Disclaimer: English is not my first language. I'm using Grammarly to check the Grammar and using Word to write it.
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When we got home, we reviewed my performance in the fight.
It wasn't a long talk since there wasn't much I could have done differently against someone like Stormtiger at my level.
I won because Stormtiger didn't know what I could do and didn't take me seriously. Hell, he fought against me out of boredom.
Of course, next time he won't make the same mistake.
We filled many bottles with healing water. We decided that from now on, we are going to take at least a dozen bottles of healing water every time we go out as capes.
I'm going to abuse the hell out of Uisce Beatha.
I asked Mia about the dangers of dividing one's mind.
She explained, in detail, how dangerous it is to do that without being careful. Apparently, there's an alchemy spell that you can use to divide your thoughts, like the Neural Lace can, and another that accelerates your thoughts.
Alchemy that manipulates the mind.
Sure, why not.
Mia told me how she almost died when she was learning both of these spells. And stressed on how, no matter the circumstances, I shouldn't divide my mind beyond what the Neural Lace is capable of.
The problem was we didn't know how many times that was, since the Neural Lace isn't a spell.
I had a random thought: since the Neural Lace was some kind of technology, why not just ask it.
It answered me.
The Neural Lace can manage eight partitions safely. Beyond that, there's a high chance of brain damage. And it can also run calculations on how much poison I can use on a person before it becomes deadly.
I can finally use my poison.
Mia was shocked by the answer. She told me she has never heard of anyone who could manage more than five partitions.
After that, she went to her apartment, and I went to get some sleep. I have work tomorrow.
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I enter my apartment.
"Hey Ben. How was work?" Mia asked.
She's sitting on my table, using my laptop.
"A little tedious, we didn't have much to do today. Gotta say, never thought I would be glad to be bored," I said.
"Sometimes being bored is a good thing. Do you have a hobby?" Mia asked.
"Never had the time for one," I shrug.
"Try to find one. It's good to have a way to unwind or your stress will just pile up," Mia said.
"I will look into that later," I said.
I walked to my nightstand and grabbed one of the cigars that Zelretch gave me.
I lit it up and took a deep drag.
Oh yeah, this's the good stuff.
"Since when do you smoke cigars?" Mia raised an eyebrow.
"This's one of the cigars that Zelretch gave. And, if it's possible, this's the only thing I'm going to smoke from now on. God, this's good," I said, taking another drag.
I sit across from Mia.
"So, what have you been doing?" I asked.
"I found a place that sells quality tea, organized the next books you have to read, picked up the products I bought from my supplier," Mia said, listing what she did when I was at work. "By the way, the Empire knows about us."
"Already? I was expecting to take another day or two before they point their finger at us," I said.
Brockton Bay is full of parahumans and, more importantly, nobody knows about us.
How did the Empire find out about us so fast?
"You can thank Uber and Leet stream for that," Mia said, annoyed.
"What?" I asked, taking another drag.
"They kept streaming even after they left. Your fight with Stormtiger is on the internet for everyone to see," Mia said.
"They were nearby?" I asked.
"At least close enough to keep streaming," Mia shrugs.
Unbelievable.
"...what did the comments say about me?" I asked curiously.
Might as well see what the people of Brockton Bay think about me.
"Mostly positive. Everyone likes to see a nazi get his ass kicked. Someone in the comments even said that this is the best stream Uber and Leet did in a while," Mia said with a smirk.
I chuckled at that.
"There are some death threats and racial slurs directed at you. No doubt from other Empire members," Mia commented.
I rolled my eyes at that.
"Did anyone think that I'm a 'Trump'?" I asked.
I know it's a leap, given what I showed, but you never know if someone notices something.
"There were some arguments in the comments about your classification. They couldn't decide if you're a 'Blaster/Brute' or a 'Tinker/Brute'," Mia said.
"Why do they think I'm a 'Tinker'?" I asked.
Where did that come from?
"They think the magic balls are either tinker tech or a manifestation of your power," Mia said.
Huh.
"Hm, anything from Kaiser?" I asked, taking another drag.
"Not yet. He's going to have to make a statement about this sooner or later. You beat Stormtiger to a pulp," Mia said.
"Meh, he deserved it," I shrug. "So, how do you think Kaiser is going to retaliate?"
"He isn't going to declare a manhunt or use all of his resources to deal with us, if that's what you're thinking. Not yet, at least. We do have targets on our backs, and it isn't only the Empire that has eyes on us now," Mia said.
Right, the ABB, Coil, and Protectorate/PRT also have us on their radar.
"I think Kaiser is going to wait and gather as much information as possible about us before he makes his move," Mia said.
Never thought I would be targeted by the Empire.
"Oh, I almost forgot this. Our funds are starting to run low. We're going to need to hit another safehouse," Mia said.
"That reminds me. I had an idea at work that will solve our money problem. We use alchemy to make gold and sell it," I said, taking another drag.
Mia hums thoughtfully, "It's not a bad idea, but it's only a short-term solution. Don't get me wrong, Ben, we will make millions. But if we flood the market with too much gold, its value will decline significantly."
"Then we don't sell much. Just enough to make millions," I said with a smirk.
"There's a problem with that plan. I don't have a contact to exchange gold for money," Mia said with a frown.
Yeah, that's a problem.
A warm sensation spreads throughout my body, but nothing happens.
"Miss," I said casually, taking another drag.
Mia hums in response, knowing what I meant.
"How hard is it for someone that deals with this kinda of stuff?" I asked.
"Not as hard as you think, but the real problem is finding one that you can trust," Mia said. "I do have someone in mind."
"Who?" I asked.
"The Number Man," Mia said.
I blink in surprise, "The villain's banker?"
Mia nods.
"Why him?" I asked curiously.
"Well, it's clear that we're never going to make money in a legitimate way, so it's just easier to hire someone who has years of experience on how to keep large transactions under wraps," Mia explains.
I can't argue against that.
"How do we contact him?" I asked..
"I could talk with my contacts, see if any of them know a way to contact the Number Man, or we could talk with Faultline. I believe she's one of his clients," Mia said.
It does make sense for mercenaries to use the Number Man services.
"This could also be a chance to make some connections," I said offhandedly.
Faultline Crew is a well-established mercenary group. And it's safe to assume that they have made some 'friends' along the way.
"Yes, it is," Mia nods. "So, what's our next move, Ben?"
I take one last drag before putting out the cigar.
"We need to give Faultline some kind of incentive for her to agree to meet with us," I said.
Mia smiles, "Oh, I just know what to offer her."
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"What did you write in your message for Faultline?" I asked.
We're jumping between rooftops, heading to another Merchant's safehouse.
"I told her that I would pay her ten thousand dollars for a meeting," Mia said.
I hum, "Think it will work?"
"Maybe. We might need to gain more reputation before she agrees to meet with us," Mia said.
Even if we offered more money, Faultline has no reason to believe that we have it.
"What if we paid the Palanquin a visit?" I asked.
"Would you like if some stranger appeared in your workplace and demanded a meeting?" Mia asked.
No, I wouldn't.
"Isn't the Palanquin just a cover business?" I asked.
Mia shrugs, "Faultline still has to run the place and, from what I found on PHO, it's also where she and her crew sleep."
Okay, let's not show up uninvited.
"We're here," Mia said.
It's a four-story building this time. And there's something happening.
"What is that thing?" I raised an eyebrow.
"It's hideous," Mia crosses her arms.
Parked in front of the building is a grotesque beast of machinery, an unholy fusion of garbage truck and a monster truck. Its wheels are absurdly oversized, threatening to snap the axles with every creak. Jagged armor plates, haphazardly welded on, jut out at odd angles. A menacing array of weapons crowns its roof. And rust, so much rust, covers the vehicle, showing that this monstrosity is receiving little to no maintenance.
How the hell hasn't this thing fallen apart?
Only one person in Brockton Bay would build something so ugly.
"That's one of Squealer's cars. And if she's here, so must be Skidmark," I said.
One of the windows of the third floor breaks as a chair is thrown out of it. Skidmark is screaming at his men while waving a gun around.
"Yep, he's here," Mia said drily.
Good.
"What's the plan?" Mia asked, checking her gauntlets and saber.
"Squealer is the bigger threat with that truck-thing, so we take her out first. Then we move to Skidmark. Keep to long-distance attacks. They might all be crack heads, but we're outnumbered here," I said. "If we take these two out, the Merchants are basically done for."
There's nothing that suggests that Mush is capable of leading the Merchants.
"You're certain about that?" Mia asked,
"I know that you said about taking out the gangs without a plan will only make things worse, but the Merchants aren't really a gang. They are just a bunch of drug-dealers that got together and, god knows why, decided to follow Skidmark. Taking them out will not affect the power structure of Brockton Bay," I said, slightly frustrated.
Anyone can see how little influence the Merchants have on the city.
They don't have the numbers that the Empire has, nor the strength that the ABB got with just Lung and Oni Lee.
The Merchants are just cockroaches that no one has bothered to crush yet.
"You put some thought into this," Mia
"I would like to make this city less of a shithole," I shrug.
Mia hums, "Keep in mind that even if we get rid of the parahumans element, the rest of the members won't go away. They will keep producing and selling drugs."
Oh crap, she's right.
"What should we do?" I asked.
"By that point, it's better to leave the matter to the authorities. We've got to focus on our priorities," Mia said.
Yeah, the police can handle a bunch of drug dealers.
"You're getting better at planning strategies," Mia said
"Oh? Is that praise that I hear?" I asked with a smirk.
Mia flicks my forehead, "Don't get cocky."
I summon the magical balls.
"Could I make the first move?" Mia asked.
"By all means," I said, taking a step back.
Mia raises her hand, aiming at the truck, and snaps her fingers.
A thunderous blast rips through the air as Squealer's truck erupts in a blazing inferno, flames engulfing it in a split second.
"Holy..." I said, stunned at how strong that was.
"Impressive, isn't it? This is the result of my family research," Mia said proudly.
So this is what battle-oriented alchemy looks like.
I want it.
We watch quietly as Skidmark and his crew burst out of the building, only to stop dead on their tracks, stunned by the roaring fire that was where Squealer's truck should have been.
"...is she dead?" I asked.
Mia tilts her head, "I'm not sure. Since that truck is Tinker Tech, I did make the explosion stronger, but was also aiming at the back of it. I guess-oh?"
The flames die down, revealing the truck unharmed, protected by a flickering shield that envelops it completely.
I raised an eyebrow, "Would you look at that. It got a shield generator."
The weapons mounted on the truck roar to life, spitting a furious storm of missiles that streak through the air, going so high that I have to reinforce my eyes to keep them in my sight.
Suddenly, they veer off course-plummeting toward the ground at terrifying speed. One of the missiles is heading straight for us!
Shit!
With a sharp snap of her fingers, Mia hurls a roaring fireball at the incoming missile. Without missing a beat, she slams her fist into the ground, transmutating it into a rising dome of solid iron, sealing us just as the fireball came into contact with the missile.
For the next few seconds, all I could hear was the sounds of explosions happening all around us.
Mia opened the dome once the explosions stopped.
Flames roar from nearly every building around us, windows shattering as fire explodes outward and smoke chokes the sky.
"Holy shit," I said, looking around with wide eyes.
"Focus. We need to destroy that truck before Squealer unleashes another volley of missiles," Mia said with clenched fists.
A warm sensation spreads throughout my body, and a scarlet long sword appears in my hand. 'Imperial Blades' gives me Aestus Estus: The Original Flames. A powerful magical blade that is nigh unbreakable, unnaturally sharp, and able to alight with flames of the heart of a volcano.
That sounds good and all, but I don't know how to use a sword!
"Can you use it?" Mia asked, looking at the sword that I'm holding.
"Besides sending lashes of flames at the Merchants? Nope," I let out a sigh of frustration.
Why could't have been a gun?
Mia darts to the ledge for a quick look at the street below, but a sudden hail of bullets whips past, forcing her to throw herself back to safety.
"They saw me," Mia said with a frown.
The building beneath us lurches violently, a sudden shockwave rattling the air. I feel the ground tremble as explosions rip through the floor below.
"They are going to bring the building down!" I shout in alarm.
"We have to jump!" Mia shouts.
Reinforcing my legs, Mia and I jump off the rooftop just as another volley of missiles hits the building.
We land in the middle of the street.
Mia slams her fist into the ground, transmutating a massive iron wall in front of us. It protects us from a hail of bullets from the Merchants.
Let's see how good Aestus Estus is.
I ignite the blade with a sharp hiss, slashing through the air, unleashing a roaring wave of fire that hurtles straight towards Squealer.
When it came into contact with the truck, it exploded into a column of fire, consuming the entire vehicle.
Holy crap.
The explosion blasts the other members of the Merchants off their feet, hurling them to the ground as flames scorch their skin, leaving several with painful first-degree burns.
"How strong did you make those flames?" Mia asked, surprised at the intensity of the flames.
"It was supposed to be strong enough to break the shields that the truck has...I think. I don't know what I'm doing with this sword," I admit.
After a few seconds, the flames die down.
A great portion of the truck collapsed into a twisted ruin, its metal carcass melted and fused with the scorched road. Molten slag oozes from its frame, hissing and spitting as it sears the ground below.
The driver door exploded outward with a deafening crack, its scorched hinges snapping like brittle twigs, slamming on the ground. Squealer crashes on the ground in a twisted heap, howling in agony as she writhes on the ground. Her skin showed ugly burn marks.
"She's alive," I said, surprised.
"And with only second-degree burns. Hm, credited where's due, that truck was more sturdy than it appeared," Mia said.
"Wait, where's Skidmark?" I asked, looking around for him.
"Right there," Mia said, pointing to the left of the truck.
Skidmark is sprawled on the ground unconscious.
The rest of his crew has either fled or is too injured to move around.
"Let's tie them up," Mia said.
Once we made sure that they weren't going to do anything else, Mia quickly transmutated the chains that we used to tie everyone.
We won but...
"This doesn't feel like a victory," I grimaced.
The only silver lining that I can see in this whole mess is that no innocent lives were harmed.
Mia sighs, "I know, but you have to focus on what's important. And you're going to have to get used to scenes like this. They aren't going to get any prettier."
"How bad do you think it's going to be when we go against the Empire and ABB?" I asked.
"It's going to be ugly. Keep in mind that it isn't just strong parahumans that they have. They also have resources, competent manpower, and connections. And we still don't have any allies," Mia said.
Yeah, that's a problem.
"We don't have many options in that department," I said.
It's either the Protectorate/PRT or New Wave.
"I know," Mia said with a frown.
A warm sensation spreads throughout my body, 'Item Construction' lets me assemble various items instantly. From weapons, enchanted items, armor, and other useful resources.
That's a really good one, but what does legacy level even mean?
A blast erupts from the building to my right, snapping my attention back.
"Can you do anything about these flames?" I asked, looking at all the buildings that are on fire around us.
"I need a fire hydrant," Mia said.
"There's one in the next block," A female voice said.
I blink in confusion as I don't recognize the voice.
Who said that?
"We got company," Mia said, looking up.
Oh.
Floating above us are Lady Photon, Brandish, Glory Girl, Shielder, and Laserdream.
"Mind telling us what happened here?" Lady Photon asked with a frown as she crossed her arms.
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Please leave a review. It helps me to stay motivated.
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If you like my stories and wish to support me, you can find me over at pa-tre-on (slash) Regulareader.
Or at Ko-fi.com/regulareader
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Imperial Blades (Fate/Legengs:Empire of Antiquity) 200:
A twin option, for there are two choices to make here. Two legendary blades of the Roman Emperors are available for purchase here. The first is that of Aestus Estus- The Original Flame. A powerful magical blade forged from a meteor's metal, the blade is both nigh unbreakable, unnaturally sharp and able to alight with the flames of the heart of a volcano, melting most of that the metal touches and badly scorching anything that comes near or even further given that the sword can unleash great lashes of flame at your command. The other choice is Crocea Mors, fabled weapon of Caesar himself. It bestows great luck upon the wielder in battle, both against personal foes and on a wider strategic scale, as well as often enabling the wielder to instantly attack again after they make an attack, sometimes even multiple in a row. As far as anyone can figure, it's a roll of the dice as to if and how many times it happens for each time you hit a foe. You may import existing swords into either option.
Blade gained: Aestus Estus (that's Nero sword).
Item Construction (Grand Foreigner) 100:
Item Construction is a skill that allows the user to assemble various items instantly. By gathering the materials you can directly assemble them creating weapons, enchanted items, and other useful resources. This also can follow any recipes to create a perfect product. This skill will start out by allowing you to create anything up to the Legacy level. This limit however, can be improved by developing various crafting proficiencies. Should you sufficiently develop your skills you will be able to create Divine level items and products of unparalleled quality. Lastly, this ability can also be used to generate large structures such as camps, castles, and other facilities.