Beyn raises a finger of his one remaining hand.
[It’s true, most classes have appalling stat growth. Take this village for example. Most of the people here have the [Farmer] or [Grower] classes. The stat growth on these jobs is poor, 0.2 Toughness a Level and 0.1 for the other stats. Without transitioning to a more advanced class, they’ll be stuck with mediocre stats their whole lives.]
I frown—in a sense.
[Why don’t they change classes?]
Beyn shook his head.
[The requirements for advancing classes can be quite strict. Although a farmer can gain experience through growing and selling produce, the experience gain is pitiful compared to fighting monsters.]
[How are they supposed to fight monsters without decent stats!] I protest.
Beyn nods.
[Exactly. The System rewards battle above all else. To advance a class any other way is hard. It can take decades for a moderately successful trader to advance to a merchant.]
I think about it. Why would the System be built in such a way to punish non-combat-oriented classes?
[There must be shortcuts.]
[There are, but they are only available to those with resources. For example, a wealthy merchant can take their child with the trader class into the Dungeon and pay for mercenaries to feed them the experience from kills in order to rapidly advance their Level. Such practices are common in the upper echelons of society and…] he sighed heavily, [the Church of the Path is also a major player in such trade. Knowledge of powerful, advanced classes, escorts to take people on ‘pilgrimages’ into the Dungeon, all of it is for sale.]
[Seems a bit grubby,] I point out.
[I am questioning much that I blindly accepted since meeting you, O Great One. The light of your truth has…]
I tune him out for a few minutes. Every now and again he launches into a sermon, and rather than keep yelling at him, I’ve just been letting him go until he runs out of steam or catches himself going on too long.
I’ve been chatting with Beyn, the village priest, for some time now, and the crowd around us doesn’t show any signs of dispersing. How they are so entertained by this game of invisible tennis, I’ve no idea.
Other than a few kids trying to sneak up and poke my carapace, I haven’t had any issues with the crowd so far. The kids have all been intercepted by wary parents and had their hands slapped down.
Beyn has had a lot to say. All sorts of new ideas have been imparted to me, skill fusion, spell tier progression and the Mana type matrix. It’s going to take a long time for me to digest these ideas. For now I can say this much, I have to improve my skills!
The priest hasn’t been able to give me exact instructions on how to progress my more monstrous skills, since his church hasn’t been able to study the sorts of skills monsters have access to in any depth. Though he’s been able to give me a few ideas. Enough to go on for now, anyway.
[So,] I break into Beyn’s rambling, [you’re able to give people advice and such on how to progress here in the village, right? I assume you aren’t charging them for it?]
He vigorously shakes his head.
[Absolutely not! However, there is little time or energy for the people here to try and advance their classes and gain Levels. We are barely surviving as it is.]
[Right. Tell Enid to get together a list of things I can do to get the village up and running, and let the people know they need to be trying to advance their classes. I don’t want to have to protect this village forever, and the sooner you can do it yourselves, the better. Eventually I’ll be prepared to escort small groups into the Dungeon to ‘feed’ experience to them. That should speed the process along.]
Beyn’s face goes slack with astonishment.
[You would be willing to do this for us, Great One?]
I shrug.
[Sure. The faster you can look after yourselves, the better it is for me, right? It won’t be hard.]
He whips around to the villagers and begins shouting, his face filled with joy. Very quickly the expression is spread around until all of the adults are staring at me with wonder-filled eyes. Some of them are even crying!
Thump.
Oh boy. Here comes the kneeling.
Almost as one, the people fall to their knees and clasp their hands, or hand in Beyn’s case, in prayer. Shouting out their praise and thanks at me.
I, uh, didn’t think it was that big a deal…
Not far away, Morrelia and her group are watching this display with narrowed eyes, clearly angered by such words being professed toward a monster of the Dungeon.
I didn’t ask for this, okay!
The noise is so great that I almost didn’t notice the slight vibration running through the ground beneath my feet. Once I detect it my antennae start twitching this way and that through the air, trying to find the source of the sudden, uneasy air that’s come over me.
[Tiny, Crinis, come up here,] I say, breaking off my link with the priest.
Gradually the vibrations grow stronger and stronger until the tread of heavy feet on the earth becomes audible.
Then the growls start.
We’re under attack!
128. Sudden Attack
The monsters came from the north. They swept south in a hungry pack, seeking, destroying and devouring everything in their path like a tide of beastly Vikings.
As the monsters draw closer, their snarling and growls ring louder in the people’s ears and panic races across their faces. The fear spreads fast from person to person, clouding their faces and twisting their expressions.
They lose the will to fight so quickly, these people.
I shouldn’t be too surprised. They’ve lost their homes and families to these creatures. Small and weak it may have been, but they had also lost their country. Against a foe that had taken apart something so much larger than themselves, it’s only natural they would be intimidated.
But I won’t sit idly by.
[Tiny, bring Crinis to me. We need to fight.]
If those stupid monsters think they can get this close to my colony, then they are outside their damn minds.
I loudly clack my mandibles several times in succession.
CLACK! CLACK! CLACK!
The sharp, staccato noises ring out, cutting through the rising fear. The circle of people sharply turn back to me.
[Priest. Tell the people to go hide and stay out of my way. I will defend my colony, but if any monsters get through, the people will need to defend themselves.]
The priest nods enthusiastically.
[Of course, Great One! The blessings of the System belong only to those who are prepared to earn them! Your wisdom is as deep as the Dungeon, as broad the Endless Sky Expanse and as—]
[Just tell them already!]
[Oh! Right!]
I break off the mind bridge with the mouthy priest and he turns to the people to explain what I’ve said. Gradually some life returns to their faces. When I push my way out of the circle, they fall back respectfully to grant me space.
And good thing too!
The monsters are upon us.
The swarm is rushing toward the village and a wave of nostalgia rolls over me.
All of my old friends are here!
The Claw Centipedes—so many damn centipedes! Like a carpet of pinchy death, they slither and climb all over each other, snapping madly at the air as they approach.
The Wolf Dragon Cubs and their evolved versions are here as well. I think I spy an Earth Bear Tyrant stomping amongst the horde.
Even the little rabbits are here! Awww, the little fluff balls. Devilish, murdering little fluff balls.
Not to mention those stupid croca-beasts.