Later that day, in the afternoon.
Sam's 1st person POV
In terms of living standards, there's no need to doubt that, currently, the Ark is far better than the Outpost. For one, the afternoon sky in the Ark appears more realistic, with no lagging clouds or low-resolution holograms in the sky. Clearly, their "Dome of Eternity" is far more advanced than ours. Of course, I would like to rectify that once I have permission to update ours, and maybe sneak in some upgrades.
As for the people in the Ark themselves, most of them look preoccupied with their own thing. Some of them are holding their phones with both hands, as if chatting or playing games. Others are dressed in formal clothing but appear relaxed, as if they had just had lunch. A handful of them look old enough to be my grandparents, yet still healthy enough not to need life support.
I can see a few cars and limousines on the road. All of them are chauffeuring pretentious people who have been swimming in luxury since birth. It's shown by the way they dress so grandiosely in their overly white suits and fur coats. And of course, they brought a glass of wine wherever they went. As if wine is a status symbol instead of a synthetic drink made of artificial flavoring, Natrium, and Splendamin.
The biggest screen on one of the street's main buildings shows a picture of a chocolate girl with black hair and inner yellow streaks promoting a brand of soda called 'Bikini', the 'miraculous' zero-calorie soda. The same brand that Anis had stockpiled in the Outpost, the first chance she got.
"So, how is it? Does it jog anything in your head?" With her hand behind her back as she walks beside me, Anis asked.
"It's a little too noisy for me. And no, nothing comes to my mind. But I get the feeling that this whole intersection is kinda important." I said, gesturing to the busy street and the advertisement screen promoting a famous gaming casino, which featured a sinfully curvaceous black bunny girl and her gracefully lithe counterpart in white, posing together on a dancing pole.
My gaze might've been lingering on said advertisement for a few more seconds than necessary, if Anis's judgemental stare is any indication.
I considered retreating to [Strategy Trance, making up some excuses for it. But the thought of outright lying for trivial matters is something I can't stomach.
My squad doesn't deserve a compulsive liar as their commander.
"Hmph, of course they're the first thing that caught your eyes." Anis scoffed, not that I can defend it. A wry smile and a sheepish laugh are the only responses I can give.
"This—" She begins, thankfully not making it a big deal. "—is one of the most popular streets in the Ark."
She then points at a five-man boy band performing on a raised stage, a catchy 'soda-themed' pop song resounding from the stage's speakers. Notably, one of them has their shirt unbuttoned, showing their abs to the various female onlookers, "You see that spot? It's where many small-time talents got viral for the first time! Granted, many of them are just passing fads, but it's almost a guarantee that any showing there will go viral on the internet! I should know, because that one time we did a promotional activity there…"
I stare at her with my eyebrow raised. Gesturing to the dancing boy band on the stage, I ask, "I'm sorry, but did you just say promotional activity? Of what?"
Her body suddenly stiffened for a moment. "...Oh, it's nothing that important. Anyway, it's hard to believe that we are underground, doesn't it?" She quickly dismissed it, changing the topic.
I didn't press for answers after that. She had given me that courtesy when I was reluctant to reveal, so it's only fair I give it too. If it's something important, she will tell me when she's ready.
"Yeah. If it weren't for the elevator, I wouldn't believe we are underground either." I take a deep breath, enjoying the way air fills my lungs, before continuing, "The air here feels more refreshing, even if we compare it to all the places we've been on the surface."
"That's not a high bar to reach. All of our missions took place within an abandoned location. They're not the kind of place you want to go for some fresh air." Anis retorted with a huff.
I soften my expression to form a smile in response. Having no other question, I let our conversation settle down.
We continue walking side by side, occasionally brushing our hands against each other. Despite the crowd and the noise, I somehow managed to relax and enjoy our time together.
Right after we cross the street, a water droplet lands on my face. Looking up, I see dark clouds spread in the sky (ceiling) unevenly. Most of them seem to gather right above this street. At the same moment, my ears caught the sound of multiple paces growing hastier while others paused mid-step and stood rooted to the ground.
I grab Anis's left hand, causing her to look at me with wide eyes. "It's raining. We need to find a cover soon." I said before any misunderstanding could occur. With my free hand, I gesture at the fake sky in offense. "Seriously, whose idea was it to implement a mandatory shower system in the Ark's ceiling?"
"Well…." She muttered with a faraway look in her eyes as if trying to come up with an answer. Thankfully, her body heeded my directive to start walking in search of either a proper shelter or perhaps a diner place.
When I felt her gaze land on my back—and her steps got more controlled, I knew I'd got her attention back. She opens her mouth, but closes it soon after as if unsure how to arrange it. "...just look around us and see what everyone else is doing right now, Commander Sam."
I hummed in agreement and did as she said. Some young people quicken their steps, while others bring out their umbrellas, and the remaining ones stand frozen in place. Unlike the younger generation, the 'at least as old as grandparents' generation opened their arms as if they were welcoming the rain as they would do to their star-crossed lovers.
"It's for those people who remember what real rain feels like."
"Oh…" What else could I say after that?
"Yep." Anis nods. "Sometimes it rains or snows down here. Of course, it's all artificial and would be hell on the drainage system afterwards, but looking at their faces, can you really say it's not worth it?" She rhetorically asked.
"No, I can't." And I meant it. Those people looked so peaceful in the midst of it.
"Yeah, that's what I thought," Anis remarked as if she already knew my response with a bittersweet smile. "Anyway, it's going to be raining for another hour. Let's grab a bite first."
Agreeing with her, we sped up our steps until we reached the first restaurant we found on the street.
"Welcome to the Cosmo Burger no.3, where the meat shows you the way! May I take your order?" one of the female employees, approximately 40 years old if her gray hair is any indication, asked. I can feel her gaze linger on the sheathed sword on my side with dozens of questions in mind, before shrugging it off.
Understandable. They probably are not paid enough to care about it.
The foods here are typically found in a fast food joint, such as chicken fries, burgers, and ice cream. I picked the one with the 'recommended' label on it. "I'll have a 'Graph' cheeseburger set with coffee, please. What about you, Anis?"
"I'll have that too." She said decisively after glancing up at the menu.
"Sure. Anything else?"
"Nope."
The employee nodded and began preparing our order.
I found myself watching Anis as she turned back to scan the menu board again, not because she wanted to change her order, but because she wanted something to look at. Her hair was still slightly damp at the edges from the brief seconds we spent in the rain before finding cover. She didn't seem to be bothered by it.
Huh, I wonder if I ever stood in real rain before all of this.
Most likely not, considering meeting her and Rapi was my first deployment to the surface, according to my file. Still, it's not something I'm certain of.
But watching Anis trace the menu board with her eyes, her expression carrying none of the weight that seemed to haunt me, I found I didn't particularly mind not knowing.
Not right now, anyway.
[BR]
After having our fill at the restaurant and talking about the big three corporations, we continued our 'date' to the next location.
"Welcome to Royal Road, Commander! How is it? It doesn't seem to be different from Downtown, does it?"
The flat stare I give her in response must be something if it causes her to crack a laugh. If we aren't underground, a tumbleweed would've rolled down from how quiet our surroundings are.
"Heh, setting sarcasm aside, Royal Road is supposed to be a completely different place than the Downtown." She said, this time with a more subdued tone.
"Supposed to be," I repeated, glancing around. The architecture here is noticeably grander than what I've seen downtown. Wider smooth pavements as if to allow the use of personal motorized vehicles, taller buildings decorated with reflective mirrors that double as projection screens at night, expensive stores that sell organically grown products and leading-brand fashions, and fancy holographic shields used as the street guardrail instead of several more appropriate uses I could think of–like an actual shield for Nikkes.
Everything here is built to impress at a ruinously high cost, one that others are meant to shoulder.
How utterly wasteful it is that there's barely any activity here.
No cars are driving on the road; only a handful of limousines are visible. If there are any pedestrians here, almost all of them are in assisted motorized vehicles, which are designed for the elderly and—more often than not—decorated in a gaudy manner.
Then I look at Anis, who's staring at me expectingly.
I let out a quiet sigh. "Fine, I'll bite. What happened here?"
Anis clasped her hands behind her back, adopting the exaggerated tone of a tour guide reciting from a well-worn script.
"Royal Road was originally built to cater to a specific demographic, the kind of people with absurdly more credits than their real worth. Housing, shopping, dining—all of it designed exclusively for the so-called 'Sovereigns'." She gestured broadly at the near-empty grandeur around us. "This is to quench their need to feel special with an equally meaningless gesture."
"But why? What's the point?" I questioned.
"Well, it actually goes way back." Anis started. "So you know how every citizen in the Ark has an identification chip implanted somewhere in their body?" She said while pointing toward the back of her neck.
Huh? Did it mean I also have it?
My hand moves faster than my realization, feeling a bump so subtle and small between my neck and spine.
In panic, I dive deep into [Strategy Trance] and start to look inward, finding the identification chip where the bump is. I use various perks to check if there is any danger to me, and I found out that it is just a simple identification tag, one that would have been used on a bank card in the past. Well, one that is at least designed to be powerful enough to emit signals past several layers of skin and fat.
After calming down within an accelerated mindscape, I exited the trance, only to find myself staring at Anis, who was suddenly in my face, looking apprehensive.
"I'm sorry!" She bows. "That look in your eyes means you just use the trance, right? I don't know what I did, but I'm sorry for startling you!"
"It's okay, Anis," I said, dropping my hand from the back of my neck and grabbing her shoulder in assurance. "You didn't do anything wrong." I once again reinforced, feeling the tense artificial muscle in her shoulder relax.
"I just realized I've never actually checked whether I had one of those," I said somewhat sheepishly with one hand behind my head.
A beat of silence.
"...Bwuh? How?" Anis asked, clearly flabbergasted.
"In my defense, nobody ever brings that up. Amnesia, remember?" Not even Mary and Pepper bought that up. How am I supposed to know?
Anis studied my face for a moment longer than necessary, then seemed to decide I meant it. She straightened up, though her expression remained slightly unsure.
"Right. So." She cleared her throat. "Identification chips."
"Identification chips," I chirped back.
"Yes, ahem." Anis cleared her throat again, regaining her vibe. "Aside from recognizing you as the Ark's citizen, they are also needed when you want to use the facilities in the Ark, such as the AZX train. Which non-citizen, aka chipless, aka outlaws aren't allowed to use, legally speaking…" She trailed off. "...Basically, Sovereigns are the kind of people that spend several billion credits just to buy a uniquely made chip—organic or otherwise—that are functionally the same as the cheap or standard chip."
"Heh, those kinds of people most likely cannot stand each other's presence then," I remarked, feeling oddly satisfied with what appears to be classicism failing to take root at all.
"Yep. That's exactly what happened," she continued with her tour guide voice. "When you put a few hundred people who've spent time and credits competing for status against each other into the same region, what exactly are the Central Government expecting?"
I looked at a building whose lobby I could see through its glass facade — ornate, immaculate, and completely unoccupied. An apartment without anyone living in it is a waste of space and resources. "So they left," I concluded.
"Most of them, yes." Anis shrugged. "The ones who stayed are too stubborn to admit defeat. The rest just scattered to other districts where they didn't have to see their rivals at breakfast."
She paused, glaring at the pompously dressed citizens who had been drinking wine from the restaurant across the street. They respond with a disdainful look, which only incenses Anis further."And where they could look down on someone while also having their food. They are a waste of space with nothing better to do than spend the money their dear daddy and mommy gave them." She added with a biting snark.
I turn my head toward the more occupied side. The one that happens to sell branded fashion, while the one right beside it sells organically grown fruits. There is another shop beside it, selling luxury goods. Then another shop. Then another…
It's basically a territory of nothing but expensive luxury goods.
"Mmhm, luxury stores as far as your eyes can see. A classic Royal Road Experience." Anis–who had followed my gaze–nodded in understanding.
When her eyes landed on one of the shops, she let out a groan. "Seriously!"
Clearing her throat, she then addressed me. "Anyway, you see that shop, Commander?"
"I'm sure it's not that—bruh?" I stuttered, baffled at the promotional cardboard cut-out the seemingly unassuming shop proudly displayed. A well-built man in a skin-tight checkered bodysuit with the word 'Tetra' written just below his stomach. There's even a disco ball and some flower-shaped stage lighting attachment behind him.
The craziest thing is that the cut-out is somehow able to pull off that flamboyant look.
"Don't worry, Commander, the shop doesn't usually look like this. There must've been some event." Anis said with a tone that sounds like she's trying to reassure herself. I am at a loss for words, looking at her as if she had beenPavloved. "Whether I like it or not, it's the only place where the thing I want to buy is sold. I apologize in advance, but we must go there."
I can only swallow my protest and brace myself as we enter the questionable shop.
One brand new necklace later…
Surprisingly, it's just a normal jewelry shop. One that I assume sells several Idol-themed memorabilia, if the small section that sold physical copy Albums on the corner is anything to go by.
I don't have time to secretly buy a gift for Anis since we spent a little time there. I should visit this store again in the future, when I have time to do it properly.
Walking beside me —still in the Royal Road— while admiring her necklace, she lets out a sigh of approval. "This model has a nice design as well. She's getting better at it."
"So, T.T. Star?" I said the brand of her necklace, waiting for elaboration.
"It's short for Twinkle Tristar, an idol group that had been disbanded for a while. One of their members went to the jewellery industry and created a brand synonymous with affordability and style, which is why the brand has many followers–including me, that is." Anis spoke with a high spirit, putting the jewelry back into the fancy box. "Anyway, is there somewhere else you want to go to? Or would you prefer to go back to the Outpost?" She offered.
"Well, no-" And of course that's exactly whendecided to pick up its hammer…
As I fell into [Strategy Trance] once more to quickly process this, so I can get back to answering Anis, the perk voluntarily revealed itself to me.
Before I get to it, let me talk about one of the domains that was locked behind a hidden goal. 'Was' because it has now become partially available to me. Said domain is called Facilities, which, as the name might suggest, provides a connection to perks that give you access to all kinds of infrastructures that would be helpful when you want to build something via sub-dimension shenanigans.
I say partially available because the forge itself would only allow the use of some perks indirectly connected to it, and some perks are consolidated into what is called the [Personal Reality Warehouse].
The latter gives me a key with which I can access a personal sub-dimension cut off from everything but any infrastructure bought from the Facilities' domain. It started with a small space that could barely be called a warehouse, but could be accessed from anywhere with a door that was at least attached to a wall. Aside from that, it also features a security system—that is more of a notification alarm than an actual home defense system—, an entrance hall, color-neutral lighting, and an environmentally controlled air system suitable for any species—provided they have your permission to enter.
Back to the perk that caused this to happen.
It takes me some time to comprehend its name—mostly because of how peculiar it is.
Its name is [Snow White's Paradise]. Very on the nose, if anything I know of the white-haired Pilgrim is anything to go by.
It's a perk that looks at world hunger, starvation, and food insecurity and says, 'Alright, bet.' What else could it be when it's an endlessly refilling cosmic pantry attached to the [Warehouse] filled to the brim with various ingredients and materials used in cooking that currently exist or have ever existed? And I do mean 'endlessly'. It doesn't matter how much food you take out from the pantry, because more would appear as if they were always there.
This includes meat products from every animal—including species that have been extinct (and yes, that means dino-shaped nuggets made of actual dino meat), fruits and vegetables—even the 'big mike' banana (which had been wiped out by fungus), various grains, pre-made pasta, and all kinds of bread.
If I were ever feeling hungry, I could just make a sandwich from all of the ingredients and call it a day. But that's chefless behaviour.
When you have all the recipes in the world, you are at least obligated to use one of them.
Additionally, thanks to the fact that there are recipes or cooking methods that require processed food, the pantry is also stocked up with various things such as alcohol, candy bars, cooking oil, and processed dairy products like cheese and yogurt. As a bonus, I have control over who is or isn't allowed to enter the pantry and what kind of food they can take out.
Oh, and of course, the Pantry itself can open a passageway to it anytime and anywhere I want it to. Which means I always have access to it even if there's no way to enter the [Warehouse] nearby.
And I don't even mention the synergy this has with various perks that need exotic ingredients! Like, imagine brewing an actual health potion with the ingredient that went extinct during the first Rapture, or making an actual magical reactor powered by the beating heart of an actual T. rex! Granted, [Item Construction EX] might say it's not a real Dragon because it lacks mystery, but my point still stands.
The only drawback I could think of [Paradise] is that it didn't come with its own kitchen. But again, that's chefless behaviour. Just make my own kitchen then.
Wait, I have unlimited food now…
With a hasty course of action forming in my mind, I slowly exit the trance. I find Anis greeting me with a concerned and frustrated look in her eyes. "Alright, what was it this time? Did I accidentally spook you again?" She questioned with a worried tone.
"Calm down, Anis," I said tactfully, hoping that it would pacify her. "It wasn't like that at all. I just got one of the more powerful perks from."
"Oh…" A relieved sigh escaped her. "Well, will you tell me about it?"
"I'll tell you about it later at the outpost." Because I'm unsure if it's safe for me to explain here. Since food is one of the tools used to control population, providing an inexhaustible number of them to everyone would make any insecure government antsy. "For now, I have a question,—"
I look at the shining bright light that is the dome of eternity above us, and wonder how big a shadow it has cast. "—Does the Ark have slums?"
"Technically, they don't, since Outer Rim doesn't officially count as part of the Ark," Anis answered. She then turned her head to look at me. "Why? What could possibly-" She cut herself off upon noticing my expression.
I don't know what face I had made to cause her to frown so heavily.
"Commander, no. We can't go to the Outer Rim! It's a dangerous place even for you! Please don't try to persuade me. I would fold like a wet blanket, so please!" She begs.
I opened my mouth and–
[BR]
—Well, here we are.
"The gate to the Outer Rim will open soon. Behind this gate is the Government-appointed Hazardous Area. Please be careful not to enter this place by mistake. Thank you."
We stood right next to the border between the Ark and the Outer Rim. With a loud creak, the gate slowly opens. The area behind that blockade can be described with a single word.
Trash. Destitute. Impoverished.
Calling it a run-down neighborhood is the highest compliment anyone could possibly give it. What's worse is the knowledge that this is not a single area in the Ark. It's a whole partition outside of the 10,000 km that is the Ark. From what I can see before the gate, the area is barely illuminated with street lamps made of repurposed broken household appliances.
The Outer Rim had plenty of them due to the fact that it's the Ark's dumping ground.
"This is crazy. The Outer Rim is filled by nothing but the Outlaws! Are you sure about this, Sam?!" Anis half-questioned, half-opposed, leaving off my rank as if wanting me to reconsider my action.
According to her, the Outlaws are people without identification chips. Either they had theirs removed because of a criminal offense, or they never had one because they were born in the Outer Rim and never got one. Essentially, they are noncitizens who can't use any of the Ark's services or facilities, so they can't live there.
The only way they can obtain credits here is either by committing more crimes or by going to the surface and scavenging all Rapture or Nikke parts they can find. A riskier task, given that the surface is overrun with Raptures.
"Yes. I'm sure." Because I have to see the consequences of my inaction. Or rather, what my negligence would allow to continue.
Anis looked at the expression on my face and sighed loudly. "Fine, I know you've already agreed to follow my lead, but again, please don't get too far from me, Sam."
With a nod from me, we walk past the blockade and go toward the Outer Rim.
The first thing that hit me was the smell. It's stale, accompanied by an indescribable stench. The only thing close to my frame of reference is back when we crawled in the drainpipes, only drier but somehow worse.
The second thing is the darkness. I may be only on the shallow end of them. Still, even here, I notice that the area that doesn't have any light source is practically swallowed by the eternal night.
The third thing is the kind of buildings they can erect. Almost all of them are either made of a thin sheet of rusty steel plate or serve as a makeshift patch for a hole in the wall. The kind that is unfit for long-term human habitation.
…and yet, some people are living here.
I see a handful of people huddle around a fire in a barrel. They all look weathered, as if they only barely won against their environment. Some of them are thin, with a little bit of meat on their bones. But it was all of their eyes that plagued me.
It is empty.
Of hope, of anger, of grief—of any emotion as if they're going autopilot with only survival in mind.
I feel my hand trembling, asking me for permission to mend that which was broken and to heal that which was wounded. The temptation to screw subtlety and grab the key in my pocket to open my infinitely refilling pantry to feed them despite the risk of it biting my back is rising rapidly. I look inside myself, identifying it as the guilt fueled by spite toward whoever allowed this situation to degrade this badly.
However, before I could even approach them, a slender hand gripped it tight and locked it with another hand. It looks like a romantic moment to passerbys, if not for the worry radiating from their owner.
"Sam, remember our agreement." Anis hissed, tone laced heavily with concern. "Even if you see people here in pain, even if you see them beg for something, don't do it. Don't you dare to throw your lot for them."
Her words didn't bring me the clarity she desired. Instead, it only intensifies the conflicting feeling in my heart. Because right at that moment, I could have ended their hunger. I could've saved the people who would otherwise die from starvation or from diseases. [Alchemy] and [Item Creation] work wonders in the medicine fields, especially now, thanks to [Paradise].
But it would put a huge target behind my back from the people who don't want to see the Outer Rim thrive.
Once again, before I could fall into [Strategy Trance, I felt her grip on me tighten. I stare at Anis' eyes, seeing the emotions lie beneath them. Suddenly, a realization settled in.
How many times have I used [Strategy Trance] to dissociate myself?
Just about every time I had been emotionally overwhelmed, apparently.
It wasn't like using it suddenly made me an emotionless machine; that's not how [Strategy Trance] works. It just gives me an accelerated time to examine new information.
However, that in itselfis the problem.
By using [Strategy Trance] outside of pressing matters, I basically hide myself from appearing vulnerable to the people I trust, my own squad. I don't get to simply enjoy our time together carefreely, unlike what had happened most of the time during our date today.
Relationships are a two-way street, and I have only just begun fixing the one I unknowingly cut off.
Without it, I have to manually sort my thoughts in normal time, so forgive me when I didn't notice a group approaching me.
I stood still, only to find out it's just a group of children walking past me without a care, leading a black-haired female soldier who didn't look like a mass-produced Nikke from the broken, makeshift streetlight.
Thankfully, the children didn't look malnourished, so it didn't make me spiral into choosing between using [Paradise] or not.
The soldier, meanwhile, looked at me sharply. I can feel her eyes linger on my uniform before moving on to the weapon I keep sheathed. That's when her gaze intensifies with something. Hate?
No, that's not it. I don't sense any hostility from her.
Seemingly having had enough of me, the soldier went out of her way to approach us. "Hey, what are you two doing here? This place's dangerous." She Warned.
Anis was about to make up some excuse, but I cut it off with a question rising up from the back of my mind.
"—Is there some kind of food bank here? Or a charity organization that could handle distributing donated goods?" I sincerely inquired, straight to the point.
"...Are you serious?" The soldier raised one of her eyebrows for a few uncomfortable minutes. After looking at my expression, she shakes her head and gives me a faint smile. "You can contact the Underworld Queens for that." She answered as if assuming I already knew who they were. "Personally, I recommend going through the Peony Association; they are the closest out of the three to a charity organization."
"Thank you—" "No, no. It is I who must thank you." She expressed it with a slight nod. "Please be careful out there. The Ark could use more people like you."
Her compliment tasted like bitter ash in my mouth.
Would she still have thought the same if she knew how trivial for me it is to solve their hunger?
Before I could even form a response, she and the group of children with her resumed their routine.
Anis's groan is muffled with her hand on her face. Meanwhile, I resist the instinctive reaction to fall into [Strategy Trance] to start forming a scheme or two.
After that, we kept on exploring the Outer Rim quietly.
The light grows dimmer as the number of street lamps dwindles the farther we go.
I look at the people here, who look skinnier than the ones from the shallower end. "...How many people live out here?" I wondered, the temptation to use [Paradise] grows ever so slowly.
"Nobody knows the exact numbers." Anis kept her voice low, eyes moving. She was staring at the shadow around us with suspicion, as if each of them hid something dangerous. "The Central Government doesn't count them, but if I had to take a wild guess, more than half as many as the people living in the Ark." Which means more than 5 million people living in this condition, at minimum.
The living conditions here are worse than I had hoped. Anyone who isn't skin and bone here looks unhealthily fat, like the kind that you get from gorging on cheap nutrium-less splendamin to satiate your hunger. Plus, the majority of the people here have replaced their limbs with robotic prosthetics. One that looks rough and crude, unlike what I've seen from Nikkes.
…Right now, I think I have seen enough. Anything more than this would only emotionally overwhelm me.
"Let's head back." Back to the Outpost. I still have to meet Snow White after this.
Anis let out a relieved sigh. "Finally."
We go back to the Outpost in silence. My mind was preoccupied with what I learned today.
[BR]
Early night, later that day.
Sam's 1st person POV
Modifying my room to have a balcony sounds like a waste of time at best, and a foolish take at worst. I basically give possible flying enemies a free pass to my office. Then again, there's not much a wall or a door can do when a drone strike could just bust in and deliver their package. Or a flying Nikkes carrying explosives, but —from what I've seen— it's not like the Ark has personalized flying gear.
I lie on the newly made balcony with my legs dangling off the edge, looking out at the Outpost's sorry excuse for a sky. The low-resolution projection overhead displayed the night sky but failed to appear convincing, with laggy clouds and stars that resembled drawings more than actual images. Somewhere below me, the water system I'd repaired was running steadily for the first time in what I suspected was years. In terms of livelihood, Outpost is certainly not even close to the Ark.
And yet, it was still way better than what I had seen of the Outer Rim.
With that depressing sigh, half-dried hair, and fresher clothes, I willingly sank myself deep into [Strategy trance].
Past me, the version of Samseung Jun before the crash, had essentially traded his memories withfor power. Of course, it's more complicated than that, since he only gives away the ability to artificially recover his memory —that happens during an incident that gives him head trauma. It didn't cover anything else, so there's a chance I could naturally recover them.
On paper, that sounded like a bargain deal. Sacrifice who you were for the chance of greater power. The problem is that it was I who had to live with that instead of him.
I don't know if past me had friends he was close to. I'm not sure if the empty Blabla inbox was always empty, or if the emptiness was the point. Was I a man who chose to distance himself because nothing was holding him down? Or was there another reason?
The Forge gave me his body and his name while slowly dripping otherworldly brilliance into my soul. And it felt like I was buried in it with each drip. A scientist, a researcher, a professor, an alchemist, a tailor, a composer, a magic user, and a godslayer.
Here is the thing: I don't hate it. I just think that the Forge's tendency to send me a perk during the most inappropriate moment possible is annoying. After all, the current Samseung Jun is the accumulation of who I was after the crash, not who I was before.
Consider this: Previously, I thought that remaining behind my squad while commanding them with a tactical approach was the correct approach. But just a few days afterwards, I had become a battle-hungry maniac searching for a worthy opponent while leading my squad from the frontline against a Tyrant-class Rapture.
Due to the loss of my memory, I use the identities I gained from the forge as a foundation for my sense of self. But if I keep doing it, what if one day a terrible perk is chosen? Something that would bring pain and misery to the people I care about?
I can't let that happen, so I need to have a strict moral guardrail I can't cross.
Unbiddenly, a quote from a philosophy book I have never personally read —but [SCIENCE!] insisted I had— floats in my mind.
'I think, therefore I am.'
How fitting.
Then there's [Strategy Trance]. My Swiss knife when it comes to solving problems.
I have to consider whether using it on some occasions is appropriate or not. I would spam it on Syuen no question, because dealing with her is a headache and a half, as she's the type that would leverage any vulnerability I showed her.
Should I invest in a pair of black aviator sunglasses? It would hide my eyes so I can use [Strategy Trance] none the wiser.
After that, I finally addressed the elephant in the room. The one I had been reluctant to think about ever since it was revealed to me.
Marian.
A familiar scenario suddenly replayed within my mind. All still ends with the same conclusion as the hundreds of other previous iterations.
Without my perk, I couldn't make decisions faster. I couldn't come close enough to cut the Blacksmith to pieces, nor do I have the strength to do so. I couldn't extract her from it in time. I couldn't purge the corruption out of her. I couldn't even do my duty and pull the trigger.
The only thing I did was prolong her suffering.
And now, she's back. Back as a Heretic —traitor to humanity. Back as someone who doesn't seem to remember me. Back as the embodiment of my failure.
Logically, I shouldn't have stood frozen. It was clear that she is now on Rapture's side, thus she has become an enemy of humanity. I should feel anger toward the rapture for desecrating her body. And I did.
I'm just overwhelmed by the relief of seeing her alive once more.
But it's not my feelings that are important here, even if I do admit they colored my perspective. It's what I should do next. Within play, there's a perk for everything. Maybe even a combination of perks that could save her.
To do that, I first need to understand what corruption is, have sufficient influence and resources to accomplish my goals, and have allies I can depend on.
Exiting [Strategy Trance, I stand up from the floor, gazing at the Outpost with the image of the Outer Rim overlaying it.
I need to build up.
I withdraw back to my room, mind contemplating my next move. Once there, I heard the sound of running water from my bathroom door stop.
Just as I sat on the couch, a familiar brown-haired girl in comfortable clothes walked out of the bathroom and greeted me. "Thanks for letting me use your hot water again, Commander. I know you've fixed the water system, but your bathroom is bigger than ours, so.. yeah.."
"Yeah." I shrug. A bigger bathroom wasn't in my current consideration. I look at the clock. "There's still some time left until Snow White arrives," I note out loud. "In the meantime, do you want to wait together with me?" I offered.
"Of course!" Anis confirmed as she sat across from me. Then she raises her eyebrow while looking at me. "There should be no one in the Outpost eavesdropping on us, right?"
Reading between the lines, I know what she wants. "It should be." I nodded. "What perks do you want to know first? Would you like it in chronological order or from my personal consideration, from least to most important?"
"I want to know when you get each perk, so chronological order it is!" Anis answered enthusiastically.
We spent the rest of the time covering most of my perks while waiting for her arrival,
…
"So you can make my jacket more durable, right?"
"Not only that, but I can also make it able to be used as an extension to the energy shield on your gauntlet. Granted, it would have been more effective if I had just made you a new one instead."
"Yes please! Also, what type of jacket are we talking about here?"
"Denim would work best if we aim for durability and lifespan, since it's baked into their conception and all. But I can make most types of jackets —including yours. Don't worry on that front."
…
"Resource extractor? But where are you going to put it? You know that the Outpost is already mined out, right?
"I did. Which is why I need to workshop that idea more. I would like to speak with an expert on it before deciding what to do."
…
"Huh, that's a neat watch."
"Thanks. It comes free with the perk."
"The same one that you used to do whatever it was to the Stormbringer's core? How is that even related?"
"Do you want the short explanation or the long one?"
"Give me the gist of it. I'm not that curious."
"Well then, just think of it as a gift from an apprentice artificer to me."
"Cool."
…
—up to [Rainbow Notes].
"...Alright, so from what I get here, you have two different perks that need you to sing. One of them, [To do today, makes you finish your work faster. While [Rainbow Notes] make you a magical music composer, literally. Is that right?" Anis probed with skepticism.
"It's more complicated than that. But essentially? Yes," I confirmed. "Why? It's not that outrageous compared to the perks that make me a Campione. Or the one that I used to make the escape briefcase. "
"It's not about that." Anis sighed, flicking her hair back. "Don't you think it's weird how fixatedis on singing?"
I think of it for a second before shrugging. "Music is a huge part of humanity's creative pursuit. Of course someone out there has found a way to weaponize it." I conveyed, causing her to grunt in agreement. "If anything, I'm surprised [Rainbow Notes] is the only perk directly tied to composing magical songs I have connected to." I pointed out.
Anis muttered something that I could've eavesdropped easily thanks to my sense —not that I had, since that would be incredibly discourteous.
"—Right, 'music so good it's magical' has always been what the industry is all about anyway." Anis proclaimed, shrugging it off as if it didn't concern her. "So! What do you plan to do with [Rainbow notes]? Do you want to sell your arranged pieces to the Tetra Line?"
I shake my head. "I plan on doing some vocal training later." Thanks to [SCIENCE], vocal pedagogy counts as a perfectly ordinary study,so I already have a professor's degree's worth of understanding in it. "[Rainbow notes] requires me to get better at singing before I can reliably use it during our mission."
Anis' expression stiffened, her eyes settling on mine in search of something. "So you think the perk is worth the hassle, huh?" Upon not finding what she wanted, Anis let out a sigh.
"While I can create any support gear, I'm not fast enough to do so during an encounter without risking you all," I explained, nodding at her. "A good song composed by [Rainbow Notes] can directly strengthen our squad while also weakening the Raptures midfight. And if the situation calls for it, I can even write up a new song, tailoring it to our current situation to maximize the boost." With [Technomancy] as the enhancement's base, I'm confident I can pull it off.
"As a bonus, if we have a mission with another squad again, I can use it instead of revealing the fact that I can go toe to toe against a Tyrant-class Raptures," I added.
"Yeah yeah, I get it already." Closing her eyes, Anis let out another sigh.
She had been sighing a lot lately.
When she finally opened her eyes, it was one filled with a hint of steel. "Sam, can you teach me how to use it too? The magical song, I mean." She clarified with a pinch of nervousness.
"Of course I can." I accept, a smile on my lips. As someone who also longs for power, I don't deserve to judge her desire to get stronger.
"I'm glad." She gave me a sincere smile, sending warmth to my beating heart while almost making it skip a beat.
She starts chuckling. The atmosphere here also makes me start chuckling too.
Soon, we both laughed at the silliness of it all.
[BR]
Library Arc 1:1 13rd rolls
4. Snow White's Paradise (600 CP)
•You may or may not know this, but the Ark doesn't really have real food for most people. The limited space, alongside being underground, makes traditional livestock and farming practices wildly impractical, and thus expensive. As such, 99.99% of the "food" in the Ark is just varying qualities of nutrient paste that have been flavored differently and given a very rough approximation of texture based on processing, with actual food being a very high-end luxury. However, there exist a variety of people who want real food, even if they can't afford it, and this is the answer to their prayers.
•This is a pantry that has been added to your Warehouse, but you can also open a passageway to it at any point and any location. It contains each and every type of ingredient, spice, or various other materials used in cooking that currently exists or has ever existed. This includes, but is not limited to, meat products (including milk and eggs), fruits and vegetables, general grain, pre-made pasta, and bread. They are all perfectly fresh and will stay that way, will infinitely refill, and the selection will automatically update upon further jumps.
•Additionally, due to some recipes and/or cooking methods, this will also include things like various types of alcohol and candy bars. You also have control over who is and isn't allowed within and what they can access. So, if you have kids around, you can allow them in without worrying about them stumbling into the wine section. Or kick out an alcoholic that has decided to live in the wine section. The wine section is very popular, to say the least, but make sure any kids don't try to live in the candy section either.
Regardless, purely by having this, you can gain the undying loyalty of several Nikke, and this is a massive boon to morale and your finances, even disregarding that.
[BR]
11 roll
-136. -Mega Bomb Guru (Chrono Trigger) (1200CP)
-196. -Legends In The Making (Dota 2) (400CP)
[BR]
free additional perks
Cosmic Warehouse (Free)
•It is contained within its own reality that contains absolutely nothing else (guaranteed) and no matter where you go (unless blocked by a drawback or gauntlet) you'll always be able to access it.
•Your Warehouse forms the base of your Personal Reality, with any additions you buy or make expanding it through various means. Anything added to the Warehouse via CP purchase is guaranteed to work flawlessly with anything and everything else attached to the Warehouse. Anything added by use of fiat-backed powers or abilities is likewise guaranteed to seamlessly integrate. This means that, although you can't just buy a house with cash in a jump and integrate it into your warehouse, you could enchant a closet already in your Warehouse with Harry Potter brand 'bigger on the inside' magic if you've been to a Harry Potter jump. Essentially, you'll get a complete set of manuals on how each thing you buy functions and listing how various techs and magics that you have already purchased can be integrated with what you have already. It won't make suggestions, but it will tell you how to accomplish something if you've already got the power and know-how needed to pull it off.
Starting Space (free):
Your Personal Reality starts out with volume of 80 x 80 x 10 meters, so 6,400 square meters of floorspace or 64,000 cubic meters of storage volume.
Access Key (free):
This is a special key which lets you access your Personal Reality and its contents. When inserted into any door with a lock, the door can be opened to reveal a gateway into your Personal Reality at a predetermined location within it. You are the only person who can take the key out of the lock, and the gateway remains open as long as the key is in the lock. If the key is ever lost or stolen, you will find it in your pocket a few minutes later. However, you cannot close the door as long as you are physically inside the Personal Reality.
Security System (free):
Anyone coming in and out of your Personal Reality is now checked for any authorization you've given them to access it. Should anything about said authorization (or a lack of it) raise any flags in the system, you will receive a warning about it. This system allows you to define exactly what sorts of authorization different individuals can have, ranging from No Access through Temporary Access and Limited Access to Unlimited Access. Crucially, all this system does is notify you; it does not stop them on its own. Furthermore, a Keyholder's Access cannot be limited by this Security System, so only hand out Keys to those you trust implicitly.
Environmentally Neutral (Free):
By default, the temperature in your Personal Reality is never too hot nor too cold, the air will always smell faintly musty but scent-neutral, and the air will always be breathable. This atmospheric neutrality is maintained even if two different species with different atmospheric requirements are present in it at the same time, provided both species are there with permission. This won't protect breathing invaders.
Neutral Lighting (free):
These lights are nothing special, It's a color-neutral, source neutral ambient lighting system. It's not really that bright... think early twilight gloom, but if you want better, install it.
Entrance Hall (Free):
This is the room your Access Key opens a door to. It starts off as a 5-meter cube with blank white walls, floor, and ceiling, as well as a couple of doors: one leading outside, the other into your Cosmic Warehouse. Additional doors will appear leading to other extensions as these get added to your Personal Reality. Feel free to customize this Entrance Hall as you see fit. At your discretion, additional Halls can be created and linked only to certain keys or only to certain extensions, allowing you to have an entry hall just for skiing if you want.
[BR]
AN chapter 15
Thank you for reading, everyone! I'm sorry that I haven't updated this in a while. Real life kinda had my ass for months. Even now I'm not free of it yet. I still have a thesis to finish and a university to graduate. This is my last chance at it, so there's a high chance I couldn't write in a while again.
Have you all ever wondered how many main characters have a significant connection to the number 7? I know at least three of them —including the commander himself. Zetz, Fuck you if Baku was also a designed to be another Messiah-like figure and have to died for our sins. You already have Fruit Jesus, Toei.
And no, I haven't played the dating sim event. I was a little busy with stuff. Too busy and get writer blocked to write the April Fool's chapter. Hint, it was supposed to be about the runner up of the current domain vote.
Also, I greatly apologies to the people expecting Snow White to appear again in this chapter. It was supposed to be so, but I kinda got distracted and got hit by IRL stuff. So, maybe expect a half chapter in two weeks time, hopefully.
The reason I posted this earlier is because of Mekami Shifty. Yes, the walking Ultraman references.
What did you all think of this chapter? Do you think this was made by an AI? Just curious. And no, this wasn't written by AI. but I did use Grammarly as a grammar checker and Claude as a beta reader.
So, I've a question. Is it wrong for a single section to be written with multiple tenses? I thought that was the usual way people write stuff.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. just please condense it to a few posts at least.