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Project Mage
Chapter 28: Stronghold of the Mages

Chapter 28: Stronghold of the Mages

Risebelle

Critical Danger Zone:

Magic Reserves: -85%

Life Force: 60%

Roselle:

Magic Reserves: 40%

Life Force: 45%

Runebelle:

Magic Reserves: 120%

Life Force: 65%

Dr. Kintovar's eyes glittered with curiosity as she took in the condition of her creations. She began with Risebelle, carefully examining her mana reserves, which were dangerously in the negatives. The orange-haired scientist furrowed her brow with concern but maintained her composed demeanor.

"Risebelle," she said softly, "you've pushed yourself to the limit, haven't you?" With gentle care, she took Risebelle into her arms with a display of affection. "You're quite the fighter, my dear. The strength you manage to display and your ability to test the limits of the systems I designed continue to impress me."

Risebelle's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she averted her gaze. "I-I told you, Kintovar," she mumbled, "You don't need to be so affectionate with us. We're your creations, after all."

Dr. Kintovar chuckled softly and patted Risebelle's head. "I can't help it," she said while brushing her hair. "You all are like family to me. And a family takes care of one another."

Turning her attention to Roselle, Dr. Kintovar carefully examined her condition. She noted the significant drain on her magic reserves and the injuries she had sustained during the battle.

"Roselle," Dr. Kintovar said, her tone gentle yet firm, "you've shown bravery in the face of danger. Good job."

Lastly, Dr. Kintovar turned to Runebelle, whose magic reserves were surprisingly still above 100. "Runebelle," she began, "you've been managing your magic quite efficiently. Your ability to support your sisters is commendable. Keep it up."

Runebelle nodded. "I'll do my best, Doctor."

Dr. Kintovar nodded her head “I’ve brought your healing tanks," she said adressing the three of them with a slight smile. "I anticipated that these battles might be quite taxing, so I made sure to have them on me."

Risebelle, Roselle, and Runebelle exchanged relieved glances, grateful for Dr. Kintovar's foresight.

Roselle questioned with curiosity and confusion “You did? Where are they, Dr. Kintovar?"

Dr. Kintovar chuckled softly and produced a small device. She set it on the ground, and then with a press of a button, the healing tanks that had been stored in her lab materialized before Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle. The tanks were a familiar sight to them, cylindrical chambers filled with a green healing liquid that had helped them recover from injuries and exhaustion countless times before.

"They're right here," Dr. Kintovar said with a knowing smile. "I thought it would be wise to have them handy, just in case. After all, I know how hard you all tend to push yourselves in battle."

The three sisters approached the healing tanks with Relif. They had come to rely on these devices as a vital part of their recovery process, and they knew that they would help speed up their recuperation.

"Thank you, Kintovar," Risebelle said. "Your foresight is greatly appreciated."

Roselle and Runebelle obediently stepped into their respective healing chambers, the transparent cylindrical doors sealing shut around them. The healing liquid inside immediately began its work, enveloping them in a soothing and revitalizing embrace. They closed their eyes, allowing the rejuvenating effects to wash over them.

As the healing process started, they exchanged glances through the clear walls of their chambers, offering each other reassuring smiles. They were well aware of how effective these tanks were in restoring their strength, and they looked forward to being in top condition once again.

Dr. Kintovar gently carried Risebelle to her healing chamber, ignoring her protests. Risebelle's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she was placed into the cylindrical chamber filled with the healing liquid. She had always been fiercely independent and disliked feeling vulnerable, especially in front of her creator.

"I can walk, you know," Risebelle mumbled. "I don't need to be carried like some child!"

Dr. Kintovar smirked playfully as she activated the healing chamber. "Oh, Risebelle," she teased, "I know you can walk. But with your magic reserves in the negatives, it's a miracle you haven't exploded from the strain. Let's not take unnecessary risks, shall we?"

With those words, Dr. Kintovar gently placed Risebelle inside the healing chamber. The transparent door sealed shut, and the healing liquid began its magic, gradually restoring Risebelle's depleted energy.

Meanwhile, the mages who had been attempting to remove one of the mana extractors from the area took a break. They gathered in a small circle, their faces holding exhaustion and uncertainty. They had experienced firsthand the devastating power of Aliana's magic, and it had left them shaken and questioning their choices.

One of the mages, a young man with messy brown hair, spoke first while trembling with uncertainty. "Did you see what she did out there?" he began, his eyes darting around the group. "It was like nothing I've ever seen before. We barely survived that blizzard."

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A young woman with short, fiery-red hair nodded in agreement, looking troubled. "I know she’s an Elite Mage and all," she said, while putting one hand on her side. "But that... that level of power is beyond anything we've been trained to handle. It's like she's on a completely different level…"

A third mage, a more experienced one with streaks of gray in his hair, sighed deeply. "I never signed up for this," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "We were supposed to be extracting mana to help our cause, not facing off against a Sword Gods devastating magic."

The group fell into a somber silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Dr. Kintovar took a moment to check the location of the Mana Extractors. She pulled out a small device with a holographic display that showed a map of the area. Her keen eyes scanned the information, and she noted that one of the extractors was located to the north of her current position.

She observed the map, her mind raced with calculations and strategies. She muttered to herself, "The remaining Mana Extractor is north of our current position, near the edge of the forest. I'll need to deal with it soon."

She decided to press forward while keeping a watchful eye on the three creations in their healing tanks. Dr. Kintovar knew that time was of the essence, and she couldn't afford to waste any opportunities to achieve her objectives.

As she ventured further into the forest, she eventually spotted figures taking a break in the distance. These images were unaware of her presence, their guard down as they recovered from the earlier encounter with Aliana. Dr. Kintovar knew that this was the perfect opportunity to strike.

Dr. Kintovar took aim at the group of mages with her BG-356 now assembled once again. She couldn't help but smirk beneath her pink headphones as she contemplated the situation.

‘They underestimated my creations,’she thought to herself, ‘They thought they could oppose me, but they have no idea of the power of my new weapons, especially the BG-356. It's a testament to my genius, a fusion of magic and technology that surpasses anything the Magic Academy can offer!’

Her sunglasses hid her calculating gaze as she continued to analyze the mages. "They questioned my methods, my inventions, and my vision for this world," she mused. "But they will soon learn the folly of underestimating Dr. Kintovar. With the BG-356, I will show them that my genius knows no bounds."

Dr. Kintovar's finger tightened on the trigger. She was prepared to unleash the full might of her invention

The BG-356 unleashed its devastating energy, and the blast struck the Mana extractor with pinpoint accuracy. The device erupted in a massive explosion, sending shards of metal and magical energy scattering in all directions. The mages, caught off guard by the sudden detonation, were engulfed by the blast.

As the smoke and debris settled, the area where the Mana extractor had once stood was now a smoldering crater. The mages lay lifeless on the ground, battered and disoriented, their robes singed and tattered.

"There are four more to go," Kintovar said to herself.

She spins around to face Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle, who were still resting in their healing chambers, she regarded them with pride and concern.

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Roselle, Runebelle, and Risebelle woke from their rest. They felt an unusual surge of energy. Their systems were fully restored, their life force renewed, and their magic reserves were restored to 200%

Roselle stretched and yawned, her yellow hair cascading around her. "I feel incredible," she exclaimed with enthusiasm. "I've never recovered this quickly before!"

Runebelle, her blue and pink hair in disarray, looked around in surprise. "This is amazing," she murmured, her eyes wide with wonder. "I've never felt so refreshed..."

Risebelle, who had been carried to her healing chamber by Dr. Kintovar, got out and blinked in astonishment. "I can't believe it... this felt abnormally quick...” she said,” Thank you Kintovar. I feel like I could take on the world again."

Dr. Kintovar watched her creations with a pleased smile, her orange hair framing her face. "I'm glad to see you all in such high spirits," she said. "But we mustn't waste time. There are still four Mana extractors to disable, and we can't afford to let our guard down."

Roselle, Runebelle, and Risebelle exchanged puzzled glances, their confusion evident. Something didn't add up.

Risebelle spoke up. " Kintovar, I thought there were five Mana extractors left in total," she said, her blue hair swaying as she looked at her creator for clarification. "Did something happen to one of them?"

Dr. Kintovar remained calm and composed as she addressed their concerns. "You are correct," she confirmed, “There were originally five Mana extractors, but while you were resting, I took care of one of them."

Risebelle blinked in surprise, her blue hair messy from her recent rest. "You took care of one while we were asleep?" she asked with astonishment.

Dr. Kintovar nodded. "Yes, Risebelle," she replied. "I wanted to ensure that you all had the opportunity to rest and recover fully. Now that you're ready, we can continue our mission."

Roselle stepped forward with a bright smile on her face. "Dr. Kintovar, you truly are amazing!" she exclaimed.

Dr. Kintovar chuckled briefly. Then, she projected a holographic map of the area, displaying the locations of the remaining Mana extractors. Her orange hair cascaded down her back as she began to explain the plan to her creations.

"There are four Mana extractors left," she began, "As you know, these extractors are likely to be heavily guarded, and we can't underestimate the potential threat they pose."

She pointed to the locations of the extractors on the map. "Three of these extractors will be guarded by the Magic Academy's elite mages," she continued. "These are individuals who may be as powerful as Aliana. According to Risebelle though, it did take four of them to take her down. "

Clearing her throat, Risebelle interjected with a raised finger. "Uh, Kintovar, about what I mentioned earlier regarding the number of Elite mages... I may have exaggerated a bit. It wasn't exactly four of them. It was more like... two and a half."

Dr. Kintovar shifted from composed to incredulous. "You....WHAT? Do you realize how long it took me to prepare this plan!?"

"I-I'm sorry, Kintovar," Risebelle stammered, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I didn't mean to mislead you, I just..."

Dr. Kintovar let out a frustrated sigh and facepalmed. "Actually, I knew you were exaggerating the number of mages."

"You... you did?"

Dr. Kintovar nodded. "Of course," she replied, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I've been working with you long enough to know that you didn't want to seem weak in front of your new sisters. Am I wrong?"

Risebelle's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Roselle giggled and patted Risebelle on the shoulder.

"Hey!" Risebelle protested and shook off her embarassment. She swatted Roselle's hand away. "Cut it out, Roselle."

Dr. Kintovar got back to business and continued with the plan. "Our goal is to disable these extractors while minimizing conflict with the elite mages. We don't want unnecessary conflict. If we encounter them, we will engage in combat only as a last resort."

Risebelle raised a hand "What about the fourth extractor?" she asked curiously.

Dr. Kintovar pointed to the last remaining red dot on the map. "The fourth extractor is located in a less populated area, seemingly far away from the Magic Academy" she explained. "I will take care of that one personally while you three handle the ones guarded by the elite mages. We will regroup once the extractors are disabled."

Roselle nodded in agreement, "Understood, Dr. Kintovar," she said. "We'll do our best to disable the extractors without causing ‘unnecessary conflict’!"

Runebelle added with her gloomy face. "We'll be careful, and we won't let you down."

Dr. Kintovar smiled at her creations, proud of their dedication. "I have faith in all of you," she said. "Let's get to work and put an end to this mana draining once and for all."