Chapter 66: Power of the wyvern

Excerpt from the book “Dungeons and Diving” By the veteran diver Duncan

Caution, caution, caution. The mantra I say every dungeon dive I am involved in. I will repeat this many a time but traps and monsters are not to be taken lightly. It only takes an unlucky arrow ricochet to spear you to a wall. I had it happen to a buddy of mine. He was knocked right into a speak trap. Dead instantly, bless his soul.

The gold… wasn’t worth his life. I still carry his lucky dagger. I considered handing it off to the man who helped me escape that death trap, but I couldn’t. Let that serve as a warning, even someone as seasoned as me is at risk of death. In the next few pages, I will go into in-depth descriptions of trap identifiers. It’s incredible how certain ignitable chemical compounds make plants change their growth patterns.

Rolling my shoulders, loosening the tension from the evening. I with dramatics, pretend to crack my knuckles. I am unable to actually crack m knuckles. But the act alone improves my mood and makes me feel driven. Something sorely needed when working intensely with mods.

I mail the mayor with an ender letter. A simple inquiry on his success with contacting the Dagger family. With the paperwork done, I begin crafting and collecting the materials. Reading up on the materials I need within the stone tablet.

Having the wyvern cores automatically crafted saves me a massive quantity of time. I quickly prepare the armor, noting its relatively simple recipe. The most complex items are the wyvern cores and the energy capacitor. The former simply requiring 4 draconic cores and a nether star; the latter? 2 wyvern cores and some assorted materials.

I collect all the ingredients before crafting the armor. Beginning with the helmet, I am suddenly blasted with an extremely hollow sensation. Noted! At least I have found my current limit with crafting. Appreciating the knowledge on how to further my crafting capacity, I set an automatic crafting setup. Producing the 3 other pieces of armor as demonic power prices.

While the crafting process for the armor slowly chugs along. I begin further expanding my power system. The wyvern armor reminded me of a small fact. Crafting automatically requires an energy and time tax, dependent on the complexity and value of the item. Realizing I will be regularly producing higher value items in the future my power… is lacking.

I spend almost my entire supply of materials creating thermoelectric generators. My laziness being challenged by the sheer quantity of generators. It inevitably won over creating more efficient power.

It took me a terrifying 6 hours to set up the generators and craft them. Leaving me exhausted and drained, to say the least. I allow myself a short rest; simply recuperation. I dozed off for no more than 2 hours. Waking groggy but rested.

Checking, I find some sweet, sweet wyvern armor. Resisting the urge to equip it, I head to my energy infuser. Placing each piece within. I watch a mesmerizing array of particles float towards the armor and sink in. Thankfully I had enough juice to fill up my wyvern armor. Although it does bring concerns about it, can I possibly power awakened draconium armor?

I head up to a more comfortable area. I slowly start equipping each part of the gear, starting with the feet. Clasping the flexible metal around my feet. It immediately feels warm, soft, and energizing to wear them. Once it's completely on my foot, the outside hardens.

I try and take them off, finding as I do so the material softens once more – freaky. I then equip the remaining parts. Relishing the powerful feeling. The lack of flight is annoying but is quickly remedied by wearing a belt of flight outside the armor. I flex my joints, enjoying the tactile feedback and force in each movement.

It takes some time but I quickly get used to the armor. It has a small heads up display which I can mentally prod to change the settings quickly. A much-appreciated feature that I feel will be invaluable in further iterations of the armor.

Having gotten accustomed to the interesting armor I begin to expand my battery supply. Taking some extra time to produce vibrant capacitors for vibrant batteries. I have all the materials… it’s just annoying to make. If I had a transmutation table it would be easy. Sadly, a philosopher's stone recipe has been… edited. Mentally glancing at the long novel-like page on how it's crafted. At its core, a diamond is processed into a material that can hold the energies for transmutation. It is then soaked in large quantities of enchanted blood and then a rite is done to activate it. A few small details in between but that’s the basic process to produce the stone.

I can do it. But I still need to find more ethical methods to acquire some of the materials. I am in no mood to decimate a large population of anything.

It makes sense, given the bloody history even in my old world. It didn’t even exist and still cost countless lives in attempts at producing it. So, I can completely believe the process. But I fear the thought if someone without a guide such as me attempted to make it! Shivering at the thought.

Thankfully I have all the information resources I require to find an ethical and effective method to produce one. It will just take time, lots of time. I did find out it actually keeps the holder of the stone immortal. A small tidbit at the bottom of the description. Rather redundant to me, who has a frozen true body and an easily replenishable army of clone bodies. Still, doesn’t hurt to have extra precautions. Reminds me to get a ‘slime pet.’ Damned things make you near indestructible.

Finishing my mental musings and a large batch of batteries. I hastily increase the quantitive storage of power next to my power farm. Shaking my head lightly at the hundreds of millions of rf I can now store. I don’t need that much storage but I don’t need to make any more now.

Leaning back and smiling at the progress. I have been thinking about what I should do. I am just mindlessly dancing between different fits of fancy. I have no goals, just freedom. It's both refreshing and annoying. I think… I would like to start a family and live a normal life at some point. I also have been making progress in mods. Yet, neither are true goals.

Honestly, what I truly want? I just want to improve the lives of people here; this world. I am not a saint; I am selfish and prideful. Yet I have such an abundant resource to enrich the lives of people. I feel selfish. “Am I selfish?” I just willfully give away valuable items for no reason. I feel like the definition of a mental illness I cannot remember.

I constantly run around trying to amaze people for a shallow sense of fulfillment. I think it's time I step up to actually do something and stop acting like a child on his honeymoon period. I am going to get awakened draconium armor then I am going to improve this world.

Easily accessible transport. Safety from this world's nasties and any other issue I can help fix. I won't make a utopia but I can make people's lives better. And I miss the internet, god damn I need it back. So, if It doesn’t exist… I will make it!

Settling into the comfort of having a goal. A point to work towards; I relish the energy ready to complete this goal. It's morning already yet I don’t wish to sleep.

Hitting the library, I start researching the issues of the world at the moment. Skimming through the dry books I find a few small things. Turning towards the women, running the graveyard shift for this lovely library.

“Hello madam, I had a few questions.”

A tired voice returns, “Yes.”

Trying to remain neutral in tone. “I am rather ill-informed of the world, I tend to live rather isolated when I am not, reading,” I say as I slowly wave my arms around. “I wished to ask if you know any more up to date news of the world. The books are rather old after all.”

She just rests her head on her shoulder. Clearly considering if to ignore me or not. Looking up, resignation in eyes. “Aside from the rising tensions of a potential war between the 2 great empires?” She laughs lightly. “The roads are dangerous; the blood moons yearly kill thousands across the globe and the clever clog clans hoard technology.” Looking deep into my armored helmet, “Satisfied?”

I bow lightly, “Thank you very much.” Her face shifts ever so slightly into a less sour mood.

Not even sparing a second glance I walk away. “How am I going to stop a great war?” I say to myself in a murmur. “No, no, I am thinking about it wrong! I need to mitigate the damage of a war that’s guaranteed to happen. I don’t have the clout to stop it but I may very well be able to help people during it.” The clerk just looks at me suspiciously, all the good words I spoke, useless in the face of me looking like I am insane.

I spend a long time in that library. Improving my depth of information rather than a wide quantity of information. I didn’t make as much progress as I hoped. But it's day one, I can always continue later.

Heading home, I nod appreciatively at my very full battery. Not even near full capacity; but noting the silly capacity makes that fact redundant. I begin charging draconium blocks. Watching all that wonderful energy quickly disappear. Wincing at the 100 million price tag to make charged draconic blocks. I forgot about that… I will just leave it to do its thing. The first one is charged but only by a hair. I place a second and just walk away. “It will be ready later.

I need 4 of them so it will be a little while before I can make my first set of awakened draconium.

I create an upgrade modifier. I wonderfully unique name I know. I have a massive supply of wyvern cores so I max out the upgrades for my armor. Feeling the bearly contained power in the suit of armor, I smile lightly. I also begin crafting and then upgrading the other wyvern tools. Making my old tools redundant so I stash them in a chest for memories. I keep my zivicio armor within my bag of holding just incase. You never know if you will run out of power or any number of odd occurrences.

A few moments later… “These tools are insane.” I just touch the stone and it melts. That’s crazy. The mayor should be awake and at his desk by now, let's visit him. I need access to the end. I manage to stop myself, I forgot to make an advanced charm of dislocation. An easy craft, which allows me to ‘set’ places I can teleport to. I feed a few hundred ender pearls into the device. It has a small round space at the back. When you insert an ender pearl they disintegrate and the fuel icon within the center increases by 1.

I immediately set a teleport location for all my current telepad locations. I head into town afterward. Walking leisurely through the town, enjoying the effortless feeling, walking in this armor is. For some reason, people walk out of my way as I walk. Lots of eyes follow me; more than normal anyway. A few odd people see me and bolt and others look with fear. That… is weird.

Walking through the market was even worse. I either got gifted free food or the stall owners ran for the hills. What is going on? Even the normal pickpocket attempts don’t happen, that’s the strangest. They would steal from a giant if he had a coin purse.

Walking up to the governmental building, I walk in. Immediately the clerk bows deeply, “Hello your majesty; how can we help?” This… is not good.