This had been a productive day. Establishing the Vandenilis Fabrication Team this quickly had been a challenge, but it helped that he was solely in control of the largest remaining division of the city's workers– now the Vanguard.

Anthony sifted through the day's reports. Most of the crafters hadn’t made much of use today, understandably. Their focus had been on unlocking the desired crafting Skills, and most of them had managed to do so by the end of the day. The would-be smiths hadn’t found the right requirements to get any kind of metalworking Skill yet, so they were having to rethink their approach. Until the Vanguard could put together a functioning traditional blacksmithing setup, they were stuck having to try things that could technically be considered metalworking.

So far, the System had disagreed.

He sighed, setting that report aside. Of the more ‘base’ level crafts, reliable metalworking was one that required more resources to even get off the ground. They didn’t lack for scrap metal to work with, but an actual functioning forge was not something you could find in a hobbyist's closet.

The best results of the day, unsurprisingly, came from Frank. The riot gear they had now should be an excellent starting kit for the Vanguard– particularly those who had already been gathering Aether. The enchantments on them were varied, but all generally worked toward the same objective; protect the wearer, and make the weapons hurt more.

There were a few standouts from the past few days that he’d already earmarked some of the equipment for. Individuals who had gone above and beyond in the defense of others, even without being a part of the city’s forces. A couple had already joined the Vanguard, and he was hopeful that the others would follow suit.

He glanced to the side of his office, where a generic sledgehammer leaned against the wall. At least, it had been a generic sledgehammer. Now, the people who’d seen Frank testing had been spreading rumors in hushed tones about ‘Shockwave’, as if it was some mythical weapon.

Anthony gave the hammer a considering look. In the hands of the right person, it might be.

Then, he frowned. The hammer concerned him. Rather, the hammer itself wasn’t the concern, but what it represented was. Since the day of the Integration message, everything they had done was reactive. Evacuating regions of the city, trying to scale a defensive force with the Vanguard and the Volunteers, even putting together the Fabrication Team. They were on the back foot with the System, because they still didn’t know the extent of what was happening, or where it would end.

The hammer concerned him because Frank had enchanted a tool made before System Skills existed in this world. He hadn’t advanced with Aether yet, he had been working with what would likely be considered a useless hunk of metal in the coming days and years, and it was capable of doing serious harm.

And the beasts they had to fend off were getting stronger.

It wasn’t clear yet why or how, just that each assault was taking longer to fend off, and more injuries were piling up.

The equipment would help. Getting more enchanters would help.

Anthony grimaced. He’d been loathe to hand over Frank’s tip on how to get [Enchanting], but he’d had to. Ian had set himself up in charge of Skill management, and he had too much support to deny.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

For all that the council presented a united front, the whole thing was on shaky foundations, and he couldn’t afford to ruin civilian trust in them by trying to wrest control away. The government could do so much more good than he would be able to alone.

Still, he thought back to the meeting yesterday. To Ian pushing Frank to use his Skill in dangerous ways.

I need to get the Vanguard working as fast as I can. And I’ll have to keep an eye on any enchanters Ian sends our way…

Today had been a productive day. But he wasn’t sure if it was going to be enough.

Frank walked the few blocks back to his new apartment thinking about his Skill. He’d been as detailed as he could be in the report he’d written, but it was hard to know how helpful it would be to new enchanters. Making the shockwave sledge had also involved his [Hunter’s Knowledge] Skill, so he wasn’t sure that everyone would be able to replicate that straight away. Varying how intent is conveyed, like he had by limiting the area an enchantment affected, would be more useful.

But, he thought, Skills are supposed to get stronger with more Aether, right? If I get a bit more powerful, will I be able to use more words for [Enchanting]? Will I be able to convey my intent without words? What’s the limit? How much of it is creativity versus power?

His head was abuzz with thoughts about how to use his Skill. The members of the crafting crew– the Fabrication Team– had also been talking excitedly with each other after seeing the flashy things Frank had been able to make.

They weren’t alone.

As he walked back into the more populated blocks, there were signs all around that something was spreading through the survivors gathered here. There were still people here and there who looked lost and uncertain, but there was a fever spreading through the streets as there were animated discussions about Skills, and what could be done with them.

There were also demonstrations everywhere, people reveling in their discoveries of what they could do now.

Music washed over him, a tune from a few musicians set up like buskers on the sidewalk. The tune was simple, but it affected him like few songs had before, raising goosebumps on his skin and sending a shiver through him.

Status received.

[Joyful Music]

Music isn’t instrumental to life, but it helps make the moments that we remember.

Almost imperceptibly, he felt his senses sharpen. The colors of the scene, the sounds of life here coming in clearer, more solidly. He watched as a small group raced down the street, veering hard towards a building. Just as he was sure they would run face first into it, the first of them started running up the wall, ascending at least a floor before jumping off, back flipping in the air to land lightly and easily.

There was applause and cheering from near them. The man who led the pack looked to be in his 40’s, with flecks of white in his hair.

On the side of the street, in front of one of the restaurants that had been taken over by a chef with a [Cooking] Skill, there was a little sign saying ‘Aether unlocking food here!’ There was a line all down the block for it.

Everywhere he looked, there were people looking forward to exploring the System. There was still a lot that wasn’t known about what had happened, and the world outside their little encampment had become dangerous, but the Council had provided some measure of security. There was little that anyone here could do other than survive, but joining the Volunteers or the Vanguards was a new path forward.

For Frank, it was a path to get stronger. When he was stronger, he could make his way in this new world to either find his family, or make it safer for when they get back.

There were a few things he needed to do first. Now that he wasn’t running from mutated animals, he could afford to find some real weapons and armor, if the city wouldn’t give him any. He’d have to eat some Aether infused food to adapt his body to it, so he could actually absorb it. Then he’d need to sit down with the others and figure out how they could work together. Then, they’d be ready.

The next few days would be busy.