TtOW! - Chapter 155 - Terminate the Drake! (Patreon)

Taog crept towards the sound of trees crashing and the drake roaring. The drake finally paused, having lost sight of its foe, and was sniffing the air. Taog smirked, and took a deep breath.

“I’m over here, you overgrown lizard!”

The drake turned its head towards him and growled. It charged through the forest once more. Taog shaped his mana as before, the formal skills now supporting his efforts. A Dark Blade formed in his hand.

The drake was even slower than before, having to knock over trees along the way. It was a simple matter for Taog to step to the side and swing his blade across the drake’s flank.

[The spell Dark Blade is now level 6!]

The blade of pure magic slashed with ease, slicing through the monster’s HP barrier. It was not a serious injury, the HP quickly restored itself. But it was far more effective than Taog’s strikes had ever been so far.

The road was still long, but now Taog could actually see an end.

Taog smiled, and then taunted the drake once again.

And so the battle continued on…

***

Ateia took a seat on a log on the beach, and then nodded to NSLICE-00P. NSLICE-00P began to connect to Ateia’s cybernetic components. She slowly connected them to the NSLICE network.

Ateia winced but said nothing. She blinked.

“I can…see myself? And other views?”

“Affirmative. Elaboration: NSLICE units share useful data over the network, including visual sensor input.”

Ateia tilted her head.

“Is that how you seem to know random things, Seero?”

“Affirmative Explanation: This unit utilizes a combination of NSLICE unit scouts and advanced sensors, both technological and foreign-system related, to expand situational awareness. Query: Is NSLICE-Ateia experiencing any incompatibilities with the NSLICE network?”

Ateia frowned slightly but shook her head.

“It still feels weird, but it doesn’t hurt.”

“Acknowledged. Follow-up Query: Is NSLICE-Ateia prepared to activate emotional controls?”

Ateia took a deep breath, then nodded.

“…I’m ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s do it.”

“Affirmative.”

NSLICE-00P took the partial emotional control protocols and created UI buttons that Ateia could activate at will. Ateia blinked and then smiled. She took another deep breath…and then selected the buttons for pain and fear.

She winced as she felt lightning zap through her head. She grimaced and held her head with one hand.

But she did not resist.

She believed in NSLICE-00P. The girl had even given Ateia control over these protocols. And she needed to know if Taog was ok. So she did her best to endure the feeling of the implants reaching into her mind.

And then…the pain faded. Her heartbeat slowed. Ateia blinked.

“…I think it worked.”

“Helpful Observation: This unit can confirm the protocols were successfully activated. Diagnostics indicate that all systems are fully functional.”

Ateia nodded. It still felt weird, wrong even, but this was something she could handle. So she turned her focus to the next task. She closed her eyes. She took a deep breath. She stirred up Holy mana within her.

And then she reached out into the world…

Again, a flood of mana and information sought to overwhelm her. She could feel the air around her, the sand beneath her feet, the fish swimming in the cove. Memories of the ritual performed on her appeared before her eyes, trying to distract her. She began to lose herself, she started to forget why she was there…

“Observation: NSLICE-Ateia is on the verge of memory overload. This unit will lend assistance.”

NSLICE-00P began to divert some of the data into the NSLICE network. Her own robotic eye began flickering rapidly. Her memory jumped to nearly full right away.

NSLICE-00P began activating all the drone-golems on standby, and making use of their resources as well. They were fairly simple devices, but they were also numerous, so it was not an insignificant gain. And her efforts did not go unnoticed.

***

NSLICE-00P’s monsters were sparring on another part of the beach. But then, 00B stopped, letting 01R strike him right on the nose. 01R was about to question him when he, too, paused. 00B motioned with his head and grunted. 01R nodded.

“You are right-correct, 00B. Everyone, the Wise-Mighty-Gracious Boss-Queen requests-requires our assistance! We shall aid-assist her, yes yes!”

The monsters cheered and then they all sat down on the beach. 01R led them in offering their processing resources to the NSLICE network as they had done in the past.

***

Rattingtale was currently shivering in his room, hiding from the evil-sadistic spider-thing and the torture-horror she called ‘training’ when he felt the activity in the NSLICE network.

He rubbed his paws together.

“Well, if it’s just offering-lending these horrid armor-things, then I guess-suppose it’s not that difficult, yes yes? I will…try-attempt, yes yes.”

Rattingtale gingerly reached out…

And then he screamed as NSLICE-00P connected to a willing resource and floods of data filled his mind.

“I knew it! It’s more torture-horror, yes yes!”

***

Lilussees groaned and stirred awake. She waved a leg around and then plopped back down.

“Like, yeah, sure, whatever. Just, like, use what you need and don’t bother me.”

Her organic components went back to sleep, but her cybernetic components offered their resources as she stated. Her robotic eyes began flickering and her cybernetic memory filled with data. Lilussees would have a fitful nap as the data inevitably bled over to her other half.

***

Colleöne paled as she watched the NSLICE units join together and assist Ateia.

“This is…this is like when the Aesdes join our power together for a task. It’s a group divination, but without our assistance…or our safeguards. And, um, NSLICE-00P could always summon more of those, so the theoretical limit of information they could handle is…I, um, this is…I might have made a mistake…”

[Just one?]

“Really?! Now, Shialnor?! We’re watching mortals and monsters perform a group divination manually and your concern is to rag on me?!”

[Yes.]

Colleöne held her face and screamed into her hands, then took and exhaled a long breath.

“Well, what’s done is done. As long as Ateia is there to guide her, hopefully NSLICE-00P won’t do anything drastic with all this.”

[You mean the girl that wants to burn a cult to the ground after a lifetime of loss and abandonment?]

“Not. Helping.”

***

As all the NSLICE units worked together to analyze, filter, and delete the excess data, the pressure on Ateia’s mind and spirit lessened. She could think again, and she began to remember herself.

And now, what appeared before her were the memories of the night.

She scowled. Her body heated up as the sight filled her with rage.

But only that. She could not feel the burning sensation of the mana overloading her. She could not feel the sharp knife plunge into her body. She did not feel the fear and the helplessness of that night.

The ‘emotional control efficiency’ began to diminish, and her heartrate was gradually increasing. But, for that moment, she did not reflexively recoil from the memories. She remained in control of herself.

She had a moment where she could choose how to respond.

She narrowed her eyes. She thought of Taog, fighting alone against powerful enemies.

“Get OUT of my head!”

She swiped her hand to the side, trying to thrust the images away. And to her surprise, it worked. Her robotic eye flickered, the emotional controls attempted to quarantine the memory as per her instructions.

Her head still ached and burned with the sheer amount of information flowing through it, but now she could focus. She could act.

And so she did.

She turned all of her thoughts to Taog. She wished that she could see him, and confirm how he was doing.

And then…

The mana responded, and golden and silver light flickered around Ateia’s eyes. The extra data stopped flowing into her, her sight narrowed, and then shot forward. Ateia felt like she was flying as the world rushed past, blending together in her peripheral vision. And then it stopped all at once. She was viewing a forest to the north.

Ateia gasped, and nearly lost control once again. Pain shot through her mind as her emotional controls wavered and tried to reassert themselves.

An Aelea Drake was charging straight towards Taog.

Ateia’s eyes shot open and she stood up, but Colleöne just placed a hand on her shoulder.

“An Aelea Drake is attacking Taog! We have to help him!”

Colleöne shook her head and smiled.

“I think you should keep watching.”

Ateia frowned, but did as Colleöne suggested. And then her eyes widened.

Taog dodged the drake with ease, and swung a blade of Dark mana. His blow actually connected this time, and left a small gash on the drake’s side. The Aelea Drake roared as it felt pain for the first time this fight.

Ateia blinked repeatedly. Colleöne chuckled.

“His odds might be better than you think.”

Ateia bit her lip, however. Taog may have struck a blow, but he was breathing hard, and drenched in sweat. Even now, he winced, and the blade in his hand flickered slightly.

“But…Taog’s not doing well, and that drake is still healthy. Shouldn’t we do something?”

Colleöne nodded.

“We can. In fact, you can do something right now.”

Ateia’s eyes widened.

“Please tell me what!”

Colleöne smirked.

“Believe in him. The Aesdes can do more than just see through the world, you know? Send him your support. Turn all your thoughts and mind to him, and will his victory into being. Imagine the very world supporting him.”

Ateia nodded and closed her eyes, trying to do as Colleöne suggested. Her heartrate was increasing, but the emotional controls did their best to reduce her fear.

She couldn’t lose Taog, not after all this.

But…

There was a part of her that wanted to see him succeed. That wanted to see Taog standing tall and smiling, no longer hiding from pain and helplessness.

There was a part of her that relied on Taog, too. Because even after all the pain and injustice he went through, even after the village beat and scorned him, all it took was one smile from her to restore his spirit, to enable him to carry on another day. She knew that whatever happened to them, Taog would be there, a constant and reliable presence at her side when all others had gone.

She looked into Taog’s eyes as he focused on the drake.

Taog was not giving up. Taog wasn’t running, even in the face of this deadly opponent.

Taog wanted to win.

Ateia nodded and clasped her hands together.

“You can do it, Taog.”

***

Taog winced. His hand trembled, his head pounded, and his mana had slowed to a trickle. He had been fighting for a long time now, and he was no mage. His mana was about to run dry, and he had no way to replace it.

Even though he had found a path to victory, he was still not strong enough to reach it. It seemed he would have to retreat after all.

But just then, his ears twitched. He thought he heard a voice…

“You can do it, Taog.”

A tiny sliver of golden and silver mana rose from the ground and curled into his feet. Taog blinked. His mana began regenerating a bit faster, the trembling and aching in his muscles eased slightly. The Dark Blade in his hands stabilized.

Taog grinned. He didn’t know what happened, but it seemed he could fight a little longer.

And a little longer was all he needed. The Aelea Drake’s HP was finally running low, and his attacks were starting to find purchase. The drake charged at him once more.

Taog stepped to the side and then thrust his blade forward. The magic sword stabbed into the drake’s side, right between two of its scales.

The monster roared and ran forward. Taog grinned and prepared his stance.

But the drake didn’t charge. It eyed him warily now. Taog frowned.

But then he smiled again.

“Well, if you don’t want to come here…”

He had gained more than just a blade with his earlier feats. He went ahead and activated the Dark Magic skill. A Dark Bolt magic circle formed in the air, a black bolt shot through the air and struck the drake on the nose.

Taog was no mage, he had to rely on the skill to cast the spell at all. And a level 1 Dark Bolt wasn’t exactly damaging. He wasn’t going to finish the drake in that way.

But the drake roared, and charged anyway. Young Aelea Drakes don’t have much resistance to magic, so with its HP barrier drained the spell caused it pain. This drake was not experienced enough to realize the attack was not a true threat.

It charged forward wildly, whipping its head and tail around, abandoning all reason in its attempt to finally crush the hated foe.

Taog jumped towards a nearby tree, hauling himself up on a branch. The Aelea Drake slammed into the tree and knocked it over. But Taog leaped off and managed to land on the drake’s head. He channeled all the mana he could into his Dark Blade.

“Power Strike! Flurry!”

He activated any physical skill he could as he struck the drake’s head with all his might. The drake roared and shook its head, but Taog held on and continued his assault.

And then a lucky blow found its way through the drake’s skull. The monster crashed to the ground. The HP rushed to heal the wound but Taog continued to strike.

Until…the monster finally lay still.

[You have slain Aelea Drake Juvenile (Level 40)!]

[Gained 75 XP!]

[You have accomplished the feat Dragon Slayer!]

[Dragon Slayer: You have faced an apex being and emerged victorious. Unlocked by slaying a dragonkin in an even or disadvantaged fight. Grants +1 level in the Dragon Fang skill, +5 perk points.]

[Well done, Taog! I applaud your victory!]

Author’s Note:

Taog did a thing! All by himself! Mostly! Ateia contributed thoughts and prayers!

She may or may not be a being whose deep connection to the world allows her thoughts to shape reality now, but that’s besides the point!

I guess we also need to shout-out Colleöne for taking care of the toughest part: preventing NSLICE-00P from terminating the drake herself!

Anyways!

What is the upper limit of the NSLICE network’s divination ability? Has Colleöne made a mistake teaching them this? Can Taog hang with the gang now? Tune in next time, to find out!