Sage_of_Eyes

Eroge? Bad Ends? Betrayal? I’m Just Here to Suplex Monsters through Buildings.

From the Top Rope (3.1)

…

Interlude: Asakura Hiyo, the Fiery Blade

…

I realized halfway through Keita’s list that I could only provide him with money.

After providing him with money, I did not realize that I had made a mistake until the appointed hour came.

As the distraction he decided to make was simple, systemic destruction.

“Blood hell, the lad’s mental.” Catherine whispered with awe as she moved through the chaos. Several explosions had resounded. Blooming flowers of fire and heat as followed by shockwaves. Improved truck bombs placed in key areas wrought death and destruction across the red-light district. “This is more than a distraction!”

“Keita is going to get himself killed! We need to get him out of the city!” Leona followed me as we stalked through the streets. Obscured from sight by Catherine’s magic, we went against the flow of screaming people, while all those who could see us responded to the attacks by heading to the source. Once they find no one there, they’ll launch a sweep… meaning that Keita was sure to have something else so that he’d be found. “Are we really going to just… keep going!?”

“He is fulfilling his contract, and this is his plan.” Mentally, I knew that he was a child. Daichi was lost, and we already knew that he existed. Our people could be extricated and saved before he compromised them further. Mother commanded me to prioritize killing him, but I could disobey with little punishment. However, instead, I hid behind that order. “The traitor must be killed. All efforts thus far can be undone if he remains and masters being a Devil.”

I also prepared myself for Alecia’s upcoming retort. Leona was practically just buying me time to keep the Vampiric Heiress with us.

Even in her silence, I could feel her disgust and rage at me. Her desire to do as Lady Hiyo bid her warred against her wish to go and save Keita.

“But… but… he’ll die!” Leona cried out, and I felt myself grimace as the three followed me into an alley. Every second counted. We kept moving towards where Daichi was last seen. The building was in sight, and there was a crowd outside it looking upon the chaos. We slipped through the front door, past the unattended halls, and I caught his scent. He was already underground! “Asakura!”

Leona reached out for my arm while I wrenched open the false floorboard.

The scent of death, decay, and lust seeped out of the tunnels.

“Mother.” Catherine hissed.

Both Alecia and Leona suddenly went still.

I didn’t.

Instinctively, I leapt down the ladder, and she followed me. Suddenly, Daichi mattered far less. A thick miasma clung to every surface of the tunnel. The very floors were covered in blood and viscera. Parts and pieces of multiple people were strewn in every direction. Still spilling blood. The monster that did it was close and on the run!

Daichi faded away from my mind, though Keita remained.

But only for a moment.

“This demon cannot be allowed to persist in the mortal realm!” I called up towards Leona and Alecia. “Make your choice now, but I know mine! This creature cannot be allowed to continue existing here!”

With that said, I ran down into the depths of the tunnels, whilst hardening my heart.

Keita had saved my life, and I repaid my debt to him by bringing him into battle and demanding he achieve the impossible.

It was a stain on my honor that I would carry my entire life, but at this very moment I knew that I needed to kill the creature Catherine called Mother.

Otherwise, countless people were going to die.

…

Honestly, I thought blowing up the Red Light District was an easy way to go out without any regrets.

After blowing things up, putting some explosives into several areas, and doing a shit ton of damage, I expected someone to show up and turn me into paste.

Or for someone to show up and force me to use all the explosives I rigged upon my body.

Instead, I faced death by a thousand cuts.

The security force from over a dozen enterprises rushed out and swept through the whole area in search of me. Clad in suits with security rooms filled with cameras coordinating them, along with the trackers and specialists, they located me within five minutes of setting off the bombs.

They entered the apartment I was in, swarmed through its halls, and found themselves hitting multiple booby traps. There were so many of them that they overwhelmed all of it. Tripwires with needle launchers killed dozens, only for more to advance. Makeshift claymores made with talismans and nuts and bolts took out hallways, but people filed in right after. The sensory talismans bought scrambled the brains of a couple, making them fire on their friends, but they burned out after twenty people.

In the end, I had to blow up the structure’s foundation and bolt out into the next room.

I barely had a moment to breathe before I got hit.

A kunai struck my helmet, and without the quick detach feature, it would’ve burrowed into my skull. Instead, my forehead got lightly gouged, and it skidded off my skull while taking my helmet off.

I responded with a kunai of my own just as I was hit, and thankfully the rogue who almost killed me didn’t expect a calf-launched miniature sun before it engulfed him.

I managed to grab my helmet, pry out the kunai, and put my helmet back on before breaking into a run.

I managed to get onto another rooftop before a whistle resounded.

A shrill, bird-like whistle that was more like the screech of a hawk.

A classic declaration to any ninja listening that their prey was found and should be converged upon.

Well.

Time to cut loose.

A running battle across the rooftops of a burning Red Light District against a bunch of inbred bastards who think they’re cool because they don’t have morals.

A fight that I wanted even if I was risking everything.

With that thought in mind, I turned my senses inward and focused on my insides, invoking my transformations within. Everyone worked hard on turning their hands to claws or spitting venom, but our transformation’s greatest gift was endurance. I felt a sharp pain in my chest as my heart shifted, and suddenly my entire body felt too tight. I spread the transformation throughout my body, strengthening organs, nerves, and then bone and muscle.

The first of my new pursuers found me just as my skin got strong enough to not rip apart with a move, and the rooftopshattered as I launched myself at him, grabbed him by the face, and smashed him into the next rooftop over. Skin and bone broke apart in my hand mid-air, and the slam into the next roof was just a double-tap.

I could feel my meager reserves depleting.

The last time I tried this, whilst not moving, I maintained the Inner Transformation for fifteen minutes.

Now, I was enhancing my body at the same time… So I gave myself four to five at best.

Thankfully, the rogue ninja arrived quickly, and I didn’t have to waste any time loitering.

Five blows thudded into my back and let the blow carry me forward. I broke the needles against the floor, not feeling any sting thanks to the padded shirt I wore beneath the vest. I sighted my attacker and threw my own projectiles at him, which he avoided by dropping past my sight line. Before I could blow a chunk off the roof, my instincts screamed at me, and I rolled again, and a sword suddenly sprang up from where I was suddenly before.

They were being tricky, looking to wear me out and kill me through a thousand cuts.

Unfortunately for them, I was more than happy to lower the property value by a lot more.

Digging into my vest, I produced a scroll, broke its seal, and guided its unraveling after throwing it into the air.

It bloomed like a flower, and the four dozen seals inside released explosive kunai in every direction.

Save for where I was at the flower’s ‘eye.’

Only half of the Kunai were of the Hiyo varietal. The rest were the ones I made for practice. All the practice ones with defects but that I could still use in a pinch. They stuck onto the rooftops of six buildings and hit the sides of three across the street.

Then, there was a series of explosions and screams, and a bunch of rogue ninja flared their internal energy and covered themselves in protective shells out of instinct.

I found the closest one and slammed into him, dragging him down with me onto the street and smashing through his mask with my fist as we crashed onto the pavement. The bulletproof mask gave way to hammer blows, and I finished him with an elbow to the throat before rolling off.

On my back, I sighted pursuers and fired at them with my kunai. They ducked into cover, which was engulfed by orbs of blazing heat, and I took the opportunity to find cover.

Only for me to freeze in place.

“Hm. Quite young for a terrorist.” The rogue ninja fell out of the sky in a multitude of pieces. A vampire stood in the middle of the street. He wore black pants, dress shoes, and a white shirt that was half unbuttoned. His hair was gold and eyes bright red. Power rolled off him in waves. A cleaver dripping with blood, probably purloined from a nearby restaurant, rested in his hand. “And, despite your methods, you’re killing the rogues. A distraction for another orthodox force, perhaps?”

His voice was smooth and deep, like the timbre of some wind instrument.

I stood up and faced him in the middle of the street, giving a bow out of reflex.

“I am. They are in pursuit of demons beneath the Red Light District.” I answered even though I knew my fate was sealed.

“Ah.” He raised an eyebrow and looked at me with slight interest. He almost actually seemed disappointed, too. “Honest work, then. Unfortunately, this distraction of yours has had unintended consequences. A favor that I have owed for centuries has been called.”

I figured that was the case.

The multitude of dead rogue ninja all around me told me that if we met under different circumstances, we’d probably not have interfered with one another.

“You won’t be pursuing my compatriots, then?”

“Did they prepare this assault with you? Were they knowledgeable of your intentions?” His voice carried a mystical echo that compelled me to speak.

Thankfully, the truth was perfect.

“No. I planned this long ago. This place needs to be burned to the ground. I found it disgusting the moment I stepped forth in it.” Now, I was sure that the vampire I was facing really did regret the situation. He probably agreed with my assessment, since he took the opportunity to kill the rogue ninja pursuing me. “They only knew that I was going to distract the forces here so that they could pursue the demons.”

“Then, my sworn favor does not need me to pursue them. Only you. Rest easy knowing that I will not raise my hand or search for your fellows, as they are separate from this… affair.” He idly gestured to the burning district, ruined buildings, and the numerous corpses around us. His eyes narrowed in my direction. “Farewell.”

My instincts told me to accept the cleaver aimed at my skull and the quick death that followed.

I refused them.

I raised up two kunai and blocked the downward strike that would obliterate my skull and brain instantly.

I felt something in my forearms creak and break, and immense pain shot up my arms while I was thrown back far into the street behind me.

I hit the ground, tumbling hard, and felt more sharp shocks of pain as I tried to recover until I managed to stop the breakneck tumble.

Clambering up to my feet, discarding the two broken weapons I used to block, I found the vampire the same distance away from me before he struck.

The meat cleaver he’d used was chipped and broken, so he tossed it aside.

“Surrender, and your death will be painless. If you survive, a far more horrible fate awaits you.” He told me simply while drawing a sword from his shadow. It glowed a faint golden light beneath the moon’s beams. Faint flickers of flame suffused it. I was really dealing with a super-boss or something. “I will remember your valor and your disgust at this horrible place.”

The pain within faded, and I felt my reserves dwindle to nearly nothing.

Regeneration, especially when it involved bones, always cost a lot.

I had very little time left.

So, I told him that.

“I have thirty seconds left. Enough time to try and fight and win. I won’t allow you to deny me that.”

“Run instead. Use what you have left to try and flee. If you escape me through trickery, my oath will be fulfilled.” The vampire stated swiftly after my answer. He took a step forward, and I felt like I froze from head to toe. “You are a valiant and pure soul. Live and fight for another day.”

It was an appealing thought, but running away… just didn’t sit right with me.

“After all this time, I’ve managed to summon the courage to get rid of something that disgusted me. To do something that I should’ve done the moment that I could.” I had hated the world I found myself in, but I’ve been a bystander for too long. I even took advantage of this place to get money after I left the clan. So, in truth, I was complicit. Now, for the first time after inflicting damage to this district, I felt good. “I’m not leaving. Not after you’ve killed these rogues. I can hit this place harder if I manage to win. So, I’m not backing down—”

I planned on using everything I had left, all my hidden weapons, and even burning up my life instead of internal energy.

Suddenly, I was flying backward, slamming into the wall with a sword cutting through my stomach, while both my arms and a leg flew off and splattered on the nearby sidewalk.

“Huh.” I managed a single word out just as an intense drowsiness swept over me. A heavy weight settled over my entire body, not uncomfortable, but insurmountable. Pain flared for a moment, making my heart race, but suddenly faded. I coughed while trying to breathe, and blood spewed out of my mouth. The effort it took to clear it was monumental, but I still managed a single word. “Nice.”

A golden-haired figure hung over me for a moment, even as my vision faded, but suddenly I felt something.

A bargain extending from his shadow and his blood.

With that in mind, I summoned all the strength I had left.

“No.” I managed, even if it was weak. “This… is mine. All of it. My soul. My body. My actions.”

It took me a while, but I managed to fuck this damned world over and stay true to myself.

I wasn’t about to become a vampire, living off the lives of others, and lose what I managed to regain in this final evening.

“I refuse it.”

The bargain and encroaching power stopped for a moment before fading away.

Then, a voice.

“Rest in peace, young warrior. Rest knowing your valor has secured your allies my aid. Those from the infernal realm here and now will be sent screaming back to where they belong.”

It was a better ending than I could’ve ever asked for.

Still, though, that wasn’t my last thought.

My last thought was the regret that I could’ve done more.

Everything began to slip away.

The great weight pressing down on me grew larger and larger as all sensation faded.

For a moment, there was nothing.

No sight, sound, feeling, or any other sensation.

Then, suddenly.

A flickering flame at the very edges of my consciousness followed by a heartbeat, then the low rumble of approval that drew me back from death.

Just before I had to endure the most pain and agony I ever felt in my whole existence, I ‘saw’ something at the edges of reality.

The silhouette of a flying serpent in storm clouds.

V12: Chapter 11

V12: Chapter 11

…

Interlude: Crusher

…

If I had one regret, it would be that I would not be able to see the start of our war against the remains of our ancestor’s foes.

The Citadel offered much. Even though I lost my power, it could give me back my youth. However, my body was corrupted beyond its ability to heal, as I held the blade for too long. Monthly visits became weekly ones. Soon, I would need to dwell in the Citadel and sleep in one of the healing chambers, taking up space that a warrior recovered from battle needed. In just a few more months, I will spend more than half a day in the healing chambers, and when that time comes, I will join my ancestors after saying farewell to my children.

They are strong, stronger than I will ever be, and I leave the Conquerors behind regarded as equals and cherished by a wise ruler. Sometimes, I wished that the Deliverer still lived. He would have helped advise the King of Wisdom. He would have been able to lessen the burden Jack shouldered and perhaps even secure a better future for our people. If I were a better leader, if he were in my place, then our people would never have been touched by corruption.

We would have more people, be stronger, and perhaps even have allies instead of subjects.

But I was not a better leader, nor was I the Deliverer.

Instead, I was a leader who could leave his work to trusted subordinates and a father who will leave his children with more than he had as a child.

As a leader and a father, I had no regrets.

But as a general, I wished that I could have seen the armies I helped forge wage war.

The army that now marched together towards our borders to secure them against the coming tide.

Eighty thousand troops.

A number that could be understood on paper but was staggering to try and comprehend.

But they marched right now, in lockstep, together in a long line from the camps towards the Citadel, where dozens of machines that can pull hundreds of carriages awaited them. Once I had asked Jack why he had cobblestone roads built to service the camps when dirt paths were enough, but now as thousands walked, I worried that even those roads would crumble.

Eighty thousand soldiers, each armed with their own firearm and carrying enough supplies for ten days. Each one clad in the same uniform, provided the same alchemical enhancements, trained to fight in accordance to their station, and with their mettle ready to be tested. Every hundred soldiers were followed by two cannons, each one with assigned horses, and carriages with ammunition. For every thousand soldiers there was a core group of officers, clerks, chefs, and messengers. Then came Conquerors, mages, and more after them.

In another four months, another eighty thousand or more will come forth.

Then, after another season, another.

How long before the army that Jack envisioned will come to be?

A force that will not just hold the line but push back against the entire world?

Some part of me questioned if this was not enough, especially with the machines that were being built to support them.

The order of battle for these new troops was something out of the golden age.

Thousands of soldiers maneuvering through the battlefield to find advantageous positions. Overlapping fields of rifle fire laying down steady streams of lead downrange into masses of enemy forces. Automatic firearms emplaced and fed with hundreds of rounds, stopping enemies in place and cutting through enemy lines. Charges by cavalry disrupted by grenades before being mowed down by smaller-caliber automatic weapons.

The main force was deadly enough, but mages would be supporting them, along with cannons. The army is present to deal damage and to keep the enemy in place, while mages and artillery kill them. Explosive shells will kill anything that holds against the deluge of bullets. Anything bullets cannot kill will be struck with speeding spears lobbed out of cannons made from Citadel alloys. Mages will be present to shield troops, debilitate the enemy, and when the opportunity is right, fire upon the enemy with their own spells.

Conquerors act as light cavalry and the vanguard both. A role that we were meant for. That we were created for. Every Conqueror was expected to master the long rifle, explosives, and the broad blade, as well as how to hunt silently and disrupt enemy supply lines. After that, they were to train in anything that they wished, so long as they could justify its deadliness. They practiced and warred against one another, sharpening their skills and finding new weaknesses and strengths as they did. In battle, once the enemy fled, they would be unleashed from their task of hunting champions and killing officers so that they could run down the enemy.

Then, finally, there was the final piece being crafted by the Forgers, who divested themselves of their chains.

Machines that flew faster, that could climb higher, and that could carry more than flying cavalry could ever hope to. They were to be armed with automatic weapons, carry bombs large enough to shame cannons, and dominate the skies. Their factory was already being built, the first prototypes flown and tested, and soon they will be our ultimate sword, while the aerial fortresses will be our ultimate shield.

Unbidden, a single word left my lips as I stared at the army that I helped train that now marched to the future.

“Magnificent.” The world slipped forth from my lips. I reeled back and placed a hand on my chest. My heart was racing, and I chuckled softly as I felt the urge to check to see if I was alone. It was unbecoming of a man my age, with all his hair gray and much of his strength long diminished. Thankfully, I was alone and able to continue looking upon the force that I helped create as they walked towards their destiny. The words I said to them at their graduation resurfaced. “Go forth and seize the world.”

Jack had merely suggested the phrase, but I knew in my heart that they were the perfect words to be said.

How can this army with all its fury and might do anything less?

…

Interlude: Riegert

…

Every day that I awoke felt like a blessing.

The memories of paradise were quick to fade after I returned, and since then I have cherished every moment of my new life.

Though a part of me wished to lay down my arms, to build or create something in celebration of my new life, I did not.

There were still too many threats for me to ignore.

Three knocks came upon my door, and I raised my head from the letter Ilych sent me.

“Enter.”

“Captain, if I keep finding you like this, I’ll report that something’s wrong with your head.” Oswald entered with an easy smile, and I rose as he gave a salute. I returned it before offering him my hand. He shook it with a grin. “Still surprised to see you sitting behind your desk, despite you being back for so long.”

“If you want it back, you’ll need to become a general.” I joked back, and he laughed before our hands parted. I gestured for him to follow me to the drinks cart. I partook more often now, mostly of new spirits produced by regional farms, but I also wore a charm that ensured I would not be debilitated by the drink. I was not after drunkenness. Just flavor and sensation. “I’ll write the letter to recommend you at our officer school.”

“You’ve written plenty of those. After you got back, you’ve been sending a lot of us away.” Oswald noted and accepted the brandy. Jack encouraged the sale of alcohol across our lands in state-run shops and bars. There people could be as inebriated as they could afford and be ready for work the next day thanks to a single pill produced by the ton in Citadels. Those who drank the most often were required on an off day to go to a Citadel for repairs to their body, however. Some grumbled at the requirements, despite death and deterioration being an outcome if they did not do as they were bid. “You’re at the training yard less, too. That fight did a number on you, huh?”

Oswald was concerned about my recent changes, and I considered his words carefully while taking a sip of the peach-based spirit I poured.

“As I died, my main concern was not being present to lead. We have more than enough military strength on the field, but without able leaders, without aggression, they’re little more than garrisons.” Oswald listened and took a sip from his glass. I made mine colder and found the bitterness of the spirit waning, and I offered to do the same for his glass. He accepted, and I returned the chilled drink to him. “We both know that the common soldier we now field is peerless, but the officers lack experience. They’re well trained, and they have strategies at their disposal, but there are times in battle when aggression and speed are the most necessary. That can be found in our expedition corps, and I want that spread across the ranks.”

“Sounds fair enough. More than fair now that you’ve explained it. But what about you not showing up at the training field anymore? The boys are asking when you’ll throw around whole squads again.” Oswald did not say it, but it was obvious. Rumors probably abounded about my brush with death. They probably wondered if I lost my nerve. Oswald speaking directly about the training field and my old practice was him advising me to do the same to dispel any rumors and concerns. “Aren’t you up to getting a bit rough?”

“I am, but time hasn’t permitted it. I’ve been practicing my magic most of all. That fight would have been better if I could have slowed the beast down, blinded it, or frozen its armor to make it easier to shatter.” Oswald blinked at my words and glanced at his cup. I couldn’t help but smirk a little as he sent a glower my way for forcing him to worry. I chuckled. “I’ll spend time with the troops again, don’t worry. I haven’t lost my desire to fight with them. I just need a few months more to relearn a few basics enough to use in battle. I’ve neglected a fair bit since I left the Academy.”

It almost felt strange to mention the Academy, since the nation that held it and the institution itself were now gone.

But I shook my head and looked at Oswald.

“The expeditionary corps will be moving to assist the Guardians in taking the Warden lands soon. Are they ready?” We were set to join the three other armies of our nation already there. It seemed like overkill, especially with the Guardians already making quick inroads, but the more power we brought to bear, the swifter the resolution of the conflict. That meant fewer lives lost on our side. “We’ll be helping secure Merchant, Forger, and Warden lands after, too.”

“Aye, they’re ready. Frankly, they’ve been antsy since coming back and being told there won’t be another one.” Oswald admitted with a grunt. “I think they’ve gotten used to traipsing around in hostile lands. They don’t think much of it.”

I raised a brow at his statement.

“Fair, given what we’ve faced, but make sure that they know what we’ll be fighting. The Wardens are beyond reason. They might even start throwing children at us once we threaten their Citadel proper.” Oswald grimaced and acknowledged my words with a grunt. No soldier wanted to be involved in a fight with children at the other end of the gun or spear, even if that child was willing to die to kill him. Even if the child could be revived, killing them took something away from a soldier. Something that Citadels can’t easily fix. “How are they adapting to their new weapons?”

The new rifle prototypes that arrived were a new iteration of the rifles they brought to test during the expedition. Use and testing with the new trainees at the camp brought improvements and new models of every weapon that we brought along. The changes seemed minor, but small changes to products produced by entire factories required a lot of planning and time. The recently trained batches of recruits will not see the changes that they requested, perhaps not even the next wave, since their weapons were already made.

“Nothing but compliments all around. Less jamming, easier to clean, and lighter. Means that they can carry more munitions.” During our expedition, we had to take the weapons of those who fell and use them for parts or simply as extra weapons once ours failed. We used all our weapons to the breaking point and expended all the ammunition that we brought with us. “They appreciate the new sights the most. Once they align it, they can hit targets farther than they used to. The new rifle’s shorter barrel doesn’t matter as much as we thought.”

“Good. Tell them to put the guns through their paces. Let’s put our own suggestions forward for the next batch.” The rifle now had a smaller stock and shorter barrel, as well as a thinner frame overall. The machined parts were all the same, but it was lighter as a result. Some of the troops looked at it with suspicion since it seemed more delicate, but Oswald’s statements made it seem that the new rifles grew on them after use. “Remind them that they can keep and maintain their current rifles if they don’t like the new ones, but every bit of weight removed from each rifle is more ammunition carried by every soldier and less material needed by the factory.”

“They might not need the reminder, but I’ll tell them anyway.” Oswald simply agreed and finished his drink. He looked at his empty glass for a moment before giving a smile and eyeing the cart. “So, are you busy learning magic, or do you have some time to spare for a bit more drinking?”

“I have time.” I confirmed with a smile of my own. My memories of paradise were faint, but one of the things I most clearly recalled was that I could not find those who remained. Ilych was not there, nor Khanrow, nor anyone else who I called friend. All of them were still fighting, and that soured it for me a great deal. Now, with the opportunity to spend time with them, I was determined to make the most of it. Even in the face of Armageddon. “You want a glass of the same, or would you care to try something else?”

“I leave it to you. I’ve got the tongue for drinking. Not the mind for it.”

We shared a chuckle at his joke, and I allowed myself to relax.

For now, instead of war, I focused on sharing a drink with a friend.

Point Zero: Of Gods Old And New: 8

Point Zero: Of Gods Old And New: 8

…

Commissioned by Ichypa

Word count: 2500

…

“It’s almost hard to believe people ate food like this normally before everything.” I stated, and Gwen gave a nod. We were still at the buffet. Surprisingly, our enthusiasm garnered positive attention. After the sushi section, we were invited to try Spanish cuisine, and we were seated next to several enthusiasts who were eager to share what they recalled from the past. “You’re saying there were entire swathes of land dedicated to just specific trees and animals?”

“Yes. Jamon Iberico. Hogs raised only in lands of acorn trees. They lived a handful of years before being processed, which took years as well. It was only thanks to large herds and swathes of land that it could reach dinner tables of even the regular people.” Rodrigo was a wizened man with scars all over his face, and he was accompanied by his wife. A former general who fought in Spain and was part of its government in exile before it fell. He apparently laid the groundwork for the reconquest of the peninsula before retiring after reaching the limit of his corruption. Gwen was happy to hand him and his wife a sample of the new drug she developed. A horn growing on his head fell off moments after application. Gwen, naturally, made two new friends. “I have one such facility now. It used all my funding to acquire it and regrow the breed, but the Intrepid finds it very delicious. I hope that one day it’ll reach the tables of regular people once again, thanks to their patronage.”

A leg of a hog smoked and cured in salt was being carved into paper-thin pieces before us. Striations of ruby-red meat between bands of faintly yellow fat were placed on lightly toasted bread. It melted instantly on the bread and faintly clung to our fingers as we partook with wine. The flavor was ham but with notes of nuttiness at the end. Every bite made the fat release a luxurious sweetness that was almost creamy, while the meat was smoky, porky, and salty and cut through the fat. The bread held a faint sour note, but the taste of wheat was the most present and provided a foundation for jamon to leap from onto greater heights.

Every bite made me want to go back into the past, before the Earth was brought to ruin, and experience life as it was then.

Life as Rodrigo had experienced it, but saw fall.

I was curious about the past, but I kept quiet and just accepted what he was willing to offer.

Gwen, despite her usual bluntness, also didn’t ask.

Though that may be due to her fixation on potatoes and squid of all things.

“This is amazing.” I was familiar with mashed potatoes. I even had the real thing, but not with seafood. The octopus was boiled for hours, grilled over a wooden fire, and then lathered in herbs, olive oil, and paprika to give it a faint red sheen. The red oil was draped over a golden mesh. I hadn’t tasted it yet, focused as I was on cured meat and bread, but Gwen was on her third plate, and her eyes were glittering. “I’ve never had octopus this tender before. The texture is almost like steak!”

Rodrigo laughed at her statement.

“It may as well be. Those tentacles are massive. They used to just be the length of a finger, and they used to only have eight of them!” Rodrigo grinned at Gwen’s enjoyment, while I took a plate for myself. The ‘tapas’ were assembled and placed on a large table where everyone eating at the section loitered. Specialties were on offer to be made upon request, but the majority of the food on the table was enjoyed at room temperature. “These new octopuses are also sweeter. Dangerous beasts, but their deliciousness is undeniable.”

Octopi were dangerous creatures. Smart enough to use tools and plan with their kin. Their short lives were a blessing; otherwise, they’d carve out territories in the oceans.

Oh, Gwen wasn’t kidding.

The medallion of octopus was grilled enough to give it flavor and for the outside to be slightly crisp. The texture was like tender steak, but it was solid and didn’t have striations. I was vaguely reminded of rubber, with a faint squeak to each bite, but it wasn’t unpleasant to bite through and chew. It gave way, releasing a faint briny and meaty savoriness, which was helped by the faint paprika spice and aroma from the thyme. The spice and savoriness from the octopus was elevated by the smoothness and butteriness from the prepared puree of mash, which fell apart on the tongue and gave the meat a background to dazzle even more.

A sip of bright wine after a single bite finished the experience, preparing the mouth for another bite, and I found myself drawn to the exotic combination again and again.

Before I knew it, the plate was finished, and I had to stop myself from getting another plate.

I only had so much space left.

“Ah, I haven’t had these in years. Seafood has always had so much genetic corruption. Now, with these purifiers, I can finally enjoy it again. It tastes exactly as my mother cooked it.” Rodrigo’s voice was filled with gratitude, and he smiled at faint memories. The chef overheard and gave a proud nod that Rodrigo returned. “Lady Elliot, if you have need for more investors, I’ll be happy to send you what I can. Just make sure that these are available for more than just soldiers!”

“I’ll make sure of it.” Gwen nodded with grave seriousness, which Rodrigo gave a light laugh at. He probably thought she was making a small promise, but I knew for a fact she was going to take all she could from him, then allocate some of the industrial output for what she was making for fine dining. The UN will make a fuss about the corruption reducers not being dedicated for soldiers, but I’m sure it’ll die down when more people can start enjoying and eating real food. “Everyone deserves a chance to eat real food.”

“I’m glad to hear that you think that way, young lady.” Rodrigo gave her a smile and then gave me a firm pat on the shoulder. “You’ve caught yourself a fine partner. Don’t lose her.”

I nodded and felt faintly embarrassed at someone we just met seeing our relationship so easily.

Was I that obvious?

Rodrigo must’ve noticed my embarrassment, because he suddenly called out to the chef.

“My friend, how long until the lechon!? We have people starving here!” I blinked at the sudden declaration. I didn’t see lechon on the menu, but I knew of it. It was a whole roasted big. An entire animal prepared for days to provide the most holistic eating experience possible of an animal. It was meant only for special occasions, especially since consuming a bioweapon in such a whole state practically guaranteed that one’s life would be ending soon. That wasn’t the case now. “If you wouldn’t mind, Lady Gwen, it would be very nice to have an evening of enjoyment without fear.”

It was obviously a way for him to get the word out. He was going to invest in her. This was a hotel filled with dozens of wealthy and influential people. This was going to be the talk of the town. People were going to invite us back just for a chance at getting to eat normal food without fearing genetic taint. Some part of me wanted to stop him, and it felt like he was taking advantage of Gwen, but I knew her.

While others would want to use their power and assets to further only themselves, Gwen had no issues with working within the existing system.

“I have twenty injectors here.” She stated simply. Each one could carve down five percent of total corruption from below fifty percent. After fifty percent, the cutoff point where deadly instinct took most people over, their efficacy faded. Twenty was theoretically capable of bringing someone below fifty percent after they hit seventy-five percent infection with full dosages. For a room of people nearing fifty, though? Twenty injectors were more than enough. “More than enough for everyone to enjoy, but I will need access to a medical fabricator.”

Hotel staff were eager to escort her to their pharmaceutical fabricator, while a buzz of excitement flowed over the entire room.

I took a moment to sip some wine and look at Rodrigo before broaching the subject.

“The UN will be interested in keeping the majority of production for their military.” I told him simply, and he nodded. “So, the plan is to get as many investors as possible and make sure there’s more than they need?”

That would make him exceedingly wealthy, especially if he catered first to the elite.

“No. The plan is to have enough for everyone.” Rodrigo’s reply and the nod from his wife made me blink. He was going to turn a possible monopoly that would elevate him to absurd wealth into a commodity? “We’ll entice those with influence and power for funding first, but this procedure should be available to all. Not just the military or the elite. We will all benefit from not having to fear corruption.”

I looked at him, and it seemed clear that he wasn’t lying.

I had a nose for it thanks to all the politicking I endured.

“Gwen will work with you then. Keep everything aboveboard and to the letter of the law, and everything will be fine.” Rodrigo raised his wine my way and nodded. I was tempted to toast to him, but I needed to stay neutral. “I’ll be keeping an eye on things as well, but you don’t have to worry about me too much. Only if you start taking advantage of her.”

Rodrigo gave an affirmative in reply, then Gwen returned with four waiters with a series of small pouches and capped needles ready to be administered.

The air in the room turned electric when even the staff and chefs were given dosages so that they could finally eat the meals they made as well.

Every eye was on Gwen, even as the whole buffet became flush with glee.

I idly wondered how the hotel will make up for the sudden voracious guest room, but my question was answered when expensive wine bottles began to be ordered at a ludicrous rate.

This was going to end up on the news, wasn’t it?

…

Apparently, the UN rewards Verdict commanders when they go to a restaurant in the evening and end up securing hundreds of millions to fund a massive pharmaceutical production plant.

“A modest pay increase and a commendation.” Gwen hung the commendation up in her office and looked at it with pride. The fact that she was going to be heading up a massive company that’ll provide a much-needed drug to the planet? Barely got her to blink. She shook hands, thanked people, and gave her contact information. She put aside the payment packages and said she’s primarily interested in getting as many treatment pens out as possible, rather than taking pay. “I did a good job.”

She also asked our investors to find members for the board who’ll focus on the work, too. Pay, but within nonprofit margins rather than for-profit. After it’s established, it could move to for-profit. The UN offered its support through subsidies until that time came.

Right, an official came halfway through the all-nighter.

They likely had to make sure that the commendation and pay raise were ready for the paparazzi in the morning.

“At the very least, you won’t have more work on your plate.” Everything was too high-visibility for anyone to take advantage of it now. Too many fingers were in the pie, so to speak, so if anyone took a cut bigger than needed, it could spoil the entirety of it. I had a feeling Rodrigo was the one who called in the UN, since he most likely retained a few contacts in the military. “So, with that over with, what’s next?”

Just like that, Gwen went into work mode.

“Stabilization of our region is in place, so it is time for improvement. We will be the first Verdict branch to participate in public outreach.” Gwen pulled up a few files, flung them to her work table, and they opened automatically. It was a far cry from the mechanized walkers that just arrived and were put to service. “What do you think?

I looked them over.

The first option of outreach was the reopening of community shelters. They used to provide places for people to set up classes, get together, and just play sports in. As things got more dangerous, gangs began congregating around them, violence increased, territory was claimed, and eventually they started getting targeted. Eventually they had to be liquidated with only the shells of the buildings remaining as armored emergency shelters, because they were set to be used by gangs as bases.

“The community centers are definitely a good idea. It shows change. That we’re in charge and the past is behind us.” They were monuments to the UN’s failures, and Verdict being appointed and making waves was meant to wash them away. “Top pick, honestly. It helps and polishes Verdict’s image.”

Gwen nodded but gestured towards the other two to get my opinion on them.

I saw the second one and just raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, that’s not happening. Who comes up with this sort of thing?” A media campaign focused on Gwen? Looking over it, they wanted to play up the Minos persona. Judge of the dead. Someone who brought down criminals. Her time was going to be eaten up by interviews and public events. “You should show up to an annual gala or something, but not go around as a celebrity. Even they do think it’ll inspire kids.”

“I agree.” Gwen stated and pushed the second option aside.

That left the third.

“Hunting expeditions with the military?” It seemed like a crazy suggestion, if not for the budget increase. We could expand our entire operation. Two new buildings with their own labs and hangars. More agents, more drones, more walkers. All for just a couple of expeditions. High-danger expeditions, but the rewards on offer were commensurate. “That’s an option. A good one, but you’ll be in danger. They’re hunting powerful bioweapons… but we’ll be able to build and expand after succeeding.”

I almost thought Gwen would agree on that point alone, but she made a quick decision.

“Money can’t be spent if we’re dead.” It was a stark and simple statement, but it was sound. “We’ll retake the community centers and show our worth to the people. It’s the most benefit for the least risk. It also saves time, which is in short supply.”

With that said, she selected the option and accepted it.

I almost fainted in relief.

The thought of losing Gwen almost gave me a heart attack.

Apocalypse Reborn: Another Again (Chapter 1)

Apocalypse Reborn: Another Again

…

The daughter of the Academy’s headmaster.

It sounded like a nice and neat position when one first heard of it. Not the princess of a kingdom, but someone high enough on the metaphorical totem pole that she couldn’t be touched. A good position that some recluse can use to avoid problems, especially because she spent years in her father’s small mansion trying to get a grip on her new world.

If not for the fact that the recluse managed to overlook it while ravenously trying to find out everything she could about the world.

That the academy headmaster is the unspoken ruler of the academy itself.

That I was their equivalent to a princess.

That the Academy would be more properly called the Empire.

I was the princess of the empire, and I spent my childhood doing nothing but studying and training!

Not doing a thing to connect with the people under Father’s thumb.

Not doing anything to get allies to prevent my future rule from being jeopardized.

Not doing anything to prevent someone from slipping poison into my drinks or a knife between my ribs.

So, when Father suggested I enter the Academy, which the empire used to train everyone with any talent and keep them under control, I had to do it.

 Even though I wanted to stay in my room, surrounded by servants, and just study and train… I had to do it.

I had to go out there, in a world where people looked at me like I was something that they could use or exploit, if I wanted to stay alive.

It sent chills up my spine, and it made my eyes water, but I grit my teeth and forced myself to do it.

Being afraid now would just get me hurt later, so it was time to be a little brave.

…

House Chester’s scion approached me on the first day with his full retinue. The typical heir to a noble house with lands that focused on producing wine and grain. He was blonde with blue eyes and between slender and muscular. A runner’s build. If I could work with him, maybe we could make distilled alcohol with some alchemists. But the way he looked at me when we first met… he could barely tolerate me. All his servants were maids and very pretty, too. 

A womanizer at best. Someone who led a life of depravity at the very worst.

House Borrel came the next day. Their house was focused on military affairs and provided troops and officers to the gates that led out of the empire. He was large and tall with a thick neck and short-cut hair with a scar across his nose. He looked at me like some horse that he didn’t particularly like but he would deal with. He had soldiers dressed up as butlers with him, and they eyed me up like meat. If I want to be with him… I don’t have anything to offer that a couple of scholars won’t be able to.

He was out.

Two routes down, but there were three left.

If there was anything good that came from my childhood years, it was that I didn’t need to train or be educated. My father in this life saw my ability to focus and pay attention and dropped tutor after tutor on my lap. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was a ‘Champion’ amongst the Descendants, but it was easier than I thought it’d be. Not to mention the fact that training steadily allowed me to grow strong ludicrously quickly.

Father told me that I was equal to an average graduate of the Academy, and those guys led whole mercenary companies and fought for the Academy. They engaged one another in combat, while the rest of the army fought. If there was an army with a Champion and one without a champion, the former would win without a doubt. My father made me watch a match between two champions. They devastated everything around them, more like anime protagonists than people, and if they were unchecked, they’d ravage normal armies without issue.

It was a strange thing to consider that even House Borrel’s scion wasn’t stronger than me, despite his looks.

Anyway, I was trained as a Champion at my father’s insistence, and I never saw my mother more than twice a year, so here I was.

A social wreck with the finest education and the ability to ravage armies.

Yippee.

I decided that meeting two heirs in one day was enough and made my way to the library.

I was surprised to find a kid there, at a table, surrounded by books.

Probably a new Champion that got picked up and who was doing the same thing that I did.

Well.

It might feel wrong, but getting into a future Champion’s good graces would let me have a backup plan. At the very least, I’ll have a contact who I could hire to save my life, if needed.

I opened my mouth to greet him, to introduce myself, and found my social tanks empty and unable to fuel a single word.

Then, I reminded myself of all the time I’ve wasted and that I needed a circle to work with.

But opening up a conversation all on my own—wait, I could just ask for a book!

“Excuse me, but may I ask when you’ll be finished with that book?” My words attracted the boy’s attention. He wore a simple male uniform fashioned off a modern suit. How formal wear in this world looked like back home. I had no idea, but I had a feeling that Ancient civilization might’ve been the modern world before it was destroyed. Or, maybe, something similar.  “I’d like the Ruins Volume 5.”

I almost swallowed my tongue when the kid looked at me.

It wasn’t the gaze of a kid. It wasn’t even like a soldier’s gaze. He was analyzing me, looking at me as if I was a threat, and maybe even as if I was some possible ally. Chills went down my spine. My instincts told me that this kid wasn’t someone that I could deal with without thinking. That he was more dangerous than both heirs I just met and that I needed to tread carefully.

And, of course, the fact that there were guards present that I hadn’t noticed and were now ready to kill me.

They wouldn’t succeed, but they were willing to die to try.

Who was this child?

“Usually, I would say that I will be finished with the book by tomorrow, and I’ll be back here tomorrow.” The smile he gave me was charming and boyish. Disarming in the extreme. Practiced, my instincts said, to do exactly that and distract me from his guards. I barely realized that I had been captured for a split second by words and actions alone. A split second that could’ve had me attacked if someone was any closer. “But you are the headmaster’s daughter, correct? Lady Coraline? Allow me to extend my gratitude for hosting me so well by giving this wonderful book to you today.”

Effortlessly, he made a light joke and smiled my way. My stomach did backflips, and I wondered if he was talking to someone else.

But I was being charmed on purpose.

This child was dangerous and someone who could have me wrapped around his fingers.

Thankfully, I didn’t have any pride to speak of.

“Thank you!”

With that said, I disengaged immediately and left with the book in hand.

That child was someone that I needed to avoid!

…

House Clapham’s heir seemed like a reasonable enough choice for an ally. Mostly because they were under my father’s thumb.

I asked my father for people who could support me, and he immediately obliged with a clerical family’s son.  He was a mousy, quiet boy with good grades who was ready to do whatever I said. Having him around was more for the sake of showing that I could lead, rather than any merit that he had, though. Some people would look down on me for getting help, but it worked with my past as someone who preferred books and staying out of the limelight.

With the straw-haired boy following along, I managed to summon the will to attend various after-school get-togethers.

It ranged from small tea parties to practice duels and even events hosted by houses on behalf of good relations.

Each one was a headache. I had to wear a different outfit to each one to showcase my family’s wealth. Mother came through for me and sent a whole wardrobe and servants to deal with makeup and presentation. Jason was good enough at etiquette to take the lead, so I just had to nod and curtsy while he did the introductions. For the most part, I did my best to converse with people, get a feel for things, and rub shoulders without looking too desperate.

I never saw the child in any of the parties, and I wondered if he was just always in the library.

But an errant, passing statement regarding him reached my ears.

He was apparently a ruler of two ancient castles from beyond the Academy’s reach. Ancient, magical castles that could make golem soldiers and provide food and water to large amounts of people. He got the first one because a warlord/champion found him worthy of it, and the second one he took from the Children of the Elm, which were Fae-like creatures that abhorred all other life on the continent. Despite his looks and his charm, he was a warlord that had the loyalty of at least three Champions, and he was here to learn all that he could before returning to his realm.

Father didn’t mention him as a threat, so I could only guess that he was taking to the lessons well, especially since he was apparently a bit of an Ancient enthusiast with how much he was delving into the ruins all around the Academy.

They were all scoured long ago, but he was still visiting them, so I could only guess that even warlords had their quirks.

Anyway, time passed a bit, and I slowly formed a little clique around me.

Enough for me to summon the courage to approach one of my potential husbands in the future.

House Randall was the head of the sole, true army under the Academy’s command. A force of over ten thousand professional soldiers. Shock troops, mages, and an aerial knight all supported by steadfast infantry. Mercenary forces on retainer gave that core army of the Academy flexibility, but in truth they were weapons added to augment the sheer force that the army could provide. Not only that, but there were detachments and reserve forces that could be called up or rapidly retrained to bolster the number to nearly three times over.

If I could secure House Randall’s aid, if I could marry the house’s heir, then my future would be assured.

So, I prepared my first tea party and sent an invitation to him.

I learned as much as I could of him ahead of time. Not just his preferences in tea and pastries, but also in his goals. He didn’t attend the Academy proper but instead trained in a military school that was adjacent to it. He was not a Champion, but a general who would lead them and regular people. His grades said that he was a good student, and with a little bit of father’s help, I confirmed that they were earned rather than bought.

He went to the red-light district often along with his classmates but went to higher-end establishments and didn’t ‘share.’

Outside of that, he and his family didn’t have any ongoing engagements.

I had a feeling that Father wanted me to find him on my own.

Though as I waited for him to arrive, sitting and sipping lightly on a cup of tea to calm my nerves, someone passed by.

Someone who I couldn’t ignore.

“Lady Celia.” I stood up and gave a curtsy, while she returned a bow. She had a plaid skirt and blouse on as well as a dress jacket. A girl’s private school uniform. If she wasn’t such a stickler for the rules, I’d bet that she’d be wearing pants. Her hair was pulled back into a severe ponytail, and she seemed more serious than her profile had depicted. She was the leader of the Guardians of the Moon, a military faction that persisted since the destruction of the Ancients and who had holdings in our north. Multiple houses with multiple powerful Vampire Lords. If she could muster the wealth to meet the demands their honor set forward, she could call upon them all. A force that could overturn the whole continent, and now they had an Ancient castle that provided wealth steadily and deliberately. “It is an honor to meet you.”

“The honor is mine, heiress of the Academy.” She returned the curtsy and met my gaze. A confident smile played across her face. She stood with an honor guard of knights in shining armor. How many of them were normal people and not undead with countless years of training, along with unnatural strength and durability? I knew better than to assume that they were not all. “I’m enthused to find myself in the same year as you. I look forward to working with you in a few decades.”

The way she mentioned decades was the same way I would say months.

Past the youthful and beautiful visage, I had to remind myself that this young woman was older than me.

“I am glad to hear that. I am also pleased to know that the Guardians have acquired their own ancient fortification. Are you working towards another after your forces have recovered?” I inquired, and she seemed surprised. She probably suspected that the Academy wouldn’t be pleased with a ‘threat’ to their power. However, the Guardians were just too honorable and straightforward for that to be a worry. “Mayhap, you could match the so-called King of Wisdom’s fortifications in number?”

The moment I mentioned the child I’ve been avoiding, Celia’s confidence wavered.

Not something I would’ve noticed in my past life, yet it set off alarm bells in this one.

“It would take more than I currently have, but seizing another Citadel could even the odds greatly. Jack is more than he appears to be. I believe even now he works to ally with the Conquerors and add their Citadel to his set. That will empower them both.” I froze at her words. Multiple Ancient fortifications under the same control made them more powerful? Celia must have noticed my surprise. “You were unaware of that? “The King of Wisdom’s holdings in Citadel output alone are almost thrice my own. Even united with the Conquerors, we can barely match him.”

That would mean… that would mean…

One Citadel supported with enough people was enough to equal the Academy’s industrial output.

That meant the kid I met had almost three times the industry that we did!?

Apocalypse Reborn: Another Again: Chapter 2

Apocalypse Reborn: Another Again: Chapter 2

…

After gathering more information that was untouched by the lens that the Academy was the greatest polity on the continent and its supreme rulers, I found more information on the King of Wisdom.

A child that guided armies through the outer realms of the Academy and impossibly ensured that they remained whole and hale despite all the dangers.

A child who was appointed king by a dying warlord who just met him days ago.

A child whose tactics destroyed the Children of the Elm even though they had a Citadel of their own.

A child who was making inroads towards making an alliance with the Conquerors of the Desert. Conquerors who were typically ambivalent towards Descendants due to their enslavement were engaged with them in trade with open borders.

That was just what I managed to gather from my political contacts.

From the merchants that I had ties with, the news was even more grim.

Factories manned by people were popping up in both the regions that he held. The Children of the Elm’s former lands were being administered by a merchant champion named Sarala. The rare and prized spices and reagents from the outer realms were being cultivated and sold in massive amounts. Our merchants were making profits, and we were reaping the taxes, but they were buying the stuff from the King of Wisdom, and the number of new products popping up that the Academy was devouring was already eye-watering.

Everything from spices to makeup and even alchemical reagents of the highest quality were being purchased by the ton. They only had to grow it and make sure they had stable supplies, while we handled shipping costs, storage, sales, and taxes. They needed sunlight, water, and land that they had in abundance, then everything could be harvested for… for nearly nothing!

Apparently, they were already moving away from money, because their primary currency was Citadel production output. Gold and silver coins minted by the Academy were useful to them as a means to purchase raw materials. Raw materials that they processed in factories with machines produced by the Citadel, which we couldn’t hope to match. The merchants only saw products, but behind it all was a supply chain and workforce that we already couldn’t match growing even larger.

Not to mention the fact that our money was already considered inferior currency in the new economic superpower rising on our border!

Everything I learned from my past life told me that the King of Wisdom was someone that we needed to bring to our side.

Someone that we had to ally with as equals.

Father, however, thought differently.

…

“Industrial capacity cannot match institutional knowledge and standing armies.” Father tapped the paper I wrote. It held all my sources. Going around for the better part of two months talking to people was something he noticed, but I presented him with my initial findings, and he permitted it. After another month, I assembled everything in a neat report for him to go over, and he read it over in a day and decided. I really wished that he had spent more than a day on the report before coming to a decision on the matter, even if I did trim everything down to just twenty pages. “That is without considering the assets that we have that they cannot match, such as our ability to train Champions, along with all the mercenary companies we can hire.”

“Industry is still industry, Father. Every factory that they have has hundreds of people in it who are capable of supporting thousands.” The Academy had a guild that artisans and skilled workers worked under. Requests were made through guilds and fulfilled by their members. Guild membership was treasured and competitive, giving us the pick of artisans and skilled workers, but across the nation their combined output in processed materials was in the hundreds of tons per year. A dozen suits of plate armor a month was incredibly good against the outer realm’s one or two a month, but that wasn’t the case now. Pikes and bolts were being mass-produced, pikemen were being covered in Citadel Alloys, and apparently everything was being delivered through the air! “Not to mention, with the amount of wealth flowing within their lands, they can hire champions until they are capable of training them themselves!”

“Whatever armies they amass will be smashed apart by our own. They will be green, lacking in magical assets, and be torn asunder by a coordinated army. Let alone one supported by a multitude of mercenary companies.” Father stated with a shake of his head. I couldn’t refute that fact. Even with Citadel Guardians in play, what he said was true. We had the sheer number of bodies needed to seize those Citadels. It would be bloody, but we could. “Not only that, but they will fight amongst themselves for control. Four more will rise, and then the outer realm will be engulfed in truly immense amounts of bloodshed, as it has always done.”

Precedent.

I hated it, since I knew that was my father’s preferred form of reasoning, thanks to the Academy’s undisputed rule over centuries by following precedent.

I wanted to argue against his point, but my time with him was limited.

“Then, please, allow me to befriend their current ruler and see if we can bring them aboard to our faction. Let us take advantage of this change and bring the benefits of the Citadel to our people.” My words had him raise an eyebrow, but he didn’t interrupt. That was a good sign. Whenever he interrupted, that was a clear sign that line of conversation was effectively over. He was the head of the Academy and my father. Speaking against him was foolish at best, and at worst I could see him pull support from my endeavors. “If we capitalize on him, if we can have him conquer the rest of the Citadels for us, wouldn’t that be for the best? He will look to us for teachers, clerks, and more, and we can turn him into a figurehead while controlling whatever he creates.”

Father was silent for a long time at my words before a smile formed on his face.

“I always worried that you didn’t have the ambition needed to become the next headmaster, but hearing this? I know that you are well suited for the task. Go and bring the boy under our wing. I’ll see to it that none raise a fuss about your actions.” Father’s words had me bow in thanks, but I knew that it was a foregone conclusion. The Academy will never treat the Citadel masters like allies. I chose my words carefully. I said ‘bring aboard’ to signify that I wanted them standing with us, but Father stated ‘bring under our wing’ when he gave his permission. Conflict was all but guaranteed, because when the Citadel users finally outstrip us, we’ll try to bring them down… and we’ll fail. “Ah, that’s all the time I have for you today, my child. Go forth with my blessing.”

I bowed and thanked him, even as the taste of bitter defeat lingered on my tongue.

I needed to find another angle to this.

…

Celia raised an eyebrow at my request.

“You wish for me to form an alliance with the King of Wisdom and the Conquerors? The Conquerors I understand, but Jack’s people are a different matter. They have committed systemic destruction of the Children of the Elm.” As far as I could tell, most people thought that was a good thing. Celia’s lack of vitriol regarding the statement also made it clear that she felt similarly. But it was probably casus belli for the Guardians thanks to their societal foundations. They maintained and held standards left behind by the Ancients. “Our current plan is to join with the Conquerors and see them defeated. The new age of the Citadels cannot be led by those who would cleanse whole populations and destroy populations as their foundation.”

The words didn’t hold any ‘oomph.’ Celia was practically reciting lines from a script.

Basically, she could be convinced.

“I have been given latitude from my father to bring them under my wing. Rather than allow them to do as they wish, we will guide them.” That made Celia’s eyes brighten with ‘understanding.’ She was hearing what she wanted to hear. That the Academy was stepping up and guiding other Descendants. “If we fail, we would like your aid. It would lessen the burden on the Academy greatly if the Guardians of the Moon were in control of such great treasures and used them for their noble cause.”

Before my very eyes, Celia sat up straighter and practically preened at all my praise.
Father said that vampires craved recognition. Countless years of diligence and duty made them desire it. The praise of their peasantry was to be expected, but to be acknowledged by those with authority and power was something that they yearned for. We called for their aid sparingly across the academy’s history, but they came each time for little more than public acknowledgement, trifling riches, and goodwill.

If Celia were a boy, I’d honestly consider marrying her, but that wasn’t in the cards.

“I see. The Academy’s intentions are noble. I believe that they are worthy of supporting, and I believe that the council will see it in a similar manner.” I gave a smile and a nod of gratitude at her words. Each one practiced. Each one showcasing deference to her. Not submission, but gratitude. The smile on Celia’s face was almost tooth-achingly sweet. “Hm. You will need to be careful around Jack, however. His title is well-earned. There is no class here where I am his better, and he peruses your library at a truly breakneck pace.”

Suddenly, she leaned forward and briefly looked like a young girl gossiping rather than a champion who led an entire nation.

“Take care if you wish to bring him to your side romantically. The council will not look favorably upon a union between a boy his age and a young woman your age.”

I couldn’t deny my intentions fast enough.

I’m desperate and want to live, but not desperate enough to woo a child!

…

Jack’s schedule was, frankly, insane.

He attended classes and breezed through them. He had two champions training at the same time, Ilych and Rita, who were keeping up with their respective curriculums. Meanwhile, every class that he took, he passed within weeks and spent his time reading instead. He joined his two Champions whenever they went out on combat missions to test themselves, while also leading them and a detachment of troops in the underground beneath the Academy. When he wasn’t studying, participating in combat practice, delving into dungeons, and more, he was speaking with merchants, blacksmiths, alchemists, and more.

The fact that he had a mansion with servants was the talk of more than a few of my circles. They turned their nose up at the thought of a barbarian king trying to pretend he was wealthy. The truth was, however, that the servants and the mansion were all necessary for him to spend every waking moment effectively. Sure, he took some days off, but they were after almost two weeks of constant work. I tried his schedule for a day, with my own staff notified and ready to support me, and I was left struggling and barely awake. The next day I was practically comatose.

I had to double-check that he was truly a regular Descendant, and the fact that he was… was terrifying.

In the end, I took great care to discern what I could of him before moving forward.

That was my mistake, as suddenly, he found an ancient golem during one of his excursions.

And I found myself in front of him with orders from my father to put my plans into motion, as he now saw the King of Wisdom as a threat in earnest.

He pulled out all the stops, inviting him to our private garden at our home for tea, which was a mark of high status. Anyone who complained in our ranks was silenced, while he informed me that failure was not an option and that no one will see what occurs in the garden.

I almost wished that he meant that I should make the child my fiancé, when in fact he wanted me to kill the boy to take the Golem.

Even if it meant waging a war against the loyal people who remained at the Citadels under his control.

I dressed myself with a possible battle in mind; my status as a champion was held in records as a supportive one, even though my father had me train in secret. Ilych and Rita were to remain on family grounds, but Father had his own champions sneak in through hidden passages.

If we couldn’t bring him under our wing, then we would kill him and his people, go to war, and take the golem for ourselves.

Not even considering the possibility that we couldn’t win.

Not even considering the possibility that the Conquerors might help them.

Everything was suddenly going wrong.

Then, he arrived with the Golem.

I blinked at the sight of the too-familiar face from another life on the Golem’s face, stunned for a moment, then he suddenly looked at me with more interest than ever.

“Huh, you recognize Ayah’s face… but you haven’t been active properly.” English. English words streamed out of his mouth towards me while Ayah looked at him in confusion. That was 2B’s face. Tanned and with black hair, but definitely 2B. I suddenly felt dizzy and managed to sit down, and he took a seat in front of me. His eyes were sharp. “It looks like your starting area was the Academy as its heiress, but where’s your power? Do you think you can just inform the Academy last minute and let them win?”

“What… what do you mean?” English almost felt foreign to my tongue, but I managed to get the words out. Jack studied me, meeting my eyes, before his mouth opened in astonishment. “What do I need to warn the Academy about?”

He rattled off a name, and he sighed and leaned back when I didn’t recognize it.

He was silent for a while before speaking again.

“Alright, we have a lot to talk about, but first thing’s first: we have four to five apocalypses coming our way. This is a real-time strategy game where millions die within the span of a decade.” Those words were enough to rattle me, but then he pointed my way. “The Academy is the first to get wiped out, because it’s the center of power for the continent. We need to work together, or we all die.”

If I wasn’t reborn as a superhuman, I’d probably have fainted from shock.

The Northern Noble is a Grinder (Volume 2: Chapter 7)

The Northern Noble is a Grinder (Volume 2: Chapter 7)

…

 Commissioned by Sivantic

…

“Hm. Looks like it’s about time.” Lord Trelawney’s remark made me pause as I finished making sure my arms and armor were ready for my next patrol. Alice and Chloe just signaled their imminent return after intercepting a particularly large band of foes. “I’ll shatter this little thunderstorm they’ve got brewing, but after that they’ll charge in thinking that all three of you guys are winded.”

I barely managed to parse all his words before he sauntered out the room while I followed.

In the sky the clouds were swirling and growing darker. A great and terrible assembly of mottled gray and black clouds spiraled in the air. The wind outside picked up and leaves began to be ripped from trees into the sky.

Lord Trelawney opened a tall window and the howling of wind struck me like a hammer, yet I felt no magic in it.

The howling winds were merely a secondary result of the spell, yet if I strained my ears I could hear the strain of wooden buildings and branches to stay where they were.

Lord Trelawney looked at it unimpressed.

“If you’re conjuring a lightning storm, just don’t. All that wind, water, and movement is a waste. Too many steps for firepower that you get. Just heat the enemy with heat. It can’t be destabilized. Just ablated.” He hung out of the side of the castle and held onto the window frame with one hand. With his other hand, he aimed a finger towards the sky. “Watch. I’m just going to hit it with heat and you’ll see what I mean.”

There was no declaration.

No words.

Only power converted into heat and propelled towards the building storm.

The tops of many trees came alight, dry leaves burning away in an instant, while living leaves had their surfaces singed. I could not see the ball of heat he generated, but I could grasp its size. It was about the size of the entire castle, and the shape of an immense orb. In its passing steam formed and flowed over the entirety of the forest and castle, the defenses of the castle activating to protect us from its hissing bite, while the orb sped towards the gathering storm.

It collided with the forming spell in the sky, there was a moment of stillness, and suddenly… the dark clouds came apart, swallowed by a truly immense amount of steam, and that steam began to fall from the sky. It cooled as it fell, turning into droplets, and for a single moment a great deluge engulfed the castle and its surroundings.

Then, in horizon dominated by the sea, a great power surged.

Aigen came to mind in an instant. Though I never truly fought her, she used her immense power to intimidate others. That overbearing strength and might, still potent even after a botched spell of immense power, was a declaration of wrathful intent aimed squarely upon us.

I trembled as the wave of power washed over me, until Lord Trelawney suddenly gave a hum.

“Hm. About as strong as I expected, but a few more helpers than I thought. I’ll give you guys a hand to keep things nice and fair.” He aimed his hand towards the horizon. Then, in an instant, there was darkness all around us. The same darkness was blasted away as a small orb of light formed at the tip of his finger. A perfect sphere of compressed light harvested for an instant. “This sort of attack is weak, but the benefit is that usually only the best can dodge it. It’s useful.”

The duke spoke of his spell as one would a particularly interesting weapon in a wide arsenal, before unleashing it.  

A thin line of light surged forth from his finger and connected him to the horizon.

One moment there was an orb, then the next it was simply where he willed it to be.

Then, it returned to his hand, lessened, and with the life essence of another clinging to it.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

The beam of light surged five times in quick succession before he cast it high in the air with a yawn. Each time it returned the life of another clung faintly to it before disappearing. There was no sound, no vaporization of water or destruction of the air, only the traversal of gathered light lashing out and striking down individuals at an incredible distance.

“There you go. The fight’s way fairer now. You guys should do fine.” Lord Trelawney turned my way before idly looking back towards the horizon. I became aware of a wave of pure power that could smash the whole castle apart just before it slammed into the fortress. The forest west of the castle was obliterated. Trees became nothing more than splinters and the earth was gouged out like it was caught in the wake of an immense battering ram. The earth shook, dust fell from every crevice of the castle, and a sound close to the clap of thunder echoed in my ears. But the castle remained unmoved and Lord Trelawney was unimpressed. In fact, he seemed downright frustrated. “Damn, I shouldn’t have killed those supporters. Whoever they’ve got is young and stupid. The fight was already fair.”

He grumbled and I felt a wave of relief almost wash over me until he suddenly pointed at me.

“No heat magic. I want you to land the kill with light only. Wind if you’re not confident enough.” I wanted to argue against his sudden declaration, but my argument died as he glared at me. “You want my help if things go south? Then, do as I say.”

My shoulders slumped at the sudden demand forced upon me, but I mustered up a meagre showing after summoning my courage.

“What do I get if I succeed, then? I am no longer your student. If you want me to go through such a trial, then I deserve compensation.” His glare stayed for a moment after my declaration, before a satisfied smile of a teacher with a now-learned pupil appeared on his boyish face. I felt a damnable heat come upon my face at his ridiculous treatment of me. “Coming to our aid if we face death something you can demand, but the hazards you demand of us—

“Full furnishings for three bedrooms from my own castle. All made from the highest quality material from the North.” I almost accepted his terms instantly. Suddenly, the thought of facing such a powerful foe without my most potent magic didn’t seem that harsh. I was going to receive the furnishings that I needed to rest with ease in exchange for fulfilling a single request. Not to mention the fact that if we failed, then Lord Trelawney will intercede on our behalf. It took all my might to not immediately nod as I noticed he was not finished. “And, one artifact selected from my armory. Just one and the three of you will decide what it is and who gets it.”

My mouth suddenly went dry at the enormity of the reward that we could call ours.

His grin was almost child-like at my silence, while I did my best to try and form a plan around the challenge that lay ahead.

…

Interlude: Anisette, Demigod of Love

…

The immensity of the invasion fleet was something that I only truly understood once I laid my eyes upon it.

There were hundreds of boats stretching into the horizon. The high cliff coast which they sheltered in had shelters being carved into the rock, while many boats were being lashed to sheer cliffsides. Landing on the beaches invited reprisal from Lady Argelia, Chloe, and Alice, so they made do. Larger boats acted as the foundation, intricate scaffolds of rope and wood were assembled to lash them against the cliffside and the sides of their hulls were opened so that they could serve as points of entry into the stone cliffs. Smaller boats were being dragged into them, disassembled, and used to create infrastructure.

How long before this force created a fortress embedded into the land?

They were already using the displaced rock from their carving and mining make a small cove for their ships.  Not only that but, they had vessels dedicated to fishing, and I recalled that they looted smaller villages and towns of everything that they could carry. The large hulking ships that they first made use of also must have carried more than just warriors, but also material. The uniformity of the ships, the speediness of their construction, and their rugged endurance in the face of their failed initial landings all suggested that they have invaded other lands before.

This was a dedicated effort to invade our lands and to continue to ravage it.

“There, that ship at the center that’s covering the main fleet and the construction. It’s emitting a lot of magic.” Alice was clad in a hooded, furred cloak that shimmered and melded with the shadows. Her eyes were sharp and I could faintly tell that she was suffusing them with magic. A dangerous action that could result in her eyes exploding, if not for her inherent toughness. With strengthened bodies, we could all more easily use power within ourselves without harm. “There’s also a massive carcass on it. Probably what they hunted and sacrificed for their ritual.”

I followed her pointed finger, seeing nothing for a moment, until I also enhanced my gaze.

Father had taught me to always be careful with magic, to always make sure it went outward, but now those lessons held me back. My three companions were all using it without thinking. It made perfect sense. All our bodies were more than capable of withstanding the trifling amounts we now suffused it with.

My gaze sharpened and extended. I saw droplets of water in ocean mist, as well as the faint ebbs and flows of glittering magic awhirl in the air. Motes of light that swirled with wind and water both in myriads of glittering colors changing from one to another with every heartbeat.  It was beautiful and wonderous, and made me wish for a brush, but such luxury was beyond me for now.

Instead, I looked upon a carcass.

“It is a smaller version of the creature that I had slain.” The shape of the beast was the same, but it did not have my foe’s size and scars. All three of my companions turned to me, while I looked upon it. “The kill was a long one. I see many scars and harpoon marks on the body. They must have expended many lives to get it.”

“They kept their elites untouched and sacrificed the regular soldiery. I would say it’s despicable, but if they wished to remain strong to ward us off, they had no other recourse.” Chloe wore armor, but not of steel. It was leatherlike but had a metallic sheen as it enrobed her body. A helm made of metal not known to me covered her head, while a fluttering cape hung from her shoulders. One hand had a buckler while the other rested on the pommel of her sword. A one-handed mace hung from her hip and she also had a spare dagger. “My lady, you said that Lord Trelawney struck out against their elite forces five times?”

“Yes, and each time his light returned touched with the life of another. He complained that he slew more than he planned. Are only outnumbered three to one instead of four or five.” Lady Argelia was clad in a red dress and a pointed hat with a wide brim. Charms and jewelry hung off her, while a black cape hung from her shoulders and fluttered in the wind. A lady in silk and lace that would not seem out of place in a ballroom. Still, though, I could tell that each ring, bracelet, and trinket on her person was meant to protect her in one way or another. A resplendent sorceress who would have been empress one day, if not for a single man’s desires. “Anisette, you will need to focus on fighting against the guards while Alice and I take on their anchor. Chloe, I want you to help her, but only as long as you can keep the rest of the group off us.”

Chloe gave her assent while I nodded.

I was clad in steel armor. Fitted plates that faintly glittered. The artifacts I bought from Lord Trelawney felt more reassuring. I could bend the steel that new garbed my frame and even pushing a finger through it if I held it still. Against my newfound strength, it provided as much protection as paper, and it would give the same amount of protection against my new foes. My new foes who were soldiers, trained and skilled, and who fought for their nation.

Fear arose from the depths of my stomach, despite all my newfound strength.

They looked different from us. Lizard-like and bestial, but they were undoubtably not without traditions, tactics, and training. I was to face individuals who may have trained their whole lives to fight against people like them. People who were chosen for their talent in defeating others in combat and who were ready to kill. They have prepared their whole lives to kill or be killed.

Just like Lady Argelia, Alice, and Chloe, they were ready to take lives or have their own be taken.

I realized what Lady Argelia meant when I was not meant for this, that this wasn’t my duty, and that I should be recompensed even if I was willing to fight.

Being willing to fight monsters and being willing to fight against soldiers was a wholly different matter entirely.

It took me a long time to summon the courage and nod, and I was sure that all three of my new companions noticed in their silence.

However, before Lady Argelia could speak, another presence appeared behind me.

For a moment, I thought it was Lord Trelawney, but then when I looked it was something else.

A being covered in innumerable curses, grudges, and dedicated entirely to vengeance. I saw armor for mere moments, but the curses were alive with flickering black tongues of flame that resembled grasping hands. Being in mere proximity to it made me flinch and back away in fear, and my heart stopped when Lord Trelawney’s voice came forth from the shell of curses pretending to be armor.

“I will strike first. Be ready.”

Then, before I could speak out, he extended his hand towards the fleet in the horizon and unmade it.

V12: Chapter 10

V12: Chapter 10

…

The Forgers died with a whimper, overwhelming force winning the day, and with three Citadels, the Guardians moved against the remainder of the Wardens.

The Wardens couldn’t break the road that I built, even before the output of three Citadels bore down upon them, despite the fact that they could call upon their armies again and again.

They were going to be smashed apart, their temples burned, and the threat they posed to the nation destroyed.

It sucked that I couldn’t get Ninth under my control and that all the Citadels weren’t going to be under my command, but the outcome was acceptable.

Every Citadel under myself and Celia was going to be at max level.

They were going to be large enough to not rely on geothermal taps but instead start automatically launching solar collectors at their very tops. They’ll clean up what scraps remained in orbit and eventually even create harvesters that’ll bring in resources across the entire system. Nothing high energy. Slow-moving drones with solar sails that’ll drag in materials for the Citadel to use.

Presumably to fulfill their endgame goal.

Capturing all the Citadels was a military victory available to all factions, but lore suggested that they were more. Power collectors for a massive project, probably to create the second generation of Divine Engines, after abandoning the first. It made sense, since even with the full output of all the Citadels cranking out Citadel Guardians, there was no way that we’d defeat all the crises.

I went over the numbers with Ayah.

We could smash through them, but they’ll find strongholds and natural chokepoints and hold out until their industry comes online. A unifying threat would have them ignore one another and focus on us. Their population was in the billions, and they were close to industrializing. Flooding their lands with parts of automated machinery and Citadel Alloys and galvanizing them against a common threat would have them advance swiftly and decisively. They’ll build infrastructure on faraway colonies and safeguard it with their fleets, while the Sahuagin keep us from building our own fleet.

They had the entire world at their disposal.

In five years, they’ll have the industry to leverage it, and their industrial output will increase at an exponential rate. Losses will decrease, lines will hold, and they’ll entrench.

In ten years they’ll start pushing back against the Citadel Guardian tides, using artillery, armored vehicles, and veteran troops.

Twelve, and they’ll be at our doors with an army we can’t match with our own industrial output and population.

Killing them all using conventional warfare, or just straight up unleashing tidal waves of Citadel Guardians, was a simple but incorrect solution. There was no way to defeat them without spreading Red Mist or resorting to nuclear weapons.

That’s why I was going to fill their societies with Iterant infiltrators that’ll conduct espionage operations on a massive scale.

That’s why I was killing off their slave populations and goading them to fight against one another.

That’s why I didn’t intend to make Citadel Guardians in massive numbers but instead improve my industry and technological lead even more and have them continue to send expeditions against us. Instead of having to confront the full might of four superpowers that had claws all over the planet, I would have them fight against one another, or at least keep troops on each other’s borders. If I could have them kill each other in full-blown wars, that would be ideal, but I doubted that was possible unless the Iterants displayed some serious espionage skills.

Finally, with the DLC I never played came new endings, more technology, Champions, and… probably a DLC crisis.

One that’ll oppose whatever victory could be gained from having all the Citadels under one’s command.

I had my suspicions that they were going to come from above.

The ones that wipe out the planet if we use too many nukes, since so many players went ‘nah, I’d win’ with those endings in the forums.

The devs made a fucked-up, super-op crisis faction to make them eat their words.

Wouldn’t doubt them doing that for a second, since they’re the best.

Anyway, though the Wardens were going to be brought down, there was still a lot of work to do.

Hopefully, though, I’d get a year to pad out my army, finish up fortresses, and set up a quick-reaction force to help the Guardians. They weren’t going to rebuild fast enough, their current army was bloodied and needed time to recover, and finally, they were taking in the Merchant, Forger, and Warden populations at the same time.

Alas, as always, the reward for survival in this world was the chance to survive and struggle against more threats.

…

Interlude: Celia

…

I expected the path to the Wardens to be a difficult one.

Their miracles were immensely effective against the lesser undead that we called upon to make up our numbers. The Ancients had made it affect us due to the rebellion on the moon, which was one of the first calamities that struck them. Before they managed to quash the rebellion, they had to deal with the dead rising across the world incessantly; thus, the miracles that they left to aid us in our march to the future were devastating against our lesser forces.

I was prepared to replace our frontline with Citadel Guardians, to dig and wait while relieving the forces that Jack had sent to keep them from flanking us while we took on the Forgers, but that plan unraveled because of his foresight.

Where there was once nothing, there was now a fortified road that led halfway through the territories of the Wardens.

Bought with his own people’s lives.

A sacrifice that I could not ignore.

“Be wary, master. What honor demands of you may be too steep.” Zenith counselled me, and Catherine nodded alongside her. We rode on horseback with the vanguard. Our overwhelming superiority in troops supplied by the Citadel was expected, but the road allowed us to concentrate it further. We decided where the battle was waged; therefore, we could leverage our overwhelming numerical superiority. The ambushes and partisan tactics I expected to slow us were nowhere to be found. “The King of Wisdom has made this road to show his goodwill in your current alliance to all your troops. The viral attack on the Forgers showed it to your generals and elites. This shows it to your troops.”

Mallory and Christine followed closely on their own spectral steeds.

Both my Champions grimaced at Zenith’s words.

“It is not helped that the same road is filled with their supplies and their own papers. The troops walk on a road bought by blood, eat food provided by the King of Wisdom, and receive news of the continent when they’ve been starved for it for months.” Christine had the right of it. The pace of our campaign had been breakneck.  Barely a year to take the Merchants and Forgers in succession, and now barely two seasons to take the Wardens. That took its toll. Our soldiers marched with light packs. We had to forage and take from the supplies of those we defeated. Equipment broke down, and some waited too long for replacements. They were given time to recuperate recently, but even then, some were prioritized over others. The Merchant’s vehicles needed the lion’s share of our captured Citadel manufacturing to be brought to full strength. “If there are any doubts regarding the King of Wisdom, they will be waylaid by their aid here alone.”

“It is his way. It always has been. He shapes the battlefield long before he steps onto it. This is a stage he has prepared upon which we can only play our part.” Mallory grunted and did not hide her scowl as she looked upward. Three of his flying fortresses were with us now, looming overhead, like bastions of otherworldly might. Our own efforts to create one were stymied by our lack of resources, while he was said to be making lighter, cheaper versions that would only move cargo, along with newer flying machines. “Whatever lies at the end of this alliance, we must be mindful that we will be facing someone who will have prepared for our eventual conflict.”

I appreciated their caution against Jack.

After the revelation of what happened to the Forgers, they took the threat he posed more seriously.

Or, perhaps, it was because we fought beside his forces, felt the direct effects of his efforts, and now had him as our sole opponent to claiming the entire continent.

Perhaps they feared him now, as I did, because he was the only ‘threat’ left to us.

I reined in my concerns with a shake of my head.

“Focus on the Wardens and the coming threats from beyond first. We will keep our eyes open for any threats he makes as we fight together, but for now we have no reason to doubt his word.” The pact we made with one another, that we would be in alliance until all threats were dealt with, lingered in my mind. Though I feared the day we would face one another in combat, as I could barely imagine being victorious in that final confrontation, I had no reason to doubt his adherence to our pact. “We will be cautious, but I will not allow paranoia to force us to see an enemy where we might find an ally.”

The threats from beyond the continent were bearing down upon us. He was actively building up to defeat them. The masses of troops he was now recruiting could not move as swiftly as his original armies, as they were stuck to his train lines and could not be lifted into the air. They were a defensive force meant to oppose our oncoming foes.  Not only that, but with our territories joined, our Citadel Guardians could enter his lands.

We both now had a knife at one another’s necks, ready to cut vital lines needed for victory against the coming threats.

 Mutual leverage against betrayal.

That knowledge calmed me greatly.

It also allowed me to focus on leading my nation through the coming crises, as well as the present.

“Catherine, make sure that our supplies arrive with haste. Zenith, I want you with the troops and providing counsel to our officers. Carouse and bring up morale.” Catherine gave a quick nod, while Zenith gave a sharp-teethed grin and a thumbs up. Then, I turned to Mallory and Christine. “Keep an eye on Ninth and his company in the vanguard. If they need supplies, make sure it is known and addressed as swiftly as possible. I do not want them to rely on the King of Wisdom’s support after they have chosen us.”

Both my loyal knights nodded at her words and left me with my guards, but it did not take long for one of my specters to take note of a faint disturbance.

My gaze turned her way, and Morgan gave me a spine-shaking shine as she shimmered into view.

Not by artifact, but through magic alone.

She was now a warrior, a general, and an archmage as a champion.

How long before she was an assassin as well?

“Been a while, your majesty.” She crooned and walked closer to me, ignoring the invisible blades of my spectral guards pointed her way. Once she was a length away from my horse, she gave a flourishing bow. Beneath the archaic and heavy hooded cloak, she wore armor of ancient design. An armored bodysuit upon which she layered more plates, as well as webbing-like straps upon which many pouches and weapons hung. A veritable armory, yet the woman wielding it would be just as deadly without them. “I see that you’re sleeping better now that you don’t have to worry about His Majesty being your opponent.”

As always, her perceptiveness and sharp tongue struck home.

“State your business here, General Morgan, and stop testing my patience.” I did not rise to her goading words. She made a mocking look of surprise at my insistent words before raising her hands up in false surrender. The smile on her face was much like that of a cat playing with her prey. “What are your intentions?”

“My intentions? Hm. I came here to congratulate you on the new alliance, and I hoped to let old grudges die. It wouldn’t do for soldiers who share the same battlefield to be at odds. So, here I am, ready to offer my apologies.” Morgan gave another bow and allowed the smile to fall off her face. I wondered if she was ordered to do this. A pang of fear bubbled up in my heart. Her soldiers died here to cement our alliance. Men and women who she fought alongside for years. This was a way to assure me that she held no ill will. But was it her decision or Jack’s? “So, for all my wrongdoings in the past, I offer my most sincere apologies.”

 She kept her head bowed in my presence, and I realized that if I did not want any passing troops on the road to see, I would have to act.

“I accept your apology.” I inclined my own head her way. When she raised her head, the usual smile was not present, and I felt a sense of deferment from her that was never there before. It was like a mask that concealed her true intentions. Again, I wondered if she did this of her own volition or if she was ordered to. Was this stoic mask a showcase of genuine respect for my new position as co-leader of the alliance, or did it conceal other intentions? No answer was forthcoming, and I almost felt unnerved that I did not see her wicked smile. “Is that all, general?”

“It is. Farewell, Lady Celia.” Morgan bowed and conceded ground in a manner most unlike her that frayed at my nerves.

It was nothing compared to how I felt when Jack loomed over me like a titan whose fist was ready to smash through all that I built and worked for. However, it was still a faint sensation in the back of my head to be wary. Jack had control over his generals, but they still held his ear. Not only that, but if they survived the coming crises, then they were to be my foes in the final clash.

Jack was willing to concede his nation to our rule if we won, but would his generals and officers do as he bid after years of constant fighting and dying for their nation against the crises?

The Northern Noble is a Grinder (Volume 2: Chapter 6).

The Northern Noble is a Grinder (Volume 2: Chapter 6).

…

Commissioned by Sivantic

…

I stopped and couldn’t help but stare at Anisette as she lumbered through the door, soaking wet, and fell face-first onto the floor as Lord Trelawney walked after her.

Her state of tiredness was one thing, but the scent of a great and terrible beast clung to her like a second skin.

For the first time since I met her, she seemed as though she would make a possible threat if I let my guard down.

“No, you need a bath. Don’t go stinking up the room.” Lord Trelawney lifted her up and shoved her in the bathroom, and she grumbled from within. He swept away the ocean water on the floor and turned his gaze my way. “It looks like the Goddess of Love’s blessings count when taking power from your kills. She can ask them to give her power. No need to make them hate or fear her.”

Those simple words made my jaw drop.

“That’s… a truly divine boon.” I stated, and Lord Trelawney nodded with a light laugh. “But I doubt all her strength came from that. Where did you have her hunt?”

“Just off the continental shelf in the ocean. I told you about it, right? The depths of the ocean hold powers that even gods hesitate to face. She took on their equivalent of a wild dog.” Lord Trelawney undressed before me. I looked away because I knew Anisette would lecture me. He was a young boy, she reminded us often, even though I only saw a harsh taskmaster and a great teacher. “You’re not suited for it. All your spells will make too much heat and light. Besides, you’re plenty strong enough for most opponents.”

“Sometimes, I yearn to hunt powerful beasts, but I hope that the need will fade.” I admitted it to him. Though he warned me, I considered traversing the ocean’s depths where great predators roamed. He finished dressing as an assistant baker just as the fresh water from the adjacent bathroom stopped. A burst of heat emanated from within the bathroom, followed by the scent of flowers, and I realized that she cast a small miracle to cleanse her clothing. Anisette returned to us a moment later. Tired, but clean. “Who knows? Perhaps, I will consider it once I start walking the path towards divinity in a few decades.”

“You’re better off returning North and killing a few demigods than going to the depths. You lose too much of your arsenal. Meanwhile, you hold the advantage up north, and you’ll terrify them much more easily.” Lord Trelawney advised, and I nodded, but if I could avoid going back to his lands… I would. I never wished to return there. Nothing but the greatest of calamities could entice me to return to his tutelage. That fact must have been obvious, as he suddenly smirked. “It’s entirely up to you, of course.”

I grimaced at his words and decided to retreat.

“How did your hunt fare, Anisette?” Even as tired as she was, Anisette gave a bow and a curtsy at my words. I returned her greeting with a proper nod of acknowledgement, while Lord Trelawney rolled his eyes and put on a white cap and left the room. “You have been pushing yourself in a praiseworthy manner, but I must confess that I worry for you.”

She was polite to me, so it was only right that I was polite to her in turn.

“Thank you for your consideration, Lady Argelia. It is difficult, but like any worthy task, it is a labor that I must undertake for my own sake.” Her sense of propriety and adherence to formality soothed many of my concerns. All her strength and potential did not worry me because of her upstanding conduct. Lord Trelawney’s flagrant disregard for such things, his intellect, and his immense power all served as sources of concern. Still, though, some part of me noted that it could all be a mask to shield her true intentions, but I had no reason to doubt the veracity of her conduct. “I asked Lord Trelawney to make me stronger for the sake of everyone here. I do not wish for my homeland to be invaded by another nation, especially with their goal to steal people from us for their own unknown ends.”

I chose to believe in her words and her actions.

Lord Trelawney would call it foolish, but I chose to trust unless given a reason otherwise, despite what I experienced.

“Your aid will be much appreciated.” I told her the truth. Though we were strong as a group of three, strong enough for the enemy to be wary despite their overwhelming numbers, a fourth will allow us to strike against them. Staying on the defensive, keeping our lands secure while reinforcements streamed in, would only work until our enemies mustered enough force to tie us down. Once they did that, then our own normal forces would be on the back foot. The common soldiers employed by our current foes were equal to aspiring knights. The common foot soldier, levied and armed to fight, can only perish against them. “However, I must tell you that if you join us, then any chance of you fading into obscurity will be forever lost. This is a war that will be written into the Empire’s history.”

Anisette’s tired expression gave way in the face of her resolve.

“I would like a life of peace and tranquility, but I will not stand idly while the lives of others are threatened on this scale.” Many saints did not do as Anisette did. They pried themselves away from the ‘mundane’ in pursuit of divinity. Though they had immense strength and power, they secluded themselves to remove the temptation of using their power and destabilizing lives. They fretted that their existence could cause harm, but in doing so they took away their ability to do good. “I will fight with you, Lady Argelia. I wish to do so because I am of the empire, and I wish to save my fellow citizens.”

I was here out of obligation to the crown, and I wished to ensure my family’s lands would be secure, but she did not need to be here. She was not a soldier nor the heiress to a great and vast land that was in danger. She was here simply because she chose to be, after being given the option to leave, and still she chose to fight. Considering everything, her decision to stay here was more laudable than my own.

The only reason why I wished for her to leave was to preserve her strength and character for the empire.

We had need of people such as her, and I was glad that I worked hard to see her for who she was rather than who I thought she was.

“Very well, but I will not have you go unrewarded for your efforts. I will see the fame and glory you earn here better your station. And, of course, you shall be paid for your efforts.” I reached for my purse and retrieved it before producing some coin. I placed it in my pocket before tossing the pouch her way. She caught the bag with alarm in her eyes, obviously feeling the weight of gold within even before she saw what lay within. Her mouth opened to refuse it, but I held up my hand. “Your efforts and work must be properly compensated. It is my duty as nobility to defend this land. You are not nobility, and you have no such duty. Even if you are drafted and called to arms by nobility, you must receive payment.”

Many question why the nobility exists.

It does so to refine a bloodline into potent weapons of war, to prepare minds and bodies for the wars to come, and to die when the time comes to die for the nation.

…

Interlude: Anisette, Demigod of Love

…

“If you’re going to just use that money for charity, you’re an idiot.”

“Lord Trelawney, you should watch your tongue around a lady!” I turned to face him and found him with a basket full of dinner rolls. Stoically, he was eating one after the other. “And what are you doing spoiling your dinner!?”

“I can eat the whole pantry, and it wouldn’t spoil a thing.” He took a seat next to me. The castle was largely devoid of troops. It was a place for us to base our operations out of. Since it was likely that the enemy’s finest would come here, it was avoided by officers and soldiers alike. Those who remained with us and tended to our needs were wizened individuals who aimed to make the most of the extra pay involved in braving the hazard. None questioned the boy who aimed to risk his life for more coin, though. “You should use that coin to buy something from me instead.”

“There are many who need this.” I told him simply and wished for that to be the end of it. The orphanages would not need money for months with this princely sum. Over twenty golden coins was enough to feed the children and even provide them with shoes. “I am strong enough, especially with the blade you’ve given me.”

“Go ahead. You’ll feed them for a few months, then die, and then they’ll get nothing.” Lord Trelawney’s words were coarse and unrefined as always, but there was no disgust or hate in them. He spoke arrogantly, but not with anger. If I insisted on the matter, he’d wash his hands of my decision immediately. All that he wished to do was convey his thoughts and beliefs. “Or, you can get some armor to protect your neck, a charm to keep your ears from popping, and maybe something to keep you from being blinded. Then, you can use your next couple of paychecks to help more people for a longer period.”

Though I felt a scowl threaten to break across my features, I felt myself concede to his point, and I offered him the heavy pouch.

“Pleased to do business with you.” He placed the trinkets in question in my hands without a moment of hesitation. The bag of gold slipped beneath his basket, from which he produced some butter and jam. He offered me one, and I offered him a weak glare but took the warm bread. I almost forgot how fresh bread tasted, as I had grown used to rations. “Everyone else has protective measures already. It’s just enchanted straight onto their clothes. You don’t have that luxury, so you must go through this song and dance.”

I put on the two bracelets and the necklace. They were simple and composed of steel. His power lingered on them. He made them himself and very recently. Did he wish to protect me or take the funds given to me by Lady Argelia?

Knowing him, it was most likely both.

“So, you shall be taking your pick of my purse in the coming weeks, I suppose.”

“Yep.” He admitted the fact freely and with a sharp nod. He lathered his bread roll with enough butter and jam for an entire loaf before scarfing it down with a hum. The food vanished into him. Despite his voracious appetite, he was on the smaller side of boys his age. His looks lent themselves to presenting himself as an orphan in need of funds. “If you want, you should investigate how much other people would charge you. Or, what favors they’d ask of you. I’m giving you these things at cost, basically.”

I considered his words, then recalled some words he shared with me with Mother’s presence lingering over us both.

“You spoke of artifacts and blessings bestowed on me by my mother. And, you were surprised to learn that nonsuch things existed. Is that truly the norm amongst the demigods of the north?”

“Why would I lie about that?” He raised an eyebrow at me, and my thoughts paused as I felt a blush creep up my features. “Don’t be embarrassed. Stop dancing around the subject. Ask what you really want to ask.”

“I… It’s about duty. Lady Argelia told me that I should receive this because helping the empire is not expected of me. I thought that as someone who lived in these lands, I should work to help my people.” I confessed. It felt silly to say such things to such a boy. Lord he might have been, but he was a boy. Still, he was well-read. “The demigods you faced in the north fought for their people. They underwent pilgrimages and became acknowledged, then they fought you for the sake of their tribe, no?”

“The savage gods of the north are different. They’re cruel, capricious, and only understand strength. They reached their current position and maintain it thanks to being worshipped by their people.” I listened mutely as a chill went up my spine. To become divine was to reach a realm where you would interfere with mortal lives if you persisted in the physical world. It was to assume a mantle of responsibility after many long years of effort and training, while also preparing the next generation for when you are gone. The gods of the tribes in Lord Trelawney’s land did not sound like the gods that I knew. “They’re not like your mother, who achieved everything on her own and now shares her power; they’re… part of the tribes.”

He gave a hum before speaking again.

“As for the nobility, Argelia’s right. Their purpose is to be assets in the event of conflict. They lead from the front, fight there, and they’ll die there for their nation and people. It’s honestly the most commendable thing about being nobility.” He scowled as if admitting such words physically hurt him, but then he turned to me. “You were born to normal people as far as the law is concerned, even if one of them is a goddess. You have no obligation to the people of the Empire. Only to yourself, if you follow the rules.”

“But with all this power and strength, do I not have the responsibility to help others?”

My words seemed to greatly amuse Lord Trelawney.

“You can decide to do that, sure, but you’ll be miserable. There’s no shortage of responsibility to shoulder even as a normal person. With your power and strength, well, you’ll be able to take on more… and you’ll be crushed beneath it soon enough.” He finished the rest of the bread rolls before I finished eating mine before standing up. “It’s your power, and it’s your body. You have the right to fuck it all up. Just don’t come crying to me for help if you do. Well. At least not without any money. I have people to protect, you know?”

With those words, and a complete lack of satisfaction at his answer, he left me to ponder the matter on my own.

Mother, won’t you give me a sign on what I should do with the power that I now wield?

You couldn’t have intended for me to simply be a tool of war, right?

Lariats Are Heroic (2.4)

Lariats Are Heroic (2.4)

…

Neo San Kyoto, ???, 10PM PST.

…

Catherine rounded out the group.

Partly because she was a smartass with incredibly high self-esteem.

But mostly because her abilities were the last piece of the puzzle that we needed to crack the mystery behind our opponents.

Though she needed a lot of setup if she could be relied upon to take anything on, with her unprepared version barely more capable than a trained gunman who could cast multiple fireballs, she was an excellent tracker when provided with the right materials.

Thanks to all our former raids, we had a lot of material.

We went from hitting warehouses with ‘product’ in transit to hitting production lines.

The threat level of the enemies increased as a result.

Most guards started using silver weapons and submachine guns modified to use higher calibers. When we knocked out the lights, they had night vision at the ready. Squads of regular people with those weapons supported mercenaries who knew what to expect and prepared accordingly.

Some tried to fight us on their own game using stealth and corrupted weapons to gain the advantage, while others did away with any caution and tried to use explosives or outright summoned malefic spirits to inhabit their body to give them immense power. Ogres became a common sight, and they worked alongside task groups of orcs armed with heavy shotguns and were covered in armor.

Why the sudden stiffening of resistance?

It was simple.

Taking out a couple of warehouses and saving a couple dozen people was negligible.

Taking out their breeding pits and modification centers?

That took out potential future profit while also making it impossible for them to meet demand. It allowed their enemies to eat up the market share, and it probably even had their clientele demanding refunds. Refunds during a time when they needed to replace production facilities and hire people to deal with the problem.

When we were hitting their warehouses, we were cutting into profit, but now we were presenting the possibility of their corporation falling into a death spiral. They were an illicit and underground organization. No one was going to bail them out. In fact, if they grew too weak, their fellow organizations might finish the job for us and take them out of the picture while securing their territory for themselves.

Therefore, they were throwing mercenaries and better-armed guards at us, because with Catherine’s help we were finding and destroying the cornerstone of their empire.

Naturally, that meant that things were about to get more hectic and chaotic, while the risk of my teammates finding themselves captured rose higher and higher.

The fact that Asakura’s childhood friend suddenly showed up again just made it clear that we were hitting the latter half of the eroge.

You know.

Where all the real fucked-up shit is after all the normies got weeded out.

Yeah, I’m going to start loading up a lot more explosives.

“How is this possible?” Asakura stared at the screens. Multiple angles and timestamps. We hit the facility hard and now had control over it. Once we took one, there usually wasn’t any effort to try and take it back as long as we made it clear their assets were destroyed.  I had to admit that fighting for the Hiyo clan was business, but setting fire to bio-tanks with walls of living flesh and hearing them scream gave me some satisfaction. “I burned his body to ash!”

“Judging from the knife ears and goat horns, I believe your little friend got plucked out of one of the hells. Probably to fuck you and the Hiyo Clan over.” Catherine almost always had a cigar at the end of every fight. Once the first paycheck came in, she moved to cigars quick. The tobacco she used was made on the other side and apparently gave both nicotine and replenished mana. “Fresh souls usually can’t be retrieved, so I think Mother Dearest is starting to get close.”

Asakura turned to Catherine. The dim light of the screens was the only source of light in the room, so turning away hid her face in shadow.

I could hear her gritting her teeth just fine, though.

“If they believe that I’ll hesitate after all that he’s done, then they’re wrong. More importantly, though, I need to contact Mother. Keita works with Leon and scours the footage for his first traces. Give me a moment.” I gave her a two-fingered salute and approached the security system. They made us practice and learn how to skim through security footage in school. Scrolling through multiple days of footage would take time, but I could eliminate chunks of it by looking for Asakura’s childhood friend turned devil. “Mother, I have news. Our low-end security measures are compromised. They revived Daichi as a devil.”

I tuned her out, focused on searching the first half of the data prior to Daichi’s first sighting.

He died when I first met Asakura, so I started searching from then. Then, I started looking for when we started hitting challenges just a couple of days ago... and there he is.

Walking through the main part of the facility, pointing out places where we could hide, while coordinating the new guards.

“Get everything, but make a separate copy from this point.” I told Leona, and the suit-clad cyborg nodded. From her wrist came a cable that disgorged multiple fine filaments that interfaced with the ports on the security terminal. She fished out slim SSD sticks from a pocket. Each one was encased in weatherproofing and she attached them to ports on her arm. Her eyes flashed, the screen flickered, and in moments she had the data stored and ready. Before she put them away, I held up two SSDs from my pack. “Spares, just in case.”

Vital intel on how places like this operated should be shared.

If the Hiyo Clan had multiple copies of the data, they’d be a lot less worried about duplicating it and sharing it.

I’ll also be telling them to make sure to do it on an air-gapped computer and to go over the data as well as they can so Leona can’t slip in any viruses.

“All done, here you go, Keita.” She gave me a smile, I gave her a nod, and I turned to Asakura just as she finished informing her mother. The raven-haired kunoichi seemed relieved.

“So, what’s next?”

“When was he last here, and do we know where he might be?”

I was ready to go back to the security terminal when Leona chimed in.

“He was last here five hours ago and left in an unmarked vehicle from the facility’s garage. However, this system also has tracking systems for all the facility’s vehicles.” Leona accessed another program, and various dots appeared across the screens on maps of the city. “From the timestamp, this vehicle here left at the same time and went here.”

She showed the vehicle leaving the garage beside a screen that watched it travel.

It moved from the facility to just one location in the heart of Neo Kyoto.

The downtown district where all the Zaibatsu had their palatial, corporate skyscrapers.

Thankfully, the vehicle didn’t enter one of those heavily defended buildings.

Not that any of the corporate overlords would put a devil anywhere near their legal assets.

Instead, the vehicle stopped at the outskirts and settled into another address, which Leona projected on the screens.

“It’s the red-light district of the city. No better place for a mother to fester up in.” Catherine chimed in. The red-light district was close to the downtown district as a place for those laden with money and influence to spend it. Whether it was flesh, food, or mercenaries for hire, they could spend their money there to achieve their desires. “A new devil will need a place to partake in some sinning to reinforce their existence. Where better than a place that most good people would avoid?”

“Dammit. That place is under the protection of rogue clans. All of them. Going in there will have us swarmed.” Asakura was more worried about the number of opponents rather than the quality. Given the concentrated power of a group, that was valid. Once we started getting tired, numbers could get us, especially since our arrival will herald a response from the people we’re hunting, and they were happy to throw semi-elites our way. “We’ll all be noticed if we go… but perhaps not with proper disguises.”

Ah, this was the infiltration section where we all get split up and face off against different endings.

Yeah, no.

“I have some contacts there from before I started working with you. Before we try infiltrating, let’s see if we can smoke him out instead.” Splitting up was basically just asking the perverts playing which gallery they wanted to see first. Loli-esque vampire, tomboy cyborg, classic female lead, and ‘hag.’ Seeing my current team, I had no doubt that most of our initial attacks were probably just introduction paragraphs to hype up the upcoming ‘fall.’ Bringing someone at their height into corruption and depravity was the perfect ‘spice’ to hedonism in this world. “And, if that doesn’t work out, I can cause enough chaos for the four of you to slip in and get things done without having to split up.”

Given my recent interaction with a certain ogre, I was inclined to fight like hell and not let myself get caught.

“You will be shouldering an immense amount of risk, but your proposal has merit.” Asakura hesitated and didn’t outright reject my statement. “Make your calls and tell me what you might need to cause this chaos. We should strike this evening when they expect us to retreat.”

I was ready to agree when Alecia suddenly spoke.

“You cannot be serious! This is an affront of a strategy. You’re putting the entire mission on one man’s soldiers!” Alecia rarely spoke, but when she did, her voice was almost gratingly high-pitched. The vampire princess was probably at the biggest risk for the most horrible ending given her high-speed regeneration and incredible toughness. The gothic Lolita style that she had, along with her powers, just screamed that she was going to star in the more brutal tags. I didn’t like her but didn’t want her to suffer that kind of ending. “We may as well simply mount a frontal assault and damn the consequences!”

Asakura was ready to talk her down, but I moved in.

“Do not underestimate me. I’ve killed more people than you ever have. I saved Asakura’s life by myself after she was captured. The Hiyo Clan recruited me after acknowledging my ability.” People who spoke like this in VNs usually got killed off-screen, but they usually got cocky or underestimated their opponents. It was a better fate than getting turned into a sex toy, so I didn’t mind if I died in such a way. At the very least, if that was my ending, I’d want to put up a decent fight. “Wreaking havoc and causing enough damage to let the four of you through undetected into the red-light district? It’s a challenge. Not an impossibility.”

I glared the vampire princess down, and she broke first with a scowl and with her fists bunching up the front of her skirt. Presumably to hold back from yelling at me in return.

Asakura took a steadying breath before speaking again.

“Go now, Keita. Be ready within three hours. We will prepare for our combined infiltration with your distraction in mind.” I gave a small bow in return and ignored the vampire princess looking at me with gritted teeth. You know that I’m trying to spare you from getting bad-ended, right? “Retreat once I send the signal that we are through. Do not take any unnecessary risks, and do not try to join us. Once you distract our enemies and lure them away, your task is done.”

“Got it, and here are some of the things that I’ll need.” I turned on my phone and sent a file her way before making a quick getaway. “Get as much of it as you can to me within the time limit.”

I managed to get out of the security room filled with screens before she screamed.

“YOU’RE NOT GETTING AN ASSAULT HELICOPTER FOR A DIVERSION, KEITA!”

Drat.

I really hoped she’d sign off on that.

The plan to distract with a helicopter was a no-go.

Let’s see how many trucks I can rent, fill up with explosives, and get parked all over the district.

Scanning for several home goods stores, I found several that sold propane. I plotted my route to the district, looked at my funds, and decided that a handful of U-Hauls driven by contractors on apps were available. I couldn’t use Hiyo-clan explosives for this, since they created balls of heat and created superheated plasma rather than exploding, but I had plenty of the old tags left in my safehouses.

I estimated the yield of six rented trucks in key locations, considered buying boxes of nails, and added some propane grill kits to the order. For all the contractors, I basically set the job up as setting up several grill stations in a couple restaurants and set the drop-off points properly. All I’d need to do was to get into each truck, layer the insides with explosives, empty the fuel tank, set up the emergency brakes, and open up one or two of the tanks.

That way the entire back of the vehicle was a fuel explosive, and if someone barged in after smelling the leak, they’d find that they’d need a tow truck to get the vehicle out of the way.

Hm?

That’s domestic terrorism?

I mean, yeah.

That’s the plan.

The people in the red-light district literally cater to elites by selling people for pleasure or act as centers for mercenaries for contract killing. Not to mention the fact that they’re fronts for shadier organizations that traffic people, get people hooked on all sorts of drugs to enslave them, and have politicians and the police in their pocket. Sure, there’ll be people in there who are ‘just doing their job,’ but if doing your job has you turning a blind eye to kidnapped, drugged elementary and high schoolers being used as toys by elites before being thrown to monsters for processing, personally, I consider you complicit for not at least leaving.

I worked there and got my jobs there as a mercenary right after leaving the clan and never did a day pass when I didn’t refine my plan to burn the place to the ground.

Anyway, I had a lot of calls to make and a plan to put into motion.

Even if this whole shtick gets me killed, burning and destroying a den of depravity like Neo Kyoto’s Red Light District would make that death worth it.

My Weekly Gag Villain Job is Pretty Fulfilling: Chapter 16

My Weekly Gag Villain Job is Pretty Fulfilling: Chapter 16

…

Commissioned by Arksoul

…

In the middle of a season, villains typically increase the stakes. With the recent introduction of a dark counterpart to the Sentinels, that was our signal to start escalating.

The question was how far.

“Titans are totally off the table. That’s season 3 or 4. Something that they’ll allude to in scrolling art frames to save budget or something. Maybe in the ending credits.” I was brainstorming with Ebb while Alex listened in. The darkness slowly enrobing the moon was also a great signal for a tone shift, in my opinion, but Ebb didn’t think it counted. No one was getting hurt by it, apparently. “Nothing that can wipe out a city or that needs an army.”

“Everything less than titans is de-escalation! Alex is already on the field. Simply adding slightly larger Imps nominally in command would degrade her position!” Ebb argued while settled on its custom seat/perch. It was a tall perch like you’d see a bird stand on in place of a branch, but we carved it out of stone and gave Ebb a cushion to settle on. It was so pleased with the new perch that there was now one in every room. “Alex, would you not like the ability to summon a giant creature and unleash it upon the Sentinels?”

“I’d rather beat them and win myself, but since that’s not happening… a giant monster sounds cool. It’d be fine to get a bunch of stronger mooks to come help me out, though.” Alex sat cross-legged on a beanbag. She chose it after a slew of offerings, and she ate snacks while watching some of my favorite shows on her smart pad. She had several Imps in the office going through dance and gymnastic routines to passively train her control. “Giant wolves or tigers. Tribal lizards. Maybe some trolls, or even corrupted robots. If they get the Sentinels riled up and cause damage, it doesn’t really matter.”

I opened my mouth to argue and closed it.

Ebb also seemed intent on saying something, but remained silent.

“Huh. Right. We can just do both. I can send multiple elites in. Ebb can limit the size and pick from the catalogue.” Alex nodded while I muttered the plan aloud. Ebb’s silence spoke volumes, especially as it grudgingly turned my way. “I’m fine with sending more elites and causing more general mayhem if you’re willing to pull away from absolute destruction, buddy.”

“…Hmph, very well. It is a sound compromise.” Ebb grunted the words out before turning to Alex. “Are you ready to lead this charge? The tempo will be demanding.”

It was Alex’s turn to scoff.

“When I was a gangbanger, I was running fights four or five times a day with my life on the line. Now, I’ve got Imps and you guys watching my back with a bunch of upgrades.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. A light frown crossed her features before she sighed and regained her calm. “I’ll be fine. Well, I won’t be beating the Sentinels up, but I’ll give them a fight.”

That was that, and I was ready to start drafting up some fight choreography and rosters when Alex suddenly spoke again.

“Hey, what happens if we beat a Sentinel, anyway?” It was obvious what she meant by "beat," since she sliced her thumb across her throat. “You take in the soul and put it away in blissful rest. I know that. But what about the power?”

I gestured at Ebb, and it gave a grunt.

“The Sentinel’s power will simply find a new host, and they will retain all the gathered strength that the previous Sentinel had. If they have had a child, that child will swiftly take their mother’s strength.” Alex frowned at Ebb’s explanation, and it latched onto that mild annoyance. “The Sentinels are our most powerful foes for a reason. They may take time to reach new heights of strength, but even without children the current Sentinels will become stronger still.”

“So, what’s stopping them from working in some lab and making clones that have been bathed in the Light? I mean, same-sex couples have babies made from their DNA. If they can’t carry the kid, the kid’s kept in a tank for nine months.” Ebb froze at Alex’s words and turned slowly at my direction. Thankfully, I was just as surprised at the idea and it could clearly see that it hadn’t crossed my mind. Alex sighed. “Are you guys serious? Every government out there wants more people. They encourage people to just stuff them in care centers if they can’t deal with them. Half the people I ran with were from tubes.”

“A Sentinel born from the recombined genetic material of two Sentinels and bathed in Light… no. The artificial wombs will not work. Carrying the child is necessary.” Ebb stated with quiet assurance. Its mind was racing a mile a minute to see if it could find holes in the possibility of mass-produced Sentinels churned out from tubes. “The soul and body of the new being must be a part of the Sentinel and the Sentinel must carry her. That labor is part of the ritual.”

“Wouldn’t it count if a Sentinel stood by a growth tank or a couple of them? Or maybe they could make a crystal that saturated the facility with Light?” Alex provided another possibility, and Ebb’s lack of answer was concerning. Our new elite crossed her arms and let herself fall back onto her beanbag chair. “If things get too hectic, they might go do that. They might not go to that plan right away, but if we corner them here to just a couple of arcologies, they might do it. They can try it, and even if it doesn’t make a Sentinel, they get extra hosts if a Sentinel falls.”

“An Army of Light.” Ebb stated with no small amount of trepidation. “They have always been limited in terms of hosts because so few truly believe in their cause, but what if they can create them from scratch and teach them from birth to generate more light and produce more power?”

Ebb contemplated the scenario with something resembling fear and wasn’t moving on from that, so I took that as my cue to step in.

“Then, it looks like we should keep on with my plan. Keep things small-scale. Make sure they don’t resort to any exotic solutions by cornering them. Build up our forces, then we can sweep across the planet quickly and silently with no fuss.” My words stirred Ebb’s attention, and it was quick to nod. Alex agreed too but looked like she was still ready to talk about it. However, suddenly, her eyes widened, and she looked past me, and so did Ebb. A presence was beyond us, above us, and all around us. The Darkness itself had listened and heard the possibility. I stood from my chair and addressed our true savior directly. Every Imp in the room stood stock still. No longer a piece of Darkness but part of the greater whole. “Unless, of course, you want the plan to change?”

Silence echoed through the room until a message settled on all our minds.

“Ah, we’re out of gelato. I’m going to get some more.”

And, with that, life continued.

Well, not really for me.

I went off to get more gelato, while Ebb and Alex kept hashing things out.

…

Interlude: Chroma Scarlet: Aine Campbell

…

“This one was the closest to that false Sentinel.” Tsubaki was breathing heavily and dripped with sweat. We couldn’t train while we were in Sentinel forms. To improve our bodies and abilities, we needed to train as humans while wielding the Light. In our safehold, we had a training area for that exact purpose, which we could all easily access. It offered us the ability to fight foes we already faced, though only as much as we understood. “Just barely out of reach in terms of strength.”

“Yet you were almost facing it without all our advantages as Sentinels.” As Sentinels, we were light made manifest. There was no flesh to injure, bones to break, and more. We looked like people but in fact were solid constructs of light. When we only wielded Light magic, we could only call upon our own strength and talent during the fight. Tsubaki was easily the best warrior in the group. “Are you sure you can’t take it on yet?”

“No. It shall be stronger next time.” Our training in our mortal forms was multiplied when we became Sentinels. We became better vessels for the Light through training and effort. “That was a fighter. A warrior barely trained in battle. Her strength will be honed, and it will take more to defeat her every time we meet.”

“And here I was hoping that you’d have some good news.” I groaned and finished running. The treadmill spun down. I eyed the number. Sixteen kph and I barely broke a sweat. Our physical limitations were beyond that of normal humans. Multiplying normal human limits to Sentinel levels wasn’t enough to fight against the Legion. We couldn’t just receive better bodies, though. We had to keep pushing, recovering, and training. “How are we going to last if the Legion just makes more?”

“You will all need to be trained to fight. I cannot hold off more than two at once, especially if they continue to grow stronger.” Tsubaki stated evenly. The fact that she could hold off two fake Sentinels went uncontested. She was Tsubaki. Fighting people in close quarters and winning was what she did. “I will ask Father to provide us with trainers and sparring partners. You and the others will train hard. It is necessary for our continued survival. It is no longer just a matter of reaching our full potential.”

I agreed but couldn’t help but feel bad for everyone.

Everyone led busy lives.

Tsubaki sighed and shook her head.

“I would prefer to not trouble everyone, but it needs to be done. I doubt the Legion will ignore the possibility of adding more such warriors to their ranks, if they have decided to do so already.”

“I know. I know. You’ve got the right of it, Tsubaki.” I grumbled and gave the order. Being the leader of the group, I had certain responsibilities. Pulling out my phone, I sent out the text and winced at the easy agreement of the rest of the group. It seemed easy on the surface, without any of them objecting, but I knew that they’d agree if I asked and gave a valid reason. The problem was that I was putting more on their shoulders without taking anything away. “Hey, Tsubaki, is it possible to give them some gynoids to help them out? Or, you know, at least lease them for a bit?”

I wracked my brain for possibilities, and all I could think of doing was asking Tsubaki for help.

Thankfully, my lieutenant beamed at my suggestion.

“My father would be enthused to provide them with our new War Maidens. They are capable bodyguards and assistants both. If they are by their side, we will receive incredible amounts of public attention.” Tsubaki had her phone out before I could ask and typed across its keyboard at breakneck speeds. Soon, she had the email sent. Another second later, her father replied. How can a CEO of a multi-billion-dollar agency reply so quickly to a sudden email!? “My father has agreed and is setting aside five for us. One for each. They can also double as trainers!”

Tsubaki, without my prompting, also forwarded the information to our team chat.

The worst came to pass in an instant.

The deluge that I tried to stop from happening came into being.

“Ah, it seems that they wish to contribute as well.” Princesses, heiresses to corporations, and more. I was the odd woman out. The daughter of an officer turned historian who was chosen because she had common sense. The rest of my team lived otherworldly lives in palaces or mansions and had the ear and attention of powerful individuals directly related to them. Having Tsubaki give something was the same as opening the doors for the rest to ‘contribute.’ “A beachfront resort sounds quite exciting to have as a place to rest and recuperate out of prying eyes. Oh, it would be good to have a satellite. A laboratory dedicated to integrating our magic with technology would also be prudent.”

My shoulders slumped.

I knew intellectually that it would be best to have everyone work less and focus on being Sentinels, but involving nations and the wealthy in our efforts didn’t sound like a good idea. By taking all these offered boons, even if they were freely given now, it meant indebting ourselves to existing polities and being influenced from the outside. The power that we had was world-altering and designed to defeat a threat that could consume entire planets.

Putting that in the hands of a nation was a bad idea.

But what can we do?

The moon was being engulfed by the Legion. They were consuming food and supplies and growing. Not only did they have a new general that we couldn’t even scratch, but they also had a new elite that was going to grow stronger with time but already matched our best fighter. We needed to get more time to train and improve, while also using everything we could at our disposal.

Labs that studied how our magic could integrate with machinery were great, and so was getting a satellite that could give us a bird’s-eye view.

The beachfront resort was an eye-raiser, but we all needed time to rest and be coddled with our busy lives, fighting, and training.

“That should be enough for now. We can’t take any more than that without giving people a say in how we do things.” There was a reason why the Light chose princesses and influential women in previous worlds. They wanted power centralized to the Sentinels. But that went with the assumption that the Legion would ravage the world and smash apart society and leave everyone reeling. That didn’t happen. We weren’t going to rule the remainder of the world. We had to be wary of our allies. “Now, do you have any tips for me before I go into the simulation ring?”

Tsubaki looked me up and down before shaking her head.

“Just fight. You’re talented and strong, despite your lack of confidence.”

Yeah, I asked the wrong person for advice.

Lariats Are Heroic (2.3)

Lariats Are Heroic (2.3)

…

Trespass, 1431th Street, at 12PM PST.

…

I blinked spots out of my vision while a sudden heat burst across my arms.

Instinctively, I leapt back and rolled, with a focus on smothering any flame clinging to me.

Instead of ablating any flame, though, rolling across the carpeted floor only sent pain rocketing up my arms.

Once my vision cleared, I found my arms covered in innumerable, shallow cuts.

I put two and two together.

I sent an explosive kunai towards my target. There was an explosion closer to me than I expected, which meant the projectile had travelled back. Since I wasn’t burned, that meant that I was out of the explosive’s range. However, my arms still had to be covered in cuts.

Some wind-based technique had launched my projectile back and flayed my arms.

Thankfully, I was tough, so it didn’t get more than skin deep, and just focusing on my arms and flooding them with vital energy closed the cuts. Even small shards of glass and wood from the building were pushed out, which allowed me to get ready for the next phase in the fight.

“Fuck, you’re even tougher than I thought, kid.” The leader of the gang that the witch sent me to was badly burned. One of his four arms was blackened and limp against his side. One of his two heads was out for the count, and I doubted it was still alive. It was a two-headed, four-armed ogre covered in muscle wearing only a loincloth and armed with two rifles and a club. “Well, at least you took the idiot out. For that, I promise I’ll eat you headfirst.”

I let him talk and responded to buy time so that I could heal more while he had the advantage.

Though I could already launch an attack, I wasn’t going to take the risk of hitting him with anything less than a hundred percent.

“You turned your body and let him take the blow. That was all you.” I feigned being in pain and grunted while slowing my rise to standing. I kept my hands slightly limp and leaned forward while aiming my leg-based kunai launchers at him. A smirk crossed his face, and his loincloth twitched. Right, the voice hasn’t dropped yet. “I’m a guy, just so you know.”

“Heh, you’ll be a woman when I’m done with you.”

Yeah, when I hear things like that, I’m glad I can just blow up if I lose.

Anyway, I shot first.

“Idiot, that didn’t work the—huh!?” The ogre cried out as the kunai I set to explode after 15 meters hit the floor in front of him. Since the range of each explosion was set, I could hit him with the edge of it after accounting for the delay. Orbs of heat erupted in an instant, vaporizing the floor around the kunai but, more importantly, catching the ogre’s fists and upraised rifles. “GRAH!?”

A piercing hybrid between a roar and a scream escaped the ogre’s lips as his hands were turned into charred husks and the magazines exploded. The shrapnel and molten metal generated barely affected him, burning into hide but not reaching flesh, while I closed the distance by using the orb of heat to obfuscate my charge.

Since I was wary of any more protection against arrow shenanigans, I stabbed the kunai into his legs and sent one up his crotch while sliding underneath him and slamming through the wall behind him into the outside.

Orbs of flame erupted moments later, while I landed on a building opposite of the street, and the upper half of the ogre fell through the empty hole at the topmost floor onto the floor below with a splat.

And, just to showcase ogre toughness, with one arm and nothing below the belly button, the guy tried to crawl away.

Yeah.

That’s why I always make sure to double-tap my enemies.

With a grunt, I leapt back into the smoking building to finish the ogre off and steal everything valuable inside.

I’ll need to look into whatever it did to throw a kunai back at me while its hands were full.

It was probably something that the gangs began to adopt because I was using them and senbon too often.

If I had thrown more than one at that time, I’d probably be a charred husk.

…

“Damn, laddie. You look like you put your arms through a shredder.” I followed Catherine’s gaze. I had a spare long-sleeve shirt back at the apartment, but for now my recent wounds were plain to see. Save for what my bracers protected, there were ragged cuts on my sleeves, and below it were fresh, white scars from fingertipto elbow. “Hm. Faint wind energy. You came up against a barrier, then?”

“I did. I think it’s from this tooth.” I searched the ogre’s body. Magic had lingered on it even after scrambling its remaining brain. I found the source of it in its mouth. A false, golden canine tooth with an inlaid gemstone. “Can I turn it into a charm, or is it corrupted?”

“Give it here. I’ll identify it. Consider it a first-timer discount.” Catherine snorted and caught the fang I threw her way. She touched it and considered it while I took a seat. Asakura looked at me and just raised an eyebrow, but I sighed to her that I was fine and combat-ready, and she dropped it. “Yep, it’s good use. Keep it nice and hidden underneath your clothes. It’s a mean surprise for anyone using ranged weapons. Thrice a day only, though.”

“Three times a day between dawn and sunset here on Trespass?” I asked, and Catherine’s smile widened into something vaguely sincere. She was dressed this time with tan slacks and an ironed white shirt and even had a red tie. A newly laundered tan coat was on a coat hanger by the door. Asakura was seated on the sofa and watching television. “What do I need to do to maintain it?”

“A tiny blood sacrifice, just a thimbleful, and it’s yours. The ogre you killed paid for it up front, since he wasn’t going to be regenerating that tooth. Dawn to dusk right here on Trespass is right. You’ll need to keep an eye on the day’s lengths over here… or just get one of these.” She held up a watch on her wrist. It was a typical analog watch, save for the fact that the inner face was half sun and half moon. “The dawn and sunset time limits are normal enough. I’m surprised that none of the thugs you’ve killed had one.”

“Most prefer weapons or armor, not trinkets.” That got her to nod in understanding, while I got some string from one of my pouches and tied the golden Ogre tooth up in a pseudo-sailor’s knot, which I bound to my wrist with a small length of rope. “If I use it like this and extend it from my hand with the gem facing forward, it’ll project itself like a shield, right?”

That earned a nod from Catherine, and I found myself considering the trinket with a lot more interest.

Three times a day, I now had the ability to create a wall of wind that would throw back projectiles.

“How long will it last, and how much can it take?”

“Three seconds, but it won’t stand up to anything that’ll shatter a building in one blow. Hm. 120 mm at most.” I was looking forward to hearing that it would block any projectile, but magic had its limits, I supposed. It would be sick to parry and throw back a rocket or something. Alas, I wasn’t at that stage of tomfoolery yet. “You’ve got the analytical mind being a mage requires. Are you sure you just want to learn and not abandon vital energy to become a sorcerer?”

“I’m sure. I prefer fighting. Not setting up like artillery and pounding away.” Using beams and spells was just boring. Sure, it’ll be cool for a bit, but at some point, each magic user just finds their favorites and spams them. I was already spamming explosive kunai. That’s as far as I was willing to go, honestly. “Wouldn’t mind a few tools, but I’m not dedicating myself to it.”

With that said, I motioned towards the duffel bag.

“The group you sent me after had a fair bit of cash. I’d like to learn how to bypass simple wards.”

“That’ll take the evening.” She looked over at Asakura. “Do you mind me taking your muscle for a bit, lady?”

Asakura should’ve been fine with it, but she hesitated before nodding.

“Be back an hour before midnight, or the door will be locked.” She stated primly before leaving. “On second thought, no. Be back by ten, or your contract is terminated.”

I didn’t know why she was so serious about me getting back quickly, but I didn’t intend to stick around after the lesson was over, so I didn’t ask.

Probably didn’t want me hanging around too long with a just-hired witch.

Which was fair, honestly.

…

Interlude: Asakura Hiyo, the Fiery Blade

…

Lady Hiyo laughed.

Leona looked uncomfortable.

Alecia seethed and glared at me.

“You discerned that she was half-succubus and proceeded to leave him with her!?” The vampire princess was barely stopped from going over and making a fool of herself. Her eyes were practically glowing red, and she could barely keep seated.

“She is covered in a multitude of oaths to do no harm to mortals. Nothing will happen between the two besides training.” I told her as evenly as I could. I arrived at dinnertime, which was a communal affair. As I spoke to her, I became keenly aware that she sat across from his empty seat. If he did not hide and seal his belongings, I would be worried for them. “I will not stop you if you attempt to leave again. I just wish for you to know that he will not take kindly to his training being interrupted.”

Alecia opened her mouth to argue when Lady Hiyo intervened.

“I know, Catherine. Despite all appearances, she can be trusted as long as you uphold your own end of the bargain. She’s had men before, but they were all willing partners and never more than once to ensure they’re not beguiled.” Lady Hiyo’s words made Alecia grimace, but she listened instead of arguing. “She hasn’t acted against any younger men, either. I assure you that she will not move against him, Alecia.”

I idly wondered if I should’ve mentioned the fact she appeared at the doorway only wearing panties and a sports bra.

There was the fact she purposefully made herself look human and far less beautiful, however.

Because of that, I elected to stay silent.

It was because I decided to trust her.

Not because I didn’t want trouble.

“Umm, ah. I wouldn’t leave my little brother or anyone else that’s too young with a half-succubus, but I guess if you vouch for her, Lady Hiyo… I’ll stay here.” Leona latched onto Keita despite his ambivalence and wariness around her. She told me it was most likely she had faint memories of caring for a younger sibling that she ‘felt’ when she interacted with him. “But I’ll fetch him if he’s not back by ten. You want to come, Alecia?”

Leona’s words placated Alecia a great deal.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea. I shall.” Alecia refocused on her meal, and I gave Leona a grateful nod. Keita shared a great deal of concerns regarding her and even told me of his backup plans if she were to betray us. I shared this with her in turn, and she assented to keeping them on herself. She loathed the idea of being used as a false agent and betraying us. Despite being a civilian and being forced to change, she had a strong heart and soul that remained even after all that was done to her. “What does he intend to learn, anyway? I thought that he was much like all other warriors and would devote himself to honing his physical power.”

I was ready to simply answer her question when Lady Hiyo interjected.

“Like all budding heroes at a young age, he strives to become a master of armaments, which includes all spells he can wield. The warriors of this new era specialize, and that is good for the masses and budding elites, but budding heroes need more.” Lady Hiyo spoke freely with a light blush. I looked at her glass and found a bottle of wine half-full beside it. An empty one was next to that. She had a love for drink that had her chatting away. Mother told me to keep away from her if she ever had more than two bottles. “You shouldn’t worry. He’s too young. Now, in a decade or two, you should be worried about being ravaged because he might awaken his clan’s true bloodline.”

I went still at her words, barely taking note of Alecia’s flustered declarations that she’ll never fall to Keita.

Lady Hiyo smiled and raised her glass my way.

“I’ve lived long enough to see such signs. The Uwabami’s power waxes and wanes, but in times of great crisis they always have one who is more than a great snake hidden in the grass. Instead they have a fierce dragon that rules over the land, sea, and air.” Lady Hiyo seemed lost in the past as she spoke, but her eyes gained a clarity that sent a shiver down my spine. “One of the anchors of the age has perished, and her daughter is slow to regain strength. An attack on the Hiyo Clan’s heir was launched by its fiercest rivals. Trespass fills and fills with stolen flesh, and brigands live luxuriously and wield powerful artifacts.”

She pointed my way, and a smile with lips reddened by wine and untouched by joy gilded her face.

“You will need to find people to stand by your side when the time comes. Make sure that he is there when all the horrors of the world try to seize it for themselves.” Lady Hiyo grabbed the bottle and raised it towards me in a faux toast. “I drink and pray that you will lose less than I did, my descendant.”

I could not muster a single word as she finished the whole bottle.

The dream of being a teacher guiding the next generation seemed to fade into obscurity at that moment.

My Weekly Gag Villain Job is Pretty Fulfilling: Chapter 15

My Weekly Gag Villain Job is Pretty Fulfilling: Chapter 15

…

Commissioned by Arksoul

…

Interlude: Adam

…

“Well, that’s not good.” Thunderer grunted as we looked at the new battle footage. Shadow Entity 2 had the figure of a young woman and wore a frilly gothic gown as she fought against the Sentinels. “All five Sentinels can’t take down one officer.”

“She was forced to retreat.” The Akimitsu drone was elevated to the vanguard squad after her showing against the drone. Her faintly British accent and look drew attention as we sat at a café a block away from headquarters. She wore a beige sweater, a hat, a skirt, and black leggings. The epitome of fall fashion on a chassis designed to be beautiful. Most onlookers didn’t even consider the fact that she was a war machine. I shivered at the thought of her being employed as a weapon of war. “ And, she showcased human reactions and actions during battle. Her survival was entirely due to her durability.”

“Durability that took on four of the Sentinels blasting her with everything they had and survived.” Thunderer scoffed. He wore a bright pink Hawaiian shirt with brighter sunflowers, white, loose shorts, and sandals. His tanned skin and sunglasses made him look like a retiree out to enjoy the beach with more money than he knew what to do with. “Durability that let her escape without injury. In war, if you hit something with your biggest gun and it’s still mobile and escapes, the mission to kill it has failed.”

“The goal of the Sentinels was to prevent me from wreaking havoc. Not to kill it. They achieved that.”

“Tell that to Azure or whoever she is. She was out for that thing’s neck.”

Despite their heated conversation, they were also both eating.

The Akimitsu’s choice of meal was trending. A stack of Liège waffles, which were made of a fermented buttery dough studded with pearls of sugar and cooked like a waffle, rather than the thin batter I was familiar with. Rather than create light and airy shells for toppings, the Liège waffle was covered in fruit or dark chocolate because they were closer to toasted brioche than what I was familiar with. They tasted good, but I preferred regular waffles with syrup and butter.

She ate it steadily, showcasing not much interest in it, and primarily ordered it to post on her social media account and showcase herself to the onlooking public. The outward appearance of the warmachine, a chic, trendy beauty, was making headlines for her corporation. When she ate at the cafeteria out of prying eyes, she primarily drifted to beef bowls with plenty of rice and red ginger.

And soda.

She went through several cans a day, and quite a few were imports.

She enjoyed the fizzy sensation and the array of flavors.

Meanwhile, despite his crassness and appearance, Thunderer had soufflé pancakes with whipped cream, powdered sugar, and strawberries. He took pictures of his food as well, for his own collection, which included hundreds of specialties from across the world. He was an avid traveler and nearly never ordered the same thing at a restaurant twice. We were already halfway through the café’s menu thanks to him. He was already discussing which café to go to next after we were finished with this one. To him, experiencing a restaurant was eating all that it offered, then moving on.

Meanwhile, I was enjoying a well-brewed coffee that didn’t require any milk or sugar. It was one of my few pleasures, especially with Japanese milk bread toasted with butter and jam. To ensure I could properly regenerate, I nearly always had to consume a glucose porridge with every meal with staggering amounts of calories. Even with the tens of thousands of calories that I ate a day, my regeneration’s ability to heal wounds shouldn’t be physically possible; millions should be needed for slight cuts, but when topped up, I could regenerate limbs almost as fast as they were taken off.

Shaking my head away from my power’s overwhelming presence in my life, I offered my own thoughts on the matter.

“I think that it’s a test. A way to probe our ability after we’ve responded. The Sentinels told us that they think whoever’s leading the Shadow Legion now is of our world. Someone who knows how superhumans and organizations operate.” I took a sip of coffee. The bitterness and faint notes of acidity and citrus were welcome. Once swallowed, the lingering taste on the tongue was faintly of chocolate. No staleness from beans that lingered too long. Even if Thunderer decided on a new café, I’ll pick up coffee from here. Maybe I could have them supply the base with coffee? Even pre-ground coffee from a drip machine would be more welcome than what was in the vending machines. They sacrificed flavor for uniform bitterness. “Everyone knows we’ve been created. Everyone knows that task forces assigned to deal with specific threats have been successful. Therefore, whoever’s leading them will try to be different.”

Thunderer gave a sharp nod at my words after a moment.

“Well, when you put it like that, it sounds obvious. Someone who watches the news and is an armchair general would be able to think about ways to fight us.” Thunderer picked at his soufflé pancakes. Not too pleased with them. I told him that he didn’t like the last three pancakes that other cafés had given him, but he persisted stubbornly with his aim to eat all that our current eatery offered. It was likely that I’d be eating the rest of it. “They’ve got their fodder; they know we’re working to fight it, but now they’re trying to make counters. Their own elites.”

“It mirrors my production and that of my sisters. However, whoever this leader is, they must be constrained. Otherwise, there will be far more of these elites present.” The cyborg made a deduction that should have been obvious in hindsight that captured my attention and Thunderer’s. She did not gloat and instead charged forward on her train of thought. “If the Shadow Legion could create them in large numbers, they would, as they have with others. But they are constrained, most likely since many are repulsed by them. If they begin to win, however…”

“Right, now that’ll be a big fucking problem.” Thunderer grunted. “We’ll basically be dealing with a power grantor. One that can just give out incredible durability, regeneration, familiars, teleportation, and long-ranged attacks.” He threw his hands up. “We’ll lose. Hard. We can only hope that they won’t be able to churn them out, even with willing recruits.”

“If that’s the case, then we’ll need to support the Sentinels in their other plans. The ones that they don’t want to put into place.” Both Thunderer and the cyborg grimaced. The barrier plans that would protect solely arcologies and safeguard large populations from the Legion. They told us that was how other worlds survived them. They secluded themselves, invested in learning how to use the Light while blessing their lands to be bountiful, and sacrificed precious metals and gems as fuel for their arcana. “But who knows how long that will last, or if their current leader doesn’t have a plan for that as well?”

Thunderer scowled while the Akimitsu cyborg seemed lost in thought.

I thought that would be the end of the conversation, but the cyborg suddenly spoke.

“No matter what, we should avoid abandoning the rest of the planet. I’ll recommend that we begin more actively assisting the Sentinels and engaging the enemy. It is my hope that with our assistance, the Sentinels can defeat this new threat and destroy it.”

Thunderer was caught by surprise at her words before snorting and attempting to seem noncommittal.

“Easy for you to say. You can just get put back together or put into a new body. We’re out here with one life.”

It was plain in my eyes, though, that he was impressed by her words, even as the War Maiden began to apologize.

Though the task ahead of us was so titanic, as I considered our restful state surrounded by people living their lives as we argued about the future, I couldn’t help but feel hopeful.

There must be something stopping their inexorable advance.

Something that we can use.

As much as I wished to die, I did not want others to do so just so that I could return to my family.

…

“It feels like my brain is going to pop.” Alex’s new training was to expand her ability to control more Imps and more shadows. Both Ebb and I were effectively generals and were made for the task. Unless Alex’s soul and brain were accepted into the Shadow and made eternal, she couldn’t be like us. Therefore, she had to train. “Fuck, that imp’s smashed an egg instead of cracking it.”

The best way for her to train was pretty much to direct multitudes of Imps as they cooked.

Any waste was just consumed, it was easy to scale up, and it provided a myriad of different tasks at differing levels of difficulty.

She had four Imps carrying ingredients back and forth while stacking shelves.

Four more preparing ingredients using various implements at our expansive new kitchen.

Finally, she had four more Imps cooking four different dishes that required four different levels of attentiveness. Risotto, which she just had to stir sometimes and watch the heat of. Omelets, which required speed and focus. Broiled fish that needed careful attention. Then, finally, just learning how to grill various meats.

She’d started with just four Imps, which wasn’t a problem, but twelve without my help or Ebb’s was proving to be difficult.

“We’ve been at this for four hours now, so just finish up your current dishes.” I instructed her, and Alex gave a grunt. She finished the resupply of the kitchen and had the Imps put away the prepared ingredients. Once she was down to six Imps, she looked far less strained. “Twelve under your complete control is great. You just need to rely on the rest to run interference. Use the dozen you can control freely for versatility.”

“Yeah, sounds good.” Alex took a few steadying breaths. The strain of controlling twelve other bodies is fading quickly. If it was a matter of physical or mental strength, it would be no problem. Instead, though, the strain she felt was on her ‘self.’ She was effectively spreading herself out to twelve other bodies while retaining her original form. “Do you think I’ll be able to control more?”

“We’ll need to see tomorrow. Maybe, with a bit of rest and recuperation, you’ll be stronger.” Ebb and I were part of the Shadow Legion. Controlling them and using them came as easily as thinking. I hoped that Alex would be able to control a few dozen without help, but it was unlikely that she would. The finished dishes she made arrived at the dining room, where a hundred Imps were eating with the goal of replicating. The large batches of sweetened porridge with fruit and nuts were palatable to them, but the additional dishes were welcomed. Everything we could buy and source from Earth was pretty much a reprieve from the constant consumption. It was better than just shoving grain down our mouths for decades, though. “But it’s time to stop thinking about that. Just rest.”

“Got it, bossman.” Alex proceeded to move towards the dining room’s buffet. We were ordering food across the world, picking it up, and placing it on the buffet table. Package after package of takeout, along with catering plates from restaurants that could supply it, were at our disposal and gave us all the options we could want. It helped that we were trading with cryptocurrency for the most part, which was easily cashed out for electronic funds. We had multiple slush funds so that if they were found linked to us, then we wouldn’t have to worry. “Ooh, is this from that place I liked over in Milan?”

“Yep, they don’t do takeout, but they do cater.” She was giddy as she opened the aluminum tray and smiled at the heaps of pasta stuffed with seafood. The Imps partook in what was left after she took the lion’s share, then she trawled around for roast beef and smothered fried pork chops. Then, she took a seat near a television and turned it to her shows. I followed and took a seat across from her with my own favorites. “Good?”

“Hell yeah. It’s the best.” She took the shellfish out of their shells and tossed it towards the nearest imp, which snapped it up. When you can’t get hurt by chewing shells, it’s more like a different sort of crunchy texture than an impediment to eating. Still, Alex preferred peeling it, and the nutritional value was negligible. “Are you still on your fried rice binge?”

“Yep.” Fried rice with great smokiness from the wok was something that I just recently tried and couldn’t get enough of. It was best when it was never covered and shipped out. It gave the rice a faint crispness that disappeared if it was in a covered container. Nutty, crispy, a bit sweet, and very savory, especially with plenty of cured meats balanced by some peas and green onion. It was delicious, and I could eat as much as I wanted with a whole slew of other dishes. It took a while to find a shop willing to leave the rice and dishes in a closet in their restaurant with no questions asked, but once money came into the picture and the dishes were returned, they didn’t complain. “You want to try some?”

“Ate so much Chinese takeaway that just looking at it makes my appetite go away. Sorry, but I ate it for too long.” Alex explained, and I nodded. She apparently worked at a Chinese takeout restaurant for a while and ate leftovers from there for a long time. It was good, but multiple years of eating the same thing from childhood to teenage years? That didn’t sound fun. “I’ll have some of Ebb’s stuff, though.”

“It is not stuff. It is sushi. If you want it, you will address it by name.” Ebb grumbled, but as soon as Alex called it sushi, it flew over and gave her a portion. I wondered why it was ordering more than usual. “I bought you a beginner course. Eat from right to left, from the leanest to the fattiest cuts.”

“Man, I never even knew some fish were fattier than others! This is a treat!”

With the two of them getting along, I let myself relax a little and started eating.

With a few more expansions, we should soon have the chance to make a good mid-season boss for the Sentinels to play with while we keep up our rate of production.

V12: Chapter 9

V12: Chapter 9

…

There were a multitude of benefits to taking the supersoldier concoctions that the Ancients left behind, but there were also a bunch of caveats. Those who undertake the procedure, pretty much anyone in the military now, needed less rest, were stronger and faster than regular people, and recovered from injury better. While they wouldn’t get up from having their insides blown apart or having their heads taken off, they could also resist damage a lot better and didn’t bleed out that quickly. If you can get them on ice and slow down their heart rate, they go into a stabilized coma, which allows them to be transported to a Citadel for repairs.

But supersoldiers are suited for war, not for leading a nation.

Their senses are honed to find threats, and putting those senses in an office would drive them to boredom very quickly. Most of their emotions are dulled to make them more receptive to orders. During battle, with their adrenaline pumping, they think less and react more on instinct. Ordering them still works, but otherwise they fall back on training, and it takes a humongous number of losses for them to start registering that they should be afraid.

When that fear kicks in, they go into overdrive, retreat quickly, and regroup.

So, while I’d appreciate being able to run faster, sleep less, and be stronger, there were portions of the supersoldier formula that weren’t conducive towards being a leader. Officers do fine with it; they just needed to be mindful of the effect and be trained to pull away from it. Generals, I typically entrusted that role to the Champions, and they were well past most supersoldiers and didn’t have the same limitations.

Putting someone who has ingrained responses that they cannot override and tunnel vision on threats unless ordered or until everyone around them is dead in charge of a nation is a stupid idea.

So, as much as I wanted to become a super soldier, I had to abstain.

I had to keep to a schedule, rest, recover, and visit a medical pod regularly, while keeping a diet that was practically mostly medicinal in nature. The medical pods helped a lot, but when I needed to run around like I do now, they weren’t readily available. Having sedatives on hand to stay calm despite all my concerns was common sense, but I didn’t want to rely on them. Finally, any powerful artifacts that I could use were best sent to my Champions, because while they’d be great on me, they’ll be far better for them.

Why turn a +10 on someone to a +12 when you can turn +20 to +22 instead?

Besides, charisma in-game was something you could get by just grinding diplomatic meetings and making successful deals.

If you can max a stat out by grinding, it’s only natural that you do, instead of wasting time looking for specific artifacts or events.

Anyway, with all that in mind, after gallivanting around for several weeks, it was time for a break.

I decided to take it at our newest resort town.

Within a day’s ride for a flying courier, just in case anything went wrong, but still with plenty of amenities.

Time to try and forget the fact that I just ordered a viral attack on a city filled with refugees and a race of immunocompromised eugenicists.

…

The resorts I’ve placed all over my territory have the singular goal of being places to rest and relax. All you need to do, after you get all the work credit, is just show up with your ticket and your identification at one of my airstrips. Then, you’re shuttled over to the nearest resort. You get a room if you’re alone or a suite with multiple rooms if you’re with your friends and coworkers, and everything was designed like a modern all-inclusive resort/cruise from back home.

Multiple restaurants offered specialties from all over the continent.  A main dining hall that can seat thousands offered a fantastic dinner every evening. A buffet was available from sunrise to sundown, which offered staple foods in egregious amounts. Local businesses were encouraged to have branches in the resort, which showcased local specialties, and if they were popular enough, they could spread to the rest.

It put a constant demand on the transportation of food and people all through my territory just for the sake of keeping my people happy.

I saw things differently.

The resorts were giving my nation the institutional knowledge and ability to transport food and people quickly to places where they were needed. The train operators were learning how their machines worked and how to handle conditions all over the continent. New pilots were learning how to pull around people and navigate in a safe environment. Those who received supplies learned to mark the arrival of supplies, the usage of those supplies before they spoiled, and account for surges.

The fact that the resorts kept my people fed and happy was one thing, but the foundation trained my people to do incredible work.

It also helps that I get to lounge on a beach lake surrounded by Iterants in bikinis while eating tacos.

Sue me; I’m recovering from speeding across the whole continent for days preparing for multiple apocalypses and handling three consecutive wars.

Let me have this!

“My lord, it has been two hours. A reapplication of sunscreen is prudent.” Ayah spoke. She was wearing a white two-piece swimsuit that looked great on her tanned skin. A gold-colored sarong was around her waist, and she carried a basket of supplies in one arm while standing next to me. I told her to relax, but looking after me and not worrying about the numbers was her way of doing just that. “If you would permit it, of course.”

“Yeah, go ahead.” I turned onto my back, and Ayah did the work. She looked like a person, but at touch it was obvious that she wasn’t. Her fingers were cold and had an intrinsic hardness. She could mimic the ridges and wrinkles of hands immaculately, but beneath the surface it was shapeshifting stone. Iterants were advanced infiltrators and could replicate things like body heat and softness thanks to magic. “Are you sure this is how you want to spend your time off?”

“Yes.” Ayah’s response was quick, and she spread the sunscreen swiftly over my back. I turned, and she dealt with the front, while I took a moment away from reading in order to apply some to my face. As lazy as I currently was, I wasn’t a child. “Do you intend to swim or walk in the next ten minutes?”

“No, I’ll stick around for a bit more.” I answered her and got back. The sunscreen was taking some time to dry, so I didn’t pick my book up right away. I looked around. Far fewer people were staring my way. Iterant guards were around me and keeping watch. Everyone was very respectful after I politely asked them to give me time to rest. I managed to get away from having to do any public speaking after that, though I drew plenty of stares. “No news?”

“None.” Ayah confirmed with a small nod. “None that qualifies you for leaving this period of rest.”

There was probably a lot of news, but only emergencies would get through to me for the next two weeks.

I needed to top up the willpower battery after throwing myself from one end of the continent to the other, negotiating, and making sure our new allies didn’t get wasted taking over three other Citadels.

Oh, and having Riegert brought back to life and giving Morgan and the others a refresh on how to conduct a war.

All the while conducting a shadow war against the Wardens, Merchants, and Forgers.

Yeah, I think I should take a month off, but two was already a lot.

“Alright, then. I won’t ask.” I kept myself reclined and turned my gaze. The lake was nice and breezy with a long beach with fine sand. I could clearly see across the other side of it, but the people were like long grains of rice. It was a large lake. A significant portion of the region. A whole tile, probably. Lakes, mountains, and beaches had the largest happiness bonuses to put a resort on. They provided a lot of extra activities. Here there were people boating, fishing, and even participating in floating obstacle courses. “What’s my itinerary for today?”

“You have another two hours before going to the museum, then there will be dinner, a theater show, and then rest.” Sounded about right. I wasn’t packing in many activities. Vacations were for leisure for me. Thrills didn’t interest me, nor did visiting places just to say I went there. Food, exercise, rest, and maybe watching a show or seeing something interesting before going to sleep and repeating. That was my average vacation day. “Are you interested in doing anything else instead of resting?”

“Hm.”

For the first time in a while, I was able to think about what I wanted to do for myself, rather than what I needed to do for my country.

It was almost scary how novel it felt.

“Nah, I’ll stay here and keep reading.”

With my decision made, I sat back, enjoyed the breeze flowing over the lake, and got back to reading.

Eat, read, see places, and sleep for two weeks.

I’ll take all that I can get.

…

Interlude: Khanrow

…

While the Guardians of the Moon held a proper service and commendation ceremony after the taking of the Citadel and the fall of the Forger capital, they allowed the common troops a reprieve of a month before needing to once more march to war.

A month seemed excessive, but their supply lines were based off wagons. Wagons pulled by untiring horses with drivers that could work tirelessly, but still wagons. The Forgers hadn’t shared the host of aerial transports they bargained from us long ago. Those were now in the process of being absorbed by the Guardians, but it will be a few months or even a year before they integrate them into their military logistical trail.

The month of reprieve for the soldiers was for the military’s logistical needs. They needed to ensure roads ahead were sturdy, build up stockpiles of munitions, reissue supplies, and make other preparations necessary to facilitate invasion. The fact that the soldiers would be provided fresh food and combat bonuses and allowed time to rest was ultimately a minor bonus.

I couldn’t help but be disappointed.

The Guardians were using the same troops that they used against the Merchants and Forgers to engage the Wardens. We would have this force returned home for reconsolidation and rest after the Merchants. Another army would have been used against the Forgers entirely. Another still would’ve been aimed towards the Wardens, and perhaps those who fought the Merchants would be at full strength and deployed as well.

That was only for our current force as well. Not even considering the vast army we were set to have. The drafted army we planned to have was enormous. Nearly 12 times larger, and we could move them throughout the continent within weeks while ensuring that they were fed, watered, and supplied.

I could only hope that their rivalry with Jack will sharpen them into a force that we can entrust our flank to.

But I put those thoughts aside to find the champion that I sought.

I walked through pitched festivities and carousing soldiers happy to have bread, meat, and drink and went to the outskirts of the camp where the merchant auxiliaries remained.

Of 950 tanks, only 600 remained, thanks to the pace of the campaign. The tanks that fell in combat or were immobilized were taken by the Guardians for refurbishment and training of their own troops. Undoubtedly, the former Merchant child soldiers realized what was happening and that they would soon be replaced.

It was the perfect time to recruit the champion that I found.

He was at work with a handful of others. One table had tools and replacement parts, while another was lavishly covered in rations and food. They chatted amongst one another and ate while fixing their vehicles.

He noticed my arrival immediately.

“Khanrow, correct?” He discovered my name and saw through my disguise as one of the peasants hired to shuffle around supplies to the entire army. It was an awful system. Some peasants were squirreling away whole boxes of rations to their own ends. It was only thanks to there being plenty that those without found libations with those that did. “What does the King of Wisdom want with us?”

“An answer to his offer to you of a home. Does it still stand after you have fought for the Guardians?”

“He is as insightful as his reputation suggests.” Ninth, the massive ursine champion rumbled and looked my way. He gestured for me to take a seat at the table laden with food, while the others immediately went to work. The noise they made as they did was substantially louder. “I believe that my people will do better in Lady Celia’s lands. She offers much in exchange for us.”

“She knows we want you; therefore, they’ve given you more.” I surmised, and the child nodded. He looked stronger than when I last saw him. The benefits of eating all that he needed to eat and being placed in a situation where he had to learn. “Then, my question is answered. All I have left now is information.”

That piqued the young man’s interest, and I handed him a sheaf of papers and a cipher key. We had machines that converted input letters into something else entirely now. The cipher machines translated input letters into other scrambled letters via sequences input into the machine. Inputting the cipher text into a machine with the exact opposite sequence returned the cipher text into plain text.

“He wanted to make sure that you read it, so you’ll be decoding it on your own. If you want to forward the information to Celia, go ahead. We’ve already moved past that code.” The Merchant Champion’s brow furrowed as he considered the jumbled letters and the sequences on the key. He glanced back and forth for a moment and realized what he was given. “We’ve investigated the coming threats on your side of the continent. You need to keep an eye out for them all. The King of Wisdom has also put in these papers what he believes the remnants of the Ancient’s foes will do. Pay careful attention to that.”

I was tempted to recruit him, to try and leverage more, but I decided against it.

It would be better to have someone with his intellect working for Celia, curtailing the efforts of the enemies of the Ancients.

The leader of the Guardians, herself, would doubt every word without a semblance of a doubt.

Eroge? Bad Ends? Betrayal? I’m Just Here to Suplex Monsters through Buildings.

Lariats Are Heroic (2.2)

…

Neo San Kyoto, 57th Mayweather Lane, 1AM PST.

…

I kept an eye on Leona while she was inducted into the group. Predisposed to wearing a suit, the tanned cyborg gave off ‘penultimate’ boss vibes the more I looked at her. Her cybernetics gave her speed and agility on par with a ninja, while most of her body was very tough metal alloys wrapped up in synthetic skin that self-repaired. Her organs were highly augmented to be tougher and more efficient, and she had a gel-like red substance instead of blood.

Naturally, since this was a pretty fucked-up world, even though some parts of her brain were cybernetic, she was also still capable of being fucked and being forced to have kids.

I mean, she could get into a nice relationship and have a normal vanilla relationship if she was lucky, but I thought that was unlikely since she decided to bring the people who transformed her to justice. She either gets to go out in a blaze of glory finishing her mission or gets turned into a high-spec toy before being thrown away.

There was probably a small chance of her getting a good ending that ends with all the messed-up people who hurt her dead and her alive and ready to start a new life.

But I doubted that was going to happen.

Anyway, she provided us with the ability to break through electronic locks, bypass most forms of electronic surveillance, and pick up on tech-based stealth fields. Infiltrating and getting to the enemy’s data storage became a priority for a bit, letting me practice silently killing, before we transitioned back to blitzing across the enemy’s supply lines.

Personally, I’d put her chances of betraying us at 50%. She was just too effective and too convenient as a pickup team member from a random warehouse. I found it likely that there was some sort of power struggle in the corporation we were hitting, and we were being used to undercut somebody’s faction. Whoever was amassing power through all the chaos and destruction probably planned on betraying us and getting more supporters by swiftly dealing with the problem once they’re elected.

Or, I could just be paranoid.

Who’s to say until the chips are down and everyone shows their hand?

I’ll be answering with three Hiyo explosive tags and two electric ‘stun’ tags that I’ve snuck onto her clothes.

Shock her into stillness, leave the explosive zone, and set the bombs off once we’re clear.

But until the inevitable betrayal, I worked with her just fine.

Anyway, my actions were known to Asakura, and even though she didn’t like it, she didn’t tell me to take them off in case I was right.

She made it clear that after my contract is over, she’ll be removing them, though.

I hoped that just lost me the chance of being a retainer.

Not losing all contracts from the Hiyo Clan.

That would suck.

Anyway, for the most part, I kept an eye out for traps or counterattacks while we kept our raids going.

Eventually, my caution paid off.

But not in the way I expected.

…

“So, you’re the bastards making a mess of things.” I went in to check on one of my tripwire talismans and found the rooftop overlooking our target populated by a mage. A mage wearing a tan overcoat over a white button-up and a red tie. She had dirty blonde hair in a messy low ponytail, bags under her eyes, and a cigarette in her mouth. One hand had a fireball waiting to be cast, and the other a gun. “Care to explain why you lot are doing good businesses, or should I rip it out of your heads instead?”

We were all in the shadows, but Asakura could see me just fine.

I doubted that the detective/witch could.

Just in case, since I didn’t want to possibly engage a magic user that’s been chasing us and preparing to fight us unless we had to, I asked Asakura if we should verify if the haggard witch was an enemy.

Since Asakura was the type to take in every single victim our current enemies were smuggling around, she agreed with my point and stepped out of the shadows.

The Hiyo Clan emblem is plain to see on her vest.

“What the—you’re that heiress they said went and got fucked. You don’t look pregnant… shit, the organization that’s been stiffing my payments is a front for vampires!?” The leaps in logic were swift and decisive. She spat out her cigarette and crushed it. A faint shimmer broke around her, and a magic circle covering most of the roof’s center came to light. “Hold on. Don’t take another step forward. I was ready to introduce you all to some thunder and lightning.”

Yeah, I figured that a magic-user who’s been pursuing us long enough would get enough clues to put together more than a couple of counters.

I stayed in the shadows while Leona and Alecia walked out.

Leona earned a raised eyebrow, while Alecia had the witch choking on air.

“And, of course, the missing vampire godling is here too. Along with a cyborg supersoldier. What are you then?” She looked directly at me, but instead of leaving the shadows, I just crept into cover behind a rooftop AC unit. “The whole building is under my control. Every floor and every piece of wire and machinery. I can see everything, kid.”

I paused for a second before holding up a finger towards the floor.

The middle finger.

That got a chuckle.

“Okay, Mr. Tactical, keep your secrets. You’re lucky I like the moxie.” She shook her head and looked back towards Asakura. “Do you have anything besides the outfit and the crest to prove who you are?”

“No, and you should know better than to ask for Hou-ou’s attention. Such impertinence results in death, witch.” Asakura crossed her arms and met the blonde witch’s gaze. Black background, sparks flying, and gazes meeting. Yeah, yeah. Can we move on rather than keep posturing? “We will be retreating. Call the Hiyo Clan and say ‘feathers only swayed by thunderstorms’ if you wish to help.”

“So, I can verify if you’re who I think you are, and I can tell my employers that you ran away after being confronted. Hopefully, I get half my pay.” The detective grumbled before waving our way. Something around us shattered. Some sort of boundary that was so keenly placed that I hadn’t noticed it. “Alright, I’ll bite. Hunting trolls and vampires is always good money. Ah, sorry, missy.”

If Alecia was perturbed by the detective’s words, she didn’t show it.

Even though we were retreating, I took this witch’s appearance as a sign that we were at the endgame.

You don’t hire people like her just because you can.

…

Interlude: Asakura Hiyo, the Fiery Blade

…

I regretted having Keita along the moment I entered the saferoom the witch relayed to the Hiyo clan.

The witch wore a slip of white panties and an undershirt without a bra when she entered the door. She smelled of alcohol and cigarette smoke.

If Alecia found out about this, I’ll need to keep her from killing this witch.

“Well, that was quick. Thanks for coming by. I just ran out of food.” We were in Trespass. I received a message from Mother about an hour after returning from the surface. She told me to bring food to our new ally, who also had a home in the mirror world. I handed her the bags of groceries and a large paper bag filled with grease-laden food. “Ah, the sweet smell of artery-clogging food. I’ve missed you.”

I waited and got a grin from the disheveled sorceress.

“Come in, honored guests. You have nothing to fear from me in my home.” There was a change in the air. Instead of an undercurrent of buzzing danger, there was a subtle warmth. “So long as you properly act as guests, of course.”

The onus was on us to remain good guests, lest we invite punishment from a powerful user of magic in her own domain.

Surprisingly, the domain in question was neat.

“Hey, I might be a slob, but it’s better to be a slob in a nice place than a shithole.” She didn’t need to probe my thoughts to discern what I thought. The apartment was spacious with modern furnishings with a dark pastel aesthetic. Right out of a modern home catalogue. “Yeah, I just had some gremlins come in, gave them money, and told them to make it comfortable and look straight out of a magazine.”

I thought that she’d head into the kitchen, but instead she placed the groceries on the counter, went back to the living room, and sat on the floor while divesting the fast-food bag of its contents.

“You lot didn’t bring any for yourselves?” The witch asked us with a mouthful of burger. I moved idly through to her kitchen to place perishables in the fridge, while Keita walked in with our own meal for the evening. “That’s a fancy-looking bag. Some high-end spot, eh? Raw fish?”

She turned up her nose as I unpacked my meal, sighed, and sat across from her at the coffee table.

“It is. Would you like to try some?”

“Nah. I don’t eat fish. Spoke to too many of them. Too smart for me. I stick to farm-raised stuff. All the intellect has been weeded out. All good thoughts, eating, and growing.” The witch stated as she scarfed down a burger with just five bites. She fetched a whole container of fries and ate them by the handful. It wasn’t gluttony. It looked more like… focused consumption. “Yeah, I need a recharge. Running away from an attack helicopter is tiring work.”

Keita spoke up at that while taking a seat to my right and with his filtered rebreather taken off.

“Why run?”

“Because I don’t have a cleanup crew, and I don’t like to risk civilian lives by blowing a military asset over a city.” She turned his way. “So, are you going to give me a name, or what?”

“You first.”

“Catherine O’Doughtry.” Her name, her true name, made the air electrify. I had no doubt we were dealing with a powerful witch. They took from the world, and the world took from them in turn. They became part of the supernatural, while those who used vital/inner energy resisted it. They walked another world entirely compared to humanity and were bound to its rules. Keita did not need to share his name, but an offered covenant hung in the air. What was it about him that attracted such attention? “Your turn.”

“Keita.” He responded, and the faint shock in the air became calm and settled over the two like a blanket. A faint smirk played across Catherine’s face. “What magic can you teach me, and for how much?”

Ah, of course, that was his angle.

“Nothing big. A few rituals and maybe some cantrips. If you want more, you’d have to give up on your internal energy. Doubt that you want that.” Keita nodded, and she continued with a hum. The container of fries was emptied, and she moved onto another hamburger after downing a whole bottle of regular soda from a pack of six. “I’ll draft up what I can offer you. Each lesson… let’s say a clean hundred thousand or a favor each.”

“I’ll pay in cash.” Keita stated curtly before nodding and looking away. That was the end of that, it looked like. “If you’re fine here, I’m going to go hunt down some gangsters and raid their bases.”

“There’s a bunch of blokes who can’t keep their hands to themselves two blocks up. Good gear.”

Keita gave a nod, then looked my way as his meal stayed packed.

“Go ahead. I am a guest in her house.” I told him.

He was out within seconds.

“Smart kid. Stared a bit, but caught himself. Virgin, too. You’re going to have a hell of a time keeping that vampire princess off him.” Catherine laughed while I partook in my own meal. My sashimi got an idle look from her, but she soon shook her head. “So, what do you have for me?”

“A year-long contract at 2.5 million dollars with a 2 million starting bonus.” Catherine gave a whistle and a nod. “Our sources say you’re here in search of something. We’ll lend you our aid after six months of work.”

She gave a hum.

“Give me a quarter of the bonus, but start me off with your aid. There’s someone really nasty I need to find. Someone who slipped through the gates of Hell. Nothing world-ending, but plenty of casualties if I can’t put him down.” Catherine polished off a burger and then sat straight with her back against the sofa. She extended her hand to a bookshelf, and a tome flew to her hand. It opened and presented its pages to me. “I’ve locked down every leyline from the UK to here. Called in every favor I had. The problem is time.”

I read through the information presented and gave a curt nod.

“I’ll inform Mother right after this meal. We’ll be amenable to the change.” Catherine smiled and moved to eat another burger. However, I leaned forward and got her attention. “So, how long did it take you to plan your little ‘ambush’?”

She froze before a smile split across her face.

“A few weeks. Sorry about the theatrics, but I like to stay quiet and unnoticed. Gives me advantages, but comes with being unknown to anyone who can help. I figured displaying my power by cornering you and your team would get more attention than a call. Besides, I tried getting to your people and ended up being turned around by some hefty seals that I would’ve had to break.”

“Those seals repel those in league with the forces we oppose.” I pointed out. “Why could you not enter?”

Catherine smirked before snapping her fingers.

Her ears elongated, and some of her hair turned white, while her blue eyes took on a faint red hue, while the grime and tiredness faded away instantly to reveal an unnatural vigor.

“Half-succubus.”

“Got it in one. Pa was strong enough to give me a chance, rather than live as just some slut my entire life. I appreciate it, really. But it takes a lot of explaining to any potential allies.” She snapped her fingers again, and the tiredness returned along with some human ‘sag’ to her body. “Don’t worry about me making any moves on the lad. All my mother’s gifts are sealed up, unless you count the body. I even swore an oath to do no harm to humans. Moment I do, I go kaput.”

She pointed at her neck, and a faint blue line formed on it. A single glance informed me of the terms of her oath, and I relaxed.

Then, I considered her current journey and all the risks she was undertaking.

“So, your quarry is…”

A shark-like smile formed on her face.

“Dear old Mum. Looking forward to sending her back to the pit all nice and slow like.”

V12: Chapter 8

V12: Chapter 8

…

“You’ve crossed the line, Jack.”

“The Forgers intended to collapse the Citadel to see the continent burn, because they were about to be defeated.”

“That validates releasing a plague upon them? One that you have developed to destroy and kill vast swathes of people outside of the continent?”

“I initially planned to close their ventilation systems and set their whole capital aflame, but the amount of material required for that plan was far higher.”

Celia glared at me across the table. Besides my guards, I had only Ayah with me, while she had her entire retinue and the Divine Engine of War on her side. Decades of faking it until I made it, practicing acting skills, and a light dose of sedatives allowed me to sit still across from the ensemble.

“That you would have instead turned their capital into a furnace otherwise does not alleviate the harm that you have done.”

“My initial intentions were to force them to surrender through military force by supporting you. Then, according to my agents who sacrificed their lives to deliver the viral payloads, they made their intentions clear. This continent is theirs, or we all will die. That made them a crisis, just like all others.” I argued on behalf of my actions primarily because I wanted to maintain our alliance despite the atrocity that I committed. In-game, committing an atrocity affected relations with the Guardians of the Moon the most. However, there was a way around the massive negative modifier that committing that atrocity posed. “In the spirit of our alliance and my acknowledgement of your point in the tragedy that I have created, I offer disassembly of my viral weapons factories and relinquishing of the arsenal to the Guardians of the Moon.”

Celia froze at my words, and I felt the gaze of Miss Tall, Tanned, Tomboy on me.

Hnngh.

If not for the drugs, my heart would be racing without a doubt.

But horniness is for people who don’t have to worry about staving off a planet covered in monsters.

“Factories? Arsenal!? Explain yourself, King of Wisdom!” Celia, you know you’re using up a lot of influence talking to me like that, right? That’s a classic ‘Demand Explanation,’ which is to get insight on the overall state of a non-enemy faction’s kingdom. I mean, with the atrocity at play, you’re getting a discount on the influence cost, but still… I guess I’ll let her save face by explaining anyway. She needs to get this ‘victory’ over me because of her faction settings, anyway. “Just what did you intend to do with this horrific arsenal!?”

“I intended to threaten the whole continent into accepting an alliance. My whole populace is inoculated and protected against the weapons I possess. This prevention method requires reapplication through consumption of food formulated by my alchemists.” We already tested the less-lethal version of the plague against the Death Lord. My troops ate enriched foods and got chemical cocktails to boost their immune systems. That was why releasing the earliest version of the virus on the beast tribes didn’t result in any harm to my troops. Naturally, once I made the version that would target the enslaved population held by the crisis factions, I made the new viral weapons ineffective against my own people. “But with our current partnership, I am willing to hand the arsenal to you as a sign of good will, as well as provide the formulas to prevent them from affecting your population.”

Take these weapons off my hands, and please consider using them against the Sahuagin and applying them a bit more to the Stymphalians.

Please and thank you.

“No! I refuse that arsenal. I will see those factories disassembled and the viral arsenal incinerated.” Celia’s words made me want to sigh. I saw it coming a mile away. They always destroyed the arsenal you’ve built up and destroyed the buildings you had making them in your cities. It was a steep cost in production, especially since you can’t keep any in the back pocket. Well, you could with Intrigue, but if they find out any alliance is broken and can’t be remade. It’s full-on war. It was better to just accept the cost. “If you desire any semblance of cordiality to remain between our nations, you will accept my terms, King of Wisdom!”

I raised my hands up, palms forward, before inclining my head.

“So be it. Ayah, have the command written and relayed. Let the factories be shut down, and wait for representatives of the Guardians to arrive to oversee disassembly. Have the arsenal moved for disposal under observation.” The silence in the room almost made me feel like I was speaking at a brick wall. For a second, I saw surprise clear on Celia’s face. For a moment, it felt proper to just let it linger, but instinct bid me to play it up. It felt right. “This viral arsenal is no longer necessary. The continent will soon be partly unified. Therefore, I needn’t use it against other mortal races. It has also been applied against the Demons, the Stymphalians, and even the Ascendant. Only the Sahuagin are untouched by it, and that is because they live underwater.”

I looked straight at Celia before finishing my little impromptu speech.

“I released this weapon against the Forgers because they intended to kill us all out of spite, rather than accept defeat. The Wardens have been fighting and killing my people for some time now, but they have not threatened such a thing. Therefore, I have not used it against them.” It’d be useless. They could just resurrect whole and hale. Not to mention priests could just use holy magic against it. One casting, and poof, the viral illness is gone. “The weapon was intended to be of use against the foes of the entire continent. The Forgers turned themselves into such a threat, so I acted.”

I felt like I was talking to a brick wall as I finished speaking, with everyone just staring at me and not saying a word.

I was almost tempted to ask what more they wanted when Celia suddenly spoke through gritted teeth.

With a one-time-only Guardian confirmation of forgiving an atrocity, as long as their demands regarding it were met.

“I acknowledge your intentions and your show of recalcitrance by admitting fault through the surrender of these weapons and the facilities that made them.” Celia practically ground the words out, but there was a fire in her eyes as she leveled a finger my way. “The deployment of this weapon shall never again be done. Its production facilities will never be made again. Do I have your word, King of Wisdom?”

“You have my word, my seal, and my signature.” I told her simply before rising. “Is there anything else, Lady Celia?”

There was.

The Red Mist’s existence hung in the air, but the fact that I didn’t use it was also a fact.

I almost expected the question to be left unasked, but the Divine Engine of War broached the topic.

“The weapon you threatened your life with at the meeting that joined your nation with my master’s… why did you not use it against the Forgers?” Authoritative, but not deep. Husky but still feminine. The kind of voice you’d hear yelling while playing video games together or doing stupid shit together. Dammit, I don’t need to say a word, but I wanted to earn some points with her bad. “The Red Mist would have assured their destruction if it is as powerful as you claim it to be.”

I mulled the question a bit as I moved to leave before deciding to answer.

“If you are strong and healthy enough, you can survive my viral plague and return to full health. Four of every ten, I estimate, will survive it. Enough people will be spared for survivors to retain a semblance of their… culture.” I moved to the door at that, feeling that it was enough of an explanation, but found a couple more words to share as I moved to exit the meeting. “The Red Mist kills all. It consumes and consumes until nothing is left. Even itself. It gives no quarter, gives no chance at survival, and is a beast that I will only unleash if the Citadels themselves are threatened… when victory is impossible and only survival matters.”

I gave her a nod, meeting her gaze over my shoulder, before turning away.

“Oh blessed Divine Engine of War, I pray that you grow strong and mighty so that I will never have to unleash that weapon.”

And, with that, I made my exit off the stage.

Man, what a rough turn.

Time to take a break.

…

Interlude: Celia

…

The Divine Engine bound to me, Zenith of Conflict: Renderer of Final Judgement through Violence, let loose a breath of relief as soon as Jack left the door.

“It’s good that you’ve chosen him as our final opponent, master.” Zenith took the seat to my right. The officer asked her to sit there while she stood at my back like a ‘warrior.’ “He saw through me. Past me. Most likely he has one plan or another to neutralize me, even without my sisters.”

The rest of the table cleared. Catherine came forward, as did my two knights. The generals and officers present had done so to showcase a position of strength. He was alone with only Ayah against us all, yet he didn’t waver for a moment.

Not even when we truly had something on him.

I didn’t believe that he would deny it, but I hadn’t expected him to cede those weapons completely and utterly to us.

“We need more than that, Zenith. We know what he’s capable of from his achievements. What can you tell us that we don’t know?”

Zenith considered the question with a gaze that stared into the wall opposite of her chair.

“He’s… expectant. The conversation you and I had with him. It was almost like he was expecting our words and intentions.” Zenith did her best to understand her abilities and talents. One of them was discovering people’s true intentions. Catherine and other well-trained operatives could fool her. They had more than enough control, but that required decades of training. Most opponents and people? She could read with ease. “There was a little moment of excitement in his mask, a little eagerness in his stance, that I noticed whenever we finished speaking. After that, he spoke, and… everything went his way.”

“Everything his way? He’s agreed to give us an arsenal that he could’ve used to threaten anyone not under his control.” Mallory stated, and Christine nodded. They were my foremost generals and champions now. They had their own squires now. Squires who were soon going to be inducted as champions themselves. “Do you mean he meant to give it away?”

“I mean that he didn’t lie. Not once. He used that weapon with the intention of losing it after he did.” Zenith stated, and I looked to Catherine. She was my only other expert when it came to discerning who lied and did not. Typically, I could do it, but I could not remain objective with Jack. She nodded and confirmed Zenith’s words. “The Forgers would not have suffered their current fate if they did not intend to destroy their Citadel. However, from his willingness to cede the weapon, I believe that he may have intended to give it away to give you more prestige, master.”

My fists clenched at her words.

“And why would he do that?” I tried to keep my voice under control, but Zenith’s smirk at my demeanor told me that I failed. Allowing myself to growl and slump against my chair, I grunted at her. “Why exactly would he need to give me prestige?”

“You’re his counterpart now. An ally he needs to lean on while the rest of the world bears down on us. One day, he’ll need your help or the opposite. If you’re equals in strength and prestige, then that’s not a problem.” Zenith cut through the fog of mystery with a sword of certainty. “He knows he’s unassailable now, but when the bodies begin to pile up, when the war truly comes, his people will start to strain. Questions, opposition, and more will rise. He’s preparing for that, as well.”

Zenith released a sigh.

“We’re behind, master. Not just in years with four Citadels, but in all aspects of warfare. We need to finish this fight quickly, get everything that we can from our alliance, and build as much as we can.” She leaned forward and crossed her arms. “At the very least, you should know that he doesn’t intend to betray you. He wouldn’t go this far if he did.”

I felt a grimace forming on my face that I couldn’t repress.

No matter what I did, it felt like I was struggling to catch up.

But I had to focus on the present.

“Catherine, go ahead and investigate the Wardens. Mallory, you’re due for some rest. Head back and prepare the teams who will inspect and dismantle the facilities and viral weapons. Christine, keep up the siege.” The Forger’s Citadel was spilling out Guardians, and our own were pushing them back. We were also building up any excess for a concentrated push with Jack’s forces. His force’s potency was unmatched. Everywhere they stood, they held the line while the enemy broke beneath the weight of cannon fire and magic onslaught, while droves died to spears and rifles. “Zenith, you’re with me. We’ll study Jack’s forces as much as possible while they are attached to our army. My analysts believe they’ve seen all that needs to be seen, but we’ll find every detail we can through your eyes.”

I stood while my commands were acknowledged, and everyone save Zenith filtered out of the room.

I left her with her standing just behind me, towering over me and casting a tall shadow through the hall of the prefabricated command building.

“Any news on Life and Death?” Neither was with Jack, even though I moved with Zenith. She was interested in her sisters. We both thought that her presence would provoke him into bringing one of the two to ‘match’ me. Instead, he met with me, my Champions, and my Divine Engine with his usual handful of guards without flinching. “Besides what he told us?”

“The Life Goddess is carefully protected, but we have an agent heading in as part of a pilgrimage group.” It told her. “As for the Death Goddess, we have heard nothing. I believe Jack has deployed her against the Demons, as he said he did.”

“She’ll be insufferable when we meet.” Zenith sighed. “I almost want to ask you to consider sending me out there, master, but after seeing what we’re competing against? I’m better off here.”

Part of me was glad to have her with me.

Another more bitter part of me wondered if she’d be out there, stymying the coming threats as Death was, if I were in a better position.

I swallowed the bitterness blossoming in the back of my throat and shook my head.

No.

Now was not the time for such thoughts.

Eroge? Bad Ends? Betrayal? I’m Just Here to Suplex Monsters through Buildings.

Lariats Are Heroic (2.1)

…

Neo San Kyoto, 12th Ave, at 11PM PST.

…

Asakura’s plan was honestly much better than I expected.

Scope out all possible locations, hit the ones that hold captives asap, but leave the big targets for a rush at the end. If possible, get information and resources from people in either Neo San Kyoto or Trespass while preparing for the final stretch. The plan kept the pressure on our opponents and took product away from them, and we didn’t waste time while the heat died down after every raid.

People wanted work done in Trespass and in NSK, and that work included everything from simple retrieval of artifacts to silently killing off someone who pissed off enough people to get a bounty on their head.

Honestly, my only complaint was that Asakura had a bit of a bleeding heart after her betrayal.

“You don’t need to fight with us.”

“I want to. I need to. I can’t just… do nothing after everything they’ve done to me.”

Tonight was a good example.

We hit another storage spot for people in stasis pods. Since their submarine pen was destroyed, they were working to smuggle people out in various ways. Trucks going out of the city, to small airports, and in shipping containers. Their spoofing of information got around regular, mortal eyes, but apparently the Hiyo Clan had electronic warfare specialists too, and they had eyes out for any sudden delays or changes in planned cargo deliveries.

Given the amount of information that would be for a city like NSK with over twenty million people and its international ports?

I was sure that they had an AI or some electronic spirit at their beck and call.

Probably just hide bits of black bar codes to cover her bits and bobs while the rest of her was blue, or something along those lines.

Anyway, we were hitting their bottom line by snatching their products away, and typically it was just that. Find a storage site, bring it down, and call in the Hiyo Clan or some third party hired to do the work and get the people we rescued out.

But, then, the massive, evil organization had a lot of people who wanted revenge on them, especially after what they did.

In point, the current case.

Leona Rodriguez, a young woman modified to be a bodyguard and pet, with detachable limbs and robotic dog ears on the top of her skull.

She was activated to try and protect the facility; we beat her down, Asakura called in a favor to get her unbound, and now she wanted to join us.

Yeah, sure, let’s have a woman wired to protect against us fight with us. It’s not like there could be backup codes or hidden phrases that can turn her back into a hostile terminator or a useless pet during combat.

Whatever.

Boss wanted to give her a chance, so what boss says goes.

“You won’t regret this. I’ll do everything I can to help.” Leona stated while I checked the perimeter. The fight that took place wasn’t much of one. I blew open the ceiling and put in some explosives. The enemy broke what little formation that they had after the opening barrage. Asakura and Alecia killed the rest. We were overqualified for these targets, but I was getting paid and doing my own training outside of it, so I wasn’t about to complain. “This new body is strange, but I’m going to make them pay for what they did to my parents and sister.”

“You’ll get your chance after we’ve ascertained that you’re capable of fighting against them.” Thankfully, Asakura had some sense. Alecia, though, was already looking at the suit-clad cyborg like a kindred spirit. “If you wish to aid us now, please tell us what you know of this facility. Is there anything here that we might have missed?”

One of the bigger, tougher-looking guys had a nice watch, and I pilfered it. I was also taking all their phones to hand over to the Hiyo cleanupteam. Everything went to the Hiyo Clan’s cleanup team first, but my share of the loot was identified and scanned for curses and tracking devices.

Was I tempted to take stuff for myself and get it verified without them?

Yeah, but that’s arrogance and pride talking. That’s me wanting to get all that I earn without paying a ‘tax’ towards the Hiyo clan for it.

That’s me wanting to move away from a clan with established expertise and fundamental understanding of the salvage I’m getting for a slightly bigger paycheck.

In other words, that temptation was a form of stupidity, and being stupid in this world meant getting absolutely fucked.

Yeah, I’m going to just keep sending everything to the Hiyo Clan and let their experts deal with the stuff.

“They were moving a lot of things through a room, but nothing came back out. I think they had me help, but they just took my memories away. It was that door over there, beneath the manager’s office.” Leona pointed vaguely in my direction, and I turned to look where she was pointing. All I saw was a wall. “What? Do you guys not see it? There’s a door right there.”

“Keita. Throw a rock at that ‘wall.’”

Getting some distance from the wall, I did just that, and the wall shimmered, and I let loose a whistle.

“Optical camouflage.” After seeing the shimmer, since I had seen the outline of the illusion, I was able to dispel it. I plucked out the tiny emitters projecting the illusion and held them in my hand. They were the size of earbuds but concealed an entire door with ease. “We didn’t see it because we were only disrupting magical techniques. Keita, blow it open.”

I drew a kunai and got it ready, but the cyborg spoke up.

“Wait! There might be other people there. Let me go first.” That set off alarm bells. What if there was something on the other side that she could use to attack us? I looked over at Asakura and signed a quick question her way. The hand signal was meant to mean ‘trust’ in an inquiry that asked for yes or no. Asakura nodded but also gave the positive hand signal back. Only the hand signal mattered, in case someone noticed. “Just keep an eye on me, okay?”

The cyborg looked at her two fellow young women and flinched, looking at me, but I wasn’t about to attack her without being given a good enough reason.

I just kept my eyes on the door and switched to senbon.

She approached it carefully and opened it. The lights behind the door turned on… and a ladder in a small room greeted us.

“Hold. I’ll send a familiar down.” Asakura stepped back into the spotlight and pulled a talisman out of a pouch around her waist. It folded up on itself, turning into a crane, and it flew while a faint blue flame covered one of her eyes. It was one of the cooler tricks at the disposal of most ninja, but sadly out of my reach. I couldn’t ‘project’ my energy out very far. The tradeoffwas that it was more potent when I used it to enhance my own body. A worthwhile tradeoff, honesty. “It’s a tunnel, and it leads to the sewer system.”

“It must be an escape route. That ladder’s not exactly good for bringing cargo up and down.” There was no sign of any lift in the room with the ladder. Sure, you can carry something on your back while climbing a ladder, but stasis tubes with people in them? Those were too large and too bulky to carry up a ladder.” It’s large enough for orcs to go up through, but not much else.”

“Or, it could be an entrance point through a secure location. The underground of San Kyoto holds many secrets. Subterranean municipalities where the underbelly of society thrives.” She looked my way. “I’m surprised you don’t know of them. They have arenas where you can test your mettle against truly strong people.”

“Maybe, after this job, I’ll look into being a pit fighter for a bit.” I mused with a shrug and eased up a little. I was still ready to put a few explosives on the cyborg, but it was looking like we were calling it a night. “Are we heading in?”

“No. The underground is not a place where we can tread lightly. There are few places to hide and even less space to evade. Not to mention using potent magic underground can result in us harming ourselves. We’ll report this and move on.”

I made a mental note of an underground arena where I can fight all that I wanted, before nodding and moving on.

Since we were starting to find people like Leona, along with more pets to rescue than roided-up throwaway thugs and breeders, things were going to get hectic soon.

I was looking forward to fighting either trolls or vampires.

…

Interlude: Asakura Hiyo, the Fiery Blade

…

“Honestly, I’m impressed. Your generation has more mettle than I expected for such peaceful times.” Lady Hiyo offered me praise while wrenching me out of the wall. The training room was healing from our bout, but it was covered in gashes across the wall. Molten rock cooled and was undone by magic to be reformed into walls. “You’re certainly much tougher than your mother was.”

“Thank you.” My body cried out, even as I healed and recovered from the recent beating. Lady Hiyo stopped holding back after a few weeks. She engaged me in close quarters again, using her fists after her speed got her past my guard. Once I managed to resist her disarming me. Now, she was simply attacking me faster than I could step back and swing. “I hope to be stronger than her. Perhaps, I could even be as strong as you?”

“You have talent and the will to work hard, but soon you won’t have the time. I only got this strong after I left the clan to my kids. You can only do so much with the time you have.” Lady Hiyo told me before glancing over her shoulder. “Unless you’re a freak that can live for fighting like that brat over there.”

Keita had noticed our bout had ended and entered the room.

He wore only the tight training clothes of a ninja his age as he began doing handstand pushups with weights tied to his legs.

His internal energy was not in use. He only used it for recovery. And, before he went to rest in the evening, he expended it all since he deemed the apartment safe.

Every day he was hitting his limit, killing monsters, doing missions with me, and accruing funds.

I was convinced that I was looking at the start of a legend.

“He’s got time, talent, diligence, a killer instinct, and no responsibilities. He can gallivant across the world, experience everything, learn, and overcome challenge after challenge. Train all you like, but you won’t grow as much as he will… but you can still be strong enough to take on most of the planet.” Lady Hiyo’s features softened, and I realized a scowl had formed on my face. Her hand reached out, and she gently tussled my hair. “Lead the clan well. Have an heir. Retire. Enjoy a few years of peace. After all of that, if you still desire strength, I’ll be here. You’ll cease being human, but you can reach your fullest potential.”

A part of me wanted to argue, but it was a childish portion of me that I could easily ignore.

My childhood ended with his betrayal.

Lady Hiyo suddenly laughed lowly, and I rolled my eyes.

Of course, Alecia chose to come in to train at the same time as him.

“Let’s give these two warriors some privacy.” Lady Hiyo stated, and I gladly followed. The Vampire Princess was acting more like a succubus by the day. If he didn’t wash his own laundry and practice his elemental control by drying it, I’m sure some of his clothes would be in her possession already. We left the room, and I did my best to not meet the young woman’s gaze. I warned her already, so her future failure was on her head. “How is she in battle?”

“A fair fighter. She prefers to stay at range and strike from the shadows. Tempted to address her foes and try to make a name for herself from time to time, but she stopped, knowing we leave no survivors.” We ascended from the basement into the square of the apartment. Many gazes turned our way. I was readily accepted, but I was sure they had watched the entrance in fear of Keita suddenly appearing once more. Many of them were recent rescues, and they suffered greatly. Some had to be kept back by the older ones, as they still reacted with little control to men. “There has been no sign of rejection from her mother’s blood. Are you sure that she was one of those vampires? Those who can match an antediluvian?”

I asked since if Alecia took in all her mother’s purported power, she would be breaking apart at the seams, struggling between mortality and immortality as little more than a beast.

“She was. I fought her enough times to know that as fact. Her daughter remains whole and hale like a young woman, because that was only one droplet of blood of seven.” I froze at Lady Hiyo’s words. If each droplet were as strong as the first, that would mean… I caught up with my new teacher, and she gave me a grin. “What? Did you think the founder of your entire clan, the first chosen of the Hou-ou, would struggle against a mere survivor of the great floods?”

She looked upward into the eternal night sky over Trespass.

“Alecia’s mother was a primogenitor. One of six. The one who reaved through the Middle Kingdom and decided to settle on our lands as an eternal empress of the land of the rising sun to showcase her lack of fear of it.” Words alone brought a single name to my mind. A name with too many syllables and foreign to the human tongue. The eternal foe of our clan… and she was dead with her daughter in our hands to inherit all her power. “You must be wondering why we don’t simply kill her.”

I shook my head at Lady Hiyo’s words.

I already knew.

There was a hidden reason why humanity has not launched a final crusade against the creatures of the night with all our power and might and technology.

As horrible and terrible as the creatures we now fought were, if they were defeated and destroyed, other more eldritch and alien creatures would arise from all around us to take their place.

Better that we know our enemy rather than invite the truly horrific and alien creatures that lurk in the edges of reality.

V12: Chapter 7

V12: Chapter 7

…

It was a good thing that I sent Khanrow ahead to infiltrate the Forgers, because he had to work quickly to stop the Forgers from not just holding the Citadel hostage but destroying it completely to spite us for their impending defeat.

Since they were going to lose, the Forgers decided that they should consign the world to one of the calamities that ‘bested’ the Ancients, rather than those who were ‘lesser.’

Standard psychopathic behavior from the eugenicists, honestly.

Khanrow sent the information forward, and Celia deployed her own elite forces, her Divine Engine, and Citadel Guardians while the rest of the army caught up.

Since the Forgers didn’t build their city around the Citadel but underground at the nearest mountain, it was ‘easier’ to siege. Not easier to break, since the Forgers had underground supply lines leading to the Citadel. The whole gimmick with the faction and their Citadel was that you basically had to put both the capital built into a mountain to siege while also sieging the Citadel. Both had fortifications that needed multiple turns to whittle down, and while they were being whittled down, their armies could attack from range for free inside while they produced Citadel Guardians.

If you didn’t occupy and take over the towns and cities on your way, you’ll also be hit with a lot of attrition while you’re doing it. Underground raiders could also disrupt supply lines if you didn’t have units dedicated to protecting them on the espionage layer. Those supply lines also had to feed two armies at a time, thus stressing the economy of the attacker along with their logistical capacity. Oh, and the Forgers can have two defensive champions working together, one at the Citadel and one at their capital, conferring both their bonuses at once to both locations.

Basically, to take the Forgers out, you need to besiege and defeat two heavily fortified fortress cities at once while protecting as guerrillas and leveraging all that you’ve built ahead of time.

Taking a Forger Citadel quickly required massive amounts of manpower and the willingness to lose a vast amount of it.

But taking the Citadel wasn’t the point.

It was preventing it from falling, and putting it under siege achieved that.

Not to mention Celia had the advantage in a siege since she could just assail the Citadel and the Forger capital endlessly with undead chaff.

But I wasn’t about to let Celia handle that all on her own.

With my reply letter to Khanrow, I authorized a plague unleashed on the Forgers in their crowded capital.

The same plague that I unleashed on the chattel of the crisis to kill as much of the labor force and cattle as possible.

I hadn’t planned on doing it, but with them threatening to kill us all by destroying a Citadel?

Yeah, I wasn’t going to let a threat like that slide.

Celia will throw a fit about this, most certainly, but she had plenty of labor at her disposal, and the Forgers probably just intended to use all the refugees as chemically enhanced penal battalions. Or, you know, parts and pieces of various war machines that’ll do serious harm fighting in the tunnels.

There was no way she was just going to accept disease being used against the Forgers… But if she wanted to have a say in killing them, she should’ve had the armies needed to kill them herself.

I was just doing what I could with what I had.

…

Interlude: Khanrow

…

In a single letter, the death knell of the Forgers arrived.

“Our population of Forgers is stable and productive. Those who remain are not needed. Release the viral arsenal.” I read it aloud, but I heard it in his voice. The same voice of a young man who would spend an immense number of resources to save refugees and give them a new home. A voice that would speak for the least of a people and that would grow harsh at any mention of impressing any number into servitude without recompense. “Their intention to destroy a Citadel at this juncture marks them as entities dedicated to only their victory and our demise. Thus, I give the order of the Forger of the Mountain’s capital’s complete destruction through our viral arsenal.”

Jack’s seal was on the bottom of the letter, along with his signature and even a droplet of his blood in a faintly glowing magical crest with his name writ upon it.

The death of nearly a million people in triplicate.

It was already in progress.

All the Iterants under my command heard it and began to act without my instruction. The war plan conducted by Riegert in his last expedition was evaluated, studied, and implemented for the task at hand. Refugees were replaced quietly from the onset of the invasion. They cut off their own limbs to get through the weighing scales used by the Forgers, using lighter wooden prosthetics, and at checkpoints that checked with needles, they used limbs from corpses sustained with magic. Some operated with just one arm to call their own, but they accepted the sacrifice without question.

No, if anything, they were glad to be able to give it in his service.

I thought I understood the length and breadth of their loyalty, but seeing them discard their own limbs silenced all those thoughts.

They housed the viruses in their chest cavities as they infiltrated the Forger capital by the dozen.

A handful would stay behind to train more that arrived to follow Jack’s command before going ahead.

When the gates were closed to refugees, with Celia arriving with the advance force, they prepared in force to enter through the sewage pipes. They tested, found every vulnerability, each one impossible for mortals to overcome, and moved against it. Tunnels constantly flooded with water they could swim through without pause. Grated within them, composed of thick bars, they were ready to chip away at in total darkness, and corridors meant for refuse they would trawl through without care.

No indignity could stop them.

No fear crossed their mind.

No hesitation clouded their hearts.

In his name, they would gladly suffer and toil.

Sometimes Jack joked that he didn’t consider himself the ruler of the realm and that I remained some sort of hidden king.

It was a ludicrous idea, especially as hundreds of thousands of Iterants, and soon millions, would do this for him without a hint of hesitation.

Those inside will bide their time and regrow the limbs they cut off to save weight. They will hide amongst the populace and spread death and disease to people who we could’ve brought into the fold. Though they cherished the idea of being the children of the Ancients, of being creations entrusted with the future of the continent, they discarded that fact once Jack had asked.

There was no sacrifice too great for them to commit, nor any sin against Jack that they could ignore.

I looked once more at the letter in my hand.

It was incredibly light physically, but its true weight was beyond measure.

…

Interlude: Grimnar

…

The Guardians of the Moon were at our doorstep, putting our Citadel under siege, and I found myself patrolling the refugee quarters. Though the command came from a Trueborn, a misbegotten and idiotic part of me chafed as I walked through the halls of the lesser, instead of participating with others in cutting their lines of supply.

I cursed myself for my ill thoughts and made an oath to report them to my betters before refocusing on the refugee halls.

They were wallowing in their own filth. The vast hall allocated to them, made through the efforts of Trueborn mages, was filled with scrap huts. The Trueborn’s mercy was being repaid. Many of them were being used and turned into soldiers and weapons. Those who performed well in their duty will have their family lines sanctified and sanctioned as good for development as auxiliaries.

But through the din and chatter of life in the hovel, there was something else.

The stench of a different death than I was used to.

I approached the nearest ration line and found someone with an iron band.

It was a Descendant, and he was lightly sick with a flush on his features, a dripping nose, and a small cough.

Many were coughing.

Some sort of flu?

I made a note to have the bodies studied and vaccinations prepared. Any risk to the Trueborn needed to be conveyed.

“Auxilia, state the status of this settlement. I am here on patrol.” I showed him the markings engraved on my metal arm, and he bowed readily. Good and servile stock. Whoever appointed him as promising had a good eye. “Sickness seems to pervade it. Has it been reported?”

“Aye, my lord. A light sickness has come with us. It’s been present. Since we’ve been traveling, really. We’ve been taking our medicine. They come with the rations.” He gestured at those handing out bars and water. The nutrient blocks drew my attention. The phantom sensation of chewing came to mind. I could not recall the last time I ate. All my nutrition came from a tank connected to my stomach, which could sustain me for days at a time. “Within a week, all will have been given the needed medicine.”

I nodded and felt comforted by those words.

Our efforts to mimic the ancestors did not come without drawbacks. We kept our lineages strong and secure, but similarities and overlaps were born through our careful breeding. Plagues have ravaged our people once before and brought forth great calamities. It is why those who ventured out were given so many medicines to bolster their health, as well as give them more strength for the fights that lie ahead.

My thoughts broke to the sound of a guttural, fearful scream.

“Help! Help! My child!” I moved to the sound of a woman’s voice. She was of the Merchant. One of their weaker tribes with only feline ears and a tail. Her features were gaunt, and fresh bandages were applied over one of her eyes. She cradled her child in her arms. The child’s breathing was heavy, and she was shaking as though wracked with a terrible cold. The scent of death clung to her, and besides that, there was blood leaking from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. “Help, please! Help!”

The undercaste nearby recalled the warnings and stayed away, but I approached.

“I will take your child to our physicians.” I held out my armored hands, and she looked at me with relief and joy. In her eyes, though, I saw something else. A scarlet tint, while the child’s was entirely red. She coughed into her sleeve. No blood. Then, she sneezed and coughed again. A chill went down my back. Rumors of the King of Wisdom’s weapon against the beast tribes came to mind. He made it so that they were weakened, suffering from blurred vision and even inability to retain waste, but that was it. But it has been years since then. Years that could have been spent— “Hurk!?”

Pain blossomed across my back, and I lost the ability to stand.

My spine was pierced by something, despite my armor, and I dropped the child, and her mother caught her while I forced myself to stay up with one hand and drew my blade with another.

Already, I was healing the wound, and strength was returning to my leg, but the familiar, keening noise of Guardian blades resounded as people began to scream.

For a moment, I thought that the undercaste were rebelling, but I soon realized that my foes were not wielding blades.

Their arms were weapons themselves, and slowly they shifted forms into tall and elegant versions of Citadel Guardians.

Some sort of new Guardian model discovered by the King of Wisdom?

Or, a long and terrible plan coming to fruition, as the Iterants long ago decided that the Descendants were the rightful heirs and not the Trueborn?

I swallowed my fear, stood, and summoned earthen walls to give me time to breathe, but it was for naught.

They clambered up the walls and descended upon me with arms like knives. Barely recovered, I swung at them with a roar and summoned strength by crushing fake molars in my mouth and unleashing a chemical cocktail that gave me rage, strength, and clarity all at the same moment. I let my magic run wild, and it erupted around me, shattering my attackers into many shards, along with the fortifications that I created.

To my shock and horror, when they shattered, a fine mist exploded from them, surged towards the roofing, and spread as many droplets across the hovel.

Transforming lethal soldiers who could spread disease without being harmed themselves!

Who had to be caught rather than destroyed without risking a massive dispersal!

My mind raced, some of it wondering how they managed to get past all our preparations, but then I came to a horrible realization.

If they were here and willing to unveil themselves to me, with fatal symptoms already beginning to form, that must mean…

“I have already failed.” The others who attacked me had run amongst the frightened crowd. I did not pursue them. Instead, I shook my head and moved forward. “No, I cannot think that way. That is the path of annihilation.”

I looked around and found the mother dead, shielding her child from the blast of my magic, and retrieved the child.

They tried to stop me once I had the child in hand.

Perhaps there was a way to overcome this disease if they feared the retrieval of a single child by a soldier of the Forgers of the Mountains.

Or, at least, I had to believe such was the case as I turned towards the halls that would lead into the rest of the city.

Still, the hope I carried in my heart felt as frail and ephemeral as the child I carried in my hands.

Eroge? Bad Ends? Betrayal? I’m Just Here to Suplex Monsters through Buildings.

Punching Through Walls Is Romantic (1.5)

…

Trespass, 574th Ave, at 12PM PST.

…

There were no problems with settling in.

I stayed clear of lolicon-bait Miss Vampire as much as possible, along with the other bad-end heroines Hiyo Prime was taking care of, while getting into the groove of a new routine. During the day, I trained. In the afternoon, I found some places to hit. At night, I worked with Asakura to scout out the enemy.

I spoke and interacted only with Asakura since she was my boss and no more than needed.

Hiyo Prime, I asked for instructions, targets, and a training regimen and didn’t interact with them after that.

They looked like serious and competent people, but this world always liked to pull the rug on them. The number of talented genius ninja who just ‘disappeared’ in missions was very high. The orphanage that I was in typically had a constant influx of our lineage with all sorts of exotic traits from all over.

The Hiyo Clan’s matriarch was one of the most powerful people I’ve met, and she obviously suffered from modifications of the sexual nature. Sure, she survived and now had a child, but how long before some fuckboy gets some blackmail on her and that whole thing collapses? I bet it happens right before Asakura learns how to lead, so she’ll end up relying on an ugly bastard advisor.

Basically, being more than just a faceless mercenary in any female lead’s story in this world was asking for disappointment at best. If I were unlucky, I might even be killed off-screen. Hell, if I wasn’t ready to just die if I was going to be captured, there may even be a chance I’d get transformed and suffer one of three female prisoners’ fates: sex toy, breeder, or food.

Yeah, I’ll stick to training hard, getting strong, and spending my time taking down outposts full of thugs.

Like the one that I am looking at now.

Thanks to my efforts, most gangs in the surrounding area upped their security and were on the lookout for ninja. They adapted and wore protection against senbon via shirts made from stab-resistant material. The same is used for gloves. They also went from carrying submachine guns built in someone’s basement to six-gauge pipe shotguns. One barrel filled with slugs and the other with buckshot. Some were even hiring local mercenaries with magical weapons.

Those who couldn’t afford it allied with other gangs they could tolerate. I was going to let those marinate and collapse on their own.

My focus was on the gangs with money who were nice enough to upgrade the loot table.

Three sets of patrols walked up and down the street. They kept an eye on one another and were ready to support each other. On the top of my target building, there was a nest of people with high-powered rifles and scopes. One man with a rifle to keep an eye on a squad and their surroundings while they were defending themselves.

That little group on top of the roof had two burly orcs garbed in actual steel armor. Cuirasses, helmets, and gorgets from head to waist. Their arms and legs were bare, but their vitals were protected.

Hitting the guys on the street will have three snipers on me along with multiple guys with shotguns. Going onto the roof will have me dealing with two guys who look like they can tackle a sedan and win.

Picking off one group after another before taking on the rest was no longer an option.

Since stealth is no longer an option, that gave me only one real opener.

Explosives.

If you’re not going to let me use stealth, of course I’m going to start off with my strongest attack.

I checked the delay on each kunai, checked for wind, readied four in each hand… and stepped out of the shadow directly across from the sniper nest.

One of them caught me in the corner of their eye, but their focus was on the street.

Not on the roof directly opposite of them.

To the credit of the two orc defenders, they roared and charged to leap across the street gap between buildings to me. The one who saw me tried to shoulder his rifle and aim at me, too.

But it was too late.

I let the kunai fly. One each for each orc, three for the sniper nest, and one explosive each for the patrols on the street.

The three for the sniper nest hit first and exploded into small fireballs. Hiyo Prime was happy to teach me how to craft the new explosive talismans as a reward for my job. Rather than explode with shrapnel, each explosive talisman created a ball of heat intense enough to vaporize wood in an instant. They were closer to plasma grenades than explosives, but the function was the same, if more violent and more powerful.

The sniper nest was there one moment, and the next it was gone along with a chunk of the rooftop.

The two orcs struck in mid-air and exploded into perfect miniature suns. For a moment their outlines were clear inside the blazing yellow orbs, then the orbs ceased to be, and instead of orcs there were amalgams of charred flesh down to the bone with metal fused to the torso. The uncovered limbs were practically gone, and their weapons and armor were molten as they dripped and fell onto the street.

As for the patrolling trios, I timed the activation correctly, and the spheres appeared right at head height.

Nine bodies dropped instantly, sans heads, with their weapons still held in their grasp.

They never even saw their demise coming.

But that wasn’t enough.

I leapt across into the opening I made in the roof.

There were at least five more armed guards inside, along with the leader of the group.

I had two more plasma sphere kunai ready, but using them in proximity wasn’t ideal.

Some shrapnel and shockwaves were easy for me to endure, but the new talismans were more than enough to kill me.

It would be a clean, instant death, so I planned to keep one ready at any time, but I wasn’t planning on dying just yet.

Landing in the middle’s top floor, I heard panic and alarm clearly in the building.

Someone on the other floors must’ve been keeping an eye on things.

Clearing a building with a potential elite enemy hidden somewhere was too risky. Doorways were plenty dangerous when people might be waiting with magical weapons or shotguns on the other side.

So, I didn’t go through the doors.

The walls were weak enough.

I heard footsteps coming up towards the door and stopping and couldn’t help but smile as one of my favorite opportunities came up.

Channeling power through my body, increasing my strength, I surged towards the wall and punched through it. The thin wall broke apart. Wood framing, plaster, and old wallpaper. I went through it like Styrofoam, and my fist connected with the gangster on the other side. He pulled the trigger on his gun, firing off shots wildly, and hit a friend of his on the other end of the hallway I hadn’t known about.

His skull and brain broke while his buddy came apart around the stomach with surprise clear across his face.

I put a senbon through his eye to put him out of his misery before turning my attention back to the floor.

Testing it, I found it hollow and thin and got an idea on how to avoid going down the stairs.

I kicked off the wall, caught onto the roof, brought myself into a crouch on it, and blasted off straight through the floor fist first.

The floor crumpled around me, and I landed on a thug waiting and watching the stairwell. He gave a scream as I fell on him, my fist catching him by the shoulder, and shrapnel embedding itself all over his body. I gripped his shoulder, spun myself around, wrapped my legs around his neck, and twisted my body around, throwing him onto the floor with his neck as my anchor point.

There was a crunch, the screaming stopped, and I bolted off the floor into the nearest room.

My blood was racing, and I could hear activity, but I calmed myself down and gave myself a check from top to bottom.

There had been a flash of pain from my arms down my back from that floor dive.

Three more regular goons and their boss.

I clenched my fists. Tingling. No sharp pain.

I didn’t hear the front door opening, so no one was making a break for it.

I raised my arms up, and then I stretched forward. No sharp pain. Just a dull ache. No blood wherever I ran my over. Going through the floor shook me up more than I expected, and it hurt.

Stupid move.

I should’ve used one of my last two kunai to make an opening instead.

I’m going to do exactly that to get the last four of my targets, then deal with them as quickly as possible.

Whenever stealth became optional, I needed to catch myself before getting killed due to excitement.

For the rest of this base, fun’s off limits.

…

Interlude: Asakura Hiyo, the Fiery Blade

…

Keita was undressed, wearing only a training outfit that clung to his body, when I entered the room.

He sat on the sofa, which he used as his bed, and on the floor before him was all his equipment.

It was a common enough outfit for girls and boys in training. Regular humanity likened it to a gymnast outfit, though we rid it of the sleeves and anything below halfway down the calf for increased mobility. Our fabrics were also of far better quality and were thinner.

Alecia froze at the sight of him, but he paid her no mind.

I just sighed.

The vampiric former princess probably saw the training outfit as lewd.

“Yo, boss. Doing some maintenance.” The beginnings of a childhood crush or a lifelong dislike. Alecia drifted from one or the other. Lady Hiyo told me that love and hate were two sides of the same coin. It may not have been his intention, but by attacking her when she bared her fangs and then remarking on her intellect? It diverted her attention from her mother’s demise; she imbibed her final gift and now trained her powers with the intention of never feeling powerless again. The cornerstone of all that? Keita. “Are you bringing her along tonight?”

Keita, whom she’s only ever seen completely covered up like a soldier from a modern military.

“I—I asked to come along to test my ability and feed.” "Ah," she stuttered. There was no redness to her features. She was not yet powerful enough to overcome being part of the unliving. However, with my trained eye, she appeared to be struggling with childish affection. “Your employer agreed. What say you have to our agreement?”

“None, as long as we’re not fighting together. Stay in your lane, and it’s not a problem.” Keita reacted in the worst manner. Brusque and disinterested, he played upon her pride without meaning to at all. She was intrigued by him, but he was not into her. That, more than anything, would only engrave him in her mind more. “Hey, boss, can you check this launcher I made? It’s for the new talismans.”

Launchers were seals typically placed on gauntlets. Applied with vital energy-infused energy with a small brush to the surface of equipment, it was activated via the vital energy of the user to release what was within as fast as subsonic ammunition.

He made no modifications like other children would, applying the doctrinal version from the textbook at his side, and managed to place five on the front rim of his bracers, which would fire nicely from his upper wrist.

“The seals and placement are perfect. Well done. However, be mindful of the fact experienced foes will expect it.” I returned his armor to him and gave him a nod as I explained why it was not commonly used past his age. Ninjas who have learned the basics specialize and develop individual weapons and skills that are not yet known to our enemies. Though the basics and clan techniques are always great to fall back upon. “You may get an initial salvo of thanks to your disguise, but do not use this against those with experience fighting ninja or those who hunt us. They will pluck the kunai out of the air and return it at greater speed.”

“The first two on each bracer will erupt at twenty meters. The next two at fifteen. The last one is at ten. It’ll be all Hiyo Kunai.”

Those were dangerous ranges, but…

“That will be a potent arsenal. Keep some on your person and use those first. Make them not expect that hidden last result. Keep the weight of those launchers in mind, and you should be fine.” Keita nodded at my suggestion, a spark of excitement in his eyes. Launchers did not remove the weight of the objects carried within. They increased it as a detriment. A curse to lessen the cost of the blessing. The designers had to compromise with the seal to make it so small and have so much utility. “You will be effectively fighting with five kilograms on each arm.”

“I can compensate for that. It’ll be twenty-five kilograms in total, actually.” He pointed at his equipment. I spotted them thanks only to knowing where to look for them. Ten of the fifteen other launchers were arrayed on the sides of the greaves he had on his calves. The last five… were on the bottom of his boots. He carried ten, typically. Thirty-five resplendent kunai launched at his beck and call. All exploding before they could be plucked from the air. With the way he fights, he could easily be at the epicenter of multiple salvos of stars or fire a staggering initial salvo. “Do you think it could kill a troll or a vampire if they decide to show up?”

He gave a boyish and charming grin, obviously engaged by the thought of felling a potent foe through guile, deception, and overwhelming firepower.

Typical of most ninja aspirants, though most did not have the patience nor the skill that Keita had to see it through.

“It is a potent, powerful strike. Twenty should be enough to fell a vampire. A troll? It would be best to focus down a leg, slow them, and then fire upon their chest to burn out their heart.” I informed him dutifully, and it was pleasing to see him take my advice to heart. Though I hadn’t thought about it since his betrayal, I had always wanted to teach before I became the clan head. Perhaps even while I was clan head. “I applaud your creativity, Keita. Well done.”

I praised him, and he accepted it with a nod.

Then, suddenly, I felt a small spot of anger from Alecia, and I sighed upon the realization that I may have looked like a rival to her.

I have grown too used to Keita’s maturity.

Eroge? Bad Ends? Betrayal? I’m Just Here to Suplex Monsters through Buildings.

Punching Through Walls Is Romantic (1.4)

…

Trespass, 574th Ave, at 9AM PST.

…

Hiyo Prime wore a black bodysuit with red and gold accents, which had a large fishnet diamond on the back and open sides from the neck to the heel. The opening even went down the arm portion, leaving her two middle fingers and palms open to the air along with the core of her arms. The red and gold metal attachments came in the form of winged epaulets, armored high heels, and decorations on the bodysuit that somewhat mimicked ‘armor.’

If that armor was slingshot bikini armor sans the string.

And, of course, there was also a vaguely heart-shaped metal design on her black bodysuit’s lower abdomen.

Even the primogenitor of the Hiyo Clan was affected by this reality’s fetishization of all outfits.

I wondered what I would find if I investigated the history of fashion in this world.

Would all the female outfits since time immemorial be lewd?

Or, was there a shift somewhere that caused this to happen?

Did all legendary female warriors of this world showcase that they’re not wearing a bra or panties and were smooth all over while establishing their legends?

Questions for later, I guess.

“Here. This unit is your next six months. Your mother already paid for it. The basement of the building holds a training and rehabilitation center, which you can use. The armory is off-limits until you put something in there yourselves.” She owned an apartment block in Trespass. Most of the gazes through windows lining the hall were that of women. One who passed us by in the hall flinched in my presence. I had a feeling that it was a rescue center of sorts. Maybe, the Hiyo Clan’s venerable ancestor was spending her immortal life helping young women who got bad ends. “The young man who’s with you hasn’t hit puberty yet, so he’s allowed in here. Don’t bring in any lovers. My patients will rip him apart.”

“I understand, venerable ancestor. I shall adhere to the rules of your realm.” The unit we were given was a studio with a kitchen, bathroom, one bed, and a living room space. “When will I be able to ask for your instruction? I would like to learn what I can from you.”

“Hm. I thought that brat would ask first. I guess the two of you are more alike than I thought. That’s good. Retainers and leaders should have common ground.” She looked my way. “You killed a man who attempted to kidnap you earlier. I’ll give you the address of his compatriots. Destroy them before sundown. I will train my descendant.”

I was tempted to take the offer, but I turned to Asakura.

“Boss?” I prompted, and she thought about the offer before nodding. “Alright, then. I’ll take on that mission. Anyone I should look out for, ma’am?”

“The leader of the group is a werewolf. That hatchet of yours will be your only weapon that can kill him.” The Hiyo primogenitor stated simply. I raised an explosive kunai up with a raised eyebrow, and she gave an unladylike snort. “Their curse is far too cruel to allow that to kill them. They will be forced to agonizingly reform if they are dispatched with explosives.”

“Take out the legs, then butcher with the hatchet then. Hm. Any rival gangs in the area? They should have silver as a counter.” I got an approving nod for that little logical deduction. It wasn’t much of a leap. People work against each other and address each other’s strengths and weaknesses all the time. “Unless you want them alive for some reason?”

“No. I do not. The less refuse around this area, the better. Here are addresses for two of their headquarters.” If she had the addresses, why didn’t she deal with them? My question must have been obvious since she addressed it immediately. “If I go on a crusade against these wretches, I’ll soon have the whole city after me. I happen to live here and care for many. Defending my territory is fine. Going on the assault would endanger those I tend to.”

“Doing good deeds at the cost of letting evil live? Would it be simpler to kill all threats first and then help people?” I asked and received an arched brow and crossed arms in response. “What? You’re strong. Strong enough to do what you want.”

“Not strong enough to overturn this city. Yet. Perhaps in a few centuries, I’ll consider it. Live that long, brat, and I might ask you for aid in the matter.” She then proceeded to gesture at me to leave with a flippant wave of her fingers. I took that as my cue to get out of the complex until she suddenly spoke again. “Oi, take this.”

I caught the object she threw my way.

A little vial filled with red liquid within.

“They kidnapped a young woman a day ago. Give that to her once you find her. Tell her that she has a choice. Accept her lineage or live in fear of it forever.” I held the vial up and turned to Asakura. Her ancestor scoffed. “I’ll pay you with a trinket for the task, you brat. Now leave me to train this girl in peace.”

I still waited for Asakura to nod and confirm things before leaving.

Now, time to scope out two enemy outposts/bases and see how fast I can wipe them out.

The best way to understand a new region is to take on a few camps filled with the new enemies it offers, after all.

…

Interlude: Asakura Hiyo, the Fiery Blade

…

Lady Hiyo swung her blade.

The room turned black.

There was a spark.

Then, there was a surging blade of flame so thin that it was almost invisible.

It wasn’t only fast. It was also strong. I intercepted it, wrapping vital energy into my blade, and ‘catching’ as much of the strike as possible. What I could not intercept flew past me, whistling and crackling through the air, and crashed into the barrier of our training room, causing dust to fall from the roof.

Meanwhile, my arms cried out in agony as pain shot up my bones into my shoulders. The skin on my hands tore apart, and I felt muscle rip as I resisted the strength of a single slash.

Somehow, someway, I was able to gather my strength and hurl the attack to the side and away from me.

I felt blood dripping from my nose as the barrier and attack collided and an explosion of heat erupted my way. My arms were almost limp, and my sword felt heavier than a mountain.

Still, I resisted the urge to drop it, and I raised my hand as I struggled to breathe.

“Excellent, especially for your age. I thought you lacked teeth and gumption with all your worshipping when we met, but you have talent backed by a foundation born from training. I am impressed, my descendant.” She spoke, and her shadow cast itself upon me. I struggled to remain standing as she placed a hand on my shoulder. I felt warmth flow from her hand into me. Bone reformed, muscles reknit, and skin was reborn. Even my own blood was washed away by her healing flame. “I’ll train you as hard as I can and give you copies of the family scrolls. So long as you train hard, you’ll be a worthy heir in my eyes.”

“T-thank you. I am honored.” My body was healed, but my mind still struggled, and my vision was still blurred. She would not interfere with my mind unless needed; thus, it was left to me. I summoned the flame in my belly, guided it up my spine, and allowed it to slowly, carefully invigorate my mind. When I opened my eyes again, the blurriness was gone and there was no longer any ache, but a deep hunger blossomed in my stomach. One that my teacher heard. “I apologize.”

“Your internal energy being depleted and requiring food to refill it is a good thing. Now is the time to glut yourself and force the expansion of your core.” Lady Hiyo stated with absolute certainty. “Come along, I’ll see you fed. The brat is back, anyway.”

I followed her with surprise writ clear on my features, while a smile flitted across hers.

Keita sat on the floor outside the training room. Faint splatters of blood were across the sleeves of his clothes while he cleaned his hatchet. He had his helmet, visor, headphones, and mask off. He had average features, though with a finer nose than most, and his eyes were sharp and predatory. An easy grin played on his face, satisfaction oozing out of him as he labored to keep his equipment clean after a job well done.

Across from him was a young girl with messy golden locks and red eyes, with her knees tucked against her chest.

A vampire without a doubt… and who was saved by my ancestor whose hatred for them was the cornerstone of our clan.

I looked to her, but her attention was on Keita.

“You better clean the stains off that bench, brat.” She went over to him and, without hesitation, ruffled his short hair with surprising familiarity. A laugh left her lips as he grunted under her ministrations and rose from the bench. “Let me look after the kid first. Then, you’ll get your pay.”

“Whatever’s wrong with her now isn’t my fault.” Keita stated simply. He stood and walked beside my ancestor as she approached the young vampire. I stayed alert with a hand on my sword but entrusted the matter to Lady Hiyo. “She has that vial you gave me in her hand. Didn’t take it.”

“Your mother gave you that last bit of herself to keep you safe, yet you use it like a trinket.” Lady Hiyo addressed the child. A vampire giving their own blood to their progeny. It sounded insane, as vampires were typically undead who cherished their immortal lives greatly and who could not reproduce. Those who could reproduce reached the apex of their species, practically immortal demigods who fed upon tens of thousands or who survived millennia instead of centuries. They broke through the limitations of their kind and could therefore have children… But to give their own blood to that child was a death sentence. “Drink it, child, and receive all the power that remains of her and live a long life. That is what your mother would want.”

“Don’t you dare speak of her!” The child roared and stood up. She was shorter than Keita by a full head, but power roiled out of her. I knew she outmatched me in strength instantly, and my hand went to my sword. “Yo—urk!”

A kick from Keita to her chest embedded her into a wall, and his hatchet glinted in the small light that lit the hall.

Its blade was a hair’s breadth from her face… and over a dozen senbon hovered, frozen in mid-air just before puncturing her heart, lungs, and stomach.

Whereas I had frozen and wondered if I should run or fight, Keita’s reaction was to fight.

“Now, now. You should know better than to risk dying through stupidity.” Lady Hiyo kept speaking to the girl while pulling Keita back to just by her side. She plucked the senbon out of the air and returned it to him while making him lower his hatchet. He raised an eyebrow for a second before reapplying his mask, visor, helmet, and ear protectors. His lensed gaze stayed upon the vampire the entire time. “That boy is twelve years of age. Average in skill but hardworking and aggressive against any threat. The vast majority of those who live in this world can kill him with a flick of their wrist, yet you almost died to him.”

Lady Hiyo stepped back.

“Your mother and I fought for countless years. I chose to stop being human and simply pursue her and see her dead. But what happened to her after our last match was betrayal. Those who she relied upon to protect her at her weakest turned their knives upon her, and so she rescued you and turned to me.” Lady Hiyo’s eyes grew glassy as the young vampire pried herself out of the wall. Her gaze flickered towards Keita, and she flinched when he met her gaze head-on. “She gave me her life in exchange for yours. That vial is all that is left of her, and she entrusted it to you.”

The child was silent at Lady Hiyo’s words, while my mind raced at the words that were just said.

A centuries-long hunt against one of the most powerful vampires of the supernatural world?

That was why our ancestor seemingly vanished one day after brokering a pact with our spiritual beast?

While my mind raced at the news, as Lady Hiyo awaited the answer, Keita suddenly spoke.

“You practically pissed yourself screaming while I was rescuing you, but you could’ve powered up the entire time? Are you stupid?” He scoffed and shook his head. He hooked his hatchet back to his leg and put away his senbon. There were many things he could have shared as a person her age who was also an orphan to connect with her. Instead, he offered her nothing but critique. “If you do what you want, you’ll die out there in a few days if you’re lucky. If you’re unlucky, you’ll end up a broken pet, a breeding slave, or some regenerating power source for someone. My advice: take the last bit of protection your mother gave you, unless you’re some sort of fucked-up masochist.”

He said his piece, sharing all of the world’s brutality with the girl as she stared at him in shock, before looking over at Lady Hiyo.

Her glare at him for his crassness was obvious, but I could detect an air of approval surrounding her.

That approval only seemed to increase as soon as Keita spoke again.

“Do you know where I can sell all their gear? And do werewolf pelts make for good armor?”

Point Zero: Of Gods Old And New: 7

Point Zero: Of Gods Old And New: 7

…

Commissioned by Ichypa

Word count: 2500

…

The subject of technological progress is a touchy one.

Mostly because of desperation and how it led to so much being done during the apocalypse.

During the start of the first apocalypse, we were just playing around with autonomous weapons. Infantry didn’t have exoskeletons, let alone power armor, and they lugged around brass ammunition. Vehicles used tracks or wheels to get around. Aerial cavalry used rotors, while jet engines were temperamental, needed long landing strips composed of concrete, and had incredibly long logistical lines.

Long logistical lines that were compromised at the first wave and simply got annihilated by the subsequent ones.

Everyone had to look at what they had in their defensive zones and make the most of what they could get their hands on. Things devolved at first. Artillery and dumbfire rockets. Tanks with barely any electronics besides rangefinders. Stamped out submachine guns and rifles. Last-ditch weapons were deployed along with what was left of a modern arsenal, while nukes were fired to bring down swarms of enemies.

Scientists were given blank checks and access to hunter-killer corpses and the corpses of mutated monsters and told to make something work. Bioweapons that used to be animals or even people were taken apart, electricity ran through them, and weapons were developed after it was found that electric stimulus and a nutrient paste could keep the limbs alive and power running. Hunter killer material science and weapons allowed for fabricators to be built from their corpses, especially since their operating systems were so easy to overcome.

 Mechanized walkers with firepower matching whole armored brigades came out. Armored airships took back the skies with overwhelming firepower and armor. Troops went from using stamped-out weapons and wearing combat fatigues to power armor and energy projectors. Plasma swords became common, material science leapt forward to the point pre-cataclysm heavy weapons became useless, and fusion power turned from myth to reality seemingly overnight.

Humanity hit the ground, rebounded hard, and started advancing at a breakneck pace.

Then, the rest of the galaxy came in, and things changed.

Scientists received limitations again. No more using the bodies of bioweapons for study. No more inducing greater toxicity levels, breeding certain bioweapons together, and even producing new bioweapons. The Pacific States broke off from the UN because of that, and they were now creating custom bioweapons that used multiple powers at a time, which could be taken off by their wearers after combat.

Material science advances were still advancing, but no longer at a breakneck speed. Hunter Killers' corpses and materials were tagged and destroyed. Harvest rates for them were set to a fraction of wartime allowances. Everything had to be made from scratch now, instead of just plucked out of our foes.

It made sense.

We were showing that we could make our own technology. Not just scavenge from the dregs of ancient empires long lost.

But, still, the scientific community was divided.

Why not use what landed on our doorstep and still threatened us?

Why reach for the stars when our arses were still stuck deep in the mud?

Rules and regulations were stymying progress that was desperately needed, even if they were aimed at bettering humanity’s future as a whole.

Except in one place.

Point Zero.

And now?

I had a whole lab and a budget for myself in Point Zero.

I wanted to make revolutionary leaps and bounds ahead, but there was one project that I wanted to make first and foremost.

A nanoforge that didn’t need Hunter Killer Queens to produce.

Once that was made, once schematics were transferred around the world, then the problem of lack of materials would be a thing of the past.

Every base material we’d need could simply be made, especially with ZPMs powering them, and science could advance once again.

The best part was that I was doing it on the UN’s dime.

…

“Gah. The light. It burns.” I hissed as Gwen dragged me outside into Point Zero proper. Light shone through the gaps between immense megastructures, while snow fell and melted before reaching the sidewalk of the city. The hum of transports in the air was almost deafening. “Wow, I really spent an eternity cooped up, didn’t I?”

“Three days.” Gwen stated tersely, and I looked at my girlfriend. She didn’t seem pleased with me, and she confirmed that fact with a nod. “You owe me time together.”

“Right, right. You got it. Sorry. Won’t happen again. I just… had a lot of things to do.” I apologized and bowed my head. Thankfully, Gwen was the magnanimous sort and nodded back. I felt like a proper jerk, especially as I looked at my communicator. Over two dozen missed texts and half that manycalls. Mostly from her. “You could have pulled me out of the lab sooner.”

“Policy permits 72 hours of continuous work as long as your health is not endangered. I removed you from the premises at exactly that amount of time. Despite your fugue, you cared for yourself.” I nodded. I could keep a schedule well. If there was an experiment that took time, I could easily grab a bite, shower, and change clothes while turning my brain off to rest. It barely took any effort. Then, I’d get back to work. “But you are not permitted to return until twenty-four hours have passed.”

“Got it, got it. Everything should be fine. I turned everything off before leaving.” I nodded and did my best to placate Gwen, even though she seemed fine now. I looked around and found our usual convenience store. “Hey, why don’t we get in there first? We can freshen up, and then I’ll take you to a buffet.”

That seemed to break through the mask of stoicism she adopted, and she gave a nod.

We went over to the automated convenience store together. Once in a refresh pod, I gave my clothes to be instantly cleaned, hopped into a sonic-based cleanser, and got all the grime taken off me before getting a misting of minty freshness. After getting my clothes back on, I went and used a public terminal to get a transport and a reservation at the buffet. I finished just as Gwen left her refresh.

I gave her some ice cream to munch on as we waited.

“Where are we going?”

“Stellar Field. It’s pricey, but I’ve got sixty-four hours of overtime, so it’s fine.” The price was eye-watering. Most working-class folks would need two days of work to get one person in. I was paying for two. Seeing Gwen’s face light up made the price worth it, though. “You know about it?”

“It’s one of the only buffets in the city manned by chefs. They have dedicated greenhouse towers and even pastures. Everything is fresh.” That was news to me, and it explained the price tag. Fabricated food was good, but it was uniform. Each meal will always be the same. You could tailor the seasoning and the composition with some training, but in the end, it was the same thing, just dressed better. Real food would be different each time it was served. “This is a great gift.”

Gwen gave me a smile while the transport I rented landed.

The vibrations it gave off while landing were nothing compared to the nerves I suddenly got from my stomach doing backflips.

“Y-yeah? I’ll need to remember to give you more gifts like this more often.” I tried to be smooth, but Gwen’s small smile just kept me grinning and blushing like an idiot. So many conquests and girlfriends wrapped around my fingers, but now I was on the back foot. Worse, thinking about ‘getting back’ at Gwen just reminded me of who was on top whenever we played around in bed. A shiver went down my spine. How ‘nice’ was she going to be after this? Was I even going to get a say in how she treated me? I shook my head and cleared my throat. “After you, my dear.”

Gwen went into the transport, while I followed, and I did my best to get my head out of the gutter as we took flight.

“So… anything happen while I was out?” I asked her plainly, and she gave a shake of her head. That was a surprise, since things felt like they were going at breakneck speeds nowadays. “Really? Ever since we met Joan, it felt like a nonstop deluge of new challenges one after the other.”

“Things have been calm. They have been armed and trained, so they need less of our help tackling the supernatural.” Well, that explained it. Things generally always came down to training and experience. Handing people experimental weapons and armor didn’t matter if they didn’t know how to use them. “The creature we’ve recovered has also proven to be a model prisoner. Divulging information in exchange for better rations, recreation time, and so forth.”

“A demon’s giving us info for some computer time?”

“Nothing regarding its own kind, but it divulges happily on its rivals.” Gwen explained. She pointed towards my communicator. “You will find the codex has been updated.”

Right, the codex of all known supernatural creatures and entities that plague mankind.

Almost forgot that we had that thing.

“Alright, I’m going to catch up on the way. Just give me a jostle if you need me.” Gwen raised an eyebrow at my statement while I reclined back on the transport’s nice, plush seats. “What?”

“You will be asleep for most of this ride, I believe.”

“What? I had a couple of naps the last couple of days. I’ll be fine.”

Gwen cutely snorting at my assertion was all that I remembered before consciousness almost instantly.

…

I woke up at the hotel that hosted the buffet and immediately felt out of place.

The floors were polished marble, red velvet lined the cushions of every seat, and crystal chandeliers rained down light. Gold filigree on eggshell wallpaper was in every direction, and every single attendant was a moving automaton with porcelain and gold plates. We were let off on a red carpet, which had photographers cordoned off with cameras on stands, and a few snapped pictures of us as soon as we descended.

I was wondering how I managed to put together a reservation when we were led into a gala room by a faceless droid.

“There are eighteen kitchens available. Each one with their own menu. Tonight’s premier chef specializes in seafood.” That drew my attention. The oceans were hit hard by the bioweapon plague. There was a reason why suborbital transport and airships were ideal now. Most fish were absurdly lethal, and that’s without even considering all other forms of sea life that had new superpowers and mutations. That’s without considering that eating seafood wrong would lead to increased corruption. “ A Japanese sushi master who offers wild-caught tuna.”

More like a wild-caught beast that could barrel through a container ship from the front and get out through the back. Tuna were known to have extreme durability and speed as their powers, along with the ability to conjure up a shield that enrobed them like a shell. They turned themselves into living kinetic interceptors that could easily ‘fly’ through their targets. Until humanity manages to crack the ability to go at Mach 1 underwater, there is no way we’ll be using the seas anytime soon.

“Hm. I’ve never tried raw fish before. It sounds interesting.” Gwen went over there first, and the droid followed her. We both walked for almost five minutes to reach the kitchen at the center of the banquet hall.It was a kitchen straight out of a history book. Stovetops with metal cookware. Refrigeration units that held real vegetables and multitudes of fish. The giant tuna was at the center of the kitchen, being dissected by over ten people into blocks of ruby-like flesh streaked with fat. The scent in the air was briny and strange until I realized it was just the smell of actual ingredients rather than cartridges filled with the building blocks of food. “It smells delicious.”

Gwen’s eyes were alive and bright with life, and we were both led towards a stall manned by a chef attached to the kitchen. The flesh of various fish was kept in a cooled container in front of us, each one luminescent like a jewel beneath a soft light. The other seats were occupied by older couples with their own minders, while the chef looked our way. He was an older gentleman with tanned and scarred features.

Then, he spoke to us in Japanese, which the droid translated.

“He has greeted you warmly and has inquired if either of you have any allergies and dislikes. He will be preparing a meal for you of every ingredient available.” The thought of eating so much made me hesitate, but the chef noticed and spoke. “Each ingredient will only be prepared once, unless asked otherwise. It will be a small piece. Between twenty and thirty grams combined of fish and rice. It is limited in small quantities due to the potential risk of increased corruption.”

That didn’t sound so bad.

Then, Gwen spoke.

“I am resistant to corruption and have at my disposal the new serums, which reduce it. I also have no issues in regard to caloric intake.” The droid translated her words, and the chef paused before a glint overtook his eyes. I hadn’t noticed that most of the people present eating sushi were older individuals who could afford to take on a few more points of corruption. Using bioweapon protein must limit the amount these chefs can serve, since they weren’t using farmed creatures. This might be one of the few opportunities they had to serve someone all that they wanted. “Give me everything you want to make. I will eat it all. If I find something good, I will ask for seconds.”

The sushi chef seemed to take those words as a challenge even as he smiled and nodded in response.

“Very well.” The droid translated. “I will give you my best.”

I had a strong feeling that Gwen was going to like it here and that the various chefs in every kitchen were going to know her very well.

I only had to wonder if I would feel the same.

Then, I was given the first piece.

“Albacore with light yuzu on rice and wasabi.” The glimmering fish looked like a piece of soft white marble atop rice. A sheen of light brown yuzu sauce had been brushed on it, while half a pea’s worth of wasabi was on the top. “Eat with your hands, please.”

I took it, felt the warmth of the rice and the coolness of the fish on my fingers, and ate it.

After chewing and swallowing, I looked over at Gwen.

“You have a spare suppressant for me, right?”

She nodded, and I turned back.

Holy shit, I’m going to stay in this one kitchen for the whole night, aren’t I?

Eroge? Bad Ends? Betrayal? I’m Just Here to Suplex Monsters through Buildings.

Punching Through Walls Is Romantic (1.3)

…

Neo San Kyoto, Hiyo Clan Complex, at 9AM PST.

…

The Hiyo Clan’s complex was impressive. Located outside of Neo San Kyoto next to a lake surrounded by mountains, it was extremely defensible with only one road leading in that diverted from a highway. They had a light cargo rail next to a warehouse for trucks to come in and offload goods. Cars that came in and out were inspected before and after going through a tunnel that could be collapsed to seal the place off, and for anyone who wanted to come from the skies, they apparently had two separate SAM sites with two different command centers.

Why go through all the effort?

Primarily, because even though it was owned and operated by the Hiyo Clan, the valley was the location of a ninja school. After clans were satisfied by the training of their next generation, they took the best and sent them out here. The heirs to the clan rubbed elbows with other heirs, while their attendants from the clan looked for prospective marriages and good stock to bring in.

Meanwhile, they were also taught more advanced ninja techniques, got personalized weapons developed for their fighting style, and were instructed on how to use and counter magic. Then, once they passed their first four years, they were put into squads led by elite ninja on staff in operations against demons, evil organizations, cults, and more. The last two years gave them a chance to learn on the field while watched over by someone skilled and capable.

A million dollars in tuition each semester. Three semesters a year. Six total years.

Eighteen million dollars total for someone to go from a decent ninja to someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best around the world.

Honestly, given the fact that the high tiers of ninjas could be used to fight back and seal evil gods or malevolent entities from other dimensions, it was a steal.

Most governments would pay eighteen million just to put down a couple dozen armed insurgents!

Eighteen million to train someone capable of putting an eldritch horror that can eat a country back in its box?

That’s a steal.

Anyway, I was thinking of saving up for tuition as an independent once I reached fourteen, but that was two years from then.

So, I was looking at the curriculum while waiting outside the dean’s office.

Who also happened to be the Hiyo Clan’s matriarch.

The door opened just as I finished the introduction portion of the magazine.

“Kaa—the clan’s matriarch—has agreed to my project.” The door closed behind Asakura. Someone of my standing wasn’t about to meet with the head of an entire clan and the head of one of the most eminent training centers in the world. It’d be like a hired thug off the street getting time to meet with the head of West Point, if the head of West Point also happened to come from a heroic bloodline. “But no official support from the clan, and funding shall be what we can seize.”

“Makes sense. You were betrayed by your long-term partner in the middle of a mission. That means there are traitors.” I followed her while a grimace formed on her lips. With flowing robes in white and red over her bodysuit, she almost looked presentable.

Almost because the neckline still went to her vacuum-sealed belly button, and there were no sides to the robes at all. Side boob. Side ass. Underboob. Underbutt. Inner thighs. Cleavage. Reading the curriculum and seeing all the defenses really almost allowed me to forget this world was made for depraved and debauched fantasies.

“The clan head said that I’ll be feigning needing to recover in a remote clinic, as though I were defiled like others who failed.” The words were bitter. I could bet that the heiress didn’t like the thought of a fake failure as a cover. How did the saying go? Build bridges, help the community, and live an accomplished life, but if you drunkenly fuck a goat once, that’s all people will remember. “We have six months before I return and showcase that it was all a sham. In that time, we’ll investigate every lead and kill everyone involved.”

“Nice. Sounds good.” At this point, a normal mercenary would haggle about pay, but the Hiyo Clan had deep pockets. Not to mention the fact that this was all hush-hush. The premiums involved spoke for themselves. So, there was only one thing to ask. “Any chance we’re fighting more than just orcs and regular people?”

“The data in the laptops point towards two key figures leading the organization. The humans are largely patsies who have been lured by money, much like the orcs. One is a powerful vampire, and the other is a troll.” I gave a whistle. Those were two heavy hitters with strong regeneration and legendary toughness. However, it also made sense why they targeted the Hiyo Clan. “They targeted me and the Clan because of our successes against them. They cannot stand the fact that we’ve all but nearly ousted them from the western coast.”

Both trolls and vampires were relatively weak to fire, let alone the concentrated plasma that the Hiyo’s elites threw around. Regenerating from ash was well beyond their ability.

Figures that they would target the heiress of the clan.

“Never fought either one, and I don’t like my odds against them, but if you let me loose on their human organization, they’ll start sending elites to protect them. That’s less you’ll have to deal with taking them down.” It was a typical divide and conquer strategy. Hiyo gave a quick nod at it, not at all surprised since ‘ninjas’ didn’t hesitate to use anything at their disposal. More than a couple clans genetically modified themselves and used combat drugs and were considered good guys. Those who actively bred monster genes into their lineages were considered honorable for being willing to sacrifice themselves. “Just give me addresses, and I’ll start hitting them.”

Going all over Neo Kyoto smashing enemy bases sounded really fun.

“The plan is sound, but let us establish a firm foundation first. Come along.” Hiyo waved for me to follow, and I did. We reached an elevator, and she pressed the alarm button and held it for a few seconds. The light flickered, and then she pressed the buttons in sequence. The number display lit up and showcased B2, despite the fact there were only four floor buttons. One each for 1st to 4th. I’d say it was clever, but if someone wrenched the elevators open, they could just rappel down. “Have you entered the other side before?”

“The Mirror Realm?”

Hiyo grimaced but nodded at my words.

“It is the realm of the supernatural when long ago a united organization of humanity’s defenders cleaved the world in half.” If there was anything to be said about this world’s humanity, it was that it fought hard when push came to shove. Sure, there was depravity and debauchery wherever you looked, and plenty of corruption… but threats to all humanity were dealt with harshly. A couple dozen organizations could fall apart, wiped off the planet by some plan that would make a god of pleasure blush, but another will take their place soon enough. “The magical races and peoples went to a parallel our sorceress found empty and connected to our world. There they would live in peace and no longer interfere with us.”

“I heard of it. It’s the perfect place to hide, but there are also a lot of threats, right?”

“Correct. We will be going into a city that acts as a gateway between our realm and the supernatural called Trespass.” I nodded and listened as we left the lift and faced a torii gate. It was covered in seals and guarded by stone familiars whose eyes followed both me and Hiyo until she produced a wooden block with her family’s crest and threw it towards the gate. The statues came alive, not facing us, but towards the gate. They were stone, but they were weapons of enchanted steel. “We will go there, contact one of Mother’s old friends, and base ourselves in her domicile. From that safehouse, we will be able to go to Neo Kyoto through a gate and pursue our foes.”

For a spur-of-the-moment plan after a kidnapping, this was a pretty good setup. I could only guess that a situation like this was anticipated. A ‘lost’ talented ninja was recovered, but instead of just bringing her in, they could base her somewhere no one would look. From there, she can hunt whoever harmed her.

Or, it could just be an escape plan with a safehouse at the end that could be used as a weapon.

Either way, I didn’t see a reason to refuse.

“Alright, then. Let’s head on in. I’ll leave the talking to you.”

Hiyo frowned and nodded at my words, looking towards the whirling purple gate ahead of us while summoning her courage and willpower to move forward.

From rescue to enemy territory with only a vague promise that our contact was an ally, all for the sake of putting down those who wronged her.

She had guts.

Hopefully, this wasn’t all a setup for some meme instant loss scenario.

…

Interlude: Asakura Hiyo, the Fiery Blade

…

Crooked alleys leading into dead ends.

Eyes peering between shutters and storm drains.

The sweet scent of cloying perfume and refuse.

Trespass was a sprawling metropolis that lingered between realms.

In crystal spires were those who could tunnel into other realms and even alter the past and future of worlds without protectors. So great is their power and influence that they have toyed casually with other worlds and even acted as gods on a whim.

Meanwhile, the downtrodden from both the mirror realm and the human realm flow into the guts of their city. Prey for those who ply the trade of flesh. Humans desire the flesh of the supernatural, and human flesh is a prized delicacy. There are many meat shops in Trespass, but few serve cattle, pigs, or poultry.

It was a realm in which I held up my guard, upon which I strode in the shadows with my hand on my sword’s hilt, and killing intent plain for all to see.

Yet, I was an outsider that drew many eyes.

Meanwhile, the child I brought with me walked whilst whistling.

His bloodied hatchet was in one hand, while the other examined the purse he’d taken from the man who tried to steal him after he stepped out of my range for a second.

That fool hadn’t realized the child had done so on purpose.

It had been a single moment.

Barely a blink between a pair of arms lurching out of the shadows beyond my sword’s reach.

The next moment there was a thud, a monster dragged out of the shadows, and then a gleaming axe head descending through a skull with ease.

He took the man’s belongings with practiced ease before walking just out of my reach.

None looked his way any longer.

They saw him as one of them.

Or, perhaps, they even feared him.

Meanwhile, I kept my guard up until I reached the manor that dominated an entire block of the sprawling, crooked city. In a sea of chaotic, almost ramshackle houses, it was an oasis surrounded by a wrought iron fence with a green lawn and a stone path that led to the house. The porch was furnished with cushioned rocking chairs, while the outside of the manor was painted white and had a green roof. At three stories tall, it was dwarfed by many buildings that lay across its periphery, but it exuded a sense of serenity and majesty whilst surrounded by chaos.

The wrought iron gates opened, and I almost stepped through.

“Oi, we should make sure we have the address right. You don’t walk into a place like this in the middle of a slum without at least checking twice.” My companion sounded reproachful. For a moment, I was tempted to just ignore him, but he insisted. “Entering a domicile unprompted in a world filled with magic? That’s asking for trouble. Also, would you trust a host who doesn’t ask for an invitation first? Someone who just invites people in, especially with what we need to do?”

His words were sound, and my brow furrowed as I took a step back, then I took the invitation my mother gave me.

I barely managed to pull it out from my subspace when it was suddenly plucked out of my hand, and the entire manor fizzled into nothingness, simply becoming another dilapidated set of buildings amidst winding, shadowy alleys.

“So, you’re Miya’s kid, huh?” The scent of smoke almost engulfed me, and I turned to face the speaker. I found myself staring at a chest instead of a face, and my eyes widened as I looked up and found a face almost too like my own, save for a pair of elongated ears and hair a darker shade of black. “You almost failed my little test. At the very least, you seem to have an eye for talent.”

The first of the Hiyo Clan.

The Fiery Blossom.

“This one greets the honorable founder!” I bowed my head and clasped my hands together in respect and held my position even as she scoffed. Mother said she would send me to an allied witch. Not the founder of our clan, so many centuries old! “I am the ninth heiress of the Hiyo Clan, Asakura! I am thankful to be in your presence.”

“Yeah, yeah. Come on. Let me take you in… oh, ho?” Boredom gave way to an ounce of interest, and I felt fear travel down my spine. “Are you going to do something with that axe, brat?”

“Not if you prove you’re who you’re implying you are.” The mercenary boy I brought with me had bowed but had raised his head after a moment. Now, I saw in the corner of my vision, one hand wielded his hatchet and the other a tangle of kunai with explosive talismans. “I’m not taking any chances here.”

I feared that he would die for his impertinence; instead, the great founder gave a single chuckle, producing something from a belt covered in pouches and throwing it my way.

I caught it, and my mouth dried as I looked upon my clan’s crest on a golden medal covered in glittering rubies.

Both their gazes were on me while I gingerly held the medallion back to her.

“It’s her. She is who she says she is.” I confirmed with a glance towards the boy. “Now, just do as she says!”

“Got it, boss.”

I winced at his lack of decorum, but the ancestor just chuckled and bid us to follow.

Strange.

All tales of her told me that she allowed no disrespect, but this child has been spared many times over.

 Apocalypse Reborn: Demon Lord 24

 Apocalypse Reborn: Demon Lord 24

…

Interlude: Khanrow

…

Living metal beasts from ancient times toiled at our king’s command, creating more of themselves with resources forged by the Citadels, while gathered crowds watched.

Our king watched over them as they worked, fresh from defeating the Forgers and returning from the skies, and now standing as lord over machines that the Ancients once commanded.

Could they even be called Ancients now that one was with us?

“These constructs have information and education from ancient times. The Academy’s leadership only took enough to retain their positions. That will not be the case here. It will be spread far, wide, and to all who can listen.” He addressed me, noticing my gaze on him without even needing to turn my way, and I bowed me head out of instinct. The toil of the machines was constant in the great square. When they had first arrived, there had been a dozen of them. Now, there were twenty. The rate of their replication will only increase as more are constructed. How long until he had an army of the Ancients at his call. “They are builders first and foremost. Using them for war and not to educate and create will waste them. But they give us gifts.”

He gestured to those gifts made by the ancient machines on the table.

A pure white blade that cut through any armor with ease.

A firearm that spat out a bolt of light and blew apart flesh and armor with ease.

The first did not to be resharpened or maintained, as well as easily used for cutting apart wood as much as flesh. The firearm had no need for munitions. It only needed to bask in sunlight for a day before being able to unleash destruction over two hundred times at once.

He was right.

Why risk the builders of these wonders when we had so many people who could be trained to wield the weapons they made?

“It shall be as you will, my lord. I will ensure their safety and protection.” I raised my bowed head and found him looking at me from the corner of my eye. Suddenly, I feared if I had done wrong, until he reached for his side and threw something my way. I caught it. A small device with a latch that could attach to one’s belt. “What is this?”

“The greatest gift. Press the button and you may speak to me from across the continent in entirety.” I felt my stomach drop and my legs suddenly felt weak. This was a wonder amongst wonders. A means to communicate and reach one another instantly? It was beyond magic and bordered on miracle. “Each device is paired. It can only speak to its counterpart. I will surmount this limitation by creating buildings full of them working as relays with one another. Bridging pairs together by people if needed. Some magic may be of use to make it better.”

I could only nod at his assertion.

Making the works of the Ancients better would have never crossed my mind. I would have simply used the gift as it was intended to be used.

“I will have you sweep through our new lands as the head of a new agency. You will specialize in intelligence and espionage. Ensure that all within realm is under our control in full.” I listened and heeded his words. The looming Ancient could wage war endlessly, but that was not the point. The goal was control and to use that control to make use of the surrounding lands. “I am entrusting you with much. You will be second only to your granddaughter.”

Some would snort derisively at such words, but my granddaughter had been entrusted with so much after meeting with the King of the Ancients. She was his right hand and she spoke with his authority. With that authority, she secured the southern portion of the continent for him. Now, she tamed all that was left of the wilderness with an army at her back.

“I understand. I’ll make use of these gifts, my lord. I will need support, however.”

“Compose what you need and send it my way. I will see what you require fulfilled.” He spoke and that was the end of the matter. Though I tried to look back at the machines that captivated the people, my focus now was on ensuring our supremacy. “Be merciless and eradicate all threats. When the time comes, there must be as little wasted on internal affairs as possible. Do you understand?”

“I understand, my liege. It will be as you will.”

He was right.

There was more beyond our borders, past the faltering defenses laid down by the Ancients. The rest of the world was under the control of those who the Ancients could not defeat, so they cursed them, broke them, and set them against one another. Those were our true foes now. While the Citadels could produce nigh-endless armies of faceless Guardians, who could do much harm to them, they could not defeat them completely.

They will retreat, they will destroy those we send in, and even study and make use of the materials we inadvertently provide. We need to adapt, to change, and reach the pinnacle of the Ancients as swiftly as possible, while the Guardians crippled their frontier with us and created a physical, deadly barrier against any armies that came our way.

They will do immense amounts of damage, as an endless lethal army could, but our enemies will adapt, overcome, and come our way with rage in their hearts.

So, we had to do more.

We had to spread knowledge, find scholars, and innovate ourselves. Our cities must grow, factories must rise up, and we must work to ensure that the Citadels will only be used for what we could not make.

Such was already the case.

The foundation was already there.

He had planned for this all along and I could only bow my head in thanks that he was with us.

No one else could have hoped to have began this war properly.

…

So, let’s talk genocide.

Nuclear was out of the question, since it would alert any possible alien force looking our way. Though with the Citadels under our control, we’ll have the home field advantage, there’s no way that anyone coming here after seeing nukes wouldn’t come with their own. They were just too good to ignore. The amount of firepower they offered for their weight class was only eclipsed by the weapon I planned to produce.

Or, rather, the four weapons I wanted to produce.

Four sets of custom-made plagues for each of the crisis. With my early start and acquisition of all the Citadels, beelining towards custom plagues was viable. Not only that, but with research, they could be turned off or my people could simply be inoculated against them. With material fabricators that can manipulate on the atomic scale, I could theoretically pick prime numbers, make different sets of plagues for each of the crisis factions, and just sit back and relax.

But that was all theoretical, since I didn’t have the computers needed to program the Citadel Fabricators.

But if I could make an interface, if I could do more than just select from the catalogue and make what I needed, then I wipe each crisis out without any problem.

But I needed to hold on until I got to that point.

“Ayah.”

“Yes, my lord?” Ayah played the part of princess held by a barbarian king. Usually, she moved about in bands of silk and gold. In truth, she was my line of defense. As soft as she looked, like a model plucked off a lingerie show’s runway, she was in fact a shapeshifting golem whose skin could bounce of anything short of anti-material rounds. She was also a dedicated advisor for rebuilding civilization. “What is your will?”

“Use your clerks and assemble an expedition for the brightest minds we can find and who can be replaced in their current fields. They will be educated, form the core of a university, teach more, and become our research wing.” With control established over the continent, it was time to pull it all together and consolidate everything into a cohesive, efficient organization. There was no shortage of resources any longer. The only shortage that we had was time. “I intend to attempt to create at least one plague that will devastate one of my future foes. Preferably the Demons. The best way to do that will be to access what lies beyond what my ancestors permit the Citadels to create.”

“As you wish, my lord. However, with the securities in place, even after interfacing with a recreated terminal, it may take time before such a thing could be made.” Ayah stated and I listened. The plague idea seemed like it was just taken out of my hands. “However, there are a myriad of plagues that can be weaponized within a clean environment. It will require test subjects from the Demons, however.”

A thought occurred to me.

A plague that will hit the people of this continent would also hit the enslaved/laborer caste of the crisis.

If I didn’t have the time that I already had, unleashing such a plague would be sufficiently crippling.

But I did have time.

“The next expedition will retrieve living subjects to be experimented upon, then. Search the lands for sufficiently strong and contagious diseases amongst larger animals. We will make them leap onto them.” It was a rough compromise, but it was better than nothing. Taking out one of the crises for a few years with an epidemic would be amazing, especially if they didn’t have the ability to respond to it. “We will go with your suggestion, Ayah.”

“Thank you, my lord. I will conduct the trials myself, if needed.” Seems like she was getting some vengeance out of her system. Normally, I’d be worried about an AI wanted to experiment on living beings and developing biological weapons against them. However, the Ancient Administrator was traumatized. If anything, traumatized was describing her situation too lightly. She watched everything be destroyed and was retrieved to try and save the world after being put into stasis. If she got out of hand, I could deal with her, so I let her have this. “Shall all the other plans go ahead?”

“Yes, I will focus on developing the military and ensuring the nation’s stability. Infrastructure and economy, I leave to you if the goals I have set are met.”

With that, I was finished speaking with Ayah.

Now, it was about how to move onward with the potential events that loomed ahead.

The famine that was to come was most likely due to the Citadels sapping power from whatever ‘magic’ was keeping everything fertile. Since the famine would end within a few turns, I could only assume that the Citadels recharged the fertility of the land in that turn, especially since there was no longer any more famines after that one. The famine was supposed be the first time all factions could work together to overcome the issue, but with me at the head of all factions, it was simply about policy and ensuring everything that I wanted to happen… happened.

They feared me now, but now I had to give them a reason to stay and do as I ask without the threat of death.

Naturally, I was going to elevate people into higher strata of society for the time being. People who have more talent and potential need to be found and turned into Champions and administrators to maximize my nation’s output. Those who I needed will get provided more wealth, thus incentivizing the population to work as hard as they could. Meanwhile, I was going make sure that the masses reproduced and expanded our numbers as much as possible. Beast tribes and their ability to have litters came to mind, but I wanted high numbers for everyone.

So, basic healthcare, housing, and rations along with a school/child care system would be best, so that people could just have kids and not worry. That would also give me the ability to just teach the next generation what I wanted them to learn. The schooling system that I had in my previous life would suffice, though I was going to add more physical exercise and training, as well as house children in dorms after a certain age. I was sure that most families would accept sending their kids sooner to the dorms with the right propaganda and societal shaping campaigns.

The increase in population is needed because I required both a massive army and a workforce that could support it and keep our economy growing even during wartime.

The workforce wasn’t going to be difficult to handle. Industry was going to grow with the help of the Citadels. There were many civilian and military needs that had to be met. No matter how many people came out of my schools, there was going to be a job for them. Even if it was just mining out ore, or moving cargo through my territories, people were going to be paid what they needed to get what they wanted.

The bigger problem was getting my troops experienced enough to fight.

With no wars ongoing, I’ll need to set something up. Blue force and red force modern training across multiple environments would be costly to produce, but barring expeditions in force into the rest of the world, there was no better way to get experience for my soldiers. Multiple battlegrounds all over the continent, which they have to march to and train at, would be the best. I’ll be able to test my logistical systems, get a reading on how fast my armies could march, and get them all trained up. Each battleground will have a host army, while visiting armies will rotate through them, and complete circuits that let them experience fighting everywhere.

The defending armies will also learn how to defend and sustain themselves against constant waves of fresh troops that get more experienced over time.

The system sounded too good to work within my expectations of it, but it was my best shot.

Besides the famine and the coming build up, there was also the tutorial faction to consider. With most of the neutral enemies being hunted down and killed, the Death Lord was unlikely to spawn. It was a terrible and powerful creature that would be good for providing armies for my troops to kill, but the potential that it to take a Citadel and create a monster faction was unacceptable. In the end, though it could provide plenty of training for my armies, I gave the order to destroy the possibility of it forming.

If needed, I’ll lead the purges myself and send swarms of Citadel Guardians to kill the rest of the neutral mobs.

Now wasn’t the time to take risks.

It was time to build a civilization that can take on the rest of the world and win.

V12: Chapter 6

V12: Chapter 6

…

I really wanted to take a week-long break, but after seeing Riegert resurrected and ensuring Khalai was watched, it was time to fly back out.

Since the front against the Wardens of the Caverns was on the way, I decided to drop on by.

I didn’t expect to be swept up in a hug by Ilych once we were out of the public eye.

“Thank you for saving my father.” It was a simple statement, but I could tell Ilych wanted to convey more than that. She let me go quickly while Ayah moved in to make sure that I was okay. If she wanted me dead, I’d be dead, you know? “ The winds tell me that he should have been left to paradise after his sacrifice.”

“Tell the winds that we don’t have the luxury of allowing that.” I told Ilych simply while Ayah patted the wrinkles away from my uniform. Still, I gave Ilych a nod to acknowledge her thanks. “I saved him to ensure we have enough Champions. There’s no need to thank me. If we were better off strategically, I’d have wished to leave the decision to you.”

That was pretty much a lie. If Riegert was less valuable as a general and a unit buffer, I wouldn’t have popped Khalai out from his prison and brokered a deal with him. Even if Ilych had begged me to resurrect him, I wouldn’t have. I’d probably have done my best to convince her that I was doing Riegert a favor by keeping him dead, then offered her use of the Shroud to bring him back as Undead instead.
Since she was partnered up with Rita long enough, I was sure that she’d refuse that.

It would be a new being with her father’s body.

Not Riegert.

“Now, how about we go over the status of the remainder of the Wardens?”

“Right here, your majesty.” Morgan waved me over. She had a smile on her face and gave me a nod as I went over to the map table. Since we fought long enough at the location, the cartographers were able to work with Iterants to sketch the place out properly. Blue pieces representing our troops were based around the Academy Gate Fortress that linked Warden lands with Academy lands. Red pieces for Wardens units. While I planned on replacing our flying horses with planes, they just took too long to mature and train; they had their uses. Loitering for observational purposes was one. “We estimate over thirty thousand light infantry in opposition supported by an equal number of Guardians.”

“How are they faring against the combination of mages and field cannons?” After seeing the dismal siege capability of our artillery, I rechristened them as field cannons. Their primary focus was going to be a general’s main weapon for killing massed troops or armored targets. Smoke shells and incendiary rounds were going to take some time to develop and produce in large quantities, but they’ll be useful once they are out on the field. “Are they being kept at bay?”

“They are. Unlike the Forgers and their new mortars, they have no siege weapons that we can’t invalidate. Any mages that they have are killed by Conquerors.” Conquerors armed with anti-material rifles were expensive to field compared to regular troops, but the concentration of force they offered was ridiculous. They were basically biological power-armored heavy infantry with all the supersoldier serums that the Ancients left behind. A thousand of them deployed in teams of twenty spread across a battlefield and instructed to shoot and scoot? Enemy mages didn’t stand a chance. “I believe they’re massing for a major offensive once they have enough Guardians. Their constant defeats here have forced them to be less… zealous in their crusade.”

“I agree. This momentary lapse is entirely for them to mass their forces. They must also be giving their troops armor and weapons. Make sure that all troops are aware that they might encounter soldiers who will be equipped with explosives.” Morgan’s eyes widened a bit, but she nodded at my words. Citadel manufacturing didn’t allow for easy production of synthetic explosives, but it could produce powerful chemical propellant for the rifles it produced. It was a waste to do it, since it would be better to just make a dedicated factory after figuring out the formula, but these were zealots without a proper industrial base. “Have our soldiers keep an eye out for sappers carrying barrels of propellant. With enough stimulants and healing, they may hit our lines in large enough numbers. Double our lines of barbed wire.”

“As you will, your majesty.” Morgan dipped her head with a nod, while I settled in as commander of the fortress.

The concentration of force I had available was nothing to scoff at.

Rita, Ilych, Conquest, Sirena, Morgan, and Morgan’s two apprentices were all here. Seven Champions with an army of pike, bolt-action line infantry, artillery, mages, and a mobile command center/artillery platform through the sky bastion. Another army was on the way, which was another ten thousand of the same. You’d think that it’d be enough, but the Wardens had resurrection on their side, Citadel Guardians, and were in their element.

Thirty thousand enemy light infantry and ten thousand heavy infantry could be destroyed tomorrow, and in a month, they’ll have it all ready to go again.

I could reach in and take their Citadel in a handful of weeks at grievous cost.

Probably fifty percent of the frontline was killed, since Warden light infantry was just that lethal and our own Guardians couldn’t go in.

Maybe, if I could save and reload while micromanaging all my troops, I’d be able to halve that number.

But I couldn’t.

No, as fun as the challenge would be, the best way forward was to treat this as an EXP farm.

“We will make this an opportunity to learn how to deal with relentless, nigh-numberless enemy forces from defensive positions. Once the second army arrives, Morgan, I want you to operate a light cavalry force with Conquest and your apprentices. Harry, the enemy formations, and lead them into guns.” Morgan nodded immediately at my words, and I turned to Ilych, Rita, and Sirena. “Rotate every two weeks with Morgan. The three of you will do the same while they man the fortifications. Those who fight here and now will be the backbone of our future force. The elite and the most blooded who’ll become leaders and officers of our new armies, or the strongest garrison troops at the frontline.”

I gestured towards the table and motioned for all of them to be seated.

“I will consult. I want to hear plans that will strike fast, limit casualties, and ensure troops will have time to rest. This is an opportunity for us to learn how to fight against endless foes. Let us make the most of it.”

Let’s level these Champions up as much as possible, so in the future I could give them orders and have some faith that they’ll accomplish what I ask of them.

…

Interlude: Rita

…

Jack’s offer to hear out our plans to overcome the challenges presented by the Wardens swiftly informed us all that his mind for strategy and tactics remained exceptional. Coupled with the thoroughness with which he composed them, it was a stark reminder that many of those who faced him were strong, capable, and mighty, but they fell due to his efforts. Not because they were weak or threats that could easily be surmounted, but because he was the King of Wisdom.

Morgan’s brow was furrowed as a patch of forest on the map abruptly turned into a place of murder for her simulated troops.

Her proposal had divested her forces of any Descendant troops and instead took all the Conquerors. With her role as commander of the theater, it was within her right to requisition all the troops in such a manner, even if it took the command experience from the rest of us. Jack had pointed this fact out himself and heavily discouraged the path, primarily because Conquerors had a weakness.

Hidden knives in the dark.

Conquest had arrived and grimaced once she weighed in on our king’s trap for Morgan’s forces.

“In direct battle, my people will neither fail nor falter, but in a shadowy forest filled with hidden knives in the brush, in the mud, and in holes dug into the ground, I can imagine no force that will not be destroyed.” Morgan’s theoretical force had run rampant the first two days. Iterants ran numbers and compared past statistics of battles and gave likelihoods of casualties, enemies killed, supplies expended, and more. She moved the potent force of two thousand Conquerors like a sweeping sword across the theater, expending munitions like water, returning to the castle for resupply, before going forth again. As the enemy withdrew, they offered her forces disadvantageous terrain, and Morgan chose to pursue. Jack showed his hand, and devastation followed. “And, I know in my bones that the Wardens can be pushed to do this. To set the forest aflame around my force, to scream of paradise while throwing themselves at my warriors, and to die in droves killing my people? That is their nature.”

All the champions in Morgan’s plan would’ve survived, but over half of her force would’ve died, and the remainder would’ve been cut in half again due to casualties. Casualties that would have needed to return to Citadels to be healed and made whole. A whole season would pass before they returned from their round trip, leaving two armies with only a quarter of their fastest, most individually potent force of elite soldiery.

Which would have left our whole front vulnerable to enemy mages, compromising our range advantage, and forcing our infantry to soldier forth and leave our entrenchment as to not be bombarded. The composition of our forces was never questioned, but once the Conquerors were removed as an asset, Morgan likened their loss to that of a limb being lost. They provided us with a means to remove threats from the board and pursue the enemy, and when in place, they even lent firepower to our garrison.

Morgan postulated that with such a loss, to keep the momentum, a massive show of force would be required.

I thought it was an arrogant move, but his majesty nodded in agreement.

“If you end up losing that many troops, a reprisal is necessary. Give the Wardens any small victory, and it can turn into an inferno. An overwhelming strike with all the armies you currently have, sweeping, burning, and leveling the whole region, is the only way to ensure your command over the theater. But… it will come at a cost.” He spoke, and the Iterants provided the numbers. A combined full assault as Morgan planned would clear the board of any Warden troops and their Guardians. At the cost of immense casualties for our force of pikes, as even withering bombardment from our aerial bastions and cannons, a melee clash would be inevitable. As well-armored and trained as our frontline was, they were not invincible. “That cost would be our four thousand veteran pikemen. Soldiers who’ve been with us for multiple years who cannot be replaced. The factories that once made their equipment have been downsized to maintain them, their instructors are retired or teach other subjects, and there is no next generation of their kind, as withering, overwhelming fire is planned to replace them.”

Morgan had listened, argued, and moved her troops and achieved all objectives, but in the end, she declared her simulated campaign a failure.

“I’ve wiped them out three times over, but it’s a failure. They’ll just replace their casualties and come back again, and we’ll be pushed back to conserve our strength. In the end, we would’ve killed more and died less by just staying on the defensive.” It was a sobering proclamation. My plan with Ilych had been cautious. Mixed groups of troops going forward to do battle, withdraw, and fight on underprepared grounds. It was safe, but the Wardens would’ve been given the initiative to simply ignore us or leave upon seeing us, perhaps even just engaging us with Guardians. There was nothing here that they needed to hold and defend, after all. Our plan would’ve bloodied our troops a fair amount, but it would not have cleared the region of the Wardens. “So, what’s the right plan, your majesty? Care to tell us how you would run this campaign?”

Jack considered her words, assented, assigned the Warden forces to us, and took control.

Then, he showcased in detail what he would’ve done.

The first thing he ordered was prioritization of shipping towards his location, which was within all our rights to do. In preparation for a planned assault, he desired quadruple the amount of artillery shells, ammunition, and incendiary bomblets. The remains of the aerial cavalry were tasked to provide constant ‘vision’ of our forces while erasing forests through incendiary munitions. Every day a square of forest cover disappeared as she shaped the land to his desire. Teams of Conquerors were given what they could no longer lift and deliver, and they were given a cruel task.

Resurrection was easy and painless for the Wardens.

But they were limited in their number of healers.

Rather than increasing how fast Wardens could be killed, he increased the number of casualties that they had to care for and struck before they realized that they should force themselves to kill their own wounded. Artillery was rolled forward, extra pikemen trained to help load and care for them, and in teams of ten they leapfrogged forward. One group covered the other, and entrenchments and defenses were made around them. The bastions were placed overhead to provide cover.

We all watched as our defenses grew and grew, as he increased supply requests gradually and had roads expanded. Merchants operating mere wagons were hired. Food shipments from Citadel stopped as we sourced them from the former Academy lands we held instead. Anything that could be sourced from our holdings closest to us was sent our way, increasing the capacity for what we could not locally obtain. As our hold expanded, as lines started to stretch, he called upon towns nearby to provide workers for a road to be built.

A road that the Wardens could see, that they would need to engage us for, and that our soldiers defended behind barbed wire, trenches, and cannon emplacements.

By the time the Guardians completed their taking of Forger lands and arrived, a vast corridor and path had been carved out.

Where there was once no road, he created one for them to tread, and while preparing munitions, food, and more in stockpiles to fuel a relentless advance.

Morgan wielded our military like a master swordswoman.

Everyone else adequately followed orders and progressed slowly.

Our king?

He leveraged the whole nation so that he could call upon everything to give us every advantage. Advantages that we never considered.
All the while forcing our enemies to play into the palm of his hand.

We led soldiers who trusted us.

Morgan led armies.

His majesty led the nation.

Eroge? Bad Ends? Betrayal? I’m Just Here to Suplex Monsters through Buildings.

Punching Through Walls Is Romantic (1.2)

…

Neo San Kyoto, 48th Street, at 12PM PST.

…

Hiyo’s plan of attack was to sneak through the port authority building’s various floors, kill whoever found her, find her equipment, and reach the top in a decent state to confront the big bad.

My plan was to make them come to me.

After putting some holes in the submarine, I went out of the underground garage and went through the front door.

“What the!? Who are you—urk!?”

Instead of guards in blues mimicking cop uniforms, I was confronted by generic thugs in suits with pistols and earpieces. Going through the glass front doors led me into a lobby with twelve of them. They weren’t much of a fight. I got rid of them with just some senbon through the heart or neck.

Mostly the neck, since bulletproof vests were good loot, along with the guns.

It was a testament to how ludicrously strong ‘ninjas’ are in this world that a bunch of armed gunmen didn’t stand a chance. They didn’t have ‘physical energy’ or whatever it was called coursing through them. No matter how fast they pushed their bodies or trained, they weren’t going to be faster than a neophyte.

Unless you were packing higher caliber guns like orcs and had the drop on a ninja who was exhausted, you’re not getting far.

Anyway, before the door closed behind me, the suited thugs were dead.

I grabbed a couple of wallets just in case I wouldn’t get the chance to purloin their guns, ammo, and bulletproof vests before reaching a set of elevators.

Forcing the sliding metal doors open, I put my last explosive kunai into them.

When they exploded, each car fell into the depths as flaming wrecks.

Alarms resounded, and the fire system went off.

Hm.

That might make things a bit harder for Hiyo, since she was a fire user.

But it was better to make sure people couldn’t just run away.

I sealed off two of the staircases and three of the exits in the building. The light shocks they were designed to make were discouraging for any monster but strong enough to knock people out. Maybe, with the sprinklers, they’d do a bit more damage, but I wasn’t going to bet on it.

Anyway, that one set of emergency stairs was for everyone to use, and it led straight to the lobby where I waited.

Why go through the trouble of going through a potentially booby-trapped building when I could just have everyone inside come to me?

With how fucked up this world was, loads of those booby traps would be perverse in one way or another.

I had to be considerate of my youthful virtue!

A sudden bang from the one staircase I didn’t close off drew my attention, and a deluge of thugs in black suits and earpieces came out.

While I looked down on them, standing on the roof of the lobby, a good ten meters up.

“Clear.”

“All clear.”

“The fire exit is covered by a seal.”

“Don’t touch it. Make way towards the front entrance.”

“Shit, everyone’s dead.”

Eight of the group had guns, but four had melee weapons. Faintly shimmering even in the darkness and the deluge from the sprinklers, they were undoubtedly enchanted. Given the strength of ‘ninja’ armor, it was a smart choice to have some magical weapons. Typically, though, regular people armed with those kinds of weapons just ended up being fodder taken out at a distance.

“Keep your eyes open. I want a gun on every shadow. Shoot at any movement that isn’t us.” The leader had an axe and a buckler. He evenly distributed his steps and kept his weapons at half-ready while leading from the front. “Where’s the staff?”

“They’re bringing them up and over to get to our stairwell. Security says there’s an intruder going up.” One of the lackeys reported. They made good time. The group of twelve were in two columns. Two melee fighters led from the front while two were in the middle guarding the flanks. “Maybe they blew up the elevators and went up the shaft?”

“Maybe, but don’t take risks. Eyes open.” The leader grunted, and they reached the center of the lobby. “Alright. Two guns with every melee user. Spread out and keep a back to a wall.”

A smattering of affirmatives, and they dissolved their formation to move in trios.

I unstuck from the ceiling, allowed myself to fall, and landed with both feet onto the leader’s head.

His skull held, but his spine didn’t.

A sickening crack resounded, I landed in the center of the dissolving formation, and I went to work.

The gunmen turned around quickly, tried to line up shots, and found me in the middle of their group.

The split second they hesitated to shoot with a chance of hitting their friends?

I used that to send my last dozen senbon towards two of the melee fighters in vertical clusters.

One of them received all six from forehead to crotch, while the other managed to block two aimed at his face before getting a lung, a heart, a kidney, and a stomach skewered.

The last one, who’d been beside the leader at the front, gave a yell and swung my way.

I went low, swept at his legs, and he made a short hop.

Before he could land, though, I sent myself flying with a burst of physical power coursing through my arms. I stare at him like a human lance. The distance between us was less than three paces, so I connected nearly in an instant. Both my feet shattered his ribcage through his Kevlar vest.

The first shots resounded after that, but I kicked off him towards the nearest gunman while drawing a knife.

These guys weren’t nearly as tough or reactive.

“Shoot! Shoot him!”

The first one I killed by cutting through his neck in midair, and the second I landed on and dispatched with a pommel strike straight through the temple. The sensation of cutting through a throat lingered in my hand while I sent shattered bone through brain.

“I can’t get a clear—

I went flat on the man I essentially tackled and spun him around until we both lay on our ‘sides’ on the ground. He was convulsing and shaking, eyes bloodshot and mouth chattering, as parts of his brain tried to work with innumerable shards of his own skull inside it. I brought my knees to my chest, braced my feet against his chest, and kicked him towards two of the other gunmen, and he flew at them and crashed.

“Just fucking shoot!”

Two temporarily on the ground and four left.

They spaced out a little and were basically a staggered firing line.

I grabbed the nearest dead body, one of the melee fighters, and held him up while charging the center. Shots rang out, slamming into the body with dull thuds. Before they could work around my tactic, I collided with the line.

It didn’t shake them or panic them, and I didn’t hear enough shots from their guns to know they needed to reload.

So, I switched to defense.

The Uwabimi clan’s defensive technique centered around toughening one’s skin by temporarily transforming it into scales. What kind of animal had scales that could bounce anything short of high-powered rifles? Nothing in the known animal kingdom, so I just chalked up its effectiveness to magical ninja bullshit.

Letting the technique cover me in a protective skein, I bounced the pistol bullets that struck me while charging the remaining gunmen. I couldn’t use physical enhancement while defending myself with my former clan’s scale technique, so I couldn’t just use supernatural speed to get the job done.

Being raised as a killer from birth, however, made sure I could kill them just fine.

I just needed to put more effort into making my attacks precise while putting aside all the attacks that needed supernatural strength and speed.

That would usually entail being more careful with my knife, but the man I just tackled with a corpse had a gun.

A gun in my reach.

It felt like a toy in my hand, and practically just thinking about aiming it had my hand guide it towards my target.

Think, leave the bullshit ninja instinct and training to do the work, and pull the trigger.

Three shots rang out, then two more, and the remaining human guards died with bullets through their skulls.

It left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Just shooting people wasn’t at all that interesting, but I wasn’t about to take my chances against five armed gunmen.

I want good fights.

Not stupid ones.

So, I tossed the gun aside as the next set of people came through.

…

Interlude: Asakura Hiyo, the Fiery Blade

…

The halls were empty and bereft of life, but I took care to watch out for traps even with my equipment recovered.

The sprinklers had gone off after a series of explosions, gunshots resounded from the lower floors, and many of the building's inhabitants began to evacuate.

The independent ninja my family sent may have been a child, but his lethality against the common foe was without question.

But I would deal with the elites myself.

The common folk of this administrative building were trying to escape to vehicles in the lot, but those I sought out awaited another vehicle.

A helicopter.

Something they knew that they couldn’t board, since I had broken into the vault containing my equipment.

I reached the top floor after dispatching a trap with vital energy.

Merely ‘touching’ it made me scowl, as it was the same trap that had been used to knock me out whilst my guard was down.

I considered calling out to him as I reached a door that led to the top floor, but instead chose a simpler path.

Divine Fire Blade: Dawn.

With a swing of my sword starting from its sheathed position, I generated a bright crescent of flame that surged out into the hallway. One of the first techniques made by the Hiyo Clan, it was meant to extend the range of our swords and cut down flying foes by setting them alight. Over the centuries, it went from a broad wave of flame that surged from the whole surface of the blade to a tightly controlled band that formed at the tip of a sword.

A flaming band of plasma that surged forward like a crescent from a single slash.

It cut through the door and the walls and surged into the hall beyond.

There were sounds of shock, screaming, and agony while the top half of the door fell forward.

Over a dozen orcs in military equipment had been behind the door. Many of them were tall and wide enough that the attack simply cut through half their torsos. Some were unlucky and were at the center of the hall and were cut in half. Those who knelt on one leg to steady themselves and wielded a larger weapon had heads sliced cleanly in half.

But there was only one body there that I cared to see.

Daichi was on the floor, one arm gone and holding a seared wound in his side.

He was screaming as I stared at him from the darkness of the stairwell.

Our eyes met, he stopped screaming, and something close to a smirk almost formed on his tanned face as his mouth moved to form words.

I almost hesitated, but the words of the boy who saved me resounded in my head.

“Don’t think. Just kill. Everyone in this building is turning people into breeding slaves, organ donors, and pleasure pets. Just kill them.”

Then, of course, there was the sight of stasis tubes with young women turned into limbless toys and other people made into nothing more than useful flesh.

So, without thinking, I repeated my move three more times.

From north to south.

From southwest to northeast.

From northwest to southeast.

An x with a vertical line through it composed of plasma surged through the hallway and turned everything inside it into nothing more than chunks of burnt flesh.

When I walked into the hall, nothing was recognizable, not even Daichi.

The same would be for the leaders of this group.

I’ll kill them all without even letting them speak a single word.

…

The young independent ninja reached the rooftop and whistled as he looked upon the helicopter that arrived.

“Any chance I can claim that as salvage?” I snorted at his question while going through one of many laptops that my last kills had on their person. They had a safe room right before the entrance to the roof. Its defenses were nothing compared to Blade. “What? You don’t need a helicopter.”

“My family can maintain and use it, unlike you. You would find it difficult to sell, too.” He had taken his helmet off, but a lower mask with a respirator and a pair of goggles with symbols and markings against hypnosis and other attacks remained on his face. He had greenish hair, like the rest of his former clan. “With the risk this mission entailed, I imagine you have a handsome enough sum at your disposal.”

“They offered a treasure valued at five million dollars for whoever retrieved you. A cash bounty for any affiliates. Regular mortals at five thousand each.” He gave a hum and leaned against a railing next to the bound and quivering helicopter pilot. I bound him with a length of tubing from one of the machines on the roof. “That’s eighty thousand cash for me from regular people alone. Ten thousand for any orcs. That’s a hundred thousand for them. And I think your family will want to buy these.”

He gestured at a suit jacket he fashioned into a bag.

Looking at them, I found four demonic weapons.

“If you are willing to part with three, we can purify one for you. That hatchet is very sturdy and sharp. With your fighting style, it will be effective.” I told him bluntly after glancing at the weapons. “But do not touch them as they are. They have corruptive properties.”

“I don’t touch magical weapons without knowing what they are, but thanks for the heads up. I’ll take that offer.” He nodded before blinking and turning my way. He fished a burner phone from his pocket and tossed it my way. “Right, call in the cleanup team. I’d like to get paid and start preparing for my next job.”

I nodded as I called, while an errant thought occurred to me.

Our clan was spread thin due to high demand for our services, leaving us working as pairs or solo.

If I had taken this entire building on by myself, I would’ve struggled to succeed, but here I stand, unhurt and merely a bit tired.

I can make use of this independent ninja.

Especially since I wanted this organization dead.

My Weekly Gag Villain Job is Pretty Fulfilling: Chapter 14

My Weekly Gag Villain Job is Pretty Fulfilling: Chapter 14

…

Commissioned by Arksoul

…

Interlude: Chroma Scarlet: Aine Campbell

…

Food in exchange for precious metals and gems.

Even when we tried to make it clear to warlords and dictators across the world that giving the Legion of Shadow food was the same as giving them more soldiers, they sold food anyway.

In the end, we had to report our findings to our contacts in normal, human governments, and they acted off our information.

Those actions came in the form of military operations.

War Maidens being dropped from orbit to smash straight into enemy capital. Amphibious automated vehicles taking control of ports along with drones. Cargo containers full of quadrupedal drones and swarms of omni-rotors.

I watched it all from our base; every place where the light shone was available to us, and so I could see what my words did.

Pa just sipped on tea and kept reading up on the Legion.

“It’s a statement.” He chimed in after a moment. “Given the implication after the station was damaged.”

“I know.” I told him, and he gave a nod. The world’s eyes were on every attack. If there was evidence of food shipments disappearing, it was enough of a reason for the task force to strike. The various warlords were already cut off from the media, and diplomatic channels were frozen. “They’re showing off how strong they are after being struck down.”

Sell to our enemy who hurt us, and we will take away your ability to give to them.

“It won’t last. A month of this. Maybe two.” Pa said with a shake of his head. I looked at him with a raised brow, and he gave a snort. “These are little victories. Morale enhancers. They can’t occupy everything, only punish and destroy, but grain silos and farming equipment are easy to make and maintain.”

“Taking away those things will lead to much famine, too.” I said, and Pa nodded. “That’s why they’re not burning crops or fields. Just taking out international distribution centers.”

“That won’t change much. The Legion can appear and take from anywhere. No need for trains and no need for ships. Show up with a bushel of grain, and they’ll take it off your hands at a premium. It’s only a matter of time.” I frowned. I could see it already. Farmers were hardly well-off. If the legion spread around enough, then every farmer would sell off any excess they made to the legion. Even scraps that humans would turn their nose up at could be consumed by the Shadows. “What we need to do is get these barriers online.”

“Those will need support. A lot of support.” Barriers were used by the Light to defend enclaves and whatever survived the initial onslaught of the Legion of Shadow. The problem was that onslaught never happened here. The amount of silver and gold needed for the transmutation process was staggering. A quarter of the world’s gold supply would be needed. “Fifty thousand tons of gold to create an anti-teleportation barrier around the world. Ten times that in silver. Each node will need to be protected from assault.”

Barriers were usually for a single region and were far stronger. They could defend against the Shadows putting it under siege. Stripping away the barrier’s physical and protective properties for extended range and just to deny the Legion the ability to teleport was staggering.

“It can be recovered after the Legion is done for, right?” I nodded at Pa’s words, but he didn’t look pleased. He was running the numbers in his head, thinking on how people would react, and as he grimaced, I knew they led to a terrible answer. “We’ll be better off convincing a few nations to do it and have them defend it themselves.”

“A lot of people will die or get hurt if we do that. It might even cause them to fight against one another.” I could see it. Nations fighting to protect themselves. In the chaos, the Legion will grow stronger. Nations could isolate themselves under the stronger barriers, thinking nothing of the Legion, since the strongest versions could be scaled up massively. Not to mention the possibility that they might just protect arcologies. “Pa, we need to convince them to use only the anti-summoning barrier.”

“If things were that easy, then we wouldn’t have multiple countries armed to the teeth at each other’s throats.” Pa shook his head and leaned back into his office chair. Since he started spending time at the base, the archive room transformed to resemble his study. The tomes all turned and looked like old leather-bound books, the floors were wood, and the furnishings were all mahogany. Still, there was no scent of paper or antique furniture in the air. “It might work if we get one of them to kick off the project and force everyone else to do the same.”

That sounded like it would cause infighting and maybe even a refugee crisis, but I relented.

It was better than the idea of wealthy nations hiding behind domes of light while everyone else suffered and fed the Legion.

“I’ll talk to everyone. That plan can work.” I told Pa with a nod and got up.

Then, suddenly, a chime resounded throughout our fortress, and I turned to the light and went to the command room.

Tsubaki was there first, and her grip on her sword was tight as she looked at the viewing crystal.

“There’s another one.” On the screen, I froze as I looked at a humanoid shadow. Instead of robes, this one wore what was akin to a ballerina dress, but when I looked closer, the uniform was superficially like ours. “It’s in the guise of a Sentinel.”

It hovered in the air as policemen fired upon it. Their bullets did nothing, while Imps entered the warehouse, and all its contents were emptied moments later. A SWAT van came, and they tried to use a laser weapon to no avail. The fake Sentinel just loomed overhead, ignoring attacks, while cameras ran and the people could do nothing.

“This may as well be a titan.” The others arrived, and Tsubaki looked at me before realizing what I meant. The Legion’s titans were their method of clearing out resistance and ending as many lives as possible. That was their initial strike, which shattered worlds. But Sentinels, even the first generation, beat those. So, they changed tactics, came up with new methods, and now they had the initiative. “Tsubaki, you and I will head up first. Everyone else will support it. Titan strategy, but downscaled.”

Everyone nodded, except for Tsubaki.

She glared at the fake Sentinel in silence.

“That will not work. This one is a combatant. A warrior. Not some monster or even a false alien soldier. It has a mind, it is experienced, and it is watching all threats, even after they prove they cannot harm her.” Tsubaki’s words sent a chill down my spine. The Legion were operating off of completely different rules, but knowing that they had more than just monsters controlled by a single intellect? “Aina, let me go first. Be ready to rescue me if I cannot face it.”

Everyone exchanged looks.

Tsubaki saying that she might need to be rescued was enough for all of us to take this situation very seriously before leaving.

…

“Oh, they’re taking you a lot more seriously than I thought.”

Alex was engaged by Azure, and their fight looked a lot flashier than I thought.

“How about you give me more help, instead of just thinking!?” Alex’s voice was right in my head, even as we watched the fight go on. The completely smooth mask/face she wore captured all sound and sent it my way. No one else heard her curse or complain. It was a good choice. Kept things PG. “This bitch is crazy strong!”

Alex was weaving through attacks, turning into shadowy tendrils for fractions of a second to dodge Azure’s sword, and she launched ‘rays’ of Shadow back. The rays that we modeled after magical girl blasts were just solid shadows that reformed and went back to her after being launched. They were more like elongated spears, but some cosmetic changes made them look the part.

“Go ahead and adapt to her attacks. Use melee weapons.” Alex responded immediately to my words, especially as I provided her with more Imps. Her dark magical girl outfit had long sleeves with wide cuffs that hid her hands. In the shadows made by those sleeves, she could launch and transform awaiting Imps, and she could also form weapons. Onlookers might think she was casting magic, but she just had a glut of Imps ready to assist her. “It’s up to you whether to make a shield or a sword. You’ll need a lot of Imps for either.”

Naturally, Azure’s weapons were going to be effective in a ‘clash.’ Anything made of darkness was going to flounder against the Light. Our type advantage was solely against the mundane, while the Sentinels were our anathema.

“Yeah, I’m not doing that. This crazy bitch has been using a sword her entire life! She’s getting faster!” Alex cursed and let loose a surge of ‘beams.’ The sudden deluge was like a series of solid pillars coming out of her sleeves like a wave. Azure tried to cut through the wall of darkness, but even with the effectiveness of Light against the Legion, overwhelming firepower was still overwhelming firepower. “Ha! Take that!”

“Well, if you say things like that, you’re just asking for trouble.” I shook my head. Even Ebb shook itself from side to side. “Yep, there it is.”

The other Sentinels jumped in once Azure was endangered by the deluge. Beams of light slammed into and ate away at the Imps. I got the message that the attack on Azure could go through and smash the Sentinel through a building and its foundation, but only if I sacrificed more than a dozen Imps completely to annihilation.

Losing Imps permanently at our current rate of production and our limited pool was out of the question, so I had them withdraw.

Thus, Alex’s attack was destroyed by a massive beam the size of a skyscraper that only harmed the Legion.

One look up confirmed that the other four had been waiting and watching the entire time, just ready to intervene with a giant blast.

Honestly, very clever!

“Time to withdraw. You can give a speech if you want.”

“Fuck that! Leaving now!” Alex gave a grunt and aimed her hand upward. That was my signal to pull her back through. Since the Sentinels had multiple methods of keeping us in one place, I had a few methods ready. Spawn a titan arm to quickly throw her past the upper atmosphere, have imps erupt from every shadow while she went as small as possible and skittered through some sewer lines, and more. None of them were needed. Alex unraveled and reformed on the moon with a thought. “What the hell was that!?”

“The Sentinels of this world are responding to our actions through cunning tactics.” Ebb stated simply while Alex got rid of her disguise. In a moment, she was back to wearing a black cap, white tank top, and denim shorts. She took a seat, cross-legged, on the kitchen floor and scoffed. “Your efforts are much appreciated. That tactic would’ve robbed us of many Imps if they unleashed it upon a routine force.”

“Show me appreciation by grabbing me some pizza. The good stuff from Italy. Damn, that was a tough fight.” Alex shook her head, stood up, and walked over to the dining table. I had already ordered the square slices and had them in the oven. An imp went over and grabbed it along with a whole liter of full-sugar soda. She gave a grunt as the food was laid out in front of her and took a slice. Her glower faded as soon as she took a bite. “Right. That’s the best. Have you guys tried it yet?”

“I was waiting for you to return.” I told her simply and grabbed a square slice myself. Ebb floated towards us. Pizza al taglio wasn’t what I was used to. It was honestly closer to bread with loads of toppings rather than pizza, but it was tasty bread with great, fresh toppings. It was a good thing I bought two and kept them warm. “This is good; when’d you try it?”

“You had a bunch of Imps buying gelato, so I asked them to get some pizza too. The thin, fresh ones don’t travel well, but these do.” Ebb nodded at her words. She was probably talking about the Neapolitan style that was quickly cooked and had a thin crust with just a handful of ingredients. That was good, but you had to be there to enjoy it. Putting it in a box just made it a soggy mess. “So, when were you going to tell me that Azure’s a living blender?”

“She never displayed that much skill before. I hadn’t known.” I shared with her my memories of encounters with Azure. The blue Sentinel of Light usually fought beside the team’s leader as a frontline fighter. She used a sword of light to take on swathes of Imps at a time and used beams and other attacks to dispatch them quickly. “See? Usually, the sword is just lip service.”

“Well, not being able to hit you must’ve busted her balls or something, because that thing was scary. She was like a missile holding a razor. Everything I did, she had an answer to, and I could barely get a hit in. She was out for my neck.” Alex’s brow was furrowed while she reviewed the memories of our past battles. She finished off a slice before moving onto the next one. The bread crunched as she chewed and thought. “Yeah, I think her not cutting your head clean off got to her. She’s out to prove herself, and she’s strong as fuck and talented, too.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Hopefully, forcing you to retreat will have her act normally.” We looked back on the ongoing battle. My troops were withdrawing in good order, returning to the moon, and taking with them a lot of foodstuffs. The Sentinels were trying to cull the Imps rather than letting them run, but I didn’t have to hide the fact that I could just teleport away anymore. In their eyes, Imps were basically disappearing into the shadows before they could destroy them. “So, are you interested in possibly going to the same school as her?”

A dark rival magical girl arriving at the same time as a transfer student was perfect for this scenario, but Alex shook her head.

“Fuck that, I need to learn how to fight.”

Ah well.

A female villain defeated to cap off the first season is fine.

V12: Chapter 5

V12: Chapter 5

…

Interlude: Riegert

…

My eyes opened beneath blazing Citadel lights, and the blissful dream faded away from memory.

Still, I had to wipe tears from my eyes as I sat up.

A singular glance around the room validated my suspicions.

“Welcome back.” Jack sat in his white uniform with a long coat over his shoulders and stood to greet me. I gave him a nod while Iterants came forward to offer me robes. “You were gone for two months. The rest of your expedition will be arriving here in a few days. I had them take leave after returning.”

I found my memories clear as I donned the robes. It felt too rough, despite being spun by the Citadel. The floor felt unbalanced. Even the air did not feel correct.

But the feeling of wrongness was fading.

The bliss of paradise was frightening indeed, but the thought of dying and reaching the capital ahead of my own troops?

That was a sobering thought.

“The Guardians were able to retrieve their Divine Engine, then?” I steadied myself and accepted a glass of water. It was almost too bitter to drink. My tongue was somehow used to something far more filling and sweeter. I forced myself to drink, and it became what I once knew. Shaking my head, I did my best to dispel the sensations of paradise. How was I to react to pain and toil if I could not bear with the mundane? “It is with them now?”

“She is, and they found something else, too. You saved two expeditions. Not one.” Jack reached out with a gloved hand, and an Iterant produced papers from him. Looking at them, I almost expect my mind to be filled with knowledge. Sheepishly, I accepted the papers and deigned to read them instead of simply willing their information to fill my mind. “An ancient crystalline substance that turns waste and common metal into more of itself, which can be altered by simple alchemical processes for fantastical materials. It should be enough to ensure that they have some advantage against the Ascendant and the Sahuagin.”

I raised an eyebrow at his words while considering the information.

“I don’t suppose that they shared that thanks to my demise?”

“They did not.” Jack gave a snort before gesturing at me. A pair of sandals was given to me. After a few steps following him, the sense of wrongness faded away. Every step that I took in reality made paradise feel farther and farther away. By the time we exited the room, nothing felt wrong anymore. The Ancients were wise to have such memories and sensations fade away swiftly. “They’re hanging on to that advantage for dear life. Thankfully, they’re holding up their end of the bargain. The Forgers have been pushed back to their Citadel already. Guardians are flooding their capital’s streets.”

“Two Citadels against one… the Wardens haven’t moved to assist them? If only to prolong their own hold over their Citadel.” I questioned, and we reached a familiar medical room. I moved before a medical pod, and its light washed over me. It showed that I was whole and hale. When Jack shook his head, I felt a frown on my face. Worry for Ilych filled me. My daughter should have come to mind right away, but she hadn’t. The succor and pleasure provided by paradise were far too great. “We’re holding their forces and Guardians with our old forces? How many have we lost?”

“Not many. They throw themselves at entrenched forces and battle lines within our territory. Their Guardians are outmatched in quality and quantity by our own. They can resurrect all they want, but our forces tear their own apart.”

“Then, why put our people in harm’s way?” I asked and felt the familiar sensation of lethal gazes on my person. The Iterants. I almost forgot their absolute loyalty to him. Questioning Jack, even after dying for him, labelled me as a threat. They did not change. “Why not have the Wardens die for us? As much as they can, anyway.”

Jack’s answer wiped away any vestige of paradise that remained in my mind.

“I fear that if we wait too long, the waves of fanatics we face will be filled with children if we do not act now.” He told me simply, and I grimaced at the words. It felt almost foolish to ask such a question. Spending even such a little time in paradise led me to forget the horrors of reality. Now, it all loomed over me, and I needed to summon courage to confront it all. Thankfully, old habits easily resurfaced. “Do you need time to rest before you return to service?”

Of course, Jack noticed my discomfort immediately.

“No, I need to train and fight. Regain my bearings and find my footing.” I looked at my palm, covered in calluses, and closed it into a fist. Power flowed through me easily and loosely. A measured breath filled my lungs to their maximum. Not a single ache nor an ounce of pain, as though I was fresh from being rejuvenated. In my current state, I wouldn’t be able to defeat my killer. “What deal did you make with Khalai to secure his aid?”

He told me, and I grunted.

“He is much too charismatic. You send onto him skilled and educated physicians who will fall to his wiles. We should consider killing him.” I told Jack bluntly, and he agreed with a nod. The thought of allowing Khalai any measure of leverage upon our lands unnerved me. His faithful died hundreds of times, experiencing paradise each time, and returned to battle mere moments after dying. The fanaticism that ran through them was without question. “If they enhance themselves, if they get their hands on Scarlet Mist, and decide to use clandestine stratagems, the suffering they can inflict will be immense.”

“I’ll have Khanrow’s people, Iterants, and more keeping an eye on them. With the strength of our coming foes, I simply cannot ignore the need for his talents.” Were he a lesser man, he would have leveraged the possibility of Ilych dying to silence my concerns. Instead, he stood tall and spoke through his own convictions and beliefs. He was ensuring that Khalai could not do as I feared and conveyed that resurrection was a necessity. “Rest assured, I will not be using this miracle save for Champions. I will limit his influence as much as I can. My hope is that he will not be needed again.”

I bowed towards him and dismissed my concerns.

“Then, I leave that in your hands, your majesty. Now, I need to work on regaining my strength before my next mission.” A fight against several Conquerors would do the trick. Barring that, then I would need a few Iterants after me. The best choice would be to fight against another Champion. Ilych came to mind, but she was undoubtedly facing the Wardens’ Remnants now. “I will be ready to fight once again soon, my king. Rest assured of that.”

Jack gave a nod at my words before departing.

The child I once met was gone.

Completely subsumed by his role as a leader.

It was good that the Ancients opened paradise to all peoples, not just their foes.

For what I’ve done to Jack and countless others, I surely would not have been permitted into Paradise if they had not.

…

Interlude: Celia

…

The weight of the sigil on my hand felt like a leaden glove. It was a simple sigil. A sword and an axe crossed over a straight spear.

With it on the back of my hand, I could command the Divine Engine of War to do as I willed.

An ancient, powerful individual who could reshape entire regions within a day was now mine to command.

It should have brought me confidence, yet it only drew my mind to the gloves that Jack wore.

“Your two sisters are with the King of Wisdom. He commanded the warrior that allowed you to reach me.” Catherine relayed what had happened to me upon her arrival. She came with weapons forged from a new material that my elite forces were ecstatic to use. Swords that did not dull and could cut through steel. Shields that stopped projectiles but did not shake the user. Our gambit had paid off. We found a Divine Engine and an Ancient Wonder with our nigh-simultaneous expedition. “Do you believe that you can fight against them?”

“Death and life? Sure, I can fight against them. Win? It would take a miracle. Then again, that’s what I’m meant to do.” A self-assured grin spread across the woman’s face. She was as tall as a Conqueror but had the form of a Descendant. Deeply tanned skin and blazing red hair were held in a braid. The pelt of a massive tiger was draped over her shoulder; its snarling visage was a pauldron for her right shoulder, while her left had a clawed paw. She wore bands of woven metal across her chest and a loincloth with leather sandals. She was a better fit for Conquerors than us… or so she seemed at first glance. “Hm. The barbarian guise doesn’t occlude your gaze, I see.”

“I’ve been fooled by more cunning foes than you. Each time I try to improve.” I told her simply and took a seat behind my desk. The faint roar of artillery resounded in the distance. We blitzed through the lands of the Forgers, their many outposts deprived of militia and drafted troops thanks to Jack’s efforts, and so we now put their capital under siege. I was receiving reports from people he had within their lands of their efforts to stop them from sabotaging the Citadel and causing it to fall as the Scholars once tried. Thankfully, when strengthened so much by joining with other Citadels, they were almost impossible to fell. “I intend to use you as a line breaker. You will shatter their defensive line and allow my troops to take the capital of the Forgers and the Citadel. Can you do that?”

A calculating gaze replaced the feral smile that had been aimed my way.

“I can do that, but I can’t hold ground. I need more strength, more faith, and more adherents. Death has a whole continent of believers. Life is glutted by the efforts of the King of Wisdom. Me? I am avoided and feared.” I listened and planned in accordance with her own words. How did he control them? Why did he not use them? Life was said to be held in a cathedral in the heart of his regions. Death was being used against the incoming threats. If he used both at once against us, then this continent would be his. “Hm.I see that you have the same question as I do. If the King of Wisdom has my two sisters, why did he not use them against you when I am so strong?”

I knew that she pretended to be some crude barbarian, but her discerning of my thoughts gave me pause.

She laughed as I evaluated my chances of defeating her if the sigil did not work.

“I believe that I know the answer. After seeing your forces, after seeing your will, he knew that you would fight to the bitter end and cripple this continent’s chances at victory.” Like a bullet piercing through armor, she spoke, and I found the unfortunate truth forced into reality for me to acknowledge. They were his own words, but repeated through a Divine Engine of War that never met him. A being built by the Ancients for conflict clearly understood his intentions. “But you knew that already. You would’ve fought until nothing was left, until the continent was just prey for the rest of the world.”

Her eyes were predatory, and her smile was more like bared fangs.

“I like that. That defiance against all odds. That desire to win no matter the cost. You’re allies now, but if you survive, if you fight well, you can take everything for yourself.” She nodded, and I wondered if she was speaking to me or to herself. “Empower me, my lady. Throw me into battle. Use me against these Forgers, against the Wardens, and against the rest of the world barreling down upon us. When the dust clears, I will fight for you against the King of Wisdom, against all that he can muster, and settle the matter.”

I looked at her and knew it was my turn to speak.

“Because you crave strength yourself. If you are under his control, your leash will be too tight. He’s not desperate enough for you. You will be kept under his control.” A look of surprise crossed her face, and the rictus snarl of fangs turned into a gentle and sublime smile. I felt comforted by it. More than the sigil on my hand, the knowledge that she chose me because I needed her and she needed me gave me the confidence to make use of her. “Very well, then. Divine Engine of War. I shall give you the freedom that you desire. Go forth, lay waste to the Forgers, and seize their Citadel for me. Run rampant, gain strength, and when the end comes… fight with me against the man who would become ruler of the entire world.”

Her answer was to stand and bring the palm of her hand to her maw, and with her teeth she drew blood from her palm.

I took a knife and did the same, then met her hand with my own.

Perhaps, now, there was a chance that this world would return to what the Ancients meant for it to be once the dust settled.

A world ruled by its people and not by an immortal emperor.

Eroge? Bad Ends? Betrayal? I’m Just Here to Suplex Monsters through Buildings.

Eroge? Bad Ends? Betrayal? I’m Just Here to Suplex Monsters through Buildings.

…

Neo San Kyoto, 48th Street, at 11PM PST.

The cargo truck turned into the dock, looking like any other. White with patchy paint and some rust on the wheels. Seemingly some shipping companies attempt to keep an asset going well past its prime to make the most of their investment.

Listening to it, though?

The suspension was clean and cushioned so well that the container practically didn’t even shudder.

The engine should’ve had a squeak or rattle, but instead it purred beneath the hood.

The turn into the dockyard past the gate barely made a sound.

“Looks like your info’s good. That’s our vehicle.”

“How’d you know?” I switch operators on the fly. A lot of them were young people who thought knowing some code allowed them to get away with things. Generally, after a month or two, their online handles went completely quiet. Probably found by someone and plucked for some playtime. “Some ninja bullshit?”

“You can say that. Just stop the cameras on my mark.” I already limbered up ahead of time, but just in case I went through some stretches. One leg up to my shoulder. Next, the other leg. With a body like the one I have now, extremes were necessary for anything. Holding either position barely got my blood pumping. “Mark.”

I slammed one leg down onto the roof, sending up dust, and the impact launched me clear across the street over the gate.

The motion-sensing cameras didn’t lock on, so after a three-point roll I was in the clear.

“Holy fuck, you just leapt fifty feet.”

“Keep your eyes on the truck. Are they heading into the port authority building?” I stuck to the shadows, avoided the lines of sight of a handful of cameras, and one security guard who should’ve been on patrol. Instead, he was just in his security booth idly looking at one camera with phone in hand. Didn’t have to deal with him. “Are they there yet?”

“Y-yeah. They are. Can all bounty hunters do that?”

“A lot can do way more. If you’re going to be impressed by that, you need to leave the business.” I gave the kid, who was technically probably older than me, a bit of advice. This world was ruthless, vile, and deprived. Even living a normal life sets you up for heinous shit on the regular. Dipping your toes into the supernatural underbelly? You’d be lucky if they got rid of ‘you’ before they used your body to their ends. “Take the payout and live an honest life.”

“Tch. For someone who got thrown away, you’re talking all high and mighty.”

I knew where this was going and just let myself shrug.

“Do as you like. I’ve said my piece.” I reached the port authority building.

Five stories and resembling an office block. The key difference was that there was a road that led into an underground parking and storage center. Public access records showed it was just for easier access to emergency generators and was a garage for port authority vehicles. The number of trucks that had to haul out excavated earth and stone for the expansion, though? It suggested a space four times larger than official records.

A few drone passes over the area that I paid amateurs to do across several days also told me trucks kept coming in without shipping containers.

More than even that theoretical space could hold.

There was either an illegal teleportation array in there that sent out the shipments, or there was a tunnel that led into a submarine pen in the harbor.

The submarine pen was my bet, since there weren’t any witches or sorceresses snooping around.

“Utility door is opening in three. Two. One.”

The lock to the door next to the underground garage shutter unlatched, and I slipped through.

“That’s all you get from me. I’ve got nothing done there.”

“The remaining half of your payment will arrive in ten seconds. Goodbye.”

“Wait, you already had it set up—

I cut off and turned off all electronics on my person while taking out a spray. The scent was oily, oceanic, and metallic. A mix meant to resemble the scents of the port.

I stuck out my tongue after it settled and took in the scent with both my nose and mutation.

I blended into the garage well, but it wouldn’t last.

With a practiced gesture and a forced quickening of my blood, I then made it flow to my right eye.

My vision in it blurred for a moment, color faded out, and then instead I saw the tunnel in cool blues and reds.

Snakes should see in infrared, not in thermal, but I wasn’t about to question how magic worked.

I went down the tunnel, keeping my footsteps silent, and kept my ears open while avoiding the fluorescent lighting.

It didn’t take long for me to take in a familiar porcine scent.

The pigmen/ork analogues of this world were the stereotypical henchmen. Tough, with light regeneration, and strong to boot. They were slow, but they were armed with guns and worked extremely well together. Not to mention they weren’t like oni, trolls, or larger beasts. They could use human tools, equipment, and knowledge without a fuss, while being tougher and more coordinated on the foundational level.

I differentiated between multiple scents thanks to different foods eaten, hygiene, and more.

Ten in total. Five had guns on them. Another five smelled more of cardboard, wood, and grease and were sweating while moving things that didn’t have any scent at all.

Suspended animation pods.

I just needed to confirm that my target was in one of them, then I could finally do what I wanted.

I stayed in the shadows, observing from afar as the truck’s shipping container was unloaded.

Four were filled with just young people with limbs removed. Toys, extra organs, or whatever else. They were in generic and old suspension tubes with yellow, degraded fluid.

Three had modified individuals.

Two were women with sexual attributes that were engorged, hips widened, and with orifices running pink fluid from external tanks in and out of them. Sex slaves to be used for a few months by some dictator or corporate boss before being handed off to his employees. They’ll eventually end up as seedbeds for monsters to pop out troops for dictators or to generate materials for pharmacological miracles.

One was a young man who was filling out his entire tank. Musclebound and massive and bereft of hair, he also surprisingly had a functional and matching reproductive system. A genetic supersoldier that could reproduce was internationally illegal.

I snapped a picture of the guy as he was carried out before focusing on the last.

Yeah.

The rising star of the Hiyo Clan, Asakura, was suspended in clear, light blue fluid while still garbed in the typical skintight bodysuit used by the clans. It barely hid anything, nearly conforming to her nipples, but usually there were loose robes worn on them. The fact that the suit was still present while all her equipment and robes were gone informed me that she was untouched.

I almost had to wonder as to how they brought her down and captured her, since the bodysuit covered up her mouth, nose, and even ears.

A pair of goggles with anti-hypnosis protection was also common equipment.

Someone of her caliber getting captured by an organization that shuttled around flesh and couldn’t break through her suit?

It stank of betrayal or outside forces working against the Hiyo Clan.

But that wasn’t my problem.

Clan politics didn’t apply to someone cast out.

So, after making sure it was her, I greenlitthe rest of the mission.

I took a step out of the shadows, making sure that step resounded through the underground complex, cracked my knuckles, and addressed my opponents.

“Oi, pigs. I’ll give you three seconds to pick a god and pray.”

Sneaking while gathering information was all well and good, but fighting?

“Three.”

Fighting should be upfront and in person.

“Two.”

The five with guns drew their weapons, and the five working the suspension tubes only had to exchange glances before deciding to bullrush me together.

“One!”

Common sense dictated I go for the ones with guns first, but I tossed a series of smoke pellets that doused them in thick gray smoke and met the charge.

Or, rather, I broke the charge.

With both legs coiled from a crouch, I uncoiled and unleashed a massive amount of gathered tension. Concrete cracked, and I whipped through the air with my arm out and caught the lead of the orcs charging in maintenance jumpers with a flying lariat. I felt bone give and skin stretch as I used his neck to arrest all of my momentum before using momentum to twist around, turning the monster’s head with me, and landing a two-footed kick at the nearest orc.

I sent him flying into the wall, and his skull broke against it.

Then, I took hold of the head I’d twisted with both hands, lifted it, and used a burst of power to plant my feet back on the ground.

I tossed the lead of the charge into two of the others.

Leaving one to roar with a reared-back fist at me.

I coiled backward, falling to my arms, brought my legs up, and launched myself off against the wall with all the muscles in my arms coiling and uncoiling like a snake with my push.

Concrete broke beneath my gloves, and I launched at him like a spear.

Ribs splintered beneath my feet, and I felt three separate ‘pops’ beneath skin and muscle before he flew away towards the now-dissipating smoke.

I threw four knives into him with explosive tags wrapped around their handles before turning to the remaining two clambering up after throwing their dead leader off.

The body I threw into the smoke exploded, just reached the first of the two, grabbed hold of his head, and smashed the back of his skull into concrete. His body twitched from head to toe, while a ‘gurk’ left his lips, but just in case I jammed a knife through his eye and shook it in every cardinal direction.

One melee fighter left… and he was debating on running or fighting.

I made the choice for him, sliding between his legs and grabbing his ankles as I did.

He fell, face first, and I turned while raising both his ankles to my waist.

I couldn’t help it.

I laughed as I swung him around and around twice before tossing him towards one of the gunners.

Once again, I threw explosive kunai into his body as he flew, and when he landed, the explosions took out two of the three remaining orcs.

The last one, shaking and quivering in fear, aimed at me and unloaded.

Most shots went wild as I walked towards him, but practice soon managed to take hold.

He took a deep breath, aimed, and locked onto me from ten paces away.

“I’ll let you take that shot.” I asked him with a grin, while his beady eyes stared me down. Sweat dripped down his brow as he held a modified high-caliber handgun in grubby mitts. I loved doing this. “But I’ll just catch it. How about you fight me hand to hand? You’ll have a better chance if you fight better than those guys.”

I jutted my thumb towards the ones who tried to charge me, while the towering pigman stared down the barrel.

Then, a guttural growl left his lips.

“Bullshit.”

I wasn’t faster than a bullet.

But I was faster than his trigger pull, and I knew where he was aiming.

He was fired.

It went straight and true towards my heart.

My hand was already there.

Reinforced with innate physical energy nonsense, clad in a protective glove tougher than steel, and ready to absorb all the generated shock thanks to a ‘technique.’

Still, catching bullets never gets old.

I made sure to let him see the bullet drop before leaping at him, taking hold of the sides of his head with both hands, and then twisting my whole body.

There was a crack, and he didn’t have to worry about anything anymore.

…

Interlude: Asakura Hiyo, the Fiery Blade

…

I managed to catch myself before hitting the ground as the tank released me.

I was ready to set myself aflame, to end my life in a fiery explosion, and claim my life and those of my captors.

Until I heard a code phrase.

“Firework.”

“Blooming.” I replied and felt myself relax while I clambered to my feet. An underground vehicle drop-off point surrounded me. One that had a number of dead beasts, eight suspension tanks, and one that was filled with blood. “Who are you?”

“Bounty hunter hired by your family. One of several. There’s a whole cordon around the city. A general all-out assault on the underworld as reprisal by your family, too. Here.” I blinked at the source of the voice. It came from a young man. He had shinobi gloves on, but the rest of his clothes were a mix of surplus military converted for our tools and civilian clothes. Black gym shirt and pants, boots, and a vest and belt. He had one serpentine, golden eye and tied back green hair. “Keita. Formerly of the Uwabami Clan.”

He threw a pouch my way, I caught it, and inside were two pills, and a message attached to each was penned by Mother.

Remove the stain on your honor. Destroy the facility you are found in.

It was attached to a warrior pill that would grant me enough strength to fight.

The next message was attached to a white, modern pill.

Consume this if you can no longer bear the pain of living.

My heart trembled at the message. I was her last link to Father, her last child, and my loss would mean the loss of her position and an ignoble end.

Yet, still, she would’ve allowed me to perish if I wished to do so.

I consumed the warrior pill and cast aside the other.

“I am going to destroy this place.” I told the bounty hunter, and he nodded before checking the orcish weapons he gathered. They were high-caliber firearms without trigger guards and extended triggers. Meant for the beasts to use. I supposed that with training he could use them himself. “Do you intend to fight with those?”

I did not see anything besides assassination and sabotage tools on him, while I called upon my family’s ancestral blade, and it came to me in a burst of flame.

“Oh? No. I’m going to sell these. They’re worth almost five thousand each. Ghost guns always are.” He explained before raising his hands. “These are my weapons.”

His words would’ve been absurd, especially as he was not even pubescent, but the mangled and destroyed states of all the bodies around us told me to not underestimate him.

“Very well. Leave the ringleader to me if he is here. His head is mine.”

I thought that he’d agree; instead, he shook his head.

“Let’s race for it. First one to the top gets the kill.” He stretched and grinned. “You win, you get honor. If I win, I get whatever bounty he has. Deal?”

I glared at the ousted child before deciding against making another claim.

“Very well.”

As long as Daichi died for his betrayal, I cared not how it occurred.

The Northern Noble is a Grinder (Volume 2: Chapter 5)

The Northern Noble is a Grinder (Volume 2: Chapter 5)

…

Commissioned by Sivantic

…

Interlude: Anisette, Demigod of Love

…

“Hm, I guess you’re getting to the point where you won’t die immediately while fighting with the others.” Lord Trelawney gave a hum as his eyes trailed over me. Unlike lecherous gazes or even curiosity, his eyes measured me for my strength and power. Instead of revulsion, I only felt lacking as he took my measure. “A minute. Maybe two, if you weren’t focused down. You can do a decent job of picking off some elites until they wise up and gang up on you. Then you’ll be torn apart.”

I shivered at the truth of his words, while he ceased to evaluate me.

“If you had another ten weeks, maybe even just seven weeks, it’d be a different story. But you don’t.” I’d spoken with the others enough to know what they went through. I had hoped that I could accelerate my training as Alice did. She spoke of arriving later than the others but had the same measure of strength. “It’s mostly this place’s fault. Not many things to kill. We can’t make up for the lack of quality with quantity, because the empire keeps the monster population down.”

I shuddered and forced myself to get up onto the deck of the rowboat. My body was covered in water, and I had to use magic to warm myself and see my clothes dried. Once that was in place, I invigorated myself and felt my vision and mind grow clearer.

I found my gaze aimed towards the horizon.

Towards deeper, darker depths.

Lord Trelawney took note and spoke dryly.

“Yeah, no. You’ll die. Instantly. The deep ocean is untouched by mortals. It’s where true monsters lie. If I wanted to achieve divinity within a month, I’d go out there and tango with a couple dozen leviathans.” His words made a grimace cross my lips, especially as an inkling of caution came from my blessed mother. I knew better than to not heed the warnings of the divine and someone who was almost there. “All you can really do now is see if you can earn some miracles from your mother.”

I blinked in surprise at his words and turned his way.

“What do you mean by that?”

“You’re her kid, right? You should go to her temples and cathedrals and do some rites. That way she can have an excuse to give you some blessings. At least, you can get some decent equipment that won’t mess with your head, since you’re strong enough.” Lord Trelawney spoke, and he took note of the fact that I didn’t at all understand him. “Seriously? You guys don’t do that? That’s how my enemies get their elites geared up to fight me. Pilgrimage, sacrifices, and then they get blessings so that they can last a few seconds instead of getting obliterated instantly.”

He looked my way, but not at me.

“Is that the trade-off? You get to have a couple demigods running around, but you don’t get to give them more blessings and equipment?”

Lord Trelawney spoke to my mother through me, and I felt the urge to nod.

And so, I did.

“Guess that makes sense. Can’t have you having babies and putting weapons in their hands. They have free will too, I suppose. You can’t just have them do everything you want.” Lord Trelawney rifled through his pockets before throwing something my way. I caught it by the hilt. “Consider that a tithe for humoring my inquiry.”

It was a sheathed blade between a knife and a short sword. Opening it slightly revealed a crystalline sheen. Despite the darkness of the night, it caught the moon’s rays and scattered a prismatic array of lights all around us.

Mother’s presence faded while I held the blade.

“You can’t go into the deep ocean, but you can dive pretty far down and kill things that usually don’t bother with the surface.” As he spoke, the boat lurched downward into the water. He created a series of balls of light to surround us as we plunged into the depths. I watched as inky darkness surrounded us and waves turned into solid water. We were descending into the ocean surrounded by light. Swarms of monsters came close, but they left as soon as they realized we were heading too deep. A shudder went down my spine as I looked towards the depths. Flashes of light in many colors surged, and the outlines of vast beasts doing battle scorched themselves into my eyes. “Welcome to a land untouched by gods and mortals. Where beasts and monsters have fought and consumed each other since time began. A primordial battlefield that our ancestors fled from by going to land.”

Suddenly, the boat ceased diving, and I turned to Lord Trelawney.

A smile of excitement stretched across his face. His eagerness to do battle was all too clear, but he turned his gaze towards me.

“Here.” A cord of rope wrapped itself around my waist. I felt a multitude of protections layer themselves upon me. He muttered under his breath, actually using spells and charms rather than using skill alone with magic, and ended a long chant by gesturing towards me. I felt a barrier come upon me that I knew the depths could not touch. “The diving suit is ready. Time for you to kill something from the abyssal depths. Well, the continental shelf’s depths. Here you have a chance. Go and have fun.”

He opened his palm my way, and I blearily realized what he meant to do before I was suddenly thrust out of the bubble of air into the darkness of the ocean.

I flailed in the darkness, unsheathing the blade he gave me, and gave myself light in every direction.

Only to find a scarred face of a massive predator closer to a reptile than a fish surging towards me.

I barely evaded its teeth and watched as its long neck coiled around and tried to bite me. Its body was whale-like, but it had four sets of flippers twice the length of its body, and instead of a tail, it had massive tentacles that tried to grasp at me. It shifted swiftly in the waters, turning in nearly an instant as though it were ‘standing’ while surrounded by water. Then, it opened its maw, and a massive bubble was generated that was filled with light.

Instinctively, I lashed out at it with my blade, filling it with power, and the surrounding darkness became darker for an instant before a crescent blade of light cut through the bubble.

It imploded, the heat inside was released, and water was vaporized in a flash, and a shockwave carried thousands of bubbles in every direction while an immense portion of the surrounding sea increased in temperature.

Once the deluge of white bubbles faded, however, my foe remained.

It sacrificed a long flipper to quickly turn and dive, and now its gaze was upon me.

Filled with rage and hate.

Its slew of tentacles raised up, and numerous ends pointed my way, and I swam to evade them while immense pieces of bone suddenly shot out through the waves, nearly leaving tunneling paths through the water as they sped through.

This was a creature of the ocean’s depths, and I was struggling to face it.

But if I wished to help, if I wished to succeed, and if I wished to walk my own path, I had to face it and win.

Thus, I steeled my heart and threw myself at my foe.

If strength was not enough, I needed to be cunning.

The massive creature spun on its axis and drenched the surrounding water in its blood. While light could permeate through water, it could not through the inky blood that suffused it. The creature had roared earlier, but now it was silent, and I realized that it had decided to be cunning as well.

But not to kill me.

I grasped its emotions and intentions faintly thanks to traits I had had since I was born, and I realized that it was going to try and escape.

Not only that, but its blood would attract scavengers by the multitudes.

I could stand fast and hold out against the coming creatures, killing them, as their quality would be high enough for their quantity, but I decided against it.

Instead, I focused on controlling the shell around me and recalling Lord Terlawney’s lessons in travelling through water. It was about pushing oneself through the liquid, yes, but it was also about using the currents. Instinctively, I resisted them in order to stay still, but when I released my hold, I felt the inexorable pull of the tide within the waves. There were currents, eddies, hot spots, and cold spots. In every direction the ocean was alive and inexorable, shifting with the planet itself, and I took hold of the current that would drag me forward towards my foe.

Suddenly, I was seized by the current and sped through the darkness created by the blood cloud. Bursting through it, I found the beast going against a current in order to dive more deeply. The wound it had was closed. The former appendage’s tip was burned closed. It decided that it was too much risk to keep an open wound as it descended.

That was its mistake.

It should have tried to attack me instead.

Now, with a current dragging me onward, I landed on its back and plunged Lord Trelawney’s blade into it.

Then, I poured power into my blade, and light bloomed in every direction.

The creature seized and surged out of the current and into another. Speed picked up around me. Even with the slim profile I presented. The speed it gathered and the current almost threw me off its back. A constant tidal wave was washing over me, flattening me against the creature’s hide, and I felt my bones creak and my muscles roar as my magic was consumed just to stay alive.

But I held on and kept channeling my power into the blade. Its hide was thick, its flesh was strong, and its bones were tougher than I could imagine. So, I evaded them. I narrowed the light composed by the blade into a threading needle. I made it small and lethal, as Lord Trelawney did with his manipulation of elements, and searched for gaps in the armor. I sank the weaponized light deeper into the creature while it tried to crush me through speed and pressure.

It was a race.

I did not have its reserves, so in a match of endurance it would kill me.

So, I had to kill it more quickly than it could kill me.

I was pushing my weapon through the creature as fast as I could, so now it was a matter of finding its heart as swiftly as possible.

Closing my eyes, I recalled the creature. I landed on the upper right quadrant of its back. I already went past what was construed as the back of its ribcage. Right now, I was passing through soft and smooth tissue that could be analogous to its lungs. Heading left, I pierced past it and found another lobe of smooth tissue, but different. It felt like a thin sheath rather than the organ I exited.

Out of desperation, I pushed into it and encountered tough muscle surrounding multiple chambers and realized that the creature’s heart was truly immense.

It would need to be in order to push against the immense size of the creature, as well as the pressure that constantly surrounded it.

So, I took my chance.

I trailed through the massive heart, gouging it repeatedly from within and without, cutting through ventricle, chamber, and artery again. My protection against pressure and the sea began to wane, but the creature’s pain was clear. It was filled with the desire to live, to oust me from its back, and to kill me. Its speed doubled as it strained increasingly, using its reserves to speed up, even though it feared not having enough to reach its abode.

But it wanted the small, powerful creature on its back dead before it killed it.

Still, I held on.

Still, I skewered and tore apart its heart.

Still, I wallowed in its desperation and terror.

Then, suddenly, the creature’s strength abruptly cut in half, then it became a quarter, and finally the ferocious pressure and speed crushing me against its back faded. Rage filled me, along with desperation against the end. Memories of battles against other more terrifying beasts came to the forefront of my mind. Lairs taken and abandoned. Heeding the call of powerful beasts, going to battle for territory, and searching for morsels to consume as part of a greater horde. There was so much left to do. Depths yet to be reached.

It was all undone because of a source of light and power from above that had sunk down.

Then, it faded away completely.

It began to sink.

To sink towards depths that I could not survive.

But, then, the sinking stopped, and I felt the creature and myself being dragged upward into the surface.

I closed my eyes as the last of my strength began to fade, but not before I reached for the creature’s core and began to consume it.

After that grievous struggle, I would accept its hate, its terror, and its pain and make it a part of me. The faintest embers of its consciousness remained, and I conveyed my own thanks to it. I told it that I would not waste its strength. That I would grow stronger. That I would use it for my own freedom and perhaps even reach greater heights. Heights so great that I would be able to stand amongst the greatest of the depths as a worthy challenger.

The embers asked me to show it the strength of those who I considered the strongest.

I thought of my mother, immortal, and constrained to the heavens because she could not walk amongst mortals and invalidate their existence.

Then, I thought of Lord Trelawney, my teacher who was beyond me and who could have slain it with thought.

It barely considered my mother's, but Lord Trelawney gave it pause before it acknowledged reaching his strength as a worthy cause.

Then, all resistance to my advances to its power came apart, and I felt its strength added onto mine.

The rush was intense and almost knocked away my consciousness, but still I tried to hold onto the embers of the person who I had slain.

Instead, I was refuted and told to uphold my promise and make use of all its strength while it returned to the abyss.

My Weekly Gag Villain Job is Pretty Fulfilling: Chapter 13

My Weekly Gag Villain Job is Pretty Fulfilling: Chapter 13

…

Commissioned by Arksoul

…

Alex threw a punch at me, and I evaded by simply shifting my entire being out of the way.

“Damn, that’s like getting invincibility frames.”

“You can still get hit while doing it, but it’s just harder.” I told her, and she went after me. She wore denim shorts, a white tank top, a cap, and sneakers. Her outfit for actual confrontations with the Sentinels was still up in the air. Evil magical girl-esque or straight-up dark lady? She was fine with either option, so I had to be troubled with the decision. “The Sentinels fire off their beams, and they’re practically instant.”

“Just have to dodge away from where they’re looking or pointing, then. The first generation can’t make them curve or home in for a while, right?” Alex got in close, putting me in her reach, and started throwing jabs towards my face. Her aim was more to occlude my vision. Using the ‘dodge’ that I showed her, she built up speed quickly and aimed a knee at my chin. I just let my head split apart into strands. “Augh, that looks so creepy!”

“That would’ve hit against the Sentinels, but they can also turn into light, reform, and attack back. Think of it as a parry or counter that you need to watch out for.” I was acting like a dummy for her to attack. She wasn’t using her power, but it was important for her to understand what she could do with her new form and what she was going to face. “When they do that, they can gather a lot of power, and if you decide to evade too early or too late…”

“Massive damage, right?” Alex grimaced before unraveling and reforming. She stared at her hand and did it again. “Half a second. Maybe a bit less. When we’re reforming, we’re more likely to be hurt, right?”

“The strands are as tough as you, but there’s less substance to chew through. When you’re combined and together, you’re a single, solid piece that supports itself. As strands or shadow, you’re diluted or apart.” Alex nodded before taking a seat cross-legged on the floor of the gym. Our underground facility was already mostly completed. We even had a land-based fiber optic cable running into our space via a portal. Faster internet than back on the island base. “If you’re heavily damaged, you’ll be blown apart, but I’ll put you back together here.”

“I don’t care much for the idea of losing, but just respawning if I do sounds good.” Alex grumbled before closing her eyes. She shifted through multiple forms and faces before standing up again and looking at me. “Why can’t I go full shadow like you?”

Ebb chimed in at that.

“You have a human soul undedicated to the Legion. You control the darkness. You are not of it.” Ebb had a yellow hard hat on while it monitored our facility’s construction. Naturally, it focused on the kitchen and communications first. Imps were consuming large amounts of grain porridge mixed with loads of dried fruit and sugar. We were exchanging moon rocks, rare earth metals, and gems for metric tons of basic agricultural products to swiftly increase our numbers. The plan was to swallow the moon up within a month. “Dedicate your heart to the Legion, and you will be granted immense power.”

“You’ll need to work hard and pitch in a lot more if you do that. Just stay at your current level. You can quit anytime and go back to resting nicely if you do.” I shook my head, and Alex nodded. Ebb’s glare was obvious, but I wasn’t about to tell Alex to join up. I revived her because she had her life cut short through violence, and she was a good fit for our plans. Making her an eternal ally dedicated to the Legion? That should take more than one conversation to handle. “Fight the Sentinels a couple of times, be our eyes on the ground, and besides that, just enjoy living normally.”

“Hm. Sounds good. I’ll think about joining up, though. You guys are pretty cool.” Ebb preened at the praise, but I just sighed. She should think about it more after experiencing regular life. “So, how about you teach me how to use the Imps like weapons?”

At her command, an imp came out of her shadow in the form of a cat. She let it clamber over her, and a smile flitted across her features. It was a feline of shadow with large yellow circles as eyes, but it imitated a real cat well enough to be cute.

Ah, who am I kidding?

The Imps were naturally cute.

“I think it’d be best for you to train that on your own. Creativity is our best advantage. The Sentinels have raw power and brute force, so we need to be cunning.” I got an Imp myself and made it change through multiple shapes. A living knife, sword, and spear. Even a shield. However, I made it grow smaller until it was the size of a fly. A fly that could surge faster than a bullet and rip through steel with ease. “I told you about how I’d take the world with them, right?”

“Yeah. Quick kills. Just a whole lot of shadows taking everyone out at the same time. That’ll take years, though. You need one Imp for everyone.” We had just several thousand now, and even with our current food inputs, it’ll take a while for us to reach the billions that we need. I didn’t want to take any chances and accidentally leave people to suffer, though. It should just be one single blink, and the world ends. “Are you sure you don’t want to take one country at a time out, though?”

“The world is too interconnected. People will know, people will panic, and that’ll lead to conflict and suffering.” I shook my head. Even if I took down one small country after another, it’ll be picked up on. News will travel, people will be terrified, and they’ll do crazy stuff. “Not to mention they might resist and develop something that can prolong the fight. Then, it’ll just be a war.”

“Right, right. That’ll suck.” Alex shook her head and picked up her cat. She brought it up to her face, and it transformed into a toolbox hammer. She swung it around, looking very natural with it, before turning it into a knife. With a throw towards a target in the corner of her vision, it flew straight and punched through the target before turning into a bird and returning to her hand. “Hm, I could leave them around and turn them all into birds that’ll attack everything on their way back. It’ll be a nice trap to spring, right?”

“It would, but make sure to avoid too much damage. We’ve already attracted enough attention.”

“Be creative, but not too creative?”

“Anything we’ve done before is fine.” I made a show of making a large, titanic hand erupt out of a shadow and just do a sweep of the large training room. Alex gave an ‘ah.’ “Just be creative with it. Don’t use everything if you don’t need to.”

Alex’s brow furrowed, but she nodded and started trying out a few new techniques.

She was supposed to hold back for a fair amount of time, but I wasn’t about to gimp her abilities. If things got dire, then I wanted her to be able to retreat. Even if I could put her back together, I didn’t want her to get hurt enough for that to be needed if it could be avoided.

Honestly, if she had a less confrontational personality, I’d encourage her to just run away whenever more than one Sentinel is actively fighting her.

But she doesn’t want to do that, so she needs to be strong.

…

Interlude: Adam

…

A simulated version of the Imp was created for Taskforce Lightbringer’s members to confront. To defeat it, the artificial Imp needed to be struck with a certain amount of heat, electricity, or energy.

Much to my dismay, that was the extent of it.

“It’s too slow, too stupid, and too weak.” Thunderer grunted as he watched the ongoing fight. He lounged in a chair and observed the training ground with a mocktail in hand. Most of the recruits were winning by keeping their distance. “Those things you fought? They worked together and were quick. They’ll flank them and tear them up.”

“I think they were holding back. Most of my team could’ve died. They just took them out of the fight.” I told Thunderer. I was exempt from the current trial. I fought them before and held them back. My role wasn’t about dealing damage but about taking hits from the Imps and keeping on fighting. “They’re also just fighting one at a time. They came in swarms. The Sentinels fight dozens at a time. Each.”

“They don’t believe them. Even after their battlestation got swarmed inside and out. Obviously.” Thunderer scoffed and shook his head. The door to our observation room opened. We were the only two present, if the android and gynoids manning the food and drink stations weren’t counted. “Seems like we have a guest.”

“A guest? I was told to come here after my evaluation was completed.” The new Akimitsu platform’s brow furrowed. Her skin was smooth and clear, with all her features sculpted to evoke beauty. She had brown hair in a ponytail with straight bangs, along with hazel eyes. A model that would be envied by all on the runway. All my instincts told me to run away from her. “Ah, that was a joke, since the two of you are the only ones present in the observation deck.”

“Yep. You figured that out quickly. Akimitsu’s really leapfrogging ahead in tech.” Thunderer stated, and the cyborg primly nodded. She looked around, and her gaze settled on Thunderer’s drink. “Oh, you can eat?”

“I have a supplementary reactor that can utilize most organic-based substances, yes.” She said so and went over to the buffet line. Within seconds, she had two towering plates of food and primly placed them on a table while taking a chair. Thunderer seemed amused at the sight of such an elegantly crafted individual assembling so much food. She started consuming gracefully… but swiftly. After several bites, she looked our way. “I believe you two were conversing regarding the practice drone being insufficient?”

“We were, yep. It shows people how to hurt them but not how to fight them. You’ve seen the data, right?”

“Indeed. I have fought against them in virtual simulations. I can fight against three dozen or so before being defeated. If they were unleashed completely, I estimate half that number before I am destroyed.” Thunderer leaned forward at her words, and so did I. She took note and stopped eating for a moment. “Then, there is the matter of their controller. The Akimitsu corporation is hard at work with the Sentinels to create a weapon that can harm it. As of now, there is nothing that can do so. Not even your most powerful attack on record, Thunderer, can harm it.”

“Thought that’d be the case, but it’s something else to have supercomputers confirm it. That thing’s basically a Kaiju that’s the size of a human, then.” The cyborg considered that statement before deftly nodding. “What are the Sentinels cooking up with corporate, then?”

“A crystal composed of Sentinel ritual knowledge and man-made synthetic materials and industry. A solar sail will be unfurled in geosynchronous orbit that will concentrate light into crystals, which can provide Sentinel firepower to War Maidens and other elite troops.” Hearing the plan allowed a weight to fall from my shoulders, while Thunderer gave a whistle of approval. The cyborg gave a nod and snuck in a large bite of steak before speaking once again after chewing deftly and swallowing. “I will be augmented with the first shipment back. With my capabilities, we hope that I can be an artificial Sentinel for a few minutes before resupply. Upon success, more of the Tenshi series will be produced to support the Sentinels.”

“Make more Sentinels, since we don’t have enough right now. Smart. Also, that’s probably why we’re so close to Japan’s biggest spaceport, right?” The cyborg paused at Thunderer’s word before nodding. She all but confirmed that we were guardians for the true solution to the Legion of Shadow. Taskforce Lightbringer, despite all the funds and political capital spent to bring it together, was a cover to create artificial Sentinels. “Well, that’s a weight off my shoulders. I thought you were going to ask this ramshackle group to fight the Legion by itself. Putting these guys on the attack would be suicide. On the defensive? We can get things to work.”

“I cannot confirm nor deny any of those statements, but I can assure you that I and my future sisters will fight with all that we have.” The cyborg stated with a deft nod. One that would’ve been a bit more serious if not for crumbs of food and splatters of sauce around her lips. I idly wondered if that was built in to make her seem more approachable. Evoking slight feelings of disgust to overcome the inhuman beauty, perhaps. A glance towards the other androids and gynoids, pointedly looking away from her or holding back bemusement, informed me that was not the case. “We will find victory against the Shadow Legion and then work to bring peace where we are permitted.”

Thunderer gave a hum at her statement, while I simply gave a small nod.

Then, just as she finished off her first towering plate, Thunderer asked her another question.

“So, in those virtual simulations, how long were they able to last against their leader?”

That made the cyborg pause, frown, and then sit back while crossing her arms beneath her well-fitted suit.

“I held out against it for two and a half minutes. The Sentinels say that is enough time for them to amass enough power for a significant strike and land it… but I believe that the combat data is incomplete.” The war machine stated simply and shook her head. “With its durability and strength, what if it showcased even half the viciousness and lethality of the baseline creature? I will only last for a minute at best.”

“And, if it revealed it was a far better fighter and was far stronger than the normal Imp?”

A faint smile played on the warmachine’s lips, and for the first time I saw humanity instead of a perfected cyborg.

“Then, I will have to entrust my sisters to finish the job after a handful of seconds.”

V12: Chapter 4

V12: Chapter 4

…

Honestly, I didn’t think I’d need to get Khalai out so soon, but with what was coming… I couldn’t afford to lose Riegert.

Using the Shroud on him would remove all his buffs for infantry, which I was betting a lot on.

If Khanrow died, I’d use the Shroud instead, but Riegert, Morgan, Ilych, and Morgan’s students were worth the risk.

Being Undead, Rita was easy enough to revive without any complications.

Sarala and Archibald dying and not giving their economy and defensive bonuses?

Yeah, we’d lose any chance at winning, and I’d honestly risk using Scarlet Mist strategically if they were out for more than one turn. The bonuses they were giving towards preparing my land for invasion and pushing my economy forward were the only things that let me sleep at night with the impossible odds that lay ahead.

But back to Riegert’s situation.

He died taking down an Ascendant Champion that went by the name ‘Raven,’ if the Guardian’s report was to be believed. It was a great trade, in all honesty. Starting Champion taking out a late-game crisis Champion one vs. one? That was worth putting on the forums with screenshots and maybe a short-form video with some meme music. The fact that the Guardians got the third Divine Engine was the icing on top of the cake.

They were lacking in military strength, and now they had the Divine Engine designed to give whoever got her the most military strength.

One champion in exchange for one enemy faction elite and a new asset for a weak ally?

After already spreading disease and conflict between two crisis nations?

Riegert achieved more than I could’ve ever hoped for, and I honestly considered letting him rest and recover in Paradise.

But circumstances demanded that needs supersede wants.

So, I made the order to uncork Khalai myself and fetch Riegert’s body, while leaving the initial attack against the Forgers to Celia.

Maybe I’ll get lucky and Khalai will give me the first resurrection for free?

…

Interlude: Sirena

…

News of Riegert’s death against the Ascendant arrived by courier, and news swiftly spread of his demise… and the plan to bring him back.

Many of the soldiers simply accepted the news, while a few wondered how it was possible.

My people were scattered and destroyed. All but our ancestral rites were struck from history. Those who partially understood the truth would also know that resurrection is only possible for those involved in the faith. They would wonder how it was possible that Riegert, not even an adherent of the Warden faith, could possibly be resurrected.

I wondered why not keep his death a secret, or why not fabricate another means of resurrection, or perhaps even not resurrect him at all. If the curtain were ripped away from the truth, if it were known to all that paradise was open to all, then madness would surely take hold of what remained of the Wardens.

Then, it would only be a matter of time before my people became monsters to be destroyed.

Such were my fears, until a day passed, more news arrived, and the troops… simply moved on.

“You’re far too obvious for your own good, you know?" Morgan’s voice startled me. She stood on a branch on a neighboring tree. I hadn’t noticed her presence, and from the shimmer of fading magic on her person, it was on purpose. We were at the forward base behind the Gate Fortress that separated Forger and Academy lands. Soldiers milled about in prefabricated structures and palisades. Moving through their day. “You were thinking that the secret would spill, since we have so many bright minds amongst us, weren’t you?”

“That is what I thought. Why is such not the case? Some should wonder. If not here, then back home.”

Morgan gave a hum. She leaned against the tree opposite of me. I had tried to hide and observe the base from afar.

At the very least, the prospect of being resurrected should have galvanized the troops to ask questions.

Why not those who have been lost?

Why should the specter of death loom over them all?

Why should only Riegert of the Holy Axe be resurrected?

All mortals feared death.

That is why paradise is so enticing and why knowledge that it was open to all this continent would ravage the mortal world.

That is why I betrayed my lord and now lead the remnants of our civilization, whilst those I once called friend call me both traitor and heretic.

“I don’t know.” Morgan’s answer shocked me away from my thoughts. I turned to her with wide eyes, and she laughed lightly and elected to sit on the branch rather than stand. Her legs dangled from the tree limb, and she swung them in a childlike manner. It reminded me that she was less than three decades old. Practically a child. “Could Iterants be controlling information down to each grouping of men? Is there some magic in the air that stifles all thought of rebellion or thought against our king? Perhaps the mortals who look to our liege are simply too happy with their lot in life that they don’t consider it?”

Morgan gave a hum while I considered those possibilities.

“Or, perhaps, the soldiers fighting there now wouldn’t wish to be brought back to fight again. Your people are sure of it. Your culture was built to create fanatics unafraid of dying again for your church.” Morgan shook her head from side to side as she reminded me of a difference I simply did not consider. How many of the soldiers I looked upon were willing to be resurrected only to die again? One in every five? In ten? “Our king also operates with the knowledge that you fear, Sirena. Do you think he would resurrect people into this land with so much conflict and turmoil? Forcing another life upon them when they have reached paradise?”

I froze at Morgan’s words.

Would Jack pull people away from Paradise to fight for him?

I had few answers to any of Morgan’s questions, but to that… I knew the answer.

“No. Not unless his hand was forced.” I answered. After all that I’ve seen, all the King of Wisdom’s actions towards his people, I was sure of that answer. He cared for them. He wished for them all to prosper. He searched for volunteers for his armies first, before levying his population. Even then, all were paid, supplied, and provided for out of his own coffers. None who marched to war at his command did so without training, equipment, and power all their own. If they perished, their kin would be provided for, and they were guaranteed the finest care if they were ever harmed. “He would do no such thing, unless needed. Riegert is being called upon, and a bargain is being struck with Khalai because Riegert is needed.”

“True. A general like Riegert who can lead armies and kill Champions are few and far between.” Morgan nodded and got up. She looked upon the forward base and gestured to it. “If I were in his place, I would have seized all your temples and priests. I would force all to fight, to live and die again, even if it meant twisting their minds to my will.”

My hand almost went to my true body at her words, and she turned her head my way while a faint smile crossed her lips.

Her eyes, usually bright and cheery, were instead dull and empty.

No.

Not empty.

Filled with so many thoughts and designs that all light was occluded.

Then, she shook her head, and the Morgan that I knew abruptly returned.

“But that doesn’t need to be done. Endless resurrections aren’t needed. We move with industrial might unseen by the world since the Ancients fell. We are securing the whole of the continent, building at great speeds, and the number of Iterants is increasing at an astounding pace, and we have horrors to fall upon if we falter.” Morgan’s smile widened and became warm. She waved her hand listlessly towards the base filled with troops before us. “This mighty army you see now? It’s obsolete. Eight times their number will be unleashed soon. Armed with better weapons and finer tactics, they will ride in castles filled with mages, bristling with sorcerers and artillery. In another six months? Another eighty thousand will be trained. There are plans to double and quadruple that output! Imagine it! The sheer scale of it all! Armies in the millions armed with weapons from myth, one and all!”

Morgan’s words sent a shiver down my spine as she let loose a laugh, stood straight on a tree branch, and extended her hands outward as if to embrace the entire world.

“No compromises in morality. No fears of unleashing something that should not be unleashed. Sheer industrial might augmenting a population in the millions!” Morgan espoused with glee as if declaring her thoughts for all the world to hear. “With the humility to produce horrors if needed, and the willingness to compromise if called to do so!”

Morgan shook her head and lowered her arms, while a smile of satisfaction played on her face.

Then, with a final whisper, she spoke whilst looking at the sun setting in the distance with a hand over her heart.

“I cannot do better, so I shall simply follow and do as he wills.”

With those words lingering between us, an idle thought arose in my mind.

The Wardens had once hoped to spread our ways to this nation, espousing paradise after death.

Many wondered why so few chose to join our faith in Jack’s lands.

Now, I knew why.

Their faith and zeal were already promised to him.

…

Khalai lounged in a fluffy bathrobe out of his sensory deprivation cell like he was just fresh from the bath.

Not only that, but by instruction, I had the Iterants treat him like a guest.

So, he was getting his hair, nails, and toes done as I entered the Citadel’s guest room.

He barely paid any heed to the fact that I had multiple Citadel Guardians ready to tear him apart.

“Oh, Jackie, you’ve grown wonderfully!” Khalai gave a grin and raised a hand to waggle fingers my way. The sensory deprivation tank was also a medical pod that prevented any health issues from arising, except for mental ones. We turned that part off. Him being perfectly fine after almost a year and a half without being able to feel, see, smell, and more? That was all him. “And, I’ve just heard that you trounced the first Demonic incursion into our lands. You’ve done wonderfully!”

“Thank you. How’s your meal?” An Iterant was cutting up food and spoon-feeding him. Rosalie. I met her gaze; she blinked thrice in swift succession. I raised my right hand’s index finger before returning it to rest. No, don’t slit his throat, please. We kind of need him. I got a blink in affirmation. “Everything within expectations?”

“Everything is exceptional.” Khalai confirmed with a smile and a nod. He examined his nails after the attendants were done. They were a light pink, but they were almost aglow thanks to his dark skin. “I heard that you have convinced Celia to seize the other half of the continent?”

“I have. The Merchants are defeated. The Forgers will be defeated next.” I was given a seat, a small table, and offered a meal. I abstained since I had no urge to eat while someone had their feet out right in front of me. Some people would kill for this view, though. A dark elf twink in only a bathrobe getting pampered as mealtime entertainment? Some degenerates would call that foreplay. “The vast majority of the wardens are safe and secure. We estimate only a hundred thousand or so remain at your Citadel.”

“You best focus them down, lest you find your soldiers having to fight resurrecting children, Jackie.” Khalai told me, and I grimaced before nodding. Should’ve expected that to be on the cards, honestly. I looked over at Ayah and gave the order to have everyone focus on the wardens. The first round of drafted troops should be ready to march in two months. Eighty thousand light infantry with submachine guns, rifles, heavy machine guns, and artillery support both mundane and magical. Should only expect ten to fifteen percent casualties. Twenty at worst. The veterancy gains would be worth it, too. “I see that you have an answer to it. Celia may complain about not earning the territory, but she will be thankful to not have to kill children repeatedly.”

“I’ll prevent that from happening.” I confirmed with a nod before looking Khalai in the eyes. Oi, stop crossing and uncrossing your legs while wearing only a bathrobe. Memories long repressed were coming back to me. Slinky dresses, maid outfits, and more worn by Khalai came to the forefront of my mind. He’s always been like this. “Keep still, Khalai.”

“Of course, my lord.” Khalai smoothly answered and stopped in the middle of crossing his legs. I gave him a dour look, and he giggled. If I weren’t straight, I’d have folded like a house of cards long, long ago. But if I called his flirting just that, then he’d just win. As a point of pride in my poker face, with so many hours invested in it, I didn’t tell him to stop. You’re not getting so much as a blush out of me, twink. “Now, I believe that it is Riegert of the Holy Axe who has fallen in battle against the Ancient’s enemies?”

“He has. He was sent on an expedition to spark a conflict between the Stymphalians and the Ascendant, while spreading disease to their chattel and slave population.”

“Ah, with their deaths, they will enter paradise and be freed from torment. A wonderful decision, Jackie.” Khalai beamed at me. Anyone else with a normal moral compass would be aghast but understand why I did it. The former High Justiciar of the Wardens? He earnestly smiled, knowing that I ordered the deaths of hundreds of thousands through biological warfare. “I can only wish that their deaths are swift.”

I met his gaze.

Not Khalai’s, but the High Justiciar’s that would’ve unleashed a crusade of undying zealots upon the continent and rushed us all to paradise at the end of a knife.

“I tolerate your existence because of its use. I would rather your death cult be erased from existence, but I have no means of recalling souls back.” I told him bluntly before giving my offer. “In exchange for your services, after victory, I will permit your cult to reform as a euthanasia program. Those who wish to perish and move on, despite all that we can offer, may ask for your assistance in the matter.”

Khalai’s eyes were bright and filled with joy at my statement, and he was ready to accept, but I raised my hand.

“You and whomever joins your cult will have their names stricken. The children you have will not be raised in accordance with your practice.” I could just leave it at my earlier offer and just let things be dealt with by someone else, but I didn’t get this far by leaving things to chance. So, I went ahead and nipped in the bud the chance of a death cult killing the world in the future by hitting their recruitment line. “They will never know you. You may only recruit and offer membership to physicians who wish to offer such a service and accept those rules.”

Thankfully, I held all the cards, and even as Khalai pouted, he nodded his head.

“Very well, oh King of Wisdom, you shall have me and those who would follow me under your command. All that I ask… is that we may begin to ply our new trade now rather than after your victory.” Khalai took the chance to bargain, and I got multiple offers to kill, torture, maim, and cripple him from the Iterants, but I raised my hand to stop them all. “There will be much suffering in the near future. I cannot stand idly by knowing that some would wish for Paradise rather than struggle.”

I considered his request, then decided.

“No. You will have no such thing. Provide me with the means to resurrect my Champions and get what I offer, or wallow in darkness forevermore. That is all I offer you, Khalai.”

What’s the point of having all the cards if you didn’t use those cards?

I’m not compromising with the founder of a literal death cult!