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10 HOUR | The First Legendary Beast Master Part 6 | Audiobook (Sleep/Study/Gym) — Transcript

by 10HourNovels · 105,084 words · 15,238 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

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0:00The loot chest appeared again, and the
0:02system information flickered in front of
0:03Carl's eyes a bit more clearly. Gained
0:07one skill point, first dungeon clearance
0:09bonus.
0:11So, he wouldn't be able to farm as many
0:13skill points as he wanted by simply
0:15returning here every time he was able.
0:18That was a bit sad, but he supposed that
0:20skill points shouldn't be too easy to
0:22get if they were a reward. Inside the
0:25chest was a similar assortment of items
0:26to the first boss, but no book and
0:29unfortunately no staff either. However,
0:32there was a gem of elemental power that
0:34Remy was quite excited about when she
0:36took it in her mouth and sent it to her
0:38space. "I need that for making a new
0:40totem," she explained. "Well, we won't
0:44refuse you the loot. You're the one most
0:46suited to it." None of the other items
0:49were something that they needed, so they
0:51were loaded into Thor's bags, and the
0:53golems took over again as Oilia
0:55transformed to talk to Carl. I think I'm
0:58really getting the hang of fighting on 4
1:00feet. At first, it was strange as I'm
1:03used to being upright in warbear form,
1:05but with a bit of practice, I think this
1:08will be just as effective. I'm going to
1:10need to learn a few more ranged skills,
1:12though. Everything I specialized in
1:15applies to my weapons or body. But if
1:18I'm mostly using one paw at a time, it
1:20would be better to have some range when
1:22things try to run. She explained.
1:26Carl nodded. I will make you a rend book
1:30later. As a bear, you are almost
1:33guaranteed to be able to use that. But
1:35you have rake now, right? That's got a
1:39bit of range. Yeah, about 3 m. It's good
1:44enough in melee combat, but chasing
1:46things that are running away is
1:47annoying. Ry laughed in Carl's mind. She
1:52also hated it when enemies ran away on
1:54her. Thor liked to chase them, and Hawk
1:57didn't have to, but she disliked all the
1:59extra effort when the target was just
2:01going to die anyhow. It should at least
2:04have some dignity and not annoy her in
2:06the process. Rend was a simple skill to
2:09make as he knew it well enough. So Carl
2:12made the book as they walked along after
2:14the golems who were showing off for the
2:16data man. Their enthusiasm brought the
2:19group to the final boss, a massive ogre
2:22lord in tarnished golden armor, the one
2:24that the golems had brought out last
2:25night. Wait, Ry, don't send the golems
2:29after that. The other group was hoping
2:32to recover the armor. I don't know if
2:34the body will stay as this is now a
2:36dungeon. It likely won't, but some of it
2:39might be in the reward pile if we don't
2:41destroy it. Carl cautioned. You're going
2:45to deal with it personally. The
2:48researcher asked as he prepared his
2:49recording devices.
2:51Yeah, I will sort it out. Carl agreed as
2:55he hefted his maul onto his shoulder.
2:57The ogre lord sneered at Carl and hurled
2:59a boulder at him as Carl approached, but
3:02it simply shattered on refreshing
3:04lightning, and Carl darted forward,
3:06swinging upward with five stacks of
3:08flaming body set to project out from his
3:11weapon. The strike landed squarely
3:13between the beast's legs, and Carl saw
3:16the others flinch in sympathy as the
3:17ogre lord was lifted off the ground.
3:20Then the flames of the ability came
3:22jettting out of his mouth as his body
3:24was cred by the skill. The remains and
3:27the armor fell to the ground in a heap,
3:29then vanished to be replaced by a large
3:31golden chest nearly a meter tall and 3 m
3:34wide that was much larger than the
3:37others, but not so ridiculous as the
3:39reward chest in the trial. Gained two
3:42skill points, first dungeon clearance
3:44bonus. Carl had been looking forward to
3:47that, but the image in front of his eyes
3:49slowly cleared. System rebooting.
3:53Interface temporarily unavailable.
3:56Carl took that as a good thing. Maybe he
3:59would be able to get additional
4:00information or even more benefits once
4:03the system was rebooted. If the system
4:06was fully active for him and the other
4:07elites, the Golden Dragon Nation would
4:10gain the sort of benefit that hadn't
4:11been seen in generations.
4:14Words appeared in the air above the
4:15boss. Calculating rewards.
4:19The researcher stared at them in shock.
4:22Do you see that? What the hell is that?
4:26I've never seen anything like it. Carl
4:29gave him a confused look for a moment
4:30before realizing that he wasn't an
4:32elite. That is normal for trials and
4:35other instances.
4:37It's how the system informed people of
4:39important events and rewards. Give it a
4:42moment and everyone here should get
4:44something, he explained.
4:47Updating rewards.
4:49Level zero member detected. Ooh, I can
4:53pick a random reward, the researcher
4:55mumbled. And before anyone could stop
4:57him, his uniform was gone and he was
5:00standing in front of them in tight black
5:01leather pants and a pink floral shirt.
5:04What the ever loving [ __ ] he shouted,
5:07dropping his backpack full of expensive
5:09diagnostic equipment to check himself.
5:13Hey, calm down. It's a system reward.
5:16What did it say, and what did you pick?
5:19The researcher was clearly in shock as
5:21Carl grabbed him and shook him. Get
5:24yourself together. What did it say and
5:26what did you pick? The man blinked
5:29slowly as his brain stopped rattling in
5:31his head. It said, "Would you like to
5:34randomize?"
5:35And I picked yes, and now it tells me
5:38that I am a grand sage and I gain bonus
5:40starting power for every day that I
5:42remained a virgin. The clerics did their
5:45very best not to laugh, and Carl stared
5:47deep into the man's eyes just to make
5:49sure that he wasn't joking. 30 years,
5:53one day, 16 hours. Apparently, I'm
5:56supposed to become an awakened ranked
5:58Grand Sage, the researcher continued.
6:02Lotus burst into laughter. It's real.
6:06Boys really can become a sage if they
6:08remain a virgin to 30. This is not
6:10funny, High Priestess. the sage
6:13insisted.
6:15It is a little bit funny. I like the
6:18outfit though. It's very stylish.
6:22The little priestess added, not
6:24bothering to hide her amusement. What
6:26about the rest of you? He demanded,
6:29unwilling to accept that he had been
6:31punked by the dungeon, but nobody else
6:33had. Carl pointed to the message in the
6:36air. Level zero member condition solved.
6:40calculating
6:42reward granted. Carl saw words appear in
6:45his vision again, the interface he
6:47believed that the system called it. Then
6:50there was a simple scroll in his hand.
6:53Carl unrolled it and smiled at the fancy
6:55lettering on what appeared to be a
6:56coupon. Skill master rank three
6:59single-use token allows one bonded beast
7:02skill to immediately evolve to a skill
7:04one tier higher than their current tier.
7:07The full skill was in his class skills.
7:10Skill master rank three available. 100
7:13points allows all bonded beasts skills
7:16to evolve to a skill one tier higher
7:18than their current tier with practice.
7:21It might have been too much to ask for a
7:23100 point skill from a dungeon reward.
7:25But picking one skill to become a better
7:27version of itself was a huge bonus. Ooh,
7:30that is a good thing. Whose turn is it?
7:34Rey asked as she sensed what Carl was
7:36reading. I just got a new book, so it's
7:39not my turn. Remy sighed. I just
7:43advanced and so did you. So, I think
7:45it's Thor's turn. Hulk reluctantly
7:48agreed. He really wanted to know what
7:51flaming body would evolve into, but Thor
7:54put in great effort every day without
7:56getting any special benefits.
7:58He deserved this one. All right, big
8:01guy. Are you ready? Carl asked Thor, who
8:05had come over with Tessa still on his
8:07back. She was also holding a scroll in
8:10her hand. What did you get? Carl asked.
8:15She unrolled the scroll and smiled. One
8:18epic grade commander rank armor piece of
8:20my choice. Tessa unrolled hers and then
8:24cheered and began a happy dance. We will
8:27get back to her. What did you get,
8:29Oilia?
8:31Carl laughed. I got toxic claws. Damage
8:35over time changed from 1 second per
8:37application to half a second. They all
8:40turned to the researcher who was looking
8:42grimly at the scroll in his hand. I
8:45don't know if I even want to open this,
8:47he muttered. Lotus stopped dancing and
8:50went to pat him on the shoulder. Relax.
8:53These rewards are always good things.
8:56It's the random rewards that are more
8:58exciting. What did you get? The newly
9:02promoted sage demanded.
9:04Lotus turned her scroll around with a
9:06huge smile. Skill advance one tier.
9:10Shock heal. Revive. Are you telling me
9:13that you can now bring the dead back to
9:15life? The researcher demanded.
9:19Yep. I am the perfect healing specialist
9:22now. I can do everything. Heal. Area
9:26heal. Long duration heal. revive. Now
9:30Thor was excited. A tier for a skill was
9:33a confusing concept, but it could be
9:35beyond anything he had been thinking.
9:38All you had to do was let Lotus pet
9:40someone and they would come back to life
9:42now. I think she's got to cast a spell.
9:46She's not a healing ointment. Rey
9:48corrected him. It's not a magic pat.
9:52That's sad. Remy giggled. I think she
9:56can still pet you while she does it. She
9:58just doesn't need to. Are you ready,
10:01Thor? I'm going to use the scroll. Carl
10:05warned him. Do it. All my skills are
10:09worthy. Skill advance one tier.
10:12Refreshing lightning. Eternal lightning.
10:15Eternal lightning. Barrier type skill.
10:18Shields the target while increasing
10:20defensive skill effectiveness.
10:23regenerates health and stamina for
10:25affected targets. The blue barrier of
10:28refreshing lightning changed blue to
10:30gold, and Carl felt the stress in his
10:32muscles fade away, as if he had just
10:34gotten up from a long night's rest. "Did
10:37you give your reward to Thor?" Tessa
10:40asked as she examined the upgraded
10:42barrier. "Yes, it's an upgrade of one
10:45tier 4 refreshing lightning. Eternal
10:48Lightning is the new name, and while I
10:50don't have solid data on it, I can
10:52already tell that the stamina refreshing
10:54effect is much stronger than the
10:56original. Tessa and the others nodded.
10:59It is incredible. I feel like I just had
11:02a good nap, and we've been through a
11:04whole dungeon. Oilia laughed. That's
11:08because you didn't even walk through it.
11:10You've been sitting on Thor all morning.
11:13The researcher picked up his pack and
11:15settled it back in place.
11:17I don't suppose that I can lie about my
11:19class, can I? Carl laughed. There should
11:23be a mark on your arm. If it's somewhat
11:26ambiguous, you don't need to give them
11:28the actual name that the system told
11:30you, just your skills and anything that
11:32you know about it. If you try focusing
11:35on the words interface, status, or
11:37skills, you might get a bit more
11:39knowledge. Interface.
11:42Lotus cheered, then began swatting at
11:44the air in front of her. Did we damage
11:47her? She seems a bit off lately. Carl
11:51whispered to Tessa. I don't know. I will
11:55have to monitor her snacks for a while.
11:58She might have started taking
11:59hallucinogens to cope. Lotus isn't
12:02exactly the best suited person to high
12:04stress situations or the most mentally
12:06stable, you know. Carl raised an
12:09eyebrow, questioning that statement. I
12:12seem to recall that she loves to pick
12:14fights. A little battle against ogres
12:16shouldn't be an issue. Tess aside, ones
12:20that don't involve real violence,
12:22but she's a nature priestess. They're
12:24almost always stoned anyhow. If there
12:27was a chance that she was going to start
12:29screwing up because she was too high to
12:31function, they would have to deal with
12:33her. Doug was known to smoke a lot, but
12:36always after work. Not before.
12:39Interface.
12:41Tessa mumbled, then blinked in surprise.
12:44You know, I've tried that many times
12:46before, but it never worked. I wonder if
12:50these last few instances have helped
12:51stabilize or unlock the systems
12:53features, she asked. I think that is
12:57right. I was seeing the interface
13:00flicker on and off when we were doing
13:01the dungeon. I don't think we have
13:04everything that it used to have
13:05unlocked, but I think we're very close
13:07to having a fully functional version of
13:09the system. The researcher was staring
13:11at the mark on his arm, which looked
13:13like an old man pondering his orb. Sage
13:16was a good name for it, but there was at
13:18least no negative connotation to the
13:20mark itself. When we get out, we should
13:23ask the colonel if she knows about a
13:25mark like that. She might be able to
13:28tell you more, Carl suggested.
13:31When I said skills, I saw that I have
13:33spells available, and they seem like
13:35normal mage spells. the sage whispered.
13:39Just loud enough for Carl to hear. Good.
13:42Then you're a mage class. That's easy.
13:46Now you just need to know how to get
13:48points to buy the spells. The sage
13:51frowned. I'm afraid to learn how this
13:53class gets points. But I have 14 right
13:57now, and that's not quite enough to get
13:59three additional skills. Carl shrugged.
14:03They normally come from accomplishments
14:04and feats. The more you challenge
14:07yourself, the faster you get them. I
14:10suspect that Lotus should have an awful
14:12lot of them. Nature clerics tend to do
14:15crazy things. But Tessa should have a
14:18bunch as well. Tessa shrugged.
14:21Nothing happens when I try skill as a
14:23command. Clerics might just get what
14:26their gods give them. Oilia came over
14:29with a frown. It says that feature isn't
14:32unlocked when I try. All I can get from
14:35the interface is a bunch of stat numbers
14:37that mean nothing to me except health
14:39and mana. Those show as a percentage.
14:43Carl hadn't been paying any attention to
14:46those. He could see them as a pair of
14:48globes, red and blue, at the edge of his
14:51vision when he had the interface active,
14:53but they were just full, so he didn't
14:55think about them. Besides, it was
14:58usually pretty obvious when you got
15:00stabbed or beat with a club. Health was
15:02a relative thing. He didn't need a globe
15:05to tell him when he'd been getting his
15:07ass kicked. But more interestingly,
15:10there were grayed out functions.
15:12There was some sort of money counter
15:14that was translucent and unavailable,
15:16and another function that had no label.
15:18Carl focused on pressing the button and
15:21found that he was in his own mental
15:22space, the one where he had formed the
15:24focus to meditate when he was working on
15:26improving the beast spaces. That was
15:29pretty cool. useless as it was faster to
15:32access it directly. But cool as a
15:35feature, there were more locked features
15:37in the interface, but none of them had
15:39labels, so Carl didn't actually know
15:41what he was missing out on. He had the
15:44important parts now, though. He could
15:47bring up a list of his skills and skill
15:49tree. He could see a bunch of numbers
15:51for his stats, which he was slowly
15:53learning to interpret, and he could see
15:55the contents of his storage bag. He
15:57could even pull things out of the pocket
15:59of his backpack without taking the whole
16:01pack out. And he could put things back
16:03into the pockets. That was a huge
16:06improvement over accessing the bag
16:07directly in his mind. Should we head out
16:10and give our reports? They're going to
16:13wonder what we're doing if we linger in
16:15here too long. Oilia suggested.
16:19The researcher sighed and looked at his
16:20new outfit. All right, let's get this
16:23over with. Please don't tell them any
16:26other details about my class. He
16:29pleaded. Don't worry. We can tell them
16:32that you're a sage without any other
16:34connotations.
16:36But look at it this way. You have a more
16:38functional system interface than most
16:40elites do, and you just awakened.
16:43Carl replied.
16:44Oilia smirked.
16:47Yeah, and it's not like they didn't know
16:48you were a virgin until the weekend
16:50after your 30th birthday. Anyhow, he
16:53sighed and led the group out of the
16:55dungeon where he nearly ran into a man
16:57in simple gray mage robes. Greg, why are
17:01you dressed like a homeless mage? The
17:04sage asked. Dude, what the dragon are
17:07you wearing? You don't get to criticize
17:10my outfit when you look like a sleazy
17:11pickup artist. I will have you know that
17:14as a reward for being the first group to
17:16clear the dungeon, I was granted a class
17:18marking. I am now a sorcerer.
17:22Carl's researcher laughed and turned his
17:24arm to show his friend. Like this, I'm a
17:28sage. The other soldiers and researchers
17:31from the three study teams gathered
17:33around to hear the stories, and the rest
17:35of Carl's team gathered to share their
17:37reports. Bob smirked. I will go first. I
17:42believe we got identical dungeons, so I
17:44will just detail the loot. The first
17:47boss had nothing much of interest, but
17:49the second dropped a spell book for
17:50Dana. It's hanging on her waist now.
17:54Apparently, it adds even more damage to
17:57her spells when she already has
17:59destruction as a skill boosting her
18:01output. Then, on the final boss, we all
18:04got scrolls and the system interface
18:06unlocked.
18:08Carl chuckled. On our first boss, Tessa
18:11got a HIM book that boosts holy magic.
18:14Then on the final boss, we got scrolls.
18:18I got one that advanced a skill by a
18:20tier. So Thor's refreshing lightning is
18:23now eternal lightning. Bob visibly lost
18:26much of his enthusiasm.
18:29Damn it. And I thought I had gotten the
18:30greatest skill. I got Titanic slash from
18:34the same sort of scroll. Slash upgraded
18:38one rank and now it creates a massive
18:40sword up to 20 m long for the attack.
18:43Oilia smirked as she patted him on the
18:45shoulder. Oh, he's not bragging. The
18:49best gains in our group were for Lotus,
18:51who had a healing skill upgraded to
18:53revive.
18:55The other group and all the magic
18:57knights went silent as they stared at
18:59the little priestess, who had been doing
19:01her very best not to just blurt out her
19:03good news. Doug sighed. You've got to be
19:07kidding me. The little troublemaker was
19:09blessed with revive.
19:12She's going to be completely
19:13insufferable once she gets back to the
19:15cathedral. What did you get? Carl asked.
19:20Doug's face seemed to grow scales over
19:22the next half a second, and he pulled up
19:24his sleeves to show that they went all
19:25the way up his arms as well. Green
19:28dragon armor. Carl's team sat down to
19:31write their reports on the trip into the
19:33dungeon, while the two researchers were
19:35intensely questioned about their
19:36experiences during the awakening, and
19:38the remainder of the research teams
19:40analyze the data to confirm the power
19:42levels and create a basic guide book for
19:44future visitors to the dungeon. The
19:47actual report wasn't hard. They just
19:49repeated what they had seen and done in
19:50the dungeon. And most of them were just
19:52observers, as they hadn't fought
19:54anything but the boss. I hate that I'm
19:57actually starting to get good at these
20:00Carl sighed as he finished the report
20:01only a few minutes later. The
20:04recollection of the dungeon hadn't taken
20:06long, and Thor happily reminded him if
20:08he forgot anything or got an ogre's
20:10positioning wrong. With that done, all
20:13that they had to do was wait, or in
20:16Carl's case, wait and try to come up
20:18with a good plan for Dana's birthday. He
20:21hadn't expected them to get shipped off
20:22to the middle of nowhere in the last few
20:24days. And here he couldn't even bribe
20:26supply staff to help him with something
20:28fancy. Instead, he was going to have to
20:31turn to alternate sources for help.
20:34Ladies and gentlemen, we have an urgent
20:36problem. Dana's birthday is coming up
20:39very soon, and I did not prepare before
20:41we left the base. Now, we need to get
20:44her a gift, something that she will
20:46appreciate and that she doesn't already
20:48have. What's a birthday? Remy asked.
20:53It's an annual celebration of the day
20:55you were born. Normally, your friends
20:58try to get you your favorite thing to
20:59eat and then they give you a present,
21:02Carl explained. Ooh, I can make her new
21:05robes. Ry suggested.
21:09That's not a bad idea. Do you remember
21:12her size and what she likes from when
21:14you made the last outfit? Carl asked.
21:18Yeah, I remember. I think I can do
21:20better this time. The other ones are
21:23good, but with some practice, I think
21:25that I can make a special outfit for
21:27her. Remy slid through her swamp for a
21:30while and then picked a plant. Give this
21:33to Sister Morgana, and she can make a
21:35special potion for her. I saw it in one
21:38of the witch doctor's books. Thor made
21:41an annoyed noise. He had no idea about a
21:44tradition like giving gifts. He didn't
21:47collect things for giving away. Don't
21:49worry about it, buddy. One good thing
21:52from all of us is enough, and we've
21:54already come up with two. But I bet that
21:57when it's Tessa or Lotus birthday, you
21:59might be able to do something for them.
22:02Remy looked up at him from her space. If
22:05you can spare a bit of that purple
22:06flower, that would be good. It also goes
22:09in the potion. Hawk chirped happily.
22:13Then I will find a good thing to cook.
22:16You said special food was part of the
22:18day. We've got lots of food. Even Thor
22:21has many good things to eat. Thor nodded
22:24happily. He might not collect as much
22:27shiny stuff as the others, but he had
22:29more types of good plants than Hawk had
22:31types of good meat. He grabbed them
22:34every time he saw them, and some of them
22:36would even grow for him. Carl looked
22:38over at Morgana, who was arguing with
22:40Doug about something, and got up to hand
22:43her the ingredients.
22:45Morgana, I have a couple of plants here
22:47that Remy says would be useful in a
22:48potion. I didn't catch the name, so I'm
22:52hoping that you know which one it is. He
22:54explained as he handed the two items
22:56over. Ghost Leaf and Mage Bloom. Did she
23:00say why she thinks I can make it?
23:02Morgana asked. She said that she saw it
23:06in your book. Carl explained, then
23:09lowered his voice as a present for Dana
23:12on her birthday. Morgana thought about
23:15it for a second and then took out a book
23:17from her storage and began to flip.
23:19Oh, I see what it is. That's not a
23:23potion. At least not exactly.
23:26This book is for beneficial hex's, a
23:28specialty of the witch doctor class. The
23:31one she is thinking of is body butter.
23:34It removes the wearer's scent and gives
23:36flawless skin. It will even remove most
23:39scarring. I wonder why Remy would have
23:42picked that. Because ogres smell bad,
23:45and nobody wants to smell bad. Carl
23:48laughed as he relayed the message,
23:49making most of the room look over to see
23:51what he was joking about. Morgana
23:54smirked and nodded. I can make that. The
23:58other ingredients are all simple things
24:00that I can actually get right here.
24:02Those are the two active ingredients,
24:04and then they get mixed with water and
24:06some mundane oils for the base. Thanks.
24:10You're a lifesaver.
24:12Morgana patted him on the shoulder.
24:15Don't forget that she isn't the only one
24:17with a birthday coming up. That was
24:19true. Lotus, Oilia, and Tessa were all
24:23in the next month or two. He didn't know
24:26the rest, but surely he could come up
24:28with a gift for everyone. Or maybe he
24:31could enlist Lotus help, and he could be
24:33that friend who always gifts clothes. It
24:36was royal rank silk. It would actually
24:38be a very valuable gift, even if it
24:40didn't cost him anything. Of course, for
24:44people who had all sorts of valuables,
24:46giving expensive gifts meant much less,
24:48and it would be the good meal that was
24:50likely to be the best remembered. He had
24:52grown up in the mines, and they didn't
24:54give gifts often either. But that was
24:57just because they couldn't afford it.
24:59The most common gift for kids in the
25:01lithium mines village was for someone to
25:03cover their shift and clock in as them,
25:05so they didn't get a black mark for
25:06missing work and got a day off on their
25:08birthday. By the time they were adults,
25:11the tradition changed to putting them on
25:13the good jobs for the day. Hawk flew out
25:16of his space to make a scouting patrol
25:18and look for good things to eat while Ry
25:20started making plans for decorating her.
25:22Dana, they had been relaxing for most of
25:25the afternoon when the man in the
25:26expensive suit came over with a notepad.
25:29Can we get a volunteer team to see if
25:31they can go back into the dungeon? 6
25:34hours is normally the shortest time
25:36period with one day being more common.
25:39he explained.
25:41Yeah, that's not a problem. Did you need
25:44a whole team? Carl asked full enough to
25:48efficiently clear the dungeon and reset
25:50the timer if it does let you inside. He
25:53explained. The magic knights laughed and
25:56the bureaucrat gave them a confused
25:58look. He is a royal ranked beast master.
26:02He could go in alone and clear out the
26:04dungeon. I guess you haven't gotten a
26:06chance to read the reports yet.
26:09Ruth explained.
26:11I normally don't. It's not like I will
26:14be able to make use of the information
26:15in them, and it's not my department to
26:17prepare the elites. My team is here to
26:20arrange the infrastructure for the
26:22protection of the asset and to deal with
26:24the scheduling for a commander rank
26:26resource that has stabilized. It is of
26:28critical importance to the nation that
26:30we allow access in as efficient a manner
26:32as possible. That made sense.
26:36Sending ascended ranked students and
26:38soldiers through here would be huge for
26:39them as it gave commander rank rewards
26:42and it would really help their growth
26:43rate. The difficulty wasn't high and the
26:47bosses hadn't shown any particularly
26:49nasty tricks. They might have if he
26:51didn't kill them so fast, but they all
26:54looked straightforward.
26:56All right, let's get to work. Carl
26:58agreed as he got to his feet. Dana and
27:01Ruth stood to join him. Then Oilia and
27:04Tessa. Carl had expected Lotus to be
27:07excited about a chance to play, but she
27:09must have worn herself out earlier. Carl
27:12leaned over to speak with Doug. Can you
27:15check up on Lotus? She's been a bit off,
27:18and we're not sure if it's something
27:19that she has been taking or if the
27:21stress is getting to her. As a fellow
27:24nature cleric, we thought that you
27:26should be the best qualified to be able
27:27to help. Doug nodded back. I think I
27:31have an idea of what's going on. I will
27:34talk to her while you're all out. It's
27:37best that we talk in private. Carl
27:40patted him on the back and let his team
27:41out of the tent. Two runs a day wouldn't
27:44be all that bad. Carl led the team to
27:47the entrance of the dungeon where the
27:49members of team two had just exited
27:51along with their researchers.
27:53Anything good? Carl called as he led his
27:56team toward the entrance. Nothing like
27:59what you guys pulled out on the first
28:01run. We got armor and a skill book,
28:04though, so we can't complain about that.
28:07It would be nice if the book was a bit
28:08more rare than fireball, but you take
28:11what you get, and fireball is a pretty
28:13decent spell." Prince Charles called
28:16back. "Well, you couldn't get the sort
28:18of first clearance bonuses that they had
28:20found on every single run. It would just
28:23be ridiculously overpowered as a
28:24resource." "Are we all ready?" Carl
28:28asked as he reached the portal. As long
28:31as you didn't leave the beasts behind,
28:33we're good to go. Tessa laughed. Carl
28:37stretched out a hand and felt it stop as
28:39it touched the surface, as if it was
28:41solid and not just a portal to the
28:43dungeon. It looks like we can't enter
28:46yet. The portal surface is solid, Carl
28:50explained to the government minister,
28:52who was still tagging along behind them.
28:54Well, that is unfortunate, but not
28:57entirely unexpected.
28:59We will try again with team one at the
29:0124-hour mark. Your team is free for the
29:04remainder of the day as long as there is
29:06no emergency.
29:08Thank you. We will be around if you need
29:09us. And I have team members scouting the
29:12area to ensure it remains monster free.
29:14Carl agreed. Hawk was actually looking
29:18for something that was more tasty than
29:19an iron tusk boore. But there wasn't
29:21going to be anything too close, and
29:23everything in the dungeon was no good
29:25for eating. Even the giants tasted like
29:27a delicacy compared to the ogres. "I
29:30think I found what we need. It doesn't
29:33belong in this area, but it looks
29:35tasty." Hawk informed Carl a few seconds
29:38after he turned away from the portal.
29:41"Oh, what did you find?" "Um, a deer
29:44thing with wings and a weird tail like a
29:46dog." Carl had no idea what that should
29:49be called either. What is it doing now?
29:53Picking a fight with farmers.
29:55Can I hunt it? It's only awakened rank,
29:58but it looks tasty. All right, bring it
30:02back here and we will see what we can do
30:03about getting it butchered and roasted.
30:06Carl could only imagine how terrified
30:08the farmers were when what looked like a
30:10baby vermilion bird swooped down to kill
30:12the monster attacking them and then flew
30:14away with it, but he could tell that it
30:16only took a few seconds before Hawk had
30:17his prize. He happily dropped the beast
30:20next to the cathedral fort for the
30:22others to prepare and Morgana came out
30:24to see what the commotion was. That is
30:27the strangest looking paritin that I
30:29have ever seen. Normally they look like
30:32giant birds with antlers, but this one
30:34is almost all stag. Or perhaps it's not
30:37a paritin at all. It is rather weak for
30:40one of their species. Where did Hawk
30:43find this? She asked. a few minutes
30:47flight away harassing some farmers. He
30:50said that it looks good to eat. So, we
30:52were going to ask the clerics to make up
30:54something good. A special celebration
30:56dinner of sorts. Carl explained as he
31:00placed an arm over Dana's shoulder.
31:02There's one more day, Dana reminded him
31:05with a smile. It will take time to get a
31:08full deer ready and roasted. But don't
31:11worry, I have asked our resident
31:13princesses to assist with the
31:14procurement of proper gifts. Princesses?
31:18Well, technically Remy isn't a princess
31:20yet, and neither is Morgana, but they're
31:23both cooperating on a most wonderful
31:25birthday gift for you. Dana smiled. And
31:29here, I thought that you would go
31:30straight to Ray to make something. Hulk
31:33laughed, a keening shriek that startled
31:35the workers and made the other team
31:36members laugh along with him. Oh, you
31:39did, but you thought it would be a
31:41surprise. I get it now. I guess I'm a
31:45bit too transparent.
31:47But Rey is really looking forward to
31:49giving you your gift, and we can't let
31:50her down. Rey was very proud of what she
31:54had managed to come up with. She had
31:56based it on a blend of all of the
31:58fighters that she had seen so far and
32:00made what she thought would be the very
32:01best outfit for her Dana. It was turning
32:04out to be a masterpiece of fashion in
32:06Ray's opinion, and it would give Dana an
32:09extra layer of light armor over her
32:11metal armor. Why don't we make a
32:13shredded meat roast? The sword so tender
32:16that it just falls apart with a fork. I
32:19can convince Doug to make fresh bread on
32:21the tent stove, and we can do a fancy
32:23dinner. I don't suppose that we have
32:26options to make chicken and dumplings,
32:28do we? Dana asked. Hawk searched his
32:32inventory for a while. There weren't any
32:34beasts that really tasted like chicken,
32:36and the rocks were the only bird, but
32:38they weren't good. I can ask the teams
32:41if they have chicken. We haven't hunted
32:44anything like that so far. Or I could
32:47head to town and get a fresh one. Carl
32:50offered. Dana nodded. If you're going to
32:54go that far, get a turkey instead if
32:56they have one. Turkey and dumpling stew
32:59is great.
33:01All right, let the teams know that I
33:02will be back in an hour. I'm just going
33:05to head out and get some fresh
33:06ingredients.
33:08Dana and Doug walked in as he was making
33:10plans, both looking much more relaxed
33:13and happy than they had for a while. Is
33:16there anything else you need me to get
33:17for dinner? Lotus nodded happily. If you
33:21can get us some heavy cream, I want to
33:23make a cake. It doesn't work right with
33:26powdered milk. Get more butter as well.
33:29The stocks here are margarine and it's
33:31not the same, Doug added. Carl knew that
33:35the general store at the mine should
33:37have everything that they needed, but as
33:39he wanted both cream and butter, it
33:41would be best to stop at a farm if there
33:43was one near the mines. Yes, the whole
33:46kilometer before the mines is farms.
33:49There were cows there and more animals I
33:51didn't care about. You might get a meat
33:54bird, Hawk informed him. It wouldn't
33:57have the nutritional value of the deer
33:59monster, but the nostalgia factor of a
34:01childhood favorite recipe couldn't be
34:03beat. Now that he had all their
34:06requests, Carl took off through the
34:08woods, headed for the mines in the
34:09direction that Hawk had informed him he
34:11would find a farm. They likely wouldn't
34:13have a credit exchange machine, but he
34:16could give them coins and gems from the
34:17dungeon with an exchange note to take to
34:19the bank in town. The exchange rate
34:22might be a bit hard to judge, but he had
34:24so much loot in his storage bag right
34:26now that it wasn't even funny. They had
34:29intended to split it as they did the
34:30items, but Carl had never gotten around
34:32to dropping it off for the agents to
34:34sort today, so he had half a chest full
34:36of loot. Carl slowed to a stop at the
34:40edge of the farm to approach at a more
34:41human-looking jog. He wasn't trying to
34:44terrify the people or their animals, and
34:46running across the field faster than
34:48anyone would dare to drive a car was
34:50likely to do exactly that. As he jogged
34:53down the driveway toward the house, an
34:55older man, likely the father or
34:57grandfather of the current generation of
34:59farmers, came out to greet him. "That's
35:02some mighty fine stamina you have, young
35:04man." He announced once Carl had come to
35:08a stop. Thanks. A long jog is good for
35:12the lungs. I came toward town looking
35:15for a few things to make a special
35:16birthday dinner for one of my team
35:18members. It's her birthday and we're
35:21stationed in the wilderness some
35:22distance off, ensuring an anomaly is
35:24dealt with. The man nodded. If you need
35:28to come and some items, we will spare
35:30you what we can. There is more variety
35:33at the store in town. Carl smiled and
35:36took a pair of gold coins out of his
35:38bag. They might be from the monsters,
35:41but they're pure gold. The bank should
35:44take them in trade without an issue. All
35:47I need is a turkey, fresh heavy cream,
35:49butter, and some cake mix if you have
35:51it. It would be easier than making one
35:54from scratch. The old man was looking at
35:57the two gold coins in shock. Sure, they
36:00were from the monsters, but that was
36:02still 4 ounces of gold. A young man and
36:05woman came from around the corner of the
36:07house, likely from the barn, and Carl
36:10nodded to them, alerting the old man to
36:12their presence. "Ah, meet my boy Gerald
36:15and his bride to be Roxan."
36:18Carl smiled. "Congratulations on your
36:21upcoming nuptils.
36:23Let me see here. I do believe that I
36:25have just the thing for a wedding
36:27present." Carl pulled two items out. a
36:30simple gold chain with thick links in
36:32the style most men preferred and a ruby
36:34pendant. Working men didn't wear a ring.
36:38Instead, they would put their wedding
36:39ring on a necklace so it didn't get
36:41damaged. If tragedy or the plague hit,
36:44and nobody was left to take care of
36:46arrangements, the chain holding his ring
36:48was supposed to be enough to pay for
36:49both of their funerals so that a married
36:51couple always knew they would be taken
36:53care of and could be buried with their
36:54wedding rings. The farmers stared at him
36:57in shock. Sir, we cannot accept a gift
37:01like this. It is too much. Carl laughed.
37:06It's only right. I am a royal rank
37:09elite. How could I give a wedding gift
37:11like I still work the mines? Besides,
37:14I'm here on business. I need a turkey,
37:18heavy cream, butter, and cake mix. A
37:21prince? Sir, we apologize. We didn't
37:25know. They all bowed in unison and Carl
37:28laughed.
37:29Stand. Stand. You didn't know because I
37:33didn't tell you. I'm not here to flex my
37:35rank just to get ingredients for a
37:37birthday dinner. A special lady to me
37:40wants turkey and dumplings for dinner,
37:42and our cleric wants to make her a cake.
37:45The young woman ran inside and came back
37:47out with a large wicker basket full of
37:49goods only a minute later.
37:52The pantry and the freezer must have
37:53been right at the door because she was
37:55fast and there was a frozen turkey in
37:57that basket. Carl added one more gold
38:00coin when he saw that there was not only
38:02cake mix, but also a bag of confectioner
38:05sugar and a bottle of vanilla extract to
38:07make icing in there. Those weren't items
38:10that most farmers kept on hand unless
38:12there was a celebration coming, so they
38:14were likely bought for the wedding.
38:16Here, take these straight to the bank
38:18and get them traded in. Carl explained
38:20as he passed the old man the money, then
38:23took out his notebook and wrote down
38:24some basic information. Prince Carl
38:2895988.
38:30Coins traded for luxury food stuffs. He
38:34wrote, "That should be enough for you to
38:36trade them to the bank for a fair rate
38:38without being accused of anything. Now I
38:41should get going back to camp. Good luck
38:44with the wedding and I wish you all the
38:46best."
38:47He turned and jogged back the way he
38:49came, but he could hear the family
38:51celebrating along with a few other
38:53voices from the house before the
38:54slapping of feet headed for town marked
38:56someone's departure. By the time that he
38:59made it back to the camp, Carl could
39:01hear the confirmation on the radio that
39:03there was really a Prince Rank elite in
39:05the area and Carl's identity code. They
39:08must have taken his word seriously and
39:10ran directly to the bank to trade in the
39:12coins before anything could happen to
39:14them. Three gold coins wasn't a huge hit
39:17to Carl. Not when he had a thousand or
39:19more of them in his bag, but it was
39:22likely to convert to an entire summer's
39:24earnings for the old man, far more than
39:26the food was worth. I've got everything
39:29that you requested, plus confectioner's
39:31sugar, vanilla, and pre-made cake mix.
39:34Carl announced as he reached the camp.
39:37Then he took the basket out of his
39:39storage and placed it on the table in
39:41the kitchen area of the fort. You're
39:43back already with a frozen turkey and
39:45everything else we asked for? Doug asked
39:49startled by the speed. Yeah, I stopped
39:52at a farm just before town and they had
39:54everything. That would be the bank in
39:56the mine village that we were hearing on
39:58the radio verifying the monster gold
40:00that I traded was legitimate. Nobody
40:03will miss a coin or two. Carl laughed.
40:07Doug laughed. Well, we were just going
40:10to turn them all in for credit anyhow.
40:12So, I don't see any reason we shouldn't
40:13use them to barter. Clerics take a vow
40:16of poverty and charity, so giving it
40:18away every time we interact with others
40:20seems like the right thing to do. A few
40:23extra coins on a farm won't hurt the
40:25economy, but it will help the farmer.
40:28While Doug talked, Lotus dug through the
40:30supplies to see what they had. Oh, you
40:33got really good stuff. This is even top
40:37quality sugar.
40:38All right, we should be good to go for
40:40the birthday dinner now. Are we starting
40:43first thing in the morning or did we
40:46have to work? Lotus asked. I think we
40:50will have to do a dungeon run in the
40:51morning unless it rejects us again. They
40:54were saying the most likely scenario is
40:56one full day. So that means morning
40:58tomorrow we should be able to enter for
41:00a second time. Carl explained.
41:03Perfect. Then we can do the birthday
41:05dinner after that and then have some
41:07girl time. It's a thing that we used to
41:10do at the seminary academy. We would
41:13either make or acquire some makeup and
41:15then we would give the birthday girl a
41:16makeover. Tessa laughed. Oh, and some of
41:21them were terrible when we were in the
41:22early years, but we're pretty good at
41:25them now. Carl could only imagine what a
41:28bunch of teen girls who have been raised
41:30by the church who didn't advocate or
41:32even normally stock makeup would have
41:34done in their first attempts at a
41:35makeover.
41:37Rey, can you make a smaller fort far
41:39enough back in the trees that people in
41:40the camp won't hear us? I would like to
41:43take Dana for an evening alone. Carl
41:46requested.
41:48I can do that. I will get everything set
41:50up for you and I know the perfect spot.
41:54Ry replied instantly, suggesting that
41:56she had already been thinking about this
41:58topic. Ry exited her space in the
42:01distance and darted off to a spot near a
42:03river that Hawk had scouted on his way
42:05back from hunting for good food. It was
42:07over a kilometer from camp, far enough
42:10that sensitive ears shouldn't hear what
42:11they were up to, and in nice strong
42:13trees, so they could be up in the air
42:15like a proper fort should be. I will get
42:18everything set up for the evening. Trust
42:21in the spider. I know about these
42:23things. Well, Carl couldn't say that he
42:26had more experience with women than Ry
42:28did, so he wasn't going to argue with
42:30her logic. Now, he just needed a smooth
42:33way to get Dana away from camp. Really,
42:37it shouldn't be too hard. Hulk was in
42:40the tower of the fort, and if he stayed
42:41there all night, Carl would have his
42:43early warning system in place in case
42:45something went wrong.
42:4715 minutes later, Rey was confident that
42:49she had everything that she needed
42:51ready. There is a fort, the birthday
42:54gift for my Dana, a change of clothes
42:56for the evening, and everything you
42:58might need. She informed Carl as she
43:01settled into her security office web a
43:03few dozen meters away. The other crews
43:05at the dungeon had brought pressure
43:07cookers, so the clerics teamed up to
43:09make a proper stew with the deer
43:10creature that evening. Bob had made
43:13fresh bread for them, and the smells
43:15coming from the fort were incredible.
43:17But the rest of the camp was cooking
43:19dinner as well, and the bureaucrats
43:21weren't the sort that skimped out on
43:22their meals when they were in the field.
43:25So, his team likely could have made
43:27something fancy just by pilfering the
43:29three groups for some specialties.
43:31The government researchers had brought
43:33plenty of supplies for the elites that
43:34they were holding on station, but Carl's
43:37team had always preferred to cook for
43:38themselves.
43:40What is the plan for the evening?
43:42I am guessing that Carl is going to
43:44steal the birthday girl for the evening.
43:46Bob asked as they finished dinner. Carl
43:50winked. Rey has already set it all up.
43:54But Hawk will stay here all night. So if
43:56something happens, we can be back in
43:58only a minute or two. Then Shu, have a
44:02good night, and we will prepare for the
44:04birthday celebration when you get back
44:06in the morning. Carl held out a hand to
44:08Dana, who blushed and accepted the help
44:11to her feet before Carl swept her up
44:13into his arms and jogged off into the
44:15woods. "Where are we going?" "We're
44:18supposed to be protecting the
44:19civilians,"
44:21she asked as Carl ran through long grass
44:23in an open field on the way to the
44:25river. "We will only be a kilometer from
44:28camp. Close enough to be back before
44:31most of the humans have even noticed
44:32anything is wrong. Trust me, it will be
44:35worth it.
44:37Carl spotted the fort right where Ry
44:39said it was supposed to be with the
44:40bloodbath spider waiting in a nearby
44:42tree. She had made it a simple design,
44:46spacious with a fully suspended floor so
44:48that it would all be stretchy and soft
44:50with no hard spots where branches passed
44:53underneath. There is a change of clothes
44:55inside.
44:57Have fun. Rey says she made us an outfit
45:00for the night. I don't know what she
45:03made, but there is a present in there
45:04for you to open in the morning as well.
45:07Carl explained, "You know, my family
45:10could never afford birthday gifts when I
45:12was growing up. This is a whole new
45:15experience for me, and a private fort
45:17overlooking the river in the moonlight
45:19is like something out of a fairy tale,"
45:21she whispered. Dana got excited about
45:24the idea of a fairy tale birthday and
45:27hopped out of his arms to run up the
45:28ladder and check out the view and the
45:30gift that Ry had left for her. Carl
45:33jumped up from ground level and found
45:35Dana holding up a bit of thin black silk
45:37with a deep blush on her cheeks as she
45:39stared out into the fading twilight
45:40through the open window. "I think it
45:43will look fantastic on you," Carl
45:45whispered as he stepped through the
45:47entry. "There are clothes for you as
45:50well." Dana smirked with a gesture
45:52toward a pile of cloth beside the door.
45:55Carl picked up a matching black set of
45:57silk pajama pants with his name
45:59embroidered on them in white thread,
46:01though his were a bit thicker and less
46:02detailed than what Rey had made for
46:04Dana. He suspected that the spider had
46:07an innate bias, but she was giving them
46:09as much privacy as she could with her
46:11mind linked to Carl's. Dana licked her
46:14lips as she saw Carl strip down and
46:16change into the thin silk, then stealed
46:18her resolve and changed into the nighty
46:20that Ry had left for her. The silk fell
46:23to her knees, but as thin as it was, it
46:25wasn't actually hiding anything.
46:28Absolutely stunning. Carl stammered as
46:31he took a step in her direction. He
46:34barely registered her nails digging into
46:36his back as he pulled Dana into his arms
46:38and pushed her bouncing curls away from
46:40her face. Dana closed her eyes in
46:43pleasure at the feeling of his fingers
46:44massaging her scalp and gasped at the
46:46feeling of soft lips on her neck as Carl
46:49kissed his way down to her collarbone.
46:51She instinctively leaned forward into
46:53his body as he pulled back, longing for
46:55more contact, but as his hands slid up
46:58her hips under the silk of her night
46:59gown, her back arched in pleasure. There
47:02was something strange about tonight. Her
47:05skin was far too sensitive. Every touch
47:08was like lightning through her body, and
47:10she couldn't get enough. She found
47:12herself straddling Carl's lap as he fell
47:14back into a swinging chair, and when his
47:16lips found hers, all thoughts of
47:18anything outside the fort faded away.
47:21Dana blinked her eyes in the early
47:23morning light, and flashes of last night
47:25came crashing down on her brain, along
47:27with a soreness in her body like she had
47:29never felt before. She recalled the
47:32intense urge to taste him and falling
47:34out of the chair when she tore his pants
47:36off.
47:37There was no silk between their bodies
47:39now, and Dana desperately hoped that her
47:41gift from Rey had survived the evening.
47:44It was definitely the sexiest piece of
47:46clothing that she had owned in her life,
47:48but it was so soft that she would
47:50happily wear it to bed every night. More
47:53memories of the evening returned to her
47:54mind, and she buried her face in Carl's
47:57chest in embarrassment.
47:59I think it's a bit late to be body shy.
48:02He whispered in her ear. Do we have to
48:05get up? Carl kissed her forehead. We can
48:09stay here a little longer. Remy set up a
48:12shower in the corner of the fort, and
48:13we're going to need it before we leave,
48:15but we don't need to hurry. An hour
48:18later, Dana was intimately familiar with
48:20the benefits of sharing a shower, and
48:22they were finally clean and ready to go
48:24back to the camp. Dana had found her new
48:27night gown sitting in a pile under the
48:29window, hastily discarded and thrown
48:31across the room. She picked it up and
48:34blushed as she realized that it would
48:35need an intense cleaning before it could
48:37be worn again. However, when she thought
48:40about wearing it again, it bonded with
48:42her, vanishing into her mental space as
48:44clean as the moment it was made and
48:46ready for its next use. She would have
48:49to thank the spider for putting in so
48:51much work to make gifts that could be
48:52safely reused, no matter how much they
48:55were mistreated. The silk was nearly
48:57indestructible, and if you were bonded
48:59to it, it would always come back clean.
49:02Dirt and stains were not brought into
49:04the mental space with a bonded item,
49:06though it wouldn't repair any damages
49:07they managed to do to the thin silk. Ry
49:10left your present by the hammock. Carl
49:13reminded her as a gentle smile came over
49:16Dana's face. Dana leaned over to pick up
49:19the present and rolled her eyes when she
49:21felt Carl's hand on her backside.
49:23She had thought that the novelty would
49:25have worn off by now, but no. Carl was
49:28fairly certain that he would never get
49:30enough of that view. The present goes
49:33over armor. Rey reminded them, bringing
49:36Carl's thoughts back on course and away
49:38from activities that would lead to
49:39needing another shower. Ry says, "It's
49:42fitted to go over your armor, the set
49:44you got from the traitors," Carl
49:47relayed. Dana put on the armor, then
49:50took out the large box with a pink
49:52ribbon on it. It was beautiful, and the
49:54box had been stiffened with stronger
49:56spider silk to give it the semi- rigid
49:58texture of cardboard. Ry had really
50:01improved her versatility with the silk
50:03once she had advanced to royal rank.
50:06Inside the box was a black combat
50:08outfit, loose pants that tucked into
50:10calf high boots with a waist scarf, a
50:12tunic style shirt, and a long gray coat
50:14that split up the back with ties to
50:16attach the lower section to your legs
50:18for mobility. It also had a hood with a
50:21detachable face mask that would only
50:23leave the eyes and forehead visible. The
50:26style was halfway between the
50:27spellblades and the assassin clans that
50:29the rogue class teachers belong to. And
50:32the more that Dana stared at it, the
50:34more that she loved it. She would be
50:36able to fight easily with a sword, reach
50:38any reagents or potions she needed for
50:40magical combat, and it was all royal
50:43rank silk, so most blades wouldn't
50:45easily cut through it. The outfit bonded
50:48once she took it from the box and Dana
50:50equipped it with the hood and mask up.
50:53Rey, it's beautiful. Dana gasped as she
50:56examined herself. Carl untied the wide
51:00black sash at her waist and retied it
51:02over the coat so that everything was
51:03held close to her body and all the
51:05storage pockets were accessible without
51:07shifting her clothing. "There we go.
51:10That's how Rey meant for it to look," he
51:13explained before stealing one more kiss.
51:16Now I really look like an assassin,
51:19she noted, impressed with the
51:21improvement in functionality with the
51:22outfit rearranged.
51:24Tell her to put mana in the coat. The
51:27coat should be enchanted or magical
51:29somehow, Carl explained.
51:33Dana tried it and found that it began to
51:35blend into her surroundings.
51:37Rey had managed to keep a little bit of
51:39her upgraded stealth ability on the silk
51:41after it was woven, so it blended with
51:43the color of the fort silk.
51:46It wasn't as good as when Rey was doing
51:47it herself, but when she was attacking
51:49in limited visibility, Dana would be
51:52extremely hard to track. "All right, we
51:55should head back. Breakfast will be
51:57ready soon, and then they will want us
51:59to go through the dungeon again before
52:01we take the rest of the day off." Carl
52:04sighed. "I will race you back, and I
52:07will call Hawk here to burn the remains
52:09of the fort. That place is a biohazard.
52:13Thanks, Rey. Ooh, that was sarcasm,
52:17right, Sister Ray? Carl ignored the
52:20ongoing banter between Rey and Remy as
52:22he brought up eternal lightning over
52:24both of them, both for the energy
52:26refreshing and the healing effects. Both
52:29effects were much stronger than when it
52:31was refreshing lightning. And by the
52:33time that they were back in camp, their
52:35limited sleep last night didn't matter,
52:37and they were in peak shape, ready for
52:39the big bosses of the three departments
52:41to come call them for a dungeon run. If
52:44Carl had to guess, the healing rate of
52:46the eternal lightning skill didn't match
52:48up to what Lotus area healing had
52:50accomplished at ascended rank, but it
52:52might have been a match for a constant
52:54stream of awakened rank healing. When it
52:56was combined with Remy's new healing
52:58totems, they should be more than the
53:00area healing had done at ascended.
53:03That was enough that the two beasts
53:04would actually be considered a proper
53:06healer in most groups as the effect was
53:08on everyone and not just one target. Oh
53:12yes, I forgot one thing. Carl informed
53:15her as they walked into the fort for
53:16breakfast.
53:18What's that? Happy birthday. His
53:22announcement got everyone's attention
53:23and they all turned to see Dana enter
53:25the tent in her new outfit. Is that what
53:28you made her? I like it. full coverage
53:32for anonymity, functional, flexible, and
53:35durable. Ruth complimented Ray's
53:38handiwork. Dana took her hood down, and
53:40everyone noticed that her ponytail was
53:42tied with the pink silk ribbon from the
53:44parcel, giving her new look a bit of a
53:46girish softness, even though it was
53:48blended in neutral tones that matched
53:50the ground and furniture in the tent.
53:52Tessa and Morgana jumped up out of their
53:54chairs to grab her and turn her side to
53:56side, admiring the new outfit that Dana
53:58had gotten for her birthday. That is
54:01incredible. I think that half of the
54:03rogues in the academy would kill for
54:05that. And that's before you consider
54:07that it's a royal rank stab proof
54:09outfit. Ruth noted from her chair at the
54:12back of the room. Tessa examined Dana's
54:15legs and nodded in satisfaction.
54:17It's got Commander Rank leather as Sauls
54:20on the boots and a wide heel. If you're
54:22riding in a saddle like I do on Thor, it
54:25would make for a much more stable
54:27position than a flat sole. She gestured
54:30to her own boots, which had a similar
54:32heel, and Ry clicked her mandibles
54:34together happily. Everyone was praising
54:36her design features, and nobody had
54:39found a flaw in it yet. That had to mean
54:42that she had made a nearly perfect
54:43outfit. She was slowly becoming the
54:46greatest bloodbath spider in history. If
54:49she kept it up, maybe they would rename
54:51the species after her. The ray spider
54:54had a very nice ring to it, and it would
54:56remind people that she could do so much
54:58more than turn them into a blood stain.
55:01Not that she didn't enjoy turning things
55:03into blood stains, but it was far too
55:05limiting for a creature as majestic as
55:07she was. As if the sound of utensils
55:10drew them to the tent, Colonel Valerie
55:12arrived with the head of the church
55:13research team as soon as the food was
55:15served, and happily sat for a meal. We
55:18will need a team to go check to see if
55:20they can enter yet. The other team did
55:23the 12-hour check and they couldn't
55:24enter. So, we are hoping that it is only
55:26one day of waiting and not a full week
55:28or something even longer. The colonel
55:31explained as she cut her eggs to let the
55:33yolk run out over her potatoes.
55:36Once a day does sound like a rather good
55:38deal. The amount of gear and loot that
55:40could be brought out by multiple teams
55:42farming a dungeon every day is rather
55:44impressive. Carl agreed.
55:48Eventually, it won't be worth it for the
55:50team anymore.
55:51Some dungeons will let you enter
55:53indefinitely, and they are the primary
55:55source for our lower level equipment.
55:57But that is very rarely true about one
55:59as powerful as a commander ranked
56:00dungeon. If we could just farm equipment
56:03drops from a dungeon at this level, we
56:05would be able to provide much better
56:07gear for our soldiers. Colonel Valerie
56:10laughed. So, what is stopping it? Is
56:14there an entry limit beyond the timer?
56:16Carl asked, unsure how this worked.
56:20Normally, yes. Each person will only be
56:23allowed to enter so many times, after
56:26which the dungeon won't provide them any
56:27more rewards if they continue. So, you
56:31can keep going in, but you won't get any
56:33loot. What if it were one out of five
56:36with a fresh team? We could keep someone
56:38here from the Inquisition to lead weaker
56:40teams through so they could get the
56:42benefits.
56:43Valerie shook her head. Just like with
56:46the members without a class, a fully
56:48formed dungeon considers all members.
56:51Now, we expected that they would just be
56:53excluded from the rewards as they didn't
56:55have a class, and actually giving them
56:57one was a shock, but the principle still
56:59applies.
57:00So, we're likely going to be here until
57:02the dungeon stops giving us rewards,"
57:05Carl asked carefully. There were sure to
57:08be limits on what she was allowed to
57:10tell them. And this had been an
57:11emergency deployment, after which the
57:13response teams would normally be sent to
57:15a new location. That meant either back
57:18to fight the hill giants or off to a new
57:20battlefield.
57:22Colonel Valerie nodded. That's right.
57:26Team one will be reassigned later today,
57:28off to another emergency call, while
57:30your team will remain here until the
57:32construction of the new facility is
57:34complete and the long-term staff have
57:35arrived. Construction will start today
57:38after we have determined that the
57:40dungeon is indeed repeatable. That isn't
57:43expected to be an issue. There are
57:45rarely cases where an instant stabilizes
57:47and can't be repeated. Normally, the
57:50single entry versions vanish after the
57:52first use or fail to fully stabilize,
57:54like the first advancement trial that
57:56you underwent. Carl nodded in
57:59understanding.
58:00It made sense that a stabilized dungeon
58:02wouldn't have the same sort of
58:04restrictions on it as an unstable
58:05instance.
58:07It would have been much better if they
58:08could just assign someone to farm them
58:10for equipment, though. They were at war
58:13on too many sides, and being able to
58:15send elites out to train in a
58:16predictable dungeon before going to the
58:18front would probably reduce some of the
58:20trauma when they faced giants in real
58:22combat. Are we at our timer yet? Bob
58:25asked as they finished eating. 10
58:28minutes ago. We start the timer when you
58:31leave the dungeon as that seems to be
58:33the most reliable version of what the
58:34dungeons consider 24 hours to be. Carl's
58:38core team, Tessa, Dana, Lotus, and Oilia
58:42stood to join him in the mission to the
58:43dungeon, and the two clerics winked as
58:45they prepared to head out. Oh, no, you
58:48don't. Lotus is staying here. We've got
58:52work to do. You can take one of the
58:54others. Doug reprimanded them. They were
58:58the two nature clerics, and there was a
59:00birthday dinner to prepare. Doug wasn't
59:03about to let the second chef escape for
59:05hours to go play in a dungeon if he
59:07didn't get to come with her. Lotus
59:09sighed, and Bob patted her on the head
59:11as he got to his feet. I will take her
59:14spot today. We will let the nature
59:17clerics do their thing, and then we will
59:19be back for lunch."
59:21Carl noticed that Morgana and Colonel
59:22Valerie shared a secret smile as they
59:24were headed out. So, he was certain that
59:26the colonel knew what they were up to
59:28today and likely had something planned
59:30for the evening as Doug was intent on
59:32making lunch and not dinner.
59:34Fortunately, Dana was facing the other
59:36way, adjusting her face mask and hood,
59:39which were attached to each other, and
59:41she wasn't fully accustomed to yet. The
59:43cloth armor might not prevent broken
59:45bones from the impact force, but it
59:47would keep her from being cut or hit
59:49with particularly nasty sprays.
59:52Now that she was learning a combat style
59:54that mixed blades and spells, often in
59:56close quarters, getting sprayed with
59:58blood or something worse was becoming a
1:00:00concern. Carl led the team to the
1:00:03dungeon entrance and extended his hand
1:00:05so he didn't walk face first into the
1:00:07portal if it was still closed. Luck was
1:00:10on their side and the team passed
1:00:12smoothly through with Bob moving to the
1:00:14front to take his usual position as tank
1:00:16while Carl called out the beasts. I'm
1:00:19almost to royal rank. I can feel it. I
1:00:22was so close last time I was in here
1:00:24that I could feel the barrier trembling
1:00:26and I think that now I will be able to
1:00:28advance. I've got a good feeling about
1:00:31this time. Bob explained.
1:00:34In that case, lead the way. The golems
1:00:38will support you, but a bit more
1:00:39practice with your new skill might be
1:00:41just the thing that you need to push you
1:00:43to the next level. Carl agreed. The
1:00:46others weren't going to argue. There was
1:00:49no observer in here with them, so they
1:00:51could move as fast as they pleased or
1:00:53take breaks between the bosses, so they
1:00:55didn't come back out too early before
1:00:57the food was ready. The others would
1:01:00definitely know if they were slacking,
1:01:02but there wasn't much that could
1:01:03actually be done about it, even if they
1:01:05were aware. Bob led the way, knocking
1:01:08the ogres to the ground with his shield
1:01:10slam and then chopping them with Titanic
1:01:13cleave. It was a pair of mana inensive
1:01:16skills, but it severely wounded all of
1:01:18the ogres, and the golems finished them
1:01:20off before any of them could even defend
1:01:22themselves.
1:01:23They didn't even slow when they made it
1:01:25to the first boss. Everyone just
1:01:27attacked, hacking it apart in seconds to
1:01:29see what would be in the box. Boss
1:01:32defeated.
1:01:33This time the announcement wasn't in the
1:01:35air above the chest, but in Carl's view
1:01:38as if he had the interface active. He
1:01:41didn't keep it up all the time as it was
1:01:43just distracting, especially with his
1:01:45highly enhanced vision. But seeing the
1:01:47announcement was enough to remind him
1:01:48that he was gaining more system
1:01:50functions by the day. Bob opened the
1:01:53chest and inside was a small assortment
1:01:55of armor along with a large number of
1:01:57coins.
1:01:58Split coins or claim? Carl saw from his
1:02:02interface.
1:02:04Split, he chose
1:02:0673 gold coins gained. Carl checked his
1:02:10interface quickly and saw that the money
1:02:12function was now active while everyone
1:02:14else looked around confused as the money
1:02:16vanished. It gave me the option to split
1:02:20it. Check your interface and your bag.
1:02:22It should be there. Carl explained.
1:02:26Oh, there it is. Right in the bottom of
1:02:28my bag. Well, that's a fun new function.
1:02:33Autosplitting the money makes things
1:02:34much less difficult, especially when you
1:02:37have a berserker in the team. You know
1:02:39how they feel about math. Bob joked.
1:02:43Me. Excuse you very much. Your math is
1:02:48worse than mine. Oilia laughed. They
1:02:52tossed the armor pieces into Thor's
1:02:54bags, and Tessa checked the ring that
1:02:56was left in the bottom of the chest. a
1:02:58ring of fireball enhancement.
1:03:01It only works on the fireball spell, but
1:03:03it increases damage by 15%.
1:03:07She explained, "Might as well put it in
1:03:10the bag." None of us use the actual
1:03:13fireball spell, but the two new mages
1:03:16might. The second boss went very much
1:03:18the same as the first. swarmed and
1:03:21beaten within seconds with nothing they
1:03:23needed in the chest. But this time, the
1:03:25coins just autosplit the first time that
1:03:27someone touched one. Oh, now it seems to
1:03:31be the default setting for the dungeon.
1:03:33The others who come in will love this if
1:03:35the setting doesn't just apply to us.
1:03:38Though, if they don't have a storage
1:03:40bag, I wonder what will happen. Oilia
1:03:43noted as they finished adding the items
1:03:45from the second boss to Thor's bags.
1:03:48They moved on to the third boss, letting
1:03:50Bob lead the team. But the closer they
1:03:52got, the more that his frustration was
1:03:54growing. He was stuck at the bottleneck,
1:03:57and there was a missing ingredient for
1:03:59him to advance. But there was hope that
1:04:01the last boss would help him break that.
1:04:04And judging by the look on his face,
1:04:06Carl was certain that Bob wanted to
1:04:07fight it alone. "All right, give it a
1:04:10go. The ladies will keep you healed."
1:04:14Carl agreed before Bob could ask out
1:04:16loud. The warrior prepared himself and
1:04:19Thor refreshed Eternal Lightning on him
1:04:22while bringing up circle of protection
1:04:24on the boss's platform. If Bob was going
1:04:27to fight alone, that was about as much
1:04:29as they could do for him. And eternal
1:04:32lightning was a much more potent skill
1:04:34than any defensive ability the warrior
1:04:36had. It would also improve the reduced
1:04:39damage effect from the circle of
1:04:40protection, and he should be able to
1:04:42hold off the boss with minimal healing.
1:04:44The Ogre Lords Club crashed down on
1:04:46Bob's shield, which glowed with golden
1:04:49holy light as eternal lightning
1:04:51activated. Then Titanic Slash crashed
1:04:54down on the beast's shoulder, carving a
1:04:56deep furrow in the armor and causing a
1:04:58spray of blood. But between two peak
1:05:01commander rank opponents, the battle was
1:05:03incredibly evenly matched, and only the
1:05:05extra abilities from Thor were keeping
1:05:07Bob in the fight. The two warriors
1:05:10circled as they tested each other with
1:05:11quick strikes than a flurry of harder
1:05:14attacks intended to put each other off
1:05:15balance. Carl had never noticed before
1:05:18how similar the fighting style of an
1:05:20ogre lord and a warrior class elite was.
1:05:24But other than their weapons, even their
1:05:26skills were similar. However, Bob was
1:05:29quickly gaining the upper edge with
1:05:30superior sword skills. And the ogre lord
1:05:33was taking repeated strikes whenever a
1:05:35strike was blocked or parried well
1:05:36enough that he was left out of position.
1:05:39It was clear to Carl what Bob was
1:05:41missing. Though he wasn't understanding
1:05:44the change in energy patterns between
1:05:46commanders and royals, and Carl wasn't
1:05:48certain that fighting commander rank
1:05:50ogres would help him in that regard. It
1:05:52might actually be better for him to spar
1:05:54with Carl so he could experience the
1:05:56feeling of royal rank power repeatedly
1:05:58without needing to risk his life. It
1:06:01wasn't really something that most elites
1:06:03did when they were in the field. There
1:06:05were plenty of other targets to fight,
1:06:07so Carl hadn't thought about it. But for
1:06:10someone like Bob, who was stuck at the
1:06:12bottleneck, it might be just the thing.
1:06:15After a particularly brutal exchange,
1:06:17Bob stepped back and gave a nod to the
1:06:19golems. He had realized it as well. The
1:06:23answer to breaking the bottleneck wasn't
1:06:25the ogre lord. The golems were on the
1:06:28wounded dungeon boss in under a second
1:06:30and 3 seconds later it was falling dead
1:06:32to the ground while the final chest of
1:06:34the dungeon appeared. Cool down timer
1:06:37midnight. The golems were on the wounded
1:06:40dungeon boss in under a second and 3
1:06:42seconds later it was falling dead to the
1:06:44ground while the final chest of the
1:06:46dungeon appeared. Coolown timer
1:06:48midnight. Bob sighed as the reality that
1:06:51he hadn't made the advancement sunk in
1:06:53and Carl went over to give him a
1:06:55consiliatory pat on the shoulder. Don't
1:06:58worry too much. I'll spar with you while
1:07:01we're here and you might find what
1:07:02you're looking for. I can tell that
1:07:05you're so close to understanding, but
1:07:07there is no way to explain it until you
1:07:09already understand.
1:07:11Carl informed him softly. Thanks. I'm
1:07:15sure it's something small that I'm
1:07:16missing. But I just can't seem to get
1:07:18it. With a somewhat defeated sigh, Bob
1:07:21opened the final reward chest and then
1:07:24smiled down at the interior. I think
1:07:27this one is for both of us. Check this
1:07:29out. Bob laughed, motioning for Carl to
1:07:33come inspect the loot. On the top of the
1:07:36pile of armor pieces and weapons sat a
1:07:38single skill book. Bone Crusher was a
1:07:41budget version of Shatter that caused
1:07:44extra damage that bypassed armor. Carl
1:07:47called it a budget version because it
1:07:48didn't stack on top of another attack.
1:07:51It was an attack skill of its own. It
1:07:53also didn't do as much damage, Carl
1:07:56guessed, as the book was only the mildly
1:07:58decorated tier 2 book and not one of the
1:08:00fancy ones that skills like shatter
1:08:02would create. Oh, that does look good.
1:08:06Any warrior class can use it, so I
1:08:08should be able to, I think. And then I
1:08:11can make a copy for you, one for Oilia
1:08:14and a copy for the church library. Carl
1:08:17agreed. Should we wait in here while you
1:08:20do that, or will they take a long time?
1:08:23Oilia asked. Carl shrugged. I will find
1:08:28out once I've learned the skill, I
1:08:29guess. He picked up the book and opened
1:08:32the cover, letting it teach him the new
1:08:34skill.
1:08:35Then he checked with skill book to see
1:08:38what it would take to make the copies. I
1:08:41need commander rank blood and bone dust.
1:08:44That's easy enough. I can borrow some
1:08:46from Ray or Hawk. Tessa provided a pen
1:08:49and paper. And Carl side. I'm really
1:08:52going to need to start carrying writing
1:08:54tools with me so I don't always have to
1:08:56borrow a pen and paper when someone
1:08:58wants a skill book. All right, this
1:09:01should be fairly short. Most warrior
1:09:04class books are. Carl began to write out
1:09:07the skill and finished the first book in
1:09:09under 10 minutes, which made Oilia
1:09:11laugh. The kiss principle holds true for
1:09:14all warrior skills, I guess, she joked.
1:09:19Kiss principal? Tessa asked. Keep it
1:09:23simple, stupid. The Berserker replied,
1:09:26snorting with laughter. Berserker
1:09:29friendly books is what we called them
1:09:30when I was in the academy.
1:09:32Bob added. Carl finished the second book
1:09:36and then handed both over to the group's
1:09:37warriors.
1:09:39All right, let me know if you can't use
1:09:41them, and we will give the spare to the
1:09:43church. Oilia laughed at the hope in his
1:09:46voice as she opened the book and learned
1:09:48bone crusher. At the same time, Bob did.
1:09:51Sorry about your luck. You'll need to
1:09:53make another one later. But tomorrow, I
1:09:56think we've got a birthday lunch to get
1:09:59to today. They should be almost done
1:10:02with the cooking by now. The berserker
1:10:04reminded him. Carl wrapped his arm
1:10:07around Dana's shoulders as Bob sorted
1:10:09through the rest of the chest, and Thor
1:10:11laughed in Carl's mind. What's so funny?
1:10:15You don't need to rub on her. She still
1:10:17smells like you. Thor laughed. Ry joined
1:10:21in. Only humans would think that a
1:10:24shower would wash away the scent of
1:10:26skin-to-skin contact.
1:10:28She will smell like you for days. Carl
1:10:31took off a glove and let his hand brush
1:10:33the back of Dana's neck as he moved to
1:10:35help load the loot into Thor's bags,
1:10:37which made all of the beasts laugh. Now,
1:10:40the scent wouldn't fade until at least
1:10:42the end of the day. They made their way
1:10:44out of the dungeon and found Colonel
1:10:46Valerie along with a large number of
1:10:48researchers waiting for them. "How did
1:10:51the run go?" she demanded. Notepad at
1:10:54the ready. The 24-hour cooldown is
1:10:57confirmed. It notified me as we
1:11:00finished. So, the timer starts after the
1:11:02last boss dies. Mostly, we got armor and
1:11:06some accessories that we all have better
1:11:08versions of, but we also got one skill
1:11:10book. I will make a copy of it later,
1:11:14Carl explained. You used the book right
1:11:17away instead of passing it to the
1:11:18inscriptionists.
1:11:20A portly researcher asked in horror. I
1:11:23have a skill for making copies of the
1:11:25skills I already know. It's a bit odd,
1:11:28but I have already given the skill to
1:11:30Bob and Oilia, and that used up my
1:11:32creation attempts for the day, Carl
1:11:35explained.
1:11:36Colonel Valerie smirked as she knew that
1:11:39was an outright lie. He could make more
1:11:41than just two books a day, she had the
1:11:44reports from his interview with the arch
1:11:45mage. All right, we will let you get to
1:11:48the birthday celebration that your team
1:11:50is preparing. There will be a large team
1:11:52arriving this evening to build the
1:11:54structure over the dungeon entrance, and
1:11:56we will be holding a small social event
1:11:58to welcome them," she explained.
1:12:02Bob chuckled. "That sounds an awful lot
1:12:05like more important people are coming,
1:12:07and we need to keep them entertained
1:12:08while the news cameras hound you and the
1:12:10other team leaders for information." I
1:12:13am not going to say that you're wrong,
1:12:15but what I will say is that attendance
1:12:17is compulsory, so put on your very best
1:12:19outfit and maybe trim your beard. Bob
1:12:23scratched at his stubble and shrugged. I
1:12:25will see what I can do. You're welcome
1:12:28to come over for lunch. Dana wanted
1:12:31turkey and dumplings, so the other half
1:12:33of the team has been working on it all
1:12:35morning while we were in the dungeon. So
1:12:37that is why you're with them and not
1:12:39Lotus. They needed someone else who
1:12:41could cook. All right, they've been over
1:12:44to steal enough ingredients from us this
1:12:46morning. I will have to come visit to
1:12:48see how it turned out. That startled
1:12:50Carl. He had brought everything that
1:12:53they requested for the birthday meal
1:12:54that was planned. So, if they were
1:12:56looking for more, they must have added
1:12:58more to the menu that the two nature
1:12:59clerics couldn't create on their own.
1:13:02When they entered the fort, it looked
1:13:04like someone had been prepping for a
1:13:05church bake sale. There were four large
1:13:08pizza ovens lined up along one wall.
1:13:11Three long grles with pressure cookers
1:13:13or possibly steam pots on top set along
1:13:16the other with two massive mixers in the
1:13:18middle next to dozens of tubs full of
1:13:20baked goods. Doug waved as Carl entered
1:13:23the tent. You're just in time. Help
1:13:26unload the small cakes from the steam
1:13:28pots and get them out on the cooling
1:13:30racks. We've got another batch ready to
1:13:33go. Happy birthday, Miss Dana. Here,
1:13:38have a cookie. Doug gestured to what
1:13:41looked like a three-gallon bucket full
1:13:42of ginger snap cookies. And Dana
1:13:44laughed, pulling one still warm cookie
1:13:47from the top of the pile. "Oh, these are
1:13:50amazing, but how did you even get so
1:13:52many of them made? We were only gone an
1:13:54hour or so," Dana asked. "Magic."
1:13:59Doug dead panned. Lotus nodded and
1:14:02loaded fresh cupcakes into the steamed
1:14:04pots that Carl was emptying. They had
1:14:07three layers of racks and a bit of water
1:14:09in the bottom so the contents steamed to
1:14:11perfection, which was a bit different
1:14:12from a baked cupcake, but they looked
1:14:14delicious. Then she cast a spell over
1:14:17the pot as she put it on the grill and
1:14:19went to load the next. With that as a
1:14:22reminder, Carl noticed that the cookies
1:14:24in the ovens were flattening
1:14:25suspiciously quickly and realized that
1:14:27the clerics must know some spell for
1:14:29rapid baking. Doug gestured to one of
1:14:32the ovens. We need more hands. Everyone
1:14:36but the birthday girl. Hop to it. Keep
1:14:39the line moving and we will have sweets
1:14:41for weeks. Dana, enjoy your cookies.
1:14:45Lunch will be ready in a half hour. The
1:14:48procession of baked goods in and out of
1:14:50the ovens and steam pots was a smooth
1:14:52process for the next hour until Doug
1:14:54decided that they had enough now to feed
1:14:56a small army as well as provide snacks
1:14:58for the arriving guests and construction
1:15:00workers. Then the item they had all been
1:15:03waiting for, the turkey and dumplings,
1:15:05was ready to be served. There are
1:15:08cornbread mini loaves in one of those
1:15:10bins. Grab some to go with the stew. We
1:15:14have far too much for just us here so we
1:15:16can eat it all day, Doug announced.
1:15:20Lotus scooped up a large bowl for Dana
1:15:22and then decorated it with onion greens
1:15:24and placed a small loaf of cornbread
1:15:26shaped like a bread loaf instead of a
1:15:28biscuit, which was a bit odd to Carl,
1:15:30next to it with a pad of honey butter.
1:15:33Perfection.
1:15:34Happy birthday, the little high
1:15:37priestess announced. The ladies moved
1:15:40out of the tent where the tables to eat
1:15:41at had been relocated and Carl went to
1:15:44Doug to get some answers about Lotus
1:15:46strange behavior lately. Did you manage
1:15:48to find out what is up with Lotus? He
1:15:51whispered. Doug smiled and nodded. It's
1:15:55part of becoming a high priestess. We
1:15:58all develop a closer bond with the
1:16:00dragons, normally with one in particular
1:16:02or with the goddess herself. Lotus just
1:16:06happened to bond with a newborn green
1:16:07dragon who hasn't seen anything before.
1:16:10So, its voice is constantly in her head,
1:16:12demanding to see new things and
1:16:13experience new settings. We've been
1:16:16working on toning down her voice so
1:16:18Lotus doesn't get as distracted. I got a
1:16:21more normal connection with the goddess
1:16:23directly. She is less chatty unless
1:16:26there is something that she needs to
1:16:27happen. It might take a while, but
1:16:30eventually she will return to as normal
1:16:32as Lotus gets.
1:16:34Carl laughed. Well, that's good news. I
1:16:39thought that there might be a major
1:16:40issue, but she just gained a newborn
1:16:42lotus dragon, so it's a bit like getting
1:16:45a kitten. You just need to let them
1:16:47explore until they learn everything
1:16:48they're interested in. Doug laughed and
1:16:51shook his head. The green dragons might
1:16:54be upset to be compared to curious
1:16:56kittens, but I can see where you would
1:16:58get the impression. Newborns of all
1:17:00species are similarly inquisitive.
1:17:03They both grabbed lunch and headed
1:17:05outside as the ovens were still hot and
1:17:07the interior of the fort was a bit
1:17:09stifling with so little ventilation,
1:17:11even with the door open. Dana went for
1:17:14seconds, then thirds, until she was
1:17:16leaned up against Carl's side in a food
1:17:18coma. None of them were in any hurry to
1:17:21do anything. They were just relaxing in
1:17:23the sunshine until the sound of
1:17:24helicopters alerted them to new
1:17:26arrivals.
1:17:2710 of the double-bladed transport
1:17:29helicopters and two that carried a large
1:17:32metal container beneath them were coming
1:17:34into sight, presumably with the
1:17:35construction crew and materials.
1:17:38I can see why helicopters are afraid of
1:17:40hill giants. I could take those out from
1:17:43here, Rey noted idly as she lounged in
1:17:46the bell tower of the fort. The first
1:17:49helicopter landed and a whole crew of
1:17:51workers piled out and began to spread
1:17:53around the site, setting stakes and
1:17:55lights for the other helicopters to land
1:17:57at for unloading. I think it's safer
1:18:00that we just wait here until they're all
1:18:02done with the unloading. They don't look
1:18:04like they're going to have time for
1:18:05cookies until later. Lotus noted. Much
1:18:10later. They're very energetic about the
1:18:12prep work, aren't they? Carl agreed.
1:18:16Even more workers came out of the
1:18:18following helicopters, and Carl began to
1:18:20wonder just how many people it actually
1:18:22took to build the structure over the
1:18:24dungeon portal. Some of them would
1:18:26likely be the long-term caretakers of
1:18:28the location, but there had to be 50 new
1:18:30people here, and the area they had
1:18:32staked out for the building was not much
1:18:34larger than an average house. If that
1:18:37was as large as the building was going
1:18:38to be, they had far too many workers.
1:18:42Did they plan to just give everyone one
1:18:43piece to assemble? That would be the
1:18:46most unique strategy Carl had ever heard
1:18:48of for a construction team. So, they had
1:18:50to have something else in mind. Once the
1:18:53helicopters were all on the ground, the
1:18:55workers started to stake out other
1:18:56building locations, as if they were
1:18:58making a small village around the
1:19:00dungeon. Now, it made a bit more sense.
1:19:04If they were going to make a dozen
1:19:05permanent buildings at the same time,
1:19:07they might actually have a use for all
1:19:09these people. Bob looked around at the
1:19:12work in progress. This is chaos. It
1:19:16looks like they're going with metal
1:19:17frame and sheeting buildings for most of
1:19:19the structures, but they're going to
1:19:21need to build a wall around the whole
1:19:22complex if they're not going to make
1:19:24something more sturdy. They don't
1:19:26usually keep elites on station at these
1:19:28things, or at least not strong ones.
1:19:31So, they need some sort of protective
1:19:33barrier that will keep the wild beasts
1:19:35out of the complex.
1:19:37Doug brought out a cake sliced for the
1:19:40whole group, and they turned people
1:19:41watching into their afternoon
1:19:42entertainment.
1:19:44The important people weren't here yet,
1:19:46or at least they weren't coming over to
1:19:48talk to the elites, so nobody was in a
1:19:50hurry to get up from their seats. Late
1:19:52in the afternoon, a feeling of
1:19:54approaching power drew Carl and the
1:19:56beast's attention to the west. "Do you
1:19:59see something?" Doug asked as he noticed
1:20:01that Carl was distracted. There is more
1:20:04than one overlord coming. By the speed,
1:20:07I am guessing that they're in a
1:20:09helicopter.
1:20:10It's too fast to be a car, even if there
1:20:13was a road that came to this spot, Carl
1:20:16explained.
1:20:17You can tell that from this distance.
1:20:20Ruth asked. Yeah. Or one of the beasts
1:20:24can, which is the same thing because
1:20:26when they are alerted, I am alerted.
1:20:28Carl replied with a shrug. It's not
1:20:31Overlord Drake.
1:20:33Ry noted. And there are three of them, I
1:20:37am pretty sure. Hawk agreed.
1:20:40Three overlords, Hawk thinks. None of
1:20:43them are Overlord Drake, who I have
1:20:45often crossed paths with in the past.
1:20:48Carl explained.
1:20:50Bob laughed. It seems like every time we
1:20:53run into someone famous, you're already
1:20:55friends with them. Even the colonel is
1:20:58an old friend of yours already, and
1:21:00you're only just about to finish your
1:21:02first year at the academy." Carl
1:21:04shrugged and waited for the helicopter
1:21:06to come in sight. "I have met a rather
1:21:09extraordinary selection of people so
1:21:10far. I can't deny that." I even met the
1:21:14Archbishop for a few seconds. Bob looked
1:21:17like he was going to ask, then realized
1:21:19that the incident was almost certainly
1:21:21classified. And while they were pretty
1:21:23relaxed in their assignment to accompany
1:21:25Carl, there was still a whole team of
1:21:26magic knights from the Inquisition
1:21:28sitting right next to them. Carl saw
1:21:31Colonel Valerie in the distance
1:21:32motioning for them to change. All right,
1:21:36it looks like it's showtime.
1:21:38Everyone, get into your formal best. The
1:21:40important people are on their way in. He
1:21:43was about to change to his suit with the
1:21:44Royal Ranked cape when Jodie, one of the
1:21:47familiar Bureau of Elite Developments
1:21:49agents under Colonel Valerie, came
1:21:50jogging over. Stay in your armor. The
1:21:54fancier the better. They have a camera
1:21:58person with them, and that means they'll
1:21:59be expecting staged photos.
1:22:02Most of you should be fine as is. Just
1:22:04Carl and Bob will need to change, he
1:22:07explained.
1:22:09Morgana was in her usual black dress.
1:22:11The clerics were in their robes, and the
1:22:13magic knights never changed out of their
1:22:15armor in public. So, it was really just
1:22:18Carl, Bob, and Oilia who were in casual
1:22:21wear. Carl changed into his armor with
1:22:24the fur trimmed ice giant cloak, but
1:22:26without his helmet, while Bob changed
1:22:28back to his shining night outfit with
1:22:30the most glorious horned helmet
1:22:31equipped. Oilia giggled as she checked
1:22:34her armor. It feels weird to be
1:22:37wandering around in armor, but as a
1:22:39human. All my fighting is done in were
1:22:42bear or dire bear form, so I'm never
1:22:44really wearing armor in human form." Jod
1:22:47smiled at her reluctance and then
1:22:49examined the group. "Carl, what's up
1:22:52with the dark light host tabard?" He
1:22:55asked, "It is part of the armor created
1:22:57by the skill. It adapts to the
1:23:00situation, and today it thinks that I
1:23:02need a tabard." Carl replied with a
1:23:05gesture of defeat.
1:23:07So it doesn't always have a tabard. Carl
1:23:11shook his head. I have seen it without
1:23:13the tabard, but normally it does have
1:23:16it. Sometimes it creates a tunic and
1:23:19puts that under the chest plate. I think
1:23:21it's formal enough and it's still a
1:23:23symbol of the world dragon, so it
1:23:25shouldn't cause any issues with photos.
1:23:28Good enough for me. Jod led them over to
1:23:31the main camp area where the small
1:23:33helicopter was about to land with the
1:23:34three overlords in it, plus three other
1:23:37elites and the two pilots. We should all
1:23:40be there to greet them, especially the
1:23:42royals.
1:23:43Jod muttered as he hurried them along
1:23:45toward the landing zone. Carl and Doug
1:23:48got there just in time to take spots in
1:23:50the front row with Prince Charles and
1:23:52the team leaders of the response teams.
1:23:54The first man out was an overlord in
1:23:56shining silver armor with a golden
1:23:58tabard and closecropped blonde hair. He
1:24:01had the look of the perfect noble
1:24:03gentleman from a romance story, and Carl
1:24:05could see that there were more than a
1:24:07few of the women giving him admiring
1:24:08glances. "Not Colonel Valerie," he
1:24:11noted. "Perhaps they were on bad terms."
1:24:15The next out was a man in a black hooded
1:24:17outfit that was somewhat similar to
1:24:19Danish, but without the coat. It was the
1:24:22common stealth outfit for a rogue class
1:24:24elite, but Carl thought it was a bit
1:24:26extra to be wearing it here with his
1:24:27face covered in the middle of the day.
1:24:30It wasn't like a black outfit actually
1:24:32helped him blend in with anything here.
1:24:34That man noticed Dana right away and
1:24:37then did a double take when he realized
1:24:39that she was a mage and that the coat
1:24:41was a royal rank item. The quality was
1:24:44clear in the construction and the
1:24:45adaptive coloration made it even more
1:24:47valuable. The last man out was a mage in
1:24:50deep blue robes that seemed to sparkle
1:24:52with an entire galaxy of stars as if you
1:24:55were looking at an eternal void and not
1:24:57a piece of clothing. That is
1:24:59spectacular.
1:25:01I need to learn how to do that. Rey
1:25:04sighed as she admired his outfit from
1:25:06her space. She had created her own fake
1:25:09stars all over, but if she could make
1:25:11something that realistic, she could
1:25:13completely redecorate her home. She
1:25:15could even make it look like her
1:25:17favorite trophies were floating in the
1:25:19void. Their assistant stepped out behind
1:25:21them with the co-pilot serving as
1:25:23photographer and began the formal
1:25:25introductions.
1:25:27Overlord Yoan, the shining knight
1:25:29representing the first military fast
1:25:31response battalion.
1:25:33Overlord Neil of the Inquisition and
1:25:35Overlord Ahmad, the Legionary Golem
1:25:37Lord. The man informed them simply.
1:25:41Colonel Valerie stepped forward. I am
1:25:44Colonel Valerie of the Bureau of Elite
1:25:46Development. This is Lord Inquisitor
1:25:48Mabel, then Minister Davies of National
1:25:51Treasures, followed by Prince Charles,
1:25:53Royal Priest Doug McKenzie, and Prince
1:25:56Carl the Beast Master. Carl was more
1:25:59than a little startled that he was
1:26:00introduced with a title when the others
1:26:02weren't. But when he saw the eyes of the
1:26:04overlords light up, he knew that the
1:26:05Colonel had done it on purpose. Overlord
1:26:08Yoan strode directly to Carl with a
1:26:11smile on his face. It is a pleasure to
1:26:14meet you, young prince. We have heard
1:26:16much about your talents and exploits
1:26:18lately. Carl took his outstretched hand
1:26:21with a smile. It's an honor to meet you
1:26:24as well. It isn't often that we are
1:26:27graced with the presence of overlords
1:26:28out here in the wilderness. The shining
1:26:31knight laughed and nodded. That is true,
1:26:35but this is a unique situation.
1:26:38There are only a few repeatable dungeons
1:26:40active in the nation and only one other
1:26:42is at the commander rank. The fact that
1:26:45this one is entirely ogres and far
1:26:47enough from the border that it won't be
1:26:48easily contested is enough to pull us
1:26:50out here for the day to take a look.
1:26:53Overlord Neil was more interested in
1:26:54Dana's outfit and he was silently
1:26:56inspecting her, turning Dana side to
1:26:58side to get a better look. Was that a
1:27:01reward from this dungeon? It seems too
1:27:04high level for that? he asked in a low
1:27:07voice that was clearly altered with some
1:27:09sort of voice changer. Dana shook her
1:27:12head. It was a gift from Prince Carl,
1:27:15made by his royal rank bloodbath spider.
1:27:18Dana looked shocked that she had said
1:27:20that out loud, and Carl began to suspect
1:27:22that the overlord from the Inquisition
1:27:24had a skill that made people tell him
1:27:26the truth. The final overlord made his
1:27:28way across the rest of the group before
1:27:30settling on Carl. I am told that you can
1:27:33make skill books. Do you suppose that
1:27:36you could make me one of the fire
1:27:37element? He asked, though the tone
1:27:40suggested that the request was merely a
1:27:42courtesy and declining was not an
1:27:44option. Certainly, I have an excellent
1:27:48fire element skill if you are
1:27:49compatible. Tell me, do you have any
1:27:52sort of bestial affinity? The skill was
1:27:55designed for use by a beast, so it can
1:27:57be considered a prerequisite to using
1:27:59the skill book directly. I believe you
1:28:02can still learn by studying the book,
1:28:03but you know how that goes. Carl agreed.
1:28:08The mage lifted his hood upward
1:28:09slightly, and Carl caught a glimpse of
1:28:11fluffy blonde ears on the top of his
1:28:13head. That should work wonderfully.
1:28:17I can make it for you before you go or
1:28:19whenever we get time this afternoon.
1:28:22Finally, not an evil magician. Hawk
1:28:25cheered. Then Ahmad the mage paused and
1:28:28sniffed the air. Was there a celebration
1:28:31already planned? I smell all sorts of
1:28:34fancy baking. Carl nodded and gestured
1:28:37behind him. It is Commander Dana's
1:28:40birthday today, and our nature clerics
1:28:42were kind enough to make a remarkable
1:28:43number of baked goods to celebrate.
1:28:46Would you care to join us once we finish
1:28:49with the rest of the welcoming? But do
1:28:52save me some of those cupcakes that I
1:28:54can smell if you would. That shouldn't
1:28:57be a problem. There were hundreds of
1:28:58them made. One case full reserved for
1:29:01the overlord wouldn't be a hardship to
1:29:03anyone else. The overlords moved on,
1:29:06saying hello to everyone, or in the case
1:29:09of overlord Neil, saying hello to his
1:29:11fellow inquisitors and the magic
1:29:13knights, then standing back so people
1:29:15didn't bother him. He wasn't really the
1:29:18talkative sort, but that wasn't all too
1:29:20surprising for a member of the
1:29:21Inquisition.
1:29:23While everyone else was busy, Carl
1:29:25walked over to Overlord Neil and lowered
1:29:27his voice. I don't suppose we get to
1:29:30know what happened that you all came
1:29:31here today. It's a monumental occasion,
1:29:34but you are an emergency response team,
1:29:36and there are still two princes here and
1:29:38only one man with a camera. No
1:29:40reporters.
1:29:42Carl saw the thermal outline behind the
1:29:44mask change as the man smiled. I suspect
1:29:47that we will find out sooner rather than
1:29:49later, but that is classified above your
1:29:52pay grade. [ __ ] I didn't know they were
1:29:55paying me. Carl joked, making the
1:29:58inquisitor laugh and pat him on the
1:30:00back. Let your spider know that if she
1:30:03is willing to make another of those
1:30:04fantastic outfits, I will pay her full
1:30:06asking price. Carl nodded. Rey is a
1:30:11simple and sweet character. She really
1:30:14only wants one thing. Blood from a king
1:30:17rank or higher beast, enough to fill a
1:30:19bathtub. Overlord Neil blinked slowly as
1:30:22he processed that. What in the world
1:30:25would she want with that? Is she short
1:30:27on food? Carl shook his head. No, we've
1:30:32got plenty. But when she is getting
1:30:34close to advancement, she will literally
1:30:36bathe in the blood of her enemies and
1:30:38absorb their power to help her grow. It
1:30:41prevents bottlenecking.
1:30:43So, as fresh as possible, I can arrange
1:30:47that, but it might take some time. I
1:30:50will make it on credit. Thor says it's
1:30:52good for people to owe you favors. Rey
1:30:55suggested.
1:30:57She says that she can make it on credit
1:30:59and you can repay her. Carl relayed. So,
1:31:03they actually speak in your mind.
1:31:06Interesting.
1:31:07All right. I will make that deal. Ry
1:31:10started to work in her space as Carl and
1:31:12Neil shook on the deal. She couldn't
1:31:15come out and play without terrifying all
1:31:17the workers, and the strange overlords
1:31:19were a bit scary, so keeping them happy
1:31:21seemed like a good idea. The two waited
1:31:24silently as all of the aspiring
1:31:26politicians and bureaucrats from the
1:31:28government group chatted up the other
1:31:29overlords and their assistants, who Carl
1:31:31assumed were assigned to them by the
1:31:33military, as they were only ascended
1:31:35rank elites and couldn't possibly be
1:31:37part of the actual response team.
1:31:40All right, everyone, back to work.
1:31:43Overlords, if you would like to inspect
1:31:45the design, you are welcome to. Colonel
1:31:48Valerie informed them all in a stern
1:31:50voice that said they had wasted enough
1:31:51time already. The crews split up, and
1:31:54the original three response teams went
1:31:56to supervise them, while the three
1:31:58overlords grabbed the members of team
1:32:00one and dragged them along to the fort,
1:32:02following Carl's team. Did you make a
1:32:05tent out of? Wait, that really is royal
1:32:08rank spider silk designed to mimic the
1:32:11capital cathedral. Bloody brilliant. How
1:32:14do you even pack it though? Overlord
1:32:17Yoan laughed. It was actually created on
1:32:21the spot. Rey the bloodbath spider is
1:32:24quite the artist, and she likes to build
1:32:26art exhibitions to show off her skills
1:32:28everywhere that were going to be stopped
1:32:30for a while, Carl explained. Ruth
1:32:34laughed. Look upstairs. It gets even
1:32:37better. It's got dividing curtains and
1:32:40hammocks for two expanded groups, plus a
1:32:42shower room. The main floor is currently
1:32:45set up as the kitchen to do all the
1:32:47baking for Commander Dana's birthday.
1:32:49Overlord Ahmad stepped inside and Doug
1:32:52gestured toward the sealed containers
1:32:54full of baking. Take your pick. We will
1:32:58be passing them around the camp later,
1:32:59but everything is made fresh today. The
1:33:02catman golem mage happily grabbed a
1:33:04cupcake in each hand, and Carl could
1:33:07have sworn he saw the mage's eyes glow
1:33:09in victory as he obtained his prize.
1:33:12Overlord Yoan laughed. "Well, Ahmad got
1:33:15what he came here for. I swear that man
1:33:19shouldn't have any teeth left with a
1:33:20sweet tooth like that. But we don't have
1:33:23much else to do but sit here and watch
1:33:25the construction teams work for now."
1:33:28That made it even more obvious that the
1:33:30meet and greet wasn't the reason they
1:33:31had come, but they certainly weren't
1:33:33going to discuss it. The presence of
1:33:36additional people didn't slow them down,
1:33:38though. So, I hear that you agreed to
1:33:41try to make a mod a new skill. Do you
1:33:44think that it will be able to adapt to
1:33:45his level? Finding skills that don't cap
1:33:48out at royal rank or lower has been one
1:33:50of the hardest parts of trying to
1:33:52advance?
1:33:53Overlord Yoan asked in a jovial voice.
1:33:56This one is somewhat special. I think it
1:34:00should be able to adapt enough to match
1:34:01up with an overlord rank mage, but it
1:34:03was a bit of a nightmare attempting to
1:34:05find one who could actually use it. The
1:34:08chances of just stumbling across one,
1:34:10and such a powerful one, are crazy,"
1:34:13Carl joked. Hawk had all the materials
1:34:16that he would need already prepared and
1:34:18waiting for Carl, and he dropped them on
1:34:20the table as he was speaking so that
1:34:22Carl couldn't back out now. One way or
1:34:25another, he was going to make that book.
1:34:28Carl smiled at the angry bird's
1:34:30insistence on spreading fire skills and
1:34:32started to work. The flaming body skill
1:34:36took much longer than the warrior skills
1:34:38to write out, but there was a whole
1:34:39table full of baked goods in front of
1:34:41him, and Carl only needed one hand to
1:34:43write with. The inscriptionists would
1:34:46cry if they saw your skill book creation
1:34:48process.
1:34:50Overlord Ahmad laughed. Yeah, I don't
1:34:53usually snack while working as I don't
1:34:55want to get crumbs on the book, but it's
1:34:57too good to miss out on. The mage shook
1:35:00his head. No, I meant that they need
1:35:03intense focus, constant mana transfer,
1:35:05and multiple reagents to create the
1:35:07book. Oh, that makes sense. I can do the
1:35:11mana transfer easily enough, but Hawk
1:35:13made the ink for the book before he put
1:35:15it on the table. There are five
1:35:18different fire elemental ingredients
1:35:19mixed in there blended with his royal
1:35:21rank fire and my spiritual energy. I
1:35:25might not be an inscriptionist type
1:35:26class, but I am still a royal. Carl
1:35:30slowly finished the text and with a
1:35:32final surge of mana, it formed into a
1:35:34deep red tone that seemed to flicker
1:35:36with flames under the surface. It was
1:35:39locked with a golden strap and the
1:35:40design was absolutely exquisite.
1:35:43This is a thing of beauty. Does the
1:35:46library have one yet? Overlord Ahmad
1:35:49asked. No, they said to hold off for now
1:35:53as the restrictions on the book are so
1:35:54extreme. Hopefully, you will be able to
1:35:57use it. I think that you meet all the
1:35:59requirements.
1:36:01The mage crossed his fingers for luck
1:36:03and carefully opened the latch on the
1:36:04book. So far, so good. It let me look at
1:36:09it. He breathed. Then he flipped open
1:36:13the cover and a surge of red light
1:36:15flooded from the book and surrounded his
1:36:17body as the book slowly vanished. It
1:36:19looked like it was working properly,
1:36:21Carl thought. At least for the first few
1:36:24seconds. Then a gust of magic blew back
1:36:27Omid's hood, allowing fluffy cat ears to
1:36:30poke free as the fur changed to a deep
1:36:32flaming orange and red along with his
1:36:34hair. Power poured from the overlord as
1:36:37the flaming body spell took effect and
1:36:39his eyes glowed bright crimson. Then a
1:36:42deep red shine settled in over him and
1:36:44Ahmad smiled. It works. Overlord ranked
1:36:48defensive skill, flaming body. He
1:36:51gasped, still shocked. Even though he
1:36:54was the one using it. It's not just
1:36:56defensive.
1:36:58You can use it to coat weapons to
1:37:00attack, and with practice, you should be
1:37:02able to use it to enhance your fire
1:37:04attacks,
1:37:05Carl explained. The overlord smiled and
1:37:08created a flame in his hand, then
1:37:10focused and let the power of the flaming
1:37:12body spell flow into it. I think that
1:37:15will take some time, but for now, it
1:37:17will be a huge benefit for me because I
1:37:19can do this. As he finished speaking,
1:37:22Overlord Ahmad summoned four golems that
1:37:25looked like overgrown Hoplight
1:37:26Legionaries with their banded golden
1:37:28chest plates, small round shields, and
1:37:30short swords. Then the flames surrounded
1:37:34them and they gained an extra layer of
1:37:36protection as well as a damage
1:37:37enhancement to their weapons. Yoan
1:37:40whistled in appreciation.
1:37:42Now we're talking. Overlord golems with
1:37:46an extra barrier. Is that stronger than
1:37:48the regular barrier spell? Dana laughed
1:37:51and Ahmad smiled. It's the primary
1:37:54defensive ability of Vermillion Birds.
1:37:58It's on an entirely different level than
1:37:59a basic barrier spell.
1:38:02Carl explained while the mages struggled
1:38:04to stop laughing. Overlord Ahmad nodded.
1:38:08While the barrier spell can be used with
1:38:10Overlord rank strength, it's still a
1:38:12tier one ability. The flaming body skill
1:38:15is a tier three or possibly a tier four
1:38:17ability. I can't use it to its fullest
1:38:20capability yet as it's an adapted
1:38:22species ability, but it would take you
1:38:24three or four slashes to break the
1:38:26barrier on the golems. Does your Hawk
1:38:29use it as a primary attack ability? Yoan
1:38:32asked Carl as he considered the
1:38:34versatility of the skill.
1:38:36Indeed, he likes to fire explosive
1:38:39fireballs at the ground laced with Rend
1:38:42for the extra shredding damage when they
1:38:44explode. The knight looked confused.
1:38:48You're saying that he uses a warrior's
1:38:49rend ability mixed with a mage's
1:38:51fireball that is derived from the
1:38:53flaming body ability as his primary
1:38:55attack? Carl shrugged. Their innate
1:38:59skills to his species. It only made
1:39:02sense to blend them, and having a sphere
1:39:04of rend attacks burst out is much more
1:39:06effective than just a fireball on its
1:39:08own. I will have to get you to show me
1:39:10that later. I have never seen such an
1:39:13odd thing. Many monsters at the higher
1:39:16ranks use creative and deadly skills,
1:39:19but that particular combination sounds
1:39:20like it would be a mass casualty level
1:39:22terror. Overlord Ahmad insisted.
1:39:26He then dismissed the golems and ended
1:39:28the flaming body spell, which returned
1:39:31his hair and ears to their natural honey
1:39:33blonde color and his eyes to green. Carl
1:39:36briefly wondered if constantly using a
1:39:38racial ability from another species
1:39:40could make a beast kin evolve, but that
1:39:42seemed a bit far-fetched.
1:39:44Hulk had evolved as he learned new
1:39:46skills and gained power, but that was
1:39:48more likely to be because of the bond
1:39:50and not just because he learned a new
1:39:52skill. Beastkin were at least half human
1:39:55and Carl had never heard of a human
1:39:57evolving.
1:39:58Well, other than the ones who had
1:40:00randomized themselves with the system
1:40:02stones.
1:40:03Maybe it wasn't so outlandish to think
1:40:05that gaining new skills might have a
1:40:07physical impact on the user. Most skills
1:40:10were pretty human compatible, but ones
1:40:12like refreshing lightning and flaming
1:40:15body were made specifically for beasts.
1:40:18I don't suppose that you have other
1:40:20useful sorts of skills, do you?
1:40:23You know how limited the library is?
1:40:26There's only like 10 skill books
1:40:28available, not counting the blue dragon
1:40:30barrier. Overlord Neil, the Inquisition
1:40:33Rogue, asked for ones that you could
1:40:36use, I would say either Rend or Bone
1:40:38Crusher. I'm not sure whether you can
1:40:41use the second one, though. The original
1:40:44said it was for warrior classes, and
1:40:46rogues aren't really warriors, are they?
1:40:49Carl asked. Neil shook his head. No, we
1:40:54have entirely different skills than the
1:40:56warriors.
1:40:57No warrior could use shadow step and no
1:41:00rogue can use cleave. Lotus giggled. Ry
1:41:04the bloodbath spider can use shadow step
1:41:07and it is hilarious.
1:41:09Just wait.
1:41:11Soon I will teach the golems to shadow
1:41:13step. There were a few more photos taken
1:41:16as they sat and ate watching the work.
1:41:19The crews were really hammering through
1:41:21the construction, and though the
1:41:22buildings were simple, Carl saw that
1:41:24there was a logic to the design. What
1:41:27they were building here didn't look like
1:41:28a fancy rural temple or a holy spot of
1:41:31any sort. It looked like a storage
1:41:33warehouse in the middle of nowhere,
1:41:35which could have belonged to a defunct
1:41:37mine or even to the furthest branches of
1:41:39the nearby coal mines. making it look
1:41:42like an unimportant industrial facility
1:41:44as a disguise was a much better safety
1:41:46measure than just keeping someone
1:41:47powerful enough to deter intruders on
1:41:49staff. The work was going much faster
1:41:52than Carl had expected, and the set of
1:41:54warehouses were nearly finished by the
1:41:56time that it got dark. By then, Ry was
1:41:59finished as well, and she had made a
1:42:01simple black version of the outfit that
1:42:03Dana was wearing for Overlord Neil with
1:42:05the same adaptive ability for the
1:42:07coloration. It was a beautiful set and
1:42:10it would allow his stealth skills to
1:42:12become even more effective.
1:42:14Gentlemen, would you care to join us for
1:42:16dinner? The Minister of National
1:42:18Treasures asked just before the sun set.
1:42:21The overlords were still with Carl's
1:42:23group, sitting around eating baked goods
1:42:25and telling jokes. They had met with
1:42:28everyone who was on the site, but only
1:42:30because everyone came to them. At no
1:42:33point since they had taken a seat had
1:42:34any of them gone more than 5 meters from
1:42:36the containers full of baked goods. But
1:42:39there was a full feast prepared for the
1:42:41workers, and Doug had called someone
1:42:43over to bring out the desserts for
1:42:45everyone to share, now that it was
1:42:46looking unlikely that Dana could eat
1:42:48even one more cookie, and he had hidden
1:42:50a full container of his favorites in his
1:42:52storage bag. He wasn't the only one.
1:42:56Carl suspected that everyone had at
1:42:57least a small container of sweets in
1:42:59their storage bags now, but there were
1:43:01still entire piles of containers full of
1:43:03them. The cameraman was there again
1:43:06doing short meet and greet style photos
1:43:08with the elites and the workers.
1:43:11Normally, those always made Carl laugh
1:43:13when they came out in the newspaper
1:43:14because they looked so forced, but the
1:43:16workers were enthusiastically greeting
1:43:18them all and profusely thanking them for
1:43:20the help in obtaining tables full of
1:43:22sweets. The cameraman wasn't making
1:43:25videos, so it didn't matter what they
1:43:27were talking about. And a joking
1:43:28conversation between a royal rank elite
1:43:30and a steel worker about their favorite
1:43:32type of cake made for great photos. Once
1:43:35dinner was finished, team one made their
1:43:38way to one of the supply helicopters and
1:43:40left on whatever mission they had been
1:43:42assigned to next. That was the last
1:43:44order of business for the evening, and
1:43:46everyone retired to their tents as
1:43:48twilight turned to full dark. Carl had
1:43:51thought that the overlords would be
1:43:52leaving with team one as soon as their
1:43:54business was finished as their
1:43:56helicopter was still waiting for them,
1:43:58but they set up camp in one of the new
1:43:59buildings to stay the night. Carl woke
1:44:02in the middle of the night to the
1:44:03feeling that something was wrong. Rey
1:44:06was awake and she didn't see anything,
1:44:08but she was uneasy about something. He
1:44:11waited in his hammock, ready to equip
1:44:13his armor the moment there was something
1:44:15solid to go on. incoming," Ry reported.
1:44:19And Carl silently got out of bed, not
1:44:21wanting to wake the others until he knew
1:44:23what the situation was. He waited in his
1:44:26hammock, ready to equip his armor the
1:44:28moment there was something solid to go
1:44:30on. "Incoming," Ry reported, and Carl
1:44:33silently got out of bed, not wanting to
1:44:35wake the others until he knew what the
1:44:37situation was. "His team wasn't on
1:44:40watch, so it wasn't his job to respond
1:44:42right now. He just wanted to make sure
1:44:45that whoever was on watch had noticed
1:44:47the threat. What do we have coming? Carl
1:44:51asked, "Big flying things." "Probably
1:44:55Drakes. It's hard to tell from this
1:44:58distance," she replied.
1:45:01Carl crept out of the tent to see what
1:45:03was going on with his own eyes and
1:45:05easily spotted the flight of large
1:45:06winged things near the horizon. Their
1:45:09body temperatures were high, making them
1:45:11easy to spot in the cool evening air.
1:45:13But they were still close to 10 km away.
1:45:17Something caught your attention?
1:45:19Overlord Yoan asked as he walked up
1:45:21beside Carl. There is a flight of what
1:45:24looks like Drake's headed this way. I
1:45:27can't pick out the numbers yet, but at
1:45:28least six. Ry informed me of the
1:45:31intrusion into her sensory range. Carl
1:45:35explained quietly. Yo Han nodded, then
1:45:38tossed a black coat on over his shining
1:45:40armor. They will know which overlords
1:45:43are here soon enough. We don't need to
1:45:45give them more time to plan. Just keep
1:45:47calm and don't do anything rash. There
1:45:50is a sort of ritual and protocol to
1:45:52this. If it really is Drake Riders or
1:45:55other humans on flying mounts, the
1:45:57knight explained. Carl shrugged. The
1:46:01last time I met with Drake Riders, they
1:46:03attacked on site. Yoan chuckled.
1:46:07That might fly at awakened or even
1:46:09ascended rank, but a battle between
1:46:11overlords with our movement skills and
1:46:13area attacks can cover dozens of
1:46:15kilometers and rage on for hours,
1:46:17causing massive collateral damage. If
1:46:20they came and indiscriminately attacked
1:46:22us at that power level, we would do the
1:46:24same to them, and our nation is much
1:46:26larger. Theirs is a highly populated
1:46:29island. There was a short pause, and
1:46:32then from behind Carl, Neil's voice
1:46:34spoke softly. Commanders lead with
1:46:36valor. Princes can be headstrong.
1:46:39But kings maintain their dignity, and
1:46:41overlords keep the peace. Those are the
1:46:44customs when dealing with other humans.
1:46:47Dealing with beasts is much more simple.
1:46:50If they left their territory, there is a
1:46:52reason. Find out what it is. If you're
1:46:56invading their territory, then might
1:46:58makes right. If you don't have the
1:47:00power, you have no right to be there.
1:47:03That made sense to Carl. Humans might
1:47:06not be able to unite or even really get
1:47:08along, but when it came down to it, they
1:47:11were still the same species, so they did
1:47:13show each other some consideration.
1:47:16If this was an incoming flight of Drake
1:47:18riders here to try to claim or get a
1:47:19shot at the dungeon to advance some of
1:47:21their members, then it was likely
1:47:23possible that they could come to a
1:47:24peaceful agreement. The flight was
1:47:27coming closer now, and it was clear that
1:47:29there were 12 of them in total, and
1:47:31there were two overlords with the group.
1:47:33The others didn't seem to be as strong,
1:47:35but their auras could have been hidden
1:47:37by the two leaders of the group. "So, do
1:47:40I just wait here behind you while you
1:47:41talk to the leaders of their flight?"
1:47:44Carl asked. Neil nodded. Just wait
1:47:48behind me and keep your beasts in their
1:47:50hiding spot. If they think they're going
1:47:53to be jumped by monsters, they might
1:47:55attack before they realize that they are
1:47:57with us, and that will turn this whole
1:47:58area into a war zone. None of them was
1:48:01likely to farewell if there was a
1:48:03large-scale fight between overlords here
1:48:05in the camp, and the workers wouldn't
1:48:07take a single hit. With that in mind,
1:48:10Carl called Ray back before the drakes
1:48:12were close enough that they were likely
1:48:13to be able to identify her. When the
1:48:16drakes were a kilometer out, Overlord
1:48:18Yoan set a light spell over the area
1:48:20outside the camp, signaling the visitors
1:48:23in. But none of the overlords mannerisms
1:48:25said they were confident that this would
1:48:27not end in violence. As the drakes
1:48:29approached, Carl realized that it was a
1:48:32pair of overlords with 10 ascended
1:48:33ranked Drake riders and mounts. They
1:48:36were all on the brink of reaching
1:48:37commander rank, and it seemed obvious
1:48:40why they were here. The question that
1:48:42Carl had was, "How did they even know?
1:48:45They must have found out nearly
1:48:47immediately if they had flown all this
1:48:48way on Drakes. Their nation didn't
1:48:51border Golden Dragon Nation. They had to
1:48:54fly halfway across the continent to get
1:48:56here. So they hadn't left this morning.
1:48:59That was certain. They landed in an
1:49:01organized formation and the ascended
1:49:03riders remained on their drakes while
1:49:05the two overlords dismounted.
1:49:08Yoan Ahmad, the leader of the Drake
1:49:11Riders, greeted them. Kenichi,
1:49:14you're a long way from home. Don't you
1:49:17think the youngsters are a bit too new
1:49:19for such a long flight? Yoan replied.
1:49:23The man known as Kinichi laughed, his
1:49:25long black hair fluttering in the wind
1:49:27as he turned back to his wing of drakes.
1:49:30Oh, I think they're just about the right
1:49:32age for this vacation, don't you? Why
1:49:35don't we sit down and have a drink while
1:49:36the children play? For old times sake,
1:49:40the Drake Rider suggested with a sly
1:49:43wink. That confirmed it. They knew that
1:49:46it was a stable, low commander ranked
1:49:48dungeon. They had brought two full
1:49:51groups of Drake riders who were about to
1:49:53reach commander rank and just needed one
1:49:55last push to advance. This might go
1:49:58better than expected. They don't know
1:50:00that the dungeon is stable. Neil
1:50:03whispered in Carl's ear. Carl wasn't
1:50:06sure how Neil knew that they weren't
1:50:08aware, but most likely it was by their
1:50:10reaction. If they had known that it was
1:50:12stable and repeatable, they would likely
1:50:14have taken a different approach, he
1:50:16assumed. Yo Han looked like he was
1:50:19considering something, then smiled. "How
1:50:22about a small trade? This is a valuable
1:50:25resource after all," Yoan offered. The
1:50:30other overlord came forward with a chest
1:50:32in his hands and set it on the ground in
1:50:34front of Ahmad. The mage opened the lid
1:50:36with a gust of wind and nodded with a
1:50:38small smile on his face. "We can let
1:50:41both groups of five go through while we
1:50:43have an early breakfast.
1:50:45There are still some fresh baked goods
1:50:47and stew, I believe. Would you like to
1:50:50join us for breakfast? Ahmad questioned,
1:50:54gesturing toward the fort where there
1:50:55were still a halfozen sealed containers
1:50:58of baked goods. I think it would be
1:51:00better if we ate near the beasts. They
1:51:02can be fickle. Overlord Kenichi informed
1:51:05them. Carl gave a low chuckle at the
1:51:08mention of fickle beasts, and the dragon
1:51:10rider gave him a curious look. The young
1:51:13prince looks quite relaxed around the
1:51:15drakes. Is he perhaps an immigrant from
1:51:18our lovely island home? Kenichi asked.
1:51:22Yoan shook his head. Nope, a local. But
1:51:26the world dragon blessed him with an
1:51:28affinity for beasts. Perhaps he could
1:51:31calm your drakes if they are feeling
1:51:33finicky. The overlord laughed as his
1:51:35drake growled and sent a fireball into
1:51:37the sky. He's just hungry. Hawk informed
1:51:42Carl, rolling his eyes in annoyance.
1:51:45What do Drake's like? Carl asked. How
1:51:49should I know? Feed it a giant leg or
1:51:52something. Carl laughed at the sleepy
1:51:55hawk. That wasn't actually a bad idea.
1:51:59Drakes like cold things. They overheat
1:52:02when they fly long distances because
1:52:04they use their fire magic to fly faster.
1:52:07Remy added. How did you know that? It's
1:52:11in this book on beasts with elemental
1:52:13magic. She replied proudly. Just how
1:52:17many library books did you borrow? The
1:52:20sign said you could take up to four at a
1:52:22time. Carl thought about it and then
1:52:25separated both legs from the knee down
1:52:26on a commander rank ice giant corpse and
1:52:29walked over to the hungry drakes. Here
1:52:31you go, friends. A nice cold treat after
1:52:35a long trip. Carl tossed the two royal
1:52:38rank drakes that the overlords had flown
1:52:40in on each a leg which they caught in
1:52:42their mouths before making a happy
1:52:44keening noise that was sure to wake the
1:52:46entire camp. The rider known as Kenichi
1:52:49gave Carl a suspicious look but Carl
1:52:51just smiled at the drakes and returned
1:52:53to his spot by Neil. Ahmad cast a spell
1:52:56and a container of mixed cookies floated
1:52:58out of the fort along with a pressure
1:53:00cooker full of chicken and dumplings
1:53:02that was beginning to steam as it moved.
1:53:05Did you bring a table? If not, we can
1:53:08fetch one, he suggested.
1:53:11The second overlord of the Drake Riders
1:53:13brought out a large blanket from his
1:53:15pack and spread it on the ground between
1:53:17them. Ahmad put down the food and the
1:53:20silent overlord brought out dishes. The
1:53:23four overlords took seats. Then Kenichi
1:53:25motioned for Carl and Neil to join them.
1:53:28No need to stand guard during breakfast.
1:53:31Come and join us.
1:53:33One of the commanders can show our
1:53:35children to the trial. Kenichi insisted.
1:53:39Carl turned his head slightly so he
1:53:41could see Colonel Valerie coming. It's
1:53:44the Colonel. Or at least she will get
1:53:47here first. Carl spoke softly to Neil so
1:53:50he didn't interrupt their conversation.
1:53:53You can tell that? The formerly silent
1:53:56overlord asked, startled by Carl's
1:53:58senses. Even if the wind wasn't blowing
1:54:01her perfume my way, I can see her. My
1:54:04night vision is quite a bit better than
1:54:06before I awakened. Carl joked. You do
1:54:10have a rather bestial affinity. To be
1:54:13able to see into nearly absolute
1:54:15darkness with a light in your eyes is an
1:54:17uncommon trait. Carl suspected that he
1:54:20might have given too much away, but the
1:54:22overlord hadn't mentioned that she was
1:54:24at the very edge of his peripheral
1:54:25vision and didn't seem all that worked
1:54:27up about it. more like he was attempting
1:54:29to put Carl at ease with his presence by
1:54:31showing that he wasn't a fan of simple
1:54:33tricks, being open and honest. The
1:54:36colonel stopped a few meters behind
1:54:38them, just into the light spell, and
1:54:40waited for someone to acknowledge her
1:54:42presence. Gentlemen, this is Colonel
1:54:45Valerie. As per our agreement, she will
1:54:48escort your two teams of ascended riders
1:54:50into the anomaly for one attempt each. I
1:54:53trust that they have brought sufficient
1:54:54healing potions if they don't have a
1:54:56cleric with them. It is a fivep person
1:54:59limit, so two healers for the group
1:55:01would be best. Yoan informed them.
1:55:04Kenichi nodded, then pushed his hair
1:55:07back out of his face in annoyance. He
1:55:09must have lost his hair tie at some
1:55:11point because it was obvious that he
1:55:13didn't prefer to have it loose. Yes, we
1:55:16have clerics of the dragon gods with the
1:55:18trainees.
1:55:20Thank you for your assistance,
1:55:21commander. We will be looking forward to
1:55:24good news.
1:55:25The 10 young riders dismounted and
1:55:27followed Colonel Valerie into the
1:55:29building where the dungeon portal was.
1:55:31It was inevitable that they would find
1:55:33out that it was a stable dungeon portal,
1:55:35but with a bit of luck, there wouldn't
1:55:37be a fight over it. They had gotten what
1:55:40they came for, a trip for their trainees
1:55:42into the dungeon, and now they were
1:55:44about to gorge themselves on sweets.
1:55:46That reminded Carl, be careful with the
1:55:49brownies. They're made by the nature
1:55:52clerics.
1:55:54That made the two visitors laugh. Though
1:55:56Carl did notice that Kenichi's hand
1:55:58passed over the brownies.
1:56:00Technically, they were in hostile
1:56:02territory, and it wouldn't be a good
1:56:03idea for the Drake Riders to get stoned
1:56:05right now, no matter how funny the Green
1:56:08Dragon might find it. The entire camp
1:56:11was on edge as the two visiting foreign
1:56:13overlords sat and ate breakfast with the
1:56:15local group. Now that the Drake Riders
1:56:18were here, it was clear why the
1:56:20overlords had stuck around and why it
1:56:22was so important that the extra group of
1:56:24elites be sent away. If they could see
1:56:27that there were 20 or more elites who
1:56:28were qualified to be training in this
1:56:30dungeon, they would have realized that
1:56:32the instance had stabilized and was
1:56:34repeatable before they had made the
1:56:35deal, and they likely wouldn't have
1:56:37offered whatever it was that Overlord
1:56:38Ahmad was so happy to see. Instead, they
1:56:42would have gone with a less valuable
1:56:43offer from the start. The fact that
1:56:46nobody tried to argue for more likely
1:56:48told them fairly quickly that they had
1:56:49misjudged the situation, but the deal
1:56:52was made and everything was peaceful for
1:56:54the moment. So, they would have to take
1:56:55the markup and call it the price of
1:56:57training their mages. Well, Carl assumed
1:57:00they were mages. They had powers, but as
1:57:04far as Carl knew, they weren't awakened
1:57:06with a serum or system stone the way
1:57:08that the elites of the Golden Dragon
1:57:09Nation were. These cookies are
1:57:12wonderful. You have a truly talented
1:57:15cook among your nature clerics. We have
1:57:17one in charge of the kitchen at the wear
1:57:19as well, but I must say the baked goods
1:57:22are somewhat lacking. Overlord Kenichi
1:57:25side. I am not sure which of the two
1:57:27here is responsible for the cookie
1:57:29recipe, but they're both very talented
1:57:31bakers. It makes deployment much more
1:57:34pleasant. Carl agreed. Oh, you get to
1:57:38travel with a nature cleric. That is
1:57:41truly fortunate. Surely you don't take
1:57:44them to battle. The nature clerics are
1:57:47not known for being reliable combat
1:57:49partners or particularly fond of combat.
1:57:53We do not force our clerics to go
1:57:54against their aspects nature in the
1:57:56Drake Isles. Carl smiled. The nature
1:58:00gods high priestess that travels with me
1:58:02is a healing specialist with excellent
1:58:04cooking skills and an intense fondness
1:58:06for exploration.
1:58:08She might complain if we wake her up
1:58:10early, but I don't think anything we
1:58:11have asked is contrary to her goddess. I
1:58:14don't suppose that the giant spider
1:58:16monster has anything to it. I've never
1:58:19met a green dragon who could resist
1:58:21that. The other Drake Rider overlord
1:58:24joked. It might have a small amount to
1:58:27do with it. Ry had been in her space
1:58:29since just after the riders were
1:58:31spotted. So unless the quiet man had
1:58:33senses that were better than hers, he
1:58:35must have known something about Carl
1:58:36before he arrived. It had been most of
1:58:39an hour, and the teams were due to exit
1:58:41the dungeon soon. Carl could see the
1:58:44tension of the overlords as each
1:58:46additional minute passed. The longer
1:58:48they took, the more they must have
1:58:50struggled. Unlike Carl's team, which was
1:58:53on friendly ground when they went in,
1:58:55the purpose of coming with the overlords
1:58:57was to secure their exit after they had
1:58:59finished and had hopefully made it to
1:59:01commander rank. Carl could see that
1:59:03overlord Kenichi was itching to do
1:59:05something and was about to get up when a
1:59:07portal opened and a group of shouting
1:59:09soldiers rushed out 50 m from the camp.
1:59:12The overlords were all on their feet
1:59:14instantly. And it was only after they
1:59:16were standing that they realized the new
1:59:17arrivals didn't belong to either side's
1:59:19nation. Did we put up a grand opening?
1:59:23Everyone welcome billboard or something.
1:59:26Carl muttered and the pair of Drake
1:59:28writers burst into laughter shattering
1:59:30the tension of the situation.
1:59:32Overlord Kinichi spat on the ground.
1:59:35Witry, what are you doing here? The most
1:59:38glorious oracle foresaw that there would
1:59:40be a great opportunity for the fourth
1:59:42grade mages at this place in time. I can
1:59:45sense the dungeon entrance from here.
1:59:47Dragon slave. The man in front of the
1:59:50group of mages, another overlord,
1:59:52snarled back. A significant portion of
1:59:55the top fighters of three nations were
1:59:57now gathered in a hostile standoff in
1:59:59the middle of nowhere, and Carl began to
2:00:01worry that the young Drake riders were
2:00:03going to come out to the middle of a
2:00:04massacre. The mage gave everyone a
2:00:07disgusted look. Then his eyes landed on
2:00:09Carl. Is this your dungeon challenge,
2:00:12champion? He doesn't look like much. The
2:00:16mage continued.
2:00:18Carl winked and blew him a kiss, which
2:00:20made Kenichi laugh even harder. Carl had
2:00:23no idea what a dungeon champion was, but
2:00:26they had shown up with 10 commander rank
2:00:28mages. And if it was a battle between
2:00:30champions, nobody but the group's leader
2:00:32could beat him one-on-one. But if it
2:00:34were the leader challenging, he would be
2:00:36fighting one of the three overlords at
2:00:38his own rank. Overlord Neil smiled under
2:00:41his mask. Are you certain that you want
2:00:44to make an overrank challenge? You might
2:00:47not have anyone left to challenge the
2:00:49dungeon after. I am certain you will
2:00:51find our entry fee eminently reasonable.
2:00:54Carl couldn't tell how powerful the
2:00:56attack magic of a foreign mage might be
2:00:58at the commander rank, but Neil was
2:01:00right. None of them would be able to
2:01:02touch him in combat. The mage glared at
2:01:05him, and Carl saw the thermal image of
2:01:07the 10 Drake riders exiting the dungeon.
2:01:10Colonel Valerie was holding them in
2:01:12place while the argument continued
2:01:13outside the camp, but nobody in the
2:01:15other group seemed to have noticed they
2:01:17had returned yet. Carl did a quick
2:01:19headcount, verifying that all 10 of them
2:01:22had made it out of the dungeon. The
2:01:24mages sneered at Carl and quietly began
2:01:26to encourage their leader to take the
2:01:28challenge instead of paying the bribe.
2:01:31So, that was how it worked. The Drake
2:01:33Riders had just paid up and sent their
2:01:35teams in without a fuss. It was fast and
2:01:38efficient, so they were already finished
2:01:40their run. And once Carl could get a
2:01:42better read on them, he would find out
2:01:44if their payment had earned them any
2:01:45advancements to commander. The mage
2:01:48turned back to his team and silenced
2:01:50them with one raised hand. We have
2:01:52conditions.
2:01:54No deliberate lethal blows, no enchanted
2:01:57blades, and a full charge format. The
2:02:00mage demanded. Overlord Yoan smiled. No
2:02:05summons, no supporters.
2:02:07he countered. On either side, the mage
2:02:11insisted.
2:02:13That could be a bit of a mess for Carl
2:02:15if he couldn't call out his beasts to
2:02:17support. Humans are stupid. We can fight
2:02:21from in here. We just can't call the
2:02:23golems. Rey informed him. That was
2:02:27likely a rule violation, but how would
2:02:30they prove it? When the beasts cast a
2:02:32spell from their space, you would have
2:02:34to be able to see into the spaces to
2:02:36know that they were helping it all. The
2:02:38mages nodded in encouragement, and their
2:02:40leader extended a hand for Yan to shake.
2:02:44Set the arena boundary and we can get
2:02:46started. The mage announced.
2:02:49Neil leaned over to whisper to Carl. Low
2:02:51enough the others shouldn't hear. No
2:02:54aiming for the head and don't let your
2:02:56beasts come out. As long as you don't
2:02:58aim for the heart or the head, you
2:03:00shouldn't be accused of trying for
2:03:02killing blows. Do you have a weapon that
2:03:04isn't bladed? Carl took out his maul and
2:03:07placed it on the ground between his
2:03:09feet. Oh, that should do just fine.
2:03:13Potions aren't prohibited, so if you
2:03:15have some, you can use them to buff for
2:03:17the fight. Outside assistance is
2:03:19prohibited in general, so no support
2:03:22spells from your team. the rogue added.
2:03:25I just wish that I could use Ray's
2:03:27shadow step ability. This could get much
2:03:30more fun. Carl whispered back. The mage
2:03:34leader was now glaring at Kenichi, who
2:03:36was still laughing. What in the seven
2:03:39gods is so funny. He demanded, "You
2:03:43should have paid the bribe. He's going
2:03:45to beat the ever loving hell out of your
2:03:47boys." The mage spat at Kinichi's feet
2:03:50and turned away, sending his team to the
2:03:52large circle that overlord Yoan had
2:03:54inscribed with an attack spell. They
2:03:57might be neighbors, but they were
2:03:59obviously not any closer friends than
2:04:01the Drake Riders and the Golden Dragon
2:04:03Nation were. Or perhaps it was personal.
2:04:06It was about 50 m across, plenty of room
2:04:09to fight. Normally that should favor the
2:04:12mages, but it was also a small enough
2:04:15space that Remy could cover it with a
2:04:16thunderstorm while Carl added a
2:04:18blizzard. Do you need preparation time?
2:04:22Yan asked. I'm good. I've already eaten
2:04:26breakfast as I do despise fighting on an
2:04:29empty stomach. The knight patted Carl on
2:04:32the back and gestured to the marked
2:04:33arena. If they can't get up for 20
2:04:36seconds, they're eliminated.
2:04:38I recommend aiming for legs.
2:04:41easy to heal after and it doesn't leave
2:04:43them with a grudge. The 10 mages were
2:04:46quietly joking with each other as Carl
2:04:48entered the arena space. A warrior. They
2:04:52think that a royal rank warrior can take
2:04:54the 10 of us. We might as well have made
2:04:57a pair's challenge. One of the boys
2:05:00joked, "He sure is confident for a
2:05:02little herbivore of a man." The girl
2:05:05beside him added, "Make that one a
2:05:08smashing post." Thor insisted, offended
2:05:11by the insult to his food choices. "Are
2:05:14we ready?" the mage team leader asked.
2:05:18Carl had initially thought his name was
2:05:20Witri, but that was also the name of a
2:05:22country north of the hill giant nation
2:05:24next to the Drake Riders Island, so it
2:05:28was most likely addressing him by origin
2:05:30nation, not name. Carl slung them all
2:05:33over his shoulder and nodded. The mages
2:05:36began casting their spells as he brought
2:05:38up eternal lightning, flaming body, and
2:05:41circle of protection all at once. Then
2:05:44cast blizzard at royal rank while Remy
2:05:48started a thunderstorm.
2:05:50Don't use totems. They will ask too many
2:05:52questions.
2:05:54Carl insisted as he launched himself
2:05:56forward. The closest mages were caught
2:05:59off guard, and the girl who had insulted
2:06:01Thor's love of plants was sent flying
2:06:03with a sickening crunch as Carl's
2:06:04shoulder slammed into her chest. The
2:06:07lightning shock from his barrier
2:06:09shattered her defensive spells, and her
2:06:11robes didn't even slow his momentum. The
2:06:14mall, with only a coating of flaming
2:06:16body, shattered the thigh of the boy
2:06:18beside her, and he crumpled to the
2:06:20ground as the costic rain began to fall,
2:06:22and thunder echoed through the arena.
2:06:25Carl tossed out chain lightning,
2:06:27stunning the mages closest to him before
2:06:29he moved toward the back of the arena
2:06:31where the majority of the mages had
2:06:33gathered. He raised his hand to aim
2:06:36chain lightning, an unnecessary little
2:06:38mental trick, but Ry used it as a cue to
2:06:40be dramatic, and began firing bullets
2:06:43sized stones from near the palm of
2:06:44Carl's hand, spraying them into the
2:06:46remaining mages who struggled to keep
2:06:48their barriers up. A fireball came
2:06:52flying at Carl and Hawk blocked it with
2:06:54a wind barrier, stopping at half a meter
2:06:57away. [ __ ] it's not a warrior. He's a
2:07:01shaman with a hammer. One of the mages
2:07:04was cursing. Carl could see the
2:07:07frustration of his teammates. They all
2:07:10knew that already, but there was nothing
2:07:12they could do about it as Carl
2:07:13deactivated the spells on his mall and
2:07:15Cricket swatted one of the mages who had
2:07:17hit the ground to avoid the rocks. The
2:07:19hammer hit him in the stomach, broke his
2:07:21barrier, and sent him flying across the
2:07:24arena. Carl put his head down and
2:07:26charged another mage while Thor cheered
2:07:29in his mind. The mighty smash was the
2:07:31true best attack.
2:07:33Now, if only Carl had proper horns,
2:07:37"Enough!"
2:07:38the leader of the mage team shouted,
2:07:40right as Carl found himself wrapped in a
2:07:42barrier. Five stacks of flaming body
2:07:46surged from the mall as Carl moved the
2:07:48few centimeters he could, but the
2:07:50barrier only shimmerred and fluctuated
2:07:52for a second before stabilizing.
2:07:54Then it was gone, and Neil had a hand on
2:07:57his shoulder. That's good enough, son.
2:08:01They got the message, the Inquisitor
2:08:03insisted.
2:08:05Carl ended the blizzard, and Remy ended
2:08:07her thunderstorm, returning the area to
2:08:09a neutral state, though much more muddy
2:08:11than it had been. Now the mage overlord
2:08:14was no longer sneering at Carl, but
2:08:16staring at him with what looked like
2:08:18envy. Even Yo Han looked impressed,
2:08:21going by how he was standing as he had
2:08:23his helmet on. Now there must have been
2:08:25some tension during the fight as they
2:08:27were all on edge and barrier spells were
2:08:29activated.
2:08:31What was that? What sort of barrier
2:08:34spell just shrugs off a halfozen barges
2:08:36of arcane missile at once? The mage
2:08:39demanded.
2:08:40Everyone turned to Carl for answers.
2:08:43That would be an eternal lightning
2:08:45barrier with a circle of protection
2:08:48stacked over it. I didn't even notice
2:08:51the arcane missiles. I saw the fireball,
2:08:54though. Carl replied. The rest of Carl's
2:08:58team had come out in a commotion, and
2:09:00they were giving him odd looks. What do
2:09:03you need beasts for if you can fight
2:09:05like that? Overlord Kinichi asked.
2:09:08Beasts? the mage overlord demanded. He's
2:09:13a beast master. The first report we had
2:09:16of him, he had a bird of some sort and a
2:09:18bloodbath spider fighting on his side.
2:09:21Neither of them were called for this
2:09:23fight as Yan banned summons. Not that I
2:09:26think a dozen commander rank golems
2:09:28would have changed the situation all
2:09:30that much. A royal rank bloodbath spider
2:09:33would have annihilated them before they
2:09:35could touch him. Neil sighed in
2:09:37frustration as all of the combat power
2:09:39intelligence the Drake Riders had
2:09:41gathered on Carl was shared with another
2:09:42country. But the Golden Dragon Nation
2:09:44and the Drake Riders were not friends.
2:09:47They were just playing by the rules to
2:09:49avoid an overlord rank fight. Something
2:09:52back in the arena area caught the
2:09:54attention of the Witchery Mage, and he
2:09:56turned back with his eyes wide in shock.
2:09:59Carl couldn't tell what he was looking
2:10:00at until he traced the man's attention
2:10:02to the first woman he had shoulder
2:10:04checked. She had an empty potion bottle
2:10:07in her hand, but she was also casting
2:10:09some sort of spell that didn't have a
2:10:11visible effect. A spell that was at the
2:10:13royal rank. The pair of Drake riders
2:10:16laughed. What was it? The oracle said a
2:10:20great opportunity today for the
2:10:22commander rank, right? Well, there you
2:10:25have it. That makes two, no three now
2:10:28that have advanced to the royal rank
2:10:30after understanding the difference
2:10:32between ranks and breaking the
2:10:33bottleneck.
2:10:34Carl had heard that sometimes losing a
2:10:36fight could be a greater learning
2:10:38experience than years of practice
2:10:40without a grave challenge. But he hadn't
2:10:42expected that they would send commanders
2:10:43so close to advancing that watching
2:10:45their friends get beat up would be
2:10:46enough to trigger their advancement.
2:10:49They weren't the only ones who were
2:10:50using the fight as a learning
2:10:52experience. Though the Magic Knights and
2:10:55Dana were comparing notes on the fight
2:10:57and how it might have been improved or
2:10:59adapted to their skills. They also used
2:11:02primarily magic and not physical
2:11:04strength. And while he used mostly
2:11:05magical attacks, Carl had gone for close
2:11:08combat to use the bodies as a shield
2:11:10instead of trying to dodge their attacks
2:11:12while throwing spells from a distance.
2:11:14The Witchery Overlord opened a portal
2:11:16and silently gestured to his mages, who
2:11:19filed through, mostly limping or nursing
2:11:21injuries, with a few still unconscious
2:11:23and being carried by their teammates.
2:11:26Nobody was going to die, so it was a win
2:11:29for everyone in a way. He got to stretch
2:11:32his legs. The mages learned that the
2:11:34royal rank bottleneck wasn't just a
2:11:36small step, and the civilians at the
2:11:38camp didn't have to deal with a
2:11:39large-scale fight. Politics were
2:11:42honestly a giant pain in the ass. But
2:11:44with all of the young Drake riders
2:11:45coming back out now, Carl had some hope
2:11:48that the day's drama was mostly over
2:11:51for him. Anyhow, the overlords and the
2:11:54politicians behind the scenes would
2:11:56certainly be busy dealing with other
2:11:57nations finding out about their new
2:11:59dungeon instance. There was a good
2:12:02chance that someone was in real trouble
2:12:03for whatever leak had brought people
2:12:05here only days after it stabilized and
2:12:07before the locals could make good use of
2:12:09it, but that was also not his problem.
2:12:12Once the mages from Witri were gone, the
2:12:14young Drake riders came out from the
2:12:16building with excited smiles on their
2:12:18faces.
2:12:19Six of the 10 had made it to commander
2:12:21rank, and Carl knew that they would all
2:12:23have at least one or two new pieces of
2:12:25equipment going back with them. The
2:12:28dungeon was an excellent source of
2:12:29resources for the commander rank, with
2:12:31some ascended items being possible from
2:12:33the ogres on the way to the bosses along
2:12:35with the coins. That was the trade-off.
2:12:39They had to pay to enter, but they got
2:12:41something in return that may or may not
2:12:43have been worth more than what they
2:12:44paid. Realistically, the experience
2:12:47alone was worth quite a bit as the
2:12:49dungeon was a controlled environment
2:12:51where you could send specific fighters
2:12:53without surprises. The Drake Rider
2:12:56overlords made a sharp whistle and the
2:12:58younger riders gave Yo Han and the other
2:13:00overlords a sharp salute. Then they ran
2:13:03to their mounts and in one smooth
2:13:05movement they were aloft, soaring up
2:13:07into the sky on the wave of warmer air
2:13:09blowing over the tree line. It's always
2:13:12creepy when they do that. Yoan
2:13:14complained. "Do what?" Carl asked. "That
2:13:20mount and takeoff had been textbook
2:13:21perfect. It was like they were doing a
2:13:24synchronized gymnastics routine." Carl
2:13:27didn't see anything creepy about it at
2:13:29all. The knight gave Carl a confused
2:13:32look. Vanish. It's creepy when they
2:13:36vanish like that. Carl turned and
2:13:38watched them fly away for a few seconds
2:13:40before he realized that it was just
2:13:42echolocation and thermal imaging that
2:13:44still saw them. Oh, sorry. I can still
2:13:48see them, so I didn't realize they did a
2:13:51thing. Neil smiled and shook his head.
2:13:54Your senses really are insane. But to
2:13:57think that you could see through
2:13:58invisibility cast at the overlord rank.
2:14:02Carl shrugged. It hides the visual image
2:14:05of them, but not the thermal image or
2:14:07their radar signature, for lack of a
2:14:09better word. The echolocation that Ry
2:14:12uses to see in perfect darkness along
2:14:14with her heat sight. Amod side, lazy
2:14:19bastard. It's not invisibility.
2:14:22He cast lesser concealment, assuming
2:14:25that we wouldn't be able to track him
2:14:26either way. A proper invisibility spell
2:14:29would hide him from thermal imaging and
2:14:31radar. At least conventional radar. Tell
2:14:34him I want that spell. I don't suppose
2:14:37that you could spare a copy of that
2:14:39spell for a particular princess who
2:14:41thinks shadow step isn't sneaky enough
2:14:42for her. Carl suggested.
2:14:46If I could turn that into a spell book,
2:14:48every mage in the nation would be trying
2:14:50to learn it right now. Unfortunately, I
2:14:53cannot. But she really does dream of
2:14:56becoming a nightmare for other species,
2:14:58doesn't she? Carl smiled and nodded. You
2:15:02should see it. It is adorable. Her legs
2:15:05make happy little chasing motions when
2:15:07she's dreaming of hunting them down
2:15:10because that's not terrifying at all.
2:15:12Bob mumbled from somewhere behind Carl.
2:15:16Yoan gave him a curious look and Carl
2:15:18chuckled. Bob here isn't the biggest fan
2:15:21of arachnids,
2:15:23even when they're huge and furry and
2:15:24cuddly with razor legs and definitely
2:15:26not venomous mandibles.
2:15:29You're not helping. Well, that's two
2:15:32nations now that know for certain that
2:15:33Carl is a beast master, not counting the
2:15:36giants. I suppose it's not too big of an
2:15:39issue as they're used to strange things
2:15:41from our elites. Just keep an eye out
2:15:43for strangers trying to cut a deal. It
2:15:46might be foreigners trying to poach your
2:15:48talents and both the government and the
2:15:50church feel a certain sort of way about
2:15:51that. Yoan cautioned.
2:15:55That is understandable.
2:15:57They have put a fair bit of effort into
2:15:59helping me along the way, and they've
2:16:00even agreed to my unreasonable demands
2:16:02to have a specific group with me to the
2:16:04point they agreed to let us sign a
2:16:06magical contract. Carl replied. Yoan
2:16:10chuckled.
2:16:12Yes, so I heard. The high priests say
2:16:15that you have an exceptional affinity
2:16:17for the world dragon's energy, so they
2:16:19wanted to see if your good fortune would
2:16:20rub off on those around you. The rest of
2:16:23Carl's team smirked when they heard
2:16:25those words. It certainly seemed like it
2:16:28had rubbed off on them. Do you think
2:16:30that we're going to have more visitors?
2:16:33Morgana asked as she walked up with
2:16:35Doug. Almost certainly. There is a
2:16:38chance that they will want to do either
2:16:40individual challenges against a
2:16:41commander rank elite or group challenges
2:16:44against a royal rank elite. Some might
2:16:47have all ascended fighters and they'll
2:16:48want a group fight against a commander.
2:16:50So, if one of you is suitable for the
2:16:52task, be ready to volunteer. The team
2:16:55members nodded and wondered which one of
2:16:57them would be the best suited to
2:16:59actually taking on a group of 10
2:17:01ascended mages. Not everyone was Carl,
2:17:04who had definitely cheated by allowing
2:17:06his beasts to assist without summoning
2:17:08them. What if they send a royal rank
2:17:10fighter to lead their team? Are we
2:17:13certain that we can win the challenge?
2:17:15The familiar voice of the politician
2:17:17from the National Treasures Department
2:17:19asked? "Yes,
2:17:22if it's a proper duel, we won't restrict
2:17:24the beasts." I didn't want the foreign
2:17:26forces to learn any more than necessary
2:17:28about his combat power, but as long as
2:17:30the opponent isn't a peak royal ranked
2:17:32divine beast, it shouldn't be an issue.
2:17:35Overlord Neil replied with utter
2:17:37confidence.
2:17:39Is our champion that strong? The
2:17:41politician asked hopefully. On a good
2:17:44day, one in 10 royal rank elites could
2:17:47take on Ry. Add in Carl and the other
2:17:50three beasts, and few things short of a
2:17:52full-blooded dragon or a divine beast
2:17:54would stand a chance. The politician
2:17:57side in relief, but all of the overlords
2:17:59turned to the field where the last duel
2:18:01was fought. Another portal opened, and
2:18:04Carl prepared himself for another
2:18:06challenge. But the first person to exit
2:18:09was an elderly man in the robes of the
2:18:11world dragon clerics. He took down his
2:18:14hood and revealed a wrinkled face with
2:18:16long fox ears and sharp eyes that didn't
2:18:18match the aging joints of his body. He
2:18:21was an overlord and out of instinct,
2:18:23Carl nodded politely to him while Neil,
2:18:26the magic knights, and all the clerics
2:18:28all bowed. "Ah, I found the right spot
2:18:31on the first try. I knew that if I just
2:18:34followed the sensation of beasts
2:18:35fighting, I would find it." The world
2:18:38dragon bishop muttered to himself, then
2:18:40gestured for others to come through the
2:18:42portal. 10 beast kin, including one war
2:18:46genen wolf girl that looked quite
2:18:47familiar to Carl, came through the
2:18:49portal, all at the peak of ascended
2:18:51rank. The war jen stopped and pointed at
2:18:54Carl. It's you. How did you make it to
2:18:58the royal rank so fast? It's only been
2:19:01half a year since we met. The old man
2:19:04smiled. Good. You're all already
2:19:07friends. I do love emotional reunions.
2:19:11Now, the archbishop said that there was
2:19:13a dungeon around here somewhere. Would
2:19:16you care to guide an old man in the
2:19:17right direction? Carl smiled and stepped
2:19:20forward with his arm bent for the old
2:19:22man to use as a crutch. Of course, high
2:19:25priest. It's just over this way. Did you
2:19:28have other business with the overlords
2:19:30first? Oh, they can sort that out
2:19:33between themselves.
2:19:35I am more interested in the portal
2:19:36itself. Ruth came up and tapped Carl on
2:19:40the shoulder. I will take the elder to
2:19:42see the portal. I have magic to make the
2:19:45walk easier on him. The new arrivals
2:19:48looked nervous now that they had been
2:19:50abandoned, but the formerly human Wargen
2:19:52rogue took charge. We have come to
2:19:54request access to the dungeon on behalf
2:19:57of the Witten Temple branch of the
2:19:58church. The 10 of us are all trainees in
2:20:01their care, she announced.
2:20:05Neil side. If they were appealing on
2:20:08behalf of the church, it didn't matter
2:20:09that they weren't from the golden dragon
2:20:11nation. They would be allowed access.
2:20:15Dungeons were considered holy relics,
2:20:17which gave the church primary rights
2:20:19over them. So, it didn't matter what
2:20:22nation they hailed from. If they were
2:20:24clerics of the world dragon or sent by
2:20:26them, they would be accommodated.
2:20:28All right. The magic knights will lead
2:20:31you in. The dungeon separates entrance
2:20:34into groups of five by order of entry,
2:20:36so sort your groups in advance, the
2:20:39inquisitor explained.
2:20:41What is the challenge level? She asked.
2:20:45Overall, low commander.
2:20:48A mix of commander and ascended rank
2:20:50ogres with commander rank bosses. There
2:20:53is minimal magic use, but some of the
2:20:55battle skills of the ogre lords are no
2:20:57joke. The knights led them into the
2:21:00building and Yo Han side. It looks like
2:21:03the discovery is already common
2:21:04knowledge. This can't be something on
2:21:07our end. It must have been a leak on the
2:21:09other side, either in procurement or in
2:21:11the initial reporting before your team
2:21:13was sent to clear the area. I'm tempted
2:21:16to say after you arrived, the Witry
2:21:19mages didn't show up to try to claim it
2:21:21before it stabilized. So, they would
2:21:23have found out later, likely from the
2:21:25Drake Rider movements triggering their
2:21:26oracle. But if the word has already
2:21:29spread all through the clergy, it should
2:21:31be considered an open secret. That means
2:21:34we're going to have to deal with at
2:21:35least the newborn spellblades or
2:21:37demihumans showing up to challenge for a
2:21:39discount on access.
2:21:41Nobody else would have the guts. I think
2:21:44the mage towers east of the frost giants
2:21:47don't need much from us as they have
2:21:48their own training methods and the items
2:21:51that come from a dungeon are not usually
2:21:52of much use to mages who can make their
2:21:54own equipment.
2:21:56The shining knight looked significantly
2:21:58more haggarded than he had only a day
2:21:59ago, but it was emotional wear. I don't
2:22:03know much about New Bon. Is it likely to
2:22:06get messy when they arrive? Carl asked.
2:22:10That really depends on the day. New is a
2:22:13majority human magical nation, the
2:22:15largest on the continent, but they have
2:22:17a considerable demihuman population.
2:22:20Every species you can think of, from
2:22:22elves to Minotaur and Lameia coexists
2:22:24there.
2:22:25So when they show up here, their
2:22:27response will greatly depend on the
2:22:29attitude of the group they sent. If it's
2:22:32demihumans, some get along well with
2:22:34humans, some do not, but they respect
2:22:37the human interaction standards for the
2:22:40most part. So once a challenge has been
2:22:43decided, the following groups will
2:22:45respect the outcome for a while. That
2:22:47makes it vitally important that we win
2:22:49the challenges or they'll send anyone
2:22:51they please to fight in the dungeon and
2:22:53they won't be polite about it. Yoan
2:22:56explained.
2:22:57Another portal opened and a smiling
2:22:59minotaur woman in an undyed leather
2:23:01dress covered in beadwork stepped out.
2:23:04Were you talking about me? My ears are
2:23:07burning. You must have been talking
2:23:09about me. She announced.
2:23:12Funny. It's like you had a listening
2:23:14spell active. Ahmad replied, and the
2:23:17nearly 3 m tall woman gave him a bright
2:23:20white toothy grin. Hello again, Ahmad. I
2:23:24don't suppose you will reconsider that
2:23:25marriage proposal. I know you're still
2:23:28single. And quite content with the
2:23:31situation. Thank you, Maurica.
2:23:34She actually looked a bit sad at that
2:23:36reply. Perhaps the big woman had a thing
2:23:39for clean-cut catman mages. How are we
2:23:42doing this today? Are you going to let
2:23:44my people through? Or do we need to beat
2:23:46someone up to make our point? She asked.
2:23:50Or you can just pay the entry fee, Ahmad
2:23:54suggested. The minur burst into
2:23:56laughter. I see you haven't lost your
2:23:59sense of humor. Now, should we do this
2:24:02champion on champion or will you let my
2:24:04people pass? Champions,
2:24:08do you want conditions?
2:24:10This is a young adult sort of fight. So,
2:24:12we can't just let the children go wild.
2:24:15No lethal blows, no cheap shots,
2:24:18one-on-one
2:24:20with summons.
2:24:22Ahmad countered. Do I look stupid to
2:24:25you? Don't answer that. Humans are too
2:24:28stupid to tell that minotaurs are all
2:24:30smarter than them. No summons or that
2:24:33champion of yours is just going to try
2:24:35to assassinate my champion with his
2:24:37beasts. She's not as dumb as she looks.
2:24:41But how are you supposed to tell that
2:24:42with those vacant bovine eyes? Rey
2:24:45asked. I think she's actually not as
2:24:48smart as she thinks. She's just a prey
2:24:51species and she instinctively knows to
2:24:53avoid us. Hawk added. Why won't they let
2:24:57us out? Everyone keeps insulting us and
2:25:00I can't even go out and bite them. Remy
2:25:03complained. Our little snake is getting
2:25:06bloodthirsty.
2:25:08We will have to find you some peaceful
2:25:09reading materials or keep you away from
2:25:11Sister Ray. Thor joked as Amad
2:25:14considered his answer. Before he could
2:25:17speak, Maurica turned to Carl. I am
2:25:20right. Am I not? No matter who I send
2:25:23against you, you would have one of your
2:25:25beasts assassinate them while you
2:25:26restrained them. Not in a lethal way. We
2:25:30agreed. No lethal blows.
2:25:32Carl agreed. Ahmad reluctantly nodded as
2:25:36he made a decision. All right,
2:25:39oneon-one. No additional attackers,
2:25:43but no flying species on your side. Carl
2:25:46hadn't considered the fact that they
2:25:48might send a flying opponent against him
2:25:49to try to attack from further than he
2:25:51could cast spells. Why don't we make
2:25:54this one fun? Unarmed, melee range only.
2:25:58The minotaur shaman suggested. Do you
2:26:01think we're crazy? Yoan laughed. Carl
2:26:05chuckled. Actually, I think she might be
2:26:08on to something. We've all seen the
2:26:11flashy skills. Maybe a classic knock
2:26:14down drag out is just what we need. I
2:26:17don't think that you know what you're
2:26:18suggesting. Neil whispered.
2:26:21No. The boy has a point. How about this?
2:26:26No more than twice his weight so my
2:26:28champion doesn't get taken out with a
2:26:30crotch punch. No weapons, no lethal
2:26:33blows, melee range only, no flying. Carl
2:26:38smiled at Yan and the night side. Fine,
2:26:42we accept the terms. Overlord Ahmad
2:26:45laughed. Well, at least Carl isn't a
2:26:48particularly large guy. He's only about
2:26:51100 kilos, so the opponent won't be
2:26:53someone huge. Maurica reached back
2:26:56through the portal she had entered
2:26:57through and grabbed someone, dragging
2:27:00them forward.
2:27:01He appeared to be a turtle standing on
2:27:03his back feet with human-shaped legs,
2:27:06but also with a full shell and armored
2:27:08plating on top of his head. Damn it, I
2:27:11should have expected that. If you want
2:27:14to forfeit, let us know. A tortoallin
2:27:17will not be an easy fight unarmed. Yoan
2:27:20sighed. Carl clapped him on the
2:27:22shoulder. Don't worry too much. I can
2:27:26throw a punch. The actual punch wasn't
2:27:29the point of a melee range fight with
2:27:31what was almost certain to be a
2:27:32naturally armored monk. Their skills
2:27:35granted them extreme defense enhanced by
2:27:38their high base durability.
2:27:40Then they had a wide range of attack
2:27:42skills intended for close combat. But
2:27:45Carl had brutality to increase his size.
2:27:48Then there were haste and terrorize to
2:27:50increase his speed and damage. Bone
2:27:53crusher was an effective melee attack
2:27:55skill that ignored armor. Shatter added
2:27:57internal damage, and crushing blows
2:27:59would add damage to blunt attacks like
2:28:02fists and bone crusher. If anything, he
2:28:05was at least on even footing with a monk
2:28:07when he had his barriers up. The tortoin
2:28:10smiled at Carl, his mouth extending all
2:28:12the way across his head. I am Donald.
2:28:15What might your name be, human warrior?
2:28:18He asked. My name is Carl. It's a
2:28:22pleasure to meet you, Donald. The
2:28:25tortoallin laughed. You might not be
2:28:28saying that in a minute. Carl shrugged.
2:28:32We will see. I just hope that a cracked
2:28:35shell won't leave you in too bad of a
2:28:36condition. From what I remember,
2:28:39snapping turtles don't have a skeleton
2:28:41inside their shell. The tortoin looked
2:28:44vaguely insulted at being compared to a
2:28:46common snapping turtle, but he didn't
2:28:48dignify Carl's taunt with a response.
2:28:51Yoan led them to the arena ring and
2:28:53Maurica called 10 peak ascended fighters
2:28:55through. If my man loses, I will pay the
2:28:59customary double fee. If not, there is
2:29:02no point in delaying. She insisted.
2:29:06Yoan nodded. Fine by me. They might as
2:29:10well get started. This fight might take
2:29:13a few minutes. Carl and Donald squared
2:29:16off with the minotaur overlord as a
2:29:18referee. Fighters ready. Bring up your
2:29:22defenses and we will start. Carl
2:29:25activated Flaming Body, Eternal
2:29:27Lightning, Haste, Terrorize, and
2:29:29Brutality at the same time, then nodded.
2:29:32The two beastkin both looked shocked
2:29:34when Carl expanded to be close to the
2:29:36same size as his opponent, but Donald
2:29:38didn't look concerned. Torin expressions
2:29:41didn't change much, but his body
2:29:43language said that he thought the size
2:29:45expansion was just a trick to give Carl
2:29:47longer reach. begin. The two combatants
2:29:51launched toward each other, neither
2:29:53trying to dodge, and two mighty blows
2:29:55landed. Eternal lightning flared as it
2:29:58was nearly shattered by a blow to Carl's
2:30:00left shoulder, but Carl's fist landed in
2:30:02the center of the Torland's chest, and
2:30:04the stout beast was lifted off his feet
2:30:06and tossed backward into the grass,
2:30:08sliding on his back shell for 5 m before
2:30:10tucking his head inside his shell and
2:30:12flipping onto to his feet with a pale
2:30:14white barrier flickering around him. He
2:30:17was a bit more cautious as he advanced,
2:30:19shifting positions, so Carl's darting
2:30:21jabs couldn't hit him squarely again.
2:30:24What did he hit him with? I've never
2:30:27seen a Torland put on his back with one
2:30:29punch. Neil asked as the two Royal Rank
2:30:32fighters gauged each other's skills.
2:30:35Oilia considered it for a few seconds.
2:30:38likely bone crusher increased by the
2:30:41same buffs that he uses on his beasts
2:30:43since he's expanded his own size like he
2:30:45does for me in bare form. Ah, armor
2:30:48bypass.
2:30:50That makes sense. A word tiger likely
2:30:53would have been a worse matchup for him.
2:30:55That's what I was expecting her to pick.
2:30:58The minur gave them an annoyed look as
2:31:00Carl shifted targets at the last instant
2:31:02and met Donald's punch with his own
2:31:04fist, sending shock waves out from the
2:31:06two fighters before the torland
2:31:08staggered back, clutching his shattered
2:31:10hand. It was quickly healing as Donald
2:31:12dodged and focused his energy on the
2:31:14injured limb. Monkclass internal healing
2:31:17wasn't as good as a cleric spell, but it
2:31:20appeared to be as good as bestial
2:31:21regeneration, just more energyintensive.
2:31:24Donald was breathing heavily by the time
2:31:26his fist was healed, and a quick jab
2:31:28from Carl made his barrier flicker
2:31:30completely out of existence for over a
2:31:32second. Monk class internal healing
2:31:35wasn't as good as a cleric spell, but it
2:31:37appeared to be as good as bestial
2:31:39regeneration, just more energyintensive.
2:31:42Donald was breathing heavily by the time
2:31:44his fist was healed, and a quick jab
2:31:46from Carl made his barrier flicker
2:31:48completely out of existence for over a
2:31:50second. But the monk was deceptively
2:31:53fast and he managed to dodge enough hits
2:31:55to keep Carl from following it up to
2:31:57finish the fight. His breathing evened
2:32:00out and his barrier came back as Donald
2:32:02focused on defense while he looked for
2:32:03an opening that wouldn't let Carl
2:32:05sacrifice his own body to counterattack.
2:32:08That double barrier over Carl made it a
2:32:10losing proposition to trade punches like
2:32:12that. Carl took advantage of his need to
2:32:15focus on defense and chased the Torin
2:32:17around the ring, shocking him with chain
2:32:20lightning every time they made even the
2:32:21slightest bit of contact.
2:32:24Most of the effect was being blocked by
2:32:25the barrier, but Carl could see that
2:32:27Donald's muscles were beginning to
2:32:29twitch with every hit as his defenses
2:32:31weakened and the Torin slowly became
2:32:33exhausted.
2:32:34With eternal lightning, Carl was still
2:32:37feeling as fresh as when he started the
2:32:39fight. Though a bit hungry, Carl hadn't
2:32:42realized how much time had passed until
2:32:44he spun behind his opponent to rain a
2:32:46flurry of attacks down on Donald's
2:32:48shell, letting Bone Crusher and Shatter
2:32:51with the crushing blows enhancement do
2:32:53their work on his internal organs. That
2:32:56was when he noticed that there were 10
2:32:58freshly advanced commanders waiting for
2:33:00the fight to end. The internal shock
2:33:03wave sent Donald to his shell, limbs
2:33:05pulled inside and spitting blood as Carl
2:33:07backed away. 20 seconds on the ground
2:33:10was out of the fight. And with the
2:33:12lingering tremors in his body, Carl
2:33:14could tell that his opponent was doing
2:33:15the best that he could just to keep his
2:33:17organs from liquefying.
2:33:19Marissa sighed and signaled the end of
2:33:21the fight. As Carl retreated, she used
2:33:24healing splash to coat the monk in
2:33:26power. And he collapsed on the ground,
2:33:28resting on his back shell as he could
2:33:30finally begin to recover. and not curl
2:33:31up with his limbs retracted in pain. The
2:33:34overlord rank minotaur stared at Carl
2:33:37for a few seconds before nodding. You
2:33:39are more crafty than you look, human. To
2:33:43think that you wouldn't try to break the
2:33:44shell, but to attack through it to the
2:33:46softer parts of the body. I will be
2:33:49certain to add this lesson to our
2:33:50training, she announced, then easily
2:33:53picked the 200 kilo turtle man up in her
2:33:56arms and passed him through the portal
2:33:57to someone on the other side. Now the
2:34:00matter of payment. She reluctantly
2:34:03sighed before producing one large box
2:34:05and a small one no bigger than the palm
2:34:08of Carl's hand. The first she handed to
2:34:11Yan who opened it and nodded in
2:34:13satisfaction. But the second she held
2:34:15out to Ahmad. Don't deny yourself any
2:34:18longer, little mage. Come home with me,"
2:34:22she announced, then opened the small box
2:34:24to reveal an absolutely stunning wedding
2:34:26ring with a large central diamond
2:34:28surrounded by seven smaller colored
2:34:30gems. The mage sighed and shook his
2:34:33head. "My answer hasn't changed. I am
2:34:37quite happily single and intend to
2:34:39remain that way." The minotaurs snorted
2:34:42in annoyance and stomped back through
2:34:44the portal, followed by her team. As it
2:34:47closed, it was clear that the other two
2:34:49overlords were doing their very best not
2:34:51to laugh at a mod. Laugh it up. Next
2:34:55time it might be you with a crazy
2:34:57minotaur stalker, the mage grumbled.
2:35:00Yoan gave him a sympathetic look. Why do
2:35:03you think that I wear this helmet
2:35:04whenever we're meeting with new people?
2:35:07I can't have my handsome face making
2:35:09them fall for me. Not even Colonel
2:35:11Valerie could resist laughing a little
2:35:13at that. The overlord known as the
2:35:16shining knight was nearly the picture
2:35:18perfect handsome warrior stereotype and
2:35:20he knew it. It might have made him
2:35:22arrogant, but he was also an overlord,
2:35:25and that was bound to affect the ego of
2:35:27anyone who managed to make it to that
2:35:28level of power. Neil snapped his fingers
2:35:31to get everyone's attention. All right,
2:35:34let's hope that is the last of our
2:35:35visitors for the day. Maurica will
2:35:38inform the rest of her countrymen and
2:35:40their allies about the outcome and the
2:35:42details of the dungeon in the next few
2:35:44hours. After that, we will see what
2:35:47happens. They might send a few more
2:35:50teams with payment as it is a large
2:35:52nation, but they might hold off for a
2:35:54few more days. Just what Carl needed,
2:35:58more practice.
2:36:00If only he could send the rest of the
2:36:02team out. Thor and Remy both had ideas
2:36:05that might help them advance, but nobody
2:36:07wanted to let them fight. "Do you need
2:36:10healing?" overlord Yoan asked Carl as he
2:36:13settled down on the grass by the trail
2:36:15zone to relax for a bit in case there
2:36:17was another challenge. Carl shook his
2:36:20head. "No, I'm good." He didn't manage
2:36:24to break the second barrier, and eternal
2:36:26lighting refresh his stamina.
2:36:29So, I should be fine after a quick
2:36:31snack. I am just relaxing to see who
2:36:34shows up next. The knight laughed and
2:36:37joined Carl on the grass. I don't think
2:36:40that there will be too many more nations
2:36:41that will be willing to challenge you.
2:36:44Those were some pretty decisive
2:36:46victories, especially unarmed against a
2:36:48torland monk after proving yourself in a
2:36:50magical battle. If anyone does challenge
2:36:53for free entry, they will at least take
2:36:55a day or two to try to plan before they
2:36:57come for you. Well, that's a start. I
2:37:01guess we're going to be hanging around
2:37:02here for a while then. How long are the
2:37:05trials open before they just have to pay
2:37:07to enter? Carl asked. One week. We're
2:37:12already nearly halfway through the trial
2:37:14period.
2:37:15Normally, it is only a day or two of
2:37:18trials after the other nations find out
2:37:20about the dungeon. Not that they open
2:37:22all that often. More commonly, it's only
2:37:26one round of trials before the portal
2:37:27destabilizes and the event is over.
2:37:30Having one open full-time is going to
2:37:32drive the clerics insane. They are the
2:37:35ones who arrange the formal visits to
2:37:37keep the nations who don't get along
2:37:38from having a conflicting schedule and
2:37:40starting fights at holy sites. This one
2:37:43will be busier than most as commander
2:37:46rank resources are so rare on this
2:37:48continent. The only ones that might
2:37:50still show up are the beasts and that
2:37:52could be somewhat difficult for you as
2:37:54we don't know how they will respond to
2:37:56your class bonding with actual beasts.
2:37:59They aren't the biggest fans of rangers
2:38:01and they only bond with regular animals.
2:38:04You've got royal rank magical beasts on
2:38:06your side. Yoan explained.
2:38:10Carl nodded. Yeah, I can see how that
2:38:13might become an issue if they object to
2:38:15the situation, but I think that once
2:38:17they talk to each other, they will
2:38:19understand.
2:38:21After an hour, Lotus and Doug brought
2:38:23out food for everyone awaiting the next
2:38:25challenge. But no challengers were
2:38:28coming. By now, it was fairly certain
2:38:30that every human nation would have been
2:38:32informed of the situation by their
2:38:34spies. So, if they were planning a
2:38:35challenge, they were delaying for some
2:38:37reason. More likely, they simply didn't
2:38:40care. Most nations had their own
2:38:43training resources, and paying to come
2:38:45here and use another nation's dungeon
2:38:47was unnecessary.
2:38:49Some would come to train here later,
2:38:51likely from the smaller factions among
2:38:53the Newborn Empire.
2:38:55Not all of them had access to the
2:38:56resources in that nation's territory if
2:38:58they didn't belong to a large faction.
2:39:01But very few of the small factions would
2:39:03have five peak ascended or commander
2:39:05rank trainees to make up a team. It was
2:39:08the same in the east. The mage towers
2:39:10were too small to assemble a team
2:39:12without working together. That was a
2:39:14chore on its own and might not be worth
2:39:17the effort when a traditionally trained
2:39:18mage could advance peacefully in their
2:39:20tower. It was just getting dark when
2:39:23Carl sensed a new presence in the
2:39:25distance staring directly at him. He
2:39:28turned, trying to discreetly determine
2:39:30what was watching him, but he didn't see
2:39:32anything. He didn't stop scanning,
2:39:35though, and after a few seconds, he
2:39:37spotted a massive body in the trees,
2:39:39barely visible from a kilometer away.
2:39:42"Oh, the human can see me?" a deep voice
2:39:45asked in Carl's mind. "Not easily. But
2:39:49the trees don't fully hide your
2:39:51silhouette.
2:39:53Interesting.
2:39:54We will meet again soon. Then the
2:39:57creature was gone, and Carl was left
2:39:59wondering just what sort of beast it had
2:40:01been. From this distance, and with the
2:40:04leaves in the way, he could only really
2:40:06spot it by the distinctive shape of its
2:40:08eyes, and the outline of its body was
2:40:10too broken up to say for certain what he
2:40:12was speaking with. But if that was the
2:40:14visit from the divine beast empire and
2:40:16they were just curious, it meant he
2:40:18could relax a little. So when Carl went
2:40:21to sleep that night, it was with an easy
2:40:24mind. Ry was on night watch in the bell
2:40:27tower and there were guards on patrol
2:40:28around the camp for the smaller threats.
2:40:31Carl woke with a jolt as an alarm was
2:40:33sounded in the camp, pulling everyone
2:40:35out of bed. What's going on, Ry? I have
2:40:40no idea. I don't think the alarm is
2:40:43about something that is happening here.
2:40:45Carl put on his armor and stepped to the
2:40:47end of the aisle to jump out the window.
2:40:50The overlords were rubbing sleep from
2:40:52their eyes and the military officer on
2:40:54duty had a portable radio brought out to
2:40:56them. Overlords, what is going on? Carl
2:41:00asked. Good. You're here already. There
2:41:04is an emergency near the lithium mines.
2:41:07Some sort of anomaly has appeared. We
2:41:10are the closest response team to them
2:41:12right now with so many of the response
2:41:14teams currently deployed to the borders.
2:41:17They already sent two awakened rank
2:41:19locals who are currently missing in
2:41:21action. The nature of the issue is
2:41:24unknown, but it is likely to be at the
2:41:26commander rank or higher. Your team will
2:41:29be going with Neil while the rest of us
2:41:31remain here with the magic knights to
2:41:32deal with resource challenges.
2:41:35Yoan explained. The knights nodded in
2:41:38understanding while Morgana gave the
2:41:40fort a longing look. It was far too
2:41:43early in the morning for an emergency.
2:41:46Carl gestured to the helicopter that was
2:41:48beginning to spin up its rotors. Should
2:41:50we get loaded? Go ahead if you've got
2:41:53everything you need. Lotus ran back to
2:41:56the fort to grab another container of
2:41:58muffins and Ray gathered her shiny
2:42:00stones that she had been decorating
2:42:02with. Whoever took over the fort could
2:42:05provide their own shiny stones. They
2:42:07loaded into the helicopter, making a
2:42:09nine-person response team from commander
2:42:12to overlord rank. No matter what the
2:42:15issue was, they should be able to take
2:42:17care of it, even if they were mostly
2:42:19just buffing Neil. A circle of
2:42:22protection would go a long way to
2:42:24keeping the overlord rank rogue safe.
2:42:26And as an inquisitor, he would be one of
2:42:28the finest fighters among the overlords
2:42:30to begin with. The floor shuddered as
2:42:32they took off and then tilted slightly
2:42:34as the pilot raced toward their
2:42:36destination.
2:42:38Get as much rest as you can. We don't
2:42:40know what's coming, but it could be a
2:42:42long day. Neil warned them as he leaned
2:42:45back against the wall and closed his
2:42:47eyes. It might not be actual sleep, but
2:42:50a bit of meditation helped prepare
2:42:52everyone for the fights ahead. But for
2:42:55Carl, this was somewhat personal. The
2:42:58destination was just outside his
2:43:00hometown, and if the situation got out
2:43:02of control, his parents would be in
2:43:04danger. They had moved to a nicer house
2:43:07near the center of town, but there was
2:43:09still only one elite in the lithium mine
2:43:11town. Well, he wasn't much of an elite.
2:43:15He was more of a prototype, having taken
2:43:17a test version of the divine serum in
2:43:19advance. But while he had plenty of
2:43:22combat experience, he was starting to
2:43:24get older now, and he was slowing down
2:43:26with the soft life of a mayor. While the
2:43:29emergency response team raced toward the
2:43:31anomaly, those left behind at the
2:43:33dungeon began to worry that there might
2:43:35be more to the situation than they had
2:43:36been led to believe. There were too many
2:43:39anomalies lately, and they were at war
2:43:41on every side, except for the border
2:43:43with the beast kin. The giants had to
2:43:46know something more than they were
2:43:47saying. And the magical knights couldn't
2:43:49shake the feeling that they had missed a
2:43:51critical memo. But in the helicopter,
2:43:54things were more relaxed as everyone
2:43:56meditated and prepared for the upcoming
2:43:58mission. 5 minutes to the edge of the
2:44:00anomaly zone, the pilot informed them.
2:44:04Carl stood and stretched, getting ready
2:44:06for whatever they found when they
2:44:07disembarked.
2:44:09Thor, be ready with the barriers.
2:44:12Eternal lightning came up on everyone as
2:44:14Thor got his last few minutes of beauty
2:44:16sleep and the other beasts followed Carl
2:44:18in stretching so they didn't strain
2:44:20anything or have stiff muscles when it
2:44:21was time to come out descending through
2:44:24heavy cloud cover with extremely limited
2:44:26visibility.
2:44:28The pilot announced Carl moved to look
2:44:31out the window, keeping an eye out for
2:44:33anything that might have been missed by
2:44:34the helicopter sensor suite. There was
2:44:37nothing, just white. That didn't seem
2:44:40right. He should be able to see the
2:44:43ground through cloud cover, unless there
2:44:44was heavy rain beneath them, but these
2:44:46were white puffy clouds, not the dark
2:44:49storm clouds that would bring that sort
2:44:50of rain. Rey thought the same thing.
2:44:53Something wasn't right. Then the sound
2:44:56of rending steel shattered the drone of
2:44:58the helicopter blades, and Carl found
2:45:00himself flying through open air. As he
2:45:03rotated, he could see the massive hole
2:45:05torn in the side of the helicopter,
2:45:07which was being violently molested by a
2:45:09pale white dragon that seemed to be made
2:45:11of clouds, not quite corporeal.
2:45:14The others were beginning to bail out
2:45:16with hastily dawned parachutes, and Carl
2:45:18noted with pleasure that all of them had
2:45:20their barriers active still. With
2:45:23eternal lightning active, they should be
2:45:25fine. He was the only one likely to have
2:45:28a rough landing. Carl felt the air
2:45:31around him suddenly condense as if he
2:45:33were below water. Then it was thin
2:45:35again. The sort of high altitude
2:45:36atmosphere that left the lungs
2:45:38struggling to breathe. It had to be an
2:45:40air element dragon. That was fine. Once
2:45:44he figured out how to track it, he would
2:45:46be able to take it out. Beneath him, the
2:45:49clouds were thinning, and Carl looked
2:45:51around for the others to make sure they
2:45:52hadn't pulled their parachutes too
2:45:54early. But there was nobody nearby,
2:45:58not even the crippled helicopter.
2:46:00Then the clouds parted beneath him, and
2:46:03Carl found himself plummeting towards a
2:46:05massive lake. The only lake that large
2:46:08in the Golden Dragon Nation was Lake
2:46:09Chipenrith, and that should be hundreds
2:46:11of kilometers away. Carl was reasonably
2:46:15confident in his pathfinding abilities,
2:46:17but moreover, the direct route to the
2:46:19lithium mines took them away from the
2:46:20lake, not towards it. As he approached
2:46:23the lake surface, Carl crossed his
2:46:26ankles and his arms as he had learned to
2:46:28dive off the cliffs into the intake
2:46:30water pond for the mine. As a kid, he
2:46:32hit the water at an incredible speed.
2:46:35But even after the eternal lightning
2:46:37barrier broke on impact, the flaming
2:46:39body kept him safe and uninjured. The
2:46:42water was wrong, very wrong.
2:46:45It was bath water warm and even 10 m
2:46:48deep after his emergency entry, the
2:46:50water was still crystal clear and he
2:46:52could clearly see the surface.
2:46:54So he removed his armor for mobility,
2:46:57but kept the barriers active for safety
2:46:59and made his way to the surface. He was
2:47:02still a few hundred meters from the
2:47:04shore, but that wouldn't be too bad of a
2:47:06swim, especially in this nice warm
2:47:08water. But Carl was beginning to wonder
2:47:10where he was. I could be possible that
2:47:13he had been knocked into an instance as
2:47:15he wouldn't have been able to see the
2:47:16entrance through the thick cloud cover.
2:47:19Carl stepped out onto the shore and he
2:47:21was absolutely certain that he was not
2:47:23in the golden dragon nation anymore.
2:47:26None of the plants were familiar and the
2:47:28sun was just about to set despite the
2:47:30fact it had just been coming up when he
2:47:32was knocked from the helicopter. It's in
2:47:34the wrong spot in the sky as well. If we
2:47:37were close to home, the sun should be
2:47:39south of overhead.
2:47:41But it's not, Hawk added. All right,
2:47:45then the question is, what do we need to
2:47:47do to get out of the instance? There
2:47:50don't seem to be any enemies, and I
2:47:52haven't seen a message from the system.
2:47:54Carl sighed. Forget that they stole my
2:47:59Dana and my Lotus. Rey reminded him.
2:48:03Carl laughed a little. I think that they
2:48:06stole us and then Dana was left behind
2:48:08with everyone else. or did you see
2:48:11something I didn't? That was a great
2:48:13dilemma for Rey. Could someone have been
2:48:16brave enough to abduct her? It made
2:48:19sense in a way. They were in a new place
2:48:22and the girls weren't here with her. I
2:48:25think the others are all still together.
2:48:28The dragon killed the helicopter, but it
2:48:30didn't hurt the others who had my
2:48:32barriers. Even if they landed on the
2:48:34ground, they should be all right. And
2:48:36they had the rogue man kneel with them.
2:48:39Thor suggested.
2:48:41Does this mean we get to explore? Remy
2:48:44asked hopefully. I think that's our only
2:48:47choice. Carl agreed, forgetting to speak
2:48:50internally. I will go fly up and see if
2:48:53there is anything we missed on the way
2:48:55down. Hawk suggested.
2:48:58The others came out and spread out for a
2:49:00bit, getting used to this new place,
2:49:02which felt different from home. I found
2:49:05a village. It looks like humans. You can
2:49:08go northeast,
2:49:10Hawk advised before returning. That was
2:49:13a good sign. If there were humans, he
2:49:16might be able to find out what was going
2:49:18on and perhaps even where he was,
2:49:20assuming that they weren't also lost.
2:49:23So, with Hawk scouting overhead, Carl
2:49:25began to make his way toward the village
2:49:27full of humans. "Everyone, please return
2:49:30to your spots when we get close. I don't
2:49:33want anyone getting injured on a
2:49:35misunderstanding."
2:49:36Carl reminded the team. Thor returned
2:49:39right away, eager to watch the
2:49:41proceedings from his pond full of holy
2:49:43water, while Remy hung herself around
2:49:45Carl's shoulders for the next few
2:49:47minutes, reluctant to return to boredom,
2:49:49but also not enthusiastic about being
2:49:51attacked by random weirdos.
2:49:54Hopefully, random weirdos were the worst
2:49:56sort of people that he found. For all
2:49:58Carl knew, they could be some sort of
2:50:00humanoid monster trapped in this place
2:50:02or coded to be aggressive but maintain
2:50:04their position like the dungeon
2:50:06monsters. He would have to be cautious,
2:50:09but if there was a chance that they were
2:50:10just a random village full of humans who
2:50:12might have answers for him, he would
2:50:14have to take it. that a silent movement
2:50:17skill let him creep up on the village
2:50:19easily enough and Carl dropped into a
2:50:21shallow ditch just beyond the edge of
2:50:23the fields so that he could observe the
2:50:25villagers in peace for a few minutes
2:50:26while he tried to determine whether they
2:50:28were hostile or not. They looked
2:50:30peaceful enough going about their daily
2:50:33chores and there were children. There
2:50:35were never children in the dungeon, only
2:50:37combatants.
2:50:39That was good enough for him. So Carl
2:50:41made his way to the road to approach
2:50:43like any normal traveler would. Carl
2:50:45walked down the road past the first few
2:50:47fields, nodding politely toward the
2:50:49farmers working in the fields. There was
2:50:52an old man sitting along the roadside
2:50:54with a table full of fruit, and he made
2:50:56a wide- armed welcoming gesture as he
2:50:58saw Carl approaching. "Welcome,
2:51:01traveler. You look to be a long way from
2:51:04home," the old man called in a strange
2:51:07accent that Carl struggled to
2:51:08understand. "I do believe I am. I was
2:51:12traveling from just outside Whitten and
2:51:14encountered a strange cloud. When it
2:51:17cleared, I was here. Carl hoped that the
2:51:20man would know Whitten Temple, which had
2:51:22been there with the same name since time
2:51:24immemorial.
2:51:25Whitten, you say? Never heard of it. But
2:51:29a Dark Light host outreach worker is a
2:51:32friend anywhere in the world. That
2:51:34sorted it. He was either inside a trial
2:51:37or he had been tossed onto another
2:51:39continent.
2:51:40I don't suppose you could tell me where
2:51:42I have ended up? Carl asked, then tossed
2:51:45the man a silver coin from his bag and
2:51:47took one of the peaches off the table.
2:51:50They were two for a copper, which seemed
2:51:52a bit steep. But when Carl bit into it,
2:51:54he realized that the peach had a
2:51:56rejuvenating property and wasn't just a
2:51:58plain fruit. He would have to ensure
2:52:01that Thor planted the seed and got it to
2:52:03grow in the space. It would be a real
2:52:05treat for Lotus if he could give her
2:52:07magical fruits for her breakfast dishes.
2:52:10You're in Maria, just outside the port
2:52:12city of Keniji on the west coast. If you
2:52:16follow this road another hour, you'll be
2:52:18there. I will warn you, anyone who
2:52:20hasn't made it past the first
2:52:22advancement shouldn't come anywhere near
2:52:24that cesspool. Keniji is a fee port and
2:52:27it can get a bit rowdy. If you turn
2:52:29around and go a couple of days down the
2:52:31road the other way, you'll get to Banga
2:52:33and it's a much better place to be. The
2:52:36only problem is that you'll have to deal
2:52:38with the wild beasts on the way there.
2:52:40If you've got a combat class, it should
2:52:43be all right. As I recall, all the
2:52:46outreach workers should have reached the
2:52:47first advancement before they're sent
2:52:49out alone. But then, I suppose you
2:52:51weren't planning to travel alone, were
2:52:52you? The old man asked. Carl shook his
2:52:57head. No, I was leading a group, but
2:53:00they weren't sent here with me. I don't
2:53:03know if they ended up somewhere else or
2:53:05managed to avoid whatever sent me here.
2:53:07The old man made a protective gesture,
2:53:10wishing them well, and sighed. If they
2:53:13were sent here, I hope they weren't sent
2:53:15too far inland. Here near the coasts,
2:53:18it's relatively safe for those at the
2:53:20first advancement, but if you get
2:53:21further in, you'll need to be at least
2:53:23past the second advancement, and there
2:53:25are spots near the borders where you'll
2:53:27need to be mythic awakened just to
2:53:28survive.
2:53:30Carl had gone through the first
2:53:31advancement trial, so he at least had an
2:53:33idea what the man meant, but Mythic
2:53:35awakened. If he recalled right, it
2:53:38should be the totem rank after Overlord.
2:53:40Would Mythic be the one after that? If
2:53:43that was the case, he really had to keep
2:53:45himself near the coast because it meant
2:53:47that the second advancement should be
2:53:48somewhere around Overlord rank. Is there
2:53:51an outpost or temple near here?
2:53:54Somewhere that might have maps and some
2:53:55clue about what happened to me? Carl
2:53:58asked. I There is one in Banga. A
2:54:02healing temple operated by the dark
2:54:04light host. They should have maps of all
2:54:07of the outposts on the continent, and
2:54:09that should get you home. The old farmer
2:54:12offered. "Thanks for the advice. It
2:54:15looks like I will turn around and head
2:54:17back toward Banga." I haven't any
2:54:20coppers, but here for a few more fruits.
2:54:23Carl replied as he used one of the small
2:54:25bags on the table to pick up six of the
2:54:27peaches. The old man quickly pocketed
2:54:30the second silver coin with a glowing
2:54:32smile and then dug in the bag beside
2:54:34him, which Carl had taken to be his
2:54:36lunch. Wear this on your left arm if
2:54:39you're suspecting trouble with humans.
2:54:42They won't normally mess with an
2:54:43outreach worker, but even if they're
2:54:45feeling frisky, they won't touch anyone
2:54:47wearing that.
2:54:49Carl chuckled and tucked the red bandana
2:54:51into his storage. Enthusiastic
2:54:54negotiators are an occupational hazard,
2:54:56I'm afraid. But I've come across more
2:54:59than a few in my time. Thank you for the
2:55:02advice and the assistance.
2:55:04Carl put five of the peaches in his bag
2:55:06and passed the last one to Thor along
2:55:08with the pit from the one that he ate.
2:55:11Oh, those are good. I will work on
2:55:14growing the peach trees. Thor agreed
2:55:17once he had a taste. The actual benefits
2:55:20meant very little to him as Thor had all
2:55:22sorts of refreshing and rejuvenating
2:55:24plants in his home. But beneficial
2:55:26plants that were juicy and sweet were
2:55:28much more difficult to obtain. Carl
2:55:31turned away from the village and began
2:55:33to make his way back to Banga. Following
2:55:35the old man's advice, he made it all the
2:55:38way to the edge of the last farm and was
2:55:40headed into the tree area when he came
2:55:42across a wood cutter leaning against his
2:55:43mule. The animal was hooked to a large
2:55:46log and ready to go back to their
2:55:48sawmill, but the man kept it in place
2:55:50for a moment while he talked to Carl.
2:55:53Did the old man tell you that the port
2:55:54isn't safe and to head to Banga? He
2:55:57asked. Carl nodded, waiting to see what
2:56:00the woodcutter would say. Well, that's
2:56:03not a lie. But there are bandits all
2:56:06along the road to Banga. It's a
2:56:09dangerous route, and they have no
2:56:10respect for anyone. Even that dark light
2:56:13host tabret isn't going to save you from
2:56:15them. I recommend that you don't follow
2:56:18the road or you take a detour southeast
2:56:20through the woods and take the path
2:56:22south from Homa and then east to Banga
2:56:24at the fork in the road by capture. Carl
2:56:27nodded. I take it that way is closer to
2:56:30the coast and generally considered safer
2:56:32but longer. The wood cutter lid a pipe
2:56:35full of tobacco and smirked at Carl.
2:56:38Half right. It's closer to the coast,
2:56:41but it's a wagon path that's overrun
2:56:43with monsters.
2:56:45Nobody would call it a safer route on a
2:56:47regular day, but for a solo traveler,
2:56:49it's safer than dealing with bandits. Do
2:56:52you have any details on the bandits? If
2:56:55it's reasonable, I should probably take
2:56:57care of that problem, Carl suggested,
2:57:00playing the part of the Dark Light host
2:57:02outreach worker as well as he could.
2:57:04There are about 30 of them in total, but
2:57:07they spread out down the road, depending
2:57:09on where they think they'll have the
2:57:10most luck. There are a number of
2:57:12villages between here and Banga, but
2:57:15none of them more than about 20 people.
2:57:17Nothing that can stand up to them, so
2:57:19don't be surprised if you stop overnight
2:57:21and they turn you in for a reward from
2:57:23the bandits. With his peace said, the
2:57:26woodcutter spurred his mule into motion
2:57:28and started heading back to the village.
2:57:31Carl kept walking so that anyone who
2:57:33might have been alerted of his presence
2:57:35wouldn't be tipped off that the
2:57:36woodcutter had talked to him and
2:57:37consulted the team. What do you think?
2:57:41It appears that the others didn't get
2:57:43sent here, so we're on our own for a
2:57:45minute. Should we head through the woods
2:57:47for safety or take our chances on the
2:57:49road where we know we won't get lost?
2:57:52How tough could they be? There are five
2:57:55of us, Rey replied, not concerned.
2:57:59She had a good point. He wasn't alone,
2:58:02and that seemed to be the real concern
2:58:04of the wood cutter. Carl activated
2:58:07flaming body, then changed to his much
2:58:09more battered set of armor with the
2:58:11green tunic and began making his way
2:58:13down the road. "Wait, I have a better
2:58:16idea." Ry informed him, and Carl paused
2:58:20at the side of the road. She made him a
2:58:23rough woven duffel bag that looked like
2:58:25cheap canvas, then left her space to
2:58:27chop up a log and stuff it inside before
2:58:29rolling the bag in dirt. There, now you
2:58:32look like a hobo. Ry laughed. Carl
2:58:36laughed and slung the duffel across his
2:58:38back as he walked down the road at a
2:58:40steady pace, not quite jogging, but a
2:58:42comfortable fast walk for a warrior type
2:58:44elite. It was already getting dark and
2:58:47he didn't want to be too close to the
2:58:49village when the sun went down. He still
2:58:52had plenty of energy and the ability to
2:58:54see in the dark, so there was no real
2:58:56reason for him to stop moving. The
2:58:59bandits would have a harder time
2:59:00attacking at night without him detecting
2:59:02them first, and they might not even be
2:59:04set up. If it was anything like home,
2:59:07then few people traveled at night if
2:59:09they could avoid it. Carl didn't know if
2:59:12this place had cars, as he didn't see
2:59:14any in the village, and the woodcutter
2:59:16was using a mule. But woodcutters used
2:59:18mules or horses at home as well. It was
2:59:21just more efficient than trying to move
2:59:22machinery through the woods. Ray got to
2:59:25work and made him a new coat with a hood
2:59:28and a low hem that almost dragged on the
2:59:30ground. It was the adaptive coloration
2:59:33silk and would make him nearly invisible
2:59:35in the dark as he jogged along the road.
2:59:38But when there was no mana in it, the
2:59:39coat would be five different shades of
2:59:41green, brown, and black patches.
2:59:44Carl activated the coat and put the
2:59:46duffel back over his shoulder. Every
2:59:49little bit would help as the night got
2:59:50darker and clouds rolled in. With no
2:59:53moon up and the stars obscured, it was
2:59:56incredibly dark out and nothing was
2:59:58moving within earshot. As Carl began to
3:00:00jog with silent movement activated,
3:00:03he brought up eternal lightning to keep
3:00:06his stamina up and settled in for a long
3:00:08night of running through the woods until
3:00:10his normal day would have been up. He
3:00:13didn't know what pace the old farmer had
3:00:15intended when he said that Bunga was 2
3:00:16days away, so it would be better to make
3:00:18up time today and then find a good camp
3:00:21during the daylight hours. Just after
3:00:24midnight, Carl saw the first signs of
3:00:26life along the road. There were two
3:00:28people high in trees on either side of
3:00:30the road, and a large group gathered
3:00:32around a campfire, looking like they
3:00:34were asleep. They might just be resting,
3:00:37but thermal vision showed them laying
3:00:39down. I will move to the left of the
3:00:42road far enough that the humans
3:00:43shouldn't see me. If they do, then Ry
3:00:47will send her golems against the archers
3:00:48in the trees first. Try to take them out
3:00:51before they can send out a warning. Carl
3:00:54cautioned.
3:00:56They're hiding their power. That's a
3:00:58neat trick. I wonder if it's a spell. I
3:01:02can tell that they're powerful, but not
3:01:04how powerful? Ry pondered. Carl thought
3:01:08about it and realized it wasn't actually
3:01:10a difficult trick. If he had no active
3:01:13spells, he could just focus his energy
3:01:15inward and most of his power signature
3:01:18would be masked. That would make it
3:01:20harder to detect him if he was hiding in
3:01:22a tree, but it would also leave him open
3:01:24to attack. Are we not going to do
3:01:26anything? Hawk complained.
3:01:30Only if we have to. We have places to
3:01:33be, and I don't know how strong those
3:01:35thieves are with their power shielded.
3:01:37The villagers did warn us that there are
3:01:39much more powerful things in this
3:01:41country. Carl reminded him. Still,
3:01:45wouldn't the red dragon be happy if we
3:01:47eliminated bandits?
3:01:49Bandits make orphans.
3:01:51Hawk suggested.
3:01:53That was a bit of a stretch, but Carl
3:01:55could see how enthusiastic the beasts
3:01:57were. Fine, we test them. Rey, take out
3:02:02the scouts in the trees with golems.
3:02:05If they had misjudged the situation and
3:02:07the golems couldn't make a clean job of
3:02:09it, he would run before the others
3:02:10realized what was going on. The golems
3:02:13appeared in the trees and the guards
3:02:15reacted instantly, lashing out with
3:02:17attacks that did serious damage to the
3:02:19barriers on the constructs and then
3:02:21slashing three more times as they fell
3:02:23from the tree to the ground. But that
3:02:26was the end of them. The sharpened limbs
3:02:28of the golems had punched holes in their
3:02:30chests through the flimsy leather armor
3:02:32they were wearing, and they drowned in
3:02:34their own blood in a matter of seconds,
3:02:36even as large red pools were forming
3:02:38under them as their heart struggled for
3:02:39a few more beats. The commotion had
3:02:42alerted the rest of the bandit team, and
3:02:44Carl called the others out, but kept
3:02:46Thor in reserve, as he would be too easy
3:02:48to spot along the road, and the trees
3:02:50were too close together for him to move
3:02:52between them without knocking them over.
3:02:55Carl hefted his mall and moved into the
3:02:57trees, watching the groggy bandits run
3:02:59for the road. Five charges of chain
3:03:02lightning on his mall were prepared, and
3:03:05one of the bandits instantly turned to
3:03:07him, alerted by the ability use. Carl
3:03:10swung the oversized hammer, catching the
3:03:12man in the chest, and a barrier flared
3:03:14before shattering along with an amulet
3:03:17around his neck. The lightning arked
3:03:19between the bandits, whose movements
3:03:21were slowed by the effect. Then three
3:03:24flaming totems appeared halfway up the
3:03:26trees around them, firing inwards right
3:03:29before Ren infused fireballs began to
3:03:32rain from the sky. The bandits had no
3:03:35idea how to deal with the attacks from
3:03:37every direction at once. They were well
3:03:39practiced in attacks against merchants
3:03:41and other groundbased targets, but the
3:03:43art of ambush from above was what they
3:03:45specialized in, not what was normally
3:03:47used against them. The majority of the
3:03:50bandits were quickly annihilated, but
3:03:52one man was just laughing off everything
3:03:54that they were throwing at him until the
3:03:56golems hit him from behind and tore huge
3:03:58gashes in his flesh. That got his
3:04:01attention. I think he has a skill that
3:04:04prevents smaller damage. We need to hit
3:04:06him harder, Remy noted as she examined
3:04:10the battlefield.
3:04:11That sounded good to Rey. She knew just
3:04:14how to do that. So did Carl. When the
3:04:18bandit leader turned to deal with the
3:04:20golems, Carl charged five layers of bone
3:04:23crusher on his maul and buffed himself
3:04:25all the way up. When the bandit leader's
3:04:28blade landed on a golem, nearly tearing
3:04:30it in half, Carl's maul smashed into his
3:04:33back. The bandit leader went limp and
3:04:36Carl backed away, suspecting a trap, and
3:04:38let the golems at him. They stabbed at
3:04:41the body for a few minutes before
3:04:43deciding that he was dead enough and not
3:04:45just paralyzed from the chest down.
3:04:47Given the skills that many elites had,
3:04:49if he was just paralyzed, he might have
3:04:52healed. There are still heat signatures
3:04:54in the camp, but they're just wiggling.
3:04:57Do you think their treats the bandits
3:04:59were saving? Rey asked.
3:05:02Possibly, but no eating them. We will go
3:05:05see what they left for us. Carl reminded
3:05:08her. How can I even call them treats if
3:05:11I can't eat them? Oh, never mind. They
3:05:14are treats of the toy variety.
3:05:17I can play with these ones. That had
3:05:20Carl concerned as he went to see what
3:05:22the spider had found. What he found were
3:05:2410 children bruised and dressed in
3:05:26filthy rags tied up and immobile around
3:05:29the campfire so they didn't freeze to
3:05:31death at night. Elven children in
3:05:33specific going by the long and pointy
3:05:36ears. They must have been taken from a
3:05:38caravan because there were no elves
3:05:40among the dead on the road. Everyone, I
3:05:43need a cleanup.
3:05:45Get rid of the bodies and remove any
3:05:47signs of a battle from the road.
3:05:49Actually, put the bodies in someone's
3:05:51space in case there is a bounty on them.
3:05:54We might be able to trade them for good
3:05:56things. Now, he just needed to decide
3:06:00how to transport the kids. As Ray made
3:06:03baskets to carry the children on Thor's
3:06:05back, Remy and Hawk looted the
3:06:07battlefield. It wasn't a dungeon, that
3:06:10was for certain, as the bodies didn't
3:06:12disappear, and they didn't just get the
3:06:14loot. But they did find the bracelet
3:06:16that the leader of the bandit group was
3:06:18wearing, and it looked like it was
3:06:19something excellent. Bracelet of combat
3:06:22fortune reduces damage taken by 150
3:06:25points per second. That item is evil.
3:06:29You can't blizzard them. You can't
3:06:31poison them. You can't even just slowly
3:06:33bleed them out. Remy complained.
3:06:37Carl put the bracelet on and Remy
3:06:39giggled. "Yes, now we are team evil.
3:06:43"It's a shame that doesn't apply to all
3:06:45of us, though. We need to get more of
3:06:48those bracelets,"
3:06:50she added. "You've always been on team
3:06:53evil magic," Hulk muttered, thinking
3:06:56about her primary attack skill being
3:06:58blizzard with a side of thunderstorm.
3:07:00She had redeemed herself somewhat with
3:07:02the poison fire totems, but then learned
3:07:04thunderstorm to offset all the
3:07:06respectability that she had gained the
3:07:08Hawks eyes. His little sister was
3:07:10shameless.
3:07:12Once the harness on Thor was ready, Ry
3:07:14began to use her webbing to load the
3:07:16children into the pouches before
3:07:18carefully cutting the restraints on
3:07:20their hands. The children were so
3:07:22terrified by the aura and presence of
3:07:24giant monsters that they didn't dare to
3:07:26move. They just sat silently in the
3:07:28pouches, not even removing their
3:07:30blindfolds and gags after their hands
3:07:32were freed. Hello everyone. I do hope
3:07:35that you can understand me. My name is
3:07:38Carl and I will be your tour guide
3:07:40tonight. There has been a slight change
3:07:42of plans and now that I have killed the
3:07:44bandit group, I will be delivering you
3:07:46to the city of Banga. There is a dark
3:07:49light host outpost there, I am told, and
3:07:51they will know what to do with you all,
3:07:54Carl announced.
3:07:56Most of the elven children just seemed
3:07:58confused and terrified, but one boy
3:08:00carefully pulled his blindfold down and
3:08:02then realized that he was staring
3:08:04directly at Ry and promptly fainted. A
3:08:07few seconds later, a girl pulled her
3:08:09blindfold down and turned to face Carl.
3:08:12She was cautiously scanning the area for
3:08:14her capttors, but there were none left.
3:08:17The beasts had already finished the
3:08:19cleanup, and other than some scuffed
3:08:21dirt around the campfire that indicated
3:08:23either a caravan stopped for the evening
3:08:25or that there was a fight, there was
3:08:26nothing left to indicate that this had
3:08:28been the chosen ambush site for a bandit
3:08:30group. The elf girl slowly removed the
3:08:33cloth tied around her mouth and began to
3:08:35whisper. "You rescued us." Carl nodded.
3:08:40"We killed the bandits and you were left
3:08:42behind, so we're going to take you with
3:08:44us to the city of Banga." The little elf
3:08:46nodded reluctantly and Carl began to
3:08:49worry that the town might not be a good
3:08:51one. Is there a spot that you would
3:08:53rather be taken to? He asked. The girl
3:08:57shook her head. We were headed to the
3:08:59village of Glad to visit family, but
3:09:01that was months ago. I didn't realize we
3:09:04had traveled so far. Even if you went
3:09:07straight through the forest, it would be
3:09:09over a,000 km to bring us home. Bunga
3:09:13will have to be good enough. and then we
3:09:14can beg for money to get the dark light
3:09:16host to send us closer to home. Carl
3:09:19smiled and patted her head. Don't worry
3:09:22about that. I will talk to them and see
3:09:25if I can get them to escort you all
3:09:27safely back. I am guessing that the rest
3:09:29of your caravan didn't survive. That
3:09:32seemed a bit insensitive the moment that
3:09:34it left his mouth, but it was too late
3:09:36to take it back. The girl gave a tight
3:09:39smile that was anything but happy. When
3:09:42we passed through the village of Sono in
3:09:44the thearchy of Robville just a few days
3:09:46after our capture, all of the adults
3:09:48were sold off to a slaver caravan. They
3:09:51wouldn't pay as much for the children as
3:09:52the bandits wanted. So, they were going
3:09:54to take us to Keniji once their contact
3:09:56made it back into the port. They would
3:09:59likely send us to Achilia.
3:10:01The con has a fondness for elven
3:10:03servants. They pretend that there are no
3:10:06slaves there, but it's illegal to run
3:10:08away from a work contract before your
3:10:09debt is paid. That's what the bandit
3:10:12leader was saying. Elves live a long
3:10:15time and the con demands a third of your
3:10:17wages for life upfront as a tax debt.
3:10:20That was pure extortion to get around a
3:10:23slavery prohibition. Carl was certain of
3:10:25it, but they were likely afraid of some
3:10:27outside force cracking down on them for
3:10:29keeping slaves. So, they found a
3:10:31technicality.
3:10:33Everyone, please remove your bindings so
3:10:35you don't become sick from the motion of
3:10:37the Sarah. We will be moving quickly
3:10:40along the road to get to the city
3:10:41sometime, hopefully during the day. I
3:10:44don't intend on stopping, but we do have
3:10:46some food available. Is there anything
3:10:49you don't eat? Carl asked. Elves are
3:10:53vegan, the girl whispered.
3:10:56All right, that's easy enough. We have
3:10:59some foods that fit that requirement,
3:11:02like these hard tac biscuits. They're
3:11:05labeled as vegan friendly. Oh, and there
3:11:08are fresh vegetables here. That should
3:11:11get you through the night. Carl passed
3:11:14out the biscuits from one of the ration
3:11:15packs that he never actually used and
3:11:17then sighed as he realized he had no
3:11:19clerics for food spells anymore. But
3:11:22Thor had planted various edible leafy
3:11:24greens along with some magical tubers
3:11:27that vaguely tasted like potatoes.
3:11:29He could roast those later and they
3:11:31would grow back. He motioned to Thor as
3:11:34the kids began to remove their
3:11:35blindfolds and gags, then untie their
3:11:38feet while huddled in the pouches slung
3:11:40over Thor's back. Now, once we're
3:11:43moving, I need you all to keep as silent
3:11:45as possible. We will be moving fast so
3:11:48we get to the city before it gets dark
3:11:50again, and hopefully we don't run into
3:11:52any more bandits.
3:11:54Carl led the way with Ray darting
3:11:56through the trees and Hawk overhead
3:11:58while Remy retreated to her space as she
3:12:01was not as fast moving over long
3:12:02distances.
3:12:04Thor's plotting behind them could easily
3:12:06be mistaken for a wagon or other
3:12:08animal-drawn transport, which seemed to
3:12:10be the normal method here, going by the
3:12:12narrow ruts in the dirt road. He didn't
3:12:15see any rubber tire marks. No sign of
3:12:17tread, just compacted ruts where hard
3:12:20narrow wheels had passed. The mining
3:12:23carts used those same wheels, the ones
3:12:25that the mules pulled. It was cheaper
3:12:28than fuel for the trucks, so they were
3:12:30still in regular use at the mine back
3:12:32home. The returned to the road, and the
3:12:34kids resisted the urge to cry out in joy
3:12:37that they had been at least temporarily
3:12:38rescued, and that someone was bringing
3:12:40them to safety, or hopefully bringing
3:12:43them to safety. For all they knew, he
3:12:47might be lying and bringing them to a
3:12:48different group of slavers. But Carl
3:12:51with his monsters seemed trustworthy
3:12:53enough. Thor seemed so happy to be
3:12:56bringing them down the road that the
3:12:57elves who were deeply attuned to nature
3:13:00couldn't see Carl as a bad person if he
3:13:02was Thor's friend. Carl joged down the
3:13:05road in front of Thor who was nearly
3:13:07prancing with joy to have passengers,
3:13:09especially passengers who were
3:13:11gratefully petting the rough scales
3:13:13around the carrier bags on his back.
3:13:15Carl noted that they seemed to be
3:13:17becoming more smooth with age. Or
3:13:19perhaps he was keeping his barrier up
3:13:21over them as the sandpaper texture of
3:13:23the scales was not harming the elves at
3:13:25all. He wasn't a dragon, but his scales
3:13:28were similar to dragon scales, and the
3:13:30elves had a ritual for polishing nature
3:13:32dragon scales in their home villages.
3:13:35The green dragons apparently liked to
3:13:37visit the elves when they were young, as
3:13:39the elves lived long enough for the
3:13:40dragons to get to know them.
3:13:42So the elves viewed them as an extension
3:13:45of the nature goddess, which in a way
3:13:47they were. All dragons who came from the
3:13:49lineage of a chromatic dragon god could
3:13:52hear instructions from their species
3:13:53patron. There are more bandits. They
3:13:57have a wagon surrounded.
3:13:59Rey informed Carl just as the sun was
3:14:01coming up. Remy, stay here with Thor.
3:14:06Hawk, keep an eye on the kids while I go
3:14:08with Ray and eliminate the bandits. If
3:14:11we can save a few people from the wagon
3:14:13team, we can have them smooth our
3:14:14entrance to the city, Carl instructed.
3:14:18Remy exited her space to appear on
3:14:20Thor's back in a coil where she could
3:14:22see everything going on around them. I
3:14:25will do my best to stay out of sight.
3:14:27You pretend the golems are yours. Rey
3:14:30insisted as she raced off into the
3:14:32distance with Carl chasing behind her.
3:14:35The wagon, as Hawk called it, was
3:14:37actually a carriage with a very fancy
3:14:39sigil on the visible side made of what
3:14:41appeared to be genuine solid gold. There
3:14:44were a dozen guards around the carriage,
3:14:46all of whom seemed to be in the high
3:14:48ascended power range, while the five
3:14:50bandits that were toying with them were
3:14:51all on the strong side of commander
3:14:53rank. Carl noticed that the bandits all
3:14:56had the same red bandana that the fruit
3:14:58merchant had given him tied to their
3:15:00left arms, making them easily
3:15:02identifiable even if they weren't facing
3:15:04a force in uniforms.
3:15:06But they were also well-trained as a
3:15:08group, and they fought well together
3:15:10despite not having a single mage in
3:15:11their group. In fact, there were no
3:15:14mages in either group that was fighting.
3:15:16It was all warriors and rogues. Carl
3:15:19whistled to catch the attention of the
3:15:21carriage guards, who looked immensely
3:15:23relieved to see Carl, despite him still
3:15:25being in his shabby armor disguise. It
3:15:28didn't seem wise to change back and
3:15:30looked like a dark light host member
3:15:31when he was close to one of their
3:15:33bastions without any idea how their
3:15:34organization functioned. One of the
3:15:37bandits broke off to deal with Carl and
3:15:39Ray called the golems in between them.
3:15:42The man screamed in terror as they
3:15:44appeared, and then the screams cut off
3:15:46with a rasping gurgle as the golems
3:15:48pinned him to the ground and began to
3:15:49shred his body. Everyone was so
3:15:52horrified that they completely stopped
3:15:54fighting for a whole 10 seconds, just
3:15:56staring at the massacre as the wounded
3:15:58man begged for death. Then the blood
3:16:01soaked golems turned to face the battle
3:16:03and the bandits morale broke. They
3:16:05didn't even say anything. They just ran.
3:16:09Ry recalled the golems and started the
3:16:11hunt.
3:16:12It wasn't her style, but Hawk enjoyed
3:16:14it, so there had to be something to it.
3:16:17Like this. Watch. Hawk informed her as
3:16:21he swooped down, his 5 m wingspan barely
3:16:24avoiding the trees as he grabbed a
3:16:26warrior in his claws and pulled him into
3:16:28the air. The man shrieked in pain, but
3:16:31Hawk's claws had pierced his shoulder
3:16:32joints, and he couldn't raise his arms
3:16:34to attack his captor. Then Hawk doubled
3:16:38back and Dove, hurling the body at
3:16:40another of the bandits comrades.
3:16:42The two collided, tumbling to the ground
3:16:44in a tangled heap as Ray sent her golems
3:16:47against the furthest two, who were now
3:16:48well out of sight of the battle. Hawk
3:16:51hit the downed bandits with a rending
3:16:53fireball as he called his new signature
3:16:56bomb, and the bodies turned to a puddle
3:16:58of goo. Carl whistled, calling Hawk over
3:17:01to land on his arm. Let Ry clean up the
3:17:04rest and gather the loot. These guys
3:17:07will never see through her disguise,
3:17:10he instructed.
3:17:12Hulk landed on Carl's outstretched arm,
3:17:14then moved to his shoulder as Carl
3:17:16approached the carriage guards.
3:17:18"Gentlemen, is everyone all right?" "I
3:17:21can ask a healing companion to join us
3:17:23if someone needs urgent assistance." He
3:17:26announced as the guards stared at him.
3:17:29There were a few guards still on the
3:17:30ground, but the others were more guarded
3:17:32against Carl than concerned about their
3:17:34co-workers. "We will be all right, sir.
3:17:38Thank you for your assistance. We have a
3:17:40cleric class acolyte of the dark light
3:17:42host with us." The leader of the guard
3:17:45team announced. "Oh, that makes my life
3:17:49easier. You see, I gathered a number of
3:17:52elven children from another bandit camp
3:17:54closer to Keniji last night.
3:17:56They are coming this way with one of my
3:17:58bestial companions and I was hoping that
3:18:00the dark light host might be able to
3:18:02arrange for them to be brought home as
3:18:04they were kidnapped to be sold to
3:18:06slavers.
3:18:07Carl explained.
3:18:09You managed to steal from the bandits.
3:18:12The guard captain asked in shock. I
3:18:15suppose that is accurate. But I killed
3:18:18everyone in their camp first, so it's
3:18:20not really stealing. I would call it
3:18:21looting. The guard looked terrified of
3:18:24Carl, but when the acolyte cleric, as
3:18:26they had called her, stepped out, Carl
3:18:29saw that she was just a young teen girl,
3:18:31likely younger than Carl was, and soft,
3:18:34as if she had never seen combat. After
3:18:37months on the front line, Carl knew that
3:18:39he had a slightly gaunt face and a
3:18:40thousand meter stare that made him look
3:18:42as predatory as his partners. I got the
3:18:45good stuff. No overpowered bracelet this
3:18:49time. I will give the loot to Thor. He's
3:18:52almost there. Rey informed Carl as she
3:18:55finished her work and cleaned up the
3:18:56bodies. Nobody was saying anything, and
3:19:00the cleric acolyte was casting her
3:19:01spells on the injured, who were
3:19:03beginning to get back on their feet,
3:19:05despite her magic only being that of an
3:19:07awakened ranked cleric. As they
3:19:09approached, Remy returned to her space,
3:19:11so she didn't terrify anyone. The elven
3:19:15children looked confused that the snake
3:19:16had suddenly disappeared, but when they
3:19:18saw Carl, they relaxed.
3:19:21Ray returned a few seconds later after
3:19:23dropping the loot off with Thor using an
3:19:26empty pouch on his harness. The Sero
3:19:29stopped next to Carl, who gathered the
3:19:30loot into his storage and gave him a
3:19:32head ridge rub as Thor made happy
3:19:34rumbling noises that had the kids
3:19:36giggling. Hawk returned to his space,
3:19:39leaving only Carl and Thor outside, but
3:19:41the guards weren't relaxing. "Where are
3:19:44the children?" the guard leader asked.
3:19:47"In the pouches." It's the best way to
3:19:50carry children on a fast journey.
3:19:53They're all mostly unharmed as Thor here
3:19:56is a lightning sero and his barrier has
3:19:58a regenerative effect that will have
3:19:59helped them heal from their injuries.
3:20:02They still looked rough, but the bruises
3:20:04had faded and the few broken bones they
3:20:06had suffered were all repaired. You
3:20:09wanted to take them to the dark light
3:20:10host? The young cleric asked.
3:20:14Yes. I was told that they were the right
3:20:17place to bring kidnapping victims.
3:20:19Carl shrugged. You would side with the
3:20:22dark light host against the demon guild
3:20:24alliance. The cleric asked. Miss, I
3:20:28don't see any symbols of allegiance on
3:20:30him. It could be a trick. The carriage
3:20:34guard leader whispered. We should get
3:20:37going. Those bandits will regroup with
3:20:39their friends and be back soon. She
3:20:41whispered back. But Carl's hearing was
3:20:44far too sensitive to miss that
3:20:46conversation.
3:20:48They won't be regrouping with anyone. I
3:20:50killed them all. The golems hunted them
3:20:53down in the woods. Carl informed the
3:20:56pair. What sort of monster are you? You
3:21:00don't even let surrendered enemies flee.
3:21:03The guard asked, "Sure, I do. If they're
3:21:07in custody. If they're fleeing, they
3:21:10didn't really surrender. They're just
3:21:11retreating. Don't count that one on the
3:21:14ground in front of me. That was an
3:21:16object lesson. I really do sound like
3:21:18the bad guy here, don't I? I swear I'm
3:21:22actually a rather kind fellow. The kids
3:21:25on Thor's back all laughed as Carl
3:21:27stumbled over his words while the guard
3:21:29stared at him suspiciously.
3:21:31I'll tell you what, why don't I lead the
3:21:33way into town so I'm not at your backs
3:21:36and then when we get there, you can help
3:21:38me get these kids to someone who can
3:21:39help and won't sell them to slavvers.
3:21:42Carl offered. The guard leader nodded.
3:21:46That works for me. But first, I need to
3:21:49know what your class is. I can't see
3:21:52your information on the status screen.
3:21:54You can see information about others on
3:21:56the status screen. That was news to
3:21:59Carl. I am a beast master. Carl
3:22:03explained. Then those beasts are
3:22:06summoned. Carl shook his head. No, they
3:22:10are real beasts bonded to me as allies.
3:22:13Thor is as alive as anyone else, and
3:22:16he's been with me since he was an egg.
3:22:18That seemed like a good enough answer
3:22:20for the guard, and he motioned for Carl
3:22:22to move in front of the carriage, which
3:22:24had taken some damage, but looked
3:22:26mobile. "What pace are you keeping?"
3:22:29"I've been jogging along with Thor,"
3:22:32Carl asked, looking back at them. "We
3:22:35will match with you as well as we can. I
3:22:38don't want to be out here any longer
3:22:39than necessary.
3:22:41Carl began to jog, then grabbed a few
3:22:43tubers from Thor's space to roast with
3:22:46flaming body in his hand and then passed
3:22:48them to the children. The skill was able
3:22:51to pass heat through the whole object,
3:22:53cooking them in a matter of seconds. Be
3:22:56careful, they're hot, he warned as he
3:22:59passed the tubers to the elves. They
3:23:02smiled and bounced them between their
3:23:03hands to cool them, then carefully bit
3:23:06into them. Oh, these are good, mister.
3:23:10The last of the girls to get her lunch
3:23:12declared. I'm glad you like them. I
3:23:15wasn't sure what elves like to eat. The
3:23:18little girls smirked at Carl. You're
3:23:21losing the carriage, though. Horses
3:23:24aren't as fast as a Sero, especially
3:23:27when they're hooked to a carriage. Carl
3:23:30slowed down as he realized that the
3:23:31horses were already panting and looked
3:23:33back with an apologetic gesture.
3:23:36Sorry, I forgot that your horses were
3:23:38just horses and not monsters. He took up
3:23:41a loping trot, which was a more
3:23:43comfortable pace for the carriage, while
3:23:45the guards on their horses glared at
3:23:47him. Do you think he's feral? One of the
3:23:50classes that is born in the woods and
3:23:52never sees civilization.
3:23:54His armor has been patched more than
3:23:56once, and it's damaged again. It looks
3:23:59like he was in a fight with something
3:24:00nasty, possibly even second advancement.
3:24:04But he's not at all concerned about the
3:24:06dangers of the road. One of the guards
3:24:09was telling the occupants of the
3:24:10carriage. I think his class made him
3:24:13feral. Did you see how he looked at that
3:24:16poor man being torn apart? He has
3:24:18forgotten what it is to be human or feel
3:24:20empathy. He's as much a monster as his
3:24:23partners are. A new musical voice
3:24:27replied. Do you think that's true? Am I
3:24:30becoming a monster? Carl asked.
3:24:34Nah, they're just scared and
3:24:36weak-willed.
3:24:37Hawk assured him. Maybe they don't enjoy
3:24:40playing with their food. Rey suggested.
3:24:44I think that Sister Ray is right. They
3:24:47seem to have some rule against just
3:24:49killing things that are dangerous. They
3:24:51must like to torture and humiliate each
3:24:53other instead.
3:24:55Humans here are weird. Remy agreed. Thor
3:24:59snorted in amusement and subtly shook
3:25:01his head. They're a herd prey species.
3:25:05Not like elites. They only fight enough
3:25:08to defend themselves and then let the
3:25:10predators leave with their spoils so
3:25:12they don't lose any more than they have
3:25:13to. That made sense. They approached the
3:25:17city walls and Carl saw that most of the
3:25:20visitors in line were nobles with
3:25:22guards, fancy carriages, and visible
3:25:24wealth.
3:25:26So he changed into his only and best
3:25:29suit. The concealed armor underneath
3:25:31gave him a bit of extra bulk, but
3:25:33nothing too excessive, and he had his
3:25:35weapons put away. That should keep the
3:25:38city guards happy, he hoped. He was
3:25:41still relatively clean shaven from
3:25:43yesterday, and with a quick brush of his
3:25:45hair and a bit of luck, he should look
3:25:47respectable enough. Carl walked up to
3:25:50the line and had just gotten settled
3:25:52into his spot when a group of guards
3:25:53with spears came running up. No
3:25:56monsters.
3:25:58The captain shouted. "Fine, calm your
3:26:01tits. I will send him away. Kids, you'll
3:26:05have to walk from here. Thor needs to
3:26:08rest." Thor returned to his space, and
3:26:11the little elves tumbled to the ground,
3:26:13giggling as they dusted themselves off
3:26:15and got to their feet.
3:26:16Where did you hire those servants? The
3:26:19guard demanded, poking his spear at
3:26:21Carl. I rescued them from bandits. I was
3:26:25bringing them here to make arrangements
3:26:27for them to get home safely. I don't see
3:26:30a system status for you. The guard
3:26:33accused.
3:26:34Status. Carl thought. Suddenly, there
3:26:38was information everywhere.
3:26:40Most of the people had names over their
3:26:42head, and they were in a bunch of
3:26:43colors, but predominantly in a boring
3:26:45brown that Carl assumed marked them as a
3:26:47warrior type. The city guard looked
3:26:50startled, then suspicious.
3:26:53How did you hide your status?
3:26:55Stealth skill. Handy when you're in the
3:26:58wilderness and avoiding bandits.
3:27:01Carl shrugged. You need to come with us.
3:27:05Bring the little ones as well. We want
3:27:07to talk to them. the guard insisted.
3:27:10As they passed by, one of the noblemen
3:27:13reached down toward one of the elf
3:27:14girls. But when Carl turned to watch
3:27:16him, he recoiled in terror. From behind
3:27:20them, Carl heard the carriage guards
3:27:22laughing quietly as the elves moved to
3:27:23put Carl between them and the people in
3:27:25line. He was the scariest person in
3:27:28line, but he was their scary person.
3:27:31They were led into a large office,
3:27:33evidently intended to interrogate an
3:27:35entire guard team for a carriage at
3:27:36once, and the children pressed against
3:27:38the back wall, putting Carl between them
3:27:40and the guards who were waiting for
3:27:42them. "All right, traveler, we have some
3:27:46questions for you." The system says,
3:27:48"Your name is Carl, but we can't see any
3:27:50more information about you. That shade
3:27:53of red doesn't match any class we're
3:27:55familiar with either," the guard captain
3:27:58insisted.
3:27:59Is that a particular problem? I haven't
3:28:02memorized every color either, and it
3:28:04doesn't cause me any trouble. Carl
3:28:07replied easily. The guard did not think
3:28:10he was funny. When I focus on you, I
3:28:13should see your general power level and
3:28:15class. But I don't. That is a safety
3:28:19risk. The guard insisted.
3:28:22In that case, I just reached the first
3:28:25advancement, and I am a beast master. If
3:28:28you ask the gentleman guarding the
3:28:29carriage behind me, they will confirm
3:28:31that they were in a scuffle with bandits
3:28:34when I happened upon them. Carl replied,
3:28:38"So, they can verify your power level is
3:28:41at or above first advancement."
3:28:43Carl nodded. I would say that they can
3:28:46confirm the basic details. They're not
3:28:49as strong as I am, but they should be
3:28:51able to tell that much. That seemed to
3:28:54put the guards more on edge instead of
3:28:56comforting them. and the bandits that
3:28:58they fought. Where are the bodies?" Carl
3:29:01shrugged. "I brought them with me,
3:29:04stored away in case there was a bounty
3:29:06on them. They were all somewhere around
3:29:08the first advancement point and robbing
3:29:10carriages, so there might be a bounty."
3:29:13"You say that as if you single-handedly
3:29:15took out more than one," the guard
3:29:18replied. The elf girl laughed.
3:29:22Six. He took out six. He even hunted
3:29:25them down through the woods so they
3:29:27couldn't get reinforcements.
3:29:29He's awesome. Put them in the back room
3:29:32and I will check them against the bounty
3:29:33posts. Carl summoned them out of Ray's
3:29:36space into the next room and immediately
3:29:38heard a man dry heaving. Oh yeah, sorry
3:29:43about that. Some of them are in bad
3:29:46shape, but all the heads are intact. The
3:29:49guard in the next room collected himself
3:29:51and quickly verified the identity of the
3:29:53corpses.
3:29:55Sir, it's the Blood Blade gang. Six of
3:29:58their senior members. Their identities
3:30:01are confirmed.
3:30:03The voice from the other room announced.
3:30:05He has more of them too from when he
3:30:08rescued us. The little girl declared.
3:30:12Carl patted her on the head so she felt
3:30:14that she was appreciated for being
3:30:16helpful. If he had to explain that he
3:30:19had hunted more of them, he would just
3:30:21terrify the guards even more. Send them
3:30:24all in. I'm ready. The man in the other
3:30:27room announced. Carl sent the bodies
3:30:30over and the man began to swear. What in
3:30:33the dragon did you use as a weapon? A
3:30:35bloody railroad tie. These wounds look
3:30:38like you drove a club through their
3:30:40chest. He complained.
3:30:43Oh, those would be the puncture wounds
3:30:45from my golems. They're patterned after
3:30:48a bloodbath spider. Thick, sharp legs,
3:30:52very effective in close combat. I am
3:30:55going to pretend that I know what a
3:30:56bloodbath spider is. But this will need
3:30:59my supervisor.
3:31:01The guard captain insisted.
3:31:04Carl shrugged and the kids began to tug
3:31:06at the back of his pants leg. Do you
3:31:09have more tubers? They whispered. The
3:31:13guards looked suspicious.
3:31:15Have you not fed the children? I fed
3:31:18them what I could. I wasn't exactly
3:31:20packed for 10 people, but the tubers are
3:31:23a magical resource and they're pretty
3:31:25tasty. Carl took out another hand and
3:31:28heated them with flaming body. A red
3:31:31light began to flash and an alarm
3:31:34sounded which had all the guards drawing
3:31:36their weapons. "Wo, calm down. What's
3:31:39everyone freaking out about?" Carl
3:31:42asked. You used an attack skill in the
3:31:45city. The guard captain shouted. To heat
3:31:49potatoes.
3:31:50Carl reminded him as the kids grabbed
3:31:52the hot tubers from his hands. Have you
3:31:55never been in a city before? The guards
3:31:58screamed, obviously not happy with the
3:32:00situation as he tapped buttons to get
3:32:02the alarm to end. The elves were all
3:32:05giggling as they ate, reassured by
3:32:07Carl's lack of concern about rules and
3:32:09consequences. Of course, they had no
3:32:13idea that he simply didn't know the
3:32:14rules, so he couldn't worry about
3:32:16breaking them. The alarms were shut off,
3:32:19and more guards came running into the
3:32:21room where Carl was casually leaning
3:32:23against the wall as the kids ate. What
3:32:26happened? Are there casualties?
3:32:29The most powerful of the new entrance
3:32:31demanded. Carl would put him somewhere
3:32:34in the royal rank, possibly into the
3:32:36monarch rank. This fine gentleman was
3:32:39unaware of the restriction on combat
3:32:41skills in the city and used a fire
3:32:43attack to heat food for the rescued
3:32:45elven children. It appears that he has
3:32:48nearly eliminated the Blood Blade gang
3:32:50in the last 12 hours. The bodies are in
3:32:53the back room, but don't enter if you
3:32:55have recently eaten." The supervisor
3:32:57scoffed, and the elves laughed as he
3:32:59walked into the back room, cursed,
3:33:01gagged, and came back out, closing the
3:33:04door behind him. He tried to warn you.
3:33:07One of the boys crowed as the supervisor
3:33:10came back out. And who are the Rugrats?
3:33:13The supervisor demanded
3:33:16recovered from the bandits. They were
3:33:18going to sell them to a slaver
3:33:20apparently. The captain explained with a
3:33:23hint of genuine sadness in his
3:33:25expression.
3:33:27Well, I suppose that we could ask either
3:33:28the Guild Alliance or the Dark Light
3:33:30host to arrange to send them with a
3:33:32caravan. The captain's boss reluctantly
3:33:35agreed. "Do you have an allegiance?" the
3:33:39captain asked. Carl changed to his
3:33:42bestial raignment skill armor to see
3:33:44what it created. The armor came out all
3:33:47black with a gold trimmed dark light
3:33:49host tabard over the top. That seemed
3:33:52like an obvious enough answer. It had
3:33:55even blinked up his tabard for the day.
3:33:57The captain blinked slowly as he stared
3:33:59at Carl's armor until he changed back.
3:34:03You are a Dark Light host war champion.
3:34:06[ __ ] [ __ ] [ __ ] he muttered to
3:34:09himself. The supervisor stepped in front
3:34:12of Carl. Are you here to trigger a guild
3:34:15war? If you are, tell me right now, and
3:34:18we will take care of the kids so they're
3:34:20not caught in the middle of the battle.
3:34:23But you should know that you're here to
3:34:24make the announcement. We can't let you
3:34:26leave this office without an escort.
3:34:29Carl shook his head. I wasn't intended
3:34:32to be here at all. I was relocated
3:34:34through an anomaly and dumped along the
3:34:36road to Kenyiji.
3:34:38Everything that happened after was
3:34:40simply because I was making my way here
3:34:41to find out what happened. There was a
3:34:44scuffle outside the doors and Carl
3:34:46leaned over to see what was going on.
3:34:49There was a large group picking a fight
3:34:51with the guards around the carriage for
3:34:52the acolyte cleric. Are you going to
3:34:55deal with that or should I? Carl asked
3:34:59if they were going to make everyone pick
3:35:01factions to come into the city. It was
3:35:03probably better not to be viewed as
3:35:05immediately betraying his side. Before
3:35:07they could do anything, a loud horn was
3:35:10blown and echoed by horns all through
3:35:12the city. Too late. The guild war has
3:35:16begun. We will keep the kids safe, but
3:35:19the guards will be locked inside the
3:35:21dorms until the battles end. Seriously,
3:35:25you don't even protect the civilians.
3:35:27Carl asked. And take sides.
3:35:31Thanks, but no thanks. The supervisor
3:35:35replied. The elves waved to Carl. Don't
3:35:39worry about us, monster man. We will be
3:35:42right here when they stop fighting.
3:35:44Maybe this sort of thing wasn't as
3:35:46uncommon as he had thought. Carl stepped
3:35:49out into the street and everyone froze.
3:35:52The people who had been in line were now
3:35:54fleeing out of the city along with
3:35:56hundreds of others. But they were all
3:35:59leaving through the smaller doors or
3:36:00down ladders over the walls. If this
3:36:03happened enough that they had an
3:36:05evacuation plan for the city, it must be
3:36:07a rough life that they lived here.
3:36:10Declare your allegiance or be attacked.
3:36:12A man in a bright blue tabard yelled.
3:36:15The guards around the carriage looked
3:36:17hopeful that Carl might choose them as
3:36:19he had intended to take the elves to
3:36:21their people.
3:36:22Carl smiled as he changed his armor and
3:36:24called out the beasts with Remy coiled
3:36:26up on Thor's back so she could see to
3:36:28fight. The man in the blue tabard went
3:36:31pale as he saw Carl's armor. "Get him!"
3:36:35he shouted at his companions. "Good
3:36:38news, Rey!" Ry laughed in his mind as
3:36:41she darted forward and tore the man who
3:36:43was still at the ascended rank apart.
3:36:46Carl noticed a notification in the
3:36:48corner of his status overlay. Demon
3:36:51Guild Alliance has declared war on the
3:36:53dark light host alliance. Once he
3:36:56focused on that, Carl noticed that he
3:36:58could see red crossed swords over the
3:37:00heads of a large portion of the town. He
3:37:03was becoming more convinced that this
3:37:04was one of the strangest anomaly
3:37:06instances that he had heard of, but at
3:37:08least he knew what he was supposed to be
3:37:10doing now. They had literal targets on
3:37:12their heads, and he just had to
3:37:14eliminate them while keeping his team
3:37:16safe. Once that was done, he should be
3:37:19able to return.
3:37:21Hopefully, nothing bad had happened to
3:37:23the lithium mines. These people are
3:37:26real, not dungeon constructs.
3:37:28A gentle voice whispered in his mind. It
3:37:32wasn't any of his pets. But Carl
3:37:34couldn't see who it might have been. But
3:37:36if that was the case, then his next
3:37:38order, which would have been to have
3:37:40Hawk bombard the city from high
3:37:41altitude, would have to be reconsidered.
3:37:44The blue tabard wearing demon guild
3:37:46alliance members quickly rallied as Carl
3:37:49brought up all his buffs. This time
3:37:51there was no alarm, possibly because
3:37:53there was already a guild war going on.
3:37:56But the members of the blue faction were
3:37:58looking terrified to see Carl standing
3:38:00there. How about you run away and go
3:38:03fetch your champion? Carl suggested.
3:38:07A young woman dressed in black leather
3:38:09armor that Carl associated with a rogue
3:38:11nodded numbly, then threw a smoke bomb
3:38:13on the ground and fled with a movement
3:38:15skill. Most likely Shadow Step. Sir,
3:38:19you're with us. Why didn't you identify
3:38:22yourself on the road? We would have
3:38:24greeted you with full honors. The
3:38:27acolyte whispered as she got out of the
3:38:29carriage to heal the wounded guards. I
3:38:32am not from here. I'm not even certain
3:38:34where this is. So, I had no intentions
3:38:38of getting in the middle of anything
3:38:40until the war notification came up. They
3:38:43waited at the gates with Ray on the wall
3:38:45above the gates, crafting a comfortable
3:38:47web to wait in while Hawk scouted the
3:38:49city overhead. One of the guards from
3:38:52the carriage looked at Carl with
3:38:53concern. Are you really going to wait
3:38:56right here for their champion to arrive
3:38:58with his bodyguards?
3:38:59We should be headed for the safe house.
3:39:02Carl waved. Go get to the safe house and
3:39:06I will wait for their champion. It's not
3:39:09like any of you are ready to get in the
3:39:10middle of what comes next. The guard
3:39:13nodded and they abandoned the carriage
3:39:15to run off through the city headed for
3:39:17whatever safe house they had prepared. A
3:39:20few minutes later, a warrior in black
3:39:22plate armor and a demonic mask jogged
3:39:24into Carl's sight. He stopped 5 m away
3:39:27and glared down at Carl. He was a solid
3:39:31250 cm tall and built a lot like
3:39:34Professor Tank, huge in every direction.
3:39:37He was also definitely a monarch rank
3:39:39warrior. Does this place have a warrior
3:39:42fetish? Did you not think that maybe a
3:39:45mage or two might be useful? Carl asked.
3:39:49A few of the bodyguards with him
3:39:51laughed, but the champion simply
3:39:52continued to glare at Carl. The dark
3:39:55light host thinks that some little kid
3:39:57with his pet lizard can take the city
3:39:58from me. He eventually demanded.
3:40:02I will have you know that he is the
3:40:04goodest of good boys. And I didn't come
3:40:06here to take the city from you. Your
3:40:08boys declared war while I was bringing
3:40:10refugees to the guard station. But now
3:40:13that it is started, we might as well get
3:40:15things settled. It would have been a
3:40:17shame if I had to flatten the city to
3:40:19find you. I can still do it. Hawk
3:40:23reminded him. The buildings weren't
3:40:26reinforced. A single barrage of
3:40:28fireballs would level half the city. The
3:40:30huge man suddenly launched himself at
3:40:33Carl, who drew his two-handed sword to
3:40:35parry and activated all his buffs. Then
3:40:38he cast chain lightning to slow the
3:40:41monarch rank warriors reactions.
3:40:44The lightning hit an instant before the
3:40:45two blades clashed in a flurry of sparks
3:40:48as flaming body met a flaming blade
3:40:51ability. The two men were at a stalemate
3:40:54and the majority of the bodyguards began
3:40:56to circle around Carl looking for an
3:40:58opening while four of them went to block
3:41:00Thor and Remy from joining the battle.
3:41:03But they quickly learned that Thor's
3:41:05bags were the perfect platform for
3:41:06totems, and that a lightning sero was
3:41:09not easy to deal with when he was backed
3:41:10against a wall, especially a wall that
3:41:13fronted a room full of children he
3:41:15wanted to protect. Carl broke away from
3:41:18the stalemate of locked blades, and
3:41:20darted backwards before lashing out with
3:41:22Bone Crusher. The warrior on his right
3:41:25took the strike on his shield, stopping
3:41:27the blade with ease, but shatter and
3:41:30sharpness took effect, and the shield
3:41:33split clean in half. The man dropped to
3:41:36the ground, spitting blood and cradling
3:41:38a pulverized arm. "Oh, you're a dirty
3:41:41little weasel, aren't you, dark light
3:41:43scum?" The champion snarled. You have no
3:41:48idea, Carl replied as he stepped away
3:41:51from the guard station and put his back
3:41:52to the city, moving further into the
3:41:54gates. Hawk, find where the blue tabard
3:41:58team is fighting the dark light host and
3:42:00bombard any reinforcements they try to
3:42:02send this way. Just distract their
3:42:04stronger fighters. Don't hurt the city.
3:42:08Carl fell into a defensive stance and
3:42:10the warriors moved forward again. That
3:42:13was when Ray summoned her golems behind
3:42:15the champion, letting them lash out at
3:42:17his back. He responded almost faster
3:42:20than Carl could track, parrying the
3:42:22first four leg strikes as Carl switched
3:42:24to his mall and stacked chain lightning
3:42:27five times. But he didn't go for the
3:42:30back of the champion as everyone
3:42:31expected him to. Instead, he went for a
3:42:34rogue type fighter, crushing his chest,
3:42:37which let chain lightning spread through
3:42:39the whole group and brought half the
3:42:41warriors to their knees. As Carl moved
3:42:43to attack again, the champion
3:42:45intercepted him, forcing Carl into a
3:42:47stalemate for a second time before the
3:42:50monarch's superior speed let him break
3:42:51free and land a hit on Carl's barriers.
3:42:55But that meant he wasn't stopping the
3:42:56golems, who were tearing apart his
3:42:58stunned and electrocuted bodyguards.
3:43:01You bastard.
3:43:03fight me properly. Carl laughed. Now you
3:43:07want a proper duel, but you brought
3:43:09bodyguards.
3:43:10You didn't think this one through. Carl
3:43:13stepped back and switched to his blade,
3:43:15which was better for parrying attacks.
3:43:18The monarch rank warrior was close in
3:43:20physical strength to him, even with his
3:43:22buffs. But the enemy champion was faster
3:43:24than Carl was, so there was bound to be
3:43:26a lot of traded damage. Fortunately, the
3:43:29warrior classes didn't have much for
3:43:31barriers, just guard. But this warrior
3:43:34wasn't even using that. Three fast
3:43:37attacks were parried, and the return
3:43:39strike caused Flaming Body to waver for
3:43:42a moment before Carl stabilized it. The
3:43:45champion was beginning to get
3:43:46frustrated, and Carl realized what was
3:43:48happening. Carl had taken a new bracelet
3:43:51from the bandit leader, and it reduced
3:43:53damage by a set amount. None of the
3:43:56smaller skills that the champion was
3:43:58using were registering to Carl because
3:44:00they were all being negated. Because the
3:44:02smaller damage was being negated and not
3:44:04stacking, Carl's barriers had time to
3:44:07recover between attacks. The Demon Guild
3:44:10Alliance champion must have had a skill
3:44:12like Shatter that did damage which
3:44:14caused lingering damage to barriers and
3:44:16enemies on hit, but it wasn't enough to
3:44:19overcome the damage reduction. The big
3:44:22fight is almost over now. They're too
3:44:25close together to attack. Hawk informed
3:44:28Carl as he tried to find an opening to
3:44:30attack with something other than chain
3:44:32lightning, which was doing very little
3:44:33to his opponent. I get it. He's not
3:44:37using guard because he has a better
3:44:39version. It's on all the time, Ry
3:44:43declared. Her study of the opponent with
3:44:46offensive adaptation had paid off, and
3:44:49she now understood why he wasn't trying
3:44:51to use guard against Carl's attacks. His
3:44:54version was always active. That was why
3:44:57chain lightning wasn't doing much. It
3:45:01wasn't a physical attack, so it didn't
3:45:03apply shatter, meaning that there was no
3:45:05secondary damage passing through to the
3:45:07target. Carl's attacks weren't strong
3:45:09enough to break through a monarch rank
3:45:11guard ability with a single spell. Carl
3:45:15added chain lightning to his blade,
3:45:18intending to add damage to flaming body.
3:45:21The champion laughed and his eyes turned
3:45:23a bit crazy.
3:45:25So, you've realized it. But if you can't
3:45:28hit me with that armor bypass, there is
3:45:31no way you can hurt me. It's only a
3:45:33matter of time before you are exhausted
3:45:35and ground to dust. He laughed. There is
3:45:39only one problem with that logic. You're
3:45:42all out of bodyguards and I still have
3:45:45golems. Do you think that you can deal
3:45:47with all three of us at once? Carl
3:45:50asked. From Carl's left, power surged,
3:45:54and Thor's scales began to turn gold.
3:45:57His body began to grow. Not much, but
3:46:00enough to be noticeable.
3:46:02However, it was the greenish gold that
3:46:04his scales turned, while his horns
3:46:06changed to deep bronze that made it
3:46:08obvious that he had advanced.
3:46:10At this point, he barely looked like a
3:46:12lightning sero anymore, other than his
3:46:14general shape. The deep green luster
3:46:17that they were famous for was gone,
3:46:19streaked through with thick veins of
3:46:21gold. The bone white horns that crackled
3:46:24with blue lightning were now a rich
3:46:26bronze, and the lightning was as golden
3:46:28as the streaks on his scales. He looked
3:46:31glorious and regal, but very little like
3:46:33a common lightning arrow. The building
3:46:36behind him was coated in eternal
3:46:38lightning, as the serrow had been
3:46:39protecting it from the area attacks that
3:46:41had been hurled at him. Ever loyal, Thor
3:46:44had not allowed the building to be
3:46:46damaged while the elves were still
3:46:47inside, and it had triggered him to
3:46:49break through the royal rank bottleneck.
3:46:52With the advancement, both eternal
3:46:54lightning and circle of protection
3:46:57advanced to royal rank, and Carl felt a
3:46:59new space begin to form in his mind as
3:47:01the existing ones reached their limits.
3:47:04Remy was still at commander rank, and
3:47:06that was the limiting factor for the
3:47:08spaces right now. So, a new one was
3:47:10formed to accept the overflow of energy
3:47:12from Thor's breakthrough. The champion
3:47:14got a sly look on his face and made for
3:47:17the Sero, aiming a blow for the back of
3:47:19Thor's neck. The loss of what was
3:47:22obviously Carl's support pet should
3:47:24[ __ ] his combat ability and leave him
3:47:26vulnerable. But he wasn't the only one
3:47:29that had realized that, and as he leapt
3:47:31forward, a wall of stone spikes formed
3:47:33in front of him, bringing him to a
3:47:35crashing stop before a streak of blue
3:47:37struck out and hit him in the face. then
3:47:39retreated. His scream of agony echoed
3:47:42through the city as blood poured down
3:47:44the demonic visor of his helmet. Remy
3:47:47had bitten his eyeball, blinding him on
3:47:49one side, and he had never even realized
3:47:51that she was on Thor's back. The warrior
3:47:54ripped off his helmet and poured a vial
3:47:56on his face, then down a potion as pain
3:47:58racked his body. "Have you had enough?"
3:48:02Carl asked. The strange voice had warned
3:48:05Carl that these were real people. And
3:48:07while he had killed the bodyguards and
3:48:09had most likely let Hawk slaughter a
3:48:11small group of them to prevent
3:48:12reinforcements, he didn't want to have
3:48:14to kill every member of their alliance
3:48:16to end the battle. I forfeit. The demon
3:48:20guild alliance forfeits the war. He
3:48:23moaned as he clawed at the side of his
3:48:25face where black streaks were spreading
3:48:27from his eye. Whatever potion he had
3:48:29used had been ineffective on Rey's
3:48:31poison. Remy, heal his face, would you?
3:48:36Or at least neutralize the poison. The
3:48:39spirit snake fired a healing splash at
3:48:42the man. It looked exactly like she had
3:48:45spit on his face, but the black streaks
3:48:47began to recede, and the blood red eye
3:48:49stopped leaking as it slowly returned to
3:48:51normal. By trial of champions, the dark
3:48:54light host alliance has won the guild
3:48:56war. Final damage. Demon guild alliance.
3:49:0131 dead. Dark light host alliance.
3:49:0611 dead. The champion rolled to his
3:49:08knees and used his blade to help him to
3:49:09his feet as the pain of the lingering
3:49:11poison racked his body along with the
3:49:13lingering effects of shatter which had
3:49:15applied with the bite to the face.
3:49:18Everyone to the space. Let's not give
3:49:21them a chance to get revenge on you.
3:49:23Carl insisted.
3:49:25No wonder you're a champion. That class
3:49:28of yours is absolutely broken. It's like
3:49:32fighting an entire raid team at once. He
3:49:35commended as the majority of Carl's
3:49:36beasts vanished back to their spaces to
3:49:38plan an advancement party for Thor. Remy
3:49:42was pretty sure that they could get the
3:49:43elves to polish his scales, and there
3:49:45weren't many better rewards for Thor
3:49:47than that. Carl wasn't sure what to do
3:49:50now, but Hawk was relaying the scene to
3:49:52them. There are clerics pouring out of
3:49:54the buildings now, gathering bodies. I
3:49:58think they'll revive them. Hawk informed
3:50:00them. Then he paused and Carl sensed his
3:50:04confusion. They hadn't been dead long,
3:50:07so it should be possible to revive them,
3:50:09but they were starting the resurrection
3:50:11ritual. That would put them all in new
3:50:13bodies, which didn't seem like what you
3:50:15wanted for powerful people like these.
3:50:1831 to 11. What a slaughter.
3:50:22Now I'll have to see what is left of the
3:50:24alliance as we pack. The champion side
3:50:27before tilting his head back and pouring
3:50:29another potion over his face. The snake
3:50:32bite to the eyeball was unexpected, but
3:50:35damn does this hurt. Even after healing,
3:50:38the pain still isn't fading. He
3:50:40complained.
3:50:42I don't have anything for strong
3:50:43healing, so you'll likely need a cleric.
3:50:46Should we go inside and check on them?
3:50:49Carl suggested just in case someone was
3:50:52planning to cause trouble. You might as
3:50:54well, but I'll be leaving. It's not like
3:50:57I can shamelessly show my face in the
3:50:59city again while my alliance is packing
3:51:01up to leave their homes. If any of them
3:51:04ask, I'm on my way to Horinga, and I
3:51:06will wait for them at the alliance house
3:51:08there. Carl nodded, and the warrior
3:51:11walked away as the door to the armory
3:51:13opened and the guard supervisor stuck
3:51:15his head outside. We're all right. It's
3:51:19over, he asked hesitantly.
3:51:22Yeah, it's over. Decision by duel in
3:51:25favor of the dark light host, Carl
3:51:28explained. The elves came pouring out
3:51:31and began to swarm Thor, cooing and
3:51:33praising his much more golden scales. Ry
3:51:36made them a bunch of polishing cloths,
3:51:38and the elves giggled as they got to
3:51:40work, scrubbing him down and climbing
3:51:42all over the happy Sero. The rags didn't
3:51:45seem to be getting damaged, and the kids
3:51:47were sliding down Thor, which made Carl
3:51:50think that his scales were becoming
3:51:51smooth again. "Are you sure you only
3:51:54knew them for one night?" the guard
3:51:56captain asked as he left the building to
3:51:58resume his station. "Yep, but he did
3:52:02keep them safe twice now. Both in battle
3:52:05against bandits and by protecting the
3:52:07guard building during the fight. Elves
3:52:10are quite in tune with animals, it
3:52:12seems."
3:52:13The captain nodded. They're an odd
3:52:16bunch, but the elves are good people.
3:52:19They seem to have really taken to your
3:52:20sorrow, though. I don't think that I've
3:52:23seen a group of kids that happy in a
3:52:25long time. Now, tell me, how were the
3:52:28casualties?
3:52:3031 to 11 in our favor? They're working
3:52:33on the resurrection ritual now? Carl
3:52:36replied, hoping to get some sort of
3:52:38response that would help him make sense
3:52:39of it. Well, assuming that the guild
3:52:42house is still standing, they should
3:52:44appear there in whatever new form they
3:52:46got. Guild wars are such a waste. The
3:52:50number of skilled craftsmen who are
3:52:51forced to move after a guild is forced
3:52:53out of the city really messes with the
3:52:55economy, and the winners never bring in
3:52:57anyone to replace them. But that's not
3:53:00really your concern. I suppose you were
3:53:03just passing through when they started
3:53:05the fight and ran into a brick wall of a
3:53:07war champion. I might not have been able
3:53:09to see the fight, but it was pretty
3:53:11obvious that you won it on pure skill
3:53:13and not raw power. Carl nodded. That is
3:53:17true. The number of skills that I have
3:53:20available to me is somewhat more than
3:53:22the average warrior. Plus, I have
3:53:25stronger defensive skills, though that
3:53:27constant guard skill he used was a
3:53:29tricky one. Bull work is what it's
3:53:31called, a constantly refreshing guard
3:53:34skill that coats his armor and shield.
3:53:37It made him nearly impenetrable to
3:53:39previous challengers.
3:53:41What did you use to get him to
3:53:42surrender? Carl shrugged. He might have
3:53:46been mostly immune to damage, but his
3:53:48skill didn't prevent poison or properly
3:53:50protect his face. He forfeited from the
3:53:53pain of being poisoned. A small group of
3:53:56teenagers approached the gates, and Carl
3:53:59nodded politely while they glared at
3:54:00him. Your champion was headed to the
3:54:03guild house at Horinga.
3:54:05he informed them. He's alive. The young
3:54:09woman leading the group asked, clearly
3:54:11shocked. Carl nodded. "Yes, I forced him
3:54:16to submit to end the duel, so there was
3:54:18no need to kill him. The resurrected
3:54:21members should appear at the guild house
3:54:23here as well, if you want to leave as a
3:54:25group." They looked confused. "You
3:54:28haven't claimed the guild house yet."
3:54:31Carl looked at the messages in the
3:54:32corner of his vision, wondering if he
3:54:34was supposed to do something. Challenge
3:54:37successful.
3:54:38Reward granted. Claim City for Dark
3:54:41Light host alliance.
3:54:43Yes. No. 11 members resurrected at Guild
3:54:47House. City will automatically transfer
3:54:50ownership in 24 hours. Carl shook his
3:54:54head. There are 24 hours to finish the
3:54:57process.
3:54:58So, I let them resurrect. They can
3:55:01gather their belongings and leave in
3:55:03peace. I will have the guard force
3:55:06inform the dark light host forces to let
3:55:08them go without trouble. The guard
3:55:10supervisor focused on something for a
3:55:12moment, his eyes going vacant as he paid
3:55:14more attention to what Carl assumed was
3:55:16his status screen. Done. They were
3:55:20letting them leave anyhow. The small
3:55:23group waited at the gate, trying not to
3:55:25laugh at the happy noises Thor was
3:55:26making as an army of tiny elves polished
3:55:28his scales with scented oils that the
3:55:30guards had provided for them. They
3:55:33clearly wanted to know what was going
3:55:34on, but Carl couldn't be bothered to
3:55:36inform them, and the guards were too
3:55:38busy heading to the outlying areas to
3:55:40inform the civilians who had fled the
3:55:42city that the guild war had been won by
3:55:43champion challenge and that the city was
3:55:46intact. That seemed to be the shocking
3:55:48part to everyone. The guild war had
3:55:51ended with almost no property damage.
3:55:54Even if there was a challenge at this
3:55:56level, it was normal that at least a few
3:55:58city blocks would be leveled by missed
3:56:00attacks.
3:56:01Carl could see that if Thor had used an
3:56:05earthquake or Ray had been firing
3:56:06boulders at the enemy, they would have
3:56:08destroyed everything in the surrounding
3:56:10area with dodged or deflected attacks.
3:56:13Carl changed to his royal rank suit as
3:56:15he waited for the chaos in the city to
3:56:17calm and then turned to Thor.
3:56:20Well, buddy, I think you've enjoyed
3:56:21enough massage and scale polish for a
3:56:24moment. Why don't we get the little ones
3:56:26set up with someone who can take care of
3:56:28them and get them home? He informed the
3:56:30Sarah. The guards chuckled and helped
3:56:33the little ones down from Thor's back,
3:56:35as he had already put his harness in
3:56:37storage in his space so they could reach
3:56:38the scales underneath. The elves
3:56:41gathered around the city guard while
3:56:43Thor prepared to follow Hawk's
3:56:44directions to the dark light host guild
3:56:46hall. It was a large building in the
3:56:49middle of the city on the edge of the
3:56:50commercial district and set up much like
3:56:53a hotel from outside appearances.
3:56:56It was a slow walk as the little ones
3:56:58insisted on walking themselves and not
3:57:00being carried by guards. But the
3:57:03procession brought a smile to the face
3:57:04of everyone who passed by as the elves
3:57:07eagerness to actually see civilization
3:57:09again after months of captivity had the
3:57:11guards explaining everything that they
3:57:12saw. And here we are at the dark light
3:57:15host guild hall.
3:57:17This is your destination and with some
3:57:19luck you will find someone inside who
3:57:21can help you get reunited with your
3:57:23family. The guard captain informed them.
3:57:26That seemed unlikely to Carl unless they
3:57:29had family at their destination
3:57:31because the ones they were traveling
3:57:33with had already been sold off in what
3:57:34sounded like another country. Carl led
3:57:37the group into the grounds and the
3:57:39guards returned to their duties while a
3:57:41young girl in a maid outfit greeted him
3:57:43at the door.
3:57:45Hello sir, how can I help you today?
3:57:49Most of our officers are not in today,
3:57:51but we can arrange rooms for alliance
3:57:53members. She informed them, I have a
3:57:56group of rescued refugees with me, and
3:57:59they need to be sent to the village of
3:58:00Glatt, but I don't have the time to take
3:58:02them myself. Carl replied,
3:58:06Oh, transport arrangements.
3:58:09All right, I will see if anyone is in.
3:58:12Maybe they will come back after the war
3:58:13declaration is over. Carl chuckled. The
3:58:17war is over. It was solved with a duel.
3:58:21Do you have a portal mage stationed
3:58:23here? The maid nodded happily. As long
3:58:27as they weren't injured in the fighting,
3:58:29we do have a portal mage on our payroll.
3:58:32It might be costly as the elven village
3:58:34of Glad is in a second advancement
3:58:36region and very remote, but it is in our
3:58:38available destinations.
3:58:40The maid led them to a sitting room with
3:58:42a number of couches where the children
3:58:44sprawled out to rest somewhere soft.
3:58:47They didn't have to wait long before a
3:58:49number of people came storming into the
3:58:50house looking for answers. Beth, have
3:58:54you seen a visiting guild member? One of
3:58:56the new arrivals demanded, "No, sir, but
3:59:01there is a visitor. He came with a group
3:59:04of elven children, and they are waiting
3:59:06in the sitting room for Nathan to come
3:59:07back.
3:59:09The children are on their way to the
3:59:10village of Glat," she replied.
3:59:14That sounded like what they had heard
3:59:15from the guards, so the group rushed
3:59:17over to where Carl was waiting and then
3:59:19stopped in confusion as they saw that
3:59:21his status screen information was all
3:59:23messed up. You're not a guild member.
3:59:26The guard seemed to think that you were
3:59:28an official war champion. The leader of
3:59:31the group insisted.
3:59:33Carl shrugged. It's a bit of a long
3:59:36story. I arrived here through an anomaly
3:59:39and I honestly have no idea where here
3:59:41is. I was hoping that you had a proper
3:59:44map, but I ran into some bandits and
3:59:46they had these children captive. The
3:59:49bandits had intended to sell them as
3:59:50slaves, so I took them and I would like
3:59:53to arrange to have them sent to their
3:59:54original destination of Glatt. Wait,
3:59:57back up. Did you say that you're not
4:00:00from here? As in not from this
4:00:03continent? The man asked. I'm not even
4:00:07certain that I am from this world. So,
4:00:10naturally, I would not be listed as a
4:00:12member of the local Dark Light host.
4:00:14Carl agreed. More people came into the
4:00:18house, talking excitedly as Carl
4:00:20finished his speech. Hey, did you hear
4:00:23that there is a war champion in town, he
4:00:25defeated the Demon Guild Alliance
4:00:27champion and his entire entourage alone?
4:00:30A young woman yelled as she approached
4:00:32the door. No need to shout it.
4:00:36He's sitting right here waiting for
4:00:38Nathan to send some elven kids home to
4:00:40Glatt. A blonde girl at the back of the
4:00:43group replied. An older man pushed
4:00:45through the group and Carl saw a
4:00:47slightly disheveled man in mage robes.
4:00:50Finally, an actual mage. He was
4:00:54beginning to think that this world had
4:00:55opted out of having any. He pulled out a
4:00:58piece of paper and held it up, looking
4:01:00at the kids. Well, I'll be. It really is
4:01:04them. There is quite the bounty out for
4:01:07their safe return, you know, he
4:01:09explained.
4:01:11Well, as long as it involves getting
4:01:13them safely home, I'm happy to have
4:01:15helped. Carl replied with a smile as the
4:01:18kids sat silently watching the new
4:01:20people. You will have to take them
4:01:22directly home to collect the reward as
4:01:24it was not set by the guild. We only
4:01:26received a copy. However, there is a
4:01:29more pressing matter. Did you get the
4:01:32notification for the war completion? We
4:01:35can't tell who has control of the city
4:01:37right now. It's still in limbo. Carl
4:01:40nodded. I have it. I was waiting for
4:01:44them to resurrect at their guild house
4:01:46so they could leave in a group and then
4:01:47I was going to verify it for the dark
4:01:49light host. The mage nodded. That is
4:01:53kind of you. Many would have forced them
4:01:56to respawn at a random church or guild
4:01:58site instead of letting them come back
4:02:00to their guild house. They're all on
4:02:02their way out of town now, and the guild
4:02:04house is basically empty. So, you can
4:02:06complete the process with a clear
4:02:08conscience.
4:02:09Confirm control of Bunga for the Dark
4:02:12Light host alliance. Yes and no. Control
4:02:16transferred.
4:02:17The opposing guild has 90 minutes to
4:02:19leave the city limits. Reward granted.
4:02:23The group let out a collective sigh of
4:02:25relief. We were worried that it might
4:02:28have given the notice to someone who was
4:02:29revived and didn't return with an active
4:02:31class. They wouldn't be able to activate
4:02:34it and then it would time out after a
4:02:36full day, which leaves the whole city in
4:02:38chaos as the system collects taxes,
4:02:41fees, and duties as well as paying city
4:02:44employee wages. If you didn't already
4:02:46know that, I heard that not every region
4:02:49does it that way. and some of them are
4:02:51centrally controlled and not under the
4:02:53control of local guilds. Carl nodded to
4:02:56indicate his limited but functional
4:02:57level of understanding.
4:02:59The fully active system could do
4:03:01wonderful things, and it was a bit of a
4:03:03shame that such a thing didn't exist at
4:03:05home. If it did, so many problems could
4:03:08have been bypassed.
4:03:10Well, it's under guild control now, so
4:03:13things can go back to normal. But tell
4:03:16me, are you Nathan? Nothing bad happened
4:03:19to the portal mage, did it? The mage
4:03:22pointed behind him toward the other end
4:03:23of the house. He's here, but he's a bit
4:03:27old and he needed a break and a snack
4:03:29after so much running around today. For
4:03:32the next few minutes, everything was
4:03:34chaos in the house as the local branch
4:03:36of the Dark Light host began to arrange
4:03:38things to their liking and sent out
4:03:40messages to all of the relevant town
4:03:42employees and authorities.
4:03:44Carl sat mostly forgotten with the
4:03:46children, so he took a moment to examine
4:03:48the reward message that he had received
4:03:50from the system status screen. Reward
4:03:53gained, plus two inventory slots. Carl
4:03:56thought that message was a bit odd. He
4:03:59didn't have inventory other than a
4:04:01storage bag that was bonded like any
4:04:03other piece of equipment. Only that
4:04:06wasn't true anymore.
4:04:08He did have storage spaces, two empty
4:04:10ones and one that contained his storage
4:04:12bag. In his mind, they appeared as
4:04:16chests, no larger than a backpack, but
4:04:18that tripled his available space to
4:04:20store items.
4:04:22No longer would he have to rely on the
4:04:23beast spaces if he wanted to keep
4:04:25something or the limited amount of room
4:04:27inside his one storage bag. He could put
4:04:30loads of items in the chests and keep it
4:04:32there until he needed it. The first
4:04:35thing he was going to have to collect
4:04:36was food other than baked goods.
4:04:39Traveling without a cleric was a massive
4:04:41annoyance and not an experience that he
4:04:44would recommend to anyone. Eventually,
4:04:46the dark light host members finished
4:04:48their work in the aftermath of the
4:04:50battle, and the reports from the guards
4:04:52who had watched the duel began to flow
4:04:53in. The younger mage gave Carl an
4:04:56appreciative look, then called Nathan
4:04:58forward from his spot in the kitchen.
4:05:01All right, we understand that you have a
4:05:03quest to complete returning these
4:05:04youngsters to their families.
4:05:07So, I will open the portal for you and
4:05:09you can meet with the local mayor who is
4:05:11a friend of mine. He will see to it that
4:05:14everything is taken care of. The elderly
4:05:17man explained.
4:05:19Carl stood to shake his hand and the
4:05:21mage gave him an odd look. If you hadn't
4:05:24said that you're not from here, I would
4:05:26think that there is something seriously
4:05:27off about your fashion sense. He sighed,
4:05:31shaking his head. Carl laughed and
4:05:34changed back to his royal rank. Bestial
4:05:36rayment skill armor. Better. The old man
4:05:40nodded. Now you don't look like you were
4:05:43taking hallucinagens while letting a
4:05:45nature priest make you a noble lord
4:05:47cosplay. In his mind, all of the beasts
4:05:50laughed. The suit was actually quite
4:05:53normal for the golden dragon nation.
4:05:55Used for everything from business
4:05:56meetings to politics and news
4:05:58interviews. A few of the younger members
4:06:01were staring at Carl in admiration, or
4:06:03more correctly, at his tabard. "Wow, a
4:06:06gold trimmed tabard with tassels." "Just
4:06:10how many battles have you won?" one of
4:06:12the younger staff members asked. Carl
4:06:16shrugged. "Well, I haven't lost one
4:06:18yet." "But mostly I seem to have a knack
4:06:20for pleasing the world dragon." That
4:06:23made everyone in the room laugh. I have
4:06:26a knack for pleasing the world dragon,
4:06:28he says. Nathan, the portal mage,
4:06:31laughed. The room fell silent as another
4:06:35man walked in, royal rank like Carl. He
4:06:38was shirtless and covered in scars,
4:06:40which was somewhat surprising, as this
4:06:42world clearly had healers and clerics,
4:06:44but his eyes were familiar to Carl. They
4:06:47had the same predatory look of a combat
4:06:49veteran that Carl had gotten used to
4:06:51seeing on the faces of the elites on the
4:06:53Hill Giant Front. He had a dark ligh
4:06:56host sash around his waist that looked
4:06:58like Carl's tabard. Only the trim and
4:07:00tassels were silver. Good work with the
4:07:02duel, champion. I am surprised that you
4:07:06let him live, but perhaps that is the
4:07:08tradition where you come from. I am
4:07:10Orthos, leader of this detachment.
4:07:13Tell me, where did you come from? Not
4:07:16far from Witten Temple, there was an
4:07:18anomaly, a cloud that no senses could
4:07:20see through. I passed through it and
4:07:23ended up here.
4:07:24Carl explained.
4:07:26Whitten temple in the great central
4:07:28desert. He asked clearly confused.
4:07:32It wasn't a desert anymore, but
4:07:34thousands of years ago that was what the
4:07:36region that was now Chipenrith Lake was
4:07:38known as. Morgana had covered that in
4:07:41history class, and Carl was now glad
4:07:43that he had been paying attention.
4:07:46Yes, that is the one. Toward the south
4:07:49of the continent, nearly centered from
4:07:51east to west sits on top of a large
4:07:54hill. Carl agreed.
4:07:57Yes, that is Whitten Temple. You
4:08:00shouldn't be here. Ortho announced.
4:08:04Well, once I deliver these little ones,
4:08:06I intend to find a way back home. I
4:08:09don't suppose that you know how to do
4:08:10that. Ortho smiled. Once you finish your
4:08:15quest, you should be returned to your
4:08:16home continent easily enough by the
4:08:18elves. The location and the description
4:08:21of how you arrived here makes sense when
4:08:23you put them together. If you give me a
4:08:25moment, I can ensure that you end up
4:08:27safely back home without doing anything
4:08:29drastic.
4:08:31Now, he was just being cryptic for the
4:08:33sake of being cryptic. But if he could
4:08:35really send Carl home, it didn't
4:08:37honestly matter if the description of
4:08:39why and how was satisfactory.
4:08:42Orthos gestured at Nathan, who opened a
4:08:44portal into what looked like a treehouse
4:08:46with walls covered in bark. There you
4:08:49go, the mayor's office in glat. Good
4:08:52luck, Orthos informed him with a smile.
4:08:56Carl stood and shook his hand, then
4:08:58gathered his dimminionive charges.
4:09:01All right, let's get going. There should
4:09:04be people waiting for you there. He
4:09:06could hear the sound of someone moving
4:09:08about on the other side of the portal,
4:09:10then shouting in surprise as the kids
4:09:12began to move through into the mayor's
4:09:13office. Eliza,
4:09:16how the voice was asking. Looks like
4:09:20that's my cue. Thank you all for the
4:09:23assistance. The map said it was a very
4:09:26long walk. Carl walked through the
4:09:28portal to join the kids and Nathan
4:09:30closed it behind him. Dark light host.
4:09:34Did you rescue the children? Were you
4:09:37with the team that went after their
4:09:38parents as well? The mayor asked as Carl
4:09:41arrived. Carl shook his head. They were
4:09:45separated before I found the children. I
4:09:48don't know where the parents are now. I
4:09:51brought the little ones from Banga and
4:09:53they were last together in So, I
4:09:55believe. The small man nodded gravely,
4:09:58understanding what Carl meant. He was
4:10:01well aware of the less savory practices
4:10:03of this place and he knew that Sono was
4:10:05a slave market. Can you wait while we
4:10:08contact the rest of their families? I am
4:10:11certain that they will all want to thank
4:10:12you. The mayor asked.
4:10:15Of course. It's not like I'm in a hurry
4:10:18to go somewhere. The kids laughed at
4:10:21Carl's casual answer. He was lost on the
4:10:24road to Banga when he found them. And
4:10:26now he was really lost. Over 1,000 km to
4:10:29the northeast and he wasn't even from
4:10:31this continent. The young elves had no
4:10:34idea where Whitten was, but the people
4:10:36in Banga made it sound like it wasn't
4:10:38anywhere even remotely close. Carl
4:10:41resisted the urge to laugh when the
4:10:42mayor stepped out onto his balcony and
4:10:44began to shout names. No magic, no fancy
4:10:48device, just shouting across town for
4:10:51people to come to him. It made Carl
4:10:53wonder how small Glatt was.
4:10:56But his sensitive ears heard people
4:10:58relaying the call, so it wasn't small
4:11:00enough that a shout would be heard all
4:11:01over town. Give them a minute or two and
4:11:04they will be here. The mayor remained on
4:11:07the balcony as many people could be
4:11:09heard jogging toward his office, not
4:11:11particularly concerned as they didn't
4:11:13sense any emergency.
4:11:15But the moment that the first woman came
4:11:17in the door and saw the children, the
4:11:19screaming and happy tears started.
4:11:22Levered calm new here. Binan de Kindan
4:11:25Zin Gavandon and geared. She screamed
4:11:28out the door. Carl could only assume
4:11:31that was the Elvish language because the
4:11:33man who came in seconds later was
4:11:34already smiling and crying when he
4:11:36arrived and he picked up a boy to spin
4:11:38him in circles. That brought a flood of
4:11:41motion outside as everyone rushed out of
4:11:43the homes and buildings to see what was
4:11:45going on or to run to the mayor's office
4:11:47to get a firstirhand view of the day's
4:11:49newest highlight. When you lived in a
4:11:52small town, new and exciting was rare,
4:11:54so Carl wasn't surprised that they would
4:11:56all want to be involved and not find out
4:11:58secondhand.
4:12:00More elves began to gather in the
4:12:02office, hurrying to get to the children.
4:12:04Carl retreated to the balcony with the
4:12:06mayor while there were many tearful
4:12:08family reunions and just watched in
4:12:10silence for a while. Eventually, the
4:12:13mayor whispered to him, "One of the
4:12:16merchant groups who trade with us saw
4:12:17the slaver caravan and recognized the
4:12:20locals. So, he paid off a mercenary
4:12:22group to recover them. But the children
4:12:24weren't with them, and we feared that
4:12:26they were already lost. It's been
4:12:29months, more than enough time to sell
4:12:31them and have them shipped so far that
4:12:32we would never find them. I didn't want
4:12:35to say anything at first in case you
4:12:37were trying to ransom them back. But I
4:12:40should have known that a war champion
4:12:41wouldn't do that to his own guild
4:12:43members. Carl nodded. They were taking
4:12:47them to the west coast for a better
4:12:48price. According to the children, they
4:12:51were just waiting on their contact to
4:12:53arrive in port and robbing travelers
4:12:55when I came across their ambush and
4:12:56cleaned them out. Did you get the entire
4:12:59group of slavers? The mayor asked
4:13:02hopefully. Probably not. I got all the
4:13:06ones that were at that camp and all the
4:13:08ones at their ambush further toward the
4:13:10next town. But then we had a portal mage
4:13:12bring us here. There are likely more of
4:13:14them in the port city waiting for their
4:13:16contact and some that just weren't at
4:13:18the ambush where they were working as
4:13:20bandits. Carl replied in a quiet voice
4:13:23that wouldn't interrupt the reunions.
4:13:25The mayor looked tired, worn down by
4:13:28stress, but hopeful.
4:13:30Well, at the very least, you got all the
4:13:33children back. There will be no tearful
4:13:35parents realizing that their baby isn't
4:13:37among the ones who returned. He sighed.
4:13:41Mission completed. calculating rewards
4:13:44appeared in Carl's vision. Well, it
4:13:47looks like my work here is done. They
4:13:50can all go home to their families who
4:13:52they weren't expecting to see again.
4:13:54Especially after the adults were sold
4:13:56off during their journey. We should
4:13:59reward you properly. What sort of class
4:14:02do you have? I don't recognize that
4:14:04shade of red, the mayor asked. That was
4:14:08the second time that someone had said
4:14:10that. My class is beastmaster.
4:14:14I grow my power by helping my bonded
4:14:16monsters grow theirs. Carl explained.
4:14:20The mayor looked a bit confused for a
4:14:22few seconds, then his eyes lit up in
4:14:24understanding.
4:14:26Oh, you can get skills that aren't part
4:14:28of the skill tree from the monsters.
4:14:30That is a wonderful class. If you want
4:14:33another, you have come to the right
4:14:35spot. There are many rare monsters in
4:14:38the forest with unique skills. Does it
4:14:41matter how powerful they are or does the
4:14:43skill adapt to your level? He asked. The
4:14:47beasts fight alongside me, so their
4:14:50abilities matter. If they couldn't keep
4:14:52growing, they would end up restricted
4:14:54from coming out in combat.
4:14:56So, like a ranger, you have a limited
4:14:59number of options, and you must choose
4:15:01well for them to accompany you as you
4:15:03level up. That makes sense. There are
4:15:06still suitable options.
4:15:09For example, the blink cats. They are
4:15:12mellow enough to be house animals, but
4:15:14they can reach the second advancement if
4:15:16given enough time, and their ability to
4:15:18teleport makes them a deadly predator.
4:15:21Or the wisp. They might not look like
4:15:23much or really do much, but if you can
4:15:26bond one to you, their ability to boost
4:15:28magic damage is far beyond what most
4:15:30other species could offer. Many of the
4:15:33elven rangers like to bond wisps for the
4:15:35additional damage to their archery
4:15:37spells and movement abilities.
4:15:39Carl wasn't even certain that a wisp
4:15:41counted as a beast for him to tame, but
4:15:43he could see that the elves were very
4:15:45fond of them. So, the forests here have
4:15:48monsters that are in the second
4:15:49advancement already. Carl asked instead
4:15:53of pondering the intricacies of wisps.
4:15:56Not many, but there are a few to be wary
4:15:58of. The more cats are second
4:16:00advancement, and if you're really
4:16:02unlucky, the more cat matriarchs are an
4:16:04evolved version that can reach totem
4:16:06status or even the mythic rank third
4:16:08advancement.
4:16:10You do not want to mess with a mythic
4:16:11beast, no matter how cute they are. They
4:16:15take a tenth of the damage you expect
4:16:16them to, and they are far stronger than
4:16:18they look." Carl laughed. Well, when
4:16:22they're that far ahead of me, I don't
4:16:24think that the damage reduction will be
4:16:26my greatest concern. I likely couldn't
4:16:29break their basic defenses anyhow. The
4:16:32mayor just shrugged.
4:16:34I just thought that I would warn you
4:16:35because while the more cats are 4 m
4:16:37tall, the more cat matriarch is only a
4:16:40meter and a half tall and the nature
4:16:42priests often have issues with them
4:16:44because they forget that friend shaped
4:16:46doesn't always mean friend. Carl agreed.
4:16:50The elf gave a low chuckle. You have
4:16:53some experience with them then. They're
4:16:56not all that common outside the elven
4:16:58lands, so most humans have never met an
4:17:00adherent of the green dragon. Carl
4:17:03smiled. They're missing out. Not only
4:17:07are the green dragons followers
4:17:08wonderful healers, they're almost all
4:17:10accomplished chefs. When it comes to
4:17:13long months on the road, there is
4:17:15nothing more comforting than having a
4:17:16chef around that can make their own
4:17:18ingredients, even if they do have a
4:17:20penchant for the same rice and beans
4:17:21food creation spell every day.
4:17:24Someone joined in their laughter, and
4:17:26Carl turned to see that a young woman
4:17:28was waiting for them to finish talking.
4:17:30She had a familiar aura of crazy, but in
4:17:33a contained way that made Carl think
4:17:35that she was one of the nature clerics.
4:17:38That was all but confirmed when she
4:17:40began to speak. "Well, we were hoping to
4:17:43introduce you to new foods and
4:17:44gratitude, but you might already know
4:17:46all our tricks. Will you stay for dinner
4:17:49anyhow?" she asked. Of course, I never
4:17:54say no to a good meal. As she turned to
4:17:57address someone else in the room, Carl
4:17:59noticed the information above her head.
4:18:02Her name was in plain white, but below
4:18:04it were the words, "Dark light host
4:18:06guild officer." "Now that he was paying
4:18:09attention, Carl noticed that there were
4:18:11a lot of Dark Light host members among
4:18:13the crowd. Does the Dark Light host
4:18:15control this village?" Then Carl asked
4:18:18the mayor as the parents and relatives
4:18:20of the children began to make plans for
4:18:22a grand dinner celebration.
4:18:24Not exactly.
4:18:26We're not large enough to have a control
4:18:28stone like the cities do, but they are
4:18:31the only guild in the area. The outreach
4:18:34workers are everywhere, and this spot
4:18:36started as an overnight rest stop along
4:18:38the road for travelers hunting magical
4:18:40beasts used to get a decent night's
4:18:42sleep. Naturally, the elves took it over
4:18:45as soon as they heard about it. And now
4:18:47it's more of an elven village than a
4:18:49waypoint. Carl nodded. I suppose that
4:18:53makes sense with the rural location in
4:18:54the middle of the forest.
4:18:56Still, this place is pretty impressive
4:18:59to have survived so long in the deep
4:19:01woods with the level of threats that I'm
4:19:02hearing about all around you. The mayor
4:19:05laughed. We deliberately don't keep
4:19:08anyone who is too powerful in the
4:19:09village. That way, we can deal with the
4:19:12minor threats that attack us, but our
4:19:14presence doesn't threaten the territory
4:19:16of the stronger monsters. In most
4:19:19regions, they avoid the roads and
4:19:21villages because of dangerous travelers.
4:19:23But here, we don't get many visitors
4:19:25anymore. The nations to our north and
4:19:28east are both in the middle of civil
4:19:29wars right now, and with that level of
4:19:32chaos, there is very little trade. Only
4:19:35those with the skills and resources to
4:19:37run military blockades enter there now.
4:19:39And that means not the sort that
4:19:41transport goods down the road. What
4:19:43about the other villages?
4:19:45Carl asked. There used to be one
4:19:48everyday's travel for a passenger
4:19:50carriage. Now they're at 1 and 3 days
4:19:53distance from us headed northeast.
4:19:56The civil war spilled a bit across the
4:19:58border at the start and they hunted a
4:20:00fugitive into the village and wiped it
4:20:02out. Now the other outposts mostly do
4:20:05like we do. They just live off the land.
4:20:09But if we get really desperate, there
4:20:11are edible plants in the stable instance
4:20:13where the children train. We will
4:20:15sometimes send them there to gather
4:20:17food. Right. The elves were all vegan. A
4:20:21small hand tugged at the mayor's pant
4:20:23leg, and he looked down with a smile.
4:20:26The monster man has wonderful purple
4:20:28tubers, even better than the ones from
4:20:31the instance. The mayor looked confused,
4:20:34so Carl took one out, which made the elf
4:20:36laugh.
4:20:38Oh, you have a rare grade violet root
4:20:40plant. That explains why the kids all
4:20:43like you so much. What do those taste
4:20:46like to humans? Carl shrugged. Slightly
4:20:49sweet potatoes similar to a yam. The
4:20:53mayor nodded. Our children don't
4:20:55normally eat any refined sugar, but
4:20:57these roots are often used to make
4:20:59spiced cakes. Well, not usually ones
4:21:02this good, the common grade ones from
4:21:04the instance, but they taste the same.
4:21:07The only thing that came to Carl's mind
4:21:09when he said that was spicy mashed
4:21:11potatoes. But if they had a way to make
4:21:13that into a cake, he might have to get
4:21:15his hands on an Elven cookbook. Lotus
4:21:18would love him forever if he found her
4:21:19an all vegan cookbook that could make
4:21:21mashed potatoes into cake. Far away,
4:21:25Lotus sneezed as she sat in the hotel
4:21:27restaurant in Lithium Mine Town. "Oh,
4:21:30someone is thinking about you." Dana
4:21:33laughed. "It's our Carl." The goddess
4:21:36says he's alive and playing with elven
4:21:38children. Tiny, cuddly, adorable elves.
4:21:43Lotus replied, sounding a bit like she
4:21:45was going to cry about being left out.
4:21:48Dana briefly wondered if that was the
4:21:50reason that the goddess had seen fit to
4:21:52grant her the vision. It would calm
4:21:54everyone else's mind so they could
4:21:56continue their work, but it would also
4:21:59torture Lotus to know that there were
4:22:00apparently extra cuddly demihumans
4:22:02somewhere that she didn't get to play
4:22:04with.
4:22:05She was already going into danger fluff
4:22:07withdrawals without Ray nearby and the
4:22:09mage was beginning to worry that the
4:22:11board cleric would start befriending the
4:22:13earth mice that inhabited the town.
4:22:15Oilia poked Lotus. You saw a vision. Is
4:22:20he all right? Lotus nodded. He had his
4:22:24armor on, but he was indoors and
4:22:26surrounded by tiny elves. I don't know
4:22:29where they are, but it's not anywhere
4:22:30near here. It didn't look like our
4:22:33country, if that makes sense. I think
4:22:36that he's in an instance, one of the
4:22:38sorts, that you have to finish a quest
4:22:39to exit. Tess aside, that would explain
4:22:43why my power flared an hour ago. We
4:22:46weren't doing anything, but someone
4:22:48pleased the Red Dragon. If he was
4:22:51finishing a battle related mission
4:22:53objective, that could explain it.
4:22:55Morgana made notes of their conversation
4:22:58while Bob McKenzie smirked at the war
4:23:00cleric. Better him than us. I don't
4:23:03care. We're all among the top combat
4:23:05talents below royal rank. When it comes
4:23:07down to battle, I can't help but feel
4:23:10like we're the B team. Back up for his
4:23:12main team. Doug laughed, then turned
4:23:15serious for a moment. Do you think that
4:23:18dragon that attacked the helicopter came
4:23:20from the instance? Maybe he's going to
4:23:22come back with some strange and powerful
4:23:24new beast. Things that come from eggs
4:23:27seems to be his theme, so I wouldn't put
4:23:29it past him to bring back a dragon.
4:23:31Welp. This is bullying.
4:23:34Lotus complained.
4:23:36She was a green dragon priestess. If
4:23:38anyone should be getting a baby dragon,
4:23:40it was her. But if Carl brought back a
4:23:43dragon, she could ride a spider and a
4:23:45dragon. That would be acceptable as
4:23:48well. Perhaps she should be giving
4:23:50prayers to the goddess for him to bring
4:23:52back good things.
4:23:54Doug gave her a suspicious look, knowing
4:23:56that the little priestess was up to
4:23:58something strange. But a nervousl
4:23:59looking woman caught his attention.
4:24:02Excuse me, high priest. Do you happen to
4:24:05know an elite named Carl? He has beasts
4:24:08with him. I thought I heard your team
4:24:11mention him. She asked hesitantly.
4:24:15Doug smiled at her. Indeed, we do. I
4:24:19heard he was born here. Do you know him?
4:24:22The woman gave him a thin smile that
4:24:24said she was more nervous than she
4:24:25wanted him to know. I do actually.
4:24:29Very well. You see, I am his mother.
4:24:33Doug smiled. You hear that, Dana? We
4:24:38found Prince Carl's beloved mother. Dana
4:24:41laughed and tapped the table across from
4:24:43her. Why don't you join us? I am his
4:24:46classmate as well as his teammate. We've
4:24:49known each other since the day we
4:24:51arrived at the academy. He has told me a
4:24:54lot about you. However, I only recall
4:24:57him ever calling you mom. Carl's mom
4:25:00smiled, her face leathery and wrinkled
4:25:02well before it's time from a life of
4:25:04hard work and exposure to the elements.
4:25:07You can just call me Ma. Everyone else
4:25:10here does, she insisted as she took a
4:25:13seat. An aging minor with tobacco
4:25:16yellowed teeth at the table behind them
4:25:18laughed.
4:25:19short for Mary Eleanor, but she's been
4:25:22Ma since she was old enough to work at
4:25:24the Merkantile store as a girl. Carl's
4:25:27mom gave him a shoeing gesture. Drink
4:25:30your coffee. My son has told me all
4:25:32about this lovely young lady, but I
4:25:35never thought I would get to meet her
4:25:36before my own son came home again.
4:25:39Nothing bad happened, did it? He's not
4:25:42hurt, is he? They didn't send a letter
4:25:45or a white robe like they did for Owen's
4:25:47family. She clearly cared quite a bit
4:25:50about Carl, and the contrast to Dana's
4:25:52own family was a painful memory. The
4:25:55mage smiled gently and flipped her curls
4:25:57back out of her face. "No, he's fine."
4:26:01The green dragon herself saw fit to give
4:26:04us an update. He's just on a solo
4:26:07mission at the moment, and we chose to
4:26:08wait in town for him to return.
4:26:11Carl had no idea that his mother and his
4:26:13Dana were getting along so well, or even
4:26:16that they had met. Instead, he was busy
4:26:19with a much more important matter,
4:26:21making sure that a horde of small elven
4:26:22children made it home safely, and that
4:26:24the people who came for them really were
4:26:26their parents. The chances that someone
4:26:29was trying to steal one of the kids
4:26:30seemed pretty low in a village like this
4:26:32where everyone knew everyone, but the
4:26:34risks were never zero, especially when
4:26:36there were likely to be people who had
4:26:38skills that allowed them to disguise
4:26:40their appearance. The obvious advantages
4:26:42of that sort of skill for persuasion and
4:26:44trickery were obvious, and he didn't
4:26:46want to mess things up at the last
4:26:48minute by passing one of the kids off to
4:26:50the wrong person.
4:26:52So he waited and watched as the elves
4:26:54set up a feast in the forest below the
4:26:56mayor's office. And everyone from town
4:26:58began to gather to welcome the kids
4:27:00back. It was a touching scene, proof
4:27:03that people here really did care for
4:27:05their little ones, even after they had
4:27:06gathered great power for themselves.
4:27:09Back home, politicians were better known
4:27:12for passing their kids to a nanny to
4:27:13raise. So they would rarely actually see
4:27:16each other unless it was for a social
4:27:18event. But here the kids were part of
4:27:21everything. And there were elves from
4:27:22every age group present. From the ones
4:27:25that could barely walk all the way to
4:27:27ones that could barely walk anymore.
4:27:30Sir, if you would like to come down, the
4:27:32food is ready. I know how your people
4:27:35feel about all vegetable dinners, but I
4:27:37promise it will be good. The mayor
4:27:40insisted.
4:27:41I have no doubts about that. If I wanted
4:27:45meat, I could cook it myself. The beasts
4:27:48have a plentiful supply stored. But
4:27:51personally, I have gotten quite familiar
4:27:53with the food creation abilities of my
4:27:55green dragon cleric companions back
4:27:57home. Carl explained.
4:28:00Rice and beans.
4:28:02One of the kids shouted before the rest
4:28:04burst into laughter.
4:28:06Exactly.
4:28:08But she also has the advanced spells, so
4:28:10she can make other forms of food
4:28:12products with her magic. That gives us a
4:28:15wide variety of options. and were never
4:28:17wanting for flavor. The elves all seemed
4:28:20to be delighted with those answers, and
4:28:22they had prepared a veritable feast to
4:28:24celebrate the return of the kids. Some
4:28:27were even still in morning clothes,
4:28:28which they were hastily changing out of
4:28:30when they were reunited.
4:28:32They did it the same way that Carl did,
4:28:35just with a swap from their bonded
4:28:36items. So, the system must have been a
4:28:38very common thing here, not exclusive
4:28:40like it was in the Golden Dragon Nation
4:28:42with the elites. The presence of so many
4:28:45people with combat skills would make for
4:28:47a well-defended village, even if they
4:28:49only had lower ranks available. Carl
4:28:52knew full well that one more cleric who
4:28:54could buff the group was worth dozens of
4:28:55soldiers when the monsters attacked, and
4:28:57the elves had more than a few clerics
4:28:59with them, though they all appeared to
4:29:01worship elven gods, not the dragons.
4:29:04Not that it made all that much
4:29:06difference to Carl. The elven gods
4:29:08seemed to have a gentle nature as the
4:29:10clerics were all treated like parents
4:29:12among the village. They also had a
4:29:15number of tamed beasts in the town
4:29:16limits, including a small blink cat who
4:29:19was keenly interested in Carl from the
4:29:21moment that their eyes met. The version
4:29:23of blink cat that Carl was familiar with
4:29:26didn't get powerful, so it wouldn't be
4:29:28much of a combat pet. But seconds later,
4:29:30it was on Carl's shoulder, snuggled
4:29:32against his neck, and purring happily.
4:29:35Hawk mentally rolled his eyes at the
4:29:36cat's lack of self-preservation
4:29:38instinct, but Thor thought it made
4:29:40sense. Carl was the biggest predator
4:29:43around, and he looked vaguely like the
4:29:45elves.
4:29:47So, cuddling up to him and making
4:29:48friends was the smartest idea that a
4:29:50small creature like the Blink Cat could
4:29:52have. They survived by being able to
4:29:55escape, not by being able to fight. Carl
4:29:59was just taking his seat when he got a
4:30:00message from the system. Mission
4:30:03complete. Reward calculating.
4:30:06Class quest reward triggered. The
4:30:08perfect pet. Using the coordinates
4:30:10provided, find the perfect pet for your
4:30:12level and skill combination.
4:30:15Carl stared at that for a few seconds as
4:30:17he tried to make sense of the reward he
4:30:19had gotten. It was a reward, but also a
4:30:22class exclusive quest. Couldn't it just
4:30:25give him the pet instead of making him
4:30:27hunt it down? Or was there a reason that
4:30:29he had to go look for it? There might be
4:30:32additional requirements along the way
4:30:34that he hadn't encountered yet. Or
4:30:36perhaps the hunt itself was part of the
4:30:38requirement. He had found all of the
4:30:41others legitimately. They hadn't been
4:30:43given to him. Well, Hawk nearly was, as
4:30:46his egg was among the monster resources
4:30:48that had been prepared for the newly
4:30:50injected elites and their guards. But he
4:30:53had still picked it up himself, and
4:30:55nobody handed it to him with clear
4:30:56instructions.
4:30:58Perhaps that stage was vital to the
4:31:00development of the mental bond between
4:31:02partners. That made sense to the beasts.
4:31:06If it was already born and not coming
4:31:08from an egg in his space, wouldn't he
4:31:10need to make friends before he kidnapped
4:31:12it? You couldn't just steal people. They
4:31:14would never forgive you, and your team
4:31:16needed to be on your side and loyal. The
4:31:19thought made Carl smile.
4:31:22Loyal like not running off with my team
4:31:24members. He sent to Ray. Thor snorted in
4:31:28amusement at the spider, but Remy
4:31:30laughed at them both. Thor isn't
4:31:33innocent this time. How many times did
4:31:36he ignore deployment orders so that he
4:31:37could go charging through enemy lines
4:31:39with Tessa? She asked rhetorically.
4:31:43Three, Hawk added. Not more than two.
4:31:48One of those times was after I got
4:31:50permission. Thor countered. Carl shook
4:31:54his head. I am glad you understand the
4:31:57issue. Ry gets a bit more leeway since
4:32:00she can shadow step and return
4:32:02instantly, but Thor has buffs centered
4:32:04on him, so he needs to be in position or
4:32:06other team members could be unexpectedly
4:32:08without circle of protection. Carl sat
4:32:11at the table of honor with the mayor and
4:32:13a few elderly clerics while the children
4:32:15of the village ran around and played.
4:32:18Hey, I'm almost grown now. You're only
4:32:2018, just a little kid. One of the young
4:32:23teens was shouting at another. Carl
4:32:26couldn't resist laughing, and the mayor
4:32:28politely hid his laughter behind his
4:32:30hand, while the old woman to Carl's left
4:32:32just smirked. "Don't feel too bad about
4:32:35being youthful, son. I can't even argue
4:32:38that I'm middle-aged anymore. I've been
4:32:41alive a hundred years for everyone that
4:32:43you have," she whispered.
4:32:46Carl turned to face her. "I didn't know
4:32:49that elves live that long. The old woman
4:32:52laughed. That depends on how powerful
4:32:55they are now, doesn't it? As powerful as
4:32:58I am, I have bought myself an extra
4:33:00thousand years. Elves get more extra
4:33:03time than humans do as they get more
4:33:05powerful.
4:33:07So, when you've reached even my level,
4:33:09you get three times the lifespan instead
4:33:11of double. I would imagine that you'll
4:33:14live a good long time if you aren't cut
4:33:15down in your prime like so many of the
4:33:17violent humans are. Carl chuckled. That
4:33:21was a very real possibility.
4:33:24Carl took a moment to check the location
4:33:26of the quest objective, hoping that the
4:33:28system would give him some sort of hint,
4:33:30but it only gave a direction with no
4:33:32distance. That wasn't going to help
4:33:35much. All he could do was follow the
4:33:38general direction and hope that it
4:33:40wasn't too far. There was no time limit
4:33:42on the quest. He just had to find the
4:33:44perfect pet. Carl wasn't even certain
4:33:47that such a thing existed. But if it
4:33:49did, he would certainly go looking for
4:33:51it. Not just for the power, but because
4:33:54he wanted to know what the system
4:33:56thought was the absolute peak pet for
4:33:58him. It was likely something so
4:34:00impressive that he had never considered
4:34:02it on his own. But the method of taming
4:34:04it was unlikely to be an easy one. He
4:34:07was imagining what it would take to tame
4:34:08a dragon when the kids began to surround
4:34:10him, demanding that he bring Thor back
4:34:12out to be a climbing obstacle for them.
4:34:15The older elves had no idea what a Thor
4:34:17was, but when Carl called him out, they
4:34:20seemed enthralled with the strange Sero.
4:34:23I have never seen anything like that
4:34:24before. The mayor noted. He has been
4:34:28evolving as he grows in power. A normal
4:34:31lightning Sarah where I'm from doesn't
4:34:33get this powerful. It's my class that is
4:34:36helping him grow. But he came across a
4:34:39holy resource and it helped him learn
4:34:41new skills. A lightning sero that can
4:34:44use a circle of protection is unheard
4:34:46of, at least in my homeland.
4:34:48So, he's one of a kind. Now that he's
4:34:52begun to change, I think that he's got
4:34:54even more advancement potential ahead of
4:34:55him, and he won't get stuck at this
4:34:57level. Some of the others had more
4:35:00potential from the start, so I'm not too
4:35:02worried about them. But, I've got a Naga
4:35:04spirit snake who is about to hit the
4:35:06advancement bottleneck. The mayor
4:35:08nodded.
4:35:10So, she will have to decide if she's
4:35:12going to stunt her powers and remain a
4:35:13snake or if she will evolve in a
4:35:15different direction. What is her class
4:35:18now? Naga spirit snake shaman princess.
4:35:21A number of the elves turned to stare at
4:35:23him. Did you say that you have a naga
4:35:26princess with you? A shaman princess?
4:35:30One of them asked. Remy, come out and
4:35:33say hello. She appeared on Carl's
4:35:35shoulders, so nobody attacked her and
4:35:38bobbed her head happily as the elves
4:35:40smiled at her. "She's beautiful. I've
4:35:43never seen one so young that they hadn't
4:35:45evolved yet. How did you get her?" In
4:35:49Carl's mind, Hawk laughed while beside
4:35:51him, Remy turned to head but his cheek.
4:35:54"Don't embarrass me. They think I'm
4:35:57cute." Remy insisted.
4:36:00Carl smiled at the elves. I got her as
4:36:03an egg from a dungeon. There was a naga
4:36:06shaman and a naga king boss, and the egg
4:36:09was among the items piled around the
4:36:11boss platform. One of my other beasts
4:36:14rescued the egg, and shortly after, Remy
4:36:16hatched. She's got a real gift for
4:36:19elemental magic.
4:36:21So, she's been with you her whole life.
4:36:24That explains her tame personality.
4:36:27One of the women realized,
4:36:30"No, Remy is just a friendly small
4:36:32snake. She has always wanted to make
4:36:35friends who know new and interesting
4:36:37things, as opposed to Thor, who wants
4:36:39friends to play with. The class doesn't
4:36:42change their personality.
4:36:44They all still have their own minds, but
4:36:46they have someone who understands them
4:36:48and can translate, so they're no longer
4:36:50left alone and misunderstood."
4:36:52The elves had some doubts about the
4:36:54friendly small snake part of the
4:36:56explanation as she was clearly a 3 m
4:36:58long venomous spirit snake and there
4:37:00were no truly friendly venomous species,
4:37:03but the rest they would accept as a
4:37:05quirk of the system. An aging elven
4:37:08woman with bright silver hair stared at
4:37:10Remy and cradled her fingers under her
4:37:12chin. The two stared at each other, both
4:37:15trying to learn something about the
4:37:16other.
4:37:17The proximity was making the others
4:37:19nervous, but the kids weren't scared of
4:37:21Remy as she had been on Thor's back
4:37:23early in their trip. Well, she could go
4:37:26the Storm Snake route, but she would
4:37:28lose most of the powers she has now.
4:37:31Storm snakes can't be shamans, after
4:37:33all. But if she goes the Naga shaman
4:37:36route, she won't have as easy of a time
4:37:38doing the adorable act. Naga shamans are
4:37:42considerably larger than average humans,
4:37:44and it is hard for them to act cutesy.
4:37:47she explained.
4:37:49Remy's sad expression made a number of
4:37:50the elves coup at her like you would
4:37:52with a sad child. They understood her
4:37:55much better than humans did. Most humans
4:37:58didn't even understand her basic mood,
4:38:00much less what she needed to feel
4:38:02better. There is one more option. She
4:38:06could try to focus on her royal lineage.
4:38:09She could become a naga queen. They have
4:38:12many powers as well, and they're
4:38:13slightly smaller than shamans.
4:38:16But more importantly, a naga queen can
4:38:18change back into a spirit snake when she
4:38:21wants. They usually use it as an ambush
4:38:24technique, but if she wants to use it to
4:38:26be cute, that's an option as well. Now,
4:38:29all of the beasts were laughing at
4:38:31Remy's expense. You couldn't choose your
4:38:33progression path just because it let you
4:38:35be cute. The whole point of evolving was
4:38:38to become more powerful so that you
4:38:40could defeat the enemies that would come
4:38:41your way. Remy was already behind the
4:38:44rest due to her youth and slow growth.
4:38:47Carl thought about the options. I take
4:38:50it that the queens are the most powerful
4:38:52on a raw power level, but not among the
4:38:54usual group of combatants.
4:38:57The elf nodded. Most of them remain home
4:39:00with their broods, as they are the only
4:39:02ones that can make the whole variety of
4:39:03Naga eggs that a clutch will need. The
4:39:06others can only make baby versions of
4:39:08themselves.
4:39:10But does it come with a new hat?
4:39:12Remy asked. She hadn't made a new crown
4:39:15in a while, but she had good materials
4:39:18in her swamp for one. I think it can
4:39:20come with a new hat. Or I can get you
4:39:23one. You seem distracted.
4:39:26The mayor noted. Remy was wondering if
4:39:29the queen position comes with a new hat.
4:39:32She doesn't always come out decorated
4:39:34since it's hard to make anything stay on
4:39:36a snake's body, but she's a big fan of
4:39:39bling, Carl explained.
4:39:42The nearby elves chuckled at the
4:39:44explanation and the eager look that Remy
4:39:46was giving them. Well, I don't know if a
4:39:48crown is part of their skills, as Naga
4:39:51queens usually wear many gold necklaces
4:39:53instead. But if anyone had the right to
4:39:56wear a crown, it would be them. That
4:39:59settled it. Remy had to look into
4:40:01becoming a Naga queen. It would be the
4:40:04best of everything. New powers, still
4:40:07being a cute snake and a crown. What
4:40:10more could a girl ask for? I suppose
4:40:13that we just need to find her some
4:40:15information on the topic. She's been
4:40:17with me her whole life, so we don't have
4:40:19all the information that a regular Naga
4:40:21queen would have grown up with. Carl
4:40:24sighed. Why not ask the nature gods? Not
4:40:28the green dragon, the storm gods. They
4:40:32govern shamans, so they should know how
4:40:33to get a shaman princess to evolve. One
4:40:37of the priests suggested, "Oh, that is a
4:40:40wonderful idea." There is a temple
4:40:42nearby. You can go pray there and ask
4:40:45them in person. They shouldn't ignore a
4:40:48devoted royal adherent,
4:40:50especially as they are beast gods. The
4:40:53meal was more conversation than it was
4:40:55actually eating, but that worked for
4:40:57everyone present. Carl was learning all
4:41:00about the beasts and the political
4:41:02situation in the region. The elves were
4:41:04intimately familiar with both as most of
4:41:07them had been watching them for hundreds
4:41:08of years already, all while living in
4:41:11this village. The remote location made a
4:41:14lot of sense for the species. A city
4:41:16like the Golden Dragon Capital changed
4:41:19far too much for them to adapt to, and
4:41:21only one or two buildings in the entire
4:41:23city would outlive them. In a place like
4:41:26that, there was no sense of permanence.
4:41:28Everything would feel like it was in a
4:41:30constant state of flux.
4:41:32Carl knew the feeling from living in a
4:41:34camp during the war. And a life like
4:41:36that was no life at all in the long
4:41:37term. You needed somewhere to go home
4:41:40and relax, a familiar place to center
4:41:42yourself. What is your next goal? Will
4:41:46you be going back to where you came from
4:41:48now that you have finished your quest
4:41:49here? The mayor asked. Fromcm.
4:41:54Carl shook his head. No, I have one more
4:41:58quest left here. I need to find a new
4:42:01pet. It's a quest reward, but it only
4:42:04gave me a general direction and no
4:42:06actual details. The mayor laughed and
4:42:09patted Carl on the shoulder. Welcome to
4:42:12the club. All the best quest rewards are
4:42:15just the gods looking for amusement.
4:42:18So, they're never easy, but they're
4:42:19always worth it in the end. Just put in
4:42:22the work, and you'll find that what they
4:42:24give you will be one of the greatest
4:42:25finds that you could have managed. At
4:42:28your power level, it could be anything
4:42:30from a baby dragon or phoenix to an
4:42:32extra planer creature like a reaper or
4:42:34an oath breaker. Though that one might
4:42:36not count as a beast, they're more of a
4:42:38demihuman type demon. But if they
4:42:41rewarded you with a tree of life sapling
4:42:43or a vorpal bunny, that could be just as
4:42:46good. Can you even count a tree sapling
4:42:48as a beast type pet? Carl asked. I don't
4:42:53see why not. The tree of life can walk
4:42:56until it sets permanent roots. It has
4:42:58rudimentary intelligence and it is from
4:43:00the wilderness. I think that the vorpal
4:43:03bunny would be the best option behind
4:43:04your own dragon. Though they have the
4:43:07most ridiculous attack ever. It's not
4:43:10much to look at, but their bite attack
4:43:12has barrier bypass, armor ignore, and
4:43:15the instant death debuff. They can just
4:43:17kill anything that offends them. Carl's
4:43:20eyes went wide at the mayor's comment.
4:43:23He gained the core ability of his pets.
4:43:26If he could add instant death to his
4:43:29attacks, it wouldn't even matter what
4:43:30they put him up against. If he could hit
4:43:33it, it would die. He was also
4:43:36significantly more durable than the
4:43:38average bunny. The question was, "How
4:43:41did you catch a creature that ignored
4:43:42barriers and killed with a single hit?"
4:43:45One of the young mothers rolled her eyes
4:43:47at the mayor. You know that isn't
4:43:50realistic.
4:43:51The reward is always something that is
4:43:53matched to the recipient's personality.
4:43:56If he was the sort that wanted to make
4:43:58an entire blizzard spell a one-h hit
4:43:59kill, the gods wouldn't have favored him
4:44:02to start with. No, that sounded both
4:44:05horrific and incredibly useful. Perhaps
4:44:08she could revisit that topic. He
4:44:10wouldn't mind that sort of skill. More
4:44:12likely, it would be something that
4:44:14smoothly pairs with his existing beasts.
4:44:17If he's lacking in an area, he will
4:44:19likely get something that will fill that
4:44:20gap. Quite often, these rewards give a
4:44:23holy beast of some sort, but he already
4:44:26has one. So, if he doesn't need a circle
4:44:29of protection or healing or burst
4:44:31damage, I would think that he's being
4:44:33led to some sort of unique support
4:44:34skill. If he's favored enough, he might
4:44:37even get an aspect reward from the world
4:44:39dragon or the old gods. She suggested
4:44:44an aspect reward. I am not familiar with
4:44:47the phrase, Carl asked, wondering if it
4:44:50was an odd translation from Elvish. Oh,
4:44:54it means a skill that is similar to the
4:44:56ones that they are known for. A bargain
4:44:58bin version of a divine skill. You could
4:45:01get something like armament from the war
4:45:04god that lets you just create weapons on
4:45:06demand. Or you might get one of the food
4:45:08creation skills from a nature god. You
4:45:11might get something truly wild as well.
4:45:14I heard that a few thousand years ago
4:45:16there was an elf that got the companion
4:45:18skill from the world dragon. Carl tried
4:45:21to recall something about that from his
4:45:23history classes, but came up blank. It
4:45:26might be his nation's patron deity, but
4:45:28he had no idea what the skill was. The
4:45:32elf didn't seem to notice and just
4:45:34assumed that everyone knew what that
4:45:35skill did. The name was fairly
4:45:38self-explanatory, but Carl couldn't see
4:45:40why it would be so special when there
4:45:42were golems everywhere. One of the older
4:45:45elves nodded. If it gives you a skill,
4:45:48it's guaranteed to be at least at the
4:45:49epic rank. And if it's for a
4:45:51particularly difficult or deity aligned
4:45:53quest, it's not unheard of for the
4:45:55reward to be a legendary skill. Carl's
4:45:58epic ranked beast armor was already a
4:46:00massively overpowered skill. His armor
4:46:03was many times better than anything that
4:46:05he could buy at home. So, what would a
4:46:08legendary rank skill be like? Or even
4:46:11more importantly, what would a beast
4:46:13that was obtained from a legendary rank
4:46:15quest reward be like? If it was a beast
4:46:18that had a legendary rank skill, it was
4:46:20certain to be an insanely powerful beast
4:46:22to begin with. But what sort of form
4:46:24would such a creature take? The school
4:46:26curriculum didn't cover beasts with
4:46:28legendary skills, just divine beasts and
4:46:31legendary threats to humanity. For all
4:46:34he knew, it could be something as cute
4:46:36and non-threatening as Remy. Well, maybe
4:46:39I will get lucky and receive a legendary
4:46:41reward from the quest. With the lack of
4:46:44details and just a direction to go by,
4:46:46they're keeping me in suspense. But it
4:46:49is a beast, so perhaps the best one is
4:46:51relative, and it can't be so easily
4:46:54defined.
4:46:55One of the younger elves laughed. Have
4:46:58you tried befriending Aspen? She's a
4:47:01forest dragon. That should be a pretty
4:47:03good pet. There was a growling from the
4:47:05edge of the gathering, and the boy went
4:47:07pale. A good pet, you say? The young
4:47:11female voice roared before a shaggy
4:47:14green dragon covered in leaves leapt
4:47:15into the sky. Carl patted the boy on the
4:47:18shoulder. I suggest you run. The boy
4:47:22nodded and sprinted for the opening to
4:47:24what looked like a cellar, but far too
4:47:27slowly to escape the wrath of a dragon
4:47:29that felt slighted. The boy's mother
4:47:32looked panicked, but Carl sat her down
4:47:34with a gentle pressure. Relax. She's not
4:47:37going to seriously injure him. If she
4:47:40were actually mad, she wouldn't have
4:47:42roared or flown up where he could see
4:47:43her. The woman didn't look like she
4:47:46believed him. But a few seconds later,
4:47:48the dragon came back out with a puppy in
4:47:50her arms.
4:47:52See, no harm done. She just turned him
4:47:55into a pet for a few minutes so he knew
4:47:57what it was like. Apparently,
4:48:00the elves in the area were laughing as
4:48:02the dragon berated the puppy who she had
4:48:04tied a string collar to before placing
4:48:06him on the table so he couldn't run
4:48:08away. The mother went to rescue her boy,
4:48:11and the mayor sighed. "You say that now,
4:48:14but she holds a grudge like the trees
4:48:16hold the scars of the past.
4:48:18She likely wouldn't turn him back at all
4:48:20if his mother didn't plead his case.
4:48:23Carl laughed and shrugged. He's an elf.
4:48:26He's got a long time for her to get over
4:48:28it. But can we take Miss Remy to the
4:48:31storm gods temple quickly? Perhaps she
4:48:34will get some insight. The mayor smiled.
4:48:38It's right there, that cave. Just let
4:48:41Remy go say hello, and the storm god
4:48:43will answer eventually.
4:48:45Like good thunderstorms, their answers
4:48:47take a few days to brew. Remy excitedly
4:48:51slithered off to check out the temple
4:48:52cave, and Carl turned to make sure that
4:48:54the kids weren't taking advantage of
4:48:56Thor. The Sero was too kind to say if
4:48:59they were being annoying. Thor was
4:49:02mostly ignoring the kids using him as a
4:49:04piece of play equipment as he watched
4:49:05the forest dragon berate the puppy.
4:49:08Shaggy scales are pretty good, too. Thor
4:49:11noted as the elf's mother worked to calm
4:49:13down the dragon so she would turn the
4:49:15boy back to his natural form. "Now
4:49:17you're aiming for dragons?"
4:49:20Carl asked. "All scales are good scales.
4:49:24Plus, those wings.
4:49:27Scales and wings are a good
4:49:28combination."
4:49:30Thor agreed. The dragon turned in their
4:49:33direction, and Carl felt a nudge of his
4:49:35mind.
4:49:36He focused on letting it in and a gentle
4:49:39female voice entered his mind. Remind
4:49:42your friend that I am a forest dragon
4:49:44and I can hear him. She demanded. Thor
4:49:48perked up. I have grasses here that are
4:49:50very good for supple scales. The dragon
4:49:54glared at Carl and he patted the eager
4:49:56Sarah on the head. Sorry, buddy. You had
4:50:00your shot, but she's not interested.
4:50:03You'll have to try again another day on
4:50:05a different dragon. Thor was a bit sad
4:50:08that his chance at romance wasn't coming
4:50:10to him from the dragon with the shaggy
4:50:11scales, but he understood. You couldn't
4:50:14get every female that you found
4:50:16attractive, or there would be no
4:50:17available females to find attractive in
4:50:19the first place. The dragon smirked a
4:50:22little as she heard Thor's thoughts and
4:50:24dismissed him as a horny teenager who
4:50:26still saw his best chances at finding
4:50:28love to be simply trying for every
4:50:30single female he met. at least every one
4:50:33of them with scales because Thor had
4:50:35standards.
4:50:36The kids were still climbing all over
4:50:38him and that included the other elven
4:50:40children from the village now. So, it
4:50:43was clear to Carl that they wouldn't be
4:50:45going anywhere soon and he should likely
4:50:47start looking for a space to spend a
4:50:49night as it would be rude to let Ry just
4:50:51make a random fort on the edge of an
4:50:53established town. Well, it looks like
4:50:55we're not in a hurry to leave. Do you
4:50:58still have the rooms for travelers that
4:51:00the waypoint was designed for or a hotel
4:51:03of some sort? Carl asked. Of course. I
4:51:08doubt that they will take your money as
4:51:10you brought back the children, but there
4:51:12will definitely be a spot for you to
4:51:13stay the night. What direction is your
4:51:16quest sending you from here? West into
4:51:19the forests, the mayor replied.
4:51:23East, southeast.
4:51:25I'm not sure what is in that direction,
4:51:27but that's where it says that I will
4:51:28find what I'm looking for. The mayor
4:51:31looked concerned. I hope that it's not
4:51:34sending you too far. That region is
4:51:36dangerous and it's all controlled by
4:51:38wild beasts and the monstrous tribes.
4:51:41It's technically part of the Miascan
4:51:43Empire's territory, but you won't find a
4:51:46civilized village in that direction all
4:51:47the way across the empire. Even
4:51:50southeast, you would be hardressed to
4:51:52find civilization.
4:51:54That's why the road runs northeast of
4:51:56here before going east again. But you
4:51:59are searching for the perfect magical
4:52:00beast. So that might be precisely the
4:52:03sort of region that you're looking for,
4:52:04no matter how dangerous it is. Just
4:52:07remember that it is their home
4:52:09territory. And try not to pick fights or
4:52:11it will draw in every ally and every
4:52:13potential challenger in the region. It
4:52:16won't matter who wins. They will want to
4:52:18attack when the victor is weakened. Carl
4:52:21nodded. I hope it's not too far as well.
4:52:25Being lost in the wilderness without my
4:52:27teammates to make dinner and help keep
4:52:29watch sounds like it won't be much fun.
4:52:31The elf nodded. Carl had said the same
4:52:35thing before, and it was clear that he
4:52:37was used to traveling with a group and
4:52:38not solo. Perhaps this was the reason
4:52:41that the gods had deemed that he needed
4:52:43to go on a quest for his reward instead
4:52:45of just receiving it.
4:52:47They liked independent champions, not
4:52:49ones who relied on the powers of others
4:52:51to support them. So, a nice long trip to
4:52:55get used to being alone and
4:52:56self-sufficient might be just the thing
4:52:58that he needed. The actual quest reward
4:53:01would be secondary to their goals. But
4:53:03the mayor had seen many things in his
4:53:05centuries, and he wasn't going to spoil
4:53:07it for the young human, who might
4:53:09actually have fewer years under his belt
4:53:11than the children that he had returned.
4:53:13The elves of their tribe aged at half
4:53:15the rate that humans did in their youth.
4:53:17And then their appearance paused when
4:53:19they were grown. So it was possible this
4:53:22young human would only have been a child
4:53:23himself by their estimation if someone
4:53:25had been rude enough to ask and remind
4:53:27him of how very mortal he was. How about
4:53:30I show you to a room at the inn for the
4:53:32evening? Is it safe to leave your beast
4:53:35unattended?
4:53:36He asked instead. In a way, yes. He's
4:53:41not hostile and he doesn't eat any form
4:53:43of meat. But he's liable to flirt with
4:53:46the dragon if he thinks she might
4:53:47reconsider and that could end in
4:53:49disaster. The mayor's laughter drew the
4:53:52attention of half the village. She's
4:53:54already in a bad mood. Perhaps we should
4:53:57send the kids away and let him rest. I
4:54:00assume that your class grants him a
4:54:02separate space with the others. Carl
4:54:05nodded and the mayor began to chase off
4:54:07the kids. Once they were off, Carl
4:54:10called Thor back into his space, and the
4:54:12forest dragon briefly looked confused
4:54:15before she realized that the Sarah had
4:54:17disappeared.
4:54:18She could sense that he was an actual
4:54:20beast, not a summoned illusion or false
4:54:22creature. So, normally his thoughts
4:54:26would only vanish if he died. But she
4:54:28quickly realized that it was just in a
4:54:30separate space so that the children
4:54:32would sleep at some point. If that
4:54:34friendly beast was left with them, they
4:54:36would still be playing in the morning
4:54:38after sneaking out of their homes the
4:54:40moment their parents went to bed. She
4:54:42didn't say it out loud, but Carl was
4:54:44thinking the same thing. Elves and Lotus
4:54:47had too much in common. It was not safe
4:54:50to leave unattended beasts around them
4:54:52if they needed to be ready to do things
4:54:54later. The room actually turned out to
4:54:56be quite luxurious despite the back to
4:54:59nature rustic look of the village. It
4:55:01had been maintained at the standards
4:55:03that the dark light host kept for all
4:55:05its way points and hadn't been renovated
4:55:07to match the rest of the village. It was
4:55:10also among the only buildings that were
4:55:11at ground level. There were a few
4:55:14workshops down here, but most of the
4:55:16town lived further up the trees,
4:55:18presumably as a defense against
4:55:20wandering beasts who couldn't or didn't
4:55:21climb trees. We will see you in the
4:55:24morning if you are staying around long
4:55:26enough for breakfast. I am usually here
4:55:29at the inn for morning tea and many of
4:55:31the villagers like to drop in. We also
4:55:34have provisions if you need to stock for
4:55:35a trip. We have access to the dark light
4:55:38host guild bank so we can get you all
4:55:40the essentials. A guild bank. There was
4:55:44some sort of magical bank that had
4:55:46supplies in it accessible from here. Now
4:55:49Carl was beginning to envy the luxuries
4:55:51that these people enjoyed. Thanks. I
4:55:55will arrange supplies for an extended
4:55:57trip in the morning. Sleep well, Mayor.
4:56:01Carl woke up with the dawn the next day,
4:56:03not because he set an alarm or had
4:56:05anything urgent to do, but just out of
4:56:07habit. That was when the giants usually
4:56:10started to scout for attacks. So that
4:56:12was when he needed to be ready, and he
4:56:14didn't want to lose that routine when he
4:56:15might be finished this quest in a few
4:56:17days and back home to the rest of the
4:56:19team. He briefly wondered what they were
4:56:22up to and if they had gotten to stop in
4:56:24at the lithium mines where he was
4:56:25certain that they would be the stars of
4:56:27the town. Even the less famous and
4:56:30military elites were like idols to the
4:56:32small town youth, especially the ones
4:56:34not yet old enough to have gone through
4:56:35the serum injection. As he sat down for
4:56:38a morning tea, as they didn't have any
4:56:40coffee in the dispensers set up along
4:56:42one wall for the hotel guests, Carl
4:56:44noticed that he was still the center of
4:56:46attention. He looked up at a man who was
4:56:49trying to subtly observe him enough to
4:56:51let the man know that he was caught and
4:56:53that Carl was willing to talk to him.
4:56:55With that, the elf switched seats to
4:56:58join him at the table. You're going east
4:57:00into monster territory for a quest right
4:57:04now. I know it's a quest and it's giving
4:57:06you directions, but that's still a
4:57:08terrible idea. There isn't anything in
4:57:11that direction that is weaker than you
4:57:12are. Even if you tag team them with your
4:57:15lightning sero, it's not going to be an
4:57:17easy fight. I am a woodcutter by trade,
4:57:20and even I don't go east of town, much
4:57:23less across the border." Carl nodded. "I
4:57:27agree that it might be a terrible idea,
4:57:29but I am a beast master. Monsters are
4:57:32part of the deal." The woodcutter
4:57:34chuckled. "Well, do you at least have a
4:57:37portal scroll with you for an emergency
4:57:39escape?" Carl didn't even know that was
4:57:42a thing, so he shook his head. Yeah,
4:57:45that's what I thought. I don't know
4:57:47where you came from, but your common
4:57:49sense certainly didn't grow up here. I
4:57:52will get you the supplies that you're
4:57:53going to need. How much room do you have
4:57:56in your inventory? Two slots. The man
4:58:00looked confused.
4:58:02You only have room for two more items.
4:58:05Now it was Carl's turn to be confused.
4:58:08Perhaps there is something off with my
4:58:10inventory arrangement.
4:58:12Each slot is a meter cubed roughly. I
4:58:15can just load them with stuff until
4:58:17they're full, Carl explained. The wood
4:58:21cutter gestured out the window at
4:58:22someone and the dragon came inside
4:58:25looking suspiciously at Carl as if he
4:58:27was going to try to match makeaker and
4:58:28Thor first thing in the morning. Can you
4:58:31tell me about his system? There is
4:58:33something wrong with it.
4:58:35All his inventory space has merged into
4:58:38two slots the size of guild bank vault
4:58:40cubes. The man explained. The dragon
4:58:44stared deeply at Carl, then shrugged.
4:58:47Yep, it's broken. But I don't know what
4:58:50to do about it. Maybe it's supposed to
4:58:53be that way. It looks like it works just
4:58:56fine, and I can see his class just fine.
4:58:59It might be a quirk of his class, giving
4:59:01him bulk space for raw materials.
4:59:04You know, like how the crafter classes
4:59:06get a bag for reagents and materials.
4:59:09The woodcutter snapped his fingers. All
4:59:12right, now it all makes sense. The beast
4:59:16master must be some sort of hybrid
4:59:17crafting and combat class. I will go get
4:59:21the travel supplies ready with the space
4:59:23limitations in mind.
4:59:25Then he left the room, leaving the
4:59:27dragon and Carl sitting at a table
4:59:28together. Tea? Carl asked, prepared to
4:59:33get up and pour another cup. No, thank
4:59:36you. I already ate. I'm sure that they
4:59:40already warned you that your path would
4:59:41be dangerous, but I think that you might
4:59:43be all right. You don't smell like a
4:59:46human. You smell like a strange beast.
4:59:50As long as the ruler of the territory
4:59:52doesn't see you as a threat, you should
4:59:54be able to pass through with only
4:59:55minimal competition.
4:59:57Just keep moving and try not to go
4:59:59snooping around nests or densely
5:00:02certain it's the one you want. Got it?
5:00:06That should be easy enough in theory,
5:00:09but we both know things never work out
5:00:11that way once you're actually in the
5:00:12woods. The dragon laughed at Carl's
5:00:15joke. The woods were her element. Even
5:00:19if the beasts were much more powerful
5:00:21than she was, they wouldn't attack a
5:00:23forest dragon in the forest. It just
5:00:26wasn't in their nature. The mayor sat
5:00:28down to join them and then a few men
5:00:30dressed as rangers, one of which was
5:00:32holding a tiny blink cat. Your bonded
5:00:35partner. Carl asked.
5:00:39Actually, no. My wife's new best friend.
5:00:42But he insisted on coming with me today
5:00:44to see you. They're wicked smart. The
5:00:47blink cats are. My bonded partner is a
5:00:51timber wolf to grant me the increased
5:00:52eyesight and sense of smell that canines
5:00:54are famous for. He's currently napping
5:00:57on my front porch. Bonded animals might
5:01:00not age and die like their unbonded
5:01:02counterparts, but they get just as lazy
5:01:04in their old age. Carl could only
5:01:07imagine how lazy and grumpy a
5:01:09hundred-year-old wolf would be. So
5:01:12that's how rangers pick their partners.
5:01:14I gained the same from my first partner,
5:01:16a windspeed hawk. My eyesight is
5:01:20incredible for a human, Carl explained.
5:01:24Lucky bugger. The rare classes always
5:01:27get all the good stuff for themselves,
5:01:29and the rest of us just get left feeling
5:01:31inferior.
5:01:32The second ranger complained.
5:01:35Rangers do have some benefits, though.
5:01:38My only class skills are for enhancing
5:01:40the damage that my beasts do. the attack
5:01:43skills I had to train separately or gain
5:01:46from my beasts. All four at the table
5:01:49laughed that time and the dragon smirked
5:01:51at Carl. You're not making him feel
5:01:53better. Being able to gain skills from a
5:01:56whole group of magical beasts is
5:01:58practically a rers's wet dream. I
5:02:01suspect that your class might actually
5:02:03be an advanced version of their class or
5:02:05perhaps the druid or shaman class.
5:02:08Sometimes it takes a crossover between
5:02:10them to come up with something new. But
5:02:11if it let a ranger bond and gain skills
5:02:13from beasts in addition to their archery
5:02:15and woodcraft skills, it would be
5:02:17completely worth it. She explained, "Do
5:02:21rangers not get sword skills?" Carl
5:02:24asked, "Superb ones, actually, but their
5:02:29attitude is that if they have to draw
5:02:30their sword, things have already gone
5:02:32wrong." Carl chuckled. I am the
5:02:36opposite. I start with the blade if
5:02:39things are going right. If I have to use
5:02:42my bow, it's normally because I was
5:02:44caught too early by something that can
5:02:45fight back. While they joked, the
5:02:48woodcutter gathered the items that Carl
5:02:50would need and came back with two large
5:02:52bags nearly the size of the inventory
5:02:55spaces along with an itemized receipt.
5:02:58Now, this might be overkill, so I can
5:03:01return some of it if you'd like. Here is
5:03:03the list, and the total is 17 gold
5:03:06pieces, four silver, eight copper. Carl
5:03:09focused on his status screen and had it
5:03:11withdraw 18 gold pieces. He could get
5:03:14used to that ability. There you go. Keep
5:03:18the rest for your assistance.
5:03:21There was food as predicted, but not in
5:03:23the way Carl expected. The bag contained
5:03:26a magical lunchbox that could be
5:03:28activated to create a meal once a day.
5:03:31Most of the rest was filled with various
5:03:33potions, tinctures, lotions, and scent
5:03:35blockers that will help him through the
5:03:37wilderness without drawing too much
5:03:38attention to himself, along with an
5:03:40enchanted water bottle and a few
5:03:42enchanted repair kits for weapons and
5:03:44armor. Carl had never seen anything like
5:03:47them before, but they weren't all that
5:03:49expensive, and he definitely wanted to
5:03:51bring them home with him. "I know that
5:03:53this might sound odd, but do you have a
5:03:55skill book library available?" Carl
5:03:58asked. The mayor shook his head. We can
5:04:02get skill books, but they need to be
5:04:04customade and sent to us. It takes a
5:04:07week or two. Yeah, I suspected that
5:04:10might be the answer. But it was worth a
5:04:13shot. Perhaps the next time I'm in a
5:04:16real city, I will have time to visit the
5:04:18library. I wanted to get a proper shaman
5:04:21healing spell for my partner to go with
5:04:23her healing totems and splash heal. Carl
5:04:26explained. If they didn't have a
5:04:28full-time healer, that role was on
5:04:31regeneration, eternal lightning, and
5:04:33Remy. Having a proper healing spell
5:04:36would have been nice. But come to think
5:04:39of it, if he had more points, he could
5:04:41get trollish regeneration, the upgraded
5:04:44version of bestial regeneration.
5:04:46Once they were finished with breakfast
5:04:48and Carl's inventory was loaded with as
5:04:50much stuff as he could possibly hold,
5:04:52which appeared to be a normal situation
5:04:54for the locals when they headed out on
5:04:55an extended trip. He prepared to get on
5:04:58his way. He would be headed away from
5:05:00the road, following the directions from
5:05:02the quest reward. The fact that there
5:05:05were supposed to be no villages at all
5:05:06for the entire northern region of the
5:05:08nation next to them seemed very odd to
5:05:10Carl. Perhaps they meant no elven or
5:05:13human villages, but the complete absence
5:05:15just didn't seem like the sort of thing
5:05:17that would normally happen. There wasn't
5:05:20anything that Carl could do about that,
5:05:22though.
5:05:23The supposedly perfect beast was in that
5:05:25direction and he wasn't about to pass
5:05:27that up. He had a space ready and they
5:05:30were just waiting on Remy to pick an
5:05:32evolution direction so she could break
5:05:33through to the royal rank. Then they
5:05:36would be able to continue progressing
5:05:38hopefully with a powerful new friend.
5:05:41Everyone in the group was excited about
5:05:42that. They had become a close family and
5:05:46the process of adopting a new family
5:05:48member was the greatest group activity
5:05:49that they could think of right now. They
5:05:52were all present. There was no
5:05:53particular pressure and no restrictions
5:05:55on what they could look for. There might
5:05:58never be a better chance to find a new
5:06:00friend. The first few hours in the
5:06:03forest were calm ones. There weren't
5:06:05many strong monsters near the village.
5:06:07The dragon chased them away or convinced
5:06:10them not to bother her. But as Carl got
5:06:12further from civilization, he began to
5:06:14see signs that there were monsters in
5:06:16the area. The most obvious were the claw
5:06:19marks 5 m up the bark of a tree. It
5:06:22might have been a full-grown dire bear
5:06:24or something the same shape or it might
5:06:26have been a shorter creature that
5:06:27normally stood upright. Carl didn't want
5:06:30to call anyone out and risk attracting
5:06:32more attention. So, he just focused on
5:06:34not being ambushed with his aura turned
5:06:36inward the way he had seen others do it
5:06:38to hide their power level. Thor would be
5:06:41ready instantly with the barriers, and
5:06:43Carl had royal rank armor on, so he
5:06:45wasn't exactly vulnerable, but it was an
5:06:47extreme change from his usual always
5:06:49ready travel method. "Watch your step
5:06:52and protect your neck," Ry sang in his
5:06:55mind as they passed through a dark
5:06:57section of the forest where Carl could
5:06:58feel that something was watching them,
5:07:00waiting for an opportunity to strike.
5:07:03"You're in a good mood today," Carl
5:07:06noted. Ry nodded happily as she swung in
5:07:09a hammock in her space. This place feels
5:07:12like home. This is where a bloodbath
5:07:15spider belongs, not in those wimpy
5:07:17forests back home. These forests are
5:07:20ancient and they're just leaking power.
5:07:23It just feels like home. Remy looked
5:07:26around. It isn't bad, but it's too dry.
5:07:30These trees though, I like the trees. As
5:07:34they continued, the sense that they were
5:07:35being stalked became undeniable. "Does
5:07:38anyone have eyes on the target?" Carl
5:07:41asked, knowing they could look out of
5:07:43their spaces directly and not just
5:07:45through his eyes. "Whatever it is, it is
5:07:48hidden too well." Ry complained.
5:07:52Then Carl saw a shimmer headed their way
5:07:54through the trees and turned to face it,
5:07:56hoping that just proving he could see it
5:07:57would scare it off. The creature seemed
5:08:00to pause for a few seconds. Then Carl
5:08:02realized that it wasn't alone. There
5:08:05were other shimmers in his peripheral
5:08:07vision. One of them launched itself at
5:08:10him and Carl sidestepped, bringing up
5:08:12eternal lightning. The moment that he
5:08:15used a skill, the shimmer scattered,
5:08:17running off into the woods. But he could
5:08:20feel attention from something stronger
5:08:22in the distance. As a precaution, he
5:08:25stopped using the barrier and returned
5:08:26to as close to stealth as he could
5:08:28manage. that stopped the stronger
5:08:31creature from caring that he was nearby.
5:08:34The beasts here feel strange. They're
5:08:37not particularly powerful, not more
5:08:39powerful than me, but they don't feel
5:08:41the same. Rey explained.
5:08:44They would have to wait on that as the
5:08:46arrow that led them towards their new
5:08:48partner hadn't changed directions at
5:08:49all, so it probably wasn't close yet.
5:08:52They could all feel when they passed
5:08:54between the territories of two powerful
5:08:56beasts, and the team began to realize
5:08:58what the difference in feeling was.
5:09:01Certain portions of the woods were
5:09:02claimed by the beasts. They had imbued
5:09:05their power and essence all through them
5:09:07for years, and that gave the beast's
5:09:09territories a distinctive feeling. But
5:09:12now that they knew what it was, they
5:09:14could also use that feeling to skirt
5:09:16along the edges of a monster's claimed
5:09:18territory. That made things a little
5:09:20easier for Carl.
5:09:22The monsters that avoided the
5:09:24territories of other beasts were
5:09:25generally not strong and would avoid him
5:09:27as well, thinking that he was a
5:09:29wandering predator. That allowed him to
5:09:32make decent progress during the daylight
5:09:34hours. But as the sky began to darken,
5:09:36Carl had to make a decision. Where would
5:09:39they sleep for the evening? The obvious
5:09:42answer was in a fort that Ray made. But
5:09:44the issue was finding a spot where they
5:09:45could put it that would actually be safe
5:09:47enough to let him sleep and not attract
5:09:49monsters to his location. The best that
5:09:52Carl could come up with was further up
5:09:54in the trees, but even that was a risk
5:09:56as there were monsters that lived above
5:09:58the ground as well as on it. "Do we
5:10:00think it's safer up high or down low?"
5:10:03Carl asked, hoping for useful input.
5:10:06"High is always better," Hawk replied.
5:10:10Ry made an agreeable noise. "Smaller
5:10:14branches support smaller predators."
5:10:16"Yeah, the good snacksized things should
5:10:19be in the small branches.
5:10:21Remy added. That settled it. They would
5:10:25go all the way up a tree and deal with
5:10:27whatever they found up there, which
5:10:28hopefully wouldn't be a whole flock of
5:10:30flying monsters
5:10:32there. That tree looks good. There is
5:10:35some noise, but no sense of strong
5:10:37monsters, so there shouldn't be anything
5:10:39hiding in it. It's outside a major
5:10:42territory, so we should be safe to
5:10:44settle in for the night. Ry suggested.
5:10:48All right, lead the way. You can keep
5:10:50watch from in the fort or in your space
5:10:53if it is less likely to cause trouble.
5:10:56We will fight if we have to, but I don't
5:10:58want to start something big. Hawk and
5:11:00Ray both happily agreed to those terms.
5:11:04They wouldn't start anything big, but
5:11:06there were new types of monsters in the
5:11:07area, ones that were much weaker than
5:11:09they were, and they might be tasty. It
5:11:12wasn't much, but they hadn't gotten a
5:11:14chance to properly hunt in quite a
5:11:16while. So, they were looking forward to
5:11:18taking the chances that they could get
5:11:19and replenish their supplies. Even Remy
5:11:22sensed some possibilities, but it would
5:11:24be better if she had Hawk or Rey get the
5:11:26food for her. Biting and squishing it
5:11:29might ruin the flavor and texture. Being
5:11:32a snake had serious downfalls.
5:11:35All the best food was ruined when you
5:11:37had to catch it yourself.
5:11:39Ry made a small fort at the top of a
5:11:41suitable tree, and Carl climbed up Tati
5:11:44what she had provided. It was just an
5:11:46enclosed hammock, little more than a
5:11:48cocoon of the sort she would create for
5:11:50prey, but it was enclosed, and there was
5:11:52sticky royal rank silk all around it to
5:11:54catch the unwary intruders.
5:11:57That would do the job. Most of what Carl
5:12:00wanted out of the sleeping arrangement
5:12:01was just to not be detected by monsters,
5:12:04and this would work wonderfully for the
5:12:05task, as it would hide his scent,
5:12:07keeping the wind from revealing his
5:12:09location, and it would keep enemies away
5:12:11for long enough that Carl could prepare
5:12:12himself and Rey could come out. It was
5:12:15going to be a long trip through the
5:12:17wilderness. Carl was certain. Even with
5:12:20the beasts watching for threats, there
5:12:22was no way to safely get a deep sleep.
5:12:24So, he would be mostly meditating and
5:12:26resting, which was good for a while, but
5:12:28he might have a significant distance to
5:12:30cover. And eventually, he would have to
5:12:32find a better solution or a safer area.
5:12:35Not everywhere was going to be heavily
5:12:37populated with monsters. That just
5:12:39wouldn't be feasible with the available
5:12:41food. But when Carl woke up in the
5:12:43morning, he was already looking forward
5:12:44to it. There were three small creatures
5:12:47on the web when Carl got up. They were
5:12:50common grade monsters, not a threat, and
5:12:52not worth keeping for snacks. So Carl
5:12:55simply freed them once he was out of bed
5:12:57and settled on a branch for a breakfast
5:12:58of hard travel biscuits and soup. A
5:13:01light meal was all he needed, and Carl
5:13:03dunked his biscuit in the soup as he
5:13:05watched the squirrel that he freed last
5:13:07run away in terror, afraid that it would
5:13:09be on the menu if it remained. This
5:13:11morning, the area felt more relaxed and
5:13:14natural than it had when he arrived, and
5:13:16Carl gently dropped to the ground to
5:13:17continue following the directions that
5:13:19were given to find the quest reward.
5:13:22That meant a casual walk through the
5:13:23woods all morning, as moving faster just
5:13:26attracted inordinate amounts of
5:13:27attention. Wild beasts didn't run
5:13:30without a good reason, so Carl didn't
5:13:32run either. At noon, he came to a large
5:13:35grassland area that extended as far as
5:13:38he could see. That was a nice change as
5:13:41he could actually see threats from a
5:13:42distance now and make a bit better time
5:13:45without causing himself trouble. Carl
5:13:48moved up to a jog as the open planes
5:13:50extended in front of him, keeping to a
5:13:52pace that eternal lightning could
5:13:54regenerate his stamina 4. That wasn't
5:13:57quite a run, but it was definitely a
5:13:59fast pace which would cover over 20 km
5:14:02an hour with his strength lengthening
5:14:03his strides. I want to stretch my wings.
5:14:07Hawk complained.
5:14:09Go ahead. I don't sense anything nearby.
5:14:12It should be safe to come outside.
5:14:15Everyone but Remy took that invitation.
5:14:17And then after a few seconds, Remy also
5:14:19came out, settling onto Thor's back to
5:14:22bask in the sun. Hawk soared high in the
5:14:25sky, looking for snacks, threats, and
5:14:27signs of civilization.
5:14:29By the time that it got dark, there was
5:14:32nothing. They saw a few herds of
5:14:34buffaloized commander rank herbivores,
5:14:37and Ray claimed two of them just in case
5:14:39they tasted good. But the day was
5:14:41deceptively calm. When Carl decided to
5:14:44call it a night at midnight, Hawk and
5:14:46Ray had both been in bed for a few hours
5:14:48already, but there were no signs of life
5:14:51larger than mice visible to Carl's
5:14:52borrowed version of Ray's thermal
5:14:54vision. This time, he didn't wake her
5:14:57up. He just found a small stand of trees
5:14:59that didn't have anything sleeping in it
5:15:01and slung his hammock before waking Ray
5:15:03to keep watch. The next morning, Hawk
5:15:06took to the air again, scouting for any
5:15:08sign that they might be close to their
5:15:10target, but it was just grass. Hundreds
5:15:12of kilometers of open planes. Carl was
5:15:16jogging along late that evening when
5:15:17suddenly the arrow made a hard right.
5:15:20Re-calibrating.
5:15:22Target lost, the system reported. What
5:15:26in the world does that mean? Carl
5:15:29muttered. Do you think that something
5:15:31ate our potential cute little sister?
5:15:34Remy asked. Carl frowned. That seemed
5:15:38far too likely. Rey nodded. You may have
5:15:42a point. The best possible option should
5:15:45have been a monarch rank infant. So, it
5:15:48might have been eaten. Or perhaps it
5:15:50advanced and became an overlord before
5:15:52we could get there to claim it. then it
5:15:54wouldn't be the best anymore because it
5:15:56was too strong to be safely bonded. Oh,
5:15:59the new arrow is moving. I think that it
5:16:01is close. Thor noted. It wasn't much,
5:16:05but the arrow had moved just a fraction
5:16:07of a centimeter and then another. Carl
5:16:10turned to face the new direction and
5:16:12hoped that this time he would be able to
5:16:14reach his target before something
5:16:16happened to it. There is something in
5:16:18the distance. Big green people are
5:16:21attacking something black. Hawk
5:16:23reported. "Do you think it might be our
5:16:26target?" Carl asked as the bird raced
5:16:29away into the distance. "I am pretty
5:16:32sure it is." "I don't know what it is
5:16:34yet, though. It's surrounded in black."
5:16:38He sent a mental image of what he was
5:16:40seeing, and Carl couldn't figure it out
5:16:42either. The Orish children were just
5:16:44attacking a ball of black energy that
5:16:46Hawk was unable to see through. It was
5:16:49slowly moving along as if it was
5:16:51sluggish or unconcerned.
5:16:54No matter what they did, it kept moving.
5:16:57Then they swapped out the commander rank
5:16:59adolescence with one of their high royal
5:17:01rank warriors.
5:17:02Carl could see him coming. Then Hawk got
5:17:05distracted by something moving in the
5:17:07grass. It turned out to be no threat,
5:17:10but when he looked back, the warrior was
5:17:12simply gone, and there was black ash
5:17:14floating on the wind. Did it just
5:17:16oneshot a royal rankorish warrior? Carl
5:17:20asked himself.
5:17:21Possibly.
5:17:23Maybe it teleported him though. He's
5:17:26definitely gone. Hawk reported. Now that
5:17:30was interesting. If there was something
5:17:33that could one-shot a royal rank orc, it
5:17:35was definitely powerful. But whether or
5:17:38not it was going to be something that
5:17:39Carl could bond with was another matter.
5:17:42They hadn't tried to pull a living thing
5:17:44other than Dana into the space, and that
5:17:46hadn't worked. There wasn't an extra
5:17:49space for her at the time, but Carl
5:17:51suspected that it was more that she
5:17:52wasn't classified as a valid beast to be
5:17:55brought into the systems link. It took
5:17:57nearly an hour of fast jogging to get to
5:17:59the point where Hawk had tracked the
5:18:01black ball to after the orcs gave up on
5:18:03it. Or maybe the orcs had chased it
5:18:04away, though it didn't seem to have
5:18:06cared all that much about their efforts,
5:18:08as it never changed course. It didn't
5:18:11seem to care much about him either. Carl
5:18:14made his way a few hundred meters ahead
5:18:16of the small black half orb trundling
5:18:18along through the grass and tried to see
5:18:20what was inside. The arrow from the
5:18:22quest log was tracking it, pointing down
5:18:25at the top of its head, but Carl had no
5:18:27idea how to get it into the space. He
5:18:30certainly wasn't going to try to pick it
5:18:32up, at least not until he knew what it
5:18:34was and if that was safe. But for the
5:18:36moment, it wasn't reacting to his
5:18:38presence at all.
5:18:40Should we just follow it? Ry suggested.
5:18:44We might as well, but why don't we try
5:18:47feeding it? Maybe it will drop the
5:18:49barrier if we give it something to eat.
5:18:52Carl set a bit of Commander Rank Monster
5:18:54meat on the ground in front of the
5:18:55beast, but slightly off to one side so
5:18:58he could see if it was going to adjust
5:18:59course. For the first time since Hawk
5:19:02had spotted it, the beast paused as if
5:19:05sniffing at the food, then continued
5:19:07along its way. But Carl had many tricks
5:19:10to lure beasts to him. He extended
5:19:13flaming body and roasted the piece of
5:19:15meat to let the wind waft the scent
5:19:17toward the slowly moving creature. It
5:19:20immediately doubled back, leaping into
5:19:22the air to show that the barrier
5:19:24extended below it to make a full sphere,
5:19:26then opened slightly to allow the food
5:19:28to safely enter without being destroyed.
5:19:31Carl cut and roasted another piece and
5:19:33tossed it between the beast and himself.
5:19:36This time it didn't jump, but ran to the
5:19:38spot. It must be a new friend for Hawk,
5:19:42the way it loves to eat. Thor joked.
5:19:45Carl chuckled and prepared a few more
5:19:47pieces, tossing them progressively
5:19:49closer, but holding the last one in his
5:19:51hand. The creature accelerated as it
5:19:54snapped up the food, then stopped right
5:19:56in front of Carl. It bounced a few times
5:20:00as if demanding the last bite before he
5:20:02dropped it toward what he assumed was a
5:20:04waiting mouth.
5:20:05The black barrier dissipated as the food
5:20:08fell, revealing what looked like an
5:20:10average honey badger. That was not at
5:20:12all what Carl was expecting. But when he
5:20:15roasted another bit of meat in his hand,
5:20:17thin wings, a fleshy membrane like bat
5:20:20wings extended from under the protective
5:20:22fur on its back and with a flap, it was
5:20:24snagging the food from Carl's hand so
5:20:27fast it wasn't even finished cooking
5:20:28yet. The beast gave a strange expression
5:20:31as it landed with the half-roasted meat
5:20:33in its mouth, then swallowed and looked
5:20:35up at Carl. Meat? He heard a gentle
5:20:39girish voice ask in his mind. Carl
5:20:42nodded. You have to be patient. It takes
5:20:45a few seconds to cook. What is a cook
5:20:49meat? It pleaded. Carl roasted the meat
5:20:53and handed a much larger piece to the
5:20:55badger, which it promptly used its black
5:20:57energy skill to cut into small cubes
5:20:59that it ate with a dainty claw. Now that
5:21:01there was enough food that it wasn't
5:21:03worried about starvation,
5:21:05that must have been why it was
5:21:06unconcerned and sluggish before. It was
5:21:09just hungry and stumbling along looking
5:21:11for something to eat or lost in
5:21:13daydreams of food. Orcs didn't look
5:21:16tasty, and the creature seemed to prefer
5:21:18roasted meat to raw, but didn't appear
5:21:20to have any fire skills of its own, as
5:21:22it didn't know what cooked was. Once the
5:21:25food was finished, it established a
5:21:27large black dome over both itself and
5:21:29Carl, and promptly went to sleep. Carl
5:21:33had the food, so he couldn't be allowed
5:21:34to escape. Carl shook his head at the
5:21:37logic of the small creature and stroked
5:21:40the top of her head before focusing on
5:21:42the spare space and transferring her in.
5:21:45Quest complete. The perfect pet.
5:21:47Calculating.
5:21:48Calculating what? Carl had no idea. He
5:21:52had finished the quest. He had his
5:21:54reward sleeping soundly in his newest
5:21:56beast space, and she was powerful. Name:
5:21:59Cara.
5:22:01Species: Winged void badger. Juvenile.
5:22:06Royal rank. Skills.
5:22:09Disintegration. Monarch rank creates an
5:22:12area of pure destructive energy.
5:22:15Nullify, a disintegration-based
5:22:17counterattack,
5:22:18may completely cancel skills of equal or
5:22:21lesser energy. Rapid flight. The winged
5:22:24void badger is an agile flyer even when
5:22:26fully grown. Limited invulnerability.
5:22:30The winged void badger ignores all
5:22:32attacks that deal under 10% of its total
5:22:34health and an equivalent amount of all
5:22:36attacks stronger than 10% of its total
5:22:38health.
5:22:40Carl read the stats of his new partner
5:22:41with a sense of all. It was no wonder
5:22:44that it didn't care about anyone
5:22:46attacking it. Not only did it have a
5:22:48protective dome spell, it could simply
5:22:50ignore any weak attacks that were sent
5:22:52against it. Carl's new bracelet was
5:22:55good, but not that good. Maybe that was
5:22:58a normal skill for this place, and the
5:23:00invulnerability isn't the part that
5:23:02makes her a good partner. Rey suggested,
5:23:05seeing a pattern in the loot they had
5:23:07gained. I suppose it's possible. The
5:23:10disintegration did seem to be powerful,
5:23:13the way it eliminated that orc. Carl
5:23:16waited patiently inside the dome for
5:23:17Cara to wake up. He could likely walk
5:23:20through it now that they were partners,
5:23:22but it did allow him to rest while she
5:23:24slept. From what he could tell, only the
5:23:27orcs would dare to attack the dome, and
5:23:29that was just the kids who might not
5:23:31have known better. In a region where
5:23:33monarch rank was among the strongest
5:23:35residents, this impervious black dome of
5:23:37nonchulence was a menace to society. It
5:23:40was only 3 hours later when Cara woke up
5:23:43in the mental space and began to look
5:23:44around in confusion.
5:23:46Hey, where did everyone go? I swear I
5:23:50put the food vendor right here. She
5:23:52mumbled to herself. I moved you into a
5:23:55mental space for safety while you
5:23:57rested. We're going to be very good
5:23:59friends. Carl insisted.
5:24:03Friends with a food vendor. That sounds
5:24:06all right. Oh, there are more people.
5:24:10Hello, Spider Lady and Snake and Bird
5:24:13and giant puppy. Carl laughed at her
5:24:16description. Then Hawk roasted an entire
5:24:18ascended rank boar and moved it to
5:24:20Cara's space. We're having a pig for
5:24:22lunch. You know, you guys aren't half
5:24:25bad. The barrier over Carl vanished and
5:24:29he rose to his feet.
5:24:31There was nothing in the immediate area,
5:24:33but in the distance, Carl could see that
5:24:35there was a large dust cloud coming his
5:24:37way. That sort of cloud meant either
5:24:40huge and fast moving or a large group
5:24:42kicking up dust like an army on the
5:24:44move. It was too wide to be from just
5:24:47one truck, even if there was a dirt road
5:24:49in the region. But there was no
5:24:51realistic way to hide and wait for the
5:24:52threat to pass by. Should I go scout?
5:24:56Hawk asked.
5:24:58No, wait here for a moment. I don't know
5:25:01if they're even trying to find us, but I
5:25:04don't want to be easy to spot. I will
5:25:06just walk away from their path. Carl
5:25:09began to jog, putting the current path
5:25:11of the dust cloud to his right side and
5:25:13watched as it came close enough that he
5:25:15could begin to make out the cause of the
5:25:17dust cloud. It was a cavalry charge, but
5:25:20the riders were on some sort of
5:25:22two-legged giant lizards. Thor
5:25:24recognized them as a predator, but not
5:25:26one that he was familiar with and not
5:25:28one that was native to the Golden Dragon
5:25:30Nation. The fact that someone was riding
5:25:33them was surprising enough, but when
5:25:35Carl saw that it was actually orcs
5:25:37riding the giant lizards, he was
5:25:39momentarily stunned. Since when did orcs
5:25:42have a civilization that advanced? From
5:25:45what he recalled, they were barely
5:25:46considered sensient, much less civilized
5:25:49enough to be taming monsters.
5:25:51Whatever was going on in this place, it
5:25:53was beginning to feel like Carl had
5:25:55missed some critical historical
5:25:56information about the world. It couldn't
5:25:59even be that he was lied to this time
5:26:01because he had met orcs before, and they
5:26:03were definitely primitive compared to
5:26:04these ones in quality armor and riding
5:26:06mounts with complex saddles. Just when
5:26:09Carl was getting his hopes up that the
5:26:11orcs were going to bypass him entirely
5:26:13and head to the village, the whole
5:26:15column turned in his direction. Everyone
5:26:18ready, but don't come out until I give
5:26:19the signal. He informed his partners. Ry
5:26:24was busily whispering details of their
5:26:26usual strategy to Cara, so the new team
5:26:28member knew what they would be doing.
5:26:30However, the void badger was not the
5:26:33least bit concerned about these cavalry
5:26:35fighters.
5:26:36Or perhaps she was simply born without a
5:26:39sense of fear. Carl stopped trying to
5:26:42hide his presence and brought up flaming
5:26:44body and eternal lightning while Thor
5:26:47cast a circle of protection over him.
5:26:50None of the skills were threatening
5:26:52ones, and he had no weapon in his hands,
5:26:54but it would alert the incoming cavalry
5:26:56that he wasn't a target they could just
5:26:58run through. The charge stopped 50 m
5:27:01away, and one lone orc dismounted and
5:27:04came jogging towards Carl with a sword
5:27:06in his hand. The orc stopped five paces
5:27:09away and Carl waited to see if he was
5:27:11going to say something or if he could
5:27:12even speak the human common language as
5:27:14the elves had. Human, declare your
5:27:17allegiance.
5:27:19Your kind has no part in this war. The
5:27:22orc spoke in a surprisingly refined
5:27:24accent that hinted at higher education.
5:27:27I have not come to fight. I was sent
5:27:30here on a quest to find a particular
5:27:32beast.
5:27:33Now that I have, I will be returning to
5:27:35the west to get a portal home, Carl
5:27:38explained. The Orish general snorted in
5:27:41amusement.
5:27:43I suppose that you would
5:27:45not answer the question of your
5:27:47allegiance.
5:27:48What side are you on? Carl sideighed. I
5:27:52don't even know who is fighting. That
5:27:55single statement caused the entire Orish
5:27:57army to burst into vicious laughter. The
5:28:00Orish tribes against the Mivascan
5:28:02slavers, "Of course." The champion
5:28:05chuckled. "Well, I just finished
5:28:08returning a group of elven children
5:28:09taken by slavers, so I must say, when it
5:28:12comes to orcs versus slavers, I will
5:28:14side with the orcs." The orcs laughed
5:28:17even louder, and Carl waited for them to
5:28:19get over whatever was so amusing. You
5:28:22hear that? The teeny tiny human would
5:28:25stand up to the giants and their allies
5:28:27in order to reclaim the slaves.
5:28:30What do you think, boys? Will he manage
5:28:33to kill one or two before they eat him?
5:28:36The orish champion asked? Carl smirked
5:28:39and Hawk tossed a royal rankill giant
5:28:41body out on the ground. I would start
5:28:44with at least two because I've got more
5:28:46trophies with me. Carl informed him. The
5:28:50air filled with noise as the orcs bashed
5:28:52weapons against metal armor and hooped
5:28:54in pleasure. He got you there, boss.
5:28:58I say we bring him with us. One of the
5:29:01men in the front rank shouted. What do
5:29:04you say, human? Want to raid a village
5:29:07with us? Carl considered the orc
5:29:09champion's question for a few seconds.
5:29:12Telling the massive green man no didn't
5:29:14seem like it was the sort of answer that
5:29:16would prolong his life. But the champion
5:29:19was a monarch rank fighter, as were some
5:29:21of his officers. So anywhere they were
5:29:23going wouldn't be an easy fight. Plus,
5:29:26he wouldn't be able to bring the team
5:29:28out without risking them getting
5:29:29injured. He had already seen the Orcs
5:29:32children attacking Cara as she looked
5:29:34for something to eat earlier. Carl
5:29:36picked up the giant body and the Orcish
5:29:39champion smiled. Good answer. Join the
5:29:43infantry at the back and we will keep
5:29:44moving. The raid starts with the knight
5:29:47as the giants go blind. That made sense
5:29:50to Carl. The giants never attacked at
5:29:53night because their night vision was
5:29:55terrible. So, if you were on the
5:29:56offense, then attacking them at dark
5:29:58would be the best time, as you would
5:30:00have all night to fight before they
5:30:01could see properly. Though, a few hours
5:30:04after dark would likely be better when
5:30:06they were already settled into bed. Carl
5:30:09nodded at the champion who had taken his
5:30:11retrieval of the body as a sign that he
5:30:13was on board with the battle and then
5:30:15moved to join the back of the line where
5:30:17smaller and younger orcs along with many
5:30:19of the female warriors were gathered.
5:30:22There were some women at the front, but
5:30:24these ones were smaller, the size of the
5:30:26juvenile males, and not massively
5:30:29muscular like the female warriors up
5:30:30front riding the giant lizards. No,
5:30:33Mount. You're an odd one for a human,
5:30:36aren't you? one of the younger Orish men
5:30:39asked. "I have a mount, but running is
5:30:42good for the body." "Besides, I was
5:30:45hunting, not in a rush to get
5:30:47somewhere," Carl explained. "What would
5:30:51you possibly be hunting here? This isn't
5:30:53a place for humans."
5:30:56Carl laughed. "You're the second one to
5:30:58tell me that in the last 5 minutes, but
5:31:01I was looking for a winged void badger."
5:31:04"Well, then we showed up at just the
5:31:06right time.
5:31:07If you had found one, you wouldn't be
5:31:09here to join us on this adventure. The
5:31:12young man laughed. Cara rolled her eyes.
5:31:16Stupid orcs. It still hasn't occurred to
5:31:19them that if they would stop poking
5:31:21people with sticks, they would stop
5:31:23getting killed for being annoying. Rey
5:31:26laughed, and the little badger rolled on
5:31:28her back to stretch out in the grass.
5:31:30"Is that how it works? You can just kill
5:31:33the annoying ones?" Remy asked. I'm
5:31:37pretty sure at least some of them. Some
5:31:41of them are dangerous and annoying or
5:31:43annoying but also have food. I would
5:31:47have to ask the elder how that works.
5:31:49Cara replied. By elder, she meant Thor.
5:31:54Carl fell under the category of friendly
5:31:56person with food, but the others all
5:31:58seemed a bit young and unreliable to be
5:32:00called elders. You only kill that ones
5:32:03that need killing.
5:32:05Otherwise, you end up wasting all your
5:32:07energy starting fights. Thor informed
5:32:10them. Cara kind of liked starting
5:32:13fights, though. It was great
5:32:15entertainment when you were bored. Carl
5:32:18ran along with the orcs, whose longer
5:32:20legs were still strained to keep up the
5:32:22pace behind the beasts, but that didn't
5:32:24slow the meet and greet session between
5:32:26the beasts. "If you have wings, why do
5:32:29you walk everywhere?" Hawk asked. Flying
5:32:33was obviously the superior method of
5:32:35transport.
5:32:37Oh, those wings are for getting high
5:32:40enough to punch things in the face and
5:32:42chase flying food. You can't relax while
5:32:45you're flying. You have to keep beating
5:32:47your wings. Walking is much more
5:32:49relaxing.
5:32:51So, you like to just relax?" Thor asked
5:32:54hopefully. He liked floating in his
5:32:57pond. Yep. Relaxing is good when there
5:33:00is nothing to eat or fight.
5:33:03But now there is food right here all the
5:33:05time and it doesn't even smell like it's
5:33:07going bad. Ry rubbed her mandibles
5:33:10happily. Good. I had worried that you
5:33:13were the lazy sort and we're always
5:33:15doing fun things. I don't think that
5:33:17we're going to get to go out and play
5:33:19tonight with all the strangers around,
5:33:21but you can attack things from inside
5:33:22here. It's hilarious. And I like to send
5:33:26my golems out while I watch from my
5:33:27nest. Oh, I did that one time with
5:33:30Nullifi.
5:33:32Some silly shaman kept trying to make a
5:33:34rain spell while I was enjoying the sun,
5:33:36so I canceled it every time he got close
5:33:38to finishing. Cara replied excitedly.
5:33:42That's the spirit. You're going to fit
5:33:45in very well here. The orcs had
5:33:47impeccable timing. The sun had just gone
5:33:50beneath the horizon when the village
5:33:52full of giants came in sight to Carl's
5:33:54enhanced vision. Is there a challenge or
5:33:57a goal to the raid other than just
5:33:58killing the giants?
5:34:00Carl asked the man running next to him.
5:34:03For you, there are three. First, try to
5:34:07kill a giant. Second, try to free at
5:34:10least one slave. Third, and most
5:34:14challenging, try to do better than at
5:34:15least one of the women. The woman beside
5:34:18him laughed and smacked him on the head.
5:34:21Shouldn't that one be for you as well?
5:34:24Because I'm already crushing you in the
5:34:25kill count this campaign. Then she
5:34:28turned to Carl. Do you even have proper
5:34:31attack skills, human? Something that can
5:34:34deal with the giants? I have bone
5:34:37crusher and a big hammer. Carl offered.
5:34:41The orc laughed. I don't know if you
5:34:44mean that as a combat appraisal or a
5:34:46pickup line, but I like it. Carl laughed
5:34:49along with her. Could be either, but we
5:34:53can save the pickup lines for after the
5:34:55fight. The front rank spurred their
5:34:58mounts forward, roaring into the
5:34:59darkening skies as the giants prepared
5:35:01their defenses.
5:35:03Oh, I see a good spot just to the left
5:35:06of the front lines. See that tower with
5:35:08only one giant in it? Ry suggested.
5:35:12Take me there. Carl agreed. It was dark
5:35:16out now, meaning that there were few
5:35:18limits on shadow step, but Ry dropped
5:35:20Carl 5 m above the tower where the torch
5:35:23light didn't properly reach. As he fell,
5:35:26Carl drew his maul and put five stacks
5:35:29of bone crusher on it as he slammed it
5:35:31on the head of the guard. It was a
5:35:34glorious direct hit, and the giant had
5:35:36never seen it coming. But he had
5:35:39overdone it. The guard was only low
5:35:41commander rank, and the mall carried on
5:35:43through the head to hit the wooden
5:35:45tower, which crumbled under the force.
5:35:48Carl twisted to land on his feet as
5:35:50Carla laughed in his mind. "You guys
5:35:52were right. Watching from in here is
5:35:55hilarious.
5:35:57Oh, watch this. Poof. No more champion
5:36:01barrier. The giant's leader had a split
5:36:04second to be confused before the Orcish
5:36:06champion spear buried itself through his
5:36:08chest. Even the orc looked baffled,
5:36:11unable to comprehend what had just
5:36:12happened. But he hopped down from his
5:36:14mount, which moved up to fight beside
5:36:16him as the giant choked to death on his
5:36:18own blood with a spear completely
5:36:20through his chest.
5:36:22Carl turned to the village as Ry sent
5:36:23out her golems and Cara cheered. Chaos.
5:36:28Carl shook his head in dismay, then
5:36:30slammed another giant in the chest,
5:36:32tossing it back against the wall,
5:36:34spitting blood for a second before an
5:36:36orc cut its head off. The orc grunted in
5:36:39dismay as he realized that the giant was
5:36:41already dying. That one is yours. Good
5:36:45kill, human. Carl followed him and the
5:36:48golems inside, quickly scaling the
5:36:50wooden wall to attack the defenders.
5:36:53There was a second wall between them and
5:36:55the village itself. The golems were
5:36:58currently occupied fighting with a
5:36:59monarch ranked giant, and the fight was
5:37:02brutal enough that nothing wanted to get
5:37:03close to them. That gave Cara a chance
5:37:06to cast disintegration over the golem's
5:37:09legs, increasing their damage. A spear
5:37:12bounced off Carl's armor, hurled by a
5:37:15commander ranked giant.
5:37:17The return strike with chain lightning
5:37:19by Remy staggered the warrior and Carl
5:37:22leapt forward with flaming body layered
5:37:24on his maul. The smell of burnt flesh
5:37:27filled the air as the giant collapsed,
5:37:29giving Carl an open path to the golems
5:37:31and their target as he buffed himself.
5:37:34"He got big." "How did he get big?" Cara
5:37:38asked. "A skill called brutality.
5:37:42He has others too. Ones that make us hit
5:37:44harder." The sharpness one should even
5:37:47work with your disintegration attack.
5:37:50You will be much more powerful with him
5:37:51around. Ry informed her new friend. The
5:37:56monarch ranked giant swung both clubs,
5:37:58knocking the golems to the ground. Ry
5:38:01called forth a fresh pair, attacking it
5:38:03from behind and turning the giant away
5:38:05from Carl, who was waiting for his
5:38:07moment. Carl charged forward between a
5:38:10burly orc and a royal ranked giant,
5:38:12using them as a distraction so he could
5:38:14get close and aimed them all for the
5:38:16monarch's back. Instinct made the
5:38:18warrior turn and raise a barrier as
5:38:20Carl's strike was about to land, but
5:38:22Carl was prepared for that. Five stacks
5:38:25of flaming body got through most
5:38:28barriers.
5:38:29However, today he had Cara putting her
5:38:31all into nullify and the barrier
5:38:33shattered like glass under the combined
5:38:35attack. The giant's armor dented with a
5:38:38shriek of abused steel, and the leather
5:38:40straps holding it in place tore and
5:38:42popped, letting it drop to the ground.
5:38:45There was a deep purple bruise on the
5:38:46giant's chest. But more importantly, it
5:38:49was now unarmored at the torso and
5:38:51facing attacks from three directions.
5:38:54Carl saw a blade coming at his left as
5:38:56one came down at him from above.
5:38:59There wasn't time to evade both, so Carl
5:39:02went for a compromise and parried the
5:39:03first with his maul, letting the
5:39:05momentum throw him out of the way of the
5:39:07giant's other hand. He rolled through
5:39:09the dirt and skidded to a stop on his
5:39:11knees, then rushed forward again as the
5:39:13golems attacked. The giant turned to
5:39:16defend itself, but took a spiked leg to
5:39:18the shoulder right before Carl smashed
5:39:20his maul into its knee, sending the
5:39:22giant to the ground on its stomach.
5:39:25Others came to rescue their fallen
5:39:27comrade, and the golems moved to
5:39:28intercept while Carl went for the kill.
5:39:31A stack strike aimed at the back of the
5:39:33neck nearly took it out before the giant
5:39:35rolled over and parried. It was large
5:39:38enough to finish the fight from a
5:39:39sitting position, and it intended to do
5:39:41exactly that. More giants rushed towards
5:39:45Carl, and the beast sprung into action.
5:39:48Rending fireballs, chain lightning, and
5:39:50black disintegration spheres rushed out
5:39:52to intercept the reinforcements, and the
5:39:54golems glowed a little brighter as Thor
5:39:56activated. Circle of protection. A small
5:40:00stone fired with earth magic bounced off
5:40:02Carl's armor, and Cara laughed. The Carl
5:40:05is invulnerable, too. Oh, this will be
5:40:09funny. Low powered stone attacks weren't
5:40:12doing anything at all to Carl, but
5:40:14limited invulnerability didn't fully
5:40:16negate the side effects of their
5:40:18momentum. So Carl was fighting to move
5:40:20forward as repeated stone attacks hit
5:40:22him and turned him back and forth. They
5:40:24didn't last long with the orcs rushing
5:40:26in to claim glory and the beasts casting
5:40:29constant spells from their spaces. While
5:40:31Carl focused on using chain lightning to
5:40:33keep the monarch ranked giant on the
5:40:34ground and injured while the golems
5:40:36fought. It was beginning to smoke from
5:40:39the scorched areas where the lightning
5:40:40was landing and the reinforcements no
5:40:42longer dared to come near their
5:40:44champion. The lightning arcs were too
5:40:47dangerous.
5:40:48Carl approached as the ranged attacks
5:40:50faded and the monarch's eyes narrowed in
5:40:52hatred.
5:40:543 2 1 kill the ugly thing. Cara cheered,
5:40:58leading the attack. Carl laughed and
5:41:01struck the ground with his maul, sending
5:41:03all five chain lightning charges into
5:41:05the monarch as a barrage of spells
5:41:07slammed into it from the others. Then
5:41:10the golems were on its back, stabbing
5:41:12and tearing chunks out of its flesh.
5:41:14That thing just doesn't die. Rey noted,
5:41:18impressed at its durability.
5:41:20Its leg has already healed. It thinks we
5:41:23can't tell. Cara agreed. Sure enough,
5:41:27when Carl moved a bit closer, it
5:41:29launched forward, intending to choke the
5:41:32life out of him. But Carl was the faster
5:41:35of the two and his maul slipped between
5:41:37the giant's hands, smashing into its
5:41:39face while eternal lightning kept the
5:41:42massive hands from crushing his body.
5:41:44The monarch collapsed with a rattling
5:41:46through its broken face as the golems
5:41:48finished their work. But one last spasm
5:41:51sent Carl flying through the air. I'll
5:41:53catch you. Ry laughed as Carl felt
5:41:56himself floating. He had been thrown
5:41:59nearly straight up and now he was
5:42:01motionless in the air for a moment as he
5:42:03began to fall. Don't bother. Let's use
5:42:06this time to find a path to the inner
5:42:08wall. We will see if we can free some
5:42:10slaves as well. Straight ahead is best.
5:42:15The orcs are everywhere now, and they
5:42:17outnumber the giants by a lot. Hawk
5:42:20informed him. But there was one strange
5:42:22sight as Carl fell. One orc was not
5:42:25fighting. The scarred warrior was
5:42:28standing on the wall with a clipboard,
5:42:30taking notes. Orc certainly took their
5:42:33scorekeeping seriously.
5:42:35The golems jumped to slow Carl's
5:42:37descent, though Cara's shared skill
5:42:39would have prevented him from taking any
5:42:41injury, and the trio began to look for
5:42:43targets.
5:42:44Carl and the golems began to run for the
5:42:46inner wall, slashing at anything that
5:42:48came close enough to reach, but
5:42:50deliberately not killing targets that
5:42:52were already engaged, only tipping the
5:42:54balance in favor of the orcs. There was
5:42:57a defensive line on the inner wall,
5:42:59using boulder toss to knock the orcs
5:43:02away from the vulnerable members of the
5:43:03village. But that was where Carl needed
5:43:06to be. He didn't care at all about the
5:43:09elderly and children of the giant
5:43:10village. He was there for the slaves
5:43:12that he could smell and that he had seen
5:43:14locked in cages along this side of the
5:43:16wall. The giant seemed to know that as
5:43:19well, and they didn't really care about
5:43:21the slaves. They were just free labor
5:43:24until they were food, but they could
5:43:25always get more, and they had crops
5:43:27stockpiled.
5:43:29As long as they didn't lose the village
5:43:31entirely, they wouldn't miss the slaves.
5:43:34If the orcs were willing to waste
5:43:35warriors to steal them, the giants would
5:43:38only put up a token fight. So when Carl
5:43:41swung at the wall, breaking logs and
5:43:43opening the back of the cage that held
5:43:45the prisoners, none of the giants tried
5:43:47to stop him or even kill the escaping
5:43:49slaves. They would only slow down the
5:43:52Orish attack and keep powerful warriors
5:43:54distracted during the fight. If the orcs
5:43:57wanted them, they should have taken them
5:43:59at the end of the battle if they could
5:44:01actually win it. Carl got his first good
5:44:04look at the battered and downtrodden
5:44:05people inside the cage. They came from
5:44:08at least four different species, none of
5:44:10which were human. There were some weak
5:44:13orcs looking deliberately starved. There
5:44:16were elves, a blue skinned species with
5:44:18hoofed feet and horns on their heads,
5:44:20and some sort of plant people whose skin
5:44:23had vines growing up it. Those ones were
5:44:26nearly stationary, only glancing around
5:44:28a little. Carl realized that they had
5:44:31put down roots to gain nutrition from
5:44:33the soil, and the late night attack had
5:44:35come during their sleeping hours.
5:44:37It would take them a bit before they
5:44:39could move again. But the others were
5:44:40moving away from Carl. Worried that the
5:44:42bloodcovered warrior might not care
5:44:44about their species or their status.
5:44:47With the smooth metal helmet covering
5:44:49his face, the slaves had no idea what
5:44:51species Carl was, only that he was built
5:44:54like a male and too slender to be an
5:44:55orc. His skills increased his size
5:44:58proportionally, and Orish men were much
5:45:01more muscular than humans were. Carl
5:45:04flipped his visor up so they could see
5:45:05that he was a human and gestured to the
5:45:07hole in the wall. "If you will kindly
5:45:10follow me out of the city limits, we
5:45:12require this space for the ongoing
5:45:14battle. Once you are outside, you are
5:45:17free to go." He explained.
5:45:20One of the Orish women, nearly starved
5:45:22with her ribs showing clearly through
5:45:24her skin, laughed at his explanation.
5:45:27"You heard him. Time for us to move. We
5:45:30can't be underfoot when the masters need
5:45:32this space to be slaughtered in," she
5:45:35declared. The other slaves gave weak
5:45:38cheers and jokes as they picked
5:45:39themselves up and helped the ones who
5:45:41were rooted to the ground become mobile
5:45:43again. That was when the giants inside
5:45:46the wall decided to take action to
5:45:47prevent Carl from stealing their slaves.
5:45:50The door of the cage was opened and
5:45:52three teenage giants ran inside with
5:45:55clubs, swatting people aside to get to
5:45:57Carl. Most of them managed to dodge, but
5:46:00of the horn, blue, people had his head
5:46:02crushed. Pathetic.
5:46:05The boy snarled as he advanced on Carl.
5:46:08That word seemed to trigger something in
5:46:10Cara. And suddenly, she was outside
5:46:13attacking the boy's face while Ray
5:46:14called her golems to deal with the
5:46:16others so Carl could hold the opening in
5:46:18the wall to secure their exit. You like
5:46:21that, huh? I'll show you pathetic.
5:46:26The enraged void badger was shouting.
5:46:29Carl looked back and saw that she had
5:46:31the giant's shirt in one front paw while
5:46:33the other fed disintegration coated
5:46:35punches into his rapidly evaporating
5:46:37face. When the young giant collapsed,
5:46:40Cara didn't stop. She just opened her
5:46:43wings and started tearing apart the
5:46:45weaker giants who were hiding in the
5:46:47city. "Everyone, go help her out. We
5:46:51can't have our new friend injured," Carl
5:46:54instructed.
5:46:55I like this one. She's pretty stabby.
5:46:59Rey laughed as Remy began to form a
5:47:02thunderstorm over the inner city. Not
5:47:05onto the slave cages,
5:47:07Carl reminded her. Got it, boss? As the
5:47:11storm started, a number of the Orish
5:47:14infantry raced through the gap Carl had
5:47:16made. "Is that you?" they asked,
5:47:19gesturing upwards. "Yeah, that's my
5:47:22team. The beasts are with me. They
5:47:26looked around and then paused at the
5:47:28black ball of rage tearing apart a
5:47:30building that had offended her for being
5:47:31in the way. You really did find a void
5:47:34badger. The others were laughing about
5:47:37it, and I thought you were joking with
5:47:39them. Then he turned to the slaves.
5:47:42All right, let's go. There are more
5:47:45giants coming from the other villages.
5:47:47It's time to leave. Gather as many
5:47:50slaves as you can and get moving. Carl
5:47:53passed on the instructions and Thor put
5:47:55his freedom plan in motion. It was a
5:47:58simple plan. Cages were made of smashing
5:48:01poles, so he just had to charge through
5:48:03them and everyone could follow him out
5:48:05of the city. Once Thor had broken the
5:48:08cages all the way back to the brereech
5:48:10in the walls, Carl called everyone back
5:48:12to their spaces. Cara and Ray were
5:48:15laughing and the void badger was rolling
5:48:17happily in the grass, celebrating a lot
5:48:19like Thor did when he was happy. Oh,
5:48:22you're like that. Ry joked with their
5:48:25new sister as she laughed and mimicked a
5:48:27punching motion. She's got a real
5:48:29temper. Hulk laughed as he recalled the
5:48:32scene. I don't like bullies,
5:48:36Cara replied, rolling around on her back
5:48:38to scratch an itch she couldn't reach.
5:48:41You know, if you're itchy, you can just
5:48:43have Carl groom you. He lets people
5:48:45polish Thor's scales all the time, Remy
5:48:49suggested. After the fight, there are
5:48:52still stupid giants around. "Besides, I
5:48:56can see more from in here." While they
5:48:59were talking, Remy was deep in thought.
5:49:02"What has you so distracted?" Thor asked
5:49:05quietly so he didn't derail her train of
5:49:07thought. "If I had arms, I could grab
5:49:10people, too. Just wrap them up and punch
5:49:13their face or pat their head or spin
5:49:16them in circles or maybe eat them." Remy
5:49:20replied. Don't let them make you another
5:49:23violent sister. Thor pouted. Remy
5:49:27giggled and waggled her head. No, not
5:49:30like that. I just don't get to eat
5:49:32enough random creatures. I have no idea
5:49:36what most of them feel like in the
5:49:37mouth. But I have noticed that some of
5:49:40them are really annoying. Nobody would
5:49:42mind if I eat the annoying ones, right?
5:49:45But why are there always giants?
5:49:48Nobody can eat them in one piece. Now
5:49:51she was just ranting, but Thor could
5:49:53tell that she was actually thinking
5:49:55about all the things she could do with
5:49:56arms, and the rest was just her mind
5:49:58getting sidetracked.
5:50:00Think how envious Lotus would be if you
5:50:02got to cuddle elves before she did. Thor
5:50:05suggested, doing his best to keep one
5:50:08non-violent sister. Oh, that is great.
5:50:12It would even make being big worth it.
5:50:14They could ride my back like they ride
5:50:16yours and we could go on adventures.
5:50:19The orcs assisted Carl with escorting
5:50:21the varied assortment of slaves out of
5:50:23the inner city and through the nearly
5:50:25finished battle in the outer city, then
5:50:27passed the gates to freedom. The elder
5:50:29orcs looked impressed at the performance
5:50:31as they held off the remainder of the
5:50:33giants so that the younger fighters
5:50:34could make their retreat. The battle was
5:50:37a success by any measure, and though
5:50:39they hadn't completely eliminated the
5:50:41defenders, they had inflicted severe
5:50:43injuries on them, including their most
5:50:45defended members, and they were going to
5:50:46have time to retreat from the battle
5:50:48before the other giants could arrive to
5:50:50support them. That was the goal of the
5:50:52night raid, and the giant's terrible
5:50:54night vision was working in the orcs
5:50:56favor, as the massive warriors wouldn't
5:50:58be able to even see where the orcs went.
5:51:01At best, they could follow the dust
5:51:03cloud, but Carl suspected that they were
5:51:05going to separate to create a massive
5:51:07dust cloud in multiple directions that
5:51:09would throw off pursuit. They had run
5:51:11close to 5 km with the freed slaves
5:51:14loaded on the attack beasts as they were
5:51:16too weak to keep up with the pace when
5:51:18the Orcs champion joged over to Carl,
5:51:20who was pacing the same pair that he had
5:51:22approached the battle with. Human, you
5:51:25fight like a true orc. We kept records
5:51:28of the battle, and you earned a
5:51:30distinction.
5:51:31Take this for your reward and turn off
5:51:33in that direction. It will take you west
5:51:36to the village of Bayberg, just across
5:51:38the border. It is the closest village
5:51:41outside the battle zone, but close to
5:51:43300 km south of the elves that sent you
5:51:45east. Carl shook his hand and smiled. It
5:51:50was a pleasure picking on the giants
5:51:51again. If we cross paths in the future,
5:51:54I look forward to having time to tell
5:51:56battle stories over drink. The orc
5:51:59laughed. You are pretty good for a
5:52:02human. Your name will be remembered, and
5:52:05not just because your mother named you
5:52:06after the human god of magic. They
5:52:09parted ways, and Carl began to jog
5:52:11towards the southwest, headed for the
5:52:13border. Now, he just needed to find a
5:52:16way back home, and his mission should be
5:52:18completed. The problem was that he
5:52:20didn't know how he got here, and there
5:52:22was no sign of the anomaly when he
5:52:24arrived, so he couldn't even go back to
5:52:26where he started to try to leave.
5:52:28If it was out of sight thousands of
5:52:30meters in the sky above a lake, going
5:52:32home was going to be a nearly impossible
5:52:34task. Carl ran for the rest of the
5:52:37evening and began to look for a good
5:52:39spot to sleep as the sun came up. That
5:52:42looks like a good spot. Cara suggested
5:52:46the target was a large sunny rock in the
5:52:48middle of the grasslands next to a
5:52:50larger pile of rocks. Carl adjusted his
5:52:53path towards Cara's targeted sleeping
5:52:55location and found that the rock was
5:52:57actually part of a destroyed temple.
5:53:00There were still paintings visible on
5:53:02some of the other stones and part of a
5:53:04doorway intact, forming a cave that
5:53:06would put him out of sight. Cara wasn't
5:53:09sold on sleeping in the dark. She liked
5:53:12to sleep on a warm stone in the sun, but
5:53:14both Rey and Remy were fans of dark
5:53:16caves for naps. Thor liked sunny spots
5:53:19as well and Hawk preferred trees. So, it
5:53:22was always going to be a split decision.
5:53:25I am going to check the inside and see
5:53:26if it's safe to sleep there. If it is,
5:53:29we can nap for a while then finish the
5:53:32trip back to Bay, Carl explained.
5:53:35Once Carl stepped through the collapsed
5:53:37entryway, he found that it was a side
5:53:39door leading to a basement level of some
5:53:41sort that appeared to be intact. It was
5:53:44cavernous and empty, as well as
5:53:46fortunately bone dry. If it had been
5:53:49full of stagnant water, they would
5:53:51definitely have been sunning themselves
5:53:52on a large rock. "Hey, this place feels
5:53:56comfortable. I think it was an
5:53:58animal-friendly temple." Remy noted as
5:54:01she exited her space to explore. The
5:54:04space certainly did feel like it was
5:54:06inviting and not hostile or filled with
5:54:08angry spirits of a maligned and
5:54:09forgotten god. The rest of the team came
5:54:12out and relaxed in the forgotten temple
5:54:14while Remy explored the ruins to see
5:54:16what she could find. There were a number
5:54:19of side rooms, all empty, but no fun
5:54:22stuff left behind. Not even a new statue
5:54:25for her altar. The last one was pretty
5:54:28good, and she still got inspiration from
5:54:30holding it. But two copies would be
5:54:32better than one. It worked that way with
5:54:34golems, so it should be the same for
5:54:36statues.
5:54:38But when she settled in to rest on the
5:54:40floor of the old temple, she could feel
5:54:42the energy of the patron deity imbued
5:54:44into every surface. Remy curled up on
5:54:47the old altar to contemplate the nature
5:54:48of her existence as a shaman princess,
5:54:51and the rest of the team left her to it.
5:54:53This was a sacred place to the beast
5:54:55gods. There was no better spot to
5:54:57understand what she had learned from the
5:54:59storm gods temple. Carl sensed that
5:55:02something was moving outside, but
5:55:04couldn't sense a power signature. So, he
5:55:06brought up his barriers and motioned for
5:55:07the team to remain in place. You should
5:55:10be safe inside.
5:55:12Just stay here for a bit while I go see
5:55:14what's going on. He informed them before
5:55:17using silent movement to creep up the
5:55:20stairs. Whatever was there would sense
5:55:22the barrier ability active, but it was
5:55:24safer than waiting until he'd walked
5:55:26into an ambush predator's trap to
5:55:28activate his defenses.
5:55:30Carl searched the area for whatever he
5:55:32had felt moving, but there didn't seem
5:55:34to be anything. There was no sense of
5:55:36threat to him, no paw prints or claw
5:55:39marks, and the long grass was still
5:55:41upright, so there shouldn't have been
5:55:42anything large in the area. Carl was
5:55:45certain that there had been something
5:55:46here, though. He just couldn't find it.
5:55:50In the distance, perhaps 50 km away, he
5:55:54could sense two beasts at the monarch or
5:55:56overlord rank fighting. In the grass
5:55:59closer to the temple, he could see a
5:56:01number of rodents at the ascended rank
5:56:02popping out of their burrows, but none
5:56:04of them would have made the sounds of
5:56:06movement that he had heard. Carl
5:56:08crouched so he wasn't visible above the
5:56:10ruins and waited. Some creatures could
5:56:13turn invisible, but very few creatures
5:56:15who could be invisible were patient
5:56:17hunters. They didn't have to be. If he
5:56:20just waited here while Remy did Remy
5:56:22things, he would find out soon enough
5:56:24what was hiding from him. He would much
5:56:27rather be sleeping, but that wasn't an
5:56:29option until he was certain that the
5:56:31area was secure. Carl closed his eyes
5:56:34and whistled softly, using echolocation
5:56:36to try to find anything that might be
5:56:38hidden from his eyes. What he found was
5:56:41nothing like he had expected. It was
5:56:44ethereal, as if only half present. But
5:56:46Carl could sense the outline of the
5:56:48temple still standing with beasts moving
5:56:50through it as naturally as if they lived
5:56:52there. But perhaps they did. No
5:56:56gathering of beasts would contain that
5:56:58many species.
5:56:59Even with the intelligence of the higher
5:57:01species, they didn't get along all that
5:57:03well. However, these ones were working
5:57:06together and even changing in and out of
5:57:08human form to take down books from the
5:57:10shelves so their claws didn't damage
5:57:12them. Haunted. The temple was haunted
5:57:16and what he had been hearing were the
5:57:18echoes of the former clerics who
5:57:19populated the location when it was still
5:57:21standing. Rey, do you see what I see?
5:57:25Carl asked. There's nothing down here.
5:57:29Maybe only the broken parts of the
5:57:31temple are weird. But Remy is doing
5:57:33strange stuff and Hawk is getting mad at
5:57:36her. Did she surround herself in a water
5:57:39shell? Carl asked, guessing what might
5:57:42have been going on during his absence.
5:57:44Oh, you got it on the first try. I made
5:57:48it too easy. It's nice down here. We
5:57:51will let you know when she's finished.
5:57:53Did he just get evicted from the
5:57:55basement while he was upstairs looking
5:57:56for intruders?
5:57:58This was a temple by beasts and for
5:58:00beasts. So whatever Remy was doing might
5:58:02work better when there were no humans
5:58:04inside. But he could also keep watch so
5:58:07that nothing interrupted Remy if she was
5:58:09really going to evolve today. Carl sat
5:58:12at the top of the steps and watched the
5:58:13spectral images of the beast clerics
5:58:15going about their daily business as if
5:58:17the temple was still operating and not
5:58:19thousands of years destroyed.
5:58:22At first, he had thought it was some
5:58:24sort of playback, a spectral image of
5:58:26their last day that they were forced to
5:58:27relive over and over. But when the
5:58:29acolyte that was headed for the field
5:58:31accidentally brushed against him, the
5:58:33feline beastkin paused, looked around,
5:58:35then shuddered, and continued about
5:58:37their day. Carl wondered if that meant
5:58:39that there was a duplicate of the temple
5:58:41somewhere else that was supposed to be
5:58:43linked to this location, but couldn't be
5:58:45because the temple itself was destroyed.
5:58:48Carl had been watching them for over an
5:58:50hour by the time that he realized that
5:58:52this was a form of closed anomaly. He
5:58:54could see the beast temple and its
5:58:56occupants, but it wasn't actually this
5:58:58temple and they were not haunted. At
5:59:01least not in the conventional sense. The
5:59:04temple layout didn't quite match the
5:59:05floor plan of the ruins here, though
5:59:07they were so close that it took him a
5:59:09while to figure it out. How they ended
5:59:12up connected by an anomaly was a
5:59:13mystery, but it didn't seem to be
5:59:15harming anything. and neither Carl nor
5:59:17his beasts had any issues with it.
5:59:20Perhaps that meant the anomaly was on
5:59:22the other side and that it couldn't be
5:59:23accessed from these ruins, but if they
5:59:26could pass through, there was no sign of
5:59:28it. However, there was a sign of power,
5:59:32a sign of a magical beast undergoing an
5:59:34advancement. Remy's whatever she was
5:59:36doing downstairs was noticeably growing
5:59:38in power. And if she kept it up a little
5:59:40longer, Carl was fairly certain that the
5:59:43last of his teammates was finally going
5:59:44to make it to the royal rank. This was a
5:59:47momentous occasion, but he got the
5:59:49feeling that he should remain outside
5:59:50the temple for the process to finish as
5:59:52smoothly as possible. But more
5:59:55importantly than that, the amount of
5:59:57power that was radiating from the
5:59:58basement of the ruins was going to be
6:00:00noticeable to beasts from dozens of
6:00:02kilome away. Most of them wouldn't mess
6:00:05with a royal rank monster even during
6:00:07their advancement. But there might be
6:00:09some close enough that had enough power
6:00:11of their own that they wouldn't fear a
6:00:13freshly advanced royal rank beast and
6:00:15they might be willing to eliminate the
6:00:17competition before Remy could finish her
6:00:19advancement.
6:00:20Of course, with the others in the
6:00:22basement with her, that wouldn't be an
6:00:24easy concept. Even the average monarch
6:00:27ranked beast would not survive a full
6:00:28minute in the tender loving care of Ray
6:00:30and Cara. While Thor wouldn't let anyone
6:00:32hurt his sister. Carl settled in to
6:00:35meditate, trying to keep as fresh as he
6:00:37could for the inevitable moment when
6:00:39things went wrong. He could sense the
6:00:41powerful residence in the distance, but
6:00:43he didn't sense them coming closer yet.
6:00:45So, there was hope that this could all
6:00:47end peacefully, but even thinking that
6:00:49gave Carla sense that a flag had been
6:00:51raised. That moment came as he felt the
6:00:54energy in the basement beginning to
6:00:55change. It was royal rank and felt like
6:00:59Remy but more. It should be the evolved
6:01:02energy of the spirit snake in whatever
6:01:04form she had decided upon. That was when
6:01:07a portal opened roughly a kilometer away
6:01:09and directly in Carl's line of sight.
6:01:13Stupid beasts. They still think that
6:01:15their gods can protect them as they
6:01:16advance.
6:01:18Let's see what we found. Carl heard the
6:01:21deep voice laughing, but the portal was
6:01:23blocking the view and they had stepped
6:01:25out the other side of it. Do you need
6:01:27help? Rey asked.
6:01:30No, I've got this. Take care of our
6:01:33small snake as she advances.
6:01:36Carl stood and put his blade tip down in
6:01:38the dirt so he could rest easy without
6:01:40having to carry the weapon. A large
6:01:43group of what might have been ogres,
6:01:45though they were more stone gray than
6:01:46fleshy looking, moved away from the
6:01:48portal and turned to face Carl. They
6:01:51began to laugh as they saw Carl. Well,
6:01:54look what we have here. Some idiot
6:01:57nature cleric thinks that he can keep us
6:01:59from taking our prize while it's Inca in
6:02:01Capu while it's weak. Carl smiled over
6:02:05the distance, separating them. Dozens
6:02:07more grey ogres along with a few dozen
6:02:10other demihumans that Carl didn't have
6:02:12names for left the portal with three
6:02:14huge cages on cart bases. They had come
6:02:17prepared to take prisoners and they
6:02:19weren't going to miss out even if there
6:02:21was more than one beast trying to
6:02:22advance at the ruined temple today. They
6:02:25were almost all commanders but with a
6:02:27pair of monarch rank leaders. That
6:02:30seemed like something that Carl could
6:02:31handle as long as he could take out the
6:02:33two leaders. When they got to a 100
6:02:36meters from Carl, they began to spread
6:02:38out, leaving a few of their members at
6:02:40the back with the wagons. The wind
6:02:43shifted and Carl smelled blood as well
6:02:45as unwashed ogres. His sharp vision
6:02:49picked out the mostly dried blood on the
6:02:50wagons as well as the smell of humans
6:02:53and elves. Neither species was here, so
6:02:56they must have been the last occupants
6:02:58of the cages.
6:02:59He looks like a capable enough fighter.
6:03:02boss will pay good money for that one,
6:03:04so don't kill him. One of the monarchs
6:03:07instructed.
6:03:08They were not in the front rank. They
6:03:10were both planning to send their minions
6:03:12forward first. It was a simple strategy.
6:03:16Weaken and exhaust him. Then they could
6:03:18bind him and claim the beast downstairs
6:03:20in the middle of its advancement when it
6:03:22was utterly helpless. Is this all that
6:03:24you could muster? You might as well turn
6:03:27around and go home. Carl informed them.
6:03:31The leaders laughed and two commander
6:03:33ranked demihumans in the back, ones with
6:03:35deep mahogany skin and glowing violet
6:03:38eyes that matched the glowing horns at
6:03:39their temples, cast a barrier over the
6:03:41ogres in the front. Carl shook his head
6:03:44in dismay. A low commander rank mage
6:03:47armor spell was not going to last long
6:03:49once this got started. "Well, trusty
6:03:52blade, are we ready?" he joked, but the
6:03:55blade actually pulsed red in
6:03:57anticipation.
6:03:59I asked the sword and it says you all
6:04:01die here today. Carl joked. The ogres in
6:04:05the front laughed, but Carl raced
6:04:07forward with chain lightning arcing from
6:04:10his fingertips.
6:04:11The first hit shattered their barriers
6:04:13and Carl followed it up with a wide
6:04:15sweep of ren as his blade arked through
6:04:18the sky. The ogres in front hit the
6:04:21ground to get under it, but the ones
6:04:22behind them had no idea what was coming
6:04:24for them until the skill biseected them.
6:04:27Carl took a deep breath as his blade
6:04:29flooded him with stolen life energy.
6:04:32That attack at full output and over such
6:04:34a large area took a lot out of him, but
6:04:36half the enemy force was gone already,
6:04:38and the mages were beginning to panic.
6:04:41Three more long steps brought him into
6:04:43melee range of the front row of ogres.
6:04:46Carl ignored them, using them as a
6:04:48stepping stone to spread chain lightning
6:04:51as he went for the mages. Hastily
6:04:54erected barriers shattered like glass
6:04:56under the flames as the blade descended
6:04:58and the first mage fell. Go for the
6:05:00beast. We will deal with the human. The
6:05:03monarch who had spoken earlier
6:05:05instructed his slavers. The back swing
6:05:08of Carl's blade eliminated the other
6:05:10mage in an arc of black blood, leaving
6:05:12Carl free to face his real targets. I
6:05:15warned you, didn't I? You can still run
6:05:18away and live. He warned them. Oh, a
6:05:22feisty human. The slave masters at the
6:05:25market will have a field day with you
6:05:27once we lock away your system skills.
6:05:30The ogre laughed. Carl spared a bit of
6:05:33attention for the entry of the cave to
6:05:35see if Ry was ready for the attack, but
6:05:37none of the ogres had gotten up. Nothing
6:05:40had survived the lightning. I think you
6:05:42might have misjudged your situation. You
6:05:45don't have a team left. Carl laughed as
6:05:48he felt Remy's exaltant cheering in his
6:05:50mind.
6:05:52She was finished with her advancement,
6:05:53and they were almost ready to start
6:05:55moving. She just had to get used to the
6:05:58changes in her body. Carl's blade
6:06:01twirled, creating a field of fire from
6:06:03flaming body that acted as a shield as
6:06:06the ogres launched their first attacks.
6:06:08Two rapid steps to the side, and Carl
6:06:11used Shred to launch an attack at the
6:06:14flank of his closest opponent. The skill
6:06:16only cut a shallow line in the thick
6:06:18height of the ogre, but it stretched
6:06:20across its back, which would make every
6:06:22swing ache. The other ogre hurled a
6:06:25spear at Carl too fast for him to dodge,
6:06:27but the obsidian head of the weapon
6:06:29slammed into his armor with a clang,
6:06:31while the outer shell of flaming body
6:06:33was pierced, but under that eternal
6:06:35lightning was only vibrating, and then
6:06:38the spear was tossed to the ground. Carl
6:06:41stomped on the spearhead, shattering the
6:06:43fragile stone so it couldn't be reused,
6:06:45and let a cruel laugh escape the
6:06:47confines of his helmet. Not because he
6:06:50was feeling enthusiastic.
6:06:52If they kept up those attacks, he was in
6:06:54real trouble, and he knew it, but to
6:06:57taunt the ogre and make the dim-witted
6:06:59creature do something stupid. A stone
6:07:02blade came crashing down where Carl had
6:07:04been standing as he charged his target,
6:07:06and the tip of his blade met ogre flesh,
6:07:08burning and searing it as the monarch
6:07:10rank monster's defensive abilities kept
6:07:12it from being run clean through. Then
6:07:15Carl kicked at the back of the beast's
6:07:17legs as hard as he could manage. The
6:07:19unexpected strike caught the ogre off
6:07:21guard and threw it to the ground, where
6:07:23it rolled backwards across the grass to
6:07:25avoid a follow-up strike. The remaining
6:07:28ogre snarled something in their language
6:07:30as it summoned another spear to throw at
6:07:32Carl. The wounded member went running
6:07:34for the basement, so Carl stopped
6:07:36focusing on it. If that was where it
6:07:39really wanted to be, it was welcome to
6:07:41try. But before either of them could
6:07:44make another attack, a deep blue bolt of
6:07:46lightning struck the monarch rank ogre
6:07:48in front of Carl, killing it instantly.
6:07:51Next to the temple, a pair of griffins
6:07:53stepped out of nowhere, their elegant
6:07:55white feathered wings flaring in rage as
6:07:57they threw their heads to the sky. The
6:08:00final ogre turned and fled, leaving the
6:08:02cages and closing the portal behind it
6:08:04as it left. The battle was over, but the
6:08:07look that the two monsters were giving
6:08:08Carl was enough to encourage him not to
6:08:10take even a single step closer. They
6:08:13were, at the very minimum, strong
6:08:16overlords.
6:08:17He was reasonably sure that even Thor's
6:08:19formidable protection would not take one
6:08:21of those lightning bolts. Fortunately
6:08:24for Carl, he didn't have to find out.
6:08:27From the basement steps, a gigantic
6:08:29serpentine form emerged. The hooded head
6:08:32of a naga was decorated with a veil of
6:08:34shining rocks woven into a black silk
6:08:37veil that nearly blended in with the
6:08:38patterns on Remy's blue scales. As she
6:08:41stretched her newly evolved body
6:08:43upright, Carl saw that she now had a
6:08:45nearly humanoid, but serpentine-caled
6:08:48upper body. She kept the head of a
6:08:50snake, but had gained four arms. Four
6:08:54arms that now all held blades and had
6:08:56enchanted jewelry on their wrists, while
6:08:58her chest was hidden by a golden armor
6:09:00plate covered in black chains. That was
6:09:03a familiar feeling outfit. Carl decided
6:09:06Remy had learned how to use bestial
6:09:09rayment, his armor spell, and she had
6:09:11used it to make her queenly attire.
6:09:14Three smaller Naga warriors appeared
6:09:16around her, spears in hand. It was an
6:09:19innate skill of the Naga queens to
6:09:20summon bodyguards, and Remy's had taken
6:09:23on her coloration, but with all black
6:09:25armor. Congratulations, Naga Queen. It
6:09:29has been a long time since an adherent
6:09:31of the old gods has advanced here. I see
6:09:34you brought many friends with you. The
6:09:37Griffin's voice boomed in Carl's mind.
6:09:40Remy smiled happily. Thank you for
6:09:43coming to my assistance. I love this new
6:09:45body, but it took some time to get used
6:09:47to, and we were delayed in coming to
6:09:49help our final pack member. The griffins
6:09:52gave Carl suspicious looks, then seemed
6:09:54to shrug. If you say that a human is
6:09:57trustworthy, we will believe you. The
6:10:00others will be excited to hear that a
6:10:02new shaman queen has been born today,
6:10:04and they will be certain to reward you
6:10:05in their own ways. The griffins looked
6:10:08upward at something that Carl couldn't
6:10:10see, then spread their wings. Your time
6:10:13here is done for today, but we will see
6:10:16you again soon enough. Carl wasn't
6:10:19certain what they meant until the
6:10:20impenetrable white fog began to descend
6:10:22over them. The beasts were forced into
6:10:25their spaces and the bodyguards were
6:10:27dismissed along with Ray's golems. It
6:10:30was a shame that they hadn't gotten a
6:10:32chance to fight. Carl was interested to
6:10:35see how Remy's bodyguard stacked up
6:10:37against Ray's golems. I wonder if we're
6:10:40going skydiving again. Rey pondered as
6:10:43the world seemed to vanish around them.
6:10:46Skydiving sounds fun. What is it? Cara
6:10:50asked. The two started on a profound
6:10:53discussion of the benefits of dropping
6:10:54indestructible objects from the sky on
6:10:56your opponents, but the world was
6:10:58already coming back into focus. Only
6:11:01Carl still had no idea where he was.
6:11:04They were in a room made of white marble
6:11:06with a well-worn wooden floor, and they
6:11:08were surrounded by clerics.
6:11:10But it wasn't the capital cathedral, and
6:11:12Carl could have sworn that he could see
6:11:14tails swishing out of many of the robes
6:11:16and horns on heads. In a strange unison,
6:11:20the chatter in the room faded, and
6:11:22everyone turned to face Carl, who was
6:11:24covered in black ogre blood and still
6:11:26holding a massive flaming sword.
6:11:28"Sorry,"
6:11:30he muttered as he put the blade away,
6:11:32but everyone was still staring at him.
6:11:34"Sir, do you need assistance?
6:11:37Where are you injured?" One of the
6:11:40clerics stammered. "Oh, sorry. Thank you
6:11:44for the healing, but I'm not injured.
6:11:47This isn't my blood.
6:11:49I was trying to return home through an
6:11:50anomaly and for some reason it brought
6:11:52me here. Wherever here is. The clerics
6:11:56were still staring at him, unsure if
6:11:58they were supposed to answer, run away
6:12:00in terror, possibly fight him, or douse
6:12:03him with holy water. A familiar voice
6:12:06came from Carl's left. Prince Carl of
6:12:09the Golden Dragon Nation. Carl turned
6:12:12and nodded. I am. Might I ask again
6:12:16where I happen to end up? The priest
6:12:18smiled and his eyes went fully bronze
6:12:21and slotted like a dragon's eyes. There
6:12:24were bronze horns on his head and he was
6:12:26almost guaranteed to be in charge here
6:12:28with his overlord rank power. I suppose
6:12:31you don't recognize me like this as I
6:12:33have changed appearances since we last
6:12:35met. I am Orthos,
6:12:38formerly the town champion of the dark
6:12:40light host in Banga and a purebred
6:12:42bronze dragon. Welcome to Bruise Temple.
6:12:46Well, fancy that. I didn't think I would
6:12:49be seeing you again this week. I was on
6:12:52my way back to Bayberg after a quest
6:12:54sent me east out of Glatt. The last of
6:12:57my beasts reached royal rank and it sent
6:12:59me here. I am impressed that you could
6:13:02hide your power that well. I could have
6:13:05sworn that I was the stronger of the two
6:13:07of us when we last met. Carl laughed.
6:13:10The dragon threw his head back and gave
6:13:12a full-froed draconic laugh that shook
6:13:15the walls of the temple. You might have
6:13:17been close back then, but that was well
6:13:20over 10,000 years ago. However, a bronze
6:13:24dragon remembers every moment of their
6:13:26life as clearly as if it were yesterday.
6:13:28And I have not forgotten the beast
6:13:29master war champion who accepts duels
6:13:31over his rank. Wait, so Bunga is
6:13:34somewhere nearby? Carl asked. No, it's
6:13:39on another continent. I'm not certain
6:13:42how much it has changed. I haven't been
6:13:44there in thousands of years. Not since
6:13:46the last of the system collapsed and I
6:13:49moved to the divine beast nation to be
6:13:51with my kinfolk.
6:13:52It seems that we have a lot to talk
6:13:54about. Or at least I have many questions
6:13:57for you. But first, where is Bru Temple?
6:14:01In the Flockw River region of the Divine
6:14:04Beast Nation. I do hope that you weren't
6:14:07in a hurry to leave human beast master.
6:14:10That could be problematic.
6:14:12Well, that did explain the room full of
6:14:14beast kin giving him strange looks.
6:14:17Carl side. The divine beast nation had
6:14:21always sounded like an area that was
6:14:22just a monster wilderness. But it should
6:14:24have occurred to Carl that dragons and
6:14:26most other powerful divine beasts could
6:14:29shapeshift.
6:14:30It also made sense that they would
6:14:32welcome the beast kin in their nation as
6:14:34those species were at least half beast
6:14:36anyhow. Most of the ones here were fully
6:14:39furred despite being humanoid.
6:14:42Not like Overlord Ahmad who just had cat
6:14:44ears, most of these had animal-shaped
6:14:46heads and fur or scales everywhere. They
6:14:50were actually rather adorable when they
6:14:51were nervous. From beside Carl, there
6:14:54was a soft chuckle and an elderly
6:14:56werebear woman smiled down at him. You
6:14:59can all relax. The human isn't going to
6:15:02attack. Though with the way that he
6:15:04looks at swishing tails, he might be
6:15:07dangerous in an entirely different way,
6:15:09she declared. The werebear laughed at
6:15:12her own joke, and most of the clerics
6:15:14gave Carl a strange look, but he could
6:15:16see that a few of them were walking with
6:15:18extra sway in their hips. One of the
6:15:21male priests, a man with small round
6:15:23ears and black streaks in the light
6:15:25brown fur on his head, frowned at Carl.
6:15:28Are we sure that it's safe to have a
6:15:30foreign predator here? This place is a
6:15:33safe spot for the clerics of the beast
6:15:34gods, not for hosting international
6:15:37guests, he suggested quietly.
6:15:40Would it help if I brought out a friend
6:15:42who recently advanced with the help of
6:15:44the beast gods? She even did so in the
6:15:47old temple northeast of Bberg. It might
6:15:50have been in ruins, but the link to the
6:15:52gods was still there as they sent a pair
6:15:54of griffins to defend her when the
6:15:55Miascan slavers attacked.
6:15:58Orthos the dragon looked skeptical.
6:16:01You needed help to defend against a
6:16:03group of slavers. Carl shook his head.
6:16:06No, but it's the thought that counts.
6:16:09But that temple was an interesting one.
6:16:12I could sense the anomaly there that
6:16:14linked it to another temple, one that
6:16:16was very similar, but not quite the same
6:16:18layout. If you go there and check with a
6:16:21collocation, you should find it. Orthos
6:16:24looked excited. The temple was still
6:16:27linked after its destruction. That is
6:16:29wonderful news. I will have a team sent
6:16:32there immediately with at least one bat.
6:16:35They should find your anomaly if it's
6:16:37still active. The squirrel cleric with
6:16:40the striped head frowned at the excited
6:16:42dragon. You can't think that there is a
6:16:44chance to link directly with the old
6:16:46gods again. Orthos shrugged as if he
6:16:49didn't care either way, but Carl had
6:16:51questions.
6:16:53Why wouldn't that be possible? I could
6:16:55swear that I have heard the gods speak
6:16:57more than once. The most recent time was
6:17:00a warning that the people in Ortho's
6:17:02town were real and not just instance
6:17:04mobs that I could slaughter for loot and
6:17:06food. But the time before that, they
6:17:08were mocking me for making an odd choice
6:17:10inside a trial instance. Instead of
6:17:13trying to walk up or down the stairs, I
6:17:16jumped straight in the air to see what
6:17:17would happen. What did happen? Orthos
6:17:21asked. I landed on the same step I
6:17:24jumped from and got laughed at. But I
6:17:26would like to think that it positively
6:17:28influenced their decision when it came
6:17:30time for the instance rewards. The
6:17:32squirrel man did not look convinced. Can
6:17:35you bring out this favored beast for us
6:17:37to meet? Remy, want to come and meet
6:17:40people? Remy perked up and cast her
6:17:43armor spell, getting prepared in her
6:17:45finery for meeting new people. But Cara
6:17:48was much more excited. Can I come out
6:17:51and meet people, too? I have never
6:17:53gotten to meet new people. Once they've
6:17:56gotten used to Remy, you can come out.
6:17:59This is a Divine Beast nation. I would
6:18:01say that you're likely more welcome here
6:18:03than I am. Remy exited her space once
6:18:06she was happy with the appearance of her
6:18:08armor and the crown on her head. Her
6:18:10torso was a good bit larger than Carl's
6:18:13now, nearly as big as Oilia's inbear
6:18:15form, but more slender. Her forearms
6:18:19were slightly offset with the lower set
6:18:21being behind the upper so they could all
6:18:23rest comfortably at her side if she
6:18:25wasn't so excited and waving to the new
6:18:27people. Hello, I am Remy. Good to meet
6:18:31you all. Her voice was a hissing that
6:18:34Carl recognized from the dungeon where
6:18:36she was found. The clerics mostly nodded
6:18:39politely and her enthusiasm began to
6:18:41fade. She says her name is Remy and
6:18:44she's happy to meet everyone. I am
6:18:47sorry, young shaman queen. Most of them
6:18:49don't speak Naga. Orthos translated.
6:18:53Some of the clerics called for others,
6:18:55and a few Lameia women came forward to
6:18:58meet Remy. The Naga were considered an
6:19:00univilized species.
6:19:03Somewhat intelligent, but still
6:19:05instinctive monsters, and even when
6:19:07transformed, they were incapable of
6:19:08human speech. Alamia, on the other hand,
6:19:12had a more human head and upper body,
6:19:14and they could speak the common
6:19:15languages used in the temples, as well
6:19:17as the serpent tongues. Princess Remy,
6:19:21or do we call you Queen Remy because of
6:19:23your species? Either way, welcome to the
6:19:26temple of the beast gods. One of them
6:19:28greeted in the same language Remy used
6:19:31out loud. The two began to talk rapidly
6:19:34enough that the others were having
6:19:35trouble following them. Then they moved
6:19:37forward to hug each other before the
6:19:38Lameia began to give Remy a tour of the
6:19:41temple's highlights.
6:19:43Well, I think they will be busy for a
6:19:44few minutes. Is it all right if the
6:19:47others come out? I know they're not
6:19:49divine beasts with human forms, but
6:19:52they're all eager to see the place with
6:19:53their own eyes. Carl asked. Of course.
6:19:58We would also like to know more about
6:20:00your team. Orthos replied. Carl paused.
6:20:06The dragon made a good point. At this
6:20:08time, he was not in a friendly nation
6:20:11and most likely was not particularly
6:20:13safe. If they tried to do something to
6:20:15mess with the bonds, he could be in
6:20:17trouble. Relax, young beast master.
6:20:21We're not going to try to steal your
6:20:23friends. We just want to meet everyone
6:20:26and make a proper report. Many in our
6:20:29nation have been curious about you since
6:20:30the war with the giants broke out,"
6:20:33Ortho explained.
6:20:35on one condition. I have a question
6:20:38about how there were so many system
6:20:40users 10,000 years ago when I was told
6:20:42that the system had faded over a 100,000
6:20:45years earlier. Carl replied, hoping to
6:20:48make a trade. Ortho smiled. That is
6:20:52information that I can give you, and the
6:20:54answer is actually a simple one. You
6:20:57see, 10,000 years ago, there was a
6:20:59resurgence in the presence of the
6:21:01dungeons. We don't know for certain what
6:21:04caused it. Perhaps the world dragon
6:21:06testing us to see if we could meet some
6:21:07standard to get a new world dragon scale
6:21:09or set of system stones. But for that
6:21:12thousand years or so while the dungeons
6:21:14were active, the continent had nearly as
6:21:17many system users as the old days. Then
6:21:20the dungeons faded and only a handful of
6:21:23long-ived creatures remained. There were
6:21:25elves that lived a bit longer and could
6:21:27help their children awaken, but their
6:21:29children lacked that ability. on this
6:21:32continent. It faded nearly as fast as it
6:21:34had appeared. You see, all of the
6:21:37dungeons that appeared here during that
6:21:39time were common grade. Nothing powerful
6:21:42managed to awaken the system by
6:21:44completing a dungeon. They were too far
6:21:46beyond the level for it to reward them.
6:21:48So, the resurgence came and went, and
6:21:51the presence of system users became an
6:21:53urban legend. Tales of heroes and
6:21:55champions of the churches and armies
6:21:56that faded into the founding myths of
6:21:58the nations that came after. Carl
6:22:01sighed. It would have saved me so much
6:22:04research time if whoever wrote my
6:22:05textbooks had just asked you. The dragon
6:22:08rumbled with laughter. What makes you
6:22:11think I would have told them? I wouldn't
6:22:13have told you, but you were there to see
6:22:15it, and I despise misinformation.
6:22:18Carl nodded in understanding.
6:22:21Once upon a time, the dragon had been
6:22:23aligned with the dark light host and the
6:22:25largely human population of the area
6:22:27where Carl had landed. But that was a
6:22:30long time ago, and he had no incentive
6:22:32to remind the humans now of the truth
6:22:34about the past. All right, everyone can
6:22:37come out and say hello. Thor, no
6:22:40flirting with the priestesses.
6:22:42Rey, no eating anyone. Cara laughed. You
6:22:47people are way more fun than I expected.
6:22:50I'm going to go poke the dragon. And
6:22:53poke the dragon is precisely what she
6:22:55did. As soon as she left the space, Cara
6:22:58flapped her wings and extended one black
6:23:00claw to poke orthos in the nose. Then
6:23:02she flew away across the room, laughing
6:23:04as the clerics tried to at least track
6:23:06the chaos gremlin in badger form as she
6:23:08explored. The ancient dragon simply
6:23:11stared after her in shock, unable to
6:23:13process the fact that he had been booped
6:23:15by a juvenile void badger. That creature
6:23:18is not afraid of anything, is she? I
6:23:21could eat her in one bite. Orthos
6:23:24growled as Ka Dove threw a slime monster
6:23:26priest as she evaded capture. They were
6:23:29making a valiant effort to capture her,
6:23:31but now that she was covered in slime,
6:23:33even when they could get a hand on her,
6:23:35they couldn't get a grip, and she would
6:23:37just fly off to explore another room,
6:23:39leaving slippery blue footprints
6:23:41everywhere. It was utter chaos. But
6:23:44other than avoiding capture, Cara was
6:23:46pointedly ignoring the clerics. Rey made
6:23:49herself silk socks for the end of her
6:23:51legs so she didn't destroy the floor.
6:23:53And then she also began to wander, but
6:23:55by using her silk to lift herself to the
6:23:57second floor where the acolytes were
6:23:59watching from. They are under control,
6:24:02right? Orthos asked nervously as he
6:24:05watched the nonsensical scene in his
6:24:06temple. This was a beast god temple, but
6:24:10not all beasts were capable of rational
6:24:12thought.
6:24:13Yeah, they won't hurt anyone. They just
6:24:15want to explore. They spend too much
6:24:18time in their own spaces, and they need
6:24:20to stretch out now and then. Well, most
6:24:23of them, Carl amended. Thor had settled
6:24:27onto the floor so that the clerics could
6:24:29pat him and take measurements. A
6:24:32commander rank lightning ser was rare,
6:24:34but a mutated royal rank lightning sero
6:24:36that gave off holy energy was a unique
6:24:39find.
6:24:40However, the examination process came
6:24:42with cleric stroking his scales, patting
6:24:45his head, feeding him snacks, and
6:24:47praising him. In short, Thor had no
6:24:50intentions of moving. "Does the
6:24:52bloodbath spider enjoy terrifying
6:24:54children?" Orthos asked as he looked up
6:24:57at the balcony. "Not just children, she
6:25:00just loves terrifying people in general.
6:25:03But I think she's going to make them
6:25:05some sort of playground.
6:25:07At least that's what it looks like.
6:25:09You can take it down later, Carl
6:25:12explained. The dragon smirked up at the
6:25:15balcony as Ry started to make a silk
6:25:17play area for the acolytes.
6:25:19Fortunately for me, I am an elder of the
6:25:22church. It is not my job to take down
6:25:24decorations or clean the upper floors of
6:25:27the temple. However, adding that Net
6:25:30just made it a lot more tempting to
6:25:31order them to thoroughly clean the
6:25:33fresco paintings. Ortho joked. Carl
6:25:37looked up and realized that the entire
6:25:39ceiling was covered in ancient murals
6:25:41that portrayed either religious or
6:25:42historical events as he wasn't familiar
6:25:45with either. It could be both. Damaging
6:25:48one was unthinkable, but every decade or
6:25:51so, they would need to be carefully
6:25:53cleaned so that the colors didn't fade
6:25:54and a fresh coat of clear protectant
6:25:56could be applied to any spots that had
6:25:58flaked. Like Carl, who hadn't realized
6:26:01they were there, the clergy rarely
6:26:03looked up at them. They were more for
6:26:05visitors than the daily residents, but
6:26:07with the acolytes playing up there,
6:26:09someone was bound to notice that there
6:26:11were spots that could use some cleaning.
6:26:14After a few minutes of exploring, Cara
6:26:16was the first to call it quits. People
6:26:19kept bothering her, but now she had the
6:26:21perfect defense mechanism.
6:26:23She could just go back to her space and
6:26:25watch them while they couldn't see her.
6:26:28For the solitude loving badger, this was
6:26:30possibly the greatest thing that ever
6:26:32happened to her. She could now speak
6:26:35with nobody but family while still
6:26:37watching everything that happened around
6:26:38her. Did the void badger, Cara, I
6:26:42believe you named her, retreat to her
6:26:43space? One of the clerics asked, "Yes,
6:26:48Cara is her name." Unlike the others who
6:26:51I got as infants, she had already picked
6:26:53a name when we met. Carl explained.
6:26:57So, your class lets you capture older
6:26:59beasts as well. Carl shook his head.
6:27:03I can't capture them at all. I brought
6:27:06the others in as eggs and we bonded when
6:27:08they hatched. Cara stayed for the
6:27:11buffet. That made both the cleric and
6:27:14Cara laugh. The bond was solid now, but
6:27:17when she had first awakened in a space,
6:27:19she could have chosen to leave and fight
6:27:21off the effects of the class ability
6:27:23bonding her. Is that how it works? One
6:27:27of the younger acolytes asked. Carl
6:27:30reached into Cara's space and cut a
6:27:32small strip of meat from the roast pig,
6:27:34then held it out for her. Ooh, meat.
6:27:37Thank you. The acolyte gobbled down the
6:27:40snack and Carl patted her head while the
6:27:42older clerics face bombed. All right, I
6:27:46see your point. Sometimes our nature can
6:27:49be used against us. Once she finished
6:27:52eating, the acolyte realized that was
6:27:54precisely how Carl had convinced Cara to
6:27:56stay, and that she had fallen for it as
6:27:58well.
6:27:59You're not going to try to take any of
6:28:01our clerics, are you? An older woman
6:28:04asked suspiciously.
6:28:06I have no idea where the cutoff is, but
6:28:08one of my beasts tried to claim a human
6:28:10for the team, and it didn't work. So, I
6:28:14suspect that most or all of these
6:28:15demihumans would not be considered
6:28:17beasts by the system, even if I wanted
6:28:19to try. Ortho's eyes lit up with
6:28:22excitement. Do you happen to have a
6:28:24piece of equipment that you obtained
6:28:26while you were sent back through time?
6:28:28Did anyone grab any loot while we were
6:28:30there? I don't really want to give him
6:28:33my bracelet for whatever experiment he's
6:28:35got going on, Carl asked. Oh, yeah. I've
6:28:40got lots. They're tasty. Cara announced.
6:28:45Carl had thought she was just gathering
6:28:46random bits from the battlefield, but
6:28:48she had been cutting limbs with magical
6:28:50items from the fallen giants. All of the
6:28:53bits in the pile at the edge of her
6:28:55space had a magical item on them.
6:28:57You can eat that. Cara nodded happily.
6:29:01Void badgers have a strong stomach.
6:29:04Magical items are good for growth, but
6:29:07not really worth going to look for.
6:29:09Here, you can have this ring. I've got
6:29:12too many of that flavor. Carl took the
6:29:15giant strength ring and handed it to the
6:29:17dragon. Yes, this is perfect. The system
6:29:22stats are still active on it, he
6:29:24declared, then slid it on his finger. He
6:29:28blinked a few times as a smile grew on
6:29:30his face. Yes, that is perfect. The
6:29:33system interface refreshed.
6:29:36Thank you for this. Do you mind if I
6:29:38hold on to it for a while? Orthos asked.
6:29:42Only if you tell me honestly what you
6:29:44want it for. It's just a giant strength
6:29:47ring. They make new ones every year.
6:29:51Orthos tilted his chin toward where the
6:29:53children were playing with Ry. System
6:29:56imbued items like this one have a chance
6:29:58of awakening the children the same way
6:30:00that your divine injection does. If the
6:30:03children wear it, there is a chance for
6:30:05them to awaken a class until the effect
6:30:07of the old times fades. Carl nodded. So
6:30:11that is how you kept awakening more
6:30:13systems during the first generation or
6:30:15two after it couldn't happen naturally.
6:30:17Then eventually the system energy must
6:30:19have only brought partial effects or no
6:30:22effects at all. I am glad you catch on
6:30:25quickly. Your stay here might not be so
6:30:28bad. Carl frowned. I have half a year
6:30:32left on a contract with the red dragon
6:30:34that requires me to stay near my
6:30:35teammates and do something that pleases
6:30:37her every few months. We've already been
6:30:40separated for a while during the time
6:30:42that I was gone. Orthos was a dragon. He
6:30:45had to understand. Or so Carl hoped. We
6:30:50will work on something. The beast gods
6:30:52and the dragon clerics don't always get
6:30:54along, but the red dragon should
6:30:56understand that you are unavoidably
6:30:58detained and not deliberately leaving
6:30:59them behind. How did you know that was
6:31:02the terms of the contract? Carl asked.
6:31:06Bronze Dragon. It's part of our thing.
6:31:10He was going to have to accept that as
6:31:12an answer for now because it didn't seem
6:31:13like Orthos was going to give him more
6:31:15answers or let him just walk out of here
6:31:17and into the divine beast nation's
6:31:19wilderness.
6:31:21Their conversation was interrupted when
6:31:22a commotion at the other end of the
6:31:24temple turned into an argument in
6:31:26serpent. Carl sighed and turned to see
6:31:28what was going on as Orthos hid his
6:31:30laughter behind his sleeve. Remy had a
6:31:33small furry acolyte and she had raised
6:31:36her body to keep the child out of the
6:31:37reach of the guardian clerics that were
6:31:39trying to take her back to whatever
6:31:40passed for daycare here. What are you
6:31:43doing, Remy? This creature is
6:31:46fascinating.
6:31:47She's half dragon and half catgirl.
6:31:50And why are you keeping her away from
6:31:52the clerics? Because it's funny. Plus,
6:31:56I'm a queen now. Queens get to do what
6:31:58they want, right? Your species is queen,
6:32:02but you're still a princess.
6:32:04You should likely give them the child.
6:32:07Instead of handing the child over, Remy
6:32:09used her lower arms and her elongated
6:32:11body to climb one of the pillars and
6:32:13escaped to the upper floor with a group
6:32:15of clerics chasing after her. I will
6:32:18give her a timeout once she puts the
6:32:19child back in bed. Sorry, she had never
6:32:23seen whatever species that is before.
6:32:26The father was a dragon kin from the
6:32:27western regions and the mother is a
6:32:29felion, one of the cat women. But a
6:32:32winged beast kin with fur is quite
6:32:34uncommon, especially when they're not
6:32:36bats. The little one gets a lot of
6:32:39attention, and I do fear that we're
6:32:41spoiling her without teaching her about
6:32:42stranger danger. If Remy hadn't been
6:32:45friendly, she could have been injured or
6:32:47abducted by a visiting beast. A few
6:32:50seconds later, the shouting turned to
6:32:52laughing, and Remy came racing back down
6:32:54the hallway and around the spiral
6:32:56staircase, this time holding a
6:32:58full-grown priestess. It was awkward,
6:33:01but with four arms, Remy could hold her
6:33:03no problem, and the Naga queen was
6:33:05surprisingly strong. Carl was used to
6:33:08thinking of her as a small snake, but
6:33:10she wasn't anymore.
6:33:12well, for another 5 seconds before she
6:33:15put the cleric on the ground and turned
6:33:17back into a small spirit snake to escape
6:33:19up Carl's side, seeking protection on
6:33:21his shoulders. Your Naga friend is
6:33:24insane. The priestess that Remy had been
6:33:27carrying insisted. In her defense, she
6:33:30literally got arms a day ago. If they're
6:33:33not for cuddling small, furry creatures,
6:33:35what is the point of having arms? Carl
6:33:38replied.
6:33:40Most of the clerics in the room laughed
6:33:42and some sort of large beast outside
6:33:44rumbled in amusement. The cleric gave
6:33:47him a skeptical look and Carl gently
6:33:49stroked Remy's head. Fine, point taken.
6:33:53Sometimes we forget how excited the
6:33:55youngsters are to see new things. The
6:33:58priestess sighed. Pat the head for good
6:34:01luck. Carl didn't question the voice in
6:34:04his mind as he patted the beastkin
6:34:06woman's soft furred head. Even if it
6:34:08didn't bring good luck, it was totally
6:34:10worth it. The long bunny ears were so
6:34:13soft. G, he got me. I let my guard down
6:34:17because he was human, but he did it. She
6:34:20complained. Is that some sort of running
6:34:23thing? I heard a suggestion that it was
6:34:26good luck. Carl asked. The clerics went
6:34:30silent and Carl turned to Orthos.
6:34:33Did I say something strange? The dragon
6:34:36shook his head.
6:34:38No, but you might have really heard the
6:34:40voice of the gods. They have a
6:34:42particular fondness for messing with
6:34:44rabbit related beasts and beastkin.
6:34:47Even in the time when you saw me last,
6:34:49there was a superstition that gently
6:34:51touching their ears brought good luck.
6:34:53But you see, their ears are very
6:34:55sensitive, and depending on how you
6:34:57touch them, it can be an erogynous zone.
6:35:00Carl bowed to the priestess.
6:35:03Sorry, I didn't know it was sexual
6:35:05harassment.
6:35:06Padding as a form of friendly
6:35:08encouragement is pretty common for me.
6:35:10Thor loves it. Some of the other clerics
6:35:14who have been in charge of his
6:35:15measurements smiled at the memory. Thor
6:35:17aggressively loved head pats and most
6:35:19other forms of affection. He was
6:35:22currently outside having his scales
6:35:24polished and scrubbed with sand. Ry
6:35:27returned to her space to let the
6:35:28children play, and the clerics began to
6:35:31relax.
6:35:32Nobody could view Thor as a threat, and
6:35:34the only other outsiders around now were
6:35:36Remy and Carl. And Remy had the favor of
6:35:39the beast gods, even if she was
6:35:40troublesome.
6:35:42Princess Remy, can you tell us what god
6:35:44favored you when you evolved? Orthos
6:35:47asked, "Tell them lucky statue lady came
6:35:50to visit me. She has a statue of a
6:35:53pregnant giant that I believe is one of
6:35:56the titan shaman gods." She says the
6:35:59statue lady was the one. Carl gently
6:36:02removed the statue from her space and
6:36:04took it out to show the dragon.
6:36:06Fascinating.
6:36:08So, a shaman god helped her evolve in a
6:36:11beast god temple. That isn't something
6:36:13that I had expected. But the primordial
6:36:16gods are supporters of both beasts and
6:36:18titans, though they fell from favor when
6:36:20the new pantheons of beast and titan
6:36:22gods were formed. So, it's not
6:36:25inconceivable that she would favor a
6:36:27shaman who wasn't of the giant tribes,
6:36:29but it is unexpected.
6:36:32Where did Remy get that statue from? Did
6:36:34she make it herself? Orthos asked. Carl
6:36:39shook his head and put the statue away
6:36:41while Remy laughed. No, it was attached
6:36:44to a spell to summon clones of frost
6:36:46giants along with a large frost stone.
6:36:50We were aiming to break the spell, so we
6:36:52stole the focal object, which was that
6:36:54statue, and it caused the frost stone to
6:36:56shatter, Carl explained.
6:36:59You didn't stop the spell first. One of
6:37:02the clerics gasped in shock. Wait, there
6:37:06was an off switch. The clerics looked at
6:37:09him as if he were crazy. All you had to
6:37:12do was tip over the frost stone. It's
6:37:14the power source, so the spell would
6:37:16have naturally ended when you removed
6:37:18it.
6:37:19I'm surprised that removing the statue
6:37:21or destroying the circle didn't cause a
6:37:23massive explosion. The priest on Carl's
6:37:26right explained.
6:37:28Remy was laughing so hard she almost
6:37:30slid off Carl's shoulder. Oh, there was
6:37:33an explosion.
6:37:35A rather sizable one. Carl explained.
6:37:39One of the priestesses in the back
6:37:41snapped her fingers. I know where you
6:37:43got the statue. the spot along the
6:37:46border just north of where the magma
6:37:48dragon appeared from. There was an
6:37:50explosion that sent a cloud of frost
6:37:52magic high into the sky. Our scout saw
6:37:56it from wooden temple. Carl whistled in
6:37:59appreciation.
6:38:00Now that's a good range. We didn't get a
6:38:03good view being as close to the blast as
6:38:06we were. You were still nearby when it
6:38:08exploded? The priest asked. We were
6:38:12still getting clear of the crater that
6:38:14the stone was in when it exploded. Even
6:38:17with commander rank barriers, there were
6:38:19injuries. The priest and Orthos nodded
6:38:22in understanding.
6:38:24The explosion was huge but not
6:38:26contained, so it was lower damage over a
6:38:28much larger area than if it had been
6:38:30indoors. "Is it true that you challenged
6:38:33a royal rank frost giant at commander
6:38:35rank?" One of the priestesses asked,
6:38:38sliding up beside Carl so he could pet
6:38:40her fluffy cat ears. That was clearly a
6:38:43bribe to trick him into giving away
6:38:45secrets. But it wasn't really a secret
6:38:47that he had taken out a royal rank frost
6:38:49giant. It had been on the news. Let me
6:38:52regail you with the tale of an
6:38:54investigation gone wrong or successfully
6:38:56failed, as you might say. Carl began. A
6:39:01well-ld story was as important as the
6:39:03actual details, and the clerics were all
6:39:05eager to hear all about the war between
6:39:07the Golden Dragon Nation and the Giants.
6:39:10Carl ended up seated on the ground by
6:39:12the altar with a semicircle of acolytes
6:39:15in front of him, invested in his stories
6:39:17of the battle zones along the border and
6:39:19of his adventures in the time regressed
6:39:21instance. That one was their favorite.
6:39:24Not only was there the story of saving
6:39:26elven children, the Grand Priest Orthos
6:39:29could even confirm some parts of it
6:39:30personally, as he had been there for it.
6:39:33What was better than a hero story that
6:39:35you knew was true. So, if you just stand
6:39:38there and don't flinch, the orcs will
6:39:40respect your bravery and not just run
6:39:42you over. One of the acolytes, a boy
6:39:45about 4 years old, asked, "That's right.
6:39:49If you have the strength, orcs will
6:39:51respect it. Then you just have to prove
6:39:54to them that you're not bluffing. I hear
6:39:57that the clerics of the beasts gods are
6:39:58outstanding fighters. So if you grow up
6:40:01big and strong like anti-sl over there,
6:40:03you can make them respect you. Then you
6:40:06can join them to beat up the bad guys
6:40:08and rescue the prisoners. The reptilian
6:40:11clerics laughed as sslich, the way Carl
6:40:14had pronounced it was just the word for
6:40:16lameia in their language. With a
6:40:19different inflection, it was naga. And
6:40:21the clerics were surprised that Carl had
6:40:23gotten it right despite not speaking the
6:40:25language. Carl launched into the story
6:40:28of defeating the giants and the kids
6:40:30became skeptical.
6:40:32No way. The monarch giants are too
6:40:35strong. The protested.
6:40:38Why don't we go outside and I will show
6:40:40you something amazing? Carl offered.
6:40:44Everyone followed him outside to where
6:40:46Thor was basking in the sun with a
6:40:48number of dragon king clerics leaning
6:40:50against him.
6:40:51Carl took out two monarch rank bodies,
6:40:54one from the village and one from the
6:40:56slavers. Rey had saved both of them for
6:40:59blood and personal use. See, these are
6:41:03the bodies of the two that I defeated on
6:41:04that trip. Now I will have Miss Ray put
6:41:08them back in storage, and we can put out
6:41:10a blanket to tell stories here in the
6:41:11sun where it is warm." Ortho smiled at
6:41:14the high priest next to him. "He's
6:41:17actually a skilled babysitter.
6:41:19He might have made a proper bard if he
6:41:21had different luck with the system. That
6:41:24class of his is dangerous, though. See
6:41:27how the kids are drawn to him. He
6:41:30doesn't feel like a human. They
6:41:31instinctively react to him as if he were
6:41:33a beast himself, even when they're
6:41:35looking at him. The high priest
6:41:37countered. Ortho shrugged. We tend to
6:41:41trust our nose over our eyes with so
6:41:44many shape shifters in the church. He
6:41:46smells like a beast, not a human.
6:41:49Can you show us how that skill works?
6:41:52One of the kids was asking. The boy was
6:41:55a fire basilisk and his species had
6:41:57flaming body as an innate skill, but he
6:42:00was still young and awakened rank. He
6:42:03hadn't mastered the advanced methods
6:42:04that Carl was describing.
6:42:07All right, pick up that stick. That
6:42:09should do. Now, focus on extending the
6:42:13ability over your hands and down the
6:42:15stick. The boy glowed in pride as he
6:42:17showed off that he had already mastered
6:42:19the weapon coating. Now when you spin
6:42:22it, focus on letting the edge of the
6:42:24flames stay right where they are. Carl
6:42:27waved his hand back and forth, leaving a
6:42:29shield of flaming body in the air. A
6:42:32little girl jumped to her feet next to
6:42:34the boy and grabbed another stick from
6:42:36the ground. I've got that skill, too.
6:42:38Let me try, she demanded.
6:42:42All right. Start it here on my hand.
6:42:46Now move the stick and imagine that I'm
6:42:48holding it in place so you can spread it
6:42:50out. Carl grabbed the edge of the
6:42:52ability as she moved the stick with
6:42:54great effort. Then he did the same for
6:42:57the boy as the cleric stared at him. The
6:43:00high priest turned back to Orthos.
6:43:02There is something wrong with that human
6:43:05who grabs an attack skill with their
6:43:07bare hands. Humans aren't immune to
6:43:10fire. Orthos chuckled. I think he has
6:43:14damage reduction on his equipment. Their
6:43:17skills aren't doing enough damage to
6:43:19hurt him. That changed the high priest's
6:43:22estimation of Carl's threat level. He is
6:43:25using a royal rank epic armor spell.
6:43:28Orthos added. What are the gods
6:43:30thinking? The high priest muttered. I
6:43:34think they want him to bring the system
6:43:36back. Everything he has described so far
6:43:39sounds like he's being guided toward a
6:43:41larger fate. An ancient Lameia woman
6:43:44slid up beside the dragon. Do you think
6:43:46that it's possible that we are having
6:43:48another resurgence?
6:43:50Even if it's only a thousand years, we
6:43:52might be able to make better use of it
6:43:54this time. There is that commander rank
6:43:57dungeon that opened. That sounds like
6:43:59things might be changing for the better.
6:44:02Orthos thought about it as Carl brought
6:44:04more kids with innate barrier skills up
6:44:06and showed them how to make shields with
6:44:08them away from their bodies.
6:44:10The teachers would show them eventually,
6:44:12but the kids were more eager to learn
6:44:14from Carl because he had cool stories
6:44:15about defeating bullies. Motivation was
6:44:18a major factor in Beasts and Beastkin
6:44:21expanding their skills. Who went to
6:44:23investigate the dungeon? I don't recall
6:44:26getting a report. Bishop Misty went to
6:44:29investigate.
6:44:31You know how she is. She will file a
6:44:33report in her own time. The high priest
6:44:36side. Bishop Misty, the temporal dragon,
6:44:40is the one that investigated the
6:44:41dungeon. I don't suppose we have asked
6:44:44Prince Carl where he was before he went
6:44:46missing through time. Ortho's side. The
6:44:50rest of the clerics paused. That was
6:44:53right. Misty was less reliable than the
6:44:56average nature cleric and had zero sense
6:44:58of punctuality, as she saw time as a
6:45:01fluid function. But the fact that she
6:45:03might have met with an interesting human
6:45:05and interfered in the time flow hadn't
6:45:07occurred to them until now. She hadn't
6:45:10done it in generations as her kind hated
6:45:12to change the timeline and cause ripples
6:45:14in the natural order. But she was
6:45:17certainly capable. Orthos gestured to
6:45:20one of the Felian clerics who went over
6:45:21to stand beside Carl, who was happily
6:45:24teaching a young griffin to make a
6:45:25better wind barrier. Where did you go
6:45:28between the battlefield and the anomaly?
6:45:30Our scout saw you leave weeks ago. Did
6:45:34you get to explore more before you were
6:45:36transferred?
6:45:37She asked. Carl smiled and stroked her
6:45:40ears, making the priestess purr. Sorry,
6:45:44that part is confidential.
6:45:46I had to take care of some things away
6:45:48from the battle for a while and then
6:45:50celebrate the birthday of one of my team
6:45:52members. Ortho's side. That wasn't a
6:45:56confirmation, but enough for them to
6:45:58suspect that he had been the one at the
6:45:59dungeon when it first opened. But in the
6:46:02process, she had told him that they were
6:46:04watching the battlefield from a distance
6:46:06when officially they didn't have any
6:46:08spies within the Golden Dragon Nation.
6:46:11It wasn't exactly a good trade of
6:46:12intelligence details.
6:46:15But once they found the bishop, they
6:46:17would have confirmation of the timeline,
6:46:19even if she hadn't been the one that had
6:46:20been messing with it. The clerics went
6:46:23inside while Carl taught the children,
6:46:25leaving only a few junior priestesses
6:46:27with him, as they were instinctively
6:46:29drawn to Thor, who was currently napping
6:46:31in the sun. So, when Carl went from
6:46:34hands-on training the young beasts to
6:46:36writing, nobody in charge noticed. This
6:46:39will be great. I'm sure I can use Ren.
6:46:43Carl was laughing as Carl finished the
6:46:45second copy of the book. He had been
6:46:48careful to make sure the kids were not
6:46:50paying attention as he worked and they
6:46:51had thought he was just doing paperwork,
6:46:53so they hadn't realized that he was
6:46:55doing anything special. Carl passed the
6:46:58book into her space, and the book
6:47:00vanished as soon as the void badger
6:47:01touched it. All right, does everyone
6:47:04understand the rules to the Thor
6:47:06challenge? You have to extend your
6:47:08barrier in front of yourself and charge
6:47:10at your training partner. Whoever's
6:47:12shield fails first loses. Then the
6:47:15winners challenge each other. The last
6:47:18one standing gets this skill book. Carl
6:47:21explained, "This was likely a terrible
6:47:24idea, giving new skills to citizens of a
6:47:27hostile nation. But they were baby
6:47:29clerics in training, and they were all
6:47:31beasts or beastkin with claws. They
6:47:34should be able to use rend, or they
6:47:36could trade it with the others for
6:47:38something they needed. Most beasts
6:47:40couldn't innately use it as they didn't
6:47:42hunt like Hawk did. Instead, they would
6:47:45have claw or shred, sometimes slash. The
6:47:50priestesses looked up when they heard
6:47:52the first collision, but the kids looked
6:47:54like they were playing, so they went
6:47:56back to sunning themselves with Thor.
6:47:58The acolytes were really invested in the
6:48:00game, running full speed at each other,
6:48:02not caring that most of the effect was
6:48:04going to be from the two shields
6:48:06interacting with each other. If they
6:48:08could hit hard enough that their target
6:48:10lost their footing, they would also lose
6:48:12focus on the barrier, and most of them
6:48:14had only just learned to expand it, so
6:48:16they would lose. After a few minutes,
6:48:19the noise drew the elder clerics back
6:48:21outside. They paused for a moment as
6:48:24they saw what looked like the kids
6:48:25roughousing, but the organization showed
6:48:27that it was some sort of unorthodox
6:48:29training exercise.
6:48:31There were only four left. the young
6:48:34griffin, a half dragon, the fire
6:48:36basilisk, and a felon who had learned an
6:48:38earth shield skill. They were all under
6:48:41six years old and all awakened, so the
6:48:43contest was a hard-fought one, but they
6:48:46were all exhausted, and they were barely
6:48:47stumbling towards each other when the
6:48:49high priests came back out. They weren't
6:48:52known to push themselves this hard in
6:48:54training without a reason. So the elders
6:48:56stopped to watch as the Felion lost to
6:48:58the griffin and the half dragon
6:48:59continually clashed with the fire
6:49:01basilisk until he actually passed out
6:49:03from exhaustion. Once they were out,
6:49:06Remy doused them with a healing splash
6:49:08and Thor put eternal lightning over them
6:49:10to help recover their energy, but the
6:49:12latest few defeated acolytes would still
6:49:14be in no shape to watch the finals. Half
6:49:17dragon and Griffin squared off and
6:49:18flapped their wings, crashing barriers
6:49:21together at a remarkable speed that made
6:49:22the clerics flinch. Someone could be
6:49:25seriously injured with this game and
6:49:27they would have to ban it before the
6:49:29kids tried it unsupervised and someone
6:49:31broke their neck. For times they
6:49:33collided and flew apart. Then on the
6:49:35fifth they collided with a shattering of
6:49:37shields and crashed shoulders together.
6:49:40That's a draw. Congratulations to our
6:49:43two winners.
6:49:45Now I only have one book for you, but I
6:49:48think that I can come up with another
6:49:49prize. Give them a stone. Thor
6:49:53suggested. He was very pleased with the
6:49:56game enough that he was willing to part
6:49:58with one of his precious holy stones.
6:50:00"All right, I have two rewards.
6:50:03Do you know the game of rock, paper,
6:50:06scissors?"
6:50:07Carl asked. The two laughed, and the
6:50:10half dragon stood up straighter,
6:50:12smirking at the griffin, who was sitting
6:50:14on its hunches, so its clawed front feet
6:50:16were free to play the game. 1 2 3 go!
6:50:221 2 3 go ha I win. Scissors beat paper.
6:50:28The halfdragon cheered. Carl held out
6:50:31his hands, the stone in one and the book
6:50:33in the other. You won the show off, so
6:50:36you pick first. The girl grabbed the
6:50:39book and held it over her head, cheering
6:50:41before she opened it, and the book
6:50:42vanished. Then the griffin gave a happy
6:50:45coup and plucked the stone from Carl's
6:50:47hand. The half lion, half bird monster
6:50:51promptly ate the stone, leaving Carl
6:50:53staring at it in confusion. It's storing
6:50:56the stone in its gizzard. It won't leave
6:50:59there, and it will be used to grind its
6:51:01food, imbuing everything it eats with a
6:51:03bit of holy energy from now on, Thor
6:51:06explained.
6:51:07Wait, no. The clerics were shouting as
6:51:11they ran over. It's all right. It's just
6:51:15a holy stone. It won't hurt anyone.
6:51:18Carl shouted back, thinking that they
6:51:20were concerned about him giving candy to
6:51:22the griffin. Not that the skill book.
6:51:27You let a child use a skill book, the
6:51:30priestess side. It's only a rand book. I
6:51:34can get more when I get home. Carl
6:51:37explained.
6:51:38Still, skill books are incredibly
6:51:40valuable. You don't give them as
6:51:42presents to children. One of the other
6:51:44kids laughed. So are holy stones. And
6:51:48Emma ate one of those. The cleric sighed
6:51:51and glared at Carl while Thor and Remy
6:51:54laughed. Hey, all clerics use that same
6:51:57look. It's not just a dragon cleric
6:52:00thing. Remy noted. I think it's a
6:52:04special Carl thing. Hawk suggested.
6:52:08No, they give the same look to Lotus.
6:52:11Thor reminded him. You really don't
6:52:14understand why we're upset, do you?
6:52:16One of the clerics demanded, "Relax. I
6:52:20promised them the Ren skill if they won,
6:52:22and I paid in full. It would be an
6:52:24insult to the gods to cheat their
6:52:26acolytes.
6:52:28How many of your beasts can use that
6:52:30skill?" The Felian Catgirl, who had come
6:52:32to get information from Carl earlier,
6:52:34asked. "Just Hawk and Cara. The others
6:52:38don't actually have claws, so they're
6:52:40not well suited to it. They have other
6:52:43ways to attack."
6:52:45Oh, I bet I can put disintegration on
6:52:47Ren and throw the skill even further.
6:52:50This is a good skill. Cara realized
6:52:54Ren flies much better than thrown balls.
6:52:57Hawk agreed. Cara was going to be a
6:53:00menace the next time they got into
6:53:02battle. Disintegrate was dangerous
6:53:04enough on its own as a monarch rank
6:53:06skill. The cleric side in frustration,
6:53:09and Orthos smirked at them. Those are
6:53:12all important questions, but you're
6:53:14asking the wrong questions.
6:53:16What you should be asking is how he
6:53:18taught the kids to use such complex
6:53:20applications of their innate skills
6:53:21before they were even old enough for
6:53:23school. The dragon suggested.
6:53:26Carl knew perfectly well what the reason
6:53:28was. Skillmaster didn't require the
6:53:32beasts to be bonded, and the ones that
6:53:34had done the best were all at least half
6:53:36beast. He had completely forgotten that
6:53:38he had the skill active constantly as it
6:53:41was an essential for his team. But when
6:53:43he was focusing on teaching a skill, it
6:53:46was even more effective as it was
6:53:48targeted. While Carl and the beasts were
6:53:50in the temple playing with children, a
6:53:52certain nature cleric was having
6:53:54horrific visions. I swear I did
6:53:57something to make the goddess mad. How
6:53:59is this fair? Lotus cried. What did you
6:54:04see? Lotus asked. He's playing with a
6:54:07baby Griffin. It's not even part of his
6:54:10team. Someone just gave him a baby
6:54:12griffin to play with. Lotus complained
6:54:15with tears of frustration in the corners
6:54:17of her eyes. When did he get to a
6:54:20temple? Do you know what sort of temple
6:54:22it is? Tessa asked, trying to keep the
6:54:26little cleric focused. Visions were
6:54:28usually intended to give them some sort
6:54:30of valuable information, not just to
6:54:32taunt a single board priestess. They had
6:54:35been stuck here for an entire week now,
6:54:37waiting for some news or new orders. The
6:54:41issues had been dealt with the first
6:54:42day, and there were no known threats in
6:54:44the region anymore. Doug was at the
6:54:47mine's cafeteria helping them with lunch
6:54:49for the workers. A company provided meal
6:54:51for every shift, but the others were
6:54:53simply lounging around in the courtyard
6:54:55outside the only hotel in town.
6:54:58The sound of a helicopter let them know
6:55:00that something was coming, but there was
6:55:01no announcement over the radio to let
6:55:03them know to be prepared for a pickup.
6:55:06Normally, any pickup flight would give
6:55:08them an advanced warning so that they
6:55:10weren't wasting time. That was the first
6:55:12helicopter they had heard since they had
6:55:14been dropped off. And after a few
6:55:16seconds, they saw that it was a Bureau
6:55:18of Elite Development helicopter, so it
6:55:20had to be here for them, even if there
6:55:22was no message. The pilot put it down
6:55:25outside the city limits in a field and a
6:55:2710 agent mission team disembarked.
6:55:30That was not what any of them were
6:55:31expecting. Colonel Valerie led the team
6:55:34to the town wall as the helicopter's
6:55:36rotor spun down, suggesting that they
6:55:38were expecting to be here for at least a
6:55:40few hours. "Ladies and gentlemen, it's
6:55:44good to see you all rested. Where is
6:55:47high priest Doug?" cafeteria.
6:55:50Tessa replied with a gesture over her
6:55:52shoulder. Would you mind going to get
6:55:55him? We need to have a discussion about
6:55:57some new intelligence that we have
6:55:59received. Tessa nodded. I think that we
6:56:03have some for you as well. High
6:56:05Priestess Lotus has been having visions
6:56:07all day. Bob ran off to get Doug while
6:56:10the colonel led them to the mayor's
6:56:12offices, the only soundproofed area in
6:56:14town where secure meetings could be
6:56:16held. In minutes, everyone was gathered
6:56:19along with the mayor of the lithium
6:56:21mines village. I believe it goes without
6:56:24saying, but nothing said here leaves
6:56:26this room. Valerie began. The others
6:56:30nodded and she continued, "We have
6:56:32confirmation that Prince Carl is alive.
6:56:35He was recently spotted at a beast God
6:56:38temple in the Divine Beast Nation. It is
6:56:41not currently safe to attempt to recover
6:56:42him by force, but we have been in
6:56:44contact with two of the dragons at the
6:56:46temple, and we believe that we can
6:56:48arrange to have him safely returned to
6:56:50the border. Lotus let out an annoyed
6:56:52grumble, and the colonel turned her
6:56:54attention to the cleric. I have been
6:56:57having visions all day of him playing
6:56:58with baby monsters.
6:57:01I think that he made a deal with the
6:57:02clerics to let him babysit or maybe
6:57:04train the youngest acolytes.
6:57:07It's not fair. Colonel Valerie looked
6:57:10confused. So Tessa explained it's a
6:57:13Lotus thing. She can see the visions as
6:57:16if she's there, only she can't touch
6:57:18anything. First, it was visions of Carl
6:57:21with young elves in an elven village.
6:57:23Then today, it is a vision of him with
6:57:25young monsters. It also appears that he
6:57:28has a new partner, a honey badger, and
6:57:30that Remy has evolved into a Naga shaman
6:57:32or possibly a Naga queen. The colonel
6:57:35looked shocked. That could complicate
6:57:38things. If he has that much amassed
6:57:41power, the divine beasts are not going
6:57:43to want to let him go so easily. He is a
6:57:46highle threat that might be turned
6:57:48against them in the future. And his
6:57:50class allows him to bond beasts. If the
6:57:53dragons agree to work with us and bring
6:57:55him back, there might be a price to pay
6:57:57for his return. But that is the
6:57:59government's problem. Our team is here
6:58:02to collect you all in preparation to
6:58:04meet with him so that the contract with
6:58:05the red dragon isn't broken. Doug tapped
6:58:09the table as he thought. Do you think it
6:58:11is possible that he might make a break
6:58:13for it through the wilderness? If there
6:58:15is anyone who wouldn't fear the wild
6:58:17areas of the divine beast nation, it is
6:58:19him. In fact, they might not even
6:58:22realize that he's not one of them. If he
6:58:25put his hood up, he could pass as one of
6:58:27the beast kin. Colonel Valerie.
6:58:31That's what we're afraid of. He's at a
6:58:34temple right now, but they might not
6:58:36prevent him from leaving, and that would
6:58:37put him out of reach of both our spies
6:58:39and any sort of safety he might be
6:58:41enjoying. There are two dragons there, a
6:58:44bronze dragon overlord and a commander
6:58:46ranked green dragon who is practicing
6:58:48her healing skills at their temple.
6:58:51Lotus froze for a moment, then frowned.
6:58:54Her linked dragon was a commander ranked
6:58:56juvenile green dragon. If it was not a
6:58:59vision, but an info dump from her
6:59:01patron, who was usually so eager to see
6:59:03new things, it would make all sorts of
6:59:05sense. She never got to see things on
6:59:08her own. So now that she had seen them,
6:59:10she was just sharing everything with
6:59:12Lotus. But when she thought about it,
6:59:15her patron seemed naive and intrigued by
6:59:17the concept of getting to go apprentice
6:59:19at a temple. So it wasn't her green
6:59:22dragon, just another young one. That was
6:59:25a relief somehow. Colonel Valerie
6:59:29continued her explanation.
6:59:31Tonight, we are going to head to the
6:59:33border and make contact with the
6:59:34representatives of the Divine Beast
6:59:36Nation. We are not officially at war
6:59:39with them, but we are not on
6:59:40particularly good terms with them
6:59:42either. So, I need everyone to be on
6:59:43their best behavior. I don't know who
6:59:46they will send to meet with us, but be
6:59:48extra respectful and remember that they
6:59:50are the representatives of another
6:59:52nation, a neutral nation that we need to
6:59:54stay neutral in our conflict with the
6:59:56giants.
6:59:58They are known to send a lower ranking
6:59:59beast as their representative just to
7:00:01see if we will take it as an insult.
7:00:04That means no trying to treat the
7:00:06representative like a child or a wild
7:00:08animal. No talking down to them. In
7:00:11short, don't do anything out of line if
7:00:13you want us to get Carl back without
7:00:15months of headaches. Dana laughed. You
7:00:18know, now that Thor is surrounded by
7:00:20Divine Beast Nation clerics, he might
7:00:23not want to leave. They're extra
7:00:25friendly to beasts, right? So, even if
7:00:28they don't want Carl there, the rest of
7:00:30the team should be pretty popular. Oilia
7:00:34laughed. There is no way that Thor is
7:00:36not popular. Everyone loves Thor. The
7:00:40Visiting Bureau team members chuckled.
7:00:43They could only imagine the chaos that
7:00:45would happen if the Divine Beasts
7:00:47refused to assist in returning an elite
7:00:49that had been brought there by an
7:00:50anomaly because his beasts were too
7:00:52likable. The team smirked at the
7:00:54thought. They could definitely see it
7:00:57happening. But the good news was that
7:00:59they now had reliable intelligence on
7:01:01Carl's safety and not just vague visions
7:01:03of him interacting with small animals.
7:01:06For hours later, the helicopter landed
7:01:08at the border of the Divine Beast
7:01:10Nation, not far from where the flock
7:01:12were river headarters started at a
7:01:14natural spring. Assembled to meet them
7:01:16was an odd assortment of creatures.
7:01:19There was a dire bear, a dragon king
7:01:21priestess, and a trio of more cats.
7:01:25Other than the priestess, who was a
7:01:26commander rank high priestess, the
7:01:28others were all strong monarchs. The
7:01:31colonel had been expecting the divine
7:01:33beast nation to send a weak
7:01:34representative as an insult. But it
7:01:36appeared that they had sent an
7:01:37exceptionally powerful emergency
7:01:39response team to meet them. There was
7:01:41still a portal open behind the beasts,
7:01:44waiting for the meeting to end. And
7:01:45Oilia began to suspect that this meeting
7:01:48might not go the way they were hoping.
7:01:50So as they got out of the helicopter,
7:01:53she shifted into werebear form, ensuring
7:01:55that there would be at least one beast
7:01:57kin with their contingent. She had some
7:01:59hope that it would help alleviate the
7:02:01hostility she could feel. And unlike her
7:02:03dire bear form, she could still speak as
7:02:05a warbear. The two sides stopped a few
7:02:08meters apart and the dragonqin high
7:02:11priestess nodded at the newly arrived
7:02:12clerics while ignoring the others first
7:02:16as a sign of good faith. She announced
7:02:19then opened a viewing spell that showed
7:02:21Carl teaching a combat class to a group
7:02:23of 5-year-olds.
7:02:25He was currently showing them the art of
7:02:27the side chokeold where you could get
7:02:28close enough to a beast's neck that they
7:02:30couldn't bite you as you attacked. Thor
7:02:33was napping in the background and
7:02:35Colonel Valerie prepared for the worst.
7:02:37Carl was clearly accepted by the beasts
7:02:40if they were letting him be around the
7:02:41kids and that was going to make it
7:02:43harder to get him back. We should have
7:02:45warned him not to be so friendly to
7:02:47foreign nations. Colonel Valerie's
7:02:50assistant whispered to her. But if he
7:02:52wasn't, what sort of condition would he
7:02:54be in now? She whispered back. The
7:02:58Dragon King gestured for Tessa to come
7:03:00forward and speak with her. But the
7:03:01beasts growled when the Colonel tried to
7:03:03join her. High priestess,
7:03:06I have been informed that your team has
7:03:08a contract with the dragon gods. The
7:03:11dragon king began. Tessa silently nodded
7:03:14and took out a copy of the contract.
7:03:17So, the four of you? She asked.
7:03:21Normally, we travel as a group of eight.
7:03:25Oilia is our fifth for most situations,
7:03:27while Morgana, Bob and Doug bolster our
7:03:30numbers for dangerous situations.
7:03:32That was a rather powerful group with
7:03:35Bob and Doug both at royal rank and
7:03:37Morgana right at the bottleneck. But the
7:03:40high priestess had been informed of
7:03:42Carl's combat power with his beasts and
7:03:44he would still be the designated leader
7:03:46of the team even in the divine beast
7:03:48nation despite his youth. I have been
7:03:50approved to bring his contracted team
7:03:52members to him. No more. I am willing to
7:03:56make an exception for the werebear, but
7:03:58not the humans. What are the chances
7:04:01that he could be returned to the group
7:04:02here? We do have duties to take care of
7:04:05as well. Tessa asked. The dragon high
7:04:10priestess shook her head. The Grand
7:04:12Priest says his skills are too valuable
7:04:14to let him go before his debt is
7:04:16cleared. What debt? The Dragon Kin
7:04:20shrugged. I have no idea. It wasn't
7:04:24explained to me as it was considered
7:04:26non-negotiable.
7:04:27Can you ask? Perhaps we can help settle
7:04:30the debt right now. Her eyes seemed to
7:04:33glaze over as she used a communication
7:04:35spell. He did not clarify and only said
7:04:39that they are still cleaning slimy
7:04:40footprints off the ceiling. That left
7:04:43Carl's entire team confused.
7:04:46None of the beasts had slime type
7:04:48abilities, and the ones that could
7:04:49conceivably be on the ceiling were Ray
7:04:51and Hawk, neither of which would leave
7:04:53footprints.
7:04:55Had Carl done something that involved
7:04:56him fighting indoors with slimy feet?
7:04:59Hopefully, he hadn't gotten into a fight
7:05:02with the beast god clerics, Tessa turned
7:05:05to Colonel Valerie for answers. Sending
7:05:08more elites into the divine beast nation
7:05:10defeated the purpose of trying to
7:05:11recover one. But they did have a
7:05:14contract that said they wouldn't leave
7:05:15each other behind. He certainly seemed
7:05:18like he was on an adventure and if they
7:05:20let him go alone now that they had the
7:05:22chance to join him, it might be a
7:05:24violation of the contract. Can I have a
7:05:27moment to confer with the bureau agents?
7:05:29Tessa asked. The high priestess nodded
7:05:32and Tessa stepped back to talk to the
7:05:34others. Where do I go from here? It's
7:05:38pretty clear that they're not going to
7:05:39let him go easily. We came here to get
7:05:42an elite back, but with the contract,
7:05:44most of us will have to go to him if he
7:05:46won't be brought to us. She whispered.
7:05:50Colonel Valerie sighed and nodded. If it
7:05:53comes down to that, try to get terms
7:05:55from them. Preferably a condition to
7:05:58return you all home once whatever debt
7:05:59he racked up has been paid. I suspect
7:06:02that it's a madeup charge, an excuse to
7:06:05keep him there. I just wish that I could
7:06:07confidently say that him leaving slimy
7:06:09footprints on the ceiling was a false
7:06:11accusation.
7:06:12Dana smirked.
7:06:14Yeah, we were all a bit startled at
7:06:16that, but I don't think anyone would say
7:06:18it's impossible or even all that
7:06:20unlikely. In the distance, they heard
7:06:23the dire bear's rumbling laughter. The
7:06:26bear has definitely met him. He wouldn't
7:06:29be laughing that hard if he didn't know
7:06:31Carl, Doug noted. The dire bear nodded
7:06:35in agreement, letting everyone know his
7:06:37hearing was sensitive enough to hear
7:06:38their whispers. "Why are we pretending
7:06:41that any of this is a secret meeting? We
7:06:44can all hear each other," Dana asked.
7:06:47The bear and the more cats all made
7:06:49huffing, laughing noises at her comment,
7:06:51and even the Dragon Kin priestess
7:06:53chuckled. Tessa stepped back toward the
7:06:56Divine Beast Nation group. "We would ask
7:06:59to join our partner until such time as
7:07:01we can all leave together." What we ask
7:07:04is that you guarantee our safety and our
7:07:06return together to the Golden Dragon
7:07:08Nation at the soonest opportunity.
7:07:10The High Priestess was silent for a
7:07:12minute as she considered the wording.
7:07:14"We can agree to bring you to him and
7:07:16assist you in fulfilling the terms of
7:07:18the contract with the Red Dragon until
7:07:20such time as you all leave together at
7:07:22our earliest convenience," she
7:07:24suggested.
7:07:25That was not quite the same thing as
7:07:27there were many exceptions to buriest
7:07:29convenience, but it was not a bad
7:07:31agreement as they had agreed to allow
7:07:33them to fulfill the terms of the
7:07:35contract. The contract stipulated that
7:07:38they needed to please the red dragon, so
7:07:40it would be difficult to keep them there
7:07:41in a secure temple for an extended
7:07:43period as the divine beasts were not at
7:07:45war with anyone. The black dragon who
7:07:48ruled their nation didn't see the need.
7:07:50The deaths on the continent were
7:07:51balancing themselves.
7:07:53Colonel Valerie nodded and handed Tessa
7:07:55a small bag that she put in her storage.
7:07:59She could check the contents later, but
7:08:01it was most likely a method of
7:08:02contacting home from outside of regular
7:08:04radio range. That was all the signal
7:08:07that Tessa needed to know that they
7:08:09would be leaving. The team said their
7:08:11goodbyes to the McKenzie brothers and
7:08:13Morgana, then prepared to follow the
7:08:15beasts to their destination.
7:08:17Before we go, there are a few ground
7:08:19rules you should be aware of. This is
7:08:22not a human nation, so we expect you to
7:08:24be on your best behavior. Your military
7:08:27and government ranks mean nothing to us.
7:08:30Beasts have our own ranking system. The
7:08:33only reason we have agreed to this is
7:08:35that we don't want to offend the gods by
7:08:37refusing.
7:08:38Now, if you understand that, we should
7:08:41get along just fine. If you have
7:08:43abilities that let you travel more
7:08:45quickly, I suggest you use them now. We
7:08:48won't open a portal directly to the
7:08:50destination.
7:08:51the high priestess explained. Dana
7:08:54activated her movement skill, but
7:08:56neither cleric had anything that was
7:08:58going to help them much with that.
7:09:00However, as high priestesses of the
7:09:02dragon gods, they did have some dragon
7:09:04features and solid stamina. However,
7:09:07when Oilia transformed into her dire
7:09:10bear form, the big monarch ranked dire
7:09:12rank bear made a rumbling noise that
7:09:14almost sounded friendly. I think you
7:09:17have an admirer. Dana laughed as Oilia
7:09:20rolled her eyes at Bear.
7:09:22Calm down, big boy. She's a werebear.
7:09:26Her default form is human, not dire
7:09:28bear. This is a skill she learned. Tessa
7:09:32teased. The high priestess and the beast
7:09:34group laughed, then winked at her huge,
7:09:37furry friend. Then she led them through
7:09:40the portal, leaving the bureau team
7:09:42behind. The beast kin on the other side
7:09:44of the portal didn't seem impressed to
7:09:46see the group that had come through, but
7:09:48they should have heard most of the
7:09:49conversation, and they didn't try to
7:09:51stop them from leaving the area, jogging
7:09:53down a well-traveled dirt path. They
7:09:56could hear laughing in the distance, and
7:09:58the dire bear huffed in amusement. It
7:10:00seems your friends will be waiting for
7:10:02you. They're back out again after
7:10:05dinner, working with the children, the
7:10:07high priestess explained.
7:10:10Is this some deal you've made with him?
7:10:12Tessa asked. Not exactly.
7:10:16You will understand when you see it.
7:10:18Carl had no idea that anyone was coming
7:10:21for him so soon. So, he was overseeing a
7:10:23sparring match between the acolytes and
7:10:25Cara, preparing them for when they might
7:10:27have to deal with a rampaging feral
7:10:29beast. The others were too large to
7:10:32fight without skills, or in Remy's case,
7:10:34too deadly in her smaller form. Remy's
7:10:37only attack in snake form was a venomous
7:10:39bite and at her rank that would
7:10:41instantly kill the acolytes.
7:10:44Cara, on the other hand, could
7:10:45deactivate her skills and play with the
7:10:47kids as long as they wanted. She puffed
7:10:50up her back like she was angry and let
7:10:53the kids circle her. The older clerics
7:10:56laughed. A void badger rarely got
7:10:59defensive and angry. They weren't afraid
7:11:02of anything. They just attacked when
7:11:03they were angry. But she was fighting
7:11:06kids under 7 years old. Once she was
7:11:09certain the kids were in position, Cara
7:11:11moved, grabbing a boy around the waist
7:11:13and spinning him around to bodys slam
7:11:15him before nuzzling his belly to
7:11:17simulate a bite attack. What did we just
7:11:19go over? You can't let her grab you like
7:11:22that. If you do that with a feral beast,
7:11:26they'll eat you. Carl reminded the kids.
7:11:30The one targeted should use their weapon
7:11:31to bash at her paws while the others
7:11:33move in to capture and restrain her, he
7:11:36explained.
7:11:38Now go again. This time the boy used his
7:11:41training sword to bat away Car's claw as
7:11:44he retreated and the void badger began
7:11:46to chase the others around as their plan
7:11:48fell apart. Gather around. Force her to
7:11:52the ground. You can hit her. It won't
7:11:55hurt her. Carl encouraged.
7:11:58She swatted one a bit harder than
7:12:00intended. And Carl darted forward to
7:12:02catch the little acolyte before they hit
7:12:04the ground. Keep your guard up. Fighters
7:12:08with shields to the front. Keep her
7:12:10occupied.
7:12:11That was how Dana led the group into the
7:12:13training grounds at the temple to find
7:12:15Cara with a werewolf in a headlock,
7:12:17giving him a wet willie. Carl, what are
7:12:20you teaching the children? She called.
7:12:23Dana, how did you get here? I didn't
7:12:27expect to see you until I got back. Meet
7:12:30Cara, the winged void badger and the
7:12:32newest member of the team. Cara let go
7:12:35of the boy to fly over to Dana and
7:12:37tackle her to the ground where she could
7:12:39be properly examined. Your friend is a
7:12:42human mage. They're kind of squishy.
7:12:46Give her the bracelet or I'm going to
7:12:48break her just trying to say hello.
7:12:50Kindly don't break my team members.
7:12:53There are likely going to be two clerics
7:12:55and a berserker coming, all human. Dana
7:12:58looked up at the void badger, who was
7:13:00sniffing at her and pulling at her armor
7:13:02to inspect the equipment. The robes
7:13:05smell like Ray. That's good. They
7:13:08shouldn't tear. Oh, more people. Cara
7:13:12spread her wings and launched forwards
7:13:14only to be intercepted and grabbed by
7:13:16Lotus.
7:13:17You are adorable. I'm Lotus. Are you one
7:13:21of Carl's friends? She asked. This one
7:13:26doesn't listen well. Cara spread her
7:13:28wings and flapped hard, lifting both
7:13:30herself and Lotus into the air so she
7:13:32could deposit the cleric on Oilia's
7:13:34back. Then she slid down to examine
7:13:37Tessa, leaving Lotus confused.
7:13:40I swear I had a good grip on her.
7:13:43Badgers are hard to hold on to. Lotus
7:13:46noted. Even with magic, they mostly do
7:13:50what they like. It's good to see you all
7:13:53again, but how did you end up here?
7:13:56Unless my map reading skills are
7:13:58exceptionally poor, we are a long way
7:14:00from the border. Tessa chuckled at
7:14:02Carl's question. They brought us to you
7:14:05because of the contract.
7:14:07Apparently, you have things to do before
7:14:09you leave. Carl nodded. That is true.
7:14:14I'm in the middle of teaching the kids
7:14:16to use their innate skills, and we
7:14:18learned some very interesting new things
7:14:19in the last day or so. Oh, what did you
7:14:23learn? Tessa asked as she realized that
7:14:26Carl had become fully sidetracked in a
7:14:28temple full of beasts. He was as bad as
7:14:31the nature priests, but he was focusing
7:14:34on expanding his system skills, not just
7:14:36on the new experiences.
7:14:38Well, the first obvious one is that I'm
7:14:41quite good with children. But more
7:14:43importantly, I discovered that I can use
7:14:45skill books in a whole new way. We were
7:14:48just about to start. If you want to
7:14:50watch. They were confused, but when Carl
7:14:53called Remy out in her Naga Queen form,
7:14:56they were all shocked. Oh, right. Remy
7:15:00advanced.
7:15:01She can only speak serpent so far, but
7:15:04we're working on it. Now for the part
7:15:07that we were about to test. Orthos came
7:15:10out with a freshly written book in his
7:15:12hands and reluctantly handed it to Carl.
7:15:15If this went wrong from the dragon's
7:15:17point of view, Carl would use the book
7:15:19and it would vanish. Their
7:15:21inscriptionists had spent half the day
7:15:23on this. He didn't want to lose it, but
7:15:26Carl was confident that his theory would
7:15:28work.
7:15:29Carl opened the skill book and began to
7:15:31read it to Remy while focusing on using
7:15:34skill master to transfer the knowledge
7:15:36to Remy. It was a formed combat style
7:15:40and the chance of Carl being able to use
7:15:42it were very low. But if they gave the
7:15:44book to Remy should be able to. The
7:15:47dragon wouldn't agree to that. But he
7:15:49had agreed to lend it to Carl with the
7:15:51condition that he replaced it with
7:15:52something of equal value if this didn't
7:15:54work. It took 15 minutes of chanting the
7:15:57instructions before Carl was done, and
7:15:59Remy began to make her way through the
7:16:01movements of the skill. She still wasn't
7:16:04quite there, but she had the basics, and
7:16:06with practice, she was getting better by
7:16:08the minute. Come back and I will try
7:16:11again. A second lesson might help. Carl
7:16:15offered. He was right. The second time
7:16:18around, Remy was much better. She still
7:16:21didn't quite have the skill, but she was
7:16:23getting close.
7:16:25Carl closed the book and settled down on
7:16:27the grass. That took way more energy
7:16:30than expected, he explained.
7:16:33Orthos took the book back before Carl
7:16:35got it dirty, but the ancient dragon was
7:16:38beaming with joy. It really works. You
7:16:41can teach a beast to use a skill from
7:16:42the book without destroying it. There
7:16:45are so many books that we can't
7:16:46duplicate, but can't afford to not have
7:16:49anyone know. He cheered. So that is the
7:16:53thing that was so important that you
7:16:54couldn't leave. They want you to teach a
7:16:57beast how to use a rare skill. Dana
7:17:00realized.
7:17:01Orthos nodded. Not just a rare skill. I
7:17:05want him to teach one of our prodigies
7:17:06an epic skill. What skill did you want
7:17:09him to teach someone? Tessa asked
7:17:12suspicious of the dragon's intentions.
7:17:15You don't need to be so suspicious. War
7:17:17cleric. I am a bronze dragon, a disciple
7:17:21of the god of law and order. I dislike
7:17:24disruption in the way things are
7:17:26supposed to be done, and I have little
7:17:27leniency for disrespect.
7:17:30He's totally talking about me." Cara
7:17:33laughed, recalling the way she had
7:17:35booped him on the nose. The newly
7:17:37arrived members were a bit wary of the
7:17:39dragon's temper, but Carl was smiling at
7:17:41Cara's uncaring attitude. Why don't we
7:17:44try that now? It could be fun. I haven't
7:17:48gotten to see an epic skill in a while.
7:17:51Not since I learned bestial rayment.
7:17:54Carl suggested.
7:17:56All right, please come inside. We will
7:18:01provide refreshments for your friends,
7:18:02but you might want to restrain the
7:18:04nature priestess.
7:18:06Nature high priestess.
7:18:08Carl corrected, which made the dragon
7:18:10roll his eyes. Nature high priestess. He
7:18:14reluctantly agreed. Tessa took control
7:18:17of Lotus, who was about to wander away,
7:18:20following the Beast King children. They
7:18:23had promised to be on their best
7:18:24behavior, but the void badger had
7:18:26vanished, and Rey wasn't out to distract
7:18:28her. Plus, the newborn green dragon in
7:18:31her mind wanted to know all the things.
7:18:34Orthos led Carl to a secured room with
7:18:36protective magic cast on everything.
7:18:39There was a large tome open on a desk,
7:18:41open to the first page, and locked under
7:18:44glass.
7:18:45The tome is delicate. We can't let you
7:18:47touch it. Can you teach from that?
7:18:50Orthos asked. I should be able to I can
7:18:54read the tome. So as long as someone can
7:18:57change the page should be able to use my
7:19:00skill to teach it. The question is if
7:19:02anyone is actually compatible with the
7:19:04skill. Rare skills tend to be rare for
7:19:07an excellent reason. Carl reminded him.
7:19:11We have a candidate. Orthos replied
7:19:14simply. He whistled and a more cat
7:19:17larger than any Carl had seen before and
7:19:20at the peak of monarch rank came in to
7:19:22sit next to the dragon. All right, you
7:19:25need to be in a relaxed state for this
7:19:27to work as well as possible. Is there
7:19:29anything that would help? He asked. The
7:19:33cat turned to Orthos and they must have
7:19:35been communing mentally before Orthos
7:19:37shook his head. No, he should be fine.
7:19:41Do you need him to move?
7:19:43You noted with the children that
7:19:44teaching works better with direct
7:19:46physical contact. If you can shift here
7:19:49so I can rest a hand on you while I
7:19:51read, that would be best. The more cat
7:19:54shifted a little so he could see Carl,
7:19:56but had his tail draped over Carl's
7:19:58shoulders.
7:20:00Yes, that should work wonderfully.
7:20:02Now, chapter 1. The essentials of the
7:20:06ghost beast stealth skill. When they
7:20:09reached the end of a page, Orthos would
7:20:11flip them with magic, and Carl would
7:20:13continue focusing the recently improved
7:20:16skill master ability on both the more
7:20:18cat and Ray. She was resting in her
7:20:21space, but listening intently.
7:20:24She didn't need to be outside. They were
7:20:26permanently linked, and this sounded
7:20:28like just the sort of skill that she
7:20:30would love. It was also the essential
7:20:32skill for a more cat at the peak of the
7:20:34monarch rank to evolve into a ghost cat
7:20:36and break through the bottleneck to
7:20:38become an overlord. Ry didn't understand
7:20:41human politics, but she understood
7:20:43beasts, and this was a colossal favor to
7:20:45be asking of Carl. Advancing a beast to
7:20:49the overlord rank added to the nation's
7:20:51top combat power. Even one or two more
7:20:54overlords in a battle could be enough to
7:20:56tilt it in favor of one nation or
7:20:58another. There was no way that Cara
7:21:00leaving footprints all over the ceiling
7:21:02as she ran away from the clerics
7:21:04warranted this. Even teaching the
7:21:06children who would clean the mess should
7:21:08have been enough to pay their debt. But
7:21:10she knew that Carl was doing this as
7:21:12much for her as for the more cat and the
7:21:14bronze dragon. This was an epic grade
7:21:17skill that was fully capable of taking
7:21:19her to the overlord rank, and it would
7:21:21most likely cause her to evolve
7:21:22instantly when she learned it. What form
7:21:25that evolution would take was unknown.
7:21:27But for her future, she would do her
7:21:29very best to learn every bit of this
7:21:30skill, no matter how long she had to
7:21:32practice. But this skill seemed to be
7:21:35attuned to her, a natural fit in the
7:21:37same way that her own innate skills were
7:21:39even more natural than golems, and she
7:21:42loved her golems.
7:21:44Perhaps this was a skill that she would
7:21:45have also naturally gained as she
7:21:47advanced. When he was finished with the
7:21:50book once, Carl realized that it was a
7:21:52good start, but neither beast had quite
7:21:54mastered the skill yet. The essence of
7:21:57it was something that was so completely
7:21:58foreign to a living being that it could
7:22:00not be mastered so easily, even by the
7:22:02beasts that would call it an innate
7:22:04skill in their new form. Ghost Beast did
7:22:07not actually hide you. That was taken
7:22:09care of by other skills. Ghost Beast let
7:22:13you step halfway out of phase with
7:22:14reality to briefly move through an
7:22:16object like a door or wall. According to
7:22:19the text, it was incredibly draining,
7:22:22and few could hope to do it more than
7:22:23once a day. But for an assassin type
7:22:26beast, being able to step through a door
7:22:28or a solid wall to get to your target
7:22:30was an absolutely brutal advantage. The
7:22:34name fit the skill, and Carl was looking
7:22:36forward to the terror that Ry could
7:22:37cause once she had mastered the ability.
7:22:40The more cat, now a ghost cat or well on
7:22:43its way to becoming one, was the first
7:22:45to master the ability. But Carl
7:22:47dutifully continued reading the skill
7:22:49book to let Ray finished learning. The
7:22:51cat wasn't moving yet, but Carl could
7:22:54sense the skill activation, so he was
7:22:56reasonably certain that it had mastered
7:22:57the ability. He briefly considered the
7:23:00fact that a ghost cat didn't actually
7:23:02pose a major threat to most humans at
7:23:04home, as they were too large to it in
7:23:06the room, unless they were laying down.
7:23:08But out in the wilderness, or in the
7:23:10bordering nations belonging to the
7:23:11giants, there would be no such
7:23:13restrictions.
7:23:14Before they were through the incredibly
7:23:16long book the second time, Rey had
7:23:18managed to phase through one of the
7:23:20trees in her space. That might not
7:23:23count, as they weren't real, but as far
7:23:25as Carl could tell, the skill was
7:23:27active. He finished the reading for the
7:23:30second time and nodded to Orthos.
7:23:32I believe that the task is done. The
7:23:35skill should have been understood and
7:23:37transferred. So if it was the key to an
7:23:39advancement, that should come within the
7:23:41next day or two. He explained. The
7:23:44bronze dragon smiled. You have no idea
7:23:48how much you have helped us today. by
7:23:50allowing the divine beast nation to gain
7:23:52a new overlord ranked beast that might
7:23:54be able to instruct others of his
7:23:56species and the skill he has just
7:23:57learned. Oh, I think I have a fairly
7:24:00decent grasp on just what I have done
7:24:02here today. I just hope that I don't
7:24:04regret it later. Ortho smiled at Carl. I
7:24:09do like smart people. But if you already
7:24:12knew what I was planning, why did you go
7:24:14along with it so effectively? You could
7:24:16have given just enough to give him hope
7:24:18every day for a week before anyone got
7:24:20impatient.
7:24:22Carl smiled at the ancient dragon. I
7:24:25think it's better to have powerful
7:24:26friends, don't you? Without this skill,
7:24:30there was no way that our friend was
7:24:31going to become a ghost cat. It's not a
7:24:34skill that can easily be learned on your
7:24:36own, so the chances of a more cat
7:24:38evolving in that direction are close to
7:24:40zero. The cat rumbled in amusement that
7:24:43vibrated through the tail he still had
7:24:44slung over Carl's shoulder. Perhaps you
7:24:47are right. It is hard to say that you
7:24:50are a threat to the nation when everyone
7:24:52here is beginning to consider you a
7:24:53friend. Even the acolytes are fond of
7:24:56your lessons. They say that you are a
7:24:59more effective teacher than the clerics
7:25:01are. And that is saying something. They
7:25:03walked out of the library section with
7:25:05the rare books and a white-haired woman
7:25:07with white eyes joined them. Oh, Prince
7:25:11Carl, it is good to see you back in your
7:25:13proper timeline. How was your journey?
7:25:16She asked. Quite productive, actually.
7:25:20If you would like a detailed version,
7:25:22you can ask the young ones. They had me
7:25:24tell the story at least three times.
7:25:27They should have it memorized by now.
7:25:30Carl replied politely.
7:25:32Orthos chuckled. Three times might be an
7:25:36understatement.
7:25:37Bishop Misti, did you have a report for
7:25:39us? The bronze dragon asked. That
7:25:43depends on if the beast master has
7:25:45already told you everything or if he's
7:25:47still holding out. The golden dragon
7:25:50nation has a stable commander ranked
7:25:52dungeon, and I can confirm that it is
7:25:53awakening at least partially complete
7:25:55systems with the ability to let the
7:25:57recipients randomly or directly select
7:25:59their class. Um, what else was there? I
7:26:03saw in a vision that you've already met
7:26:05Cara and Remy, so I don't need to go
7:26:07into that. Did the Sero try to hit on
7:26:10the forest dragon here or before? Don't
7:26:13worry about that. His game is smooth,
7:26:15but not that smooth. Carl stared in
7:26:18shock. He had no idea who this woman
7:26:21was, but she seemed to know an awful lot
7:26:24about him, so it is confirmed to be a
7:26:26resurgence. Do you know what is causing
7:26:29it? The white eyed woman shook her head.
7:26:33No, they're as random as ever. But this
7:26:36human has excellent luck with being sent
7:26:38to where they appear. Perhaps that means
7:26:41your temple gets the next one, as he was
7:26:43sent here when he returned. Ortho
7:26:46sighed. I hope not. That's far too much
7:26:50trouble. But I'm glad that you managed
7:26:52to find time to come and give a report,
7:26:55Bishop. The woman chuckled. Yes, I found
7:26:59time. That's a good one. Now I have
7:27:03things to see, people to do. I will
7:27:06return later. Then she turned into a
7:27:09thick white mist and simply vanished out
7:27:11the window. Well, she's an interesting
7:27:14one. Is she a form of oracle or prophet?
7:27:18I hear that they see the world in unique
7:27:20ways, Carl asked. Well, I can't say that
7:27:24her way of seeing the world is normal,
7:27:27but I wouldn't call her an oracle or
7:27:29prophet in the usual sense, which meant
7:27:32that she had other ways of finding out
7:27:34obscure information.
7:27:36Carl would have to remember that. Bishop
7:27:39Misty, he would remember that name. He
7:27:42could hear chaos in the next room over,
7:27:44and Carl smiled as he realized that
7:27:46Lotus had met the acolytes unsupervised.
7:27:49She had almost certainly gotten a
7:27:51lecture in advance, but that wouldn't
7:27:53keep her contained for long. As
7:27:55expected, she was sitting cross-legged
7:27:57on the floor with a small Felian catgirl
7:28:00in her lap, reading a story to the
7:28:02youngest acolytes of the church. Dana
7:28:05came over to give Carl a hug, then
7:28:07blushed as she realized that Orthos was
7:28:09still standing on his far side. I will
7:28:12let you get reacquainted with your team.
7:28:14We can speak tomorrow about other
7:28:16matters.
7:28:17The acolytes will show you all to your
7:28:19rooms after dinner. The ancient dragon
7:28:22walked away, leaving Carl with his team.
7:28:26Curiously, Oilia was still in warbear
7:28:28form and wearing armor. In fact, they
7:28:32were all wearing armor. You know,
7:28:34they're not going to attack. You can
7:28:36relax. Carl reminded them. You're too
7:28:40relaxed. We're in a foreign nation with
7:28:43no official treaties with the golden
7:28:45dragon nation or the church. Armor is
7:28:48just common sense though I see that
7:28:51you're comfortable training children for
7:28:52them and helping their ranking beasts
7:28:54gain new skills. Tessa replied.
7:28:58Carl patted her on the shoulder. It's
7:29:01all under control. Well, almost all
7:29:04under control, but you just got here.
7:29:08There are a few things that I should
7:29:09explain. Cara and Remy, can you come out
7:29:12and say hello? Remy came out first and
7:29:15stole the Felion child from Lotus before
7:29:17the little cleric could react. Both Remy
7:29:21and the young acolyte laughed as Remy
7:29:23lifted the girl in the air and spun her
7:29:25as she coiled herself in the middle of
7:29:26the floor. "Remy,
7:29:29you're a naga now." Remy handed the
7:29:32child to Tessa, who seemed more reliable
7:29:34than the others to be holding a child,
7:29:36and nodded happily. Remy pointed to the
7:29:39crown on her head where it was holding
7:29:41her veil down. A naga queen. Lotus
7:29:45guest. Remy nodded again and grabbed
7:29:48Lotus to hug her. When did Remy get so
7:29:51affectionate? Tessa asked as soon as she
7:29:56got arms. Now that she can hug people
7:29:59without them thinking she's trying to
7:30:00kill them, she has been going all out.
7:30:03She even ran around the temple hugging
7:30:05children the first day. When did you get
7:30:08here? Tessa asked. Last night. You got
7:30:13here much more quickly than I had
7:30:14expected. I might have trained an army
7:30:17of loyal children if you gave me an
7:30:19extra week. A few of the older clerics
7:30:22turned suspicious glares at Carl as they
7:30:24realized that he was only half joking.
7:30:27He was doing very well at training the
7:30:29kids and the young ones loved him. We
7:30:32have a lot to talk about, but I think
7:30:34that we can do that over dinner.
7:30:36How about we get these little darlings
7:30:38to lead us to the dining hall? Tessa
7:30:40suggested. The young griffin who had
7:30:43gotten the holy stone for his draw in
7:30:45the final round of the Thor challenge
7:30:47flapped his wings and circled the room
7:30:48before flying out toward the food.
7:30:51Everyone follow the griffin. There is
7:30:54one more surprise in store for you, and
7:30:56it might be better that you're sitting
7:30:58down for this one. Carl laughed. Lotus
7:31:02smirked. I got a sneak preview. It's a
7:31:05badger. A honey badger. Cara popped out
7:31:09of her space and spread her wings to fly
7:31:11around the room before tackling the
7:31:13nature priestess and licking her face.
7:31:16Close. Cara is a winged void badger. And
7:31:19it looks like she likes you. Or at least
7:31:22the honey in the body lotion you use.
7:31:25But that isn't the surprise that I
7:31:26meant. You met her on the way in,
7:31:29remember? Rey, why don't you come out
7:31:32and show off? Ry appeared in the middle
7:31:35of the room looking very much like she
7:31:37always had. So why she would be a
7:31:40surprise for anyone present was a
7:31:42mystery. However, after a quick check to
7:31:45make certain that nobody else was
7:31:47watching, she stepped forward and threw
7:31:49the table next to them using ghost beast
7:31:52to pass through the solid stone table.
7:31:55Did she just? Tessa asked quietly.
7:31:59She did. Carl agreed before Ry returned
7:32:02to her nap.
7:32:04She was fairly certain that she still
7:32:06had a ways to go to master that skill,
7:32:08even if she could make it function right
7:32:09now. There was much more to an epic
7:32:12grade skill than simply being able to
7:32:14make it activate. Nobody else said
7:32:17anything about it out loud as the
7:32:19acolytes were beginning to return with
7:32:20dinner now. But that didn't mean that
7:32:23they were not all silently celebrating.
7:32:26Dana gave Carl a meaningful look,
7:32:28quietly asking him if this is what he
7:32:30had been up to since his arrival. It
7:32:32hadn't been planned, at least not by
7:32:34him. But even a single skill for his
7:32:36beasts was a huge win. And Ray's new
7:32:39skill was an incredible one. So, are we
7:32:42here as substitute teachers for beast
7:32:44king acolytes?
7:32:46As adorable as they are, I suspect that
7:32:48will not be enough to keep the red
7:32:50dragon happy. It's been a while since we
7:32:53fulfilled the terms of the contract now.
7:32:55Oilia reminded them. Tessa declined to
7:32:59mention that whatever Carl had been up
7:33:00to while he was gone had been counted
7:33:02toward their timer. Anyone listening
7:33:04didn't need to know that they had extra
7:33:06time. But she had an idea. Maybe we can
7:33:10convince them to let us head back to the
7:33:12battlefield.
7:33:13It's not that far from here to the
7:33:15backside of the mountain giant nation.
7:33:18They shouldn't hold it against the
7:33:19beasts if a few humans are let loose on
7:33:21them. From somewhere on Carl's right, a
7:33:24derisive snort of laughter caught his
7:33:26attention.
7:33:28While I don't doubt that the monster man
7:33:29can take on a monarch ranked giant, you
7:33:32should realize that they send them out
7:33:3310 at a time in border patrol teams. Not
7:33:36even the red dragon would be impressed
7:33:38if you committed suicide. Human Tessa
7:33:42turned to look at the speaker and saw
7:33:43that it was a large and muscular
7:33:45lion-type beast kin nearly as large as
7:33:47Oilia's werebear form. He was on the
7:33:50strong side of commander, but he lived
7:33:52here. So, he would be more of an expert
7:33:54on the situation at their border with
7:33:56the mountain giants than they were. But
7:33:59to think that they put border patrols
7:34:00that strong along the border with the
7:34:02divine beasts, that had to be cutting
7:34:05down on the strength they could put
7:34:06against the humans even though they were
7:34:08at war. The Golden Dragon Nation didn't
7:34:11have hundreds of monarch rank elites to
7:34:13throw around. And if the giants were
7:34:15using them as border patrol, they
7:34:17clearly did. Tessa smiled at him. Don't
7:34:21underestimate a war priestess.
7:34:23But you have a point. We're not up to
7:34:25that. I don't suppose you have any
7:34:28suggestion on how to keep the red dragon
7:34:30happy while we're waiting for what the
7:34:32representative called their earliest
7:34:33convenience to make sure we get back
7:34:35home. The beast king shrugged.
7:34:39No idea. But the border is a bad idea.
7:34:43The group finished their dinner and
7:34:44headed for bed, escorted by the
7:34:46acolytes.
7:34:48Um, we usually have two to a room. So,
7:34:51Mr. Carl will have to sleep alone.
7:34:53Unless you want to share with an
7:34:54acolyte. A small wolfkin boy explained
7:34:57as he led them to the visitor quarters.
7:35:00Or I could share with Dana and High
7:35:02Priestess Lotus could share with an
7:35:04acolyte. Carl offered. The boy looked
7:35:08horrified.
7:35:09You can't share a room with girls. They
7:35:12might have cooties.
7:35:14Carl did his best not to laugh at the
7:35:16panicked look on the boy's face while
7:35:18the others tried not to laugh. Um, no
7:35:21offense.
7:35:23I'm sure you don't really have cooties.
7:35:26He stammered when he remembered that
7:35:27everyone could hear him. Carl smiled at
7:35:30the others. Well, ladies, you heard the
7:35:34young acolyte. It looks like you're
7:35:36sharing, and I will have one of the
7:35:38acolytes as a roommate. Lotus stuck out
7:35:41her tongue at Carl, even though he had
7:35:43tried to set her up with an acolyte to
7:35:44bunk with. They probably wouldn't get
7:35:47much sleep. Only Tessa could reliably
7:35:50make Lotus sleep before she wore herself
7:35:52out, but it would have helped the nature
7:35:54cleric's mood. Carl didn't actually
7:35:57expect them to transfer someone into his
7:35:59room, as the acolytes should have all
7:36:01had their own rooms, but when he got
7:36:02inside, one of the beds was already
7:36:04taken by a dragon kin of some sort with
7:36:07white hair and silver horns.
7:36:09Good evening, Carl said softly as he
7:36:12prepared to climb into bed. The figure
7:36:15turned over and familiar white eyes
7:36:17stared back at him. Bishop Misty, Carl
7:36:21asked. Right on the first try. Very
7:36:25good. Now that everyone else is asleep,
7:36:28I do have a few questions for you about
7:36:30what you saw when you were in the past
7:36:32and what you learned. I sent you there,
7:36:35but I didn't have an opportunity to
7:36:37monitor everything that you were doing.
7:36:39Not when that annoying archbishop was
7:36:41hounding me again. You sent me so it
7:36:45wasn't an anomaly? Carl asked now on
7:36:48guard against this strange creature. Of
7:36:51course I did. Someone needed to go. Who
7:36:55could be better than you? You have
7:36:57beasts to keep you alive. You have
7:36:59survival skills. The humans will believe
7:37:01what you tell them. And it was easy
7:37:03enough to ensure that you ended up back
7:37:05here where I could talk to you before
7:37:06you left. She announced proudly.
7:37:10So you wanted me to go back and find out
7:37:12something about the past? Carl asked,
7:37:15not understanding.
7:37:17Find out. Nonsense. I can see the past.
7:37:22Plus, Orthos was there. I wanted you to
7:37:25go there and experience it so that you
7:37:27could confirm whether the system version
7:37:28that is being awakened by the new
7:37:30dungeons is the same for humans. Tell
7:37:33me, were there any new functions during
7:37:35that time that you didn't have already
7:37:36after visiting the dungeon? I can borrow
7:37:39one of the newly awakened if we need.
7:37:42That could be a political nightmare.
7:37:44Their inventory system was not the same
7:37:46as mine, and I don't seem to have as
7:37:48much storage. They can see names and
7:37:51classes over everyone's head as well.
7:37:54I couldn't do that before. Or perhaps I
7:37:57didn't know how to activate it until I
7:37:58saw them do it. I can do it now, but I
7:38:01never think to do it. And only a few
7:38:03people actually have a tag. You do now
7:38:07that I'm looking for it. My group
7:38:09members all do, and Orthos does, but I
7:38:12haven't been looking to see if anyone
7:38:13else does. Other than that, they had a
7:38:16guild function, and I have no idea how
7:38:19that works. Carl explained. Misty
7:38:23nodded. That is understandable.
7:38:26The ability to make new guilds was lost
7:38:28even then. Everyone just joined one of
7:38:31the few surviving ones from the times
7:38:33before. Carl snapped his fingers. The
7:38:37city control function. That might be
7:38:40part of the guild functions, but the
7:38:42city was under control of the guild and
7:38:44it changed hands with a challenge. Misty
7:38:47smiled. That is also lost. The city
7:38:51control stones were a magical item that
7:38:53was linked to the guilds, not part of
7:38:55the core system functions. But if you
7:38:58maintain some of the upgrades that you
7:39:00gained there, and we now know that at
7:39:01least a few beast kin can be awakened by
7:39:03the item you brought back, it means that
7:39:05both our nation and yours should be able
7:39:07to awaken more by having them equip gear
7:39:09from the dungeon. Carl smiled, and the
7:39:12dragon nodded happily.
7:39:15See, I won't make you work for nothing.
7:39:18This is valuable information, but the
7:39:20important part is the next part. Simply
7:39:23wearing the item isn't enough. You need
7:39:26to equip it. That can only be done if
7:39:29you're already primed for the system.
7:39:32So, either have all the kids who have
7:39:33taken the injection also try to equip
7:39:35the item or have someone with a fully
7:39:37functional system put the item on them
7:39:39and focus on equipping it to them. That
7:39:42is what Orthos did. Carl nodded and made
7:39:45a physical note to go with the mental
7:39:47note. Why are you telling me all this?
7:39:50Wouldn't it be better for your people if
7:39:52I didn't know? Misty shook her head. No,
7:39:56it is better if everyone knows now
7:39:58because everyone will figure it out
7:39:59eventually on their own. But Orthos has
7:40:02another treasure for you tomorrow, and
7:40:04the gods will demand that you have it.
7:40:07Now you look rather warm, so slide over.
7:40:11Carl barely had time to react before the
7:40:13dragon had slid under his blankets and
7:40:15was curling up to go back to sleep. They
7:40:18could talk about this treasure orthos
7:40:20had for him tomorrow. Carl didn't
7:40:22noticed that Misty had changed into the
7:40:24form of a dog sized white dragon until
7:40:27the next morning when he felt a small
7:40:29body trying to insert itself into his
7:40:31bed. The others had come to wake him up,
7:40:34but Lotus was hoping to steal his spot
7:40:36without waking the dragon. Of course, it
7:40:39didn't work. But Misty had no intentions
7:40:41of getting out of bed, and Lotus wore
7:40:44pleasant smelling body lotion. Carl
7:40:46reached up and settled his fingertips
7:40:48into the stonework of the block wall to
7:40:50lift himself straight up out of bed,
7:40:52then pushed off the wall to land on the
7:40:54floor. "As impressive as that feat of
7:40:57physical strength is, you should put
7:40:59pants on before you come to breakfast."
7:41:02Lotus will miss the meal without
7:41:03complaints, but you should eat, Tessa
7:41:06whispered. Carl put his armor on to
7:41:09blend with the rest of the team and made
7:41:11his way to breakfast.
7:41:13Halfway down, the acolytes were holding
7:41:15everyone's hands, acting as their
7:41:17guides. "Are you going to be training us
7:41:20again today," Monster Man? A half dragon
7:41:23girl asked. "Most likely. I hear that
7:41:27Grand Priest Orthos has something to
7:41:29tell me first, but there should be time
7:41:31to watch your training after that." Carl
7:41:34agreed. The acolyte tilted their chin
7:41:37toward a corner of the room where a
7:41:38bunch of elders were gathered. They've
7:41:41been gathering here all night from the
7:41:42other temples in the area. I think that
7:41:45they want to tell you something
7:41:46important. By Carl's guess, it must be a
7:41:50very important topic given that he could
7:41:52sense at least three overlord ranked
7:41:54beasts and two of them were dragons.
7:41:57adding in Misti who was sleeping in this
7:41:59morning that made three powerful dragons
7:42:01in one spot plus the other elders who
7:42:04had come to visit. Unlike the Golden
7:42:06Dragon Nation, there was a lot of meat
7:42:08at breakfast served with oatmeal and
7:42:11honey. The elders were kind enough to
7:42:13let them finish eating before they came
7:42:15over to address their concerns, but they
7:42:18appeared much more concerned than Carl
7:42:20had expected after his previous days
7:42:22here. Prince Carl, commanders,
7:42:26welcome to Bruce Temple, if you would
7:42:28please accompany us to a meeting room.
7:42:30We have much to discuss. The elder
7:42:33announced, "He appeared to be human, but
7:42:36his temperature was off and he smelled
7:42:38like seaater, so Carl assumed that it
7:42:40was a transformation ability or a
7:42:42disguise spell." The other elders fell
7:42:45in beside them as they made their way to
7:42:47the meeting room along with Orthos and
7:42:49Misty, who was walking hand in hand with
7:42:51Lotus.
7:42:53The more cat on guard at the door closed
7:42:55it behind them and everyone took seats
7:42:57around a huge circular table. The
7:42:59unfamiliar dragon, a monarch ranked
7:43:02beast whose human form had void black
7:43:04eyes, started the meeting. Let us get
7:43:07right to business. It is no secret that
7:43:10the golden dragon nation has opened a
7:43:12commander rank dungeon with a stable
7:43:13entrance on their territory. With that,
7:43:16they will be able to awaken new system
7:43:18users up to the commander rank. Even
7:43:21though they will flatline there without
7:43:23further opportunities, the dungeon has
7:43:25become a source of great envy for the
7:43:27other nations, both human and demihuman.
7:43:30But more importantly, it has become a
7:43:32source of concern for the monster
7:43:34nations, the giants and newborn empire
7:43:37in particular.
7:43:39Now, that is primarily a concern for
7:43:41your leaders, but it is also a concern
7:43:43for us and the Beastkin nation, who is
7:43:45our ally, but does not share our border.
7:43:48In this case, we find ourselves in a
7:43:51similar situation to the Golden Dragon
7:43:53Nation in that we are beset on all sides
7:43:55by enemies. The giants won't allow the
7:43:58Newborn Empire passage through their
7:43:59mountains, so they will have to move
7:44:01armies through the lands of the Beast
7:44:03Kin. The humans to our north will have
7:44:06to come through our territory to get to
7:44:07yours. Until there is another stabilized
7:44:10dungeon, the threat of invasion on the
7:44:12intelligent beasts territories will not
7:44:14abate." Carl listened intently. Their
7:44:18problem made sense, but he didn't see
7:44:20what it was that he could do about it.
7:44:23Carl remained silent, but nodded along,
7:44:25so the dragon knew that he understood
7:44:27the issue. "What we would like for you
7:44:30to do is take an enchanted stone we have
7:44:32created and deposit it in an unstable
7:44:34anomaly that will open soon in the
7:44:36Newborn Empire. The humans would rather
7:44:38attack the monsters using their naval
7:44:40fleets than cross the entirety of two
7:44:42nations or more on the ground to send an
7:44:44army. If there is a stable anomaly in
7:44:47the Newborn Empire, the Golden Dragon
7:44:49Nation will become a lower priority
7:44:51target for everyone but the giants.
7:44:54Safer for you, safer for us. Mutual
7:44:58benefit. The dragon finished. And why
7:45:01don't you send one of your own teams?
7:45:04You've got plenty of powerful residents
7:45:06just in this room that could do the job.
7:45:09Tessa asked. The red dragon didn't like
7:45:12trickery except for ambushes. And the
7:45:14war dragon certainly didn't approve of
7:45:16sending soldiers on suicide missions.
7:45:19For one, we cannot open a portal near
7:45:22the anomaly. But more importantly, we
7:45:25lack the ability to be subtle. We have
7:45:27beasts with great stealth skills. But
7:45:30stealth won't be possible on this
7:45:32mission as many groups will be gathered
7:45:34for the mission. Intelligent beasts do
7:45:37not live in Newborn Empire.
7:45:39However, they do have some
7:45:41monster-blooded demihumans and small
7:45:43pockets of humans. There are more than a
7:45:46dozen human nations on this continent
7:45:48and only one with divine beasts. If they
7:45:51suspect you, there is plausible
7:45:53deniability.
7:45:55They cannot pin the blame directly on
7:45:57the Golden Dragon Nation. Carl nodded.
7:46:01So, we will have to walk in through
7:46:03territory controlled by monsters on the
7:46:05vague promise of potential safety for
7:46:07the Golden Dragon Nation who is not
7:46:09currently at war with New Bond Empire.
7:46:12The dragon smiled and then walk back out
7:46:15again. I will give you a rid of
7:46:18protection. So, if you make it to our
7:46:20border or the Beastkin Nation, they will
7:46:22escort you safely home, upholding our
7:46:24agreement with your Bureau people.
7:46:26Carl's unimpressed look made the dragon
7:46:28smirk and a few of the elders chuckle.
7:46:31However, Misty had the answer. I have a
7:46:35mission order for the closest team to
7:46:36investigate the anomaly. You're the
7:46:39closest by over 2,000 km, and it's all
7:46:42signed by the chief of staff of the
7:46:44military and the archbishop himself.
7:46:47Carl turned on the temporal dragon, who
7:46:49was back in her fully human form. "And
7:46:52just how did you get that?" he asked.
7:46:55Easy. I went there after it was done and
7:46:57requested it, then brought it back. The
7:47:00goddess said it would be fine. Dana and
7:47:03Oilia stared, overwhelmed by the
7:47:06unfathomable level of cheating that her
7:47:07abilities represented, while Carl side
7:47:10and Tessa rubbed her temples. Lotus
7:47:12frowned. "So, you went and got an order
7:47:15for us to stabilize the dungeon after we
7:47:18had done it, and then brought it back
7:47:20here so that you could send us to
7:47:21stabilize the dungeon." Misty patted her
7:47:24head. Of course not. You didn't go the
7:47:28first time now, did you? Because we
7:47:31weren't here to warn you of the danger,
7:47:32and there was no motivation for you to
7:47:34travel that far on your own when there
7:47:36were acolytes to train with right here.
7:47:38Freebubble.com.
7:47:40Lotus glared at the dragon. I am quite
7:47:43sure that has to be against a rule
7:47:45somewhere. You're a temporal dragon.
7:47:48Don't you safeguard time? Misty
7:47:51shrugged. Of course I do. But this
7:47:55timeline is stable as well. There is no
7:47:58harm in sending you down it. Ortho
7:48:00smiled at the elites. I can see that
7:48:03even with the order, you are still
7:48:05skeptical.
7:48:07You can check the order and see that it
7:48:09is a valid magical contract created by
7:48:11your archbishop.
7:48:13But we are willing to pay for your
7:48:14assistance to the divine beasts.
7:48:17Carl smiled.
7:48:19Now they might be on to something. The
7:48:22beasts had many good things that would
7:48:23be impossible to get for themselves. To
7:48:26show our sincerity, we prepared five
7:48:29tokens of our leader favor. The magic
7:48:32will fade with use, but you should keep
7:48:34them as they are also used to secure
7:48:36safe passage through our lands. He
7:48:39opened a chest and revealed five
7:48:41exquisitly carved black dragon scales
7:48:43from an overlord ranked dragon, the
7:48:45faithful of the god of death. Oh, those
7:48:48are cool. They tilt the scales of life
7:48:51and death in your favor. Enemies take
7:48:54more damage. Friends take less when the
7:48:56token is near. Cara informed Carl in an
7:48:59excited voice. How do you know that? I
7:49:03licked a black dragon one time, and this
7:49:05magic feels the same. It's the good
7:49:08stuff. What sort of circumstance had led
7:49:11to her licking a dragon was unclear, but
7:49:14Carl didn't doubt that she had done it.
7:49:16The void badger had no fear of anything
7:49:18in this world or the next. Carl looked
7:49:21to his team for confirmation.
7:49:24Safe passage through the divine beast
7:49:26nation was valuable. And as Misty had
7:49:28said, they did have the agreement of the
7:49:29archbishop that this was the best course
7:49:31of action, even if he had given it after
7:49:33the fact and possibly under duress when
7:49:36the other nations invaded to get to the
7:49:37dungeon. There were no objections, so he
7:49:40passed out the tokens and let everyone
7:49:43put them in their storage bags.
7:49:45So, do you all have an active inventory
7:49:48or just a storage bag bonded? Orthos
7:49:52asked. Lotus was practically bursting to
7:49:55answer, but held herself back until Carl
7:49:57spoke first. I have an active inventory,
7:50:00but we all started out with storage bags
7:50:03from an instance reward, he explained.
7:50:07That way, if the others wanted, they
7:50:09could keep their power level a secret,
7:50:11and he wasn't giving them anything that
7:50:12the nosy temporal dragon didn't already
7:50:14know. What Misty knew, she would
7:50:17certainly tell the others if there was a
7:50:19need for them to know. How do I know if
7:50:21I have an active inventory?
7:50:24Lotus asked. Just think the word status
7:50:27with the intention of bringing up system
7:50:29information. Orthos explained. The way
7:50:33Lotus eyes lit up made it clear that she
7:50:35had found something unexpected.
7:50:37The nature cleric would never be a good
7:50:39poker player, but that was enough of an
7:50:41answer for the beasts. Dana nodded. I
7:50:45have inventory as well. And the storage
7:50:48bag is in one of the spaces. Can you see
7:50:51titles? Orthos asked. Everyone looked
7:50:55confused for a second. Then Oilia did a
7:50:58double take. Over your head in white.
7:51:01Your name is Orthos.
7:51:03Why is it white when Carl is red and
7:51:05Dana is blue? Orthos gestured over her
7:51:08head. You are a very dark red for
7:51:11berserker.
7:51:13Carl is a blood red for beast master.
7:51:15White is cleric. Light blue is mage.
7:51:18When you see warriors with a fully
7:51:20active system, they are brown. Shamans
7:51:23are dark blue. Warlocks are purple and
7:51:25so on. That is brilliant to think that
7:51:29we were supposed to know all that about
7:51:31other people. Oilia replied with an
7:51:34enthusiastic smile on her face. Focus on
7:51:37me and you can see more details when you
7:51:40have the status view open. It will block
7:51:43much of your vision, so don't try it in
7:51:45combat, but you should be able to see a
7:51:47few things. Orthos added. Orthos, bronze
7:51:52dragon, grand priest of the bronze
7:51:54dragon god, overlord rank, abbot of the
7:51:57bruised temple. She read. Orthos was
7:52:01obviously making a mental note of how
7:52:02much she could see. As Carl recalled
7:52:04that he used to have a dark light host
7:52:06guild tag, which he didn't see anymore.
7:52:09When the full function of the system had
7:52:11faded, the guild must have disbanded or
7:52:14there was something that he needed to do
7:52:15to bring his position back. Of course,
7:52:18it could be that he just chose to only
7:52:20show certain roles, but Carl didn't know
7:52:22how to do that, or if it was even
7:52:24possible. Orthos took out one more item
7:52:27from his robes, a small bronze scroll
7:52:30case. This is for Carl, a reward from
7:52:33the gods for his previous assistance.
7:52:36Ortho explained.
7:52:38Carl placed a hand on the scroll tube,
7:52:40expecting Orthos to hand it over, but
7:52:42the dragon kept a hold of it, and
7:52:44information began to flash in Carl's
7:52:46vision.
7:52:47Random class skill acquired. Core skill
7:52:51tree selected. Tier three taming
7:52:53ability. Skill merger. The beast master
7:52:56has a chance to create new skills by
7:52:58combining shared skills. You look like
7:53:01you got something good. Orthos commented
7:53:04as he took the scroll case back and put
7:53:06it in his inventory.
7:53:08Indeed, it upgraded one of my class
7:53:11skills. With some practice, I might be
7:53:14able to adapt some of the skills that I
7:53:16can already use, so they are more
7:53:18effective. Carl explained, "That was
7:53:22vague enough that it wouldn't sidetrack
7:53:23the conversation, but it was also true.
7:53:26So, they couldn't accuse him of
7:53:27insulting the gift that the beast gods
7:53:29gave him. He already had a few ideas on
7:53:32how skills might be used together to
7:53:34make something truly brutal. Bone
7:53:36Crusher with its armor bypass and chain
7:53:39lightning with its stun and spreading
7:53:41damage would be great together. But if
7:53:44he could learn to use Cara's
7:53:45disintegration and combine it with bone
7:53:47crusher, the result would be nearly
7:53:49unstoppable.
7:53:51Cara laughed in Carl's mind as she
7:53:52thought about the potential of a
7:53:54disintegrate attack that simply ignored
7:53:56armor and barriers.
7:53:59That would be the greatest skill ever.
7:54:01She would call it slap and she would use
7:54:04it on every enemy she met. Blend eternal
7:54:07lightning and circle of protection. That
7:54:10would be way better. Thor suggested.
7:54:14Circle of protection wasn't a shared
7:54:16skill, but Thor thought that there
7:54:18should be a way around that. Maybe Carl
7:54:20just needed to upgrade his new skill
7:54:22merger ability. We need to teach you to
7:54:25use new skills.
7:54:27If you could blend bodyguards with ghost
7:54:29beast, we could just go straight after
7:54:31the good food and shiny stuff, Remy
7:54:34suggested.
7:54:35Or golems with bone crusher, Rey
7:54:38suggested.
7:54:40All right, I get the point. You all want
7:54:42me to learn new skills so that I can
7:54:44make overpowered combinations.
7:54:46I will work on it. Maybe now that skill
7:54:49master upgraded, I will have an easier
7:54:51time learning more of your skills. Carl
7:54:54agreed. Hawk nodded in agreement. If you
7:54:58could combine the extra beasts with all
7:55:00the attack skills, they could be real
7:55:02team members. We could teach Remy's
7:55:05bodyguards to use proper magic like
7:55:07fireballs.
7:55:09Hulk was getting better at putting
7:55:11flaming body on other people, but he had
7:55:14a point. If the summon naga warriors
7:55:16could hurl fireballs or create extra
7:55:19totems, they would be even better. This
7:55:22gift was going to be a lot of work.
7:55:24Orthos cleared his throat to get Carl's
7:55:26attention. We will send you as close as
7:55:29possible to the destination tomorrow
7:55:31morning. There is still time before the
7:55:34anomaly opens, and you won't want to be
7:55:36standing around waiting for it. Is there
7:55:39anything that you need to make your
7:55:40preparations for the trip? Carl still
7:55:43had far too much prepared from the last
7:55:45time he had helped preparing for a trip,
7:55:47and most of his inventory was filled
7:55:49with stuff he had gotten from the elves.
7:55:51He had supplies for every conceivable
7:55:53situation already. So Carl shook his
7:55:56head. The others did as well as they had
7:55:59been prepared at home for an extended
7:56:00mission in case they were stuck along
7:56:02the border for weeks trying to make a
7:56:04deal. All right, then you have the day
7:56:07to yourselves. Do as you wish. Just try
7:56:10not to cause trouble for others. They do
7:56:12have duties to attend to. Orthos clearly
7:56:16considered the conversation to be
7:56:17finished, but some of the other elders
7:56:19were intrigued by Carl's training skills
7:56:21and eager to see what he was going to do
7:56:23next. Why don't we all go help the older
7:56:26students today? I worked with the young
7:56:28children yesterday, but there is still a
7:56:30group about to take up official duties
7:56:32that could use some practice with their
7:56:34skills. And of course, Carl was hoping
7:56:37that he might pick up one or two of them
7:56:39if he tried hard enough. That wasn't a
7:56:42possibility with the youngest ones. They
7:56:44barely understood the skills themselves,
7:56:47but the older ones were close to fully
7:56:49grown beasts, so they should have a good
7:56:51understanding of their skills, and they
7:56:53would be trying to advance it to speed
7:56:55their progress through the ranks. Like
7:56:57Thor and Ray, most divine beasts
7:56:59finished growing in body long before
7:57:01they stopped growing in power. The
7:57:04dragons were an exception, as they never
7:57:06stopped growing, and some weaker species
7:57:08reached peak power before adulthood, but
7:57:10those were mostly considered wild beasts
7:57:12or monsters. not divine beasts with
7:57:15intelligence.
7:57:16The older trainees were mostly in beast
7:57:19form today. When Carl reached the
7:57:20training field, though there were a few
7:57:22half breeds whose natural form was
7:57:24demihuman.
7:57:26Transformation was a skill that he would
7:57:27love to teach the team. But he could
7:57:29feel that it was holy magic from their
7:57:31beast god clerical symbols.
7:57:34Other than Remy, it was unlikely that
7:57:36any of the others would be able to use
7:57:37that right now, if ever, as they weren't
7:57:40exactly devout followers, much less
7:57:42ordained clerics. But there was zero
7:57:45chance that Carl would be able to steal
7:57:46the skill and teach it to them. The bias
7:57:50between beasts and beast kin was
7:57:51eminently clear at this stage. The beast
7:57:54kin had mostly fallen behind in
7:57:56advancement and were relegated to the
7:57:58role of assistance. While the beasts
7:58:00were pushing to improve their power, a
7:58:03winged wolf turned to nod at Carl as he
7:58:05approached, then smirk at Lotus with his
7:58:07tongue out. I thought that we would help
7:58:09you all with your skills today. You have
7:58:12gotten skilled at fighting each other as
7:58:14you live and train together every day.
7:58:17So, today you can train with me and one
7:58:19of my teammates. We will give you
7:58:22pointers on improving your skills as
7:58:24well any mistakes that you might be
7:58:26making in strategy.
7:58:28Carl explained, then turned to the team.
7:58:31Who wants to volunteer to help? Dana
7:58:34smiled and nodded. I will. I have
7:58:38barriers, so I shouldn't be injured too
7:58:40badly. Carl smiled and patted her on the
7:58:43shoulder, then took off the damage
7:58:45reduction bracelet he had gotten from
7:58:46the bandit leader. "Here, wear this. It
7:58:51will make training much safer," he
7:58:53whispered. All of the beasts here were
7:58:56in the late awakened and early ascended
7:58:58ranks. So, they shouldn't overcome the
7:58:59base damage reduction of the amulet
7:59:01without going way overboard on their
7:59:03sparring. But learning to fight against
7:59:06a humanoid mage would be a change from a
7:59:08bunch of beast clerics fighting each
7:59:09other. Fighting Carl was more similar to
7:59:12sparring each other, but he could use
7:59:14skills to cheat and keep things
7:59:16interesting. There was a constant
7:59:18buzzing in his mind as Carl prepared to
7:59:20go to the sparring ring to find his
7:59:22first target. and he realized that Remy
7:59:24was meditating and chanting. She was
7:59:27trying to teach him how to use
7:59:29bodyguards.
7:59:30When she said that she wanted to see
7:59:32what they could do with some
7:59:33enhancement, she wasn't joking. Carl
7:59:36focused skill master between them, and
7:59:38he could actually feel the knowledge of
7:59:40how to call bodyguards flowing into his
7:59:42mind. It was a racial ability of the
7:59:44Naga Queen and one of the easiest to
7:59:47learn to share, at least for Remy. Dana
7:59:51picked her opponent first. a more cat
7:59:53whose shoulders were the same height as
7:59:55her own. For more cats, it was still
7:59:58half grown. But it would be a good
8:00:00matchup as they were both fast-moving
8:00:02combatants.
8:00:04The cleric in charge put a golden
8:00:06barrier over them both, both for defense
8:00:08and to indicate who was the winner. The
8:00:11first barrier to break lost. Carl
8:00:14focused on learning bodyguards as the
8:00:16fight began and Dana flipped through the
8:00:19air to avoid a leap by the Morcat. Her
8:00:22blade flashed down and the beast twisted
8:00:24to avoid having its back slashed open,
8:00:26then leaped straight sideways to avoid a
8:00:28barrage of magic missiles. Dana was
8:00:31holding back on the power to the same
8:00:33low awakened standard that everyone was
8:00:35using. But if the cat didn't figure
8:00:37something out quickly, it would be in
8:00:39trouble. It didn't take long to realize
8:00:42that keeping a mage at a distance was a
8:00:44bad idea, and the Morcat used its
8:00:46species skill of silent predator to
8:00:48vanish from sight and silence its steps.
8:00:52Dana only had a limited amount of
8:00:53detection ability, but she knew how to
8:00:55deal with invisible attackers.
8:00:58She created a field of fog, which would
8:01:00let her see the disturbance as the more
8:01:02cat moved, even if she couldn't clearly
8:01:04see the beast. Claws raked her
8:01:07nullification barrier as she moved too
8:01:09late, but her blade caused a golden
8:01:11flash as she struck true before the
8:01:13Moore cat could relocate. The winged
8:01:16wolf transformed into a young man nearly
8:01:18Carl's age, wearing the plain gray robes
8:01:20of the beast clerics.
8:01:23Fighting mages is tricky. Even
8:01:25invisible, they can still find you.
8:01:28Plus, she can fly. I can see that she's
8:01:32not using it as much to make the fight
8:01:34more fair, but she could be holding this
8:01:36entire fight from above and making Nala
8:01:38jump at her. Carl nodded. We're not here
8:01:42to discourage anyone, and flying targets
8:01:44are hard for anyone to deal with,
8:01:47especially a more cat cleric who doesn't
8:01:49have ranged attacks. The wolf chuckled.
8:01:53If I had ranged attacks, I would totally
8:01:55abuse them. But the flying species with
8:01:58ranged abilities train separately. And
8:02:00there is a whole class on how to deal
8:02:02with that. If you would like, I can
8:02:04convince Cara, the winged void badger,
8:02:06to spar with you. If she doesn't use her
8:02:09ranged attacks, it should be a good
8:02:11learning chance. The wolf barked a laugh
8:02:14and shook his head. Thanks, but I don't
8:02:17feel like getting beat up today. I can't
8:02:20fly without magic, and a void badger can
8:02:23nullify that and send me crashing to the
8:02:25ground. The outcome of the first match
8:02:27was set from the start. After only a few
8:02:30minutes of fighting in the fog, Dana
8:02:32managed to hit the Moore cat with a
8:02:34barrage of magic missiles, breaking its
8:02:36barrier and ending the match. Dana ended
8:02:39her spells and the cat transformed back
8:02:42to human form to pout. Mages are too
8:02:45dangerous in a fair fight. She
8:02:47complained. Another beast, some sort of
8:02:51chimera with a mostly feline body, but
8:02:53tentacles on the sides and six legs,
8:02:55stepped up to challenge Dana. They
8:02:58started off easy enough with probing
8:03:00attacks. Then the beast seemed to split
8:03:03into three, and a surge of understanding
8:03:05flowed through Carl's mind. That skill
8:03:08was a solid illusion, but it was the
8:03:10same as the essence of the bodyguards.
8:03:13Now he understood how they were supposed
8:03:15to be formed. But on the battlefield,
8:03:18Dana was having trouble. The clones
8:03:21seemed to shimmer in and out of
8:03:22existence, vanishing only to reappear.
8:03:25And under the effects of the skill, she
8:03:27couldn't tell which was the real one.
8:03:29Even using wide area blade attacks
8:03:31wasn't having luck, and the beast had
8:03:33landed multiple hits on her shield
8:03:35already. But Dana wasn't always missing.
8:03:39It only looked like it to her, thanks to
8:03:41the beast's illusion. So when Dana sent
8:03:44a flurry of attacks out at where she
8:03:46predicted the beast to be, then jumped
8:03:48to avoid its retribution, she was as
8:03:50surprised as everyone else when the
8:03:51match was called. The illusions vanished
8:03:54and the cat was revealed in a different
8:03:56spot than anyone had been seeing it
8:03:58other than Carl, who could still see it
8:04:00with thermal imaging. Though that might
8:04:03not be right. A few of the other beasts
8:04:06were looking smug, including one young
8:04:08dragon. Not many beasts saw heat, but
8:04:12those who did were much harder to fool
8:04:13with illusions. If the cat was at Carl's
8:04:16level, it might have known how to hide
8:04:18fully, but this one was still young and
8:04:21mastering its skills. Monster Man, how
8:04:24would you deal with that? The wolf
8:04:26asked. Carl smiled. I can see her
8:04:30through the illusion. The cat motioned
8:04:33for Carl to come prove it. She wasn't
8:04:36ready to accept that he could evade her
8:04:37skill. Dana left the sparring ring and
8:04:40Carl stepped in to take her place. He
8:04:44didn't take out a weapon, only nodded at
8:04:46his opponent. There was a split second
8:04:48of lag in her short-range teleport when
8:04:50she attacked, and it telegraphed her
8:04:52movements perfectly. The cat activated
8:04:55the illusion again without waiting for
8:04:57the clerics to bring up the barriers,
8:04:59and Carl smiled as it crept along the
8:05:01ground, looking to ambush him from the
8:05:03side as the three illusionary images
8:05:05approached. and Carl remained perfectly
8:05:07still as the cat hadn't moved out of his
8:05:09peripheral vision. The illusions
8:05:11prepared to attack as the cat pounced
8:05:14and Carl lifted a leg to spin himself
8:05:16horizontally to the ground over the line
8:05:18of the strike. He caught the cat on the
8:05:21way by then wrapped her back legs with
8:05:23his own and put an arm around her neck
8:05:25and four legs to pet her head while she
8:05:26couldn't escape. It took a second for
8:05:29her to release the illusion. She was so
8:05:31shocked at the turn of events. The
8:05:34problem was that if she transformed to
8:05:36find out how he did it, he would still
8:05:37have her and that would be even more
8:05:39embarrassing.
8:05:41Carl let her up after a second and she
8:05:43shook the dust out of her fur before
8:05:45transforming to shout at him. How did
8:05:48you do that? It shouldn't be possible.
8:05:51You can't see a displacer beast through
8:05:53her illusion. She demanded. When you
8:05:57teleport, your butt wiggles, and it
8:05:59gives away both your timing and your
8:06:01target. That's how I knew to move. Also,
8:06:05for some of us with enhanced vision, we
8:06:07can still see you. Your illusion doesn't
8:06:10hide your heat signature. One of the
8:06:13other beasts transformed into a human
8:06:15girl with long fox ears. She still
8:06:18wiggles her, but when she attacks.
8:06:21She totally did that as a kid. Like a
8:06:24blink cat preparing to attack. It was
8:06:27adorable.
8:06:28She giggled. Shut up. I do not wiggle my
8:06:32butt. The monster man is messing with
8:06:34me. The displacer beast complained. If
8:06:38we can't beat him with illusions, maybe
8:06:40we can beat him with speed. One of the
8:06:43others suggested or strength. He is
8:06:47higher rank, but he's still human.
8:06:50Another suggested.
8:06:52Carl motioned them forward. Why don't we
8:06:55test both theories? I should be able to
8:06:58keep track of two targets at once.
8:07:00Actually, I have a better idea. You can
8:07:03test against my summons. That way, I can
8:07:06give pointers. The two beasts
8:07:09transformed.
8:07:10One into an owl bear and one into a
8:07:13massive scorpion nearly the size of Rey.
8:07:16Carl focused on the bodyguard skill and
8:07:18called forth the summons. They weren't
8:07:21quite what he expected. Remy got blue
8:07:24naga warriors with black patterns
8:07:26similar to her own. Carl got a pair of
8:07:29Lameias with white scales, vibrant red
8:07:31hair, and leather armor. They also only
8:07:34had two arms, not four as the Naga
8:07:37warriors did. They were also smaller,
8:07:40not muscular warriors with thick chests,
8:07:42but slender females with an assassin's
8:07:44grace. Of course, there was no such
8:07:47thing as a male Lameia, but some of them
8:07:49were large and muscular. They were
8:07:52commanders, which was startling to Carl.
8:07:55Remy's was royal rank, but for some
8:07:57reason his was a rank weaker. He was
8:08:00sure he did the skill correctly, but the
8:08:02bodyguards weren't at the same standard.
8:08:05But when the match started, Carl
8:08:07realized that they were an entirely
8:08:08different beast than the warriors. On
8:08:11their own, they activated a royal rank
8:08:14flaming body and attacked with Ren.
8:08:17Though they did cut the power of the
8:08:18attack. You screwed it up. Remy
8:08:22complained.
8:08:23I have no idea how. I was certain that
8:08:26it was right, but it summoned Lameia
8:08:28instead of Naga. Carl replied as he
8:08:31watched them fight the students.
8:08:34Maybe because he's human and it's a Naga
8:08:36skill. He got halfway in between. Hawk
8:08:40suggested.
8:08:42You're just smug because they can use
8:08:44fire. Remy informed him. Very much so.
8:08:48Yes. The Lania swayed on their lower
8:08:51body, enabling them to attack from
8:08:53rapidly changing angles. That mobility
8:08:56was offsetting both the damage of the
8:08:58stronger opponent and the faster one.
8:09:01"Get closer. You're giving them too much
8:09:04room to evade. If you're nearly chest to
8:09:07chest, they can't sway far enough before
8:09:09your strikes land." Carl offered. He
8:09:13could sense them rolling their eyes at
8:09:15him. If it were that easy, they would
8:09:17have already done it. The Lameia had
8:09:20swords covered in fire, and almost all
8:09:22beasts were instinctively afraid of
8:09:24fire. It made them want to shy away, not
8:09:27get closer. But after some
8:09:30consideration, the trainees both came to
8:09:32the same conclusion. The body of Alameia
8:09:35was more vulnerable than the chest. That
8:09:38was how they landed their first strikes,
8:09:41just behind the ground contact point
8:09:43where most of the bodyguards weight was
8:09:45balanced. Of course, they didn't make it
8:09:48out and scathed, but they did manage to
8:09:51land a strike, which was better than
8:09:53anyone before them. The teacher stepped
8:09:55into the ring as they were about to
8:09:57retreat. "Try again. You've almost
8:10:00understood the concept." Carl watched
8:10:03the beasts fight with the two Lameia
8:10:05bodyguards while Rey and Remy compared
8:10:08them to the bodyguards and golems that
8:10:09they had. It was hard to tell whose were
8:10:12the most deadly between Carl and Ry, as
8:10:15they both had offensive optimization
8:10:17available, and the Lameia had to hold
8:10:19back against the student beast. But
8:10:22there was some argument over whether
8:10:23four arms with swords was better than
8:10:25eight legs when only the front two were
8:10:28normally used to attack. They wanted to
8:10:30test the theory, but they didn't want to
8:10:32give away their actual power level while
8:10:34they were still being observed by
8:10:36others. The beast clerics weren't bad
8:10:39sorts, at least not in the mind of the
8:10:41beasts, but they weren't part of the
8:10:43team. They told us the first day that
8:10:45you should always have a secret reserve
8:10:47of power that nobody else knows about.
8:10:50Hawk reminded them. Not so evil lady had
8:10:53said it very clearly. The students
8:10:56training against the bodyguards changed
8:10:58and the pair of white Lameia tested them
8:11:00to their limits, making them improve
8:11:02their strategies in ways that the
8:11:03clerics hadn't thought of before and use
8:11:05their skills and bodies in the most
8:11:07effective manners. The teacher was
8:11:10impressed that the training could go so
8:11:11smoothly. And with Carl using skill
8:11:14master on both the students and his own
8:11:15beasts, everyone was making progress.
8:11:18Most of the team couldn't use the skills
8:11:20that they were seeing, but there was
8:11:22hope that it would give them inspiration
8:11:23to more easily learn other skills that
8:11:25they were compatible with. It was also
8:11:28valuable training for the team as they
8:11:30had been fighting giants for a while and
8:11:32now they had the chance to watch battles
8:11:34with multiple body styles. The
8:11:37bodyguards had some combat skills, but
8:11:39at first they lacked combat instincts.
8:11:42Even after practice, they were still
8:11:44lacking compared to a trained elite. But
8:11:46the same was true of golems. So Carl put
8:11:49the spell on the same general level.
8:11:52Carl let them practice until lunch when
8:11:54the older students went to their indoor
8:11:56training, which was more private as it
8:11:58was church doctrine, and the humans
8:12:00weren't followers of the beast gods. The
8:12:02cafeteria was busy at lunch, but Dana
8:12:05had many questions for Carl. When did
8:12:08you learn to use bodyguards?
8:12:10Or are those Remy's?
8:12:12Plus, why can they use your skills? I
8:12:15honestly have no idea. Remy has never
8:12:19sent hers into combat yet, so I don't
8:12:21know if they can also use some of her
8:12:23skills. If they can use even one or two
8:12:26of her skills, they will be very
8:12:28dangerous.
8:12:29But mine came out as Lameia, and hers
8:12:31are Naga warriors.
8:12:34It might be the form that determined the
8:12:35abilities. But for the Lameia, their
8:12:38outfit looks more decorative. While for
8:12:40the Naga bodyguards, Bestel Raymond
8:12:42looks like it's actually making epic
8:12:44grade armor on them. In his mind, Remy
8:12:47was trying not to laugh, which was
8:12:49making Hawk increasingly suspicious.
8:12:52They can use Bestel Raymond and Tsunami.
8:12:55She laughed. Naga were a water element
8:12:58monster by nature, so it made sense that
8:13:01the warriors would be able to use one of
8:13:02her water type skills. Hawkside and
8:13:05resignation.
8:13:07He knew that was coming and he was
8:13:09beginning to accept that his little
8:13:10sister didn't fully appreciate the
8:13:12wonder that was fire magic.
8:13:14So now between you, you can have six
8:13:17summoned constructs.
8:13:19That's a bit unfair. Dana sighed as she
8:13:22did the mental math of his combat power.
8:13:25Carl shrugged. Many things with the
8:13:28elites are simply unfair.
8:13:30Even Morgana, who is incredibly capable
8:13:32now, had to extensively tattoo her own
8:13:35body to get to a point where she felt
8:13:37safe in combat. Speaking of which, I
8:13:40should see if she can help me out with
8:13:42some of those the next time we meet. But
8:13:44I learned something while I was back in
8:13:46time. The class that you start with
8:13:48wasn't always the one you had to stay
8:13:50with. When you gained enough power, you
8:13:53could try to modify your class through
8:13:55advancement.
8:13:56We all went through the first
8:13:58advancement trail, but I don't know if
8:14:00any of us managed to upgrade. We all got
8:14:03some good rewards, but as for actually
8:14:05upgrading our classes, I don't think we
8:14:07can know if it happened until the system
8:14:08is active enough to give you your skill
8:14:10tree or a full status report. The others
8:14:13nodded, and Carl saw them silently
8:14:16trying to bring up both just to see what
8:14:18they found. They didn't manage to pull
8:14:20up a skill list, but they all had a
8:14:22detailed status that described their
8:14:24abilities. Orthos sent a cleric to join
8:14:27them as they were finishing their meals.
8:14:30I have a map for you and details of the
8:14:32mission. The anomaly will appear 40 km
8:14:35straight north of the town of Hering.
8:14:38Unfortunately, the monsters monitor for
8:14:40portal openings in case of invasion.
8:14:44So, we will bring you to the human
8:14:46controlled port at Lutonade.
8:14:48I suggested Penbeck, which is held by
8:14:50tribal trolls, but it would add hundreds
8:14:53of kilometers to your journey. The issue
8:14:55is that Luganade is a pirate port known
8:14:58as a stopover for slave ships headed
8:15:00overseas.
8:15:02It is not a friendly place and traveling
8:15:04with any females, much less with so many
8:15:06young and healthy ones, makes you a
8:15:08target. The third safe option is to
8:15:11bring you to the wilderness at the Charm
8:15:13River Delta. It's a safe spot for
8:15:16portals, but it's a swamp and you would
8:15:18have to travel 300 km through the
8:15:20wilderness or 80 km north to get to the
8:15:23nearest village outside the swamp where
8:15:24you could get on a road, he explained.
8:15:28He motioned to all the spots on the map,
8:15:30and other than the pirate and slaver
8:15:32issue, Ludenade seemed like the best
8:15:34option. But tempting slavers when they
8:15:37had a mission to complete didn't seem
8:15:38like a great idea. The road from Penbeck
8:15:42was a large loop skirting the swamp and
8:15:44would be over 700 km of travel to make
8:15:47the 300 km of direct travel. Would
8:15:50Slathers actually attack dragon clerics?
8:15:53Lotus asked. That was generally
8:15:56considered taboo among all the human
8:15:58nations on the continent. Kidnapping a
8:16:01dragon cleric brought nothing but bad
8:16:03luck. The other continents don't hold to
8:16:06that standard, so the slavers from Newon
8:16:08don't care who they grab.
8:16:10They'll just claim that they're random
8:16:12commoners when they auction them. We've
8:16:14even had them try to auction transformed
8:16:16beasts who were drugged so they couldn't
8:16:18shift back. Carl could only imagine how
8:16:21much of a mess that would have been when
8:16:23the drugs wore off and the beast shifted
8:16:25back. Buying a docel human or beastkin
8:16:28slave was a very different level of risk
8:16:30than a pissed-off dire bear in the
8:16:32living room. Dana pointed further up the
8:16:34road. It says that there are docks at
8:16:37Hatberry. It's also a bit further and
8:16:40the road runs past Ludenade, but that
8:16:42should be better than showing up in the
8:16:44city. The cleric looked at the reports.
8:16:48Yes, that should be possible. That town
8:16:52is about half human, a trading camp
8:16:54between human fishermen and the orc and
8:16:56demon tribes that live inland. Their
8:16:59plan looked like it should be viable if
8:17:00they appeared at Hatberry, and the
8:17:02cleric was sure they could safely appear
8:17:04there. The only concern was that they
8:17:07would still have to cover over 400 km in
8:17:093 days with the added distance to
8:17:11Hatberry
8:17:13or they could make it slightly shorter
8:17:15than the road route from Ludenade and go
8:17:17east through the wilderness.
8:17:19That was mostly orc territory with some
8:17:21nomadic demon tribes in the region. Both
8:17:24could be quite troublesome, but they
8:17:26didn't usually come near Helsering, the
8:17:28closest town to the anomaly, as it was
8:17:30largely populated by minotaurs who were
8:17:33highly territorial.
8:17:35I think that we might be best going down
8:17:37the road. At least we know that it is
8:17:40regularly traveled. We can bring out
8:17:42Thor and the golems and travel like a
8:17:44caravan. With the beasts, I don't think
8:17:47that we will be anyone's top targets to
8:17:49attack. The outfit that Ray made me also
8:17:53looks much like one for a rogue or
8:17:54assassin, which blends with the magical
8:17:56fighters of the other human nations,
8:17:59Dana suggested.
8:18:01All right, so a rogue, a warrior, two
8:18:04clerics, and myself with Thor and the
8:18:06golems. That sounds like a reasonable
8:18:09group. Carl agreed. Bring out the
8:18:12bodyguards from Remy as well. They
8:18:15should be able to keep up with Thor at a
8:18:17jog, and Naga actually belongs here.
8:18:20Maybe not in that region, unless it's
8:18:22swampy, but we can say that we came from
8:18:24the swamps or are going to them, Tessa
8:18:27suggested.
8:18:28The beast god cleric looked intrigued.
8:18:32That could work. The swamp starts not
8:18:35far from the road and runs from this
8:18:37river here to the Charm River. Most of
8:18:39your journey will be next to the swamp,
8:18:41so it wouldn't be out of character for
8:18:43Naga warriors to accept a guard
8:18:45contract. It's a shame that you're only
8:18:48bringing two of them, but your group has
8:18:50other guards. Most would think that you
8:18:52were escorting the clerics. I don't
8:18:55suppose that you have a wagon that we
8:18:56could purchase for the trip. Thor likes
8:18:59to pull wagons and we could put the
8:19:01ladies all inside so it would be me plus
8:19:03monsters and golems visible. Carl
8:19:06suggested
8:19:08we can get one. There is a portal nearby
8:19:11and they can bring one from the cities.
8:19:14It won't be cheap though. Carl took out
8:19:1710 gold coins from his inventory. Will
8:19:20this cover it? The cleric pushed half of
8:19:23the money back. Not that expensive.
8:19:27Thank you for taking care of that for
8:19:29us. It will save us a lot of trouble to
8:19:31look more like average travelers.
8:19:34Well, as average as we can with Thor
8:19:36pulling the wagon. I can arrange for
8:19:39some horses if you would like. The beast
8:19:42god clerics offered. No, the part about
8:19:45having Thor pull it is not negotiable.
8:19:48He would be too disappointed if we
8:19:50brought in new beasts just to prevent
8:19:52him from pulling the wagon. The
8:19:54transformed beast chuckled. Thor did
8:19:57seem like the sort that would enjoy
8:19:58pulling a card all day. For a few
8:20:01minutes, everyone examined the map,
8:20:03trying to guess as much as they could
8:20:05about the route and any detours that
8:20:07they might have to take in order to get
8:20:08to the anomaly on time. Carl gestured at
8:20:11the direct route across the rural areas.
8:20:14From what it looks like, even if we have
8:20:16the open wilderness, we should be all
8:20:18right. None of this is mountainous or
8:20:21forest, at least not on the north side
8:20:23of the road where we will be looking for
8:20:25the anomaly. We've got the coordinates,
8:20:28but once we get close, it will just be a
8:20:30guessing game until we actually see and
8:20:32activate the device to keep the anomaly
8:20:34stable. The only issue is that we have
8:20:37no idea what is actually there for the
8:20:39inhabitants.
8:20:40With nomadic tribes making up most of
8:20:42the monsters, I guess it makes sense
8:20:44that you can't pin them down on a map.
8:20:47The cleric smiled at Carl's frustration.
8:20:51Well, we have some intelligence on the
8:20:52numbers of the orc clans, but they have
8:20:54hundreds of camps over the thousand km
8:20:57east of the coast all the way north to
8:20:59our borders. There are that many orcs.
8:21:03Then why don't they call it an orcish
8:21:04empire? Dana asked. Because the orcs
8:21:08aren't interested in being responsible
8:21:10for anything or eliminating the other
8:21:12monster species. If they did that, they
8:21:15wouldn't have anyone left to fight with.
8:21:18That would be a disaster for them. So,
8:21:21they're happy to let the cities and even
8:21:23the villages full of other species live
8:21:25while they plant random fields on their
8:21:27migration routes so that there is food
8:21:29everywhere that they go. They don't even
8:21:31eliminate the goblin tribes and everyone
8:21:34finds the goblins annoying, filthy
8:21:36scavengers.
8:21:37The orcs get along well enough with the
8:21:39demons since the species both love to
8:21:42fight and have a sense of honor. How
8:21:44much do you know about orish battle
8:21:46customs? The cleric asked. Enough to
8:21:50know that they like to assign someone to
8:21:52count kills so that nobody makes up fake
8:21:54kill counts to brag. Carl shrugged. The
8:21:58others turned to stare at him. What? I
8:22:02met with some while I was out. They're
8:22:04quite interesting.
8:22:06or they were 10,000 years ago. Bishop
8:22:10Misti came to join them at the table.
8:22:12Things have changed for the orcs since
8:22:14then. When the system collapsed, so did
8:22:17large parts of their culture that were
8:22:19based on it. They're much less civilized
8:22:22now, but the basics are still intact.
8:22:25They love to fight for the smallest
8:22:27reasons, but they still have the same
8:22:29code, and they don't attack children or
8:22:31non-commatants.
8:22:33Non-commatants?
8:22:35Lotus asked. If you stand back of the
8:22:38fight and wait to heal your side after
8:22:39the fight finishes, they won't attack
8:22:41you. The war clerics wouldn't get away
8:22:44with it, but nature clerics are
8:22:46notoriously flaky. Lotus side. How did
8:22:50we get such a horrible reputation even
8:22:52here? You follow the beast gods, the
8:22:55fans of all things feral. You cuddled an
8:22:58immortal temporal dragon this morning
8:23:00instead of going to breakfast.
8:23:02Then you had to snack during morning
8:23:04training because you were dizzy from
8:23:06hunger. The others nodded and Lotus
8:23:08shrugged. That's not flaky, that's just
8:23:12priorities.
8:23:13Time schedules are not part of nature.
8:23:16When you are safe, you should be able to
8:23:18sleep as much as you want and then eat,
8:23:20not rush off to training. While they
8:23:23were talking, the guards at the temple
8:23:25were already working to get the plan in
8:23:26order to help them get to the anomaly.
8:23:29It was vital that it was stabilized, so
8:23:31they were doing their best to prepare
8:23:33whatever the team needed. That included
8:23:35some fake trade goods to load in the
8:23:37wagon because nobody traveled with an
8:23:39empty wagon, even if their primary goal
8:23:41was to move people. Orthos came in to
8:23:44meet with them when the wagon had
8:23:46arrived, and he was satisfied with it.
8:23:48The guards had loaded bolts of linen
8:23:50into the wagon, which were a trademark
8:23:52of one of the northern human nations and
8:23:54only valuable within New.
8:23:57Everywhere else, linen was among the
8:23:59cheapest options. The wagon was on the
8:24:02small side for a merchant wagon, but big
8:24:04enough to do the job, and there were
8:24:06side platforms for guards. They could
8:24:09put golems or something on there so that
8:24:11bandits knew the wagon was protected.
8:24:14Carl looked over the wagon with
8:24:16satisfaction.
8:24:17What is the plan to get us there? Will
8:24:20you just open a portal at the edge of
8:24:22town or perhaps at the docks and pretend
8:24:25that we unloaded from one of the ships?
8:24:27He asked. We were going to deliver you
8:24:30just outside of town. You can act as if
8:24:33you came down through the Beast Nation
8:24:35or use the trade port at Hitchbird and
8:24:37then had your crew deliver you to the
8:24:39beach. The docks at Hatberry are good
8:24:42for small fishing boats, but not for the
8:24:44sorts of large transport that could be
8:24:46moving a wagon. I would say that you
8:24:48could claim to have come from inland
8:24:50then south from Pikap, but there is no
8:24:52road south of Pikap and both are fishing
8:24:54villages, so a cross-country trek to
8:24:56gather fish makes no sense. You would
8:24:59have taken the goods back inland. Pikap
8:25:02is a deep water port, so you could have
8:25:04gotten the linen there, but the route
8:25:06still makes no sense as Ludenade is
8:25:08right there.
8:25:09the dragon explained.
8:25:12So, we claim to have come ashore on the
8:25:14beach for the safety of the ladies if we
8:25:16do have to answer questions and then we
8:25:18get going. Carl confirmed.
8:25:22Stop and grab dried fish in Hatberry.
8:25:25Having some of it visible at the top of
8:25:27your cargo will also make them less
8:25:28likely to attack as you pass Lutonade.
8:25:31They have plenty of fish of their own,
8:25:33even if the fish are cheaper in hat.
8:25:36Bandits are resourceful, so don't try
8:25:39too hard to hide your team members. They
8:25:41will think that you have something
8:25:43valuable tucked away. I would have the
8:25:45ladies switch to their most tattered
8:25:47robes and get them dirty before leaving.
8:25:50Nobody washes clothes during a journey.
8:25:52The dirt helps insulate against the cold
8:25:54night air. The guard who brought the
8:25:57wagon insisted.
8:25:59That makes a lot of sense. We don't want
8:26:02them to realize that it's a pair of high
8:26:03priestesses.
8:26:05Two junior priestesses with their
8:26:07guards, plus the wagon driver and the
8:26:09security naga should be good enough. The
8:26:12guard nodded. If you have more golems,
8:26:15have them run behind the wagon to guard
8:26:17from the back. It's standard practice.
8:26:21Plus, your curly one will likely be
8:26:23mistaken for a spell's word. Anyhow,
8:26:25they dress like rogues, but they're much
8:26:28more dangerous.
8:26:29It's safer for bandits to assume that
8:26:31the rogues might be using magic. Carl
8:26:35smiled as he realized that it wasn't
8:26:36just his team that had problems with the
8:26:38common tongue when it came to people as
8:26:40individuals.
8:26:42They wouldn't be far from right. Dana
8:26:44did train with the magic knight so that
8:26:46she would have better close combat
8:26:48skills than the average mage. Of course,
8:26:51she also had received powerful blade
8:26:53skills as well. But the beasts had
8:26:56already seen a bit of that during
8:26:57training, and there was no reason to
8:26:59tell them that it was a system gifted
8:27:01set of bonuses.
8:27:03Orthos nodded in satisfaction.
8:27:05That team composition works out
8:27:07perfectly.
8:27:09Two clerics, two pretend bodyguards, and
8:27:11the wagon team. That makes it much more
8:27:14believable than one cleric with an
8:27:16overpowered bodyguard team. The church
8:27:19wouldn't shell out the money to get a
8:27:20team that powerful, and they wouldn't
8:27:22rely on a local trade wagon to be the
8:27:24guards for a traveling high cleric. More
8:27:27likely, they would open a portal close
8:27:29to the target and then deal with the
8:27:31response directly. We're trying to avoid
8:27:34that this time, so neither of our
8:27:36nations is linked to the anomaly
8:27:37becoming stable. All right, then we have
8:27:40our plan and cover story. Two dragon
8:27:43clerics with a merchant team. That
8:27:46should be enough to not start any
8:27:47strange rumors. The massive serero
8:27:50pulling the wagon will draw some
8:27:52attention, but they do have so herds in
8:27:54the region, so it's not completely
8:27:56outlandish other than the fact that you
8:27:58tamed one. Orthos chuckled. Should we
8:28:02head out early for the extra distance,
8:28:04or is it better to go there just after
8:28:06dawn and push through the day to get as
8:28:08far as possible? Carl asked, I would go
8:28:12in the morning so that they don't have
8:28:13time to send a runner to warn bandits
8:28:15and slavers that you're coming. They
8:28:18might have magical communications, but
8:28:20you can't prevent that. Staying
8:28:22overnight in hostile villages is
8:28:24dangerous.
8:28:26Staying in the wilderness was dangerous
8:28:28as well. But at least they had a chance
8:28:30that outsiders wouldn't find their camp.
8:28:32And now they had multiple guards who
8:28:34could be up all night. With the golems
8:28:37and the naga in place, the wagon should
8:28:39be safe enough for the evening. And Carl
8:28:41would have Ray remake the tarp cover for
8:28:43it so that they would have the luxury of
8:28:44arrow resistant royal rank silk.
8:28:48It might not make a fully armored wagon,
8:28:50but it would make ambushes less deadly,
8:28:52which would give the team members inside
8:28:54more time to react. There was one skill
8:28:57that Carl wished he had, and that was
8:28:59the ability to hide his active barriers.
8:29:02He wasn't certain that was possible, but
8:29:04if he could make it look like they had
8:29:05no active skills, they would be harder
8:29:08to detect from a distance. He wouldn't
8:29:10risk a team member for a bit of extra
8:29:12stealth, though. If they couldn't hide,
8:29:15it was better to seem like a target that
8:29:17shouldn't be attacked. From what he had
8:29:20managed to learn so far, the danger
8:29:22level here should be lower than it was
8:29:23during his trip to the past. If they had
8:29:26that many monarch rank monsters and that
8:29:28much territory, they could have taken
8:29:30over the continent.
8:29:32So, it was more likely that they would
8:29:34come across ascended and commander rank
8:29:36monsters in groups. That should be
8:29:39something that they could handle. Most
8:29:41monsters had limited magic, so there was
8:29:44little chance of them being ambushed
8:29:45with an area attack. But pure numbers
8:29:48could bring down even the mightiest.
8:29:51Bishop Misty, "What are the chances that
8:29:53other groups will be sending teams
8:29:54toward the anomaly based on visions from
8:29:56their oracles?"
8:29:58Carl asked, "Not until after it opens.
8:30:02That is why you must get there at just
8:30:04the right time. Anomalies are strange
8:30:07things. You can't see them with
8:30:09predictive magic until they have already
8:30:11happened. So, as long as you arrive
8:30:14before anyone else discovers the exact
8:30:16location or within the first few hours,
8:30:18you should be able to stabilize the
8:30:20anomaly without anyone seeing you do it.
8:30:23If that fails, I suggest that you go in
8:30:25and stabilize it from the other side.
8:30:28You will be separated from the others.
8:30:30And while it will be a fight to get in,
8:30:32once you do, there will be no way to
8:30:34prove that you were responsible. Even if
8:30:36they do suspect that you had something
8:30:37to do with it, I suggest that you blame
8:30:40the strongest magic user in the area.
8:30:43That is my favorite way of passing the
8:30:45blame. The temporal dragon had a good
8:30:48point. Do what you could in secret.
8:30:51Blame someone else for the rest. Carl
8:30:54could do that. In fact, the more people
8:30:57who showed up near the same time that he
8:30:59did, the easier it would be to deflect
8:31:01the blame when the anomaly stabilized.
8:31:04It was just a shame that they would all
8:31:05be fighting to be the first to get
8:31:07inside. The restrictions on portals into
8:31:10foreign nations clearly went on vacation
8:31:12when it came to dungeon type anomalies.
8:31:15Carl finished writing out contingency
8:31:17plans and making a duplicate of the map
8:31:20along with some additional notes in case
8:31:22they had issues along the way.
8:31:24Unfortunately, they didn't have a
8:31:26topographical map of the area, which
8:31:28would make it easier to find their way
8:31:30by landmarks. But Bishop Misty had
8:31:32managed to describe the area where the
8:31:34anomaly would appear with decent
8:31:35accuracy, so Carl was reasonably certain
8:31:38he would recognize it even if they
8:31:39arrived early. All right, that should be
8:31:42everything that we need to be ready for
8:31:43the morning trip. What's the time
8:31:46difference between here and there? He
8:31:48asked. About an hour. You have time for
8:31:52breakfast and you'll still arrive
8:31:54outside town as if you packed up camp at
8:31:56dawn. That was good enough. Now they had
8:32:01a whole afternoon to kill. And all of
8:32:03the students were in proper classes.
8:32:06Hey, why do you have them train in the
8:32:07morning and then do classes all
8:32:09afternoon? The dragon church does it the
8:32:12same way, but I never knew why. Lotus
8:32:15asked. It's because children are hyper
8:32:18and you need to wear them out so they
8:32:20sit still for more than 10 minutes at a
8:32:22time. Once they finished training and
8:32:24all their muscles are sore, they're
8:32:26happy to sit and listen to lectures
8:32:28before evening training after dinner.
8:32:31Orthos chuckled. Oh, that makes sense.
8:32:35Feed them, then make them sleepy. Lotus
8:32:38looked like she had just learned a truth
8:32:40of the universe, even if it were one
8:32:42that everyone else had figured out years
8:32:43earlier. Of course, she was so bad at
8:32:47keeping to a schedule that it might not
8:32:49have registered with her like it did for
8:32:50everyone else. One of the many side
8:32:53effects of being a nature cleric.
8:32:56So, after dinner, that was precisely
8:32:58what Carl and the others did. The
8:33:01evening training was shorter, more for
8:33:03physical fitness for the beasts than for
8:33:05training. It was great for burning
8:33:07energy, and turning the run into a game
8:33:09of tag and chase around the crude track
8:33:11through the area around the temple kept
8:33:13everyone running and not slacking off.
8:33:16Keeping up with the beasts was
8:33:17impossible for most of Carl's team. But
8:33:20in dire bare form, Oilia could do it,
8:33:23and Dana had movement skills to make it
8:33:25a bit more even, while Carl relied on
8:33:27overwhelming strength to make up for the
8:33:29lack of agility that the beasts had. How
8:33:32is that fair? He can run through the
8:33:34trees just because his legs are too
8:33:36strong. One of the fox-type beasts
8:33:39complained.
8:33:41They were still faster than Carl, but he
8:33:43was nearly impossible to catch because
8:33:45he would use trees as a launch pad and
8:33:47not hit the ground for dozens of meters
8:33:49at a time. Compared to that, Oilia was
8:33:52much easier to catch, and she wasn't as
8:33:54fast. But if she caught you, she was
8:33:57impossible to dodge. It was like someone
8:34:00threw a house at you. She was just too
8:34:03large to avoid. The kids were quickly
8:34:05exhausted from the evening practice and
8:34:07off to the showers before bed, just as
8:34:10planned. The same was true of Carl and
8:34:13his group. They were ready to shower and
8:34:15sleep as soon as they were back in,
8:34:17despite the fact that it was only just
8:34:19getting dark. The natural cycle of the
8:34:22beasts was that of the sun and moon. So,
8:34:24when it got dark, they slept, unless
8:34:26that was their time to hunt. Carl came
8:34:29out of the shower into his room and
8:34:31found Bishop Misty in the room again
8:34:32with a mischievous smile on her face. I
8:34:36take it you liked the warmth. Carl
8:34:38joked. "It's not bad. I even got to
8:34:42sleep in with a small cleric last time,
8:34:45but technically I am your security
8:34:47guard. If it wasn't me, it would be one
8:34:50of the other high priests. The humans
8:34:53aren't a real threat, but you could be."
8:34:56She replied with a shrug.
8:34:58Ah, so instead of posting a guard
8:35:00outside the room, they just assigned one
8:35:02to share the dorm in case I got ideas
8:35:05about doing something crazy, like
8:35:06letting Remy run around with a toddler
8:35:08in her arms again. That made the dragon
8:35:11laugh. I think the protocol is for
8:35:14situations more dangerous than an
8:35:16excited Naga Queen. Your class makes you
8:35:19a lot more relaxed around us than any
8:35:21other human I've met. Even your
8:35:23teammates are constantly on edge, and
8:35:25one of them is practically a beast
8:35:27herself. Being around this many
8:35:29predators should cause an instinctive
8:35:31defensive reaction, but you're missing
8:35:33that. It is fascinating.
8:35:36Other than you and the suicidal insane
8:35:38sorts, only apex predators such as the
8:35:41dragons and griffins are usually missing
8:35:43it. As she talked, her form shrunk from
8:35:46close to Carl's height to less than 150
8:35:49cm.
8:35:50She was wearing robes the same color as
8:35:52her white scales, and she climbed into
8:35:55her bed while staring at Carl. Carl
8:35:58smiled at the fascinated bishop. I
8:36:00wonder if it's a side effect of having
8:36:02beast minds linked with mine. I have
8:36:05been informed a few times that I'm
8:36:07slowly becoming more bestial.
8:36:09Considering the personalities of my team
8:36:11and the way that I hear their voices,
8:36:13perhaps you could consider them a
8:36:15substitute for my conscience.
8:36:17He suggested
8:36:19a bloodbath spider as the voice of
8:36:21reason in your mind. I can see how that
8:36:23would make you seem a bit less human. Ry
8:36:26laughed. If she thinks you're bad now,
8:36:29just wait until Cara gets comfortable.
8:36:32The dragon smirked and Carl gave her a
8:36:35suspicious look. You can hear them,
8:36:37can't you? He asked. Not exactly.
8:36:42I can't hear them in their separate
8:36:44space, but I can hear your thoughts,
8:36:46which means that I hear when they talk
8:36:48to you. That made sense. Nobody else had
8:36:52been able to detect or interact with the
8:36:54separate spaces, and her powers were
8:36:56timebased, which shouldn't be a hard
8:36:58counter to his system skills.
8:37:00All right, I will see you in the
8:37:03morning. But I do have one request in
8:37:06case you're too busy to tell you
8:37:07tomorrow. If you plan to send me through
8:37:10time again, give me some warning, would
8:37:12you? That was supremely confusing.
8:37:16Misty laughed and gave him a thumbs up
8:37:18before pretending to be asleep. Tomorrow
8:37:21was going to be a long day, so he should
8:37:23likely get as much sleep as he could.
8:37:26The next morning, Carl woke up much
8:37:28warmer than expected. Cara had come out
8:37:31to sleep in the open, draped across his
8:37:33chest, and Lotus was on Carl's other
8:37:35side in a small single bed, doing her
8:37:37best to hug the void badger. The fact
8:37:40that she had not chosen the dragon was
8:37:42surprising, but perhaps new creatures
8:37:44won out over dragons in Lotus Mind. It
8:37:47was a mystery how she had gotten in, as
8:37:49Tessa normally kept her from wandering,
8:37:51but at least she would be up on time
8:37:53today, and she wouldn't try to keep
8:37:55sleeping if Carl moved Cara back into
8:37:57her space for breakfast.
8:37:59The sun was just coming up, so it was
8:38:01almost time to start getting ready. Carl
8:38:04shifted so that Lotus was holding Cara,
8:38:06who sniffed delicately, then opened one
8:38:08eye to see where Carl was going. He was
8:38:11the one with the food. He wasn't allowed
8:38:13to escape while she was sleeping. She
8:38:16knew that she could just return to her
8:38:17space for food, but it was ingrained in
8:38:19her instincts not to let him get out of
8:38:21her sight. The cleric made food, but she
8:38:24made Thor's favorite flavors, not Carus.
8:38:28Cara could eat almost anything from
8:38:30vegetables to magical items. But roasted
8:38:32meat tasted the best. Once Carl was
8:38:35showered, Cara dragged Lotus out of bed,
8:38:38pulling the drowsy cleric into the
8:38:40shower before turning the water on. It
8:38:43was a warm, tiny waterfall, and Cara
8:38:45greatly enjoyed the water, so she was
8:38:47startled when Lotus began to splutter
8:38:49and curse as she was soaked. If she just
8:38:52took her clothes off, she would be fine.
8:38:55Cara grumbled as she jumped and flapped
8:38:57around the cramped confines of the
8:38:58shower stall. What are you doing, crazy
8:39:01woman? I was sleeping. Lotus complained.
8:39:06Cara says it's time to get up also to
8:39:10take off your clothes while you are in
8:39:12the water. Carl informed them from the
8:39:14bedroom. From her bed, Misty laughed. I
8:39:19see that you found an assistant to get
8:39:20your most reluctant team member moving
8:39:22in the morning. Carl chuckled. She's not
8:39:26the most reluctant. It's just that Oilia
8:39:28understands that coffee will make
8:39:30everything better, so she powers
8:39:32through. Lotus and Cara came out a few
8:39:35minutes later, both freshly towel dried
8:39:37and smelling like some sort of minty
8:39:38shampoo. Cara was very pleased with
8:39:41herself. Having someone to shampoo your
8:39:44fur was pure luxury on a level that she
8:39:47had never experienced.
8:39:49Lotus could even get to the spots that
8:39:51Cara couldn't reach by herself.
8:39:53She was going to have to make this a
8:39:55regular thing. Unlike Ry, she wasn't big
8:39:58enough to run around with her personal
8:40:00human on her back. She still had some
8:40:03growing left, but she wouldn't even get
8:40:05to the size of a wolf with short legs.
8:40:07There was no way that she could carry a
8:40:09human on her back unless she got much
8:40:11larger. It did sound fun, though. If she
8:40:15was big like Thor, but with wings, she
8:40:17could fly into combat with Carl and they
8:40:19could dive bomb enemies.
8:40:22That seemed like a pretty good goal to
8:40:23Cara. Even Ry approved as she was
8:40:27learning to enjoy dropping large rocks
8:40:29on things from above. Breakfast was a
8:40:31quick meal, and then the guards at the
8:40:33portal location south of the temple were
8:40:35ready to send the group on their merry
8:40:37way. The wagon that the clergy had
8:40:39obtained had long steps on the side, so
8:40:42Remy called her bodyguards onto them,
8:40:44while Thor waited for Carl and Ray to
8:40:46get him hooked up to the wagon. Dana's
8:40:48golems were summoned to jog along behind
8:40:50the wagon and everyone else took their
8:40:52seats inside while Ray created a
8:40:54secondary tarp of strong silk for
8:40:56protection. "All right, that looks like
8:40:59we've got everything that we need to get
8:41:00started. Where will the portal bring
8:41:03us?" Carl asked as he took the driver's
8:41:06seat. It will deposit you at an empty
8:41:09pulloff 5 km north of town. We have had
8:41:12our members monitoring it, and it was
8:41:14clear all night. Good luck. I hope you
8:41:17get the anomaly stabilized without
8:41:19anyone having to take drastic actions.
8:41:22The gate guard informed them in a dry
8:41:24voice. Carl nodded and led the team
8:41:27through the prepared portal. Then turn
8:41:29Thor south down the road beside the
8:41:31campsite.
8:41:32Dana, have the golems stomp around the
8:41:34area to make it look like someone stayed
8:41:36here last night. Then we will head out.
8:41:40The golems quickly work their way around
8:41:42the area with the assistance of the
8:41:43Lameia warriors. That should be enough
8:41:46to make it appear that they actually
8:41:48stayed the night if someone came along
8:41:49behind them. Chances are it would never
8:41:52matter, but it was better to cover all
8:41:54the bases. Then Carl remembered that he
8:41:57had missed one important item on his
8:41:59checklist. He had forgotten to fully
8:42:02activate everyone's system the way that
8:42:04the old items did for Orthos.
8:42:07First, he focused on Dana's wrist where
8:42:09the bracelet was dangling. If it was
8:42:12properly equipped and not just worn, it
8:42:14would have adapted to her wrist size.
8:42:17Fortunately, it only took a moment of
8:42:19focus to get it to equip on her, and
8:42:21then Carl moved on to the others. "Ohia,
8:42:25trade me your giant strength ring. I
8:42:27have another for you that might be
8:42:29better, but should also activate more of
8:42:31your system abilities,"
8:42:33he explained.
8:42:35They made the trade out of Cara's
8:42:36collection. And then Carl went hunting
8:42:38for cleric compatible items as Oilia
8:42:41equipped the ring. Thor had the answer.
8:42:44Gold chains that had been soaking in his
8:42:46pond. They weren't originally useful
8:42:49magical items, just decorative items
8:42:51that had been taken from the bodies of
8:42:53bandits and giants. But a quick
8:42:55inspection said that they gave a small
8:42:57bonus to holy magic now in addition to
8:43:00the bonuses they originally had. So they
8:43:02should be equippable.
8:43:04Ladies, try these on. Courtesy of Thor.
8:43:08The two clerics put on the necklace,
8:43:10then muttered the word status.
8:43:13Yes, that worked perfectly.
8:43:16I have all sorts of information about
8:43:18myself now. There are still a few grayed
8:43:21out buttons, but almost everything
8:43:22works, Tessa explained.
8:43:26Wonderful.
8:43:27Items that were brought back from the
8:43:29past still have a strong dose of the
8:43:31systems power on them and they can
8:43:33finish awakening the system of people
8:43:34now or at least as much of the system as
8:43:38can be resurrected.
8:43:40Carl explained, "We will see if there
8:43:42are more useful bits available to us
8:43:44now. Hopefully, we can do something with
8:43:47this new ability.
8:43:49That must be why everyone was so excited
8:43:51about a stable dungeon." Tessa replied.
8:43:55Exactly.
8:43:57Elites who awaken in the dungeon
8:43:59apparently have their power capped to
8:44:00the level of the dungeon, at least if
8:44:02they're human. But that might not apply
8:44:04to monsters and beasts who grow in power
8:44:06naturally. For them, the system is just
8:44:09bonus powers, a pure cheat when they
8:44:12were already powerful. The ladies
8:44:14considered what Carl had said as they
8:44:16got on the road, keeping to a pace that
8:44:18was a jog for the golems so that they
8:44:20could overtake Thor if they needed. The
8:44:22Naga warriors kept a close eye on the
8:44:24fields around them as the wagon left the
8:44:26trees, but the area looked clear and
8:44:28they could see the ocean in the distance
8:44:30along with a small village. Hatberry
8:44:33wasn't as small as Carl had expected. It
8:44:36held about a thousand people and was
8:44:38built between two small bays, so they
8:44:41had docks on both sides of town. It
8:44:44wasn't an impressive place made with
8:44:46simple field stone buildings, but they
8:44:48should be sturdy and wouldn't rot in the
8:44:50humidity from the ocean.
8:44:52The village wasn't built at the end of
8:44:53the land mass. Instead, they had a
8:44:55number of fields between them and the
8:44:57ocean as a defensive measure against
8:44:59invasion from the inland side. That told
8:45:02Carl a fair bit about the region if the
8:45:04lessons that Sergeant Rita had made him
8:45:06memorize were right. He might have only
8:45:09taken a crash course on tactics, but
8:45:12knowing nothing about the conventions
8:45:13and customs of war was working out well
8:45:15for him, as his first instinct about
8:45:17threats was usually right. Hawk took off
8:45:20into the sky to scout for them and
8:45:22immediately started sending back annoyed
8:45:24messages. Are they joking here? The town
8:45:28can see them there in the open grass and
8:45:30they're still going to try to set up a
8:45:32checkpoint. Hobgoblins don't even taste
8:45:35good. But when did they get smart enough
8:45:37to operate a checkpoint?
8:45:40Oh, there is a pair of ogres overseeing
8:45:42them. The angry bird relayed. It looks
8:45:46like we've got some monsters setting a
8:45:47checkpoint ahead.
8:45:49There is no actual cover, so we're going
8:45:51to do this the quick and dirty way. Carl
8:45:54explained to the rest of the team. Can
8:45:57we just go around? It's not like we
8:46:00actually need the dried fish from the
8:46:01village. Dana suggested.
8:46:05That is a good point. Hawk says the
8:46:08strongest of them is a commander,
8:46:09though. They might not bother us if I
8:46:12don't drive right through them. They are
8:46:15just on the road. I can go around and
8:46:17still get to the village.
8:46:19Carl agreed. Tessa laughed. You think
8:46:23they're not going to do anything if you
8:46:24just drive 20 m away from them through
8:46:26the grass? Carl shrugged. They might or
8:46:31they might not. That depends on how
8:46:33smart they are. Oilia smirked at him.
8:46:37This sounds like an excuse to kill
8:46:39goblins and ogres with a clean
8:46:41conscience.
8:46:42Oh, I don't need an excuse for that.
8:46:45Carl directed Thor to move off into the
8:46:47grass, away from the road where the
8:46:49monsters had set up rocks and a fallen
8:46:51tree to block the way. There were no
8:46:54ditches to the dirt road, and it was in
8:46:56open grassland.
8:46:58There was nothing stopping them from
8:46:59going around, but it didn't bode well
8:47:01for the monster's intelligence.
8:47:04Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately
8:47:06for them, the hobgoblins and their ogre
8:47:08overseers were not stupid enough to miss
8:47:10the fact that Carl was driving a wagon
8:47:12past them only a 100 meters away in an
8:47:14open field. They lacked any sort of
8:47:17organization as they charged across the
8:47:19field, shouting and waving their
8:47:21weapons. In the distance, Hawk noted
8:47:24that the guards from town came out when
8:47:26the monsters had started shouting, then
8:47:28went back in when they realized that the
8:47:30monsters were headed away from town. So,
8:47:33either they didn't have the manpower to
8:47:35deal with a small group of bandits, or
8:47:37they simply didn't care and assumed that
8:47:39travelers would handle it. Real meat,
8:47:43the ogre shouted, brandishing his crude
8:47:45stone blade at Thor. The craftsmanship
8:47:48was childish at best, but the edge was
8:47:50jagged and looked sharp enough, while
8:47:52the stone gave off an aura of magic from
8:47:54its monstrous wielder. Well, it looks
8:47:57like they're not just toll collectors.
8:48:00I suppose that we should do something
8:48:01about them. Carl joked as he instructed
8:48:04Thor to stop the wagon. I'll send the
8:48:07bodyguards.
8:48:09Remy agreed as the two Naga warriors
8:48:11headed forward to meet the incoming
8:48:13attackers.
8:48:14Didn't you make three of them the first
8:48:16time? Rey asked as she watched the
8:48:19warriors rapidly moving through the
8:48:20grass. The last one is mine. My
8:48:24bodyguard.
8:48:26Remy pouted. Carl chuckled at her
8:48:29attitude. If she wanted to keep one in
8:48:31reserve so it was close to her, that was
8:48:33her call. Now that she wasn't just a
8:48:36small snake, she would be coming out to
8:48:38fight when there was real danger. They
8:48:41hadn't even sent Dana's golems, which
8:48:43were guarding the wagon, much less rays.
8:48:46So, nobody was too worried about the
8:48:48situation or the lack of one bodyguard.
8:48:51The ogres were only commanders, while
8:48:53Remy's bodyguards were royal rank, and
8:48:56the hobgoblins were just awakened rank
8:48:58monsters. They started the fight from 10
8:49:01m away with a tsunami attack, which
8:49:04created a wall of water that raced
8:49:06forward toward the attackers and sent
8:49:08the hobgoblins tumbling along the ground
8:49:10as their bones were crushed by the
8:49:11tumbling water. The ogres fared a little
8:49:14better by meeting the wall of water with
8:49:16a counterattack that negated most of the
8:49:18power. But they were still hopelessly
8:49:21outmatched and immediately turned to run
8:49:23off into the wilderness.
8:49:25Let them run. They're not going to
8:49:27bother us anymore. Carl loudly announced
8:49:30as if the Naga needed verbal commands.
8:49:33The guards at the town wall were
8:49:35watching and listening. Carl didn't want
8:49:37to come across as a ruthless mercenary
8:49:39to them. Hawk, once they're out of sight
8:49:42of the town, kill them. Thor turned back
8:49:46to the road on the other side of the
8:49:47barricade and began to happily trot
8:49:50towards the town's fish market. At the
8:49:52gate to their rather pathetic attempt at
8:49:54a town wall, which didn't even reach all
8:49:56the way across town, the guard stopped
8:49:58the wagon to do their checks. "What's
8:50:01your business here?" the guard demanded,
8:50:04his scarred face twisted in what might
8:50:06have been disgust or possibly just nerve
8:50:08damage. "We have come to buy some dried
8:50:11fish for a buyer in house searing." Carl
8:50:14replied in a board tone. Not a big wagon
8:50:17you've got with those passengers.
8:50:20The guard replied, "Big enough. I only
8:50:24need 100 kilos of dried fish." The guard
8:50:28nodded and waved them through while
8:50:29glaring suspiciously at the naga on the
8:50:32side running boards. It looked like the
8:50:34swamp monsters weren't particularly
8:50:36welcome, even when they were
8:50:37accompanying humans into town. But
8:50:39nobody tried to stop them. Carl stopped
8:50:42the wagon and climbed down in front of a
8:50:44stall that had a large amount of dried
8:50:46fish hung up and bundled. There were
8:50:48others, but most of the shops sold fresh
8:50:51or frozen fish, not dried. Drying
8:50:54changed the flavor, and it was better
8:50:56for long-distance travel than general
8:50:58consumption. "How much for 100 kilos?"
8:51:02Carl asked, getting straight to the
8:51:04point. If it was close to buying bulk
8:51:07dried meat at home, converted to the
8:51:09worth of gold coins, it should be about
8:51:11three of the dungeon coins. Who are you?
8:51:15You want bulk prices? You should have a
8:51:17referral, the merchant replied, not even
8:51:20looking over his shoulder. Carl put two
8:51:23gold coins and five silver ones down on
8:51:26the counter with a solid thump of
8:51:27jangling metal. I'm just a man with
8:51:30money. 100 kilos of dried salmon worth.
8:51:34Carl replied, taking note of the
8:51:36predominant fish in the drying racks.
8:51:39The merchant turned around, looking
8:51:41ready to tell Carl off. Then he saw the
8:51:44armor and the money on the counter.
8:51:47Well, now if you knew the king, you
8:51:49could have just said so. The old man
8:51:52replied, looking at the money, but you
8:51:55don't know him well enough. Carl put
8:51:58down five more silver coins, and the old
8:52:00man smiled. I do believe I have a bundle
8:52:03weighed already. The merchant was
8:52:06surprisingly strong for an aging human
8:52:08with no magical abilities. He managed to
8:52:11get the 100 kilo bundle up on the scale
8:52:13on the second try, and the gross weight
8:52:15came out perfect. That meant the actual
8:52:18fish weight was a bit low, and the last
8:52:20kilo or two was the canvas wrap and
8:52:23rope, but it was close enough for Carl.
8:52:25The old man untied the bundle and Carl
8:52:28sniffed to make sure there was nothing
8:52:29else bundled in the middle of the
8:52:31salmon, then nodded in satisfaction.
8:52:34That will do just fine, he agreed,
8:52:37allowing the old man to tie the bundle
8:52:39back into a brick. Let me go get some
8:52:42helpers. The old man grumbled.
8:52:45Carl shook his head and gestured for the
8:52:47old man to stay where he was. I've got
8:52:50them. A gesture brought one of the Naga
8:52:53warriors forward, and he easily hefted
8:52:55the bundle into the back of the wagon.
8:52:58There was plenty of room with only four
8:53:00people in the wagon and few other trade
8:53:02goods. Well, almost trade goods. What
8:53:06the beast clerics had procured for them
8:53:08was two kegs of cheap rum that had
8:53:10failed quality control at a local
8:53:12brewery. They were still strong alcohol,
8:53:15but not good alcohol. "Are you selling
8:53:18goods here?" the merchant asked with a
8:53:21nod toward the wagon. He couldn't see
8:53:24in, but it was normal to both buy and
8:53:26sell at every stop. Nah, the last deal
8:53:29fell through, so all I have is two
8:53:31barrels of discount rum. Hardly fit for
8:53:34fisherman. They'll sell inland, though.
8:53:38Carl shrugged. The old man chuckled.
8:53:42Well, you're not a stupid one, stranger.
8:53:46I'll give you that. No sailor deserves
8:53:49cheap rum, but if you get some good
8:53:52stuff, stop in the next time you're
8:53:54through. Lutinade takes up most of the
8:53:56shipments, and it's becoming a right
8:53:58pain to get more than a pony cake here
8:54:00at a time. With the goods loaded, Carl
8:54:03was ready to leave for their next
8:54:04destination. But it seemed too fast to
8:54:07be in and out of town. They should at
8:54:09least look around at a few other spots
8:54:12and not just stop in at one merchant and
8:54:14bolt like they were running from
8:54:15something. So Carl didn't turn Thor
8:54:18directly around. He made a small loop
8:54:20through the surrounding streets to go by
8:54:22a fish and chips vendor and grab a bite
8:54:24to eat. They weren't hungry yet, but it
8:54:27would be the usual thing for a traveling
8:54:28merchant to do, even if they were in a
8:54:31hurry. The vendor was happy to make an
8:54:33early morning sale just as he was
8:54:35getting the friars heated for the day,
8:54:37and Carl left with plenty of food for
8:54:39the day wrapped in crudelymade straw
8:54:41paper. It smelled delicious, and they
8:54:44had two healers with them. So once Carl
8:54:46had taste tested it for poison, everyone
8:54:48started a second breakfast. The guards
8:54:51didn't even give them a second look as
8:54:53they headed south out of town and headed
8:54:55toward Lutonade. The road was little
8:54:58more than a well-worn wagon track and
8:55:00didn't show much sign of improvement in
8:55:02the last few decades. The road north of
8:55:05town was better, so it was possible that
8:55:07the travelers in this area often split
8:55:09up to take other routes and avoid
8:55:10bandits.
8:55:12That seemed like a good idea to Carl. If
8:55:15they went a bit inland of the current
8:55:16road, they would eventually meet up with
8:55:18the main road heading east. It was
8:55:21harder for bandits to guess how far you
8:55:23would be from the road. And if they had
8:55:25to come to you, the ambush was ruined.
8:55:28Carl's team was on the strong side for
8:55:30this continent. And even on the other
8:55:32one, he would be able to hold his own
8:55:33with a group like this. At the very
8:55:36least, they weren't a soft target or
8:55:38tempting to bandits who didn't have a
8:55:40death wish.
8:55:41Carl led Thor off into the open
8:55:43grasslands and kept him at a cautious
8:55:45trot, both for the sake of the
8:55:47passengers and the wagon itself. It was
8:55:50a good one, but it was still just a
8:55:52regular wooden wagon. If they abused it
8:55:55too hard, they did risk damaging it
8:55:57before they got where they were going.
8:55:59That would be a nightmare for them all,
8:56:01and they would have to walk the rest of
8:56:03the way unless Lotus Magic could fix a
8:56:05wagon. It was good for growing and
8:56:07altering wooden things, so it was
8:56:09possible. But Carl didn't want to risk
8:56:11having to find out in the middle of
8:56:12nowhere with a broken wagon.
8:56:15Fortunately, the ground was open
8:56:17grasslands with only a few stands of
8:56:19trees, and they were able to make good
8:56:21time. Even at this pace, it would take
8:56:24almost all day to get past Ludenade, and
8:56:26they would still be uncomfortably close
8:56:28if they didn't eat her further east. So,
8:56:31anytime that there was an obstacle, Carl
8:56:34led Thor to the east of it, getting
8:56:36further from the road which stayed close
8:56:37to the coast. Just after the sun passed
8:56:40its zenith, marking midday, they found a
8:56:43pounded path that went southeast.
8:56:46There were no markers for where the
8:56:47tribal and nomadic villages were, but
8:56:49this looked like an entire army had
8:56:51passed by multiple times. It hadn't
8:56:54crossed their path earlier, so at some
8:56:56point it must have turned, but it was
8:56:58going in generally the correct direction
8:56:59to avoid the pirate port. The only
8:57:02problem was that it might lead to an
8:57:04army camp or a slaver village that
8:57:06wasn't marked on the map. Are we really
8:57:09going to follow the path of an army?
8:57:11Dana asked as she realized what Carl was
8:57:14doing. It doesn't look fresh. See how
8:57:17the weeds are regrown. The path was used
8:57:20multiple times, but not in the last
8:57:23month or so. At least not by a full
8:57:26army. It might have been the path to and
8:57:28then from an attack. Tessa noted. If
8:57:32that was the case, there was a 50/50
8:57:34chance that they wouldn't come across
8:57:36anything because the target would have
8:57:38been destroyed or moved by now. The
8:57:40tribes in the area were all nomadic.
8:57:42They wouldn't stay in one spot that long
8:57:44during the summer when they were mostly
8:57:46stocking food for the winter. The
8:57:49pounded ground made it easier for Thor
8:57:51to drag the wagon along, and the ride
8:57:53became smoother for the passengers as
8:57:55the afternoon began to fade into
8:57:56evening. That was when they found the
8:57:59main road and turned east toward their
8:58:01destination.
8:58:02Thor would do well enough in the
8:58:04twilight and then Carl would stop for
8:58:06the night. It would not only be too
8:58:08suspicious to be moving at night, but it
8:58:11would put them too far ahead of
8:58:12schedule. As it was, they were making
8:58:15better time than expected, so they
8:58:17didn't need to hurry tomorrow. They were
8:58:19still in open grassland without a hill
8:58:22in sight when the sun finally went under
8:58:24the horizon. We will park beside the
8:58:27road tonight. We can start a fire if
8:58:29you'd like and sleep in the wagon with
8:58:31the Naga and golems on guard with Ry
8:58:34watching the area. Chances are nothing
8:58:36will sneak up on us during the night.
8:58:38Hawk doesn't see anything close to us at
8:58:40all. But if it does, we've got early
8:58:43warning covered. The others just
8:58:46shrugged. They had confidence in Ry and
8:58:49her ability to find anything that might
8:58:51sneak up on them in the dark. She was
8:58:53the monster that every other monster was
8:58:55terrified of in the dark. Carl parked
8:58:58and the clerics went to gather what
8:59:00would they could from a nearby stand of
8:59:02trees. They didn't need much, just a
8:59:05small fire to give them light while they
8:59:07ate. Everyone would be sleeping with
8:59:09barriers up and in their armor, so there
8:59:11wasn't much evening prep to be done.
8:59:14Then they would the extra wood to make a
8:59:16breakfast fire. That would be enough to
8:59:18get them all motivated.
8:59:20Where is everyone sleeping?
8:59:23The wagon isn't huge. Lotus asked. Dana
8:59:27gestured to the floor. I will stay here
8:59:30with you and one other. Oilia gestured
8:59:34outside. I am going to sleep in dire
8:59:37bare form. It's actually the most
8:59:39comfortable for sleeping outside.
8:59:42Carl nodded. That works. I will sleep
8:59:45under the wagon as is customary for the
8:59:47driver. That means Tessa can stay with
8:59:50you and keep up our escort job
8:59:52appearances.
8:59:54Lotus sighed and pulled out her bedroom.
8:59:57They had been spoiled for too long, but
8:59:59the three of them would be comfortable
9:00:01together in the wagon once they combined
9:00:03all three blankets.
9:00:05Dinner was quick and silent. Then the
9:00:07Naga warriors took their places on
9:00:09either side of the fire, watching for
9:00:11threats coming down the road, while
9:00:12Dana's golems watched the back of the
9:00:14wagon closest to the road. and Oilia
9:00:17took a spot on the far side of the fire.
9:00:20Her massive black form looked like a
9:00:22hill of fur when she was sleeping, and
9:00:24Carl could tell that Lotus was already
9:00:26regretting not volunteering to sleep on
9:00:28top of the bear. Carl set up his hammock
9:00:31between the wagon axles and stretched
9:00:32out for the evening. In his armor, he
9:00:35would be plenty warm enough, so there
9:00:37was no need for a blanket that would
9:00:39hinder his response time if they were
9:00:40attacked. He had thought that they would
9:00:43have plenty of warning before anything
9:00:44reached them. But just before dawn, when
9:00:47a portal suddenly opened in the camp, he
9:00:49only had a few seconds warning to roll
9:00:51out of bed and get his bearings before
9:00:53the first attackers were coming through
9:00:5520 m away and creeping through the dark.
9:00:58They must have thought that the Naga
9:00:59couldn't see them. Even though Naga
9:01:01could see exceptionally well in the
9:01:03dark, the reason why they were so
9:01:05confident became obvious when they
9:01:07shadow stepped behind the Naga warriors
9:01:09and tried to slit their throats
9:01:10silently. If the Naga had been ascended,
9:01:14or even regular commanders, they would
9:01:16have died instantly. But they were royal
9:01:19rank with eternal lightning barriers on
9:01:21them, and they were fast to respond.
9:01:24Carl's whistle to bring everyone awake
9:01:26was followed by the sound of Blades
9:01:27meeting Blades and the shouts of the
9:01:29rest of the fighters coming through the
9:01:31portal. Oilia was up within a second as
9:01:34she activated Berserk terror, her
9:01:36upgraded rage skill and charged at the
9:01:38pair of minotaur that had just come
9:01:40through the portal. While Complex
9:01:43thought might escape the rampaging Dire
9:01:45Bear, battle tactics did not, and that
9:01:47was all she needed. As she transitioned
9:01:49from slumber to war mode, Carl took out
9:01:52his maul and swatted a wounded rogue
9:01:54back through the portal with five stacks
9:01:56of bone crusher. If that wasn't enough
9:01:59to convince them that they had picked
9:02:00the wrong target, he wasn't certain that
9:02:02they were going to learn at all. He
9:02:05wasn't certain what species was under
9:02:06that hood. But going by the sound them
9:02:08all made, it wasn't one that could take
9:02:10that hit. A small monster with long
9:02:13claws and neon green skin jumped at
9:02:15Carl, who caught it by the face and
9:02:17retaliated with chain lightning, killing
9:02:20it instantly. The corpse was
9:02:22unceremoniously tossed through the
9:02:24portal after the shattered rogue, and
9:02:26Carl heard cursing from the other side.
9:02:29That was Ray's cue, and her golems
9:02:31mutilated two targets instead of killing
9:02:33them, then threw them through the
9:02:35portal. Garbage disposal hole.
9:02:39Brilliant.
9:02:40Cara laughed. Her skills weren't well
9:02:43suited to leaving intact bodies, but she
9:02:45was happily helping Oilia beat up
9:02:47Minotaurs.
9:02:49Cara jumped on their backs and pinned
9:02:50their arms wide, disintegrating the back
9:02:53of their heads while Oilia tore them
9:02:55into little bite-sized chunks, perfect
9:02:57for Hawk to roast. I like the bear lady.
9:03:01She's got that anger in her. The
9:03:03attackers still hadn't gotten to the
9:03:05wagon, at least not as far as Carl could
9:03:07tell. and the ones closest to him were
9:03:09in full retreat. "You have five seconds
9:03:12to retreat before I put a royal rank
9:03:14blizzard on the other side of that
9:03:15portal and follow it up with a meteor
9:03:17barrage."
9:03:18Carl shouted toward the portal, hoping
9:03:21that there was someone intelligent on
9:03:22the other side. In response, a massive
9:03:25monarch ranked troll in plate armor
9:03:27under a long coat with a red sash
9:03:29crawled through the portal that was far
9:03:31too small for him to walk through. "Who
9:03:34are you to threaten innocence?"
9:03:36he demanded. There are no innocents in a
9:03:39bandit camp. You made a mistake
9:03:42attacking my team. If you want any of
9:03:44your people to see tomorrow, I suggest
9:03:47you take the loss and go home." The
9:03:49troll laughed and flexed his prodigious
9:03:51muscles. At 4 m tall with skin like tree
9:03:55bark and a massive physique that said he
9:03:57didn't miss many meals, the leader of
9:03:59this group was an impressive specimen.
9:04:01But he was rapidly running out of
9:04:03teammates.
9:04:04Go back. I am going to teach this human
9:04:07a lesson about the pecking order. The
9:04:10troll demanded.
9:04:12Carl smiled. Everyone stand back. I
9:04:16think our new trollish friend needs a
9:04:18little sense beat into him. Carl stacked
9:04:21flaming body on his mall set to explode
9:04:24on contact. Trolls didn't do well with
9:04:27fire and this one was about to have a
9:04:29very bad morning. Use disintegrate.
9:04:33You should be able to do that, Cara
9:04:36suggested.
9:04:37It was the only monarch rank skill that
9:04:40they had at the moment, but Carl hadn't
9:04:42tried it yet. The trolls snorted in
9:04:44amusement as Carl switched out the fire
9:04:46for disintegration and stacked it. "You
9:04:49think that you can take me on without
9:04:51even using fire? Humans are more foolish
9:04:54than expected," he chroled, sending a
9:04:57deep rumbling laughter echoing through
9:04:59the area around the other side of the
9:05:01portal. I don't want to kill you. If you
9:05:04die too fast, you won't learn anything.
9:05:07The troll stepped to the side, giving
9:05:09them room to fight away from the portal.
9:05:12But when he did, three more monarchs
9:05:15came through, all dressed as pirates and
9:05:17all walking with the characteristic gate
9:05:19of someone who spent too much time at
9:05:21sea. Carl had seen it on the TV before.
9:05:25They nodded to Carl, showing that they
9:05:27were here to watch and weren't going to
9:05:29interfere. at least not yet. Carl had
9:05:33the mall slung over his shoulder, but
9:05:35didn't even make it to his opponent's
9:05:37waist. Plus, the troll was using what
9:05:40looked like an entire tree as a club.
9:05:42The monster made a come and get it
9:05:45gesture, and Carl launched himself
9:05:47forward. The troll must not have been
9:05:49expecting his speed because he was past
9:05:51its hand before the massive club had
9:05:53come around. His maul smashed into the
9:05:56trolls chest, disintegrating a large
9:05:58chunk of the trolls torso and dropping
9:06:00it to the ground, paralyzed.
9:06:03But Carl didn't follow up. He just
9:06:05stepped back and recharged his maul as
9:06:07he waited. The clearing was silent for a
9:06:10whole minute as the troll regenerated,
9:06:12then got to its feet, letting the
9:06:13tattered remains of its clothes fall to
9:06:15the ground. "Now, did you learn
9:06:18anything, or do I need to explain it to
9:06:20you one more time?" Carl asked. The
9:06:24pirates chuckled grimly as the club came
9:06:26crashing down on Carl. He threw a punch
9:06:29up to block it and the club shattered
9:06:31along with eternal lightning. But
9:06:33limited invulnerability absorbed the
9:06:35rest of the damage and Carl gave them
9:06:37all a one-handed swing, taking one leg
9:06:40and most of the trolls pelvis off. Oi,
9:06:43old boy just crack and smacked a forest
9:06:45troll. One of the pirates drawled with a
9:06:48mixture of shock and amusement.
9:06:51Carl couldn't tell whether that was
9:06:52intended as a personal insult about his
9:06:54age or not, but the troll didn't think
9:06:56that they were funny. The troll was
9:06:58panting when he finished regenerating
9:07:00his obliterated leg, and Carl waited for
9:07:03him to say something. The healing was
9:07:05clearly taking a toll on his stamina,
9:07:07and the monster was in no fit shape to
9:07:10continue the fight. "Look, you can give
9:07:12up and bugger off, or I can start using
9:07:15fire." "What do you say?" Carl asked.
9:07:19The troll glared at him for a few more
9:07:21seconds, then stomped off through the
9:07:23portal, leaving the group of monarch
9:07:25ranked captains behind. Well done, boy.
9:07:29Here, keep this with you, and the
9:07:31slavers won't touch you. Every captain
9:07:34carries one, and I think that you've
9:07:36earned one, even if you didn't kill
9:07:38Trevor. The pirate captain was some sort
9:07:41of demon with a long braided beard and
9:07:43three eyes on his head. Carl had no idea
9:07:46what that should be called, but the
9:07:48others all respected his opinion and
9:07:49didn't raise any arguments.
9:07:52Thank you. I do despise dealing with
9:07:55troublesome sorts before it is properly
9:07:57mourning. The pirate laughed. I don't
9:08:00know who hired you to escort the lovely
9:08:02ladies across the country, but they made
9:08:04a good call. Next time you're close to
9:08:07Lunadeport, stop in and visit. We run
9:08:10supplies every few weeks.
9:08:12I'll set you up with something that pays
9:08:14better than dried fish. Carl smiled.
9:08:18Now we're talking. Nothing wrong with a
9:08:21bit of high-paying cargo now and then.
9:08:24And a captain's word is his life. The
9:08:27demon agreed, then turned and walked
9:08:29through the portal with the others. It
9:08:31closed quickly once they were through,
9:08:33but not before Carl smelled the scent of
9:08:35terrified trolls and demons as the wind
9:08:38shifted. His threat to send them a
9:08:40blizzard must have gotten through loud
9:08:42and clear. Oilia changed back into a
9:08:45werebear and gave Carl a raised eyebrow
9:08:47look. And what exactly was your plan
9:08:50there? To just get in good with the
9:08:52pirate captains and let a murderous
9:08:54slaver leave? She asked. We have things
9:08:58to do. It's almost morning now and if
9:09:01I'd off the boss, the rest of his team
9:09:03would have come through. Then we'd be
9:09:06stuck fighting them all morning and we'd
9:09:08be late for our next stop. You're too
9:09:10soft, she insisted.
9:09:14Carl turned to Cara and Ray for
9:09:15confirmation.
9:09:17He didn't look like he tasted good.
9:09:20Minotaurs taste good, but trolls
9:09:22probably don't. Ry replied, "Not exactly
9:09:26a helpful answer this time." Oilia
9:09:29wasn't the only one unimpressed by
9:09:31Carl's choice. Dana also sighed and
9:09:34shook her head. Now we have an enemy at
9:09:37our back that can use portals. That's
9:09:40going to make our whole trip dangerous.
9:09:43The other side of that portal was
9:09:44downtown Ludenade.
9:09:46I don't think that they have the luxury
9:09:48of following us around. Hulk can still
9:09:51see the city from high enough in the
9:09:53air. I think they just attacked because
9:09:55I made a mistake stopping this close.
9:09:58They were still looking mad, so Carl
9:10:00raised his hands in defeat.
9:10:03If they attack again, I will leave no
9:10:05survivors.
9:10:06He relented.
9:10:08Lotus frowned at him. Why do I feel like
9:10:11the bad guy now? Tessa laughed. Because
9:10:15there is no good answer to that
9:10:17situation.
9:10:18Killing them all brings more powerful
9:10:20ones and subordinates to avenge them,
9:10:22but leaving them alive puts an enemy at
9:10:24your back. I suspect that none of us
9:10:27will sleep particularly well until this
9:10:29is all over. But if they could easily
9:10:32grab prisoners from anywhere in the
9:10:33country, they would have emptied every
9:10:35village of its young girls by now. The
9:10:38slave trade is insatiable, and they want
9:10:40mostly women for breeding children that
9:10:42can be trained. They learned years ago
9:10:44that taking adult men is more trouble
9:10:46than it's worth. I want to smack more
9:10:49things with that hammer. Did you see how
9:10:52big of a hole it knocked in that troll?
9:10:55That was awesome, Cara added helpfully.
9:10:59Carl smiled and reached down to pat her
9:11:01before realizing that the void badger
9:11:03was covered in blood. That's easy to
9:11:06fix. I just go in and out of my space
9:11:09and I'm all clean. But I don't smell
9:11:12like soap anymore. Cara replied,
9:11:15demonstrating as she spoke in Carl's
9:11:17mind. Carl stroked her head and Cara
9:11:20made a happy noise before flying over to
9:11:22the cart. Lotus was good with a brush,
9:11:25and Cara wasn't sure that Carl even
9:11:27owned one.
9:11:29Well, we might as well get going. We've
9:11:32had enough trouble for one evening. Carl
9:11:34packed up his hammock back into his
9:11:36backpack in the storage bag in his
9:11:38inventory and helped everyone into the
9:11:40wagon before hooking up Thor and taking
9:11:42his seat. Thor got the wagon moving down
9:11:45the road, leaving behind a blood soaked
9:11:47patch of grass as a warning to others
9:11:49that the campsite was not a safe one.
9:11:52Heading east to house searing would take
9:11:53them all day, but according to the map,
9:11:56it should be safe enough.
9:11:58It wasn't known for bandits, thieves,
9:12:00slavers, or really anything negative. It
9:12:03was just a decentlyssized city full of
9:12:06monsters and demons.
9:12:08That might be awkward for their team,
9:12:10but as long as everyone kept their hoods
9:12:12up and their helmets on in public, it
9:12:14would be fine. Tessa had it easiest, as
9:12:17she had dragon armor, which made her
9:12:19look like a dragon kin with a healthy
9:12:21dose of dragon bloodline. They might
9:12:24technically be beasts, but not many
9:12:26species of monsters volunteered to mess
9:12:28with the dragons. With the mask and hood
9:12:31of her new outfit in place, Dana could
9:12:33be from a halfozen different species,
9:12:35especially with sunglasses on. Oilia had
9:12:39no reason to be anything but a werebear,
9:12:41even if that marked her as a foreigner.
9:12:43So, it was just Lotus and Carl that
9:12:44would have the hardest time blending in.
9:12:47Lotus had supervision, and Carl wasn't
9:12:49particularly concerned about himself.
9:12:52Even if they realized he was human,
9:12:54there were humans here. Not ones with
9:12:57the powers of elites, but some were
9:12:59mages, and many were hybrids with
9:13:01monster blood. There are bandits near
9:13:04the road, but they're moving away. Hawk
9:13:07noted as the hours rolled into
9:13:08afternoon, and Thor kept up his happy
9:13:11trot with the wagon. They were in a
9:13:13wooded area between two hills,
9:13:15impossible to see from a distance unless
9:13:17you happened to be flying overhead. What
9:13:20Carl couldn't see was their scout. They
9:13:23were pulling back from the road, which
9:13:25suggested that they could see someone
9:13:27coming that they didn't want to fight,
9:13:28but they shouldn't be able to see him
9:13:30yet. Hawk, who else is on the road? I
9:13:34don't know. Pike people in Bob armor
9:13:37riding horses and someone in a shiny
9:13:39carriage that I am surprised you can't
9:13:41see from there. It must be the hill in
9:13:43the way. That sounded a lot like armored
9:13:46knights and a nobleman's carriage. Are
9:13:49they all wearing the same colors or do
9:13:51they have someone carrying a flag? Carl
9:13:54asked. They have six flags and they all
9:13:58match. They're all shiny and the horses
9:14:01are all green like the flags. Carl made
9:14:04a mental note of where they were in
9:14:05Hawk's mental image and then the speed
9:14:07they were going. They should be on this
9:14:10side of the valley with the bandits
9:14:11before Carl reached it. That would make
9:14:14life easier as they would be expecting
9:14:16him to move out of the way. Rich people
9:14:19always acted like they owned the road.
9:14:22Even the mind's shift supervisor drove
9:14:24like a douche a bag in the company
9:14:25truck. Carl slowed Thor just a little to
9:14:29give them a margin for error in case he
9:14:31guessed wrong or they slowed down
9:14:33through the trees. When they got close
9:14:36to the trees, it was clear that Carl
9:14:38didn't have anything to worry about. The
9:14:40knights were already on the close side
9:14:42of the valley, banners flapping in the
9:14:44wind as they trotted along the road.
9:14:46Carl moved Thor to the side of the road,
9:14:49giving them plenty of room to pass by.
9:14:52One of the lead guards peeled off to
9:14:54speak to him, and Carl brought Thor to a
9:14:56full stop. Merchant, there are bandits
9:15:00in the woods ahead. I would recommend
9:15:02not bringing your precious cargo through
9:15:04there. The knight informed him. What
9:15:08power level? The knight frowned. at
9:15:11least four commanders, but they have
9:15:14nearly 50 members in total. If you go 30
9:15:18km south, there is a bridge across the
9:15:20river that will get you around the
9:15:21valley. That would put them nearly 5
9:15:24hours off course. Are there rewards for
9:15:27them? A bounty perhaps?
9:15:30Carl asked perhaps a bit too eagerly.
9:15:34You did hear me say that there are 50 of
9:15:36them, right? You've got passengers and
9:15:39only two guards plus golems. The knight
9:15:42obviously thought that he was an idiot.
9:15:45They can wait here a minute. 50 bandits
9:15:48below commander rank won't take me more
9:15:50than an hour. But if there is no reward,
9:15:53I'm not putting in the work. The noble
9:15:56carriage had stopped beside him and from
9:15:58inside someone was laughing. You think
9:16:00that you can take out an entire bandit
9:16:02camp within an hour alone? I would pay
9:16:05good money to see that. A delicate
9:16:08female voice announced. Elenia stuck her
9:16:11head out of the window, though Carl
9:16:13would have thought she was human if he
9:16:15couldn't see the heat signature inside.
9:16:18Her smile was warm and genuine, and her
9:16:20dress looked like it was made of thin
9:16:22layers of the finest silk. Even Rey was
9:16:25impressed with the quality. Carl turned
9:16:27back into the wagon. Do you mind staying
9:16:30here for a few minutes? I will go make
9:16:33sure the road is clear and we can earn a
9:16:35few extra coins. Oilia laughed. I give
9:16:40you 10 minutes or you have to turn over
9:16:42the good sleeping spot for the night.
9:16:44The Lameia was about to say something,
9:16:46but Carl was already gone. Rey used
9:16:50shadow step and a length of silk to drag
9:16:52him with her into the trees, then a
9:16:54second step to where Hawk had found the
9:16:56bandits. The group turned to stare at
9:16:59Carl, who had appeared alone next to
9:17:00their camp, and began to slowly get to
9:17:03their feet, brandishing weapons. I have
9:17:06some good news and some bad news for
9:17:08you. Carl informed them. "Oh, you think
9:17:12you have good news for us, do you?" An
9:17:14aging bandit informed him with a smirk.
9:17:18The man looked at least half ogre and
9:17:20smelled far worse, but that could have
9:17:22something to do with whatever it was
9:17:23that they were cooking. It smelled of
9:17:26rot and vomit, and Carl was becoming
9:17:28certain that he was about to do these
9:17:30bandits a favor. Carl nodded at him. The
9:17:34good news is that none of you have to go
9:17:35to work tomorrow. The bandits began to
9:17:38laugh and circle Carl, who still didn't
9:17:40have a weapon in his hands. And what is
9:17:43the bad news? I forgot to ask that
9:17:46lovely young lady how much she was
9:17:48willing to pay for your stinking
9:17:49carcasses.
9:17:51Carl called the team out and Remy got
9:17:53things started with a thunderstorm that
9:17:56had hawk immediately complaining about
9:17:57her poor decision-making skills. He had
9:18:00his wine barrier up to stay dry, but he
9:18:04didn't love water magic anymore just
9:18:06because it was his little sister using
9:18:07it. Remy's lone bodyguard hit the
9:18:10leaders with a tsunami while Carl
9:18:12followed it with a flurry of chain
9:18:14lightning enhanced arrows. He hadn't had
9:18:18his bow out in a while, but all the
9:18:20bandits were running as soon as Remy and
9:18:21Ray appeared. They didn't even seem to
9:18:24see Cara until someone nearly stepped on
9:18:26her, and the void badger flew into a
9:18:28rage, tearing everything apart. Not even
9:18:31the trees were safe from her wrath. Rey
9:18:34was hurting bandits toward Cara with her
9:18:36webs and golems, while Remy and her
9:18:39bodyguard focused on the core area. Carl
9:18:42called out the two Lameia bodyguards and
9:18:44let them loose on the camp.
9:18:46It was over in under a minute, leaving
9:18:48only one dome of silk and a lot of blood
9:18:51after Ry picked up the bodies. "What is
9:18:54in there? Snacks for later," Carl asked.
9:18:58Ry small creatures. "They weren't
9:19:02fighting, and I didn't know what to do
9:19:03with them. Bring them back with us. Toss
9:19:07up a rock or two, and we can shadow
9:19:09step," Carl suggested.
9:19:13Instead, Rey made him a blanket and
9:19:15passed Carl the bag. With both on her
9:19:18back, she was covered enough to shadow
9:19:20step. Remy retreated to her space, and
9:19:23Cara sniffed around the camp for a
9:19:25minute before realizing there was
9:19:26nothing worth taking, not even roast
9:19:29meat. She returned to her space
9:19:32empty-handed, and Carl hopped back
9:19:34toward the wagon with Ray's help. She
9:19:37returned to her space and Carl joged the
9:19:39last dozen meters to the waiting group
9:19:41with the bag full of children dragging
9:19:43behind him. That was a minor oversight.
9:19:47When they were on Ray's back, it was
9:19:49fine, but he shouldn't bump them along
9:19:51the ground like that. I don't suppose
9:19:53that you have an orphan collection
9:19:55program, do you? I've got a bunch of
9:19:58them from the valley. Carl asked as he
9:20:01approached.
9:20:02Pardon? The closest guard asked,
9:20:05confused.
9:20:07the bag. It's full of the children from
9:20:09the bandit camp. They don't really count
9:20:11as bandits because they didn't even try
9:20:13to fight. I have the corpses of the
9:20:16combatants stored in a separate space.
9:20:19The Lameia and her guards were staring
9:20:21at Carl now. And Oilia began to laugh.
9:20:24Well, that was definitely less than 10
9:20:27minutes. You can keep your good sleeping
9:20:28spot.
9:20:30The guards came over to grab the large
9:20:32silk bag and one of the others gestured
9:20:34for Carl to step aside. Did you really
9:20:37kill them all and collect their bodies?
9:20:40He whispered. Carl nodded. You can have
9:20:44them if you like. Or I can put them in
9:20:46the ditch over there. The guard nodded.
9:20:50We do need to verify their deaths. And
9:20:52if the bodies are gone from their camp,
9:20:54we need to see them. Carl led the guard
9:20:57away to a low spot where he began to
9:20:59stack the bodies. The guard looked more
9:21:02horrified with every addition, and Carl
9:21:04realized that with the extensive use of
9:21:07rend and disintegration, there weren't
9:21:10all that many fully intact corpses.
9:21:12How did you do that? The guard
9:21:15whispered. I'm part troll. Carl joked.
9:21:20That didn't really answer the man's
9:21:22question, and Carl didn't look part
9:21:23troll, but it was a good enough answer
9:21:26for his superiors.
9:21:28A rampaging royal rank troll would be
9:21:30the sort of natural disaster that a
9:21:32bandit group would not survive. We
9:21:35should get rid of those. The guard
9:21:37sighed. I've got this. Hawk, please do
9:21:42the honors. Hawk bombarded the pile with
9:21:45fireballs, roasting it all to ash in a
9:21:47matter of seconds. A troll that isn't
9:21:50afraid of fire, the guard asked. Find
9:21:54the one thing in the world that can kill
9:21:56you and make it your friend. Dragon
9:21:59hawks are a great and loyal partner once
9:22:01you earn their respect. The guard looked
9:22:03at Carl like he was insane, but didn't
9:22:06say anything else before returning to
9:22:07his team. The bag was open, but the kids
9:22:11were still sitting in a terrified
9:22:12huddle, too afraid to even cry. There
9:22:15were demons, a young minur, three half
9:22:18ogres, and a few Carl couldn't identify.
9:22:22Their eyes were locked on him, unwilling
9:22:24to look away from the danger, even when
9:22:26the guards were trying to talk to them.
9:22:28Carl smiled at them. Why don't you tell
9:22:31these nice people all about how you
9:22:33ended up in that valley? I think that
9:22:35they can help you find a much safer spot
9:22:37to be with no monsters.
9:22:40I mean, maybe with monsters, but not the
9:22:42scary kind. The Lameia in the luxurious
9:22:46carriage giggled softly and a few of the
9:22:48guards face bombed. You have a way with
9:22:51words, merchant. We will have a team
9:22:54from the city escort the children back
9:22:55to town for placement. Were you heading
9:22:58for house searing? She asked. Carl
9:23:02nodded. We are. Then I head north
9:23:06tomorrow. There is a nomadic orc tribe
9:23:09that should be in the area and they
9:23:10wanted the dried fish. The Lenia nodded
9:23:14and Carl added a warning. We were
9:23:16attacked this morning between here and
9:23:18Luden aid using a portal. If you're
9:23:21going to head west with a fine lady, you
9:23:24should be careful. They had pirate
9:23:26captains with them. The knights looked
9:23:29grim, but the Lameia looked calm as she
9:23:31nodded in understanding.
9:23:33They shouldn't bother us. Lutinade has
9:23:36an agreement with the night orders.
9:23:38Would it be too much to ask you to wait
9:23:40here for the retrieval team to come get
9:23:42the children? They should make it here
9:23:44near dark. I would ask you to walk them
9:23:47to the city, but you wouldn't make it
9:23:49before dark with their pace. Carl did
9:23:52the mental math. They would have to
9:23:54avoid the city to make the anomaly on
9:23:56time tomorrow night. But that might be
9:23:58better for them. If I do the delivery
9:24:01first, then come back to the city to
9:24:03resupply. That should be fine. Carl
9:24:06agreed while the children cowered in
9:24:08terror at the thought of being left with
9:24:10him any longer. Once the Lameia and her
9:24:13escort left, Oilia turned to Carl to
9:24:15give him the updates on their situation.
9:24:18The knights aren't worried about bandits
9:24:20on this trip. They are on their way to a
9:24:22wedding announcement and can't be late.
9:24:25They did leave us with a whole bag full
9:24:26of coins for your trouble. So, we're
9:24:28good on spending money while we're here.
9:24:31But how are we on time? Will we still
9:24:34make our meeting? Carl nodded. We will
9:24:37have to move the stop in the city to
9:24:39after we deliver the fish, but that's
9:24:41not a big deal. We can resupply there.
9:24:44Then we will make our way to the next
9:24:46stop. The children from the bandit group
9:24:48were listening intently to their
9:24:50conversation, and Carl didn't want to
9:24:52give anything away. Nobody in this
9:24:55region seemed to mind the bandits all
9:24:56that much, so it was only the outsiders
9:24:59that would run into trouble with them.
9:25:01The kids would likely tell whoever came
9:25:03to pick them up what Carl and his team
9:25:05were planning, even if it wasn't to set
9:25:07up another bandit attack. Letting the
9:25:09city know that they were meeting a
9:25:11nomadic tribe might lead to questions
9:25:12later, but they didn't have anything to
9:25:14hide other than their identities, and
9:25:16having everyone looking for illicit
9:25:18goods took the attention off the actual
9:25:19group. The children didn't seem to relax
9:25:22at all, and they were still huddled on
9:25:24the silk sheet when three wagons arrived
9:25:26to pick them up. You're the one that the
9:25:29nightly order sent us to assist. I take
9:25:31it. We will take in the survivors of the
9:25:34bandit camp. But can we know what led to
9:25:36them being completely wiped out? The
9:25:39kids looked up in unison and pointed at
9:25:41Carl. The nightly order made me a
9:25:44friendly wager about how long it would
9:25:46take to remove the bandit threat along
9:25:47the road. So, I went and eliminated it.
9:25:52Carl shrugged. you? The green-skinned
9:25:56demon man with a single forehead horn
9:25:58asked. Me? It wasn't all that hard. I
9:26:03had a significant power advantage. The
9:26:06wagon driver just shrugged. It's fine.
9:26:10We don't need the details as long as
9:26:12there weren't any escaped bandits who
9:26:14will be looking for their kids. Carl
9:26:17shook his head. None that were around
9:26:19the camp.
9:26:21Hopefully, the little ones will be given
9:26:23a proper chance to live a decent life. I
9:26:26think that today might have scared them
9:26:27off the path of a bandit. The kids all
9:26:30nodded in agreement. No way were they
9:26:33going to let that mad man and his
9:26:35monsters believe that they would ever
9:26:36consider going back to banditry.
9:26:39I trust you don't mind sharing a camp.
9:26:42The bandits might be gone, but with the
9:26:44nomads, it's never truly safe out here.
9:26:47the leader of the recovery team asked.
9:26:50Make yourself comfortable. We will have
9:26:53a nice fire to keep the kids warm and we
9:26:55can split watches. Carl agreed. Oilia
9:27:00changed back into dire bear form with a
9:27:02longing glance at Carl's hammock while
9:27:04the other ladies rearranged the cargo so
9:27:06they could hang theirs in the wagon.
9:27:08They hadn't thought of the method
9:27:09yesterday, but running lines between the
9:27:12metal hoops that held the tarp would
9:27:13support their weight, and they could
9:27:15have a better bed than a blanket on the
9:27:16wooden wagon floor. I will take first
9:27:19watch. Who wants second? Carl asked. The
9:27:23leader of the caravan gave an annoyed
9:27:25grunt. I will. I suspect that the little
9:27:29ones are just waiting for a chance to
9:27:31run off again and look for a hiding
9:27:33spot. We can't have that when the
9:27:35nightly order only pays on completion of
9:27:37an assignment. The maid Carl chuckle. Of
9:27:41all the ways to keep a contractor
9:27:43motivated, guaranteed pay, but only on
9:27:45completion seemed like one of the most
9:27:47reliable. The night was quiet, and the
9:27:50children were all passed out from
9:27:52exhaustion as Carl took the first watch.
9:27:55After yesterday's incident, there
9:27:57shouldn't be more trouble. The pirate
9:27:59captains wouldn't bother him now that he
9:28:01had their token. And the next city along
9:28:03the way was where the retrieval team
9:28:05came from. So Carl actually managed to
9:28:08relax during his shift with Ry watching
9:28:10from her space and then woke the team
9:28:12leader for his turn. A few hours of
9:28:15meditation would get Carl through the
9:28:17night, but they were only doing two
9:28:19watches, splitting the evening, so he
9:28:21had nearly 5 hours before he had to be
9:28:23awake again. He didn't fall into a deep
9:28:26sleep, even with the beasts watching for
9:28:28him. Cara had escaped her space again to
9:28:31curl up with Oilia, and she didn't seem
9:28:33to require sleep at all. She just
9:28:36enjoyed doing nothing. That would be a
9:28:39good enough bodyguard.
9:28:41Nothing on this continent short of a
9:28:42dragon was likely to win a fist fight
9:28:44with a void badger. Just before the sun
9:28:48came up, the cleric started to make
9:28:49breakfast, much to the relief of the
9:28:51retrieval team and the children.
9:28:54Dragon clerics, what brings you all the
9:28:57way out here? The team leader asked when
9:29:00he saw the breakfast meal. The gods
9:29:02willed it. Tessa replied with a shrug.
9:29:06That was a good enough answer for most.
9:29:09Clerics could end up anywhere following
9:29:11the whims of the gods, and only the
9:29:13giants and a few isolationist nations
9:29:16would stop them. Not that the feral
9:29:18monsters wouldn't kill and eat them, but
9:29:20the civilized ones would let them be.
9:29:23The kids were beginning to relax as the
9:29:25retrieval team explained how the
9:29:26orphanage worked, how it sorted them
9:29:28into school years and helped them find
9:29:30real work. It was when Carl got up that
9:29:33they began to huddle together again. He
9:29:36won't hurt you. I know what happened
9:29:39with your parents, but he won't hurt you
9:29:41now. The group leader explained softly.
9:29:45You don't understand.
9:29:47That thing isn't human. It looks like a
9:29:50human, but it's not. It's really not.
9:29:54One of the demon children explained. The
9:29:57team leader looked to Carl for an
9:29:59answer, and he just shrugged. I don't
9:30:01eat children if that helps. Besides, I
9:30:05already put this nice man in charge of
9:30:07bringing you back, and I wouldn't want
9:30:08to make his job harder. Lotus poked Carl
9:30:11in the side and smiled at the kids. He's
9:30:14only scary in combat.
9:30:17Now, let me fill everyone's water skins
9:30:19so you're good for the trip to your new
9:30:21home. The kids were quickly packed up
9:30:24into the wagons and Carl's team prepared
9:30:26to head out. Will you be following us to
9:30:29town? The retrieval team leader asked.
9:30:33Carl shook his head. No, we need to make
9:30:36a delivery to a nomadic tribe today, and
9:30:38if we go through the city, we won't make
9:30:40it on time after all this delay. The
9:30:43team and the bandit kids all looked
9:30:45concerned with that answer.
9:30:47You're going to make a trade deal with
9:30:48the nomads? The yellow tusk orc nomads?
9:30:53Are you insane?
9:30:55The team leader asked unconsciously
9:30:57checking his armor as if they might hear
9:30:59an attack. It's just a load of dried
9:31:02fish. It's not like we're trading
9:31:03weapons. Besides, I'm pretty good at
9:31:06getting along with orcs. One of the
9:31:09wagon drivers laughed. Is that even
9:31:12possible? Of course. When they challenge
9:31:16you, just tell them off and demand to
9:31:18talk to the boss. The wagon driver held
9:31:21his belly as he laughed. Oh, it's like
9:31:24that. I suppose if you're not averse to
9:31:27a fist fight with an orc champion, it's
9:31:29a good method. Presuming that you don't
9:31:32die of stupidity,
9:31:34Oilia changed back to warbear form and
9:31:36took a seat on the front of the wagon
9:31:38after everyone else was loaded. She had
9:31:41put Cara in the wagon to keep both Lotus
9:31:43and the Void Badger entertained. and
9:31:45they were ready to leave as soon as Carl
9:31:46finished chatting. All right, gentlemen.
9:31:50Good luck with your work. Perhaps I will
9:31:53see you again one day." Carl turned the
9:31:56wagon northeast across the road and into
9:31:58the open grassland.
9:32:00He had a general idea where he was going
9:32:02thanks to Hawk scouting, and now he just
9:32:04had to wait for the bird to find the
9:32:06exact spot where the anomaly was going
9:32:08to appear. Thor was making good time as
9:32:11the grass was mostly untouched and the
9:32:13dirt soft enough that the wheels weren't
9:32:15taking jarring hits except when they
9:32:17found a hidden stone. There is a large
9:32:20group of people walking in the distance
9:32:22near the hill with the three upright
9:32:24stones where the anomaly should be. What
9:32:26species?
9:32:28Carl asked. Orcs mostly. But they've got
9:32:33some others with them. That sounded odd
9:32:35for orcs, but Carl altered Thor's
9:32:38course, so they were all headed for the
9:32:39anomaly location. Even if the meeting
9:32:42with the nomads went badly, it would be
9:32:44good cover for them interfering with the
9:32:46anomaly. There is an orc tribe ahead.
9:32:50They're near where the anomaly will
9:32:51appear. So, I will go meet them, and we
9:32:53can delay until the anomaly opens. If
9:32:56what Bishop Misty told us is correct, it
9:32:59should be soon, he explained. So, the
9:33:02others understood. The orcs sent a
9:33:04runner when Carl was still 5 km from the
9:33:07stones. He turned to meet them so the
9:33:10orcs didn't think he was running away,
9:33:12but he didn't turn directly so that he
9:33:14would end up with a few hundred meters
9:33:16of the stones when they met each other.
9:33:18The orcs were intending to pass by the
9:33:20stones, but they had stopped on the far
9:33:23side to see what the merchant who would
9:33:24keep driving a wagon toward them wanted.
9:33:27The Orish runner straightened the tie
9:33:29around his neck, worn with nothing but a
9:33:31pair of tattered black shorts that were
9:33:33once fashionable pants. Yellow Tusk Clan
9:33:36chieftain World Smasher wishes to
9:33:38inquire what your business is. He spoke
9:33:41slowly with a thick accent as if
9:33:43unfamiliar with the language. That was a
9:33:46major change from the last time Carl had
9:33:49seen them when the leader spoke with a
9:33:50posh accent and wore fancy clothes that
9:33:53the clan had made themselves, not looted
9:33:55from another species and altered. Rey,
9:33:58make a pair of simple black pants that
9:34:00will fit the leader of the clan. Carl
9:34:03instructed, "Why are we making friends?"
9:34:08"Yes,
9:34:09I am going to give them to the leader as
9:34:11a gift. Trust me, it will be fun." Ry
9:34:15didn't get what Carl was going for, but
9:34:17if he said it would lead to fun, she
9:34:19trusted him. She quickly made them, but
9:34:22left them a bit loose and with a rope at
9:34:24the waist so they could be cinched to
9:34:26stay up. Please tell Chieftain World
9:34:28Smasher that we wish to trade a bundle
9:34:30of dried fish fresh from the coast for
9:34:33any trade goods he has that the cities
9:34:34will take. Here is a gift of good faith
9:34:37for him to show my sincerity.
9:34:40Carl handed over the pants and the orc
9:34:42got a cunning look on his face that he
9:34:44tried to hide. And what if the chieftain
9:34:47says he doesn't want your pants? Then
9:34:49tell him I will punch him in the face
9:34:51for disrespecting my gift. Go ahead and
9:34:54inform him that we will meet him at the
9:34:56standing stones to talk business. The
9:34:58orc ran off back to his clan while Ry
9:35:01laughed in Carl's mind. You're right.
9:35:04This will be fun. Carl stopped the wagon
9:35:07before the stones so it was less likely
9:35:09to get caught up in the chaos, then
9:35:11double-ch checked on the item he had
9:35:13gotten to stabilize the anomaly when it
9:35:15appeared. After a few minutes of
9:35:17shouting and swearing that Carl could
9:35:19hear from 300 m away, a massive orc came
9:35:22over with freshlymade black pants on and
9:35:24four large orcs carrying bags of
9:35:26something. Carl went to retrieve the
9:35:29fish and set the bundle on a relatively
9:35:31clean stone while he waited. The orcs
9:35:34walked up until the leader was
9:35:35chestto-chest with Carl, but towering
9:35:37over him by a full 60 cm.
9:35:40He had an intimidating scowl on his
9:35:42face, but he was wearing the gift, so
9:35:45Carl didn't back down or make any
9:35:47aggressive moves. These are good pants,
9:35:51he announced.
9:35:53Of course they are. I wouldn't give
9:35:55cheap pants to a chieftain. Carl scoffed
9:35:59and the big man smiled as he stepped
9:36:01back. What kind of fish do you have?
9:36:04It's not often someone comes looking for
9:36:06us to trade. 100 kilos of dried salmon,
9:36:11Carl announced, then untied the top
9:36:13strings holding the cloth on the bundle.
9:36:16The orcs took a deep breath and smiled.
9:36:19Orcs didn't deep water fish, so they
9:36:21could only get salmon during spawning
9:36:23season, and that wasn't prime salmon
9:36:25flavor, as they were exhausted and had
9:36:27burnt most of their fat to get to the
9:36:28spawning grounds. These were prime
9:36:31specimens carefully dried. The flavor
9:36:34would be incredible and just the smell
9:36:36was more appealing than the dried jerky
9:36:38that they had. Chieftain World Smasher
9:36:41motioned for his man at the back to
9:36:43bring a bag forward than for the others
9:36:45to leave. Carl didn't know what was in
9:36:48the other bags, but the chieftain had
9:36:50made his choice, and he was digging
9:36:51through the bag for something. A few
9:36:54seconds later, he started tossing armor
9:36:56pieces out, then boots and miscellaneous
9:36:59equipment that wasn't fit for an orc. He
9:37:02stopped and looked at the pile, then at
9:37:04the fish. Carl frowned as he mentally
9:37:07calculated the value. It should already
9:37:09be more than the fish was worth by a
9:37:12factor of at least three, but the
9:37:13chieftain went back in for one more set
9:37:15of bracers and added them to the pile.
9:37:18He nodded at Carl, who smiled and nodded
9:37:21back. We have a deal then. Boys, pick up
9:37:26the fish and spread it through the
9:37:27tribe. Today we celebrate, he announced.
9:37:32Oh, are you holding a wrestling
9:37:34competition?
9:37:35I was once sent to the past and I heard
9:37:38that was a favorite of the tribes. That
9:37:41was 100% [ __ ] but it would keep
9:37:43them all right here where the anomaly
9:37:45should be opening within the next hour
9:37:46or two. Would you like to watch the orcs
9:37:49show off their fighting power, human? We
9:37:52don't mind. There are no greater
9:37:55fighters in this world than the orc
9:37:56tribes, and the yellow tusk are the
9:37:59greatest of tribes. The chieftain, who
9:38:01called himself world smasher, announced,
9:38:04"I think that my team would enjoy that.
9:38:07Perhaps we might even earn the favor of
9:38:09the gods with a pair of their clerics
9:38:11watching." Carl joked. The burly orc
9:38:15laughed. you might just be on to
9:38:17something. Bring your passengers out and
9:38:20we will set up a wrestling ring. The
9:38:23others were more than a little skeptical
9:38:24of Carl's plan to keep the orcs right
9:38:26next to the anomaly as a scapegoat. But
9:38:29after hearing that he thought they might
9:38:30be able to claim it as a divine favor to
9:38:32the orc tribes, even Dana had to do her
9:38:34best not to laugh. It sounded somewhat
9:38:37like blasphemy, but it was a temple that
9:38:40sent them on this mission. and they had
9:38:41two clerics plus a Naga queen who had
9:38:44shown the favor of the beast gods in the
9:38:46past. So perhaps it really was the will
9:38:48of the gods that they stabilized this
9:38:50dungeon. On one hand, having an active
9:38:53dungeon in the monster kingdoms might be
9:38:55a bad idea. They didn't need any more
9:38:58strength as far as anyone else was
9:39:00concerned.
9:39:01So providing them with access to more
9:39:03power was a long-term negative, even if
9:39:05it would draw the attention of all the
9:39:07other nations away from attacking the
9:39:09Golden Dragon Nation.
9:39:11On the other hand, watching the orcs
9:39:13wrestle sounded like a lot of fun. They
9:39:16were not as barbaric as everyone had
9:39:17feared. Despite their appearance, and
9:39:20they seemed to be honestly excited about
9:39:21a chance to show off their muscles, the
9:39:24ring was quickly assembled, just a large
9:39:26circle of rope for the wrestling matches
9:39:28to take place in. This was also one of
9:39:31the few Orish hobbies that didn't
9:39:33involve much bloodshed. They had
9:39:35frequent trials for rank and some would
9:39:37likely follow this set of wrestling
9:39:39matches. But today, all would be
9:39:41peaceful until the anomaly opened. That
9:39:44was the part that Dana feared. They were
9:39:47far too close to where the anomaly was
9:39:49going to open. And if they couldn't get
9:39:51out of the way in time, they would end
9:39:53up fighting the orcs for the chance to
9:39:54go inside the dungeon. Nobody would pass
9:39:57up that opportunity, and it would seem
9:39:59extremely suspicious if they did.
9:40:02So, the orcs would most likely want to
9:40:04chase them off, and there was no spot
9:40:06further than their next life. The first
9:40:09few orcs to volunteer for the wrestling
9:40:11matches were growing teenage boys, and
9:40:13the orcs were very loudly enthusiastic
9:40:15about the chance to watch them go at it.
9:40:18They left space around the ring so that
9:40:20Carl and the others could watch, but
9:40:22other than that, they seemed to be
9:40:23ignoring the presence of outsiders in
9:40:25their midst, except for the occasional
9:40:27glance to make sure they were still
9:40:29watching the glory of the Orish
9:40:30children.
9:40:31Then they moved on to the adults,
9:40:34starting with the smallest, so that the
9:40:36most powerful would have the honor of
9:40:37going last, as if this were a ranked
9:40:39event or championship.
9:40:41Oilia was feeding snacks to Cara, who
9:40:44was sitting in lotus lap as a new pair
9:40:46of contestants took the ring. It was a
9:40:49young Orish woman with decorative scars
9:40:51all down her arms and a young man who
9:40:53stood a full head taller than her, but
9:40:55clearly bore some sort of grudge against
9:40:57her.
9:40:58The woman moved to the center of the
9:41:00ring and raised her hand to make an
9:41:02announcement. The dragon gods have sent
9:41:04their clerics here to watch over our
9:41:06matches today. So today, in the sight of
9:41:09the gods themselves, I will prove why
9:41:12you are unworthy of proposing marriage
9:41:13to me," the woman declared. Tessa
9:41:17smirked as she cast a softly glowing
9:41:19golden barrier around the arena. It was
9:41:22barely an awakened rank holy protection
9:41:24spell, but it would serve as a deterrent
9:41:26to interference and work as a wall so
9:41:28that the contestants couldn't step out
9:41:30and have the match declared a draw. A
9:41:33few of the orcs had already done that to
9:41:35let their opponent save face. The goal
9:41:37was to complete the match inside the
9:41:39ring, and stepping out was a failure to
9:41:41achieve that victory, so the match was
9:41:43considered a draw to the orcs. But with
9:41:46the wall up, unless they put in the
9:41:48effort to break the spell first, there
9:41:50would be no accidental departures.
9:41:53The two orcs squared off, and the
9:41:54chieftain whistled to start the match.
9:41:57The female darted forward and put her
9:41:59rejected suitor into a leg lock that
9:42:01sent him to the ground, but he quickly
9:42:03broke out of it with brute strength and
9:42:05went for an arm bar. She was a slippery
9:42:08one, and he couldn't seem to get a
9:42:09proper grip on her before she had
9:42:11escaped back to her feet. They circled
9:42:14for a few minutes, grappling and
9:42:15releasing as they failed to get the
9:42:17advantage.
9:42:19Then, when he finally thought he had
9:42:20gotten her with a spear that would let
9:42:22him pin her, she twisted around and
9:42:24managed to get his back with her arms
9:42:26locked around his neck. He wasn't giving
9:42:29up and slammed her repeatedly on the
9:42:31ground as he pried at her chokeold. But
9:42:33after 15 seconds or so, he was out cold
9:42:36and she let him go as the chieftain
9:42:38whistled to mark the end of the match.
9:42:40That was when the anomaly appeared as if
9:42:43someone had been waiting for the perfect
9:42:44moment. Perhaps they had. Oi. The gods
9:42:49have given you a second chance to get
9:42:51your girl. Get your lazy ass in there
9:42:54and complete the challenge. The
9:42:56chieftain shouted as the unfortunate orc
9:42:58slowly blinked as he regained
9:43:00consciousness.
9:43:02Boss, he asked in confusion. The
9:43:05chieftain picked him up and forcibly
9:43:07hurled him into the anomaly.
9:43:09Well, that's one way to do it. Carl
9:43:12laughed right before the orc was hurled
9:43:15back out. What did I just tell you? The
9:43:18chieftain asked. It's not my fault,
9:43:21boss. It said minimum group size 10
9:43:25people. The orc replied, holding his
9:43:28hands up in a defensive posture.
9:43:30Chieftan world smasher tapped his chin
9:43:32as he contemplated the answer. Send the
9:43:35humans and four more children. You're
9:43:38all about the same size, he decided.
9:43:42Size was strength. Strength was
9:43:44everything. Therefore, a small orc was
9:43:48nothing. They just had to train him
9:43:50until he was big enough, and he would
9:43:52earn the right to propose to his
9:43:53intended bride. The female orc stepped
9:43:56over beside him. "Chieftain, send me
9:44:00with him. It's only fair if he's trying
9:44:02to match me," she insisted.
9:44:06All right, then you three as well.
9:44:09That's better. The humans are still kind
9:44:12of puny, but it will do. They're as
9:44:14grown as a human gets. The orcs he had
9:44:17picked were all various stages of
9:44:19ascended, with the strongest being mid
9:44:21ascended. Sending them in with Carl's
9:44:24group could be an interesting dungeon
9:44:25experience depending on what the power
9:44:28level was set at. It could be a massacre
9:44:31or a massacre with the victor being the
9:44:34difference.
9:44:35Carl patted the disgruntled pair of orcs
9:44:37on the shoulder and led them into the
9:44:39dungeon. There was only one way to find
9:44:42out how this was going to go, and it
9:44:44didn't involve waiting around outside.
9:44:46The rest of his team followed close
9:44:48behind Carl and the two orcs that he had
9:44:50dragged with them, leaving the last
9:44:52three chasing them to catch up. Inside,
9:44:55the area looked much like the
9:44:56underground dungeon that Carl had seen
9:44:58in the mountains near the frost giant
9:45:00border. It was full of ruined black
9:45:03towers and strange fungi the size of
9:45:05trees, but there were no signs of dark
9:45:07elves, and instead some sort of shadow
9:45:09slime monsters had taken over. To Carl's
9:45:13senses, they appeared to be at high
9:45:14ascended and low commander, similar to
9:45:17the dungeon in the Golden Dragon Nation,
9:45:19but this one required 10 people to
9:45:21enter. As the orcs considered their
9:45:23options, Carl took out the device and
9:45:25activated it, hopefully stabilizing the
9:45:28dungeon so that whoever showed up next
9:45:30would see it as a done deal. The device
9:45:32vanished as it was activated, so he
9:45:34could only hope that it worked properly,
9:45:36but that was not his responsibility.
9:45:39He had done what he agreed and activated
9:45:41the device in the proper location. With
9:45:44his entire team inside the anomaly with
9:45:46the orcs, there might be questions about
9:45:48what had happened to stabilize the
9:45:50dungeon. But that was a minor
9:45:52inconvenience, and the chieftain already
9:45:54thought that it was a sign from the gods
9:45:56and not mortal tampering. Do you know
9:45:59these creatures? The defeated suitor
9:46:02asked, looking to Carl for answers.
9:46:05No, but I know a few things about them.
9:46:08They're stronger than you are. Some of
9:46:10them by quite a bit. They are also going
9:46:13to be aggressive, but won't be likely to
9:46:15swarm us unless we get too close to
9:46:17them. They will stay near their spots
9:46:19unless we antagonize them. Other than
9:46:21the roaming patrols, other than that, I
9:46:25know nothing about their skills, so be
9:46:27sure to remember how they fight so that
9:46:28you can tell the chieftain. If he has to
9:46:31hear it from me, he will have your hide
9:46:33for a trophy." The orcs laughed as they
9:46:36realized that Carl was exactly right.
9:46:39The boss would not be happy if the human
9:46:41was the one with answers for him. All
9:46:44right, we should find out what they can
9:46:45do. What sort of fighters are your
9:46:48people? The Orcish woman, who had just
9:46:51beaten her potential suitor, asked. Her
9:46:54voice was smooth and her tone more
9:46:55eloquent than expected, closer to what
9:46:58Carl had heard from the older orcs, and
9:47:00far from the tone and language she had
9:47:02used during the challenge. It seemed
9:47:04that she had been hiding her
9:47:05intelligence from her dim-witted
9:47:07friends, perhaps to avoid being called
9:47:09the Orsish equivalent of a nerd. We can
9:47:12call some golems, and we've got a mage
9:47:14and a berserker in addition to the
9:47:16clerics.
9:47:17Don't worry, if you get injured, we will
9:47:19heal you. This place is meant for 10
9:47:22people to work together, not for two
9:47:24groups of five to fight with each other
9:47:26and the mobs, Carl explained.
9:47:30Thank you. That will make our lives much
9:47:33easier. We have shamans with the clan,
9:47:36so we will treat your mage like that,
9:47:38fighting from the back. The werebear
9:47:40looks like she can fight so she can come
9:47:42up front with us. What sort of fighter
9:47:45are you? She asked. I'm somewhere
9:47:49between a mage and a warrior, but I
9:47:51usually rely on my beast friends to help
9:47:53out. They're pretty tough, but we can do
9:47:57without them today and let them rest. At
9:48:00least they could rest until the group
9:48:02ran into trouble anyhow. It would be
9:48:05less difficult for the orcs pride to
9:48:07accept. The woman nodded and motioned
9:48:10for her comrades to join her as she
9:48:12advanced on the first group of the
9:48:13shadow slime monsters. The woman nodded
9:48:16and motioned for her comrades to join
9:48:18her as she advanced on the first group
9:48:20of the shadow slime monsters.
9:48:23Oilia joined them as she was the only
9:48:25commander rank fighter on the front
9:48:27lines and sending Carl against ascended
9:48:29slimes was just rude. Even sending Cara
9:48:32or one of the other beasts would
9:48:34obliterate the threats in a matter of
9:48:36seconds. But for the rest of the group,
9:48:38it was a good fight. Thor extended
9:48:42eternal lightning over everyone,
9:48:44startling the orcs. But they were happy
9:48:46to get defensive magic on their side for
9:48:48an unknown fight, and they happily
9:48:50charged into battle.
9:48:52The fact that they managed to do it
9:48:54without a war cry seemed like it
9:48:56required great effort for them, but they
9:48:58didn't want to make so much noise that
9:48:59they would pull everything to them at
9:49:01the very start. The slimes turned to
9:49:04engage the orcs as they approached, and
9:49:06their bodies shifted shape. They were
9:49:08using their innate ability to mimic what
9:49:10was sent at them, taking on the
9:49:12appearance of both the Orcs team and
9:49:14Oilia in her war were warbear form. It
9:49:16was quite the spectacle, and Carl was
9:49:18glad that they hadn't sent any of the
9:49:20spellcasters closer to the group. There
9:49:23were only five slimes, and Carl assumed
9:49:25that they shouldn't take too long for
9:49:27the melee attackers with Oilia's help,
9:49:29but the orcs that had been chosen seemed
9:49:31to be having a particularly tough time
9:49:33doing any damage. Dana, mind helping
9:49:36them out? Carl asked. Everyone needed
9:49:40the experience, especially the young
9:49:42orcs. But when Dana started to attack,
9:49:45it became clear that the issue was the
9:49:46opponents, not the attackers. Her spells
9:49:50weren't doing much damage at all, only
9:49:52leaving small damaged craters, and the
9:49:54slimes were fighting on undeterred.
9:49:57Curious, Carl hit one with a ren and cut
9:50:00off an arm. But the creature kept
9:50:02fighting as black ooze poured from the
9:50:04wound like blood. It wasn't
9:50:06regenerating, and it fought like it was
9:50:08dying of slime loss.
9:50:11That was a good start, but the amount of
9:50:13damage that it took from attacks was
9:50:14ridiculously low. Not like him or Cara,
9:50:18who ignored a base amount, but as if
9:50:20they were three times as durable as they
9:50:22should be at the same power level.
9:50:25Ladies and gentlemen, we have found the
9:50:27perfect training ground for orcs.
9:50:29They're not too powerful, but they can
9:50:31really take a beating. Do you want me to
9:50:34start going all out, or should I hold
9:50:36back and let you fight? Carl asked. "Let
9:50:40us fight." The wimps need the help. The
9:50:44Orcish woman laughed. "All right, we
9:50:47weren't in a hurry anyhow." It was
9:50:50easier not to argue with the orcs on
9:50:52that one, even if it was going to start
9:50:54getting dark soon. The rest of the orcs
9:50:57chuckled, and Dana moved forward so that
9:50:59she could attack more effectively, while
9:51:01Carl threw attacks at the slimes that
9:51:03might have gotten around the orc's
9:51:04defenses and put them in a bad position.
9:51:07That way, Lotus and Tessa could mostly
9:51:10relax. Though, Tessa had cast a weapon
9:51:12blessing on everyone to increase their
9:51:14damage. By the time that the first group
9:51:16fell, they were beginning to all work
9:51:18well together in a group, and Carl was
9:51:21ready to start joining them in the
9:51:22fight. While he wasn't in a particular
9:51:25hurry, they didn't want to be here all
9:51:26night, and these slimes could take a
9:51:28beating, even if they didn't do much to
9:51:31eternal lightning. With that in mind,
9:51:34Carl led the way to the second group and
9:51:36began the attack. As soon as the slime
9:51:38started to change, they took on the
9:51:40appearances of the attackers, but they
9:51:42didn't take on the skills. At least not
9:51:45as far as Carl could tell. At the very
9:51:48least, they didn't take on the ones he
9:51:50got from his beasts, or he would have
9:51:52made the second encounter a very
9:51:53dangerous one for everyone involved. The
9:51:56second group did have a mage of sorts,
9:51:58though. It was a blue slime monster, and
9:52:01it cast water bolts at them that had
9:52:03hawkked nearly in a frenzy, wanting to
9:52:05come out and punish the creature for
9:52:07existing.
9:52:08Relax. We will let you all out to fight
9:52:10the bosses if the orcs aren't doing a
9:52:12good job. Carl consoled him. Like that
9:52:16will happen. Once you and the Dana mage
9:52:19start going all out, the boss won't
9:52:21stand a chance. Carl smiled inwardly at
9:52:24the petulant bird. Hawk wasn't wrong,
9:52:28though. If he really went all out
9:52:30against a target two full ranks below
9:52:32himself, even the boss monsters would
9:52:34only last a few seconds. As fun as it
9:52:37might be to get loot, the orcs were here
9:52:39for a different reason. The second and
9:52:42third groups both had a mage with them,
9:52:44copying Dana in appearance, but they
9:52:46could only use a waterbolt spell. That
9:52:49made them manageable, but they were
9:52:51still doing fairly impressive damage to
9:52:53the barriers. Your barrier ability is
9:52:56too strong. They can't hurt us at all.
9:53:00How are we supposed to be learning
9:53:01anything? The female orc asked, "Do orcs
9:53:06learn best with pain and not practice?"
9:53:09Carl replied. They all nodded as if that
9:53:12should have been obvious, and Carl had
9:53:14Thor take the barrier off them while
9:53:16leaving it on Dana and Oilia.
9:53:19There was no need to make his team
9:53:20suffer just because the orcs were
9:53:22stubborn. The next group fight actually
9:53:25went better as after they had taken a
9:53:27few hits, the orcs began to adapt their
9:53:29tactics and deal damage more efficiently
9:53:31to the monsters. It was a fascinating
9:53:34change, even if it did start an argument
9:53:36between Cara and Rey as to whether an
9:53:38entire species could be massochists.
9:53:41The eventual consensus was that the
9:53:43evidence supported the hypothesis, and
9:53:45the orcs might actually need the pain in
9:53:47order to function, which might be
9:53:49directly related to the reason that they
9:53:50were constantly looking for a fight.
9:53:52Without it, they weren't at their best.
9:53:55So, casting a numbing spell or using a
9:53:57numbing poison on them might be the
9:53:59equivalent to torture in addition to
9:54:01crippling their combat skills. Then,
9:54:04they were at the first boss or what
9:54:06passed for it in this dungeon. It looked
9:54:09just like the other slimes, but when
9:54:11they stepped on the platform, a timer
9:54:13started. Enrage in 1 hour. Enrage in 59
9:54:18minutes. 1 minute to burn the boss down.
9:54:22Carl explained in case the orcs couldn't
9:54:24read. He finally took his maul out and
9:54:27stacked disintegrate on it to deal with
9:54:30the threat. The boss was mid-commander
9:54:33rank and as durable as the monsters here
9:54:35had proven to be, there was a good
9:54:37chance that the thing might actually
9:54:38survive a regular hit with bone crusher
9:54:40or another ability that wasn't stacked.
9:54:43Carl's hit caused the boss to splatter
9:54:45and an announcement appeared above the
9:54:47platform. Member Carl has completed the
9:54:50challenge.
9:54:529/10 members remaining. The orcs laughed
9:54:55and lined up for their turns to attack
9:54:57the boss. It was the most ridiculous
9:55:00thing that Carl had ever seen inside a
9:55:02dungeon, and he wondered if his attempt
9:55:04to help had broken something within the
9:55:05system. If the clerics had to deal with
9:55:08an enraged timer, they might have a very
9:55:10hard time defeating this creature. Well,
9:55:13maybe not Tessa, who could actually
9:55:15fight quite well. But Lotus wasn't known
9:55:18for her offensive output.
9:55:20She did have a thorn vines spell thanks
9:55:23to Carl, but she rarely used it and he
9:55:26didn't even know how much damage it did.
9:55:28The spell was primarily used for crowd
9:55:31control to keep enemies from running
9:55:33around. The female orc valiantly hacked
9:55:36at the beast for the full minute while
9:55:38also needing to be healed four times,
9:55:40but didn't beat the timer. The creature
9:55:43increased in strength and size by about
9:55:45a quarter, and now she was struggling to
9:55:47fight it alone.
9:55:48Maybe we just need someone to get the
9:55:50killing blow on it. Oilia suggested as
9:55:53she realized that the boss had hardly
9:55:55taken any damage. Good idea. Everyone
9:55:59help her out and I will reset the timer
9:56:01if needed by killing the boss again.
9:56:04Carl offered. That seemed to work and
9:56:07there was no penalty applied when 58
9:56:09seconds later the female orc got the
9:56:12killing blow. The boss reformed seconds
9:56:14later, back at original size, and Lotus
9:56:17wrapped it in vines. That did the first
9:56:20bit of damage, and the rest of the team,
9:56:23save for Carl, went back to work on it,
9:56:25killing it before the timer. Member
9:56:28Oilia has completed the trial. That
9:56:31settled it. They just needed everyone to
9:56:33get a last strike. So, they all rejoined
9:56:36the fight against the boss, then stopped
9:56:38just before it was defeated to take
9:56:40turns finishing it off.
9:56:42The only one who struggled was the
9:56:44youngest of the orcs, who was having a
9:56:46terrible time landing a strike once the
9:56:48others had backed off. The boss was
9:56:50faster than he was and stronger. It even
9:56:54made it past the enraged timer before
9:56:56the unfortunate orc finally managed to
9:56:58get the last strike in. Good work,
9:57:00everyone. Now we know how to do it, and
9:57:03we can warn the others about who to send
9:57:05in. You're going to need a healer, but
9:57:08one that knows how to fight or they're
9:57:10not going to have an easy time of that
9:57:11one, Carl announced. Who knew that it
9:57:15would make us work as a whole team?
9:57:17That's not how a normal fight works. The
9:57:20orc's complaint made sense logically,
9:57:24but in a dungeon, almost anything was
9:57:26possible, even if it was interspecies
9:57:28cooperation and doing things that were
9:57:30not the normal role of your class. The
9:57:32boss body disappeared and a chest formed
9:57:35in its place, waiting for someone to
9:57:37open it. "You go ahead, human. You are
9:57:41strongest. You get the first choice."
9:57:44The Orish woman announced.
9:57:47Carl flipped the lid open and an
9:57:48announcement appeared both in the air
9:57:50over the chest and in his system
9:57:52display. Loot has been auto assigned to
9:57:55eligible members. That left five weapons
9:57:58in the chest, and Carl's whole team
9:58:00stepped back to see what they had
9:58:02gotten. "That's all for the five of
9:58:04you." "The rest of us have had
9:58:06experience with this sort of anomaly
9:58:08before, and it just gave us what it
9:58:10wanted us to have," Carl explained. "It
9:58:14can do that," one of the orcs asked.
9:58:17"Apparently.
9:58:19I've never seen it do that before, but
9:58:21this sort of anomaly isn't a regular
9:58:23occurrence. Have any of you been in one
9:58:26before? They all shook their heads. Then
9:58:30maybe next time you come in, it will for
9:58:32you as well. If they equipped a piece of
9:58:35gear, that was virtually guaranteed. But
9:58:37Carl couldn't give away the fact that he
9:58:39knew for certain this place could awaken
9:58:41at least some features of the system for
9:58:43them. The orcs were sure to have some
9:58:45legends about it, and this could become
9:58:47a holy sight to the tribe once they did
9:58:49realize.
9:58:51That would be amusing, but more amusing
9:58:53if he wasn't around to see it firsthand.
9:58:56The orcs were less eager to prove
9:58:57anything with the fights that came after
9:58:59the first boss, as it was clear that
9:59:01Carl was massively overpowered with that
9:59:03mall in his hands. It made the orcs more
9:59:06eager to work as a team and less eager
9:59:08to prove themselves.
9:59:10That alone was hopefully going to be
9:59:12enough that they could get out of here
9:59:13before dark and before all hell broke
9:59:15loose outside. They moved on to the next
9:59:18groups and Carl realized that this was
9:59:21actually a very small instance.
9:59:23There was only one more platform and
9:59:25then they would be finished. Let's hope
9:59:28that the next one isn't as annoying as
9:59:30this one was. Carl muttered as he led
9:59:33the group through the slime monsters.
9:59:35The groups were still the same, copying
9:59:38his own team, so there was no need to
9:59:40change tactics. Just keep pushing and
9:59:42try to get out of here as soon as
9:59:43possible. or at least before everyone
9:59:46was exhausted and ready to sleep. The
9:59:49combined group hesitantly approached the
9:59:51last platform where one large slime
9:59:53monster stood. Unlike the previous boss,
9:59:56which had looked normal while needing to
9:59:58be defeated 10 times, once by each group
10:00:01member, this one was massive. Not even
10:00:04the hill giants could measure up in
10:00:06size, and its strength was on the low to
10:00:08middle side of the commander rank. For
10:00:10the mid ascended rank orcs, this was not
10:00:13going to be an easy fight. Everyone, be
10:00:16careful not to get killed with one hit,
10:00:18and let's go find out what this boss can
10:00:20do." Carl joked as he led the team
10:00:23forward. The team spread out to encircle
10:00:26the boss, which was just standing still,
10:00:28apparently watching Carl. But if it
10:00:31wasn't going to attack, they were. The
10:00:34rest of the team launched their attacks
10:00:36and the boss sprung into action,
10:00:38whipping out tentacles toward them and
10:00:40firing water bolts. This was what Carl
10:00:43expected of a slime monster. None of
10:00:46that silly mimic nonsense, but an
10:00:48amorphous blob, violently attacking
10:00:50everything in sight. Thor brought the
10:00:52barriers back up over the orcs, but not
10:00:55at full strength because the orcs fought
10:00:57better when they were taking damage.
10:00:59This way, when they took a direct hit,
10:01:01the barrier would break, and he would
10:01:03bring it back up, but they wouldn't take
10:01:05so much damage that it was difficult for
10:01:07Tessa and Lotus to keep them healed. The
10:01:10beasts were following Carl's direction
10:01:12to stay out of sight and let the orcs
10:01:14think he was just some sort of warrior
10:01:15mage, so that news of his unique
10:01:17abilities didn't spread through the
10:01:19tribe. He had given away too much
10:01:21already by letting the team eliminate
10:01:23the bandits. And there was a chance that
10:01:25the monster nation would put the puzzle
10:01:26pieces together and realize who he was
10:01:28before he could get out of the country.
10:01:31Having Thor out to pull the cart was a
10:01:33calculated risk, but Sarah were fairly
10:01:35common creatures, and pulling a wagon
10:01:37didn't show off his powers, only his
10:01:39unique coloration.
10:01:41One merchant with a tamed Sarah wouldn't
10:01:43be the strangest thing that they were
10:01:45likely to see along this trip. Carl
10:01:48smashed his maul into the core of the
10:01:49beast, which set all the tentacles
10:01:51flailing as the body quivered and chain
10:01:54lightning burned a large chunk out of
10:01:56it. The orcs cheered in victory at the
10:01:58spectacle, and the boss slime monster
10:02:00contracted, reforming in a much smaller
10:02:03body. "Cut chunks off." "I don't think
10:02:06that it will reform," Carl instructed.
10:02:10"Of course, that was easier said than
10:02:12done. The tentacles were rubbery and it
10:02:16was hard to get a good hit in on them
10:02:17when they just bounced away. But Oilia
10:02:20had moved forward to attack the body
10:02:22while the beast was distracted. And
10:02:24Dana's blade style was having decent
10:02:26luck removing tentacles which were lying
10:02:28around the boss but not being pulled
10:02:30back in. Each removed tentacle was
10:02:32making the boss smaller and Lotus was
10:02:35slowly wrapping the core in thorn vines
10:02:37which restrained its movement and tore
10:02:39deep grooves in the surface when it
10:02:40tried to move.
10:02:42How long is this thing going to take to
10:02:44die? The orish woman complained as she
10:02:47hacked off yet another tentacle. As long
10:02:50as you want it to. If you're done with
10:02:52it, I will kill it. Carl replied, "You
10:02:56say that like it's so easy." One of the
10:02:59other orcs laughed. Five stacks of
10:03:02disintegration on the mall made the head
10:03:04vibrate with power, and Carl could have
10:03:06sworn that he heard the amorphous blob
10:03:08of a boss sigh in resignation even
10:03:10before he started to move. That feeling
10:03:13was confirmed as it contracted and
10:03:15flattened itself to the floor as he
10:03:16began the swing. Carl was almost certain
10:03:19that the boss defeated message came
10:03:21before he had hit the slime, but the
10:03:23stacks of disintegration were gone, so
10:03:26he must have made contact at some point.
10:03:29While he was lost in thought, the orcs
10:03:31were staring at him in shock. What in
10:03:34the name of the laughing god was that?
10:03:36The rejected suitor shouted. "It's
10:03:39called disintegration."
10:03:41"Pretty nifty, isn't it?" Dana replied
10:03:45on Carl's behalf. The female orc smirked
10:03:48at the man she rejected. "All that big
10:03:51talk from you, and he could defeat the
10:03:53boss in one casual swing. You have a new
10:03:56bar to reach." Oh, come on. How is that
10:04:00fair? Nobody but the chieftain could
10:04:03kill that thing in one hit. She gave him
10:04:06a vicious smirk. Then you'll just have
10:04:08to become chieftain, won't you? The
10:04:11young man gave Carl an angry glare
10:04:13before his shoulders slumped. At this
10:04:16rate, he would never get the girl of his
10:04:18dreams. The bar kept going up. Carl let
10:04:21his buffs expire as the fight ended and
10:04:23the orcs all pointed to him. I knew you
10:04:27got big. You've been hiding your power
10:04:29level. One of them gasped. At royal
10:04:33rank, brutality increased his size by
10:04:3650%. So, he was bigger than any of the
10:04:39orcs present. But they hadn't noticed
10:04:41until now when their brains tried to
10:04:44adjust their mental impression of his
10:04:45power level as it related to size. Carl
10:04:48winked at them. Well, I couldn't just
10:04:51stay small with so many impressive orc
10:04:53warriors around, could I?
10:04:56The fact that everyone else had shrunk
10:04:57as well seemed to escape them as they
10:04:59were all looking at Carl. But the boss
10:05:02chest had appeared and that brought them
10:05:04out of their revery. Level zero members
10:05:07detected.
10:05:09Compensating
10:05:10appeared in the air above the crate.
10:05:13What's that mean, human? It means that
10:05:16you've never been exposed to the system
10:05:18and now you have. It's going to give you
10:05:21an extra reward for doing this with just
10:05:23your own power.
10:05:24We won't get that bonus because we got
10:05:26it once before," Carl explained. The
10:05:30orcs cheered and slapped each other on
10:05:32the back in celebration as the dungeon
10:05:34calculated their reward. Their eyes went
10:05:37vacant as they entered the system
10:05:38interface for the first time, and
10:05:40seconds later, they were all back with
10:05:42smiles on their face. "I am officially a
10:05:46warrior." One of the men cheered. "Me,
10:05:49too, and me." Dana face bombed as she
10:05:53realized that they likely all chose
10:05:55warrior without even looking at the
10:05:57other options that were presented to
10:05:58them. Then the lone female in the group
10:06:01blinked once and her outfit changed to a
10:06:03more primal fur and leather set with
10:06:05black metal plates. Silly warriors. You
10:06:10didn't even look at the rest of the
10:06:11menu, did you? She asked. They all shook
10:06:15their heads while staring at her. There
10:06:18is a random option for a chance to make
10:06:20you a better warrior.
10:06:22she declared. The ladies in Carl's group
10:06:25all looked at each other, trying hard to
10:06:27hide their horror, while Carl openly
10:06:29laughed. "That random option is
10:06:32dangerous. It can change anything about
10:06:34you, including your species. The last
10:06:38person I saw use it was turned into an
10:06:40elven child. There are other classes,
10:06:43though. You could have picked shaman or
10:06:46berserker instead and not risked turning
10:06:48into something other than an orc, he
10:06:50explained. The woman's eyes went large
10:06:53as she realized how close she had come
10:06:55to disaster.
10:06:57Carl nodded as he saw that she
10:06:59understood. What did it give you? I am a
10:07:03death knight, she announced proudly.
10:07:06Carl didn't know what that could do, but
10:07:08it should be a magic using warrior of
10:07:10some sort with unique skills. All right,
10:07:13I will give you a bit of advice from one
10:07:15champion to another. Focusing on the
10:07:18words status, inventory, and skill tree
10:07:21will allow you to access system
10:07:23functions.
10:07:24You might have a skill available as your
10:07:26all ascended rank already. Don't forget
10:07:29those words as you'll need them in the
10:07:31future as you gain power. They all
10:07:34muttered the words and got distracted
10:07:36for a few minutes. Then the female orc's
10:07:38armor turned to a full black suit of
10:07:40plate male with a new great sword. Death
10:07:43knights get unholy equipment. This is
10:07:46pretty cool. I even got special attack
10:07:49skills, she explained.
10:07:52Good, good. If you've got a few skills
10:07:55from your class and new gear that you
10:07:57can just summon back when it gets
10:07:59damaged, you should become a great
10:08:00champion of the tribe. Even if the
10:08:03others become warriors, few will be able
10:08:05to compete with the powers of a death
10:08:06knight. The other orcs were too busy
10:08:09celebrating their new powers to even
10:08:11notice her outfit changed.
10:08:14So, Oilia used a claw to flip open the
10:08:16reward crate. All loot has been auto
10:08:19assigned to eligible members. The chest
10:08:22disappeared and Carl smiled at the orcs.
10:08:26Check your inventory. There should be a
10:08:28reward there. You can show your friends
10:08:30or keep it a secret. The dungeon gave it
10:08:33just to you. There is likely money as
10:08:35well, but I don't know how your tribe
10:08:37deals with that. The orcs laughed. What
10:08:41do orcs need coins for? Orcs share food,
10:08:44but the only other items we are allowed
10:08:46we must earn ourselves with our own
10:08:48effort or make with our own hands. Lotus
10:08:52gave them a curious look. So, you don't
10:08:55trade for anything but food? The orcs
10:08:58nodded. Getting strong by buying goods
10:09:00that the other species make is cheating.
10:09:03That's not real strength. But these
10:09:06dungeon rewards, we earned that
10:09:08ourselves.
10:09:09Even if the hidden powers warrior
10:09:11helped, we get it now. Why? You didn't
10:09:14just fight everything from the start.
10:09:17You wanted us to earn a reward so we had
10:09:19more to go home with. You are a wise
10:09:22man, warrior Carl. behind Carl. Four
10:09:26sets of eyes rolled at the same time. He
10:09:29wasn't being brilliant. He was giving
10:09:30them time to practice their skills
10:09:32because the dungeon was the best place
10:09:34to gain power.

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