Going ahead of his colleagues, Kano hurriedly left the mining area.
He felt the air get heavier as he headed towards the exit heading to the city.
Quickly using his dirty scarf to rub his employee ID until it shone, Kano was not the only one.
Miners lone and in groups, each became self-conscious as they neared the exit, careful that their IDs were clearly shown as their life could quite literally depend on it.
Soon the scattered crowd converged and funneled through a small gate about ten meters wide. Groups of ten orderly lining up and stepping over the censors which picked up their IDs.
With this mechanism, there was no need for the ID cards to even be visible yet the reason why the miners were so tense was soon found after they exited the gate.
Guardsmen clad in off-white metal armor patrolled the area in an orderly manner. The full-plated armor had no gaps to exploit and was flexible at the joints where enchanted cloth like rubber held the parts together and allowed smooth movement. Helmets were also equipped with gas filters, sensors, and other features. With cylindrical steam boilers attached to the back of their shoulders and the orange gleam from the eye protector glass, and donned with large hand cannons and Gaust guns, they typically looked quite menacing when their helmets were up.
However they often did not have their helmets up and exposed their faces.
Beast tides and foreign attacks were somewhat uncommon and even if they were, this was very close to the city wall, not to mention this was the inner defensive area and the city defense zones extended a lot further than here.
To top it off the military regularly exterminated all beasts in the outer skirts of the city so the mine guards are actually relaxed jobs who only had to deal with fish that slipped through the net occasionally.
Perhaps because of this they regularly found fault with the miners when they were bored, not seeing their IDs were the most common fault which resulted in a beating.
The basic requirements of guards were to be professionals and even non-combat type professionals had physical fitness surpassing ordinary folk like the miners. To top it off fists and feet covered in the steam-powered state-of-the-art armor were lethal to them, even if they held back as well as not even using the armor's power.
Several miners were hospitalized and later died due to this. Such was the fate of serfs. Walking on pins and needles wherever you go afraid to provoke anyone or anything, as that could be the last thing you ever did.
Serf status basically marked you out as half slaves with ownership belonging to the city. Whatever the reason was, whether your ancestor was a criminal or you were simply unlucky and failed to pay taxes.
Serfs aren't allowed to do or own many things yet they were also required to do many things, often without pay. In such manner, the miners were actually lucky as if you worked directly for the state with category 3 and above resources, you were absolved of any other duties and you actually got paid for mining no less.
Gazes filled with ill will scanned them up and down,
Kano's nerves were tense but fortunately, he made it to the city gates without any trouble.
Staring upwards and the 100 meters tall dirty white walls you'd find craters, chips, claw marks, and many scars decorating its visage. Untold stories of vicious attacks engraved within those scars and the noble protector of all those who dwell within it. The dirt and decay was minor and only affected the outermost layer of the wall, having stood for hundreds of years such a sight was not unexpected. Thin lines ran through the wall imperceptibly and large cannons were not only inside the wall but above it as well, patrolled by guards donned in similar armour to mine guards. As both were government property it was a given that the same civil servants were given the duty to protect them.
Blue Marsh City.
Named after the beautiful blue marshes that surrounded it.
A main city ruled by one of the 108 dukes and as such was one of the major gathering places of humanity. The so-called 'government' was actually just the family of the duke and his vassal nobles.
Kano quickly passed through the gates and started heading towards the east not stopping once at the luxuriously furbished streets and stores near the gates.
Elegant steam-powered cars passed him one after the other. The steam from the exhaust quickly being sucked into the city gas filtration system connected to every light post, ensuring the streets weren't filled with thick fog.
In the past before the dawn of the 【Endless Sea World】, electricity was the basic power source of humanity but after the first explorers brought back technology from the 【Endless Sea World】 that all changed.
The 【Endless Sea World】 was covered by water forming a variety of different seas and water bodies, saltwater was also not the only water type present. Green sea, purple sea, yellow sea, rock sea, you name it. Many seas that defied logic not only existed in that world but also existed with each other. The convergence of three or more types of seawater was not uncommon. Over 3000 types of seawater had been discovered to date. Each type of seawater had different properties which caused the natives from that world to harness the power of the water through steam boilers and engines.
A single type of sea water could manifest several different properties based on how you handled it. A few were capable of making synthetic metal when combined together as well as plastic and other materials you wouldn't associate with water in normal times.
Steam technology was at an unprecedented level in the 【Endless Sea World】 and with the influence of both the pioneers and the 【Endless Sea World】 itself, the earth had embraced steam technology.
Kano passed through a crowd being careful not to brush against anyone, especially their mechanical prosthesises which was a good baby in their eyes and a pain to him. Normal arm-shaped prostheses, were either too low level or too high level so it was not something you saw often: either there were no modifications and it was merely a mechanical limb or its modifications could be retracted.
The normal occurrence that caused Kano a minor annoyance, were mods changing the appearance permanently, bulky shoulder pads with steam power cores, built-in guns, and scopes, shield generators, etc gave mechanical limbs abnormal shapes. Some even went the extra mile to have them shaped in the manner of beasts such as bears and tigers.
Typically those who lived by the creed 'Blood and Flesh are weak, only machine is immortal!', treated their mechanical parts like treasures so strangers especially someone like him touching them was basically writing his own death warrant.
Strange why are a lot of kids my age out and about on the streets with their parents shopping? Is there a sale or something for school items?
Observing in passing, Kano saw many peers followed by servants with carts full of goods.
"Hey mom, I want the second generation ALswartz QX III pistol pretty please!"
"I still want to have some Pulq quartz stone for my reproductive outfit, a few grams of geese metal too!"
"Your storage can't hold so many things and you can't bring a ring so we're going home, you've bought enough. You're dad already prepared everything for you so you're wasting your time buying these."
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"Why do you want something so expensive it's useless after the first order anyways"
"That and that! oh and that!"
"If I'm going to have my edge up on the rest I need the best equipment"
Hearing the excited discussions, and seeing the faces red with excitement and anticipation, Kano realized something.
Oh, the gate opens in 3 days afterall, they are doing some last-minute shopping but aren't there too many people here still?
He would be lying if he said he wasn't envious. First-order sea creatures came in all shapes and sizes with varying defensive capabilities and speeds. A good enough gun could blow them to smithereens with just a few bullets. Auto-aiming devices could also predict the trajectory of enemies which were the nemesis of speed-type aquatic creatures.
Fortunately, they can't bring a lot with them since the novice equipment space is only a cubic metre
Kano comforted himself but he still couldn't shake the envy so he quickened his steps.
Soon after he found himself in a dilapidated community, with broken buildings and steam everywhere, it was so thick you could hardly see 3 feet in front of you but Kano was familiar with the route and made it home with ample time despite the low visibility and complicated architecture from improper planning. The only issue was the flowing garbage and sewage that was in the streets as well as feces and sharp metal fragments that were tossed on the road.
Entering his small room where he could barely stretch his arms out, Kano quickly sat down with a piece of paper. I have 3 days to create a workable plan step by step and iron out all the wrinkles that could pop up so I better get started.
He had enough food stored to survive 7 days without working so he didn't plan on moving before the day of passage.
Pausing for a moment Kano took out a scroll from a hidden compartment he made in his drawer.
The scroll was a medium shade of light yellow that gave off a warmth that you only felt when you held it against your skin.
Unfolding it reveals some chaotic lines with no particular purpose. Kano discovered it floating in the marsh outside the city when he went to do a task to earn some extra money for school. Despite being in the water it wasn't eroded at all, he tried lighting it on fire, tearing it apart, boiling it you name it, in hindsight, just these were enough to prove that this was a treasure but back then he almost made it a game to find new ways to try and destroy it but they all failed.
In the end, he slept with it curled around his thin torso at night which was quite comfortable.
This couldn't be something from over there, could it? even so, after all this time I haven't figured out the use. The wiggly lines are chaotic and can't possibly be something readable by the human eye.
Kano felt himself getting a bit drowsy and quickly shook his body to disperse it. At times when he had a particularly bad day and couldn't sleep thinking about how to use the scroll always put him to bed so it became an instinct.
Haven't written anything in a long time. Looking at the chipped pen in his hand Kano couldn't help feeling nostalgic. Dusting off forgotten memories only served to irritate him however, the jeers from classmates mocking his use of something so ancient but he never cared since it saved money but one particular 'friend' was on his mind.
Looks like I don't know what's good for me after all Charles. It's about time you felt the taste of blackmail yourself.
**********
3 days later.
Leslie Waterthorne High School.
A large crowd of students gathered before a large stone altar. The altar was covered in mysterious glowing runes that flickered in and out of existence. A faint breeze tousled the clothing and bounced off the armor that spectators wore the source of which was a light blue vortex that spun slowly atop the altar and gave off the fragrance of the sea.
Bubbling students couldn't keep still as their eyes were filled with stars. Gathered in groups with lone individuals the rarity. Nobles haven't held their positions to this day solely through power alone, sure that was the main reason along with the monopoly of resources but a crucial aspect keeping the lower classes in place were contracts of servitude. Nobles often invested in commoner and middle-class students offering them precious metals, resources, specialized knowledge, equipment, and other forms of carrots for some years of servitude; certain contracts were even inherited by their children. The real kick of it was that no one was dumb enough to go into the 【Endless Sea World】 with nothing unless they had no choice like Kano.
If the sailor calamities weren't enough, the repertoire of sea disasters that included huge monsters, invisible fire that burns without warning, birds of prey that can swoop down at any moment, posion seawater, hostile aborigines, cursed spaces and objects, water ghouls and the variety of threats present in the 【Endless Sea World】 was enough to send chills down your spine just thinking about it.
Although the gate only opened to newcomers and was always only opened when a suitable area has been created that novices could survive in. Safety was only relative, similar to the wider world where you could accidentally meet a being much stronger than you and burp instantly. The chances of meeting something stronger than you were not eliminated, they were merely reduced to third order creatures only. Other lethal sources of danger were still very much present.
Even if not to obey your contract, attaching yourself to a noble with great resources was the common strategy or form groups amongst persons of similiar status to share the risk and rewards and then later become completely independent if you so desire. Not surprisingly, this networking and benefits way of the world was also taught in school where you were even encouraged to form groups for life.
"I wonder if I can meet a legendary quality crewmember, a mermaid sounds acceptable."
"Ptooey, take a piss and look in the mirror. You wish. Even if you did meet one, can you convince her to join you?"
"An epic no, a heroic crewmember at the very least."
"I'd rather get a heroic grade inaugural profession scroll after all only one's own strength is king"
"I want to..."
Kano couldn't help but roll his eyes at their wishful thinking. How rare was a heroic grade profession? a heroic crewmember? They weren't Chinese cabbages or pebbles found on the side of the street. Just a Peerless Silver level item was rare in normal times. Glory Gold and above were increasingly hard to find the higher the grade, although in the novice area, high-quality artifacts had a higher possibility of appearing, the probability was not that high. The numbers don't lie and after hundreds of years of exploration among all 12 novice areas, the highest rank obtained was just that, Glory Gold, and just a handful each time among hundreds of thousands of sailors. Heroic Glaze and Unique Epic grade items were only seen when each novice area was first established all those years ago. Moreover taking a step back, even then those items weren't cabbages, where could an average high school student hope to obtain such treasures among the competition of nobles with powerhouses and the wealth of their entire family backing them? Heroic Glaze was enough to be the family artifact of an Earl Household, when a young earl brought his or hers with them and used it to get more what could one do?
Fortunately, such extravagant behavior was only done in special circumstances, what family would risk their heritage and history in normal cases where just a Glory Gold item was rare, even if one was a Viscount. Of course 'just' a Glory Gold item was enough for Kano to change his fate. Even barons would jump at the opportunity after a few decades they could elevate themselves to viscount status.
Kano whispered to the punchable face beside him.
"Remember you're lining up so you end up in the middle."
A tall blonde boy with green eyes and chiseled features twisted his mouth in annoyance.
"I can't believe you dare to-"
"Do you want everyone to hear the recording of you calling the-"
"Fine fine I'll do it, I said i would"
"But isn't peeing myself after drinking so many bottles a bit overkill? Can't I just-"
"Need I keep reminding you that you're in no position to bargain, insulting the city lord's family is punishable by death, they won't even have to lift a finger and their vassals would wipe a tiny little baron family like yours off the face of the earth."
"Alright already I get it" Charles grunted through his grit teeth. I was careless. How could I have known that this little pariah would dare to record me back then. If father finds out...he'll disown or even kill me himself. Fuck my mouth!
If Charles was from a Marquiss heritage or even a reputable earl then his words could be written off as the drivel of a child but as a lowly baron, his head was on the chopping block if that recording ever got out mentioning the duke.
"Let me warn you again if you think about backing out last minute then think again, I spent all of the salary I've saved up and my previous savings to use a computer and back up the information. It's set to go off at noon tomorrow so don't think you can squirm your way out now, run your mouth and I'll drag you down with me." Kano didn't bat an eyelid at spending the money either. Succeed or fail he would be satisfied he tried.
Charles clenched his fists in anger before slowly unballing his fists. Peeing himself enough to make a large puddle was 'powerful' enough but doing so in front of so many classmates, fellow students, teachers, and dispatched members from the upper city guard would be beyond humiliating but it was better than the extinction of his family.
Sure enough, he's intent on paying me back for that matter. What could I do if two members of a viscount family wanted him expelled? they might not be direct lines but they could easily deal with a second son like myself behind the scenes! Anyone would do the same. It was either two nobles or a lowly serf! Lying to get in their good books was the logical behaviour!
Charles was no fool however, he had known Kano long enough before they turned face to know he was dead serious and wasn't making empty threats. After what he did to him such an action was not exactly uncalled for either. But he never expected that his revenge would be so vicious! He likely wouldn't be able to wipe away this stain after many years, but hopefully, his spectacle may be washed away from what's to come.