Rogue Ascension: Book 5: First Ascension: A Progression LitRPG, page 35
Joey’s smile brightened. Anxiety could go jump off a cliff. There were greater emotions.
“When I’m gone, all of you will be left with more fortune and power than you’ll know what to do with. That’s a reflection of me. And it’s my thanks for being by my side.”
Nobody could say much else after that. Joey completely ignored the growing intensity of Mollysea’s stare.
“You know, I thought birthdays were supposed to be in celebration of the person born on that day,” Albert said. “But here you are, being a Debbie Downer while acting all sacrificial, you roguish brat.”
“Hey, I’m not a brat. I’m nineteen.”
“Like I care. Give us a damn hour to drink and celebrate, dammit! Then we all can be doom and gloom later,” Albert said. “Now, for the love of all that’s good in Multiverse Z, can someone who can carry a tune actually sing him his darn song?”
Joey had no expectations for his birthday. He hadn’t even expected a party. Not when he shattered all expectations with his declaration.
But when May ran out of the bar, Joey couldn’t help but take that to heart.
He reasoned she needed time to tell her war sirens to launch their offensive. Send whatever they had regardless of the awful timing or needs for further preparations.
Mollysea sang him happy birthday. It was charming. Technically beautiful. But it lacked enthusiasm. She was bothered.
Joey found himself overwhelmed suddenly. He finally realized what had bugged him about the birthday party.
The last birthday he’d celebrated was filled with his mom and dad fighting. He was seven at the time. He’d never gotten a birthday party since. They’d looked over it, pretended to forget, or just muttered about it.
He was a greater person now. He wasn’t that unloved kid anymore.
But there was a lot going on. He’d been sprinting through hoops of fire. From when he thought Eric Jaeger had killed Mollysea and Curi to the multiple near deaths faced against the Monster Leaders.
Joey excused himself to step out alone. He took to the air and flew high enough to look down at all of New Zam City.
“I sold out,” Joey said. “And I got a big pay day early. I should be happy about that. I should be happy that my friends are celebrating my birthday. But I kind of wonder if I’ve gone too far. And no matter what I do … everything will fall to ruin.”
The dragon reluctance was gone. There was no more dragon price. There was no more inner dragon. There was only Joey and the man he’d become.
“Well, even if I’m all over the place. At least I have people who care,” Joey said. “I only have three more goals. My crafting singularity. The Dread Whale. And Princess Maylolee Suzuki. Then I’ll leave everyone in peace.”
Joey looked up, his one eye wavering. “Just give us a chance to get across the finish line, Multiverse Z. I’m not someone to regret my actions. But you’ve really shaken me up pretty hard lately. And I can’t really blame you. I’ve invited trouble because I find opportunity in it.”
Joey sighed. “But I want my people to make it out okay.”
Joey received no response from Multiverse Z and the system. The mysticism he saved as a future wish spiraled around him, tempting him to waste it. He kept it waiting.
He figured the multiverse system was cold. Like a machine. It wanted conflict and fate particles. In Multiverse Z, you had to fight to avoid losing.
Joey didn’t mind fighting. He just didn’t want innocent people harmed too much because of him. Especially the people he cared for.
He couldn’t fully apologize, either. Because his actions benefited him, and there was no taking those back.
Then I’ll act like I have a spine and reassure my people, Joey thought resolutely. He felt a smidge better.
Joey dove back down. He found May waiting beside the building. He landed softly beside her.
“Birthdays are awkward, huh?” Joey asked.
“I’ve never missed a birthday at Aqua Star City before,” May said. “All of my birthdays were lavish, big, and expensive. Except for the last one. My eighteenth. They had to celebrate without me while I was on my way here and getting into a fight for survival against a devil.”
Joey winced.
May chuckled, croaky and off. “I hated my birthdays after my parents died.” She glanced up at him. “Your birthday celebration is strange. It’s also more intimate and exclusive. It’s nice.”
“I’m not used to this,” Joey said. “I don’t get birthday parties.”
“Oh. I didn’t know that about you. I apologize. I shouldn’t complain about my birthdays, then.” May glanced down, her hair moving in front of her eyes.
Joey reached forward. He swept her hair from her eyes, his fingers tracing over her face. She looked at his hand before looking into his eye.
They stared for a while.
May broke the silence first: “I told my war sirens. They will launch by tomorrow morning. If we leave in two days, we’ll meet them at our ancestral territory.”
She shifted closer to him. Her hand rested on his chest. Right over his thumping heart. “There is no reason for us to be outside. The celebration for the day of your birth is inside.”
“I think you’ve celebrated my birth plenty already,” Joey said, smiling. “You can skip out the rest, if you want. Just celebrate my existence again tomorrow. And the day after that. Hell, celebrate me forever.”
May snorted a little. “You are so silly. Yet, you speak truth. I wish to celebrate you every day. You keep being a fortunate gift in my life. You are too much, and yet I must take everything you give into me. It is … an amazing challenge. You are amazing.”
Joey stood stunned for a long time. May watched him, her eyes staring directly into his face, studying him.
And enjoying the sight of him, even.
Her fingers circled over his hammering heart. They could stand outside and do nothing, and it would be a pleasant experience.
Joey stirred. He offered his arm.
She took it and strolled with him back inside.
They celebrated his birthday. Then they talked shop about the boss raid.
35. One Last Lap Around New Zam City
Joey had 24 hours left in New Zam City.
Princess Emelia assured him the raid army would be ready to depart the next morning. The lack of time was constraining for Joey. There was so much to do but so little time to spend.
Like any need-to-do list, Joey focused on what mattered most. He spent time with the people he might not see in a long time if ever.
“How many of these things you’ve bought?” Albert asked, holding up a basic Glyphlock Long Rifle.
They were on a wide field north of the wall. No rain today, just gray skies. Still muddy and wet, but neither Joey nor Albert cared.
They were here to shoot magic guns and hangout. It was Joey’s request on the morning of his last day in New Zam City.
Of course, it was an inconvenience for the Freedom Militia. Albert was embedded deep as their liaison. But Joey’s role as the pretender prince got him whatever he wanted.
Princess Emelia covered for Albert’s break from assignment with her subordinates. Her top people were working in a frenzy to get the raid army and glyph boats ready while preparing for a siege.
“I probably bought more than I should’ve,” Joey said. “Shadow copies don’t work for other people, unfortunately. So we’ll just settle with the real things.”
“My fortune isn’t the best,” Albert admitted.
“Trust me. I have us covered.”
“Are you sure this is something you want to do? I imagine you would train. Talk strategy. Do all sorts instead of hanging out with a simpleton like me.”
Joey smiled. He looked down at their impromptu range. Six hundred yards away, humanoid dummies made of superior wood wore superior armored suits.
Provided by Glyphlock Kristoff and bought by Joey, of course.
Mud pools the size of ponds surrounded them. Small insectoid beasts buzzed around. Frogs as large as dogs croaked and leaped about. Barely a mile away, a cloud burst and drizzled a tower of rain.
Behind them, New Zam City was disturbingly quiet, almost lifeless. It wasn’t much of a corpse. It was more like someone too tired to awaken after the hardest day they’d faced. And knowing they had more hard work ahead.
Joey, as the pretender prince, had already broadcasted a warning to New Zam City of what was to come. The Dread Slaves were coming.
Robert, the head guy of Adventurers News Today, was shaking his head while staying in the shadows like a true rogue. They’d never had a real sit down together outside of straight business. Could’ve been informative.
But Joey hadn’t the time for Robert. Joey’s closest people took priority.
The rifles cracked like miniature thunder.
Sometimes.
Joey’s rifles fired true all the time. Albert’s rifles fired true two times out of three. No matter. They had many rifles to run through. The tension in Albert’s mood melted away.
They shot at the dummies six hundred yards away with no worries.
I barely have to aim, Joey thought, shooting his long rifles with one hand.
Then he shot two of them together, one in each hand. Double bullseye.
Scope Eye + Target Guidance Reticle worked as advertised. Joey had an FPS-style aiming symbol locked on the dummy’s helmeted head.
The symbol was red, letting him know it was okay to fire. He aimed his rifles with no effort and pulled the triggers.
Double bullseye again. As long as he had the reticle locked on the dummy’s head, his skill + attachment did the rest.
I honestly don’t want to rely on this thing, Joey said, feeling a little disgusted. It takes away the actual human skill.
For the shadow gang, sure, they could use this aim-bot to cheat in the heat of battle. For Joey? Only if it was absolutely necessary. He didn’t want to lose his sharp hand-eye coordination he’d built for himself. Even with one eye.
Once he confirmed the ridiculous auto-aim provided by Scope Eye + Target Guidance Reticle, he turned it off. Without the reticle, Joey returned to using one rifle and shooting slower.
Albert opened up to talk.
“My old man used to be a military careerist. Been through some wars. He acted like the battlefield was the only place for him instead of a ranch with a wife, two kids, and a dog.”
Albert found a dud. He let the rifle disintegrate and grabbed another one from the stack.
He continued: “During the times he was home, we’d shoot at random stuff just like this.”
Albert found another dud. He kept going. He kept shooting. “He died a couple of years back. Not to any war for the nation. He died in his internal war, if you catch my drift.”
“I do,” Joey replied.
“I didn’t fight in any wars. I didn’t want to be like Pappy,” Albert said. “But here I am wishing I can join you in this dread war.”
Albert shook his head, laughing in self-mockery. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling some type of relief to have walls to protect me. In a city filled with magical ritual traps you’ve paid for. And lots of adventurers who leveled up to the 90s or high 80s. We’re probably the strongest city of adventurers in the beginner challenge area. And the most fortified. So that sure is relieving. But I can’t help but feel like chicken crap for not going out there to fight the good fight.”
“Then make up for it,” Joey said. “Fight your hardest to defend New Zam City against the Dread Slaves. If the Dread Whale is really petty, it’ll do all it can to siege this place while we’re destroying that epic boss monster.”
The conversation fell to a lull. That was fine. They had plenty of magic guns to shoot.
Joey hadn’t only bought long rifles. He’d also bought glyphlock shotguns and pistols.
He might’ve emptied New Zam City of those. Granted, nobody could use magic guns as effectively as him. He had a monopoly on effectiveness in that field.
New Zam City wouldn’t miss them during times of dire straits. They’d have to rely on the classic sword and sorcery approach.
“Thanks, by the way,” Albert said.
“For what?”
“For caring for a nobody idiot like me. You’re practically a god. I don’t have the foggiest idea why you’re spending time with me. But I appreciate it.” Albert stopped shooting and looked directly into Joey’s eye. “Hells, Joey, we don’t got a lick of similarities between us. Different backgrounds, different everything. Yet, you still care about a fella like me, anyway.”
Joey shrugged. “When you’re with me, I’ll care for you no matter what. It doesn’t matter where you came from or who you are. I felt like making you my own. So that was that. So even if I become an actual god and you’re still a mortal, we can still find a range and shoot magic guns and chill.”
Joey smiled. “And this is fun. I’ve never shot around guns before just for the heck of it.”
Albert chuckled. “Gods dammit, Joey. You’re the most alright man I’ve ever met.”
“Hey, I’m not a … oh. Uh. Nevermind. Carry on.”
They finished shooting rifles and walked up closer to the dummies to shoot magic shotguns. Albert only shot one barrel from the Glyphlock Double-Barrel Shotguns. Shooting both barrels risked having them erupt in his hands.
Joey shot all of his true. He had too much fortune for them to fail him.
They’d finished the shotguns fast before they played around with the pistols, acting like pirates or cowboys. Albert’s inner kid came out fully. They yipped and howled and put a magic bullet pounding on the armored dummies.
They finished the spare guns, then they returned to the city before noon. Albert departed to go back to his duties, but promised to see Joey off tomorrow.
Joey ambled with no escort. Except for Mollysea who trailed behind him like a silent and dutiful shadow. She wasn’t happy. Joey would have to deal with that later.
It was time to go to church.
To Joey’s surprise, he saw an old face exiting the Eclipse Believer Church.
Domer stopped dead in his tracks and stared back at Joey. The man trembled while wearing the dark, pitted robes of an Eclipse Believer.
Joey solidified his tail.
Domer closed his eyes.
Joey swung his tail. Softly. And wrapped up Mollysea’s arm before it clamped around Domer’s throat. Her black-painted nails stopped an inch from ripping out his jugular.
With a gentle tug, Joey peeled his battlemaid away from Domer.
Joey’s old enemy opened his eyes slowly. He was pale. And sweaty.
His former neatly trimmed beard was patchy now. He had dark circles around his eyes. He looked like a man who’d been through rough times for a long time.
“You can go in peace,” Joey said.
“Thank you.” Domer fled away.
Mollysea’s anti-charm leaked out with a growl. Joey hadn’t felt it in a while. He shivered a little. Dragon Kingship remained deactivated.
His tolerance had lowered with Mollysea’s free agency. Her anti-charm was a solid reminder she could switch from enthralling charm to anti-charm at any moment.
Joey stepped into the church. He waved away the praises from the Eclipse Believers. He found Nate’s office in the back. Mollysea waited outside the office door.
Joey looked around the office of the Eclipse Believers’ Head Cleric. On the back wall was a framed illustration of Joey’s beam-o-war against the all crawler and the destruction of the old sand spire.
“Caught me right when I could sit down and eat,” Nate said. “Hey, Joey, how’s it going?”
Nate was still rocking the shaved head and rugged beard. He still kept his exercise routine going and looked rock solid, whole, and healthy.
“Making my rounds,” Joey said. “How are you?”
Nate glanced at a printed photo of the Renegades. They’d taken it weeks ago while out on the port during a normal routine day. Joey had plenty more photos saved in his dungeon network.
“Can’t complain, really. It’s a lot of work running a church of cultists. And guiding them down the right direction. But it’s been the most satisfying work I’ve done in a long time.” Nate chuckled. “Feels like I’m righting all the wrongs I’ve seen before Multiverse Z.”
“That’s what Multiverse Z is for. Doing things you couldn’t in the old life.”
“That’s certainly true.” Nate glanced over at Joey’s swaying tail in its ghost form. He chuckled. “I can see that thing clear as day now. Won’t be long till I’m Level 100. Then I’ll have that ascension option, too. But I imagine it isn’t a big deal for me to ascend compared to you, is it?”
“I doubt the system will pressure you to ascend. You can relax a little and work on stuff here before you leave the Tidal Moon Realm.”
Nate nodded. “I’d like that. I … I started, uh, dating again. Not anyone from the church. And not even human. They’re–”
“They’re?” Joey interrupted.
Nate winced. “A pair of land siren sisters. They straight up asked me out and wouldn’t take no for an answer. And to be fair, they’re both pretty hot. Even with the green skin, tougher bodies, and legs for squatting entire shacks and the tools inside of them. But…”
“But?”
“But … I wasn’t sure about them. I gave them a chance, still. And they surprised me. They showed me they’re really sweet and caring when it’s just the three of us.” Nate looked flustered. “On the outside, they’re the type of girls who would’ve bullied me when I was in high school. But they don’t do that with me. At all. They’re nice to me and mean to everyone else. It’s … weird. But I don’t mind it.”
“Welcome to Multiverse Z!” Joey laughed. “So, the siren sisters snatched you up and got you locked as theirs, huh?”
“I wonder who influenced me to give that a chance?”
“Dunno. Must’ve been some insane guy. You got to do insane things to get sirens to chase after you and use their sweet side to hold you captive. Can’t be me, though. I’m the most sane guy in the city.”
