Amazon Apocalypse 4: Chapter 45

Personalized Training Quest part 9 of 10.

A Test of Temptation

The Siren Queendom has earned a substantial reward for their contributions and have requested men fitting your description. Survive 24 hours.

Suddenly, I found myself in a place considerably more pleasant than the room with the realm core. I was sitting on a large plush bed, and instead of being surrounded by monsters from the void, I was surrounded by incredibly beautiful women.

“You’re here, you’re finally here!” said a giggling, girlish voice off to my right.

“Huh?” I sat up, looking around in confusion. After going through one fight after another, I was riding the very edge of my nerves. I’d been prepared for monsters, demons, or whatever else the System could throw at me.

Going from the battlefield to a cozy bedroom was a startling shock.

“Oh my, your armor is all shredded! You must have been in a tremendous battle. I bet you’re quite a warrior...” the girlish voice said again.

I shook my head to clear it. “Yes. I was. Where am I now?”

“You’re in our palace, silly!” the siren woman slapped my shoulder playfully.

“And... is there something to fight?”

“No, no, this place is quite safe. Lay back and relax...”

Instead of laying back, I stood up and swung my legs off the bed.

“If you don’t mind, I’d rather take a look around myself.”

I didn’t like intruding, but the System quest had mentioned I needed to survive for 24 hours. There had to be something that wanted to kill me here.

I read the quest description again. I was in the Siren Queendom, and they’d asked for my help. Maybe something was going to attack them, and I needed to fight it?

After looking around the room and down the hallway, I turned to one of the young women following me.

Now that I got a good look at them, I could tell they were mostly human, but with a few distinct features that suggested a more avian heritage.

They were human from heads to knees, but their legs and feet seemed more bird-like than human. They also had rows of feathers tracing the backs of their shoulders all the way to their hands. These women likely couldn’t fly without the help of magic, but the patterns on each feather suggested a form of natural enchantment that could be turned toward flight. Perhaps other things as well.

Besides their inhuman features, they wore thin strips of white cloth bound with silver or gold clasps. Their outfits left very little to the imagination, and every member of their race present was quite obviously female.

I stepped back into the room and was greeted with warm smiles.

“So I’m told that your people requested me? What’s the danger?” I asked.

“Oh, it’s terrible!” the lead siren moaned. “I, Princess Clynei of the sirens, am in desperate need of your help. My handmaidens too.”

“Yes, we need your help, handsome man!” said one handmaiden.

“Me too! I need all the hard, vigorous help you can provide.” Another crept up on me mischievously, placing a hand on my thigh as she slid close to me.

“What troubles you? If there are enemies I can fight, I’d be happy to help.” I took a step back from the beautiful women who had no concept of personal space or, at the very least, weren’t shy about getting in mine.

When I first read the quest description, I thought this palace was going to be under attack soon, but given the looks on my host’s faces, I suspected the System had some other challenge in mind.

Princess Clynei was the first to explain the situation to me.

“Oh, it’s terrible. You see, all our menfolk said we were crazy. They went to fight a war or something and then never came back. That was a few thousand years ago. And we’ve been oh so terribly lonely ever since then...” She ran a hand across my chest covered with the tattered remains of my armor. The buckles came undone under her caress.

“A few thousand years? Surely, you ladies can’t be that old.”

The princess gave me a poke in the side. “And you’d better not think so! The truth is that we’ve been very good girls for the System, and sometimes it gives us a reward.”

“A reward in the form of a strong, smart, and handsome man like yourself,” added a handmaiden.

“I see. And what happens to these men after they help you with your species’ little problem?”

Princess Clynei wrapped an arm around my waist. “Oh hush now. There’s no point in worrying about that until tomorrow. For now, let’s give you a proper welcome! You’re admittedly covered in a bit more blood than most of our guests, so let’s show you some hospitality. Ladies!”

The handmaidens quickly drew a bath for me and found a change of clothes. I was pretty sure I had an idea of what this test was about now, so I was a bit wary of all the beautiful Siren women around me. But at the same time, I was covered pretty head to toe in filth, and this was my first chance to sit down in several hours. So I accepted the offer and cleaned myself off.

Princess Clynei wasn’t shy about jumping in with me, but by the time she did so, I was already cleaning myself off and stepping out.

I had a feeling these Sirens were bad news. Whatever they wanted from me, I didn't want. Maybe the sucked the souls of men right out their dicks or something. It would remind me of Lisette. As long as I avoided that, I’d be okay. Considering how flawlessly beautiful each Siren was, I had no doubt they were making use of powerful charisma-based abilities and classes. But I was no slouch when it came to charisma myself, so their charm didn’t grip me nearly as much as they likely hoped.

They were certainly cute, Princess Clynei especially. Her black hair, tanned skin, and smoldering lips would be alluring to any man. But she was far from the first woman to attempt to seduce me.

Lisette had been a real challenge, though looking back, I was certain her stats wouldn't measure up to those of the Siren flaunting their bodies in my direction. I’d closed the gap between now and then, though, and charisma specialists couldn’t tempt me so easily.

After stepping out of the bath and dressing, I waved off the chorus of disappointed groans and then began a tour of the castle.

“I couldn’t help but notice you ladies didn’t have running water,” I said.

“Running water, what’s that?” Princess Clynei asked.

So I explained what running water was to her, and how it would make things like baths and saunas so much easier. She seemed intrigued by the idea, and I offered to bring her castle into the modern era.

I spent the next hour using my aethersmith abilities and spells to cut holes through walls and build a simple pump. It was crude by my standards, but I wanted it basic enough that even a run-of-the-mill enchanter could repair the system if it ever went down.

Princess Clynei was getting impatient after the first hour, but she changed her tune when I made hot water fall from her bedroom wall in a curtain.

“Magnificent! Do it again!” she clapped her hands in delight.

So I did it again in a few more rooms, and while I was at it, I introduced her to a few more tricks. Namely, the idea of electricity. They didn’t have any copper, but they had lots of silver, and I was able to wire up the palace from that.

Doing so involved making a generator, but the palace was conveniently placed near a picturesque waterfall. It wouldn’t be enough if my hosts planned on running refrigerators and air conditioners, but it was plenty for some lights.

“When are we going to have sex?” one of the Siren handmaidens groaned in complaint.

“Shh! Don’t disturb him. Look at these wonders he’s creating for us! Just keep quiet.” Princess Clynei shushed all the naysayers and began clapping vigorously when the lights went on for the first time. “What other amazing wonders do you have for us?”

So I ended up playing plumber, electrician, roofer, and just about every other little thing my hosts needed. I also reinforced the structural enchantments all throughout the palace. These ladies were very lucky their palace was made of stone, because judging by how old it was, the roof would have long since rotted to nothing if it had been wood. A few of the gardens looked like they had been extra wings of the palace once upon a time, but all that was left of them were stone foundations.

In that manner, I avoided Princess Clynei and her handmaidens for the full twenty-four hours. They did their best to divert me from the task at hand, but so did Bridget, Sakura, and Myrina. Sometimes, when I was working. Looking up to see a bent-over rear reaching for something on the ground or finding underwear in my toolbag was nothing new to me.

“We only have a few minutes left! We’re going to lose him. Quick, everyone get naked!” One of the handmaidens waved to get Princess Clynei’s attention. The princess, for her part, had made the vigorously vibrating washing machine something of a new throne, and she seemed quite distracted as she sat atop it and issued new orders.

“Let him... ahh... do whatever he wants...” she gasped as she leaned back atop the machine.

“Having our clothes cleaned automatically will be a big help,” another of the handmaidens admitted.

Pretty soon, my time was up and I was free. Compared to the earlier challenges, this one turned out to be rather easy for me. It would have been impossible for most other men, but I was uniquely qualified.

The break from the constant fighting and tension gave me enough time to allocate new stat points and repair my damaged armor, and even improve it with some spare silver while I was working on the generator. It still wasn’t at the level of my Doomseeker armor, but it had at least a few of the features. It was also very shiny and heroic looking, thanks to all the silver. Hopefully it would preserve me against the final challenge.

Quest Completed: A Test of Temptation

Your Charisma and your maximum Charisma cap have increased by 100.

Your Luck and your maximum Luck cap have increased by 100.

You are now massively resistant to mental manipulation effects.

Curses that afflict you will be less likely to affect those you care for and more likely to affect those you do not.

You have completed 9 of 10 training quests!

Be warned, the final challenge will threaten everything you've built and care for. You can quit now and take all the rewards you’ve gained, or risk it all by taking the final challenge.

Accept the final challenge?

“Do your worst, System.”

And soon the System swept me off again for one final challenge.

***

Personalized Training Quest part 10 of 10.

A Test of Progress.

A Lich, a Dragon, an agent of a Chaos God, and an idiot have joined forces on this world to conquer it for their own devices. Become the hero this world needs.

I read the quest over, surprised by it. The similarities between this task and the one that had brought me here were hauntingly familiar. The intent was obvious as well. The System wanted me to prove that I had taken all prior challenges to heart and improved myself as intended.

Here, bereft of my usual allies and supplies, I was at a stark disadvantage compared to the first time I faced this threat. That had been less than a week ago, and yet during this last week I’d been transformed in more ways than one.

“Hero, you’ve finally arrived!” said a feminine voice. I turned to it and found myself in the center of a beautiful room. It looked like I was in the middle of a cathedral with a domed roof and stained glass windows on every side.

Speaking to me was a small woman in a hat nearly as tall as she was and dressed in robes of white and gold. She had golden hair and a bright, but nervous smile. Looking around, the corners of the room were covered in slumped and exhausted figures wearing similar robes, though most were crude copies, as though they'd been assembled with haste to fit a uniform that didn't truly suit them.

Everyone looked mostly human, though perhaps with smaller frames and gentler facial features than I was used to. Now that I was looking closer, even the adults in the crowd looked a bit childish. Compared to them, I was practically a bodybuilder, despite strength being one of my lowest stats.

“What’s going on?” I asked as I examined the room.

“Brave hero, forgive me, but our world is in grave danger. A terrible demon king is destroying everything we hold dear, and we don’t have the strength to hold against him! I am High Priestess Calista, representing the Radiant Alliance of all the remaining nations of light. We summoned you--“

Though she was just getting started with what sounded like a long speech, I was pretty sure I already had a good idea about what was going on.

I held up a hand. “I see what this is. Show me your forces. I want to see what I’m working with.”

The High Priestess looked at the few companions of hers that were still on their feet. “But... brave hero, we need to you to place your hand on the divine crystal to see your level and abilities. Then we will teach you to help inspire our knights and lead us into--“

I shook my head. “Sorry, but I'm in a bit of a rush. I’m pretty sure I’ve dealt with your sort of Demon King before, so let’s do things my way.”

Perhaps I was a little needlessly aggressive in taking charge, but my instincts were telling me that was the right move to make. Things were precarious already, and it looked like this world had gambled all the strength it had left on summoning me. I had a limited window of opportunity to claim command. Otherwise, I’d get involved in the petty politics of this realm and become another piece everyone would jockey for control over.

I hadn’t taken command without good sense I could do so, either. I felt the High Priestess and her allies examining me as soon as I arrived and coming up blank as my examine resistance proficiency blocked them.

Meanwhile, when I did the same to them, only the High Priestess herself was D-Grade. I had a feeling the knights and soldiers wouldn’t be much different. That meant I was probably the highest-ranked person around, so even though I didn’t have friends or allies, I could bulldoze over my opposition and demand the leadership position through sheer physical power and my raw charisma stat.

If not for my absurdly high charisma, High Priestess Calista and her allies might have balked at my demands. But after gazing on the confident expression on my face, the High Priestess blushed, cast her eyes low, and led me in the right direction. With her encouragement, the others parted to let me pass.

“Sir Hero, the kings, princes, and lords of all the surviving realms are assembled and awaiting the arrival of the hero. Are you certain you don’t need any help greeting them? I could help you write a speech. Also, how is it that you even speak our language?” the High Priestess asked, hurrying to match my rapid stride.

“I’ll be fine, but having you at my side will assure them of my identity. Come. And I have a title that grants me familiarity with all humanoid languages.”

I found a nearby balcony and strode upon it. From there, I surveyed the rather pitiful collection of noble lords arrayed before me. They were scattered throughout the hall in crude and battered armor, looking exactly like what they were. Warriors who’d lost a war. For most, their ancestral lands were gone, and only the armor they wore remained of fiefdoms their families had controlled for generations. As I suspected, none were higher than D-Grade.

“What a pitiful sight.” I made no effort to hide the disappointment in my words, and the harshness drew hard eyes from all around us. “Did I arrive too late? I see slumped shoulders and despairing eyes all around. Are your wills already broken?”

My insults lit a fire in some of them, and heads perked up all around. My voice carried over the open area outside the cathedral, and all could hear my words.

“Who are you who mocks us? I didn’t see you at the battle of Thunder Peak! Or the Slaughter at Goldenfield valley,” one of the lords demanded.

“You’re right. I wasn’t there. I was off fighting my own battles against ferocious foes on other worlds. Some of them are probably not all that dissimilar to your demon king. As for who I am? I am the man you called to save you in your hour of need. I had hoped to find fighting men here to join me, but I see none. Now, I’m off to fight some of these demons of yours. Join me if you want to prove me wrong.”

I stepped back from the balcony to much grumbling and shouting from the gathered knights and lords. The High Priestess scooted over the railing and slid down, following me with a nervous look on her face.

“Sir Hero, was antagonizing the lords and knights wise? They are the best fighters we have left,” High Priestess Calista asked.

“Some will come. And those that do will be worth me investing in. The spirits of most are already broken. I need to take the few who still have fire in them and stoke it. A few victories should do just that. Afterward, I’ll have an officer core that can take command of a newly reorganized army. I find feudal command systems inefficient and tedious, so we’ll be reorganizing under ranks that I’m more familiar with.”

From there, I began issuing instructions for Calista. I wanted a headcount for survivors, what our food situation was, what we had for resources, how many of the peasants could we reasonably expect to arm and prepare for battle, and the thousand other things I needed to know to get this medieval slapdash force of survivors into fighting shape to slay a demon king.

The orders were so quick to come one after another that she had to summon a scribe to start writing them down. I was as patient as possible, but I knew the warriors I wanted were probably already waiting for me, so I had to rush a bit.

Eventually, I was done, and I departed with all haste to toward the edge of the makeshift settlement gathered around the cathedral. There, as I had expected, a group of boisterous young lords with armor shiner and less dented than most appeared with angry glares on their faces, all eager to prove themselves.

“So you’re the so-called hero. The High Priestess and all the magi chanted day and night for seven days, all for a single man. What a waste.”

Six of the meanest young noblemen gathered around me, cracking knuckles as they made clear their intent to put me in my place.

Perfect.


<Note>
After 5 years of writing isekia fantasy adventure... I finally get to write a story about being summoned to defeat the demon lord.