Chapter 29 - An honest request
Adam could hardly believe what he had just heard, and his expression showed it: Necrogear Citadel? How was it possible that something he’d only read about as a legend had suddenly come up in conversation? Even more, why had everything unfolded so conveniently to reach this conclusion? Could it be that his actions had somehow altered the "plot" of the scenario? … It was a possibility, though he wasn’t sure of anything without any concrete evidence.
While the young man wrestled with his thoughts, the genius Isaac Volta didn’t pause and began explaining everything about the place he had mentioned from the very beginning.
“You might know the story, or perhaps not, given how young you all are, but legend has it that there once was a hidden place in the vast ocean called 'Necrogear Citadel.' It was a bastion where a group, which I’ve taken the liberty of naming 'The Eldritch Cog Council'—since there’s no official name—practiced a strange science that fused living beings with runic technology to create living weapons... Quite barbaric, if you ask me.”
The man said, never losing his smile as if savoring every word.
“You mean they were necromancers?”
Kazue interrupted, unable to contain the excitement she felt upon hearing this information. Only Adam knew about it, as it had been more of a personal investigation than something he considered relevant.
"Necromancy? My dear girl, that’s magic, and magic doesn’t exist! I know many in this world call technology they don’t understand 'cursed items,' but that’s exactly what it is—technology we haven’t figured out yet. Even the way recent sea beasts move is something we’re still investigating, but it’s clearly just an old engine using some type of fuel... Those 'Eldritch Cog Council' folks were truly ahead of their time. Even for me, it’s hard to grasp some of their concepts, but I’ve managed to replicate and unravel many of their secrets so far."
"Sorry to interrupt, but are you referring to runic technology? I know the pirate guilds 'Arcanotinker Crew' and 'Thunderstrike Dreadnoughts' are relatively new, only about twenty years since their founding, and they’re based on that technology."
This time, it was Adam who spoke up, regaining his composure and asking a question that had been on his mind since he read about the seven great guilds.
"Ah, those... Yes, unfortunately, I was the one who deciphered the foundations of what is now known as runic technology. I have no idea how that knowledge ended up in the hands of criminals or how they managed to replicate it so quickly. But yes, it was once viewed as sorcery or something supernatural, only to eventually be understood as a rather simple yet delicate use of electrical energy by yours truly, passing it through conductive materials like copper in various forms, it's possible to power machines or objects—pure and simple science that is not only used for war and destruction but to enhance the life of every citizen of the Alliend Kingdom."
The scientist said, initially thoughtful but then lifting his nose in a gesture of triumph, knowing that his discoveries about the lost technology benefited those who needed it most. Though it was a pity that these advancements were available only to citizens of a certain economic level within the allied cities, he hoped that someday, when the war ended, everything he had achieved could be shared with all of humanity.
On the other hand, Adam listened attentively and deliberated as quickly as his mind allowed. His initial idea about the true nature of runic technology was correct: it involved the manipulation of electricity through wires and a very archaic system of programming based on electrical impulses. Although the concept sounded simple, Adam knew it would be nearly impossible to replicate or understand in the real world.
Secondly, and more importantly, the fact that the world’s most prominent inventor vehemently denied the existence of 'magic' was quite curious. Adam had already experienced the effects of what the system had classified as hexes, not to mention that he was overlooking the existence of something fundamentally important…
However, before Adam could continue with his question, Drake stepped forward and said exactly what the young man had been thinking, which left Adam surprised. He was increasingly impressed by the insight of his companions.
"But if that’s correct, where do the skills that a person possesses fit in? They produce effects that defy all logic and are used constantly."
"I understand now why you’re part of this mission. You’re so young, yet so curious and eager to understand the world around you. It fills me with joy to see people like you. It reinforces my belief in how brilliant the future of society will be once this foolish war is over."
As he said this, the man couldn’t help but twirl with happiness, leaving everyone present confused and his son Thaddeus hiding his face, blushing with embarrassment.
“Yes and no. We might be straying a bit from the original topic, but I think it’s worth it for such a curious group... You see, skills are more of a physical reaction than something supernatural. Everything is controlled by each person’s mind and is simply a display of human potential. After all, there are no skills that can, I don’t know, generate fire out of nothing or make things levitate. Everything that seems like it does has an explanation.”
With that, Isaac raised his right hand, and a tiny blue flame emerged from it, small enough to resemble a flickering kitchen match.
[Skill: Candlelight Lv1] [No info available]
“For example, this isn’t magic. What this skill does is use what’s already in the environment and allow me to combine it through my thoughts. If we were in an extremely humid place or one with no oxygen, I wouldn’t be able to use it.”
If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
It made sense to some extent, but each of those present came to their own conclusions, Sebastian and Nikolai, however, struggled to follow the conversation, as they were not familiar with these terms and concepts. Kazue seemed to understand a little bit better what Commodore Kathlene had told her during their brief training session. Drake, on the other hand, appeared unusually contemplative despite not having any skills himself, while Adam began to piece together certain points in his mind.
Aside from the curses used by the soldiers, it was true that all the skills they had seen so far in this world followed a pattern of being more physical or could be interpreted in a more coherent way than simply happening "just because." The only example that contradicted this was Li and his spellbook. But then Adam remembered something they had discovered before entering the second story: the "Make it Fair!" option in the shop, which only Li had and with a description indicating that it removed the limitations on the use of skills and treasures in exchange for a significant penalty.
Little by little, the picture of how the system's rules operated began to come together, at least on a superficial level. It was something they would need to investigate further once they returned to the lobby.
“We still don’t fully understand how skills develop or how the human mind manages to manifest them physically, but it’s something I’ll eventually figure out. Imagine the possibilities—maybe it could even be possible to manually grant useful skills to those who need them while removing them from criminals who don’t deserve them... Ahem, sorry, I feel like I’m rambling too much, hahaha. Let’s move on to the details of the mission.”
That made everyone present refocus and pay attention once again to what Isaac had to say.
“As I was saying, the 'Necrogear Citadel' was just a legend until about ten years ago when it was accidentally discovered by a group of explorers. We’re not sure what exactly they did or what they might have touched, but the fact is that the entire city emerged from the ground on the island where it was located, revealing everything its former inhabitants had left behind... It was during those years that the first sightings of mechanized sea beasts began, so I’m 100% sure there’s a connection between the two. Only a few high-ranking officials from the Ironclad Armada and the Allied Kingdoms know about this, and many search and exploration groups were formed without revealing much information. However, they were soon intercepted by fleets and squadrons from the pirate guilds, who, for some reason, also found out about it.”
Everyone understood the implication perfectly, thanks to their prior knowledge of the scenario’s synopsis. It was clear that the one behind all this was likely that “force in the shadows.”
“So, right now there’s a war over who will control the citadel? Is this a combat support mission?”
Kazue asked, recalling what they had been told before being sent as support for the siege of Ironwave Anchorage and thinking it would be the same this time. However, the scientist simply shook his head and waved his hand dismissively.
“No, the Armada is already fighting the pirate guilds over it, and there doesn’t seem to be any progress on either side. It would also be illogical to think that a small group like yours could make a difference... No, what you’ll be doing is entering the Citadel through a path prepared with the utmost secrecy, thanks to the help of an Admiral from the Armada. Your mission is to enter and find a very special item. The place is indeed filled with ancient and extremely valuable technology, but what we’re interested in is something that has been recently discovered. All my analyses indicate that it actually exists, something so valuable it could end the war and advance humanity to the next level, where there is only peace and improvements in quality of life.”
“... The Atomica Arcanum.”
Adam responded almost without thinking.
“Exactly! Several expeditions have confirmed that the Atomica Arcanum exists and is somewhere within the Citadel, so that’s where you, along with Thaddeus, will be going. It could be dangerous, as it seems many of the living weapons are still active, but that’s precisely why a well-prepared team like yours has been assembled. The recommendation from Admiral Jasper Merrick speaks for itself. Still, I insist you visit the main workshop to pick out anything you might need if it helps you feel more prepared.”
That made everyone look at each other in confusion. A letter of recommendation from an admiral of the Armada? What was he talking about? It was Li who, with a cold glance, signaled that they should keep quiet.
“I truly ask that you exercise the utmost caution, not only to recover the famous book that could bring infinite energy to the world, but also because I know how dangerous this could be. I don’t doubt your abilities, nor those of my son, but the last thing I want is for you to meet your end due to my obsession. If you find yourselves unable to progress, please return. The information you gather will be more than sufficient.”
After this, to everyone's surprise, a system window popped up in front of the entire group, something they could see and read without any trouble.
image [https://i.imgur.com/cER1H7k.png]
A subplot? That caught everyone by surprise. Adam didn't immediately recall that he had already read something about this in his own stats sheet. At least it clarified what they needed to do and what they might potentially gain, not to mention it also shed light on the scientist's intentions with the mission he had entrusted to them.
One could say that everyone was relatively satisfied with what they had heard. Although some would have preferred not to go to such a dangerous place as an ancient citadel amid a war, there was no real option to refuse due to the circumstances.
Thaddeus was tasked with excusing himself with his father and indicating that the group should follow him. Before leaving, he was taken by surprise when his father gave him an unexpected hug, a gesture of affection that at first he did not reciprocate but eventually returned after a few seconds, causing Kazue to let out a loud "Aaawww", much to the embarrassment of the young man.
The journey to the designated location took only a few minutes. During this time, Adam took the opportunity to approach Mr. Li and ask him about the subplot that had appeared. Li replied that it was also his first time seeing one firsthand, despite having heard about their existence during his time as a novice.
That wasn’t very reassuring, but there wasn’t much time to dwell on it. Upon arriving at what was called the main workshop, they were confronted with an enormous space, bustling with people working non-stop on various artifacts and designs across tables and papers. The sheer number of devices they had never seen before stretched as far as the eye could see, making Rook’s workshop seem small by comparison.
"Welcome to the main workshop. Please, by all means, feel free to explore and take whatever you think you'll need. We'll be departing for our destination in about two hours, so take your time. If you have any questions about the devices or their functions, don't hesitate to ask me or any of the scientists around."
The sight was breathtaking, and Kazue looked like a child in a candy store where she was told she could take whatever she wanted. Even Adam felt quite excited, so it didn’t take long for him to approach the first thing that caught his attention—a shield similar to those used by the soldiers he had faced before, but this time, instead of a golden eagle or lion, it featured the head of a dragon in the center.