NOVEL NEXT Chapter 162: Bad Timing
The next morning, everyone arrived to stand ready, Lillim eyeing Carl dangerously as she noticed Equinox's new power.
"Grandma, don't care if I can't control him, I trust him."
"What are you talking about imbecile, I'm wondering why you have left the one bearing my legacy in such a pitiable condition."
"Because I really appreciate how I feel like you're all right behind me when Aegis is there. That means that having Aegis get even more powerful would make me wet myself." Carl laughed.
"Creator, I would never use my power against you." Aegis pleaded, not detecting the joke.
"I was joking, you're a trap. If people think you're my strongest, they won't expect someone like Equinox. At the very least if he appeared behind them, they'd give you an opening."
"I see, I can appreciate the strategic value." Aegis said, considering the potential for relishing the shock and horror.
"Anyway, we're going to grab some food then head out."
As Carl ate, it quickly became apparent that the other two didn't need to and Carl couldn't help but feel a little jealous. He loved eating, but at times like this, it felt a little anticlimactic.
When he was finished, they said their goodbyes and Carl opened a portal and stepped through into Lugaria and then another to SATS.
Once again the alarms and sirens blared as they arrived in the gate room on SATS and for a second Equinox looked as though he were about to forget his promise to Carl.
It wasn't just Equinox either, the moment weapons were pointed at Carl, Aegis' bloodlust became properly wetted and they assumed true-form.
"Remember when we were friends and you you didn't point weapons at me every time I came through?" Carl asked shortly before a guard in a strangely familiar attire ran into the gate room and skidded to a halt between Carl and those pointing weapons at him.
In a terrifying voice that was both deep, wheezy and more a groan than tone of voice, the guard gave them an order. "You... Will... Dis-disengage."
Everyone lowered their weapons without question and returned to their standing positions.
The figure who had seemingly come to assist him still had their back to Carl, which made it difficult to try to place the uniform beyond the military. "Hey, I appreciate that, but should you really be showing me that kind of courtesy."
The figure took a step forward to widen the distance, then turned on heel and stood to attention. "I... Am... G-g-guard to...Commander...H-have...L-l-letter."
"Are you okay? You seem... off.".. Carl asked as he examined the uniform to try and place it, a little annoyed by a soldier acting so stupid.
The uniform was a tactical nanite weave that was far beyond any of the armours available to civilians. His frame was large and his face covered in a ghost mask which made Carl realise who the man was.
"You're the one guarding my friend, aren't you?"
"Y-yes." As he replied, Carl told Equinox and Aegis to relax and then the stranger handed him a notebook, which he stored in his armlet immediately.
The stranger then turned robotically toward the gate operator, tapping a slate with insane dexterity, before coming to a stop as he towered above the operator that seemed to have caught his attention. "O-open... I-it."
The operator resisted the urge to wet himself and followed the strange man's order, whilst Carl started moving over to them.
"Carl!..." Professor Liam came barrelling into the gateroom, his voice the only warning. "...Sorry, we have to know, is the Madam Director okay?"
"Professor Liam, it's good to see you. Yes, she's fine. Kyubi, Bahamut and Lydia restored her arm without issue. Mum's running our school as principal alongside my Mum."
Liam gave a deep sigh of relief and placed his hands on Carl's shoulders. "Thank you, Carl. Please tell her, we have been doing we-"
"Why don't you tell her yourself? Tiamutael, can you send over Grandma, Kon, your mums and the others? They may as well say proper goodbyes."
The next moment, Leanna appeared alongside Kon, Klaire, Kyubi, Lillim, Faylorna and Lydia. The sight of the line-up before them was nearly enough to make everyone pass-out.
"Ca- Professor Liam, I take it you're the reason we were brought here?"
"Madam Director! What a relief it is to see you well, word spread about an incident of some kind. Kon, I never thought I'd see you again either and sweet Lydia, even Klaire."
"Right, well I'll leave you to catch up and say goodbye. I'll be off..."
The following display of affection from Klaire and Kyubi caused nearly the same level of shock as their arrival. "...Cheers, every guy here already hates my guts, I can only imagine what they'll think of me now. I love you two too."
After that, Carl, Equinox and Aegis stepped through the newly opened portal.
This time when he arrived, there was no welcoming party hosted by Plutinas, but Jupiterran was waiting patiently.
"I trust you are satisfied that I have fulfilled my promises."
"I am Jupiterran, I'm glad to see that humans don't always become irredeemable after accumulating power."
"I wish I could take pride in that, but unfortunately I would hardly call myself an example of it... I see Kyubi truly is looking happy, as is Klaire and even Lillim and Faylorna."
"I wouldn't say that, they're tense in these situations, but the fact they seem happy in general is good to hear. As their leader, my faction's happiness is my responsibility."
"That is a heavy burden, one we failed to carry in many ways... Is this the dragon god Venusiah mentioned? She never said he was half-aspect, I've never even hear of such thing."
[ MESSAGE SENT FROM CARL : LET'S LEAVE SIS OUT OF THIS. ]
"No, this is his uncle, Equinox. My first chimera and my second layered chimera, I thought my son might need a mentor as he grows, it seemed appropriate that he learns from a first hand account. On my right is Aegis, my bodyguard."
"I sense several very different individuals somehow blended together in perfect harmony..."
"Don't lie, you're looking at their systems, you know exactly what they are, for starters Equinox is a dragon but has very little dragon in him if that makes sense."
Jupiterran suddenly became a bit more casual despite himself, throwing his hands up and admitting it. "Apologies, after what the last two did to Plutinas, I was curious what these could do... Quite humbling I must say and I should congratulate you on your ascension, humanity finally has a natural immortal."
"Yeah, thanks, kinda weird how some things just make sense now though."
"Not quite sure what you mean by that, ascension is unique for all of us though... We should move, unfortunately Gilgamesh is eager to see you again, so we can't dally as we did before."
"A shame, I enjoy looking at the various relics gathered here... Well, maybe you'll find a book or something that notes things of interest." Jupiterran replied as he turned to lead the way.
"Out of curiosity, do you mind if I check out your system? I'd like to see what a variant's looks like." Carl asked as he fell behind his guide once more.
Jupiterran laughed as he walked. "Honestly, I'd believed you already had, so I lose nothing by allowing it. The fresh perspective might enlighten you some."
Name: Lewis Smith
Class: Crusader
STR = Unquantifiable
DEX = Unquantifiable
CON = Unquantifiable
INT = Unquantifiable
WIS = Unquantifiable
CHA = Unquantifiable
Skills = Smite, Zone of truth, Shield Skin, Melee weapon proficiency, shield proficiency.
"What the hell?"
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing, your system is just very different."
"Haha, well I can't say I'm surprised, I suppose you could call us beta-testers. Our systems are nothing but prototypes of the one you all have."
"Ah, right, that must be it." Carl, agreed, but wasn't entirely convinced and fell into thought. 'Ishtar loved her creations, I wonder if she couldn't bring herself to simply copy Margo's'
"Wondering where stars come into it?"
"Err, no, actually I was wondering if there are other systems that are different."
"Not that I know of, but I was hardly on good enough terms with most people to ask."
Carl, thought about it a bit, then decided that ultimately the lay out made little difference. The only thing that kept niggling at him was the possibly that the difference in their system might help be a clue on how to find the knowledge that Sis wanted on their origins.
[ SYS BUILD = NEO PRIMORDIA AEVUM V 1 ]
[ NAME = CARL BASHE-REAGA ] [RACE = HUMAN **** ] [ STAGE 1 ]
[ VIT = 5,000,000 ] [ DEF = 4,500,000 ] [ INT = 3,000,000 ]
[ STR = VIT + DEF ] [ DEX = 3,500,000 ] [ CHA = 2,500,000 ]
[ MP = UNQUANTIFIABLE ] [ HP = UNQUANTIFIABLE ] [ DIV = 1,000,000 ]
[ ALPHA TEST = 1% COMPLETE ]
[ SKILLS = NEO CELESTI, , ORIGIN POINT, FINAL END POINT, NANITE WEAPON EXPERTISE MAX, LAW OF DIVINITY*, LAW OF CREATION*, LAW OF CHANGE*, LAW OF MIND*, LAW OF INFINITY*, LAW OF SOUL* ]
[ SKILL RANKS = UNQUANTIFIABLE ]
[ ABILITIES = ANALYSE ]
[ BLESSINGS = GREATER BLESSING OF THE NEW MOON, SIBLING BOND, SYSTEM SCAN ]
[ ADDITIONAL...]
[ MERGED = 5/50 ]
[ MERGER SKILLS = JACKALOPE'S ROAR, DESERT TOLL, INFINITE MIND, FIELD OF JUDGEMENT, DENIZEN OF THE VOID ]
Suddenly Carl tripped and had to be caught by Equinox who glowered at him. 'Carl, please don't choose times like this to look at your system screen.'
'Yeah sorry guys, that was real stupid, I've been hyper-focused on DIV and creation mastery.'
"A friendly warning you are in, for lack of a better phrase, enemy territory. It is advisable to stay focused Carl."
"Yeah, sorry, wedding plans have turned my brain to mush." Carl Said with a pained chuckle.