Chapter 212: Fallout (1/2)

I did the math for my mana by using a calculator option in my status. It would take about ten days before my next evolution at my current pace. Considering the spike in power I'd get from it, this moved that further up in my priority list. At the same time, I couldn't lose sight of my goals. I still had to save Rivaria from some kind of invasion from Thisbey.

To make that happen, I needed more recruits. From my experience so far, no gialgathens came by during nighttime. Working in a bit of dungeon clearing and eldritch harvesting into my schedule wasn't impossible by any means then.

With that in mind, I helped two more gialgathens join my cause before heading out overnight. Throughout the night, I cleared dozens of opened rifts, focusing on ones where eldritch worlds were spilling onto Giess. This helped prevent gialgathens from dying or being trapped in those worlds. It also gave me more mana from the white pillars of light that sustained the portals.

While I ran through the countryside and silver wastelands, I kept focused on training Force of Nature. I drilled a variety of complex gravitational formations. While floating from area to area, I held complex patterns of sand and soil. At times, I rotated dozens of rocks, creating mini-solar systems hovering over my palm. This was far more difficult than it seemed.

I had to create a gravity well mirroring the pull of Giess. This let me hover a few dozen stones midair. After that, I melted one of them, creating a miniature sun at the center of the replica. After enhancing its gravitational pull, I tweaked it until the stones around it fell in orbit. Doing all that while punching mind controlling moles in the face was hard as hell.

I kept at it though, attempting to create small environments on each rock I hovered in my hand. This required precise manipulation of the heat around each stone. Over time, I created wet spots over the pebbles, mimicking oceans. I managed tiny little wind systems, keeping outside interference minimized with further gravitational manipulation.

By the time I was satisfied with this project, I had created hundreds of gravity wells. I balanced them in a dance of sorts, weighing the pull of each of them. I even attempted the creation of geological formations on the stones. I melted the inside but kept a thin layer of crust on its surface. After setting the cracks adrift, I hoped volcanoes and the like would form on the pebbles.

If they did, I couldn't tell. I did use the word 'attempt' after all.

Despite some lagging aspects of the exercise, I gritted my teeth and pushed through the process. Over the next three days, I gained a few levels and capped out my cores in the process. Despite getting to level 8,111, my mana regen didn't grow by that large an amount. That made sense considering the mountain of endurance I already stacked up. The ambient mana gains were minimal as well. Every little bit helped though.

On the other hand, my guild efforts picked up quite a bit. With only three days remaining before the award ceremony, I managed to get twenty-four gialgathens into the system and my guild. While it wasn't an army by any means, it would help out with the cause. If I were up against many hybrids as I suspected, I'd need all the help I could get.

With that in mind, I called in my three most significant advocates for a meeting. Sheom, Krog, and Chrona were all sprawled out in Chrona's home. The scars I left behind with all my armory work made it look and smell like a blacksmith's shop at this point. To be fair, Chrona didn't really care. She relished in the new combat that the system allowed. Sheom was the same in that regard, pursuing battle after battle.

Krog had been different, leading the recruitment effort. He was the biggest reason I gained so many gialgathens so soon. By speaking with many leaders of Rivaria, the old general secured me a guildhouse, the first one in Rivaria. Even more surprising, he campaigned for my cause, and he was cunning about it too.

He used Kessiah's unique skills to gain members. By offering to restore the limbs and injuries of war veterans, he added loyal, competent soldiers to our ranks. Malakai was one of the first gialgathens he went to, his burns still fresh from the bombing of our room. He among others were given a second chance to fight, and they were hungry for action.

Kessiah gained an enormous amount of training with her skills during this time, becoming proficient at turning her blood into flesh and bone. It was a miraculous turnaround for her. She went from one of the most useless, frustrating friends I had to a godsend overnight. She even gained experience when healing fellow guild members, boosting her exp gain. In between the healing, Krog took her out to destroy silvers, raising her level by over a thousand over the last week or so. Krog even sent updates on all this as it occurred, keeping me in the loop at all times.

All in all, it was a boon I never expected. Maybe that's because my expectations were low. I figured it's better to be that way. I was never disappointed and pleasantly surprised sometimes.

Krog was becoming one of those surprises. He was reminding me of Torix at this point, his political skill uncanny. Considering the guy was once a general, it made perfect sense. He was bound to have some skills in that department.

Unlike with Chrona and Sheom who were given their position based on their battle sense, Krog's logistical abilities made him invaluable. It kind of left me envious. He was using his resources better than I had, his social prowess dwarfing my own. I swallowed my pride though, remembering that as individuals, we each had our own strengths.

It was still a bitter pill to gulp down, however.

I shook off that bit of jealousy, glancing at the three titans. Though Krog's efforts impressed me most, they all supported the cause in their own way. With each of them here, I stayed standing up,

”It's good you all made it here so quickly. There's something important I need to discuss with each of you.”

Krog gave me a curt nod, ”What is it that you have to report?”

He was falling into the whole general more than I expected.

”Well, something is going to happen to Rivaria during the award ceremony in four days.”

Krog's eyes widened, ”Why didn't you tell us sooner?”

”I had no information about it, and I still don't. I didn't want to stop you guys from accomplishing real tasks to handle something so vague.”

Chrona blinked, ”If there's no information of the assault, then there's little we can plan to do. Perhaps we may host members of your army around the city to assist with evacuation. I can think of no more we can do.”

Krog growled, ”These gialgathens have grown lazy and fat since the war has ended. They won't listen to an evacuation order. Even my warnings of a storm on our horizons do us little.”

Sheom's eyes narrowed, ”That's too high a price to pay for simple knowledge.”

Krog shook his head, ”Some lessons may only be learned in exchange for blood.”

It made sense why Sheom wasn't on their side during the civil war. From what I'd seen, they were always butting heads. I intervened before the issue spiraled any further,

”Enough. We're sticking with a simple strategy. We're splitting you three into teams, each of you having seven gialgathens under you. Decide who gets who amongst yourselves.” I raised a hand,

”During the award ceremony, you'll be patrolling the city. If anything crops up, go in as a team and destroy it.”

Chrona smiled, her sharp teeth showing, ”That seems simple enough. It will prevent us from being overwhelmed should we face another Hybrid.”

Sheom frowned, ”What will you do?”

”I have to visit an award ceremony in Yildraza. I'll be rushing back to Rivaria right after its finished.”

Sheom tilted her head, her eyes narrowing, ”So a trophy is more important to you than Rivaria?”

I crossed my arms, ”It's the mythical compendium that I give a shit about. It will help me progress rapidly in my goals. Those goals don't include being a savior to people who can save themselves.” I scowled,

” If anything, I've done more than enough by informing you all and getting some gialgathens into the system. What do you expect from me?”

”Could this outing not wait until after the coming invasion? You're exchanging people's lives for your convenience.” Sheom snapped.

Krog growled, ”I see you're used to dealing with saints then, Sheom. We are not so helpless as to need his guidance in every matter, and he has a life to live as well.”

Krog turned to me, his chest puffed out, ”Allow me to thank you for all that you've done.”

Sheom bit her lip. She murmured, ”I...I overreacted.”

I didn't give two fucks about this drama. I suppressed the desire to roll my eyes, ”It's fine. Focus on what matters; prepare yourselves for an incoming invasion. You were all part of a war, right? Use some of those skills to get this shit done.”

Krog gave me a curt nod, ”Of course, Dark One.” Chrona followed suit with Sheom. I raised my hands, ”I'm your leader, yeah, but this isn't a militant organization.”

Krog shook his head, ”They may do as they wish. I prefer more formal lines of command.”

Huh. This was a strange feeling.