by S Bailey
The people in line weren’t aware that Sam actually made special appointments for the nobility and did in fact charge a lot of gold for repairing their enchantments. However, Sam had an enchanting habit to pay for.
Jen and Sam now had eight open mana channels and were on track to open more, but Sam was just too busy with his mana enchantment tattoos.
Tamako’s mana channels were taking much longer because of all the corruption she needed to clean out around every mana channel, but she now had four open mana channels and her fighting power had soared.
“That man is so frustrating, he just forwards all his skills, levels, and every other system notice to me and expects me to tell him if there is anything he should know.” Jen thought to herself as she watched Sam head into his workshop, not to be seen again for days.
Sam was level 20 and was almost to level 21 from all the experience points he gained working on his legacy enchantments and the tattoos. Jen was stuck at level 19 and wasn’t even close to all the points needed for level 20. “But my Ninja combat training has soared with Tamako’s help,” Jen thought as she was getting ready to meet Tamako for dinner.
Jen was OK with slowing down their leveling until they jumped to the Second Deck, because she was trying to spend as much time with Tamako as possible. As soon as Sam finished converting his new enchantments into tattoos, they planned to leave.
Chapter 61:
Journeyman Drool
“He is such a nerd,” Jen had discovered a new application for her onboard, and laughed to herself as she took a “screenshot” of Sam laid out on his workbench with drool all over the table. Jen had been bringing food and drink to Sam for over three weeks. “I don’t even think he is aware of time passing or of the food he’s been eating and drinking. He is one driven old man,” she thought as she dropped off dinner. A few hours later Sam was looking around lost. he felt dried spit on his face, and it took him a few moments to realize where he even was. His body ached and his mind felt wrung out, but he’d done it. “Kelly, I’ve been using quadruple focus with meditation for days, weeks? but digging through the thousands of lines of code will be worth it if these mana enchantment tattoos work with these legacy enchantments. So many of the lines, I’ve had to push my mana around the concepts and directions to understand, and so many lines…Those two spells are way more powerful and complex than anything I’ve ever decrypted and turned into enchantments before. Who would have thought that meditation could allow such focus and elevation of the mind, damn!” Sam thought as he glanced at all his System messages that he had ignored, surprised at how much XP he earned for decrypting the technique scrolls and spells, and his Words of Understanding skill reached level 51 breaking into the journeyman ranks. Sam slowly picked himself up and headed to his bedroom for some real sleep.
It didn’t surprise Jen when Sam slept almost 2 days strait. “Hey sleepyhead! Did the smell of breakfast wake you up finally!” she said, and smiled at Sam as he came into the kitchen famished. “You look recharged, and I saw that you got a shit load of experience points. I’m guessing you figured something out?” Jen asked Sam, as she put some food on the table for him.
“Thank you, Jen. I know you’ve been handling absolutely everything again. I really appreciate the incredible support you’ve been giving me.” Sam said sincerely, as he started to dig into his food.
“It’s only because I expect you to come up with some major powerful shit for us, and don’t forget my drones you need to invent!” she replied, turning towards the sink to hide her embarrassment at the compliment. Jen then turned quickly remembering a system message Sam had forwarded her and asked, “What was that message about an enchanter’s book you received when entering the journeyman ranks for Words of Understanding?”
Sam nodded and replied, “Yeah, that was kind of weird. It was related to a gambling quest I received.
Jen looked a little jealous. “Oh yea, I do remember seeing see an odd quest you forwarded me, but I was busy and ignored it. Just a second while I pull it up.”
System Message:
The Greater the Risk, the Greater the Reward!
==
Gambling Quest: Make it to Journeyman in Words of Understanding!
==
Requirements: Reach Journeyman in Words of Understanding within 48 hours– odds of failing 45%
Select your Fortune:
Accept reward of 3 ability points for every ability point gambled, maximum bet of 3
Accept reward of 5 ability points plus euphoria for every ability point gambled, maximum bet of 3.
Accept reward of enchanter’s book for gambling 5 ability points.
Accept reward of enchanter’s book plus euphoria for gambling 3 ability points.
Decline Quest and continue your life as a yellow-bellied chicken!
==
Sam selected “C,” and the quest was accepted.
==
Jen complained, “That is so unfair!”
Sam looked pleased with himself, “I’ve been getting a lot of good gambling-quests lately. I’ve been putting all my winnings back into any ability points I lost on other bets and all the surplus winnings into my luck stat. My luck stat is now 25. What’s your luck stat?”
Jen gave him a concerned look. “Still pretty low, but be careful, gambling can be a dangerous habit.”
Sam nodded, “I agree, it’s like investing. You never invest money you can’t afford to lose. Additionally, you have to start out investing small, but the more you make, the more you can invest without worrying about losing everything. Of course, I never accept any quest that includes euphoria.”
Jen frowned as she thought about it, and said, “You’re right I guess, I should probably start increasing my luck stat at level ups. So where is the enchanter’s book?”
Sam pointed at his temple, and said, “It’s in my head. I thought I was going to receive a book from the System store, but the reward was downloaded directly into my brain. I can still feel the lingering headache it caused. It was strange because it integrated with my enchantment app and added a few new enchantments. It also linked my enchantment app with my inventory skill. It’s like what I’ve learned is instantly recalled to my brain, and I don’t have to do a query or a sort function to search for the best enchantment when working.”
Jen was green with envy, but she was truly happy for Sam’s success, and said, “Dang I’m jealous. I can’t find any information about my psych skills that we can afford from the System store. I would love to get some sort of psych skill book. Anyways, back to business, how are your enchantments going?”
“I was able to finish turning the legacy spells into enchantments, and modify them to use variable amounts of mana. It was much more difficult than I thought it would be, even after I received the enchanter’s book,” Sam said with his mouth full of food.
“You’re such an arrogant idiot. Did you really think it would be easy turning two high-powered legacy spells like those into enchantments? Those spells cost a literal fortune,” Jen said as she was sitting down to eat. “But you did do it!” she smiled at him showing her support for his accomplishments.
“I’ve done part of it anyway. I need to tattoo both of them onto my arms and practice how to cast all the variations the enchantments will allow. You’re right: they are more powerful than you or I thought. Reading through the code on the spells, I learned there are a LOT of options when casting. I’m really excited to see exactly how they work, but I am pretty sure the lightning spell can strike just one target or multiple targets in a designated area, and it can be originated from anywhere. The lightning does not have to come from my body or even anywhere close to me. It can come from the sky, the ground, the side, etc.… That really makes it more useful if there is no signature trail back to our location when it is cast!
“Wow! You could make someone think they were surrounded by striking them from different directions!” replied Jen.
“Exactly, and the healing spell has some craz
y options too, but I’m going to have to practice with both to really be able to maximize their potential. Last, the raw power of the spells is really only limited by the amount of mana that can be pumped into them.” Sam said with excitement.
Trying not to pressure Sam right back into his workshop, Jen asked, “Do you need a break or want to do something else for a little while before you dive back in and start tattooing, or what.”
Sam looked guilty as he faced Jen. “No, but the real question is, do you need a break from handling everything?” not wanting to take advantage of her.
Jen laughed, “Go run back to your workshop! Long Bi and Ji Bi are handling the store just fine. I’m having a great time hanging out and training with Tamako. I’ve really found it fun and challenging mixing my psych skills with my Ninja skills.”
“I don’t need to be told twice,” Sam replied, feeling reassured that Jen was doing just fine. He actually missed spending time with Jen, but he felt they would be heading out of the city together in just a few days to train his new spells anyways.
Chapter 62:
Legacy Tattoos
Sam healed his old tattoos on his left arm first by using one of his healing enchantment rods. Then he spent several days tattooing the legacy healing enchantment up and down the entirety of his arm. The powerful legacy tattoo enchantments were quite large, but he knew eventually, with better equipment he could get them smaller. After he finished the enchantment tattoo, he pumped a little mana into his left arm and tested its healing ability by clearing off the old tattoos on his right arm. “Success!” he whispered with glee to himself as he dunked his hot arm into a tub of water.
“Did you see that Kelly? With this enchantment I could focus the spell to heal exactly what I wanted. I healed and removed the tattoos with less than 20% of the mana I use when casting my minor mend spell.”
Sam was a little quicker with tattooing the enchantment lightning spell on his right arm, but it still took him over two days, and just as he was finishing it, he heard Jen call out as she was leaving the house, “I’m heading over to the palace to see Tamako. I don’t think it’s serious, but I just intercepted some strange coms talk and want to give her a heads up that something may be going on.”
Sam had been working non-stop, but he wasn’t in the same trance mode as before. “OK, but be careful.” Sam said out of habit, as he continued to put the finishing touches on his tattoos. The lightning tattoo enchantment could only be practiced outside of the city, and Sam decided to take a well-deserved nap. If Sam had not been so tired, he probably would have felt his gut screaming at him.
Chapter 63:
Surrounded
Casino City’s palace was completely surrounded by the Roulette Confederation’s army. “Have you heard from Sam?” Tamako asked Jen, as she directed the guard to maintain their defensive positions.
“No, he looked pretty tired when I left, so he may have gone to sleep. If no one breaks any of the enchantments protecting the store, I don’t know when he might wake up,” Jen replied, as she was checking her weapons and using her psych ability to intercept signals.
Tamako’s face was grim, she always knew that someday she would either be assassinated or die in a fight, but she didn’t think she would have to see Jen die. However, they were outnumbered by at least 3 to 1.
The only reason they were able to get the City Lord inside the palace gates in time, was because Jen stopped by and said some odd things were going on over at the System Shop. Right after Tamako sent guards out to investigate, they were returning with the City Lord fighting off the Roulette Confederation in a running battle trying to get back and behind the safety of the palace gates.
It turned out that the City Lord’s cousin Li Zhang had made a deal with the Roulette Confederation. Li Zhang set up a sound wave jammer and organized some bandits to surprise and kill the Casino City guards surrounding the System shop. The Roulette Confederation had already purchased travel for and transferred 6,000 soldiers through the System Shop into Casino City, when Tamako’s guards discovered them. The Roulette Confederation would have brought in thousands of soldiers more through the System shop, but once Tamako had received news of the battle, she used the City Lord’s Shop interface to close it for 24 hours. The Guards were running back to the Palace when they linked up with the City Lord and his guard contingent. It was sheer luck they were able to get back through the palace gates before the Roulette Confederation caught them.
“They haven’t attacked yet, but I bet they are going to send out a representative to demand surrender,” Jen said to Tamako as they observed the enemy from the top of the wall. Jen actually knew it was about to happen because she was intercepting their coms. Jen could see that most of the enemy soldiers were levels 10 to 12, but there were a few that clearly stood apart from the regular soldiers, and they ranged from level 15 to 20!
“They don’t want to try and take the palace by force. Their numbers are not high enough to ensure victory, and more importantly they want the City Lord’s treasure. I’m guessing they just spent around 600 gold transporting those soldiers through the shop.
Even though we are outnumbered 3 to 1, the City Lord has access to the System Shop from the palace. With the City’s treasury, and his status as the City Lord, he can purchase buffs and defensive measures that can even the odds. If the City Lord spent all the treasury funds protecting the palace, or if the City Lord were to die in battle, they would never even recover their 600 gold.” Tamako explained, as she continued to watch the enemy’s preparations.
Jen asked Tamako, “Why couldn’t they just siege the palace while taking over the rest of the City, then wait the City Lord out, or wait until the System Shop opens in 24 hours to bring in more troops?”
Jen’s words automatically made Tamako suspicious, but she kept all traces of her thoughts to herself, “how does she not know the basic rules of the Deck cities?”
Jen could immediately feel Tamako’s emotional spike of suspicion, and said, “Sam and I are from a small town, so we don’t know much about how these types of battles are fought.”
Tamako thought to herself, “I know I can trust Jen, but I also know that she and Sam keep lots of secrets. Hmmm, if we survive the next 24 hours, I’m going to demand some answers, but for now, it can’t do any harm to explain it to her.”
Tamako replied, “When a Deck-named City attacks another Deck-named City, the attack must be tied to a gambling-quest from the System.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” replied Jen.
“Yes, and except for a revolution of citizens from within the Deck-named City, if there is any other type of attack on a Deck-named city, it can be repelled by the City Lord using System defenses built into the City. The power of those defenses is so great and brutal, no one ever dares attack a Deck-named City.
“Then why doesn’t he use those defenses now?”
“I’m getting there. If a Deck-named City accepts a gambling-quest from the System to attack another Deck-named City, they have 24 hours to take over the City or demand as much ransom as they can before the System supplied defenses can be used.”
“What about the adventurer guilds, merchants, and farmers?” asked Jen.
They would never attack the guilds within the City, because of their power throughout all the cities and decks. If they have not succeeded or left the boundaries of the City territory within 24 hours, any attackers remaining within the City’s territory will have all of their ability points forfeited to the System. Attacking and looting poor non-guild farmers and merchants simply isn’t worth the money or the time, but that doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t kill, rape, and pillage the poor if it is convenient. In our situation, as a result of them being unable to catch the City Lord before he made it back to the palace, they have three options. 1. Demand we surrender the City, offering safety to the City Lord and all its defenders; 2. If we don’t surrender, they will begin an all-out attack and try to kill the City Lord and take Control of the palac
e. If they succeed, they will then torture and kill all of the defenders to set an example; or 3. Demand a ransom from the City Lord to leave.”
Jen replied “I guess that makes sense, our town was so small we never learned all the details of the Deck Cities.” Jen had tried to hide her amazement at the mechanics of war in the Decks, but her astonishment was noticed by Tamako.
Jen’s last comment about her small town didn’t make any sense to Tamako. Even small towns were given minor defenses by the System when they were established. Tamako was struck with a realization, “Jen and Sam must be from Earth!” but she decided to keep her thoughts to herself unless they made it out of this mess.
About 10 minutes later, the Roulette Confederation sent out an emissary. Nothing fancy from the Roulette Confederation, as the emissary simply announced, “We demand you lay down your arms, open the gates, and surrender. In return, we will guarantee the safety of City Lord Julius Caesar the X, and all his defenders. You have 1 hour to comply.”
Chapter 64:
Launch Party
Sam was awakened when Slim smacked him with his tail. As he opened his eyes, he saw several messages from Jen that brought him up to speed on what was happening. “Shit, we could be out of the City in 10 minutes if Jen wasn’t caught in the palace.” Sam swore as he took about 5 minutes to run around the house gathering everything important into some rings. He also started pushing more mana into his tattoos. Within a few minutes, Sam had used half of his mana pool charging his tattoos, but the amount of mana his arms could hold was massive. He continued to charge his arms with his mana regen, fortunately, he had eight channels open sucking in the mana from the house. He had never filled his arms with more than half his mana pool, but he wasn’t going to hold back with Jen trapped in the palace.