《100th Run: A Regressor's LitRPG Adventure (Books 1-5 available on Amazon!)》


 Prologue

    Hall of the End - 99<sup>th</sup> Run


    ¡°Sweet bountiful Eden, what in Heaven¡¯s name was that?¡±


    I laughed breathlessly at the woman¡¯s hysterical voice as I collapsed to my hands and knees. Laughing hurt, but the pain was temporary. If I hadn¡¯t been used to pain, then I would have never made it this far.


    The floor beneath me was made of gold so polished that I could see my reflection clearly. I almost wished I couldn¡¯t. My body was plastered in purple viscera from the demons I had slaughtered to get here. It covered my coat and pants and most of my face, giving me a messed up Braveheart vibe.


    But I could see life in my brown eyes. Felt the excitement, the rush, these endorphins flowing freely through my brain. I winked at myself for no other reason than it felt right.


    As I shifted from my hands and knees so that I was sitting, I snapped my fingers and reached into the air in front of me. A floating square labeled Inventory appeared at the end of my fingertips. I scrolled through with the swipe of my fingers, passing by countless items before finally reaching what I needed. A small lime-like object appeared in my hand, and I set it on the ground.


    ¡°How did you make it through the last scenario so fast? No one¡¯s ever made it through that fast.¡±


    My gaze shifted to the woman, but my laughter renewed when I saw her. At the end of the golden hall, past a series of golden statues and hovering over a pedestal was a horrifying creature.


    Large, flowing dove wings emerged out of a small center mass like windmill blades, but in every direction. Numerous eye sockets lined the wings and its feathers, each widened and staring at me with the free-floating flames held within. Above it, elevated just a few feet higher, was a shining halo. It was hard to look at the first time I arrived here, but it had certainly lost its luster since then.


    ¡°Hello, Sara,¡± I wheezed. I coughed and spat blood into the ground. ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s really gross. I¡¯ll have to stop being so close to demons when I start eviscerating like that.¡±


    The being had frozen at my words. Its wings stopped moving, but it didn¡¯t fall to the ground. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Esaraphelscion,¡± I corrected, before shaking my head. ¡°Sara¡¯s just much easier to say, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m going to keep calling you Sara.¡±


    The eyelids all blinked once. Sara still didn¡¯t move, just floated there processing. That was fine by me. I needed to catch my breath. Demon slaying was tough work.


    ¡°... W-what?¡± she finally stuttered.


    ¡°Sara, Angel of the End, keeper of The Prize,¡± I said, waggling my fingers in the air when I said The Prize. ¡°New to her job, but we¡¯ve met before. Actually, aren¡¯t you supposed to be in that hot girl form instead of this biblical ¡®be not afraid¡¯ nonsense you¡¯ve got going on?¡±


    The angel dipped in surprise at my words, and her wings folded in on one another. It only took a moment, but Sara went through a whole process of origami before taking on a shape that was recognizable as a person.


    Where a biblical angel once floated, a humanoid one now descended on six white wings. Sara landed gently on the pedestal and plucked at her short, literally flaming hair to make sure it was in order. Her bronze skin contrasted nicely with her shining white and gold armor. Now that she had eyes, round and orange ones, I could see the fluster in them.


    ¡°Ah yeah, that¡¯s better,¡± I said, giving her two thumbs up.


    That earned me a glare, her hair flaring up in a moment of indignant anger. She composed herself and cleared her throat. ¡°Welcome to the Hall of the End, valiant warrior,¡± Sara greeted stiffly. ¡°You have suffered many trials and tribulations to arrive here, Player Anthony Franklin, and yet you arrived victorious! Here, you may¡ªw-wait, stop! What are you doing?¡±


    I proceeded to pull off my jacket in the middle of her speech, letting it fall to the ground with a disgusting splat.


    [[Unequipped]]


    Stinging Yellow Jacket


    (-200 hit points, -25 Strength, -15 Dexterity, -15 Sting, -3 to the Piercing Weapons Mastery ability (18 -> 15), Wasp Knight¡¯s Venom skill removed)


    The shirt I had on underneath wasn¡¯t in good condition, either. I was in the process of unbuttoning it when Sara suddenly objected. ¡°What?¡± I asked, acting innocent. Teasing her was just too damn fun. ¡°I¡¯m soaked in gore and it¡¯s really, really gross.¡± I pulled my shirt off.


    [[Unequipped]]


    Calico¡¯s Button-Up


    (-250 hit points, -30 Dexterity, -15 Constitution, Nine Lives (7/9 used) passive removed)


    I stood up and began unbuckling my belt next.


    ¡°For the love of all things decent, will you stop undressing! There¡¯s stuff we have to go through!¡± Sara screeched. She turned away from me, which I found very amusing.


    ¡°Oh, come off it, Sara,¡± I teased. ¡°You¡¯re an unknowable being with a lifespan counted in thousands of years. Don¡¯t be a prude.¡±


    [[Unequipped]]


    Belt of the Brazen Badger


    (-400 hit points, -25 Constitution, Ferocious Rage skill removed)


    ¡°It¡¯s not every day that a human comes in here and starts disrobing, Anthony Franklin!¡± Sara responded indignantly. ¡°And my name is Esaraphelscion, which you already know somehow, so use it.¡±


    ¡°All will be revealed shortly,¡± I snickered.


    ¡°That¡¯s the last thing I want!¡± Sara yelled back. She had turned away from me completely now. I just laughed and kicked off my shoes.


    [[Unequipped]]


    Sneakers of the Charging Chaska


    (-10 Tenacity, -10 Constitution, Blocked Escape skill removed, Doubled Movement passive removed)


    Followed by my pants.


    [[Unequipped]]


    Leather Jeans of the Dolphin


    (-200 hit points, -20 Dexterity, -10 Constitution, Aquatic Displacement spell removed)


    And my underwear.


    [[Unequipped]]


    Leopard Print Undies


    (-1 Dexterity, Comfort Plus passive removed)


    I immediately became uncomfortable. Comfort Plus really was the best passive in the entire system. I would have to look for that in the next run; it was like being swaddled in a cloud.


    I caught my reflection in the wall. There was no way I could sugarcoat it... I was ripped. My body had been sculpted by the system as my stats reached demigod-like numbers. Muscular, but not in a professional weight lifter kind of way. Chiseled, I¡¯d say.


    ¡°Alright, Sara,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m going to need you to turn around. You¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not looking at your junk, dude!¡± she called back, dropping any pretense of otherworldly dignity she had tried to assume. ¡°This harassment is most foul. Who do you think you are?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll cover my junk,¡± I insisted. ¡°But you need to see this.¡±


    Sara stood there silently, wrestling with her thoughts. Finally, she slowly turned. True to my word, I was covering myself; I took off my underwear but did not drop it. She looked me up and down before throwing her arms into the air. ¡°This answers nothing!¡±


    Smirking, I reached for my neck. I scratched at an imperceptible line with my nails. Once I got underneath it, I pulled. My skin peeled off, causing me to shiver from the sensation. It was like picking at sunburned skin, but all over. Sara watched in horror as I did so.


    [[Unequipped]]


    Ouroboros Cover-up


    (Ouroboros tattoos from repeated plays are hidden from all players and administrators regardless of status)


    Sara couldn¡¯t look away. In fact, she stepped off her pedestal and approached with hesitant steps. The cover-up disappeared as I dropped it to the ground. My body was covered in Ouroboros tattoos, a snake in the shape of a circle eating its own tail. My arms, chest, back, and legs were covered by them.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    A look of horrified bewilderment was plastered on Sara¡¯s face, and I gave her some time. This wasn¡¯t something that could be processed quickly, by a supernatural entity or not. While she stared, I put my underwear back on.


    [[Equipped]]


    Leopard Print Undies


    (+1 Dexterity, Comfort Plus passive acquired)


    Ah, that¡¯s the ticket. Then, I waited. Maybe I should have given her the memory orb before showing her the tattoos. The look on her face was always just priceless, though, and I couldn¡¯t help myself. I looked down at my body. The gore had, thankfully, come off with the cover-up.


    Three years ago, Earth became hell. They had come with no warning, no fanfare. Monsters appeared from nowhere, killing people left and right. It came with a system, like some sort of twisted video game. Everyone had a chance through the system, they claimed.


    That had been three years ago this time. Each Ouroboros adorning my body was one that I earned by playing their games, by losing my friends and families, and by putting my life on the line for their entertainment. It was one I earned, and then bought to return to just before the beginning.


    ¡°How many?¡± Sara asked quietly. ¡°How many do you have?¡± I didn¡¯t answer. Instead, I picked up the lime I had set down and offered it to her.


    [[Item]]


    Esaraphelscion¡¯s Memory Orb


    Contains the memory of previous iterations of the Angel of the End, Esaraphelscion.


    Sara looked at it for a moment before taking it. She crushed it in her hand after some deliberation, and her eyes clouded over.


    At the end of every run, Sara was the one waiting for me in these golden halls. At first, I had purchased these memory orbs out of anger. If I was going back, then I would make sure she knew what I went through. That she would know what I had gone through. It was something I had a measure of control over and I had grasped at it like it was a life raft. At first.


    The more we spoke, the less my anger had been directed towards Sara. Her job was literally only to congratulate the one who completed the last scenario and to ask what the player wanted as a prize. She watched the game, but I couldn¡¯t blame her for that; she was left in this room and forgotten from the beginning. This room was her prison as much as I had made the system mine.


    It had been unbelievable to me at first. Who locked an angel away to do one thing that might not even happen? It was wasteful and stupid, but there was an answer: someone higher up than her on the ladder probably found it amusing. That was all that mattered to them, and they rewarded their most amusing pawns.


    That was the guiding principle of the administrators, more power. Here, Sara had no such aspirations with the higher powers. She was stuck until someone else had the misfortune of making it to the Hall of the End and no amount of wishing would change that.


    Lucky for me, that didn¡¯t mean Sara was without aspirations. She had been instrumental in helping refine my runs, pointing out various abilities and items to keep an eye out for. She generally watched the same feeds from timeline to timeline, but every so often I¡¯d change enough things around enough that she¡¯d end up watching different folk.


    Sara¡¯s eyes fluttered as the memory orb finished its work. Her eyes focused on mine, and her armor melted away. She was a lot more relaxed when she knew she didn¡¯t have to play the part. The armor transformed into a loose hanging toga, still a contrasting white against her bronze skin. It was much better than the armor.


    Then she smacked me on the arm. ¡°You asshole!¡± she half-laughed, half-yelled. ¡°I told you to stop stripping in front of me before giving me the orb!¡±


    I smiled down at her. Almost all tension had drained from her body. ¡°This was my last chance,¡± I told her. ¡°I wanted to see that reaction one last time. I wasn¡¯t expecting to see your true form, though. That was trippy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me,¡± Sara whined, sticking her tongue out at me. She had picked up on a lot of human mannerisms during my resets. ¡°I was just surprised. No one blows through the final scenario in an hour. I couldn¡¯t comprehend it. Forget that you saw me that way, or else.¡±


    ¡°Or else what, Sara?¡± I asked, waggling my eyebrows. She smacked my arm again, shoving me away some. I let it go. ¡°The Needle Lancer class with the paralyzing Wasp Knight¡¯s Venom worked like a charm against the demons, so I got through them faster than usual.¡±


    Sara nodded. ¡°Tell me what you were doing this time,¡± she said. ¡°I only watched you during the end, so I have no idea what kind of shenanigans were pulled.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I took a vacation,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°Invested all of my points into Rexxel¡¯s Bank, did a few quests early on to help him out, and waited on a beach for like a year and a half. By the time I came to collect, I had enough points to jump up to endgame levels and to get some decent equipment.¡±


    ¡°I was watching Coe when you blew through his force¡¯s gate holding the demons back from Earth,¡± Sara said, smiling.


    ¡°Oh, he was pissed,¡± I chuckled again. Coe was one of the top players in nearly every iteration of the game. I liked to needle him, but he was honestly a godsend in my runs; he took care of a lot of big problems that I wasn¡¯t built for or around to solve. ¡°Had plans for the demons and everything, then I just came in and went through the whole gauntlet.¡±


    A silence descended on the hall, and we stared into each other¡¯s eyes. I broke it first after just a few seconds. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I murmured. ¡°About the next tattoo?¡±


    Sara sighed and reached up to my head. Ignoring the demon blood that had dried in my hair, she pulled me down so that our foreheads were touching. I closed my eyes. The fire that made up her hair radiated a gentle heat. She smelled like a campfire. Odd, but pleasant.


    ¡°I¡¯m very certain, Ant. After your 100<sup>th</sup> tattoo, it¡¯s going to be prohibitively more expensive. This will be your last run.¡±


    This was going to be my 100<sup>th</sup> run. I had been through 99 instances of this hell. It was self-inflicted, I could admit that, and I had no right to complain about what I had done to myself. The system¡¯s administrators may have started it, but I¡¯m the one who went back time and time again.


    ¡°You can¡¯t save everyone, Ant,¡± Sara said, wrapping her arms around me. I reciprocated, relishing the comforting embrace of another. ¡°But you¡¯re going to save a lot of people. A lot more than anyone else would ever be capable of.¡±


    I nodded slowly. That was why I was doing this. I had to save as many people as possible, and the only way to do that was to beat this twisted game as fast as I could.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been building up to this moment,¡± Sara continued. ¡°You¡¯ve been testing different builds, gathering information on people, and figuring out the optimal strategies for the scenarios. You know how the administrators are going to react to you. Ant, you can do this.¡±


    Sara had gone through various pep talks throughout our meetings, but this time she surprised me. She tilted her head up, our noses brushing, and gently placed her lips on mine. While surprised, I didn¡¯t fight it. I returned the kiss.


    When we pulled away from each other, we both exhaled. I couldn¡¯t help it, I had to tease her. ¡°Did you just sigh?¡± I asked cheekily. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you needed to breathe.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret that, you jerk,¡± Sara said, trying to pull away.


    I didn¡¯t let her. My Strength was near 200 even without my gear, and she didn¡¯t put up a real fight. I pulled her in close to my chest, which she allowed. Her feathers, which brushed against my arms, were soft and warm. When I stroked one of her wings, she shivered. Didn¡¯t pull away, though, so I continued.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I whispered. ¡°True form or not, you¡¯re just as human to me as the ones I¡¯m trying to save. You won¡¯t regret helping me.¡±


    She rested in my arms for a few minutes. It was something I sorely needed, and I wasn¡¯t afraid to admit it. Sara was the only being in all of existence who knew of my plight aside from the system itself, which was calculating and uncaring. That understanding was exactly what I needed right now. The sense of closeness with another recharged me, something I couldn¡¯t get on the ¡°vacation¡± I claimed to have taken.


    ¡°You should pick out your prizes,¡± Sara said as she finally started extricating herself from my arms. I let her go with no small tinge of longing. ¡°There¡¯s something new this time, and you should take it.¡±


    ¡°Something new?¡± I asked. It had been a long, long time since anything new had shown up in the after game shop. Instead of answering, Sara took a step back. A box appeared in front of me.


    [[Notice]]


    Congratulations on your victory, Player Anthony Franklin. Please pick your prize(s) below.


    [[Shop]]


    The Prize (All remaining points)


    This was the big one. According to Sara, it was any single wish you had. The problem was that the system had not been designed to be your friend. It took all of the points you accumulated at the end of the run regardless of the wish, but it didn¡¯t tell you how much your wish actually cost.


    So if someone had the same thought I did and wanted to wish back everyone who died, they could certainly try. The number of points needed to do this was simply astronomical, and anything less than the required payment would cause the wish to be corrupted.


    The opposite wasn¡¯t so much true as it was infuriating. If you wished for something easy, like, I don¡¯t know, an ice cream cone, then you¡¯d get it. You¡¯d have also wasted the other hundreds of thousands of points on a ten-point wish. Sara and I had discussed this at length, and it was crappy all around.


    I kept reading, picking out the ones I knew I would need.


    Memory Orb [Angel] (300,000)


    Ouroboros Tattoo (500,000)


    Ouroboros Cover-up (100,000)


    Administrator Black-out [intermediate] (200,000)


    Time Capsule [x3] (150,000)


    Wondrous Beginner¡¯s Stat Kit (20,000)


    Wondrous Beginner¡¯s Survival Kit (15,000)


    Total: 1,285,000


    You have 1,297,456 points available. Spend?


    Yes


    No


    I reached for the button to confirm when Sara stopped me. ¡°Scroll to the bottom, there¡¯s the new thing,¡± she urged.


    And I did so. Most of the things down here were bottom of the barrel items that were useful for the first scenario and then practically worthless after that. I couldn¡¯t dismiss it if Sara was telling me about it, though. The item at the very bottom made me blink.


    Esaraphelscion¡¯s Kiss [boon] (discounted price: 12,456)


    ¡°And here I thought you finally caught feelings for me,¡± I said sarcastically. ¡°But then you go and charge me for it. And take the rest of my points!¡± My response was in good nature, and I trusted her. Boons often came with good skills or abilities, and I wasn¡¯t going to pass it up. I added it to my purchases.


    ¡°Hey, I said don¡¯t make me regret it,¡± she retorted. ¡°It¡¯ll help you; I promise. It¡¯s normally much, much more.¡±


    Memory Orb [Angel] (300,000)


    Ouroboros Tattoo (500,000)


    Ouroboros Cover-up (100,000)


    Administrator Black-out [intermediate] (200,000)


    Time Capsule [x3] (150,000)


    Wondrous Beginner¡¯s Stat Kit (20,000)


    Wondrous Beginner¡¯s Survival Kit (15,000)


    Esaraphelscion¡¯s Kiss [boon] (discounted price: 12,456)


    Total: 1,297,456


    You have 1,297,456 points available. Spend?


    Yes


    No


    ¡°I believe you,¡± I chuckled. I hit Yes and the window disappeared, replaced with another one.


    [[Shop]]


    Thank you for your purchase. Your items will materialize in the order purchased, so please be patient as they are fulfilled. You currently have 0 points left.


    ¡°So what does it do?¡± I asked, waving this latest window away.


    ¡°Two things. One I¡¯m going to tell you, and another that I¡¯m going to surprise you with,¡± Sara said. I couldn¡¯t help but notice her eyes twinkling with excitement.


    ¡°That¡¯s going to make things hard to plan out, Sara,¡± I chided.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get there when we get there,¡± she said. Taking me by the arm, Sara led me to the pedestal she had been hovering over and sat down. I sat down beside her. ¡°The first boon is that you¡¯re not going to start at the beginning of the system, but roughly a half an hour before. I¡¯m not sure exactly how much time it was because of how heavily discounted it was.¡±


    My jaw dropped. That was a huge boon no matter how you looked at things. With a head start like that, I could position myself wherever I needed to be. Within reason, of course. I nearly jumped to my feet. ¡°How come you¡¯ve never offered this before?¡± I asked, almost yelling.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s breaking the rules,¡± Sara said. She¡¯d anticipated my response and didn¡¯t hold it against me. ¡°The second thing does, anyway. You¡¯ve had a good track record, phenomenal really, but I wasn¡¯t ready to put that level of trust in you. Especially since I wasn¡¯t sure what the alternate version of me would think. It¡¯s dangerous and it¡¯s going to bring a lot of attention down on you.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to be upset?¡± I asked. Her warnings gave me some concern, but I still trusted her. Plus, this was going to be my last chance anyway, so it was now or never.


    ¡°We¡¯ll¡­ get into that later,¡± she said. Sara rested her head on my shoulder and placed her hand on my leg. ¡°So, you have a spare half hour at the beginning, run me through what you plan on doing. I want this conversation for the memory orb.¡±


    I mulled it over but decided not to worry about it. Once she revealed it to me, I¡¯d decide then whether or not I¡¯d use it. Even if I never used it, the half hour was well worth it.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, looking off at the pile of gross stuff that was my former gear. ¡°So the first three things I have to do are: 1, evacuate a building; 2, warn a barista and get them thinking in the right direction; and 3, pick up a book from the local library.¡±


    ¡°The book, huh?¡± Sara chuckled. ¡°Makes sense. That path always was your favorite.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah, so I¡¯m thinking the first thing I do is call in a bomb threat¡­¡±

 Chapter 1

    Etson - 4:01 PM


    There was a moment of disorientation as my consciousness flooded into my younger body. Pain hammered through my head, though it quickly receded as I blinked away the stars in my vision. I loosened the black and green paisley tie from my neck.


    When the system first began alerting people that our world was about to become a living nightmare, I had been on my way to a job interview for an assistant manager position at a small mom and pop bagel shop. Guaranteed to get me nowhere in life but would keep me from spending all my tuition money on rent.


    I pulled my phone from my black slacks. The system started at 4:22. I groaned when I saw it was 4:01. About a half hour, my ass. Spinning, I started running back to where I came from. I still had twenty minutes. Not sure if I¡¯d call that plenty of time, but I¡¯d make it work.


    I unlocked my phone, scrolled through my contacts, and hit the dial button. It rang twice before someone answered.


    ¡°Etson College Security,¡± a gruff voice said. ¡°This is security officer Davis.¡±


    ¡°Hi, my name is Anthony Franklin, business major,¡± I began. I was already starting to feel winded and I had only run about a hundred feet at most. Nothing whipped you into shape like artificially inflating your stats. ¡°I just overheard two guys talking about blowing up the library.¡±


    A pause. ¡°Is this a prank?¡±


    ¡°I gave you my name, man,¡± I said. ¡°These two dudes were talking about how they planted a bomb in the library to get back at the school. They said 4:25 was boom time, their words. I don¡¯t know where they planted it, I ran before they could say. I¡¯m still running.¡± And sounding very out of breath.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Davis asked, panic rising in his voice. "You¡¯re completely serious?¡±


    ¡°I saw who they were, so I could¡­¡± I took a breath. ¡°I can identify them.¡±


    ¡°Okay, stay on the line, Anthony,¡± Davis ordered before yelling something I couldn¡¯t make out to someone else.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± I lied before hanging up. Since I still had another few blocks before I reached the cafe, I would use them.


    I sent out a message to every contact I had with a warning to get somewhere safe. Not everyone would get it, but some would and, as much as I hated it, I had to keep my sights on the big picture. Turning off the sound, I slid my phone back into my pocket just as it started vibrating from the responses.


    It continued to do so for the next four blocks before I arrived at my destination: Garcia¡¯s Caf¨¦. A cozy place not too far from the college, it was a common hangout spot for students who didn¡¯t want to stay at school.


    My vision tunneled as soon as I went in. A young woman with dark, curly hair and a blue apron looked at me from behind the counter with concern. ¡°You okay, dude?¡± she asked as she looked me over.


    ¡°Yeah, water and whatever energy drink you have on hand, please,¡± I panted out. Leaning on the counter, I looked at the clock on the register. 4:09. Plenty of time. Probably.


    ¡°Six dollars, fifty-three cents,¡± she said, ringing it up before heading to a fridge against the far wall.


    Gabrielle Garcia, daughter of the proprietor of Garcia¡¯s Caf¨¦. Without my intervention, she never saw the dawn of the second day. That was a shame because, every time I saved her, she went on to do remarkable things.


    More often than not, Gabrielle became a powerful healer of some sort. In fact, she was working at her father¡¯s shop in order to pay for school, working towards becoming a certified nursing assistant. In the coming days, many would flock to her, and many would be saved due to her powers.


    I began weaving my web of lies. ¡°Hey,¡± I panted. ¡°You know what¡¯s up with the square?¡±


    Gabrielle pulled an Aquafina and a Red Bull from the fridge and started heading back my way. ¡°Haven¡¯t heard anything,¡± she said. ¡°You running from there? You¡¯re not exactly in the right clothes for a workout.¡±


    ¡°Just got out of a job interview, got a lot of nervous energy,¡± I lied as I plucked at my long sleeves. ¡°But no, there were a bunch of firefighters, cops, and EMTs there. Looked like they were setting up a barricade or something.¡±


    The downtown square was one of the few natural safe zones the system laid down and was only about ten blocks from here. Gabrielle wouldn¡¯t have too much trouble getting down there. I had sent her down that path before, at least, and she had always made it. Then, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry.


    ¡°News to me,¡± Gabrielle said. She placed my drinks in a small paper bag. ¡°Six fifty-three.¡±


    ¡°Right, yeah,¡± I said, pulling my wallet out of my back pocket to grab my debit card, which I swiped. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just nervous energy or whatever, but I have a feeling something is going to go wrong today. You stay safe, yeah?¡± I punched in my pin after changing the tip to 50 dollars. You will remember me, Gabrielle.


    ¡°Yeah, sure thing,¡± Gabrielle said skeptically. Her eyes bulged when she saw the tip.


    ¡°Awesome, thanks,¡± I told her before grabbing my things and dashing out. It was 4:12. For sure, it certainly hadn¡¯t felt like three minutes inside. The clock must have been fast or something.


    I grabbed the energy drink, popped it, and drank the best I could while running. Some of it dribbled onto my dark green button-up, but I didn¡¯t care about that. The taste of it almost made me gag; how could people drink this regularly? Once the can was empty, I drank half of the bottle of water to rinse away the taste.


    I jaywalked across the street when I saw a moment free of traffic. Lucky, honestly; Etson College was right off of the main road and things were pretty busy this time of day.


    Regardless of my luck, I couldn¡¯t afford to stop. The mostly glass building at the front of campus loomed over me, but it wasn¡¯t my destination. I ran around it and into the large courtyard that had always seemed like a waste of space to me. Like, sure grass is green, but some tables and benches would go a long way.


    Shaking my head, I emptied my mind of those thoughts. My opinion on the courtyard never mattered, and it would matter even less in¡ªI checked my phone¡ªfour minutes.


    The library was on the far end of the campus, but now it was a straight shot from me. The Jody Etson Library was a large, two-story brick building that was much older than the rest of the campus.


    People were congregated a safe distance away from the building. I didn¡¯t see any police officers yet, but I did see three men in gray uniforms. Those were the security officers. Mentally, I thanked them for working as quickly as I needed them to. They were always gone by the time I had made it to the library, so I wasn¡¯t sure of their efficiency.


    Gone as in run away, not dead. I never found their bodies. Though that could have been something else entirely.


    I slowed to a stop as I neared the crowd, positioning myself close by but away from the security guards. There was no way in for me except the front door. If I had more time, I could find a brick or something and smash a window, though that wasn¡¯t an option with so little time remaining. My body ached, but adrenaline pumped through my veins and gave me life.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    The crowd was talking about the bomb threat that had been called in. A lot of students thought it was a hoax and complained, loudly, to anyone who was in earshot. Most of the faculty were taking it seriously, which was good. If anyone was left in that building when the system dropped, they would be dead. They were always dead.


    I checked the phone again to see it tick to 4:22. We were seconds away. I thought about the layout of the library. The staircase to the second floor was across from the entrance with a mostly open floor plan. The book I needed would be on a return cart up the stairs and near the librarian¡¯s desk. Maybe, if I hurried, I could make it before the bookshelves started shifting.


    The world turned into static for just a moment as the system connected to the world¡¯s population. I had already started running by the time my vision returned. I could barely hear my own thoughts as my blood rushed through my ears. In front of me, a bright yellow light erupted from the library, shattering all of the glass with a deafening boom. If anyone called after me, I couldn¡¯t hear them.


    A deep, smooth, male voice filled my mind. It would fill everyone¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Greetings, population of Earth. I am the Angel of the Beginning, Seraphim.¡±


    I ducked under the metal in the middle of the broken glass door to enter the library, doing the same for the next set of glass doors. I never understood why they needed two sets, but now wasn¡¯t the time to contemplate that.


    ¡°Congratulations to all. You have been judged worthy of joining us under the umbrella of the system that allows us to ascend ever higher.¡±


    This was usually the part where I scoffed and rolled my eyes, but I had no time for it now. My eyes darted around the library. It looked like the bookshelves hadn¡¯t moved yet, but the tables on the ground floor had tilted and moved to block the way to the stairs.


    Once I was fully standing again, I continued sprinting. To the left of the path forward were doors leading into small rooms, nothing but dead ends there. To the right were a few large counters for librarians to speak to students. If I wanted to avoid most of the tables, which were shifting so that they were facing me, I would have to take the detour to the right.


    ¡°You may ask what this means for you and your planet, and all will be revealed soon. For now, your world will change. But the system does not just take, it gives new life to all things.¡±


    The table closest to me surged forward in an attempt to bowl me over, but I was ready. I jumped, leaping into the air as best I could and twisting so that I would slide over the table¡¯s edge and land on the other side of the counter. The tables, grounded as they were, couldn¡¯t hit me here.


    The chairs, on the other hand, accelerated in an attempt to knock me over.


    ¡°You may have noticed that your ails are gone, and any physical disability that has plagued your existence has been fixed. This is the power of the system. This is the power we offer. We give it freely, and yet, it is anything but free.¡±


    With adrenaline-fueled recklessness I jumped onto one of the wheeled office chairs and used it as a springboard to get onto the counter. Leaping from one to the next, I jumped onto the floor where the tables were attempting, and failing, to turn around. It was good for me that they were each acting as individual entities.


    My gawking was soon put to an end when office supplies such as pens, staplers, and straightened paper clips started flying towards my head. Dodging the projectiles, I ascended the stairs.


    ¡°The system demands that you earn the power it allows you. Your world will be populated with monsters, some of which are native to your various mythos and some that are not. These beasts are powerful, but now, so are you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel powerful yet, jackass!¡± I yelled breathlessly as I ran up the stairs. I noted with elation that the second floor hadn¡¯t been set up yet. If the right path had been closed off as it normally was, I would have been forced to go left and around through a small room connecting the two sides above the entrance. A less than ideal path, that.


    The bookshelves weren¡¯t in position, but the books sure were.


    ¡°Everybody starts equal in the eyes of the system. You have the same chance of success as all others around you, younger or older, and as those trained in the art of combat or not. All are equal.¡±


    I threw myself to the ground as a volley of books launched themselves from a nearby table, rolling underneath it and toppling over the chair on the other side. It slid only a few inches on the carpeted floor before it changed directions and slammed into me, knocking the wind out of my lungs.


    There wasn¡¯t any time to waste recovering, though. The table above me started to hover and flip. I pushed on the chair and scrambled to my feet, diving out of the way just in time for the table to crash down on where I was just paused.


    My body ached as I pushed on.


    ¡°Those monsters will attack you, but you can defeat them. This is now the task that befalls each and every one of you. I beseech you all, survive.¡±


    I ducked under more thrown books by diving behind the counter of the second-floor librarian¡¯s desk. I knew the book would be on the other side, just two counters away. As I moved to look, a handful of paperclips embedded themselves in my shoulder. I grunted in pain; the wounds were shallow but still hurt. They would have struck my neck if I hadn¡¯t shifted.


    ¡°Those who survive are rewarded. Those who thrive will ascend to ever greater heights. Those who do not have faith in the system will perish.¡±


    I rolled out of the way as additional sharp objects slammed into the space I just vacated. Turning the corner, I could see it. A faint yellow glow on a return cart not far away. It started slowly trundling towards my location as soon as I laid eyes on it. Reaching for a fallen stapler, I aimed and threw.


    It collided with the tall stack of books atop the cart, which fell over in its path. I moved forward as the fallen books were tossed aside to make room for it to escape.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning, everyone who survived the night will be given the chance to partake in a tutorial to enhance your understanding of the system.¡±


    I dove for the glowing book. The return cart tipped in an attempt to keep me away for seconds more, and I heard something loud shifting behind me. It was too late; I reached out and snagged the book before it could crush me.


    Not sparing a glance backwards, I rolled to the side and reached for my keys. The book was a large, leather-bound tome in a language that seemed like gibberish. On the front cover, however, was the source of the glow. The Medallion of Uuska. It was a fist-sized, circular clay medallion on a long leather string with a spiral leading from the outside to a toothy maw in the center.


    ¡°Until then, I wish you all the best of luck in your survival.¡±


    I fished my keys from my pocket. In particular, I was reaching for the plain, stainless steel bottle opener that was on the key ring. I slid it onto the Medallion, shifted the bottle opener, and it popped right off.


    Every item in the library still floating, including the bookshelf that had been the last defense, fell to the ground in a deafening cacophony. Then, all was peaceful.


    ¡°Remember these words. I am Seraphim, Angel of the¡­¡±


    A pause. That was new. I didn¡¯t dwell on it, though. I was too busy catching my breath. My side still hurt. Everything still hurt.


    ¡°¡­ Beginning. Have faith in the system, gain strength from the system, and grow within the system. Farewell for now, population of Earth.¡±


    ¡°Suck it, scum sucker!¡± I croaked, raising my middle finger towards the sky. My speed had even made him stumble, much to my amusement. The administrator claimed to be the Angel of the Beginning, but I knew that as a lie. He wasn¡¯t an angel of anything, just a charlatan who figured out that Florida¡¯s population was religious and decided to call himself an angel to make himself look better. The dick.


    I could not dwell on my victory, however, as I had work to do. I opened the tome as a series of text boxes littered my vision.


    [[Notice]]


    Welcome to the system, Player Anthony Franklin.


    [[Item]]


    You have received Time Capsule x3. Open your inventory to claim their contents.


    Ouroboros Cover-up has been applied automatically.


    Administrator Black-out [intermediate] has been applied automatically.


    [[Victory!]]


    You have defeated the Hidden Boss [Medallion of Uuska]; +100 points.


    [[Item]]


    You have acquired the Book of the Warmongering Mystic.


    This is a class-changing item.


    WARNING: once you have selected a class, you may not choose another except under certain circumstances.


    Would you like to use the Book of the Warmongering Mystic?


    Yes


    No


    I groaned at the default blue of the initial system messages and vowed to change them to a better color immediately after getting my new class.


    Reaching for the box, I tapped Yes. A new text box appeared.


    [[Congratulations!]]


    Your class has been changed from "None" to "Warmind.¡±


    Wisdom and Willpower stats have been unlocked.


    Mental Points (MP) have been unlocked.


    [[Notice]]


    You are the first player to unlock a class. +500 points.


    I grinned as my adrenaline finally failed me, and I fell onto my back. My first major milestone was complete!


    Now it was time to sort out the spoils.

 Chapter 2

    Etson College - 4:24 PM


    I lay on the floor in a mixture of elation and despair as the crash caused me to feel like my head was splitting in two. As I laid on the ground, the Book of the Warmongering Mystic disappeared from my hand. I paid it no heed; that¡¯s what was supposed to happen. Instead, I decided I deserved a break, and I waited for my ravaged lungs to calm down before looking at my other prize: the Medallion of Uuska.


    There were two ways to obtain the Warmind class in my area. The first way was through the Book of the Warmongering Mystic, and the other was through the Medallion of Uuska. Only, the latter caused a major problem: you could only get the full class very early, or very late.


    The Medallion sucked the power out of the Book by using its class abilities, which was why the library tried to kill me with books, tables, chairs, and miscellaneous office supplies. If the Medallion had been allowed to suck more power out of the book, then the pages would have slowly gone blank. Since the pages were filled with gibberish anyway, this meant the mechanical difference was that you gained fewer class abilities when using the book.


    Therein lay the problem. If you came in the middle of the Medallion¡¯s cycle, then you would have half the class through one item, and half through the other. Francis and Jess Alurne, brother and sister, would usually brave the library after hearing it was ¡°haunted,¡± and they would both become two halves of a Warmind. Their powers augmented and boosted each other in wonderful ways.


    But power bred jealousy. Francis and Jess never made it past the second scenario as Warminds because Jess often became angry at her brother for having more powers. They split up midway through the scenario and died not long after. I had managed to keep them both alive until the fifth, but it was often an arduous task that required too much social management. Without the Warmind class, they would make it much further because they weren¡¯t stuck to each other.


    I was fairly certain that I had gotten here in time to keep the Medallion from taking the last pages of the Book, thus leaving it complete. Whenever I¡¯d had to run through here from my job interview, I never made it in time. It was still worth getting, of course; Warmind was a devastating psychic class that was incredibly powerful with my knowledge and expertise. I had been a Warmind in over a fourth of my previous runs, with the vast majority of those having come from the Book, but a few coming from the Medallion even though it meant I spent a long time being classless.


    Waving my hand in the air, I immediately went to my settings and changed three of them.


    [[Settings]]


    Text box window background color has been changed from [Blue] to [Green].


    Text box window activation has been updated. Activation signals are now [Wave] and [Snap].


    Stat text box intricacy has been changed from [Full] to [Simple].


    I snapped twice, closing the settings text box and pulling the menu back up. Now that the text boxes were back to my preferred green, I felt better. It was just a little thing, I knew, but I¡¯d had it like that for countless runs now. It comforted me. Though maybe I should make it red so that I would be more aggressive? That made me shake my head; I was already going to be aggressive this run, no need to exacerbate it.


    Now that the text box was as it needed to be, I looked over my stats.


    [[Status]]


    Player Anthony Franklin


    Class: Warmind


    Race: Human


    Points: 600


    Stats:


    Hit Points: 17/30


    Mental Points: 70/70


    Strength: 3; Dexterity: 4; Constitution: 3; Wisdom: 4; Willpower: 7


    Mentally, I clicked on Warmind.


    [[Class]]


    Warmind


    The Warmind is a powerful psychic warrior with the ability to alter their surroundings on a whim. If allowed to grow, Warminds can create and destroy with but a thought, and even alter some laws of reality. Each ability costs a variable level of Mental Points.


    <u>Abilities</u>


    Push (Willpower) lvl 1: Push an inanimate object no more than Willpower*5 lbs. away from you. The weight of the object determines the distance and speed at which it is pushed.


    Pull (Willpower) lvl 1: Pull an inanimate object no more than Willpower*5 lbs. towards you. The weight of the object determines the distance and speed at which it is pulled.


    Lift (Willpower) lvl 1: Lift an inanimate object no more than Willpower*10 lbs. off of the ground. The weight of the object determines the height and speed at which it is lifted.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Shield (Wisdom) lvl 1: Block incoming attacks up to an amount of damage equal to or less than Wisdom*3. Shield can be activated, sustained, or deactivated at will and recharge at a rate of Wisdom*1 hit points per second after 5 seconds of not taking damage. Broken shields cannot be reactivated for 30 seconds.


    I smiled and nodded to myself. This was perfect. Whenever I used the Medallion for acquiring Warmind, this was the ability spread that I started with. Whenever I used the Book, however, I had to earn Shield down the line. Luckily, I had gotten here in time. Unluckily, the damn class still didn¡¯t state the formula for how the Warmind used up Mental Points, or MP, or about how the ability¡¯s effect dropped off based on weight and distance. I had enough experience to figure things out on instinct, but it would be nice to have the exact numbers.


    Now I looked at the Medallion of Uuska. It was still in its base form, having not had time to steal from the Book of the Warmongering Mystic, which meant that it was still useful. Sure, it sucked away power, but that wasn¡¯t its only purpose. I slid it around my neck.


    [[Equipped]]


    Medallion of Uuska


    (+10 hit points, +2 Wisdom, +2 Willpower, MP Storage skill acquired, Class Steal skill acquired)


    [[Skill]]


    MP Storage


    The Medallion of Uuska can store Mental Points for future use, up to 100 MP. This MP can be exchanged between the bearer and item at will, though if the item is removed then all stored MP is lost.


    [[Skill]]


    Class Steal


    The Medallion of Uuska can be put on a class-giving item or foe and absorb the class to be acquired at a later time.


    WARNING: You already have a class and will not be able to gain another.


    I felt my mind clear as the Medallion increased my stats. Even though I was still heaving on the floor, out of breath, I could think as clearly as I ever had. I knew that the rate of return on Mental Power was slow, but as my Willpower got higher and higher, that would be less of a problem. I activated the MP Storage ability and transferred 40 points, leaving me with 50 after my augmented stats increased my overall total to 90.


    Sitting up, I navigated to my Inventory and opened my three time capsules. On the floor in front of me appeared a green, lime-shaped crystal and two satchels. I reached for the crystal, holding it tightly in both hands. Ninety-nine versions of Sara were in this memory orb. A part of me sorely missed her even though we had only parted about half an hour ago. Her scent haunted me and her kiss lingered on my lips. The feeling burned me, and I remembered her words.


    ¡°I will do better,¡± I declared to the orb before placing it into the safety of my inventory.


    My attention shifted to the satchels. Both were made of brand-new leather, but the larger of the two had straps so that it could be worn on a belt. I took the smaller one first and opened it. Inside were eight vials neatly divided by a soft, cotton fabric. Three had tops that were colored red, yellow, and green, while the others were all black. I pulled out those three and two more before closing up the pouch.


    The Wondrous Beginner¡¯s Stat Kit was something utterly useless in the end game shop but was an instant purchase for anyone looking for an Ouroboros Tattoo. I watched as the two black-topped vials shifted in color to blue and aquamarine. I laid them out in front of me and grabbed the red vial.


    [[Item]]


    Wondrous Strength Enhancement Potion


    Imbibing this potion will cause your Strength stat to rise to the maximum allowed by the system in the first scenario. This potion will work no matter how high or low the initial Strength stat is but will fail if Strength is already maxed.


    The stat kit changed based on the stats gained by the person taking the vials, but Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution were the default of every player. Only by gaining a class could you unlock more stats, like how the Warmind provided me with Wisdom and Willpower. At least those two were pretty easy to figure out. In the past, I had classes with stats like Wrath, Guts, Moxie, and Fierceness. The Needle Lancer had a stat just called Sting, which was necessary because it increased the damage and penetration power of piercing weapons, but I really had to question what the system was doing.


    I had the Strength enhancing potion to my lips before I realized that I was zoning out. I corked it and set it back down. That had almost been a bad decision. Instead, I picked up the yellow Dexterity potion and knocked it back. Tasted like bananas.


    Over the next few seconds, I felt my body shift under the effects. It wasn¡¯t painful, but it did cause me to shiver violently as my muscles contracted and my bone structure changed. Once the process was done, I shook it off. My body had just gained 16 points in Dexterity to put it at 20, which was considered well over the peak of humanity.


    With my body more streamlined, I chugged down the Strength potion. Just like before, my body shivered uncontrollably as my muscles expanded to fit the new superhuman stat. If I had done it first, my body would have ballooned into too-serious-about-weightlifting territory and my clothes would have become shredded. Getting naked in front of an angel friend? Sure, that¡¯s fine. The confused bulk of humanity? Absolutely no thank you.


    Instead, the Dexterity stat helped keep the muscle gains from Strength down, and I looked a lot like how I did in the Hall of the End. Muscular, but in a very flattering way. Like I went to the gym three times a week instead of living there. Funnily enough, you could always tell if someone had unbalanced their stats because of this trend. Early on it was very easy to find people who were suddenly in ill-fitting clothes because they became too muscular by boosting Strength or became too lean because of a Dexterity dependence.


    The next three potions weren¡¯t nearly as dramatic, as Constitution dealt with the inner workings of the body and both Wisdom and Willpower changed the brain. I did immediately regain my breath, however, which was a nice benefit. I pulled up my status screen and felt an immense satisfaction at how lovely my numbers looked lined up in a row.


    [[Status]]


    Player Anthony Franklin


    Class: Warmind


    Race: Human


    Points: 600


    Stats:


    Hit Points: 199/210


    Mental Points: 181/220 (40/100)


    Strength: 20; Dexterity: 20; Constitution: 20; Wisdom: 22; Willpower: 22


    The only thing ruining it was the stat increases from the Medallion of Uuska, but having higher stats was the opposite of a problem so I really shouldn¡¯t complain. At least I wouldn¡¯t have to waste points boosting my stats, and I was glad items could push stats over the limit.


    Tossing the satchel with the remaining three vials into my inventory, I grabbed my Wondrous Beginner¡¯s Survival Kit. This one contained four of both health and resource recovery potions, the latter of which changed to Mental Health Potions after I opened the bag for the first time, antidotes and anti-plagues, and a single knife. Oh, but what a knife it was.


    I grinned as I pulled the 12-inch serrated Bowie knife from the satchel. It shone in the light, and I could clearly see my reflection in the blade. The black grip was perfectly made for my hand with the cross guard fitting comfortably above my thumb and index finger. Not that I¡¯d be using it in a traditional sense all that much, but it still felt good. I put the sheath on the opposite side of my belt from the satchel and slid it into its resting place.


    I slowly began to stand as the sounds of screams and roars filled my ears. Monsters spawned from the system finally started appearing, and the confusion felt by people around the world would now be morphing into a terrible fear. My short respite was over. I headed to the shattered window to see my new, broken world.

 Chapter 3

    Etson College - 4:33 PM


    I took in the scene unfolding in the courtyard.


    People who had been milling around in front of the library began to scatter. They would have already been shaken up by the arrival of the Medallion and the subsequent explosion it caused in the library, but even as monsters started coming from unobserved buildings and alleys, they remained frozen like deer in headlights. One of the security officers broke off as a group of quadrupedal enemies ran towards them, and the others seemed to slip free of their paralysis, chasing after them.


    ¡°Time to get to work,¡± I said to myself as I deftly jumped out of the second story window. The glass crunched under my feet as I landed. Aside from a slight shock that resonated through my body, I was fine. ¡°Come and get some, you stupid mobs!¡±


    There was only one type of mob around the courtyard, an army of Trats. I sighed at the name, as I always did. A Trat was what you got when you combined a rodent of unusual size with a toad. The quadrupedal enemies were fast on their long, rat-like legs, and the tail they sported made it hard to unbalance them. Their dark, hairless skin was covered in a mucus that would paralyze you if your Constitution was too low and made them a real menace to anyone without a weapon. The main tactic of the Trat was to ensnare you with its long tongue, and then nonconsensually cuddle you until you were safe to eat.


    Some of them had their attention focused on me, but a few had gone after the throng of people, looking to feast on the stragglers. They wouldn¡¯t have been this bold if it weren¡¯t for their superior numbers and the presence of an Alpha Trat, a bigger version that led the pack. I cracked my knuckles. It was time to correct that.


    I ran forward on what felt like new legs towards the bigger enemy, my previous fatigue removed by the wonderful stat boosts I had just received. Three tongues lashed out behind me, but I ignored them in favor of going after the Alpha, which was part of the group chasing the humans. The increased speed caused me to stumble as I got used to it, but I caught up with the group halfway across the courtyard. I¡¯m not sure where the people were fleeing to, but they sure were booking it.


    Unsheathing my knife, I lunged at the Trat that was closest to me. It tried to skid to a stop as it heard me coming behind it, but I stabbed the weapon deep into its spine and continued to run, tearing into its bone and flesh like it was paper. My 20 Strength made it easy. Trats had Strength and Dexterity scores above the average human, but they were lacking in the Constitution department. That¡¯s what you get for relying on toxic skin to not get eaten.


    The Trat collapsed to the ground, but I kept a tight grip on my knife so that it wouldn¡¯t go with it. A quick glance backwards showed that I had five of them trailing me, but they wouldn¡¯t be catching up if I kept running at this speed. Ahead, the crowd of people continued to panic as the Alpha had grabbed the leg of one of the men in the back of the pack. He screamed in terror as he hit the ground, clawing the grass but doing nothing more than pulling up chunks of the yard. The tongue whipped backwards, pulling the man off of the ground as he flew backwards.


    I gritted my teeth. Originally, I had wanted to get used to my physical stats since I had spent so much time in my last run at the pinnacle of the system. My skills as a Warmind were ones that I had cultivated over many of those runs, and I had full faith in my abilities there. But a life was in danger, so even if there was time to run up there and stab, this wasn¡¯t the time to hold back. I threw my knife.


    One of the things that the Warminds I spoke to always complained about were the initial telekinetic abilities: Push, Pull, Lift. Like there was something inherently wrong with only having three actions, that you were being artificially limited in the scope of control you got. Of course, more actions became unlocked as you leveled up these three skills, four if you counted my Shield, but they never seemed to care about that. They thought it was too restricted.


    I understood where they came from. They were also dead wrong; what it offered was plenty.


    The knife flew faster than I could run as I Pushed it towards the Alpha Trat. It was opening its maw wide for its prey, and I could clearly see the saliva dripping from its mouth. I deliberately aimed between the beast¡¯s four legs, and time seemed to slow as I gave it my full focus regardless of the enemies around me. Once the knife reached the Alpha¡¯s throat, I stopped Pushing and switched my efforts to Lift on the sharp tip of the knife¡¯s blade.


    It pierced the Trat¡¯s skin up to the cross guard, causing the monster to scream around its tongue, which unraveled from the man¡¯s leg. He wasn¡¯t out of the woods yet¡ªhe was prone¡ªbut at least he could get to his feet now. As for the Trat, I wasn¡¯t done.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    I stopped Lifting and began Pulling.


    I stopped Pulling and began Lifting.


    Pull, Lift, Pull, Lift.


    I used my telekinetic powers to saw open the oversized toad rat from throat to stomach. Blood and gore fell as my serrated knife did the work that I needed it to do. The air filled with the fetid, unearthly stench of the Trat¡¯s innards as they slopped onto the ground. I managed to Pull my knife one more time before the Alpha Trat collapsed, and it was covered in red blood when its grip slapped safely into my palm.


    ¡°Run!¡± I yelled at the prone man, who watched me with wide, terror-filled eyes. My shout seemed to snap him out of his paralysis, and he scrambled to his feet, resuming his terrified flight.


    My feet had never stopped even though my mind was, literally, focused on something else. I jumped the corpse of the Alpha to go after the third Trat chasing the humans. It looked up at me, fear evident in its yellow, toad-like eyes. Without its Alpha and its pack too far behind to catch me, it was nothing more than a coward. It jerked back as I landed in front of it, but I lunged forward and sank my knife directly into the top of its skull. The mucus coating its body made my hand numb, but it was hardly a problem for someone with my Constitution.


    One more jump put me on the other side of the newly deceased Trat, my knife pulled effortlessly from its brain, and I turned. Winding up, I kicked it towards the pack that was chasing after me. The corpse¡¯s bones cracked from my efforts as it sailed through the air, but it was going to fall short of the lead Trat by a few feet. So, I reached out with my mind and Pushed.


    The approaching monster had slowed when it saw the incoming corpse missile and would have dodged if it weren¡¯t for my Push. The corpse slammed into the Trat, knocking it to the ground with a vicious crunch. It wouldn¡¯t die, not from that, but I could see its front legs broken at unnatural angles. It was out of the fight, at least.


    I turned my attention to the other four that had been chasing me. The two in the back started to slow, no doubt considering withdrawing to save their own skin. The two in the front continued to barrel towards me. I ran to meet them.


    The lead Trat lowered its head to the ground and shot out its tongue. It wrapped around my leg. Before it had a chance to pull, I dove forward and stabbed my knife into its tongue. It roared in pain as it tried to retract, but only succeeded in slicing its tongue in half as the blade remained immobile.


    I tumbled the rest of the way to the beast and wrapped my arms around its neck. The numb feeling returned as the mucus easily soaked through my shirt, but I ignored it. I began choking the monster. The Trat on this one¡¯s heels lunged at me, jaws wide and ready, but I shifted so that my prey and I fell to the ground. I lifted my leg and kicked my second assailant in the throat, crushing its windpipe and sending it falling to the ground.


    The other two finally decided that enough was enough. With terrified yelps, they turned tail and ran. Still crushing the neck of the one I held firm, I recalled my knife and threw it at one of the fleeing enemies. I Pushed it into the monster¡¯s flank, and it fell to the ground. I alternated between Pull and Push as I continuously stabbed the beast in its rear. Eventually, it stopped moving altogether. One had escaped, but I wasn¡¯t worried about a single Trat. Somebody else should be able to handle that.


    I snapped the neck of the Trat, eliciting one last squeal, and stood up. My shirt felt gross. I felt gross. I really should have thought this through before I decided to reacquaint myself with my low stat points. Sighing, I ripped my shirt from my body and used the dry side to remove any lingering mucus. At least I was ripped now, I guess. I walked over to the whimpering, disabled Trat and put my foot on its head. The beast scrambled, but it knew its fate. Its skull crushed easily under my boot. I wiped my shoe on the grass as the notification filled my vision.


    [[Victory!]]


    You have defeated x1 Alpha Trat. +5 points.


    You have defeated x6 Trats. +12 points.


    I took a deep breath as I looked at the carnage around me. The Alpha had a chance to drop something on defeat, but it looked like my first actual fight in the run was points-only. I shrugged, but it wasn¡¯t that big a deal. These first waves of random mobs were panic inducing to the general populace, sure, but they weren¡¯t as bad as the things that would come after the tutorials. At least the crowd of humans didn¡¯t suffer any casualties. I had no idea where they were now, but they were safer than being out in the open like they would have been at the system¡¯s start if not for my efforts.


    Pulling the five empty potion vials from my inventory, I collected the mucus of the Alpha Trat and sealed them up tight. They might not work on me or anyone who had a Constitution score over ten, but that didn¡¯t mean they were useless. I thought about drinking one of my Mental Health potions to fill up my MP for one extra vial but thought better of it. MP would tick up slowly over time, but who knows when I¡¯d need a potion?


    ¡°I¡¯m not a hoarder,¡± I told myself. ¡°I¡¯m just being practical.¡±


    Taking in a deep breath, I nodded. I wiped off the blood and gore from my knife on a patch of grass that wasn¡¯t already covered in the stuff. As an item that came out of a Wondrous Kit, it worked like a charm. Despite the abuse I had just put it through, it was still in pristine condition. It would take a lot to break this knife, though it would be overshadowed very quickly. It wasn¡¯t meant for combat so it didn¡¯t come with any of the stats a combat weapon would impart. That was okay for now since it handled random mobs like these, no problem.


    I sheathed my blade and looked up to the sky. There were still about two hours of sunlight left, which gave me plenty of time to grind before I reached my next destination.


    Shirtless and still partially covered in bloody mucus, I headed west. It was time to hunt more prey.

 Books 1 through 5 are available on Amazon & Audible!

    <div>


    <div>


    Thank you so much for reading! I appreciate everyone who has been willing to give this series a follow and continue enjoying the adventures of Anthony Franklin and friends. Royal Road has been a delight to post on, and I will continue to do so in the future.


    On the link above you can get access to the Kindle version, both eBook and Kindle Unlimited, paperback, and audiobook narrated by Daniel Thomas May.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Thank you again for reading what''s on Royal Road so far, and I hope you like what you''ve read enough to give the rest of it a try! I would appreciate it if, once you''re all caught up, you could give me a rating or review here on Royal Road and on Amazon. Every little bit helps!

 Chapter 233 (Book 6 start!)

    The Angel Express - 5:07 PM


    One of the things no one tells you about surviving a deadly space laser is how much it makes your friends worry.


    The moment I returned to the train, I was met with a plethora of questions about how I managed to live through an orbital laser strike when both the largest monster and the most powerful monster we had come across so far could not. Kayla and Jeff were upset with me, Jamie was satisfied with a job well done, and Mercury thought the whole thing was awesome.


    It took some time for everyone to settle, but once I answered some questions I retook control of the Angel Express and Sol Ligatus from Kayla. She had done an excellent job in my absence, but now I was planning on sticking around for a good while.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    Ownership of The Angel Express has been transferred to you by Guildmaster [Kayla Mills]. The Safe Zone menu is now available.


    [[Guild Notice]]


    Deputy Guildmaster [Kayla Mills] has elevated you to the position of Guildmaster. The Guildmaster menu is now available.


    <<<>>>


    That was when we started on our journey to New York. I hadn¡¯t explained why just yet, instead simply enjoying my time with the guild. It wasn¡¯t the longest train ride I had been on, but it would be one of my most relaxing for a while.


    ¡°I am not going to miss that sense of responsibility,¡± Kayla sighed as she leaned into her husband. Jeff placed his arm around her shoulder without a second thought. The ex-librarian turned Double Agent was my second in command and had been doing a wonderful job leading Sol Ligatus in my absence. ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re terrible for forcing that on me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you got the job done,¡± I cheerfully replied, holding up my tea cup for a toast. ¡°To the queen and all she¡¯s done for us!¡±


    The others all repeated the toast before Jeff yelled, ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s my wife!¡± All smiles, he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. In contrast to his just over five foot tall wife, the blonde Queen¡¯s Knight was the most physically imposing of us all. That was especially funny given his overly friendly attitude earning him the nickname Golden Retriever Knight from Mercury.


    ¡°Thanks, everyone,¡± Kayla said, not bothering to call me out for calling her a queen. She leaned forward and took a sip of coffee before turning her attention back to me. ¡°Though, you still haven¡¯t told us where you had gone to. We were worried because you said you were going to beat us here, and then we managed to get everything done up to the actual war part.¡±


    ¡°Not that the war went to plan,¡± Jeff added.


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s my bad. Something happened that kept me a few days longer than I had planned for,¡± I said apologetically. ¡°There were a couple of things that I wasn¡¯t expecting, giant eldritch monstrosities included. Fairly annoying, but it¡¯s safe to say that Aaron¡¯s Avatar is moving. Which is, honestly, just one of the problems we have at hand.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a Patron out there called Aaron?¡± Mercury asked.


    The dark ninja wasn¡¯t in his iconic outfit, but in casual pajamas with the logo of the Steelers on his pants. He had been eager to get into something comfortable after spending so much time in the ocean. Despite that, his black and pink wakizashi was at his hip. The sentient blade was known as the Princess, and I guessed she was probably guarding Doneralaego¡¯s inert phylactery in the sleeping car, as usual.


    ¡°Franklin has a Patron called Sara,¡± Jamie pointed out, looking towards me with her green, reptilian slit eyes. She was a Half-Dragon of the golden variety thanks to the dead Demon Lord Pustibule¡¯s sniper, Jeremiah. Her blond hair had taken on more of a metallic sheen, and she had freckle-like flecks of gold adorning her cheeks. So far, the Weapon Master was still overwhelmingly human. ¡°There could easily be an Aaron.¡±


    ¡°Why stop there?¡± Jeff asked. ¡°Where¡¯s the Jeff Patron at? That¡¯s what I really want to know.¡±


    ¡°Aaron is just what I call him,¡± I said, laughing. ¡°But he¡¯s basically evil Sara. I met him in the Golden Dream, back when I was asleep, and he¡¯s become very problematic since then.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I know you think the comparison is apt, but I would really appreciate it if you stopped calling that thing Evil Me. It¡¯s actually starting to wear on me a little bit.


    Also, the Dealer has gotten me in touch with Baltastasia, and I have an update from the New York City administrator.I¡¯m currently in negotiations with her about getting Sol Ligatus into the Emperor¡¯s Ascent. It¡¯s too early to tell, but I should have hopefully good news soon.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sara,¡± I said, looking up to the ceiling. ¡°I won¡¯t call him that anymore. And thank you.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s not Evil Sara,¡± Mercury stated. ¡°Actually, do we get to meet her? You showed up in Chicago, did whatever quick thing you had to, and then got out of there so fast that I was worried you had taken my class.¡±


    ¡°Meeting Sara would be fine after all this time, but it¡¯s not the biggest concern,¡± Jamie said, looking from Mercury to myself. ¡°I think we should probably hear about these problems? It¡¯s not like traveling with you is completely safe. Especially since Virginia escalated way more than you had foreseen.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that did get away from me,¡± I slowly replied. ¡°We¡¯ll be meeting Sara pretty soon. I assume the Patron¡¯s Car hasn¡¯t been used yet today?¡±


    Glancing around the table, I was met with shakes of their heads to tell me that no one had used it. The Patron¡¯s Car allowed an Avatar to enter their sponsor¡¯s domain for an hour each day. They could visit face to face, and do so without the watchful eyes of the administrators. They might not have been able to watch me directly, but the rest of Sol Ligatus didn¡¯t have that advantage. That was a Patron¡¯s privilege, and the biggest reason why I had purchased one.


    It definitely wasn¡¯t because I missed seeing my girlfriend. The choice had been a tactical one, it just hit multiple checkboxes along the way.


    ¡°Then once she has some good news about our destination, we¡¯ll all be visiting her. Including Ash and Bethany,¡± I said, glancing at Jamie and Mercury.


    The ninja nodded. ¡°Bethany has been curious about meeting an Angel, so she¡¯ll be excited about it. It¡¯ll be a lot better than when she met Ares, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    ¡°Ares was a dick,¡± Jamie scoffed before looking at me. ¡°And why did you look at me when you said Ash? I¡¯m not her keeper or anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, my bad,¡± I said, nodding. I extended my awareness aura for a moment, just to test the waters. Jeff and Mercury were confused, Kayla was amused, and our Half-Dragon Weapon Master was defensive. I retracted my aura after just a moment. It wasn¡¯t any of my concern, anyway. ¡°But yeah, Kayla¡¯s heard about what happened when I was asleep, she didn¡¯t share it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my place to tell,¡± she snorted when I turned to look at her. ¡°They want to know, they hear it from you.¡±


    ¡°Fair. Alright,¡± I said, turning so I could better look at my audience. ¡°When I had gone missing in Pittsburgh, I was aiming for the Trial of the Silver Nightmare. It¡¯s as charming as it sounds and takes place in the Dream Realm. What actually happened was that Aaron, who is of a similar vein to Sara but not just an evil version of, switched the destination to the Golden Dream.¡±


    ¡°Sounds¡­ bad?¡± Jeff asked, as if hazarding a guess.


    ¡°It creates a perfect utopia specific to the person who gets trapped in it and only lets you out if you kill the person you love the most,¡± I answered, voice deadpan.


    He immediately hugged Kayla tight. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s definitely bad.¡±


    ¡°We all know you¡¯d never escape something like that, Jeff,¡± Mercury teased. ¡°The Golden Retriever Knight couldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡±


    ¡°In his defense, neither could I,¡± Kayla said, patting her husband on the arm.


    ¡°Most people couldn¡¯t, that¡¯s why I was stuck there for a  month,¡± I added, shaking my head. ¡°The details aren¡¯t important other than I was in a really good place, we were all in communication though only Kayla and Jeff lived nearby. Aaron had to show up, do a big villain scene about how he wants to compete with Sara but he needs me out of the way for a bit so his own avatar can train up, and then I got out.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯d you have to kill?¡± Mercury asked, leaning forward.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Bro, you don¡¯t just ask that,¡± Jeff chastised. ¡°Don¡¯t ask the boss about having to kill the one he loves the most. That¡¯s pretty inconsiderate.¡±


    The ninja paled. ¡°Oh, yeah, no. Don¡¯t¡­ You don¡¯t have to answer that.¡±


    ¡°Good, because I wasn¡¯t planning to,¡± I replied, shooting Jeff a thankful glance. He nodded in return.


    Killing Sara had been hard even after I decided to believe the fact that I was in the Golden Dream. Aaron had to beat her to within an inch of her life because there was no way I would have been able to even if I figured it out. Not only was she a world boss, but the trial had made her the sole administrator of the system. There was nothing I could do.


    Only the Mills knew that Sara was my girlfriend as well as my Patron. It was a secret to just about everyone else except the Dealer. For now, anyway. I think it was almost time for me to have to come clean about what I was, if only to make sure people realize how dangerous things could get for us. As if the Writhing Nautilus hadn¡¯t been enough.


    ¡°I did kill Greg, though,¡± I continued, leaning back in my chair after taking another sip of tea. ¡°Went full biblical as an Angel, and I trapped him in his own personal Cocytus.¡±


    ¡°Trapped him in a frozen pool and let him drown,¡± Kayla explained when Jamie wrinkled her nose in confusion. ¡°Cocytus is the last layer of Hell in Dante¡¯s Inferno.¡±


    ¡°Brutal,¡± the Weapon Master said approvingly. ¡°I like it. The idiot deserved it.¡±


    ¡°I agree, which is why I did it,¡± I confirmed.


    ¡°You came straight to Chicago after that, right?¡± Jeff asked. He reached for the beer behind him, some high Constitution ale with the label calling it Off Switch, and took a sip.


    ¡°With a small detour at Cleveland when an actual Angel ripped me out of my train and tried to beat me down for being a Nephilim, yeah,¡± I answered, shrugging. ¡°I was going to stick around longer so Ash could make the Heelies of the Twice Blessed with the feathers I had taken, but Kayla was already on it.¡±


    ¡°I think Sara¡¯s feather was a better call than some random Angel¡¯s, yeah,¡± the Double Agent said.


    ¡°Oh, definitely,¡± I agreed. ¡°That¡¯s not even a debate.¡±


    ¡°But then you left us,¡± Mercury said, looking out of the window as he thought it over. Even though the Angel Express was in its own special subdimension to get where it was going, we could still see the world around us, and I looked out at the Virginian countryside with him. ¡°You said the Mall of America and Sedona, right? And some other places you couldn¡¯t talk about?¡±


    ¡°And still can¡¯t talk about it until everything¡¯s done,¡± I answered. ¡°But the Mall of America was my first destination. It had a bunch of monster mannequins running around. The people of Bloomington managed to beat them back to the fortress, the mall, but they weren¡¯t strong enough to handle the final phase of the scenario. I teamed up with a Drone Aficionado who called himself the Dronemeister and ended up liberating the whole thing, turning it into a safe zone.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a cool class,¡± the ninja said, whistling appreciatively.


    ¡°Oh yeah. If he wasn¡¯t 15 and had a curfew, I might have tried recruiting him,¡± I responded. ¡°But he was, and he did, and you four are already enough to help me save the world anyway.¡±


    ¡°Drones still would have been useful when you weren¡¯t here,¡± Jamie sighed. ¡°Do you know how much easier that Impersonator would have been if we had some long distance intelligence gathering capabilities? Mercury here practically started the whole thing by accident.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he asked, shocked. ¡°How can you pin this on me?¡±


    Kayla clapped her hands. ¡°We¡¯ve agreed not to talk about Memphis,¡± she said sternly, giving them both a look. ¡°We¡¯re not breaking that agreement now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Jamie muttered.


    ¡°Yeah, sorry, Kayla,¡± Mercury followed.


    ¡°Wow, that fake Elvis was that bad for you?¡± I asked, arching an eyebrow. I already knew it was going to be, but I also knew that they could handle it.


    The thousand yard stare they each got was very telling, however.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us what happened next, psychic boy,¡± Kayla suggested, though her usual cadence was missing when she called me by that nickname.


    ¡°Well, the next place is classified by the Dealer¡­¡± I said, trailing off.


    The Hanford Site in Washington had been under the control of the Nuclear Army. Their administrators thought it was a good idea to make it a multi-scenario mess at the end as there were very few people around. That meant the earliest robots started making more advance ones, and then those ones started making a commander.


    Who was a 60 foot humanoid monstrosity straight out of anime. Every one of them were powered by a small nuclear reactor, which was where they got their name, and thanks to my special set of skills allowing me to dismantle the big boss, I was able to get the overheated heart of the Omega Colossus.


    The fact that it was hotter than it was supposed to wasn¡¯t necessary for our plans to dismantle the Demonic horde that had taken over Washington D.C., but the piece was necessary no matter what state it was in.


    ¡°But I did run into more Angels, including the inquisitor that I had grabbed feathers from,¡± I said, perking up with a grin. ¡°Happy to say, I am no longer labeled a heretic and blasphemer. To the Heavenly army, I am 100% a Half-Angel and not a Nephilim according to a Crusader Judge. Now I won¡¯t be attacked on sight, which is excellent no matter how you look at it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a worthwhile distinction,¡± Jamie said, giving me a sarcastic thumbs up.


    ¡°Surprisingly, it is,¡± I confirmed with a nod. ¡°Because now I don¡¯t have to keep killing Angels. They do pop back to Heaven when their hit points drop to zero, because of course they do, but I would start getting a bad reputation after that. There¡¯d be no coming back from that. I¡¯d be assailed every day.¡±


    ¡°So, business as usual,¡± Kayla said.


    ¡°Eh, it would be business-adjacent, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± I asked. ¡°Maybe more of an escalation since they¡¯d be seeking me out instead of the other way around.¡±


    ¡°Business as usual,¡± Jeff repeated.


    ¡°Whatever, you two,¡± I said, rolling my eyes. ¡°Anyway, that was when I went to Sedona, the other place you knew about.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the red rock place, right?¡± Mercury asked. ¡°I did a project about deserts in my junior year of high school, so it kind of sounds familiar to me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re remembering it right. Good job,¡± I said, and he grinned before nodding at the praise. ¡°That was my first run in with the leftovers of Aaron¡¯s Avatar, though.¡±


    ¡°Leftovers?¡± Kayla asked.


    ¡°They destroyed the safe zone and killed the Warmind that I was going to see there,¡± I answered with a shake of my head. ¡°Which, they didn¡¯t have to. I was going to see him with the proposition of removing his class with a Medallion of Uuska because he¡¯s¡­ well, he¡¯s just not compatible with it. But I showed up, he was dead, and I had to scramble a bit to replace him so I could guarantee my chance to get my cowl.¡±


    To show it off, I pulled the rosewood red cowl over my head and gestured to it. Some of my friends pretended to be impressed by it, while Jamie arched an eyebrow as if she wasn¡¯t sure it was worth all the effort.


    ¡°Completely worth it,¡± I said. ¡°I mean, I had to train up a Warmind, pass along points and gear to make sure she was good, and then we took out another overpowered scenario boss. This one was a giant rock monster from another dimension. Pretty fun. Worked with the Patron Coyote, and that was a really memorable moment. But, the aforementioned issues with Aaron¡¯s Avatar did make things take longer, and I was delayed by three extra days.¡±


    ¡°So you came right back to us, right?¡± Kayla asked. I offered her an apologetic smile, and she sighed. ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I had to go fight a Godzilla rip-off, which I wasn¡¯t able to do because the other guy got there first, and my Prime Doppelganger,¡± I defended. ¡°I had a lot to do.¡±


    The Double Agent clearly had more to say, but Jeff was the first to speak. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that was going to be disappointing?¡± he asked. ¡°The Doppelganger thing, I mean. Not fighting Godzilla could also be disappointing, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but things were a little different than what I was expecting,¡± I said, crossing my arms. ¡°The Doppelganger came out as a Half-Angel, like me, and basically said he couldn¡¯t kill me because it wouldn¡¯t be something that was good for the world at large.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he was playing his alignment,¡± Mercury stated. ¡°Not lawful stupid, but close to it?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Good is good, and killing me is evil. He ended up taking his own life,¡± I said sadly before remembering something. ¡°Though, now that I¡¯m thinking about it, I received the quest complete screen but I didn¡¯t get a victory screen or points. It said it was still calculating. Sara? Any insight?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    It is out of the ordinary, but I don¡¯t have any secrets I can spill. The system is the one who does the calculations and I can¡¯t imagine it taking this long for, well¡­ anything. We¡¯ll see it eventually, I¡¯m sure.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Nada. Well, thanks anyways,¡± I said. ¡°After that, though, I came straight here.¡±


    ¡°Straight here?¡± Kayla asked, raising a challenging eyebrow.


    ¡°Right away,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Stepped off of the train and then went right to the movie theater where you were wiping the floor with Warren.¡±


    ¡°What a bureaucrat,¡± Jamie scoffed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they listened to him. Your way of doing things may have gotten the city destroyed, but it was better than laying down and taking whatever slop deal that chunky admiral was giving out.¡±


    ¡°Thousands of people lost their homes, but¡­¡± Kayla sighed. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think things would have been any better with the Atlanteans taking over.¡±


    ¡°To be fair, the Writhing Nautilus and Guardian weren¡¯t supposed to be there,¡± I said. ¡°They were both retaliations towards me, specifically. Which is also something we¡¯re going to need to discuss soon.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re so hated by the administrators that they were willing to send a monster that big after you. That¡¯s just wild,¡± Mercury said. ¡°I mean, I guess you¡¯ve made it? Congrats? They want you gone, then you must be doing something right.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way of putting it,¡± I chuckled. He didn¡¯t even know how right he was.


    ¡°And then you pulled a goddamn space laser out of your ass,¡± Jamie said. ¡°You got any more of those?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°That beacon was the only one I had, and there was no retrieving it once it was set so I didn¡¯t even bother trying. Honestly, I¡¯m glad it worked. That was the strongest weapon in my arsenal, so I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have to ask Kayla and Mercury to take over the Atlantean admiral¡¯s ship. How¡¯d that go, by the way?¡±


    ¡°The mission was successful,¡± Kayla reported. ¡°We have the Atlantean Ship Wheel, so we can plug that into the Angel Express any time you have the points for it.¡±


    ¡°What does a train need a ship wheel for?¡± Jeff asked, confused.


    ¡°So we can take it across the water, of course,¡± I answered. ¡°That¡¯s how we¡¯re going to get into Europe after an event in Dublin that¡­ I also still need to explain to people. Man, there¡¯s so much coming up.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get to it when we get to it, but there¡¯s something else important first,¡± Jamie said, sounding seriously. I turned to look at her. ¡°You¡¯re going to split that loot, right? We took those things on together.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Yes, but every time you ask about it I¡¯m going to put it off. Maybe I¡¯ll wait until after we¡¯ve met Sara.¡± The Weapon Master wrinkled her nose, but didn¡¯t say anything. I faked a dramatic sigh and pulled out the bag the Dealer gave me from my inventory. ¡°Alright. Just for you, Summers, we¡¯ll divvy up the eldritch loot.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s all I really want,¡± she replied, moving to sit closer to me, clearly excited about what comes next.

 Chapter 234

    The Angel Express - 5:30 PM


    Jamie wasn¡¯t the only one who was paying apt attention, everyone else was at the edges of their seats. Not that I could blame them; the loot gained was bound to be stellar considering what it had come from. I didn¡¯t start with the loot the Dealer collected for me, though.


    ¡°This is the MVP prize, the Atlantean Launcher Maul,¡± I said, holding my hand over the table. ¡°It also isn¡¯t complete yet.¡±


    The furniture creaked as a large, heavy slab fell on it. The item was made from the same green metal that most Atlantean technology was fashioned from, and had slots for two things, a harpoon and a hammer. I pulled up the description and sent it to everyone present.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Atlantean Launcher Maul Shell


    This item has slots for the Harpoon of Atlantean Might and the Warhammer of Atlantean Valor. Once one or both items are placed inside the shell, it will transform into the Atlantean Launcher Maul.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°It¡¯s meant to become a shapeshifting weapon between the harpoon I got from the honor guard I fought, the maul you got from yours, and then a harpoon gun,¡± I explained. ¡°This is a very versatile item, like my old Writhing Belt Whip except that it has three forms instead of two. Not only that, but whether or not it¡¯s a harpoon or a hammer, you¡¯ll gain the skills and passives of the original weapons. The gun part has its own. And, to top it all off, it¡¯s a growth type.¡±


    ¡°Varying stats depending on its form?¡± Jamie asked, running her hand along the shell.


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°How does it deal with ammunition?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a skill attached to the launcher that lets you reload no matter how far you shoot the harpoon, so it teleports back,¡± I answered. ¡°You also have an option to add a chain to it that automatically pulls back your ammunition and whatever it¡¯s stuck to.¡±


    Jamie nodded again before her face soured. ¡°But you have two of the three pieces.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re our Weapon Master,¡± I shot back. ¡°So if it¡¯s something you want, then I¡¯ll gladly hand them both over. It¡¯ll count as one weapon for your class abilities. However, it will be at the cost of your bargaining power.¡±


    While many classes received different abilities for offense, defense, support, or other such things, a Weapon Master only received Masteries. Jamie wasn¡¯t very flashy compared to the rest of us, but she was still very dangerous. Each Mastery ability increased both accuracy and damage by a set amount, and they stacked. Any weapon in her hands was far more powerful than the same one in ours.


    ¡°Just what she needs, another big gun,¡± Jeff joked.


    ¡°I can always use another big gun,¡± Jamie muttered, agreeing. She looked conflicted, and I let her have some time to think. Then, she turned to look at me, intense greed in her voice. ¡°Would you take it if you were me?¡±


    ¡°If I were a Weapon Master? Yes, in a heartbeat,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s a modular ranged, finesse, and heavy weapon that can be selected as one of your Mastery abilities. On top of that, you already have Spear and Gun Mastery, which will help here, and probably some kind of Hammer Mastery? I¡¯m a little iffier on that one. What I¡¯m getting at is, you can stack a lot of damage and accuracy buffs on this thing.¡±


    ¡°Fuck it, I¡¯m in,¡± she said after a few more seconds of contemplation.


    Swiping open her inventory, she grabbed the Warhammer of Atlantean Valor and put it into the slot made for it. I held my hand over the shell and dropped the Harpoon of Atlantean Might into its place. The shell glowed brightly, obscuring its form before the light changed shape. When it dimmed, a sleek, loaded harpoon gun was laying there.


    Jamie, laughing, immediately snatched it up. Her eyes skimmed over the text as we all looked at her expectantly, but she was too engrossed in the description. After a few awkward seconds, I reached over, tapped it, and sent the description to the others.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Atlantean Launcher Maul


    (Modular Weapon; Growth Item, kill 10 bosses to upgrade; Weapon Transformation skill acquired)


    (Launcher form; +30 Dexterity, Chained Ammunition skill acquired, Return Harpoon skill acquired, Barbed Tenacity passive acquired)


    (Harpoon form; +20 Dexterity, +10 Constitution, Flow Control skill acquired, Wave Crash skill acquired, Underwater Acclimation passive acquired, Valorous Mentality passive acquired)


    (Warhammer form; +20 Strength, +10 Constitution, Flow Control skill acquired, Wave Crash skill acquired, Underwater Acclimation passive acquired, Valorous Mentality passive acquired)


    <<<>>>


    I closed out the menu before going into the long list of skills and passives, but gave everyone else time to read the text. It really was gear worthy of being called an MVP weapon, and I was pretty sure Jamie was going to end up with it eventually.


    Reaching into the Dealer¡¯s extradimensional grab bag, I pulled out My Golden Bowling Ball and sent it straight to my inventory. That wasn¡¯t loot, that was a necessity. It didn¡¯t stop Jamie from eying it for the split second it was out before transforming her new baby into a warhammer with a head as big as her own and a four foot handle. She set it across her lap.


    Chuckling at her attention, I retrieved a skill book. The brown leather cover had a person in one corner in the same minimalist art style as every other one I had seen. There were arrows pointing to others, including one with gills, one with a gas mask, and more. I opened it up to see that it gave the passive Instant Adaptability.


    ¡°Alright, this one is pretty fun,¡± I said, setting it on the table. Since the book itself only gave the name and not the description, I had to explain it. ¡°This one will basically adapt your body to wherever you are. Underwater? You can now breathe it. Poison swamp? You can breathe it. Volcano? You can survive the heat, but you¡¯ll still take massive damage if you step in lava. It¡¯s really good at making just about anywhere comfortable.¡±


    Jamie nodded. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s interesting, but not exactly the kind of thing I¡¯m excited about. My armor keeps me pretty comfortable, and for anything else there¡¯s items.¡±


    I could easily argue with her statement, but that was just her line of thinking. She also wasn¡¯t wrong, I simply preferred to not to worry about carrying so many different things.


    Not that I was carrying an excess of things now. I carried exactly as much as I needed. The stuff I had picked out was necessary and I would use them eventually.


    Before I could go full hoarder, I pulled out the next item from the bag and stared. It was a folded bundle of cloth.


    ¡°Hard, hard pass,¡± Jamie said immediately, bringing her arms up in an X shape.


    ¡°Warmonger, that¡¯s absolutely horrid,¡± Mercury stated, trying not to laugh.


    Standing up, I unfolded the cloth until I was holding a trench coat. It was covered in blue, brown, and white squares of various sizes, each showing off palm trees and tropical flowers. There was a sash to go around the waist that was made of the same materials as the rest, and there were two sets of black buttons.


    ¡°Is that a Hawaiian trench coat?¡± Kayla asked, adjusting her glasses. ¡°Did a goddamn eldritch monstrosity really give you a Hawaiian trench coat as a prize? Or is the Dealer just messing with you?¡±


    I grimaced as I pulled up the description, unable to help the maddening, strangled laugh that came after. ¡°No, it definitely came from the Nautilus,¡± I said confidently, sending them what I had just read.


    <<<>>>This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    [[Item]]


    Trench Coat of the Mad Captain


    (Unique Item; +10 Constitution, +20 Willpower, +10 Wisdom, Madman¡¯s Will skill acquired, Starstone Constellation skill acquired, Captain¡¯s Know-How passive acquired, Find Polaris passive acquired)


    [[Skill]]


    Madman¡¯s Will


    You can cause insanity in an opponent with a glance. By looking into another¡¯s eyes and paying a low cost of Mental Points, you can cause them to become overly paranoid, suffer delusions, and see hallucinations. You cannot choose how this skill affects any person specifically, and it¡¯s efficacy is based on the difference between your Willpower stat and their defensive mental stat. If they do not have a defensive mental stat, their resistance depends on their highest stat divided by 2. At a higher cost, you can project Madman¡¯s Will as an aura that affects everyone inside a radius as far out as 1 foot per point of Willpower. At your discretion, some beings can be spared the weight of your will.


    [[Skill]]


    Starstone Constellation


    As long as you wear this item, you are constantly followed by a number of glowing Starstones equal to Willpower/10. They hover around you in a unique pattern specific to you, but are incorporeal and cannot be touched until they are used. These Starstones can be fired at an individual no further away from you than a number of feet equal to your Wisdom stat, dealing bludgeoning and fire damage equal to your Willpower to anything it hits. Any Starstones used this way respawn after 5 minutes.


    [[Passive]]


    Captain¡¯s Know-How


    You automatically know how to operate any vessel that you have been acknowledged as the captain of by its crew.


    [[Passive]]


    Find Polaris


    You always know which direction Polaris, the North Star, is in.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°And it¡¯s¡­¡± I sighed. ¡°It¡¯s certainly a unique item, I will give it that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll give you another aura, right?¡± Jeff asked as he read through it. ¡°Scary, calm, and now insanity?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you got it,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Tyrant¡¯s Will filled people with dread, Peacekeeper¡¯s Will made them calm, and now I could cause insanity all around. That¡¯s a really dangerous thing to play around with, though. It¡¯s framed the same way as my other two, but what the system isn¡¯t saying is that it lingers. I could pulse insanity in here and you¡¯d all be paranoid for at least an hour, Kayla and her stats being the probable exception.¡±


    Jeff looked at the coat again, stroking his beard. ¡°So, it¡¯s very dangerous, then.¡±


    ¡°Everything is, but yes. I¡¯ll need a good reason to use it.¡±


    The passives were fun for what they were, but I was really looking forward to seeing the Starstone Constellation. There were a few different patterns I was expecting that seemed obvious, but I couldn¡¯t deny being excited about putting on what really was a Hawaiian trench coat.


    ¡°How¡¯s it compare to the black coat you have now?¡± Kayla snickered, knowing full well it wouldn¡¯t be as good as this.


    I sighed again, more forcefully and dramatically, before looking at Jamie. She immediately shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s all yours, boss,¡± she said with a grin.


    ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s all mine.¡±


    Standing up, I pulled the trench coat on. It was sized for someone much larger than I was, but changed to become tailor fit. I didn¡¯t close it up, instead letting it hang open and show off my comfortable, non-magical clothes underneath.


    I became acutely aware of the Starstones that appeared. They twinkled like their namesake and scattered behind me like a pair of folded wings. There were only a handful now, but my Willpower got much higher when I was wearing my gear. I was going to have a lot of ammunition then.


    Mercury attempted to reach out and touch one. His hand went right through, just as the skill said would happen. ¡°You¡¯re not going to be stealthy at all in this,¡± he said.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± I argued. ¡°I can be stealthy after shooting every Starstone away from me. Then I¡¯ll have five minutes of not being shiny.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly making a statement, Franklin,¡± Jamie said. ¡°But, c¡¯mon, that¡¯s obviously yours. What¡¯s next?¡±


    Rolling my eyes, I couldn¡¯t help my smile before I sat back down. The trench coat was comfortable, at least. Reaching into the bag, I pulled out another skill book. This one had a person in the middle and two outfits on either side of them. I brought up the description and nodded approvingly.


    ¡°Fashion Indecision,¡± I said, holding it up. ¡°Basically, you select a slot like shoes, shirt, head, glasses, and so forth, and you can equip two similar items. Whichever one you put on last will be what shows to the outside world.¡±


    ¡°That sounds absurdly strong,¡± Jeff said. ¡°With that, couldn¡¯t you wear your old coat and this one and get everything from both?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what it does, yes.¡±


    Jamie stared at the book. It was much better than the last one in sheer stats, skills, and passives. Honestly, I wanted it for myself as well. This would be great once I got the Boots of the Warmongering Mystic, the next of the set available to drop, since it would allow me to continue using my Heelies of the Twice Blessed at the same time.


    Before she could claim it, I pulled out the final item. It was a piece of jerky that immediately filled the dining car with the scent of spices and pepper. The kinds that would melt your tongue. Kayla, Jeff, and Mercury recoiled at the smell, but Jamie and I were fine. I grabbed the description and sent it out.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Saltation Jerky


    This meat is only edible to those who are no longer Human. Once it has been consumed, you may choose an evolution suitable for your race. This evolution comes with a higher stat ceiling and new skills.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°This is definitely the Writhing Guardian¡¯s drop,¡± I said. ¡°We must have got it because we¡¯re both half of something. The coat might be a unique item, but this is a lot more powerful than it appears at first glance.¡±


    ¡°Guess it was a good thing that Jeremiah asshole shot me,¡± Jamie said with a hint of self-depreciation. She reached out for the Instant Adaptability skill book and shoved it towards me. ¡°Definitely not going to take this. I¡¯m going to have to think about it.¡±


    Nodding, I took the skill book and opened it to learn the passive it contained.


    <<<>>>


    [[Passive]]


    Instant Adaptability


    You gain the ability to adapt to any environment the moment you step foot in it. This will make small changes to your body in order to operate, though your shape will always be yours. Hazards in your environment will still be able to hurt you.


    <<<>>>


    Nothing happened when I accepted the passive, but I was already pretty comfortable to begin with.


    ¡°Nice, happy for you, but can you put that jerky away?¡± Mercury asked, and I turned to see him with his shirt over his nose. ¡°That thing smells disturbing.¡±


    I glanced at Jamie, who sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll decide later,¡± she said, gesturing for me to go ahead. ¡°Both sound really good. The skill book definitely calls to me, but should I really give up the chance to become more Draconic?¡±


    ¡°Truly, that is one of life¡¯s great dilemmas,¡± I said, laughing. I pulled the jerky and the skill book into my inventory and Pushed the Dealer¡¯s bag to hang on a hook behind the bar. He would definitely charge me for that later if I took it for myself. Nothing was free. ¡°But you best decide before we make it to New York, otherwise I¡¯m going to.¡±


    The Weapon Master looked like she was about to argue, but simply nodded. ¡°I guess that¡¯s more than fair.¡±


    ¡°And if you decide you don¡¯t want either, I¡¯ll be happy to take that skill book off your hands,¡± Jeff said. ¡°Just saying.¡±


    ¡°Sure, because you don¡¯t already wear gear like you picked things out of a thrift shop at random,¡± I laughed.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s the best stuff,¡± he defended, crossing his arms. ¡°Not my fault I¡¯m not lucky enough to get a bunch of stuff that matches.¡±


    ¡°Honey, Anthony¡¯s about to wear a Hawaiian trench coat,¡± Kayla said, shaking her head sadly.


    Jeff nodded. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right! He¡¯s got no room to complain about my lack of style.¡±


    ¡°I can complain about two things,¡± I replied, rolling my eyes with a smile. ¡°Besides, you both got most of the stuff I would have picked up by now. If you want big loot, then you go fight big bosses.¡±


    ¡°Sounds more than fair to me,¡± Jamie said smugly.


    ¡°Though, speaking of big loot,¡± I continued, looking at Mercury. ¡°How¡¯s that Sensory Control skill working for Bethany?¡±


    Bethany was Mercury¡¯s little sister. As the guild¡¯s Tea Witch, she was in charge of creating health potions, resource potions, and more for the party in the form of tea. Since we had a greenhouse car to grow all of our own ingredients, her output had been phenomenal so far.


    However, Bethany had also been deaf before the system dropped. When it appeared, it fixed her ears so that she could hear again. That had an adverse effect on the girl. All of a sudden, everything was loud and scary and she was prone to suffering from sensory overload. They did what they had to do to make things manageable, but it was tough. She knew ASL, but no English just yet. We were taking things one step at a time.


    ¡°Oh, she looooves it,¡± he said, drawing out the word. ¡°She was getting tired of wearing those headphones all the time. Like, I know that was the best we could do at the time, but this is a whole different quality of life thing, you know?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I hear you,¡± I responded, smiling. ¡°I¡¯m glad it¡¯s working out for her. I figured it was worth going off the beaten path for.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Ant, I have news from New York. Would you please call everyone to the Patron car? I¡¯d like to finally meet everyone and give them the news.


    <<<>>>


    Clapping my hands, I stood up. ¡°Alright, Sara has some news for us,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Mercury, please grab your sister, Jamie, please grab Ash, and then everyone¡¯ll finally meet our elusive Guardian Angel.¡±

 Chapter 235

    The Angel Express - 6:02 PM


    I waited in front of the Patron Car with the Mills while the rest of the team gathered. Sara had experience with crowds before when it was just the Dealer, Kayla, and Jeff, but now we were adding more people to the mix. She was, understandably, nervous. Most of her communication as a Patron was text-based, so being in front of so many when she was used to only me was a bit harrowing.


    Still, she would be fine. Sara was a world boss, after all; what was a little social anxiety after that?


    Mercury was the first to appear alongside his little sister Bethany and Corwin. She was wearing comfortable clothes with an apron that was smudged and dirty, showing how much work she had been doing. Before, she wore magical headphones in order to keep out the excessive noise from her ears, but now that she had the Sensory Control skill she didn¡¯t need them.


    Corwin, Jeff¡¯s Evolution Hound, immediately came up to me. He was in his base form of a yellow labradoodle with curly hair, and I started petting him. It seemed like his presence was a soothing one to the young girl, and from what I had gathered Jeff often had his dog accompany the Tea Witch.


    Jamie showed up with Ashley a few moments later. The ornery Monstersmith was just waking up, apparently, with lidded eyes, unruly red hair, and a mug of coffee in her hands. She had been working nearly nonstop since the system dropped, even before I offered her a job on the Angel Express, and her schedule had slowly changed to working through the night and sleeping during the day. It suited her better.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here,¡± Ash mumbled without prompting.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, smirking. ¡°Alright, is everyone ready to meet the elusive Patron known as Sara and hear about our big change of plans?¡±


    I was met with varying degrees of enthusiasm, but everyone was curious in one way or another. The Monstersmith became a little more awake. She had already used two of Sara¡¯s feathers as materials, one for my current Heelies and one to curb the Demonic tendencies in an axe belonging to Manny, the leader of the Chaos Cup¡¯s second place team.


    Opening the door, everyone was met with a long, golden room. Even though this was modeled after Sara¡¯s Hall of the End, we both decided that it would look more Patronly than just another car on the train. Thus, everything was either white or gold..


    Esaraphelscion, my Patron and girlfriend, stood in the middle of the room. Her flaming hair was back in short curls that fell to her shoulders, and her orange eyes paired beautifully with her bronze skin. Today, her outfit was a golden dress with puffed sleeves. Of her six wings, four rested on her back and the bottom two came to meet in front of her.


    ¡°Hello, everyone,¡± she said as we walked through the door. Her hair burned brightly, and the light of her halo fluctuated in intensity. No one else would know, but I could tell she was nervous. Still, she didn¡¯t have the same stutter she had before, and I called that progress.


    As she spoke, she signed her words so Bethany could understand her. Mercury was usually in charge of that whenever someone who didn¡¯t know ASL spoke to her, but at the moment that was only Jeff, Jamie, and Ash. They were making an effort, though, but learning a new language took time.


    To help her out, I moved beside her and turned to face the rest of the group. ¡°This is Sara,¡± I introduced, also signing. ¡°She¡¯s an Angel known as a Seraphim, not to be confused with the scum sucker of an administrator in charge of my hometown. Given that she is a very private person, I would appreciate it if none of you ask about any background on who she represents.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Anthony,¡± Sara said, inclining her head graciously towards me. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet all of you. Thank you so much for taking care of my avatar. I know he can be a handful, but that¡¯s part of his charm. Please, take a seat wherever.¡±


    She turned, gesturing towards the chairs and couches throughout the car. Her throne was at the far end, and that¡¯s where she headed. I was about to follow her when I heard excited noises coming from Bethany. Given her lack of hearing before the system, they came out as little grunts. I turned to see her enthusiastically signing to her brother, but I only caught the end of it.


    Mercury cleared his throat. ¡°Um,¡± he started before he steeled himself, slipping into his roleplaying persona whenever he did when he was nervous. ¡°This Mercury Moonslayer has a request from Belladonna Nightshade!¡±


    I translated for him as Sara stopped and turned around. Bethany looked horrified that her brother used his roleplaying name for her and smacked him on the arm.


    ¡°I mean, Bethany Langston has a request,¡± he quickly corrected, signing a quick apology.


    ¡°Please, go on,¡± she said.


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Sara,¡± Mercury replied, licking his lips nervously.


    ¡°Actually, her correct title would be Supreme Super Overlord of Heaven Sara,¡± I told him, keeping my face neutral. He shot me a wide-eyed look. ¡°You would do well to use it.¡±


    ¡°He can call me whatever he wants, Ant,¡± Sara laughed, chastising me though not without some humor.


    I cracked a smile. ¡°Yeah, Sara¡¯s cool like that. My bad, I guess.¡±


    Mercury snorted a quick laugh, and some of the tension left him as my joke seemed to land. ¡°Bethany was hoping that she could hear your voice,¡± he said. ¡°Our family was fairly religious, you know? I mean, I never got into it, but they did and she went to church with them. She¡¯s heard a lot about how Angels have beautiful voices and she¡¯s excited about hearing you now that she can but she¡¯s got the whole sensory issue so it¡¯s going to have to be quiet and-¡±


    Jeff placed a hand on the ninja¡¯s shoulder, cutting him off. ¡°Breathe, man.¡±


    Doing as instructed, Mercury nodded. ¡°She just wants to turn off Sensory Control for a moment and hear you.¡±


    Sara tilted her head before smiling. ¡°Of course she can.¡±


    We all watched as the Angel walked between us, her wings reaching out to gently brush against everyone. The Patron Car, unfortunately, only allowed for a holographic version of the Angel, so there was no actual contact. No one backed away from the touch, though. Sara crouched down in front of Bethany.


    ¡°Let me know when you can hear me,¡± she signed.


    Bethany looked at the rest of us, fidgeting. We all nodded, not saying anything, and she opened her menu. Even though the train was in motion and somewhat loud, that was something she was used to. The rhythmic noise was actually more help than harm; she would often lay in bed and just listen to the sounds.


    Once she adjusted her controls, Bethany gave the go ahead to Sara. The Angel smiled, signing and whispering at the same time. ¡°Thank you for taking care of everyone, Bethany,¡± she said lightly. ¡°You¡¯re doing a wonderful job, and your tea has been very helpful. In fact, I¡¯m going to ask Anthony to send me a cup so I can try some.¡±


    At first, Bethany winced at the sound, but as Sara continued to speak a smile crept onto her lips. She beamed at the praise, and then panicked at the thought of the Angel trying her product. With a motion, she adjusted her Sensory Control and told Mercury that we could speak again before pulling out a table from her inventory. The Tea Witch began setting it up with different cups, pitchers, plates, and cakes.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Then, she looked at me with wide eyes and signed frantically. ¡°Please don¡¯t send Lady Sara the old stuff I gave you! I have a new batch for everyone!¡±


    After Mercury translated for everyone, I responded. ¡°I¡¯ll wait. Though, with Bethany setting up refreshments, now¡¯s a good time to get to the first order of business.¡±


    Everyone except the Tea Witch began sitting down, with Sara heading to her Patronly throne and everyone else taking random seats. I pulled out a piece of paper from my inventory along with a pair of reflective sunglasses I had received from the Dealer early on in Etson.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Shades of the Scribe


    While wearing these tinted sunglasses, written language is automatically translated for you. Hidden text appears if any is present.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°This is a System Contract and glasses that allow you to read it,¡± I explained, holding them both up. ¡°It is a binding agreement enforced by the system itself. Not violently or painfully, just making you unable to go against what is written here.¡±


    ¡°And what is written there?¡± Jamie asked, crossing her arms. She kept taking glances at Sara, but seemed fine compared to Mercury. ¡°I¡¯m not too keen on signing away any rights.¡±


    I nodded, as that was reasonable. ¡°As you all know, the world is a dangerous place. However, around me, that goes double,¡± I started, looking everyone in the eye. ¡°This is because of what happened in Virginia. According to Sara, and both Kayla and Mercury may be able to confirm this, the administrators created two new monsters specifically to fight me.¡±


    ¡°Skuld said they were brand new,¡± Kayla confirmed.


    ¡°Yeah, Marishiten said the same,¡± Mercury added. ¡°And then wanted me to get out of there, but she understood when I wanted to help you all out.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so the Writhing Nautilus and Guardian really weren¡¯t just some curve ball you didn¡¯t see coming?¡± Jamie asked, wrinkling her nose. ¡°They actually made it specifically to fuck with you?¡± She took a quick look at Sara to see if the Angel had problems with her swearing, but she didn¡¯t react other than to nod.


    ¡°Not just fuck with me, but to kill me,¡± I answered. ¡°You all have seen what I can do. Not just in a fight, but in terms of saving people. I¡¯m bad for their game. Unfortunately, at this point, they know the Angel Express is mine and that y¡¯all are following me. Now, I¡¯m not going to fault anyone if they want to leave, but-¡±


    ¡°Like we¡¯re actually going to leave,¡± Jeff snorted, shaking his head.


    ¡°We¡¯re with you, psychic boy,¡± Kayla said.


    ¡°Yeah. Those administrators will rue the day they slight the Warmonger and the Sol Ligatus guild!¡± Mercury exclaimed before nodding at his sister. ¡°And Bethany¡¯s in, too. She likes it here.¡±


    Ash sipped at her coffee. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll stay,¡± she said sleepily.


    Jamie was frowning when I glanced at her. She looked at everyone else to me, then leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. ¡°Yeah, whatever, I¡¯m still in. More danger means better stuff. If you get me killed, though, I¡¯m going to haunt you.¡±


    I smiled. The Weapon Master had gotten used to the guild now. She was attached, even if she didn¡¯t want to admit it. Not only did she get great loot for doing her job, but she had a constant path to becoming stronger. It was the perfect setup for her.


    ¡°Thank you all,¡± I said before once again holding up the System Contract. ¡°However, this is just a precaution. Basically, it prevents people from saying things that would be seen as classified information. It only pertains to things spoken in this room with Sara present, and it¡¯ll only keep you from actually saying things you¡¯re not supposed to. Basically, it¡¯s a non-disclosure agreement.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Ash asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°What, don¡¯t trust us?¡±


    ¡°I do, but we¡¯re only human,¡± I answered. ¡°And our next destination is going to be one where we¡¯ll be under a lot of scrutiny. There¡¯ll be over a thousand players and a little over two hundred Patrons looking for avatars.¡±


    ¡°So? I¡¯m staying on the train regardless,¡± she scoffed.


    I gave her a thin smile. ¡°Not really, actually,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯ll be fine after the first set of floors, but we¡¯ll be taking you on a couple of missions. Not fighting, of course. I¡¯m not about to do that to you. There are a few material gathering spots, puzzles, and cooperative floors, though.¡±


    Ash made a face like she just smelled something foul. ¡°And, let me guess, you want me to find a Patron, too?¡±


    ¡°Only if you want to,¡± I replied with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m not going to force anyone to do anything like that. Though I am going to request that Jamie not pick up anyone from where we¡¯re going, because there¡¯s going to be a better one for her later on.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± the Weapon Master asked. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Athena, Ares¡¯ sister and the Greek Goddess of Wisdom and Warfare.¡±


    That gave her pause, and she nodded. ¡°Cool. I can go for that.¡±


    ¡°What are we doing?¡± Ashley asked, crossing her arms and pushing the conversation back to where it was going.


    ¡°That¡¯s something we can discuss after everyone signs the NDA,¡± I told her before handing the contract and sunglasses to Kayla. She pulled out a pen after putting on the glasses, but took her time reading it. ¡°However, I¡¯m doing this for everyone¡¯s safety. If you¡¯d rather not sign it, you¡¯re welcome to leave. The train car, I mean. I won¡¯t kick you out of Sol Ligatus, but we can¡¯t discuss what¡¯s going on next with you here.¡±


    My words settled over the group, and they thought about it. Bethany¡¯s tea kettle started whistling, grabbing attention. She took it and started pouring a cup for everyone including Sara, though I could see that the Angel¡¯s was much nicer than everyone else¡¯s. The girl put a small pastry on the side of the tray and brought it over to me.


    ¡°For Lady Sara,¡± Bethany signed before returning to her table.


    I sniffed it, but didn¡¯t drink. It was delightfully fragrant, smelling of some type of berries. Taking the whole tray into my inventory, I offered it as a tribute to my Patron. This was something that any Avatar could do, but it wasn¡¯t something I did often. The only times I had used it were with some foods that Sara wanted to try as well as Pustibule¡¯s weapons and tools.


    A moment later, the Angel received the tray. She picked up the tea and sniffed at it with a smile on her face. Gingerly, she took a sip even though it was still too hot for any of us mortals to drink, and her face lit up.


    ¡°This is amazing, Bethany,¡± she said and signed.


    The Tea Witch wasn¡¯t looking at her, as if afraid to hear it wasn¡¯t good, but Mercury caught her eye and passed along the message. An adorable blush covered her dark cheeks as she smiled. Still, she kept her head down as she served everyone else.


    ¡°This looks fine to me,¡± Kayla said before signing it. ¡°Everything Ant said is in there. Only classified information can¡¯t be disseminated to the outside world to protect us from administrators and Patrons. I¡¯m willing to sign it.¡±


    ¡°Same,¡± Jeff said, taking it from his wife. He put on the glasses and started signing the contract as soon as he found where. ¡°Sara knows I¡¯m probably the most likely to accidentally spill guild secrets.¡±


    ¡°Pass it over here next,¡± Mercury requested. Once the Knight was done, I Pushed everything over to the ninja so no one had to get up. He read through it and signed, and then had Bethany do the same.


    ¡°Ash? Jamie?¡± I asked once they were done.


    ¡°Fine. I still have to make that big weapon, anyway,¡± the Monstersmith grumbled.


    Jamie eyed her for a moment before nodding. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m still in,¡± she repeated.


    I Pushed the System Contract and Shades to them. They took their time looking it over, but knew time was limited in the Patron¡¯s Car so they eventually signed it. I Pulled it back to me, putting both in my inventory though I sent the contract to Sara.


    ¡°And signed,¡± she said after doing the same.


    ¡°Even you?¡± Jamie asked.


    Sara nodded. ¡°I may be Anthony¡¯s Patron, but I¡¯m as invested as the rest of you. There¡¯s nothing more I want to see than Sol Ligatus succeed. That means all of you. If some administrator tries to bully me for answers, as unlikely as that is, now there won¡¯t be any chance of me saying something I¡¯m not supposed to.¡±


    ¡°And I really appreciate that, Sara,¡± I said honestly before standing up. My tea and cake hovered beside me as I Lifted the tray Bethany handed me. I took a bite, nodding appreciatively at the fluffy confection, before setting it back down. ¡°Alright, now that that¡¯s all settled, I can start properly.¡±


    All eyes turned on me, and I set my hands on my hips.


    ¡°The event we were expecting to happen has been pushed back because the administrators are trying to figure out what to do with me,¡± I explained. ¡°Therefore, my brilliant plan is to try and sway the court of public opinion. Ladies and gentlemen, we¡¯re heading to New York, New York to participate in the very first Patron sponsored event in the United States: the Emperor¡¯s Ascent, brought to you by the Zodiacs. And we¡¯ve only got an estimated two weeks to conquer the Empire State Building. What fun, right?¡±

 Chapter 236

    The Angel Express - 6:21 PM


    My announcement was met with a lot of blank looks before Kayla spoke up. ¡°I think it¡¯s fair to assume that you¡¯re looking forward to this, but the rest of us are going to need some context,¡± she said. ¡°Also, the Zodiacs aren¡¯t deities, right? Associated with gods and goddesses, sure, but they¡¯re not divine in their own right if I¡¯m remembering correctly.¡±


    ¡°You are correct, but this is another case of the administrators taking something from our culture and twisting it so they can add more seats for Patrons,¡± I explained. ¡°After all, enough people basically worship astrology enough that the different Zodiac signs could feasibly be a sponsor. I mean, if the Flying Spaghetti Monster can have an Avatar, why not a series of constellations?¡±


    Kayla made a face. ¡°The Flying Spaghetti Monster is a Patron?¡± she asked, clearly unhappy with that development. Jeff started raising his hand, and she immediately reached out and put it back down. ¡°No, honey, you can¡¯t ask how to get on its good side so you can be its avatar.¡±


    Jeff shrugged. ¡°It was worth a try.¡±


    The look his wife gave him made it clear that no, it was not worth a try.


    ¡°Okay, so the Zodiacs are sponsoring the event,¡± Mercury said around a bite of cake, holding his hand over his mouth as if that excused him for talking with his mouth full. ¡°What does that actually mean?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°It means that there¡¯s going to be a big competition between the original thirteen Avatars, their factions, and now us. There¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Hold up a damn minute,¡± Ash demanded. ¡°Now I might not know a lot about this astrology shit, but even I know there¡¯s only twelve of them. Where¡¯d you get thirteen from?¡±


    ¡°Ophiuchus, the Serpent-bearer,¡± I answered.


    The Monstersmith narrowed her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not a real thing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re half right. It¡¯s not a real part of the Zodiac, but a small group of people have wanted it included. For the event, there¡¯s only one person that¡¯s a part of this faction. He¡¯s known as the Interloper of the scenario, but he¡¯s more powerful than any of the other avatars there,¡± I explained. ¡°Enough so that he doesn¡¯t need anyone else in his faction.¡±


    ¡°Sounds strong. How did we even get an invite?¡± Jamie asked.


    ¡°I did it,¡± Sara proudly answered, raising one of her top wings. ¡°Not only was the administrator excited to get a glitch like Ant, but I managed to talk my way in by saying you couldn¡¯t have something based on the Zodiac and not have the sun included, too. You know, like Sol Ligatus?¡±


    ¡°For the record, I didn¡¯t plan that,¡± I said with a chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s just a happy accident.¡±


    ¡°Alright, sure,¡± Jeff laughed. ¡°So what can we expect?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Alright, so every Zodiac has an Avatar, and they lead a hundred man team.¡±


    ¡°Except for this other Interloper guy,¡± he said, prompting me to nod. ¡°So like, a whole team of Virgos, Capricorns, Scorpios, and the like?¡±


    ¡°No, only the Avatars of the Zodiacs have to match up with their Patrons,¡± I answered. ¡°The rest of the factions will be people from New York that have joined guilds.¡±


    ¡°So they have guilds in New York?¡± Jamie asked before shaking her head. ¡°Actually, that makes complete sense. Of course the administrators want to rip off something like West Side Story or Gangs of New York or something.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the gist of it,¡± I chuckled. ¡°Every team will be filled out so they¡¯ve got the same amount of people and each will have their own instances except on a few floors, and¡­ I¡¯m getting way ahead of myself.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing fine, but I¡¯ll take it from here,¡± Sara said, finishing her cake and setting the plate aside. She folded her hands on her lap as everyone turned their attention to her. Smiling, she seemed to freeze for a moment before she found her words. ¡°The Emperor¡¯s Ascent takes place inside a pocket dimension housed by the Empire State Building and is the fourth scenario for New York City. The Patrons of the Zodiac have spent a truly absurd amount of points to sponsor the event, and thus were able to guide the administrator¡¯s hands on how the scenario goes.¡±


    ¡°If they weren¡¯t spending together, there was no way they¡¯d be able to afford it,¡± I added.


    Sara nodded, confirming what I said before she continued. ¡°Each of the original Zodiac Patrons have eight floors of their own. It starts with Aries, then Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, and so on in order. Each section has the same types of floors, though the order of everything except the boss floor will be randomized. The goal is to make it to the top first and defeat the Emperor of Constellations, thus winning the scenario.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s not a mad dash to the top,¡± I continued. ¡°There¡¯s three levels of safe zones spread throughout. The first one is after the Aries constellation, and there¡¯s a chance for everything we need to be there. Since the teams know this in advance, there¡¯s plenty of merchants, crafters, and the like all coming to sell their wares not just to their faction, but to everyone. We¡¯ll be able to network and get upgraded gear there.¡±


    ¡°There are also perks to discovering the safe zones first,¡± Sara said, expanding on the topic. ¡°Basically, whoever makes it to them first will receive bonuses like those who usually own safe zones. However, the only way to own it is to make it there first, and there are three tiers. Owning all of them can be quite lucrative, even if it might make people upset that you¡¯re doing so well.¡±


    Mercury raised his hand, and the Angel nodded at him. ¡°So, is two weeks a long time or are we going to storm through this?¡±


    ¡°There will be limits on when you can advance,¡± she answered when he put his hand back down. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much Anthony wants to tell you on that front for now, so I¡¯ll leave that to him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to put almost all my cards on the table today,¡± I said, crossing my arms. ¡°But after the briefing about the Emperor¡¯s Ascent. Sara, if you please?¡±


    ¡°Right, yes,¡± she replied. ¡°So, the different floors are modeled after the Zodiacs. Expect a lot of sheep while you¡¯re in Aries¡¯ domain, for example. Bulls in Tauros, etcetera. Each section will have a boss floor at the end, as one would expect. There¡¯s also puzzle floors, stealth floors, one for gathering materials, one full of monsters, and then the rooms that require two teams. There will be both a cooperative floor as well as a faction versus faction floor.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°And no, the likelihood of dying in PvP is almost nonexistent,¡± I said. ¡°There is the option to turn off the safety locks by whichever team is doing worse, but both factions know ahead of time what they¡¯re getting into. For the most part we¡¯ll be sparring like we do here on the train. Or completing some other objective. If someone tries to sneak in a rule that killing is okay when I¡¯m not participating, don¡¯t accept it. Come and speak with me immediately. That¡¯s nonnegotiable, by the way.¡±


    I looked at each person in turn, getting nods from each of them. Jeff snorted, though. ¡°Sheep, though?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Aries, the ram,¡± I said with a smirk. ¡°The boss is a big sheep, the cooperative section will likely require protecting sheep from wolves, for instance. The PvP section could be solved with violence, or we can get into a sheep shearing contest. Every section is going to be themed after the Zodiac in control of it.¡±


    ¡°Are we going to get some really good monster wool out of this?¡± Ash asked, perking up. ¡°Like some really damn good shit?¡±


    ¡°There are entire floors dedicated to gathering materials, yeah,¡± I confirmed. ¡°Bull horns in the second, crab claws in the fourth. The list goes on. You¡¯ll especially like the gathering rooms, Ash. They¡¯ll get you a lot of good materials you wouldn¡¯t find elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°That is correct,¡± Sara said. ¡°For the Aries section, everyone in the guild will be participating, including Ashley and Bethany.¡±


    ¡°As much as I like the idea of getting a bunch of new materials, I still don¡¯t like that,¡± the Monstersmith complained loudly. ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up to go into any dungeons.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ll be fine with all of us to protect you,¡± I told her, which earned me a scowl. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t like it any more than you do, but after the initial section there will be a communal safe zone that you can hang out in that will be our base of operations. There, we can access the guildhall and you only have to come out for the puzzle and loot rooms that aren¡¯t dangerous. Bethany, too.¡±


    Ash crossed her arms. ¡°Okay, I get sending me; I¡¯m a grown ass adult. But why would you put the kid in danger like that and why is Mercury okay with it?¡±


    The ninja looked at her with wide eyes. ¡°Why are you bringing me into this?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s your sister! Why wouldn¡¯t you be a part of a conversation that throws her safety out of the damn window?¡±


    I clapped my hands, getting their attention. ¡°Two reasons. First, because she¡¯ll be kicked out of the guildhall when it joins with the building if she doesn¡¯t, and second, because every one of these sections is worth an MVP token,¡± I said. That surprised everyone except Sara and I, as we already knew about it. ¡°Sara mentioned that the Zodiacs had spent a ludicrous amount of points making this happen, but that¡¯s an understatement. It¡¯s going to be a huge spectacle. Thousands of players and hundreds of Patrons looking for Avatars and entertainment. There¡¯s going to be a lot to gain here.¡±


    ¡°If this is so profitable then why does it sound like a detour?¡± Jamie asked, leaning forward. ¡°You said there¡¯s supposed to be another event going on, but couldn¡¯t we have just skipped that for this?¡±


    ¡°We could have, but I don¡¯t like to,¡± I said, running my fingers through my hair. ¡°The normal event got pushed back because the administrators are figuring out what to do with me. As for why this is a detour and not a main event, New York needs these people to become empowered. I don¡¯t like taking the MVP awards from places that really need it. That¡¯s why we go to places where there¡¯s going to be a lot of trouble or places where there¡¯s not many people.¡±


    ¡°But if you¡¯re able to end everything early, then you can afford to play around with events you would normally leave well enough alone,¡± Kayla guessed.


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s exactly right,¡± I said, snapping my fingers and pointing at her. ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t want to risk the future. I continued writing my manuals, I got my letters out to the Dealer to send in case his plan doesn¡¯t work, but I¡¯m fully committed now thanks to the circumstances I¡¯ve gotten us into. And that means getting you all powerful enough to survive the endgame with me, if you want to come.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s going to say no to that, Anthony,¡± Kayla replied. ¡°We¡¯re saving the world. I think we¡¯re all on board with that.¡±


    ¡°So long as it¡¯s lucrative enough,¡± Jamie said before her eyes darted to Sara, then she looked away as if she had said the wrong thing in the wrong company. It was a deflection, anyway. I already knew she was in.


    ¡°We all know it¡¯s going to be,¡± Mercury told her. ¡°But I¡¯ve got something.¡±


    ¡°Sure, shoot,¡± I said.


    ¡°First, Bethany is okay with going into the dungeon. I know she¡¯ll be fine with all of us protecting her, so I¡¯m not worried about that,¡± he started, and I nodded. Ash rolled her eyes, but said nothing. ¡°Second, you said that the event that was supposed to be happening now got pushed back because of you, specifically. How do you know that event won¡¯t just happen while we¡¯re in the tower?¡±


    ¡°Because that would piss off a lot of Patrons,¡± I answered easily. ¡°Like I said, the admins are trying to figure out what to do with me. According to the Dealer, there¡¯s been advocates on both extremes. One side wants to basically nuke whatever state I¡¯m in, and the other wants to leave me alone. But, they don¡¯t want to piss her off.¡± I pointed at Sara.


    ¡°So you¡¯re very powerful?¡± Mercury hesitantly asked the Angel.


    Sara smiled. ¡°You could say that. What¡¯s scarier for the administrators is that they don¡¯t know who I am. You all know I¡¯m an Angel, but they don¡¯t even know that much. It¡¯s part of the contract I signed with Ant.¡±


    ¡°And because of that power, they¡¯re hesitant to step on her toes. Understandably so. Now, what happens if a bunch of Patrons decide that they really like to watch me work, and all of them would be angry if I were to die?¡± I asked.


    ¡°There would be more outrage?¡± Jeff asked, furrowing his brow. ¡°Wait, is this what you mean by the court of public opinion? You¡¯re just going to waltz into a huge event and win Patrons over so the administrators won¡¯t try to nuke you?¡±


    ¡°Basically,¡± I answered with a grin. ¡°That¡¯s also why I¡¯m expecting the full two weeks, so that the administrators don¡¯t step on the Zodiac¡¯s toes. Of course, there¡¯s always the chance we get pulled early leaving you and Kayla to handle the final boss by yourselves, but I have full faith in you both.¡±


    ¡°That sounds way too intense,¡± Kayla complained.


    ¡°Yeah, but, full faith,¡± I repeated.


    ¡°Alright, so the plan is to go to New York City and climb a tower,¡± Jamie said, resting her chin in her hand. ¡°That sounds easy enough. What gets me, though, is all this talk about how the administrators seem to take your existence like a personal insult. Now, we¡¯ve traveled for a while so I get it, but the way you talk and the way they throw literal building-size monsters at you seems, to me, like there¡¯s something deeper.¡±


    ¡°Now, we shouldn¡¯t pry like that,¡± Kayla chastised.


    I knew she was trying to protect my identity as a regressor. It hadn¡¯t been all that long ago that I came clean to her and Jeff. They handled it well enough, and I had come to rely heavily on them. Now, it was time to come clean to everyone.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s right,¡± I said, standing up. ¡°That¡¯s a question worth answering, and now¡¯s the perfect time to do it given the contract we all signed.¡±


    Sara leaned over towards me, one of her wings covering us from view as she whispered. ¡°Ant, are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± I said, smiling before winking at her. She still looked concerned, but nodded. Once she sat back down and her wing returned to her side, I turned to my guild. ¡°The problem the administrators have is that they think I¡¯m a regressor.¡±


    Mercury dropped his tea cup at the word. It shattered when it hit the ground, spilling tea everywhere. Bethany quickly cleaned it all up while throwing glares at her brother all the while.


    ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± Ashley asked, eying the ninja.


    ¡°A regressor is someone who went back in time to inhabit the body of their younger self,¡± Mercury explained excitedly. ¡°It comes with knowledge of the future, skills honed over time, and a plethora of other advantages that come with knowing the future.¡±


    ¡°And they think you are?¡± Jamie asked, turning her full attention towards me. ¡°Or do they know you are?¡±


    ¡°Are you a regressor?¡± Mercury blurted out, seemingly unable to help himself.


    I pulled my cup of tea to my lips and smiled, looking at each of them. After all this time, it was finally the right moment. ¡°Yes,¡± I answered, and the room went crazy.

 Chapter 237

    The Angel Express - 6:39 PM


    I sipped at my tea as I watched my guild members react to what I had just told them. They had all become very animated the moment I dropped the truth. Even Kayla and Jeff were surprised I admitted it even though I went through all the trouble to set up a System Contract enforcing silence.


    That said, I watched everyone¡¯s auras carefully. My second in command was worried with Jeff matching her. Mercury¡¯s was nothing but pure excitement, his sister¡¯s confused until he rapidly signed everything to her. Then, Bethany¡¯s aura evened out a little. She was the one who had interacted with me the least, so I wasn¡¯t expecting much.


    Ashley was disgruntled, but only a little more than usual. That was to be expected, honestly, and I knew it would blow over into her usual mood after some time.


    Jamie, however, was full of conflicting emotions, no doubt thinking back on everything I had ever said or done.


    She was the one I had been the most worried about, and for good reason. While she was one of the most loyal people I knew, one of the reasons why I brought her along, she hated feeling like she was being manipulated. Over the course of the last month or so, she had gotten used to the fact that I knew things about the future.


    Even though I never said I had my knowledge because I was psychic, that was the connection I led people to believe. My friends included. It wasn¡¯t an outright lie that would be picked up by someone who could detect them, but it was still something I made a decision to say.


    And now, I was going to have to defend myself.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: The Unity of Sol Ligatus]]


    I can see why you decided to say something after all this time, but can you handle what is going to happen next?


    It looks like most of them will accept this development with open arms, but keep an eye out on Ashley and Jamie. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re taking this as well.


    There¡¯s only going to be two people who feel strongly negative about this, so I¡¯m going to have this quest focus on them. Keep Sol Ligatus alive as best you can, Ant. You¡¯re in uncharted waters now. Fortunately, I think I can help.


    Objective: Keep Sol Ligatus whole.


    Reward: 10,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    I made a small motion to swipe away the quest when Sara stood up. She raised her hands, and everyone stopped to look at her.


    ¡°Since Anthony is sharing his secrets, so will I,¡± she said and signed, taking some of the heat off of me. Her wings spread out, and she had them bent slightly so they wouldn¡¯t clip out of the Patron¡¯s car. ¡°You know me as Sara, but my full name is Esaraphelscion. I am the Angel of the End, the hidden world boss at the end of the scenarios.¡±


    Where my confession was met with rambunctious noise, Sara¡¯s was met with shocked silence. Her gaze swept across the room, meeting everyone¡¯s eyes one by one, and I felt their auras settle. Well, everyone except Mercury¡¯s, who was brimming with enthusiasm.


    ¡°Kayla and Jeff were there when I was first summoned, which was a boon I had imparted on Anthony,¡± she continued, her hands folded in front of her. ¡°Before you judge him harshly, please listen to what he has to say. Any lies of omission are ones that even I consider necessary. There is already one administrator who has figured out what he is, and others are throwing monsters like the Nautilus and Guardian at him on the mere suspicion that he¡¯s more than he is. All I ask is that you please keep an open mind when you listen.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but now you¡¯re claiming to be a world boss?¡± Jamie asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re not actually a Patron?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Jeff said. ¡°Kay and I are still getting bonuses from seeing her for the first time.¡±


    ¡°They show up whenever we start a scenario,¡± Kayla added before correcting herself. ¡°For the first time, I mean. Second scenario, third, and I imagine the same thing will happen with the fourth.¡±


    ¡°Huh, okay,¡± Jamie said in a tone that made it clear things were not okay, crossing her arms.


    Sara took a completely unneeded, very human, breath. ¡°I am, technically, a monster created by the system,¡± she slowly answered, grimacing at the admission. ¡°However, I was more intricately connected to it than all but the others like me. My role in all of this is to be trapped in the Hall of the End, which this room is currently modeled after, and reward whoever is the first to defeat the Emperor of the Demons and come through my portal.¡±


    ¡°And that just so happens to be the Warmonger?¡± Mercury excitedly asked.


    ¡°Yes. Through his repeated visits, I¡¯ve come to learn more of humanity than I ever did watching them, detached as I was from the outside world,¡± she said, looking at me. ¡°He is the reason why I want everything to come tumbling down. I used to think that the system was simply the way of the world. That its existence and appearance was an inevitability. However, he taught me that people aren¡¯t just players to be watched, cheered for, or cursed, but that they¡¯re people first and foremost.¡±


    ¡°Repeated visits,¡± Mercury whispered to himself. I ignored that for now.


    She gave me a look, and I smiled. ¡°That is just one of the reasons why I gave him the ability to summon me. You all deserve better than what the administrators have done. I find Anthony¡¯s goal to be a noble one, but I will let him tell you all about that.¡±


    ¡°Soon as you¡¯re done,¡± I told her patiently.


    ¡°Of course. As for my status as a Patron, that was the result of him blindsiding me with something unreasonable, if I¡¯m being completely honest,¡± she admitted with a soft smile. ¡°I cannot remember anything between regressions without a Memory Orb, and I was ready to smite him when I was called to do his bidding. There he was, with that infuriatingly smug smile. You all know the one. Only, instead of asking me to kill the scenario boss, he handed me my memories and a System Contract that would fundamentally change what I was.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m infuriatingly smug,¡± I defended, looking at the rest of my team. I was met with a lot of nodding heads, and I rolled my eyes. ¡°Fine, maybe I¡¯m a little infuriatingly smug.¡±


    ¡°You are, but I didn¡¯t say that was a bad thing,¡± Sara said as she watched me, her eyes soft. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s how I became both a world boss and a Patron. Not the full story, of course, but we only have a limited amount of time. Anthony?¡±


    She gestured towards me, and I stood up to face everyone¡¯s expectations. The mood had calmed down, sure, but only somewhat. There was still convincing to be done.


    ¡°Some of you may have noticed that Sara mentioned repeated visits,¡± I said, nodding towards Mercury who nearly started vibrating in his seat. ¡°I suppose I might as well start this off properly. My name is Anthony Franklin. I did not start off as a Warmind, but as a Field Artilleryman. This class allowed me to stay relatively safe while giving me enough firepower to also remain relevant. Kayla, I got the class because of the weapons in that prepper¡¯s stash that I had you take Thomas to.¡±


    ¡°I remember,¡± she said. ¡°It contained enough weapons to arm most of his group, and one of the veterans that went with us mentioned that a surprising chunk of it was illegal to own.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, those were what gave me the class,¡± I said with a sideways smile. Then, I became serious again. ¡°I was overwhelming long range damage, especially after I got a skill that let me make better ammunition. Far from the best, back then, but I did what I could to remain safe and keep people alive through sheer destruction. After all, you don¡¯t need healers or tanks if the enemy is already dead. I was in the perfect position to rack up points, survive, and eat well.¡±


    I hung my head for a moment before continuing. ¡°In that first timeline, the survivors gathered near Mount Etna, in Italy, to dive into Hell a few months before the ten year mark. We knew that killing the biggest Demon down there was the key to ending everything thanks to information from treasure hunters like the Dealer. We also knew that, based on every other event the administrators cooked up, whatever they had planned for the ten year anniversary was going to be worse than everything else they had already thrown at us.¡±


    Letting that settle for a moment, I appreciated that no one tried to speak. They were all just soaking it in.


    ¡°We went into the Hellmouth with a little over 500 participants, including people who would become a staple in the final push for several runs to come,¡± I continued. ¡°It was a grueling campaign that almost spilled past our deadline. I won¡¯t go into details, but in the end, only two survived. Myself, and a widow whose grief literally allowed her to refuse to die. Not a great class, to be honest, but that¡¯s not pertinent. A golden portal appeared before us, and Geraldine wasn¡¯t in any mood to go, so I stepped through and met Esaraphelscion, Angel of the End.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    I glanced at her, offering a sad smile, which she returned. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a very amiable meeting,¡± she said. ¡°He had just lost many of his comrades, and I was too stuck in my ways to understand grief. It¡¯s one of my many failings.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve learned, as have I,¡± I replied. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t a great first meeting, no. I was suspicious, angry, and young. She said a lot of things that rubbed me the wrong way that could only have been called cold and callous. There was a part of me that was relieved that it was over, but then I asked how many survivors there were. Kayla and Jeff had heard this when I tried to convince someone else, but does anyone else want to take a guess?¡±


    ¡°Close to a billion?¡± Mercury asked, ever the optimist.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be that much,¡± Jamie said, narrowing her eyes at me in thought. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t have gone into the final scenario with only 500 at that point. It¡¯s not even going to be close to that.¡±


    ¡°Not even close,¡± I confirmed.


    ¡°Just spit it out already, then,¡± Ashley demanded.


    I glanced at Sara. ¡°Out of the 8,024,247,274 people inducted on the day the system arrived, only 4,794 were still alive when Anthony stepped through my portal.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fucking nuts,¡± Mercury said before he could stop himself, and put his hand over his mouth. It was one of the rare times I heard him swear.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I thought, and I may have thrown a fit,¡± I responded. ¡°When it became obvious that I wasn¡¯t willing to accept this outcome, Sara offered me another choice. One to go back and try it all again.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if you were going to take it, but it was my job to do so,¡± she said.


    ¡°I know, and I was ready to quit. I was very close to just sitting down, calling the whole thing done, and dealing with the aftermath,¡± I admitted with a sigh. ¡°And then I decided to do it anyway. I mean, I survived the apocalypse once. I had won. Who was there to tell me that I couldn¡¯t, even if both of us thought my odds were abysmal. With a warning about keeping my knowledge a secret, I regressed.¡±


    ¡°But you did it more than once,¡± Kayla said.


    ¡°Yes, because I was never satisfied,¡± I replied. ¡°In the second timeline, I followed my first path closely with a few tweaks but only managed to save twice as many people. Not nearly as many as I had hoped for, obviously, and I tried again. And again, and again, and again.¡±


    Taking a breath, I stood up. ¡°The most I had managed to save was in my 63rd run,¡± I said. Mercury sucked in a breath. ¡°That was still only in the hundreds of millions, not even a billion. But by the time my runs had reached double digits, I had decided to try to find the perfect route to the end. That was a test, and I¡¯ve continued to refine it until we made it here. Where Sara threw a wrench into all of my plans, and made almost everything better.¡±


    ¡°I suppose my boon was what got you caught by Seraphim, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Sara asked with a frown.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare apologize,¡± I interrupted when it seemed like she was going to continue. ¡°This is still proving to be the most fruitful run of all. Because of this ring you put on my finger, we¡¯re looking at ending the system in record time. My goal was to save everyone, but that¡¯s always been overly optimistic. Something I had to tell myself to keep going. If I can save billions during this last run, it would still be a loss, but one that won¡¯t be so hard to swallow.¡±


    Jamie picked up on that immediately. ¡°What do you mean, last run?¡±


    ¡°Exactly as it says. After this, the side effects of regressions will probably turn my brain into mush or something,¡± I answered. ¡°And then we¡¯re back to square one. I¡¯ve done this 99 times. I¡¯m on my 100th run. For better or worse, it ends here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s lunacy, Franklin. You¡¯re basically just as much a monster as she is,¡± Jamie stated, nodding in Sara¡¯s direction.


    ¡°And yet, we¡¯re both more human than most people you know,¡± I countered gently. The Weapon Master frowned, but conceded the point.


    ¡°So that¡¯s it, then? You¡¯ve lived through the damned apocalypse so many times for something as idealistic as just saving the fucking world?¡± Ashley asked, crossing her arms. ¡°It sounds like something an idiot would do.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± I said with a self-deprecating smile. ¡°I¡¯ve never claimed to be wise, just knowledgeable and experienced.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to agree with me,¡± she returned, frowning. ¡°Alright then, tell me this. Who here¡¯s been with you the longest?¡±


    I arched an eyebrow as I felt her aura settle into her usual range of cantankerous. ¡°Just like that, you¡¯re going to be fine with it?¡±


    ¡°Not much else I can do, right?¡± Ash asked with a roll of her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re going to keep doing whatever shit you like regardless of what we say or do. Us leaving means the world ends faster, so at this point we might as well get some answers out of you.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say all that to get you to stay, but to tell you my side of the story,¡± I said. ¡°Once again, if anyone wants to leave, then you¡¯re free to. I know I keep stressing that things are only going to become more dangerous if you stay, but there¡¯s a reason for that. Everyone is welcome to go.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re welcome to, but anyone who does is turning their back on everyone else out there,¡± Ash countered, gesturing towards the walls. ¡°If we¡¯re not shitty people, then you¡¯ve essentially trapped us on your side.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the last thing I¡ª¡±


    The Monstersmith waved her hand. ¡°Not me you¡¯ve got to worry about, I¡¯m staying regardless like a fool,¡± she said, glancing at Jamie. ¡°Just some mercenaries among us, is all.¡±


    ¡°You have a problem with me?¡± Jamie asked coolly, staring at Ash.


    ¡°Opposite of that, if you haven¡¯t figured it out already, but there¡¯s no here or there about that,¡± she replied before jutting her chin out. ¡°You staying or leaving? I¡¯ve got questions for psychic boy here. Same as everyone else, I¡¯m guessing. If you¡¯re going to leave in a huff because Anthony was keeping something like this from us¡ªreasonably so, even¡ªthen don¡¯t waste our time doing it.¡±


    I watched as the Weapon Master wrinkled her nose the same way she always did. Then, she focused her gaze on me. ¡°If I do leave, how badly does your timeline get fucked up? I want to know how much I would be shooting humanity in its foot, according to her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll answer Ash¡¯s question first,¡± I said. ¡°Because the answer is, of course, her. The Monstersmith became well known through the tournament circuit as a reason to join. In timelines where I didn¡¯t intervene, Ash, you were stuck there. It took me some trial and error, but I managed to start consistently freeing you so you can do more good for everyone. That¡¯s also when I noticed Jamie.¡±


    ¡°So I was first. That¡¯s respectable,¡± Ashley said smugly.


    ¡°And I was second,¡± Jamie added.


    I nodded. ¡°You were. We clashed many times, but I relied on you to watch my back. I taught you what I knew, and did what I could to make sure you grew. I know you better than anyone else does, which is why I know this is such a monumental betrayal for you. Honestly, I am a bit scared that you¡¯ll leave. I¡¯m wise enough to admit it. Even if you decide to leave, I have Jeff and Kayla, who together might be able to replace you. Jury¡¯s out on that, honestly. No offense.¡±


    Casting a glance at them, Kayla accepted my words while Jeff frowned. I could see that he could tell where I was coming from, though.


    ¡°But the Sara honest truth is, I¡¯m not sure where this is going to go,¡± I said, running my fingers through my hair as I looked back at Jamie. ¡°None of the other timelines have gone like this one has, and we¡¯re going so far off course that the only things that look the same are you guys. Sure, events I haven¡¯t touched yet are likely to go through the same steps, but there¡¯s so many differences in this world that all I have is the knowledge and experience required to make educated guesses and a plan that I think will work.


    ¡°But I need each and every one of you, because I don¡¯t know anything for sure,¡± I sighed. ¡°What I do know is that you all are the best of the best. You were all chosen for your skills or the ability to learn them, in Mercury¡¯s case, but also your resilience. We¡¯re literally cutting through the system here with damn near nonstop fighting. That takes its toll on people, but not any of you. You¡¯re all too strong for that.


    ¡°Even the Mills, who are the newest additions, have been a great help in this changing landscape. With this team, nothing short of the most unfair scenarios are going to bring us low, and even then we will survive. Jamie, I can¡¯t tell you how badly the timeline will be messed up if you leave because, at this point, I have absolutely no idea. I simply cannot know.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± she said.


    ¡°What I do know is that we are better for your presence. All of us are, and you¡¯re better because of us. I won¡¯t say how I know that, because I know you¡¯re a very personal person, but everyone in this room is better because of everyone else,¡± I walked up to Jamie and held my hand out. ¡°Will you please stay with us?¡±


    I could feel the room get tense as everyone waited for her response. They were all in, but her participation was still up in the air. She was fighting with herself, too, which I could feel through her aura. Jamie was a person with a lot of pride, and it was something she often warred with in an attempt to temper.


    After a few excruciating seconds, she crossed her legs after looking up from my proffered hand. ¡°Full honesty?¡±


    ¡°From here on, as long as the System Contract is in effect,¡± I promised.


    ¡°Did we ever hook up?¡± she asked, arching an eyebrow expectantly.


    I nearly choked in surprise. That hadn¡¯t been the question I was anticipating, but I would still answer it. I knew her well enough to know why she asked it.


    ¡°The first time you came with Ash and I, we did have a very casual relationship,¡± I answered, ignoring everyone else¡¯s reaction. ¡°But after my next regression, I left it at that. Not that I hadn¡¯t wanted to, admittedly, but it felt wrong to continue knowing everything that I did. Since then, I tried to remain professional and waited for you to be ready to have me as a friend, not just a boss.¡±


    Jamie¡¯s eyes narrowed as she searched my face, but eventually she nodded and shook my hand. ¡°Don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so concerned,¡± she said, covering her real feelings. The moment we let go, she was back in her seat and crossing her legs as she leaned back. ¡°I already said I was in.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    I wasn¡¯t expecting Jamie to ask that, but I¡¯m glad you were honest. It¡¯s good that everyone is sticking by you. We need all the help we can get for this monumental task, and you¡¯ve been fighting beside her for longer than any other. She protects you in ways I wish I could. Past relations or not, I¡¯m glad she¡¯s staying.


    Reward: 10,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied honestly, letting go of a breath I hadn¡¯t realized I was holding.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, don¡¯t,¡± she said, waving her hand after letting go of mine. ¡°Alright, everyone else go ahead and ask some questions. Don¡¯t let me be the only one. He agreed to full honesty, so tear into him. Really get to the meat of what makes psychic boy here what he is.¡±


    Mercury immediately raised his hand with enthusiasm. "Alright, so, in all the stories about regressors..."


    I laughed as I shook my head. Walking back to my seat, I traded smiles with Sara. If this was what it took to keep the team together, then it was a small price to pay, indeed.

 Chapter 238

    Penn Station, Manhattan, New York - 7:40 AM


    I stretched as I left the Subspace Depot, the rest of the guild trailing in my wake. We were underneath Madison Square Garden, only a short walk away from Penn Station, and we started heading that way while avoiding the trains coming and going.


    As we jumped onto the platform and started up the stairs to the street, gathering a significant amount of curiosity along the way, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. The guild was rolling up in their level best and rocking the Sol Ligatus logo, a sun trapped within a circle, on their chests with pride.


    Kayla, wearing the perfect blouse and skirt to go with her wide-brimmed Magnanimous Hat of the Charitable. The Egyptian style necklace she had on further increased her Credibility and Moxie stats. Although she had her Drakefang Dagger at her hip, she also wore the Hidden Claws gloves that could turn her nails into knives. The Double Agent looked magnificent as our spokesperson.


    Her husband was, thank Sara, not dressed as goofy as he had been. Jeff had basically thrown whatever strong gear he could find on and called it a day. It was a take that I had resorted to time and time before, but not one we wanted when we were trying to make an impression.


    Well, a good impression.


    Now, the Queen¡¯s Knight wore his black and yellow Stinging Yellow Jacket along with clothes that matched it. The Goggles of the Trojan Prince were a little out of place, but at least he wasn¡¯t wearing the loud safety vest on the outside. Killer Queen was on his belt, as always. The rapier had been maxed out with Weapon Enhancement Jewels, allowing it to stay competitive even now. Still, it was almost time to replace it, something I knew the sentimental man wasn¡¯t looking forward to.


    Walking beside him was Corwin in his Black Dog form. The Evolution Hound was initially a yellow labradoodle, but this transformation made him bigger and gave him the ability to breathe fire. He exhaled bright embers in a display that some might have called intimidating if it weren¡¯t for his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth and the girl riding on his back.


    Bethany¡¯s eyes were wide as we left Penn Station and reached the road. She was dressed like a barista with a witch¡¯s hat, fitting for a Tea Witch, and kept her hands firmly on Corwin¡¯s fireproof collar. The ten year old was too big to be comfortable riding on the Evolution Hound¡¯s original form, but this one was just right.


    Beside her, with his hand on her shoulder, was Mercury back in his iconic garb. It was pure black and tight, but a casual observer¡¯s eyes would slide right off of him if they didn¡¯t know what they were looking for. The metal plate on the headband around his forehead labeled him as a ¡°Ninja,¡± but no one was paying him any attention. The Princess, his wakizashi, was across his lower back today as he decided to mix things up.


    Behind them was a very disgruntled Ashley. The Monstersmith squinted as the sunlight hit her face, and her scowl somehow deepened. According to Kayla, this had been the first time she had left the Subspace Depot since we had gotten in after leaving Atlanta.


    Out of everyone, she was a mess with soot on her freckled skin, her red hair tied in a barely controlled bun, and her thick leather apron clearly having been used recently. The tools she had around her waist were sublime, however. They were clearly taken care of, and the purified ones from Pustibule even shone with an Angelic grace. I wasn¡¯t about to get my head snapped off for bringing up how she presented herself, but it was clear what her priority was.


    Jamie brought up the rear, intimidating with her piercing eyes and plastic armor. The Weapon Master was a walking arsenal with different implements of death either sheathed or simply hanging off of her. The golden shield on her back was an example of this, along with the knives on her thigh. Her twin scimitars and pistol on her leg were sheathed, and the Atlantean weapon in its harpoon form stayed in her hand.


    And then there was me.


    The Staff of Raphael I carried didn¡¯t matter, nor did the rosewood red pants, gloves, and cowl I wore. I had on the Glasses of the Messenger of Peace on, and the Cloak of the Irradiated King. A bracelet of bones on one arm, fishing line with Longcomb Sawtooth teeth dangling from it on the other. Even my Heelies, which had wings on them, didn''t stand out as much as I wanted.


    It was all overshadowed by the obnoxious blue, white, and brown Hawaiian trench coat. The constellation of 17 sparkling starstones in the shape of folded wings on my back didn¡¯t help, either.


    ¡°You¡¯re ruining our entire vibe, psychic boy,¡± Ashley complained. ¡°If anyone¡¯s wondering why I look so sour having to leave the safety of the train, it¡¯s because of psychic boy.¡±


    ¡°It does look quite a bit worse than the Golden Retriever Knight trying to dress himself, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Mercury asked.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t rope Jeff into this,¡± Kayla said, not bothering to look back.


    ¡°Thanks, Kay,¡± her knight said with a grin.


    ¡°He¡¯s passed that phase, after all. Anthony¡¯s returning to it,¡± she finished.


    ¡°Yeah, thanks, Kay,¡± Jeff repeated, now shaking his head. She patted him on the arm, and that was all it took to make him smile.


    ¡°Got anything you¡¯d like to add before we make it to the Empire State Building, Jamie?¡± I asked, rolling my eyes at the good natured ribbing.


    ¡°Nah,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Excellent.¡±


    ¡°I mean, your outfit is loud enough for the whole group, don¡¯t you think?¡± she asked, deadpan.


    At least two high fives were exchanged behind me, and I laughed. This was a good, healthy environment. A big part of me had been worried how they would react to learning outright that I was a regressor.


    Surprisingly well, it turned out. Not perfect by any means, but it was something I could work with.


    I turned towards our destination: the Empire State Building. There were people crowding the streets, celebrating the coming of the new scenario. While that wasn¡¯t a cause for parties in most circumstances, it was different here. This scenario was so huge that it protected the rest of New York City.


    That wasn¡¯t to say that the whole place was a safe zone all of a sudden. There were still monsters around along with some dungeons and roaming bosses, Baltastasia just wanted to make sure that the bulk of the attention was on her and the Emperor¡¯s Ascent. It still promised to be far, far safer than a different scenario in every neighborhood, though, which everyone was relieved about.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I just told Baltastasia that you and the guild have arrived. You should be receiving the first quest shortly.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Alright, Sara says we¡¯re about to get the quest,¡± I told the group. It appeared before I finished.


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent Quest 1]]


    Welcome, Sol Ligatus!


    Let¡¯s make one thing clear, you¡¯re here for the ratings. Your boss is a glitch and possible regressor, there¡¯s a lot of discourse around him right now, and I¡¯m going to milk that for all it¡¯s worth. The Zodiacs voted 7 to 6 to let you lot in specifically because this mystery Patron of his made a good point about the sun and that seems to be your guy¡¯s jam.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Here¡¯s a tip for you. Make sure the ratings stay high, and you¡¯ll be fine. Keep me and the watching Patrons happy, and you¡¯ll be fine.


    Your ratings start to slip? I¡¯m feeding you to the wolves. There¡¯s nothing people like more than a good old fashioned tragedy, and you¡¯re on the menu.


    Don¡¯t get complacent just because you¡¯re taking part in an elite, invite-only scenario. You¡¯re all chum in the waters here, so remember your place.


    Objective: Head to your designated areas, arrive before 8 AM, and wait there for the next quest.


    Reward: 100 points.


    [[Notice]]


    You were one of the first players to find the Hidden World Boss [Esaraphelscion, Angel of the End]. +10,000 points.


    You were one of the first players to permanently kill a Demon Lord. +10,000 points.


    These rewards have been reduced due to scenario limits. Points will be given to you at the beginning of each scenario until you have received them all.


    <<<>>>


    I swiped away the notifications. It was nice getting the World Boss and Demon Lord notifications right off the bat this time. Back in Pittsburgh, I had to wait for a few quests before the scenario properly began.


    ¡°Well, they sound like a fucking delight,¡± Ash loudly complained as an arrow appeared, pointing me in the direction I needed to go. Everyone else would have gotten the same.


    ¡°At least you know what she¡¯s all about,¡± I said with a shrug before turning around and walking backwards through the crowd. ¡°Alright, so y¡¯all should have a different entrance than I do. Head on over there and watch the opening ceremony. I¡¯ll be joining you once they¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°How long do you think that¡¯s going to take?¡± Kayla asked.


    ¡°Depends on how long-winded Baltastasia¡¯s planning on being at any given moment,¡± I answered cheekily. ¡°But this is the least dangerous part of the scenario. I can handle her.¡±


    ¡°You going to wear your Warmonger mask?¡± Mercury asked. ¡°You know, to hide your face from that horrible coat like some kind of tropical Dr. Doom?¡±


    I was about to retort when I thought about it more seriously. ¡°You know, I think I will do it for the air of mystery. Who is this glitch? Why is he hiding his face? Was he horrendously scarred or burned, or just horribly scared because he has to wear that outfit?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all a little frightened of it,¡± Jeff said.


    He grinned at me, and I returned it as I flipped him off. ¡°Alright, you all get out of here. I¡¯ll see you when I see you.¡±


    They said their goodbyes quickly, noting the time, and were on their way. I raised my Glove of the Warmongering Mystic and Lifted it, sending me into the sky to land on top of a building. There were people up here waiting for the opening ceremony to start, but aside from a few surprised and curious glances, no one seemed to care about my presence. Removing the Kingtin¡¯s Foil from around my finger, I started molding it into my Warmonger mask.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    The Kingtin¡¯s Foil


    (Malleable Item [Accessory Slot]; +5 Willpower)


    <<<>>>


    The silver metal was easily reshaped into a mask that would fit over my whole face. It had hard edges meant to be intimidating, and this time I did put in rectangular eye holes so I could see without Absolute Awareness. Underneath my right eye, there were three slits that got smaller the lower they got. That had been the original design of the mask when I first received it, and I had kept it since.


    Placing it over my face, the Kingtin¡¯s Foil adhered magically without the need for straps. It was surprisingly comfortable, considering that it was a metal mask. Now all it needed were the same Party Tricks it had back in Atlanta, the ones that changed my eye color and voice, and I would feel like the Warmonger all over again.


    But for now, this worked just fine. Especially because it wasn¡¯t even necessary, it was just a bit extra.


    I started moving from building to building, walking along the edge as I skipped over most of the crowd. The opening ceremony came into view of my aura before I could see it. Thirteen people stood on a stage, one of them separated from the others. That was the Avatar of Ophiuchus, who was also considered an intruder in this scenario.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You¡¯re going to be okay, right? I know this is the first time you¡¯ve joined the scenario like this, so I¡¯m a little worried about how it¡¯ll go. From the sounds of it, at least six of the other teams didn¡¯t want you there. They could make things a lot harder for you.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Good, let them challenge us,¡± I said confidently. ¡°That¡¯s just what the team needs.¡±


    There was no response from Sara, so I know that wasn¡¯t the answer she was looking for.


    So, I smiled. ¡°We¡¯re going to be fine,¡± I insisted.


    I may not have ever been here as an intruder, but I had shown up a couple of times and grabbed Cancer as a Patron specifically so I could join in back when I was testing high MVP builds. That was when I decided the time to complete the Emperor¡¯s Ascent wasn¡¯t worth it over the Dublin event.


    That, I sent in a message. I wasn¡¯t going to say that out loud without knowing which Patrons were paying attention.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Okay, I just wanted to make sure. I only worry because it¡¯s something worth worrying over.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°I know, thank you,¡± I said before signing my affection to her at the sky.


    Then, I threw myself off of the building. Lashing out, I released the Cable Conglomerate from the Vambrace of Wires and caught a flagpole. It bent as I used it to swing towards the stage, but it held. People pointed and shouted at my spectacle. I disengaged the wire rope at just the right moment to allow me to sail over the other thirteen competitors and land safely on the edge.


    Raising my fists in the air, I followed the arrow a few steps back to stand in my spot. The crowd shouted with both approval of my entrance and confusion over my outfit, but it was only the second strangest one on the stage.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Anthony Franklin,¡± I greeted, extending my hand. ¡°Supposed to be the sun, according to my Patron, who I, personally, think is a star. I heard you¡¯re also not considered part of the whole Zodiac gang proper.¡±


    ¡°Ross Haverstein, avatar of Ophiuchus. A pleasure to meet you,¡± he replied, his giant gloved hand eclipsing mine. ¡°Quite the getup you have there, Mr. Franklin.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk; it¡¯s not everyday I get outsparkled in this outfit,¡± I said with a grin. ¡°And please, just Anthony is fine.¡±


    I looked up at Ross, watching as the man smirked down at me. What had once been a balding middle aged man was now a full fledged Orc standing at nearly 8 feet tall with a physique a professional body builder would kill for. Not only that, he was also a Magical Girl.


    Ross wore a vibrant red and white, star themed dress complete with skirt, ruffles, and a tiara. The neckline showed off his pecs and black chest hair, and he had detached sleeves that ended just before where his gloves began. His shoes, thankfully, were not heels, but they did come complete with white, thigh high stockings.


    He was very, very sparkly.


    When I brought attention to it, he gave me a resigned chuckle that made it clear I was not the first to voice this observation. ¡°Yeah, but sometimes you really don¡¯t get to choose what you get to wear.¡±


    ¡°Amen to that, brother,¡± I said before raising my fist. He bumped it in solidarity.


    While I was chatting, I was checking out the other competitors with my aura. Some were talking with each other, being on good terms, while others hung off on their own. Before I could really focus, my awareness aura slammed back into my body, leaving me only with my eyesight. This was a powerful psychic effect, though it wasn¡¯t one I intended on fighting back against.


    My eyes fell on Pisces¡¯ avatar, a severe looking Indian woman I knew was named Tanvi. She glared at me, and I bent my mask at the nose so she could see me grin at her. With a disgusted roll of her eyes, she crossed her arms and looked back at the crowd. I fixed my mask after that.


    Ross arched a bushy eyebrow at me. ¡°Making friends?¡±


    ¡°Always,¡± I replied. ¡°You can never have too many.¡±


    A quick, amused snort came from him before something swept over the streets of New York City. The windows of every building came to life like a television screen, filled with an aerial view of the stage. Each of the other avatars quickly got into position. Ross and I were exactly where we needed to be. The unseen camera panned so that it stopped in a place where no one was standing, and I covered my ears.


    ¡°Welcome, one and all!¡± a bombastic voice boomed as smoke erupted from the stage. ¡°To the fourth scenario of this mighty city!¡±


    The smoke disappeared, revealing the administrator in all her glory.

 Chapter 239

    Empire State Building, Manhattan, New York - 8:00 AM


    The crowd cheered as the smoke cleared, showing the administrator in all her glory. Baltastasia¡¯s skin was apple green, and her frilly, complicated Gothic Lolita dress made her look like she had just come from some kind of Japanese idol show. The administrator¡¯s form was petite, a few inches shorter than even Kayla, and slender. Her hair looked like it was made from starlight and was worn in a long, thick braid that she held in one hand, swinging it around in a circle. She held a cordless microphone in the other.


    ¡°New York City, let me hear you roar!¡± she yelled, gesturing for the crowd to get even louder. She twirled and ate up the attention given her, though I could tell that not everyone was into it.


    The secret was that they had all received a quest, and for a measly 500 points all they had to do was act excited for the Patrons. It was such an easy task that the streets were littered with people looking to make a quick buck, as it were.


    Bringing the microphone up to her face, Baltastasia¡¯s voice echoed throughout New York City at a reasonable volume. From where I was standing, it sounded like she was right next to me.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear!¡± she exclaimed, continuing to twirl her braid. Baltastasia turned to look at us, and some of the Zodiac avatars had to stop themselves from flinching.


    During this run, the only administrators I had seen in person were Benedict Merder and Frastina in Atlanta, and Klastrus in Pittsburgh. The ones I had interacted with had been 8 foot tall giants with blue skin and white hair, and the latter was a hunched over old man with red eyes and yellow pupils. However, the point was that that had some semblance of normalcy. Strangeness aside, they were at least human-like.


    No matter which direction you looked at Baltastasia¡¯s face from, you couldn¡¯t fully see it. It seemed like her bangs got in the way, or her hand was blocking it, or a hundred other issues. From afar, you got the vague sense that she was a beautiful young woman who could do no wrong, which was exactly how she wanted you to feel. Up close, though, you couldn¡¯t tell what she was.


    There was a certain wrongness about her.


    Still, the avatars were quick to return to appearing stoic, waving to the crowd, acting aloof, or whatever it was they preferred doing. Their Patrons should have warned them about Baltastasia¡¯s face ahead of time, but it was different from seeing it in person.


    There was no way to tell what she thought of the avatars¡¯ reactions, but she turned back to the crowd in high spirits. ¡°Alright, all, settle down now,¡± she said into the microphone, bringing her hand down. The noise fell with it until not even the wind was audible.


    ¡°Now I know you all know what¡¯s up, what we¡¯re here for, and what we want,¡± Baltastasia continued as she strutted across the stage. Some people in the crowd shouted, but their voices went unheard. ¡°For the first few scenarios, life was hard. I get it. The calamity I inherited from my predecessor was confusing, and not everyone in charge of a tutorial zone was as helpful as I. That is something that I¡¯ve taken full responsibility for, and have apologized over a thousand times for¡­¡±


    I rolled my eyes as Baltastasia continued talking about herself, glad that no one could see my face through my mask. There was nothing more that I wanted to do in the world than stab her.


    Being this close to an administrator made me wish that there was an easy way to kill them and be done with it. Unfortunately, due to their connection to the system, no player could actually harm any of them.


    People had tried many times before. Whether out of anger, grief, rage, or even because it was their only logical choice, sometimes they just can¡¯t help themselves. It always ended the same way, with the attacker¡¯s death and nothing to show for it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    The way she¡¯s spinning everything bad that¡¯s happened to the people as something she¡¯s personally saving them from is disgusting. I don¡¯t know how you can stand there and be calm; I haven¡¯t been able to stop scowling since she started talking.


    I can¡¯t believe I ever thought this kind of thing was okay just because the system allowed it. It¡¯s been something I¡¯ve been thinking about since our confessions to the guild, and you definitely had every right to be angry at me back then. I know that¡¯s something we¡¯ve talked about before, but I wanted to say it again.


    <<<>>>


    Giving Sara an almost imperceptible nod, I swiped away her message and diverted my focus to the other avatars on stage. The people standing there were very different from the ones the Zodiacs had first chosen. Their very first choices had been those who fit their astrology personality profile so strongly that they were basically caricatures.


    They hadn¡¯t been able to keep up with the curve, sadly enough, which made the Patrons change strategies to choose powerful people who were born in the month they governed. The avatars now were the cream of the crop for New York City, coming from all walks of life and sometimes even clashing with their sponsors when they didn¡¯t agree with something.


    When it came down to it, having the perfect avatar meant nothing if they didn¡¯t get their Patron enough points to make it worth their while. There were exceptions to this rule depending on the role the sponsors had taken on, but most who sponsored people who were ideal rather than strong were quick to change their minds.


    Each of the individuals I was looking at now were about as strong as Jamie or Jeff would have been without my intervention. MVPs in their own right, but not having the proper support or guidance to go above and beyond. All except for one, anyway.


    Ross Haverstein, the one who inherited the class Magical Girl Star against his will, had skills and abilities that gave him a huge step up from the other competitors. That was the biggest reason why he was climbing the Emperor¡¯s Ascent alone as the Interloper. He was the main reason that the others had to try even harder. How could they possibly be shown up by one man, after all?


    I felt something tap my shoulder, and I glanced over at Baltastasia swinging her braid while giving me, I assume, the side eye. She wasn¡¯t close enough for it to hit me, but that didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Now, we already know who all these other people are,¡± she said, gesturing towards the other 13 people standing on stage with us. ¡°Who could forget Bishop Riggens, the Saint Commandant leading the church in the fight against the sewer sludge monsters. Or Max Brewington, the Investment Entrepreneur whose ability to invest points in people allowed so many to survive the Wall Street Massacre.¡±


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The crowd cheered loudly for these two as Baltastasia headed my way. She stopped in front of me before putting her arms out towards Ross. ¡°And, of course, the crowd favorite, Magical Girl Star himself!¡±


    That pulled far more enthusiasm than anything else had so far. Ross was one of the few ¡°superheroes¡± in New York City whether he liked it or not. The Orc schooled his expression and raised his hand, waving to his fans and supporters. It didn¡¯t matter that he was basically crossdressing, he had earned the community¡¯s respect several times over. Anyone who had anything to say about him didn¡¯t know what they were talking about.


    ¡°But some of you may have noticed a new contender gracing my stage,¡± Baltastasia said as she stood in front of me, putting her hands on her hips. Even though she wasn¡¯t speaking into the microphone, her voice was just as loud. ¡°What we have here is a little troublemaker.¡±


    Ross arched an eyebrow, and I shrugged dramatically. I mean, being a troublemaker wasn¡¯t something I could honestly deny.


    ¡°The Warmonger,¡± she announced, prompting a murmur of confusion from the crowd. ¡°Hailing from a little city in nowhere Florida, this player made a huge splash as the solo winner of Atlanta¡¯s Chaos Cup, going so far as to become a temporary Raid Boss against the other fifteen teams in the competition before destroying the scenario boss in one on one combat.¡±


    Taking a few steps away from me, she resumed twirling her hair as she looked out on the crowd. ¡°From there, his team of ragtag misfits made their way to Pittsburgh, where the administrator stole away all of the buildings in the city to build a gigantic dungeon under the surface. They were the first guild in the world, known as Sol Ligatus.¡±


    Baltastasia turned around and dropped her braid. It hit the stage with a surprisingly loud thud as she pointed at me. ¡°And since then he¡¯s been busy! Cleveland, Fort Worth, the Mall of America, Los Alamos, Hanford, Sedona, the Winchester Mystery House, Abraham Lincoln¡¯s very own home, San Francisco, and! And! As if that¡¯s not enough, he and a member of his guild beat off not just one monster, but two that were dropped specifically to kill him. All while saving the United States from being invaded by mythical Atlantis. How does that sound, Warmonger?¡±


    I waved and nodded as I was introduced, and then waited patiently as she kept going. When she started listing places out rapidfire, I became confused. I may have been to Los Alamos, but it was out of place on the timeline. She was also wrong about Fort Worth, the Winchester Mystery House, or San Francisco. My confusion didn¡¯t last long, though.


    The administrator¡¯s mix up only made sense if Aaron had given his champion the Administrator Black-out, too, which made sense. Baltastasia must have thought that his work was my own, and had just given me the path his avatar had taken. This was something I¡¯d have to dive into with Sara later.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve got the general gist of it, Baltastasia,¡± I answered when she put the microphone in front of my face, keeping my voice upbeat and chipper. ¡°Certainly, I¡¯ve traveled more than the average American at this point. What can I say? I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I like trains.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say. You like them so much that you bought your own!¡± she said with a nod.


    ¡°Sure did, and now it¡¯s our wandering guildhall. So long as there¡¯s tracks, we can go there,¡± I continued. ¡°Life¡¯s a lot freer that way, though of course we had to put New York City on the list. We¡¯re all very happy to be here, even if some of my crew will likely complain about it. From what I understand, all of you will be seeing a lot of us.¡±


    ¡°Oh, absolutely,¡± Baltastasia confirmed. ¡°In fact, every television up to twenty miles outside of the city will be able to tune in to any of the fourteen channels we have focusing on these teams, and almost a dozen in the communal areas we¡¯re set to provide. It doesn¡¯t matter if the TV¡¯s in a safe zone, out and about, or even completely unplugged; just turn it on and you can watch your champions participate in the Emperor¡¯s Ascent.¡±


    ¡°I, for one, can¡¯t wait,¡± I told her, being 100% honest.


    ¡°And no one can blame you there, Warmonger. Is there anything you¡¯d like to say to the crowd before everything kicks off right? Maybe a more proper introduction than what I could do? I doubt the stories I¡¯ve heard do you justice.¡±


    Baltastasia put the microphone back in my face and I could tell she was fishing for information. I could give out some, but not to her. Taking the microphone, I looked out over the crowd.


    ¡°For those of you who might feel tense at me being called the Warmonger, you might be at ease knowing that¡¯s the only name the administrators know me by,¡± I said. ¡°My real name is Anthony Franklin, and I¡¯m what the administration calls a Glitch, something that is so rare that I might be the only one in the system. From what I understand, they can¡¯t see me unless we¡¯re physically in the same place. Specific information about me is redacted by the system, and many of them are completely pissed about not having complete control. Makes me glad that Baltastasia here was so welcoming to have me aboard.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. When I heard a Glitch wanted to join the Emperor¡¯s Ascent, I could only think of what great entertainment it would be for everyone,¡± the administrator said, though I could tell there was some strain in her voice.


    ¡°Fantastic,¡± I replied, matching her tone. ¡°So now I¡¯m looking forward to winning this whole thing with my guild. Keep an eye on us, everyone. Mark my words, you¡¯re going to see some amazing things.¡±


    ¡°Such confidence! Truly, this is a man who is at the apex of the player base and knows it,¡± Baltastasia announced before tilting her head towards me. ¡°Perhaps because you know what to expect already?¡±


    I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. ¡°Well, I am a psychic, after all,¡± I said, Lifting the microphone out of my hand. I hazarded a glance at Tanvi, winking at her from behind my mask, and she frowned. ¡°But, as for if my knowledge goes deeper than that, well, I can¡¯t give up all my secrets right out of the gate, could I? After all, what would we have to talk about later? We wouldn¡¯t want any of the glorious Patrons watching the Emperor¡¯s Ascent to get bored by getting all the information right out of the gate.¡±


    The administrator paused for a moment before she cackled in amusement. ¡°Oh, well played,¡± she whispered, and I could tell that only I heard it. Baltastasia held her hand out for the microphone, and I gently Pushed it to her. When she spoke again, she was addressing the crowd. ¡°Well, there you have it! The only out of towner in the Emperor¡¯s Ascent. We¡¯re expecting big things from the Warmonger, so keep your eye on him!


    ¡°And now, our champions prepare for the mountain ahead!¡± She moved back to the front of the stage just as a text box appeared. ¡°Good luck, each and every one of you, and godspeed to the top! While they head to the staging area, let me remind the rest of you what to expect from the Emperor¡¯s Ascent.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent Quest 1 Complete]]


    Congratulations, you followed instructions. Your people are where they need to be, on time, and you managed to do the same. These were just free points, so enjoy them.


    Reward: 100 points.


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent Quest 2]]


    Don¡¯t get your hopes up, this is more of the same. Follow the arrows to your team¡¯s location and prepare for everything to start. Be there by 8:30 AM sharp. If you¡¯re late, then it¡¯s your own fault for giving everyone else a head start.


    Objective: Head to your designated areas, arrive before 8:30 AM, and wait there for the next quest.


    Reward: 100 points.


    <<<>>>


    The quick dismissal had some people lurching, but a few of us were prepared for it. Green arrows appeared in our vision, taking us backstage and into the Empire State Building itself.


    It was almost time for the games to begin.

 Chapter 240

    Entrance, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 8:20 AM


    The doors leading into the Empire State building were open but led into a black void. Despite this, no one hesitated to walk inside. This was the path we were directed to take and the odds of the administrators deciding to kill us outright were slim. Not zero because they were always actively plotting against us, but slim nonetheless.


    Once I stepped through the inky black portal, I was struck by a sight of pure beauty. A large mountain of gray stone with patches of green trees lorded over the landscape. Stairs and buildings wound all the way to the top. The sky above it was filled with more stars than the night sky normally held, though the constellations pertaining to the Zodiac were easily seen even when an Aurora Borealis covered some of them.


    I walked through the evergreen trees, enjoying the slight breeze. There was evidence that my team had come through here with footsteps on the sandy trail and ash from Corwin. It helped that there was only one path forward, I just followed it. While it may have had some twists and turns to make it seem natural, it still clearly led to the mountain.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Safe Zone Operator!]]


    Okay, Ant. It¡¯s nearly time. I¡¯ve got three quests a day, and I¡¯m ready to use them when I see the opportunity to dish out the highest paying ones. Here¡¯s the first one that takes over the first part of the scenario.


    Aries, the Ram. The first of the Zodiac signs you¡¯ll encounter on the Emperor¡¯s Ascent. Like every other section, this one contains eight floors. The first seven are jumbled up, but the last one is always the boss floor.


    Your goal is to clear the first section faster than the other thirteen teams. By doing so, you can take over the first safe zone on the mountain. Then we¡¯ll be able to collect taxes on all goods bought and sold on the Emperor¡¯s Ascent which will help offset the cost of entry. The Zodiac aren¡¯t expecting much from you all yet, but they¡¯ll see soon enough what bringing Sol Ligatus to any scenario means for the competition.


    This is the first step towards total domination. I believe in you all.


    Objective: Clear the Boss Floor before any other faction, securing the safe zone.


    Reward: 40,000 points, upgraded doomed socks.


    <<<>>>


    While I walked, I skimmed through Sara¡¯s quest. All the way until I reached the end and saw the rewards she was offering.


    Then, I stumbled. Not at the points; getting a safe zone the others were forced to use was a huge get. That made sense.


    I focused on the other reward.


    Upgraded doomed socks.


    ¡°Did you find a pair of slightly doomed socks for me?¡± I exclaimed, looking up at the sky in excitement.


    Back in Etson, I normally would have gone to an auction run by a treasure hunter named Kex Delver. It was held in the mall near the center of our city, and it was a big event that I only missed because I went to Stanley to find Jeff for Kayla.


    Worth it, honestly.


    Kex Delver was a purveyor of slightly cursed items. Everything he sold had some small issue with them. A scepter that created clouds but also caused your body to glow pink, an outrageously powerful sword you had to pump up like an inflatable toy, or a monocle that let you see other people¡¯s stats but also allowed others to see yours. Useful, with just a little bit of a quirk.


    None of the items were really why I went, but I used it as an opportunity to network with Kex and get on his list of customers. Something I hadn¡¯t needed since the Dealer was working with me. To get his attention, I still needed to purchase something. That something was the Wool Socks of Doom.


    The Wool Socks of Doom were a pair of black crew socks that, once you put them on, they could only come off after you were dead. There were certain items, abilities, or skills that overrode the curse, but there was no reason to take them off after you put them on. They came with Comfort Plus, the best thing the system created since Sara.


    No matter what state they were in, they were perfectly clean and comfortable. In sock form, it was like your feet were constantly encased in the most delightful fabric known to man. Not too hot, not too cold, never wet or smelly, and always pristine.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Wow, you¡¯re really happy about that, aren¡¯t you? Seeing you so excited is a real treat. They were worth bargaining for.


    And it¡¯s very unlikely that they¡¯re the same pair you would have bought in Etson but, yes, I do have a pair of doomed socks for you. There¡¯s plenty of Patrons here that are willing to trade for this or that. When I saw that they were being offered, I knew I had to get them for you.


    For motivation, see. You only get them if you¡¯re the first to the safe zone, got it? You better be, otherwise I¡¯m going to give them to Skuld so Kayla can have them. She already has that Comfort Plus bra, so I know she¡¯s someone who can appreciate it.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± I whispered, giving the sky a quick look. ¡°We¡¯re going to make it to the safe zone first. Mark my words.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Then you¡¯ve better get going. 8:30 sharp is just a few minutes away.


    <<<>>>


    At her words, I started rushing down the path until I came to a clearing. I was met with a campsite with a fire pit, plenty of logs to sit on, and a large television that was showing Baltastasia¡¯s speech. My guild members were sitting around, eating hot dogs and burgers from a grill that was set up so that even the cook could watch what was happening. Even Corwin was getting a rare treat of people food.


    ¡°Our great leader returns!¡± Jeff announced, throwing an arm out.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here, and I need¡­¡± I trailed off, looking at the confused looks I got for stopping. With a smile, I nodded towards the grill. ¡°A burger. Only got a few minutes, and we¡¯re going in hard and fast, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Jeff and Mercury yelled.


    I put my burger together with telekinesis as I walked to the campfire. While I could try to rush the guild through the first section, breaking every record I had done myself in previous runs, they deserved better than that. If it looked like we were going to have problems, then I¡¯d push harder for sure, but I trusted them to go through it efficiently.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to hide my eagerness behind my food after Pulling the completed burger to me. It was big, juicy, and cooked just right. I took a moment to calm down, and then another moment because the first one hadn¡¯t worked. My eyes kept turning to the mountain, waiting for the game to start.


    I needed those socks.


    ¡°Did you all enjoy the show?¡± I asked, nodding towards the television when I managed to calm myself.


    The administrator was still talking, but someone had muted it before I arrived. There were captions on the bottom, though, because of course Baltastasia wouldn¡¯t allow herself to be completely silenced by everyone. She continued to speak in an animated manner.


    ¡°The host is kind of disappointing,¡± Kayla said. ¡°Something about the way she talks about how everything bad is someone else¡¯s fault.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I wasn¡¯t expecting some kind of idol as the one in charge. Normally I¡¯d be pretty excited about that, but, eh,¡± Mercury said with a shrug. ¡°I saw the guy running Pittsburgh once early on, and he looked nothing like her. The administrators are pretty varied, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you could say that,¡± I replied. ¡°Sometimes ones in the same area will take on the same characteristics, like Frastina and Benedict Merder, but from what I¡¯ve seen they¡¯re capable of taking on all kinds of shapes and sizes. Not all of them are humanoid, either, though having thumbs is generally better than not having thumbs.¡±


    ¡°I kind of expected you to tell more of your secrets out there,¡± Jamie added. ¡°But I suppose the whole point was to get more eyes on us. Promising that we¡¯ve got secrets is one way to do that.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°We¡¯ve all got secrets, we¡¯re just much more interesting than everyone else is,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°And whose shitty standards are you basing that off of?¡± Ash scoffed.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s,¡± I answered, gesturing towards her with the remains of my burger. ¡°Do you not find what you do interesting? The Monstersmith, she who crafts with monster parts, boring? How could you possibly be when you¡¯re one of the greatest workers in the world?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you butter me up, psychic boy,¡± she spat back. Her eyes narrowed as she pointed back at me. ¡°And don¡¯t you use me to mix up some fucking drama or whatever.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of it,¡± I said with a smile, taking another bite of my burger.


    The Monstersmith rolled her eyes and turned away from me. I quickly scarfed down the rest before walking towards the stairs leading at the foot of the mountain. They were smooth and uniform with railings on either side leading up to the first building, which looked like it had been carved out of a cliff face. A warning popped up when I got close.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The Emperor¡¯s Ascent has not started yet. You will not be allowed to climb the stairs until it has.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t going to. I¡¯m just looking,¡± I muttered at the text box as I swiped it away.


    ¡°Almost time, right?¡± Kayla asked as she and Jeff approached. Corwin came with them, and he pushed his head against my hand.


    ¡°Almost time,¡± I confirmed as I pet the Evolution Hound. His tail started wagging as I turned around, switching hands so he wasn¡¯t without pets. ¡°Alright, everyone, gather ¡®round.¡±


    Those still eating put the food in their inventories with Ashley grabbing what was left on the grill for later. Bethany was the first to run over, calling Corwin with a clap of her hands. He trotted over to her, and she climbed back on top of him, scratching his neck all the while. The dog¡¯s tongue hung out of the side of his mouth, happy with the attention.


    Ash, Jamie, and Mercury joined us, and I put my hands on my hips. ¡°Alright, so I¡¯ve got a quest from my Patron that we¡¯re to be the first one to clear the Aries floors,¡± I said, not letting my excitement over the upgraded Wool Socks of Doom take over my tone. ¡°Now, I¡¯m all for blowing through these floors as much as anyone, but we¡¯ve got Ash and Bethany here with us, so we¡¯re going for safety just as much as we are efficiency.¡±


    ¡°How are we supposed to compete with all the regular factions that have a hundred people in them?¡± Mercury asked.


    ¡°By being the best at what we do,¡± Jamie answered for me. ¡°I¡¯m more surprised that there¡¯s a crossdressing Orc that¡¯s all on their own.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Ross, he¡¯s a magical girl,¡± I said. ¡°And he¡¯s going to be just fine. The guy¡¯s a literal super hero, so, he¡¯s going to do as well as one. As for actually answering Mercury¡¯s question¡­ Jamie did a fine job. They¡¯re probably also going to tone things down so those of us without a few platoons worth of bodies don¡¯t get trampled first thing.¡±


    ¡°Boss, do you really think it¡¯s safe to assume those kinds of things considering you¡¯re the Warmonger and all that?¡± Jeff asked.


    ¡°Safe? Definitely not. But no matter what¡¯s in these buildings, we¡¯re going to deal with it whether it¡¯s meant for a hundred people or seven people and a dog,¡± I said. Corwin walked back up to me, and I started petting him. He knew I was talking about him now that he could understand me. That was one of the great things to come out of grabbing the third item of the Warmongering Mystic set.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    You are wearing multiple Items from the Warmongering Mystic set. You will receive the following set bonus.


    Two Items: Increase your Mental Point pool by 50.


    Three Items: You can comprehend the speech of any creature with some level of intelligence even if you don¡¯t speak the language, and they are able to understand you in return. This ability does not work through a medium.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Because you can clear floors all on your own, can¡¯t you, Corwin?¡± I cooed, rubbing his face with both hands. ¡°Are you looking forward to evolving into your next form soon? Are you gonna get even bigger so more people can pet you?¡±


    The dog¡¯s wagging tail became so intense that Bethany, who was still riding him, had to lean forward to stay stable. Based on her smile, though, it didn¡¯t concern her much.


    ¡°We¡¯re all very excited to see what his next evolution¡¯s going to look like,¡± Jeff said, his tone matching his words.


    Evolution Hounds like Corwin lived up to their name by eating skill books. Once they became powerful enough, which was usually after their owners reached a certain threshold, they could evolve their forms as well. Right now, the yellow labradoodle was in a form called a Black Dog, which was similar to a Church Grim.


    The end goal was to turn him into a Cerberus, which was two forms away, with the next step being a Hell Hound. I knew that the Dealer had already procured what Jeff needed to make sure his dog evolved the way we wanted him to, and it was nearly time for it to happen. Just a few more mobs and a boss or three should get him to where we needed him to be.


    I was just about to speak again when the moment we were waiting for arrived.


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent Quest 2 Complete]]


    Congrats, you followed instructions again. Enjoy your 100 points.


    Reward: 100 points.


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent Master Quest]]


    The moment you¡¯ve all been waiting for is finally here, and the Emperor¡¯s Ascent is finally beginning!


    While most of you are chomping at the bit to throw yourselves headlong into danger, there are a few rules you need to know. That¡¯s what this Master Quest screen is for. You¡¯re going to get a quest for every floor, but you can come back to this screen to get the general gist of everything, including a breakdown of each section.


    The constellations you¡¯ll be traveling through are in this order:


    Aries


    Taurus


    Gemini


    Cancer


    Leo


    Virgo


    Libra


    Scorpio


    Sagittarius


    Capricorn


    Aquarius


    Pisces


    As you travel ever upwards towards the top of the mountain, you¡¯ll come across several rooms. Every constellation is randomized, except that the boss floor is going to be the last one in every section. These are the different rooms that you can expect.


    Puzzle Room: This room can be completed by simply solving the puzzle within. The complexity varies based on the Zodiac whose section you¡¯re in, as they had a big hand in creating them. Difficulty varies greatly.


    Stealth Room: To succeed, simply reach the end of the area or accomplish a goal without the alarm being raised. How you do this will be up to you, as there are traditional means of stealth and then there¡¯s leaving no survivors to be alerted. If you are caught, the room resets. If you are caught three times, then you are left to deal with the consequences.


    Monster Room: Between 3 to 7 waves of monsters will be thrown at you, culminating in a boss fight at the end. Corpses cannot be looted, but points will be gained as normal.


    Gatherer¡¯s


    Room: The largest of the rooms, there will be several mobs small and large as well as neutral animals and creatures in the area. These will be determined by the current constellation, and each one will have thematic Roaming Bosses on the prowl as well as a Field Boss. You will always know where the exit is, but once you leave you may not return. Make sure there¡¯s no loot left behind or it shall be lost forever.


    Cooperative Room: Team up with another faction to complete a thematic task. Aggressive actions cannot be taken by either party except towards enemies. The quest is over once the task is complete.


    Competitive Room: Compete against another faction in a battle decided by the Zodiac Patron. This could be to complete jobs faster than others, race through courses, or simply to fight. This comes with a safety feature, but it may be turned off when certain circumstances are met.


    Co-op and PvP Extra Rule: Both of these require two participating factions. If one team is ready when the other isn¡¯t, they won¡¯t have to wait until the other comes across the door naturally. If you come across either of these rooms, the Emperor¡¯s Ascent will automatically turn the second faction¡¯s next room into a copy of yours. This prevents long waits, and will work between constellations.


    Story Room: There are so many tales on your planet, and these rooms hold reenactments of fictitious events close to the theme of the constellation. Complete the stories either by their original means or by shaking things up.


    Boss Room: The final room of every constellation, this holds a Scenario Boss. Every Zodiac Patron has a choice to either make this boss Dormant or Awakened at their discretion. Tampering on this level comes with different rewards, whether it¡¯s in time saved, loot, or increased points, and you¡¯ll know at the doorway ahead of time.


    Sol Ligatus Rule: Our newest faction has taken on the role of the sun! All players in whichever faction belongs to the constellation Sol Ligatus is currently in gains a 10% bonus to all stats. This buff starts when they enter the first room and continues until the boss is slain in the eighth.


    Now, I know that¡¯s a lot of information, but just keep climbing and everything will be fine. Not everyone is a combatant, and not everyone needs to join every room. After Aries, there will be a listed minimum and a maximum for every challenge while others can wait in the safe zone.


    There are three tiers of safe zones to look forward to, spread out between the constellations. I¡¯ll talk more about that once you¡¯ve cleared the first section.


    Good luck, now.


    Objective: Climb to the top of the mountain.


    Reward: Variable.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a lot of text,¡± Jeff said slowly.


    ¡°Read it while you climb,¡± I said, already on my way up.


    ¡°I have trouble reading normally, now you want me to do it on the stairs?¡± Jeff asked with a chuckle, but followed me along with everyone else.


    Squinting, I looked at the first door we¡¯d be coming across. Absolute Awareness gave me vision ten times better than the normal person, and I could easily make out the patterns I was looking for.


    ¡°Monster room first, folks!¡± I announced. ¡°Get ready for combat!¡±

 Chapter 241

    Aries Floor 1, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 8:31 AM


    The moment I opened the door, our surroundings changed in a flash of light. Above us, the constellation of Aries was smack dab in the middle of the sky, bright and apparent. We were no longer on the mountain, though, but a hill.


    It was about ten feet higher than the plains around it. A square, wooden fence boxed us in roughly a hundred feet away, and had closed gates in each of the cardinal directions. There was plenty of room around us but it was still within my awareness aura. Given the arena we found ourselves in, I figured we were exactly where we were supposed to be.


    The hill we were standing on had a depression at the top that made it look like something large had impacted it from above at exactly the perfect angle. It was nearly three feet deep, giving us some cover from the outside as well as a place to hunker down. Once I got a good look around the area, I produced three chairs from my inventory and offered two of them to Ash and Bethany while I sat in the last.


    ¡°Might as well get comfortable while our minions do all of the work,¡± I said and signed.


    ¡°So long as we don¡¯t get hit, that¡¯s fine by me,¡± Ash agreed as she sat.


    ¡°Minions?¡± Kayla asked, arching an eyebrow. She helped Bethany get down from Corwin, and the young girl joined us.


    ¡°I said what I said,¡± I answered with a grin.


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent: Aries Monster Room]]


    Players: 7


    Waves: 4


    This room has been tailor made to fit your group. Defend the top of the hill from each wave of enemies assailing it. If any of the creatures make it to your makeshift bunker, more will spawn from the gates it had come from.


    This challenge will begin shortly. Good luck.


    Objective: Defend the hill.


    Reward: 1,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Do you think that includes the boss?¡± Jeff asked, scratching the back of his head as he looked over the side of the hill. His hand was on Killer Queen, but he hesitated on drawing it.


    ¡°There should be one on the last wave,¡± I said before looking at those still standing. ¡°The four of you should split up, each taking a gate. Figure out what we¡¯re dealing with early on so we can plan out the later ones easier.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re just going to sit here while we do all the work?¡± Jamie asked, checking her harpoon even though it was already in perfect condition. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if Kayla was here buffing the four of us?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to hold down the fort because I can see every corner of this place from here,¡± I replied. ¡°If you want me to work, I can, but honestly my involvement would just be taking points that you guys will probably earn easily enough on your own. I¡¯ll step in if I have to, and I¡¯ll take a slice of the boss, but that¡¯s about it.¡±


    The Weapon Master¡¯s eyes narrowed at me while I smiled back before she jumped backwards onto the lip of the crater. ¡°I¡¯m going to take this gate,¡± she said before stalking off.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take this one!¡± Mercury said before he moved so quickly it was as if his body flashed, and he was squatting on the edge. ¡°Good luck, call if you need help.¡±


    Kayla and Jeff looked at each other before he gave an order. ¡°Corwin, watch momma.¡±


    The Evolution Hound perked up for a moment, ears raised high, before moving to the Double Agent¡¯s side. He leaned against her with his tail wagging. ¡°Yes, I suppose that¡¯s fair,¡± she conceded with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll take the one closest to Mercury.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Jeff said, pulling his rapier.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    Wave 1, begin!


    <<<>>>


    There was a small moment of panic as the two scrambled out of the crater and down the hill as the gates opened. They got over the risk of stumbling by simply jumping down the slope, reaching flat ground without a problem. It wasn¡¯t a short leap by any means, but even the one with the lowest stats here could have done that.


    ¡°Could we please have some tea, Bethany?¡± I asked and signed as a quintet of animals entered from each gate.


    The Tea Witch nodded and stood up in order to set up her space. She pulled out the same table we had seen back in the Patron¡¯s car as well as everything she needed to brew fresh tea here. I wasn¡¯t expecting many injuries from the first wave, but you never really knew.


    ¡°I should have brought a damn book or something,¡± Ash mumbled, staring at the sky.


    ¡°It won¡¯t take too long,¡± I promised.


    By the time she turned to look at me, it was already over.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    Wave 1, complete!


    Preparing for wave 2.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Shit,¡± she said, blinking in surprise. ¡°Did they make it too easy or are they just too damn strong?¡±


    ¡°Little of column A, little of column B,¡± I replied with a grin.


    ¡°Was that it for anyone else!?¡± Jeff yelled, putting his hands around his mouth to project his voice farther.


    <<<>>>


    [[Guild Chat]]


    Jamie: Use guild chat so you don¡¯t have to yell. Also, I had five sheep.


    Mercury: Same here.


    Jeff: Okay, cool.


    Kayla: We did as well, but they¡¯re flammable. Corwin lit one on fire with his Incineration Breath. It didn¡¯t look like it was taking any damage, but I started losing hit points just getting close to it. They may have some kind of special attack in that state. If there¡¯s something that makes fire later on, be careful. The bodies aren¡¯t disappearing so I¡¯m moving them as close to the gate as possible so they don¡¯t become obstacles.


    Jamie: Good call out.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Nice,¡± I said as I watched the chat play out.


    It was only the first wave, but it had gone by quick enough. Five black sheep had come in from each gate. In comparison to the base creature, they would be considered incredibly mighty. In comparison to Sol Ligatus, they were found sorely lacking. They had their tricks, like all monsters did, but it wasn¡¯t enough alone.


    ¡°Those were Charcoal Sheep,¡± I told Ash and Bethany. ¡°They¡¯re immune to fire damage, but their wool catches very easily and burns at a high temperature. Despite how hot they can get, they¡¯ll last a while. Those are more fodder than anything, though. What I described is really all they have going for them.¡±


    ¡°And the rules say we can¡¯t loot them, right? I could think of so many ways to use that wool. Shit,¡± Ash swore. Standing up, she looked over the edge of the hill to eye the dead animals, greed clear in her expression.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get to them later,¡± I reassured her. ¡°You¡¯ll like the next one, too. If they¡¯re throwing Charcoal Sheep at us, there¡¯s another type that¡¯s sure to come.¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    Wave 2, begin!


    <<<>>>


    The gates reopened, and this time I paid more attention to Kayla specifically. While she was the smartest one in the group, she was the weakest member in straight combat. If given the time to build up her rapport with the enemy, however, she could one shot even bosses. That was the trade off of her chosen class, the Double Agent.


    That didn¡¯t matter much here. The sheep enemies couldn¡¯t be talked to or reasoned with, and she certainly wasn¡¯t going to pretend to join their side. Here, the only thing she could do was try to kill them like the rest.


    When eight more black sheep came through the gates, she told Corwin to back up. The Evolution Hound did as commanded. He sat down, but I could tell he was waiting for the right moment to strike. Kayla watched as the slow creatures shuffled towards her. I smiled as I saw the realization in her aura. She was about to open her mouth when three explosions rocked the field, one after another from the other gates.


    Kayla grimaced, but didn¡¯t waver. Backing away, she lined up a shot and threw her Drakefang Dagger at the black sheep on the right side of the group. The weapon didn¡¯t have any magical properties other than being incredibly tough and sharp but, when it skimmed across the creature¡¯s wool, a large amount of sparks flew towards the others.


    The other Charcoal Sheep easily lit on fire. They burned hotter and brighter than they did before as if supercharged by the sparks. Their advance slowed almost to a halt before the bodies exploded. A crater was all that was left of the area the creatures once stood, and the Steel Merino, the one with the steel wool, was tossed into a tree. It fell to the ground, its neck at an unnatural angle, and the next notification came up.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    Wave 2, complete!


    Preparing for wave 3.


    [[Guild Chat]]


    Mercury: Alright, I¡¯m guessing that everyone noticed how the sheep were different that time given that there were explosions everywhere.


    Jeff: Yup. I was too close and had to use my Pocket Bacon to heal back up and I¡¯m still not at full.


    Jamie: A steel sheep came flying at my head. Barely raised my arm in time. Scuffed my armor pretty badly. Think my arm might have broke, but Bethany¡¯s tea helped.


    Ashley: You better be careful, I can¡¯t fix the **** thing until we¡¯re back on the train. That goes for all of you.


    Kayla: We¡¯ll be careful. The steel ones are a little glossier than the flammable ones. You can figure out which ones are which if you know what to look for.


    <<<>>>


    Bethany poured me a cup of tea and handed it to me while I watched Kayla go and retrieve her dagger. With a smile, I took it and sipped, relishing in the taste. ¡°Is that peach?¡± I asked and signed, Lifting the cup so I had both hands free. She gave me a small nod. ¡°It¡¯s delicious. Thank you. While we have the time to talk, how are you enjoying life on the train?¡±


    The Tea Witch watched me for a few moments before hurrying to provide Ash with a cup. She took it gingerly before sniffing it and taking a sip. Like me, the Monstersmith wasn¡¯t worried about the temperature. We could both handle high heat without much trouble.


    I watched as the girl took care of her table. She wasn¡¯t avoiding the question, just trying to figure out how best to answer it. That and working up the courage to respond. I may have gotten this crew together, but I had been away so long that she didn¡¯t have time to get used to me. I didn¡¯t mind waiting, at least.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    Wave 3, begin!


    <<<>>>


    More enemies started pouring out of the gates, fifteen in each. There was a mix of Charcoal Sheep and Steel Merinos this time, but there was a new type bringing up the rear. Something already on fire.


    Its body was covered in thick, coarse red hair and its eyes burned with intense light. Their most noticeable feature were their twin horns. They spiraled around the side of their heads before coming to a sharp point, aiming forward. Each of them ended in a small flame.


    A Combustion Ram was what happened when you took a male bighorn sheep and mixed it with a flamethrower. The four of them, one in each direction, bleated loudly. They stood on their back feet as they screamed into the sky, and two streams of fire shot upwards from their horns.


    It threw an entirely new wrench into the guild¡¯s plans as they froze for a moment before deciding how to deal with the extra enemy. Their indecision didn¡¯t last long as they all decided that the Combustion Ram was the priority target, especially when they returned to four feet and their flamethrower horns continued to shoot fire.


    ¡°I want several,¡± Ash said in awe, a grin on her face as she watched the battles.


    ¡°I like it on the train, Mr. Franklin,¡± Bethany finally shyly signed after she filled up cups for the others. An explosion rocked the ground, causing her to pause to make sure the tea didn¡¯t spill before continuing. ¡°I haven¡¯t said it yet, but thank you for taking Leonard and I with you. He gets beat up a lot, but I can tell he likes it here a lot more than he did back at home. And Jeff leaves Corwin with me a lot, so I don¡¯t feel alone.¡±


    Smiling at the Tea Witch, I took another sip of tea without touching it. ¡°I¡¯m glad. It¡¯s always a pleasure to be out on an adventure with Leonard, so I wanted to make sure you felt safe on the Angel Express. Are you enjoying making tea?¡±


    Bethany thought about it for a moment, looking at her table, before nodding. ¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t think I would, but I wanted to be helpful so I took the job. What I make helps the team, and that¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°I completely understand,¡± I signed, nodding and ignoring the explosions to the north. ¡°We¡¯re going to be dealing with people pretty soon. Both in the co-op and the PvP room. How do you want to deal with those?¡±


    She gave me a confused look. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean, you make so much tea that I know you have a large surplus, and your class should allow you to keep more liquids in your inventory than normal. If you want to help more people, you could,¡± I told her. ¡°Potions can be hard to come by without someone like you to make them, so I¡¯m sure you could do a lot of good for the other teams.¡±


    ¡°But aren¡¯t they the enemies?¡± she asked, furrowing her brow.


    I shook my head, steadying the table as another explosion rocked the hill. This one was closer, but nothing to worry about yet. ¡°They may be against us, but they don¡¯t want to hurt us. There are very few people who I would call our enemies, and everyone here just wants to try their best and get stronger. Just like we do. They¡¯re rivals, but not really bad guys. You know?¡±


    ¡°I do. Then¡­¡± Her hands stopped signing for a moment as she thought things over. She looked up at me, uncertainty in her eyes. ¡°Then everyone should get tea, right? So they can do the best they can and live longer?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I think, but it¡¯s your tea,¡± I signed, being completely honest with her. ¡°I won¡¯t make you give anything up, but if you want to sell to the people then that¡¯s fine. We can help you out there, too. After all, I gave you a very important gift when I sent your brother with that medallion, and I want you to decide how to use it.¡±


    ¡°How I want to use it,¡± Bethany repeated. The look on her face as she thought it through was adorable, though I could tell she had reservations. She was very shy, and this would crack her out of her shell. She glanced back up at me. ¡°Could I open up a maid cafe? Like in an anime?¡±


    My smile got a little bigger at the unexpected question. In other runs, Bethany had asked to open up her wares to the public, but they were mostly done through automated processes. If she was asking if she could do it herself, then the addition of Kayla, Jeff, and Corwin were doing wonders for her. Honestly, I was here for it.


    ¡°Sure, I think that¡¯s a really fun idea. I¡¯ll do my best to find you something that fits what you¡¯re looking for once we¡¯re in a safe zone, is that okay?¡±


    Bethany nodded. ¡°Yes. I do have a request, though, if that¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Everyone says you have some other form, but I haven¡¯t seen it yet,¡± she signed slowly, as if she was hesitating on whether or not to continue.


    ¡°You want to see it?¡± I asked. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess where she was going with this, and she nodded to confirm. ¡°Okay. Maybe not against these monsters because I¡¯m letting the team handle them, but I¡¯ll make sure I transform for you before we finish the Aries floors, okay?¡±


    Smiling, Bethany nodded again.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    Wave 3, complete!


    Preparing for the final wave.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°These sheep are atrocious. Jeez,¡± Mercury complained as he appeared beside us.


    ¡°What¡¯s atrocious is not being able to get any loot from them,¡± Ash muttered, looking down at the corpse-littered battlefield below with wistful eyes.


    Although it was hard to tell, Mercury¡¯s black outfit was covered in scorch marks. He set a hand on Bethany¡¯s head as he grabbed a tea cup, pulled his mask down, and drank. I watched as his wounds healed, and he stood up straighter when it no longer hurt less to slouch. The ninja immediately thanked her.


    The rest of the guild¡¯s fighters weren¡¯t far behind, all going straight for the tea and drinking it down in one go.


    ¡°Will there be more than one boss, Anthony?¡± Kayla asked.


    ¡°No, just one. It¡¯s random which gate it¡¯ll come out of, but converge on its location when it does and you guys shouldn¡¯t have much trouble.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Then take out the small fries as quickly as possible. Once you¡¯re done, head straight for the boss. If you take too long you can¡¯t complain about missing out on the boss kill. Any complaints?¡± she asked, looking around. No one had any. ¡°Alright, then get back out there.¡±


    I smiled at Bethany as everyone returned to their gates. ¡°Like I said, you have a very important job just like Ashley does. You get to help take care of everyone,¡± I signed. ¡°So, as a reward, I¡¯ll take you with me when I go boss hunting on the Gathering Floor. Pay attention to this last wave, because I¡¯ll probably be fighting a few of them.¡±


    Bethany flashed me a brilliant smile before she refilled the cups and peeked over the edge of the hill to watch her brother¡¯s side.

 Chapter 242

    Aries Constellation, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 8:45 AM


    The fighters in the group all had singed and battered armor, but they were still in good spirits. Ash used the Canned Armorfix I had gotten from the Dealer to deal with the gear that needed it most, but the patch job was undoubtedly effective. The door had appeared as soon as the last wave was over, and we didn¡¯t take long to get back to the mountain.


    We left the Monster Room from the other side and started up the new set of stairs. Behind me, Mercury attempted to leave the path and climb the stone, but an invisible wall stopped him. With a frown, he jumped back down.


    ¡°Can¡¯t get up that easily, Mercury,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s only one way to the top, and that¡¯s the long way.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think so, but it felt like it was worth trying,¡± he replied with a shrug.


    I nodded, understanding. Anything that could be done to cut corners should be done, but there were some things the administrators wouldn¡¯t allow. This place was locked up tight to make sure no one got through the easy way. I couldn¡¯t make upwards progress the same way I could get inside the Mausoleum of the Arsonist back in Etson, for example.


    The climb was peaceful and served to calm our nerves before the next room. There were no enemies here. No threats or traps. Just the walk and the mountain, with most of us looking up at the beautiful sky.


    Not all elements of the system were bad. Scenes like this, for instance, were awe inspiring. It was the things they were attached to that I took umbrage with.


    I read the next door from a distance and grimaced. ¡°Seems we¡¯re keeping people waiting,¡± I told the rest of the group, breaking into a light jog.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Kayla asked as everyone picked up their pace.


    ¡°We have a co-op session with Gemini,¡± I answered, reading the text. It didn¡¯t tell us exactly what was inside, but it did give some basic information. ¡°According to the door, it¡¯s their first room and they¡¯ve been waiting inside for about sixteen minutes.¡±


    ¡°It could be worse,¡± Jamie said, sounding unhurried despite our pace. ¡°They could have gotten a team that couldn¡¯t solve a puzzle to save their own life. Getting stuck in the first room would have to be pretty embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be us when we get there, at least,¡± Jeff said. He took and lifted Kayla¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯ve got the puzzle champion right here. We¡¯re going to breeze through them.¡±


    ¡°Unless your proclamation causes the other constellations to make our puzzles harder, that is,¡± Kayla gently chastised, though I could tell she was proud of the title.


    ¡°Still have full faith in you, even then,¡± the knight insisted.


    ¡°Alright, enough flirting, Jeff,¡± I said, mocking disappointment.


    ¡°Never. I refuse,¡± he answered, and I chuckled as I reached the door and opened it.


    Once again, our surroundings disappeared in a flash of bright light. My skin immediately became hotter as the environment was lit by a dull orange glow. The feeling went away quickly as my Instant Adaptability passive started working. There was no outward change on my body, but everything was much more comfortable.


    ¡°You know how long you¡¯ve been keeping us waiting on this floor?¡± a man asked, his tone not one of patience and understanding. His eyes glanced over each of us in quick succession. ¡°Guess we know why we couldn¡¯t bring everyone now. We got stuck with the tourists.¡±


    I turned to face him and the twenty odd others that were with him. This was Gemini¡¯s avatar, the Slugger Savant named Trevor Price. He had taken off most of his heavy gear thanks to the heat, leaving him in a New York Mets jersey with his name over his Patron¡¯s symbol and striped pants but kept his metal baseball bat in hand. The dark haired man was scowling when he saw us, which I couldn¡¯t blame him for. My crew, aside from Ash and Jamie, were already beginning to start sweating and they hadn¡¯t been here for 16 minutes.


    ¡°Sorry, man,¡± I said honestly, raising a hand in greeting. ¡°I guess we went through our door first. It was an easy few monster waves, so it didn¡¯t take as long as it could have. You all would have really been in trouble if we got into the field room first.¡±


    ¡°You already finished your first quest?¡± he asked, crossing his arms as he let his bat dangle from his fingers. ¡°Shit. We¡¯re already behind.¡±


    I nodded as I looked around. We were standing in a large enclosure with stone walls. Even though the heat was enough to make most plants wilt, there was a healthy abundance of green grass all around us along with hay and unfilled water troughs. This seemed rather normal. The rest of the area was not.


    Beyond the stone walls was a maze of lava rivers cutting through the landscape. This resulted in several islands all around us, each one covered in a haze of heat. It wasn¡¯t as hot as one would actually expect it to be, but the temperature was still going to be terrible for everyone who couldn¡¯t deal with it.


    As I looked around, Bethany slid off of Corwin and pulled out a pitcher of iced tea from her inventory. She retrieved a cup, filled it, and slowly moved behind me, where she offered it to Trevor.


    He arched an eyebrow at her. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Bethany¡¯s a Tea Witch. She brews potions,¡± I explained. ¡°She¡¯s also deaf, so, if you want to thank her you do this.¡± I brought my open hand to my chin, palm towards me, and then moved it towards him.


    He nodded and took the glass, doing the motion before sniffing it. Bethany beamed before pulling out more cups to pour.


    ¡°Uh huh. People can still be deaf?¡± Trevor asked, still unsure.


    ¡°If they were born that way,¡± I said, not going into Bethany¡¯s whole situation as I turned my attention back to the space outside of the enclosure.


    In the far distance past the lava rivers were stone trees. They looked to be imitating pines, but that didn¡¯t matter so much as what was lurking between them. Rock-like wolves with glowing red eyes prowled in the shadows, not daring to come out from their cover. There were enemies in this room.


    Trevor¡¯s eyes lit up as he took a sip. ¡°Hey, the heat¡¯s getting better!¡± he exclaimed before chugging down the rest. Wiping the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, he dabbed his skin with his hand and grinned when it came back dry. ¡°Hey, everyone, you gotta try this tea the girl¡¯s got!¡±


    ¡°Can''t we get soda instead?¡± somebody asked only to get chastised. Relief was relief, even if it came in a beverage they didn''t care for.


    I had a quick word with Bethany after she finished passing out tea to the members of the guild who weren¡¯t already fine in this heat before turning back to the Gemini team. ¡°Sol Ligatus¡¯ resident Tea Witch says the first round¡¯s on her,¡± I announced. ¡°Bethany here¡¯s also got healing potions, resource potions, heat and cold resistance potions, antidotes, remedies, and more. She¡¯ll be selling them once we get to the safe zone.¡±


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Alright, bet,¡± Trevor said as his team started lining up. There were some who were skeptical at first, but the text box descriptions of their drinks didn¡¯t lie.


    ¡°Also, there¡¯s stone wolves in the forest.¡± Raising my hand, I pointed towards where there was a larger group than average hiding out. The Slugger Savant turned and squinted. ¡°I¡¯m not sure when the quest is going to drop, but I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re¡ª¡°


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent: Aries Cooperative Room]]


    Gemini Players: 23


    Sol Ligatus Players: 7


    The Steelstone Farm has long been the place to go to collect high quality metal wool that could be used for a wide application of uses. That is, however, until the flock found their way out of their pen. Now they find themselves in dire straits. It¡¯s not the lava, though they can survive that, but the things that hunt them.


    Rust Wolves have a craving for Steel Merino that causes them to lose all sense of self-preservation. Their very bite oxidizes anything made of metal, turning it into food for them. Weapons, armor, and items won¡¯t fare any better than the animals do.


    And now that the sheep are loose, the Rust Wolves are in the perfect position to take from the flock what they will. However, this small stone fence is more than enough to somehow keep them out. The problematic part will be getting the Steel Merinos into it.


    Objective: Secure the sheep in their pen.


    Reward: 10 points per sheep saved, 500 points to the players who save the most sheep.


    [[Notice]]


    There are 100 Steel Merinos still waiting to be saved.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°¡ªProbably going to be important,¡± I finished.


    The sound of bleating sheep could be heard from all directions as they materialized on the islands surrounding us. Given that our enemies were made of stone, I retrieved Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick from my inventory.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick


    (+8 Strength, Smasher passive acquired)


    [[Passive]]


    Smasher


    When attacking an object or structure, deal 50% more damage.


    You have learned the Smasher Passive. Increasing the bonus damage to 75%.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Mercury, tell Bethany to prepare potions for injured people. Ash, I know you carry a lot of scrap metal, hammer us up some bridges to make getting back easier. Everyone else, make sure they don¡¯t get their jaws around your metal weapons, focus on saving sheep first,¡± I ordered quickly. ¡°Get it done!¡±


    Trevor swore as he saw how quickly we reacted, the little bit of instruction being enough for the Mills, Jamie, Mercury and I to head in different directions. ¡°Grab as many sheep as you can!¡± he yelled. His faction hesitated for just a moment before running off.


    It was easy to tell which was a well trained, tight knit guild and which was mostly a bunch of people thrown together. They¡¯d get better, though. This was only the first section and growing pains were both expected and necessary.


    I watched with my aura as the Gemini started grabbing sheep, only to find how heavy they were. The wool of the Steel Merino wasn¡¯t the only metal to worry about, their whole bodies were. While their Constitution wasn¡¯t all that high, they were still hard to move around. Getting the ones near the fence was necessary, but none of Sol Ligatus went for the easy ones.


    All of Sol Ligatus, on our own, decided to head towards the outskirts. There were fewer sheep out here, but they still populated the furthest islands. More importantly, that was where the danger was.


    The Rust Wolves hadn¡¯t started moving yet. There was likely some hidden timer on them. Maybe they would become active once enough sheep were saved or a certain amount of minutes passed. When didn¡¯t matter because we knew they would based on the description.


    I jumped over the lava rivers, avoiding the sheep that blocked my path. They were docile. My approach didn¡¯t cause them panic, but they moved away from me as they ate dirt straight from the ground. It was pretty easy to herd them when they simply walked away from the players. Corwin would probably have gotten a bigger reaction, and I turned my head to look that way.


    There was no surprise as I saw the Evolution Hound bounding through the lava like water, making his way around the sheep that were certainly wary of his presence. Kayla commanded him, leaping over the rivers like I was, and Corwin started moving towards the Steel Merinos to push them towards the pens.


    They needed some prodding to get into the molten rock that flowed between islands, but they did, and they came out the other side glowing bright red while remaining uninjured. It was not a fast process, either, but it gave Kayla time to prepare for the enemies, Drakefang Dagger in hand. It wasn¡¯t metal, so it would be safe to use.


    Landing on my final island, I tied Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick to my arm with the Vambrace of Wires¡¯ Cable Conglomerate to have both hands free and started grabbing sheep.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Vambrace of Wires


    (Unique Item; +5 Strength, +5 Constitution, Cable Conglomerate skill acquired)


    [[Skill]]


    Cable Conglomerate


    The Vambrace of Wires contains 50 feet of braided wire rope. At your mental command, any to all of this rope may be ejected from any spot on the item. It moves according to your thoughts and returns to the vambrace as easily as it is ejected. You may choose to unravel the rope into up to 7 wires and control each one individually. You may also choose to cut the rope at specific points, though you do not have mental control of any pieces no longer attached. This skill regenerates wire rope at a rate of 10 feet per hour, and any pieces removed from the vambrace disappears at the same rate.


    <<<>>>


    Focusing more on psychic power and skill, my Strength wasn¡¯t nearly as high as the other fighters from the guild. With the stat just over 50, I had to use both hands to grab a Steel Merino and lift it up. I ran towards the pen, but it wasn¡¯t my destination. Just before I reached the lava river, I took a heavy step and spun. Using that momentum, I tossed the sheep like a boulder to the other side.


    Before it landed, I Constructed a thin slide at just the right angle. It landed gently in the dirt, mildly confused, and stood up and started eating with its fellows. There was no time to dwell on a job well done, because there were still more.


    I jumped from island to island to create a buffer from the Rust Wolves, which could surely jump over the lava rivers, and their prey. The 500 points for being one of the people who saved the most sheep was tempting, but ultimately it was such a small amount that I¡¯d rather focus on the main goal.


    The work continued unabated for a few minutes. Gemini started getting their act together as Ash began handing out makeshift bridges she smoothed out with Pustibule¡¯s purified hammer. Even though the sheep could go through the rivers, it was much easier to get them to cross something solid.


    Some of the more powerful fighters, like Trevor himself, started coming out to the edge like we had. An extra line of defense would be nice for anything that got past us, and I was grateful they figured that out without being told. That said, the avatar was only a couple of islands away, likely trying to keep an eye on me to figure me out. It was probably something his Patron wanted, too.


    He was in for a treat, then, because I had picked my destination based on the biggest concentration of Rust Wolves I saw. Not only would he have a chance to figure me out, but I wouldn¡¯t mind if he joined in.


    Clearing off my final island, I turned to move one closer towards the pen and start the process over again. My plans were dashed, however, as a cacophony of howls rose from the forest in all directions. I stopped and pivoted, bringing Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick back into my hand, as the Rust Wolves began to emerge en masse.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The predator¡¯s hunt begins.


    <<<>>>

 Chapter 243

    Aries Floor 2, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 9:07 AM


    The ground shook as enemies began pouring in from the shadows of the trees, causing the lava rivers to bubble and release more heat. Behind me, the sheep bleated in panic but did not flee. Instead, they ran around their islands as if searching for somewhere safe. It was not lost on me that they could navigate the environment safely; they were made stupid on purpose.


    It wasn¡¯t my job to deal with them, though, and I turned towards the Rust Wolves. Their red stone bodies moved as easily as if they were flesh and blood, and their baying was loud and intense. Inside their mouths were long teeth that shined in the light. Just a single touch of one of those was enough to start the oxidation process on all but the most powerful of enchanted metals.


    As expected, Sol Ligatus was the first to turn to the threat head on. The Gemini members who were confident in fighting fell in beside them, though not by me. Trevor was still somewhat close, but I had cleared out my area so well that no one was nearby to help me on my island, which was exactly what I wanted.


    When the first Rust Wolf jumped over the river, I ran to greet it. Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick was raised high above me, and I brought it down with two hands and Drop. The monster¡¯s glowing red eyes brightened in surprise before the weapon collided with its skull. Stone cracked and shattered as the wolf was dunked into the lava.


    There was no time to celebrate a single kill as more came. I shifted, bringing up my leg to catch one of the beasts in the chest. It pushed hard against me, but I managed to launch it into the lava. Slamming my foot back down on the ground, I raised my Smash Stick and swung.


    The club tore through a pair of front legs before hitting the hard underbelly of another wolf. It rose a few more inches into the air before tumbling to the ground, struggling to stand. I Constructed a hammer above its neck and Dropped it with all the force I could muster. Its head came clean off, and I Pulled it towards me, sending it to my inventory. Ash would love to get her hands on as many teeth as she could get.


    <<<>>>


    [[Guild Chat]]


    Ashley: We can take monster parts from this one, right? If so, get me those teeth.


    Anthony: Already on it, Ash. Stay safe, everyone. Protect and work with Gemini if you can.


    <<<>>>


    A series of replies were sent back, but it was all the same acknowledgment. I let the hammer I Constructed disappear as I returned my attention to the battlefield.


    I brought the club upwards, still two-handing it, and caught another Rust Wolf in the head. Three more attempted to jump the gap, and I split my focus to Construct and Lift two boards in their way. The beasts were powerful, but the objects¡¯ sudden appearance surprised them. They ran head first into the barriers and fell into the lava.


    Releasing the Constructs again, I grinned. If I had used Force Field, it wouldn¡¯t have cost Mental Points but I would have needed to wait for them to recharge. The disposable nature of my Constructs meant that I didn¡¯t need to make them last over and over again, allowing me to keep my defenses fresh for when I needed them.


    The three wolves that fell into the lava river emerged, glowing slightly from the heat but otherwise uninjured. Their momentum had been slowed to basically nothing. I didn¡¯t just watch as they scrambled to jump onto my island, but ran along and took three golf swings, one on each of their heads.


    Stone continued to shatter as I broke through the beasts. Every time a muzzle or head came away intact, I Pulled it towards me and tossed it into my inventory. It wasn¡¯t very efficient considering their weight, but Ash could carry them once we were all done.


    I traveled up and down my chosen island as the Rust Wolves continued their assault. Small chunks of macabre rubble were crushed under my feet as I had to kick more complete corpses into the lava river to get them out of my way. That act had the delightful side effect of giving the others stepping stones so they wouldn¡¯t have to jump, providing me with a bigger challenge.


    Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick lived up to its name, but it soon got to the point where even I was having trouble. As one person on such a big island, it appeared as though my time was soon over. Some members of Gemini were watching me as I ran from one end to the other, deftly taking out the enemies, awe evident in their aura as they remained motionless.


    Just when it seemed like they were ready to jump in, I Constructed two more hammers at the ends of the island and began to wield them with fury. The zone I could protect stayed the same, but it suddenly became much easier physically to keep up. Under normal circumstances I would have gone for the challenge, but something new was coming from the forest. Not everywhere; only where the resistance was the strongest.


    Two Alpha Rust Wolves bolted towards my island, twice as big as their inferiors. Seeing the scenario escalate made me think that there was more to it, and I sent Sara a quick message.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    I just checked, and you¡¯re right. If you kill enough of the Alpha Rust Wolves, then the next step up will be a boss. We weren¡¯t expecting one outside of the Monster, Field, or Boss rooms, but if you manage to spawn it then it¡¯s still going to get you a lot of attention.


    I think it¡¯s safe to assume a boss kill would improve your standing with the Patrons by a good margin. Put on a good show, darling. Would you like a quest?


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Yes, please,¡± I whispered, excited about something new. Sara was quick to send me one.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Beyond the Alphas!]]


    This area has a secret behind the scenes. You defeat wolves and more show up, yes. If you defeat more, then their more powerful siblings start emerging. Those are the Alphas. So what happens if you kill enough of those?


    That¡¯s when you get a boss.


    Continue on this track and summon the boss. Once it¡¯s here, you must defeat it before the final Steel Merino is tossed into the pen. The moment the scenario quest is over is the moment the enemies disappear. Summoning it might just be the easy part, but you have to make sure you defeat it.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    That¡¯s the kind of feat that will get the other Patrons watching you, and that¡¯s what you came here for. As the Patron in charge of our faction, I can send out a message to others that something interesting is about to happen, so don¡¯t waste this opportunity.


    Objective: Summon and defeat the Hidden Boss of the Aries Cooperative Room.


    Reward: 15,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    My eyes quickly skimmed the quest, not fully reading it but getting the gist. Nodding, I snapped it away and went back to work.


    I let my hammers continue to break the originals down, rubble flying everywhere from the force, as I moved to meet the newcomers head on. The first one stumbled as it tried to run over corpses in the lava river, but it slipped.


    The other one jumped, heading right for me. Its eyes were on the prizes behind me, however, and I brought my Smash Stick back like I was going to bat. Once it was in position, I took a step forward and threw my weight into the blow, giving it some extra oomph with Orbit.


    Even though it wasn¡¯t looking, the Alpha¡¯s jaws opened and it took the Smash Stick into its mouth. It wasn¡¯t metal as it came from the pincer of a Vespae warrior and couldn¡¯t be turned to rust, but the enemy still tried. What proved fatal was the force it didn¡¯t account for.


    My weapon connected with the back of its mouth, and you could see the dirt and dust shake off of its body as it absorbed the shock. The oversized Rust Wolf¡¯s stone throat cracked as it came to an abrupt halt and fell to its feet. It backed away slightly, shaking its head, and I swung again. This time, I connected with its snout, and its head shattered.


    Shifting so that I followed the momentum of my blow, I spun and brought the Smash Stick down towards the second Alpha that had just trotted onto land. It leapt back into the lava, my attack missing it by a hair, before lunging for my Vambrace of Wires. Out of everything I wore, that was the one with the most metal.


    I shot out the Cable Conglomerate as the Smash Stick hit the ground, and took a step back. The Alpha¡¯s jaws snapped down on nothing while the wire rope wrapped around its neck like a tight leash. Yanking, I prevented the beast from pulling backwards. It stumbled forward as I swung my club, catching it in the side.


    Stone cracked as I struck it again. It lashed out at me, biting the part of my arm that it could reach, and I activated Shield to mitigate the damage. Raising the Smash Stick, I brought the hilt down on its head, putting it out of its misery for good.


    The baying continued as another pair of Alphas emerged from the forest. Letting my current Constructs disappear, I brought them back as oversized rock picks and sent them forward as we switched our roles. I went back to bouncing around the island, taking out the usual small fries while I sent my psychic weapons to strike preemptively.


    <<<>>>


    [[Guild Chat]]


    Jamie: If you kill enough Rust Wolves, Alphas will start appearing. Just a heads up.


    Anthony: Good callout. Ash, how many sheep are in the pen?


    Ashley: How am I supposed to know? Shit, give me a minute to count.


    Kayla: Skuld says 78 are in the pen, no casualties yet.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thanks, Skuld,¡± I said as I destroyed another Rust Wolf¡¯s neck and pulled its head into my inventory.


    The rock pick Constructs spun to maximum velocity before embedding themselves into the Alpha¡¯s heads. Their eyes stopped glowing as they fell short of the river, and I pulled what teeth I could towards me. Three more appeared this time, and they all met the same fate. All of my considerable power was put forward into killing them as quickly as possible.


    ¡°Do you¡­ actually need any help?¡± one of the Geminis called.


    ¡°Nah, go help at three o¡¯clock! They¡¯re about to lose ground to the wolves!¡± I returned with a grunt of exertion as I smashed another one.


    They turned to look at where I was talking about and hurried to rush off and help. The moment they left me, however, the baying of wolves somehow got even louder. Then, a single howl cut through the others, causing the whole battlefield to go still.


    <<<>>>


    [[Warning!]]


    The Progenitor Awakens.


    <<<>>>


    The stone pine trees started to fall as something large pushed their way towards me. Each of the Rust Wolves that were originally heading to my island suddenly veered off course, heading in different directions and leaving me alone with my Constructs.


    The Rust Wolf Father emerged from the stone forest, as tall as the trees it pushed out of its way. It was not a four legged creature like the rest, but a fearsome beast that stood on two legs like a werewolf. Shining teeth as long as my arms and claws as big around as my leg marked it as an enemy worth being wary of. Its four red eyes looked down at me, and it howled again.


    I howled back, directly challenging the boss that decided to step out of its hole to face the one killing its children. A quick word to Sol Ligatus had them hang back, though they were allowed to fire on it once in order to count as boss kills for their growth items. I wasn¡¯t going to make them neuter themselves for a good fight, even if I really wanted to.


    ¡°Mind if I step in?¡± Trevor asked as he landed on my island. He was out of breath with torn clothes and a slight limp, but his aluminum bat was shining with no signs of rust or damage. It was obviously being kept clear of the wolves¡¯ teeth.


    Taking a breath, I put on a smile. I had to remember that I was here to make a good impression on the Patrons. While I could have taken on the Father myself, it would be better to work with Gemini¡¯s avatar to achieve my goals.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯d like to see what you¡¯re capable of,¡± I said, raising my fist.


    Stepping towards me, he bumped mine with his. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been watching you this whole time. It¡¯s been very enlightening.¡±


    ¡°I try,¡± I said modestly.


    ¡°You sure do,¡± he chuckled. ¡°You mind if I do a little Gemini thing? My people will stand back if yours do, and it¡¯s a buff for two.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. And yeah, the others will stay back,¡± I told him.


    Trevor flashed me a grin as the . ¡°Great. The name¡¯s Trevor, by the way. Trevor Price.¡±


    ¡°Anthony Franklin,¡± I returned, watching as the Father fully emerged from the forest.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    You are now under the Twins In Battle buff.


    All stats will be increased by 25%. You may share one passive or skill with Avatar [Trevor Price]. They have shared the Smasher passive with you.


    You already have this passive. Bonus damage is increased to 100%.


    Please select a passive or skill to share.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Already have that one, but the bonus damage is nice,¡± I said with a grin as I selected Crash Test for him. ¡°Got it learned and on my club.¡±


    ¡°Hey, me too, except I have it on my bat,¡± Trevor replied with a grin of his own. He whistled after he read through my shared skill. ¡°Damn, you dropped a fun toy, didn¡¯t you? I tried this with that Pisces lady once and she gave me some nothing passive that increased my mental resistance by half when we were fighting what was essentially just a rock.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± I scoffed as the Father grabbed my attention. It pulled one of the stone pine trees out of the ground with both hands, clearly planning to use it as a club. ¡°You ready?¡±


    ¡°Born ready,¡± he said. With a nod, he started running.

 Chapter 244

    Aries Floor 2, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 9:22 AM


    When Trevor started running, I followed after him. The Rust Wolf Father¡¯s eyes turned towards us when we jumped over the lava river, and he shifted. His attack came fast, looking to surprise us rather than deal as much damage as possible. I Constructed a platform in front of my ally that he could jump off, doing the same with my Force Field.


    His reaction to it was, thankfully, quick. We leapt at the same time. His Strength was clearly higher than mine and he gained more ground than I did. I had to tuck my legs in to avoid the branches of the enemy¡¯s impromptu club, but snagged it with the Cable Conglomerate. It felt like my arm was going to be pulled out of my socket as I was jerked off in a new direction.


    I Constructed another platform for Trevor, allowing the Slugger Savant to gracefully jump one more time before bringing his bat high above his head. The Rust Wolf Father wasn¡¯t in a position to defend, but his hand moved to counterattack. I used Drop on my ally¡¯s bat just as it collided with the boss¡¯ chest.


    Surprised by the amount of force behind the Slugger Savant¡¯s attack, the Rust Wolf Father stumbled backwards into the trees. His chest had a small crater in it. Some cracks appeared as he moved, but they didn¡¯t spread nearly as far as either of us would have liked. Trevor landed at the enemy¡¯s feet. A swift kick punted him towards the lava, but he managed to stop himself before he could flip into the river, rubbing his chest where he had been hit.


    I jumped from the stone pine tree and grabbed Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick with both hands. Once I was eye level with the beast, I activated Crash Test, yelling out the name so Trevor could see what it was all about.


    <<<>>>


    [[Skill]]


    Crash Test


    Pick a direction adjacent to the ground and move up to Dexterity*? feet in that direction at twice your fastest speed. If any objects are in your way, you violently burst through their space, knocking them away or breaking through them. This deals damage equal to Strength*4. If an object you hit stops you, then you also take that damage. After using this skill, you cannot use it again for 1 hour.


    <<<>>>


    Colliding with the Rust Wolf Father head on was a terrible idea. Its Strength far eclipsed mine, and it was currently pushing itself out of the forest. Instead, I used the forced movement to deal extra damage. When I flew past its head, I swung the Smash Stick with Orbit to help stabilize it.


    Several of the boss¡¯ teeth flew out of its mouth as I got it good across the muzzle. I Pulled them to me and into my inventory as Crash Test stopped and I started falling into the forest. A quick Force Field allowed me to bounce off of it. I switched to a vertical one and stood in the sky, looking at the results of my attack.


    Spiderweb cracks covered its head, but it would take more than a few good hits to bring it down. Stone creatures, bosses especially, had hit points for days and the damage they sustained almost always looked worse than it actually was. The Rust Wolf Father shook off the blow before howling again in anger, turning to face me.


    ¡°You call that a hit?¡± the Slugger Savant yelled, sounding cocky. ¡°You gotta take this asshole head on if you want to do it right!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see you do better, then!¡± I called back. He smirked up at me before turning his attention back to the boss.


    On the ground, Trevor started his swing and activated Crash Test, following my lead. He put what he preached into practice and headed directly towards the Rust Wolf Father with no fear in his aura.


    It took him less than a second to clear the gap between him and the boss, and his bat slammed into the monster¡¯s shin. Trevor rebounded, flying backwards and taking damage just like the skill dictated, but a huge chunk of stone had been shattered in recompense.


    The Rust Wolf Father¡¯s foot dug into the ground as it had been pushed back a couple of feet from the blow, and he turned from me to look at Trevor. That was something that really put his Strength into perspective; he hadn¡¯t been able to avoid taking the backlash damage, but he still pushed this huge stone creature backwards at least a little bit.


    And now it was looking away from me, which was a terrible move. With an unnecessary gesture, I activated the new ability on my Trench Coat of the Mad Captain. One by one, every glowing point of the Starstone Constellation grew brighter. It had been a little hard to see as they were dim before, but now my fake Angelic wings were on full display for everyone to see.


    Not only was it impressive, but the boost from Twins In Battle brought my total projectiles from 17 to 21. Each one arched around my body in the same sequence in which they lit up, heading straight for the boss. They screamed as they whistled through the air, sounding like bottle rockets as they shot towards the Rust Wolf Father¡¯s face, trailing stardust in their wake.


    Even if the boss was looking away from me, the attack was not a subtle one and he easily became aware of it. The Rust Wolf Father raised his arm to protect his face from the screaming mass of pain heading his way. Its body pivoted, swinging the tree with its other hand towards me. I let the Force Field I was standing on disperse and fell out of range of the frankly lazy attack.


    The Starstones exploded on collision, leaving dents in the stone creature. The fire damage half of the projectiles did nothing, but the bludgeoning damage equal to my Willpower still landed hard. While the Rust Wolf Father protected his head, his arm was not built to take such abuse.


    Cracks spread across the boss¡¯ appendage before the whole thing fell at the elbow. It landed next to Trevor, causing him to abort his latest attack while causing a plume of dust and dirt to rise from the impact.


    The Rust Wolf Father reared back and howled again as a few remaining Starstones struck his head now that it wasn¡¯t being guarded. Before, it had been a chilling sound, but there was something new to it. Now, the dread was laced with fear as its hit points rapidly lowered. It attempted to force this feeling on the rest of us.


    My high Wisdom stat did well to throw off the mental attack. Trevor shook as it affected him normally, but he was still full of fighting spirit.


    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got, ya bastard!¡± he taunted, voice wavering.


    He jumped onto the fallen arm, planted his feet, and swung. His bat grew larger past the grip, to a size more fitting a Roman pillar before it struck the same leg he had before. The Rust Wolf Father took the blow, but stepped aside and continued swinging the stone pine tree.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The makeshift club had missed me entirely, but the boss put its momentum to good use. Trevor put both hands on his bat, which returned to normal size, and used it to block. The two weapons collided, and the Slugger Savant was sent flying, but it wasn¡¯t towards the lava this time. The Rust Wolves swarmed him as he landed in their midst.


    Even though they tried like hell to go after his metal bat, I wrapped it in a protective Constructed sleeve to keep it from rusting. It was probably more powerful than it looked given that the man¡¯s Patron was Gemini, but I wasn¡¯t going to leave that up to chance. Trevor kicked, swung, and punched his way free from the swarm as I turned my attention back to the Rust Wolf Father.


    His giant club was swinging back at me, likely to try to keep me at a distance that worked for him, and I jumped backwards, landing on another Force Field a safe distance away. The force of the wind was almost enough to send me backwards, but I managed to grab the defensive barrier and keep myself steady.


    In the corner of the Rust Wolf Father¡¯s vision, another oversized rock pick was Constructed. It fell straight for his head, point first. The boss ducked out of the way before lurching forward, grabbing it with his teeth.


    Letting it partially disappear, I left the head of the Construct available and Pushed it straight into the back of its throat. The boss stumbled, trying unsuccessfully to clutch his throat with his now missing hand.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Only a few more sheep to go, Ant. Jeff has one and it doesn¡¯t look like he intends to put it in the pen until you¡¯re finished, but this is your head¡¯s up. The defenders are getting battered back there.


    <<<>>>


    A quick glance back showed people scrambling to fight off the Rust Wolves and save the Steel Merinos. The monsters were swarming quite quickly now, and the teams were working together to stop the unending tide.


    ¡°Think we gotta finish this up!¡± I yelled to the man on the ground. ¡°Everyone¡¯s getting tired from being swarmed!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I hear you. I got something he¡¯s not going to like,¡± Trevor loudly replied as he made it back to the fight. He was panting and injured, but still ready to go. I matched his energy by climbing higher into the sky.


    The Slugger Savant swung at the air, hitting nothing, and began spinning like a top. He became faster and faster until he would become a blur to normal senses. Once he began moving, he left a trench in the ground from the force of it.


    ¡°Yeah! Spin to win!¡± I cheered.


    Even though the Rust Wolf Father knew we were both threats, one was coming from above while the other below. I was out of reach, so I wasn¡¯t its next target. Pulling the stone pine tree back, he swung it at Trevor. The two collided head on, but there was only one victor.


    I laughed as the spinning man tore through the pine needles, branches, and even the trunk itself. The Rust Wolf Father looked at the much smaller tree it now carried in confusion just as Trevor surged towards its leg. The sound of the metal bat on stone was viscerally satisfying as he started smashing through with sheer force alone.


    That was when I started diving, using all four applications of Drop on myself and my Smash Stick to reach terminal velocity. Wind whipped my clothes and whistled through my ears, and I could see in the distance that Jeff was holding onto the last Steel Merino just as Sara said. Everyone who wasn¡¯t fighting was watching us now, waiting for the boss battle to be over before we won the scenario.


    No point in taking things slow, then.


    Using Orbit to spin, I got a little more force behind my swing before the Rust Wolf Father looked up to see me. His leg buckled as Trevor destroyed it, causing him to fall directly into my path. I Constructed a spike just above where I planned on striking.


    Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick broke on contact from the sheer force, leaving perhaps 60% of it intact. A part of me cringed at that; the club had come in handy time and time again, and I was feeling a little more sentimental than I expected seeing it break. However, the damage it had done to the boss was much, much worse.


    The spike damn near broke as it was slammed into the Rust Wolf Father¡¯s head. Wide cracks shot out from it as I Constructed a slide to redirect my momentum. It wasn¡¯t much, but I came in at an angle instead of hitting the ground head on, causing a plume of dirt and debris to fly into the air. The Rust Wolf Father laid completely still after it hit the ground, down but not out of hit points just yet.


    My body protested as I stood up, my legs wobbly. Even though my sudden stop was painful, I still Pulled the loose teeth towards me to toss into my inventory. I wasn¡¯t sure how long it would take for Jeff to throw the Steel Merino into the pen, but I wasn¡¯t about to risk it.


    ¡°Not bad, Trevor!¡± I called as the man stopped spinning. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what else you can do in the future.¡±


    The Slugger Savant didn¡¯t look dizzy at all despite everything he had just gone through. I knew he had blown a long cooldown skill for this, and it had been fun to see. He eyed the boss with suspicion before giving me a thumbs up, which I returned. ¡°Same you, Anthony. I¡¯ll be waiting for you at the safe zone.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll see about that,¡± I shot back with a laugh, turning to walk towards the boss.


    The Rust Wolf Father moved only a few inches as if flinching away from me. That simple action caused the cracks in its skin to become longer and wider. I let the spike disappear and the damage became too much and the oversized boss completely crumbled, its hit points finally depleted.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]


    You are no longer under the effects of the Twins In Battle buff.


    [[Victory!]]


    You have defeated x57 Rust Wolves; +285 points.


    You have defeated x11 Alpha Rust Wolves; +165 points.


    You have contributed in defeating the Hidden Boss [Rust Wolf Father]; +450 (800) points.


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent Aries Quest 2 Complete]]


    Not only were you able to save all 100 of the Steel Merinos that had escaped, but the team of Gemini and Sol Ligatus were also able to summon and defeat the Rust Wolf Father. The other factions have some big shoes to fill if they want to show off like Anthony and Trevor!


    Congratulations, Gemini and Sol Ligatus!


    Reward: 1,000 points, 500 points to Emma Deware, Hank He, Kyle Byers, Tom Dials, and William Thompson.


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    Excellent work, Anthony! I¡¯m glad to see you made a new friend in all this. The Patrons in the chat that were watching seemed impressed, and they¡¯re ready to see what you and the guild can do from here on out.


    Not everyone is on board, though. Remember that it¡¯s going to take a lot of effort to get enough of them on your side that the administrators become too nervous to try something against you. So long as you keep that in mind, you¡¯re going to be okay. I believe in you.


    Reward: 15,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    Snapping away the notification, I gave Trevor an upward nod. ¡°See you on the other side.¡±


    Before he could respond, a flash of light relieved us of the heat of the area, and we were once again standing on the mountain path. Bethany quickly pulled out some tea and started handing it out as Ash rounded on us.


    ¡°You got me some teeth, right?¡± she greedily demanded.


    Amused, we started emptying out our inventories. Even though the Rust Wolf Father didn¡¯t have any drops, his teeth were still a big get, and I looked forward to whatever monstrosity she was going to make with them.


    ¡°Alright, take five, then we¡¯re back at it,¡± I said, taking a moment to sit on a step myself. The break was well earned.

 Chapter 245

    Aries Constellation, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 9:47 AM


    ¡°Yeah, I can fix it,¡± Ash said as she looked over Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick.


    While the weapon hadn¡¯t broken enough that the description had changed, it was still shorter than it had been before. Luckily, she had just received the perfect material to upgrade it and give it new life. At least, I was pretty sure she did; I had never asked her to mix Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick with a Rust Wolf Fang before. It was new territory and I was looking forward to seeing what an oxidizing component could do for something meant for destruction.


    ¡°Excellent, can we go now?¡± Mercury requested, tearing his eyes away from a screen. ¡°It¡¯s been five minutes and I¡¯m stoked for this next room.¡±


    Stretching, I stood up from my step. ¡°What, are you in a hurry or something?¡± I asked, amused.


    ¡°Yeah, Warmonger, it¡¯s the stealth room!¡± he exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air. ¡°That¡¯s my bread and butter. The only reason why I was waiting was because you said everyone needed a break. Even though the last, like, two minutes was just watching you and some sports guy beat up a big rock werewolf.¡±


    ¡°Well, I certainly can¡¯t argue with that,¡± I replied with amusement.


    Honestly, Mercury¡¯s enthusiasm was infectious. He hadn¡¯t been able to sit still after the last room and went ahead to check what we would be facing next. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d seen him return to the group with such speed before.


    ¡°Of course you¡¯re excited. We just get to sit back and wait some more,¡± Jamie said with a roll of her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it would be a much better tale if we dealt with the consequences of getting caught three times like the master quest text box said?¡±


    ¡°Better tale nothing,¡± he scoffed in return. ¡°The moment I saw there was going to be a stealth mission in every constellation I told myself, ¡®Mercury, you¡¯re going to be the MVP of each and every one of those.¡¯ Do you want to destroy my dreams, Jamie? Huh? Just rip them away?¡±


    ¡°Like I haven¡¯t been trying to do that since the moment you came on the train,¡± she retorted with just a small hint of sarcasm.


    ¡°Yeah, you used to be scary back then,¡± Mercury admitted with a dramatic sigh.


    Jamie narrowed her eyes before arching an eyebrow. ¡°Used to?¡± she asked coolly.


    ¡°Hey, Mercury, let¡¯s get moving,¡± I said, putting my hand on the ninja¡¯s shoulder and leading him up the stairs. He pulled away from me almost immediately, taking the steps two at a time.


    ¡°I remember being that young and energetic,¡± Jeff sighed. ¡°Ah, the good old days.¡±


    Kayla gently smacked him on the chest. ¡°You¡¯re 30; don¡¯t reminisce like you¡¯re an old man,¡± she chastised. ¡°Especially not now that we¡¯re all superhumans. We¡¯ve all got that energy now.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself. I¡¯m just as tired as I was before this all happened,¡± Ash complained, stifling a yawn.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you spend eighteen hours a day in your forge and only emerge when you¡¯re hungry, thirsty, or want to sleep for a few hours,¡± Jamie shot back.


    ¡°What, you gonna take care of me now or something?¡± the Monstersmith challenged. ¡°Teach me some proper time management skills?¡±


    That question was met with a scoff. ¡°Not until you¡¯re done making all the shit I want.¡±


    Ash nodded. ¡°Top of the damn list, then. You drive a hard bargain.¡±


    Before Jamie had a chance to respond, Mercury yelled from up ahead. ¡°Come on!¡± He had his hand on the door, but I knew that it wouldn¡¯t let him open it until we were all close enough to get pulled in.


    The two women looked at each other before mutually deciding to put their conversation behind them. Mercury wasted no time opening the door the very moment he could.


    Our surroundings shifted in a flash, depositing us in a town that wouldn¡¯t look out of place in ancient Greece. The moon could barely be seen, close to new as it was, but the bright stars of Aries provided dim illumination for those who could not see in the dark. We looked around at the houses made out of sun-dried mud bricks, but something was immediately off about them.


    ¡°They¡¯re way too big for us,¡± Kayla remarked. ¡°Some variation of Cyclops and the Odyssey, maybe?¡±


    I nodded, but didn¡¯t voice my opinion out loud. The houses were definitely made for people nearly twice as tall as we were. Not only that, but the odds and ends left out were all oversized for human inhabitants. From water pails to farming implements, everything was just too large. Including the walls, which were made with stones that were too large for normal people to lift.


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent: Aries Stealth Room]]


    Players: 7


    The Cyclopes listened when Perseus told them to construct the walls of Mycenae. What happened next was something anyone could see coming.


    Thinking that their achievement was only for them, the Cyclopean people decided that the town was theirs to inhabit. They blocked off the entrance and built their own shelters and culture. Now the displaced population wants their home back, and there¡¯s only one way to do it.


    For all their building prowess, the Cyclopes have only managed to create one object powerful enough to cut through a Steel Merino¡¯s protections or a Charcoal Sheep¡¯s wool without setting it ablaze. Without this magical shear, their ravenous hunger will cause them to starve without outside help.


    Locate the divine artifact in the middle of town and bring it back to your current location without alerting the locals to succeed in this scenario quest. You have three attempts remaining before you will have to suffer the consequences of your failures.


    Objective: Find and return with the Divine Shears of the Cyclopes.


    Reward: 1,000 points, the Divine Shears of the Cyclopes.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not accurate,¡± Kayla sighed.


    ¡°Do you still expect it to be?¡± Jeff asked, surprised. His wife simply shook her head.


    ¡°Really? The prize is shears?¡± Jamie complained, wrinkling her nose. Since we already had a break, Bethany had nothing to do but watch us from atop Corwin so I began translating the conversation for her.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine by me,¡± Ash said, crossing her arms. ¡°You know how fucking hard it was to try to get the wool off of those Steel Merinos in the last room? I ruined a shit ton of stuff that I¡¯m going to have to fix now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad we got it before the field room, to be honest,¡± I pitched in. ¡°We¡¯re going to get a lot of materials there, so it¡¯s going to come in handy. Personally, I hope it has some built in ability that allows its wielder to shear faster so we don¡¯t spend so much time there. The sooner we make it up to the safe zone, the better.¡±


    ¡°And I don¡¯t plan on leaving anything behind,¡± Ash added, a look of fanaticism in her eyes.


    ¡°Jeez, we should get you out of the train more often, Ash,¡± Jeff said with a grin. ¡°The fresh air is doing you good.¡±


    She paused, staring off into the middle distance as if she was processing something in her head for the first time, and then she scowled. ¡°Yeah, whatever. I just like hoarding stuff,¡± she replied, crossing her arms. ¡°Do you know how damn strong that steel wool is? And how comfortable I can make it? Imagine wearing a shirt that¡¯s as hardy as Jamie¡¯s armor but as soft as your wife. That¡¯s what I can do. Can you even fathom that?¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Jeff¡¯s eyes lit up and he took what seemed to be an involuntary step forward as he raised his hands. Ash had said exactly the right words. ¡°Really? That soft? Promise?¡±


    ¡°Of course I can,¡± Ash answered dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m the goddamn Monstersmith, after all.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I think this conversation is getting out of hand,¡± Kayla said after clearing her throat. Jeff gave her a sheepish grin and took a step back, putting his arm around her. The look on his face made it clear that he was still thinking about it.


    <<<>>>


    [[Warning!]]


    You have been spotted. Returning to the starting position.


    You have two attempts remaining.


    <<<>>>


    Everyone except Jamie and I jumped back in surprise as Mercury appeared in the middle of us mid-sneak. He was confused, looking around at each of us before standing up straight and rubbing the back of his head.


    ¡°I, uh, I guess I got caught,¡± he admitted before shaking his head. ¡°Wait, how did I get caught? I had an illusion up and I was invisible! That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±


    ¡°Like me, there are some Cyclopes that can see auras,¡± I explained. ¡°And there are some that are pretty sensitive to magic, like illusions. Not all of them, of course, but the ones that are older, more skilled, learned, or some other variation can.¡±


    ¡°Man, why didn¡¯t you tell me that sooner?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Because you snuck off the moment the quest dropped,¡± I told him, giving him a look.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I guess I did¡­¡± he said, looking away. ¡°Well, is there anything else I should know?¡±


    ¡°The Princess¡¯ astral form might give you away, too, so be careful there,¡± I answered.


    The sword spirit attached to his wakizashi was getting to the point where I could start to sense her aura, which reminded me of cherry blossoms. As they became more powerful together, she would eventually be able to manifest herself in front of all of us instead of just him. That was going to be a fun day of chaos.


    From there, I continued. ¡°Less illusions, but you can stick to invisibility because, for you, it¡¯s not a magic thing somehow. Take your time and observe those you¡¯re sneaking around. Stay out of the direct line of sight of any particularly well dressed enemy or ones that are larger than the others. Listen to your Patron, too. Don¡¯t be afraid to ask for help.¡±


    Mercury was nodding the whole time I was speaking, taking in my advice like it was the gospel. ¡°Got it,¡± he said sternly. ¡°Then I¡¯m off to try again. Marishiten gave me a quest where I could fail it once, but not twice. Going to nail it now. Ready?¡± That question was asked to the empty space beside him, and nodded when he received a response. The next moment, he was gone, and I was watching his aura slink back into the town.


    ¡°Good thing he has such a great guide,¡± Jamie grumbled.


    ¡°Yeah, I really am awesome, aren¡¯t I?¡± I asked humbly with a grin.


    I shaped my awareness aura so that I could see more of the town he was heading into, pulling it away every time I sensed an enemy. Even though he was invisible, he was taking my advice to heart. Every time he moved, he made sure no one was looking, and he always stopped behind cover. Since many of the objects were much larger to accommodate the Cyclopes¡¯ size, it made hiding easier.


    The almost completely transparent aura of the Princess stuck close to him. Normally, she wandered and called out where he could go, but since that was a risk she was hiding with him. They really did get along well, and her well polished blade made for a good mirror when he needed it.


    ¡°How¡¯re you all feeling about him, by the way?¡± I asked before anyone had a chance to call me out. ¡°How he''s doing and whatnot. I know Mercury¡¯s a quick learner, but is he keeping up with y''all''s training?¡±


    ¡°Man, if there was a student like him back in the Society, I would have picked him up as a squire on the spot,¡± Jeff answered. ¡°Then, he probably would have surpassed me in¡­ probably two years, depending on how often he showed up. The kid¡¯s a little goofy, but I find it charming, really.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you encourage it, hon,¡± Kayla said before putting on a pensive look. ¡°He¡¯s learning a lot faster than I am, though. I¡¯ve been wondering how much of that is him and how much of it is the Princess, but you did mention his raw talent and enthusiasm before.¡±


    ¡°The Princess provides him with someone watching his back at almost all times, but she helps keep him focused,¡± I explained. ¡°You can see where he¡¯s kind of everywhere sometimes. How he needs to turn the world into one of fantasy to get over his anxieties. She takes and channels that anxiety into improving his skills. He would do well on his own, I feel, but the Princess really fast tracks the whole thing.¡±


    ¡°So she¡¯s his nanny,¡± Jamie summarized.


    ¡°More like his trainer, but that¡¯s really another word for nanny, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked with amusement. The Weapon Master shook her head, and I gestured towards her. ¡°What about you? You train with him just as much as you do with Kayla, right? How do you feel about our favorite roleplayer?¡±


    ¡°Full honesty?¡± she asked, and I nodded. ¡°Tried to get him to quit early. Pushed him hard, after you got stuck in your trial thing. Really hard. I didn¡¯t care for his roleplaying, his attitude, or the fact that he brought along a ghost with him. Figured if he quit of his own volition, then that was that.¡±


    ¡°Mercury¡¯s a lot of things, but he¡¯s living in a world where he can do great things with a sword and some friends. He¡¯s not going to give up, not when given the chance to train with the best,¡± I said, chuckling.


    ¡°Yeah, I learned that real quick,¡± Jamie said, wrinkling her nose. ¡°So I kept pushing him harder and harder. After we got that training car, I¡¯d leave the pain jacked up high during spars. I¡¯m trained to deal with it even if he wasn¡¯t, so I thought that¡¯d do it. But no, of course not. I can tell he¡¯s not a masochist¡ªhe relies too much on the promise that the pain will be over once the match is¡ªbut damn if he¡¯s not spirited.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you put the pain threshold up?¡± Kayla asked, crossing her arms. ¡°I went through that training, too. I thought you were just going through a sadistic streak or something.¡±


    ¡°Little of column a, little of column b,¡± she said with a shrug. ¡°Either way, the kid¡¯s¡­ acceptable now. The fact that he¡¯s trading barbs verbally with me now makes him a lot easier to stomach than that phony, gentleman thief, chivalry-is-the-bees-knees persona he puts on.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°But you still want to deck him in the face whenever it reemerges?¡±


    ¡°Right in his smug mouth, maybe knock out a tooth or two. They can be put back into place with a timely application of Pocket Bacon,¡± Jamie replied, jerking her head towards Jeff.


    ¡°I think missing teeth is going to make eating the¡­¡± the Queen¡¯s Knight trailed off when the Weapon Master looked at him. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the whole point. Got it.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, thinking it over. ¡°Well, aside from the first floor I haven¡¯t seen him in an actual fight since the time I took you four on back in Chicago, so¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is it time for round two?¡± Jeff asked excitedly.


    ¡°We¡¯re going again?¡± Jamie also asked quickly.


    I looked between the two of them before snorting out a laugh. ¡°No. I was going to say I wanted him to have a bigger part in whatever competitive room we end up with,¡± I explained. ¡°Let him take the lead, bolster him up, give him the toughest guy to fight. Stuff like that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my man Merc will do just fine,¡± Jeff said, his excitement only slightly diminished. ¡°In fact, I hope it¡¯s soon. I want to see him in all his glory.¡±


    ¡°Same, actually,¡± Ash said. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to make something for him, but I want to see his fighting style first. When I tried to watch him spar it was fucking hard to keep up with. He¡¯s just too damn fast.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not going to change just because he¡¯s fighting a person,¡± Jamie pointed out.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve seen him spar, then just use the Orb of Amarii,¡± I suggested. ¡°It¡¯ll let you see things from his perspective and his from yours, but as long as you were both there to witness it then it should work. That¡¯s what I left it with you for.¡±


    Ash arched her eyebrow. ¡°The orb of what now?¡±


    I noticed her confusion and looked at the same expression on everyone else¡¯s face. ¡°Did I not drop off the Orb of Amarii?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No, what¡¯s that?¡± Kayla asked in return.


    ¡°Damn, I dropped that ball,¡± I chuckled. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll get that to y¡¯all when we¡¯re back on the Angel Express.¡±


    ¡°Get what to who?¡± Mercury asked, suddenly standing in front of us all.


    Everyone else reached for their weapons and I prevented Bethany from falling off of Corwin in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡± Ash yelled, hitting the ninja on the arm.


    ¡°Sorry! Sorry!¡± he said, holding up the shears. The opalescent tool, which had waves of different colors making their way down the blades, sparkled brightly in the starlight. It almost seemed to glow on its own. ¡°It¡¯s just that, I won, okay?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent Aries Quest 3 Complete]]


    Without the Divine Shears, the Cyclopean population will have no choice but to reopen the walls in search for a new source of food or tools. With this, the humans can return to the town.


    Reward: 1,000 points, the Divine Shears of the Cyclopes.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they just going to eat the humans now?¡± Jamie asked in confusion as Ash tried to steal the shears from Mercury.


    ¡°Yeah, probably,¡± I said, waiting to get sent back to the mountain. ¡°Good thing it¡¯s all make believe, huh?¡±


    I looked down at Bethany, who tugged on my sleeve. She hid her hands from Mercury as she signed to me, giving me an answer to my earlier question. ¡°I think Leonard is kind of cool.¡±


    Smiling, I nodded and replied, ¡°Me, too.¡±

 Chapter 246

    Aries Floor 4, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 10:07 AM


    There was no need for anyone other than Mercury to rest between the stealth floor and the next, so we headed to the next one without much fanfare. Not a complete absence of it, though; the enthusiasm for this one came from an unexpected place.


    Kayla was trying to stay calm, but she was almost vibrating with excitement by the time I opened the door to the puzzle floor.


    The mountain disappeared and we arrived in a long barn. There were pens full of normal sheep with different colored markings on them on either side of the walkway that went through the middle of the building, and to our immediate left was an area for tools and a desk with several small, locked drawers built in. The only door was at the end of the hall and was guarded by a black and white border collie that was laying down, but its attention was clearly on us.


    Corwin took a few steps forward to sniff the air, eyes on the other dog, but didn¡¯t run off. He was too well trained for that, and we knew he wouldn¡¯t do anything to put Bethany in danger, either.


    Kayla¡¯s aura finally burst out as she looked around, her excitement at having a puzzle to solve finally breaking through her usual self control. She walked to the desk seconds before the quest text box dropped.


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent: Aries Puzzle Room]]


    Players: 7


    Maximus Canis, the good boy that he is, is an exceptional sheep dog. He spends every day making sure the flock doesn¡¯t wander where they don¡¯t belong, that they¡¯re safe from threats, and that they¡¯re back in their pens by nightfall. Maximus takes his job incredibly seriously.


    Whether by mistake, design, or some slight twist of fate, you have also been herded into the barn along with the flock. However, the rules are clear: no one leaves until the farmer comes to let the sheep out to pasture.


    Maximus takes his job incredibly seriously.


    That¡¯s not to say that you are stuck here. Inside the desk is a bag of Maximus¡¯ favorite treats, something that he¡¯ll drop everything for. The farmer knows this and makes sure they¡¯re safely locked away. To make sure he doesn¡¯t forget the combination and allow his poor dog to suffer, he¡¯s set out a series of clues to remind himself how to open the final drawer to get the goodies inside.


    This border collie will do anything to eat just one more treat. If you want to get out, then you¡¯re going to need to find a way to get into this secure stash to bribe the guard dog with. The first clue is on the desk.


    You have 4 hours before sunrise and the farmer comes for his sheep.


    Objective: Bribe your way out of the barn.


    Reward: 1,000 points, Maximus¡¯ favorite treats.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°It¡¯s just an escape room?¡± Mercury asked, scratching his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s an escape room!¡± Kayla confirmed, her voice higher pitched than usual. Her eyes went wide as she looked at everyone who turned to face her, and her cheeks turned red. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s just an escape room. No big deal.¡±


    ¡°Go on, Kay,¡± Jeff urged, gently pushing her towards the desk.


    The normally reserved librarian allowed herself to be moved before running to the desk. She shook her head and swiped away something the moment she got there. ¡°I saw ¡®the combination is¡¯ and stopped reading, Skuld,¡± she said to the roof, addressing her Patron. ¡°No handouts. If you want to make a quest for it with a time limit, feel free, but I¡¯m not going to let this chance pass up.¡±


    ¡°You will if you¡¯re not quick about it,¡± Ash muttered. She had been eying the sheep, but shook her head. ¡°These are just regular animals. Damn Aries guy isn¡¯t even letting us put those godly shears to good use.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be quick about it¡­¡± Kayla replied before she trailed off. Then, she gave a decisive nod and started picking through the documents. ¡°Ten minutes. Could be doable, so I¡¯m trusting you that it is. Mercury, I¡¯m going to need you.¡±


    The ninja started for a moment before walking towards the desk. ¡°Yeah? What can I do?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the fastest one here, so I¡¯m going to need you to gather information,¡± she explained absently as her eyes scanned the papers. ¡°I could make Ant do it, what with his aura and telekinesis, but he doesn¡¯t want too much credit for whatever reason.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m basically using you all as pawns to make myself look better,¡± I said without shame. ¡°You know, if y¡¯all are awesome, then how awesome must I be?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Kayla mumbled. Her eyes flicked towards the different papers she was holding. ¡°Also, Skuld seems to think you already know the answer, so involving you would be cheating. I get extra points if you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got an inkling of a solution, sure,¡± I confirmed with a shrug, eying the bottom drawer of the desk where I could see the bag of treats with my aura. It was indeed locked up tight, but I was confident I could have gotten in there without a key. Not through brute force, mind, but with finesse.


    ¡°Exactly. Alright, Mercury, I¡¯m going to call out some pens, and I need you to tell me if there are any weird shapes in them. Got it?¡± Kayla asked.


    ¡°Got it, Queen Kayla,¡± Mercury responded quickly with a sloppy salute.


    Her aura didn¡¯t change at the title, and she pointed without looking. ¡°Third one from me, fifth one on the other side, fourth one from me, and second to the last on the far side,¡± she ordered. With a nod, he disappeared only to reappear at the first one she mentioned and started looking around. ¡°You¡¯re looking for things like stars, triangles, and the like. I¡¯ve got a combination lock using them instead.¡±


    ¡°Is all this really necessary?¡± Ash complained, leaning against one of the pens. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we just bust open the desk for the treats?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to destroy any property in an escape room unless otherwise stated,¡± Kayla replied offhandedly, not taking her attention off of the desk. She had picked up a small case with a built in combination lock and was spinning the dials. ¡°Plus, this is Patron made. You could probably blow up this whole room and all you¡¯d lose is access to the means to unlock the drawer.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure¡ª¡± the Monstersmith continued, only to get interrupted.


    ¡°Triangle, square, star, circle!¡± Mercury called, standing up amongst a bunch of black sheep. There was hay clinging to his garb, but he brushed it off.


    Kayla quickly inputted the combination and opened the drawer, revealing a hand-sized wheel handle. She grabbed it and threw it like a frisbee to the ninja before returning to the case. ¡°Find a use for that.¡±


    ¡°On it!¡± he yelled, diving for the item before it could hit a sheep in the head.


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    ¡°Or, we could just fight the dog,¡± Ash offered. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s just a little border collie. I¡¯m sure Corwin can take it.¡±


    ¡°None of us are fighting the dog,¡± Jeff stated, crossing his arms as the Evolution Hound perked up at the sound of his name.


    ¡°Honestly, we shouldn¡¯t,¡± I agreed. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t want to kill a dog just doing its job on principle alone, but it¡¯s also bad for ratings and there¡¯s a good chance that the dog treats will buff Corwin somehow. Maybe temporarily, maybe permanently. It¡¯s hard to say until we¡¯ve got it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and you wouldn¡¯t want to take anything away from poor little Corwin, would you?¡± Jeff asked, squatting down to pet the Evolution Hound. ¡°No, because he is the bestest boy, yes he is. Yes he is!¡±


    ¡°Fine, I guess we¡¯ll just wait,¡± Ash complained, pushing away one of the sheep that started sniffing her arm.


    ¡°Found it! Turning the handle now,¡± Mercury called.


    Water fell from pipes lining the ceilings and into the troughs of each of the pens. It wasn¡¯t just liquid, however, as we were met with the sound of metal hitting on metal ringing out through the barn. A few things that were decidedly not liquid had landed where they didn¡¯t belong.


    ¡°Find those!¡± Kayla yelled.


    ¡°On it!¡± Mercury replied.


    ¡°If it makes you feel any better, Ash, Kayla¡¯s a whiz at puzzles and brain teasers,¡± Jeff said proudly, watching his wife work with a smile. ¡°Ant, you know that escape room that opened up last year in Etson? On college road just outside of town?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they had a couple of horror ones and some magic school, right?¡± I asked, barely remembering the place he was referring to.


    Mercury appeared beside us with four pieces of black metal. ¡°3D puzzle,¡± he said.


    ¡°Ash, you got that?¡± Kayla asked.


    The Monstersmith grumbled, eying the pieces before grumbling. She must have decided it wasn¡¯t worth fighting because she snatched them away from Mercury one at a time. Even though the puzzle had only been pulled apart into four pieces, it was still rather intricate, requiring them to be placed in a certain order with at least two pieces needing to be in specific places before the next one could go in.


    It wasn¡¯t an issue for the greatest smith in the land. It took her only twenty seconds to assemble the puzzle into its final form, a sheep. She tossed it to Mercury, who was quick to bring it to Kayla.


    ¡°Thanks, Ash,¡± the Double Agent said, pushing it into a slot that was perfect for it. The sound of one more item dropping into the troughs filled the barn, but this time it was easy to tell where the thing fell. Mercury rushed off.


    Jeff continued where he left off. ¡°Yup, you got it. Well, we went there for the wizard school one not long after it opened, right? And we just go the two of us because she¡¯s too good,¡± he said, and I could tell from his aura that he wasn¡¯t just boasting. ¡°She solved the whole thing in, like, seventeen minutes with just a little bit of help from me. I¡¯m no good at ¡®em, personally. But we walked out of the door of the second room, expecting there to be a third, and there was the owner with this nervous smile on his face saying we were done.¡±


    ¡°Green shears!¡± Mercury announced, holding up a pair that was still dripping wet.


    Kayla glanced at the sheep throughout the pens. They all had different colors on them, which was usually used by farmers to know who the animals belonged to, but here it was definitely a clue. ¡°Shear the green paint off of the sheep,¡± she commanded. ¡°Tell me if there¡¯s anything underneath.¡±


    ¡°On it!¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a waste of money,¡± Jamie stated, clearly bored. ¡°Those are usually set for an hour, right?¡±


    ¡°An hour, yeah, and that¡¯s what the guy was worried we¡¯d say!¡± Jeff said with a laugh. ¡°She was a little disappointed, but also really proud of herself. You know, as is proper.¡±


    ¡°You know that gushing over your wife like this means that we¡¯re probably going to get harder puzzle floors later on, right?¡± I asked, watching as Kayla found a key and opened another drawer.


    ¡°Promise?¡± the Double Agent asked, sparing me a quick glance before turning her eyes on her husband. ¡°Brag away, Jeff. You have my full permission. So long as there¡¯s no life or death stakes I¡¯m absolutely up for harder puzzles.¡±


    The Queen¡¯s Knight lit up. ¡°Oh, man. Brag away? That¡¯s not something I hear everyday.¡±


    ¡°Is it too late to go back to the fight the dog option?¡± Jamie asked, rolling her eyes.


    ¡°Absolutely too late,¡± Jeff said as he leaned against the nearest pen, resting his hand on a sheep that came up to greet him.


    ¡°S¡¯cuse me,¡± Mercury said, suddenly appearing beside the knight and shearing the sheep. While he had the green tool, he was using the Princess to get the job done faster, which I couldn¡¯t imagine her taking well. Regardless, he got down to the skin without drawing blood. ¡°Seven, four, five, nine, one! That¡¯s in pen order, by the way.¡±


    ¡°One moment,¡± Kayla said, moving to the other side of the desk and inputting the code. A hidden compartment opened, revealing a ram¡¯s horn. She tossed that over our heads to Mercury. ¡°You know where that goes?¡±


    He caught it easily. ¡°Yeah! I do,¡± the ninja said, disappearing again.


    ¡°She¡¯s so smart,¡± Jeff said with an uncontrollable grin. ¡°We¡¯ve got a whole closet of old puzzles. You know, like knot puzzles, boxes that have to be taken apart a certain way, murder mystery stuff. Oh! I got her signed up for one of those things where they send you letters and clues and you have to figure out the culprit and all that. For our fifth anniversary, I hired a professional puzzler to make a scavenger hunt for her. Because I wanted it to be hard and I¡¯d flub it up somehow.¡±


    ¡°The fuck¡¯s a professional puzzler?¡± Ash asked, frowning.


    ¡°Someone who solves and makes puzzles professionally,¡± he answered, raising an eyebrow at her. ¡°Was that not clear from the context?¡±


    Jamie stifled a laugh, and the Monstersmith rolled her eyes. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    In the ceiling above us, a small hole opened up and a key fell through. Since I was told not to help, I specifically did not reach out and grab it. Jeff, however, was quick enough. He leaned down and snatched the key just before it hit the ground.


    ¡°Got a key, Kay!¡± he announced.


    ¡°Bring it here, then,¡± she said, and he left us.


    ¡°That could have been bad,¡± I stated, brushing away the hay on the ground with my foot. Once it was clear, it revealed a water drain in the floor. It was welded shut, but there was more than enough room for a key to fall through. ¡°That would have added a lot of minutes to our time since I¡¯m not allowed to help.¡±


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s a good thing I grabbed it, then,¡± Jeff said proudly, earning himself a kiss on the cheek from Kayla before he was sent back to us.


    ¡°You know, if puzzles are such a big thing in Kayla¡¯s life, why¡¯s this the first time I¡¯m hearing about it?¡± I asked. ¡°Normally we can¡¯t get you to stop gushing about your wife. You¡¯ve gotten better about it, sure, but I¡¯d think I¡¯d have heard more.¡±


    Jeff looked surprised. ¡°What do you mean? She solves puzzles every time she goes to a library,¡± he said as if it were only natural. ¡°Puzzles that you didn¡¯t even know about, I might add. Because you hadn¡¯t solved them. Didn¡¯t she say send her to any library you wanted because they were fun and all that? I figured you already figured out how smart Kay is. She¡¯s the second in command for a reason, after all.¡±


    I paused, thinking that over, before chuckling. ¡°Yeah, I guess so. I thought it was a librarian thing instead of a puzzle thing. Just didn¡¯t connect the two together, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Bit of both. The librarian knowledge leads to the puzzles,¡± Kayla said as she joined us. With a triumphant smile, she raised a sheepskin bag with the picture of a border collie on it. No doubt it was filled with dog treats. ¡°And done.¡±


    ¡°Nice work, Kayla!¡± Jeff praised, raising his hand for a high five. She gave it to him immediately, and he turned to do the same for Mercury when he appeared. ¡°You, too, man.  You¡¯re way quicker at this than I ever was.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, thank you, sir knight!¡± Mercury said, putting his hands on his hips and puffing out his chest. ¡°It¡¯s all in a day¡¯s work.¡±


    ¡°And now, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Kayla announced, pulling out a small orb of meat from the bag. Corwin immediately walked up to her, placing his chin on her stomach as he looked up at her with big eyes. ¡°No begging. You¡¯ll get one during your next fight, I promise.¡±


    Corwin whined, wanting it now, but backed off. When Jeff and I looked at her, she sent the description to everyone.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Sheep Dog¡¯s Tenacity


    Any canine or canine-like monster that eats this treat increases their stats by 30%, their speed by 50%, and their size by 10% for one hour. Animals and docile monsters recognize them as beings of authority.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°And we¡¯ll have four of them after we bribe old Maximus here,¡± Kayla said happily. ¡°So that¡¯s going to be a nice boost for Corwin.¡±


    ¡°It sure will,¡± Jeff agreed.


    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s get out of here,¡± I said, clapping my hands together. ¡°After all, your clock is still ticking. Right, Kayla? We haven¡¯t escaped the room yet.¡±


    She paused for a moment before her eyes went wide. Kayla bolted across the barn, ready to feed a dog a treat so she could get the full rewards of her quest.

 Chapter 247

    Aries Floor 5, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 10:29 AM


    The next door we went through sent us to a large plain. Mountains much smaller than the one we were climbing rose far in the distance and trees grew in clumped together groves. Unlike the sky in the previous floors, it was now daytime with the sun an hour or so away from its apex. That was likely a deliberate choice considering this floor was the only one that didn¡¯t have a hard time limit on it. Having something like the sun to track time was great.


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent: Aries Gathering Room]]


    The Plains of Aries is a beautiful place full of docile animals, beasts, and monsters. They live their lives here with no predators to be seen. That makes most of them peaceful and ready for harvest, though they will fight back if attacked. Feel free to gather as much as you need or want from the denizens of the plains.


    Not all woke up and chose peace today, though. The Plains of Aries has both a Field Boss and a Roaming Boss. Find one to summon the other, or don¡¯t. The exit is always open to you.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Jeff asked as he swiped away the screen. ¡°There¡¯s not even an objective or reward or anything for completing this quest.¡±


    I nodded off to the side, and he turned to look at where I was gesturing. Not twenty feet away from us was a small shed with an exit sign above the door. If we really wanted to, we could have left this floor the moment we stepped foot in it. That meant we¡¯d be missing out on loot, but it was still a possibility.


    Or it would be if we didn¡¯t have the Monstersmith.


    ¡°There¡¯s better things than points here,¡± Ash said as she looked around, the Divine Shears of the Cyclopes already in her hand. ¡°Do you know how much stuff I can make with all this? Or how much I can enhance your clothes? Because I do, and it¡¯s a damn lot.¡±


    It was the perfect place for her. Sheep of all different breeds were happily eating all around us. Not just some we¡¯d see pre-system, but the Charcoal Sheep and the Steel Merinos as well. There were even a few we hadn¡¯t come across yet that seemed to be painted with a rainbow of pastel colors. Those closest looked up with gentle eyes to regard us newcomers before returning to their meal.


    Ash practically dove on the Steel Merino closest to us. It bleated in surprise at the sudden contact, but didn¡¯t do more than give her an inquisitive glance. She began using the Divine Shears, and laughed as it cut through the metal fleece as if it belonged to a normal sheep.


    ¡°It fuckin¡¯ works!¡± she exclaimed excitedly. There was more life in her voice than usual. ¡°Alright, everyone spread out and start cutting. Herd the steel ones my way.¡±


    Everyone looked at me and I shrugged. ¡°You heard the lady¡¯s demands,¡± I said. ¡°But we can¡¯t stay here forever. I promised Bethany I¡¯d show her my transformed state some time before we came across the end of the constellation, so I¡¯m going to go find the bosses.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that like we¡¯re not coming with you to fight the bosses,¡± Jamie said coolly.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m taking these ones solo. Gotta start gathering attention, and it¡¯s best to do so early,¡± I told her. ¡°The only reason Bethany is coming is because Ash has enough help here¡ª¡±


    ¡°As if,¡± the Monstersmith scoffed.


    ¡°¡ªAnd because I promised her,¡± I continued with a smile. ¡°Trust me, y¡¯all will get plenty of boss kills on this mountain. Can I get the khopesh back? That¡¯ll make getting around faster.¡±


    When Jamie sighed, Ash stood up from where she was kneeling with the Steel Merino. ¡°How long do you think this is going to take?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°About half an hour, maybe,¡± I replied with a shrug.


    She narrowed her eyes at me before getting back down. ¡°What are the rest of you waiting for? We only have half an hour! You don¡¯t have time to stand around; pick up a blade and start shearing!¡±


    Mercury was the first to jump to it after a quick goodbye to his sister. He didn¡¯t mind at all that I was taking her since he trusted me to keep her safe. He retrieved the Princess from her sheathe, then winced like someone had just yelled at him before shrugging apologetically and getting to work. The sword spirit obviously didn¡¯t enjoy being used like this at all.


    ¡°You can have Corwin do herding work for you,¡± I said, motioning for the deaf girl to get off of the dog¡¯s back. She did so, petting him with both hands before standing at my side.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to watch her and fight at the same time?¡± Kayla asked, crossing her arms. She was protective of the young girl.


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯ve got a summon I can call,¡± I said. ¡°But I¡¯d rather not do it around Corwin just yet. I¡¯ll tell you why later; can¡¯t give everything up just yet.¡±


    She nodded her acceptance before patting Jeff on the arm and walking off. ¡°Come, Corwin,¡± she commanded, and the dog fell in with her.


    ¡°Have fun,¡± the Queen¡¯s Knight said before following his wife.


    I gave Jamie a look, and she rolled her eyes. However, she did produce the bronze curved sword from her inventory and handed it to me blade-first. Amused, I Pulled it towards me, Spinning it so I could grab the handle. The Heelies of the Twice Blessed didn¡¯t work well in the grassy plains, so this was going to be our mode of transportation for the time being.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Kedjen¡¯s Khopesh


    (+8 Strength, +6 Constitution, Chariot Transformation skill acquired)


    [[Skill]]


    Chariot Transformation


    Throw the Kedjen¡¯s Khopesh to the ground to activate this skill. It will transform into a chariot large enough to carry you and two others, and provide spectral horses that can travel up to 1.5 times your fastest speed. The vehicle will have half as many hit points as you do. If it is destroyed, this skill can¡¯t be used for another 24 hours.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°For the record, I¡¯m not happy about being left behind to act as a farmhand while you¡¯re off fighting bosses,¡± she said sternly.


    ¡°Heard and understood,¡± I replied. ¡°And don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve still got plenty of mountain left. You¡¯re going to have so many bosses that your armor¡¯s going to max out.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡± she asked, arching an eyebrow suspiciously.


    ¡°Probably. If not, then close to it,¡± I said.


    ¡°Good enough, I suppose,¡± she sighed. Without another word, she stalked off while pulling her twin scimitars from her hip. They would be enough to cut through everything but the Steel Merinos at the very least.


    With everyone settled, I threw the khopesh at the ground. Gold light flashed before us, causing Bethany to cover her eyes. Once it was gone, it was replaced with the chariot the skill allowed it to transform into. I bowed, gesturing for the Tea Witch to get in. She went to the middle and put her hands on the edge, barely tall enough to see over the sides, and I took up the position behind her.


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    ¡°We¡¯re going to go fast, are you ready?¡± I signed.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± she replied with a determined nod.


    ¡°Awesome,¡± I told her before looking up at the sky. ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet. Could you tell me which way to go?¡±


    There were a few seconds of silence before I received my response.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Yes, of course. Sorry. I¡¯ve been really busy with all these Patrons.


    For the bosses, you¡¯re going to want to head towards that small copse behind Ashley. Keep going for about five or so minutes, I¡¯m not familiar with how fast the chariot will go, and you¡¯ll find the Rampard flock. Same as the boss at the end of the monster floor, but the field boss is protected by three of them. Once it¡¯s defeated, you¡¯ll summon the roaming boss.


    I¡¯m negotiating with Baltastasia to awaken it for you. She doesn¡¯t seem to want to kill you off this early, but she does want more Patron satisfaction. I¡¯m sure you can handle whatever she plans to throw at you here, so I¡¯m not worried. Especially because you¡¯re going to use Break Free. That will bring you a big crowd.


    Speaking of crowds, the Patrons. I¡¯ve reached out to several of them to brag about my boyfriend¡¯s first big feat on the Emperor¡¯s Ascent. Not in those words, of course. You already had a larger than average following as the last minute entry, and everyone who is already interested wants to see what you can do. Some are mad you haven¡¯t shown off already, because they have power and they¡¯re not used to waiting for what they want, but they¡¯re sticking around anyway.


    So that¡¯s been taking up a lot of my time. I¡¯m doing what I can to hype you up. I¡¯ve had contact with other Patrons before but never at this level, so I¡¯m trying not to get overwhelmed by it all. Skuld is being aloof, but Marishiten is helping some. She wants everyone to see how well her ninja does. It¡¯s a little adorable, to be honest.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Damn. No need to apologize, it sounds like you¡¯ve got a lot on your plate,¡± I said as I grabbed the reins. The spectral horses, invisible to the eye, started moving the moment they did, and I guided them around the group so we could head in the direction Sara had indicated. ¡°Keep up the great work. I¡¯m really happy with what you¡¯ve done so far, and I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not going to change.¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect a response, and I didn¡¯t get one. She was doing important work, after all, so I wasn¡¯t about to add to her plate. Not when I had a job to do.


    We rode through the plains at top speed, dodging trees and animals along the way. There were gentle slopes and hills, nothing the chariot couldn¡¯t handle but my Heelies would have acted up in. Sheep by the plenty passed by us. Some got out of our way, spooked by the speed at which we approached, while others that were stubborn or unaware continued to graze.


    The noises of exhilaration Bethany made were only coherent by the fact that I could understand any verbal speech as long as it came from an intelligent source. That didn¡¯t mean she was speaking words as she raised her hand in the air, shouting as we traveled at the speed of a roller coaster, but I got the general gist of it.


    ¡°More speed!¡± I yelled with her, even though she couldn¡¯t hear it, and I snapped the reins. The horses took off, going even faster, and she stumbled back into me in surprise.


    Bethany signed a quick apology, but the big smile didn¡¯t leave her face as she pulled herself back to the front of the chariot. We kept that pace until we came across the herd I was looking for.


    Luckily, we didn¡¯t come straight at them. If we drove through them then we would have had a lot of trouble to contend with. Our path took us a couple of hundred feet to the side, so I slowed down and pointed them out to Bethany.


    Charcoal Sheep and Combustion Rams huddled around the herd. As the weakest members of the group, they stayed on the outskirts, only grazing in safety because they didn¡¯t get too close to the larger monsters.


    The three Rampards were brown sheep roughly twice the size of water buffalo. Their wool was heavy but not nearly as hard as the Steel Merinos, though they could take a lot of punishment. Not only were they very sturdy, but they also took on traits from both Combustion Rams and Charcoal Sheep. This fight was going to get hot. Luckily, they didn¡¯t explode.


    In the center of the herd, eating the grass under the protection of the large Rampards, was the field boss of this stage. It was the smallest of the lot, only the size of a lamb. Its coat was thinner than the rest and was a dark green. On its left and right, its wool had a white medical cross to indicate its role. This one was a healer and a right pain in the ass.


    Once I beat that one, then the roaming boss would show up to try to kick me in my teeth. I wasn¡¯t sure what Baltastasia and Aries were going to throw at me as they only had a few more themed enemies in their stable, but that didn¡¯t stop me from looking forward to it.


    I could tussle with an awakened killer sheep. I¡¯d do it more than once, if I could.


    Instead of heading right into the fight, I needed to make sure that Bethany was going to be safe. I parked the chariot on top of one of the higher hills and stepped off of it, offering her my hand so she could disembark safely. Once she had her feet on solid ground, I explained what was going to happen.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to go in there and fight these ones normally, but the moment the roaming boss comes out I¡¯m going to transform,¡± I explained, speaking out loud as well as signing for the benefit of any watchers. ¡°I¡¯m going to summon a protector for you since we don¡¯t have Corwin here. He¡¯s going to be an Angel. I¡¯m not sure if he knows sign language, but he¡¯ll still do a great job protecting you.¡±


    ¡°Another Angel?¡± Bethany asked, her eyes lighting up.


    ¡°Yes, his name is Glaraphel,¡± I answered, spelling it out for her. ¡°He helped me out a lot before, but he might be a little bit scary when he first shows up.¡±


    The Tea Witch cocked her head to the side. ¡°Scary how?¡±


    I gave her a smile. ¡°Well, you know how Corwin is Demonic? I¡¯m about 90% certain that he¡¯s going to be able to sense him somehow. Just gotta tell him that he¡¯s a good boy and a friend. He won¡¯t like that, but he¡¯ll listen to me. Just going to be mad about it.¡±


    Bethany thought about this information for a few moments before nodding. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Stretching, I retrieved Glaraphel¡¯s halo from my inventory. The golden hoop gleamed in the sunlight, and a sense of peace that came with holy objects settled over the area. I gave Bethany one more nod, which she returned, before activating the summon.


    The halo disappeared completely as a beam of light appeared from the sky. It impacted the ground directly in front of me, though it did not burn or damage the grass. Some of the nearby sheep were scared off, but a quick look towards the boss group confirmed that they weren¡¯t bothered by the light show.


    Glaraphel fell through the light, coming heading towards the ground at breakneck speeds. He extended his wings to catch himself before he could crash, and landed in a kneeling position with his head down. He was a Power and inquisitor, and covered from head to toe in white and gold armor similar to what Sara often wore before I gave her the Memory Orb.


    ¡°I, Glaraphel, 16th in the Order of¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, Glaraphel,¡± I greeted, cutting him off. ¡°Hope you weren¡¯t, like, sitting on a cloud waiting for me to summon you again.¡±


    The Angel paused at being cut off, but simply sighed and stood. He was about to answer me when his head swiftly turned towards where we had come from. ¡°Demons,¡± he hissed. ¡°I can feel their tainted aura. You were right to summon me. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, hold up a minute,¡± I said, knocking on his armor with my fist. He turned back towards me, but I could see that he was tense. ¡°That¡¯s one Demon in particular. I want you to memorize that feeling, okay? Is it different from others you¡¯ve sensed?¡±


    ¡°It does not matter if it is, so long as the spawn of Hell is eradicated,¡± he answered simply.


    I gave Bethany a reassuring smile and asked for a moment before turning back to him. ¡°Does it feel different?¡± I asked a little more urgently.


    ¡°It¡­ does,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°Good. Memorize that feeling because you¡¯re not allowed to attack that one,¡± I said.


    Glaraphel took a step back as if I had sucker punched him. ¡°Whatever for? Why would the Herald of the Highest Sister need to protect a Demon? Especially after you have struck down one of their nobility?¡±


    ¡°First, I told you to call me Anthony,¡± I replied. ¡°Second, because that¡¯s not a full Demon. That¡¯s an Evolution Hound that, on my advice, started down the path of a Cerberus. He¡¯s only a Black Dog right now, but he¡¯ll be a Hell Hound soon enough.¡±


    ¡°What possible reason could you have to give out such advice?¡± the Angel asked, challenging me.


    ¡°Because we wanted something that would have a ton of stamina, endurance, and wouldn¡¯t die. His owner is very attached to him, and so am I. Corwin is a good boy, no matter his aura,¡± I stated firmly. I would never let anyone deny that; it was a fact. ¡°He¡¯s also the reason why I didn¡¯t want to summon you a lot, like I told Tarleann would probably happen.  Now, I can send you home if you want, but that comes with its own set of consequences. If you can complete this task without flying off to eradicate an innocent, however, then I may consider summoning you more.¡±


    Glaraphel went silent. I could tell he was at odds with himself. As an Angel, a Power especially, he was a soldier meant to eradicate all evil. Demons, almost exclusively, were evil. The overlap was so large that the Venn diagram was basically a circle. Corwin¡¯s spot on it would need a microscope to see.


    ¡°And when I summon you again in the future, I¡¯ll let you meet him. He¡¯s just a dog, man. He doesn¡¯t even take food off of the table. He¡¯s a good boy,¡± I reiterated. The tension didn¡¯t leave the Angel¡¯s body, but he did nod, accepting my words. For the first time, he looked down at Bethany. I grinned. ¡°This is Bethany. She¡¯s deaf. Just like with Della, I need you to protect her. So, let me catch you up to speed.¡±

 Chapter 248

    Aries Floor 5, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 10:43 AM


    Once Glaraphel managed to put aside his ancestral hatred for anything Demonic, even a good boy like Corwin, he had become rather excited. Back in Sedona he had told me that he wanted to learn more about combat from me. Since he was a sword and board fighter, I was going to stick to what he was good at. I transformed the chariot back into its original form for the fight.


    He would also be seeing my Angel form for the first time. I hadn¡¯t needed to use Break Free against Talafraxis since I had Coyote on my side, so this was going to be a treat for him. Now he was getting a demonstration when all he had to do was watch a kid and make sure she was safe in a land full of fluffy animals.


    Honestly, it was a really good deal for him. He had shifted his wings in a way that gave Bethany a platform to stand on. She had her arms around his neck, watching me walk towards the group of enemies. Probably the only ones on this floor, given what it was.


    I had asked Bethany and Mercury if killing enemies was going to upset her, but they both said the same thing. She knew they were monsters no matter how cute they might be. So long as I didn¡¯t get too extreme with my violence, she would be okay. I hadn¡¯t planned on it, especially with the style I choose to fight with this time.


    Switching the Vambrace of Wires from my right forearm to my left, I released enough of the Cable Conglomerate to weave itself into a round shield. It was held together by my will alone, and I was going to need to focus to keep it in that shape. While my khopesh was different from the shortsword Glaraphel usually used, that was fine. The skills would translate well enough.


    The weakest members on the outskirts of the herd noticed me first, bleating protest as I approached. These were the Charcoal Sheep, flammable and erratic. They backed away and mixed with the Steel Merinos, whose sparks could cause them to explode.


    I ran around the group, pushing the Charcoal Sheep back into the group. This gathered the attention of the Combustion Rams in the inner circle and the Rampards beyond them, but they simply watched for now, chewing their cud. The flock was not their concern even if the weaker members gathered around the strong in the hopes that they were.


    Once I was satisfied by the smaller ring of sheep, I retrieved a dagger from my inventory. I threw it, Pushing the weapon towards the closest Steel Merino while backpedaling. With so many Charcoal Sheep bunched together, this was going to be a big boom. It almost made me wish I had something like Bethany¡¯s Sensory Control skill.


    The dagger rammed into the steel wool where it was the thickest, not piercing through enough to actually damage the creature underneath. Instead, a huge amount of sparks flew from the point of impact and sprayed the ring of sheep. The other Steel Merinos didn¡¯t mind the sparks. At least, not at first.


    Several of them exploded immediately and no one was safe. The fire from the blast caught them on fire, which caused even more explosions. A loud and dangerous chain reaction was going off around the herd. Steel Merinos flew in all directions, immune to fire but certainly not the impact afterwards.


    I threw myself to the ground as one of them flew towards me, ducking under it, and grinned as my fireworks went off. It was almost a certainty that the rest of the guild would have heard it. They were going to explode anyway once the Combustion Rams got involved, so I had simply made them blow preemptively.


    Before the smoke could clear, I was back on my feet and charging in. The enemy would have a hard time seeing through the smoke cover, but I was perfectly fine thanks to Absolute Awareness.


    <<<>>>


    [[Passive]]


    Absolute Awareness


    Your vision is absolute.


    Increase the distance at which you can make out fine details by a magnification of 10. You can see through darkness as if it were daylight, and can see through magical obscurement and weather effects. Items of interest have a high chance of releasing a glow that only you can see.


    In addition, you can use your aura to see in a radius as far out as a foot per point of Wisdom. With this, you can see through walls, though some thick, rare, or magical materials may hinder your sight. Abilities, skills, spells, and passives that require line of sight will work through Absolute Awareness.


    <<<>>>


    The Support Lamb¡ªthe boss in the middle of the herd¡ªbleated as a green glow settled around her protectors. Most of the Combustion Rams had been taken out by high speed steel wool, but the Rampards had taken the brunt of it. Despite that, they were far from out of the fight. Especially with a healer.


    I jumped over the trench the exploding sheep caused, landing amidst a couple of injured Combustion Rams. Their horns glowed as they conjured the fire needed to attack me, but I quickly put them out of their misery before they had the chance. The ones here were still in the smoke, but I Constructed two more daggers and set them to work killing the ones that managed to survive.


    While I was doing that, the three Rampards were lining up to protect the Support Lamb. Their curved horns shot fire straight up into the air as they bleated menacingly, and the flames of their wool became condensed around their torsos like armor. The grass beneath them, however, seemed to be untouched by the flames.


    The one in the middle lowered its head and charged. I planted my feet and raised my shield. Flames washed over me, but not enough to light my gear on fire as I moved to meet them. Horns met metal as we clashed, and I started getting pushed back.


    At the very end of my shield, the Cable Conglomerate snaked out and wrapped around the Rampard¡¯s horns. It bleated in protest before stopping and shaking its head. I moved with it, but I didn¡¯t allow myself to be thrown around, and struck with my sword against the side of its face. The beast recoiled from the pain, and I let it go to prepare for the others.


    The one on the left approached with its head down, its horns blasting out more fire that I raised my makeshift shield to catch. On the right, the Rampard reared up as if it was going to try to land and crush me. What it was really attempting to do was grab me with its gross, misshapen hands.


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    The Rampards had a lot going for them. Not only were they immune to fire damage, but they could spew it from their horns and catch on fire to deter predators. They were large, defensive enemies with a ton of hit points. To top it all off, they also had hands with three fingers and a thumb that were made out of the same material as their back hooves, which still followed the norm for sheep.


    So when those grasping digits came for me, I went with the charging Rampard without hesitation. I jumped backwards, letting it give me some extra speed by catching it with my shield. Its companion crashed, grabbing the charging ram instead of me. I brought the khopesh up high and swung.


    While tough, the wool of the Rampard couldn¡¯t match that of the Steel Merino. Its defense was more than just sheer armor. Blood ran freely from the wound I had caused, but it quickly caught fire with a blast that was large enough to rock the creature and push me backwards. I had to activate Shield on this one.


    As I was pushed back a few feet, I checked the wound I had left on the first monster. It wasn¡¯t fully healed, but it was healing. The Support Lamb, which had taken up a position amongst some of the corpses, was doing its job well enough. A part of me wanted to kill it immediately, but I didn¡¯t want to be left with three raging Rampards when the next boss showed up.


    So, I did the next best thing. Satisfied that my Constructed daggers had slain everything else, I let them disappear and made a box. Then, I Dropped it on the Support Lamb. The healing stopped immediately as there was no line of sight or effect. Even though the boss bucked and tried to escape, it was easy to keep it down with my psychic powers; the little lamb¡¯s only real threat was its ability to enhance large groups around it.


    It was cheesy, but it worked.


    Diving to the side to avoid a charging Rampard, I rolled and lunged back. I brought my khopesh to bear against the one directly in front of me, stabbing it deep before taking a step back. The blood, once again, exploded, and I Pushed my sword into the creature. Not without help, however; I sleeved it in a protective Construct to prevent it from getting damaged. The weapon was forced forward, cutting through the tough hide. More blood meant more explosion, and it went flying.


    I extended my arm and let it slam into the palm of my hand, grabbing it out of the air. The Rampard had fallen over from the explosion. It scrambled as the other two came at me. Raising my foot, I used Force Field to block one¡¯s natural flamethrowers before stepping up onto its snout. The shape of its head made things a little awkward, but I still managed it.


    Keeping an eye on the other Rampart, I took a moment to time things just right. It reared, looking to grab me, which was when I sliced downwards. I dampened the explosion with Shield, allowing it to push me backwards, and the beast I was on stumbled into its ally. The one on its rear legs tripped, falling on top of it. Both scrambled, trying to get up.


    The moment my feet hit the ground, I surged forward with my khopesh straight towards the pinned Rampard¡¯s face. Desperate flames came for me, and I took it. With Fire Resistance and my heritage, it wasn¡¯t so bad. I kicked the sheep monster square in the jaw and pushed it back. My efforts only earned me a little bit of time, but it was enough.


    My khopesh slashed against the bottom of the downed Rampard¡¯s chin, and I used Orbit to move it faster. I cut through the soft skin before reaching the neck. This part of the beast wasn¡¯t on fire, so its blood didn¡¯t explode. Switching Orbit to Push, I followed my sword deep into the monster before savagely pulling it free.


    The Rampard above the one I had just grievously injured brought its hand down on me. I caught it with my shield, my legs buckling from the weight of such a big creature. Instead of fighting it for long, I let myself fall backwards. At the same time, I kept feeding the Cable Conglomerate out of the vambrace and keeping the monster in the air with Lift, so while I moved the beast did not.


    Rolling back to my feet, I threw the khopesh towards the Rampard that had finally managed to struggle to its feet. I Spun the weapon as I Pushed, catching it in the legs. It fell, and I made sure the blade shifted so it couldn¡¯t get trapped. It kept moving, maneuvering through places on the monster¡¯s body that weren¡¯t on fire so as to avoid the explosions.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Not to rush you, but the Patrons suspect you¡¯re better than this. Let¡¯s finish up quickly, Ant.


    <<<>>>


    Sweat was dripping from my forehead from the flaming creatures, and I nodded. The Support Lamb was captured and waiting for me, still fighting against the box, and the Rampards were a mess.


    I continued Spinning the khopesh, maneuvering it around to slice the throat of the beast it was terrorizing. It fought against the blade, but once it started bleeding too heavily it laid there, breathing hard. I backpedaled and Pulled the weapon back to me.


    The Rampard that hadn¡¯t been mortally wounded chased after me, and the fire from its underbelly made contact with the blood of the one it was climbing over. A much bigger explosion took place, causing the monster to lift into the air. I timed it carefully, sidestepping to the best position, and sliced upwards as it fell.


    My khopesh met resistance before coming out of the top of the Rampard¡¯s neck, severing the spine. I used Fae Step. There was no other choice. I came out on the other side of the Constructed box as the giant sheep monster¡¯s entire body exploded with a much greater force than before. It caused a chain reaction, and the other two followed suit.


    I activated Force Field and crouched, redirecting the explosion from hitting me. There was only a crater left where the trio of Rampards had been, and I nodded solemnly to myself before turning my attention to the box.


    Inside, the Support Lamb had stopped struggling to get free. It knew it was alone now, and I could feel its fear in its aura. Taking a breath, I raised the khopesh and made the box disappear.


    A moment later, I was pulling both parts of the boss monster into my inventory for Ash. It was a clean kill, but not one that brought up a victory screen. I wasn¡¯t sure if I¡¯d get it upon leaving the floor or defeating the next boss, but it didn¡¯t matter. Standing up, I looked around for the next challenger.


    <<<>>>


    [[Warning!]]


    The Field Boss, Support Lamb, has been killed. The Roaming Boss will now be summoned.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Good, let it come,¡± I muttered, wiping the blood off of the khopesh as I reformed my shield.


    Movement from a group of trees in the distance caught my eyes, and I froze, partially out of wariness and partially out of excitement.


    <<<>>>


    [[Warning!]]


    The Soul Shearer has marked you for death. You have been afflicted with the debuff Mark of the Reaper.


    [[Debuff]]


    Mark of the Reaper


    So long as the creature that marked you is still alive, your maximum hit points will always be equal to your current hit points. You can lose health, but not regain it.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Oh, that is dirty,¡± I said, unable to help my grin.

 Chapter 249

    Aries Floor 5, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 10:51 AM


    I watched as the Soul Shearer stepped out of a grove nearby. The creature was nearly seven feet tall and his dark robes open to show off a skeletal body. While he was humanoid, his head was like that of a ram, complete with two large, spiraling horns. Two small, black flames hovered in his eye sockets, and I could sense them fixated on me in the form of my imminent demise.


    ¡°Did Aries have anything to do with this?¡± I whispered to Sara, wondering how much the Patron had a say in this.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    No. Aries has apologized to me for your death, but says this was not something they were consulted about. This is all on Baltastasia as the administrator.


    On the plus side, you are getting the attention of more and more Patrons. Just¡­ be extra careful. You can¡¯t, as Mercury has put it, face tank this fight like you can others. You have to be careful.


    I¡¯m working on a quest in between fielding all the messages from Patrons. Sorry, it¡¯ll be a few minutes.


    [[Notice]]


    The Patron [Aries] assures you that it was never his intention to unleash a Soul Shearer on anyone.


    <<<>>>


    I nodded. ¡°Okay, thanks. In that case, I won¡¯t hold a grudge against your avatar once I¡¯m done.¡±


    This was an administrator thing, then. Baltastasia had gone above and beyond on this one; she had sent a piece of the Reaper after me, all because it happened to fit the theme.


    ¡°Anthony Franklin,¡± the Soul Shearer rasped, his skeletal hands clasped in front of him. ¡°Well met. Given the amount of death I feel coming off of your soul¡­ Well, some say that death is a constant companion, but should I say that you are a constant companion of mine?¡±


    Barking out a laugh, I shook my head. ¡°I would appreciate it if you don¡¯t give the Patrons watching the wrong idea, Reaper.¡±


    ¡°Those who cannot be touched by death are not my concern, but yours,¡± he replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. ¡°However, I suppose you have earned some begrudging respect; you are almost as bad as they are. What a strange tapestry your soul has become, child.¡±


    I was careful to keep my face neutral. Reapers were far more connected to the system than most other monsters. Maybe not as much as Sara and Aaron as world bosses, but certainly on the level of Ostwriter. He may not have been able to see my past runs, but he could see it in my soul. That was one of the things that made them annoying.


    The Grim Reaper was a concept that every culture had. A personified force of death that went around taking the lives of those whose time was up, whether it was fair or not. Some stories said that people could escape their death by avoiding the Reaper¡¯s visit, or fend them off with bribery or tricks, or even playing games for their soul.


    This one was appropriate for the fourth scenario, but only if you tilted your head and squinted really hard. Certainly not fit for a solo fight. The Soul Shearer was a combatant, a Reaper sent to whittle down opponents and forcibly take their lives. I had fought them before, but I hadn¡¯t considered that Baltastasia would throw one of them at me. Somewhere in my head had been the misguided thought that she would milk me for more ratings before going in for the kill.


    Well, I was certainly going to be getting attention now.


    I glanced towards Bethany and Glaraphel. Without his helmet, I could see the look of consternation on his face clearly. He would come to help me if I needed it even though I had told him to guard the Tea Witch and nothing else. She looked worried, but she only had an instinctual understanding of what was going on.


    That must have been how she got away with summoning a monster this strong to fight me. Technically, I wasn¡¯t alone; I had an Angel and another player by my side. It wouldn¡¯t be her fault if they didn¡¯t jump in. All the blame was squarely on my shoulders if I died here.


    Taking a breath, I returned my gaze to the Soul Shearer. Other than his robe shifting in the wind, he hadn¡¯t moved at all. ¡°Well, your respect is appreciated,¡± I finally said. ¡°Mind if I prepare?¡±


    The Reaper¡¯s hoarse laugh was nauseating to listen to, but he gestured towards me. ¡°By all means. Patience is a virtue, so I¡¯ll leave the first move to you,¡± he said amiably. I arched an eyebrow at his words and took a step back, and he raised his palm. ¡°But, if you try to leave through the door, then I¡¯ll have no choice but to go after everyone else. The girl first, of course, before going after the other players. I don¡¯t care about the Angel.¡±


    ¡°Guess I can¡¯t argue with that,¡± I grunted. And I really couldn¡¯t; it was already more than I expected.


    Then again, it had a reason to be sure of itself.


    I didn¡¯t waste any more time. After returning my fake shield to the Vambrace of Wires and sending my Khopesh into my inventory, I snapped open my menu.


    After the administrator in Williamsburg dropped the Writhing Nautilus and Guardian on me, I had made a decision. I promised Sara that I wouldn¡¯t hold back; the moment I came across something that could actually threaten me, I was going to bite the bullet and upgrade everything. With the fiends in charge of the world literally out to get me, I couldn¡¯t afford to be complacent anymore.


    It was finally time to do what I had been putting off for ages. I moved to my Status screen and made a very specific choice.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    Would you like to spend 15,000 points in order to increase the following stats?


    Strength 40 -> 50


    Dexterity 40 -> 50


    Constitution 40 -> 50


    Wisdom 40 -> 50


    Willpower 40 -> 50


    Yes


    No


    <<<>>>


    I hit Yes, feeling the power flowing through me as I reached the next level. It was something I had put off for the challenge of it all, but I wasn¡¯t about to play here. Not when the odds were already against me. While it wasn¡¯t much in the grand scheme of things, every little bit helped.


    It also wasn¡¯t my only play. I pulled up my Warmind page and selected everything. Not before hitting the new button that allowed me to condense the screen, however. That was handy now that I had so many class abilities.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    Would you like to spend 3,520 points in order to upgrade the following abilities?


    Push level 5 -> level 6


    Pull level 5 -> level 6


    Lift level 5 -> level 6


    Shield level 5 -> level 6


    Spin level 5 -> level 6


    Drop level 5 -> level 6


    Bend level 5 -> level 6


    Force Field level 5 -> level 6


    Orbit level 5 -> level 6


    Construct level 5 -> level 6


    Mental Link level 5 -> level 6


    Yes


    No


    <<<>>>


    I hit yes and a huge text box appeared in front of me. Some of the descriptors had gone away, and at this point I didn¡¯t need them to know that things farther away took more effort to manipulate than things close by. Not everything was condensed, but it was still nice.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    Your abilities have been upgraded.


    Abilities


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Push (Willpower) lvl 6: You may manipulate an inanimate object no more than Willpower*10 lbs. so that it is pushed away from you.


    Pull (Willpower) lvl 6: You may manipulate an inanimate object no more than Willpower*10 lbs. so that it is pulled towards you.


    Orbit (Willpower) lvl 6: You may manipulate an object no heavier than Willpower*10 lbs. to circle around any point inside your body. If this ability is used prior to Push, Pull, Lift, or Drop, increase the force behind the secondary ability by 5.2% per rotation to a maximum of 26%.


    Lift (Willpower) lvl 6: You may manipulate an inanimate object no more than Willpower*20 lbs. to lift it off of the ground.


    Drop (Willpower) lvl 6: You may manipulate an inanimate object no more than Willpower*20 lbs. to accelerate its fall.


    Shield (Wisdom) lvl 6: Cover yourself in a barrier with an amount of hit points equal to your Wisdom*5.5. Hit points recharge at a rate of Wisdom*1.5 hit points per second after 5 seconds of not taking damage. Broken shields cannot be reactivated for 30 seconds.


    Force Field (Wisdom, Willpower) lvl 6: Create an invisible barrier with an amount of hit points equal to your Wisdom*4. It can be placed no further away than a number of feet equal to your Willpower/2 and be no larger than Willpower*11 inch2 . Hit points recharge at a rate of Wisdom*1.4 hit points per second after 5 seconds of not taking damage. Broken force fields cannot be reactivated for 30 seconds.


    Spin (Augment) lvl 6: When manipulating an object, you may reduce the power of the ability used by 20% in order to turn the affected object in any direction as long as the point of origin is inside of the object itself.


    Bend (Augment) lvl 6: When using Push or Pull, you may reduce the power of the ability by 50% in order to apply the ability twice at up to 50% power at another point on the object, causing it to bend or possibly break. You may reduce the power of the first by up to 10% to increase the power of the second by the same amount.


    Construct (Wisdom, Willpower) lvl 6: Create an item through sheer willpower. You can conjure up 3 items at the same time, which combined cannot be greater than 75% of your mass. Construction costs a small amount of Mental Points to create and maintain.


    If the item is a weapon, then it will deal psychic damage equal to 100% of your Willpower in addition to the normal physical damage.


    Mental Link (Willpower) lvl 6: Form a telepathic bond with up to two allies that can be sustained up to a distance of feet equal to Willpower*2.4. You always know where they are, what condition they are in, and their mental state. Concise thought cannot be sent through the Mental Link. You may connect with more than two allies, but every instance Splits your focus.


    The following ability has automatically been upgraded.


    Split (Focus) lvl 4: You may affect 4 different objects instead of only 1.


    By raising your Warmind abilities, you have learned the following abilities.


    Push Level 6 + Pull Level 6 + Lift Level 6 + Shield Level 6 = Flight


    <<<>>>


    Getting Flight was nice, but since my plan was to Break Free into a form that gave me wings, I didn''t bother with it just yet. Death was patient, but I didn''t want to push it too much.


    Taking a moment from looking through my menu, I glanced at the Soul Shearer. He was still, his hands clasped behind his back, just as patient as he was before. From my inventory, I pulled out the Staff of Raphael and my Golden Bowling Ball.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Boss Anthony Franklin¡¯s Golden Bowling Ball


    When used as a shield, this bowling ball allows the bearer to block blows as if their Strength were three times higher than it actually is. (Seven-Tenners Blessing)


    When used as a thrown weapon, you can choose to envelop this bowling ball in fire. This adds fire damage equal to your Dexterity stat on top of the bludgeoning damage it would already deal. You may use this skill up to 12 times per day. (Iron Anchor Blessing)


    Once per day, the spirit of Boss Steener will inhabit the bowling ball in order to block a fatal blow against the wielder. Every time this ability is used, there is a small, stacking chance that Boss Anthony Franklin¡¯s Golden Bowling Ball may shatter completely. This ability may be activated when the item is in your inventory, but this will cause the bowling ball to shatter immediately after use.


    More abilities may unlock as certain conditions are met.


    Win 2 more crew battles against gold-ranked crews to upgrade this item.


    Authorized wielder: Anthony ¡°Perfect Game¡± Franklin (Adopted Filbin Elite)


    <<<>>>


    This was as close to Glaraphel¡¯s sword and board fighting style as I was going to get. The bowling ball was the right way to go, though. Damage mitigation was going to be key for this fight. Like Sara said, I wasn¡¯t going to be able to tank hits with my face since healing wasn¡¯t going to work. The Staff of Raphael¡¯s +17 to Constitution didn¡¯t even bump me up. That didn¡¯t feel good.


    ¡°By the power of Enigma Hemingway!¡± I yelled, activating an item that had laid dormant in my inventory for weeks now.


    Thousands of pages from the world¡¯s worst manuscript appeared out of thin air and adhered to my body, creating a suit of armor around my body. Each one hardened like armor to make the protection I encased myself in worth it, and I spun my staff in my hand. I lost no Dexterity with it, even though it was thick in most areas.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Ostwriter¡¯s Plot Armor


    (Unique Item; +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Constitution, +1 Wisdom, +1 Willpower, The Plot Thickens skill acquired)


    [[Skill]]


    The Plot Thickens


    Use the phrase ¡°By the power of Enigma Hemingway,¡± to cause the manuscript to become a set of armor specifically sized for the wearer. Use the phrase ¡°Good night, Jezebel,¡± to cause the armor to return to a manuscript. This ability can be used even if the item is in your inventory.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly using your time properly,¡± the Soul Shearer remarked. He didn¡¯t sound impatient, only like he was stating facts. ¡°I¡¯m interested in what tricks you¡¯re going to pull out to defeat me.¡±


    ¡°Some,¡± I said, resting on the Staff of Raphael. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I fought a boss that was a bit tougher than you recently. Almost instantaneous healing, learned the moves used against it almost instantly, and I couldn¡¯t damage it enough to kill it myself.¡±


    The Reaper tilted his head. ¡°And yet, here you are.¡±


    ¡°And here I am,¡± I agreed, nodding. ¡°Because I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve. Is this going to be a cake walk? Nah, I know better than that. You have all the knowledge you need at your disposal. But am I going to die by your blade? The answer may surprise you.¡±


    ¡°Will it now?¡± he asked, amused. The black flames in his eye sockets became a little larger. ¡°Are you suggesting you might actually win?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t have much of a choice, do I?¡± I returned. ¡°I¡¯m all that stands in the way of you and my friends. Outside of this extradimensional space, there¡¯s an entire world waiting to be saved. What kind of hero would I be if I was waylaid by something like the personification of death?¡±


    The Soul Shearer had the audacity to chortle at me. ¡°You? A hero?¡± he asked. ¡°With all the death and destruction you have left in your wake? You may have the soul of an Angel, child, but that is the only thing keeping you from being a twisted, rancid effigy of a man.¡±


    ¡°Rude.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s as clear as day to me that you¡¯re holding onto the last bit of kindling you can in the hopes that, when you finally burn out, your life will have been worth something, anything.¡±


    ¡°Are you having fun playing psychiatrist, Soul Shearer?¡± I asked.


    ¡°What else am I supposed to do when you¡¯re making me wait like this?¡± he replied, gesturing towards me. ¡°If you wish for me to stop, then make a move. If you think of yourself as some Heavenly Hero, then all you have to do is prove it and thwart death itself. A simple matter, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest: Survive!]]


    I¡¯m sorry for the delay. You have over 80% of the Patrons watching the Emperor¡¯s Ascent keeping an eye on this fight, and 9 of the Zodiacs including Aries. More may show up, but it doesn¡¯t matter; you¡¯re going to be something of a legend after this. Openly, at least.


    That being said, you don¡¯t need me to tell you how incredibly dangerous this is, but I¡¯m going to remind you anyway. You can¡¯t simply outlast the Soul Shearer like you did the Writhing Nautilus and Guardian. Heavenly Hero might make you invulnerable for a few seconds at one hit point, but if you get to that point then you¡¯ve probably already lost. He clearly knows about that contingency.


    There are no tricks to this quest, no extras. Your only goal is to survive. If that means making a mad dash for the door, then so be it. Marishiten and Skuld already know what¡¯s going on. Bethany is in a bad place, but Glaraphel should follow orders. He¡¯ll probably leave before you do.


    Anthony, don¡¯t die.


    Objective: Survive.


    Reward: 40,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Damn,¡± I said, snapping away the quest. ¡°My Patron just gave me a 40,000 point reward if I simply survive the fight. It¡¯s a tiny bit bigger than what I¡¯m used to, so I¡¯m a little excited at the prospect.¡±


    ¡°It matters not to me,¡± the Soul Shearer replied.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t suppose it would, but I¡¯m sure the rest of the Patrons are in a tizzy over it,¡± I replied. Around the bottom of the Staff of Raphael, I Constructed the head of a thick maul. I Lifted my Golden Bowling Ball out of my hand and took the weapon in a tight grip. ¡°So, it¡¯s a little early, but let¡¯s show off a little.¡±


    The Soul Shearer made a gesture telling me to get on with it, and I breathed out the words of power.


    ¡°B?r?e?a?k? ?Fr?e?e? F?r?o?m? ?T?h?e? ?S?h?a?c?k?l?e?s? ?O?f? ?M?a?n?.¡±


    Energy flowed through my body as my orange hair burst into flames. My skin took on a bronze quality to it similar to my beloved Patron¡¯s, and my armor shifted to accommodate the new form. Not only did it let Esaraphelscion¡¯s Ring escape to become my halo, but six slits appeared in the back.


    My wings burst forth, cutting through the Seven-Tenner Bowling Shirt and my Trench Coat of the Mad Captain. I flexed them, feeling their physical forms. Before now they had been incorporeal but functional whenever I used Break Free. They had manifested in Hell, but that was for other reasons. It appeared as though I had reached another ancestral milestone when I upgraded my stats.


    Twenty Starstones floated in a circle behind my back, no longer emulating wings now that I had them for real. I rolled my shoulders and shifted my feet, getting used to the form. Having more appendages meant my fighting style needed to change at least a little bit, but that was something I was mentally prepared for. It had only been a matter of time before I got my feathers.


    ¡°An Angel of Death, in the flesh,¡± the Soul Shearer muttered. ¡°Fitting. I¡¯m looking forward to¡ª¡±


    That was all he got to say. There was no warning as I shot forward from a dead stop on my Heelies, the ground flat enough to do so. I took to the air the moment I hit top speed, the world blurring around me except for my target. I used Orbit on the staff¡¯s hammer head, spinning wildly to get as much force behind my blow as I could.


    Just as I was about to swing, I set my foot on the ground. It sank deep as I put all my weight onto it, and the rest of my body went into making this initial attack as strong as I could make it. The Soul Shearer¡¯s dark fire eyes widened in the split second he had to react, and by then my hammer was slamming into the side of his head from above.


    If my enemy were level appropriate, that blow would have absolutely destroyed it. The horns and skull would have shattered, breaking into a thousand pieces and scattered over the landscape. My momentum would have continued for a few more rotations until I got a handle on my body. Such was the force of the blow I wanted to strike.


    But my enemy was not something else. It was a Reaper.


    My body lurched to a halt as the newly improvised Hammer of Raphael was stopped. The Soul Shearer had been bent over at the waist from the force of the attack, his arms out and his feet planted in his successful attempt not to get slammed into the ground face-first. His skull and the horn on this side of it was cracked, but not shattered.


    ¡°Not bad!¡± he praised enthusiastically, his flaming eyes focused on me. He reached up, and I jerked backwards just a moment too late. Bony fingers grabbed the faceplate of Ostwriter¡¯s Plot Armor and pulled me close. His eyes bored into mine, and a deathly feeling of dread welled up from the pit of my stomach. ¡°That was your one. Now, it¡¯s my turn.¡±

 Chapter 250

    Aries Floor 5, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 10:59 AM


    I released the hammer head Construct on the Staff of Raphael and tried to thrust it between the Soul Shearer¡¯s knees to knock him off balance. He took a step and raised back up to his full height, removing himself from his precarious position before I could send him sprawling to the ground.


    He lifted me up by my armor¡¯s face plate with one hand, completely disregarding my high Constitution score and the rules of forced movement, and swung me. The Reaper didn¡¯t let go, only taking a single step back as he aimed for the nearest tree. Flaring out my wings, I attempted to slow myself down but it wasn¡¯t enough. I maneuvered my still floating Golden Bowling Ball so that it was in between me and the tree. I reached out, grabbing it.


    The extra help it gave me when blocking helped immensely, even if I was technically hitting the tree and not the other way around. My arm still nearly buckled, pain lancing through it, but I managed to keep it straight. The tree trunk caved in around my Golden Bowling Ball, and I got to work.


    Against a flesh and blood enemy, there were ways to open a hand that had a good grasp on you. The Soul Shearer was not that, but instead skeletal. There were no muscles or tendons to exploit for an escape. That left physics.


    I pushed off of the tree and spun so I was upside down, my wings keeping me stable. The Soul Shearer¡¯s arm twisted with it, and I used Drop on both of my Heelies to get my feet back on the ground. The act put pressure on him. He refused to let go, causing him to twist his body unnaturally to keep his grip. With the staff in one hand and bowling ball in the other, I used Orbit to aid my swing as I attacked from both sides.


    The Soul Shearer blocked my staff with an elbow and my Golden Bowling Ball with his knee, his body further contorting in a way that a living creature could not. Even with only one foot on the ground, he felt solid. I sent Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick, or what was left of it, out of my inventory. It fell, but I used Orbit to bring it around my body and strike at the Reaper¡¯s leg.


    He took the blow, wobbling only slightly, and made to set his foot back on the ground. I didn¡¯t want to accept getting put back into a defensive position here, and moved my Golden Bowling Ball in front of me. Pressing it against his rib cage, I activated Crash Test.


    The Soul Shearer was caught off guard by the sudden movement. His bony foot kicked up grass and dirt as he was forced backwards. Behind him, I Constructed a simple slab emerging diagonally from the ground just past where the skill ended.


    He slammed into it at what I looked like one of his weakest points, the base of his spine. I stopped just short to prevent the recoil damage but the Reaper¡¯s momentum kept him going backwards, his body snapping cartoonishly against the slab. The grip on my faceplate just would not be relinquished, however, and I lurched forward as well. His foot lashed out from the awkward position, and I activated Shield to block it.


    The invisible force caught the attack, but nearly broke in the process. I pulled the staff back and jammed it between the Reaper¡¯s ribs as he jerked me into the air again with the intention of putting me on the ground behind him. The weapon held, and a creaking noise could be heard from the bones before I had to let go.


    ¡°Good night, Jezebel!¡± I yelled, flapping my six wings in unison.


    The manuscript returned to its original form, freeing me from the Soul Shearer¡¯s grasp as my armor transformed into paper and returned to my inventory. At the same time, I made my Constructed slab disappear, letting him fall to the ground. His feet hit first, and he stayed horizontal as if he were about to limbo under something. The amount of effort I was putting into getting this creature on the ground was not worth the results I was seeing.


    Lunging upwards, the Reaper attempted to grab my coat before I got too far away. His hand hit a Force Field angled away from me, sending him off course. He immediately shifted, turning his body and jumping to spin kick my chest.


    Spinning midair, I moved to block with my wings. Shield was still up, even if barely, and it took some of the attack before shattering completely. Once it was gone I received the rest of the damage. My white feathered wings slammed into my ribs. I coughed as the wind was knocked out of me, but I continued ascending when the Soul Shearer¡¯s feet met the earth.


    ¡°By the power of Enigma Hemingway,¡± I said, conjuring my armor right away.


    I landed on the ground some twenty feet away. Not far in the grand scheme of things, but it was enough distance to react to whatever he was going to pull off next. I watched as the Soul Shearer dusted off his black robes and kicked the dirt off of his feet. He pulled the Staff of Raphael out of his rib cage and tossed it towards the ground.


    Both it and Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick came to me as I Pulled them. I retrieved the Kedjen¡¯s Khopesh from my inventory while Constructing a drill head and short hammer in the air along with a longsword in my hand. All five of the loose items were set to Orbit me as I watched the Soul Shearer check his condition.


    ¡°Adequate,¡± he said, making it sound like praise. ¡°And here I was worried that your bark is worse than your bite.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, feeling really adequate being tossed around over here,¡± I replied sarcastically.


    The five items I had Orbiting me were Pushed out first. Then, I charged. It would have been nice to sit there and waste time, allowing Force Field to regain hit points and Shield to come off of cooldown after being broken, but I was in my Angelic form. I knew it was eating through my MP at an unreasonable rate and would be coming after my hard earned points right after.


    I closed my eyes. This was always easier to do through Absolute Awareness and the three dimensional vision it allowed me. Especially with as hard as I was going to need to focus. It was rare that I was met with an enemy that actually challenged my skill on this level. There were few things other than a personification of death that had the experience to push me this far.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The Constructed drill was the only thing that went straight for the Soul Shearer, aiming for its skull while Spinning as fast as I could allow it to. The other weapons were aimed at various other spots in an attempt to catch him dodging. Each one came from a different angle whether it was Push or Pull, Lift or Drop, or Orbit.


    Retrieving the Vague Stick from my inventory, I thrust it towards the enemy to prevent a forward escape, I cut off almost all avenues of escape. The Soul Shearer¡¯s flaming eyes moved quickly within their sockets, taking note of everything, and took a tiny step backwards and shifted to the side. It was such a small movement and yet everything missed him. The drill whirled past his head, the khopesh cut through his black cloak, and the only thing that came within inches of his bones was the hammer.


    I pulled back from my thrust, not wanting to overextend myself chasing him. Five Starstones whistled past me towards the exact space he stepped. He twisted, and four of the projectiles passed cleanly through his rib cage, punching through the cloak on their way by, while the last one hit his spine. It disappeared as dust, dealing damage but leaving no lasting mark.


    The Soul Shearer ducked low as the drill turned and came back for him. At the same time, my Smash Stick made for his head. I closed off his left and right with the remaining items, boxing him in, and fired another set of Starstones in a shotgun spread. The Reaper jumped and spun upside down, placing his hand on my Constructed hammer as it passed by, using it to escape the lane I tried to trap him in.


    Before he could get too far, I stopped focusing on it. The hammer disappeared in his grasp, and he fell to the ground. Another Starstone hit him, this time straight in the skull, before his hand reached the earth and he twisted unnaturally. Without flesh and muscle to get in his way, his flexibility was unmatched.


    Back on his feet, the Soul Shearer lunged as I Pulled my weapons back to me so I could replace the Vague Stick with the Staff of Raphael. I brought my Golden Bowling Ball low before throwing it forward. Flames burst from it as it headed straight for the Reaper and I paid careful attention. He dodged left, leaving barely enough room between himself and the bowling ball, and I had him.


    I could normally only Split my focus five ways but, with the application of Break Free, that was increased to six. I used Orbit on the bowling ball, changing its trajectory at the last second. The Soul Shearer¡¯s eyes went wide as it impacted the side of his face. He was sent off course and right into my trap.


    The rest of my Starstones peppered him as he placed his hand on the ground to keep him from falling. They each disappeared into motes of stardust as they connected, and the Smash Stick slammed into his spine along with a newly Constructed hammer.


    I wasn¡¯t idle as my weapons converged on the enemy. The place I had chosen to stand was flat, and I surged forward on my Heelies again. Dismissing the drill, I put the hammer back in place on the Staff of Raphael and brought it to bear as I repeated my opening move.


    The Soul Shearer raised his hand and caught the weapon before it could hit his head. The bones in his arm creaked in protest at having to stop such a savage strike, and a hairline fracture appeared on his humerus.


    Not done, I let go of the Staff of Raphael and my various Constructs before encasing my shoes in heavy bricks. I used Orbit on them to swing myself backwards, stabilizing the awkward spin with my wings before using Drop on both feet. My weapons prevented the Soul Shearer from moving away from or under me.


    To my great satisfaction, the Reaper flipped himself onto his back and reached up with both hands to stop my blow. He gripped the Constructed bricks with such force that he broke through them. They dematerialized, and he grabbed onto my feet. His bony fingers pierced through my armor and the leather of the Heelies to dig straight into my flesh. I grunted in pain before he managed to flip onto his stomach to slam me into the ground face first.


    I managed to protect my head with my arms before it could hit a thick, exposed root. There was still damage as I once again had the wind knocked out of me. Behind me, hands still firmly inside my feet, the Soul Shearer attempted to rise to his knees. My weapons struck him in the back, keeping him down with consecutive strikes.


    Pointing my right hand towards him, I ejected the Cable Conglomerate and snaked it between the Reaper¡¯s arms. Before I could tie his wrists together, his fingers ripped out of my feet and he rolled onto his back and kicked away my weapons in a flurry of blows. Next, he kipped up into a standing position and turned to lunge at me.


    Not willing to get into a knock down, drag out slug fest with a literal Reaper, I lifted myself off of my stomach with my wings and used them as legs to escape. It wasn¡¯t fast, comfortable, or efficient, but it worked. I Constructed new weapons between myself and the Soul Shearer, attempting to get some distance.


    I wasn¡¯t being subtle about it, either. The enemy had to dodge and weave to avoid getting damaged or entangled by my Cable Conglomerate, which was still trailing behind me. His speed made it difficult to keep him back, but he was becoming wary of me and my tricks.


    He lunged, trying to push the Golden Bowling Ball out of the way as it attempted to hit his arm. It barreled through the Soul Shearer, completely ignoring the attempts to guide it by someone who was not its authorized wielder, and he was pushed back down to the ground. A growl of indignation escaped from him before he returned to his feet.


    By then, I had lifted myself off of the ground with my wings. I gingerly touched down on the grass, but the pain that went through my feet in protest the moment I did told me that I was going to cause myself more damage that way. Damage that wasn¡¯t going to heal until this fight was over. I Pulled the Staff of Raphael and Golden Bowling Ball back into my hands


    ¡°Looks like I got you on the ground, Soul Shearer,¡± I said. ¡°Twice now.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It seems as though you have earned the right to be confident,¡± he replied as he took a few steps back. My Smash Stick narrowly missed his snout, and the Kedjen¡¯s Khopesh missed as he lifted his foot. ¡°Perhaps I need to fight with the long-term in mind. Death is patient, after all.¡±


    An aura of black fire escaped the Soul Shearer in all directions, overtaking the battlefield. The grass, trees, and other plants started wilting immediately, turning our immediate surroundings into something straight out of a horror movie. The area became as cold as a corpse, almost as if the aura was sucking away all of the heat.


    My soulfire hair burned ever brighter underneath my helm in protest, and I could see my breath in the air. The Angelic energy prevented me from wilting like the plants, but I was still affected. Each of my weapons started moving slower as his aura messed with my telekinesis. I could control them, but it was taking extra effort.


    Unfortunately, it got even worse. Holding out his hands, the same black flames erupted sideways. They dispersed quickly, showing off a wicked polearm that was the Soul Shearer¡¯s namesake.


    At the end of two close, parallel shafts were two blades connected like a pair of scissors, one larger than the other. They were black enough to seem to drink away any light that touched it, but anyone paying attention could see shadows moving across the surface. Those were the souls of the damned taken by the Reaper. Sara had assured me that it was simply a visual effect and not actual people, but it still sent a shiver down my spine.


    ¡°I believe that, in the current vernacular, this would be called phase two. Is that correct?¡± he asked, swatting away my weapons easily before getting into a fighting stance.


    ¡°Boneshatter,¡± I answered, activating a spell as the feeling that I was fucked became even more pronounced.

 Chapter 251

    Aries Floor 5, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 11:06 AM


    ¡°Boneshatter,¡± I cast before flying forward.


    The spell was meant to completely break a single bone that I could see. It had a relatively low Mental Point cost to activate since most of the targets for it were inside a living body and thus out of sight. Being a skeletal creature, It stood to reason that the Soul Shearer should have been susceptible to such a spell.


    When I tried to shatter the metacarpal bone in the thumb of his dominant hand as a test, however, it only managed to shake it and deal a small amount of damage. A thin crack appeared. It seemed as though I needed to damage it more first. Against skeletons and undead, it was a fine tool. Against a Reaper, it seemed my level only made it good for a distraction.


    His eyes flickered to the thumb in confusion, but he still managed to parry the thrust I leveled at his head. Instead of Constructing more hammers, I changed up my tactic and created boards instead. They were roughly the size of my upper torso and took up position behind him and to the sides. My aim was to deny him room to swing his shears, making it so his attacks would come at more predictable angles while I could hide my telekinetic attacks.


    Staying at the maximum range my weapon allowed, I threw the Golden Bowling Ball and set it ablaze once more. He decided to trade blows with me, stepping forward in the same instance. His Strength easily allowed his shears to push the Staff of Raphael, snaking around it to clip my arm through my armor. I managed to keep it from doing much more than slicing through the skin, but that was, unfortunately, enough to trigger one of his most threatening skills.


    <<<>>>


    [[Warning!]]


    Your soul is being sheared.


    Your maximum hit points and Mental Points have been lowered. They will return to normal over time.


    <<<>>>


    The pain spreading through my body felt far more visceral than a cut like that should have, and I grit my teeth. At the moment it didn¡¯t do anything as I was still afflicted with the Mark of the Reaper, but it was going to be a pain in the ass after I won.


    Soul damage was an absolute terror. It could only be healed with time, and it made you feel weak until it was gone. A cut on this level wasn¡¯t going to bring me down more than a few points, but this phase of the fight had only just started.


    My Golden Bowling Ball impacted with the Soul Shearer¡¯s rib cage. Two of them fractured and scorched, and I doubled down by delivering a Push-powered strike with the Staff of Raphael when he tried to move back to a neutral position. The sound of the collision loudly cracked through the fields.


    The Soul Shearer attempted to move out of the way, but his options were limited by my Constructs and weapons. Even slowed, they were great for area denial. My Golden Bowling Ball flew in again from below, slamming into his ribs and cracking more of them.


    ¡°Boneshatter,¡± I tried again. Casting without calling out the spell was always possible, but I wanted him to be wary whenever I opened my mouth to say something. Really get inside his head.


    This time, the most damaged one exploded into fine dust. The Soul Shearer recoiled, but planted his feet and lunged. My Constructed boards did hinder his movements, but he worked around them with expertise. The shears, which he wielded like a glaive, spun quickly around him in tight arcs.


    The damn boss started bouncing it off of my boards to get his weapon into the positions he wanted, showing a level of skill and creativity that I wasn¡¯t used to fighting. I was forced onto the defensive as I took a couple more shallow cuts before settling into the new tempo.


    While I trusted the Staff of Raphael to hold up as an Archangel¡¯s item, I didn¡¯t block any blows head on. The moment our weapons stopped, I knew we would end up trading blows again and that could only end poorly for me. So I instead parried the shears, angling them away from me.


    The countdown in my head told me that my Force Field was back up and Shield should be as well. My skull was pounding, but I couldn¡¯t tell if that was because of the state of my soul or my Mental Points having run out. Probably both, but it was pushed aside so I could focus on the fight.


    One of his cuts quickly transitioned into a thrust, and I spun away in an attempt to get behind one of the boards. His thrust changed into a cut, and I flew backwards a step as my Construct was sliced in half. The act made him overextend, and I brought the other two boards around to sandwich his blade as I swung. He could strike me with the butt of the shafts, but that was it.


    Two strikes connected with his skull in quick succession before his weapon changed to black flame. It rematerialized with the blades on my side. That was something I hadn¡¯t seen a Soul Shearer do before, but in hindsight it made sense.


    My wings flapped in unison. I went soaring straight up, trying to avoid the thrust, but he caught my leg. A long strip of armor, rosewood gold, and flesh fell to the ground, causing me to grit my teeth in pain from the attack. The damn shears were too sharp. Ostwriter¡¯s Plot Armor was hard like steel despite being paper, and it was still being cut like it didn¡¯t matter.


    <<<>>>


    [[Warning!]]


    Your soul is being sheared.


    Your maximum hit points and Mental Points have been lowered. They will return to normal over time.


    <<<>>>


    There was no time to stop as blood ran freely from my leg. I couldn¡¯t heal it, so I wrapped it with a sock-like Construct. It wasn¡¯t as good as actual skin, but it would stem the bleeding.


    Vermon¡¯s Smash Stick smacked into the Soul Shearer¡¯s leg while the khopesh hit his arm, but he barely registered either attack. His black flame aura slowed them down enough that they hardly qualified as annoyances now. Getting some more air so I was right over him, I Pulled them back to me along with the Vague Stick and returned them to my inventory.


    Then I dove, Pulling the Golden Bowling Ball that rested at his feet. He stepped backwards, raising his chin out of the way, and I snatched it out of the air. With my hand halfway down the Staff of Raphael¡¯s shaft, I began thrusting.


    The Soul Shearer weaved back and forth, moving only steps at a time to avoid my strikes. My attacks would miss by an inch, and I¡¯d use Orbit to shift it and tap him on the side of the head. These weren¡¯t powerful enough to do any damage, there wasn¡¯t enough time to build up force, but they made me feel better.


    Suddenly, the Reaper raised his shears straight up. I managed to interpose my Golden Bowling Ball, but I was forced higher into the air by the blow. He took a step like he was climbing stairs, and his foot didn¡¯t fall back down to the ground. Being something as absurd as one of the personifications of death gave the creature many perks, and the ability to disregard gravity was one I had been waiting for him to decide to use.


    I Constructed a pair of boards in front of him again and used the cover to eject the Cable Conglomerate. A quick slash cut through them as though they were nothing more than flimsy pieces of cardboard, as I intended. His eyes widened in surprise when the wire rope caught his weapon, but he recovered quickly and tried to overextend the swing to get it away from me.


    His reaction came too late, however. It weaved its way between the shear¡¯s twin shafts and started tying them together. While the Reaper hadn¡¯t used his most powerful skill, I knew it was only a matter of time. This was my attempt to cut off his trump card before he became annoyed or desperate enough to use it. If he couldn¡¯t open the shears, then it couldn¡¯t be activated.


    Tying the Cable Conglomerate off, I snipped it before the Soul Shearer could use it to pull me down. He attempted to open his weapon, but could not. While he was distracted, I threw my Golden Bowling Ball again with Drop to speed it up.


    ¡°Boneshake,¡± I said as he started dodging without looking.


    While not as destructive as Boneshatter, this spell caused the entire skeletal being of the Soul Shearer to vibrate uncontrollably. It lasted for a split second, but it was still enough time for me to course correct.


    My flaming bowling ball struck the side of the Reaper¡¯s head, denting its skull and scorching the parts of it that it hit before glancing off. I gave it a critical eye for a moment, wondering if I should spend what was certainly my hard earned points on a Boneshatter, but decided against it. The rest of the skull was still mostly intact, with the only other cracks being from my first attack.


    For the first time in the fight, I got a malicious feeling from the way the Soul Shearer was looking at me. Like things had gone too far now, and that needed to be corrected. Without having to step in the air, he lunged upwards towards me.


    His speed increased, and I barely managed to push his shears away. He spun instead, catching me in the side with his foot. Bony toes pierced my armor, but I managed to put up Shield just in time. I focused completely on the Reaper as his attacks came more recklessly.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    In no time, Shield was destroyed and back on cooldown. The sound of metal on wood sang through the scattered groves as I was pushed higher and higher into the sky, doing all I could to block with my staff. I Pulled my Golden Bowling Ball back up to me with the intent to catch him in the back again, but he avoided it easily.


    I didn¡¯t allow any large cuts like the one he managed to get on my leg, but the small ones were adding up. My attacks were connecting more solidly, but he allowed big blows in exchange for the tiniest of cuts.


    <<<>>>


    [[Warning!]]


    Your soul is being sheared.


    Your soul is being sheared.


    Your soul is being sheared.


    <<<>>>


    Cracks were beginning to form all over the Soul Shearer¡¯s body, but despite his recklessness he wasn¡¯t getting struck in the same place over and over again. I would have loved to do so, and even aimed for it. My Staff of Raphael lashed out at his arms, legs, and especially his hands, in the hopes that they could be Boneshattered into dust.


    I aimed for the ribs, looking to break another one off from where I damaged him before, when I was caught off guard. The Soul Shearer shifted, his stance changing by inches, and the staff went through the hole with the missing rib. It knocked free another in the back, and it was suddenly through him.


    His hand was already in motion like he had planned the whole thing, and I knew he had. The Soul Shearer reached behind him and grabbed the end of the Staff of Raphael. When I attempted to pull it free, he prevented it.


    The shears came at me from the side, and I let go of my weapon to fly higher into the air. I maneuvered my Golden Bowling Ball in the way of the blow. The black flames reappeared, passing through my spherical shield. I was prepared for it this time, but the way the Soul Shearer jerked forward unnaturally meant that he still caught me.


    I was cut through the chest from one side to another. If I hadn¡¯t anticipated something like that, then it certainly would have cut me in two. The wound was deep, but it wasn¡¯t enough to kill me.


    It was, I intuited, enough to get me close to death, which was exactly where I wanted to be.


    ¡°One minute,¡± I coughed.


    The Soul Shearer tilted his head. He looked especially menacing with my blood splattered all over his white bones. ¡°You expect me to give you a time out?¡±


    I didn¡¯t dignify that with an answer as I activated two of my skills in tandem, Cheetah Sprint and Overclocked Body.


    <<<>>>


    [[Skill]]


    Cheetah Sprint


    For up to 60 seconds, double the speed of any forms of movement that you have. This skill has a cooldown of 12 hours.


    [[Skill]]


    Overclocked Body


    Remove the limitations of your body. When you activate this skill, double your Strength and Dexterity stats and lower your Constitution by half. This skill can be activated once per day for the same number of seconds as your altered Constitution stat. You gain the Extreme Dehydration debuff, taking 50% more fire damage, for the duration and for a number of minutes equal to the number of seconds Overclocked Body was in use afterwards.


    <<<>>>


    It wasn¡¯t just my breath that I could see anymore. Steam started rising from my body thanks to the unnatural cold the Reaper had plunged the area into. I didn¡¯t feel the Constitution hit from Overclocked Body nearly as bad as it wasn¡¯t affecting my maximum hit points anymore. The strain I was feeling was immense, however. It felt like every move was tearing my body apart from the inside, sped up and enhanced as they were.


    I ignored that. My window was small, and there was work to be done.


    Thrusting my Golden Bowling Ball forward with all my might, the oversized sphere broke through the ribs of the Soul Shearer, and I started flying downwards. His flaming eyes widened in surprise as we crashed into the ground. I avoided the Staff of Raphael as it passed back through his ribcage, preventing it from striking me.


    He tried to rise up, but found that he couldn¡¯t move the ball. Not being one of its authorized wielders already screwed him over once, and even as he twisted and turned, his ribs kept it over him. So he did the only reasonable thing he could.


    The Soul Shearer grabbed one side of his rib cage and, with his bones creaking in protest, broke off enough so that the ball had space to roll onto the ground.


    Then I was on him, and he was mounted and pinned. I ignored the staff beside me to Construct spiked knuckles around my armored hands. While he tried to remove my Golden Bowling Ball, I started laying into him.


    His skull was beaten up and cracked, but he didn¡¯t try to block. Not at first. So long as he got free of the impossibly heavy, wretched gold orb, he¡¯d get the chance to kill me. I could almost sense the wavering thoughts in his flaming eyes as his head was knocked left and right and then pounded into the ground.


    All the while, I was charging up my other trump card. I knew the Soul Shearer still had tricks up his sleeve, so I had to make this moment of vulnerability count. My next haymaker was delivered with so much power that I broke through my own Construct.


    ¡°Fuck it,¡± I spat, Constructing another one.


    That got the Reaper¡¯s attention, and he raised his arms to protect his face. I heard something snap behind me, and I could see through my aura that he broke off his own tibia, leaving it with a sharp point. With all the dexterity of some kind of monkey, the toes on the foot still attached to him wrapped around the new weapon and speared me.


    It didn¡¯t go through my heart, but it got close and I Pushed it out of my body so it couldn¡¯t deal more damage. I managed to react in a timely manner, but the damage was done.


    <<<>>>


    [[Warning!]]


    Your once-a-day passive, Heavenly Hero, has activated. You are invulnerable for 5 seconds, except from damage caused by Demonic sources, and you will regain 4% of your hit points per second during this time.


    <<<>>>


    One hit point. After these five seconds were up, I would only have one hit point. No more hits, no more healing. My own body would tear itself apart if I kept up with Overclocked and Cheetah Sprint.


    My skin regenerated so I wasn¡¯t bleeding out anymore, but that was only a small mercy. Not something to rely on.


    So I opened my mouth, and the laser I was charging sprang forth like the judgment of God.


    <<<>>>


    [[Skill]]


    Dragon¡¯s Breath


    Gather energy in your mouth and open it to unleash your fury. This skill allows you to convert Mental Points into pure elemental damage based on your stat total. As a Half-Angel, your breath weapon is infused with the Holy property. You may concentrate the beam of energy or cause it to widen, altering the damage output accordingly.


    Activating Dragon¡¯s Breath takes 2 seconds and costs 180 Mental Points. Extended use of this skill drains 18 Mental Points per second.


    Notice: the Heavenly Hero passive decreases the cost of this skill by 10%. This deduction has already been factored into the description.


    <<<>>>


    The beam was narrowed and focused, only as large as the Soul Shearer¡¯s head to deal as much damage as possible. For the first time, the boss screamed as its bony arms didn¡¯t afford much protection. It threw its hands out, flexed his fingers like he was grasping something, and pulled them back in.


    All around, the black flame aura retracted to cover only us. Frost appeared all over the Soul Shearer, but I was burning too hot for the cold to freeze me. It was painful, sure, but not anymore than anything else I was going through right now.


    I placed my hands on the Reaper¡¯s arms and my wings against his legs, pinning them down as I leaned in close. He was trapped, at least for the time being. My mouth was only a few inches from the tip of his snout, and he was beginning to disintegrate. Time moved in slow motion for me, partially because of my focus, partially because of the pain, and I watched and waited for the energy to erode it enough.


    2 seconds left. It was now or never. Without closing my mouth, I mentally activated the spell again.


    Boneshatter.


    The Soul Shearer¡¯s skull, cracked and battered as it had become in these last few moments, exploded. Shards of it went flying everywhere, but Heavenly Hero kept me from taking the damage. Reapers certainly weren¡¯t Demonic by any meaning of the word.


    I dropped Cheetah Sprint and Overclocked Body the moment the Mark of the Reaper disappeared. There wasn''t much time, and I was left breathing heavily from everything I had gone through. The Reaper had one more trick up his sleeve. One more obstacle to overcome.


    Summoning one of Bethany''s healing teas from my inventory, I drank it as quickly as I could, barely tasting it. My mouth was dry, and it soothed me. I wasn''t sure how many hit points my maximum was at after being sheared so much, but I was out of time to check.


    The disembodied voice came from everywhere and nowhere all at once, ringing out through the Plains of Aries. ¡°I pronounce your death, Anthony Franklin.¡±


    As it spoke, I activated Peacekeeper¡¯s Will using Mental Points from the Medallion of the Warmind Uuska. Normally, I never included myself in my auras. There wasn¡¯t really a need to. I didn¡¯t need to feel despair on a whim, for instance, but I certainly needed to make myself calm.


    Fear suddenly permeated every inch of my body, and I felt my heartbeat speed up to dangerous levels. Closing my eyes tight, I wrapped my wings around me and focused on keeping Peacekeeper¡¯s Will active to thwart the final act of a Reaper.


    The Proclamation of Death. A skill so powerful, it made you feel a fear of mortality so potent that it caused your heart to beat so fast that it ruptured, instantly killing its victim. The calming effect of Peacekeeper''s Will and my own mental fortitude fought against the terror of the Proclamation. All I could hear was my heartbeat as it pounded like a drum far faster than a normal person could ever endure.


    But I wasn¡¯t normal. I wasn¡¯t some random guy from off the streets.


    I was Anthony Fucking Franklin.


    Death could not take me. He didn¡¯t have the balls.


    My body, curled up into a protective ball and as stiff as a board, slowly started to relax. My heartbeat slowed. Not by much, but enough that I could tell that I had survived.


    The Soul Shearer had been thoroughly thwarted.


    I didn¡¯t bother opening my eyes as I felt my body start to stitch itself back together. Without the boss, the Mark of the Reaper had left me, and I took a long, shuddering breath before losing consciousness.


    What to do with me after that was a Glaraphel problem, as far as I was concerned. I earned this rest.

 Chapter 252

    Aries Constellation, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 11:47 AM


    When I returned to consciousness, I was resting on a sleeping bag with a small hand in one of my own and a dog¡¯s head on my chest. I took a deep breath, feeling the air flow into my lungs, and let it out. That didn¡¯t hurt anymore, but my body was still exhausted. I had pushed it too hard during that last fight.


    My thoughts went to the fruit from the Tree of Life still in my inventory. +50 Constitution would go a long way to mitigate that feeling in case I ever needed to throw Cheetah Sprint and Overclocked Body together again. The speed was easily handled, but halving Con while increasing Dexterity and Strength twofold made the combination incredibly draining even for a short amount of time.


    Thankfully, the migraine I got when I was low on or missing all of my Mental Points was set to a tolerable simmer. Not gone, but certainly dull enough that I could ignore it without the adrenaline pumping through my veins and an enemy to focus on.


    Still, something felt like it was missing. Not physically or mentally, but something more¡­ me.


    ¡°You are awake,¡± I heard Glaraphel say, and I opened one of my eyes.


    I was greeted by the picturesque view of the Emperor¡¯s Ascent, complete with stars and Aurora Borealis. We were outside of the gathering room. That made a lot of sense; I wouldn¡¯t want to stay there either if the administrator was throwing Reapers at people.


    The Angel sat cross-legged nearby, arms folded as he watched me. The small hand that was holding mine turned out to be Bethany¡¯s. She gave me a big smile when our eyes met, and she reached over to pet Corwin, whose tail started wagging furiously.


    ¡°You¡ª¡± I coughed, causing the Evolution Hound to raise his head off of my chest before I cleared my throat. ¡°You getting along with Corwin, Glaraphel?¡±


    He frowned, sending a sideways glare at the dog. ¡°I was commanded not to eradicate the beast, thus I will not even if I still do not see why.¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s a good boy, dude,¡± I said, reaching over to pet Corwin. ¡°Yes you are. Such a good boy you are Corwin.¡±


    He wagged his tail and licked my hand. At the very least, it didn¡¯t seem like he cared that Glaraphel was here. Even if he did feel some kind of apprehension about having an Angel nearby, being partially Demonic, it didn¡¯t show. He had probably just gotten used to me and figured Glaraphel was the same in some way.


    ¡°The bestest boy,¡± I continued, only looking away when Bethany patted my chest.


    I glanced over at her and she smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay, Mr. Anthony,¡± the Tea Witch signed, adding in my name. My smile grew wider as I realized she had given me a namesign. Making the letter A with one hand, she raised it above her head to do half of the sign for halo. That was perfect. ¡°It was really scary, though. Everyone was worried about the proclamation.¡±


    My smile faded a little bit as I sighed, speaking and signing at the same time so Glaraphel wasn¡¯t completely out of the loop. ¡°A Reaper¡¯s Proclamation of Death is very scary, but it¡¯ll take more than that to stop me. I¡¯m the leader of Sol Ligatus, the best guild in the world.¡±


    Bethany nodded, and my eyes looked past her up the stairs. The others were in front of the door to the next room, waiting. I could make out the words if I squinted, and I wasn¡¯t surprised to see that it was for the competitive room. Someone was making us wait this time instead of the other way around.


    ¡°Could you go tell the others that I¡¯m awake?¡± I requested. Bethany nodded again before standing up and running off, leaving me to slowly sit up.


    Kayla and Mercury¡¯s Patrons had probably informed them that I was awake by now, but there was no way to tell what had happened after I lost consciousness. With over 80% viewership at the start of the fight, there were undoubtedly a lot of discussions taking place about my class, skills, passives, and tactics. Despite masquerading as higher beings, they were very human in their theorycrafting.


    ¡°That fight was¡­ very ill advised,¡± Glaraphel hesitantly said once Bethany moved away.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I agreed with a chuckle. ¡°I didn¡¯t think the administrator was going to send a Reaper after me. How was Bethany?¡±


    The Angel frowned, but answered. ¡°Scared, but I could feel her faith. Your supporters, both young and old, are very loyal to you. Even the one that blasphemes constantly and wants my wings to craft with.¡±


    ¡°Ash takes some getting used to, but she¡¯s good people,¡± I said with a grin before gesturing towards his halo. ¡°Did you grab the loot before you took us back to the party?¡±


    ¡°Bethany did after waving her hands about to stall us leaving. She gave them to your second in command when we returned, though you may want to watch out. The armored one got a greedy look in her eyes when she saw what was passed off. This Ash, too, but for the parts the Reaper left behind.¡±


    I nodded. That was a great decision on Bethany¡¯s part. If I had gone through all that and didn¡¯t get the loot, I¡¯d have been really pissed off. ¡°Alright, thanks. You¡¯re good to go back, man.¡±


    His frown deepened. ¡°Are you sure? Your soul is still¡ª¡±


    ¡°Did you tell them about that?¡± I interrupted.


    ¡°Of course I did,¡± he answered as if it had been the obvious thing to do. While annoying, it really was, so I couldn¡¯t complain. ¡°The Soul Shearer did substantial damage to you. It will take time for you to heal. Probably less than most, given your strength, but to not tell those who rely on you would be a disservice.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡± I sighed. ¡°But yeah, you¡¯re good to go. Thanks for watching after Bethany.¡±


    ¡°You are welcome, Anthony,¡± Glaraphel said. ¡°Watching you fight a Reaper was illuminating. Call me again soon.¡±


    Removing his halo, he offered it to me. I didn¡¯t bother trying to get him to leave my service this time. It wouldn¡¯t have worked so I accepted it and returned it to my inventory. He was gone a moment later.


    Enough time had passed that we had all exited the floor and I had a blinking notification that there were screens waiting for me, so I snapped my fingers to open my menu and started going through them.


    <<<>>>


    [[Victory!]]


    You have defeated x27 Charcoal Sheep; +135 points.


    You have defeated x22 Steel Merinos; +176 points.


    You have defeated x10 Combustion Rams; +120 points.


    You have defeated x3 Rampards; +750 points.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    You have defeated the Field Boss [Support Lamb]; +800 points.


    You have defeated the Awakened Roaming Raid Boss [The Soul Shearer]; +11,500 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°The Awakened Roaming Raid Boss, the Soul Shearer,¡± I slowly read out loud, shaking my head. ¡°That¡¯s a bit of a mouthful, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent Aries Quest 5 Complete]]


    Harvesting on the gathering floor was very fruitful for the Sol Ligatus guild. Not only were several types of sheep sheared at the entrance site, but their leader even managed to solo both the Field Boss and the Roaming Boss to enhance their already spectacular firepower. Well earned.


    <<<>>>


    I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes at that one. There were no rewards other than what we walked out with, which just made this a short recap of our time in the area. I didn¡¯t appreciate downplaying my achievements, but the Patrons saw what had happened and that was the real goal.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    Thank the Heavens you¡¯re okay, Anthony. I can only imagine what Baltastasia was thinking when she decided to throw a Reaper at you, but that was harrowing.


    You really went down to the wire. I understand why you had to do so at the last minute, eking out as much power from your body as you could and cutting your Constitution in half when it wouldn¡¯t hurt your hit points as much. I¡¯m torn. The part of me that¡¯s a warrior is proud of your fight, but the part of me that worries about you wanted you to ask Glaraphel for help. Not much can be done about it now, I suppose.


    Progress report. You achieved 89% viewership by the time the fight ended, and the only major Patron involved in the Emperor¡¯s Ascent that didn¡¯t come to watch was Leo. Suffice to say, I think the others have a good handle on who you are now. A couple of them have changed their minds about inviting us in after seeing you in action, but it¡¯s too late for that and I¡¯m not sure they weren¡¯t being sarcastic or joking.


    Overall, there¡¯s a lot of discussion about you and Sol Ligatus as a whole. Most of it is positive while there is a vocal minority that thinks you¡¯re cheating somehow or don¡¯t like that you¡¯re a Half-Angel that has Heaven on your side. This was almost a complete and total win, though. You¡¯re not even out of the first constellation and you¡¯re already the biggest topic in the whole event.


    Good news aside, you should continue to take a backseat. I was monitoring your Status screen and your hit points and Mental Points took a big hit from how often your soul was sheared. Even though I¡¯m absolutely sure that you would take the reduced maximums as a challenge rather than a reason to rest, I¡¯m still going to tell you not to overexert yourself. Let your soul heal naturally, okay?


    Reward: 40,000 points.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Hit me with the wall of text, why don¡¯t you,¡± I said teasingly as I read through it, smiling when I reached the end. ¡°Right. Taking it easy. It¡¯s not like I have anything that heals soul damage. Putting that aside for now, you remember that was my plan, right? Letting the kids take the wheel and only bailing them out if they needed it?¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Yes, I remember the plan, Anthony.


    I also watched as you promised Bethany that you would show off for her when you were only on the first floor, so don¡¯t try to tell me you were following the plan.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Eh, yeah, guess I was guilty of that, huh,¡± I said, running my hand through my hair with a sheepish smile. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll take it easy. Especially for this next one. I wanted Mercury to handle the competitive room to get some more experience against other people, so this should be easy enough.¡±


    I looked back up the stairs to see that no one had come down to greet me. Wondering what I had done to become so ostracized by my own people, I slowly stood up and conjured the Staff of Raphael to help keep me upright. My whole body was screaming.


    Corwin leaned against me, nearly knocking me over. Just before I took my first step, I returned Ostwriter¡¯s Plot Armor to my inventory and opened my Status screen to see what the damage actually was.


    <<<>>>


    [[Status]]


    Guildmaster Anthony Franklin


    Class: Warmind


    Race: Half-Angel (Dormant)


    Patron: (Hidden)


    Guild: Sol Ligatus


    Player Kills: 8


    Points: 161,119


    Stats:


    Hit Points: 478/478


    Mental Points: 374/771 (64/300)


    Strength: 57; Dexterity: 100; Constitution: 132; Wisdom: 187; Willpower: 176


    [[Warning!]]


    Your soul has been damaged by a Reaper¡¯s weapon. The following stats have been reduced to the following amounts.


    Hit Points -> 478


    Mental Points -> 771


    <<<>>>


    I whistled as I saw the damage. Doing the math in my head, it looked like roughly 70% of my hit points and Mental Points had been taken away. That was a nasty tactic. Even though I survived, everything going forward for a while would have an easier time killing me. Baltastasia sure had planned well.


    What¡¯s worse was that Sara was right; I absolutely was seeing it as a challenge to overcome rather than a penalty forced upon me. Instead of saying that out loud, I walked up the stairs to join the others. The moment I did, Kayla came down.


    ¡°Hey, boss,¡± she greeted with uncertainty in her voice. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Since when do you call me boss?¡± I asked, snorting out a laugh.


    The Double Agent gave me a look and shook her head. ¡°Glaraphel, who couldn¡¯t stop glaring at Corwin, said that you had a lasting problem thanks to the exceptional enemy you fought. We all heard the boss announce your death. It¡¯s so bad that even Skuld has commented on it. So, Anthony, how are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Surprisingly well for a guy who just went toe to toe with a Grim Reaper and somehow lived to tell the tale,¡± I said with a shrug. She looked ready to argue with me, and I held up a finger. ¡°But! But, I¡¯m going to take it easy. No more tempting fate, no more transformations, no more anything. You all are on your own for at least the rest of Aries.¡±


    Kayla eyed me for a few moments before nodding. ¡°Alright, so long as you¡¯re serious about that.¡±


    I placed a hand over my heart. ¡°I am. Though, what are we waiting for? Did y¡¯all not come down to say hi because you were hoping to leave me behind so I wouldn¡¯t cause trouble?¡± I asked. Her critical look softened a little bit, and I laughed. ¡°Yeah, alright. It¡¯s just not time yet, then.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± she confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s Ophiuchus, so it¡¯s the one man team. He seems to be taking his time in whatever room he¡¯s in now. We¡¯ve been waiting for about ten minutes now but we haven¡¯t gone in because we wanted to keep an eye on you and we didn¡¯t want to get stuck in a room as uncomfortable as the one we shared with Gemini.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I appreciate that. What about loot, then? Glaraphel said you had it.¡±


    ¡°There was a hard hat that reduced the amount of aggression the wearer gets, which we gave to Bethany for the time being,¡± she explained. ¡°And there was a book containing a combination healing and defense spell called Wool Coat. I was thinking of taking that if you didn¡¯t mind since I¡¯ve pretty much pivoted over to a support role.¡±


    ¡°Those must have come off of the Support Lamb after the fight was over,¡± I mused. ¡°But yeah, that sounds fine. I already have healing options so I¡¯m not going to scramble for another one, and it makes sense that you get Wool Coat. What about from the Soul Shearer?¡±


    Kayla smiled as she swiped open her inventory. ¡°Yeah, I think you¡¯re really going to like this. Might help hide your coat, at least.¡±

 Chapter 253

    Aries Constellation, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 12:09 PM


    There was absolutely no way I was getting the weapon the Soul Shearer was named for even after a successful one on one fight, but what I did receive was a close second. I fiddled with the tattered yet ethereal black cloak that hung from my shoulders all the way to my calves. It weighed nothing and fluttered in a wind that couldn¡¯t be felt. If you looked at it from just the right angle, you could almost see dark smoke and fire cascading across.


    Mercury tried grabbing on to it, but found that his hand passed right through as if it didn¡¯t exist in our reality. ¡°That¡¯s so cool!¡± he exclaimed, far too excited by the Reaper¡¯s Cloak. ¡°Can I take on the next one? I promise I¡ª¡±


    Ash reached over and flicked the ninja where his covered ear would be. ¡°Did you miss the part where your sister and a literal Angel told us about how horrifying that fight was?¡± she asked. ¡°Don¡¯t bring that shit down on us.¡±


    ¡°Like you¡¯re not already planning on using literal Grim Reaper bones to make some kind of horrifying weapon,¡± he shot back, rubbing the side of his head. ¡°You were geeking out about those way harder than I am about this.¡±


    ¡°I just had an idea for a replacement rapier for Jeff, that¡¯s all,¡± she said defensively, crossing her arms as she jerked her head back towards the knight.


    ¡°Huh? What about me?¡± Jeff asked, looking up from the accessory I had given him. The Cloak of the Irradiated King, made from the Uranium Rex¡¯s green scales by shapeshifters in Los Alamos, had done well by me but it was time to give it up for something new.


    ¡°Nothing important,¡± Kayla answered, running her hand along the cloak. ¡°But you may want to share the details, psychic boy. Jamie¡¯s been practically drooling since it got handed over.¡±


    The Weapon Master blinked and almost subconsciously wiped her face before wrinkling her nose. ¡°The brat¡¯s right this time,¡± she said, gesturing towards Mercury. ¡°It¡¯s very aesthetically pleasing and Anthony shouldn¡¯t have it because it clashes too much with his Hawaiian trench coat. I¡¯ll gladly take it.¡±


    ¡°Hey, this coat helped me kill a Soul Shearer, okay?¡± I scoffed, this time taking my turn to be defensive. ¡°And if y¡¯all keep bashing it then I¡¯m not going to start passing out the good stuff.¡±


    ¡°Got attached to the damn thing, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ash asked, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I admitted, looking down at the horrible coat. ¡°So what if I did?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, just share the details,¡± Jamie said.


    With a snort of amusement, I rolled my eyes and snapped open my menu to send it so the party could see.


    <<<>>>


    [[Equipped]]


    Reaper¡¯s Cloak


    (Growth Item, kill 20 bosses to upgrade; +15 Strength, +15 Dexterity, +15 Constitution, Mark of Excess skill acquired, Mark of Rot skill acquired, Life Eater passive acquired)


    [[Skill]]


    Mark of Excess


    By damaging a living creature with a resource pool, such as your Mental Points pool, you can place a brand on them that increases the cost of abilities and spells using that resource pool by 50%. You may place as many marks equal to half of your Player Kill count, and you can transfer them when attacking a new target. This skill can be reapplied, but it will stop working after 10 minutes.


    [[Skill]]


    Mark of Rot


    By damaging a living creature, you can place a brand on them that stymies their ability to heal. The efficacy of any ability, skill, spell, or passive that restores hit points of the Marked is reduced by 50%. You may place as many marks as you have Player Kills, and you can transfer them when attacking a new target. This skill can be reapplied, but will stop working after 10 minutes.


    [[Passive]]


    Life Eater


    As long as a Marked creature is within one of your auras, apply the following:


    When a target that has been Marked for Excess uses their resource pool, you gain an amount of Mental Points equal to the 50% upcharge.


    When a target that has been Marked to Rot is healed, you heal for a number of hit points equal to the missing 50% they should have received.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Dang,¡± Mercury whispered. He and almost everyone else were quiet afterwards, though, showing turmoil in their auras at a question they weren¡¯t sure they would ask.


    So, of course Jamie was the one to ask it. ¡°How many players have you killed?¡± she asked outright, earning a glare from Kayla. Mercury was translating for Bethany as he did, but stopped midway through.


    I offered a small smile. ¡°While it should have been zero, and then one for Greg, it is unfortunately up to 8 now,¡± I answered honestly.


    ¡°Really? Only 8?¡± The Weapon Master furrowed her brow. She opened her mouth before pausing, as if choosing her words carefully. ¡°Based on the way you slaughtered people in training and back at the Chaos Cup, I would have thought you had less scruples about it.¡±


    There was a question going unasked, but I knew what she was really asking. After as many lives as you¡¯ve had, you still care about killing?


    ¡°Those were games where no one¡¯s life was on the line,¡± I replied with a shrug. ¡°I won¡¯t go on some tirade about how life is sacred or anything like that. There are some people who will never change and taking their life might be the only way to handle them¡ªGreg, for instance, after his betrayal with Pustibule¡ªbut it¡¯s rarely as black and white as it should be. I don¡¯t kill unless it¡¯s necessary, and these ones were.¡±


    A somber mood fell over the group, and I let them process. The world we lived in was full of death and inequality, not just from the administrators but each other. It was a sad state of affairs, but it was the truth.


    In all honesty, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that I needed to kill someone directly to increase my Player Kill count then it would have been higher. Plenty of my letters instructed people that they needed to take out people who would become warlords, mass murderers, or serial killers before they could accumulate their power. Most of those ended in tragedies, but it was the lesser of two evils.


    When the salvation of the human race was turned into a numbers game, you picked the path that led to the most survivors, no matter how hard or inconvenient it was.


    Quietly, I brought up the aura skill I had gotten from a book to read it over one more time. This one wasn¡¯t just for influencing social events, and was definitely going to see more use.


    <<<>>>


    [[Skill]]


    Black Flame Aura


    This skill can only be used in tandem with any aura ability, skill, or passive. On command, the area inside your aura becomes darker as black flames appear, sucking in the heat and leaving behind a corpse-like chill for all inside. Cold Resistance does not apply. The stats of all living creatures within the aura are reduced by 10%. If they have been Marked by a Reaper skill, then this reduction is increased by another 5% for each brand.


    <<<>>>


    This paired perfectly with my Reaper¡¯s Cloak and its multiple marks. Under most circumstances, I would be using it with the aura from Absolute Awareness. It cost me nothing to keep it active, being a passive and all, but it did come with one downside: it was indiscriminate.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    I could change the size, but only in broad strokes. If I was fighting with any of my companions then they would be at risk of friendly fire. Tyrant, Peacekeeper, and even Madman¡¯s Will, however, had a very important clause attached to it.


    At your discretion, some beings can be spared the weight of your will.


    It was a free debuff in fights where I was alone and a slightly costly one when I was not. Either way, it was a fantastic addition to my stable of aura powers that I was apparently collecting. Thinking on it, I had more Blanks and Synthesis Pages than I normally would, perhaps it was time to start condensing. That was something for later, though.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Alright, you can head inside. Ross just got out of the puzzle room and is heading for the next door. He won¡¯t take long. You¡¯ll have to enter it now if you want to force his door to change so it leads to the competitive one.


    It looks like this will be his 5th floor, but according to the information I¡¯m getting he might make it to the boss room quickly. His next floor is the gathering one, and it¡¯s a tossup on whether he¡¯s going to spend a lot of time there or not.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Skuld says we can go,¡± Kayla said before I had a chance to, and everyone started getting ready.


    The only reason we hadn¡¯t gone in already was to avoid the kind of situation the Gemini faction had before. They got stuck waiting for us for nearly twenty minutes in the sweltering heat with nothing to do but wait and hope we arrived sooner rather than later. The mountainside was cool, comfortable, and scenic, making it the superior place to bide our time.


    Now that it was time, I opened the door to the next area. Light flashed all around us, and we were transported to a large pavilion set up like an arena. We were in the stands with Sol Ligatus¡¯ symbols on banners high above us. On the other side of the building they showed a man holding a serpent, perfect for Ophiuchus.


    I looked down at the grassy arena in the middle of the building. A few dozen regular sheep were grazing happily, completely oblivious to our arrival. It was immediately obvious that they were set dressing like the ones back in the gathering section. All in all, aside from the stench of wild animals that made the city folk among us wrinkle their noses, it wasn¡¯t all that bad.


    With no fanfare to announce his arrival, Ross Haverstein appeared on the other side of the building. The burly Orc was still in his Magical Girl outfit, and he glanced around the arena. It was obvious when he took in the smell of livestock, because he reached up to cover his nose. I waved at him, getting his attention, and he gave a small wave back.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m going to throw Mercury to the wolves here,¡± I said, looking back at Jamie and Jeff.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± the ninja asked, startled. ¡°What did I do?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about what we discussed before? In the stealth challenge?¡± Jeff asked, paying close attention to the opponent.


    I nodded. ¡°Yeah. No offense, but Ross is kind of a counter to you, and I¡¯m pretty sure Jamie doesn¡¯t want to fight a dude in a tutu.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. If the only thing in it for me is points and glory, then I¡¯ll pass,¡± the Weapon Master said with a shrug before sitting down. ¡°If a boss shows up, I¡¯m going to jump in though. Can¡¯t let that opportunity pass.¡±


    ¡°Wait, but why just me?¡± Mercury asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the guy who¡¯s so strong that they didn¡¯t give him anyone to help him out? Doesn¡¯t that put him, like, right below you? That seems like too big a red flag to ignore.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, he¡¯s really strong,¡± I told him. ¡°But, you need the most practice out of everyone here.¡±


    ¡°He and I both,¡± Kayla interjected.


    I nodded, but kept going. ¡°You¡¯re good at what you do and have a good sense of what you¡¯re capable of. Plus, you¡¯re pivoting to support,¡± I said. ¡°Mercury, as our youngest fighter, needs a moment like this where he¡¯s not fighting Jeff or Jamie or me. It¡¯ll be good for him whether he wins or loses.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ll jump in if I lose, right?¡± Mercury asked, still sounding nervous.


    ¡°Nope,¡± I answered with a smile. ¡°If you lose, we¡¯re going to forfeit.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t win them all, I guess,¡± Jeff said as he sat down. He tugged on Kayla¡¯s sleeve, and she took a second before sitting next to him.


    It almost looked like Mercury¡¯s eyes were going to pop out of his sockets. ¡°Why? You can take him, right? Why forfeit?¡±


    ¡°Because I just got seventy percent of my soul sheared off, man. Baltastasia¡¯s made sure that I don¡¯t get to fight again for a while. It sucks, but she¡¯s obviously got it out for me despite the fact that I only just got here,¡± I said, waving towards the ceiling as I made sure to draw Patronly attention to those words specifically. ¡°Listen, it¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll do better if there¡¯s stakes. There won''t be any death, so it¡¯s just like the training room. You¡¯re used to that. If I say we lose if you lose, then there¡¯s stakes. Pressure. You¡¯ve got much more to prove because it¡¯s not just about your personal growth anymore, it¡¯s about all of us. Sol Ligatus, yeah? So get out there and do your best.¡±


    ¡°You got this,¡± Jamie said. She pulled a bucket of freshly popped popcorn out of her inventory and started eating. ¡°Or not. Either way, I¡¯m going to enjoy it.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent: Aries Competitive Room]]


    Ophiuchus Players: 1


    Sol Ligatus Players: 7


    The Aries Livestock Pavilion has been host to many events. Sheep shearing contests, herding adventures, brutal man versus man combat. This grass has seen it all.


    And now there¡¯s been something of a scheduling kerfuffle. The farmers have placed their sheep for a beauty contest here even though the docket specifies that today is being used for death battles. Therefore, this fight has hazards.


    To ensure that no sheep are harmed, they have all been given a protective buff known as Mirror Armor. Any damage dealt to a sheep will be reflected back at the one who attacked it. That means any damage no matter from how far away. If you fireball the flock on the opposite side of the arena, then you¡¯re getting all that damage right back. Resistances and immunities will not be applied.


    Worry not, this is not really a death battle because there will not be any death. Anyone who reaches 1 hit point will be put in suspended animation until the end of the match. Once all members of a team have been defeated or if all active members of a team forfeit, then the match is over.


    Objective: Defeat the opposing team.


    Reward: 1,000 points for the winning team.


    [[Notice]]


    Let the match begin!


    <<<>>>


    We were all teleported into the arena, and those who were sitting down found themselves now resting on sheep. They quickly stood up, making sure they hadn¡¯t caused any damage, before looking at me. I was too busy watching the opponent to tell them that they were fine.


    ¡°Time out!¡± I yelled, making a T with both of my hands as Ross raised his wand. He hesitated, his eyes scanning a text box in front of him, before putting it down. No doubt his Patron told him exactly what we had just discussed. ¡°Meet me in the middle!¡±


    I started walking to the center of the arena, maneuvering around the sheep. Bumping into them wasn¡¯t going to be enough to hurt them, but Ross was still careful given his giant physique. He was guarded when we met, and his wand was caught in a tight grip.


    ¡°Anthony. Wasn¡¯t expecting to see you again so soon,¡± he greeted. ¡°Nice cloak. Ophiuchus told me what you had to go through to get it.¡±


    ¡°Good to see you, Ross,¡± I said with a grin. ¡°Yeah, it was rough going there. I¡¯m still recovering. Takes a lot of time to do that when an administrator throws a Grim Reaper at you.¡±


    He grunted, but didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Right. So, I¡¯m proposing a one on one fight. You against Sol Ligatus¡¯ resident ninja. If you win, you win, if he loses, we lose. How about it?¡±


    ¡°It sounds too good to be true,¡± he replied, crossing his arms. He seemed a little less guarded, at least. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s the little guy on the team and he needs some real combat experience,¡± I answered. ¡°Since there¡¯s no life or death, those are the stakes I¡¯ve laid down.¡±


    ¡°You know he¡¯s going to lose, right?¡± he asked. While confident, his question didn¡¯t come from a place of malice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest. So long as he gets something out of this, I¡¯m counting it as a win,¡± I told him in a stage whisper before speaking up. ¡°So how about it? You want to kick around our ninja?¡±


    Ross took his eyes off of me to look back at Mercury who gave an awkward wave at the Orcish Magical Girl. After a few seconds, he shrugged. ¡°Yeah, sure. I don¡¯t see why not. I¡¯ll try not to lay him out in the first thirty seconds. Really give him a taste of something new.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll find that difficult, even for you,¡± I warned, and he looked back down at me. ¡°He may be lacking experience, but he¡¯s still good. Be wary, man, because a fight with Mercury Moonslayer¡¯s never easy.¡±


    ¡°Mercury Moonslayer?¡± Ross snorted. ¡°Man, I thought I had it bad with my class and then he shows up with a name like that. Poor kid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a cool name!¡± the ninja yelled.


    ¡°Alright, thanks,¡± I said while stifling a laugh. ¡°Can our Patrons please put in for a rule change, then?¡±


    A second after I said it, I was teleported back to the stands along with everyone except Mercury and Ross. I Pulled a piece of Jamie¡¯s popcorn into my mouth before sitting down and making myself comfortable, ignoring her glare.


    ¡°You got this!¡± I yelled. ¡°Time in!¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The rules of the battle have been changed by both Patrons overseeing the teams.


    This fight between Ophiuchus and Sol Ligatus shall be one on one, with the victor taking all.


    Let the match begin!


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Well, shit,¡± I heard Mercury whisper as Ross waved his magical wand and our half of the arena was overtaken by a sudden flurry of shooting stars.

 Chapter 254

    Aries Floor 6, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 12:19 PM


    The attack came out of nowhere with hardly any build up. At one moment there was nothing and, in the next, ethereal stars appeared under the roof to descend on the area. Dirt and grass kicked up everywhere, obscuring our vision, but I could see through my aura that this artillery strike was anything but indiscriminate.


    It covered our half of the arena, hitting everything except for the sheep. All except one, who was completely fine despite the bombardment.


    Ross winced as the damage the animal would have taken coursed through his body. The only outward signs of damage was a streak of bruising across his back. It started healing, too. Not nearly as fast as my own would have, but still quick enough to be noticeable.


    ¡°Really? No announcement? No introduction? Just right into it?¡± Mercury asked, sitting on a sheep from Ross¡¯ side of the arena. ¡°Jeez, you¡¯re as bad as Jamie.¡±


    The Magical Girl turned around, arching an eyebrow at his opponent. ¡°Ross,¡± he said. ¡°Also known as Magical Girl Star.¡±


    ¡°Mercury Moonslayer,¡± the ninja returned with a bow. ¡°Gentleman thief of Sol Ligatus.¡±


    ¡°Well there¡¯s your problem,¡± Ross said. ¡°You think this is about being gentlemanly, don¡¯t you? No wonder your boss wants me to knock you around.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Mercury huffed. ¡°Pretty sure he wants me to learn that I can stand up to anyone, including the guy who¡¯s probably the second strongest one stuck in here.¡±


    I felt the Orc¡¯s aura twitch. ¡°I¡¯m the strongest one here. That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t give me any backup.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, man. The Warmonger¡¯s here, that means no one¡¯s the strongest but him,¡± the ninja said, not sounding apologetic at all.


    ¡°Don¡¯t see him in here with me. Just him throwing his lackey to the wolves,¡± Ross replied, clearly taking offense to being called second best.


    ¡°Yeah, this ain¡¯t about me!¡± I yelled. ¡°Just fight already!¡±


    Mercury slipped off of the sheep he had been sitting on and drew the Princess from her sheathe. ¡°You got it, boss!¡± he yelled, waving his wakizashi. ¡°Apologies, Magical Girl Star. This is the part where I make you bleed.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± the Orc said.


    Mercury disappeared in a flash of light as the dust finally settled on our side of the arena and we could see again. The next moment, he was standing beside the enemy. His sword struck against Ross¡¯ side, but it didn¡¯t even cut through the cloth. It still caused damage, just not any that was very noticeable; the Magical Girl¡¯s outfit got scuffed a little bit.


    The Orc¡¯s hand shot out and Ross grabbed Mercury by the top of his head, lifting him up so they were eye to eye. ¡°As a superhero, I¡¯m rated PG,¡± he explained. ¡°So I¡¯m immune to bleeding, amongst other things.¡±


    ¡°What? Really? That¡¯s awesome!¡± Mercury exclaimed, ignoring the fact that he was being held up by a grip on his skull. ¡°How¡¯d you become a Magical Girl? Given your, uh, masculine frame?¡±


    Ross frowned. ¡°I inherited it from my daughter when she died in my arms,¡± he stated, his aura showing a turmoil that his voice did not.


    The ninja cringed. ¡°Damn, my bad for asking.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you didn¡¯t know. I¡¯m going to crush your skull now.¡±


    Mercury screamed for a moment before he was replaced by another sheep. Ross flinched as the damage was reflected again, and dropped it to the ground a second later. His eyes scoured the arena before he swung his wand.


    Large, translucent stars appeared all over the battlefield. They passed through the sheep harmlessly as they roamed, all being pulled in one direction. Ross lifted and aimed the wand that way.


    Half of the floating stars accelerated towards the spot, spinning like shuriken as they became more opaque. These ones moved out of the way of sheep, dodging them effortlessly now that they were ready to do damage. Mercury popped out of his hiding spot amidst a group of sheep, having likely been warned about the danger by his sword spirit.


    His sword moved quickly as he attempted to deflect the first one. It struck the Princess and nearly pushed her aside, prompting the ninja to hold on to the hilt with both hands. The sound of metal grinding against metal filled the arena as he started getting pushed back.


    In a fit of panic, Mercury switched places with another sheep. It worked, but the star veered off before it could deal any damage. Each of the ones in motion slowed down before changing direction, this time behind Ross.


    The Magical Girl quickly moved his wand behind his back and gave it a waggle. A long, bright red blade burst forth from the five point star at the tip. It blocked a slash the ninja had aimed at his spine before Ross turned and slashed back.


    Another star flew diagonally from the tip of the wand as the Orc attacked, flying away before slowing down and curving back to Mercury. The ninja attempted to shove his opponent forward, but the difference in Strength was too much. Instead, he lashed out with his foot and caught Ross in the back of the knee.


    The Magical Girl buckled and Mercury made another strike. This time, the Princess landed cleanly between his opponent¡¯s shoulder blades before he had to back off. He pulled his blade¡¯s sheath from his back and wielded it in his off hand as the stars converged again. Two of them got close enough to merge together, becoming a much larger projectile.


    He backpedaled, changing direction every time a sheep attempted to trip him up. While the scabbard was only made of wood, it was still a part of the Princess and held up exceptionally well as the star tried to cut it in half. I was expecting him to change places again, but he tried to weather the storm. He grit his teeth as a third one became assimilated, pushing him back.


    Ross moved between the sheep, doing everything he could to not just kick them out of the way, and raised his sword. That was when Mercury lunged.


    With a roar of effort, he put both blade and scabbard against the star and pushed it backwards. The next moment it was gone as the Princess used her dispel ability, the same one that had allowed the ninja to disperse my Distant Slice before it could cut him in our last bout.


    The Magical Girl attempted to dodge the surprise strike, nearly trampling a sheep in his path as Mercury¡¯s blade went straight for his throat. He had to lean back, nearly avoiding it, and the ninja flowed into his next attack, making an X with wakizashi and scabbard. The wooden container glowed with a light that gave it a deadly edge.


    Both would have cut if Ross were capable of bleeding, but his overpowered class saved him from that. He got his footing back and put both hands on his sword. Planting one of his shoes into the dirt, he swung hard.


    Mercury, for whatever reason, tried to block. Perhaps it was to get a grasp on how strong Ross really was, or perhaps it was because he had stopped thinking for a moment. Either way, he raised the Princess and fortified her with the scabbard.


    They went flying into the air, sailing comically over the sheep. I could see his eyes widen as he slammed into the invisible arena wall some twenty feet away and slid to the ground. Strands of wool were starting to accumulate on his black outfit, slowly allowing him to blend in with the surrounding sheep.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you moving like you usually do, you damn ninja!?¡± Ash called, raising her hand to her mouth.


    Mercury shook for a moment before he stood up. ¡°You said you needed to watch me fight, so I was slowing it down for you!¡±


    The Monstersmith scowled. ¡°The fuck did you hear that from?¡±


    He pointed to a spot next to him before he blocked an incoming star with his wakizashi. ¡°The Princess heard you telling the Warmonger that you wanted to make something for me when I was coming back from the stealth mission. She said you couldn¡¯t keep up with how I fight.¡±


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I said,¡± she spat before crossing her arms.


    ¡°Don¡¯t like that,¡± Jamie reiterated between mouthfuls of popcorn, referring to her dislike that there was a spirit roaming around once again.


    ¡°Whatever, just fight this asshole normally. You¡¯re going to lose otherwise!¡± Ash yelled.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to lose regardless!¡± Ross roared.


    Before Mercury could respond, the Magical Girl sliced the air in front of him and reached in. An identical cut appeared from within the star that the Princess was holding back, and his arm reached through it. He grabbed the ninja by the wrist and pulled.


    The star started getting smaller once Mercury¡¯s arm was through it, and it looked like it was going to cut it clean off. This was when he swapped places with another sheep. It fell to the ground, protected by the Mirror Armor, while Ross took the damage.


    ¡°How many times can you do that?¡± the Orc complained, rubbing his arm where he had been injured.


    ¡°About a billion more times,¡± Mercury answered as he stood up from amongst the livestock. ¡°Alright. Ash says to go fast, so let¡¯s go fast.¡±


    ¡°Sure, kid, let¡¯s¡ª¡± Ross didn¡¯t have time to finish his sentence.


    Mercury became a blur of black and white as he sprinted across the sheep. The Magical Girl, clearly caught off guard, raised his sword only for the ninja to disappear. He had dropped, getting cover under the animals to continue his charge despite how low he was to the ground.


    With the Princess¡¯ scabbard on his back again, Mercury used both hands to slice through the magical garb to get at the man¡¯s Achilles tendon. It didn¡¯t work, of course, but by the time Ross lashed out with his foot the ninja was already gone.


    The other stars, which had been content to float around the arena, started to move. First in one direction, then the other. Ross¡¯s fuzzy brows furrowed as he looked around, trying to get a visual on the ninja.


    It wasn¡¯t that he was moving so fast as to be invisible¡ªthat wasn¡¯t something Mercury was capable of yet¡ªbut he was moving way faster along the ground than someone should. His outfit had been completely covered in wool after he cut some off, which blended him in well with the seemingly copy and pasted sheep.


    A whistle came from behind Ross, causing him to spin and swing his wand sword. With his height, he had no problem avoiding any of the regular sized sheep so long as he kept his attack above a certain range. Or so he thought.


    Mercury had lifted one of the animals with one hand. Both him and Ross took damage as the Magical Girl¡¯s swipe connected, however. Even though the Orc had done all of the damage, the fact that the ninja was holding the sheep meant it was partially his fault.


    He grimaced, but knew how to handle pain. The Princess slashed against Ross¡¯ neck before the two disappeared and reappeared.


    Tenfold Strikes was a useful ability that allowed Mercury to teleport in place while he attacked several times over a short period. None of them were more powerful than a regular slash, but they could cause a lot of damage with their speed and layered strikes.


    Ross took a step back. Not only was he taken by surprise, but he was off balance and the repeated strikes at his neck weren¡¯t helping. There was no blood, though he was clearly bruised. With a yell, the Magical Girl took a step forward and swung the moment Tenfold Strikes was up. Their swords clashed, and another star flew out of the wand¡¯s tip.


    It was obvious that, despite all his power and skill, Ross was no trained swordsman. He swung his wand sword like a bat with little finesse. I could feel Mercury¡¯s surprise in his aura as he met each cut and thrust with a parry. He no longer tried to meet his opponent head on Strength to Strength, but leaned on his training.


    Mercury began to accelerate as he became more confident. The Princess was a blur, only seen through flashes of steel as they met with the Magical Girl¡¯s laser sword or dispelled one of the stars that tried to cut him. He danced around Ross like he was a tree waiting to be felled.


    I leaned back, not realizing that I had moved to the edge of my seat, and waited. Mercury hadn¡¯t seemed to realize it yet, but Ross was setting up for a big move. I could have warned him, but both he and the Princess honestly should have been paying more attention. A big teaching moment was about to happen, one that I had been hoping for.


    With every heavy step, Ross stamped his foot into the ground. With Mercury moving everywhere, it was easy for him to make the outline of a star in the dirt beneath him without stirring up suspicion. He yelled, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention, and carved out the shape whenever he needed to, retreating to it when necessary.


    It wasn¡¯t very subtle, but sometimes people missed things in combat.


    ¡°Star Magic!¡± Ross yelled, wasting no time once the outline was complete. The ground around him started to glow absurdly bright, causing Mercury to cover his eyes. ¡°Supernova!¡±


    All of the light and the errant stars were sucked into Ross, causing the red half of his outfit to glow bright purple. His wand sword grew two times its size and changed to a searing white blue color. He swung it at speeds equal to Mercury¡¯s, and the very air split apart.


    The ninja tried, and failed, to dodge out of the way.


    An intense ripple of energy crashed against the sides of the arena as the ninja was stuck inside a ball of light. Due to the horizontal nature of the attack, it went over the sheep instead of striking them, though pain did wrack Ross¡¯ body when it came to the ones closest to Mercury. It was bad enough that he fell to one knee, though the animals eventually started moving away.


    After several seconds, the light faded, revealing a heavily breathing Orcish Magical Girl and a downed ninja. Ross stood and raised his arms in triumph, the act making him stumble back a step. I smirked.


    It was so good to see a plan come together.


    Mercury, against all odds, shifted. The Princess¡¯ blade glowed with the same light as the Orc¡¯s supernova had, and he gripped her haft tightly. Slowly, he started trying to stand back up.


    Ross, astonished that anyone could survive that, stared down in surprise before raising his foot and stomping down on the ninja¡¯s head. The Princess returned to normal when Mercury lost consciousness.


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The duel is over. The Ophiuchus faction wins!


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent Quest 6 Complete]]


    After a wonderful one on one battle, Ross Haverstein comes out on top! Sol Ligatus¡¯ reign over the Emperor¡¯s Ascent ends early as the undisputed strongest player in the scenario asserts his dominance.


    1,000 points goes to the Ophiuchus faction! Better luck next time for the newcomers.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Your boss was right about one thing,¡± Ross said, offering Mercury a hand as they sprung back to full hit points. ¡°You did not make things easy for me. What made your sword glow at the end there?¡±


    Mercury accepted the help up and held the Princess aloft. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. She¡¯s asleep right now, though. That¡¯s unusual.¡±


    ¡°Your blade is asleep?¡± Ross asked, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a sword spirit,¡± Mercury answered as he sheathed his weapon. ¡°Warmonger? You know what¡¯s going on?¡±


    My smirk only became more smug as they turned to face me. ¡°The Princess needs her beauty rest after a good fight,¡± I said cryptically.


    Jamie kicked my leg without standing up. ¡°That¡¯s not an answer,¡± she chastised.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± I chuckled, reaching down to rub where she had struck me. ¡°Thanks for the help, Ross! I promise that it¡¯s nothing detrimental. And well fought. I look forward to fighting alongside you in the cooperative room someday, so long as the condition Baltastasia forced on me improves.¡±


    Ross looked from me to Mercury as if trying to decide whether or not to be mad at my machinations before shrugging. He offered the ninja a hand. ¡°Good fight.¡±


    ¡°Good fight,¡± Mercury replied. There was a little bit of disappointment in his aura, but he took his defeat in stride. ¡°Next time, we¡¯ll be comrades.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Sounds good. Fighting you is really annoyi¡ª¡±


    The area around us warped and we were back on the mountain with the staircases to the second to last room before us. Mercury had been pulled close as there wasn¡¯t enough space for the original distance between us, and Bethany quickly jumped him for a hug.


    ¡°Okay, so now that Ross is gone, what¡¯s actually happening to the Princess?¡± Kayla asked.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± the ninja exclaimed, waving his sword in the air. ¡°What did that supernova attack do to her?¡±


    ¡°More like, what did she do to the supernova,¡± I corrected with a smile. ¡°And, if you want to know¡­¡±


    I leaned forward conspiratorially, and everyone else except Bethany copied me whether they meant to or not.


    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it when we visit your Patron tomorrow,¡± I finished, and I laughed as the guild shook their heads. I pointed at the sky with a shrug. ¡°What? I¡¯m not going to give away all of Mercury¡¯s secrets with all these watchers!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, alright,¡± Ash said, clearly disappointed as she started climbing the stairs. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving, then.¡±


    ¡°Not like he¡¯s going to change his mind,¡± Jeff said, trying not to pout. It was completely obvious, though.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not bad, right?¡± Mercury asked quietly as we were the last to start ascending.


    I threw my arm around his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s good, Merc,¡± I told him. ¡°Everything went according to plan, so don¡¯t you worry.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thanks,¡± he said, most of the trepidation he felt falling away. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to find out what happens tomorrow. Or see what happens when she wakes up.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be glorious,¡± I replied, letting my arm fall away as we climbed to the next destination. ¡°Promise.¡±

 Chapter 255

    Aries Floor 7, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 12:19 PM


    The newest challenge put us on a cliff overlooking the ocean. I breathed deeply, taking in the salty breeze as it washed over us. An unplowed field was nearby with a yoke and a pair of oxen milling about. Beyond that was a field of flowers, herbs, and weeds as far as the eye could see. It couldn¡¯t be seen visually due to the landscape, but there was also a cave leading underground amongst it.


    I stood and admired the sea with Jeff and Corwin while the others looked around. Their attention was immediately grabbed by the oxen as there wasn¡¯t much else here. They chewed their cud, studiously ignoring us newcomers. Aside from brass hooves, they looked like normal animals.


    Until one of the beasts snorted and sparks erupted from its nostrils. Not quite a full flame, but enough to give the game away.


    ¡°This is the story about the golden fleece,¡± Kayla said almost immediately.


    She wasn¡¯t the only one, though. ¡°Oh sweet, we¡¯re Argonauts!¡± Mercury exclaimed. He shared a glance with the Double Agent and gave her a questioning look. ¡°What? I love this story. I¡¯m here for it.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent: Aries Story Room]]


    Sol Ligatus Players: 7


    The story of Jason and the Argonauts is a tale for the ages, lasting from Greek antiquity to survive to the information age. Out of his journey, the Golden Fleece was perhaps the most memorable part.


    Landing in Colchis, Jason was promised the fleece by King Aeetes only if he could perform three tasks.


    The first was to yoke the Khalkotauroi, the fire-breathing oxen, to plow a field.


    The second was to sow the teeth of a dragon into the field.


    The last was to overcome the sleepless dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece, a terrible and powerful enemy.


    Everything you need to reenact or subvert the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece is here. It is your choice how to proceed.


    Objective: Obtain the Golden Fleece


    Reward: 1,000 points, Teeth of the Dragon, the Golden Fleece.


    <<<>>>


    Kayla glanced at me, but I pulled a chair out of my inventory and took a seat. ¡°I¡¯m hanging back, remember?¡± I asked. ¡°Feel free to give me a job if you want, but it¡¯s your call. We, and Mercury, know what needs to be done.¡±


    She nodded and turned to Jamie. ¡°How fire-proof are you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Thanks to my newest evolution, I¡¯m almost completely immune to fire,¡± she said proudly.


    ¡°It was a good use of the Saltation Jerky,¡± I replied, nodding my head.


    Even though there was no outward change to the Half-Dragon¡¯s body, she had chosen Enhanced Fire Evolution when offered. Not only was she immune to the vast majority of fire sources out there, only being affected by flames that specified they were something else, but she could also breathe it.


    It was something we were keeping under wraps for the time being. She wasn¡¯t fishing for Patrons so there was no reason to show off. Right now, it was a secret weapon that was hard to defend against when the enemy didn¡¯t know it was coming.


    ¡°Okay. Jamie, take Corwin to go teach those ox a lesson,¡± Kayla ordered. ¡°We don¡¯t want them injured, just tame enough to yoke and plow the field.¡±


    Jamie frowned and turned to look at the oxen, placing a hand on her hip. ¡°I could yoke them, but I have no clue how.¡±


    The Double Agent looked around at the rest of the guild. No one had extensive livestock experience, so I raised my hand. ¡°I can do it,¡± I offered. ¡°Won¡¯t even have to leave my chair. Jamie, you just have to get them side by side so I can get it on them, and then get them moving after that.¡±


    ¡°That sounds easy enough,¡± she replied with a nod.


    ¡°And whatever you do, Jamie, stay on the field,¡± Kayla warned. ¡°There¡¯s a dragon around and I haven¡¯t forgotten Ant¡¯s warning about how you being what you are is supposed to mess things up for us. If it doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re here, it can¡¯t take offense to your presence.¡±


    After a short pause, Jamie nodded. ¡°I suppose if we¡¯re not planning on fighting it, then that¡¯s a good call.¡±


    ¡°How are we supposed to get materials if we don¡¯t kill it,¡± Ash muttered, but it seemed like I was the only one to hear her.


    Jeff turned away from the ocean to look at me. ¡°Can you make sure Corwin understands what he¡¯s supposed to do?¡±


    Smiling, I turned to the Evolution Hound. Even though I had told his owner that I wasn¡¯t going to talk to his dog for him often, this was a bit of a delicate operation. Corwin gave me his undivided attention as I quietly explained what we needed from him. Kayla continued as I did.


    ¡°Okay. Once the soil is tilled, Mercury and I are going to plant the dragon teeth,¡± she said, nodding to the ninja. ¡°Everyone else should be off of the field when we do this because it¡¯s going to cause skeleton warriors to grow. If we¡¯re doing this according to the story, then we¡¯ll be the best suited for this part.¡±


    ¡°Even if we¡¯re not just throwing a rock,¡± Mercury added. ¡°We¡¯ll be doing invisibility and shenanigans.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kayla acknowledged before looking out at the field of flowers. ¡°While this is all happening, I need Ashley and Bethany to find herbs capable of putting a dragon to sleep. Preferably with something to spray it down with. I know some of us probably want to fight it, harvest it, etcetera, but I think we should stick close to the story for this first one to see how we do. Whatever the next Story Room throws at us, we¡¯ll deviate and compare.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a damn disappointment,¡± Ash sighed. ¡°Yeah, whatever. I¡¯ll watch the kid as she picks out whatever she needs to make the concoction. It ain¡¯t monster parts, so I¡¯m not going to be any good.¡±


    There was a pause as Bethany signed to Mercury, and he translated. ¡°She¡¯ll do her best. Making it an aerosol might be a challenge, but she¡¯ll do what she can.¡±


    ¡°We believe in you, Bethany,¡± Kayla said and signed with a smile, which the girl returned as she slid off of Corwin. ¡°Jeff, I want you to look for the dragon¡¯s lair. Don¡¯t go inside if you can help it, just let Ant know so he can tell if there¡¯s a dragon inside or not.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my queen,¡± he said, putting a fist over his heart in salute.


    ¡°Then, any questions?¡± the Double Agent asked, looking around the group. Everyone shook their heads and she clapped her hands. ¡°Alright, get out there and let¡¯s figure this out.¡±


    Jamie jogged out onto the unplowed field with Corwin transforming at her side. In the original story, Jason used an ointment to protect himself from the livestock¡¯s fire breath in order to get his task done. There was no doubt that the plants required to make such a thing were in the field, but having something like a Tea Witch, alchemist, or herbalist wasn¡¯t necessarily a given.


    The Khalkotauroi turned to face the newcomers while everyone else gave them a wide berth, heading to take care of their specific jobs. Both of the oxen stepped side by side. They threw their heads, stamped the ground, and small tufts of flames came out of their mouths.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Jamie said, clearly unimpressed by the display. ¡°You two are some of the least threatening things here, and I¡¯ve spent all day with sheep.¡±


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Neither one of them understood her, of course, but she continued to approach. Corwin, at her side, lowered his head. While not a sheep dog, he was smart and had learned a lot over the course of the morning. He didn¡¯t growl but maintained eye contact with the one he thought was likely to run off.


    Both of the Khalkotauroi opened their mouths and released a torrent of flames that blackened the ground. Fire rolled over both the Half-Dragon and the Evolution Hound. From the outside, they were obscured, but I could see through their breath weapons just fine.


    Jamie put her hands on her hips, eyes closed as the flames touched her but seemed to deflect off. Her plastic armor was taking damage, slowly becoming black, but it was incredibly sturdy. This much was fine.


    Corwin had started shaking like he was getting water off of his body. Lava seemed to drip from his hair, none of it falling to the ground but instead coating him like armor. He didn¡¯t need to put it on to become immune to the damage, but I had told him to do it for the coolness factor.


    Coming out of the fire breath clad in literal lava made for a great visual.


    After roughly twenty seconds of straight aggression, the Khalkotauroi closed their mouths. The surprise in their aura was tough to decipher, given that they had animal-like intelligence, but warranted. Jamie walked up to them, and they started backing up. Corwin moved behind them, nipping at their legs so they knew they couldn¡¯t retreat, and the Weapon Master reached up.


    One of them tried to gore her, but she grabbed their horns first. I watched as she strained herself lowering their heads. The other shot flames towards the ground, getting her feet, but she kneed it in the nose almost on reflex. It stopped, shaking its head from the blow.


    ¡°You going to yoke them already?¡± Jamie asked over her shoulder, raising her voice at me as she kept the two oxen still.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m working on it,¡± I answered.


    Even though the Khalkotauroi fought back, it was clear that they were starting to give up. My Peacekeeper¡¯s Will helped a little, not that I was going to say that out loud when I was supposed to be taking it easy.


    With practiced ease, I yoked the oxen and hitched the plow to them. Once that was done, Jamie let them go. They were sufficiently calm, so I dropped my aura and watched as the Weapon Master was suddenly distracted by something that popped up in front of her. She read it before swiping it away and positioning herself to the left of the beasts.


    ¡°Up,¡± she commanded, and the Khalkotauroi started meandering forward. Corwin moved to the right of the livestock, flanking them although it no longer mattered.


    With that taken care of, I turned my attention to Jeff. He was checking the fields for the Dragon¡¯s lair, but only along the outskirts. If he kept going in a spiral motion, Jamie would already be done plowing the field by the time he arrived. It really wasn¡¯t as far from us as he was expecting.


    So I used Pull on his jacket sleeve a couple of times, tugging him back. He stopped and looked down, expecting Bethany, but became confused and looked around. It didn¡¯t take long for his eyes to settle on me over the distance. I gave him a wave before Lifting his sleeve and pointing him in the right direction. My troubles got me a thumbs up from him and a click of the tongue from someone much closer.


    ¡°You just can¡¯t help yourself, can you?¡± Kayla asked, crossing her arms.


    ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m a helper,¡± I responded cheekily.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re going to get into trouble no matter where we put you. So long as you¡¯re parked in that chair it¡¯s fine, I suppose,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°But your majesty, he can probably just use his telekinesis to lift it up and fly around like some kind of really terrible throne,¡± Mercury pointed out.


    Kayla rolled her eyes before looking down at me. ¡°I¡¯d say don¡¯t give him any ideas, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need the seat to fly,¡± I scoffed, sticking my nose in the air. ¡°I can do that myself now. Haven¡¯t leveled it up yet since I didn¡¯t need it for the Soul Shearer, but I¡¯ve got it.¡±


    The Double Agent arched her eyebrow. ¡°That boss was scary enough to make you break and join the rest of us at the level cap?¡±


    ¡°What? I like challenges, I don¡¯t like dying. Seemed like a necessity, given the administrator threw a Reaper at me,¡± I reiterated, shouting it to the sky for the benefit of any Patron still watching us. I wasn¡¯t about to let them forget.


    ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯m tired of hearing you complain about it!¡± Jamie called from beside the Khalkotauroi. ¡°You won, get over it!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d best get used to it, because I¡¯m going to keep complaining until my soul¡¯s back to normal!¡± I shouted back. She threw me a rude gesture that I returned with a grin before looking back at Kayla. ¡°So, yeah. I¡¯m at level cap, too. Except for my flight ability, called Flight, which is still level 1. I¡¯ll up it eventually.¡±


    ¡°Flight¡¯s cool,¡± Mercury offered. ¡°I mean, I assume it¡¯s telekinetic and therefore not as cool as the six-winged Angel form you¡¯ve got, but it¡¯s still cool.¡±


    ¡°Sure is,¡± I agreed before tilting my head to the right. ¡°You¡¯ll find the dragon teeth by the cliff, by the way. There¡¯s a little altar over there behind those trees. Jamie doesn¡¯t have to prepare much for you all.¡±


    Kayla nodded. ¡°Mercury?¡±


    ¡°On it,¡± he said before disappearing in a flash.


    ¡°Jamie, take them off the field!¡± she continued, and the Weapon Master gave her a gesture of confirmation before leading the oxen away.


    Mercury reappeared, carrying a leather pouch that he was digging through. ¡°Only about twenty, I think,¡± he said as he dug through it. He pulled his finger out a moment later, having cut himself on one of the serrated teeth. It went straight into his mouth to stop the bleeding. ¡°Der sharh.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re sharp,¡± I translated.


    ¡°Yeah, I think I got that from context clues,¡± Kayla said, amused. ¡°You need something?¡±


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s just a small cut,¡± he replied, taking his finger out of his mouth to check it out. ¡°Thanks, though.¡±


    ¡°Found the Dragon¡¯s cave,¡± Jeff informed, having jogged back instead of yelling from the entrance. Which, all things considering, was probably the smart play. Corwin, free from his molten armor, leaned up against his owner happily. ¡°According to Ashley, Bethany only needs to find one more ingredient before she can make something to put the Dragon to sleep. She thinks, anyway. It¡¯s more charades than sign language over there.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, hon,¡± Kayla said, getting on her toes to kiss her husband on the cheek before turning to Mercury. ¡°Ready to plant some teeth?¡±


    ¡°More than ready,¡± he replied, dumping some out onto his hand to pass to her. Carefully this time.


    ¡°You three should probably find someplace to hide¡­¡± she started to say, but was cut off. ¡°Okay, Skuld says as long as you¡¯re not on the field you should be okay. I¡¯ll trust her on that.¡±


    When Jamie and Jeff moved behind me, the other two moved off to sow the teeth into the plowed ground. They weren¡¯t very careful about it, sticking them in the ground willy-nilly with no effort to space them out, but they didn¡¯t need to be. Not really.


    Mercury waited until Kayla was done, holding the last one up. ¡°It would probably be best if I do this alone, your majesty,¡± he said. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s no need for both of us to be in danger. Kinda easy since we know how the story goes, too.¡±


    The Double Agent looked ready to argue, but thought about it instead. I knew she wanted to do more for the team. It didn¡¯t feel like she was settling into the support role as well as she could, and I suddenly wondered if she was being pushed into it. Or perhaps delegated herself to it because someone got hurt protecting her.


    Maybe it was time for another talk.


    Either way, Kayla nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve got this, Mercury,¡± she said before moving back to the group. Jeff put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.


    Taking a breath, the ninja shoved the final dragon tooth into the dirt. I stiffened, watching the scenes in front of me with interest in case I needed to intervene.


    Mercury disappeared to all senses except my awareness aura, and the ground erupted when the warriors emerged. The Spartoi, which sprouted from the planted teeth, were serpent-like humanoids with green scales as thick as armor and slitted eyes. They held spears in their hands, as they were grown fully armed, and started looking around.


    Even though we were only about thirty feet away from them, their eyes glossed over us. It seemed as though Skuld was right about them only caring about what was on the field.


    Mercury pulled a big rock out of his inventory as he slowly walked away. Without turning around, he tossed it backwards. It hit the biggest one in the head, and the Spartoi snarled and spun in search of the one who hit him. Seeing nothing but its brethren, it immediately went berserk and started stabbing indiscriminately.


    The fight that ensued was both quick and horrible. Despite their thick scales, each one was strong enough to pierce through with their spears and well trained enough to do so. Blood covered the land as the Spartoi cut themselves down, reaping themselves like wheat to a scythe.


    ¡°Seems like some good spears,¡± Jamie noted.


    ¡°They are,¡± I agreed, relaxing. ¡°We¡¯re going to need to collect things fast, so be ready.¡±


    ¡°Is the Dragon coming?¡± Kayla asked, not taking her eyes from the fight.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s already been taken care of,¡± I answered with a chuckle. The others all looked at me, missing Mercury¡¯s final blow on the bloodbath¡¯s victor. I cupped my hands around my mouth. ¡°Chuck them in your inventory! Quick!¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent Aries Quest 6 Complete]]


    The Khalkotauroi have been yoked, the teeth have been sown, and the Colchian Dragon has been put to sleep. The Golden Fleece is, by King Aeetes¡¯ word, now belongs to you.


    One more room remains.


    Reward: 1,000 points, Pouch of 5 Dragon¡¯s Teeth, the Golden Fleece (Ashley Reilly).


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Ash?¡± Kayla and Jamie exclaimed at the same time.


    Mercury managed to get five of the Spartoi and their weapons into his inventory before we were transported back to the mountain. He was mid-heave, and almost fell over when the weight in his arms was suddenly gone.


    We all turned to Ash, who had Bethany hiding behind her, with a mass of golden wool fleece, green scales, and a couple of vials in her arms. She arched an eyebrow at us before tossing it into her inventory. ¡°Take a picture, it¡¯ll fuckin¡¯ last longer,¡± the Monstersmith said.


    I had to laugh as the other¡¯s incredulous stares continued. It was the only proper response, really.

 Chapter 256

    Aries Constellation, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 1:21 PM


    ¡°Alright, so let me get this straight,¡± Kayla said, her fingers massaging her temple. ¡°Bethany completed the Sleepytime Tea Draught and you, our Monstersmith and noncombatant, decided to use it to barter with the Dragon because the quest screen mentioned it was sleepless?¡±


    Ash had her arms crossed, but didn¡¯t look chastised in the slightest. ¡°Yeah, that sounds about right,¡± she confirmed. ¡°But, listen. There¡¯s no such thing as a Greek Dragon. They¡¯re all puffed up snakes and this one was no different. I can handle a damn snake. Plus, from the sounds of it, we weren¡¯t going to be getting anything off of it anyway. Materials, I mean. Put it to sleep, sneak around it and grab the fleece. That¡¯s what it sounded like to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because that was the plan,¡± Jamie said, her arms crossed for a completely different reason.


    ¡°Yeah, and that was a stupid fucking plan,¡± the Monstersmith argued. ¡°Snake or not, it was still a boss. Look, sleepless things want to sleep. It¡¯s not rocket surgery, okay? I said, ¡®hey, I can put you to sleep.¡¯ It said I couldn¡¯t take the fleece, and I told it that the stupid material was locked up anyway. All I wanted was some scales and some venom. Talked it up a bit about how no one would be suicidal enough to take the fleece. We made a wager, and he¡¯s sleeping pretty now wherever they put him.¡±


    ¡°Natural 20 to diplomacy,¡± Mercury muttered.


    ¡°Why¡¯d the Greek Dragon even know English in the first place?¡± Jeff asked, scratching his head.


    ¡°Why¡¯s there an oversized Greek snake in the Empire State Building?¡± Ash shot back. ¡°Doesn¡¯t have to make sense, it¡¯s just gotta work.¡±


    ¡°And it worked,¡± I chuckled, clapping my hands. ¡°Good work, Ash. I know you have some things to protect yourself with just in case, but try not to push it like that again just because you think we won¡¯t bargain with a giant snake on your behalf. Because I¡¯ll make Kayla do it since I¡¯m apparently grounded from doing anything at all while I¡¯m injured.¡±


    She frowned like she was going to argue, but I was being supportive and I didn¡¯t technically say anything wrong. ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± she finally said. ¡°I¡¯ll bring it up next time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied. ¡°Good haul, though?¡±


    ¡°Fuck yeah. Got about ten scales, which are a lovely shade of green, and a good amount of venom,¡± she answered excitedly. ¡°I really want to get back to the train so I can see what I can do with that and the reaper bone. Making something better than Killer Queen should be easy enough, but I think I¡¯m going to use something from those eels you brought, or perhaps shave something off of that slab of giant robot. Haven¡¯t decided yet. I¡¯ll need to see my options. Whatever it is, I¡¯m sure Jeff¡¯ll squeal like a little girl.¡±


    ¡°Man, I sure hope so,¡± he joked, patting the hilt of his rapier gently. Despite his words, he was still attached to it.


    ¡°But to get there, we have to finish up this last room,¡± Kayla said, gesturing to the door beside us. ¡°Are we all clear on the strategy?¡±


    ¡°Summers and Jeff are our frontline, Mercury attacks when he can. You¡¯re playing support, and I¡¯m playing defense. Ash and Bethany are staying as far back as possible with Corwin so they don¡¯t get caught up in the fight,¡± I answered. ¡°We¡¯re ready. Just gotta hope whatever¡¯s on the other side of that door is actually something fair.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Notice]]


    The Patron [Aries] assures you that the Boss Room has not been tampered with in any way.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°And Aries says it hasn¡¯t been tampered with, so it¡¯s probably fine,¡± I continued with a smile before wiping away the text box. ¡°I¡¯m inclined to believe him, at least.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not something altered, then let¡¯s get going,¡± Kayla said, opening the final door.


    The scene we teleported to was only superficially different from the one we had just been on. We were on a plateau with some farmland, a cliff on one side and a towering mountain on the other. A well built, rustic house was nearby, as well as the corpses of cows and goats with not a sheep to be seen. Snow fell gently but didn¡¯t stick to the ground.


    <<<>>>


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent: Aries Boss Room]]


    Sol Ligatus Players: 7


    A hunter lurks in the snow. Find it, and defeat it.


    Objective: Defeat the boss of the Aries Constellation.


    Reward: 2,000 points, Aries Emblem, Team MVP (First Clear Only).


    <<<>>>


    ¡°House is safe,¡± I said after checking the area with my aura. ¡°The rooms are empty, like they forgot to put furniture in it, but we can still fortify the basement.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you heard him,¡± Kayla said, snapping her fingers and pointing towards the house. ¡°Jeff, you¡¯re up front. Mercury, check the perimeter.¡±


    ¡°As her majesty commands,¡± they said at the same time, throwing each other an amused grin before they did as they were told.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    Patron Quest: Only One!


    This is where I¡¯d put a Patron Quest if I could give you more than three a day. It seems like I jumped the gun sending you one for the Rust Wolf Father. This would have been much better.


    Anyway, I want you to let them handle things and show off. The ratings for the guild have gone down to 24% for the finale, which really isn¡¯t bad considering there¡¯s 14 factions competing for attention. There¡¯s already Patrons going crazy for the chance to make someone from Sol Ligatus their avatar, having discussions and making bets. Make sure everyone knows to consult you first before selecting, because not all of them will have your best interests at heart.


    Either way, play defense and stay safe. Here¡¯s a challenge for you: you can only make one attack. I¡¯m not going to sit here and think you won¡¯t injure it so your items will level up¡ªyour pants are ready to be upgraded, by the way¡ªso just make sure you make it count.


    And, look at that, Mercury¡¯s already found it. Good luck.


    <<<>>>


    I sent off a quick message in Guild Chat about accepting Patrons and discussing it with me before turning to look in the direction Mercury had gone off in. He was running back, a shadow inside the powdered snow.


    ¡°It found me!¡± he yelled. ¡°It found me!¡±


    ¡°Corwin, run!¡± Jeff ordered, and the dog surged forward with Bethany on his back. He lifted the hand with the white and gold gauntlet on it, Crusader¡¯s Wrath, and blasted the door with a small bolt of fire. It caved in, and the two ran in with Ash right behind them.


    I stopped with Kayla as Jamie and Jeff passed us. If I was going to be on defense, then I could at least do it in front of the support. The Double Agent grimaced as she lost hit points, enhancing both of our frontline fighters with Noble Sacrifice before a magic circle appeared at her feet. She was going all in.


    Jeff had Killer Queen, his rapier, out while Jamie was rocking her new harpoon gun. She was aiming for Mercury, but there was no visual on the monster just yet. Based on the heavy footsteps chasing the ninja¡¯s silent ones, it would only be a matter of time.


    It hit my awareness aura before I laid eyes on it, which was strange considering my enhanced eyesight meant I wasn¡¯t hindered by weather effects like snow. I tried to focus on the boss, and my perception slid off of the space where it was. The second time I forced myself to, literally holding my head in place until the monster appeared.


    The damned thing was at least eight feet tall, humanoid, and covered in black wool. It had a hunch to it, and its long, thin arms dragged along the ground, its fingers nothing more than jointed claws. The beast had a ram¡¯s head with red and orange eyes, though one of its horns was broken and the other twisted out nearly a foot before coming to a deadly point. Even if I couldn¡¯t see it easily, I could hear the hooves stomping on the frozen ground.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have eyes on it!¡± Jamie yelled.


    ¡°Putting helmets on you, focus where I direct you!¡± I called out. ¡°Let me know when you can see them.¡±


    Three Constructed helmets appeared on Kayla, Jamie, and Jeff, and I used my Warmind abilities to move their heads. They didn¡¯t put up any resistance and I made them track the beast.


    ¡°I see it!¡± Jeff called out first.


    ¡°Got it!¡± Kayla said.


    Jamie pulled the helmet off of her head. ¡°Seen.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see it!¡± Mercury yelled. ¡°What is it!?¡±


    I let the Constructs disappear as Kayla pulled a log roughly the ninja¡¯s size from her inventory. Mercury quickly switched places, getting out of the way of the rampaging monster¡¯s path. Grabbing the top of his head, I turned his eyes to focus on the beast. He recoiled


    ¡°That thing¡¯s ugly!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Soon to be dead,¡± Jamie answered as she fired.


    The harpoon shot out of her gun with a loud pop, striking the creature in its chest. A wave of satisfaction rippled through her aura before it tore the projectile out of its wool, revealing little blood, and snapped it in half with a single hand. She made the motion to recall it, and the harpoon appeared in the gun again. It was fully intact, but she switched its mode as Jeff advanced.


    ¡°Devil Ram,¡± I announced. ¡°Not quite a Demon, but still something altogether unholy. Once its perception filter has been pierced it¡¯s a big beatstick with nigh impenetrable wool armor.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re supposed to use the Divine Shears on it?¡± Kayla asked, furrowing her brow. ¡°In a combat situation against a boss?¡±


    ¡°Supposed to? Yes,¡± I answered. ¡°Going to? No. I¡¯ve got something that¡¯ll work, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer right away, watching as Jeff attempted to stop the Devil Ram by using Triple Thrust with Killer Queen extended. His feet, which had been planted for a moment, slid across the ground as he accelerated faster than he could run. His rapier was aimed straight for the monster¡¯s heart, but the sword went into the black wool and bent in a way it wasn¡¯t supposed to.


    The Devil Ram brought both arms around Jeff, its claw fingers touching his back, and I activated Force Field over his Stinging Yellow Jacket. They tore through my defensive ability, but it held up long enough to prevent most of the damage from affecting the leather mad. The Queen¡¯s Knight backed away the moment he could, giving his rapier a lamenting glance before moving to flank it with Jamie, whose weapon was now a hammer.


    ¡°Hammer¡¯s not going to work, either, unless she aims for the head,¡± I explained loud enough for the frontliners to hear. ¡°The wool¡¯s just going to absorb the impact.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Kayla sighed. ¡°Do what you can.¡±


    With a grin, I retrieved an eight inch tube from my inventory. One side had a nozzle with a button on the lip, while the bulk of it was made out of glass and looked like it was full of water. I sent the description to Kayla before Lifting it out of my hand.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Holy Aquacutter


    This purified cutter slowly converts any liquid placed inside into holy water, and can hold up to 25 gallons in an extradimensional space. When used, almost anything within 3 inches of the nozzle can be cut given enough time. This item does not work on living tissue, except that of unholy creatures.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°You just happened to have that laying around?¡± she asked incredulously.


    ¡°Surprisingly, yeah,¡± I answered with a laugh before Pushing it away.


    Jeff shot a bolt of fire at the Devil Ram from his gauntlet, but it seemed to get absorbed by the black wool without damaging it. The act did get its attention, however, which allowed Jamie to try and knock it over with a big hit to its knee. That only somewhat worked; the boss buckled, but didn¡¯t fall over. Instead, it let loose a bellowing call and swung its arms together like a club.


    Mercury was suddenly there in her place, dodging backwards before slashing the monster with the Princess. The blade slid against the wool, pushing it in but only cutting it slightly. His might have been the weapon we¡¯d need to rely on to cut through its defenses if I hadn¡¯t lucked into the Holy Aquacutter.


    With Mercury backflipping to safety, I Constructed shackles around the boss¡¯ wrists. It tried to break free as it rampaged and lashed out with its legs, but found that the mental projection was stronger than it first thought. The Devil Ram was distracted and didn¡¯t notice the Holy Aquacutter flying towards its back.


    Pressing the button, it started spewing water out of the nozzle. The holy liquid disappeared after streaming for three inches, seeming to evaporate the moment it was out of range. In the short space where it did exist, however, madness ensued.


    The Holy Aquacutter started trimming off the wool as I alternated between Lift and Drop, and the results were immediately horrifying. The fibers still attached to the Devil Ram¡¯s body bled as if there were blood pumping through each one. An overwhelming metallic stench filled the air around the boss as it bleated in pain and rage, lurching forward to escape my tool.


    I didn¡¯t let it, and Constructed another set of shackles around its legs. These ones broke quickly, but not before the Devil Ram fell to the ground. I continued to shear as it destroyed the restraints around its wrists and stood back up. Its movements were easily used against it, and I simply had the Holy Aquacutter hover as it raised its body off of the ground.


    ¡°Is¡­ is that actually hurting it?¡± Kayla asked.


    ¡°Big time,¡± I answered as I started Pulling the harvested wool towards me to put it in my inventory. ¡°Devil Rams reinforce their coats with blood magic, so each fiber is like a little vein. It¡¯s actually a really interesting creature and a tough fight, normally. I¡¯m sure my presence here is really putting a damper on Aries¡¯ day.¡±


    The Double Agent scoffed. ¡°Because you¡¯re cutting through its armor like it¡¯s nothing?¡±


    I grinned as I started working on the boss¡¯ chest, ignoring how bloody my gloves had gotten as I retrieved more wool. ¡°A Devil Ram is strong, smart, and a good fighter, sure. I¡¯ll give it that. But its biggest advantages are its perception filter where you can¡¯t look directly at it until you¡¯re forced to, which would happen in the middle of the fight and not the beginning, and its armor. Then I stroll in, and I¡¯ve got Absolute Awareness and an item that cuts through unholy beings like a hot knife through butter.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re brutalizing the thing that would probably have been a scenario boss anywhere else because you¡¯re its direct counter.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a bit unfortunate, isn¡¯t it?¡± I lamented, my grin not faltering in the slightest before I looked up at the sky. ¡°This is dealing continuous damage so it counts as one attack, by the way.¡±


    The Devil Ram tried to attack the Holy Aquacutter, but I took evasive maneuvers. When that didn¡¯t work, it tried to flee, only to be blocked by Mercury. This time, he slashed across the creature¡¯s unprotected chest before it could attack him, and the strike was successful. The blade left a large gash in its wake, and the boss bellowed again.


    By the time the tool ran out of water, I had removed over two thirds of the wool on its body. What I hadn¡¯t grabbed yet was clumped up on the ground, and I continued to Pull it in along with the Holy Aquacutter. I¡¯d have to make sure I refilled it once we were back on the Angel Express.


    Kayla¡¯s big buff went off, coating the trio in a heavy glow that quickly disappeared. Their movement speed increased dramatically, and the Devil Ram was put on the back foot. With every slash of the Princess, it bled more. Every hammer swing broke bones. Its body was deteriorating as Jeff landed thrust after thrust, seemingly unperturbed by Killer Queen¡¯s slight bend.


    Even with an underpowered weapon, his debuffs were still scary.


    And then, almost unceremoniously, the fight ended with a Tenfold Strike to the Devil Ram¡¯s neck that cut all the way through. Everyone seemed to stop as they stared at the fallen creature, waiting for some trick that never came.


    Jamie crossed her arms, letting her hammer dangle from her fingers. ¡°Is that it?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say something about blood magic?¡± Kayla asked, turning slightly towards me but not taking her eyes off of the corpse.


    ¡°Yeah, but no one gave it any room to cast, so, it didn¡¯t,¡± I answered with an approving nod. ¡°Good work, everyone!¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Victory!]]


    You have contributed in defeating the Scenario Boss [Devil Ram]; +600 (2,000) points.


    [[Emperor¡¯s Ascent Aries Quest 7 Complete]]


    The Devil Ram, a fearsome beast considered just as dangerous as the famed Wendigo, has terrorized many homesteads in its time. With nothing most farmers can do but placate it and hope it doesn¡¯t develop a taste for human flesh, this apex predator does as it wills and nothing more.


    Until it has reached the Sol Ligatus guild. This creature, one of the strongest cryptids in the land, has fallen due to a divine trinket. To the victors go the spoils, and the door out of the Aries Constellation shall appear.


    MVPs: Sol Ligatus.


    Rewards: 2,000 points, Aries Emblem.


    [[Patron Message]]


    Hmm. I suppose that could be considered one attack, considering you never stopped injuring it once you started. That¡¯s tricky, though, and not really in the spirit of things.


    Still, I¡¯ll allow it because you¡¯re kind of cute when you¡¯re trivializing encounters like that. Or something. I suppose.


    Go through the door when it appears ASAP. I haven¡¯t been able to see Ross¡¯ feed since he went into the boss room and he was only minutes behind you.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Sorry, Sara,¡± I said with a sheepish smile.


    Glancing at the rewards, I took a breath. I knew that it wouldn¡¯t say if we got the MVP or not, but the fact that it wasn¡¯t there still caused me a small amount of anxiety. Either way, I wasn¡¯t going to pull my token out now for everyone to see. Instead, I pointed at the monster.


    ¡°Can you guys grab the corpse?¡± I asked, and Jamie nodded. ¡°Once we¡¯ve got it, then we¡¯ll head out. I¡¯m sure there might be something here worth using, but we have to be the first to the safe zone.¡±


    Beside me, a glowing rectangle appeared in mid-air. It quickly dimmed and solidified into a dark wooden door with golden stars forming the Aries constellation on it. I placed my hand on the handle and watched as it took both Jamie and Jeff to heave the Devil Ram¡¯s corpse into her inventory. It disappeared without a trace, blood smeared all over the two warriors.


    ¡°And here we go, to victory!¡± I yelled, turning the knob and opening the door, hoping that the Magical Girl didn¡¯t also trivialize his encounter like we did.

 Chapter 257

    Safe Zone, The Emperor¡¯s Ascent - 1:39 PM


    We climbed a set of stairs into a large, circular room made of polished gray marble that was open to the night sky. Instead of the Aries constellation prominently taking up the sky, every one from the Zodiac was shown here, each hovering over an open doorway along the walls of the room. Unsurprisingly, the Emperor¡¯s Ascent loomed over the safe zone like a constant reminder that we needed to keep climbing.


    ¡°Are we the first ones here?¡± Kayla asked, looking around. Her answer was almost immediately answered.


    <<<>>>


    [[Congratulations!]]


    You are the first faction to emerge from the Aries Constellation!


    Ophiuchus, your closest competitor, is currently on Floor 7, the Boss Room.


    Cancer, your furthest competitor, is currently on Floor 3, the Gathering Room.


    Taurus, the next constellation, will open when 10 of the factions have reached the Safe Zone.


    Reward: Full rights to this version of the Emperor¡¯s Ascent Safe Zone goes to the Guildmaster of Sol Ligatus, [Anthony Franklin].


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Just in the nick of time, it seems,¡± Jeff stated. ¡°Poor Cancer, though, getting called out like that.¡±


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s on purpose,¡± I said, putting aside the quest complete screen I received next. ¡°Their leader, Callie, is a Monster Gourmand. She¡¯s the only faction head that¡¯s got a crafting class, so she¡¯s probably making sure that she strips the floor clean of everything it has before moving on.¡±


    ¡°Smart, really. We should have done something like that,¡± Ash complained.


    ¡°If we did, then I wouldn¡¯t be receiving a boatload of points from Sara for being first or the world¡¯s most comfortable pair of socks,¡± I said.


    She turned and narrowed her eyes at me. ¡°Socks? Really?¡±


    ¡°And 40,000 points,¡± I added. ¡°You know, a standard boatload.¡±


    That made her pause before she shook her head and turned away. ¡°Need to get me a Patron,¡± she muttered.


    I smiled and opened the quest complete screen that Sara had sent me, giddy that it was finally here.


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Quest Complete!]]


    As expected from the Guildmaster of Sol Ligatus, you led your team of professionals through the Aries Constellation at breakneck speeds. Even the other most overpowered guy here couldn¡¯t match your guild¡¯s speed even after you stepped back.


    Tried to step back and ended up helping more, at the very least.


    But enough about that. You¡¯ve earned your moment of peace. The Angel Express is ahead and to the right, opposite of Ophiuchus¡¯ faction area to the left of the path back to the Emperor¡¯s Ascent. Either get some rest or prepare the area; the Safe Zone is ready to be molded by you.


    Excellent work, Ant. Feel free to bask in the glory for a bit.


    Reward: 40,000 points, Curse-Resistant Wool Socks.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°All right. Fantastic work out there, folks. Since we can¡¯t move on until the other factions start catching up, why don¡¯t you all go rest up in the Angel Express?¡± I offered, turning to gesture towards the doorway that would lead them to the train. ¡°I¡¯m sure Ash and Bethany are looking forward to taking a break before getting back to work. Everyone worked so hard, so it¡¯s well deserved.¡±


    As I spoke, I pulled out my newest reward. They appeared, one to a hand, as black ankle length socks. Nothing special, certainly.


    <<<>>>


    [[Item]]


    Curse-Resistant Wool Socks


    (+1 Dexterity, Comfort Plus passive acquired, Curse Protection passive acquired)


    [[Passive]]


    Comfort Plus


    Any piece of clothing with this passive will remain completely clean and comfortable no matter the circumstances.


    [[Passive]]


    Curse Protection


    When you are targeted by a curse, treat your stats as 1.5 times higher when calculating the curse¡¯s efficacy.


    <<<>>>


    And there it was. Comfort Plus in all its ambiguously worded goodness. The socks that were never dirty, always dry, prevented Grim Reapers from tearing my feet apart with their bony fingers, and were always the right temperature were finally mine.


    Ashley immediately tried to reach for one of them, and I snatched my hands back to my chest. ¡°What are you trying to grab for?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.


    She arched an eyebrow at my reaction before holding her hand out. ¡°Can I just fucking see them?¡±


    I took a breath, clearly hesitant, but passed them off while the others stared at me. Ash took them and flipped them over in her hands. She was clearly using some kind of scanning ability on it, and the Monstersmith nodded when she finished.


    ¡°I can make it better with either the Devil Ram¡¯s Blood Wool or the Golden Fleece,¡± she said, holding them up in both hands. ¡°If you can stand parting with them for a bit, you damned weirdo.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll keep Comfort Plus?¡± I asked hesitantly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure they do,¡± she answered.


    I swallowed back a sigh. It was just a little longer, and they would be better. I could wait. Yeah. I could. ¡°Alright. Go on, then. Just don¡¯t fall in love with them and refuse to give them back.¡±


    Ash rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, whatever. Don¡¯t make it weird,¡± she said before she started walking towards the train. The Monstersmith bumped into Jamie on the way, jerking her head for her to follow, and the other woman did so with only a moment of hesitation.


    ¡°Man, I am ready for a nap or something after all that,¡± Mercury yawned, stretching so much his back popped. ¡°I was kind of worried we¡¯d be off to the next one right away.¡±


    ¡°Nah, not yet,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯re taking it slow, remember? Go on and get some rest.¡±


    With a nod, the ninja led Bethany and Corwin through the door to the train, leaving me alone with Kayla and Jeff.


    ¡°I get it,¡± the Double Agent said. ¡°Comfort Plus is a hell of a drug, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you got it,¡± I agreed with a light chuckle. She had pulled an item with the passive all the way back in Etson. I had been jealous then and I was jealous now, but it simply wasn¡¯t in the cards. It¡¯s not like I could have worn the Queen¡¯s Brassiere, anyway. ¡°I¡¯m going to do some work out here. You guys go ahead with the others.¡±


    Kayla gave Jeff a look, and he nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go make sure they didn¡¯t mess with our train,¡± he said, patting me on the back before heading towards the door. ¡°Good work out there, Ant!¡±


    ¡°You, too, Jeff!¡± I called back, lifting my hand to wave at him. Shoving my hands into my pockets, I turned to Kayla. ¡°Planning on sticking with me, then?¡±


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Figured you could use your Deputy Guildmaster, yeah,¡± she replied as we started walking towards the center of the room. ¡°Plus, I want to see what you¡¯ll do with the place. I¡¯m sure a lot of people want to know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a little bit of everything,¡± I said as I looked upon my canvas.


    Even though the Emperor¡¯s Ascent loomed over the safe zone, there was no way to reach it. The large room was built into the ground with about 30 foot tall walls, but there was an invisible ceiling keeping us inside. There was a staircase next to Sol Ligatus¡¯ doorway that would allow people to move on to the next room. On the complete opposite side of the arena was another one, but this one was for people returning from the mountain.


    We stopped in the middle of the room and looked around. With a snap, I brought up my Safe Zone menu and started navigating it with excited movements.


    ¡°It costs points to make structures, of course, but we make it back through taxing the people and their transactions here. A modest tax, of course. Nothing outrageous,¡± I explained not only for Kayla but for the Patrons sticking around. ¡°Given that this Safe Zone will be the primary one for a few constellations, it can be quite lucrative. Especially since whatever we build here will be the base for the next one.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean that, if you spend a bunch of points here, the person who makes it to the next one gets those additions for free?¡± Kayla asked.


    ¡°Yeah, but that won¡¯t matter if we¡¯re the ones who make it there first,¡± I answered, putting my hands on my hips as I surveyed the area. ¡°Just consider it a little like base building, but for the good of the community as well as my wallet.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fair,¡± she responded with a smirk. Then, she placed her hands on her hips and looked around. ¡°So, what¡¯s first?¡±


    ¡°A memorial,¡± I said, letting my words spoil the mood for a moment. ¡°And then we¡¯ll get to the fun stuff.¡±


    Stopping near the stairs that people would be using to get back to the Emperor¡¯s Ascent, I used the search function in the menu to find what I wanted and brought it up.


    <<<>>>


    [[Safe Zone Menu]]


    You have selected the Memorial Obelisk for 2,000 points.


    This structure will automatically update with the names, classes, guild (if applicable), and factions of those who have fallen in the Emperor¡¯s Ascent in real time.


    Would you like to buy this structure?


    Yes


    No


    <<<>>>


    I hit Yes without hesitation, and the gray marble in front of me darkened for a moment before twisting out of the ground. Kayla seemed surprised, but I stood there calmly as the twenty foot tall black stone obelisk was pulled up and molded by unseen hands. It was smooth on all four sides, but the one we were looking at started being carved by an invisible chisel.


    Over the next few seconds, just over twenty names appeared on the obelisk. They were hard to make out until golden ink filled the holes and made it easier to read. I placed a hand over my heart and lowered my head.


    ¡°And already, people have fallen,¡± I whispered. ¡°I want to make sure the people taking on the next set of rooms don¡¯t forget how dangerous this place is. Hence, placing it in front of the stairs up, but enough about that. Next, my reason for staying here while the rest of you are adventuring.¡±


    ¡°You mean, aside from the fact that you¡¯re suffering from an affliction that has literally shaved away your life and magic?¡± the Double Agent asked pointedly.


    ¡°Uh, yeah, aside from that,¡± I answered with an unrepentant grin before turning around and walking towards the center of the room. She rolled her eyes but followed anyway.


    <<<>>>


    [[Safe Zone Menu]]


    You have selected the Training Arena for 10,000 points.


    This structure can be used to host fights with at least 5 members per team without fear of death. As the owner of the Safe Zone, you can default to the same rules that the Training Car in your Guildhall uses. When entering the queue, each member of Sol Ligatus gets a fast pass once per Constellation.


    Would you like to buy this structure?


    Yes


    No


    <<<>>>


    The floor shook as I accepted, and the stone in front of us started to sink. It segmented itself with concentric circles ending at different heights. Stairs formed downwards in front of us as the arena started to take shape at the very bottom. This was followed by rows of seats before the boundary for the fights was finally drawn in paint at the very bottom.


    ¡°So you¡¯re going to train people while you¡¯re stuck here,¡± Kayla guessed, not even bothering to phrase it like a question. ¡°That¡¯s very on brand.¡±


    ¡°Yup. And every Patron that doesn¡¯t mind the fact that I¡¯m part Angel is going to want a Sol Ligatus trained avatar,¡± I said. ¡°Which will continue to make me a hot commodity. Baltastasia¡¯s going to have a hard time dealing with them all if she makes another attempt on my life like that.¡±


    Then, smirking, I looked up towards the sky. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here for your entertainment, Patrons, but I¡¯m still a glitch. She wants to get rid of me, but I¡¯m still going to help any of you who throws an avatar my way. Baltastasia showed you all just how tough I really am, and those of you who stuck around saw how the youngest fighter in my guild stood up to one of the strongest guys here. So, you scratch my back by making sure she gets an earful any time she even thinks of assassinating me, and I scratch yours by training up your avatars. I¡¯m ready to fight for the sake of New York.¡±


    ¡°Is that wise to say out loud?¡± Kayla almost whispered, leaning in.


    My smirk lightened into a smile and I shrugged. ¡°Who knows? Baltastasia¡¯s not here to witness it, so she has no clue what I¡¯m saying. That¡¯s part of being a glitch. Either way, let¡¯s move on.¡±


    <<<>>>


    [[Patron Message]]


    You¡¯re down to 17% Patron viewership, but that¡¯s still really good for someone who¡¯s done fighting for the day. The Patrons who are sticking around are probably going to be gone once you¡¯re done building the safe zone.


    That said, there are a few that are taking umbrage with you talking to them directly like that, but your supporters are far more vocal than they are. At the very least, the prospect of having a Sol Ligatus trained avatar is very, very enticing. I don¡¯t need to tell you that, though; that¡¯s why you offered it.


    Gemini has actually reached out to me in the hopes that you could spar with Trevor for your first match. They both felt like your fight with the Rust Wolf Father was fun, so there¡¯s that, at least. A couple more have at least sent a message congratulating you on surviving the Soul Shearer, so it might not just be them that come to you.


    Either way, keep it up. You¡¯re doing great.


    <<<>>>


    ¡°Thanks, Sara,¡± I said as we walked around the arena towards the Sol Ligatus and Cancer doors. ¡°My Patron says it¡¯s fine, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    I stopped in front of Cancer first and pulled up the menu.


    <<<>>>


    [[Safe Zone Menu]]


    You have selected a High End Restaurant for 3,000 points.


    This structure comes fully equipped with everything you¡¯d find in a five star kitchen. Anything cooked here by someone with a chef or food adjacent class will see their buffs increased by 10%.


    Would you like to buy this structure?


    Yes


    No


    <<<>>>


    After I accepted this latest one, a stone building rose from the ground. It was rather plain, but that was by design. I would be able to give it to someone later and they¡¯d spend points rearranging and decorating as needed. This one was going to go to Callie Webber, Cancer¡¯s Monster Gourmand, once she arrived.


    While it was a little presumptuous of me to make this before she finished the first Constellation, I knew she would take it. Mama Callie didn¡¯t like it when people went hungry, and she especially didn¡¯t like hearing that people didn¡¯t make it back from missions because they weren¡¯t prepared with buffs.


    ¡°And now for Bethany,¡± I said as I moved in front of Sol Ligatus and went through my menu.


    <<<>>>


    [[Safe Zone Menu]]


    You have selected a Coffee House for 2,000 points.


    This structure comes fully equipped with everything you¡¯d find in a well stocked coffee house. Anything brewed here by someone with a chef or food adjacent class will see their buffs increased by 10%.


    Would you like to buy this structure?


    Yes


    No


    <<<>>>


    ¡°She wants to sell tea?¡± Kayla asked, confused as I hit Yes. ¡°Bethany never told any of us that.¡±


    Just like the restaurant, a rather plain stone building rose from the ground. This one wasn¡¯t as large but had a fenced area where a few tables and chairs could be placed. Even though it was technically a coffee house, it would serve our purposes just as well.


    ¡°We discussed it on the first floor,¡± I informed my second in command. ¡°She wasn¡¯t sure at first because she thought everyone would be the enemy, but once I mentioned they were rivals and not bad guys, she wanted to give it a shot. I¡¯m certainly not going to keep her from sharing our excess stock with people who need it, and she¡¯ll get paid for it. It¡¯ll be good for her to get out of the train and socialize, too.¡±


    ¡°And I assume you¡¯ll watch her from the arena?¡± the Double Agent asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°She¡¯s not exactly going to be great at customer service when she can¡¯t talk to customers.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll figure that out,¡± I replied with a wave of my hand. ¡°Once she has control of the building, she can set up ordering kiosks and all that fancy stuff. Then she won¡¯t have to do any actual talking. Not to mention, she could hire some help if she wanted. Bethany might be the only Tea Witch here, probably, but there¡¯ll be alchemists and potioneers as well. All depends on what she wants to do.¡±


    ¡°All right, so long as you guide her properly, then,¡± she sighed. ¡°Remember, she¡¯s only ten. It¡¯s a lot to put on her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot to put on all of us,¡± I corrected. ¡°She¡¯s one of us, and that puts her in a class of her own. If it¡¯s too much for her then I¡¯ll lease it out to someone who can handle it, but she still gets a chance. Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kayla agreed with a nod. She looked around the Safe Zone once the teahouse was done forming. There was still plenty of space all around the arena. ¡°You¡¯re going to be spending a lot of points, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I turned and surveyed the area with her, mentally putting together my vision for the area with a grin. ¡°Yup. And it¡¯s all going to be worth it.¡±