With only two hours to go before the waves began, I quickly divvied out my remaining free points. Strength, Agility, and Endurance up to 1200 to match Perception. The last 41 free points I dumped into Perception. Selka landed gently on the tower as I returned from my Soul Chamber.

  “Two hours to go,” I said as I stretched out the almost two days I’d spent consolidating skills and spending points. Sometimes my ability to tune out everything was detrimental.

  “Our troops are ready for the waves. Scouts are set up in eight directions so we should know where they show up. We have set up a scout chat and have several admins within the tower tracking movements and coordinating.”

  “I’m so glad I don’t have to mess with any of that.”

  “There is a problem, sir.”

  “What’s that?” I asked, stepping over to look out to see many more people gathered in loose groups around the tower.

  “We have no WC.”

  “I don’t really have to use the bathroom anymore.”

  “Not water closets. Wave Coins.”

  “Why is that bad?”

  “We can’t buy any defenses from the shop.”

  “There’s a shop?!” That sounded exciting!

  “Yes, but there is nothing we can acquire yet. The cheapest item is a wooden wall for 10,000 WC. Some things in the shop are in the millions.”

  I whistled and considered the new information. “I think the answer is obvious.”

  “We have a few theories.”

  “That we can’t verify until the waves start, right? That the enemies of the wave will be dropping WC?” Selka nodded.

  “Couldn’t agree more. I have a few new skills I wanted to try out on the first wave anyway.”

  “So do many others.”

  “He gets the first dibs if he wants them.” Jenny said jovially as she alighted onto the roof. Selka shrugged in indifference. “You get lost in your own thoughts a lot for an ever hungry powerhouse, you know. Almost two days. I came by to poke you a few times.”

  “Four times. I knew it wasn’t anything serious, or you would have put in more effort, so I kept working. Sorry about that.”

  She shrugged and addressed Selka. “The troops have been organized by affinity and damage types. Healers are staying near the tower base and mobile healing units are ready for deployment as needed. Most archers can conjure their own arrows, but the craftsmen are all diligently set to task making munitions and other necessities.”

  “Thank you, Major.” Selka said as my jaw dropped.

  “It’s been a long two days!” I said. “Major Jenny!”

  “That’s me! By the way, Bill, Charley, George, Ron, and Ginny are doing great! Everyone loves those cute little waggly front paws!”

  “Naming them after the Weasley’s?! Why? They don’t even have red hair!”

  “I thought they were cute names!”

  “And don’t tell me you named the one that was blasted by the gazer Fred,” I said.

  Jenny blinked away a tear. “That was so sad! And a completely unnecessary death!”

  “Couldn’t agree more. Wait, which Fred?”

  “Too soon!” she said.

  “Where are the others?”

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  “Finishing up preparations to survive the waves.”

  Wanting to go check on said preparations, Jenny hastily agreed to accompany me while Selka left to finish her own.

  The nearest groups were healers, steadily working toward setting up the combat medic area, some of which spilled into the bottom levels of the tower. Many of the temporary beds looked to have been built of thick vines. Cari sat in a vine chair as she worked. I didn’t want to disturb them given the limited time, so I simply gave her a nod and continued closer to the front.

  Fiona was giving orders to a group of determined looking archers and gunmen. I hesitated here as I hadn’t seen that many guns since my arrival. Or any, really. Fiona was an archer, and her bow was a vibrant orange color with carvings of flames upon the wood. She’d held no weapon the last time I’d seen her, and I was glad to see her as the leader of this squadron.

  “Fiona.” I said, pulling her attention from her command.

  “What?!” she demanded, though her stance shifted when she saw it was me. “Oh. Dan. Finally get your meditation done, I see. Finally going to help us get set up?”

  “Uh, no. Looks well in hand to me. I trust you to keep these folks in check. I’m heading for the frontlines. But, first, guns? I wasn’t expecting them to be System supported.”

  “Don’t you know a sexpest minotaur who has System given horny powers?” she said with raised eyebrows.

  I opened, then closed my mouth, nodding in acquiescence. “Point taken. Keep on keeping on.” Fiona turned and continued her ordering.

  Jenny and I continued past several other groups of ranged troops, some who held no weapons but the elemental energies emanating from their hands, feet, or eyes. Sarah stood looking nervously out at the sprawling city, fiddling with one of her fiery daggers.

  “It’s going to be a long month, isn’t it?” I asked her. Thankfully she’d already seen me, so I wasn’t worried about incoming stabs.

  “That depends on how difficult the waves are.”

  “True enough. Do you think we could end it early? If we clear the waves fast enough?”

  Sarah thought for a moment before answering. “No. I think the waves are designed to take the whole time. Maybe there will be bonus rounds if we make it that far.”

  “I sure hope so! Aren’t you a melee fighter?”

  “Abrupt change of topic, but yes. Why?”

  “Why are you here with this… fire affinity ranged squad?”

  “Just because I use knives doesn’t mean I’m not a ranged combatant, dumbass. Plus, if they get attacked close up, we’ll need some melee fighters to help defend while they retreat.”

  “I’ll try to keep that from happening, if possible.” I said.

  “Yeah, yeah, you just make sure whatever the waves are don’t get back here and we’ll be fine.”

  On we went.

  I passed and exchanged a few words with Bethany who was heading to check on Sarah between her duties, and we reached the squadrons of predominantly melee fighters. They were divided into preferred types of weapons. The more popular weapons like the sword had several dedicated squadrons, while there was only one squad of spearmen. Silas was leading them in a series of spear maneuvers, but he called them all to rest as Jenny and I arrived. Silas stared at me hard for several moments before he shocked me by kneeling.

  “Chosen of the Deeps.” Silas said in greeting.

  “How do you know that?” I asked, then my brain caught up. He was a shark-man, for crying out loud. A creature of the deeps. “Never mind. I’m here, I promise.”

  “No offense taken, Chosen. We are ready to serve the All-Devourer.”

  “Can you send word around that I need to speak with everyone?”

  “No need, sir. Just use the group chat thing.” SIlas said, rising to his feet.

  Of course. I’m a little dense sometimes.

  I patted him on the shoulder and walked out past the remaining groups, giving nods to several people I knew. Hector the Ursan and Tim stood amongst a squad of blunt weapons users. Gregory was standing at the head of a squad of axemen, of whom Dennis the Loxodon was among.

  Happy barking interrupted my greetings as my pack of veloci-labradors bounded over several squads to sit before me. Ernest was puffing as he ran to keep up, and he found a fedora from somewhere that he tipped at Jenny, pointedly ignoring me.

  “Mi’lady!” he said.

  “Mi’lord!” Jenny happily said with an adorable curtsy.

  They had some light conversation as I patted four of the five of my pets, cycling in the fifth every so often so it didn’t feel too left out. Giving four doggos scritches at the same time really made me appreciate having four hands. After a few minutes of that, I pulled up the Tower system’s chat function and found the one that had everyone in it labeled ‘Emergency Channel’. There were very few messages within it, and I could inherently feel that it would ping everyone when I sent out a message.

  Welcome to the Emergency Channel.

  Dan: Hello, all! Just a quick note. I’ve recently upgraded an ability and I wanted to try it out on the first wave. So, no touchy until I give the go ahead.

  I watched everyone around me stiffen as they read and then a light white noise as people began discussing amongst themselves. Selka sent me a personal message.

  Selka: While I appreciate the update, that channel is for emergencies, Dan.

  Dan: I know. I figured it would alert everyone and get the point across.

  Everyone shifted and the white noise increased as we all received the next System message.

  Thirty Minute Warning! Evacuate all non-Tower buildings. Reconstitution in fifteen minutes.