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585
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Mana: (Base 6) +35
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410
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Mana Regeneration (Base 10) +40
26.00/s
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Stamina Regeneration: (Base 28) +33
13.20/s
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Erik looked at his different notifications that had piled up while he was working with the Alvan army. While he had been training them, he had been rediscovering his old skill set, taking the time to improve his own abilities as he trained others. It had been a good review for him.
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Skill: Stealth
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Level: 48 (Apprentice)
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When in stealth, your senses are sharpened by 5%
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Skill: Marksman
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Level: 61 (Journeyman)
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Long-range weapons are familiar in your hands. When aiming, you can zoom in x2.0. 15% increased chance for critical hit.
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Skill: Throwables
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Level: 43 (Apprentice)
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Your throws gain 5% power.
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Skill: Blade
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Level: 17 (Novice)
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No bonuses at this time. You must prove your skills first.
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Skill: Shield
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Level: 15 (Novice)
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No bonuses at this time. You must prove your skills first.
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Skill: Spear
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Level: 22 (Novice)
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No bonuses at this time. You must prove your skills first.
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1,212,986/1,215,000 EXP till you reach Level 33
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Erik’s eye twitched seeing the Experience he had earned. He had killed a few beasts but they had only added up to less than a hundred Experience. Nearly all of his Experience had come from increasing his different skills.
He’d got a stealth potion of the Journeyman level, which he stored away, and a Mortal sword for raising his blade skill to Apprentice. It was lower than his other combat skills. Learning how to use a sword other than for simple things wasn’t easy. The spear was much easier as it was made as a simple infantry weapon. Erik had read about the spear in his past life and there were plenty of spear teachers to listen to. Though, he had cheated: using his throwing and marksman skills with his spear technique, he’d been able to land accurate and deadly hits on animals, hurling it through the air.
He’d even gotten his best haul with the spear, the Wind Spear technique book. It increased one’s striking speed and attempted to confuse the enemy’s eyes.
Erik had read it over and added it to the library. His last prize was another potion, an increased Strength potion that he had earned for becoming a shield Apprentice.
“Just a few Experience potions and I’ll be able to level up,” Erik muttered to himself.
Erik waved the notifications to the side and looked at Egbert, who stood outside the doorway.
“Ahh, you were opening up your Mana gates!” Egbert exclaimed. “Thought you broke a formation in there.”
“You could have a little bit more faith,” Erik replied.
“Could I?” Egbert asked, skeptical of Erik’s words.
Erik rolled his eyes as he headed out of the headquarters. Egbert followed him.
“The council leaders, please allow them access to the dungeon core to clear out their Mana channels, increase their Mana density and purity and to help open their Mana gates. Is it possible to create areas to cultivate Mana so others can do the same?” Erik asked.
“If I modified one of the Mana gathering formations slightly, say in a private courtyard within one of the parks, then people could use that,” Egbert offered.
“Okay. Also, release the controls on the Mana gathering formations. We’re sucking it all up into the formation above but increasing the Mana density in the dungeon will increase the chances of someone making a breakthrough in their Mana Gathering Cultivation. It could also increase the chances of a powerful item being made and increase the growing speed of plants.”
“With some changes, I could isolate the dense Mana to the buildings, living areas, then the stables and barracks,” Egbert said.
“Talk to the council first. Make sure that they and others know what is going on. Are we able to store all of the energy that the dungeon core is producing now?” Erik asked.
“We are able to store all that is produced.With the increased production, improvements to the Mana gathering formations, and their propagation outward, we are pulling in more Mana than ever before. However, the dungeon core is unable to refine it all and remove the impurities,” Egbert apologized. “We need to increase the dungeon’s core grade so that it can refine and purify more mana.”
“We’ve stored up a considerable amount of Mana. Instea of hoarding it all, lets increase Alva’s mana density,” Erik said.
“Why?” Egbert followed Erik as he continued walking, headed for the barracks.
“Mana not only increases one’s mana circulation. It can also increase the production of different ingredients in the farms, reduce mana loss in materials that are being crafted. hen someone is working or living in a Mana rich environment, they will be more at ease, finding it easier to concentrate. All of which will help Alva grow in strength.” Erik glanced at the skeleton.
“No I mean, why do all of this?” Egbert asked.
“It’s the right thing to do?”
“But giving your money away, helping other people to get stronger?”
“We only get stronger together. What use is money if I can’t use it? I still have a bunch but that’s because I simply don’t know what we might find in the Fourth Realm and we might need it. The rest—if the merchants turn a profit, then the bank turns a profit. Then Alva can grow faster than before. We can hoard all of this Mana but we can’t even use it all. If the people grow in Strength, then they will create more Mana for the dungeon core to grow and they’ll increase their Strength further. In Alva, we work together for the future. Since I can help them out, why wouldn’t I?”
***
Rugrat was completing his third lecture on different weapon systems and how to maintain them.
“What’s this?” He pointed to a part on the table.
“Firing pin, First Sergeant!”
“This?” Rugrat asked.
“Rear iron sight, First Sergeant!”
Rugrat nodded and continued on, asking a few people a few questions.
“Reassemble!” Rugrat said.
Each person in charge of a rifle, bow or ballista put them back together, with Rugrat and the other staff watching over them. With just a glance, they could tell who was messing up their reassembly.
There was no yelling or screaming. All of them had made it into Alva’s army. As such, they were treated like adults.
For everyone in the army, the lessons were about sharing ideas and increasing their knowledge. When they were going through tests, to see what they remembered and to make sure that they were paying attention, that was when the yelling would start.
Everyone knew that this information would be vital, so they paid attention and talked to one another, asking questions where prudent.
Rugrat nodded in approval.It wasn’t long until they had their different items assembled.
“Alright, your next lesson will be going over shooting and incorporating these weapons into your tactics. Then we will have
a follow-up lesson to make sure you weren’t sleeping in my classes! Get to your next course. Dismissed!”
The students filed out of the room as Rugrat took back the rifles. After collecting them all he headed out after them and to the range.
“You finished the guns?” Erik asked as he saw Rugrat walking.
“Yeah. How was the Third Realm?” Rugrat pulled out a rifle, clearing it with quick, fluid motions before tossing it to Erik.
“It was busy.” Erik tossed Rugrat a bag.
Rugrat opened it and looked inside at the pouches of coins, as well as a box. Rugrat looked up at Erik who was looking over the rifle.
“Our split from the restaurant at the Division Headquarters. Three Earth-grade Mana stones. I gave the Mortal Mana cornerstones to Egbert, so I exchanged them for Mortal Mana stones, nine hundred twenty-eight of them. Well, I don’t have them exactly, so I can give you another Earth-grade Mana stone or get you more from the treasury but it will take time to get the Earth Grade stones exchanged down to Mortal. Or you can leave them in there and they’ll get interest.” Erik shrugged. “Then four hundred sixty-six gold, fifty-eight silvers, and seventy-five coppers.”
Rugrat looked at Erik with wide eyes. “Shit. Well, looks like I’ll have plenty of material. The rest I’ll dump in the treasury for loans.”
Erik laughed as he pushed the action forward on the rifle and dry fired it into the ground. “Well, you want to shoot some guns?”
“Got to do safety and handling checks with them first.” Rugrat sighed as he continued walking toward the range. Erik walked with him. They were both on the courses staff.
“Should be a pretty fast gun.” Erik pointed the weapon at the ground and worked the bolt handle. The bolt came back but not to the point where he had to move his head, meaning he remained on target.
“I’m hoping so. Give them a ten-round mag to start off and for long-range shots so they’re not resting the magazine on the ground. Then a thirty-round magazine for patrolling and general purposes.” Rugrat took out the curved magazines and passed them to Erik.
“Smart.” Erik played with the gun, finding the simple safety catch that stopped the trigger from moving.
“If there is one thing I know, it’s guns and messing around with them,” Rugrat said.
“Don’t remind me,” Erik said. “How is ammunition?”
“With the assembly line, we combined the powder and primers from the alcehmists the cartridges and bullets from the smiths, well. Tan Xue and Taran used my plans and had another line making the bullets and the cartridges. They’ve been running this entire time, day and night with a few managers. Got about four hundred thousand rounds, with about forty thousand of them enchanted one way or another. With more being made every hour,” Rugrat said. “The powder is from those test samples you made. It burns at a lower temperature but it has about two to three times the power of the mixed powder I used back home, which was shooting hot anyway. The bullets we’ve got are enhanced iron that will expand under the pressure but not damage the Mortal iron-enhanced barrel. With time, I want to upgrade to Earth-iron barrels. That way, we can shoot Mortal-iron bullets with stronger enchantments.”
“Nice. Never enough ammunition.” Erik tapped on the sockets. “What are these for?”
“Ah, so I had a mini breakthrough, I guess. I didn’t think that it was that big of a deal but it’s a formation socket.” Rugrat scratched the back of his head and explained what formation sockets were and the possibilities that came with them.
Erik wasn’t as shocked as the people of Alva, simply nodding and turning it over to look at the two sockets. “Two enchantments—so is this an Expert-level weapon?”
“No, the metal is enhanced to make it stronger and the weapon has the innate ability to dissipate heat. I wasn’t able to pull out two innate effects. Also, it is not capable of being bound to someone and the enchantment formations that can be used can only be of the Apprentice grade. A higher level might cause problems with the gun,” Rugrat said. “Still, I’m not a high-Journeyman-level smith. Tan Xue has been locked up in her smithing room for a couple of days now. She eats and sleeps in there between working on something.”
“Do you think that she will be able to reach the Expert level in her smithing skill?”
“Who knows?” Rugrat shrugged.
They had made it to the range, where thirty people waited for them. Their ranks ranged from sergeants to privates. Their talking ended as they saw Erik and Rugrat entering the range.
“All right, so all of you have passed the preliminary tests. You are the best shots that we have in the army, supposedly! You all know how to use crossbows or bows but this is something else entirely.” Rugrat looked them over. They had all been in his weapon handling and maintenance classes.
“First, let’s see how you are with the repeater crossbow and ballistas!” Rugrat wanted to build them up and seeing as no one had fired the new weapons, it would be best to start there and then move to the rifles.
All of them listened to Erik and Rugrat with rapt attention. There was no side chatter in their classes.
They set up targets as Rugrat lectured them on the effects of wind when firing at range. Different things that they had picked up while using their own weapons were put down into cold hard facts.
The class was not a short one. They shot, reshot and worked to improve their skills. It was organized but it wasn’t regimented. There was a lot to learn and it took time and practice to go from knowing the information to hitting the right place on a target with a bolt.
“All right, gather around.” Rugrat pulled out his rifles and passed one of them to each of the people there.They took their weapons and checked that they were unloaded first thing. Yep, someone had been listening.
“Looks like not all of my lessons were wasted.” Rugrat took out his new rifle. It was a similar copy to their rifles but it was made to shoot the much larger fifty caliber round. His modified Big Momma was a good weapon but it had a lot of parts and it was easier to break. So Rugrat made a new rifle, with fewer moving parts, adding in the formation sockets and the same big, easily enhanced round. His striking power had increased to a crazy degree.
They had gone through iron sights with the new repeater weapons, then he went through the parts of the rifle in greater detail. Then he got them on the firing range and got them firing. They were shocked by the noises but they kept on going. They went over their targets, then Rugrat and Erik checked and changed them. They repaired the targets and went again. Rugrat and Erik asked them questions as they were firing, getting them to shoot from different positions. They asked them how they would aim if there was a cross wind. They had them shoot from standing, shoot from kneeling and a prone position. They could fire their repeaters from the same positions but their magazines were much larger, their range shorter. Their stopping power was lower but as a tradeoff they were much quieter than the rifles.
“All right, so now you’ve shot a bit. That’s nice but being scouts, if you’re shooting, something has gone terribly wrong or you have found an enemy that only you can eliminate and which prevents the rest of us out from a lot of dangerous work. As scouts of the army, you will sneak off, find an enemy position and report back. So, we will be going over maps. We will be going over scouting. Then we will be going over camouflage and cover. It will be in more detail than what you’ve had before but there will still be more to learn to eventually become snipers. Rest now. Report back here tomorrow. This will be a test of endurance and of your mental abilities,” Rugrat promised.
They dispersed as Rugrat and Erik watched them.
“Not bad. Also, most of them were hunters or had fought with their bows before, so it should go smoothly,” Rugrat said.
“When are you thinking of starting the sniper program or making more rifles?” Erik asked.
“I made the first few and I gave an example to the smiths. They’re working to make more. They make them part by part and I’ve ordered plenty of
spares just in case. Though it takes a Journeyman-level smith to make the parts, anyone with knowledge can assemble it. Right now, maybe a rifle a week.”
“I thought there might be a reason that you had thirty in the class,” Erik said.
“Even if they’re using repeaters, if they can hit the damn target, it’s better than them just wasting their bolts,” Rugrat said.
“You ready?” Erik asked.
“For the Fourth Realm? Hell no. Is anyone actually ready?”
Erik shook his head. “No but it’s about time you tried opening that fourteenth Mana gate.”
Rugrat’s hand shook as a shiver ran down his spine. Fears that he thought he had forgotten appeared in the back of his mind.
“Yeah.” Rugrat could feel his anxiousness, the light-headed feeling. His stomach turned into an acidic soup and his wet palms wouldn’t dry as he put a smile on his face.
Erik nodded.
When you had to do something you were scared of, you did it mainly because of the ribbing your peers would give you. Rappelling? Didn’t matter whether heights scared the piss out of you; you did it because you were a damn soldier and you would do what you were told. They would laugh and joke at one another to push them over the edge and then force themselves right after them.
More than a fear of dying, fear of letting down others pushed you past what your brain thought were your limits. It pushed you to a state of ‘fuck it’ When you got to the edge of that plane’s jump point, when it was your turn to do live fire along-side the worst shot in the company, when you needed to run through incoming fire to get to your friend who was lying wounded on the ground.
You gritted your teeth, embraced your death and just damn well did it.
Erik smacked Rugrat on the back and they headed toward the dungeon headquarters.
Chapter: Cultivation
Rugrat and Erik arrived at the dungeon core. Erik talked about the increased Mana Regeneration, trying to allay Rugrat’s fears. He had also asked Egbert to join them. If something went wrong, then Egbert could get help or assist them as needed.
The Fourth Realm (The Ten Realms Book 4) Page 8