NOVEL NEXT Chapter 292 – Entirely honest
Flameheart Medallion (rare) - This copper medallion can unleash a torrent of heat when fueled with mana. Capable of projecting flames, it serves as both an offensive tool to scorch enemies and a defensive mechanism to create barriers of heat that deter attackers.
Edgekeeper Blade (rare) - Cycling mana through this blade dramatically enhances its sharpness, allowing it to cleave through enemy armor and flesh.
Guardian's Wristband (rare) - By channeling mana, this steel wristband generates an energy field that can forcefully repel enemies and their attacks. The wristband's protective energy not only guards the wearer but can also be used to push opponents back during close combat.
Beacon Pendant (rare) - When activated by mana, this brass pendant emits a blinding light. This intense illumination can be used to momentarily blind attackers, providing a tactical advantage by disorienting them and making it easier to land attacks.
Not bad at all if I do say so myself. I'm especially surprised by the last one. I mostly just copied the inscriptions and the effect of an item I found on the 4th floor. Still, it did work, even though the item I made is much uglier and probably doesn’t even break mid-rare.
“Minion, here, play,” I give the medallion, blade, and wristband to my disciple. Then I sell the pendant.
Vega quickly and possessively grabs the items and rushes back into her corner of the facility where she continues to train her kinetic demon heart while examining the items.
Just a few hours and my limit of three days will pass, and we will leave the Sanctuary. The plan is to head to the Bastion and maybe explore the Valley while leveling Vega until she gets her Primary class.
Of course, the plan has changed a bit given that I spent nearly two days out dealing with that monster, that I will totally repay for everything it put me through.
The asshole was probably as strong as the Fallen Hero or stronger. It's hard to measure it properly without fighting both. It’s also a hunter type enemy that can track, and disrupt mana, with a tough body to boot.
Well, at least I took its arm and got myself a nice blade made of Voidsteel or whatever.
Voidsteel Slicer (Epic): The Voidsteel used in this blade is renowned for its vibration-absorbing qualities, allowing the wielder to cut with unmatched precision and sharpness. The Voidsteel ensures the Slicer is nearly indestructible, effortlessly cutting through almost any material.
The blade is extremely durable and sharp. I also tested it, and it works well with my [Resonance]. Surely it qualifies as at least a mid epic weapon. The only disadvantage is that it doesn't have a handle just a weird metal stump that was connected to the monster’s bones, but I will deal with that later.
I probably could melt some metal and mold it around the stump to make a handle, but it wouldn't be as durable as the blade. It wouldn't be as conductive either, and it might crack during a fight.
So for now, I will keep it as it is. I can just form some armor around my body and hold it in a gauntlet. Simple as that.
“Master, they are ugly,” Vega says as she approaches me holding the items I gave her. Even as she cradles them with care.
“Forgive me, Your Highness, next time I will remember to add some golden filigree to fit your delicate tastes,” I reply.
She stares blankly at first, though she smiles after a second. "Okay!" She says before returning to her corner to continue her studies.
I'm indeed not appreciated here.
I return to the mana crystal in front of me and continue to examine it, making sure to remember the inscriptions. I plan to use them as inspiration in the future when I make my own evil lair. I already have a few places in mind when I return to Earth.
One of them is the Moon. Yup, a Moon Base is on the menu! I have to think big, don't I?
Another idea is a floating city. If I improve my kinetic energy just a little bit, I should be able to make a small island float, right?
Or maybe I can create my evil lair somewhere in the middle of an ocean.
On top of a mountain maybe? I could just decide to be a bit of an asshole and take over a mountain range in Switzerland. Or perhaps some nice valley in Colorado.
My options are endless.
I find it a bit amusing that there are still 4 years left in the tutorial, and yet I'm already thinking about how I’ll abuse my powers after the tutorial. Seeing the floors within the tutorial, Earth will probably have more pressing problems than my floating city.
Feeling Darren approach once more, I sigh and place an anchor near Vega and another near him after expanding my domain. I teleport to his side, startling him to an acceptable degree, but he quickly calms himself and starts observing me with that annoying skill of his.
"First, I would like to apologize, we never wanted to..."
"Sure," I cut him off.
He looks around, and Nina approaches as well. She bows her head too, followed by the men around them. These are the people that scared Vega and forced their way into my room. They apologize in unison.
At this point, it starts to grate on me. That's what I get for not appreciating Tess while I had her to deal with things. Even good old Hadwin…Okay, that feels weird, let's not think any deeper about this.
"So, what do you want?" I ask Darren.
He gestures at his men, and they leave, leaving him and Nina alone with me.
"There is something we wanted to tell you, Nathaniel." He fixes his clothes a bit and looks straight into my eyes, "I wanted to be entirely honest with you about a few things."
"Do you mean your meat farm down in the tunnels?" I ask.
His breathing quickens, and his pupils expand. I can feel the kinetic energy as their heartbeats speed up even through their natural barrier. Their stances shift to match.
"I hope you can understand why…" Darren starts carefully.
"Stop using that annoying skill," I interrupt.
I don't like the way he looks at me or the way he’s trying to read me. Sure, I'm a hypocrite, I'm doing the same thing after all, but I don't feel like I owe anything to a bunch of cannibals.
The probing sensation disappears, and the way he looks at me changes. He starts looking a bit more unsure as if he was trying to guess my mood or reaction.
"We have over three thousand people here in the Sanctuary," his voice, but a whisper in the halls of the facility. "We wouldn’t be able to feed everyone without constant deaths. The animals move further out over time to avoid being killed. There are weeks when we can’t catch anything at all."
Nina moves closer and puts her hand on her father's shoulder.
"Trust me, if we had any other option, we’d take it. Of course," he emphasizes. "We only give the kids meat we sourced from hunting animals. And the food we gave to you was always from animals."
In this, I trust him. I checked after finding out. Well, it's not like we ate the food they gave us. I always threw it away.
"Does everyone know?" I ask.
Darren shakes his head, "Not everyone knows. I know what you’re probably thinking, give people the chance to decide on their own. But Nathaniel, even if they knew and had a choice, it would only hurt them. I know it's not morally right, and I will bear full responsibility for it and the punishment, whatever it may be. All while hoping we will find a way to go on without doing this."
That's when Nina joins in, "Father likes to talk a lot, so I will say it. If you stay here, if you help us, we believe we will be able to get by without it. We know that you are strong and if you would help us to hunt just a few high-level animals once in a while, it could be enough food for weeks."
It almost makes me laugh, "Did that man agree to help you, or did you force him from the start?"
Darren takes over again, "Irvin agreed at the start. He really wanted to help, but after some time, he… partially changed his mind. So my predecessor did what he had to. I believe Irvin could escape if he really wanted to; I think he still wants to help us anyways."
Finally, the man's mask cracks a bit, showing his frustration, "I know how shitty all of this is. I know!" he nearly shouts. "I just don't know what else to do. I really don't…"
A shitty situation indeed.
"I will be leaving in a few hours," I tell him.
The facility becomes eerily quiet, even Vage listening to our conversation.
With a sigh, Darren nods, "I will leave you to your things then, Nathaniel. Thanks for everything."
After he leaves, I move back to the facility where Vega is waiting for me. "It's rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversations," I tell her.
"But master does it all the time!" She looks at me, slightly confused.
"Masters can do whatever they want." I pinch her cheek a bit. "How is your mana orb coming?"
"It's still very small and pale blue, but I can hold it a bit longer now," she forms one over her hand, showing off the results of her hard work.
At the same time, she keeps sending her mana senses into the area, constantly wary of danger. Partially, she also does something to her Kinetic Demon Heart.
Unlike my [Focus] which I tend to concentrate on a single thing, she uses her [Concentration] a bit differently. Like me, she can concentrate on a single task, and I can split my [Focus] into multiple “threads.” But Vega seems to have a better talent for using [Concentration] on multiple things at once. Of course, each “instance” isn't as powerful as focusing on a single thing, but even then it has its advantages.
I’ve already decided not to stop her from doing so. It will be more helpful if she does something she has talent for rather than blindly following my advice.
"Good job," I hand her a small mana stone, "You can train with this too. It should help you a bit."
"Thanks!" She immediately takes the stone and rushes to the spot where she keeps all her things. All carefully guarded like the hoard of an old dragon.
I turn to return to examining the mana crystal for the last time when the transmitter in my pocket activates. This time it feels weird, a bit different from before when Darren used it.
(I hope I got your frequency correct, so answer if you hear me, Mr. Fucked Attribute Balance.)
(That's a rude thing to say to a cute young man, granny,) I send back.
(My old ass is cuter than you.)
Okay, now I really feel insulted.
But she continues before I can answer, (I don't like to waste my words, so I will be brief. You owe me, right? Do you intend to pay me back, or should I forget about it because it means nothing to you?)
(If you ask for too much, I will refuse, but yes, I owe you something.)
(Good. Do you remember the man they keep in the tunnel and use as cattle? My father?)
(It's hard to forget.)
(Good. In exchange for all the help I gave you, I want you to kill him.)
The already shitty situation became even shittier.