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Mana System In The Apocalypse Found
It was a full three days before my Reaper title picked up Javier’s location. That gave me a good estimate of how far the tracker reached. I figured it was around a thousand miles. It wasn’t a perfect estimate though as the barge was traveling away from us almost the entire time.It seemed that whoever was giving the orders on the barge wanted to get into South America. Probably to avoid exactly what was happening right now. Maybe they figured if they got far enough away, even if I could track them that I would just write it off. Well, they didn’t know me very well. The barge I didn’t care too much about, it could be replaced but I had grown to like Javier. He was quiet but worked hard. I treated him and Maria more like siblings than employees.I tried to follow the path of the barge as closely as I could. It would seem whoever was in control skirted over the Pacific Ocean to avoid the larger population centers. That was probably smart, seeing as Mexico City looked like a wasteland and
Mana System In The Apocalypse Choices
The dense vegetation and thick vines made traversing the jungle difficult for Maria and me. More Maria, than I as I had much higher agility. Ska had no issues as this was his element. No sooner had we stepped inside the foliage than he practically disappeared from view, thanks to his mottled fur.Ska would do what he did best and scout out our path ahead, warning us if we needed to detour.Stealth wasn’t needed thanks to the incessant drone of bugs, and animal noises. You had to practically shout to be heard over the sounds. Which was good because hacking through the jungle wasn’t a quiet affair.Ska kept returning and adjusting our course as we pushed ahead. I could tell we were getting close from the sounds of the river in the distance. The darkness was all-consuming and made me feel wary of what lurked just beyond my limited sight. I stopped Maria and handed her a bottle, motioning for her to drink it. She did with a bit of hesitation.The effects were immediate as I drank mine, th
Mana System In The Apocalypse Mourning
The trip back was a struggle, both emotionally and physically. The first physical obstacle was the barge itself. Taking it with us would make us a huge target. Leaving it behind would be a waste.I decided to remove anything of value and abandon the barge in the jungle. A plasma cutter helped make quick work of cutting the panels free. Removing the control systems and runic lines took longer but within two days everything had been stripped, leaving nothing behind but a steel shell. I imagined a lot of confusion would follow for anyone coming across the sight of an ocean barge sitting in a jungle near a river barely large enough to float a canoe down.Maria remained silent on the trip home, with only the occasional sob slipping from her lips. She was having a hard time dealing with what happened or I suspected what I had done. So it wasn’t surprising when we arrived in Saint June and she hurried off without a word. She needed time to grieve and process what had happened. I hoped she wo
Mana System In The Apocalypse Nascent Republic
Not much changed in the month after bringing Martin and Fiona back to Saint June, at least for me. Martin had managed to make a name for himself across the town and as I expected he was well-liked. Elections hadn’t been held yet and nobody wanted to go the route of declaring that they were now the new city lord.The new barge was completed and I trained an older gentleman that used to be a train conductor to operate it. His level was a bit on the low side so it required that I pair him up with an assistant that could help charge the mana hearts. It was probably a good idea to have two people anyway in case something happened. I would have to find someone to help Maria as well when she returned. Not that she needed it, but I knew that being alone and dwelling on your darker thoughts was not a healthy way to live.Ska had joined the town guard along with Fiona. Although, I did take Fiona out with me to try and level her up.Ska had finally tipped over into level twenty. I was a bit surp
Mana System In The Apocalypse Cleaning House
Fiona and I spent a week practicing and got to a point where I could endure her whole form within me for a minute. I really hoped that was enough time.She had been busy as well, managing to identify four of the spies. The other two were much better at remaining hidden. I wanted to catch all six but I didn’t think we had the time. Martin had received a message from the Marshall, informing him that a Lord Vik’t had paid a personal visit to Houston.It only helped confirm that Houston had allied itself with the Enchanters Guild. I knew it would only be a matter of time – if he hadn’t already – until Rosewill told the Lord about me. With that came two possibilities that I could see. One they would try and tie me to their organization or they would try and get rid of me. I had heard plenty of stories in the Bazaar about how the Guild conducted business and had no doubt they would do the same to me. That had been my driving force for erecting the wall and the forcefield.But that was also
Mana System In The Apocalypse Free Of Interference
Fiona and I examined the obsidian-colored pedestal in the center of the room. As we neared it, glowing characters emerged along the top. They were not in any language I was familiar with and the system didn’t translate them for me. I looked over to Fiona and she shook her head. Well, guess there wasn’t much we could do with this.“So, I know what a node is, but why is it such a big deal?” I asked, the sound of my voice seemed to get sucked up by the room so it only came out as barely above a whisper.Fiona motioned to back out of the room and I followed.“That was weird,” I stated as I crossed out of the room. My voice had returned to a normal volume.“Yeah,” she said, eyeing the room with an odd look upon her face. “…I only know a bit about node chambers. I haven’t ever seen one though. Most of what I know is only rumors spread across centuries so I can’t say for certain any of it is accurate.”“Fair enough, I would like to know anyway.”“Well, most people believe a node chamber allo
Mana System In The Apocalypse In Charge
“You seem awfully nonplussed for someone that just murdered a group of people,” Kurt angrily replied as he glared at me.I had just finished going over what had occurred with the Stygian Order base with him and Martin. I hadn’t expected the man to get so up in arms about it but I guess I shouldn’t have been too surprised. He did capitulate to a bunch of thugs instead of gathering his officers and driving them off. I think he still had that pre-System mindset that killing people should result in my arrest. It would be pretty funny if he tried. Well, funny for me maybe.“Have you ever had to kill another human being?” I asked instead of just ignoring the man’s ignorant assertion.I watched him flounder as his mouth worked uselessly for a bit. Eventually, he turned away before replying. “No.”“Then you have no qualifications to judge my actions. I don’t kill because I enjoy it, I do it because it is necessary. Over the last year, I have had to kill more people than I care to count. You m
Mana System In The Apocalypse Keeping up with the Joneses
I dodged to the side as the gorlophant rushed through the space I had just been occupying, trying to gore me with its horn.I heard the creature let out a deafening screech as Fiona let loose with the prismatic rapier. The creature's tough hide parted like thin paper to the blade's edge and ability to nullify magic. Learning that their tough hide wasn’t just thick but also magical had come as a bit of a shock but it explained why it had been so hard to take them down in our previous attempt.Using the distraction, I hauled my staff back and swung with all my might at the creature’s back knee. The lion head of my staff impacted with a muffled boom and the angry beast stumbled under the blow, swinging its head toward me and lashing out with its powerfully muscled trunk.I was forced to implement Time Shudder to avoid the blow, dancing backward and out of range of the injured beast. Fiona used the distraction to attack its other flank and it turned back toward her. I used the time to sca
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- Mana System In The Apocalypse
Fight For Affection
Was the person in the mirror really Henry and not an international supermodel?Henry could not help but wonder.However, Mia's reaction told Henry that it was not an illusion.Mia's mouth was wide open as she walked to Henry's side in shock. She looked at him in the mirror and was amazed."Oh my God, Henry, I never realized that you're so handsome! Gosh, you look so good."As Mia spoke, she couldn't help but touch Henry's firm chest."Oh my God, these firm pecs are worth dying for…"Henry looked at Mia, who was acting like a pervert. He shook his head helplessly and slapped her hand away."Alright, now that I've changed my clothes, let's hurry to the banquet before we go late. I'm not known for attending any events late." Hearing this, Mia finally came back to her senses. "Ah, yes. We have to hurry over. With such a handsome companion by my side, I'd like to see if those little b*tches will still show off in front of me," Mia proudly said as she pulled Henry's arm.After that, they q
- Mana System In The Apocalypse
Epilogue
Martin strode down the hall of the capitol building with a worried smile on his face. He was a bit greyer now but he still oozed charm and confidence. Time had been kind to him.The city had become a booming metropolis in the ten years since Paul returned, after his year and a half of being missing. Martin knew something had happened because one day a bunch of massive flying ships had come from nowhere and obliterated the ships that had been harassing the city non-stop for over six months. They had quickly taken care of Lord Vik’t and his remaining forces, the man managing to flee back to his homeworld before the Guild caught him.When Paul had returned, he had returned a quiet man. You could see the loss in his eyes. But the man pushed on and his businesses flourished, producing the Earth’s mightiest warships and most advanced runic items. Then five years after Paul returned, he took a fleet of ten of his capital ships and vanished for another year.When he returned again, the ships
- Mana System In The Apocalypse
The devil you know
As soon as the pirates realized the Guild ships were approaching the island, they broke off the fighting and retreated toward the edge of town to dig in. They weren’t stupid enough to attack the Guild but it seemed they wanted to ensure there wasn’t an accidental incident.One of the Guild ships docked and the Captain stepped off to greet the three of us. I had been carried over by Barcos and Em’ah on the same chair she plopped me in the night before. My legs were looking less like mashed potatoes now and instead looked like mushed putty. It was hard to ignore the sensation of the bones moving around within my shattered legs but I was managing.“Captain Paul, I hope this wasn’t a last-ditch attempt to hold off your enemy. I can assure you, we will leave for safer shores immediately if it was.”I ignored the man’s condescending snark before replying. “You have the agreement from the Director?”“I do,” he smiled. “Do you wish to review it?”I nodded and he produced a stack of documents
- Mana System In The Apocalypse
A Valuable Lesson
Groaning, I opened my eyes. All I saw was darkness. I tried turning my head or moving but it seemed like I was pinned in place.I fought down the urge to panic as I evaluated my condition. My arms were still broken, the sharp stabbing pain when I tried to move them told me as much. I could breathe though so my organs had healed after the beating I had taken. That was something at least.Seeing as I was in no immediate danger of dying, I checked my skills. My blood ran cold as I saw what remained of my abilities.[Rejuvenate][Multicast][Eye of the Storm][Aura of Rage][Calcifying Strike]Frostwave][Orb of Darkness][Energy Lance][Overcharge][Tempest Ball]That was the sum total of all the skills I now had. They had stripped me of every ability I had stolen from them along with every ability my second class gave me by default, making it impossible to recover skills by stealing them from others.I let out a morbid little chuckle as I lay there. Tears of frustration leaked from the
- Mana System In The Apocalypse
Unexpected arrival
Those two words seemed to freeze everyone in place, but it wasn’t magic that caused it, it was fear. My body was frozen along with everyone else but my eyes rose into the air, tracking two creatures as they forced the magical fog away from the entire area with some ability.It was hard to tell by their alien physiology but I got the distinct impression they were looking directly at me. The initial fear was subsiding and people were starting to move again until the larger of the two squid-like creatures cast a spell. I managed to get off an Identify before the spell hit.[Ulq | Void Hunter/Maw of the Void | 47/41][Xiph | Psy Commando/Maw of the Void | 45/42]My body shook as I realized they were here for me but not a single person or even the entire pirate armada currently assembled here would be able to kill these two creatures.I felt the spell wash over the area and everyone was frozen again but a halo of golden light burst into existence above my head, washing away the spell’s eff
- Mana System In The Apocalypse
Beachhead
The meager fleet of ships I was now in charge of, rose from the dock and slowly spiraled into the air to get above the mist. The chaotic coloration of the mana storm was visible in the distance even through the mist. That meant the enemy was almost upon the island.The Retribution was the first ship to breach the thick covering and it was no surprise to see the enemy ships had spread out in a crescent shape to surround the island. Enemy fast attack craft zipped toward our location and I double-checked that everything was working as it should. I had also turned the mana accumulator back on.I sometimes wished I had been able to fit multiple layers of shielding on the ship. But my experiments in that regard had not gotten anywhere. Shields that close together acted like soap bubbles. Either they popped completely or merged together, but it didn’t increase the strength of the shield when they did. The only way to prevent this was to have separate bubble shields that only covered a certai
- Mana System In The Apocalypse
The Storm
After weeks of sitting around, the Retribution finally got to fly again.Knowing we were leaving, the harbor was a beehive of activity. Cobbled together crews were drilling aboard the other captured pirate ships. The people knew it wasn’t a matter of if, but a matter of when another enemy would appear.As soon as Khikall got us away from the docks and any possible collision, I engaged the cloak. It was far more effective now that I could enable and disable the automatic recharging system. The massive disruption of mana we used to leave in our wake was now a tiny trail.I hadn’t had time to figure out a way to smooth our passing completely but this would have to do. I also had Em’ah watching for trails from a crudely assembled periscope. Now she didn’t need to be on the deck to use her Mana Sense skill.Speaking of skills… I had picked up a few from the last fight. I also managed to finally hit level twenty in my Maw of the Void class. I stuck two of my stats in Strength, one in Endura
- Mana System In The Apocalypse
Troubled water
I watched as the workers placed the last armor panel in position and began to weld it into place. It had taken a few weeks to repair the damages from our fight but the Retribution was looking almost new.The replaced sections were clearly visible by the heat transfer in the titanium. I could easily fix that when I turned the thermal defenses on. It should make everything a uniform color. Paint would work too, I suppose, but why cover up the beauty of the metal.It was a good thing the ship was complete, over the last few days, we had been getting reports from the Guild merchant ships that were stopping to trade, and they weren’t good.Large fleets of pirate ships spotted raiding islands. The Capital of the Avulian Protectorate was sacked and all of the leadership missing. The remaining fleets of the Protectorate were attacking any ship that wasn’t theirs or the Guild's. Cities burning due to the slaves I helped free, it was madness and it was spreading.Already I could hear concerned
- Mana System In The Apocalypse
Turncoat
Captain Grulaine hissed in annoyance as his second in command handed him his “orders”. His second flinched back and hurried out of the room. If he hadn’t, Grulaine may have cut him down in a fit of pique. It galled Grulaine to be under the thumb of another. He had gotten rid of his father for that very same reason. And now thanks to a series of unfortunate events, he found himself beholden to the damn pirate king Black Gar’s lap dog.How was he to know the repair yard where he went was controlled by that snake. If he had he certainly wouldn’t have agreed to the loan to effect repairs to his cannons and ship. Repairs that had taken far longer than necessary, and left Grulaine on the sidelines as the entire protectorate seemed to be crumbling around him. An opportunity-rich environment he wasn’t able to take advantage of.But that wasn’t the most galling part. He found that his repairs were delayed on purpose so Gar could tighten his stranglehold on the local pirates. By the time Grulai
