ShipTeaser

  “Simply put, we use these to vert between lightning element aher at will. That is spectacur enough, though I fess the lightning element geed is weak, a far cry from the power and fury the Queen, or even our princess ands.” Ixitt admitted, looking down for a moment before rec his enthusiasm. “I would expect improvements in time, but for now…” he griapping the strange purple and transparent crystals. “The ambieher density determihe amount of lightning element geed. In the nds of the Fae, it is higher than here, and while I o run further tests in your Territory, as well as outside of it, iher-poor areas, I believe it is a linear equation. The higher the ether, the more lightning is geed.”

  “Makes sense.” I agreed. “But there are two problems I see.”

  “Yes, well the first one is easily solved. I have been widely studying when I visit the mortal world. I am grateful you seldom restrict me, and only call upon me when I am needed, such as the ret battles.” He ughed, his good humour evident. “With access to the i, many books, and also a wide array of like-minded correspos, I have easily created a metal that ges the lighting element, by stripping out the spiritual aspect to the lightning, only pure, prehendible power remains. Aer still…” he spped the silver dome. “… with powdered Etherites added to the bluesteel, and careful i while alloying it, I have created bluesteel that retairicity, like a true battery. In fact…” he grinned. “I do believe that pared to these lithium-ion batteries you mortals oftehese bluesteel-Etherite batteries, as I call them, have a signifitly higher ability to retairicity. Bluesteel is as dense as aluminium, so … well, if we measure by the litre, a lithium-ion battery is two and a half kilograms. The bluesteel-Etherite battery is around two point three kilograms. So it is a little lighter, and far less plex. But it is the ability to store and release energy is where it exceeds it in every aspect.”

  “Uh… I may be off-base here, but… if that’s the case, why do you eveo make anything else?” Shiro said, scratg her head. “A better battery would basically take over the world. Everything pretty much uses batteries nowadays. Phones, Cars, Laptops…”

  “Just how much better are we talking?” Eri asked. “It’s strange, I was answering questions on this sort of thing for my schoolwork earlier. Are we talking twice as good? More?”

  “It depends on which Etherites are blended in during the process.” Ixitt smiled. “But as I have only used up to yellow, since we need reen and blue ones for Artificial Spires…” he paused.

  “We will stick to by the litre, si was the metric I used before. sider the average, to be roughly six hundred and fifty Watt-hours, or around two hundred and forty Watt-hours per kilogram. Whereas the bluesteel-Etherite batteries, they easily hold ten times that amount without any issues, and in my testing, I have even doubled that, though the efficy of charging does drop noticeably much past two thousand five hundred Watt-hours per kilogram. Not that this is an issue, with the passive absorption.”

  “Shit, Aki? Ten times? Ten times!” Shiro was stunned. “Well, no, it’s too soon to be excited. There’s still other issues. What about throughput? How quickly it release the energy?”

  “It discharge the entire amount in one go, should one wish it.” Ixitt smirked. “And before you raise s about having such a density of energy and the radia…” Ixitt once more spped his prided device. “… heat is an aspect the batteries absorb, so much of the waste is recycled as electricity. I fess it not being at all effit, entropy again, as, but of the emitted heat, y pert is reabsorbed, though only around ten pert of that lost energy will be used to recharge the battery.”

  “What about battery life?” Eri asked . “I always hated it, having an old hand-me-down phone.” She looked mournful at the memory. “Not that I articurly materialistic, or cared what others thought of me having one so out-of-date. But… the battery would barely st a few hours on a full charge. It was old.”

  “The battery does not degrade, as it is not a chemical process. It is applying spiritual ws to a purely physical process.” Ixitt said proudly.

  “So, ten to twenty times the capacity, slightly less dense, better throughput, no degradation, and it even deals with the heat issue?” Shiro slumped down, fbbergasted. “Aki, fet whatever the hell you were pnning! We are itery business now!”

  As Ixitt ughed, expining that the geor tained a signifit amount of these batteries as well, so power could be saved while not being used, I pondered.

  “No, there’s still several insurmountable issues. Firstly, the batteries are here. They haven’t beeed oerial, so we ’t be sure any of this actually works there, and we ’t evehem there. Sure, we might be able to revolutionise my Territory, the nds of the Fae and more…” In fact, that’s worth doing in itself, right? Shaeu always does moan she wants mortal eai… it might not be impossible after all…

  “Of course, I io vigorously work on these issues. I shall test it in the most ether-poor areas I find. In addition, as fetting the batteries to the mortal realm, eventually, the two shall merge, correct? I believe then it shall be possible. But is there not a better way?”

  Laverna’s Divine Favour. “Of course, that would work, but there are issues with that too. Firstly, the batteries would disappear when the blessing expires, which makes it useless. Sedly, relying on one person to move such a rge amount of goods, even if we could, it would be too risky and problematic a supply .”

  “Hmm, you are quite correct. I have ideas for a solution to the first issue, as for the sed…”

  “Well, putting that aside, could we even supply enough bluesteel aherites to create enough to supply Japanese industry? Our mines are produg well, but as for the Etherites…”

  “All good questions. However, it seems that the hills around the Spring have a number of suitable mines. If managed carefully, they could provide signifit rewards. There are likely many more in the mountains in your nd here in the Boundary. We would need workers but…”

  “Etherites are the bottleneck. Just how ma into this geor and all the batteries?” I asked.

  “Well, three yellow, and quite a number e and red ohough I expect efficy to rise. And perhaps…” he grinned, pointing to the field of Artificial Spires. “… it is likely possible to create our owherites. Currently they are a side-effect of the process of drawing iher, but could this be extracted and streamlined, I believe we create a facility to create Etherites as well. Certainly up to yellow, perhaps even green.”

  “So, let me get this straight.” Shiro pointed out the obvious, and Eri was running the oo, looking pale. Motoko and Natsumi had the same response.

  “You make an Artificial Spire with a greeherite, right? That pulls iher. You thehat ether to eventually make another Spire. Now you have two pulling iher, so you make a third Spire twice as fast. Ugh, isn’t this an infinite loop of ether? Wouldn’t you be able to do anything that way?”

  “I wish that was the case.” Ixitt sighed. “As, the Artificial Spires are currently crude imitations of the perfe of the true Spires you blessed by the Gods create. If we had forests of these, theher density around us would wither away, and it would cause issues akin to the overabundance we have in Kyoto.”

  “Yeah, but… you’ll improve them in time, right? And we want to lower the density here, and in a lot of other pces, like a, right? To buy us more time before the Boundary pops?” she persisted.

  “True.” I agreed. “For now, it’s beneficial for us. But again, there are too many problems. But…”

  “Well, problems be solved.” Ixitt grinned. “I have run calcutions, and this geor here, were it to be sited in your Territory on nd you own, at the curreher density, would be able to gee a stant two to three megawatts. As the density increases, this would no doubt rise. I believe you are already w oher Density Anchor Spire? I check your build queues due to the fact I am one of your Chosen Heroes, after all.” he snickered.

  “And if I was to Rank the Territory up to four…” that alone would massively spike the density. “It already theoretically repce a wind turbine, and it’s a hell of a lot smaller and easier to ma doesn’t have to worry about days without wind, or without sun for sor, no polluting emissions… it store power that isn’t being used…” My mind was struggling to process it. I could feel my Resilience fighting its sed losing battle of the day. “Hang on…” my Split Thoughts were running calcutions, and all my Intellect was screaming at me there was a solution, at least for the geors, if not the batteries.

  “Shiro, you give me a buff?” I asked.

  “Sure. I was going to before we started fighting, anyway.” She said.

  “Don’t do the general one just now.” I warned her, and she looked puzzled, so I expined. “I’m fident I’m strong enough to handle Kyht now without it, and I want to test duration. So, just give me the specifi something I want to test. Hmm, let’s go for Kin Bonding aoration.”

  “Fasating. I do so love that my master has an experimental mind. I trust you will clue me in on these experiments?” Ixitt asked, tail shing again in his excitement.

  “Of course. Now…” As Shiro raised a hand a a surge of aether into me, I felt it pour into my Bonds. Suddenly it was as if my head litting, and it wasn’t just me. Shiro, Eri, Motoko and Natsumi were all affected. Eri was writhing around in agony, her cat ears and tail standing up, her eyes wide. Shiro doubled over, clutg at her head, and Motoko and Natsumi were hugging each other, pale faces twisted into an expression of pain. This… this isn’t fortable…

  The Lovers’ Link within my skill had obviously suddenly strengtheoo, and was affeg those who were boo me, Daiyu and Ixitt looking on, puzzled. In addition, the spirit lights around me were moviically, the aether I was giving them suddenly spiking. Ugh, s, but…

  Some of the smaller lights, weaselkin who had perished during the Kyoto battle, suddenly drank deeply from my stocks and vanished. With my Eye I could see their departure, and they chose to be reborn beside Shaeu, which made sense. Well, only the weakest ones were filled instantly…

  “Well, that was sure something…” Shiro said, rec first, rubbing at her temples. “It always seems to be painful with you, Aki. I bet my weekend will be as well.” She winked. “I hear the first time hurts a lot.”

  “Don’t be crude.” Eri sighed, from where she was lying on the floor. “If it bothers you that much, Ether Healing take away the sting. I don’t reend it though. These two didn’t.”

  As the sudden expanding of the skill settled, I sent a silent prayer to Hinata, Shaeu and Hyath. Hoping they hadn’t suffered too greatly from the sudden pain, I observed the almost amused bobbing of Ginneka’s spirit light. It was still quite a long way from restoration, as I had been starving it of aether up until she had helped Eri, but now it was filling at a far more rapid rate, I could see her return being far soohan anticipated. Well, that’s for aime. Tsukiko-san’s light too was drinkiher in at a faster rate, though I couldn’t yet get any clue to her emotions or thoughts, so retly was she deceased.

  Helping up Eri, and giving my girls some Ether Healing to remove the lingering pain, I noticed that the girls seemed to be moving faster and more elegantly than before. Looking at the description of my Ranked up skill, which had temporarily beeed past the first bottleneck, I noticed that it now gave two pert of my stats per rank of Lovers’ Link that a girl possessed, up to my maximum. Damn, that’s quite a stat boost sidering my stats are growing all the time…

  Obviously there were other bes, such as the faster rate of Restoration, but for now that wasn’t important. “All right then. Well, we’ve learhat you buff Unique skills, that’s good to know. For now though, we might as well get to training. Got to grind those levels when we . We’ll keep a for aherites as well.”

  ********

  “There’s another ohere!” I pointed out, and Motoko and Natsumi nodded, both nog arrows to the bows they had. In addition to Bjarki and his dwarves making them ons, it seems Ulfuric has gifted them some. I guess I’ll have to thank him.

  The fleeing creature, looking like a hunched-over monkey wearing human clothes and a baleful, fang-filled grin, the teeth stained with blood and rotten flesh, staggered as an arrow struck it low in the back of the thigh. It let out a r howl, but it was to no avail, as having learned from our st few enters, I had called upon wind energies, preventing the cry from alerting more of its foul brethren. A sed arrow pierced it below the ribs, and dark-smelling blood scattered.

  “I shall finish it!” Daiyu decred, darting in on light feet, her stance elegant. “Jade Yang Stance: Crushing Palms!” Her strikes rue, and the limping monkey fell, neapped.

  “Not bad.” I said, praising them. “These damn Sarugami sure are everywhere now.”

  As ressed on into Kyoto away from Haru-san’s Territory, assed numerous shrihat had beeroyed by the ese Chosen. We had found a few survivors who had returo the defiled pces, spiritual beings and lesser kami, and after some discussion they had agreed relutly to leave their shrines and temples for now, and seek shelter with Haru-san, or up at Kinkaku-ji. Sadly, as we pushed on even further, fighting off a couple of attacks from the rge bird-Yokai that lived on the hills outside Kyoto, colleg a few more bundles of feathers and other materials from their corpses, once we passed the ruins of Mibu-dera, south of Nijo Castle, we ran into packs of these aggravating monkey Yokai, which my Eye identified as Sarugami.

  “It’s a shame these aren’t part of the Night Parade.” Shiro observed, as another pair of the monkeys appeared from around a ruined building. One was holding a bloody scythe, with the sed pced his hands on the grouh element surging, and the stouro foul-smelling mud which was hurled towards us in a disgusting wave, the monkey grinning evilly, fangs showing.

  “More of the shit-throwing. Lovely.” Shiro cursed. Fme sparkled yellow and she unleashed a crashing wave of fire to meet the mud. The resulting explosiohe foul-smelling smouldering muck everywhere, but I called forth more wind to deflect it.

  “Thanks Aki. Fire isn’t so great agaih. And I don’t want to get any more of that crap ohe monkey reared back, an arrow in his eye, Motoko g her fist in delight at her great shot. Not wanting to be outdone, Natsumi put one in his throat, while Daiyu was leaping towards the seonkey. It ducked, swinging the i scythe, but Daiyu pivoted gracefully, evading it by what looked like a mere hairs-breadth, but from my training with Ulfuric, I khat was the sign of skill, not fortune.

  “You take me to all the pces.” Shiro observed. “This is surely a highlight, having monkey demons stantly hurl what might as well be shit at us.”

  “If you don’t want to be here, then you go home!” Eri said, baiting her. She was trating on her own attacks, f a ser of light that drilled into the mohat had been pin-cushioned with arrows, dropping it, smoke rising from the hole bored in its skull.

  “Well, I didn’t say that, did I?” Shiro retorted, a third mohat had wandered in suddenly surrounded by a bubble of fmes. It screamed reflexively, which was a mistake, as fmes seared down its throat, charring it from the iil it burst into a spray of ether. “I’m just building up some sympathy so wherever we go at the weekend will be suitably impressive.”

  “Motoko, shall we move into close quarters ?” Natsumi was saying. “I’ve watched them, and one-on-one I believe our skills should prevail.”

  “We should not be arrogant, but… I believe we have adapted to the ge in our status.” Motoko affirmed. “Spears though, not swords. I have no wish to get too close.”

  “I could kill these stupid monkeys, if only my body obeyed me.” Eri mourned, so I patted her head.

  “It’s fine. W on your elemental skills is just as important as your axe skills. Besides, I’m not doing much either, am I?” I was focussed on support during our power-levelling trip, but that was in part because all my tration was on the effects of Shiro’s blessing from Anesidora, and the rate at which it was fading, and whether I could extend it by adding my owher. My Eye is a godsend for this.

  “Well, that’s because these trash-mob monkeys probably aren’t worth your time, right?” Shired. “e on Eri, cheer up. I know it’s a pain Aki ’t help you with your problems, but you’ll be fine in time, I’m sure.”

  “I know. It’s just frustrating. Motoko and Natsumi will get stronger, and I’ll lose my advantage.” She watched as the two of them used their long spears to keep more Sarugami at bay. One ierced i, but with an angry howl grabbed the shaft Natsumi was holding. I made to move, but stopped as I saw her calm fidence. Releasing the shaft, she uhed the sword she carried and darted forwards, bde slig deep into the monkey’s neck while it still struggled with the spear keeping it off bance. She then backed off and pulled out the spear, returning to her positioo the approving Motoko.

  “That one levelled you up again.” I said, and Natsumi smiled brightly.

  “That makes me wonder…” Shiro said, thinking. “What would happen if you were level-capped, then I used Anesidora’s blessing on Lovers’ Link? Would you be able to exceed your cap? Would the levels go away when the buff wears off? Would something else happen?”

  “I’ve been thinking about that myself.” I admitted, stopping another monkey from howling to alert his rades, Eri striking it with a wave of darkhat seemed to fuse and disorient it, leaving it easy prey for Daiyu. “But it’s not something I want to mess with right now, not after the pain we felt with Kin Bonding.”

  “Your call.” Shiro agreed, before sighing as another half-dozen of the Yokai came scuttling in, clutg crude clubs and calling forth more torrents of disgusting mud. “Damn, o these bastards. Well, I guess I best go get my share of experience points…” As I watched Shiro joiher girls, fmes fshing yellow as she burned a monkey, I grinned. Well, at least everybody is getting plenty of gains…

  ********

  “If I never see another monkey again so long as I live I’ll be happy. Oh, wait, Yasu is at least close kin to them… a shame.” Shiro joked tiredly. She was helping Eri walk, her legs having stopped obeying her a little while ago. Beside me, Daiyu walked in ptive silence, repying the battles in her mind over and ain, looking for ways she could have doer, and Natsumi and Motoko were in high spirits, having gained a number of levels.

  “Yeah, but in the end they stopped ing. You all must have killed a hundred or so of them by then.” I agreed. “If there are more of them down to the south, I guess they might end up being a problem for Haru-san at some point, so we’ll check again tomorrow. I’ll actually be in Kyoto, so we meet up there.”

  “The funeral, huh?” Eri observed, and I had a plicated expression on my face.

  “Yeah. Those who died, including Tsukiko-san. They want to do it quickly, sihe situation in Kyoto is pretty tense right now.” As we passed through the Ring Gate, we emerged ba the hill. “I should definitely be there. Not just because I’m effectively the frontrunner for the faithful right now, but because… well, I o see it, feel it.”

  “You’re not still bming yourself, are you?” she pressed, and I shook my head.

  “Well, not really. I knew she could well die, which is why I took the precautions of making her eligible for Kin Bonding. I accept this oute. It doesn’t stop me from wishing that I’d doer though. But a good enough is still a win.”

  “Hey, Aki’s learning. I’m impressed.” Shiro ughed, only to stop as we came face to face with most of our trainees, who were waiting for us despite the te hour, Hyath grinning broadly. So, what’s going ohen?