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CH.371 Flame Fox
CH.371 Flame Fox
With the mithril acquired, but in return a new problem on hand, I was thinking of solutions to the problem. The easiest way would be just going around the floor with System Down, banishing all of those rogue golems, but I’d rather not do that. Not only will it completely empty out the floor, which I’ll then have to use resources to remake monsters to, but I’ll also get nothing out of it. And besides, System Down only works on metal golems. It won’t work on the stone golems.
A much better idea is just to take a few of my monsters and kill all of the golems, but even that feels like a waste. I feel like I could do something much better with them. Like maybe I can make some gun turrets in secure locations in the room, and then turn the entire floor into a shooting gallery. And making some turrets wouldn’t be difficult, as I could use something like Ancient Gear Cannon as the base for it.
And having something like that could be an entertainment thing for HomeBase’s grand reveal. I’ll have to entertain the guests anyway, so maybe that will work. The only problem I can really foresee is someone getting too many levels from it and ending up in either level up sleep, or maybe even evolving, but those are problems for another time. For now, I should just check if I can even make the turrets, and more importantly, can I make them safe.
I didn’t finish the turret design that day, mainly because I just had too many ideas running through my head. At first I made something simple, a gun turret you’d sit inside of. That was the simple way of doing this, but that wasn’t safe at all, because I’d either have to build expensive turrets that can take golem attacks, or risk the safety of my guests. And I’m not risking their safety.
So then I thought that maybe I can make them remote controlled. I already have some remote control tech from making the device that will let people without a System Support get to Different Dimension Factory, so it wasn’t too difficult to make that either. By the way, speaking of that Factory access device, it is almost complete, and is in the testing phase currently. Thankfully Lady Janina was able to make us the spell that would let people go to the Factory, then my monsters modified it a bit more, and I now had the Factory prototypes for the device ready. It had some problems, like me having to be linked to a ‘server’ for it to work, but for a prototype, I’ll accept some shortcomings.
But this isn’t about that, this is about the turrets for the golem rampage. Golem rampage. I like that name. It does sound like a shoot 'em up game where you kill golems. The remote turrets for that did work just fine thanks to the tech from the Factory access devices, but they did have one minor problem. Using remote control, you wouldn’t gain any EXP. And while it isn’t necessary, I wanted to see if I could turn the remote control turrets into something that does give the shooter the EXP. No reason to waste it, after all.
And if I can make that work, I can put Mega Ton Magical Cannons on the bottom parts of HomeBase, pointing towards the ground. Then add remote control to them, and they could act as a way of defeating SS-rank monsters.
And if the EXP goes to the shooter, you should be able to gain the Limit Break skill using that method. Though I’m really not sure on how Limit Break really works, so this remains a theory.
But still, having a few Mega Ton Magical Cannons ready to shoot at stuff isn’t a bad idea. Sure each shot takes 10,000 mana, but that really isn’t that much all things considered. And the firepower coming off of just one Mega Ton Cannon is quite impressive, so having let’s say 10 of them firing on the same target, instant elimination of almost anything. As far as I know, only Lady Janina could take something like that, and honestly speaking, I’m not sure even she can. Maybe I should test it in the Factory, using Exodia as the target?
Yeah. Let’s do that quickly.
To the surprise of no one, Exodia survived. … Okay, that might have been a surprise to someone, but at the same time, not really. Exodia is an absolute beast, so him taking ten Mega Ton Magical Cannons to the face isn’t that far fetched. I mean, I can drop as many Raigeki as I want on him, and he will never die from the lightning.
But it isn’t just Exodia who can take a Mega Ton Magical Cannon. A lot of my monsters can take them, especially ones that have effects that prevent them from being destroyed by card effects. Sure some of them can only resist one, like Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, but others could take as many as they wanted. Not that I tested it out with that many monsters, as I know most of them would die to the cannon, but I did have few of the strongest, or those with interesting effects tested.
But enough with this little side event. I’ll work on remote control turrets that give the person using them EXP later. It is time to go to sleep. Maybe tomorrow Unika will have finished her evolution. And the day after that, I have my meeting with the Prime Minister, so I’ll have to mentally prepare for that as well.
The next morning, Unika’s evolution had ended, so I was catching up with her. Her status after the evolution was… well, have a look.
She didn’t just evolve, but she double evolved. Well, kind of. It isn’t the same kind of double evolution as what Lua once went through, where Lua literally skipped an evolutionary step, but a double evolution where Unika instead evolved both her class and race.
Tamer itself of course made perfect sense. Unika is a pretty good tamer, so being Tamer by race is nothing strange. But she was now also a Flame Fox-kin, and with that, came the ability to evolve her racial skill. But unlike with Einar and Eline, where their skill evolved at the same time as their race, that didn’t happen with Unika. Maybe because Unika wasn’t skilled enough with her racial skill?
I had a long chat with Unika, her mother and brother included, about her new capabilities as both a Tamer and a Flame Fox-kin. That of course included what info Laura could get on Unika’s new available racial skills, Foxflame and Advanced Taming. Advanced Taming should be no trouble for Unika to get, she just needs to go out and tame some monsters. I mean, Advanced Taming is just that, a powered up version of Taming.
Foxflame I wasn’t so sure about. When it was still just Foxfire, well it still is, we were able to get along with Fox Fire being the teacher for both Unika and Valoa.
But Fox Fire only knew the basic version of the skill, not the evolved. And I don’t have another monster that uses Foxfire. Sure some of my Fire-attribute monsters do know of it, but knowing about it and being able to teach it are two completely different things.
… Maybe Hiita would know of it? I mean, Fox Fire is literally her familiar, and Familiar-Possessed - Hiita is somehow one with Fire Fox, so maybe she can use Foxfire or even Foxflame. And if she can’t, what about Blazing Hiita? And if that doesn’t work, maybe I can combine Hiita the Fire Charmer, Familiar-Possessed - Hiita, Blazing Hiita and Fox Fire into one card and have some sort of Super Hiita.
I’ll look into that later. For now, Unika and her family took priority.
“Just what did you do on that trip?” Olia wondered aloud as the family was about to leave my office.
“I already told you everything, Mom.” Unika told her. “We just looked around and tamed some hippogriffs.”
“... I would believe you, but…” I heard Olia, as Unika closed the door.
I then refocused on my work, so I could finish the design of Elias’ mantle. I was the one in charge of it and the wrist watch for the Prime Minister, while Karl and Wilma take care of the design on the First Prince’s sword cane, as well as the Royal Knight Captain’s lance, and while the watch was finished, I hadn’t made a mantle that I was happy with.
But as I was about to get to work, there was a knock on my office door.
“Come in.” I said, while Laura minimized the Dungeon Founder window I had been working on.
The door opened and the family that just left came back in.
“Did you need something else? More questions?” I asked.
“... Yes.” Unika answered. “... I want to tell them about … the things. I just don’t want to keep it a secret. … is it fine if I tell them?”
So she wants to tell them about Level Up! and installs? At least I’d assume so. I knew I’d have to tell them eventually, but Olia isn’t a fighter and Valoa is too young. … Okay, that second one is an excuse. Valoa is only a year younger than Eline, and I let her in on this.
And it isn’t like a non-combatant couldn’t use some level ups. Being higher level is in no way bad to you. Well, other than you having to control your strength so that you don’t break stuff you touch. But in return, you can be almost superhumanly powerful and be able to do a lot of things others just can’t do.
“... Fine. You can tell them, but do it here.” I answered Unika. “Also, they’ll likely want a demonstration, so I’ll do that as well.”
After I gave the permission, Unika told her mother and brother about my cards. Well, Level Up! specifically. She did also talk a bit about installs, but kept it vague to the level where I’m decently sure Valoa didn’t understand what she meant, but it does seem like Olia did. I actually kind of appreciate that fact. I don’t want Valoa getting lazy just because I can cheat levels onto him. Those levels will do no good if he doesn’t train.
After Unika had explained things, I finally took part in the conversation.
“I can offer the same to you two as well, if you want that.” I told them, and as I did, I saw Valoa’s eyes light up. “Don’t look at me like that, Valoa. You are still young, so you won’t get Level Ups as often as your elder sister. And if I hear that you’ve been slacking on your training, I’ll stop.” I told him. “And Olia. I understand you are not a fighter, and you never will have to be. I hired you to be a maid, and that is all I expect of you. And if you don’t want the Level Ups, that is also fine. But yes, I can do it for you as well.”
I let the two think about it, but judging by Valoa’s eyes, I knew his answer. Olia was a bit more … pondering.
“... May I ask something?” The mother then asked.
“Yes, you may.” I allowed it with no snark.
“... Will this cost anything?” Olia asked.
“No.” I answered.
“... Truly?”
“You can ask your daughter, if you don’t believe me. But do you really have money difficulties? I can increase your pay if you do.” I offered.
“We don’t.” Olia quickly said. “It is just …”
“It is difficult to change the poverty mentality.” Unika finished for her.
“... Is that why you’ve never gone to the surface to do some shopping?” I asked. I only knew that because I haven’t had a report about any of them using the teleporters, outside of the times I’ve ordered them to do so.
“Yes.” Unika confirmed in the place of her mother.
Yeah. Kind of expected as much from the earlier conversation. I honestly thought they were just saving money until they could afford something high quality. But apparently I’m wrong. At least it is good to know that I’m not paying them too little.
“Just please do remember, if you ever do have trouble, money or otherwise, just ask me. I can help you with whatever it is that troubles you.” I reminded them. “Now, how about some level ups?”
Valoa was quite weak, but that is to be expected. If he has never killed monsters, even being LV.4 is decent. I mean, when I first saw her level, Alice was also LV.4, and she was a lot older than Valoa.
I’m also quite impressed by the set of skills Valoa has. Of course he has the racial skill and Light Magic, and I assumed he’d have to have Mana Control, but I didn’t know he had Bow Technique or Quick Cast. Suppose it makes sense that his sister did teach him how to shoot a bow, and Quick Cast is either from the previous magic school he went to, or maybe he has learned it on his own. I know my monsters never taught him how to do it, so it can’t be from them.
I leveled up Valoa’s overall level, as well as his Light Magic. I was a little hesitant about the magic, but I decided to just go for it.
Before I leveled up Olia, or more like before she opened her status, Olia asked for her children to leave the room. And when I saw her status, it was no wonder she asked for that.
Yeah. With those skills and that title, even if the title is crossed out, it is no wonder Olia doesn’t want to show her status to her children. But what interests me more is both her abnormally high level, as well as her racial skill. It isn’t Foxfire.
Wait! Her race isn’t Fox-folk either! She is a Fox-kin. But both Valoa and Unika are Fox-folk.
(Actually, after her evolution, Unika is now also a Fox-kin.) Laura corrected me.
(... okay? And what is the difference?)
(Level her up first and I’ll tell you then.)
I did as Laura said and leveled up Olia. I went with Service for the skill level up.
With her level ups done, I sent Olia away.
(Alright Laura. How about that info? What is the difference between a fox-kin and fox-folk?)
(It is simple really. Fox-kin are the rare variant and can only be born from a specific evolved variant of Fox-folk. They have slightly different stat growth per level, have different evolution options and a few other things. It really isn’t that special.)
(... Okay? So how did Unika evolve into one? And can she get Fox Instincts?) I asked.
(She likely evolved into one because of her mother. She couldn’t be one from birth because her mother was unevolved, but the evolution was able to change her into one. And yes, she should be able to acquire Fox Instincts. Admittedly, I didn’t tell you two about it earlier, as I didn’t pay attention to her racial change from folk to a kin, as I was more focused on finding out if we have a monster that can teach her Foxflames.)
(Alright. Just out of interest, what can a fox-kin evolve into that fox-folk can’t?)
(There are a few of them, but the main one is Kitsune.) Laura said.
(... Kitsune? As in the multi-tailed fox spirit?)
(They have little to do with spirits, but yes.)
(... okay. Well, I guess I should … nah. It’s fine not to tell Unika. She’ll find out if she evolves again. And there were other options for her evolutions, right?)
(Yes, there are. And I do agree that telling her is unnecessary. At least at this moment. You can reconsider telling her later.)
(What about that title Olia has? Or is it had, because it is crossed out?)
(Being crossed out means it is disappearing, like what happened with Miss Cailie's title. If she doesn't do something related to the title, it will vanish. The effect of 'Lady of the Night' is that Olia was able to gain what you call 'experience points' from sexual acts. That is why she is at quite the high level.) Laura explained.
(Ah. Alright. Does explain that. ... well, let's just let that be. It isn't my job to poke at her past. She has clearly moved past that.)
(Yes. I agree we should let her live her life free of that.)