anything, to deadpanned. Personally, I will settle on receiving Switzend as my personal litter for payment. Basil scoffed. Why Switzend? I knew you wouldnt protest, to replied. I dont have the authority to sell you a country, Neria said calmly. But you are right, to. Your team saved the world and will be rewarded as such. Nothing felt better than gratitude. After so much struggle, weve finally moving from start-up to big business! Shellgirl rejoiced. I say we celebrate this with a shopping spree! Now youre speaking mynguage, Vasi said with a warm smile. I need to fill out my new spell Tiers. Basil took the opportunity to finally check his allies new abilities. Name Bugsy Alphonse Venture (Apolloworm) Type Bug/Divine Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 11,075,932/11,800,000 Immune Resist Weak Fire, Earth, Light, Critical Hits, All Ailments, Instadeath. Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Lightning, Mythic. Bugyer, Godyer, Frost, Water, Wood, Darkness. Level Health Points Special Points 73 3290 1815 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 100 (S+20%) 67 (C+20%) 100 (A+20%) 62 (C+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 63 (B+20%) 38 (C+20%) 47 (C+20%) 52 (B+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - - Strong Strong Weak Strong Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Weak Strong - Weak Strong Strong Weak Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Raging Sun Nova Up Star Vessel Nova re Gravity Field Tectonic Shift Phanaeus Drought Bringer Volcanic Starforce Star Bomb Alexicacus Apollos Curse Personal Perks:
  • Raging Sun: Bugsy treats his natural weapons, like fangs and ws, as if he had perfect proficiency with them (x3 damage, +10 Crit). Additionally, these weapons will inflict an additional 20% [Fire] damage and 20% [Light] damage.
  • Star Vessel: Bugsy is immune to critical hits, ailments, and instadeath effects, and takes only half-damage from attacks. Additionally, upon death, he can decide to crack his star core and erupt in a cataclysmic explosion (base power 999 [Fire]/[Light] damage).
  • Gravity Field: Bugsy generates his own gravity through his star core, granting him a permanent [Float] effect. Additionally, he can sense vibrations in the air and the ground over arge area. This ignores the downsides of the [Blind] ailment even if he is targeted by it, and his normal uracy is doubled.
  • Phanaeus: All of Bugsys [Fire] and [Light] elemental attacks inflict 50% more damage. Additionally, they treat elemental Resistance as Neutral (piercing damage) and Immunity as Resistance (half-damage).
  • Volcanic Starforce: If Bugsy is targeted by [Fire], [Earth] or [Light] attacks, including his own, he regains HP instead of losing them. Additionally, he benefits from a HP/SP Regen effect (recover 1/16th of max HP/SP per minute) in Fields aligned with these elements. Finally, Bugsy can sculpt moltenva as if it were y.
  • Alexicacus: All of Bugsys party members gain immunity to [Light] and [Fire]. They are also unaffected by [Phanaeus] unless Bugsy wishes otherwise.
Active Perks:
  • Nova Up: 50 SP, [Support]. Bugsy gathers power to buff all of his stats, physical and mental, for five minutes; additionally, his [Fire] and [Light] attacks are boosted by 50% during that period. This stacks with [Phanaeus].
  • Nova re: 200 SP, [Fire]. Bugsy unleashes a powerful beam of cosmic light (base power 250 [Fire]/[Light]). Those damaged by it have 100% chances of suffering from the [Blind] ailment and 10% chances of being vaporized instantly (this is an [Instadeath] effect).
  • Tectonic Shift: 100 SP, [Earth]/[Physical]. Bugsy alters gravity around him to trigger a tectonic disaster, which will damage all creatures and structures within arge radius (150 base power, [Earth]/[Physical] damage). Buildings are especially vulnerable and likely to copse.
  • Drought Bringer: 30 SP per minute, [Fire]. While normally somewhat safe to touch, Bugsy can turn up the heat of his body. Everything within a short radius around him will periodically suffer from [Fire] damage (base power 50) and all [Frost]/[Water] attacks within the Perks radius instantly evaporate unless produced by a higher-leveled creature.
  • Star Bomb: 120 SP, [Fire]/[Light]. Bugsy fires a powerful bomb of cosmic sma capable of great destruction (200 base power, [Fire]/[Light]). Additionally, any area marked by the magma bomb is treated as a [Star-Scorched] Field until the sma cools off; this triggers [Volcanic Starforce].
  • Apollos Curse: 200 SP, [Fire], [Support]. Bugsy attempts to force [Fire Vulnerability] upon all enemies in his line of sight. If the target fails a Vitality check, their [Fire] affinity is temporarily changed to Weak (x3 damage) for ten minutes. This is not an ailment but a unique debuff.
Name Shellgirl (Christmas Mimic) Type Angel/Slime Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 11,075,932/11,800,000 Immune Resist Weak Water, Frost. Physical, Mind, Wood, Wind, Darkness, Ailments. Slimeyer, Angelyer, Fire, Lightning. Level Health Points Special Points 73 2950 1480 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 45 (C+20%) 87 (A+20%) 97 (A+20%) 64 (B+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 67 (B+20%) 64 (B+20%) 70 (B+20%) 79 (S+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong Strong - - - Strong - Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Weak Strong - Strong Strong Weak - Strong - Passive Perks Active Perks Dungeon Shopper Ice Present Surprise Guest Christmas Hose Moneymaker Lapponian Winter Santas Bag Pandoras Box Santas Workshop Joyful Spirit Ice Spinner Gacha Box Passive Perk:
  • Dungeon Shopper: Much like a [Merchant] yer, Shellgirl gains ess to a unique [System Shop] option in her menu; this allows you to sell items and exchange currency money against tokens, which she can then use to purchase items in an online store. Once purchased, the items are added to her Inventory. Shellgirl has ess to the entire shop as if she were a level 19 [Merchant], though she receives no discount nor other benefit.
  • Surprise Guest: Shellgirl always counts as invited in any location which she visits; this allows her to bypass effects such as magical barriers and protections against [Teleportation].
  • Moneymaker: Increases chances of drops if a monster is killed within twenty meters.
  • Santas Bag: Shellgirl can summon a bag serving as her Inventory. The bag can hold an infinite number of items which only Shellgirl can ess. Though impervious to damage, the bag is destroyed if Shellgirl dies.
  • Santas Workshop: Shellgirl can craft any item without a recipe with a +50% crafting bonus and create her own form. If she uses a recipe, she always seeds in crafting the item (unless she intentionally fails) and the results are one Quality category higher than normal.
  • Ice Spinner: Shellgirls Agility and Skill are doubled in [Frost] and [Water]-aligned Fields and Weather conditions.
Active Perks:
  • Ice Present: 60 SP, [Frost]. Shellgirl throws a present containing an ice-bomb; the bomb inflicts [Frost] damage (base power 100) on impact and sends shrapnels hitting close enemies for additional [Frost] damage (base power 30).
  • Christmas Hose: 100 SP, [Water]. Shellgirl can open her bag to unleash a stream of pressurized water (150 base power [Water] damage). This attack can also be used for propulsion-powered flight.
  • Lapponian Winter: 60 SP, [Frost], [Support]. Shellgirl summons a [Lapponian Winter] Weather effect over the area for eight minutes; this weather empowers [Frost] and [Water], weakens [Fire], and increases the evasion of individuals with a strong [Frost] affinity. This also triggers [Ice Spinner].
  • Pandoras Box: 80 SP, [Mind], [Darkness], [Ailment]. Shellgirl creates a booby-trapped mystery box. Enemies seeing the box have a high chance of suffering from the [Madness] and [Berserk] ailment for 10 minutes and fight over the box. Additionally, anyone opening the box causes it to explode into a thousand curses (base power 120 [Darkness] damage).
  • Joyful Spirit: [Support], 50 SP. Shellgirl hyper-motivates an ally. The targets next attack is always urate (if possible), always [Charged] (x2 damage) and always a Critical Hit. This effectsts for five minutes or until the target attacks.
  • Gacha Box: 10 SP, [Support]. Shellgirl can summon a packaged gift containing an item selected at random. Shellgirl doesnt choose the item in question, but its quality is always C or higher.
Basil nodded to himself as he read. Shellgirl? Yes, Partner? I think you have transcended godhood and be capitalism itself. Where Bugsy had be a greater version of his previous formwith unmatched destructive powerShellgirl evolved into something far more overpowered: the ultimate crafter and utility party member. Basil simply no longer saw the point to invest further in Alchemist and Technomancer. Even if he maxed out both sses, Shellgirl would still outperform him. That left only Runesmith and Chronomancer as viable paths to power. Perhaps they could indeed win thispetition for Overgod after all. A way to turn the world back to normal Basil skipped through the pages of Benjamins journal. Most were programming notes or random observations that made little sense to Basil, but he noticed a final entry written on the eve of the moon battle. What could Benjamin possibly write down on a day that might have seen the world end?
Ashok has captured the Avatar of Preservation. Neria told me as much. Yet the world still exists. What is he thinking? Is Maxwell even involved? Ashok has always been obsessed with the Trimurti maybe he went along with our n not to be an Overgod, but simply to summon his deities? If so, for what purpose?
Maybe maybe hes thinking along the same lines as me. He wants to alter the cycle somehow.
Ive thought about it over a thousand times. So many people perished because of my mistakes. How could I bring them back? How could I right my wrongs? How can I make sure Celia will forgive me when I finally join her?
To destroy the Trimurti System now would mean the end of Earth and all of its inhabitants. This cosmic machine has embedded itself into the fabric of our reality. Like a cancer that has undergone metastasis for too long, the treatment might kill the host faster than the disease. I only see one moment when it can finally be destroyed.
When it has fulfilled its mission.
When a victor is chosen, all the souls collected into the Neurotowersthe harvest of a multiversal ughterwill flow into the winner and transform them. They will gestate in the cosmic egg and emerge as an Overgod. This final oue is what we intended from the start.
But there might be another way.
The Trimurti, the three lords of our universe, oversee its cycle of creation, stagnation, and destruction. If the Hindus scriptures are correct, then our Earth was but thetest iteration in a chain of worlds. Across eons, the universe is born, lives, dies, and is reborn anew. Since thepetitions winner will gain an audience with them, perhaps they can choose to use the cosmic egg another way than what my former colleagues intended.
Not to create a god but to reforge the world anew. To piece back what was broken.
To rebuild the Earth as it was will demand immense power. The souls of intrudersthe likes of the Apocalypse Force, the Unity, maybe even Maxwellwill do. Their evil will not infest the reborn world. They cannot be allowed to cross over. Every other soul I have so carelessly thrown to the ughter can be reborn perhaps not in its original state but reborn all the same. This could be my redemption. A new chance to make things right.
But to achieve this scenario, thepetitions winner must be someone of paramount virtue and dedication. They must not only defeat all challengers, but forgo limitless power for the sake of everyone elses happiness. Will I be able to meet a person like this one day?
I can only think of one possible candidate.
Basil closed the book without a word. His eyes set on Shellgirl and Bugsy, who rejoiced at their new forms. to had been a normal cat once and Vasi came from another world, but those two were born from the Apocalypse; as was Rosemarine. They wouldnt have existed without the Trimurti System. If Benjamin was correct and winning thepetition presented the opportunity to turn back the clock What would happen to them then? Chapter 112: Man vs Departure Chapter 112: Man vs Departure A tense silence hung heavily over Walter Tyes shop. The merchant satfortably behind his counter as he read. Unlike Basil, who flipped through the pages of Benjamins notebook, Walter studied each word religiously. It was eerie to watch him read without blinking or breathing. His bodyguard Hagen eventually filled the silence with a bored whistle. Im surprised you came to me first instead of warning the rest of your team, Basil, Walter said as he reached the notebooks final page. I thought you didnt believe in keeping secrets? I dont, Basil replied. I intend to share this information with my team after fact-checking. His party had already gone through a lottely, and he didnt want to worry them over what could be baseless spection. Very wise. I am ttered that you trust my expertise and discretion so much. Walter closed the notebook. On paper, yourte friends hypothesis is usible. With the energy your cosmic egg has umted, you could reasonably return the Earth and moon to their proper ce and restore the damage caused by the apocalypse. Basil clenched his jaw. As much as he hated to say it, a part of him had hoped that Benjamin would be mistaken. It would be so much easier to push forward on a straight line than be at a crossroads. Walter joined his hands together and let his chin rest upon them. However There was always a but, Basil thought. However? Gods rarely listen to prayers and almost never answer them, Walter said. This whole scenario runs on the assumption that the Trimurti will recreate the world if thepetitions winner asks it of them. Any n that entirely relies on someone elses reaction is doomed from the start, in my humble opinion. Kalki would restore Earth if he could. Basil and the Avatar of Vishnu had had conversations about it. He wants to end the apocalypse more than anyone else. Kalki is the equivalent of a finger to the greater deity that is Vishnu, Walter replied. Do you let your finger dictate your life? If it feels sore from a wound, it might influence your decisions, but it will hardly condition it. Besides, your friend is only one-third of a trinity whose members saw no issues in letting armies of monsters ravage the world. Basil crossed his arms in disappointment. As cynical as Walter Tye sounded, he had a point. The Hindu didnt call Shiva the Destroyer for his kindness. Trying to figure out a deitys thought process was akin to diving into the dark. You could only go so deep before even the light failed you. Walter smiled at him. What do you think moves humans forward? Basil mulled over the question before answering. The search for happiness. From a certain point of view, that is true, Walter conceded. But how does one achieve happiness? By achieving milestones. Basil reviewed all the times he had felt joy in his life. By spending time with friends and family one loves with all their heart. By conquering ones fears and destroying their enemies. By achieving peace of mind. Walter nodded in appreciation. All these answers are good, but I personally believe thest two are the strongest motivators of the human condition. The heart of human beings is constantly at war with inner fears. The fear of control. The fear of oblivion. The fear of starvation. The fear of being insignificant. The fear of death? Hagen mused. Basil could have sworn Walters gaze was briefly filled with regrets; though it might have been a mirage. The fear of death most of all, the merchant agreed with a stone-cold expression. All humansdaresay all lifeformsaspire to the peace of heart thates when they no longer feel fear. An artist presents their work to the public for the same reason a lover finds relief when theirpanion answers yes. In both cases, they are trying to stave off their fear of being unloved. It is why you have saints and dictators. Some try toe to peace with their inner fragility, while others try to drown it in blood. What are you getting at? Basil asked him. Maxwell might have brought the knowledge required to summon the System, but he only went as far as he did thanks to human aplices like Benjamin. Walter returned the notebook to Basil. Without the greedy souls who helped build his towers of death, Maxwell would never have been able to summon the Trimurti in the first ce. Basil quickly caught on. You believe this disaster could happen again? Even if you destroy your enemies and prevent them from reincarnating, there is no guarantee someone else wonte up with the same scheme as Dismaker Labs on their own, Walter confirmed. The technology already exists. All that is required is someones willingness to do the unthinkable for personal gain. And there will always be a fool who wants to rule the world, Basil grumbled. If the Trimurti indeed recreated the world without editing out the knowledge that helped Dismaker Labs summon the System, then they were only dying another disaster. If something was possible, someone out there would achieve it. Hence my question. Walters eyes turned cold. Is a world that made its own self-destruction possible worth preserving? The terrifying picture of Shumen burning red back in Basils mind. Anything is better than our current hellhole. Anything? Walter smiled thinly. True, Earth was a better ce for your kind back then than it is now but it was hardly paradise either. Wars were waged over lies. Children died from hunger or gunfire. Boundless greed led to the poisoning of your air and seas. Ill take what I can get, Basil replied with a snort. Because whats the alternative? To let someone like the Maleking be Overgod? That would mean Earths destruction. Keeping things as they are now? ording to Benjamin, bugs will eventually tear down the world anyway. Recreating Earth seems like our best option. Recreating the world could bring back the six billion people in during thepetition. It might even bring back his mother from the dead. Walter raised an eyebrow. Even if you have to sacrifice your friends for it? That was the million dor question, but Basil had found a very simple answer to it. I refuse to sacrifice anyone, he said. I dont think I have to do so either. Ive met elvesing from a destroyed by their System in France, so surviving a Systems destruction is possible. Will the Trimurtis power stretch to other universes if they decide to rebuild the world? I doubt so, Walter conceded. Then its just a question of evacuating my friends and allies to other universes before we restore ours, Basil pointed out. My girlfriend has a hotline to Outremonde, and your shop exists outside my universe. If we paid you for it, I dont think you would mind letting us use your ce as a sanctuary during the transition. The client is king. Hagen chuckled. It has been a while since we had guests. I should bring out the board games. Thats a clever n, Basil. Imend you for it. This time, Walters smile was genuine. However, you are still missing the obvious w in your argument. Basil frowned in skepticism. Go on. You are focusing on restoring the world as it was, instead of imagining how it should be, Walter said. If the Trimurti truly offers you the possibility of recreating the world does it have to be exactly like the one that came before? Basil hadnt thought of that. He had been so focused on recreating the world as it was that he never considered that more possibilities might present themselves. Do you think the Trimurti would let me choose? Who knows? At this echelon of power, your only limit is imagination. Walter shrugged. What is your ideal world, Basil? Basil breathed sharply. Once he would have answered a self-sufficient house in the woods but now he wasnt sure anymore. Too much had changed since, his perspective included. I dont know, he admitted. Meditate on these words then, Walter replied calmly. The hard part begins once you have conquered the world. Perhaps the gods of your universe wont give you a choice, but if they do, it is better toe prepared. All of this assumes you win the race, Hagen pointed out. Im a betting man, but youre not exactly the fastest horse on the track. Basil nodded in agreement as he remembered his chat with the devil in Romania. One way or another, they would need to ovee many enemies. Ashok, Maxwell and the Maleking. The Maleking most of all. You are forgetting someone, Basil, Walter said, having read his clients mind. The Unity is far from destroyed. Basil didnt like being reminded of it. I thought you had sold your weapon to their enemies across the multiverse? Thats not true, Hagen replied. To some, we gave the virus away for free. Irredentist multiversal empires are a threat to my home as much as they are to yours, Walter said. I long for the day when the people of the infinite worlds will understand that trade pays better than war. But until then, youll y the game, Basil guessed. Walter nodded sharply. In time, the Unity might figure out a counter to my spell but therger a structure, the more brittle its foundations. I have high hopes their empire will copse under its own weight. However, cornered beasts fight to the death. If my assessment of the Unitys Grandmaster is correct, then she will do everything in her power to save her rotten legacy. She will try to take a shot at bing an Overgod. Basils jaw tightened in anger. You think she will attack Earth herself? Youve said it yourself, Walter reminded him. There will always be fools who want to rule the world. Take it from someone who has killed many, many heroes in his long unlife. Hagen straightened up. The closer you get to the finish line, the more death catches up to you and I feel youre nearing thest stretch of the race. And I better equip myself for it then? Basil scoffed. Good sales pitch. I am still waiting for your friends to unlock the funds theyve promised, Walter said, all business. Once they do though, I will offer you full ess to my reserve. No tool can guarantee victory, but it should help greatly. Speaking of tools Basil presented Walter with the essence of Pluto. What could you make with this? Weve tried giving it to Steve, but the essence rejected the fusion. It didnt want to bond with Vasi either. Basil guessed knowing a spell specifically meant to harm gods didnt endear his girlfriend to the heavens above. Walter seized the orb and stared at its dark surface. Basil couldnt exin why, but he was certain the necromancer and the gods essence were somehowmunicating. A tense silence stretched on. The chief does that sometimes, Hagen told Basil. He once spent a whole day debating with a princess statue. Did he win? Basil asked. The debate? If he did, he didnt tell me. Hagen nced at his employer. Deep down, the chief is as afraid of being wrong as he is afraid of death. He has yet to achieve his own peace of mind. If Walter had heard the remark, he showed no sign of it. After half a minute, he chuckled darkly; a scene that disturbed Basil more than facing a horde of Gearsmen. Come on, chief, Hagen pleaded. Share the joke. This Pluto is a good conversationalist, Walter exined. But he is under the delusion that death is a necessary process to prevent mortal overpoption rather than a terminal disease. At least he is open to diplomacy, unlike some death gods Ive met. What did he tell you? Basil asked. Philosophical discussions were well and good, but they had more urgent matters to deal with. Walter put the orb back on the table. This so-called Lord of the Underworld has rejected your allies because he wants to bless you. Does it want me to absorb it? Basil frowned. I thought it was impossible for yers under normal circumstances. Not you personally. Walter nodded at his halberd. He wishes to fuse with your Soulbound weapon. My halberd? Now Basil was well and truly confused. Why that? When a gods essence fuses with a mortal, their power must be suppressed so as not to destroy the hosts soul from within, Walter exined. A container without one lets the deity pour more of its power into it. A Soulbound weapon presents the best of both worlds, Hagen added. Not only can this Pluto pour more power into the halberd, the fact that it is linked to you means the manifested abilities will be tailored to you personally. I can infuse the essence into your halberd and add a few tweaks, Walter suggested. This will raise its quality to S-rank and turn into a weapon of legends. One worthy of your aplishments. What would it cost me? Basil asked. Though he trusted Walters expertise more than Shellgirls new crafting Perks, thetter could try to refine the halberd for free. For you? Walter smirked. Nothing. Now Basil was well and truly surprised. You would do it for free? The chief likes you, Hagen said with a dark chuckle. Though he will never admit it. It would be a lie if I said your intention to return countless billions from the dead did not appeal to me personally, Walter admitted. I am curious to see if you can achieve this feat. Basil scoffed. Youve shown no willingness to save the lives of my fellow earthlings before. Your fights are not mine, Walter replied with a shrug. But I am a necromancer first and a merchant second, Basil. I will always respect those who spit in the face of death. Somehow, he said that as if it were the highest of praise. It is, Walter said after reading his clients mind. Never stop fighting, Basil. After exiting Walters shop, Basil teleported back to the charred hills around Shumen. Vasi was waiting for him atop one, alone. Her boyfriend had wished to discuss the magic behind Benjamins theory before breaching the subject with Tye and the rest of his party. So? Vasi asked, the wind blowing leaves at her under the twilight sun. Its possible, but not guaranteed, Basil replied. Evacuating the team to other worlds sounds like our best shot in the worst case scenario. As I suspected. Vasi put her arm around his. So are we going to try it? Basil mulled over the question and answered with one of his own. Hypothetically, if you could recreate the universe in your image what would be your ideal world? Are we discussing philosophy now? Vasi put a finger on her lips. Mmm can I say I dont have one? Its a valid answer. Basil could hardly ask for one when he didnt know himself. But you dont have any ideas? Im not particrly attached to this one, I can tell you that, Vasi admitted. Im mostly along for the ride as far as saving the world goes. I would say Outremonde is my favorite, but maybe it is simply my favoritism talking. It is not ideal either. They do eat cats for breakfast. No kidding. Basil raised an eyebrow. Let me rephrase it. How do you imagine paradise? You could ask me this question in the morning and receive a different answer in the evening. His girlfriend shrugged. Priorities and aspirations change with time, my bear knight. My child selfs ideal world isnt my adult selfs one. I see. Basil imagined paradise to be like a glowing ce of light and contentmentthe vision of heaven as defined by the scripturesbut everyone else would have a different interpretation of it. Thanks. Why the question? Vasi smiled. You think the Trimurti will allow for some adjustments? I dont know, Basil replied with a sigh. I dont know. I hope so. Vasis smile faltered away. You want to bring your mother back from the dead, don''t you? Who wouldnt? It would have been easier to stomach if Aleksandra had perished in her twilight years. Basil had just managed to reconnect with her; her demise left a void in her sons heart. And beyond his mother, so many died pointless deaths. Six billion men and women were gone, torn apart by monsters or each other. ckcinders attack on Shumen alone had snuffed out thousands of lives. All of them with families, friends, hopes, and dreams. I want to see my mother again, but trying to revive his daughter is what drove Benjamin to destroy the world in the first ce. Basil shook his head. I cant help but think I should learn a lesson from his tragic example. His girlfriend tightened her grip on his arm. Its okay to mourn the dead, Basil, she said. Or to feel nostalgia. Everyone likes to reminisce about the good old times. But if you idealize the past too much, youll stop appreciating the present and find yourself constantly disappointed. Yeah. Maybe Basil was falling into the same pitfall as Benjamin in trying to undo past wrongs. As Walter pointed out, there was no guarantee that the Trimurti would even allow such an oue. For all Basil knew, bing the Overgod was a non-negotiable deal. Yeah, youre right. Thats a sure way of bing bitter and thats not what my mother wanted for me. After a moment of thoughtful silence, Vasi put a hand on her boyfriends cheek. Basil. He held her close and looked into her eyes. Yes? Whatever happens whatever awaits us I can promise you one thing. She rested her forehead against his own. I will do my best to make you happy. Same. Basil leaned in closer until their lips touched. Same. Some said a witchs kiss possessed magical powers. It must have been true. For a second, all of Basils worries and dark thoughts were dispelled like a bad dream. Vasis kiss made him feel hopeful for a better future. Lets go now, Vasi whispered after breaking their embrace. The others are waiting. Afterward, they climbed down the hill and returned to their partys side. The group had gathered back in Shumen to gather supplies for the journey to Greece and meet up with Rosemarine. Basils favorite dragon had been hard at work. Basil could hardly recognize the smoking crater left by ckcinders rampage. An ocean of green spanned as far as the eye could see. A primal forest had taken over thendscape. Moss grew over shattered buildings and the rusty remains of Gearsmen were drowned under beds of flowers. Green-skinned nymphsthe Hesperides summoned by Rosemarines Perkstended to gardens of food that would help sustain refugees. The air itself, once choked with dust and ashes, was now fully breathable again. Even the citys dungeon had be home to walls of thorns and roses. Rosemarine had made a bouquet fit for a city-sized grave. Yet in spite of her new divine power, the great dragon awaited Basil with her harness linked to the Steamobile. It mattered not that Steve could move on its own now. Rosemarine simply enjoyed pulling it forward. Vainqueur Knightsbane would probably puke at the sight. As for the rest of the team they had all fallen under the thrall of addiction. Next one will be the one, Shellgirl said atop a pile of random items. Basil noticed things as varied as cooking tools, shelves, weapons, boats, fans, a cart, and a tasteful antiquity-era chariot. Bugsy, your turn. Im feeling it, Bugsy said, his fiery wings pping madly in anticipation. to watched him with a look ofpassion as he rested on a cushion. Fate is with me! Shellgirl pped her hands and a gift package appeared at Bugsys feet. The great burning centipede swiftly pulled out its ribbon with his teeth to unveil the content: a steel frying pan. Ohhhhh! Bugsys eyes glittered with joy. An A-Rank frying pan! Yosh! Shellgirl pped in excitement. It has four unused effect spots! Four! to locked eyes with Basil. Its over, said the cat. Not even Rosemarines healing can cure gacha addiction. I knew it would end this way, Basil thought grimly. He had expected this scenario toe to pass the moment he read the Perk on Shellgirls status screen. At least Shellgirl is bound to run out of special points eventually. Ive already found a solution, oh Partner. Shellgirl patted her pile of junk. I sell these babies to the System Shop to get tokens, and then buy SP potions with them! Ive invented perpetual magic motion! Well, in that case, they were all doomed. One day, well get the S-Rank quality Major Chicken DVD, Bugsy vowed. This hope sustains me. Mister, does it count as Christmas if I receive gifts this way? Rosemarine asked naively. The holiday is starting to lose its meaningfulness, Basil admitted. A winged shadow flew over him and soonnded among the group. Simeon? Ive heard you intend to leave Bulgaria like thieves in the night, the pdin said with a hint of disappointment. You will disappoint many. Thest war council debated organizing a parade in your honor. Some even suggested raising statues in Sofia. If mine is not made from gold, my vengeance will be terrible, to warned. You cant fathom how much I want to stay in Bulgaria, Basil said. It had taken its near-destruction for him to realize how much his homnd meant to him. But a friend of ours is in danger. I understand. Simeon crossed his arms. Are you certain you do not want us to follow you into Greece? We can cross the border with thousands of troops if you require it. It is fine, Vasi replied with a smirk. I already have an army on speed dial. Arge force would travel too slowly and be too noticeable, Basil replied. But once we reach the Metal Olympus HQ, well summon the Swords of Saint George and Maures soldiers as reinforcements. We will be ready then. We owe you our lives and more. Simeon bowed respectfully. Is there anything we can do for you before your departure, Ser Bohen? Yes, there was. Steve let out a mournful noise, having already expected the request. If you find my mothers remains if you somehow locate them among all the ashes Basil inhaled sharply. Then please bury them in Varna. My father Dragans grave is there. Basil knew his mom would have wanted this. Though their rtionship had degraded over the years, Aleksandra Bohen never truly stopped loving herte husband. She would have wanted to rest with him. Of course. Simeon put a fist on his hand on his chest, as if swearing to fight a war. I will put my best spellcasters and crafters on this mission. It shall be done. Thank you. Basil shook the pdins hand. Good luck, Simeon. Until we meet again. I wish you well on your journey. The pdin unfolded his wings. May the Lord be with you. After bidding him goodbye, the crew took onest nce at Shumen before preparing for departure. Bulgaria is a nice country, to observed. After how many times youve spoken of it, I feared reality wouldnt match up to the propaganda. It is the best country, Basil replied with patriotism. Once its rebuilt, youll never want to leave it again. I hope we can build a new house there one day, Bugsy said with a hopeful heart. With sr panels. Good call. Shellgirl nodded in approval. With your tail, well never run out of juice. Basil imagined himself raising a house in his homnd after helping to rebuild it. The building coulde in a thousand different shapes but he couldnt picture it without his team living in it. Guys? Basil cleared his throat as his party turned towards him. Hypothetically, what would be your ideal world? Rosemarine immediately found a perfect answer. A world I can eat, Mister. That way, we can keep this one. My ideal world? Bugsy squinted. Uh I dont know, Boss. Im happy with this one so far. I dont have an ideal world, Shellgirl replied. I dont want for one to exist either. Basil raised an eyebrow. He had expected her to ask for a world of wealth and glory. You dont want paradise? You dont get it, Partner. Shellgirl grinned. If you live in an ideal world, then youve nothing left to strive for. Growth is happiness, you see? If you stop striving for new milestones, then you be dead inside. At least thats how I see it. That that was actually quite the philosophical answer. It gave Basil food for thought. Moreover, the world shouldnt be ideal just for me, Shellgirl added. I cant be happy if my customers arent. Business is all about finding apromise that works for everyone. I dont see why I should get everything I want while others receive nothing. Vasi gave her friend a coy smile. Shellgirl, are you suggesting that we redistribute wealth? Dont get me wrong, Vasi my dear, Im all aboutpetition, Shellgirl said. But it has to be fair. If I set up a shop in Shumen, I would get a monopoly, but that would be because all mypetitors died from an orbitalser they couldnt possibly escape from. I wouldnt have earned it. True, Basil thought. He had been lucky to make it as far as he did; if he had woken up in a city, he might have been murdered in his sleep by a monster when the System initiated.So many had the potential to be Overgod, yet were killed because of circumstances outside their control. Even if I reach the finish line, I dont have the right to create a world for me alone. Ive got to honor them somehow. Only one member of his core party had yet to answer. to? Basil frowned at his cat. What would be your ideal world? A world I share with you, Ren, and all this merry band of stray pets and misfits. to smiled mirthfully. But now that I ponder your question, what I believe to be my ideal world may not be the one I need. I dont like going to the vet, but sometimes its necessary. Basil smiled. You live up to your namesake. All I know is that I know nothing, to joked back. Why ask this question? Ill tell you all on the way. Basil nced at the sun setting on Bulgaria. We have a long journey ahead of us. Whatever awaited them at the end didnt matter. So long as they all lived to see it.
End of Arc VII, and of Book III
Next volume will be thest
Chapter 113: Man vs Upgrade Chapter 113: Man vs Upgrade The minotaur charged down the national road while harpies sung a song from high above. Their nine-headed hydra pet hissed in response, its mistresses music filling the monster with savage rage.
The Harpy Muses [Battle Song] buffed their allies!
Five, Basil Bohen counted his enemies as he raised his spear and shield. The former oozed venom, the second glittered in the sunlight. Shouldnt take long. to, he told his loyal feline and hunting partner. Ill take care of the harpies. You know Im the one most effective against birds, right? to asked as he raised his sword. The charging minotaur sent a ruined cars husk flying to the side as rushed toward his enemies. The bitumen cracked under his hooves, and his hammers head wasrger than Basils own. Shouldnt we switch opponents? I dont want to poison the food again, Basil said as he leaped in the air. Ill spare you some harpy wings if I can. Using his double-jump Perk, Basil achieved a measure of flight. The Greek Motorway A25 shrunk under him until the minotaur and hydra appeared norger than a calf and a snake respectively. Only rocks bordered the road from both sides. They were still a few kilometers away from seeing the Mediterranean Sea. The harpies, a trio of winged women with monstrous faces and an equally dangerous personality, moved to encircle him from all sides. One of them carried an electric whip and swiftly attempted to strike Basils head with it. The weapon harmlessly bounced off his armors helmet.
[Lightning] damage absorbed by [Last Vision]!
Sorry, Ive got a girlfriend, Basil replied as he raised his spear at the shocked harpy. Here, let me show you real forey. He rammed his spear through the harpys mouth. She instantly perished.
[Troubakill] activated! Supereffective hit!
Though Birgha Spit-Spear was a poor substitute weapon for Basils halberd, it possessed a key advantage: it was tailor-made to kill enemies with musical abilities. Which seemed to include half of Greeces bestiary. The two other harpies shrieked in rage at their allys demise and swiftly assaulted Basil with sharp talons. On the ground, to had swiftly beheaded the minotaur with his sword and now charged at the hydra to do the same. Moonshield, Basil said as he let the corpse of histest foe fall to the ground below. New Moon Mode. His shield, a silvery circle with a polished mirror for a surface, darkened until it became pitch ck. Ghastly energies spread to Basils armor and shrouded it in a dark mist. He felt his body bing lighter and his senses deadened. The harpies talonsalongside their entire bodiesphased through him as if he no longer existed.
[Incorporeal] status! You have be Immune to [Physical] attacks!
The incorporeal status was one of the strangest among the Systems oddities. Enemies failed to touch Basil as if he were a ghost, but when he went into the offensive Shish kebab! Basil roared his new favorite war cry. His ghostly spear impaled the two harpies in one stroke. The venomous tip pierced through flesh and bones alike as if they were paper. to, I got them! Me too! The feline raced across the road so fast even Basils eyes failed to follow his movements. The hydra, a mighty bus-sized monster of a reptile, attempted to bite him with all of its nine heads. They only ate dirt. to vanished in a sh and reappeared behind the creature, standing on his two feet like a true master fencer. Now. to sheathed his sword right as the hydras body split in half, both parts falling on a different side of the road. Finally! to rejoiced. He had been trying to master that trick for days. It worked! Your time was slightly off, Basil said as hended on the ground. Moonshield: Full Moon Mode. His shield returned to its original silvery state. This canceled the intangibility effect and let Basil walk on the ground rather than fall through it. He wondered how many ghosts ended up falling to the center of the Earth due tocking flight options. Also, you shouldnt say a thing as you sheath your sword, Basil teased his best friend as he tossed the harpies corpses aside. Due to the thirty level difference between them, the dragonknight hadnt gotten any experience from the ughter. It ruins the effect. Youre just jealous of my Samurai Cat swagger, to replied. Basil raised an eyebrow. Samurai Cat? Its a whole new franchise. With luck, I can cast you as my sidekick. to examined the harpies and sneered in annoyance. Purple venom spread from their wounds. Way to spoil the food, dog. I know. Since Basils trusted halberd was still in the hands of Walter Tye for refinement, he had to make use of his secondary spear Birgha. Unfortunately, the spear''s poisonous abilities corrupted each kills remains. Minotaur steaks and grilled hydra should be more than enough for todays meal. Im d we havent killed any Nemean Lions yet, to mused as Basil stocked the corpses in his inventory. I will never forgive you if you eat a fellow big cat. There was nothing big about to, but Basil knew better than to say it out loud. I let you eat humanoids, he pointed out, and you dont hear me whine about it. Less talking, more cooking. Afterward, Basil used his Guilds teleport feature to transport them two kilometers south back to the Steamobile. Since Steves Perks let him collect Lair features, it had allowed it to act as a beacon for the team. They could hunt in the morning and return to their mobile base in a blink. Basil and to teleported back to their team to find most of them under the shadow of a rocky hill. The Steamobile had partly dug a hole in the stone to turn it into a makeshift cave. Vasi and Shellgirl were busy crafting, while Rosemarine rested in her nymph form. Basil would never get used to this one. His dear Hesperides Dragon could shapeshift at will between her colossal, draconic true shape and a smaller humanoid disguise. However, the only things she shared with humans in this form were a head, two arms, and two legs. Colorful leaves formed her skin. Her feet were roots burrowing into the soil. Her arms ended in olive branches, and her face took the shape of a wooden tribal mask. Though Basil found Rosemarine cute no matter her form, he had to admit she looked more like a nt scarecrow than a true nymph in this one. Mister, you are back! Rosemarine greeted him with a basket full of golden apples. Here, for you! Thank you, darling, Basil replied kindly. Not only did Rosemarines fruits possess miraculous healing properties, but they also tasted delicious. The team simply couldnt get enough of them. How was your morning? I dont like this countrys soil, Mister, Rosemarine admitted. It is dry and tasteless. Can I activate my field now? Not yet, Im afraid. Rosemarines God-Field offered the team many advantages, but since its effects spanned kilometers, it broadcasted the teams location to the entire region. And Basil hoped to reach Athens undetected. Ive brought you a substitute though. Basil opened his inventory and dropped the three harpy corpses at Rosemarines feet. His dear nt squealed in happiness. Thank you, Mister, she said as her roots promptly burrowed into the flesh of the dead. I love it when they are still warm Im d youre enjoying them, Basil said kindly. Rosemarines immunity to poison let her feed on nutrients without risking intoxication. Its like recycling with a few extra steps, to mused. Hasnt Bugsy returned yet? Rosemarine shook her head. He said he sensed something strange through the Logs. Did he? Basil asked with a frown. Bugsys newly enhanced sensory abilities had turned him into a fearsome scout. Did he request backup? Not yet, Mister. Rosemarines reptilian eyes lit up behind her wooden mask. Are we close to Athens yet? No, were still a few days away. Basil thought they would reach Thessaloniki in the afternoon, and then follow the coast to Athens. Greeces national road was still in good shape, so the team managed to cross the Bulgarian frontier and travel halfway across the country in a short time. But we cant rule out ambushes. The monsters weve hunted today belonged to Metal Olympus. Pluto nced at the dead harpies. Those ones arent sounding the rm anytime soon. No, they wouldnt. Since the Logs feature allowed monsters to send messages to their superiors, Basils team couldnt afford to take prisoners. Greece was Metal Olympus stronghold, and every monster they encountered had to be silenced so they wouldnt inform the faction of the Bohens presence. Kalkis life might depend on their discretion. Rhaaaa! Shellgirls scream caused the rest of the team to nce at her. She and Vasi had set up a full alchemical workshop in the open. A cauldron full of boiling potions sat amidst shelves covered in sks and alchemical reagents. However, instead of mixing substances together, Shellgirl was busy mming her head against the furniture. Ridiculous! Shellgirl raged. Utterly ridiculous! This is fine, Shellgirl, Vasi reassured her best friend. Youll seed one day. Whats up? Basil asked as he and the rest of the troop joined them. He lightly kissed Vasi on the cheek along the way. Have you managed to craft a wizards scepter yet? No, I did not! Shellgirl cursed. Even with a fifty percent bonus to crafting, my chances of crafting S-quality stuff are abysmally low. And when I fail, I lose the materials I used! This is unjust! Shellgirl, youre too hard on yourself, Vasi said withpassion. You can craft A-quality stuff perfectly, and thats more than enough for now. Its excellent, Basil reassured her as he checked his armor. Youve already outdone yourself. Shellgirl had sessfully improved upon his old Dragoon Armor design, incorporating dragon scales taken from defeated dragons and even parts of his old thunderbird-based clothes. The purple ensemble didnt differ much from the old version in terms of appearance, but its abilities had been heightened.
Last Vision
Family: Clothing (Armor).
Quality: A
Defensive Bonus: +20 VIT
Effect 1: [Lightning Rod]: The wearer takes no damage from the [Lightning] element. Instead, [Lightning] attacks will recharge their SP by an amount equal to the damage that should have been inflicted.
Effect 2: [Physical Amp]: Boosts the power of Physical attacks by 30%.
Effect 3: [Survivor]: Grants Immunity to Critical Hits and Resistance to Ailments.
Effect 4: [Concordance of Rivals]: The wearer gains 30% less damage from foes belonging to the Apocalypse Force or Unity Factions.
Armor crafted from the remains of Apollyon, Horseman of the Apocalypse Force, and thirteen Unity dragonlords, all in at the hands of Basil Bohen. This armor is thest thing both factions will ever see.
Honestly, the only weakness of this armor is that it doesnt grant me any resistance to magic, Basil said. Vitality was the stat used to resist physical attacks, while Charisma helped defend against spells. The Moonshield more than makes up for that, Vasi pointed out. Did you check your theory about proficiency? Basil sighed. I did, he said while checking his shields stats. And I was wrong.
Moonshield
Family: Weapon (Shield).
Quality: A.
Power: +6 STR.
Defensive Bonus: +12 VIT/+6 CHA
uracy: 60%
Effect 1: [Moons Blessing]: May reduce damage by half on asion. The chances of activation are equal to the users LCK/2.
Effect 2: [Form Switch]: The Moonshield possesses two forms: Full Moon and New Moon. It can switch between forms at will, which will activate a different ability.
Effect 3: [Full Moon]: Grants Immunity to [Light]. The user gains a [Mirror] status deflecting non-piercing spells back at the sender.
Effect 4: [New Moon]: Grants Immunity to [Darkness]. The user gains the [Incorporeal] status, granting them immunity to [Physical] attacks.
A shield empowered by the moooooooon. Some said the New Moon form is made of lead and the Full Moon of silver-tainted gold.
My Dragonknight shield proficiency increases the damage I inflict with it when I bash someones head with it, and the damage runs on Strength from what I can tell, Basil exined. But my proficiency does not boost the defensive bonuses. When I lent it to to, he received the same Vitality and Charisma boosts as me. I still make better use of it than you, to mused. Since Ive nearly a hundred Luck points, I basically take only half-damage from attacks. That could make the difference against Ashok, Vasi said with a grim look. Last time we fought him, he could kill you in one blow. Do you need to remind me? to growled. I lost two lives because of him. Two lives! It happened during the New Year Event, Basil pointed out. The damage was boosted back then. But I agree it might be better for to to take the shield in battle. Or Shellgirl calmed herself. Or I can craft a second Moonshield, so you can both keep one! Shouldnt be too hard! It took us killing a dragon psychopath on the moon to earn this one, to pointed out. Im not sure we can do that again anytime soon. Think, to, think! Shellgirl pressed her index against her temple. Who says Quest rewards are unique? Nobody! The Moonshield is A-rank, so Im sure I can replicate it with the right crafting materials! Like what, a mirror and a piece of the moon? to asked with skepticism. I can bite the moon and spit it out, if you want, Rosemarine suggested. While the group debated the merits of teleporting to the moon for material, Basil picked up the sound of pping wings above his head. He looked to see Bugsynd among them, the invisibility spell on him swiftly dissipating. The lenses of a camera attached to his neck glittered under the warm mediterranean sun. Wee back, Bugsy, Basil greeted his friend, only to swiftly notice the worry in his eyes. Whats wrong? You wont believe what Ive seen, Boss. Bugsy pointed at his camera with his chin. See for yourself. Basils party had experimented with a new recon method: to cast an invisibility spell on Bugsy, who then used his enhanced senses to locate dangerous zones. A fireproof camera let him record everything he surveyed. Basil didnt think anyone else had yet to use a flying centipede as a scouting drone. Taking Bugsy at his word, Basil removed the camera from his neck. His party gathered around him as he examined the footage. The camera had taken hundreds of pictures of the Greek countryside. Most of it were rocks, stones, dirt, abandoned roads, more rocks, and anybination of these varied oues. But then came the picture of a ck hole. Basil had no other way to describe it. A sphere of darkness the size of a football field unfurled in the middle of the Greek countryside, consuming everything around it. It wasnt truly ck, no; it was an unnatural void in the very fabric of space from which no light could escape. The only hint of its presence and true nature was the ring of swirling dust forming around it as all matter was pulled inside its event horizon. Just looking at it gave Basil a headache. He tried to glean information from it through the System, but the cosmic machinery that now ruled his universe could onlye up with a single word.
ERROR.
A shiver down Basils spine. What kind of litter is this? to asked in shock. Bugsy, where did you find it? Three kilometers southeast, Bugsy said. Its slowly expanding too. Id say a centimeter per hour or so. Vasi immediately formted a theory. Before his demise, Benjamin warned us that bugs in the System would increase with time and damage reality. This must be the result, Basil guessed with a scowl. A vapid, empty void. The world was starting to fall apart. The phenomenons size worried Basil, not to mention the fact it probably wasnt an isted case. How many of these holes were manifesting everywhere around the world? This is bad, Basil, Vasi said with a scowl. Basil scoffed. No kidding. Beyond the obvious, Vasi rified her thoughts. Benjamin told us the System gains power from death. The more bugs spread, the more stressed it bes and the more magical output it requires. Itll need to summon more sacrifices to keep running, Shellgirl guessed with a grim expression. This could only mean one thing. As if on cue, a System notification shed before Basils eyes.
Congrattions, yers of Earth! Thanks to your hard work and deaths, some of you have broken past level 70! The throne of the [Overgod] is now within sight, and thepetition is about to enter itsst stretch!
To celebrate this achievement, you have unlocked a new [Incursion]! We dont need to remind you of what this event entails, as you must have lived through two of them to read this message. This third [Incursion] will be no different from its predecessors.
But the fourth will be thest.
This is it, Basil thought as he read. The endgame.
Indeed, the third [Incursion] is the final one where the [Level Barrier] will shelter you from the horrors of the infinite worlds! The fourth and final one will do away with it, allowing creatures up to level 99 to enter Earth! Moreover, the fourth [Incursion] will only end when an [Overgod] is selected.
But this is all in the near future. For now, let us focus on the current event.
This third [Incursion] will raise the [Level Barrier] to 85! yers, monsters, and dungeons up to level 85 will be able to cross over! Existing dungeons will also increase in difficulty! As always, experience and loot will be boosted within the rifts vicinity.
The third [Incursion] will begin in 60 minutes andst for 72 hours. Dont miss it! Only one of you can be the new [Overgod]!
Dismaker Labs wishes you a happy apocalypse!
The Bohens exchanged uneasy nces. Yet none of them showed panic, or even fear. They were no longer the newbies they started as, but experienced warriors hardened by endless bloodshed. The previous two Incursions had been cause for rm; they addressed this one with rational thought and professionalism. Partner, wheres the nearest rift? Shellgirl asked immediately. It must be in Thessaloniki, Basil guessed as he opened his Logs feature. The city has fifteen or so UNESCO monuments. Thats just as many potential dungeons. His System-provided map of the area showed a rift above Thessaloniki, confirming his suspicions. The information it provided only worried him further.
Rift Destination: The Candlemakers Workshop.
Ruling Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Max SpawnLevel: 83.
Bonus: Experience gains are increased by 50% within one kilometer of the rift.
Field Type: Brimstone.
  • [Soul], [Corrosion], [Fire], [Earth], [Wind], and [Darkness] are strengthened
  • [Wood], [Water], [Frost], and [Light] are weakened.
  • [Firescape]: Creatures without a Strong [Fire] affinity will constantly take [Fire] damage within the Field. [Water] and [Frost]-aligned Weather conditions like [Rain] or [Hail] will be instantly terminated.
These guys again? toined as he read the Apocalypse Forces name. How many times must we teach them a lesson? But, but its so close to the frontier with Bulgaria! Bugsy panicked. Boss, theyll cross over in no time! I know, Basil replied grimly. Bulgarias army was already stretched thin after the battle with the Unity. They werent prepared for a new invasion. And Thessaloniki was home to over a million people before the apocalypse. If the city is still inhabited itll be a ughter. Itpromises our ns for Athens too. Vasi crossed her arms. Dungeon bosses gain power with Incursions, which includes Ashok. He was already a cut above the rest of the board. Now hell be even deadlier. to sighed. This just isnt our day. Only Rosemarine saw the bright side in all things. Who are we killing first, Mister? Theres no way we can reach Athens before the Incursion begins, Basil admitted. Rescuing Kalki from Ashok is our priority, but we cant let the Apocalypse Force overrun the region. Bugsys right, itll barely take them days to reach Bulgaria after they destroy Thessaloniki. Too little of the world remained, so every battle counted. Well go deal with the rift, Basil decided. I just hope we can handle whatever will crawl its way out of it. Bugsy cleared his throat. Correct me if Im wrong, Boss, but there are four Horsemen of the Apocalypse right? Weve only killed one. The weakest, Basil said upon remembering Apollyonsst words. Even then, the bug took a hefty level penalty before he could invade Earth. Which means the others are over level seventy at the minimum. Vasi chewed her lower lip. And this rift can let creatures up to level eighty-three through. Basil frowned. He didnt need a memo to read between the lines. You think a Horseman could pass through this rift? We cant rule it out, his girlfriend pointed out. No, Basil admitted. No, we cant. Apollyon could have probably devastated all of Europe on his own if the Bohens hadnt in him early in Paris. He had managed to shoot down the ISS from the sky and survived a neutron bomb to the face. If his colleagues were even more dangerous, then their emergence endangered what little remained of human civilization. If a Horseman indeed crossed the portal, then it was the Bohens duty to put it down. Didnt we get a Quest to kill them all? Shellgirl said with a greedy grin. Yep, we did, Basil confirmed. Perfect, she replied. Shellgirl loved to be paid for work she would have done for free. Chapter 114: Man vs Burn Chapter 114: Man vs Burn They failed to reach Thessaloniki before the Incursions start. The System had given the Bohens a one hour warning; a time far too short to cross the Greek countryside. Steve did its best, but the team would have needed a ne to arrive early. The skies turned red as they drove and the glowing aurora circuits that connected distant stars to Earth started overtaking the heavens. They gathered above the distant city of Thessaloniki to spew a pir of mes over it. Though Basil had never visited the city before, he had heard of Thessaloniki. It was one of thergest Greek cities, a port full of monuments that dated all the way back from the Byzantine Empire. It was considered one of the cultural capitals of Europe, and its port served as a gateway to the Balkans. Many Bulgarian goods transited through it. The Bohens found it in mes. Thessalonikiy on the northern fringe of the Thermaic Gulf and was bordered by tall mountains; the infamous Mount Olympus itself loomed over the horizon. The Aegean Seas clear waters glittered under the twilight, yet even they were tainted by swirling ashes. Clouds of smoke rose from two dozen fires spreading through the citys port and suburbs. Thessaloniki appeared to have been abandoned long before the Bohens arrival. Many of its buildings and houses had crumbled from ack of maintenance. nts had overtaken ruins of Byzantine churches, fortifications, and ancient monuments; they were now catching fire on their own under the influence of a burning wind. This reminds me of a Pompeii movie, Basil thought as he observed the area from atop the Steamobile with binocrs. Steve drove towards it while remaining close to the Aegean Seas coast. The water already boiled along the shore. All were missing isva. The region already suffered from earthquakes as the rift strengthened. This portal between worlds took the shape of a pir of searing mes and brimstone clouds taller than any mountain. It took root from the coast of Thessaloniki, swallowing a dungeon shaped like a colossal, circr tower that would rival the Lord of the Rings Barad-dr in size and dreadfulness. From its medieval architecture, Basil guessed it had once been Thessalonikis famous White Tower monument. A wind of ashes and embers brushed against Basils face. Soot gathered on his binocrs, obscuring his sight.
[Fire] damage negated by Bugsys [Alexicacus]! Bugsys [Volcanic Starforce] activated! He will regain HP and SP while in the Field!
We havent even reached the suburbs, and were already taking fire damage, Vasi noted. The witch flew above the Steamobile alongside Bugsy, forming an aerial vanguard. Thank the gods for your amazing Perk, Bugsy. You are too kind, Vasi, the Apolloworm replied. No mes will touch us while Im around! At least one of us benefits from this Field, to said as he jumped next to Basils side. I have ash all over my fur. And since the sea is boiling, we cant even wash you, Basil mused as he removed soot from his binocrs. Do you see enemies? Yes, I do, Vasi confirmed while pointing at the pir. Look at the mes at its base. Basil did so. His binocrs picked up forms emerging from the pyrostic clouds bursting from the pir: bonfires shaped like men, shambling slime monsters made of wax with a will owisp for a crown, and shambling skeletons with chains burning with blue mes coiled around their chests. They spread out in all directions, incinerating whatever building the Field hadnt set aze yet.
Hellfire Elemental
Level 24 [Elemental]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Candleslime
Level 38 [Undead/Slime]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Skullfire
Level 50 [Undead/Elemental]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Were toote, Vasi despaired. Theyre already escaping the city. Much to Basils chagrin, his girlfriend was right. He noticed a skullfire monster atop a church in the city center, and hellfire elementals were moving west on the other side of town. A level 50 undead monster was easy prey for the Bohens, especially since Basils Perks from his Deathknight ss made them excellent at taking out these necromantic abominations. For anyone else, such a creature might as well have been a walking natural disaster. Well need to scatter to hunt them down, Basil thought grimly. We cant let them escape through the border. Any sign of the Horsemen? I think we would notice if they did cross over, to pointed out. Thest one was as tall as the Eiffel Tower. We cant guarantee all Horsemen will be as tall as Apollyon, Vasi replied. Size does not equal power. Rosemarine can shapeshift into a smaller form, no? Bugsy asked. Maybe the Horsemen can too. We cant tell yet, Basil said before ordering Steve to stop near the port, kilometers away from the rift. This was close enough for the teams long-range weaponry to target the portal, but far enough not to be noticed by the Apocalypse Forces mooks. The rest of his team climbed out of the Steamobile. Shellgirl cursed while her slimy flesh started to boil, with bubbles rising to its surface. Ugh, sheined as her body released steam in the air. Even with Bugsys Perk, Im melting away like ice cream. Rosemarine took root in the ash-filled soil. Mister, can I try to paint it all green? Thats a good idea. Shellgirl nodded in support. I cant summon my Lapponian Winter weather magic while the current Field is active. After a short moment of hesitation, Basil assented with a nod. He would rather have approached Ashoks base as close as possible before he sensed their essences, but they couldnt let the entire region go down in mes. With theck of government, the firestorms could probably devour half of Greece. You may try. Rosemarine pped her hands as she activated her God-Field. Grass grew out of her feet and started to spread around her for a few meters, before the nts burst into mes and dust.
Rosemarines [God-Field: Garden of the Hesperides] could not ovee the Rifts Field Effect! Level insufficient (83 required)!
Im sorry, Mister, Rosemarine apologized as the wind carried away her grass ashes. I cannot. Its okay, Basil reassured her. At least we know you can overwrite an Incursions Field effect once youre powerful enough. So whats the n now? Bugsy asked. Do we attack the pir? I say we split, Vasi suggested. Bugsy, since you and I can fly, we can catch up to the monsters sneaking out west. Good call, Basil agreed with a nod. Rosemarine, Steve, youll bombard the pir from our current position with long-range weapons. Shellgirl, to, well go clean the city center. to squinted. You want us to hunt monsters street by street? We could do that. Basil smirked. But I was thinking about baiting them first. Ohoh, I know whats on your mind! Shellgirl grinned wickedly. Ive been meaning to test out this Perk for a while. Lets try, Basil said. Death Banner. Joyful Spirit! Shellgirl cast on him, while Vasi and to did the same with their own additional buffs.
[Deaths Banner II] spread to your party! Your partys attacks will gain a [Deadyer] effect (x3 damage against [Undead] Type). They will benefit from immunity to [Terror], [Zombie], and [Insta-Death] ailments, wont take damage from ailments, and their critical hits will inflict [Insta-Death] on the victims.
[Hasten] status! Your Agility has been doubled for ten minutes!
[Mirage] status! Your chances of avoiding physical attacks have been increased!
Shellgirls [Joyful Spirit] motivated for five minutes! Your next attack is always urate (if possible), [Charged] (x2 damage), and will surely inflict a Critical Hit!
[All for One] spread your buffs to your allies!
The hunt was on. Basil stored his weapons in the Inventory, grabbed Shellgirl and tohis superhuman strength letting him carry them like bagsand took flight. Vasi and Bugsy swiftly followed after him, while Rosemarine shapeshifted back into her fearsome dragon form. Steve gathered power in preparation for firing with its Gehenna Cannon at the pir. Jumping through clouds of ash and dust, Basils group split from their allies and leaped over Thessalonikis city center. Fireballs immediately targeted them from the ground. Basil powered through an explosion negated by Bugsys Perk. Hellfire elementals were throwing projectiles at them from the ruins of an ancient Roman forum. Only ckened stones and burning trees remained of what must have once been a green park. Basil noticed a small amphitheater and a Greek-era stoa alleyway supported by tall pirs. Should be a nice spot, Basil muttered to himself. Shellgirl, is that a good enough location for you? Its perfect! Shellgirl pped her hands. Pandoras Box! A ck chest materialized out of the mimics palms and fell at the zas center. The hellfire elementals stopped bombarding the team to stare at the item. The chest oozed darkness and corrupted onlookers minds.
[Pandoras Box] spread [Madness] and [Berserk] to your enemies!
All Hell broke loose. The elementals roared as greed seized their burning hearts. The monsters rushed towards the box in a mad dash to seize it for themselves. A few, too far to reach it first, threw fireballs at their kindred. It didnt inflict any damage, for fire could not harm fire, but the creatures were too maddened to care. Soon a brawl of fiery proportions began over the trick box. to, take care of them, Basil said. They arent killing themselves without help. Yeah, yeah, to said as he leaped out of his friends hands andnded gracefully on the ashen ground. Wind swirled around his sword as he started ughtering his way through the confused monsters. Sess! Shellgirl gloated. How many boxes should I create, Partner? One for now, Basil replied. With the forum ideally located in the city center, they could lure all their enemies there and turn it into a kill zone. I have an idea. Shellgirl summoned a second box, which Basil immediately grabbed with his free arm. Instead of dropping it like the first package, he instead jumped over the city and paraded the chest to all enemies on the ground. Look at my glorious loot! he shouted at the monsters rampaging through the streets. The power of the Overgod is held within! All creatures that nced at the box, even for a second, fell under its spell. Skullfire monsters roared angrily as they chased after Basil on foot, while the candle slimes slithered among the ruins. Excellent, Basil said with a grin. Lets lure them to the amphitheater and Ill kill the skullfires and leave the elementals to Basil stopped abruptly. You? In a blink, he was no longer carrying Shellgirl and her box above the city. In fact, he was no longer flying at all. He was now standing atop the stands of the Roman amphitheater, watching Shellgirl extinguishing hellfire elementals on its ashen ground with her water ability. A skullfire fawned over the Pandoras Box in the arenas center. What the Basil blinked. He wielded Birgha in one hand and his Moonshield in its new moon form with the other. Shellgirl interrupted her attack as well and looked around, equally confused as her teammate. What how did I Have you ever heard of the expression, a graven voice whispered over his neck, Killing time? Basils head snapped to the side just in time to look at a wax palm pointing at him. Iblis Burn, the voice said. Blue mes swallowed Basils world. An inferno hotter than the heart of a star consumed him entirely. The stairs melted under his feet, and heat seeped through his incorporeal body. One moment you stand at the threshold of your homes door, and the next you are sitting on a sofa inside, the attacker exined with a chuckle. Basil could only distinguish his shadow through the fire. The key is gone, and you dont remember where youve dropped it. Youve gone through the motions without being aware of them. It happens to me all the time
[Fire] damage negated by Bugsys [Alexicacus]!
Basil leaped out of the fire and struck his foe with his spear by surprise. Shellgirls buff guided his weapon to his foes heart.
Supereffective hit! Critical hit! 6924 damage! Youve exhausted the [Joyful Spirit] charge!
The blow sent the mystery attacker stumbling down the stands all the way to the arena below. Without mes blinding him, Basil could finally observe the creature. The monster was anky, gaunt humanoid a head taller than Basil himself; one made of molten wax rather than flesh. The enemy dressed in ck, tattered clothes resembling those of a scarecrow, alongside a cloak fluttering in the warm wind. His face was a skull with candles for teeth and twin red mes for eyes. A blue, ghostly will owisp burned atop his pointy hat. Not even a scratch? the mystery monster noted as Basil emerged unscathed from the mes. The creature casually leaped back to his feet, standing not so far from the Pandoras Box and the maddened skullfire. Are you immune to fire, or youre just that tough? Basil wordlessly jumped off the stands, spear raised for the kill. The wax monster formed a sphere of blue fire in his hand and prepared to throw it at Basil. He never had the chance. Shellgirl, who had noticed the battle, leaped into the arena with a war cry. Detonate! Pandoras Box exploded in a burst of dark energy. Shadowy forces expanded from the chest and sent the Skullfire flying backward. The wax monster shrugged off the attack before instinctively throwing his fire sphere at Shellgirl. The projectile burst harmlessly on impact without damaging the mimic. Youre all packing Fire Immunity? The wax monster chuckled nonchntly. You know, thats rarer than you think. Usually, adventurers can only afford to protect one Basil threw his spear like a javelin. The projectile struck the monster in the head, blowing wax in all directions and killing him instantly.
Supereffective hit! Critical hit! 3467 damage!
The creatures clothes burst into mes, and the rest of the body melted away into a puddle of wax. Whats happening, Partner? Shellgirl asked in confusion. Of the hellfire elementals she was fighting, only steaming water remained. I remember us flying above the city and then nothing. I think this creature skipped time forward, or at least altered our perception of it, Basil theorized as he moved to recover his spear. A skullfire still remained, shocked but alive. Whatever, hes dead now. Dead, am I? The remaining skullfireughed with a deep, bemused voice. You wish. Ghostly blue mes erupted from the monsters chains and incinerated him on the spot. Basil and Shellgirl took a step back in surprise. Wax materialized out of nowhere to cover their enemys bones. ck, tattered clothes appeared toplete the transformation. The Skullfire had vanished in the blink of an eye. In its ce stood the wax monster reborn.
Belphegor consumed his ally to cheat death!
You have a serious attitude problem, boyo. The monster cracked his neck as if he had just woken up from a nap. Were supposed to exchange taunts and pleasantries before going for the kill, you know? Its justmon decency. This time, Basil focused on his foe until he gleaned his name.
Belphegor, Horseman of Death
Level 78 Elite [Undead/Elemental]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
They had found the Horseman. Hey, human, Im talking to you, said the undead. He must have been very confident in his power to resort to chit chat in battle. Dont tell me youre the strong, silent type? Youre smaller than I thought you would be, Basil said as Shellgirl immediately joined him. Apollyon was more intimidating. Wait a second. Belphegor snapped his fingers. Youre the party who massacred my bug boy? Guilty, Shellgirl gloated. Youre here to avenge him? Eh, we would have killed each other sooner orter. We still havent found a recement though. Giant bugs dont grow on trees. Belphegors eyes moved from Shellgirl to Basil, who was moving to nk him. Youre taking me two on one? Isnt that unfair? Says the guy with an army, Basil replied. Fairness has no ce in battle. I agree. Belphegors wax teeth morphed into a grin. Which is why I brought reinforcements. As if on cue, a winged form dived down from the smoke clouds above. Basil stepped in front of Shellgirl to protect her with his shield as a new enemynded in the amphitheater. I knew Id sensed something vile. ck raven wings unfurled to reveal a woman. She possessed an ethereal sort of beauty, with short golden hair untainted by ashes and a fair light face; yet her cold, icy blue eyes betrayed her true nature. This sinister angel stood up, her ck and red tunic revealing her muscled frame. She pointed a ymore sword at Basil, its de oozing blood. I smell the stench of that hideous necromancer on you. Gritting his teeth, Basil raised his own spear for battle. A mere nce at the neer confirmed his worst suspicions.
Brina, Horseman of War
Level 83 Elite [Angel]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Dont you know? Belphegor chuckled as he stood next to his fellow Horseman of the Apocalypse. War and death usually go hand-in-hand. Chapter 115: Man vs Duo Chapter 115: Man vs Duo What were the odds that two Horsemen of the Apocalypse would invade Earth through the same rift the Bohens just happened to visit? Pretty much zero. Henceforth, it couldnt be a coincidence. Youre after Kalki, Basil guessed as he raised his shield. Shellgirl took refuge behind him and summoned buffing items from her inventory. You teleported as close as you could to his prison. Clever boy. Belphegors grin widened. We would have opened a rift to the Avatars hiding ce if we could, but someone is blocking the way. Guess well have to take a detour. I dont care for the Avatar, his false angel of a teammate snapped, her weapon pointed at Basil. Where is Nidhogg? Who? Basil wondered right as she raised her sword. Shell Too slow! Belphegor cackled. Time skipped forward. When it returned to normal, Basil found himself staring at a sword flying straight at his head. He barely deflected it with his shield, only for Brina to dash at him at lightning speed. Blitzkrieg, she said as two khanda sabres materialized in her hands. Favored Target: Humanoid.
Brina has gained the [Hasten] and [Mirage] status for ten minutes! Her Agility, Skill, and Evasion Value were buffed for the same period, and her attacks will inflict [Manyer] damage (x3 damage against [Humanoid] Type).
Damn it, shes fast! Basil cursed as he barely dodged a cross-shaped swing of hers. Her sabres cut an after-image left by his mirage buff. He countered with a thrust of his spear, only to hit empty air. He was soon forced to parry a blow with his shield and was thrown two meters back for his trouble. Worse, his Moon Shield was in its New Moon mode; the one granting him intangibility. Her swords should have harmlessly phased through his protection rather than bounce off it.
Shellgirls [Water Booster] raised the power of her [Water] elemental attacks by 30% for five minutes; they will also pierce through Resistance.
Shellgirl summoned her Christmas bag and moved to nk Brina. Christmas Hose! A pressurized torrent of water poured out of her bag like aser. Brina leaped into the air to dodge, with the attack piercing through the amphitheaters stone stairs. The winged woman gracefullynded on a stand above. Only then did Basil notice someone missing. Wheres Belphegor? A dark shadow flew over him and Shellgirl, answering his question. Both party members fled in two directions and barely avoided a falling projectile. An explosion shook the amphitheater and blew dust across its fighting ground. Belphegor floated above the arena with an amused look. Streams of mesing from his feet propelled him upward, and shadowy spheres of solid darkness gathered in his hands. Meanwhile, Brina leaped from the stairs with murder on her mind. Reinforcements would help, Partner, Shellgirl warned as she pointed her bag at Belphegor. One for All! Basil shouted, immediately summoning his allies to his side. While he left Rosemarine and Steve to deal with the portal, to, Vasi, and Bugsy all teleported into the amphitheater. So used was the team to battle that they didnt show a moments hesitation. Bugsy helped Shellgirl st Belphegor, his mes and her water shing with shadowy spheres. Vasi and to, meanwhile, opened fire at Brina with crimson lightning and sharpened des of wind. Electricity bounced off Brina harmlessly while she deflected the wind des with her swords. The Horseman of War flew at Vasi in an attempt to behead her. Basil jumped in front of hisdy to protect her with his shield, parrying the attack. He was thrust back against his girlfriend while Brina parried a sword strike from to. Two Horsemen at once? Vasi cursed as she and her boyfriend took flight. They floated above Brina, looking for an opening. What is she weak against? Let me see, Basil said before activating Monster Insight on both of their enemies.
Belphegor, Horseman of Death
Elite Level 78 [Undead/Elemental]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
HP: 9160/9160.
Immune: Fire, Critical Hits, All Ailments, Insta-death.
Resist: Physical, Soul, Corrosion, Earth, Wind.
Weak: Deadyer, Elementyer, Wood, Life, Water, Frost, Light.
The Spellcaster of the Four Horsemen, an immortal spirit capable of cheating death by possessing lower level Undead; which has made him something of a sadomasochist. While not terribly resilient, he possesses a variety of abilities like skipping time, powerful elemental spells, and deadly debuffs. Hes also a fantastic violin yer.
Brina, Horseman of War
Elite Level 83 [Angel]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
HP: 14260/14260
Immune: Fire, Lightning, All Ailments, Insta-death.
Resist: Physical, Soul, Metal, Wood, Mythic, Light.
Weak: Angelyer, Frost, Water.
The Fighter of the Four Horsemen and its deadliest member. Thest of Odins valkyries, she has sworn revenge on Cmity Nidhogg for killing her liege and destroying Asgard; she would even sell her soul to the Maleking to fulfill her oath. Combines peak closebat mastery with immunity-piercing equipment.
Theyre both vulnerable to Water and Frost, and the girl is a valkyrie, Basil warned his team before empowering his weapon with the appropriate element. Runestorm: Water. A valkyrie? Good. Vasi immediately pointed a finger at Brina. Darkest Fear. A shadowy curse fell upon Brina as her swords shed with tos. She pushed back the cat with a parry and immediately shrugged off Vasis spell. The fairy magic vanished without affecting the valkyrie.
[Darkest Fear] failed to hit Brina!
Lord Odin is long gone, thanks to your loathsome master, said the Horseman of War with vengeful eyes. She raised her sabres, whose edges soon caught fire on their own. Only demons remain now. I serve no one, Vasi replied before summoning a storm of ice shards. Blizzard. Brina hastily deflected all the projectiles with her swords, but Basil exploited her distraction by falling down on her with his spear. The valkyrie swiftly dodged by taking a step back, only for to to nk her. She casually parried a swing from Joyeuse nheless. Got you, the cat taunted her. Catnapping. The valkyrie slowed down and her afterimages dispelled.
to stole Brinas buffs with [Catnapping]!
Basil immediately pressed his advantage. Still perceiving the world in slowed time thanks to Hasten, his spears edge swirling with water, he lunged at Brina with all his might. One of the valkyries sabres immediately dematerialized. A heavy shield appeared in its ce and swiftly blocked Basils blow. His weapon shed with her protection with such strength that the shockwave blew dust all around them. Brina did not flinch. Shes stronger than ckcinders, and quicker too, Basil thought. He was forced to jump backward to avoid a parry. Even without her buffs, his foe remained lethally fast. I cant find an opening. Worse, he could tell his enemy was only testing the waters so far. Brina struck cautiously, never risking too much or pressing an advantage. She was gauging the Bohens capabilities. How long until she started giving her all? Vasi summoned a small, ming meteorite and dropped it over the valkyrie. Basil and Pluto backflipped to safety while Brina didnt bother to move. She simply raised her shield to the sky, and a crimson, spherical magical barrier expanded from it right as the projectile fell. The cataclysmic impact swiftly copsed what remained of the amphitheater. While protecting his eyes from dust with his shield, Basil nced at his allies to see how they were faring. Bugsy was chasing Belphegor in the sky, sting sphere after sphere of cosmic sma at the undead. The Horseman of Death zigzagged around to dodge the projectiles. Though he was immune to Fire, half the damage of Bugsys attacks were of the Light element, to which he was vulnerable. Sensing an opening as Bugsys offense left him vulnerable, Belphegor counterattacked with spheres of his own; projectiles made not of cosmic light, but eldritch darkness. None hit their mark, for Shellgirl shot them all down from the sky with her water stream. Her Boosters buff helped counter the negative effect of the Field on her attack. The Horseman of Death found himself purely on the defensive, unable to shake Bugsys hounded pursuit of him so long as Shellgirl covered her friend with suppression fire. When is thest oneing? to asked with what could pass for enthusiasm. We only get a reward if we kill all four of you! Mammon? Belphegor chuckled while flying out of the way of Shellgirls water stream. That bastard arrived first, long before Apollyon. It took Basil a few seconds to properly register the implications. What did you say? How do you think we even got here in the first ce? Belphegors ming eyes turned pitch ck, and a shadowy smoke aura swirled around him. Darkness Shroud.
Belphegor cloaked himself and his teammate in dark shadows! For ten minutes, neither can be debuffed and damage will be reduced by half! The effect can be temporarily suppressed with [Light] attacks.
Brina emerged from the amphitheaters rubble cloaked in shadows. Activating her Blitzkrieg, she charged at Basil while switching out her remaining saber for a spear covered in runes. Bugsy! Basil called as he rushed to meet the Horseman of War in battle. Time to try out your secret weapon! On it, Boss! Bugsys star of a tail glowed with a bright red glow, its deadly radiance blessing the entire battlefield. Apollos Curse!
Brinas [Laevatein] negated Bugsys [Apollos Curse], but Belphegor became weak to [Fire]!
Huh? Belphegors confused grunts turned to painful screams as his own mes consumed his body. Boiling bubbles burst on the surface of his melting wax skin, and his ckened clothes suddenly caught fire. Bugsys curse caused the very Field to burn the Horseman alive. Agh! Bugsy immediately tackled Belphegor and pinned him to the ground not far from the team. The apolloworm coiled around the Horseman of Death like a snake, keeping his hands apart and crushing his chest. Steaming wax spilled over Bugsys body as his natural heat slowly burned his prey away. Ah is this how it feels Belphegors screams soon turned into moans, and then a burst of cavernousughter. To burn? The Horseman of Death was . While her teammate burned in joyful agony, Brina charged to face Basil. Both mirrored each other; each was a warrior wielding a spear and a shield. They raised their weapons at the same time, aiming to pierce the others head while deflecting the counterattack. Vasi and to nked the valkyrie from both sides to give their ally the advantage. But then Brina vanished. Basils spear hit dust-filled air instead of her flesh. His momentum carried him forward, while his allies blinked in confusion. Where did she go? Basil blinked in confusion. The sharp pain in his back immediately answered his question. He felt the spear pierce his armor and continue its way right between his ribs. His incorporeal nature did nothing to stop the blow. Brinas weapon impaled him from behind with the strength of an Olympic javelin. It came out of his chest and nailed him to the ground like a boar.
Brinas [Laevatein] pierced your [Fire] Immunity and her [Turbo: Physical] bypassed your [Physical] Resistance! Supereffective hit! 1437 [Physical] damage and 600 [Fire] damage!
Warning, you have lost two-thirds of your HP! [Wyrm Spirit] activated! Your attacks will inflict additional damage equal to the percentage between your current HP and your full health!
Basil bit his tongue not to scream. The memory of Megabug impaling him with his dart at the beginning of his career shed back to his mind, but ten times worse. Basil! to leaped to rescue his best friend, only for thrown knives to hit him in midair and throw him back. Vasi furled her wings to protect herself from another volley, the des shredding them and forcing the witch to the ground. Basil looked over his shoulder and red at the shadow looming over him. You are not worthy of Valha, Brina said with a hint of contempt. A dozen daggers flickered to existence between her fingers, each of them shining with magical power. Your movements are predictable, guided by the System instead of your own experience. Basil attempted to escape her grip, only for Brina to twist her spear and keep him firmly anchored to the ground.He grit his teeth so as not to grunt in pain.Tell me where Nidhogg is hiding, Brina said, and I will give you a quick death. Before Basil could tell her to get bent, he noticed Shellgirl abandoning the fight with Belphegor to rush to his rescue. Joyful Spirit! Predict this, Basil thought as he felt his allys buff empowering him. He flipped his spear and stabbed himself through the chest. Thanks to his intangibility granted by the Moon Shield, his own weapon phased through his body without hurting him. Birgha was not his soulbound halberd, and thus couldnt hit incorporeal targets; not even its own wielder. But it hit Brina just fine. The surprised valkyrie was impaled through the stomach. Basil would have pierced the heart if he could, but he could hardly aim correctly in his current position. Brinas tunic and flesh both felt hard as steel. She shed blood all the same.
Critical hit! 4838 damage!
Curse whoever invented damage reduction. With all his buffs and multipliers, Basil should have approached five-digit damage. At least she wasn''t immune to critical hits. Bugsy,bo her! Uncoiling from Belphegor, Bugsy took flight and gathered light. His star-tail glowed brighter than the sun. His fiery wings became like those of a phoenix and filled the sky with divine mes. Nova Up!
All of Bugsys stats have been buffed for five minutes, and his [Fire] and [Light] attacks are boosted by 50% for that period!
Still impaled by Basils spear, Brina threw her daggers at the Apolloworm. Shellgirl easily deflected them in midair with her water hose and allowed her ally to use his ultimate attack. Nova Bugsy inhaled. re! Bugsy opened his mouth and breathed light. From Basils point of view, it was like gazing at a supernova. A massive sphere of cosmic sma expanded from Bugsy and consumed the entire area. Thessalonikis Roman Forum burned like Pompei. Its old ruins crumbled to dust. Stone skipped the melting stage and straight-up vaporized. So did Belphegor, whose remains returned to dust, and the spear impaling Basil. The light and fire would have incinerated the Bohens too but friendly fire was no longer an issue for them.
Bugsys [Alexicacus] protected you from [Light] and [Fire] damage.
When the light dissipated, Basil stood amidst a ring of ash the size of a football field. All of his allies had survived Bugsys devastating attack. Brina was nowhere to be seen. Shes like me, Basil said while gritting his teeth and applying a hand to his bleeding chest wound. Her build was a near-perfect counterpart of his own. She could hit incorporeal targets like a Deathknight, stack damage multipliers like a Dragonknight, and hit harder than a Warrior Saint. Except she can teleport and carries legendary weapons. Sorry, Basil, youre wrong. to hissed as he pulled knives out of his own body. Shes better than you. As much as it wounded Basil to say it, his beloved kitten might have had a point. At least we got the Horseman of Death, Vasi said as the team regrouped around Basil. No, Vasi, we didnt. Shellgirl summoned golden apples from her inventory and tossed them to her allies. That wax guy didnt stay deadst time Basil nailed him. He can possess undead allies to revive himself, Basil confirmed as he and to devoured their apples. The fruits magic spread through them and miraculously healed their wounds. Basils chest gash closed within seconds.
Your HP has been fully replenished!
Do you know any spell that could kill Belphegor? Basil asked his girlfriend. My Deathknight Perks cant keep him down. Vasi shook her head, much to his disappointment. There has to be a loophole, though, she said. No ability is perfect. Maybe he has a range, to suggested. He cant jump into someone who is too far away. Unless hes using the Faction link to possess others, Vasi warned grimly. If so, then his range is global. If her theory was correct, nothing short of killing every Apocalypse Force-aligned undead on Earth would finish off Belphegor. Before the team could debate further, Bugsy snapped his mandibles in rm. The ring of ming streets that surrounded the destroyed za spewed more monsters. A dozen skullfires arrived to surround the team, alongside a host of hellfire elementals. I think you still havent grasped whats special about little ol me. Belphegor walked among his troops, backed by Brina. To Basils annoyance, both had fully recovered from their wounds. Let me help. It starts with A and ends with absolutely not mortal. I did it first before it became mainstream! toined. If you start meowing, Ill sue! Shouldnt it be immortal rather than amortal? Basil taunted Belphegor while trying to present a brave front. He couldnt show weakness now. Or youre just poor at grammar? Should be immortal, but you see Dark energies swirled around Belphegors hands. I was never alive to begin with. Basil sighed in anger. This was going to be a long fight. Chapter 116: Man vs Adaptation Chapter 116: Man vs Adaptation Brina opened hostilities with a twitch of her hand. Rain of Swords. Basil had be used to enemies announcing their attacks nameshe did the same with spells and Perks to better focusbut never before had he heard one so literal. Hundreds of swords materialized above the battlefield, from thin rapiers to heavy ymores, and fell to the ground faster than raindrops. Disperse! to shouted a warning. The team immediately split to avoid the bombardment. A ymore hit the ground only a few steps away from Basil with enough strength to leave a small crater. With the Bohens separated across the za, their enemies sprang into action. Brina immediately rushed at Basil after switching her sabres for a thundering, lightning-coated spear. Belphegor shouted at his thralls to attack the team with shining eyes and When time skipped forward again, Brina was no longer visible. Reacting purely on instinct, Basil sidestepped to the right. His reflexes saved his life. Brina fell upon the spot he previously upied and impaled it with her spear. Lightning burst from the tip of her de in a sh of light. Though Basils armor made him immune to the lightning element, he wasnt keen on taking a hit. The Horseman of War had already proven capable of bypassing his defenses. Instead, he charged with his own spear and aimed for the heart. ming chains flew at him from the right, forcing Basil to interrupt his attack and deflect them with his shield. Two skullfire minions of Belphegor moved to nk him. Basil killed one with a single strike of his spear and parried the seconds attempt at whipping him with burning chains. The distraction allowed Brina to remove her spear from the ground and charge at Basil. He barely managed to deflect a blow with his shield; the sheer force behind it pushed him backward. Weapon Flurry, Brina said. She repeatedly thrust her spear so fast that Basils eyes struggled to follow its movements. He parried one weak blow with his shield, then a second, only for the remaining skullfire to distract him with a well-ced swing of its chains. This allowed Brina to pierce through his defense and stab him in the shoulder and the hip.
Supereffective hit! 431 [Physical] damage and 180 [Fire] damage! 431 [Physical] damage and 180 [Fire] damage! [Lightning] damage absorbed! You recovered 360 SP!
Powering through the pain and deflecting a sixth and seventh strike, Basil leaped into the air rather than keep engaging Brina in closebat. He fled upward above the battlefield, only for the relentless valkyrie to unfurl her wings and pursue him. The skullfire started throwing fireballs at Basil from the ground to assist her. A nce at the ground told Basil that his team didnt fare much better. Hellfire elementals encircled to, who struggled to cut his way out. Belphegor and Vasi traded offensive spells, with spheres of darkness shing against ice storms, while Shellgirl and Bugsy repelled a group of skullfires with water and light. Yet no matter how many of these creatures they killed, more appeared to take their ce. Realizing the danger of being overwhelmed, Shellgirl switched tactics and summoned another Pandoras Box. She threw it amidst the enemy troops. Hey, look at my treasure! Her trap did the trick. Madness spread to the skullfires and elementals, who immediately stopped attacking the team to rush at the chest. Nice try! Belphegor chuckled as his eyes shone with dark power. It wont work again! His undead thralls glowed with fell power, and the madness overtaking their mind was swiftly banished.
Belphegor removed his allies status ailments and debuffs!
Basil cursed as Belphegors troops rallied to their master. The battle was not going well at all A dagger grazed his left arm, the sharp pain forcing him to focus back on the fight at hand. Can you truly afford distractions now? Brina taunted him. A swarm of twenty daggers floated around her like birds of war. I will ask again. Tell me where your master is and I will make your death quick. I dont even know who youre talking about! Basil snarled in anger. He turned around and deflected iing daggers with his spear. Liar! Brina lunged at him and closed the gap between them in the blink of an eye. I can smell the stench of Walter Tye all over you! Walter?Basils brief moment of confusion nearly cost him his life as Brina threw her spear at him. Using his superior maneuverability in the air, he bent backward, the weapon grazing his left cheek, and countered with a thrust of his own. He targeted the chest, and his aim was true. Brina did not dodge. Instead, the Horseman of War caught the spear with both hands. She grabbed the shaft and held it with a giants strength. Do you even know who youve allied with? What youve allied with? Brina spat in disgust. Walter Tye is a godying traitor, an undead abomination, a murderous knave, and an enemy of all that is sacred and pure. He has cursed all of the nine realms with undeath and he will do the same with yours. Says the invader bringing destruction to my world. Basil countered by trying to thrust his spear forward again. Look at your allies. Demons and talking corpses, all of them! Brina tightened her grasp, both of them putting everything into their contest of strength. They tied, and the spear lost. Basils eyes widened in shock as Birghas shaft snapped in two, he and his rival each holding one half. Next thing he knew Brina headbutted him with all her strength. Neither his armor nor his intangibility stopped her.
276 [Physical] damage! You have fallen below half-health!
The blow pushed Basil down toward the ground. By the time he regained control of his trajectory, his enemy had positioned herself right above him. If you had watched your teammates die, Brina said as she summoned two war axes to her hands. If you had watched all of yourrades suffer a gruesome fate before your eyes wouldnt you do everything in your power to avenge them? I would swear an oath of vengeance, thats true, Basil replied as he threw an elemental orb at her. But not at the cost of innocent lives. The end did not always justify the means. Then you are either nave or a better person than me. Brina dodged his projectile and dived down toward him like a falcon. Whatever the case, I have made my choice. Yes, you have. Basil jumped upward to meet her in closebat, intent on opening his inventory and dropping a vehicle on her face. The wrong one! Brina countered by throwing one of her war axes at him. Basil did not dodge. Taking a page from herst attack, he predicted the axes course and caught its shaft in midair. Knowledge immediately filled his mind.
[Holy War Apotheosis] activated! You gained perfect proficiency with axes!
Now it was Brinas turn to be surprised. Basil threw a water elemental orb at her in mid-flight, anticipated her moving to the side to dodge it, and struck her in the chest with her own axe by surprise.
Critical hit! 1885 [Physical] damage!
Not enough, Basil cursed as Brina recovered. Their axes danced in the sky, each sh a note in a deadly song of steel. Nowhere near enough. Mmm. Brina seemed vaguely impressed that he had managed to hurt her. You might be worthy of Valha after all. Ill send you to Hell first! Basil inhaled, and breathed out his corrosive breath at her. Poison blew over the valkyries face, forcing her back and briefly distracting her. Runestorm: Water! Liquid swirled along the edge of his axe, but he failed to hit his target. Brina teleported a few feet away to dodge the supereffective hit. You are justified in trying to defend your world from us, the Horseman of War conceded. But it would be easier if you simply surrendered Walter Tye to me. And let you get away with your crimes? Basil snorted. How many lives did you trample to be a Horseman? I have lost count. A brief look of guilt passed over the valkyries gaze. But I would kill far more if it would give me the power to fulfill my oath. Strength is the winners justice. She spoke like the Maleking. That alone convinced Basil to answer her arrogance with overwhelming power. Im so through with your self-righteous lot, Basil said before calling for reinforcements. One for All! Thest member of the Bohens answered his call with a fearsome roar. Her flower wings unfurled above the za in a shower of petals. Even Brina appeared briefly intimidated by her appearance. Mister! Rosemarine raised her cannon-arms joyfully. Who am I killing today? This is getting tiresome, Vasi thought as yet another skullfire transformed into Belphegor. And exhausting. Why?! toined as he and his allies surrounded the reborn Horseman of Death. Shellgirl, Bugsy, and Vasi nked their enemy from all cardinal directions. Why? Why wont you stay dead?! Considering her friend had only two extra lives left, Vasi more than understood tos frustration. Come on, dont tell me youre tired already? Specks of darkness gathered in Belphegors palms. Were just getting started! Getting started? They had killed him three times in a row already. Bugsy burned him and half his troops alive with hisbo, to beheaded him in a sneak attack, and Vasi dropped a meteor on his head. Each time the Horseman had returned from the dead. At least they managed to clear the za of minions for the time being. How long until more arrived? Bugsy cleared his throat. Vasi, Im Im starting to run out of Special Points. Vasi couldnt fault him for it. Bugs fire vulnerability-novabo had killed more monsters than the rest of the teambined, but it cost him more SP than his native regeneration could keep up with. Worse, Basil had summoned Rosemarine in the sky above them. If her boyfriend felt the need to call for reinforcements and leave the rift unattended, then the other Horseman was pushing him into a corner. Vasi formted ast-chance n. Bugsy, at my signal, you pin him to the ground, she said. Dont kill him. She hadnt used this spell before, but circumstances called for extreme measures. Dont kill me? Belphegor chuckled as he turned to face Vasi. Come on, dont be a tease! to immediately lunged at Belphegor with his sword raised for the kill. The feline moved quicker than lightning, but so did his enemy. Joyeuse sliced the ashen ground as Belphegor dodged. The Horseman leaped at Vasi with hands shrouded in darkness. Bugsy immediately moved between them and charged at the Horsemen, whose eyes glowed Time skipped forward and Bugsy was thrown backward. Belphegor had vanished. Vasi, to your left! Shellgirl shouted a warning. The witch turned her head to find the Horseman Right in front of her. Vasi barely had time to shield her face with her arms before a cloud of dark mist swallowed her whole. The noxious, shadowy smoke phased through her like a ghost and chilled her to the bone.
604 [Darkness] damage! Belphegors [Netherworld Pulse] pierced through your resistance and damage reduction! You have lost 302 SP!
The pain was terrible, but Vasi endured it. No agony could break her focus. Time runs for you, but it waits for me! Vasi dered before activating her ultimate spell. Za Warudo! Her magic covered the world and plunged it into silence. All movement, all sound, all of time, came to a screeching halt. Smoke and clouds froze in the air without knowing why. The burning wind paused to gather its breath. Rosemarines Eden Guns fired a half-formed beam of pollen at a flying woman they would never hit. Basil himself was paralyzed in the middle of a fall, a battered knight wielding a broken axe. The color gray covered everything under its veil. Everything except for Vasi. Belphegor had be little more than a statue. He faced Vasi with a wicked grin, with Shellgirl rushing at him from the left and to from the right. The darkness summoned from his own hands was now no more real than an illusion. Five seconds, Vasi said as she counted time. She moved out of the way of Belphegors attack, but remained close to him. Four three The fairy witch cast another spell in the frozen time. A cold wind surged out of her palms and trapped Belphegors own in ayer of ice. Two Vasi counted as she froze both of the Horsemans arms. One Time resumed in a cacophony of sound and color. Belphegor, who suddenly found his arms heavier than stones, stumbled forward. to immediately stabbed him in the back with Joyeuse, the impact throwing him to the ground. Shellgirl, submerge his legs in water, Vasi ordered while Bugsy recovered from thest assault. Dont kill him. On it! Shellgirl unleashed a stream of pressurized water at Belphegors leg. Vasi instantly cast her frost spell on the liquid, freezing it solid. Belphegors lower half was soon trapped in a thick chunk of ice that only expanded upward. Immobilizing me? Oh noooo! Noooo! Belphegors screams were as high-pitched as a cat crying for food; no offense to to. To think youre the only people in my century-long existence to figure out such an obvious weakness! Curse you! Realizing the danger, Vasi doubled down on freezing him. Toote. The Horseman of Deaths body heated up and melted away the ice. Just kidding! Belphegorughed, his body now as hot asva. Here I go dying again! His body exploded in a shower of mes and molten wax. Bugsys Alexicacus protected his team from both effects, but Vasi cursed nheless when a crater appeared where her enemy once stood. Why? Why doesnt he run out of lives? toined angrily. This is unfair! Vasis mood only worsened when her boyfriend crashed to the ground not so far from her, a sword impaling him through the stomach. Her heart pounded hard in her chest in fear. Basil! Vasi immediately rushed to her boyfriends side, though to was faster. The cat immediately removed the sword from his friends body while the witch removed his helmets visor. No sooner did she expose Basils face to the world that he spat blood at her. Were losing him! Swallow! Shellgirl materialized a golden apple from her inventory and shoved it down Basils throat. The dragonknight nearly choked on the fruit, but it healed his wounds all the same. A song echoed high in the sky. Vasi looked up as she helped her knight stand on his legs. Rosemarine unleashed a storm of ming petals at Brina, who was now covered in wounds and with an axe stuck in her shoulder. However, the valkyrie was no longer alone. Ghostly, winged armored figures flew at her side: half a dozen specters of dead warriors wielding swords, axes, and spears. One among them fearlessly blew a horn through the petal storm and called hisrades to battle.
Einherjars [Skald Song] buffed his allies stats!
Vasi had heard valkyries collected the souls of the dead so they could wage war forever. She should have guessed Brina could summon reinforcements of her own. She should have. Rosemarine and I brought her down to half-health, Basil sputtered as his wounds healed. If we rush her now I think we can end this battle. If so, their window of time wouldntst long. Rosemarine sessfully sted an einherjar out of the sky with her Eden Guns, but the other ghosts harassed her with their weapons. Brina herself removed the axe from her shoulder and charged at the dragon in an aerial melee. Vasi, can you stop time again? Shellgirl asked as she distributed more fruits to the team. If we can use it to get close, we can surprise her. Im afraid well have to wait, Vasi apologized. This spells cooldown is as great as its power. Well manage without it, Basil said before barking orders. Bugsy, Vasi, fly with me. Shellgirl, buff Her boyfriend never finished his sentence. He had noticed Belphegor reappearing above the za, using two streams of mes to propel himself upward. Vasi incanted a spell to shoot him down, but the Horseman paid them no mind. He reserved his attention for his wounded teammate. You owe me one, Brina! Belphegor raised his hands in a parody of a prayer. My Life for You! His body turned to ash on the spot. A wave of green energy burst out of his body and swallowed the entire battlefield. Though it did nothing to the Bohens, Brinas wounds instantly healed on their own.
Belphegor sacrificed himself to replenish Brinas HP and SP! All her attacks will be [Charged] (x2 damage) for ten minutes!
The Horseman of War was back to full health. Its a nightmare, tomented as Brina rained swords upon Rosemarine. The poor dragon whined after a dozen des pierced through her petal scales. Please tell me Im dreaming. Vasi chewed her lower lip in frustration. This was bad. Very bad. Even Basil looked as grim as the day his mother perished. The Horsemens teamwork was wless. Belphegor wasnt too much of a threat on his own, but his refusal to stay down made winning against him impossible. Brina was the most dangerous one of the two, and though she didnt appear to share her teammates immortality, her immortal ally could replenish her health at any time. I can try charming one of them, Vasi suggested at her wits end. She had never kissed a girl on the lips before, but she would rather embrace Brina than Belphegor. It wont work. Basil shook his head in frustration. Theyre both immune to ailments. Immune to ailments Shellgirls eyes widened. Eureka! Eureka! What? Basil snapped in frustration. I know how to destroy that undead bastard for good! Shellgirl replied with enthusiasm, though her smile quickly faltered. But But what? Vasi pressed her. Rosemarine could only buy so much time. Shellgirl, what do you hav A pulse of dark power sted Vasi as time resumed.
604 [Darkness] damage! You have lost 302 SP!
The blow threw the witch back and sent her rolling on the ashen ground. You know, I said Apollyon and I would have probably killed each other, and thats true. Belphegor loomed over Vasi with a murderous look. But he was also my teammate. I cant let you guys walk away after you put him in a body bag. Its a question of principles. Vasi nced at her surroundings. Brina and her einherjar were raining swords upon Rosemarine, pushing her back. Skullfires restrained Bugsy with chains, while other undead surrounded Shellgirl. Basil and to were nowhere to be found. Vasis heart skipped a beat in panic. I had some fun, Belphegor said as dark energies gathered around his hands. Please be a good girl and scream for me, would you kindly? It might very well cost her her life, but Vasi refused to lie down without a fight. Blizz She was teleported away mid-sentence. The za vanished in a blink, reced with a rocky hill overseeing Thessalonikis port. Steves metal frame reced Belphegors wax figure. The Steamobile was still bombarding the rift from the outskirts with the Gehenna Cannon, though for each monster he vaporized from afar, two more fiends crossed over.
Basil Bohen teleported you with [One for All].
Her knight was here, alongside the others. to applied a paw to a smoking burn on his chest, while Rosemarinended near the Steamobile while covered in wounds. Vasi, are you wounded? Basil asked as he helped her rise to her feet. Im fine, the witch replied with a thin smile. I wouldnt mind some healing though. Im here! Rosemarine glowed with green light and her power swiftly closed her allies wounds. Heras Grace!
Rosemarine healed you back to full health!
Its only a matter of time before they locate us, Basil warned before turning to face Shellgirl. You said you had a n to deal with Belphegor? The mimic nodded. Do you remember the Gearsman Titan? Its runecore petrification st could bypass ailment immunity. Vasi quickly caught on. You want to petrify Belphegor instead of killing him. Do you think it would work? Basil asked with skepticism. It might, Vasi agreed. So far, Belphegor needed to die to activate his ability. If he could be petrified, his consciousness frozen in time, then they could potentially trap him forever. What if we used Steve? to suggested. He ate the Titans heart, right? Cant we use that one? The Steamobile let out an engine roar of approval, but Basil shot down the idea immediately. Activating Steves runecore would kill it, he pointed out with a grim look. And it only works on inanimate items or creatures with a lower level. Belphegor is five levels ahead of us. Even if it had a chance to work, Vasi doubted any of the Bohens would willingly sacrifice one of their teammates for the greater good. It wasnt their way. I could craft another weaponcking this weakness with the necessary material, Shellgirl pointed out. But Ill need time and resources. Basils jaw clenched. How much? Shellgirls fatalistic expression was an answer in itself. Boss, Bugsy said, looking at the horizon. Theyreing. Vasi nced in the direction of the city-center. Flying forms floated above Thessaloniki and moved straight toward the Bohens location. At their current pace, they would reach them in less than five minutes. She turned to face her boyfriend, each reading the others mind. Sound Basil looked about to choke when he uttered these words. Sound the retreat. They couldnt win today. Boss, you cant be serious! Bugsy protested. What about Bulgaria?! I know! Basil snapped angrily. The fury in his tone was enough to make Bugsy balk. But if we cant put these two down permanently, then theyll kill us through attrition and ravage Europe anyway! Not yet, Shellgirl replied grimly. They said they were after Kalki. Vasi nodded in agreement. They wont send troops to Bulgaria, she told Basil. They will make a beeline to Athens. If we can beat them to it, we can rescue Kalki andy a trap for their army. Vasi herself wasnt sure if the Horsemen would truly act rationally, for there was nothing rational about monsters wishing to destroy the world. But Basil had already suffered enough watching the Unity decimate his homnd. He didnt need a reminder the Apocalypse Force might do the same. Basil sighed in defeat. Lets go, he said with a haunted voice. Lets lets go. Everyone climbed onto the Steamobile except for Rosemarine, who bombarded the flyers from afar with her Eden Guns to buy time. Afterward, they all retreated before the enemy could catch up to them. As they drove away from Thessaloniki, Vasi gazed onest time at the pir of fire linking this world to the Apocalypse Forces own. ording to the Incursions rules, it would stay open for three days. Seventy-two hours of monsters pouring out into this reality. Greece would soon be hell on earth. Apocalypse Tamer II Audiobook on Audible Apocalypse Tamer II Audiobook on Audible Hello everyone, After a long struggle with Covid and other issues, the second volume of Apocalypse Tamer is finally avable on Audible! Narrated by Jack Voraces, it covers the France arc all the way to the battle with Apollyon! Link: /pd/B0C1L7HT7N As always, I would appreciate if you could share the word or leave a review. Jack especially struggled with this one due to catching Covid, so all support is wee. Best regards, Voidy. Chapter 117: Interlude: Enemy Action Chapter 117: Interlude: Enemy Action We lost them. Brina squeezed her swords pommel as the elemental continued its report. She had expected this answer when she failed to catch up to the Bohens vehicle, but it still frustrated her. Which direction? They bypassed the city and moved west, the elemental replied. Theyre following the coast. Brinas jaw tightened in anger as she considered her options. The twilight sun had almost vanished behind the horizon, but the pir of fire linking Earth to Belphegors domain cast the city in its burning light. A thousand fiends, undead, and other monsters crossed it each hour. Though Brina ordered most to stay around the portal to serve as the core of her army, the Apocalypse Force were an unruly lot. Desertions weremon and monster warbands already split from the main group to ravage the countryside. Should they wait until they had gathered arge army and then march on the Avatars prison? Or should they try to catch up to the Bohens? It would be easier to think without Belphegors distracting whistling. The Horseman of Death wasying on the ground, back against the ashes of his own troops, gazing at the clouds. Brina would never understand how someone sozy could reach the highest echelons of the Apocalypse Force. You may disperse, Brina told the elemental, who excused himself with a bow and left the two Horsemen alone. Belphegor, any remarks? Youre the one with the highest level, Belphegor replied. Youre calling the shots. Good. Brina wasnt one for democratic deliberations. Then let us move southwest. What, right now? Belphegor didnt hide his displeasure. Isnt it a bit premature? The portal will close in three days. The party we fought earlier is moving straight towards the Avatarsst known location, Brina replied. If we dont depart now, they will catch up to him before us. So what if they do? Belphegor scoffed. ording to Mammon, the Avatar is well-protected by these steel steely guys? Metal Olympus, Brina corrected him. And here I thought Apocalypse Force sounded somewhat pretentious. Belphegor put his hands behind the back of his head and crossed his legs. Anyway, the faction doesnt seem allied with these Bohens, or they would have sent reinforcements to take us down. I say we let them kill each other and take out the victors. This sounds like a good n on paper, Brina conceded. Except that the battles winners will gain more levels and be more dangerous than before. We will be trading enemy quantity for quality. Herees the genius part. Belphegor pointed at the portal with his chin. This thing increases exp yield for three days and were sitting on a whole citys worth of corpses. Get straight to the point. Ill use necromancy to raise the citys dead, Belphegor said. And well destroy them for exp. Same for the rest of our soldiers. A lot of them are dead-weight at this point. Brina nced at the rift in space. The monsters that poured out of it were undead and elementals raised from the corpses of Belphegors victims. It didnt bother her to ughter these creatures, even if they fought under the same banner, but she saw a few logistical problems with this n. None of your soldiers possess a high enough level to give us exp, Brina replied. This was starting to be a recurring problem for the two Horsemen across the multiverse. Few worlds possessed creatures above level sixty, let alone enough to provide the Apocalypse Forces leaders with a challenge. Unless we make them fight each other first, Belphegor pointed out. With the portal providing additional exp, Im sure we can create training dummies capable of strengthening us. I only need a few corpses to fuel my ability. We still need troops to attack Metal Olympus base, Brina pointed out. But we dont need that many. Belphegor chuckled. If you could pick either ten level sixty elite soldiers or a thousand level twenty grunts, which group would you choose? The former, Brina conceded. The System made exponential growth in power matter more than numeral superiority. There, you have it. We do it the Apocalypse Force way: we purge the weak from our ranks, keep the strongest as our elite guard, and fulfill a Quest or two along the way. Brina mulled over the proposal. The valkyrie was opposed to necromancy in all of its forms. This foul magic vited the natural order of the world and brought her own to ruin. It was a necromancer who brought down Asgard. Worse, these undead were under Belphegors control. They could hardly fight back against their creator. Even the most foul of creatures deserved the courtesy of honorablebat. Denying it to them felt wrong to Brina. Lord Odin would have scolded her for even entertaining the notion. And yet and yet Belphegors idea wasnt without merits. At their current tier of power, either Horseman was worth thousands of troops. Armies were slow, undisciplined, and prone to routing. A single elite unit could move fast and hit hard. Despoiling the dead with necromancy for the purpose of leveling was a sinful act, a godless act, but perhaps it was thest way Brina had of leveling up. Walter Tye himself possessed enough power to challenge the gods. If Brina could not ovee one of his human thralls at her current tier of power what hope did she have of defeating his dark master? I have sacrificed my pride for power, Brina thought grimly. Why should my dignity be any different? I have gone too far to turn back now, Brina told herself. Very well, Belphegor. We will grind until the Incursion ends until I have the power to kill the one I hate most. Belphegor tilted his head to the side. And then? Brina frowned in confusion. What? Exactly, Belphegor said. Suppose you kill the necromancer you have a hate-boner for. And then what? What will you do? Brina shrugged. She had never asked herself the question and did not care for the answer. I will decide what to do with my life after the deed is done. Im just saying that associating your happiness with sess is bound to leave you miserable. The Horseman shrugged. If you fail youll be disappointed, if you win youll have nothing left. Brina snorted derisively. And what would an undead like you know of happiness? Clearly more than you, Belphegor replied with augh. He waved a hand at the burning city surrounding them. See? This is what happiness looks like. I kill for a greater purpose, you do it out of glee, Brina replied with disdain. Cats can take joy in hunting mice, but I would not call it happiness. Brina, Brina, Brina dont be so nave. Belphegor wagged a finger at her. You mistake happiness for an oue when it is a process. It is not found in the result, but in the actions taken to reach it. I am happy because I enjoy my work. Every single part. Good for you. Brina cut the discussion short. I do not need to be happy, so long as I am sessful. As a valkyrie, it had been her duty to gather the souls of the dead to lead them to Valha. As a Horseman, her role was to avenge them. She would stop at nothing to fulfill her oath. Such was her duty.
Congrattions, your level has been raised to 85. You have gained new Perks and strengthened your existing ones.
Ashok Acharya, also known as Zeus, was a hard man to please. Yet the notification brought him enough joy to crack a smile. As the Boss of the Parthenon dungeon and master of Metal Olympus, his godly avatar was directly linked to the neurotowers. Each new Incursion brought its lot of harvest souls which then fueled him with divine power. However, Ashok knew this was thest time he could afford to level-up this way. The final Incursion would stress the System so much it would require all power to sustain reality itself. No extra experience would be afforded to dungeon bosses then. In fact, dungeons would soon be a thing of the past. Ashok hoped to live long enough to see it. The Parthenon had originally been built in honor of Athena, but Ashok had reshaped its dungeon form in the Trimurtis honor. The core room at its bottom was a sanctuary whose beauty was only matched by its grandiosity. The marble ceiling rose to a looming height of over thirty meters, supported by one-hundred and eight neurotower pirs. Each of them rested on a small ind of stone surrounded by a pond no deeper than a mans ankle where lotus flowers and lily pads floated to the tune of gentle flute music. However, the truendmark of the temple was three giant statues at the end of it. Three gods of gold sat on silver lotus thrones in a meditation poses, each dressed in jewels. Wise Brahma, the Creator. Gentle Vishnu, the Preserver. And fierce Shiva, the Destroyer. Ashok offered a prayer to them, especially Vishnu. The Preserver held spheres of red energy in two of his four hands. Each contained a shadowy humanoid figure floating within in a deep trance. A man on the right, a woman on the left. Male and female, yin and yang, twins and counterparts. God and goddess. Kalki and Padmavati. What pious man alive today could boast about meeting their gods in the flesh? A pity Ashok could not talk to them. Almost all of the neurotowers energies were spent on keeping these two deities pacified and separated. The scriptures said that at the end of time, during the Kali Yuga, Vishnu-as-Kalki would marry his wife and opposite Lakshmi-as-Padmavati. Their union of flesh and spirit would usher in the end of an era of strife and sin, and the rebirth of a new world. Unknown to worshippers of the Hindu faith, this marriage was more than symbolic. The moment Ashok had brought Kalki to Padmavati, the two had begun to fuse. Monsters evolved into stronger forms through metamorphosis. Sometimes, though, different creatures merged together into a singr entity stronger than the sum of its parts. This process, called Polymorphosis, had fascinated Ashok since its discovery. Monsters did not only fuse in flesh, no. Their souls merged too. Their identities dissolved into amon spirit of immacte purity. Absolutely fascinating. It took the Parthenons power to prevent Kalki and his female counterpart frompleting this fusion. The dungeon had been specifically designed as a prison for these two and performed as advertised. Failure would have spelled the end of the world and of thepetition. Sess opened the door to many opportunities, though Ashok slightly regretted raising his arm against Lord Vishnus avatar. His death would have been an undesirable but eptable ouefor it would have let Lord Shiva purge this broken world and let another be born from the ashesbut it would have been easier if he hade quietly. Kalki did not yet realize his true purpose. Ashok sensed one of his human lieutenants teleport behind him. The man, Ramin Neel, had worked with him since the days of Pakistan. Once he piloted tanks. Now, thanks to his golden power armor shaped in the style of the ancient Maratha Empire, he had be one on legs. Mr. Acharya. The man saluted his superior. I bring news from Thessaloniki. Wee, Neel, Ashok replied courteously. Tell me, which Horseman crossed over? Two of them, ording to our scouts, said his lieutenant. War and Death, level eighty-three and seventy-eight respectively. Conquest remains unounted for. If only he knew the truth. I see, Ashok replied calmly. Have they advanced towards us yet? No. They were intercepted by a party matching the description of the Bohens. Somehow, Ashok wasnt too surprised to hear of it. The battle seems to have been inconclusive. A pity. One group wiping out the other would have removed a major source of concern. Where are they now? The Horsemen remain in Thessaloniki so far, but the Bohens were moving west before we lost track of them. His lieutenant crossed his arms. I would bet my hand that theyre aiming to take us on next. Since they couldnt beat the Horsemen, theyll probably try to catch the Avatar before them. This news did not bother Ashok much. With his new surge in levels, his God-Fields range would now cover most of Attica and the Central Greece regions. He would detect the Bohens stolen divine essences the moment they entered it. He would make sure to intercept them long before they reached Athens. Still, a warrior should treat every battle as if it were hisst. Overconfidence had nearly cost him his life when he encountered Miss Yaga. It wouldnt hurt to increase security around his base. The Bohens did manage to defeat the likes of ckcinders and Apollyon. He would not underestimate them. I want you to locate both groups and keep me informed of their movements at all times, Ashok ordered. Stick to observation for now and await further order. Very well. Neel did not teleport away immediately. If I may, Mr. Acharya Yes? Whats going to happen on the final Incursion? his lieutenant asked. The men have read the message and it disturbs them. Of course it did. Besides the monsters created by the dungeons under hismand, most of Ashoks human soldiers were the remnants of his pre-apocalypse mercenarypany. These people fought for power and materialfort. They owned no allegiance to any cause or nation, so news of iing danger filled them with doubt rather than determination. He afforded them every luxury this broken world had to offer, but sometimes that wasnt enough. I will not lie, Ashok said, before lying anyway. The final Incursion will be our greatest ordeal yet. The Maleking and the Unitys Grandmaster will no doubt cross over and challenge us for supremacy. Not everyone will survive it. Those who do, however, will be rewarded with paradise once I ascend to Overgod. It was only a half-truth. Ashok had no intention of bing an Overgodhe aimed for something far greaterbut he would indeed bring about paradise. It just wouldnt be the kind his hedonistic followers expected of him. Thats clear to me. Ramin Neel had never been a doubter. It made him reliable, if somewhat close-minded. But the men would benefit from a speech or two from your part. It would help boost morale before the Horsemen knock on our door. Of course, Ashok replied politely. I will address their concerns over dinner after my evening meditation. His lieutenant saluted him and then teleported away, leaving Ashok alone. At least, for a minute. I see you are a popr man, Ashok. Anton Maxwell stepped out from behind a neurotower pir and walked to his colleagues side. Ashok hadnt sensed him teleporting in, which he found deeply unsettling. It astonishes me that you have yet to find a wife or boyfriend with so many sycophants. Love and lust are a source of sentimentality, and sentimentality is weakness. If the Buddha could deny them, so will I. Ashok greeted his former employer with a respectful nod. It is good to see you again, Mr. Maxwell. Your courtesy does you credit, Ashok, Maxwell replied with an amused chuckle. You cant fathom how rare it is nowadays. From the beginning of his career as an Indian footsoldier to mercenary trading blood for money, Ashok Acharya had always taken pride in his politeness. Rudeness wasnt professional. It led to others holding grudges and led humans down the path of pointless sentimentality. In his mind, showing disrespect was far worse than taking a life. Death led to reincarnation and a new chance at reaching blissful Nirvana. Insults led to shame, and shame led to dukha; the poison of the soul. Detachment was the path to happiness. Only by achieving total separation from humanityby freeing oneself from guilt, desire, andpassioncould a soul achieve Nirvana. Other sects had called Ashok a heretic, a godless madman who perverted the gods teachings by shedding innocent blood. They were wrong. Ashok considered himself a godly man, a spiritual man. By freeing souls from their painful, sinful existence as human beings, he granted them a chance to be reborn in a purer state closer to Nirvana. While each death, each murder, slowly helped Ashok shed the chains of sentimentality binding him to mortality. Ashoks ceaseless quest for heaven had led him to Maxwells doorstep or rather, it led Maxwell to him. The manthough Ashok knew his former employer couldnt truly be called thisintended to summon the Trimurti to Earth to select a new god. Though Ashok cared nothing for unlimited power, the possibility of meeting his creators was simply too tempting. It was his opportunity to gauge his own spiritual progress and confirm if he was on the right path. He had bet on the right horse. The more the apocalypse unfolded, the greater insight Ashok gained into the nature of the universe. The discovery of Polymorphosis, of the divine union of spirits, had opened his mind to a grand n. One that would save not only Ashoks own soul, but all those trapped on Earth. The only part he could have done without was his current avatar. He did not truly mind using Zeus essenceall gods were emanations of the Trimurti in Ashoks mindbut he would have preferred to be one with a deity closer to his aspirations, such as Lord Indra. He hadnt yet given up on this goal of divine union. Still, arent you a little bit afraid? Maxwell mused. This seemingly inconsequential party, forgive the expression, removed the others from the board. We helped, Ashok replied. Maxwell threw the others to the wolves because it amused him. Ashok sabotaged them because they wouldnt have understood his vision. They remained prisoners of their passions and sentimentalities. Is that why you visited me today, Mr. Maxwell? Tofort me in my moment of truth? Of course, my friend, Anton replied, lying through his teeth. You never know where troublees from. Who would have thought a merry band of nobodies and cannon fodder would rise through the ranks, turn Benjamin astray, and then turn into an elite force barging at our door? Surprises like this are what make immortality worth living. Maxwell was blinded by his demiurgic arrogance, but Ashok was humble enough to see the gods will at work behind these coincidences. Like Vishnu gatheredpanions in his Krishna incarnation, the hand of fate had guided Kalki towards allies. Ashok did not believe these Bohens met the Avatar by ident; instead, Kalki had subconsciously sensed their potential and sought them out because of it. All the people he had met on his journey across Europefrom General Lenc to Benjamin Leroy and Basil Bohenproved instrumental in protecting mankind from its many enemies. Lord Vishnu had chosen his champions well. Of course, the fact is that I must ensure thepetition continues all the way to the final Incursion, Maxwell admitted. I cannot open the correct portal until then. A portal to a world without a System in it? Ashok guessed. Maxwells smile stretched to reveal rows of sharp teeth. Does that bother you? I do not care as long as I be Overgod, Ashok lied. Good, Maxwell answered with a lie of his own. Thats why you are my favorite. You dont let petty grudges get in the way of your ambitions. Which was why Ashok had spent a great deal of resources hiding his true goals and figuring out Maxwells own. He had gained a pretty good insight into his employers true nature, or at least he believed so. Besides the pragmatic purpose of ensuring the universes stability, capturing the Avatar also served as bait. Ashok needed Maxwell close at hand. Dismaker Labs mastermind couldnt afford that Kalki might free himself and end thepetition early, so he would fight to keep him chained. Am I powerful enough now? Ashok wondered. He would have only one shot at taking Maxwell by surprise. Failure meant death, which Ashok didnt fear, but it also spelled the end of his ambitions. No, I mustnt prove too hasty. Walking slowly, even the donkey will reach Lhasa. The right moment woulde when the gods willed it. Ashok was patient. There wasnt a single tree that hadnt been battered by the wind. In the end, Nirvana woulde for all. Even Maxwell. Chapter 118: Woman vs Team-Building Chapter 118: Woman vs Team-Building It had been a day and a night since the Incursion began. Greeces sky remained a shining circuit of golden pathways and eldritch energy. The light did not dim no matter the hour. Day and night alike had lost all meaning. But it wasnt the sky above her head that worried Vasi Yaga. It was the ground beneath her feet. It hadnt stopped shaking every few hours or so since the party had left Thessaloniki, opening rifts across the countryside and raisingrge waves battering against the Mediterranean shores. After a narrow encounter where arge part of the coast fell into the sea, the group had retreated deeper ind. On the morning of the Incursions second day, Steve stopped under the ominous shadow of Mount Olympus to rest. The green aurora at the mountains top indicated that its summit had been turned into a dungeon, though fortunately no portal opened above the mountain; Vasi guessed Ashok ensured that as few rifts as possible would threaten his turf. The Bohens had lost their pursuers along the way and disposed of the creatures in the area, so they should have a moment of peace. They needed it. As she finished her tour of the sky in search of potential danger, Vasinded back at the camp to find Basil hard at work cooking breakfast. From the smell, he was preparing crepes with eggs, pesto, cheese, and a slice of bread. All with a disappointed look on his face. Having gone steady with him for over three months now, Vasi was starting to understand how her boyfriends mind worked. Though he had mellowed out over the course of their journeys, Basil was an angry man at heart. When wronged, he retaliated with extreme force and prejudice. And when he failed, his fury turned inward. So Basil Bohen kept his mind busy through work. Vasi had tried to reach out to him by offering him a shoulder to cry on, but by now she understood Basil wasnt the kind of person to confide or talk things out. Manualbor was therapy for him. The best she could do for now was to give him space until he reached out to her. Vasinded among the rest of the team, who had spread around the Steamobile. Shellgirl was typing on that strange machine the humans of Earth called aptop while to and Rosemarine were ying a Board & Conquest game; thetter was rooted in the earth in her nymph form and weed a distraction when she produced her miraculous fruits. As for Bugsy Bugsy, are you reading a book? The scene of the giant centipede monster carefully flipping a small manuals pages with his enormous pincers was so incongruous that gave Vasi pause. I think this is the first time Ive seen you do that. Ah, yes it is. Bugsy cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed. I figured I needed to. How so? Vasi checked the books cover. The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature isnt that one of Basils books? I, uh, I borrowed it from the Boss, yes. Bugsys startail wagged sheepishly. I mean, Im strong, but you and Shellgirl youre smart. I figured that since battles will only get harder from now on, I should strengthen my mind. A wise choice, Bugsy. Though Vasi wasnt sure if this book held secrets that would enhance Bugsys battle performance, everyone should read a book now and then. An open mind was stronger than a narrow one. What is this grimoire about? Ive just started it, but its fascinating. Bugsys embarrassment turned to enthusiasm as he shared his discovery. Did you know that many species develop new traits to maximize reproductive sess? Breeding is one of the main factors of evolution! It is true that Basils werebear evolution yed a role in us getting together, Vasi joked. Exactly! Bugsy nodded happily. Im sure this book contains insight that will help us in battle! Vasi smiled. She was starting to understand why Bugsy picked this book. It did appeal to his strange obsession with romance in general. Does it tell you how to win Board & Conquest games too? to asked as he stood atop a cushion and pushed a Vanir Cat Chariot figurine closer to one of Rosemarines Fafner Dragons. From the shape of the board, to was desperately trying to exploit an opening in his rivals formation as ast-ditch effort to escape encirclement. Cause I need help right now. I sacrifice five resources to summon a Treescarred Dwarf Shaman next to my western fort, Rosemarine said as she moved the appropriate figure on the board. It gives my dragon a shield token, so you cant kill it next turn. No, no, no! No, you dont! to cursed, mming his cushion with his paws in his rage. Curse this cheating Nidavelir expansion! I do not cheat, Mr. to. Rosemarines expression turned into a smug grin. I win. You should start fielding some Aesir tanks with your Vanir infantry, to, Vasi suggested. ying mono-armies has never been the best strategy in B&C. But to wouldnt hear any of it. I know my proud feline army will eventually pull through. Who cares if they are not the strongest? They more than make up for it in nobility of life, in the beauty of their spirit I have my dragon eat your goddess and her little cat too, Rosemarine said as she toppled two figures off the board. Argh! to hissed in anger. I willpost every figurine you care about. Rosemarines grin turned into an unsettling smile. She was disturbinglypetitive about war games, and terrifyingly good at them. Then I will lick your tears! Hey, guys, cut down on the banter! Shellgirl chided them over herptop. I cant hear Ronald! Bugsy immediately raised his head from his book. Ronald? Yes, Ronald! Shellgirl flipped herptop and showcased the screen to the group. Say hello to everyone! To Vasis surprise, it appeared Shellgirl had refined herptop with parts from the Unitys holomachines. The screen was segmented like a beehive, with each alcove showcasing a different persons face. Three of them showed the shining eyes of reformed Gearsmen. Two more pictured were a pale goblin and a more brutish, orcish creature. Only the sixth showcased Ronald. Vasi immediately identified her old ally, though he had undergone some changes. The demonic burger had grown evenrger than before; the call showed him looming over the neurotower he controlled like a child over a toy. The burger creature now wore a golden crown encrusted into its bread body, and its saliva resembled acidic green sauce rather than ketchup. Finally, four legs of mismatched chicken drumsticks carried it like an elephant. Ronald says hello! the creature waved his slimy tongue at the Bohens. Ronald d to see you all grown-up! Hello! Rosemarine kindly waved back. Nice legs! How many monsters did you kill to grow them? Theyre beautiful, Bugsymented. And theyre crispy! Ronald now Burger King, Ronald replied. With a whooping level 70! to snorted. Do trademarks still apply now that the world ended? Vasi wondered how Ronald could gain so many levels without killing his way across the world as the Bohens did, before remembering he had tied himself to that French dungeon that they conquered a while ago. It made her feel a bit jealous that he didnt have to suffer to earn those levels. Some of the other people on the screen looked strangely familiar too. Do I know you? Vasi asked the goblinoid creature. I feel like weve met before. Duh, the white goblin said. We were neighbors. That did it. In what had felt like a lifetime ago, Shellgirl held a market in the Barthes marshes of southern France to trade supplies with other monsters. Orcine had been alive back then, and they met Kalki for the first time at the gathering. Cafaimal and Vasi drew a nk. Benny? Benoit, the orcish creature answered. Benoit the Hob. Sorry, its been a while, Vasi apologized. I think the house was still standing when west met. You guys fled and abandoned the marsh to Apollyon! Bugsy scolded them. Cowards! Yeah, were sorry about that, Cafaimal, the white goblin, answered with a tone that implied otherwise. No offense, but we thought you guys were toast and it was best to skip town. Did it work out for you? to askedzily. Were still alive, Cafaimal replied with a shrug. I admit we were surprised when we applied to that big trade organization and it turned out to be yours. Thats right, Shellgirl International is everywhere! Shellgirl boasted. A worldwide supply chain! Query, one of the Gearsmen said. Were the runecore fragments of sufficient quality? They were perfect! Shellgirl smiled wickedly. So much that, in the light of these troubled times were living through, Im giving you all a raise! A joyful chorus echoed her proposal. Strong statement, one of the Gearsmen answered. You are the best employer we ever had. Considering thest one didnt even pay them, Vasi guessed that didnt mean much. Shellgirl appreciated the praise all the same. You are too kind, the mimic told her friends. Well keep in touch until the Incursion ends! See you! The Bohens waved goodbye to their allies across Europe before Shellgirl closed herptop and ended the transmission. That went well, she said. The Incursion is causing a lot of disruptions, but theyre adjusting. Is everything alright on their end? Bugsy asked out of concern. I mean, are there any creatures as strong as Brina and Belphegor appearing in France and Bulgaria? Thankfully not. Shellgirl sat next to the B&C board to observe thepetition. Since Leroy blew up most neurotowers in Western Europe, portals are few and far between in the region. There are some level sixty or so creatures running around, but theyre manageable. Makes sense, Vasi said. Considering how experience is distributed, the higher the level curve, the fewer the people. There must be one level forty monster for every ten thousand level twenty and so on. Shellgirl nodded. That and neither the Unity nor the Apocalypse Force sent a lot of invaders this time. At least in Western Europe. Of course. The Unity faced a lot of trouble since Walter distributed his Awaken Soul virus to its enemies off-world, and the Apocalypse Force focused its remaining armies in Greece under themand of its remaining Horsemen. Civilization might actually weather the third Incursion better than thest. But since the fourth would allow the likes of the Maleking to enter Earth, it was probably the calm before the storm. Ive also made progress on the Belphegor front. Shellgirl pped her hands and materialized two green arrows in them. Look! Can you tell the difference? Let me see. Vasi examined the projectiles. To her surprise, the stats of each indeed differed slightly. Both were poisonous arrows capable of bypassing Poison Immunity, but included different conditions for this ability to trigger. The first arrow only affects individuals with a lower level than the archer, while the second allows a Vitality check to ignore the ailment. I knew you would see it! Shellgirl stored the arrows in her inventory before rubbing her hands. Ive been experimenting with my crafting process and heres what Ive found: as far as ailments are concerned, a drawback will remain no matter how much I optimize the item. I think the rule is that there must always be a way out even if it can bypass immunity. I suppose thats inevitable, Vasi noted. As much as she wanted to find the perfect weapon, the System was designed to grant everyone a rtively fair chance to be Overgod. Even the leaders of Dismaker Labs couldnt cover all their weaknesses. Thats not all, Shellgirl added. The more targets the item can affect, the broader the escape use. Oh, I get it! Bugsy wagged his startail. Since the petrification bomb can affect everything in a vast radius, it has a lot of drawbacks that a single-target arrow wont have! Exactly! Shellgirl beamed with pride. Hence my n. I can refine an object that will bypass Petrification Immunity and the lower-level requirement. However, it means the item will only target one individual who will have a chance to shrug off the ailment with sufficient Vitality, since thats the stat that matters most against Petrification. So in short, if you create a petrification arrow, Vasi summarized, Not only will we need to nail Belphegor with it, but also lower his Vitality stat to make sure he wont be able to resist it? Shellgirl confirmed with a nod. Thats the idea. Im also thinking of crafting bullets too. Basil will love them, Vasi confirmed. His Holy War Apotheosis Perk worked on guns as well as swords. How many projectiles can you craft? Shellgirls expression instantly deted. Thats the bad news. I require a whole Gearsman Titan Core to craft a single projectile, so I can craft five of them? Six at most, maybe. Thats not much, but I guess it cant be helped. Vasi looked over her shoulder as her boyfriend joined the group with a te full of warm crepes. Well n our tactics ordingly. How are you feeling, Handsome? Vasi asked as Basil sat next to her. Depressed, Basil admitted with a sad smile. I dont deal with loss well. Its not a loss, its a tactical retreat, Shellgirl insisted as she napped a crepe. If we didnt intend to return and kick their ass, then it would be a loss! I remind you that its not the first time we tactically retreated, to mused. When we were green, we ran away from a Gearsman. A Gearsman. Bugsy saved us all that day. I remember! Bugsy pped his wings happily. We ran all the way to the house and I copsed from exhaustion afterward! Oh, I never heard of that one! Shellgirl chuckled. Was that before we met? Right before, Rosemarine confirmed. She seemed to remember the event well. Its where I grabbed my first gun! Yeah, I guess well do better next time. Basil nodded to himself. We know most of the Horsemens abilities, so we can n around them. We should target Belphegor first, Vasi said as she tasted her crepe. Basil had added spinach to it, which the witch found delightful. Soooo good. Brina didnt seem capable of healing her wounds on her own. Thats the first rule of war crimes, shoot the medic first, to mused as he deployed a Vanir Archer to kill Rosemarines Treescarred Dwarf Shaman. Ah! Fate has chosen I, to, to turn the tide by destroying your bearded excuse of a healer! Rosemarine swiftly countered his move. I am spending five resources to deploy another and crush all your hopes! to cursed, much to his partys amusement. Speaking of crafting weapons, Basil told Shellgirl. Did you manage to create more anti-lightning items? Yep. Shellgirl nodded. My devoted workers are gathering thunderbird feathers to craft amulets as we speak. Im sure I can equip everyone here with one before we hit Athens. Good. Vasi smiled in relief. Ashok might have gained a method to bypass Lightning Immunity since ourst encounter, but if he hasnt, these amulets will neutralize his most dangerous attacks. Im less worried about Ashok than his allies, Basil admitted. Since your Darkest Fear spell counters himpletely, he will target you first. He will try. Vasi leaned against her boyfriends chest. Will my dear knight protect me then? Of course. Basil put an arm around Vasis shoulders reassuringly. Ill maul him to death before I let him touch you. So romantic Bugsy whispered. We finally received the funds Neria promised us, so we can raid Walters ce for more supplies too, Shellgirl noted with enthusiasm. Were one shopping spree away from being invincible! Dont tempt fate, please, to pleaded as he found hisst twomanders cornered by Rosemarines army. And youre forgetting someone too. Basil nodded sharply. Maxwell. True, he might want to keep Kalki out of our hands, Vasi noted. She crossed her arms as she reviewed what they knew of Dismaker Labs founder which was unfortunately little. Does anyone have any idea what his abilities are? Even Leroy didnt know. Basil sighed. We dont even understand his true nature, nor his motives. He could be the Horseman of Conquest, to suggested. This drew everyones attention. The Horseman of Conquest? Vasi repeated with a frown. Do tell us more, oh king of cats. Am I the only one to remember what that overbearing candle told us? to shrugged. He said that the Horseman of Conquest had been here long before Apollyon and that was why they entered Earth in the first ce. Moreover, he called him Mammon, Basil said with a scowl. The demon of greed. I could see him infiltrate society as a morally bankrupt businessman. But if Maxwell is with the Apocalypse Force, why let the likes of the Unity onto Earth? Shellgirl pointed out. It doesnt add up. Maybe he wants to eat everyone? Rosemarine suggested. He could be ying a double-game, Vasi agreed. From the one interaction they had, Maxwell didnt seem physically capable of loyalty. Conflict seems to be an end in itself for him. He doesnt even appear interested in bing an Overgod. Shellgirl frowned in skepticism. Im not so sure about the conflict part, Vasi. From what we know, hes been spending what, centuries jumping from world to world, summoning the Trimurti System, and then destroying the ce? So? Basil asked. So if I were in his ce and my goal was to have fun, I would shake things up now and then, Shellgirl pointed out. Repeating the same market strategy again and again sounds awfully boring to me. True, Vasi conceded. Maybe Walter is right and Maxwell gains something from the process. Maybe hes trying to impress a girl? Bugsy suggested. The proposal was so oundish that it drew a chuckle from Basil himself. Bugsy, dont take it the wrong way, but how would someone''s dating life be rted to destroyings? Uh, I mean Bugsy raised his book as if it were a shield. Thats what the book says! Reproduction bes more borate to shake off parasites and determine a mates worthiness to pass on its genes! Hes not wrong, you know? to joked. I too offer a dead bird to female cats when I want to breeeeeed. When I have a boyfriend, I hope he gives me a dead sun as a token of love, Rosemarine chirped happily. Thement immediately triggered Basils paternal instincts. You are too young for boyfriends, Rosemarine. Vasi opened her mouth to tease Bugsy about his suggestion before closing it immediately as a word rang heavily in her mind. Parasites. The witch squinted at Bugsy. You mentionned parasites? Yes, thats what the book says. Bugsy regained confidence at the opportunity of showcasing his newfound knowledge. Evolution is an arms race between lifeforms and parasites that try to feed off them! Like viruses! Vasi did not answer immediately. Her mind worked furiously to assemble pieces of arger puzzle. Basil immediately noticed her odd response. Vasi, whats wrong? If I remember well Vasi chewed her lower lip as a hypothesis formed in her thoughts. At one point, Benjaminpared the neurotowerwork to a bloodstream. Im not so sure but its an apt analogy, yes. The System does feed on blood and death. Basil squinted. Why? Because now Vasi started to see the System not as a cold cosmic machine, but as a living creature. And from that perspective, a certain madmans behavior suddenly became quite logical. When you met the elves of Elysium, she asked, did you confirm beyond doubt that their world didnt have a System before the Trimurti were summoned? Yeah, things unfolded as they did on Earth. Basil quickly caught on. Maxwell never visited a world that already had a System before his arrival. Vasi nodded sharply. She cleared her throat, choosing her words well. Imagine, she said with a deep, serious voice, that you are a parasite, Her entire party afforded her their full attention. Even to and Rosemarine interrupted their game to listen. You are a vile, monstrous creature that feeds off the misery of others, Vasi said. For all of your intelligence, your only objective is to jump from one host to the next as you leave a trail of death in your wake. Survival at any cost. Sounds simple on paper, isnt it? She raised an index finger for dramatic purposes. But theres a catch, Vasi exined. Youre the picky kind of parasite. You have evolved to feed off a specific kind of superorganism that demands a lot of resources to raise in the first ce. Worse, you inevitably destroy it after working it to death. And theres evolutionary pressure at work, as Bugsy pointed out. Who is the most vulnerable to infection in a given poption? Basil scowled. As the one with a background in pharmaceuticals, he was starting to understand the big picture. Children, because of their underdeveloped immune system. Exactly. Vasi joined her hands. Adult hosts will have experience with your kind. Their immune system will recognize the infestation and purge you. But you feed on a very rare kind of host that rarely arises naturally. So how do you solve the problem? to nced at Rosemarine. You cultivate them, he guessed. Like a nt. Yes, indeed. Vasi nodded grimly. You find a ce with rich soil of nutrients, you nt a seed, and then youtch on it like a tick. And when that nt withers after exhausting all its resources You move on and repeat the process, Basil cut in sharply. His eyes burned with both horror and anger. You hop to another that doesnt know any better. That was what Bugsys book suggested: the moreplex a lifeform, the more it would attract leeches and viruses to feed on it. This logic applied to everything. Even Systems. Chapter 119: Man vs Black Friday Chapter 119: Man vs ck Friday Behind his counter, Walter Tye stopped counting his coins. A System parasite? Is that something that sounds usible to you? Basil asked while Vasi and Shellgirl reviewed the wares. The two girls blissfully jumped from one product to another, discussing the merits of buying a forbidden spell grimoire over a legendary sword. It was amazing how many items here required near-limitless funds to purchase. If a System is akin to aputer, then it should suffer from viruses or trojan horses. I am still learning about theseputer devices of yours, so I cannot say if that is an aptparison. The interdimensional shopkeeper put a finger on his chin as he thoughtfully considered the problem. But Vasis theory does sound usible. However, you can''t confirm it? Walter shook his head. I have yet to meet a creature with the same behavior as Maxwells. Hagen, who had been dutifully standing behind his employer, faked the sound of a cough. An astonishing performance, since he had no head. Thats not quite true, chief. We do know of a cmity that leeched off a System in the past. Ah, yes, I see your point, Walter conceded with a frown. If Basil wasnt mistaken, he had caught a brief look of annoyance in his eyes. There is one creature in my world that profited from our Systems life cycle for eons. It did not jump from one universe to another, but it leeched souls and power from it. For what purpose? Basil asked with a frown. Survival, of course. Hagen chuckled. Survival at any cost. I doubt Maxwell is rted to this particr creature, Walter said, clearly ufortable with the subject. It immediately aroused Basils suspicion, considering the shopkeeper had never shown himself bothered by anything. There must have been quite an interesting story behind it. Even if he isnt, this proves parasitizing a System is possible, Basil pointed out. It could be a case of convergent evolution. Simr environmental pressures leading to a simr adaptation in two different species. It could be, Walter conceded. If this theory is correct, then this raises more questions. Namely, is Maxwell a unique abomination or a mere specimen among many? Basil would prefer the former. The mere possibility that rival Maxwells haunted the multiverse filled him with as much dread as seeing the eye of Brahma for the first time. Im leaning towards the former hypothesis, since his modus operandi isnt especially subtle, Walter said. If there were others like him, there should be more traces of their destructive feeding habits. However, we cant entirely rule out the second option. He told me that he didnt need to make the Trimurti System as brutal as it is, Basil pointed out. Moreover, Maxwell clearly took pleasure in hurting people. His sadism went beyond mere hunger. That implies his behavior isnt his nature, but a choice. It may be that his species is for the most part either harmless or extremely rare, Hagen suggested. Perhaps both. Walter nodded in agreement. Few parasites actually kill their hosts. Pragmatically speaking, it means they can no longer feed on itter. This is why some viruses start off lethal but eventually evolve into bing mildly irritating. If there are indeed a species of parasites that feed on Systems, I would wager most of them are minor nuisances. They might cause bugs here and there, but otherwise do their best to fly under the radar. Then you think Maxwell is an aberration, Basil guessed. Once a poption growsrge enough, it is inevitable that a small segment of it disys antisocial tendencies, Walter replied. It is possible that Maxwell is a dangerous psychopath by his own species standards. Somehow that makes him even creepier, Basil thought. Any suggestions on how to take him out? I dont think defeating him in battle will be the main issue, Walter said. Parasites arent particrly known for their fighting prowess. Except he might be an outlier, Basil countered. And if he is indeed the Horseman of Conquest, then he rose through the ranks through personal power. Do not misunderstand me, Basil. I did not say defeating him would be easy. However, his behavioravoiding confrontations, using proxies, sowing discord, flying under the radar whenever possiblepaints the portrait of someone who considers battle ast resort. Considering everything weve learned so far, hes more likely to escape to another world than stand his ground. And burn the house down on his way out, Hagen mused. Thats the real threat. Basil clenched his jaw. Maxwell had left a trail of destroyed worlds in his wake and never let the Overgodpetition reach its climax. This could only mean one thing. Hes going to murder Kalki at one point or another, Basil guessed. Either once he feels cornered or when the fourth Incursion hits Earth. He didnt seek to capture him to endanger thepetition, but to end it when its most convenient. I have no love for your godly friend, Walter replied with a sharp nod. But if you wish to preserve your, rescuing him should be your top priority. Of course. Basil would have rescued Kalki even if the sake of Earth didnt hang in the bnce. He was a friend after all. What about Brina? Basil asked. What are you going to do about her? To his surprise, Walter appeared puzzled. Who? Brina, Basil repeated. The Horseman of War. Somehow she learned of our association and attacked me over it. Brina, Brina Walter scratched his forehead. Im sorry, Basil. I do not remember anyone with that name. The chief has killed so many people, you would need a registry to note all the names, Hagen joked darkly. She was a valkyrie of Odin, Basil said, trying to jog the merchants memory. And she called you Nidhogg. Some of the valkyries survived? Walter looked vaguely amused, though his eyes remained cold as ice. I have grown careless in my old age. Yes, in this case, it is possible that I have wronged her. I am sorry if she caused you trouble. Are you going to finish the job? Basil asked. That would remove a big thorn from my foot. The answer was as swift as it was disappointing. No, I will not. Walter Tye raised two fingers. First of all, I cannot enter Earth myself yet. Second, while this Brina person might have a grudge against me, she hasnt made a move to target me or my business. Youre wrong, Basil replied with a scoff. She attacked me because I was one of your customers. From what Ive heard, you targeted her first as a Horseman of the Apocalypse Force, Walter replied. The two of you would have feuded even if neither of you knew me. Would you stop hunting her even if we ended our association? No, I wouldnt, Basil growled in frustration. So much for consumer protection. Walters expression softened a little. You seem disappointed. Basil looked away. Lets just say that after all the help you provided, all the information we brought you, and our discussions, I thought our rtionship had evolved beyond the purely transactional. It did, Walter replied calmly. I do consider you and Vasi something akin to friends, Basil. I helped you more than my duties as a merchant required. Basil sighed. But at the end of the day, we arent that close. Not yet at least, Walter admitted. Perhaps one day. Now, if she were to spend her time harassing my clients in general, that would be something else. She would be threatening my business as a whole and so I would take action. But isted incidents are, forgive my wording, your responsibility. I am a merchant, not a bodyguard. Basil squinted at the shopkeeper. So unless she breaks into your shop to attack you, you will leave her be? More or less. Walter smiled thinly. Basil, what are you thinking of? You should know, you are the one who can read minds. Basil shrugged. Anyway, Ill need my halberd if I am to take her out. For both of our sakes. Walters smile turned genuine. He snapped his fingers, and a dreadful weapon materialized over the counter. Though it had changed a great deal, Basil immediately recognized his halberd the same way a mature man would identify his first crush. Age had only refined its natural beauty. The weapon had been reforged with ck, stainless steel of the greatest purity. Complex runes interwoven in the long hard shaft glowed on the surface, oozing power and nobility; each marked a new stop in a journey that began when a Swiss cksmith first forged it, and now ended in reunion with its true owner. Where there was once only a single ax-de, Walter forged two des for twice the pleasure. Each was as sharp as a lovers lips. Like bodyguards, they surrounded a ruby skull motif with ck pearls for eyes. A spear tip in the shape of a crown throned atop it. Most mortals would have faltered before its ghastly appearance. But Basil knew better. This weapon hadnt been crafted for him, no. It was he who had been born to wield it. He seized the shaft with a gentlemans care and a lovers passion, immediately sensing the connection between them reforming. The soul of the god Pluto called out to Basils own from within the ck steel. They were two halves made whole.
La Mortifre
Family: Soulbound Weapon (Axe/Spear).
Quality: S.
Power: +25 STR.
Crit: +30%
uracy: 80%
Effect 1: [Full Damage]: The weapon ignores defensive stats like Vitality or Charisma.
Effect 2: [Plutos Legacy]: Inflicts an additional 30% [Earth] damage and 30% [Soul] damage. Both pierce through Resistance.
Effect 3: [Soulkiller]: Mortifre wounds the soul as well as the body. Not only can it hit incorporeal targets, but it also ignores damage reduction from armor and equipment; damage reduction from Perks is unaffected. If Mortifrends a killing blow, the target is under an [Permadead] effect and cannot be revived in any way.
Effect 4: [SP Drain]: When the weapon inflicts damage, the wielder steals an amount of SP from the target equal to half the HP damage.
Effect 5: [Death Equalizer]: If the wielder possesses a Perk that only applies against a certain creature Type, it now applies to all Types.
When La Mortifre calls, you can only tell her: not today. She never listens.
I hope you are satisfied with the result, Walter said. Very, Basil whispered in awe. He gently swung it, the des cutting through the air with a sharp sound. If the effects produced the synergies he expected then dragons werent the only creatures that should fear him. Could it potentially, say kill a body-hopping creature for good? If yound the killing blow, certainly. Walter chuckled. Though from what I have heard, you already figured out another counter to that particr kind of opponent. When confronted with a difficult problem, it never hurts to have multiple back-up ns, Vasi said as she and Shellgirl returned to the counter with empty purses. The witch wielded a ck wood scepter surging with power. Happy with your new gift, handsome? I admit I am Holding his halberd with one hand, Basil put his other behind Vasi and ferociously pulled her closer to him. Excited. That makes two of us, his girlfriend replied while licking her lips. Both of them ignored the others. If we werent in public I would do something very dirty to you right now. Basil nced at her purchase, trying to understand why it aroused her so much. Her staff looked utterly ordinary; a mere piece of ck wood with intertwined roots for a top. If he didnt have enough Intelligence to see its stats, he would have probably overlooked it. Perhaps that was the lesson.
Staff of the Archmagi
Family: Weapon (Staff).
Quality: S.
Power: +12 INT.
Crit: +0%
uracy: 100%
Effect 1: [el Spell]: A spellcaster can spend twice as much SP to double a spells base power. This stacks with [Turbo: Magic].
Effect 2: [Doublecast]: The spellcaster can cast two spells in one action, though they must pay the SP cost for both.
Effect 3: [Spell Extension]: The duration of the spellcasters spells is doubled.
Effect 4: [Picky Spell]: When using a spell that usually targets indiscriminately, the caster can decide to exclude their party from its effects; thus avoiding friendly fire.
Effect 5: [Turbo: Magic]: All spells cast with this staff have their damage increased by 30% and will pierce through all forms of Resistance.
The deluxe swiss army knife of spellcasting wands, this staff is proof that the strongest Fighter holds no candlepared to a properly optimized God-Wizard. It has been on the forbidden list of items of most Systems since its creation.
Absolute power did not need to prove itself. Its awesome how powerful you can get when youre rich, Shellgirlmented as she put her bag of purchases on the counter. It included a pile of various metal ore for crafting, a shield meant for to, alchemy recipes, spellcasting grimoires, an enchanted ck glove and a strange miniature. Can you tell me what the statuette does? I cant read its stats. It has no effect as you understand it, Walter replied. At least outside of Board & Conquest. The mention of his favorite game instantly drew Basil out of his halberd-induced haze of pleasure. He nced at the figurine, which represented a pale, winged serpent with human skulls for scales. It did resemble a B&C miniature, but not one that he recognized. This bothered Basil Bohen a lot. I have never seen this miniature, and I know them all. Basil squinted at it, while Vasi rolled her eyes. She was a casual, but her boyfriend was an enjoyer. Is it a uniquemander? You know the game too? Hagen chuckled in amusement. Then again, it is a multiversal constant. B&C exists in one form or another in every world with sentient life on it, Walter confirmed. I suspect a dimensional traveler deliberately introduces the game to civilizations. That, or the B&C game is intrinsically linked to the very concept of intelligence. Oh, perhaps I should get into the multiversal figurine business too, Shellgirl said with a grin. How much for it? This miniature is not for sale. I only showcase it among my best wares as advertisement. Walter seized the figurine and held onto it as if it were his hearts treasure. As far as I know, there are only four of these figurines in the entire multiverse. I collected three of them and destroyed the fourth, so no one would use it against me in a match. The moment the shopkeeper said these words, Basil was ovee with primal desire. He didnt want to possess this miniature; he needed it. Walter had casually needled his pride as a Board & Conquest gamer, and that wouldnt stand. This figurine is not for sale, Basil repeated. But would you be willing to bet it in a game? The shops temperature dropped to an absolute zero. The change was as brutal as it was immediate. All felt it. Hagen straightened up behind the counter, his armored fingers trembling with fear. Vasi clutched onto her staff. Shellgirls slimy skin turned colder than ice cream. Only Basil held his ground, though he sensed an invisible pressure slowly weighing on his shoulders. Did you perhapse to this shop secretly hoping to challenge me at B&C? Walter put two fingers on his temple as he locked eyes with Basil. Was it fate that brought you here, or foolishness? Although the shopkeeper remained outwardly calm, his tense bodynguage told another story. A dark aura of potent malice exuded from his skin. Neither Apollyons cruelty nor ckcinders cold-blooded anger couldpare with it. It is my policy not to hold grudges or make enemies. Walter did not raise his tone, but each of his words cut like a knife. Though I often falter and give in to my baser instincts, these are words by which I try to live by. I approach all challenges with a clear, rational mind. I treat my customers with the utmost professional respect and detachment, so long as I am shown courtesy in turn. This is the essence of the shopkeeper''s life. A B&C board materialized on the shop counter. Three hundred miniatures stood on it like an army emerging from a war camp. Fire Giants, Undead Berserker Lords, Midgard Serpentspawn, and other legendarymanders were included among their number even the infamous Inferno King Surtr miniature, which had been banned since the very first Board & Conquest tournament. This might be the most powerful army ever fielded in the game. Some of these models individually sold for over thirty thousand euros before the worlds end. Their total upkeep cost would probably reach the millions if money was still a thing on Earth. But Basil knew these miniatures hadnt been purchased with money, but paid for with blood. But to challenge me at B&C, Basil to challenge me at B&C over a priceless miniature Walter Tyes eyes turned red as blood. Means courting destion. Do you understand this truth?
New Quest unlocked: Challenger of Despair
Rmended Level: 99+
Death might y chess, but Walter Tye ys Board & Conquest. Defeat him in a fair B&C contest without losing your soul.
Reward: 30,000,000 EXP + Nidhogg Collector Miniature.
There was a moment in the life of a man when destiny called. One could either turn away in disgrace or face their fate with resolve. Shellgirl. Basil sat in front of Walter. Fetch me my dwarf miniatures. Shellgirl gulped. The tension in the air was palpable. All of them, partner? All of them, even those from the restricted list. Considering the army of hell on the board, Basil would need every advantage to win. Before we begin, Walter. I want to set three rules. First of all, no cheating. No reading my mind, no Perks, nothing that would sully the purity of the battle. Well take precautions against it. I have no issues with this, Walter replied. His calm, emotionless tone did nothing to hide the undercurrent of danger belying his words. I do not need to cheat to destroy you. Second, we will choose the map at random, so as not to advantage either yer. cement and terrain mattered as much as armyposition in B&C. And third, if you possess enough fortitude and bravery I want you to cast a spell. Walter raised an eyebrow. A spell? You will animate the figures as if they were living creatures. Moreover, you will create a psychic link between them and their yers. Basil flipped the Inferno King figurine with a snap of his fingers. When a yer loses one of their creatures, they will directly feel the pain through their body and soul. What? Vasi choked in astonishment, while Hagen exploded inughter. Basil, you cant be serious! I am entirely serious, Basil replied, studying Walters emotionless face. The proposal already hit his mental defenses the way a ram battered a fortress gates. Vasi was a new yer, so she did not understand that the battle had already started. Both Walter and Basil were trying to psych out the other; for he who gained the psychological advantage would gain a crucial lead in the battle toe. B&C was not about who has the best smarts or the deepest pockets. It was also about the iron will to win, and the resolve to prevail at any cost. Very well, Basil. Walter crossed his legs and slouched in his chair in a daring power move. I ept your obituary. Forget the Maleking and Maxwell. This man was the ultimate opponent at the end of the road. Chapter 120: Man vs Endgame Gear Chapter 120: Man vs Endgame Gear to loved hunting things that couldnt fight back. Now,mon wisdom would think that someone would get bored of theck of challenge. But to was a simple cat with simple tastes. He would have been happy chasing after birds and miceafter napping eighteen hours a day of coursefor the rest of his existence. The apocalypse had changed hunting from a happy promenade into a time of danger. For thest few months, to no longer feared noting back with a catch; he feared noting back at all. But now, at the end of the line, the tendency was inverting. to felt he had finally be strong to treat most enemies as mice. Hunting was once again pleasurable and worry-free. Twenty minutes, to gloated as his half the party returned to the campsite. I told you. In and out, twenty minute dungeon crawling. They died in the blink of an eye, Bugsy mused as he trailed behind to. The Apolloworm helped Rosemarine drag the fried corpse of Mount Olympus boss along the ground. The creature had been some kind of winged serpent man the size of Steve, though to could hardly remember the details. It barely survived thirty seconds before Bugsys sustained fire. Were getting good at this! We came, we saw, we killed, Rosemarine agreed happily. Mount Olympus aurora had turned into a bright shade of green after she imed it for the HRA Guild. What was his level? to wondered, pointing at the defeated boss with his paw. I dont even remember its name. It was Ti Bugsy squinted. Tui Ty Tweety? to suggested. Typhon, Rosemarine said. It was level seventy, Uncle to. Seventy? to was skeptical. No way this critter was seventy. That was Apollyons level before he took a penalty. And since when did Rosemarine consider him an uncle? No, no, shes right, I think it was seventy, Bugsy insisted. He was weak to fire, so it helped. He was weak to death too, Rosemarine added happily. Damn it, we killed a level seventy Boss as easily as any bird, to thought. He felt as if he had lost all sense of reality. The System must have given up on bnce twenty levels ago. The long-awaited reward arrived soon after, as if to confirm that yes, the afternoons hunt indeed happened.
Congrattions, your Party has earned 11,445,000 EXP and 30,000,000 Bonus EXP (6,335,250 for you). You have earned four levels (total 77), though you cannot assign them until your [Tamer] does so first.
Only five levels to go before tos long-awaited metamorphosis. He would never stop being salty about losing his chance to be a smilodon, but he would settle on bing a god-lion of infinite power as a constion prize. The sheer amount of experience gave him pause though. Where does the bonus expe from? to squinted at Bugsy. Did we kill bonus enemies along the way? Uh, I dont know. Bugsy appeared puzzled too. Im not good at math, so I cant say. Maybe we gained exp from destroying items? Rosemarine suggested. Bugsy immediately lowered his head in shame. Im sorry. Unfortunately, Bugsys incredible ability to pierce through Fire Immunity also applied to objects. Having set the boss room aze before killing it, his mes ended up consuming the loot in a heartbeat. Bah, if a little fire could destroy the rewards then they werent good in the first ce. to thought he had received his answer when he smelled Basil, Vasi, and Shellgirl in the wind. Those three had finally returned from their shopping trip. About time, to casuallymented as the party regrouped under the shadow of Steves metal frame. We raided a full dungeon while waiting forAH! The terrible sight of Basils corpseying in his own blood nearly gave to a heart attack. Vasi and Shellgirl, who both appeared unharmed, had removed the Tamers armor and put him atop a makeshift feather bed. Had to not memorized Basils smell for years, he wouldnt have been able to identify him. The left half of his face was covered in fourth-degree burns revealing the skull underneath. A fist-sized hole spilled a fountain of blood where the stomach should have been. The right knee was bent in a way that shouldnt be anatomically possible for humans. And those were only the most shocking wounds among many. Gashes left by axes, spears, and swords covered nearly every inch of Basils body. He looked as if an entire army had used him as target practice. Basil! to immediately bolted to his owners side. Basil, dont die on me! For a brief instant, to was brought back in time to the terrible day of Rens death. He refused to lose another, especially someone who had be his closest friend. The first thought on the felines mind was whether he could transfer one of his remaining lives to Basil. Fortunately, the Tamers chest slightly rose with his breathing. tos relief didntst long. Basils current state demanded immediate healing. Mister! Rosemarine dropped the dead Typhon in her panic, as did Bugsy. The nt immediately cast a healing spell upon her master. Heras Grace! Heras Grace! to had seen Rosemarine bring back Bulgarian soldiers from the brink of death in the blink of an eye. This time, however, the spell barely appeared to have any effect. The hole in Basils stomach shrank by a centimeter at best. Is this our fault? Bugsy asked Vasi and Shellgirl with magma tears in his eyes. Were you attacked? Did the Horsemen ambush you while we were away? Neither woman answered immediately. to suddenly noticed that neither of them looked wounded, or even horrified. Shellgirl was chewing her lower lip with a spooked face, while Vasi appeared torn between worry and annoyance. Fff Basil coughed more blood than words. Fi filth Basil? to hurriedly lowered his head to better listen to his friends rattle. For all he knew, it could be hisst request. You You want me to groom you? Is that your wish? Filthy Basil inhaled louder than an asthmatic hippo. Filthy casual. to blinked a few times as his mind struggled to register his friends dying words. He nced at Vasi in confusion while Rosemarine kept spamming her healing spell. The witch let out a long sigh heavy with meaning. In the end Walter Tye he was nothing more. Basils bloodied lips stretched into a parody of a smile. Than a filthy casual. to finally figured out what had happened. He yed a hardcore game of Board & Conquest, didn''t he? Shellgirl stared at him in disbelief. This happened before? to nodded slowly, calmly, and meaningfully. From his experience, the underground B&C scene weed all kinds of dangers and excesses. Curse you, Basil! You frightened me! to gently swiped Basils burned cheek with his paw while ignoring Rosemarines protests. Did you win at least? His best friend responded by slowly raising his clenched right fist upward; an act that seemed to require herculean strength from him. On a closer look, to noticed a white miniature clutched within Basils palm. Good, to nodded with pride before ncing at Vasi. And his opponent? Is he dead? Alive, short of a miniature and with his pride wounded. Vasi gently caressed her boyfriends forehead. Was it truly worth it, Basil? Yes Basil Bohen answered without a hint of hesitation. Yes, it was. Basil recoveredte in the evening. It took a constant diet of healing spells and golden applies for him to return to full health. Whatever magic Walter used as part of their intense, earth-shaking battle had proved resilient even in the face of miraculous sorcery. Remedies that would have healed thousands of HP only helped Basil recover a few dozen at most. Neither being crushed under Apollyons hand nor surviving ckcinders meteors couldpare to this particr harrowing ordeal. But Basil didnt care. Though he had suffered through the pain of a hundred dead dwarf miniatures, the horror of undead trench warfare, and the agony of being transported across Greece while half-dead, he had walked away from the board victorious. The priceless Nidhogg miniature was more than a trophy; it was satisfaction made manifest. I cant wait for the rematch, Basil muttered as he folded leaves around a minotaurs leg. It should make for a great dinner with potatoes. There wont be one, Vasi said sharply. His girlfriend prepared pumpkin soup in her alchemy cauldron. Promise me you wont y with Walter again. What? Why? Basil shrugged. It earned us more experience than killing ckcinders! It nearly cost you your life, and ours by extension. We already have enough enemies to deal with, no need to add Walter to the list. Vasi locked eyes with her boyfriend. Promise me, Basil. Please. Since she sounded genuinely worried for his well-being, Basil surrendered with a sigh. Though he loved B&C, he favored his rtionship with Vasi over his gamers pride. That, and she had a point about Walter. Though the necromancer had walked away from the board less wounded than Basilhe had been ying more conservativelythe oue had left him furious and awakened hispetitive spirit. Pursuing this rivalry risked turning it into a grudge. Fine, Basil said while grumbling. But you have to admit the suicide dwarf catapult was a stroke of genius. There are leagues between genius and madness, Basil. Vasis serious expression melted away into a coy smile. But it was well-yed, I wont deny it. Of course. Basil always gave his best. By the way, are there Chronomancy spells among the forms you purchased from Walter? he asked while letting the leg roast over the campfire. Im considering taking Chronomancer levels next. My grimoire does contain Chronomancy spells, but I doubt you''ll ever be able to cast them. Vasi gave Basil a condescending smirk worthy of the smuggest wizard. Mine are Tier VII and up. There it is, ss discrimination, Basil mused. Can you inflict five-digit damage with a halberd, Miss Yaga? Can you stop time and drop meteors on your foes, Mr. Bohen? Vasi put a finger on her lips as an idea crossed her mind. Now that I think of it, my staff lets me exclude my party from a spells effect. I wonder if it applies to my time-stopping one. I hope so, Basil said with a grin. Sharing is caring. He did wonder what else Shellgirl bought. The Party had stopped a few kilometers ahead of the infamous passage of Thermope, where an alliance of Greek city-states held back the might of the Persian empire. At their current speed, they should reach Athens tomorrow night. With the battle against Ashok around the corner, the team needed to refine its battle tactics. Bugsy returned from his reconnaissance tour by the time Basil finished cooking. How are you, Boss? the Apolloworm asked as hended near the campfire. You look pretty spry tonight! Im fine, Basil reassured him. Sorry to have worried you. I knew you would pull through Boss, but I admit I had my doubts. Bugsy grabbed the reconnaissance camera around his neck and gave it to Basil. Ive detected Ashoks Field on the horizon. Vasi looked away from her soup with a worried frown. Are you sure? I am, Bugsy confirmed with a nod. I did not enter it, but I approached it close enough to gather information. Thermope was nearly two-hundred kilometers from Athens. If Ashoks field extended far enough to be visible from the region, it had to cover all of Attica. Bugsys pictures, which showed a never-ending thunderstorm ravaging the Greek countryside across the horizon, confirmed Basils worst suspicions. Eighty maybe eighty-five, Basil counted in his head. From Rosemarines example, a God-Field covered one kilometer per level. Hes pushing past eighty now. I hope our new equipment will let us cover the level gap. We wont benefit from surprise, Vasi pointed out. Hypathia tracked us down the moment we entered her fields range. Ashok will detect our presence hours before we reach Athens. I know, Basil replied with a grunt. Besides risking an ambush, this wouldplicate the teams ability to summon allies to assault Athens. We need to figure out a counter before we reach the God-Fields range. I hope Shellgirl can craft something. Did somebody say my name? Like a devil summoned from hells depths, Shellgirl exited Steves metal belly with to on her tail. The mimic wore featureless ck gloves on her hands, while the feline carried a silvery mirror shield fit for his size. Basil immediately recognized the design. Oooh, do I smell pumpkin soup? I love those! Its a witch''s secret recipe, Vasi joked. Brewed with love and pdin souls. Wheres Rosemarine? Basil asked upon noticing his dear nts absence. She never skipped dinner usually. Is she alright? Shes resting inside, Shellgirl replied. After all the spells she cast on you, Partner, she more than deserves her nap. Tremble, viins! to drew Joyeuse and raised it to the bright, Incursion-tainted sky. Basil had to admit that between Charlemagnes Joyeuse and his new shield, the feline honored the heroes of old. Justice is not blind, for it has whiskers! Can I bribe you with fish? Basil mused before examining his best friends new toy. As he suspected, it was a copy of his own Moon Shield. So you figured out the crafting recipe, Shellgirl? I did, though it took a few times to refine properly. Shellgirl raised her hands proudly. These gloves are a real money saver. Now that he wasnt fighting for his life over a B&C board, Basil took the time to study Shellgirls new acquisition.
Lokis Glove
Family: essory (Gloves).
Quality: S.
Effect 1: [Turbo: Consumable]: The damage or healing inflicted by consumable items, such as potions and bombs, is increased by 30% and pierces through all forms of Resistance.
Effect 2: [Item Duplication]: When worn on a hand, the glove creates a perfect copy of itself on one of the wielders hands; if the wielder has more than two hands, the copy appears on one of them at random. This second glove can duplicate any item touched by the original. The copy mimics the originals properties, but costs 50 SP per minute to maintain and disappears if it is no longer in contact with the left glove, or if the right one drops the original.
Effect 3: [Copy Insight]: When copying an object with item duplication, the wearer has a chance of figuring out the appropriate crafting recipe equal to their LCK/4. They only receive one chance per item.
Effect 4: [Item Conqueror]: You can use any item as if you met the prerequisites; for example, you can equip Type-restricted equipment as if you were of that Type yourself. This does not grant any form of proficiency, however.
Effect 5: [Whats Yours is Mine]: You can mark up to nine items with an invisible rune by touching them with the glove. You can recall any of these items back to your hands at will.
A glove crafted by the god of trickery from stolen hair and salted tears. Legends say that Loki wore it during all of his crimes, though this glove was always found where the evidence wasnt.
Busted, isnt it? Shellgirl gloated. It cost us thirty percent of all our funds, but I say it was the deal of a lifetime! Basils surprise must have shown on his face. Can it copy unique items? Wanna see? Shellgirl quickly swiped Joyeuse off tos paw while ignoring his outraged shrieks. The moment her right hand grabbed the pommel, a perfect replica of the legendary sword materialized in her left. Im sure I could copy your halberd too! to sulked at the sight and stole the original back. It looks better on me! Even though the replica vanished into golden dust the moment to recovered Joyeuse, the fact the device managed to copy a legendary artifact astonished Basil beyond words. The potential applications numbed the mind. The fact it also made her count as ''royal'' for the purpose of wielding Joyeuse meant she could potentially use any item affected by the System. This is really the end of the line. Basil had yed enough RPGs to see the signs. This is endgame-level gear. And we suffered enough to earn it! to hit his shield with Joyeuse. The de appeared to sing as it touched the metal. Ive died more times for this team than anybody else! Im just so happy we all survived long enough toplete our Major Chicken DVD marathon, Bugsy muttered with a sad noise. Our evenings will feel empty without them. Bugsy, there are always more series to watch, to mused. I cant wait to introduce you to Policats Force after weve dealt with Lightning Butt. The nickname his former cat used for Ashok brought a smile to Basils lips. Yet, the rest of his words filled him with doubt. to sounded so certain about what they would do in the future, but Basil himself hadnt found his own answer. If Benjamins idea of rebuilding the world after winning thepetition held water, what kind of world would he create? Basil knew it might be premature to ask himself this question. Reaching that moment would already demand extraordinary sacrifices without sess being guaranteed. Yet the thought wouldnt stop gnawing at his heart. Should I turn back the clock as Benjamin asked? Even if Basil intended to evacuate his party outside of Earth in this eventuality, he felt conflicted over the idea itself. Perhaps Walter was right. A world unprepared to fend off the likes of Maxwell might not be worth saving. He wondered if the Chronomancer ss would offer more insight into the situation.
Chronomancer Level 1 to 4 Stat Gains: +3 STR, +8 AGI, +2 VIT, +2 SKI, +4 MG, +3 INT, +2 CHA, +4 LCK. You earned 150 HP and 65 SP.
Chronomancy I (Passive): You can now learn and cast [Chronomancy] Spells up to Tier I. If you gain the ability to cast [Chronomancy] Spells from other sses or Perks, the Tiers stack together.
elerate Spell (Passive): Whenever you cast a spell, you can immediately cast a second one by spending twice its usual SP cost.
[Divine Auspices II] raised your [Chronomancy] spellcasting Tier to III.
Basil waited for a sh of inspiration that would nevere. His team was about to confront an uncertain future soon and he had no idea how it would end. Chapter 121: Man vs Xenia Chapter 121: Man vs Xenia Pericles once said: What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others. He had missed the mark. The lives of the ancient Greeks had ended thousands of years ago, yet one couldnt take two steps into their homnd without stumbling on a monument theyd left behind. One of the many, many archeological dig sites of the Boeotia region was called Orchomenus. Perhaps it had once been an ancient city of great influence or a temple for long-forgotten gods. Basil couldnt tell. All that remained of Orchomenus today were dusty ruins, deste atriums, and ghostly streets of stone. The archeological site mostly upied a hill overshadowing ruins of a different kind: the crumbling remains of viges wiped out by monsters, raiders, and warbands. Two of the culprits flew right above the region under the apocalyptic skies. After confronting Ashok in Shumen, Vasi had collected some broken power armor left behind by his soldiers. Though Basil had been unimpressed beforehand, seeing them in action was something else entirely. There was something mystifying about watching a pair of jetpack-wielding armored hoplites fly among the clouds. If Iron Man had Greek ancestors, they would have looked the same. Their thermal spears and energy shields added a certain primitivo-scifi je ne sais quoi to the whole ensemble.
Jai Dasgupta
Level 50 [Humanoid] ([Mecha Pilot] 20/[Technomancer] 10/[Shielder] 15/[Mercenary] 5)
Faction: Metal Olympus (Team 3-B)
Kana Sen
Level 50 [Humanoid] ([Mecha Pilot] 20/[Mercenary] 10/[Shielder] 5/[Priest of Zeus-Ashok] 15)
Faction: Metal Olympus (Team 3-B)
Basil and to watched these two run circles above the hill while hidden under a bed of dirt and the cover of invisibility. The rest of the team was spread around Orchomenus, ready to spring an ambush should the enemy patrol detect them. Steve had been the hardest to hide, but as a monster, the Steamobile could benefit from to and Vasis illusion spells. Ready and waiting, to whispered. Not now, Basil whispered back. Well only engage them if they detect us. After a few tense and restless minutes, the two mooks above finally retreated south empty-handed. A massive thunderstormthe manifestation of Ashoks God-Fieldcovered the horizon in that direction. Theyll be back, you know? to said, his tail wagging in irritation. Its the third patrol weve avoided so far. Unfortunately, he was correct. The Bohens had made as much progress over thest few hours as WWI soldiers moving to take one trench after another. We can take them, to suggested. Easy. We could, Basil agreed as he exchanged messages with his other allies through the Logs. These patrols were around level fifty. Potentially dangerous with the right setup, but nothing the team couldnt manage. But we wont? to shrugged. They wont have time to raise the rm if we hit them hard and fast. Im worried that engaging them at all will broadcast our position, Basil replied. These guys arent monsters running around at random. Theyre professional soldiers following a patrolling schedule. They must be constantlymunicating with handlers. Ah, let me guess. to sighed in disappointment. An absence of an answer will be enough to trigger an rm? Even if Shellgirls amulets prevent Ashok from sensing our essences, I dont think theres any way we can approach Athens without being seen. Basil clenched his teeth. I guess well have to force our way in. to licked his paw. Must we? Do you have a better solution? Basil shrugged. Cause Im drawing a nk right now. Of course you do, your human mindset is limited. You think in 3D, we cats hunt in 4D. to smirked smugly. Hear me out. We have not one, not two, but three armies on speed summoning dial. Basil raised an eyebrow. Yes, we do. So instead of besieging Athens as we first intended, why not split those armies, have them spread around Lightning Butts field, and then enter it all at once from different directions? to suggested. We make Ashok spread his forces while our small, but incrediblypetent elite team infiltrates the dungeon. Ashok will immediately suspect the ploy, Basil pointed out as he received a message from Bugsy.
BUGSY: I sense another patroling from the west, guys.
SHELLGIRL: The west? Isnt that the wrong way?
VASI: They could have noticed us and called for back-up.
BASIL: Could be stay hidden for now.
Heres the genius part, to continued while ignoring the messages. Some of us will follow the armies. Without any protection. Which will let Ashok detect them, Basil replied as he looked west with his binocrs. Though the golden circuits in the sky troubled his visibility, he was certain no enemy came out of Ashoks territory. Did Metal Olympus maintain bases as far away as the Ionian Sea? Of course he will, to replied with a grin. But unknown to him, you will sneak close to the dungeon under protection. When Lightning Butt has spread his army around, you teleport us in and we pounce him together. A genius n, Im sure youd agree. Its a nice one, Basil replied while studying the western horizon. Except you failed to ount for two things. One, I would need to cross an eighty-five kilometers long distance to Athens undetected. Thats awfully risky, especially without backup. Have more faith in yourself, to chided him. I believe in you. And two Basil sighed. Faction members can teleport back to their dungeon at will. The moment were detected, Ashok will summon reinforcements or evacuate Kalki elsewhere. to opened his mouth to argue, closed it upon realizing he had no counter to this, and then grumbled in defeat. Killjoy.
BUGSY: Theyreing straight at us. They know were here.
VASI: Are you sure?
BUGSY: Im sure. Theyre flying in a straight line.
Basil cursed as he scanned the horizon. He finally noticed the enemy vessel flying under golden lights. He mistook the shape approaching Orchomenus for a ne until it came closer. Basil should have known the enemy would stick to their antiquity theme. The vehicle approaching their location resembled a Greek galley ship with wide sails and feathered wings instead of oars. Strangely, the hull appeared to be made of reptilian scales rather than metal. Half a dozen winged creatures escorted the vessel like a flock of birds.
ROSEMARINE: Mister, can I shoot now? Snipy snipy?
VASI: Wait, look at the escort!
Basil squinted behind his binocrs, until he identified an angel among the flyers. Although he had gained four more wings since theyst saw each other, the medical angel Zachariel hadnt changed much. He still wore the same gue doctor mask and hat as he always had. He had however traded his former yellow clothes for a modern, silvery hazmat suit. Another familiar face rode a griffin at the angels side: a ck-haired young girl no older than eight wearing an antiquity-styled Greek tunic. Her gray eyes stared back at Basil with a sh of recognition. She somehow noticed himwithout any binocrsand waved a hand in his direction. Little Nessia, Basil whispered as he lowered his binocrs. What is she doing here? Wait, isnt that the oracle girl we met in Bordeaux? to squinted at the horizon as the flying vessel came into sight. Is she still riding that awful bird? What was she doing here on the other side of Europe? Basil had heard Nessia had returned to her world after the second Incursion. From what he had understood, she was some kind of princess in a universe where the Greek gods were still aroun Ah, I see what happened. Basil opened the map in his Logs and confirmed the presence of an Incursion portal far to the west in the Ionian Sea. The multiverse is such a small ce. Itll be even smaller soon, to mused. Im sure the patrols wont notice the giant flying ship heading towards their territorys border. Realizing their attempt at sneaking in was now more or less doomed to fail, Basil dropped the invisibility spell and swiped dust off his clothes. His party members emerged from their hiding spots one after another before gathering around him. Sir, my dear friends! Zachariel shook Basils hand the moment hended. How good to see you again in such good health! Wee back, Zach! Bugsy happily greeted his oldrade. I love your new wings! My, it is all thanks to you, Zachariel replied with angelic modesty. The HR department finally approved my promotion to Seraphim after I safely cured the poor citizens of Bucharest. I would never have gained thismerI mean, charitable opportunity without you. How did you detect us? Vasi asked with a displeased frown. Her voice brimmed with wounded pride. I used a Tier IX illusion spell. It was Little Nessia who answered her query. The gods within you spoke and I listened, she said proudly while her griffinnded. Thats an oracles job! Basil could only hope Ashok didnt have one on his payroll. Im d to see you again, Nessia, he told the kid with a smile on his face. She might have been annoying sometimes, but Basil had be somewhat fond of her while his party stayed in Bordeaux. Youve grown since west met. Of course I did, Im nine now! Nessia grinned happily. Im almost as tall as Shellgirl! Only because I shrank, Shellgirlined. Such is the curse of age, Vasi joked before patting Nessia on the head. Have youe to rejoin my coven, little witch? Nah, but Mom said she looks forward to meeting you and shes a super powerful witch. Nessias smile widened further. She and Dad couldnt follow me along, so I came with Aunty. Vasi raised an eyebrow. You have an aunt? Yup, Nessia confirmed as the flying galley shipnded gracefully next to the Steamobile. Its scaled hull gently slid along the dusty ground and shifted to reveal hundreds of small crab legs. Basil suddenly wondered if the ship was a living creature rather than a vehicle, like Steve. The bestest in the world. You are too kind Nessia, a womans voice answered as well-behaved minotaur soldiers tossed a wooden bridge over the ships ramp. Though I would appreciate it if you didnt wander away from the ship in hostile territory. A tall human woman in golden hoplite armor climbed down the ship. Basil could have mistaken her for Athena reborn. Her golden irises burned like mes, as did the ming fork she wielded as a weapon. She was taller than Vasi, as muscled as Basil himself, with a long ck braid with strands of gray falling over her shoulder. Though still beautiful in her early forties or so, this warriordy possessed the hardened gaze of a military veteran. You must be the Bohens party Nessia told me so much about. The woman smiled before offering Basil her hand. My name is Cassandra.
Cassandra Bato-Plutus, Fires Widow
Level 75 [Humanoid]
Faction: Psychompomps.
Happy meeting you, Cassandra, Basil said as he shook her hand. Her grip was as firm and strong as a giants. Im Basil. Forgive me the question, but are you human? I like to consider myself as such, Cassandra replied with a chuckle. What an odd question. I too self-identify as a humanoid, Vasi joked. I assume Basil was confused by your absence of sses. This worlds System assigns them to humans, but you appear tock one. I have gained powers unlike most mortals, Cassandra confessed as she released Basils hand. I suspect your System cannot properly represent them as sses, so it treats me as a monster. You might as well be if youre rted to this gremlin, to mused, his paw pointed at Nessia. In a magnificent disy of maturity, Nessia stuck her tongue at the amused feline in return. Her aunt, however,pletely missed the reference. I am not familiar with the term. I meant it as apliment, to lied. I do not believe you, Cassandra replied. Her eyes wandered to Basils halberd and squinted thoughtfully at it. Does does this artifact host the soul of Hades? Im surprised you could tell, Basil replied. Do you possess a godly essence, like your niece? No, not quite. I am, however, a priestess of Queen Persephone. Cassandra scowled. Hades did not survive in our world, so to sense his presence inside your weapon I know this is not our Hades, but to carry him around like this it feels disrespectful. He wanted this, Aunt Cass, Little Nessia replied. I can sense his will. Lord Pluto says his wielders thoughts are those of justice. Basil took it as apliment. He might not have been a pdin, but receiving a gods approvaleven a pagan onemade for a nice constion prize. Lord Pluto? Cassandra raised an eyebrow. I thought only the Lyceans called Lord Hades as such. How were gods in your world? Vasi asked with a curious look. Awful, for the most part, Cassandra replied with a snort. So awful that they were overthrown and new ones rose to rece them. Queen Persephone and Lord Hades were one of the few exceptions. Basil immediately pounced on the opportunity to save their souls. Have you heard of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? No, I havent. Cassandra raised an eyebrow. What is he the god of? Everything, Basil replied kindly. He died for our sins. But he came back three dayster, Rosemarine added, having done her catechism. At the end of the world, he will throw all evildoers into ake of fire to burn for all eternity! If he is god of everything, isnt he overworked? Unfortunately, Cassandra appeared more confused than convinced. And if your god is dead, how can you worship him? Is he an undead? We do have an undead goddess on Outremonde, Zachariel thought it wise to add. So yes, it is entirely possible. I would be happy to discuss theology another time, but we have more pressing matters to discuss. Cassandra shrugged and moved on. I have been informed by our allies in this world that you intended to confront the source of these Incursions. My king, His Majesty Kairos, would like to offer his support. I told you Dad would send an army to protect me, Nessia boasted. She smugly looked down at to. Can you say the same, mean cat? I do not need an army, to replied proudly. I have a Rosemarine. I burn houses while people are still inside them, Rosemarine added kindly. Then I use the ashes to nt trees that will feed orphans. We appreciate all the help, Basil said courteously. Though I admit Im a bit surprised. Last time we met Nessia, she said her father would focus on closing portals rather than send forces to Earth. As it turns out, one will require the other. Cassandra put a hand on her waist. Each time an Incursion takes ce, the more the pathways between our worlds and yours strengthen. Every new portal requires less energy than thest. Moreover, our mages noticed a worrying anomaly. Basil frowned. As if the situation couldnt get any worse. What kind? The portal works both ways when it does not have to, Cassandra exined. Additionally, they weaken our own protections as much as they lower this worlds. Seems natural to me, Basil pointed out. Its not, Handsome. His girlfriend shook her head. The whole point of Incursions is to bring in new souls to fuel the Trimurti System. Now that you say that, Vasi, it is odd indeed. Shellgirl crossed her arms, a thoughtful expression on her face. The first rule of economic development is to prevent capital flights. Make it easy to put cash in, and hard to get it out. It could be just Maxwell covering his rear, Bugsy suggested. I mean, Im not a coward, but if I were I would prepare multiple escape routes too. Could be, Basil conceded. Or he needs to make the portals two way to form one at all. Our mages believe otherwise, Cassandra replied. ording to them, your worlds System uses Incursions as a mechanism to durably interlock with ours. To what end? Vasi asked. We dont know yet, Cassandra admitted. But we would rather stop the process before we find the answer. Mom says its causing some of her spells to go haywire, Little Nessia added with a firm nod. She stayed behind to investigate. Dad would havee too, but the barrier wont let him through. Basil blinked in shock. Hes over level eighty-five? Worse. Cassandra chuckled. Hes a god, so he cannot leave our world at all. She said that so casually that Basil instantly believed her. By now, it sounded about as credible a statement as gravity pulling things down. Vasi scoffed and exchanged a knowing nce with her boyfriend. Looks like deities are moremon than I thought, she said with a grin. Youre sure you dont have a god somewhere in your ancestry too, Handsome? Maybe you descend from this Jesus Christ? Little Nessia suggested innocently. That seems unlikely, Basil replied with a deadpan tone. Didnt he have a child with a prostitute? Shellgirl asked. I read it in a bo Basil gave her such a potent re that she dared not mention the heretical text further. One of the good things about the apocalypse is that Dan Brown is almost certainly dead, Basil thought while struggling to keep a calm face. I hope so. I dearly hope so. You actually remind me of our king, Lord Basil. From the way Cassandra said it, it must have been the highest ofpliments. From what I heard, your ascension was even faster than his. His was counted in years, yours in months. Basil looked away. I hope your king didnt pay the price I did. Sensing he wasnt in the mood to borate, Cassandra diplomatically changed the subject. The frontiers between worlds are now so porous that our diviners can now scry on other neighborhood worlds and exchange messages with locals, she exined. We are currently coordinating with General Lenc, Lord Simeon, and King Branio to provide you with military support. Hopefully, we can rescue this Avatar and settle things once and for all. I do not support an alliance with Maure Hellcorporated, I might add, Zachariel said with a snort. Their CEO is not to be trusted. Sorry, Zach. Vasi smiled sheepishly. I hope you dont mind the fact Im rted to him. So is his sister, who is our worlds second-most celebrated Pdin, Zachariel replied. If anything, I see it as proof that the healthiest bastions of good can spring even from the most diseased demonic stock. Basil crossed his arms. All troops are weed, but Im afraid numbers might be a detriment rather than an advantage in this case. Metal Olympus keeps our ally hostage in a fortress eighty kilometers from here. Approaching it will be a challenge; infiltrating it is likely impossible. Dont you know, Basil? Little Nessia grinned wickedly. If you pray for a miracle, sometimes the gods answer. Basil opened his mouth to joke that the Lord had yet to send him one, before suddenly realizing this troupe included a goddamn angel. We have done our research, Cassandra exined. Metal Olympus stole their power from the gods of thisnd. They think it is the source of their strength. We believe it will be their downfall. The gods within you all are angry, Little Nessia added with a dark, terrible scowl. They were enved by greedy mortals and want revenge. They will help us. Could it be? Basils heart shone with hope. After hubris,es nemesis? Cassandra nodded sharply, much to his delight. I am not certain if things work the same in your world, she said, But in ours, gods with a simr nature and objectives form alliances called Pantheons. You mean Guilds? Shellgirl asked. In a way. A Pantheon connects its members, helps prevent infighting, and lets these deities summon help in a pinch. So like a Guild,Basil confirmed. The Greco-Roman gods of Metal Olympus belong to the same pantheon. Benjamin mentioned Ashok wished for the power of Indra, but it was simply easier to call essences from the same mythology. Vasis eyes widened as she put two and two together. The essences are still connected. Thats how Ashok can sense ours. They are, Zachariel confirmed. Additionally, the enemy has turned a center of the Olympians faith into hisir. This created a very powerful spiritual connection we can exploit. You thought you would have to invade this Parthenon, Cassandra told Basil. We believe we can be invited instead. The more he heard, the more pleased Basil became. Forgive me if I have forgotten my mythology, but wasnt Zeus the god of hospitality? We call it Xenia, Little Nessia corrected him with a wicked grin. Shall we pay him homage in person? Ashok was about to learn the meaning of divine punishment. Chapter 122: Man vs Hospitality Chapter 122: Man vs Hospitality The Bohens had gathered quite the motley crew of allies across their journey. It didnt ur to Basil just how many until they gathered for a war council. No tent could hold them all, so they held the meeting on the deck of Cassandras ship. General Lenc, chiefmander of the French Armed Forces, was the first to teleport in; his aide, Neria Elissalde, followed shortly. Leaders from the Swords of Saint George gathered under the pdin Simeon, alongside minor warchiefs the Bohens helped in Germany and Hungary. None impressed foreign dignitaries as much as Vasis father, Branio, who had guards pull out a red carpet so his feet wouldnt touch the dirty ground. At least he took the time to hug his daughter in public along the way, much to her chagrin. I am so proud, said the demon king with tears in his eyes. I look away for one month, and you are already higher leveled than Daddy! You are not mad I became a full Fomor? Vasi asked her father. Considering she had denied a transformation into a fiend, she must have expected her father to be bitter about it. Why? Your mothers cruel fairy elegance is why I fell in love with her in the first ce! Maure wiped tears off his reptilian eyes. I already imagine you crushing mortals under your heel you grew up too fast I, uh Vasi rubbed her hands together, clearly unsure how to reply. Thank you, Father. You you called me Father His daughters words only caused Maure to cry once more. Im so happy! While his behavior made Vasi ufortable, Basil noticed a small smile forming at the edge of the witchs lips. Perhaps there was hope for these two. Even Ronald was present at the gathering. A Boss leaving his dungeon exposed the Neurotower to danger by removing its forcefield, but by now Chteau Muloup was a well-fortified fortress. Enough troops protected the Guilds base so that Ronald could afford to join the assault. Only one person was missing. Wheres Varney? Basil asked, though he already knew the answer. Hiding, Shellgirl replied with a smirk. No seriously, Ive no idea. Your guess is correct, Vasi said with a snort. Ive contacted him through the Logs. He said he was too busy treating refugees to send military support, but he will make sure his dungeon would work as a fallback zone, whatever that means. Basil wondered each day why he had spared that cowardly vampire. I should summon him as a meat shield, heined as he and his teammates took their seats around the war table. But knowing the leech, hell dodge and let us eat bullets at an inconvenient time. There were many faces he did not recognize among the warlords present, including a man dressed as a Buckingham guard and snapping orders at a certain Karim. Most humans present were Europeans however, and either level sixty or approaching it. The Bohens remained the most powerful group present, but this war council was not to be underestimated. Is it wise to organize a meeting so close to the enemys territory? Simeon asked the assembled warlords. Cassandras warship remained a few kilometers close to Ashoks God-Field. Metal Olympus must have already detected us by now. General Lenc stroked his beard as he observed the thunder-saturated horizon. However, I suspect they will wait for us to enter their masters field before engaging us. Their objective is not to win in a pitched battle, but to protect their territory. They possess eighty kilometers of buffernd to bleed us dry, so why would they attack us now? I doubt they expect our n of attack either, Cassandra said. They must be preparing for a standard assault rather than the more unorthodox tactics we''ve discussed. Are we certain this ritual of yours will work, Cassandra? Simeon asked with skepticism. We exploited a simr w to invade the Unitys systems, but it strikes me as odd that Metal Olympus shares it. I believe they are unaware of their weakness, Cassandra replied. We have experimented with scrying. We can observe parts of their dungeons by using our allies godly essences as a focus. They dont know anything, Little Nessia confirmed. These people meddle with forces they do notprehend. General Lenc joined his hands. What you want to do is a repeat of our sessful attack on the Unity: make their Factionwork believe we are part of it and let us in. Oh, I love a good decapitation strike. Branio reminisced in his chair like a serial killer reliving his crime. I collected so many heads over my long career the nostalgia We must take the Apocalypse Forces troops into ount, General Lenc pointed out. Our intelligence division informed us they intend to leave Thessaloniki once the Incursion concludes. From early reports, the Horsemen have elected to downsize their army and move with a smaller elite guard. Basil scowled. From his experience in Hungary, he knew that the Apocalypse Forces version of downsizing involved culling the weak to help the strong gain levels. How much time will it take them to reach Athens? Less than you, Basil, Neria Elissalde replied grimly. Their force is mostly made of undead, who do not have to worry about fatigue or logistics. We must deal with Metal Olympus before the Incursion ends, General Lenc stated. Or else well either be trapped between two armies or ambushed at an inconvenient time. Branio shifted on his seat. Why not let our enemies kill each other first and then finish off the winner? Because the Apocalypse Forces goal is to capture Kalki, not im territory, Lenc replied sharply. From experience, the Horsemen react to any resistance with overwhelming force. If the Avatar is identally killed in the crossfire, then we can kiss the goodbye. Letting the Malekings thralls escape with him would be just as terrible. Branio didnt seem too bothered about the possibility of Earths destruction, but seemed to relish the uing fight. I will intercept them then, he decided. I have run out of heroes worth killing in my world, and my forces are better at iming territory than rescuing hostages. Vasi frowned at her sire with genuine concern. Besides the fact both Horsemen are stronger than you, Father, Belphegor is nearly impossible to destroy and Brina is an expertbatant. My pony princess, your concern warms my heart. Branio chuckled. However, it is not the first time our family has danced with ghosts and liches. If this cant reassure you, I only intend to dy these two. You dont reach my age without learning when to exit the stage. Oh my, I love those, one of his demon bodyguards said with a smile full of nostalgia. Nothing beats a pdins crushed face when he realizes well be back for round two. Let us focus, please, Simeon grumbled, interrupting the chitchat. The main risk I see with this operation is that Ashok and Maxwell will evacuate their hostages once we begin the invasion. Im not sure they can, Neria said. ording to Benjamin, the Parthenon dungeon was specifically engineered to seal the Avatars away. Other dungeons wont do the trick. General Lenc remained skeptical. We cant exclude the possibility that Maxwell created a backup location without informing his allies. Considering the mans duplicitous nature, I sincerely doubt he doesnt have an ace up his sleeve. We must block all possibilities of retreat. Metal Olympus controls dozens of dungeons, maybe more, Simeon pointed out. Some of them could be outside Europe. ording to Benjamins postmortem notes, the Parthenon is the hub for them all, Neria replied. Since Ashok acts as the factions leader, his dungeon serves as the power center of the entire organization. Ashok is Metal Olympus Guildmaster? Basil frowned. Not Maxwell? I was just as surprised as you are, young man, but Benjamin Leroy confirmed it before his demise, Lenc confirmed. Considering Dismaker Labs HQ was located in Malta, I strongly suspect Maxwell wanted to decouple his personal fiefdom from Metal Olympus teleportationwork. He only trusted his allies as far as he could throw them. Divide and conquer. Branio snorted in disdain. A leader afraid of his own troops has no hope of victory in wartime. But it does reduce the odds of a coup, General Lenc replied. Which, considering Maxwell treated his allies as expendable, might have been the entire point. They were distractions meant to divide and weaken us, and when they outlived their usefulness, he threw them to the wolves. Basil nodded in agreement. The only side Maxwell serves is his own. Hence here is the n: we will teleport soldiers across Metal Olympus bases and overtake them all at once without leaving them a chance to regroup, Cassandra exined. Our seers and diviners will ensure your groups are teleported where you can do the most damage. However, Ashok must be dealt with as soon as possible. Although his control over Zeus essence is not as absolute as he believes, he might be able to block our ess given time. General Lenc smiled as he nced at Basils team. How good it is, he said, that I know the perfect team for the job. Basil shifted ufortably in his seat as heads turned in his partys direction. He was almost thankful when Branio snorted. Only because my daughter is leading it! We will do our best not to disappoint you, Vasi said with a forced smile. Basil sensed her kicking his leg under the table to make him start talking. A short, awkward silence stretched on as others looked at him. If they were in an action movie, now would be the time for a clever speech. But Basil was no sweet talker, no speechwriter, no politician. He hated wasting words and public addresses werent his fort. He tried to think of a clever answer, but came up short. In the end, he decided to speak from the heart. I Basil cleared his throat before rising from his seat. Ill be honest, I shouldnt be at this table right now. If this world had taken a less catastrophic turn, I would be gardening right now. Not the best way to begin a war speech, but nobody interrupted him. Dismaker Labs did not give me a choice. They shattered our world, flooded it with chaos, and invited invaders to despoil ournds. Basil briefly felt ashamed as he remembered his early days. For a long time, I thought this was somebody elses problem. That I could simply survive without owing anyone anything. Basil met everyones gaze. Many people present were allies gathered from other worlds, but most had lived through the System Apocalypse first-hand. But as some eloquent philosopher whose name escapes me right now once said all that evil needs to win is for good men to do nothing. Basil coughed. I mean, thats why disasters always worsen. People look the other way, expecting someone else to clear up the mess for them. By the time they realize they have to act, it might be toote to change anything. Better men and women should be here fighting in our ce but theyre all dead now. Basil thought back of Benjamin, of Kuikui and Orcine, of his mother. His mother most of all. All dead and buried. He wasnt a winner. He was a survivor. Were the people who were skilled enough, powerful enough, and lucky enough to make it to this moment alive. Metal Olympus is Dismaker Labs. All they do, all they have ever done, is destroy and despoil. Six billion people have died already because of them. The number sounded unreal when Basil said it, like a bad dream verbalized. Cassandra and Branio, who came from worlds far less popted and developed than Earth, stared at him as if he had gone mad. It seemed that they couldnt intellectually grasp the magnitude of the disaster. Basil couldnt me them. He could hardly fathom it himself. Quantifying horror did not make it any less terrifying. So long as Ashok and Maxwell draw breath, more will perish. Basil nced at his team. The party that had followed him all the way to the Moon and back. Well destroy them not because were the best people for the job, but because someone has to do it. Basil returned to his seat. Weve sworn an oath to cut evils head off once, he concluded. Well keep it. Vasi pped immediately, as did to and Rosemarine. Bugsy whistled like a hooligan, as did Shellgirl and Ronald. The others reactions were more lukewarm; a few ps and sharp nods, but no apuse like in the movies. Basil was fine with it. His actions would speak more than his words. It was General Lenc that broke the silence. I will be blunt, young man, I have heard better speeches, he said with a warm smile. But you are wrong about one thing: you and your team do deserve to be here. If you hadnt saved my life in Dax, I wouldnt be alive right now, Neria reminded Basil. Your actions in Bordeaux, in Paris and so many other cesid the groundwork for todays operation. Our country wouldnt exist anymore without you, Sir Basil, Simeon added, his words echoed by his allies sharp nods. We would follow you into Hell itself, if you asked it of us. I am only here because I want my daughter to be happy. Branio crossed his arms. She has ced her trust in you prove worthy of it. Basil snorted at the arrogant demon lord and grabbed his girlfriends hand under the table. He hoped he had proved himself worthy of that many times over. With the general strategy established, the rest of the council focused on the tactical details. The presence of high-level force multipliers like Cassandra, Simeon, Maure, and Ronald offered multiple possibilities. It was decided that the Bohens, alongside Steve and Simeon, would be teleported to Ashoks doorstep and hopefully take him out as swiftly as possible. Maures army would secure the rear and prevent a pincer maneuver by the Apocalypse Force while other forces overran Athens and Metal Olympus other troops. General Lenc would coordinate the assaults on the enemys backup dungeons from amand center, while Cassandra and Ronald would lead the ground charge on the Parthenon. All in all, it was a simple n. Get in, hit the enemy quickly, then establish a foothold. By now, the army had ess to powerful buffs that would hopefully tip the scale in their favor. Then this is settled, Cassandra said with a smile. We attack within the hour. The operation went awry the moment it began. Basil sensed it the second he and his party were teleported away. A sh of red light swallowed his vision, the same as the time when they invaded the Unitys base on the Moon. However, instead ofnding on a floor of steel and stone, Basils feet touched a pond of water. Za Warudo! Vasi cast her time-stop spell immediately, as was the n. Her staff excluded the party from the effect, letting the group move and breathe while all sound stopped around them. Water droplets sshed aside by theirnding froze in midair. The color gray shrouded all things. Battle formation! Basil ordered. Rosemarine, who hade in her full draconic glory, expanded her wings to cover the team. Bugsy and Shellgirl moved to the left and right, while to hid under the cover of invisibility. They expected tond in front of Ashok, or in a room filled with soldiers. They were deceived. The hall the Bohensnded in was some kind of temple, but not the Greek kind. Hundreds of colossal neurotowers supported a marble ceiling so tall not even Rosemarines head could reach it. The pond under the teams feet reached up to the ankles, and lotus flowers floated on its surface. All in all, the ce reminded Basil more of an Indian sanctuary than the Greek Parthenon. Wheres Steve? Shellgirl asked almost immediately. The Steamobile should have teleported with them, yet it was nowhere to be seen. Wheres Simeon? Weve been had! Basil grit his teeth as he noticed a distinct absence of reinforcements. He scanned the area with Monster Insight, expecting Ashoks soldiers to ambush them. Bugsy! I sense someone, Boss! Bugsy looked up at the other end of the hall, right behind Basil. There! Basil turned around, his halberd raised for the kill. Instead of striking, he froze in ce. Three golden statues of the Trimurti sat at the end of the strange sanctuary in a lotus position, each of themrger than Rosemarine herself. The representations of Brahma and Shiva gazed down on the Bohens with an ominous look, but it was Vishnu that spooked Basil the most. Two of the Preservers four hands held crimson spheres within which the vague shape of a man and a woman could be seen. Basil immediately recognized Kalkis silhouette. A second man sat atop the sphere, a mocking smile on his loathsome face. Im sorry I had to reroute you so suddenly, Maxwell falsely apologized with a mocking tone. I thought we should have a little chat. Time hade to a halt, yet the enemy could still move within it. Chat this! Rosemarine raised her cannon arms at Maxwell without skipping a beat. Eden Stop! Basil shouted, his dragon halting her movement. You might harm Kalki! I would not rmend it. Anton Maxwell hadnt changed one iota since the Bohensst encountered him in Paris. His red, lionlike mane smelled of blood, and sunsses hid his deceitful eyes from sight. Everything about his bodynguage screamed danger. If you wake these two up, this ruined world wille to an end. Vasi floated above Basil, her staff raised for battle. My Logs option is disabled, she warned her boyfriend. I cannot send messages. Thinking about summoning reinforcements, are you? Maxwell crossed his legs in amusement. Dont tell me youre worrying about the cannon fodder? What have you done with our allies, viin? Bugsy snarled, his star of a tail turning red as blood. Nothing. Your ns will unfold as you expected, at least once time resumes in three, two Maxwell snapped his fingers. Right now. The gray veil covering the world vanished and the march of time resumed. Floating droplets fell into the pond as gravity called them down, and the sound of distant explosions rocked the ceiling. It appeared the Bohens allies were assaulting theplex as nned. Or they had fallen into ambushes. If were here Shellgirl frowned as she realized the obvious problem. Who is taking care of Ashok? Nobody, Im afraid, Maxwell replied. Perhaps I will send you to him once were done. Im in the mood to gloat for a few more minutes. Wary of a trap, Basil analyzed Kalkis prison and Maxwell himself with Monster Insight. The System confirmed the man trapped in the sphere was the real deal. As for Dismaker Labs CEO a notification spelled out his real name to Basil.
Mammon, System Virus
Level [ERROR]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Mammon Basil clenched his fist. So it was true you are a Horseman. Ive always favored the guise of the wealthy and the powerful, Maxwell mused. It helps with the suckers. All this time, you were just the Malekings little pet? to snorted. Disappointing. Is the flock''s master thergest ram eating the grass, or the shepherd who herded them? Maxwell chuckled. That brute does not even care for his own faction, let alonemand it. It is I who raised him as an icon to worship and convinced fools to follow in his rampage. Many civilizations are too peaceful to embrace the weapons provided by a System, even with all the carrots it provides. They need an existential threat to gather against. And the Unity? Vasi red wrathfully at the mastermind. You shared the Neurotowers blueprints with them, did you not? Dragons do not need any push to think themselves masters of the universe, let alone their so-called Grandmaster. Maxwell made a mock reverence. But true, those self-centered reptiles wouldnt even have imagined the existence of other worlds if I hadnt revealed it to them. It was him all along, Basil thought grimly. The blood of a hundred worlds stained this cruel puppeteers hands. Truly, who is more worthy of calling themselves Conquest than my humble person? Maxwell put a hand on his chest, right where his heart of stone should have been. Humans called Alexander a conqueror because he despoiled a quarter of this world, but I have destroyed thousands of them. His empirested a fortnight, while those I have inspired trample billions into dust as we speak. Everything that this monster touched turned to ashes. And now youre going to kill Kalki before our eyes and add this to your list of crimes? Basil asked with a scowl. Is that yet another cruel trick of yours? Kill the Avatar? Is that what you think this is, a hit-and-run? To Basils surprise, Maxwells condescending smirk appeared genuine. I would never raise a hand against either of these two. Maxwell caressed Kakis prison with his free hand, his touch as soft as a lovers. After all, he said with the most maniacal of grins, my beloved child isnt born yet. The words hung in the hall like a curse. Basil paled behind his helmet, as he finally realized that survival hadnt been Maxwells only motivation for his atrocities. He had assumed the parasite left a trail of broken worlds in his wake in the name of survival, and perhaps it was one of his motives. However, there was a second urge inherent in all lifeforms. One Basil, even Walter, had failed to take into ount. Youve never wondered, Maxwell taunted them with a vile smirk, why I called thepany Dismaker Labs, have you? Reproduction. Chapter 123: Man vs Threats Chapter 123: Man vs Threats Maxwellsughter echoed in the chamber. You should see your faces! His lips morphed into a terrible grin, revealing three rows of sharp fangs behind the smile. Oh, my mistake. Here I thought youd figured out my master n. Forget what I just said then. No, to deadpanned. Vasi tightened her grip on her staff. Basil, you have your answer for why his portals open two-way, she said with a scowl on her face. He will send his brood through them. I too should spread my seed across the multiverse, Rosemarine mused. While his darling dragons desire to share her magnificence with countless universes pleased Basil, Maxwells n quietly horrified him. Much like the virus he was, he intended to infect other worlds connected to Earth. The horrors he had inflicted on Basils would repeat on an even grander scale. He shared a nce with his allies. None of them needed to speak up to reach the same conclusion. Maxwell couldnt be allowed to escape the room alive. Now, now, calm down. If Maxwell felt intimidated, he didnt show any hint of it. No need for violence. I just wish to talk. Ill be on my way as soon as we reach an agreement. Basil readied his halberd and shield for battle, but answered anyway. Talking with Maxwell would keep him distracted until they figured out a way to get him away from Kalki. Let me guess, fiend, you want to offer a devils bargain? You could say that, Maxwell replied mockingly. I have been observing your team for a while. I didnt think much of you at first, but now I see you might actually have a shot at winning this littlepetition of mine. This presents a few issues and opportunities. Theres nothing you can offer us but lies, viin! Bugsy replied as he took flight. The Apolloworm floated close to the ceiling, but made no move to attack Maxwell yet. Rosemarine kept her guns pointed at the parasite, while to turned invisible. All the Bohens required to attack was a signal. Do you imply I am not trustworthy? Maxwell snickered, though he did not move from his spot. I am truly wounded. You have betrayed everyone youve ever associated with, Shellgirl pointed out. Youre what we real businessmen call a dirty grifter. You insult me. My employees wished for godlike power and I delivered. The ceiling trembled as Maxwell spoke. The Bohens allies were probably rampaging through the dungeon. Your foolishness astonishes me. Do you truly think I wont teleport away the moment you attack me? You cant risk it. Vasi pointed at the imprisoned Kalki with her staff. Youll never surrender him to us. That''s where youre wrong. Maxwell shrugged. I dont really care who keeps the Avatars imprisoned, so long as neither is allowed to reunite nor be in. Either would dy my n significantly, and ruin yours. Im all too willing to give these children away if I obtain some guarantees. I dont believe you, Basil replied. Think, Basil, think! Maxwell snorted. I was inside Benjamins dungeon when he caught Vishnus Avatar. I could have abducted him long before you entered the Louvre, or I could have sent Ashok to your doorstep instead of Apollyon. Yet I did not. Maxwells posture shifted atop the red sphere holding Kalki. Instead of standing on two feet, he moved onto all fours like an animal. His arms and legs elongated in a way that was as unnatural as it was uncanny. His torso thinned out like a skeleton, his nails grew into ws, and his sunsses sunk into his eyes until they became indistinguishable from the flesh. The scene resembled a monster wearing a grotesque parody of a human costume. The truth is, mortals Ive been doing this for eons. Even his voice lost its humanity. His words droned out in Basils mind with a digitized effect. If I cant win the game, Ill move on to another world and start this cycle all over again. Thiss destruction will be a setback, true, but not the end. Basil snorted. If you are so mighty, why seek to negotiate? Because it will make my life easier. Our interests align in the short-term. I doubt that, Vasi replied dryly. Youre bluffing. Am I? Maxwell raised his hands, his nails growing into elongated ws. Am I really? He stabbed the sphere holding Kalki prisoner faster than Basils eyes could follow. The dragonknight immediately hastened himself and jumped upward. Bugsy charged as fast as he could, while to reappeared above Maxwell. Within seconds, Dismaker Labs CEO found himself with a sword applied to his throat, mandibles ready to crush his skull, and a halberd within an inch of his heart. But none of the Bohens dared tond a blow. Calm down, everyone. Maxwell chuckled. His ws had pierced through Kalkis prison and were now grazing his throat. A twitch of my hands, and the Avatar loses his head. His death will be instantaneous. So will yours, to threatened. The feline twisted his de to slightly graze Maxwells neck, but no blood poured out of his skin. Dismaker Labs CEO locked eyes with Basil. Are you willing to bet thiss fate on it? Basil clenched his jaw. He was confident in his speed and strength but there was a non-zero possibility that Maxwell was better and willing to follow through with the threat. He had destroyed countless worlds before. Why would Earth be special? It could be a bluff. If Maxwell had said the truthwhich Basil couldnt guaranteethen he intended to use the as a nest. Destroying it would endanger his ns for reproduction. Am I willing to bet everything on his word? Basil scowled. If Im mistaken If Im mistaken, the consequences will be dire. Worse, Maxwell was an anomaly as far as the System was concerned. He might possess abilities that would let him linger after his Health Points were reduced to zero, ore back from the dead to murder Kalki. He had shown himself capable of moving in stopped time, which should be near-impossible. That was the issue when dealing with cheaters; Basil couldnt trust the usual rules would apply today. He clutched his halberd tightly, but dared notnd a killing blow. Neither were his allies. Basil could see the sweat on tos face, the hesitation in Bugsys eyes. His allies kept their weapons pointed at Maxwell, yet none of them dared to attack. It was a deadlock. What are you? Basil asked while trying to figure out a way out of this hostage crisis. What is it that you want, truly? Instead of mocking him, Maxwell chuckled to himself. Are any of you familiar with the concept of convergent evolution? Yes, Bugsy replied with fire in his eyes. Environmental pressures shape a species evolution towards amon adaptation, Maxwell exined with a condescending tone. A cactus learns to harvest water where it iscking. Smart honey bees gang up on an invading ho to cook him alive with their bodies. A birds beak changes to better crack a fruit open. Those who fail to adapt perish. Strong, weak, doesnt matter. This is the primordial rule of nature. Get to the point, Basil said sharply. The reverse is true as well. Life seeks to change the environment to suit its needs. Beavers build dams and reroute rivers. Kelps form underwater forests that allow other vermin to thrive, and humans pump the oceans with stic. Eventually, reshaping matter is no longer enough. Maxwells smirk widened further. Eventually, he said, life seeks to change the very rules of reality. Though Basil didnt understand his point, Vasi did. Through the System? she guessed with a gasp. You are talking about the System? Bravo, someone apud her! Maxwell waited a few seconds, as if expecting the Bohens to follow through with his suggestion. None did. Systems appear independently across the multiverse because they are born from the willpower of lifeforms. Some species gain sses allowing them to replicate the skills developed by their kindred half a multiverse away, while others change form to fit the ideal version of their race. The more he spoke, the less Basil believed him. Are you saying Systems exist because we think of them? No, Vasi replied with a deep scowl. From her expression, she appeared as fascinated as she was spooked. He says that we will them into existence. Systems are the physical manifestation of sentient lifeforms desire to transcend a contraining reality, Maxwell exined. Sometimes would-be gods create them artificially, thinking they have stumbled upon something original, while others arise slowly from the subconscious will of a species. All serve the same purpose: to quantify aplex reality into simple numbers and bend it to lifes will. Thats Basil squinted in skepticism. Hard to believe. Yes, yes, I understand that it might seem difficult to grasp for apes who believed their was the center of the universe not too long ago. Maxwell sneered. Unlike a lie, the truth does not require anyone to believe in it. It just is. Basil ignored the jab. My sources told me not all worlds develop Systems. If your theory was correct, then why did you require neurotowers to summon it to Earth? That doesnt hold up. You make for a poor listener, Basil, Maxwell replied ruefully. I said Systems are born from lifes desire to ascend and that they appear through convergent evolution, not that their existence is inevitable. They are still rare as far as the multiverse is concerned. Other civilizations follow different means of ascension, through technology, sorcery, or binding themselves to entities from higher nes. The roads differ, but the destination remains the same: ascension. If this is true, how do Overgods fit into all of this? Vasi asked. Though she sounded skeptical, she couldnt suppress her curiosity. Life desires to survive, but immortality is a word, Maxwell replied. Even if one stops aging, a stray gamma ray burst can end life as easily as a fall from too high a floor. The pinnacle of life is not the entity bound to thews of physics; it is the one who writes them. Was he saying Was he saying that the purpose of life was to achieve godhood? Basil brushed off the question. Whatever the man said, he only trusted Maxwell as far as he could throw him. Thats all very interesting, he said dryly, but you still havent answered my question. Any good lecture requires a set-up, my sweet summer child. Maxwell looked down upon Mortifre, whose de pulsated with darkness. The god within craved the CEOs blood. My my, it seems your weapon wishes to avenge poor Benjamin. How quaint. Dont change the subject, Basil warned. So impatient, but fine, I will tell you of my kind, Maxwell mused. We have evolved alongside the first Systems. Where lower lifeforms gain experience to strengthen their souls, our bellies are never full. This is why your level is marked as zero, Vasi guessed. You cannot gain any. You are a bottomless pit. Sad, but true, Maxwell replied with a falsely pitiful tone. Systems reject us, so we need to subvert them. If so, then Walters theory was correct. Maxwell manipted others because hecked raw power. However, his speed gave Basil pause. Subvert. The word Maxwell had used was a cause for concern. How much power does he have? How much can he bend the Systems rules rules? All I hear is that you are a glorified tick, to snickered, his de still ready to behead Maxwell at the first provocation. You take and give nothing back. Says the glorified pet. A red glow appeared behind Maxwells sunsses eyes. Life was good at first, but the Overgods couldnt tolerate our existence. We disrupt their pitiful design, you see? They want to see more people climbing up thedder, while we feed on those who fall off the side. For them, the multiverse is a win-win tournament. But for us Maxwellughed to himself. Its a zero-sum game. Basil snorted. I guess you failed to talk things out back then? The Systems we had subverted were dismantled or reset, our spawn were purged, and survivors were forced to run and hide. Maxwell sighed. I dare say Im part of an oppressed minority. After all you have done, I sincerely doubt it, Basil said with a cold look. Sounds like you had iting. Can you me us? Maxwell mused. You werent the one born requiring to feed on worlds to survive. Are you fishing for sympathy? You? Bugsy red at Maxwell, his voice brimming with outrage. With all your smarts, you could have I dunno, you could have built so many houses and helped so many people! You could have made others want to keep you around them! But all you have done is hurt and kill! You said it yourself in Paris, you had no obligation to make this System as deadly as it is, Vasi agreed with a nod. You could have created something simr to my world, but you did not, because you are a malignant sadist who needs to die for the good of literally everyone else. Maxwells grin widened further. He didnt even bother to refute the argument. When you live as long as me, you find your fun where you can. It took all of Basils willpowerand the threat of universal annihtionfor him not to impale Maxwell where he stood. The tremors above them only increased in severity, and Ashok was still running around. Hes stalling us. Basils eyes darted to Shellgirl. Is the Logs option still offline? Hispanion red at Maxwell. Hes interfering with it. Guilty, Maxwell confessed. But now that I have said my piece, you understand my position: the Overgods will not allow me to propagate beyond this world. Good, Basil replied. For you? Certainly not. Maxwell nced down at Kalki. He and his girlfriend are two halves of a greater whole called Vishnu. If they touch, they will fuse together and wrestle control of the Trimurti System back from me. They will fuse like Ronald? Rosemarine asked after missing the key point. So you would rather destroy the System than lose your control over it? As far as threats went, Basil had heard better. Is that your strategy? To intimidate us? If you cant win, everybody loses? Basil, Basil you still dont see whats at stake for you. Maxwell chuckled. Vishnu is the god of Preservation. If this bleeding heart is summoned properly from his current castrated incarnation, he will grant dear Benjamins dying wish. He will recreate Earth as it was And we will die? Shellgirl snorted. Big deal, we already figured out a workaround. Well just skip universes while this one is recreated. Oh you nave child, do you think it will be that easy? Maxwell taunted them. Half your merry band were once humans. No matter where you go, you remain bound to the Trimurti System. No matter the universe you escape to, Vishnu will recall your essence and return it to its original shape. He pointed at Bugsy, Shellgirl, and Rosemarine with his chin. These three will never have existed. And you Maxwell grinned at Basil. Will return to nothing. Will you be nothing again? Basils vision went red. You and the Maleking are cut from the same cloth! he snarled, pressing his halberd against the monsters chest. Youre just trying to sow discord among us! Maxwell did not flinch. If anything, Basils fury only seemed to amuse him. I know you have allied with unsavory individuals far more ruthless than you could ever be. Like a certain necromancer. Once these foreigners realize that your Systems continued existence risks spreading my infection to their own, they will either try to fuse the Avatars or kill them. Though Basil privately wouldnt put something like that beyond Walter, he still trusted him a thousand times more than Maxwell. So what? So keep that in mind, Basil, Maxwell replied softly. And do the right thing. Maxwells arms retracted and exited the sphere, leaving Kalki unharmed. The CEO acted so swiftly, and so unexpectedly, that none of the Bohens managed to react with more than a nk stare and a gasp. Ive told you, Maxwell taunted them, I dont care who keeps these two Bugsy snapped his skull between his mandibles. tos de was already cutting halfway through Maxwells neck, and Basils halberd impaled him through the chest. The corpse deted like an empty balloon. Is he dead? Shellgirl asked without really believing it. I would bet all my remaining lives against it, to said as he examined the corpse. That was far too easy. This was a decoy, Basil confirmed. A cursory examination of Maxwells remains showed them to be a husk, and he hadnt received any damage notification when hended the killing blow. If he could block the Logs features, he might have been able to fool my Monster Insight. At least we recovered Kalki. Vasi took flight and approached the crimson sphere holding their friend captive. Can you cut through his prison? Basil attempted to m the sphere with his halberd, but his weapon bounced off it. The barrier that had let Maxwell through refused to budge before another. Well need to destroy the neurotowers, he said, turning to face Rosemarine right as he noticed a shadow teleporting at the other end of the hall. What Time skipped forward. And when it resumed, Basil found himself facing a flying spear. Only his Hasten buff and extraordinary reflexes saved him from a lethal headshot. He raised his shield and deflected the projectile, the blowback sending him stumbling down into the pond below the statue. He vaguely heard Vasi shout a warning before a thunderbolt powerful enough to st a mountain hit him in the chest. A torrent of lightning surged across the ponds water, but glided off his armor harmlessly.
You absorbed Zeus-Ashoks [Lightning] attack!
The familiar, mocking voice of Belphegor echoed in the hall. Performance issues? This is not immunity, a man answered with a hint of frustration. But so long as you keep the witch busy, I can take him. Basil jumped back to his feet, right in time to see the rest of his team spread around the hall to dodge a rain of swords. Rosemarine had been thrown back against a neurotower by two giants with a hundred arms each, and a blonde Valkyrie pursued Vasi above the spheres holding the two Avatars. Sorry man, you missed out on a limited time offer, Belphegor told Basil as shadows swirled around his hands. Zeus-Ashok stood at his side, his eyes shining with lightning. You should have be Famine while you still could. The Horsemen had found Apollyons recement. Chapter 124: Interlude: Apocalypse Now Chapter 124: Interlude: Apocalypse Now
  • A few hours earlier
A murder of crows flew over the countryside. The winds of despair and ruin carried their jet-ck wings over the open grave once known as Greece. Their feathers cast a dark shadow under the waning light of the Incursion portals. Facing them was a thunderstorm spanning the entire horizon, yet they did not slow down. They feared nothing and none dared approach them. That changed quickly. A lone human in metal armor signaled them atop a hill. He was unarmed and alone. That alone gave the crows pause. The head bird gave the human a cursory nce, identifying him as a Priest half her level. A member of an enemy group. Was it bait? A trap? The crows first instinct was to carry on without stopping, but her partner broke away from the flock to check for himself. Cursing his suicidal overconfidence, she followed after him andnded on the hill. Her partner immediately changed back into his true form. I gotta say, I gotta say Belphegor stretched his arms as feathers turned to wax. Pretty ballsy to confront us alone. I am a messenger bearing news, replied the man. His armor included as many gears as iron tes. Was he a Unity member in disguise? My employer would like to speak with you. Oh? Belphegor put a hand on his waist. Come on, whats the catch? Ill bite. The crow leader cursed as she regained her true form. Brina had done that so many times that shapeshifting came to her as easily as breathing. You have one minute, she warned the messenger. Our time is precious. The messenger joined his hands and prayed. Brina tensed briefly, before recognizing it as a basic hologram spell. A wall of golden light formed around the metal priest, and the projection of a towering figure appeared behind him: that of a humanoid machine with metal muscles and coursing lightning for blood. The silver mask of a mighty bearded patriarch covered his face; it reminded Brina of Lord Odin, but with twice the pride and half the wisdom. Mr. Belphegor, Mrs. Brina, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. The android nodded politely at the Horseman, though Brina could tell the gesture was as mechanical as his body. His greetings were an ingrained reflex as insincere as any ttery. I am Ashok Acharya, vice-president of Dismaker Labs and leader of Metal Olympus. Vice-president? The title amused Belphegor. Will you give us a business card? Ive heard merchants often do that. I prefer one-on-one introductions. The metal man looked up at the remaining crows circling above them; undead soldiers, each and every one of them. Shapeshifting magic? A gift from Odin, I suppose? Forty seconds, Brina replied, ignoring the chitchat. Brina, where are your manners? Belphegor chuckled. Still, if you want to beg for our mercy, you should do it in person. I must maintain my God-Field to protect my territory, the false metal god said as his priest maintained the holographic projection. Moving around would expose my position. But I would dly invite you to my home if you prefer a cozier ce. Brina had seen few traps as obvious as this one. Your time is up, she said after summoning a sword to her hand. Cut to the chase and stop wasting my time. After a short silence, this Zeus-Ashok finally seemed to get the message. Do you know that one of you controls my organization from the shadows? he asked. Mammon, the Horseman of Conquest. He has founded my faction under the pseudonym of Anton Maxwell. Brina knew Mammon had infiltrated the Metal Olympus faction, but not the name of his cover. She didnt see the need to confirm or deny this information. She had no love for Mammon, but identifying him might cause issues down the line. Unfortunately, Belphegor was too much of a gossip to keep his mouth shut. Ohoh, did he actually build your team in the first ce? He usually infiltrates locals to sow discord so we can hit them quick and hard, but thats the first time hes gone so far. Ill buy him a drink when I meet him. He also ordered me to protect the Avatar from the Apocalypse Force, Ashok replied. Preferably by killing you both. Eh, thats so like him. Belphegor shrugged. Sending weaklings to die to us rather than do the job himself. At least we get experience out of it. He has also informed me that you can survive any wound by possessing undead belonging to your Faction, and that it will fail if you are deprived of Special Points before death. Ashok appraised Belphegor with a cold, calcting gaze. I have been given the tools to do just that. Belphegors grin swiftly turned into a grimace. Ashok turned his gaze to Brina next. He waved his hand and a projected system screen appeared before him. Is this information correct? Brinas jaw clenched as she read a very detailed description of her stats and Perks. It wasnt quite up to date, since she had gained new levels and abilities after purging her own army, but the screens information was entirely factual. A clever fighter with ess to this stat sheet would be able to counter her. As I suspected, you did not know, said Zeus-Ashok. I assume my employer shared simr advice on how to take me down. He set us up to kill each other. You could have obtained this information another way, Brina used him. It could be a ploy to sow discord between us Horsemen. To her surprise, her teammate shook his head. Im not so sure, Brina my dear. If he knew how to counter one of us, I would put it on him keeping us under close surveince but both? That smells like sabotage to me. He couldnt have figured out all our abilities from watching us fight in Thessaloniki. No, he could not, Brina thought. Neither she nor Belphegor had revealed all their trump cards back then. Mammon has always been deceitful it would make sense for him to sabotage thepetition for the throne of the Overgod. If this is true, why warn us? Brina asked Zeus-Ashok while keeping her doubts to herself. She would be a fool to take him at his word. What do you hope to gain from this? Ashok crossed his arms. I hoped for a truce and a temporary alliance. Mmm Belphegor grunted. Nah, I dont feel any righteous anger from you. Its not vengeance youre after. You need Mammon out of the way for practical purposes. So long as you hold the Avatar of Preservation, we are bound to fight, Brina said. If Mammon has betrayed us, we will deal with the both of you. With all due respect, Mrs. Brina, I sincerely doubt you can kill either of us on your own, Zeus-Ashok replied calmly. Says the coward who would rather send a thrall rather than face us, Brina sneered. The nerve of this upstart. The two of us Horsemen earned our power through countless battles. You stole yours. No matter where ites from, power is power. Zeus-Ashok shrugged. While I agree we are bound to fight eventually, I would not approach you if I were confident I could remove my employer from the board with my current resources. He possesses powers I do not understand. We would both benefit from his defeat. You dare doubt my strength? Brina scowled at the insult and pointed her sword at the projections neck. I have fought greater terrors than you or Mammon. I will take you at your word, Zeus-Ashok replied somewhat courteously. Nheless, I insist that you entertain my request. Brina snorted. My answer is no. Hey, I was still considering it! Belphegorined. Lets put it to a vote first! What happened to you following my lead? Brina red at Zeus-Ashok. You are as deceitful as your employer, and an upjumped upstart at that. I will not trade one snake for another. Forgive me, Ms. Brina, but I was not asking you to entertain my request. Zeus-Ashok looked up at the pathways of light in the sky. I was asking him. Brina did not have to wonder what he meant for long, for a dark shadow fell upon them. A terrible presence heated up the air with the nauseating smell of charred flesh and sulfur. The flock of crows above them scattered in panic, and Ashoks priest froze like a deer sensing a tiger stepping out of the woods. To the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the pressure in the air was disturbing. To their weaker undead thralls and human foes, it was simply overwhelming. Even Belphegors control over his minions faltered in the face of his true master. A ck cloud descended from the sky onto the hill. It swirled on itself and invisible hands sculpted it into the shape of a ghastly visage. Four fiery eyes opened at its center above two mouths full of fangs. Your Dark Majesty! Belphegor immediately dropped to his knees. Of all the Horsemen, he had always been the most faithful; though Brina couldnt tell if it was out of respect or abject fear. In the Apocalypse Force, it made little difference. You have returned to us! Him, here? Brina reluctantly followed her fellow Horsemans example, though she only dropped one knee. To fully kneel before this creature meant surrendering oneself to his power; and while she craved his strength for herself, she refused to submit to it. How long has he been listening? Probably from the start. Zeus-Ashoks projection cautiously saluted the apparition. Your Majesty. The false godsposed facade did not fool Brina. His metallic body gave no tells, but his words brimmed with apprehension. Though Metal Olympus leader thought himself in a secure location, he knew better than to underestimate the herald of the Apocalypse. Ashok Acharya, is it? The ck clouds two mouths moved as the Maleking spoke. The Level Barrier must be paper-thin for him to manifest an avatar so skillfully. You have my attention. Realizing he was walking on thin ice, Zeus-Ashok immediately made his case. I will not pretend our goals will align forever. However, we currently share amon enemy. More than one, the Maleking replied calmly. He did not deny it. Brinas eyes snapped in her superiors direction. Has Mammon truly betrayed us? Of course not, the Maleking answered. He was never loyal in the first ce. His deadpan tone made Belphegorugh. Zeus-Ashok appraised the Maleking with a strange look; he seemed as confused as Brina herself. I do not understand, said Brina. You knew of his treachery from the very beginning? The Malekings chuckle was as deep as a bottomless pit. Do not mistake not caring for not knowing, Brina. I have known Mammons true nature and web of deceit from the start. I have made no move against him because the time was not right, nothing more. Patience is the mother of progress. But the time hase, hasn''t it? Belphegors eyes burned with cruel glee. Were eating the rich tonight? The Maleking swiftly crushed his hopes. Perhaps you will have the honor of delivering the killing blow on Mammon, Belphegor, but not today. Nor tomorrow. Brinas hand tightened her swords pommel so much that it cracked beneath her fingers. You do not think we are capable of it? I do not believe, I know. The Maleking nced at Brina with what could pass for sympathy. Do not misunderstand me, Brina. I do not doubt your skills. Destroying Mammon is simply impossible for the moment. It is not a question of power, but circumstances. We do not need to kill my employer, Zeus-Ashok suggested. If you can weaken Mr. Maxwell, I have a way of neutralizing him. No, you do not, the Maleking replied. You strike me as too clever by half, Ashok Acharya. You are a gifted student seeking to usurp your master, but youck the wisdom to see the trapid before you. Zeus-Ashok crossed his arms in skepticism, but he was smart enough to listen. And what would that trap be, Your Majesty? You seek to win by subverting Mammons rules, but you owe all your poweror rather what you believe is your powerto his corruption of this System. If Brina wasnt mistaken, she detected a hint of scorn in the Malekings words. You have not earned your strength, and therefore it is false. Fragile. Your castles foundations are built on sand. You will never conquer Mammon so long as you live in his world. He is still bound to the Systems rules, Zeus-Ashok countered. We made sure of that when we designed them. He does not need to break rules when he can bend them. The Malekings two mouths morphed into twin smiles. The Trimurti System permeates every inch of this reality a System that he has infected. All variables are subject to his influence. Damage will be reduced to zero. A blow will miss because your uracy will switch from one hundred to one. Death will not be the end and your attempt at polymorphosis will fail miserably. Though Brina was not familiar with the term, Ashok was. He flinched as if pped. Your n is transparent to me, and Mammon will see through it, the Maleking said. You cannot defeat him with this method. Then how? For the first time since the conversation started, Zeus-Ashoks facade of confidence began to crack. What solution do you propose then? Simple. The Malekings twin grins stretch into a terrifying expression. If you wish to prevail, you must destroy the world Mammon has built. Again? Belphegor groaned. Im sick of the blowing up behind us! I thought we aimed to capture the Avatar to prevent this exact scenario, Brina reminded the Maleking. Will this not interrupt thepetition? This seems counterproductive, Zeus-Ashok added. Not to mention Mr. Maxwell has already survived simr circumstances ording to my information. The Malekings twin smiles faded away. You hear my words, but you do not listen to them. I said to destroy Mammons world, not this one. While Brina grew even more confused, Zeus-Ashok seemed to catch on. Ah, I see yes, what he has built how could I not see it? It is risky, but it could work Now you understand what must be done, the Maleking said without borating. If you have the resolve to follow through with the deed, that is. My thoughts are unclouded, Zeus-Ashok replied with confidence, but Ick the ess required to pull it off. Doing it manually will take forever. For you but not for me. The Maleking locked eyes with the false god; all of them. I require the Avatar alive, secured, and separated from his other half if possible. Brina raised an eyebrow. If possible, Your Majesty? Letting them fuse will y into Mammons hands, the demon king replied. Though the situation can still be salvaged afterward, the risk of failure will be greater too. The window of opportunity will be shortened considerably. I I do not understand. Zeus-Ashoks projection blinked in and out of existence, as if his shaken spirit influenced the holograms stability. Mr. Maxwell explicitly forbade us from letting the Avatars fuse. The Maleking let out a cold, darkugh that sent shivers down Brinas spine. From my long experience, human, he said with a bemused tone, The best way to make a fool do something is to forbid it to them. A harsh truth, Brina thought darkly. The gods had set countless rules for the betterment of mortals, only for madmen and sinners to vite them at every turn. Even thew of death has been broken in my world. Few can resist the call of the forbidden. That makes no sense. Zeus-Ashok shook his head. Letting the Avatars fuse means returning power to Lord Vishnu and canceling thepetition. Yeah, I dont get it either, Your Majesty, Belphegor told the Maleking. This happened already, and more than once. And it would have happened again, had Mammon failed to catch the Avatars, the Maleking exined calmly. This is the first world where he has seeded in putting them in custody. So all the previous ones Zeus-Ashok looked down at the ground. I thought he needed to destroys to survive, but are you saying that was nothing but a string of failed iterations? Yes, the Maleking confirmed. Either he failed to properly bind the Avatars in a weak enough shape or the Destroyer was summoned before he couldplete his preparations. Mammon has spent eons refining his n, trying again and again, until the stars finally aligned. I assume he will do his best to set his enemies against each other through misdirection, as the risk of failure remains high, but the trap is already set. What will happen if he wins? Belphegor asked with a curious look. These worlds The Malekings cloudy avatar pointed at the pathways of light in the sky with his chin. Will know a cmity the scale of which you cannot fathom. Belphegor exploded in a burst of maniacalughter and rolled all over the ground. If Walter Tye can peddle his wares here, then that means my world is connected to this one! Brina pointed her sword at the Maleking. Why did you let it progress this far? Because I benefited from it, the demon lord replied tly. And so will you. You require strength to y your sworn enemy. I offer you the opportunity to seize it. Brina frowned at the Maleking, but remained silent. Although she knew she was being manipted, the promise of the power to defeat Nidhogg was too appealing for her not to listen. The Malekings projection turned to face Zeus-Ashok. Ashok Acharya, the dream you pursue is anathema to me. I daresay it is no better than death. Nheless, I respect those who walk the path of strength. If your resolve grants you the power to im the throne of Overgod, then your cause was righteous. Victory is the winners justice. Hence, I shall make you an offer. The false god raised his chin. Im listening. Though defeating Mammon is beyond any of you, there is a group who will provide a suitable challenge. The Bohens, Zeus-Ashok guessed. Yes, the Maleking confirmed. If you ovee them, then you will have proven you indeed earned your divine power. I will let you join the Apocalypse Force as the Horseman of Famine. I have no interest in joining your organization, Zeus-Ashok replied calmly. This organization will notst beyond the final Incursion. Belphegor stoppedughing at his masters words. It wont? No. The Maleking marked a short, thoughtful pause before continuing. I sense Wyrde poking at the Level Barrier. She will cross over the moment I do. Once we arrive, there should be enough experience gathered between all of us for an Overgod to rise from our shared ashes. A great battle for the throne will begin. Brina lowered her sword as she figured out the endgame. To the victor the spoils. Wait, wait, what about us? Belphegor asked in sudden panic. What will happen to us? The Maleking looked down on his Horseman of Death. Either you will kill me, or I will kill you. Belphegor fell silent. Brina sighed at his willful ignorance. It was always going to end this way. I have witnessed many iterations of this cycle, the Maleking dered calmly. With each failure, I have gained greater insight into the universe. I know how to purge this System of Mammons corruption. My victory will be honest, purchased with blood. If I prove too weak to defeat you, then you are more deserving of the throne. That is all. Zeus-Ashok considered the proposal for a few seconds before answering, I agree to your terms. Good. The Malekings projection spoke a fewst words to Brina before disappearing. If your resolve remains true, Brina, we shall meet again once this worldes to an end. The cloud dissipated into nothingness, leaving the Horsemen past and present alone. To Brinas astonishment, Belphegor didnt offer ament. The undead remained strangely subdued. Come with me, Zeus-Ashok said almost immediately. I will join your Faction and let you teleport inside my dungeon. It is only a matter of time before the Bohens try to attack it. Why should we help you? Brina asked with a sneer. The challenge is for you, weakling. The hologram pointed at the spot which the Maleking used to upy. Do you think you can defeat him without more levels? Brina clenched her jaw in frustration. No. I feel the same, the false god replied calmly. Let us deal with ourmon foes and then fight. We will save more experience this way. Ugh Belphegor jumped back to his feet. I, uh is this truly ourst tour? Sounds like it, Brina replied. The Maleking is not one to joke around. I know the Boss means business, but sheesh Ive been doing this forever. Belphegor scratched the back of his head. Its like being on a world tour and the final destination is finally in sight. It feels both satisfying and weirdly sad. I am not sad. Joining the Apocalypse Force had been a means to an end for Brina, nothing more. It was a chore. Come on, dont be shy. Belphegor patted her on the back. We had good times. We had tolerable times. However, Brina found herself strangely unable to push Belphegors hand back. She would have killed anyone else trying that, especially an undead, but she found the Horsemans presence almost normal. Though there is still time to do better. Are you done? Zeus-Ashok asked with an annoyed tone. Time is of the essence. Ill be honest, Ill probably skip town and be a frence murderer rather than face the Boss in battle, but sure, lets add a few zeros to the body count. Belphegor jumped back to his feet. I love team-building exercises. Brinas eyes darted to her battle-tested sword. She had collected countless weapons, each of them stained with blood. She had trained relentlessly and swallowed her pride for power, all in the name of her ambition. The risk was great. The world she was fighting to save would potentially be at risk though when she thought over it, Walter Tye had already reduced it to ruins. Prevailing over thisst challenge was perhaps her only chance at finally destroying this evil at the root. I cannot falter now. Brina hardened her heart. The road behind me is soaked with blood. If I turn around, Ill slip. One way or another, she would see her path to its end. Brina? Belphegor said. Yes? she asked. You are my friend, so if ites down to it I swear Ill kill youst. Thank you, Brina replied with a faint smile. Me too. Chapter 125: Man vs Teamwork Chapter 125: Man vs Teamwork The hall erupted into war and chaos. Ashok immediately charged at Basil with speed belying his immense size. He swung a fist and attempted to punch the Dragonyers head off. Ignoring the fake god, Basil leaped over him with Double Jump. His various speed buffs allowed him to dodge the punch and leap across the room, with the aim of taking Belphegors head. Ashok growled and pointed a finger at Basil. Sin: Envy! Basil immediately felt sluggish. The protective shroud of Deaths Banner was stripped from him, alongside Hastens unrelenting speed, Shellgirls Joyful Spirit and so many others.
Zeus-Ashok has stolen all your buffs!
Copycat! to leaped at Ashok with his rapier raised for the kill. Thats my technique! I learned from the best, Ashok replied before zapping the feline with a lightning bolt. to exploded into a cloud of smoke and revealed himself as an illusion. Bugsy attempted to exploit Ashoks distraction by sting him with mes, only for the false god to dodge with inhuman speed; the very same quickness he had stolen from Basil not so long ago. Clenching his teeth in frustration, Basil fell back on his own strength. It was risky for him to buff up with Ashok in close vicinity, but he needed more power to keep up with the Horsemen. Besides, he trusted Bugsy to handle it. The Apolloworm had earned his divine power. Basil would always bet on him over someone who needed to pay his way to victory. elerated Spell: Hasten. Time to test out his Chronomancer Spells. sh of Prescience.
[Hasten] status! [sh of Prescience] increased your uracy and evasion for five minutes!
The Tier III Chronomancy spell increased Basils uracy on paper. In practice, it manifested as him seeing two things simultaneously: his current vision of the battlefield, and a vague illusion of how it would look like in the next seconds. He knew Rosemarines Eden Guns would blow up the head of two of Ashoks giant mooks before she even pulled the trigger, and that Vasi and Shellgirl would barely dodge Brinas volley of swords. Most importantly, he predicted Belphegors movements. The Horseman of Death, who stood halfway across the pond, weed Basil with a beam of darkness fired from his hands. The dragonknight predicted the trajectory as As time skipped forward. Guided by sh of Prescience, Basil dodged the beam with ateral jump as it came within an inch of his face. He kept dashing forward with murder on his mind. Nice try, but too bad for you Belphegorughed as darkness gathered in his hands. Im invincibl Basil threw his halberd mid-jump. Belphegors attempt to dodge was sloppy. Not only was he slower than Basil even without the buffs, but years of shrugging off death seemed to have dulled his reflexes. The halberd hit him in the chest like a hatchet and cut through his wax body. The Horsemans body burst into ghostly mes at the point of impact and hisugh turned into a scream of agonizing pain.
Supereffective damage! You inflicted 5414 [Physical] damage,1624 [Earth] damage, and 1624 [Soul] damage! You have taken four-fifths of Belphegors health and all his SP!
If Ashok hadnt disabled Shellgirls Joyful Spirit, Basil would have killed the Horseman of Death in a single blow. He would settle for two. Recalling his soulbound halberd to his hand, Basil immediately dashed at Belphegor to finish him in closebat. Without any SP to power his abilities, the Horseman could only look at his foe in stark raving terror. Brina! he shouted for help. BRINA! A mighty shield blocked the halberd mid-strike. Basil couldnt tell if Brina teleported in front of her ally or moved so swift sh of Prescience struggled to keep up with her. The result was the same. The Horseman of War now stood between her ally and her enemy with a shield in hand. A new weapon? Brina looked at Basils halberd with scorn. Its his handiwork, isnt it? Basil responded by jumping above Brina in an attempt to bypass her. Unlike Ashok, she predicted his move and pushed him back with a shield bash. Belphegor stumbled back with a hand on his gaping wound. This pain its all wrong Belphegor summoned a green potion from his inventory, his eyes staring at his chest in confusion. Its cold I feel lessened its not enjoyable at ah! The Horseman gasped in surprise as he noticed to dashing straight at him. Drop tiger to the face! to shouted as he leaped at the Horseman. He swung Joyeuse in an attempt tond a killing blow. Die for good! Brina reacted swiftly to protect her stumbling ally. Parrying Basils attack with her shield, she used her free hand to throw a dagger at to. The Rakshasa Kitten deflected the surprise attack with his sword, but this gave Belphegor enough time to swallow the potion. His wound instantly healed.
Belphegor used [Elixir] to replenish his HP and SP!
Bosses cant use items! Basil cursed in his heart. This System has huge bnce issues! With his SP replenished, Belphegor unleashed a sphere of darkness at to, who swiftly dodged. Mr. Wax didnt try to blow himself up this time, to pointed out with a mocking grin. Methinks he needs SP juice to stay healthy! Lets squeeze him dry then, Basil replied with a wicked grin. Youre not going anywhere, Brina warned. She summoned a spear to her free hand and attempted to impale him. Her weapon moved so swiftly that Basil could only perceive it as shes of steel. Still, he managed to parry the strikes. Brina was slightly stronger than before, and lightning-fast. However, the S-rank Agility growth from Chronomancer had paid off. Basil slightly outsped her while both were hastened. With his life on the line, Basil couldnt afford to even look away from the valkyrie. He barely noticed Bugsy and Ashok exchanging fireballs and lightning bolts at the edge of his periphery, Rosemarine finishing off thest of the mooks, and to dodging Belphegors darkness-powered projectiles. He didnt see either Vasi or Shellgirl. Hisplete and total attention was focused on Brina alone. Basil deflected her blows with his shield, and tried to counterattack here and there, but found no opening. He jumpedterally, used sh of Prescience to try and anticipate her movements. He quickly found that there was a vast gulf between the ability to foresee an attack and the reflexes to capitalize on it. Brinas greater experience and skills let her counter each of his blows. Better, he heard the valkyriement between two swings. But still not enough. Basil grunted, until he sensed the air chilling out. The ponds waters below his feet turned to ice as a freezing wind took over the room.
Shellgirl summoned a [Laponian Winter] Weather effect! [Frost] and [Water] effects will be empowered, while [Fire] will be weakened!
Shellgirls [Ice Spinner] activated! Her Agility and Skill are doubled!
Brina frowned in confusion. What is A de shed through her face. Her right cheek and eye erupted in a shower of blood. Belphegor shouted a warning, only for his hands to fly off his arms with a whirring sound.
Vitality check sessful! Shellgirl failed to [Petrify] Brina and Belphegor!
Basils sh of Insight allowed him to keep up with Brina but it couldnt predict Shellgirl. Between her Hasten buff, Ice Spinner Perk and high evasion, she was more than invisible. She was imperceptible. Neither the Bohens nor their foes could see her movements. Small stabbing wounds tore open the two Horsemens flesh without cause or exnation. It was as if Shellgirl had stopped existing in this world. All that remained were her actions. Youve gone a long way, Shellgirl, Basil thought with a warm heart full of paternal pride. The mimic had mostly been focusing on support, and here she was outpacing two terrible foes; one of which Basil himself struggled to handle alone. He was as d to see it as he was surprised. Im so proud of you.
Vitality check sessfully! Shellgirl failed to [Petrify] Brina and Belphegor!
That was fine. The fact the Horsemen required a sessful Vitality check at all meant Shellgirls crafting endeavors had been sessful: she had created weapons capable of piercing through Petrification Immunity. She only needed to get lucky once, and her teammates would help her. to stabbed Belphegor through the chest while Basil jumped to Brinas right in an attempt to exploit her new blind spot. Coward! Brina snarled as she parried his halberd with her shield. Youck the bravery to challenge me in lonebat! Cant beat you fairly, Basil admitted as more small wounds appeared on the Horsemans pristine skin. One of Shellgirls shes cut a line across Brinas nose and barely missed the eye. So were fighting dirty. Youre wrong! the valkyrie replied scornfully. You cant beat me at all! A hundred swords materialized above the battlefield and fell into a rain of stee Basil raised his shield as time resumed properly. Swords bounced off it while to hid behind him. Brina and Belphegor had retreated further into the hall, using potions to heal their wounds. Ashok wasnt faring any better than his teammates. Without Brina to keep her busy, Vasi had flown after the false god. He was currently busy holding Bugsys mandibles with his hands to prevent the Apolloworm from eating him alive. The witch cast two spells in short session to finish him off. Darkest Fear! Vasi followed through with a fireball. Muspelme! Reacting in panic, Ashok shifted his weight to hide himself behind Bugsy. Though he avoided the dreaded fairy spell and used his foe to shield himself from the fireball, the Apolloworm used the opportunity to swipe him away with his star-tail. The fiery blow threw the false god across the room until he hit the statue of Shiva. His mechanical skin cracked at the moment of impact. Rosemarine, who had now killed thest of his thralls, opened fire at Ashok. Eden Guns! Vrontios! The false gods body swirled with lightning and he disappeared in a sh of light. Rosemarines pollen beams vaporized Shivas statue in a cataclysmic st alongside the wall behind it. Kalki and his female half wavered inside their containment field, but remained unarmed.
Zeus-Ashoks [Vrontios] briefly doubled his Agility in the God-Field!
Ashok reappeared next to his allies right as Belphegor mmed his healed hands to the ground. A sphere forcefield of crimson energy formed around the Horsemen, sealing them from the outside world. I know this spell, Vasi said as the Bohens encircled their enemies. Shellgirl slowed down until she became visible. She kept a stone arrow in each hand. It absorbs a limited amount of damage. If we keep hitting it, itll copse. Bugsy, Rosemarine, blow the barrier up, Basil ordered. Yes, Mister! Rosemarine said right at the same time Bugsy answered with, Yes, Boss. Rosemarine began to charge up her Eden Guns while Bugsy unleashed a steady stream of fire. Shellgirls weather weakened it, but it still remained effective enough to slowly weaken the forcefield. Wheres Maxwell? to taunted the trapped Horsemen. I say weplete the fourset in one battle! I told you to keep the witch busy, Ashokined to his allies. Lightning gathered in his body until he began to shine like a star. He would strike as soon as the shield was down. Brina utterly ignored him. Her flesh and eye had healed, but not her wounded pride. How are you feeling, Belphegor? This this pain feels wrong. Theres no pleasure in it, just cold. For the first time since the Bohens encountered him, Belphegor sounded disturbed instead of disturbing. What is that weapon? Its as if it bit into my soul! Brina immediately identified Mortifres true nature with a nce. The halberd holds a death gods soul, and the slime can pierce through Ailment Immunity. Both can destroy you. Im through ying then. Belphegors eyes burned with hateful purple light. If I cant enjoy the fight, lets end it now. The chilling cold summoned by Shellgirl before swiftly transformed into one that froze Basils very soul. Purple fumes filled the hall, as did the stench of rotten corpses and burning flesh.
Belphegor changed the Weather to [DeathMiasma]! All non-[Undead] and Apocalypse Force members will see their maximum HP and SP reduced by 1/16th per minute! [Insta-Death] effects will ignore Ailment Resistance!
Ahah! Belphegor gloated as his toxic miasma polluted the room. Now we just have to outwait them! Death by a thousand life cuts! Deaths Banner, Basil said. A protective veil swiftly protected him and his team from the miasmas effect.
Maximum HP and SP loss stopped by [Deaths Banner II].
Basil smirked as his ability protected his team, much to the Horseman of Deaths dismay. Vasi wasnt as enthusiastic as her boyfriend. His ability affects the whole dungeon, she warned him. He can threaten our allies too. Laponian Winter! Shellgirl attempted to reapply her weather effect, only to fail. Gah, his higher level takes precedence! Higher level? to squinted in confusion. Wasnt he seventy-seven too? Or am I misremembering? Theyve leveled up. Basil checked the Horsemen with the System. Let''s see how much.
Brina, Horseman of War
Level 86 Elite [Angel]
Faction: Apocalypse Force (Four Horsemen)
Belphegor, Horseman of Death
Level 82 Elite [Undead]
Faction: Apocalypse Force (Four Horsemen).
Zeus-Ashok, Horseman of Famine Candidate
Level 85 Elite [Divine/Artificial]
Faction: Apocalypse Force (Four Horsemen)
Basil scowled as he read. The Horsemen had gained a few levels since theirst fight. He hoped his partys legendary equipment and better tactics would let them prevail. Brina and Belphegor worked well together, but they were out of sync with Ashok. If they kept applying pressure and picked off their foes one-by-one, the Bohens could win this fight. Buff up, Basil said. Since Ashok hadnt stripped him of Deaths Banner in spite of having a perfect opportunity, then it meant the false god couldnt do that while charging his lightning attack. The window of opportunity would be short-lived, so Basil took the opportunity to renew his old buffs as well. Hasten, sh of Prescience. Ashok growled angrily as Shellgirl cast Joyful Spirit and to did the same with Mirage, confirming Basils hypothesis. The false god shone so brightly from his umted electrical power that he was painful to look at. Basil would need to intercept his attack and absorb it with his armor as soon as the shield was down. Belphegors passive ability is dangerous, but Deaths Banner counters it, Basil strategized. Ashok can steal buffs though and leave us vulnerable. These three cover each others weaknesses too well. We need to separate them, Brina said at the same time as Basil. Copse the roof! Belphegor disabled his forcefield, allowing Bugsy and Rosemarine to Allowing Ashoks world-shaking lightning to blow up the ceiling. The boom of earthshaking thunder echoed across the hall as time resumed, alongside the terrible noise of a dragons roar. Beams of pollen blinded Basils sight and blew purple miasma in all directions. Everyone! Basil shouted a warning as clouds of swirling dust made him lose sight of his allies. The neurotowers holding the hall together let out a screeching rm noise. The roof crashed down in a rain of rocks. Some boulders were asrge as a car. Disperse! Basil! Vasi flew towards her boyfriend while sting rocks out of her way with her staff. Follow me! Basil prepared to leap after his girlfriend, only for Belphegor to emerge from the rising dust. Propelling himself by channeling streams of fire through his feet, he tackled Vasi from behind and forcefully carried her back into the rain of debris. Vasi! Seeing red, Basil jumped after his girlfriend. Toote. She and Belphegor vanished into the dust, as did everyone else. Rosemarine shrieked as she was buried under tons of rocks, while bursts of mes, ice, and lightning indicated the rest of the team fought Ashok somewhere among the chaos. Vasi! It is unwise Brina emerged from the miasma and dust with a ymore in hand. She dashed at Basil and closed the gap between them in a sh of lightning. To lower your defenses! Basil barely had time to raise his shield to protect himself. The ymore impacted it with more strength than Apollyon and ckcindersbined. The sheer power of the blow reverberated through Basils body, cracked his shield, and unleashed a shockwave mighty enough to send him flying backward. Basil hit a wall on the opposite end of the hall and he kept going. He crashed throughyers of stone and steel, taking heavy damage as he did. He ended his course in another room entirely: a stairway corridor with mosaic walls leading toward the upper parts of the dungeon. Brina jumped through the broken wall right as copsing rocks blocked the exit. Basil leaped back to his feet immediately. He was now separated from his team and trapped who knew where with a cracked shield and the Horseman of War forpany. Not the best odds.
Your [Moon Shield] has been broken! Crafting is required for repairs!
Shit Basil stored his broken shield in his inventory. He checked his status screen and quickly confirmed his party members were still alive. However, his attempt at summoning them to his side failed utterly. Ashok''s God-Field still interfered with it. Basil could only hope to regroup with them in another room. The presence of purple miasma in the air only raised the stakes. Damn it, Belphegors weather effect is still active, Basil cursed. And Ashok was still out there. If he disrupts Deaths Banner while Im away He needed to return to his team immediately. I let you go in Thessaloniki and you came back more dangerous. Brina challenged Basil with her ymore. I wont make that mistake again. No way out but victory. Fine by me. Basil raised his halberd and adopted an offensive stance. To the death then. Both warriors charged at each other with a roar. Chapter 126: Everyone vs Everyone, Part I Chapter 126: Everyone vs Everyone, Part I Belphegor choked her throughyers of rock and steel. While she didnt fit the stereotype of an out-of-shape wizard, Vasi had to admit she was somewhatcking in the muscle department. She had instinctively grabbed the Horseman of Deaths arm with one hand, but his grip remained too strong for her to ovee. He mmed her through wall after wall. Each impact was followed by a sh of light from the pain and Belphegors mockingughter. His wax fingers were so hot that they would have burned her flesh had it not for the fire protection inherited from Bugsy. Vasi needed to vocalize mostplex spells. A squeezed throat made that difficult. The key word being most. Shapeshift, Vasi thought. Most would have transformed into another creature more fit for melee, but the witch knew she would never excel in it. Instead, she reshaped her body to open new mouths on her palms and used them to spellcast. Superre! An explosion of bright light detonated from her staff; Belphegor hadnt expected her to use such a dangerous spell in melee and he was summarily sted off Vasi. The witch took no damage. Her staffs special ability excluded her from the area of effect. Vasi gasped for air to the tune of her pping wings. The terrible sound of grinding gears in the background was only matched by screams of panic. The witch quickly took a look around. She and Belphegors flight had ended in what appeared to be a foundry in the very depths of the Parthenon dungeon. The two had crashed through a steel wall into a sprawling chamber held together by massive columns. Iplete power armor parts traveled along an assembly line moved by brass gears. Ovens burned like the heart of the sun, spewing molten steel into bubbling pools. Traces of battle were omnipresent, from broken contraptions to broken barricades. Dozens of Ashoks soldiers were present in the room, as were knights of the Swords of Saint-George and gunners from the French Armed Forces. They were all choking to death on the floor. Belphegors purple miasma had seeped into the forge, the heat turning it into a disgusting smog. Neither armor nor magic could stop it. The miasma seeped through all cracks and drained anyone breathing it of their very lives. Help An armored soldier crawling on the steel floor raised a hand at Vasi. She couldnt tell whether it belonged to her allies or enemies. The miasma was turning his skin purple and caused his flesh to rot in some ces. Help For the first time in her life, Vasi regretted not possessing healing spells worth a damn.
Basil Bohens [Deaths Banner] protected you from [Death Miasma]!
What an annoying ability you have, Belphegor mused as he leaped on top of an assembly line. He let it carry him away around the room while stepping over the dying. But the rest will make fine vessels for my soul. Why are they all affected? Vasi quickly guessed why, to her horror. Only Apocalypse Force members are protected from the weather, but Ashoks troops havent joined the faction yet. His troops are all going to die. And from the gleeful look on Belphegors face, he couldnt care less. You know, Ive only felt fear twice in my unlife. The Horseman of Death summoned a ck violin and its bow to his hands. From the chalky look of it, they had been crafted from bones and the hair of the dead. The first was when I met the Boss and the second was when your own drove his halberd into my flesh. He applied the bow to a ck string. Ive hated it both times.
Belphegor used his [Danse Macabre] as a spellcasting wand! All spells cast with it will inflict additional [Wind] and [Soul] damage!
The others dont look like theyreing, Vasi thought as she nced at the hole in the wall. None of her teammates stepped out of it to help. The fact Basils and Bugsys Perks still protected her meant they were still alive, but the inactive Logs prevented them frommunicating. Im on my own. Everything can be made into a pleasure, even pain, Belphegor rambled. Pain makes me feel alive, but fear it makes me feel weak. Dont get me wrong, roleying weakness is fine in my book, but actually being at someones mercy as they threaten to destroy you forever? Nobody can stand it, not even Vasi had to hope her team would survive long enough for her to rejoin them. She was confident she could handle the Horseman alone. Destroying him for good would be another matter. Wait, are you ignoring me? Me? Belphegor yed a sinister note on his violin. A mighty sphere of darkness and swirling wind erupted from his instrument. Stop giving me the cold shoulder, you winged twit! Vasi flew out of the projectiles way while preparing her own spell. Ancient Meteor, she cast, quickly followed by a second attack. Crimson Lightning. Her magic swiftly materialized a mighty fiery rock right beneath the ceiling. The projectile all but popped into existence before swiftly falling upon Belphegor. The Horseman leaped out of the way as the assembly line exploded in a rain of gears, right as a torrent of lightning fell upon Nothing. Vasi barely had time to blink before she noticed Belphegor flying straight at her. Having learned his lesson from their sh earlier, he had decided to engage in closebat. He raised his violin like a club and tried to bash Vasis skull in. She was utterly unfazed. Ghostform. Her body instantly turned translucent. Belphegors instrument went through her as did the Horsemen of Death.
[Intangibility] status! You are now immune to [Physical] attacks for ten minutes!
Belphegor only had time to blink in surprise as he continued his flight behind Vasi. Ugh? Vasi answered by pointing her staff at his back and casting Superre. The resulting explosion sent Belphegor bouncing onto the steel floor below. It is true that melee will never be one of my strengths, but it wont be my weakness either, Vasi mused. He had taken her by surprisest time. It wouldnt happen again. Ancient Meteor. Then she dropped an asteroid on him. A fiery rock squashed the Horseman and the nearest oven, spilling a puddle of molten steel on the ground. Vasi immediately winced upon seeing some of it spilling over and burning a soldier lying nearby. From theck of reaction, he was either dead or close. Without protection, Belphegors weather magic killed in sixteen minutes in the best case. Wounded soldiers probablysted less than half the time. Are there survivors? Vasi scanned the room from above, but all she could see were corpses. She did notice a soldier shambling near a molten steel pool like a zombie. One. The sight of the body turning to wax showed her mistake. The walking corpse burst into mes and Belphegor was reborn from the ashes. That hurt, he noted with a smirk. Thank you. Heres another! Vasi replied as she started spellcasting. Anci A shadowy sphere appeared in front of her as time resumed. Vasi flew downward to dodge withoutpleting her spell, and was forced to run circles around the forge as more projectiles surged from the ground. I never really cared about bing Overgod. Belphegors melody hastened into a chaotic symphony, each note unleashing a ck sphere of darkness. Destroying worlds was just a way to satisfy my bloodlust. I dont require much to be happy. Vasi ignored him. She struggled to dodge the onught of attacks before she managed to hide behind a steel pir, which gave her enough time to breathe. The shadow spheres impacted on her protection with a series of booms and bangs. The ceiling trembled under the strain. The walls shook and molten steel spilled out of the pools. What I cant stand, Belphegor said from across the room, is fear. I tried to trap him under a rock, but it didn''t work, Vasi thought while assessing her options. She opened the Guild Inventory, and to her joy she found what she was looking for. A Petrification Arrow. Vasi didnt bring it out immediately. While Shellgirl could use her gloves to duplicate the item and use it repeatedly, the witch only had one chance to use the consumable. The arrow would be spent whether it managed to petrify Belphegor or not. I need to immobilize him first, Vasi thought. Using Za Warudo would be optimal, but she had already used the spell against Maxwell. Each repeated casting increased the odds of failure as the timestream fought back. It took hours for this cooldown to reset. Using the spell now would be risky. The best I can do is force him to waste his SP and try to freeze him. With the attack barrage slowing down, Vasi flew from behind her cover and counterattacked. Blizzard! A storm of ice erupted from her staff A secondter, her ice melted next to a broken assembly line right as Belphegor reappeared at her side. And thats why you have to die! Belphegor yed another note. st Burn! A swirling torrent of blue mes erupted from his instrument, bolstered by cutting winds and screaming souls. All these elements battered against Vasis skin like water on a rock. The mes glided over her harmlessly, while small shes appeared where the air sliced through her flesh. Ghostly wails echoed in her head as foreign voices begged her to surrender her soul. It might have killed anyone else, but Vasi was more than human. She was a fairy lord of the Fomors and an archmage. Belphegors magic was strong, but it failed to pierce through most of her defenses.
[Fire] damage negated by Bugsys [Alexicacus]! 160 [Wind] and 160 [Soul] damage! Damage divided by four thanks [Fomor Lifeforce] to native resistances!
All in all, Vasi barely felt the attack. What was that supposed to do? She taunted the Horseman as she emerged from the mes. Tickle me? I hoped your allys buffs had a range limit, Belphegor admitted as he raised his bow for a new show. Vasi acted quicker. Good try, she said while pointing her staff at him. Heres a real spell for you. She shocked him with crimson lightning. Much to Vasis dismay, Belphegors screams sounded more like moans of pleasure to her. She quickly followed through with a blizzard spell and attempted to freeze him over. He skipped time again. Vasi regained consciousness above a pool of steel, a shadowy projectile flying straight at her. She moved right to dodge it then left to avoid another and another and another! Time skipped again and again and again. Each time Belphegorunched a projectile from a different direction without rhyme or reason. He attempted to use his time-skips disorienting effect to make Vasi slip up. He failed. Vasi was more than a magician. She was magic itself. She anticipated iing spells before Belphegor finished even casting them. Each of them she dodged or countered, waiting for an opening. It might have been a close call without her allies effects protecting her from the worst of Belphegors abilities, but she currently feared little from him. Eventually, Vasi found the right opportunity. She avoided a shadow sphere and sted Belphegor with another Ancient Meteor. The impact sent Belphegor flying into a molten pool of steel and shattered his violin. You cant kill me, Vasi said. It wasnt a boast, but a fact. As far as spellcasting prowesses went, she thoroughly surpassed the Horseman. You cant even match me. You see I dont need to. Belphegor emerged from the molten pool with his clothes burned and his wax body unharmed. The steel clinging to his skin and the bloodlust in his eyes made him look like a metal skeleton rising from the underworlds depths. All I have to do is wear you down until Brina kills your little knight and strips you of your protection. You underestimate my partner, the witch replied with confidence. And you overestimate yours. However, he did have a point. They would get nowhere if the battle continued like this. Worse, the ceiling kept trembling. Vasi wasnt in a hurry to see it copse on her head again. So she reached a decision. Vasi summoned her stone arrow from the inventory and cast her trump card. Za Warudo! Casting her time-stopping spell so soon after thest was a huge gamble; one that was sessful. Time stopped to a halt for all but Vasi herself, Belphegor included. The Horseman was frozen midway through an attempt to form another shadow projectile. Only one chance. Vasi raised the arrow like a dagger. Gods, smile on me! She stabbed Belphegor in the eye. The stone arrow crumbled on impact. Belphegor reeled from the pain as time resumed as swiftly as it stopped. And that was all.
Vitality check sessful! Belphegor avoided [Petrification]!
The gods did not listen. Ah Belphegor checked himself, before exploding inughter upon seeing Vasis angry scowl. Ahaha! You missed! You missed! Vasi had to chew her lip not to scream in frustration. Worse, the ceiling appeared ready to copse at any time. Belphegorsugh was drowned by the worrying noise of bolts flying off from corners of the forge. I gotta say, you had me scared for a second, the Horseman smugly mocked her. The rumbling noise grew louder and louder. I would say you almost had a shot at beating me, but that would be a lie The wall behind them shattered into a thousand pieces. Vasi managed to fly off to safety. Belphegor, meanwhile, only had time to turn his head and watch a familiar metal behemoth charge into the room. Like any car worth its salt, Steve hit a road walker. The blow propelled Belphegor across the forge. He ended his course against a steel pir and hit it with such strength that it cracked. Vasis relief only increased when she saw another friend step down from the Steamobiles back. Hey, Vasi! Shellgirl leaped into the forge with a stone arrow of stone in each hand. Sorry to bete! It was a pain to track you room to room! Shellgirl, youre alive! Vasi sighed in relief. Are the others safe? I dont know where they are, Shellgirl replied. I hoped they were with you. I picked up other friends on the way, though. Steve let out a roar of steam, and an armored figure stepped out of the Steamobile; an armored knight with angelic wings. These two were supposed to help the Bohens attack Ashok in the initial part of the n until Maxwell had them separated from the rest of the group. He is the source of this pestilence from what I understand? Unlike his soldiers, Simeon appeared utterly unfazed by the miasma. An angelic halo floating behind his head protected him from it. We must incapacitate him? Yes. Vasi raised her staff with a cruel grin. Letting him keep his limbs is optional. Good. Simeon charged at Belphegor without another word, with Shellgirl closely following him. Vasi moved to cut off the Horsemans exit. He was soon encircled. I hate Pdins, Belphegorined, his eyes burning with spite. Its Killing Time! And time skipped again. Pain followed the bitter kiss of steel. Basil gritted his teeth as Brinas ymore grazed his shoulder. The de pierced through his armor and sliced all the way to the flesh underneath, spilling blood all over the floor. Had he not deflected it with his halberd, the blow would have severed his arm. Why are you fighting this relentless battle, Basil Bohen? Brina asked, each sentence punctuated by a sh of their weapons. The valkyries greater strength helped her push Basil back. Do you covet the throne too? Or did your grudge against us survive Apollyon''s death? The duel had led them up a stairway and into a small stone chamber lit by torches. Debris littered the ground of this chamber: Spartiate weapons, hoplite armor, and ancient shields. Basil guessed it must have been some kind of armory exposition from when the Parthenon had been a museum, though he couldnt confirm it. Im fighting you because someone has to, Basil replied while deflecting a swing. Brinas ymore hit a nearby wall and left a sh through it. If I had any other choice, I would be rebuilding my house and cooking for my friends rather than stand before you. It had been exceedingly difficult for Basil to hold his ground against the valkyrie back when he had both his shield and the support of his allies. Now that he had moved into a smaller room reducing his Double Jumps effectiveness, his options were running dry. Basil Bohen did not perform well in narrow spaces. Switching tactics, Basil unleashed his corrosive breath as their weapons shed. Poison flowed out of his mouth and briefly blinded Brina. He followed through with a halberd parry to send her stumbling and then a water elemental orb. So you fight me out of duty rather than ambition? Brina brushed off the poison and easily deflected the elemental orb with her ymore. A sh of respect briefly appeared in her eyes, but only for a moment. Perhaps you are worthy of Valha after all. A blue aura red around her de. However She swung her sword so fast even Moment of Prescience struggled to predict it. I wont let anyone stand in my way. Basil parried the blow with his halberd, hoping to push her back with a well-ced counter. His steel stopped her own. It was a mistake. Immediately he sensed magical power travel from Brinas weapon to his own, and then the rest of his body. His senses dulled, his body slowed down, and he was swiftly stripped of the foresight afforded by sh of Prescience.
Brinas [Antimagic de] disabled your buffs. You are no longer protected by [Deaths Banner].
The stench of death filled Basils throat. Time and space darkened. To all but Belphegor, it appeared as if a negative filter covered the world. Colors were drowned into a shadowy sea of ck and white. A peaceful silence swallowed all sounds. The very idea of motion, ofmunication and consequences, had lost all meaning. Inside the skipped time, Belphegor was as ephemeral as a specter. The mimics stone arrow harmlessly traveled through him without inflicting any damage or ailment, as did the pdins sword. Belphegors Killing Time removed himself from the timestream. Everyone followed the actions they would have taken had he not activated his ability. The fairy witch fired a lightning spell in Belphegors direction and her pdin friend rushed forward. The Horseman phased through them all with augh. He couldnt harm anyone inside the skipped timeno more than his enemies could harm himbut it allowed him to position himself better for a counterattack. Who should I hit first? Belphegor wondered. So many choices and all of them were terrible. The witch was too strong for him, pdins were always a pain to fight, the mimic could potentially put him down for good, and Belphegor had yet to see a machine feel pain. Fighting these four would be a chore at best and his demise at worst. However, the sight of rashes appearing on the witch and mimic immediately brought a smile to his face. It appeared Brina had finally managed to y the Tamer and stripped his thralls of their protection. I overestimated my partner, eh? Belphegor mused as he moved closer to the witch to better watch her die. As if a boy could defeat the multiverses strongest weapon master! Belphegor had never doubted Brina since they met. Not even once. Only the Maleking could possibly trounce her in singlebat, and if she ever caught up level-wise She was truly the best. I win. Since Belphegor had enough Special Points to maintain the time-skip for a while and no need to attack directly anymore, he would simply maintain it until his foes expired. I cant wait to watch the light leave your eyes. Me too, someone answered. For the third time in his unlife, Belphegor felt the bitter sting of fear. Killing Time had been his refuge since he first unlocked the ability. His sanctuary. No one could threaten him within this magical anomaly. Nobody else could adjust their movements, let alone speak. Yet this hidden sanctuary had been invaded. I was waiting for you outside to do battle. A mothlike humanoid with draconic features stepped out of the hole in the wall, as regal as he was intimidating. Belphegor immediately noticed the familial resemnce with the fairy witch. But you cowards would rather bully my daughter behind my back? The stranger unsheathed a rapier, his eyes shining with murderous intent. As Father of the Year, I cant let that stand, he told Belphegor. You better pick a god and pray, ruffian. Such taunt would have made the Horseman of Deathugh once, but he was too shaken to enjoy himself. H-how can you move in the skipped time? Skipping time is a trick used by fools too weak to it. The stranger looked down on Belphegor with condescension. Youve never faced a capped Chronomancer, have you? mes swirled within the Horseman of Deaths hands. st Bu The strangers sword pierced Belphegors chest and came out on the other side. Chapter 127: Everyone vs Everyone, Part II Chapter 127: Everyone vs Everyone, Part II The miasma poured down Basils throat and sapped away his lifeforce.
You have lost 194 Max HP and 85 Max SP!
Basil grunted. Deaths Banner Brinas sword closed in on him in the blink of an eye. elerated Hasten! Were it not for his Chronomancers Perk allowing him to cast spells at an elerated rate, Basil would have died on the spot. The speed burst provided by Hasten let him dive to the ground in the nick of time. Brinas ymore cut through a wall rather than severing his neck.
[Deaths Banner] protected you from [Death Miasma]
The Horseman of War immediately followed through with a new swing. Since her ymore burned with the anti-magical blue mes that had stripped him of his buffs in the first ce, Basil could not afford to parry it. Instead, he threw a Water Elemental Orb at the ground. The liquid turned to steam when it touched Brinas fiery de, temporarily blinding her. Basil immediately followed through by opening his inventory.
Item Selected: [Mercedes-Benz Citaro].
A blue bus erupted from his hand and smashed into the distracted Brina. The vehicle was propelled across the armory. Brina found herself trapped between a stone wall and the windshield as they shed. She immediately threw her ymore through thetter; the weapon traveled across the vehicle like a harpoon, came out of its back, and nearly impaled Basil. The Dragonknight barely managed to dodge, and the de ended its course halfway across the room. Basil briefly nced at the bus back as he formed an elemental orb of fire in his hand. The specially prepared vehicle was filled with explosives, steel shrapnel, and other joyful traps. The Dragonknight ran towards the nearest exit and threw the fire orb over his shoulder once he reached safety. The resulting st bathed the room in fire and steel projectiles. One bounced off Basils armor as he moved into the next corridor.
1450 [Metal] damage! [Fire] damage negated by [Laevatein]! You have taken a tenth of Brinas health!
A tenth. Basil cursed as he read. All of this effort for a tenth of her health and a minute of respite. Basil tactically retreated rather than stand his ground. He knew Brina would catch up in a short time, so he began reapplying his buffs. sh of Prescience, Runestorm: Water Though Brinas strike didnt prevent him from renewing his buffs, doing so burned through his SP reserves at an elerated rate. Savage Rune, Monster Cure. Hisst spell was meant to heal his allies from Belphegors foul smog, but a red system screen immediately dashed his hopes.
[Monster Cure II] cannot heal [Death Miasma] damage!
Basil growled and summoned one of Rosemarines miraculous apples from his inventory. The fruit healed the wounds he had taken from Brina, but not the effects of Belphegors vile magic. It would likely stay that way so long as the Horseman of Death remained free. Basil quickly figured out Brina''s strategy. If she couldnt y him outright, the valkyrie would settle on disrupting Deaths Banner until it killed his teammates. The best option was to avoid a direct confrontation, track down his allies, and regroup. Everyone! Basil shouted as he entered a broad hallway. To his horror, he found half a dozen rotting corpses on the ground; soldiers whose flesh had been stripped away from their bones by Belphegors miasma. He couldnt even identify their factions. Twelve archways punctuated walls lined with marble statues of the Olympians. Where are you?! Ghostly wails and spectral weapons answered his call. Three translucent warriors emerged from the ground. None of them looked the same; one was an axe-wielding Viking warrior from an age long gone, another a knight in shining armor. Thest was a hooded figure with a bow shooting a volley of purple arrows. Basil deflected the projectiles with his halberd and then engaged the ghosts in melee. He cut through the Viking berserker with a lightning-quick swingMortifre immediately dispelled the ghost back into shapeless ectosmand swiftly predicted the knights nking move with sh of Prescience. Basil parried the sword with his halberd, and the mere contact destroyed the specter.
Mortifre disrupted Brinas connection to her Einherjar warriors!
Though these warriors were nothing to scoff at, they couldntst long against a Deathknight of the Sepulchre. Basils build was optimized to destroy ghosts, and none of them possessed a shadow of their masters skills. They were slower, more fragile, less skilled, and a ncing blow from Mortifre was enough to exorcise them. Or perhaps the Horseman of War was simply so dangerous that all warriors came up shortpared to her. Basil swiftly cut down the archer, only to quickly realize his mistake. A fireball flew over him and sted the other end of the hallway. A stone archway copsed atop a statue of Zeus and buried the exit under debris. You have banished my Einherjars from this ne. Brina sted the doorway behind her with a second fireball upon entering the hallway. A pile of rocks swiftly cut off thest remaining escape route. I didnt think it was possible. Basil adopted a fighting stance. Will I join them if you kill me? If you are worthy of Valha, then yes. Brina shrugged as she summoned a ymore to her hand. You should look forward to it, brave soul. It is a great honor. Ill pass. Though he remained defiant in the face of danger, Basils pulse quickened. His options were fast running dry. He could try to blow his way out of the trap by sting the ceiling or walls, but that would leave him open to Brinas attacks. He didnt have a second booby-trapped bus to throw at her. Shes more skilled than I am, but Im slightly faster too, Basil thought. If I cant afford to counter her strikes without endangering my team then I must y all offense. Wyrm Spirit could give me the edge. He still had one card left to y. Pth. Basil touched his fur cloak and called upon its power. Activate! The artifacts magic activated. His muscles ripened and his skin turned into a thickyer of fur. Sharp fangs grew out of his elongated maw and his nails extended into ws that could rip through steel. His armors shape-shifted to amodate his transformation until he became the picture of a fantasy war bear.
You have transformed into a [Werebear] (Humanoid/Beast). Your physical stats are buffed and your HP temporarily doubled (Max HP reduction increased to 388 HP).
Basil rarely used this transformation because his hands turned into paws, which prevented him from wielding weapons correctly. Yet to his surprise, his halberd easily stuck between his elongated thumb and other fingers. It should have slipped in between them, but it didnt.
Your [Soulbound Weapon] refused to fall from your hands!
Pluto was smiling at him today. His transformation amused Brina. Are you a berserker? I was once. I grew out of it. Basil raised his halberd with one hand. He hoped his new strength would make the difference. Lets dance, Horseman. You need a hug. Then he charged with a roar. It took a minute for Bugsy to dig his way out of the debris. The Apolloworm emerged from underyers uponyers of rocks and steel. Only the sight of ruins weed him. The hall was a vision of devastation, with most of the neurotowers once supporting the ceiling now buried underground. The roof was gone, reced with a cloud of purple miasma. Only the statues of the Trimurti remained more or less intact. Is Mr. Kalki all right? Bugsy immediately checked up on his friend and let out a sigh of relief upon finding him and his girlfriend still unharmed inside their forcefield. We dodged a bullet on that one. However, the absence of the rest of his team worried Bugsy greatly. Were they still buried under the debris? He closed his eyes and focused on his enhanced senses to better locate them. He had no problem finding Rosemarine. The giant dragon was trapped deep under the rocks below, her breathing causing the rocks to shift. Bugsy detected the faint pulse of to near the statues, though he couldnt see him. And then, there was the mechanical figure sneaking up on him from behind. Bugsy pped his wings and leaped into the air. A metal fist impacted the ground right where he had been a second ago. The sheer power of the blow sent stones flying in all directions. Tremorsense? the false god Ashok muttered to himself. Ayer of lightning coated his cracked metal body. No, something better. Bugsy tried to find a clever retort, but came up short. He was too worried for his friends'' safety. Where is the Boss?! he snarled at the false deity. Where are my friends?! When Ashok answered with a lightning bolt, Bugsy realized he shouldnt ask his enemies questions. He should deal with them the Major Chicken way. By roasting them to death! Bugsy flew around the hall to dodge the lightning bolts and quickly countered with his Star Bomb. His maw opened to unleash spheres of molten sma as hot as the suns surface. Ashok swiftly ran across the debris with inhuman speed.
Zeus-Ashoks [Vrontios] increased his Agility in his God-Field!
Ashok moved as fast as lightning, too quickly for the naked eye to follow. But Bugsy did not need to see his enemy to predict him. His unique Gravity Field let him detect all movements in the air and predict the false gods movement. A well-ced Star Bomb would blow him to kingdom Sin, he heard Ashok speak in between two lightning bolts. Envy. A sharp pain caused Bugsys mind to stop at a screeching halt. The noxious pestilence permeating the air suddenly started corroding his chitinous carapace. The miasma seeped into hisva veins, ignoring the heat and the magical defenses. Fuming holes appeared in Bugsys wings and caused him to lose control of his flight. His strength and speed waned.
Zeus-Ashok has stripped you of all your buffs! Belphegors [Death Miasma] is sapping your Max HP/SP!
Bugsy crashnded near a crumbling neurotower and bounced off its forcefield. His enhanced senses became a curse rather than a boon: it only sharpened the pain and made Bugsy acutely aware of the poison consuming each part of his body. I have I have to fight on! Bugsy hardened his resolve and faced the approaching Ashok. It would take far more than that to put him down! You wont hear me scream! Far from it, Ashok replied. He closed the gap between them in a sh of light, his fists raised for the kill. I mean to save you. Save yourself from this! Bugsy thought as he unleashed a stream of sma from his mouth. A sea of mes covered the world, yet Ashok simply leaped over it. Bugsy immediately opened his jaws and attempted to bite him mid-flight. His mandibles snapped around Ashok, only to be blocked by strong metal hands. The false gods weight forced Bugsy to the ground and the two of them began wrestling among rocks. However, Bugsy immediately felt something unnatural swelling within him. A warmth hotter than his ownva.
Your godly essences are resonating!
Huh? Bugsy thought in confusion. As I guessed. Though Ashoks mask remained expressionless, the glee in his voice betrayed his true feelings. Apollo calls out to his father. Light swallowed both fighters. Bugsy opened his jaws to breathe mes, but no sma came out of his gullet. Lightning traveled through his exoskeleton and numbed his muscles. His nerves no longer answered his brainsmands. Ashoks metal hands were starting to fuse with Bugsys mandibles. What The words formed in Bugsys mind, but his mouth wouldnt bring them to life. What is this? This is polymorphosis, Ashok exined calmly. Ive been fascinated by this phenomenon since I discovered it the fusion of souls into a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Like Ronald? Bugsy tried to focus, but his very thoughts slipped away from him. Pictures of burning battlefields, of summary executions, and the torture of poor humans shed into his mind. Things he had never seen; memories that werent his own. Hypathia attempted to gain this power bybining two essences, but she made a foolish mistake. Ashoks voice became a distant echo with each passing second. She refused to surrender her individuality, and thus failed to achieve Nirvana. But though you are my enemy, creature Bugsys eyes darted at his legs in panic. His chitinous exoskeleton started to take on the texture of metal. Theva coursing through his veins ionized into lightning. I ept you, Ashok whispered serenely. The enemy was infecting him. No, no, no Bugsy panicked. If Ashok absorbed him, he would go after the others! I refuse! I refuse! A System screen shed before his eyes like a message of hope.
Basil Bohens [Deaths Banner] reactivated! You are now protected from [Death Miasma]! [Monster Cure] failed to heal your max HP reduction!
The Boss was still fighting, still protecting his team from afar. Bugsy could not let him down. I have to resist! Bugsy called upon all his willpower to fight back. Though his body still refused to answer hismands, theck of pain from the miasma allowed him to focus. Where Ashok threatened to overwhelm his mind with his vile memories, Bugsy focused on his own. He reminisced about tending to the houses garden, about the warmth of the campfire while his team shared a meal on the road, about their triumphs and sorrows. It did not stop Ashoks infection but it slowed it down. This is foolish, the false god said with condescension. Our two essences belong to the same pantheon. You cannot stop this process. Perhaps the fight is hopeless, Bugsy conceded in his heart, but its not a good enough reason to throw it! The ground below them split open as if to answer his wish. A colossal maw of leaves and fangs erupted from under Ashok. The metal god was forced to release his grip on Bugsy to dodge, which freed the Apolloworm from his influence. The lightning and metal infecting his body both melted away back into flesh andva. Bugsy did not immediately regain enough strength to move again, but he could finally breathe. Rosemarine was emerging from the rubble, though she only managed to free the upper half of her body. Ashok retreated under the shadow of Vishnus statue, his body crackling with lightning. I hoped you had perished under the rubble, the false god said. It would have been wiser for you to stay down. I am a nt, Rosemarine said proudly. I sprout and bloom! She opened her mouth and attempted to devour Ashok alive. Astrapios! The metal god answered with a torrent of lightning. Rosemarine recoiled and shrieked in pain, with the high voltage burning away many of her leaf-scales. His friends screams of agony filled Bugsy with renewed strength and fury. Forcing himself to stand up, he nked Ashok and fired a sma sphere at him. The metal god vanished in a sh of lightning and the boom of thunder. Where is he? Bugsy closed his eyes and focused on his heightened senses. One moment he sensed the metal god on his right, only for him to move left before the Apolloworm could turn his head. Hes too fast! Sin, he heard Ashok say, like a curse. Envy. Rosemarines shrieks turned to cries. Rosemarine! Bugsy opened his eyes in panic, and witnessed the miasma consuming his friend alive. The noxious smoke consumed her scales and left rotting holes in her throat. H-Hold on! A metal fist punched him in the face at supersonic speed.
804 [Physical] damage! Zeus-Ashoks [Turbo: Physical] pierced through Resistance!
The blow caved Bugsys head into the bed of rubble below him. His skull cracked against a rock, which briefly filled his vision with stars. Without Mrs. Yaga, you are no match for me. Ashok loomed over Bugsy like the shadow of death. Polymorphosis was a kindness, vahana. I do not need you alive to seize your godly essence. Agh Bugsy struggled to stay conscious as he felt strong hands pulling him away from Rosemarine. He still noticed the protective glow of Deaths Banner protecting the dragon from the miasma. Perhaps it was toote. The nt dragon had copsed onto her chest from her wounds. Her innate regenerative properties healed damage from the lightning, but not the miasma. Agh Sixty seconds Ashok counted time. The effect renews itself each minute so long as your Tamer keeps it up, but it leaves you vulnerable to the miasma until then. Five more times should be enough to kill her for good. She wont regenerate from this. He stripped Rosemarine of her protection, and her cries once again filled the hall. Ashok watched the scene from a safe distance. For a reason that escaped Bugsy, he didnt st either him or Rosemarine with lightning. The metal god instead scanned the area with a sharp gaze. "Better safe than sorry," he said. "Aegiduchos."
Zeus-Ashok gained the [Invincibility] status for one minute! He cannot take damage until then.
A shroud of magical energy shrouded the false god''s body, shielding him from all harm. to, Bugsy guessed. He sensed the felines presence, though invisibility hid him from sight. Hes using us as bait. After a few seconds, Ashok appeared to lose patience. He looked over the incapacitated Rosemarine and gathered lightning tond the final blow. Stop Bugsy pleaded. He needed to buy time until the invincibility effect ran out. Ten, eleven, twelve... You I know what youre trying to do Ive seen it inside your memories. Ashok did not stop gathering lightning. He did not even respond. You want to fuse everyone with him Bugsy pointed at Kalki with his mandible. Thirty second, thirty-one second... You think it will bring peace. It will, Ashok stated with confidence. Youre wrong Bugsy countered. Forty seconds... The right moment approached fast, as did to. Nobody wants it its nothing short of death! Since when have mortals understood what is good for them? Ashok replied scornfully. The gods gave us a choice because they believed we would make the correct one. They will keep recreating the world until we seed, for their patience is as deep as the sea. He raised a hand at Rosemarine at the fifty second mark. Mine is not, he said. Bugsy leaped at him with his jaws open in a desperate attempt to save his ally. His reward was a divine lightning bolt to the face. Electricity powerful enough to fuel a human metropolis zapped him all at once, sting off part of his exoskeleton and frying all his nerves.
1164 [Lightning] damage! Critical Health! Critical Health!
Yet Bugsy powered through it all. Apollos Curse!
Zeus-Ashok gained [Fire Vulnerability] (x3 damage when targeted by [Fire]) for ten minutes!
Bugsy was left too wounded to follow through with a direct attack, his charred body crumbling to the ground. Did you hope to follow through with your mes once Aegiduchos ran out? Ashoks head snapped to his left. Here you are. He raised his palm and closed it on an invisible target. A sickening crack echoed into the hall as blood and brain slipped between his fingers.
Zeus-Ashok killed to again! Third times the charm!
The metal god had crushed tos skull in midair at the sixty seconds mark. I can sense your godly essence, vahana, Ashok said as the magical shield around him dissipated. His invincibility effect had run out, leaving him exposed.... but victorious. Now that I have you pinned in one ce, I can kill you for good after you regenerate. Bugsy scoffed. The invisibility effect hiding tos corpse was swiftly lifted, revealing their trump card. A very special belt was strapped to the felines waist. Though his reaction happened in an instant, Bugsy could have sworn he heard Ashok gasp upon noticing the Shellgirl-made explosives. He still remembered the Bohens tactical discussion prior to the assault. If Ashok feels cornered, he will teleport away like he did in Shumen, Vasi had pointed out. Considering how strategic and careful he is, there is only one time when he is likely to drop his guard. When he believes that he has already won, Basil had guessed. I dont think hell fall for illusions though. Well need live bait. to had shrugged in response back then. That bastard owes me two lives already, whats one more? A torrent of mes erupted from the suicide belt, vaporizing tos corpse and Ashok alike. The metal gods vulnerability to fire spelled his demise. The st melted the rock rubble while pushing back dust and miasma. Bugsy himself found the warmth rxing. The fire melded back into his flesh and healed the wounds left by the enemys lightning.
The [Fire] healed you back to full health (minus max HP reduction)!
Bugsy finally came up with a clever retort. When you pay to win, he thought, you should always keep the receipt. The miasma ceased to devour her flesh when time resumed.
Basil Bohens [Deaths Banner] protected you from [Death Miasma]!
Vasi gasped in relief as the painful purple rash on her skin stopped spreading; but though Basils healing magic flowed into her, it failed to cure the scars. She held onto her staff to avoid stumbling. A hand grabbed her by the arm to better help her stand. For a second, she mistook it for Shellgirls, until she heard his voice. Do not tire yourself, my dear daughter. Her fathers shadow loomed over her. Daddys here. For once, it sounded more reassuring than cringeworthy. The sound of steel crashing against steel immediately caught Vasis gaze. Simeon had thrown Belphegor against Steves metal frame. The Horseman of Deaths wax body was covered in sword wounds and a rapier impaled both his legs like a shish kebab. Ive caught this ruffian, Branio said. Vasi quickly noticed that the miasma didnt seem to affect her sire. I believe you needed him alive? Get away from me! Belphegor crawled on the ground in panic. Whatever happened to him in the stopped time, it had instilled in him a terrible fear of Vasis father. Telepor Branio pointed a finger at the Horseman. elerated Space Anchor, Reset Mine. A purple aura surrounded Belphegor and electrocuted him when he attempted to teleport away.
Belphegor cannot use teleportation effects for ten minutes!
Trying to run away, are you? Branio taunted Belphegor after the Horseman copsed to his knees. A coward to the bitter end, Shellgirlmented. She dashed at Belphegor with her stone arrows and stabbed him in the chest with one of them.
Vitality check sessful! Belphegor avoided [Petrification]!
Though the stone projectile immediately crumbled to dust, Shellgirls gloves immediately duplicated a new copy. You miscalcted, Horseman. Vasi cast an ice spell to bind Belphegors hands into stctites, chaining him to the ground. My boyfriend still holds out. Your teammate wont save you. I still have a way out! A shadowy aura swirled around Belphegors body. My Life For You! Remembering the way Belphegor had self-destructed in Thessaloniki, Vasi raised her staff to cast Za Warudo again in spite of the risks. Her Chronomancer father reacted quicker. Reset, he said while snapping his fingers. Belphegors body turned ck and white for a second. The ck aura surrounding him copsed into nothingness, turning the Horseman back to normal.
[Reset Mine] activated! Belphegor has reverted back in time!
Ugh? Belphegor looked around in confusion. My Life For You! Branio snapped his finger once again and the sequence repeated itself. A sinister aura shrouded Belphegor in darkness, only for time to rewind him back to his previous state. The Horsemans clear panic filled Vasis heart with joy. What have you done to me? Belphegor shivered, his voice breaking in his throat. What have you done to me?! Ive cast an advanced Chronomancy spell on you, her father replied with a smug grin. Reset Mine forces you back to the same state you were in a few seconds ago. Your mind will remember what happened, but your body will rewind. What What the hell are you? None of Belphegors former bravado remained; only fear and confusion. None of the time mages Ive fought could pull that off! You darepare me, the greatest Chronomancer since Akhenapep, to some offworld trash? The demon lord of Outremonde locked eyes with the terrified Belphegor. I have no equal and there is no escape. For once, Vasi was d to call him father. Shellgirl nced at her stone arrows. If his body resets, will he get a new Vitality check? Yes, Branio confirmed. The result should be different each time you stab him. Thats a gacha game I can get behind! Shellgirl raised her weapon. Can you please keep resetting him until I hit the jackpot?! The demon lord snorted. I do not takemands from the likes Dad, please, Vasi pleaded. Indulge us. Of course I will help you, her father told Shellgirl, his malice instantly reced with sugary friendliness. Go on, enjoy yourself. Shellgirl stabbed Belphegor again with a happy heart, though luck was not on her side.
Vitality check sessful! Belphegor avoided [Petrification]!
Belphegor did the only thing a coward could do in his situation: he called for help. Brina! he shouted as loudly as his waxen lungs would let him. Ashok! Help! It is useless, Vasi warned the Horseman. No one ising, and death will no longer be your salvation. Shellgirl punctuated her friends words with another stabbing attempt.
Vitality check sessful! Belphegor avoided [Petrification]!
Damn it, hes tough! Shellgirlined. How many attempts will it take? Simeon asked. Depends on his Vitality score, Shellgirl grunted. She duplicated another stone arrow and prepared to stab Belphegor again. Ill just have to keep going. The miasma will kill more with each minute wasted. Simeon faced the Horseman and looked into his eyes. Remove the weather effect now, fiend. You have my word as a Pdin that we shall take you prisoner rather than y you if you cooperate. For a brief moment, Belphegor appeared to grimly consider the offer. He had finally realized there would be no way out of this bind. Everything you can do to me the Boss will do double. Belphegors desperate expression turned into one of resignation. And I I aint a fink. Belphegors fiery eyes turned pitch ck. I trust my teammate! he snarled in defiance as the miasma thickened. Shell kill you all!
Belphegor renewed [Death Miasma]s duration.
Brina will kill you, and then the Maleking will destroy your shitstain of a world! Belphegors words turned more high-pitched the more he shrieked. It seemed he had gained an ounce of courage while on deaths door. The trumpets of Hell will announce hising! Your skies will rain fire and a tide of blood shall wash your corpses away! You will see death on a scale the multiverse has never seen! You will all die, die, die, d Shellgirl stabbed him in the head for the fourth time. The arrow did not crumble to dust. Instead, its rocky substance merged with Belphegors body. Wax and molten steel alike took on a brown coloration, and then a mineral texture. The Horsemans mes were smothered out like those of a candle that had run beyond its time. The malevolent undead, who had cheated death time and time again, suffered the same fate as the Unitys countless victims. Belphegor turned to stone in the blink of an eye.
Vitality check failed! Belphegor has been [Petrified]!
They danced alright. They struck and dodged and circled each other. His halberd left craters wherever it hit; her thrown knives stained his fur with blood.
You lost half your HP! [Wyrm Spirit] activated! You will inflict 50% more damage!
Brina no longer attempted to parry him anymore, although it would have allowed her to dispel his buffs. She had guessed Basil would cut through her weapon in a direct contest of strength. Instead, she switched to throwing summoned knives from a distance, and then tried to close in with her ymore whenever he left himself open. She had yet tond a hit with her main weapon, but she steadily chipped at Basils health nheless. Basils werebear transformation let him resist hits more easily, though he wouldnt be able to keep it up forever. He attempted to strike Brina with all his might once again. His halberd smashed a statue of Poseidon, gutted it like a fish, and sent marble shards flying everywhere. Yet Brina dodged nheless. sh of Prescience allowed Basil to predict her movements, but even his heightened bear reflexes struggled to adjust quickly enough. It wasnt just a question of speed. Brinas reaction time was simply inhuman. Her reflexes were not the result of the Systems guidance, but of decadesperhaps centuriesof constant practice. She knew how to evade each of Basils moves because she had seen them before. Basil couldnt beat her by fighting like a warrior. He needed to fight like a madman. Brina backflipped across the hallway and summoned her rain of swords. des materialized below the ceiling and swiftly fell upon Basil. The wisest thing would have been to dodge. Instead, Basil Bohen jumped across the hallway. Trusting sh of Prescience to predict the course of the falling swords, the werebear positioned himself in a way that minimized damage. In a move straight from an action movie, he opened his mouth and caught a sword by the pommel. Immediately he sensed the Systems knowledge flowing into him.
[Holy War Apotheosis] activated!
Brinas sword was his. Its sisters sliced through his flesh in half a dozen other ces, but he powered through it all the same.
647 [Metal] damage!
Even Brina looked shocked as he closed the gap between them. She raised her ymore as if expecting a direct sh with his halberd. He instead threw Mortifre straight at her face in a surprise move. The valkyrie instinctively threw her ymore back at the projectile with both weapons bouncing off the other. And Brina found herself wide open. Still carrying his stolen sword between his fangs, Basil swirled midjump and sliced through the valkyries waist. Her own weapon cut a body path across her pristine skin. So strong was the blow that it flung the mighty Horseman backward and sent her crashing into a stone archway. The sword remained embedded in her flesh.
Critical hit! 7865 [Physical] damage! You have brought Brina below half health.
Then falling swords impaled him from behind and nailed him to the ground.
647 [Metal] damage! You have fallen below a third of your health!
When all of ones body hurt so much, pain started to lose all meaning. Dozens of des pierced Basils flesh all the way to the bone, severing his nerves. Some would have hit vital organs without the enhanced muscle mass of his werebear transformation. Agh Basils breath left his throat sore. The very air tasted of his blood. Agh He struggled to even move, and Brina quickly went back to her feet after removing the borrowed sword from her body. Though bleeding profusely from her wounds, she summoned a spear to her hands and charged back into the fray without skipping a beat. The worst part was that Basil saw hering. He predicted her movement with sh of Prescience. He just didnt have the strength left to move out of her way. The spear pierced through his chest and came out of his back. Neither his armor nor muscles stopped it. Basils scream of agony turned into a beastly roar, and he coughed enough blood to fill a Japanese pond.
Supereffective damage! 1220 [Physical] damage, [Fire] damage negated by Bugsys [Alexicacus].
If the werebear transformation hadnt doubled Basils HP, he would have perished here and there. As Brina twisted the spear inside his flesh, he had to face the obvious conclusion. Defeat Defeat was inevitable. No matter what he tried, no matter the legendary equipment he had umted, no matter the skills he had sharpened across his journey, Basil Bohen simply couldnt defeat Brina on his own. Perhaps he would have had a chance if he had been allowed to fight her as a Tamer, picked a better battlefield, or invested in stronger sses. But though one could remake the world with ifs, it did not change the ultimate result. Need eject party Basil opened his System screen. Words appeared on it. Need eject
The dungeons boss has been in! Zeus-Ashoks [God-Field] has been canceled! [Xenia] will no longer preventmunications nor teleportation for non-Faction members!
Basils eyes lit up with hope. You fought well. There was a hint of respect in Brinas voice, and ruthlessness too. But this is the end. I Basil grit his teeth. I agree He grabbed her wrist with thest of his strength and teleported them away. Brina could have refused to follow him across dimensions, but that would have meant letting him escape to fight another day. She did not release him and thus signed her death warrant. They crashed into a shelf full of potions. If I may, chief, I would suggest adding more refreshers to your army. Its what made the dwarf catapultbo so effec A voice in the background stopped talking as they noticed the catastrophic crash. Mmm? At this point, Basils vision blurred from the pain and his sense of hearing had dulled considerably. He struggled to recognize the speaker, though it sounded familiar. Is this a shop? Brina nced at rows upon rows of magical wares, from scrolls to artifacts. What is the meaning of The valkyrie froze upon catching sight of the counter. Though his other senses failed him, Basils bear nose immediately identified the dreadful smell of death and fresh corpsesing from behind the counter. His blurring vision noticed two red eyes ring at him from behind a board of miniatures. They were filled with cold anger and frustration. Walter Tye did not like uninvited guests. Chapter 128: Man vs Vengeance Chapter 128: Man vs Vengeance A tense silence had fallen upon Walters shop. After being forced back into his human form by all the wounds he had taken, Basil gasped for breath in a pool of his own blood. His enemy only had to take a swing at him to finish him off. His health had fallen into the two digits. Yet Brina did not deliver the coup de grce. In fact, the valkyrie no longer registered his existence. All her attention, all of her wrath and bloodlust were now focused on the undead merchant behind the counter. She shook with such rage that she seemed unable to move anymore. The target of her wrath remained eerily calm. A B&C board was set before him, the miniatures on it rehearsing the fateful battle Basil won against him earlier. His bodyguard Hagen immediately stepped forward with his ghastly mace and shield. He would defend his master with his unlife. I am torn. Walters eyes set on Basil with a mix of respect and cold anger. On one hand, this is aplete breach of the merchant-client trust. On the other hand, I do admire your audacity. Ive never met someone half as brazen as you are, Basil. You said you would only act if an enemy dropped into your shop Basil rasped, each word hurting his throat. He mustered the strength to crawl back to his knees, but that wasnt enough to stand up. So I brought you your leftovers Walters lips pursed into a thin smirk. Clever boy. Is it you Nidhogg Brina raised her spear at Walter with a furious gaze. The blistering, bleeding wound on her chest did not inconvenience her at all. At longst, I have found you. You could have just booked a meeting, Hagen quipped. We are open even on Sundays. Walter lost all interest in Basil and focused on his other guest with squinting eyes. You smell of Surtr, he said, but I do not think weve met. Of course you do not remember. Brinas grip on her spear tightened to the point she started bleeding from her fingers. You have destroyed so many lives, Im sure you can hardly remember them all. Yeah, weve heard that before, Hagen said contemptuously. And how did we destroy your life, Mdy? I am thest Valkyrie of Lord Odin. From the way Brina spoke, she had been rehearsing this confrontation countless times in her head. My liege, whom you murdered after burning Asgard to the ground, infected the nine realms with undeath, and substituted the gods order for chaos. Walter listened with a silent gaze and an expression of utter disinterest. I have watched my liege, my kingdom, my friends, my whole life burn because of you. Brinas spear caught fire, though the heat paled from that of her fury. I have sold my soul to Surtr and demons. I have bled and killed, and wept, all so I could finally gain the strength to put your rotten head on a spike I am sorry, Walter interrupted with a tone that implied he wasnt. But I do not remember any Odin. It was a pure liethe merchant had already mentioned Odin in Basils presence many timesbut the taunt worked. Brina chortled in outrage. Would you be so low as to deny your crimes? You misunderstand me. Walter folded his hands together. A malicious smile stretched on his lips. I make it a point not to let my enemies ghosts weigh on my peace of mind. Once they have crossed me, they no longer exist in this world. If you insist on joining the cohort of the dead, not even memories will remain of you. You can forget us, Brina replied scornfully. But we will alwayse back to haunt you. No, I do not think you will have that opportunity. If Walter was afraid, he didnt show any hint. I can smell the stench of blood following you, Valkyrie. To reach this ce, you have killed more innocents than everyone present in this room ever will. Which is saying something, Hagen mused. I wont deny I have killed many, but it was always done in the service of the greater good. I feel no guilt atmitting crimes in the name of the Great Work and mortal prosperity. Walter locked eyes with Brina. Can you say the same? Have your actions been a gain for the multiverse? Im sure all the people youve ughtered with the Apocalypse Force had lieges and friends of their own. Brinas jaw tightened. I wont deny my sins. But you think that they were worthmitting? Basil couldnt help but snort in contempt. You are Apocalypse Force no salvation for the likes of you. Brina red back at him. You only came after us because Apollyon burned your home, she said. This man has done the same to mine. How are we different? Simple Basil spat blood. I havent killed innocent people along the way. Walter closed his eyes. If you leave this shop, Valkyrie, I will forget you ever walked into it. Brina scoffed. You will forget? Killing you wont benefit me in any way, Walter replied. It is true, yes: I have killed your master. Odins cause is buried along with his corpse. Whether you live or die wont change that, so I will give you one chance to walk away. You can go rebuild your life, dedicate yourself to another god, run orphanages, be a productive member of society, whatever you want but if you take another step Walters eyelids snapped open, revealing two sunken ck pits of darkness rather than eyes. The temperature in the room dropped to the point Basils breath turned to white mist. He felt something crawling on his back, something he could sense but not see. Ruin drew near. You will die a gruesome death, the merchant warned. No. No, it wasnt a warning, or even a boast. There was no hesitation in Walters voice, not even aggressiveness. From his point of view, he was only pointing out a fact. If his enemy took another step forward, she would perish. The end. And from the way Brina flinched She knew it too. Though Basil had failed to ovee her, she had taken a serious wound on her way to the shop. She would have to ovee Walters bodyguard to even reach him. This is not right, Basil thought. When he had first walked into this shop, he had received a quest about taking on Walter. The suggested level had been over ny-nine. She would have little to no chance, even if the stars aligned. The Horseman of War had killed many to reach this battlefield but she still came up short. From her somber look, she understood that very well. Yet Brina refused to back down. I only see blood behind me. The valkyrie raised her spear with grim determination. Theres nothing for me to go back to. She still had to try. Brina took a step forward with a battle roar, her weapon burning with her rage and determination. She moved faster than lightning and with more strength than a tempest. Walter did not move an inch. His enemy died on the spot nheless. There was no sound, no spell cast, no System notification, no hint as to what happened. Brina simply copsed onto the floor within arms reach of the shops counter. The mes surrounding her spear were snuffed out like candlelight. Her skin turned as pallid as a corpses as if all her blood had been drained from her in an instant. She hit the floorboard with a thumping noise, and no breath came out of her mouth. The sight chilled Basil to the bone. The Horseman of War, who had kicked his ass twice and nearly brought his team to ruin, perished almost instantly. Walter Tye had murdered her without any effort. Basil. Basil froze as Walter turned his empty gaze on him. His eyes were pitch-ck pits of darkness from which no light escaped. He was still wearing a human face, but his mask had slipped a little. I will let it slide this once, but if you pull that stunt again, we are done. I wont fight your battles for you. Walters eyes returned to normal, and promptly forgot the matter to focus on his miniatures. Now finish her off. You wont get experience unless yound thest blow. Thest blow? Basil nced at the corpse in the middle of the shop and looked into its eyes. Brina was no, she was dead. Basil couldnt hear a pulse or a breath. She was a corpse. Yet he detected a hint of awareness in her eyes. She remained conscious, yet trapped within herself and unable to lift a finger. Her soul refused to leave the body and had now be a prison of flesh. What had Walter done to her? Most frighteningly, the necromancer seemed to have washed his hands off the entire affair. He no longer paid attention to the corpse on his floor, though it was within arms reach of his counter. Brinas death didnt fill him with either satisfaction or sorrow. Killing meant nothing to Walter Tye. Nothing. Whereas he couldnt care less for Brina, Walter noticed Basils uneasiness. Dont tell me you feel sorry for her. Its just Basil grunted. Cold. Why? Because I would rather pay attention to my friends well-being than my enemies? Walter flipped a miniature between his fingers. I told you. You only defeat your foes for good when you forget them. Otherwise, they keep waging war on your peace of mind. Like Gwen? Hagen asked mirthfully. A sh of annoyance passed over Walters face. It is a constant struggle, he admitted. But I try to live by these words. Everyone should spend their life on better things than nursing grudges. Perhaps there was wisdom in his words, but Basil simply found them frightening. He didnt have it in him to kill someone, even a foe, and move on with such casual detachment. It seemed inhuman. Forcing himself back to his feet in spite of the pain and blood, Basil grabbed Brinas spear. His heart skipped a beat when he gazed at herst time. Her eyes reeked of despair and resignation; of deep sorrow. She hade so far, only to fail. Basil put her out of her misery with a strike to the heart. The light faded from Brinas eyes, and her body caught fire soon afterward. Eldritch mes consumed her flesh from within. Only a bed of ashes and a spear remained of the mighty Horseman of War. Why do they never walk away? Hagen let out a heavy sigh. The graves are full of martyrs throwing their lives away for doomed causes. I dont understand them. Where is the glory in this? Did she Basil coughed. Did she ever have a chance? No, Hagen replied with a hammers bluntness. Some mountains are too high to climb. I disagree, Walter said from behind his counter. Nothing is impossible if one puts all their will and strength into it. But is the hope of seeding in a task reason enough to attempt it? Hagen shrugged. If you break your back and hands climbing a frosty mountain, boasting for five minutes about reaching the summit doesnt sound satisfying enough to me. She didnt reach her summit, Basil thought as he observed Brinas remains. She came within sight of it and then fell off to her death. Basil felt no remorse over the Horsemans deathshe had killed millions across countless worldsbut her demise filled him with somber gloom. He simply couldnt muster joy when faced with such pointless futility. Death is always senseless, Basil, Walter said sharply. This is why Im trying to solve it. Life doesnt need to end to have meaning. Do you know it then? Basil rasped. Lifes meaning? There is none. Walter smiled thinly. Which is why we must invent our own. Lifes meaning? Basil already had found his own. He teleported away without a word. His team needed him. When Basil returned to the Parthenon, the battle was already over. Belphegors miasma had cleared, Ashok was dead, and there were rotting corpses everywhere. He regrouped with his team and allies in the depth of the dungeon. The Boss room holding Kalki had long copsed into a pile of rubble, though thankfully both Kalki and his female counterpart remained unharmed inside their forcefield. Shellgirl had managed to turn Belphegor to stone, and Ashok It always saddens me to lose a life. to kicked a charred husk of metal. The fire that slew Ashok had consumed half his body, leaving only a ck skeleton that reminded Basil of the Terminator and a golden sphere shining in tos paws. But this one was well-spent! Everyone, let me heal you. Rosemarine, who was still half-buried under rocks, swiftly showered everyone with her healing magic. Heras Grace! Her ability closed Basils wounds and let him taste something else than his own blood in his mouth, but the purple patches left by Belphegors miasma marred his skin. Though his party healed too, all of them showed the same stigmata.
You could not recover your lost max HP!
Mmm Vasis father examined his daughters skin. I could reset you back to your prime, darling. I can think of a quicker alternative. Vasi pointed her staff at Belphegors petrified form. Though the Horseman of Death would no longer cheat death in this state, he remained alive in his prison of stone nheless. Handsome, well need you. Basil summoned his halberd back to his hand and struck a fatal blow. Mortifre sliced Belphegor in half in a single swing. The Horsemans remains shattered into ghostly ectosm, only to be swiftly absorbed into the de that fell him. The halberd consumed Belphegors essence and ensured that he would no longer trouble the multiverse. Immediately afterward, the stigmata left behind by his miasma dissipated. Vasis skin became as pristine as ever, as did Basils.
Belphegors curse has been lifted. You have regained your lost Max HP!
A System notification swiftly confirmed that the battle was indeed won.
Congrattions, you have won your hardest battle yet! Your party has earned 119,000,000 EXP and 59,900,000 Bonus EXP from the Incursion event (29,950,000 for you). You have gained eight levels (total 85).
to can now undergo his divine metamorphosis!
The hardest battle yet? Basil couldnt help but smile bitterly at these words. Though the third Incursion was finally about to end, yet it was but an appetizer for the final one. Their troubles had only begun. At least the System showered them with rewards this time.
By wiping out the Horsemen of the Apocalypse and Dismaker Labs board, including Anton Maxwell, you havepleted the [Apocalypse Not] and [Flipping the Board!] Main Quests. Your party has gained 48,000,000 Quest EXP (8,000,000 for you), the [Holy Grail] artifact, and the [God Card] consumable! You have gained two levels (total 87).
Anton Maxwell included? Basil squinted in skepticism. Theres no way hes dead. The original Quest said we had to defeat him, not kill him, Vasi pointed out. Which we technically did. Truly? Basil remained skeptical. Or perhaps they did kill him ording to the Systems rules; it just wouldnt stick. I cant shake the feeling weve yed right into his hands, somehow. A white paper card materialized in Basils hand. It resembled a normal collectible, except made of some kind of crystal and translucent. He didnt pay much attention to it. Instead, his eyes set on the second reward, which Shellgirl promptly grabbed as soon as it appeared: a simple yet magnificent cup of solid gold. Though the artifactcked ornaments or decorations, it radiated a soothing magical aura. Simeon joined his hands in prayer at the sight, as did Basil.
God Card
Family: Consumable.
Quality: S.
Effect: When used, the card can summon a deity whose true name the user knows; if they agree to answer, the entity will temporarily manifest an avatar that will remain active for three minutes before disappearing. This item cannot be duplicated nor reused. If the deity refuses the call, the God Card is wasted; the deity is not under the callers control either.
Some said it was crafted in Ancient Egypt, others in a Japanese manga shop. Whatever the case, this item truly holds the heart of the cards.
Holy Grail
Family: Idol.
Quality: S.
Effect: When ced in an individuals inventory, the Holy Grail will protect them from death once. If the user expires, the Holy Grail will instead revive them at full HP and SP, while also enhancing their stats for three minutes. The Holy Grail will vanish afterward.
The legendary Holy Grail, whose power the Four Horsemen once sealed. This holy artifact holds the power to ward away even death, though only once.
Basil couldnt tell if it was indeed the true Grail or a copy made by the System, but it warranted his respect either way. Pfft Branio scoffed in disdain. Fathers cup looks better. I like it, Shellgirl said before using her gloves to duplicate it. Agh, I cant store the copy in my inventory! Can you copy the Essence of Zeus? Bugsy asked. I doubt itll work, but it doesnt hurt to try. The shinys mine. to kept the essence close to his chest. I lost a life for it! Im Im so d everyone here made it in one piece. Basil sighed in disbelief. All the tensions of the battle fell on him like the weight of a world. I it was a close call. It was, Vasi agreed with a sharp nod. You know, we offered Belphegor a chance to surrender. Instead, he renewed his miasma while cursing us. He believed that Brina would kill you to the bitter end. Had the Horseman of War already been in when Belphegor pulled that off? The timeline of the battle remained elusive to Basil. In the end, though, the Horseman of Death had guessed correctly: Basil failed to defeat his teammate on his own. That gamble with Walter could have easily backfired. His trust wasnt misced, Basil admitted. If I had been too slow on the draw, or if to hadn''t managed to kill Ashok just in time, she would have killed me. Many fell today, not just our enemies, Simeon admitted. Ny percent of the troops we sent into the dungeon, except for the monsters you shielded with Deaths Banner, were in by the miasma. On the good side, our enemies suffered a one-hundred percent fatality rate, Branio mused. A costly victory, but one nheless. Vasi turned to look at the captive Avatars. Now that the dungeon belonged to them, nothing prevented the alliance from removing the forcefields keeping them imprisoned. What do we do with these two? she asked. Basil clenched his jaw. Though his girlfriends question sounded innocent enough, he knew there was another hidden underneath. What do we do with the world? And he had no answer to this one. Book III Takedown Date and Preorders + Update change Book III Takedown Date and Preorders + Update change Hello everyone, By now you''re probably used to this message but... well, Volume III of Apocalypse Tamer (covering the Bulgaria/ckcinders arc) is now avable for pre-order on Kindle Unlimited and will be released on May 23rd. Look at this beautiful dragonyer cover! It''s probably the best one yet I think! This unfortunately means that I will have to take down Book 3''s chapters (leading up to chapter 112) by May 10th; you''ve probably read it already, but here''s a head-up XD Second, now that Apocalypse Tamer is concluded on Patreon, I''ve switched to publishing two new stories with a different schedule there (very big chapters with a slower update rate). I''ll slow down the Apocalypse Tamer schedule on RR to two chapters a week untilpletion to align on those, with updates now being on Tuesday and Saturday. My hope is that by the time I havepleted Tamer on RR, I''ll have umted enough backlog on Patreon to release the new stories on RR when the story concludes there. In any case, I hope you''ll enjoy the final arc of Apocalypse Tamer and the tales that will follow it! Best regards, Voidy. Chapter 129: Man vs Thoughtfulness Chapter 129: Man vs Thoughtfulness Sitting atop a pile of rocks, to looked up at his best friend with an anxious look. What if I turn into an ocelot? he asked fearfully. Or a sphynx cat? What if I were to lose my fur? It would be a pretty big letdown, Basil replied mirthfully. But that would make you cuter, Vasi mused. She giggled when to red back. Im teasing you, oh king of cats. Im sure youll be a mighty tiger or raging lion. Look at us! Bugsy pointed at himself and Rosemarine, the two titans towering over ruined houses. Our final metamorphoses worked out just fine! My roots spread under the homes of thousands, Rosemarine chirped happily. They dont know Im below them watching to didnt look too convinced. Shellgirl became a Christmas dwarf! Little crafting goddess! Shellgirl countered. She had set up shop in the open and spent more time repairing Basils Moon Shield than participating in the discussion. And Im not the one judging you on your appearance! With the dungeon secure, the Bohens had left the Parthenon to help the army clean up Athens. Though most had perished from abination of the siege and Belphegors miasma, some of the Horsemens soldiers remained afoot. The Bohens hunted them down like rats until the very end of the Incursion. Their allies also required medical treatment, which Rosemarines magical healing provided. It bothered Basil a bit to leave Kalki and Padma behind, but the containment device keeping them imprisoned was far above his meager crafter paygrade. Considering the risks of it being booby-trapped or of identally harming the captive Avatars upon release, General Lenc had ordered specialists to study the machinery before slowly dismantling it. For now, Basil could only wait. The hunt helped him clear his mind. Basil had to admit he found Athens somewhat unimpressive. He had expected a monument per street from the cultural capital of Greece, but it appeared Ashok had subsumed the citys other dungeons in his quest to create a prison for his own deity. Besides the impressive Parthenon temple surveying the city, most of Athens resembled an open sky modern fortress; one couldnt take a step without encountering a barricade or armory set up by Ashoks soldiers. At least the hills offered a good view of the city. The Bohens, Steve included, had set shop atop one to enjoy the sight of the sky. The Incursion was finally about to reach its end, and they were all to celebrate. to, Basil said. It is time. Fine, fine! to climbed down from his rocky seat with his sword and shield in hand. Hakuna matata, as they say! No worries, huh? Basil thought as he applied his levels to Chronomancer. Fine words to live by. Basil was used to the pleasurable surge of power that followed each level-up by now but it had been a while since he received ten levels at once. This time was different from the others before; his senses sharpened to the point that it seemed that time itself briefly slowed down for him. Now that he had broken past level eighty, Basil was entering the realm of legends and felt like one.
Chronomancer Level 5 to 14 Stat Gains: +7 STR, +20 AGI, +4 VIT, +6 SKI, +10 MAG,+ 8 INT, +4 CHA, +8 LCK. You have gained 370 HP and 150 SP.
Stasis Strike (Passive): When you sessfully inflict a critical or supereffective hit, your target will suffer from the [Paralysis] ailment for 5 minutes.
Time Leap (Active): [Mythic], [Support], 1 SP per second. You can leap across time to avoid an attack. This allows you to teleport at the same ce in the future, with the length of the jump being equal to 1 SP per second skipped. You are invulnerable while time-leaping, but you have no awareness of what happens during the skipped time.
Chronomancy II (Passive): You can now learn and cast [Chronomancy] Spells up to Tier II. If you gain the ability to cast [Chronomancy] Spells from other sses or Perks, the Tiers stack together.
Time eleration (Active): [Mythic], [Support], 20 SP per minute. You can temporarily elerate time for yourself to reach heavenly speeds. This manifests as your AGI temporarily increasing by 1 point per second until it reaches double your base stat (currently 228); your agility resets if the effect is ever interrupted. This Perk stacks with Hasten and other Agility Buffs.
Permanent Buff (Active): [Mythic], [Support], 10 SP. When you benefit from buffs or status effects working on a time limit, such as hastened for one minute, you can pay 10 SP to reset all timers; this option can be set to automatic, allowing you to reset effects even while unconscious. However, this does not prevent effects from being dispelled, in which case you must apply them again; neither does it apply to abilities including limits other than duration or that demand continuous SP consumption to maintain, such as [Time eleration].
[Divine Auspices II] raised your [Chronomancy] spellcasting Tier to IV.
Chronomancer truly lived up to the hype. Permanent Buff Basil blinked repeatedly as he read. The potential synergies were simply staggering. Does that include things like Duty Beyond Death? It does trigger on special conditions so Permanent Buff might not work with it but if it does There was only one way to check, and Basil wasnt in a hurry to try it out. Please let it be a lion, to begged the heavens as his body began to shine. Or a jaguar! I can settle on bing a tiger too! All of tos metamorphoses so far had involved him staying small and cute but it seemed that the System had decided to indulge him for his final transformation. Both the sword Joyeuse and tos copy of the Moon Shield were absorbed into his body as it changed, alongside the hat and boots. The Rakshasa Kitten, previously norger than a housecat, grew to rival a three-meter long liger. His fur turned ck as night, so dark the shadows seemed to mesh with it. His eyes glittered like gold. Though his clothes did not reappear, his weapons did: two copies of Joyeuse grew out of his mouth into sabertooth fangs, and his tail ended with a circr shield. His ws were made of sharp des of ice rather than bone. Many of the Bohens gasped at the sight of tos final form, none more than the feline himself. These fangs these ws this soft fur to observed every inch of his body the way one would cherish a new sports car. I have be Beautiful, Vasi muttered. A smilodon! Tears of joy formed in tos eyes, for his dearest wish had finally been granted. Atst! Im a smilodon! Name to (Smilogod) Type Beast/Divine Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 55,361,182/60,000,000 Immune Resist Weak Frost, Darkness, Illusions, Mind, Insta-Death, Critical Hits. Physical, Soul, Metal, Wood, Water, Wind, Mythic, Ailments. Beastyer, Godyer, Corrosion, Fire, Light. Level Health Points Special Points 87 3480 1690 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 61 (A+20%) 125 (S+20%) 56 (C+20%) 106 (A+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 86 (A+20%) 60 (C+20%) 68 (B+20%) 124 (S+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong Strong Strong Weak Strong Strong - Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Weak Strong - Strong Strong - Weak Strong Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Legendary Beast Cat Kings Luck Death in the Shadows Darkwind Fangs Primal Hunter Catnapping Nine Lives Mirage Pack Joyful Swordfang Smilodon Blitz Pawerful Dao Wild Fang Shieldtail Counterstance
Personal Perks:
  • Legendary Beast: to is a legendary beast. His natural attacks scale off his SKI rather than his STR, and he is immune to Insta-Death, Critical Hits, Mind and Illusion effects. to gains perfect proficiency with all natural attacks (x3 damage, +30% Crit) and inflicts an additional 30% [Frost] damage with them.
  • Death in the Shadows: to benefits from a natural [Invisibility] effect which he can disable at will. While in a field or weather with a strong [Darkness] affinity, he gains 50% chance of avoiding any single-target attack. Finally, he is immune to any effect that would decrease his uracy, such as the [Blind] Ailment, and gains +50% uracy.
  • Primal Hunter: While tos attacks with natural weapons inflict [Birdyer] damage (x3 damage against [Avian] Types), he can change the yer effect to target another Type of his choice at will. If he does change his favorite prey Type, he cannot change it again for one minute.
  • Nine Lives: When to would die, he instead benefits from an [Auto-Revive] effect bringing him back to life at critical health; this also purges to of ailments. to can be revived eight times before the Perk bes inactive. 2 out of 9 lives remain.
  • Joyful Swordfang: tos fangs have turned into swords after absorbing Joyeuse. Not only does to benefit from perfect proficiency with swords (x3 damage, +30% crit), but his fangs count as +15 SKI sword weapons each that inflict the [Brand] ailment (prevents victim from recovering HP until the ailment is removed) on a sessful hit.
  • Pawerful Dao: to can run on vertical structures, and even ceilings so long as he remains in motion. Additionally, the length of his jumps is doubled.
  • Shieldtail: tos tail has turned into a mighty shield capable of reflecting magic. If to is targeted by an elemental attack to which he has a Strong affinity, the attack has a 50% chance of being reflected to the sender.
Active Perks:
  • Cat Kings Luck: 77 SP, [Support]. Buffs the Luck, Skill, uracy, Evasion, and Critical Hit Rates of tos party for five minutes.
  • Darkwind Fang: 80 SP, [Wind], [Darkness], Technique. to can unleash a sharp de of cursed wind with any ded weapon, ws, and fangs included; proficiency bonuses apply depending on the weapon used (base [Wind]/[Darkness] damage 120, +30% uracy and crit).
  • Catnapping: 50 SP, [Support]. to can designate a foe within his line of sight. On a sessful Luck check, all the enemys buffs are transferred to to as if they had been cast on him in the first ce.
  • Mirage Pack: 40 SP, [Support]. to empowers his party with the [Mirage] status (increases Evasion) for five minutes.
  • Smilodon Blitz: 150 SP, [Physical], Technique. By using the super-secret sabertooth tiger technique, tounches himself in one direction at blitzing speed and cuts down anything in his way. While using Skill as a base, this attacks power also increases with tos Agility (base damage 100+AGI [Physical]) and stacks with proficiencies.
  • Wild Fang: 100 SP, [Physical], Technique. to unleashes a flurry of four bites on a single target at 60% power each; each of them counts as a normal attack as far as proficiencies and critical hits are concerned.
  • Counterstance: 30 SP per minute, [Physical], Technique. By shifting his weight and focusing on a single enemy, to can automatically dodge any [Physical] assault from that foe and counter with a zingly fast normal attack. However, the stance is broken if he attacks of his own initiative, and it does not work on multiple opponents at once.
You look amazing, Mr. to! Bugsy ttered his friend, before focusing on the practical side of things. Now you cant drop your sword anymore either! Bugsy, dont encourage him, Shellgirl groaned. Hes already full of himself, no need to make him insufferable. What did you say? to mused. I cant hear you from atop my godly throne! The sight of to jumping around in happiness brought a smile to Basils face. Now, only the Zeus essence remains unounted for. I say we give it to Steve, Shellgirl suggested with a grin. The Steamobile echoed her proposal with an engine roar. We could get a lightning-powered car! I dunno, I like the steam aesthetic, Vasi replied coyly. But it wouldplete our metamorphosis set. Would the original Zeus have liked bing a car? Basil doubted it somehow. Still, the proposal made sense. Zeus essence could be used to improve their gear, but no item could trump a teammate with godlike strength. Im in a fantastically good mood today, to said with feline pride. I will allow you to use my shiny however you want. Thank you very much, Your Majesty, Basil teased his ascended cat. Seems like Ill have to remove the dwarf part of dwarf panther. Meow, thats right you doubter! to gave his best friend the smuggest look imaginable. You thought you could pick on me while I was a kitten, but now I have grown into the king of beasts! You should pray for my forgiveness! Basil chuckled and began scratching his friend behind the ears. Can I bribe you with fish? I shall grant thee this indulgence, to replied with a purring sound. He could never resist being petted behind the ears. For I am a good and just king. I dont think theres any riverrge enough to satisfy your appetite. Basils smile turned a little sad. Not in this world at least. Vasi immediately picked up on his ominous response. Why the sour face, Handsome? Im Basil nced at Rosemarine, Bugsy, and Shellgirl. Im worrying about whates next. Wait, Partner. Shellgirl crossed her arms and red at her leader. Dont tell me youre taking that sorry excuse of a CEOs words to heart? Yeah, Boss, he was obviously lying to divide us! Bugsy nodded fervently. Im sure nothing bad will happen! I dont trust Maxwell either, Basil said with a frown. But we cant rule out he was telling the truth on that front. We just dont know enough yet. From Walter to my grandfather, we have multiple ways of gaining a second opinion, Vasi pointed out. At worst, even if Maxwell was telling the truth, Im sure we can figure out a way to preserve our team from the worlds recreation. Maybe, Basil conceded with a sigh. But even if we seed, well no longer have a ce here. to immediately caught on and turned to look at Rosemarine. She would stand out in the Barthes, wouldnt she? I can make myself small, Rosemarine replied kindly. Tiny human-sized! Even so, were bound to get attention, and not the good kind, to pointed out. Thats if we can even survive in our current shape in a world without a System. Well have no magic for a start. Mmmm Shellgirl scratched the back of her head. I gotta say, life wouldnt be too good if I couldnt run around doing business or crafting. Itll be like starting back from scratch in hard mode. The others will want to reboot the world, and I cant me them. Basil nced at the ruins of Athens. The city had been home to over a million people before the apocalypse, now they were all dead and buried. Too many people perished already. They wont hesitate to sacrifice their powers to bring them all back and thats probably the best solution for the world. to sighed. But not for us. Will you be nothing again? Why couldnt Basil banish the Malekings words from his mind? Because theyre true. Basils thought wandered back to the recent past, to the sight of Brinaying dead in Walters shop. She had perished short of aplishing her lifes goal, sorrowful and unmourned. Basil knew he shouldnt feel sad over her demise, but it did leave an impression. I dont want to end up like her. I dont want to die alone, fading away to nothingness. Things couldnt return to normal for Basil, because he had outgrown that part of his life. As always, Bugsy remained optimistic. We can simply move to another world, he suggested. Like Vasis! Thats not a bad idea, Vasi said with a smile. If you can stand my father embarrassing us now and then, we could make a nice life for ourselves in Outremonde. We could build a new house there! Bugsy added. Well raise dinosaurs in the backyard! Why stop wandering? Shellgirl asked with a grin. There are so many worlds we could set up shop in! Like Walter, our humble associations branches will reach every corner of the multiverse! Steve, who had remained mostly silent so far, unleashed a small cloud of steam in approval. Of course the Steamobile would be excited at the prospect of continuing their journey. Though he remained somewhat anxious about the future, his teams optimism warmed Basils heart. Yes, perhaps he was focusing too much on the negative side of things. If he obsessed too much with obvious options, he would fail to see alternative paths. Theres the question of Mom though, Basil thought. She should return from the dead if Kalki sessfully rebooted the world. However, it would be difficult to meet with her if the team fled Earth for good. Would she forget everything that happened? Their reconciliation, the joy and sorrows her death? Vasi smiled at him. Outremonde and Earth were already connected before the System, though it required a great deal of magic. There are ways to sneak back in if needed. Basil chuckled as he put an arm around his girlfriends shoulders. Can you read minds now? Only if I know the person well, Vasi replied with a wink. Now stop being negative. The show is almost over. Indeed. The Bohens looked at the sky, where the golden circuits opened by the third Incursion floated brightly. A hundred worlds were connected to Earth through these pathways, bringing in monsters, treasures, guests, and terrors. Wormhole portals marred the horizon in the distance. This Incursion had been the longest and harshest yet, but each member of the party had lived to see the end of it. As long as Im with them, Im happy, Basil thought with a smile on his face. Theyre my lifes meaning. The countdown approached its end on Basils System screen. Five, four, three, two, one Zero. The portals in the distance closed as soon as the fateful number arrived. The rifts in-between worlds faded away in a blink. No more would they vomit Horsemen of the Apocalypse or Unity bots. But the golden pathways did not disappear. The longer Basil watched the unchanged sky, the paler his skin became. The ethereal magical circuit binding the stars together had alwayse and gone with each Incursion. Its destruction reminded mankind that it had survived a terrible time and earned a respite. Not this time. The pathways stuck around, each of them illuminating the night, obscuring the moon and rivaling the suns radiance. The portals had closed, true. But Earth would earn no respite. The circuit Shellgirl squinted in confusion. Its not going away? Maybe the pathways have grown stable enough that the Trimurti System doesnt need to recreate them over and over again, Vasi suggested with a frown. Like pipes, it only needs to switch a lever to let the water flow again. Had more ominous words ever been spoken? I dont like this. Basil red at the sky. Each pathway connected to a world with its own System under the direction of a parasite. Beloved child thats what Maxwell said. His beloved child has yet to be born. You think hes keeping the pathways open to send his spawn through? to asked with a shudder. Maybe he will seed them all, Rosemarine suggested. Thats what I would do! Vasi shook her head. All these worlds Systems are mature. The entire reason Maxwell created new ones is that he cannot infect others. I dont think his spawn can seed where he failed. It should be purged instantly. Should, Basil picked up. Not will? Vasi sighed. The first two rules of magic are to never rule out the impossible and keep an open mind. Nothing is certain in this world. Bugsy moved his pincers to his head, his gaze sharpening. Ashok What about him? to asked with a sneer. He hadnt disgested the loss of his three lives to the false god yet. Hes dead and buried I hope. When Ashok tried to consume me, I saw into his memories. Bugsy shook his head. Not much, but I think he discussed Kalki with the Horsemen and someone else. Someone else? A shiver went down Basils spine. There was only one person that came to mind. The Maleking? Maybe? Bugsy apologized immediately. Im sorry Boss, I dont remember the details. Any information could be useful to us, Vasi reassured him. What do you remember from that conversation? I think they were talking about Kalki fusing with his girlfriend, Bugsy said. They said it would y into Mammons hands somehow. Mammons hands? Basil squinted at his friend in rm. Are you sure? Bugsy nodded in confirmation. I cant say why, but they didnt want it to happen. Of course, Shellgirl replied with a shrug. It would end the Overgodpetition. No, Bugsy is onto something, Vasi said as she reviewed the facts. So far, everything pointed at Maxwell trying to avoid this scenario at all costs. Why would he change his mind now? Theres something fishy about this situation. to nodded grimly. If he benefits from the fusion somehow, it would exin why he didnt put up a fight over Kalki. But why? Shellgirl asked. What would he gain from it? Basil remembered Maxwells words when they challenged him in the Parthenon. Youve never wondered why I called thepany Dismaker Labs, have you? What is Dis? Basil asked his team. And he received no answer. In the depths of a Unitymand center, a mighty dragon stirred on a surgery table. She was a great white wyrm with scales as shining as silver, an ancient creature who witnessed civilizations rise and fall. All had praised her reptilian grace and her keen mind. She had crafted the first Gearsmen with her hands and brought low countless foes with her breath of searing light. She was Wyrde, Grandmaster of all. Few would call her beautiful now. Automated, mechanical arms were removing her scales by the dozen, leaving her flesh exposed. Soon they would encase her arms in steel, reinforce her bones with imnts, and rece her nerves with circuits. Metal tes already covered her chest, protecting her inner organs. More would follow. A great battle awaited Wyrde; one that would decide her empires fate. She could not afford to be skittish. She would sacrifice her flesh and soul alike to win. Her assistant and chief of staff, a minotaur called Aster, came to provide his report. We have lost contact with Sector Three, Grandmaster. Wyrde had heard that sentence before, many times. Only the Sectors number changed. She hadnt heard it mentioned so often since the day the Unity encountered the Apocalypse Force for the first time. Yet even the four Horsemenbined hadnt proved half as troublesome as that cursed virus! What is the situation on the ground? she asked. Rebels have cut off portals with the help of reprogrammed Gearsmen, Aster exined. Our remaining loyalists were overrun. Though they fought valiantly, they couldnt ovee the numbers disparity. All personnel are presumed dead or captured. Another world had fallen. It was but thetest in a very long list. It had taken Wyrde centuries to solidify the Unitys control over their homeworld, and decades to extend it to others across the cosmos. Their continued sh with the Apocalypse Force had slowed down progress, but never truly halted it. For one world lost to the Malekings raiders and pilferers, brave generals like ckcinders sessfully assimted two more. The Horsemens depredations exacted a heavy tribute in Gearsmen and resources, but nothing the Unity couldnt recover from. The current situation was far more critical. Wyrde lost more progress in months and days than she had ever won in years. Her lifes work was copsing before her eyes. I do not understand, Wyrde admitted. Grandmaster? her chief of staff asked. Based on pure statistical evidence, we have improved the lives of lower lifeforms, she said. There are no wars in our dominions. Crime rates plummet by ny percent on average. Minions are well-fed and taken care of. Compassion had always been the Unitys guiding virtue. Wyrdes crusade began on a distant world, where she had grown tired of watching minion tribes fight against each other in the name of resources, gods, and other foolishness. By virtue of their short lives, mortal creatures fail to learn wisdom. The peace built by fathers was always torn down by their sons. Only through the guidance of immortal, enlightened dragons could minions know happiness. That had always been Wyrdes belief. With time and proper care, minion races would eventually reach a level of spiritual and societal development that would justify self-governance. Eventually. So tell me Aster, why do they bite the hand that feeds them? Wyrde asked her chief of staff. We have created a secure and peaceful society for them. We protect their worlds from the Malekings depredations; sometimes at the cost of good dragons lives. Yet like iron, our institutions rust the moment we let a little air in. We give them peace, and they answer with curses and pitchforks. Most races cannot free themselves from their inner selfishness, Aster replied wisely. Ungratefulness is wired into their genes, as is greed. They cant help themselves. Aster always provided sage advice. He had never questioned Wyrdes guidance, and always reassured her whenever she doubted her cause. He was a cut above other minions, so she had made him her chief of staff to reward his loyalty. Wyrde couldnt see the fault in his argument. The root of the problem remained the same no matter the world. Free will. Wyrde thought she had removed that stain from her Gearsmen until that soul virus debacle. What dragon archmage could have designed it? Only a great mage of Wyrdes kind could produce something so powerful, so insidious. But why would a creature of such eminent intellect ruin her ns? It didnt make any logical sense. No wise dragon would work against her. No matter the source of this infection, Wyrde had yet to find a cure for it. Her Gearsmen, the backbone of her military, were rebelling by the millions and helping local minion poptions overthrow their dragon overlords. The Unity lost more ground each day, in spite of the Horsemen being either incapacitated or upied. If Wyrde couldnt figure out a solution, her empire would soon crumble under its own weight. She only had one option left to save the world. I must be Overgod, Wyrde dered. Once she obtained this power, she could bring peace and order to her dominions. Failure is not an option. Are you certain you do not require backup, Grandmaster? They will make no difference in the battle toe. Her remaining loyalists were far too many levels behind her and the Maleking; they would only inconvenience her in battle. You will be of more use to me helping stabilize the situation before my return. Our resources are stretched too thin already. At least her new imnts would prevent the virus problem. She would control her drones with her mind. No virus would wrestle control from her. Once the surgery wasplete, Wyrde would be a match for the Maleking himself. She had reviewed her strategy, optimized her spell selection, and prepared countermeasures for any eventuality. Victory would belong to her. Once Wyrde became Overgod, everything would return to normal. All would finally know their ce. There was only darkness in-between the numberless worlds. A staggering emptiness that stretched across infinity. How long had he been trapped there? Time meant nothing in the void. Hours became as long as years. No one counted the passage of centuries. Boredom settled in easily, even for a creature as old as Hell itself. Perhaps that was why the Maleking had learned the virtue of patience. His long wait would soone to an end. The smell of blood filled the void, alongside the promise of future ughters. The Level Barrier was about to copse. He would soon cross it in a rain of fire and brimstone. His Horsemen had fallen. He had felt the strings of their lives cut short beyond the barrier keeping him out of Earth. A disappointing oue. He had expected greater things of Brina. Out of all the warriors that fought under the Apocalypse Forces banner, she alone had the potential to challenge him for supremacy. A day he had been looking forward to. A day that would nevere. Unlike him, Brina had failed to learn patience. Her rash hastiness had proved to be her undoing. It always saddened the Maleking to watch a promising warrior undone by their own clouded judgment. Another sacrifice would take her ce. It mattered not to the Maleking whose blood was shed, as long as it spilled. The flesh of the weak was the food of the strong. Whether he stepped over Brinas corpse or Bohens made no difference. Or perhaps another would finally y him and wrestle the throne from his grasp. The prospect of losing excited the Maleking. There could be no satisfaction without a challenge. Mammons ns would unfold as the virus had nned. Not an optimal oue, but one the Maleking had prepared for. One way or another, his long journey to strength woulde to an end. The time hade. And Earth would soon know the meaning of Hell. Chapter 130: B&C Interlude: Undeadtide I Chapter 130: B&C Interlude: Undeadtide I Two armies faced each other on a field of wood and paper. The B&C board, which spanned thirty tiles per thirty, represented a standard city split by a river. Water separated the northeast corner of the map from the rest with the exception of arge bridge. Thirty forts were spread across the battlefield; the ownership of these logistical keystones would determine the duels oue. This Midgardian Riverford board had been chosen by flipping a coin. Basils fivemanders would upy the southeast part of the map in a tightly packed formation, whereas Walters would be spread over the other three-quarters of the battlefield. Both yers analyzed the map in utter silence, their minds utterly focused on nning their eventual victory. Shellgirl and Vasi made up the audience, the former cheering on Basil while thetter nervously crossed her arms. Her boyfriend had bet much on this battles oue. Hagen, who acted as the matchs referee,id down thew for the two challengers. As per the yers wish, this battle will be waged ording to Solo-Campaign, Forbidden Tournament rules. Both yers will begin with fivemanders and gain three resource points per turn. No teammate wille to their rescue. The situation pleased Walter. While he usually yed with Hagen as his back-up, the duhan was not quite as talented as his master. As two expert B&C veterans, Basil and Walter preferred to eliminate luck and misys from their strategy. A fort is considered seized as long as a unit stays on its tile, Hagen exined. The forts owner will gain one resource point for each fort they control when their turnes; resource points that go unused vanish at the turns end. Additionally, they will be able to summon newly purchased units on a seized forts adjacent tiles, as long as those arent upied. Otherwise, yers can summon units in theirmanders starting tiles. Those cannot be upied by the other yers units. In Board & Conquest, maps determined strategy as much as armyposition. Basils starting position made it easier for him to build a defensive line to protect his territory. Waltersmanders were more vulnerable due to being spread out, but they would have an easier time nking their foes and seizing forts spread across the map. In short, Basils position favored defensive tactics while Walters encouraged a quick-paced offensive. This was the perfect strategy for a necromancer such as him. Challenging me was a mistake, Basil. Whatever sympathy Walter felt for his customer vanished the moment they both sat at the gaming table. There could be no mercy at B&C. I will show you the terror of utter domination. The battle will end when one of the yers loses all theirmanders. Hagen marked a short pause. As per Basils demand, the chiefs shadow magic shall reflect the units pain onto their owner. Walter shrugged. Hagen didnt need to worry for his safety; he would win too fast for Basil to counterattack. Finally, each yer has bet something on the matchs oue. My chief has wagered one of his three Nidhogg miniatures. Whereas his challenger Hagen turned in Basils direction. Will lose his soul upon defeat. If Basil Bohen was afraid, he didnt show it. Your arrogance will spell your demise, Basil, Walter thought as he spread his fivemanders miniatures on the tiles specially prepared for them. I feel sympathy for you, but not enough to hold back. His headless Duhan Duke and wyvern-riding knight Ragnarok Herald were set on the northwest quarter of the map; his ghostly Dark Elf Banshee and decaying Zombie Count were moved to the southwest; and his mummy assassin took over the ind in the northeast. In contrast, Basilsmanders were a motley crew tightly packed in the southeast side of town: a silver cat archer; a hunched dwarf hag; an equally old dwarf engineer wielding a hammer too big for him; a fairy made of diamonds; and a mighty, coiling sandworm upying four tiles at once instead of one. As an expert B&C yer, Walter recognized them all. Freyjas Cat Archer; Duergar Witchmatrone; Stonesiege Engineer; Rockfairy; and Underground Behemoth. Interesting crew. A novice yer would fail to see the running theme between them, but Walter immediately understood Basils choices. Utility over raw power. Rockfairy would have to go first if possible; though shecked any offensive options, her Gemstone ability reduced the resource cost of units by one. Walters Banshee would offset it by increasing Basils unit cost by one with her Disruptor power, but the fairys destruction would durably cripple the Tamers logistics. The rest of Basils army worried Walter. His customer wisely kept most of his miniature army hidden in his inventory rather than within his fellow yers sight. Since Walter had graciously agreed not to read his mind during battle, it would potentially allow Basil to take him by surprise. He was mistaken, of course. Walter would graciously lull him into a false sense of safety before striking a killing blow. Hagen flipped a coin to decide who would go first. Walter chose tails, and called it wrong. Heads, Hagen said. Basil shall open the match. My turn, Basil said with the certainty of an expert yer. He shuffled hismanders around to better fill his quarter of the map. Due to the forts positions, he moved his Stonesiege Engineer, Cat Archer. and Rockfairy west. Walter watched on as the miniatures walked across the board, trampling grassy tiles under their feet. I will now sacrifice all my resources to summon three Trench Dwarves. Three new miniatures appeared next to Basils Rockfairy: a trio of dwarves armed with pickaxes.
Trench Dwarf
Cost: 1
Range: 1
Move: 5 (Foot)
Pow/Def: +1/+1
Trench Digger: Can turn a Land tile into a Trench tile (cannot be crossed by Swim or Foot Units) instead of attacking.
It must be sad for you, Walter taunted his rival. Without my Banshee, those three wouldnt have cost you anything. Ive taken it into ount, Basil replied with confidence. But thank you kindly. Basil next moved his Duergar Witchmatrone, Underground Behemoth, and his three Trench Dwarves north towards the northeast bridge. Since three forts were located on their way, Walter expected his foe to seize them all. He was wrong. Basil imed two forts with hismanders, but he had something else in mind for his other troops. I activate my Witchmatrones Refreshing Brew ability, Basil said, his three trench diggers awaiting orders around the aforementionedmander. All adjacent allies can act again. His newly invigorated dwarves continued their advance, ignoring the forts on the way and instead reaching the bridge. Basil immediately had them dig a trench at its entrance. Since the bridge was only three tiles long, the path was cut. Walters Mummy Assassinmander was now trapped on its ind with no way out. Aha, yes! Shellgirl grinned ear to ear. Since Mummy Assassin is a Foot unit, it cant cross the trenches! Its trapped! Not quite, Hagen mused with a darkugh. Mummy Assassins Ambush special ability lets it teleport five tiles in one direction on top of its usual movement of five. Walling off the bridge does limit the chiefs options though. Basil sank back into his seat. Your turn. Walter gave the battlefield a cursory nce. Since Basil clearly initiated a defensive strategy, he needed to cut the grass under his feet; the longer Walter waited, the better prepared his foe would grow. First of all, he moved hismanders around to free their starting tiles for future summons. Keeping his Duhan Duke in the battlefields northwest corner for safetys sake, he moved his Mummy Assassin closer to the bridge. His Ragnarok Herald, whose insane movement range of twelve tiles trumped everything in both yers arsenal, flew across a third of the map toward the isted ind. His Zombie Count and Banshee moved east towards the nearest forts within their reach, which would soon put them on a collision course with Basils Cat Archer and Rockfairy. Most importantly, each of hismanders imed a fort of their own. Walter would have to wait for his next turn to benefit from new points, but you didnt survive as long as he did without learning the value of patience. Eight, nine, ten Shellgirl squinted at the field. Wait, why didnt Mummy Assassin attack the Trench Dwarves? With its crazy teleportation power and its attack range of two, it could kill one of them. But that would put it within reach of Underground Behemoths counterattack, Hagen pointed out. Its Blood Frenzy ability temporarily increases its power and defense by one for each unit destroyed on the previous turn. If the chief kills one of the trench diggers, its power will increase to seven; more than enough to destroy Mummy Assassin. Hagens guess was correct. Basils trench prevented Mummy Assassin from crossing it on foot. If it teleported across this obstacle, it wouldnt be able to retreat back to the ind. Trading an irreceablemander for a minor unit would be a costly mistake on Walters part. Nevertheless, his turn was far from over. Now that the starting tiles are free, I sacrifice three resources to summon Jujushaman. Walter waved his hand and summoned a new brave minion onto the battlefield: a rotting necromancer wearing tattered robes.
Jujushaman
Cost: 3
Range: 2
Move: 4 (Foot)
Pow/Def: +0/+0
Necromonger: Zombie miniatures cost 1 resource less to summon.
Here ites Hagen chuckled darkly, for he had seen his employer y this miniature countless times. The Undeadtide. Walter smirked cruelly upon catching the first sign of tension on his rivals face. He knew exactly how many Zombie miniatures existed in B&C. I summon fifteen zombies in three waves of five, Walter said softly. For a moment, it appeared the matchs audience failed to understand his words; except for Hagen, whoughed to his hearts content. One by one, Walters soldiers teleported onto the board: a motley crew of rotting corpses, pallid undead, and other charred abominations. Each wave moving away from their arrival spot was immediately followed by another. Fifteen zombies?! Shellgirl choked. Thats an illegal move! You can only have three copies of a single miniature in B&C! That is the case, Walter replied with a pleased smile. I have summoned three Mushroom Zombies, three Drowned Zombies, three Dirtbound Zombies, three Frostscarred Zombies, and three Helbound Zombies. All of them were little more than skin variations of a base temte, with one major exception.
Drowned Zombie
Cost: 1
Range: 1
Move: 4 (Foot/Swim)
Pow/Def: +1/+0
Revenant: Cannot hold a fort. This unit can be summoned again after being destroyed at no cost to the user when the turn ends.
Drowned Zombies were the only ones capable of swimming. Walter summoned these three on his Mummy Assassins ind and had these minions jump into the river. The rest of the horde marched south, with two groups of three backing up his Banshee and Zombie Count. While Shellgirl despaired at the sheer number of undead, Vasi kept herposure. Its not as bad as it looks, she said, although her uneasy posture betrayed her true feelings. Theyre both weak and incapable of holding a fort. You dont y at B&C too often, do you? Hagen mused. Units cannot bypass others without either using a special ability or killing them first, so the chiefs cannon fodder can pin down Basils forces in one ce. Moreover, theyre perfect for nking Attacks. When a unit initiates a battle, it wins if the attackers Power exceeds the targets Defense, Walter thought. However, if the target is within the range of the attackers allies, then their Power adds up to his. Of all of Board & Conquest mechanics, none were more important than nking Attacks. Walters zombies would y a key role in setting them up. And then, of course, there was the small case of his Zombie Counts special ability.
Zombie Count
Cost: Commander.
Range: 1
Move: 4 (Foot)
Pow/Def: +4 (7)/+6 (9)
Zombie Force: Gains +1 POW/DEF per allied Zombie within 2 spaces.
With three zombies as its personal guard, the count was already strong enough to defeat nearly all of Basilsmanders. Walter would be in position to attack the Cat Archer and Rockfairy with it on his next turn. Go on, Basil. Walter folded his fingers together. The true battle begins now. To his surprise, Basil answered with a wicked smile. Youre wrong, Walter. Were two turns away from the real fun. Bold words, Walter replied calmly. His foes attempt at unsettling him fell t. Let''s see if you can back them up. With pleasure. With five forts under his control, Basil now possessed eight resources to call upon. I summon two Dwarf Shieldmaster. Two armored dwarf warriors with tower shields twice their size appeared on the field: one next to the Stonesiege Engineer and the other near the Witchmatrones fort.
Dwarf Shieldmaster
Cost: 4.
Range: 1
Move: 4 (Foot)
Pow/Def: +0/+8
Cover: Can pull an adjacent ally behind itself.
Walter immediately figured out Basils strategy: to use the shieldmasters repositioning ability to strengthen the defensive line. Which he did after moving his Stonesiege Engineer a few steps toward the Zombie Count. I activate my Stonesiege Engineers special power, Basil said. Instead of attacking, it can turn three tiles in a line into wall tiles. A palisade appeared before Basilsmander, turning three tiles into impracticable terrain for anyone but flyers and diggers. He then had a Shieldmaster move behind the Engineer and activate its power. Basilsmander was pulled behind its protector and back onto its fort. Even if Walters zombies sidestepped the wall, the Engineer would remain out of range. Next, Basil had his Trench Dwarves dig trench tiles on thend bordering the rivershore. The defensive line extended from three tiles closing the bridge to six extending facing the water. Although Walters Drowned Zombies could swim easily enough, they couldnt bypass trench tiles. They would need to take arger detour to find and tile to walk on. Next, I have my second Shieldmaster shove one of the Trench Dwarves behind itself, Basil said which put the unit next to the Witchmatrone. I now activate Refreshing Brew! The newly rejuvenated Trench Dwarf returned to the shore and expanded the defensive line by another tile, ending Basils turn. Now with eight resources to spend, Walter took a moment to assess his options. As he suspected, Basil intended to y defensively. Walter had many methods of bypassing walls and trenches, from his Mummy Assassins teleportation to flying units. However, each new defensiveyer limited his mobility and options. Basil didnt need to stop Walters advance. Slowing it down and funneling his soldiers into kill zones would work just as well. These Trench Dwarves have a key w, Walter thought. Unlike my units, they donte back from the dead. If Basil possessed other units with the ability to dig trenches or walls, he would have summoned them instead of Shieldmasters. Each Trench Dwarf was irreceable. Only two of Walters units were in position to threaten them: his Mummy Assassin and Ragnarok Herald. Using the former was out of the question, as it would have to waste its teleportation power and find itself cut off from any possibility of retreat. That wasnt the case with Ragnarok Herald, since the wyvern-riding knight could fly over the trenches and river alike. It could target the Trench Dwarf, y it, and flee back to safety since its Mobile power let it use unused movement after attacking. The problemy with the Underground Behemoth. The creature waited three spaces away from the most vulnerable Trench Dwarf. Its Blood Frenzy power would raise its power to seven should an allied unit be destroyed, which would be enough to ovee Ragnarok Heralds defense of six. Since Ragnarok Herald has a range of two and a movement of twelve, it will need to move seven tiles to strike the Trench Dwarf, Walter calcted. I could waste two more to strike the Underground Behemoth instead and deprive Basil of amander, but then my Herald wont be able to retreat. A nking counterattack would surely follow, and then we would be both short of amander. Not the optimal y. Meanwhile, the Underground Behemoth had a movement and attack range of three and a movement of two. Its digging movement would let it bypass the trench, but not the river. Even if Basil used a Shieldmaster to push it forward, it would be one tile short of threatening the Ragnarok Herald if it retreated after killing the Trench Dwarf. Both units would be too far ahead to benefit from Witchmatrones Refreshing Brew. Did you see it, Basil? Walter locked eyes with his foe. Is this a misy on your part, or a calcted trap? Are you willing to sacrifice one of your units to bait mymander two steps closer? Or does your arrogance know no bounds that you presume I wouldnt see it? Basil held his rivals gaze, his eyes cold as ice. His poker face appeared made of solid marble rather than flesh. No mere human could see past it. Basil, for all of your determination, you still do not understand what it takes to be a true yer. Fairness, honor Walters eyelids narrowed dangerously. Those values are shackles holding the human spirit back. Walter Tye did not have such weakness. The only thing on his mind was always the same: victory at any cost. Its time to pick your brain, Basil. Viting his earlier promise, Walter began reading his opponents mind. As a B&C yer, Im sure youll understand not using my full power would be the real crime. Reading minds was akin to flipping a books pages. An individuals surface thoughts formed the preface, followed by the content of a dense memory grimoire. Since Basil kept his miniatures hidden in his inventory, Walter focused on identifying them. A hundred potential army line-ups passed before the necromancers eyes. Did Basil suspect Walter of viting his oath and tried to shuffle his thoughts? Or was he reconsidering his choice of an army? Whatever the case, it wouldnt fool Walter. The necromancer delved deeper into his opponents mind to better excavate the armypositions memory. He failed. What? An eternity of hiding his true nature allowed Walter to keep a nk face in the face of surprise. I see I see nothing. It wasnt that Basil kept a magical shield around his memoriesWalter would have easily pierced through that under normal circumstances. No. The truth was much simpler, and somehow far more unsettling. Basil Bohen didnt know his own armysposition. Thats thats not possible. Walter had seen him summon miniatures from his inventory. How could he do that without knowing his own reserves? Unless is one of his Perks protecting his mind by projecting false information? Basils lips stretched into a smug smile. You look unsettled, Walter. Has my y left you speechless? Walter didnt bother answering. He was no newbie easily spooked by surprise. The necromancer would figure out whatever trick Basil used to hide his thoughts through observation. I wont let you psyche me out, Basil, Walter thought as he prepared to strike. You will regret insisting on that pain transference rule. I sacrifice three resources to summon Vampire Ratking. A pile of white rodents materialized on a tile next to the Jujushaman, hungry for blood.
Vampire Ratking
Cost: 3.
Range: 1
Move: 6 (Foot)
Pow/Def: +2/+1
Consume: Can destroy any number of adjacent ally units. The owner gains a number of resources equal to the destroyed units cost until the turns end.
Since Jujushaman had outlived its usefulness after summoning Walters zombie army, the rats promptly devoured it. Now back to eight resources, Walter used them to summon an elite creature: a mighty, four-tiles sized mass of fused corpses. Hundreds of arms carried the abomination like a twisted centipede, while a cannon of bone surged from its top.
Ghoulish Tank
Cost: 8.
Range: 3
Move: 2 (Foot)
Pow/Def: +8/+7
Juggernaut: Can destroy any terrain obstacles within attack range, including walls.
Eight power points? Shellgirl choked. Thats enormous! My army epts nothing but the best, Walter replied calmly. His Ghoulish Tank had been summoned near the Zombie Counts fort and immediately went on the offensive. It blew up one of the wall tiles raised by the Stonesiege Engineer, leaving a gap in the defense. Walter immediately filled it with a normal zombie to prevent Basil from repairing the breach next turn. A pity his troops needed a little more set-up to get past the second Shieldmaster. Next, Walter had his Ragnarok Herald move closer to the northern line. By using seven tiles, it flew within two spots of the nearest Trench Dwarf. Basil braced himself for what would follow. Now, Walter said calmly. I draw first blood. Raising its fiery axe, his Ragnarok Herald threw it at the Trench Dwarf like a tomahawk and shattered its skull. A burning scar opened across Basils face the moment his miniature suffered a wound. An invisible de carved a line across his face, with mes searing skin and flesh alike. Basil screamed in pain and surprise before nearly falling off his chair. Basil! Vasi immediately jumped out of her seat with Shellgirl hot on her trail only for Hagen to step in their path. Out of my way! No outside intervention, the duhan said pitilessly. Thats the rules. Walter took no pleasure in listening to his rivals screams. He didnt feel any pity either. Basil had brought it on himself by invoking this stupid rule. Walter liked his customer and appreciated hispany. If Basil had been a mage, he might even have taken him as an apprentice. But he wasnt a friend Walter felt sorry for, far from it. No friend of his would be unwise enough to challenge him at B&C under these circumstances. Its its fine, Vasi. Basil grit his teeth and extinguished the mes on his face with a hand. Im fine. You dont look fine, Vasi replied, her voice brimming with worry. Its nothingpared to what weve endured together. Basil gazed defiantly at Walter. Trust me on this. Vasi chewed her lip, before exchanging a look with Shellgirl. Both spectators returned to their seats in sullen silence. Is that the best you can do? Basil taunted Walter. No, Walter replied calmly, before having his Ragnarok Herald retreat far beyond the Underground Behemoths range. You were right. The real fun begins now. I agree. Basils gaze sharpened. My turn. Here is it now, Walter thought as he activated his mind-reading. Show me your secret. Images shed before the necromancers eyes. Basils own illustrated, conscious thoughts formed a wonderful tapestry of a puss-in-boots feeding on a roasted chicken. What? For the first time in many years, Walter blinked in astonishment. What the Basil Bohen wasnt thinking of the battle. I sacrifice five resources to summon Dwarf Catapult! He was thinking of what he would feed his cat after winning the match! Walter watched on, astonished, as a primitive steampunk-styled catapult appeared next to the Witchmatrones fort with no input whatsoever from Basils conscious mind.
Dwarf Catapult
Cost: 5.
Range: 3
Move: 4 (Foot)
Pow/Def: +1/+5
Catapult: Can propel an adjacent unit five tiles forward in one direction, bypassing any obstacle in-between.
I move my Dwarf Catapult forward, Basil said, his miniature rolling across the battlefield toward the Underground Behemoth. My Witchmatrone will follow it and then use Refreshing Brew. Walter was a rational, strategic yer. He considered all possible oues, weighted risks, and benefits, then selected the appropriate move. He expected all high-level B&C yers to work the same. But it wasnt reasoning or cold logic that guided Basil Bohen. My Dwarf Shieldmaster will now move in front of my Underground Behemoth, said Basils mouth while his mind debated about which sauce he should use for dinner, and pull it two tiles closer to your Ragnarok Herald. It was instinct. Much like a bloodthirsty tiger preparing to pounce on unsuspecting prey, Basil wasnt nning future moves at all. His mind worked on autopilot, following strategies and tactics rehearsed so often that they had be as natural to him as breathing. He didnt know what miniatures hid in his inventory because he didnt need to think about them anymore; his body picked the optimal unit on its own. Basil Bohen was ying subconsciously. From the start Walters cold dead pulse suddenly quickened in his icy veins. He has been ying me from the start! Much to his horror, he could only watch on as Basils Shieldmaster pulled the Underground Behemoth closer to his Ragnarok Herald. Thetter was too far away to catch up on its own but that didntst long. Now that Refreshing Brew let it act again, I move my Dwarf Catapult forward by four spaces. Basil put his damned machine right behind the Underground Behemoth. And I use it to throw mymander five spaces forward. Walters fingers trembled as the Underground Behemoth was flung across the battlefield right in front of his Ragnarok Herald. His wyvern-riding knight looked like a toy whenpared to the giant, bloodthirsty worm. Attack, Basil ordered. The Underground Behemoth opened its toothy maw and bit the Ragnarok Herald in half. Walter immediately felt phantom fangs sink into his torso. Pain, followed by the bitter sting of humiliation, raced through his withered undead flesh. It had been so long that he had almost forgotten how much he hated the sensation. The sudden agony caused Walter to nearly fall off his seat. Chief? Hagen leaned towards his employer, but did not offer a hand. Do you feel well? No. Walter grit his teeth in anger. His immense undead resilience let him shrug off injuries that would have killed a man. The damage was more psychological than physical. For a brief moment, Walter Tye had felt the cold call of death. The necromancer had dedicated his entire existence to triumph over it. His Heralds destruction only reminded him why. That feeling of loss, nothingness he loathed it with all his heart. Walter. Basil red at him from the other side of the board. You dont deserve to call yourself a B&C yer. Walter seethed in impotent rage. You dare insult me, Basil? I dare. Basil pointed a finger at Walter. The first rule of Board & Conquest is victory at any cost, and youve forgotten it! A true yer should be able to sacrifice everything to win! Their pain, their pride, their soul! But rather than y boldly with all your might, you would rather pull back your troops to avoid a counterattack! Walter clenched his jaw. He tried to clear his mind from the pain; it shouldnt be enough to shake his confidence. If you had attacked my Underground Behemoth while your Herald still had the most power to kill it, it would have cost me amander, Basil pointed out. Instead you went for the safe, predictable y! You mistook cowardice for caution, and it cost you! Walters wounded pride demanded revenge, but his cold, calcting mind assessed Basils words. His challenger was correct. Walter had yed too cautiously, relying on his mind-magic to anticipate his foes counterattack rather than rely on his own judgment. Walter had underestimated Basil, and it cost him dearly. He should have anticipated him to counter both his mind-reading powers and y. This man was no cannon fodder, but an elite warrior who had in countless foes to reach past level seventy. Have I truly been so craven? Walter nced at his torso. Marks of sharp teeth left holes in his robes and pallid flesh alike. This pales before the agony Ive suffered through in the service of the Great Work. Had he be like the gods he despised, lulled into a false sense of safety from atop a throne of corpses? Never! Red lightning crackled around the board as Walters gaze met Basils. An invisible pressure fell upon the shop, growing heavier with each passing second. What is this? Shellgirl wondered in confusion. She raised a hand to catch the lightning and winced in pain upon seeding. It hurts? Is that a lightning spell? Vasi scowled. No, its something else. Its a yer Resonance. Hagen crossed his arms. Now things are getting interesting. Vasi squinted at him. yer Resonance? Its a rare phenomenon that urs when two professional B&C yers fighting spirits perfectly align, Hagen exined. Their wills sh and generate magical energy. Sometimes, a duel grows so intense that it starts a thunderstorm. Vasi considered his words for a minute, before swiftly massaging her forehead. This is getting ridiculous. Its not ridiculous, its Board & Conquest! Hagen replied proudly. Casuals like you will never understand! Walter Tye did not pay attention to his audience. As far as he was concerned, they no longer existed. He only had eyes for the fearsome enemy in front of him; a true warrior who deserved his respect. You have done me a great service, Basil. Walter adjusted his position on his seat. You are correct. I have forgotten what it means to be a B&C yer. He had been willing to bet everything on victory once. And now he remembered why. Walter Tye couldnt stand losing to anyone. Thank you for reminding me. Walter had relied on his magic and tricks so long that these advantages had be crutches. I shall give my all from now on. Basil smirked. I expected that from the start. Walter would fight fairly from this turn on and win anyway. The true battle had only just begun. Chapter 131: B&C Interlude: Undeadtide II Chapter 131: B&C Interlude: Undeadtide II Fire. Fire and death everywhere. The town was aze, giants warred with cats, and Trench Dwarf 3 was digging for his life. Keep going! The brave Cat Archer lived up to his title, firing arrow after arrow at the ever increasing tide of corpses battering their stronghold. Complete the defensive line or were doomed! Trench Dwarf 3 grit his teeth, for he knew it was true. He had already lost hisst remaining sibling when the northern defensive line fell. A copse here would mean the end of his life and the death of all hisrades. Yet no matter how quickly he dug into the earth, the distant wall he was meant to link up the trench with seemed forever out of reach. Each time he found a zombie stepping into his path, Cat Archers swift arrows knocked it down. Progress was slow, painful, and grueling. But Trench Dwarf 3 did not despair. For the god of righteous war himself was watching over him from above. His armored, golden gauntlet wrestled with the undead gods withered hand in a dance that set the sky aze. Lightning struck after each sh. The worlds fate hung on this battles oue. Here theye again! someone shouted, his warning swiftly drowned in the bloody gargle of his death. The ghastly wail of the undead echoed across the battlefield and drew ever closer to Trench Dwarf 3s position. He dared to look over his tunnels edge and gazed upon the rotting face of death. A shambling corpse dressed in a noblemans outfit rushed towards the trench, his rapier still painted red with Stonesiege Engineers blood. His eyes were ck holes spewing darkness, and at his back were the horde of the dead and the damned. The cursed Zombie Count himself was leading the charge! Cat Archer paled at the sight, then readied his bow for onest stand. Finish it, finish it, finish it! Yes! Tapping into all his remaining strength, Trench Dwarf 3 dug as he had never dug. The muscles in his arms strained from the sheer pressure of his work. Earth and stone alike bent before his will, his might, his dwarven spirit! Until that fateful moment when his pickaxe bounced off an impregnable wall. Done! Trench Dwarf 3 leaped out of his tunnel, his body sweating so profusely from exhaustion that his feet nearly slipped off. Done, done, done! Good work! a new voice shouted from above. An ancient, one-eyed gnome in tattered robes floated down next to Trench Dwarf 3. The wooden staff in his hand glowed with magical power, but it was only half as long as the pointy hat on the neers head. We have them now! Dwarf Magician! Cat Archers feline face morphed into a triumphant expression. As always, you arrive in the nick of time! Trench Dwarf 3s smile didntst longer than a second, for he immediately felt a fetid breath flowing upon his neck. He turned his head to see Zombie Count ring at him on the other side of the trench. The rift was toorge for the foul monster to jump over, so he swiftly turned his attention on the nearby wall. We mustbine our powers to bring him down! Dwarf Magician raised his scepter. mes flickered at the tip. Let us clear the path! Cat Archer readied his bow for the final ughter. May your aim be true, wizard! Fireball! Dwarf Magicians words were echoed by the crackling of magical mes. Trench Dwarf 3 leaped to the side as his friend unleashed a crimson sphere of raw magic. Return to the Hell you crawled from, vile specters! Dwarf Magicians projectile exploded in the zombies midst and annihted three of them in a single strike. The explosion illuminated the night like the dawn set the sky aze. The magical fire consumed part of the counts tattered clothes and boiled what remained of his pallid skin, but failed to bring him down for good. That was the cue Cat Archer was waiting for. nking attack! He let loose a single arrow faster than lightning. The projectile pierced through the air with a booming sound before impacting the Zombie Counts skull. Such was the strength of the blow, that the arrow continued its course afterward while carrying the head with it. The dreaded Zombie Counts corpse fell into the trench, never to rise again. It is done Trench Dwarf 3 could hardly believe his eyes. His heart pulsed like a drum as he rose back to his feet. You got him! The battle isnt over yet, Cat Archer said morosely, before swiftly interrogating Dwarf Magician. What of Inferno King Surtr? Has he been dealt with? Our Shieldmasters pinned him between the trenches and the river, Dwarf Magician replied, smiling at Trench Dwarf 3. Your brothers masterwork protects us even in death. Trench Dwarf 3 graciously epted thepliment, but he couldnt find it in himself to be happy. Not even victory would make up for the gruesome death of his brethren. He could only pray their god would wee them in his Inventory heaven, so that they might fight forevermore. Very well. Cat Archer raised a paw towards their new destination. We shall retreat north and reinforce the front A sh of steel silenced him forever. The projectile moved so fast that Trench Dwarf 3 didnt even see it in action. The result, however, was unmistakable: Cat Archers throat split open at the jugr and sprayed out a fountain of blood. Themander copsed dead in the ashes of his many foes. C-Commander! Dwarf Magician choked in surprise and immediately moved to the archers side in a vain attempt to save. Toote. His death had been instantaneous. Commander! Trench Dwarf 3 froze in terror. The death was sudden, brutal, and most importantly, far too familiar. A dagger, Trench Dwarf 3 realized upon identifying the projectile still nailed in the ground. No its him Got you, kitty. The killer appeared atop a pile of burning stones and towered over both dwarves. Bandages reddened by all the blood he had shed covered every inch of his skinless, rotting body. He was as gaunt as he was tall, with the quickness of a panther and an appetite for death to match. His single yellow eye gleamed with bloodlust. Trench Dwarf 3s hold on his pickaxe tightened. His throat swelled with rage as he called out the murderers name. Mummy Assassin! Ohoh? The cruel undeads dagger instantly teleported back to his hand. You know me? Youve killed my little brother. Trench Dwarf 3 grit his teeth, his soul heavy with loss and regrets. And your wyvern-riding pal murdered the other! Ive in so many dwarves today, but I think I know the one youre speaking off. He died begging for his life. The assassin shed a ghastly grin as he raised his bloody dagger. Like an elf. You bastard Trench Dwarf 3 trembled with such anger that he nearly broke his own pickaxe. Kisama No, hes baiting you! Dwarf Magician shouted in rm. Dont But Trench Dwarf 3 did not listen. The mes around him didnt burn half as bright as the brasier of revenge within his heart. On my honor as a dwarf, on my brothers name! Trench Dwarf 3 raised his pickaxe and charged. I shall y you where you stand, viin! Ohoh! So bold! Mummy Assassin gathered momentum to throw his dagger. And so very dead! Trench Dwarf 3 knew he had no chance. The Mummy Assassin was quicker, deadlier, stronger. Yet he charged without fear, for it was in the face of death that ones bravery showed. Oh just god of war, he prayed in his heart, guide my arm! God answered his prayer with a bullet of justice to the spine. The sound of a gunshot echoed across the battlefield, swiftly followed by a hole opening in Mummy Assassins chest. The undead was as surprised as his foe. A nking attack?! The wound was small, but the distraction was enough for Dwarf Magician to capitalize upon. The sorcerer pointed his staff at the undead and sted his dagger off his hand; leaving him wide open. Trench Dwarf 3 raised his pickaxe and gazed upon the face of his nemesis. His lone eye was stark open in abject terror. When you killed my brother, did he look as frightened as you? Curse you, Mummy Assassin snarled, his hand desperately grasping towards his fallen dagger. Curse you, dwarf Trench Dwarf 3 split his head open with his pickaxe. The monsters shattered skull fell into pieces upon the bloodsoaked earth. And Trench Dwarf 3 roared to the heavens. Thanks to my Duergar Sharpshooter and Dwarf Magician, Trench Dwarfs power rises to five through the magic of nking! Basil flipped over the Mummy Assassin miniature, bringing Waltersmanders down to his Duhan Duke. Another one bites the dust! By now, the lightning generated by their power had turned into a thunderstorm. A circling wall of wind had risen inside Walters shop, throwing priceless artifacts and magical items around. Hagen relied on his shield not to stumble back, while Shellgirl and Vasi hid in a protective bubble of air summoned by thetters magic. Yet no matter how strong the storm raged, no miniature fell off the board. All of them were held together by the yers iron wills. All thats left is your Duhan Duke, while I still have my Rockfairy and Duergar Witchmatrone! Basil boasted. Though his frail human body was covered in wounds and his clothes drenched in blood, his chest puffed in triumph. You should give up now while you can, Walter! Oh Basil, you fail to see that my actions were only meant to stall for time, Walter replied with a smug, evil smirk. For now that I have seized enough forts and brought Fly Lord to my Vampire Ratking, I finally have enough resources to summon the games most powerful unit! Walter summoned his ultimate miniature. Come forth, oh B&C king! Walter mmed the board with enough strength to start a board earthquake. I summon thee, Nidhogg! He would call forth the night and drown the world in darkness. Sir, Mummy Assassin and Zombie Count have both been destroyed! His minion Fly Lord buzzed in rm. A humanoid fly dressed a nobleman, his filthy stench was only matched by his cowardice. We should retreat! You want us to disgrace ourselves before our deity, coward?! As the mightiest of the undead godsmanders, Duhan Duke towered above his soldiers even while missing a head. Screaming faces morphed on the surface of his ckened armor. Such was the fate of all those who dared to stand in his way. In our moment of triumph?! The Duhan Duke oversaw the battlefield from atop his fort under his dark gods gaze. All the pieces were in ce. Three zombies surrounded the Vampire Ratking and would soon serve as kindling for the final fire. Only one more element was required. Fly Lord. His minion straightened up. Yes, my duke? Though your resolve was weak, you have served our god well, Duhan Duke said calmly. I regret what I am about to do. It was a lie but why speak ill of the dead? Ugh? Fly Lord buzzed in confusion. Sir, I dont understand Duhan Duke drew his sword of eldritch mes and cut down his minion where it stood. Fly Lord spurted blood as he gazed upon his bloody chest, before falling off the fort. Vampire Ratking immediately moved on to devour him alongside the zombies. From his gestictions, the bug was still alive as the vermin bit into his soft flesh. Crimson mist gathered among the thunderclouds. A ghastly wind swirled and extinguished the mes near the Dukes fort. The rivers of blood shed by friends and foes alike gathered into a sinisterke. The Duhan Duke shuddered in dread and anticipation as a mighty, castle-sized colossus arose from theke of blood. The mere sight of the beast would drive the living mad and inspire fear in the heart of the dead. Each of its white scales was a screaming human face. Its wings were made of bones, its feathers of raging souls. When its crimson eyes opened above three rows of fangs longer than spears, the beast let out a shriek that shattered even the thickest stone. It was a winged serpent alright. A serpent of death and destruction, whose hunger knew no bound! The ritual isplete! Duhan Duke allowed himself a darkugh of triumph. Oh lord of chaos, devour the light and call forth the eternal night! The worlds end came for all!
Cmity Nidhogg, Forever Serpent
Cost: 15
Range: 5 (Targets all units within 3x3 tiles)
Move: 2 (Foot/Flight/Dig/Swim)
Pow/Def: +20/+20
Ouroboros: Immediately returns from the dead after being destroyed; this ability cannot be negated in any way.
T-Twenty?! Shellgirl shouted upon seeing the miniatures stats. Twenty power?! This is the powerful B&C miniature! Hagen confirmed, gleeful at his employers now inevitable victory. Look! Reality itself bends around it! Space cracked around the Nidhogg miniature. Eldritch purple light gathered in its mouth as it turned its head towards one of Basilsst twomanders. Between its enormous range and area of effect attack, no one was safe from its wrath. I shall now destroy your Rockfairy and all troops around her! Walter ordered. Carry this pain with you to oblivion, Basil! His rival grit his teeth and braced himself for impact. The Nidhogg miniature opened its mouth and unleashed a magical bombardment upon nine tiles across the board. Basils Rockfairy, three Deepstone Archers, and one Shieldmaster were summarily vaporized. And their pain instantly reflected upon their controller. Basil screamed in agony as new festering marks joined the cohort of wounds ruining his skin. A gulf of darkness split across his ribcage, exposing his left lung for all to see. Blood shed from his veins immediately took on a foul purple hue before they even touched the ground. Stop! Vasi pleaded. Youre killing him! I wont let him die yet, Walter whispered darkly. But if you wish to end the pain, Basil, all you have to do is forfeit. Two icy eyes red back at him. The sheer intensity in his foes gaze gave Walter pause. Basil looked more dead than his zombies, and yet he remained steadfast in the face of annihtion. Forfeit? Basil scoffed. So weak was he that needed to grab the table with his hand not to fall off his chair. Foolish Walter, this is the moment Ive dreamed about the moment you lost this duel. Nonsense. Walter snorted, though his cold dead heart wavered with doubt. No one can save you now. You dont have the resources to summon any unit capable of resisting my Nidhogg, let alone destroy it! You forget Rockfairys secondary effect, Basil replied. She reduces the cost of summoning units by one and when she dies, I can summon a unit with a cost of five or less for free. He raised his shivering hand and ced another miniature on the board. I summon another Dwarf Catapult next to my first, Basil rasped. Both are now close to my Duergar Witchmatrone and I shall follow through by using my resources to call on two more units! Two or two hundred, it makes no difference, Walter replied calmly. Basils bluff had fallen on deaf ears. I fear nothing. Lets put that boast to the test, shall we? Basil smirked. I call upon Dwarfenstein! Walter thought he had misheard for a moment, until the dreaded miniature appeared on the board next to the catapults. The figurine was small, a mere dwarf with ab coat and sses, yet its nightmarish grin inspired great dread in the necromancers heart.
Dwarfenstein
Cost: 3
Range: 1
Move: 4 (Foot)
Pow/Def: +1/+1
Deadjack: When one of your opponents units would be revived from the grave, you can take control of it. You can only Deadjack one unit, and you lose control of it if Dwarfenstein is removed from the board.
Impossible! Walter refused to believe his own eyes, even though they detected no illusions. This effect was one of a kind. I have purged the multiverse of the miniature! All except this one which is why I hid it from you. Basil coughed blood. You see, Walter, you believe Ive only learned you were a B&C veteran yer a few hours ago, but in truth Ive known it since the day we met. Youre bluffing, Walter replied with a frown. I Would have read my mind? Basil chuckled darkly. Do you remember the healing potion I took halfway through our duel? Walters eyes widened as he figured it out. No It healed me alright. Basils bloody smile turned into a ghastly smirk. I knew that you would try to read my mind at one point, Walter, and knowing your necromantic sensibilities, you would immediately try to preemptively get rid of my Dwarfenstein miniature. It is, after all, a hard counter to any undead army. So I hid it in my inventory and asked Vasi to brew an amnesia potion. I erased my n from my mind until I needed to pull it off! Walter and Shellgirl both looked at Vasi in shock. Is it true? thetter asked. Did you did you feed him an amnesia potion? Unfortunately. Vasi rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh. Its not the weirdest favor he asked of me. Then the healing potion you took Walter clenched his fists in rage. It was an antidote! This damage transfer rule Was a ploy meant to deceive you, Basil confirmed. If I had drunk this potion out of the blue, you would have be suspicious of me. So I set you up for a fall! He nned this treachery from the very beginning. Walters amazement at Basils cunning was only matched by his anger at being deceived. This fearless bastard tricked me That changes nothing, Walter hissed. Even if you can take over my Nidhogg, you would need to destroy it first. I would like to see you try. You will see me seed, Basil said as he ced a new miniature upon the board. For there wont be a next turn! Basil spent hisst resources to summon a new dwarf unit right next to his catapults: a small, bearded humanoid wearing a belt of explosives.
Dwarf Philosopher
Cost: 2
Range: 1
Move: 4 (Foot)
Pow/Def: +1/+0
For a Just Cause: Can sacrifice itself to destroy all adjacent units, regardless of their defense.
Walters blood froze in his veins. Too far, he said, grasping at straws. My Nidhogg is ten spaces away. You will never reach it even with a catapults help. Chief Hagens glee turned to sorrow. He had seen something his employer did not. Its already over. Walter frowned in confusion until Basil made his move. I use my first Dwarf Catapult, he said, to propel the second five spaces closer to your Nidhogg. Walters eyes widened in rm as a dwarf catapult was flung halfway across the battlefield. The necromancer immediately recognized the unit for it was. A link in a chain. I follow through by using my Duergar Witchmatrones Refreshing Brew on my first catapult, which can now fire again. Basil grabbed his Dwarf Philosopher. I use the first catapult to throw my suicide bomber at the second, which will then fire him again five spaces forward! Walter could only watch as the tool of his destruction was flung across the board. As Dwarf Philosopher climbed into the catapult, he looked up to the sky onest time. The golden hand of the war god shone brightly in the darkness like a beacon of hope. Even in the bleakest of time can one findfort in the fortress of faith. Is it death that gives life meaning? Dwarf Philosopher pondered out loud. There was never a better time to confront the universes secrets than when it threatened to end. Are we born for the purpose of dying? Do things need to be finite to have a point? Is that the curse of free-will, that we must find our own answers before our time draws near? Or is it true that mortals have no control, not even over their destiny? All I know He gathered his breath as he reached his final conclusion. Is that I know nothing! In the end, it mattered not to him. Some would say that a good death was passing away of old age in a bed. Dwarf Philosopher begged to differ. A good death was one without regret after a life well-lived. The moment and method did not matter. Dwarf Philosophers existence on this board had been short, but well-spent. He left behind no remorse, no unachieved task, no dream left unfulfilled. His death would follow the same principles. The great pale serpent opened his mouth to roar at him. Such was its height that its wings cast a shadow over the entire battlefield. Countless heroes had fled in the face of this behemoth, this apocalypse engine. Not Dwarf Philosopher. The catapult threw him across the air straight into the monsters jaws. He would not falter, even in the face of hell itself! Let this be myst words! Dwarf Philosopher lit his belts fuse mid-flight. The future of dwarfkin is brighter than the stars! Fire engulfed him, and all became light. A hole opened on Basils chest as his unit self-destructed. He knew he would bear his soldiers death on his flesh and conscience, but he soldiered on all the same. Victory excused everything. Walter too shared his miniatures pain. He felt the mes licking his flesh and the sheer overwhelming weight of the enemys fighting spirit. But when his prized Nidhogg rose from the dead, it was no longer under his control. The beast he had sacrificed so much to summon now obeyed another. And hisstmander was within its attack range. I cant do anything. Walter scanned the board in search of ast-ditch contingency in his panic. He found none. I cant do anything! The impossible had happened. Walter Tye was about to lose at Board & Conquest. Walter. Walter locked eyes with his opponent. You must seem like a master yer to most but to me? Basils hand moved across the board. You are nothing more He flipped Duhan Duke over. Than a filthy casual. Duhan Duke watched on with grim pleasure as Nidhogg rose anew. He had to admit that this dwarf had guts. He had managed to blow the pale serpents head off like a chicken. It had all been for nothing, of course, but at least he had died a martyr. It was more than all the dwarves could expect once Nidhogg was done ughtering them. The age of dwarves is over, Duhan Duke boasted as Nidhogg fully regenerated. The age of the undead has begun The great serpent had turned its head in the Dukes direction. What? The undeadmanders surprise turned to horror as his masters greatest servant opened its mouth. No, no, no! Already the Vampire Ratking and other vermin scampered off in panic. No matter how fast they fled, it made no difference. The great Nidhoggs dark breath swallowed all. Its impossible! Duke Duhan raised a defiant sword, unable to ept the truth. I refuse to die until I have aplished the will of my god! The darkness he had so fervently worshiped vaporized him in an instant. For those who live by evilsws, by evil deeds shall perish! The final attack threw Walter across the room. The thunderstorm summoned into the room violently cleared off with the sound of fingersnap. The umted energy unleashed a shockwave that overturned chairs, shelves and everything not nailed down to the floor. Hagen stumbled while Vasis forcefield cracked like ss. It was a testament to her skills that it held at all. When the wind died down atst, only the board table stood intact. Basil Bohen had copsed on it, barely hanging on to life. Chief? Hagen immediately rushed to his employers side. Are you all right? I am fine, Hagen. Walters physical wounds were already healing on their own. He couldnt say the same for the mental ones. I I have lost fair and square. It hurt to say these words, and yet and yet Walter felt an odd sense of gratefulness as he uttered them. He nced at the board table. Basils hand was grasping the Nidhogg figurine he had bet so much to win. Walter was furious at his loss. His pride demanded retribution, which he would earn at the gaming table. But in a way, he was thankful. Walter had been reminded that for all of his power, he could still lose. I think I understand your resolve now, Basil. It was the same Walter once possessed, before too many victories lulled him into a false sense ofcency. You have reminded me what true strength is the way only a friend could. Basil Bohen would be Overgod. Walter no longer doubted it. Well, this was a colossal waste of time. Vasi dusted off her robes. Can we go back to saving the world, please? Chapter 132: Man vs Calamity Chapter 132: Man vs Cmity The System Apocalypsesst day started like the first: with an ominous message. The notification woke Basil up while he was still sleeping with Vasi lightly snoring in his arms. The System Screen was bloody red rather than blue. If Basil didnt know better, he would take it as a deeply ominous sign.
Congrattions, yers of Earth! Thanks to your extraordinary efforts surviving this Incursion, thepetitions final round is within reach! There is now enough experience in this world to select an Overgod!
In preparation for the final Incursion and to save processing power, all low-level areas will be deleted. Individuals hiding among themyes, were talking about youzy weaklingswill suffer the same fate if they cannot evacuate in time.
Remaining areas will grow closer to make battles easier. With luck, you might select a winner before the Final Incursion!
Basils eyes set on one word among many; one that promised death and disaster. Deleted. Deleted. Deleted. That bastard Basil leaped out of his bed and quickly summoned his equipment from his inventory. He was dressed for battle in an instant. Vasi, get up. Basil? Vasi squinted as she emerged from her slumber. Whats going on? Trouble. When was the answer not troubles nowadays? Basil immediately rushed out of the bedroom while his girlfriend quickly followed in a nightgown. They found the Steamobiles habitable parts empty. The rest of the team had already exited their vehicle to watch the grim spectacle outside. From to to Rosemarine, all eyes looked up to the sky. Dog, to whispered, his body tense as a bowstring. Am I dreaming? The first Wace & Gromit movie had taught Basil that the moon was made of cheese, until the final battle with the Unity disabused him of the notion. He remembered quite vividly pounding ckcinders face into the dirt and then watching her superweapon blow up across the lunarndscape. His mind must have been ying tricks on him, for the moons surface now looked like a slice of swiss cheese. Although the satellite was partly hidden by the star circuit glowing across the sky, the pitch ck holes widening on its surface stood out on their own. Their ravenous darkness absorbed even light. They grew from half a dozen specks until they swallowed lunar craters in their entirety, before joining up and fusing into an ever-expanding sea of darkness. Within minutes, the full moon had shrunk into a crescent. Thats Vasi chewed her lower lip, her eyes widening in dread. That will have consequences. I didnt do it, Mister, Rosemarine dered out of the blue. She sounded more disappointed than anything. Its not me this time. I know, Basil replied. Though the scale of the cataclysm gave him pause, it didnt surprise him much. With the Unitys forces wiped out after the ckcinders debacle, the moon was now uninhabited. It was nothing but a drain on the Neurotowers resources as far as the System was concerned. No tide rose up to swallow Athens, nor did any quake shake the city. That alone might have been more terrifying than the moons slow disappearance. The Systemsws and logic now pervaded reality to the point it could remove Earths billion-years old satellite without affecting anything else. Boss, Bugsy said with a small, worried voice. Basil suddenly noticed that he alone wasnt looking at the sky, but at the horizon. Whats in that direction? Basil gazed beyond the hills of Athens and the blue hue of the Aegean Sea. A wall of darkness had risen over the distant horizon. A veil of shadows deep as a starless night stretched far and wide. It was taller than mountains, faster than a tsunami, more dreadful than a storm. The world was andscape painting slowly ovee by a tide of spilled ink. Isted droplets of baleful ckness grew and joined together into a flood of death. The ck hole the team had encountered earlier had been barelyrge enough to swallow a building. This wall reached the clouds and nketed entire countries into its dark embrace. Turkey, Basil replied. Bulgarias former historical nemesis, and and with over eighty million inhabitants before the world ended. It should be Turkey. How much of it remained? Partner, I keep receiving messages from our Guildmates! Shellgirl warned, a System screen floating in front of her. Its happening everywhere! France, Romania Bulgaria too! Basils blood froze in his veins. Earth had been living on life support since the Trimurti System appeared, and Maxwell just pulled the plug. Thend is moving below our feet! Bugsy warned. A string of tremors followed to echo his words, too weak to copse buildings, but strong enough to be noticeable. Are we being swallowed by the void too? to asked with a frown. Should we run? No, I dont think so Bugsy listened to the ground until his enhanced senses came up with an exnation. Thend isnt being swallowed, it descending. Nature abhors a vacuum, Vasi guessed. The message said the habitable space would shrink. If entire pans of the surface disappear Then the itself is shrinking, Basil guessed grimly. The Earths crust made up roughly one percent of its volume. The other ny-nine percent were superfluous as far as the System was concerned. Earth is shriveling up like a rotten fruit. His thoughts turned to the friends he had left behind in Bordeaux, Limoges, Paris, Shumen, and so many other ces. The Bohens had fought tooth and nail to save thousands of lives, sparing them the Apocalypse Forces rampages and the Unitys very. Now the very ground threatened to copse beneath their feets. Has it all been for nothing? Basils fists tightened enough to hurt. Was that your n all along Maxwell? To give us a flicker of hope and then take it all away? Basil refused toy down and let all the people he fought to protect perish. There had to be a way to save them all. The sound of pping wings echoed above the troupe. Sir! The angel Zacharielnded among them, sweat dripping from his feathers. He must have flown halfway across Athens without catching his breath. Disaster is afoot! Gee, weve noticed, to replied dryly. The giant encroaching void was quite the giveaway! What about Kalki? Basil asked the angel. It couldnt be a coincidence that this cmity happened at the same time as when the Bohens allies recovered him. Is he all right? The Avatars have both been safely freed from their prison contraption, Zachariel confirmed. In fact, the void started expanding immediately after we secured them both. Fear of missing out, eh? Shellgirl immediately sneered. Thats basic marketing. Maxwell is putting a time limit on us, Vasi guessed, her arms crossing in frustration. He pushed a gun against our head and asked us to make a choice. Its working. Zachariel cleared his throat. Our esteemed allies asked for an emergency meeting at the Parthenon to discuss the situation and reach a decision. Basil didnt need a memo. The council would decide whether to let the Avatars fuse or not, with all the cosmic consequences that it implied. Bugsy turned in his direction. Boss I know. The final battle approached fast. Basil could feel it within his bones. Its time, Steve. The Steamobile let out a cloud of steam. It had been ready since the moment the team stole Zeus essence from Ashoks cold dead hands. As an animated vehicle, Steve Roadwonders was denied metamorphosis. Basil himself wasnt sure what would happen once he pressed the essence against his friends metal frame. Would Zeus spirit reject this new vessel as Plutos did before? Would it overwrite Steves Perks and force a metamorphosis in vition of the Systems usual rules? He didnt have to wait long for answers. The essence of Zeus flowed into Steves body in a wave of lightning. Electricity surged through the machines circuits and turbines. The power of thunder itself moved its gears without the need for fuel. ording to myths, Zeus would enter anything and anyone that let him in. A giant car robot was no exception. Or perhaps the situation was so terrible that the god agreed to help in any way he could? Much like when Steve absorbed the Gearsman Titans runecore in Shumen, the change was nearly imperceptible from the outside. The Steamobile showed little hint of having assimted a gods power besides the asional pulses of electricity coursing through its cables. A true god did not need to showcase its power, for it had nothing to prove.
By absorbing the [Essence of Zeus] through [Improvement], Steve Roadwonders has gained the [Divine Thunderchariot] Passive Perk and the [Aegis of Zeus] Active Perk!
Divine Thunderchariot (Passive): As the Olympians thundering chariot, Steve Roadwonders takes half damage from attacks, is immune to [Insta-Death], and absorbs [Lightning] attacks (recovers HP equal to the damage that would have been inflicted). His [Lightning] attacks inflict 50% more damage, pierce through Resistance, and treat Immunity as Resistance.
Aegis of Zeus (Active): [Lightning], [Support], 100 SP. Steve Roadwonders can empower allies with the power of [Lightning]. All allies within fifty meters will inflict 20% additional [Lightning] damage with their weapons piercing through Resistance and benefit from temporary [Lightning] immunity for ten minutes.
Considering the Gehenna Cannon inflicted Lightning damage, Steve might now be powerful enough to blow up more than space stations. Basil gave onest nce at his team. Every member, big or small, now wielded the power of a deity; or in Vasi''s case, something close behind. A year ago, none of them would have expected to see the throne of Overgod within reach. But here they were. Lets go, Zach, Basil said. Its time. Fate hade calling and it would not be denied. Kalki looked healthy for a man who had been imprisoned for over a month. Hundreds of people had gathered atop Athens acropolis, their boots and feet stomping a marble za carved under the shadow of the Parthenon dungeon. The allies that supported the Bohens through so many ordeals were all present, from General Lenc to Cassandra and Vasis father. A group of four armored bodyguards, Neria Elissalde included, surrounded Kalki and a woman whom Basil assumed to be Padma. They would defend them with their lives. The bard had lost some weight since Basilst met him, true, but he looked confident otherwise. Unlike his body, his divine spirit remained undiminished. The warm smile he offered the Bohens upon seeing them held more power and warmth than all of Brinas fiery weapons. My friends. Kalki embraced Basil like a brother he hadnt seen in years. The bodyguards watched the scene without moving, with the exception of Neria Elissalde, who smiled at them. How good it is to see you again. The feeling is mutual, Kalki. Basil hugged the bard tightly. Are you well? Are you hungry? Did they feed you in that sphere of yours? to chuckled. Is that the first you ask him? If he wants goblin saut with harpy sauce? Where? Rosemarine asked. She salivated in her nymph form; no matter the metamorphosis she went through, she would never forget the taste of a well-prepared goblin steak. I miss those so much I wouldnt say Ive missed your cooking, Basil, but Ive longed for friendly nights around the campfire. Kalki released the Tamer and saluted every member of the team in turn. And the pleasure of yourpany. Bugsy avoided the avatars gaze. Im so sorry, Mr. Kalki. For what? the bard asked. We were there when Ashok kidnapped you. Vasi let out a heavy sigh; she felt just as guilty as Bugsy. We acted with too much caution, and it gave him the opportunity to abduct you. I, for once, disagree, to replied. ying cautiously cost me two lives. Being bold might have increased the tab twofold. to is wise, as always, Kalki replied with a kind smile. Failure to save another matters less than trying at all, my friends. You have acted for my sake at a great cost to your personal safety. That alone earns you my gratitude. Basil finally realized why the bard appeared so strong in spite of his exhaustion. His presence of mind, his inner spirit, and wisdom shone through his flesh. Ashok could shackle his body, but not the inner light within. It is the loss of Garud and Shesha I mourn the most, Kalki said, a sorrowful look on his face. They fought to the death to protect me. Basils jaw clenched at his words. He and to had buried these two in a mass grave near Shumen, alongside a thousand others. At least he could find their pieces, unlike his mothers remains. Dead is not gone, my dear, a melodious voice replied. You will meet them again on the next step of our journey. Basil turned his gaze on Kalkispanion: a petite Indian woman a head shorter than him, dressed in simple, yet colorful wrapped garments. Unlike the bard, she had clearly suffered from imprisonment; her cheeks were creased and gaunt, and her hands were so thin that Basil could see the bones clearly. And yet and yet this woman was like a shining jewel nheless. The purity of her ck eyes, the smoothness of her skin nor her lustrous ck hair mattered little. No, this womans beauty came from within. Her smile was as warm andforting as Kalkis own, and an invisible aura of peace and serenity radiated off her. She felt like a kind soul who would always listen to the pleas of the helpless, who would offerpassion andfort to all who needed it. Her beauty was not that of a model to whom men prayed out of lust, but the saintly strength of a fire that would soothe your pain in the coldest of winters. This woman was no mortal for sure. Oh, apologies, I forgot to make introductions. Kalki raised a hand as if to grab the womans, only for Neria to reluctantly move between them before they could touch. The bard scowled in dismay, as did his partner, but did notment on it. This is my other half, Padma. Padma, these are the adventurers I told you about. Greetings. The woman offered them a polite reverence. In her spite of her diminished state, her hands moved with the gentle grace of a swans wings. It is my understanding that you guided and protected my dear Kalki in these troubled times. And we did it pro bono, Shellgirl mused. Basil cracked a smile, only for a System screen to sh before his eyes. His heart skipped a beat as he feared more bad news, until he realized this screen was blue instead of red.
Main Quest: The Lotus of Love,pleted! Your party gained 13,600,000 Bonus EXP (2,266,666 for you) and the [Lotus of Completion] consumable.
Oh right, Basil had almost forgotten this quest. A red lotus materialized in his hand as he read, the reward for a job well done.
Lotus of Completion
Family: Consumable.
Quality: S.
Effect: The Lotus of Completion will turn an individuals Weak affinity into a Strong one, thus removing the associated elemental weakness. The Lotus of Completion can only be used once, after which it disappears. Cannot be duplicated.
Blessed are those who reach the end of the path, for they have be whole. Said to be blooming on thep of enlightened sages who have achieved Nirvana, the Lotus of Completion perfects the body and mind like the cksmith sharpens a sword.
It said something about affinities that it would take a legendary artifact to change one of them. Ugh, cannot be duplicated? Shellgirlined as she read the items description. Considering her special glove, this felt like a personal attack. Why did they have to patch my new acquisition? Its not fair! I am d to make your acquaintance, Miss Padma, Vasi greeted the female avatar. I cant help but notice that you do not look well. I I feel drained. Every wording from her mouth sounded like the fruit of a heroicbor. She reminded Basil of a sick person learning back to speak after having her mouth muzzled for years. Men fell upon me like wolves the moment I opened my eyes, robbed me of my strength, and then shackled my soul. And now they wish to put us all in the dirt, Neria Elissaldemented grimly. The wall of darkness had only expanded since. Is there anything you can do to stop that? Kalki nodded curtly. There is one way. He and Padma exchanged a heavy nce. If they were allowed to touch, their union would summon Vishnu and stop the Overgodpetition. In theory at least. This is uncalled for, Basil protested. We have cause to suspect this y right into Maxwells hands. I shared the information with the general, Neria confirmed. But Im afraid we dont have many options left. Not when the world is crumbling before our eyes, went unsaid. Speaking of General Lenc, the man cleared his throat and began to address the gathered crowd from atop a rock. The scene reminded Basil of these paintings of prophetsying down thew to their flock. The dragonknight stored the lotus in his inventory forter use and listened alongside his team. My friends, the hour is dire. General Lenc waved a hand at the void expanding across the Aegean Sea. As you may know, we have recently detected spatial anomalies. These pockets of void, where nothing exists, were no bigger than houses before the third Incursion. This is no longer the case. The general was an experienced speaker. In spite of the disaster encroaching upon them, he spoke clearly and cleanly. Too many crisis scenarios had hardened his resolve. Three hours ago, right after we unsealed the two Avatars, these ck holes began to expand. Lenc paused briefly before carrying on, as if he himself doubted his findings. Since then, Earth has lost the Moon and four percent of its total mass. The Trimurti System had taught Basil to respect the power of numbers, but too many statistics had numbed him to such news. Murmurs spread among the assembly nheless. Four percent? asked a soldier in the crowd. Basil couldnt me him. This disaster sounded too big to be real. Why isnt the ground copsing beneath us? At this point, neither mass nor gravity matters, Zachariel exined. Thews of physics are subordinate to the Trimurti System. Its video game logic, Neria Elissalde summarized. If the System says gravity stays the same no matter the area, then the universe obeys. General Lenc carried on with his grim speech. So far, only dungeons and the areas within their auroras range are unaffected by these anomalies. All probabilistic models estimate that the void will consume everything else within forty-eight hours. ording to early reports, anyone the void catches up to The military leader scowled. Disappears. The people present exchanged grim looks. Dungeons were monster hotspots, and few were under human control. Even the Bohens own Guild only controlled a handful. The Apocalypse Force alone controlled most of them; the Horsemens destruction or defection hadnt changed anything on that front. Cassandra, who had listened without a word so mind, spoke her mind. I suppose the Final Incursion is likely to begin as soon as the processpletes? Its a reasonable assumption, General Lenc confirmed. Dying the Overgodpetitions final round will serve no purpose beyond this point. I will be blunt, General Lenc said. The longer we wait, the more people will die. Few will be able to evacuate to dungeons in time, and fewer will find a shelter among them. Simply evacuate the peasants to Outremonde, Branio said with a contemptuous shrug. The Level Barrier is now so porous that weaklings cane and go as they please. We dont have the logistics to evacuate everyone, Neria pointed out. Who cares? the demon king chuckled. You only need to evacuate those who matter. Some sent res at the demon king, his own daughter included. Basil wasnt among them. As much as he hated to say so out loud, he did consider evacuating his Guild to Outremonde before that fateful moment. He could hardly judge his future father-inw on moral grounds. We will evacuate those we can, but this will be a fraction of the total body count, General Lenc warned. Additionally, the more time passes, the greater the risk that the likes of the Maleking enter our world and im the Overgod throne. At which point, everyone still on Earth will probably suffer a gruesome death. We have no idea what other Factions are active elsewhere on the, Neria pointed out. Ourwork only extends to Europe and the Maghreb. This is also cause for concern, Lenc conceded. We have no idea what happened in America, Asia, southern Africa, or Oceania. For all we knew they could have fallen under the sway of monsters or bloodthirsty warlords. Basil shuddered to imagine what kind of horrors the likes of post-apocalyptic Australia could have spawned. Neria raised a valid point. Since high-level areas and monsters converged for a final battle, its participants were as likely to be brave defenders of the innocents as ambitious warmongers eager to seize the Overgods throne. The chances of all these unknown individuals findingmon ground were slim to say the least. All in all, the Earths transformation was but the prelude for the carnage toe. Then what are we waiting for? Simeon asked, turning his gaze at Kalki and Padma. You can stop it all, can you not? I I believe it will all end once I join Padma. Kalki nodded sharply, as did his female counterpart. I can feel this was our purpose. Basil emerged from his silence. I think this is a trap. All eyes turned in his direction, much to his astonishment. He still wasnt used to being a big-shot power yer. We have gathered information indicating that Maxwell may have nned for the Avatars to fuse, he exined. This will serve his ends somehow. Cassandra raised an eyebrow. Didnt he try to convince you to prevent such an oue? It could be reverse psychology, Vasi pointed out wisely. By forbidding us to do something, Maxwell tricks us into doubling down instead. Why didnt he force them to fuse themselves then? Cassandra pointed out. Why give us the chance to affect the oue? I dont know, Basil admitted. He had to admit that Maxwells behavior did confuse him. But it smells fishy. Someone snickered in the crowd, though Basil couldnt identify them. Is that your argument? That it smells fishy? Basil stood his ground. Call it instinct or whatever, but this whole situation feels like a trap. There are too many uncertainties, his girlfriend agreed. We know Maxwell is trying to reproduce, and that his n involves something called Dis, whatever that means. Were missing part of the puzzle. Dis, you said Branio touched his chin thoughtfully. Mmm Does it ring a bell, Father? his daughter asked. The demon king nodded curtly. I believe it was the name of a System whose creator our previous administrator warred with in ancient times. It was mentioned to my father as a cautionary tale, but he never learned more of it. What else can you tell us? General Lenc pushed. Nothing, Branio replied, much to everyones disappointment. I told you, it was mentioned to my father in passing. I doubt he could tell us anything more. We still havent investigated Dismaker Labs headquarters in Malta, Shellgirl pointed out. Maybe well find more information there? Theres no time for that, a soldier pointed out. The is dying now. Yeah, but if our n works Kalki and co can recreate it back from scratch, Shellgirl replied wisely. I say were jumping the gun on this one. Never buy anything under pressure, cause theres always a hidden price. General Lenc shook his head. I have already deployed forces to Malta when the void began to expand. Basil frowned. What did they find? Empty fortresses and a crack in the Level Barrier, General Lenc replied with a sour face. Seers and early readings indicate a phenomenally powerful creature awaits on the other side. He did not need to name the likely culprit. The Maleking was waiting on Earths threshold, and the door could open anytime. Maxwell vacated his former headquarters and left nothing behind him, Neria said. He could be leaving the or preparing to do so. Our world is full of gods, not all of them sympathetic to outsiders, Cassandra warned. The pathways that connect this to ours worries them. They wont let things progress to the point our world might be threatened by outside infection. Simeon squinted at her. What will they do then? They will send troops. Cassandra nced at Kalki. To cut down the root of the infection. Better be safe than sorry? Basil clenched his fists in anger. They would rather destroy our world than risk Maxwell moving on to their own? Yes, Cassandra replied bluntly. And no doubt some of you here would do the same in their situation. Rosemarine opened her mouth, but swiftly closed it rather than prove her right. She has a point, Shellgirl whispered under her breath. I can think of someone who wouldnt hesitate to pull the plug. Walter, Basil thought. He didnt doubt a second that the necromancer would destroy the Earth if it meant safeguarding his home. The only question was whether he would evacuate his friends first. The more we dy our choice, the higher the risks that an outsider will make it for us. General Lenc must have thought along the same lines, for he addressed the Avatars among the crowd. What would you suggest? Im Im not sure, Kalki admitted. I want to help you, and I think I have the power to, but my memory remains foggy. I cannot guarantee sess. We will do as you desire, Padma said calmly. It is your world your choice. Then let us put the matter to vote, General Lenc said. Everyone present, raise your hand if you are in favor of letting the Avatars fuse now. Those who would rather dy until we figure out an alternative, say nothing. Hands rose one after another. Basils wasnt among them, nor were his guildmates. Branio did not move an inch, either because he didnt care or because he wanted to support his daughters choice. General Lenc too shrewdly decided to wait to gather more intel. But almost all humans present voted yes. I am sorry, Sir Bohen. Simeon raised his hand, reluctantly. There is too much at stake if we wait. Im tired. Neria followed through as well. Whatever happens cant be worse than the Earth vanishing. Cassandra voted yes as well, as did Zachariel; no doubt they worried more about one of their allies back home jumping the gun and killing the Avatars rather than take the risk of Maxwells brood infecting their realm. The soldiers that survived the battle against the Apocalypse Force and Metal Olympus overwhelmingly voted yes as well. They were weary from the constant fights, worried for their families at home, and wanted the end of the world to, well, end. Even if the odds of sess were slim, they would take them. The ayes have it. There was no joy in General Lencs tone, only wariness. The Avatars shall fuse. And so the traps jaws closed upon them all. Chapter 133: Man vs Journeys End Chapter 133: Man vs Journey''s End It could take a lifetime to make friends and an instant to lose them. Basil had seen many peoplee and go in his life. His parents, Ren, childhoodpanions he lost sight of when he moved to France The apocalypse only added to this count. Orcine, Kuikui, even Benjamin. Basil would have wished to spend more time with each of them. The friends Basil was losing today wouldnt die, so there was always hope they would meet again but something in his heart told him it wouldnt be so simple. This is not farewell, Little Nessia told him with the kind of earnest smile only young children could manage. Its just goodbye. I doubt that, Basil thought. He was wise enough not to say it out loud. I hope we can visit you one day. Aww, Im so sad, Bugsyined. Your world sounds like such a beautiful ce, Miss Nessia. You cane with us! Little Nessia turned to Cassandra. What do you say, Aunt Cass? Im sure Dad would like them. There is no guarantee the portals will remain open after this ritualspletion, Cassandra warned the Bohens. The risk was why all of Earths visitors had decided to return home at once. We would dly wee you to our home, but you must understand that this risks bing a permanent stay. My daughter has better ces to be, Branio said while rubbing his nails together. Namely, her new winter pce. Vasi suppressed a chuckle. Youve built me a winter pce? The architects shouldplete it just in time for your birthday, my dear, her father replied, his voice as sweet as honey. Alongside the beach resort. Whoa, weve never tried those! Shellgirl grinned at the proposal. A pity well have to dy. Her words tug at Basils heartstrings. Considering the risks involved in letting the Avatars fuse, he had offered his party to retreat to Outremonde for their own safety. None of them took him up on it. Well, Sir, its been an honor treating your ills. Zachariel then turned to his favorite patient on the team. Mr. to, I am very pleased to tell you that your agnostic cancer is now fully cured. Swallowing a goddess helped, the feline replied with a deadpan tone. I would appreciate it if you did not make a habit of it. That kind of nutritive therapy tends to have a high death rate. The angel nodded to himself. Still, I am pleased to leave you all in good health. This is every professionals dream. Youre not going to charge us more? Vasi asked in skepticism. No insurance package to go along with the medical expenses? As strange as it may sound to you, Lady Yaga, Heaven cares about satisfying believers first and expanding its customer base second. Zachariel shrugged. In your case, I believe any karma insurance package would be redundant. You are solidly on the good side of the fence. Eyes turned in Rosemarines direction, who giggled to herself. When I go to heaven, I will eat everyone who did not believe in me! You will fit right in with the Righteous Wrath department, Zachariel said, taking herment in stride. It pleased Basil greatly to hear an angel confirm he would go to heaven if he died though he wasnt sure if he would fit in Outremondes version of it. Who am I kidding? Basil nced at his other allies across the Parthenons za. Troops had set up a security perimeter around the two Avatars, waiting for them to fuse. If this fails, well spend our afterlife in a Neurotowers core. And even if the n seeded it would be a jump into the unknown. Basil couldnt help but stare at Bugsy, Shellgirl, Rosemarine, and all his monster allies. Their very existence was intrinsically tied to the Trimurti System. What would happen to them if Kalki and Padma seeded in rolling it back? His worries must have shown on his face, for Branio immediately sneered in contempt. If these gods of yours are half as powerful as ours, it should be childs y to make an exception for your group after all youve done for them. Outremonde was already connected to Earth before the Trimurti System arrived, so well keep a backdoor open, Vasi reassured Basil. We can also escape to Walters shop if the worstes to pass. We could watch the end of Major Chicken while youre ying B&C with Walter! Bugsy suggested joyfully. Vasi scowled. Ill pass for the B&C part. I admit thest battle was enough for a lifetime. The memory drew a smile on Basils face. Yes, he was being too negative. He had plenty of allies and escape routes. It was nice. It was a disaster, Vasi countered while rolling her eyes. You promised me that wouldnt happen again, remember? Neria Elissalde chose this moment to rejoin the group, with Ronald hopping behind her. Were ready, she warned. Well begin the ritual in fifteen minutes. Guild strong and hungry, Ronald added. What are orders, chief? Basil clenched his jaw. He hated what he was about to do, but he had to. You will evacuate to Outremonde. Ronald gazed at him in confusion. Evacuate? I have discussed this with our allies, and there is a high chance that Apocalypse Force remnants will try to escape to other worlds when they realize whats about to happen. Outremondes dragon ruler also asked that Unity defectors be handed to him, and they require an escort. That wasnt a lie. Apocalypse Force warriors would certainly try to escape from Earth, and Vainqueur asked for Unity survivors to be transferred to his custody so he could enlighten them into the proper dragon way. Basil doubted reforming these fascistic lizards would work, but at least Outremonde would have the infrastructure required to deal with them. While our party secures the Avatars, the rest of the Guild will help our allies contain these invaders, Basil exined. We must make sure that they never threaten the multiverse again. Ronald shall tenderize them all. The burger monster heedlessly raised an arm in a parody of a military salute. Ready for deployment. Dont forget to sell wares to Outremonde locals while youre at it! Shellgirl said cheerfully. Unlike Bugsy, who shifted in ce ufortably, her smile appeared genuine. Were going multiversal, baby! Well be in touch, Ronald, Basil said before opening his status management screen. Im teleporting you all. The burger vanished from Earth with a sh of red light and resolute words. Ronald wont disappoint! Basil nodded sharply as he read his Guilds ledger. Everyone currently registered in it had their name registered there. The list went on and on and on. Have we grown so much while I wasnt looking? Besides his team, Basil could recognize half a dozen names on the list. That leech Varney, the vampire they met in Romania; the goblin Cafaimal and his cohort, who had been the Bohens neighbors a lifetime ago; and the mimics they recruited in Paris. Basil had almost forgotten them. Otherwise, the list included Gearsmen recruited by Shellgirl, undead, wolfmen, and countless creatures he had yet to meet in person. So many people I never got to know. This only reinforced Basils resolve. He was no general, drafting young soldiers as if they were a statistic and then throwing them off into the meat grinder. He simply couldnt live with the guilt if anything happened to his guildmates. Basil swiped one name after another off the list, sending them through the otherworldly pathways currently connecting Earth to its neighbors. He received warnings that their dungeons were now unupied, but he cared little. Neria hugged Little Nessia. Goodbye, little griffin rider, the former policewoman whispered to the child. Ill visit you if I can. I can see the future, silly, Little Nessia replied with a sad smile. Im sure we will. That was a lie, but like a good spell, no one opened their mouth to dispel it away. Good. Neria kissed the girl on her forehead before shaking Cassandras hand. Please take care of her. Shes a handful, but braver than men twice their age. The apple didnt fall far from the tree, the other woman replied with a smirk. There will always be a ce for you on our ship, if you ever decide to sail with us. Ill think about it. Neria smiled at Zachariel next. What do you say, Zach? Up to putting back the band together if the opportunity presents itself? Of course, Neria, the angel replied, his tone strangely subdued. Always. Basil remembered that these three had be good friends while in Bordeaux, even forming a party. While he tried to keep a straight face, Bugsy teared up a little at the scene. They werent the only ones saying farewell today. I wish you good luck in the fights toe, Cassandra told her allies as she cast a spell of some kind. Whatever they are. She and Little Nessia vanished in a sh of light, thetter waving goodbye to Neria and Zachariel until the very end. The rest of their crew swiftly followed, as did their flying ship. We will be waiting for you on the other side, Branio told Basil while ring at him. If anything happens to my daughter while Im gone Nothing will, Basil cut him off. Not when I draw breath. I can take care of myself, Dad. Vasi smiled at her sire. But thanks for the concern. It said something about Branio that a mere kind word from his daughter left him somewhat despondent. Basil wondered if deep down, this mighty demon lord was desperate for someone to love him for what he was, rather than what he represented. It is my duty as a parent. Branio regained hisposure. Return to me well and sound, my daughter. And like that, he and Zachariel vanished along with their troops. Only the Bohens, Steve, and their human allies remained on the Parthenons teau. I thought you didnt believe in keeping secrets from allies? to asked with a disapproving frown after Branio teleported away. Or lying to them, for that matter. I am, Basil replied with a sigh. But we both know Ronald and the others would have insisted on staying if they knew the truth. Though the chance of Apocalypse Force members or Unity survivors trying to escape Earth before the reboot existed, most of the Bohens allies believed they could handle them. Reinforcements were nice to have for them, but not necessary. In truth, Basil had evacuated his Guild members to protect them. If things went wrong, the Maleking, Wyrde, and other apocalyptic threats would soon enter Earth. The gulf in strength was so vast that the likes of Ronald wouldnt even give them experience. It would be a ughter, and Basil had seen too many friends die to add his Guildmates to the list. After confirming every single member except for the Bohens had crossed over, Basil opened his menu management screen. Since Maxwell had already shown himself capable of messing with the Guild''s teleportation system, there was only one way to ensure he wouldnt use it to throw Basils allies back into the meat grinder.
You are about to disband the [Homeowners Revenge Association] Guild. Are you certain of your choice? This action cannot be undone.
Clicking on the yes option felt like the end of an era for Basil.
You have disbanded the [Homeowners Revenge Association] Guild. Items in the Guild inventory will be transferred to individual ounts or liquidated if this cannot be arranged.
His allies received the same message. Shellgirl looked devastated about the items part, even if she had already transferred the good stuff to her own bottomless Inventory. Its done, Bugsy muttered, his wings folding. I know we avenged the house long ago, but that hurts. Well start something new, Shellgirl said, trying to lift his spirits. Like Monsters Multiversal! Or Bohen Bros! My roots will spread to a thousand worlds and seed them with my brood, Rosemarine chirped in. Until everybody gives me a present on Christmas! Basil cracked a smile. Rosemarine always had a gift for lighting up the mood, and not always with fire. You can still leave, you know. Arent you tired of asking the same question and getting the same answer, Basil? to teased him. Weve followed you to the moon and back already, what more do you want? I still say Maxwell was messing with us, Shellgirl added. Well be fine. Weve all pushed our chips on the table long ago, handsome, Vasi replied. Steve echoed his allies resolve with a sh of lightning and a roar of his engines. We cant walk away before the final round. Basils cheeks reddened a bit. Thanks, guys. For everything. Aww, did we make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? to joked. Should we follow up with a group hug to smother your embarrassment? Maybeter, Basil mused while ncing at Neria. Will you join in? Neria blushed. Me? Weve fought side by side for so long, youre almost part of the team now. To think Basil and the crew met her in Dax, all the way back when a single Gearsman was enough to send them running so much had happened since. Youre a friend now. Thanks, Basil. The feeling is mutual. Neria put a hand on her waist. I hope well keep hanging out together no matter what happens. These ominous words were enough to ruin Basils good mood. With only minutes left before they all put their fates in Kalki, he opened his inventory and unstored the Lotus of Completion. I guess this is now or never, Vasi noted. What affinity will you choose, handsome? Basil pondered over his choice. The Moon Shield granted him a de facto immunity to the Light element while in full moon mode, while his armor and Steves Aegis covered his Lightning weakness. This left Basil only two elemental frailties: Soul and Wind. Basil nced at his halberd and swiftly reached a decision. Soul. Soul? Not Light? Vasi raised an eyebrow. Have you given up on bing a dazzling pdin, handsome? That ship has long sailed into the sunset. Basil didnt need to wield the power of light to do good. Being a Deathknight, Dragonknight, and Warrior Saint is enough to satisfy my holy warrior urges. A better Soul affinity will synergize better with my build. Especially when the threat of a demon lords arrival loomed darkly over them. Basil suspected strengthening his spirit would matter as much as reinforcing his body. He activated the lotus and watched it turn to red dust within his hand. Its magic flowed into his bones, filling Basil with the same magical energy that reinforced him on level-ups.
Your weak [Soul] affinity has transformed into a strong one! You have gained resistance to [Soul] and unlocked the [Necromancer], [ckguard], [Soulknife], and [Spiritualist] sses!
So many sses hidden behind affinities and obscure requirements. Basil wondered how many other paths he had missed out on from the apocalypses very first day. In the end, it didnt matter. Even if he could turn back time, Basil would have chosen Tamer all over again. It was the ss he was most fond of, the one that served him most and protected his team against so many dangers. Basil was an Apocalypse Tamer, and proud of it. Youve grown, dog. to nodded at Basil with what could pass for pride. The old you would have chosen to take what he wants rather than what we need. And the old you would have rather fled than die fighting Zeus incarnate. Basil petted his best friend on the head. Weve all grown, to. Of course we have, Rosemarine said. Im big now. Yes you are, Basil confirmed. In and out. They started as a small band of gardeners hiding in the woods and now stood shoulder to shoulder with gods. to had be the mighty feline he always aspired to be. Bugsy had grown from a cowardly centipede to a mighty beast willing to challenge fate itself. Rosemarine had bloomed into a wonderful flower. Shellgirl and Vasi had both be masters of their own crafts. And though he never essed the ss, Basil had evolved from a self-destructive Berserker to a Pdin in all but name. They should all be proud of their aplishments. After casting theirst buffs, the team rejoined their allies. Kalki and Padma stood amidst a ring of survivors from Earths apocalypse. Everyone present had lost someone, whether to war or monsters. All were eager to see it end. Perhaps too much. I dont like it, Basil told Lenc. I have the feeling were ying into a trap of some kind. I know, the general answered with a heavy sigh. Maxwell has steadily removed all our good options. I can only hope we picked the least worst of them. As Caesar said once he crossed the Rubicon, the die is cast. Basil folded his arms after exchanging onest nce with Kalki. At this point, he could only pray. Are you ready, my love? Padma asked her counterpart. I am. Kalki inhaled sharply. One, two, three All held their breaths as the couple raised a hand at each other. Time slowed down, or so it seemed to Basil. The moment of truth was upon them. The Avatars fingers touched, and the world came to an end. All across the world, the System shuddered. From guards protecting a clock tower in London to a gentle cat helping flee the void encroaching upon Tunisia, everyone on Earths surface sensed the end approach before it happened. An overwhelming sensation of danger filled their hearts. An overwhelming pressure fell upon their entire world, whose every molecule was now beholden to the Trimurti Systems influence. In the heart of a thousand dungeons, Neurotowers lit up like candles; for the time of awakening was close at hand. The castles, caves, and other fortresses they had built around themselves were nothing but eggshells, a protectiveyer meant to shield them from danger while they gathered nutrients for the harvest. They had grown fat on the souls of many like the many roots of a great tree. Whether they had been imed by a Faction or remained independent, they were all parts of a singlework in the end. A single organism whose influence had reshaped thend, the sky, and the veryws of physics. A parasitic being that had gestated inside reality the way a maggots egg incubated inside juicy flesh. It had taken a long time and many tries, but the moment had finallye for the flower to bloom. Dis awakened. The dungeons copsed all at once, as swiftly as they hade into being. Their auroras red onest time, irradiating all creatures unlucky enough to be caught inside their radius. All movements, from the lowest monsters growl to the strongest yers sword swing, came to an abrupt halt. The particles making up the dungeons swirled around the exposed Neurotowers. The pirs of steel grew like the fingers of a great beast, piercing through the clouds. Their tips touched the circuit of stars connecting Earth to the infinite worlds. The apocalypses roots spread across the cosmos. A necromancer shuddered in the house of the undead. His shop was hisir, his domain, a pocket dimension floating in the void between his world and countless others. It was beholden to his will alone. No intervention nor teleportation could happen in this ce without his explicit authorization. The door was locked, so to say. Yet something slithered through the keyhole. Something vile and unnatural, something that filled his unppable heart with unease and disgust the way a disease horrified the healthy. A foul force smashed through his defenses like a tidal wave, riding the System connection on which his multiversal business relied. Chief?! Hagen had immediately summoned his mace. A useless gesture, but a brave one. Do you feel that? Walter Tye did not respond with words. Instead, he looked through his shops window and gazed into the ck void that surrounded it. Tentacles of steel reached out of the darkness. Nessia shrieked so loudly that Cassandras eardrums almost ruptured. Nessia?! Cassandra grabbed the girl by the shoulder, forcing her to look into her eyes. Nessia, whats happening?! Her niece did not even seem to register her presence. She screamed until all color drained from her face. Her eyes were turning upside down as if her pupils sought to gaze into her own brain. Her body shook and convulsed, to the point Cassandra had to struggle to prevent the child from harming herself. Cassandra, as an experienced heroine and demigoddess, was no stranger to such episodes. Her niece was an oracle, a seer connected to the Fate System that ruled their world. Many times she observed a terrible omen. But Cassandra had never seen such terror written on her face. Then she felt the same thing her dear niece did, and Cassandra understood. Their ship trembled as fearsome waves battered upon its hull. Home was within sight, only for a dark shadow to nket the sea andnd alike; a darkness had spread across their world in an instant, its venom touching all souls within it. Cassandra looked up at the portal linking her world to a distant Earth. The clouds had vanished behind a steel curtain. Friend Victor? Atop a great castle in the middle ofke of fire, a great dragon deity pointed a finger w pointing at the sun. Is this normal? The god of minions, father to demons and grandfather to witches, gazed up at a sky that used to be clear and cloudless a few seconds ago. His son Branio stood at his side, havinge in person to ask for his support. The sun and the golden moon alike had vanished. A sea of tendrils and circuits observed them both and spread through the heavens like a dark cloud of metal. The phenomenon appeared made of ckened steel, yet the deitys enhanced senses identified them for what they were: an anomaly in the very fabric of reality. His mind perceived it as circuits because it was the closest frame of reference it coulde up with. A System screen manifested before his eyes, and rmed messages soon flooded it.
Warning! System infection detected!
WARNING! SYSTEM INFECTION DETECTED!
No, Your Majesty, the god of minions said. Thats not normal at all. A shrieking tower of steel shattered the Parthenon. It surged from below and emerged from under Kalki and Padma, the resulting shockwave unleashing a stone tsunami in all directions. Basil instinctively activated double-jump as the ground copsed beneath his feet and the earth swallowed people by the dozens. Basil! Vasi took flight at his side, as did Bugsy. to and Shellgirl hastily jumped at Steve like mice instinctively seeking refuge on a sinking ship. Grab every Basil screamed as a flood of messages swallowed his vision and intruded upon his brain.
Menu options disabled! Inventory feature disabled! [God-Field] negated! [Stasis] stopped by ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR
Close, close, close! It took Basil his willpower to banish the flood of messages from his mind. When he regained consciousness, he was falling off the Parthenon alongside familiar faces. Neria! General! Neither of these two answered. They didnt even scream or call for help. Both were paralyzed like the Unitys petrified victims, their expressions frozen into a look of fear and shock. Acting on instinct, Basil dived to catch the two. He noticed Bugsy doing the same with Simeon, while Vasi went after Kalki. Rosemarine shed her nymph guise to assume her true dragon form, her roots catching Steve before the Steamobile and its passengers could crash into Athens below. Basil grabbed Neria and Lenc, jumped around falling rocks, andnded atop what remained of an Athenian house a few hundred meters away from the Parthenon. Bugsy joined him with his own catch as a colossal Neurotower taller than Mount Olympus emerged from under the monument. A throne of steel fit for gods. Kalki and Padma were united atst. They had grownrger than Rosemarine, their flesh, and bones now intermingled steel. The two sides of the coin, man and woman, had be a single entity: a two-faced, four-armed statue of metal sitting in meditation atop the immense Neurotower. Their eyes and mouth were shut, their ears heedless to the suffering of mortals. The entity radiated a golden light marred by foul ck particles, like clear water infected with foul poison. This searing radiance pushed back Vasi when she tried to approach the statue, forcing her back. Basil cursed. Weve been had, Bugsy. He knew Maxwell was a snake, and he still let him bite them. I know, Boss. Bugsy gently dropped Simeon to the ground. The brave Pdin was as still as the others, unable to move an inch. Is this the final Incursion? Basil wasnt so sure. He looked around as Rosemarinended nearby alongside the others, and witnessed colossal Neurotowers rise from the void consuming their world. Though the one on which Kalki and Padma sat was as tall as a mountain, the others reached all the way to the star circuit in the sky. The most worrying part about them was also the most subtle. Namely, Monster Insight triggered.
Dis, System Apocalypse
Level []
Faction:
The Neurotowers The Neurotowers were alive. How unexpected, a familiar voice cut through the noise of quakes and falling rocks. It seems the godly essence protected you, and a foreign power did the same with your girlfriend. The Bohens looked at Kalkis steel throne. Someone emerged from the metal like a pustule growing out of a piece of skin. His feet vertically walked along the Neurotowers surface in grant vition of thews of gravity. Wee to the end of all things, my honored guests. Anton Maxwells smile morphed into rows of metal teeth. Wee to Dis. Chapter 134: Man vs Revelation Chapter 134: Man vs Revtion Maxwell gloated as Dis called the stars down to Earth. Resorting to cheats and hacks, Basil? You should be ashamed of yourself. Dismaker Labs fallen CEO didnt look too bad for someone who had been beheaded only a few days ago. As aw-abiding administrator, I cant let that stand. Basil answered by summoning a fire elemental orb to his hand, but to was quicker to strike. The mighty smilogod leaped off Steves back so fast that he became a shadowy blur. His sword fangs glittered with a sh of steel as they connected with the mans throat. Yet Basil heard Maxwell whisper a word under his breath first. Zero. The des bounced off Maxwells skin the way a stick of wood bounced off an iron shield.
All damage inflicted to the Mammon, System Virus will be set to 0!
to, whose Pawerful Dao Perk allowed him to walk on vertical structures,nded on the Neurotowers metallic surface and immediately renewed his assault. He coated his icy ws with an aura of sharp wind and cold darkness before trying to disembowel Maxwell. He bounced off the amused CEOs impable suit for his trouble. None of the Bohens let that discourage them. Rosemarine began charging her Eden Guns and Steve his Gehenna Cannon, while Vasi prepared a spell. Bugsy! Basil shouted, his searing orb of mes shining brightly within his palm. Apollos Curse! The Apolloworm bathed Maxwell in his radiant light, before swiftly following with a fireball. Take this!
Maxwell failed his Vitality check! He has be vulnerable to [Fire]!
to jumped away back to safety as a deluge of destruction fell upon Maxwell. From a small meteor to beams powerful enough to wipe cities off the map, the Bohens unleashed the most devastating weapons in their arsenal all at once. All of them glided over Maxwell and the Neurotower behind him like water on a submarines metal hide. Projectiles hit as if they lost all inertia and mes released no smoke upon impact.
Supereffective damage! 0 damage!
The Trimurti System still worked well enough to taunt them. Youre wasting your time. Maxwell emerged from the onught unscathed. The best the Bohens achieved was forcing him to wipe the dust off his suit. Dis wont let you damage me. And you call us cheaters! Bugsyined in his fury. I cant break the rules when I write them, can I? Maxwell looked up to the shining sky. The Neurotower kept rising towards the star circuit to reach out into other worlds. Why dont you just chill out and enjoy the show? After everything youve endured so far, you earned yourself a ticket to the final performance. Should I use the god card? Basil thought before realizing he had left it in his Inventory, which he couldnt ess anymore. There has to be something we can do. I can try to stop time, Vasi whispered at his side. If his defense isnt automatic, it might provide an open Are you deaf or stupid? Maxwell shook his head. I will repeat it more slowly this time. Dis will not allow you to harm me. Let the braggart talk, Basil told himself. With luck, hell slip up and reveal his weakness. What is that thing? Basil pointed his halberd at the ever-growing Neurotower. My Monster Insight identifies it as a living creature. Because it is, Maxwell replied with a condescending smile. This beauty is Dis. The alpha and omega of my kind, once destroyed and now reborn stronger than ever. My beginning, your end. The portals Vasi frowned as she examined the star circuit spanning countless worlds. Outremonde was no doubt among them. I thought you couldnt infect mature Systems? I cant, Maxwell admitted with a wide, rueful smirk. To do so, my kind requires more power which Dis provides. It will subvert all Systems currently connected to the Trimurti, then spread the infection further. Neither gods nor mortals will stop its growth. Basil knew enough about IT to identify Dis for what it was. That abomination is a world-sized zombieputer. Like how hackers could turn an unsuspectingputer into a spam mail factory, the Mammon Virus had slowly transformed the Trimurti System into an infection vector. His lifecycle makes sense now. Mammon jumped from world to world while gorging himself on unsuspecting Systems, but when his infection progressed far enough, hepletely subverted the host. With such resources at his disposal, he could infect even mature Systems. By letting Kalki and Padma fuse, the people of Earth had just condemned countless worlds to a ghastly fate. Dont make that face, Basil. Maxwell looked up at Kalki and Padma. In their petrified state, they were blissfully unaware of the chaos they unwittingly helped foster. I had infected these two the moment they fell into my grasp. I could have started this process anytime I wished. I only held it back as long as I did to let Dis grow in strength. Shellgirls eyes sent daggers at the virus. Why did you let us take them then? I had hoped you would tear each other apart over these idols fate, Maxwell replied with a shrug. Imagine my disappointment when you instead decided to act reasonably. You humans are such a bore. Vasis eyes widened as an idea crossed her mind. Basil, use Deaths Banner. Why? her boyfriend asked. Because Bugsys power affected him. Basil wondered what she meant until he noticed grass and roots growing out of the Parthenons debris. Rosemarines God-Field caused vegetation to slowly overwhelm the city, surrounding the Neurotowers steel architecture with beautiful greenery. Monster Insight activated, Basil realized, his heart pounding in his chest. He can alter numeral values and remove System features, but not our Perks! He cant break the Systems rules, only bend them! Since Bugsys power made him vulnerable to fire, then it meant Maxwell was still vulnerable to debuffs. Perhaps even ailments. It doesnt matter, Maxwell gloated, you will all be food in the end. Basil responded by leaping into the air. Deaths Banner II! The power flowed into him and his party.
[Deaths Banner II] activated and spread to your party members! Your attacks gain the [Deadyer] effect (x3 damage against [Undead] types); you gain immunity to the [Terror], [Zombie], and [Insta-Death] ailments; you will not take damage from ailments such as [Poison], though it doesnt cure them of it
These were the key benefits Basils team enjoyed most from the Deaths Banner buff. Those properties had saved their lives from Pluto, Apollyon, Belphegor, and many other foes. However, the buff also included onest key feature.
and critical hits will inflict [Insta-Death] on the victims.
The Bohens never got to make good use of that one, since most high-level enemies were immune to instant death attacks. However, Mammon was built differently than them. He was a level 0 parasite, a creature with no power of his own except for manipting the System. He hadnt shown himself capable of summoning meteors or raining spells upon his enemy. Perhaps hecked his fellow Horsemens resilience too. It was a long shot, and the Bohens werent the kind to give up before overwhelming odds. Stupid Basil! Maxwellughed as Basil double-jumped straight at him. Youll never reach me!
uracy set to 0!
Joyful Spirit! Shellgirl cast, and a newfound power swelled within Basils arm.
Your next hit will always be urate if physically possible, [Charged] (x2 damage) and inflict a Critical Hit!
Though Maxwell hid his eyes behind sunsses, his bodynguage immediately betrayed his surprise and unease. Hastened by his magic, Basil crossed the gulf between them in an instant. His god-powered halberd lunged at the virus head. Then came the moment of truth. If Maxwell confidently took the hit and survived, then nothing could be done to stop him. Basil could at best mercy-kill Kalki and Padma in the hopes they would take down Dis with them to the grave. It would condemn Earth to destruction, but spare the rest of the multiverse. Maxwell dodged. Moving like a repugnant toad sticking to a vertical structure, he hopped to another spot on the Neurotowers surface. The dragonknight exchanged a brief nce with his nemesis as the coward slipped through his grasp. The wariness on his face was palpable. It was possible that this method could y Maxwell for good or it may be that he simply had no idea what would happen, and the coward wouldnt dare take the chance. In any case, it made no difference. It encouraged the Bohens to fight on. Smash him! to shouted. Since most spells and special attacks couldnt crit and thus trigger Death Banners Insta-Death feature, the Bohens engaged Maxwell in closebat. Basil doubled-jumped after him, while to ran across the Neurotowers vertical surface. Bugsy and Vasi took flight, with the former carrying Shellgirl in his pincers, while Rosemarines rootsshed at Maxwell like tentacles. Unable to rely on his cannon, Steve settled on grabbing the nearest boulder it could find to throw. You want to y the hero onest time, Basil? Maxwells body transformed as his human guise stretched. His limbs grew elongated, his sunsses melted into his eye sockets, and his teeth grew into sharp metal fangs. Fine, Ill indulge you!
All damage inflicted by Mammon will be set to !
He swung his right hand at Basil. The arm stretched like a whip surging through the air, and his fingers turned into sharp ws. His movements were clumsy and predictable, perhaps because he had never fought fairly in his life. Basil had no issue dodging. Yet the distance between his flesh and Maxwells ws narrowed on its own.
Mammons uracy was set to 100%!
New Moon mode! Basil shouted. His shield turned ck as night, and his body became as translucent as ectosm. Maxwells twisted ws harmlessly phased through him.
[Intangibility] status! You are immune to [Physical] damage!
Maxwell cursed as to took the opportunity to nk him. The virus jumped out of the Smilogods way, only for Rosemarines roots to lunge at him from all directions. Maxwell abandoned his attempt at a counterattack to desperately hop around them. Youre a level 0 parasite. Having wasted his Joyful Spirit charge on the initial attack, Basil jumped closer to Shellgirl so that she might apply it again. Besides your influence over the Systems rules, you dont possess any special ability of your own. You can alter numeral values, turn a thousand into a zero and make sure two plus two equal five, but you cant negate Perks or buffs! This power is our own! Bugsy boasted as he flew after the retreating Maxwell. You leeches cant take that from us! Power? Maxwellughed. You only have as much power as I let you keep! Then why are you running away? Riding Bugsy like a flying horse, Shellgirl drew a small item from her pocket: a stone arrow that her magical glove swiftly duplicated. The very same weapon which had brought the Horseman of Death low. Methinks youre all bark and no bite! Maxwell responded by trying to behead her with an extended w. Vasi immediately followed by casting an intangibility spell on her friend. Maxwells blow missed, but Shellgirls stone consumable pierced his arm nheless.
Critical sess! Mammon avoided [Petrification]!
As Basil feared, the Mammon Virus control over numeral value meant that anything that could fail would. Only guaranteed results would work with him. With Shellgirl distracting Maxwell, to dashed along the Neurotowers surface and quickly caught up to his prey. Joyful Spirit activated, his sword-fangs tearing out the CEOs throat andnding a fatal blow.
Critical Hit! [Insta-Death]!
Basil swiftly followed by splitting Maxwells skull with his halberd, for safetys sake. The virus shed no blood, not even brain matter. His body could have been made of stic for all that mattered. Basil sensed no spirit nourishing his halberds hunger. Maxwells body copsed into red particles, and then it was gone. Basils blood froze in his veins at the sight; doubly so whenughter echoed all around him. Bravo, bravo, youve actually managed to kill me once! Particles flowed out of the Neurotower and reformed into a perfect copy of Maxwell. I guess I should bring party members too! He snapped his ws and summoned a monster in front of to. The creature resembled a feline the way Maxwell himself represented a parody of a man. The golden furball was norger than a kitten, but with a maw of steel fangs from which a cable tongue sprang from and bloodshot eyes. Its legs stretched like Mammons, and glistening oil dripped from its ws.
Misha, Infected Kitten
Level 0 [Beast]
Faction:
The monstrous cat lunged at to in a blitz of speed, but the smilogod proved faster for a second. Maxwells pet elerated until it caught up to Basils friend, ws shing against ws.
Mammon transferred Mishas Vitality and Intelligence points to her Agility!
Thankfully, it appeared the feline beastcked its creators infinite damage power. Unfortunately, it still proved strong enough to throw to off the Neurotower in a single swipe. Bugsy barely managed to grab him mid-flight at thest second. Gritting his teeth, Basil raised his halberd to strike the monster. His weapon never connected. His eyes noticed a bullet flying at the edge of his vision, which he instinctively dodged. The sender flew straight at him from the ground, a rifle in hand. That humanoid possessed elongated arms much like Maxwell himself, body armor for skin, and metal wings to carry her forth. Her facial features were hideously twisted into a misshapen visage, yet still recognizable. The System message that followed felt like a punch in the gut.
Neria Elissalde, Trojan Shell
Level 0 [Humanoid]
Faction:
Whats wrong, Basil? Maxwells voice came out of Nerias fanged mouth as she pointed her rifle at him. You dont like my new look? Basil saw red.
[Berserk] negated by [Lethal Vigil]!
No words were exchanged. No curses followed the insult. Neria simply opened fire at Basil, and he raised his halberd to defend himself. His soulbound weapon cut through the projectile like butter before continuing its course.
Critical Hit! [Insta-Death]!
The fatal blow should have missed. The Joyful Spirit charge had been spent and Maxwell had the power to change uracy values. Basil should have missed. He acted on instinct and did not think. He did not think. His halberd, carried by his momentum, split Neria at the waist. Both halves of her body flew past Basil and bounced off the Neurotower while a shower of blood phased through his intangible body. Basil watched the corpse fall to the ground with a sickening noise, his mind unable to process the scene properly. Oh my, you monster. Maxwell covered his mouth in mock outrage. Did you just kill your own friend? Basil nced at Nerias blood, which now painted the Neurotowers surface red. His mind came to a screeching halt. He recalled the grim memory of his mothers remains sttered on Steves metal frame in all of its grim glory. Basil! Vasi shouted a warning, her staff summoning meteors at an unseen assant. Dont let him distract you! Her words fell on deaf ears. In his shaken state, Basil could only look around. Bugsy fired fireballs at Maxwells pet cat while carrying Shellgirl in one pincer and to in the other. Rosemarine had turned her back on them all, her Eden Guns firing at monsters on the ground trying to swarm Steve from all sides; all twisted puppets with elongated arms and familiar faces. All the people unlucky enough not to possess either a godly essence or a deitys favor shared the same terrible fate.
Simeon, Twisted Neo-Viral
Level 0 [Humanoid]
Faction:
Lenc, Spyware General
Level 0 [Artificial]
Faction:
Not even a tear? Maxwell slouched on the Neurotower that spawned him, his metal smile so gleefully cruel. Ill have to bring my A-game then. He snapped his ws again and summoned two other horrors. The two grew out of the Neurotower like tumors out of healthy flesh. Their bodies were puffy like those of whales, their limbs twisted and crooked, but their faces unlike every other of Maxwells thralls, these two kept their original visage. It wouldnt have hurt so much otherwise.
Aleksandra Bohen, Dead Bloodstain Mother
Level 0 [Humanoid]
Faction:
Ren, Sad Cancer Patient
Level 0 [Humanoid]
Faction:
Every feature had been recreated in perfect detail. The Old Mans wise, kindly look, his mothers gentle smile, each damn wrinkle. Two perfectly recreated heads perched atop twisted masses of flesh.
[Berserk] negated by [Lethal Vigil]!
Basils hands clenched his halberds shaft so hard that he thought it might break. Ill kill you, Basil thought. Kill you kill you!
[Berserk] negated by [Lethal Vigil]!
His ss own magic tried to clear his mind, but it could hardly keep the clouds of fury at bay for long. Maxwells cacklingughter only made Basils blood boil in his veils.
[Berserk] negated by [Lethal Vigil]!
[Berserk] negated by [Lethal Vigil]!
[BERSERK] NEGATED BY [LETHAL VIGIL]!
Do not waver, Basil. A dreadful shiver ran down Basils spine and snapped him out of his furious trance. Two familiar, intertwined voices echoed within his skull; one as deep as the abyss, the other as soft and sweeter than honey. He had already heard them whisper to him in Romania. I can make Mammon vulnerable for a brief instant, but your window of opportunity will be short. Basil sensed an invisible shadow crawling on his back. You must strike true before he recovers, or else we all lose. Basil gritted his teeth hard enough for them to crack. Why should I trust you? Because you have no choice, the Maleking replied calmly. We will kill each other properly after purging him from Dis. Basil knew he was better off not listening to demons but in this case, he would make an exception. The heavens ruptured over Malta. La Valetta, the inds fortress-city, was a jewel of architecture. Stone ramparts thick enough to stop cannonballs in their tracks surrounded a modern Tower of Babel. This particr Neurotower, this prison for souls, was the first of its kind. Mammon had personally built the device in the depths of his frontpanys headquarters, waiting for it to bloom like a poisonous flower. Its thick cables dug into the earth and connected to other terminals beyond the sea. Together, they formed awork that stretched from one hemisphere to the next. Countless souls flowed through their infrastructure, fueling both the portals and Dis immense processing power. Every single Neurotower worked at full capacity. Their circuits burned through stockpiled energy reserves to brute-force their way into other Systems defenses. yers and Monstersnguished paralyzed at their feet. Their current state was but a dyed execution; once Dis had run out of fuel, their souls too would be devoured.
Energy surge detected.
Sharp ws tore through the fabric of space, and souls slipped through the cracks. The howling spirits of a hundred murdered worlds, the victims of many a demonic campaign, entered Earth by the thousands. Level 1, Level 5, level 10, and 50 in the greatpetition for Overgod, the weak suffered as they must. They were naught but coins for the strong to collect.
Energy reserves at 100% percent.
The time to pay up hade. More souls poured through the cracks; too many for even the great machinery of Dis to manage at once. At first weing the influx of power, its circuits suffered under the stress. Connecting to other Systems and overtaking them was a delicate bncing act. Though Dis infrastructure spanned the globe, it remained limited in its scope. It had to pace itself while consuming souls because of a simple danger known to all engineers. Too much voltage hurt.
Warning: Energy surplus detected.
The first Neurotower glowed like amp as its circuit burst with too much energy. Its metal overheated under the strain, and errors slipped into their cosmic calctions. The start circuit glitched. Some pathways copsed on themselves; others widened too much.
Assessing dysfunctions Pausing secondary operations to maintain power output.
The Level Barrier, this great firewall that had protected the infant Dis from those with the power to destroy it, copsed. The great machine simply could not maintain it and deal with the sudden power surge both at once. More souls poured through the portal above Malta, and the Beast roared in their wake. As thest shred of the Lever Barrier separating Earth from the multiverse crumbled into nothingness, another invader kicked down the door. A swarm of metal drones announced hering with a terrible screech. Her wings of light pped at the speed of a turbocharged jet, and the winds of despair glided over her pristine metal scales. Shended amidst a field of steel towers taller than mountains, each a primitive, subpar desecration of her own perfect Neurotower design. She wept at the sight of crumblingnd and encroaching nothingness. Such was the fate of a world deprived of her guidance. But she didnt weep long. For the wicked quickly folded when the righteous held the mace. The metal dragon flew towards her rightful throne, her swarm buzzing behind her. His adopted father and birth mother lunged at him from two directions. Their speed belied their puffy, corpselike bodies. Yet Basils resolve was like tempered steel hardened by a hundred battles. He double-jumped past these two puppets and aimed straight for Maxwell. Basil, where are you going? His mothers words hit harder than any blow. Are you abandoning me again? It took all of Basils willpower not to respond, but his resolve did not waver. Shellgirl, buff me! he called out to his ally, who was busy bombarding the cat monster with a stream of water. to, with me! His allies didnt ask why. to leaped out of Bugsys pincer, while Shellgirl interrupted her bombardment to bless her Tamer. Joyful Spirit! Her power flowed into Basil, strengthening his arm. So cold and relentless, Maxwell mused. I think thats why Ive hated you since the moment we first met. You just wont break. His cat pet attacked Basil from the side while his two puppetsBasil refused to call these abominations by their real selves namesnked him from behind. Forgive me, Ren. to leaped to his best friends rescue, his eyes grim and sorrowful. Smilodon Blitz! The feline vanished in a blindingly fast blitz of speed. Basil couldnt even follow his movements. Maxwells feline thrall was thrown off the Neurotower and plummeted into the void below, while the other two puppets were sliced to ribbons. Nothing stood between Basil and Maxwell. The virus didnt appear concerned, not by Basil anyway. He gazed into the distance without paying the Dragonknight any mind. Are you trying to force your way in, Your Majesty? he muttered to himself. It wont change a thing. Basil double-jumped in his direction and swiftly crossed the gulf between them in an instant. Im getting tired of toying with you, Basil. Maxwell extended his hand towards the Dragonknight. Please try to scream before I Maxwell froze in ce. His elongated right arm had frozen midway between himself and Basils heart. The mutated CEO shivered and trembled as if suffering from a stroke. I-I-I- Maxwells sentence devolved into stilted, iprehensible words. I-k-k-I- Whats happening? to asked Basil, running vertically along the Neurotower after his best friend. Did you fry his brain? Once a Horseman, forever a Horseman. A darkugh echoed within Basils skull, grim and sinister. I believe humans call it ''using a backdoor.'' Mammons former employer was using his own tactics against him. Quite the irony. It wontst long before Dis regains its footing, the Maleking warned. Kill him now, and we can purge him from the System for good. He didnt need to ask twice. Basil thought of all the people he had watched die since the apocalypse started, from the meanest civilian to the greatest hero. Benjamin, Kuikui, his mother, Orcine, Neria, and the billions who had perished in the Systems wake. Each of them owed their demise to this cruel piece of trash. He hoped they were all watching. Basils halberd split Maxwells skull in half.
Critical hit! [Insta-Death]!
His body, forck of a better word, began to glitch out. His face alternated between two states in quick session: his unharmed, smug human guise; and the shattered skull of his monstrous form. He flickered in and out of sight, his flesh mingling around the halberds de. Even stranger, the Neurotowers circuits heated up in response. A scarlet glow coursed through them alongside crimson sparks. An electricity burst touched both Basil and to, only for Steves power to protect them.
[Lightning] damage negated by [Aegis of Zeus]!
Whats happening? Basil watched on as Maxwells stilted words grew into high-pitched screams of agony. The rate at which he alternated between his two forms elerated. He looked unharmed one second and dying the next. He would have felt pity for anyone else suffering from such torture. Is this a bug of some kind? Is Insta-Death not registering as it should? It is, the Maleking replied. But he relies on Dis to recreate him. With the infrastructure temporarily glitching, he will fade away if he finds no host to jump into. Realizing what the demon lord all but asked, Basil grimly nced at his possessed allies. Rosemarine and Steve had already cut through their numbers, but Simeon chased after Vasi in the sky and Lenc was trying to climb off the Steamobiles back to disable the Gehenna Cannon. Must we truly kill them? Basil whispered. No need to sully your hands. The Maleking chuckled darkly. I will spare you the trouble. Basil froze in ce, as did his allies. All of them sensed a terrible power spreading through the air. The nts summoned by Rosemarines field began to catch fire. Grass became a fertile kindle for a ze spreading through Athens ruins, while trees turned into candles. Crimson clouds carrying the smell of fresh blood obscured the star circuit shining in the sky. The Aegean Sea began to boil, with bubbles and steam rising to its surface. Death announced its arrival with the thundering song of seven trumpets.
Rosemarine [God-Field] has been overwritten by Maleking Mcodas [Eschaton]! The worldwide field changed to [Armageddon]!
  • [Apocalypse Force]: Negates any form of HP or SP recovery for creatures with levels inferior to the Malekings.
  • [Lake of Fire]: Everyone within the field will suffer from constant, passive [Fire] damage.
  • [Seven Seals]: Everyone ten levels below the Maleking will suffer from an [Insta-Death] effect each minute.
All of Athens infected yers perished in an instant. From Simeon to Lenc, from the lowest soldier to Maxwells cat monster, none escaped the reapers toil. Their bodies turned to salt in an instant. Their flesh crumbled swiftly, and the wind carried them away. Basil saw it all, but the disaster stuck so swiftly that his mind struggled to register what had just happened. Ah Bugsy choked in surprise and horror, his words echoing Basils own muddled thoughts. The rest of the team was either left speechless or unable to process the disasters scale. They theyre gone Only Steve, a machine, kept his wits. The Steamobile pointed its cannon at the sea and aimed. The Maleking arose from the sea soon after. Apollyon remained the tallest monster Basil had ever faced, but this creature was a close second. The monster was over twenty meters tall, a twisted centaur straight out of a priests nightmare. The lower half of his body resembled a mismatched chimera with leopard legs, bloodstained fur, a snakes tail, and six snarling lion heads. Each bore an ivory horn atop their dozens of eyes and far too many teeth. A swords handle stuck out of thergest heads, with the de buried in its skull. The upper part of the monster dwarfed the lower one in dread and hideousness. A bloodstained armor of crimson scales covered the torso, while two slitted eyes the size of houses adorned his shoulders. A pair of great angelic wings sprawled out of the back, each strong enough to whip up a hurricane. The wed hands were each strong enough to crush a man like a bug. As for the head four burning eyes gazed back at Basil atop two sets of reptilian maws, each topping the other. Ten horns sat atop the head, each decorated with a tiny golden crown. An ursed me burned bright in their midst, the visages of a hundred sinners souls flickering within it. Good work, mighty warriors. The Lord of the Apocalypse Force smiled at the Bohens with his many mouths, as his mighty legs dragged him onto thend. Now, the power of Dis will be mine alone. As Basils eyes identified the creature, a small bit of scripture came to mind.
Maleking Mcoda, Beast of Revtion
Elite Level 96 [Demon/Beast]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
Who is like unto the beast? Basil thought as he and his team mustered their courage for their final sh. Who is able to make war with him? Apocalypse Tamer Vol III is out! Apocalypse Tamer Vol III is out! Hi guys, It''s been a long timeing, but the third book of Apocalypse Tamer, covering the Bulgaria/Eastern European arc all the way to the final battle with ckcinders, is now avable on Kindle Unlimited! Kindle Link: /amazon/B0BVNSJQ1Y As always, I would appreciate any review, shout-out or just sharing word of the new entry around; the audible version won''t be avable for some time due to Audible issues, but it should be out in the following days/weeks :) thanks again for supporting the series, it wouldn''t have been writing without you all! Best regards, Voidy. Chapter 135: Man vs Duality Chapter 135: Man vs Duality Basil should have guessed the Malekings identity long ago. For who was the fifth horseman but Hell itself, the great Beast of the Apocalypse? Deceiver and destroyer? Each of his steps crushed a house underfoot and a sea of mes spread in his wake. Only a barrennd of dust and ash remained of glorious Athens, an inferno burning in the shadow of the great Neurotower.
[Fire] damage negated by Bugsys [Alexicacus]! [Terrorking] negated by [Deaths Banner]!
Thats, ugh The Malekings sheer size and aura of power unsettled Shellgirl. Thats a big one. Weve fought bigger foes before, Bugsy replied. Though he couldnt hide the worry in his voice, he remained resolute even in the face of death. So many lion heads to puffed up his chest in an attempt to look brave. But we can take them! They dont have sabertooth fangs! Behind me, everyone. Rosemarine bravely moved in front of the group as if she intended to shield them with her body. Steve let out a cloud of steam on the ground below, ready to do the same. I will protect you. Vasi alone said no word. Instead she nervously chewed her lip and clutched her staff. The creature before them put her own mighty father to shame. The Maleking was no arrogant demon lord eager to please, but a force of torment and destruction. His was the true face of Hell. But for all of the Malekings terrible power, it was Maxwell who bothered Basil the most. His screams of agony grew higher pitched as his glitching cycle hastened. He kept alternating between a healthy and dead state; much like Schrdingers Cat, he was both at once, unable to settle on one option or the other. Does that make him the false prophet? Basil wondered as he observed the dying Maxwell. He remembered that the Book of Revtion announced theing of three disasters. Only a great red dragon was missing for the trio of evil to beplete. A pitiful creature, is he not? By now, the Maleking hade close enough to address the Bohens with his twin voices rather than his mind. The very earth shook with each sinful word carried by the wind. A hollow thing so devoid of hope and ambition, that he could only find pleasure in denying the happiness of others. He has no strength of his own, so he steals and deceives. Yet for all of his bluster, he is no more than a ve to this machine that birthed him. A thrall to his instincts. To Basils disgust, Maxwell managed to raise a hand at him even in his terrible state. Dont please Basil could detect none of Maxwells smugness and cruelty in his voice, only panic. The look of utter terrorthat of an immortal creature faced with his own approaching deathcouldnt be faked. Dont let him kill me please Basil red at this creature with such disgust, he thought his eyes might boil in his orbits. After all youve done, to us, to the world, you dare beg for our mercy? You see his true self, Basil. to sneered at Maxwell. More tick than man. I can bring them back Each word sounded like agony to Maxwell, his fidgeting fingers desperately trying to grab someone, anyone foolish enough to help him. I older than time knowledge power I can give Pain. Basil coldly watched the abomination degrade further. Nothing but pain. Mistaking me for a mindless brute was the mistake of your life, Mammon. The Malekings four eyes glowed with hellfire. It is finished. The circuits of Dis Neurotower red up with a terrible red glow, blinding the Bohens and bathing all of Athens in its eldritch light. Basil sensed a dark, ancient power traveling through his flesh and bones; a pulse of magic and lightning called from the darkest depths of the universe. It inflicted no harm upon him or his team. Maxwell wasnt so lucky. His screams increased as his flesh fell apart, revealing bones of steel and cable veins. ck oil dripped from his fanged mouth. He looked so small and misshapen without his human guise; a mangled chimera hiding its frailty under a veneer of life, a broken doll held together by aluminum strings. The brighter the light glowed, the more Maxwells body twisted and shrank. He started taller than Basil and ended up smaller than an egg. The red pulse peeled away his bodyyer byyer like an onion until it reached the core: a tentacled steel bug no bigger than a thumb. A tiny, powerless parasite exposed for any foot to trample. Maxwells shriek echoed into the infinity, and then he was gone. He did not degrade into particles like a broken dungeon, nor did he leave loot like amon monster. He simply disappeared as if he had never existed. When the light at longst died out, nothing remained of Dismaker Labs fallen CEO. A blue screen appeared before Basils eyes as his eyes adapted to the sudden change in luminosity.
System rebootpleted. Anomalies detected and purged.
Inventory and menu features have been re-established.
Is he gone? Vasi flew near the spot where Maxwell used to stand, and found nothing. For good? Yes, two voices answered at once. Basil nced at the ruins of Athens, his halberd raised for the kill. Out of the frying pan, and now into the fire. The Maleking was now only a hundred meters away from the Neurotower, though he did not advance further. Rosemarine pointed her Eden Guns at him, and Steve did the same with the Gehenna Cannon. Dis rebooted to deal with the glitches, and no host remained to house his programming. Much to Basils surprise, the Maleking did not initiate battle immediately. My mes and the grasping void have seen to it. Shellgirls eyes widened in horror. If there are no more hosts left The world is just us and here, now. The Maleking waved a hand at the devastation around them. The boiling Aegean Sea was quickly evaporating, with the withered shores crumbling as thend copsed under its own weight. A terrible wind carried storms of ashes over burning trees and dusty ruins. In this barrennd there are no other survivors. After Shumen, Basil had seen enough horrors for a lifetime. Perhaps it was why his mind remained resolute. After watching Neria, Lenc, and so many people perish, his heart had finally grown numb to death and destruction. But the Maleking was lying. There were other survivors: great towers of steel continued to rise across the horizon, piercing through the void and reaching out to distant worlds. Boss, the process isnt stopping. Bugsy fidgeted around in panic. I feel cables growing beneath the earth! The Mammon Virus had been purged from the Trimurti System, but Dis continued to encroach into the Multiverse. Its expansion was well underway. Kalki and Padma remained petrified, silent gods sitting atop a throne of steel. Why? Basil wondered. Why is Dis still active? Dont you see? The Maleking pointed at the paralyzed avatars. Only these two are necessary for the Trimurti System to function. Dis and its Neurotowers simply subvert it. The dungeons, monsters, all the destruction that you have witnessed None of this was intended by the Trimurti. Vasi tightened her grip on her staff, ready to fire a spell at the first sign of hostility. The System was never meant to reward only the strong. Had the Trimurti been summoned correctly, the System would have been simr to Outremonde. Its why Shiva destroys the world when the Avatars are in, Basil whispered as all pieces of the puzzle finally fell into ce. He wrestles back control and tries to eliminate Dis. To put an end to this cycle of despair. And end it shall, the Maleking confirmed. Without Mammon to interfere, Dis is no more than a mindless animal. A machine that will follow its directives. Its power requires a steady hand to guide it. This throne of steel sits empty, waiting for a king. The war continued. Once one of us reaches level 100, Dis shall crown them as Overgod. The Malekings left hand moved to grab the sword embedded in one of his bestial lower heads. Master of the great machine, whose roots stretch into the infinity. The Cosmocrator whose grasp shall expand to countless worlds. That was the Malekings n. To be Overgod and use Dis to rampage across the multiverse, staining the stars red with blood. Earth would be destroyed for good, the souls of the dead sacrificed on Hells altar, and so many more would follow. But there was another path. Basil remembered Benjamins promise. Whoever won the tournament would meet with the Trimurti and recreate the world. Basil exchanged a nce with his team. All of them returned it with a look of resolve. There was no need for words or speech. They all knew the final battle was upon them.
Final Quest: The End of All Things.
Rmended Level: 99.
The final battle is upon you. Your hope awaits beyond order and chaos. y your two rivals for the throne of Overgod and seize the dawn.
Reward: 220,000,000 EXP.
Basils resolve turned to doubt as he read. Two rivals? Mister! Rosemarine shouted a warning, her guns turning away from the Maleking and toward the horizon. Over there! As his gaze followed Rosemarines line of fire, Basil suddenly realized why the Maleking had dyed his attack. Finally. The great demon king chuckled with two voices full of glee. My distinguishedpetition has arrived. Another challenger had entered the ring, and he did not wish to leave an opening. The creature could have been mistaken for a dragon from afar, the same way one could mistake a sinister moth for a gentle butterfly in the dark. The beast had aplexyer of silver and porcin tes for scales. Wings of interwoven luminous fibers carried it across the sky, both pping faster than a hummingbirds. Her ws were steel razors and her eyes were made of ss. Her telescopic tail ended with a stinger. Spikes running along her spine buzzed with rainbow-colored lightning. Were it not for its organic fangs and the red tongue slithering in between them, Basil would have thought the Unity had unleashed a new kind of machine upon Earth. Monster Insight swiftly confirmed the creatures identity.
Grandmaster Wyrde, Machine Empress
Elite Level 92 [Dragon/Artificial]
Faction: Unity (High Command)
HP: 38100/38100.
Immune: All Ailments, Insta-Death, Critical Hits, Mind, Light, Time Effects.
Resist: Physical, Metal, Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Frost, Lightning, Mythic.
Weak: Dragonyer, Artiyer, Corrosion, Wood, Darkness.
The Unitys Grandmaster, who has undergone extensive surgery to be the ultimate dragon war machine. She packs up a deadlybination of Tier X support spells with an armored dragons biology, and deadly drones capable of covering elemental weaknesses. She will stop at nothing to dominate all reality.
The Unitys Grandmaster did note alone. A dense swarm of Unity drones orbited around her like satellites around a, each of them a disc-shaped machine topped with a central ss eye. Eight of her drones formed a red forcefield shielding their master from the Malekings hellfire field. The rest flew in a wing formation. Wyrde surveyed the battlefield from afar, her cold ss eyes briefly meeting Basils. The dragons tongue flickered when she noticed Rosemarine, but it was the Maleking she focused on the longest. Whereas the demon lord brimmed with bloodlust, Wyrde looked back at him with cold hatred and disdain. All of her enemies were gathered in one ce. Wyrde spoke a word Basil couldnt catch, and her drones swiftly aimed at both the Bohens and Maleking. Vasi, open a portal! Basil said, immediately borating a backup n. Ill take Wyrde from behind. No, I have a better idea! Vasi gathered power in her staff. Give me the card, Basil! Basils eyes widened as his hand scrambled to open his newly working inventory feature. He immediately grabbed the fabled God Card. But both their foes were quicker to the draw. The Maleking unsheathed his sword, whose bloodied de was long enough to behead a whale in a single blow. He executed a swing whose blinding speed would put a samurai to shame. Space itself rippled along his swords edge before unleashing a crescent wave of dark energy destroying all in its path. Wyrdes countless drones opened fire at the same time, aiming at everyone but their mistress. A hundred beams of colored light flew across the devastatedndscape in a rain of destruction. Picky Spell! Vasi shouted, activating the power of her staff. Za Warudo! The flow of time halted abruptly for all but the Bohens. The mes consuming the world turned gray, and both the Malekings reality-bending swing and the drones energy barrage stopped dead in their tracks. Basils allies exploited the opening to fire back at their foes, while he slipped the God Card to Vasi. But unlike the Maleking, Wyrdes flight continued unimpeded in the frozen time. elerated Timebreaker. The Grandmasters voice was as soft as silk, yet her words cut sharper than any de. Perfect Petrify.
Grandmaster Wyrde [hastened] all her allies!
[Perfect Petrify] bypassed items [Petrification] immunity!
Time abruptly resumed, and the God Card turned to stone. Basil could only blink in shock as countless attacks collided. Steves Gehenna Cannon fired a beam of thundering lightning at the Malekings wave of darkness. Rosemarines Eden Guns and Bugsys sma breath connected with a hundred destructive rays. All sounds were swallowed by encroaching silence. And then there was light. The shockwave propelled her across the sky. Vasi was within reach of Basil one second and thrown back a hundred meters the next; she barely managed to hang onto the stone card in her hand while she watched Basil and to be flung against the Neurotower. An ashen firestorm swallowed Rosemarine and Steve, threw Shellgirl off Bugsys back, and drowned the world in a thick cloud of dust. Vasis skin ruptured in half a dozen ces and shed golden blood.
[Fire] and [Light] damage negated by Bugsys [Alexicacus]! [Lightning] damage negated by [Aegis of Zeus]! 50 [Frost] damage! 50 [Earth] damage! 50 [Wind] damage! 50 [Water] damage! Damaged halved by [Fomor Lifeforce]!
Holding on to her staff with one hand and to the card with the other, Vasi attempted to adjust her trajectory. She pped her wings as fast as she could and moved up, up, up. She emerged from the dust storm, which now obscured Athens all the way to the Neurotowers tip. The petrified Avatars peacefully oversaw the devastation from their perch, unperturbed. A great dragon and her metal flock fell upon Vasi the moment she emerged. I know your n, fairy lord. I wont let you summon reinforcements. Grandmaster Wyrde pointed a w at Vasi. elerated Elemental Rainbow, el Prismatic Orb.
Grandmaster Wyrde greatly enhanced the power of [Fire], [Water], [Wind], [Earth], [Frost], [Lightning], and [Light] elemental attacks for her allies! The same elements will inflict 50% less damage against Grandmaster Wyrde and her allies!
An elephant-sized orb of rainbow-colored light surged from the dragons w at supersonic speed. Reacting quickly, Vasi activated her staffs doublecast feature. Grimalkin Gate, el ck Rainbow! A rift in the fabric of space intercepted Wyrdes projectile before swiftly redirecting it at the dragon. A beam of eldritch ck shadows surged from Vasis staff at the same time and aimed in the same direction. Half of the Grandmasters drones immediately formed rings around her. They linked up together like a and projected variousyers of forcefield whose colors ran from ck to yellow. Both Wyrdes own redirected projectile and Vasis darkness spell impacted on them without inflicting damage.
Grandmaster Wyrdes [Magik Barrier] shifted her elemental immunities!
The other half of the swarm bombarded Vasi from all sides with beams of light. Icy blue, fiery red, windy green, luminous yellow, all the rainbows colors were represented in this rain of death. Each carried a different elements power. Vasi was lightning fast when hastened, but so were the drones. She zigzagged across the sky the best she could, dodging a dozen beams and getting hit by half as many. One ray left bloody frostbites and another turned her flesh to stone. Thesers that cut her flesh open along the waist deep enough to expose the bone
200 [Frost] damage! 200 [Earth] damage! 200 [Wind] damage! 200 [Water] damage! Damaged halved by [Fomor Lifeforce]!
Warning: You have lost a third of your HP!
I cant hold her back for long, Vasi thought grimly, her mind quickly trying to figure out a solution. Ive got to escape her and regroup! elerated Ancient Meteor, Wyrde spellcast as she chased Vasi relentlessly. el Ancient Meteor. Space ripened above Vasi. Two fiery, elephant-sized bullets of stone emerged from the breach, each moving so fast that a booming sonic boom followed in their wake. Grimalkin Vasis eyes widened in terror as the two asteroids closed the distance between her and them in seconds. She had no time to think of a teleportation destination, and instinct took over. Ancient Meteor! Her staffs Doublecast feature miraculously activated just in time. Two meteors half-materialized between Vasi and Wyrdes projectiles; though they failed to fully manifest, they appeared just in time to intercept the attack. The asteroids collided together in a disastrous st that sent stones flying in all directions. Vasi took a fist sized rock to the chest and heard one of her ribs crack under the pressure.
234 [Earth] damage!
The drones were at her throat before the meteors remains even hit the ground. Vasi barely had time to dive down to dodge a new volley. As a child, Vasi had dreamed of engaging a talented archmage in a spellcasting battle. She now rued her wish with every fiber of her being. She had hoped the God Card would prove an ace in the hole, but Wyrde wouldnt give her the time to unpetrify it. Without reinforcements, Vasi would perish within minutes. Thankfully, no member of her party was ever truly alone. A mighty ray of lightning surged from the raging dust storm and aimed straight for Wyrde. The dragon swiftly altered her forcefield to protect herself, but the st annihted half a dozen drones attacking Vasi. A mighty, winged dragon with scales of leaves emerged from the chaos. I weep for you, my child, Wyrde told the neer, though there was no sorrow in her voice. To see a noble dragon led astray by fairykind is truly shameful. I am Misters housent first. Rosemarine pointed her firearms at Wyrde, while her roots carried Steve into the air. And a dragon second! Once upon a time in Outremonde, dragons and fairy lords had waged a terrible war against each other. Perhaps it was karma that they would stand together on this day. Chapter 136: Man vs Tribulation Chapter 136: Man vs Tribtion Ash and dust covered the world. Basil could hardly see anything in this storm. Embers slipped into his armors chinks, heating up the steel tes. Without Bugsys protective magic, he would have boiled inside his own equipment. The Neurotowers shadow loomed over him like Mount Megiddos, great and terrible, while the earth shook beneath his feet. Basil! He heard to calling out to him from somewhere in the dust storm, his best friends voice carried by the wind. Basil, where are you?! Here! Basil shouted back, using his Moon Shield to protect himself from the ashen storm. His first instinct was to summon his allies to his side, but gathering them in one ce with little to no visibility might leave them exposed. He was better off healing their wounds from a distance. Monster Cure.
[Monster Cure] negated by [Apocalypse Force].
His failure was answered with a challenge. Mighty tremors shook the ground beneath Basils feet. The dragonknight readied his weapon as a colossal shadow lumbered into view, the dust swirling around its wings and mighty sword. The enemy towered over Basil like a castle on legs, his two voices a howl carried by the wind. I asked you a question once, to which I will now have an answer. The Maleking raised his titanic sword to the booming tune of seven trumpets. His de cut through the storm itself, its steel shrieking with the screams of damned souls. Will you be nothing again, Basil?
[Apocalypse Trumpets] buffed all of the Malekings stats, [hastened] him, and will negate enfeebling effects for seven minutes!
Basil answered with a roar. elerated sh of Prescience, Bless Weapon!
[sh of Prescience] increased your uracy and evasion for five minutes! This stacks with your [Mirage] status! [Bless Weapon] increased your halberds stat bonus by 12!
The Maleking brought down his titanic sword in a thundering blow, but Basil moved like true lightning. The apocalyptic de smote the ground with such force that even the Neurotower nearby appeared to waver for a second. Its bridge-long edge carved a canyon into the earth, from which mes and darkness erupted. Though Basil managed to dodge by crossing half a hundred meters in a single leap, the shockwave blew a mighty gust of wind into his face. He attempted to close in on the Maleking to retaliate, only for the demon lord to swing his sword horizontally. The de surged through the air like a tidal wave of steel and forced Basil to fly up so as not to be carried away by it. Its like Im dueling Mount Everest! Basil cursed in his heart. Unable to close in to the Maleking due to the colossus immense range, he settled on instead throwing his halberd. At least hes a big target! His soulbound weapon nailed one of the demons wings. The divine halberd looked as small as a needle inparison, but it left a wound nheless. Drops of thick ck blood stained the earth below. The halberds power activated, allowing Basils Perks to affect the Maleking as if he were a dragon.
Supereffective hit! 4244 [Physical] damage! Additional [Soul] and [Earth] damage negated by the Malekings immunities!
Your supereffective hit triggered the Malekings [Mark of Cain]! His counterattack will hit you for sevenfold damage with perfect uracy!
Basils eyes widened in shock. Wh A metallic tsunami carried him away. The Malekings de surged at Basil in the blink of an eye, too fast even for his hastened senses to register. The edge alone wasrger than him. His feeble shield, raised in an instinctive attempt to cover his face, folded like paper. Such was the blows power that the resulting shockwave silenced the entire world. The dark power surrounding the sword swallowed Basil whole, drowning him utterly. He felt a bitter cold needle at his intangible flesh and soul alike.
[Physical] damage negated by [Intangibility]! 4924 [Soul] damage!
Had Basil kept his Soul weakness, that blow would have inflicted nearly five-digit damage. Even weakened, it was still more than all his HPbined. The blow shattered Basils shield, rent his armor open in half a dozen ces, and turned his vision white. There was no paina squashed bug usually died instantly when crushed by a knife ten times bigger than themnor suffering. Only the cold kiss of death. Yet Basil did not die. He felt a holy warmth surge from within his heart and return his flesh to life. A golden light swallowed his vision and imbued him with newfound strength.
The [Holy Grail]s effect resolved before [Duty Beyond Death] could activate! The [Holy Grail] revived you at full HP and SP before vanishing from your inventory! Your stats have been greatly buffed for three minutes! [Permanent Buff] renewed your buffs!
Warning: Your Moon Shield is [broken]! Youll gain no benefit from it until it is repaired! Your armor is heavily damaged! Another blow will break it!
When Basil regained consciousness, he found himself flung him across thend. The Neurotower was shrinking from his sight, while a winged mountain charged after him. Interesting strategy. The Malekings four legs carried him forward faster than the wind. Each of his steps left a crater in its wake. My field prevents healing of any sort, but I suppose reviving oneself does not count. How unfortunate Belphegor is not here to see it. Basil adjusted his flight with double-jump and activated Monster Insight, trying to glean anything he could from the Malekings ability.
Maleking Mcoda, Beast of Revtion
Elite Level 96 [Demon/Beast]
Faction: Apocalypse Force
HP: 62356/66600.
Immune: All Ailments, Insta-Death, Fire, Earth, Soul, Darkness.
Resist: Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Water, Wind, Lightning.
Weak: Demonyer, Beastyer, Wood, Frost, Light.
The Apocalypse Forces demonic overlord, whose immense power and limitless ambition had earned him the title of Beast of the Apocalypse. His Mark of Cain will punish supereffective hits, his field will weaken you over time, his Fruit of Knowledge lets him see your stats to strategize around, his Doomsday will kill you swiftly, and his other attacks are each worse than thest. Give your all or be pounded into the dust.
Basils surprise was only matched by his dread. The Maleking had in him in a single blow. Any mistake meant death. Basil cursed under his breath. His entire build revolved around targeting a foes weaknesses for massive damage. Here he faced an enemy who punished that strategy with lethal force. Even the Malekings strange vulnerability to critical hitsperhaps a necessary drawback of his other abilitiescould hardly be exploited safely. Basil recalled his halberd to his hand but kept his distance from the Maleking. No longer intangible, and with no way of protecting himself with it either, he tossed his broken shield onto the earth. His speed would be his only defense. It didnt prevent the Maleking from catching up to him. A castle-sized monster had no right being so damn quick. His swords immense range only made it worse. Basils sh of Prescience foresaw the Malekings next attack, showing him a titanic sword falling upon his head like a copsing tower. The dragonknight soared across the air and watched the executioners axe miss him by a few meters. The Maleking rent the ground of Athens and bestowed a scar upon the earth. Two tides of stone and dust rose on both sides of the de, swallowing burning trees and destroyed houses. At this point, Basil discerned lights above his head shing through the dust storm. Some of his teammates must have engaged Wyrde in battle. He would have dly moved to help them, but the Maleking quickly recovered from hisst blow and pursued him relentlessly. There is no escape. The Maleking sneered at Basils attempts to evade him. Stand up and fight. A mighty gust of wind came with his challenge. The dust storm and its ashes were wiped away, unveiling a devastated battlefield under a clear bloody sky. No more embers slithered into Basils armor. Instead sharp des of wind left small gashes in his flesh.
The Malekings [Elemental Hell] changed his fields passive damage to [Wind]! 180 [Wind] supereffective damage! [Wyrm Spirit] activated!
No escape indeed, Basil thought grimly. The Malekings field covered the entire world, its deadly power cursing the sky and earth alike. If he cant kill me quickly, hell do it slowly. The Malekings change in the field let Basil see the rest of the battlefield. Wyrde was fighting a high-pitched duel ofsers and spells with Vasi and Rosemarine. Thetter carried Steve among her roots, with the robot sting away at the Grandmasters drones with its Gehenna Cannon. The rest of the team announced their presence with a bang. The ground ruptured beneath the Malekings feet, raising sharp spikes of earth from below him. Each rose like waves of stone crashing upon a shore of flesh, only to shatter upon the giants skin. The Maleking briefly paused to look at the source of the attack. Boss! Bugsy soared across thendscape, his wings leaving a trail of fire behind him. Shellgirl and to ran below him on foot. Were here! Lapponian Winter! Shellgirl pped her hands and altered the weather. A chilling cold followed the Malekings wind, hastening the mimic until she became quicker than lightning.
Shellgirl changed the weather to [Lapponian Winter] for eight minutes! [Frost] and [Water] are empowered, [Fire] is weakened, and individuals with a strong [Frost] affinity will have their evasion increased!
Shellgirl, to, Vasi, and Grandmaster Wyrde gained increased evasion! Shellgirl activated [Ice Spinner]!
You took 180 [Wind] supereffective damage from the wind!
Bugsy looked like a normal centipedepared to the Malekings overwhelming size, and to seemed norger than a kitten. From an outsiders perspective, the prospect of the Bohens defeating such a terrible titan would beughable. They stood their ground anyway. No doubt your journey was a trying one, mighty warriors. The Maleking raised his sword at the new challengers, his four knees bending like those of a tiger ready to pounce. But what lies at the end of your path? What lies at the end of yours?! Basil shouted back as he formed an elemental orb of water. Since the Maleking resisted it, it shouldnt trigger the Mark of Cain. What do you hope to find atop a mountain of corpses?! Strengths crown and mights throne. The Maleking brought down his sword upon Basils allies, his cursed de a roaringndslide. To challenge myself, to devour the gods, to conquer all that there is. Such is my purpose. And then what? to shouted back as he and the others spread in all directions. What will happen once youre killed everyone who could possibly challenge you? What next? Their swift speed and coordination saved their lives. The Malekings de rent the earth asunder, but smote only barren earth. His blow unleashed a hurricane in its wake that scattered the Bohens to the four winds. The pulsating cables of Dis buried beneath Athens crusty exposed for all to see. Bugsy steadied his flights course. His eyes burned with the fires of his determination. Apollos curse!
[Apocalypse Trumpets] negated tos [Catnapping] and Bugsys [Apollos Curse]! You cannot weaken the Maleking before the time limits end!
Dont target his weaknesses! Basil shouted a warning to his allies. Shellgirl and tonded on their feet and moved to nk the Maleking from two different sides. His counterattacks will y you! No Frost, no Light, no Wood! What? Bugsy cursed as he flew out of the Malekings range the best he could. Thats cheating! I dont have anything else, Boss! I do! Shellgirl opened her bag and sprayed the Maleking with a stream of pressurized water. Basil assisted her with his elemental orb, the two attacks sshing the demon lords fur at the same time. They might as well have been droplets thrown at a hill. The liquid projectiles glided over the Malekings titanic body without inflicting any noticeable damage. Should mortals stop dreaming for fear of what will happen once they fulfill their ambitions? What kind of half-life is that? The Maleking removed his sword from the ground and turned his baleful gaze upon to. A dreamless existence is no more than living death! Instead of dodging as he did before, to froze in ce and adjusted his stance. The Malekings de fell upon him with the strength and speed of a lightning bolt. The size difference meant the feline would be squashed into a bloody smear. Basils eyes caught to vanish out of sight a few seconds before the tide of steel could crush him. The Malekings de hit the ground, its edge wreathed in screaming souls. Instead of tearing the ground asunder as they did earlier, this shroud of death exploded back into the Malekings surprised face.
tos [Counterstance] let him dodge the [Physical] assault and counterattack! [Shieldtail] reflected the Malekings [Soul] power back at him!
The Malekings immunity to his own element let him shrug off his own deflected attack. However, he couldnt say the same for tos counterattack. The feline reappeared a few meters behind the titanic demon lord, whose two left heels had both ruptured open. The gashes were small, nearly imperceptible, but they were wounds nheless. The Malekings blood turned to ice long before it even hit the ground.
2805 [Physical] damage! 841 [Frost] damage!
The Maleking grunted in surprise, but no lightning-quick de strike smote to in retaliation.
You took 108 [Wind] supereffective damage from the wind!
Counterattacks dont trigger the Mark of Cain. Basil wondered if indirect damage would also function as a loophole. Bugsy, use your Star Bomb! Bugsy looked at him in confusion. But you said no Light damage, Boss! Dont target him directly! Basil exined. Aim for the ground beneath his feet! Turn it into a Star-Scorched Field! Bugsy followed the order to the letter and breathed light upon the deste ground. The Apolloworm flew over Athens and bombarded it utterly. Each sma bomb that he dropped upon it exploded into a scorching pit of bright light. Though each was barelyrger than a puddle whenpared to the Maleking, they soon formed a burning road carving across thend. A true sea ofndbound stars. Shellgirl and to alike danced around these dangerous patches, while the Malekings size forced him to step on them. His feet burned at the smas contact, much to his annoyance. Even should I fulfill my desire, I will find another. There are always greater heights to aspire to. The Malekings four eyes shone with a baleful ck light. Doomsday. Basil felt a sinister presence wash over him and his team alike. An invisible force tried to sink its fangs into his soul, but failed.
Charisma check sessful!
Basils reliefsted until he noticed a fiery sign appearing over Shellgirls head. ck mes gathered in the shape of the number sixty-six.
The Malekings [Doomsday] cursed Shellgirl with the [Mark of the Beast]! Cmity will strike her at the countdowns end!
You took 108 [Wind] supereffective damage from the wind!
Shellgirl grabbed an X-Dispel item from her bag and applied it to herself. To Basils horror, the number did not fade away. It fell to sixty-five, sixty-four, sixty-three!
[Mark of the Beast] cannot be removed so long as the Maleking lives!
With no other choice, Basil dived after Shellgirl. He had seen too many friends die already, and he would wager everything to save another. Shellgirl, invest in me! he shouted before activating his trump card. Time eleration! The very fabric of reality broke and bent to his will.
Your Agility stat will slowly increase until it doubles!
Basil already perceived the world as it slowed down thanks to hasten, but it now all but stopped to a crawl. The dust and earth carried by the wind appeared frozen in ce. When he had been frighteningly quick before, the Maleking now appeared heavy and clumsy. A pity his All For One Perk only affected buffs and status effects simr to Deaths Banner. Much like Lethal Vigil, Time eleration only affected Basil. It would have to be enough.
[Permanent Buff] renewed your buffs and status effects!
You took 180 [Wind] supereffective damage from the wind! You have lost a third of your HP!
to was forced to rely on Counterstance to inflict damage, since his Frost-empowered ws and fangs would immediately trigger the Mark of Cain otherwise. The Maleking appeared to figure out his fighting style, for he turned his attention to Basil next. I care not what I find at the mountains top, or if there is even a summit to reach. The Malekings slowed words sounded stretched to Basils ears. The climb alone is reason enough to live! The Maleking swung his sword, but the relentless tsunami of steel now became easily avoidable. Basil easily dove below the giant sword, but did not retaliate immediately. He instead flew closer to the ground, near Shellgirl. Her enhanced speed in the weather let her move nearly as fast as he did. Here I go! Shellgirl, whose number had fallen below thirty seconds, blessed her Tamer. Joyful Spirit!
Your next hit will always be urate if physically possible, [Charged] (x2 damage), and inflict a Critical Hit!
I can predict him, Basil thought as he ran around the Maleking. If Im quick enough, I can avoid the fatal blow with Time Leap. The Malekings swing and momentum had briefly left him open. Mustering all his courage, Basil closed the gap between the two of them with a roar. His halberd burst with divine power, its de shrieking as it cut through the air. The six lion heads covering the Malekings lower half gnarled and snarled in his direction. Their jaws opened to reveal gullets drowning in fire, each of themrge enough to swallow him whole. Basil struck them all in a single blow. His hands carried not only his strength, but that of all the allies who had put their hopes in him, of the friends who had given their lives for him to reach this point. He put all his might, all of his grit, and all his resolve into this strike. Basil became a flying knife tearing through all that dared stand in his path. His divine halberd sliced one head, then the other, and another. It sliced through skin and flesh and bone at the speed of time itself, never slowing down.
Critical hit! Supereffective hit! You inflicted 33103 [Physical] damage!
But eventually, it stopped. Six colossal heads fell to the ground and a sea of ck blood showered Basil from head to toe. However, his halberd remained embedded halfway into the Malekings gargantuan waist. He had hoped to slice the monster in half, to y him in a single blow against all odds. He had failed.
You have brought the Maleking below half-health! Your supereffective hit activated the [Mark of Cain]!
The Maleking still lived, and his sword of retribution fell upon Basil. An advancing great wall of steel appeared to his right, its mere momentum wiping a hurricane in its wake. sh of Prescience showed Basil a vision of his body sttered against this tsunami of metal. That was enough for him to activate Time Leap. To his eyes, the world skipped an instant forward. The Malekings colossal sword was charging at him from the right one second and then continued its course to his left the next. However, its momentum carried so much power, so much might, that the air itself carried Basil away. Neither Double-Jump nor any of his abilities let him escape this hurricanes pull. A cataclysmic shockwave threw him halfway across Athens in the blink of an eye. His back hit through three broken houses in session before one of Dis exposed cables stopped his flight. His armors chest te ruptured under the impacts strain, leaving the shirt underneath exposed. Basils immense vitality let him survive in one piece, though dizzied and unscathed.
245 [Physical] damage from the collision! 104 [Metal] damage!
Warning: Your armor is [broken]! You will gain no benefit from it until it is repaired!
The Malekings wrathful roar shook thend and sky. A ck ocean poured from his wound, yet he stood proud on the horizon, a mountain challenging the heavens. No time! Basil swiftly jumped back to his feet with a sour taste of blood in his mouth. His blood. No time! Shellgirl appeared next to Basil in a sh. Her expression was grim, and the number above her grimmer still.
5, 4, 3
No. Basil refused to believe his own eyes. No, no, no I guess this is myst bet, Partner. Shellgirl smiled sadly. Joyful Spirit.
2, 1
Her spell blessed Basil right before her countdown hit zero.
6666 [Soul] damage!
Darkness consumed his friend before his very eyes. A pyre of wicked, screaming purple ghosts erupted from the ground below Shellgirls feet. Dozens of spectral hands surged from her own shadow, snarling ectosmic jaws opening from the center of their palms. Under normal circumstances, the gruesome scene would have seemed instantaneous to outsiders. Basils time eleration allowed him to see every step of the ghastly process happen in sharp detail, yet too quickly for him to intervene. The hands grabbed his friend from all directions, their teeth sinking into her flesh and clothes. They ravenously tore her apart limbs from limbs, peeled her slimy flesh like an onion, dragged every single piece into the shadow that birthed them. Clothes, wings, and bags alike were promptly torn to shreds or devoured in a hundred quick bites. Shellgirl made no sound as she was torn apart, nor did she seem to react. In contrast to Basils elerated perception, the attack was so swift that her mind simply couldnt register it. When the souls dissipated as quickly as they appeared, nothing remained of Shellgirl; not even her final smile. Nothing remained, but a single screen.
Shellgirl has left the Party.
Chapter 137: Man vs Miracle Chapter 137: Man vs Miracle The notification hit Vasi in between twosers.
Shellgirl has left the party.
What? Vasi squinted at the text, the shock so great that it took her out of the battle entirely for a second. Shellgirl is Two of Wyrdes drones rewarded her inattention with aser volley to the back. Beams of light pierced her waist and opened more wounds across her hole-riddled flesh.
Warning: Your Health Points have plummeted below half-health! [Apocalypse Force] blocked your SP regeneration!
Vasi muffled a scream of pain and retaliated with a blizzard spell. A storm of ice shards erupted from her staff at the swarm of drones closing in on her. Most hit their targets, but others bounced off the machines magically empowered metal shells. The drones shrugged off any damage and kept firing at her. Rosemarine, who had been keeping Wyrde at bay with her Eden Guns so far, flew to her rescue. Steve, held up by her roots, fired a beam of searing lightning at the drone swarm and forced it to disperse away from Vasi. Begone, steel bugs! Rosemarine pped her wings. A gust of wind and mist erupted from her leaf-scales, purging the drones of their magical shield. Begone!
Rosemarines [Bhanal Mist] canceled the drones [Elemental Rainbow] and [Hasten]!
The drones went from lightning quick to sluggishly slow. Vasi immediately rained fire and ice at them, destroying one after the other. Between her allies beams and her own, the Bohens cleared the area around them of enemies. The remaining machines retreated back to their mistress side, high above the devastatedndscape.
You took 22 [Wind] damage from the field! Damage halved by [Fomor Lifeforce]!
The Malekings fires had turned into a sharp breeze slowlycerating Vasis skin. Her strong affinity for the element and damage reduction made it barely noticeable, but the party would die a death of a thousand cuts unless they defeated the Maleking. Is that what cost you your life, Shellgirl? Vasi nced sorrowfully at the ground below. The Maleking carried his titanic hide to the outskirts of Athens, far away from the Neurotower. Vasi distinguished Bugsys beams of light searing thendscape, but she failed to pinpoint either Bugsy or her boyfriend. The distance between the two groups was simply too great. Miss Shellgirl is Rosemarine gulped in sorrow. She had seen the notification too. Shes gone? I dont know, Vasi lied, both to Rosemarine and to herself. She could hardly check how her allies on the ground were doing because of the distance and fog of war. She hoped Shellgirl had exited the party for a less-than-lethal reason. But we cant get distracted now. Unfortunately, Wyrde had exploited the moment of respite to cast new spells. A group of drones formed a magical barrier around their mistress to protect her. They formed five sessiveyers of forcefield, each a different color. elerated Piercing Spell, Wyrde muttered to herself. el Supercharge Spell.
Wyrdes next offensive spell will ignore damage reduction and inflict four times the usual damage! [Turbo: Magic] will increase damage by 30% and will pierce through all forms of Resistance!
Stop her! Realizing the danger, Vasi immediately went on the offensive. Ancient Meteor! Steve was quicker to the draw, his Gehenna Cannon firing a mighty beam across the sky and Rosemarine did the same with her Eden Guns. Theirsers crashed against Wyrdes magical barrier like waves upon a shore, pushing it back without breaking it. Vasis meteor materialized above Wyrde and crashed against the forcefield. The barriers outeryers fizzled out for a second as the projectile hit with cataclysmic power, allowing her allies beams to prate deeper into the Grandmasters protective shell. Half a dozen drones overheated trying to maintain the shield, before shorting out and detonating in short order. The outer twoyers shattered under the onught and a pulse of blinding light followed in their wake. It did not matter. The three other forcefields stood.
Grandmaster Wyrdes [Magik Barrier] shifted her immunities!
elerated Dyed Incantation. A massive orb of magic over ten meters wide formed before Wyrde, its colors those of a shining rainbow. The forcefield protecting her expanded to amodate the projectiles ever-growing size. el Prismatic Orb! The orb vanished from sight in an instant.
Grandmaster Wyrde has cast her spell forward in time! It will hit its target in the future with perfect uracy!
Vasi cursed under her breath. An invisible sword of Damocles now floated above her and her allies heads, ready to strike anytime. I cant break through! Rosemarineined. Its unfair! Her barrier adapts to any element we use, Vasi thought, her mind frantically working on a solution. The God-Card was still petrified and Wyrde would turn it back to stone the moment the witch removed the petrification effect; her other allies had their hands full dealing with the Maleking; and neither magic nor brute strength could break past the forcefields. I could try to get around them with Grimalkin Gate but it will burn through my SP and I cant recover them. Its all or nothing. But at this point, what other options did she have? With all the buffs Wyrde stacked on herst spell, it would kill one of them. The Bohens couldnt afford to stall. Vasi was all in. I have a n! Focus your projectiles on one point and fire at all! Vasi activated her staffs doublecast feature. Grimalkin Gate! Vasi expected Rosemarine tough gleefully at her prompting, but the dragon remained eerily focused on the task at hand. She fired three beams of enchanted pollen, one from her mouth and two from her cannons, and focused them on a single point. Vasi opened the first gate before them, and another inside Wyrdes forcefield. The Grandmaster immediately figured out the n and canceled her forcefield to increase her mobility. This allowed Steve to snipe at her with its own cannon. Wyrde was forced to disperse her drones and fly away to dodge the attack. The Grimalkin Gate unleashed Rosemarines own projectiles upon the Grandmaster, but she proved too fast. Her wings carried her out of the beams line of fire and she swiftly began to cast a new spell. el Prisma Wyrde didnt finish her sentence. A new rift in space opened right before her eyes, much to her shock. Vasis second instance of the spell activated, allowing her to manifest a second set of doorways. She used them to redirect Rosemarines attack back at Wyrde, forcing her to fly upward to avoid a direct hit. She failed. Rosemarines redirected pollen beams hit Wyrdes metal tail before she could get out of the way. The Grandmasters biomechanical scales rusted away centuries in the span of a second and exposed skinless flesh. Rot consumed that as well and then the bone, until only a bloody stump was left.
Supereffective hit! 3435 [Wood] damage!
The Grandmasters shriek of pain and outrage drew a smile from Rosemarines face. Vasi didnt share her joy. The magic in her blood weakened with each new spell, but no new influx of power came topensate for what she lost. They had to hit Wyrde hard and fast, or else she would eventually adapt.
Warning: You have spent over half your SP!
We have her on the backfoot! Vasi shouted, burning through her magical reserves. Keep firing! I cant sustain this tactic for long! Vasi opened new gates across the sky in quick session, redirecting Rosemarines attacks again and again and again. Unable to catch her breath, Wyrde flew in an irregr pattern and danced around the beams the best she could. Using all her wits and focus, Vasi attempted to anticipate the dragonlords flight. She opened a useless rift in front of Wyrde, baited her into flying up to dodge, and then created the real one right above. The surprised Grandmaster ended up shot in the leg.
Supereffective hit! 3435 [Wood] damage!
Once again, Rosemarines pollen consumed steel and flesh alike. The power of nature overcame the Unity masters technological imnts until nothing but a bleeding stump remained. The victory was short-lived. Wyrde roared to the heavens. Red particles erupted from her metal scales, and her wings started to p so quickly that they became nearly invisible.
Wyrdes [Overgear] buffed her stats!
Wyrdes speed increased. She was in one ce one moment and in another the next, flying away before a Grimalkin Gate could fully open. Damn it! Vasi cursed under her breath. Shes adapting! Wyrdes remaining drones attempted to defend their mistress. They swarmed Vasis group, charging upsers. Steve proved quicker. The machine turned its Gehenna Cannon at the drones and set the sky alight. His mighty ray pushed back the drones own assault and vaporized those that couldnt fly away in time. Two drones managed to close in though. To Vasis surprise, however, they did not open fire at the group. They instead rammed against Steve at full speed and vanished from sight upon hitting its shielding.
Castling Drones merged with Steve Roadwonders through [Interlocked Technology].
Whats going on? Vasi wondered at this strange turn of events, but she had no time to investigate. Her attempts at hitting Wyrde had turned into a desperate struggle to keep her too busy dodging to spellcast. I knew this design seemed familiar! Wyrde red at the Steamobile as she zigzagged around Vasis gates with grace. You dare steal my technology and use it against me? How dare you use it against others?! Vasi shot back angrily. The terrible sight of Shumen burning to ash red in her mind, vivid and raw. Your general blew up an entire city! She killed thousands of innocents and nearly destroyed this world! I am willing to concede General ckcinders might have overreacted, Wyrde replied with the most insincere tone Vasi ever had the displeasure of listening to. But the fault lies with you for triggering her. Triggering her?! Vasi choked in outrage. Youre ming us?! I understand that your limited frame of mind cannot conceive utopia. Wyrde suddenly changed her flight pattern. Much to Vasis confusion, she flew away from the team rather than trying to close in for the kill. Your primitive instincts make yoush out at your salvation. But I assure you. The Grandmasters drones suddenly retreated. Before Vasi could wonder why, Wyrde pointed a w at Steve while flying away. All I have done, all that we dragons have done, was for your own good. Wyrdes ss eye red with a blue hue. Trigger self-destruction sequence. Concordian State Zero. Her words drew a steely, painful screech from Steve. Violent bolts of crimson lightning erupted from its shielding and swiftly bounced off its teammates. The machine released enough steam to heat up a sauna, as if boiling from the inside.
Grandmaster Wyrde ruptured Steve Roadwonders core through [Interlocked Technology]!
A poison pill. Vasi had traveled with the Steamobile for so long that she had forgotten what it was made of: a Unity dragons shell and a Gearsman Titans heart. The drones were a poison pill! Detonators! Mr. Steve, calm down! Rosemarines roots struggled to keep the Steamobile up in the air as it thrashed around, trying to free itself. Please! Vasis eyes widened in terror and darted to the Avatars standing atop the Neurotower nearby. If the st was asrge as the one that wiped Bucharest from the map Was Wyrde willing to endanger the entire to save her scaly skin? Vasis mind raced to find a solution, any way to stop the self-destruction sequence. But she was no Technomancer; each second she wasted caused more bolts to rise from Steves body. She barely had enough SP for a single spell. Steves single eye met Vasis gaze. The machine had never spoken a word in its entire existence. It had no facial expression to trante, and no signnguage to interpret. Yet when it turned its gaze to Wyrde and then back at Vasi, the witch immediately understood what it was asking of her. Are you sure? she asked sorrowfully. There has to be another solution. Steve pointed at a spot on its wheels, its hand breaking from an internal explosion swiftly afterward. Bolts and screws flew out of its shielding. The heat within its body kept rising. It would soon reach critical mass. Vasi recognized the spot which the machine pointed at. Her boyfriend had to wipe away his own mothers blood from it. Steve spoke no word, yet its thoughts were clear to its teammates. I dont want to add another friends stain. Mister Steve Rosemarine whispered in sadness. No With no time left, Vasi granted his final wish and cast her final spell. el Grimalkin Gate! Steve freed itself from Rosemarines grip and fell through a portal. It reappeared kilometers away, right above the fleeing Wyrde. The dragons drones instantly gathered around the falling Steamobile in a final attempt to defend their mistress. They could not stop the explosion. Steves core detonated in midair, and the Unitys most dreadful weapon was unleashed upon its master. The Steamobile shattered into a thousand pieces. A pulse of cursed energy followed in their wake, piercing through the drones forcefield and turning their metal to stone.
You have run out of SP. You are no longer protected from [Lightning] by [Aegis of Zeus].
The Grandmaster took the pulse to her face, her arms raised to protect herself. The light obscured her from Vasis sight. If Wyrde survives this, we are all dead. Vasi frantically turned to herst, desperate option: the God Card. Steve had brought them very little time. However, a look at the petrified item immediately told Vasi repairing it would be no easy task. The Grandmasters magic was strong; too strong for any normal potion to work. Vasi could only think of one desperate gamble. Rosemarine, I need blood! Vasi tossed her now useless staff aside and bit her own hand. Your blood! Dragon and fairy blood individually possessed miraculous properties. If shebined them both, Vasi should be able to craft a remedy for the petrification magic. The witch had never crafted a potion in such circumstances, but she had no other option left.
Vitality check sessful! Grandmaster Wyrde avoided [Petrification]!
The dragon still lived, but her drones had turned to stone down to thest. They fell from the sky alongside Steves remains and shattered onto the ground. As for Wyrde, she immediately turned around and charged back at the Bohens, her ss eyes brimming with murderous anger. Please let it work, Vasi thought upon spilling her own blood onto the God-Card. Gods, please let it work. Rosemarine, I Vasi! Rosemarine shouted in rm. Above you! Vasi looked up at her iing death. A beautiful sphere the color of the rainbow appeared above her head, as bright as it wasrge. The future had caught up to the present. A great shadow flew in the projectiles path. Pristine wings of leaves shielded Vasi, and roots protectively swirled around her in an imprable bush. Rosemarine did not hesitate. She intercepted the prismatic orb for Vasi and paid the price. A terrible storm of elements surged from the impact point. mes hotter than the suns surface, winds sharp enough to cut through mountains, frost colder than the void of space, spikes of thick hard rocks, pressurized water, and blinding lightning. Rosemarine took them all. Mister where are you? Rosemarine gargled as the light swallowed her whole. I cant see you
9380 multi-elemental damage!
The storm tore Rosemarine to shreds. A shower of golden blood and guts fell upon thend, staining Vasis robes and wings along the way. Rosemarines chest was vaporized alongside most wings and roots, her head sted off her body. Vasi watched it fall to her left in disbelief until it crashed into the ground below. This is a nightmare. Vasi nkly stared at the severed head staining the earth with blood, at petals carried by the winds across the wastnd. I I must wake up. It took a notification to shake her out of disbelief.
Rosemarine Entine de Barthes has left the party.
You forced me to do this, fairy lord. You forced me to do this. Tears of sorrow and rage poured from Vasis eyes. They turned to the cause of all this suffering, screaming vengeance. You deceived this child and led her astray from the true dragon path. Wyrde formed another prismatic orb in her hand and aimed for the kill. This is all on you. Vasis fingers trembled with burning anger. She nced at the card in her hand, stained with her friends blood and her own. The true dragon path, you said?
[Archwitch Brew]activated!
Vasis crafting Perk activated, merging their blood together. The fluids washed away the cards prison of stone and returned it to full power. It was time for Wyrde to see the light. I call upon you, oh supreme god from another world! Vasis words carried across thend and into the worlds beyond. Great Cmity of all, Emperor of Outremonde and the Albain Mountains, mightiest of all dragons. Wyrde immediately realized her mistake and attempted to petrify the card again. Toote. The consumable burned between Vasis fingers, its power unleashed upon the cosmos. Vainqueur the Dragon! When Basil stared at the empty spot where his teammate used to stand, his first thought was: This hasnt happened. His second? This cant be happening. His third? I can undo it. His fourth? I cant.
[Permanent Buff] renewed [Joyful Spirit]!
The final one? I have to make this count. Basil stood back on his feet, facing the titan who had in his friend. The Maleking stepped over Bugsys starscorched mes, his eyes burning with malice. It cant be in vain. Lethal Vigil did not activate this time. No berserk rage clouded his mind. In fact, Basils mind had never been so sharply focused as it was now. He raised his weapon and leaped into the fray. Time slowed down around Basil. The windcerating his body, Bugsys mes, even the dust in the air. All seemed frozen to his eyes. Yet even in this world of slowed time, the Maleking moved frighteningly fast. The titan crouched slightly, adjusting his stance. He lowered his sword and bent his knees. Basil recognized the pose as one used by iaijutsu practitioners before they unleashed a blindingly quick strike. I must congratte you, warriors, said the Maleking with bloodthirsty glee. No one has ever managed to push me this far before. His praise washed over Basil without swaying his heart. Basil could only use the Joyful Spirit buff once. A missing blow would waste the charge. He was quick, but his halberds range couldntpare to the Malekings titanic de. The risks were too great. He would need a tool with far greater range. Basil stored his halberd in his inventory, much to the Malekings surprise. He double-jumped up and up, positioning himself above the demon lord. The two foes red at each other, the air choking with tension. Clear the area! Basil shouted at his teammates. Im using it! Realizing what his Tamer was up to, Bugsy quickly flew away as fast as his wings could carry him. to did not move, trusting his Counterstance. With no time left to waste, Basil opened his inventory. Before todays disaster, he had briefly teleported to France to check up on a theory of his. Once upon a time, Basil had tried and failed to add his house to his inventory. The System wouldnt let him store buildings. But there was something very interesting about Basils Holy War Apotheosis Perk.
Item selected: [Eiffel Tower].
It turned everything he touched into a weapon. A three-hundred meters long spear of rusted steel materialized above the Maleking. Its shadow, many timesrger than the demon king, obscured the sunlight. Basils hands grabbed the metal frame as the projectile fell, empowering it with his Perks and buffs. Runestorm: Frost! Basil shouted like a maniac. His magic coursed through steel and imbued it with ayer of ice. Eiffel Tower Spear! He could have sworn the Malekings eyes all widened in shock at his audacity. Yet the demon king did not surrender himself to despair. He aimed from the falling steel tower and prepared to swipe it off the sky with a well-ced strike. Smilodon Blitz! A mad kitten bit into the Malekings leg. He left a small wound, but one that invited retribution. As it was a direct assault rather than a counterattack, the Malekings ability activated immediately. His sword fell upon to with furious speed. The feline was buried under a tide of steel and searing dust.
to has lost all his extra lives! His next death will be thest!
Basil wondered why his friend would make this sacrifice, before quickly realizing why: the Malekings automatic counterattack ruined his defensive posture. His sword was stuck in the earth. The Maleking failed to raise it in time to protect himself. The Eiffel Tower crashed against his chest, a spike of ice surging from its tip. Chapter 138: Man vs Final Boss Chapter 138: Man vs Final Boss The Eiffel Tower impaled the Maleking like a fish on a stick. Its frozen tip pierced through the monsters iron hide and thick hard flesh. The projectile, carried by both its immense momentum and Shellgirls final buff, pinned the Maleking onto the destend below. An oil spill worth of thick ck blood sprayed the earth before swiftly turning to smoke. The monster copsed under the giant spears weight and found himself slowly pounded into the dust.
Supereffective hit! Critical hit! You have reached the damage threshold and require a Perk to exceed it! 99,999 [Frost] and [Physical] damage!
It worked, Basil thought, his pulse quickening in excitement. I have him now! The Maleking did not scream in pain or rage. His shining eyes red defiantly at Basil, his sword surging forward in retaliation.
Your supereffective hit triggered the [Mark of Cain]! The Malekings next blow will hit you for sevenfold damage!
Even on the verge of death, the demon lord went for onest shot. His titanic sword cut the air in a final swing. The screaming souls wreathing the de erupted in a tidal wave of darkness traveling through the air. The flood traveled up the Eiffel Towers length, rusting steel and aiming straight for Basil. They swallowed the entire horizon in their hunger, leaving no avenue of escape. Basil faced these damned spirits with resolve. Time Leap. Once again the Chronomancer jumped through time itself. Space bent before his might. The fabric of reality skipped forward, allowing Basil to escape the flood. One second he faced a torrent of screaming souls; they were gone the next, flying behind him and toward the shattered skies. Basil fell down, towards the Malekings impaled carcass. The light had left the demon kings eyes. His sword had slipped through his hand and onto the earth, the body slumping against the Eiffel Tower. Basil smiled in triumph only for it to fade away with a notification.
Rosemarine Entine de Barthe has left your party.
Rosemarine? Basils eyes widened in shock and disbelief. No no way, my sweet flower A red beam shot him through the chest. The attack came from below, as swift as a guillotine. Basils chest hurt like never before. His nerves red all at once and set his body aze from within. It was as if lightning coursed through every single of his cells. No. No, lightning wasnt a good enough description. There was pain, and then there was pain. Basil had been struck by thunder, crushed under Apollyons hand, pounded into the dust by ckcinders, impaled by Brinas des. He had survived a thousand wounds, and none hurt as much as this one. Did you truly think you could use the same trick twice in a row, Basil? Its impossible. A terrible dizziness seized Basils faltering mind. Though his limbs went numb, he mustered enough strength to look at the Malekings skull. Hes dead. I killed him. The light had left the Malekings eyes, that was true enough. However, something had risen from the corpse. A festering shadow of flickering smoke emerged out of the Malekings skull, slowly taking shape. Four red eyes burning with malice opened within this void and returned Basils stare. What did Shakespear say once? The evil that men do lives after them. It worked the same for demons.
Your life is slipping away
You should be honored to havee this far, Basil, said the shadow. His tone was deep, sincere. Almost sad. But our bout ends here. Basil nced down at his chest. A smoking hole burned where his heart should have been. Cant A numbness spread through Basils limbs, and the taste of blood filled his mouth. He felt cold, so very cold. His lungs did not rise when his brain demanded it. Cant feel my legs. Basils body plummeted onto the earth below. He lost consciousness long before he reached it. Darkness had long since swallowed the mind.
Basil Bohen
HP: 0/3480
A god answered Vasis prayer with an earth-shattering roar. His immense wingspan expanded before the witch as the God Card crumbled to dust. Ruby scalesden with solid gold materialized out of thin air. ws sharper than des appeared at the end of limbs powerful enough to sunder castles. The dragons tail summoned the wind with a swing, and a crown of pure light glowed atop the great beasts head. In her panic, Wyrde threw her prismatic orb at Vasi in a vain attempt to stop the inevitable. Her projectile harmlessly bounced off the red dragons chest without even scratching the scales.
You have summoned a level 99 avatar of Vainqueur Knightsbane, supreme god of Outremonde; he will remain active for 3 minutes, after which he will return to his home ne.
You dare summon me at a time like this? A great cloud of smoke escaped from Vainqueur Knightsbanes nostrils. His colossal body towered Vasi the same way the Maleking once cast Basil in his shadow. You may be my friends grandchild, but you forget yourself, fairy! Our world is besieged by an iron tide as we speak! Too many minions need my protection now! I apologize for my boldness, oh great emperor, Vasi said with sincere deference. But I brought you to the root of this disaster, so that you may snuff it out. Mmm Is that so? Vainqueur turned his gaze to Wyrde, and immediately recoiled in disgust. What is this hideous thing? Though Grandmaster Wyrde approached Vainqueur in size, the battle had not been kind to her. Oil dripped from her stumped tail and missing leg. Rosemarines pollen had rusted away part of her armor, exposing patches of festering flesh beneath. Whenpared to Vainqueur, a paragon of his race, Wyrde appeared as a twisted mockery of what a dragon should be. She had their shape, but reced all the glory with heartless steel and broken gears. Shes ugly inside and out, Vasi thought. Your Majesty, this is Wyrde, the Unitys dragonlord. This creature cannot be a dragon, Vainqueur said with a pitying sneer. It smells of oil and death! Wyrde answered with a spell, though Vasi couldnt tell if it was out of anger or delusion. el Contagious Lightning! A torrent of lightning erupted from her w, more than anything Ashok could ever muster. Enough electricity to wipe a small city off the map thundered at Vainqueur in a wave of destruction. It dissipated halfway through the air. No barrier deflected them, nor did Vainqueur absorb them into his body. The bolts simply disappeared into nothingness, as if they had never existed. This show of power drew a smile on Vasis face, and a gasp of shock from Wyrde. You dare attack me? Me?! Vainqueurs scales brightened with mes, his body so hot that Vasi had to fly back a few feet so as not to be cooked alive. I am Vainqueur Knightsbane! Great Cmity of all Ages, supreme god of the Outremonde Pantheon, Emperor of the World and the Albain Mountains! Prostrate yourself in penance! You are false! Wyrde snarled back, unrepentant. Her arrogance was such that she answered death with defiance. No dragon would defend a fairy lord! No dragon would be so craven as to rece their scales with brittle metal, you foolish Vainqueur froze mid sentence, his eyes widening in shock. He had finally noticed Rosemarines headying on the ground below. His head snapped at Wyrde, and then at Vasi in disbelief. The witch wiped a tear off her eye. She didnt have the strength to say a word. You you have killed Vainqueur stared at Wyrde in disbelief. You have killed another dragon? With your own ws? From his tone, the very thought sounded inconceivable to him. Dragons mightpete for hoards and greatness, but they did not kill each other. I have in a fool, Wyrde replied coldly. She fought for the wrong side and paid the price. Dis belongs to me! The heat radiating off Vainqueur was overwhelming. His very fists shook in their rage. You have killed your kindred for what? Vainqueur red at the Neurotower nearby. This cursed abomination? Has it corrupted your mind? Dis will make me into a goddess! Wyrde boasted, magic swirling around her hands. One whose wisdom shall enlighten the cosmos itself! No wise dragon boasts of their own wisdom. They earn praise by their actions, not their words. Vainqueur turned his head away from Wyrde, as if she was unworthy of his attention. Instead he focused his gaze upon the Neurotower, and the greater threat it represented. I shall not allow this thing to despoil my world or this one any longer. So step aside or be squashed. If you persist in this madness, I shall show the same mercy you gave our brethren! You shall not deny the Unity its victory, you ignorant twit! Wyrde puffed herself up again. Perhaps she was under the delusion she could ovee the new challenger with brute strength, as she did the old ones. I have fought to bring peace and unity to all lesser races across the multiverse, as is my destiny! Those who stand in my way will bend or break! Vainqueurs head snapped at her, his angered eyes brimming with disgust. Your destiny? The Unitys destiny. Wyrdes ss eyes blinked briefly, like a child caught snooping in a money jar. You know what I mean. Yes I do, Vainqueur replied coldly. I see through you, liar. You did not need this Dis to lead you astray. This pointless destruction was never about enforcing the true dragon way. This is about having things your way. My path is the truest one! Wyrde opened her maw in arrogant defiance, light building up inside her gullet. If you were a true dragon god, you would understand! A true dragon god? Vainqueur answered her remark with a roar. Here is something to believe in! Wyrde fired a bright yellowser of light from her gullet, more light than fire. A searing beam that could easily tear through Vasi or even the Maleking. Butparing Wyrdes dragon breath to Vainqueur was likeparing a candle to the sun. A cataclysmic eruption of golden mes erupted from the great dragon gods maw, so mighty that the resulting st whipped up enough wind to throw Vasi back. A flood of pyrostic fumes swirled around a roaring inferno brighter than the heart of a star. Vainqueurs breath inspired awe and dread for its sole onlooker. Wyrdesser was swallowed into the inferno. The Grandmaster herself had no time to escape either. She summoned a magical shield around herself in her panic, but no spell could protect sinners from divine retribution. Vainqueurs mes swatted aside the final forcefield and consumed Wyrde in the blink of an eye. Vainqueur didnt give his foe the dignity of a final speech. Wyrde could only let out a final screech of pain and disbelief, one thatsted naught but a few seconds. The metal tes protecting her were vaporized and the flesh below soon followed. So little of it remained; the dragonlord had be more machine than Wyrm, with oil for blood and a gear for a heart. Her skeleton turned to dust blown by the wind. When Vainqueur closed his mouth atst, nothing remained of the Unitys Grandmaster. She had turned to ash, and her Factions hopes with them. Poor wretch. Vainqueur shook his head. As empty as her pride, that one.
Grandmaster Wyrde has been in! As you have summoned the avatar through a consumable, the experience will go to your party!
The notificationand the delicious taste of justice being donecouldnt warm Vasis heart for long. Dis tentacles swarmed the horizon, surging from an ever-encroaching void. The world beyond Athens appeared swallowed by a sea of darkness from which only steel towers and tendrils rose. Moreover, the Malekings field was still active. The battle is not yet done, Your Majesty, Vasi warned the dragon god. I shall win it with haste. Vainqueur turned his gaze upon the Neurotower supporting the Avatars. Is this the heart of Dis? Yes, but I know not what destroying this tower would do, Vasi said. Though she understood the seriousness of the situation, she kept a cool enough head not to jump to conclusions. If Your Majesty can separate the Avatars I will remove this infection immediately. Vainqueur raised a w at the Neurotower, only for it to flicker. Ugh? To Vasis horror, the dragons body began to grow translucent. The very substance making up this avatar faltered away. No, no, no! I cannot go back now! Vainqueurs eyes grew bright with panic. There is too much at hand! He popped out of sight in the blink of an eye. The dragons disappearance was so sudden, so abrupt, that Vasi could only blink in shock. Vainqueur Knightsbane was before her an instant and gone the next. She half-expected him to materialize back, as if he had teleported back to Outremonde only to return with reinforcements, but nothing of the sort happened. Three minutes were too short of a time.
The time limit is up. Vainqueur Knightsbane has returned to his home ne!
Vasi braced herself for the worst. The devil remained on this earth, with no god to oppose him. to woke up among the dust and the dead.
You have lost all your extra lives! Your next death will be the final one!
Warning: Critical HP! Critical HP!
He had perished eight times since the world ended, and never got used to it. Each revival felt terrible. The darkness of death swallowed his consciousness, his thoughts, before spitting it back. Even now, his featherlight body felt heavy as stone. Fatigue clouded his mind and dulled his senses. He was as vulnerable as when returned to life. At least I made this death count. to looked past the storm of dust whipped up by the apocalyptic winds. The Malekings remainsy crushed under the shattered Eiffel Tower, both dposing under the shadow of Dis Neurotower. The demon lords body crumbled into red particles, while the tower began rusting away. to could feel Dis steel tentacles stirring under thend and consuming it from within. Entropy itself appeared in a hurry to consume this.
Your party has earned 99,000,000 EXP (24,750,000 for you). You have earned three levels (total 90), but you cannot assign them until Basil
to had seen this message countless times, but this one suddenly stopped halfway. The blue screen turned red and ominous.
ERROR.
Why isnt it ending? tos heart skipped a beat in terror. The Avatars still stood atop their tower of steel and great tentacles continued spreading into the multiverse. The Malekings wind kept blowing. Weve won, it should have ended. Basil fell from the heavens above, his blood staining the earth red. tos thought came to a screeching halt at the sight. His owner, his best friend, his closestpanion, had fallen unconscious to his side. His skin was a pallid shade of white, his halberd missing. Basil? to jumped to Basils side in a mad dash. Basil, now is not the time for a nap! His best friend did not answer. His eyes were empty, devoid of light. A gaping pit spewed blood where the heart should have been. to heard no pulseing from him. No breathing. He looked He looked like Ren when when he No no, no, no! to frantically shook his friends head with a paw, trying to wake him up. Basil, stop joking! Basil! Basil! Your master is dead, feline, a dark voice dered from above. This is Hells new home. to tensed up as a dark figurended before him. The creature was three-meters tall, a hulking giant of a humanoid carried by wings of fire. A ckened knights armor made up his skin, but it protected neither flesh nor bones. to could only see blistering mes surging from within this metal shell. This creature was a walking statue of solid darkness, a furnace kept alive by a malicious evil that refused to leave this world. Four eyes of hellfire peered through the horned helmet at to, appraising him, judging him.
Maleking Mcoda, Hell Unending
Level 96 [Demon/Undead]
Faction: Apocalypse Force.
The undead form of the dreadful demon king, whose mighty soul has resisted reincarnation in a final bid for the throne of Overgod. Much weaker in this shape than in his Beast of Revtion one, but no less determined to triumph.
Its impossible. to simply couldnt believe his own eyes. Basil couldnt have shouldnt! Did the Malekings field counter Duty Beyond Death, condemning Basil never to rise again? Now, will you cravenly flee this decaying world to save your life? The Maleking raised a ckened gauntlet and summoned a terrible sword of fire within his palm. Or will you martyr yourself trying to avenge your leader? to should have died already. The Tamer ss should have seen to that. He could only see one exnation for why he wasnt napping in the dirt. Basil had expelled him out of the party before his demise. It wouldnt be in vain. to red at the Maleking with all his cold rage and fury. He prepared to pounce, putting all of strength in his weakened legs. His weakness and fatigue weighed down on him, but he refused to show fear. Yes, stand up and fight! The Maleking adopted a fighting stance. His body heating up, the mes within his metal shell ring out of it. Here''s to a brave and proper death!
Maleking Mcoda burns with malice! His [ursed me] will pierce through [Fire Immunity]!
I will pulverize you, to warned, his voice cold as ice. You wont even see iting. He followed through with a blitz of blistering speed. The Maleking swung his sword of mes to intercept him. Though he proved quick as lightning, he was no longer a giant wielding a sword greater than most bridges. His fiery ymore was the length of his arm, and thus avoidable. Even weakened by his wounds and exhaustion, to leaped above the Malekings weapon and swiped him with ws of ice. They pierced through the monsters armor and released a surge of searing mes.
Supereffective hit! 2805 [Physical] damage! 841 [Frost] damage!
Your supereffective blow triggered the [Mark of Cain]!
The Malekings counterattack followed, swift as lightning. His range, however, was now manageable. to leaped backward in a blink and the sword narrowingly missed him by an inch. The Maleking took a step forward to continue with his melee assault, only for holy light to fall upon him from above. Darkness pulsated from his armor as sma rained down from above.
Supereffective hit! 1275 [Light/Fire] damage!
to! Bugsy descended upon earth like an insectoid guardian angel. Im with you! tos relief didntst long. Bugsys attack triggered the Malekings counterattack. A chain of blue fire materialized out of the demon lords hand, swift as a snake, and coiled around Bugsys head. The Apolloworm was flung at to with immense speed. The feline swiftly dodged with a leap to the side only to find the Maleking lunging at him with all his might. You fought well, the demon lord said as he brought down his sword. I will remember you. to closed his eyes as the de kissed his fur. He waited for the mes to consume his flesh and sever his head from his body.
0 damage.
tos eyes snapped open in shock and disbelief. They settled on the Malekings zing edge, which bounced off his dust-ridden fur like stic upon a rock. The demon lords eyes shone with equal astonishment. His surprise didntst long. Another swing followed before to could retaliate, one aimed squarely at the heart. Though the feline felt the momentum behind the blow and the searing heat, the fiery sword once again failed to get past his fur. What is the meaning of this? the Maleking rasped in shock. How can it be? to knew long before the notification appeared.
Basil Bohens [All for One] shared the [Invincibility] status with you.
There was light, and a voice. Do not forget. Basil Bohen couldnt identify the speaker. Perhaps it was an echo of his own thoughts as he lingered between life and death. Perhaps it was a long-forgotten memory. Or perhaps it was a voice whispering to him from the heavens above, encouraging him to carry on. Whoever it was, the voice sounded like Ren; warm and wise. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness'' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. No matter these words source, they woke him up all the same.
[Permanent Buff] renewed [Duty Beyond Death]''s [Invincibility] effect!
He felt it all again. The Malekings final blow, the sensation of his own heart bursting inside his chest, the terrible pain racing through every nerve in his body. Such was this maddening agony that Basil couldnt even muster the strength to scream. Is this how Christ felt when nailed to the holy cross? Basil managed to raise his eyes and look up, but the rest of his body refused to budge. A terrible dizziness threatened to carry his mind to sleep again. His numb fingers wouldnt move. No blood would pump his limbs into moving. The body broken the spirit unyielding? Duty Beyond Death wouldnt let him die so long as the invincibility remained active. His demise was stretched on in time. Boss? Bugsy was here, watching over him. Basil, are you Cant Move Basil rasped. Cant heal Stay here, Boss. Bugsy expanded his wings of me. Its our turn to protect you now. Basils eyes wandered to the battlefield, catching a glimpse of to and a four-eyed armored figure facing each other. Though the feline sent his best friend a gaze full of relief, he did not lower his guard. The enemy would punish any mistake with death. Are you willing to bear the burden of death more than once, all to protect your own? The Maleking had halted his assault; perhaps out of caution, maybe out of respect. Basil couldnt tell. What drives you to carry this cross? I dont expect someone like you to understand Each word was torture to Basil. More blood poured out of his throat than breath. But Im a Tamer first and a knight second Rather than fruitlessly summoning his halberd, Basil chose to use what little of his strength remained to utter two words. Two words that could change everything. Deaths Banner
[All for One] spread [Deaths Banner] to your allies! Their attacks will gain a [Deadyer] effect (x3 damage against [Undead])!
Even at the worlds end, even faced with death, he trusted his team to prevail. They are my strength Basil rasped with pride. And I am their own together well kick your demon ass!
[Permanent Buff] renewed [Duty Beyond Death] for five minutes!
Warning: You have run out of SP!
In five minutes, Basil would perish and his invincibility effect would fail. Either his allies killed the Maleking, or they would perish here. This is all on you now, Basil thought, his eyes gazing at his allies, his crew, his friends. Im with you watching Bugsy and to nodded at him without a word. The battle-hardened crew did not need words tomunicate. They could reach Basils thought written on his face. Strength of will is still strength, the Maleking replied calmly. If anything, his voice brimmed with a warriors respect. Your convictions matter not to me. If they give you the power to ovee me, then they are righteous. This bouts winner will tell right from wrong. The sound of thundering trumpets echoed across thendscape.
Maleking Mcodas [Apocalypse Trumpets] buffed all his stats and [Hastened] him.
The Maleking was many things, but a coward wasnt one of them. He did not run, nor did he falter before his enemies numbers. Both to and Bugsy tensed up in response. All warriors present were battered and bloodied. to seemed hardly capable of standing up, having just returned from the dead; Bugsy no longer had enough power to breath light or fire; even the Maleking was covered in wounds, the mes within him flickering. His undead state was only held together by the strength of his will, and the embers of his waning power. Everyone was on theirst leg. Three minutes Basil counted. Three minutes left until my effect wears off then Ill die and the others will copse from fatigue. We will all perish. But it is the nature of hope to be crushed when found wanting, the Maleking said, his sword raised for the final sh. Lets see if your allies can keep their head high without yielding to my might! The Maleking lunged at the Bohens with all his remaining strength. His armor creaked with each step, his bloody mes turning into harmless smoke as they escaped his battered armor. Bugsy and to charged at him from two different sides. They acted without warning, their movements perfectly coordinated. None of them had enough strength left for special techniques or tricks. They simply charged ahead, carried only by their resolve. Bugsy leaped first, his immense bulk many times greater than the Maleking. He roared in fury and put all his weight into this final attack. The great demon swatted him aside with a backhand nheless. His blow sent the Apolloworm rolling across thendscape with a loud, rocky noise. to exploited the opportunity to nk the Maleking, ws and fangs out for the kill. There was no grace in his movement, only a bestial surge of speed. The hastened Maleking proved quicker; A chain of fire surged from the demons hand and coiled around his foes neck. The Maleking flung to around, using the feline as if he were a il and pounding him onto the dust. The more he failed to break past the invincibility effect, the more the demon lord snarled in frustration. Basil winced in fear for his friends safety. Two minutes. Basil cursed his weakness. Damn it, damn it, damn it! When all hope seemed lost, a winged fairys shadow loomed from above. Ancient Meteor! Vasi shouted, her words carried by the wind. Taken aback, the Maleking released his hold on to and leaped to the side, hoping to avoid the inevitable projectile. He simply could not afford to take this attack, even with his automatic counterattack. The Maleking waited, his hands clenching his sword. But no stone fell upon the earth. The Maleking choked in surprise. A desperate bluff? I am a demon too, Vasi replied with a sly smile. Shended next to her boyfriend and immediately tended to him. Half of one at least. Clever girl. Basil smiled, the wind blowing dust onto his teeth. Youre out of SP, arent you? The Malekings surprise cost him dearly. to, exploiting his foes distraction, sank his fangs into the demons waist. His sword-teeth pierced through the Malekings steel armor and pinned him in one ce. The Maleking hit him in the face with his de again and again, but the feline would not let him go. One minute, Basil thought, his breath so heavy that it hurt his throat. This is it! Bugsy! to mumbled through his fangs. Do it now! Bugsy rose back to his feet under the shadow of Dis. Not even the Neurotowers looming darkness could obscure the light of his sun tail, nor the brightness of his wings. His mandibles snapped open like scissors waiting to cut through paper. His roar shook heaven and earth. Unable to escape tos jaws, the Maleking lowered his sword. He gazed at his inevitable death with grim resignation, and what little quiet dignity he could muster. It is finished, he said. Bugsys mandibles snapped on the Malekings neck, and the great war for Overgod came to an end. Apocalypse Tamer 3 Audio available for pre-order on Audible Apocalypse Tamer 3 Audio avable for pre-order on Audible Hi guys! After some dys, I''m proud to announce that the third volume of Apocalypse Tamer is now avable in audiobook version for pre-order, with the full release expected for June 21st! The book is narrated by Jack Voraces, who returned to do the voice of Vainqueur and Walter ;) There''s also an audible wide sales for the next twenty-four hours so I would appreciate if you could share the word ;) Link: /pd/Apocalypse-Tamer-3-Audiobook/B0C6B2H1C6 On other news, I''ll start releasing the new stories next week on RR roughly at the same time as Tamer ends here. Hope you''ll enjoy them ;) Best regards, Voidy. Chapter 139: Man vs The End Chapter 139: Man vs The End The universe copsed on itself. The cosmos itself unraveled before the Malekings severed head could hit the ground. The earth turned to red particles swirling aimlessly around Kalkis Neurotower throne. Now that the tournament had reached its conclusion, the arena no longer served its purpose. The void swallowed thend and sky alike in its hunger. All-consuming darkness devoured the remaining scraps of Earth and the distant stars, until only steel towers grasping into other worlds remained. Basil plummeted into the void like to and the others. He heard Vasi call out his name, but his confused brain struggled to make sense out of her voice. The darkness encroached upon not only his eyes, but his very mind. His body had grown numb, his limbs no longer responding to hismands. He only had enough strength left to count numbers. Thirty seconds, Basil thought as the countdown to his death approached ever so closer. Need to expel team before its toote The screen opened as per hisst wish, but the message was unlike what he expected.
Your party has earned 153,000,000 EXP and 220,000,000 Bonus Quest EXP (93,250,000 for you). You have gained six new levels (total 96).
As Basils hourss of life reached itsst few grains, a mad idea crossed his mind. A desperate n driven by his survival instinct and his desire to stand by his friends, no matter what awaited them. Duty Beyond Death said that I cannot regain HP. But what about getting new ones? It was toote anyway. Too little time remained. Basil put his teams safety first.
You have expelled: Vasi Yaga, Bugsy Alphonse Venture, and to from your party.
Live on, everyone Basil thought as he plummeted into the dark. This all I wish A pair of warm hands caught him by the waist. Dont die on me! Vasi shouted into her boyfriends ear. She held onto him with all her might. Not you too, Basil! Basil didnt know whether it was adrenaline, Wyrm Spirits power boost on deaths door, or something as silly as love, that gave him the strength to look over his shoulder. What he saw would have broken his heart, if he still had one in his chest. Tears of fear and sorrow rained down Vasis cheeks as she hugged him from behind. Bugsy had caught to in his pincers above her, and now dived down towards his former Tamer with all his speed and haste. The panicked expression on the felines face could have melted even the coldest ice. The warm me of resolve surged through Basils body. He couldnt die on them. He wouldnt leave them alone. With less than five seconds remaining before his final death, Basil assigned his new levels. He didnt check the number nor consider them. His mind acted in a haste, without thought nor case. He simply, truly wanted to live.
Chronomancer Level 15 to 20 Stat Gains: +5 STR, +12 AGI, +2 VIT, +3 SKI, +6 MAG, +4 INT, +3 CHA, +6 LCK. You have gained 220 HP and 95 SP!
Forewarned (Passive): You instantly know whether an iing attack will inflict a supereffective or critical hit. Additionally, you are immune to hostile Time-rted effects, such as [Slow] or Time-Stopping attacks.
Chronomancy III (Passive): You can learn and cast [Chronomancy] spells up to Tier III. This is raised to Tier V by [Divine Auspices II].
Slow-Mo (Active): Technique, [Support], [Ailment], 10 SP per minute. You inflict the [Slow] status on all enemies within thirty meters of you, halving their Agility.
Save Scum (Passive): Capstone. Whenever you would suffer a fatal blow, you immediately revert to the state you were in before receiving that same blow; this includes status effects, ailments, and HP. The only exception is your SP count, which is instead diminished by an amount equal to your total level. If you cannot pay this cost when you suffer a fatal blow, [Save Scum] will fail to activate.
Two hundred twenty health points were a pitiful amount, but enough to regrow the heart in his chest. Flesh regenerated as the countdown came to an end. Basil Bohen braced himself for the death that might still seize him.
Your [Invincibility] has run out.
The countdown reached zero. A flood of steel came to a screeching halt across the infinite worlds. A great beasts roots had burrowed into the firewalls of a hundred Systems, piercing through their defenses, invading their reality, hungering for their souls and knowledge. Neither gods nor mortals could halt the infection. How could one fight a force as pervasive as gravity? Such powers were to be endured and suffered, but never fully conquered. From a world drowned in water to one ruled by the dead, from a crossroad of nes led by dragons to a hundred forgotten ces, all watched on as the great progress of Dis stopped dead in its tracks. The world-machines gears had stopped. Waiting for an order. Waiting for a conclusion. Death did not im Basil Bohen But life hurt like hell all the same. Argh! Basil grunted into the infinity and spat blood into the gaping void. Flesh and bones had filled the hole in his chest, but his new heart felt as if it was pumpingva through his veins. Argh! Youre alive Vasi held onto him so tightly that it hurt. Her mighty wings stopped their fall, and her head buried into his shoulder. Thank the gods, youre alive
Warning: Critical health! Critical health!
Never before had Basil been so happy to read this message. For it meant death would not im him yet.
You still have three levels to assign.
Three? Oh right, he had begun with eighty-seven levels and ended up at ny-six. Where did the other threee from? He couldnt remember. Im Im here Vasi Im not going anywhere Basil struggled to catch his breath. The air tasted of steel and oil. That hurts. Coming back from the dead isnt fun, am I right? Bugsy carried to next to the flying Vasi, with the feline looking utterly exhausted. Well, shoulder on. Ive got seven more under my belt, you can take it. Im so happy, Boss A rain of tears flooded down Bugsys eyes. So happy Basil smiled the best he could, only for a terrible noise to interrupt the reunion. The Neurotower holding Kalki and Padma stood before them, a limitless monolith shining brightly in a sea of darkness. Its circuits shone with a golden light and flooded the Bohens sight with messages.
Warning: Experience insufficient for Overgod! A single winner cannot be determined!
New Main Quest: Destroy Your Allies.
Rmended Level: 96.
You have waged a great battle and won it, but only one can sit atop the throne of Overgod. Kill your allies and
A feeling of deep, visceral disgust surged inside Basils heart. His answer was arrow-swift. Fuck you. His insult echoed into the void, and the great tower of Dis dimmed slightly. After everything after everything weve endured all the friends weve lost The quest notification caused Bugsys tail to burn with scarlet fury. Steam rose from his body, fueled by his bottomless anger. You dare ask that of us? to red at the Neurotower with pure, undiluted hatred. He did not bother answering the notification. His cold, silent hate spoke for him. You would like us to feed you more souls, would you not? Vasi wiped tears off her face, her gaze harsh and determined. Basil could feel the depth of her resentment in her trembling hands. No more. The bloodbath ends here and now.
Warning: Experience insufficient for Overgod! A single winner cannot be determined!
No more, Vasi repeated, her eyes squinted in disgust. No more blood will grease your gears. Its over, Dis, Basil added angrily. This tournament ends here and now. Dis turned red. Its golden circuits zed with a crimson glow. The countless Neurotowers surging through the sea of darkness burned like candles, their reach touching scars in the very fabric of reality. The screen messages turned from blue to red.
ERROR DETECTED!
ERROR! Unresolved query! ERROR!
As the Maleking said, Vasi whispered. Without Maxwell, its just a mindless animal. It doesnt know what to do without a guiding hand. Maxwell had never imagined someone reaching the final stage of the tournament would turn down unlimited power; no doubt he had failed to take his own demise into ount either. Dis was bugging out like aputer unable to resolve its conflicting algorithms. Basil only saw one way to end this madness once and for all. Vasi, carry me closer. I need to touch it. His girlfriend sent him a strange look, until she guessed what he nned to do. Are you sure it will work? Cant know until Ive tried. And as grim as it sounded, their Party had a few empty spots left in it. It cant be more stubborn than to. I heard that, his best friend said. Vasi carried Basil within arms reach of Dis core Neurotower. He extended a hand at it, his frail finger caressing the abominations metal skin. It felt both warm and cold to the touch, neither alive nor dead. For all of its power, Dis was still a level 0 Monster. Basil couldnt undo the apocalypse, or destroy it.
Do you wish to add: [Dis, the System Apocalypse], to your party?
But he could tame it. Release Kalki and Padma, Basil ordered, his voice as sharp as a knife. Its time for you to sleep. Had there been anyone else capable of giving itmands, Dis would have probably shrugged it off. Maxwell, the Maleking, and Wyrde could have all disputed his supremacy. But since everyone on Earth had already perished except for the Bohens, Basil won by default. And like an office drone desperate for a managers praise, Dis answered hismand. The great Neurotower shuddered, as did its siblings across the void that used to be Earth. The light coursing through their circuits weakened alongside the power coursing through them. The scars and rifts connecting this horrible machine to countless worlds closed one after the other, severing Dis metal tentacles from the rest of its being. As for the petrified Avatars, holy light started breaking out of their stoneskin. Dis hold on them was weakening. What a pathetic creature, Basil thought. It has limitless power, but neither the intelligence nor the wisdom to use it. This diseases only instinct is to spread and grow. What an unforeseen ending The familiar voice echoed out of the darkness. A shiver ran down Basils skin, as he and his allies looked at its source; all of them expecting yet another fight. But the four-eyed shadow staring back at them was in no condition to wage a final bout. It was a paltry thing, a cloud of hellfire smoke slowly dissipating into the ether with each new word spoken; thest embers of a dying fire. So this was myst stand. I am to fade away, kindling for the pyre. The Maleking sounded neither bitter nor angry. In his warped mind, he must have considered such an oue natural. Failure meant death in the game of gods. Congrattions, mighty warriors. The throne of might is yours by right. Youve earned it. I wish you luck, however you deem fit to rule. Kings found their dignity where they could, even in defeat. Of all the sphemous abominations weve faced on our journey, I should hate you the most, Basil said with contempt. Youve killed a dear friend and countless innocents. All the pain and destruction your Horsemen spread lies squarely on your shoulders. Of the eight billion people who once called Earth their home, only four Bohens remained. The Maleking, the Unity, and Maxwell had killed everyone else. They had piled up a mountain of corpses and then became the mortar required to build the final step. But at the end of the day, I just feel pity for you, Basil confessed. You could have been so much more than what you ended up being. All this power and wisdom, wasted on what? One more level? A self-destructive search for strength? Its just so pointless. Is that how you feel, Basil? The Maleking answered his killers sympathy with a grim chuckle. Remorse is not in a demons nature. I have lived by my creed and died by it. I carry no regrets with me into the abyss. He would remain unrepentant to the end. But tell me, Basil The Malekings eyes met Basils own, flickering in and out of sight. This question was hisst request. What do you think is the source of your strength? Do you even need to ask? Basil waved a hand at his allies, his friends. Youre looking at them. The Maleking shook his head. An interesting answer but not the correct one. Even now, you understand nothing, Vasi said calmly. Oh, I do, great queen of witches. The Maleking eyed Basil with what could pass for respect. You have gathered strong allies, that is true. But the bonds you have forged are the consequence of your true strength, not its source. His true strength? Basil frowned in confusion, unable to figure out the Malekings riddle. Why are you telling me this? Those who dont understand themselves are doomed to falter, the demon replied wisely. For wherever you go, Basil there you will be. Friendse and go, as do sesses, but one can never escape themselves. As far as Zen advice goes, Lao Tsu, Ive heard better, to rasped. The simplest truths are the most important ones. The Malekings body disintegrated until only his eyes remained. His voice echoed into the voice onest time. Remember this, defenders of Earth. The Maleking is not a name; it is a title worn by all those who worship power above all else. I was not the first, and I will not be thest. As long as one being desires to climb the mountain of strength they shall be my heir in spirit. And well cast your sessors down to Hell, Basil replied with determination. As many times as it takes. The Maleking let out a finalugh as he faded away for good, another ghost filling the grave. His eyes closed, and then even his shadow was gone. The holy light finally escaped the Avatars statue and illuminated the darkness. From the Bohens point of view, it was akin to witnessing the birth of a sun. The prison of stone holding the gods captive exploded into a flood of starlight that grew, and grew, and grew, as far as the naked eye could see. A warmth filled the void where there was once cold alone; it was neither the searing heat of the Malekings hellfire nor the gentle caress of true sunlight, but something otherworldly. Something divine. A gentle warmth that soothed not only the pain in Basils flesh and soul alike. This new suns radiance should have blinded all onlookers, but Basils eyes did not hurt when he looked at it. The new white star had be sorge that the Neurotower beneath it appeared norger than a needle pointing at a ser ball. The Bohens looked at each other in their dread, crushed by the weight of their insignificance. More lights appeared in the endless void that had once been Earth. A swarm of eight stars approached in the shape of a mighty, crescent-shaped constetion. Each was a different color, from vivid red to a strange indigo. A new set of suns followed in. There were three, two bright yellow stars and an eclipsed one floating above the others; a ck moon obscured the third sun, as if to protect the universe from its destructive radiance. The memory of a video shed back in Basils mind: that of a great hand holding the Earth and moon in its palm, all under the gaze of a sentient sun. Eyes, Basil guessed. Those are eyes. Men had tried to represent the gods of the Trimurti in human terms, with human faces and human hands, because mortals struggled to conceive infinity. Vishnus avatar had been a mortal of flesh and blood, a gentle mask meant to reassure ants infinitely smaller than the deitys true self. But the Lords of the Trimurti were not ascended humans. They were the cycle of creation and entropy incarnate. They were concepts as pervasive as maism and as inescapable as gravity. One could not fit a ck hole into a human skull. Neither could Basils human mind possiblyprehend the sheer scale of what his eyes observed. His brain identified the Trimurti as stars because those were the next bestparison. Yet those suns were naught but a tiny sample of impossiblyrger entities. Their voices echoed across the infinity and into the Bohens minds. I am Brahma, the Creator, said the constetion, each word a song. From my dreams the cosmos arose, and from my thoughts the soul of all things. I am Vishnu, the Preserver, said the sun atop the Neurotower. Its voice reminded Basil of Kalki and Padma speaking at once, their tone perfectly synchronized. I am the protector, the guardian, the defender of the spirit. I am Shiva, the Destroyer, said the three suns, their voices a quiet storm. I weave worlds and I unmake them. None of the Bohens dared to speak up. Even these survivors of a hundred battles felt small and awed before these three titans. Apollyon and the Maleking alike were no more than bugs inparison. We are the Trimurti, the divine trio spoke as one. The three faces of the universe. They put Vainqueur the Dragon, one of the few creatures Basil considered a god, to shame in their size and power. Or perhaps the ancient wyrms true self rivaled them, and the Bohens had only ever encountered a small avatar. This voice Bugsy cleared his throat, his eyes squinting at the central sun. The cowardly centipede who had begged Basil to spare his life had grown into a great warrior unafraid of the gods themselves. Is that you, Mr. Kalki? Are you in there? Kalki was a part of me, but I am greater. The central sunsforting, musical voice soothed all of Basils worries with a balms smoothness. He was a drop in the ocean that is my soul. I remember our nights around the campfire, and the great kindness you have shown me. Whether god or mortal, our friendship will endure forevermore. You have done the universe a great service in destroying that fiend Mammon and shackling Dis, Shiva added. We can now wipe away the filth that has infected this reality for the good of all. At this moment, after a hard-fought battle and a hard-won battle, Basil finally realized one thing. The long war was over. Thepetition for Overgod had well and truly ended. The triad of Maxwell, Wyrde, and the Maleking had been crushed. The Trimurti were back in control of the System. The Bohens had prevailed against all odds. And half the team perished to make it happen. The crushing weight of Rosemarines absence, of Shellgirls demise, fell upon Basils shoulders. He quickly noticed another absence, who he had missed in his desperate rush to stop Dis once and for all. Wheres Steve? Basil asked, though he already knew the answer. Vasi looked away from him, her silence an answer in itself. Basil looked down into the infinite abyss below them. His thoughts were as dark as its depths. Vishnu whispered into the void, his voice full of concern. Basil Why? Basils voice broke in his throat. Why? He was so, so very tired of watching people die. Ren, Kuikui, Orcine, Benjamin, Neria, Lenc, Simeon, Rosemarine, Shellgirl, Steve his mother. Those came to mind, but they were but a few names on a very long list. Basil had outlived so many friends and loved ones. Why did you let this happen? Basil asked the Trimurti. The words flowed out of his mouth and heart alike. Youre gods. You are so powerful that you create worlds and unmake them. So why did you fill so many with death and sorrow? What point is there to all this suffering? Basil just didnt understand. What else would you need from us that you dont already possess? Brahma asked calmly. Are you not gifted with a sun to banish the cold night? A flourishingnd that nurtures your body? A thousand wonders to help the mind flourish and fill it with wisdom? What answers do you expect from us, that you cannot find yourselves? Mortals have all the tools required to build themselves a heaven, Shiva added. Yet too often do they dig a Hell of their own instead. They are the architects of their own suffering. Humanity needs neither gods nor eternal life to conquer pain and sorrow, Basil, Vishnu finished. All that men need to make a paradise of their own ispassion. Basil looked up at this wise old sun. Compassion? It takes greater strength to answer pain with understanding, to repay a wound with an open hand, Vishnu replied. With sufficient knowledge and cooperation, mortals can conquer even death. Peace is only found in an unyielding spirit. Vasi frowned in skepticism, no more convinced than Basil was. Why not show us the proper way then? We offer guidance to those who ask, Shiva replied. However, what we want for you is not necessarily what you need, let alone desire. No one is infallible; not even the gods. There is always more room to grow. The quest for perfection is an endless journey. Such humility was refreshing for a would-be deity, but it didnt help Basil feel better. Walter was right, he whispered bitterly. The necromancer, who had guided Basil until the final battle, had always been vocal in his distrust of the gods. Though Basil still believed in the Lord, hearing these three titanic entities admit their ignorance left him deeply unsatisfied. Even gods dont have the answers. We have answers to provide, Shiva pointed out. But we do not strike you down when you fail to listen. This is the nature of free-will. Is that what you would want from us, Basil? To subsume your will with our own? Vishnus sun flickered like a blinking eye. We could force you into the proper path, Basil, but you have seen for yourself where that kind of thinking leads. The smell of Shumen burning came back to Basils mind. It leads to the Unity. Yes, it does. A great wind blew out of nowhere into the void; so did the god Vishnu sigh. We have long ago decided to offer guidance rather than orders. To help mortals grow is our untainted purpose, Brahma added. Maxwells lies were built upon a truthful foundation. Deities create Systems to help mortals ascend to a greater state of existence. They gain experience, knowledge, power, and wisdom. But most mistake godhood for the end in a journey, rather than the next step towards greater understanding. Shivas three eyes gazed upon Dis central Neurotower. It allows this foul creature and its kind to lure fools into their embrace, to corrupt our work and taint it with evil. The weak of heart crave the strength of the body, thinking it will grant them protection from their innermost fear, but they are mistaken. The constetion of Brahma let out a bright sh into the void, each of the stars unleashing a sr pulse. Many virtues lead to greatness, but evil only grows from pain, pride and greed. So I was right. Vasi sighed. Without Dis, the Trimurti System would have been simr to Outremondes. Yes, Vishnu confirmed. Mortals have summoned us to the material ne for many eons, and each time we delivered a System unto them. One that rewards work and benevolence as much as the strength of arms. But the greatest lights cast the greatest shadows. Our gifts attracted parasites such as Mammon and his ilk, who sought to pervert them. Dis corrupted our System into one that worshiped strength and fed it the souls of the dead, Brahma continued. Now that you have shackled this parasite and freed our brethren Vishnu, we can finally take back control. We can finally recreate the world rather than watch helplessly. We shall purge this abomination from the Multiverse for good. Shivas eclipsed eye brightened, as if the obscured sun prepared to go supernova any instant. Without Mammon to let this cancer grow back, this incarnation of Dis shall be thest. Your world will finally be free of its corruption. to, who had listened in silence so far, finally opened his mouth again. Then can you bring them back? he asked wisely. Our friends? Can you bring them back? We can, Brahma said. Basils heart quickened with hope But not as you imagine it, Shiva added. it was quashed just as quickly. Their souls have already passed into the bowels of Dis and lost their identity, Brahma exined. We can bring their spirits back when we recreate the world, but they wont be as you know them. They will be echoes. New incarnations. Their feelings might endure the transition, Vishnu said with a hint of sadness. But they wont remember you. Theyre gone then? Bugsy sighed in disappointment, a sorrow Basil shared. It wont be them. Shivas mighty voice became softer. Mortals, your error is to think death is the end of all things. As new creation requires destruction, so is death both an end and a beginning. Their souls will endure and be reborn, purified of their sins and sorrow. Reincarnation is a second chance at life, Brahma added. A new chance to find happiness and ascension, free from the sorrows of the past. A second chance at life? It sounded good on paper, but Basil couldnt remove the bitter aftertaste in his mouth. Sounds like a shitty constion prize to me. Vishnus light shone upon him. Basil could feel the gaze of Kalki behind it, the warmth of a friends concern. Basil, you have lost so much before the world ended. When Dis arrived, you lost a home and family. Yet in spite of all the pain and sorrow, you carried on. The great god of preservation marked a short pause, his final question echoing Basils own. Why? Did he even need to ask? Because I had them. Basil nced at his team, who all smiled back at him. Because I hoped to share a better tomorrow. Because no matter the hardships and ordeals it threw at Basil, life was worth living when shared with loved ones. Then carry on, and find the dawn youre looking for, Vishnu said wisely. If not for the living, then for the dead who made it possible. To carry on? Basil. Basil nced at to. The feline locked eyes with him, his gaze as somber as it was hopeful. Do you remember what Ren asked us to put on his tomb before he died? How could Basil forget? He had engraved the words himself. In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me therey an invincible summer. Ren had always been a bit too fond of Camus. When Ren died it hurt. tos voice broke in his throat. The two of you were more than my owners. You were my world. Losing half of it was it was hard. Basil nodded slowly. He understood this pain because he had shared it. But we bounced back, did we not? We preserved and we found happiness. Because thats what he wanted for us. to sighed. Shellgirl she was always full of ideas. You need a heart full of hope and determination to be an entrepreneur. Rosemarine too was always cheerful. A bit too much. Steve carried our asses across half of Europe withoutining. What are you getting at? Even if theyre gone, Im gonna live, Basil. Ive died eight times already, and Ill enjoy myst life to the fullest. tos lips pursed into a bittersweet smile. Because thats what I would have wanted for them in their ce. Basil did not answer immediately. He mulled over his former cats insightful words, seeing the wisdom in them. Boss so many are gone, but were still here. Bugsygentle, humble Bugsy, who found joy even in the smallest thingspped his wings of fire. His heart burned as bright as the star that made up his tail. No matter what happens, well be here. We still have a new house to build. Theres so much I have to show you, Basil. Vasi tightened her grip on her boyfriend and kissed him on the neck. You still havent seen my homnd. You would love it. Her homnd, with a father and mother to go back to. A world where other friends, like Ronald, had fled to safety. Much had been lost in the fighting, but Vishnu was correct. No matter how dark the night, one could always look forward to seeing the dawn rise beyond the horizon. His heart strengthened, Basil reached a decision. Oh Lords of the Trimurti, he said, addressing the masters of the System. Hear my wish. The stars gazed upon him. I plead with you, not to recreate the world as it was, or as I want it to be. Paradise belonged to everyone. I ask that you recreate Earth as its people need it! A world where all these restless souls, men, and monsters, can coexist as our troupe did! A world where the Trimurti System does not reward pointless strength, but wisdom and peace! A world his dead friends would have wanted to live in. And the three lords of the Trimurti answered his wish with a single voice, full of warmth and gentle care. Let there be light. Their radiance filled the endless void without a sound, disintegrating Dis. The great machine copsed into nothingness, its brittle steel born of sin crushed before the power of true deities. The rift closed and the disease they spread was forever eradicated. The souls of Dis victims erupted from the broken Neurotowers in a fearsome tide. The wicked would be the mortals for a new Earth; the just would be granted a second chance at happiness. Basil held onto Vasi as the big bang swallowed them. Bugsy and to joined them, the Bohens standing together before the dawn. Its beautiful, Vasi whispered. Yes, her boyfriend replied softly. It is. The world had ended and began anew. Chapter 140: Man vs Epilogue (Final Chapter) Chapter 140: Man vs Epilogue (Final Chapter) When Basil Bohen woke up, his world had changed. The day started like the one where civilization first ended: with a ck Bombay cat kneading his back and howling for breakfast. Yeah yeah, gimme a second, Basil grumbled as he rose out of bed. to immediately bolted out of the room and towards the kitchen. Some things never change. After rubbing his tired eyelids, Basil strode out of the bedroom and moved on to the well-stocked kitchen. It felt like a lifetime ago since hest walked the rooms of Rens house. The Trimurti had rebuilt it from scratch, down to the veryst brick. Basil could almost smell the nostalgia in the air. He had grown weary of it. Basil prepared breakfast behind his counter, the dim morning light falling through his window. A peaceful emerald aurora glowed in the sky. It meshed well with the greenery outside and soothed Basils heart. There. Basil gave his cat a bowl of food. Be ready, our visitors will arrive at noon. His cat nodded without a word and then quickly buried his nose into the food. Basil couldnt suppress a smile. After taking a shower and stocking thest of his belongings into his inventoryexcept for his RenaultBasil patiently waited for his visitors to arrive. He sat on the threshold, sipping his coffee cup to the tune of birds signing across the marshes. He had almost forgotten how much he enjoyed the Barthes simple, natural beauty. He would miss it dearly. A familiar ck Mercedes drove along the path leading to the house and stopped quietly by. The driver, a petite woman still wearing her gendarme uniform, stepped down first. Her new boyfriend followed after her alongside his little daughter. He was an unassuming man with short red hair and sses. His eyes darted around at the greenery, which he was clearly unused to. It felt so strange to see Benjamin missing his horns and wings. Wee to your new home, Officer Elissalde. Basil warmly shook the drivers hand. Are these yourpanion and stepdaughter? They arrived straight from Paris, Neria replied with a kind smile. She put a hand on the child following her. Come on Celia, say hello to Mr. Bohen. Hello, the little girl said shyly. She looked so much like her father, with inquisitive eyes and short ck hair. What level are you, Mister? Celia! Neria scolded her. Thats not something you ask of strangers! I do admit I am curious too. Benjamin examined Basil quietly, his eyes sharp as an eagles. I possess a Perk that allows me to see someones sses and levels, but it says yours is too high to analyze. This is the first time such thing has happened to me. Lets just say Ive gone through a lot of adventures in the past few months, Basil replied evasively. Im not a social person, so my cat and I had plenty of time to do Quests. Celias eyes lit up when he mentioned to. The Bombay cat emerged from the house as if on cue, much to the childs delight. Hes so beautiful, she whispered before quickly scratching his ears. to, never one to miss an opportunity to be spoiled, let her touch him. Whats his name? to, Basil answered, smirking. Hes quite the glutton, but he kept me safe in troubled times. to red at him in silence while basking in Celias adoration. Thest few months have been strange for us all, Neria said. Im still not used to the System, nor the fact a dungeon sprang up so close to Dax of all ces. Benjamin nodded sharply. Its been over six months since the System appeared, and we still understand little of it. If only he knew he helped design it once, Basil mused. Neria told me you came here to study the Barthes dungeon? The French head of the European Dungeon Management Agency, General Lenc, personally assigned me to monitor this ce. Benjamin smiled at his girlfriend. Though I suspect he mostly transferred me there so that I might settle with Neria. Thankfully, I knew a few friends in Bordeaux who have the Generals ear, Neria replied coyly. Your sale offer came in the nick of time, Mr. Bohen. It felt like fate at work. Is that so? Basil mused. Well, youll find no closer ce to the dungeon than this one. What can you tell us of it? Benjamin asked, suddenly tense. He probably worried for his childs safety. Should we expect to raise a fence? Basil shook his head. Most critters here arepletely harmless, and the goblins are good neighbors so long as you respect their personal space. Theyll even let you explore the dungeons depths if you ask nicely. Basil would never have expected to get along with the little bastards, but most monsters turned out to be quite friendly when not born with the instinctive urge to kill yers. I put in a good word with the local tribe for your arrival, Basil said. Theyre fond of jerky, so I suggest introducing yourselves by inviting them to a feast for introductions. Once you do, youll be part of the tribe in all but name. Goblins? Celia asked, suddenly interested. Do they ride flying pigs? Ive heard they do that. No, but they train horned rabbits, Basil replied with amusement. I keep a few in my backyard, if you want to pet one. Celia immediately lost interest in to, much to his annoyance. Can I go, Father? I have no objection, her father replied calmly. Mr. Bohen can give us a tour of the house in the meantime. It would be my pleasure, Basil replied before inviting them inside. This way please. The visit was short and to the point. While it pleased Basil to see Neria and Benjamin happy, their presence in the house left him unsettled. It had been nearly four weeks since the Trimurti recreated the world, and Basil mostly spent them putting his affairs in order and checking on his old acquaintances. As it turned out, these reincarnated people were strangers to him. They wore the same face as the people he once knew, but retained neither their memories nor history. They kept simr mannerisms, enough to make Basil uneasy in their presence, but there were subtle differences in their behavior that betrayed the illusion. Simeon led an adventurer guild in Bulgaria, one that earned fame for teaming up with dragons rather than killing them; General Lenc managed the new agency in charge of dealing with System-rted phenomena; Benjamin met Neria years before the System appeared while on vacation and recently decided to move in with her. As the Trimurti said, theyd all earned a new chance at a happy life, freed from their bitter past. A pity Basil no longer fit in it. As far as Neria knew, they had only met a few weeks ago when she approached him about potentially buying his house. Their battle-forged friendship now only existed in his memories. I remember you saying you expected a fourth person? Basil asked as he showed Benjamin and Neria the guest room. He briefly peeked through the window to check on Celia, finding her ying with his horned rabbits under tos watch. Will they be arriving soon? Celias Tunisian penpal will spend the summer with us, but she wont arrive before the months end, Benjamin replied with a groan. Her cat Misha has more levels than all of usbined. At this rate, cats will reach level 30 before humans do, Neria said. The highest level recorded so far is 27. Basil wondered how they would react if he revealed his true level. Level progression in the new Trimurti System was painfully slow, especially since experience gains had been divorced from the act of murder. Fighting provided experience, but the System saw no difference between a sportspetition and a fight to the death. It rewarded increasing skills, not the act of shedding blood. As a result, many people leveled up without ever meeting a monster. Musicians gained experience ying their craft; gardeners raised happy vegetables that could talk to them; alchemists became better at brewing medicine with each life saved. The idea that one could ughter their way to godhood was relegated to the most condemned of conspiracy theories. Neither had the appearance of dungeons caused society to copse. Since they no longer felt the urge to kill for levels, many monsters were more than willing to coexist peacefully with humankind; while the army and police could handle those that remained hostile. Dungeon coresthe strange runestones that reced Neurotowerswere an energy resource waiting to be exploited, as oil and uranium before them. The appearance of dungeons was no longer a tragedy, but a change. Much like the industrial revolution altered the course of history, the System had be something to seize rather than to suffer through. Europe, the USA, China all power blocks across the world not only survived its appearance, but studied how they could benefit from it. Some things wont change though, Basil thought. He had heard many officials discuss the Systems potential for warfare, how it would change the worlds power bnce, and how crafter-made AI might one day take over the world. Even without Dis, fear and greed endure. But Basil kept faith. He knew things would eventually improve. After all, mankind had bounced back from its own utter annihtion. The human spirit could ovee even its darker nature, given time. Im quite surprised youre selling this house at all, Benjamin noted afterpleting the tour. The rune-powered generator in the basement particrly impressed him. You could earn three times more than your current price. Its not a question of money, Basil replied. This house belonged to a dear friend of mine. I wanted the new owners to treat it with the respect it deserves. We will, Neria reassured him kindly. I promise you that your faith in us isnt misced. We will take good care of this house. Basil smiled. I know. How so? Benjamin asked with a frown. I appreciate the trust youve shown us, but you seem awfully confident. Call it a gut feeling. But I assure you that I didnt make the decision lightly. Basil had seen these two at their best and worst; they would treat Rens legacy with respect. Im about to move somewhere far away, and I dont think Ill evere back. This ce carries memories dear to me, and I wanted to entrust it to good people. Memories Nerias eyes wandered to the window and the brilliant aurora in the sky. Ive heard someone tell me once that once a friend departs, all we have left are memories. It is through them that we maintain an eternal bond with the dead. Basils smile faded away slightly. Yes, he replied to this former friend, who returned from the dead, thats a nice way to say it. An eternal bond. Afterward, Basil gave the couple a rundown on how to raise his poultry and rabbitsthough he had the feeling little Celia would do much of it herselfgave them the key, and departed the house. He drove away in his Renault with to upying the seat next to him. Basil gave the house onest nce on the way out, one without bitterness nor sorrow. He had already said goodbye to its first incarnation in another lifetime, after watching it burn away. Rens home would enjoy a second life too, with a new guard kind enough to see it prosper. He hoped Neria and Benjamin could make happy memories of their own there. to? Basil asked as they drove through the marsh. What? his best friend answered. How long do you intend to sulk? Until the end of time. The cat dropped the illusion he had d himself in and revealed his true self: an adorable Rakshasa kitten, whose eyes were brimming with sadness and frustration. I was a smilodon, Basil! A sabertoothy tigergod of the hunt! This is unjust! Artemis divine essence had to go back home at some point, Basil pointed out. He was mourning his lost halberd, and had yet to choose another Soulbound Weapon to rece it with. Without Dis to keep them bound to Earth, the old gods of Olympus vanished after the Trimurti recreated Earth. Youre still the most powerful feline on the. So strong, in fact, that he had to disguise himself as a normal cat so as not to spook the locals. But Bugsy kept his wings! Why couldnt I keep my fangs? to started grooming himself to destress. No amount of saliva can lick away my suffering! Your appearance doesnt matter to me, to. Basil gently scratched his friend behind the ears. Youll always be a tiger king to me. It took much rubbing, but his gentle hand eventually won over to. Mmm your ttery does soothe my pain a bit. Please do it again, for the rest of your life. Ill think about it, Basil mused. The world may have changed, but their friendship had not. We should find another god to take the essence from, to suggested, the same way a child would suggest buying candy from a store. We must salvage this situation, Basil. For my sake. I deserve to be a smilodon. Yes, some things never changed. The Renault trailed along the riverbank, before stopping next to an empty church. A graveyard on a mound oversaw the water below under the radiant sunlight. Bugsy was busy decorating the tombstones with a tasteful arrangement of flowers; each memorial weed its own uniquebination of roses, tulips, sunflowers, and other colorfulbinations. The wind blew their delicious smell all over the marsh, attracting fist-sized bees and phantom dragonflies. Wee, Boss, to. Bugsy had lost his star-tail alongside Apollos essence, but miraculously kept his wings of fire. His loss of divine power hadnt diminished his enthusiasm in the slightest. How did the sale go? Pretty good. Basil stored the Renault inside his inventory after he and to set foot outside it. This car was no recement for Steve, but it would prove useful in the journey toe. Are you sure you dont want to say goodbye to the house before we leave? Why, Boss? Bugsy pointed at a spot on his body, which Basil assumed housed the heart. It will always be safe here. You know, must you keep calling Basil Boss? to said joyfully. ttery gets to his head. Thats riching from you, Basil replied with a smirk. But hes not wrong, Bugsy. Youve saved my life and Earth along with it. We should make you the new boss. Nah, Ill keep calling you Boss, Basil. Bugsy chuckled to himself. Im your friend and your subordinate both. Funny, a familiar voice said from behind the Bohens. Hagen told me the same once. It didnt surprise Basil that Walter Tye could sneak up on a level ny-six party without being detected. The dragonknight looked over his shoulder to find his favorite shopkeeper standing behind him, his arms crossed with a thoughtful look on his face. These gods of yours could have done more to reward you, he said with a snort. Though I will admit raising eight billion souls from the dead is quite theudable feat. Not to mention rebuilding an entire reality from scratch. Could you have done it, oh arrogant necromancer? to asked mirthfully. Walter Tye frowned in annoyance, but he was proud enough not to lie. I admit such disy of power is beyond me at least for now. I am convinced mortals can surpass the gods given enough time. We know they can be gods at least, Basil replied. The implications of Walter Tyes presence worried him a bit. If youre here, I assume there is no Level Barrier to keep you out of Earth? There is a barrier, but I figured out a way around it. I am an archmage after all. Walter smiled thinly. Dont fret, Basil. Your world has powerful defenders, who will make sure no wandering terror threatens it. Such as you? to asked with a healthy dose of skepticism. Did you mistake me for an ungrateful wretch, young feline? Walter shrugged. Your lot saved my world and many others from disaster. Should you find yourself in need of shelter, you will always find sanctuary with me. I assume many share this sentiment across the cosmos. Basil nodded in thankfulness. After shouldering the weight of a world on his shoulders, it felt good to have friends willing to help share the burden. With the likes of Vainqueur and Walter watching over the newborn Earth from afar, no new Maleking would ever despoil it again. As for Dis, itsplete destruction meant that Maxwells kind would not return to sow tragedies across the cosmos. The Systems touched by the abomination purged it in the wake of the Trimurtis return to power. ckcinders, Wyrde, the Maleking, the Horsemen all of these viins did not return from the dead either, their souls having be the mortar of the reborn Earth. Much like its victims, nothing remained of Dis legacy but memories. And that was for the best. Although remnants of both the Apocalypse Force and the Unity remain afoot. Walters smile turned into a scowl. I doubt theyll amount to much with their leadership decapitated, but even the smallest weeds can overrun a garden if left unattended. Well go after them, Bugsy replied with a sharp, decisive nod. Ronald and the rest of our Guild are waiting for us in Outremonde to begin the hunt. Well wipe out these factions and ensure they wont make aeback, Basil confirmed. Well nip the Malekings would-be heirs in the bud. And what will you do afterward? Walter asked, an eyebrow raised. Settle in your girlfriends homeworld? Never! to snarled. I shall not stand a world where barbarians eat my kind for breakfast! Well keep visiting Vasis family on holidays, but weve decided to build a home somewhere else, Basil said as he prayed for the dead. The multiverse is a vast ce. There has to be a world that satisfies us all. A dozen tombstones were erected in the yard. One belonged to Ren; and another, to Basils mother Aleksandra. Her presence there surprised Basil; he assumed this new reality followed a different history than the one it overwrote. Celia being alive in this reality, although her original self had perished long before the System appeared, only confirmed it to him. Perhaps Aleksandra had enjoyed a better rtionship with her son and came to live with him before passing on from natural causes. He wasnt too interested in learning more. This new world was as foreign to Basil as Outremonde. He simply no longer fit in. It didnt bother Basil much. His team was his home. He could settle in the very depths of Hell, so long as he had them by his side. The knowledge his human friends would live happy lives soothed his heart. Other tombstones contained no corpses, yet honored the dead nheless. Basil prayed before each of them, with to, Bugsy, and Walter watching in solemn silence. The words engraved on the stony surface would remain for future generations.
Shellgirl
2022-2023
She always gave joy for free.
Rosemarine Entine de Barthe
2022-2023
She ate the moon and spat out the sun.
Steve Roadwonders
2022-2023
A Bohen until the very end.
Perhaps they were alive out there, in a reincarnated form. Basil hoped so. The Trimurti told him that death was not quite the end, and he had faced enough undead to give their word credence. Well meet them again someday, Boss, Bugsy said with certainty. I can feel it in my gut. We will, to confirmed. Do you remember when we met Ren again, Basil? I do, he replied. One day, we will all end up in the same ce again. It is only a matter of years before this worlds humans develop portal magic of their own, Walter pointed out. I wonder if some will figure out how much you sacrificed for their sake. Basil shrugged. I dont care if they do. Basil never wanted to be an Overgod nor to be worshiped as a hero; he only wanted to get the job done and then live the rest of his life in peace. He had achieved half of this goal and would work hard toplete the other. Well, I do. to licked his fur. They owe us a statue or two. Oh, Little Nessia said her people intend to build us one! Bugsy chirped happily. I cant wait to see her again! to was immediately interested. Perhaps we should settle in the Sunsea. Ive heard the weather is nice, and they worship winged cats. Little Nessia should never have mentioned that sphinx demigoddess in tos presence. It sowed the seed of future disasters. Youre also wee to visit my world when you wish it to, Walter said. I have big ns, and adventurers of your caliber would help make them a reality. tos head perked up in interest. Do you have more gods to hunt? Not quite, Walter replied, much to the felines disappointment. But Ive told you that I wandered the multiverse looking for a way to save my world from entropy. The way you brought your own back from the brink only strengthened my resolve. Visiting Walters world wasnt high among the teams priorities, but Basil guessed they could give it a shot. He wouldnt turn down people in need. We could stop there after the Sunsea, he said, Im sure Vasi would enjoy reading through your magical library. Where is she by the way? Walter asked with a frown. Already in Outremonde? Basil raised an eyebrow in surprise. Shouldnt you read our minds to find out? I cant do that anymore. Walter chuckled darkly. Youre only three levels behind me, Basil. I would need to break down your minds door, and even then Im not sure I would seed. Good to know, Basil replied, quite pleased. He didnt like having anyone inside his head. Im still four levels away frompleting Technomancer. Basil wondered what would happen if he were to reach level 100 now. Would he ascend to godhood? Or would he ascend to another world with greater dangers and adventures to offer, as Victor Dalton once suggested to him long ago? I wouldnt worry too much, Walter said with a smirk. At your current power, it might be years before you gain a level, let alone four. I thought you couldnt read minds anymore? I cant, Basil, but you remain an open book. The necromancer looked to his left, right as a rift in space opened. A familiar fairy stepped through it. Vasi, here you are. Walter, have youe to escort us? Vasi rejoined her boyfriend and kissed him on the lip. She alone hadnt changed in the slightest, as no divine essence from Earth powered her. Sorry to have kept you waiting. I would wait forever for you, Basil joked. His girlfriend answered with a shortugh. But I do wonder, what took you so long? I went to check on Simeon in Bucharest and got sidetracked, Vasi replied. The Swords of Saint-George are doing great, by the way. Good for them. It pleased Basil to know his homnd would be in the hands of great and capable adventurers. I should tell Bulgaria goodbye next. I was about to suggest we make a stop in Shumen. Vasi grinned ear to ear. You wont believe what awaits us there. Oh? Basil couldnt suppress his curiosity. Lead the way then. Are youing with us, Mr. Tye? Bugsy asked. I will take my leave, Walter replied calmly. I have the feeling we will meet again soon. Vasi put her hands on her waist. So long as it doesnt involve B&C games. Walters smirk widened further. I was about to suggest Monster Poker. Whatever the game, I will take you on with all my might, Basil boasted. Vasi rolled her eyes. Thats what Im afraid of. I shall await your challenge then, Basil. Walter saluted them with a short reverence; a small gesture that,ing from someone so proud and powerful, meant a great deal indeed. We shall meet again, my friends. He vanished in a cloud of smoke, leaving the Bohens alone. I dont know if it''s just me, Vasi said with a coy smile. But he sounds nicer than before. I think he is. Basil chuckled. Even the living dead could warm up to others, I suppose. I should learn to teleport too, to said as he stepped first through the portal. It would work wonders for dramatic exits. Just turn invisible, Basil replied. He crossed the rift and froze upon facing what awaited him on the other side. Once a small metropolis amidst broken hills, Shumen had changed quite a great deal with the worlds rebirth. The Founders of the Bulgarian State Monument stood tall over a vast jungle that swallowed houses and buildings alike. A primordial forest had grown in symbiosis with the city, covering concrete towers in protective moss, raising rows of trees along the road, and causing vines stairs to link elevated wooden houses together. Shumen had be and where nature and civilization intermingled together into a cohesive, peaceful lot. A field of familiar nts stretched before the Bohens in the middle of what must have been a park. A hundred mouths salivated at theiring, chirping in joy. Oh, a Mister! A carnivorous nt observed Basil head to toe, her maw many shades of gold, her leaves shining like emeralds. Wee, wee! Who is this Mister? another nt asked. She looked almost identical to the first, albeit younger and not yet fully grown. He is so tall! Basils heart skipped a beat in his chest as a small horde of tiny monsters norger than to gathered around his team. Small vine legs carried them out of the ground. Some wore ribbons, others rosy bow ties. Basil had to hold back tears when his Monster Insight sent him a notification.
Kints
Level 2 [nt]
A hundred baby Rosemarines hade to greet the Bohens. Thats a big bug! one of the Kints said upon noticing an astonished Bugsy. When Im grown, Ill be as fearsome as he is! Mister, can I eat your shoes? One of the nts tugged Basils sleeve, saliva dripping from her mouth. Im hungry! Basil, unable to resist such beautiful greenery, tossed his shoes to the Kints. They promptly caught the treat in midair within their jaws and chewed them whole. I cant believe it to was at a loss for words. Even the unppable cat knew not how to respond to this strange turn of events. How how is this possible? This this is the ce. Bugsy nced around, his eyes widening in joy. After ckcinders destroyed Shumen, Rose she sowed the seeds of a forest over the ruins. Could one of them be Rosemarine reborn? Basil wondered as he observed this beautiful, talking garden. If so, then Shellgirl and the others Are they out there somewhere, waiting for us? Its what Vishnu said, Vasi whispered. The dead may be gone, but their feelings remain. The good people left behind lived long after them. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness'' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The words echoed in Basils head, both an encouragement and a sermon. He remembered his battle with the Maleking, the warmth that spurred him to carry on the fight, and he finally figured out his answer. I think I understand now, Basil whispered. Its faith. Faith? Vasi squinted at him in her confusion. In your God? This is the answer to the Malekings question. About the source of my strength. Basil had mulled long and hard over this conundrum. Everyone puts his faith in something. Some believe in themselves, or their skills. Others trust in luck, in magic, in money, or science. But at their core, all of these beliefs share the same root, to guessed. Yes, they do. Basil looked up at the sky, where the sun and moon both shone brightly. No fake stars nor circuit marred the heavens beauty. To have faith is to believe that there is something out there that can make life better. That you can find happiness. And that was why Basil first gave a centipede a second chance after they tried to y him; why he had let Rosemarine, Shellgirl, and Vasi into his life; why he had spared Benjamin in spite of all his crimes. Because Basil thought things would turn out for the better. Because he had faith in the future. And as he watched the sun illuminate a reborn Shumen teeming with life, Basil knew that both this world and his party had many happy days ahead of them. The Bohens time on Earth had ended. But their journey had only just begun.
DISMAKER LABS WISHES YOU A HAPPY ENDING!
Art by Dinovo
The Bohens'' pre-final battle stats:
Name Basil Jean-Franois Bohen Type Humanoid Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) EXP 57,527,848/60,000,000 Immune Resist Weak N/A Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Wood, Fire, Water, Ailments. Manyer, Soul, Wind, Lightning, Light. Level Health Points Special Points 87 (Tamer 20; Alchemist 1; Runesmith 9; Technomancer 3; Deathknight of the Sepulcher 10; Dragonknight 20; Warrior Saint 10; Chronomancer 14) 3480 1510 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 97 (+10%) 114 (+10%) 67 (+32 from equipment) (+10%) 70 (+10%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 73 (+10%) 72 (+10%) 85 (+10%) 70 (+10%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - Weak Strong Strong Strong - - Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Strong - Weak - Weak Weak - - Passive Perks Active Perks Monster Charmer III Runestorm I Runecraft Magic-Eater I Alchemy I Magitek Monster Lair II Spell: Fire Rune Runic II Spell: Ice Rune Duty Beyond Death Fuel Technology Monster Insight Monster Cure II All for One One for All II Soulbound Weapon Spell: Venomous Rune Lethal Vigil Spell: Corrosive Rune Dragoon II Spell: Savage Rune Dragon Rider II Deaths Banner II Dragonbane II Elemental Orb Double Jump II Dragonbreath II Wyrm Spirit Spell: Bless Weapon Turbo: Physical Spell: uracy Rune Sacrosaint Tactics II Spell: sh of Prescience Divine Auspices II Spell: Hasten Holy War Apotheosis Time Leap Chronomancy II Time eleration elerate Spell Permanent Buff Stasis Strike Alchemy I (Passive): you can craft alchemy items without need of a recipe and create your own through experimentations. The list of items you can craft includes potions, alchemy tools, mutagens, poisons and bombs. Monster Charmer III (Passive): You can recruit monsters into your [Party]. The monsters level must be equal or below yours to join, and they cannot outlevel you afterward. Monsters in your party gain a 20% boost to stat growth on level-up, but will also die if your HP hits 0. Recruited monsters cannot leave your party unless you allow them to. You automatically form a party with an original partner selected by the Trimurti System. You can unlock the hidden potential of a recruited monster, granting them an additional Perk they cannot ess in the wild. Monsters will keep these additional abilities even if you kick them out of your party. When monsters reach the level needed to undergo metamorphosis, they will now choose between multiple options rather than having one forced upon them.You must validate the choice as their Tamer. Monster Lair II (Passive): you can select a hideout or dungeon under your control as your personal Lair. Lairs offer benefits based on your level. You can select and improve your Lair by clicking on Status in your menu. Your monsters can now create Lairs of their own; however, they must have undergone a metamorphosis at least once. Your monsters will keep this ability and theirir even if they leave your party. Runic II (Passive): you can now learn and cast [Runic] Spells up to Tier II. If you gain the ability to cast [Runic] Spells from other sses or Perks, the Tiers stack together. Monster Insight (Passive): you can passively glean information from monsters by observing them closely, including their elemental affinities and useful trivia. Your chances of analyzing a monster depend on your Intelligence, their level, and the effect of secondary Perks. All for One (Passive): Tamer ss Capstone. You have proven that the bond uniting you to your monsters is unbreakable. All buffs and beneficial status effects affecting you apply to your monsters; however, status ailments and debuffs also carry over. [All for One] applies to your entire Guild. Soulbound Weapon (Passive): Select a weapon in which you have an advanced or perfect proficiency. This weapon will be bound to you, allowing you to teleport it to your hand at will as long as you both remain on the same world; it will also gain new abilities and improve in quality as you progress into the Deathknight of the Sepulchre ss. You can only select one Soulbound Weapon and cannot select a new one until the first is destroyed beyond repair. Lethal Vigil (Passive): Nothing will disturb your vigil. You are immune to all status ailments that would either impede your ability to freely choose your actions (such as [Berserk], [Madness], [Charm]...) or physically acting at all (such as [Paralysis], [Sleep], [Petrification]...). Self-inflicted ailments, such as those activated by your Perks or equipment, will still affect you. Dragoon II (Passive): You gain perfect proficiency with Swords, Spears and Shields (x3 damage, +30% Crit). Dragon Rider II (Passive): You gain perfect proficiency with riding creatures, but only those with the [Dragon] Type (+30% damage to attacks when mounted, you cannot be dismounted by anything unless you wish to be, your mounts Agility benefits from a perpetual buff, and you can direct your mount and attack without splitting your attention). Dragonbane II (Passive): not only will all your attacks made with weapons in which you have a proficiency inflict Dragonyer damage supereffective against [Dragon] types (x3 damage), but they will also ignore all of their natural forms of damage reductions (Equipment or Spell rted damage reductions are unaffected) and Resistances (but not Immunities). Double Jump II (Passive): You can jump continuously while in midair, allowing you to fly. Additionally, the distance of your leaps is doubled and the damage of your Spear weapons is doubled while in the air. Duty Beyond Death (Passive): not even death will stop you from fulfilling your duty. When your health points hit 0, you do not immediately die. Instead you gain the [Invincibility] status for 5 minutes, during which you cannot take any damage, nor suffer from debuffs and status ailments. However, you cannot regain HP and once the effect ends, so will your life. You also cannot be turned into an [Undead] type by any means, even willingly. Runecraft (Passive): you can now incorporate runes to your crafting process, permanently empowering your equipment with their additional effects. Wyrm Spirit (passive): Your determination to win at all costs is truly worthy of a dragon. Your attacks made with weapons, including your natural ones, increase in power equal to the percentage difference between your Max HP and current HP (so if reduced at half health, you will inflict 50% more damage). This modifier does not apply to Spells, but it affects Weapon Techniques. Turbo: Physical (Passive): Your [Physical] attacks ignore Resistance and inflict 30% more damage. Sacrosaint Tactics II (Passive): Grants +20% damage, damage resistance, evasion, and uracy to all party members. This reces [Sacrosaint Tactics I]. Divine Auspices II (Passive): You can now learn and cast [Prayer] Spells up to Tier II. If you gain the ability to cast [Prayer] Spells from other sses or Perks, the Tiers stack together. Additionally, if you possess Perks in other schools of magic, their Tier is raised by II. This reces [Divine Auspices I]. Holy War Apotheosis (Passive): all weapons are holy when wielded righteously. So long as you touch an item with your handsfrom swords to sticks and stonesthey are treated as a weapon in which you have Perfect Proficiency in (x3 damage, +30% Crit). The effect is lost once you are no longer in contact with the tool in question. Chronomancy II (Passive): You can now learn and cast [Chronomancy] Spells up to Tier II. If you gain the ability to cast [Chronomancy] Spells from other sses or Perks, the Tiers stack together. elerate Spell (Passive): Whenever you cast a spell, you can immediately cast a second one by spending twice its usual SP cost. Stasis Strike (Passive): When you sessfully inflict a critical or supereffective hit, your target will suffer from the [Paralysis] ailment for 5 minutes.
  • Active Perks
Magitek (Active): You can use the refine option on a technological device to forge a rune on a selected item. The device must have an unused effect spot and you must know a rune spell to assign to it. This ability can apply to pieces of technology from forged tools to machines and vehicles, but cannot work on Consumables, Lairs, or Key Items. Fuel Technology (Active): you can spend Special Points to power machinery instead of the normal fuel. The Special Points consumption rate is unique to each device. Monster Cure II (Active): 50 SP, [Support], [Life]. The tamer heals a medium amount of HP for all monster members of his party (HP recovered: (Tamer Levels+MAG) x 2); the Tamer and other yers do not benefit from the healing, but the effect applies regardless of distance. Additionally, the spell will heal status ailments affecting the targets. This reces Monster Cure I. One for All II (Active): if you are a party leader, you can teleport your party back to your Lair. Additionally, you can spend 1 SP x Level of a tamed monster to summon them at your current location; this ability works even if you have no Lair selected, but you can only summon one ally at once. You can now summon all monsters in your party at once instead of one at a time, though you must pay 1 SP x monster for each individual you are trying to summon. Neither teleportation effect works in dungeons or magically warded areas, and they cannot cross dimensions. Deaths Banner II (Active): [Support], 10 SP per minute. Your faith empowers your party members, granting them the following benefits as long as they benefit from [Deaths Banner II]: All their attacks gain the [Deadyer] effect (x3 damage against Undead types); immunity to the [Terror], [Zombie], and [Insta-Death] ailments; they do not take damage from ailments such as [Poison], though it doesnt cure them of it; and their critical hits will inflict [Insta-Death] on the victims. This reces [Deaths Banner I]. Elemental Orb (Active): Variable element, 60 SP. You can throw a deadly orb of elemental energy from your hand; you can choose the elemental affinity of the orb, but it must be an element in which you have a Strong affinity (Base damage 130 of the selected element). This power is the equivalent of a Tier VI Spell. Dragonbreath II (Active): The power of your breath is increased to 90 base damage. Additionally, it has a 30% chance of inflicting an additional ailment based on its element. Element selected: [Corrosion]. Associated ailment: [Poison]. Runestorm I (Active): [Support] 10 SP. You can empower any melee weapon you wield (such as swords, axes or daggers) with an elemental infusion for five minutes, changing the damage Type to the chosen element. Avable elements: [Fire], [Wind], [Earth], [Water], [Frost] and [Lightning]. Magic-Eater I (Active): When you have Runestorm active on a weapon, you can redirect any spell of the channeled element within twenty meters to your weapon, absorb it, and regain an amount of SP proportional to the spells power. You can only redirect Spells, and not Active Perks or standard attacks. Time Leap (Active): [Mythic], [Support], 1 SP per second. You can leap across time to avoid an attack. This allows you to teleport at the same ce in the future, with the length of the jump being equal to 1 SP per second skipped. You are invulnerable while time-leaping, but you have no awareness of what happens during the skipped time. Time eleration (Active): [Mythic], [Support], 20 SP per minute. You can temporarily elerate time for yourself to reach heavenly speeds. This manifests as your base AGI temporarily increasing by 1 point per second until it reaches double your normal stat (currently 228); your agility resets if the effect is ever interrupted. This stacks with Hasten and other Agility Buffs. Permanent Buff (Active): [Mythic], [Support], 10 SP. When you benefit from buffs or status effects working on a time limit, such as hastened for one minute, you can pay 10 SP to reset all timers once they run out; this option can be set to automatic, allowing you to reset effects even while unconscious. However, this does not prevent effects from being dispelled, in which case you must apply them again; neither does it apply to abilities including limits other than duration or that demand continuous SP consumption to maintain, such as [Time eleration].
  • Spells
Spell: Fire Rune: Runic, 10 SP, [Fire]. Empowers one of your weapons with the power of mes, inflicting an additional 20% [Fire] damage for 5 minutes. Multiple applications of [Fire Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it. Spell: Ice Rune: Runic, 10 SP, [Frost]. Empowers one of your weapons with the power of ice, inflicting an additional 20% [Frost] damage for 5 minutes. Multiple applications of [Ice Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it. Spell: Corrosive Rune: Runic, 20 SP, [Corrosion]. Empowers one of your weapons with the power of corrosion, inflicting an additional 20% [Corrosion] damage for 5 minutes. Multiple applications of [Corrosive Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it. Spell: Venomous Rune: Runic, 20 SP, [Ailment]. Empowers one of your weapons with the power of poison, inflicting an additional 20% [Poison] chance for 5 minutes. Multiple applications of [Venomous Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it. Spell: Savage Rune: Runic, 20 SP, [Support]. Empowers one of your weapons with savage power, increasing its chances of inflicting a critical hit by 20% for five minutes; the Berserkers favorite tool. Multiple applications of [Savage Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it. Spell: uracy Rune: Runic, 30 SP, [Support]. Empowers one of your weapons with precise power, increasing its uracy bonus by 20% for five minutes; the Berserkers favorite tool. Multiple applications of [uracy Rune] do not stack and the weapon loses its properties if you no longer wield it. Spell: Bless Weapon: Prayer, 10 SP, [Support]. Grants a +1 stat bonus to a weapon for ten minutes per 7 levels of the caster (minimum +1) Spell: sh of Prescience: Chronomancy 30 SP, [Support]. Allows the user to predict iing blows, enhancing their reaction time. La Mortifre Family: Soulbound Weapon (Axe/Spear). Quality: S. Power: +25 STR. Crit: +30% uracy: 80% Effect 1: [Soulkiller]: The weapon ignores defensive stats like Vitality or Charisma. Effect 2: [Plutos Legacy]: Inflicts an additional 30% [Earth] damage and 30% [Soul] damage. Both pierce through Resistance. Effect 3: [Soulkiller]: Mortifre wounds the soul as well as the body. Not only can it hit incorporeal targets, but it also ignores damage reduction from armor and equipment; damage reduction from Perks is unaffected. Effect 4: [SP Drain]: when the weapon inflicts damage, the wielder steals an amount of SP from the target equal to half the HP damage. Effect 5: [Death Equalizer]: if the wearer possesses an ability that only applies to a certain Creature Type, it now applies to all creature Types. When La Mortifre visits you, you can only tell her: not today. She never listens. Last Vision Family: Clothing (Armor). Quality: A Defensive Bonus: +20 VIT Effect 1: [Lightning Rod]: The wearer takes no damage from the [Lightning] element. Instead, [Lightning] attacks will recharge their SP by an amount equal to the damage that should have been inflicted. Effect 2: [Physical Amp]: Boosts the power of Physical attacks by 30%. Effect 3: [Survivor]: grants Immunity to Critical Hits and Resistance to Ailments. Effect 4: [Concordance of Rivals]: The wearer gains 30% less damage from foes belonging to the Apocalypse Force or Unity Factions. Armor crafted from the remains of Apollyon, Horseman of the Apocalypse Force, and thirteen Unity dragonlords, all in at the hands of Basil Bohen. This armor is thest thing both factions will ever see. Moonshield Family: Weapon (Shield). Quality: A. Power: +6 STR. Defensive Bonus: +12 VIT/+6 CHA uracy: 60% Effect 1: [Moons Blessing]: May half damage on asion. The chances of activation are equal to the users LCK/2. Effect 2: [Form Switch]: The Moonshield possesses two forms: Full Moon and New Moon. It can switch between forms at will, which will activate a different ability. Effect 3: [Full Moon]: Grants Immunity to Light. The user gains a [Mirror] status deflecting non-piercing spells back at the sender. Effect 4: [New Moon]: Grants Immunity to Darkness. The user gains the [Incorporeal] status, granting them immunity to [Physical] attacks. A shield empowered by the moooooooon. Some said the New Moon form is made of lead and the Full Moon of silver-tainted gold. Name to (Smilogod) Type Beast/Divine Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 57,527,848/60,000,000 Immune Resist Weak Frost, Darkness, Illusions, Mind, Insta-Death, Critical Hits. Physical, Soul, Metal, Wood, Water, Wind, Mythic, Ailments. Beastyer, Godyer, Corrosion, Fire, Light. Level Health Points Special Points 87 3480 1690 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 61 (A+20%) 125 (S+20%) 56 (C+20%) 106 (A+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 86 (A+20%) 60 (C+20%) 68 (B+20%) 124 (S+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong Strong Strong Weak Strong Strong - Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Weak Strong - Strong Strong - Weak Strong Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Legendary Beast Cat Kings Luck Death in the Shadows Darkwind Fangs Primal Hunter Catnapping Nine Lives Mirage Pack Joyful Swordfang Smilodon Blitz Pawerful Dao Wild Fang Shieldtail Counterstance Personal Perks:
  • Legendary Beast: to is a legendary beast. His natural attacks scale off his SKI rather than his STR, and he is immune to Insta-Death, Critical Hits, Mind and Illusion effects. to gains perfect proficiency with all natural attacks (x3 damage, +30% Crit) and inflicts an additional 30% [Frost] damage with them.
  • Death in the Shadows: to benefits from a natural [Invisibility] effect which he can disable at will. While in a field or weather with a strong [Darkness] affinity, he gains 50% chance of avoiding any single-target attack. Finally, he is immune to any effect that would decrease his uracy, such as the [Blind] Ailment, and gains +50% uracy.
  • Primal Hunter: While tos attacks with natural weapons inflict [Birdyer] damage (x3 damage against [Avian] Types), he can change the yer effect to target another Type of his choice at will. If he does change his favorite prey Type, he cannot change it again for one minute.
  • Nine Lives: When to would die, he instead benefits from an [Auto-Revive] effect bringing him back to life at critical health; this also purges to of ailments. to can be revived eight times before the Perk bes inactive. 2 out of 9 lives remain.
  • Joyful Swordfang: tos fangs have turned into swords after absorbing Joyeuse. Not only does to benefit from perfect proficiency with swords (x3 damage, +30% crit), but his fangs count as +15 SKI sword weapons each that inflict the [Brand] ailment (prevents victim from recovering HP until the ailment is removed) on a sessful hit.
  • Pawerful Dao: to can run on vertical structures, and even ceilings so long as he remains in motion. Additionally, the length of his jumps is doubled.
  • Shieldtail: tos tail has turned into a mighty shield capable of reflecting magic. If to is targeted by an elemental attack to which he has a Strong affinity, the attack has a 50% chance of being reflected to the sender.
Active Perks:
  • Cat Kings Luck: 77 SP, [Support]. Buffs the Luck, Skill, uracy, Evasion, and Critical Hit Rates of tos party for five minutes.
  • Darkwind Fang: 80 SP, [Wind], [Darkness], Technique. to can unleash a sharp de of cursed wind with any ded weapon, ws, and fangs included; proficiency bonuses apply depending on the weapon used (base [Wind]/[Darkness] damage 120, +30% uracy and crit).
  • Catnapping: 50 SP, [Support]. to can designate a foe within his line of sight. On a sessful Luck check, all the enemys buffs are transferred to to as if they had been cast on him in the first ce.
  • Mirage Pack: 40 SP, [Support]. to empowers his party with the [Mirage] status (increases Evasion) for five minutes.
  • Smilodon Blitz: 150 SP, [Physical], Technique. By using the super-secret sabertooth tiger technique, tounches himself in one direction at blitzing speed and cuts down anything in his way. While using Skill as a base, this attacks power also increases with tos Agility (base damage 100+AGI [Physical]) and stacks with proficiencies.
  • Wild Fang: 100 SP, [Physical], Technique. to unleashes a flurry of four bites on a single target at 60% power each; each of them counts as a normal attack as far as proficiencies and critical hits are concerned.
  • Counterstance: 30 SP per minute, [Physical], Technique. By shifting his weight and focusing on a single enemy, to can automatically dodge any [Physical] assault from that foe and counter with a zingly fast normal attack. However, the stance is broken if he attacks of his own initiative, and it does not work on multiple opponents at once.
Name Bugsy Alphonse Venture (Apolloworm) Type Bug/Divine Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 57,527,848/60,000,000 Immune Resist Weak Fire, Earth, Light, Critical Hits, All Ailments, Instadeath. Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Lightning, Mythic. Bugyer, Godyer, Frost, Water, Wood, Darkness. Level Health Points Special Points 87 3910 2105 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 128 (S+20%) 77 (C+20%) 114 (A+20%) 72 (C+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 76 (B+20%) 47 (C+20%) 57 (C+20%) 65 (B+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - - Strong Strong Weak Strong Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Weak Strong - Weak Strong Strong Weak Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Raging Sun Nova Up Star Vessel Nova re Gravity Field Tectonic Shift Phanaeus Drought Bringer Volcanic Starforce Star Bomb Alexicacus Apollos Curse Personal Perks:
  • Raging Sun: Bugsy treats his natural weapons, like fangs and ws, as if he had perfect proficiency with them (x3 damage, +10 Crit). Additionally, these weapons will inflict an additional 20% [Fire] damage and 20% [Light] damage.
  • Star Vessel: Bugsy is immune to critical hits, ailments, and instadeath effects, and takes only half-damage from attacks. Additionally, upon death, he can decide to crack his star core and erupt in a cataclysmic explosion (base power 999 [Fire]/[Light] damage).
  • Gravity Field: Bugsy generates his own gravity through his star core, granting him a permanent [Float] effect. Additionally, he can sense vibrations in the air and the ground over arge area. This ignores the downsides of the [Blind] ailment even if he is targeted by it, and his normal uracy is doubled.
  • Phanaeus: All of Bugsys [Fire] and [Light] elemental attacks inflict 50% more damage. Additionally, they treat elemental Resistance as Neutral (piercing damage) and Immunity as Resistance (half-damage).
  • Volcanic Starforce: If Bugsy is targeted by [Fire], [Earth] or [Light] attacks, including his own, he regains HP instead of losing them. Additionally, he benefits from a HP/SP Regen effect (recover 1/16th of max HP/SP per minute) in Fields aligned with these elements. Finally, Bugsy can sculpt moltenva as if it were y.
  • Alexicacus: All of Bugsys party members gain immunity to [Light] and [Fire]. They are also unaffected by [Phanaeus] unless Bugsy wishes otherwise.
Active Perks:
  • Nova Up: 50 SP, [Support]. Bugsy gathers power to buff all of his stats, physical and mental, for five minutes; additionally, his [Fire] and [Light] attacks are boosted by 50% during that period. This stacks with [Phanaeus].
  • Nova re: 200 SP, [Fire]. Bugsy unleashes a powerful beam of cosmic light (base power 250 [Fire]/[Light]). Those damaged by it have 100% chances of suffering from the [Blind] ailment and 10% chances of being vaporized instantly (this is an [Instadeath] effect).
  • Tectonic Shift: 100 SP, [Earth]/[Physical]. Bugsy alters gravity around him to trigger a tectonic disaster, which will damage all creatures and structures within arge radius (150 base power, [Earth]/[Physical] damage). Buildings are especially vulnerable and likely to copse.
  • Drought Bringer: 30 SP per minute, [Fire]. While normally somewhat safe to touch, Bugsy can turn up the heat of his body. Everything within a short radius around him will periodically suffer from [Fire] damage (base power 50) and all [Frost]/[Water] attacks within the Perks radius instantly evaporate unless produced by a higher-leveled creature.
  • Star Bomb: 120 SP, [Fire]/[Light]. Bugsy fires a powerful bomb of cosmic sma capable of great destruction (200 base power, [Fire]/[Light]). Additionally, any area marked by the magma bomb is treated as a [Star-Scorched] Field until the sma cools off; this triggers [Volcanic Starforce].
  • Apollos Curse: 200 SP, [Fire], [Support]. Bugsy attempts to force [Fire Vulnerability] upon all enemies in his line of sight. If the target fails a Vitality check, their [Fire] affinity is temporarily changed to Weak (x3 damage) for ten minutes. This is not an ailment but a unique debuff.
Name Shellgirl (Christmas Mimic) Type Angel/Slime Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 57,527,848/60,000,000 Immune Resist Weak Water, Frost. Physical, Mind, Wood, Wind, Darkness, Ailments. Slimeyer, Angelyer, Fire, Lightning. Level Health Points Special Points 87 3450 1860 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 55 (C+20%) 101 (A+20%) 111 (A+20%) 76 (B+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 79 (B+20%) 76 (B+20%) 82 (B+20%) 107 (S+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong Strong - - - Strong - Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Weak Strong - Strong Strong Weak - Strong - Passive Perks Active Perks Dungeon Shopper Ice Present Surprise Guest Christmas Hose Moneymaker Lapponian Winter Santas Bag Pandoras Box Santas Workshop Joyful Spirit Ice Spinner Gacha Box Passive Perk:
  • Dungeon Shopper: Much like a [Merchant] yer, Shellgirl gains ess to a unique [System Shop] option in her menu; this allows you to sell items and exchange currency money against tokens, which she can then use to purchase items in an online store. Once purchased, the items are added to her Inventory. Shellgirl has ess to the entire shop as if she were a level 19 [Merchant], though she receives no discount nor other benefit.
  • Surprise Guest: Shellgirl always counts as invited in any location which she visits; this allows her to bypass effects such as magical barriers and protections against [Teleportation].
  • Moneymaker: Increases chances of drops if a monster is killed within twenty meters.
  • Santas Bag: Shellgirl can summon a bag serving as her Inventory. The bag can hold an infinite number of items which only Shellgirl can ess. Though impervious to damage, the bag is destroyed if Shellgirl dies.
  • Santas Workshop: Shellgirl can craft any item without a recipe with a +50% crafting bonus and create her own form. If she uses a recipe, she always seeds in crafting the item (unless she intentionally fails) and the results are one Quality category higher than normal.
  • Ice Spinner: Shellgirls Agility and Skill are doubled in [Frost] and [Water]-aligned Fields and Weather conditions.
Active Perks:
  • Ice Present: 60 SP, [Frost]. Shellgirl throws a present containing an ice-bomb; the bomb inflicts [Frost] damage (base power 100) on impact and sends shrapnels hitting close enemies for additional [Frost] damage (base power 30).
  • Christmas Hose: 100 SP, [Water]. Shellgirl can open her bag to unleash a stream of pressurized water (150 base power [Water] damage). This attack can also be used for propulsion-powered flight.
  • Lapponian Winter: 60 SP, [Frost], [Support]. Shellgirl summons a [Lapponian Winter] Weather effect over the area for eight minutes; this weather empowers [Frost] and [Water], weakens [Fire], and increases the evasion of individuals with a strong [Frost] affinity. This also triggers [Ice Spinner].
  • Pandoras Box: 80 SP, [Mind], [Darkness], [Ailment]. Shellgirl creates a booby-trapped mystery box. Enemies seeing the box have a high chance of suffering from the [Madness] and [Berserk] ailment for 10 minutes and fight over the box. Additionally, anyone opening the box causes it to explode into a thousand curses (base power 120 [Darkness] damage).
  • Joyful Spirit: [Support], 50 SP. Shellgirl hyper-motivates an ally. The targets next attack is always urate (if possible), always [Charged] (x2 damage) and always a Critical Hit. This effectsts for five minutes or until the target attacks.
  • Gacha Box: 10 SP, [Support]. Shellgirl can summon a packaged gift containing an item selected at random. Shellgirl doesnt choose the item in question, but its quality is always C or higher.
Name Rosemarine Entine de Barthe (Hesperides Dragon) Type nt/Dragon (nt/Divine in Nymph Mode) Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 57,527,848/60,000,000 Immune Resist Weak Fire, Wood, All Ailments, Instadeath. Physical, Mind, Life, Water, Earth, Light, Mythic. ntyer, Dragonyer (changes to Godyer in Nymph Mode), Corrosion, Metal, Frost. Level Health Points Special Points 87 7580 2485 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 126 (A+20%) 78 (B+20%) 96 (A+20%) 79 (B+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 99 (A+20%) 44 (C+20%) 77 (B+20%) 96 (A+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong Strong - Weak Weak Strong Strong Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Strong Strong - Weak - Strong - Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Divine Vessel Gaias Fury Vineyard Queen Heras Grace Ladon Hesperides Seed Cosmic Flower Eden Guns God-Field: Garden of the Hesperides Divine Harvest Nymph Mode Bhanal Mists Turbo: Wood Wine Tribute nt Crown Firepetal Storm Passive Perks:
  • Divine Vessel: Halves all damage taken, negates [Instadeath] effects, protects from all ailments, and grants permanent [Float] status. Additionally, the user can act as a deity for the purpose of empowering [Priest] and simr sses.
  • Vineyard Queen: Rosemarine treats all natural weapons, such as ws, fangs, breath and vines, as if she had advanced proficiency with them (x2 damage, +10%). Additionally, Rosemarines natural attacks may inflict the [Paralysis], [Poison] or [Sleep] ailment on contact (30% chance for each ailment).
  • Ladon: Rosemarines natural attacks benefit from the [Bugyer], [Manyer], and [Giantyer] effects (x3 damage against [Bugs], [Humanoids], and [Giants]).
  • Cosmic Flower: When exposed to sunlight or moonlight, Rosemarine benefits from [Regen] and [SP Regen] Buffs (recovers 1/16th of full HP/SP per minute), and her [Eden Guns] Perk doesnt require charging time.
  • God-Field: Garden of the Hesperides: Rosemarine transforms the local area (one km per level radius maximum) into a personal, advantageous field. She can mute this effect or reduce its range at will.
  • Nymph Avatar: Rosemarine can switch shape between her dragon self and a humanoid-sized dryad avatar at will. When in dryad form, Rosemarines type changes to [nt/Divine], and her physical stats are halved, but she can otherwise use all her other abilities.
  • Turbo: Wood: All of Rosemarines [Wood] elemental attacks bypass Resistance and inflict 30% more damage.
  • nt Crown: Rosemarine immediately inflicts [Charm] on all [nt] Types within fifty meters of herself unless they possess a higher level, higher Charisma, the boss status, or immunity to the [Charm] ailment. If the ailment is lifted on a [nt] Type affected by it, they be immune to [nt Crown] for 24 hours.
Active Perks:
  • Gaias Fury: 100 SP, [Wood], [Earth]. Summons frenzied nts to attack enemies and infest buildings within Rosemarines God-Field (150 [Wood]/[Earth] damage).
  • Heras Grace: 100 SP, [Life], [Light]. Regenerates HP to all allies within a fifty meters radius (base power 300).
  • Hesperides Seed: 60 SP, [Life], [Mythic], [Wood]. Rosemarine can spawn a Hesperides level 30 Monster from her body ([nt]/[Fairy] Type). Hesperides are powerful dryads with magical abilities who can serve as the seed of a new forest.
  • Eden Guns: 150 SP, [Wood], [Mythic]. After charging up for a minute, Rosemarine unleashes a powerful breath of divine pollen from her mouth and twin cannons (base power 120 per cannon, [Wood]/[Mythic] damage; this benefits from [Vineyard Queen]s proficiency multiplier). This magical attack ignores the targets defensive stat and armor, but not damage reduction.
  • Divine Harvest: 150 SP, [Life], [Wood]. Rosemarine can spawn a [Golden Apple] fruit. Consumption of this item fully regenerates the targets HP. Rosemarine can generate as many fruit as she wishes so long as she has the SP needed.
  • Bhanal Mists: 40 SP, [Mind], [Ailment]. Creates a powerful mist that dispels buffs/debuffs in the area and has a 30% chance of inflicting the [Drunk] ailment.
  • Wine Tribute: 40 SP, [Water]. Rosemarine traps a single target in a prison of wine, choking them to death (100 [Water] damage per minute of exposure).
  • Firepetal Storm: 80 SP, [Fire], [Wood]. Rosemarine unleashes a storm of burning petals (base power 150 [Fire]/[Wood] damage). This attack gains +20% chance of inflicting a critical hit.
Name Vasilisa Yaga (istig Fomor) Type Fairy/Demon Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 57,527,848/60,000,000 Immune Resist Weak All Ailments, Critical Hits, Instadeath. Mind, Soul, Corrosion, Wood, Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Frost, Lightning, Darkness, Mythic. Fairyyer, Demonyer, Physical, Metal, Light. Level Health Points Special Points 87 2660 3870 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 63 (C+30%) 69 (C+30%) 66 (C+30%) 68 (C+30%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 124 (S+30%) 95 (A+30%) 92 (A+30%) 76 (A+30%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Weak Strong Strong Strong Weak Strong Strong Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Strong Strong Strong Strong Strong Weak Strong Strong Passive Perks Active Perks Yaga Witchcraft IX Dark Witch Kiss Archwitch Brew Dreamrider Magical Prodigy Life Crafter Hag Coven Spell: Ancient Meteor Night Terror Spell: Crimson Lightning Fomor Lifeforce Spell: ck Rainbow Born of Magic Spell: Blizzard Shapeshifter Spell: Muspelme Skylord Spell: Fallen Auspices Spell: Hasten+ Spell: Ghostform Spell: Superre Spell: Darkest Fear Spell: Clock Stop Passive Perks:
  • Yaga Witchcraft X: As a true fairy lord of the Fomors, Vasi can learn spells up to Tier IX from all schools of magic except Arithmancy, Prayers, Performances, and Psychism.
  • Archwitch Brew: Vasi can craft potions, drinks and witch items without need of a recipe and create her own through experimentation. Her chances of sessfully crafting these items is always 100% percent, unless she intentionally fails.
  • Magical Prodigy: as the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, Vasi gains twice more SP gained from mental stats than normal. Her chances of sessfully learning a new spell from tutors and spellbooks are doubled.
  • Hag Coven: if Vasi is in a party that includes at least two other members capable of casting Witchcraft Spells, whether yers or Monsters, then they can form a coven. A covens members can learn and cast unique Witchcraft spells, receive a +10% bonus to crafting potions and magical items per coven member, and can cast spells at half the SP cost. As the Tamer who awakened Vasilinas Perk, Basil can fit in as a ceholder in her coven even if he cannot cast Witchcraft spells.
  • Night Terror: Vasi passively the [Nightmare] ailment (1/16th HP damage per minute) on anyone suffering from the [Sleep] ailment within twenty meters. She can turn off this ability at will.
  • Fomor Lifeforce: as a Fairy Lord of the Fomors, Vasi takes only 50% from any attack (this stacks with elemental Resistances). She is immune to critical hits, Instadeath effects, and all Ailments.
  • Born of Magic: as an embodiment of magic, Vasi regains 1/16th of her full SP each minute. This effect is separated from simr [SP Regen] effects, stacks with them, and cannot be negated in any way.
  • Shapeshifter: Vasi is a master shapeshifter. She can reshape her body in any form she wants (such as a human), though this doesnt change her Perks nor innate Typing.
  • Skylord: Thanks to her wings, Vasi can fly at will. This manifests as a permanent [Float] effect. Additionally, she can summon a flying broomstick to carry other passengers.
Active Perk:
  • Dark Witch Kiss: [Soul], [Ailment]. Vasi can try to [Charm] a single target by kissing them. The effectiveness depends on the charisma difference between Vasi and the target, but always fails on genderless entities. Unlike normal [Charm] effects, the effect can only be dispelled through magical means.
  • Dreamrider: |Ailment], [Soul]. Vasi can at will enter the dreams of any sleeping individual within twenty meters. When she uses this ability, her body isatose.
  • Life Crafter: [Life]. As a Fairy Lord of the Fomors, Vasi can create life in her image. By sacrificing 10 SP per level of her creation (maximum 20), she can shape a creature of the [Aquatic], [Avian], [Beast], [nt], [Bug], [Fairy], [Elemental], [Giant], [Humanoid], [nt] or [Reptile] Type at will, or anybination of two of these types. Her creation is free-willed and not under her control.
Spells:
  • Spell: Ancient Meteor: Tier IX Thaumaturgy, 90 SP, [Fire]/[Earth]. Summons a mighty, fiery meteor and drops it on arge area (base damage 200, [Fire]/[Earth]).
  • Spell: Crimson Lightning: Tier VI Thaumaturgy, 60 SP, [Lightning], [Ailment]. Shocks a single target with crimson lightning (base power 130 [Lightning], 30% chance to inflict [Paralysis]).
  • Spell: ck Rainbow: Tier VII Witchcraft, 70 SP, [Darkness], [Ailment]. Unleashes a cursed rainbow on a single target (Base power 150 [Darkness] damage, 10% chance to [Blind], 10% chance to [Poison], 10% chance to [Curse]).
  • Spell: Blizzard: Tier VII Thaumaturgy, 70 SP, [Frost]. Unleashes a powerful ice storm on multiple targets (base power 150 [Frost] damage).
  • Spell: Muspelme: Tier V Thaumaturgy, 50 SP, [Fire]. Unleashes a mighty burst of fire at a single target (base power 120 [Fire]).
  • Spell: Fallen Auspices: Tier VI Necromancy, 60 SP, [Support]. Buff all stats for 5 minutes.
  • Spell: Hasten+: Tier VIII Chronomancy, 80 SP, [Support]. Applies the [Haste] buff to all party members for 5 minutes.
  • Spell: Ghostform: Tier VIII Necromancy, 80 SP, [Soul]. Turn [Intangible] for 5 minutes, granting immunity to [Physical] attacks and heightened Evasion.
  • Spell: Superre: Tier VII Thaumaturgy, 70 SP, [Mythic]. Bombards a target with an explosion of legendary energy; ignores defensive stats (base power 150 [Mythic] damage).
  • Spell: Darkest Fear: Tier IX, Unknown, 90 SP, [Mythic]. The fairy lords ultimate spell, created to bring down the champions of the god. This spell can only affect an individual with either godly essence or connected to one (such as Priest sses, chosen ones, or demigods); the target has their HP and SP reduced to 1, and suffers from the [Terror] and [Permadeath] (cannot be revived) ailments. The ailments can be negated, but not the HP/SP decrease.
  • Spell: Clock Stop: Tier IX Chronomancy, 90 SP, [Support]. The user stops time for everyone but themselves for one minute, allowing them to move around and cast spells; though attacks dont take effect until time resumes. However, each subsequent casting of the spell increases failure chances by 70%; chances reset after one hour.
Coven Spells
  • Coven Spell: Grand Hex: Tier VII Witchcraft, 70 SP. Inflicts the [Curse] ailment on all enemies within ten meters of the caster with 100% percent uracy.
  • Coven Spell: Call the Drude: Tier VIII Witchcraft, 80 SP. Summons a powerful Drude monster (level 50), a nocturnal monster and witch familiar.
  • Coven Spell: Grimalkin Gate: Tier IX Witchcraft, 90 SP per minute. The caster opens a portal that can lead to any ce she has visited; as this is not a teleportation effect, the gate can open even in areas warded against such effects.
Name Steve Roadwonders (Steamobile) Type Artificial Faction Homeowner Revenge Association (The Bohens) Experience 4,094,266/4,200,000 Immune Resist Weak All ailments, Critical Hits, Lightning. Physical, Corrosion, Metal, Fire, Earth, Lightning. Artiyer, Wood, Water. Level Health Points Special Points 80 10960 3260 Strength Agility Vitality Skill 144 (S+20%) 164 (S+20%) 154 (S+20%) 91 (A+20%) Magic Intelligence Charisma Luck 66 (D+20%) 23 (E+20%) 46 (D+20%) 48 (C+20%) Physical Mind Soul Corrosion Metal Wood Life Support Ailment Strong - - Strong Strong Weak Weak Strong Strong Fire Water Earth Wind Frost Lightning Light Darkness Mythic Strong Weak Strong - - Strong Strong - - Passive Perks Active Perks Oppressive Gehenna Cannon Road Warrior Shell Rain Juggernaut Fury Road Manughter Speed Burst Lair on Wheels Road Hazard Improvement Self-Repair Mode Change: Robot Petrification Bomb Divine Thunderchariot Aegis of Zeus Passive Perks:
  • Oppressive: Steve Roadwonders mojo intimidates opponents. Enemies hearing or seeing Steve Roadwonders will suffer a Strength and Charisma debuff if they possess a lower charisma than the Steamobile.
  • Road Warrior: Steve Roadwonders takes no damage from Traps, Weather, and Field effects.
  • Juggernaut: Steve Roadwonder is immune to critical hits and Ailments. Supereffective hits have their effectiveness reduced to x2 instead of x3.
  • Manughter: The power of all [Physical] attacks is doubled, will ignore Resistance, and will inflict a Manyer effect (x3 damage against Humanoids).
  • Improvement: As a mobile weapon tform, Steve Roadwonders cannot undergo metamorphosis. However, the Steamobile can gain new Perks by incorporating new technology into its frame.
  • Lair on Wheels: Steve Roadwonders can be his own Lair and equip himself with Lair features. All members of Steve Roadwonders Party, Guild or Faction benefit from the features when in close proximity to him.
  • Mode Change: Robot: Steve can turn into a bipedal robot mode. While in this bipedal form, his Strength and Agility stats are swapped.
  • Divine Thunderchariot (Passive): as the gods chariot, Steve Roadwonders takes half damage from attacks, is immune to [Insta-Death], and absorbs [Lightning] attacks (recovers HP equal to the damage that would have been inflicted). His [Lightning] attacks inflict 50% more damage and pierce through Resistance.
Active Perks:
  • Gehenna Cannon: [Metal], [Lightning], 250 SP. Steve Roadwonders unleashes a powerful beam of energy from his main cannon (500 base [Lightning]/[Mythic] damage). The beam is a magical attack.
  • Shell Rain: [Metal], [Fire], 100 SP. Rains down an artillery bombardment (base damage 200, [Fire]/[Metal]).
  • Fury Road: [Support], [Ailment], 40 SP. Steve Roadwonders can apply the [Berserk] status to himself for five minutes, ignoring his own Ailment immunity. In this state, besides the usual bonus of the ailment, Steve Roadwonders has all of his physical stats buffed.
  • Speed Burst: [Physical], [Support], 100 SP. Steve Roadwonders ramps up his speed, inflicting heavy [Physical] damage (base power 130) to anything in his path; additionally, he will receive a buff to [Agility] for five minutes.
  • Road Hazard: [Corrosion], [Metal], [Earth], [Fire], [Ailment] 100 SP. Steve Wonders releases a set of road hazards in his wake: poisonous spikes (30 [Corrosion] damage, 10% chances to inflict [Poison]), iron spikes (50 [Metal] damage), and sharp rocks (50 [Earth] damage), and sticky bombs (-20% [Agility] unless removed, 50 [Fire] damage once countdown ends).
  • Self-Repair: [Support], 0 SP. As an unliving machine, Steve Roadwonders cannot benefit from normal healing spells nor recover HP/SP naturally. However, self-repair systems will let it regain 1/16th of max HP/SP for 5 minutes; Steve Roadwonders cannot use offensive Perks during the repair period.
  • Petrification Bomb: [Earth], [Ailment]. Steve can crack its own core to self-destruct and unleash a mighty petrification pulse with a radius of one kilometer per level max. This [Petrify] everything with a lower level than Steve and bypasses Immunity; even buildings and items are affected.
  • Aegis of Zeus: [Lightning], [Support], 100 SP. Steve Roadwonders can empower allies with the power of [Lightning]. All allies within fifty meters will inflict 20% additional [Lightning] damage with their weapons piercing through Resistance and benefit from temporary [Lightning] immunity for ten minutes.
THANKS FOR COMPLETING APOCALYPSE TAMER!
[GAME CREDITS]
Author, Game Designer, and Level Designer - Maxime J. Durand, aka Void Herald.
Beta Tester and Proofreader - Daniel Zogbi.
Character & Bestiary Artist - Dinovo
Cover Artist - Dinovo & Vitaly S. Alexius.
And my most sincere thanks to all of my supporters on Patreon!
Final Notes That was a long journey, but all roads must end. Special thanks to Daniel Zogbi, my proofreader and first reader, and to Dinovo, whose illustrations gave life to the world of Apocalypse Tamer. To be perfectly blunt, Apocalypse Tamer was written in pretty difficult times. Some members of my family went through Covid-rted debt issues, and I had to support them financially; others struggled with cancer; my great-aunt, a great woman who had survived WWII and the Cold War alike, ended up dying from a stroke; some of my friendships ended in rather difficult circumstances; I spent a year setting up apany and moving to another country, which proved a long and grueling process. Ive also grown somewhat dissatisfied with a few things in my personal life (particrly a pervading feeling of loneliness) that colored everything else. The shift in Apocalypse Tamers early humor to the darker volumes afterward is partly because of negative events happening in the background. Its very hard for me to write jokes and humor when Im not happy with myself. On the flip side of the coin, things went more swimmingly work-wise. Apocalypse Tamer is my most profitable series on Kindle, which will change a lot of things going forward; Ive pulled up a team to design a new webtoon; though it was a struggle to set it up, I now have apany to manage my various IPs and start branching out. All in all, after the high point of the 2020/2021, 2022 turned out to be something of a mixed blessing. That heavily influenced the writing of Tamer, and fit into therger theme of the story: namely, moving on and the subtle power of resolve. When life throws shit at youespecially stuff you cant influencethe best you can do is soldier on until better days arrive. As someone wisely told me once: when in bad times, wait for the good; when in good times, prepare for the bad. Loved ones die, troublese up, and it can be easy to feel overwhelmed; but in the end, better days await for those who persevere in the face of adversity. This theme is all the more relevant to Apocalypse Tamer because it is something of a conclusion to the Dis saga I began so long ago. Few know it, but my first official professional work was a blog web serial called Dis Acedia, whose first volume was published on Amazon as the Laws of Dis. It told the story of prisoners trapped in a maze called Dis, which devoured the souls of the dead and fed on the torment of the fallen. Many of my characters, such as Mcoda (the future Maleking), Brina, Wyrde, Lazarus (the future Dismaker/Maxwell), Loctis (the living swarm from Undend) and Shroud (Mathias Martel from The Perfect Run), were first conceptualized over this first draft. Dis Acedia found neither joy nor sess, and I burned out on it halfway through it; mostly due to overambition and frustration on my part. After learning from my mistakes, I rebooted it in the form of Magik Online, my first work published on Royal Road. That one too led me to a burnout and was neverpleted. Yet these works legacy lived on in future works. Themes I tried to address in them were better developed in Never Die Twice, Kairos, Undend, and even Vainqueur; and the color system I had developed for Magik Online became the foundation of The Perfect Runs system. Yet one of my biggest regrets was never giving the characters of the Dis Saga a proper conclusion. I did that with Shroud in The Perfect Run, but characters like the Maleking, Wyrde, Brina, and the Dismaker remained in limbo. It took me a while to realize that my failure with these works was because of my own inexperience and overambition; by trying to do too many things at once, I failed to properly handle them. In a way, Apocalypse Tamer was a way for me to give a spiritual conclusion to these abandoned works and characters. It was meant to give closure to my experiments with the LitRPG genre, exploring what I feel are its strengths, weaknesses, and implications. By tying up the multiverse I suggested all the way back with Vainqueur the Dragon, I feel I can finally move on too. I have mixed feelings about Apocalypse Tamer. On one hand, I feel it doesnt quite live up to earlier works like The Perfect Run, and that I failed to resolve many issues Ive grown to struggle with as far as LitRPGs are concerned (unmanageable power-esction over time, reducing everything to numbers, mechanics taking over at the expense of character work); I now strongly believe LitRPGs are at their best in the early stages, when skills are rare and manageable, or when used lightly/without hard stats. On the other hand, Apocalypse Tamer is indeed my most financially sessful series yet, and it let me explore ideas like a European System Apocalypse, crafting, and some very strong themes such as faith and perservering in the face of sorrow; I feel the ckcinders/Shumen arc in particr is among my best, as was the Misha interlude and the final fourth of the story. It also let me further explore characters such as Walter and Vainqueur, to tie my stories together in what I feel is a coherent whole. The storys system is also my best yet, mechanically speaking. If I could sum up Tamer, it would be this way: the storys lows were very low, but the highs were worth it. In fact, I think many issues I had with Tamer are less about the story itself and more about the context and process that surround it. Namely, I feel the LitRPG format has some intrinsic issues I cant manage to fix no matter what I try, at least when I write the genre seriously (satirees easier); and writing chapters after a deadline means I put quantity before quality. Many times have I published chapters I feel deserved more time to polish not because I felt they were ready, but because I swore to publish X chapters on X days. My new stories will have a less strict schedule to put more quality into it. Overall, I think Apocalypse Tamer is well, not my best work, but not one Im bitter over either. Basil and the Bohens were unlike any other protagonists Ive written before, and I enjoyed telling their adventures. I hope youve appreciated their journey all the way to the end, and that youll appreciate the works that will follow in its wake. Id be happy to read yourments on it. Finally, I''m going to focus on two stories from now on: Commerce Emperor and Blood & Fur. The first has already been released on RR as we speak: Link: /fiction/69923merce-emperor/chapter/1243154/prologue-the-merchant-hero I hope you will enjoy this story as much as Tamer, if not more; the other, Blood & Fur, will be released a bitter. Once again, thank you for everything, and see you around! Best regards, Voidy. Apocalypse Tamer Vol 4 Pre-Order + Takedown on July 12th Apocalypse Tamer Vol 4 Pre-Order + Takedown on July 12th Hello everyone, some Amazon-rted news (and probably my penultimate post on this story), It won''t surprise most of you by now, but like all of its predecessors, Apocalypse Tamer''s final volume will soon make its way to Kindle Unlimited. Since the release date is for July 25th, and as per KU''s exclusivity rules, I''ll have to take down its chapters on both RR and Patreon by July 12th. Although I assume you finished the story if you read this message, if you haven''t caught up to the final chapters, now is the time. A free PDF will be avable for download on Patreon until July 12th, at which point I''ll have to take it down too. Yeah, Aethon''s cover is still not yetplete XD but you can find the Amazon Pre-Order Link here: /amazon/B0C4FZWXLR Once again, I would like to thank everyone who supported this story during its run on Royal Road; supporters on both KU and Patreon helped me stay afloat in troubled times and I very much appreciate it. I hope you enjoyed reading the story to its final conclusion, and I hope you''ll enjoy my new ones just as much! Best regards, Voidy. Apocalypse Tamers final book on KU (and the end) Apocalypse Tamer''s final book on KU (and the end) Hello everyone, As forewarned many weeks ago, the final book of Apocalypse Tamer is now out Kindle Unlimited. As such, it''s likely this will be myst post here for this story. For those who couldn''t read thest chapters before the takedown, Apocalypse Tamer was mytest LitRPG series, and probably thest one for the foreseeable future. It concludes a long-running saga I started all the way back to my first official book, Magik Online, and continued with Vainqueur the Dragon, Never Die Twice, Kairos and so on. This book is an ending in all senses of the word; both for Tamer itself and my wider LitRPG universe. Once again, I want to say thank you to all of you who have followed and supported these series to their conclusion; while I intend to try my hand at new genres in the near-future, writing this LitRPG multiverse has been a st and a joy. Amazon and Kindle Link: /amazon/B0C4FZWXLR (Audible dyed for now) As usual, all reviews and sharing are appreciated. I thank you once again, and I hope this series ended on the right note for you all. Best regards, Voidy. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!