CHAPTER 59: CHECKLIST APOCALYPSE
FIELD NOTE:
If the system gives you a to do list, it is not helping you.
It is preparing to own you.
The tribunal bought time.
Time is a lie you rent with signatures.
Mizunagi is still a war zone, just a cleaner one. The harbor reeks of wet wood and burned rope. The flipped warships sit in the bay like giant dead beetles. The coalition fleet stays at range, watching, waiting, pretending it is not afraid of the sea.
The citizens are not afraid.
They are level one hundred, evolved, and full of stew.
That is the most dangerous kind of morale.
By morning the city is not asking if it should grow.
It is asking how fast.
I stand in the steward hall with my seal stamp on the table and my Skill Sense window open, and I feel like I am staring at a shopping list written by a god with a gambling problem.
Lyra paces in a tight circle.
Mina sits on the edge of a chair like the chair might betray her.
Roth stands in the corner like a statue that refuses to relax.
Aster leans against the wall like she has been here forever.
Livi lounges in the doorway with her arms crossed.
She speaks aloud, lazy.
"This room smells like panic and paper."
[Livi: I miss the ocean. The ocean is honest.]
Aster smiles at Livi.
“You have opinions,” Aster says.
Livi stares.
"I have standards," Livi replies.
[Livi: She is pretty. I dislike her.]
Lyra’s heat flickers.
Mina’s light flickers.
My Romance hazard pings once, politely, like a bomb politely clearing its throat.
[NOTICE]
Romance Hazard: Active
Jealousy pressure: elevated
Recommendation: Do not stand between women and their feelings
Noted.
I tap my Skill Sense window.
“Okay,” I say. “We have three days before the private crest fleet reaches bombard range.”
Lyra stops pacing.
“Or less,” she mutters.
“Yes,” I agree. “So we do two things.”
I hold up two fingers.
“First, we hunt every last relevant skill.”
“Second, we push the cap again.”
Silence.
Mina’s eyes widen.
“Again,” she whispers.
Roth nods once.
“Yes,” he says.
Lyra stares at me like I just told her gravity is optional.
“We just broke it,” she says.
I nod.
“And the world responded by building fleets,” I say. “So we need more.”
Aster’s eyes glitter.
“Escalate,” she murmurs. “I like that.”
Lyra’s head snaps toward her.
“Stop liking things,” Lyra snaps.
Aster smiles.
“No,” she replies.
Roth blinks.
No.
I scroll.
Skill Sense has changed since the cap key integrated.
It is less vague.
More cruel.
[SKILL SENSE UPDATE]
Your ceiling moved.
Your missing skills are now louder.
New Category: LAST SKILLS WITHIN REACH
I inhale.
Then the system does what it always does when it realizes I enjoy suffering.
It puts a checklist on my soul.
LAST SKILLS WITHIN REACH:
Kenta
1) Naval Command (Acquire today. Condition: command 50+ units in live situation)
2) Rune Surgery (Acquire today. Condition: extract hostile ward from living target)
3) Divine Audit (Acquire today. Condition: analyze Authority-tagged artifact without backlash)
4) Skill Sense rank-up (Condition: acquire 5+ new skills in one day)
Lyra
1) Anti-Ward Pyre (Acquire today. Condition: burn Authority tag without triggering backlash)
2) Flame Domain seed (Acquire today. Condition: defend a territory with controlled flame for 1 hour)
Roth
1) Anti-Naval Bulwark (Acquire today. Condition: block bombardment or simulated bombardment)
2) Siege Anchor seed (Acquire today. Condition: hold a gate line against 100+ pressure)
Mina
1) Ward Surgery (Acquire today. Condition: remove hostile ward from living target)
2) Pontiff Domain seed (Acquire today. Condition: maintain sanctuary field over 500+ civilians for 1 hour)
Livi
1) Mercy (Acquire never. Condition: choose not to kill when you could)
2) Tide Domain seed (Acquire today. Condition: claim and hold sea lane)
Livi reads over my shoulder without asking.
She speaks aloud, flat.
"My checklist is insulting."
[Livi: Mercy is stupid. I will not.]
Mina whispers, pleading.
“Livi. Please.”
Livi’s eyes narrow.
"No," she says.
[Livi: Not today.]
Lyra points at Livi.
“She is going to get us killed,” Lyra says.
Livi points back.
"And you are going to cry about it," Livi replies.
[Livi: Fire tantrum.]
Lyra’s heat spikes.
Aster laughs softly.
“This is going to be a long friendship,” she murmurs.
I slap my hands together once.
“Focus,” I say.
Standard-Bearer Leadership hums.
The room pressure shifts.
Everyone stops fighting for half a breath because apparently my voice is now a civic tool.
Good.
I turn to Mina.
“You can do Ward Surgery,” I say. “We have prisoners. We have coercion bells. We have blue thread residue.”
Mina’s face tightens.
“That’s… dangerous,” she whispers.
“Yes,” I say. “But you can do it. You have Sanctuary Seraph now. You have the Anchor Frame. You have your name.”
Mina’s throat moves.
Then she nods once.
“Okay,” she says softly. “Okay.”
I turn to Lyra.
“You burn the Authority tag,” I say. “With hushstone dampeners, under Mina’s sanctuary. Controlled. Not tantrum.”
Lyra bristles.
“I don’t tantrum,” she snaps.
The whole room looks at her.
Lyra’s cheeks color.
“I do not,” she repeats, weaker.
Aster smiles.
“Of course,” she says.
Lyra’s heat flickers.
Mina sighs.
I turn to Roth.
“Simulated bombardment,” I say. “We have ballista bolts. We have wall segments. We have you.”
Roth nods.
“Yes,” he says.
I look at Aster.
“You,” I say.
Aster’s eyebrows lift.
“Me,” she echoes, delighted.
“Naval Command requires fifty units,” I say. “You have authority. You have a crest. You have the ability to make people obey without a stamp.”
Aster smiles wider.
“I do,” she agrees.
Lyra mutters, “Of course she does.”
Aster ignores her and leans forward slightly.
“Command drills,” Aster says. “We can do it in the harbor. Merchant ships. Patrol skiffs. Even the coalition wreck crews. If they want to look lawful, they’ll comply.”
My stomach tightens.
“That’s evil,” I say.
Aster’s smile turns sweet.
“That’s governance,” she replies.
Then she steps closer, voice low.
“And it will annoy the princess,” she adds.
Lyra’s heat flares.
Mina’s light flares.
My romance hazard pings again like it wants to file a complaint.
I exhale.
“Fine,” I say. “We do it.”
I look at Livi.
“You,” I say.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Livi tilts her head.
"No," she says immediately.
[Livi: I already know what you want.]
“I want you to hold a sea lane,” I say. “Claim it. Tide Domain seed.”
Livi’s eyes narrow.
She speaks aloud, bored.
"Why."
[Livi: Convince me.]
I smile.
Lying SS hums.
“Because then the sea is officially ours,” I say softly. “And you get to tell the world you own the water.”
Livi’s lips curve.
"Fine," she says.
[Livi: That is worth it.]
Lyra’s face twists.
“I hate that it’s that easy,” she mutters.
Roth says, calm.
“Simple motivations are reliable,” he says.
Lyra snaps, “Stop.”
Roth blinks.
No.
I lift my seal stamp.
“Alright,” I say. “Skill Hunt Day.”
Then I stamp the board.
Thunk.
[DOMAIN EDICT]
SKILL HUNT DAY
Duration: 24 hours
Effect: Skill acquisition boosted +25% for loyal citizens
Effect: Civic Harvest boosted +20%
Warning: Addiction risk increased
The city answers.
Not with cheers.
With motion.
---
By midday Mizunagi is a factory.
Not of goods.
Of competence.
The harbor becomes a drill ground.
Aster stands on a dock crate like it’s a podium and shouts orders like she was born inside a command chain.
“Line up the skiffs.”
“Split into ten squads.”
“Assign captains.”
“Run the net winches on my mark.”
“Signal flags up.”
“Do not crash into the flipped warship unless you want to become part of it.”
Merchant captains glare.
Then they notice the Level 100 Harbor Wardens staring back.
They comply.
Aster looks at me.
“You want Naval Command,” she says.
“Yes,” I reply.
“Then command,” she says.
She steps closer and taps my chest with two fingers.
“Speak like your orders are gravity.”
My system chimes.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]
Command Voice (Rank F)
Lyra makes a sound behind me.
“Of course,” she mutters.
Mina whispers, “Kenta.”
I glance at her.
Mina’s eyes flick to Aster’s fingers on my chest.
Mina’s cheeks color.
I step away quickly.
“Okay,” I say. “Orders. Gravity.”
I turn to the harbor squads.
“All vessels,” I shout. “Formation Standard One. Net line on my signal. No weapons. This is drill. You will obey. You will not die. That is the entire plan.”
The city responds like it likes my confidence.
The squads move.
Flags rise.
Winches crank.
For a moment it feels like a real navy.
My system pings.
[SKILL EXP]
Command Voice +38%
Leadership +12%
Statecraft +8%
Then Aster smiles.
“Good,” she says. “Now add pressure.”
She points at the coalition wreck crews.
“Bring them in,” she says.
The wreck crews hesitate.
Their officer looks toward the coalition ships at range like he wants permission.
Aster lifts her crest.
He bows.
They comply.
Now my drill has enemies.
Not lethal.
But resistant.
Perfect.
I shout orders.
I coordinate civilians, merchants, and reluctant invaders.
The Harbor Standard field tightens and makes obedience feel natural.
The drill runs.
Ten minutes.
Twenty.
Thirty.
My throat gets raw.
My mind gets sharp.
Then the system hits me like a bell.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]
Naval Command (Rank F)
I blink.
Lyra’s head snaps toward me.
“You got it,” she says.
“Yes,” I breathe.
Aster’s smile turns feral.
“Rank it,” she says.
And because the system is addicted to escalation, it tries to help.
[SKILL SENSE]
Naval Command leveling method:
Command under pressure.
Minimize losses.
Outmaneuver larger formations.
Aster points out toward the fog line.
“Pressure,” she says lightly.
I turn.
A coalition cutter at range is turning its bow slightly.
Testing.
Not attacking.
Just reminding us it can.
Good.
Pressure.
I raise my stamp and shout.
“All ships,” I bark. “Harbor Standard Pattern. Shield the breakwater. Pull skiffs behind net. Do not engage. Just move like you mean it.”
The harbor moves.
Like a creature.
The cutter pauses.
Then turns away.
I do not know if it was fear or boredom.
I do not care.
The drill continues.
My skill ticks up fast.
[SKILL RANK UP]
Naval Command: F -> D
Aster watches me like she’s judging a blade.
“Not bad,” she murmurs.
Lyra mutters, “She is flirting again.”
Aster smiles without looking at her.
“Yes,” she says.
Lyra’s heat flares.
Mina’s light flickers.
My romance hazard pings.
I pretend it doesn’t exist.
---
Mina’s part is harder.
Because it is not a drill.
It is surgery.
We use the captured coercion bell carrier. The one who tried to bite down and swallow blue saliva like a coward.
He sits in a hushstone circle with his arms bound.
His eyes are wild.
Mina kneels in front of him.
Her symbol glows softly, not like a beacon, like a scalpel.
Lyra stands on the edge of the circle, fingers threaded with controlled flame.
Roth stands behind Mina like a wall.
I stand back, watching, because I do not want to contaminate her focus with my own mania.
Mina inhales.
Then she whispers, almost too soft to hear.
“I’m sorry.”
The prisoner laughs, harsh.
“Save it,” he spits.
Blue thread trembles in his throat.
Mina doesn’t flinch.
She raises her symbol.
Sanctuary hums.
Then she does it.
She reaches into his ward.
Not physically.
Spiritually.
She finds the hostile tag like a thorn.
And she pulls.
The prisoner screams.
His eyes roll.
For a second I feel it too.
A tug inside the world.
A ward resisting removal like it wants to keep him owned.
Mina’s hands shake.
Her jaw clenches.
She pulls anyway.
The blue thread snaps out of him like a strand of wet hair.
It hisses and writhes on the floor.
Lyra’s flame thread flicks.
The thread burns.
Not like fire.
Like erasure.
The air in the circle cleans.
The prisoner collapses, gasping.
His eyes clear slightly.
Mina’s shoulders sag.
Then her system chimes.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]
Ward Surgery (Rank F)
Mina’s eyes widen.
“It worked,” she whispers.
My system pings too.
[SKILL SENSE UPDATE]
Mina: Ward Surgery acquired
Next: Pontiff Domain seed now accessible
Lyra’s flame thread is still burning the last residue.
Her system chimes.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]
Anti-Ward Pyre (Rank F)
Lyra freezes.
Then she looks at her own hand like it offended her.
“I got it,” she says.
Roth’s voice is calm.
“Good,” he says.
Lyra snaps, “Stop.”
Roth blinks.
No.
The prisoner coughs and stares at Mina like he wants to hate her, but he can’t find the script anymore.
Mina meets his gaze, steady.
“You’re free,” she says softly.
The prisoner’s mouth trembles.
“Why,” he whispers.
Mina’s voice is simple.
“Because you’re a person,” she replies.
The whole room goes quiet.
Even Livi, watching from the doorway, does not mock.
She speaks into my mind instead.
[Livi: Strange. Humans free their enemies. It is inefficient.]
Then she adds, softer.
[Livi: But it is… interesting.]
My chest tightens.
Mina just did something that matters.
Not numbers.
Not points.
Reality.
Good.
We need more of that.
Or we become monsters with spreadsheets.
---
Roth’s skill hunt is pure violence, just polite.
We drag three ballista down to the seawall and fire training bolts into reinforced wall segments.
Roth stands on the wall line and blocks them.
With his shield.
Because Roth is a problem.
The first bolt hits.
His boots dig in.
His shield hums.
His posture doesn’t change.
The second bolt hits.
A crack spiderwebs the training wall behind him.
He holds.
The third bolt hits.
His arms shake slightly.
Then his system chimes.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]
Anti-Naval Bulwark (Rank F)
Roth exhales once.
“Useful,” he says.
Lyra stares at him.
“You’re insane,” she mutters.
Roth blinks.
No.
Then the wallwright crews get excited and fire faster.
Roth keeps blocking.
His skill ranks up like it’s inevitable.
[SKILL RANK UP]
Anti-Naval Bulwark: F -> D
He nods once.
Yes.
That is Roth emotion.
---
Livi’s skill hunt is a sea crime.
She walks out onto the waterline and points.
The sea shifts.
A lane opens like a corridor.
It is not calm water.
It is disciplined water.
She speaks aloud, bored.
"This lane is mine."
[Livi: If anyone touches it, I will crush them.]
My system pings.
[TIDE DOMAIN SEED]
Condition met: Sea lane claimed
Condition met: Sustained control 10 minutes
Result: Tide Domain seed acquired
Then the system chimes.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED]
Tide Domain (Seed)
Livi looks unimpressed.
"Seed," she repeats.
[Livi: Give me full.]
“You’ll live,” Lyra mutters.
Livi smiles.
"I will outlive all of you," she replies.
[Livi: Especially the talking sword. I will chew him.]
That reminds me.
Valeblade is loose.
Wonderful.
---
By evening, the city itself levels up.
Not the citizens.
The city.
Because a Level 100 populace with evolved jobs turns basic infrastructure into a multiplier.
The Recovery Springs run like a morale engine.
The Craft Hall outputs repairs faster than damage can happen.
The harbor drills turn fishermen into a navy.
Public Order climbs past high.
It becomes something else.
[DOMAIN EVOLUTION AVAILABLE]
Mizunagi: Free Port City -> Standard Metropolis
Requirements met:
Level 100+ populace
Harbor Standard field active
Trade volume: major
Defense infrastructure: online
I stare at the window.
A metropolis.
In a week.
That is insane.
I stamp it anyway.
Thunk.
[DOMAIN EVOLUTION CONFIRMED]
Mizunagi: Standard Metropolis
New Features:
Civic Commission Board
Citizen Talent Integration
Point Bank Infrastructure
Domain Skill Slots +2
Warning: foreign panic increased
Foreign panic can die mad.
The new feature hits immediately.
A board appears in the steward hall that was not there before.
Not wood.
Light.
A Civic Commission Board.
Tasks.
Rewards.
Assignments.
And one line at the bottom that makes my throat tighten.
Commission Tokens: expandable
Leader’s Harvest compatible
Oh.
Oh no.
Compound interest just learned how to breed.
I can commission citizens now.
Not just party members.
Top captains.
Top wallwrights.
Top cooks.
Top couriers.
I can give them missions.
They will level.
I will harvest.
They will receive Growth Overflow.
They will level faster.
I will harvest more.
It is a feedback loop.
It is also exactly what the world fears.
Lyra reads the board and goes pale.
“No,” she whispers.
Mina looks at me, eyes wide.
“Kenta,” she says softly. “Be careful.”
Aster’s smile is dangerous.
“You just became a nation,” she murmurs.
Roth nods.
“Yes,” he says.
Livi speaks aloud, delighted.
"Make them work."
[Livi: Make them grow. Make them suffer. Humans love it.]
I swallow.
Then I do the responsible thing.
I do it anyway, but with rules.
I post the rules.
No suicide missions.
No child commissions.
No coercion.
No cult tasks.
No temple building.
Lyra snorts.
“You had to write no temple building,” she mutters.
“Yes,” I say.
Lyra’s eyes narrow.
“Because you know they would,” she says.
“Yes,” I repeat.
I issue the first commissions.
Harbor Patrol Captain.
Wallwright Chief.
Sanctuary Attendant.
Trade Runner.
The city hums.
And my system starts to chime like it is trying to drown me in dopamine.
[LEADER’S HARVEST]
Commissioned Citizen: Harbor Patrol Captain completed drill
EXP gained: 220,000
Kenta Harvest: 264,000
[LEADER’S HARVEST]
Commissioned Citizen: Wallwright Chief completed reinforcement segment
EXP gained: 180,000
Kenta Harvest: 216,000
[LEADER’S HARVEST]
Commissioned Citizen: Trade Runner established new lane
EXP gained: 140,000
Kenta Harvest: 168,000
My level bar jumps like it is panicking.
[LEVEL UP]
Kenta: 100 -> 101
Kenta: 101 -> 102
Lyra watches my face.
“Kenta,” she says slowly.
“Yes,” I whisper.
“You’re leveling from paperwork,” she says.
“Yes,” I whisper again.
She closes her eyes like she is praying for restraint.
Then she opens them and glares at me.
“I hate you,” she says.
I smile, helpless.
“I know,” I reply.
Then the deferred multiplier window updates.
[DEFERRED MULTIPLIER]
You have not spent points since cap break.
Tier 2 interest engaged.
Deferred Allocation Multiplier: x9.0 -> x12.0
Mina’s mouth opens.
Roth’s eyes narrow.
Aster laughs softly.
Lyra makes a noise like she is choking.
“No,” she says.
“Yes,” I say.
Livi speaks aloud, almost pleased.
"Compound."
[Livi: He is becoming a storm.]
The points keep piling.
Attribute points.
Skill points.
Talent points.
Mastery points.
I do not spend.
Not yet.
Because I want the multiplier to grow.
Because I am sick.
Because the system trained me.
Because this world rewards hoarding like it is virtue.
Then the warning hits.
A big one.
[WARNING]
Skill Points storage cap reached.
Skill Points: 999 / 999 (MAX)
I freeze.
Lyra leans forward.
“Say that again,” she whispers.
I swallow.
“Skill points,” I say. “Max.”
Mina’s eyes widen.
“What happens if you gain more,” she asks.
My system answers.
[NOTICE]
Overflow conversion:
Excess Skill Points will be lost unless stored.
Suggested: Point Bank Infrastructure (Domain feature)
I exhale.
“Of course,” I whisper.
The domain feature.
Point Bank.
I look at the Civic Commission Board.
Then at my forge.
Then at my sealcraft.
“Okay,” I say. “We build a bank.”
Lyra’s eyes narrow.
“A point bank,” she says, deadpan.
“Yes,” I reply.
Aster smiles.
“This is the least romantic bank I’ve ever heard of,” she says.
My Romance hazard pings.
Lyra turns slowly toward Aster like she is deciding what temperature to cook her at.
Mina’s light flares.
I point at the forge.
“Bank,” I snap.
Everyone moves.
---
We build the Point Vault in one hour.
Mythril frame.
Hushstone dampeners.
Ledger rune lines.
Sanctuary reinforcement from Mina.
Heat control from Lyra.
Aster watches like she is fascinated.
Livi calls it stupid.
"This is a human treasure box," she says aloud.
[Livi: Weak. But clever.]
The vault hums.
My system chimes.
[STRUCTURE COMPLETE]
Point Bank Vault (Unique)
Effect: Stores overflow points without spending
Effect: Does not reset Deferred Multiplier
Warning: extremely addictive
Good.
I dump my overflowing skill points into the vault.
The number drops.
999 -> 0.
The vault glows.
Stored Skill Points: 1,240
I stare.
Lyra stares.
Mina stares.
Aster laughs.
Roth nods once.
Livi smiles.
"This is better," Livi says.
[Livi: Now he can hoard forever.]
My system chimes again like it wants to confess a sin.
[DEFERRED MULTIPLIER]
Continued hoarding detected.
Multiplier increased.
Deferred Allocation Multiplier: x12.0 -> x15.0
Lyra whispers, horrified.
“It’s growing.”
“Yes,” I whisper.
Aster murmurs, amused.
“And you’re still engaged.”
Lyra’s heat spikes.
Mina’s cheeks color.
I do not speak.
I do not want to die.
---
Night falls.
The city does not sleep.
Not fully.
It runs drills.
It builds.
It heals.
It trades.
Every action feeds the loop.
Every loop feeds the levels.
The party joins in.
Lyra runs controlled flame patrols, defending zones without collateral.
Roth holds a gate line while a hundred citizens push and test formation pressure.
Mina maintains sanctuary over the springs for an hour straight, stabilizing hundreds of people, keeping their names crisp.
The system rewards everyone like it is trying to accelerate us past morality.
[LEVEL UP]
Lyra: 100 -> 101
Roth: 100 -> 101
Mina: 100 -> 101
I harvest.
I harvest.
I harvest.
Kenta: 102 -> 103
Kenta: 103 -> 105
My skill points refill.
The vault drinks overflow.
My deferred multiplier climbs.
x15.0 -> x18.0
Skill Sense pings.
[SKILL SENSE RANK UP]
Skill Sense: F -> D
New Feature: Skill Progress Markers
You can now see acquisition progress for undiscovered skills.
A new line appears in my Skill Sense list.
CAP BREAK PRESSURE:
Party Potential: rising
Domain Potential: rising
Point Hoard Pressure: critical
Then the system does what it always does at the edge of collapse.
It offers an escape.
A new key.
A new ceiling.
A new lie.
[NOTICE]
Cap Pressure detected.
Potential Overload imminent.
Generating: Standard Overflow Key
Lyra’s eyes go wide.
“Kenta,” she whispers. “It’s doing it again.”
Mina’s breath catches.
“Again,” she whispers.
Roth’s posture tightens.
“Yes,” he says.
Aster’s smile turns sharp.
“Good,” she murmurs.
Livi speaks aloud, pleased.
"More ceiling."
[Livi: Break it. I want bigger waves.]
The air in the steward hall thickens.
A symbol forms above my seal stamp again, brighter than before.
Not a knot this time.
A stacked set of bars, like a prison that is breaking.
It drops.
My stamp absorbs it.
The whole city hums like a living thing.
Then the system chimes, deep and heavy.
[CAP KEY GENERATED]
Item: Standard Overflow Key
Binding: Mizunagi (and bonded party)
Effect: Raises current level ceiling
Warning: Authority-tier attention increased
Then the number changes.
[LEVEL CAP UPDATED]
Bound Entities:
Level Cap: 120 -> 150
Silence hits the room.
Lyra stares at the window like it is blasphemy.
Mina’s hands tremble.
Roth exhales once.
Aster looks like she might clap.
Livi smiles.
"Good," she says.
[Livi: Now the fleet will really panic.]
I swallow.
My deferred multiplier window updates one more time, because the system is a bully.
[DEFERRED MULTIPLIER]
Tier 3 interest engaged.
Deferred Allocation Multiplier: x18.0 -> x24.0
My Skill Points tick up.
Then slam into cap again.
[WARNING]
Skill Points: 999 / 999 (MAX)
Overflow redirected to Point Bank Vault
The vault glows like a hungry star.
Stored Skill Points: 3,880
I stare at the numbers.
Then I look out the window.
Mizunagi’s lanterns reflect on the canal like a thousand little lines of gold.
A metropolis now.
A grinder now.
A banner now.
And somewhere out on the horizon, a navy is sailing toward a city that just broke the cap again.
I whisper.
“Okay.”
Lyra looks at me, eyes bright with fear and fury.
“Kenta,” she says softly. “They are going to try to kill us.”
I nod.
“Yes,” I say.
Mina whispers, quiet.
“Do you think we can win.”
I glance at my seal stamp.
At the new cap.
At the point vault.
At the citizens outside shouting about drills and stew and patrol routes like they are excited to be alive.
Then I smile, thin.
“I think,” I say, “they should have come before we learned compound interest.”
Livi laughs, delighted.
"Yes," she says.
[Livi: Let them come.]
