It was just after we had made everything that we had planned to make.

Everyone was already here, as we needed every pair of hands we could... get our hands on... wow that statement went redundant really fast...

Sorry, getting off track.

We already had everyone there, so we had everyone test out their new weapons, armors, etc.

Unfortunately, most of the Fifskae weren't able to wear a lot of armor as they simply couldn't handle it, especially not while they also have to swing around any sort of weapon, so we limited it to just a chestplate for each.

I had equipped them all with pole hammers, as they offered good range and were excellent at cracking armor, which seemed to come up a lot.

For myself, I went with a chestplate which featured the gem, a pair of sabatons with miniature axe heads on the heels, and a helmet, spartan in make.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "Why are there mini axe heads on the heels?"

The answer is equally complex and simple.

You see, while I'm reloading Hole Puncher, I have to be able to fight back against my enemies; my feet are much stronger, have a better reach, and it opens up my hands to do other things, like pump the action for instance, so the choice was obvious.

As to the question you asked that I haven't actually answered yet, the axe heads are so that I can deal devastating heel-strikes.

I also had made a regular hammer, a shovel, other miscellaneous tools to try to test out the boundaries of [Limited Sapience], but I'll have to get to that later.

I addressed the crowd. "Alright everybody, I know that we have a lot more firepower now, but we can't get complacent. There was already a significant number of enemies that had ways around Hole Puncher, and I have no illusions in my mind that say I'm at the top of the food chain even now. We need to work hard to train and defend our home with everything we have!"

Cheers rang out at the end of my speech.

I have to say I was pretty proud of that one.

The next step was the obvious one... doing exactly what I said in my speech.

Well, everyone else was training, I wanted to get [Limited Sapience] down to a science so that I could teach others... assuming that's even possible.

I found that there was some sort of barrier to entry with certain things.

Usually I would have a feeling of connection that would later click so to speak, but with certain things I was having trouble even beginning the process.

The hammer, the shovel, such types of tools.

I couldn't put my finger onto why, but it felt like it made sense when I realized I was having trouble with it.

However, the sabatons, helmet, and chestplate, I could definitely feel a bond starting with.

I went down to our munitions depot to check on everything we had.

We had at least a thousand small bolts for the Fifska crossbows, several hundred long bolts for the guard towers and I, lots of extra weapons, mostly knives because we didn't have to forge them, and about fifty fish air bladders full of various gases, mostly from the forging process.

Not a lot people know this, but there's a knot that you can tie that causes a hermetic seal, stopping even gases from passing through. It's mostly a coil around an end with some extra steps, but it does exist.

Juohen put down a crate of some more small bolts with heavy breath. "Admiring the view there?" He chuckled.

"Yeah, I'm trying to commit our situation to memory."

Juohen stood up and popped his back with a stretch. "I have a question actually if that's alright."

"Shoot. Just not at me please."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Why do you want us to keep the atlatls on us even though we have the crossbows?"

"You guys are pretty good at them. Besides, in the case of an equipment malfunction, having a backup is never a bad thing."

"I suppose, but aren't we worried about weight?"

I looked at him with worry. "It's not too heavy for you guys right?"

He shook his head. "No, that's not what I mean. What I mean is: if we're worried about conserving weight, isn't adding more a bad idea?"

"There's a certain level of weight that is optimal. For instance, I could just not give you armor and tell you to dodge, but that's obviously out of the question. Once all of you get used to wearing the armor, you probably will barely even notice it... or so I hear."

Juohen expressed indifference. "Fair enough."

Suddenly, an ocean of text appeared in front of my vision.

As soon as one was added, another replaced it.

All of them were the same message, the only reason I knew the difference between them is because the text would shift upwards until I couldn't see it anymore.

All I could see for a minute straight was the phrase:

[Nemesis Created Nearby]

----------------------------------------

Yuluulth

"I'm going to make this late-game more interesting... I had been playing with the idea for a while and I wanted to see how it went." Our [Worldbinder] began. "I'm giving everyone ten thousand [Hazard Shaper] points to use, even those who still have a champion in play."

Everyone looked at her in surprise.

That was enough to make a single low-level Nemesis by itself, I can only imagine what that will mean for Seliel.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

I immediately got to work thinking about how I was going to use my points.

"I thought all of you would like it, have fun everyone!"

My viewer chimed with a message, but I already knew what it said and I was too deep in thought to look at it anyway.

This changed everything.

----------------------------------------

Sydui

I was busy practicing shooting with my crossbow.

It was certainly a lot easier than the atlatls, but was still so... primitive... as far as aiming went.

I miss rangefinders.

"Everyone! Come to the town center, unless you're on guard duty, we'll have to fill you in later!" Andrew called from, presumably, the center of town.

I went to go see what was happening, as it likely concerned me a little bit more than others here.

Andrew tended to be in the middle of every danger to us... and I didn't want him to face it alone anymore.

When everyone who could come was there, Andrew began. "Do you remember the bee fiasco with The Purple Outcry?"

Most everyone expressed that they had, and those who hadn't were given a short synopsis, causing a significant number of gasps.

Once the chatter died down Andrew addressed us again. "I saw a message just before The Purple Outcry spawned, and now I've seen an uncountable number more of them. We have to consider ourselves under siege from now on."

Everyone gasped together this time, even me.

Andrew continued. "I was hoping to gradually add munitions to everyone, but from now on you're required to be fully armed and armored at all times, or at least be able to garb on a moment's notice. We will be running drills every day at a time determined by me."

He went on to describe all of the details of how we will be performing said drills and such matters.

Afterward, he called out to me. "Sydui, can I talk to you for a minute?" His tone said to me that it was an important matter.

I braced myself for whatever task he could send me on. "Yes? What is it?"

"I'm going to be making action squads for a sort of militia soon and I'd like your input, as well as giving you an assignment for that if you'll let me."

Is he asking if it's okay? That's nice of him I guess, but... "Please, I have full faith in your ability to assign me."

He nodded. "In that case, I'd like you to be my battle buddy."

"Your what?"

"My battle buddy, basically in any engagement, you're paired with me... you will also be with me at all times during this crisis. The idea is basically to have someone to watch your back at all times." He seemed slightly embarrassed during that last part.

"Of course. Is this effective immediately?"

He snapped out of his minor stupor. "Yes."

We talked at length with several individuals as we gave assignments.

Among them, we made two squads with half the population each, minus myself.

First squad was lead by Hund and second squad was lead by Juohen, however when both were present, first squad had the lead and second squad would follow their orders as well.

Juohen was understandably annoyed by this, but didn't argue.

Next we talked about guard rotations and specific assignments such as quartermaster and chief engineer.

The first given was for second squad to go to sleep so that they could take the night watch later.

Juohen got over his annoyance as he realized what that meant for first squad.

It was during that night watch that the first incident occurred.

The bell was rung as loudly as they could.

Andrew hadn't gone to sleep yet, so he instead shook me awake. "Sydui, it's time."

I got up and rubbed my aching shoulders... I still wasn't used to wearing armor with such uncomfortable straps yet... and yet I had to don said armor once again.

Andrew and I ran outside as soon as we were ready to.

What we saw surprised us both.

[The Night Taker, Nemesis First Stage]

Danger Level: Certain Death

It was an enormous four-winged monstrosity, jet black with three heads.

The only reason we could see it at all is because the moon was full.

Andrew immediately aimed up at it. "Don't just look at it! Shoot it!"

He then fired a 'bolt' as I'm told they're called at The Night Taker.

It screeched in pain and protest, and then focused all three attentions at him.

In retaliation, three balls of black fire flew out of a mouth each, directly toward Andrew's position.

He dodged out of the way far before it landed, as they were very slow over that much distance. "Don't let yourself be hit by the fireballs! We don't know what they do yet!"

'Yeah, I couldn't have figured that out myself Andrew!' I thought to myself as I shook my head.

I fired up at The Night Taker as well, hoping to divide its attention.

...But it refused to pay me any mind...

I shot it a few more times.

Am I not good enough for you?! Are my attacks worth less?!

I of course already knew the answers to this questions, but it didn't make me any less angry.

The Night Taker then folded in its wings, going into a divebomb.

Andrew ran away from the point of impact, but then The Night Taker unfurled its wings and chased him.

His eyes widened as he aimed backwards and fired.

However, his shot was deflected downward by one of the heads, instead blowing off a talon.

It didn't matter though, as the other talon scooped him up.

He and it struggled in the air for a few moments before it fired three point-blank fireballs into him.

"ANDREW!"

His weapons fell out of the sky, smashing through a roof into a nearby building.

Andrew was still fighting though, using his knife that teleports to his hand to do what he can.

What can I even do?!

I thought back to his weapons which created wonders and made the impossible possible before.

I'd tried to use them before, but to no such effect... but maybe, just maybe I could use them now.

I raced toward the building.

As soon as I entered, I saw the wall they had crashed through on their odd trajectory.

Please be in one piece, please be in one piece!

I clambered over and through the hole to retrieve them.

Luckily they were still intact.

I grabbed his serrated blade and dragged his crossbow out into the street.

I could already tell that nothing was happening... I didn't have any sort of 'clicking' happening, nor did I know how to cause it.

"Damn it you pieces of trash! Your master is up there fighting right now and both of you are doing nothing! I'm going to to help him with or without you!"

I struggled to lift the crossbow's enormous weight, but suddenly, the weight was slightly less.

I looked down and saw that the serrated blade was starting to expand like it did with Andrew.

'Don't count me out just yet! I can still fight!' A masculine voice called to me, under clear strain.

'I will not allow him to fight alone.' A feminine voice agreed in perfect monotone, but also just as strained.

With enormous effort, the serrated blade and I lifted the crossbow.

I then started pumping the action.

I pulled with all the force in my body to yank the action back.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

I pulled out a long bolt that I had in case Andrew had run out... I guess I can't call him paranoid for it anymore.

I pulled the fourth time and then placed the bolt.

The serrated blade lifted the front end as much as possible in preparation for the next part.

"ANDREW! YOU'LL DUCK IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!" I called out as I pumped the last time.

Andrew looked down to see us and shifted his weight to the side.

"THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE IGNORED ME!" I screamed as I pulled the trigger.

As soon as the bolt fired, the serrated blade created a wall between the crossbow and I.

In moments, I realized why.

The crossbow exploded, knocking me off my feet and into the air.

The serrated blade blocked most of the force, but that didn't change that I was in so much pain it took everything for me not to just start screaming.

I looked up to see The Night Taker falling our of the sky.

I stood up.

The time for pain would be later, when I made sure that Andrew was safe.

It took all of my concentration, but I managed to run toward the crash site just out of town.

What I saw made me furious.

The stupid thing had half its upper body missing, along with a head and a half... but it still wasn't dead!

Andrew was completely unconscious at the moment, but it didn't matter anyway.

This asshole was mine!

I dropped all of my gear except with my armor, a bladder, and a knife, I could barely stand anyway.

"Come at me you prick!"

The Night Taker's middle head which was missing a vertical slice down its middle all the way down to the clavicle, shifted so that it could see me with its remaining eye.

The other head also gave me its attention, but with its attention, also came an inky fireball.

I threw the bladder at the head as the fireball flew towards me.

The fireball detonated against the bladder, releasing the 'teargas' as Andrew called it.

The Night Taker screeched in pain as its eyes reddened.

I took this moment to run toward it and pounce onto its middle head.

It tried to shake me off, but it was no use, I was running on pure hatred now, and it was a great motivator.

I jammed my knife deep down the stupid monstrosity's throat.

I kept going until I was down to my armpit.

The Night Taker screeched even more furiously, trying its best to get at me in any way possible, even going so far as to try to rake my back with its talons while I'm on its chest.

"This is what you get for messing with my people!" I ripped out some sort of long-tubular organ through the Taker's neck.

It was trying to roll over to crush me as it screamed in agony.

"This is what you get for messing with my mate!" I exclaimed, ripping out another organ out, this time the organ had some thickness.

"AND THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR MESSING WITH ME!" I screamed, tearing the organs in half with my bare hands.

Suddenly The Night Taker stopped moving or screaming, gargling instead.

As it disintegrated, a message popped up in my field of vision.

[You have slain a Nemesis by your own hand, your title 'Hazard' has been revoked]

[New Acquired Title: Nemesis]