Chapter 208: The Skills, The Storage, and The Faction
"Anima’s Target and Aria’s Enemy? Man... You’re a wanted person by the A.I. Civilization," Kai muttered as he saw the status of the man.
[ Name: Cornelio Aries ]
[ Title: Veteran, Conqueror, Anima’s Target, Aria’s Enemy. ]
[ Level: 80 ]
[ Health: 7,800 / 12,500 ]
[ Spirit: 240 / 920 ]
[ Active Skills: Stonebreaker Impact Lv4, Shockwave Slash Lv3, Momentum Crash Lv5 ]
[ Passive Skills: Hardened Spirit Lv6, Precision Hands Lv5, Indomitable Will Lv7 ]
"Haha... You’ll earn this Title if you keep attacking them. It took me a few years to get these two... Really helpful. Also, you have to know that, unlike Foreign Survivors like you, our ability to obtain Title and Gene Skill is a lot harder... Maybe even ten times harder than..." Cornelio paused for a moment to confirm Kai’s reaction before he added.
"It’s the same for Leveling Up. We need more experience points as well. I really hope you can all reach Level 30 and help Cameron... Even if you don’t join our Faction, that’s fine. As long as you’re part of the allied forces."
Hearing this, Kai finally felt satisfied.
"I understand. Since you showed sincerity, I’ll tell you my titles. They’re called Survivor, Trailblazer, Siege Breaker, Guardian, and Strongest One."
Cornelio paused for a moment after hearing the Titles.
As expected, they weren’t the ones he was looking for.
"I see... Thank you for letting me know." He muttered.
Of course, Kai wouldn’t let him go just yet. He still had many questions. Like what he’d expect in the Human City... or what was he doing here in the first place? Perhaps, he could also ask where to obtain more B-Grade Cores, or maybe areas that they could use to farm more Experience Points, or notable places that might be helpful for their growth.
And just like that, Kai gathered his courage and started asking questions.
Cornelio smiled at this. He knew that he couldn’t answer all his questions, but it shouldn’t be bad to share a little information.
"Cameron isn’t just another settlement. It’s one of the few organized Human Cities still standing against the A.I. Civilization. We’ve built walls reinforced with special alloys, and our defenses are powered by cores we’ve taken from fallen machines. Every day, we fight to keep the city alive."
Kai listened intently...
Cornelio continued... "Inside Cameron, you’ll find factions... Groups of Augmented Humans and Survivors working together. The Aries Faction is one of them, but there are others. We don’t always agree, but when Anima sends its armies, we always stand united. That’s why strength matters. Titles, skills, levels... they aren’t just for show..."
The survivors behind Kai exchanged glances. They couldn’t believe what they had just heard.
Cornelio’s gaze swept over them before returning to Kai. "Resources are scarce. For B‑Grade Cores? You’ll need to be Level 50 at the very least to get a chance against them... The gap between a C-Grade Soldier to B-Grade Soldier is a huge chasm. The most you can do to get their cores is during trade. If you collect those special Survivor Medals, many people in the city would be willing to trade them."
Of course, Cornelio didn’t mention many things to Kai. He decided to keep quiet about the Aries’ Faction’s designated zones, where weaker machines spawn and other stuff.
Kai nodded slowly, absorbing every word.
After a few moments, Kai also bravely asked about Cornelio’s skills.
Apparently, he wanted to learn them as well if possible.
Cornelio laughed. Of course, this time, Cornelio asked for a payment. This wasn’t something he should be sharing in public.
"If I have what you need, I’ll do my best." Kai replied.
"Nice... So if you can supply me with thirty of those Disruptor Devices you’re using against the drones and swarmers, then I’ll brief you about my skills and give you hints on how to get them."
Cornelio was indeed interested in Kai’s Portable Disruptor Field...
"I can arrange that..." Kai replied without hesitation.
This time, Cornelio was the one who was stunned. He didn’t expect that Kai would willingly give up those precious devices.
He was actually prepared to negotiate. If Kai could only provide 15 or even 10 of them, he wouldn’t really mind.
"Ohh... O-okay, then..." Cornelio muttered.
Just like that, Kai learned that Stonebreaker Impact focuses his strength into a single throw or strike, generating crushing force.
It was the one used by Cornelio to destroy the three flying vessels moments ago.
The Shockwave Slash creates a concussive blast upon impact. It wasn’t deadly, but it could affect a wide range.
After that was Momentum Crash. It was very straightforward. The skill would help him charge forward with unstoppable force...
Then, there were his passive skills. The Hardened Frame was basically a defensive Gene Skill that granted him high durability against blunt force and explosions.
The Precision Hand, on the other hand, complements his Stonebreaker Impact since, aside from dexterity it could provide, it enhances accuracy and control, ensuring projectiles land exactly where intended.
Finally, the Indomitable Will that extends stamina and mental resilience, allowing him to fight longer without fatigue or fear.
"Most of my Gene Skills were obtained through my consumption of Gene Enhancement Serum... However, the Idomitable Will was something I got through a traumatic experience. You don’t want to experience that." Cornelio said with a calm smile on his.
Kai bowed his head slightly...
"Thank you, Sir Cornelio. Your honesty and the knowledge you’ve shared mean a lot. I’ll prepare the units you asked for. Please wait a little while."
Cornelio nodded. "Alright... I’ll wait here."
Kai hesitated for a moment before asking, "Uhmmm... I’ll prepare them in the warehouse, but how will you carry them?"
Cornelio smirked and raised his hand.
In his palm appeared a silver‑like box.
"Ahh..." Kai didn’t have to ask. He knew that it had a vast inner space far larger than its exterior.
"This is a storage box. Don’t worry, it can hold more than enough." Cornelio replied.
Just like that, the transaction was easily completed.
As he prepared to leave, Cornelio’s expression grew serious.
"One last thing, Kai. When you reach Cameron, avoid the Virgo Faction at all costs..."