Chapter 57: Preparations
[Host has been Rewarded With 2 Sure Draw Gacha Tokens.]
Wait really? There are Gacha Tokens that guarantee sure draws? This is great! Roy beamed.
Others might assume that such a token would most definitely be used for redeeming Legendary Packs from the Gacha space, but Roy had no intention to do so.
Recently he had been rewarded consistently for various feats, so as of now he was packed with weapons and an elixir which, ironically, most of he couldn’t use.
He had a legendary-grade shotgun, a legendary-grade gauntlet, a legendary-grade horn, and a legendary-grade Divine Fruit.
Other Lords might see all this and pass out from envy, but to Roy it was frustrating. Of these great weapons and elixirs, the only one he could even manage to wield was the Divine Horn — and even that was barely.
Oh, and there’s this also... Roy gazed at a virtual manifestation of a golden coupon.
[Five Hero Summon Coupon: Legendary Tier]
So in short, he had come to the realization of why such high-grade weapons had yet to make themselves present in Arcana. It wasn’t because of scarcity — it was plainly because Hunters and Lords wouldn’t even be able to wield them if they were present.
---
"Master!"
Roy glanced at the source of the call. It was Jake, heading his way with the K-9s strutting right behind.
"Master... was that commotion just now you?" Jake asked curiously on arrival.
Roy nodded. "I’ve claimed this territory. But for now, it will be placed on lockdown until we’ve faced the incoming calamity," he informed.
The system had synchronized the progress of both territories under his ownership, so the moment he made progress with one, the other would be upgraded along. Meaning the moment he cleared the Variants Calamity, both territories would be at Tier 2.
But because both territories were synchronized, they also had disadvantages.
Like the Calamity of the Variants leaking its influence into Wolf Peak — meaning the new territory might be besieged.
And right now, he barely had enough of an army to protect Cosmic Police Quarters. Trying to add Wolf Peak to the equation would be impossible, so he decided to lock it down — the easiest solution to this predicament.
"So quickly take us out of this territory, and drop us at the border," Roy ordered.
Jake nodded, his Genesis ether thrummed into life as reality shifted, scooping their very existence from this space and shifting it to another — a save point.
Roy’s eyes opened as he gazed at the obscuring, towering peaks at the border of Wolf Peaks.
---
[Host has requested Lockdown...]
[Casting Level 20 Protection Barrier, capable of withstanding 250 damage...]
[Sealing space...]
[Commencing Ether Lock...]
[Applying Ethereal Coating...]
[Territory Lockdown successful!]
---
Roy stared as a translucent protective dome cascaded across the border, and a phenomenon hard to describe played out — the solidification of space.
Then the entire mountain scape undulated before vanishing, camouflaging with the environment and reflecting a plain of endless greenery and vast foliage.
It was already nighttime, and the lustrous moon cast its resplendent silver radiance across the ether plain, making a beautiful sight.
"Okay, Jake, take us back home." Roy, finally satisfied, decided to head back. He had accomplished all goals and even more.
And once more, with a brilliant flash, Roy, Jake, Alpha, and the rest of the K-9s vanished.
---
On getting back, Roy wasted no time, focusing fully on preparations for the incoming calamity.
Regardless of his improvements and growth, there was no way he was going to take this calamity lightly.
The system once called these Variants Destroyers of Civilization, Corruption of Worlds. No level of accomplishments or progress could ever make him complacent before such foes.
So he put all his manpower on three factors...
The first was, recruits’ training and empowerment. By using the illusionary dreamscapes, he could conjure creatures he had faced as training opponents for his army. He had beast cores inserted into these phantasms so once killed they dropped cores like regular monsters. This gave the recruits both combat experience and leveling rewards, plus they could experience death but couldn’t die.
The second, Territory defenses. This he oversaw personally. Though they only had three days left — which was all the more reason to hurry — he personally took charge of the civilian Hunters and focused fully on bolstering the automated offense system of the massive great wall surrounding their territory. This project was really bank-breaking for Roy as he spent a huge amount of JP on purchasing raw materials and high-leveled turrets and other heavy immobile attack weapon blueprints. Though an enormous-scale project, with the massive amount of manpower numbering in hundreds, Roy had faith they would be done before the deadline.
And finally, Weapons and ammunition creation. With Ethan fully focused on crafting various tactical crafts, guns, explosives, tactical vests, and even laser tech items, this wasn’t a problem. What was a problem was the enormous amount of materials he would be needing. Items like these required expensive, high-end rare metal ores and other special rare materials, which Roy was short on. So this was another bank-breaking endeavor. Trying to keep up with Ethan’s production rate really hurt his pockets.
But thankfully, there was no need for crafting ammo. In order to save costs, Roy had no choice but to take responsibility for the supply...
---
The next three days were filled with work, grit, and zero sleep. Police officers fully focused on personal development, the civilians focused on territory defense development, and the higher-ups focused on supervising these two groups while also attending to their own tasks.
The days were hectic and eventful, to say the least...
It was high noon of the third day, and behind the police outpost Roy stood before a sparse bunch.
Roy was clearly fatigued, with deep dark circles under his eyes, white bloodless pale skin, and scattered hair. But even in this state, his eyes shone brightly, his gait was upright, and his regal aura never wavered.
"So you are the volunteers..." he muttered, scanning through the bunch.
He had asked for volunteers among the civilians — those with experience with weapon tanks and the like. He needed only ten, which would be enough for what he had in mind.
"So you all must have been veterans or even still active military personnel before the ascension."
The civilians glanced at each other, then nodded.
"Good. I want to give you guys very important roles for the upcoming battle.
Make no mistake — this calamity isn’t a joke. It will be a struggle for life and death, and we will have to overwhelm our enemies with a crushing victory for a chance to survive.
And to do this, I need your help. I am aware you all might not have the best skills when it comes to combat, but that doesn’t mean you’re useless. There’s a chance I want to give you...
A chance to stand at the forefront of the war and dominate the battle. If you allow it, you will be a force to be reckoned with, vanquishing foes and earning merits.
If you do well enough, I might just bear the costs and give you all the chance at an upgrade.
So I will ask — are you in?"
By the time Roy was done speaking, the eyes of all ten men shone with ambition and resolve.
"Yes Lord! We are willing!" they chorused.
Smiling, Roy waved his arms and a massive 15-meter-tall construction came into existence.
"This is what you guys will be in charge of operating. It is a beast of battle, great for wide-range devastation, but it requires a ten-man control unit," Roy explained as he patted the metal behemoth with a smile.
All ten men stared in awe.
[Epic Tactical Armor Tank: Behemoth Ravager M1A2 Abrams!]
---
Meanwhile, in a plain far detached from Arcana — a place that reeked of corruption.
Ashen soil, smoky abyssal dark skies. Deep within a crumbling city, at the very heart, lay a run-down castle.
And on a rusted throne sat a creature of corruption, skin as dark as coal, eyes red as blood, pupils darker than night.
And on its head, a crumbling crown sat.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
The abomination’s finger thrummed against the worn-down armrest rhythmically.
Crash!
The massive doors to the crumbling chambers broke down as another similar-looking creature stepped in and bowed before the throne obscured by shadows.
"Emperor, surprisingly the rift hasn’t been closed. The shamans are very close to converting it into a stable portal!" the creature plated in rusted bronze reported.
In response, from the shadows, a slow revealing smile could be seen — teeth glowing an emerald hue. The Variant Emperor spoke in an extremely unpleasant voice.
"To think this Lord didn’t lock the rift, postponing his inevitable doom, and instead accepted the calamity wrought with open arms...
Interesting... I wonder what sort of ether plain this will lead to. And I hope they provide a satisfying feast."
The emperor’s ash‑pale tongue licked his lips, its crazed smile widening, almost splitting his face and reaching his ears.
"AHH... THE FEAST WILL BEGIN SOON... AND I WILL NOT BE DENIED!"
His voice echoed like a curse across the corrupted plain, shaking the ruined castle walls. The rusted crown upon his head rattled as if in anticipation, and the corrupted air thickened with malice.
The Variant Emperor’s hunger was not just for flesh — it was for worlds.