The Phantom Riser

CHAPTER NINE - THE MESH

Before upgrade

Karenia;

Strength: 10    Speed: 4

Stamina: 8       Intelligence: 2

After upgrade

Karenia;

Strength: 10    Speed: 8

Stamina: 8       Intelligence: 8

***

“Karenia, did you just increase your intelligence?” Kiro asked. The irritation on his face was quite obvious. Karenia was one that took words to heart but he never expected her to actually do what she did.

“Well now, I have a higher intelligence than Victor,” she replied. She pouted, turning away from both Victor and Kiro. She always felt behind those two and the last thing she needed was a reminder.

“And now he has more stamina than you! You’re going to put us all in danger just for the sake of banter?” Kiro cried. Why couldn’t they see how perilous the situation was. Was it because of his presence they could still afford to take it all as a joke? Neither of them was yet to grasp the seriousness of their situation.

“All numbers love. I’m still smarter than you with an intelligence of 6,” Victor goaded. Deep down, he cursed under his breath.

“Sounds like something someone with an intelligence of 6 would say,” she retorted.

“That’s enough you two! This is not a game! Besides, intelligence number doesn’t make you smarter, it only helps you in manipulating your abilities. So, maybe we can still work something out,” Kiro said. if he had known it would result to this, he would have made efforts to actually clarify it earlier.

“I’ve wanted to ask something. If you can level up with coins, why don’t sponsors just level up their Risers to level hundred immediately?” Karenia asked.

“Because Karenia, from level thirty, you can only level up by gaining experience points (xp).”

“So, what will we use the coins for, from there onwards?”

“You have no idea.”

“Yo, are you sure this intelligence number doesn’t make you smarter? Because normally Karenia wouldn’t ask such questions,” Victor teased.

“Well, maybe they do. Since you can’t realize how normal a thought that is,” Kiro snapped.

“Ouch,” Karenia chuckled. Victor was far from pleased.

“Whatever.”

Noah cleared his throat to get the attention of the Risers in the church. Loud enough that you might think he had a microphone under his robe. “I’m sure you’ve had enough time to talk with your team members, however small it might be. You have a whole week together, so be sure to relish in it. And now I welcome to you all to the mesh.”

***

System Update

Noah Ark

(Helios sleep activated)

***

System Update

Kiro Ner

(Helios sleep nullified)

***

Upon the activation of the Helios Sleep, all the Risers present fell asleep. All except Kiro of course. “Is there something you want to tell me in private?” Kiro asked Noah as he approached him. Noah’s graceful walk made him pose as quite the intimidating figure. And he was. But he had a calm, somewhat friendly expression and Kiro could only guess what he had to say.

“I don’t know how you were able to manipulate things to put you and your friends in the same group, but one thing is for sure, you don’t have any sponsors,” Noah said.

“Oh. How can you be so sure? If anything, this proves that I’m being sponsored,” Kiro teased. He had no reason to pose as though he had a sponsor but he had a knack for teasing with his superiors.

“Quite the contrary actually. The knowledge you’ve shown to possess could never have been bestowed upon you by a sponsor even if they did possess such. Reason being that sponsors assist you with knowledge that either help you grow or edge you towards their own personal goals. They leave you in the dark about anything else. That way, you’re more of an asset than a threat. And you seem to possess very dangerous knowledge. Besides, you strike me as a man who likes his freedom,” Noah said with all seriousness.

“Surely that can’t be why you approached me. Why don’t you get straight to the point?”

“Have you heard of the Battle of Lost Souls?” Noah asked. Normally, that wasn’t knowledge that an early Riser would have, but he had learnt to give Kiro more credit than that.

“You want us to be your lackeys?” Kiro asked. For the first time during their conversation, he was actually serious.

“Team mates. You need a Ranger or a Knight on your team. How about a Knight then?”

“Like you said, I value my freedom.”

“Think of it as a short-term alliance. We both have a lot to gain. I assume you intend to participate?”

“That is entirely my concern, Noah. You need not worry about such.”

“Give it a thought. Then get back to me when you’ve reached level thirty,” Noah said.

“Is this the reason you became a test administrator? To scout?”

“Is this the reason you are hogging on to the Ascient?”

“They are mine and mine to protect. Whatever power they may hold.”

“Well how convenient,” Noah replied. On the outside, it was apparent that Kiro was trying to protect his friends, but no one could fault him if he had ulterior motives, considering how special Victor was.   

But none of that was really any concern to Kiro. If he had his way, he would wish they weren’t anything special. At least that way they wouldn’t be target. And they wouldn’t be condemned to a trying future. “They are what’s left of my humanity. And at the very least, I hope not to lose that too,” Kiro said, his emotions ridden all over his face.

“Very well then. I’ll leave it at that. But they will be difficult to protect once everyone knows who he is. And they will,” Noah said.

***

System Update

Noah Ark

(Helios sleep released)

***

The Risers awoke to not the church but an entirely different world. Think Jumanji, or Jurassic park. Basically, something with a ‘J’ and you might grasp an idea of what the world was like. A forest filled with trees and absolutely nothing modern. It wouldn’t be so bad if it also didn’t host a bunch of mythical creatures and monsters. And mind you, by ‘a bunch’, I mean thousands. Winged creatures soared the air and terrestrials roamed the grounds. Subterranean existed too. Burrowing their way through the earth. And the aquatics were the biggest of them all. And probably the most dangerous. No way anyone was going for a swim anytime soon. Unless he was made to go for ‘a swim’ of course.

“What the hell!!!” Victor yelled. The world he saw was the last thing he imagined. When he heard ‘the Mesh’, he imagined like a mechanical field or a maze. Not the sss forest. For some reason, he felt unwanted in his new environment. Karenia was completely lost for words. She looked in awe and not fright at the world that stood before her.

“I am never leaving here!” Karenia said as she ran around her new environment.

“Hey, slow down. There could be traps,” Victor cried as he ran after her. But in truth, he was frightened himself.

“I completely forgot. Beast types would totally be in sync here. And maybe Victor too, if he had been endowed with the earth element from the start. Starting out with fire almost makes him an enemy of the forest. But if he was to activate his true abilities here, he could even take out  a High Riser,” Kiro thought to himself.