Chapter 246: A Reprieve (2/2)
+ 1,000% physical damage, +5% to total damage, + 1000 pounds of mass(453 Kilograms), + 1% to damage resistance cap, +10% to potency of quintessence mana, Innate Mana Shield (1,000,000/1,000,000)
+25% to blood production
+10% to pain resistance
+500 to Endurance and Willpower
+300 to Constitution, Strength, and Intelligence
+200 to all other stats
I scratched the back of my head, ”Well...maybe it won't make you strong enough. I was expecting a bit more if I'm honest.”
Kessiah fell backward. She gasped, ”What is this armor?”
I glanced away, a bit of shame welling up, ”Look, I only had three hours to make this. I get it's not-”
”Three hours? You made this since the battle?”
”Well, yeah.”
Nora peered at the armor then back up to me. I might as well have been an Old One standing before her,
”This is the most powerful equipment I've ever seen...Ever.”
I scoffed, ”Well then you're in for a surprise when you see Torix. I made that body of his.”
Nora flatlined, ”No wonder the Overseer said you guys were some of the best Schema had. I'm...I'm going to get back to healing. It's better if I just stay in my lane after all.”
I pointed at the Hemonic Equalizer, ”I can make something like this for you guys too. You just have to perform.”
Nora turned to me, the fins on the side of her face wiggling, ”Really?”
I nodded. I turned and began walking off, ”Yes. Really.”
Pacing off, Nora whispered to Kessiah, ”He makes artifact level gear for just this?”
Kessiah shook her head, ”Yup.”
Man, I didn't know what I did was this unusual. In fact, I didn't know much about the average person in Schema's system. The system was so vast that maybe knowing the average was impossible, but I could get a better general idea, at least. I put that in the back of my mind before pulling myself over towards the center of Elderfire.
Surrounded by Schema's workers, I found Torix waiting for me. The lich raised a hand, ”Perhaps leaving a planet owner waiting isn't the best of ideas?”
I grinned, ”Eh, he'll be just fine.”
Torix turned towards the warp, ”Let's not leave that up to chance. Let's be off, shall we?”
”Of course.”
We stepped through one of the warps, already primed for us to teleport. Walking through the cloud of ionized mist, we stepped out onto the second floor of Mt. Verner. The machines and technical work whirred around us as industry boomed.
Seeing the fruit of our labors coming to fruition was nice. At the edge of the shooting range, a group of unusual people talked. Hod, Althea, and Amara chatted with Helios of all people. Althea looked beautiful if a bit wartorn. She and I locked eyes, and I murmured,
”Hey beautiful.”
Reading my lips, she peered away, blushing with a sheepish grin. As Torix and I stepped up, Hod spread his wings,
”Hod think fluffy man like dry man. Fluffy man should not let Hod words overwhelm him.” Hod cupped his chin, nodding with absolute confidence,
”Hod understand if Hod smartness too much for fluffy man.”
Helios stood there, facepalming his mask. Althea covered her mouth, forcing her bouts of laughter down. Every now and again, a snicker would come out. Even Amara looked amused, a telltale grin tracing her eyeless face. The hacking eldritch tilted her head to Helios, peering through the slitted eyes on her palms,
”Is Hod overwhelming this wolf, perhaps? You should sharpen your teeth to those that hold different views to your own. Otherwise, this wolf will be left without fangs.”
Althea just held back even more laughter. As I walked up, I patted Helios's back, giving him a slight shake,
”Ah, I see you met Hod. He's just a blast, isn't he?”
Helios kept facepalming before I bust out laughing. I laughed a lot harder than I ever expected to. Althea laughed with me, even Torix and Amara joining in. Helios lifted his head, his black mask covering his face,
”In a way, associating yourself with such people is fitting. It's precisely what I expected.”
Torix turned a palm to Hod, ”Over time, you'll adjust to-”
Hod snapped out his words, ”Is that dry man?”
The entire group glanced at Torix. Even Helios gave him a good look over. Torix covered his mouth, ”Ahem, it is I, Torix. What of it?”
Hod put his winged arms onto his hips, ”Hod must admit, Hod impressed. Dry man no longer dry. Dry man actually like wrathful lich now instead of just saying dry man like wrathful lich. Hod approve.”
Despite the compliment still being backhanded, Torix waved a hand, trying to find a way of taking the commendation,
”Well, ahem, this much is to be expected of me. Now, let us move onto more fruitful discussions, such as our meeting with the Emperor.”
Helios seemed visibly shaken by Torix's transformation. The world ruler turned his head towards me, ”Did you craft this body out of your own skin?”
I nodded, ”Yeah. Took a few days.”
Helios stepped up to Torix, ”You mentioned this lich being your master. A disciple that's willing to give his blood and flesh for the good of his master...Nothing more could be asked of him, could it?”
Torix stared at me with pride, ”This only a mere fragment of his goodwill. It is I who chose him, after all.”
Helios gestured a hand to Torix's arm, ”Would you mind if I inspected this closer for a moment?”
Torix glanced at me, and I gave him a thumbs up. Torix raised his arm, and Helios glanced at it then back to me, ”This is artifact level work. You've never mentioned being this skilled a craftsman.”
”I'd rather my work speak for itself.”
”Understandable. Actions speak louder than words.” Helios turned towards our group as he let Torix's arm go. He gave us a slow nod,
”I've long wondered why Schema had the nerve to grant your guild an S- ranking. Now that I've seen it in person, along with the ingenuity of humans, it seems far more justified. I am impressed, and perhaps even the Emperor will be as well. Are each of you ready to meet him?”
Torix and I nodded. Althea phased off of our plane while whispering,
”Uh, no.”
Gone without a trace, Helios peered around,
”She dissipated, hm?”
The situation reminded me of when he encapsulated Althea in ice back on Giess. With a bit more spite than I intended, I made a finger pistol pointed at his head,
”Yup. She could fire a spear right between your eyes if she wanted to. Considering her bolts could pierce me, I doubt you'd survive, but hey, who knows. Maybe keep that in mind next time you want to cover someone in ice though?”
The room's mood shifted in an instant, hostility lingering in the air. I glared at the Fringe Walker as his neck twitched a bit. After the slight shiver, Helios stayed composed. He murmured through clenched teeth,
”I...I shall do so, Harbinger. It is a mistake I will not make again.”
I frowned at him as I seethed,
”Yeah, probably a good idea.”
A phatasmal hand gripped mine. It was an odd sensation, but I knew it was Althea. I held her hand as a tense silence passed over us. Breaking the ice, Amara turned to Hod, who stood there with his scrawny chest puffed out. With his winged arms on his hips, the eltari puffed his chest out even more as he announced,
”Amara and I dating. Amara not accept yet, but Hod believe. Hod always believe.”
Amara turned back to Helios, ”...I am not ready to see the Emperor.”
Helios cupped his jaw, peering at me, ”Perhaps visiting him would be preferred?”
I shrugged, ”Doesn't matter to me.”
Helios waved his arm,
”Then we shall meet him upon Vivaria. He's deep within an enormous dungeon there known as Gargantua. He's searching for relics of a bygone era. Do both of you find that interesting? If so, I may warp us there at this very moment.”
Torix turned to me, ”He's piqued my personal interest.”
”Yeah, sounds cool. Let's go.”
Helios took a step into the portal,
”Then let us go. Obolis is waiting.”