Chapter 99: Fortifying

Ash called for his team and they were currently gathered in front of him. Zofia and Maria as the guard and healer/defender.

Zofia wanted Maria to have more experience in dealing with other people. Closure is enough to monitor the gene sequencing.

Margaret also agreed with this, Maria might be young. But she is of the ruling class as a pegasus. She would inevitably need to be good at dealing with other people.

Mudrock and Lappland also volunteered. It was for a simple reason, to get a feel for how seaborne fought.

And the last one was Platinum, she insisted that she must protect him in the mission. She was getting bored after all.

"Okay, you guys ready?" Ash asked them and they nodded.

"Then let's go to Sal Viento and meet up with the inquisitors there." Ash decided to go using a chopper. Just in case they would need to bring the Dokutah to Rhodes island.

'I refuse to ferry over a guy. When I use my telekinesis, I feel their bodies after all.' He shivered for a bit and they started travelling to Iberia.

"What exactly happened to Kal'tsit and her team?" Zofia wanted more information. Platinum and Mudrock also nodded at her.

"Well, they were sneaking around. I guess it's due to habit. Rhodes island is more like a commando team after all. So I don't blame them." Ash sighed and thought that old habits die hard.

"But didn't they tell them that you're their acquaintance?" Maria tilted her head and he nodded.

"They didn't believe them, it was only recently that the church of the deep had been skulking around there. So they of course didn't know if they were telling the truth." Ash shrugged and Maria winced.

'That's incredibly unlucky.' She felt bad for them, they're just trying to help after all.

"And they can't fight back, they're there to talk to the higher ups after all." Mudrock understood now.

"So we bail Rhodes island out of this mess? What a drag." Platinum sighed and Ash chuckled.

"Well, I did give them this mission. This is more of a collaboration, so we should help our poor allies." They nodded.

"Kuahahaha, aren't they a little pitiful?" Lappland thought it was hilarious.

"Now, now, let's get it done. This is an important mission after all. I need to survey the area around too so we can plan the wall we'll build." Ash looked out the window and they saw that Iberia was getting close.

They landed in the middle of the plaza of Sal Viento and they even brought a container of supplies for good will.

"Lappland, Mudrock, guard the beach. See if any seaborne appears, kill on sight, no questions asked." Ash ordered and they saluted.

"Hehehe~ I really hope they do." Lappland grinned and she was emitting intense bloodlust.

"Come on." Mudrock carried her like a sack, because people would be scared if they felt her battle intent.

"We will be distributing these huh?" Maria pointed at the container and he nodded.

"I'll get in a vantage point." Platinum quickly disappeared so she could survey the surroundings.

"Okay, people love it when beautiful girls give them things. So you guys call for the people." Ash chuckled.

Zofia and Maria smiled wryly and they prepared to give some relief goods for the people in Sal Viento.

They were really poor after all, the place is starting to get lively, but it doesn't mean that they'll recover completely in a heartbeat.

Ash unloaded the container with his telekinesis and the pegasi started to give away the goods.

"I have a visual on a silver haired woman and a guy wearing a trench coat." Platinum reported through their radio and Ash nodded.

"Copy, those are friendlies, hold your fire." Ash replied quickly. Platinum doesn't hesitate with her shots, so she might blow their heads off.

"What is this?" Irene appeared and she looked at the similar scene.

"Hello there." Ash waved at them and the two inquisitors blinked.

"Ash? What are you doing here? Thanks for helping the people, but why are you here again?" Irene walked up to him and gave him a friendly greeting, a cheek to cheek kiss.

"We're actually here for some people, did you perhaps receive some suspicious ones? A feline, a Cautus, and a guy that's hiding his face?" Ash laughed.

'No wonder they thought they were suspicious, the Dokutah looks like someone who has nefarious schemes.'

"Ohh, you know them? They told us that they were here on your orders actually. They wanted to talk to us about something. But the hooded person was too suspicious." Dario snorted.

"Yeah, can I meet with them?" The two nodded and they agreed amiably.

'Well, it is not that far fetched that they'll be taken in by these guys. Kal'tsit would have to use Mont3r to beat them.' Ash remembered them fighting hordes of seaborne after all.

He did wonder if Amiya could use more of her arts now, her problem is that her oripathy would overtake her body.

Zofia and Maria finished up with giving the relief goods because they gobbled it up. Everybody then went to the gallows where the Rhodes island team is.

"Stupid mission, they didn't believe us at all... Did Ash trick us?" Kal'tsit was grumbling.

"Dr. Kal'tsit, I don't think Ash would send us here to be imprisoned." Amiya smiled wryly.

"Yes, he would either get rid of us quickly or brand us the eternal enemy of the allied nations. He doesn't need others to incarcerate us." The Dokutah analyzed the situation.

"Tch, but it's still annoying. I mean, why were they so suspicious of us?" Kal'tsit bristled.

"That's because of that guy over there, he's covered head to toe. Who in their right mind wouldn't think he isn't suspicious?" They heard a low voice and they looked towards Ash that arrived.

"Hey Dr. Kal'tsit." Maria waved awkwardly and they greeted her too.

"Damn, you're right..." Kal'tsit was used to the Dokutah covering himself by now. But others definitely wouldn't.

'Kuu! Theresa, I grow closer to the day where I think that I should've just killed him.' Kal'tsit had dangerous thoughts and the Dokutah shivered.

"You were also hiding in the shadows, of course we'll think you're spies or something. Then you use the name of an emperor." Dario deadpanned at them.

The trio winced at that. "Well, no harm done, probably." Irene sweated. They were about to be interrogated. Ash and co just appeared in time.

"Well, Rhodes island contacted us. So we're here to bail you out of here." Ash grinned at Kal'tsit and she clenched her fists.

'Damn it, what kind of humiliation play is this?' Kal'tsit couldn't believe that a simple talk turned to imprisonment.

"Don't worry, it's fine. In hindsight, I should've sent a message to Irene and Dario." Ash smiled and Kal'tsit's ears perked up.

"You bastard, you didn't send them a message that we'll be meeting with them?" Kal'tsit bristled and Ash nodded shamelessly.

"Sorry, we're a bit busy you see. We managed to burn down a prison, establish a money laundering scheme, and get a scientist of the highest caliber." Ash explained.

The Dokutah and Amiya were a bit skeptical of that, thinking that he was making up reasons. But Kal'tsit felt that was true.

"Tch, please don't forget next time." She glared at him. Wanting to use Mont3r against him, but she knew he would fold her trump card like paper.

"Okay, so we established that what their reason for coming here is true, why would we allow that exactly?" Dario turned serious.

Building such a massive rampart in their territory is not an easy matter.

"The united nations have declared that the seaborne are a threat that can invade land." Ash gave him some forged papers.

It had the signatures of all the countries that signed the accords.

"Multiple countries agreed to this?" Irene read it and they frowned.

"You remember what happened back then." This time, it was Ash who was solemn.

The two inquisitors winced. 'Leviathans were on the way to attack on land. This is no laughing matter.' Irene recalled dozens of them swimming towards the shore.

Good thing Azureus was right there to help. Even Gladiia who is the strongest abyssal hunter can gas out. The hordes of seaborne that attacked in that debacle was quite scary.

"We can't just accept this willy nilly. We have to present this before it gets accepted." Dario wanted to support them with the project.

'This will protect Iberia's citizens. The silence a few decades ago can't happen again. Iberia will collapse.' Dario frowned.

"Good, good, it's an important matter. Time is of the essence, we need to start construction immediately. Tell your higher ups that we will not be needing monetary payment if it's useful." Ash patted him on the back.

'Damn, so they'll still get something out of it? But what?' The Dokutah analyzed what they could get from Iberia exactly.

He then went wide eyed and gathered his companions. "He's going to get land from Iberia... Then he'll develop it, making his city into an economic giant that will turn into the new capital."

The Dokutah explained to the two immediately. "Isn't that a good thing, Dokutah?" Amiya tilted her head and Kal'tsit sighed.

"We can't stop it, don't meddle. Amiya, if his plan succeeds. Which it will, because the seaborne will definitely attack later. Ash would basically own Iberia due to the developments he will be doing on his land." Kal'tsit explained patiently.

"Oh, ohhhh..." Amiya didn't know how to feel about that. Ash heard them of course, but he just chuckled.

'This Dokutah guy is pretty fast on the uptake, too bad. You can't stop us.' He smiled and the inquisitors left immediately to discuss the construction project.

"You're such a bad guy, time is of the essence? Nian can prop up the sturdiest metal wall that has ever been seen on Terra in just a few hours." Zofia deadpanned at him.

"Big sis, Zofia. Don't question it, they even took it really seriously and went away immediately." Maria thought that was a good thing.

"Guh! Look at what you've done, you even corrupted Maria. She was such a sweet girl." Zofia glared at him and he shrugged.

"That's how I roll. Now, we survey the area so we can give Nian the specifics." Ash started walking.

The Rhodes island team felt useless after that. They not only do the mission that they assigned to them. But Ash also bailed them out of a bad situation.

"Did we even need to do this Ash?" Kal'tsit deadpanned at him.

"Yeah, but you got yourself caught. And you didn't pass the charisma check. It's because you're always so serious Kal'tsit, lighten up a bit." Ash sighed and her eyebrows twitched.

"Ascalon is the one who is good with talking to people. She's very persuasive." Kal'tsit sighed and Amiya was shocked.

"Is that wise Dr.?" She thought that they don't know that side of Rhodes island.

"It's fine, this brat already knows Ascalon and S.W.E.E.P. for a long time." Kal'tsit got vexed.

"Of course I know it, I know a lot of things Kal'tsit. Like how the black coffins are really, really old." Ash smirked at her and Kal'tsit froze for a quick second.

"What are you talking about?" She acted confused and Ash rolled his eyes.

"Nothing, I just wonder how you know how to use them." Ash then glanced at the Dokutah.

'There's something more to him, that sarcophagus would fry someone with how much energy it has.' Ash was getting suspicious of Kal'tsit and the Dokutah.

Kal'tsit started sweating a bit, so she diverted the conversation. "Come on, we'll help you survey the area."

"Sure, thanks for the help." Ash nodded and Amiya started talking with Maria and Zofia.

"I'm watching you Kal'tsit." Ash whispered to her and she frowned heavily. 'He learned something that blew my cover...' Kal'tsit hoped that he won't try to pry her for answers.

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Thanks for reading everyone, ciao.