A total of six months in the dungeon. Granted some of that time was in Rivira, it's still impressive that I'm perfectly fine and not a mangled mess. Getting the nuke back on the eighth level was a shit-show and a half. I'd forgotten about it for a week, then had to scramble all the way to get it before some monster got curious and irradiated the entire floor. It's about time I head back home. Cypher is getting bored of the same hunting grounds, and I'm not taking any risks by going deeper.
I'd used the time spent in Rivira to streamline my entire loadout. The firearms were reduced to:
Pistol: 1x Colt 1911 .45ACP
SMG: 2x P90 5.7mm
Assault Rifle: 1x M14 7.62mm with bayonet
LMG: 1x M249 7.62mm
MG: 1x M2 12.7mm
Sniper: 1x M200 .408 CT
Shotgun: 1x M1014 12 gauge
Grenade launcher: 1x 25mm automatic launcher
While the cold weapons were down to:
7x Daggers - Enchanted to protect a given area around user.
1x Short Sword
1x Sword
1x Spear
1x Shield.
A set of armour. A few sets of clothes, and a few pairs boots to go along with them.
Most if not all of my old stuff was sold back to the SHOP and remade with the highest quality materials. Then enchanted to hell and back.
The internals for the firearms were made from adamantium. The non-essentials were made form a carbon orichalcum weave. The calibers, were the most I can handle at the moment. I do not want something with too much recoil or imbalance. I will eventually streamline it further, and incorporate some laser blasters. Right now, it's too expensive. Outfitting my drones and getting them functional is more important.
Also I could make a gun that uses mind to shoot a plasma blast, but I really didn't want to limit myself. Sure it might seem to be the most efficient method at first, but it slowly falls apart when facing stronger monsters. Might do it to train Mind if progress slows down.
The cold weapons were made from an orichalcum-adamantium alloy. Enchanted to channel magic, be indestructible, and lightweight. Nothing too groundbreaking, to his mind at least. The rest of Orario is about to lose it's shit.
*****
'Well that was pleasant.'
Hermes had given me an earful for the shit I'd pulled in the dungeon. He was harping on about how I should've gotten back up to the surface and informed the guild. In my defence, I did not know the signs of a breakout. The guild simply told me to report any unusual activity. Which I will do, tomorrow.
Right now I am getting another level up.
Cassius Jordan
Level 3
Human - Peak
STR: 0I
END: 0I
DEX: 0I
AGI: 0I
MAG: 0I
Development Abilities:
Luck
Get Some!
Rear Guard
Mystery (Lv 2)
Indomitable (Lv 3)
Skills:
Alchemist
Runemaster
Sergeant Major
Rest
Saviour
Well there's that. Level 3 in a year and a half. All stats maxed.
Now I'm going to get in my gene-pod and upgrade my body. Not only that, I want to find ways to strengthen my tendons and internal systems. The serums only improve what is there. If I can, for example, incorporate the leg muscles and tendons of a deer, then I'll be a bit faster than a level 4. Find the right animal or creature and enough of them, it's possible to have a level 7 body. But the downside is, you look hideous. I am going to refine what's already there.
All that is for later, now we sleep. Past me is a genius, prepaying all taxes and fees for the next 25 years. Nobody bothers me, and even if they could, the wards and barriers would hold them off for a few weeks.
Cypher is in his bed. Out cold. That's my cue.
*****
Rose Fannett was not pleased.
My report of the unusual activity was a few months late. To top it off, I was the one to single-handedly put a stop to it. As a level one.
Ahhh the joys of keeping secrets. Makes you either more impressive, or a nobody.
I did exchange about 50k worth of cores and drops, to verify that I'd done as I stated. All of them were from 16th and 17th floor. There's no way I'm dropping everything I picked up. That's a few hundred million, roughly. Also I need that money for buying/making an augmented potion injector. That plan is long term.
Right now I'm studying the floor plans and maps of the floors past Riviera.
Whoever said you can't solo the dungeon, was correct. That's why I have my drones. I refuse to rely on others. They will only betray you when you need them most. I haven't trained with them. I don't know them, and I don't trust them. Hermes and Asfi are the only ones to know my abilities. Even then, I feel exposed.
Being paranoid kept me alive before, I'm going to trust my gut and keep being paranoid.
*****
I went to the mercantile district after the shit-show at the guild. The dining establishments are to die for. Granted you can't dress like an adventurer, but that's the point. No one knows who you are. You are just another customer.
Some adventurers didn't get the memo, I can see a group of them getting ripped off from a merchant selling spider silk. Yes spiders the side of cats exist. Thankfully they eat the pests on any field or farm. You can also feed them fruits to have better quality silk. Usually its 20k per yard, the dense shmucks are paying 35k per yard. The other customers are keeping away. It's an unspoken rule around here, don't interfere when someone's being ripped off.
I keep walking until I chance upon the building with the rooftop café. There are restaurants and shops inside, but I like the view from the roof. Now that I pay more attention to it, I think it belongs to a familia. Whatever, I don't want to start shit in the mercantile districts. It's a surefire way to go broke in under a year.
I head to the top and grab a seat. A server comes over with a menu. A few minutes later, I order a sachertorte and a light roast coffee.
'What? I have a sweet tooth.'
*****
I have been summoned to Ouranos' throne room.
What for, hell if I know.
I was just approached by Asfi, then met with Hermes and got the news. Now I'm in the guild building waiting for someone to come and escort me to Ouranos. I wonder if it will be Fels?
Anyhow, I'm going over the plans and material requirements for my drones. I am no longer making walking drones. They will simply hover, on eight repulsors arranged in a plus pattern. It's better to be redundant than to be highly optimized. I need the drones to be the menial workers. To take care of the small fry. I hope to be able to send them on ahead and be secure in the thought that they will return in working order, with actionable intel.
Several minutes later, just as I'm putting the final touches to my mental plan of dungeon domination, a knock interrupts my thoughts.
"Yes?"
The door opens and Hermes walks in. "Ouranos will see you now." He states somberly.
"Sure, lead the way."
*****
I am now the second member of the Ouranos familia, for the sake of appearances I will continue living as I am. I will continue to interact with the Hermes familia, but must make connections with other familias as well.
Well that's just great. A promotion and a shit-ton of more work.