"Jin, c'mon, just show us already."
Rudy groaned from his spot on the floor, legs crossed like an impatient kid on Christmas morning. Jin kept his hands planted on the three boxes. Reyana sat with her usual composed stillness, but even she kept glancing curiously at the boxes. Joe hummed a tune, a smile playing across his pale features.
"You've been saying that for five minutes."
"It's not even thirty seconds since we brought these out." Jin shot back.
"Feels like five minutes."
"Okay, you'll see what's inside, Rudy, but first..." Jin met both Reyana's gaze and Rudy's eyes. His voice came out deep. "A couple of things went wrong with our fight against Nourma. I won't go too deep, but in an ideal world, we'd all be peak ORDER III or ORDER IV before taking on a foe like that."
"True." Joe nodded, his red eyes gleaming.
"But we won!" Rudy's grin faltered, ready to launch into a full defense.
Jin's piercing blue eyes locked onto Rudy, and he paused mid-rise. Reyana gave a small shake of her head, and Rudy settled back down with a grunt that sounded like a bear being told to sit.
"We survived." Jin let the distinction hang there. "Big difference."
"So what were we supposed to do—run away?"
"No, Rudy." Jin kept his tone even. "What I'm saying is we're not in an ideal world, and this won't be the last time we end up in situations like these. We need to make sure the next time we're caught, it's not with our pants down."
Reyana grimaced. Rudy's face shifted from defensive to thoughtful.
Jin rapped his knuckles against the boxes, the sound sharp in the quiet room. "What these contain is a small collection of useful items Joe and I discussed and crafted while both of you were in meditation."
He slid one box to Reyana, watching it glide smoothly across the table, then sent another spinning toward Rudy. The third stayed in front of him. "It was mostly Joe, thanks to him having all sorts of weird prototypes and stuff. Really random things."
"I wouldn't have known what to make without you raising concerns and ideas." Joe shrugged.
"Well, I'll gladly take that much credit." Jin popped open his own box. He watched Reyana and Rudy do the same, their hands moving at different speeds… Reyana started orderly while Rudy was eager.
"I need you guys to take the mask and whisperlinks first and put them on. That'll make this so much easier. Both of the items should be on top."
Reyana pulled out the whisperlinks. The matte black earpiece was glowing with a faint rune that pulsed like a tiny heartbeat.
Jin shifted his attention to Rudy, who'd gotten distracted examining a cylindrical object that looked vaguely explosive.
"Rudy!"
"Oh, sorry, I got distracted!" Rudy dropped the cylinder back into the box with a thunk that made Jin wince.
"Those are all yours now. Links and mask."
"Yeah, yeah."
Rudy jammed the earpiece in, then grabbed the mask and paused before putting them on. Giving Jin a scrunched face.
“What?”
“This thing is unsettling to look at, Jin!” Rudy said. The mask in question was plain, featureless, and dark black without holes for eyes or nose. Like someone had taken the concept of a face and erased everything that made it human.
“Just put it on!”
Jin and Joe pulled their own masks on. The sensation was immediate and strange, like warm water flowing across skin before hardening into a second layer that didn't quite touch.
Reyana followed, her movements careful as always, and Rudy reluctantly put on the mask.
"Whoa!" Rudy's voice came out completely transformed—deep, rough, distorted. "It doesn't fall off! Huh? What's wrong with my voice?"
"That's one of the passive features of the mask." Joe's voice carried the same distortion, though somehow his amusement still bled through. "Once the mask is properly set, we'll hear each other's voices just fine."
"From now on, it's a certainty we'll be facing cult elites, and we don't know what they can use to harm us," Jin said. "Better to take precautions. But the most important feature of this mask is..."
He trailed off deliberately, letting anticipation build.
Narrator?
? Understood. Connecting and done. Relaying information. ?
Information bloomed in the corner of their visions like someone had installed a video game HUD directly into their brains. Clean lines, clear data, all organized in translucent blue that didn't obstruct his actual sight.
"Oh shit, this feels like that VR game we played!" Rudy turned his head left and right, watching the display follow his movements. "Pity our Mantle reflection only shows us our stat sheets and nothing else. This is way cooler."
"This does sound useful." Reyana's distorted voice carried genuine wonder. "How much information does it display?"
"For now, it's limited because we don't have access to a wider variety of materials," Jin said. "But it'll suit our needs just fine."
"That was a weird answer, but okay..." Reyana nodded.
"Accept the information I shared with you guys." Jin gestured at the air. "There should be a notification in the corner of your vision… just direct it using thoughts."
They all did, and text bloomed in their shared vision.
o______________________o
? 【 Veil of the Shared Horizon (Replica) 】?
? RARITY: 2-Star Rare
? TYPE: Neural Interface Augment | Mask
? MANUFACTURER: ???(JOE)
? [ATTRIBUTES] ?
? Structural Integrity [TIER IV]
└─ Seamless, featureless construction formed from layered essence-polymers. Resistant to cracking and piercing.
? Cognitive Stabilization [TIER IV]
└─ Reinforces mental defenses. Reduces disorientation, panic responses, and psychic backlash from sensory and essence overload.
? Adaptive Fit [TIER IV]
└─ Once worn, it remains secure unless deliberately removed by the wearer.
? Perceptual Filtering [TIER III]
└─ Automatically suppresses illusory and false sensory inputs and misdirection effects. Ineffective against higher-tier conceptual illusions.
? [ABILITIES] ?
? Shared Battlefield Overlay
└─ Projects a real-time tactical map directly into the user's perception.
└─ Allied entities connected to the network are highlighted in blue with positional accuracy scaling by distance and interference.
? Target Seal: Convergence Mark
└─ Designate a visible enemy to apply a sealing mark.
└─ Mark pings the enemy's location to all synced allies for 30 seconds.
└─ Allies may archive the mark into a Marked Enemy Slot to permanently track the target's location. An aware target using specialized skills can purge the mark.
└─ Marked Enemy Slots: 0 / 3
? Illusion Dampening Matrix
└─ Moderately reduces the effectiveness of any illusion, charm, and perception-warping abilities cast on the User or surroundings.
└─ Higher resistance when multiple synced users observe the same target simultaneously.
? Neural Relay Synchronization
└─ Can receive information and display it in the user's vision.
└─ Increases data clarity and reduces mental strain across the network.
? [TECHNICAL DETAILS] ?
? Weight: 310 grams
? Material: Lord Obsidian variant essence-polymer, Umbral snake fiber lattice, neural resonance crystals, stabilized Underlord's essence core.
? [VALUE ESTIMATION] ?
? Market Value: 1,620,000—2,880,000 Zens (new)
Items resembling the Veil of the Shared Horizon are rumored to originate from experimental battlefield command projects, designed not for individual combatants but for coordinated units operating under extreme conditions.
o______________________o
"Holy shit, we can mark targets?" Rudy's voice carried genuine excitement. "That's broken as hell. I can mark something, you guys see it, we coordinate attacks..."
"The three-mark limit was the best we could go." Jin studied the notation. "We'll need to be strategic about what we tag. Can't waste slots on trash mobs."
"Trash mobs?" Reyana sighed.
"He talks like this all the time." Rudy waved dismissively. "You get used to it."
"I really don't think I will."
Joe cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "The mask's true value lies in the neural relay. Jin can feed you tactical data, environmental readings, and threat assessments. Think of it as having a command center directly in your head."
"That's good. If we had had this yesterday, we could've kept better track of Nourma's abilities." Reyana added.
“That’s the idea,” Joe said.
"Yeah, and the next item is our new and improved whisperlinks," Jin said. The appraisal result was shared with others, and by now Jin had a better grasp on how to share and connect manually without having the narrator do everything.
? You are terribly slow in that part. ?
Just a matter of practice, buddy.
? That it is. ?
o______________________o
? 【 Whisperlinks V1.1 】?
? RARITY: 2-Star Rare
? TYPE: Augment
? MANUFACTURER: ???(JOE)
? [ATTRIBUTES] ?
? Durability [TIER IV]
└─ Durable mechanical construction. Less prone to damage.
? Secure Link [TIER IV]
└─ Encrypts the communication links, preventing any unwanted third parties from entering the connection.
? [ABILITIES] ?
? Channel Networking
└─ Creates a passive link between all synced earpieces within a 5 km radius. Allows clear voice communication with minimal essence expenditure.
? Advanced Telepathic Link
└─ Enables short-range telepathic communication (max 500 meters). Can connect to other known compatible devices in the network, allowing for information sharing.
? Location Resonance
└─ Users wearing synced devices can sense approximate direction & distance (±200 meters). Function loses accuracy through heavy mana interference or dense dungeon environments.
? [TECHNICAL DETAILS] ?
? Weight: 85 grams
? Material: Obsidian casing, essence-conducting copper coils, calibration crystals, Underlord's blood essence.
? [VALUE ESTIMATION] ?
? Market Value: 245,000 - 375,000 Zens (new)
When activated, they emit a faint bluish glow that pulsates gently with the rhythm of the wearer's heartbeat, providing a modern aesthetic to any adventurer's gear.
Similar items were once crafted by a secretive guild of spies and messengers. These earpieces allow the wearer to maintain contact with allies over vast distances.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
o______________________o
"That's some insane range." Rudy let out a low whistle. "Our old ones maxed out at what, two?"
Jin nodded. "Vienna's not that big. We stay in touch no matter what."
"Yeah, comms are important, but if you go silent on the links without telling us first..." Reyana gave Jin a pointed gaze. "It won't end well for you."
"Yes, ma'am!" Jin saluted.
"Look at us." Rudy bumped her shoulder gently, careful not to actually make contact with her bare skin. "Bonding. Our ice queen's warming up."
"I will decay your testicles off." Reyana glared at Rudy.
"See? Warming up." Rudy ignored her comment.
Jin pulled out the next item before their banter could escalate into actual violence.
"Joe and I poured most of our expensive and unique resources into this." Jin held up the Helldiver's Mark, watching it reflect the light. "The shields are even better now, along with a new and very crucial ability."
o______________________o
? 【 HELLDIVER'S MARK V1.1 】?
? RARITY: 2-Star Epic
? TYPE: Utility Augment
? MANUFACTURER: ???(JOE)
? [ATTRIBUTES] ?
? Adaptive Aura Shielding [TIER VI]
└─ Generates an invisible, reactive shield field bound directly to the user. Shield strength and capacity scale with one's aura strength.
└─ Functions as damage reduction rather than full absorption.
└─ Once depleted, the shield collapses and requires an essence crystal to fully recharge.
? Formation Resonance Matrix [TIER V]
└─ When multiple Helldiver Marks operate within formation range, shield strength increases proportionally and can be projected into a barrier shield.
└─ Grants enhanced regeneration and higher damage reduction while maintaining unit cohesion.
? Structural Integrity [TIER VII]
└─ Badge core reinforced with layered Order-script anchoring.
└─ Capable of sustaining repeated shield failures without catastrophic artifact damage.
? [ABILITIES] ?
? Helldiver Combat Shield
└─ Passive, always-active defensive field.
└─ Invisible while stable.
└─ When struck, the shield briefly flares with color-coded indicators reflecting remaining charge.
└─ Color shifts from blue → amber → crimson as capacity diminishes.
? Enhanced Micro-Displacement
└─ Short-range spatial displacement (up to 12 meters).
└─ Can be activated manually or triggered defensively during high-threat engagements.
└─ 2 active charges.
└─ Cooldown: 1 hour per charge.
? Emergency Override Displacement
└─ One-time, high-priority micro-teleport that activates when the user enters a dire situation.
└─ Overrides all cooldown restrictions.
└─ Relocates the bearer to the nearest viable, safe vector within range.
└─ Automatically disables after activation until manually rearmed during maintenance.
└─ Cooldown: once per 24 hours.
? Anchor Point Extraction
└─ One-time long-range teleportation protocol.
└─ Can be activated at will or automatically upon entering a near-death state.
└─ Transfers the user to a pre-attuned Anchor.
└─ Anchor Point collapses after use.
└─ Ignores environmental interference, dungeon locks, and spatial suppression effects below its Order threshold.
? [TECHNICAL DETAILS] ?
? Weight: 68 grams
? Material: Obsidian-steel composite core, reinforced silver Order-script lattice, micro-focus spatial glyphs, aura-reactive resonance crystal, ??????.
? [VALUE ESTIMATION] ?
? Market Value: 2,800,000—5,600,000 Zens (condition, anchor quality dependent)
A pristine Helldiver's Mark is a warning sign.
A scarred one is proof of experience.
o______________________o
"The anchor extraction... that's good, really good," Reyana said.
"Yeah, that part is still there, but now it has two charges and can be triggered manually for a small teleport," Jin said. "And remember, the anchor point ability is one-time use—once you burn it, that's it until we can find another anchor point and recharge the badge."
"Still a life." Rudy turned the badge over in his hands. "I just hope the shield works, and the formation buff sounds insane."
"That's the idea." Jin met his friend's eyes.
"The anchor system was particularly challenging. Finding materials that could handle long-range teleportation without burning out took three attempts and most of my good essence cores." Joe gestured at the badges. "These won't fail you. I made sure of that."
"Where do we set the anchor?" Reyana asked the practical question Jin had been building toward.
"Here." Joe's red eyes gleamed. "This place is already heavily warded, hidden from conventional and magical detection, stocked with medical supplies and emergency provisions."
Jin nodded. "That's awesome."
"Next item." Jin pulled out what looked like a simple cloak.
The cloth felt strange against his fingers, not quite silk, not quite anything natural. It shifted colors subtly depending on the angle, never quite settling on one shade of darkness.
o______________________o
? 【 Windweave Cloaks 】?
? RARITY: 1-Star Rare
? TYPE: Cloak
? MANUFACTURER: ???(JOE)
? [ATTRIBUTES] ?
? Fabric Integrity [TIER IV]
└─ Ultra-light, layered weave designed to flex with atmospheric currents. Resistant to tearing and minor elemental exposure.
? Distortion Matrix [TIER IV]
└─ Actively disrupts visuals around the wearer. Reduces silhouette clarity and edge definition.
? Essence Diffusion [TIER III]
└─ Breaks up and disperses the wearer's essence output, blending it into surrounding ambient flows. Less effective in essence-dead zones.
? [ABILITIES] ?
? Outline Blur Field
└─ Surrounds the wearer with a thin distortion veil that blurs visual outlines.
└─ Particularly effective at medium to long ranges and in motion.
└─ Effect weakens under sustained direct observation or enhanced perception abilities.
? Environmental Essence Masking
└─ Alters the wearer's essence signature to resemble natural wind turbulence and background essence noise.
└─ Significantly reduces detection by tracking skills, spiritual senses, and automated essence scans.
└─ Mask integrity degrades briefly when using high-output abilities.
? [TECHNICAL DETAILS] ?
? Weight: 540 grams
? Material: Wind-thread silk, distortion runic mesh, ambient essence collectors.
? [VALUE ESTIMATION] ?
? Market Value: 480,000–720,000 Zens (new)
o______________________o
"Stealth gear." Rudy draped the cloak over his shoulders, and Jin watched his friend's form immediately start to fuzz at the edges. "Oh, that's wild. Reyana, look at me."
"You're still visible, Rudy," Reyana spoke with a hint of amusement.
"Yeah, but am I, though?" Rudy waved his arms, watching the distortion field warp around his movements. "This is like being a ninja. Jin, we're basically ninjas now."
"A ninja who uses a greatsword?" Jin said with a chuckle. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."
"Buzz kill."
"Realist."
Jin reached back into his box, fingers closing around the next piece of equipment.
"This one's important." Jin held it up, watching Rudy and Reyana pull out their own, each with confused expressions.
The item in question was a wristwatch-style augment.
"This is a Field Alchemy Injector," Jin said. "We were fortunate Joe had the prototype of something similar, and I got the idea for this."
"Wait... you said 'Injector'?" Rudy scowled. "What the hell?"
o______________________o
? 【 Field Alchemy Injectors 】?
? RARITY: 3-Star Rare
? TYPE: Medical Support Wrist Augment
? MANUFACTURER: ???(JOE)
? [ATTRIBUTES] ?
? Adaptive Dosage Regulator [TIER IV]
└─ Continuously monitors the user's physiology and essence saturation.
└─ Automatically adjusts injection volume and potency to prevent overdose or adverse reactions.
? Chemical & Essence Isolation [TIER III]
└─ Separates incompatible alchemical compounds during storage and delivery.
└─ Reduces risk of reagent instability during rapid injections.
? Structural Reliability [TIER IV]
└─ Reinforced injector housing designed to withstand recoil, impact, and environmental hazards.
? [ABILITIES] ?
? Instant Injection Protocol
└─ Delivers stored alchemical potions directly into the bloodstream.
└─ Activation time: near-instant, suitable for mid-combat use.
└─ Can be triggered manually or automatically upon meeting preset conditions.
? Multi-Compound Support
└─ Compatible with stimulants, stabilizers, antidotes, and recovery agents.
└─ Prioritizes life-preserving compounds when multiple effects are queued.
? Crisis Stabilization Trigger
└─ Automatically injects a stabilizing agent when vital signs drop below safe thresholds.
└─ Cooldown applies to prevent rapid compound cycling.
? [TECHNICAL DETAILS] ?
? Weight: 100 grams
? Material: Hardened medical alloy casing, self-sealing crystal vials, ???? Bones, Powered underlord bones layer, essence-constructed delivery needles, calibration runes.
? [VALUE ESTIMATION] ?
? Market Value: 1,260,000–2,410,000 Zens (excluding alchemical payloads)
Standard issue among frontline operatives and high-risk dungeon teams, these injectors are designed for moments when hands are occupied, consciousness is fading, or hesitation means death. While incapable of creating alchemy on its own, in practiced hands, it turns preparation into survival measured in heartbeats.
o______________________o
Jin strapped his on, feeling the device conform to his wrist like it had been custom-made for him.
"As you guys can see, it's compact and won't hinder any of our movement." Jin showed them the artifact on his wrist. "And the best part—this goes under our armor, and it's made from Nourma's weapon. So it's durable."
"I had to fumble around taking out the potions and administering them to others." Reyana nodded. "Not fun."
"Would the injection hurt?" Rudy asked in a small voice.
"Rudy, you took full-on blows from an ORDER IV, and you're worried about an injection sting?" Jin said incredulously.
"Yeah, those are injections, and you can't punch them!" Rudy said. "You know how many of them I got when I was young, just cuz a beast bit me! Dad insisted on getting a proper dose even after using the services of a healer!"
"Nope, Rudy," Joe said. "There won't be any pain since the needles are made using essence."
"Then that's good." Rudy relaxed.
"How many doses can each injector hold?" Reyana asked.
"Six vials," Joe said, rubbing his temple as if he couldn't remember.
"Guys, this is here for a reason! You have the whole appraisal result there..." Jin sighed.
"Oh, right... Thanks."
"And each of your 'Field Alchemy Injectors'—or FAI for short… is already loaded with two high-tier healing potions, one antidote, one stamina restoration, one berserk variant, and one general stabilizer. You're welcome to switch them around, but I'd recommend you keep the berserk potion at the very least and the healing potions."
Jin pulled out one of the vials, the crystalline container catching light in deep crimson swirls.
o______________________o
? 【 Berserk Potion 】?
? RARITY: RARE
? TYPE: Alchemical Consumable | Combat Enhancement
? STATE: Stable | Volatile When Activated
? [ATTRIBUTES] ?
? Potency Index [TIER III]
└─ Strong physical and neurological amplification. Effects scale with user constitution and tolerance.
? Metabolic Strain [TIER III]
└─ Places significant stress on muscles, organs, and essence channels during active duration.
? [EFFECTS] ?
? Berserk State
└─ Increases physical strength, speed, and pain tolerance significantly.
└─ Suppresses fear responses and hesitation.
└─ Reduces fine motor control and complex decision-making.
? Pain Override
└─ User ignores injury penalties and fatigue thresholds while active.
└─ Damage is still accumulated normally and applied in full once the effect ends.
? Rage Feedback Loop
└─ Taking or dealing damage reinforces the Berserk State, slightly extending duration and intensity.
└─ Effect diminishes rapidly if combat engagement ceases.
? [SIDE EFFECTS] ?
? Post-Effect Crash
└─ Severe exhaustion, muscle trauma, and delayed pain response upon expiration.
└─ Temporary reduction in strength and coordination.
? Essence Instability
└─ Repeated use within short intervals increases the risk of essence channel micro-tears and emotional volatility.
o______________________o
"Don't use the berserk potion unless you're in deep shit." Jin read through its appraisal. "I didn't know you had these..."
"I always have some goodies here and there beyond one of my doors," Joe said.
"Nice." Jin nodded. "What's next, the fun stuff?"
"Yup!" Joe nodded jovially.
"Hold up, what's fun stuff?" Rudy asked.
"These!" Jin shared the information on the next items.
o______________________o
? 【 Thundergrave Penetrator 】?
? RARITY: 2-Star EPIC
? TYPE: High-Impact Kinetic Ordnance
? MANUFACTURER: ???(JOE)
? [ATTRIBUTES] ?
? Penetration Force [TIER VII]
└─ Designed to breach reinforced and armored defenses and high-density essence plating.
? Structural Stability [TIER VI]
└─ Maintains integrity through extreme acceleration and impact.
? [FUNCTION] ?
? Delayed Kinetic Detonation
└─ Pierces the target before releasing stored kinetic energy internally.
└─ Bypasses most external shields and layered barriers.
? [EFFECTIVENESS] ?
? Capable of catastrophic internal damage to entities up to ORDER IV.
? [VALUE] ?
? 1,200,000—1,800,000 Zens
A dense, spike-like projectile that detonates after impact, turning penetration into annihilation.
o______________________o
o______________________o
? 【 Voidflare Charge 】?
? RARITY: 2-Star EPIC
? TYPE: Essence Disruption Ordnance | Area Denial
? STATE: Highly Unstable
? MANUFACTURER: ???(JOE)
? [ATTRIBUTES] ?
? Essence Collapse Yield [TIER VII]
└─ Forces hostile essence fields into violent destabilization.
? [FUNCTION] ?
? Voidflare Detonation
└─ Creates a temporary deadzone where essence-based abilities malfunction or collapse.
└─ Duration: 6–9 seconds
? [EFFECTIVENESS] ?
? Severely disrupts ranks up to ORDER IV entities.
Detonation leaves scorched reality and silence where magic once screamed.
o______________________o
o______________________o
? 【 Sunhammer Breach Orb 】?
? RARITY: 3-Star EPIC
? TYPE: Elemental Ordnance
? MANUFACTURER: ???(JOE)
? [ATTRIBUTES] ?
? Thermal Output [TIER VIII]
└─ Concentrated solar-core ignition.
? [FUNCTION] ?
? Focused Solar Implosion
└─ Detonates inward before erupting outward, maximizing structural collapse.
? [EFFECTIVENESS] ?
? Capable of dealing devastating damage specifically to ORDER IV entities.
Often described as "dropping a piece of the sun exactly where it hurts most."
o______________________o
Jin set each ordnance piece on the table between them, creating a small arsenal that represented enough destructive potential to level a city block. Or kill them all if mishandled.
"These will be our last-resort options." Jin's voice came out flat, brooking no argument. "The Thundergrave for heavily armored targets we can't penetrate conventionally. The Voidflare for essence-dependent enemies or to shut down problematic abilities. The Sunhammer for when we need something very dead and don't care about collateral damage."
"What's the blast radius on the Sunhammer?" Reyana handled her orb with respect bordering on reverence.
"Fifty meters, give or take." Joe's tone suggested he was being generous with the estimate. "The implosion effect keeps most of the damage concentrated, but I wouldn't recommend being close when it goes off."
"Fifty meters." Rudy let out a low whistle. "That's a whole lot of 'fuck you and everything near you.'"
"True, although this is capable of inflicting tremendous damage to an Underlord, it won't work if you simply toss it at the enemy, anticipating their demise," Jin said.
"Isn't that the whole point of a grenade?" Rudy shrugged.
"It is, but not when your enemy can distort reality to do their bidding." Jin retorted.
"True," Rudy said sheepishly. "I might have missed that part."
"Regardless, your timing and judgment would dictate if the enemy lives or dies."
Jin pulled out the remaining lower-tier ordnances. 'Shatterpulse' grenades for crowd control. 'Hexfog' canisters for obscuring vision and disrupting targeting. 'Ironvine' snares for pinning fast targets. Blackout needle mines for area denial. Flash-seal orbs for emergency escapes.
"We're turning into a military unit." Reyana's voice carried something complex—approval mixed with unease. "This is less of being a hunter and more of some elite soldier."
"We're fighting a war." Jin met her eyes. "Might as well have the right tools."
"Besides, I'd rather be overprepared for a fight than underprepared."
Jin saw Rudy going quiet, examining each piece of equipment with unusual focus. His fingers traced over the ordnance casings like he was memorizing their weight and balance.
"Rudy? You good?"
"Yeah." Rudy looked up, and Jin saw something raw in his friend's expression. "Just realizing how close we came to dying against Nourma. If we'd had even half this stuff..."
"Don't linger in the past, Rudy. It never helps." Jin said with melancholy.
Sighing deeply, he faced Rudy and removed his mask, showing his friend his sincere and honest expression. "But we do now. And we'll have it for the next fight, and the one after that."
"Until Vienna ends." Reyana's words fell like stones into still water.
The silence stretched for a few heartbeats. Jin let it sit, let the weight of what they were doing settle properly. They weren't kids playing at adventure anymore. They were soldiers in a war most people didn't know was happening, armed with enough firepower to be dangerous and just enough skill to maybe survive using it.
He'd been forcing himself not to think of his memories as Ryujin. He was forcing down and suppressing any thought that would lead him there. He was Jin now, and he'd better play his part to survive. Dealing with trauma and other problems would come later.
"Until the war and cult end." Jin corrected. "And then we figure out what comes next."
"Speaking of next." Rudy's voice perked up with forced cheer. "Wait, where are our armors? You can't give us all this sweet gear and leave us running around in regular clothes."
Joe's smile turned absolutely wicked. He snapped his fingers, and the door swung open. Three large boxes materialized in the doorway, floating on currents of spatial essence that made Jin's eyes water.
Rudy launched himself at the boxes like a kid on Christmas morning, tearing into the first one with zero hesitation.
"Oh man, oh man, is this gonna be some epic armor? Like full plate? Or maybe something sleek and—what the hell?" Rudy pulled out what looked like a rubber duck. "Joe? Why is there a rubber duck in my armor box?"
The second item was a half-eaten sandwich.
A couple of books titled "Basic Manners for Impatient People." "How to become the best cook in all of Alcira." "101 jokes that land hard in any situation."
Joe's laugh echoed through the room. "Oops."
"OOPS?!" Rudy spun. "Joe, I swear to god—"
Joe snapped his fingers again. The fake boxes vanished in puffs of spatial distortion, replaced by three new containers.
"Much better." Joe's red eyes gleamed. "Now those are your actual armor upgrades."
Jin shook his head, fighting down a grin. Reyana had one hand pressed to her mask like she was physically restraining a laugh. Rudy just stood there holding his rubber duck, looking betrayed.
"I hate you so much right now." Rudy dropped the duck and moved toward the real boxes.
"I only reinforced and enhanced what you already had." Joe gestured at the containers. "I have appropriate ideas for completely reforging them, but that's future work. Assuming we all survive Vienna."
"Encouraging." Jin moved to his box.
"I thought so." Joe's smile never wavered. "Well, go ahead. I made some good upgrades and made an entirely new armor set for Reyana, or rather, just finished crafting her set."
"Finally." Reyana shook her head.
Jin's fingers touched the lid of his box, feeling the essence thrum through the metal.
Time to see what Joe did, and then it was harvest time. For that, he was really excited.
~~~
(^-^)
PS: Psst~ Psst~ Advanced chapters are already up on patreon. It would be awesome if you guys, you know...
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