Jake watched as Jayne made a new potion, watching the cauldron’s actions. At the final stage, the cauldron replicated the same behaviour as it exhibits when utilised for smithing. At the final stage, the cauldron would start devouring arcane energy, but to Jake’s amazement, it imbued all the energy into the potion. Jake didn’t know its purpose yet, but he didn’t see it causing any harm, so he said nothing.

Jayne made another four bottles of what Jake called cleaning Agent X before she stopped. “that’s it, I’m out of mana. It’s not very mana efficient, but I think I have some ideas that could reduce the cost but that will have to wait. Let’s get out of here. The air feels strange.”

Jake felt for arcane energy in the air, only to realise there was none. “um, what you're feeling is the lack of arcane energy. Can you use arcane energy?” Jake asked

“I did get a new skill and a title recently that said something about arcane energy, I think.”

“Oh shit. Can you show me?”

Skill

Arcane infusement (Unique)

Infuse external arcane energy into your creations to increase its effectiveness.

Title

Path setter

As a new path is opened in the alchemy world, the path of the arcane alchemist has begun. + 50 to profession levels + 10 to grade levels. Title upgrades at D grade to path of the arcane alchemist.

“Okay, I guess you will end up being an arcane alchemist, then. Congratulations, you have found your path.”

“Thank you, I guess, but I don’t really know what a path is, but what I do know is I don’t like this system. It’s like it meant to rip me off.”

“Let me guess, it calculated your points, then gave you the title.”

“Yes, how did you know?”

“That’s what keeps happening to me.”

Jayne handed Jake five potions, two with a rarity of unranked, two with the rank of common and one uncommon. Putting them away, Jake pulled out a gift he had created while he was waiting for Jayne to finish her great sitting journey of discovery. It was a necklace made from a storage ring, giving it the ability to store items and more.

“This is for you.”

Item

Necklace of bonding (rare)

This Necklace was created as a token of his acceptance to his wife and companion. The item increases the health and stamina pool by 10,000 each at a loss to the creator’s stat poll. Secondary functions can hold items up to medium size items.

Soulbound to Jayne Everval

Growth item. This Item must be reforged by Jake Everval. Can be upgraded once per grade rank of Jayne Everval.

The necklace was designed to match Jaynes’ clothing choice; it was of a black choker with a red dangling pendant made from one of the storage rings Jake had picked up when he was at Aaliyah’s home.

“This is too much. It takes your stats away.”

“Don’t worry about it. I would have liked to add more, but the system wouldn’t let me.”

Jake reached his arms around Jaynes and gently tied up the necklace.

“I made this for you and you alone. I hope it will help protect you.”

Jayne grabbed Jake, bringing him in close, then kissed him on the cheek. She then whispered in Jake’s ear, “it’s not me that needs protecting.” Jayne smiled, not refuting the comment at all.

Jake and Jayne walked over to the runabout. Jake put one hand out for Jayne. Then he felt her warm hand hold on to his, their fingers interlaced with a feeling Jake would like to get used to, then it morphed into a snake wrapping itself tightly around his arm.

Jake climbed up into the little runabout, closing the hatch as he did. "Okay, hold on tight.” Jake went thou the startup sequence before unlocking the throttles pushing the left and right up together the ship began to hover before Jake slowly increased the power to 40% holding it at that for a minute before increasing the power to 50% Jake decided 50% would be the safest power level with these low grade engines. He would have to work on increasing the engine’s quality to improve its performance. But for now, this power would be more than sufficient.

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Some time later Jayne was once again sleeping but this time she had stayed within Jake’s top as the temperature had dropped significantly. She said to Jake before she wanted to sleep that her body was feeling slow, as if she needed to sleep. Jake told her to get some sleep while he kept her warm. For all the ships upsides one of its drawbacks was the complete lack of life-support, no heating, no fresh air other than external bleed ports that automatically open when the runabout is within an atmosphere. For Jake right now, this felt like a design flaw, but it was actually done on purpose. Bulky life-support hardware would occupy the space where the shield emitter is, that is, if the ship had life-support.

Jake had a thought maybe he could add a heater to the bleed valves but then it would need to be turned off when he entered hot environments he would look into this when they got to their destination on the board of Belarus near Hrodna the location of the recruitment hall was picked by the local governments in the area. Jake wasn’t a fan of the location, but it made for a suitable location if your aim was just to be a tripwire force, and that is exactly what his mercenaries were being paid to do. The only problem is that the enemy, the country they were worried about, got help of their own and simply bypassed the tripwire force with ships and aliens.

The runabout rocketed across the countryside. If the people on the ground were to look up, the little runabout would look not much different to a shooting star. Night had fallen as Jake reached his destination. He orbited the location for a while before starting to descend, coming in opposite the dropship that they had stolen. Jake really wanted to have a look at the ship’s design, but he had work to do. Outside of his runabout, a team of mercenaries waited with weapons drawn. As Jake opened the hatch, one man shouted, “hands where we can see them sir!” Jake raised his hands not wanting to escalate the mightily twitch mercenaries. “My name is Jake Everval, the founder of the demon’s hand mercenary group. I’m looking for a cute little dog that goes by the name of Eric. If you don’t believe who I am, just get him to verify my identity.”

“Sir, we don’t know who you are or why you’re looking for Eric, but currently Eric is in no state to have visitors. So we’re going to have to ask you to leave. If you wish to make a complaint, the Australian branch will be happy to take it for you.”

“Very polite. But I must see Eric, or whoever is in charge.”

“As I have said, Eric is not in a condition to see anyone.”

Jake was getting irritated, but he kept his calm for once and repeated that he was the founder of the mercenary group they were part of. But in return all he got was stone cold silence.

“Jayne, what do you think we should do? I was trying to not do the same thing I normally do in situations like this.”

“What do you normally do?”

“Go off my rocker and most likely kill people if things don’t technically go my way.”

“Just do that if people don’t listen, make them. And if they still don’t listen, put them down.” Jayne said with more confidence than Jake has never had.

“thank you. I need your guidance more than I thought.”

“Who the fuck are you talking to?” Jake stood up. “What are you going to do? Just look at how many people we have. You will be dead before you reach the ground.” Jake changed forms and teleported in to the man’s shadow. Before bringing his open hand down on the man’s neck. Just before the man crumpled to the ground, he uttered the words “the founder.” Jake was now standing over the crumpled body looking for his next, but every one that was present was nearing on the ground with their hands firmly pressed ageist the ground and their hands neatly above their heads. Walking over to the closest person and pulled them up to their feet.

“Where is Eric a d what is wrong with him?”

“he was out on a patrol yesterday when his team was ambushed by what we think was a group of local beast folk Eric was the first to go down he was bitten by a snake and is now in a coma the next were the three other men in his party, they all gave there life’s so that Eric and Ann could escape it was Ann’s command that no one was to be let in. She has been in there with him for two days now.”

“So has anyone seen to Eric’s health, or are you all just sitting back and waiting for something to happen?”

“We. No, the only one that has been in there has been Ann and an ex medic from Ukraine she wand us that her skills probably wouldn’t have much effect but she was all we had, and we couldn’t go for help as none of us can fly that ship only Ann can and she won’t leave his side.”

“Thankyou for that. Now we’re exactly are they?” the man pointed behind him directly towards a small hut. Jake went over to the building and opened the door. And walked inside. The room had one bed and one chair. Eric was lying under white sheets in his dog form as Ann sat on the chair with her head resting on the bed Jake walked over and quietly checked Eric’s pulse it was slow Jake then turned his attention towards the lady reaching out Jake touched the sleeping lady on her shoulder.

“Ann, you should go and get some rest.” Jake said in a soft tone. Ann didn’t wake up; she only grunted. Jake looked around the room and saw that the fire had burnt down to embers. Jake spent the next minute stoking the fire.

“Jayne, can you do anything for him?”

“I don’t even know where to start.”

“Can you use your alchemy?”

“I might be able to neutralise the venom, but other than that, I don’t think I can do anything about that yet. My alchemy is poison based, so making a health potion might be an issue.”

“That’s fine. Let’s start with that.” Jayne poked her head out of Jake’s shirt when a Blood-curdling scream “get out of here and take that thing with you or I will chop you both to bits.”

Jake turned. “Ann, I thank you for looking after Eric, but it’s time for you to leave. You need to rest.”

“You think I’m going to leave him to you? You demon looking fucker and your fucken pet snake.”

“Ann, I will let what you just said slide, but you must rest.” Jake calmly replied.

“Get out. I’m looking after him. So just get out.”

“Shut the fuck up.” Jayne said as she slithered out of Jake’s shirt and changed form. By locking yourself in this room, do you truly believe you are helping him? You are the only one that can fly that ship out there and instead of using it, what did you do? You fucken shut yourself up and didn’t even try to go get help, ultimately if he was to have died in this place, it would have been all your fault. Now stop arguing and do what your founder has said.” Jayne shouted back at the women.

“And why should I listen to some snake bitch?”

Jake stated, “I said so, and she is the wife of your founder, which grants her the highest authority over the whole demon’s hand mercenary group.”

As Jake said this, a message appeared to everyone in the demon’s hand mercenary group.

Notification

Leadership change

Jayne Everval, the first wife of the demon of the past, has been given the authority to command and make changes to the demon’s hand mercenary group’s structure and personal. No authority other than the founder can overrule any decision made by her.

“Get out and go get some rest. We are going to need your help soon.” Jayne said