Location: The Violet Sea - Aboard The Balerion
The ship Ren had "acquired" (seized from Xaro's assets) was a massive Qartheen trading galley, renamed The Balerion. It cut through the dark waters toward Slaver's Bay.
On the deck, six young dragons played, chasing seagulls and scorching the sails.
Ren stood at the helm, looking at the horizon. But his mind was on his team.
[Ren's thoughts]
I've been focusing heavily on Saeko and Saya. Saeko is my sword; Saya is my brain. But an army is only as strong as its foundation. Amy, Andrea, and Shizuka are falling behind in terms of 'Sovereign' power levels. I need to fix that before we hit Astapor.
Ren considered waking Annie. The Female Titan would make short work of the Astapor walls.
He hovered his finger over the 'Release Stasis' button on his interface.
"No," Ren decided, pulling his hand back. "If I wake her now, she sees dragons and magic, she might panic.
I need her loyalty, not her fear. Besides, the Unsullied need a commander, not a monster."
He left the Stasis protocol active. Annie would remain his ace in the hole for a bigger threat.
Ren turned away and ...
"Andrea. Amy. Shizuka. My cabin. Now."
The three women entered the captain's quarters.
Andrea looked tough, but tired. She was a survivor, a crack shot, but she was still human.
Amy was the youngest. She had grown harder, colder, but she often looked at Saeko and Ren with envy.
Shizuka was the medic. She was happy, but she knew she was a liability in a fight.
Ren locked the door. He sat behind his desk, upon which sat three items from the System Shop.
"Sit," Ren ordered.
They sat.
"We are going to Astapor," Ren briefed. "A city of slavers. We are going to buy 8,000 super-soldiers called the Unsullied. Then we are going to sack the city."
He looked at Andrea.
"You're a good sniper, Andrea. But you miss moving targets when you're under stress. I saw it in Qarth."
He pushed a vial of silver liquid across the table.
[Item: Hawkeye Serum (Marvel-Lite Variant).].
[3,000 Points]
[Effect: Perfect aim. Enhanced visual processing. Can see heat signatures and track trajectories instantly.]
"Drink this," Ren said. "You'll never miss again. You will be the eyes of this army."
Andrea looked at the vial. She didn't hesitate. She downed it. She gasped, blinking rapidly as her pupils dilated and contracted. "I can see... the dust motes... in the air."
Ren turned to Amy.
"Amy. You're fast, but you lack stopping power. You rely on guns. In a world where ammo is finite, that's a weakness."
He pushed a glowing blue crystal toward her.
[Item: Skill Book - Arcane Archer .]
[3,500 Points]
[Effect: Allows the user to infuse mana into projectiles. Bullets/Arrows hit with explosive force or elemental damage. Infinite ammo generation (Mana cost).]
"Learn this," Ren said. "You won't need to scavenge for bullets anymore. You are the ammo."
Amy grabbed the crystal. It dissolved into her hand. She concentrated, pointing her finger like a gun. A small orb of blue energy formed at the tip. She grinned. "Bang."
Finally, Ren looked at Shizuka.
"Shizuka," Ren said softly.
"I... I don't want to fight," Shizuka stammered. "I just want to heal people."
"I know," Ren said. "But sometimes, you can't reach the wounded in time."
He placed a golden ring on the table.
[Item: Mercy's Caduceus Field Generator (Ring Form).]
[4,000 Points]
[Effect: Projects a healing aura in a 20m radius. Stabilizes critical wounds instantly. Can erect a 'Guardian Angel' shield to protect the medic.]
"Wear this," Ren said. "You don't need to shoot. You just need to exist on the battlefield, and our people won't die. You become the Angel of the Vanguard."
Shizuka put on the ring. It hummed warmly. "An Angel..." she smiled. "I can do that."
[Remaining Balance: 5,850 Points.]
Ren looked at balance and sighed, stood up.
"Good. Now get out there. Practice. Because when we land in Astapor... I want the Good Masters to tremble not just at the dragons, but at you."