Time Remaining: 500 Days.Arthur's Age: 13.
A year had passed.
Arthur von Pendelton was no longer the weird kid with the jars. He was the weird kid who ran the underground economy.
The iScrolls (Arthur only made five: one for himself, Zack, Julian, Princess Vivian, and one spare) had revolutionized their team dynamics.
In Advanced Alchemy Class, Professor Snape (not his real name, but close enough) was droning on about the properties of Wolfsbane.
Buzz.
Arthur felt the vibration in his pocket. He checked the slate under his desk.
> Vivian: I am bored. I want to stab something.
> Julian: Focus, Princess. The Wolfsbane ratio is critical for the Mana Fuel mixture.
> Zack: Professor is looking at you, Arthur!
Arthur looked up. The Professor was glaring.
"Mr. Pendelton," the Professor sneered. "Perhaps you would like to share with the class the atomic weight of Mythril?"
Arthur didn't panic. He discreetly tapped [Search: Mythril] on his slate. Alice instantly beamed the answer from the basement archives.
"195.08, Professor," Arthur answered smoothly. "With a melting point of 3,000 degrees and a mana conductivity of 99.9%."
The Professor blinked. "Correct. Five points to... whatever house you are in."
...
It wasn't just book learning. The "Two-Year Plan" required them to survive the journey.
In the training yard, Vivian (now 13 and taller) was sparring with Arthur.
Clang. Clang. Thud.
Arthur blocked her wooden sword with his shield. He wasn't a great swordsman, but he was efficient.
"You're relying on the shield too much!" Vivian yelled, spinning and striking his leg.
"Armor is meant to be used!" Arthur grunted, checking the dent in his shin guard.
"Speed, Arthur!" Vivian laughed, dancing back. "The monsters won't hit your shield. They'll eat your face!"
Julian stood on the sidelines, practicing with his Mana-Focusing Wand (a precursor to the rifle). He fired a bolt of fire at a target.
Bang. Bullseye.
"My aim is improving," Julian noted. "But the casting time is still 1.5 seconds. Arthur, when do I get the gun?"
"When you can hit a moving coin at fifty paces," Arthur called out, rubbing his bruised leg. "And when the Fabricator has enough steel."
The year passed in a blur of studying, building, and training. They were getting stronger. But the world was getting sicker.
The "Glitches" (Mana Anomalies) started appearing in the dungeon. Small things at first. A rat that walked through a wall. A torch that burned with cold fire.
Arthur watched the countdown on his slate every night.
Time Remaining:365 Days.
"Halfway there," Arthur whispered to the dark ceiling of his dorm. "We are behind schedule."
End of Chapter 30