Randidly opened his mouth but couldnÆt find much to say Honestly knowing what he did now about the at the very least wounded Creature he had wasted a lot of time If he wanted Skills he could have found them in other places But he had armed the population against monsters so it wasnÆt a complete waste That was just an unintended pleasant side effect
Well I guess I just like it Randidly said with a half shrug
You like drones Did you were an engineer or something before She asked her face setting somewhat
well no Randidly admitted
She just stared at him Then she reached up and rubbed furiously at her eyes for 10 seconds before continuing to look at him can you understand why itÆs hard to believe you You are just being so casual about everything When I thought you were an underachiever this personality made sense but when you claim to be the leader of Zone 32
I didnÆt lead Zone 32 Randidly pointed out feeling slightly hurt When had she thought he was an underachiever I just helped found a lot of the Villages there Well only two It was timing more than anything else IÆm being casual because because this has slowly become something like a vacation Not that IÆm just lazing around but IÆm working on noncritical Skills IÆm helping set up the infrastructure so more people can take advantage of it My drones will protect people Because I donÆt think IÆll fight my real enemy for a while Not until the System moves onto the next stage
Tatiana frowned at him itÆs really true isnÆt it This is why Raid Bosses are nothing to you Why we had so few casualties when you went to help evacuate that suburb in the borderlands How powerful no donÆt answer that I donÆt want to know
She walked over and stood before Randidly looking him up and down Can you can you disperse the image Let me see what you really look like
After a second of hesitation Randidly nodded and controlled Aether to rush about around him Very quickly the image trembled and dispersed leaving him standing before her barefoot and well himself
With exaggerated care her gaze shifted upwards until they made eye contact As they looked at each other RandidlyÆs heart began to pound She looked at him for fully five minutes THen she nodded
Okay I believe you She turned then on her heel and left him in the woods
With a wry smile Randidly scratched his cheek He didnÆt even know what he was expecting but he had been expecting something But she had just looked at him and then left Considering what a bad mood she had been in to start the conversation Randidly supposed it was something of a gentle resting place That was for the best
It was also good she hadnÆt kept antagonizing him He wasnÆt sure how much longer he could have controlled his temper
Randidly eventually moved through the forest to a place where Bruya could reapply his illusion and then he went towards the drone compound Luckily he very quickly located Henrik In fact he found the other man so quickly that Randidly had the impression that Henrik had seen him come in and was making himself available in case Randidly took the initiative to seek him out
And indeed Henrik was initially very bright in their conversation Oh Mr Erickson Did you finish more drones
Randidly shook his head Not yet IÆll probably have a few more finished in about two weeks I need some time to take a break and rethink some small flaws in the design No today I came to talk about something else
Oh of course Henrik said obviously disappointed But if there is anything you want to make perhaps some of those pterodactyl drones
No today I wanted to ask about exosuits How they are made whether they use runes like the drones etc Randidly said
Immediately Henrik became extremely suspicious demanding who from the exosuit industry had approached him It took him a half hour to calm him down enough to get the story out of Henrik Apparently the exosuits were produced by a block of Senators that controlled the supply very carefully When Randidly had asked about exosuits Henrik had assumed that they had got wind of RandidlyÆs accomplishments and was trying to poach him
well if you are just looking for protection Henrik said reluctantly I recommend just buying one For all they gouge you with the price their stuff is high quality But as a fellow creator I can understand wanting to have full control of what you are wearing Okay I can ask for some blueprints I know Ghost gathered them We are simply unable to copy them It isnÆt runic engraving they use inlaid wires to fulfill a similar role though Ghost postulated that runes could be used in exosuits the same way they were in drones but never devoted the time to experiment
Not that Randidly really needed physical protection but understanding exosuits would help him fight against them And obviously if he were to understand them Randidly would make one of his very own
It would take some time so Randidly returned to the steelworking factory and began preparing metals He mixed the ore refined out the impurities and then added Raid Boss bones and blood to the mixture with Gravity Affinity He was close to running out of the bones He would need to go on a gathering run soon if he wanted to use the high quality alloys he was experimenting with
I really enjoy this Randidly confessed in a mental message to Neveah while he was working with the metal I enjoy the heat the solitude the making A part of me wants to just let everything else go and pursue this I canÆt believe I never worked with metal before If I had found this earlier in my life well in my old life I probably would have tried for a different career
Well if you want Neveah responded Just work with your clockwork toys IÆll become so strong that I can save everyone No need for you to worry
Randidly chuckled and shook his head He couldnÆt do that He wouldnÆt give up control of his life He wouldnÆt bury his head in the sand Standing in his laboratory his tapped his lip as he considered his next move
Dinesh was still looking for more locations but Randidly believed finding them would be hard No it would be much better to go to the source Some being that looked like Father Foster continued to speak to the people of the Zone even after Randidly had killed something similar looking if slightly older
So should he just go forward and break down the front door of the Unity Church cathedral or
Chapter 577
You donÆt have to come with me Hank grunted The air inside his head seemed to buzz There was a heartbeat to the air around him it seemed to scream that something was wrong with the world With this Zone 1 at least There was a sick corruption Hank could almost say it Out there there was a monster
And it took his brother
Hank shook his head dispelling the wisps of the dream that still seemed to cling to him Instead he turned his glare on the man next to him Ezekiel shifted uncomfortably not meeting his eyes
I know I donÆt ItÆs just look you are one of the only people IÆve shared my secret with About about
I get it git on with it Hank growled
Ezekiel flushed Well yes And you were pissed obviously but you didnÆt you didnÆt treat me any different because of what I am What I
What you are doing is dancing around the point Just shut up and follow me Hank said but a lot of the bite was out of his words For all that he detested the other man he was strong enough to be useful if things went South Which Hank expected they would His Soul Skill insisted upon it There was something wrong with the world He needed to fix it
He had watched Ezekiel this past month while they had head over to Zone 32 All the man had killed in that time were monsters with alacrity too Even the defenders of Donnyton commented on his dedication to the cause Almost every day he could be found out and about searching for monsters to kill
They were walking down a dimly light street in West Providence moving quickly Ezekiel was struggling to catch up as Hank prowled forward Likely under the effects of his Soul Skill his very gait seemed to lengthen Each step he took covered almost a meter and a half and it was quick and smooth Some instinct told him that this was close to becoming a Skill the way he walked and it made him chuckle