The most common method of transportation in the Ark is using train services, provided by Elysion's AZX train services. It is free to use and the only public method of transportation available in the Ark. This doesn't mean that it is the only method to go anywhere inside of the Ark. Car exists, but it is only used by the Sovereigns, aka the upper-crust of Ark society. They are absurdly wealthy, and even their citizen chips are either made of rare organic materials or custom works by famous designers. Cars are the way they show off their wealth and status to ordinary citizens inside of the ark.
However, to a CEO of a big three such as Syuen, Sovereigns wealth is just a speck of dust. To her, who can move Missilis resources like her own hand, having a personal method of transportation inside of the Ark is a must.
This is why Syuen can brood privately in the back seat of her limousine, drumming her manicured nails in irritation against the leather. The fancy car hummed as it glided down the only elevator connecting the Outpost to the Ark. It is big enough to transport heavy equipment weighing around 30-50 tons. Strong enough to carry 200 Nikkes in one go.
Syuen stared out the tinted window, eyes narrowed as she mulled over the confrontation with Sam. No one had ever dared to defy her like that. Not with a piercingly cold look in his eyes, or with a ferocious aura he seems to emit as natural as he breathes. It was like standing on the jaws of an ultimate predator, which is also why it had lit a fire in her chest, one that refused to cool down no matter how many justifications she threw at it.
Who did he think he was, honestly? He is just a novice commander! Even if he had some great achievement, like taking a Blacksmith with just two Nikkes, a commander like him should always obey someone far above the ladder like her!
She replayed the scene in her mind, jaw clenching in annoyance. He had looked at her as if she were nothing more than an obstacle. He hadn't just disobeyed her; he'd outright mocked her authority, dismissing her like some… annoying child.
But his record had caught her attention, even before this defiance. She had originally planned for Wardress' debut to involve a highly risky mission—a daring, unauthorized capture of a Tyrant-class Rapture. A Tyrant-class rapture with unique characteristics.
It is the kind of operation that the Central Government would never approve of because it is a high-stakes mission that was suicidal for most commanders. After all, 70% of all commanders are killed in action during the first engagement alone, and the number dropped even further during the second engagement.
She had intended to give this mission to some faceless, small-time commander. A "one-and-done" commander if you will. But Sam had just proven he wasn't ordinary. He not only completed a mission but had defeated a Blacksmith and survived a Gravedigger long enough to be rescued. That made him something competent. And now, after his insubordination, she was more determined than ever to see him take it on.
Two nikkes sat across her, busy enjoying each other's presence, though one looked slightly more tense than the other. Yuni draped her arm possessively over Mihara's shoulder, despite being shorter. She traces an idle pattern on Mihara's sleeve, a gesture that spoke of familiarity and comfort. Mihara, while enjoying her partner's presence, looked apprehensive. She is aware that Syuen is currently in a stormy mood, at least more than Yuni. She occasionally met Syuen's gaze, then averted her eyes just as quickly, silently acknowledging that she should not speak.
"I want your excuse, Mihara." Syuen said. Her voice breaks the monotonous sound of a humming elevator. "How did you end up losing your hold over him?" She interrogated, with a tone dripping in scorn. "I was under the impression that your abilities should not just stop working like that."
Mihara winced, anticipating Syuen's interrogation. Meanwhile, Yuni looked at her partner in worry, sensing that she was in distress from Syuen's questioning.
Mihara bites her lips as she chooses her words carefully. To her, it feels as if she is tiptoeing through broken glass. "I… I'm unsure, ma'am." Mihara said. "One moment I had him, I felt the connection that swapped our senses. Then all of a sudden, it was like he was never under my hold at all."
Syuen narrowed her eyes. "So you don't know, then." she sneered, looking entirely displeased by Mihara's admission. "You're supposed to have better control over your power than that, Mihara. Perhaps I've been wasting my resources if you can't even control it." Syuen said with condescension, not even attempting to mask her dissatisfaction.
Mihara flinched but held her gaze steady. "I swear, ma'am, I did everything as usual. I didn't release him at all."
"Oh, wonderful. So now he's just immune to your power, is that it?" Syuen's voice escalated, dripping with both fury and frustration as she folded her arms, glaring at the two Nikkes.
Before she could press Mihara further, her phone rang. Irritated at the interruption, she glanced down at her work phone. One of her senior event planners is calling, probably wanting to discuss the final arrangements for Wardress' high-profile debut.
"What is it?" She answered the call impatiently.
"Apologies for the interruption, Ms. Syuen. We are finalizing the details for Wardress' debut. Should we proceed with the current timetable?" The event planner asks with a deferential tone.
Slowly, A plan began to take shape in her mind. It is a plan about how to get him to do a secret mission for her.
"No. Postpone it by a week." Syuen said. "I have found the perfect commander for the job. I just need to… arrange a few things."
There was a pause on the other end. "Are you certain, ma'am? Delaying the debut might complicate—"
"Complications are not my concern." Syuen cut them off. "Just do as I said. He will handle the mission when I tell him to."
The event planner murmured an acknowledgment. They sounded both puzzled and apprehensive at Syuen's tone. Then before they could ask any further, Syuen ended the call.
"I may have found the perfect role for our rebellious commander after all." She said, turning her stare back to Mihara and Yuni. "He thinks he can stand against me? He will soon learn precisely who holds his leash." She added coldly yet filled with triumph.
"Ehm, is it you ma'am?" Yuni inquired innocently.
That question caused an image to pop up inside of Syuen's head. It is the image of commander Sam kneeling ferociously in front of her, wearing a skin latex suit that wrapped his muscular figure nicely. He looked so much like a tamed beast, one that was leashed with a dog collar around his neck, adorned with a small tag with her name written on it.
She shakes her head, trying to remove that enticing image from her mind. "W-well! O-of course it's m-m-me!" She said, looking flustered because of a simple question. She did not know why she couldn't get that damned commander's face out of her thoughts.
"You didwhat?!" Anis yelled at me a few seconds after I was done recounting what had happened just after they all passed out.
To be honest, I don't know when they all passed out. I thought they were awake when Syuen started her second and third rounds of mags dumping. I swear I heard at least one of them yell at me in worry just before Celestial Forge sent me [World's Maker].
Neon hums thoughtfully while sitting on a different couch on my right. "If you want it listed in order, then Mentor had punched Syuen, insulted her manner, then insulted her skill and unearned position, then somehow told her to get lost. And it somehow works against all odds! Truly amazing Mentor!" I chuckled at the two thumbs up she had given to me.
Looking unbothered by Neon's summary, Anis looks at me with worry. "Sam, do you have any idea what you just did? Syuen has her fingers deep in every pie inside of Ark! She can mess with our supply lines in a hundred different ways!" She threw her hands up, sounding frustrated at the possibility of getting cheated of our supplies by the bratty CEO. "Hell, she probably could demote you out of the military from the fact that you assaulted her!" She added with even more worry.
Because Anis sat across from me on the couch, I couldn't give her a reassuring pat on her shoulder. So I do the next best thing according to [SCIENCE]. I reach out her left hand and gently squeeze it in order to calm her down. With my [Technomancy, I can feel that her equivalent of heartbeat starts to slow down.
"I know, Anis." I said, keeping my voice steady. "You're absolutely right to worry. Syuen is not the type to just let something like this slide. She could possibly do everything you just suggested."
Anis narrowed her eyes, still looking worried for me. "If you know that, then why did you still do it, Sam?"
I took a deep breath before answering her. "At first, it was because I was annoyed at her rude and dismissive behavior. Then it was because she was about to step on my head. After losing sense because of whatever Yuni did, punching her sounds a lot more attractive." I chuckled while scratching my head embarrassedly. Anis just stared at me, waiting for my continuation. So I did.
"I did not expect whatever Mihara did back then. Watching you all writhing in pain because of her angers me. So I insulted her, hoping that she would only focus whatever it was on me. Which she thankfully did." I clenched my left hand, remembering the anger back then.
Rapi, who sat beside me, covered my clenched hand with her hands while putting it on her lap. She stared at me with a gentle smile, something I did not think she would even give to me. "I am sorry for worrying you, Commander Sam." She said gently.
Before I could assure her that it wasn't her fault, Anis cut me off. "You still punched Syuen Sam. She only needs to bring it up to the Central Government and then you would be demoted."
Taking a deep breath again, I started explaining what my [SCIENCE] had analyzed from her demeanor. "She did, but I am certain she would not. See, Syuen built up this image of her being untouchable. If it got out that some nobody like me from the military decked her and told her to get lost, it'd shatter that illusion. She would lose face, and that kind of humiliation is worse than anything I did to her since she values her pride so much."
Taking her left hand back, she then folded her arm below her chest. "So she would rather sweep this whole thing under the rug than admit you actually got her?"
"Exactly." I said, nodding in agreement. "She is the living textbook example of 'pride comes before fall'."
Anis's posture finally eased a bit, though she kept shaking her head like she still couldn't quite believe what she had heard. "I don't know if that's reassuring or terrifying. So… we're just supposed to carry on, knowing she's probably plotting something to make our lives harder?"
"Pretty much." I said, giving a wry smile. "But hey, at least we will see it coming."
"I think it's brilliant, Mentor!" Neon piped up. "You stood up to her and stayed true! Just like a Hero would!"
Rapi gave Neon a sidelong glance, utterly unimpressed. "Neon, this isn't a Tetra Line drama channel."
Anis sighed, shaking her head but with a faint smile now. "I swear, if we have to start bartering for our own ammo because of this, there is going to be a riot." She offers her right hand.
"That a deal." I take her hand and shake them in agreement.
Funny thing about [Technomancy]. While it is really good at creating electronics, something that needs really high structural integrity is not its focus. It can create Nikke's gun just fine. Still, I would trust the one that it assembles from available parts more than something crafted from raw material alone. This is because [Technomancy] only reshapes the ingredients into the required shape, not refining and reinforcing the materials. The gun that was made from raw materials is less durable and less powerful than the one [Technomancy] assembled.
That would normally be the case if I did not know about Material sciences thanks to [Science], a way to revise [Technomancy]'s mistake by using [Alchemy], and the experience of handling metal and crafting weapons from [Workshop Artisan]. With them all working in tandem, [Technomancy] can even create an effective sword out of Rapture parts, even if it takes more than twenty minutes to actually craft it.
But why would creating a sword matter in the slightest?
Because then I can recreate a trick weapon that combines a sword and a gun, Reiterpallasch.
"Anis, turn on your shield!" I warned her as a sniping Rapture was about to shoot her from far enough that none of us could intercept it in time.
Anis raises her left hand and activates the shielding enhancement quickly. The Goddessium arm guard projected a shimmering energy shield just in time for it to absorb the impact of a staggering laser beam from that far away Rapture. She gritted her teeth at the impact caused by blocking it, but at least it would not tear a hole through her chest now.
In response, I use my half-hour-old Reiterpallasch/gun sword to shoot its core, causing it to explode magnificently. With it destroyed, we can now focus on handling several approaching ground-bound bound husk-class Raptures.
"Neon, keep them scattered with your explosives. Rapi, focus on taking out the dispersed Raptures. Anis, harass the approaching group on your left. I will cover our right flank." I instructed calmly, stepping in and out of [Strategy Trance] as needed.
"You got it, Commander!" Neon replied as she threw several explosives I had requisitioned today, spreading them inside their formation. Several deafening explosions followed, metal fragments and debris flying as several Raptures were ripped apart or thrown off balance.
"Understood." Rapi said as she prepared to move. With her superior mobility, it is easy for Rapi to remove the disoriented and isolated survivors. She is going through their number like a machine, delivering fatal shots to their energy storage while keeping their core intact. This is something we had agreed upon before taking this mission, as our mission is to gather several Rapture cores in exchange for resources.
"Gotcha Commander." Anis said while guarding our left flank. She is busy launching her grenades into the formation of the approaching Raptures group. The following explosions break their charge and slow them down, eroding their number and shredding their armor. If any Rapture got particularly close to our group, she shifted her focus and took them out immediately.
A movement on our right instantly caught my attention. From a collapsed building about 70 meters away, I can glimpse a group of Rapture aligning their weapon at us. I do several simulations inside of [Strategy Trance], then deduce that it is faster to take them out if I approach them instead of keeping my distance.
Shifting my gun sword into sword mode, I bolted to their position in less than three seconds. With the same ease of movement from tens of repetitions inside of [Strategy Trance], I slashed the first Rapture within my reach. Thanks to my enhanced strength, the sword cut through its body and exposed its inner parts. I grab its power storage and rip it out casually, powering it off. I destroyed the other three in the same way, making sure I did not damage their cores in the process. After ensuring I did not miss anything, I dashed back to my squad.
Scanning the battlefield and matching them to my mental map, I note that we are almost done with this encounter. We just need to eliminate the leftovers. Ten minutes later, we are done dispatching the Raptures.
"All clear, Mentor!" Neon called out, cheerfully saluting at me.
I salute back. "Good job everyone! Let's gather the cores and head back before more of them can show up." I said, lowering my hand and then sheathing my trick weapon.
As the squad began collecting the remaining Rapture cores and parts scattered across the battlefield, I took a moment to let my wild battle instinct relax. I am not tired despite encountering 3 different hordes of Raptures for the last one and a half hours, but mentally I am a bit drained. Stepping in and out of [Strategy Trance] might not take a toll on my physical and mental stamina, but repeating a scenario over and over is exhausting my will. It is like playing the same stage at the same level in a game over and over until you like the outcome. Sure, it is fun for the first few runs, but doing it too many times in a short period will bore you to death.
We finished clearing up the battlefield and collected intact cores and Rapture parts 30 minutes later. We even managed to extract the core of that sniper Rapture, even if it is as big as five husk-class cores stacked on top of each other. It is certainly a heavy one. Meanwhile, the Rapture parts we extracted are mostly their armor and some weapon parts that are not working.
After everyone gathers close, I unclasp my briefcase from my back and hold it with my right hand. I press a button to open a portal back to my room and wait as patiently as they sort them all inside my room in neatly organized piles. Rapi set down the sniper core carefully, our largest haul today.
"You know Mentor, we probably need a bigger room in the future to store all of this." Neon cheerfully said while she stacked Rapture parts on top of one another like a Jenga.
"Good points." I chuckled, gesturing to the briefcase. "In my defense, I intended to use this briefcase as emergency escape equipment. I will probably modify this in the future so it could open a portal to anywhere in the outpost." I added.
Anis raises her eyebrow and looks at me questioningly, setting down another bag filled with Rapture cores in the meantime. "Not that I mind instant portal back to the Outpost, but why do we need to gather all of these? It felt like we were going to build a whole master-class Rapture with how many parts we had taken."
"Credits, mostly." I answered with a cheeky grin, which she did not appreciate as she looked at me dryly. "In all seriousness, we did not know if Syuen would ever try to delay supplies shipment to the Outpost, but it is better to have disposable credit we can use to purchase supplies directly from the Ark instead of fully dependent on Central Government goodwill."
Anis grimaced as if she was remembering something unpleasant. "Yeah, I completely agree on that part." She nodded in agreement, then she looked at me doubtfully while hinting at all the bags filled with Rapture parts. "But you are aware that what we had gathered today is not something even most commanders are capable of, right?" she tilted her head in question.
"Anis is right, Commander Sam. I never heard of a novice commander gathering more than ten husk-class cores in a day." Rapi said with a serious expression. "Do you have a plan to manage this, Commander?" She asked sharply, yet I could feel the undertone of worry hidden beneath it.
"Of course I do, Rapi." I assured her. "I will exchange most of these secretly." I claimed, remembering how exactly I got this secret mission.
It all started back at the Outpost, a few minutes after I was done explaining what my newest perk did to my squad. They all reacted with several variations of disbelief that were quickly disproven when I shot my left arm with an euthanizer gun (the one used in case of corruption) with only a slight bruise mark as a result. Anis did not think it was enough tho, so she challenged me to arm wrestling. While it was not as easy as I thought it would, I did win it.
Anyway, I contacted Andersen and told him about Syuen's strange visit. It did not make him happy that I had offended a CEO just two days after being suggested to lay low.
Nobody expected Syuen's sudden inspection in the early morning.
Andersen gives me a number, tells me to say a bunch of nonsense code, and then waits for a reply. After doing that, a frigid woman's voice answered my call. It turns out it was Ingrid. She confirmed that she and Andersen are in cahoots and can help me arrange several untracked Rapture parts gathering missions, as long as I also take an official one to get a permit to go to the Surface.
So, I took one Rapture cores gathering mission and headed to the surface to finish it quickly. The rest is history, or it would be if it were written in a book somewhere.
"Please let me know if you need any help, Commander. It is my duty as your second in command, after all." Rapi said softly, looking at me tenderly.
I looked at her smile and froze for a second, feeling something warm stirring my heart. "I will, Rapi." I barely managed to say, holding back myself from sputtering like crazy. "Thank you for letting me know." I said, this time returning her gentle smile with my own.
"Since when Rapi is our second in command?"
"Shh! Don't ruin Mentor's moment!"
After we stored most of them inside my room while leaving enough cores to complete the official mission, I closed the portal and secured the briefcase to my back again. Then we started running back to the Ark since I was not limited to mortal human speed.
Dust obscured my vision, limiting my visibility. I can hear distant rumblings of explosion, followed by repeated sounds of a sharp loud crack, as if someone is continuously emptying their magazine of a steel plate. Acrid smoke lingered around my nose, making it hard for me to take a breath. My chest tightens, constricting my lungs even harder. I opened my mouth to try inhaling more air but choked from smoke and ash filling my mouth.
I look around, frantically searching for anyone to save me. Walking feels harder than it should as if the very earth itself is pulling me down. I lifted my right leg to move, but then I heard the cracking sounds of a glass breaking. I looked down, only to see I stepped on Neon's glasses.
Her head is just three steps to the right.
I froze upon seeing it, vacant eyes facing the sky. Everything below her neck looked like it had been crushed by unimaginable weight, revealing the electronic hidden beneath her human-like skin.
I tried to empty my stomach, but there was nothing for me to vomit except saliva.
Nikke can survive anything sort of brain damage.
Yeah! That's right! I can still save her! I just need to save her head! I can build her body back later.
"Is that what you truly believe?"
A voice whispered maliciously in my ears. I squint through the dust and smoke, trying to make out who's speaking, but all I see is shadows shifting in the haze. It sounds familiar, though, laced with something that feels like contempt.
"Who… who's there?" I whispered hastily, barely audible over the roar of distant explosions. I want to believe this voice is friendly, that it belongs to someone who is trying to help us.
"Is that what you truly believe, Commander?"
The voice repeated again. This time sounding more like a broken record than an actual human. But I recognize that voice.
The dust and smoke in front of me parted, just enough for me to actually see her. She is standing tall in the shadow with only one leg, her eyes burning with a lifeless red glow that pierces the haze around me, and the bandages over her missing right eye.
"M-marian…" I gasped, my heart-wrenching at her grievous fate.
"Why Commander? Why did you let it happen?"
I step back in shock, feeling the guilt pressing down on my body at her accusation.
"I... I am sorry, Marian." I said, with a barely audible voice. "I failed you."
I felt my knees finally gave out, and the guilt crushed me down. I try to reach out with my hand as if my act could bridge the barrier between life and death.
"Please..." I whisper desperately, begging for something I know I did not deserve. "Please… if I could take it all back, I would. I would do anything to make this right. Just… say something, Marian. Anything."
She opened her mouth, perhaps to further reprimand me for failing her. Possibly to insult me for not doing my best. But I don't know what she is going to say.
Because I finally woke up.
I bolt upright, practically throwing myself out of my bed. My body is drenched in sweat like I had run a marathon despite my newfound technically inexhaustible stamina. My heart is pounding like it is ready to escape at any moment.
Dammit! I swipe a shaky hand across my face, fingers catching on the cold sweat dripping down. This is the last time I am going to sleep early!
But hell, it just feels too real. Everything feels like I was actually there. I reach for a water bottle, hands trembling as I unscrew the cap. I inhale it, hoping it will somehow help me wash away my sadness.
It is not the first nightmare I have ever since losing my memory. Probably won't be the last, either. Why do I keep thinking I can just "get over it"? Like one night it will be all normal? I rub my temples, laughing bitterly at myself. Clearly, I am more messed up than I would like to admit, no matter how much I tell myself I am fine. It is like the guilt's got claws, and it's just… latched onto me, like some kind of demented koala.
"Get a grip," I mutter, half-scolding myself while the other half knowing it was just an empty gesture. I take a deep breath, squeezing my eyes shut.
The only one that can hurt your heart is yourself. So, why do you allow your heart to be broken by your own feelings?
…Because feelings are illogical. They don't want to be pushed down or bottled up, they just want to be felt.
To stop feeling regret over Marian's death is to accept that it is the only natural course of action. And I reject that.
I step into [Strategy Trance] as Celestial Forge once again picks up its hammer and sends me a new perk during our walk to one of the many briefing rooms inside of the HQ.
This perk is called [Inner Linings]. It is a simple idea of stacking multiple enchantments into a piece of clothing by stacking multiple inner linings, each with its own enchantment. It also comes with experiences of being a leatherworker and a weaver. It also comes with its own enchantment system using something called Materia that can be extracted from tools or weapons that have 100% spiritbond, aka something that is used often for its purpose. It is a complex enchantment system where [Science] and [Alchemy] thrive.
Stepping out of [Strategy Trance], I continue our walk to the briefing room where we are supposed to get more information for our mandatory mission.
A mandatory mission is a special assignment issued directly by the Central Government or its high-ranking official. That mission cannot be refused by most commanders, including a disgraced one like me. Technically, it is not something that CEOs of the big three should be able to issue as it would overstep their authority. In practice, they use this to further their agenda or to trade favors with the big three. Failing this kind of mission is heavily discouraged, as it could lead to demotion.
This situation is very suspicious in itself. As a disgraced commander, who has been banished from the Ark and has to live in the Outpost, I should have been beneath every high-ranking official notice.
My skepticism is confirmed when I see two mass-produced Nikkes guarding the door to the briefing room. One of them is wielding a shotgun with Missilis Industry written below number 23 on her chest piece, while the other is wielding a machine gun with a small shoulder shield and a bag feeding the machine gun on her back. They wore visors covering their upper faces as if to dehumanize them further.
The one with a shotgun walks a few steps forward and stares at me. Her pale blonde hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail. I can see the subtle weariness underneath her stiff movement. Something that I am sure most other commanders would refuse to acknowledge.
"Commander Sam, please enter the briefing room alone." She said formally with a hint of emptiness hiding underneath.
"Only me?" I ask to clarify with a raised eyebrow.
The mass-produced Nikke nods in confirmation. "You are also required to leave all your electronic devices and weapons outside, " she adds.
I look behind me to see Anis and Neon's clear dissatisfaction with her statement. I give them a reassuring smile, gesturing for them to calm down.
"This is highly unusual for a mission briefing." Rapi noted beside me as she looked at the one informing us.
"Yes, but it is what the official responsible for this mission asked." The mass-produced Nikke with a machine gun answered.
"Very well." I said as I handed my communication device to Rapi and the gun sword secured on my waist to Neon. "Please keep them safe, Neon."
"Don't worry, Mentor! I will make sure nobody touches your sword!" She says while holding the gun sword on her chest with one hand while the other is giving me a thumbs up.
Anis is giving Neon a stink eye with her accidental innuendo. She shrugs her head and turns to look at me. "Commander Sam, you know that this is clearly Syuen's scheme, right?"
"I know that. Unfortunately, we can't refuse a mandatory mission directly issued to us." I explained with a gentle smile. "Don't worry, this time I can handle it better." I said with conviction and determination reinforcing my words.
She looked away for a second, before turning back and giving me a reluctant approval. "Fine. I believe you, Sam."
Responding with a nod, I shifted my focus to Rapi who had been looking at me with concern. "Please be careful, Commander Sam. We don't know what Syuen might have planned for you."
"I will, Rapi. Relax, this will be done quickly."
The shotgun-wielding Nikke stepped aside, making room for me to pass. I give them both a nod of acknowledgment and thankfulness for their polite voice. It caught them off guard, as they aren't used by someone being polite back to them.
With one final glance back at my squad, I stepped through the doors of the briefing room.
The room itself looks similar to Andersen's office, just with a big oval table surrounded by office chairs. A holographic projector is stationed on the center of the white meeting table. The projector proudly displays the logo of the manufacturer company who is most likely the one pulling the string, causing me to get assigned a mandatory mission. After all, the CEO herself has been eyeing me like a new toy she would soon possess.
Not that I would ever let her.
"Oh there you are, Sam Sam." The way she repeats my name makes my skin crawl in disgust. As expected, she treats me like a novelty toy.
I take a deep breath and close my eyes with my fingers. This is a trick I learned to buy time to step in and out of [Strategy Trance] without looking suspicious.
"Syuen." I uttered her name with coldness, leaking a small part of my aura as a godslayer out. When I saw her starting to shiver in response, I pulled back just enough to keep her from properly adjusting to my aura.
On her left is a pair of Nikkes that I recognize: the short pink-haired one and the tall black-haired one. They are Yuni and Mihara, if that is what Syuen says their names were.
The next ten minutes was the most infuriating time I had ever experienced.
Interlude: Outside of the Briefing room.
The Counters Squad waited in the hallway outside the briefing room, each focused on their own self-assigned task. Neon is examining Sam's sword he named Reiterpallasch, calculating how much firepower the weapon made of Rapture's armor can handle since he said it is made with Nikke's firearms standard. Beside her is Anis, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. She is tapping her finger on her arm with a rhythm only she can hear.
Meanwhile, Rapi is mentally cataloging how many supplies they have left, including ammo for their weapons and explosives for Neon. Thanks to yesterday's operation, she is confident that they have enough of everything to last them for two weeks straight. She notes that it had been seven minutes since Commander Sam entered the room.
She looks at the Nikkes guarding the briefing room with a complex emotion. She could easily deduce who Commander Sam was currently talking to since the other two CEOs probably would not trust Missilis mass-produced Nikkes to guard their door. It is not like Mass-produced Nikkes are untrustworthy, that would be hypocritical since she used to be one herself. It has to do with who their CEO is.
"You know, I have been wondering something since yesterday," Anis said loud enough to gain both Rapi's and Neon's attention, but not enough to draw the attention of the mass-produced Nikkes. She raises her right hand and puts it on her chin as if she is thinking really hard. "Does Sam even need us around anymore?"
"What do you mean by that, Anis?" Neon asked with a puzzled look.
"Look, we all have seen how Sam can handle himself when we meet horde after horde of Raptures on the surface. Sure, we took out most of them, but I am certain that even without our help, Sam would come up with something from CF to do the same." Anis explained wistfully.
Rapi scrutinizes Anis's question calmly. She can sense the blonde insecurity hidden behind her words. She can understand where Anis is coming from since Commander Sam has proven himself to be both talented and blessed with incredible power. The power he gained from CF is something she is sure can help her 'teacher' situation. But it is not because of how useful he is that Rapi decides to follow him heartfully.
It is because of how he uses it.
"Perhaps you are right." Rapi said finally. "Maybe Commander Sam doesn't need us, but I don't think he wants to be out there alone. The time he spends every day making sure our gear's up to standard, the way he double-checks everyone's supplies… That's not something you do if you don't care about the people you're with."
Anis's skeptical expression softened, though she didn't look entirely convinced. "Yeah, I get that he somehow cares a lot about us. But don't you ever wonder if he's… I don't know, overqualified? Like, if anything happened to us, he could just move on without much issue."
Rapi gripped her arms across her chest harder, remembering his expression during his sleep yesterday. "Anis, I want you to think back about what you had just said carefully." She thought of all the times she had seen him go out of his way to check on each of them, not because he was obligated to, but because he genuinely cared. "Remember the Black Smith?" Rapi recalled, making Anis wince as she realized what exactly she had implied. "He's not that kind of commander. If he thought we weren't pulling our weight, we would have known. Trust me."
Neon chimed in cheerfully, running a hand along Reiterpallasch. "I am not worried! Mentor accepted me as his student, which means I am with him wherever he goes." She giggled at her own claims, though there was an undeniable sincerity in her smile. "And besides, I am a spy, right? If he ever tried to leave us, I would just have to… follow him." She added the last part with a playful wink, though Rapi suspected Neon would do exactly that without hesitation.
Anis chuckled, though the tension didn't completely leave her face. "You really are something else, Neon." she said, amusement mingling with a faint hint of relief.
Rapi gave her a firm nod. "Then we are all in agreement. We will stand by him, always."
Suddenly, the door burst open loudly, surprising the Nikkes guarding it. It also causes them to straighten immediately. Sam walks out with heavy steps. His face looks like he is both irritated and worried. It is clear to them that Syuen has said something to Sam, even as Yuni and Mihara follow closely behind.
"Mentor!" Neon pipes up first. "How did it go? Is the mission going to be very hard?"
Sam sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Try unprecedented. We are going to be pioneering the first of its kind mission." He sighed.
"Damn her." Anis scoffs. "Do you think it is worth it?" She asked Sam with a raised eyebrow.
He hesitates, casting a look between each of them before he finally replies. "It is." He started. "If we complete this mission, then we would save someone from a very fucked up research." He explained.
Anis whistles at Sam's response, while Rapi looks at Sam in concern. "What's the mission, Commander Sam?"
"We are going to capture a Rapture with the help of the Wardress Squad." Sam explained as he gestured to the two Nikkes they met yesterday following him. Yuni gives them a carefree wave, which Neon returns, while Mihara gives them a seductive smile, which doesn't work on them at all. "A special one, if Syuen's briefing is to be believed." Sam added.
The four plus two of them continue to walk away from the briefing room, leaving Syuen and the two mass-produced Nikkes behind. They walk towards the armory to properly stock up and gear up for this mandatory mission.
Then, it is open season on the code name: Chatterbox.
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(Chose the cheapest perk) special rule
•72. -Inner Linings (Final Fantasy XIV) (100CP) (Crafting)
• A customer came to you one day with a strange request for you to make a leather jacket which would be thinner, enough so that it would take multiple jackets to equal the bulk and weight of a normal jacket. As strange as that request was, when you watched him enchant the various jackets it suddenly made sense. Instead of trying to enchant a single jacket multiple times, he would wear multiple jackets enchanted once. But you can improve on that idea. Instead of attempting to craft multiple thinner jackets, you've opened up inner linings in existing pieces of work. As you predicted, while the ease of stacking enchantments has gone up, the overall durability of the item has dropped by a bit. Perhaps with time and better materials, you could rectify the second point. Having so many inner linings also helps quite a bit when it comes to deeper pockets, which is a nice side effect.
*Only works on something that can have inner lining, like clothes, shoes, fabric, etc.
*Multiple enhancement for a piece of gear.
*It comes with Materia's melding and extracting Materia with spiritbond, it doesn't come with advanced Materia melding.
*it comes with memory of being a leatherworker and a weaver. AKA, you can make clothes from either fabrics or skins.
Points Left: 1000