"Mm." Bolin nodded. "It isn't surprising you've never heard of Nexus. They only appeared on the scene recently. If not for their timely information, then I would have likely been captured by the Hunter Association. They warned me just before the attack on Blood-Lust happened."
"I see." Ed nodded. "So, they're an information gathering organization? How can I meet with them?"
"That..." He made a difficult face, "Will be difficult. Nexus met with me just one time in my dreams and I haven't heard from them since. I've no idea of where they're physically located nor who leads them."
Ed frowned. "Then what else do you know about Nexus? I'd assume their information isn't free?"
"Not much..." Bolin sighed. "They actually did give me the information free as a first-time courtesy. They informed me that they'll be selling information, technology, and mutant products. However, their prices are not cheap. Something of equivalent value must be given to them in exchange for what you want."
"That doesn't sound that bad?" He replied.
"That's because you haven't dealt with them. The amount of information they knew was terrifying. I had to scavenge up nearly every secret I know just to buy the ranking information on all the espers within Steam Work City from them, and that's actually some of their cheapest information for sale. Their technology was on par with Europe, so it's difficult to try selling them new technology. As for mana-powders and other mutant byproducts, they paid peanuts for them. I have no idea how this colossal organization popped up out of nowhere. I paid visits to some of my old friends and only a few had done business with Nexus. All of it was recent, so I'm almost positive they're a new group."
"If they're so great then why haven't they contacted you again to do more business?" Ed questioned.
"I assume it's because they know I have nothing left of value to offer them." World Walker looked a bit depressed. He was a famous esper with highly valued powers, but Nexus saw no worth in him. "You must understand. I literally sold out my old friends' secrets just to buy the information I wanted. I'm sure my old friends sold out my own secrets as well. Can you understand how terrifying that is?"
"Was it worth it?" Ed rose an eyebrow. "All you got was some information about the local espers? Doesn't seem like it'd be worth that much to me."
"It was." He nodded. "Such accurate information regarding espers is very rare. When I infiltrated Steam Work Academy previously, I only knew generic information about you all. It was a big risk. I only took it because I managed to steal information from the Hunter Association, but their information is worth dogshit compared to Nexus. Specifics on powers, combat style, offense, defense, agility, versatility, personality, and more. If I still had my group, then I'm sure I could take over all the other sinner groups in the city. Unfortunately, I imagine it will soon become a red ocean."
"A red ocean? What's that?" Ed questioned.
"It's a business term. I meant that the ranking information will no longer provide a competitive advantage in the near future. Every group will do everything they can to get their hands on the information. Essentially, everyone is paying a fortune for the same thing. All of us are suffering losses even though we think we're making big gains. Like two stores cutting their prices to compete until neither one makes a profit."
"Gotchya." Ed nodded. "Anyways, can you hand over the information on the espers within Steam Work City? I just so happen to have a use for it."
"Sure." Bolin nodded and handed a small and thick black book over to Ed. It had a golden title that read 'Steam Work City Combat Rankings'
Ed leaned against the wall of a nearby building as he read the introduction. 'The following pages contain information on all espers living within Steam Work City. Also included is information on important espers that don't live within the city but are related to it. Lastly, information is included for local groups such as the military and Sinless.' He flipped to the next page. 'Espers are graded on the following four areas: Offense, Defense, Agility, and Versatility. These rankings include non-esper abilities and is not a direct reflection of the esper's powers. A brief description of the esper's personality, history, and fighting style are also included. Identical rankings are applied for other groups.'
Next, the book explained the grading methodology. Each area was given a grade of F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, or SSS. Then, an overall grade was assigned by converting the individual grades to points and dividing. F was worth 1 point, E worth 2 points, D worth 3 points, and so forth. SSS was the highest grade and was worth 9 points. So, an esper with grade D offense, grade S defense, Grade D agility, and Grade F versatility would have a score of 14 divided by 4 for an overall grade of 3.5. That would put him in the D rankings.
'Hmm. So, F is the default grade that even ordinary people are given. E is the typical level of a newly awakened esper. From there the rankings become more abstract. It's hard to judge espers accurately. Especially since newly awakened espers can be unusually strong sometimes, and 2nd awaken espers can often be weak. Still, it's easy to compare espers within one group to another. I can also draw parallels from my experience. For instance, B rank defense should be completely immune to ordinary mana-powder based on my fight earlier today.'
Ed flipped the pages and looked for some espers he was familiar with. Naturally, he looked up the world's strongest first. There was a small portrait of the esper next to his name.
Name: Tama Sai
Alias: OP Baldy
Affiliation: Hunter Association, Steam Work Academy
Power: Unknown. Believed to be some variation of Light element.
Traits: Charitable. Prideful. Wrathful. Appears kind on the surface but is arrogant and brash behind closed doors. Usually avoids killing but makes exceptions if anyone touches his family.
Combat Style: Efficient. He will not use more power or effort than what's needed for the job.
Offense: SSS (9)
Defense: SSS (9)
Agility: SSS (9)
Versatility: B (5)
Overall Grade: SS (8)
'Hmm. I didn't think his versatility level would be so low. Come to think of it, I've never really seen him do anything but fight and fly. He doesn't seem to have many tricks up his sleeve. Maybe they were overly generous in his versatility ranking due to his ridiculous strength? Versatility is hardly needed when you're an unstoppable tank.' He flipped the pages some more and looked at the next entry he wanted to know about.
Name: Ms. Willow
Alias: Witch-Time.
Affiliation: Hunter Association, Steam Work Academy
Power: Time reversal. Can rewind time on objects. Exact time-limit unknown. Can rewind time on living/organics for up to an hour. Cannot rewind time on what isn't there. For example, she can't rewind a severed arm without possession of the arm. Extra Note: It has been confirmed she can bring the dead back to life within the one-hour time limit as long as the mana-core is not shattered.
Traits: Charitable. Kind. Patient. Prideful. Slothful, Temperate.
Combat Style: Known to use her powers to create a time reversal domain that keeps enemies at bay. Primarily works as a healer.
Offense: E (2)
Defense: SS (8)
Agility: E (2)
Versatility: SS (8)
Overall Grade: B (5)
'So low!' Ed was really surprised this time. Her powers seemed so strong at first glance. However, it made sense in hindsight. She never seemed to train physically, so her physical strength was likely only comparable to newly awakened espers. 'I wonder if the academy students are in here?' He flipped through the pages once again.
Name: Jake Pyre
Alias: Fire Giant
Affiliation: Hunter Association, Steam Work Academy
Power: Basic control over fire. His body grows in size as the flames grow greater. His physical strength increases in proportion to his growth.
Traits: Diligent. Envious. Prideful. Wrathful. A rude man that looks down on others. Known to be kind to those he deems worthy of his respect.
Combat Style: Sets surroundings on fire and charges directly towards the enemy. Crushes enemies in close-range combat. Shoots fireballs for distanced combat.
Offense: C (4)
Defense: C (4)
Agility: D (3)
Versatility: D (3)
Overall Grade: D (3.5)
'Mm. About what I expected. Ah, I'm in here too? Is it because I was once part of the academy? Or is it my identity as Forge combined with my former relationship to the city?'
Name: Edward Tesla
Alias: Forge, Weld (Former)
Affiliation: Harmony
Power: Can change almost all living and non-living objects into gas, liquid, and solid states. Then fuse or manipulate the objects as desired.
Traits: Diligent. Greedy. Patient. Prideful. A cruel and Intelligent man. Only known to be kind to very select individuals he deems as true friends.
Combat Style: Has a variety of combat styles depending on the situation. Known to melt floors to trap enemies. Uses metal limbs in close-range combat. Primarily uses fire, wind, and water self-created weapons in combat. Can fly in the sky using flames. Has been known to use guns and mechs. Note: Take extreme precaution against this esper if he has prep-time. He has previously created devastating plans and traps against others.
Offense: C (4)
Defense: D (3)
Agility: C (4)
Versatility: S (7)
Overall Grade: C (4.5)
'Hmm. So, my offense is only C? That means that mana-powder likely falls in the C range. I need to find some ways to improve on that. Unfortunately, my base power is mostly useless in combat against espers. My defense is comparable to Iron Jaw's? It's probably good for a new esper. Still, I can improve on it once I get the right materials. My agility is probably only that high since I can fly. I have somewhat limited mobility in the air and I'm even worse on the ground. Need to improve that as well. Damn, my Versatility is great! It'll probably go up more as I keep improving.'
He skipped through the rest of the esper section and entered the local groups section. Varying amounts of details were listed for the different sinner groups. The military and Sinless groups took up the most detail after that. Last was a few fringe groups most people had likely never heard of. 'This information is pretty valuable as well...'
Name: Standard Mech x0391
Alias: Standard Mech
Affiliation: Military
Power: A standard steam-powered mech. Stands 3 meters tall. Constructed from a mix of steel, bronze, and brass. A small glass window on the front hatch is used for visibility. Levers used to move arms and legs. Includes wheels for railroad travel. Red buttons used to activate nozzle on end of each arm.
Traits: N/A
Combat Style: Shoot boiling water from nozzles on end of each arm.
Offense: E (2)
Defense: D (3)
Agility: E (2)
Versatility: E (2)
Overall Grade E (2.25)
'So, a standard mech is only as good as a newly awakened esper? I should look into developing some better ones soon. So little time and so much to do.' He sighed. 'Sometimes I wish I had Dupe's powers. I could really use being in a dozen places at once.' He decided to read one more entry before stopping. The book made for an addicting read and he planned to fully study it later.
Name: Standard Sinless Rifleman
Alias: None.
Affiliation: Sinless
Power: Known to use specialized 6-round revolver rifle from Europe. Various mana-ammunitions used. Wears Sinless Exo suit. Suit reduces blunt force and is mana-resistant. Suit contains mana-radio, steam skates, and grapples.
Traits: Most Sinless soldiers hate espers.
Combat Style: Typically works in a squad with other riflemen, snipers, shotgunners, and cannoneers. Mana-ammunition is used to cause devastating damage to enemies. Grapples and skates ensure high mobility and maneuverability on the battlefield.
Offense: C (4)
Defense: C (4)
Agility: C (4)
Versatility: C (4)
Overall Grade: C (4)
'A bit higher than I expected. No wonder Sinless successfully keeps espers under control in Europe. The defense rating is higher than mine? I guess Nexus didn't include the exo suit as part of my ranking. I suppose I don't wear it often enough.'
Ed looked up towards World Walker. "Tell me. How do you think Nexus gets information this accurate and up-to-date? They know almost everything about my powers. That's fine, but it's weird how they even have most of my personality pegged down. They even know about the plans I setup for others. I've only done such things a few times and kept it top-secret. There shouldn't be a way for them to know.
"I don't know." World Walker sighed while shaking his head. "They knew things about me I was confident nobody in the world knew. Their means must go beyond something as simple as a single esper's powers. I'd imagine their organization is far more complex than either of us can imagine with our limited information."
"True." Ed nodded in agreement. "Anyways, I can't return to Reef City right now. A homicidal governor is after me. Got a safehouse we can use for the night?"
"I've got plenty that I've setup for myself." He nodded. "I've never taken others to any of them previously. I'll take us to one that isn't too far."
"Good. One in another city is preferable. The hunters will be everywhere tonight after what I pulled."
A black portal appeared in front of them and they stepped through it. They arrived at a small wood cabin in the middle of nowhere. A lush green forest was visible in the distance. The sun was just starting to rise in the dark sky.
"Where are we?" Ed questioned as he smelt the strong pine scent in the air.
"New Hampshire." Bolin answered. "I've got several safehouses in nearly every state. Some in cities and some in nature." He smiled proudly. "There's a reason I've never been caught."
"Mm." Bolin nodded. "It isn't surprising you've never heard of Nexus. They only appeared on the scene recently. If not for their timely information, then I would have likely been captured by the Hunter Association. They warned me just before the attack on Blood-Lust happened."
"I see." Ed nodded. "So, they're an information gathering organization? How can I meet with them?"
"That..." He made a difficult face, "Will be difficult. Nexus met with me just one time in my dreams and I haven't heard from them since. I've no idea of where they're physically located nor who leads them."
Ed frowned. "Then what else do you know about Nexus? I'd assume their information isn't free?"
"Not much..." Bolin sighed. "They actually did give me the information free as a first-time courtesy. They informed me that they'll be selling information, technology, and mutant products. However, their prices are not cheap. Something of equivalent value must be given to them in exchange for what you want."
"That doesn't sound that bad?" He replied.
"That's because you haven't dealt with them. The amount of information they knew was terrifying. I had to scavenge up nearly every secret I know just to buy the ranking information on all the espers within Steam Work City from them, and that's actually some of their cheapest information for sale. Their technology was on par with Europe, so it's difficult to try selling them new technology. As for mana-powders and other mutant byproducts, they paid peanuts for them. I have no idea how this colossal organization popped up out of nowhere. I paid visits to some of my old friends and only a few had done business with Nexus. All of it was recent, so I'm almost positive they're a new group."
"If they're so great then why haven't they contacted you again to do more business?" Ed questioned.
"I assume it's because they know I have nothing left of value to offer them." World Walker looked a bit depressed. He was a famous esper with highly valued powers, but Nexus saw no worth in him. "You must understand. I literally sold out my old friends' secrets just to buy the information I wanted. I'm sure my old friends sold out my own secrets as well. Can you understand how terrifying that is?"
"Was it worth it?" Ed rose an eyebrow. "All you got was some information about the local espers? Doesn't seem like it'd be worth that much to me."
"It was." He nodded. "Such accurate information regarding espers is very rare. When I infiltrated Steam Work Academy previously, I only knew generic information about you all. It was a big risk. I only took it because I managed to steal information from the Hunter Association, but their information is worth dogshit compared to Nexus. Specifics on powers, combat style, offense, defense, agility, versatility, personality, and more. If I still had my group, then I'm sure I could take over all the other sinner groups in the city. Unfortunately, I imagine it will soon become a red ocean."
"A red ocean? What's that?" Ed questioned.
"It's a business term. I meant that the ranking information will no longer provide a competitive advantage in the near future. Every group will do everything they can to get their hands on the information. Essentially, everyone is paying a fortune for the same thing. All of us are suffering losses even though we think we're making big gains. Like two stores cutting their prices to compete until neither one makes a profit."
"Gotchya." Ed nodded. "Anyways, can you hand over the information on the espers within Steam Work City? I just so happen to have a use for it."
"Sure." Bolin nodded and handed a small and thick black book over to Ed. It had a golden title that read 'Steam Work City Combat Rankings'
Ed leaned against the wall of a nearby building as he read the introduction. 'The following pages contain information on all espers living within Steam Work City. Also included is information on important espers that don't live within the city but are related to it. Lastly, information is included for local groups such as the military and Sinless.' He flipped to the next page. 'Espers are graded on the following four areas: Offense, Defense, Agility, and Versatility. These rankings include non-esper abilities and is not a direct reflection of the esper's powers. A brief description of the esper's personality, history, and fighting style are also included. Identical rankings are applied for other groups.'
Next, the book explained the grading methodology. Each area was given a grade of F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, or SSS. Then, an overall grade was assigned by converting the individual grades to points and dividing. F was worth 1 point, E worth 2 points, D worth 3 points, and so forth. SSS was the highest grade and was worth 9 points. So, an esper with grade D offense, grade S defense, Grade D agility, and Grade F versatility would have a score of 14 divided by 4 for an overall grade of 3.5. That would put him in the D rankings.
'Hmm. So, F is the default grade that even ordinary people are given. E is the typical level of a newly awakened esper. From there the rankings become more abstract. It's hard to judge espers accurately. Especially since newly awakened espers can be unusually strong sometimes, and 2nd awaken espers can often be weak. Still, it's easy to compare espers within one group to another. I can also draw parallels from my experience. For instance, B rank defense should be completely immune to ordinary mana-powder based on my fight earlier today.'
Ed flipped the pages and looked for some espers he was familiar with. Naturally, he looked up the world's strongest first. There was a small portrait of the esper next to his name.
Name: Tama Sai
Alias: OP Baldy
Affiliation: Hunter Association, Steam Work Academy
Power: Unknown. Believed to be some variation of Light element.
Traits: Charitable. Prideful. Wrathful. Appears kind on the surface but is arrogant and brash behind closed doors. Usually avoids killing but makes exceptions if anyone touches his family.
Combat Style: Efficient. He will not use more power or effort than what's needed for the job.
Offense: SSS (9)
Defense: SSS (9)
Agility: SSS (9)
Versatility: B (5)
Overall Grade: SS (8)
'Hmm. I didn't think his versatility level would be so low. Come to think of it, I've never really seen him do anything but fight and fly. He doesn't seem to have many tricks up his sleeve. Maybe they were overly generous in his versatility ranking due to his ridiculous strength? Versatility is hardly needed when you're an unstoppable tank.' He flipped the pages some more and looked at the next entry he wanted to know about.
Name: Ms. Willow
Alias: Witch-Time.
Affiliation: Hunter Association, Steam Work Academy
Power: Time reversal. Can rewind time on objects. Exact time-limit unknown. Can rewind time on living/organics for up to an hour. Cannot rewind time on what isn't there. For example, she can't rewind a severed arm without possession of the arm. Extra Note: It has been confirmed she can bring the dead back to life within the one-hour time limit as long as the mana-core is not shattered.
Traits: Charitable. Kind. Patient. Prideful. Slothful, Temperate.
Combat Style: Known to use her powers to create a time reversal domain that keeps enemies at bay. Primarily works as a healer.
Offense: E (2)
Defense: SS (8)
Agility: E (2)
Versatility: SS (8)
Overall Grade: B (5)
'So low!' Ed was really surprised this time. Her powers seemed so strong at first glance. However, it made sense in hindsight. She never seemed to train physically, so her physical strength was likely only comparable to newly awakened espers. 'I wonder if the academy students are in here?' He flipped through the pages once again.
Name: Jake Pyre
Alias: Fire Giant
Affiliation: Hunter Association, Steam Work Academy
Power: Basic control over fire. His body grows in size as the flames grow greater. His physical strength increases in proportion to his growth.
Traits: Diligent. Envious. Prideful. Wrathful. A rude man that looks down on others. Known to be kind to those he deems worthy of his respect.
Combat Style: Sets surroundings on fire and charges directly towards the enemy. Crushes enemies in close-range combat. Shoots fireballs for distanced combat.
Offense: C (4)
Defense: C (4)
Agility: D (3)
Versatility: D (3)
Overall Grade: D (3.5)
'Mm. About what I expected. Ah, I'm in here too? Is it because I was once part of the academy? Or is it my identity as Forge combined with my former relationship to the city?'
Name: Edward Tesla
Alias: Forge, Weld (Former)
Affiliation: Harmony
Power: Can change almost all living and non-living objects into gas, liquid, and solid states. Then fuse or manipulate the objects as desired.
Traits: Diligent. Greedy. Patient. Prideful. A cruel and Intelligent man. Only known to be kind to very select individuals he deems as true friends.
Combat Style: Has a variety of combat styles depending on the situation. Known to melt floors to trap enemies. Uses metal limbs in close-range combat. Primarily uses fire, wind, and water self-created weapons in combat. Can fly in the sky using flames. Has been known to use guns and mechs. Note: Take extreme precaution against this esper if he has prep-time. He has previously created devastating plans and traps against others.
Offense: C (4)
Defense: D (3)
Agility: C (4)
Versatility: S (7)
Overall Grade: C (4.5)
'Hmm. So, my offense is only C? That means that mana-powder likely falls in the C range. I need to find some ways to improve on that. Unfortunately, my base power is mostly useless in combat against espers. My defense is comparable to Iron Jaw's? It's probably good for a new esper. Still, I can improve on it once I get the right materials. My agility is probably only that high since I can fly. I have somewhat limited mobility in the air and I'm even worse on the ground. Need to improve that as well. Damn, my Versatility is great! It'll probably go up more as I keep improving.'
He skipped through the rest of the esper section and entered the local groups section. Varying amounts of details were listed for the different sinner groups. The military and Sinless groups took up the most detail after that. Last was a few fringe groups most people had likely never heard of. 'This information is pretty valuable as well...'
Name: Standard Mech x0391
Alias: Standard Mech
Affiliation: Military
Power: A standard steam-powered mech. Stands 3 meters tall. Constructed from a mix of steel, bronze, and brass. A small glass window on the front hatch is used for visibility. Levers used to move arms and legs. Includes wheels for railroad travel. Red buttons used to activate nozzle on end of each arm.
Traits: N/A
Combat Style: Shoot boiling water from nozzles on end of each arm.
Offense: E (2)
Defense: D (3)
Agility: E (2)
Versatility: E (2)
Overall Grade E (2.25)
'So, a standard mech is only as good as a newly awakened esper? I should look into developing some better ones soon. So little time and so much to do.' He sighed. 'Sometimes I wish I had Dupe's powers. I could really use being in a dozen places at once.' He decided to read one more entry before stopping. The book made for an addicting read and he planned to fully study it later.
Name: Standard Sinless Rifleman
Alias: None.
Affiliation: Sinless
Power: Known to use specialized 6-round revolver rifle from Europe. Various mana-ammunitions used. Wears Sinless Exo suit. Suit reduces blunt force and is mana-resistant. Suit contains mana-radio, steam skates, and grapples.
Traits: Most Sinless soldiers hate espers.
Combat Style: Typically works in a squad with other riflemen, snipers, shotgunners, and cannoneers. Mana-ammunition is used to cause devastating damage to enemies. Grapples and skates ensure high mobility and maneuverability on the battlefield.
Offense: C (4)
Defense: C (4)
Agility: C (4)
Versatility: C (4)
Overall Grade: C (4)
'A bit higher than I expected. No wonder Sinless successfully keeps espers under control in Europe. The defense rating is higher than mine? I guess Nexus didn't include the exo suit as part of my ranking. I suppose I don't wear it often enough.'
Ed looked up towards World Walker. "Tell me. How do you think Nexus gets information this accurate and up-to-date? They know almost everything about my powers. That's fine, but it's weird how they even have most of my personality pegged down. They even know about the plans I setup for others. I've only done such things a few times and kept it top-secret. There shouldn't be a way for them to know.
"I don't know." World Walker sighed while shaking his head. "They knew things about me I was confident nobody in the world knew. Their means must go beyond something as simple as a single esper's powers. I'd imagine their organization is far more complex than either of us can imagine with our limited information."
"True." Ed nodded in agreement. "Anyways, I can't return to Reef City right now. A homicidal governor is after me. Got a safehouse we can use for the night?"
"I've got plenty that I've setup for myself." He nodded. "I've never taken others to any of them previously. I'll take us to one that isn't too far."
"Good. One in another city is preferable. The hunters will be everywhere tonight after what I pulled."
A black portal appeared in front of them and they stepped through it. They arrived at a small wood cabin in the middle of nowhere. A lush green forest was visible in the distance. The sun was just starting to rise in the dark sky.
"Where are we?" Ed questioned as he smelt the strong pine scent in the air.
"New Hampshire." Bolin answered. "I've got several safehouses in nearly every state. Some in cities and some in nature." He smiled proudly. "There's a reason I've never been caught."
