The dockyard was lively, and not just because the Masterâgrade recruits were present.
There were workers shouting orders, cranes creaking as they lifted supplies, and even those from the merchant clan who hadnât left yet...
They all couldnât help but admire the new ship of the Blue Haven...
Indeed, at the center of it all was a ship once known as
The Tide Bearer
, now reborn as
Providence
.
Shane had purchased the vessel months ago for 32,500 Points. At the time, it wasnât much. It was only known as a sturdy but modest ship with a passenger capacity of forty-six and six defense cannons. It was reliable, but hardly the kind of vessel that could dominate the seas.
Yet Shane had seen potential.
With Vasco, the master shipbuilder, he had spent months reinforcing and upgrading the vessel. The hull was strengthened with layered steel and enchanted timber, designed to withstand the crushing force of waves and the teeth of sea-borne zombies. With the presence of elves and his supply of Mana Crystals, it was enchanted even further.
The six original cannons remained, but they were now joined by mana cannons that glowed faintly with blue light, automated turrets, and reinforced ballistae mounted along the deck. After all, they didnât know what kind of enemies were out there. Every inch of the ship had been reworked to survive the horrors of the ocean.
Now,
Providence
stood ready.
The twenty Masterâgrade recruits, including Amon, assembled at the dockyard. Their boots struck the planks in unison, their eyes fixed on the vessel that would become their home and battlefield.
Shane arrived with Fiona and Katrina at his side. He gestured toward the ship, his voice carrying across the dock.
"This is Providence," he declared. "Once, it was
The Tide Bearer
... modest, limited, fragile. But now, it is reborn and ready to carve a path through seas filled with monsters."
The recruits smiled as they heard this.
"Today," Shane continued, "you will see what you are fighting for. This ship will be the foundation of our naval force. And you will be its first crew."
Vasco, the grizzled shipbuilder, stepped forward. His hands were calloused, his clothes stained with oil and sawdust, but his eyes were filled with pride.
"Follow me," he said. "Youâll want to know every inch of her before you set sail."
The recruits followed as Vasco led them up the gangplank. The deck stretched wide, and the smell of new timber lingered, a refreshing sensation against the salt air.
"Here," Vasco said, pointing to the mounted turrets. "Sir Shane calls them Mk.VI. These turrets can track targets on their own, but you can override them manually if needed. Theyâre fed with Spirit Stones, so they wonât run dry like powder weapons."
He gestured to the original cannons, now polished and reinforced. "Six defense cannons. Reliable, tested. Theyâll punch holes in anything that gets too close. Slow, yes, but dependable. Youâll want to learn how to use these properly."
The recruits murmured in approval.
Next, Vasco led them below deck. The corridors were narrow but sturdy, lined with reinforced bulkheads.
"Passenger capacity used to be fortyâsix," Vasco explained. "Now, with the reinforcements, weâve optimized space. Crew quarters, storage, and armory. Youâll have enough room to live, fight, and rest."
He opened a door, revealing the crew quarters. Four bunks lined the walls, each with fresh linens and storage chests. The recruits exchanged glances... It was simple, but far better than the barracks they remembered from the base.
"Mess hallâs down the corridor," Vasco continued. "Food storageâs reinforced, cold storage enchanted to keep supplies fresh. You wonât starve out there."
They moved deeper, reaching the armory. Racks of weapons gleamed in the dim light... There were rifles, blades, grenades, and specialized gear.
"Ahem... These weapons were arranged by Tundra. Every crew member will be armed," Vasco said firmly. "If you need a specialized weapon, you can ask someone in the Weapons Division."
Finally, Vasco led them to the engine room. The air was hot, filled with the hum of machinery.
Aside from the original engine, the elves had added enchantments that allowed mana to feed directly into the reinforced systems.
"This is her heart," Vasco said, patting the steel casing. "Sheâll run steady, even in storms. Mana infusion keeps her efficient, and the reinforced hull means she wonât crack under pressure."
Amon stepped closer, unable to hide his amazement at the technology. He studied it for a moment, felt the flow of energy, the balance of power, and couldnât help but praise the elves silently.
"Sheâll fly through the waves," Vasco said proudly. "Not fast, but steady. Trust me."
The look in his eyes was firm. He truly knew what he had done on this ship.
Of course, everyone trusted his words, and soon the tour ended at the bridge. Wide windows overlooked the dockyard, the sea stretching beyond. Control panels lined the walls, a mix of mechanical levers and mana-infused crystals.
It was an interesting setup, and for those without mana like the recruits, curiosity burned in their eyes.
"This is where youâll command her," Vasco said. "Navigation, weapons, communication. Everything runs through here. Well, Iâm not sure about the captain, as that will be handled by Sir Shane, but in any case, this is it."
Shane stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the recruits.
"There will be a captain, but sheâs still quite busy. Sheâll be here in a few days. However, this ship is your responsibility. Treat her well, and she will carry you through the Apocalypse."
The recruits stood in silence, absorbing the weight of Shaneâs words.
Then Shane continued. "Anyway, you mightâve noticed the two large anchors, or claws, on the side of the ship. This vessel will be carrying something more. For that, four of you will have to train in New Genesis."
The twenty recruits were confused.
Of course, they knew about the New Genesis Shelter, one of Shaneâs territories. However, they had no idea what the ship would carry and why there was a need to train in a shelter so far away!
***
The New Genesis Shelter was unlike Blue Haven.
Where Blue Haven thrived as a port town and bastion of survival, New Genesis was the beating industrial heart of Shaneâs territories. It was the central hub of weapons manufacturing, a place where steel, mana, and ingenuity fused into machines of war.
Here, the Warden Units were produced every day.
This includes the Steelking Frame, a heavily armored battle exosuit. Its bulk was designed to withstand the crushing force of zombie hordes and could even be used in construction.
And deeper within the Central Engineering Hub, the crown jewels of New Genesis were forged, the Mech Frames.
Two series dominated production, the Aegis Mech Series, towering ground mechs built for defense and heavy combat, and the Valiant Mech Series, sky mechs designed for aerial superiority.
Together, they represented the pinnacle of Shaneâs technological arsenal.
For the past three months, Project Manager Eliot, a meticulous engineer, had overseen modifications to one particular line: the Reaper Mechs.
Among the Aegis units, Vanguard, Juggernaut, Bastion, Phantom, Reaper, and Overseer, the Reapers were the lightest.
It was agile, versatile, and adaptable, they were the perfect candidates for experimentation.
With the assistance of the A.I. Cloud, Eliot and his team had pushed the boundaries of design.
Their goal was ambitious... It was to create a Reaper variant capable of surviving and fighting in the seas. The oceans were still largely uncharted, infested with horrors that dwarfed anything on land.
If Shaneâs forces were to dominate the waters, they needed machines that could fight beneath the waves.
And so, the Sea Reaper project began.
At this time, Ziya wiped the sweat from her brow, the welding torch still humming in her hand.
Sparks danced across the reinforced plating of the mech before her, scattering like fireflies everywhere.
She was one of the welders assigned to the Sea Reaper project, and though her role was humble compared to Eliotâs grand designs, she knew every seam mattered.
The mech loomed above her, its frame was a lot smoother compared to other designs... Obviously, it was to cut through water with minimal resistance.
The plating was layered with enchanted alloys, resistant to pressure and corrosion...
Ziya crouched, adjusting her visor, and finished sealing the joint along the mechâs left arm. The arm was fitted with modular slots, capable of mounting harpoon launchers, mana-charged blades, or even torpedo systems. She had welded countless frames before, but this one felt different...
She paused, resting her torch, and looked up at the mechâs head. It was angular with reinforced optics designed to function both above and below water.
It didnât have a name yet, but she felt it deserved one. Something that captured its purpose, a predator of the deep, a guardian of the seas.
"Mhmm... How about Leviathan Mech?" Ziya muttered as she considered suggesting it at the next meeting.
After all, Shane had previously visited the hangar and told everyone to come up with a name! The one who would win would receive a reward from him!