Chapter 287

After the impromptu party ended, Duke Waters kicked them all out and shouted that camp Sippy Cup was going under construction. Fortunately, Allie had recovered enough to bring them all back to the entrance of Fort Lightfoot, and dropped them all off before bounding off on some other adventure with Aster. Liz headed back to Group Firmament, as Aiden had dragged her off while she was in the middle of something, and Matt pinged Zack about meeting up to work on their mana-type project. The researcher was deep inside the building that Group Scry had been given. In fact, he was so deep in the building, it made Matt curious about what else was going on inside the shielded rooms.

Figuring that a curious teleporter might have snooped, he turned to Zack and asked, Has Allie broken into these other rooms yet?

Zack closed his eyes and let out a slow breath before nodding. Astute observation. I made the mistake of mentioning the locked and shielded rooms once, and she was off to the races. While even she wasnt able to enter all of them, she was able to enter a few. Some of them are storage for rare and volatile research materials, but most are sealed test chambers. A small smirk flitted across the corner of Zacks lips as he continued, Group Scry made her personally reseal the rooms after cleaning them and enlisted her for all the teleporting the teams needed for the projects she ruined. She complained for a solid month, but that is what she gets for sticking her nose into everything.

Matt whistled. Not at Allie getting into trouble that seemed all too common and wasnt in any way interesting no, he was more interested in rare and volatile research materials.

Any interesting materials in there then? Some super substance?

Matts question was met with a shake of the head, but it was a taller, purple woman in clean robes who stepped out of the air and spoke. No such precious materials. No, what is kept in those rooms are mostly dangerous compounds that we are either well-equipped to study, or which might be useful in our research. Unstable rift materials, poisonous rocks that emit no radiation we can detect, acid that temporarily weakens the essence it comes in contact with, the venom of a scorpion that makes someone become incredibly strong for five minutes before dying The list goes on and on. Ascender Shadow was lucky she didnt die with her poking around. Is that something I need to worry about with you, Ascender Quill?

Matt raised an eyebrow as he looked upward at the head of Group Scry, Director Stella. Few people dared to talk to him like that since he officially became an Ascender, but he liked that some people still had higher priorities than not annoying him.

I assure you that while I am curious, I have no desire to poke my nose into sealed rooms. Ive done enough enchantment work to understand how dumb that can be.

Director Stella nodded slightly as she proffered a hand to shake. Wonderful. And please keep it that way. If you really must poke your nose into things, Im more than happy to give you a tour.

When Matt just nodded at her, she turned and stepped into the wall like it was a hallway and was gone.

Seeing the Director leave, Zack said, Ah, the perks of unlimited mana.

Matt looked at his fellow Ascender questioningly. Zack hadnt sounded upset, but if anyone else had said those words, they would have been with a forlorn sigh and possibly a jealous glare.

Zack just sounded like he was noting the weather.

Oh?

Zack nodded to Matts question as they continued to walk down halls. It took Director Stella almost five months of showing I actually cared about my mission here for her to bother meeting with me, and she wasnt nearly as accommodating. Im certain she was only trying to get face time with you due to your contributions of mana.

For the first time since he had revealed his Talent to Team Zero, Matt frowned. He wasnt sure he liked that answer. He also understood that funding for research projects was fought for in politics, and top level researchers were almost always politicians to greater or lesser degrees. They were the only ones who were able to get the funding for the things they wanted to do. A Director schmoozing him was to be expected.

That didnt mean he had to like it.

Clapping Zack on the shoulder, he promised, Well then, when I take her up on that tour youll have to come along.

Zack cocked his head, clearly confused. I think you misunderstood. I already got the tour. It just took a few months to earn the privilege. Nodding slightly, Zack added, I thank you for your consideration, though. Having seen the facility I do suggest you take the Director up on her offer. There are wonders here that might give you inspiration.

Matt sighed at his failed attempt at being nice. For all that he liked Zack, it was nearly impossible to tell what the man was thinking most of the time.

Thankfully, they arrived at the room dedicated to Erwin's team before the silence turned awkward.

When they entered, they almost walked right into Erwin, who was pacing back and forth looking at some kind of hologram in his left hand.

The Tier 35 didnt bother to look up and simply paced more to the left, even as he said, Light, have you seen the reports about the fraying when adding darkness mana to the formula?

Zack shook his head. I have received no such message. I have also brought someone who I believe would be a help to our project.

When Eriwn still didnt look up, Matt coughed. Long time no see Erwin.

Erwin didnt even bother to look up, but he did wiggle his fingers, which Matt interpreted as a wave. Oh, hey Matt! I heard you became an Ascender. It was you, right? Im a couple years behind on the news, but you are Quill yeah? The name seemed familiar. Yep! Okay, congrats! I knew you had it in you.

With an alert from his AI, Matt learned that the wiggling of his fingers wasnt an attempt at being polite, but rather him giving Matt the permissions he needed to access all of the team's information.

Matt couldnt help but smile at that realization.

Erwin hadnt changed a bit.

He was doing better than the research assistants who were staring at him like he had just walked in on them using the bathroom.

Ah, well, they would get used to him sooner or later. Or get replaced.

Wanting to put them at ease, Matt gave them a small smile and nod before turning his [AI] on the information packets he now had access to.

Almost immediately, he let out a short bark of a laugh. Erwin had already created a list of tasks for him to check over.

Letting his [AI] start crunching away at the simulation-heavy tasks, Matt stepped forward and intercepted Erwin.

Looking up, Erwin blinked at him a few times. You got bigger.

Matt stuck out his hand to shake, which Erwin took.

Matt was going to say something, but Erwin twisted his hand and started inspecting his mana ring. Ah, there it is. Light, has Matt told you about his ring? without giving Zack a chance to answer, he carried on, Its an infinite-sized mana bank, with half the hassle usually needed for that stuff. Fidelity could be a bit higher, but I think it should still be quite helpful.

Still holding Matts hand, Erwin turned and dragged Matt along with him as he walked over to a workstation, sending two of the assistants scattering like fish fleeing a boat.

Rummaging through a spatially expanded drawer, he started murmuring to himself before pulling out what looked like a hand mixer with wires poking out of the control boards.

Walking over to a much larger table, Erwin started talking to himself about how he needed to complete the rework on the boards.

Matt coughed slightly and brought Erwin's attention back to him. He handed the odd item to an assistant who looked like they had been handed a bomb, but a more confident-looking assistant plucked the item from the first and chucked it into another drawer, all while holding up a finger to her lips, indicating for Matt to keep that to himself. Matt happily followed her lead and winked back to her obvious relief.

Once Erwin grabbed his hand, he walked them over to the largest table and held up a vial of liquid mana.

Can your ring record this?

Matt took the vial and inspected it with all of his senses.

Erwin continued his explanation even as he inspected it. This is our most stable attempt at elemental speed. Name pending. Were just so close, like ridiculously so, but were having trouble getting the final synthesis to actually coalesce. Weve been able to shove it into one-offs, but it decays and-or breaks apart pretty quickly if removed from containment including when we try to add it to our own mana bank.

Matt looked at the enchanted crystal ampoule a little hesitantly, Is there somewhere safe I can open this? I dont want to blow up the lab.

Erwin shook his head. Open it, it's fine. It just makes some illusions and sparks as it falls apart; it's mostly harmless.

Matt narrowed his eyes as he resisted the urge to summon [Cracked Phantom Armor]. Define mostly harmless please.

Erwin shrugged. If there were any mortals, they might get trapped in an illusion for a few subjective hours, but with that concentration, the worst that any of us could suffer from is some indistinct shapes along the corners of our vision for a day or two.

If they really needed his signature, they could find him. But they had all been dying to find out what their new upgrades did, even if theyd all promised to not peek too hard until all three of them were done.

but they unanimously agreed that for this, the house didnt count, and started looking while still walking home.

Matt eagerly traced out the spirits of his growth items, feeling the shape of their magic and putting together his theories for what they did. While most people needed an appraiser or at least extensive trial and error to properly determine the abilities of their new items, they were Ascenders, and that implied superiority in certain things, like identifying the new powers your spirit-bonded items had developed.

Aster was the first to speak, wiggling her fox ears in triumph. And now my golems will reflect any attempts to dispel them!

Matt poked her rib and asked, Them?

Yeah, I can summon two now. And she held out her hand, letting the collar billow out into its full cloud form. Unlike her tiara, which had become a fairly integral part of her kit, Asters collar only came with the ability to turn into a vanilla ice cream-flavored flying cloud, and a pair of snowflake projectile weapons. Its now real ice cream! This will in fact be my new bed, and I will not be taking any questions.

Will it melt? Matt teased, as his bond took an enormous bite out of her cloud and it began to slowly regrow. I cant imagine how bad it would be to comb out ice cream from your fur.

Nope! Its not sticky, wont drip, and I can change the flavor of the entire thing by just mixing in a bit of the new flavor! This is the best upgrade ever!

Unfortunately, his distraction meant that Liz finished figuring out her new item powers before him as well. Her staff upgraded exactly as they had predicted it would, granting her the ability to cast her manipulation-like skills with level two mana types as well as level one mana types. Of those, illusion was the only one of particular interest, but she ultimately didnt need the added versatility it offered over something that would just empower her blood magic.

Her shield was much more useful. Now, if she decided she wouldnt need the speed boost, inertial buff, or personal force field that it could produce as it absorbed attacks, she could unleash all pent-up energy in a massive directional shockwave.

Her glass terrarium orb that housed her herb garden was already useful with how it could create very specific growing conditions and speed up time by spending mana. The latter had been added by Minkalla as their Courtly Warfare floor reward, but after the upgrade, its utility skyrocketed.

The vampires in her Minkalla test must have done something extra when they upgraded the orb, because Liz could now fertilize her garden with the blood of her enemies. It increased the speed at which her herbs grew, similar to her ability to speed up time, but more than that, it made the herbs healthier.

After seeing their last few fights, Matt knew her garden would be overflowing with herbs after a battle.

It was a bit morbid, but the blood would otherwise go to waste, and even when they returned to delving like normal people, they could feed the extra monster blood to the orb.

Liz grinned. You know the upgrade was so good I almost feel bad about not killing the people that the vampire lady wanted me to kill. She really pulled through.

Matt snorted. No, you dont.

Liz bounced the orb in her hand with a teasing grin that vanished as she looked at her new item. You're right. Its a bit more stereotypically blood-sacrifice than I would like, but I suppose I am the Red Legion these days. I dont want to lose myself, but I think I can probably keep myself from going insane over gardening. Besides, its not like we lack enemies.

Matt pulled her close and kissed the top of Lizs head. Ill keep you in check, dont worry.

She chuckled. Oh yeah, and I figured out the rings too. Slowpoke.

Oh did you now? he motioned as though he was going to tickle her.

I did! Counterclockwise fill for the inner script.

Matt did as Liz advised, and instantly became aware of Liz, and specifically her ring, sitting right next to him. A bit of prodding at the item itself confirmed that it did provide a basic sense of direction, but he didnt know how robust or how long-range the effect would be. Hopefully it would be good.

A grin spread across his face as he figured out another power of the ring, apparently before Liz could. Try absorbing it like a mana stone, after powering the exact centerpoint of the ring.

Oh, thats nice, Liz agreed, admiring the golden script now tattooed on her finger, Bodily absorption is convenient. And it means that your ring to me cant get any closer.

You two are so sappy! Aster laughed, even as she flew circles around them.

Matt blew a raspberry at her even as he shoved the absorbed mana back out of his body, and his ring appeared back on his finger.

Seeing that, Liz perked up and she created a clone who immediately tried to copy Matt. To her delight, both Lizzes came with a fully-functional golden script tattoo, fully capable of returning to ring form at a moments notice . He even felt a connection to each of the rings, though the connections were individually weaker for being split. That was way easier than usual, to get a fully functional item to appear on a clone.

The Lizzes grins shifted between the rings and him, but before they could get distracted, Aster demanded Matt finish his upgrades. Be horny later! Stop getting distracted. I need to know what you got!

Matt rolled his eyes but did as she said.

Just like his sword had gotten the ability to change its magical loadout at Tier 12, at Tier 25 it got the ability to change its physical shape and even materials. The amount of runes he was able to enchant on it was also increased drastically, but the largest limitation, the inability for anyone else to inscribe runes on it, remained.

Matt had expected something like that, and while he was a little disappointed that he wasnt going to be using it in the war going forward, he was quite happy with the upgrade itself. The malleability of the shapeshifting was pretty drastic, and while it could only take forms he considered weapons, that was a pretty wide definition. Interestingly, it had the same limit to preset forms it could take as it had magical ones, though the two were independent of each other, meaning he could have a strength-boosting sword or a strength-boosting mages staff.

It was a little disappointing, but at the same time, he couldnt claim to be truly heartbroken given what Group Firmament was already working on for his actual sword.

To no real surprise, his mana ring did indeed gain the ability to release multiple types of mana simultaneously, and would make his future mana type experimentation far easier. For now, it was limited to no more than two aspects at a time, and he could only coarsely adjust the ratio with a lower limit of one-third of one mana type, but he could tell that both of those limits would loosen dramatically as the item continued to grow. But for now, he was happy that his experiments would be three times as easy even if mana crystal talismans didnt get that much closer to full realization.

Thinking of talismans Matt thought over the ring and how it could interact with [Mana Beam]. The armor they were building was supposed to be able to use his ring's mana to aspect the spell for him but things could get very interesting if he could mix mana types on the fly. He could also probably mod [Cracked Phantom Armor] to take multiple mana types in different areas like he once moved where he summoned the second layer of [Cracked Phantom Armor] as a spot defense.

Realizing the ring had way more utility than he initially thought, Matt was quite happy as he pressed his Flexible Diamond into his houses countertop.

The house was a massive item, which allowed Matt to feel the changes that the upgrade made to the house as they happened in a cascade.

After puzzling out what changes he had felt, Matt smirked. Grabbing Lizs garden orb, he tossed it to the floor, where it vanished just like the item had.

Aster mocklying screamed, The floor is lava! from her perch in the air but Liz just looked aghast.

What happened? My orb is just gone! Maaaaatt

Before Liz could work herself into a panic, Matt analyzed the new material his house had just eaten.

It took him a few seconds to find a good way to tie it into the rest of the house, but the living room, which had a good view of the quad where the permanent members of Team Zero lived, transformed into a flat wall before their eyes.

A door appeared, and Matt pulled a pair of flabbergasted Lizzes along into the new room. He couldnt stop the grin that covered his face as he opened the door to Lizs garden orb.

Both Lizzes hesitantly stepped through the door before gasping in unison. Oh, this is weird, but so cool! What did you do?

One of the Lizzes turned to him while the other bent down and started inspecting the nearest herb.

Matt reached back and grabbed Aster, who hadnt crossed the threshold, and dragged her into the new addition.

Ignoring her yip of protest, Matt explained, The Tier 25 upgrade allows me to temporarily absorb spatial storage items. For something like a ring, itll just fill our closets with whatever was in them, kinda like at your parents place, but if we get a big enough spatial chest, I think we could add a few new rooms. And of course, we can take them out later. I think if we buy a spatially enchanted house our house could start expanding its insides but we'll need to test it first.

The Liz who was digging in the dirt laughed. This is so awesome! I can do so much more with direct access to the herbs. I can even try transplanting and grafting herbs together now.

Anything to please you, my love, he said, ruffling the hair of the closer Liz. Aster stuck her tongue out at them, but they were interrupted before Matt could retaliate appropriately.

The house rattled as something struck their front door.

Matt! he heard the voice of King Rusty call out, You owe me a fight!