We saw this path as inevitable. The moment the truth was learned, our feet were marching on this road. Others would not, could not accept this reality. It is no fault of theirs. They are not built as we are. Perhaps they cursed us, wailed against us in their palaces and war councils. It matters not.
We settle back into the mini-Dungeon chamber we excavated to allow us monsters a chance to regain our Mana and rest. Morrelia keeps an eye out from up top. She barely sleeps. Catching a few hours here and there seems to be enough to sustain her almost superhuman levels of effort over an extended period of time. It’s been a sharp reminder to me that in this world, a person isn’t limited as they are on Earth. Acts of physical or mental prowess that would be impossible to a human on Earth are made trivial here with Levels and training.
Who am I to say that being able to run and fight against horrific beasts for an entire day, sleep for three hours, and then do it all again the next is remarkable in this world? Obviously, not every person can do that. According to Beyn, most people Level twenty to forty times across their entire lives. That isn’t enough to amount to much for most classes, the stat growth is simply too low. For the elites, the privileged who are able to farm the Dungeon and raise their Levels fast, who knows what kind of incredible feats they’re capable of?
Liria was apparently a young, backwater kingdom, founded by pioneering farmers who wanted to open up more land for agriculture. The real powerhouses, at least those on the surface, are farther north, and east across the lake, so I’m told. I don’t think that’ll matter much to us, though. Being a small colony in the middle of the wilds, neighbouring a tiny village, we shouldn’t be of any consequence to anyone for a long time.
[Are we ready to head to Liria?] I ask Morrelia.
[Yes. I can’t think of anywhere else in this area where I might find survivors.]
[I’m surprised you found as many as you did. Makes me think there may be quite a few more hidden away in remote places. Perhaps even in the towns if people were smart enough to hide.]
It’s true. Including the folks from Midum, we’d found hundreds of survivors and sent them packing to the village. I hope Enid has it all under control down there. Finding beds and meals for the villagers was tricky as is, it’s going to be even harder now.
For the time being, it isn’t my problem. The colony has sent me out to act as their scout and determine the nature of the threat on the surface, and that is what I’m going to do. We’ve managed to do some damage, killed a heap of monsters and rescued some people. That’s all good and noble, but not the main reason why I’m here.
Although, the Biomass and Skill Levels have been nice. My constant practice of External Mana Manipulation has continued to yield results, taking Greater External Mana Manipulation to Level 3. Enhanced Mind Magic Affinity Levelled once. Advanced Cerebral Endurance went to Level 10 and I ranked it up to Expert Cerebral Endurance. I also managed to gain a Level! It was something of a shock to Level by cleaning up weaker monsters from the upper levels of the Dungeon, but I think it was mostly due to the Garralosh Commander putting me close to the edge.
We’ve also been making sure to keep eating as much Biomass as we can when we get a chance. I’ve gotten my supply back to sixty-five, which isn’t enough, but every little bit helps! My incomplete mutations and my impending evolution are weighing on my mind more heavily with every passing day. Something inside is saying this evolution is going to be different, and I want to make sure I’m as prepared as I can be. That feeling could also just be my oversized core causing me pain. Who knows.
[We need to be careful as we approach the city,] Morrelia says, bringing me back to our conversation. [I’m still not sure how it’s possible for Garralosh to be up here, but if we run into that beast, then I don’t think either of us could make it out alive.]
[I thought you said she wasn’t as evolved as I thought? Now you’re saying we couldn’t even run away?]
Morrelia growls in frustration, though it isn’t directed at me. Still, I could almost feel her glare through the dirt above my head.
[I suppose it doesn’t matter if I tell you, it might even help keep us alive. The truth is, Garralosh has been prevented from descending to the lower layers in order to starve her out. My father and the Legion didn’t want to allow Garralosh to grow. I’m not sure exactly why they singled out the beast in this way, but they did, and boxed her in. The thin Mana was supposed to kill the creature eventually, without anyone having to hunt the filthy thing down.]
[But it hasn’t worked,] I say, pointing out the obvious. [Garralosh seems to be fine and dandy. Better than ever, in fact. She’s doing the Crocodile Rock all over the surface, for goodness’ sake!]
[I know!] Morrelia grinds out. [Something hasn’t worked and I have no idea what. Garralosh was defeated by my father decades ago and was supposed to have scurried off to slowly die from a lack of Mana. Something about this situation is very wrong.]
[Wait a second. Your dad defeated Garralosh? Like, by himself?]
Pure, utter, silence.
Holy HECK! No wonder Morrelia is so freakishly strong! Thems is some crazy genes.
[So, uh. If your dad comes back up to the surface… could you, uh, put in a good word for the colony? We aren’t so bad… Certainly aren’t crocodilic in any way.]
[Ha!] Morrelia barks out a short laugh across our mental connection before she manages to stifle it. [Commander Titus isn’t a big fan of Dungeon monsters. If he finds you, I can’t think of anything that would prevent him from attempting to destroy you utterly.]
Well, that brought the mood down.
[Okay, putting your murderous, immensely powerful sire to one side, how do you plan to approach the city? I won’t let you go in alone. The colony has requested that I scout, and I’m not going back without clapping my eyes on the big croc at least once.]
Morrelia lays out her plan and we finesse the details for an hour before we feel confident enough to proceed. I rouse Tiny and Crinis from their rest, climb out of the Dungeon, and we’re off.
66. The Oppressive Sense
After we leave our little slice of Dungeon, cores fully charged and feeling fresh, we make our way to the capital in earnest. We’d done a few sweeps out this way before, but had resisted the urge to push too close in case we attracted the wrong type of attention whilst there were still people that could be saved, and roving bands of monsters that could be cleaned up toward the south.
Those things have been checked and delivered, so there’s nothing to stop us making our approach. Moving cautiously, we keep low, avoiding the main roads with Morrelia directing us west into the large forest south of the city. Moving back under those leafy branches is nostalgic to me. On the north side of this forest is where the colony set up our first nest on the surface. Not far from the village where I bit off Beyn’s arm. Ah, memories.
I wonder if the Branchies are still around?
Morrelia takes care that we stay hidden and out of sight as we continue north, displaying a level of woodcraft I hadn’t expected to see in such a bloodthirsty warrior. When I, perhaps unwisely, comment on it, she snorts out a laugh of derision.
[You think roaming the wilds is as simple as killing everything you find? If you don’t know when and how to hide yourself, a hunter will wind up dead and eaten before they can blink.]