COI C92
“The numbers have grown a lot after a week”
“A lot? It’s a horde down here and nothing much we could do to go through all those creatures”
“One thing is certain for Isekai City that they block the route to their magic barrier”
“If this keeps up, how many of them will gathered more than we could ever trying to help them. Or we should better off to force them out to the surface”
“The surface is not yet have contain most of the light. It still in the beginning of the fourth moon cycle. Even if we struggle to the last moon cycle, this is when the Jigeram had the full presence on this region”
“Same problem, it will go insane, worse than you ever experience”
The locals who worked at the island had gathered around to the city’s barrier. Seeks nothing to the struggle they have remembered before, but not realizing how the weakness of this city with their over exceeding mana. The adventurers are here in such a colorful group, looks experienced but never worked with them as they did with the police. Dared to say to ask from one of them, or waited for the orders to come to them. It doesn’t matter for them to worry about as they see the elves are outside of the border.
The officials meet with the elves, “I am Justice and this man over here is Case, we are in your debts as we are facing the first natural disaster that your people have warned us about”
The elves watch their leader as he using his magic to gather the information happened underneath the ground. “My apologies, I don’t need introduction but I am Eilwind. I have sworn to Ehan’Ra to preserve your city to any forms of disasters. Remember this, we have no authority to go inside your city. You already know that”
The elf leader stared at Case as he is the one who is the representative of cities’ affairs.
The man pulled his miserable expression back to his head as he is not in the position to be apologetic. He answers to the elf with sincerity “I for one glad this time when we are needed of help. I thank you for the effort to pull through what you have set us in during this surprising enemies we had”
“There is no need to be humble, I care for honesty and . . . we should better not make a fuss now. Let’s get straight back to work”
The elf moves passed them as they look at where he is going and they saw an adventurer is coming here.
It wasn’t an adventure. An elf is covered in dirt goes to confront Eilwind. “Foreign tongue* Can’t be translated” “Foreign tongue* Can’t be translated”
. . . The officials and with their other officers gathered close as their translators are not working. “Even our devices are updating to this day, we can’t decrypt their language freely”
“It is something to we don’t know about them. We are using neutral mana to translate while they are using elven magic to speak. It is still rude to eavesdropped their business either”
Justice looks at the expression of the elves as they look rather serious, not knowing well how he understands their words but their expressions spoke otherwise. He hopes to know more what they are talking about. The man’s breath gets through his disappointment. Suddenly, an earthquake happened as it quickly stops after a few seconds. Where they still feel the vibration as the other elves had no reaction from it. Eilwind returns to them and remained his composure. Justice doubted what he had saw wasn’t just a simple problem.
“. . . Another apology, my brethren had gathered more problems happened in your side of works”
“You mean about the dungeons. I heard from the City Guild had provided high tier adventurers to stop the monster”
The elf reassures them “It’s fine, on the contrary, they succeeded. Their new masteries with runes and rituals made great advantage from surviving the monster’s approach. I will not be going to say about using your mana as it is the monster’s greatest assets. In the end, they sealed the monster”
Case reacted “Sealed?! I thought they could’ve dealt with”
Justice pulled Case to him and whispers down through his ear “Read your damn updates, it’s been days that post that first monster appeared and someone died without knowing”
“How so!? I heard they could destroy it with the right equipment”
Eilwind interrupts with them “Case’s said is true, but a monster like that is a demon’s puppet. Many did they destroy it but fix itself like it was nothing. It is nothing but a familiar to the demons. Even so, the demon can’t be killed but sealed away like its own creation. There are more of them now coming this way”
The two has nothing to argue about dealing with the monster being sealed, but from what they heard from the City Guild. It is best to seal it off from the rest of the monsters. They talk about that is the only monster to be humanoid while the other humanoid creatures are as less human than what they had read.
“Then this meeting is to deal with the rest”
“Precisely, as of now, gathered everyone who can defend the barrier with any known skills. Mostly for attacking and no defensive spells unless it is invaluable assets for your survival. Bring out your best weapons to the best of your abilities. This will be the first time your people will be facing what Enders Bridge is facing”
The officers complained “But we don’t have the materials or the resources to manufactured our weapons, and what about the relation when we unleashed hell with the monsters with such destructive force?”
Eilwind and the elves look at the officers complaining about politics as they move closer to look at them in the eyes. “End us if you must, but we are not the people who chose to be your enemies. When the time your people truly annihilated us, what are you trying to solve against the demons who will not die and endlessly returning without knowing to seal them?” His gazes turned strict as the other elves follow.
Case already sees those gazes many times when trying to communicate with them about politics related. The consequences for Isekai City are too great, too many unknowns happened and the unstable natural order where it needed to fix the ecosystem from their bountiful moon, Alga’s light, and the balancing it with the death of magic from Jigeram. What else would be the problem they never thought it exist? He let his mouth shut to let the elf continues.
“. . . Either way, no one can be easily annihilated better in Agatheus City’s realms”
The elves scattered around the area beginning to prepare what is needed against the invasion. The officers were troubled and Case shook off their doubts. “Ah just stop moping about it. You think to fear our own war machines that you didn’t even see what happen outside of the city. I am confident to use a flamethrower someday when the swarms return, not just pesticides or anything in particular”
Justice disagrees “No, this is not how they should beha . . .”
Case stops blocks him as he pushes him. “So what?! Our country is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government, run by Democratic Party . . .”
Case reaches everyone around him to differences according through other city states.
“. . . Let us remind ourselves that no place in this world have the same accordance of law. This world, in this era, and everything happened so far turned to shit. We are living in apocalyptic world, trying to rebuild everything what is left, and nothing you can see here are filled with death and wars from the other side of the continent. Purissarwell is a pure monarchy, Mountaiwall is a semi-unified federation between dwarves and goblins, Agatheus City is a multi-divided realm of kingdoms, and finally Enders Bridge is the Republic where guilds are representatives”
Justice and the other officers didn’t understand what he just said, but they are dumb enough to talk about the situations “I mean we are talking about our weapons”
Case loses it “You don’t get it, they have their own weapons too. Our advantages are the mana we have and the advance technology we converted into magic. If you all don’t get it, then that’s why those people were able to smuggle themselves back in . . .”
Case quiets down after what he had said. No regret but somehow painful to hear. Everyone had the same feeling too. Justice have to stop this and said to him “There is no need to argue about the past. There will be no future for all of us after those monsters breached inside the city”
Everyone goes to their respective position where Case was left out. Alone for a moment as Justice says his goodbyes to them. Case didn’t reply and saw another official, Grimoire, who is supposed to be in the education department.
“Why are you here?”
“Learning . . . You of all people think that education is about teaching, but there is a need of proper planning and practical curriculum needed to have proper training. So, I heard about your affairs in politics. They seem not to keen to listen to you”
“What of it? Sigh* They thought were as powerful as any nation because of modern advanced technology”
“Advanced we are but history told that our nation gathered a lot from the western countries”
“Or maybe they are relief that the situation happened they are too powerful go against us. That day when those Enders come and even fight in the tournament really did shook everyone what we are lacking. I’m surprised too with the east coast incident”
“Yeah, I agreed to some extent. There is also that first trade attacks in Isekai City and Enders Bridge. It stops after the first assault. I heard nothing for the Enders to improve the route”
“Again, with the . . . That would be a mystery on its own. I’m just glad the railroad is almost done. We could see ourselves getting the market back in order”
They head to the barrier where other citizens are installing solid barriers and other protective structures preventing the monsters to breach further. Across the long distance where the barrier is built. To the north and ends between the massive river to the west and the shores to the east, they have seen such amounts of resources being brought from Mountaiwall. The debts of their city are beginning to grow where both factions have troubled relations. Thanks to Lady Hivites from Agatheus persuaded the dwarves and the goblins to deliver the stones while the main resources they needed are still under way.
“The construction is only for makeshift, place any runes we had as scarce as it reaches this part of the border”
“Yes, Ma’am!”
Comparatively, the work power is overwhelming good with people having magic to do it but the contrary is that those materials are force infused with magic. According to the researchers, magic touch any resources caused it to lose it original quality leaving it being nearly less worth than it is naturally should be. Like heavy stones quickly breaks into pieces, the strength of the stone is still durable, but using the same magic multiple times will lose its value.
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“Prepare the dust, clean off what magic you stick on the materials. Make sure that the other materials are at the same quality or neither it all will get the same treatment”
However, the dust wipes off magic and cleans away the magic inside like runes. It is still weaker as it is nothing but particles while the runes are solid materials with dwarven magic, the only mana type that resists the dust completely. The blockade becomes sturdy as they begin carving it with runes. They proceed to follow up the rest of these procedures with only a handful of them.
Grimoire said to Case, “If you are wondering where are the rest of the workers. They are stretch thin to the railways to the west. As much of the resources are coming from Enders Bridge now, I am expecting of you to have information of their affairs”
Case doubts on the matter, he was supposed to do it “I was, then that guy showed up and replacing me to go the island”
“Yes, so you too being blocked from that meeting. You are the head of the department in foreign affairs”
“I know, but remember I was chosen and not elected regarding to skills”
“Neither do I in education. We have to do it because there are people is just as corrupt as back from our world”
Beneath down from the underground caverns made from those creatures. Now formed as one as both creatures and monsters gathered together, the main issue of the dead puppet is sealed inside one of the dungeons. Already know the capability of the awaken as other low ranked adventurers busily building up the data they have gathered. The time of their delaying its approach is desperately noticeable. The elves are with them and the integrity scorned harsher where the sight of its horde ever so lifeless.
“. . . After that talk, are you still willing to stay here”
“I still am, others may think otherwise but my life back there already decided because of my . . . health”
“I have always assumed that people who are destined back home to have that conclusion. If you were to stay here as others will leave you. I am recommending you to reside in Enders Bridge”
The sounds of echoes filling up the tunnels. “I was there, I could able to but I hear too much problems back home as I need to settle the score”
They continue to head forward as the sounds are getting louder. No hesitance but already resolved.
The elves had met another one who chose to stay. The people who are committed to work alongside with them are the people had misfortune of their original world. The time passes as their conversation getting longer, patience to wait and guard specific choke points. The elves are limited but already sent in, leaving replacement such as low ranks to deal the lesser menial tasks. None of them had the blessings from them as they must be new ones or their gods were satisfied to the chosen ones.
More steps of the monsters coming their way, then soon went quiet as time goes on. The adventurers had their UI map set in to see where they are. They were attracted from something, and thankfully one of the adventurers who is a hunter had special skills to see the conditions of those monsters. There is nothing else they could do if the monster will come here. The hunter said
“The monsters are tame or more likely corrupted. For them to use magic are already corrupted. Alga’s light is not mana but I would never think that monsters have one”
“Like us?”
“Yeah, neutral mana. Either way, we can take it if one of us who can drain them or absorb it with one of our gems”
The elves continue the conversation “Anyhow, your friends are probably heading back. It’s our turn to get inside and gather as much of them as we can. Through our own abilities, remember that you will be the one be defending your city”
“For sure and thanks to come to help us”
“Do gladly. Remember to control what you can already mastered, other skills you didn’t will be as weak but massive. The demons’ puppets are there, be careful, everything over there is different”
“I heard you guys had sealed them before. Can we seal them on our own?”
“You can’t seal them with the same mana type” The adventurers smiles and nod to expect the obvious.
The adventurer said to themselves “It figures”
“So, what’s with previous adventurers did to the other one?”
“Shamanism, Runes, and I heard there is an elf too. Almost all mana types I guess, to seal just one threat, I hope they could get rid of it when we can go back to the dungeons”
The elves are behind them, telling them “It’s time to go, your time are up”
They stretch their bodies “Groan* Glad something nothing happened on our side. Alright, where’s our replacements?”
The adventurers are being switched leaving a bit of a hassle of their lazed overwatch. Four adventurers; three new and one experienced, their leader. The leader said to them
“Remember we have only one elf, we have to show to the city guild as underdogs like you can do what it takes to be high ranks. Don’t expect A ranks like you out nowhere to be able to excel. I know those C ranks turns to A ranks once they have been training in Enders Bridge”
“We thought it was too, but thanks to the City Guild’s sphere. We have gain confidence and trained ourselves to the foolish”
The other two underdogs groan “Awh what!?”
“Don’t mix your stupid hobby with us”
“But my hobby turns into a weapon”
“Taking pictures will always make you a creep. Accidentally my fucking ass”
The elf goes to their leader from how they behave “Underdogs, they are just men acting children”
“I know what you are thinking but I really need to get a bonus from those three. If you didn’t know I have made a bet with those rich idiots like the Rogue expecting me to fail”
“I’ll comply and thus, I will not lie”
“Agreed”
Step forward where she looks at her UI, many adventurers are now able to control their mana effectively as new ranks of power bounded into them. Their weaknesses were the excess mana spreading too much letting nature used it as their substitute meals. Seeing the locals learning to see the adventurer’s disadvantages and left the city as it attracts more trouble. The Enders had done enough surveying for them as the underground locations are being filled with monsters. Everything that are left is about the monsters, and these underdogs with her have some nice kits.
The leader reads the information about them. Three men, rumors to be from Fuku City’s introverts. Trapped inside for months end even before the lockdown, they have medical records of malnutrition and suicide attempts happened inside the district. Because of its own isolation, these three were under rehabilitation by someone the citizens called the cult leader. She knows that bastard before coming to this world, a real former gang member. Their behaviors are too open but in private as the city guild shows their nasty sides. Where mostly using social media, those three are definitely isolated but have too good of their own abilities.
She stops them, “They’re here. C, oust them quick”
C or Cdown, places his right hand to his back left shoulder turn on his battle mode. His body discharges with electrical current as his body emits with incredible speed. The monsters with roots sticking out of it quickly being shock as he lands a hit. The current flows out then quickly flow in its body with current burns. She orders them
“Flashes, synchronize it with your gadgets”
He shoots his electronic components around them. The monsters flip up to the air as it polarizes through the current inside of it.
“Now! Crush them, Magnet” He finishes it with a pulled polarity to squeeze them to the ground.
The elf watches their effort as no mana being leaked. Those three definitely had mana control, and rely their knowledge and materials they have to make it work. The leader softly cheered at them.
“You guys did great. I never seen you guys knowing each other’s abilities and combo it so well. I think you guys are even better than team platinum”
Flashes scuffs “Don’t praise us just yet. I got beaten by Forgottoheal based on skills”
She laughs “That name again, he is really skilled but they called him Paladin”
Flashes remained quiet as he looks frustrated after hearing his other name. She didn’t know why he had some respect for him.
The elf calls out to them “Let’s get moving. We are not here to exterminate. I’ll be expecting what you three can really out maneuvered them”
C replies with a serious look “If we can, then I have finally had to gloat with those rogue bastards”
The two women watch the idiot acting immaturely once again but with his unique abilities and his creative fighting style, he showed much daring efforts fighting in the midst of those monsters. Nonetheless, it was the most innovate and well-rounded fight they have to see from a group of newcomers having good teamwork. Yet, the three keeps fighting on each other.
The elf looks at the man who did the final attack. He uses unique ability to polarize the dust out from each of them including herself. “I still don’t get it that natural fire should clean off the dust. Yet natural water can wipe it off”
“Put it simply, that’s how it supposed to be”
Magnet wasn’t keen to hear her said it. A specific weakness of water, as his own plausible analogy that would work at the sea too. He moves back with the other three as they talk about the main focus of it all, surveying the monsters’ new powers.
Flashes is the only one doing all of the work in gathering data. The leader sits by letting those three doing all the work. The elf couldn’t see why she decided to let them do it instead leading them to the fight direction.
“For beginners, they sure know how what they are doing. It’s something too strange of them standing out”
“If you know about our city’s daily activities. I wouldn’t guess that Flashes did something bad inside the buildings. For C is a bit of a gamer reference, I don’t know why but he is definitely a loser who knows about science”
“You mean arcscience?”
“What!? Whatever, what I’m trying to say is he only do electric abilities and not magic for some unknown reason . . .”
Then she swift her eyes to Magnet. “. . . Yet this guy is the most obvious sad man you could ever know”
“You mean the guy who removes the dust”
“Yeah, but hearing from him I would love to help him to get his revenge when he finally realized that he shouldn’t be doing it illegally . . . miserably paused* . . . I thought it would be easy, but good guys like him has so much complicated back stories”
The elf stops talking as she looks at her being depressed hearing his story. All introverts and their past lives are seemed boring but the other guy has a reason for it.
Flashes spot something dangerous. “Hey boss, one of those mini bosses . . .”
C rubs his hand on his face hearing him the words he only he could play out. “Just call it monsters, not mini bosses”
“All of them are bosses, what am I going to describe them all?”
Magnet stops the two “By looking at it, that ‘mini boss’ you mentioned look rather dangerous”
“Well, I concealed my magic on my devices. You will be surprise how much I lowered my potential here”
The leader looks at the monster as it already been named. Through her UI that it contains the details of that monster.
Birdlike monster with little strains of feathers on its wooden frame. A large stiff beak and in motion as it moves with its magic. “It’s the demon bird . . . A Stinger Ray”
C looks at it as they are on the above level. The quest is to survey the monsters’ movements and locations but a demon bird made him shaken a bit. The elf notices him
“Are you already afraid? Your safety precaution will force yourself back to your city if you failed”
“Failure is an easy task, but you didn’t know I read the description in our personal UI”
“Hmm” The leader pat her back as she nodded.
They read the description, written by Myrrkei himself. “Noted, without proper information let’s called this a demon bird. Like any other demonic creation, this one is the simplest. Indestructible head and easily destroyed body, a strong annoying bird that doesn’t give you time to rest. Undying creatures give you time as they recover but this is a bird better to keep running. Its objective is simple and no other task it can do. It sees, it kills you, it dances around for some reason with undefinable rearrangement body as it teleports that only reach where the head is attached and won’t teleport . . .”
Magnet responds “A short paragraph and I’m getting bored of reading”
Flashes said to the leader “What now?”
The leader sees them as they look demoralized on their faces but their body language shows their firm and relax posture. She asks the elf
“Can we study about that bird?”
“Like it’s weakness, my brothers faced it before. A nuisance but no signs of stopping. If you guys managed to found out. I could give a good word to them”
She stared at the elf with determination, hearing something like that would greatly have signs of good omen. The underdogs see her expression, only Flashes show his face in anxiety while the others hid away.
She said to them. “Let’s try it out first, like your speed, all of you chooses the same electric type abilities and I am sure I won’t be able to help you when you guys on the run. But I am sure I’ll be on your side along the way. With this rune talisman we will be heading back outside of the border. If we set our time right before reaching our shift on schedule, we can at least have a certain data we needed and the last would be that bird. What would you say?”
Flashes stood there in front of her while the others looking at the monsters. “Well, I’m sure we could do that but I need placements for my . . .”
C answers her directly “Yes we can, Flashes here has some great equipment regarding repositioning. Yet I saw Flashes blinking one place to the other. Look at his chubby body, you think he is using control magic. He had some special effects that will surprise you all”
Flashes is starting to get nervous “Hey! We are in the city. How would you think that my equipment could do that? I’m using batteries here, real electrical batteries”
C grabs some of his components and dashes forward. The sounds of his electrical sparks moving through the groups of monsters hearing through the monsters’ ears. The static electricity emitted the sound of crackling noise getting stronger as he moves. Flashes reaches out to him as he took more of his things than just his components.
“My . . . What kind of weeb who took someone else’s stuff?”
“Grr!”
He raises his camera and aim to where he is going with his components. His left shoulder has an indicator in the red as his abilities are used up. C is slowing down raises his hand with a key chain plush toy at hand. The component from the other hand was toss to the ground and Flashes uses his camera to take a picture.
The ray of the flash stops him in place, monsters gathered and are coming their way. He twists the zoom ring as the target disappeared, the body sunk in where the component C tossed. Flashes redirect it quickly to where he stands and aimed downward. Another flashed from his camera and now C reappeared in front of him. He pushes him away and grabs his key chain.
“You asshole! Always taking my stuff”
“My bad laugh*, but they now know what you can do without explaining any of it. Right?”
The leader saw what she can’t understand including the elf. They turn and see what happened to the other monsters as they slowly recovered from as the light dims down. It was a miracle for C to not get caught after that incident. The bird appeared and quickly breaks the component left behind. It heads turns directly at them where Magnet disoriented their location. The elf sees it clearly through the dark and Magnet already notice the bird’s presence.
“You can see through the dark?”
“No, I have link with that piece of scrap, and I can see it where it placed”
Flashes and C are arguing until Flashes takes his camera aim at somewhere else as he heard his component being rummage in the air and in pieces. Through night vision as the elf pulled them away.
“It saw us. The demon bird is already here”
A beak suddenly attacks Flashes’ camera with one peck already breaking through without any problem. Its body switches around as the disoriented is blocking its target. Its sudden movement now focus on the line as they are being pulled. C tries to cast his electric coil on the bird. Its body imploded into flames as it teleports its body back to normal.
They started running and the leader shout out to C.
“YOU IDIOT, YOU FORGOT ABOUT THE DEMONS’ PUPPET. THEY ARE NOT AS AN IDIOT LIKE YOU!”
“I thought we can get away from it”
“Read the FUCKING description then tell me that we can escape from it”
Magnet said to her “Is there a way to beat it?”
“The second part was its head. Its indestructible head. Augh!”
The elf carried them through as she was cut off. The head aimed at her and pushed her further away. Then teleported its body in reverse to chase the adventurers. Troubled brewing as the four runs to the other side.
Separated and the elf tries to regroup with them, but another demon puppet appeared in stone. Breaking through with her magic but it blocks her from reaching them, its shaken body vibrating through the underground as it quakes the passage and collapses the route. Trapping even further through the dark tunnels. More and more demon puppets appeared only to her. They still have their failsafe, but something was not right. They are focusing on her, did the puppets gained consciousness?