Chapter 9

On my first day of being unable to use my legs I feel so down and depress like i’m nothing but a burden to others. Even doing simple task like cleaning or cooking is like harder than because i`m still not used to it and going outside is even harder.

I wonder how hard it is like to have no arms to use.

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“Come on Leyla i`m ok now besides it`s been four days already.”

After I’ve been beaten to death and live i`m back on track and I have new arms now thanks to Chloe-san group. Having no arms is really a burden like being a limp the only difference is that I can move around but not able to do anything.

My money is used for buying stuffs that is already available while I deposit my loots on the bank to have more space in my item box besides it will take a while before I can have arms.

Leyla is a worrywart from the day I arrived in my broken state. Chloe-san contracted some of her friends that is good in machine and blacksmiths that are already in town.

Many got interested seeing a clockwork and constructing an arm is not an easy task for them coz they`re not a clockwork to begin with. After some trial and error of blacksmith and other people, they finished one arm that I requested even though it is small and simple. I don’t want the clockwork tech to be exposed broadly for man players and people so I just said how to make a simple arm.

I begin constructing my tool kit so I could work faster and create a better arm set that I will upgrade because I have more materials and weapons inspiration. I still want to have projectile like guns and rockets also laser beam but I have to keep it in my bottom list because I haven`t have ideas how to create it here but guns will be available after I read how to make it but gunpowder will be my problem so I have to find an alternative but maybe a magic gun. Magic gun noted.

After four days of doing nothing but weapon and arm construction is boring but I’m able to add more weapons and boost my speed and power to maybe 1.5 than the last time. On this addition i`m able to download some of my NWA specially that photo memory and hyper data because I can now scan the monsters and beasts I have encountered that are machine, part machine or metalize. It was like a beastrian I can organize them according to my liking.

I haven`t read a book for a while now but the event is still on going and it said that I will continue until the end of summer here so we got less than two months. Ain`t that long for swarm season but when I ask some native other season even last at the 1st month of fall and in some other places that haven’t suppress their own dungeons and field it will last until the end of fall.

Well the season can be ended quickly if it was interfered by magician that will create a magic tool that will sucks the magic power but it can make a new corrupted dungeon so it was only created on dead dungeons or caves that is already existing or kingdoms that have dungeon with in their territory because they can regulate it.

My NWA is almost empty except for that alchemy and unknown skill but I will leave it for now. After I reconstructed my arms I replace the existing ones and store it for emergency like this. I upgraded my overall system like my scanner and sensors plus my memory bank and motherboard. I can now even use the quick shift because of the ant mini boss that we defeated coz it required a system to let is function well.

I gain so many bonuses for defeating and staying alive after that dreadful battle but I don’t want to do it again for months. I gain new title plus stats bonuses and that solo boss fight give me 3 levels but that level gap is really high so maybe it was the system or my racial nerf.

I added attachment weapons on my arms like the drill that is inspired from the worm. The plates that act like an armour on my forearms fold into a drill in my left hands while my right arm have wolf like design that extend to be a grappler that can be used for clawing, grabbing or grappler as its first purpose.

Other parts of my body got also an upgrade because I have the quick shift system and energy conversion but there is one option on the energy trait that is unknown and 2 options that is still locked. As time when by as I’ve been unable to do quest many things did happened but the most talked about is the dungeon being created inside the scrapyard in which shouldn`t happened also that dungeon is making ruckus because of monsters coming out.

Most of the players take the subjugation quest for the scrapyard dungeon and even the silver rankers are taking the subjugation quest in which the dungeon is rated as 3 silver stars meaning that the dungeon is only safe for silver teams but that is the initial rating because it was deeper than 10 floors.

Arth-dono have also requested magician to do dungeon fencing to suppress the enlargement which it will eat the whole scrapyard and even the town if left unattended.

Right now i`m taking the drone ant quest again even after what happened to me. Leyla is forcing me not to take the quest but I insist it just for my self-satisfaction and maybe vengeance.

Chloe-san is with me again and her team but this time they are more prepared plus when i`m out for 4 days they take quest that has good ground to train and good for training cooperation. They levelled up quickly because of the number of enemies even if they are outnumbered they hold themselves very well and now they are 20-23 while Chloe-san is 30.

They agreed with me so Leyla can’t oppose me from not taking this and now we are at the mini boss room again but we know how to do it properly. Arth-dono said that the mini boss and boss of dungeon spawned quickly in this season but cavern monsters don’t but he still warned us about this though.

“Raiser what`s waiting for us in the other side.”

“I`m not sure but there is a big one with 20 small ones. But this time it is not as big as I first saw it maybe a new one”

Chloe-san is very anxious before entering this tunnel. The mini boss room change its entrance by making a small tunnel that only a soldier ant can only pass.

“we know what to do so let`s go”

I take the front vanguard as we pass through the tunnel. As I scanned the enemies just in front of me they are just as the same level like us but the mini boss is still a destroyer but it was 30 which is 5 less than the last time.

As planned beforehand, I will take the aggro of the boss and even some minions while they take out other ant also Chloe-san will prepare her magic to destroy it.

The progress goes smoothly and I didn’t need to use too much energy now that they levelled up to hold their ground. As planned we retrieved the core and proceed but I still do salvage the head and one arm that isn`t much damage.

The cavern goes deeper as we proceed to the boss and occasionally there are amusing things that we find like ore vine like iron and copper and rare gem like a small piece of ruby.

Several meters before we reach a large open inside the cavern, we have series of battle on some ants but there are also mix drone ants that we haven’t seen before like a drone larvae or a nursery room which we see how drone ants are being born or created.

We didn’t destroy that hold them coz there are several drone ants like a mini version of mini boss we encountered. Besides if we take it any longer we will be in more danger. But the creation intrigue me so I scanned several eggs and larvae for my research and maybe I could create my own drones but I need a mother hive program in switch I find it hard to create coz i`m lacking parts for the program and system itself.

We let a group of soldiers pass before we decided to enter. I was in shock when I first saw the queen ant laying inside and eating metals and ores but the thing is it has a forge-like thing attach on its abdomen.

Around the queen are several soldier ants and siege ants which is bigger and stronger just by looking at their appearance. Like before our plan is take out all small fry while I run around and take aggro of the boss.

I engaged the queen and some drone ants while they take their position and begin attacking the drones. The queen ant didn’t even move on her spot which makes me anxious but when I think of it more maybe it was s spawning type of boss that will send dozens of minion to kill you.

I relay it to Chloe-san and the others thus they feel more nervous but resolve to do it faster. As the plan goes on I keep evading and sometimes killing drones that are vulnerable. As the minion goes down to half, I attack the queen who`s just looking at me and occasionally clawed me when i`m near.

My attacks are either being repelled by its thick cover or just giving it a small scratch. The queen`s neck is too high for me to climb and there are drone every now and then attacking me. It is annoying enough that it was 3 story building high with big claws and pinchers accompanied by dozens of drone. While i`m busy here the others are taking out drones on a faster rate while Chloe-san is no chanting here dark bolt that could really help a lot to use.

And from the position I saw the dark ball above the queen which is she is almost completed her chant. I quickly made space from the queen so I can be safe coz it can do friendly fire. I Chloe-san said the activation name a rain of dark bolts hit the queen and few drone ant around her.

As I distant myself from the queen and the others it started to move differently and lean it body to the ground then from the abdomen dozen of ball-like metal start rolling that is 1 meter in diameter then what my fear comes to life.

Dozens of mini soldiers, siege and even the two mini bosses we encounter emerge from them. And they start attacking Chloe-san. I rushed to them by jumping from drones that are attacking me.

They can hold their defence but the sheer number will overwhelm them so I need to go faster. I`m still contemplating if I will use my trump skill but I refrain coz the boss is still in good condition with 80% health.

As I arrived to them while I gain several damaged which I ignored, I quickly take out the ones that are near from the girls specially Chloe-san who`s keeping the dark bolt active and killing the queen ant.

The queen`s health keeps on decreasing while we are defending Chloe-san. She already cancelled out the dark bolt to do the gravity carnage. I`m on my own again attacking the queen which is on the ground laying metal ball and clawing me as I do a hit and run routine.

“Ain`t you finish with that, I’m on red gauge now.”

Spell casting or chanting whatever it is, the time to complete a spell that could hurt you real bad is time consuming. Volley of ball and elemental arrow are good but not every effective on this kind of fight but still that chant give us a lag on.

“Raiser, out now”

Finally, as I saw the ball I started running towards them to help with the defence. Damn this boss for having thick armour and large health. Even though that the queen doesn`t move too much her minions are really annoying and they hurt badly if you get swarmed.

As the gravity ball thingy descend down the queen ant pinning it down the minions stop spawning which is good for us. I can hear the scream or screech of the queen ant getting flattened down but it`s hp is still around 40% but before I leave it was 60%. This is really getting annoying and stressing to me and the team.

I called Leyla to aid me with my refill and charge me some mana that I used for running but not as the main source. It was still confusing though but from what I know as long as i`m not changing the order my normal energy will be consume but I can draw some mana to refuel it while on the other hand if I use the mana energy as my main I can used the normal energy.

“Raiser I can`t cast another one of that until about 10mins plus it eats a lot of mana.”

“Okay then but take it easy now, but i`m still worried.”

“Raiser the queen ant is moving strange.”

As Fenella-chan said it we all looked at the queen ant. We from what I observed it raised its head and I heard weird noise coming from somewhere.

“Guys I smell something that is burning”

“Really Slok I didn`t smell anything”

“Really Zeldy but I do smell something but only faint”

Wait did he said burning.

“Get up guys and start running or we will be crispy any minute now.”

“What on Edean are you saying raiser don’t you see that we are just recovering just now.”

“Don`t you understand Leyla from what I said earlier that boss got a furnace.”

“So what if the big ant got a furnace or something like … ohw I get”

“then start moving now coz it`s aiming its tail to us.”

Damn this is getting really bad now. As we stumbled down and tripped while trying to save our ass from being barbequed i`m sure now that it won`t be able to spawn her hell minions.

Chloe-san and the girls are with Zeldy-kun while i`m with Leyla and Slok-kun. The queen`s aggro is on Chloe-san because of what she did so they are on the run while we are at the back of the queen. Eureka!!!

“Slok-kun can you toss me up to the queen`s back?”

“Maybe I could why?”

“well I will destroy the queen`s head but I need you to distract it or maybe destroy the legs so it can`t move around anymore.”

“Are you sure about that raiser i`m mean your good at that but that was a boss class you know.”

“Don’t worry about me Leyla just assist Slok-kun and the others plus I need the head part on good condition.”

“Hmp. Fine.”

“I`m good with your plan plus I can help the others to not get burned alive coz Chloe-san is still exhausted and being carried by Zeldy.”

As we made our plan he toss me up to the queen as he run towards one of the leg and breaks its footing making that tail flamethrower missing them by a meter or two. While I impaled my halberd on the opening on its shell and drill the cover to make a footing. But the queen knew she`s having a pesky passenger which she tried to shake off but I didn`t let go as I used my grappler to hold on while the others start attacking the queen.

As i`m on its neck the queen become more shaky but I keep moving until I reach the back of the head. The good thing about my new trait is that I can use my innovator to see the conditions and connection of the head down to its body. I make holes in which I see several cords and cables that is in good condition and connect to the body, I also tried to do mana scan but I didn’t pick up any sign except from the body that have a faint light on the center.

As I start to cut the connection, Chloe-san and the others are attacking the queen on both sides but from what I know as long as the important parts are not that damage the monster will just take small amount of damage and will not die. I refocus on dismantling and destroying the connection of the cable as I gone deeper the head connection is pretty big and dozens of cables and wires are still ok but the queen ant is slowing down bit by bit.

On my halfway down the cable that is connects the systems the body and head falls down. Oh shit.

From the third floor high I descended down hugging the neck and praying I won’t get destroyed. Then I fell my body got slammed down the ground eating 38% of my hp. I can’t move my legs or arms but they are not damaged so much so maybe I got a stunned state or something.

I can hear that they are calling for me but I can’t send my reply for some reason. I don’t see any status ailment or anything so I just waited for them to find me.

The first one to see me is Slok-kun then with the help of Zeldy-kun they pulled me out of the rumble. I saw in my logs that I sustained damage that suddenly disable my body operation system plus the shocked that entered my body from the queen ant.

After I recovered, I saw Chloe-san carrying a hand-size core with steel white like coating. Chloe-san said that cores with colour or elements are different from black shards we get from smaller monsters. And also the colour difference tells the value of them or the uses. Some core is used for magic tools and alchemy while others are used by smiths to create magic weapons. And also rumours about magicians using this shard to do monster summoning which is true in some way or the other.

I asked them to help me dismantle the eyes pinchers and other important parts or sellable items with the queen ant. I carved out the scanners and sensor first then the system within the head.

I was just amazing to see the structure of the queen ant plus it was better than my system in some areas like memory and connection. After I removed important parts inside the head plus the sensor and scanner I just let them have the pinchers and claws that are still good also some cover plates and machinery.

“Raiser, what will we do with the furnace like thing on the tail.”

“Hhmm... I think I will take that but it will be hard.”

Chloe-san and I are still thinking if we will leave it or bring it back but with Leyla`s persuasion and convincing power, we decided to take it home but the thing is.

“How can we take it back if it won`t even move even after we pushed it.”

“Slok was right even if Raiser can dismantle the parts that don’t belong to the furnace the furnace itself is unmovable.”

“Maybe Raiser got a plan, right?”

Even if Eirin said that I haven`t thought about how on Edean i`m going to bring it. The escape rope have weight limit but I guess there might be a loop hole.

“Chloe-san you can use the escape rope now I’ll join you later after I solve this or give up.”

“Are you sure about that Raiser? We know that there are restrictions on using the rope.”

“Yeah i`m sure of it but don’t worry about me.”

Then as Chloe-san understand me and nodded to the others they didn`t argue about it. As they leave I started to drop the things that is inside my item box then arrange them with in the cloth that I always had.

“You know Raiser you are having a habit of bring things like a large old cloth or something like that. There might be something wrong with your head.”

“Tsk of course not, I just prepare things in advance. Besides it was very useful for carrying things outside the item box.”

“So how can you bring that out?”

“Well i`m thinking of removing everything inside the box the put the furnace inside to see if this thing could fit.”

“You are such a big stupid lump of metal you know. The item box got a limitation you know.”

“Of course I know that so just shut up and just watch.”

“Hmp. Fine but before we leave I like to have pet so go grab one egg that we saw earlier and not that scary minion ants.”

“Now that you mentioned that maybe I could also grab some machine eggs for experiment or something.”

Machine eggs noted. Well after I remove things that are heavy enough but I leave my juice drink and canteen coz they are just light, I move closer to the furnace which is off now. I shoved it to the item box but it didn`t get sucked in.

Then I tried to hold my item box and pop it like an egg on a bowl or maybe like a ball thrown to a creature to capture it.

Shit just got real.

The furnace get sucked inside my item box but after it I feel an extreme weight all over my body like i`m carrying weights for professional lifting contest.

“Just what on Edean just happened?”

The look from Leyla is either shocked or dumbfounded is really hilarious that I take a photo of it using my traits of course.

“Well looks like that crazy idea was right but the drawback was so huge. I`m carrying the overweight that comes from the item box right now and my legs might break if I let it alone or if I fall down.”

“I don’t care about you and your weight but let`s get moving but don’t forget my pet.”

“Yeah yeah I know”

I feel like singing the tsun tsun song. Well my weight is really uncomfortable but manageable but i`m super slow like I can`t lift my feet fast or far to stride. I remembered my grappler so I put it to use and grab the cloth containing my stuffs and slowly pulled it.

All in all, I have everything I wanted to like the scanners and stuff that goes to the head then then weird core that I retrieved earlier when we are getting the magic core plus some miscellaneous stuff that is useful for my upgrade.

I tied them up tightly on the blunt end of my halberd. Wait this baggage on stick looks familiar. Meh.

I scanned first my surrounding just to be sure if there is hiding underground. My sensors haven`t picked up and signal of enemies so I proceed to the entrance where Leyla is waiting for me.

As we walked back to where we saw the eggs that is just several meters from the boss room, I’d notice that there are no roaming ants and even on my sensors didn`t send anything back.

I just ignore this feeling and enter a small cave with metal balls eggs that Leyla is mentioning and from my scanners it showed me that it was still on processing before I can be a drone plus it was only on 10% completion so it was safe to carry it around. Leyla point out a small one that might me a drone worker if it was finished.

The completion is on 23% and other are on their 40-50 so I didn`t get them only the low number one. Summary of my collection is 10 small balls that is just bigger than a tennis ball then 5 football size and all of them are just before 30% completion.

Then I used my escape rope which didn`t activate so I used two then I got out like it was magic.

“I should have brought the entire body to sell.”

“Raiser what are the drone ants doing?”

I quickly looked at Leyla then turn my head towards where she is looking, from my scanners and sensors I can see lines and lines of drone ants moving towards the town. I detected some players and native around them and fighting some drone ants that they lure away from the line.

“That was bizarre, I haven`t seen ant migration before or heard of it. Maybe we cause that because their queen is already dead.”

“But they are going towards the town right we better hurry beside I know that the others noticed it too.”

I convey with Leyla`s suggestion and move back to town but on my current weight this will take a while before getting there.

~

Finally, after my long and gear breaking walk i`m already at the guild building. I heard rumours and talked about on what just happened. Apparently the drone ants are getting mind control or something between hacking and virus but I haven’t gotten any proof.

My current situation now i`m being hard pressed by questions of Arth-dono after my arrival. Well the migration is strange by itself so he didn`t say anything more. For the subjugation matter, the core and other things that are sold at the guild while the subjugation payment are handsome because of the queen`s death.

I tried persuade them on not accepting my share because I have a freaking furnace that i`m still carrying which I haven`t said to them. They still pushed it so I accepted it just to convince them I don’t have any alter motives from refraining.

I received 2 gold coin and several silver from all the loots and subjugation quest. After some exchanges and a stamp mark for complete subjugation that we received. I`m currently buying things I needed to build my mobile furnace and matters that might be useful for me on my upgrade.

After I have gone to the town hall to deposit the eggs that I retrieved from the cavern and deposit other things which the attendant onee-san accepted with a dry smile and weird laugh after she asked some of them.

“That attendant thinks that you are going insane or something you know.”

“Well that would be one but i`m not here to complain coz i’m the on whom brought eggs, head and other parts of monsters and few more weird think.”

But i`m still stuck with the furnace and I need to have a carriage or cart that would support me from carrying things. Then I remembered that if I will use the corpse of the queen ant to create my mobile furnace maybe, just maybe.

I ask around the merchant district if there`s someone who will sell carts but lucky there are carpenters and crafters that are willing to make one coz it was not really popular but adventures and the like are in need of crafters and wood works for some reason.

I made a quick agreement then in a few seconds I can see a carriage made from wood and some metal attachment that I requested. And i`m back to the town hall to withdraw all the things I needed plus some coins to buy coals, fuel and thing I needed to operate a furnace plus self-supplies.

I`m on my carriage with two donkey pulling it coz horses are a bit expensive plus they will be obsolete after my creation. The carriage is loaded with dozens of metals parts and 3 sacks of coals which I brought before moving towards the cavern.

I`m on the coach but it was not hard to do this maybe because they are donkey and not harsh or maybe this donkey are used to being animals of burden. Leyla is right now besides me hugging her sweets and fruits. I was lovely though so I took a photo.

There are newbies and other guildies, yes from now on I will call them guildies coz it was hard to always see them as different fraction besides we are all in one guild so maybe it was fine.

As we arrive at our stop, I released the donkeys and give them some grass and water then let them rest for a while. I asked Leyla to looked for them while i`m gone gathering thing around the cavern mouth like woods and fruits that I spotted earlier.

After my side trip we proceed deeper to the cavern and I have to do some manual work like drilling some tunnel to let my carriage pass through and it was right that I brought an open carriage.

As we arrive where we left the queen, the atmosphere is still solemn in some point plus the only things I detect are some small critters roaming inside and ant eggs. Maybe I could use it for ingots or experiment.

I left the donkey on the far side where they can’t be startled as I do my work. I let out the furnace on the open space near the queen and start dismantling the queen bits and parts. Leyla is also curious and what am I doing but I bribed here with thing like fruits and sweets but the pet thing is a bull`s eye so she`s on the carriage humming but her eyes are dangerously sparkling. Very dangerous.

I`m wrack by brain to do some brainstorming for images of animals and monsters I have seen then one image stuck my curiosity and I began laughing with my monotone voice, I should have start to do some upgrade regarding this voice box but later.

After a long night and the sunrise is approaching soon i`m already finished with my furnace and I’ve already upgrade it to a blast furnace with the help of the queens part plus the walls of the cavern that have the same property as the clay I used back in the guild.

Leyla leave me alone i`m so into forging but demand for a pet drone or something. I`m only doing finishing touches like program installation and system command plus the hive network that i`m dreaming of.

After I connected its system and network to mine I started the engine by my command.

“RAISE MY FIRST GREATEST CREATION!!!”

Then green light shine on its scanner eyes as I start laughing hard like a villain. This is one of the best things I’ve ever done.

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A/N

CUT!!!!

XD and i really like that line from Frankenstein.

anyways sorry for not updating few days ago it was just some RL problems got caught up.