[Aura of ??? : 300 (+80)]
[Eye of ??? : 100 (+45)]
[Physique : 1000+ (+200)]
[Mana : 1000+ (+200)]
[Defense : 1000+ (+200)]
[Mind : 1000+ (+200)]
[Weight : 6 tons (+0.2)]
Hikari wakes up.
She was soaked all over.
How long has she been sleeping?
She sat up.
Her body felt heavy and stiff.
A sign that she had more than a night's sleep.
She moved her arms in a circular motion.
It gets her blood flowing.
She moves the other arm.
She brings one knee to her chin and back.
She brings the other knee and back.
Sitting leg kicks.
A good warm up exercise.
She tucks her legs in and stands up.
Her clothes felt slimy.
A fresh change of clothes had arrived for her.
Right beside it, the leftover wrappers of two ration packs.
"Oh right."
She bends down, picks up a water tank and gulps.
The supplies had become more abundant now that the bulk of the fighting had subsided.
The steam tanks can afford the space for clean changes of clothes now that it no longer has to be loaded to the brim with cannon balls and gunpowder.
She opens up a ration pack and takes a bite.
"Time for a workout."
She saves the fresh change of clothes.
Her body felt stiff after sleeping for so long.
Nothing too intense.
Simple movements.
Swinging her arms and legs.
She moves on to foot work.
Dodging and stepping exercises.
She picks up her sword and holds it in a stance.
Slow swings just to get the motion.
Repeat.
Steady breathing.
Repeat.
She sits down.
Legs straight on the ground.
She reaches for her toes.
The other leg.
Her body was warm after that exercise.
Now for some meditation.
She begins to circulate her mana.
"Heart of wyvern"
She does the routine to regulate her body temperature.
She was sweating more nonetheless.
Her breathing slowed.
She can feel some of the excess heat flow from her.
"Much better."
She reduces the mana flowing within her to a minimum.
Control.
The excess mana from staying in the mist.
Control.
Her body was starting to go out of balance again.
Control.
She keeps telling herself as her mana courses through her body.
She feels the sting.
A long sleep had replenished her mana to full.
Now she has to work on controlling it.
She stands up.
"Let's go another round."
Back to more physical training.
She has the spare ration packs from the oversupply.
Perhaps half a pack worth of exercise can be spared to get her body back into shape.
…
"Madam Hikari, the priests of Silora are here to see you."
"Come in."
The RazenHeir scout walks in.
Behind her, a high ranking priest follows her.
She can tell by the elaborate golden embroidery on his pristine white robes.
His white hair and frail skin.
"Hikari of RazenHeir"
She saluted the priest.
She has had a fresh change of clothes.
She was just resting after her workout earlier.
Her soiled set sealed properly within one of the empty crates to be shipped back to Carla where it'll end up back at the estate for a proper wash.
For now, it wouldn't bother her guests.
"Blessed Silora. you must be the RazenHeir champion."
A pleasant surprise in his voice as he
The sound of the chattering of wheels.
A pair of Silora priests pushed a chest inside.
Marbled surface. It looked like an expensive coffin for a noble.
Its appearance indicates that it belonged in a museum rather than the frontlines.
"Now please, sit down."
Hikari takes a glance at the RazenHeir scout.
She nods.
The giantess sits in her meditating pose.
More Silora priests came into the room carrying lanterns.
They were not the mass produced ones that the army could hang all over the camp.
These ones were specially crafted.
Their mana presence was stronger. More refined.
"Whats this?"
"A weapon. Or a shield depending on how you wield it. According to the agreements with your house, you will be part of the support party for the final push onto the ruined city. To that end, you are going to be equipped with the orders' most potent enchantments. But before that, we need to inoculate you with the goddess's power."
The priests placed the lanterns in a circle around her.
They wrapped a chain of lanterns around Hikari's waist.
The priests channel mana into their staff.
The lanterns glow with power.
The priests chanted.
"Just relax and let my priests handle the rest."
The mana flows into Hikari.
She bites her teeth.
It seemed to clash with something already within her.
She controls her breathing.
A mix of suppressing the clashing form and slowing the inflow of the lantern's mana.
Breath in.
Breath out.
Breath in.
Breath out.
She feels nauseous.
Her head was giddy again.
The priests started powering down.
"That will do for now. You are actually taking this quite well. We'll tend to the others first. Rest now."
The priests left the room.
There was the coffin sized chest remaining.
Hikari was too absorbed in stabilizing her body to study it.
She continues her meditation.
The RazenHeir scout watches her.
[Aura of ??? : 300 (-100 debuff)]
[Eye of ??? : 100]
[Blessing of Silora : 50 (new) (+50)]
…
Munch. Munch.
She finishes the third ration pack.
Two more had just arrived.
There are still four in reserve.
The final battle is near.
There is no need to save them.
The Silora priests remove the lanterns.
They left Hikari to rest.
She sits still where the ritual was performed.
Slow deep breaths.
It hurts.
The priests intentionally expose people to their mana form as a form of inoculation.
It helps them use their enchanted gear.
But Hikari absorbed the mana.
She feels it enter her core and circulate throughout her body.
It hurts as it clashes with her other forms.
She continues.
She opens her eyes.
She was sweaty again.
Her clothes were soaked.
She had used her fresh change of clothes to receive the priests.
"Beans."
At least she still has soap sponges and powder.
Most importantly, clean water.
She disassembles her clothes.
It was time for another bath.
She squeezes the clothes of their sweat as much as she can before applying the powder.
Her old set was sealed into the crate to be shipped back.
Hopefully she'll see it once she returns to the estate.
It was actually pretty comfortable to fight in.
Perhaps she could do some drilling in them.
"Hungry."
She reaches for another ration pack.
Munch. Munch.
She eats as slowly as she can.
She kept circulating her mana.
It still hurts, but her tolerance is improving.
Unlike the RazenHeir flames, the mana the priests pumped her with didn't have as much recoil.
It's no wonder they could use it freely in the mist.
"This would be handy."
She finishes the ration pack.
"Madam Hikari, a shipment has arrived for you."
"Bring it in."
The RazenHeir scout walks in.
Hikari was still naked but Ria had sent her the female scouts.
Another scout pushed a cart into the warehouse.
Hikari's nose twitched.
Curious, the crate had handles unlike the others.
She could sense the heat from it.
The two scouts picked it up by its handles and placed it in front of Hikari.
They opened it.
Hikari's eyes widened.
"Fresh rations."
The scout nods.
Cooked just before being delivered down the elevator shaft. It got here as fast as it could.
That was the only way it kept its warmth and smelt tree.
Hikari picked up the crate and poured the contents into her mouth.
She could taste the chunks of meat.
The stew melts in her mouth.
Crunch. Crunch. Swallow
Two movements of her jaw grind it into a mush.
"A letter from her lady."
The scout holds up the slip of paper.
How are you doing down there so far Hikari?
The raid is finally at its closing stages.
Actually, the initial plan just involves you clearing the way to the abandoned raiding town and hauling a stockpile of supplies there.
But at the last moment, they requested your explicit participation in the raid.
I can understand why.
The mist had cleared a bit since you harvested so many crystals.
From the observatory, we can see the ruined city.
There is a strange black shroud around it.
We have never seen it before.
There are no records of the previous Lord RazenHeirs ever encountering that when they attempted the ruined city.
Be careful.
The order of Silora is not telling us anything as to what might be out there.
It's frustrating.
It's right there in plain sight and could potentially threaten the safety of our lands.
On the flip side, they did agree to share some of their higher tier enchantments.
It does require an inoculation process as most imbibed equipment of any serious quality.
I sent you some more food.
It's dangerous to absorb mana without eating well.
Hope it's still hot when it arrives.
It's only possible because you did such a great job securing the supply routes.
Good job.
Especially the swamp.
There had been virtually no incidents of major attacks on the supply convoys except for some lone crocodiles and ghouls.
Be safe and return. Ria.
Another scout came into the warehouse.
"Madam Hikari. The weapon shipment had arrived. We are going to need your help to move it."
"Weapons?"
"Yes, satchel charges. The previous RazenHeirs used them to clear the hives."
"Yes."
Hikari assembles her clothes.
…
Another ritual concluded.
The priests power down.
Hikari opens her eyes.
Breath in. Breath out.
Her breathing was heavy.
It still hurts.
She was sweating all over.
But she was conscious.
The lanterns hung onto her body were removed.
She hears the priests talking to each other in their own tongue.
After a quick deliberation, they nod to each other.
They opened the marbled white chest that had been sitting in Hikari's warehouse.
Heavy plates. Made of a strange material.
Resembles neither steel nor carcass.
A crusader walks in, towering over the priests.
A hulk of muscle. Extremely wide hips and shoulders.
His weight distribution was very wide.
If it weren't for his muscles, he would look like a obese person.
Long scars embedded all over his body.
Armour marks.
His body had taken the shape of his armour.
"Mutations."
Hikari thought quietly to herself.
The process of becoming a crusader must have been painful.
He picks up each of the heavy plates with one hand and lays them out on the ground.
It appears to be a flat cut out of a gauntlet.
"Place your hand facing up."
The priest instructed.
Hikari leaned forward and rested the back of her hand onto the dispersed platings.
The priests strapped rune cloth around her upper arm.
Three rings.
Hikari could feel them tighten around her arm.
"Try moving your arm a little."
Hikari clenched her fist and relaxed.
She flipped her arm up and down.
The runes glowed.
She feels the mana of Silora that the priests had been pumping into her.
The rune cloth was merely stoking her mana flow.
It hurts as she wasn't yet used to it.
The priests checked the flow and nodded to each other.
"Hold still."
They instructed.
The priests held up their staff.
The ivory jewel at the tip glowed.
The rune cloth reacts, tightening even further around Hikari's arms.
The white platings rattle on the ground.
They lifted off the ground, coalescing onto Hikari's arm the same way she assembles her clothes.
The channeling stopped.
Hikari moves her arm.
The gauntlet platings stick loosely to her.
"Cracks?"
The gauntlet was flaky.
Cracks everywhere.
Not minor ones.
It looked as though the plates were never properly measured.
The priest shrugs.
"There isn't the time to measure the plates to suit your hand properly. In any case, your existing armour is sufficient against physical attacks. The role of the armour is just to channel the aura of Silora to create a barrier to shield you from the nefarious powers of the mist. In any case, sealed armour will not protect you fully from the mist."
The priest signals.
Another group of priests pushed an ivory chest towards her.
This one was even more well locked.
Twice the number of locking runes.
It required the incantations of three priests to open it.
The chest opens.
A huge white ivory marbled oval that looked like a dragon egg.
"Your arm."
Hikari placed her palm flat on the ground.
She now notices that one the piece on the back of her hand had an empty socket.
The crusader picks up the ovalled jewel and carefully fits it into the socket.
It clicks.
The priest channeled their staff and began their incantation.
"Argh.."
Hikari grits her teeth.
The sudden surge of mana causes her hand to twitch.
The priests held their staff steady and observed.
The twitching stops after a few seconds.
They looked at each other, visibly surprised.
With a signal from the lead priest, they continued.