COI C43
The progress of the external upgrade to the sphere has successfully started, it is the start of the different alteration for what the technology they have to put into their computers. Either making into a control room or a diagnosis the sphere inside, and their effort grew more as everyone has to do their part. Computer whiz, gadgets assembly, or supernatural reconstruction, they can’t describe what they are about to do. The most common thing to say it is maintenance, but they are having fun talking as they added more ridiculous names about being a team.
“Bugs . . . bugs . . . bugs, how is this program has so many problems?”
The man who is fixing the programming of the newly install software, it is hard to identify the problems where the sphere and the computer corelate together. It’s already night time as they only scratch the surface to make it possible for adding content to the system. Computer’s UIs are becoming dreadful once entered to the sphere; lacking art, links, icons, and many more that most common features happened to most devices. This is what they can’t expect for them to rely on a free programming software.
“None of us can do what the products have from those digital components”
“Copy and pasting along the way, I guess”
“And thank that magic flowing through the computer, we can software reengineered the preexisting operating system and found out how it works”
“Yeah, Haw, let us borrow that stone thing. We might research a bit in order how to get things working”
“Go ahead, but I’m leaving for the night. I never thought you won’t be stopping on this project”
“Try working with us back in our world and see how overtime will wreck your day, in months”
Alche and the other teachers stay at the simulation room. O2 himself already sleeps on the benches or seats, going back home now is a hassle after hearing about the Agatheans staying here for the night. A knock from the door and it was Thean as he entered, looking at them impressively, working hard to help them on the sphere. His face turns for the worse where the maid and everyone else wore some adult content clothing. The t-shirts with images of seductive young girls. Pulling back away in discomfort and flat out weird from how they wear, he shouted at them.
“There’s dinner at the cafeteria, go get it while it’s hot”
Alche is the one who is going to carry it all, while they continue the project.
“Late night shift, it reminds me my part time job”
“Stop talking about that, it won’t be miserable like this one”
“I didn’t say I was miserable, in college, I got lucky to have customers who are very attractive”
“Yeah, yeah, let’s continue before . . .”
One of them activated the Haw’s tablet, connecting through the wifi like they did with the sphere. They strangely connected it with a mana infused usb. What a shock again as they successful link together.
“I don’t know why I’m this easily shock by using it, it’s too fiction to see it happening”
Most programs should access properly with the same coding, but with mana alone, it bypassed all reasons for them to learn how to operate it. The only thing they are glad that there is no perfect use of their mana as the translation won’t match the crypted system. They can’t proceed as the search won’t match the other, they need to provide a proper alternative for the computer to read it. This won’t be easy for them to handle under a week, then again, their magic abilities would improve their skills. The stats they have are bearable and more the better they were before, but had no idea of using it.
“It felt like you have a jack of all trait”
“Heh, like I would believe that”
O2 wakes up, he managed to reach the sphere with his magic, it was impressive and he knows why specifically.
“Only you knew its full potential than use it all out, because we watch what Thean did with the city guild”
The reality they have on this world grows indifferent, it felt balance according to their experience. Each side of the reality made good counter to one another, they thought they are overpowered but they were depended on neutral mana. That is the first take they learn when news from Rune Isles.
Alche gets back with a caster table, he should bring the food through the UI inventory without it, but that’s the habit on his head. Yet, he uses his magic and probably out of mannerism.
“You’ll never believed what we are having”
Alche shows them the platter as if they are taking take outs. Everyone gather around as if they were on a fast food restaurant, and the drinks though are just different juices. It should be Second’s cooking
“Did Secius make these? The bun is just loaf of bread”
“The size looks bigger as an American”
“Looks like burger on the inside and a sandwich from the bread”
They took a bite, as each one of them taste a different texture they have eaten. Under one bite, they place it down on the table and pulled out a knife. Cut it up to their shares as they realize why is it so big.
“Alche, you should have told us that these burgers have different flavors”
“Really? Let’s see here”
He opens the bun and sees what inside, different qualities and quantities inside. The variation was a lot and different than what they see. A burger with different patties, condiments cooked differently, and the combination is familiar to what they thought off.
After having their meals, they almost lost their opportunity to try different variation of Second’s cooking.
“That was close, the burgers he made never lose my taste”
“For you at least, but why did he added lime on the other burger”
“The sour of the burger stings too good for me, guess you don’t like sour things”
“Anyway, thanks for the food”
Throughout the night, they continue what they are doing until they fell asleep. Someone was there looking at them as they sleep, the wisps coming in and pulled them to their seats as they will be sleeping.
The stranger comes in and fix their things before he leaves. Roaming through at this hour, where it was Second himself put them to sleep. He was worried for them and their wellbeing, doing their work to the limits. It’s too dangerous as like him to make this incident.
“It’s better to keep the lights low, we have visitors”
He locks the door and hid it for no one will find it. First is already at the roof with Thean watch over someone using invisibility passing by the school. It’s been like this for sometimes, hearing gang reports exploring the night.
The teachers didn’t know and they thought those three are continue researching. Truly so they did, but the wisps from First and Second sense threats they could not ignore. The city is getting busier as they are in the lockdown, nothing is sure why they are active like this, and they make sure everyone is safe. The sound of the megaphone heard across the street. It was the police force follow suit the suspects. They thought they will defend themselves, from a group of overpowered people, and willing to go guerilla tactics if needed.
The wisps were scattered outside of the school dimming its glow close to fissure of its shining gaze. A fragile appearance, it spies the outer perimeter for what had happen.
“It sensed only a couple of hidden people, influence from the abilities of the rebellion. Impressively improved and undoubtedly a threat to us”
Second read out from what he sensed while First’s sensing who they are.
“They are citizens, which they are with the rebellion for some reason”
“How about the people who are chasing them?”
“They just following them, it seems like a chase but they tried to tail them off”
After a few minutes, they are gone. Where Thean and the others show relief during this moment, they thought it will happen like what did to Agatheus city. The difference was that their city always the demons involved the cases, but they are facing the rebellion. If they survey around the city, there is no telling where they are planning to operate.
“Why do they want this city?”
“Maybe it’s the foundation”
“I don’t know about this. I’ll be going back to simulation room to wake them up”
“You shouldn’t put them to sleep, Second, what if we need their help?”
“But First, there was no cases of breach happening in this district”
“This district? So, it does happen, where?”
“The border”
“Oh, my bad”
That moment of incident put them in suspense, those people possessing the abilities from the rebellion which is more capable under the citizen’s power. They return back to the library and continue study what the papers they read left. Tonight, it is a sudden moment of event. The last scene of the wisps sensed the hidden runners where they running further west where the commercial area is.
The next morning, somewhere in Mihayara district. Haw stay in the apartment of his girlfriends, both of them are ready themselves for work after surprising announcement yesterday. The city guild announced through their social media.
“To all employees, please return to your respective duty. We have a special assignment or quest if interested, for the adventurers, however all staff are required to work as usual and will have bonus pay as there will be new routine needed for the new facility”
They don’t believe a new facility to be popping out of nowhere, they were there a few days ago to fill up the shifts.
“Are they serious? how in the hell did they made renovation inside the guild?”
“I didn’t see new construction happening, under 3 days, a new facility is already made”
Both of them turned to Haw still sleeping, they are satisfied last night how he was busy and tired when he gets here. Through their troubled plan as it was ruined by the city guild’s announcement, as he helps them lift their spirits up.
“You know, I think we should have a proper date”
“A date, not night date, right? The date”
“Shinji, we are dating this guy for over a month and doing nothing but casual sex”
“It should’ve been the other way around, Nanami”
“But that’s no fun at all”
A ring from a phone as they squandered around their phones, it wasn’t theirs but Haw’s. They give him a phone while back, keep them in touch as they did last night.
“Wow, Haw has contacts?”
“Let’s see here”
They read the message without him knowing, both of them grin and smiles at each other. They will meet again at the other hour, but first
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“OMG, we’re going to be late”
They rushed themselves to the city guild, in south shore bay, as they happily expecting him to go there. Haw wakes up and sees they already left, he checks his phone and sees they are snooping his phone, again.
“Haw, this message is from the city guild. We are in need of help of using the sphere sent by your city. In regards requesting other than you, all of them are not conveniently reaching our contacts. Except for Myrrkei, the rat, as he was called by the government. We will gladly offer sums of money (coins) if you are willing to coordinate, it is not much to ask but having you here will be appreciated. Furthermore, we have message to your school about our request and they are notified. Thank you for reading this as we are interested for your visit”
Haw has to go there, everything he has are from Stranding Island. He has to go to the hardware store for his special items. He suits up and wore casual clothes given by them, it is not much and the letter mentioned to be their sphere. It is must be the letter they gave to Enders Bridge, why would they reply through the sphere? It must be something else, no, there is no reason for them to call him if there is nothing related to Enders Bridge. He heads out and goes first to the hardware store. Passing through the tall commercial buildings, he goes in a normal small shop.
“My man! Do you want the usual?”
Haw nodded and writes an added more orders. The shop keeper pulled up a tray of different unknown fluids and containers, Haw collects it all and he fills it up with glassware, mostly test tubes and concealed bottles.
“Don’t worry about the payment, we can still trade. My costumers still demand my homemade cleaning materials. Say, can you make shampoos for stuff toys too?”
Haw was confused as he stares at the shop keeper. “You didn’t know? People starts learning shamanism for some reason. The stuff toys are becoming alive with the spirits, now it needed to be clean . . .”
The city starts to do actual summoning, the spirits are intelligent with their knowledge at the afterlife. It is amazing how it got popular all of a sudden. Haw leaves the shop as he was wondering about it. All of his equipment is ready, everything made from Isekai City, and continue heading to the city guild. Haw opens the door where he sees the rumor from what the shop keeper said, adventurers with their familiars. Most of them are stuff animals, all of them seem fitted what the spirits are supposed to be like, and their own summoned creatures show its happy faces and the spirit shows its animalistic expression.
The only way to differentiate the two familiars, between the spirits and the citizen’s creation, are a lot by Haw’s observation. The dolls/stuff animals are the spirit where its bodies only to control it. No rituals, they will not speak, they will not use shamanistic magic, they will not communicate other spirits in their spirit world, and they will be trapped inside a body relying on the medium’s power. The last part was actually an advantage though, a citizen possessed so much power what will they do to those spirits. Haw’s wonders.
“Hey, it’s the guy from the school”
Heist shows up being the cat man as he is as Haw still don’t know why he seems to be a rare and only race, he thought.
“Heist, did you know this guy?”
“Of course, he’s . . . name?”
His friends were dumbfounded by the way he has to recall, it’s been so long before the lockdown. Heist gives his reason to his friend.
“Sorry, we didn’t see each other for more than two and half months now”
“Me neither, I only know Alche and I didn’t remember anyone of you back then”
“Tch!”
“That guy wasn’t even part of the city guild”
“You mean all 16 of them? You didn’t remember their names”
Heist was a bit disappointed and Haw was so direct about it made it even worse of their time together. The soulfate crystal incident was a thing back then, and now he forgets all of that. Will Illtended and the others really going to be piss how they beg him to continue their research? But it wasn’t for that, Haw is one of the Enders, and they are looking for someone to handle the sphere they got.
“Ehem* Anyway, skipping our reunion, let’s go where you needed”
“I heard about the sphere, what’s the matter with it”
“Nothing, it is a bit need of improvement. Our first encounter with the sphere is amazing until . . .”
“Until what?”
“Sorry, I was a bit ahead of myself, let me start from the beginning”
The sphere glows golden where the Saint Heroes were the first to enter. Coming back from it they discover of a palace of something, completely empty. After they went deeper, they found small numbers of unknown humanoid wondering around. It reminds them of a game in a dark fantasy setting. They were joking at the start, and it feels like it as they can go further. Like the sphere from the school, they get kick out with number of hits or punishment they must endure, exceed that and they will get kick out.
“How am I going to say this, uh?”
“It’s Haw”
“I’m Heist by the way, where are we? Oh right. It’s better you should be joining us going inside”
“It’s difficult from a realm we are entering it’s like playing Dark Souls III”
“What?”
“It’s the term we describing for now, limited attacks but impactful when you got hit”
“Please explain more, it sounds like a certain people with combat techniques”
“You knew something about it”
“Heist, if you can’t describe it. Then I have to go in myself”
“Great, let’s go. They are waiting at the sphere and . . . Haw?”
“He’s over there”
“Oh my, did he just got distracted by a GIF on screen?”
The cover screen shows one of the adventurers getting defeated by fat big looking bird. Looking up and staring at the camera, menacingly. Haw had a familiar look of the bird, but the difference is its size. More importantly to the details, the bird looks like a spirit. Within a sky blue glow, the patterns of its appearance is identical to the elven domesticated birds. Ignoring the fact, it portrayed of dominance as it claws steps on someone’s head and by clear view while the other is hidden. The GIF shows a slide of quotes and many more.
One of the examples as the people who read it for him.
“I have defeated this hooman . . . in mortal kombat”
“Ok, that part is kind of funny”
Heist pulled him away from the screen as they need to go.
“Got distracted by a meme?”
“Hmm?”
“Nevermind, let’s get going”
“Say, why did you stop all of a sudden?”
“Sorry, that reminds me when I was young”
“Really? Guess we do get distracted by nostalgia”
They made it to the magic circle, the sphere wasn’t here, but somehow the presence is closer as it is hidden somewhere. It activated as they teleported into the sphere.
They appeared at the entrance, where the others who are expecting him.
“Silfa, there he is”
Silfa and Gemina greet him to the extent as they look defeated for some reason. Haw greets them as they exchange their introduction, after that, the situation they are having is far more what Haw can do. Gemina shows him the details about the sphere, Haw looks around that the details they told were true. Silfa will tell him the situation while he is busy looking around the place. The sphere sent them to a dark space, as it looks like night time but the moon he is looking is a bit different view.
To make it bluntly, they are in space, more like they are on the moon. Neither Alga nor Jigeram, they are probably on the third moon, Koiich. The difference what Haw sees from Rune Isles point of view. Koiich supposed to look white, whiter than Jigeram’s light bluish glow during the night. During this time of the moon cycles, it is almost time for the twin moons. Where they are at now, he stares the world Horsin in this view. Meaning, he needs to see upward where the moons starting to align. It is quite a strange world he is going into. They seem to be busy for something else.
“We meet again, Haw, do you still have that soulfate crystal?”
“I left it in Stranding Island, the new regulation forces me to leave it during the check up”
“Yeah, I apologized”
“Don’t be, I was part of the police force”
“Same with Ruby, I hope she is ok”
They wondered off from what this realm sent them. A great awe to see this place existed, the entire place looks golden as ancient architectures as the model of this entire area. The adventurers search long, far, and wide across this strange world. Then they were stop by strange humanoids. Haw witnessed the remains of the fallen, one after the other, they return like an undead but it was too naïve for him to believe it.
Haw looks closely how the adventurers fight, still impressive by their prowess, through the same techniques in quick succession and sometimes over did it. Not this time as he watches them fight, from a safe distance he made a proposition to them.
“Say, would you mind hit me?”
“Say what now?! Is Haw gone crazy?”
“Wait a minute Heist, Haw what’s this about”
“Hit me, as in your best shot”
“Ok Silfa, I think he is gone coocoo like the rest of our adventurers”
Haw can’t explain why he wanted it, the feeling of his body felt more alive than it should and it’s been a while to have dusts surrounding him.
As this realm revolves, a moon appeared recognized by this man’s gaze. Alluring and massive for his eyes to look at, he needs to move is head to see the entire moon. It’s Alga and Jigeram, they are now closing in for the coming of the moon cycles: The twin moons. Where Alga almost monopolize the Kinteinnou region, and Jigeram moves closer to the region only exposing the northern region of the continent. Astrologers mention about the phenomenon happened in Abls, the north pole of Horsin, where there is a sight of balance to whom had ventured during that time.
Anyone is equal through power, but not in blood. They don’t believe him, and he is forced to do it on purpose. Heist sees him trying to lay a punch of him, but blocks it. Then Haw gives him a knee strike to his legs.
“Oh, why you little . . .”
Heist maneuvered and tries to grab him by the arm. Haw uses his free hand to punch on close to his neck, using only two of his fingers as a pierced hit, and successfully so through his throat. Heist pushed back as he can’t breathe. Silfa breaks it with her shield.
“Haw, are you mad?”
“Have you noticed it? I somehow hit him, me, without magic”
SIlfa turns to Heist as he tries to heal himself.
“Breathe* what the hell? How did he break my . . .? It doesn’t matter”
Heist won’t take the last hit as he maneuvered around her shield and attack Haw with retaliation. Successfully so, he punches him against the wall with his pure strength. Haw landed on it as he bounces off it from the thick stone wall, and shows himself fine except the bruise on his face. They look at him surprised, and the other adventurers gather as there was a fight happening. Heist couldn’t believe what he just saw, his attacks were not light and he gives him his actual strength through his magic.
Brushing off the hit, Haw understands it now.
“It is true”
Silfa and others listened to Haw from what he did. The details he is trying to say to them is still lack lusting, but the example will be enough for them to make a point. By their own definition about this place, they should understand among themselves.
“I’ve never heard something about that. Haw, you need better learn to explaining thing like this”
“Is there a need to apologize, Heist?”
“Yeah”
“But I said to you to hit me”
“I told you to learn better to say something, it’s too vague for me to understand that”
“It’s quite nostalgic to hear him say another interesting topic, he didn’t change of explaining about the crystal either”
“I guess he is not well educated”
Haw is seeing them acting a bit uncomfortable the way he said, he is not even better the rest of the city guild. He is good at executing his skills but not verbally.
“Anyhow, then we know why we can’t go deeper to those places”
“?"
"Right, Haw, Let’s forget about it and headed to where we need your help in the first place”
“We thought the place we are heading probably be controlling the sphere”
This sphere has a strange interaction between them, even more so of Haw manages to beat up Heist. Their stats had overwhelmed them before, in this place, it felt different for some reason. One of them mentioned a different topic
“Is this the only way we have to know them?”
“We are not sure, but the resemblance of them is already in front of us”
They made to where the adventurers were struggling to fight one humanoid. Protecting the area with only a staff in hand and a strange stack carrying on its back. Wires or tubes, visors or bionic sensors, or anything to describe how it looks like in its face.
The powers it possessed are mechanical, beating left and right of many people around it. An orb in hand where it bounded to them to a pull as they use magic and manipulates their control of their mana. Words come out from it is either beeping sounds or grinding something from its mouth. They see it using shield to absorb their mana even converting to its own. There is nothing for them to do but try everything of their abilities until they kick out from the sphere. A foreign humanoid in their sight, a questionable creature as it defeated many of them in numbers.
“From what you have said, Haw, those moons were balance us out that none of us or them have the advantage”
“I apologized, please explain further that everything you said is true”
“Sigh* fine, in other words, all of us will get hurt. Not lethally because Alga kept us alive, and not powerfully because Jigeram weakens our mana. If Alga overwhelmed, then something will happen to our health. If Jigeram overwhelmed, we are dead by the frozen effects of it and internally kills you if you have too much mana to be froze”
“Thank you, and yes, everything true for the basics”
“It doesn’t matter”
“Which is good right, Silfa?”
“What do you mean?”
“It means Haw can also be part of the quest in this realm”
“You’re right, Haw, can you fend off that enemy in front of us?”
“That would be an assumption, I guess I’ll try”
They round up together and wait for their turn to face it. Haw is preparing the potions he bought from the shop keeper, there is something he want to test it out harmfully. But the substances are naturally nontoxic, it will be his first time facing it. This is not going to be this easy from what that mechanical looking humanoid.
One step closer to where the safe distance should be measured. The mechanical humanoid stops itself and place the orb in mid-air. The molecular substances are materializing from the Jigeram’s particles, flowing alongside Alga’s windy texture of light. The orb is absorbing it as it is casting a spell. Everyone inside the fight is preparing to attack. Range magic attack first, their magic breaks down by the absorption, and others charging in, as it is phasing in and out from the defender. They were surprised to see it using different abilities than it normally would. It always breaks apart and repaired it self from its internal body where the key hidden inside.
The lack the power they need to decimate it, and it is limiting to what they are trying to use. The Jigeram’s exposure is there, and today they already know why. A steady moment of this machine guarding the gate of the unknown structure below. It is impressive for it to be stronger than them because of its self-repair. Now its preparing to attack, they watch and prepare for the attack. The orb activates and pulled everyone close to it by a sudden pull, all of them closing to the orb and quickly draining out of their mana. The humanoid collects the right amount of mana then speed forward to the other adventurers.
Heist notices and tries to stop it with his abilities. Closing in, reaching each other face to face. Heist uses his hand claws to strike it down, the blades shred parts of it head off, leaving the body to move forward. Lost a head, but the voice speaks normally. Haw is facing the headless humanoid. Where it’s sudden stop follows along the entrail force that left after that speed. The clouded blowing particles of the Jigeram temporary stops them to use their magic, except their weapons. The strong wind blinded them only for a short time. The humanoid pointed away as it talks to Haw.
It’s machine speaking, beeping voice switch to a normal buzzing and static sound.
“Bzzz, By the name of the dying emperor, LEAVE!”
Haw was forced out from the sphere leaving them astonish where only by words he left the sphere. The humanoid uses one last spell and rewind itself back including the others, where they are now before it casts a spell. The gate to where it’s guarded is still not open as it possessed the key inside of it. Silfa and Heist were disbelief, where Haw is with Gemina at the city guild.
“What! Haw? Did something kill you in there?”
Gemina left the sphere after meeting with Haw. It’s her break after all that adventuring inside. Now he is here, kicked out and understood the content of the sphere.
“Hey, earth to Haw, is something got you hard, right?”
“No, I won’t be”
“Why not?”
“Tell your friends that I shouldn’t be allowed to be part of the sphere anymore”
“Why’s that?”
Haw took a deep breathe that he sees the headless android, a familiar creation that he saw as a Dexter Guild member. This is their response from Enders Bridge.
“As of now, let me giving some guidelines for your sphere”
“Oh that, we are working on it too”
Gemina and Haw go to the other room to add information about the sphere. Inside the sphere, the loud cries coming from the android heard many secrets hiding. Whispers among the group had mix impression about it, that the adventurers are in a need of help. The banishment works only to the Enders, as themselves, they have the authority to be here. Waiting for them to found out the answers what they seek, and the mysteries had happened in east coast.
“Are they ready to save their brothers and sisters?”