Boss: "I must tell you now many things have changed. With everything going to shit we have lost contact with many of our friends out of town and some of our people. I don't know what is happening with them but at the moment we can do nothing to help!"
With the meeting finally underway the gang members and some trusted fighters had been seated around a round table with Baladan and his group.
Bal: "I understand we won't be able to save everyone but what is going on with Aiden and Peyton? I know they couldn't get into our school but I didn't get a chance to ask them which one they got in before everything changed"
Boss: "I can't answer that, Aiden and Peyton had gone to a public school northeast of your school. They are some of the people we can't get ahold of, which is another reason why we will be clearing the schools!"
"Clearing the schools!? Are you serious! A single school could have thousands of those corpses walking around!"
"Yeah! The school I had gone to in the past had around 6,000 kids! Not to mention those private schools that usually hold more!?"
Boss: "Enough! Are you really that scared of those corpses? A group of kids had completely wiped out almost all the undead in their school alone! If you call yourselves men then you will help in clearing the schools or my foot is going up your ass!"
The group of bikers flinched at the words, they immediately fruited their teeth thinking back to a time when he literally did what he said he was going to do!
The man in front of them once had a run in with a new group of drug runners on his territory. So he made a plan to capture them, he trapped them in there base before taking there guns beating them into submission before following through with his threat using their bosses ass!
Bal: 'Please no… last time he did that it was traumatizing! Plus now he's got to be stronger with all the new abilities!'
This statement has shut everyone up, with the reactions from the other gang members the normal fighters felt like his threat was serious!
Boss: "Anyways, we will be hitting up every single school on our way through the Learning District. We will focus on gathering the students who are willing to fight, and those who have skills we can use. The others can come but… if they don't want to contribute to the group"
He didn't continue just leaving that in the air for everyone. Some of the people had a look of agreement, while others hated the situation they are in.
Bal: "If it's all right with you Boss I would like to lead the group sent to my school and take the rest of our supplies back from Ryder's hands!"
Boss: "You can come with but I will be heading with you. Since the place is cleared I want to have a chat with this Ryder before anything else happens"
———
It was a simple meeting, no one really even got to give their own opinions on the matter. Instead it was just Boss telling everyone what is going to happen.
With the day almost gone him and his group decided to head back to their own spot. Baladan had his own little hideout in the Work District. Of course it wasn't too close to the main base but it was always like a second home to him.
He soon noticed a figure standing in front of him. It seems to always be in his view wherever he looked. This being who looked like an actual Grim Reaper was Necrosis.
Necro: "We need to talk. Finish your business."
Those were the only words he said, strangely when he looked towards the others they had been walking as if they hadn't seen or heard anything.
Rosa: "What's wrong Bal? You look confused"
Bal: "It's nothing, just haven't been to our place in a while so I'm trying to remember the route based off the buildings around us"
They spent a couple minutes walking before finally a large warehouse had come into view. This place was where he spent most of his time while not on jobs for boss.
Bal: "Welcome to our home away from home!"
With a click of a button the garage doors opened up to reveal the same decorations and furniture arrangements he had seen in his mind when talking to necrosis last time.
Bal: "Harry, Rick, get the stash and show Gary, Tony, Aria, and Mary how to use a gun. Amber you can set up in one of the rooms on the right side of the warehouse. Bedrooms are on the left, make yourselves at home!"
Kaylee: "U-umm why can't I learn to use a gun…?"
Bal: "I don't think you are the type to fight, if you want to learn you can but… I think you would be better suited for an ability instead of a gun"
This made her go quiet as he went down to sit in his chair in the middle of the lobby.
———
Necro: "It's time"
With those words Baladan was transported to his sea of consciousness. There he saw the same view only without everyone. The only other person he saw was Necrosis sitting across from him.
Bal: "What do you need to tell me?"
Necro: "I have been tasked to help you understand your abilities and guide you to making the correct choices along the path to the top"
Bal: "By who?"
Necro: "It doesn't matter, what matters is power! Once you have power you can get the answers you want! Now then I think we should get started on your magic lesson first.
Magic is quite simple but also very complex, to use magic one must understand. To cast a spell you must have a concept in mind, like when you used [Bind]. The fact the spell came out as chains instead of other materials like ropes or vines means you have already thought of how the [Bind] spell should look like.
You have adequate Mana but you have no way to use it outside of your only spell and consuming it to increase your Aura. Today I will be teaching you another form of spell called [Shield] along with a physical enhancement spell called [Power]"
Inside his inner world it had been hours, Necrosis had been going over basic knowledge about magic and what he could do with it.
Bal: "So magic is only limited by the imagination of the wielder… however it's also limited by the knowledge the user has… I really should have payed more attention in school…"
Necro: "Yes you should have, knowledge is power after all. However it's not necessary for you to learn a whole bunch of useless information that schools try to shove down your throat. All you really need to understand is how to control Mana and how to mold it to do your bidding, now show me your shield!"
Bal: "As the wielder of Pure Mana I demand you to manifest before me! [Shield!]"
As soon as his words stopped his Mana began to move. Soon a burst of energy came forth to create a shield in front of Baladan. However once the spell had completed a sphere of Mana surrounded him with that same shield floating before him.
Necro: "I see… so the moment you thought of a shield you had the image of a medieval shield. That's pretty common though, however it will work nonetheless! Now show me [Power!]"
Bal: "As the wielder of Pure Mana I demand you to to strengthen my body! [Power!]"
[For 1 minute your strength is now doubled due to the effects of the spell, Power]
Bal: "Only 1 minute huh?"
Necro: "Don't worry about that, it's only because you used 5 Pure Mana points to enhance yourself. When you put in 10 it will go up to 2 minutes and so on. For every 25 points you put into the spell the multiplier with go up from times 2-3 and so on. However for now that's all I will be teaching you.
A little word of advice, don't become a first circle being until you have maxed out your stats. Once you step onto the first circle your strength will be "prestiged" meaning you can't increase your original strength. This is very bad, if you don't max out before you step into the first circle you will always be behind in strength compared to someone who did max out before evolving"
Bal: "What… why didn't you say that earlier!? What if my friends or people in my gang have already stepped onto the First Circle!?"
He instantly left his sea of consciousness looking a little panicked. With everyone already heading to their rooms only one person besides Baladan was still in the room he was sitting in.
Rosa: "Oh! You are finally awake! As soon as you came back you sat down and passed out with your eyes open for an hour or so"
Bal: "That's not important right now, whatever you do don't become a First Circle being without maxing your stats! I don't care if you have hit the level cap or not but whatever you do don't do it, do you understand?"
Rosa: "Yes! I understand! I won't become a First Order being until I'm maxed out!"
He had sent a couple messages using Rosa's phone telling his friends and even gang members about his discovery.
———
Boss: "Hmm… seems like Bal had discovered something very important huh…? Let's hope he had gotten to us before anyone else stepped into the First Circle…"
He had been looking down at his phone, the message came from an unknown number but with the message telling him it was Baladan he had no choice but to believe it.
Boss had immediately sent out orders to the fighters of the gang and group. He had made sure all of them realize the importance of the situation before laying down for the night.
Boss: 'Get some rest Bal… you are going to need it if you want to save your mom from that hell hole…'
The second most populated place in the city besides the central district was the housing district after all.