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Chapter 22: Evacuation Part II
🕑 Added 2024-03-21 05:46:42 +0000 UTCThe jeeps were packed to the brim, with eight extra people from my personal bunker. After we arrived at Shelter One, we split up. One jeep, filled with survivors, headed to Guardian Command, while my team stayed behind at Shelter 1 to provide protection. Teaming up with another group of E-rank Magical Girls, our mission was to safeguard the shelter now that its barrier was deactivated, making it vulnerable to any anathema drawn by the dense concentration of refugees within.
Alice's expertise in long-range combat proved invaluable, effortlessly dispatching weaker anathemas before they could pose a threat. Observing her in action, I pondered my own arsenal choices.
"Should I opt for a gun, or is a bow more suitable for me?" I mused aloud while patrolling the shelter's perimeter alongside another group of E-rank defenders.
"Procuring a ranged weapon might not align well with your current abilities. Despite your familiarity with a bow, accurately targeting moving enemies presents a distinct challenge. Furthermore, most ranged weapons, such as guns and bows, lean heavily towards dexterity alignment, which doesn't complement your primary stat focus," Felicia counseled.
"Did I really mess up my stat allocation?" I asked, second-guessing my decisions.
"It's not a matter of messing up. Your configuration allows you to confront anathemas head-on, albeit at an increased risk due to your notably low vitality and spirit. I recommend allocating at least two levels into agility, one into dexterity, and three each into spirit and willpower." that would mean 9 levels or 90 stat points gone.
"Why such a specific distribution, especially three levels into both spirit and willpower?"
"That distribution is strategic. Your grimoire's effectiveness is tied to your mana, supplied by willpower, while spirit contributes to its sustained use.
"However, agility should be your foremost priority. Strength, in the absence of agility, can be perilous. You might find yourself unable to evade or flee when necessary."
"I understand."
While patrolling the perimeter of the shelter, a hound charged towards me. Effortlessly, I swung my naginata, cleaving it in half without feeling any resistance. It was a futile attempt on the Anathema's part, as a wall already blocked its path to the shelter. Alice had mentioned the importance of Magical Girls patrolling since anathemas are drawn more towards us than ordinary individuals. In the event that a hound decided to breach or climb the wall, it could result in numerous casualties. However, they will be unlikely to climb or damage the wall with us around.
[Defeated: Fomorian Hound Level 2]
[Reward: 10 Points]
[Total Points: 2056 (2046+10)]
"How should I utilize my accumulated points?"
"Actually, I was about to suggest addressing that. Given your preference for the naginata, opening the rare glaive vault for 1000 points could be advantageous."
"What benefits does that entail?"
"Rare vault weapons often feature elemental enchantments. So, beyond just enhancing sharpness, your glaive could emit flames or project icicles."
"I want a gun..." I confessed.
"While I won't obstruct your choice, may I inquire why the kinetic handgun vault [common] interests you?"
"I'm thinking of sharing bullets or guns with the Magical Soldiers."
"Guardian Command offers those for sale. I'd advise against distributing guns freely or through unauthorized channels."
"Considering the current state of the city, don't you think it was a wise choice?"
"It's unfortunate that the Magical Soldiers here are so under-equipped. However, freely distributing guns could present a problematic image. Given your background with the Shirayuki family, perhaps establishing your own Private Military Contractor could be a more viable solution. If a person misused a gun you provided, you could face the repercussion altogether."
"Really?" I pondered.
"Distributing guns through secret deals with your father could severely tarnish your image. A more favorable approach would be establishing a Private Military Contractor (PMC) committed exclusively to combating Anathema, which would likely garner public support."
"Does public perception play such a significant role?"
"Certainly. As a Magical Girl, you're envisioned as a beacon of hope, not a mercenary driven by self-interest. Any discovered underhanded dealings could irreversibly damage your reputation. Hence, forming a PMC is advisable."
"Ah! Is it similar to those seven MGs?"
"Yes. While only a few Magical Girls specialize in firearms, those who do often adopt this strategy."
"I understand," I acknowledged, though the thought of leading a PMC didn't quite resonate with me, given my preference for the naginata and potential skepticism regarding my involvement with firearms.
"However, before pursuing this, consider your public image, security measures, and policies carefully. Starting such an endeavor without sufficient preparation, especially before attending the Guardian Academy, is not recommended."
"Then, I'll proceed with unlocking the rare glaive vault." I changed the topic. I should listen to Felicia more. She provided such helpful advice.
[Glaive Vault (Rare) Unlocked!]
[-1000 Points]
[Remaining Points: 1056 (2056-1000)]
"Which weapon interests you? The icerail Naginata and the Flamethrower Naginata, costing about 300 points each, both are highly recommended. The icerail can project ice for tactical maneuvers, such as elongating the spear using ice or shooting ice projectiles, while the flamethrower offers powerful area of effect capabilities."
"Such an increase in price..."
"Absolutely. The cost reflects their enhanced capabilities. Additionally, these weapons also include enchantments, such as sharpness, tailored to your specifications and compatible with your fighting style. They are also STR aligned."
Ultimately, choosing to unlock the rare glaive vault, I deliberated between the icerail and flamethrower naginatas, each with unique attributes and strategic applications, pondering the investment's significance and the enduring impact of my choices on my role as a Magical Girl and potential leader within the evolving dynamics of guardian and anathema conflict.
As I roamed the shelter's perimeter, the evacuation logistics weighed heavily on my mind. With only a 3 km distance to the Guardian Command and limited transport capacity, the logistics of moving everyone safely became a race against time. The usurpations here are uncontainable, but the evacuations aren't progressing well.
"Fel, if we're evacuating, should we consider taking the emergency barrier tool with us?"
"No, that's not feasible. The ferry is already at maximum capacity with refugees," Felicia explained.
I sighed, "How long until humans can finally be free of this?"
"In due time. Once we have a sufficient number of MGs, liberating Earth will become a reality."
"But won't you take our best MGs away?"
"We'll provide more soul gems in exchange. We're not just going to take without giving back."
"So, there's a plan for reinvestment?"
"Absolutely. Liberating Earth would offer hope to many other worlds facing the anathema threat."
The discussion shifted back to my weaponry choices. The rare glaive vault offered intriguing options beyond the basic icerail and flamethrower enhancements. Felicia introduced me to other types of polearms and their similar use, broadening my understanding of the arsenal at my disposal.
Curiosity piqued, I inquired about other elemental effects available in the vault. Felicia detailed the Floating Water Naginata, ideal for combatting water-averse enemies; the Earthbound Naginata, capable of terrain manipulation for defensive strategies; and the Darkeater Naginata, designed to counter magic attacks. This information presented me with a wealth of strategic options to consider, each weapon offering unique advantages to tailor my combat style further.
"That seems quite formidable. You can be impervious to magic attacks with that."
"Indeed, it's powerful but also specialized. Many Magical Girls leverage this type of enchantment to counter direct magical attacks, requiring precise timing akin to deflecting a bullet. However, its effectiveness wanes against area-of-effect attacks, making it my fourth recommendation for you, following the Thundercrown Naginata, which can unleash lightning attacks."
"Given the options, I'll choose the Darkeater Naginata."
"Understood."
[Purchased: Darkeater Naginata!]
[-300 Points]
[Remaining Points: 756 (1056-300)]
The Darkeater Naginata, identical in form to my previous weapon, featured a black shaft with gold carvings and a silver blade. Activating its enchantment with mana, the blade and shaft shimmered with a purple glow, signaling its readiness to absorb and redirect magical attacks.
"This weapon changes color when its enchantment is active, indicating it can absorb enemy magic. You can then repurpose this energy in counterattacks, consuming 5 mana per second during use. It's also designed to automatically deflect magic attacks somewhere else if the attacks exceed a specific power threshold."
"Understood."
"However, as a Dark Origin Magical Girl, be aware that the enchantment's efficacy is contingent upon your stat. Against extremely powerful foes, the weapon's magical defense may be overcome. Currently, with your stat, it's only capable of deflecting spells from adversaries up to fifty levels your superior."
"Why fifty levels?"
"Engaging enemies significantly beyond your level is generally inadvisable. For Dark Origin Magical Girls, who are often called upon in critical situations, the tendency towards riskier confrontations is somewhat expected. But Dark MG is not the only one; every Magical Girl, especially beginners, often values the survival of many."
"Taking unnecessary risks isn't in my plan. Survival and growth are my priorities."
"That's a prudent approach. Achieving higher levels, such as 300, greatly amplifies your contribution. I suggest considering the dimensional storage skill, which requires 1500 points, once you have sufficient points. Given the increasing variety of your arsenal, it would be quite useful."
"Do Magical Girls typically discard their older weapons?"
"Many opt to donate them to the Guardian Command for redistribution among newcomers or retain them in personal storage. However, items from the common vault are less sought after and often recycled for points by higher-level Magical Girls."
"Recycling weapons is an option?"
"Yes, but it requires the 'Recycling' skill, which costs 10,000 points and has a level 80 prerequisite. It refunds 10% of the weapon's point value, though I wouldn't recommend it unless necessary."
"Understood."
"Black Lily, let's regroup at the gate," Alice communicated through the Familiar link.
"On my way."
"Great effort, everyone. Our next task is to assist in evacuating other shelters," Serene announced as we moved to our next objective. Unlike the southern district shelter, the surrounding areas of these shelters haven't been cleared.
"Looks like we're in for a long night. Sometimes, being a Magical Girl feels like working for a particularly demanding corporation," Red Flame lamented.
"Red..."
"I get it, I get it," he conceded, acknowledging the grueling nature of our duties.
"The process of evacuating everyone from New Mesa is estimated to require four or five days. With the ferry's capacity limited to 3,000 people and Eden dispatching an additional ferry today, the pace has increased to approximately 3,000 evacuees daily," Serene Night explained during the briefing.
Raising a question, I inquired, "Serene Night, is there any possibility of transporting the reality enforcement device and emergency shelter equipment?"
"Prioritizing human life is paramount. Removing such equipment could take up to a week, and with the impending rebellion, time is not on our side," Serene Night responded.
Acknowledging her answer, I felt a sense of disappointment but understood the urgency of the situation.
"There will be other opportunities to secure those devices. Next time, we'll approach this with greater caution," she reassured me, sensing my concern.
With the briefing concluded, we proceeded to Southern Shelter Two, home to five hundred residents. The evacuation took merely an hour, but the operation drew the attention of numerous hounds and ghouls. Despite my readiness, my companions dispatched the threats before they could reach me, leaving me to ponder the utility of my recently acquired Darkeater Naginata over other potentially more practical options like the Icerail.
