Chapter 2 Part 1 of 1 (Patreon)

Chapter: To the Eighth Realm

Erik and Rugrat walked into the armory, Master Smith Taran and Formation masters Qin and Julilah had several items laid out on the tables in the middle of the room.

"What we got here?" Erik asked, eyeing the armor plates, formations and weapons.

"New load out for the eighth realm," Taran said.

Erik grinned.

"Well hell some new toys are always welcome."

"We've got you the newest armor plates," Taran tapped the inserts. Got one commander conquerors armor formation socket, rest should help out. Rugrat we've got you loaded with formations that will stop the elements entering your body, it'll cut you off from tempering but shouldn't cause any more problems. Erik, we've got a mana storing formation in the armor. Also each are fitted with a dungeon core," Taran opened what looked like a back pouch. "Link to the dungeon cores and you can use them as you want. Fully charged they have a Sky grade mana cornerstones worth of mana each."

"Sweet," Rugrat said, patting the carrier and plates.

"And for guns, well Rugrat you got most of the toys," Taran smiled and waved to a production model version of Rugrat's own 20mm rifle, the 'beast' and the mobile machine gun platform

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The ‘Beast’

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Damage:

Unknown

Weight:

14. 57 kg

Charge:

9,568/10,000

Durability:

124/124

Innate Effect:

Increase durability by 24%

Socket One:

Empty

Socket Two:

Empty

Integrated Enchantment

Silence- Silence weapon and attack

Heat Exchange- Remove heat from area.

Dissipate-expel fire element

Range: Long range

Requires: 20mm rounds

Requirements:

Agility 60

Strength 50

==========

==========

The MG4311

==========

Damage:

Unknown

Weight:

4.45 kg

Charge:

10,000/10,000

Durability:

135/135

Innate Effect:

Decreased thermal gain by 27%

Socket One:

Empty

Socket Two:

Empty

Integrated Enchantment

Storage ring

Heat Exchange- Remove heat from area.

Dissipate-expel fire element

Range: Long range

Requires: 7.62 round

Requirements:

Agility 75

Strength 45

==========

"Some people nickname it the hell raiser. Otherwise, grab what you need from the armorers," Taran waved to the two people at the counters.

***

Morning Sunlight was just starting to spread across Alva as Rugrat smacked the last pin into pllsae on the beast, he pulled back on the cocking handle, hearing the scrape of metal on metal. He tested the rifle on safe and on fire, hearing a click.

“Good to go?” Erik said walking in with the smell of coffee, putting one down on the living room table.

“Yeah, ready to see what the eighth realm has for us,” He smacked a magazine into the rifle, loading it and placing it on safe storing it, he picked up the coffee and sat back in his chair as Erik pulled on his body armor.

He let out a sigh the caffeine sparking his soul into life or the relieving effects of the carrier taking the load from his body. Rugrat thought it was the latter.

He hooked his hand into the top of his carrier taking in a satisfying mouthful of coffee.

Erik secured his vest, checking the various magazines and medical pouches before he sat down and drank his coffee.

“This could be it. Could fix us in one shot.”

“A whole realm dedicated to one question though, seems a little much,” Rugrat placed his cup on the table.

“Must not be an easy question,” Erik tapped his cup, looking from the floor to Rugrat.

“Lee said that its some internal question, no multiple choice, kept talking about our will too,” Rugrat chased the question with the last of the coffee.

He smelled the food before Momma walked in with Chalupas, his stomach twisting more than could be blamed on the coffee.

“Come on you two, can’t start the day on an empty stomach. Can give some to the special teams too,” She said, her eyes red-rimmed and angry.

Rugrat stood up, holding onto the tray.

“I got those Momma, please, sit down.”

She pressed a smile together and sat down on the couch, Rugrat offered them to Erik he took one with a tight smile.

“Thanks Momma, these look great, I’m gonna save it for lunch, too much coffee.”

“Same for me,” Rugrat smiled and stored it.

“Oh, yes, okay,” She played with the edge of her apron smiling at them before her gaze fell to her hands.

I should’ve just eaten it. His appetite had fled and he looked at Erik who had his head lowered as well.

A knock at the front door broke the tense silence.

Momma R looked at the door like a startled cat, stilling as the fear escaped, spreading across her features.

“We’ll be back in no time Momma,” Rugrat stood.

She hugged him.

When was she this small? Rugrat took care to not use too much strength as he hugged her back.

“Don’t take any risks you two, when you’re back we’ll have all your favorites.” She put on a smile that broke Rugrat’s heart.

She patted his chest and turned to Erik, hugging him.

Rugrat took a step away, remembering the Chalupas, he grabbed them and walked to the door.

Rugrat opened the door to see Special Team Four and Three waiting with a convoy of beasts and carriages.

Major Gong Jin leading Special Team Three and Major Storbon stood with Egbert at the front door.

"You think to make it any less obvious," Rugrat growled and pushed the tray towards them.

Gong Jin took it and winced.

Rugrat whistled as George jumped off of the house and flared to his full size.

Erik came out of the house as well, sharing a look with Rugrat he pulled out a helmet and put it on.

Rugrat got on George's back. The armor made him feel just like someone from Earth again, no extra strength, the pain of the shards was still there, he tried to ignore the pain as it started to build with his movements.

Momma Rodrgieuz had followed Erik to the door and stood in the doorway watching them.

"We'll be back soon," Rugrat said.

"Thank you for the food Momma Rodriguez," Gong Jin said.

She smiled as the two special teams and Egbert moved out with Erik and Rugrat towards the totem.

People looked at them and muttered as they passed. Rugrat was thankful for his face covering helmet, finding peace in it as they moved on.

"You know we can get to the totem perfectly fine by ourselves," Rugrat said to Egbert who was floating beside him.

"I'm coming with you."

"You can do that?"

Egbert opened his robe and tapped the mana stone that had grown through his rune carved bones and around his central dungeon core.

"I'm all self contained, I link to the dungeon cores here, but I can go anywhere and cast spells for as long as I have mana."

"Huh, neat, might have to learn your secrets later, been thinking about getting a return on this meat sack," Rugrat patted his chest and chuckled.

Their procession made it to the totem, gathering around it. Storbon pressed his hand to the totem.

==========

You have reached Level 70, meeting the requirements to ascend to the Eighth Realm.

==========

Do you wish to ascend?

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YES/NO

==========

If we pass this then we can heal ourselves, we can go back to the way things were. Stop having people treat us like we're children and cart us around and dive into our business.

Rugrat hit the yes and light surrounded them all.