NovelsAlex Chapter 1196: The Kitchen
Chapter 1196: The Kitchen
In the meantime, within the Floating Fortress, Serenya the Legendary Elf and head of the Medical Division walked briskly through the supply halls.
"It’s here..."
Her emerald eyes gleamed with relief as she inspected the newly filled food stocks.
For days, she had worried about shortages, rationing bread and dried meat among soldiers and healers. Now, crates of grain, fruit, and preserved meat lined the shelves. She grinned ear to ear as she tied her silver hair, ready to inspect their quality...
"Finally... no more sleepless nights worrying about empty kitchens," she murmured.
The fortress itself was a marvel... a massive citadel suspended in the skies, powered by ancient technology that uses mana engines and reinforced with enchanted steel.
She was sure that elves didn’t make this thing and guessed that it was most likely using a dwarven technology.
Anyway, while she was inspecting their supplies, its decks bustled with activity... engineers maintaining the Skybreaker Mech units, soldiers drilling, and elves practicing their combat skills...
Serenya’s division also kept the fortress healthy and fed, but her duties extended beyond medicine. She often coordinated with combat units, ensuring the wounded were treated swiftly after skirmishes.
Daily life aboard the Floating Fortress was never quiet.
Flying zombies often swarmed from the clouds.
Their shrieks echoed across the skies, forcing the fortress to activate its defenses.
"Turrets, fire!" shouted a commander.
Mana‑powered cannons roared, blasting the creatures apart mid‑air.
Boom! Boom!
Barriers shimmered around the fortress, deflecting stray attacks. The Skybreaker Mechs launched from hangars!
Soon, these massive units slaughtered the Zombies in the sky!
They were equipped with numerous weapons and soon, they tore through the horde, destroying any form of enemies!
Even wyverns had already learned their lesson and never appeared in front of this fortress again...
Serenya watched from the medical deck with her healers ready to assist any injured crew.
Thankfully, the fortress had reliable combat forces beyond machines and turrets.
They were legendary warriors considered as the living pillars of defense...
The first was Brion, the Legendary Elf polearm master, whose strikes could pierce even armored wyverns.
There was also Earl the Phantom Blade, a swift assassin who could always protect them silently.
Taylor the Iron Paladin, riding her warhorse Stormbane, clad in radiant armor...
Then, there was also Roscoe the Deathless Arrow, an archer whose shots never missed... His arrows, infused with mana, could pierce through 10 or so targets at the same time.
With these figures leading alongside super soldiers, elves, and some warden units, no enemy could land on the Floating Fortress.
***
Several days passed in this routine. Serenya coordinated supply runs, oversaw the healing of mech pilots, and even joined Brion in monitoring mana fluctuations around the fortress.
Their next destination was New Genesis Shelter, where they planned to acquire materials for mech repairs and replacements for broken Warden Units.
But as the fortress approached the region, something unexpected happened.
Whom~
Serenya paused from her walk... her senses were prickling.
Though not an Archmage, her sensitivity to mana was immense.
Whom~
Once again, she felt a ripple in the air, a distortion that made her heart pound.
Brion, stationed nearby, froze as well, his polearm lowered as his eyes focused on a certain area...
Soon, both elves disappeared from their spot and arrived at the deck almost at the same time.
"Do you feel that?" Serenya whispered.
Brion nodded grimly. "Space itself... is tearing."
Indeed, the air above the fortress shimmered, twisting unnaturally.
Mana surged so suddenly and it started bending reality.
Then, with a sudden crack, the space split open.
A rift tore across the sky, glowing with unstable energy.
Whoom~ Whoom~
From within, two figures emerged.
Serenya took a deep breath...
Soon, Brion’s grip tightened on his weapon. The crew around them gasped...
Then, the soldiers raised weapons and even their turrets were swiveling toward the anomaly.
But then, as the figures stepped out of the tear, their forms solidified against the backdrop of the fortress. Serenya’s sharp eyes widened as she recognized them...
"Isn’t that Merlin... and Alex," she whispered, stunned.
The two had appeared out of nowhere, bypassing every barrier, every ward, every detection spell. Teleportation of this magnitude was unheard of... even Archmages struggled to pierce space so cleanly.
Brion’s voice was low, tense. "That... was no ordinary teleportation. It was something far more interesting..."
Around them, elves and soldiers murmured in disbelief. The fortress had seen countless battles, countless threats, but never had anyone simply arrived like this.
Seeing them step out of a spatial tear onto the Floating Fortress itself was beyond anything she imagined.
Meanwhile, the two figures, Merlin and his apprentice Alex, started looking around...
"Impossible..." she muttered. "How did they—"
Merlin’s calm gaze swept across the fortress, with his staff steady in hand.
Alex stood beside him, wide‑eyed, still catching his breath from the spell. The Teleportation was just too awesome!
However, at this point, the crew froze, waiting for orders.
Serenya and Brion exchanged glances, but soon, Fiona’s rat arrived, explaining the situation on what sides.
"Sir Merlin... This Floating Fortress is one of Shane’s territories." The rat immediately explained, afraid that Merlin would just use his Spell to destroy this place.
"Hoho... So it was like that." Merlin nodded as he was indeed about to do something just now...
The moment Merlin steadied his staff, Fiona’s rat scurried forward nervously, its whiskers twitching as it bowed before him.
The soldiers and elves on the deck looked on, uncertain whether to laugh or tremble at the sight of a talking rat. But Merlin’s eyes narrowed, recognizing it as one of Fiona’s familiars.
"Sir Merlin and everyone else in this Fortress..." the rat squeaked urgently, "you must head to New Genesis Shelter at once. Shane will be visiting soon!"
The words struck like thunder. Serenya, Brion, and the crew froze. Even Alex blinked in surprise.
"Shane?" Alex repeated, his voice filled with disbelief.
He was supposedly on the other side of the world, exploring with his high grade Tlalent.
The rat nodded furiously.
"Yes! He has established another shelter... far out in the islands of the seas. He used a Gate Stone to connect it with the mainland shelters. And now, he wants to celebrate. He’s gathering as many people as he can for the event."
The fortress crew exchanged shocked glances. It was especially true for the elves...
A Gate Stone was no ordinary artifact... it was a relic capable of linking distant designated places together, creating a network of instant travel. Few had ever seen one, let alone used it.
Serenya’s lips parted in astonishment. "Another shelter... in the islands? And connected by a Gate Stone? That’s... unexpected.
Brion, however, just laughed.... "Hahaha! Only Shane would dare attempt something like that. To establish a stronghold in the seas, then bind it to the mainland... it changes everything."
Merlin’s expression remained calm, but his eyes gleamed with curiosity. "So, that young man has been busy."
The rat continued, with its small voice.. "No one knows what the celebration is truly about. Shane hasn’t said. But he seems... in a very good mood. He wants everyone there. Survivors, clans, allies... all are being summoned."
The crew murmured among themselves.
A celebration in these times was rare, almost unheard of. Most shelters lived in constant fear of zombies, demons, and rival clans. To gather people together for joy instead of war felt almost alien.
Alex scratched his head. "Master... what do you think he’s planning?"
Merlin’s gaze drifted toward the horizon. "If the leader is calling so many, it is not a trivial matter. He may be preparing to announce something... or reveal a new power. Whatever it is, it will be interesting...
Serenya stepped forward.
"The Floating Fortress was already heading to New Genesis for supplies. If Shane himself is coming... then this fortress will be at the center of history."
Brion nodded... "If he is in a good mood, that means he has achieved something great. Something worth celebrating with the entire network of shelters."
***
At the same time the Floating Fortress adjusted its course, the New Genesis Shelter was already buzzing with anticipation.
Arial and the other officials Shane had assigned to oversee the shelter were in a frenzy. They had been working tirelessly to improve defenses, expand housing, and stabilize trade routes. For them, Shane’s arrival meant inspection, judgment, and perhaps new orders.
They expected him to head straight to the council hall, to review their progress and demand reports.
But when Shane finally arrived, stepping through the Gate Stone with his usual calm confidence, he did not go to the council hall. He did not even glance at the officials waiting nervously at the gates. Instead, he walked straight past them, his eyes fixed on the kitchens.
"Lord Shane!" Arial called, half‑panicked. "We have reports ready—"
Shane raised a hand, silencing him with a smile. "Later. First, the kitchen."
The officials exchanged stunned looks as Shane entered the bustling kitchen, where cooks were preparing simple meals for the shelter’s residents...
"W-what’s going on here..." Arial muttered in disbelief.