Unfortunately… We failed to save everyone.
I need to come up with a mana-cheap user-friendly live saving spell to give around, now—months ago even!
As some parts of my parallel thoughts ponder upon the issue, one had flashbacks of our latest Quagxyte encounter; after the initial chaos and everyone still alive managed to escape the area—I had to Blink-approach and unceremoniously toss away a poor guy who tripped over his own feet while running from a Quag-Zane, the tumble would hurt him at most, a punch from one of my copies would pulverize his ribs and everything it encases. And since I can Sense him being assisted by a few others, I think he'll be fine.
Then it was about keeping these Quagxytes at bay and Repository-ing the bodies to return to their families and friends. After all, besides the few enemies that copied me, the rest are easily disposed of by single target attack spells from an increasingly large number of Vermillion lords. I can cast the spell much faster than the duration of their existence. I gotta say, it still feels kinda weird to be killing my look-alikes… It was then only a matter of time until all Quagxytes are eliminated.
Which brings us to the present…
"7 spellcasters were infusing the walls, while 5 more worked with 8 miners to dig the tunnel, 2 healers on standby and myself. 23 people braved the known dangers of this mysterious place, yet now only we remain. 19 of the luckier men and women…" By the time I was done with all 400-ish attackers, Henry and his team were sitting together in mourning. So I quietly sat to the side and awaited their much deserved ceremony. And as it comes to an end, I returned the corpses and took my leave for the day while they left to give compensations and condolences for the families of their deceased.
—
Combat summary
Enemies slain:
Quagxyte lv 1 x 395
Roc Falcon lv 45 x 1
Gnomelem Worker lv 55 x 1
495 syscred and 807 exp awarded
Strength + 21
Constitution + 24
Dexterity + 14
Intelligence + 19
Wisdom + 8
Will + 13
Charisma + 6
Expert spell learnt Mark of Returning
Spell mastery rank up, Mark of Returning Early > Basic
Skill level up, Charge Strike 5 > 13
Skill level up, Taunt 33 > 36
Skill level up, Leap Strike 8 > 16
Skill level up, Rapid Strike 5 > 8
Skill level up, Battle Command 3 > 4
Skill level up, Sidewinding 11 > 14
Skill level up, All-Weapons Proficiency 30 > 31
Skill level up, Parry 43 > 45
Skill level up, Unarmed Combat Proficiency 40 > 42
Skill level up, Evasion 38 > 41
Skill level up, Mana Manipulation 56 > 57
Skill level up, Visualization 49 > 50
It's currently mid morning. It has been a productive 5 days of preparation for another attempt at mining… Drafting up plans A and so on, each suitable for all occasions. As well as getting an abundant supply stocked and ready. Various training, and lots of leveling for the new batch of combatants. I devoured a Roc Falcon and Gnomelem Worker for the week. And while the avian was just so, the Gnomelem did not give me a single attribute, but still counted towards my weekly quota. Something about being wholly artificial. You better believe as I asked The System, as for why. Well, it ghosted me when I started inquiring for even more details, like usual. Sucks!
With about 10 hours of work a day, and 10 minutes for each cube, a blacksmith can craft approximately 60 cubes in one day... Or less, as they require rest. And while they had a lot of vigor on the first day; thus, managing to craft close to our initial target. Their momentum dwindles and their production drops each day. After the five days, and commisioning up to 10 blacksmiths we had a supply of 4227 cubes. Paying half the cost of material for their service, we end up with a cost of 6 Creds per cube. A total of 25,362—paid out of Rumah's coffers… While I had to Bend Metal and conjure Weal-lifes for all 4227 cubes, gratis… Tsk, so unfair… Grinning to myself, I'm starting to doubt having my dad and good friend run a Territory while I help—is a good idea, profit wise.
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Quagxyte attacks happens almost on a daily basis, but was easily handled by the on-shift company of 100 men strong each time. I always made sure I was as far away as possible during these attacks. We also happened upon a trick to cheat these creatures; it is as simple as giving them physically weak glass cannons to copy, each protected by incredibly robust armor and powerful arsenal of offensive wands. That way, their attacks fail to damage the armor, let alone anyone within, while the wands unleash devastation upon our experience-stint enemies!
Now regarding my new spell Mark of Returning; I had come upon the conclusion that making a mana-cheap spell that would perform well as a get away ticket from death, emergency switch thingy… Is impossible! At least for the current me. So, I came up with a relatively expensive one instead, and got this Spell. It is greatly disappointing and rather expected to find that the concept has been conceptualized and used by someone in the Multiverse before. The greatest downside being that I won't be able to just willy-nilly give the Spell out for free. But a life saved is worth the cost—they are 2,260,000 Creds by the way—of buying said Spell off of the store. Though in this case, as usual, I learnt it autodidact. Besides, Wands has been a thing for the last few weeks now. 'Inspect, thanks!"
** DING **
Mark of Returning - Basic Mastery. Master Rank. 150+ mp / cast. Mind where you Mark and hope it stays bright; less you return upon a pitfall of your own making, or not return at all from beyond its reach. Touch a surface object to manifest a Mark of Returning upon it and thyself; behold for a [MAtk meters] spatial tunnel shall be formed—anchored upon both Marks, and extendable beyond its standard range by investments of extra mana. Following a mental prompt or a spoken keyword determined during the cast, the spatial tunnel shall instantaneously activate; swallowing and returning you upon the Mark. For 25 mana, you may reapply your Marks upon another touched surface.
Yeap~ph… A wand would be preferable, as I am positive—currently—that the range of my tunnel would be multiple times the average spellcaster. First of all, before starting on any Artificial Infusion. I checked my Vault of Mana Core; an additional 1,210 Core-150s have joined my previous stock for the last 5 days give or take. Who knew being a shut-in within my Mana Tower was unexpectedly that productive. Producing one Core every 6 or so minutes instead of the usual 10-ish minutes due to boosted regens. Oh, and did I mention the five larger Cores fabricated with help from all available Mana Cores? Each containing 4600, 5000, 5600, 6100. And lastly, made yesterday a little after breakfast hours, one with a pool of 6500 mana—not saying that I left my comfy roof for breakfast… It's also about time I make another one of the larger Cores. Soon, after one heavy duty Mana Manipulating session, I am now the owner of a brand new Core-6900.
Approximately 23 centimeters in diameter, it might also be imperative to know that Mana Cores are pretty heavy, this one is less than 20 kg despite its size… or is it maybe 15 kg..? Anyways! This Core would look great Refined, Infused with Mark of Returning, meticulously Enchanted and placed on a pedestal in the center of my Mana Tower's first basement for everyone to use and return. Of course, a way to locate said super expensive item is just as important!
To begin with, I took out the cutting tool I borrowed off of Agus and never returned—it's kinda like a pen, right!? Same size—and began meticulously carving away tiny pieces of the core. For a little more than an hour, I patiently carve off any excess protrusion of the spherical Core, coming up with a final product that is now about 20 centimeters in diameter. Then stopped to cut a Core-150.
This one was completed within a few minutes, and I then cast Fashion Core on it, an experiment before the main thing. Inevitably perfection always comes with a cost; I cut and lost 8 Core-150s before getting the hang of fashioning a cut Core. They are much more fragile; and any attempt to alter their shape needs to consider the balance of energy within, in conjunction with the strength of its outer shell.
The final act required me to invest three whole lines of thought; one to organize the energy within, another to manage the outer shell's thickness and the last to balance the two acts. But at last, the deed is done! A blade shaped Mana Core lays before me in all its glory. Blunt blades; 2.5 centimeters at its thickest, and 30 centimeters wide, the whole blade about 1 meters long. Excluding an extra thick modified tang. I will commission a 25 centimeters long hilt and guard for this buster sword replica, using reinforced steel of course—maybe a sheathe as well, to go with it… Of course, who knows how sturdy a Mana Core is. Thus, I made sure to hollow the center of the sword shaped Mana Core so a metal pole may be included on the hilt and inserted for strength. This way, both Mana Core blade and steel hilt will be locked into each other.
The shape is ornamental, its real function still being for people to cast Mark of Returning. As almost 35 thousand mana needed for the necessary heat treatment, 8 decided that treatment is something for tomorrow me to think about, exactly when the Mana Cores are done regenerating. But that did not stop me from finding the best smith I know of to begin designing and making da' hilt! Oh, and infusing the spell itself.
"Zen, what's that weird blade?" Billy—him and Henry Blinked onto my roof. Since Blink wands were made, everyone has the spell ready nowadays.
"Hey, fancy seeing the two of you up here." I greet them, "this one is another—wand… thingy? Anyways! It's infused with Mark of Returning. Since the Spell's effective range depends on the caster's magic power, I believe mine would currently be larger than anyone else's. So I plan to make this one in the shape of a buster sword, can you see i—"
"Cool!" Billy cut me off. "Too bad we have no idea what you're talking about. Mark of Returning?"
"I assume that's a new spell you made?" Henry, sharp as expected. Close, but he's wrong, I grin. "Nope, too happy. A spell you just bou—nah, learnt?"
… stupid perceptive genius brain! "Not why we're here!" Billy interrupts again. He looks agitated, restless. Not very like the confident boss man of a mega corporation I've known so far.
"Okay, so?" I am curious now.
At my question, Henry looks at Billy… so I do too. Only to watch him open his mouth in an attempt to say something, but instead failing to make a sound. "you guys sure you don't wanna listen to me explaining my newest creation? Though it's still work in progress."
"IT'S ABOUT KIRANA!" Billy suddenly yelled, apparently with all the bravery he had—as he is now breathing hard. Is he scared? Of me?
"What about her?" Hmm, I can't find her anywhere within my Mana Sense.
"She and I, we're going out!" Billy collected himself and exclaimed.
"Congratulations!" I say, what's he getting at..? But nobody said anything for the next minute or so. Awkward…
Zen: Oi, what does he want exactly?
Henry: Seriously?
Zen: Spill it!
Henry: He is afraid you'll be angry at them, at him especially, for stealing kirana from you
Zen: He did whaaat?
Henry stopped replying, instead he placed a hand on Billy's shoulders and said to me, "did you have an interest in Kirana?"
"Uh, not really." I refuse to admit nor outright lie.
"So you did?" Henry inquired for further clarification.
"Nah, not really… Magic is real now, monsters capable of crushing our planet in the palms of their hands—heck, people who can bend reality as we know it is out there. They'll be here soon." I tell them of our situation. "Is who to date more important to you?"
But I added, "of course it's a different matter altogether if you've been in the relationship for a long time—"
"Yes it is!" A female voice answered me this time. Kirana was suddenly there, standing on the roof with us.