The week following the defense of Sub-Station Epsilon was a period of intense, focused recovery and grim consolidation for Kai. The advanced medical supplies Roric possessed, combined with Shift's surprisingly adept field medic skills, had managed to stitch his mangled thigh back together. The wound was healing with unnatural speed, a testament to his enhanced Vitality and the strange energies still thrumming through him from the forced assimilation of Crusher's Anima Shard. The System had noted the permanent +1 to his Strength and Vitality, but also warned of ongoing "physiological recalibration." This manifested as intermittent muscle cramps, sudden flashes of heat or cold under his skin, and a heightened, almost uncomfortable sensitivity to ambient Anima energies.
His Anima Core Stability, after the Shard's violent integration, had settled at a more robust 75% once the initial crisis passed, but the System's hunger advisories, though less frequent, still carried a chilling undertone: [Anima Core Recalibration: Ongoing. Dominant Draconic signature suppressing foreign Myomer remnants. Optimal Tier 2 Sustenance will aid in full purification and minimize potential Anima dissonance.] "Anima dissonance." Another pleasant prospect.
He spent most of his time in a newly designated private quarter within Epsilon – a small, secure room Roric had insisted upon for the "Leader's recuperation and strategic contemplation." Here, Kai pored over the System interface, finally addressing his accumulated advancements. He was Level 3, with 8 undistributed attribute points and 2 skill points.
The attack had been a brutal lesson. His Dermal Plating had saved him multiple times, but it wasn't enough. He needed more resilience, more control. 'System, allocate 1 Skill Point to upgrade Dermal Plating Manifestation (Rank 1).' [Skill Not Yet Acquired. Prerequisite: Unlock 'Shadow Scale Draconic Anima – Tier 1 Manifestations' in Skill Tree. Current Anima Affinity (1) insufficient for direct skill purchase. Suggest allocating Skill Point to available Tier 1 skills or improving Anima Affinity through specific evolutionary actions or Shard integration.]
Frustration gnawed at him. His Anima Affinity was still too low. He couldn't directly upgrade his scales yet. He looked at the available Tier 1 skills. "Basic Anima Concealment" was already at Rank 2. "Anima Channeling Efficiency" was at Rank 1. There was also "Heightened Senses (Draconic)" which promised to refine his already enhanced perception.
He decided to bolster his control and efficiency first. 'System, allocate 1 Skill Point to upgrade Anima Channeling Efficiency (Rank 1 -> Rank 2).' [Skill Upgraded: Anima Channeling Efficiency (Rank 2/5). Reduces passive Anima Core Stability drain from maintaining active Anima abilities and heightened states by an additional 7%. Total reduction: 12%.] That would help. He still had 1 skill point and 8 attribute points. He decided to invest heavily in his core survivability and the attribute that governed his Anima. 'System, allocate 4 Attribute Points to Vitality. Allocate 4 Attribute Points to Anima Affinity.' [Attribute Points Allocated. Vitality Increased. Anima Affinity Increased.] [New Anima Affinity: 5. Note: Increased Anima Affinity may unlock new passive traits or improve control over existing manifestations. Recalibrating Anima Manifestation Profile.]A subtle warmth spread through him, a feeling of deeper connection to the draconic core within. His body felt marginally tougher, more resilient.
Meanwhile, the rest of The Crimson Coil was not idle. Under Roric's tireless direction, Epsilon was transforming. Breaker, his Gorgon Anima now a familiar sight as he worked, supervised the reinforcement of their breached North tunnel, turning it into a heavily fortified chokepoint with multiple layers of defense. Zip, his energy levels recovered, used his Dragonfly Anima to map every nook and cranny of the vast facility, identifying structural weaknesses, hidden passages, and potential resource caches. Shift, when not tending to Kai's initial recovery, had delved deep into Epsilon's ancient systems, attempting to restore more functionality and establish secure, encrypted communication lines that bypassed the city's monitored networks.
Roric himself was a whirlwind of quiet, intense activity. He spent hours on his data-slate, cross-referencing information, analyzing the salvaged gear from their attackers (which, as he'd noted, was frustratingly sterile and untraceable), and making discreet inquiries through channels Kai couldn't begin to guess at.
"Our attackers were professionals," Roric stated during one of their evening briefings in the control room, his expression grim. The room now boasted better lighting, several active multi-monitors displaying sensor feeds, and a large tactical map of District 7 and the surrounding sectors. "Their objective was likely either to eliminate a nascent threat – us – before we could establish ourselves, or to secure something specific within Epsilon they believed the Rust Phantoms might have overlooked or been guarding."
"Something specific?" Shift asked, her cybernetic eye focusing on Roric. "Like what? This place was a ruin."
"Ruins can hide many things," Roric replied enigmatically. "Old tech, forgotten data vaults, pre-Apex experimental Anima catalysts… The possibilities are numerous. The fact that they came in such force, so well-equipped, suggests a high-value target." He looked at Kai. "Whatever it was, they didn't find it, or they were repelled before they could. But they know we're here now. They know we have MOD capabilities. They will likely be back, or they will send others."
"So, we're expecting another attack?" Breaker rumbled, his hand instinctively going to a heavy wrench he now kept at his side.
"We should always expect another attack," Roric said. "Complacency is a luxury The Crimson Coil cannot afford. Our current priority is to make Epsilon a fortress. Then, we gather intelligence. We need to identify who sent that team. Knowing your enemy is the first step to dismantling them."
His gaze lingered on Kai. "Your recovery is progressing well. Your Anima, after its… violent method of stabilization, seems to have settled. But you need to master it, Kai. That raw power is our greatest asset, but uncontrolled, it's also our greatest liability."
Kai nodded, the weight of Roric's words, and the System's constant presence, a familiar pressure. The battle for Epsilon was won, but the war for The Crimson Coil's survival, and his own, had just begun. The scars, both physical and mental, were a constant reminder of the price of power in Veridia City. And the schematics Roric was already pulling up on the holo-display, detailing new defensive emplacements and patrol routes, showed that their architect had no intention of resting.