The Ways of the gods 2
HELEN'S POV
It was frustrating to watch my funds deplete consistently. Very. It was annoying. I couldn't help but glare at First who just stared back at me like he didn't know I want to kick him.
He'd gotten his wish. At the expense of my ORP. Even if I was always gaining more ORP thanks to my courageous dungeon-diving children and me there was always something to buy and get whenever I got out.
The annoying part was that all the expenses went to the fortress. First had become a sort of advisor as he led me around whenever showed up. Pointing out things that were needed and giving general ideas of what to put.
The more I looked at it the more it felt like First was preparing us for war. War with what, the creatures of Tartarus? It made no sense especially since the system had deemed the entire city a safe zone.
My expenses and income like a chart were going up and down. At least I was just glad that First wasn't some government official siphoning the wealth into his pockets which he couldn't exactly do.
The Unborn though had found a way to grow or level up. By absorbing the looted shards of either the system creatures or those of the Tartarean beasts. I had assumed it would have an effect but it seemed my shard served as a purifier of sorts for them now.
The fortress looked nothing like the first day when I had defeated Alezk. a huge wall rose from the base of the mountain where the former broken one had once been.
A portcullis shot the outside off from the within. The stairs now shone brightly as they ascended. Another smaller wall spread out on top of the mountain with a black gate.
Finally was the tower itself. It looked better and maintained.
Holy flame armors stood around the courtyard arranged by First. As a new template, I could either buy one from the system to save on shards or make it myself with a shard and a less expensive template.
Though the templates came in the number of armors held it still needed just the proper amount of shards. Luckily I had a cut price of 50% since it was my make. The only reason I was even paying was due to the armor gotten from the system.
If I could create armor myself the system would still accept it all. Other creators though would have to first buy the template and either buy the armor or pay a 20% fee for using my template again.
Standing at the Monolith of Passage I checked out the city's stats. Something I could now do.
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[CHAINED CITY OF ASWINGNIR - LV 0 - 7/10]
[City Of Aswingnir - Lv1 - 3/6]
[Edge wall - Defense 1 - [0/100]
[Edge wall power core - Tier 0 - [0/1000]
[Edge wall Gate - Defense 1 - [0/100]
[Edge wall Holy flame armor core - Tier 1 - [0/1000]
[FORTRESS OF ASWINGNIR - Lv1 - 2/6]
[Edge wall - Defense 2 - [168/200]
[Edge wall power core - Tier 1 - [1673/2000]
[Edge wall Gate - Defense 2 - [196/200]
[TOWER OF ASWINGNIR - Lv2 - 6/12]
[Tower walls - Defence 5 - [476/500]
[Tower power core - Tier 3 - [2930/4000]
[Tower wall Gate -Defense 5 - [491/500]
[Tower Holy flame armor core - Tier 2 - [1500/3000]
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I knew more things that would assist to increase a city's level but for now, it was not to be. First had suggested charging the Unborns 30% tax of their gains when running the system dungeons or hunting down in the Tartarean rifts.
It was these taxes that he used to charge up the cores and everything. He had attempted to charge the city but I had ordered him to refrain. The players would be the ones to focus on it.
With First behaving like a fifth would happen and the system showing defense on things I could already surmise that something would happen. So the players had to pull their weight. I didn't know how they would but I knew they would.
Removing my hand from the monolith I turned to the sword in the stone.
It was an ancient weapon. Used by the ruler of Aswingnir. Apparently, on Aswingnir soil, it had the power of the entire city and its wielder's power. But only works in the hand of the owner of the chained city.
It had explained why the second had done nothing when I picked it up back then. The catch for the sword was that it could only be used on Aswingnir or at least a 100-meter range away.
Any farther and it would become just a piece of steel.
[Weapon] - [Sword of the Ruler]
[Epic] - [UPGRADED]
A divine blade Forged by the One and gifted to the kings of Aswingnir, one sword to protect a kingdom. Tethered and ineffective 100 meters beyond the city.
[Effects] - [+500 Slashing Damage] [- + 600 Stabbing damage] [Home Damage + 600 slashing ] [Bleed effect ] [Cauterize] [Holy Flame]
The amusing thing about it was how only the true ruler could pull it out of the stone. I shook my head at that before focusing on the stone which held the sword atop a dais.
[HOLD] - [Stone of Bone]
[Legendary] - [BASIC]
A test for the kings. Only those of true heart with the desire to protect can pull the sword of the ruler from its grasp.
[Effect] - [Charge] [Seal]
Charge and seal were two effects that made me realize how useless the sword was without the stone, and how more important the stone was to me than the sword. Charge pulled the power of the city into it and the sword. The reason the sword couldn't be used far off. The seal was even more annoying. It locked everything within the chained city. It was the sole reason this goddamn city was flying. Meaning that if anyone wanted to crash this city the stone just had to be destroyed.
It was disturbing and made me create a Holy flame that got 1 % out of the 30% tax gotten from the Unborn. It's one sole duty, to protect the stone at all costs. It stood just out of sight, known only to me. Even First didn't know about it. All he knew was to keep 1% of the shards at the foot of the throne.
The Holy flame armor I called White Knight knew to absorb it when the great hall was empty.
Save for me and the Holy flame armors who never left the hall no one else knew about him. He never acted or did anything. I was certain if I was in danger he wouldn't act, that was how much I made sure to ingrain its duty in it.
About to leave and head for my lunar castle I got the very prompt I had been both excited and dreading to get.