Author: Thank you guys for reading
I also saw my rep take a steep increase due to ‘darkimortal’ and ‘Skyline’. To rate all my chapters...yea I noticed and thank you. To everyone else who rated too. (I do keep track of my chapters after all, and fixed the table in the beginning thanks to the two who pointed it out.)
AngelCode - GO TO SLEEP for at least 8 hrs. Don't want you getting sick now do we. =P
Belle’s history will be revealed more when time passes. (Parents and such included, Beth and Tammy too when the situation calls for it. Illis and Shirley...depends as well. I myself have their backgrounds, just need to find appropriate places to bring them up.)
Also the MC was a serious chemist in his previous world (Presents for all!) and looked up a lot of things in that field of study. [Soul Bound Mind] is seriously a cheat, in regards to him remembering what he researched perfectly.
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The journey back to the city was finally almost over as the gates neared but a few meters away. There were not just a few desolate and abandoned villages on the way as we traveled. Even though we passed by them before, they still left a somber mood in the group every time they were encountered. We made sure to never stay too long in those areas.
Puerial also brought up some dangerous concerns regarding her home, the person herself not even realizing the problem. I’ll have to be vigilant about how I teach her, the ability to question a topic is sometimes not so easy for people depending on their upbringing. Religion in my old world was a good example, with people vehemently refusing to question their beliefs no matter what. Those who didn’t fall in line, were hunted like dogs until later when the world tried to stand above such acts. The fanatics turned to terrorism causing death and fear to any unfortunate enough to encounter them.
I don't care about who believes in what, but it sets a bad example when killing is the method used as a way to gain recognition. It’s unethical in a whole new sense when you recall that many religions view murder as wrong. Completely foolish.
*Sigh* forget it, best not to dwell on something like my old world’s problems. I can always just make a new learning course for Puerial to make her question the topics I bring up and compare the two views. I can point out things she missed or didn’t put enough consideration toward. Last thing I want is for her to remain ignorant.
Now that I also know my race, Amare can fill me in on a few things. Though why she couldn’t tell me in the first place seriously bugged me. Like I thought there is more to the history of the Dreadlings than originally told. But I have to uncover it myself, though she at least pointed me in the right direction. I’ll have to venture there later.
As we were passing through the streets, Belle was repeatedly ogled and cat called. The poor girl looked confused and distraught over the sudden treatment. Of course, the fact she no longer has a slave collar pretty much means she is open for approach.
When we finally entered the store, she demanded a customized cloak as well, she will have to wait though.
Beth, Tammy, and Illis seemed glad to see us, although confused when seeing the new face. They appeared to be in this world's version of a rush hour. I instructed Belle to watch as we handle the customers, a few tried to get lucky grabs at the girls. Unfortunately for them, unlike my old world, we don't have rules about retaliating against customers.
When things finally began to settle down, I made my way to the basement after greeting Shirley in the kitchen. Tony and Tilly ended their shifts and went home for the day. Using earth magic, I turned the place into my own personal workshop. When we first entered the dungeon, Amy decreased the quality of our loot. When she agreed to no longer hinder us the creatures started dropping more materials. One snake like creature called a {Vermin Eater} would drop a vial of acidic liquid. When I used [Identify] I felt my heart jump in excitement.
The stuff was ‘carbamic acid’. It used to be used as insecticide but was discontinued due to it being hazardous material. Later though it was used to make ‘carbamate’ which is a key component for ‘polyurethane’ and when combined with ‘polyester’ form together to create a ‘polyester-polyurethane copolymer’ or what it’s more commonly known as ‘SPANDEX’.
Polyester can be easily made by making a chemical reaction with an acid and alcohol. I can also get other organic units needed for the polyurethane. With enough trial and error, I can make this world’s first synthetic fiber to make clothing from my old world. I mainly want to make sportswear.
There are a lot of things I don't have to properly process the stuff, but hopefully magic can help me overcome these problems. Not to mention the tools I will need to properly weave the material during it's creation. I have high hopes for this project though. Having form fitting, and comfortable clothing, specifically designed for physical activity, underneath armor would be amazing in my opinion.
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When I exited the basement, there was a small commotion in the front of the store.
“I order you to leave this place. This area is under the jurisdiction of the ‘Burning Cross Sect’.” (Pompous sect disciple)
“No! This place belongs to the ‘Sundered Ground Sect’!” (Furious sect disciple)
“You should both just give it up, our ‘Centorian Light Sect’ claimed this place long ago.” (Confident sect disciple)
The entire conversation between the three groups essentially boiled down to who controlled the area. Or rather, they were trying to prove which of them had the biggest sack in their pants in my opinion. The groups were roughly around 6-8 people in each group. All of them staring daggers at each other.
Beth walked up next to me as I hoped the situation merely stayed an argument.
“This started up after you left to the dungeon. A few of them even demanded we pay them protection money or outright ownership of our stores. Of course they never got far before they ended up fighting between themselves.” She looked at me with a bit of concern in her eyes. The subtle fear in her voice wasn’t ignored as she asked, “So what are we going to do?”
“Hmm, if things get worse...we may have to close shop and move elsewhere. Making enemies out of everyone, especially with my current strength, is a bad idea.” (Kuro)
“*Sigh* and I just got used to being here. So how long do we got?” (Beth)
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“Depends, given the situation we may be looking at a month...if we are lucky maybe more. Best to prepare now though and find another place to settle in.” (Kuro)
“I’ll go tell the other’s.” (Beth)
I gazed at the arguing brats, my thoughts on how to proceed from here. The last time I tried to leave a city peacefully resulted in me wiping out a noble family. When I think back on it...me and the others could have easily fled after gaining some strength during the situation. Yet we stayed to kill them and destroy everything they built. Doing such a thing with my strength was so foolish, yet I persisted. Now though it’s not just one group, but three. They are nothing more than low tier sects, but they have what that noble family didn’t. Armed forces who know ‘real’ fighting techniques.
Rather than foolishly attacking this time, it would be better to fight another day, when my strength is higher.
If things get too out of hand before my group leaves though...I can still leave them a few presents right?
My development of the charges used to blow up the noble estate have seriously improved with my increase in test materials. Now formerly named [Frenzied Mana Bomb], they now have a sharp increase in its destructive force and newly equipped with a timer based trigger. The trigger was extremely tricky but thanks to the pouch of a {Kangoran Beast} mana can be slowly funneled into the destructive materials slowly after filling it up with whatever type of mana the user wish's. When enough mana fills the materials, they destabilize and explode in great destructive majesty. The pouch itself can be manipulated to funnel the mana at different speeds as well.
But seriously though, those things are dangerous.
As I thought of such things, the group broke out into a skirmish. Potential customer’s decided to take their meal to go using the take out window and left. I sighed as the groups eventually disbanded and went back to their sects.
A few of them seemed to still be doing the basics, but the main talkers actually showed considerable skill. Though it is to be expected of them as disciples to a sect.
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Re-entering the store, the place was now empty. Due to the commotion I opted to close the front area and just have people served with the takeout window for the rest of the day.
The girl’s seemed worried, but for now we are fine. It was then, one of my contacts from the thieves guild showed up asking me to meet their leader tonight. I still had a few hours and decided to finish up some work and other things. Belle was trying her best to fit into the group, though seemed a bit awkward.
“Brother...do we really have to leave?” (Illis)
Illis approached me with a sad expression, no doubt since being in this place has seriously been a happy time for her. I have never seen her sad when she worked here, regardless of the work she did. Of course she also had her free days to play and enjoy herself, which were mostly spent with her mother or having fun with the toys I made her.
As for her calling me brother, it may be more since I have acted more like family to her and her mother than her actual family. But she is too shy about the topic to confirm this analysis.
“Unfortunately, it may be so. Does moving make you sad?” (Kuro)
“Yea...this is the first real home I’ve ever had *sob* why do we have to leave?” (Illis)
Ah, I’m not good with this sort of thing. Illis is starting to seriously cry, uhn...what's the best way to cheer her up...oh, maybe some words I heard from my old world will do the trick. They didn't work for me, but maybe they will have a better effect on her.
“Do you think a home is based off of the place we live in?” (Kuro)
“*Sniffle*...eh?” (Illis)
“To me, a home is a place that makes you feel happy, were the people who care about you are waiting for you. The location doesn't matter. You have your mother and the other’s going with you. So do you think you are losing your home?” (Kuro)
“Brother too?” (Illis)
“Where do you think I would go? I may venture around at various lengths of time, but I will always have a place here.” (Kuro)
Please tell me this worked, I hate seeing kids cry. Well as long as they aren't brats anyway.
“*Smile* so I still have a home then, and brother and everyone is part of it too? Forever and ever right?” (Illis)
“Well...I don't know about forever, but as long as we are all together, then yes.” (Kuro)
This is getting uncomfortable, and the other’s are peering their heads around the corner with big smiles on their faces. Just let this end already please.
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I’m now heading to the thieves hideout with Shiro and Puerial. Belle stood back in the restaurant to finish getting her things settled from her previous place of temporary residence.
After being escorted through an elaborate trail of twists and turns, we entered a building with more holes than swiss cheese. There was a hatchet leading to an underground passageway. The whole thing was even more elaborate than the original trail, thus making it even more annoying.
When we finally reached our destination we were asked to remove our weapons.
It’s obvious standard procedure, but I was unwilling to do such a thing. Which caused a small ruckus until a loud voiced boomed across the corridor saying to forget procedure and let us in.
What I saw was two Beast-kin who looked to be of the fox tribe, but it’s better not to assume since there are a few variations. They hate being confused as another race treating it as a form of insult. Safe bet it to merely shut up and wait for them to name their tribe, If they don't then just stay silent about it anyway.
One was a tall man with muscles built for pure speed, the other a young woman with the physique so slim you’d think she would break with a simple punch. However, the two emitted a strong aura. I feel that fighting them would be a serious mistake.
Though I was invited, they never told me the reason why. Simply having business with them would never cause the leaders to reveal themselves.
Hmm…
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A/N: Sorry for the sudden chem slam. I’m not a chemist so I can’t truly guarantee accuracy, though I feel it was properly put together. I just wanted to show his more inventive side a bit.
Trouble is brewing as the Arc nears the end.
What are your thoughts, for I am curious to know.