EmEs_etherious
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Chapter 77- A Talk Of The Future
🕑 Added 2023-06-26 23:44:31 +0000 UTCI almost forgot to post this but I remembered just before going to sleep. I promised a chapter today, so that's what you're going to get.
~Natasha Samuels~
When Natasha first heard of the great ‘threat’ that put the entirety of planet Earth in jeopardy, she was sceptical, to say the least. In the end, she had decided to come to the meeting since she was still on American soil, and it was probably better if she had an idea of what the old fools were planning instead of distancing herself from their machinations.
After all, it wouldn’t do if she was burnt by fires she could have easily avoided. However, since she had come here, her Foresight skill had acted up not once but twice.
As always, Natasha decided to trust what the skill was telling her. It hadn’t done her wrong yet, and she doubted the Elite rank skill would any time soon. Maybe I could have handled it better; she thought to herself as she recalled the lie she had told to explain away her feelings on the situation. A truth-detecting skill of all things. Do those even exist? She wondered, thankful that no one had caught out her own flimsy lie, or at least not called her out on it. After all, she was certain that everyone didn't buy her bullshit, or they wouldn’t have gotten into the positions they were currently in. Still, Natasha would have been much happier if her passive skill didn’t activate the first time.
It had told her that she would have to do everything she could to make Bryan’s tale more believable. That meant the threat he warned of was very, very real. Thinking on the spot, she had done the first thing that had come to mind and spilt the beans on her 'lie-detection skill'. That meant that the warning Bryan had come with was no doubt something that not only she but everyone else on Earth would have to take heed of, and Natasha dreaded what kind of difficulties would lie in his future.
Maybe I really should have just left Earth straight away when I had the chance, Natasha wondered before dismissing the feelings of doubt she had. Her decision had been made already, and there was no point crying over spilt milk.
The second time her foresight skill had activated was far more confusing, and at first, she hadn’t known exactly what it was that was being asked of her. Keeping Bryan talking was perhaps one of the strangest pieces of instruction she had received from it, and so Natasha had inferred that the military man was keeping something to himself. When her suspicions had been confirmed, Natasha wasn’t disappointed, and she hadn't needed her foresight skill to tell her that she would have to meet the young healer. It seemed that her stay on Earth wouldn’t be boring, at least.
~Arthur Ward~
Arthur Ward Arthur looked at the system notification in front of him and grinned.
Bestial recovery (Rare) has reached level 2
Instead of just wasting his time doing nothing but waiting for someone to finally come, Arthur had decided that it would be best to finally use the recovery skill he had gotten from the 'apology core' he'd received from Selena. God knew how much he had needed a little recovery right now, and Arthur hadn't been disappointed with the skill's miraculous effects. Remembering the woman once again sent a stab of guilt through him, but he threw the emotion to the wayside for now.
With only around 900 ether to spare, Arthur had decided to use 750 of it for the skill. With the absurd cost of seventy-five ether per minute, that meant that Arthur could use it for exactly ten. Quite a small time frame, and yet Arthur had been astounded by the results. He had actually regained exactly 2054 health, the same amount he would have gained naturally over the course of one and a half hours.
The results had been so staggering that Arthur had reread the skill's description. Just how absurd an ability was it supposed to be?
Bestial Recovery (RARE) level 2- At the cost of 80 ether per minute, increase your natural health regeneration to 1050% of the normal value
Secondary effect- Can target one individual at a time. At the cost of 1000 Ether, increase the target's natural health regeneration to 300% of the standard value for 3 hours.
Arthur read and re-read the skill's description, in complete disbelief at how absurd his skill would one day become. If Arthur wasn't mistaken, then as the skill level increased, the ether cost would also increase incrementally, but at a value that would be negligible to the benefits he'd reap. Did that mean that at level 30- the max level for rare skills- the skill would literally cost a pittance for a 2500% increase in health regen? Arthur tried not to get his hopes up too much, but the fact didn't lie. With a regeneration rate of 1232 health per hour, that translated to approximately 20 health regenerated a minute.
Applying the effects of the skill at level one, he recuperated 205 health a minute, or in other words, a maximum health pool in 50 minutes. If the ability grew in the same direction it currently was, Arthur would one day be able to increase his natural health regeneration by at least twenty-five times, maybe even permanently if he grew his ether pool enough, and that was on top of his already absurd bonuses to vitality from his Twice Lived title along with the more recent additions he'd gotten that boosted the attribute.
When Arthur remembered that in three days' time, Mira would also start to teach him her own powerful health regeneration skill, something he'd honestly forgotten, Arthur couldn't keep the grin off his face. If he was being observed now, the government would no doubt believe that the young healer was a little mentally unstable.
But Arthur's excitement was certainly justified. One day that actually wasn't so far off in the future for once, Arthur's health regeneration may probably just outpace his actual health- a truly ridiculous sentiment, to say the least, and one that would probably set him apart from any other prodigy across the multiverse.
Okay, maybe Arthur was getting a little ahead of himself with that last thought, but he was certain that most individuals wouldn't have as many health-boosting traits as he did.
Arthur checked his watch, which had somehow survived the fight with Shade and saw that it had been around twenty minutes since he had woken up, which meant that the monster had been dead for quite a while.
The fact that no one had come to check on him yet was worrying and added some credence to his theory that the American administration might try to hold him captive. Just as his paranoid thoughts were reaching an all-time high, Arthur heard a loud click and saw a door-shaped portion of the wall move inwards. If he hadn't already seen it in action when he visited Alyssia, he would no doubt have been amazed. As it was, Arthur was just glad that he hadn't been forgotten about.
He observed the two figures that walked through the entrance and was happy to see someone he recognized amongst them. Bryan walked forward and smiled at him, though he looked strangely tense for some reason. When Arthur laid eyes on the figure walking beside him, he didn't blame the man for his nervous state. The stranger looked like someone had taken a bear and superimposed a human's appearance on it—that's how big the man was.
Arthur had no doubt that it was all muscle, as the man's chiselled jawline looked like it had been carved from granite, visible even under the silver-grey stubble that covered his face. If his erect, commanding posture didn't give away his military background, then the uniform he was wearing certainly did. Arthur briefly considered identifying him but quickly dismissed the notion. He didn't want to risk annoying the man with his intrusive use of this skill, and Arthur didn't need his new perception attribute to tell him that the man was strong.
Very strong.
The attribute did, however, seem to help him detect the intimidating individual's repressed aura, something Arthur was certain he wouldn't have been able to do before, and he could almost smell the man's magical power—how he wasn't entirely sure about. But if he wasn't mistaken, then the military man was a fire mage and something else that Arthur couldn't quite put the finger on, though he felt that it would probably make use of the man's significant mass.
Once again, Arthur didn't know how exactly he knew this, but he'd put his money on the fact that the ever-elusive perception attribute was finally showing some of its use. Arthur was actually quite pleased with how useful it was proving itself to be. Maybe one day, he might actually be able to see magic. He was pulled out of his inner reverie when Bryan spoke.
"I hope you didn't mind us putting you in this room, Arthur."
Arthur saw that the man had an apologetic look on his face like he had wronged him in some sort of way. Maybe he's just guilty that I was put in Alyssia's prison. Arthur still had no idea what the government was planning to do with him, so he decided to play it safe and act like everything was fine between them. No point in making an issue if there was no problem to be found. At least he hoped there'd be no problems between them.
"No, not really. The bed's actually quite comfortable," he eventually said as he shook his head slowly.
Though he outwardly looked completely fine, he was still around half health, and he was certain now it was regenerating a little slower than it should be, a result of his unstructured magic perhaps, which meant that his muscles were complete noodle soup under his skin. Heck, he doubted he'd even be able to walk until another hour had passed, as it had taken a lot of effort to just sit on the bed he was currently on.
Bryan felt a wash of relief when he heard Arthur's answer, having feared the young man would have been angry at his detainment. Thankfully, that didn't look to be the case, and it would make the next few minutes a lot easier to handle. Gesturing to the towering giant beside him, Bryan introduced him.
"You've not met him before, but this here is General Bradley, the head of all our military operations since before even the system's arrival and probably the most powerful man in America," Bryan asserted.
Arthur just nodded his head, having already guessed that the big giant was probably someone important, just not how important. Why the hell is a man like that here to see me? He wondered. It seemed that General Bradley was about to answer that question as he spoke loudly, his voice gruff and deep.
"So, kid, I've heard a lot about you. Apparently, you're a pretty good healer," General Bradley rumbled. "Amongst other things," he added, directing a pointed look at Bryan. So, I guess Bryan told them about my flashy little piece of magic, Arthur realized with a sinking feeling in his chest.
"I don't really like beating around the bush, so I'll tell you straight. We've just found out that the planet's going to shit. An item found on Shade's dead body, or at least what was left of it, told us that Earth has been put in the crosshairs of an alien terrorist group of some sort," the military man explained, carefully observing the young healer to see how he would react to the statement.
He didn't really like what he saw. Arthur looked indifferent as if he didn't care in the least that his home planet was being meddled with by some foreign forces. A lack of attachment to the American nation was understandable considering their relations so far, but the entire planet. Bradley felt his opinion of the young man drop a few points, though he made sure it didn't show on his face.
"We were actually able to get some information about what was going on from the Farthing Mercantile organization," he continued. "For a price, of course."
The last words were spoken with a grunt of distaste, and Arthur could immediately tell that the man was not a big fan of the group. He could also tell that he didn't like the direction the conversation was going, and Arthur didn't need to be a genius to know that a speech of some foreign threat was always followed by a call to arms. While Arthur didn't mind helping out here and there, he wasn't quite ready to tie himself by accepting whatever offer General Bradley would no doubt be presenting. The military man seemed to notice this, and he sighed wearily, rubbing his head as if to ward off a headache.
"I can already see that you'll reject whatever proposition I make, so I guess it's best I don't waste both of our time," the bear-like man spoke dejectedly. Arthur just smiled apologetically at the General, outwardly calm, but inside, his thoughts were racing a mile a minute. Wait, is he really just going to back off? No offer for riches, no blackmail or guilt-tripping.
Arthur was surprised to find that he actually felt a little disappointed at that and berated himself for getting a little too big for his boots. He wasn't so special that everyone would start asking for help, or at least no one yet knew just how special he actually was. Otherwise, Arthur had no doubt that the General wouldn't stop trying to recruit him so easily.
When Arthur saw that General Bradley didn't seem to be in any hurry to leave, he realized that the man probably wouldn't have come all the way here just to meet and recruit him. No, he definitely had an ulterior motive, and curious, Arthur asked, "So, is that it? I'm sure you didn't come all the way here just to try and get me on your side. To be honest, it looks like you already knew that I would reject your proposal." The General smirked, and Arthur felt himself flush a little with embarrassment when he realized just how arrogant his words had sounded.
"Kid, it looks like you've got an inflated sense of self-worth. Persuading you was never my job in the first place. I'm sure Miss Murker will have a better time doing that. She's here to see you, by the way." Bradley chuckled.
"But you're right; I didn't come all this way just to see our own little prodigious magician. No, I came to talk about your rewards for going above and beyond against that shadow fucker." The old man paused for a moment as if to add some dramatic effect to his next words.
"As well as this," he said, pulling out a vial containing a ruby-red liquid and placing it on the table in front of him. Arthur didn't need to identify the stuff to know what it was; after all, he had seen it far too often already.
It was his blood.
