WilburWoods
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Chapter 11 - Windfall
🕑 Added 2023-11-06 19:24:46 +0000 UTCLogan’s eyes went wide. They were standing in a treasure trove. Darkmetal pickaxes in neat rows under a crust of dust. As well as five foot thin sticks made of the same black gleaming metal. They had a sharp blue Numa Crystal on the other end, as if a speartip. The crystal tip was dim, long ago drained of energy. Logan wondered what the First Folk had needed it for in here.
But soon his attention was stolen by the crown jewel of this treasure trove. A sizeable chunk, a veritable boulder of Numa, half buried in the dirt, pulsing a strong blue glow.
“This is one of those we can use right?” Kat said, distractedly, but hunger evident in her voice.
“So much Numa…” Balmer said, a palm on the crystal, feeling its warmth. “It’s a B-grader, at hundred percent.”
Logan came closer and verified the fact, it was a B-grader and it was beautiful.
“Kat,” Logan said. “You should start using your abilities.”
“I can’t charge my internal Numa with this, can I?”
Logan shrugged. “I don’t think so. I think that’s just the fruits.”
“You can keep a hand on the crystal while you practice,” Balmer said.
“Thank you Captain Obv—” Kat started, but the look on Balmer’s face made her stop. She blushed. “I mean.. Thanks.”
Balmer grunted at that. Logan gave them the side-eye, but it wasn’t his business. He turned to pick up the darkmetal tools and was about to place them in his spatial storage, before he realized something.
He wasn’t wearing his Armor.
How are you doing, Tumor?
[This creature is very angry. I can feel the muscles flexing. The amount of force it is able to generate is tremendous.]
Can you move?
[It would be easier if the captive was dead or incapacitated. I can suffocate him, but unless I restrict the access to oxygen continuously, it will only be effective for a minute or two.]
Logan crouched and inspected the darkmetal stick further. It was abnormally thin, so much so that it would be hard to hold as a spear. But it did look like a spear. “Do that and come here. You’ll definitely like what you see.”
[I must remind you Logan that I am physically residing in your brain, and thus it is the nexus of my consciousness, despite my magical abilities. Therefore, I am always able to see with your eyes.]
“Can you say that in a tone that isn’t used to address stupid five year olds?” Logan muttered.
[I could. But that would rob all the fun out of it.]
Logan scoffed. He took another glance at Kat. She was grinning and shouting out “Power strike” and punching and stomping the ground. It made the whole room reverberate, and the rocky floor was developing a proper dent.
Balmer looked at her with conflicted expressions playing on his face.
“You okay, Felix?”
“It’s weird when you call me that,” Balmer said.
“Got a bit of class jealousy?” Logan asked, trying to engage his leader-brain and not his… Logan-brain.
[I do wish you engaged the Logan-brain less often.]
“Shut up,” Logan muttered. Balmer raised an eyebrow at that, but he was used to Logan and his AI.
“You two laughing at me in your mind?” Balmer asked, jutting his chin up.
Don’t go full Logan. Never go full Logan. Don’t do it.
“You’re making it hard not to,” Logan said and almost immediately slapped his face.
Balmer’s face darkened. “Must be nice being you. Best class you can imagine. A powerful AI holding your hand.
“I’m trying to hold everyone’s hand here,” Logan shouted over Kat banging the floor with her fists and laughing.
“You wouldn’t even be our leader if it weren’t for these lucky advantages,” Balmer shouted.
“Screw you!” I didn’t ask to lead anyone. I didn’t want to either!”
“Easy to say now!” Balmer shouted, even though Kat had already stopped and had come up to look at what they were arguing at. “I bet secretly you like being the most important human.”
Most valuable human…
Logan closed his eyes and exhaled. Slowly. Kat placed a hand on Logan’s shoulder.
“I need a break,” she said. “You take a turn on the crystal.”
Logan gave a pensive look at her and at Balmer, who was breathing heavily and clearly ready to retort anything Logan might say. He nodded to Kat. Balmer was about to say something, but Kat started pushing him.
“Hey!” Balmer protested. “What?”
“Idiot.”
Logan breathed in and out once again and chuckled. The moment of anger and possibility of stupid decisions had passed. He was really trying to become a better leader. Tumor was clanking towards them awkwardly, as if every movement of the Armor was hampered by rust and fatigue.
[Well done for not going full Logan.]
*
Logan placed his hand on blue Numa crystal. The familiar warmth made him realize he had missed this feeling. The exhilaration was running through his body like an electric current. He was going to level up.
First thing he did was gather the pile of pickaxe heads and spears next to him and he charged them full of Numa. One way or another they would leave with the darkmetal items in tow.
[Skill Level Up!]
[Funnel level 12]
After Kat having her way with the crystal and Logan charging the six darkmetal items next to him, he found the crystal was already mostly spent.
[B-grade Natural Numa Crystal, 36%]
Then Logan took one of the spears and [Transmuted] it into a pair of black handcuffs.
Kat who was apparently done with Balmer came up next to him. “Ooh, kinky. You think Freya will like those?”
Logan snorted. “Idiot. Next thing I’m making is a gag for you.”
Kat’s smirk spread into a full blown grin.
“I—” she started.
Logan groaned. “Please don’t finish that thought.”
“Spoilsport.”
“Pervert.”
Balmer came up to them. He nodded to Logan. “Hey.”
Logan nodded back. “Hey.”
“Look I just,” Balmer said. “Sorry.”
“Yeah,”Logan said. “It’s fine.”
Balmer shook his head. “You’re really annoying sometimes.”
“What the hell did I do?” Logan asked.
“It’s like you don’t even remember what an insufferable asshole you were just a few months back. Now you’re acting all high and mighty, making me look bad.”
Logan smirked. He didn’t need to go full Logan, but he could sprinkle it in a little bit, right?
“You’re making yourself look bad.”
Balmer growled, but it wasn’t entirely hostile.
Logan picked up the handcuffs and examined them. “If you’re truly sorry, you can be my guinea pig.”
Balmer swallowed. “Oh boy…”
When Logan was done with the spell in his head, he nodded. “Make these cuffs weaken the wearer by 90% of their strength. Make these cuffs make the wearer blind and deaf. Make these cuffs come off when I say ‘Shazam’.”
[Attribute Level Up!]
[Potency: 34]
The cuffs glowed blue and Logan felt the minty feeling flush over him. It wasn’t a large hit with only an attribute level up, but Logan grinned nonetheless. Then he clipped the cuffs on Balmer who immediately stooped forward from his crouch and fell.
“I can’t see,” he said and moved slowly on the ground.
“That’s the point,” Logan said, tapping his chin with a finger. “Shazam.”
The cuffs clanked on the floor and Balmer blinked and flexed his hands. “That was nasty.”
“Not as nasty as his poison swamp,” Kat muttered, eyeing the cuffs with trepadition.
“Tumor, what do you think?”
[You will need to adjust the strength reduction to 78.2%, or the captive will not be able to walk with its substantial muscle mass. Other than that, I think it was a good idea.]
Logan adjusted the spell and then came up to the still monstrous form clad in his Armor. The Armor receded from the hands, which immediately started flexing and attempting to claw at anything nearby. Logan made sure to not get caught by the fingers opening and closing violently, and managed to clip the cuffs on their new friend.
Then the Armor started sliding back on Logan. He had to admit that it was a relief feeling the protection of it again. Walking around without it felt so unsafe. He looked at Kat and Balmer as his arms and shoulders were being covered by the liquid black metal. He felt a sudden surge of appreciation towards them both. They were putting their lives down on the line for this.
I should really make an effort of poking less fun at Balmer.
When Tumor had fully covered Logan with the Armor, all three of them watched their blue-veined captive closely. It immediately started swinging around with its cuffed hands as it growled violently. Logan picked up one of the spears and shoved the blind brute. It toppled over and struggled like a toddler to get up.
“So,” Logan said giving his companions a winning smile. “Which one of you would like to hold the leash?”
Kat and Balmer looked at each other and grimaced.
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I'm back in business! Got the plot planned out and took a bit of time off, so now I'm ready to entertain :3
