Titan: A LitRPG Adventure (UnderVerse Book 4) by Jez Cajiao (beach books .txt) 📗

“Okay, why do I feel like I’m getting told off for this?” I asked in confusion.

“Because you shouldn’t be able to do it! I know how many people were hurt, boy; it’s my job to know all about it. I also know the depth of your manapool, and I thought… your capabilities. There is no way you could cast a spell like that. Honestly, I don’t know how any being short of a God could wield that kind of magic, and you just throw it around like a child!” she snapped furiously.

“Hey!” I retorted. “It costs me to use that shit! I don’t just toss it off, you know!”

“Exactly! Points are missing from all of your stats!” She paced in front of me, clearly agitated at my reduced state. “I told you, boy, I know you! I know when a patient of mine changes, especially in a way that shouldn’t be possible! You directly converted life-force and experience into power, while draining the ambient magic from the area, and still, that shouldn’t have been sufficient to do what you did!”

“I… uh…” I tried to interrupt her rant, but she cut me off.

“That’s why I’ll be watching you closely. One wrong move, a single toe out of line, and I’ll be there!” she snarled, turning on her heel and storming off.

“What the hell?” I said to the room in general. “I do all that, and I’m the bad guy here?” All I got for long seconds was silence.

I waited, and when nobody said anything constructive or helpful, I shook my head in disgust.

“Right load of lions, you lot are,” I grumbled. “Okay, Romanus, I want both cities’ camps watched from now on. I need to go and rest, followed by some new armor, and hopefully I can go kill something with a ridiculous amount of violence.  Right now, though, I’m going to hide in my goddamn room from that sadistic bastard Restun for a bit. Augustus, I want you to go speak with Elise and Athena; get me a good sense of the ship’s condition. Romanus, take care of the Legion, and liaise with Barrett. Make sure all of our people are taken care of. Oh, and someone get that shit off my lawn,” I ordered grimly, forcing myself to my feet and gesturing to the corpse of the former Lord Faustus.

“Lastly, thank you all,” I sighed, forcing a smile and looking around at all of the people present, recognizing that they’d all come running, worrying that I’d been hurt.

Chapter Nine

I strode to the ship, grumbling under my breath the entire way, yet unsure why I was so annoyed. I’d actually had a good morning, despite the lack of sexy time with Oracle, and I’d even gotten to strip that ass Barabarattas of his title. Considering what utter weapons-grade wankers the nobility were, that had to have upset him… and then I realized what I was missing.

I had received no kind of contact from Barabarattas. I’d expected at least a declaration that I was a dickhead or something, but nope, nada.

“Oracle?” I asked, turning to her as she walked beside me, her arm wrapped around my waist and mine draped across her shoulders making it slightly awkward to walk, as my legs were longer than hers. Still, it was nice, and I was taking the chance to both lean on her slightly, as I was exhausted, and glance down the front of her top as we went.

Little bonuses.

“Yes, beloved?” she asked calmly, well aware of the extra weight I was putting on her, and the direction of my gaze.

“Why haven’t I heard from that pillock, Barabarattas?” I asked, and she sniggered before answering.

“Oh, that! Well, it’s simple. Only a person of Authority can communicate through declarations, and as he’s no longer a city lord, or even a noble, he doesn’t get to do things like that. It would be like Jay having access to the Great Tower’s screens; never going to happen.”

“Wait, he won’t have access to the city management functions now? Is that what he was using? Like when I used the Tower’s management facilities?” I asked, grinning.

“Exactly. He’s been locked out of all those parts of the city, and the City Guard will ‘feel’ that he’s a criminal if they clap eyes on him. Literally. You know how… actually, no, you don’t. Okay then, let’s cover the Guard and their abilities quickly…” Oracle said as we walked up the gangplank into the ship, our escort following along and leading us at the same time.

“Each member of the guard gains access to a simple Ability once they achieve the class: Guardsman. It grants knowledge of the crimes of outlaws, should they see an outlaw, or should the outlaw not have an Ability to counter them. It’s all very cat and mouse, but some members of both sides actually reserve every point possible, investing them only in those Abilities, as it enables them to do amazing things for their side. Guards can share information, so if a highly skilled Guard used his ability on, say, a murderer, he’d get the details of that person’s crime. Not really specific, but flashes of inspiration, images, a feeling of where bodies might be found; that kind of thing. The criminals might be capable of a similar Ability, and then they would attempt to convince the Guard that this person, or that, didn’t commit the crime. If they’re skilled enough they can make the guard release a murderer that they themselves witnessed, simply by twisting the series of events in the Guard’s mind. It’s a horrifying skill,” she said earnestly.

“Yeah, we have those where I came from, too.” I grimaced. “Not with ‘Abilities’, although some detectives might come close. And the criminal version we have is called a Lawyer.”

“Remind me to avoid them if we ever get to your world,” Oracle said firmly.

“In my world, there’s a saying: What’s the difference between