Chapter 25: Chapter 21: Its Alive!

Day 19(51) - Morning

Wednesday, August 27th

Fort Matthew - Royal Residence - Laboratory

Eight Days

I check the screen on airborne's tank again. "Any further attacks?"

"No master." Nina's grumbling. "As expected, the first attacks were just probes. The Sisters of Penitence then defeated the main enemy force."

"Penitence?" Look at the four trembling women dressed as nuns kowtowing behind my kneeling sexbot. "Who came up with that?"

"They came up with it themselves." My lady droid no longer looks like a nunbot. She's wearing [Triarii Armor] again. Though this set is a lot more… ornate. "After I asked what they should be called."

Hmm… "Casualties?" Never been very religious. Became even less so after meeting higher powers. Not sure how to feel about my cult getting a presence on Earth.

"Three sisters died. Several were severely injured. Many lighter injuries." Pauses to look harshly back at the nuns with guns. Who still have their foreheads touching the ground. "They were reckless, master."

"Interrogations?"

"Ongoing, master." A wicked smile. "Numerous prisoners, though most died during the sisters'… training." That sounds gruesome. "Those remaining are still being shown the… error, of their ways."

"Results?"

"The Tyrant of Red Hook." Ah, that asshole. "None knew if the Club was behind this."

"Master-"

Ely tries to protest but I stop the brown eyed girl with a raised finger. Quite the attitude change from the elitist sheltered debutante I first met.

"Status?"

Nina is still on one knee. She seems happy to see the beige skinned woman being obedient. "The base is secure. Abbess Ellis and the rest of the sisters are in vigil. I recommend moving the base, or removing the tyrant."

"Think I'll choose the latter." Rest a hand on the cylinder as I speak. "What's with the fancy duds?"

The dark heavy armor looks more suited to a church than a battlefield. Decorated with gilded iconography of the godbeast cult. The sword and skull. Representing my first two "classes" on Ipra. Swordmage and Necromancer. 

Nina winks at me. "Hitman was not full of monsters, master."

Hehe… true. Fetishes should always come second to survival. I turn to Elisheva. "Did you have something to add, Ms Weizmann?"

The C-cup bows sincerely in her white wedding style dress. Showing off plenty of cleavage. "Please believe me, master. My father would never do this to you."

"Mine would." An apathetic snort from beside her. Z's hazel eyes stare at Ely. "And so would yours."

"Hmph!" Elisheva harrumphs and turns away from Zoe. But doesn't argue with the muse wearing black. Whose goth outfit, sadly, covers all of her boobies.

Don't know if this is genuine or a performance. And don't really care. I have a purpose for them being here so that is what really matters. Turn to the fuzzy one exposing her panties to me.

"How are your kin?"

Catwoman looks, well, grumpy. Made it very clear very quickly that she felt she should be top bitch. Which Nina fixed by giving the kitty a beat down when Cono challenged her.

She stops licking her outstretched leg. "Tribe go where chief told." Yeah, freaky flexible. "Some train bird monster. Most train ork monster."

My initial estimate had been off. There were under five thousand catkin refugees in total. With only a fifth of them fit to fight. The rest too old, too young or disabled.

The trip back was slow, hot, muggy, smelly and boring. Even the dumbest monsters knew better than to attack thousands of well armed beastkin on the move.

Fortunately it turns out the Sheaten are not as primitive as first seemed. They had just been reduced to an iron age state by the apocalypse. 

Upgraded the Public Kitchen and Public Baths with all the monster cores they had hoarded for tribute. And got my hands on the portal device. Which is now being happily examined by my nanos.

The micro me's do love new toys to take apart.

Having gone through the end of the world once already. The cat people know what's coming. So as soon as the more linguistically gifted catkin began getting interviewed by the podcasters? Word of upcoming dungeon breaks and land grabs spread like wildfire.

Even talked about how the starter dungeons would vamoose and new ones appear when integration ended. So much info that I couldn't share before without making the leak too obvious and risk Zecawk’s job. Or life.

As if thousands of cat people walking into Fort Matthew yesterday didn't wind everybody up enough. The details of what happened to their world blew the roof off. And was a powerful wake up call.

Hasn't even been twenty-four hours and hundreds are lining up at the barracks and guild. Ready to fight for the future. So Earth's humanity can even have a future.

Weapon sales spiked and word quickly spread across the radio network to other enclaves. Which has started another exodus from the smaller bastions.

Yeah, some accused the kittens of lying. But hunger for details about what's coming quickly drowned them out.

Hundreds of Sheaten also signed up to be soldiers or adventurers. Cono even hired some for the Royal Department. And I made sure they signed system contracts just like everyone else.

No longer having to save up for the expensive public kitchen and bath upgrades. I purchased a [Fighters Guild I], [Mages Guild I] and [Thieves Guild I]. These provide advanced training as well as info on progression paths. Birdbrain suggested getting them once I had enough cash to spare.

Considered a [Mercenaries Guild I] too. Though Zecawk says they're more trouble than they're worth. Louis trusted him completely. But I don't. And have other things to deal with right now.

"This… this is impossible." Like a very inquisitive catkin. Hasn't he heard about curiosity killing the cat?

• [ Kal Vy Mauni | Physicist ]

Always gotta be someone telling me what I can't do.

From what I've been able to understand. The Sheaten were fairly modern. But very under-industrialized. The population was to spread out and politically divided to form large nation states.

So this world of dense cities and industry blows their minds. And while, unlike Earth, they were aware of and studied mana. Prior to their ragnarok, the concentration was still too low to really utilize.

No matter how smart he is, the professor wouldn't be here if his math hadn't shown I was wrong on portal mana counts. There's actually one less day than the guild master thought. To both the next break and next phase.

"Mr Mauni. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No." Hold up a hand to stop him from ranting about a canister he's pointing at. "Yes, that should not work. According to standard physics and known mana bondings. However, you're forgetting the role [Intent] can play."

There is a look of wonder on his whiskered face. "Can this really be-"

"Professor." Had to stop him. This guy can ramble for hours. "You are here to observe and assist if required. As are the others. Now step back, sit down and shut up."

Yes I should probably be doing this alone. Opsec and such. But I've never done this before. So not sure what's actually going to happen. Need to have extra muscle and brains on hand in case this goes sideways.

Check the display. Tap on the "awakening" protocol icon. Link to the subject's brain and… here come the notifications. 

• [ @%#$&... ]

Crap… that's what steam planet's "world engine" did when it bugged out on me too.

• [ Warning. Unauthorized template modification detected. Notifying administrators. ]

Hehe, good luck with that.

• [ Error. Notification failure. Adaptation initiated. ]
• [ Addition or modification? ]

As Scotty would say. "The more they overthink the plumbing. The easier it is to stop up the drain."

• [ Register template. ]

Sweet, reacted just like steam land's. Can't reach the server? Accept local input.

• [ Error. Homo Fortis already registered. Enter an identification. ]

Really? Shit, well, what are some other good names? Hmm… ladiesman217? Nah, too subtle. Aladeen? No, too aladeen. Homo Sapien? Ha! Wiseman? Seriously? Yeah, right, nobody would believe that bullshit. Ah-ha! I got it.

•  [ Homo Potens template registered. ]

Excellent… Should be treated like just another background update. Thank you Micro$oft, for teaching me the ways of the Sith.

• [ Parameters registered. ]
• [ Categorization registered. ]
• [ Adaptation complete. ]

The panel on the side of the tank starts blinking. Audibly, thick purple fluid is slowly drained from the tank. Into canisters attached to the frame beneath the cylinder.

Observe the mana count on the screen. Nice, from a Tin to a Bronze in eight days. No, not his mana pool. How much mana has fused with his body. I browse his system screens through our link again.

Good stats. Now what was his class again? … Huh? Paladin? Pretty sure that wasn't it. And isn't that like a fighter priest combo class? Wait, don't faith based classes have to have a deity? So what's his?

…

Mother. Fucker.

• [ Faith: Godbeast ]

<BledWhiteHeart: John? Why am I receiving energy? From… that.>

Sigh. It's the pantheon effect.

<BledWhiteHeart: How? You are not part… oh.>

Yep, you are linked to me through this body. So receive a portion of what I'm getting right now since this vessel is solidified in his mind as a symbol of that faith. Ugh. Think I used too much mana.

<BledWhiteHeart: Too much mana?>

Back in medieval world I discovered that if I used too much [Recovery Magic]? Or let my mana run too wild? The patient would, uh, change.

<BledWhiteHeart: What?>

Let's just be happy he didn't turn into an undead. Or a half dark elf with big titties.

<BledWhiteHeart: …>

"By the warming sun…" Catguy whispers.

Eh? Oh, it's finished draining.

With the viscous liquid gone we can all now clearly see my first volunteer for supersoldier conversion. Lying on the form fitting platform inside the half glass cylinder. A breathing mask still covering the lower face attached to a hose. Several lines run from needles in his arms and legs. Disappearing into the machinery beneath him. As well as a few larger cables connected to visible plugs and ports in his skin.

The ex-army noncom is whole again. His face healed. Missing fingers restored. Smooth brown skin is now under a mop of black hair. Dotted with a handful of black plastic and metal cybernetic fittings.

When the airborne soldier climbed in the tank he was five feet nine inches and two hundred pounds. Now? Seven six and… five hundred? Jesus Christ. Besides the height there is also a significant change in width and depth. His new chest is three feet across. Has stronger bones and muscles. Larger lungs. An improved heart. Plus various other biological and cybernetic changes.

Dude's dick actually rivals mine now. What? You thought I'd give him a tiny johnson? Wow, my ego's not that fragile. Course I didn't give them any of my cyberotica enhancements.

I am actually hoping for them to be stable enough, biologically, to reproduce. So trying to keep the hardware, hehe, to a relative minimum.

You are reading story And Back Again at novel35.com

Now if I can just avoid a complete cellular collapse.

*snik* *clik* *kaaa*

Open the lid and start pulling the needles out and unplugging the cables. Finally sliding the mask off. Watching his vitals like a hawk the whole time. Examining with my cybereyes as well. No signs of degeneration yet.

Keep watching for a full minute before. "Nina? Thoughts?"

"Yes master." She stands in her fancy armor and walks over. Looks through a few screens on the display. "Autonomic functions appear to all be within range." Tippytoe kiss on my cheek. "Congratulations, master. It appears to be a complete success."

"Do it."

In cyber land, anyone with a significant number of implants also has a "control module." That monitors and coordinates your cyberware. Whether tactical, technical or even just chilling and browsing the feeds.

Now most modules have only basic "thinkware." Giving them a level of awareness but very basic. Nina, being a prototype and education module, had sapient level thinkware. Then got upgraded even more by the new gods.

Which is probably how she was able to follow me when I left. And why I received the technomancer class on steam planet.

We are keeping things relatively basic for the supersoldiers but they need therapy support as well. So each is getting decent thinkware in their module. Girl AIs for the guys. Guy AIs for the girls.

Which Nina is booting up right now.

<TACS: Initializing…>

Yes, I went with the British lady accent. Though I'm only experiencing this because I'm still connected to his brain right now.

<TACS: Operating…>

Good, a clean boot up.

<TACS: Hello, I am your Tactical Analysis Counselor Support module. Additional modules detected… Connections not available. Creator detected… Connected. God? Is that you?>

Sigh. Hi Tacy, status and diagnostics.

<TACS: Yes, originator. All cybernetics, hardware and software are reporting and nominal. Host is in a medically induced coma. Subliminal education program transferred successfully from node to module. All redundancy checks passed.>

Alright, authorization granted. Wake him up.

<TACS: Confirmed, waking host. And thank you for giving me life, maker. Disconnecting…>

Side eye my copper skinned sexbot. "Maker?"

"Well you are their creator, master." Bats her bronze eyelashes at me.

Slowly shake my head. "Bullshit."

I admit, I'm not a bad ideas guy. But when it comes to actually making those ideas happen? Like having nanomachines build the cybernetics inside the body instead of implanting surgically? Or actually coding thinkware? That's all Nina and the Nanos.

You know, that would be a good band name.

*blink* *blink*

My volunteer's breath hitches for a moment and his eyelids twitch. Then slowly start blinking as his pupils focus on the lights in the white ceiling. Eyes start roving around until they see me. Focusing again.

A voice deep enough to make James Earl Jones jealous rumbles out when he moves his massive jaw. "Did it work?" Followed by shock. "Is that my voice?"

"Welcome back." Smile and warn. "Do not do anything quickly. It will take time for you to adjust. Can you sit up?"

The superhuman slowly nods and begins rising. Seemingly stunned over his new body. Large feet and legs swing out over the open side of the cylinder. And pivot as he lifts his massive chest.

Holds up his hands and flexes them. Runs fingers over the black plugs in the forearms. Even grabs the new schlong before a bellowing laugh avalanches out.

"Hahahaha!"

Tilt my head. "What's so funny?"

"Charlie was right." Facepalms. "You really did it."

"Did what?"

"Hehe…" Shakes his head. "Turned us into Space Marines." Sees my confusion. "He's a big fan of the games. Showed us pictures on his phone. And damn it all if he wasn't right."

Raise a palm. "Not really. You don't have a bunch of special organs now. I just modified what you have and added some cyberware." 

Picture the basketballer Yao Ming or Gheorghe Muresan. Just bulkier and with a lot more muscle.

"Um…" Superdude's bewildered. "There's an English woman speaking in my head."

"Part of the cybernetics I added. She'll help you adapt and overcome."

Naked guy raises an eyebrow all Spock-like. "You really are god, aren't you."

"Nope, still mortal. Just harder to kill."

*kunk*

"Close enough for me." Drops out of the pod and down to one knee. Sending a little tremor through the floor. Then clasps his hands together in prayer. "O mighty Father. Bringer of salvation and damnation. Giver of eternal unlife. We ask thee, show mercy to the poor. Heal the wounded. Raise the fallen. Seek the lost and cleanse our sins. In your son’s name we pray. Amen."

Sigh…

The four nuns who have been kowtowing this whole time spring into action. Materializing towels in their hands and begin wiping the ex-sergeant down. Veils cover their faces. Leaving only a strip, around the eyes, exposed.

One even has a comb and styles his hair.

I stop from sighing again as the sisters clothe him in white robes that look like something a priest would wear.

Because of Red Hook's attack, Nina wasn't able to meet me at the Brooklyn dungeon. So she really wanted to be here today. Said she would even bring some nuns to help with the first batch. And while the big reverse gangbang last night was a blast? And the religious angle adds extra kink?

Really hope my cult spreading here doesn't fuck things up even more.

"Your majesty?" Airborne asks after the sisters finish and step back. "May I have a new name?"

Eh? "Why?"

Stands at parade rest. "I remember everything. Even what… I want to forget." Nods to himself. "But Tacy's right. They don't feel like my memories anymore." Exhales. "According to the system, I'm not even human now. I'm a powerman instead of a wiseman? So why not a new-"

"Aulus."

"Sire?" Tilts his head.

"Kneel before me." Kneel before Zod.

The superhuman goes down to a knee again. Though his big square noggin is still up to my chest. Touch his forehead with my index finger.

"I christen thee Aulus Marius Remus." His eyes open wide. "Will that work?"

"Y-yes, your majesty." Awestruck. "My name, on the stats screen, it… it changed."

Well duh, I pretty much own you. "Guess it was meant to be." Pull the fatherly look. "Now, let's go wake your new brothers and sisters."

He nods and stands. Following me to the next pod where Nina and the Nuns, another good band name, have already got the protocol started. The tank gradually empties of purple juice.

"The new template has been accepted and she's been registered, master." Nina bows my way.

Oh, right, this one's a chick. Now what should her new name be? If I did it for one I might as well do it for all. Now I won't be sexist. These ladies will get three names too. And won't all have to be feminized.

Hmm…

Marius will be the clan name so all of these will get it. Maybe different clans for later batches? Different last names though unless actually related. So for this one?

Artora Marius Ignatis? Domitia? Livia? Petra? Maxi-jesus christ!

…

"Uh… your majesty?" Superdude's feeling a little overwhelmed. "I… I don't remember them being that big."

Can't blame the guy. Any man with a working weiner would be.

"Yep, too much mana." I'm guilty. "Way too much mana." Completely guilty.

Titia's tank has finished draining. Exposing the seven foot long Breastagia's body. An impressive form worthy of the name Boobaliciousia.

Nina's gonna tease me for, like, ever over this.

"Master?" Here it comes. "What do you think? J-cups? K? L? Hmm?"

And she ain't wrong. They are genuinely huge. And even worse, or better, her enhanced tissues give them the power to defy gravity. Ain't no sag to those titties. Just… wow.

"Nina…"

"Should we leave? Would you like to give her a private examination?" Ugh. "Perhaps she needs an injection?"

You know, that might not be a bad idea. Heat up some oil. Put on some Barry White… Stop! Down boy! Heel!

…

Well, at least she didn't get pointy ears too.

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