If only there were more mercs who utilised monsters like the Sophos did. Then I’d be able to munch on that Biomass without worry.
I’d asked the queen about how common the technique was, or if it was known, as I’d been so impressed by Formo, I assumed everyone who could would leap at the chance to raise such powerful monsters and have them take the risks for you.
The technique is well known, and not just here, but all over the place. Whilst some mercenaries do take that path, some even going all in and taking the [Tamer] class tree, there are a few considerations that keep it from being common. Firstly, cores are money to mercs, using even one to turn into a monster that you then have to feed and raise before it can fight is troublesome. Then, if you want to raise it properly, you need to keep feeding it meat from the Dungeon, which you either have to pay for—expensive—or constantly go into the Dungeon—dangerous.
Not to mention, to ensure it evolves well, you need to feed it even more cores. Literally throwing money into its mouth!
To the surface races who rely on cores for enchanting, it isn’t worth it except for the very wealthy, or some nations who keep guardian beasts. The practice works so well for the Sophos for a few reasons. They have such powerful minds that controlling monsters is quite easy for them, they live in the Dungeon itself so access to meat isn’t hard, and since they don’t fight themselves, they have little use for enchanted equipment, thus having reduced demand for cores.
With the mercenaries finished off, the queen herself comes forward along with the villagers. The townsfolk were looking a little wild eyed at the level of devastation wrought on the nearby houses. They might have Levelled up some fighting skills, but seeing giant sword cuts in the faces of buildings was a little hard to swallow. As they catch sight of me, however, their eyes light up a little. Not sure exactly why, but they seem to draw comfort from my presence.
And… oh, great. The priest is back. He rushes right up to me and begins speaking to the other villagers, no doubt extolling my mighty powers, graced upon me by the System or some such rubbish.
As the queen draws closer, surrounded by her Guard, she reaches out with the mind bridge.
[We have reached the gate but we have to get through quickly. If we delay, they will have more time to gather troops from across the city. Quickly monster, do you have a way to get through the gate?]
I check internally on my Gravity Bomb. It’s cooking along nicely.
Not bothering to reply, I move toward the gates and turn my mind fully to the task of compacting the Mana as tightly as possible. A few seconds later, the transformation occurs and the tightly packed sphere takes on the ominous black hole-like appearance.
Without hesitation, I open my mouth and blast out the Gravity Bomb, which shrieks into life the moment it leaves my body. The piercing howl of the wind as it’s sucked toward the bomb causes all of the humans nearby to cover their ears. It even shatters the windows in nearby buildings.
When it impacts the gate with a sickening thud, the ball expands outward in an instant, tearing and eating away at the gate. With a deafening shriek, the gates lurch on their hinges before the protesting metal finally gives way and the gates are sucked into the bomb entirely.
When the bomb flickers out of existence, the once proud metal gates are no more, torn stone and an empty swinging hinge the only evidence they were there at all.
I turn back to the queen.
[What gate?]
43. Into the Palace
There’s a stunned silence after the Gravity Bomb flickers out of existence. The first thing I hear breaking the peace is a thud.
Twitching to one side, I notice the priest has fallen to his knees, followed by the rest of the villagers. Even the soldiers are looking at me strangely, their faces set in cold masks behind their helmets.
I look at the queen.
[What?]
She too looks at me with an odd look in her eye. [Those gates were Mana Warded. Your spell should not have worked.]
Mana Warded, is it? Doesn’t look like it was too effective. Maybe they needed to put on a second coat? At any rate, is it really ok for us to stand around here with our thumbs up our commercial districts?
[Shouldn’t we be going inside?] I prompt the queen.
The elderly woman shakes herself a little and regains her dignified poise before shouting her commands to her soldiers.
Roaring their battle cry, the Guards charge through the gate, some members Dashing into streaks of light as they deploy their skills to close with their enemies. The ringing sound of steel clashing with steel soon fills the air, the defenders rushing into their breached gates.
With the queen in their midst, the townsfolk also advance, but at a more measured pace. Several of the braver ones run out in small groups to support the soldiers already engaged in battle, but the rest remain defensively postured, watching all directions for threats.
[Stay with me, monster. We will storm the throne room and royal chambers, I’m sure we will find the masterminds there].
[Hmm,] I grunt in reply.
Surely, we won’t find the villain sitting languidly on the throne, ready to lure us with talk before springing the final trap? That would be way too predictable…
As we pass through the gates, a team of townsfolk rush to block the entrance behind us with whatever they can find. Loose stone, a cart, someone finds the royal coach and they push it into the gap before tipping it on its side. Those with spears or long handled pitch forks stand in rows, weapons at the ready. Hopefully it’ll hold out until they can be reinforced by the Guard.
A wide road runs toward the main doors and loops back through an elaborate garden with imposing statues placed at regular intervals. The entire setup screams royal luxury. I can’t help but eye the queen with a little disbelief. In the middle of the city, you really want to take up so much real estate with your driveway!
It just seems like such a waste… Perhaps I’m becoming biased because my colony basically lives on top of one another. Even Tiny, Vibrant, Crinis and I packed into our own little chamber is odd and luxurious by ant standards.
My queen sleeps with workers walking on her back for goodness sake!
As I grumble internally, the great doors open and a densely packed group of soldiers charge out, weapons bared.
Although they may be dressed like mercenaries, these fellows look anything but. Determined faces, coordinated movements, tightly packed formation…
Aren’t these soldiers for sure?
The townsfolk in front of me freeze at the sight of this mass charge. They are absolutely no match for this kind of assault. Not giving them time to decide to flee, I jump to the fore and counter charge.
Have I gone insane? Am I suicidal? Or have I got my Gravity Domain on the boil?
Gwehehehe…
I knew the fighting was going to get close once we got inside the castle, much like it is inside the Dungeon tunnels. Naturally I started to reconstruct my most potent close-range spell. How was I to know the enemy would deliver themselves to me before I even made it to the door?
As the men with their shields and swords raised close in on me, blades beginning to shine in preparation to unleash their skills, I continue to pump Gravitational Mana into the construct, pushing with all the force of my two brains.
Closer… Closer…
Gravity Domain!
Just before the soldiers reach me and slash out with their skills, my domain expands in a flash, the dark purple hemisphere expanding out to encompass the soldiers. Some of them cancel their attack skills and raise their shields to defend, whilst others grit their teeth, determined to see their strikes through.