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The twentieth cycle of the fifth gift.

Second day of the twelfth segment.

Pirate ship Dedede

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Waddles was an ordinary man with ordinary powers, seeking to be a pirate for not only better pay and freedom from imperial laws, but for adventures as well.

Well, he got one and a half of those things, the choice closed some doors while opening others. As the novelty of the situation faded, all he was left with was just the bland and bitter taste of ash and dust.

Being an ordinary man, caught in extraordinary circumstances, he must do the unbelievably stupid if he wished to thrive, no, not even that, surivive. Yes, that's it. This is what he must do if he wishes to live the life he wants.

“Are you done yet?”

“What do you think I’m doing, boy?” Waddles snapped his head around, swiveling almost a hundred and eighty degrees. “What did you think mana artificing was? I wiggle my fingers a bit and smash my hammer and boom! Magic!”

Org scratched the back of his head in confusion “Uh… yes? Me dunno. Me just here because da boss told me to tell you to hurry up.”

“Well, tell her that I am doing my best!” Waddles said with spiteful emphasis on ‘doing my best’ part. He would much rather his artifact constructs NOT explode in the middle of their operation, or even worse, stop working during a critical moment. At least the former could be used as a bomb that takes him out, safe form whatever horrors the enemy is going to inflict on him.

“Me dunno magic man, da boss seems really mad.”

“If the boss is so insistent, then tell to do it herself!” Slamming his fist into the table, he heard something click.

Looking at each other, both Org and Waddle had one thought in mind. “Well, Shiiiiii-“

A small boom can be heard on the ship, followed by smoke as Waddles and Org ran out the workshop and closed the door, coughing.

“Oh. Hi Boss!” Org waved his hand enthusiastically.

Wait. Boss? Waddles’s face paled, raising his head, he put on his best attempt at a friendly innocent smile. “Heya boss. I didn’t see you there.”

“Pretty brave of you back there, would you like to repeat what you said in there for me?”

Bullets came off him as his heart sank.

“Uhh.. What do you want, do you mean? I didn’t say anything. Right Org?”

“Is that so?” The boss tilted her head, turning it towards the gorilla of a man. Waddles followed, slightly shaking his head as he did so while the Boss stared at him with the might of a million suns.

Org being the obvious brick he is, responded.

“Said what?”

The boss rolled her eyes. “Get up there, the captain is calling,” her steps echoing in her wake.

Waddles had a filling he is going to get a tongue lashing when she gets around to it.

“Come on, boy. Let's go see the captain.”

“But me thook you weren't dun.”

“No point now, it’s all ash and dust. Might as well get it over with.”

“Okay.”

Sometimes Waddles wondered how they were both students of mana, but at last, mana is a physical art, and demands naught of the user’s intellect, only their ability to channel it.

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Second day of awakening

????

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The gnats didn’t learn, in fact it seems they have replaced their brains with vapour, encroaching deeper into its territory.

If the core hadn’t been blinded by anger, it would have realized the gnats had no choice, seeing the only way out they knew of is blocked, collapsed by a presumed ascendent.

Its earlier display of power had broken the engine of the ship they arrived in as well as the various mana artifacts they used for daily operations.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Its hostile mana prevented the majority of the repair their sole artificer attempted. Some of the constructs even blew up in their face, leaving only ash and dust.

What to do. What to do. What’s left of its domain was naught but ash and dust, but there was not much it could do. Not with its damaged core and memories. But a day is more than enough for it to remember how to claim a creature for its own.

The first floor repopulated with a random assortment of mutated anemones, corals, starfish, crabs, urchins, and other creatures that lived in the nearby reef and tidal pools.

The more sessile creatures were used as traps or decoration in the knee high water.

Others such as the crabs, lobsters, octopus were used as its guardians. Mutated into true monsters.

All given sapience, even if it couldn’t truly afford to do so, nor does it have any readily accessible memory to give them to capitalize on their intelligence but old habits die hard.

The new monsters, barely given a day to get used to their new forms and sapience, were crushed gnats when they met.

How dare they. It wasn’t even finished fixing up its floors. Malevolent intent flooded into the Caverns once more.

But the pirates weren't deterred, instead they pressed on. Afterall, trapped with no way out, choice was not a luxury they could afford.

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The twentieth cycle of the fifth gift.

Third day of the twelfth segment.

Unknown Cavern of an unknown Ascended.

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High level monsters. Great. More signs of a high level ascended, though Waddles couldn’t help but feel something off about the cavern’s arrangement. As well as the nature of the monsters they were putting down.

Dungeonsque. Traps and decoration that fit the tastes of an ancient dungeon more than it did any individual of the sapients.

Of course, Waddles himself only knew of the current iteration of ‘humanity’.

Another scream as another giant lobster was put down. It’s beady eyes staring at him, as if it was asking why, almost as if it was sapient.

Waddles shuddered, it can’t be a dungeon, the contents didn’t match. No dungeons would let their interior be so… disorderly and runned down. Still, there was an eerie sense of organization.

Suddenly their captain stopped, putting their hands up without speaking.

Waddles read his hand as they moved through the signs.

Quiet. Settlement. Ahead.

City? There was a settlement here? Waddles moved closer, peeking over the Captain’s shoulder.

Walls, windows, doors, roads. It wasn’t just a settlement. It was a goddamn city. Buildings so tall they once scraped the skies. Cracked and broken roads so wide, that Waddles couldn’t imagine the tariffic that once flowed through it. How many people did they have traveling through here? Why are there metal cages everywhere? Wouldn’t they just get in the way of the people walking down it?

It seems that they also had…wheels? Then where does a horse slot in? Or are they all powered by artifacts? Waddle’s head hurt just attempting to ponder the logistics and terrible city design.

No, it can’t be, surely a civilization of such achievement couldn’t be this stupid right? Surely such an enlightened civilization would be above the bullshit politics that plague the Imperial right?

Waddles shook his head of such delusions. Of course not, how could they? They were an enlightened civilization in iterations before them. They must have had a reason beyond his comprehension.

As they made their way through the ruined ‘settlement’, incomprehensible city design aside, it's hard to not be impressed by the marvels of engineering they have achieved, all done with minimal, even no mana materials at all. How?

Waddles could feel his education as an archeologist itching at the thought of exploring the ruins, oh, the secrets it must hold, at last, he chose the life of a pirate, to free himself from Imperial restrictions, only to find he can hardly find time for his passion. At least the pay is good even if it is inconsistent.

Crack! Another giant lobster fell to Org’s fists.

“Wooooohooooo! Org feels good!”

The Captain smacked the giant and slammed a finger to his lips. Quiet.

“Oh. -Org crouched, lowering his head and whispered- Sorry.”

Captain only smacked his forehead and waved Org away. Go.

“O—“ Waddles silently sighed, covered Org’s mouth, and signed back. Okay.

Okay. With emphasis.

Waddles can feel his hand vibrate as Org finally figured out what he did wrong and signed as well.

Okay.

It was going to be a long day.

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Fifth day of awakening

????

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The core crackled, it was its finest work yet. At least what it thinks is the finest work.

It had finally remembered how to fuse creatures together.

Granted, the first few attempts ended up as misshapen meatballs crying for their creator to end their miserable existence but those didn’t count. So first try!

A mixture of a moth, centipede, and a spider that it found in other areas of the cave systems, their size amplified to monstrous proportions, its shell much harder than steel, legs tapered off into impossibly sharp tips ready to stab anything they got close. A robust core supports the half exotic, half chemical life form, given sapience once again.

Though its mana capacity is great, due to its creator’s shoddy memory, it was not imbued with any techniques or skills. The best it can do is blindly infuse its attacks and body with mana.

In short, the core was high on the act of creating monsters, each successful addition numbed its pain and replaced it with euphoria.

Something it very much welcomed as even attempting to see inside itself was painful for the damaged core.

It basked in the feeling as its newest creation wandered around, confused about its purpose and the broken core.

“Protect” it impressed upon its creation.

“Protect what?”

“Me.”

“Why?”

“Creator.”

“Why?”

…

And another day passed as the gnats got closer.

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The twentieth cycle of the fifth gift.

Tenth day of the twelfth segment.

Unknown Cavern of an unknown Ascended.

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Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. At this point, that was an understatement. Waddles didn’t even know what the hell was chasing after them and he did care to know.

As they delved deeper into the cave system, they found various amalgamations littered all over the place. Most were dealt with easily, as their questioning eyes stared back as they fell one by one. What kind of experiments was the ascended conducting down here?

Then they stumbled upon the biggest gem they’ve seen and attempted to mine it. What happened next was a haze but now they had this giant amalgamation that looks like what happens when you cross attached moth antennae to a furry tarantula and give it as many legs and segments as a centipede.

It’s fuzz was so sharp even Org doesn’t dare to punch it again after the first time.

“Argus! Do you see an exit yet?” The boss yelled at the captain between her breaths.

If. Knew. Why. Here. Still. Can’t. See. Not. There.

If I knew, why would I still be here? My ability can’t see what is not there.

The boss growled, “Then in the name of the Silver mother, find it already?!?!!!”

Not. Magic. Eliza.

“YOU DID NOT USE MY NAME YOU MUTE CREEPER!”

So. What. Kill. Me. Eliza. Question.

The Boss threw herself at the Captain’s direction, the Captain screaming his silent scream as they tumbled across the cavern floor.

Org being the good boy he is, picked them up wordlessly and continued running.

Waddles groaned. He was not built for this, but he supposed he finally got the adventure he wanted.

“When. I. Get. Back. Remind. Me. To. Get. In. Shape. Boy.” Waddles huffed.

“Okay.” Org said with a deadpan face

Wait. See. Exit.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING THEN?!?!! GET US THERE BEFORE WE DIE YOU MUTE DUMBASS!!!!”

The Captain only showed off his middle finger to the boss followed by her name.

“WHY YOU LITTLE.” And the fight was rekindled once more.