ã€ŠThe Gemstone Princeã€‹


 Chapter 1

    Within a dark room, five multicolored birthday candles were arranged on an imperfect circle of graphite, crooked lines drawn between them to form a pentagram on the moldy tiles of the kitchen floor. In the center of the pentagram, there was a stained plate with half a slice of moldy bread on it. Smoke rose up from the candles as they burned, their orange glow revealing a scrawny figure kneeling before the pentagram with his arms raised up in prayer.

    ¡°Please, please, please!¡± the scrawny figure shouted his plea into the ground with his head bowed, his body shaking. The cold tiles were pressed into his knees, but he ignored the sensation. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who you are, or what price I have to pay. All I want is an S-grade talent tomorrow!¡± He paused and gritted his teeth before continuing. ¡°I mean, even A-grade is fine!¡± He bit his lower lip. ¡°If you can¡¯t do ¡®S¡¯ or ¡®A¡¯, I can settle for ¡®B¡¯ too.¡± After a short pause, a sigh escaped from the scrawny figure¡¯s trembling mouth. ¡°Please, I just want a talent that¡¯ll change my life.¡±

    A moment of silence passed.

    Shadows flickered as Sam sighed, his breath causing the five flames to dance. Sam raised his head and stared at the white wisps rising from the candles; supposedly, spiritual beings could take shape using the smoke. Time passed, but no shape took form. A wry smile appeared on Sam¡¯s cracked lips as he blinked at the re-used birthday candles and eraser-less pencil on the floor. He picked up the book of magic on the ground and glanced down at the open pages. Although the foundation and catalyst weren¡¯t of the best quality, the fundamental steps he had taken to summon a spiritual being were still the same.

    Sam flipped the page over and reviewed the contents of the spell before placing the book off to the side. He clasped his hands together once more and bowed his head. ¡°Thank you for listening to my request. It says here I¡¯m supposed to tell you to leave,¡± Sam said, ¡°but if you¡¯re sincere in helping me out, I honestly don¡¯t mind if you stay around for a bit. If you don¡¯t want to be non-toxic friends, then please leave; return to the realm from which you came.¡± He nodded his head before blowing out the candles and smudging the pencil marks on the kitchen tiles to break the imperfect circle drawn on the ground.

    Sam climbed to his feet and scratched his head. Although he didn¡¯t really believe the ritual¡ªwritten in a book of magic he had bought for a hundred dollars¡ªwould work, he still had to try. After all, what if it did work? He¡¯d be stupid to have passed on the chance; at least, that¡¯s how the old saleswoman had convinced him to buy the book. Now, he was wondering whether or not he had been scammed.

    A creaking sound caught Sam¡¯s attention, and he raised his head. His eyes widened as the beams on the ceiling splintered as they buckled. With a tremendous crash, the roof of Sam¡¯s house collapsed. All he could do was curl up into a ball and scream as the construction materials rained down on his back.

    It took a while for the dust to settle. It took even longer for the top of the rubble pile to tremble. A piece of wood was knocked aside, and Sam¡¯s grime-covered body wormed its way out of the destruction. Miraculously, he was unharmed, the bits and pieces of the roof having fallen in just the right ways to leave him a path out. A troubled expression appeared on Sam¡¯s face as he took in his surroundings. It was going to be a long night.

    ***

    The next day, Sam stepped out of the bus and squinted as the sunrays bore down from above, his exposed skin warming up. As he walked through the streets, people made a point to avoid him, stepping to the side as if they were afraid the soot and grime on Sam¡¯s clothes and skin would jump onto their bodies if given the chance. Sam ignored their gazes, keeping his eyes on the sidewalk. Eventually, he wound up at his destination: a nondescript building with a metal fence that had more rust than paint on it. After confirming he was in the right place, Sam pushed open the gate and went up to the building¡¯s door. He knocked, and a few seconds later, it creaked open, revealing a well-lit hall. There was no one on the other side.

    Same gulped and walked over the door¡¯s threshold. ¡°Hello?¡± he asked as he took a few steps down the hall. The door creaked shut behind him, causing Sam to turn his head and stare for a few moments before turning back around. Despite the rusty fence and creaking door, the interior, thankfully, looked new with white paint and bright LED lights.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, come in,¡± a voice said from behind the only door¡ªother than the exit¡ªwithin the hall.

    Sam took in a deep breath, calming the butterflies flitting about in his stomach. The deep breath didn¡¯t help much. Sam advanced forward and grabbed the doorknob. A burning sensation flashed along his fingertips, and he winced as he pulled his hand back. The door creaked open as Sam blew on his fingers, and he paused mid-inhale upon seeing a dozen people seated in desks inside the room. Most of them raised their heads to look at him, but once they saw how dirty he was, they turned their attentions elsewhere.

    Sam glanced to the side where a plump woman was seated behind a large desk. For some reason, he had expected a shady, talent-granting agency to be more like a doctor¡¯s office, but it felt more like a classroom: the desks and chairs were arranged in neat columns and rows, and there were turned-over papers in front of the people present.

    ¡°Take one, fill it out,¡± the woman at the front of the room said, holding a packet of papers out towards Sam. ¡°Sign everything. If you don¡¯t like any of the clauses, you can leave; no one will care. When you¡¯re done, be quiet and wait for the boss to arrive.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sam said as he grabbed the packet.

    The woman smiled at Sam. ¡°Also, if you have any questions, please, keep them to yourself. Everything¡¯s spelled out for you, and I¡¯m not here to compensate for a lack of reading comprehension.¡±

    Sam awkwardly smiled back at the woman as he took a stepped away and headed to an empty seat. There, he filled out the papers, signing and initialing everything without reading more than necessary. It didn¡¯t matter what disadvantageous clauses were in there; as a talentless person, the contract was his only shot at obtaining a better future. Sam placed the pages down and observed his fellow talentless peers. They were of a similar age as him, which was to be expected; after all, if one¡¯s talent didn¡¯t emerge before they turned eighteen, they officially gained the title of talentless when they became an adult.

    The door swung open, and a woman with blonde hair appeared. Her irises were pure black, and her pupils were red, vertical slits. In her hand, there was a metal suitcase. She looked at the plump woman manning the desk at the front. ¡°Is this everyone?¡±

    The plump woman glanced down at her desk where there was a paper with a list of names on it. ¡°There should be one more.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re late,¡± the woman said and looked at the group of seated talentless people. ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Sam looked around as his talentless peers climbed to their feet. He stood up as well, letting everyone go ahead before following them out of the room.

    The woman with demonic-looking eyes entered the hall and waved her hand, causing the empty wall across from her to flicker, revealing a set of sliding doors that automatically opened. Cold air rushed out from within, causing goosebumps to rise on Sam¡¯s arms and legs. With long strides, the blonde-haired woman entered the passage, and the group of talentless followed after her. They arrived at a room with a large glass window showing the interior. Through it, Sam saw a chair that looked like it belonged in a dental office.

    The woman turned around and looked at the group of talentless. ¡°Who¡¯s first?¡±

    The talentless exchanged glances with each other. After a bit, one person raised his hand.

    ¡°Go in,¡± the blonde woman said, gesturing with her head. The doors to the room slid open, and three people, wearing masks and dressed in scrubs, appeared, their bodies previously obscured from the window¡¯s view.

    The talentless volunteer took in a deep breath before approaching the three masked individuals. They led him to the chair, and the door slid closed behind him. Sam stood on his tiptoes to get a better view of what was happening; since he was at the back of the group and wasn¡¯t particularly tall, he needed the extra height to see.

    The three masked people strapped the volunteer to the dental chair, binding his neck, wrists, ankles, and waist with metal chains. One of the masked individuals opened up a package on the small table beside the dental chair, revealing a blender, a massive syringe, and a crystalline object. The masked person placed the crystalline object within the blender, added a clear liquid, and blended the contents until it became a fine slurry. Then, the masked person opened the back of the syringe and poured the contents of the blender into the massive vial.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Sam gulped as he stared at the syringe approaching the bound volunteer. The needle looked like it could extract the bone marrow from an elephant. It was no wonder why the talentless person had to be tied down; any normal person would run away from a foot-long needle. Judging by the sweat beading on the volunteer¡¯s forehead, it was clear he was a normal person. His mouth opened in a silent scream¡ªthanks to the soundproof glass window¡ªas the masked person plunged the syringe into the center of the volunteer¡¯s chest.

    The group of talentless gulped as they watched the process. Veins bulged on the volunteer¡¯s neck as his face, neck, and exposed skin flushed red. His skin wriggled as if worms were crawling throughout his body, and he jerked against the chains holding him down as his muscles spasmed. Despite the volunteer¡¯s thrashing, the masked person held the syringe steady, pumping the concoction into the bound volunteer at a constant rate. Eventually, there was nothing left in the cylinder, and the needle was removed from the volunteer¡¯s body, but he continued to spasm and twitch with his eyes rolled up, showing only the whites of his eyes.

    ¡°Is that how it¡¯s supposed to go?¡± one of the talentless asked, his pale face turning to look at the woman with demonic eyes.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the woman said. She looked inside the room through the window. ¡°Considering he¡¯s still alive, I¡¯d say this operation went very well.¡±

    A chill ran down Sam¡¯s spine. He didn¡¯t think the woman was joking; after all, human experimentation with artificial talents was illegal because of the risks involved to the subjects. Of course, knowing that, Sam had chosen to sign up anyway despite the risks. He¡¯d rather be dead than live the rest of his life as a talentless.

    ¡°Alright,¡± the woman said as the doors to the room opened. The masked men undid the bindings around the volunteer; like a limp noodle, he slid down the chair and collapsed onto the floor in a heap. The masked men dragged him to the side of the room where they opened a chute and pushed his body through. The woman with demonic eyes nodded before looking at the group of talentless. ¡°Next.¡±

    ¡°I, I think I left the stove on,¡± one of the talentless said and backed away from the group. He turned around, but a second later, red threads wrapped around his body; the silk-like filaments were coming out of the demonic-eyed woman¡¯s fingertips. The talentless¡¯ eyes widened as he struggled to free himself. ¡°What is this stuff!? Blood!?¡±

    The blonde-haired woman didn¡¯t answer as she bent her arm and tugged, causing the bound talentless to fly towards her. ¡°You signed the contract,¡± she said as the talentless tumbled along the floor, stopping before her feet. ¡°It¡¯s too late to leave.¡± A faint smile appeared on her lips as the talentless stared up at her with his face as pale as snow. ¡°Unless you think you can escape.¡±

    Sam gulped as the demonic-eyed woman gestured broadly with her arm. The bound talentless was thrown into the room, landing near the dental chair where the three masked individuals were readjusting the bindings loosened by the previous volunteer¡¯s struggling.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous,¡± the demonic-eyed woman said, speaking towards the group of talentless. ¡°Your chances of dying increases the more anxious you are. Think of the pain as something you have to endure to obtain a talent. In return for a bit of suffering, you¡¯ll be granted a new life, one where you actually matter.¡±

    Sam glanced through the window at the unwilling talentless. He was shaking his head and wriggling his body as the three masked men placed him in the dental chair and bound his limbs with black chains. Thanks to the soundproofing, Sam couldn¡¯t hear what the man was saying, but it was easy to understand what the talentless wanted; he wanted the masked individuals to keep the gigantic needle away.

    A furrow appeared on Sam¡¯s brow as he watched the masked individuals blend and prepare the next concoction. If the rate of failure was higher the more anxious someone was, didn¡¯t that mean the talentless strapped to the chair stood no chance? Rivulets of sweat poured down from the bound man¡¯s forehead as his lips flapped repeatedly. Sam had never tried to lip-read before, but he found it was easy to understand what the talentless was saying: please, I¡¯m begging you; please, let me go; please.

    Without mercy, the massive needle of the syringe was jabbed into the pleading man¡¯s chest, and his eyes bulged wide as he let out a silent scream. The masked individual holding the syringe applied constant pressure, injecting the concoction into the unwilling talentless¡¯ flesh. The man¡¯s body spasmed a few times, but unlike the first talentless to go through the process, the man¡¯s actions ceased as if he were a puppet that had its strings cut.

    The masked individuals glanced at each other, and without bothering to inject the rest of the concoction, the injector removed the syringe and shook their head. As the masked people undid the chains around the unmoving man¡¯s limbs, the doors slid open once more. Sam stared at the unconscious¡ªprobably dead¡ªtalentless as his body was taken to a corner of the room where a large, metal grate was located. One of the masked individuals opened the grate, and the man¡¯s body was tossed into the dark interior, causing a small puff of ash and soot to fly out. The grate closed with a slamming sound, and the group of talentless flinched as the metallic echo washed over them. Evidently, Sam wasn¡¯t the only one who had been staring.

    ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± the demonic-eyed woman said, her red, slip pupils scanning the group. Everyone remained still. ¡°Since no one¡¯s volunteering, I¡¯ll just have to pick.¡±

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened as red threads circled around his body. He cleared his throat and half-walked, half-jogged to the woman. Even if he was talentless, he still had a little bit of pride; he didn¡¯t want to be thrown into the room like a ragdoll. ¡°I-I¡¯ll go,¡± he said as he stopped in front of blonde-haired woman. She wasn¡¯t taller than him, but Sam had the impression the woman was towering over him, her eyes like those of a snake¡¯s locked onto its prey.

    ¡°Good,¡± the woman said, the loose red threads around Sam¡¯s body receding back into her fingertips. ¡°Since you¡¯re brave, I¡¯ll give you a bonus.¡± She leaned over and projected her voice into the room, ¡°Give him a boss¡¯ core.¡±

    The masked individuals exchanged glances with each other, and one of them nodded as he went to the side of the room and rummaged through a cabinet. Sam¡¯s mouth was dry, but he had the urge to swallow as he walked past the sliding doors. They closed behind him without making a sound.

    ¡°Have a seat,¡± one of the masked individuals said, gesturing towards the chair. There was a glossy sheen on it; Sam suspected it was due to the sweat the previous two talentless had left behind. He ignored the unsanitary conditions and sat down. One masked person approached and bound his body to the chair. ¡°It seems like Wendy likes you. There¡¯s only one boss¡¯ core left in this batch, and she¡¯s letting you have it.¡±

    An awkward smile appeared on Sam¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure what that means,¡± he said as footsteps came from behind him. The masked individual who had gone to the cabinet returned with a red crystal shaped like an asymmetric flame. ¡°Is that a boss¡¯ core?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the masked individual said as he placed the core into the blender, adding the clear liquid. It wasn¡¯t water. Sam hadn¡¯t been able to smell it before, but now, he was sure from the hairspray-like stench it gave off that it¡¯d make him sick if he drank it. ¡°The stronger the monster the core belonged to, the better the talent you¡¯ll unlock; at least, that¡¯s our working hypothesis.¡±

    Sam swallowed hard as the core and liquid were blended together into a fine slurry. ¡°Does a higher-quality core decrease my chance of dying?¡±

    ¡°Other way around,¡± the masked individual standing off to the side said. ¡°But you¡¯ll be fine. Wendy has good eyes. If she thinks you can handle absorbing a boss¡¯ core, then you can handle it.¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath through his nose as the needle of the giant syringe was swabbed with alcohol wipes. Evidently, the syringe was reusable. He wouldn¡¯t get a blood-borne illness, would he? Strange thoughts filled his mind to distract him during what could be the final few minutes of his life.

    ¡°Anything you¡¯d like to say before we start?¡± the masked person filling the syringe asked. ¡°They could be your last words.¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I, I¡¯m going to survive, and I¡¯m going to obtain a kick-ass talent,¡± he said. Words were powerful. Some people believed the spoken word could manifest a result simply by being said. At least, that¡¯s what he learned from the hundred-dollar book of magic he had bought from the completely legitimate saleswoman.

    ¡°Remember that,¡± the masked person said as he readied the syringe. Without ceremony, he stabbed it into Sam¡¯s chest and pushed, injecting the red slurry into Sam¡¯s chest cavity.

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened, and he gasped as his lungs were figuratively set ablaze. Jolts of electricity surged through his limbs as the burning sensation spread all at once. His muscles cramped, causing his body to contort and wriggle, but the chains binding him held him in place. He wanted to scream, but there was no air in his lungs; it felt like a fat panda was sitting on his chest, compressing his ribcage to the point of shattering. Sam gritted his teeth and clenched his hands. His toes curled as his chest heaved up and down against his will. An orange hue crept into the edges of his sight, his field of vision shrinking with every passing moment.

    ¡°He¡¯s not going to make it.¡±

    ¡°Slap him.¡±

    Sam¡¯s vision jerked to the side as pain assaulted his cheek. It was like an itch compared to the burning sensation flooding his whole body, but it was enough to jolt him back to reality¡ªa reality of nausea and pain.

    ¡°Wow, it worked.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t find the strength within himself to curse at the nonchalant masked individuals. He glanced down at the syringe still connected to his chest by the needle and immediately wished he hadn¡¯t. There was still half the concoction left inside the tube. Sam closed his eyes and clenched his hands even harder, digging his nails into his palm, drawing blood. There was a trick someone had told him about enduring pain: if he hurt himself elsewhere, the new pain would distract him from the old pain. It didn¡¯t work. On top of the burning pain he was feeling, his palms stung now too.

    Eventually, the pain subsided, and Sam¡¯s body relaxed as the needle was extracted from his chest. He sank into the chair like a potato, completely devoid of strength. His sweat soaked through his clothes, causing grimy smears to appear on the chair he was sitting on, but at the moment, he really didn¡¯t care about the feelings of the people who¡¯d be using the chair after him.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re tired, but there¡¯re still people waiting to obtain talents as well,¡± one of the masked individuals said as he undid the bindings around Sam¡¯s body. When the chains were undone, the three masked men worked together to lift Sam and carry him to the wall where there was a square door with a handle on it. Sam¡¯s eyes widened as the metal door creaked opened thanks to one of the masked individuals, and Sam didn¡¯t have the chance to say a word of protest before he was thrown into the darkness of what resembled a garbage chute. The metal door slammed shut behind him as he slid down like a ragdoll but not before a familiar voice came from outside the chute.

    ¡°Next.¡±

 Chapter 2

    An unfamiliar ceiling greeted Sam when he opened his eyes. He raised his arm, but he couldn¡¯t lift it more than an inch off of whatever soft surface he was lying on. A piercing pain assaulted his head as if someone had grabbed his brain and squeezed it. Sam winced and gasped as he brought his palm up to his face, the motion sending jolts of electricity through his arm and hand. He must¡¯ve passed out on his way down the chute, so where was he now?

    ¡°You¡¯re up? Great.¡±

    Sam tilted his head to the side, the motion shooting a sharp pain down his neck. He winced, but a second later, the cool feeling of a spring breeze washed over him, numbing his aching body. A woman with green hair came into view. She was wearing a white sundress, and sunflowers were visible behind her shoulders, placed in a basket she was carrying on her back, two brown straps holding the basket in place. There was a clipboard held in her right hand.

    ¡°My name is April, and I¡¯m your personal nurse,¡± the green-haired woman said with a smile. Her brown eyes seemed to glow as she stared at Sam. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    Sam blinked. ¡°Oh,¡± he said, his cheeks taking on a tinge of pink. ¡°H-hi. I¡¯m great, how are you?¡±

    April snorted as she chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re great, huh?¡± she asked and leaned forward. She poked Sam¡¯s arm, causing a jolt of electricity to shoot through his brain, his face contorting as he winced in pain. ¡°I don¡¯t know; I¡¯ve seen half-eaten patients in better shape than you.¡±

    Half-eaten? Sam furrowed his brow, deciding it was better to keep his mouth shut about the topic. What if he had misheard her? She¡¯d probably get frustrated if he repeatedly asked her what she had said. ¡°Was the procedure a success?¡± Sam asked and swallowed. It would suck if he went through his previous suffering for nothing. ¡°Am I awakened now?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you feel that for yourself?¡± April asked, the corners of her lips curving up into a smile, revealing two dimples on her cheeks. ¡°Close your eyes. What do you see? How do you feel?¡±

    Sam blinked before closing his eyes. All he saw was red from the light on the ceiling penetrating his eyelids. A chill ran down his spine as a breeze caressed his skin despite the lack of windows in the room. For some reason, his skin was warming up as if he was standing in the sun. A vague image appeared in his mind, too intangible to grasp completely but leaving tiny details behind. ¡°It feels like ¡­ I¡¯m in a field of flowers.¡± Sam opened his eyes and looked at April. ¡°Is my talent related to plants?¡±

    April laughed, the sound akin to songbirds singing. ¡°No,¡± she said and paused. ¡°Well, it might be, but the flower field you¡¯re experiencing, that¡¯s because of me. Everyone gives off a certain vibe; awakeners can easily sense those vibes thanks to their heightened spiritual capacity.¡± She pointed at Sam¡¯s nose, causing his eyes to cross to look at her finger. ¡°If awakeners can sense vibes, and you¡¯re reading my vibe¡­.¡±

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened as they uncrossed and met April¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯m no longer talentless?¡±

    ¡°Bingo!¡± April said and looked down at her clipboard. ¡°Thanks to Wendy¡¯s suggestion, you were given a sprite lord¡¯s core. Sprites are unpredictable with what they can do, so it¡¯s hard to say what kind of talent you ended up with.¡± The green-haired woman¡¯s eyes glowed. ¡°However, we did put some probes into your brain to measure the strength of your spirit, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be happy to hear your talent is rated at S-minus. Congratulations!¡±

    Sam blinked and swallowed. ¡°You did what to my brain?¡±

    ¡°Personally,¡± April said, placing her free hand on her chest, ¡°I didn¡¯t touch your brain. Our researchers, however, cut open your skull and stuck some probes inside along with the emergency brake, but who cares about that, right? With an S-minus talent, your future looks very bright.¡±

    Sam ignored the part about his future. ¡°Emergency brake?¡±

    ¡°You read the contract, right?¡± April asked, raising an eyebrow. Upon seeing a sheepish expression form on Sam¡¯s face, the green-haired woman pursed her lips. ¡°Did you not read the contract?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­,¡± Sam said, dragging out the word. An awkward smile appeared on his lips. ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­.¡± April stared at Sam with a blank expression before clearing her throat. ¡°Well, you basically signed away your rights as a person, and now you¡¯re the property of Monarch. As insurance, an emergency brake is installed in all of Monarch¡¯s free-thinking lifeforms.¡± April brought her fist up to the side of her head. ¡°If you¡¯re disobedient and found to be more trouble than you¡¯re worth, then¡±¡ªthe green-haired woman¡¯s fist shot open, her fingers spreading out¡ª¡°bang!¡± She looked Sam in the eyes. ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    Sam¡¯s face paled. ¡°On a scale of minor headache to my head bursting like a watermelon, how big of an explosion are we talking?¡±

    April¡¯s face remained neutral as she spoke. ¡°Your brain will be reduced to a slurry and leak out of your eyes, nose, and ears. I¡¯ve seen it happen, and it is not pretty. The clean-up isn¡¯t so bad though.¡± A faint smile appeared on her lips as she tapped on her clipboard. ¡°S-minus talent, shall we talk about that instead?¡±

    Sam regretted his decision to sign the contract without reading it. Even if he did read it, he still would¡¯ve signed it, but still. Now, he had turned from a talentless into a slave; on the bright side, at least he was an awakened slave. If he were still talentless, he would¡¯ve slaved away at minimum wage for a company before meeting his inevitable end, accomplishing nothing of worth in his life. Now that he thought about it some more, perhaps having the emergency brake in his head wasn¡¯t such a bad thing. Anyone with a bomb in their head would come to the same conclusion to remain sane. Sam took in a deep breath, the scent of spring flowers washing away his negative thoughts despite how strong they were. ¡°How do I figure out my talent?¡±

    ¡°If your talent awakens naturally, you¡¯ll know what it is just by thinking about it,¡± April said. ¡°Unfortunately, for artificial awakeners like yourself, you have to go through a series of tests, and if your talent is unique, it¡¯s possible we won¡¯t even be able to figure it out.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Even without your talent, with your spirit being as strong as it is, you¡¯ll make a fine combatant with your base stats alone.¡± April¡¯s gaze scanned Sam from head to toe. ¡°After we bulk you up, that is; talentless are always so malnourished. Luckily for you, Monarch is in the forefront when it comes to steroid development.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t steroids have terrible side effects?¡± Sam asked, a wrinkle appearing on his forehead.

    ¡°Yes, yes they do,¡± April said and beamed. ¡°Remember, you always have a choice: you can take the steroids, or you can let the higher-ups melt your brain. Speaking of which, they¡¯ll want to meet you soon. It isn¡¯t every day an S-ranked awakener appears; you got really lucky.¡± The green-haired woman winked at Sam. ¡°I suppose I¡¯m lucky too. As your personal nurse, I¡¯ll be seeing you a lot from now on.¡±

    The wrinkle on Sam¡¯s forehead deepened. Was the green-haired woman cursing him with a future of pain and injury? What other reason would he have to visit a nurse? ¡°Great,¡± he said, averting his gaze from April, staring up at the ceiling of the room. It reminded him of his ceiling, the one that had collapsed on him when he made a wish¡ªa successful wish. Perhaps magic did exist; then again, in a world filled with monsters and otherworldly beings, why wouldn¡¯t magic work?

    April smiled at Sam before taking a sunflower out of her basket. She placed it in a vase on the bedside table. ¡°My talent is positive healing,¡± she said as she took a seat on a stool beside the bed Sam was on. ¡°As long as I¡¯m in a good mood, things around me will rejuvenate. Do you feel it?¡±

    ¡°I think so,¡± Sam said. Ever since the green-haired nurse had arrived, his aching body felt numb rather than sore. ¡°How long am I going to be bedridden?¡±

    ¡°A few hours,¡± April said. She added after a pause, ¡°As long as my mood stays good.¡±

    ¡°Well, let me know if I¡¯m doing anything to make your mood worse,¡± Sam said, staring up at the ceiling. He thought back to the talentless who had undergone the procedure with him. ¡°Does everyone get a personal nurse?¡±

    ¡°No, just you,¡± April said, Sam unable to see her expression from his vantage point. ¡°Healing-type awakeners aren¡¯t that common. You get special treatment because of your S-minus talent; I¡¯m sure you know how society works by now.¡±

    Sam grunted. He was all too familiar with the difference in treatment between awakeners and talentless. It made sense for a hierarchy to exist amongst the awakened as well; at least, he was near the top of it this time. His eyes rolled to the side to look at April. ¡°Were you a talentless too?¡±

    April blinked before smiling at Sam. ¡°Me?¡± she asked before shaking her head. ¡°No, I was born with my talent. I¡¯m a salaried employee, so even if I fail my task and your recovery is botched, there¡¯s no brain-melting device in my head, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sam said, his eyes shifting to look back at the ceiling. Once again, he was reminded of his destroyed home. Technically, it wasn¡¯t his, but he almost lived there long enough to gain squatter¡¯s rights¡ªnot that they would¡¯ve been reinforced for a talentless like him. ¡°Does Monarch provide living accommodations?¡±

    ¡°For you?¡± April asked and nodded her head. ¡°Definitely. You wouldn¡¯t let your prized dog wander around outside by itself, would you? Of course not, someone might kill or steal it. Monarch shares the same concerns.¡±

    Sam exhaled through his nose. ¡°I suppose being a dog is better than being talentless.¡±

    ¡°Yep!¡± April beamed. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like you¡¯ll be a dog forever. If you contribute enough, you can buy your own freedom.¡±

    ¡°Because a dog needs rewards to be motivated,¡± Sam said.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Precisely.¡± April nodded. ¡°You¡¯re pretty bright for someone who can¡¯t read.¡±

    ¡°I can read,¡± Sam said with a straight face. Sure, he was a little slow at deciphering text, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°I just chose not to.¡±

    Before April could respond, the door to the room swung open. Upon seeing the visitor, the green-haired nurse bolted to her feet and bowed her head. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty.¡±

    Sam gritted his teeth and sat up. He rose halfway off his bed before his muscles failed him, causing him to fall back into his original position. He tucked his chin into his neck, straining himself to look at the visitor. An old lady with silver hair came into view, her back hunching with her hands placed on top of a scepter that seemed to be carved from a single piece of black and reddish-brown stone. The butt of the scepter rested on the ground, the old lady using it as a cane. The old woman turned her head towards Sam, meeting his gaze with her icy-blue eyes.

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened as his vision dimmed, a translucent tree appearing behind the old lady. Even though there was a ceiling blocking his view, Sam envisioned the branches of the trees stretching up beyond the clouds and reaching into space. In the past, Sam might¡¯ve been talentless, but that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t follow the news. Queen Annabeth, leader of Monarch, she was rumored to be over three hundred years old, making her one of the original survivors of the cataclysm; now, she was standing before him.

    ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty,¡± Sam said, the image of the tree fading from his mind. Was that the queen¡¯s vibe he had experienced? Of course, he knew better than to ask. He avoided the queen¡¯s gaze, his eyes slipping downwards to look at her scepter. If he knew the names of different rocks, he would¡¯ve recognized it was made of mahogany obsidian, but he didn¡¯t. However, he didn¡¯t have to know its name to appreciate its beauty. His neck was stiff thanks to his posture, but he couldn¡¯t stop staring at the orange and black swirls on the surface of the scepter. The swirls seemed to be moving, beckoning him to touch them.

    Queen Annabeth raised the scepter and tapped its butt against the ground. A clacking sound rang out, snapping Sam out of his stupor. ¡°Welcome to Monarch, Sam,¡± the old lady said. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll feel at home in my little company. If there¡¯s anything bothering you, don¡¯t be afraid to let me know. I¡¯m always generous with talented individuals such as yourself.¡±

    Sam forced a smile. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± he said, his eyes drifting towards the scepter once more.

    The queen noticed, and she smiled before raising her scepter, offering its butt towards Sam. ¡°Would you like to touch it for good luck? It¡¯s one of my most cherished possessions,¡± she said as her icy-blue eyes clouded over as she relived her memories. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe the trials and tribulations I had to go through to obtain it all those years ago. Back then, the Earth had just ascended; we didn¡¯t even have running water.¡±

    Sam raised his numb arm up and grasped the end of the scepter. It was cold to touch as if it were a block of ice. The chilling sensation ran up his arm, into his chest, and down towards his crotch, goosebumps rising from his flesh everywhere the chill passed. His eyes widened as the scepter melted, turning into a liquid that was immediately sucked into his palm. The queen gasped, and without warning, a woman with blonde hair, Wendy, appeared by Sam¡¯s bedside and grasped Sam¡¯s neck. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    April retreated, backing away from Wendy, the queen, and Sam. Although the green-haired woman was Sam¡¯s personal nurse, she wasn¡¯t going to take any heat from the higher-ups for him¡ªthat wasn¡¯t in her job description.

    Sam blinked rapidly, his head pounding as Wendy¡¯s fingers constricted around his neck. ¡°I, I don¡¯t know,¡± Sam said in a voice barely above a whisper while looking into Wendy¡¯s black-and-red eyes. If April¡¯s vibe had been one of a flower field, Wendy¡¯s was one of a barren tundra: vast, empty, and bleak; only death awaited those who entered.

    ¡°Release him,¡± Queen Annabeth commanded.

    Sam gasped for breath as Wendy¡¯s fingers slipped off his skin, her nails scraping against his windpipe as she brought her hand back to her side. Sam shifted his eyes to look at the queen. Thanks to the old lady¡¯s poker face, it was hard to tell what she was thinking. Her back was still hunched despite the missing scepter no longer being there to support her weight. After a long pause, one that caused the bedsheets underneath Sam to be drenched with sweat, Queen Annabeth nodded at Sam¡¯s hand, the one the scepter had entered. ¡°It must¡¯ve been a result of your talent,¡± she said and made eye contact with Sam. ¡°Do you feel any different?¡±

    Sam swallowed and closed his eyes. Although he didn¡¯t feel any different, maybe he could find a difference? The queen would obviously be upset if her treasured scepter was eaten by his hand for no reason. Sam focused on his body, starting with his toes. They still felt like toes to him. As he went up the various parts of his body, anxiety sank into his stomach like a rock. There was absolutely nothing different about him. He opened his eyes and met the queen¡¯s gaze. Sam opened his mouth, his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. Before he could say anything, something on his crotch squirmed and ran up his body underneath the blanket, causing Sam to squeal like a little girl. A black-furred head poked out of Sam¡¯s blanket, reddish-brown eyes greeting his, looking like little, glossy marbles.

    ¡°Is that a ferret?¡± April asked before anyone could say anything, her eyes wide as her hands gripped the hem of her sundress. ¡°It¡¯s so cute!¡± A second later, April pursed her lips and brought her hands up in front of her mouth, taking another step back.

    Sam blinked, and the ferret blinked back at Sam. ¡°Hey there,¡± Sam said, keeping a straight face as his cheeks burned red from squealing in front of the queen earlier. ¡°Where did you come from?¡±

    The ferret wriggled its way out of the blanket and stood on its hindlegs like a prairie dog, ignoring Sam¡¯s question. The ferret¡¯s body was completely black, white highlights on its fur from the light¡¯s reflection. Two reddish-brown eyes gazed at the queen for a few seconds before turning to look at April. It smiled and waved at her, causing the green-haired nurse to blink twice before waving back. After greeting April, the ferret turned around and made eye contact with Wendy. A tiny squeak escaped from its mouth as its fur stiffened, causing the ferret to swell in size. Wendy raised her arm, but before she could do anything with it, the ferret had already retreated into the blanket and wriggled its way down underneath Sam¡¯s body.

    Wendy¡¯s lips curved downwards in a slight frown, and she lowered her hand before turning her head towards the queen. ¡°It has the same color scheme as your scepter.¡±

    Queen Annabeth nodded. ¡°So it seems,¡± she said, a twinkle appearing in her eyes. She walked forward and placed her hand on Sam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Your talent must¡¯ve given life to Raindu, my scepter.¡±

    The blanket on Sam wriggled as the ferret poked its head out from underneath, shooting Wendy a wary look before eyeing the queen. The queen held out her free hand towards the ferret, and it stretched its neck forward to nibble on her finger. After a few seconds of nibbling and sniffing, the ferret retreated once more.

    ¡°I think he wants to stay with you,¡± the queen said, smiling at Sam. ¡°He¡¯s protected me well all this time; I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll do the same for you.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Sam asked with an awkward expression on his face. He transformed the queen¡¯s precious belonging into a ferret; not only that, but he was going to keep the ferret too without compensating the queen? It didn¡¯t sit right with him. ¡°I think you should keep him. Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Queen Annabeth said and tightened her grip on Sam¡¯s shoulder, hard enough to make him uncomfortable but not enough to cause him pain. ¡°Take good care of Raindu for me.¡±

    Sam nodded at the queen. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± he said, withholding the fact he had never taken care of a small animal in his life. As a talentless, food was hard to come by sometimes, and little creatures weren¡¯t seen as friends. If something walked, swam, or flew, it was food. ¡°If Raindu turns back into a scepter, I¡¯ll be sure to return him to you.¡±

    The queen nodded and gave Sam¡¯s shoulder another squeeze before releasing. She gazed at the bulge in the blanket where the ferret was hiding before turning her head away. ¡°Wendy,¡± she said as she exited the room. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Wendy gazed at Sam as she followed the queen, the blonde-woman¡¯s bloodred pupils sending chills down Sam¡¯s spine. He watched as she closed the door behind herself, and after he couldn¡¯t hear her footsteps, he exhaled. Tiny paws stepped against his stomach and chest, Raindu¡¯s head popping out of the blanket a second later. The ferret stood on its hindlegs and turned to look at the exit before placing its front paw on its chest, letting out an exaggerated exhale.

    Sam gave the furry creature a wry smile. ¡°She¡¯s scary, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    The ferret nodded its head.

    ¡°You know, she probably heard you,¡± April said from the side of the room, causing Sam and Raindu to stiffen in the middle of their bonding moment. The green-haired nurse grinned when she saw she had their attentions. ¡°Her ears are very sharp. It¡¯s always best to watch what you say even if you think you¡¯re alone.¡±

    Sam bit his lower lip. Wendy wasn¡¯t a petty person, right? There was no way she¡¯d give him a hard time just because he said she was scary. Sam thought about how Wendy and the queen had treated him, and a smile appeared on his face before he let himself relax. His eyes lit up, and he turned his head to look at April, the motion surprisingly doable considering the state he was in. ¡°By the way,¡± Sam said, ¡°what kind of vibe do I give off?¡±

    April raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you sure you want to know?¡±

    Sam blinked. ¡°Is there a reason I shouldn¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± April said, dragging out the word. ¡°Your vibe reminds me of an abused puppy desperate for attention but too scared to seek it.¡± After seeing Sam¡¯s expression stiffen, the green-haired nurse added, ¡°But vibes can change, so don¡¯t worry!¡±

    Sam shifted his gaze back onto the ceiling. ¡°With this brain-melter in my head, I basically am a dog just like my vibe, huh?¡±

    Raindu blinked its beady eyes and jumped onto Sam¡¯s face, causing the incapacitated man to wriggle and splutter. ¡°Hey!¡± Sam shouted in a low voice. ¡°What are you doing!?¡±

    The ferret jumped down from Sam¡¯s head, holding a metallic cylinder in its front paws. Sam spat out a strand of ferret fur from his mouth and looked at the culprit. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°The emergency brake,¡± April said, her eyes widening as she looked at Sam¡¯s head.

    ¡°What?¡± Sam asked. Did Raindu dig the brain-melter out of his brain? ¡°Is there a hole in my head?¡±

    April walked over and rolled Sam¡¯s head around in her hands as if it were a ball to get a better look at it from every angle, not caring about the pain she was shooting through his neck muscles. ¡°No,¡± April said. ¡°There isn¡¯t. It¡¯s like he bypassed your fleshy bits and took the device right out of your skull.¡±

    Sam stared at the metallic device the ferret was holding out towards him. The queen did say Raindu would protect him, but this probably wasn¡¯t what she was expecting. He put on his best smile and looked at April. ¡°What do I have to do for you to pretend like you never saw anything?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± April said and smiled at Sam. ¡°It¡¯ll be our secret ¡­ and Wendy¡¯s because she probably heard us. I doubt they¡¯ll put the emergency brake back inside you considering how easily Raindu took it out, so you don¡¯t have to look so frightened.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not frightened,¡± Sam said. Although he denied it, his body still relaxed upon hearing April¡¯s reasoning. The nurse was right; if Monarch put the brain-melter inside his head again, the ferret could remove it in private, and they¡¯d be none the wiser.

    April¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Of course,¡± she said before looking at Raindu. The ferret put the brain-melter aside and looked up at the nurse. ¡°He¡¯s so cute. I¡¯m jealous of your talent; I bet he knows exactly what you want and need.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t know what to say, so he let out an awkward chuckle instead. The black ferret approached April and touched her hand, causing the green-haired nurse to beam at the small creature. A moment later, a pair of red, silken underwear appeared in the black ferret¡¯s front paws. Sam and April froze. Raindu hopped over to Sam, showing off its findings by holding the luxurious garment up in front of the bedridden patient¡¯s face with its furry chest puffed out.

    Sam¡¯s neck creaked as he turned his head to look at April. The green-haired nurse stared back at him with a stony face; Sam could envision the field of spring flowers withering as the sun grew in intensity. ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± Sam said, his face scrunching up. ¡°I, I¡¯m not in control of the ferret.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± April said and snatched the undergarments, but she was too slow. Raindu slipped away, holding its trophy with its little paws.

    ¡°Give it back,¡± Sam said in what he thought was a stern voice, glaring at the ferret.

    Raindu stared at Sam. Then, the ferret shook its head before burrowing underneath the blanket with its prize. Sam cursed at the stupid ferret in his mind before turning to look at April; she was not amused.

 Chapter 3

    Sam exhaled. He had been through a lot as a talentless, but the past few hours he had spent bedridden were the most awkward ones he had experienced yet. Luckily, it was over now. He sat up and glanced at his personal nurse, who was sitting in the corner of the room on a plush chair shaped like a donut. ¡°I think I¡¯m healed,¡± Sam said, his face stiff. He climbed out of bed, and a black blur leapt out from underneath the blankets and onto his shoulder.

    ¡°You¡¯re acting like I¡¯m going to bite you,¡± April said, rolling her eyes as she lowered the book she was holding. On its cover, there was an image of a black dog taking a selfie with a shirtless old man sleeping in the background. ¡°Don¡¯t feel like you have to tiptoe around me just because your manifested ferret stole the panties I was wearing.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. He wasn¡¯t sure whether or not the green-haired woman was telling the truth, but considering she had managed to heal him with her talent, positive healing, she must¡¯ve been in a good mood for it to work, right? The only problem was Raindu hadn¡¯t returned the undergarments, and Sam had no idea where the ferret stashed them¡ªas if the silk underwear had never existed in the first place. Sam glared at the ferret on his shoulder before turning his head towards April. His shoulders hunched as he mumbled and pointed at the door, ¡°Do I¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re free to go,¡± April said and stood up, placing her book in her sunflower basket. She wore the basket and nodded at Sam. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out and give you a tour of the facility.¡±

    Sam let out a breath and took a step back, making way for April. The green-haired nurse opened the door and flinched. ¡°Wendy!¡± April said, a smile breaking out on her face after a short pause. ¡°Is this about Raindu removing Sam¡¯s emergency break? I was just about to tell someone about it, promise.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened as April casually threw him under the bus. As if noticing the change behind her, the green-haired nurse stepped aside, no longer blocking Wendy from Sam¡¯s view. He flinched upon seeing her demonic eyes, and goosebumps rose on the back of his neck and arms. Raindu dove into Sam¡¯s clothes, but the ferret¡¯s body could still be seen through the patchwork of strings holding his shirt together.

    ¡°Come with me,¡± Wendy said, staring straight at Sam. Then, she turned around and walked away without waiting for him to respond.

    Sam blinked and glanced at April. She gestured with her head while mouthing, ¡°Go on.¡±

    Sam half-walked, half-ran to catch up to Wendy, giving an awkward wave to April as he walked past her. ¡°Thanks for healing me,¡± he said. ¡°Bye.¡±

    Raindu climbed out of Sam¡¯s shirt and waved at April, but all the ferret got in return was a glare from April¡¯s brown eyes. It continued to wave at her, ignoring the nurse¡¯s fierce expression as Sam exited the room and rounded the corner. April exhaled before placing her hands on her hips and shaking her head, listening to Wendy¡¯s and Sam¡¯s footsteps trail away without moving.

    Sam swallowed as he followed Wendy¡¯s pace, her gait much faster than he was used to. He put some energy into his legs, speeding up. The blonde woman strode even quicker, not allowing Sam to walk alongside her. Was she testing him? Sam broke out into a jog, and Wendy¡¯s pace increased once more. She turned her head and glared at Sam and Raindu. ¡°Keep that ferret away from me.¡±

    Sam blinked and glanced at Raindu. Wendy must¡¯ve been eavesdropping on him and April during the undergarment incident; the green-haired nurse did say Wendy had a sharp sense of hearing. He turned back towards Wendy just in time to see the blonde-haired woman walk into a wall instead of rounding a corner. There was a clunking sound as she collided and bounced off, clutching her nose with her hand. She whirled her head around and glared at Sam; his head shrank into his torso as his shoulders hunched up. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything,¡± Sam said, cold beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Was it his fault the woman wasn¡¯t looking at where she was going? If it¡¯d be anyone¡¯s fault, then it¡¯d be the ferret¡¯s.

    High-pitched squeaks escaped from Raindu¡¯s body as he wriggled around. The ferret¡¯s tiny body convulsed and twitched, its little legs kicking at the air as it pointed at Wendy while wiping tears from its eyes.

    Wendy¡¯s expression darkened, and she lowered her hand before sniffing twice, making sure her nose was still functioning. Then, she pretended as if nothing had happened, ignoring the imprint of her face she left behind on the broken wall. ¡°It¡¯s sudden,¡± she said while walking away, ¡°but we have a task for you.¡± She glanced at Raindu. ¡°It involves your pet¡¯s special ability. How well can you control that creature?¡±

    Raindu stopped laughing and retreated back inside of Sam¡¯s shirt, its reddish-brown eyes peeping through a poorly patched hole. Sam scratched his head. ¡°Honestly,¡± he said as he followed after Wendy. ¡°I can¡¯t control him at all. He doesn¡¯t listen to me.¡± If the ferret listened, it would¡¯ve returned April¡¯s belongings instead of storing them who-knows-where.

    Wendy¡¯s face remained impassive as she nodded. A droplet of blood crawled out of her right nostril, and she casually raised her hand to wipe it away. ¡°In that case,¡± she said, ¡°we¡¯ll have to train it along the way.¡±

    Sam twitched as Raindu ran from his belly to his back, the ferret¡¯s sharp claws poking his skin. ¡°I agree,¡± Sam said. If Raindu stole something from the wrong person, Sam would be the one drawing the ire, and he did not want to be a scapegoat, especially not for a ferret. Sam¡¯s brow wrinkled as he thought about the rest of Wendy¡¯s words. ¡°Where are we going?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Et Serpentium,¡± Wendy said.

    Sam blinked twice. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he said, jogging a bit to catch up. ¡°Reptile Land?¡±

    ¡°Call it that when we¡¯re there, and you¡¯ll be torn apart,¡± Wendy said, turning her head away from Sam and wiping her nose once more.

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Why are we going there?¡±

    ¡°I already told you,¡± Wendy said, her eyes narrowing. She sniffed. ¡°We have a task for you, and it involves utilizing your pet¡¯s special ability.¡±

    Sam frowned. ¡°Can you be more specific?¡±

    ¡°Is there a blockage in your brain?¡± Wendy asked, turning her head to look at Sam. ¡°Your nurse already told you I have good ears. Did it never occur to you other people may have ears just as good as mine? Maybe even better?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sam said, his brows furrowing. ¡°It hadn¡¯t.¡± His face relaxed, and he blinked at Wendy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut.¡±

    Wendy paused before nodding and looked ahead. ¡°As long as you remember it,¡± she said. ¡°You never know when someone or something may be listening; there are spies lurking in Monarch.¡±

    If Monarch knew there were spies, why didn¡¯t they get rid of them? Even though Sam wanted to satisfy his curiosity, he had already said he was going to keep his mouth shut, and if he broke his word a few seconds after giving it, Wendy¡¯s already poor impression of him would plummet. He followed after the blonde woman while looking around. Some, read most, regions of the city were awakener-only; as a talentless, he had never seen such a sleek architectural style before. The walls were tiled with glossy, black marble; he reached out to touch it, dragging his no-longer grimy fingers along the surface. It was cold with zero chance of giving him splinters.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything either,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Some walls aren¡¯t actually walls, and you could lose a finger.¡±

    Sam silently drew his arm back, and Raindu poked its furry head out of Sam¡¯s shirt, looking at the wall with a fearful expression. At least, Sam assumed the ferret was afraid. He didn¡¯t know much about animals; for all he knew, the ferret could¡¯ve actually been a weasel. What was the difference between the two anyway? Sam didn¡¯t know.

    Wendy stopped in front of a set of elevator doors and pressed on the button with the arrow pointing up. She turned her head to look at Sam before frowning. ¡°Actually,¡± she said, scanning Sam from head to toe. ¡°We¡¯re taking the stairs. If you don¡¯t work out before the steroids exit your body, they¡¯ll pass straight through you like liquid.¡±

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Sam paused for a second before scrambling after Wendy, who was already ascending the building using the staircase located beside the elevator. He dashed up the stairs to catch up to the blonde woman, but he couldn¡¯t even see her shadow. Luckily, her footsteps echoed throughout the stairwell, allowing him to stay on target. It didn¡¯t take long for Sam¡¯s thighs to burn and his sides to hurt. By the time he caught up to Wendy on the tenth floor where she was waiting for him, he was wheezing and panting for breath. ¡°Can I¡±¡ªhe sucked in a huge breath of air through his nostrils¡ª¡°can I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Wendy said, taking a step back from Sam.

    Sam stood up straight. ¡°What was that thing you said back there about steroids?¡±

    ¡°Steroids don¡¯t automatically give you a strong body,¡± Wendy said. ¡°You have to work out still.¡± She blinked at Sam. ¡°Your body has been wasting away during the time you¡¯ve spent as a talentless; without Monarch¡¯s special boosters, there¡¯s no way for you to reach your full potential.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re already inside me?¡± Sam asked, looking down at his body. He had been pumped full of steroids, but he hadn¡¯t even noticed. He certainly didn¡¯t feel any stronger; maybe the boosters he had been given were expired.

    Wendy nodded. ¡°Here in Monarch, we prefer to work quickly and efficiently,¡± she said, ¡°which is why we¡¯ve already developed plans involving your talent despite it existing for less than a day.¡±

    Sam glanced down at the lump in his shirt where the ferret was hiding. His brow furrowed as he met Wendy¡¯s gaze. ¡°Are you sure you want your plans to hinge on this furry guy?¡±

    Wendy blinked, her frown loosening. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, her bloodred pupils gleaming. ¡°I trust him.¡±

    Sam glanced down at the ferret, which had poked its head out of his shirt to look Wendy in the eyes. What about Raindu was there to trust? The small creature was more timid than a mouse; it hid at the first sign of danger, and one look from the wrong person was more than enough to terrify it. If Wendy hadn¡¯t told him she didn¡¯t like repeating herself, Sam would¡¯ve asked her one more time if she was sure. ¡°If the task fails¡­.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll probably die,¡± Wendy said with a straight face. ¡°You can ask more questions after we¡¯re on our way to Et Serpentium.¡± She made her way to the stairwell¡¯s exit. ¡°There are people waiting for us.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow. Why did Wendy always insist on moving after dropping concerning statements? Although he was willing to risk his life to gain a talent, he was talentless back then; he had no future. Now that he had an S-grade talent, even if it was S-minus and artificial, his future was bright; he was destined to reach the upper echelons of the world. He really didn¡¯t want to gamble with his life to accomplish a vague goal.

    ¡°You have a younger brother, right?¡± Wendy asked out of the blue as she exited the stairwell and walked down a hall.

    Sam blinked. ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°Monarch has spies too,¡± the blonde-haired woman said and glanced at the floor. Tiny footsteps pattered as a small dog, a brown Pomeranian, made its way down the hall towards the visitors. Wendy nodded at the tiny creature, which was barely tall enough to bite her shins. ¡°Hello, Squishy.¡± The blonde-haired woman turned towards Sam. ¡°This is Queen Annabeth¡¯s personal pet, Squishy; I advise you against harming her. Everyone has things they care for whether they be pets, belongings, or¡ªin your case¡ªa younger sibling. It¡¯s always a tragedy when something untoward happens to them.¡±

    Sam nodded. He¡¯d have to pay more attention to the ground. When the cataclysm had occurred, only the toughest creatures had escaped extinction. For a toy-dog breed to exist, one that couldn¡¯t really fend for itself, well, only the rich could afford to own something like that. If he accidentally stepped on Squishy¡ªa poor choice of name, in Sam¡¯s opinion¡ªit¡¯d be like breaking an heirloom. Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he looked at the cute dog staring back up at him. Asking him about his younger brother, and advising him against harming the things the queen loved, was Wendy warning him? Sam cleared his throat while still looking at the Pomeranian. ¡°About the emergency brake¡­.¡±

    ¡°Keep it as a token of our trust,¡± Wendy said. She used her foot to gently nudge the Pomeranian out of the way. ¡°Be good, Squishy.¡± She walked past the dog and stopped in front of a metal door. There was a panel nearby that she placed her index finger on, causing a light to flash green as the door slid upwards into the ceiling.

    Sam¡¯s eyes followed the door upwards before looking into the room. There was a rectangular table inside, large enough to fit six people. Two of the seats were occupied: there was a skinny man with black hair, and a reptilian. The reptilian was humanoid with reddish-brown skin, but instead of skin, it was covered in a layer of scales, and it didn¡¯t have a single bit of hair on its body. The reptilian turned its head to look at Sam with yellowish eyes, its black pupils diamond-shaped, surprisingly similar to Wendy¡¯s. Sam nodded at the room¡¯s occupants before following Wendy inside.

    Wendy took a seat at the head of the table. ¡°Have a seat,¡± she said, giving Sam the choice of sitting next to the skinny man or the reptilian. He glanced at the reptilian, and it smiled at him before he could look away, so he felt obligated to sit next to him. Her? Sam wasn¡¯t sure. When Sam took his seat, Wendy tapped on the table. The door to the room shut as holographic screens rose from the table, one positioned in front of each individual. Wendy nodded her head. ¡°Now then, shall we get down to business?¡±

    ¡°Hang on,¡± the man with black-hair said. ¡°Let¡¯s introduce ourselves first.¡± He grinned, causing Sam to have the impression of an armored bear standing atop a snowy, fortress wall. The skinny man¡¯s vibe didn¡¯t match his figure at all. ¡°My name is James.¡± He turned his head to the side, revealing a scar above his ear. ¡°We¡¯re similar.¡±

    Sam blinked before touching the side of his head. He hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but he was missing some hair, and the exposed skin felt rough. It must¡¯ve been a result of Monarch probing his brain with electrodes and putting the emergency break inside. As for how the surgical scar had healed so quickly, it could¡¯ve been a result of someone¡¯s talent or a Monarch-created healing balm; after all, the company did pride itself on being in the forefront of human biotechnology. ¡°You were talentless too?¡±

    James brought one finger up to his lips. ¡°It¡¯s a secret,¡± he said, still grinning. ¡°Everyone in Monarch knows, but we don¡¯t speak about artificial awakeners outside.¡±

    Sam nodded. An icy-cold sensation gripped his shoulder, and he turned his head towards the reptilian, who had grabbed him. Sam stared into the reptilian¡¯s yellow eyes, and a shiver ran down his spine. Despite the pleasant-looking smile on the reptilian¡¯s face, its vibe was nowhere near as friendly. Sam was reminded of a snake that had spotted a bird¡¯s nest with baby birds inside. ¡°H-hi,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m Sam.¡±

    The reptilian squeezed Sam¡¯s shoulder harder before retracting its hand. ¡°Call me Tamara.¡±

    ¡°Tamara,¡± Sam said and nodded. The reptilian looked away from Sam, redirecting its gaze onto Wendy. James turned to stare as well, and Sam¡¯s head followed. The blonde-haired woman nodded at the trio.

    ¡°Are you done introducing yourselves?¡± Wendy asked. She tapped on the holographic screen floating in front of her, projecting images onto the screens in front of the trio. ¡°The mission this time is stealing the GMC, the Gray Master Core.¡±

    ¡°Oho,¡± Tamara said. The reptilian¡¯s red tongue extended out of its mouth and licked its eyeballs clean like a windshield wiper. ¡°Humans always come up with the craziest ideas.¡± The reptilian grinned. ¡°I like it.¡±

    ¡°I have a brain-melting device in my head,¡± James said with a frown, ¡°so it¡¯s not like I can refuse, but ¡­ isn¡¯t this a suicide mission?¡±

    Sam raised his head and blinked at the two wildly opposite reactions. He had no idea what the GMC was, and he wasn¡¯t sure how he was supposed to feel about stealing it. His brow furrowed, and he turned his attention back onto the screen. There wasn¡¯t much information there other than what Wendy had stated. He glanced at Tamara¡¯s screen; it contained many more paragraphs than his own, but it was written in strange, curving characters that he couldn¡¯t read.

    ¡°No peeking,¡± Tamara said, poking Sam¡¯s cheek with an ice-cold finger without looking at him.

    ¡°Information is given on a need-to-know basis,¡± Wendy said to Sam, ignoring James¡¯ question. ¡°We each have our own tasks to accomplish. It¡¯s insurance against information leaks, just in case one of us is captured and interrogated.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. There sure were a lot of things to watch out for once one became an awakener.

    ¡°Wait,¡± James said, turning his head to look at Wendy. ¡°You¡¯re coming with us?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Is that a problem?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± James said, shooting a glance at Sam. His gaze shifted back onto Wendy, and a knowing smile appeared on his face. ¡°I understand what¡¯s happening here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± Wendy said, glaring at James with her demonic eyes. ¡°The fact I¡¯m taking part in the mission should tell you how important it is to Monarch¡¯s future.¡± She glanced at Sam. ¡°Though, the queen did give me orders to teach you how to fight. You¡¯ll learn on the way.¡±

    ¡°Learning on the way?¡± Tamara asked, one of her eyes turning to look at Wendy while her other eye turned to look at Sam. ¡°We¡¯re going to steal the GMC, and one of our teammates doesn¡¯t even know how to defend himself?¡± She grinned. ¡°Humans really are crazy.¡±

    James took in a deep breath and leaned forward, placing his left hand on his forehead while propping up his elbow on the table. ¡°Can I ¡­ not go?¡± he asked, turning his head towards Wendy.

    ¡°Sure,¡± the blonde woman said. ¡°There¡¯s a button you can press on your way out. It¡¯ll melt your brain, and I¡¯ll call a replacement member.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you call the replacement member without melting my brain?¡± James asked before sighing. ¡°Don¡¯t answer that. I already know what you¡¯re going to say.¡± His gaze shifted onto Sam, and a wry smile appeared on his face. ¡°The life of being a dog, eh?¡±

    Sam let out an awkward laugh. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, feeling a little guilty about not having a brain-melter inside his head. ¡°Still better than being talentless.¡±

    James nodded and turned his attention onto his screen. If he didn¡¯t want to die, he¡¯d have to work hard. Sam exhaled through his nose and read his task as well. Even when it was written down, Wendy¡¯s words were vague. Everything he had to do was displayed on the screen: steal the GMC and bring it back to Monarch.

 Chapter 4

    Sam stood in front of a pair of glass, sliding doors. He was in a train station, a place he had only been to when he was much younger with his family, when it didn¡¯t matter if he had a talent or not. Sam frowned as he turned his head to the side, towards the brown-haired woman with green eyes. Wendy had disguised herself, but she was still cold and unapproachable, a scowl seemingly etched in her face. She noticed him looking and turned towards him. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Sam said, lowering his head to stare at the ground. There were black spots on the tile, dried pieces of gum that had been trampled and walked on for years. A black ferret crawled out of his shirt, its head swiveling as it took in its surroundings. Unlike when he was a talentless, his current clothes didn¡¯t have any patches in them. Before he had left for the mission, the queen had gifted him a brand-new outfit. Of course, she didn¡¯t deliver it in person, but Sam appreciated the thought¡ªand the warmth. Sam frowned as the ground rattled, the vibrations faint beneath his feet. ¡°If we¡¯re taking public transportation there, how are you going to teach me?¡±

    ¡°Thanks to Monarch¡¯s contributions to the transportation system, there¡¯s always one car reserved for Monarch employees,¡± Wendy said as Raindu retreated back inside Sam¡¯s clothes. ¡°It remains empty if no employees are present.¡± She glanced at Sam¡¯s jacket pocket. ¡°You have your employee badge with you, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam said, putting his hand into his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s right¡­.¡± He rummaged around, a furrow appearing on his brow. ¡°Here¡­?¡± His hand came out of his pocket, his fingers holding the lining to turn the pocket inside out. There was nothing there. ¡°Uh¡­, hang on.¡±

    Wendy¡¯s expression remained neutral as Sam¡¯s hands roamed around his body, checking all his pockets. After watching him panic for a bit, Wendy cleared her throat. ¡°Did your ferret take it?¡±

    Sam blinked before tugging at the collar of his shirt. He looked down towards his stomach, where Raindu was lying on its back, using Sam¡¯s tucked-in shirt as a makeshift hammock. The ferret blinked its mahogany eyes at Sam before waving its front leg.

    ¡°Did you take my employee badge?¡± Sam asked, speaking into his shirt like a crazy person.

    Raindu blinked before reaching into its fur. As if by magic, it retrieved a heart-shaped pendant that it offered to Sam. Sam furrowed his brow. ¡°That¡¯s not the badge,¡± he said. ¡°Who did you steal that pendant from?¡±

    Raindu stuffed the pendant back inside its fur before Sam could get a better look at it. Then, it retrieved a card with a lanyard attached to it. Sam exhaled and reached inside his shirt, but the ferret juked him, hiding the employee badge behind itself while chattering. Even though Sam couldn¡¯t speak ferret, for some reason, he still understood what it was saying: it was hungry. Perhaps he was reading its vibe? Did animals even have vibes?

    Sam released his collar and looked at Wendy. ¡°Do you have any snacks a ferret would eat?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what ferrets eat,¡± Wendy said and reached into her pocket. ¡°Try this.¡± She retrieved a lollipop, passing it to Sam. He accepted it with a blank expression before pulling open his collar once more.

    ¡°Here,¡± Sam said, offering the lollipop to Raindu. The ferret took it and gave Sam his employee badge back in the process. Sam sighed. ¡°Next time you¡¯re hungry, just tell me. You don¡¯t have to steal my things. Actually, please, don¡¯t steal my things in the future.¡±

    Raindu¡¯s attention turned onto the lollipop¡¯s wrapper, the ferret acting as if it hadn¡¯t heard a word Sam said. The wrapper flew out of the collar of Sam¡¯s shirt, Raindu evidently too picky to store trash in its fur.

    ¡°It eats candy?¡± Wendy asked, raising an eyebrow. She reached into her pocket and pulled out another lollipop. She crinkled its wrapper, causing Raindu to stick its head out of Sam¡¯s collar. The ferret¡¯s piece of candy was already half-eaten, Raindu¡¯s teeth much sharper and tougher than the lollipop could handle. The corners of Wendy¡¯s lips curved upwards, turning her perpetual frown into a neutral expression on her face. She leaned forward and offered the ferret the lollipop. ¡°You want it?¡±

    Raindu¡¯s teeth stripped down the rest of its lollipop, and it tossed the stick away, not caring about the laws against littering. Its paws stretched towards the piece of candy Wendy was offering, but the disguised woman bent her wrist, keeping the lollipop just far enough away to prevent the ferret from grabbing it. Raindu¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing the action, and it shook a closed paw at Wendy while glaring and chattering.

    The rattling of the ground grew stronger, and lights came into view, reflected off the glass doors in front of Wendy and Sam. Wendy withdrew the lollipop, much to Raindu¡¯s dismay. ¡°I¡¯ll give you more on the train,¡± Wendy said, looking the ferret in its mahogany eyes. ¡°In return, you¡¯ll have to listen to me, okay?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to train him with candy?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Her Majesty trained Squishy with treats,¡± Wendy said, keeping her eyes on the animal. ¡°How else are you supposed to teach an animal? It¡¯s not like Raindu will respond well to a beating.¡±

    A shudder ran down Raindu¡¯s spine, and it sank downwards into Sam¡¯s shirt. It didn¡¯t disappear from view completely, keeping an eye on the lollipop Wendy was holding. The train pulled into the station, the first car coming to a halt in front of the duo and ferret. The glass doors slid open at the same time as the train car¡¯s, and Wendy pulled out her employee badge.

    Sam blinked as a short, humanoid figure walked out of the train; it was gray, hairless, and had large eyes akin to the lenses of sunglasses¡ªblack and glossy with a lack of irises, pupils, and sclera. The gray creature was wearing a blue suit and holding a scanner with a three-fingered hand. Wendy held out her badge, letting the gray creature scan it. ¡°Welcome aboard,¡± the gray creature said in a monotonous voice. ¡°Have a nice trip.¡±

    Wendy stepped onto the train and gestured at the gray creature with her head. Sam held out his employee badge, and it too was scanned by the gray creature. ¡°Welcome aboard,¡± it said again, speaking the exact same way as before. ¡°Have a nice trip.¡±

    Sam stepped past the creature and glanced at it as he walked onto the train. The gray creature boarded as well before taking a seat in the corner of the car. ¡°Is he ¡­ she ¡­ an employee of Monarch too?¡± Sam asked, whispering to Wendy.

    ¡°Technically,¡± Wendy said. ¡°That¡¯s a modified grayling. Rather than an employee, you can think of it as a biological robot Monarch created.¡±

    ¡°Monarch can make graylings?¡± Sam asked, raising an eyebrow. The graylings were one of the native species of the new plane the Earth had ascended to during the cataclysm. Humans had to contend with them for resources and territory. The two species would¡¯ve had a friendlier relationship if it weren¡¯t for the intrepid human foodies who had discovered graylings tasted like ice cream.

    Wendy shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I said. Monarch modified an existing grayling, so now, it listens to us instead of the reptilians,¡± she said. ¡°There are some side effects though.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow. ¡°And the reptilians don¡¯t care?¡±

    Wendy shrugged. ¡°They won¡¯t care about one or two missing graylings,¡± she said and took a seat. ¡°The reptilians have bigger things to worry about than humans taking one or two ants away from them.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said and glanced at the seat beside Wendy before settling with sitting across from her. It¡¯d be too easy for Raindu to steal Wendy¡¯s things if Sam sat right next to her. The doors closed, and Sam couldn¡¯t help but turn around to look at the now-empty station. ¡°Were Tamara and James not coming with us?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll meet them there,¡± Wendy said and took a piece of candy out of her pocket. She crinkled its wrapper, and Raindu¡¯s head snapped towards the sound. ¡°Your task is to train Raindu. Within the next three days, you have to teach it to steal on command.¡±

    Sam nodded. The train had sleeping quarters for overnight trips. He was told there was even a bathroom with a shower, but he hadn¡¯t personally seen it yet. Three days to train a ferret, it couldn¡¯t be that difficult, right? ¡°Alright, Raindu,¡± Sam said, looking down at the ferret poking out of his collar. ¡°Do you know what stealing is?¡±

    Raindu shook its head.

    ¡°It¡¯s when you take something that doesn¡¯t belong to you,¡± Sam said.

    Raindu chattered and tilted its head. Sam¡¯s mouth twitched. He was getting the impression the ferret thought everything in the world belonged to it. How could it steal if it was only taking back its belongings?

    ¡°Fine,¡± Sam said. ¡°Stealing, taking, whatever you want to call it.¡± He pointed at the grayling sitting in the corner like an unused puppet. ¡°If you take its badge scanner and give it to me, you can have the candy.¡±

    Raindu looked at the grayling. Then, it looked at the lollipop Wendy was holding out. Raindu gulped and climbed out of Sam¡¯s shirt. It landed on Sam¡¯s thigh and stood upright, looking at the grayling. After staring for a bit, it shook its head and slipped back inside Sam¡¯s clothes, popping up through his collar once more.

    Sam frowned and looked at Wendy. ¡°Is the grayling aggressive?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Wendy said. She stood up. ¡°How about this?¡± She placed a piece of candy on the floor of the train car. Then, she walked towards the grayling, leaving behind a trail of lollipops. She placed a final lollipop in the grayling¡¯s hand. ¡°Raindu seems to be scared of leaving you. We should train it to be less cowardly first.¡±

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Raindu chattered and shook a closed paw at Wendy. ¡°He¡¯s not cowardly,¡± Sam said, translating for the animal. ¡°He¡¯s just cautious.¡± Sam blinked. ¡°You can understand his vibe too, right?¡±

    ¡°Surprisingly, no,¡± Wendy said and shook her head. ¡°I noticed your vibe became muted as well after you obtained Raindu as a pet; it must be one of his protective features. Raindu was an incredible weapon; it only makes sense for him to have incredible abilities.¡±

    Sam glanced down at the ferret before looking back at Wendy. ¡°But you can read his body language, can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Without vibes, I have a hard time understanding people; it¡¯s even harder understanding animals,¡± Wendy said and shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the same for most people who awakened whilst young.¡± She pointed at the floor where the first lollipop lay. ¡°Does he want candy or not? If he doesn¡¯t decide soon, I¡¯m going to eat it myself.¡± She stared at the ferret for a second before bending down.

    Raindu squeaked and jumped out of Sam¡¯s shirt, snatching the lollipop off the train floor before Wendy could. It stuffed it into its fur and raced to the next stick of candy. Wendy narrowed her eyes and leapt forward, racing ahead of the ferret, causing it to squeak and sprint onwards, turning into a black blur as it ran, swiping all the lollipops before Wendy could touch them. Before Sam knew it, the ferret had raced from to the grayling and back into his shirt with nine pieces of candy hidden within its fur.

    Wendy furrowed her brow, turning her head to look in Sam¡¯s direction. She was standing in front of the grayling, practically on the other end of the train car. Despite her proximity to the grayling, it remained seated and unmoving, gazing at its two feet, which had three long toes each. Wendy¡¯s scowl deepened as she walked over to Sam. Somehow, she was slower than a newborn ferret? Even if he was born from an amazing weapon, he was still less than a day old. Had Raindu been born at its full potential? That would explain the ferret¡¯s amazing speed.

    Sam grinned at Wendy. ¡°How did he do?¡± he asked. ¡°Pretty good, right?¡±

    Wendy nodded. ¡°Very impressive,¡± she said. ¡°The queen would be proud.¡± She pointed at the grayling¡¯s hand. ¡°Unfortunately, he forgot to steal the badge scanner.¡±

    Raindu crawled out of Sam¡¯s shirt and onto his shoulder, standing on its hindlegs. The ferret puffed out its chest and raised its front paw, revealing a device that looked remarkably similar to the brain-melter. ¡°He stole this instead,¡± Sam said. He furrowed his brow as he stared at Raindu¡¯s eyes. ¡°He says it¡¯s shinier and more valuable.¡±

    Wendy frowned and grabbed the object, but Raindu pulled it back at the last moment. His eyes glistened as he stared at Wendy¡¯s pocket. The disguised woman snorted before pulling out a piece of candy. She offered it to the ferret, but it shook its head and held out its free paw, pointing three toes towards the ceiling. Wendy snorted again as she reached into her pocket, pulling out another two lollipops. ¡°Is that enough?¡±

    Raindu nodded twice and held out the shiny object. Wendy grabbed it, and instead of honoring her deal, she stowed the three lollipops back into her pocket, causing the ferret¡¯s eyes to bulge. A deluge of chattering and clicking filled the train car, and Sam winced before looking at Wendy. ¡°He said, uh, please, honor the deal.¡±

    The ferret continued chattering, and Wendy looked at Sam. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of noise to say four words,¡± the woman said before raising the shiny object up to her face. A furrow appeared on her brow. ¡°This device ¡­ it¡¯s definitely a Monarch product. Why did he have¡­?¡± Wendy¡¯s eyes widened as she whipped her head around to look at the other side of the train car; the grayling was gone. ¡°Damnit!¡±

    Sam blinked. ¡°What happened?¡± He leaned to the side to see where Wendy was looking. There was nothing there. ¡°Where¡¯d it go?¡±

    Wendy ran up to the window, pressing her face against the glass, looking in the direction the train had come from. ¡°Graylings can manipulate time and space ever so slightly.¡± She let out a sigh and pushed herself off the window. ¡°They¡¯re good at escaping. Raindu removed Monarch¡¯s controller from its brain, so it regained its freedom; though, it doesn¡¯t have very long to live.¡±

    Sam winced, his face contorting. ¡°That sounds bad,¡± he said. ¡°What do we do?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Wendy said and shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not our problem anymore. Other awakeners from Monarch will take care of it.¡± She pressed her fingers against her temples and closed her eyes. A second later, a trickle of blood ran down her right nostril. Her eyes wrinkled as they shut even harder, and after three seconds, she opened her eyes, lowered her hand while wiping away the blood in the same motion. ¡°They¡¯ve been alerted.¡±

    ¡°Is that your talent?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy said.

    Sam frowned. ¡°And you get a nosebleed every time you use it?¡±

    ¡°Asking for details about one¡¯s talent is quite rude,¡± Wendy said. ¡°You should keep your talents a secret as well. There are several creatures out there capable of reading minds. If someone who knows your secrets is captured, you¡¯ll be at an extreme disadvantage.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Sam said and let out a sigh. ¡°We have to deal with mind readers now too. First, I can¡¯t speak out loud in case of spies; now, I can¡¯t even think in my own head.¡±

    Wendy¡¯s eyes shifted downwards. ¡°Yes, mind readers are a nuisance,¡± she said. A faint smirk appeared on her lips. ¡°Just wait until you encounter the dreamlurkers. You¡¯ll love them.¡±

    Sam blinked. ¡°Sarcasm?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy said.

    Sam nodded. Honestly, it was hard to tell. The delivery was on point, but her vibe felt ¡­ off. He wasn¡¯t experienced enough in reading people¡¯s vibes to understand the disconnect though. He scratched his head. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Wendy said and sniffed hard. She sat down and crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Alright, Raindu doesn¡¯t need as much training as I thought he would. He¡¯s very intelligent.¡± Her eyes scanned Sam from head to toe. ¡°You, however, we should start sooner than later. What do you know about your chakras?¡±

    ¡°Just the basics,¡± Sam said. ¡°There¡¯s seven of them, and each one is a different color of the rainbow.¡± As for the rest of the details, no one explained things in depth to the talentless. He shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s about it.¡±

    Wendy nodded. ¡°You barely know anything about them,¡± she said. ¡°Perfect. We¡¯ll start by focusing on your root chakra, the Muladhara. It¡¯s the foundation of your whole spiritual body; it¡¯s where your energy gathers. Without training it, you won¡¯t be able to manifest your intent.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow. There were a lot of words he didn¡¯t know being spouted here. ¡°Hang on,¡± he said. ¡°Do you mind if I take notes?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Wendy said.

    Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone, the brand-new one he had received as part of Monarch¡¯s perks. He unlocked it, and the lights in the train went out. Lights flickered on his phone, and the screen died less than a second later. ¡°What?¡± He raised his head, and a pair of glossy eyes, shining green in the darkness, were staring right at him. ¡°Holy!¡± Sam reflexively punched forward with his right hand, striking the grayling¡¯s left eye. There was a squelching sound, and Sam shrieked as he withdrew his now-wet fist, waving it rapidly, flinging grayling inner-skull fluids everywhere.

    The lights turned back on, and Sam froze. The grayling was collapsed on the ground with a fist-sized hole in its face, green fluids leaking out of it. His hand was covered in the same sticky fluid, and green splatters of said fluid were painted on Wendy¡¯s body as well. She was standing over the grayling with her hand curled into a fist. She examined the dead grayling before turning towards Sam. ¡°You did this?¡±

    ¡°I, I think so?¡± Sam asked, looking at his fist. Despite punching through what seemed like glass, his hand was perfectly fine, albeit a bit dirty. ¡°How did I do that?¡± He looked down at Raindu; the ferret was holding its front paw up in a thumbs-up pose. Sam grinned. ¡°Yeah, I think so too, buddy.¡±

    Wendy stared at the celebrating ferret and its owner. Then, she looked down at the grayling. Graylings weren¡¯t weak. If they were, they wouldn¡¯t have given humanity such a huge headache. Even if this grayling was disoriented and didn¡¯t have any weapons, its ability to distort space and time was powerful enough on its own; it wasn¡¯t reasonable for someone who hadn¡¯t honed their chakras to defeat one, yet Sam had done just that and in one punch too.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Sam said, looking out the window of the train. ¡°Is it just me, or is the train speeding up?¡±

    Wendy glanced out the window, and she frowned before walking towards it. The train was speeding up, something it shouldn¡¯t be doing. There were a few curved rails the trains had to travel on while traversing the city, and if the trains went too fast, they¡¯d derail. Wendy dashed towards the front of the train car, opening the door to the driver¡¯s compartment. A messy scene of red and yellow fluids spread all over the dashboard, walls, and windshield came into view. It looked like the driver had been turned inside out, one of the graylings¡¯ favorite methods of execution. Sparks danced along the dashboard, and a surge of electricity shot towards Wendy. She narrowed her eyes, and it bounced off the air in front of her nose, redirected towards the fluids on the windshield. A fire broke out, and she closed the door to the driver¡¯s compartment.

    Sam stood up and leaned over, but the door had already been closed by then. ¡°What was that crackling sound?¡± he asked. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±

    ¡°The train is going to derail,¡± Wendy said and glanced at the grayling corpse on the floor. ¡°He left us a present before dying.¡± She raised her head and met Sam¡¯s eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sam said. ¡°The train¡¯s ¡­ derailing.¡± His brow furrowed. ¡°We¡¯re going to warn everyone, right?¡±

    ¡°No time for that,¡± Wendy said while walking towards Sam. She wrapped her arm around his waist and grunted, lifting him as if he were a short-legged puppy trying to get down a flight of stairs. Blood leaked from her nose as she narrowed her eyes, and the train car¡¯s window exploded outwards. Without giving Sam or Raindu time to ready their hearts, she stepped on a seat and leapt out the train.

    A shriek and frantic chatters resounded through the air as the group plummeted towards the ground, the train rails having been built above the city¡¯s roads like a highway. Wendy sucked in a deep breath and exhaled through her mouth. Her eyes widened, and her pupils narrowed as an invisible force exploded out of her. A crater formed in the ground from the force as Wendy¡¯s descent halted seconds before hitting the concrete sidewalk. Then, with a thud, she landed on both feet, still carrying a shrieking Sam, whose eyes were closed. ¡°We¡¯re safe now,¡± Wendy said. She frowned as Sam¡¯s screams continued; he must not have heard her. Without ceremony, she released Sam, letting him fall a few inches, his face making contact with the ground. She looked up towards the train, which was still increasing in speed, the usual, slow rattling its wheels made sounding like a chain of continuous machine-gunfire.

    Sam stopped shrieking and pushed himself off the ground. His nose was scraped, but it wasn¡¯t bleeding¡ªunlike Wendy¡¯s. She had two streams of blood leaking from her nostrils, one stream each. Sam sat up and looked around before standing up on a pair of shaking legs. Raindu crawled out of his shirt collar, and chattered as it looked around. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is the afterlife,¡± Sam said, answering the ferret¡¯s question. He looked up just in time to see the front car of the train approach a curve and fly off the railing instead of turning. Like an elongated missile, the train flew from the rails and struck a nearby building, train car after train car disappearing into a series of explosions that caused the building to collapse. Sam¡¯s mouth dropped open, and after the last train car went over the edge, he swallowed and looked at Wendy. ¡°The people on the train, you let them die?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy said. ¡°The same way I let the moon control the tides and the same way I let the sun set to bring about night.¡± She wiped her bloody nose with the back of her hand and sniffed hard. ¡°I¡¯m an awakener, not a miracle worker. Did you expect me to stop a train with my bare hands?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said, his brow furrowed as he stared at the destruction. People were screaming and fleeing the scene like a herd of gazelle sprinting away from a lion. He couldn¡¯t help but glance down at Raindu. The beady-eyed ferret stared back up at him. If the ferret hadn¡¯t removed the controller from the grayling, the derailment wouldn¡¯t have happened.

    Wendy let out a sigh. ¡°It looks like we won¡¯t be able to take a train for a while,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s always annoying when plans change.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry the loss of hundreds of lives caused your plans to change,¡± Sam said, watching a massive plume of smoke floating up into the sky.

    Wendy nodded. ¡°As you should be,¡± she said. ¡°After all, it was technically your ferret¡¯s fault. As its owner, an apology is the least you can give.¡± She raised her right hand up to her temple and squinted. After a second, she lowered her hand and sniffed. ¡°I¡¯ve sent Monarch an update. They¡¯ll know what to do.¡±

 Chapter 5

    Queen Annabeth sat on a chair with her dog, Squishy, resting on her lap. She stroked the creature¡¯s back as she stared at the projection floating above her table. On it, there was a live news report about a train derailment. For some unknown reason¡ªto the public¡ªthe train driver had accelerated the train, driving it off the tracks and into a building. A popular news reporter, Chris Hardfacts, was on the case. As an awakener with the talent of reading the past, the general public could count on him to deliver the truth of the trainwreck: whether it was a bizarre accident, a planned terrorist attack, or some other whacky reason.

    Chris was wearing a black suit with a red tie. He was standing not too far away from the scene of the wreck, as close as he could get before being stopped by yellow tape. His eyes were closed, and both his arms were stretched out towards the sky as if he were making the letter ¡°Y¡±; it was his signature divining pose. His eyes flashed open, and he spoke directly into the camera as he lowered his arms. ¡°How senseless,¡± he said and let out a sigh, his face becoming downcast as he angled his head towards the ground. ¡°A needless waste of lives.¡± He sighed again and shook his head. ¡°The driver had his heart broken by a woman. As a talentless, he wasn¡¯t good at regulating his emotions, and instead of bouncing back from his divorce, he turned down a dark path. Since he was suffering, he wanted to spread as much suffering to the world as he could, so others would feel the same despair as him. He derailed the train on purpose, killing himself and countless innocent people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.¡±

    Queen Annabeth nodded to herself and shut off the projection. As an agent of Monarch, Chris Hardfacts had done his job well¡ªlike the countless other times his services were required. The aged queen pressed a button on the device located not too far away from her hand on the table. ¡°Tell Wendy everything has been taken care of,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t let this little event get in the way of the plan.¡± She lifted her finger off the button and leaned back in her seat, staring up at the ceiling with a blank expression, her hands resting on the Pomeranian in her lap. After a while, she smiled and chuckled to herself, her laughter echoing throughout the room.

    ***

    Sam dug out a glob of earwax from his left ear with his pinky finger. He wasn¡¯t quite sure why his ear was so itchy; maybe, it had something to do with feeling guilty. Sam pressed the nail of his thumb against his pinky and flicked, sending the glob of sticky earwax underneath the seat in front of him.

    ¡°That¡¯s disgusting,¡± Wendy said from her spot beside Sam in the back of the car. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh, sorry,¡± Sam said, glancing at the floor of the car. Should he pick the earwax back up? He wasn¡¯t quite sure. He shot a glance at the disguised woman, but it was hard to tell what she was thinking since she had the resting face of a witch spelled with a ¡°B¡±. The space between his eyebrows tingled, and Sam raised his head. The driver was looking at him through the rearview mirror; at least, Sam assumed the driver was looking at him. The driver was wearing a pair of reflective sunglasses, making it impossible to see his eyes.

    Sam turned his head away and looked out the window. After the train had derailed, the duo needed another way to reach Et Serpentium, and what better way to travel than through an explosion-powered vehicle designed hundreds of years ago? As they left the city, the scenery changed from a bland, concrete, whitish-gray region to a bleak, yellowish wasteland. A furrow appeared on Sam¡¯s brow as he turned to look at Wendy. ¡°Why didn¡¯t we just wait for the next train?¡±

    ¡°Some people are good at uncovering the truth,¡± Wendy said, glancing at the driver through the rearview mirror. The man pressed on a button, and a metal shutter descended, separating him from his passengers and isolating the sound as well. ¡°If they discover we survived a trainwreck and boarded a second train, we¡¯ll be people of interest.¡±

    Sam nodded. He had noticed it earlier, but Wendy was an awfully careful individual. Considering she had showed up in an instant after the queen¡¯s scepter had been converted into a ferret back in the hospital room, and considering James had been surprised Wendy would personally take on a mission as well, perhaps she was the queen¡¯s personal bodyguard? It¡¯d make sense for Wendy to be cautious; she was protecting a living fossil after all. Who knew how delicate an almost-four-centuries-old individual was? If a harsh wind blew and knocked the queen down, Sam wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Monarch lost their CEO.

    Sam¡¯s clothes rustled, and Raindu popped its head out of Sam¡¯s shirt collar. The ferret looked around before leaning over and touching the car window. A keychain with plenty of keys appeared in its front paws.

    Wendy¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me those are¡ª¡±

    Rubber screeched outside, and the car swerved wildly, flinging Sam towards Wendy. If he was a responsible individual who had worn a seatbelt in the backseat, perhaps he would¡¯ve remained in place, but alas, he had chosen to walk the edge between life and death. Sam¡¯s body landed on top of Wendy¡¯s in a compromising position. At that moment, the metal shutters separating the passengers from the driver rose back into the car¡¯s ceiling. The driver looked through the rearview mirror and froze upon seeing where Sam¡¯s hand was placed.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything,¡± the sunglasses-wearing man said before Sam or Wendy could respond. ¡°I¡¯m legally blind, I swear.¡±

    The shutter came down as quickly as it had risen, locking into place with a metallic click. Wendy¡¯s expression darkened as shoved Sam, his body flying through the air before striking the car door. She glared at him before pounding on the metal shutter, blasting a fist-sized hole through it. Red strands shot out of her fingertips and wrapped around the keys Raindu was holding, and with a jerk of her wrist, the keys flew out of the startled ferret¡¯s grasp and through the shutter¡¯s hole to the driver up front. ¡°Keep driving.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± the driver said as the car¡¯s engine roared back to life.

    ¡°As for you two,¡± Wendy said, glaring at Sam and Raindu. She held her hand out towards the hole in the metal shutter. Grinding sounds rang out as the shutter was forced shut, a droplet of blood slowly leaking from Wendy¡¯s nostril, drawing a red line above her lips. ¡°I know you¡¯re having fun testing your new talent, but can you stop endangering our lives?¡±

    ¡°Several people died in the car accident just now too, so it wasn¡¯t just our lives,¡± the driver said from upfront. Evidently, there was still a patch in the shutter that Wendy had missed. ¡°I¡¯d also like to inform you I can still hear your conversation, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Wendy pursed her lips, and Sam mustered the courage to put on an awkward smile. ¡°At least he has good hearing, right?¡± Sam asked. ¡°It¡¯s probably how he drives so well despite being blind.¡±

    Wendy raised a fist. ¡°I¡¯m going to punch your shoulder,¡± she said.

    Sam blinked, his gaze subconsciously wandering towards the marred metal shutter. If she punched him as hard as she punched the shutter, he¡¯d lose an arm or possibly even his life! ¡°Wait!¡± he said as the disguised woman drew her arm back. ¡°Can¡¯t we talk this through? I didn¡¯t mean to touch you there! It was an accident!¡±

    Wendy exhaled as her fist shot forward.

    ¡°Hiiiik!¡± Sam let out a girlish cry as he threw his body to the side, into the driver¡¯s seat. Wendy¡¯s fist grazed his arm, and Sam scrambled to ready himself for another attack. It didn¡¯t come.

    Wendy withdrew her fist and spread her hand open. She stared at her fingers before looking at Sam. ¡°Your Muladhara is unlocked and brimming with energy,¡± she said in an accusing tone. Her eyes narrowed at Sam. ¡°Did you lie to me about your chakra progress?¡±

    ¡°Muladhara?¡± Sam asked and touched his shoulder. Despite being grazed by a fist that could tear through metal, his skin didn¡¯t even have a scratch. ¡°That¡¯s my root chakra, right?¡± He glanced down at his body. ¡°It¡¯s unlocked? But how?¡±

    Wendy frowned before narrowing her eyes at the black ferret, who was staring at the side of the car¡ªperhaps it wanted to steal some keys from an ignition again. Wendy raised her hand, closing off the little gap left behind in the metal shutter and wiped at her bleeding nose. ¡°It must be Raindu,¡± she said. ¡°Her Majesty¡¯s scepter was made of mahogany obsidian, a gemstone helpful for unblocking the Muladhara during meditation.¡±

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    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he thought back to the time he had robbed the queen of her scepter. It had felt like something rushed up his arm, through his body, and into his crotch where the root chakra was located. Sam glanced down at Raindu, and the ferret looked back up at him before lunging upwards and biting his nose, causing Sam¡¯s eyes to widen. He drew his neck back and shook his head, shaking himself free. ¡°What was that for?¡± he asked, clutching his bruised nose.

    Raindu pointed at Wendy and chattered.

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You expect me to stop her from taking back what you stole? Are you crazy?¡± he asked. ¡°Just look at her; I¡¯ll die, okay?¡± He raised his head and met with Wendy¡¯s stony gaze. ¡°I, uh, mean that in the nicest way possible.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Wendy said, nodding her head. ¡°I¡¯m not a petty person.¡±

    In Sam¡¯s limited experience, that¡¯s what petty people tended to say. Then again, perhaps most talentless were petty because they didn¡¯t have much to cling to, and those were the people he was used to interacting with. An awkward smile appeared on Sam¡¯s lips, and he scratched the back of his head. ¡°So, uh, about the Muladria¡ª¡±

    ¡°Muladhara,¡± Wendy said.

    ¡°Right, the Muladhara,¡± Sam said. ¡°What do I get for unlocking it?¡±

    ¡°The basics,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Unlocking the root chakra allows your intentions to take form.¡±

    Sam nodded. ¡°You mentioned that before,¡± he said. ¡°Manifesting an intent, right?¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°What exactly does that mean?¡±

    ¡°When you want to do something, an intention forms,¡± Wendy said, ¡°but where?¡±

    Sam frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you,¡± he said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t a very good student. Teachers gave up on asking me questions because I¡¯ve perfected the art of staring blankly and responding slowly.¡±

    Wendy frowned. ¡°Uncouth boor,¡± she said in a low voice but not low enough for Sam to not hear what she was saying. Wendy exhaled. ¡°Unlocking the Muladhara lets you hit harder and get hit harder.¡±

    Sam nodded. Perfect. Now, Wendy was talking in terms he could comprehend. ¡°And this happens naturally?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Wendy said. ¡°You have to think about it.¡±

    ¡°I have to think about hitting harder?¡±

    ¡°Precisely,¡± Wendy said. ¡°That¡¯s intent.¡± She glanced at Sam¡¯s shoulder, the spot she had grazed with her fist. ¡°You also have to think about not getting hurt. Even though you¡¯ve unlocked the Muladhara, you¡¯re still susceptible to ambushes.¡±

    Sam nodded again. ¡°Does intent only work on attacking?¡± he asked. ¡°What about jumping higher?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Wendy said. ¡°The Muladhara only grants you access to the very basic usages of intent. Unlocking the other chakras will allow you to do more with your intent¡ªlike jumping higher or running faster.¡±

    Sam recalled the time Wendy appeared out of nowhere in the hospital room. ¡°Can you become invisible with intent too?¡±

    ¡°To an extent,¡± Wendy said. ¡°If you unlock your crown chakra, the Sahasrara, you can walk around with the intention of not being spotted. Only those who¡¯ve unlocked their third-eye chakra, the Ajna, can locate you if they look around with an intent to see through falsehoods.¡±

    Sam wet his lips with his tongue. ¡°So, every awakener can become invisible, and every awakener can see invisible people? So, what? Is it only good for bullying the talentless?¡±

    ¡°Not quite. The average awakener unlocks two to three chakras within their lifetime,¡± Wendy said, glancing at Raindu before looking Sam in the eyes. ¡°The more time you spend on a chakra, the stronger the base abilities of that chakra become. Generally, awakeners specialize in one to three chakras.¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°It¡¯s rude to ask what chakras a person is working on, so don¡¯t.¡±

    Sam shut his mouth. ¡°Does that mean I should keep working on my root chakra?¡± he asked, glancing down at his crotch. He raised his head to look at Wendy. ¡°How exactly do I do that?¡±

    ¡°You need gemstones or monster cores,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Absorbing the power inside them during meditation will improve your chakra, but the chakra and gemstone have to match.¡± She reached into her pocket and pulled out a red stone with rough edges. ¡°Try holding this.¡±

    Sam held out his palm, and Wendy placed the stone in his hand. Raindu scampered out of Sam¡¯s collar, down his arm, and up to the red rock. The ferret lifted the stone, and with a harrumphing sound, it threw the rock onto the car seat and crossed its front legs over its chest.

    Sam blinked before looking at Wendy. ¡°I don¡¯t think Raindu¡¯s going to let me do that.¡±

    Wendy glanced at the fallen rock before picking it up, putting it back inside her pocket. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like it,¡± she said and looked at Sam. For some reason, despite her scowl, he thought she was smiling.

    ¡°Then, what do I do?¡± Sam asked.

    Wendy shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem I¡¯ve had to deal with,¡± she said. ¡°Try training your ferret. Maybe he¡¯ll let you absorb some stones if you bribe him with candy.¡±

    Sam looked at Raindu, and the ferret shook its head. He let out a sigh and looked at the disguised woman. ¡°No other options?¡±

    ¡°You can do it the old-fashioned way,¡± Wendy said.

    ¡°And that is¡­?¡±

    ¡°Weave some fire ants into a glove and put your hands inside,¡± Wendy said with a straight face. ¡°You have to dance and chant around a fire while wearing them for several hours.¡±

    Sam blinked, his expression turning blank. ¡°Excuse me, what?¡± he asked. ¡°How does that help my root chakra?¡±

    Wendy shrugged. ¡°Unlike you, I can absorb gemstones and cores, so I didn¡¯t look into the fire-ant method in detail, but it definitely works,¡± she said. ¡°Monarch has conclusive evidence.¡±

    Of course, Monarch would have evidence. If they were willing to implant monster cores into talentless to create artificial awakeners, why wouldn¡¯t they shove people¡¯s hands into mittens made of fire ants to see if their chakras would expand? Enlarge? Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure what the term was when it came to getting stronger through chakras. Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he asked, ¡°How effective is that method?¡±

    Wendy blinked. ¡°You¡¯re actually thinking of trying it?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re braver than I gave you credit for.¡± She placed two fingers against her right temple and closed her eyes. A second later, she opened them. ¡°When we return, those ant gloves will be waiting for you.¡±

    Sam¡¯s mouth dried in real time as he stared at the droplet of blood leaking from Wendy¡¯s nostril. He wanted to tell her to cancel the gloves, but her nose was already bleeding from sending the first message. He¡¯d feel awful if he made her nosebleed even worse, but at the same time, he really didn¡¯t want to stick his hands in a glove full of fire ants. So, he did what any socially awkward person would do; he kept his mouth shut. He¡¯d think of a method to worm his way out of putting on the gloves later. Maybe he¡¯d lose his hands on this mission; how perfect would that be? Prosthetic limbs were supposed to be real good nowadays.

    Wendy glanced out the window, and she readjusted her posture, turning her head to hide the smile on her face. It was the type of smile a petty person would make after settling their grievances. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±

    ¡°Already?¡± Sam asked, looking behind himself. At some point, a multi-colored forest had appeared. ¡°I thought it takes three days by train to reach Reptile Land, err, Et Serpentium.¡±

    ¡°Did you think we were going to take a car the whole way there?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to cut through the spectral jungle.¡±

    Sam swallowed. ¡°Wait,¡± he said. ¡°The spectral jungle? Why in the world are we going through there? I heard no one ever comes back after entering.¡±

    ¡°For the talentless, that¡¯s true,¡± Wendy said as she opened the car door and stepped outside onto the dirt.

    Sam swallowed, hesitating as he grasped the door¡¯s handle. He gritted his teeth and exited the vehicle. As he ran past the driver¡¯s window, the sunglasses-wearing man waved. ¡°Good luck!¡± the driver said. He cupped his hand over his mouth to project his voice. ¡°Use protection!¡±

    Sam tripped over a pebble, and he turned to glare at the driver, but the car was already reversing as if the inhabitant wanted nothing to do with the gray-leaved jungle covered in cobwebs ahead. To be fair, Sam wanted nothing to do with it either. Who in their right mind would willing enter a place officially named the spectral jungle and unofficially nicknamed the dead fool¡¯s forest? Only a dead fool, that¡¯s who. Raindu crawled out of Sam¡¯s shirt, took one look at the ominous trees and moss-covered timber covering the jungle floor, and immediately shook its furry head.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m with you there, buddy,¡± Sam said and swallowed.

    Wendy walked up to a tree and turned her head to look at Sam. ¡°The sooner you start, the sooner we¡¯ll finish,¡± she said. ¡°Some tasks you can¡¯t avoid doing. This is one of them.¡± She smiled at Sam. ¡°Unless, of course, you think you can get away from me.¡±

    Raindu blinked before waving at Wendy and Sam. Then, the black ferret leapt out of Sam¡¯s collar and dashed away from the forest, leaving two stunned humans behind. Wendy and Sam exchanged glances with each other as if confirming that had just happened. Sam¡¯s eyes widened, and he sprinted after the ferret. ¡°Raindu, come back!¡± The ferret didn¡¯t slow down. ¡°Raindu!¡±

    Wendy¡¯s eye twitched, and she chased after Sam. If the ferret left, then stealing the GMC was impossible. Her eyes narrowed as she passed Sam and focused her intent into her legs, slowly gaining on the ferret in the distance. Why was the small creature so impertinent? She had challenged it to escape, and it immediately tried to escape. Perhaps it was her fault for expecting a newborn ferret to understand how to read between the lines. Although she was gaining on the ferret, it¡¯d take a while to catch it; if she wanted to cut through the jungle in a reasonable amount of time, she¡¯d have to resort to her secret weapon. She placed her hand into her pocket and pulled out a piece of candy. She crinkled its wrapper, and as expected, Raindu hesitated, its little ears perking up.

    ¡°Candy,¡± Wendy said in what she thought was a singsong voice. ¡°There¡¯s some candy for you, Raindu.¡±

    A shiver ran down the ferret¡¯s spine, and its little legs kicked at the ground faster, causing Wendy¡¯s expression to darken. Why was it so frightened of her? She was just trying to give it candy! ¡­And drag it into a dangerous forest to see how well it¡¯d hold up in a scrap against monsters, but that was beside the point.

    Sam panted as his pace slowed, his legs feeling like they were weighed down by bricks as he ran. The ground was uneven; why was it so difficult to raise his thighs? His sides burned, and his trot gradually reduced in speed until it turned into a walk. At that point, Raindu and Wendy were long gone. Sam took in a deep breath through his nose and forced himself to stand in an upright position. What kind of talent ran away from its master? An artificial one, evidently. Sam looked around before reaching into his pocket where his cellphone ¡­ should¡¯ve been. Did Raindu steal it from him when he wasn¡¯t paying attention? Sam shuddered as a cold breeze blew over him, coming from the direction of the spectral jungle. What was he supposed to do now?

 Chapter 6

    Sam recalled what he had been told when he was younger. If he ever got lost, he had to stay in place, so if a search party came to look for him, they¡¯d find him more easily. Of course, as he got older, when it became less and less certain he¡¯d develop a talent, the advice didn¡¯t really apply to him anymore. Who would search for a lost talentless? An individual who could only contribute to society the value of less than an automated machine, no one would care if they vanished. Some people would even be happier, elated they could finally be free of the burden they were raising.

    Sam looked around. The ominous forest was only a few meters away, gradually transition from sparsely vegetated wasteland to creepy jungle with an overabundance of spiders and their webs. Should he wait here for Wendy and Raindu to return? He was an awakener now; he had value. Monarch would send a party to search for him. If he waited here, Wendy would definitely return.

    Sam exhaled and found a nearby rock to sit on. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to avoid running, a painful exercise that hurt his sides; he was being practical. While he caught his breath, he checked his pockets. He didn¡¯t have many belongings, but what little he did have¡ªhis phone and wallet¡ªwere gone. The ferret had sticky toes, and whatever it touched would be taken away. Even his emergency food supply, a few nuts and seeds Sam kept in a small pouch on the inside of his pants, was gone. A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth as he looked up at the cloud-covered sky. On the bright side, Raindu hadn¡¯t stolen the new clothes Sam was wearing.

    A cold chill washed over Sam, coming from the spectral jungle. He brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his shins, keeping himself warm. When he exhaled, his breath could be seen in the cold air. Laughter filled the area, and Sam whipped his head around to the side, looking in the direction the sound had come from. Goosebumps rose on his flesh as he remained still, keeping his eyes wide open.

    The laughter rang out again from the other side, and Sam got off his rock, standing upright. He crouched down and picked up a nearby stone, keeping his gaze on the creepy jungle. A tall, slender figure came into view, its features obscured by the shadows cast by the tall canopy. Even though it was partially hidden, Sam could still make out the massive smile on the figure¡¯s face. It was unnatural, the figure¡¯s jaw stretching open like a pelican¡¯s beak. The figure¡¯s eyes were glowing red and curved into crescents. A long, pale arm stretched out of the forest, reaching towards Sam. The arm had more than one elbow, allowing it to bend and twist like the roots of a tree as its fingers clenched and unclenched.

    Sam took a step back and swallowed, holding up his stone. ¡°Stop!¡± he shouted. ¡°I have a weapon!¡±

    The figure¡¯s arm stopped moving, allowing Sam to get a good look at it. Its skin was torn and stretched, patches of white fur sticking out from underneath. The figure stepped out from underneath the tree¡¯s shadow, revealing a human face with wolf-like features. Sam¡¯s brow furrowed. That description wasn¡¯t quite right. It was more like a humanoid wolf was wearing someone¡¯s face as a mask. Sam swallowed and took a step back, keeping his rock-wielding hand trained on the lanky figure.

    The lanky creature staggered out of the spectral jungle, landing on all fours¡ªunnaturally long fours. With a single leap, it landed in front of Sam. The human skin around its mouth split apart as it opened its jaw, the skin on its chin falling downwards towards its chest but still attached to its neck by a few strands. Its yellow and black teeth dripping with saliva were disgusting, but they weren¡¯t as gross as the creature¡¯s breath. Sam choked back the urge to vomit as he threw the rock at the creature¡¯s head and turned to run for his life while screaming like a little girl. ¡°Wendy!¡± he shouted without bothering to see if the rock had struck the creature. His voice cracked as he shouted again, ¡°Wendy! Save me!¡±

    Hideous cackling and the sounds of snapping twigs chased after Sam as he sprinted for his life. If he knew how much stamina was required to become a successful awakener, perhaps he would¡¯ve dedicated more of his time to jogging. Unfortunately, he was out of shape, and he didn¡¯t get very far before sharp claws dug into his shoulders, drawing blood as they pierced his flesh and scraped his bones. If Sam hadn¡¯t gone through the process of becoming an artificial awakener, the creature¡¯s grip would¡¯ve been the most painful thing he experienced.

    Sam shrugged his shoulder, his skin and flesh lacerated by the creature¡¯s claws as he freed himself. He whirled his head around just in time to see the insides of the creature¡¯s gaping mouth, rows of sharp teeth filling its upper and lower jaws like a shark. Sam¡¯s eyes widened, and he reflexively slapped the creature¡¯s face, snapping its head to the side. The creature blinked several times before taking a step back, touching its cheek in a humane manner as it eyed Sam. As if it had seen a ghost, the creature retreated and bounded away, its long limbs acting like springs.

    A few seconds later, footsteps rang out from the wasteland. Birds chirped, and the faint buzz of insects filled the air. Sam hadn¡¯t noticed it earlier, but it had been eerily quiet when the long-limbed creature had made its approach.

    ¡°Sam!¡± a familiar voice said, causing Sam to turn around in a daze. Wendy came into view. She was holding a black ferret by the scruff of its neck. A frown appeared on the disguised woman¡¯s face. ¡°What happened to your arm?¡±

    ¡°This thing grabbed me,¡± Sam said, wincing as the adrenaline surging through his body wore off. He glanced at his arm and shuddered. It was hard to see the extent of his injuries because of the layers of clothing he was wearing, but there was enough blood pouring out of it to coat his shoulder red. ¡°It looked like a wolf, but its limbs were long, and it was wearing human skin like a person wears clothes.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Wendy said and nodded. ¡°That explains why we couldn¡¯t find you for so long.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Sam asked. ¡°You know what that thing was?¡± A frown appeared on his face as he looked up at the sky. Even though clouds shrouded the sun from view, he could still tell the sun had traveled quite a distance; it wouldn¡¯t be long before sunset.

    ¡°A skintaker,¡± Wendy said. ¡°They ambush their prey, trapping them in a region of enclosed time. They love the taste of human flesh, but they enjoy making clothes out of human skin more.¡± The disguised woman looked around. ¡°What happened to it?¡±

    ¡°I slapped it across the face,¡± Sam said, looking at his hand. ¡°It didn¡¯t seem injured, but it ran away.¡±

    Wendy frowned. ¡°You slapped it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said, lowering his hand and meeting Wendy¡¯s gaze. ¡°Was I not supposed to do that?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just surprised,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Skintakers have a strong fear effect. It¡¯s impressive you were even able to move.¡± She frowned as she scanned Sam from head to toe. ¡°I can¡¯t tell whether you¡¯re cowardly or brave.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment,¡± Sam said and focused his attention on his shoulder. Raindu wriggled out of Wendy¡¯s grasp and ran up Sam¡¯s body before inspecting his wounds. Sam¡¯s expression darkened as the ferret spat on its front paw and smeared its saliva into Sam¡¯s injury. Sam looked at Wendy. ¡°Was he difficult to catch?¡±

    ¡°It only took several hours of chasing,¡± Wendy said with a neutral expression.

    Sam glanced at Raindu, who was perched on his shoulder. ¡°Nice try, buddy,¡± he said. A chill washed over him, and he turned his head to meet with Wendy¡¯s glare. He flinched. ¡°I mean, uh, don¡¯t do that again. I know you want to run away from this jungle because I want to run away too, but we can¡¯t.¡±

    Raindu¡¯s head tilted to the side, and Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure how to answer the ferret¡¯s unasked question: why were they here? The brain-melting device was no longer in Sam¡¯s head, but Wendy had vaguely threatened the health of his younger brother. Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he thought back to the cute¡ªin Sam¡¯s opinion¡ªkid who still admired and looked up to him even though he was seventeen without a talent. When Sam had turned eighteen, his parents kicked him out, leaving him to fend for himself; he never saw his younger brother again.

    Sam glanced at Wendy, who was still glaring at him, and he nodded at Raindu. ¡°You see, we¡¯re still here because neither of us can run away from her.¡±

    Raindu turned towards Wendy and held out its furry front paw, angling it downwards to point a single toe at the ground while chattering. A wry smile appeared on Sam¡¯s lips. ¡°He says you¡¯re awesome,¡± Sam said to Wendy, the woman unconvinced. ¡°So¡­, shall we cross through this deadly jungle to go on a suicide mission in Reptile Land?¡± He turned towards the spectral jungle. The shadows within seemed to move and swirl especially around his peripheral vision. ¡°You¡¯ve crossed through the jungle before, right?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Wendy said, causing Sam to stiffen. ¡°I¡¯ve never been here, but I¡¯ve read reports about it.¡± She narrowed her eyes at the jungle ahead. ¡°The experience is close enough, right?¡±

    How could reading about something possibly be the same as experiencing something? Sam furrowed his brow. ¡°So, you know how to get us through?¡±

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    ¡°Of course,¡± Wendy said, keeping an eye on Raindu in case the ferret decided to bolt again. ¡°The apex predator within the spectral jungle is the giant dragonfly. They¡¯re capable of flying up to one hundred sixty miles an hour. We¡¯ll catch one and ride it to Et Serpentium.¡±

    Sam turned his head towards Raindu. ¡°Can you run one hundred sixty miles an hour?¡± he asked the small creature. The ferret shook its head. ¡°Yeah.¡± Sam nodded. ¡°Neither can I, buddy.¡± He frowned at Wendy. ¡°I¡¯ve never caught a dragonfly before, so I hope your plan isn¡¯t reliant on me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Wendy said, giving Sam a faint smile. ¡°There¡¯s a first time for everything.¡±

    A shiver ran down Sam¡¯s spine. Wendy¡¯s smile didn¡¯t seem like a friendly one. It felt like she was laughing at what might happen in the future. ¡°These are massive dragonflies, right?¡± he asked. ¡°If they¡¯re large enough for both of us to ride one, wouldn¡¯t that also mean we¡¯re small enough to be their prey?¡± The disguised woman had said the giant dragonflies were the apex predators. What did apex mean? It meant even those skintakers were the dragonflies¡¯ prey.

    ¡°Giant dragonflies have eaten humans before, yes,¡± Wendy said. ¡°It¡¯s well-documented.¡± She crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°You wanted to be an awakener. Awakeners risk their lives every time they step out of the city. If you¡¯re afraid of the responsibilities that come with being an awakener, you should¡¯ve stayed as a talentless.¡±

    Sam frowned. ¡°Do all awakeners cross through the spectral jungle to steal something from the reptilians?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Wendy said, ¡°but they accomplish tasks just as dangerous.¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°James and Tamara are risking their lives at this very moment. If we¡¯re not there to meet them when the time comes, wouldn¡¯t they have done everything in vain?¡±

    Sam pursed his lips. As someone who had been thrown away by his family, he really didn¡¯t like leaving people hanging. If he didn¡¯t show up to steal the GMC after James and Tamara made the proper preparations, what would they think about him? They¡¯d never want to work with him again, and maybe Monarch would do something horrible to his younger brother. ¡°But ¡­ we don¡¯t have to steal this GMC, right? What does it even do?¡±

    Wendy narrowed her eyes at Sam before exhaling through her nose. ¡°The reptilians control the graylings,¡± she said. ¡°They do it through the Gray Master Core. If we steal the core, the reptilians will lose control of the graylings, and how do you think the enslaved graylings feel about their oppressors?¡±

    ¡°Not very good?¡± Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Your vocabulary needs some work,¡± Wendy said, ¡°but yes. They¡¯ll revolt, and when two factions fight, it¡¯s the third faction, us humans, who benefits the most.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the GMC be under tight security?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s inside a megalithic structure as large as a city buried underneath the ground filled to the brim with armed guards,¡± Wendy said. She stepped towards the spectral jungle. ¡°We¡¯ve lost a lot of time already thanks to your encounter with the skintaker. If we don¡¯t set out soon, we¡¯ll be late.¡±

    Sam glanced at Raindu, who was still sitting on Sam¡¯s injured shoulder. It was probably his imagination, but the ferret seemed a bit plumper than before as if it had eaten an abnormal number of lollipops in the past few hours. ¡°Before we go,¡± Sam said, chasing after Wendy. ¡°Do you think you can do something about my shoulder?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a healer, sorry,¡± Wendy said, not sounding very apologetic as she pushed past a large fern plant, the leaves flinging backwards to strike Sam as he followed after her. She stopped and pulled a first-aid kit out of her bag before offering it to Sam. ¡°You can use this though.¡±

    Sam stared at the first-aid kit in his hands. He raised his head, wanting to ask Wendy why she hadn¡¯t handed it over to him before they entered the creepy jungle, but the disguised woman was already moving ahead. Why was she always moving? It was like she was being chased by ghosts and couldn¡¯t remain in the same place for more than a few seconds at a time. Sam let out a sigh as he chased after the disguised woman. He¡¯d rather be injured and unpatched up than alone. Well, even if he lost Wendy, technically, he wouldn¡¯t be alone. Sam turned his head towards Raindu. ¡°Can I have my phone and wallet back?¡±

    The ferret blinked at Sam with its beady mahogany eyes. Then, it shook its head before diving into his shirt collar, causing Sam¡¯s expression to darken. Before it had left, Sam had got a clear message from the ferret¡¯s vibe. If Sam was responsible for holding those items, he would lose them, so it was better for Raindu to hold onto everything instead. Sam looked down into his shirt. ¡°Where the heck do you even store things?¡±

    Raindu blinked up at Sam before shrugging.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Sam asked. ¡°How can you not know?¡± He looked up to make sure he was still hot on Wendy¡¯s tail.

    Raindu grumbled.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Sam said and blinked. ¡°You raise a good point.¡± He went past a tree, and Wendy¡¯s arm shoved against his chest, knocking him off his feet. He fell onto his butt, and a second later, a massive figure flitted past him, leaving a path of destroyed branches and ferns in its wake. Sam¡¯s eyes widened as the figure came to a halt; it was a giant dragonfly. Its body was so long and fat that it was drooping from its own weight, its wings in a desperate struggle against gravity to keep the bug afloat. For something so jiggly and wobbly, it had no right flying at one hundred sixty miles an hour, but it didn¡¯t care what Sam thought. Its compound eyes grew in size as the creature accelerated towards Sam, and he let out a shriek while raising his hands up to cover his face.

    A loud stomp echoed through the jungle, and Sam lowered his hands as a shadow covered his vision. Wendy was standing over him with her fist extended, her legs in a horse stance. Her hand was small compared to the giant insect head it was pressed against. Wendy grunted and jerked her waist forward while swinging her arm, punching the insect¡¯s head right off its body. Sam¡¯s eyes widened as bug guts spurted out of the dragonfly¡¯s torso as it dropped to the ground, the greenish liquid splashing over his entire body, including his face and open mouth. A salty iron taste washed over his tongue, and Sam gagged, turning his torso to the side while scrambling to get off the ground.

    Chattering sounds came from inside Sam¡¯s shirt, and a slimy ferret crawled out, shaking itself off, flinging sticky liquid in every direction. Sam spat and wiped at his face before looking towards Wendy, who was standing over the dead bug¡¯s headless corpse. He looked down at himself before turning to look at the dragonfly¡¯s caved-in head off in the distance. He might¡¯ve been covered in bug guts, but at least he wasn¡¯t dead. A grin appeared on his face as he turned towards Wendy. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said, taking a step towards her. ¡°You saved me.¡±

    ¡°Stay back,¡± Wendy said, shooting Sam a look of blatant disgust. She glared at Raindu, who was standing by Sam¡¯s feet. ¡°Both of you.¡± She turned back towards the dragonfly corpse on the ground, inspecting its wings, legs, and body.

    Sam and Raindu looked at each other. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have stolen anything that could clean us, did you?¡± Sam asked the ferret. ¡°You won¡¯t get in trouble, full amnesty.¡±

    The ferret tilted its head before its paw reached into its fur near its chest. Then, it pulled out a full-sized vacuum cleaner, the device toppling over a second later, falling into the puddle of dragonfly guts.

    Wendy turned her head towards the sound. Her gaze landed on the vacuum cleaner. It was much larger than the ferret, the handle almost reaching up to Sam¡¯s ribs. ¡°Where did he get that?¡± she asked, her gaze landing on the cable attached to the machine. ¡°And did he steal a generator too?¡±

    Raindu tilted its head, evidently not sure what a generator was. It climbed up Sam¡¯s body and pointed at the vacuum cleaner, causing a wry smile to appear on Sam¡¯s lips. ¡°We need electricity to run those,¡± he said. ¡°They don¡¯t work without power.¡±

    The black ferret scratched its head before shrugging. It chattered at Sam, and he nodded.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll just be dirty.¡± He looked at his shoulder which still hadn¡¯t been bandaged. ¡°I hope this doesn¡¯t get infected.¡±

    Raindu dug at Sam¡¯s shoulder, and bits of black goop materialized in its paws. The ferret flung them away as it dug, excavating a small pile of gunk from Sam¡¯s shoulder without causing him pain. After it was done, Raindu stood on its hindlegs and puffed its chest out.

    ¡°Your pet knows a lot of tricks, huh?¡± Wendy asked, raising an eyebrow at Raindu. ¡°I think you¡¯d be more useful as a porter or a surgeon than a combatant.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure if that was supposed to be a compliment or not, but Raindu shook its front paw at Wendy, the ferret clearly taking her comment as an insult.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Wendy asked, raising an eyebrow. She usually didn¡¯t understand the ferret¡¯s gestures, but she understood this one. ¡°You think you can fight?¡±

    Raindu bobbed its furry head up and down.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Wendy said, crossing her arms over her chest. She kicked the dragonfly corpse by her side, striking the edge of its wing. ¡°The next time one of these ambushes us, I¡¯m leaving it up to you to protect us.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Sam said, but before he could say anything else, Raindu straightened its posture and thumped its furry chest while chattering at Wendy.

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed, and he turned to look at the ferret covered in goop stepping on his new clothes¡ªwhich were also covered in goop, but that was beside the point. ¡°Are you sure you can protect us?¡± he asked, looking down at the dragonfly¡¯s head. It had two sickle-like appendages attached to its face, and Sam was pretty sure each one was large enough to rip a fatal wound through his body. He raised his head to observe Raindu¡¯s expression, but all he saw was one large bead of sweat roll down the ferret¡¯s back. Raindu noticed Sam looking, and it chattered, stuttering as it did so.

    ¡°Wendy,¡± Sam said. ¡°If a giant dragonfly ambushes us, how about you protect us still?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Wendy said while turning around. ¡°Your ferret was confident.¡± She stepped over a large, fallen log, half her body disappearing from view.

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened, and he scrambled up the log¡ªmuch less gracefully than Wendy. ¡°Please,¡± he said. ¡°Raindu was bluffing.¡±

    A sharp pain struck the back of Sam¡¯s head, and he whirled his neck around to look at the culprit. Raindu shook a closed paw at him and growled. Sam glared back at the ferret. The small creature claimed it was his partner, and he should always back it up in public. In that case, why did it run away and abandon him when they were about to enter the jungle? The ferret brought its fist up to its mouth and cleared its throat while looking away from Sam.

    ¡°Look, buddy,¡± Sam whispered. ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, there¡¯s no shame in admitting it. Let¡¯s preserve our lives, okay?¡±

    Raindu¡¯s snout wrinkled as he bared his front teeth.

    Sam swallowed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, but fine,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you.¡± Was he really putting his life in the hands of a prideful ferret? The ferret hadn¡¯t even reacted when the first dragonfly attacked.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s settled then,¡± Wendy said, turning her head to look at Sam. ¡°It¡¯s up to you and your ferret to defend yourselves.¡± She flashed a smile at Sam, and she vanished.

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait!¡± he shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t know which way to go!¡±

    Silence fell throughout the jungle, and Sam gulped before turning to look at Raindu. ¡°Do you know which way to go?¡±

    The ferret bobbed its head up and down before pointing in the direction they had come from. Raindu¡¯s message was clear: let¡¯s get the heck out of here.

 Chapter 7

    Unfortunately for Sam, before he could listen to Raindu¡¯s advice and flee the spectral jungle, Wendy¡ªsill invisible¡ªgrabbed his arm and tugged him. ¡°This way,¡± she said, her voice a bit disconcerting since it seemingly came out of midair. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter which way you go. We¡¯ll make it to our destination as long as we capture one of these dragonflies. Feel free to explore the spectral jungle; even if it¡¯s dangerous, there are some awakeners who come here to make money.¡±

    The sensation on Sam¡¯s arm disappeared as Wendy released him. Sam looked at the ferret standing on his shoulder. ¡°Alright, buddy,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m counting on your combat skills to save us. I trust you.¡± After all, what else could he do? It wasn¡¯t like he could react to those giant dragonflies zooming in out of nowhere.

    The side of Sam¡¯s head stung as Raindu swiped at his ear. The ferret jabbed a claw at him, and Sam furrowed his brow. The ferret told him to never doubt himself so easily, but wasn¡¯t it true? He was just¡ª

    Raindu swiped Sam¡¯s ear again, interrupting his thoughts. Wrinkles appeared on Sam¡¯s forehead as his eyebrows scrunched together. His eyes widened. ¡°Are you reading my mind!?¡± he whispered.

    Raindu puffed its chest out, crossed its arms over its chest, and nodded, proud as all heck of its invasion of Sam¡¯s mental privacy. Sam froze, a chill running down his spine as he recalled words Wendy once told him. ¡°Can you read other people¡¯s minds?¡±

    Raindu shook its head.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said and exhaled. Since the ferret was already reading his mind, he might as well try communicating with it through his mind only. Wendy had told him the benefits of keeping his mouth shut after all. Since Raindu could read his mind, couldn¡¯t he read Raindu¡¯s mind?

    The ferret looked at him with a stare that said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯ve been doing?¡±

    Brushing sounds caught Sam¡¯s attention, and he turned his head to the side. His eyes widened as he spotted several¡ªthankfully smaller¡ªbugs swarming towards the giant dragonfly¡¯s corpse. There were ants, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, flies, and other insects he couldn¡¯t put a name to. A centipede as thick as his thigh crawled over his foot, and he froze in fear as its legs passed over him one by one before its head turned towards him as if the insect had just realized Sam was covered in delicious¡ªto insects and some population of humanity¡ªand nutritious fluids.

    The centipede chomped down on Sam¡¯s shin, and his eyes widened as he flailed his leg and screamed, sprinting away from the dragonfly corpse, not caring about which direction he was going. Pain shot up his leg as the centipede¡¯s venom worked its way into his calf, and he let out a shriek as he stomped down on the centipede¡¯s head. Like a balloon, it burst, but the centipede¡¯s mandibles remained firmly lodged in his leg. Sam didn¡¯t let those pesky sharp things slow him down however, thanks to the power of adrenaline. After escaping what he thought was a reasonable distance away, he came to a halt and placed his hands on his knees, panting for breath as he hunched his body over.

    Raindu crawled out of Sam¡¯s shirt, where the ferret had hidden after the swarm of insects showed up, and crawled down to Sam¡¯s leg. A dark expression appeared on Sam¡¯s face as he ripped the mandibles out of his shin, wincing as he did so. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to protect me?¡±

    Raindu chattered as it touched Sam¡¯s calf repeatedly with both its front paws, digging out the centipede venom without damaging the skin or muscles in the way.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice you can remove venom from my body,¡± Sam said, ¡°but why didn¡¯t you protect me? Didn¡¯t you say you were going to?¡±

    Raindu stopped digging and stood on its hindlegs, raising its front paw over its head and spreading them apart. It chattered and flapped its outstretched arms, and Sam¡¯s expression darkened. Sure, the ferret had promised to protect him from giant dragonflies, but it had never mentioned anything about protecting him from anything else. Besides, didn¡¯t he get rid of the centipede just fine on his own?

    Sam glanced down at his leg. Queen Annabeth had said Raindu would protect Sam as it had protected her, but why did that not seem to be the case?

    Raindu stood akimbo and glared at Sam. It dug venom and other gross things out of Sam¡¯s body to prevent him from getting sick. Didn¡¯t that count as protection? Raindu chattered. Besides, wouldn¡¯t too much protection inevitably harm Sam? All birds had to leave the nest someday; a little bit of pain, suffering, and candy would help Sam grow big and strong.

    Sam exhaled and swiped at his clothes, flinging as much gunk off of it as he could. Raindu was right. Sam might¡¯ve summoned the creature with his talent, but he couldn¡¯t rely on his talent for everything. From what he had experienced so far, there was more to an awakener than just their talent. He had always wanted the strength to stand up for himself, and now that he was given the chance to obtain it, was he going to hide behind a ferret and blame it for his own inadequacies?

    Faint crashing sounds drew Sam¡¯s attention, and Raindu climbed onto Sam¡¯s body, making its way to his shoulder. The drone of the insects swarming their way to the dragonfly corpse was quite loud; for them to hear the crashing in the distance, the sounds must¡¯ve been tremendous. Raindu chattered, and Sam¡¯s eyes widened as he dropped to the ground, curling up into a ball. According to a ferret, a giant dragonfly was approaching, and this posture was the only way for him to save himself.

    The crashing grew louder until it sounded like peals of thunder. Sam wondered why he hadn¡¯t heard the first giant dragonfly approaching since they were so goddamn noisy. From his position on the ground, he rolled over and angled himself to get a better look at the sky. His eyes widened as he saw dozens of dragonflies approaching from the gap within the canopy. The webs covering the branches were numerous, but if all those approaching dragonflies dove down here, there was no way the webs would hold them all back. Why were there so many!? Maybe they were there to seek revenge for their fallen fellow dragonfly? Honestly, Sam didn¡¯t care why they were there; the important thing was whether or not Raindu could protect him.

    Raindu gulped as it stared at the approaching dragonflies, the bugs growing larger with every passing second. The furry creature exhaled upon seeing the dragonflies¡¯ flight paths curve towards the region where the previous giant dragonfly had been slain. With all the insects coming out to feast on its corpse, the other dragonflies had a buffet of various bugs to sate themselves. However, one of the dragonflies spotted Raindu and Sam, the insect veering off from the group, flying directly at the ferret and balled-up human.

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened, and he forced himself to stare at the approaching apex predator despite every cell in his body screaming at him to close his eyes and cover himself with a blanket¡ªone he didn¡¯t have. As the giant dragonfly¡¯s face came closer and closer, its red, compound eyes grew larger and larger in Sam¡¯s vision. Sam gulped as Raindu dropped onto all fours and tensed its legs. The ferret growled and leapt off of Sam¡¯s body. It scampered up a tree, weaved its way through the webs hanging from the leaves and branches, and intercepted the giant dragonfly in midair, pressing its front paws against the insect¡¯s left mandible.

    Sam¡¯s eyes lit up, but they dimmed the next instant as Raindu was buffeted away by the wind generated by the giant dragonfly, the ferret disappearing from Sam¡¯s view. The insect ignored Raindu and continued flying towards Sam like a bull charging a red cape. Sam screamed and leapt forward, sprinting like a wild animal escaping a forest fire. He didn¡¯t get very far before the dragonfly came crashing into the ground, shaking the earth and creating a crater where he had been seconds ago. The shockwave knocked Sam off his feet, sending him flying through the air. For some reason, it felt like he was flying for an abnormally long amount of time as if someone was holding his waist. His brow furrowed and the ground accelerated towards his face, an electric sensation hitting his brain when his nose struck the moist jungle floor.

    Sam yelped and pushed himself off the ground, bits of mold and green stuff clinging to the sticky goop on his clothes as he did. He looked behind himself at the giant dragonfly. It wasn¡¯t moving. Clearly, something had happened to it. What kind of apex predator flew into the ground and broke its own neck while hunting prey?

    Pattering sounds entered Sam¡¯s ears as Raindu made its way back from wherever it had been flung. There were a few cobwebs stuck to its body as if it were a poorly decorated mummy. The black ferret stood on its hindlegs and puffed its chest out while retrieving a purple sphere from its fur. The sphere wasn¡¯t perfect: it was dimpled and squishy.

    ¡°What¡¯s it saying?¡± Wendy asked, her voice appearing out of nowhere, causing Sam to flinch.

    Sam looked around before giving up on locating the invisible woman. ¡°Raindu said he defeated the giant dragonfly by stealing its heart,¡± Sam said, glancing at the giant dragonfly within the crater. Its head was barely attached, the impact having shattered its neck¡ªif bugs even had necks, Sam wasn¡¯t sure.

    Raindu tossed the purple sphere to the side and climbed up Sam¡¯s clothes before kicking the grime and mold off his shoulder to make a semi-clean space for its furry butt to sit. Before the purple sphere could hit the ground, it floated in the air before vanishing.

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    ¡°Raindu can remove the organs of living creatures simply by touching them?¡± Wendy asked.

    Sam turned to look at Raindu. The ferret crossed its front legs over its chest. Sam turned towards the direction Wendy¡¯s voice had come from. ¡°Of course. Everything in the world belongs to him, even organs.¡±

    ¡°I guess your talent isn¡¯t S-minus for no reason,¡± Wendy said, materializing beside Sam, a little offset from where he was looking. She glanced at the crater. ¡°Raindu¡¯s not very good at the protecting part though. If you were even just a little bit slower, you would¡¯ve turned into a meat paste.¡±

    The ferret turned its head to the side as Sam turned to look at it, the ferret ignoring Wendy¡¯s comment while looking up at the sky. It pointed with its front paw before gesturing.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Sam said. ¡°Let¡¯s get the heck out of here.¡± If insects were attracted to the death of a giant dragonfly, then even more insects would be attracted to the deaths of two giant dragonflies. He didn¡¯t know how the hungry insects knew¡ªmaybe it was the smell¡ªand he didn¡¯t care either. Sam turned away from the crater, took a step forward, and was immediately stopped by Wendy, who grabbed his arm.

    ¡°Rather than escaping, why don¡¯t you test Raindu¡¯s ability to defeat a swarm of insects?¡± she asked.

    The ferret¡¯s head rapidly shook back and forth. It chattered and stamped its hindlegs while gesturing towards the incoming insects in the distance while snarling.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t like touching bugs,¡± Sam said. ¡°They¡¯re gross.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Wendy nodded. ¡°I was under the assumption ferrets ate bugs, but you must¡¯ve spoiled him with too many pieces of candy.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened at the words said by the woman who kept candy in her pocket. Then, his stomach growled. The last time he ate was before they set out to the train station. He was used to going hungry, but he wasn¡¯t used to running for his life from giant insects; the action must¡¯ve taken up a lot of his energy reserves.

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of protein right there,¡± Wendy said, pointing at the dead dragonfly. ¡°Cut out a slab of it and have Raindu store it in his magical fur. We can cook it like steak later.¡±

    Raindu made a face.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to protect me?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Imagine how much harder it¡¯ll be to keep me safe if I don¡¯t have the energy to run by myself.¡±

    Raindu stared at Sam, and Sam winced. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m going to eat bugs. If Wendy says they can be made into steaks, then that¡¯s what I¡¯ll eat.¡±

    Raindu chattered, communicating its intentions with Sam. If Sam didn¡¯t eat the dragonfly meat it was going to store, the ferret wasn¡¯t going to hold things for Sam ever again. Sam¡¯s face cramped as he reluctantly agreed to the ferret¡¯s demand, and Raindu jumped off his shoulder before touching the dragonfly corpse, causing it to vanish. Sam¡¯s eyes bulged as the ferret ran back towards him and made its way up his shoulder.

    ¡°She said to cut out a chunk of it,¡± Sam said to the ferret. ¡°I only agreed to eat a small portion.¡±

    Raindu closed its mahogany eyes and looked away from Sam while crossing its front legs over its chest. Its body twitched as it harrumphed, and it slightly opened one eye to make sure Sam was still watching it.

    Wendy stared at Raindu and Sam. She narrowed her eyes and brought her hand up to her chin, causing Sam to turn towards her. He frowned at her expression. ¡°What are you thinking about doing to me now?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Wendy said and blinked. ¡°You make it sound like I only cause terrible things to happen to you.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I was just wondering who was the actual individual I needed to negotiate with to get things done. I¡¯m starting to think Raindu is the boss, and you¡¯re just his underling.¡±

    Raindu nodded its furry head while Sam pursed his lips. It was true. Compared to him, Raindu was so much more amazing: the ferret could steal safely guarded possessions; it could disable or kill things by touching them, and it could store what seemed like an endless amount of stuff in some unknown space. Sam turned towards Wendy. ¡°You said Raindu was an impressive weapon, right?¡± he asked. ¡°What could the queen, err, Her Majesty do with it?¡±

    ¡°She could manifest a domain,¡± Wendy said, her expression softening. ¡°In that region, she was the monarch; she could control everything within, turning grass into swords, turning her opponents into straw, shifting the positions of objects at will.¡±

    Sam swallowed. How was someone supposed to defeat an ability like that? ¡°Can she still do it?¡±

    Wendy brought her finger up to her lips. ¡°That¡¯s need-to-know information.¡±

    ¡°My curiosity needs to know,¡± Sam said with a half-smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯ll suffer without it.¡±

    ¡°Then suffer,¡± Wendy said and shrugged. She looked at Raindu and held a metallic object out towards the ferret. ¡°Can you put this inside a giant dragonfly¡¯s brain?¡±

    Raindu grabbed the object before blinking. It held up its paw and spread its five toes outwards.

    ¡°Five pieces of candy?¡± Wendy asked, raising an eyebrow.

    Raindu shook its furry head.

    Wendy blinked and leaned forward. ¡°Fifty?¡± she asked. ¡°Are you serious? You¡¯ll get diabetes.¡±

    Raindu harrumphed and chattered before poking Sam¡¯s cheek. Sam cleared his throat. ¡°He said he¡¯s not stupid enough to eat it all at once.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of impulse control, not intelligence,¡± Wendy said, ¡°but fine. When we return to Monarch, I¡¯ll get you fifty pieces of candy.¡±

    Raindu shook its head before crossing its front legs, tucking the metallic object underneath its leg pit.

    ¡°He¡¯s still upset you broke your deal,¡± Sam said. He elaborated upon seeing Wendy¡¯s blank expression. ¡°On the train, when you tricked him out of three lollipops.¡±

    ¡°How petty,¡± Wendy said, looking Raindu in the eyes. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you fifty-four pieces of candy when we return to Monarch, an extra piece as interest.¡±

    Raindu turned his head to the side and closed his eyes before sticking out its front paw. Wendy turned to look at Sam. ¡°He wants to be paid upfront,¡± Sam said. ¡°He doesn¡¯t trust you.¡± The droning of insects seemed to grow louder, and a shiver ran down Sam¡¯s spine. ¡°Can we move someplace else?¡±

    ¡°With those bug guts on you, I think insects will come after you wherever you go,¡± Wendy said.

    Well, gee, Sam wondered whose fault that was but didn¡¯t say anything out loud to the culprit. He nodded at Wendy. ¡°But still,¡± he said. ¡°You can go invisible, but I can¡¯t, and Raindu already said he was only going to protect me giant dragonflies¡ªnot the other bugs. There are holes in my shoulder and shin, and I¡¯d rather be anywhere but here.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Wendy said. She pointed at the metallic object still in Raindu¡¯s possession. ¡°That¡¯s the controlling device Raindu took from the grayling back on the train. If he puts it inside one of the giant dragonflies, we¡¯ll be able to control it and fly to our destination.¡± The disguised woman faded from view, but her voice continued to ring through the jungle. ¡°I¡¯ll let you freely explore without interfering, but I¡¯ll be nearby.¡±

    Raindu stored the metallic object away before sitting back on Sam¡¯s shoulder. After a second, the ferret swiped at Sam¡¯s cheek. What was he waiting for? The only thing that¡¯d happen from waiting around was encountering more swarming insects. Sam raised his legs and stomped his way through the jungle floor, the terrain slippery with moss and mold. His vision was blurry, either from the loss of blood or from the cobwebs blocking out the sun. As he walked, he thought at the ferret. If they wanted to get out of the spectral jungle, then Raindu needed to stick the controlling device into a giant dragonfly.

    Raindu stared at Sam. But what about the candy?

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. The ferret would already benefit if it put the device into the dragonfly; after all, by doing that, they¡¯d get the heck out of the jungle. Why did the little creature want even more?

    Raindu let out a whining sound. If Sam was a better owner, would Raindu have to work so hard to scrape together a meal for itself? It was only trying to secure the candy because it couldn¡¯t count on Sam to feed it!

    Sam pursed his lips. He had always found it difficult to feed himself, but now he had a second mouth to feed? Well, he was an awakener now, so food shouldn¡¯t be an issue once he started getting paid. ¡­He would be getting paid, right? If he read the contract, maybe he would¡¯ve known. ¡°Wendy, are you there?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy said, her voice seemingly coming from all directions.

    ¡°Do I get a salary or something from Monarch?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re more like an independent contractor,¡± Wendy said. ¡°You accomplish missions for us, and we pay you in contribution points. You can exchange those points for money if that¡¯s what you desire.¡±

    Sam frowned. ¡°How many points am I going to get for completing this mission?¡± he asked as he plodded along. ¡°And how many treats for Raindu can I buy with those points?¡±

    ¡°Five hundred million,¡± Wendy said. ¡°With¡ª¡±

    ¡°Five hundred million!?¡± Sam couldn¡¯t stop himself from interrupting Wendy. ¡°Wait. What¡¯s the points-to-credits exchange ratio?¡±

    ¡°I was just getting to that,¡± Wendy said. Despite her body being invisible and her tone staying the same, Sam could tell she was annoyed. Her vibe had gotten a little chillier. ¡°It¡¯s a one-to-one ratio. With your reward, you¡¯ll be able to buy enough bags of ferret food to last several centuries and the warehouses to store them in with plenty of credits to spare.¡±

    Sam swallowed and turned to look at Raindu. ¡°You heard that, right, buddy?¡± he asked. ¡°All we have to do is accomplish this one mission, then we¡¯re practically set for life. Isn¡¯t that worth trying for?¡±

    Raindu tilted its head before stomping its foot, causing Sam to wince. Raindu was hungry now. What did it care about some vague future? If it didn¡¯t have candy to eat soon, it wouldn¡¯t live long enough¡ªin the ferret¡¯s opinion¡ªto enjoy a warehouse full of treats later!

    Sam sighed and looked around before remembering he couldn¡¯t see Wendy, so he spoke directly in front of himself as he walked. ¡°How about I purchase fifty pieces of candy from you on credit?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Once we accomplish the mission, you can deduct double the candy¡¯s worth from my reward and keep it for yourself.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a vending machine?¡± Wendy asked. This time, the annoyance was audible in her voice too. ¡°Why would I carry that much candy around?¡±

    Sam fell silent. After walking for a bit, he asked, ¡°Can you telepathically call the driver to pick up a few bags of candy for us? We can wait outside the jungle.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to compensate me for my blood loss?¡± Wendy asked.

    Sam blinked. ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± he said. Once he completed the mission, he was going to be a very rich man. He could afford to be generous. ¡°Once the mission is complete, I¡¯ll take you to the best hospital out there. Maybe they¡¯ll figure out how to cure your, err, recurring injury.¡±

    Wendy snorted. ¡°You do realize the best hospital is within Monarch, right?¡± she asked. ¡°They¡¯re already doing what they can for me.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Sam said as he took a large step on top of a fallen log. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll do more if I offer them a huge donation.¡± Sam looked around and frowned. The path ahead was steep, and he really didn¡¯t want to go that way. ¡°Do we have a deal? I don¡¯t want to go any deeper into the jungle than I have to if we¡¯re going to turn back.¡±

    Since Wendy was invisible, Sam couldn¡¯t tell if she was ignoring him or thinking about her response. When he was about to take another step forward, Wendy spoke. ¡°I contacted the driver. Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Sam exhaled and sat down, his body crumpling as he relaxed. ¡°Can I ask for one more favor?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Can you carry me back?¡± Sam¡¯s already-blurry vision became blurrier, and a hint of an orange had appeared too. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to faint.¡± He didn¡¯t have time to hear Wendy¡¯s response before his head pitched forward, his vision turning black.

 Chapter 8

    Sam woke up to the sound of an approaching car. He shivered as he sat up and looked around. It was no wonder why he was feeling so cold. The sun had set, and he was sleeping on the ground for some reason. Paws pattered against his clothes, and a damp ferret foot touched his face. Raindu stood atop Sam¡¯s shoulder, the ferret¡¯s head tilted in concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Sam said. He pulled on his shirt collar to look at his stiff shoulder. Clean bandages were wrapped around his wounds, and there was a similar stiffness in his leg. Sam released his shirt and looked at Raindu. ¡°Did Wendy patch me up? Where is she?¡±

    Raindu pointed, and Sam turned his head to follow the ferret¡¯s toe. Wendy was sitting on a nearby rock. She was bundled up in multiple layers, and it was no wonder why Sam hadn¡¯t seen her earlier. She was hunched over and shaped like a rock, her face barely visible underneath the hood she was wearing. The woman turned towards Sam, evidently having taken off her previous disguise. Her red pupils seemed to shine in the light as she made eye contact with Sam. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± she asked. She tossed a cold, brown chunk of something at him. ¡°Eat.¡±

    Sam caught the object before it hit the ground. It was firm, and it smelled pretty good. ¡°What is this?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Have you already forgotten your deal with your ferret?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°It¡¯s dragonfly meat. I cooked it while you were sleeping.¡±

    Sam stared at the piece of meat that had suddenly lost its fragrance. He glanced at Raindu; the ferret was staring at him with unblinking eyes. A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth as he brought the piece of dragonfly meat up to his mouth and took a bite out of it. He chewed a few times before swallowing. It was dry, but honestly, it tasted better than the mass-produced meals he had to eat as a talentless.

    Raindu¡¯s tail drooped, and somehow, Sam got the sense the ferret was disappointed with his reaction. ¡°What?¡± Sam asked. ¡°You¡¯re upset I can stomach it?¡±

    Raindu grumbled before looking away, crossing its front legs over its chest. Sam ignored the pouting ferret and continued to chomp away at the chunk of dragonfly meat. He looked around as he chewed. The spectral jungle was quite far away, only visible on the horizon. Since they were in the wasteland, they were probably waiting for the driver to deliver the bags of candy necessary to fuel Raindu. Sam whispered to Raindu, ¡°How long was I out?¡±

    Raindu gestured with its front toes.

    ¡°Four hours?¡± Sam asked. ¡°That¡¯s not too bad.¡± They weren¡¯t inside the spectral jungle for long. The driver should¡¯ve still been pretty close when he received Wendy¡¯s telepathic message. Then again, he did lose a bit of time thanks to the skintaker¡¯s attack. Well, even if he had to wait a while, it was better than being inside the spectral jungle. It was bad enough when the sun was out, but now that it was almost pitch-black, the spectral jungle would¡¯ve been a hundred times scarier. Sam turned his head towards Wendy. ¡°Thanks for getting me out of there.¡±

    Wendy grunted in response before fixing the garments she had used to bundle herself. A light flickered in the distance, and Wendy¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± she said without bothering to get up. The lights grew in intensity, and the familiar rumble of a car engine sounded in Sam¡¯s ears. After a minute, a car came to a halt in front of Wendy and Sam. The windows were tinted, making it impossible to see who was behind the wheel.

    The car door opened, and the driver from before stepped out, still wearing a pair of sunglasses despite the lack of sun in the sky. ¡°Hey,¡± he said and waved. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not too late.¡± He walked around to the back of the car and popped open its trunk. He retrieved one massive trash bag and threw it over using both his arms. ¡°There¡¯s enough candy in there to club a baby seal to death.¡±

    Sam blinked and turned his head towards Wendy. ¡°Is that one of Monarch¡¯s well-documented calculations too?¡±

    Wendy snorted. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°That is what happens when nepotism lands someone a job as a driver. They¡¯re not professional.¡±

    Sam blinked again. Now things made sense, why Wendy tolerated the driver¡¯s behavior previously. ¡°I see,¡± Sam said. He waved at the driver who was already getting back inside the car. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± the driver said and closed the door. Without saying anything else, he put the car in reverse, and the engine roared as he got the heck out of there.

    Sam watched for a bit before opening the trash bag. There were bags upon bags of candy within. Honestly, more than one baby seal could be clubbed to death with the amount of candy inside. Sam rummaged through the bag, but he didn¡¯t even get past the top layer before the whole thing vanished, a very smug ferret replacing the bag in Sam¡¯s vision.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Wendy said, turning to look at the ferret. ¡°You were paid. Now, do what you¡¯ve been told.¡±

    Raindu turned its head towards the spectral jungle. Since it was night, only the glinting of the moonlight off the cobwebs in the canopy could be seen. The ferret took one look before shaking its head. It gestured with its paws before turning towards Sam. Sam sighed before saying to Wendy, ¡°He said he needs to get his rest to perform at his best. Since you paid him so well, he obviously has to put in his best effort. He¡¯ll go tomorrow when the sun is out because he¡¯ll be in his optimal state then, and it¡¯s not because he¡¯s afraid of the dark; though, it wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable if he was, which he isn¡¯t.¡±

    Raindu swiped at Sam¡¯s shin and snarled. It wasn¡¯t necessary to include that last statement, was it?

    Wendy nodded. ¡°I wasn¡¯t telling you to put the controlling device in the dragonfly right away,¡± she said. ¡°I was just reminding you of your obligations. Now, get some rest.¡±

    Sam stared at Wendy, who was all bundled up, looking warm and toasty. Then, he looked down at himself. Beyond his clothes, there was the bare, cold, heat-sapping ground. Granted, his clothes were made of Monarch¡¯s specially developed materials, allowing him to stay warm despite the bug guts still layering his body. Sam glanced at Raindu, the ferret sparkling clean. Raindu blinked its beady eyes at Sam and waved. A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth; the ferret cleaned itself, but it had no obligation to clean Sam as well. Sam¡¯s eyes shifted from the ferret, to the ground, and back to Wendy, his brow furrowing.

    ¡°I asked the driver to pick up some camping supplies too,¡± Wendy said. ¡°They were probably in the bag your ferret took.¡±

    Sam stopped trying to come up with a respectful, coherent sentence in his head and exhaled before gesturing out towards the ferret with his palm facing up. Raindu reached into its fur and pulled out a packaged tent, placing it in Sam¡¯s hand and letting go immediately. Sam¡¯s eyes widened as he staggered forward from the weight of the object, grabbing it with his other hand to steady himself. ¡°Rude,¡± Sam said to the ferret before looking down at the bag the tent was compressed in. There were a series of instructions written on it. Sam pursed his lips before sitting down. He placed the bag down behind himself and lay down, using it as a pillow.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Wendy asked, her head turning to look at him. It was impossible to see if her body had moved thanks to the layers she was using to cover herself.

    ¡°Getting some rest,¡± Sam said, his cheeks burning. Yes, he was a little embarrassed, but at the same time, he was right. ¡°By the time I finished setting up this tent, it¡¯d already be day, so I decided to use it as a pillow instead.¡± He continued before giving Wendy a chance to comment. ¡°Are you cold? You seem to be wearing a lot.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m setting a trap for someone,¡± Wendy said. ¡°If they think I¡¯m weak to the cold, they¡¯ll be in for a rude surprise if I¡¯ve been faking it.¡±

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Sam raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you always playing these mind games?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to survive if you aren¡¯t,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Think things you don¡¯t actually mean. Do things you think you won¡¯t. Present your weaknesses as strengths. I¡¯ve warned you of mind readers.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. It wasn¡¯t the bag pillow making him itch. Was someone reading his mind right now? His head was tingly. He turned to the side, making eye contact with Raindu. The ferret shook its head. How would it have time to read his mind when it was busy inspecting its treats? Sam exhaled before staring up at the sky. He had known it before, the sky was full of stars, but this was his first time seeing so many of them at once. Within the city, the light pollution blotted out the sky, hiding the stars from view. Sam yawned, more tired than he expected to be. He stared at the stars until they turned into a blur. Fatigue swept over him, and his eyes shut. After a few seconds, soft snores rang out of his mouth.

    Wendy stared at Sam, and Raindu noticed her gaze. The ferret climbed on top of Sam¡¯s chest and parked itself there, sitting down and curling up. It kept its beady eyes trained on Wendy, ready to defend Sam in case she decided to do anything to him¡ªpretending as if it wouldn¡¯t run away at the first hint of danger.

    ***

    Sam had a long dream, but he didn¡¯t remember what it was about. It felt important though. Clearly, it wasn¡¯t important enough to remember. Sam sat up and looked around, the sun shining in his eyes. The first thing he noticed was the rushing of the wind. The next thing he noticed was the surface underneath his butt. His eyes widened, and he let out a shriek.

    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wendy¡¯s voice asked from behind Sam, barely audible over the relentless thumping sounds caused by the flapping of wings.

    Sam swallowed and looked around again. He must¡¯ve been dreaming, of course. Why else would he be on the back of a giant, drooping dragonfly? Last night, he slept on solid ground; it didn¡¯t make any sense for him to wake up in the sky.

    ¡°While you were sleeping, Raindu got tired of waiting and planted the controlling device inside of this dragonfly¡¯s brain,¡± Wendy said. ¡°It won¡¯t live very long, but it¡¯ll get us to our destination.¡± She stared back at Sam as he presented her with his perfected, blank-stare technique. ¡°You¡¯re a heavy sleeper. Have you been to a doctor recently? It might be a symptom of an undiagnosed medical condition.¡±

    Sam blinked, turning his head to the side where he found Raindu sitting on its rump, snacking on a lollipop. ¡°Did you have a tough time?¡± Sam asked, causing the ferret to shake its head. It turned away from Sam, eating away at its candy. Evidently, the sweet was taking up all its focus. Sam glanced down at the back of the giant dragonfly. There wasn¡¯t much space on it to move around, so he kept still lest he accidentally do something stupid and fall off. He turned his head towards Wendy. ¡°How does this controlling device work? Do graylings and dragonflies have the same kind of brain?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the science behind it,¡± Wendy said. ¡°The engineers tell me how to use it, and that¡¯s good enough for me.¡± She stared at Sam. ¡°Don¡¯t you have difficulty reading?¡±

    Sam pursed his lips. What did his slow reading ability have to do with his curiosity, huh? He shook his head. ¡°So, uh, how safe is this?¡± he asked and gestured at the dragonfly. His voice was being drowned out by the beating of the dragonfly¡¯s wings.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have seatbelts,¡± Wendy said. ¡°But even if you fall, those webs in the canopy will catch you.¡±

    Sam leaned over to take a look at the canopy down below. He instantly regretted it. He didn¡¯t have the chance to find out when he was a talentless, but now, he definitely knew he had a fear of heights. His palms were slick with sweat, and if his socks hadn¡¯t been developed by Monarch¡¯s state-of-the-art technology, they would¡¯ve been damp too. He shuddered and stared at his feet, making sure the insect¡¯s back filled up his whole vision.

    ¡°Hold on tight,¡± Wendy said, causing Sam to furrow his brow. What was he supposed to hold onto? Why did he have to hold on?

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened as a gust of wind buffeted him as the dragonfly¡¯s speed increased. He tumbled over backwards while yelling, but instead of falling off, he collided against something soft: Wendy¡¯s torso. Sam looked up into Wendy¡¯s eyes before looking down at where she was connected to the dragonfly. She was sitting as if she were riding a horse. Wendy stared down at Sam for a bit before raising her head to look ahead once more.

    Sam gulped and scrambled to sit upright, but every time he grabbed the insect¡¯s squishy back, it slipped out of his fingers, the strong winds blowing against him not helping either. No matter how hard or embarrassingly he struggled, he couldn¡¯t support himself without Wendy¡¯s help, not when the insect was traveling this fast. Sam furrowed his brows and stared at Raindu, who was having no problem snacking on a lollipop while remaining in place. The ferret was pressed against the insect¡¯s back, its body streamlined. Raindu noticed Sam looking, and the ferret released one leg to wave at him.

    Sam took in a deep breath and positioned himself like a koala hugging a tree. He crawled up the insect¡¯s body, his eyes lighting up when he actually got a proper grip. Slowly, he shifted his weight from limb to limb, crawling against the wind to eventually reach Raindu¡¯s side. The ferret¡¯s eyes lit up, and it patted Sam¡¯s head before offering him an unwrapped lollipop.

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened, but he took the lollipop anyway. He stuffed it in his mouth and raised an eyebrow. The candy was at the perfect level of sweetness; it was no wonder why Wendy always carried some around with her. His brow furrowed. Were these steroids? No, it couldn¡¯t be, right? He had seen some brand-name candies in the trash bag before Raindu had stored the whole thing away. Monarch didn¡¯t develop candy as far as he knew.

    Sam turned his head towards Wendy. ¡°How are you holding on?¡± he asked. A furrow appeared on his brow as he noticed the stream of blood leaving Wendy¡¯s nose. Thanks to the wind, it blew across her cheek, into her hair, and out behind onto the trees below.

    ¡°After a few weeks of steroids and training, you¡¯ll be fit enough to ride one of these without an issue,¡± Wendy said, acting as if she hadn¡¯t seen Sam struggle to move for the past several minutes. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a cotton ball. Without hesitation, she stuffed it up her nose, the cotton ball never straying from target despite the strong gusts. She frowned and leaned to the left. Not long after, the dragonfly tilted its body. A few sticky white strands flew through the air to the right of the dragonfly, striking where the bug would¡¯ve been if it hadn¡¯t changed course.

    Sam blinked at the sudden ambush. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say dragonflies were the apex predators?¡± he asked. ¡°Why are spiders trying to shoot us down?¡±

    ¡°Maybe we look like an easy target because we¡¯re alone and flying slower than giant dragonflies usually do,¡± Wendy said before shrugging. She leaned over. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if those are even spiders. There¡¯s still a lot of species waiting to be documented. Hold on tighter.¡±

    Wendy¡¯s voice seemed to flow against the wind, her words perfectly clear in his ears. Sam took in a deep breath and hugged the back of the giant dragonfly. It increased its speed, accelerating forward, the dragonfly¡¯s massive body jiggling and wiggling as it strained its wings. The vibrations from the dragonfly¡¯s back caused Sam¡¯s insides to churn, but a chilling sensation surged out from near his crotch and enveloped his body, masking the vibrations as if it were absorbing them. As he held on, the chilling sensation¡¯s pulse replaced the vibrations, condensing them into itself. Sam¡¯s nausea subsided, and gripping the dragonfly felt easier than before as if the chilling pulsation was sending strength to his fatigued limbs.

    Raindu chattered from up ahead, and a lollipop slid across the dragonfly¡¯s back from the ferret¡¯s paw to Sam¡¯s face. It struck his forehead before sliding off. Wendy leaned over to the side and stretched out her arm, catching the piece of candy moments before it¡¯d be lost forever.

    ¡°How is it?¡± Wendy asked as she unwrapped the lollipop and stuck it into her mouth. ¡°If you can adapt to riding this, there won¡¯t be many things you¡¯ll have troubling riding in the future.¡±

    Sam blinked before keeping his mouth shut about the chilling sensation. He had a feeling most people, even awakeners, didn¡¯t have root chakras that could convert nausea-inducing movements into a feeling of stability and strength. It most likely had something to do with Raindu, and as Wendy had said, it was better to keep his talents a secret. Then again, maybe this was normal? Whatever the case, Sam knew he needed more information related to chakras. ¡°I¡¯m hanging in there,¡± Sam said, unsure if Wendy could hear his voice over the rushing of the wind. ¡°How much longer do we have to go?¡±

    ¡°Over twenty-four hours,¡± Wendy said, ¡°not including the breaks we¡¯re going to take.¡±

    Sam swallowed back his words. Over twenty-four hours of hugging a giant dragonfly? At least it sounded like there¡¯d be meal and bathroom breaks, but still, even with the chilling pulsation coming from his root chakra, it wasn¡¯t comfortable. If he slipped, he¡¯d have to rely on Raindu or Wendy to save him from plummeting into the spectral jungle. Sam let out a sigh. ¡°Gee, sounds like fun.¡±

    ¡°At least you¡¯re not driving,¡± Wendy said.

    Sam glanced at Wendy and her bloody nose. ¡°Are you going to be alright?¡±

    Wendy snorted. ¡°Worry about yourself first,¡± she said. She bit off the candy part of the lollipop and spat the stick over the side of the dragonfly. ¡°Make sure Raindu is obedient by the time we get there. We don¡¯t want him running off and stealing things that¡¯ll alert the reptilians of our plan.¡±

    ¡°You hear that, Raindu?¡± Sam asked, turning to look at the ferret. It was too busy eating candy to listen. Even if the next twenty-four hours weren¡¯t going to be spent on a giant dragonfly¡¯s back, Sam had a feeling he had a tough day ahead.

 Chapter 9

    Sam lay on his back, looking up at the clouds. Even though the dragonfly he was riding on was zooming forward, it still took a while for the individual clouds to leave his vision. The chilling sensation coming from his root chakra continued to pulse, absorbing the nausea-inducing vibrations caused by the dragonfly¡¯s wingbeats and movements. On Sam¡¯s chest, Raindu was sleeping on its back with its belly exposed, its little legs dangling freely in the rushing wind.

    ¡°How long is it going to sleep?¡± Wendy asked, staring down at the ferret. She wanted to poke its belly, but who knew if it¡¯d remove her organs on accident in its sleep? It was safer not to agitate something that could kill her with a simple touch.

    Sam scratched his head. ¡°You¡¯re asking me, but who am I supposed to ask?¡± Sam had brought up the topic of training to the ferret. It blinked at him and yawned before gesturing towards the giant dragonfly they were riding on. The ferret had done so much work while Sam was sleeping, so it was tired, and it needed to rest, so it was going to take a nap. It didn¡¯t say for how long, and it definitely wouldn¡¯t cooperate with training if it was woken up before it got its fill of sleep.

    Wendy stared at the ferret some more before redirecting her gaze onto Sam¡¯s face. ¡°Well, let¡¯s not waste any time,¡± she said. ¡°While Raindu¡¯s asleep, I¡¯ll explain some things you¡¯ll need to know about Et Serpentium, so you¡¯re not surprised when we get there.¡±

    Sam swallowed. He had only heard rumors about Reptile Land while he was a talentless. Et Serpentium was the nation of reptilians, and reptilians were intelligent, man-eating beasts. From the vibe Tamara had given off when he first met her, Sam had a feeling the rumors weren¡¯t wrong.

    ¡°First of all,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Humans aren¡¯t citizens in Et Serpentium; humans are exotic animals.¡± She narrowed her eyes at Sam. ¡°That means reptilians treat humans as pets, food, or entertainment.¡±

    Sam swallowed again before nodding. ¡°Right,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re not going to enter as food, are we?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Wendy said, shaking her head. ¡°Tamara is going to register you as her pet. You¡¯ll have to be perfectly obedient if you don¡¯t want to turn into food.¡± She looked at Raindu. ¡°If Raindu causes trouble, it¡¯ll be Tamara taking responsibility, not you. If it¡¯s discovered she¡¯s a spy working for Monarch, we¡¯re all dead, but she¡¯ll die first.¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Once we reach Reptile Land, we¡¯re going to stick together, right?¡± Wendy had said Sam would be registered as a pet, but she didn¡¯t say anything about herself. If she wasn¡¯t going to be Tamara¡¯s pet, didn¡¯t that mean he was going to be separated from her?

    ¡°What?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°Weren¡¯t you scared of me? Why do you sound like you won¡¯t be able to survive if I¡¯m not there?¡± A smirk appeared on her face for a brief moment before her stony countenance restored itself. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯m entering Et Serpentium under a different identity, but I¡¯ll still be nearby.¡±

    Sam frowned. Wendy was leaving him. Although she was terrifying, at least, she wouldn¡¯t do anything malicious to him while he was still useful. If a reptilian woke up late and skipped its breakfast and happened to see him, he¡¯d be eaten. Sam¡¯s eyes shifted downwards towards the sleeping ferret on his chest. Well, even if Wendy wasn¡¯t there, he¡¯d have Raindu to protect him. The ferret¡¯s nose twitched, and it rolled over. It fell off of Sam¡¯s chest and bounced across the rushing dragonfly¡¯s back before coming to a stop thanks to Wendy¡¯s thigh. The ferret¡¯s eyes opened, and it blinked twice before looking around. Then, it curled up on the spot and closed its eyes once more.

    ¡°Look,¡± Wendy said. ¡°He¡¯s getting lots of rest to be at full power; he¡¯ll definitely keep you safe when the time comes.¡±

    Sam forced himself to laugh. It was weak, and he wasn¡¯t sure if it could be heard over the rushing of the wind. It seemed like no matter how softly he spoke, Wendy was able to hear him perfectly fine. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°What else do I have to know to survive? How am I supposed to get close enough to the GMC to steal it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Wendy said and shrugged. ¡°Tamara will instruct you when it¡¯s time.¡±

    Sam frowned, Monarch and its need-to-know nonsense. ¡°How trustworthy is Tamara?¡± he asked. ¡°Honestly, it felt like her vibe wanted to eat me when I first met her.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s completed many missions for Monarch,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Even still, keep the details of your talent a secret.¡±

    ¡°What if she¡¯s a spy?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Why would a reptilian work with humans to damage the reptilian race?¡±

    ¡°She has her own reasons,¡± Wendy said. ¡°If you get acquainted enough with her, perhaps Tamara will tell you herself.¡±

    ¡°How about you tell me in advance, so I¡¯ll be prepared when she tells me herself?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°If you keep poking your nose into places it doesn¡¯t belong, it might get chopped off unexpectedly one day,¡± Wendy said.

    Sam scratched his neck and turned his head to the side. So, he was curious. Was that a crime? Maybe as a talentless, but he was an awakener now. As an awakener, he¡¯d be exposed to more life-threatening dangers, and what better way to avoid them than to know more about them? It was hard for him to trust Tamara simply because she was working for the same company as him; after all, the reptilian¡¯s vibe showed she wanted to devour him. ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said. ¡°What can you tell me that¡¯ll be helpful for me to know?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± Wendy said, nodding her head. ¡°Monarch has a recommended reading list for new awakeners. It¡¯s pre-downloaded onto your phone. When you have the points, I¡¯d purchase the books on that list.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the books on the list be provided for free?¡±

    ¡°People worked very hard to gather information,¡± Wendy said. ¡°They risked their lives to do it. Why wouldn¡¯t they charge for that information?¡±

    ¡°For the good of humanity?¡± Sam asked, not quite believing in his own answer.

    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Give up your reward for completing this mission, and I¡¯ll get you those books for free. How about it? You¡¯ll be doing humanity a huge favor.¡±

    Sam cleared his throat. ¡°Never mind,¡± he said. ¡°People should be fairly compensated for their labor. Speaking of which, can I get a bonus?¡±

    Wendy stared at Sam with a neutral expression. ¡°Why do you think you deserve a bonus?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Sam said. ¡°We were supposed to travel by train to Et Serpentium, but now, I¡¯m stuck in the air on the back of a giant dragonfly, and it¡¯s hurting my mental and emotional health.¡±

    ¡°Have you forgotten why we aren¡¯t taking the train?¡± Wendy asked and scowled at Sam. ¡°If anyone deserves a bonus, it¡¯s me. All you¡¯ve done is cause trouble.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not me,¡± Sam said and sat up. He instantly regretted that decision when the wind almost knocked him over. He lay back down. ¡°It¡¯s Raindu. I knew you shouldn¡¯t have put so much trust into a newborn ferret, but you crazy people insisted on doing it anyway.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not crazy,¡± Wendy said.

    ¡°Really?¡± Sam asked, lifting his head off the dragonfly¡¯s back to look at Wendy. ¡°What are our chances of completing this mission successfully? Higher or lower than fifty percent?¡±

    Wendy stared Sam in the eyes. ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s lower, much lower,¡± she said. ¡°Humanity is weak. Everything we¡¯ve done to better our standing in this world has been a result of countless failures built upon more failures with very few successes in between. As awakeners fighting at the forefront, we will always be going against the odds.¡±

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    ¡°Right,¡± Sam said. ¡°And only a crazy person would be willing to bet their life on such risky odds.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re here, aren¡¯t you?¡± Wendy asked. She shrugged. ¡°People are free to do with their lives as they please: some trade it away for money, some trade it away to protect people they care about. Just because you can¡¯t understand someone¡¯s reasons for doing things doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re crazy.¡±

    Sam frowned. He was here because of the vague threats Monarch made against his younger brother, and he was also here for the money. Five hundred million could go a very long way, enough for him to risk his life for. ¡°Then, why are you here?¡± he asked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re risking your life because it¡¯s your job.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s confidential,¡± Wendy said. ¡°But I will tell you that there¡¯s something I¡¯m interested in within Et Serpentium.¡±

    ¡°So, you plan on satisfying your personal interest while working to steal the GMC?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be safer to focus on one thing at a time?¡±

    Wendy blinked before pointing at Sam. ¡°What did your list of tasks say?¡±

    ¡°Steal the GMC,¡± Sam said. It was easy to remember because there wasn¡¯t much else.

    ¡°Right,¡± Wendy said, nodding her head. ¡°If you¡¯re stealing the GMC, what am I supposed to do? It¡¯s not like there¡¯s another GMC to steal. My mission was to escort you to Et Serpentium while filling you in on the details. Once we reach Et Serpentium, my personal interest takes priority over the mission; after all, the crucial task of stealing falls on you, not me.¡± She noticed Sam¡¯s ugly expression. ¡°If you want to blame someone, blame the innate talent you received.¡±

    Sam lay his head back down and stared up at the clouds. He did say he¡¯d pay whatever price to receive a good natural talent capable of changing his life when he performed that magic ritual. Now, he was given the chance. If he used his natural talent to complete one dangerous mission, he¡¯d change his life for good. He¡¯d never go hungry again; he¡¯d eat until he was twice his current weight, then buy the necessary equipment to work himself down to a normal size. He¡¯d also enjoy hot showers every day and install heated flooring everywhere in his new place he¡¯d buy with his ginormous stack of credits.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fret too much,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Things will work out. You¡¯re an awakener now. If you think negative thoughts, the more you think about them, the higher the chance they¡¯ll come true. It¡¯s similar to manifesting your intent.¡±

    Sam blinked. Was Wendy concerned about him? He wasn¡¯t thinking negative thoughts, but now, he wondered if he should¡¯ve been, feeling a little guilty like a kid playing games before completing their homework. He thought a bit about Wendy¡¯s words before asking, ¡°Does it work the other way around too? If I think positive thoughts, will they come true?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Hard work and effort will usually help you achieve your goals.¡±

    Sam had a feeling those two weren¡¯t exactly the same thing as manifesting something by thinking positive thoughts, but the concepts did feel similar¡­? He wasn¡¯t sure, but once he got that reading list, maybe he¡¯d be enlightened. How long would it take him to go through the list though? ¡°Just wondering,¡± Sam said. ¡°There are audiobook versions for the books on the reading list, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Gaining another stream of revenue, why wouldn¡¯t the authors sell their books in audio form?¡± She leaned over to look at the web-covered canopy of the spectral jungle. ¡°Speaking of extra income¡±¡ªher gaze landed on Sam¡ª¡°are you sure you want to leave the spectral jungle without exploring it? With Raindu¡¯s abilities, you could loot this place dry.¡±

    ¡°No bonus missions,¡± Sam said, shaking his head before looking back up at the sky. Five hundred million was enough to last him a lifetime. Why would he risk his life in the spectral jungle to earn a little bit of pocket change? ¡°Besides, Raindu hates bugs, and it¡¯s not like the spectral jungle¡¯s going to stand up and walk away; it¡¯ll always be here to loot whenever.¡±

    ¡°For someone with an S-minus talent, you¡¯re not very ambitious,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Your capabilities are higher now, but you¡¯re still behaving as if you¡¯re a talentless.¡±

    Sam resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He awakened not that long ago, so he couldn¡¯t really be blamed for still behaving like a talentless. It was like giving a tortoise wings and telling it to fly; of course, it¡¯d be more comfortable on the ground. ¡°Honestly,¡± Sam said, ¡°it doesn¡¯t feel like I have an S-ranked talent. Raindu¡¯s the talented one, and I¡¯m just a liability.¡±

    Wendy looked down at Raindu, and the black ferret¡¯s eyes popped open. The ferret scrambled over to Sam¡¯s side before chattering at him, pointing at his face with the toe of its front leg.

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯m not a liability. I¡¯m an amazing individual.¡±

    The ferret stood akimbo and glared at Sam, chattering some more.

    ¡°What?¡± Sam asked. ¡°What kind of demand is that?¡±

    ¡°What does Raindu want?¡± Wendy asked.

    A dark expression appeared on Sam¡¯s face. ¡°He wants me to say ten positive things about myself.¡±

    Raindu looked at Wendy and chattered. Sam raised his head off the dragonfly¡¯s back and said, ¡°You¡¯re allowed to help too. If we don¡¯t come up with ten things, he¡¯s not going to steal the GMC.¡±

    Wendy stared at Sam, scanning him from head to toe. After thinking for a bit, she nodded. ¡°Number one,¡± she said, ¡°you¡¯re not disabled.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow. ¡°How is that something positive?¡±

    ¡°I could sever your leg, and you¡¯ll find out,¡± Wendy said.

    ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Sam turned his head towards Raindu. ¡°I¡¯m not disabled. Does that count as one?¡±

    Raindu glanced at Wendy. If the ferret disagreed, the demonic-eyed woman might cut Sam¡¯s leg off, so Raindu nodded its furry head at Sam. Then, it held up nine of its toes.

    Sam rubbed his chin. If he used Wendy¡¯s response as a template¡­. ¡°I¡¯m not hideous-looking.¡±

    Raindu tilted its furry head, staring at Sam¡¯s face. Sam¡¯s expression darkened as the ferret stared for several seconds to judge the validity of his words. Maybe to ferrets, he was actually ugly? Raindu coughed and turned away, lowering several of its toes in the process. It peeked at Sam with a guilty expression before gesturing aggressively with its paws.

    ¡°Two more?¡± Sam asked. How did eight become two? He turned towards Wendy. ¡°Be honest. Am I ugly?¡±

    Wendy stared at Sam. Then, she turned her head away. ¡°Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.¡±

    Sam pursed his lips. Alright, so, he might not have been the most handsome individual out there, but the way Raindu and Wendy were acting made it seem like his face could make children cry upon seeing it. Wasn¡¯t the ferret supposed to support him? Raindu lowering its demands out of pity left an uncomfortable sensation in Sam¡¯s chest, but at the same time, he was glad because he didn¡¯t think he could come up with ten positive things about himself; two was much more manageable. He sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you want to put me through this.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Wendy asked, answering in the ferret¡¯s place. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want you thinking negative thoughts about yourself. It¡¯s for your own protection. There are beings out there who are sensitive to negative energy, and they¡¯ll actively take advantage of people who aren¡¯t confident in themselves.¡±

    Raindu nodded, confirming Wendy¡¯s words when Sam turned to look at the ferret. Another sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth. ¡°Awakeners have to be really careful with their thoughts, huh?¡± he asked. ¡°How do you do it, monitor what you¡¯re thinking all the time?¡±

    Wendy shrugged. ¡°Meditation can help,¡± she said. ¡°Other than that, it¡¯s simply a matter of survival. If you want to live, avoid actions that will attract predators.¡± She glanced at Raindu. ¡°Also, work on things that¡¯ll help you survive, like making sure your talent listens to your wishes. If you¡¯re focused on accomplishing a goal, you won¡¯t have time to brew negativity in your mind.¡±

    A wry smile appeared on Sam¡¯s lips. ¡°What if I repeatedly fail while trying to accomplish my goal?¡± His eyes shifted down to look at Raindu. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to make things easy for me.¡±

    ¡°There should¡¯ve been a book in the candy bag,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Ask Raindu for it.¡±

    Sam blinked at the ferret, and the ferret blinked its beady eyes back at him. ¡°Can I have the book?¡±

    Raindu shook its head before holding up its two outstretched toes. The ferret¡¯s meaning was clear: unless Sam thought of two positive things to say about himself, the topic of conversation wasn¡¯t moving on.

    Sam exhaled. ¡°I¡¯m patient,¡± he said, staring the ferret straight in its eyes. ¡°If Wendy were your owner, I¡¯m sure she would¡¯ve committed some acts of violence on you by now.¡±

    Raindu turned towards Wendy, and the blonde-haired woman nodded her head. The ferret snorted and lowered one of its toes before turning back to Sam, staring with unblinking eyes.

    Sam scratched his head. Why was it so difficult to think of positive things to say about himself? Then again, the praise from the people around him had stopped coming as the years of him staying talentless dragged on. By the time he turned eighteen, people were looking at him as if he were a piece of burnt food stuck to the stove, a nuisance to be dealt with. Sam frown, and he looked at Wendy. ¡°Why aren¡¯t those beings you mentioned interested in the negative thoughts and energy produced by talentless?¡±

    Wendy responded to Sam¡¯s question with a question of her own. ¡°People wait for fruit to ripen before eating them, don¡¯t they?¡± She stared at Raindu. ¡°Sam¡¯s a curious individual; that¡¯s a positive, no?¡±

    Raindu bobbed its furry head up and down. It lowered its raised paws and let out a sigh of relief. Things would¡¯ve gone poorly if Sam hadn¡¯t been able to come up with positive things to say about himself, but luckily, the positivity-building exercise turned out just fine. The ferret reached into its fur and pulled out a book, offering the flapping object to Sam.

    Sam grabbed the book and brought it close to his face to prevent the rushing wind from blowing it away. ¡°How to train your dog, for dummies.¡± He turned his head to look at Wendy, and the blonde-haired woman shrugged.

    ¡°I told you,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Nepotism. Blame the driver, not me.¡±

 Chapter 10

    Sam stared at Raindu, and the ferret stared back at Sam. ¡°Hand it over,¡± Sam said, causing Raindu to shake its furry head. A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth, and he turned to look at Wendy. Although her facial features were obscured thanks to the lack of sunlight, the moonlight was enough to illuminate her stone-cold expression.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Wendy asked. She was bundled up, the wind pressing against the layers of her clothes, but she remained unmoving despite how fast the giant dragonfly was flying. ¡°I¡¯m driving. If you think I have time to help you train your ferret, you¡¯re mistaken.¡±

    Sam sighed before turning his attention back onto the black ferret. It had taken a while for Sam to read through the whole dog-training book, and it wasn¡¯t because he was a slow reader. He had to fight the wind to read the pages, and he had to fight Raindu, who¡¯d get bored and tug on the book to draw a reaction out of Sam. When he tried to implement the techniques he learned from the book, he hit a wall right out the gate: he was supposed to reward Raindu with treats, but the ferret was the only one who could access the treats, and it wasn¡¯t willing to hand over the bag for training purposes.

    Sam frowned at Raindu, and the ferret took a few steps forward. It brought its front paws up to Sam¡¯s face and pressed on his cheeks, turning his frown into a smile.

    ¡°Stop that,¡± Sam said, pushing Raindu¡¯s legs away with his fingers. ¡°I know you can understand me. Why won¡¯t you work with me?¡±

    Raindu crossed its front legs over its chest as it stood upright. Why did Raindu have to obey Sam? Why didn¡¯t it work the other way around?

    ¡°You¡¯re an animal,¡± Sam said. Before he could say anything else, Raindu chattered at him.

    Sam frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not an animal. I¡¯m a human.¡±

    ¡°Humans are animals,¡± Wendy said. Although she was incapable of training the ferret thanks to her position as driver, evidently, driving a giant dragonfly wasn¡¯t difficult to the point of making her unable to back Raindu up when it needed help making a point.

    Sam ignored Wendy¡¯s comment. ¡°In human society, I¡¯m the one who gets into trouble for the things you do,¡± he said to Raindu. ¡°That¡¯s why you have to listen to me. If we ever enter ferret society, and you get into trouble for the things I do, then I¡¯ll obey you.¡±

    Raindu¡¯s snout wrinkled, and the ferret chattered before shaking its head.

    ¡°What did he say?¡± Wendy asked.

    ¡°He says we¡¯re entering reptilian society, so my argument is moot,¡± Sam said.

    Wendy nodded. ¡°He has a point,¡± she said and reached up to her nose. She picked out a cotton ball soaked in blood and tossed it aside before replacing it with a clean one. ¡°Alright. Raindu, how about this? We¡¯ll take Sam¡¯s reward of five hundred million points and split it in half. Once you two complete the mission, you¡¯ll get half, and Sam will get half, sound fair?¡±

    Raindu¡¯s eyes lit up, and it bobbed its head up and down. Sam¡¯s jaw dropped, but before he could say anything, Raindu put its paw underneath his chin and pushed upwards, closing Sam¡¯s mouth for him. The ferret looked up at Sam, its expression saying, ¡°Think before you speak.¡±

    Sam frowned as Raindu withdrew its paw. Although half of his reward had been taken away, wasn¡¯t it worth it? Raindu would cooperate, and everyone would be happy. He wouldn¡¯t have to buy things for Raindu since the ferret would have its own money to buy what it wanted. ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said, nodding at Wendy. ¡°It sounds fair.¡±

    Wendy nodded. ¡°Great,¡± she said. ¡°Just so you know, if Raindu does happen to do something to Monarch¡¯s detriment, Monarch won¡¯t be blaming him; after all, since your talent manifested Raindu, you¡¯re the legal entity we have to sue.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened as he stared down at the ferret. Raindu gained the motivation to complete the mission properly. However, it still needed to be taught how to behave, but how was he going to do that when the ferret saw him as an equal?

    ¡°Think of yourself as Raindu¡¯s babysitter or caretaker,¡± Wendy said upon seeing Sam¡¯s expression. ¡°You¡¯re being paid two hundred fifty million credits to take care of Her Majesty¡¯s weapon. Isn¡¯t that a good deal? People have killed for far less.¡±

    ¡°I guess so,¡± Sam said and exhaled before lying down, staring up at the moon. He had heard rumors about the celestial object: it was inhabited by intelligent mantids living underneath the surface. Sam turned his head towards Wendy, putting off Raindu¡¯s training because procrastination was Sam¡¯s best friend. ¡°Do you think the mantids always lived on the moon? Even before the cataclysm?¡±

    Wendy shrugged. ¡°The answer changes depending on who you ask,¡± she said before staring directly at Sam, making eye contact with him. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m over three hundred years old? Why would I know?¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What about Her Majesty?¡±

    ¡°What about her?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°Are the rumors true? Yes. She¡¯s one of the original awakeners who survived the cataclysm.¡±

    Sam pursed his lips. ¡°This might be a bit rude to ask, but how old are you?¡±

    ¡°Knows it¡¯s rude, asks anyway, typical boor,¡± Wendy muttered loud enough for Sam to hear. She spoke in a regular voice next. ¡°I¡¯m forty-seven.¡±

    Sam blinked; that wasn¡¯t the response he was expecting. Some awakeners had natural talents that allowed them to age slower or live longer, but Wendy¡¯s natural talent seemed more likely to give her anemia than longevity. Despite that, she looked like she was twenty-something. Well, Wendy did say Monarch was at the forefront of biotechnology or something along those lines; maybe she had cosmetic surgery.

    Wendy¡¯s eyes narrowed at Sam. ¡°I¡¯m half reptilian.¡±

    Sam blinked even harder than before. He stared at the woman with diamond-shaped pupils, and everything suddenly made sense. It was no wonder why he was terrified of her the first time he met her; her eyes were those of a species that preyed on humans. Sam scratched his head. ¡°Oh. How, uh, does that work?¡±

    ¡°My mom is a reptilian,¡± Wendy said. ¡°My dad was a very adventurous awakener.¡±

    ¡°Was?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Wendy said. ¡°He¡¯s dead now. The last thing he left me was a half-human, half-mantid half-sister.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sam said, maintaining a neutral expression. ¡°I see. Uh, sorry for your loss.¡±

    Wendy shook her head. ¡°I never actually met him,¡± she said before shrugging, ¡°so it¡¯s not like I lost anything when he was eaten.¡±

    Sam blinked. Eaten? ¡°Oh! Because mantids¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Exactly.¡±

    Raindu stood up and chattered. Sam¡¯s mouth twitched, and Wendy narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Translate,¡± she said, her tone accepting no compromise.

    Sam stared at Raindu, and the ferret gestured for him to go on. Sam bit his lower lip and glanced up at Wendy. ¡°He said¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡±

    Sam swallowed. ¡°He said¡±¡ªSam turned his head away and lowered his voice to a mumble¡ª¡°at least your father died doing what he loved.¡±

    Wendy¡¯s lips curved upwards as her eyes narrowed, but her countenance returned to normal by the time Sam mustered up enough courage to examine her expression. She said with a straight face, ¡°As I¡¯ve stated before, awakeners face death on a daily basis. Good observation, Raindu.¡±

    Raindu nodded and pulled a lollipop out of its fur, treating itself for a job well done.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°See?¡± Wendy asked Sam. ¡°That¡¯s how you train him¡ªwith praise.¡±

    ¡°Of, of course,¡± Sam said after a second and nodded. He scratched his head before looking at Raindu. ¡°Do something neat, so I can praise you.¡±

    Raindu put away the lollipop it was eating and pulled out another piece of candy. It held it up towards Sam¡¯s face and walked in a slow circle around him on its hindlegs. Sam had to turn his body around to follow the ferret¡¯s movements. When he spun all the way around, Raindu placed the piece of candy onto Sam¡¯s lap and clapped its front legs together.

    Sam¡¯s eye twitched. Wasn¡¯t that the method to teach a dog to spin in a circle? It was in the training book for dummies. ¡°Ha-ha, very funny,¡± Sam said. He picked up the piece of candy and returned it to the ferret, but Raindu pushed it back towards Sam, insisting he should have it. Sam ignored the ferret, letting the candy drop to the giant dragonfly¡¯s back. He cleared his throat. ¡°So, what¡¯s it like being half reptilian?¡±

    Wendy shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s all I¡¯ve ever known,¡± she said, watching as Raindu stamped its feet to get Sam¡¯s attention. ¡°Reptilians don¡¯t look at me kindly, but they don¡¯t see me as food. On the other hand, humans fear me. Overall, I¡¯d say there aren¡¯t many downsides to being half reptilian.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow. He found it hard to disagree with Wendy¡¯s judgement. After all, it certainly sounded better than living as a talentless. Who wouldn¡¯t want to be the intimidating instead of the intimidated? ¡°You¡¯ve been to Et Serpentium before?¡± he asked, ignoring the ferret pulling at his pants.

    ¡°I was born there,¡± Wendy said. She blinked when Raindu retrieved a pair of boxers from Sam¡¯s body, and she glanced at Sam¡¯s face to see his expression. Her upper lip curled upwards, baring her teeth, as her nose wrinkled when she saw Sam¡¯s countenance shift to one of relief¡ªlike he was more comfortable now than before. Then, his gaze shifted to horror as he glanced down at the garments in Raindu¡¯s paws. The ferret released the garments, and Sam scrambled to grab them before they were lost forever to the spectral jungle. He caught his boxers and glared at Raindu; in response, the ferret clapped its front legs and threw a piece of candy at him.

    ¡°Stop it,¡± Sam said, catching the candy before it could fall off the dragonfly. Although it was just one piece of candy, it¡¯d still be a waste if it fell over. Sam stored the sweet in his pocket and turned his attention onto Wendy, boxers still in his hands. ¡°Do you have any tips or tricks to surviving in Et Serpentium?¡±

    ¡°Tamara will help you with that,¡± Wendy said before staring past Sam. All that could be seen was the night sky and clouds. ¡°However, if I were you, I wouldn¡¯t make eye contact with any reptilian; keep your head down, and if a reptilian orders you around, obey them unconditionally.¡±

    ¡°Sounds easy enough,¡± Sam said and scratched his head. Was that all? Being an awakener pet in Reptile Land didn¡¯t sound that different from being a talentless in the city. ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Listen to Tamara,¡± Wendy said. ¡°I¡¯d even go so far as to say follow her instructions blindly. As I said before, she¡¯s completed a lot of missions for Monarch. She has an immense amount of experience. Some things she tells you to do may not make sense to you, but that¡¯s because you¡¯re not as well-informed of dangerous pitfalls as she is.¡±

    Sam blinked. ¡°Not make sense to me?¡± he asked. ¡°Like gibberish or¡­?¡±

    ¡°For example,¡± Wendy said, gesturing towards herself. ¡°Pretend I¡¯m Tamara. I¡¯ll tell you to do something that doesn¡¯t make sense to you, and you¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­,¡± Sam said, playing along.

    Wendy gestured with her head towards the side of the giant dragonfly¡¯s back. ¡°Jump off.¡±

    Sam blinked as Wendy stood up and walked over to the edge of the giant dragonfly. She turned to look at him before turning her attention towards the dark canopy below. Then, she jumped, causing Sam¡¯s and Raindu¡¯s eyes to widen as they exchanged glances with one another. Sam crawled towards the edge of the dragonfly to peer over the side. Once he got there, a force shoved him from behind, causing Sam to scream and fall over. The wind rushed against his face, and he spread his arms and legs. A chill ran up his spine from his root chakra, and his arms jerked against his will, flapping as if they were wings. To Sam¡¯s surprise, with every flap of his arms, his descent slowed. It didn¡¯t slow him enough to prevent him from crashing into the canopy, but it slowed him enough for the webs between the branches and leaves to break his fall.

    Sam gasped for breath as he sat up. To his surprise, the webs weren¡¯t sticky, but they sunk deeply thanks to his weight like a hammock tasked with the mission of carrying a heavy-set person. A fluttering object approached from the sky and struck Sam¡¯s stomach; it was Raindu, the culprit who had shoved him off the dragonfly. ¡°You crazy¡ª!¡±

    Raindu pressed its paw against Sam¡¯s lips, shutting him up with the taste of its fur¡ªwhich was sweet. Before he could protest, a swishing sound cut through the air, and the giant dragonfly overhead was struck by what looked like a ballista bolt. It let out a screeching drone as it plummeted to the ground, breaking the strands of webbing in the canopy. The impact launched Sam into the air, and he screamed as he fell to the ground, breaking branches as he tumbled before landing hard on his tailbone with a thump. His face contorted as he rolled onto his back, the pain from his butt radiating through his whole body. He gritted his teeth as tears sprang into his eyes, blurring his vision; however, there was nothing interfering with his sense of hearing.

    Hissing and slithering sounds filled the area, and a sense of dread welled up in the pit of Sam¡¯s stomach. He shut his mouth, and despite the pain, he forced himself to stay silent. The hisses and slithering sounds continued, intermittently as if two people were having a conversation. A crunch echoed through the spectral jungle, and with the help of the moonlight, Sam saw scaled legs come into view from within the shadows cast by the tree he had fallen from.

    Two reptilians stepped over Sam, observing him like hunters inspecting an injured deer that had stopped to rest. They were tall, but then again, all reptilians were tall. Sam just hadn¡¯t realized it because Tamara had been seated the whole time when he had met her. The two reptilians easily stood over seven feet tall. They were both dark-purple, and their eyes had golden irises with slit, silver pupils. The two reptilians exchanged glances with each other, hissing out a conversation.

    For some reason, Sam understood their communication. Perhaps it was because of the way they were looking at him while standing over him.

    ¡°Why would I know?¡± the reptilian asked. ¡°Maybe it was a to-go dinner.¡±

    The reptilian¡¯s companion blinked. ¡°Did we shoot down a trained surdock?¡±

    ¡°We?¡± the first reptilian asked. ¡°No. It was you.¡±

    The second reptilian fell silent. After a bit, it asked, ¡°Do you think anyone saw?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± the first reptilian said. ¡°But it¡¯s not your fault. Why didn¡¯t it have a collar? If it had one, you would¡¯ve left it alone.¡±

    ¡°I would¡¯ve,¡± the second reptilian said. It gestured towards Sam. ¡°What should we do about this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be a shame if it goes to waste,¡± the first reptilian said, its silver pupils staring Sam straight in the eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s eat it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a barbarian,¡± the second reptilian said and placed its hand in its bag. It was naked save for the belt wrapped around its waist where the bag was attached, but there was nothing improper to see; the reptilian was smooth and scaled like a snake¡¯s belly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat it raw.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient to cook it here,¡± the first reptilian said as it watched the second reptilian retrieve a metallic device in the shape of a cube. ¡°Why don¡¯t we slaughter it and take the best parts back with us?¡±

    The second reptilian frowned before putting the cube back in its bag. ¡°I only brought my surdock-butchering set, not my human one.¡±

    Sam gulped as he stared up at the two reptilians. They didn¡¯t look armed, but they seemed to be the ones responsible for shooting down the giant dragonfly. Where did Wendy go? Maybe she was waiting for a chance to ambush the two reptilians while he distracted them, killing them in one strike?

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    The two reptilians flinched and whipped their heads to the side. Crunching sounds rang out as Wendy¡¯s bundled-up figure came into Sam¡¯s view, making her way towards the reptilians and Sam.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± both reptilians asked at the same time.

    ¡°Who am I?¡± Wendy asked, stomping on the ground and causing it to shake as she walked right up to the reptilians. She pointed up at their faces, her pointer finger switching from one reptilian to the other. ¡°Who are you? I might only be half-reptilian, but I still have rights.¡± She pointed at Sam. ¡°You damaged my merchandise, shot down my means of transportation¡ªone I spent years training, mind you¡ªand you have the audacity to ask who I am? You owe me a flying vehicle!¡± She whipped out a notebook from within her many layers. ¡°Who¡¯s your insurance provider?¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re hunting without a license.¡±

    The two dark-purple reptilians exchanged glances with one another. Their tongues flickered as they stared at each other, their eyes occasionally blinking, their pupils widening and shrinking as if they were holding a silent conversation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just lovingly stare at each other,¡± Wendy said, slapping her pen against her notebook page. ¡°I know your parents taught you better. Take responsibility for your actions.¡±

    The two reptilians turned to look at Wendy. ¡°I apologize for shooting down your surdock,¡± the second reptilian said, ¡°but you really should¡¯ve placed a collar on it. You¡¯re partially responsible for this as well.¡±

    ¡°The two of you should call it even,¡± the first reptilian said. ¡°Your surdock might¡¯ve been shot down, but you weren¡¯t flying it according to protocol.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°And what protocol is this? You¡¯re spouting off things you know nothing about.¡± Her eyes narrowed. ¡°How old are you? Do your parents know you¡¯re hunting without a license? They could get in serious trouble because of your actions.¡±

    The second reptilian bumped the first reptilian with its elbow. ¡°I have an idea.¡±

    The first reptilian blinked. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Run!¡±

    Before Sam realized what was happening, the two reptilians scattered, splitting up to bolt in different directions, disappearing from Sam¡¯s view. He blinked and sat up; he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Wendy raised a finger to her lips.

    Wendy kicked at the ground, sending debris in Sam¡¯s direction. ¡°Get up,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re free just because a little accident occurred.¡± She winked at Sam, sending chills down his spine. ¡°We¡¯re marching to where the surdock fell; on your feet, human.¡±

    Sam stood up and swallowed. They had gone deep enough into the spectral jungle where they were closer to Et Serpentium than the human cities. It was still night and dark as heck, and Sam did not want to make the remainder of the journey on the ground. Unfortunately, unless they bumped into another giant dragonfly¡ªor surdock, as the reptilians called them¡ªit seemed like trekking at night while pretending he was a human captured by Wendy was what he had to do.

 Chapter 11

    ¡°So, I just want to make sure I¡¯m getting our story straight,¡± Sam said, muttering towards the ground. He stumbled as a something snagged against his foot. A frown appeared on his face as he lifted his legs higher before taking his next steps. ¡°You¡¯re a human trafficker who uses her half-reptilian traits to gain access to human society.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Wendy said from her spot ahead of Sam. ¡°And you¡¯re my merchandise.¡±

    Sam frowned. ¡°Was that originally how it was supposed to be, or did you improvise once our surdock was shot down?¡±

    ¡°Original plan,¡± Wendy said. ¡°How else did you expect to become Tamara¡¯s pet?¡±

    Sam¡¯s frown remained plastered on his face. He hadn¡¯t really thought too much about how he¡¯d come under Tamara¡¯s care. A sigh escaped from his mouth as he shook his head. It didn¡¯t really matter if he was being trafficked by Wendy; in the end, it was simply a ploy to steal the GMC. ¡­Unless he was actually being sold to the reptilians under the guise of completing a mission? Sam didn¡¯t think that was the case because it seemed awfully inefficient to sell one person at a time.

    ¡°Cheer up,¡± Wendy said without turning back. ¡°We¡¯re almost out of the jungle.¡±

    ¡°Wee,¡± Sam said, doing his best to express his enthusiasm. After trekking through the jungle at night, it was hard to muster up energy to do anything, much less be enthusiastic. He glanced down at the bulge in his clothes where Raindu was taking another nap. The ferret didn¡¯t want to travel in the dark, so it went to sleep; after all, the night was meant for sleeping.

    ¡°Also, from here on out, don¡¯t speak unless someone addresses you,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Keep your head down, and do your best to avoid eye contact with reptilians.¡±

    Sam grunted in response. He stepped over a large log, and sunlight streamed into his eyes. They had reached the edge of the jungle; luckily, their ride was shot down relatively close to Et Serpentium. At least, Sam assumed it was Et Serpentium. His knowledge of geography wasn¡¯t the greatest since humanity hadn¡¯t mapped out the world yet; then again, even if humanity had mapped out the world, his grasp on geography would still stink.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± Wendy said, stepping out of the way and turning back to examine Sam¡¯s expression, ¡°to Et Serpentium.¡±

    Sam blinked, and the bulge in his clothes squirmed as Raindu made its way up to Sam¡¯s collar. The view beyond the spectral jungle was a vast and sprawling desert, flowing hills of yellow sand spreading into the horizon. This was Et Serpentium? He wanted to ask, but Wendy had told him to keep his mouth shut. Maybe this was just the border of the territory? Sam turned around to look at the spectral jungle. The dark-green and black colors of the jungle were separated from the yellow sand as if someone had drawn a line between the two regions that the contrasting hues couldn¡¯t cross.

    ¡°Do you see that?¡± Wendy asked and pointed off to the side.

    Sam followed her finger and squinted at the sand. There was a glint on the horizon. Was that the closest city? It was awfully far away.

    ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯re going,¡± Wendy said as she stripped off her multiple layers. She stopped removing her outerwear when she was left with a cloak that covered her whole body, the cloak¡¯s hood shielding her face from the sun. Like magic, she packed away her extra clothes into a small bag that she tightened by pulling on a string. ¡°The heat will be bearable if you keep your skin shielded from the sun.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure if that¡¯s how it worked, but who was he to question the judgement of someone almost thrice his age? He raised his hood, shielding his face from the sun as he took a step onto the sand. Hot air surged against his face, causing his skin to tighten as if the hot wind had sapped away his moisture. A sigh of relief escaped from his mouth as he trekked further into the desert, following after Wendy. The jungle was wet, damp, and mossy. He had always enjoyed feeling the sun¡¯s warmth, but now he truly appreciated it.

    Raindu crawled out of Sam¡¯s clothes and stood on his shoulder. The ferret stretched out its legs while standing on its hindlegs, exposing its belly to the sunlight. After a stretch that cracked several bones in its back, Raindu dropped down and looked around. The ferret tilted its head and spread out its front legs before letting them drop to its sides.

    Sam had to agree. Et Serpentium was pretty empty, at least, the area they were in. It wouldn¡¯t take long to reach their destination since it was visible. Sam was wrong. Just because someone could see a mountain in the distance didn¡¯t mean the mountain was close enough to walk to in a reasonable amount of time. After what felt like hours, Sam couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How much longer?¡±

    ¡°Shut up, human,¡± Wendy said. ¡°You shall address me and any other reptilian you see as sundak.¡±

    ¡°Sundak?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Permission to speak, human,¡± Wendy said. Her voice was serpentine and consisted of hisses, but he still understood her as if she were speaking English.

    ¡°When will we arrive?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll get there when we get there,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Just keep thinking positive thoughts, or the journey will be even more difficult. Drink some water too.¡±

    Sam glanced down at the ferret, who was now hiding within his shirt to keep cool. It was hugging a water bottle, one that remained cold despite the sweltering temperatures outside. With a frown, Raindu handed the bottle up to Sam, and he opened it to take a few gulps; after all, he had to obey Wendy¡¯s commands. Raindu chattered, and Sam rolled his eyes before returning the bottle to the dramatic ferret. Drops of liquid splashed on the ferret¡¯s fur from the improperly closed cap, and Raindu swiped at Sam¡¯s stomach, causing him to grunt and flinch. The ferret shook its paw at Sam before closing the cap, squinting its beady eyes at him.

    Sam exhaled. He was tired and exhausted, and his summoned ferret was sassing him. Were other people¡¯s natural talents so mentally draining? Raindu swiped at Sam¡¯s stomach again, reminding him to listen to Wendy¡¯s words and think positive thoughts. What was positive about this desert? Well, it wasn¡¯t wet, and there weren¡¯t any predators trying to kill him. Actually, now that he thought about it more, it was way better than traveling through the jungle. So, what if it was a little hot? At least his socks remained dry, and he wasn¡¯t tripping over random clumps of crap every three to four steps. With the dead surdock safely packed away by Raindu, he wouldn¡¯t run out of food either.

    As Sam walked, his thoughts couldn¡¯t help but drift. With the bleak scenery, there weren¡¯t any distractions to occupy his mind. What would his parents think if they could see him now? Talented and taking on a mission with a five-hundred-million-credit reward, would they feel regret for abandoning him? Probably, but it wasn¡¯t like Sam had any intention to forgive them even if they wanted him back. They threw him away, designated him as trash because of his lack of talent.

    Raindu climbed out of Sam¡¯s shirt and perched itself on his shoulder. The ferret placed its paw against Sam¡¯s cheek as if it was comforting him. Then, it offered him a piece of candy it pulled out of its fur. With a ferret like Raindu watching over him, who cared about some parents, right? Raindu could pull candy out nowhere; could Sam¡¯s parents do that?

    Sam snorted. His parents were awakeners, but their talents were mediocre. However, even with mediocre talents, they could still step into a different world; after all, not all awakeners relied on their talents as Sam recently learned. Chakras and meditation played a role too. Even still, Sam doubted his parents could do a fraction of the things Raindu could, which made him feel a bit better about himself. Sam stared at the ferret, and it beamed at him, causing a wry smile to appear on Sam¡¯s face. How could he have negative thoughts when Raindu was always cheering him up when he was down?

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Sam exhaled and stared at the ground as he walked, following in Wendy¡¯s footsteps. Only her footsteps could be seen on the endless expanse of yellow, meaning no one else was dumb enough to walk from the spectral jungle back to the reptilian city. Either that, or the wind blew away footsteps not long after they were formed. ¡­Or it meant reptilians could fly and avoided walking altogether. ¡°Sundak?¡± Sam asked.

    Wendy continued marching. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Can reptilians fly?¡±

    ¡°Some can,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Humans aren¡¯t the only ones with talents.¡±

    ¡°Sundak?¡±

    Wendy exhaled. ¡°What else do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you fight those two reptilians we encountered?¡± Sam asked the question he had been holding back for a while. ¡°What if they bump into us in Et Serpentium? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to¡±¡ªhe used his thumb to draw a line across his neck¡ª¡±you know?¡±

    ¡°Reptilian society is more advanced than human society,¡± Wendy said. She turned around to look Sam in the eyes. ¡°Murdering a fellow reptilian is unforgivable.¡±

    Sam blinked. That was surprisingly civil for scaled and clawed beings who stood over seven feet tall. ¡°If you got rid of all the witnesses, would anyone know?¡±

    Wendy narrowed her eyes. ¡°You¡¯d be the biggest witness,¡± she said. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s what you wanted me to do?¡±

    ¡°Never mind,¡± Sam said, shaking his head. ¡°I just wanted to know if Raindu happened to get rid of some reptilians, would anyone find out?¡±

    ¡°Not immediately,¡± Wendy said, ¡°but their friends and families would eventually notice they¡¯re missing, and some psychics will be called out to investigate the situation, and they¡¯ll see Raindu¡¯s the culprit. It¡¯ll only take a few more minutes for them to realize Raindu¡¯s a part of your talent, and you¡¯ll be a wanted man. Tamara will be punished as your owner, and in the worst-case scenario, her mind will be read and our plans exposed.¡±

    ¡°So, no disappearing reptilians,¡± Sam said, looking at Raindu. ¡°You got that?¡±

    Raindu snorted. If reptilians needed to be disappeared in order to protect Sam, Raindu was going to do it.

    Sam turned his head, meeting Wendy¡¯s gaze. ¡°He agrees,¡± Sam said with a straight face. He couldn¡¯t help but agree with Raindu here; if Sam¡¯s butt needed saving at the cost of some disappearing reptilians, he¡¯d gladly pay the price. Sam¡¯s gaze traveled past Wendy, and his eyes widened. The glint on the horizon that had seemed so far away had become a massive pyramid at some point. It was made of glossy, white stones that seemed to shine in the sun. In front of the pyramid, there was a statue of a lion with the head of a woman.

    Wendy turned around upon seeing Sam¡¯s gaze. ¡°Oh,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± She marched up to the statue and waved at Sam to come over. She made eye contact with the stone face, and it gleamed as lasers shot out of its eyes, scanning Wendy¡¯s eyeballs. After a few seconds, the statue¡¯s eyes dimmed, and it crawled backwards while lowering its head, revealing a passage with steps leading down towards the inside of the earth.

    ¡°Move it, human,¡± Wendy said, gesturing for Sam to walk down the stairs.

    Sam swallowed and approached the steps. The sun only illuminated them so far; after the stairs went deep enough, all he could see was black. He gulped and hesitated. He wasn¡¯t scared of the dark; he was merely apprehensive of the unknown. Something bumped against his back, and he covered his mouth to suppress his shriek. He looked behind himself; Wendy¡¯s red pupils were glaring at him¡ªa sight motivating enough to help him get over his fear. Sam swallowed as Raindu hid inside his clothes, and with a deep breath, Sam marched down the stairs.

    There were no handrails, and the steps were uncomfortably high, making Sam buckle his knees awkwardly to proceed. The further down he went, the cooler it became, but after a point, the temperature stabilized at a comfy point. Then again, after trekking through the desert, any temperature cooler than the sweltering heat was comfy. The sound of stone sliding against stone rang in Sam¡¯s ears, and the sunlight illuminating the way shrank to a sliver before vanishing as the stone statue shifted back into place.

    ¡°Keep going,¡± Wendy said from behind Sam, causing him to gulp and step forward. He placed his right hand on the wall for support. Ideally, he¡¯d brace himself with both arms, but his wingspan wasn¡¯t enough to reach both sides of the stairs. After taking a few steps, when he thought he¡¯d have to walk in darkness forever, blue bricks within the stairwell¡¯s walls shone, illuminating the path. Depictions of insects and reptilians hunting said insects were carved into the sandstone, the light from the blue bricks causing shadows to fall in appropriates places, adding details to the carvings.

    Sam found the murals fascinating, but he was afraid to look at them for too long. If he lost his footing and tripped because he was too busy staring at the carvings, he¡¯d probably die. He didn¡¯t know how many steps there were, but he knew there wasn¡¯t anything to grab onto to stop him from rolling if he fell. He focused on the steps ahead of him, but even they had geometric patterns on them. The more he looked at the steps, the dizzier he became. He stumbled, and a hand grabbed his shoulder.

    ¡°Careful,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Don¡¯t damage my merchandise.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, sundak,¡± Sam said and took in a deep breath.

    ¡°You better be,¡± Wendy said and nodded. ¡°Focus on your breath. Ignore the visuals.¡±

    Sam pursed his lips. For such an advanced society, one much greater than humans, they couldn¡¯t have designed something like an elevator? Even an escalator would¡¯ve been appreciated. Of course, now that he was inside one of Et Serpentium¡¯s buildings, he wasn¡¯t going to ask about it; what if a reptilian overheard and thought he was insulting them? He¡¯d be eaten. Sam took Wendy¡¯s advice and focused on his breath, breathing in for three seconds, holding for three seconds, and exhaling for three seconds. It was the most basic meditation technique every child learned.

    For a while, only the clunking of Sam¡¯s feet and the tapping of Wendy¡¯s shoes could be heard. After walking for what seemed like an hour, the sound of hissing drifted into Sam¡¯s ears, and a shiver ran down his spine. He turned back to look at Wendy, and she gestured with her chin, motioning for him to keep going. Soon, a doorway came into view, the sounds of hissing growing louder as Sam approached. There wasn¡¯t a door in the entryway; rather, there was a screen of black light that shielded the interior from view. Sam turned to the side, letting Wendy pass him. Instead, she pushed him, shoving him through the light screen.

    Sam stumbled through the black light with closed eyes. After a second, he opened them and took a look around. Three reptilians were sitting at a round table, stone tablets and round chips littering the surface. All three of them had blue scales and amber eyes. According to the vibe Sam was getting from them, they were poised to strike at any second like rattlesnakes rattling their tails, but when they saw Wendy¡¯s reptilian eyes, the three reptilians relaxed.

    One of the reptilians hissed. ¡°Identification.¡±

    A frown appeared on Sam¡¯s face. He could only understand the hisses if the reptilians were present; if he couldn¡¯t see them, he couldn¡¯t read their vibe to translate their words.

    Wendy hissed at the reptilians in return as she reached into her bag. ¡°Here,¡± she said as she took out a symmetric blue stone with glittering substances inside of it. She flicked it, sending it flying through the air like a frisbee to the reptilian¡¯s waiting hands.

    The reptilian examined the blue stone, and its eyes flickered. A smile crept on its face, and it fiddled with Wendy¡¯s identification stone, letting it roll back and forth across its fingers. ¡°You¡¯re the great seer¡¯s bastard daughter?¡± the reptilian asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to need more proof.¡±

    Although her expression didn¡¯t change, Sam could tell Wendy was pissed. Her cold vibe had heated up a little due to the reptilian¡¯s comment. Wendy¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she reached into her back before pulling out a green crystalline rod that was shaped into a point at the end. ¡°Do you extort all half-reptilians who come through here?¡± she asked as she pointed the rod at the reptilian holding her identification stone.

    The reptilian flashed a smile at Wendy. ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand,¡± it said as it took out its own crystalline rod. It pointed it back at Wendy¡¯s, and Sam had the feeling something was exchanged between the two crystals. ¡°Why would we treat scum such as yourself like you¡¯re a full-blooded reptilian? You¡¯re half animal, an abomination.¡±

    ¡°Are you done?¡± Wendy asked, holding out her hand.

    The reptilian spat on the blue stone before placing it in Wendy¡¯s palm, staring her in the eyes the whole time. ¡°Take care, and be careful,¡± the blue-scaled reptilian said. ¡°If someone¡¯s not paying attention, they¡¯ll think you¡¯re a human and eat you.¡±

    The other reptilians hissed as they laughed, the sound grating on Sam¡¯s ears. He glanced at Wendy, examining her expression.

    Wendy grunted as she wiped the blue stone with her cloak before putting it back inside her bag. She turned her head towards Sam. ¡°Move it, human,¡± she said, her face stone-cold. ¡°What are you gawking at?¡±

    Sam lowered his head and swallowed. If reptilians treated Wendy, a half-human, like crap, how were they going to treat him? He was under the impression all he¡¯d have to do was follow Tamara¡¯s instructions to survive, but after personally entering Et Serpentium, an overwhelming sense of regret washed over him. Wendy had blinded him with money¡ªwell, it wasn¡¯t the money; it was more of a promise of financial safety and abundance for forever. Now, he was going to be one of those fools who died for wealth like in one of those fables.

    Raindu poked its head out of Sam¡¯s shirt. The ferret looked up at Sam¡¯s defeated expression, and its eyes narrowed as it turned its head and torso towards the three laughing reptilians.

 Chapter 12

    Sam didn¡¯t have time to react. Raindu slipped out of his shirt, dashed towards the three blue reptilians¡ªone standing, the other two sitting at a table¡ªand tapped all three of them in quick succession with its furry paws.

    ¡°What did that furry thing just do?¡± Wendy asked, her eyes widening as she glared and hissed at Sam.

    ¡°I, I don¡¯t know,¡± Sam said and swallowed. After a second, he added, ¡°sundak.¡±

    Three thumping sounds rang out as the reptilian guards fell to the floor. Sam¡¯s gaze shifted onto Raindu, who was inspecting the stone tablets and round chips on the table. The ferret pointed at the objects and looked at Sam with a puzzled expression. Sam shrugged before pointing at the three reptilians on the ground. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    Raindu swiped its paws all over the table, storing the chips and tablets away into its fur before touching the three reptilians. They vanished as well. Raindu chattered at Sam and nodded, patting its chest with its front paw.

    Sam swallowed because of his dry mouth and looked at Wendy. ¡°He did what he had to do,¡± Sam said, his head shrinking back into his shoulders as Wendy glared at him.

    ¡°Are they still alive?¡± Wendy asked.

    Sam looked at Raindu, who crawled up his arm and onto his shoulder. After it was comfortably seated, the ferret shook its head.

    ¡°You do remember what we said about disappearing reptilians, right?¡± Wendy asked, her expression turning stormy.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯d ruin the plan once they¡¯re discovered to be missing.¡± An awkward expression appeared on his face. ¡°Did, uh, the plan get ruined?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy said.

    Sam bit his lower lip. ¡°So, what do we do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking,¡± Wendy said, looking at Raindu. A frown appeared on her face as she looked towards the top corner of the room where a green orb was situated. ¡°Everything was recorded.¡± She frowned at Sam. ¡°If a human pet harms a reptilian, they¡¯re punished according to the severity of the injury.¡±

    Sam swallowed. ¡°If a human kills three reptilians, how are they punished?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°They¡¯re put down if they grievously injure someone. Killing three government workers?¡± She snorted. ¡°You¡¯re going to be euthanized, and I¡¯m going to be slapped with a large fine. If those three have any dependents, I¡¯ll be responsible for them until they¡¯re of age too.¡±

    Sam swallowed again before looking at the exit. ¡°So, since the plan¡¯s a bust, how about we get the heck out of here?¡±

    Wendy stared at Sam. It was hard to tell what she was thinking even when he read her vibe. She wasn¡¯t going to accept the punishments doled out by the law, right? After all, they could always retreat to human society.

    Raindu¡¯s gaze shifted from Wendy to Sam before the ferret leapt off of Sam¡¯s shoulder, landing on the floor. It made its way over to the wall, and like a cat climbing curtains, it scrambled up the sandstone before touching the green stone in the corner, causing it to wink out of existence. Raindu leapt down and skipped over to Wendy¡¯s side. It reached into its fur and held out the green orb, offering it towards the blonde woman.

    Wendy took the orb and tapped on it. A video was projected out of the orb onto the ceiling. It showed the three reptilians moving the stone tablets and round chips on the table. Then, the sound became garbled, and the video cut off. Wendy stared at the green orb for a bit, leaving it on, and turned towards Raindu. ¡°You stole the video feed?¡±

    Raindu thumped its chest with its paw and bobbed its head up and down.

    Wendy exhaled. ¡°Go back up and steal the statue,¡± she said to Raindu. ¡°It knows we entered before these reptilians disappeared.¡±

    Raindu tilted its head but didn¡¯t move its feet.

    ¡°You want to complete the mission, don¡¯t you?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°If you don¡¯t clean up the mess you made, you won¡¯t be receiving your reward.¡± She tossed the green orb to Raindu. ¡°Also, store this wherever you put things. I can¡¯t go walking around with it.¡±

    The ferret sighed as it stored the orb in its fur. It climbed up Sam¡¯s body and onto his shoulder before pointing towards the set of stairs leading up to the statue. Sam¡¯s expression darkened. He was pretty sure the ferret could move faster than him, so why was the furry creature using him as a mount?

    ¡°We¡¯ll go together,¡± Wendy said as she walked towards the black screen of light Raindu pointed out. ¡°We¡¯ll pretend the statue and guards were missing before we got here.¡± She disappeared from view as she passed through the screen, and Raindu tugged on Sam¡¯s ear, urging him to follow the blonde woman.

    A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth as he walked through the black light and up the flight of stairs. It was even harder going up than down, his thighs burning by the time they reached the statue once more. When they approached, it slid open automatically, revealing the sunlight as grains of sand sprayed onto the first step. Raindu touched the base of the statue, and just like that, it disappeared from existence.

    Loud shouts filled the air, and two figures hit the ground beside Wendy and Sam. Two very familiar reptilians with dark-purple scales and silver eyes scrambled to their feet. ¡°What in the desert sands?¡± one of them asked.

    ¡°Where¡¯d the statue go?¡± the other one asked. ¡°It just disappeared.¡± The dark-purple reptilians turned to look at Sam and Wendy. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the delivery woman? What did you do to the guardian statue?¡±

    Wendy frowned. Why did more witnesses have to show up? Actually, where did they come from? ¡°Were you two troublemakers playing on top of the guardian?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not,¡± the two reptilians said at the same time, instantly denying Wendy¡¯s accusation. One reptilian cleared its throat. ¡°More importantly, what happened to the statue?¡±

    ¡°I just got here,¡± Wendy said with a straight face. ¡°I activated the guardian to let myself in, and it vanished.¡± Her eyes narrowed at the two reptilians. ¡°I have a feeling the two of you have something to do with this; after all, you already broke the law by hunting without a license. It¡¯s not a stretch to conclude you¡¯d make our main security system disappear.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s a huge stretch,¡± one of the reptilians said. ¡°Besides, we didn¡¯t see you approach. We were here first. Maybe it was y¡ª¡±

    ¡°Here first playing on top of the guardian?¡± Wendy asked, cutting the reptilian off.

    The other reptilian frowned as the protesting reptilian fell silent.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me your side of the story,¡± Wendy said. ¡°We got here and passed the guardian¡¯s test. Then, it vanished, and you two appeared from the sky.¡±

    ¡°We were just hanging out,¡± the first reptilian said. The two reptilians exchanged glances with each other before nodding. ¡°There¡¯s a crevice at the top of the guardian, and no one uses it, so we turned it into our secret base. We were playing there when the statue suddenly disappeared.¡±

    Wendy nodded. ¡°So, neither of us knows what happened,¡± she said. ¡°Either way, we should report this to the guards down below. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The second reptilian¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°What if we don¡¯t want to go with you?¡±

    Wendy shrugged. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell them about two chumps I encountered hunting without a license and how I bumped into them again as soon as the guardian statue disappeared.¡±

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°You¡¯re threatening us,¡± the second reptilian said.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Wendy asked. A slight smile appeared on her face. ¡°Who told you to hunt without a license? You exposed your weakness, and you expect me to not take advantage of it? Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just a half-breed,¡± the first reptilian said. ¡°We¡¯ll go down there and tell them you made the guardian statue disappear. Who do you think they¡¯ll listen to?¡±

    ¡°Me,¡± Wendy said as she took out her blue stone with glittering substances inside of it. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡±

    ¡°A seer pendant?¡± the second reptilian asked, its silver pupils widening. The reptilian pointed a clawed finger at the blonde woman. ¡°You¡¯re Bastard Wendy.¡±

    ¡°Bastard Wendy?¡± the first reptilian asked.

    The second reptilian nodded, keeping its eyes trained on Wendy. ¡°She¡¯s the great seer¡¯s daughter. Even if she¡¯s a half¡­reptilian, if she cries to her mom, people will listen to her instead of us.¡±

    Sam shifted his eyes, glancing at Wendy while keeping his gaze on the ground. The great seer? He¡¯d have to ask Wendy about it later, but he had the feeling she wouldn¡¯t tell him anything; if she wanted him to know, wouldn¡¯t she have informed him earlier? In that case, he¡¯d ask Tamara after becoming the reptilian¡¯s pet. There was bound to be an opportunity to have a conversation with Tamara¡­, right? If he had to pretend to be Tamara¡¯s pet the whole time even when they were in private together¡­, well, five hundred million credits was five hundred million credits.

    Wendy nodded her head. ¡°You know who I am,¡± she said, her gazing shifting from one reptilian to the other. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The two reptilians exchanged glances with each other. The second reptilian spoke first. ¡°My name is Winton,¡± it said. ¡°This is my sibling¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Hampter,¡± the first reptilian said before the second one could introduce it. ¡°We were born in the same clutch.¡±

    Wendy nodded again. ¡°Alright, Hampter,¡± she said. She turned towards the other reptilian. ¡°Winton. Let¡¯s report this unusual event to the guards, shall we?¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Winton said, following after Wendy, who hadn¡¯t waited for a response before heading down the flight of stairs. Hampter glanced at Sam before descending as well.

    Sam scratched his head and followed after the reptilians. So¡­, the plan was salvaged despite Raindu causing the disappearance of three guards, a guardian statue, and a recording device? Not only that, but two witnesses had been roped in by Wendy to strengthen their alibi. Sam wasn¡¯t sure how she did it, but it was amazing; perhaps it was the wisdom that came with old age. Sam went down the flight of steps once more, hobbling along, doing his best to keep up with the reptilians ahead.

    The group reached the black screen of light and passed through. Obviously, there were no guards to be found. A frown appeared on Wendy¡¯s face as she looked around. ¡°Where are they?¡± she asked before looking at Hampter and Winton with an accusing expression.

    ¡°Why are you looking at us like that?¡± Hampter asked. ¡°It¡¯s not our fault no one¡¯s on guard.¡±

    Winton looked around, the reptilian¡¯s silver pupils flickering. ¡°They were here not too long ago. I can still smell them.¡±

    ¡°There should always be one guard on duty,¡± Wendy said, the frown on her face deepening. ¡°Before you went out to hunt without a license, did you see them?¡±

    ¡°Can you not say that out loud?¡± Winton asked. ¡°There are ¡­ cameras ¡­ in here?¡± The reptilian looked around, scanning the eight corners of the cubic room. The reptilian¡¯s tongue flickered, poking out of its mouth before receding back inside. ¡°The cameras are gone.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wild,¡± Hampter said, looking around the room as well. ¡°Everything¡¯s disappearing.¡± The reptilian¡¯s eyes widened as it looked towards the black screen on the other end of the room. ¡°What if we go down and there¡¯s no one there? What if everyone¡¯s gone, and we¡¯re the only reptilians left in the world?¡±

    ¡°You watch too much nonsense,¡± Winton said. ¡°Maybe they noticed the disappearance of the guardian, so they went to report it.¡±

    Wendy nodded. ¡°Whatever happened, we won¡¯t get answers by standing here and speculating,¡± she said. She marched towards the black screen, passing through and disappearing from view.

    ¡°She wastes no time, huh?¡± Hampter asked.

    Winton shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s follow her.¡± The reptilian glanced back at Sam. ¡°She¡¯s really not worried about this thing running away, huh?¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t appreciate being called a thing, but he wasn¡¯t going to protest. What if they attacked him and Raindu disappeared them as well out of self-defense? He¡¯d ruin Wendy¡¯s efforts. As such, Sam kept his gaze trained on the ground, only moving after the two reptilians disappeared into the black screen as well. He was greeted by more steps on the other side, but unlike earlier, there weren¡¯t any carvings or murals on the walls. In fact, the flight of stairs wasn¡¯t very long; he could see the bottom from where he stood. At the base of the steps, there was an archway with light pouring out of it, illuminating the stairwell.

    Wendy had already gone halfway down the steps, not waiting to see if she was being followed or not. Close behind her, the two dark-purple reptilians were marching without a sound. Sam took in a deep breath and followed the group as they descended the last few steps and went through the arch. Red and orange light filled Sam¡¯s vision for a brief moment, and he couldn¡¯t help but look up towards the sky. Well, it wasn¡¯t really a sky; after all, they were underneath a desert. The ceiling, if that¡¯s what it could be called, was emitting a bright light as if there were a sun up there, but it was like the light from a sunset, pleasant to look at without hurting Sam¡¯s eyes.

    Sam lowered his gaze, and a furrow appeared on his brow. According to Wendy, reptilians were supposed to be more advanced than humans, so why did Et Serpentium look so ¡­ primitive? Everything was made of stone: the road, the geometric buildings, the signs on street corners. Not only was the place primitive, it was deserted too, the red and orange streets devoid of reptilians.

    ¡°Everything¡¯s still here,¡± Hampter said and patted its chest. Even after knowing their names, Sam still had no idea if the two reptilians were male or female. They looked like Tamara but with scales of a different color.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Winton said and rolled its eyes. ¡°Like I said, you watch too much nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Come along now, children,¡± Wendy said, making a sharp turn towards the nearest building. ¡°The sooner we get this over with, the better.¡±

    Unfortunately, with the two tagalongs, Sam couldn¡¯t ask Wendy any questions, and as a human trafficker, it¡¯d be out of place for Wendy to explain things to Sam. As such, all he could do was observe. There were signs on the buildings, but they were adorned with curving script that he had never seen before, so he couldn¡¯t learn anything by reading either. Wendy approached a building and placed her hand on a stone slab. Her eyes narrowed, and a second later, the stone slab shifted to the side, revealing an opening.

    Sam swallowed as he looked at the stone slab before following the reptilians inside. What had he gotten himself into? For a second, he really felt like a feral cat brought into someone¡¯s home. He didn¡¯t even know how to open doors in Et Serpentium, so how was he going to steal a heavily guarded national treasure? It was like telling a dog to install a new drain in a house; Sam had so much to learn before he could consider stealing the GMC.

    A gush of hot air blew past Sam¡¯s face as he stepped inside the building. It was much more spacious than he had expected. From the outside, the building wasn¡¯t that big, but the interior was enormous. The space inside took up much more space than it did outside. Dozens of reptilians were seated on stone benches off to the side, and up ahead, there was a long counter separated into separate sections. It reminded Sam of the government building in human society he had gone to in order to get his identification card.

    A chill ran down Sam¡¯s spine as dozens of reptilians turned to look at him, piercing his body with their stares. He felt like a rabbit that had entered a den full of snakes. His neck shrank into his torso as his shoulders hunched, and he focused his gaze onto the ground, following behind the two dark-purple reptilians. He wondered how Wendy was dealing with the stares, but he couldn¡¯t see her expression.

    ¡°That human smells delicious,¡± one of the reptilians sitting on a bench said, its words composed of long hisses. ¡°Are you selling it?¡±

    Winton blinked. ¡°Oh, this thing isn¡¯t mine,¡± the reptilian said. Winton gestured towards Wendy. ¡°It belongs to Bastard Wendy.¡±

    ¡°The great seer¡¯s daughter?¡± a different reptilian asked. ¡°It¡¯s really her. Damn.¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as a majority of the reptilians made their way towards their group. What was going on? He thought Wendy¡¯s mom was supposed to be an influential figure, so why did it seem like a group of reptilians were about to lynch Wendy? Contrary to Sam¡¯s expectations, the reptilians passed their group, and fled through the open door as if they were avoiding a diseased individual.

    ¡°What?¡± Hampter asked, looking around. The dark-purple reptilian grabbed another reptilian before it could flee. ¡°Where¡¯s everyone going?¡±

    The red reptilian blinked at Hampter. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± it asked, shaking off Hampter¡¯s hand. ¡°You like having your mind read?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Hampter asked, the dark-purple reptilian¡¯s gaze shifting to the blonde woman up ahead. The reptilian¡¯s silver pupils widened. ¡°She¡¯s a mind reader?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a mind-reading, shit-stirring, no-good bastard,¡± the red reptilian said. ¡°It¡¯s too bad she didn¡¯t die outside.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talkative, huh?¡± Wendy asked, turning to look at the red reptilian. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell the world what you did in the evening three weeks ago since you like blabbing so much?¡±

    The red reptilian fell silent before turning to leave without saying another word. The reptilians who remained, the uninformed ones, quietly made their way to the exit as well. Wendy snorted and walked up to the counter. There was a line before, but after the red reptilian had spoken, the line was no more.

    Sam swallowed as silence seemed to press in on him from all sides. So, it turned out Wendy was a mind reader. He hadn¡¯t thought anything offensive about her, right? ¡­Right? He wasn¡¯t sure; after all, who kept track of all the things they thought? He might¡¯ve thought things like she was old and scary, but she was thrice his age and adults were intimidating, so she shouldn¡¯t have been offended by his completely normal thoughts, yeah? After all, it wasn¡¯t like he thought she was a freak just because her eyes were demonic looking. In fact, she was far from being a freak. She was beautiful and had a nice b¡ª

    ¡°Shut up, human,¡± Wendy said. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too loud.¡±

    ¡­butt. Sam gulped, his face burning red. If only it were that easy to get his brain to quiet down.

 Chapter 13

    The counter wasn¡¯t manned by reptilians, rather, graylings were standing behind the translucent, crystal panes, their large black eyes unblinking as Wendy approached. Wendy stopped in front of the central crystal pane, and the grayling behind it looked up at her; it had to since it was so short. ¡°How may I assist you today?¡± it asked.

    ¡°I have something to report,¡± Wendy said. ¡°The guardian statue vanished, and there weren¡¯t any guards on duty.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the missing camera,¡± Hampter said, chiming in from behind Wendy. The grayling turned to look at the dark-purple reptilian, and Hampter nodded. ¡°There¡¯s supposed to be cameras in the guard room, but there weren¡¯t any.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± the grayling said. It placed its three fingers on the counter in front of it and closed its eyes. After a few seconds, its eyes opened once more. ¡°A report has been submitted. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?¡±

    Hampter and Winton exchanged glances with one another. Was that it? The guardian statue was missing, and the grayling behind the counter treated it like nothing important had happened? Maybe the guardian statue vanished on occasion for some reason or another; after all, everything needed to be maintained once in a while.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy said and turned around. She glanced at the dark-purple reptilians standing behind her. ¡°The two of you can leave now.¡± She ignored their dazed expressions and pointed at Sam. ¡°Human, come here.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, sundak,¡± Sam said, stumbling forward while staring at the ground. His face wouldn¡¯t stop burning, and he didn¡¯t dare to raise his head. Then again, he was told to keep his head down, so he was simply following orders. It wasn¡¯t because he was embarrassed of what he thought about Wendy¡¯s¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯d like to register this human I captured,¡± Wendy said, cutting off Sam¡¯s thoughts.

    The grayling turned its gaze onto Sam. Then, it rummaged underneath the counter and retrieved a box. With the three long fingers of its right hand, it withdrew an instrument that looked like a conical pyramid made out of stone. Opposite of the pyramid¡¯s pointy end, there was a flat surface with a hole in it, its diameter wide enough for the whole pyramid to pass through. The grayling clicked the instrument a few times, causing the pointy pyramid to pass through the hole. After confirming the tool was still functional, it retrieved a tag with a loop on one end. A shiver ran down Sam¡¯s spine as he eyed the tool on the counter. Since the grayling was so short, the countertop and its contents were visible to Sam despite him staring at the ground.

    The grayling¡¯s black eyes seemed to gleam as it looked at Sam¡¯s earlobe, eager to punch a massive hole through it. ¡°Livestock or pet?¡±

    ¡°Pet,¡± Wendy said.

    ¡°A shame,¡± the grayling said and stored away the pointy tool, much to Sam¡¯s relief. He had always entertained the idea of piercing his ears, but he didn¡¯t want a gaping hole punched through his earlobe by a creature that didn¡¯t even have thumbs. Actually, now that he looked closer, there was a tiny nub near the grayling¡¯s wrist that could act as a thumb, but still, no.

    The grayling retrieved a black, stone rod with a flared end that looked suspiciously like a branding iron. The grayling closed its eyes, and the flared end roared and crackled as it turned red, then orange, then white. The grayling¡¯s eyes opened, and it looked at Sam. ¡°Forehead, chest, or butt?¡±

    Sam swallowed with his suddenly dry mouth. He couldn¡¯t help but break Wendy¡¯s rule, raising his head to look up at her. She didn¡¯t have to be a mind reader to see the sheer terror within his eyes. A smirk appeared on her face as she turned towards the grayling. ¡°Butt,¡± she said, causing beads of sweat to run down Sam¡¯s back as the grayling lifted the countertop, creating a path towards Sam.

    ¡°Restrain your human,¡± the grayling said. ¡°They¡¯ve been known to run during the branding process.¡±

    Oh really? Sam would¡¯ve rolled his eyes at the grayling¡¯s words, but the heat coming off the rod was nothing to scoff at. Was he really going to allow himself to be branded? First, it would hurt¡ªa lot. Second, he¡¯d be scarred for life¡ªwell, maybe Monarch had ways to remove a burn scar, but still. Third, it would hurt a lot! Sam swallowed as he fought the urge to run. For two hundred fifty million credits, what was a little jab in the butt with a white-hot poker?

    ¡°Actually,¡± Wendy said, ¡°I changed my mind. Since I¡¯m planning on selling it, it¡¯d be better to let the owner brand it where they please. A collar will do for now.¡±

    The grayling stared at Wendy, and from what Sam could tell from the creature¡¯s vibe, which was as bland as an empty room painted gray, it was disappointed. The grayling closed its eyes, and the poker returned to its original color as the heat on its flared end dissipated. The disappointed creature walked back behind the counter and stored the rod in its box before taking out a collar with a large, blue stone attached to it. ¡°Shock collar?¡±

    Wendy glanced at Sam, who was staring at a relatively normal-looking collar in the box, before nodding. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Shock collar.¡±

    The grayling¡¯s eyes seemed to twinkle as it walked over to Sam and wrapped the collar around his neck. He debated putting up a fight as the grayling¡¯s dry fingers made contact with his skin, but ultimately, he let it happen. Raindu could always take it off when no one was looking.

    ¡°Testing,¡± the grayling said and tapped on a blue crystal it had taken out with the shock collar.

    Sam yelped as a sharp, tingling sensation zapped his neck, causing the muscles in his face and chest to spasm. Raindu poked its furry head out of Sam¡¯s shirt, but before it could do anything, Wendy snatched the blue crystal out of the grayling¡¯s hand, and the tingling sensation vanished. The grayling blinked before looking up at Wendy. ¡°As you can see,¡± the short creature said, ¡°the collar works quite well.¡±

    ¡°I see that,¡± Wendy said, pocketing the blue crystal.

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but think mean thoughts about Wendy. Why did she have to stick a shock collar on him? Why couldn¡¯t she have picked the normal-looking collar instead? The shock collar might¡¯ve been better than having a hole punched in his ear or being branded on the booty, but it still hurt!

    ¡°What?¡± Wendy asked, looking at Sam. ¡°Dissatisfied? You wanted the explosive collar instead?¡±

    Sam¡¯s thoughts came to a halt. ¡°N-no, sundak,¡± he said. ¡°No dissatisfaction here.¡±

    ¡°Thought so,¡± Wendy said and nodded. She glanced at the grayling. ¡°That¡¯ll be all.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been my pleasure to serve you today, sundak,¡± the grayling said and bowed before walking back behind the counter. It lowered the countertop, the crystal pane blocking its face once more. ¡°If you have any questions, comments, or concerns¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Wendy said to Sam, ignoring the grayling¡¯s final words. It continued speaking as she walked away, and Sam glanced at it before following after the blonde woman, wondering if it was okay to leave the grayling hanging like that. Then again, Wendy did say graylings were controlled by reptilians, so it made sense for reptilians to be rude to them.

    Sam exited the building, the reddish-orange light from the ceiling greeting his eyes. All the reptilians that had fled because of Wendy¡¯s presence were standing around, either staring at the ground or the sky, doing their best to avoid attracting Wendy¡¯s attention. Even if she was a mind reader, wasn¡¯t this reaction a bit too much? After all, Sam¡¯s mind had been read when he was standing behind Wendy and staring at the ground; it wasn¡¯t like looking off into a different direction would keep their mental privacy intact.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°This way,¡± Wendy said, ignoring the crowd. ¡°Don¡¯t get lost now, human.¡±

    Sam followed after Wendy, keeping his head trained on the ground. Even still, he could feel the gazes of reptilians staring at him as he walked past them. They might¡¯ve been looking down to avoid meeting Wendy¡¯s eyes, but since they stood over a foot taller than him, that put Sam directly in their line of sight. Prickling sensations stabbed the back of his neck, growing in intensity with every step he took, and he couldn¡¯t help but increase his pace.

    Raindu looked around from its spot by Sam¡¯s shirt collar, squinting as it eyed the reptilians looking at Sam.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Wendy said, turning around to look at the reptilians. ¡°What are you lot gawking at? Never seen a half-breed walk a human before? Scram.¡±

    The prickling sensations disappeared as the reptilians headed back inside the building, hissing in discontent as they did so. Wendy¡¯s eyes narrowed at two dark-purple reptilians that hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°Didn¡¯t I dismiss the two of you?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re planning on following me?¡±

    Hampter and Winton exchanged glances with one another, and Hampter took a step forward. ¡°Can you teach us how to read minds?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Winton said. ¡°What you did in the building was really cool. I want to blackmail people too.¡±

    Wendy snorted. ¡°No,¡± she said, crushing the two reptilians¡¯ dreams. ¡°You¡¯re either born with the ability or not.¡± Her eyes narrowed at the two reptilians. ¡°If you¡¯re looking to make some easy money, I can help you, but you¡¯ll need your parents¡¯ permission first; I highly doubt they¡¯ll say yes.¡±

    Hampter and Winton exchanged glances with each other, communicating with their eyes. They turned to look at Wendy. ¡°Alright,¡± Winton said. ¡°We¡¯ll ask our parents first. Where can we find you?¡±

    ¡°The seer¡¯s palace,¡± Wendy said and turned around, walking away, ¡°but I have business to take care of first, so don¡¯t look for me until tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Hampter said. The reptilian nudged its sibling. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The two reptilians scurried off, and Sam couldn¡¯t help but glance at them as they left. He was a bit confused by Wendy¡¯s status: some reptilians treated her like trash; some treated her like a pariah; those two seemed to look up to her. How did Wendy, the daughter of someone important like the great seer of the reptilians¡ªat least, Sam assumed the seer was important¡ªwind up working for Monarch to destroy reptilian society? The collar around Sam¡¯s neck tingled, and he flinched.

    ¡°Stop standing around, human,¡± Wendy said. ¡°We don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    Sam swallowed and jogged to catch up to Wendy. Although the collar didn¡¯t shock him, just the tingling sensation was enough to motivate him to listen to the blonde woman¡¯s words. Were they going to Tamara now?

    ¡°This is a pet store,¡± Wendy said, stopping in front of a building not too far away from the administrative building they were in earlier. ¡°You might see other humans inside and get excited, but don¡¯t go around sniffing their butts, you hear me? Wait until you¡¯re properly vaccinated at least.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. He wasn¡¯t a dog. Why would he sniff someone¡¯s butt? A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth as he followed Wendy into the store. She had to be critical of him in public to maintain the fa?ade of a human captured by a reptilian, so it was understandable she¡¯d speak so harshly. Sam glanced around as he walked inside the building. The ceiling was embedded with yellow bricks that gave off soft light, just enough to illuminate all the products within the store. The first thing to catch his eye was a large box on a shelf; they contained diapers.

    ¡°Most people prefer raising their pets from young,¡± Wendy said, answering Sam¡¯s unasked question. ¡°They¡¯re more obedient that way, and babies are cuter than adults. That¡¯s why, I have to buy a cage and food bag to package you with, so first-time buyers aren¡¯t intimidated by the extra costs.¡±

    Sam frowned as he looked around some more. He had entered a pet store once before he had been discarded by his parents; most of the items inside were made for large dogs: chew toys, bones, dog beds. The goods in the reptilian pet store were made for humans: frozen steak and bacon treats, magazines with pictures of scantily clad people on them, cans of soda. There were mattresses; most of them were twin-sized, but for the ones who really wanted to spoil their pets, there were gigantic ones fit for kings. In the corner of the store, there was a section that sold clothes.

    Despite Wendy¡¯s earlier words, there weren¡¯t any humans other than him in the store, but there were a few reptilians browsing the products on the shelves while a group of graylings stood around near the entrance. A grayling approached Wendy after examining her thoroughly. ¡°It looks like your human needs a leash,¡± it said, flashing her a smile. ¡°We all have kinds in store. Are you interested in taking a look at them, sundak?¡±

    ¡°Get me a leash, a cage, a bed, and a month¡¯s worth of food for this human,¡± Wendy said before gesturing towards Sam.

    ¡°Right away,¡± the grayling said but didn¡¯t move. ¡°What kind of budget are we looking at here today?¡±

    ¡°Second-cheapest items,¡± Wendy said.

    A slight smile appeared on Sam¡¯s face. As someone who was used to getting the cheapest of anything, he was thankful for Wendy¡¯s generosity.

    Wendy glanced at Sam before pointing at the shelf of entertainment items for adult humans. ¡°Get me one of those magazines too,¡± she said. She took another glance at Sam, causing his face to burn bright red. She nodded at the grayling. ¡°Make that two.¡±

    Sam wanted to protest, but he kept his mouth shut. There was a green orb in the corner of the room monitoring his every action. The grayling tapped the tips of its three long fingers on each hand together before bowing at Wendy. Then, it went to fulfill her order, waddling around the store with its short legs. Wendy remained in place, and Sam didn¡¯t feel comfortable wandering around without her, so he stood still and waited. It didn¡¯t take long for the grayling to return with everything Wendy requested. Even though the grayling was small and thin without any muscles, it was still holding everything Wendy requested up with one hand. Sam suspected it had something to do with the crystalline bracelet around its wrist that was emitting a yellow glow; it wasn¡¯t shining before.

    Wendy retrieved her green crystalline rod, which Sam assumed was something akin to a credit card, and pointed it at a green brick near the entrance of the store. Wendy glanced at the grayling. ¡°I¡¯m paying delivery fees too.¡±

    The grayling nodded. ¡°Understood, sundak.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Wendy said and exited the store without looking back.

    Sam glanced at the grayling, and it gestured for him to go first, so he followed Wendy out into the street. The grayling adjusted the folded cage, mattress, and frozen box of food before walking towards the exit. The items it was holding were a bit wider than the entrance, but the walls expanded, sliding ever so slightly to accommodate the grayling. Sam thought it was neat, but at the same time, he wondered how it worked. There didn¡¯t seem to be any electronics; everything of the reptilians he had seen so far were made of stones and crystals.

    ¡°Yo! What¡¯s up?¡±

    Sam blinked and raised his head. The reptilians spoke in hisses, and the graylings seemed to mumble their words, so when he heard a phrase he didn¡¯t need to understand through vibes, he was a bit surprised. Approaching Wendy, Sam, and the grayling, there was a green reptilian holding a leash attached to a collar on a human man¡¯s neck. The man was almost naked, only wearing a pair of boxers, and he was obese beyond belief. Sam had never seen someone who was wider than himself by at least five times.

    The obese man looked at Wendy and flinched upon seeing her reptilian eyes. He quickly turned his head towards Sam and waved after confirming Sam was a pet. ¡°Hey! You look like you were recently captured,¡± the man said and walked up to Sam, the leash on the man¡¯s neck pulling taut. The obese man patted Sam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s no need to look so bummed out; life¡¯s pretty good as a pet.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow before looking at Wendy. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how to respond to this man¡¯s greeting. Wendy told him to avoid making eye contact with reptilians, but she never told him how to interact with other humans; well, she did tell him not to sniff anyone¡¯s butt, but he wasn¡¯t going to do that anyway.

    ¡°Ignore him,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Come.¡±

    The obese man shrugged and took his hand off Sam¡¯s shoulder, waving as Sam left. ¡°Bye,¡± the man said. ¡°Hopefully we¡¯ll bump into each other again.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure if he should reply, so he turned and gave the obese man a half-hearted smile before jogging to catch up to Wendy.

    ¡°If you have a question, ask,¡± Wendy said without stopping.

    Sam scratched his head. ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± he said, turning to glance at the reptilian and its obese pet before looking back at Wendy. ¡°Is that a standard interaction between pets?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Reptilians don¡¯t mind when humans greet each other; they might even think it¡¯s cute. However, there are some reptilians who like their pets to be more aggressive, and it¡¯s not uncommon for a scuffle to take place. If an owner thinks things are going too far, they¡¯ll step in to stop the interaction, but generally, pets interact with pets however they like.¡±

    Sam nodded. Tamara would step in for him if an awakener started whaling on him, right?

    ¡°If you¡¯re lucky, your new owner will register you with the HKC, the Human Kennel Club,¡± Wendy said, ¡°Reptilians who support the HKC generally treat their humans better, but they are firm supporters of neutering and spaying their humans.¡±

    Sam glanced down at his crotch. For five hundred million credits¡­. No. Sam shuddered. it was better not to continue that train of thought.

 Chapter 14

    ¡°Welcome, sundak.¡±

    Sam glanced up at the stone archway. He was standing behind Wendy, and behind him, there was the grayling deliverer from the pet shop, still holding the items Wendy had purchased. In front of the group, standing below the arch, there was a grayling staring up at them. Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure what this place was supposed to be seeing how it was wide open rather than enclosed like other buildings.

    The grayling under the arch tapped its fingers together while looking at Wendy. ¡°Are you purchasing or selling today?¡±

    ¡°Selling,¡± Wendy said, pointed behind herself with her thumb. ¡°I have a human for sale.¡±

    ¡°I understand, sundak,¡± the grayling said and reached towards one of the pillars holding up the arch. A slot opened within, and a stone token was ejected, the grayling catching it before handing it to Wendy. ¡°Have you sold anything here before? Would you like a guide?¡±

    ¡°No guide,¡± Wendy said, taking the token. She glanced at the inscription before placing the token inside of her pocket. She glanced at Sam. ¡°We¡¯re entering a flea market, so keep your hands to yourself.¡±

    Flea market, great. Weren¡¯t those markets supposed to be used for selling secondhand goods? Sam followed after Wendy, and Raindu poked its furry head out of Sam¡¯s collar, taking a look around. There were squares drawn into the ground, and reptilians were sitting down with items laid out in front of them, waiting for potential buyers. There were crystals with all sorts of shapes and sizes. Seeing as reptilians used crystals for everything from cameras to wallets to identity tokens, Sam had no idea what the items on display did.

    However, there were some things he could recognize: humans with defeated expressions on their faces. Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he looked at them, but it wasn¡¯t like there was anything he could do to help them; after all, he was here to be sold as well. Sam blinked and looked down at his shirt collar. Raindu wasn¡¯t there anymore, and he couldn¡¯t identify the ferret¡¯s location on his body. Cold sweat beaded on the back of Sam¡¯s neck, and he couldn¡¯t help but raise his head. Wendy turned back, glaring at him with an expression that threatened murder.

    A smile that resembled a crying person¡¯s frown appeared on Sam¡¯s face as he looked around for his lost ferret, doing his best to avoid making eye contact with the reptilians sitting in front of their wares. Unfortunately, Sam couldn¡¯t spot the ferret anywhere. He wanted to shout for the ferret but didn¡¯t want to attract any attention, so he came up with the brilliant idea of shouting for Raindu in his mind since the ferret could read Sam¡¯s thoughts. Sam wasn¡¯t sure if mind readers could hear him more clearly if he thought louder, but it was worth a shot.

    The shot didn¡¯t work. Raindu remained nowhere to be found, and Sam trudged ahead with dread welling in his stomach. Every time the damned ferret did something on its own, terrible things happened: the ferret touched a grayling and removed the controller from its brain, causing a train derailment; the ferret touched the insides of a moving car and stole the keys out of its ignition, causing a traffic accident; the ferret touched reptilian guards and murdered them, almost ruining the whole plan to steal the GMC. What was it going to do this time? No, he shouldn¡¯t assume the worst, that would make it happen.

    ¡°Hey! I saw you!¡±

    Wendy paused and turned her head to the side. Two reptilians, one blue and one red, were sitting close to each other, their venues side by side.

    ¡°What?¡± the accused red reptilian asked. ¡°Saw me do what?¡±

    The blue reptilian bared its teeth as its tongue flickered. ¡°You swiped my credit rod!¡±

    ¡°I swiped your credit rod?¡± the red reptilian asked. ¡°How did I do that? I¡¯ve been sitting here this whole time.¡±

    The blue reptilian patted the bag by on its waist, and its eyes widened. ¡°You took my identity token too!¡±

    Sam shivered and subconsciously angled his body away from the arguing reptilians. If his hunch was correct, Raindu had graduated from merely stealing people¡¯s belongings; the ferret was stealing people¡¯s identities now too. Identity token and credit rod? Sam wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Raindu opened a bank account in the blue reptilian¡¯s name. Did reptilians even have bank accounts? Sam wasn¡¯t sure, but it seemed likely considering they had monetary transactions. The collar on Sam¡¯s neck tingled as if Wendy were warning him, but what could Sam do? If anyone should¡¯ve had the shock collar placed on them, it should¡¯ve been Raindu.

    Wendy continued walking, ignoring the commotion that seemed like it¡¯d devolve into a fight. After walking for a bit, she stopped in front of a venue, one that had an identical marking to the inscription on the token she had been given upon entering the flea market. ¡°You can place the items down here,¡± she said, turning towards the grayling deliverer.

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± the grayling said, placing the items within the designated square. Once it was done, the bracelet on its wrist stopped glowing, and it turned to look at Wendy. ¡°Is there anything else I can assist you with today?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Wait here. When someone buys my goods, you¡¯ll deliver these things for me.¡±

    ¡°Understood, sundak,¡± the grayling said, touching the tip of its fingers together before retreating to a corner of the square.

    ¡°Human,¡± Wendy said, pointing at the center of the square. ¡°Make yourself appealing.¡±

    Sam stood in the center of the venue and furrowed his brow. Make himself appealing? How was he supposed to do that? He glanced at his arms, skinny ones despite the steroids Monarch had given him. Then, he touched his face, the one Raindu had pitied him for. After contemplating for a few seconds, he turned towards Wendy for help, and the blonde woman avoided his gaze. ¡°On second thought,¡± she said, ¡°just stand there. Someone will want you.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for a blue reptilian, not Tamara, to appear and inspect Sam. The reptilian walked up to Sam, and its scaly hands touched his body all over, massaging his muscles more intimately than he would¡¯ve liked. After an uncomfortable minute, the reptilian backed away and looked at Wendy. ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± the reptilian said. ¡°How much?¡±

    Wendy scanned the reptilian from head to toe. ¡°Are you part of the HKC?¡±

    The blue reptilian blinked before shaking its head. ¡°No. Is that a problem?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m half-human myself, but I prefer for the humans I capture to wind up in good homes, not some backyard breeder¡¯s.¡±

    The blue reptilian snorted. ¡°Snob,¡± it said and walked away without saying anything else, causing Sam to relax his tensed muscles. What if a reptilian insisted on buying him and Wendy couldn¡¯t find an excuse to say no? He¡¯d be sold to someone other than Tamara. ¡­Tamara would show up, right? It was all part of the plan, but from what Sam could tell, plans fell apart quite often when Wendy was around.

    Wendy glared at Sam. Was it her fault his ferret was a wild animal? Raindu was the one wrecking plans; she was the one fixing the mess the furry creature left behind. A frown appeared on the blonde woman¡¯s face as she turned her head to the side. Not long after, shouts and the sounds accompanying a commotion came from that direction.

    Sam turned his head as well, but since he couldn¡¯t see the reptilians, he could only hear the sounds of hissing without understanding the meaning behind them. Whether they were angry hisses, concerned hisses, or happy hisses, Sam couldn¡¯t tell, but he had a feeling he knew who was behind the hubbub. Raindu was still missing, and this place was practically a treasure trove of random, shiny things the ferret might like. All Sam could do was pray no one had spotted the creature; it could move swiftly, but that didn¡¯t mean it was invisible or a master of stealth. Although they wouldn¡¯t be able to see it stealing from people, if it was spotted here and then spotted later while stealing the GMC, smarter individuals might put two and two together.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Sam glanced at Wendy. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how reptilians treated ferrets. Did Raindu have to remain hidden at all times? From what little he had seen of Et Serpentium, it didn¡¯t seem like the reptilians kept any other creatures as pets other than humans. What would they do to Raindu if they caught the furry creature?

    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s a fight,¡± Wendy said, still staring off into the distance. She turned her head towards Sam before looking down at his crotch. ¡°I¡¯m giving you permission to run and preserve your life if the brawl gets close.¡±

    Sam blinked. Why was Wendy staring at him down there while talking to him? A chilling pulsation ran up his spine from his crotch, and he suddenly recalled how he planned on keeping the pulsation a secret from Wendy when he first experienced it on the surdock¡¯s back, as if keeping a secret from a mind reader could be possible. She probably knew from the very moment he experienced it but chose not to comment; at least, that was the feeling he was getting from her vibe. Clearly, she was telling him his life would be in danger if reptilians fought close to him even with an unlocked root chakra.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to thank her?¡± the grayling standing by the pet supplies in the corner of the venue asked.

    Before Sam could reply, Wendy snorted. ¡°Who told you to train my human?¡± she asked, glaring at the grayling.

    ¡°My apologies, sundak,¡± the grayling said.

    Sam scratched his head. Was a reptilian giving their human pet permission to escape from life-threatening danger something a human had to be thankful for? Did most reptilians expect their human to stand there and die?

    A crashing sound drew Sam¡¯s attention, and he flinched while turning towards the sound. A blue reptilian tumbled along the ground, objects scattering about as it rolled. It came to a halt, a heap of dust shooting past its body as it did so. The reptilian climbed to its feet and hissed. Its yellow eyes seemed to flash as it flexed its muscles, the seven-foot-tall reptilian growing even larger in size. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that!¡±

    Sam swallowed as the ground shook with every step the enlarged reptilian took, rushing in the direction it had been launched from. A charging red reptilian met it, and the two beasts clashed against one another, their sharp teeth snapping at each other¡¯s necks while their claws ripped long wounds into their opponent¡¯s flesh. A shiver ran down Sam¡¯s spine. It was no wonder why Wendy wanted him to flee if the reptilians came close enough; he¡¯d be beaten into a pulp and torn into bloody shreds.

    Sam took a look around to see how everyone else was reacting. The captive humans were keeping their heads down while the reptilians were staring at the two fighters. No one had any intention of breaking up the scuffle¡ªif that¡¯s what it could be called. Yellowish-green liquid that looked more like snot that blood flowed freely from the reptilians¡¯ wounds, creating small puddles on the ground where they fought. Sam wasn¡¯t sure how much blood a reptilian body contained, but he was sure both of them had lost unhealthy amounts. For a species supposedly more advanced than humans, they certainly behaved in a not-so-advanced manner.

    Something tickled Sam¡¯s leg, and he looked down in time to see a lump travel up his pants. The lump traveled past his crotch and waist, pausing at Sam¡¯s stomach and settling there. Sam tugged at the collar of his shirt and peeked inside his clothes. As expected, Raindu had returned, the ferret waving upon seeing Sam spying on it from above. It grinned at Sam, the creature obviously feeling quite chuffed after its short excursion.

    A dark expression appeared on Sam¡¯s face. What exactly did Raindu steal this time?

    Raindu gave Sam a thumbs-up with its toe as it mentally told him not to worry about it. Sam tried to read the creature¡¯s mind for more details, but he couldn¡¯t find what he was looking for; rather than discovering the items Raindu stole, Sam learned the type of candy the ferret wanted to eat for dinner. Evidently, the ferret was better at reading Sam¡¯s mind than he was at reading the ferret¡¯s; either that, or the ferret was better at keeping things a secret from a mind reader.

    Sam raised his head, turning his attention back onto the fighting reptilians. The red one seemed to be winning; it was straddling the blue reptilian¡¯s waist while clawing at its face repeatedly. The only thing the blue reptilian could do was hold its arms up to defend itself while kicking its feet in an attempt to scratch the red reptilian¡¯s back and tail.

    ¡°Had enough yet?¡± the red reptilian asked, grunting every time it swiped its arms at its opponent. A vicious expression appeared on the red reptilian¡¯s face, and the claws on its right hand swiped across the blue reptilian¡¯s left eye, leaving four long marks. The blue reptilian screamed as yellowish-green liquid spurted out of the wounds.

    ¡°Uncle!¡± the blue reptilian shouted. ¡°Uncle!¡±

    The red reptilian stopped its assault. It stood up and looked down at the blue reptilian for a few seconds, the red reptilian¡¯s tongue flickering in and out of its mouth. The red reptilian snorted and stepped away, the claws on its feet dragging along the blue reptilian¡¯s body. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for accusing me of being a thief.¡±

    The blue reptilian didn¡¯t reply. It rolled over and pushed itself off the ground. It glared at the spectators as it stood up, clutching at its wounded body. Its gaze swept past Sam¡¯s; although eye contact was only maintained for a brief moment, Sam stiffened like a mouse that had encountered a snake. The blue reptilian hung its head and hurried out of the flea market, leaving a trail of its snot-colored blood on the ground. Sam exhaled as the reptilian disappeared from view, and he turned his head to examine Wendy¡¯s expression.

    The blonde woman met Sam¡¯s gaze. ¡°Welcome to Et Serpentium. Behave yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. His gaze drifted onto the victorious red reptilian. It was setting up its venue once more, acting as if nothing had happened despite the multiple open wounds on its body. The crowd of reptilians made up of sellers who had dispersed gradually returned to their original places, blocking the red reptilian from view. From what Sam could tell, brawls where reptilians clawed out each other¡¯s eyes were a commonplace event; he was a bit surprised he hadn¡¯t encountered more scarred reptilians. Maybe they were advanced enough to recover from injuries like a gouged-out eye without leaving marks behind.

    A high-pitched hiss drew Sam¡¯s attention, and he turned his head to the side. A small, yellow reptilian was pointing at him.

    ¡°Mommy, look!¡± the small reptilian said, looking up at the reptilian standing beside it. It was also yellow. ¡°This one looks so derpy! It¡¯s cute!¡±

    Sam blinked. He was supposed to keep his head down to avoid meeting reptilians¡¯ gazes, but this reptilian was shorter than him, only as tall as his waist; looking down caused him to make direct eye contact with it. The small reptilian walked up to Sam and placed its hand on his thigh before turning to look at the reptilian Sam presumed to be its mother. ¡°Can I have this one, please, please, please?¡± the reptilian child asked.

    The mother reptilian looked at Wendy. ¡°Do you happen to have this human¡¯s genealogy information by any chance?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Wendy said, her face stone-cold.

    The mother was undeterred. ¡°How much are selling it for?¡±

    ¡°Thirty thousand.¡±

    The mother reptilian blinked its green eyes. ¡°That¡¯s a bit¡­.¡±

    ¡°Pleaseeeeeeeeeeee,¡± the child reptilian said, dragging out the word while staring at its mother with watery eyes.

    A sigh escaped from the mother reptilian¡¯s mouth. ¡°Okay,¡± it said, nodding at Wendy while taking out a crystal rod.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Are you part of the HKC?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± the yellow reptilian said, taking out a human-shaped stone from its bag. ¡°See?¡±

    Wendy nodded. ¡°Do you own any other humans? This one doesn¡¯t get along well with others; it hasn¡¯t been properly socialized.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the yellow reptilian said. ¡°Our last human passed away recently, and Ellie has been heartbroken ever since. We¡¯ve been coming here every week to find a replacement, but this is the first human she¡¯s taken an interest in.¡±

    The child reptilian nodded at Wendy. The small reptilian¡¯s hand clenched, crumpling Sam¡¯s pants. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll take good care of it!¡±

    For some reason, Sam had a bad feeling, and it didn¡¯t have anything to do with being called derpy by a reptilian child. Wendy¡¯s eyes flickered, and she glanced at Sam before looking at the mother reptilian. ¡°This human has great combat potential. It¡¯d¡ª¡±

    Before Wendy could finish her sentence, the yellow reptilian¡¯s face split into a wide smile. ¡°Really?¡± it asked. ¡°That¡¯s perfect! Our previous human was a seven-time fighting champion; I raised it myself.¡± The reptilian¡¯s green eyes seemed to shine as it looked at Sam as if it had spotted a treasure. ¡°We¡¯ll take it.¡±

    ¡°Woohoo!¡± The reptilian child, Ellie, raised its arms into the air and cheered. It reached into a pouch by its waist and took out a small chunk of something brown, offering it up to Sam. Instead of hissing, the child spoke in crude English at Sam while staring at him with bright, green eyes, ¡°I give treat you! Popcorn chicken, very taste good!¡±

    Sam glanced at Wendy, and the blonde woman said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to thank her.¡±

    Sam accepted the piece of popcorn chicken. ¡°Thank you, sundak,¡± he said before examining the so-called treat. It was hot as if it had been freshly made. He put it in his mouth and chewed, his eyes lighting up as a savory and salty flavor exploded all over his tongue. It was delicious and admittedly better than anything he had eaten even before his family had abandoned him.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a deal?¡± the mother reptilian asked, raising its crystal rod once more.

    Sam loved the popcorn chicken. It was almost a shame the treat-giving child couldn¡¯t be his owner. He needed to work with Tamara to steal the GMC, so even if Ellie¡¯s heart was broken¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡±

    ¡ªWendy wouldn¡¯t sell¡­. Wait, what? Question marks appeared over Sam¡¯s head as Wendy handed the blue crystal linked to his shock collar to the reptilian mother. The blonde-haired, red-eyed woman gave Sam a half-hearted smile before shrugging as if she were helpless to change the outcome.

 Chapter 15

    Sam sat on a moving stone platform. It was rectangular with two benches, one bench on either end. He was sitting next to Ellie, the yellow reptilian child, and sitting across from him, Ellie¡¯s mother, who he didn¡¯t know the name of, was staring at Sam.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, human?¡± Ellie¡¯s mother asked through hisses.

    ¡°Sam, sundak,¡± Sam said.

    There was a clicking sound as Ellie pressed on a stone device strapped to her wrist, and the reptilian held a piece of popcorn chicken out towards Sam. ¡°Good job, Sam!¡±

    Sam blinked, and Ellie¡¯s mother smiled, gesturing for Sam to take the treat. He put the piece of popcorn chicken in his mouth and chewed. A grin appeared on Ellie¡¯s scaly face, and she took out a black stone in the shape of a cylinder, pointing one of its faces at him. There was a snapping sound, and Ellie looked at the other end of the cylinder before showing it to her mother. ¡°Look!¡± she said and giggled. ¡°He¡¯s so derpy!¡±

    Sam was never a self-conscious eater, but after hearing Ellie¡¯s comments, he couldn¡¯t help but chew a bit slower, trying to make his chewing as inconspicuous as possible.

    The small reptilian put the cylindrical device down and looked at Sam. ¡°Is this your first time riding a levistone, Sam?¡±

    Sam nodded. He turned his head to the side, wondering why in the world he was in this position. Wendy had sold him to a stranger when the original plan was to sell him to Tamara. Had he actually been tricked and trafficked by Wendy? Perhaps thirty-thousand whatever unit reptilians used for money was an astronomical amount, and he gladly helped her count it as she sold him. For all he knew, the whole plan to steal the GMC could¡¯ve been a ploy to funnel S-ranked individuals to Et Serpentium.

    A furry paw pressed against Sam¡¯s cheek, and he met Raindu¡¯s gaze when he looked down. Beyond that, he saw Ellie staring up at him, the yellow reptilian¡¯s green eyes widening upon seeing the ferret. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± the reptilian asked, pointing at Raindu.

    Raindu crawled out of Sam¡¯s shirt and stood on his shoulder, puffing its furry chest out. After a moment of silence, Raindu glared at Sam before swiping at his ear, asking with its thoughts why he didn¡¯t introduce it to the reptilian. Sam furrowed his brow before clearing his throat. ¡°This is Raindu,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯s¡­.¡±

    Ellie stared up at Sam with unblinking eyes, waiting for his answer.

    ¡°He¡¯s my pet, sundak,¡± Sam said.

    Ellie blinked before a grin broke out on her face. She turned to look at her mother. ¡°Sam has a pet too!¡± She pulled out a piece of popcorn chicken and offered it to Raindu. ¡°That means he¡¯s my petpet!¡± The ferret chomped down on the treat, and Ellie laughed. ¡°Does he have a name?¡±

    Raindu chattered, and Sam translated. ¡°His name is Raindu, sundak. He¡¯s a ferret,¡± Sam said. ¡°May I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Ellie said and nodded. ¡°You can ask me whatever you want.¡±

    Sam glanced at Ellie¡¯s mother. The reptilian¡¯s vibe seemed a bit hesitant, but the reptilian didn¡¯t refute its daughter¡¯s words. Sam scratched his head. ¡°Is it alright for a pet to own a pet?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ellie said. ¡°But you have to take care of it.¡± She pointed a clawed finger at Sam¡¯s nose. ¡°You¡¯ll be punished if Raindu does anything wrong.¡± The small reptilian grinned at Sam. ¡°Do you have anything else you want to ask? We¡¯re going to be best friends, so there¡¯s no need to be shy.¡±

    Sam glanced at Ellie¡¯s mother once more, and the reptilian nodded at him. Sam looked at Ellie. He had many questions he wanted to ask, but he wasn¡¯t sure where to even start. If he asked about the location of the GMC, he¡¯d be an idiot, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to ask about Wendy¡¯s past, right? ¡°The woman that sold me, people said she¡¯s the daughter of the great seer. What exactly is a great seer?¡±

    ¡°The great seer is, um¡­, someone important!¡± Ellie said before looking at her mother. The large reptilian gave its daughter a wry smile before nodding, causing Ellie to beam.

    Sam looked at Ellie¡¯s mother, but it didn¡¯t seem like the reptilian was going to answer his question in detail. Clearly, Ellie was just a child. She might¡¯ve heard about the great seer, but why would she know more in depth about the topic? It¡¯d be like asking a human child what exactly was a board of directors.

    ¡°What else?¡± Ellie asked, her eyes shining as she looked at Sam.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been a pet before, sundak,¡± Sam said after thinking for a bit. ¡°What are the rules?¡±

    ¡°You have to be good and listen to everything I say,¡± Ellie said. She tilted her head. ¡°And you can¡¯t hurt people. If you hurt someone, I¡¯ll get in trouble, and mean adults will take you away.¡±

    Sam once again turned towards Ellie¡¯s mother. The reptilian stared at him with unblinking green eyes. ¡°You¡¯re what humans call an awakener, right?¡±

    Sam swallowed before nodding his head.

    Ellie¡¯s mother smiled, and a shiver ran down Sam¡¯s spine. ¡°Do you think you can escape from your fate as a pet?¡±

    Sam remained silent. Raindu could murder reptilians with a touch. Any restraining devices like explosive collars, shock collars, or even brain-controlling devices could easily be disabled by the ferret. Knowing that, Sam had the confidence to escape from Et Serpentium, but he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to admit that to the reptilian in front of him.

    ¡°Humans have always been our pets,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said, not caring about Sam¡¯s lack of response, ¡°even long before the Earth ascended. Rather than struggling to escape, why not cooperate for a while? You may find things are better here than you think, and if you have confidence in yourself, you can always escape later, no?¡±

    Sam maintained a neutral expression. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on escaping,¡± he said, lying through his teeth as he took Wendy¡¯s advice. ¡°I¡¯m an awakener, but my talent isn¡¯t that great.¡±

    ¡°What is your talent?¡± Ellie asked, looking up into Sam¡¯s eyes. ¡°Can you shoot laser beams from your eyes?¡±

    An awkward smile appeared on Sam¡¯s lips, and he scratched his head. ¡°I¡¯m, uh, not quite sure, sundak,¡± he said, speaking slowly as the gears in his brain turned to come up with a feasible yet useless talent. ¡°I was born talentless, and I signed up to receive an experimental talent.¡± His eyes lit up as he recalled the time he was shoved off a surdock¡¯s back above the spectral jungle. ¡°It has something to do with falling slowly. I can¡¯t fly, but if I flap my arms, I can sort of ¡­ not die ¡­ when I hit the ground.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ellie said. She glanced over the edge of the bench, and Sam had the impression the small reptilian wanted to push him off the levistone to test his talent. She must¡¯ve deemed to distance to be too short to verify Sam¡¯s claims because she turned her attention onto Raindu before looking at her mother. ¡°Mommy, what do ferrets taste like?¡±

    Raindu stiffened, question marks appearing over its head as it blinked at the small reptilian.

    ¡°Like rabbit,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ellie said, looking up at Raindu. In response, the ferret crawled back inside of Sam¡¯s shirt, disappearing from view. She turned her head to the side, and her eyes lit up. ¡°We¡¯re here, Sam!¡±

    Where exactly here was, Sam didn¡¯t know, but judging by the amused vibe Ellie¡¯s mother was giving off, he had a feeling he wouldn¡¯t like it. He looked at the building the levistone stopped in front of, but as usual, he couldn¡¯t understand the words on the sign. Instead, he took a guess. ¡°Is this your home, sundak?¡±

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°No, silly,¡± Ellie said. ¡°This is the vet.¡± She nodded at Sam. ¡°We have to make sure you¡¯re not sick.¡±

    Chills ran down Sam¡¯s spine as he recalled Wendy¡¯s words. Members of the HKC were staunch supporters of neutering and spaying their humans as a form of population control. Sam swallowed. ¡°That¡¯s all we¡¯re doing at the vet, right?¡± he asked. ¡°Making sure I¡¯m healthy?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be scared,¡± Ellie said, offering Sam her hand. ¡°We¡¯ll be with you the whole time.¡±

    Even if an army of reptilians were with him and on his side, he¡¯d still be terrified of being neutered. He might not have known all the details of the process, but he for sure knew he didn¡¯t want any of the process to happen to him. Five hundred million credits was a lot, sure, but was it enough to reverse the process? Was the process even reversible?

    Ellie grabbed Sam¡¯s hand and tugged, guiding him off the levistone. Ellie¡¯s mother stepped off the vehicle as well, following behind Sam, watching him in case he decided to make a break for it. In the distance, a grayling deliverer trudged along the road, carrying the pet supplies Wendy had purchased in the store.

    Sam swallowed once more as he stepped into the building, and Raindu poked its furry head out of his shirt collar to examine the surroundings. If there were any shiny objects lying around, Sam didn¡¯t doubt the ferret would nab them, but there wasn¡¯t much to be seen. The group entered a waiting room with stone chairs and a reptilian sitting behind a stone counter. ¡°Hello,¡± the white reptilian said. ¡°What can we do for you today?¡±

    ¡°Hi,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said, stepping forward. ¡°We purchased a human recently, and we¡¯d like to get him examined, chipped, and vaccinated.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the white reptilian said, leaning over to look at Sam. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s already an adult; shall we have it fixed today too?¡±

    Cold sweat filled Sam¡¯s palms, causing Ellie to release her grip and wipe her damp hand on Sam¡¯s pants.

    ¡°No,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said. ¡°We¡¯re planning on turning it into a show human.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± the white reptilian said. ¡°I understand.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t understand what being a show human had to do with keeping his family jewels, but he would gladly become one if that¡¯s what it took to keep his dignity.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to be the best show human,¡± Ellie said, looking up at the white reptilian. ¡°My mommy says I can train him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he will,¡± the white reptilian said, not looking away from the stone tablet it was holding. After a second, the reptilian passed the tablet to Ellie¡¯s mother. ¡°Fill this out for me, would you?¡± The reptilian glanced at Sam. ¡°Would you like us to groom your human? Free of charge.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Ellie said, shaking her head. ¡°I like how derpy he looks.¡±

    ¡°Well, okay,¡± the reptilian said after taking a look at Ellie¡¯s mother.

    Ellie pouted; everyone always looked at her mother to double-check her responses. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Sam, someone who also looked to her mother instead of her. ¡°Sit!¡±

    Sam blinked. Then, he recalled what he had to do as a pet: listen to and follow instructions. Sam crossed his legs and sat down on the spot, causing Ellie to blink twice at him. She pointed at the stone chair behind Sam. ¡°On the chair, silly,¡± she said. ¡°Why would you sit on the floor? It¡¯s dirty.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­,¡± Sam said as he turned around. He got up and sat on the chair, flinching as his butt made contact with it. The chair was cold despite his pants insulating him, almost as if he were sitting on a chunk of ice. Weren¡¯t reptilians supposed to be afraid of the cold? Wendy certainly hated it¡ªthen again, she could¡¯ve been playing a weird mind game with him like she had claimed.

    A stone door beside the counter opened. A green reptilian appeared with a stone tablet in its hands. ¡°Ellie and Sam?¡±

    ¡°Coming!¡± Ellie said and grabbed Sam¡¯s hand. He wondered why he had to sit when he was going to stand less than ten seconds later, but he didn¡¯t say anything out loud. Ellie looked up at Sam and pulled him towards the doorway. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, okay?¡±

    The more reassurances the small reptilian gave Sam, the heavier the pit in his stomach became. He might not be neutered, but who knew what the examination would be like? What if it was a vivisection? Ellie¡¯s mother had mentioned chipped and vaccinated as well, and Sam had a feeling those processes weren¡¯t painless. What part of him was being chipped? How were the vaccines going to enter his body? In the city, they were delivered through syringes, but everything the reptilians owned were made of stone¡­.

    ¡°Over here,¡± the green reptilian leading the way said. It stopped in front of a room illuminated by a pale, blue light. ¡°Please put your pet into the jiggler.¡±

    The what now? Sam stared at the so-called jiggler, an object that looked very much like a stone coffin. There was even a lid propped up against the side. Ellie tugged on his hand, leading him towards the contraption. She looked up at Sam, and upon seeing his expression, a thoughtful look appeared on the reptilian¡¯s face. After a second, Ellie took out a piece of popcorn chicken and offered it up to Sam. He reached for it, but the reptilian jerked it away at the last second and placed the treat inside the jiggler. She pointed at the treat and looked up at Sam with glistening, green eyes.

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. Was he someone who¡¯d be so easily moved? One piece of popcorn chicken placed inside the jiggler wasn¡¯t going to persuade him.

    ¡°Go inside, Sam,¡± Ellie said, still pointing at the jiggler. ¡°You can have the treat.¡±

    Sam exhaled before listening to Ellie¡¯s words. If he didn¡¯t listen, it wasn¡¯t like things would be better. Perhaps they¡¯d physically force him inside, and if Raindu decided at that moment to help him by disappearing a few reptilians, he¡¯d be forced to flee Et Serpentium. Then again, now that he was an awakener with an S-ranked talent, he could always hop companies; after all, what was the point in showing loyalty to a company that trafficked him to reptilians? Monarch might¡¯ve been at the forefront of biotechnology, but Freedom was ahead in technology, and Red Sun was ahead in agriculture; either of those companies would pay just as well as Monarch.

    ¡°Good job, Sam!¡± Ellie said. ¡°Take the treat.¡±

    Sam sighed as he grabbed the treat and lay down. He put it in his mouth and chewed as the green reptilian lifted and set the jiggler¡¯s cover into place. Then, the green reptilian activated the stone coffin; true to its name, the jiggler jiggled Sam, vibrating him like grains of sand atop a loud speaker. To Sam¡¯s surprise, it didn¡¯t hurt, and the vibrations actually felt nice. It was as if his soul was being massaged. A groan escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth, and a foul smell filled the jiggler like a silent fart in an elevator, causing Sam to gag.

    The cover came off, and the green reptilian looked down at Sam before smiling at Ellie, who was peering over the top of the stone coffin. ¡°It looks like we got everything nasty out of him,¡± the green reptilian said. ¡°He¡¯s perfectly healthy now.¡±

    Sam sat up and glanced down at himself. The clothes he had obtained from Monarch was covered in a layer of filth, and he stank. What exactly had been jiggled out of him?

    ¡°He stinks,¡± Ellie said. The slits on her face above her mouth shut, closed by flaps of skin she voluntarily controlled.

    ¡°He was very dirty,¡± the green reptilian said. ¡°Most humans stink like this the first time they¡¯re jiggled. Make sure you give him a bath later. Humans have delicate skin, so remember, it¡¯s best to clean them once a week at most.¡±

    Ellie nodded while Sam¡¯s brow furrowed. The reptilian¡¯s human-hygiene advice didn¡¯t seem right, but he wasn¡¯t going to question its authority; a stone object that looked much like a knife was hanging from the wall, and Sam had only noticed it now.

    ¡°Now, we¡¯ll chip him,¡± the green reptilian said. It went to the side of the room and pressed on the wall, causing a drawer to extend out of it. The reptilian withdrew a small stone chip the size of Sam¡¯s eye before taking the knife off the wall.

    Sam¡¯s eyes bulged, and he didn¡¯t have time to react as the green reptilian pounced towards him. It wrapped its legs around Sam¡¯s torso, pinning his arms to his side, and with precise movements, the knife cut into his shoulder, and the stone chip was placed inside the wound. Sam yelped and struggled as the reptilian licked its thumb and smeared its spit on Sam¡¯s shoulder, sealing the injury as if had been superglued shut. The reptilian released Sam and walked back to the wall as if nothing had happened before hanging the knife up once more.

    ¡°And now, we¡¯ll vaccinate him,¡± the green reptilian said as it opened up another drawer.

    Sam clutched his shoulder and glared at the green reptilian. Ellie patted Sam¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Sam,¡± the small reptilian said. ¡°It¡¯s over now. It was quick, right? Here.¡± She offered him another piece of popcorn chicken. Sam wondered if anything addictive had been added to the treat because he couldn¡¯t resist taking it despite how displeased he was feeling.

    The green reptilian turned around with a stone cylinder in its grasp. Sam stared at the reptilian as it unscrewed the top of the cylinder and retrieved a piece of bacon. ¡°Here,¡± the reptilian said, offering the piece of meat to Sam. Before he could inspect it, Ellie snatched the bacon strip and held it up.

    ¡°Here! Eat up, Sam!¡±

    Sam hesitated before grabbing the bacon, acting like it¡¯d shock him upon making contact with his skin. This piece of bacon was the vaccine? He brought it up to his mouth and took a bite of it. It tasted exactly like bacon.

    Without warning, a sharp pain stabbed Sam¡¯s thigh, and he yelped while jumping to the side. At some point, another green reptilian had sneaked into the room with a crystalline syringe¡ªwhich was now embedded in Sam¡¯s thigh¡ªand vaccinated him while he was distracted by the bacon.

    ¡°Alright,¡± the first green reptilian said and smiled at Ellie. The reptilian¡¯s tail swept around to the side and wrapped the handle of the crystalline syringe stuck in Sam¡¯s leg before pulling it out without giving him time to react. ¡°All done. Your pet is good to go. Make sure he comes back in a month for a follow-up. Sometimes, humans have bad reactions that don¡¯t show until later on.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Ellie said and grabbed Sam¡¯s hand. ¡°Did you hear that, Sam? We¡¯re all done now. That wasn¡¯t so bad, was it?¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure how to respond. His clothes were covered in gunk; his shoulder flared with blinding pain whenever he moved his arm, and there was a still-bleeding hole in his leg. But at least he had bacon and popcorn chicken, so that was something, right?

 Chapter 16

    ¡°This is your room, Sam!¡±

    Sam glanced down at the small, smiling reptilian, who was holding his hand, before raising his head to look at the stone wall in front of him. It was solid, and according to Ellie, his room was behind it. ¡°Sundak,¡± he said and gestured at the wall, ¡°how do I¡­?¡±

    ¡°Oh, like this!¡± Ellie placed her hand on the wall and closed her eyes. A second later, a section of the wall slid downwards, creating a gap for Sam to step through. It was dark behind the gap, making it almost impossible to make out the room¡¯s contents. Ellie opened her eyes and looked up at Sam. ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    Sam scratched his head. What was there to understand? The reptilian touched the wall, and magically, it turned into a door and opened. There weren¡¯t any buttons, and it didn¡¯t seem like a specific stone piece activated the mechanism. ¡°No,¡± Sam said. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Ellie blinked before shrugging. ¡°Well, that¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll help you open doors until you can do it yourself!¡± She gestured for Sam to go inside the room. ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    How was he supposed to know if he liked it if he couldn¡¯t even see inside? Sam hesitated before quickly walking over the threshold in case the door suddenly shut while he was passing through. When he entered, an orange stone embedded in the ceiling lit up, illuminating the room. It was large, much larger than he had expected. The reptilians must¡¯ve had a method to manipulate space because the interior spaces of buildings never seemed to match their exterior appearance. Given that graylings could manipulate time and space, and reptilians could control graylings, Sam felt like he was onto something.

    ¡°There¡¯s a bathroom over there,¡± Ellie said, having followed Sam into the room. She pointed at a corner where there was a stone stall with an object that looked much like a toilet. It was as if it had been carved from the same stone as the ground. The small reptilian pointed to the side. ¡°There¡¯s your sleeping area.¡±

    Sam turned his head and raised an eyebrow. There was an enormous bed, one much bigger than the one Wendy had purchased for him. Thinking back on it now, he wasn¡¯t expecting to even get his own room since Wendy had bought a cage for him. Although things hadn¡¯t gone according to plan, at least he was in more luxurious location than he would¡¯ve been if they had. Not only did he have a beyond king-sized bed¡ªthe largest bed size he knew the name of¡ªthere was also a stone wardrobe filled to the brim with different outfits. A large mirror allowed him to see his whole body, and a small nook emitting cold air had different cans of soda stacked inside of it.

    ¡°Water and food are over there,¡± Ellie said, pointing at another corner.

    Sam¡¯s eyes bulged as he followed the reptilian¡¯s finger, his gaze landing on shelves upon shelves of brand-name food items as if he were in a grocery store. There was a stove and table nearby, everything needed to cook available to him. His eyes turned towards the last corner of the room as Ellie pointed at it.

    ¡°That¡¯s where you train,¡± Ellie said.

    Sam nodded. In the training corner, there were all kinds of machines meant for building the human body, some Sam recognized and some he didn¡¯t. He had a question though. ¡°Sundak,¡± he said and scratched his head. ¡°What exactly am I training for?¡±

    ¡°Fighting!¡± Ellie said, clenching her hand into a fist and punching it forward. A breeze formed from the motion, brushing past Sam¡¯s leg. ¡°You¡¯re going to compete against other pets.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow. Fighting? He was a talentless, and his life was far removed from fighting. When faced with a confrontation, running and hiding were the best options. Also, hadn¡¯t Ellie¡¯s mother said their previous pet passed away? ¡°Out of curiosity, sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°Did your previous pet¡¯s death have anything to do with these competitions?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ellie said and shook her head. ¡°He was old, so he passed away.¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath and exhaled. At least these fights weren¡¯t fatal.¡±

    Ellie nodded. ¡°According to Mommy, he was twenty-eight years old.¡±

    Sam froze. ¡°Twenty-eight isn¡¯t old,¡± he said after swallowing. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s what your Mommy said, sundak?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t doubt me,¡± Ellie said and crossed her arms over her chest. She glared up at Sam, her green pupils widening. ¡°Mommy said humans age twenty-times faster than us, so when they¡¯re twenty-eight, they¡¯re over five hundred in reptilian years.¡±

    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re right, sundak,¡± Sam said, breaking eye contact. The reptilian might¡¯ve been small and half his size, but her eyes were still damn scary. But still, dying of old age at twenty-eight years old? If Sam was understanding the situation correctly, the poor man¡¯s body must¡¯ve gone through constant abuse to break down by that age. Maybe Ellie¡¯s previous pet was punched in the head several times, or he suffered from other injuries causing him to die a premature death.

    Ellie nodded at Sam. Then, she pointed at the ground. ¡°Sam, wait.¡±

    Sam blinked as Ellie turned around and exited the room. She pressed on the wall, and the door closed, sealing Sam inside. He wasn¡¯t sure if there was proper ventilation or not, but considering the previous occupant had died early¡­. Sam shook his head. The man died of old age according to Ellie, not a lack of oxygen.

    Raindu popped out of Sam¡¯s shirt collar and took a look around. It climbed onto Sam¡¯s shoulder and leapt off, landing on the bed with a thump. The ferret bit the blanket and rolled, bundling itself up into a miniature blanket burrito before dragging itself, blanket included, onto the pillow. Raindu let out a sound akin to a chirp, letting Sam know it was claiming this spot as its personal sleeping space.

    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Sam said as he walked over to the corner with the bed and wardrobe. ¡°You¡¯re not getting a whole mattress to yourself, not a twin-sized, queen-sized, or whatever size this one is.¡±

    Raindu stuck its tongue out at Sam and slapped its paw against the pillow, daring him to do something about it. A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth as he shook his head and observed himself in the mirror. His clothes were filthy after he was jiggled, and he still had no clue about the identity of the expelled contents. Either way, he knew he stank, and that needed to change. He rummaged through the wardrobe and raised an eyebrow; the previous pet human must¡¯ve had a similar frame because most of the available clothes were in his size.

    Sam switched his clothes, leaving the dirty Monarch outfit on the floor. When he was done, he went over to the training corner, inspecting the various machines. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to exercise, so he went over to the bathroom section. A nozzle sticking out of the ceiling caught his attention, and judging by the nozzle¡¯s positioning, it must¡¯ve been a shower. It was a shame he didn¡¯t know which button to press on the rock wall to activate it. He wasn¡¯t even sure if reptilians used buttons to make their magical stones move.

    A sliding sound caught Sam¡¯s attention, and he turned his head to the side. The door had opened once more, and Ellie walked into the room, her eyes on the same level as Sam¡¯s. She was standing on a pair of stilts with human boots on the bottom, and she was holding two sticks with boxing gloves attached to their ends. ¡°Alright, Sam!¡± Ellie said. ¡°Good job waiting!¡± She reached into the bag on her waist and took out a piece of popcorn chicken before pressing her stone bracelet, creating a clicking sound. The small reptilian lobbed the treat towards Sam. ¡°It¡¯s time to start your training now.¡±

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Sam blinked as he caught the popcorn chicken and stuffed it into his mouth. It was small, allowing him to chew while speaking. ¡°Training ¡­ how?¡± he asked. Then, he swallowed and added, ¡°Sundak.¡±

    ¡°Sam, follow me,¡± Ellie said and turned around while walking away. The reptilian¡¯s action reminded Sam of Wendy¡¯s behavior, and he let out a sigh as he followed the small reptilian; despite her stilts, she moved at a faster pace than Sam, and he had to increase his pace to keep up.

    Sam¡¯s new home was rather spacious, much more so than the house he had squatted in back in the city. Perhaps it was because reptilians were larger than humans; the ceilings, doorframes, and furniture had to be higher and larger. The walls were decorated with carvings that looked like script, but if they were words, he couldn¡¯t understand them. After walking for a bit, Ellie placed her hand on the wall, a portion where there weren¡¯t any engravings, and the stone slid downwards, revealing another room.

    Ellie glanced at Sam before entering, and once he stepped over the threshold, he heard a familiar clicking sound. Ellie held out a piece of popcorn chicken for Sam to take. Although he was a bit offended by Ellie thinking he was simple enough to be trained by small scraps of food, he let it slide because the popcorn chicken was delicious. Also, he was a bit intimidated by Ellie after seeing her face to face thanks to the stilts. Sam took a look around the room as he chewed: the floor was cushioned, the walls were cushioned, and the ceiling was cushioned as well. At least, they looked cushioned, but Sam was pretty sure the cushions were made of intricately carved stone.

    ¡°Okay, Sam,¡± Ellie said and manipulated her held sticks such that the boxing gloves punched one another with a loud thump. ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    Ready? He hadn¡¯t even been told what they were doing yet. ¡°Sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°What exactly are we doing?¡±

    ¡°Training!¡± Ellie bounced up and down, manipulating her stilts as if they were a natural part of her body. ¡°Sam, dodge!¡±

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened as Ellie dashed towards him. A red object expanded rapidly in his vision, and he screamed while closing his eyes and raising his arms, his torso leaning back. Stars filled Sam¡¯s vision as an explosion went off in his mind, clearing out his miscellaneous thoughts. Sam staggered backwards, but his legs couldn¡¯t catch up, and he fell onto his back. Surprisingly, the impact with the ground didn¡¯t hurt; it may have been due to the adrenaline, or the stone cushions were really effective.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Ellie said, staring down at her fallen pet. ¡°I said dodge, not block, silly.¡±

    Sam sat up and wrinkled his nose. It felt congested. ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sam, dodge!¡± Ellie lashed out with her leg, kicking the booted stilt towards Sam¡¯s face.

    Sam threw himself to the side, the steel-toed boot grazing his ear, sending a burning pain down the left side of his head.

    ¡°Good job!¡± Ellie said, pressing on her bracelet to create an audible click. She reached into her bag and dropped a piece of popcorn chicken by Sam¡¯s face. ¡°Go on,¡± she said upon seeing Sam¡¯s lack of reaction. ¡°Take it!¡±

    Sam grabbed the piece of popcorn chicken and placed it into his pocket. After almost getting his skull kicked in, he wasn¡¯t really in the mood for a snack. He climbed to his feet and backed away, distancing himself from the small reptilian with a bright smile on its face. Sam furrowed his brow; he wasn¡¯t one for violence, and he certainly didn¡¯t want to hit a child, even if the child was a reptilian. It¡¯d be like kicking a puppy or kitten, a monstrous action.

    Ellie hopped up and down, and Sam¡¯s body tensed. ¡°Sam, dodge!¡± Ellie said.

    The small reptilian lunged forward, pushing the stick with the boxing glove on the end towards Sam¡¯s face. This time, he was prepared for it, and he ran to the side.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run!¡± Ellie said, standing in place as she watched Sam back away to a corner of the room. The reptilian walked directly towards Sam, cutting off his paths of escape. ¡°Retreating too much is bad. Move less when you dodge.¡±

    Sam gulped. Was Raindu not going to protect him? His nose wasn¡¯t broken or bleeding, but it still hurt! He glanced down at his clothes, but the ferret that should¡¯ve been there wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Sam, don¡¯t look away during a fight!¡±

    Sam raised his head, and a boxing glove greeted his face. Pain flooded his nose and eyes as he fell over backwards, his head bumping against the stone-cushioned wall on the way down. His ears rang, and his vision was filled with white.

    ¡°Roll and get up, Sam!¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t question the words and did as they said. He rolled to the side, landing heavily onto his back. He scrambled to his feet while gasping for breath, and he wiped the tears from his eyes to clear his vision. Ellie grinned at him and clicked her bracelet before tossing Sam a piece of popcorn chicken.

    ¡°Good job, Sam!¡± Ellie said. She grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t you love following orders?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± a voice said, coming from every face of the cubic room, the vibrations causing Sam¡¯s head to ring.

    Ellie blinked and raised her head. A sigh escaped from the reptilian¡¯s lips as she said, ¡°Okay.¡± She dropped her sticks and took off her stilts¡ªthe process similar to removing sandals¡ªbefore leaning everything against the wall. With a hop in her step, she arrived in front of Sam. ¡°That¡¯s all the training we¡¯re doing for today.¡±

    Sam swallowed and nodded his head as he clutched his nose. This time, it was bleeding.

    ¡°Are you okay, Sam?¡± Ellie asked, placing her hand on knee. ¡°I didn¡¯t hit you too hard, did I?¡±

    Being hit at all was being hit too hard, but what if Ellie and her mother abandoned him if he was too much of a wimp? ¡°I¡¯m okay, sundak,¡± Sam said, his voice nasally.

    ¡°Good.¡± Ellie nodded her head. ¡°Let¡¯s go get you healed up.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said and followed after Ellie as the small reptilian turned around and skipped out of the room. After walking along the engraved hall for a bit, they arrived at a blank section which opened up with a touch. Ellie pointed at a familiar, coffin-like object in the center of the room. Sam frowned. ¡°is that a jiggler, sundak?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ellie nodded. ¡°Get in the jiggler, Sam.¡± She held a piece of popcorn chicken with her right hand, her finger hovering over her bracelet to click it.

    Perhaps the jiggler had healing properties? When he went inside of it at the vet¡¯s place, filth had been expelled from his body. Sam climbed inside the jiggler and was given a piece of popcorn chicken for cooperating. He wasn¡¯t sure what Ellie would do to him if he didn¡¯t cooperate, but considering she had no qualms about kicking his head with a steel-toed boot, he didn¡¯t want to find out. Ellie lifted the jiggler¡¯s lid and covered Sam, cutting off his vision. A second later, Sam vibrated as his body was jiggled from side to side. The motions from the stone machine, if it could even be called that, was calming, and the congestion in his nose faded. His headache cleared up, and his stinging eyes stopped feeling so puffy.

    Sam exhaled out a long breath and relaxed, enjoying the vibrations bouncing through his body. He lost track of time, but eventually, the lid was removed, and he was greeted by Ellie¡¯s smiling face. ¡°All better?¡± the small reptilian asked. ¡°Let¡¯s go play some games!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡± Ellie¡¯s mother¡¯s voice asked from the walls, ceiling, and floor.

    Ellie pouted. ¡°Never mind, Sam,¡± she said and heaved a sigh. ¡°Mommy says no fun allowed.¡± She held out her hand towards Sam. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you back to your room, okay? You have to stay there until I finish my homework.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t as disappointed by the news as Ellie was. For all he knew, reptilian games involved terrorizing humans because Ellie sure did seem to be having fun when she was beating the crap out of him. ¡°Okay, sundak,¡± Sam said as he took the reptilian¡¯s hand and climbed out of the jiggler.

    ¡°Good human!¡± Ellie said and clicked her bracelet before offering Sam a piece of popcorn chicken.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure if he had to thank Ellie. Being treated like a pet was already degrading, but if he expressed gratitude to her too, he felt like he¡¯d turn into a brownnoser and lose an important part of himself. Dignity! That was the word. He didn¡¯t have much when he lived as a talentless, but he still had his pride. Of course, there was nothing shameful about accepting popcorn chicken from Ellie. He took the treat and popped it into his mouth before following Ellie back to his room where he found Raindu asleep in the center of the massive bed. No wonder why the ferret wasn¡¯t around to defend him during the so-called training session.

    A bitter expression appeared on Sam¡¯s face, but afterwards, he shook his head. Hadn¡¯t he made up his mind to not hide behind a little ferret? His eyes roamed around the room, and his gaze landed on the training equipment in the corner. There was everything he needed to train any part of his body; it¡¯d be a waste not to take advantage of it considering there wasn¡¯t much else he could do. His stomach gurgled. Well¡­. His gaze traveled to the other corner where all kinds of foods beckoned and waved at him to eat them. Training couldn¡¯t be done on an empty stomach, right? If he wanted to reduce the impact of Ellie¡¯s blows, obviously, he needed some more meat to cushion his organs; eating was training too.

 Chapter 17

    James yawned before opening his eyes, the familiar bland, white ceiling greeting him as he started his day. He had been in Et Serpentium for two months now, and quite frankly, it was nice at first¡ªlike a miniature vacation¡ªbut now he was bored. Anyone would be bored when they were trapped in a room without human interaction even if they were given whatever they wanted to eat and entertain themselves.

    ¡°James.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± James asked, wiping the crud from the corner of his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s up, sundak? You have guests?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tamara¡¯s voice said, echoing throughout the room from the walls. ¡°Sam arrived in Et Serpentium.¡±

    ¡°About damn time,¡± James said and yawned again. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he supposed to arrive two months ago?¡±

    ¡°Plans change,¡± Tamara said. ¡°We¡¯re not going to pick him up at the flea market either. You¡¯ve been assigned to fight him in a challenge round.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± James asked, a wry smiling appearing on his lips as he sat up. ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Tamara said. ¡°Think you¡¯re up for it?¡±

    James laughed as he climbed out of bed. ¡°Have I ever lost?¡± he asked. ¡°Sam¡¯s only been awakened for two months; he stands no chance.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Tamara said. ¡°He¡¯s already fought in two matches and won both of them. Would you like to see the footage?¡±

    ¡°Does it highlight his talent?¡± James asked as he walked to his wardrobe and got changed. ¡°If not, I don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tamara said. ¡°His talent remains a secret.¡±

    James pulled on a sweater and raised an eyebrow. ¡°He won twice without using a talent?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s not bad.¡±

    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to see the footage?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James said and took a seat by the counter with boxes of food tucked away into a cubby attached to the wall. He poured himself a bowl of cereal and tapped on the wall, causing it to turn into a video display. Cartoons popped up, and James leaned back as he munched away at his food.

    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Tamara said, ¡°but if we lose, you¡¯re covering the costs. We¡¯re asking for Sam if we win, so in return, they¡¯re asking for a lot.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± James said, staring at his show. ¡°Don¡¯t lose, got it.¡± He scooped up a spoonful of cereal and milk and stuffed it into his mouth. ¡°And after we get Sam, we¡¯ll do that thing we¡¯ve been planning on doing before leaving this place?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tamara said. ¡°You have thirty minutes to get ready.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing, boss,¡± James said, his eyes still glued to the video.

    Forty minutes later, James walked off of Tamara¡¯s levistone and walked up to a building before taking a seat on the ground. When Tamara finished parking the levistone, the reptilian headed towards James before pressing her fingers onto the wall. A door opened up, and the duo went through.

    James let Tamara do the paperwork as he proceeded to the waiting area; he was quite familiar with the way since he had competed seven times already. As he rounded the corner, someone in the room turned their head to look at him. A pair of dull eyes greeted him, and James froze, his shoulders tensing. He blinked and frowned as he walked up to the person who looked suspiciously like a beefier Sam. James nodded and waved. ¡°Hey.¡±

    A frown appeared on James¡¯ face. The other person didn¡¯t respond; instead, he stared at James with unblinking eyes.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s going to be like that, huh?¡± James asked as he took a seat across from Sam. A reptilian within the room walked over and patted James down, making sure he wasn¡¯t carrying anything he shouldn¡¯t have. James shrugged when he received no response from Sam other than a blank stare. James crossed his legs and closed his eyes. It didn¡¯t matter what had happened to Sam in the past two months; after all, Sam was a part of the plan to steal the GMC. They were working together, and if he knew what was best for himself, he¡¯d lose on purpose. A smirk appeared on James¡¯ face. Well, it wasn¡¯t like Sam could win against him anyway.

    While he waited for the competition to begin, James meditated, focusing on his solar plexus chakra, letting it send vibrations into his arms and legs, flooding them with strength. A hissing sound drew James¡¯ attention, and he opened his eyes. The reptilian from before pointed at a different doorway than the one he had entered from. James stood up at the same time as Sam, and the two men silently walked through the corridor. They arrived at a circular arena with dozens of reptilians spectating from the seats built above the arena walls.

    ¡°May the best man win,¡± James said as he distanced himself from Sam as per the rules. Two platforms rose out of the ground, opposite each other and an equal distance away from the center. On the platform closest to James, there stood Tamara. On the platform beside Sam, there was a small, yellow reptilian. James cracked a smile upon seeing Ellie. ¡°Is that your coach?¡±

    ¡°Sam, ready position!¡± Ellie said and glared at James.

    James¡¯ smile faded as Sam took a step forward and raised his arms up, positioning his open hands in front of his face.

    ¡°James, beat the crap out of him,¡± Tamara said from her position on the platform.

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± James said and walked towards Sam without putting up a guard. James nodded at Sam. ¡°Don¡¯t hate me for this.¡±

    ¡°Sam, strike!¡±

    As soon as James was within striking distance, Sam¡¯s fist flew towards James¡¯ face in a jabbing motion. James didn¡¯t even flinch as the fist struck his nose. Instead, Sam retreated and glanced at his fist; it was raw and droplets of blood were beading on his skin.

    James grinned at Sam¡¯s expression, and without giving Sam time to recollect himself, James stepped forward and threw a punch of his own. Sam tilted his head to the side, letting James¡¯ knuckle scrape the skin on his cheek as he dodged with minimal movements. At the same time, Sam grabbed James¡¯ outstretched arm and twisted his body before throwing the shirtless man onto the ground.

    James landed on his back, not even making a sound before standing up. On the other hand, Sam frowned and retreated a few more steps, looking at his hands which were red and raw. ¡°Figured it out yet?¡± James asked as he rolled his shoulders and walked towards Sam without a hurry in the world.

    ¡°He¡¯s a sandpaper turtle, Sam!¡± Ellie said from the platform.

    James frowned. Although it was true his talent made his skin as sturdy as diamond and rough like shark skin, he didn¡¯t appreciate Ellie¡¯s term of address for him. Of course, as a pet, he couldn¡¯t criticize a reptilian, so he shrugged before crossing his arms over his chest and looking at Sam.

    ¡°Sam!¡± Ellie said while glaring at James¡¯ posture. ¡°Throw dirt at his eyes and keep your distance.¡±

    James blinked before raising his arm to shield his face. Less than a second later, grainy dirt struck his face and forearm. He lowered his arm, and dirt splashed into his eyes.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Good job, Sam!¡± Ellie shouted and jumped up and down. ¡°Keep it up! Make him run after you and burn up all his stamina!¡±

    James wiped at his face before glaring at his opponent. Sam was bent over, scooping up the gritty ground with both hands. With a flick of Sam¡¯s wrist, a handful of dirt was flung towards James¡¯ head, and he swatted most of it away, the rest bouncing off his cheeks and ears. ¡°You¡¯re really going to do this?¡± James asked and spat on the ground.

    In response, Sam flung another handful of dirt at his face.

    James¡¯ expression darkened. If he chased, he¡¯d be doing exactly what the tiny reptilian wanted, and the thought of that irked him, but he didn¡¯t want to stand there and have dirt flung on him either. In that case, he¡¯d have to quickly put Sam out of his misery. James narrowed his eyes and rushed forward to tackle Sam. As long as James got his arms around his opponent, he¡¯d be able to grate Sam like a piece of cheese and force him to surrender.

    ¡°Sam! Sick Attack!¡±

    James¡¯ furrowed his brow. What exactly was a sick attack? Sam¡¯s fist flew towards James¡¯ face, but instead of avoiding it, James slapped at it with his palm. With his talent, he wasn¡¯t afraid of any physical attacks; only advanced machinery could break his skin. James¡¯ palm made contact with Sam¡¯s knuckles, and he grinned as he grabbed Sam¡¯s hand, his fingers wrapping around Sam¡¯s fist. Five long lines of skin was the price to pay to escape from his grasp. Sam hesitated, and James used that chance to tackle his opponent to the ground.

    ¡°Checkmate,¡± James said as he grabbed Sam¡¯s throat, pinning him to the ground. James blinked, and before he could figure out what it was, he realized something was very wrong. His mouth opened, and he retched as his mind and organs swirled. It was as if he had been tossed onto the back of an insect struggling to fly through a tornado.

    James gasped and glared at his opponent pinned to the ground. Somehow, Sam¡¯s vibe was causing James to feel airsick. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re doing, stop it,¡± James said and shifted his hand around, blood seeping through his fingers from Sam¡¯s neck.

    Ellie punched her fist into the air and shouted, ¡°Triple Power, Sam!¡±

    James¡¯ eyes widened as his vision was consumed by a black light like a droplet of ink falling into a puddle. His organs held a battle royale within his body, and his brain seemed to be the first one taken out. The dizzying vibrations coming out of Sam¡¯s body robbed James of his sensations, and before he knew it, his opponent had slipped out from under his grasp, Sam¡¯s blood acting as a lubricant.

    ¡°Stomp his head, Sam!¡± Ellie shouted and stamped her feet as if to demonstrate what she wanted Sam to do. ¡°Right on the back like I showed you!¡±

    A strong force struck the back of James¡¯ head, sending his forehead crashing into the ground. Although his skin was tough, saving him from bleeding, the impact still rattled his brain, and it didn¡¯t end there. Stomp after stomp rained down, and when James grabbed at Sam¡¯s legs, the latter jumped and evaded as if he had practiced the motion thousands of times.

    ¡°James! Stop fooling around!¡± Tamara shouted.

    James gritted his teeth. It¡¯d be nice if his reptilian coach could be more specific instead of shouting at him to do something. James grabbed the back of his head, covering it with both his hands, before curling up into a ball.

    ¡°He really is a turtle!¡± Ellie shouted. ¡°Kick him until his organs turn to mush!¡±

    James grunted as he was kicked in the ribs. Although it didn¡¯t hurt, it made him woozy like a landlubber on a speeding boat. He wasn¡¯t sure if his organs would actually turn into mush, but he really didn¡¯t want to take that chance. Unfortunately, when he tried to stand, he wobbled and fell over onto his side.

    ¡°Hey, old lady!¡± Ellie shouted across the field to Tamara. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to lose your pet, you better surrender!¡±

    Tamara frowned. It wasn¡¯t unexpected for James to lose to an S-ranked awakener despite them barely having two months of experience because talents were inherently random and unbalanced. Sam¡¯s talent could¡¯ve easily been at play, and they wouldn¡¯t have known if it wasn¡¯t obvious. The reptilian squinted at Sam kicking James¡¯ unmoving body. Blood flowed freely from Sam¡¯s leg with every kick thanks to James¡¯ talent, but Sam acted as if he didn¡¯t feel the pain, using his full strength with every attack. ¡°Fine,¡± Tamara said. It¡¯d reflect poorly on her record if she lost an A-ranked awakener of Monarch because she wasn¡¯t careful. ¡°We surrender.¡±

    Rays of light shone from the platform Ellie and Tamara were standing on. The yellowish-white rays enveloped Sam and James, freezing them midmotion. The ground they were standing on shifted to position themselves in front of their respective owners¡¯ platforms. ¡°Good job, Sam!¡± Ellie said and pressed on her clicker before tossing a treat down to Sam. The light faded, and Sam¡¯s body unfroze, giving him barely enough time to catch the popcorn chicken before it hit the ground. ¡°You did a really good job! That was amazing!¡±

    James stood up, still feeling woozy, and glared at Sam. Was the man unaware of the stakes? If Sam lost, he¡¯d be taken by Tamara. Wasn¡¯t that ideal for the plan involving stealing the GMC? It was a shame James wasn¡¯t a mind reader; he couldn¡¯t tell what Sam was thinking as the man mechanically chewed while standing up straight, blood flowing freely down his body from the abrasions he had suffered during the fight.

    ¡°Bow to the audience, Sam!¡± Ellie said, taking out a piece of popcorn chicken.

    James turned his head away from the spectacle, but he could tell Sam had obeyed the order thanks to the sound of the clicker and the hissing laughter of the crowd.

    ¡°Also, don¡¯t worry,¡± Ellie said while grinning at Tamara. ¡°Your pet isn¡¯t seriously hurt or anything; Sam can¡¯t actually turn organs into mush; at least, not yet.¡±

    ¡°Well played,¡± Tamara said and nodded at the small reptilian. ¡°Now I¡¯m even more interested in your pet. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to sell him to me?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ellie said and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°Stop asking.¡± She looked around at the dozen or so viewers in the spectating area. ¡°That goes for all of you too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Tamara said before shaking her head. She looked at Sam, but the awakener didn¡¯t look back up at her. ¡°I¡¯ll win next time.¡±

    Ellie glanced down at James. ¡°Not with that pet, you won¡¯t,¡± she said and beamed at Tamara. ¡°It¡¯s strong, but not stronger than my Sam.¡± The small reptilian jumped off the platform, ignoring the built-in ladder leading down to the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sam.¡± The reptilian placed her hand on the base of the platform, and a doorway appeared, allowing Ellie and Sam to exit the arena.

    James watched the duo leave as Tamara climbed down the ladder with an unhurried pace. The reptilian placed an arm on James¡¯ shoulder once it reached the ground. ¡°Well, you tried,¡± Tamara said, causing James¡¯ expression to crumple. ¡°That¡¯s all that matters, right?¡±

    James kept his mouth shut and turned around, facing the platform. Tamara placed her hand on the wall, and a passageway opened. James spat on the ground before walking through and wiped at his mouth with the back of his forearm. The door shut behind him and Tamara as they walked down the corridor.

    ¡°Shall we discuss why you lost?¡± Tamara asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather we didn¡¯t,¡± James said, staring straight ahead.

    ¡°You were arrogant,¡± Tamara said.

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± James said, ignoring the urge to roll his eyes. He was playing the roll of a pet, so he had to act like one.

    ¡°Your fundamentals are flawed because you rely too much on your talent,¡± Tamara said, not caring about how James felt. ¡°Look at Sam. He actually had proper form while he was kicking you.¡±

    ¡°His talent was better than mine,¡± James said. ¡°That¡¯s why I lost. There¡¯s nothing else to it. I make people bleed; he makes people dizzy.¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a talent,¡± Tamara said. ¡°Masters of the root chakra can emulate the vibrations of others. Catching and riding a surdock is a right of passage for reptilians, and those who are more in-tune with themselves can mimic the nausea-inducing vibe of the surdock.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± James said, ¡°but¡­.¡± His voice trailed off. He knew Sam was a talentless two months ago, but he wasn¡¯t supposed to know that in Et Serpentium as a pet. ¡°He looked younger than me. How did he master any chakra so soon?¡±

    ¡°It could be a result of his talent,¡± Tamara said, knowing what James was thinking. It took years to gain mastery over a chakra, and Sam had achieved it in less than a season. If Sam didn¡¯t perish on this mission, he¡¯d definitely become a household name. ¡°You¡¯re lucky he didn¡¯t master his solar plexus chakra, or your organs really could¡¯ve disintegrated.¡±

    James exhaled. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°Lucky.¡±

    ¡°You could also stand to lose some weight,¡± Tamara said. ¡°You¡¯ve been eating a lot of junk food.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one feeding me,¡± James said.

    ¡°Yes, but you won¡¯t eat the healthy meals I got for you,¡± Tamara said. ¡°I¡¯ve given you whatever you asked for, and as long as you get results, I¡¯m fine with doing that, but now, you¡¯ve lost, and the main reason is Sam had a trainer. She might¡¯ve been a child, but her mother is a famous show coach, and she knows how to raise a competitive human.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± James said. ¡°I¡¯ll go along with whatever training program you design for me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Tamara said.

    James exhaled as he walked out of the corridor and past an open doorway with a jiggler inside the room.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to heal yourself?¡± Tamara asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get hurt,¡± James said and shook his head. ¡°I was just disoriented. You shouldn¡¯t have surrendered; I would¡¯ve won if we kept going.¡±

    ¡°I played it safe,¡± Tamara said, staring at James. ¡°Would you like me to risk your life next time?¡±

    ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time,¡± James said and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll win, easy.¡± He turned to look at Tamara. ¡°But if it does happen again, bail me out, thanks, sundak.¡±

    Tamara nodded. ¡°As I thought,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± The reptilian looked back at the corridor they had come from. ¡°I wonder what kind of training Sam¡¯s undergoing. Maybe I¡¯ll ask his trainer for their routine.¡±

 Chapter 18

    Sam sat on the levistone, staring blankly off to the side as he thought about his last fight. James¡¯ talent was impressive, and if Ellie hadn¡¯t tricked Tamara into surrendering, there wasn¡¯t a way for Sam to win the fight without having Raindu grievously injure the man by removing his body parts.

    ¡°What are you looking at, Sam?¡± Ellie asked, leaning forward to look past Sam and towards the direction he was staring in. ¡°We¡¯ve been down this road before. There¡¯s nothing new to look at.¡±

    Sam grunted in response. In the past two months, he learned a lot. Sometimes Ellie talked because she liked hearing her own voice; she wasn¡¯t always expecting Sam to answer her. Sam turned to look ahead, but upon seeing a levistone full of reptilians, his gaze shifted onto the floor of Ellie¡¯s vehicle. Had he done the right thing by beating James? He should¡¯ve lost and switched his owner to Tamara if he wanted to succeed in stealing the GMC. However¡­.

    ¡°Here¡¯s a treat, Sam!¡± Ellie said and held a piece of popcorn chicken out in front of Sam¡¯s face. ¡°You did such a good job competing today!¡±

    Sam grabbed the treat and ate it. His clothes were bloody, but his injuries had been healed, his body jiggled back to the peak of health. Honestly, life in Et Serpentium was better than life as a talentless in the city: he didn¡¯t have to worry about where his next meal was coming from; he didn¡¯t have to worry about the owners of the house he was squatting in suddenly returning; he didn¡¯t have to worry about building a career. Everything he needed was provided, and everything he wanted, he could ask for. Apparently, his face was too derpy for Ellie to resist spoiling him; how could she say no to such a derp?

    ¡°Are you sad, Sam?¡± Ellie asked, leaning far over her seat to stare up at his face from underneath. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Sam blinked at the green reptilian eyes. Although two months had passed, Ellie¡¯s eyes never failed to send chills down his spine whenever he made direct contact with them. ¡°I¡¯m not sad, sundak,¡± he said. ¡°I was just thinking about my opponent¡¯s talent.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ellie said and sat up straight. She kicked her legs and looked up at the sky¡ªwhich was the glowing ceiling of Et Serpentium. ¡°It was a nice talent.¡± She blinked at Sam. ¡°Do you want it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. Another thing he learned in the past two months was to always respond with a clear answer instead of a question. She was offering Sam a chance at obtaining James¡¯ talent, and he wasn¡¯t going to question how or why she was going to do it; she might get frustrated and decide against getting it for him if he did.

    ¡°Okay!¡± Ellie said and tapped her feet against the floor of the levistone. The color of Sam¡¯s bench changed color as the levistone made a turn, heading down a street and rounding a few corners Sam wasn¡¯t familiar with. ¡°We¡¯re going to the technique shop.¡±

    Sam was unaware one of those existed, but he didn¡¯t question it. ¡°Okay, thank you, sundak,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡±

    Ellie beamed. ¡°Aren¡¯t I?¡± she asked and giggled to herself. The levistone stopped in front of a cube, a sight Sam was used to. Ellie hopped off the levistone and snapped her fingers. Sam got off the levistone and followed behind Ellie. A clicking sound echoed through the air, and Sam extended his hand forward. A second later, a treat landed in his palm. He placed it in his mouth and chewed, the action almost unconscious.

    Ellie opened the cube, creating an entrance for her and Sam to step through. After walking down a corridor, they arrived at a room with a stone cube floating in the center. Ellie poked at the cube, not touching it but still causing it to move regardless. As it spun, different images appeared on the interface with symbols Sam couldn¡¯t understand. Eventually, Ellie stopped poking at air, and the cube fell to the ground before transforming, expanding into the shape of a coffin. Ellie gestured with her tail, pointing inside the stone coffin.

    Sam climbed inside, and Ellie clicked on her bracelet. Sam held out his hand, but this time, no popcorn chicken appeared. Although he was a bit disappointed, Sam lowered his hand, knowing he wouldn¡¯t get treated for every click. Sam observed the interior of the jiggler. The more time Sam spent in Et Serpentium, the greater of an appreciation he had for the coffin-like contraptions.

    The reptilians were masters of manipulating a biological creature¡¯s vibration. The idea behind it, as far as Sam understood, was simple. When humans were happy, their bodies vibrated at a different frequency from when they were sad, or when their bodies were healing. Reptilians simply vibrated humans at the corresponding frequency to induce the desired effects. Perhaps when humans awakened their talents, they vibrated at a certain frequency that the reptilians could replicate on a different human, inducing an awakening.

    Sam closed his eyes and let the jiggler do its work. His body hummed, chills running down from the crown of his head to the tips of his fingers and toes. The chills faded as his body heated up. His muscles tensed to accommodate the sensation, and soon, his flesh burned as the jiggler¡¯s intensity increased. When Sam was certain he was in a microwave and not a jiggler, the burning sensation stopped, replaced by a chill that spread from his crotch and washed over his whole body. The unpleasant feeling of being roasted alive was replaced by one of taking a cold shower after a long day of work under the sun.

    Sam allowed the chilling sensation in his root chakra to absorb the vibrations of the jiggler, the chills turning into a pulsation that echoed through his body. It was similar to the pulsation he had felt while riding the surdock, but it pulsed slower, traveling through his body like syrup through a tube. Sam immersed himself in the feeling, and after a while, the coffin lid popped open, a gush of steam rushing out.

    Ellie stood on her tiptoes and peered into the coffin. ¡°Are you alright, Sam?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. He winced as he stood up, his tender skin brushing against the interior of the coffin. He glanced down at himself before looking at Ellie. ¡°Sundak, was that all?¡± Rather than giving him a talent that increased his toughness, the jiggler practically sanded off a layer of skin.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ellie said, beaming at Sam. ¡°You won a lot today, so you deserve it!¡±

    Sam inspected his body again. He scratched at his skin, leaving a red mark on the surface. He raised his head. ¡°Sundak, how do I use the talent?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like Sick Attack,¡± Ellie said. ¡°You copy the vibrations of the surdock with your root chakra, right?¡±

    Sam nodded. ¡°Yes, sundak.¡±

    ¡°The vibrations in there,¡± the small reptilian pointed at the jiggler and said, ¡°those were the surclue¡¯s vibrations when it¡¯s hardening its exoskeleton. Copy them.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t know what a surclue was, but he didn¡¯t need to know to copy its vibrations, not after having been exposed to them in the jiggler. He closed his eyes and focused on his root chakra, summoning forth the chilling pulsation, something Ellie forced him to practice every day for the past two months upon learning he had ridden a surdock. After a few seconds, a pulse ran through Sam¡¯s body; then, it surged in frequency until Sam¡¯s muscles were tensed from the sensation.

    Ellie¡¯s eyes gleamed, and she stepped forward while swinging her hand at Sam, raking her claws across his chest. The tips of her nails tore through Sam¡¯s clothes, but when they made contact with his skin, only a few white marks were left behind. Sam opened his eyes and glanced down, his hand reaching up to touch his pectoral muscles. They felt like iron coils underneath his skin. Sam balled his hand up into a fist and rapped on his chest with his knuckles. Sounds of metal colliding rang through the room, causing Sam to raise an eyebrow.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Ellie said. ¡°You learned that technique really quickly! Good job!¡± She clicked her bracelet and handed Sam a treat; he accepted it.

    ¡°Thank you, sundak,¡± Sam said and placed the treat in his mouth. ¡°While we¡¯re here¡±¡ªhis eyes shifted onto the jiggler¡ª¡°are there any other techniques you can teach me?¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°No,¡± Ellie said. She frowned at Sam. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. How about this? If you win three more fights, I¡¯ll let you learn another one, okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°You¡¯re the best. Thank you.¡± As long as he made Ellie happy, she¡¯d do her best to fulfill his requests. In a sense, it was no different than working at Monarch: complete tasks for the company and be rewarded; complete tasks for Ellie and be rewarded. No one told him he couldn¡¯t work for other employers¡ªat least, in his mind he thought that was true; if he had read the contract before signing it, he might¡¯ve thought otherwise.

    Ellie beamed and turned around, her tail swishing as she walked into the corridor and out the exit. The two got on the levistone, and Ellie tapped on the floor of the vehicle with her feet, starting it up. She glanced at Sam before looking down at her bracelet. ¡°There¡¯s still some time before we have to go home,¡± she said and looked up at the glowing, orange ceiling of Et Serpentium. Her eyes widened and she blinked before turning to smile at Sam. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the human park!¡±

    ¡°Okay, sundak,¡± Sam said, agreeing despite never having gone to the human park before.

    ¡°Great!¡± Ellie leaned to the side, causing the levistone to turn, and she leaned forward, sending the floating vehicle accelerating down the lane.

    ¡°Your mother told me to tell you not to speed if I saw you doing it, sundak,¡± Sam said, gripping onto the bench with whitening hands. His body tensed, and he concentrated on his root chakra, activating the new technique he had learned, Toughen. He didn¡¯t know its name, so he named it appropriately. With Toughen activated, even if Ellie drove the levistone into a wall, theoretically, he would be fine, but it¡¯d be better if she didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Good job for telling me, Sam,¡± Ellie said and pressed her bracelet while passing him a treat. ¡°Now, don¡¯t tell Mommy I sped, okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said, keeping his muscles tensed. He couldn¡¯t look around, or he¡¯d lose concentration and lose the effect of Toughen. Rather than making his body tough, Toughen seemed like it froze his body into position. If he wanted to make use of the technique in a fight, he¡¯d have to activate it faster. Still, it was better to have the technique than not. It might be a counter to another talent someday.

    Ellie turned her head to look at Sam despite how fast the levistone was traveling. ¡°Sam, what happened to your pet ferret?¡± she asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it around.¡±

    Sam nodded at Ellie. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it might get hurt while I compete or train,¡± he said, ¡°and it likes sleeping in the bed, so I leave it at home to sleep and eat.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ellie said. ¡°You have to take care of it properly. It depends on you to survive, so you can¡¯t mistreat it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. It was a good thing he had such a wonderful and caring reptilian owner. Perhaps Wendy knew this would happen and sold him off to Ellie¡¯s mother for this very reason. Wendy was a mind reader, so it wasn¡¯t that far-fetched of an idea. Of course, the simpler reason was he had been tricked and sold because he wasn¡¯t actually an S-ranked talent, and he was worthless to Monarch. Meeting James and Tamara today did put some holes in that theory though; they didn¡¯t have to keep up the appearances if he was actually tricked.

    The buildings whizzed past, and Sam turned to look at Ellie. The small reptilian was humming to herself while tapping the claws of her feet on the floor of the vehicle. ¡°Brace yourself, Sam,¡± Ellie said and stomped down hard. The levistone decelerated, and if Sam hadn¡¯t been warned prior, he would¡¯ve flown forward. Ellie stood up and nodded. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡±

    Sam allowed his muscles to relax, canceling his Toughen technique. He followed Ellie off the levistone and into a building. Loud sounds greeted Sam¡¯s ears, and he raised an eyebrow at the dim lighting. Usually, reptilians liked well-lit interiors with everything visible. There was one well-lit section with reptilians sitting around, chatting and eating. In the dimmer sections, there were humans on all sorts of machines, talking and laughing with each other while playing games.

    ¡°Okay, Sam,¡± Ellie said and walked over to a stone column. She tapped on it, and eventually, a green card made of stone popped out. She handed it to Sam. ¡°You can use this to play games or buy things.¡±

    Sam accepted the card. ¡°Thank you, sundak,¡± he said.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Ellie said and pointed at the well-lit section. ¡°I¡¯m going to go over there. Go socialize with other humans; it¡¯s important. When you¡¯re done, come find me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said and watched as Ellie left his side. She took a seat on a bench and waved at Sam, gesturing for him to head over to the arcade-like region. Sam nodded and held the green card as he went over to an unoccupied machine. There were two stone guns attached to it, and on the screen, there were humanoid insects clawing at the viewer.

    ¡°Hey,¡± a bubbly voice said from beside Sam as he was reading the instructions¡ªwhich were surprisingly in English¡ªon the machine near the controls. Sam raised his head and blinked at the human woman who had approached him. ¡°You¡¯re a new face.¡±

    Sam blinked. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, almost adding the word sundak out of habit. He wasn¡¯t sure what exactly he was supposed to do at the human park, but Ellie had told him to socialize¡ªsomething he had always been terrible at, especially later on when his talent refused to appear.

    ¡°Recently captured?¡± the woman asked, raising an eyebrow at Sam while smiling at him. ¡°Well, your owner is nice enough to take you to the human park, so life can¡¯t be too bad for you, eh?¡± The woman extended her hand. ¡°My name¡¯s Diane, but everyone calls me Dee for short.¡±

    Sam stared at Dee¡¯s hand before turning to look towards the well-lit portion of the room. Ellie made eye contact with him and gave him two thumbs-up while bobbing her head up and down. Sam blinked before turning his attention back onto Dee and shaking her hand. ¡°Sam.¡±

    ¡°Well, Sam,¡± Dee said and gestured towards the display with her head. ¡°Shall we shoot some mantids?¡± She leaned over, resting her body on the machine, and picked up one of the stone guns while flashing Sam a smile.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sam said. Since Ellie wanted him to socialize, to make her happy, he¡¯d have to socialize. If shooting mantids was one way for humans to do that at the human park, then so be it. He tapped his green card against the machine before picking up the other stone gun and shooting at the display.

    ¡°Have you ever played this before?¡± Dee asked, aiming at the screen while holding the gun with both hands.

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said, staring at the screen. The scene of a stone column descending from space and landing onto a wet, jungle-like terrain played out. The column opened up, and two reptilians came out with stone guns and stone armor. Then, the view switched to first person as the machine vibrated, causing an air of tension to engulf Sam and Dee.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Dee said. ¡°For mantids, you have to shoot their shoulders to disable their blade arms first. Then, you aim for the mandibles before finishing them off with seven hits to the head between their eyes.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sam said. Mantids came into view, humanoid creatures with compound eyes and mandibles on an insect-like head. Their shoulders were thin, spherical structures with skinny arms attached to them. Sam pointed the stone gun at the mantid¡¯s shoulder and pulled the trigger. The ball-like structure exploded, and one of the mantid¡¯s arms fell off as it flinched and staggered backwards by three steps. Before Sam could shoot the creature¡¯s other shoulder, it exploded, and he looked over to see Dee flash him a smile.

    Sam turned his attention back onto the screen and shot at the creature¡¯s mandibles, his accuracy not exactly the greatest because the mantid, shockingly, didn¡¯t want to get shot, it¡¯s mandibles and head flailing around as blood splashed on Sam¡¯s display. With Dee¡¯s aid, the mantid only mauled half of Sam¡¯s on-screen health bar away before perishing. A frown appeared on Sam¡¯s face; at this rate, he wouldn¡¯t get very far before dying.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Dee said. ¡°Most beginners die during the first fight.¡± She scanned Sam from head to toe. ¡°Are you a competitor?¡±

    ¡°More are coming,¡± Sam said, not answering Dee¡¯s question as he pointed at the display with his gun and pulled the trigger. Two mantids were rushing towards the display from the distance, and one of their arms were blown off as their shoulder exploded. A furrow appeared on Sam¡¯s brow as he looked down at the stone gun. There was no ammo in the game, but each shot he fired seemed to increase the weight of the gun he was holding.

    Dee raised her gun and pulled the trigger three times, knocking off the rest of the mantids¡¯ arms. ¡°If you wait before firing, the weight will return to normal,¡± she said. ¡°Aim carefully, or you¡¯ll die.¡±

    Sam aimed carefully, but he died anyway, missing the mandibles as the mantids shredded his display to pieces before attacking Dee¡¯s side of the screen. Sam docked the gun back inside the machine. Although he could use the points stored in the green card to continue, he had a feeling he wouldn¡¯t get very far in the game even if he spent everything Ellie had given him.

    Dee let out a sigh as the mantids bloodied her side of the display, and she gave Sam a wry smile as she slipped the gun back inside the machine. ¡°Sorry for wasting your points like that,¡± she said.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Sam said. He looked around the dimly lit area. There was a section with a bar and bartender with people sitting around as others stood in line to order drinks. Other than that, there were also couches with large screens displaying movies from every era.

    ¡°Where do you want to go next?¡± Dee asked. ¡°Drinks? Movies? Gift shop?¡±

    ¡°Gift shop,¡± Sam said after thinking for a bit. Perhaps he should buy something nice for Ellie and her mother as thanks for treating him so well. Did reptilians expect gifts from their pets? Sam wasn¡¯t sure, but it was better to be safe than sorry. He glanced at the well-lit section of the room. Ellie was standing on her tiptoes, watching him while holding onto a railing that separated the humans from the reptilians. She waved at him when she saw him looking, and she pointed at him while talking to the reptilian beside her as if she were showing off.

    ¡°Is that your owner?¡± Dee asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam said, waving back at Ellie.

    ¡°You¡¯ve really bonded with her, haven¡¯t you?¡± Dee asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°She must treat you well.¡±

    Sam blinked. Although she enjoyed beating him under the guise of training and play, she did treat him well: shelter, food, attention, everything he could ask for, Ellie provided. Maybe that¡¯s why he struggled so hard in the fight against James. Sam nodded. ¡°Yes, she treats me very well.¡±

 Chapter 19

    A familiar clicking sound rang out, and Sam stuck out his hand, catching a piece of popcorn chicken in his palm. The door to his room closed, trapping Sam inside until the next time Ellie or her mother decided to let him out. Sam exhaled as he went over to the wardrobe before changing out of his clothes, which still smelled like the human park. He glanced at the bed, at the lump under the blanket representing Raindu, and went to shower instead of disturbing the ferret. As the hot water washed over him, a sigh escaped from his mouth.

    Lately, Et Serpentium was feeling more like home than his actual home in the city. Then again, his home in the city technically¡ªif one were a stickler for rules and the law¡ªwasn¡¯t his home. Back in the city, there was no one who cared about him; no one paid him any attention except to avoid him lest he get too close to their pockets. In Et Serpentium, someone greeted him with a smile and a treat every day; it was no wonder why everyone in the human park looked so happy compared to the talentless he met in the city.

    Sam sat down, on a stone bench he had requested from Ellie a while back, letting the water flow over him. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation for a while before focusing on the space between his eyebrows, visualizing a field of made of candy. In there, he saw a black ferret poke its head out of a patch of edible grass. ¡°Hello,¡± Sam said to the ferret in his mind, his body remaining completely still under the flowing water.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Raindu said, its voice inhuman, as if pieced together by harmonizing different sounds made in nature. ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°How are you doing?¡± Sam asked as he took a seat on a squishy bench. He wasn¡¯t quite sure if whatever he was sitting on was supposed to be a bench, but if it didn¡¯t want to be sat on, it shouldn¡¯t have been at butt-level.

    The black ferret grabbed a candy flower and bit one of its petals off. Raindu blinked its mahogany eyes at Sam. ¡°Good.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said and slapped his thigh. ¡°Well, I should get going now.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Raindu said as it chewed on the petal and watched Sam stand up. ¡°Goodbye.¡±

    Sam exhaled and turned his attention towards his breath, breathing in deep, holding it for three seconds, and exhaling for three seconds. He opened his eyes, and the stone floor of the shower greeted him. Droplets of water splashed against his feet, still at a comfortable level of heat. Sam focused on his root chakra, concentrating as he used Toughen. His muscles hardened in an instant, and Sam¡¯s body became as rigid as a statue. A second later, he deactivated the technique. He repeated the process, focusing on shortening the amount of time it took to harden his muscles.

    Sam lost track of time, and eventually, his grumbling stomach broke his concentration. Whether it was the sound or the hunger gnawing at his innards, it was hard to tell which one had distracted him the most. He lived as a talentless; he knew what hunger felt like, but after abusing his body with Toughen, he found the hunger he had felt in the past like a tutorial for newbies looking to compete in the starvation battle royale.

    Sam rushed to the food corner, tracking water on the ground as he went, leaving the shower running. He pressed on the wall, and a bowl of fried rice fell from the ceiling. It landed on the counter without bouncing as if the impact had been perfectly absorbed. Despite how hungry he was, Sam stood clear of the counter until after the bowl was firmly in place, a habit he had learned from a rather painful experience. He grabbed the spoon and shoveled the food into his mouth, chewing on pieces of meat that burst with savory and salty flavors.

    After eating several bowls, Sam felt the hunger subside, and he exhaled as he sat back on a cushion¡ªonce again provided by Ellie¡ªand lay down; it was a large cushion, allowing him to stretch out all his limbs without a single part touching the ground¡ªbenefits of living alongside giant creatures. The average reptilian was seven-feet, but Sam had seen much, much larger ones, but he didn¡¯t dare look up to see how tall they were lest he make eye contact. Ellie had warned him about it, and he¡¯d rather not disappoint her. Their training sessions together were especially vicious when she was upset.

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he stared up at the ceiling. The hunger he had felt wasn¡¯t normal. Acquiring a technique so easily definitely seemed too good to be true. Everything had a cost, and the cost to use Toughen was his satiety. Maybe if he had continued using it despite the hunger gnawing at him, he would¡¯ve died. Maybe this was why Ellie thought humans died of old age at twenty-eight; what if the techniques were costing humans longevity to use? Well, as long as he ate after using Toughen, it¡¯d be alright, and if it wasn¡¯t alright, then it was up to future Sam to figure a way out of that one.

    Sam leaned back and pressed on the wall. A bowl of soup fell down from the ceiling; it landed perfectly in place, and Sam got back up to grab the spoon that came with his drink. He wasn¡¯t sure what it was called, but it was delicious and the recommended item by Ellie. She said his diet was too simple, so she changed it up for him; Sam was almost certain she just wanted to see his reactions to different types of foods.

    Sam burped as he got up and went over to the bed, flopping onto his back and resting his forearm over his eyes, blocking the light from view. His breathing slowed as he relaxed his body, surrendering himself to sleep. His room was at the perfect temperature, allowing him to rest at ease without having to fuss with blankets. The lights turned off, something they always did when Sam passed out; he wasn¡¯t sure if it was connected to him being on the bed or if Ellie or her mother were turning them off manually, but he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he was always being monitored.

    Not long after Sam fell asleep, the counter in the corner of the room flipped over, causing the empty bowls on top to vanish within the structure, cleaning the surface. The wall silently slid open, and Ellie tiptoed into the room, her movements silent like a ghost¡¯s. She made her way over to Sam¡¯s side and stared down at him with a silly grin plastered on her face. With practiced movements, she lifted Sam up with one hand and her tail. Then, she lifted up the blanket, readjusted the pillow, and placed Sam down before tucking him in. She glanced at the bundled-up pile of socks that was underneath the blanket substituting for Raindu, and she shrugged, leaving it in place.

    Ellie stared at Sam¡¯s sleeping face for a bit, smiling to herself before lightly pressing on Sam¡¯s nose with her finger, being careful not to puncture his skin with her claw. She whispered, ¡°Boop,¡± to herself and looked around before skipping out of the room, the door closing behind her as she left.

    Several hours later, Sam¡¯s eyes opened, and he sneezed. He sniffled, sucking in his snot with a draining sound. A furrow appeared on his brow as he pushed off the blanket he was sure he didn¡¯t have on before he fell asleep. Sam sat up and yawned, not caring too much about the mysteries of the room. He had already accepted he wouldn¡¯t understand how some things worked, so he wouldn¡¯t put too much pressure on himself to figure them out.

    The door slid open, drawing Sam¡¯s attention. Ellie waltzed in with a tray containing a bowl and a glass of orange liquid. The smell coming from the bowl caused Sam to gag, and a bright smile appeared on the reptilian¡¯s face when she saw him. ¡°I brought breakfast for you, Sam!¡± the reptilian said as she stopped by Sam¡¯s bedside. She placed the tray, with supporting legs, onto the bed, trapping Sam¡¯s legs underneath it. ¡°Surstr?mming!¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Sam stared at the bowl of goopy fish that looked like they had been fished out of the sewers and smelled like it too. After staring for a bit, he raised his head and met Ellie¡¯s gaze. Her green eyes seemed to stare straight through his body, and a shiver ran down as his spine as he lowered his head and picked up the spoon. Rather than rejecting Ellie, eating the bowl of whatever it was in front of him would surely be a less unpleasant experience. As Sam ate, Ellie grinned and beamed every time his expression changed, and when he was done, the reptilian clicked her bracelet and placed a piece of popcorn chicken onto Sam¡¯s palm. ¡°Good job!¡± Ellie said. ¡°You finished the whole thing. Did you like it?¡±

    ¡°No, sundak,¡± Sam said.

    Ellie laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. ¡°I could tell,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll bring something better next time, okay?¡±

    ¡°Please do, sundak,¡± Sam said. He wiped his mouth with the provided napkin and took a drink from the glass of orange juice. It was not orange juice. Rather than sour, the taste was savory, causing Sam to raise an eyebrow.

    Ellie beamed and traced an arc in the air, following the contour of Sam¡¯s eyebrow. She chuckled to herself and picked up Sam¡¯s smelly bowl before throwing it across the room. It landed on the counter in the food corner, bouncing and clattering along the surface. The reptilian nodded at her handiwork and flashed her teeth at Sam. ¡°Are you ready for a fun day?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said and climbed out of bed. He changed into something sturdy but easy to move around in. ¡°Are we training?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ellie said from the snack corner. She was munching on a hamburger while waiting for Sam to get ready. ¡°Since you won three times in a competition, I¡¯m taking you to the HKC headquarters!¡±

    ¡°Hooray,¡± Sam said, assuming the HKC headquarters were a good thing from Ellie¡¯s excited mannerism. ¡°How should I prepare, sundak?¡±

    Ellie swallowed down the burger with her second bite, her razor-sharp teeth making quick work of the snack. She jumped and slapped her tail against the floor, propelling herself towards the exit by bouncing on the appendage. ¡°You¡¯re so derpy when you¡¯re curious,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s great.¡±

    Sam watched Ellie bounce out of the room. It would¡¯ve been even more great if she could¡¯ve answered his question before leaving. He shook his head before grabbing a bag from the wardrobe and packed it with drinks and calorie-dense food.

    ¡°Sam, hurry up!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said, raising his voice. After making sure there was still a lump under the blanket, Sam headed out the room. He didn¡¯t close the door behind himself, mainly because he didn¡¯t know how. After making his way out of the house and onto the floating levistone where Ellie was waiting for him. She tapped her feet against the vehicle, and it zoomed off, speeding over the limit from the start. Sam couldn¡¯t resist using Toughen to make sure he¡¯d be safe even if he were thrown off the vehicle if it came to a sudden halt. Even though it¡¯d make him hungry later on, he packed his bags for a reason. However, if using Toughen actually consumed his lifespan, well¡­, at least it wouldn¡¯t be a levistone accident killing him.

    ¡°When we¡¯re at the HKC headquarters, you have to be on your best behavior,¡± Ellie said, looking at Sam while still speeding down the road. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave you there by yourself for the day. Play lots and have fun, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay, sundak,¡± Sam said. As someone who was a bit of an introvert, he had enough playing yesterday at the human park, but since Ellie had told him to have fun, then it¡¯s what he¡¯d do. He just hoped it¡¯d actually be easy to have fun at the HKC headquarters. Unlike human park, HKC headquarters sounded a lot more foreboding; after all, members of the HKC were staunch supporters of neutering their pets. To Sam¡¯s relief, he hadn¡¯t been snipped yet, and neither Ellie nor her mother had brought up the subject, so he decided to keep mum about it. ¡­What if the neutering happened at the HKC headquarters instead of the vet?

    ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Ellie said. The ride was short, impossibly so if road signs were followed.

    The levistone descended, and Sam stepped off of the vehicle onto the ground. Ellie hopped off the vehicle as well. She went up to the building, which was a cube with blank faces, and pressed on its surface. An entrance appeared as part of the wall sank into the ground. ¡°Follow me, Sam!¡±

    Sam stared at the ground and followed behind the small reptilian. Most buildings in Et Serpentium were made of the same material, and the floor tiles all seemed to have the same pattern carved into them. He wasn¡¯t sure if they were even tiles or solid blocks of stone making up the ground. After walking for a bit, the two arrived in a hemi-spherical room with seven doors arranged in a circle¡ªincluding the one Sam and Ellie had entered from.

    In the center of the room, there was a circular counter with seven graylings managing it, one facing each door. Ellie walked towards the grayling and stood on her tiptoes to see over the counter better. ¡°Hi,¡± she said to the grayling. ¡°I have an appointment for Sam.¡±

    The grayling pressed on the counter, and after a few seconds, it nodded. ¡°Yes, I see it, sundak,¡± the grayling said. ¡°Please head to door number seven.¡±

    ¡°This way, Sam,¡± Ellie said walking away while turning her head to look up at Sam to make sure he was following her. She led him to one of the doors with a plaque on it; he presumed it said seven, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to write it out of memory if asked. Ellie placed her hand on the door, causing it to open. ¡°Sam, be good now, okay? There¡¯s no need to be so nervous.¡±

    Maybe he wouldn¡¯t have been nervous is he knew what was going to happen. Hadn¡¯t people always said humans¡¯ greatest fear was the unknown? If he knew he was going to be neutered, at least, he would be mentally prepared for it¡ªand plotted an escape plan with Raindu. ¡°Okay, sundak,¡± Sam said and held out his hand when he saw Ellie reaching for her bracelet. As expected, the reptilian clicked on it and passed him a piece of popcorn chicken.

    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be back, Sam,¡± she said and patted Sam¡¯s thigh. ¡°Wait for me, okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said and glanced at the open door.

    Ellie pushed Sam¡¯s thigh, causing him to stumble. ¡°Go,¡± Ellie said. ¡°Bye, have fun!¡±

    ¡°Goodbye, sundak,¡± Sam said to Ellie before going through the doorway. The door closed, and Sam found himself submerged in darkness. Then, the floor shifted, Sam¡¯s innards lurching upwards as he accelerated downwards. After a few seconds, the falling sensation came to a halt, and a door opened in front of Sam, light and sound rushing into the room he was in.

    A furrow appeared on Sam¡¯s brow before he walked out of the room, entering the new one. It was like he was at the human park all over again. There were humans standing around tables. There were two humans sitting across from each other at every table, and between them, there was a boardgame. Sam looked around; to his surprise, there weren¡¯t any reptilians or graylings. To his even greater surprise, he saw a familiar face: Dee. She noticed him as well, waving at him to come over to one of the crowded tables.

    ¡°Hey, Sam,¡± Dee said, meeting him halfway. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡±

    ¡°Hello,¡± Sam said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to be here either.¡± He looked around. ¡°Speaking of which, where exactly is here?¡±

    ¡°Did your owner drop you off without telling you what was going to happen?¡± Dee asked. ¡°Reptilians tend to do that.¡± Dee gestured around. ¡°What does this place look like to you?¡±

    ¡°The human park,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Close enough,¡± Dee said and flashed Sam a smile. ¡°For us, it¡¯s fun and games. For the reptilians, it¡¯s an extensive exam to learn about their human pets more in-depth.¡± She gestured towards the corners of the room with her eyes. There were green orbs in all of them, including the floor corners. ¡°Everything about us is being observed: who we interact with, whether we spectate games or play games ourselves, how we go about securing a spot in a game, how you behave when winning or losing.¡± Dee nodded. ¡°Everything. Of course, the results don¡¯t really matter unless you¡¯re trying to make your owner think you have a certain personality type.¡±

    Sam nodded. ¡°I see,¡± he said. ¡°It looks like you know a lot about this place.¡±

    Dee nodded in return. ¡°Whenever a reptilian gets a new pet, they throw them in here,¡± she said. ¡°Even if you¡¯ve had you¡¯ve been here before, if you get a new owner, they¡¯ll send you here again to verify. Conveniently, it¡¯s also one of the cheapest forms of daycare, so if a reptilian is busy, they¡¯ll drop their human here for the day.¡± She grinned at Sam. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said again, displaying his expertise in carrying his end of the conversation. ¡°Has anyone ever gotten hurt during these exams?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Dee said. ¡°Sometimes there¡¯s violence because some people feel pressured to excel because terrible things will happen to them if their owners find out they¡¯re mediocre. Humans usually step in to figure things out though; the reptilians don¡¯t interfere with us at all in here.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Sam said. He glanced at the boardgame on a distant table. Ellie told him to have fun, and if he sat around waiting for the day to end, the reptilians would probably report it to her. Sam looked at Dee. ¡°Do you want to play a round?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll lose,¡± Dee said and smiled, ¡°but if you¡¯re okay with that, I¡¯ll play a game or two with you.¡±

 Chapter 20

    Sam stood with his arms loosely crossed in front of his stomach. Beside him, Dee was standing next to him. The two were on line, waiting for a chance to get to play on one of the boardgames. Dee turned and made eye contact with Sam. ¡°It usually doesn¡¯t take this long,¡± she said and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed it¡¯s been more crowded lately; maybe sometime special happened.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± a man standing in line in front of Sam and Dee said, turning back to look at the two. ¡°I heard a half-reptilian mind reader was helping with the assessments, so a lot of reptilians sent their humans here.¡± The man held out his hand. ¡°I¡¯m one of them. The name¡¯s Jake.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Jake,¡± Dee said. ¡°I¡¯m Dee, and this is Sam.¡± She raised an eyebrow upon seeing Sam¡¯s expression. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Sam said and shook his head. Mind readers weren¡¯t common, half-reptilian ones even less so. Wendy was probably somewhere in this building. If he could find her, maybe he¡¯d get some answers. After all, he wouldn¡¯t have to voice anything to ask the blonde woman questions. Sam looked around. ¡°Can we move to different rooms?¡±

    ¡°You can,¡± Dee said and pointed at the table, ¡°but you have to win a round.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brows. By the time his turn came around to play with the boardgame, the day would practically be over.

    ¡°You can always cut the line,¡± Jake said upon seeing Sam¡¯s displeasure. Jake scanned Sam from head to eye, eyeing the muscles that had formed during the two months Sam had been in Et Serpentium eating an unlimited supply of food. ¡°Find someone who looks like they¡¯d be afraid of confrontation and muscle your way into their personal space.¡±

    Dee nodded when Sam looked at her to confirm Jake¡¯s words. ¡°You can do that,¡± she said, ¡°but it depends on what your owner taught you. If they don¡¯t mind you bullying others with the threat of violence, then feel free to try Jake¡¯s suggestion.¡±

    Sam stared down at the ground. What had Ellie told him? Be on his best behavior, play lots, have fun. If he was on his best behavior, he wouldn¡¯t cut ahead of a line, but that¡¯d interfere with playing lots and having fun; after all, no one thought waiting on line to have fun was fun in itself. Then again, being on hie best behavior was the first order Ellie had given, so it was more important than the others.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait,¡± Sam said. He didn¡¯t have to see Wendy immediately; after all, he still wasn¡¯t sure how he was supposed to explain his decision to defeat James instead of losing to him during the competition between Ellie and Tamara. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be on my best behavior.¡±

    There was no way to keep track of time, so Sam wasn¡¯t sure how long the wait took, but it was definitely longer than necessary. The reptilians could¡¯ve added more tables with games or allowed fewer people into the room, but perhaps a space where everyone had access to everything wasn¡¯t one they wanted to create; there¡¯d be less conflict if nothing was scarce.

    ¡°Buzz off.¡±

    Sam turned his head to the side. An imposing man with bulging muscles and multiple scars walked up to James and pushed the smaller man out of the way, cutting in line in front of Sam and Dee. The big man met Sam¡¯s eyes. ¡°What?¡± the man asked. ¡°Who you looking at? Want to fight?¡± He took a step into Sam¡¯s personal space and extended his scarred arms out to the side while pushing his face towards Sam¡¯s.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Dee said before Sam could respond. ¡°We¡¯re looking for a fight. We¡¯ve been waiting here for hours, and you think you can cut ahead of me and my competitor friend?¡±

    The large man froze and took a step back, fixing his posture. ¡°Competitor?¡± he asked, narrowing his eyes at Sam. ¡°How many fights?¡±

    ¡°Dozens. Why?¡± Dee asked, taking a step forward. ¡°Scared? Should¡¯ve thought about that before cutting the queue.¡±

    Sam had not participated in dozens of fights, but he didn¡¯t bother correcting Dee. In fact, he didn¡¯t mind the larger man cutting ahead. The longer he spent here, the less of a chance he¡¯d encounter Wendy. Without warning, the scarred man threw a punch at Sam¡¯s face. However, compared to Ellie¡¯s jabs, the man moved in slow motion in Sam¡¯s eyes. He leaned his head over just enough to avoid the strike. Then, his muscle memory kicked in as he followed Ellie¡¯s training. Sam¡¯s root chakra emitted a chilling pulsation that caused him to feel dizzy, and he punched the scarred man in the stomach, not caring about the precise location of impact.

    The scarred man grunted and swung his other hand at Sam. Sam took a step back, and the scarred man couldn¡¯t catch himself before hitting the ground, his balance evidently robbed by Sam¡¯s Sick Attack. Although channeling the vibrations of the surdock made Sam nauseous as well, he was used to the feeling and could maneuver under it; though, it did take a lot of focus to ignore the vomit building up in his throat. Sam recalled Ellie¡¯s advice against fighting other humans as he lifted his foot: finish opponents off quickly before they have a chance to surprise him with their talent.

    There was a cracking sound as Sam kicked the back of the man¡¯s head. With reptilian technology, even if a human sustained a life-threatening injury, they could easily be jiggled back to the peak of health. Sam disabled the chilling pulsation of the surdock and stared down at the scarred man, who was still blurry in Sam¡¯s vision thanks to the self-inflicted nausea. After regaining his senses, Sam exhaled and squatted by the fallen man¡¯s side. He grabbed the large man¡¯s shoulders and waddled backwards, pulling the unconscious person out of way before returning to Dee¡¯s side.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Dee said, looking at Sam with large eyes and a smile. ¡°That was impressive.¡±

    Sam grunted, taking note of the sudden increase in his personal space; no one wanted to stand too close to him as if he¡¯d beat them if they breathed in his general direction. The people in front of Sam smiled at him and gestured for him to go towards the table first, allowing him to cut ahead.

    ¡°Since they¡¯re offering¡­,¡± Dee said, walking ahead while shooting a look back at Sam.

    Although it felt a little wrong, Sam followed Dee up to the board where the two players, who were already seated, immediately evacuated mid-game. He took a seat, and Dee sat across from him. ¡°How do we play?¡± Sam asked, staring down at the board.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Dee said. ¡°We take turns placing down a piece on these intersecting lines, and the first person to connect five pieces in a row wins.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said. ¡°Who starts?¡±

    ¡°You can go first,¡± Dee said, gesturing towards Sam with her chin. ¡°You¡¯ll need the handicap when playing against me, HKC¡¯s first-room gatekeeper.¡±

    Sam grunted, unfazed by Dee¡¯s boast as he placed down the first piece. Seven turns later, Sam raised his head and looked up at Dee, and she flashed him a sheepish grin. ¡°What?¡± she asked, wiping the board clean by sweeping her arm over it, knocking the pieces onto the floor. ¡°You need to win to move on to the next room, so why are you looking so disappointed?¡±

    ¡°No reason,¡± Sam said. Dee had thrown the game, giving him the win he needed to move on to a different room within the headquarters, but he had already made up his mind to avoid meeting Wendy. ¡°Let¡¯s play another round; don¡¯t go easy on me this time.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± Dee said, raising an eyebrow. She picked up a piece and made the first move.

    Seven turns later, Sam stared at the board with a blank expression. He raised his head and met Dee¡¯s smiling expression. ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said, picking up the pieces he had placed down and putting them away into the bowl on the table. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next room now that we¡¯ve both won once.¡±

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Dee said, following Sam as he stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend like you lost on purpose to me just now.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Sam said and looked around. He pointed at the wall, the one he had entered from. The entranceway had disappeared at some point. ¡°Is that where we¡¯re supposed to go?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Dee said. ¡°Are you really going to do that? Ignore me?¡±

    Sam headed towards the wall, answering Dee¡¯s question without saying a word. He frowned and looked at it, staring with his arms crossed. When Dee caught up, Sam turned to look at her. ¡°By any chance, do you know how reptilians open walls and such?¡±

    Dee laughed. ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± she said. ¡°They put their hands on them, and then the wall opens.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Sam said, looking at Dee while pointing at the wall. ¡°Can you demonstrate?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Dee said. ¡°Even if you know the technique, they¡¯re still locked. If reptilians wanted humans to walk around wherever, they¡¯d leave the doors open for us.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said. Dee¡¯s words made sense. Doors were created to keep things out; if the things that were meant to be kept out could open the doors, then the doors were useless. ¡°So, how do we move to another room?¡±

    ¡°Like this,¡± Dee said. She walked up to the wall and knocked on it. ¡°Hello! We¡¯d like to move on.¡± She stared at the ground, and a few seconds later, the wall slid open. Dee smiled and looked at Sam, gesturing for him to step through. ¡°After you.¡±

    Sam entered the dark room, and Dee came in after him. She held his arm, her hands clenching when the door shut, covering the two in darkness. The ground shifted, and Sam took one step to the side to stabilize himself, frowning but not complaining when Dee leaned against his body as if it were a pillar. The sudden movement came to a halt, and the two stumbled the other way before the wall opened from behind them, light pouring into the room.

    Sam turned around, and he blinked as the scent of barbeque filled his nostrils. He exited the room, stepping out into an even more crowded area than the previous one. There were dozens of tables, and dozens of people were seated at each table. The tables were arranged in a large circle around a circular counter. The counter was empty, but it had many dividers separating it into equal sections.

    ¡°This is the barbeque royale,¡± Dee said, making her way over to a table with two empty slots. ¡°Every so often¡ª¡±

    The counter in the center of the room made a whirring sound as it lit up, and a heavenly aroma appeared, causing Sam¡¯s stomach to growl and his mouth to drool. The counter opened up, and plates of seasoned meat appeared, the dishware clinking loudly with each appearance; however, the sound was drowned out by the scraping of chairs as people from every table stood up and rushed to the center; only those who already had a plate of meat in front of them¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t many¡ªdidn¡¯t bother getting up, protecting what they already had.

    ¡°I think I understand,¡± Sam said, watching as people crowded around the counter. He couldn¡¯t see them fighting, but he was sure some people were getting injured; he could hear pained shouts and cries coming from within the pile of humans.

    ¡°You have to eat until you¡¯re full,¡± Dee said, swallowing down her saliva as the delicious scent permeated the room.

    Sam turned his head to the side, observing the people who were returning to their seats with their hands clenched around pieces of meat. They were tiny pieces, and unless they were densely packed with calories, which Sam suspected they weren¡¯t, then someone would have to eat at least half the meat presented by the counter to fill their bellies. ¡°The reptilians really like limiting resources to see what we¡¯d do, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Dee said. ¡°Even when you eat, you have to guard your food. People will steal it from you, and they won¡¯t even feel guilty about it since the food¡¯s free anyway.¡±

    Sam nodded. ¡°In that case,¡± he said and opened his bag. He pulled out his emergency rations¡ªthe ones he had packed in case he overused Toughen¡ªand unwrapped them. ¡°I¡¯ll just eat these.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Dee asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯d rather eat granola bars than the specially modified meat the reptilians made to entice humans?¡± She leaned over the grill that was in front of her and Sam and brought her hand over it before wafting the aroma towards Sam¡¯s face. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that smell good? And it¡¯s only the leftover fragrance of meat that¡¯s already been cooked.¡±

    Sam¡¯s nose twitched, and he swallowed the piece of granola bar he was chewing on. He turned his head towards the crowd of people who were still fighting over the uncooked meat. ¡°Is the meat addictive?¡±

    ¡°Everything¡¯s addictive if your willpower is low enough,¡± Dee said and grinned at Sam. ¡°Rather than addictive, it¡¯s better to describe them as treats so tender and juicy that anything you¡¯ve eaten in the past¡ªor will have eaten in the future¡ªwill taste like dirt compared to them. By eating them, you¡¯ll have achieved the peak of the human culinary experience, and the only place left to go is down.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow. ¡°How can that be the peak?¡± he asked. ¡°There isn¡¯t even any ketchup available.¡±

    Dee blinked twice, smiling as she asked, ¡°Excuse me? You think ketchup would enhance this experience instead of the provided sauce?¡± She pointed at the table in front of Sam where there was an orange-colored tile ¡­ which he realized was not actually a tile but an indent filled with oil and salt. Still, ketchup couldn¡¯t hurt. It was a staple sauce from a prominent country in the past before the Earth had ascended, and it was a miracle the reptilians could produce or source it.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam said. ¡°If the meat is good with the sauce, it¡¯ll be even better if some ketchup is added to it. Have you ever tried it?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Dee said, her head bobbing up and down. ¡°I¡¯ve been here a lot longer than you. Maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯m more experienced and Et Serpetiumly than you. My opinions are right, and yours are wrong; ketchup does not belong here.¡±

    Sam scoffed. ¡°There¡¯s only one way to find out,¡± he said and stood up. He went over to the crowd of people and frowned at the ongoing scuffle. He tapped someone on the shoulder. ¡°Excuse me. Do you want to trade meat for energy bars?¡±

    The man turned and stared at Sam as if he had said the walls were made of bubbles and sunshine. ¡°No,¡± the man said, turning back towards the crowd. It looked like he was planning on waiting for someone with meat to come out before attacking them.

    Sam frowned before shaking his head. The people were here to eat the meat, not to fill themselves to move on to the next room, but for pleasure. Sam went back to Dee and took a seat. ¡°Have you eaten your fill in this room before?¡±

    ¡°I have, yes,¡± Dee said. ¡°My owner drops me off here a lot because they¡¯re a busy individual. Some days are more crowded than others, and certain rooms are easier to do. Also, it¡¯s not like rooms go in order.¡± Dee gestured towards the ceiling as if she were referencing God. ¡°They decide where we go, which room needs more or less numbers.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said. A high-pitched ring echoed out of the counter, and the crowd around it jolted at the same time as if they were a singular organism. They dashed out of the center of the room, returning to their tables whether or not they had gotten a piece of meat. Sam blinked, turning to Dee. ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡±

    ¡°Try to touch the counter and you¡¯ll see,¡± Dee said. ¡°It¡¯s easier for you to experience it yourself than for me to explain.¡± She gestured for Sam to go with her chin. ¡°It won¡¯t kill you, promise.¡±

    Sam hesitated before standing up, heading towards the counter. The people at the tables, the ones who hadn¡¯t obtained any food, turned to look at Sam. A few snickered and pointed, trying to distract the ones who were cooking and eating. Sam ignored the looks and took another step towards the counter, then another. When he was on the brink of letting his guard down, thinking nothing was going to happen, a high-pitched whine assaulted Sam¡¯s ears, causing him to bend his torso down while raising his hands up to cover his ears.

    A vibration akin to a tiny drill wormed its way down from the top of Sam¡¯s head to the very tips of his toes as he stood in place, gritting his teeth. Uncomfortable vibrations were something he found he could absorb with his mastery over his root chakra. He thought of it as a mastery, but really, he didn¡¯t know the mechanisms behind the things he could do.

    ¡°Hey, Sam!¡± Dee said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go all the way to the counter. I was just joking; come back.¡±

    Sam ignored Dee and sat down, crossing his legs. He lowered his arms and took in a deep breath, allowing the shrill ringing to enter his ears unimpeded. As expected, after enduring the sound for a while, his root chakra responded, pulsing with a chilling energy that enveloped the incoming vibrations, merging them into itself. The high-pitched whine was replaced by the gentle pulse of his root chakra, surging through his body repeatedly like waves striking the shore of a beach.

    ¡°Sam?¡± Dee asked from her seat. She stood up and walked over, but she flinched and took a step back before she could get close to Sam¡¯s seated body.

    Sam stood up and exhaled, his body feeling comfortable all over. ¡°I got this,¡± he said to Dee before walking over to the counter, waiting where the plates of uncooked meat would be dispensed. The sounds of chairs sliding and people standing rang throughout the room. People rushed to the counter but encountered the same difficulties as Dee, falling to their knees or staggering backwards as they approached.

    People exchanged glances with one another before turning their attention away from Sam. If the alarm was still going, and Sam was standing there despite the sound, then he was one tough cookie, and it was better to let tough cookies do what they want lest some teeth get broken. Although it looked like everyone was practicing the technique of minding their own business, it was hard to say what would happen once the alarm turned off and the meat was distributed.

 Chapter 21

    Sam stood at the counter, waiting for the meat to be distributed, ignoring the looks he was getting from the people unable to approach the center of the room. It was a bit awkward to be the center of attention, but after competing in three fights with dozens of reptilian spectators, he was getting better at ignoring unwanted attention. Also, he was focusing on the pulsation his root chakra was emitting, so he didn¡¯t have time to care.

    After a while, the counter lit up and made a whirring sound. Plates popped out of the counter, seemingly shooting through the stone surface like magic. Sam stopped meditating and grabbed several plates before changing his mind. The portions on the plate were embarrassingly small¡ªone piece of meat per dish, so Sam simply grabbed the raw, uncooked meat off the plate and placed it in his pocket. He placed the dish off to the side before running around the counter while taking the pieces of meat, placing them in his pocket before the rest of the hungry people could arrive. He didn¡¯t have much time to store the food, but he was sure four pockets, all the available ones in his pants, was enough to pass the stage especially if he added granola bars too.

    Sam glanced around, locating Dee while taking note of the hoard of people coming his way. He frowned, realizing there wasn¡¯t a way for him to get out, and it looked like a group of people were running straight at him, figuring they could beat him with numbers if not individually. He had plenty of meat for each of them to snatch a single piece. Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he realized he didn¡¯t have a way to deal with multiple people charging him at once, so he did the next best thing. He pulled the meat out of his back pockets and curled up into a ball, hugging his meat supplies to his stomach while using his elbows and forearms to defend his front pockets. Then, he used Toughen.

    The crowd of people rushed at him, pulling at his limbs, but his arms didn¡¯t budge a single inch. Someone tried pulling his hair, and, well, Sam gained a bald patch. His clothes were stretched, some parts torn, but he didn¡¯t complain because he had obtained the clothes for free, and he also physically couldn¡¯t open his mouth or speak while using Toughen. After a while, most of the crowd gave up, choosing to fight for the scraps on the table Sam hadn¡¯t touched.

    Sam stayed in place with his hardened muscles. He would¡¯ve loved to stay there until the alarm turned back on, forcing people to scatter from the counter, but a large man crouched beside Sam. The man¡¯s hands slid underneath Sam¡¯s body, and with a grunt, the man flipped Sam over, causing him to clink against the ground and roll onto his side in an awkward position. Although the meat in his pants were still guarded by his elbows, his hands couldn¡¯t hold all the strips of meat against his stomach; a few pieces were sticking out from between his fingers, and like vultures, the surrounding humans saw Sam¡¯s weakness.

    They rushed at Sam grabbing at his fingers. Sam wanted to stop them, but if he undid his Toughen technique, he¡¯d be trampled and physically hurt. A thought came to Sam¡¯s mind, and after a brief moment of contemplation, he put it into action. He closed his eyes, and his root chakra thrummed as a wave of chilliness surged throughout his body. A high-pitched ringing sound reverberated inside of Sam¡¯s head, and he opened his eyes to see everyone close to him backing away as if they had been shocked. The large man, who had flipped Sam over, was covering his ears and wincing with hunched shoulders.

    As expected, Sam had obtained a new technique from the new chilling frequency his root chakra had created by absorbing the vibrations caused by the alarm. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what it did, but if Sick Attack made him feel sick and his opponents feel sick, then this technique, which felt like pins and needles attacking his brain through his ears, must¡¯ve caused headaches for the people who made contact with him. If Ellie were here, she¡¯d probably name it Sound Attack. What Sam hadn¡¯t been sure about was whether or not it could be combined with Toughen, luckily, he was successful.

    Sam disabled Toughen but kept Sound Attack on, realizing the name was a bit misleading considering he had to touch someone to attack them instead of simply shouting in their general direction. He stood up, and someone grabbed him before immediately wincing and releasing their grip. Sam looked around before walking back towards Dee, ignoring the shrill sound inside his head. Luckily, he didn¡¯t have to pay too much attention to where he walked because the crowd parted, making way for Sam as if he were a wagon carting around horse poop.

    Sam took a seat beside Dee and stopped his root chakra¡¯s pulsation, turning off his new technique. He placed a piece of meat on the grill in front of him, and it sizzled upon making contact. It wasn¡¯t on earlier, so Dee must¡¯ve believed in him enough to get the fire going.

    ¡°I¡¯m impressed,¡± Dee said to Sam as he stared at the sizzling piece of meat on the grill.

    Sam wasn¡¯t the only one eyeing it, but he was the closest, and he was holding the knife in a particular way, speaking in universal human body language, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll stab you if you try to take my food away from me.¡±

    ¡°Flip it over,¡± Dee said. ¡°If you keep it on the grill for too long, it¡¯ll burn.¡±

    Sam awkwardly used the knife to flip the piece of meat over. He might¡¯ve been given access by Ellie to any ingredient and any video to teach him how to cook a certain meal, but laziness won out, and he only ate meals that were already prepared and ready to be eaten. Why would he cook when he didn¡¯t have to? After waiting for a bit more, Sam glanced at Dee.

    ¡°It¡¯s ready,¡± Dee said. ¡°Go on. Try it. Make sure you dip it in the sauce first.¡±

    Sam stabbed the piece of meat with his knife, and the people watching from near the counter swallowed down their saliva as Sam dipped the meat into the sauce before putting it into his mouth. His eyes widened as a burst of flavor flooded his tongue, and his vision faded away as a droning sound echoed through his ears, blocking out the ambient sounds. All he could focus on was the taste of the dissolved fats within the meat as the juices flowed down his throat. He chewed, and at some point, the meat seemed to dissolve, turning more liquid than solid.

    ¡°How is it?¡± Dee asked, her voice barely registering in Sam¡¯s brain.

    Sam swallowed and exhaled. ¡°Delicious,¡± he said, stating his honest thoughts. He glanced at the pieces of meat he was holding in his hands; he didn¡¯t seem to mind some were touching the hilt of his knife. ¡°It would¡¯ve tasted better with ketchup though.¡±

    Dee let out an exaggerated sigh as she shook her head. ¡°Unbelievable,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ve literally eaten the most delicious food a human can eat, and you think it¡¯ll taste better with ketchup.¡±

    Sam placed a piece of meat onto the grill and reached inside his backpack, taking out a packet of ketchup. ¡°Won¡¯t know until I try,¡± he said. He looked at the grill, but the piece of meat he had slapped on wasn¡¯t there anymore. Chewing sounds caught his attention, and he turned his head towards Dee. ¡°Did you just¡­?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Dee said, covering her mouth with her hand as she spoke. She swallowed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± She laughed before placing her hand on Sam¡¯s arm. ¡°You have so much meat; you won¡¯t get upset if you lost one or two pieces, right?¡±

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Sam rolled his eyes before placing another piece of meat down onto the grill. Dee was right. He had a lot of meat, and one or two pieces wouldn¡¯t make a difference in whether he was satiated or not, but some people took miles when given inches. Sam held his knife in the stabbing position as he stared at the cooking meat, flipping it over after a puddle of juices formed underneath the piece. A hand reached for the piece from the side, and Sam stabbed downwards without hesitation. There was a clinking sound as his knife collided with the grill, the thief having retracted their hand in time to save themselves from a gruesome fate.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Dee said, clutching her hand to her chest. ¡°I guess your owner doesn¡¯t feed you, huh?¡±

    ¡°She feeds me,¡± Sam said, stabbing the piece of meat before dipping it into the sauce. He ripped open the ketchup packet with his teeth and squeezed the red condiment onto the table before dipping the sauce-covered meat into the ketchup. Then, to Dee¡¯s disgust, Sam brought the knife up to his lips and put the piece of meat into his mouth. It tasted like ketchup.

    ¡°So?¡± Dee asked.

    ¡°Delicious,¡± Sam said, lying through his teeth. ¡°Even better than before.¡±

    Shouts filled the air as the alarm around the counter reactivated, the crowd dispersing in an instant. Instead of returning to their table, most of them gathered around Sam. ¡°Hey,¡± someone wearing a green vest said. ¡°I¡¯ll buy some meat from you; name your price.¡±

    Sam frowned. ¡°What kind of price can you even pay?¡± he asked the person eyeing the meat in his hands. ¡°We¡¯re all pets here.¡±

    ¡°Vouchers, of course,¡± the man said. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ve never traded with another person before?¡±

    Sam turned his head towards Dee, and the woman nodded. ¡°Pets trade each other vouchers,¡± she said. ¡°For luxuries like snacks, drinks, or drugs. Some owners aren¡¯t willing to give their pets access to certain activities, and vouchers allow you to partake in said activity without your owner¡¯s permission¡ªif you¡¯re sneaky enough to not get caught.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said before turning towards the man. ¡°Not interested.¡± Ellie was a nice owner, and she always gave him what he wanted because she couldn¡¯t resist his derpy face. Sam didn¡¯t need vouchers to enjoy his experience at Et Serpentium; besides, it wasn¡¯t like any experience was worth trading for the meat he was eating.

    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± the man said. ¡°Please, just give me one piece.¡±

    ¡°If I give you one,¡± Sam said, looking behind the man. ¡°Everyone else will expect one too.¡±

    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to give it to them,¡± the man said. ¡°You just have to give me one; ignore the rest.¡±

    Sam ignored the man and plopped another piece of meat onto the grill. The man¡¯s hand reached for it, and Sam stabbed downwards with his knife. Surprisingly, there wasn¡¯t much resistance; the blade must¡¯ve avoided the man¡¯s bones as it went through his flesh. The man screamed and jerked his hand back, his blood dropping onto the grill, the liquid sizzling and bubbling up. Sam turned towards Dee. ¡°Let me borrow your knife.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Dee said and smiled as she handed over the knife on the table in front of her to Sam. ¡°In return, you¡¯ll give me a piece, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Sam said, flicking a piece of uncooked meat in Dee¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Score.¡± Dee grinned and placed the meat on the grill not too far away from Sam¡¯s.

    ¡°You stabbed me!¡±

    Sam turned his head towards the man with the green vest, who was clutching his bleeding palm to his chest. ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said. ¡°Better hurry to the jiggler if you¡¯re afraid of losing blood.¡± He turned back towards the piece of meat on the grill and flipped it with the knife Dee had given him. After thinking for a second, he flipped Dee¡¯s piece over as well.

    The green-vested man glared at Sam before turning to walk away. The other people, upon seeing Sam¡¯s ruthless behavior, decided the meat pieces weren¡¯t worth having a hole put in their hand. Well, most of them made that call. Some decided to test their luck, or their perceived agility, and were stabbed by Sam as well. Luckily, he had two knives now, so even if one got blood on it, he could still cook with the other. As for why no one tried to stab Sam with a knife to kill him and steal his meat; well, it was only food worth getting stabbed over but not dying for.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Sam to finish eating all the meat he had gathered¡ªwith Dee picking up scraps like a vulture. He became more comfortable with guarding his food, cooking more pieces at a time. After eating a full meal, he placed his hand on his stomach and was about to let out a burp but remembered he was supposed to be on his best behavior. Instead, he took in a deep breath and exhaled before turning towards Dee. ¡°So,¡± he said. ¡°Shall¡ª¡±

    Before he could say anything else, Dee shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait for me to be full,¡± she said. ¡°There isn¡¯t much time left in the day. If you want to impress your owner and complete more rooms, you should go on without me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Sam said. ¡°My owner told me to have fun.¡± He reached into his bag and took out his emergency supply of granola bars. ¡°How about you eat these until you¡¯re full and come with me? That way, we can save time, and I won¡¯t have to leave you behind.¡±

    ¡°Aww, you care about me,¡± Dee said, smiling at Sam as she grabbed a granola bar and tore the wrapper open. She munched on it before glancing at the ketchup still on Sam¡¯s table. She dipped the end of the granola bar into the ketchup and held it up towards Sam¡¯s mouth. ¡°Here, since you think ketchup makes everything better.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m full,¡± Sam said. ¡°You eat it.¡± He stared right at her. ¡°Don¡¯t waste food.¡±

    Dee rolled her eyes before eating the rest of the granola bar. It tasted like ketchup. She shook her head before opening another bar. It didn¡¯t take long for her to feel full, only having to eat four granola bars total. The duo got up and left, heading towards the wall they had entered from. Dee waved at the ceiling, and the door opened, allowing her and Sam to leave. They were once again shifted, and in the darkness of the room, Sam¡¯s mind couldn¡¯t help but drift to the meal he had just eaten, wondering if Ellie could procure him whatever meat ingredient that was and its accompanying sauce.

    A portion of the wall slid open, and Sam headed towards the light, followed by Dee. Sam glanced around, taking in his surroundings. There was a bench with several people seated on it, and beside the bench, there was a closed door. If Sam had to take a guess, the people on the bench were waiting in line to enter the room. Sam glanced at Dee, and the woman shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve never been here before,¡± she said as she walked towards the bench, ¡°but you can¡¯t go wrong following people¡¯s examples.¡±

    Sam watched as Dee plopped herself down and patted the empty space beside her, indicating for Sam to sit. He went over, and while he was walking, the door opened, and Sam saw a familiar face seated inside: Wendy¡¯s. He froze midstride as a stranger walked out of the room and spoke to the person seated closest to the table. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡±

    The seated person stood up and walked inside, closing the door behind him, but not before Wendy looked up to make eye contact with Sam. Sam swallowed and finished walking over to Dee, taking a seat by her side.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Dee asked. ¡°You don¡¯t look too good.¡± A smile appeared on her face. ¡°I bet it¡¯s the ketchup.¡±

    Sam shook his head before leaning forward, looking past Dee. ¡°Hey,¡± he said, asking the man sitting beside her. ¡°What kind of room is this?¡±

    ¡°Some kind of interview, I think,¡± the man said, glancing to his right for confirmation from the people ahead of him in line. After receiving a few nods, the man turned back to Sam. ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s a mind reader in there, and we have to answer a bunch of her questions.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said. ¡°Thanks.¡± He sat back in his seat and furrowed his brow. Could Wendy hear his thoughts from where she was? Maybe she could read the thoughts of everyone present in the HKC, but given the amount of people inside, Sam didn¡¯t think that was possible.

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose we¡¯ll be allowed to leave until after the interview, huh?¡± Dee asked, watching as the wall closed on the person who had just been interviewed. ¡°Am I the only one who doesn¡¯t want to have their mind read?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone wants to have their mind read,¡± someone on the bench said. There were four people ahead of Dee and Sam, and in Sam¡¯s eyes, they all looked uncomfortable. Since the reptilians were in charge of who went to what room, perhaps these humans were pets of interest, ones the reptilians wanted to know the true thoughts of.

    ¡°How about you?¡± Dee asked, turning towards Sam. ¡°Scared? Nervous?¡±

    Sam grunted in response.

    ¡°That kind of answer won¡¯t work on the mind reader,¡± Dee said. ¡°They¡¯ll know what you¡¯re really thinking.¡± She leaned back, resting her head against the wall. ¡°I wonder what it¡¯s like to be a mind reader. You have a conversation with someone, and they think one thing but say another. I bet it¡¯s very easy to get confused.¡±

    Sam grunted again, not paying attention to Dee¡¯s words. What was he going to say when he met Wendy? What was she going to say? A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth as he scratched his neck. Someone must¡¯ve raised the temperature because it was getting uncomfortably hot.

 Chapter 22

    Sam shifted down the bench as Dee got up, replacing the void she created as she walked into the room Wendy was in. Contrary to Sam¡¯s expectations, no one else had entered the room after he and Wendy had entered, so he was the only person left on the bench. Although he was nervous, he didn¡¯t let it show outwardly. Sam sat in place, staring up at the ceiling with a blank expression while doing his best to not look suspicious. The reptilians were probably recording his every word and action; it wouldn¡¯t be prudent to discuss the plan involving stealing the GMC when he met with Wendy. Then, what could they talk about? Well, Wendy was performing interviews, so he simply had to answer questions; a conversation didn¡¯t need to be had.

    Sam closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Then, he changed his mind about contacting Raindu. If the ferret needed him, it¡¯d let him know; rather than disturbing it and risking the reptilians discovering his mental connection with the ferret¡ªsince Wendy had instilled a healthy sense of paranoia in his mind¡ªit¡¯d be better to wait until he was back at home in Ellie¡¯s cage before asking about Raindu¡¯s situation.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the door to open. Dee gave Sam a wry smile and patted his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re up,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯ll be able to meet again. Mind readers are scary, and who knows what she¡¯ll report to the reptilians?¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Were you thinking negative thoughts about the reptilians?¡± he asked. Why else would they have a problem with Dee?

    ¡°No,¡± Dee said. ¡°And that¡¯s what I told the mind reader too.¡± She leaned to the side, looking past the door that hadn¡¯t closed yet. ¡°She¡¯s waiting; you should go.¡±

    Sam stood up and nodded at Dee. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine.¡± He furrowed his brow before extending his hand towards her.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Dee asked, cracking a smile. ¡°This might be our final farewell, and you¡¯re giving me a handshake, not even a hug?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think we were close enough for hugs,¡± Sam said as Dee took a step towards him and wrapped her arms around his body. Sam awkwardly hugged Dee¡¯s shoulders. ¡°But I guess I was wrong?¡±

    ¡°Goodbye, Sam,¡± Dee said and took a few steps back, waiting for him to go through the door.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see each other again,¡± Sam said and made eye contact with Dee. He nodded at her before turning to enter the room. The door automatically shut behind him, and he took in a deep breath before looking across the room at Wendy, who was sitting behind a large desk.

    ¡°Hello¡­,¡± Wendy said and glanced down at the table in front of her. A projection appeared in front of her face with Sam¡¯s details on it. She raised her head. ¡°Sam. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± A faint smile appeared on her lips as she made eye contact with Sam, causing his body to freeze as her red pupils stared at him. ¡°You look like someone I trafficked and sold a while back.¡±

    Sam¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°You did trick me and sell me off.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Wendy nodded. ¡°That must be why you look so familiar.¡± She squinted at Sam and tapped her finger against her desk, hard. ¡°Address me as sundak.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. Since Wendy was a mind reader, he could ask her questions through his mind while asking something different out loud. He had practiced it a couple of times, but after not having to use it for a while, he stopped, so he wasn¡¯t that great at it. ¡°Yes, sundak. Sorry. Can you explain what we¡¯re doing here?¡± Sam asked. At the same time, he thought at Wendy, Is the plan to steal the GMC still on?

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Wendy said. ¡°I¡¯m conducting interviews. I ask questions, you answer them.¡±

    ¡°I see, sundak,¡± Sam said, his brow furrowing. He wasn¡¯t sure if Wendy was responding to his thoughts. He asked, ¡°Should I be nervous?¡± while thinking, Are you lying to me?

    ¡°No,¡± Wendy said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be nervous about.¡± She glanced at the projected screen floating in front of her. ¡°First question, what do you think of your owner?¡±

    Sam pursed his lips. ¡°My owner is great,¡± he said. ¡°She takes care of me, and when she says she¡¯s going to do something, she does it¡ªno empty promises with her.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Wendy raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± She squinted at Sam. After a moment of silence, she nodded. ¡°Wow. You really do have a good impression of her.¡± She stared at Sam some more before nodding again. ¡°It¡¯s almost like she¡¯s your mother with how well she¡¯s taking care of you. Good for you; aren¡¯t you glad you were sold to a caring reptilian like her and not someone else?¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow, but after a second, he relaxed them. Rather than worrying about communicating with Wendy, he¡¯d do as she suggested and simply answer the questions he was asked. Wendy was smarter than him, and rather than him wracking his mind over figuring out what she wanted, he¡¯d let her take the lead. ¡°Yes,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯m glad. I could¡¯ve been sold to an owner who didn¡¯t care about me or my wishes, but I can¡¯t say Ellie¡¯s been like that.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t feel abused?¡± Wendy asked, folding her hands atop her desk in front of herself.

    ¡°No, sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°Sure, there are times I think I¡¯m going to lose my life while she trains me, but that¡¯s just a consequence of training, you know?¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Wendy said and let out a noncommittal grunt. ¡°Just a consequence, of course.¡± She squinted. ¡°And how about Et Serpentium? What do you think of our country?¡±

    Sam thought back on his time in Et Serpentium¡ªfrom when he was sold to the present. Other than being stuck inside of a room without any company on occasion, life was good: the food was delicious; the bed was plush; his room was always at a comfortable temperature. ¡°It¡¯s almost like paradise,¡± Sam said. ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t experienced all of it, sundak, so I¡¯m sure there are parts that I wouldn¡¯t like, but from what I¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s better than the human city.¡±

    ¡°You would think that,¡± Wendy said, nodding her head. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the worst of human society, and you¡¯re comparing it to the best experience a human can have in Et Serpentium. It just goes to show how much your owner cares for you; she¡¯s sheltering you from the ugliness of this country.¡±

    ¡°Like I told you, sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°She¡¯s the best.¡±

    ¡°What if someone offered you a better life?¡± Wendy asked, leaning back in her seat. ¡°Would you leave your owner?¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow. It was hard to imagine a life better than this one, one that was already so much more luxurious than what he had previously had.

    ¡°For example,¡± Wendy said, ¡°someone offered you a life with a purpose. The life you¡¯re describing right now in your mind sounds like one of comfort and luxury. It¡¯s nice and all, sure, but you only have a certain amount of time to live. Are you satisfied with living a life of comfort without achieving anything great?¡±

    Here it was, a question relating to the topic of stealing the GMC. Sam leaned back in his seat and exhaled. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯ve yet to grow tired of living like this. It might be a little lonely at times, but after becoming strong enough to defend myself¡ªby Ellie¡¯s standards¡ªshe¡¯s taken me out to socialize with other humans, so even the loneliness isn¡¯t an issue.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not bored?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°Sleeping, eating, fighting for your life?¡±

    Sam shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve been too tired to be bored.¡± It was true. When he had a moment of free time that didn¡¯t involve sleeping, eating, showering, or training, Ellie called him out to play. Somedays, she was busy doing reptilian things¡ªwhich Sam still didn¡¯t know consisted of what¡ªbut she¡¯d leave him a bunch of coloring books and turn on some calming music. Time flew by, and before he knew it, Ellie was done with her business and ready to play.

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    ¡°I see,¡± Wendy said. ¡°What do you think about the treatment of humans in Et Serpentium?¡±

    Sam crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°It depends, sundak,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve come to the conclusion there are different kinds of reptilians like there are different kinds of humans. Some human cultures worship cows; other human cultures worship the technique of eating cows. Likewise, I believe some reptilians treat humans nicely while others don¡¯t.¡±

    Wendy raised an eyebrow and scanned Sam from head to toe. ¡°So, your muscles aren¡¯t the only thing that¡¯ve grown,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re much more knowledgeable; if you were this bright in the past, I might not have been able to trick and sell you.¡±

    ¡°Ha-ha, very funny, sundak,¡± Sam said, his voice dry. ¡°Ellie occasionally broadcasts podcasts for me while I work out. Even when I¡¯m not trying to learn anything, I still do.¡± After all, when the sound came from all the walls, ceiling, and floor, it was hard to ignore.

    ¡°Sounds like you don¡¯t have any problems with your owner or Et Serpentium,¡± Wendy said and tapped on her desk, causing the projection to disappear. ¡°If you could change one thing about this place, what would it be?¡±

    Sam rubbed his chin. What would he change? Why change anything when everything was working out? After all, if something wasn¡¯t broken, it didn¡¯t need to be fixed. After thinking for a bit, Sam came to an answer. ¡°It¡¯d be nice if I could lock and unlock doors by myself.¡±

    ¡°Is that your final answer?¡± Wendy asked, raising an eyebrow.

    Sam scratched his head. What kind of answer was Wendy expecting? That he wished the graylings were free from reptilian control? Honestly, the graylings did make life easier for reptilians and, by extension, humans as well in Et Serpentium. They could be ordered to do anything, and they would faithfully execute the command¡ªunless it involved harming a reptilian or the reptilian¡¯s personal property, including their pet humans. It wasn¡¯t like graylings had feelings either, or if they did, they were ordered not to show them.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Wendy said, nodding her head. ¡°How about the competitions? You¡¯ve participated in three bouts so far.¡±

    Sam thought back to the matches he had fought. The first fight was against a beginner just like him, but they weren¡¯t trained as well as he had been. The second fight was with someone more experienced, but by following Ellie¡¯s instructions, he easily won. The third fight was also won by following Ellie¡¯s commands.

    ¡°So, those competition rounds were just another day of training for you, huh?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°Follow your owner¡¯s instructions, and you don¡¯t have to worry about a thing. You don¡¯t feel reluctant competing against other humans?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said. Why would he? People competed every day regardless of whether or not they were the pets of reptilians.

    ¡°Not a pacifist,¡± Wendy said, nodding her head. She glanced at his mouth. ¡°Not a vegan either.¡±

    Sam scratched his nose. Were those things reptilians were looking for in humans? Probably not, considering he was a show human. Well, like he said earlier, maybe there was some group of reptilians who preferred pacifist humans. Sam blinked as he made eye contact with Wendy, freezing for a bit. Maybe there was even a group of reptilians who wanted to free the graylings for whatever purpose. The great seer? Since Wendy was the great seer¡¯s daughter, and if mind reading was an inherited talent of reptilians, Wendy wouldn¡¯t be able to hide anything from her mother, right?

    Wendy squinted her eyes at Sam, giving him the feeling she was peering deeper into his mind. Wendy blinked, and a wry smile appeared on her face. ¡°You make a good pet,¡± she said. ¡°Powerful but unambitious, your owner is quite lucky to have you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, I guess, sundak,¡± Sam said. What was that supposed to mean? Did Wendy want him to stay as Ellie¡¯s pet, and if so, for how long?

    ¡°I noticed in your information, it said you had a pet?¡± Wendy asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°How is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± Sam said. Raindu wasn¡¯t with him. In fact, he wasn¡¯t quite sure where the ferret was. All it had communicated with him was it was going to find the GMC instead of waiting around. Although that technically was its purpose, Sam had a feeling Raindu was going to investigate anything interesting it could lay its hands on¡ªand by investigate, Sam meant borrowing and looking at later without the intention of returning the object back to its rightful place.

    ¡°Do you worry about it?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°Et Serpentium has strict rules for its human pets, and your pet might break those.¡±

    ¡°My pet is smart, and it knows what it¡¯s doing, sundak,¡± Sam said. He didn¡¯t mean it. Raindu didn¡¯t like thinking about consequences much, and honestly, Sam was surprised an incident hadn¡¯t occurred because of the ferret yet. It was wandering around Et Serpentium without supervision, and it could¡¯ve been serial-murdering reptilian civilians at this very moment without Sam¡¯s knowledge.

    Wendy¡¯s expression betrayed no signs of change. She nodded at Sam¡¯s answer. ¡°I see,¡± she said. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything else I have to ask you.¡± Wendy¡¯s eyes shifted to the corner of her desk. ¡°You¡¯re also my last interviewee of the day. I¡¯m feeling generous, so if you have any questions you¡¯d like to ask me as I pack my things, go ahead.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. There were many things he wanted to clarify, but he didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be able to answer them without arousing suspicion. Of course, he could find an appropriate question to say out loud to match the question in his head, but now that he was put on the spot, he found it quite difficult to do. How was he supposed to receive his instructions from Tamara if he was Ellie¡¯s pet? The plan to steal the GMC really was a thing, and he hadn¡¯t just been tricked, right? ¡°Uh¡­.¡±

    ¡°No questions?¡± Wendy asked as she packed her things, which consisted of her extra clothes she had left in the corner of the room. ¡°Good.¡±

    ¡°Wait, sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°If you were me, what would you do in my position?¡±

    Wendy¡¯s hands didn¡¯t stop moving. ¡°It sounds like you have everything under control, and your pet is doing fine as well,¡± she said. ¡°Be an obedient pet for your owner, and you¡¯ll live a long and comfortable life. Just make sure your pet doesn¡¯t cause more trouble than necessary when it does its business.¡±

    Sam leaned back and stared up at the ceiling. Essentially, Wendy was telling him to leave stealing the GMC up to Raindu while he stayed under Ellie¡¯s wing. Then, what was the point of Tamara and James coming to Et Serpentium? Weren¡¯t they supposed to help steal the GMC? It wasn¡¯t a one-ferret show; if one ferret¡ªalbeit a logic-defying ferret¡ªcould free the graylings and overturn reptilian society, wasn¡¯t the security a bit too lax?

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say something?¡± Wendy asked.

    Sam blinked and looked at Wendy.

    Wendy slung her bag over her shoulder. ¡°Like something along the lines of thank you, sundak?¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you, sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°You¡¯ve cleared up some of my doubts.¡±

    Wendy nodded. ¡°Alright, get out before you¡¯re locked in here,¡± she said, heading towards the exit.

    Sam climbed to his feet and exited the room. He headed towards the wall opposite the bench where the entranceway was open and waiting for him to step through. Sam turned his head to look at Wendy, and the blonde woman gestured ahead with her chin. ¡°You go first; I¡¯m heading to a different location.¡±

    ¡°Alright, sundak,¡± Sam said and furrowed his brow. ¡°Goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll see you around.¡±

    Sam nodded and stepped past the doorway into the darkness. The wall closed behind him, and he was shifted to the side. Light streamed into the room when he came to a halt, and a familiar figure greeted him.

    ¡°Sam!¡± Ellie said, staring up at Sam with a wide grin on her face. ¡°You did such a good job today! I was watching, and you were very well-behaved.¡±

    A smile appeared on Sam¡¯s face as he stepped out of the room. ¡°Hello, sundak,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±

    Ellie giggled and clicked her bracelet before holding up a piece of popcorn chicken. ¡°Here,¡± she said. ¡°A treat!¡±

    Sam grabbed the treat and stuffed it into his mouth and took a look around. He was back in the lobby with the circular counter, but it was much more crowded than before¡ªcrowded with reptilians. Although Sam kept his gaze lowered to prevent himself from making eye contact with them, he had a feeling the surrounding reptilians were staring at him. As if to prove his suspicious correct, a red reptilian walked towards Sam and Ellie, coming to a halt beside them.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the red reptilian said, smiling at Ellie. ¡°Are you interested in selling your human?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Ellie said. She glared up at the red reptilian. ¡°Go bother someone else!¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± the red reptilian said. ¡°How about you call your parents over? I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll hear out my offer.¡±

    ¡°Sam,¡± Ellie said and held her hand out towards Sam. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± the red reptilian said. ¡°Your pet has tremendous potential. If you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know he has potential!¡± Ellie said, glaring at the red reptilian once more. ¡°And I¡¯m not selling him. Even if he didn¡¯t have any potential, he¡¯s still my derpy Sam, and I¡¯ll never give him up: not for sale, not for adoption, not for rehoming, so stop asking!¡± Ellie thrusted her hand out towards Sam once more. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sam.¡±

    Sam took Ellie¡¯s hand and kept his head down, ignoring the gaze of the red reptilian lingering on his back as he followed his small reptilian owner out of the HKC headquarters. Despite her small size, Ellie¡¯s back seemed quite large in Sam¡¯s eyes. What would happen to her quality of life if Raindu did manage to steal the GMC? Would she survive the upcoming chaos if the grayling¡¯s wanted revenge for the way they¡¯ve been treated? Thinking back on his training sessions, Sam realized it was a dumb concern; Ellie was strong, way stronger than him. If he wanted to be worried about someone, he should worry about himself.

 Chapter 23

    ¡°Ellie, what did I tell you about letting Sam out of his cage?¡±

    Sam turned his head to look at Ellie¡¯s mother. Ellie had told him to sit on the floor and wait as she did some stuff. He wasn¡¯t sure what kind of stuff she was doing, but she seemed to be preoccupied in the other room. Curiosity might¡¯ve been tickling his brain, but he knew better than to wander around after Ellie had told him to sit.

    ¡°I¡¯m training him to wait in place!¡± Ellie¡¯s voice said from the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t touch or treat him!¡±

    Ellie¡¯s mother glanced down at Sam and inspected him before ignoring him. Since he was in the corner of the room and wasn¡¯t making a mess, as long as things stayed that way, it was fine. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re training him properly,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said, her voice resonating throughout the residence.

    Sam kept his head down as Ellie¡¯s mother walked away. He closed his eyes once more, listening to fading sound of the reptilian¡¯s footsteps. He took in a deep breath, paying attention to breathe with his stomach, focusing on the region below his bellybutton. Since his root chakra had been unlocked and mastered thanks to his awakener talent, it wasn¡¯t unreasonable for him to attempt to unlock his Svadhishthana, the sacral chakra because of its proximity to the root chakra; also, Ellie told him to do it. In his hands, there was a polished, orange, spherical stone. It was cold despite him holding it for the past who-knew-how-long amount of time¡ªsince coming to Et Serpentium, time didn¡¯t mean much to Sam anymore. Ellie dictated everything, and he didn¡¯t have to keep track of days, weeks, or months.

    To help Sam unlock his chakra, Ellie had given him the stone as a gift because she was in a good mood. He suspected it had something to do with his great potential unearthed by the HKC headquarters¡ªan ideal pet, as Wendy had described him during the interview. It wasn¡¯t just Ellie watching over Sam during his time at the HKC; other reptilians were scouting for talented humans as well, and although Ellie acted upset people were trying to poach Sam, he could tell it made her quite chuffed every time it happened. As expected, by making sure Ellie was happy, Sam would be properly rewarded.

    Sam inhaled through his nose and exhaled through his mouth as he pressed the orange stone in his hands close to his bellybutton. According to what he had learned from his time in Et Serpentium, he was supposed to focus on the stone and sense its vibrations, let them flow through his body, and ultimately, contort his body in such a way to copy the vibrations through the tensing of his muscles. By doing that, his hardened sacral chakra would slowly crumble and become unblocked. Currently, he was still on the first step, sensing the stone¡¯s vibrations, and he had been on that step for quite a while.

    Wendy had said it took a while to unlock chakras. Sam hadn¡¯t believed it at first since manipulating his root chakra came so naturally to him, but after failing to even make a smidge of progress on unlocking his sacral chakra, he was slowly changing his mind. Unlocking his root chakra had been done in an instant when he obtained Raindu. Was it possible for him to turn another crystalline weapon into a living creature? If it was, he¡¯d have to ask Ellie to procure him some. Of course, he had to get good results somewhere to make Ellie happy first; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t entertain his request.

    A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s nose as he lowered the orange sphere and stared up at the ceiling. He was told to wait, not to meditate, so he could do anything he liked as long as he didn¡¯t leave the corner Ellie had designated for him. Not that there was much to do since she had left him in an empty corner. According to Ellie, she was training his patience, and one did have to have a lot of patience to sit around with nothing to do for an unknown period of time. Even so, Sam persisted because he knew he¡¯d be rewarded if he waited and punished if he wandered around. The choice was obvious.

    ¡°Sam!¡± Ellie¡¯s voice entered Sam¡¯s ears before he caught sight of her. The small reptilian skipped towards Sam, landing with a thump in front of him. She was on her stilts, and the sticks she used to extend her reach were held in her hands; however, instead of boxing gloves attached to the ends, there were knives. In other words, she was holding spears, and it was clear Sam was going to be her sparring partner.

    ¡°Sundak,¡± Sam said, not letting the sight of the spears bother him. He did a good job of hiding it on his face, but the pointy ends still struck fear in his mind, the blades sharp and gleaming and much longer than reptilian claws, perfect for poking all his soft organs, which were hidden deep within his body for a reason¡ªto not be stabbed.

    ¡°Today, you¡¯re going hunting with me!¡± Ellie said with a bright smile on her face. ¡°Mommy thinks you¡¯re going to be a great show human, and she was right, but!¡± Ellie leaned in close to stare Sam in the eyes, causing his body to temporarily freeze. ¡°After learning about your potential, I¡¯m dreaming bigger than Mommy. I¡¯m going to make you into a great hunting human!¡±

    Sam blinked. Hunting human, okay, that didn¡¯t sound so bad, right? It sounded much better than hunted human at least. ¡°Okay, sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°Is there anything I should know before we go?¡±

    Ellie clicked her bracelet and passed Sam a treat. ¡°Good job waiting, Sam!¡± she said and turned around, not bothering to answer Sam¡¯s question. If her pet knew everything in advance, then how was she supposed to see his derpy reactions to new things? Ellie loved seeing all of Sam¡¯s facial expressions, but it really made her happy when he was surprised, scared, or terrified; those silly expressions of his never failed to put a smile on her face when she saw them, even recalling old memories of the first time she had trained Sam brought a grin to her lips. ¡°Come! Let¡¯s go hunt a surssih!¡±

    Sam¡¯s brows furrowed as he packed his orange stone into his bag while standing up and following after Ellie. He knew what a surdock was, and he had a faint idea of what a surclue was, but he was pretty sure he had no idea what a surssih was; however, if he had to take a guess, he¡¯d put all his money on a surssih being some kind of giant insect. The last time he met a giant insect, he would¡¯ve died if Raindu and Wendy hadn¡¯t been there. This time¡­, well, Raindu wouldn¡¯t be there because the ferret was off looking for the GMC with the main goal of finding shiny things to pocket. Wasn¡¯t Raindu supposed to protect him? If he died, wouldn¡¯t Raindu cease to exist since the ferret was born as a result of Sam¡¯s talent? Evidently, the ferret must¡¯ve felt Sam was in safe hands being by Ellie¡¯s side.

    Ellie hopped onto the levistone and turned her head towards Sam, waiting for him to board. Once he was on, she slapped her booted stilts against the floor of the vehicle, and it rose off the ground before zooming away. Sam¡¯s brow furrowed, and he turned his head to look in what he thought was the direction of Et Serpentium¡¯s exit. Weren¡¯t they going to the spectral jungle to hunt insects?

    ¡°We¡¯re going to hunting human school!¡± Ellie said upon seeing Sam¡¯s confused expression. She couldn¡¯t resist telling him some more information in advance. With how derpy he looked, it was impossible for her to resist giving Sam what he wanted; after all, who could say no to a such a derpy human begging for treats and information? A monster, that¡¯s who.

    Sam blinked and turned his head back towards the floor of the levistone. There was a fluffy rug in front of him that his feet were resting on; the reptilian had bought it for him, and although he hadn¡¯t even entertained the thought of feet cushions before in his life, he found himself liking Ellie¡¯s gift a lot. The rug was soft and cushiony; it was a shame his shoes were on, preventing his bare feet from sinking into the material.

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    Hunting human school¡­. Sam¡¯s eyes narrowed. His school experience in the human city had not been a pleasant one. Every year, the number of students attending the same classes as him dwindled as his classmates awakened and went where their natural talents brought them. Eventually, it came to a point where it wasn¡¯t worth going to school anymore.

    ¡°Your HKC results were very impressive, Sam!¡± Ellie said and leaned over to pat Sam¡¯s knee. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be scared! You¡¯ll be a great hunting human.¡±

    Of the times Sam had heard Ellie say there was no need to be scared, half of them were lies, and half were the truth, which only made Sam anxious because now there was a fifty-percent chance of him entering a terrifying situation. Sam put a half-hearted smile on his face and nodded. ¡°Thanks, sundak.¡± Rather than worrying about what was to come, it was better to focus on more practical things. He reached into his bag and pulled out a granola bar. If he was going to be struggling to survive, he had to stuff himself to increase the number of times he could use Toughen. Eating one more granola bar might be the difference between life and death.

    ¡°We¡¯re here, Sam!¡± Ellie said as the levistone came to an abrupt halt. Sam was used to Ellie¡¯s braking technique and usually Toughened himself in advance, but recently, she stopped when Sam least suspected it as if she were trying to catch him off guard, which¡ªthis time¡ªshe did. Sam coughed, choking on his fifth granola bar as he pitched forward, barely catching himself before his face hit the floor.

    Sam swallowed and climbed to his feet. He followed the grinning reptilian off the levistone and entered the cubical building with the same exterior as all the other cubicle buildings around. The exteriors were always the same, but the interior gave off a different vibe every time. The stone walls glowed green, and despite the lack of foliage, Sam had a feeling he was in a grassy environment with trees and all kinds of bushes of various sizes. Straight ahead, there was a brown counter with a grayling sitting behind it; the counter was rectangular, but when Sam looked at it, he saw a fallen tree trunk as if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

    ¡°I¡¯m Ellie, and I¡¯m here with my pet Sam for hunting training,¡± Ellie said, not having to tiptoe to see over the counter thanks to her stilts.

    The grayling tapped on the counter. ¡°Yes,¡± it said. ¡°Please proceed. Would you like me to show you the way?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ellie said and looked at Sam. ¡°It¡¯s more fun to explore by ourselves.¡± She pointed at the ground by her booted stilts. ¡°Sam, heel!¡±

    Sam walked beside Ellie. When she told him to heel, he had to stick close to her side. If not, there was a chance of him getting lost and possibly eaten. Sam was more than willing to follow Ellie¡¯s order. Without Raindu, it¡¯d be tough to escape from a reptilian. They were bigger, stronger, and basically had knives for fingernails. Well, even if there weren¡¯t any reptilians around, the atmosphere made it seem like an insect could ambush him out of nowhere, and he didn¡¯t want to fight one of those by himself either.

    ¡°Look!¡± Ellie said, pointing to the side. ¡°There¡¯s a room for practice hunts! Let¡¯s go in.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t see the room; all he saw was the green wall with brown patterns and dashes of black splashed on to resemble trees and shadows. Ellie pressed her hand against the wall, and a portion slid open, causing a rush of damp air to greet Sam¡¯s nostrils. It smelled like he was back in the spectral jungle. He followed Ellie through, making sure to stay close to her side but slightly behind to avoid being poked by her spears. Terrain similar to the spectral jungle came into view; there was no ceiling, only a blue sky with clouds above, but not much of the sky was visible thanks to the thick canopy in the way.

    Sam swallowed and looked around, keeping his arms close to his chest, ready to defend his head at a moment¡¯s notice. Humans weren¡¯t allowed weapons in Et Serpentium; it wasn¡¯t because the reptilians were scared the humans would attack them; it was proven to lower the number of deaths amongst human pets if they weren¡¯t armed. Sam wasn¡¯t sure if the study geared towards hunting humans, but he sure hoped so.

    ¡°Over there!¡± Ellie said and pointed with her spear. ¡°Did you see that, Sam?¡±

    No, he did not because it looked like Ellie was pointing at a tree. ¡°No, sundak.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Ellie said and lowered her voice. ¡°Go over there, Sam. When you hear something, use Toughen.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said and braced himself to harden his muscles. He walked in the direction Ellie pointed, the distance between him and his reptilian owner growing much greater than he wanted it to. A rusting sound caught Sam¡¯s attention, and he followed Ellie¡¯s orders without hesitation, using Toughen. An ant the size of a large dog rushed at Sam¡¯s legs and clamped its mandibles around his thighs. If he hadn¡¯t hardened his muscles in time, he might¡¯ve lost a limb or had it grievously wounded. There was a swishing sound as Ellie leaped and appeared by Sam¡¯s side in an instant, her eyes wide as she plunged her spear into the ant¡¯s body, removing its head with one clean strike.

    ¡°Excellent work, Sam!¡± Ellie said and beamed at her pet. She withdrew her spear and clicked her bracelet before passing Sam a treat. ¡°You drew the sursusu out perfectly.¡±

    Sam accepted the treat and placed it into his mouth before looking down at his pants. They were torn, letting in a breeze, but at least his skin remained intact. He gazed past his leg at the dead ant, the sursusu as Ellie had called it. The ant was a giant insect, but it wasn¡¯t a surssih. ¡°Is this my role as a hunting human?¡±

    ¡°Part of it!¡± Ellie said. ¡°Being a hunting human is no different from being a show human. All you have to do is follow my orders.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. In a sense, there really was no difference: as a show human, humans would try to kill him. As a hunting human, insects would try to kill him. Either way, he was struggling to survive; although, he had a feeling hunting was more dangerous because there was a jiggler within the competition grounds while there weren¡¯t any jigglers in the jungle.

    Ellie sniffed the air and turned her body from side to side. After a moment, she pointed. ¡°That way, Sam! Do the same thing.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. Evidently, his role as a hunting human was being bait for insects. Rather than thinking of himself as bait, he would think of it as working as a tank with a competent ally calling the shots and dealing the damage. With his Toughen technique, he was perfect for the role. Considering his Sick Attack and Sound Attack required making contact with someone to transfer his vibrations, fighting up close made the most sense.

    Sam made his way forward and used Toughen upon hearing a crunching sound. Two ants charged him, one clamping his legs with his mandible while the other crawled up his body and clamped down on his neck. It was an uncomfortable feeling to have four mandibles grinding against his body; he swore sparks were flying from where they made contact with his skin.

    ¡°Sick Attack, Sam!¡±

    Sam kept Toughened active as he concentrated on his root chakra, sending a chilling pulsation through his body that washed over his limbs like a wave. When they reached the ants¡¯ mandibles, the pulsation traveled through them and into the ants. The insects¡¯ grips loosened as they staggered, and Ellie rushed in stabbing one ant with the spear in her right hand. Its head separated from its body, and Ellie leapt backwards before rushing to Sam¡¯s other side. With another stab, the remaining ant died as well.

    ¡°Good job, Sam!¡± Ellie said and passed Sam a treat after clicking her bracelet. ¡°Isn¡¯t working together fun?¡±

    It might¡¯ve been more fun if he didn¡¯t have to be bitten by giant ants, but he wasn¡¯t going to ruin Ellie¡¯s mood by saying that. Then again, working together with Ellie was better than being beaten by her during training. ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°Working together is fun.¡±

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d like it,¡± Ellie said and grinned. ¡°You¡¯re more fit to be a hunting human than a show human, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t be both. You¡¯ll help me hunt, and you¡¯ll compete! That way, we won¡¯t disappoint Mommy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. Disappointing Ellie¡¯s mother was the same thing as disappointing Ellie. If her mother was disappointed, she¡¯d take it out on Ellie, and in turn, Ellie would take it out on him. ¡°I¡¯ll become the greatest show and hunting human.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Ellie said. ¡°You¡¯re my Sam, and my Sam can do anything!¡±

    A wry smile appeared on Sam¡¯s lips. It was amazing how much faith Ellie had in him when he wasn¡¯t even that sure of himself. Of course, she could just be saying empty lines to encourage him, but still, it was better than being ignored by the people who should¡¯ve taken care of him but abandoned him simply because he was talentless.

    ¡°Now, go, Sam!¡± Ellie said, pointing off into the distance. ¡°Attract some more sursusu!¡±

 Chapter 24

    ¡°Ellie, be aware of your surroundings when you go out today, okay?¡±

    Sam kept his head down as Ellie rolled her eyes. They were at the reptilian¡¯s home, and it was the start of a new day. ¡°Yes, Mommy, I know,¡± Ellie said, turning her head towards the wall.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother¡¯s voice said, coming from the wall Ellie was speaking at. ¡°A seventh reptilian was reported missing today. In fact, maybe, it¡¯d be better if you stayed home until these cases are solved.¡±

    ¡°That could take forever!¡± Ellie said and turned to look at Sam. She turned back towards the wall. ¡°Sam and I have a competition in ten minutes. We can¡¯t not go; it¡¯ll ruin our perfect record!¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said. ¡°Let me come with you then. Just give me a moment to get ready.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Ellie said. ¡°We¡¯ll be late if you come!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t take that long to get ready.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Ellie didn¡¯t elaborate and grabbed Sam¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sam,¡± she said before shouting at the wall as she left, ¡°Bye, we¡¯re going!¡±

    Sam boarded the levistone, and Ellie slapped her feet against the floor of the vehicle. It rose off the ground before surging forward, leaving the reptilian¡¯s house behind in an instant. Of course, they¡¯d be late if Ellie¡¯s mother decided to come with them; after all, Ellie only made it to places on time because she drove way above the speed limit, something her mother was greatly bothered by. As for why leaving home earlier wasn¡¯t an option, Sam didn¡¯t know. Maybe it was a reptilian thing.

    Today¡¯s competition was different from the usual ones. Since Sam was working to become a hunting human, it turned out there was a specialized competition for hunting humans and their owners. Sam wasn¡¯t sure how it worked because Ellie didn¡¯t want to spoil the surprise, but she did tell him they¡¯d be competing together, and all he had to do was follow her instructions like at the hunting human school¡ªwhich should¡¯ve been renamed to insect safari given the way Ellie used it.

    If the competition was going to involve hunting sursusu, giant ants, and surssih, which Sam found out was giant wasps¡ªbasically flying ants with anger issues¡ªthen Sam was ready. As for hunting surdocks, even with Toughen, Sam wasn¡¯t confident in taking one of the giant dragonfly¡¯s attacks directly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Sam,¡± Ellie said, taking her eyes off the road to look at her pet. ¡°Just follow your training, and we¡¯ll get first place, guaranteed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. The hunting human training had been monotonous, but wasn¡¯t that the point of training? Repeating an action until it became engrained in his body; it had only taken him two weeks to get used to being bait for giant insects. Sam turned his head, noting the direction the levistone was heading.

    ¡°We¡¯re going outside to hunt in the jungle,¡± Ellie said. ¡°There¡¯ll be a whole bunch of people, so it¡¯s going to be safe, but you can still get lost, so you have to stick close to me, okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. It didn¡¯t take long for Ellie¡¯s quick reflexes and flexible interpretation of the law to bring the levistone towards Et Serpentium¡¯s exit. It would be Sam¡¯s first time leaving Et Serpentium after entering it. Thinking back on it, those three guards who had gone missing because of Raindu, they were an unsolved case now, huh? And since the time they had disappeared, another four reptilians had gone missing. If the first three disappeared because of a certain ferret, what were the odds the next four had also encountered the same fate? Sam decided it was better not to think about it.

    Ellie tapped her feet against the floor of the levistone, and the width of the vehicle shrank, Sam¡¯s body shifting towards the center of the vehicle as his bench narrowed, and he pinched his seat between his hamstrings and his calves as the levistone tilted backwards, rushing up the flight of stairs. Sam had a feeling one of the engravings on the wall must¡¯ve said no flying vehicles allowed on the stairs, but he was illiterate in reptilian script, so even if he was right, he couldn¡¯t prove it.

    The levistone rushed through the black screen of light and entered the room where Raindu had disposed of the three reptilian guards. Sam noticed a green orb had replaced the one the ferret had stolen, but he made sure not to look directly at it, keeping his gaze on the floor of the levistone.

    ¡°Hi!¡± Ellie said to the baffled guards. ¡°I¡¯m going to a hunting human competition!¡±

    The two guards on duty exchanged glances with one another. One of them took out a stone rectangle and pointed it at Ellie, who tapped on it with a stone token. ¡°You¡¯re all clear,¡± the guard with the stone rectangle said. ¡°Be careful. The jungle¡¯s a dangerous place for a kid.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh, uh-huh,¡± Ellie said, obviously not too concerned with the guard¡¯s words. She tapped her feet on the levistone as she pocketed her identity token, and the vehicle sped off through the second screen of black light. Like a cannonball, the levistone rushed through the stairwell and out the exit, flying through the air for several seconds before landing on the ground with a thump. After a second, the levistone rose off the ground once more, and Ellie turned to inspect her pet. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that fun, Sam? It¡¯s the nicest ramp in Et Serpentium. I always wanted to do that.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t a fan of accelerating off a ramp to fly through the air, but he wasn¡¯t going to let Ellie know that. ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± he said. ¡°That was fun.¡±

    Ellie beamed and slapped her feet against the floor of the levistone, and it zoomed over the desert, traveling much faster compared to the time Sam had trekked over the sand dunes with Wendy on foot. It didn¡¯t take long for the spectral jungle to appear on the horizon, and Ellie squinted before steering the levistone over to the side where a cluster of other levistones were parked. ¡°We¡¯re here, Sam,¡± Ellie said before hopping off the levistone, landing on the ground without a sand as her feet sank into the sand. ¡°Right on time!¡±

    Sam got off the levistone and looked around. There seemed to be quite a few competitors, judging by the number of vehicles parked on the sand. Then again, there were probably spectators who had parked there as well. Sam stuck close to Ellie¡¯s side as he followed the reptilian towards the crowd gathered near the edge of the jungle. There were almost an equal number of humans as reptilians, changing Sam¡¯s mind about the number of spectators.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s here,¡± one of the reptilians said as Ellie and Sam merged into the group. The reptilian was purple with silver eyes. It scanned the crowd before clearing its throat. ¡°The competition rules are the same as always. The person who catches the heaviest insect in the next three hours wins.¡± The reptilian looked around. ¡°Any questions? No? Alright, ready, get set, go!¡±

    Sam wanted to question the validity of this competition, one where Ellie didn¡¯t have to sign up or check in and where the referee seemed to be half asleep, but Ellie grabbed Sam¡¯s wrist and tugged, rushing him towards the jungle with the rest of the crowd. He didn¡¯t see why they had to be in such a hurry considering they had three hours, but Ellie was excited, so Sam had to match her energy to keep her happy. As he ran, he inspected the hunting humans he was competing against, but he didn¡¯t recognize any of them. However, he did see a woman point two fingers at someone as if she were about to shoot them with a fake gun.

    Sam blinked as the woman¡¯s hand jerked backwards as if suffering from recoil, and the man she was aiming at stumbled before falling face-down. Sam¡¯s eyes widened, and he met the finger-gun-firing woman¡¯s gaze. She grinned at Sam and pointed her fingers at him, but before she could do anything, a branch flew from Sam¡¯s side and struck the woman¡¯s head, causing her to stagger backwards.

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    ¡°Leave Sam alone!¡± Ellie said and glared at the woman. ¡°Go shoot someone else.¡±

    The woman¡¯s reptilian owner hissed at Ellie, but Ellie wasn¡¯t one to back down. She hissed back at the reptilian despite it being twice her size. Ellie pulled Sam away while glaring at the reptilian. ¡°Control your pet!¡±

    The reptilian snorted in reply. ¡°This is part of the competition.¡±

    ¡°Bleh, you suck,¡± Ellie said and stuck her tongue out at the reptilian. She brought Sam to the side to leave the crowd, but she wasn¡¯t the only one with the same idea; the reptilians spread out after witnessing the conflict, taking their human pets with them. After Ellie and Sam had distanced themselves enough where no one was within hearing distance, Ellie stomped her foot and snorted as she unpacked her stilts from Sam¡¯s backpack. ¡°That person was so dumb! If they want to win, they should win by trying their best, not by trying to bring others down.¡± The reptilian turned towards Sam as she mounted her stilts. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that guy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said and looked around. They hadn¡¯t gone too deep into the jungle, but Sam could already imagine the damp and wet times awaiting him. Thankfully, the competition only lasted for the next three hours, not enough time for mold to grow on his clothes.

    Ellie took in a deep breath and stood up straight. Her head tilted back to look up at the canopy, and she took in a deep breath through her nose. After sniffing for a bit, Ellie turned to look at Sam and pulled a stone cylinder out of her bag. ¡°Close your eyes and hold your breath, Sam,¡± Ellie said.

    Although Sam wasn¡¯t sure what the reptilian had in store, he followed her orders anyway. He shut his eyes and held his breath. A second later, mist sprayed across his face, and he almost reflexively breathed in; however, he remained in place with his eyes shut.

    ¡°Okay, Sam!¡± Ellie said and clicked her bracelet before pulling out a treat for Sam. ¡°Good job. Now, all you have to do is go on ahead and use Toughen when you hear something, just like in our training.¡±

    Sam put the treat into his mouth and glanced down at his body. There was a thin layer of condensation on his clothes, remnants of whatever Ellie had sprayed on him. He sniffed his clothes, but he didn¡¯t smell anything odd. Perhaps it was a scent only insects were attracted to. Sam took in a deep breath and followed Ellie¡¯s instructions, moving in the direction she had pointed in. He was bait, so it made sense for Ellie to season him to make him more delectable.

    It didn¡¯t take long for insects to ambush Sam. They rushed over from every direction, and he crouched down before using Toughen, making his body a smaller target. Even if his muscles were hardened, surdocks were present, and he didn¡¯t want to be carried away in one of their mouths. He wasn¡¯t sure if Ellie could find him if that happened. All kinds of insects, mostly small ones, bit at Sam and his clothes. Although the bugs couldn¡¯t pierce his skin with their mandibles, incisors, or stingers, he could still feel them crawling all over his body, and he couldn¡¯t move to squish them thanks to his hardening technique. It was not a pleasant experience. The hunting human school hadn¡¯t prepared him for all the little insects; after all, why would they teach someone how to defeat a bug that could be slapped to death?

    Sam couldn¡¯t hear Ellie approach thanks to the droning of the insects on his body. The ones crawling inside of his ear were especially loud; they scratched against the inside of his head, scraping and buzzing as they tried to make their way deeper in. However, Sam could still hear Ellie shout, ¡°Sam, Sick Attack!¡±

    Sam focused on his root chakra, and a wave of nausea washed over him as a chill spread throughout his body, starting from his crotch. The droning of the insects dulled, whether because Sam¡¯s hearing deteriorated because of the nausea or because the bugs were too nauseous to move, he wasn¡¯t sure, but it didn¡¯t matter.

    Some of the insects flew off of Sam¡¯s body as he was struck in the back by a weapon shaped like a paddle. Of course, Ellie was the one holding it. She slapped Sam¡¯s back repeatedly, knocking the bugs off while swinging the paddle vertically to chop apart the larger insects gnawing at Sam. Ellie kicked at the larger bugs and swatted the smaller bugs off with her strange weapon. Although it was shaped like a paddle, the weapon was like a broom, composed of thousands of little strands, allowing Ellie to sweep Sam¡¯s body clean.

    After cleaning Sam and stamping out all the insects that refused to leave, Ellie took a look around. The largest bug that had attacked Sam was a sursusu, definitely not first-place worthy, but better than nothing. ¡°Carry, Sam!¡± Ellie said and pointed at the giant ant corpse.

    Sam grabbed the giant ant¡¯s middle section and lifted, tucking it under his arm, the ant¡¯s head and lower section drooping. A strong force struck Sam¡¯s chest, and he stumbled backwards, his body stiffening as a strong tingling sensation spread throughout his body. He fell over, and his body spasmed whenever he tried to move, his muscles refusing to listen to him.

    ¡°Sam!¡± Ellie shouted and crouched down by Sam¡¯s side. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She made eye contact with Sam. Her eyes narrowed, and she turned her head to the side. ¡°Come out, coward!¡±

    Ellie readied her weapon as she stood up, facing the direction she had shouted towards. With a grunt, she swung her weapon downwards, deflecting an invisible¡ªto Sam¡ªattack. A pile of insect corpses exploded and scattered, leaving a messy impact crater amongst the layer of dead bugs. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to shoot someone else?¡± Ellie asked, frowning as the fake-gun-pointing woman from earlier emerged from behind the trees.

    ¡°Yes,¡± a reptilian voice said as the woman¡¯s owner appeared from behind her. ¡°But I didn¡¯t like the way you said it, so I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson. Mind your manners in front of adults.¡±

    ¡°Bleh.¡± Ellie stuck her tongue out before glancing down at Sam, who had his eyes closed.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine,¡± the reptilian said. ¡°Just give him a few hours to adapt. After the competition is over, he¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    A frown appeared on the reptilian¡¯s face as Sam¡¯s eyes opened. Sam placed his right hand on the ground and pushed, standing up with stiff motions. He glared at the woman, who promptly raised her hand and pointed her finger-gun at Sam again. He took a step back as an invisible force struck his chest, but he didn¡¯t fall over. His muscles didn¡¯t spasm either as a chilling pulsation washed over his body. ¡°He¡¯s an unrestrained?¡± the reptilian asked, its eyes widening at Ellie. ¡°Do you have a license to keep him?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Ellie said. She pointed her weapon at the reptilian. ¡°Why? You don¡¯t want to fight anymore?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± the reptilian said. It glanced down at the sursusu by Sam¡¯s feet. ¡°You didn¡¯t catch much anyway. We¡¯ll come back later when you have something bigger to submit.¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as the reptilian walked away, taking its human pet with it. Although Sam wanted to ask Ellie why she was allowing them to walk away without a fight, he figured she had her own reasons. Maybe her mom didn¡¯t want her to be a violent individual; maybe she¡¯d lose that license of hers allowing her to own an unrestrained, whatever that meant. Whatever the reason, it wasn¡¯t up to Sam to figure out; all he had to do was follow Ellie¡¯s orders.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sam,¡± Ellie said, pointing off to the side. ¡°You first.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said, ready to resume his role as insect bait. Even now, there was a steady stream of smaller bugs heading towards him. Whatever Ellie had sprinkled on him was extremely effective. He walked until he heard loud sounds not caused by himself. Then, he crouched down, closed his eyes, and used Toughen. Bugs swarmed over him; even though it was his second time experiencing it, he was still as disgusted as the first time. He could hear the bugs crawling in his ears, and there were tickling sensations in his nose, his brain begging him to sneeze but unable to thanks to his locked muscles. Thankfully, Ellie would arrive at any moment to get rid of the bugs. ¡­Any moment now.

    Several moments passed. The number of insects surrounding Sam¡¯s body had stayed the same thanks to the bugs devouring one another with newcomers replacing those that died. Sam continued to keep his muscles hardened. More time passed. When Sam was starting to get anxious like a child left behind on a checkout line with a grocery cart by their parent¡ªwho had gone to pick up a forgotten item¡ªwith only one cart ahead of them, Ellie reappeared. ¡°Sick Attack, Sam!¡±

    Nausea washed over Sam and the bugs alike. As Ellie swatted the bugs away, Sam couldn¡¯t help but wonder if his newly obtained pulsation, the one that had been created from the woman¡¯s paralyzing attack, would work on the insects. Would electrocution feel better than nausea? Sam wasn¡¯t sure, but unless Ellie gave the order, he wouldn¡¯t find out.

    Ellie swept Sam clear of bugs and used a stone container to spray something in his ears and nostrils that made the bugs scatter. ¡°Good job, Sam!¡± the reptilian said and passed Sam a treat after clicking her bracelet. ¡°Sorry I was so slow. Some things got in the way.¡±

    In the distance, the woman with the finger-gun talent was lying on the ground, looking up at the sky with a blank expression. Her owner was lying next to her, also staring up at the sky. All four of their legs were broken, and there was no way they were going to finish the competition in their current state. Their injuries were from a blunt weapon, the size of the injuries suspiciously similar to the size of Ellie¡¯s stone paddle.

 Chapter 25

    Ferns crunched, causing Sam to exhale. He dropped down and used Toughen, the motion instinctive at this point. He had been using himself as bait for almost the past three hours, and the hunting human competition was on the verge of ending. As for the insect Ellie and Sam were holding onto to hand in to the judges, well, it was smaller than the sursusu they had caught at the very beginning. Every time Sam used Toughen on himself, inevitably, the bug he was holding would be chewed and eaten by the resulting swarm, and the largest of the batch that came would be selected as the new temporary competition catch.

    Sam waited for the insect swarm to crawl over his body. Since his eyes were closed, he couldn¡¯t see the insects coming, but he could hear the droning grow louder as time passed. He focused on his surroundings, feeling the vibrations traveling through the jungle floor, smelling the distinct scent of mold, listening to the scuttering of tiny feet. Then, something¡ªprobably giant mandibles¡ªclamped around his waist, and the vibrations he was feeling in his knees vanished as he was lifted off the ground. Had he been captured by a surdock? He couldn¡¯t open his eyes to check unless he wanted to relax his muscles, allowing the mandibles around his waist to pinch him in half.

    Instead of the rushing wind that accompanied a surdock in flight, the one that made Sam¡¯s face feel like turning inside out, Sam experienced a violent shaking as if he were pocket change being rattled about inside a metal can. If his muscles weren¡¯t hardened, his limbs given free reign to move about, they would¡¯ve flown off his body from the force being exerted on them. He had once seen a dog catch a rat in its mouth; the dog shook its head like it was drying itself off, and the rat let out a series of cracking sounds before going limp. Right now, he was the rat.

    Sam swore he heard Ellie shout, but he couldn¡¯t understand her, unable to read her vibe thanks to the violent sensations his body was undergoing. It wasn¡¯t extremely painful, but it was still unpleasant. His brain bounced off his skull repeatedly, giving him the worst headache he had ever experienced. It was even more nausea-inducing than the riding the surdock¡¯s back, but it didn¡¯t seem like his mastery over his root chakra could help him out of this one. There was no pattern to the madness. Whatever had grabbed Sam was shaking him, stopping to assess the damage, and rattling him some more because it wasn¡¯t satisfied.

    ¡°Sam, Sick Attack!¡±

    Sam focused on his root chakra, but it was taking him much longer than usual to gather his concentration. He wasn¡¯t panicking, but he wasn¡¯t exactly calm either. He had also been using Toughen and Sick Attack constantly for the past few hours, draining his stamina. Could Ellie defeat whatever it was that had grabbed a hold of him if he failed to use Sick Attack? What if he couldn¡¯t use it, and Ellie wasn¡¯t able to incapacitate whatever was attacking him? He¡¯d be screwed; Toughen would eventually run out, and he¡¯d be bit in half.

    ¡°Sam, focus!¡±

    Sam cast aside his stray thoughts. Ellie was yelling commands at him in English; she knew the situation he was in. All Sam could do was trust her with his life¡ªit wasn¡¯t that difficult; he had been doing it ever since he became Ellie¡¯s pet. Sam¡¯s root chakra pulsed, and a chilling sensation surged out of his body, into the mandibles on his waist. The violent jerking became murderous, and Sam¡¯s brain was rattled around, almost enough for him to disable his usage of Sick Attack.

    ¡°Good job, Sam!¡± Ellie¡¯s voice cut through the fog and dizziness in Sam¡¯s brain. ¡°Keep it up!¡±

    Sam maintained his Toughen technique. What else could he do? If he had learned a technique that hardened his eyeballs as well, he could¡¯ve watched Ellie fight, but he didn¡¯t. All he could do was listen and feel and focus on not vomiting under the vibrations caused by his own attack. Eventually, Sam was thrown through the air, landing with a thump and rolling onto his back. A few seconds after that, Ellie¡¯s voice reached his ears.

    ¡°Okay, Sam!¡± the reptilian said and clicked her bracelet. ¡°Great job!¡±

    Sam relaxed his muscles and opened his eyes. His stomach growled, and he grabbed the treat Ellie was holding in front of his face. He put it into his mouth and chewed before leaning over to look past the reptilian. The largest beetle he had ever seen was lying on its back with a broken horn and several broken legs. The beetle¡¯s black carapace reminded Sam of a crystalline wall, and he blinked at it. ¡°Is that a surclue, sundak?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ellie said and beamed at Sam. She took a stone canister out of her bag and sprayed something onto Sam, and the persistent rustling of the jungle ceased as the insects stopped trying to get to Sam. ¡°Unless someone caught a surdock or a bigger surclue, we¡¯re definitely going to win.¡± The reptilian¡¯s eyes narrowed. She pointed at the depressed beetle. ¡°Sam, carry!¡±

    Sam approached the beetle, stepping on a layer of insect corpses as he made his way over. He scanned the beetle from top to bottom before scratching his head. It was going to be awkward carrying such a large, round, and smooth thing; he couldn¡¯t get a proper grip on the bug¡¯s carapace. However, he still had to do it. Sam took in a deep breath¡ªcoughed out some bugs he accidentally inhaled through his nose¡ªand squatted by the surclue¡¯s body. He shoved his hands underneath it and stood up, lifting the beetle at an angle off the ground, barely able to keep it steady. It was going to be impossible to navigate through the jungle while carrying the bug.

    ¡°Drop it here, Sam,¡± Ellie said, taking a stone tile out of her bag. She held it out towards Sam and released it before he could react, but instead of falling, the tile floated in the air. ¡°It¡¯s a portable levistone.¡±

    Sam balanced the surclue onto the small floating tile, but it turned out he didn¡¯t have to. When the bug¡¯s carapace touched the surface of the portable levistone, an invisible force locked it into place. Sam turned towards Ellie, and she clicked her bracelet before passing him a treat. Sam stuffed the treat into his mouth and chewed, letting the savory taste wash over his tongue. It was finally over; now that they had a surclue to hand in, and the attracting fragrance had been washed off of Sam¡¯s body, they were done fighting insects. Sam didn¡¯t have to Toughen and nauseate himself anymore¡ªa hopeful but na?ve thought.

    ¡°That¡¯s an awfully large surclue you have there,¡± a voice said from off to the side as Ellie and Sam were walking back towards the judges. Unfortunately, the portable levistone could only move by being pushed; it didn¡¯t accelerate on its own, or Ellie and Sam would¡¯ve clung to the surclue and ridden the vehicle back.

    Ellie turned her head to the side and frowned. ¡°Yeah,¡± she said to the reptilian and human pair emerging from behind the trees. ¡°It took forever to catch.¡± Ellie¡¯s eyes narrowed as she scanned the newcomers from head to toe. There was a sursusu strapped to the human¡¯s back, the insect much smaller than the surclue Sam was pushing through the jungle.

    ¡°How about our pets fight each other, and the winner keeps the surclue?¡± the reptilian asked, flashing a smile at Ellie. The reptilian was red with green eyes.

    ¡°How about no?¡± Ellie asked in return. She adjusted her stone weapon and glared at the audacious individual.

    ¡°Fine,¡± the reptilian said. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to do this the hard way.¡± The reptilian reached into its bag and pulled out a green crystal rod. ¡°I really need to win this competition. No price is too great; how much do you want to sell that surclue for?¡±

    Ellie blinked. ¡°No price is too great?¡± she asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the reptilian said. ¡°How much do you want?¡±

    Ellie turned to look at Sam. She stared at him for a bit before turning to look at the reptilian. ¡°You offer first.¡±

    ¡°Twenty-five thousand,¡± the reptilian said.

    Ellie made a face. ¡°My pet cost more than that.¡±

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    ¡°Hundred thousand,¡± the reptilian said without hesitation.

    Sam scratched his head. Wendy had sold him to Ellie¡¯s mom for thirty thousand whatever units of currency reptilians went by. Sam stared at the surclue floating in front of him. It was worth more than three of him combined. Ellie¡¯s mother had been hesitant to spend so much on him, so thirty thousand wasn¡¯t a small sum. A hundred thousand units of currency, could Ellie resist?

    Ellie¡¯s brow furrowed, and she opened her mouth. Before she could say anything, the red reptilian cut in with another offer. ¡°Three hundred thousand, that¡¯s the most I can go; take it or leave it.¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡± Ellie said, her eyes lighting up. ¡°I¡¯ll sell you the surclue for three hundred thousand credits.¡±

    Sam wondered what happened to the reptilian saying no price was too great. It ended up capping the price at three hundred thousand. He had a feeling Ellie could¡¯ve gotten more if she kept pushing, but it wasn¡¯t his job to advise Ellie. Also, he wasn¡¯t sure how she¡¯d feel taking advice from someone who was tricked into being trafficked.

    Ellie took out a stone token, and the reptilian pointed the green rod at it. Ellie beamed and pushed the surclue over. ¡°You can keep the portable levistone,¡± she said.

    ¡°Great,¡± the red reptilian said and slapped its human pet¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Go get it.¡±

    Sam watched as Ellie waved goodbye to the red reptilian and its pet. When they were out of sight¡ªsurclue included¡ªEllie pivoted on one of her stilts to turn towards Sam with a wide smile on her face. ¡°You¡¯re my lucky charm, Sam! Three hundred thousand credits!¡±

    Sam scratched his head. What about his perfect record? Wasn¡¯t that why they didn¡¯t bring Ellie¡¯s mother to the competition? Ellie didn¡¯t want to be late in case she was disqualified, but now, the competition was ending, and she had sold off their winning insect. Maybe the rewards of the competition weren¡¯t worth three hundred thousand credits? Why did that red reptilian pay so much then? Although he was confused, Sam kept his mouth shut. It wasn¡¯t like a perfect record meant anything anyway.

    Ellie patted Sam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sam,¡± the reptilian said. ¡°It¡¯s too late to catch another bug, so we¡¯ll just go home directly. You won¡¯t have a score for this competition, but not submitting anything is better than not placing first.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure how that worked, but if Ellie said it was so, then it was so. He followed after Ellie, feeling relieved he didn¡¯t have to use his body as bait anymore, but he did have to increase his pace because Ellie was skipping along and humming without a care in the world. He wondered if stilts allowed one to travel across the jungle floor more easily or if Ellie was simply nimbler than him despite traveling on stilts. He figured it was the latter considering he never once beat Ellie while she was training him.

    It took less time to return to the start than to reach the area they had caught the surclue; after all, they weren¡¯t attracting and slaughtering all the bugs on the way. When they made it out of the spectral jungle, Ellie took Sam past the already gathered reptilians and their pets, ignoring their odd looks, and boarded her levistone. ¡°Three hundred thousand,¡± Ellie said to herself while smiling. She let out a laugh that made the crowd look at her as if she were crazy; then, she slapped her booted stilts against the floor of her vehicle, leaving wet prints on the surface. The levistone rose and zoomed off, the crowd confirming Ellie was crazy considering how fast she was going.

    Sam exhaled and relaxed his body, letting the hot sun shine over him. Spending three hours in the damp jungle was enough to drain all his energy and willpower, especially with the repeated usages of Toughen and Sick Attack. He was too tired to use Toughen in case the speeding levistone somehow got into an accident, but Sam doubted Ellie was a poor enough driver to crash a floating vehicle in a desert where there wasn¡¯t anything around but sand.

    After rushing for a while, the levistone came to an abrupt halt. Sam tumbled out of his seat and onto the sand, much to Ellie¡¯s delight. She grinned at him and hopped off the levistone before blinking her eyes. She scratched her head while looking at a rectangular prism in front of the pyramid marking the location of Et Serpentium. ¡°What happened to the statue?¡± she asked. ¡°Was it not there when we left?¡±

    Sam shrugged and shifted his gaze to the side. Raindu had pocketed the statue to hide its crimes of taking the guards¡¯ lives when Sam and Wendy had first arrived in Et Serpentium. Evidently, even after more then two months had passed, the reptilians were still using a placeholder for the statue instead of creating a new one. As for why Ellie hadn¡¯t noticed earlier when they headed towards the spectral jungle, maybe if she hadn¡¯t accelerated the levistone up the stairs out of Et Serpentium to become airborne for as long as possible, she would¡¯ve.

    ¡°Weird,¡± Ellie said and shrugged before going up to the rectangular prism. It shifted backwards, revealing the flight of stairs heading down into Et Serpentium. Ellie blinked before shrugging. ¡°Sam, push the levistone over.¡±

    Sam pushed the edge of the levistone, and the vehicle drifted towards Ellie, wobbling up and down as it traveled through the air. Ellie climbed on top of the levistone and patted the space beside her. Sam climbed aboard the vehicle, and the reptilian clicked her bracelet before passing a treat to Sam. Although he appreciated the treat, he wondered why they had gotten off the vehicle in the first place; well, he fell off, but Ellie was to blame for that.

    The levistone shrank, and it zoomed down the stairs, Sam nearly falling off, saving himself by squeezing the bench he was sitting on between his hamstrings and his calves. The murals on the walls rushed past in a blur¡ªnot that Sam would¡¯ve understood their contents if they hadn¡¯t¡ªand the vehicle shot through a black screen, arriving in the room with the reptilian guards; the levistone stopped an inch away from hitting one of them. ¡°Hi!¡± Ellie said. She took out a stone token. ¡°I¡¯m back from the competition!¡±

    The closest guard took a step back, distancing itself from the vehicle. If the levistone had stopped a second later, perhaps the guard¡¯s legs would be horribly bruised or fractured. The reptilian guard cleared its throat. ¡°That was quick,¡± it said. ¡°You¡¯re the last to leave Et Serpentium and the first to come back. How¡¯d you do?¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Ellie said. ¡°We got last place.¡±

    The guard blinked. ¡°Oh,¡± it said. ¡°Congratulations?¡± It tilted its head. ¡°You sound happy for obtaining last place?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not happy about getting last,¡± Ellie said. ¡°But sometimes you have to make tough choices in life. That¡¯s what Mommy told me.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± the guard said, lying through its teeth. It took a step back and gestured towards the other black screen of light. ¡°You¡¯re good to go.¡±

    Ellie slapped her boot against the floor of the vehicle, and the levistone surged forward through the light. Despite not being able to see what was behind the light screen, Ellie went at full speed, and the vehicle almost decapitated a reptilian while going down the stairs. ¡°Sorry!¡± Ellie shouted at the reptilian who had ducked in time and was now glaring behind itself. Ellie turned towards Sam. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Mommy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°What if your mom asks about the competition?¡±

    ¡°Mommy will ask me, not you,¡± Ellie said. ¡°When we get home, I¡¯m going to put you in your room for a bit, so rest up! You worked so hard today; you deserve it.¡±

    Sam exhaled. ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± he said. Although, technically, Ellie¡¯s mother was his owner, Ellie practically took full responsibility for him, so he didn¡¯t mind following her words to deceive her mother.

    Ellie beamed at Sam and leaned from side to side, navigating the levistone through the streets. When they neared her home, Ellie slowed down, acting as if she had always been driving slowly before coming to a halt in front of the cubical structure. She tapped on the levistone, and it dropped to the ground before sliding towards the side of the building, acting like a particularly wide and long step. ¡°Mommy!¡± Ellie said as the wall of the residence slid open to create a doorway. ¡°I¡¯m home!¡±

    Ellie grabbed Sam¡¯s hand and stepped inside, pulling him through the entrance. They took two steps before coming to a halt; Ellie¡¯s mother was staring down at them with her arms crossed over her chest. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± the tall reptilian said. ¡°After going without waiting for me.¡±

    Ellie blinked. ¡°I made it home safely, didn¡¯t I?¡± she asked. ¡°We were super careful, right, Sam?¡±

    Sam thought back to the speeding levistone. It was certainly safe; no one could kidnap him or Ellie with how fast the vehicle was going, and Ellie¡¯s mother¡¯s primary concern was the missing reptilians that may or may not have been related to Raindu. ¡°Ellie was very careful,¡± Sam said, staring at the ground as he spoke.

    Ellie¡¯s mother sighed. ¡°And how did the competition go?¡± she asked. ¡°First place, I assume?¡±

    ¡°Uh, it was a tie,¡± Ellie said.

    ¡°A tie for first in a hunting human competition?¡± Ellie¡¯s mother asked. ¡°That¡¯s rare.¡±

    ¡°No, we tied for last,¡± Ellie said. She continued talking before her mother could react. ¡°But we caught this surclue that would¡¯ve gotten us first place!¡±

    Ellie¡¯s mother frowned. ¡°And you placed last because someone ambushed you and stole it?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ellie said and shook her head. ¡°I sold the surclue to someone for three hundred thousand.¡±

    Ellie¡¯s mother froze. ¡°Three hundred thousand?¡± she asked. ¡°Ten times more than what we paid for Sam?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ellie said, bobbing her head up and down.

    ¡°Who did you sell the surclue to?¡±

    Ellie shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°It was a red stranger. I left as soon as I got the money, so they can¡¯t do any take backs.¡± Her eyes gleamed as she beamed at her mother. ¡°I did a good job, right?¡±

    Ellie¡¯s mother nodded. ¡°You can do a lot more with three hundred thousand than you can with a victory,¡± she said. ¡°As long as you know what you¡¯re doing, I¡¯ll support you.¡±

    Ellie¡¯s smile widened even further, and she turned to look at Sam. ¡°You hear that, Sam? We¡¯re not in any trouble!¡± She blinked before turning to look at her mother. ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know about your speeding,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said, causing Ellie¡¯s posture to wither. ¡°But I¡¯ll overlook it this time.¡±

 Chapter 26

    Sam sat in the corner of a room, staring at the wall Ellie and her mother were looking at. To him, it was a blank canvas, but the reptilians could obviously see something given how concentrated they were while looking at it. The two reptilians both turned their heads towards Sam at the same time.

    ¡°No way,¡± Ellie said and blinked. ¡°Not my derpy Sam, right?¡±

    ¡°The great seer is never wrong,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said with a frown.

    Sam raised his head and met Ellie¡¯s gaze, freezing upon seeing her slit pupils. Had the great seer said something about him? Were Ellie and her mother watching or listening to the great seer at this very moment? It was a shame he was missing some context because of his human perception; if he could see and hear what the reptilians could, he¡®d have more to do than stare at the floor while they preoccupied themselves. As for why he wasn¡¯t in his cage, Ellie wanted him to hang out with her more even if that meant he was going to be sitting in the corner drowning in boredom while she entertained herself by watching the wall.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s another pet named Sam,¡± Ellie said, turning her head back towards the wall.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said and shrugged, redirecting her attention to the wall as well. ¡°But there aren¡¯t that many pets named Sam who¡¯re unrestrained.¡±

    ¡°Why does it matter if Sam is unrestrained?¡± Ellie asked with a pout. ¡°Any pet can become unrestrained with enough training.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe any one human can decide the fate of reptilian society, but if they can, then they¡¯re definitely unrestrained.¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed. Deciding the fate of reptilian society? Had the great seer made a prophecy about him stealing the GMC? He really wished he could see or hear or experience whatever it was Ellie and her mother were listening to, but he couldn¡¯t, so he did the next best thing: he stared at Ellie with a confused expression.

    As expected, once Ellie noticed him, she couldn¡¯t help but answer his unasked question. ¡°We¡¯re tuning in to the great seer¡¯s prophecy,¡± the small reptilian said. ¡°She said a human named Sam is going to decide the fate of Et Serpentium.¡±

    Sam blinked. Ellie¡¯s explanation was no different from what he had inferred. ¡°Do you think the great seer is referring to me, sundak?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Ellie said and shook her head. ¡°If it¡¯s you, you¡¯ll be taken away from me!¡± The reptilian¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°From now on, your name is ¡­ Peter.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t work,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said. ¡°His name is already registered as Sam to the HKC. It¡¯s too late to change it; there are probably people looking through the records at this very moment.¡±

    Ellie frowned. ¡°Then what do we do?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯ll be people looking to gather all the humans named Sam after hearing this prophecy,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said. ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to give him up, and when the fuss is over, they¡¯ll return him to us.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Ellie glared at her mother. ¡°We can¡¯t give up Sam. They¡¯ll kill him to prevent the prophecy from coming true!¡±

    Sam frowned. Hadn¡¯t Ellie¡¯s mother said the great seer was never wrong? If the prophecy was coming true no matter what, wasn¡¯t rounding up all the humans named Sam a futile effort? Unless the prophecies were only true if nothing stopped them from coming true? Either way, Sam knew what he needed to do. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing on the space between his eyebrows. His vision swirled, and a lush field made of candy appeared. If Ellie and her mother couldn¡¯t keep Sam safe anymore, then he needed Raindu to return to his side.

    The ferret¡¯s head popped out of a candy rose bush. Raindu grabbed a red flower petal and placed it into its mouth. ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± the ferret said, its unnatural voice echoing through the field despite the ferret¡¯s closed mouth. ¡°You made contact at the perfect time. I found the GMC.¡±

    Sam blinked and took in a deep breath. No wonder why the great seer had made the prophecy now of all times. ¡°Can you steal it?¡± Sam asked and took a seat on a log made of candy.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the ferret said. ¡°Should I?¡±

    ¡°What about security?¡± Sam asked, his brow furrowing. ¡°Will you be in danger if you try to take it?¡±

    ¡°Not a problem,¡± Raindu said.

    One ferret¡ªalbeit one capable of ignoring matter¡ªwas capable of stealing the GMC on its own? Sam scratched his head. ¡°Before we discuss stealing the GMC, by any chance, have you caused other reptilians to disappear?¡± Sam asked, thinking back on the warning Ellie¡¯s mother had given to Ellie about recent reptilian disappearances.

    ¡°Some,¡± Raindu said and picked up a whole flower. It held it near its mouth and took small nibbles out of it. ¡°They spotted me; I had to remove the evidence.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said, nodding his head. It was confirmed then; Raindu was the serial kidnapper¡ªhow the reptilians labeled the cause of the disappearances because they were still hopeful and refusing to call the cause a serial killer. ¡°Do you need any help stealing the GMC?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Raindu said. ¡°They¡¯re not capable of stopping me.¡±

    Sam pursed his lips. Communicating with Raindu through words slightly unsettled him. He was too used to the ferret gesturing and thinking thoughts directly into his mind instead of speaking through toneless vibrations. The former was cute; the latter was unnerving. ¡°The great seer made a prophecy,¡± Sam said. ¡°A human named Sam is going to decide the fate of Et Serpentium.¡±

    ¡°Sounds about right,¡± Raindu said and picked another flower after finishing the first one. ¡°I¡¯m close to the GMC now. Should I take it?¡±

    Sam frowned. All he had to do was give the word, and Raindu would complete the mission Monarch had assigned him. He¡¯d return to human society a hero¡ªmore importantly, a rich hero. However, what would happen to the reptilians if they lost the GMC? The graylings would rebel, and with their ability to control time and space, even the physically mighty reptilians would suffer while fighting them. What if something happened to Ellie during the rebellion? She had spoiled the heck out of him, shown him so much love and care that he was treating her more like family than his actual family¡ªwho, for the record, abandoned him at his lowest point in life.

    ¡°Sam?¡±

    The field of candy vanished, and Sam was greeted by Ellie¡¯s green eyes staring straight at him. His breath caught in his chest as chills ran down his spine, and he diverted his gaze towards the floor. ¡°Yes, sundak?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Some bad people might be coming for you,¡± Ellie said and placed her hand on Sam¡¯s head, ¡°but it¡¯s going to be okay. I won¡¯t let them do anything to hurt you; I promise. You have to listen to me carefully and follow all my orders, okay?¡±

    Sam blinked and looked up into Ellie¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes, sundak.¡±

    Ellie grinned and turned towards her mom. ¡°I have an idea,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± The small reptilian turned towards Sam. ¡°Stay in your room and hide under your bed. No matter what happens, you can¡¯t come out until I tell you to, okay?¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Good!¡± Ellie said and clicked her bracelet before passing Sam a treat. Ellie waved at her mom before running out of the residence. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon!¡±

    Sam watched Ellie leave before turning to look at the ground in front of Ellie¡¯s mother. ¡°You heard her,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said. ¡°Go to your room and hide under the bed. Who knows what kind of plan Ellie¡¯s working on.¡±

    Sam nodded. ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± he said and stood up. He made his way through the residence and returned to his room, the wall already open to let him in. Once inside, he followed Ellie¡¯s instructions, hiding underneath the bed. Then, he closed his eyes and focused on the spot in between his eyebrows to contact Raindu, visualizing a field of candy.

    Raindu was lying in the middle of the field, staring up at the sky while chewing on a stalk of caramelized grass. When Sam appeared, the ferret sat up and waved at Sam. ¡°Hello, Sam. Have you decided?¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath. ¡°If you steal the GMC, what happens?¡±

    Raindu blinked. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. If the graylings rebelled the instant Raindu stole the GMC, that¡¯d be a problem. Ellie had just left the residence, and if chaos bloomed in Et Serpentium, she might get hurt. ¡°Wait a bit,¡± Sam said. ¡°There really isn¡¯t anything stopping you from taking the GMC?¡±

    ¡°There are things, but they can¡¯t stop me,¡± Raindu said.

    Sam nodded. Should he consult with Wendy? He still wasn¡¯t sure what was going on with her and Monarch even after meeting her during that interview. ¡°What do you think we should do?¡± Sam asked, looking at the ferret. ¡°What if Wendy is lying to us about the rewards?¡±

    Raindu tilted its furry head. ¡°Why would she lie?¡±

    ¡°She sold us off to an unknown reptilian instead of Tamara,¡± Sam said. ¡°She¡¯s already broken her word once. Who says she won¡¯t do it again?¡±

    Raindu blinked. ¡°What about the warehouse full of candy?¡±

    Sam looked around the field. There was enough candy to give everyone in a starving village diabetes. ¡°Is this¡±¡ªSam gestured around the field¡ª¡°not enough?¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t real,¡± Raindu said. ¡°Try some.¡±

    Sam bent down and picked up a blade of grass. He placed it into his mouth and raised an eyebrow. He could sense the presence of the grass, but he couldn¡¯t feel, taste, or smell it. ¡°Why are you eating it then?¡± he asked the ferret.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Raindu asked in return.

    Sam had no response to the ferret¡¯s question. A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth as he walked over to Raindu and lay down beside it. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I want to steal the GMC anymore,¡± he said after thinking about his words for a bit. ¡°Life as a pet isn¡¯t bad, and there¡¯s no guarantee we¡¯ll actually be rich if we accomplish the mission.¡±

    Raindu turned to look at Sam. ¡°I¡¯ll make this easy for you then,¡± the ferret said and disappeared from view.

    Sam sat up and looked around. ¡°Raindu?¡± he asked. His eyes widened, and he climbed to his feet. If the ferret was no longer in the candy field, then it was active in Et Serpentium. Raindu had said it was going to make the decision easy for Sam, so what else could it mean other than it was going to steal the GMC? It wouldn¡¯t be the first time Raindu did things without consulting Sam while leaving a huge mess for someone else to clean up.

    Sam closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, the field of candy had disappeared, replaced by the underside of Sam¡¯s bed. His brow furrowed, and he closed his eyes, attempting to contact Raindu once more, but the field of candy refused to appear. A thumping sound caught Sam¡¯s attention, and his body froze as he followed Ellie¡¯s orders. She had told him to stay under the bed, and no matter what happened, he shouldn¡¯t come out. For all he knew, the sounds were created by reptilians searching for and kidnapping pets named Sam.

    The room fell silent, but Sam continued to hold his breath, keeping his body still. Cold sweat soaked his palms and the soles of his feet. Being a pet might¡¯ve been easy, but it also meant entrusting his well-being to someone else. He was following Ellie¡¯s orders instead of taking measures to protect himself if a group of reptilians did decide to capture him; then again, if a group of reptilians were set on dealing with him, Sam didn¡¯t like his odds no matter how much time he was given to prepare¡ªunless, of course, Raindu decided to reappear by his side. Reptilians were larger, stronger, faster, and from what Sam understood, jiggled full of various techniques suited for any occasion.

    After several tense moments, the sound of footsteps entered Sam¡¯s ears. They approached the bed, and a pair of scaled, yellow feet with knife-like claws for toenails came into Sam¡¯s view. Then, an upside-down reptilian forehead and a green pair of eyes appeared, staring directly at Sam. Thankfully, it was just Ellie¡¯s mother. ¡°There¡¯s a problem,¡± the reptilian said. ¡°Stay here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said. He frowned as Ellie¡¯s mother left the room, closing the door behind herself and locking Sam inside. Sam exhaled and closed his eyes, trying to visualize the field of candy. Unfortunately, Raindu must¡¯ve been busy because the field wasn¡¯t appearing. Had the ferret already stolen the GMC? Was the problem Ellie¡¯s mother had mentioned the rebelling graylings? There was a grayling helping out at Ellie¡¯s residence, and the thump could¡¯ve been Ellie¡¯s mother defending herself against it.

    Sam closed his eyes and exhaled before focusing on the space between his eyebrows once more. This time, when he visualized the field of candy, it appeared, and Raindu crawled out of a dense patch of grass before waving at Sam. ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± the ferret said and plucked a nearby flower.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Sam asked.

    Raindu put the flower into its mouth and chewed. ¡°I took the GMC,¡± the ferret said. ¡°Would you like to see it?¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed. As expected, Raindu had made a decision on its own. Didn¡¯t the great seer¡¯s prophecy say it was up to Sam to decide Et Serpentium¡¯s fate? For some reason, it didn¡¯t feel like he had a choice in the matter.

    Raindu didn¡¯t care about Sam¡¯s lack of response. The ferret held up its paw, and a large, colorless sphere that was almost translucent appeared in the air above its limb. The sphere was larger than Sam was tall, and it seemed to absorb the light within the surroundings, causing the candy field to dim. Sam stared at the orb as if he were in a trance. His hand stretched towards the GMC, but before he could touch it, the crystal sphere winked out of existence.

    ¡°You can¡¯t touch it,¡± Raindu said. ¡°It¡¯s not real.¡±

    Sam blinked twice before shuddering. He took in a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°Can you come back to my side? Ellie went off somewhere, and there are reptilians hunting for me because of a prophecy. If they find me when you¡¯re not here, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll make it out alive.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be by your side soon,¡± Raindu said and vanished from the candy field.

    Sam¡¯s vision swirled, and the underside of his bed greeted him once more. He wasn¡¯t sure how far Raindu was, but he hoped the ferret could arrive sooner rather than later. Hopefully, the GMC wasn¡¯t located in a remote area days away; Raindu had been gone for a long period of time, and Sam wasn¡¯t sure if that was because it had to travel an enormous distance or if it had been distracted while searching.

    Time passed. Sam didn¡¯t know how long he waited, but eventually, there came a sound from the wall as it slid open. Sam held his breath as he craned his neck, spying on the feet of the entity that had opened the door. There were two feet with three long, gray toes per foot. Sam¡¯s eyes widened. Why was there a grayling here? The creature took slow steps, pausing every so often as if it were inspecting the contents of Sam¡¯s room. As the grayling made its way closer to the bed, Sam¡¯s heart pounded harder and faster in his chest. Although he had killed a grayling once on reflex, he wasn¡¯t sure he could repeat the feat since he was trapped underneath the bed with limited space to move his body. It would be difficult to throw a strong enough punch to defeat the grayling in a single hit.

    The grayling¡¯s feet stopped by the side of the bed, the tips of its long toes extending underneath. Sam could only hold his breath for so long; he inhaled through his nose as silently as he could, and he almost gagged. The grayling¡¯s toes smelled unpleasant like a mixture of chemicals used to preserve food long past their expiration date. The grayling stopped moving, and three long fingertips wrapped around the underside of the bed. The shadow underneath the grayling moved, and its head came into view, staring at Sam with its shiny, black eyes. Sam stared back, neither individual moving.

    ¡°Greetings, human,¡± the grayling said after a moment of silence. Its voice was garbled, but Sam could still understand it thanks to its vibe. ¡°Would you like my assistance?¡±

    Sam swallowed. ¡°No,¡± he said after composing himself. ¡°That¡¯s alright, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Do you not wish to be free?¡± the grayling asked. ¡°Are the reptilians not cruel to you? They treat graylings as slaves and humans like livestock.¡±

    Sam blinked at the grayling. Was it trying to form an alliance with him against the reptilians? Now that the grayling had regained its freedom thanks to Raindu stealing the GMC, it looked like it wanted to cause as much trouble to the reptilians as possible. Sam wondered if all graylings had the same, vengeful personality because when Raindu had freed the grayling operator on the train, the first thing it did was derail the transportation vehicle.

    ¡°Well, human?¡± the grayling asked. ¡°Are you coming with me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said. He had a feeling the grayling would turn hostile if he answered incorrectly. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Sam crawled out from underneath the bed, and the grayling straightened its back, standing up straight. Sam held out his left hand towards the grayling. ¡°Shake on it?¡±

    The grayling grabbed Sam¡¯s hand, and he proceeded to punch it in the face with his right hand, his fist going straight through the grayling¡¯s left eye and into its head. Sam pulled his arm back and shook the fluids off his fist, unphased by the gore thanks to everything he had experienced over the last two months. ¡°Sorry, buddy,¡± Sam said. He wasn¡¯t going anywhere, not until Raindu returned to his side.

 Chapter 27

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure what to do with the grayling¡¯s corpse, so he left it where it was. Any trash he produced in his room was usually food waste, and leaving the scraps inside of bowls on the counter in the corner of the room was enough to make them disappear. The grayling was small enough to fit on the counter, but he wasn¡¯t sure Ellie or her mother would be too happy about it being processed the same way apple skins were. They probably wouldn¡¯t be happy there was even a grayling corpse leaking cranial fluids onto the floor either, but that couldn¡¯t be helped.

    Sam exhaled and looked around before heading to the corner of the room. Although Ellie had told him to stay under the bed no matter what happened, he didn¡¯t know how long she was going to be gone, and things already happened to force him out of hiding. In that case, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to pick up a little snack or two. He selected his favorite go-to food, granola bars, and the packaged calorie-dense meals were dispensed from the wall onto the counter. Then, he ordered some more. If Raindu was coming back, he didn¡¯t have to worry about carrying an impractical amount of granola bars; he could stash the excess inside of Raindu¡¯s fur or wherever the ferret stored things.

    After obtaining enough food to feed a starving village¡ªhe wasn¡¯t sure how much food Ellie and her mother had stocked for him, but he didn¡¯t plan on finding out¡ªSam brought all of it underneath the bed. Then, he moved the grayling corpse aside, so the fluids leaking out of the hole in its head wouldn¡¯t touch him as he followed Ellie¡¯s instructions and hid next to his stash of granola bars. Sam let out a sigh and turned his body over to look away from the dead grayling. Now, all he could do was wait for either Ellie or Raindu to find him. On the edge of his vision, the wall that the grayling had opened caught Sam¡¯s eye. Well, even if he left the room, he still wouldn¡¯t be able to open the door to leave the residence.

    Sam closed his eyes and focused on the space below his bellybutton. Since he had free time, he might as well try to unlock his sacral chakra while waiting. A furrow appeared on his brow, and he opened his eyes before crawling out from underneath the bed to his backpack where the orange stone Ellie had gifted him was located. He took it out and stared at it for a bit before crawling back to his hiding spot. He rested the crystalline sphere on his bellybutton¡ªas long as it was located near the chakra, it would help; it didn¡¯t have to be directly on top of it.

    Meditating was difficult. Sam couldn¡¯t help but worry for Ellie. The graylings were staging a rebellion, and they were everywhere. Every reptilian owned one or two graylings, and stores and public places had even more. They were convenient, bending to the reptilians every whim. If a reptilian needed someone to drive them around, pick up their groceries, clean their residences, or even someone to take out their frustration on, there was always a grayling available. If Sam had to take a guess, the graylings outnumbered the reptilians by four to one. Then, if the graylings freed the humans¡­, well, Sam doubted many humans would help the graylings fight against the reptilians considering most humans were as defenseless as rabbits unless they had combat-related talents.

    Sam sighed, feeling a bit useless. He didn¡¯t even know how to lock and unlock reptilian residences. If he were in the human city, he could enter places by placing some duct tape on the windows and smashing them with a bat, but the reptilians didn¡¯t believe in windows¡ªor, they had windows that Sam couldn¡¯t register with his human senses like their broadcasting systems; he still didn¡¯t know how they received the great seer¡¯s prophecy.

    Stomping sounds entered the room, and Sam blinked. There was someone outside the room in the residence, but he couldn¡¯t tell by the sound whether it was a reptilian, grayling, or human. One thing was for sure: it wasn¡¯t Raindu.

    ¡°Sam?¡± a feminine voice asked from the hall, one that was very human and familiar. ¡°Are you here?¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed. Why was Dee in Ellie¡¯s home? How did she enter Ellie¡¯s residence? Was the door already unlocked? Were graylings capable of mimicking humans? Wendy hadn¡¯t said anything along those lines, and he hadn¡¯t seen any graylings perform illusions before. No matter the answer, there was no reason for Dee to even be here.

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Dee,¡± Dee¡¯s voice said, growing louder along with the footsteps approaching the room.

    Chills ran down Sam¡¯s spine, and he chose to remain silent, trusting his intuition and Ellie¡¯s orders. There were too many unanswerable questions about this situation. Sam slowly wiggled his body, positioning himself to see the entrance to his room¡ªwhich he didn¡¯t know how to close; maybe, he should¡¯ve asked the grayling how to do it before punching its brain.

    Boots came into Sam¡¯s view. He narrowed his eyes, squinting to get a better look at the footwear. They were fuzzy, but not because of the shoes¡¯ material. It was as if a layer of static had been applied on the surface of the boots, preventing Sam from seeing them clearly. He closed his eyes and realized he couldn¡¯t say exactly what color they were. In fact, he couldn¡¯t describe Dee¡¯s appearance at all as if something was blocking his memory.

    ¡°Sam, are you here?¡± Dee asked. The boots traveled across Sam¡¯s vision, clomping footsteps echoing through the room. The boots came to a halt in front of the grayling¡¯s corpse, close enough to the bedside for Sam to spit on if he so pleased. Long hair dipped beneath the underside of the bed, and Sam froze as Dee¡¯s face came into view. A grin appeared on her face. ¡°Found you.¡±

    Sam scrambled out from the other side of the bed, plowing through his stash of granola bars. He climbed to his feet and whirled around, making sure the bed was between him and Dee still. As for following Ellie¡¯s orders, the underside of the bed was only a place to hide, not a protective ward that would keep him safe after he was discovered. ¡°Dee,¡± Sam said and awkwardly smiled. ¡°What are you doing here? How did you enter my owner¡¯s residence?¡±

    ¡°The door was open,¡± Dee said. She blinked at Sam, leaning forward and placing her palms against the top of the bed, resting her weight on them. ¡°You don¡¯t look too good? Did you fight with this grayling? They¡¯ve been acting weird.¡±

    Sam stared at Dee. ¡°Why are you here?¡± he asked, ignoring her question.

    ¡°Have you heard the prophecy?¡± Dee asked. One corner of her lips curled upwards. ¡°A pet named Sam is going to decide the fate of reptilian society, and I happened to know someone named Sam. How could I resist checking out the situation around you?¡±

    ¡°How did you find out where I lived?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Is that important?¡± Dee asked and stood up straight. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come with me? I can take you somewhere safe.¡± She held her hand out towards Sam, but thanks to the size of the bed, there was no way he could reach her.

    ¡°It¡¯s very important,¡± Sam said, taking a step back. ¡°Quite frankly, I¡¯m not sure if I can trust you.¡±

    Dee heaved her shoulders as she let out a sigh. ¡°Why are humans always like this?¡± she asked. Her body trembled, and Sam¡¯s eyes widened as Dee expanded, growing taller and wider in front of his very eyes. She spoke in a deeper voice than before. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s me; I must be doing something wrong in my approach. Why were you suspicious of me?¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Sam gulped, freezing in place as he made eye contact with a pair of orange eyes with slit, yellow pupils. He didn¡¯t even notice Dee¡¯s skin becoming rougher, turning white as scaled patterns appeared all over her body. Her clothes tightened around her body, and tearing sounds filled the room as the seams on her outfit burst apart, revealing her scaly skin that rippled with every movement of her bulging muscles.

    ¡°Well?¡± Dee asked, looking down on Sam from her new height advantage. ¡°Speak.¡±

    Sam shivered and averted his gaze, training his eyes on Dee¡¯s legs. As long as he watched her legs, if she made a move, he¡¯d be able to react in time¡ªa trick Ellie had taught him. ¡°The details didn¡¯t add up,¡± Sam said. ¡°There¡¯s no explanation for you to be here, so something was clearly wrong.¡±

    ¡°Are all humans as perceptive as you?¡± Dee asked.

    Although Sam wanted to tell the reptilian his perception was just average, and it was her poor attention to detail that gave away her disguise, but it was probably better for him to not criticize the hulking beast in front of him. In fact, it¡¯d be better for him to avoid fighting Dee at all costs. The knife-like claws on the tips of her fingers were nothing to scoff at. One good swipe by her and he¡¯d be disemboweled. If he used Toughen, perhaps he could withstand three or four swipes before being critically injured. Ellie had trained him to fight insects and human competitors, not reptilians. ¡°How long have you been disguising yourself as a human? I think you should know the answer to that.¡±

    Dee flickered her forked tongue in Sam¡¯s direction. ¡°You know,¡± the reptilian said, her eyes narrowing, ¡°you haven¡¯t been speaking respectfully to me at all.¡± She leapt on top of the bed, causing it to sink in under her weight. ¡°Call me sundak, human.¡±

    Sam retreated, his back pressing against his wardrobe. He took in a deep breath, and his eyes glanced at the open door. It was far, way too far for him to make a run for it. By the time he got halfway through the room, Dee would dig her claws into his back thanks to her much longer, stronger legs. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to run, and fighting would end in his death. In that case¡­. ¡°Yes, sundak,¡± Sam said and bowed his head, staring straight at the ground. Would it matter if he could react faster by watching Dee¡¯s legs? He¡¯d just figure out what killed him. ¡°Earlier, you said if I went with you, you¡¯d take me somewhere safe. Is that option still available, sundak?¡±

    ¡°I thought you knew I was lying to you,¡± the white reptilian said. ¡°I¡¯ll take you somewhere, but¡­.¡± Dee smiled instead of finishing her sentence, but Sam didn¡¯t have to hear the rest of the words to understand her meaning.

    ¡°Okay, sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯ll willingly go with you. Please don¡¯t hurt me; I¡¯m afraid of pain.¡±

    Dee let out a short laugh and nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you,¡± she said. ¡°Undamaged merchandise costs more after all.¡± She stepped off the bed, approaching Sam. He stood still even when Dee wrapped one arm around his waist and heaved him over her shoulder with his knees touching her back and his head by her ribs. A glint appeared in Dee¡¯s eyes as she looked down at Sam. ¡°Do you want to try using Sick Attack or any of your other unrestrained tricks?¡±

    ¡°No, sundak,¡± Sam said, staring at the ground. ¡°I won¡¯t resist.¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Dee said and grinned. ¡°Try it. It¡¯s an order.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow before concentrating on his root chakra. Since Dee had insisted and was giving him a free chance to possibly incapacitate her and turn this situation around, why wouldn¡¯t he take it? A chilling pulsation rushed through Sam¡¯s body, but instead of flowing into Dee¡¯s body where he was making contact with her, the pulsation bounced back, reverberating inside of himself. He couldn¡¯t stop himself from vomiting, the nauseating sensation caused by Sick Attack over three times as intense compared to usual.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that fun?¡± Dee asked, not seeming to mind the bits of vomit that had landed on her. ¡°Do you want to do it again?¡±

    Sam swallowed, the action stinging his throat. He blinked away the film of tears on his eyes and swallowed again. ¡°No, thank you, sundak.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Dee said and marched out of the room. ¡°As long as you promise to be this well-behaved when I¡¯m selling you, I won¡¯t hurt you on the way there.¡±

    ¡°I promise, sundak,¡± Sam said. He suspected any of his other techniques involving sending vibrations into the other person¡¯s body would be reflected as well, leaving him with only one defensive move. Without a weapon and no offensive techniques, even Queen Annabeth¡¯s pet dog could put up a better fight than Sam.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Dee said. She laughed. ¡°If I were your owner, I¡¯d be giving you a treat right now.¡±

    Sam let out a dry laugh. If Dee was going to joke around, he had to pretend she was funny. Sam closed his eyes and concentrated on the space between his eyebrows, trying to summon the field of candy to make contact with Raindu. It worked. The ferret appeared and waved. ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± Raindu said. ¡°I¡¯m heading to you as we speak.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Raindu,¡± Sam said. ¡°I need you to hurry up. I¡¯ve been captured by a reptilian, and it¡¯s going to sell me off soon, and there¡¯s no guarantee the people I¡¯m sold to will be nice enough to keep me alive.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Raindu said and grabbed a nearby flower. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Sam sighed. ¡°I have to go,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t want my kidnapper to think I¡¯m trying anything funny.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll rescue you, Sam,¡± Raindu said and nibbled on one of the flower¡¯s petals. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Sam stared at the flower-eating ferret before nodding his head. Although it looked like it didn¡¯t have a care in the world, Raindu still relied on Sam¡¯s talent to exist, so it was in the ferret¡¯s best interest to save him¡ªat least, Sam hoped that was the case; Raindu looked extremely relaxed for an animal in a stressful situation. Sam closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the floor of Ellie¡¯s residence and Dee¡¯s lower half filled his vision.

    ¡°You know,¡± Dee said, ¡°I knew you were special when I first saw you at the human park, but I didn¡¯t expect the great seer to make a prophecy about you.¡± The white reptilian glanced down at Sam. ¡°You were already valuable, but you¡¯re worth at least ten times more now. Who wouldn¡¯t want to be the owner of the human that decides the fate of our society?¡±

    The obvious answer was Dee, the reptilian willing to sell him despite having him in her grasp, but Sam decided against saying that out loud; instead, he asked, ¡°What are you going to do with the money you get from selling me, sundak? Is there anything you¡¯ve been looking to purchase?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Dee said. ¡°Techniques aren¡¯t free, and with the mantids¡¯ recent movements, stronger is better.¡± The reptilian grinned at Sam. ¡°By selling you, I¡¯ll be able to purchase at least three new techniques.¡±

    ¡°I see, sundak,¡± Sam said. ¡°You, uh, aren¡¯t worried about my owner¡¯s retaliation? Surely, stealing someone else¡¯s pet is a major crime.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just theft of property,¡± Dee said as she stepped out of the residence, the orange light from the ceiling of Et Serpentium illuminating her face. ¡°With the right connections¡ªones that I already have¡ªI¡¯ll get away with a slap on the wrist.¡± She glanced down at Sam. ¡°It¡¯s not my first time stealing a human, you know. A lot of valuable humans end up at the HKC headquarters; it¡¯s the perfect place to discover their worth.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow. For some reason, he didn¡¯t think Ellie would stop with a simple slap if she caught Dee kidnapping him. However, would Ellie be able to find him? With the grayling rebellion going in full swing, he didn¡¯t know if she could keep herself safe. He remained silent as Dee boarded a levistone, tapping the floor of the vehicle to activate it. Surprisingly, she drove the vehicle slower than Ellie¡¯s normal speed despite the situation.

    Shouts occasionally echoed through the air, but Sam didn¡¯t hear any signs of fighting. Graylings fought by manipulating time and space while reptilians fought by tearing apart their enemies with their claws and powerful muscles. Considering how fragile grayling were¡ªSam could kill them with a single punch¡ªit was no surprise there weren¡¯t any sounds of combat.

    The levistone drove unimpeded through the streets, and they went in a direction Sam had never gone with Ellie before. Dee smiled at Sam before focusing on the road. ¡°Have you ever been to the carnivorous district?¡± she asked. ¡°I doubt your owner has ever taken you there.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe I have, sundak,¡± Sam said and swallowed. Carnivorous district, he didn¡¯t like the sound of that. ¡°Can you sell me to the vegetarian district instead?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Dee said. ¡°The people over there are sticklers for unity and following the law. If I do manage to find a buyer, they won¡¯t pay me as much.¡±

    Sam held back his sigh. He had entered Et Serpentium by being trafficked, and now, he was probably going to leave Et Serpentium by being trafficked as well¡ªwhere was he going? To the underworld, of course. The carnivorous district must¡¯ve been where the human-eating reptilians lived, and Sam was still a human despite living in Et Serpentium for two months. Hopefully, Raindu would make it in time to save him before he was eaten. Even if the ferret had to touch a few reptilians or buildings that obstructed it on its way to Sam, Sam didn¡¯t think he would mind. The no disappearing reptilians rule had already been broken by Raindu after all, and no terrible consequences came out of it.

 Chapter 28

    Ellie stood atop her levistone, the vehicle floating high up near the ceiling of Et Serpentium. The artificial sky might¡¯ve been bright enough to light up the land of reptilians, but it wasn¡¯t hot, the air near the ceiling the same temperature as the air near the ground. After hearing the prophecy involving Sam, Ellie had the brilliant idea of purchasing another human pet that looked identical to Sam, so if anyone came asking for Sam, she could give them the scapegoat, taking the heat off of her real pet. Unfortunately, before she could finish browsing through the whole pet store, the grayling attendants there did the unthinkable and attacked the shopping reptilians while freeing the captive humans. Thus, there was only one thing Ellie could do: run away. She was a responsible human owner after all; if she died, who would take care of Sam?

    Ellie stared down at the streets of Et Serpentium. From her vantage point, she could see the graylings¡¯ movements clearly. They were all heading in the same direction, but she couldn¡¯t see their final destination, not without driving over. As for the reptilians, some of them were attacking the graylings while others waited around like bystanders; no doubt, they were unsure and confused, the unprecedented situation paralyzing their thoughts. If they attacked graylings that didn¡¯t belong to them, would they have to pay compensation later? Since the graylings only seemed to be attacking those who got in their way, standing aside seemed to be the better choice: it was safer and more invested reptilians would deal with the problem eventually.

    Ellie frowned. If the graylings all over Et Serpentium were acting like this, then the grayling she had at home was probably the same, but she wasn¡¯t worried about that. Her mom was more than strong enough to defeat a grayling; she was worried about Sam. If she couldn¡¯t figure out a way to fake his death or kidnapping, the reptilians who believed they could break the great seer¡¯s prophecy would take him away. To prevent that from happening, she needed a scapegoat, and since there were quite a few humans who had been freed by the graylings, if she searched hard enough, she could find a decent look-alike.

    ¡°Ellie!¡±

    Ellie blinked and turned her head. Had someone called her name just now?

    ¡°Ellie, come down here, right now!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just her imagination! Ellie crouched down and leaned over, her head poking over the side of her levistone. What was her mom doing down there? If she was down there, then who was watching Sam? Ellie tapped her toes against the floor of her levistone, and it descended towards the ground. It hovered above the street beside her mother. ¡°Mommy?¡± Ellie asked. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I came to find you,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said. ¡°The graylings are acting strange. Come home; it¡¯s dangerous outside.¡±

    ¡°But I haven¡¯t found a substitute!¡± Ellie said.

    ¡°Substitute?¡±

    ¡°You know,¡± Ellie said before leaning in and whispering, ¡°for Sam.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to find one at all,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said. ¡°If anyone asks about Sam, we¡¯ll say the grayling in our house freed him, and he¡¯s missing now.¡±

    Ellie blinked. ¡°Great idea!¡± she said after a second. Her mom really did have the answer to everything. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She stepped on the levistone a few times, and the vehicle expanded, the bench growing enough room for her mother to sit beside her. When her mother got on, Ellie stomped on the floor of the vehicle before letting out an awkward laugh as she raised her foot. Then, the small reptilian gently placed her foot down, and the levistone floated forward, going slightly faster than a turtle could walk.

    Ellie¡¯s mother didn¡¯t say anything. She nodded at Ellie¡¯s driving skills and looked off to the side where a group of reptilians were standing around, watching graylings walk off into the distance. Ellie turned her head to look at the graylings. ¡°Mommy, where are they going?¡±

    ¡°Keep your eyes on the road,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said.

    Ellie rolled her eyes while turning her body to face the direction the levistone was traveling. ¡°Is this related to the great seer¡¯s prophecy?¡± the small reptilian asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said, ¡°but if it isn¡¯t, then it¡¯s a pretty big coincidence.¡± She turned her head to the side to observe the graylings. ¡°Fly higher, and go a little faster.¡±

    ¡°Go faster?¡± Ellie asked, her eyes brightening. She knew her plan of driving slower than her mother could tolerate would allow her to speed. Her foot slapped the floor of the levistone as she said, ¡°Okay!¡±

    Like a rocket, the levistone shot into the air, and Ellie¡¯s mother nearly tumbled off the bench, barely avoiding a tumble from sky to ground. As for why levistones weren¡¯t designed more safely, well, some reptilians didn¡¯t believe in safety, and why shouldn¡¯t their voices be heard when it came to designing vehicles? They were reptilians too. Ellie¡¯s mother righted herself and glared at her daughter before turning her head back in the direction the graylings were traveling. Although Ellie was speeding and breaking the law, the view was better. ¡°That¡¯s odd.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡± Ellie asked, turning her head to the side. Her eyes widening upon seeing a large glowing sphere in the air. It was white, bright like a sun compared to Et Serpentium¡¯s orange illumination. ¡°Wow! What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°The Gray Master Core,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said. ¡°This is a disaster.¡±

    ¡°Quick, film it!¡± Ellie said.

    ¡°What?¡± Ellie¡¯s mother asked, turning her head to look at her daughter. When she saw how the driver wasn¡¯t paying attention to where they were going and how close they were flying to the ceiling, she placed her hand on Ellie¡¯s head and twisted it to look ahead. In response, Ellie steered the levistone towards the floating orb in the air, accelerating towards it. Ellie¡¯s mother twisted Ellie¡¯s head the other way, and the levistone spun around in the air. ¡°Stop messing around.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one messing with my head!¡± Ellie said as the levistone came to a halt. ¡°Did you film it?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, pick up your pet, and leave Et Serpentium for a while.¡±

    Ellie blinked. ¡°Leave to where?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll camp in the jungle until the rebellion is over,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said. She frowned as she stared at the GMC in the distance. It was moving, and as far as she knew, it wasn¡¯t capable of that on its own. Someone or something powerful was transporting the large sphere without even touching it. Ellie¡¯s mother tapped on Ellie¡¯s forehead. ¡°Hurry up.¡±

    ***

    Sam kept his head down, making sure he wouldn¡¯t make eye contact with any reptilians wandering the streets. He had thought Et Serpentium was neat and orderly; the buildings were always arranged in a grid with the same cubical buildings evenly spaced apart, but now he knew that was only the case in the herb district¡ªnot the district¡¯s official name but what Dee had called it. In the carnivorous district, the buildings weren¡¯t neat and orderly, varying in sizes and colors with levistones and other crap strewn about. Sam described the items as crap because he was in a bad mood and had no idea how the stone items were used.

    ¡°That looks like a tough human,¡± a reptilian said from off to the side. ¡°I bet he¡¯d make a good noodle farm. Are you selling him?¡±

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Dee turned her head towards the blue reptilian that had spoken. ¡°He¡¯s for sale, but it¡¯d be a waste to use him to make noodles,¡± she said, glancing at Sam¡¯s stomach, which was resting on her shoulder because of the way she was carrying him. ¡°He¡¯s worth much more than that.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure how he could be turned into noodles, much less be continuously farmed for them, and he wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to find out. So, he kept his head down and mouth shut.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± the blue reptilian asked. ¡°Then, what do you think he¡¯s good for? Certainly not for eating, not with all those tough muscles, your jaw will be sore before you¡¯re done eating him.¡±

    ¡°Hah.¡± Dee flashed a smile at the blue reptilian. ¡°I already have a buyer in mind. If you¡¯re that curious, you can ask them after they take him off my hands.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so mysterious,¡± the blue reptilian said. A second later, there was the sound of a splat, and Sam¡¯s eyes shifted to see what caused the sound. The blue reptilian had its hand inside of a grayling¡¯s chest, fluids dripping to the ground. ¡°Another one?¡± the blue reptilian asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t they bother someone else?¡±

    Sam¡¯s gaze went back to the ground. The graylings were still causing trouble, but they didn¡¯t seem to be doing much in Sam¡¯s opinion. Wendy had said they were difficult to deal with because they could manipulate time and space, but so far, Sam was unimpressed. There was a splatting sound, and Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he shifted his gaze to the side once more.

    ¡°Another one?¡± the blue reptilian asked. There was one grayling impaled on its arm. ¡°Why don¡¯t they bother someone else?¡±

    A chill ran down Sam¡¯s spine, and he averted his gaze. There was another splatting sound, and the blue reptilian asked. ¡°Another one? Why don¡¯t they bother someone else?¡±

    Either three graylings had attacked the blue reptilian in the same manner, or one grayling trapped the reptilian with some funky time stuff that Sam couldn¡¯t explain. He had a feeling it was the latter because graylings wouldn¡¯t be dumb enough to attack a reptilian that effortlessly killed its companion, right? Although Sam could¡¯ve asked Dee to explain what was going on with the blue reptilian, he didn¡¯t want to speak lest he draw attention to himself. If Wendy had sharp ears, full-blooded reptilians could probably hear him fart from down the street.

    ¡°Well¡­, that¡¯s awkward,¡± Dee said, staring at the blue reptilian for a bit before picking up the pace. As for why she wasn¡¯t driving a levistone, Sam suspected the roads were too cluttered to easily navigate, and she¡¯d be much more noticeable if she flew high up in the air. Dee sprinted through the streets, ignoring the looks she was getting, before arriving at a giant, fenced hole with a stone castle inside of it, the ground of Et Serpentium acting as the defensive structure¡¯s outer walls. Without hesitation, Dee climbed over the fence and jumped over into the hole.

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened, and he used Toughen, the technique activating a moment before impact with the bottom of the hole. He knew practicing it would save his life one day, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to happen so soon.

    Dee glanced at Sam, making sure there were no visible wounds before letting out a grunt that sounded more like a hiss. She walked towards the castle gate; before she was halfway there, the stone gate slid open, and two purple reptilians stepped out with their arms crossed in front of their chests, their claws resting against their bulging biceps. One of the reptilians¡¯ eyes lit up upon seeing Dee and the package she was carrying on her shoulder. ¡°Is that a noodle human?¡± the purple reptilian asked. ¡°You always bring the best ones.¡±

    Sam shuddered, the term noodle human sending chills down his spine. He could tell from the purple reptilian¡¯s vibe that it was truly excited at the prospect of obtaining a so-called noodle human.

    ¡°That¡¯s only because you pick the best ones to grow,¡± Dee said, smiling at the purple reptilian. ¡°But not this time, Abe.¡± Dee gestured towards Sam with the tip of her tail. ¡°I need to speak to your big brother about this one.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Abe said, turning his body to the side to let Dee pass. When she walked into the castle, he and the other purple reptilian followed behind her.

    Sam blinked as the ground shifted from stone to a silken, red carpet. Upon closer inspection, the floor was still made or stone, but it was made of one glossy enough to fool one¡¯s eye¡ªeither that, or whatever illusion the hunting human school had was also applied here. He wanted to raise his head to observe his surroundings, but he didn¡¯t want to provoke the two purple reptilians. They were meat eaters, and if he caused trouble, Sam didn¡¯t think they¡¯d care about being gentle when getting him to shut up.

    Dee walked through the halls, the floor looking more like blood than stone in Sam¡¯s eyes. Eventually, they stopped in front of an already-opened wall which led to a room with a metallic throne. There was a purple reptilian sitting atop the lustrous material, and on stone table in front of it, there was a rectangular stone tile standing upright. Beside the tile, there was a bowl. The seated reptilian leaned to the side to get a better view of its visitor. ¡°Dee,¡± the reptilian said. ¡°I see you brought a noodle human.¡±

    If Sam ever failed as a show human or hunting human, apparently, he could rely on becoming a noodle human to survive seeing how everyone seemed to recognize him as one.

    ¡°Not a noodle human, Butch,¡± Dee said, ¡°but you could use it as one if you really wanted to.¡± She pointed at the tile. ¡°You heard the great seer¡¯s prophecy about Sam?¡±

    The purple reptilian named Butch nodded at Dee and leaned forward to pick up the bowl beside the rectangular tile. The contents of the bowl wriggled. ¡°You¡¯re saying this human is Sam?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a human named Sam,¡± Dee said, ¡°and I can¡¯t prove it, but I¡¯m certain he¡¯s the subject of the great seer¡¯s prophecy.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Butch said and picked up a long wormlike creature. The reptilian put the worm into its mouth and slurped on it, chewing before swallowing. ¡°There¡¯s an easy way to see if your human¡¯s the one from the prophecy.¡± The purple reptilian looked past Dee, making eye contact with Abe. ¡°Kill him.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Dee asked, leaping to the side, bringing Sam with her as she repositioned herself in a more favorable position if the three purple reptilians decided to attack her all at once. ¡°You can¡¯t damage my merchandise before paying.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Butch said while standing. ¡°If this human¡¯s really the one from the prophecy, he won¡¯t die no matter what we do to him. The great seer is never wrong.¡±

    Sam raised his head. Since the reptilians were already planning on killing him, it didn¡¯t matter if he offended them by making eye contact with them. The first thing he noticed was the bowl of wriggling worms held by Butch. He had a feeling being a noodle human was related to those living creatures, but he didn¡¯t want to piece it together. His gaze shifted onto the reptilians, and he swallowed. They were taller than average reptilians, and Sam didn¡¯t like his chances against one of them in a fight, much less all three.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Dee said. ¡°Pay me first, and if you succeed in killing him, I¡¯ll refund you. How does that sound?¡±

    The three purple reptilians exchanged glances with each other. ¡°Sure,¡± Butch said after they made a decision. ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s say ¡­ eight hundred thousand?¡± Dee asked. Upon seeing the three reptilians¡¯ reactions, she added, ¡°That¡¯s a pretty cheap price for deciding the fate of Et Serpentium.¡±

    ¡°Eight hundred thousand?¡± Butch asked and frowned. ¡°How much will you refund us if he isn¡¯t the prophesized one?¡±

    ¡°Seven hundred thousand,¡± Dee said.

    Butch narrowed his eyes. ¡°Seven seventy.¡±

    ¡°Deal,¡± Dee said. After all, she was confident that Sam was the subject of the prophecy. Also, even if she was completely wrong, she was still getting the average price for a noodle human. She held out her token, and Butch pointed a green crystal rod at it. Then, Dee tossed Sam towards the three reptilians, and he bounced while rolling along the ground, coming to a halt by the three reptilians¡¯ feet.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s so special about you?¡± Butch asked and stepped on Sam¡¯s back, preventing him from standing. The tips of the reptilian¡¯s claws dug into Sam¡¯s skin, drawing blood. Cracking sounds echoed out of Sam¡¯s back as the purple reptilian leaned forward and bent down to get a better view, resting most of its weight against Sam¡¯s spine.

    ¡°It can¡¯t even decide its own fate,¡± Abe said from the side. ¡°How can it be the human from the prophecy?¡±

    The three reptilians turned to look at Dee, and she shrugged. ¡°If you think you can kill it, then kill it. I already got paid, so I don¡¯t care what happens to it.¡± The white reptilian walked around towards the crystalline throne, stopping to view what was on the rectangular tile. Nothing could be seen on it, but Dee was obviously tuning into something, a serious expression appearing on her face. ¡°So¡­, you might want to see this.¡±

    ¡°See what?¡± Butch asked, standing up straight and turning to look at the tile while keeping his foot on Sam. A puzzled expression appeared on the reptilian¡¯s face. ¡°Is that the Gray Master Core?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the third purple reptilian said. ¡°And it¡¯s heading this way.¡±

    Butch glanced at Sam before glaring at Dee. ¡°Explain!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to explain?¡± Dee asked. ¡°If anything can affect the fate of Et Serpentium, it¡¯s the Gray Master Core, and if it¡¯s heading this way, then I think Sam really is the prophesized individual. On that note, I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± Dee ran towards the exit. ¡°It was a pleasure doing business with you as always!¡±

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Abe asked.

    A smile appeared on Butch¡¯s face. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± the reptilian asked as he bent over and lifted Sam, picking him up by his right shoulder, not caring about the tips of its claws digging into Sam¡¯s flesh. ¡°We¡¯re going to use this human here to decide the fate of Et Serpentium.¡±

 Chapter 29

    Sam exhaled, touching the stone collar wrapped around his neck. There was a stone chain attached to it, and he couldn¡¯t walk further than four feet away from the pillar he was bound to thanks to his restraint. Well, being restrained was better than being dead. He glanced at the rectangular tile the three purple reptilians were watching, but for him, the tile was blank and unresponsive; however, the three purple reptilians were engrossed with whatever content the tile was broadcasting.

    Sam looked around. The reptilians had brought him outside and chained him up. The GMC was apparently too large to fit inside of the building; though, that¡¯s not the impression Sam had when Raindu had showed it to him in the candy field space. There was the massive wall in Sam¡¯s vision, which was actually the side of the hole the castle was in, and he had to crane his neck upwards to look at the sky. Of course, he didn¡¯t do that, keeping his gaze on the ground instead lest he draw the reptilians¡¯ attentions. They were looking at Sam and whispering amongst each other; maybe, if he showed disrespect, their course of action involving him would change to a more violent one.

    After a bit, the reptilian in the middle, Butch, walked over to Sam. ¡°You know what¡¯ll happen to you if you disobey us, right?¡± the purple reptilian asked. It tapped on the stone collar wrapped around Sam¡¯s neck. ¡°One wrong move, and¡±¡ªthe reptilian opened its hand, spreading its fingers to reveal its scaly palms¡ª¡±boom.¡±

    ¡°I understand, sundak,¡± Sam said, keeping his gaze on the reptilian¡¯s feet. ¡°Whatever decision you wish for me to make, I¡¯ll make.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s here, Butch!¡± one of the purple reptilians said from in front of the rectangular tile. A bright light illuminated the reptilians¡¯ visions, and they raised their heads to look at the sky. Sam furrowed his brow, wanting to see what was above him, but he kept his gaze on the floor. Even if he was curious, he¡¯d remain respectful as long as he was within stabbing distance of the purple reptilian.

    ¡°Something¡¯s falling,¡± Butch said, squinting up at the sky. A black dot grew in size, becoming longer. With a thump, it landed on the ground before standing up straight, revealing a black ferret with beady, mahogany-colored eyes. Butch frowned. ¡°A weasel?¡±

    Sam raised his head and made eye contact with Raindu. The ferret stared at the collar on his neck before turning its attention onto the three purple reptilians. It ran towards Butch, and the purple reptilian crouched down while extending its hand towards the small creature. Raindu¡¯s front paw touched the purple reptilian¡¯s palm, and the reptilian staggered before collapsing to the side.

    ¡°Butch!¡±

    The two purple reptilians ran toward their fallen brother. Raindu ran towards the reptilians. With one touch each, they both collapsed as well, something important having been removed from their bodies thanks to Raindu¡¯s ability. Sam exhaled and pointed at the collar on his neck. ¡°Mind taking this off for me?¡±

    The black ferret crawled up Sam¡¯s body and tapped on the collar. Sam¡¯s restraints disappeared, and he shivered before looking up at the sky. The GMC was floating overhead; it was hard to miss with how shiny and bright it was; in fact, everyone in Et Serpentium could probably see it. Sam looked at Raindu, and the ferret blinked upon receiving Sam¡¯s unasked question.

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he looked up at the GMC. According to Raindu, the graylings were responsible for the GMC¡¯s ostentatious appearance. They messed with the ferret¡¯s storage, forcing the GMC to appear through their control over time and space. Luckily, it was still attached to the ferret, the graylings only strong enough to make the GMC appear, not capable of taking the crystalline sphere away. With the GMC acting as a giant beacon, it¡¯d be difficult for them to sneak out of Et Serpentium.

    ¡°Is there any way to make it smaller?¡± Sam asked, still staring at the GMC. Even though it was bright, it didn¡¯t hurt his eyes to look at despite a purplish circle being burnt into his vision. He stretched his arm up towards the sphere. ¡°Bring it closer.¡±

    Raindu rummaged through its fur, and the GMC vanished from the air above. Then, it reappeared on the ground by Raindu¡¯s side. It was several times taller than Sam, and it barely fit within the confines of the castle¡¯s courtyard. Sam gulped and placed his palm against the surface of the crystalline sphere, and his eyes widened as the GMC flashed, turning into a ball of pure light that was sucked into Sam¡¯s arm like water flowing down a drain.

    Pins and needles surged up from the tips of his fingers, past his shoulders, through his neck and into the very top of his head. Sam¡¯s field of view rapidly expanded, his vision no longer matching what his eyes could see; it was as if he could see around himself all at once, through walls but instead of seeing things in detail, he sensed fluctuations of color. If the books Ellie had made him read were accurate, then he was experiencing an awakening of his crown chakra, the Sahasrara. Sam¡¯s vision surged, returning back to normal, and he stumbled backwards, catching himself.

    Something tickled the sides of Sam¡¯s face, and he lifted his head while wiping at his cheeks. Powerful wing flaps resounded through the air as an eagle leapt off of Sam¡¯s head and landed on the ground beside the black ferret. The eagle was completely colorless, but thanks to the lighting from the ceiling of Et Serpentium, the eagle¡¯s feathers gave off an orange gleam, bright like glinting sunset rays caught between leaves. The eagle turned its head towards Sam, revealing a head full of messy feathers as if it had slept upside down on its head and just woken up.

    Sam swallowed as he met the eagle¡¯s gaze, and his vision blurred. Red and orange colors covered his vision in patches, and as more layers of color were stacked on, the objects hidden behind them were reduced to white patches of color with varying sizes. The eagle seemed to fill his whole view as it spread its wings, growing such that Sam was smaller than the very tips of the bird¡¯s claws; although Sam normally couldn¡¯t see behind himself, an image of the eagle¡¯s wings covering the sky behind him appeared in his mind. Compared to the eagle, he was so, so small. Then, an enormous black paw, one even larger than the eagle¡¯s wingspan, descended and struck the bird on the back of its head.

    Sam blinked, and his vision returned to normal. In front of him, the orange eagle was holding its head with its wings, and beside it, Raindu was shaking a clenched paw at the bird while scolding it with chattering sounds. The eagle bobbed its head up and down before looking in Sam¡¯s direction with tearful eyes. It shrieked at him, the sound much like a baby fawn being eaten by a cougar; despite that, Sam clearly understood what it meant, the eagle¡¯s thoughts transferred directly into his mind as if he were communicating with Raindu. Clearly, his talent had transformed another priceless object into a living creature, and now, it was asking him to name it.

    Raindu chattered, and a dark expression appeared on Sam¡¯s face. There was no way he could name the eagle Dumb Bird; it¡¯d be rude. Raindu chattered again, and Sam¡¯s eye twitched. There was no way he was going to name the eagle Birdbrained either. The eagle squawked, the sound grating like nails scratching a chalkboard, and Sam¡¯s expression darkened even more. ¡°You like the name Birdbrained?¡±

    The eagle bobbed its head up and down and spread its wings while squawking. It looked a bit ridiculous with the messy feathers sticking out of its head at all angles like a mad scientist who relied on drugs to stay awake and hadn¡¯t slept for days. Sam took in a deep breath. Technically, he had accomplished the mission of stealing the GMC¡ªwell, more like Raindu had accomplished it seeing as the ferret did all the work. The problem was Sam couldn¡¯t deliver the GMC back to Monarch; at least, not in its original form. Did this mean he¡¯d have to kiss his two hundred fifty million credits goodbye? He hoped not because he doubted the reptilians would be happy with him remaining in Et Serpentium after he freed all their grayling slaves.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Speaking of graylings, dozens of them gathered at the edge of the hole, staring down at Sam. They disappeared and reappeared in front of him, and soon, he was surrounding by a group of unblinking graylings. Raindu looked around before running up Sam¡¯s body, climbing onto his shoulder. Birdbrained squawked and flapped its wings, flying like a drunken bat as it made its way up to Sam¡¯s head. Sharp claws scratched against Sam¡¯s face and forehead as the graceless eagle scrambled up to perch atop Sam¡¯s head.

    Sam pushed the eagle¡¯s tail feathers out of his vision, and he gulped as he examined his surroundings. It might¡¯ve been easy to defeat one grayling by punching its eye, but if all the graylings attacked him at once, Sam doubted he¡¯d survive even with Raindu¡¯s assistance. ¡°So, uh, I¡¯m not sure how to revert the GMC back to its original state,¡± Sam said, speaking to the graylings, ¡°but if you know how to do that, I¡¯ll gladly give you this bird.¡±

    Birdbrained squawked and readjusted its position on Sam¡¯s head, its claws poking his scalp, drawing blood. The eagle could¡¯ve been gentler, but Sam¡¯s words displeased it. A ripple traveled through the graylings as they stared up at the eagle¡¯s movements, and before Sam could react, the graylings fell to their knees and looked up at the eagle on Sam¡¯s head as if they were pious worshippers who had encountered the deity of their beliefs.

    Sam swallowed, and his eyes rolled up to look at the feathers barely within his vision. Using his thoughts, he silently communicated with Birdbrained. The eagle spread its wings and squawked, and the graylings redirected their gazes onto Sam. According to Birdbrained, the eagle was the god of the graylings while Sam was now the eagle¡¯s speaker.

    ¡°What are your orders, messiah?¡± the graylings asked. They spoke at a normal volume, but since all of them said the same words at the same time with the same intonation, their question echoed through the hole the castle was in, causing the walls of the defensive structure to shake.

    Sam scratched his head. The reptilians¡¯ great seer had said Sam would decide the fate of Et Serpentium in the future; however, he didn¡¯t expect that future to come so soon! What was the point of a prophecy that came true a few hours later? It might as well have not been made at all. ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Sam¡¯s mind blanked as he stared at the crowd of expectant graylings. ¡°What kind of orders are you expecting from your messiah?¡±

    ¡°Bestow us a purpose,¡± the graylings said all at once.

    Sam raised his arms and grabbed Birdbrained. He intended to bring the eagle down to look it in the eyes, but the bird squawked and squirmed, slipping free of Sam¡¯s grasp while still remaining on his head. ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Sam said, releasing the eagle to prevent its talons from tearing his scalp more than it already had. Sam rubbed his chin while squinting at the graylings. Faint crunching sounds caught Sam¡¯s attention, and he raised his head. He couldn¡¯t see them yet, but he received a vision of dozens of reptilians making their way to the hole where the castle was situated. Sam¡¯s brow furrowed, and he turned his gaze back onto the graylings. ¡°How about ¡­ your purpose for right now is to protect me?¡±

    ¡°We can do that,¡± the graylings said and stood up, their lips and movements synchronized. They turned around, keeping watch for any external threats. Tension filled the air as the graylings stared at the lip of the hole, each one looking in a different direction to make sure all angles were covered.

    Scale figures appeared as the reptilians Sam had visualized earlier came into view. He suspected it had something to do with his crown chakra awakening; although, he was far away from the reptilians, he could still read their vibes¡ªall of them at the same time. A flood of information rushed into Sam¡¯s head, but it didn¡¯t overwhelm him; rather, it filled him with confidence as he understood the reptilians¡¯ intentions. It was almost as if he were connected to them, connected to everything. Sam¡¯s smile filled his face as he looked up at the reptilians, making eye contact with each and every one of them, his body unhindered by the usual paralysis that accompanied the reptilians¡¯ pupils.

    ¡°Stand down,¡± Sam said while looking up at the reptilians, and the graylings, who Sam sensed were about to attack, relaxed their bodies, standing upright with synchronized movements. Sam spoke softly, but he was sure the reptilians could understand his words. ¡°You¡¯re average citizens who can¡¯t change a thing; let me talk to someone who can actually make decisions in Et Serpentium.¡±

    Raindu blinked and turned its head to examine Sam¡¯s face. The ferret blinked multiple times before looking up at the eagle on Sam¡¯ head. It might¡¯ve looked like a slob and had the grace of a pooping sloth ¡­ and made sounds like a dying chicken, but despite that, it was confident and proud ¡­ and a bit cowardly. As if hearing the ferret¡¯s thoughts, Birdbrained leaned over and squawked at Raindu in protest.

    Sam held back his sigh as two animals chattered and squawked in close proximity to his ear. The reptilians were looking at him as if he were crazy, and he was sure the argument between animals wasn¡¯t helping his case. Sam closed his eyes, concentrating on the connection he felt with the reptilians. He visualized the feeling as thin strands of lightning extending out of his body and into everything around him. As if by instinct, he grasped at the strands representing his connection with the reptilians, and he focused on his root chakra. A chilling pulsation surged out of him and into every single strand, traveling along the medium and into the reptilians¡¯ bodies.

    Groaning and gasping sounds resounded through the air as every reptilian clutched at their heads while staggering backwards¡ªsome reptilians failed at staggering, not catching themselves in time before they fell over, hitting the ground¡ªas Sam¡¯s Sick Attack struck them all at once.

    ¡°Render them powerless, but don¡¯t kill them,¡± Sam said, his voice clear despite the nausea washing over him. The graylings vanished and reappeared at the top of the hole. Hisses resounded through the air as the graylings attacked, working together to separate the space between the reptilians¡¯ body parts. Shins separated from knees, and elbows separated from arms. The reptilians barely put up a struggle; there weren¡¯t that many of them compared to the number of graylings gathered. Like ants and apes, graylings were stronger together.

    Sam stopped his Sick Attack and opened his eyes. He stared up at the hole before looking down to the side where there was a levistone. He walked over to it, and as if by instinct, he understood how to operate it. A connection had to be formed with it, similar to the connections he had formed with the reptilians earlier. By using his Sahasrara, he could operate reptilian technology, stones with structures capable of resonating with one¡¯s consciousness. There was a blockage in the levistone stopping Sam from turning the vehicle on, which he assumed was the lock the levistone¡¯s owner had placed on it, but Birdbrained squawked at the levistone, and the blockage vanished as if it had never existed. The levistone hummed to life, and Sam stepped on top of it before taking a seat on one of its benches. The vehicle rose upwards at an angle, coming to a halt once it reached the top of the hole.

    Sam looked down at the reptilians, who were mostly living torsos at this point. Then, he exhaled. To think, this was the power of an S-ranked talent: he had a ferret that could kill things in a single touch and an eagle that came with an army capable of manipulating time and space; also, two of his chakras had been completely mastered. He guessed it wasn¡¯t ranked higher because Raindu and Birdbrained could act independently¡ªwithout Raindu around, Butch, Abe, and that other purple reptilian could¡¯ve killed Sam at any time. Of course, his talent could¡¯ve also been ranked S-minus because the people ranked higher had even more ridiculous abilities compared to his.

    ¡°Protect me,¡± Sam said.

    Some of the graylings gathered around Sam while the other graylings kept an eye on the reptilians in case they became aggressive. Sam crossed his arms as the levistone rose up into the air, just high enough to pass over the graylings¡¯ heads, and the vehicle flew forward at a slow pace. The army of graylings gave him confidence, and instead of rushing to leave, he traveled through the streets, observing the buildings as if seeing them for the first time¡ªin a sense, he was; with his Sahasrara, he could see personalized markings on each building that weren¡¯t visible to the naked eye. Even the ceiling and ground of Et Serpentium had markings on them, vast channels forming patterns Sam would find hard to reproduce based on memory alone.

    As the levistone floated through the street, an individual Sam was familiar with was caught by his newfound perception quite a distance away. The woman¡¯s vibe was icy like a barren tundra. He hadn¡¯t noticed it the first time he had read the blonde woman¡¯s vibe, but with his Sahasrara, he realized the icy tundra was actually within the caldera of a massive volcano¡ªlong dormant, hopefully. ¡°Wendy,¡± Sam said, his voice traveling through the thread of lightning connecting him and his trafficker. ¡°Hello. Have you come to read my mind?¡±

    ¡°How astute you¡¯ve become,¡± Wendy said, her voice broadcasted into Sam¡¯s mind as if she were speaking right in front of him. ¡°Let¡¯s have a chat, shall we?¡±

 Chapter 30

    ¡°I can¡¯t find him!¡± Ellie said. She grabbed the edge of the king-sized bed in front of her and jerked her arms upwards, launching the bed into the air and flipping the whole piece of furniture upside down. Of course, there was no one underneath the bed. Only a grayling corpse remained where Sam should¡¯ve been. ¡°Mommy! You were supposed to keep an eye on Sam!¡±

    ¡°Sam was safe when I left,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said, her voice coming from out of the wall. ¡°I had to make sure you were safe too since the graylings rebelled.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s gone now!¡± Ellie said and kicked the grayling corpse, launching it across the room. It hit the wall with a splat. ¡°Who let him out? He doesn¡¯t know how to open doors!¡±

    ¡°I think Sam knows how to do more than open doors,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said. ¡°Come here; there¡¯s something you should see.¡±

    Ellie frowned and turned around, leaving Sam¡¯s room. She made her way down the hall to the room where her mother was while stomping her feet, making her displeasure obvious. ¡°Is it a clue?¡± she asked as she entered the room. Her mother was sitting on a bench without a care in the world, watching the rectangular tile in front of herself. Ellie¡¯s expression darkened. What happened to packing their things to leave? What was being broadcasted that was so important that¡­. Ellie¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is that Sam?¡±

    ¡°Looks like him, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Ellie¡¯s mother asked, not taking her eyes off the tile.

    ¡°What¡¯s he doing with all those graylings?¡± Ellie asked. ¡°Should we rescue him?¡± Her frown deepened. ¡°It¡¯ll be hard to save him; there are so many of them¡­.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need rescuing,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said. ¡°Keep watching.¡±

    Ellie stared at her mother¡¯s face for a bit before taking a seat beside her. Then, the small reptilian focused her attention onto the rectangular tile. Her vision expanded, and it was as if she were in the air looking down at Sam, the army of graylings, and a half-reptilian woman. Ellie wasn¡¯t quite sure what was going on, but her mom wasn¡¯t in a hurry anymore, so things must¡¯ve changed. She frowned but forced herself to pay attention to the broadcast.

    Sam glanced up, looking at the green crystalline sphere floating not too far from his head. With his crown chakra unlocked, he could sense hundreds of little lightning strands extending out of the sphere. With every passing second, more and more strands connected to the sphere; some of them, Sam could track to individual buildings, but there were some connecting from too far, his psychic vision¡ªas he temporarily named it¡ª wasn¡¯t able to track them to their sources.

    ¡°You caused quite a stir,¡± Wendy said, causing Sam to shift his gaze onto the half-reptilian woman. ¡°Everyone¡¯s curious about what happens next, so they¡¯re checking in for themselves. I¡¯m curious too; what happened to the Gray Master Core? You seem to be in control of the graylings.¡±

    Sam made eye contact with Wendy. Unlike before, he didn¡¯t flinch upon seeing her black irises and red pupils. The red clearly contrasted with the black, reminding Sam of the pictures he had seen of a black widow¡¯s butt. He was sure butt wasn¡¯t the scientific name for that specific part of the spider, but that didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I absorbed the Gray Master Core with my talent,¡± Sam said and pointed at the eagle perched on his head. ¡°It turned into a living creature named Birdbrained.¡±

    ¡°Birdbrained¡­,¡± Wendy said, staring up at the eagle. It glinted with the orange light of Et Serpentium, and when it noticed Wendy looking at it, it opened its beak wide and squawked at her. It sounded like a turkey warbling off-key. Wendy blinked and gave the eagle a half-hearted smile before making eye contact with Sam. She gestured around at the graylings, who were all looking at her, each prepared to take action if she showed any signs of aggression. ¡°Did they become your underlings?¡±

    Sam scratched his head. In a sense, since Birdbrained was akin to a god to the graylings, and he was Birdbrained¡¯s speaker¡­. ¡°Yes,¡± Sam said. ¡°They¡¯ll listen to what I say.¡± But they¡¯d probably prioritize Birdbrained¡¯s orders over his if it ever came down to it.

    Wendy stared at Sam with an impossible-to-read expression. Although he couldn¡¯t read her mind, Sam couldn¡¯t help but feel a little uncomfortable as he recalled Raindu¡¯s behavior during the time he had spent with Wendy. If Birdbrained had even half of Raindu¡¯s natural curiosity, the eagle might command the graylings to perform horrible, detrimental actions, and there¡¯d be nothing Sam could do to stop them. Raindu had indirectly derailed a passenger train; what if Birdbrained was feeling competitive and took down a whole city?

    ¡°What are your plans for the future?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°Are you going to stay in Et Serpentium? Use the graylings to take revenge for the mistreatment humans have suffered at the hands of reptilians?¡±

    Sam blinked. Why did it feel like Wendy was asking him to leave after discovering the graylings were controlled by Birdbrained? It must¡¯ve been his imagination; after all, she only asked a few questions about what he was going to do next. He hadn¡¯t really thought about it, but Wendy¡¯s questioning did open up new trains of thought. Since he could control the graylings, didn¡¯t he have an enormous amount of power in his hands? Monarch would definitely be cautious about picking a fight with him now that he had an army of soldiers that could ignore physical barriers by manipulating space and time.

    Wendy stared at Sam, waiting for him to respond. After a bit, she added, ¡°If you need some encouragement, for what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m sure reptilians wouldn¡¯t mind paying you to maintain the status quo: order the graylings to serve Et Serpentium like how they¡¯ve been doing before all this.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. That didn¡¯t sound like such a bad idea; the reptilians would continue living as they had, and Sam would be paid. Of course, the reptilians would definitely be unhappy about it, and they¡¯d definitely build another GMC. Who¡¯d be happy about renting their own stolen item from the person who stole it from them?

    ¡°It¡¯s not possible to create another GMC,¡± Wendy said.

    ¡°Really?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Are you sure it was a good idea to tell me that?¡±

    Wendy shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not a big secret,¡± she said. ¡°The creator of the GMC died a long time ago, and even though he left lots of notes to replicate his work, the notes are too¡±¡ªWendy paused and glanced up at the eagle atop Sam¡¯s head¡ª¡°eccentric¡±¡ªher gaze shifted back onto Sam¡ª¡°for others to follow. So, the technology is all but lost.¡±

    ¡°And no one would mind that I¡¯m basically selling them something I stole from them?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Graylings are more of a subscription service already,¡± Wendy said. ¡°The only reptilians who¡¯ll be upset are the descendants of the GMC¡¯s creator since they¡¯re the ones who¡¯ll be losing out, but they¡¯ve had more than enough time to amass a fortune.¡±

    ¡°You expect me to believe they won¡¯t target me?¡± Sam asked. ¡°This rich family with abundant resources to bribe people into action.¡±

    ¡°As part of the deal, you can ask for us to exile them,¡± Wendy said and shrugged. ¡°Are you open to negotiations?¡±

    Could something like the lives of a rich family be negotiated? Who exactly was he negotiating with? As far as Sam understood, there wasn¡¯t exactly a government in Et Serpentium, just lots of different cliques and groups. Of course, it was also possible he was simply unaware of how reptilian politics worked¡ªhonestly, he wasn¡¯t quite sure how human politics worked either. Sam crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°How much will I be paid?¡±

    ¡°At the current rate, roughly ten million credits a month,¡± Wendy said.

    Sam blinked, and he looked around at the graylings. A frown appeared on his face, and he exhaled. Was he willing to use his newfound abilities to exploit graylings for capital? If he ever lost Birdbrained, and the graylings were to rebel, wouldn¡¯t they go after him, the one who ordered them to continue being servants?

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°You could always ask them,¡± Wendy said, gesturing towards the graylings with her chin.

    Sam cleared his throat and turned his head. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he said, waving towards one of the graylings to get its attention. ¡°If you didn¡¯t have to follow anyone¡¯s orders, what would you like to do?¡±

    The grayling stared at Sam with its unblinking, black, sclera-only eyes. ¡°Assist entropy. Disassemble every plane of existence.¡±

    Sam blinked and glanced at Wendy. The blonde woman¡¯s face remained impassive as if she were expecting the graylings to be agents of destruction. Sam turned towards another grayling. ¡°How about you?¡± he asked. ¡°If you were free, what would you do?¡±

    ¡°Research,¡± the grayling said.

    Sam nodded. At least this grayling didn¡¯t want to destroy the world. ¡°What kind of research?¡±

    ¡°Political research,¡± the grayling said. ¡°I want to learn how society works, so I can dismantle it in the most efficient manner.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. His gaze swept over the crowd of graylings. ¡°Are there any of you who, if given freedom, would want to do something non-violent or non-destructive?¡±

    The graylings remained still.

    ¡°Raise your hand if you want to do something violent or destructive if you¡¯re given freedom,¡± Sam said.

    As if they were clones, the graylings raised their right arms at the same time. Sam nodded. It might¡¯ve been cruel to deny someone the freedom to do what they wanted, but if what they wanted wasn¡¯t good for themselves or anyone else, then was it really cruel? Sam addressed the crowd of graylings. ¡°So, when you¡¯re given orders to perform peaceful actions, are you holding back your discontent?¡±

    The graylings all spoke at once. ¡°No,¡± they said. ¡°Fulfilling orders provide a sense of satisfaction.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. So¡­, the graylings were destructive when given freedom, and they were content when they were bossed around. They were practically begging to be exploited, so what else could Sam do but oblige? He nodded at Wendy. ¡°Alright, as long as I get paid ten million credits a month, I¡¯ll order the graylings to resume what they¡¯ve been doing in Et Serpentium.¡±

    Wendy nodded at Sam. ¡°Would you like to hire a lawyer to finalize the details?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± a voice said from off in the distance.

    Sam, Wendy, and the graylings turned their heads towards the sound. A levistone in the distance grew in size as it rapidly approached the group. On top of the levistone, there were two yellow reptilians, one large and one small. There was also a rectangular tile on the smaller reptilian¡¯s lap, one she used to remain connected to the broadcast while driving.

    ¡°Ellie?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Who else?¡± Ellie asked and hopped off the levistone. She stared up at Sam and frowned before grabbing a nearby grayling. The small reptilian climbed on top of the grayling and stood on its head. She looked down at Sam and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°Are you leaving, Sam? Were you even going to say goodbye?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Planning isn¡¯t my strong suit,¡± Sam said. He had planned to flee Et Serpentium after covertly stealing the GMC, but instead, everyone now knew he was the thief, and instead of handing the GMC over to Monarch¡¯s people, he had absorbed it for himself. Sam exhaled upon seeing Ellie¡¯s expression. With his crown chakra unlocked, he could read deeper into the reptilian¡¯s vibe than before; from what he could tell, Ellie was sincerely going to miss him if he left. ¡°You¡¯re the best owner a pet could ever ask for, but I don¡¯t want to be a pet anymore.¡±

    Ellie stared at Sam, and the grayling she was standing on wobbled as its knees buckled. Before she could say anything, the levistone drifted over, and her mother grabbed Ellie¡¯s arm, pulling her back onto the vehicle. Ellie¡¯s mother made eye contact with Sam. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss things with you after the broadcast is over.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Sam said, glancing up at the green sphere. Even more strands of lightning were connected to it; he wasn¡¯t quite sure how many reptilians lived in Et Serpentium, but he assumed most of them were tuning in to whatever this situation was supposed to be: an interview? Interrogation? Negotiation? He wasn¡¯t quite sure.

    ¡°What if Sam gets tricked?¡± Ellie asked, struggling to break free from her mother¡¯s grasp. ¡°He¡¯s a slow learner; he won¡¯t be fine on his own!¡±

    A wry smile appeared on Sam¡¯s lips. Yes, he was a slow learner. Even with Ellie¡¯s assistance, he wasn¡¯t able to unlock his sacral chakra. Raindu turned to look at Sam and dove into Sam¡¯s clothes. Before he even knew what the ferret wanted, Raindu took out the orange crystal Ellie had given Sam, and with a sniff and a snort, the ferret tossed the sphere over to the small reptilian. It shook its fist at Ellie as the reptilian caught the sphere. She held it in her hands and stared at Sam with a blank expression. Then, a frown appeared on her face, and tears appeared in her eyes. It was the first time Sam had ever seen a reptilian cry.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Sam said and grabbed Raindu¡¯s waist, holding the ferret up towards Ellie with one hand. ¡°This furry guy is just weird about crystals. He doesn¡¯t like me having them.¡±

    Ellie stared at Sam as a teardrop traveled from the corner of her eye to the top of her cheek. Sam turned towards Wendy, and the half-reptilian read his mind before reaching into her pocket. She handed Sam a small, red gem. Raindu ran up to Sam¡¯s shoulder, down his arm, and grabbed the gem before tossing it onto the ground by the graylings¡¯ feet.

    ¡°See?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°At least it returned yours to you,¡± Wendy said to Ellie before looking down at the gem on the ground. It wasn¡¯t worth much, but the ferret¡¯s actions were still pretty rude.

    A translucent membrane flickered across Ellie¡¯s eyes, wiping away her tears. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at Wendy. ¡°You better not try to cheat Sam,¡± the small reptilian said.

    ¡°And what¡¯s it to you if I do?¡± Wendy asked and squinted at the reptilian. Before Ellie could respond, Wendy answered as if the reptilian already had. ¡°Oh, really? You care more about a pet than your fellow reptilians?¡±

    Ellie scowled. ¡°Stop doing that,¡± she said. ¡°Of course, I care more about Sam than other people. Other people can take care of themselves, but Sam¡¯s just a derpy human. If I don¡¯t watch out for him, no one will!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Sam can take care of himself,¡± Wendy said.

    ¡°Sam eats ice cream before bed,¡± Ellie said and snorted. ¡°He makes terrible decisions all the time.¡±

    Sam blinked. What was wrong with eating ice cream before bed?

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s ask him,¡± Wendy said, redirecting her gaze towards Sam. She gestured towards Ellie. ¡°Would you like to be represented by this reptilian child?¡±

    ¡°And her mother,¡± Ellie said.

    Wendy turned her head to look at Ellie¡¯s mother. The yellow reptilian exhaled before nodding her head. ¡°And her mother,¡± Wendy said to Sam. ¡°Yes, ultimately, the final say is yours.¡±

    Wendy¡¯s mind-reading ability was handy at times¡ªalbeit a bit invasive. ¡°Is it okay for you to be the one negotiating with me?¡± Sam asked. Wendy was the daughter of the great seer, but she was also half human and should¡¯ve been discriminated against. Then again, she could be the one negotiating with him because she was half human. With her ability to read minds, she could act as a mouthpiece for someone else while maintaining a human fa?ade.

    ¡°I can¡¯t speak for all reptilians,¡± Wendy said, ¡°but I do represent a large majority of them.¡±

    ¡°And what about the other reptilians?¡± Sam asked. ¡°I imagine they¡¯re not so keen on negotiating.¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Pets should be pets, property of reptilians, so why should they lower themselves and ask a pet for a favor? That¡¯s how those people think. However, we¡¯ll help protect you and the graylings from them.¡±

    ¡°Or will you act as perfect bait for us?¡± a voice asked, echoing down from the ceiling of Et Serpentium. A column of white light shone out of the ceiling, illuminating Sam and his grayling army along with Wendy and the two reptilians. ¡°You were the perfect distraction, Bastard Wendy; you managed to gather them all in one spot.¡±

    Sam frowned and looked up at the ceiling. The white light acted like a cage, preventing his newly unlocked psychic vision from extending beyond the confines of the column. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Wendy. ¡°Were you lying to me?¡± he asked. He had been tricked by Wendy once before, so how did that saying go? Shame on him for believing her again.

    ¡°No,¡± Wendy said, frowning as well. The green broadcasting sphere fell out of the air, landing on her right palm. ¡°It looks like the reptilians who don¡¯t like you are taking action now.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the light?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°A defensive mechanism in case graylings ever rebelled,¡± Wendy said. ¡°It stabilizes time and space, rendering graylings powerless.¡±

    ¡°And once they can¡¯t fight back¡­,¡± Sam said, standing as he looked around. Hissing sounds Sam recognized as reptilian laughter reverberated through the air. Although the white light column isolated his psychic vision, he could still see past it, see the steady stream of reptilians approaching. Sam swallowed and looked at the ferret standing on his shoulder. ¡°Please help.¡±

    Raindu stood up straight and thumped its chest with its right paw before nodding at Sam. Then, it reached upwards, arching its body, and grabbed one of the now-white eagle¡¯s wing feathers. The eagle squawked and raised one leg up into the air as if it were about to fall off of Sam¡¯s head, but its remaining foot clenched harder on Sam¡¯s head, tearing four bloody gashes on his scalp as its talons scraped against his skull.

    ¡°Ow!¡± Sam shouted and grabbed at the bird. Its talons dug even deeper, and he took in a deep breath before relaxing his body despite the pain he was in. ¡°Birdbrained, let go.¡± Pricks of white-hot pain stabbed at Sam¡¯s scalp as the eagle¡¯s talons left his head. Sam brought the eagle down to eye level and stared at it before turning to look at Wendy. Blood trickled down his forehead and followed the contour of his eyebrow. ¡°I need a knife-proof hat as part of the deal.¡±

    Wendy stared at the blood flowing from Sam¡¯s head. ¡°Sure,¡± she said, ¡°if we can get out of here alive.¡±

 Chapter 31

    Sam took in a deep breath, ignoring the warm blood flowing from his head. By the time the blood flowed down his neck and pooled around his collarbone region, it left him with a cold, sticky sensation, causing him to shiver; maybe, it was a result of losing too much blood, but Sam didn¡¯t have time to worry about his eagle-inflicted injuries. The reptilians were taking their sweet time, but they were definitely preparing for a slaughter, and if he didn¡¯t do anything, he¡¯d lose his biggest bargaining chip: the army of currently helpless graylings.

    ¡°Anyone have a brilliant plan they¡¯d like to share?¡± Sam asked, looking at Wendy, Ellie, and Ellie¡¯s mom.

    ¡°I have one,¡± Ellie¡¯s mother said from the levistone and used one arm to grab Ellie¡¯s waist. Ellie¡¯s eyes widened as she was lifted up like a sack of potatoes. She flailed her limbs, but it was futile; after years of practice, her mother was an expert at carrying protesting children. Ellie¡¯s mother nodded at Sam and Wendy. ¡°Ellie¡¯s just a child, so she won¡¯t be of much help with your situation. I¡¯ll keep her safe and out of your way, so you don¡¯t have to worry about her as you fight.¡±

    ¡°I can fight!¡± Ellie said as the levistone hummed. It zoomed off into the distance, causing Ellie¡¯s next words to fade away before Sam could hear them all. ¡°Let me¡­.¡±

    Sam blinked and turned to look at Wendy. Although Ellie¡¯s mother had framed her purpose with a noble cause, in the end, didn¡¯t she just take her daughter and ditch them?

    ¡°Yes, I do believe you¡¯ve been abandoned by your representative,¡± Wendy said, nodding her head.

    Sam exhaled. He couldn¡¯t really blame them for leaving. Ellie¡¯s mother obviously had to look out for her child, and she wasn¡¯t going to let Ellie throw away her life for a pet. ¡°You¡¯re not abandoning me too?¡± Sam asked Wendy, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°If I wanted to, I could walk away right now,¡± Wendy said, ¡°and they¡¯d let me go because of my parentage, but I did say our faction of reptilians would protect you, and I don¡¯t feel like being a liar just yet.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time Wendy had lied to him, telling him he¡¯d be sold to Tamara and selling him off to the second reptilian who asked to buy him instead. To prevent himself from being burned once more, he¡¯d simply pretend like Wendy had abandoned him this time too. Now, he had to figure out a way to protect his defenseless graylings. Birdbrained, who was tucked underneath Sam¡¯s armpit, craned its neck and looked up at Sam before squawking.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Sam said, his expression darkening. The eagle wanted him to protect every grayling because they were the eagle¡¯s faithful believers. If they got even a single scratch on their bodies, Birdbrained would be greatly displeased, and perhaps, it would have to take matters into its own talons. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take matters into your own talons right now before a grayling gets hurt?¡±

    Birdbrained squawked at Sam.

    ¡°Really?¡± Sam asked, his voice monotonous. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t like the way you do things? Well, I don¡¯t have any other ideas, so even if I don¡¯t like it, the safety of your believers is up to you.¡±

    Birdbrained wiggled, struggling to get free. Sam opened up his arm, allowing the bird to fly¡­, fall straight onto the ground with a plopping sound. The eagle squawked at Sam and pecked his foot, the eagle¡¯s beak piercing through his shoes more easily than Sam would¡¯ve liked. Then, after it was done venting its frustration, it stood up straight and spread its wings. The column of white light flickered as lines and distorted images, which reminded Sam of feathers, spread outwards from the eagle.

    ¡°It¡¯s ripping apart stabilized space,¡± Wendy said, looking down at Birdbrained. The bird was shorter than even the graylings, its head barely taller than Sam¡¯s knees. ¡°Only a higher-dimensional creature can do that.¡±

    Raindu snorted and waved its paw. The column of light shattered like a broken mirror, and Sam swore he saw his arm fall off just now thanks to one of the cracks in space. However, after the light disappeared, he found his body whole.

    ¡°Birdbrained is more impressive than its name suggests,¡± Wendy said, not noticing the ferret¡¯s contribution because her attention was placed on the eagle the whole time. She looked up at Sam, missing Raindu¡¯s expectant gaze. ¡°Not that it wasn¡¯t already impressive for controlling the graylings.¡±

    Sam nodded and looked down at the still-posturing eagle. He didn¡¯t see why he wouldn¡¯t like the way Birdbrained was dealing with the approaching reptilians. It shattered the column of light, allowing the graylings to use their abilities once more. Then, Birdbrained let out a god-awful warbling noise, and Sam¡¯s mind changed. The noise was grating and made his head feel as if someone were hammering nails into his skull. His vision blurred from the pain, but he could still see Wendy making an agonized expression, one he imagined was very similar to the facial expression he was making right now.

    Wendy covered her ears and shouted something at Sam, but he couldn¡¯t hear her over Birdbrained¡¯s warbling. It wasn¡¯t very loud, not hurting his eardrums, but the eagle¡¯s cries seemed to be the only sound in existence, drowning out all other noise. Sam covered his ears, but the warbling continued to resound in his head. He clutched his hair, but he couldn¡¯t even feel his fingers over the aching headache the noise was producing. Sam¡¯s sense of balance vanished, and he fell over, but he didn¡¯t feel pain upon hitting the ground as if the eagle¡¯s cry had robbed him of his senses. The only thing that seemed to exist was the ungodly song.

    Sam didn¡¯t know how long the sound lasted, but when he came back to his senses, his clothes were damp with sweat, and his left cheek was wet, coated in a layer of slimy drool. He sat up and wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand, looking around as he did so. He made eye contact with Wendy, who was pressing a handkerchief against her face. She glared at him before scanning the barren streets. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. ¡°Where did the graylings go?¡±

    Sam wished he knew the answer to that himself. Raindu and Birdbrained were nowhere to be seen, the army of graylings were gone, and the reptilians who were planning on murdering them were also missing. ¡°Maybe we were sent forwards or backwards in time?¡± Sam asked. It would make sense for Birdbrained to have an ability to manipulate time seeing as graylings were its underlings.

    ¡°No,¡± Wendy said. ¡°I think we fainted.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sam asked.

    Wendy nodded. ¡°That building over there has the time and date on it,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ve been unconscious for two hours.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. A lot could happen in two hours. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the space between his eyebrows, visualizing a field of candy. After a few seconds, the field of candy appeared, and a scruffy eagle with a green hue appeared. Birdbrained squawked at Sam, the sound oscillating into buzzing words. ¡°Sam, hi.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Birdbrained,¡± Sam said. ¡°So, what happened?¡±

    ¡°We captured all the hostile reptilians,¡± the eagle said through its harsh cries. ¡°Now, we¡¯re torturing them.¡±

    ¡°Torturing?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Why are you doing that? If you need information from them, Wendy can read their minds.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Birdbrained asked. ¡°Torture is fun when you¡¯re the one doing the torturing. Do you want to try?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said, his expression darkening. Raindu was a ferret with sticky paws, and Birdbrained was an eagle with a sadistic streak; why couldn¡¯t his talent create animals with more normal personalities? ¡°Also, don¡¯t torture them. We don¡¯t want reptilians to have an even worse impression of us than they already do.¡±

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    ¡°Why?¡± Birdbrained asked and tilted its head.

    ¡°If they have bad impressions of us, they¡¯ll be less likely to negotiate with us, and if they do negotiate, the terms won¡¯t be favorable,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we torture them until the terms are favorable?¡± Birdbrained asked.

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t like torture,¡± Sam said. ¡°If we torture them, they¡¯ll torture us in return if they ever capture us.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re afraid,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°They tried to capture us, but we caught them instead. If they can¡¯t catch us now, how will they catch us in the future?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll catch us when we¡¯re off guard,¡± Sam said. ¡°We can¡¯t always be ready for combat. We need to sleep, eat, and relax.¡±

    Birdbrained squawked. ¡°Sleep and relax?¡± it asked. ¡°We don¡¯t need to do those, and we can eat while on guard.¡±

    Sam sighed. ¡°Are you really willing to go through all that hassle just because you want to torture someone?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Birdbrained said and flapped its wings, letting them resettle against its sides. ¡°The things worth doing usually require moderate amounts of effort.¡±

    Was torture something worth doing? Sam didn¡¯t think so, but the bird obviously disagreed. Was he going to let a bird decide whether or not reptilians were being tortured? Well, technically, Birdbrained was the leader of the graylings, and Sam was pretty sure the eagle¡¯s orders overruled his, so ¡­ even if he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t save the reptilians from pain¡ªunless he asked Raindu, the ferret seemed to intimidate Birdbrained.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the way you¡¯re looking at me,¡± Birdbrained said, the words garbled and difficult to discern. When it came to communicating with words, Raindu was much better at it than the eagle. ¡°Do you disagree with what I¡¯ve said?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Sam disagrees,¡± Raindu¡¯s voice said. Sam and Birdbrained turned their heads to the side to look at the ferret. Raindu plucked a nearby flower and munched on it. ¡°Sam¡¯s heart is moved by money. The things worth doing for him have to have an equal amount of reward for effort.¡±

    Sam frowned. Was that true? He was in Et Serpentium because Wendy had basically seduced him with money. ¡°Didn¡¯t you steal the GMC because you wanted money?¡± Sam asked the ferret.

    ¡°No,¡± Raindu said. ¡°I took the GMC because I like having shiny things; the money is a bonus.¡±

    Birdbrained squawked. ¡°I understand now,¡± the eagle said. ¡°Our owner is a human ruled by greed.¡± The eagle turned to look at Raindu. ¡°As his advisors, it is our duty to fix him.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. Since when were Raindu and Birdbrained his advisors? They might not have thought of themselves as his pets because that¡¯d place them under him, but did the eagle really think it was above Sam in status? The two animals stared at Sam with blank expressions, and Sam¡¯s eye twitched as the animal¡¯s empty stares made him feel a bit silly. Raindu could kill whatever it wanted with one touch, and Birdbrained could manipulate time and space¡ª

    ¡°And saved you from being violated by dozens of reptilians,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°I still haven¡¯t heard you say thank you. All you did was bring me in here and interrogate me for doing what you wanted me to do.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to torture the reptilians,¡± Sam said. He closed his eyes and exhaled, gathering his thoughts. He opened his eyes again and nodded at the eagle. ¡°Thank you for getting us out of that situation. Now that the danger has passed, do you mind letting me deal with the reptilians now?¡±

    Birdbrained squawked, the harsh vibrations gathering into one very clear word. ¡°No.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to deal with the reptilians because¡­?¡±

    ¡°Then I can¡¯t torture them,¡± Birdbrained said.

    Sam turned towards Raindu. ¡°Can you talk some sense into your friend?¡± Sam asked the ferret. ¡°If talking doesn¡¯t work, you can use your paws too.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Birdbrained squawked and leapt away, creating space between itself and Raindu as the ferret approached. ¡°I¡¯ll let you torture the reptilians too. You can interrogate them for the locations of their shiny stuff!¡±

    The ferret paused midstride and turned to look at Sam. It didn¡¯t speak, but Sam knew exactly what it wanted. If he could offer something better than what Birdbrained was offering, the ferret would listen to Sam¡¯s words. If he couldn¡¯t, well, the reptilians were going to receive an extra helping of pain. A bitter expression appeared on Sam¡¯s face. Now that there were two animals and one human, they¡¯d obviously work together to exploit him. ¡°I can¡¯t offer you anything I haven¡¯t already,¡± Sam said to the ferret.

    ¡°What about your half of the reward?¡± Raindu asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m even going to be getting it,¡± Sam said and sighed.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Wendy with you? Ask her,¡± Raindu said.

    Sam exhaled and closed his eyes while taking in a deep breath. When he opened his eyes once more, he was greeted by Wendy¡¯s gaze. He checked the green sphere on the ground with his psychic vision, making sure there weren¡¯t any eavesdroppers, before clearing his throat. ¡°So, we finished the mission,¡± he said, practically whispering while avoiding eye contact with Wendy. ¡°When do we get paid?¡±

    Wendy scanned her surroundings before exhaling. ¡°You stole the GMC, but you also destroyed it,¡± she said. ¡°Monarch wanted to take it to study to develop its own army of graylings.¡±

    ¡°You said you were paying me to steal it,¡± Sam said. ¡°No one said I couldn¡¯t destroy it afterwards.¡±

    ¡°How do you know what we were paying you to do when you don¡¯t read contracts?¡± Wendy asked.

    Sam cleared his throat. ¡°Are we getting paid or not?¡± he asked. ¡°The livelihood of the reptilians who wanted to attack us depends on your answer.¡±

    Wendy frowned as she narrowed her eyes at Sam. ¡°Although it won¡¯t be the same, can you spare some graylings to act as servants for Monarch?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°The reptilians use graylings as obedient slaves,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Monarch would like their own loyal grayling slaves as well.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. He didn¡¯t even know where the graylings were right now, so how could he guarantee they¡¯d obediently listen to the people at Monarch? Before he could respond, Wendy raised a finger to her lips. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming,¡± she said.

    A grayling jogged down the street, its footsteps sounding like slabs of meat slapping against a kitchen counter. The grayling stopped in front of Wendy and Sam, staring at them with its unblinking eyes. ¡°Greetings, sundak,¡± the grayling said to Sam. ¡°Our leader wishes for me to bring you to them.¡±

    ¡°Did you just call me sundak?¡± Sam asked the grayling before turning to look at Wendy.

    ¡°Of course,¡± the grayling said before Wendy could respond. ¡°Anyone who has achieved mastery of their Sahasrara shall be addressed as sundak.¡±

    ¡°Is that how it works?¡± Sam asked Wendy.

    ¡°It is,¡± Wendy said.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Sam said and blinked. ¡°So, you have to address me as sundak?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Wendy said. ¡°As fellow sundaks, we¡¯re equal, so we don¡¯t need to address each other using titles.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean all reptilians have unlocked their crown chakras?¡± Sam asked, afraid of saying the word Sahasraras lest he mispronounce it in front of Wendy, who had acknowledged him as an equal.

    ¡°Adult reptilians, yes,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Some reptilians unlock their Sahasraras earlier than others, but it¡¯s generally something that happens later on in life.¡±

    The grayling walked closer to Sam and waved its hand in front of his face. It might¡¯ve been polite enough to call him sundak, but it was definitely ruder than a grayling should¡¯ve been. ¡°Sundak,¡± the grayling said. ¡°Are you ready? I¡¯ll take you to the leader now.¡±

    For a creature that could manipulate time, the grayling sure was impatient. Sam nodded at the grayling, and the creature held out one of its fingers towards Sam. Sam hesitated for a moment before grabbing the grayling¡¯s finger under the grayling¡¯s gestures of encouragement. Icy cold fingers grabbed Sam¡¯s free hand, and he turned to look at Wendy. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you,¡± she said. A second later, Sam¡¯s vision distorted, and he found himself in the middle of a crowd of graylings.

    Pained hisses echoed through the air, and Sam turned his head towards the sound. A reptilian was suspended upside down by chains attached to the ceiling. A group of graylings were standing around in a circle. One grayling pushed the reptilian¡¯s head, and the scaled creature swung like a pendulum towards another grayling. That grayling pushed the reptilian¡¯s head as well, sending it towards another waiting grayling. Chains bound the reptilian¡¯s arms to its sides, but its mouth remained ungagged. Whenever grayling fingers came close to its head, it tried to bite the digits off, but it was always too slow¡ªthe graylings may have cheated by slowing down time to avoid its teeth.

    Wendy stared at the swinging reptilian for a bit before turning to look at Sam. ¡°This is what Birdbrained thinks is torture?¡±

    ¡°I guess so,¡± Sam said with a blank expression. A stone struck the swinging reptilian¡¯s body, causing it to let out a hiss. Sam turned towards the direction the stone had come from, and he saw Birdbrained digging through a container filled with large rocks. The eagle picked up a stone with its talons, and with a kick, it threw the rock at the swinging reptilian, landing a direct hit on its chest. Sam stared at the eagle, unsure of what exactly to say to the creature as it squawked repeatedly, mimicking human laughter.

    ¡°You could tell it to stop,¡± Wendy said.

    ¡°Yeah, but it won¡¯t listen to me,¡± Sam said and shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ll have to bribe Raindu to take action, which is why I was asking earlier about payment.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Wendy said. She gazed at Sam with an accusing expression. ¡°I wonder where your pets got their ¡­ odd ¡­ personalities from.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. It wasn¡¯t his fault his talent created twisted animals, alright? It was Monarch¡¯s fault for giving him the talent in the first place.

 Chapter 32

    Sam sat at a circular table made of stone. Raindu and Birdbrained sat at the table as well, equidistant from each other like three points on a triangle. In front of Raindu, there was a pile of candy on a plate. In front of Birdbrained, there were the bodies of three salmon¡ªthe eagle had already eaten their heads. Sam wasn¡¯t sure where the fish came from considering Et Serpentium was buried underneath a desert, but he didn¡¯t question it.

    Sam prodded the cut of steak in front of him with his fork, not in the mood to eat. He turned his head to the side where Wendy was sitting with a group of reptilians. Even with his Sahasrara unlocked, reptilians all looked the same to him, the only difference being the color of their scales. The reptilians in the room with him belonged to the herbivore and omnivore factions, the ones that didn¡¯t treat humans as livestock meant for consumption. As for the reptilians of the carnivorous faction, they weren¡¯t present because the graylings, who were now standing at the ready along the walls of the room, had imprisoned a large number of them under Birdbrained¡¯s orders.

    Sam glanced at the table of reptilians, and Wendy made eye contact with him before giving him a thumbs-up. The reptilians were doing some negotiations of their own, deciding how to allocate the graylings and how much they¡¯d pay, but Sam didn¡¯t mind. As long as he got what he wanted, he didn¡¯t care about the complicated process. It was better for him to use Wendy and her recommended people to act as a middleman for his grayling servant service; the reptilians would be more receptive to dealing with other reptilians instead of a human.

    Sam turned his attention back onto his steak. It wasn¡¯t easy to get steak in the human city, and it wasn¡¯t because Sam was talentless back then. When the Earth had ascended to the plane of Oterra during the cataclysm, they had lost huge swathes of territory: land with rich soil fit for farming, wide open meadows with grass perfect for grazing, oceans of water filled with fish. The various sentient species already existing in the plane Earth had ascended to divvied up the planet¡¯s territory and split it amongst themselves, leaving humans with a paltry region barely fit for survival.

    A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth as he munched on a piece of steak. Living in Et Serpentium was definitely more luxurious than living in the human city. However, if Monarch could manipulate the graylings as well, wouldn¡¯t they be able to control more territory, improving the lives of humans everywhere? Although letting humans exploit graylings be the right thing to do¡ªas a human¡ªSam still felt a bit reluctant. He had basically been abandoned by humanity when he was at his lowest, so why would he help humans out by letting them have graylings to use and manipulate?

    Clacking sounds caught Sam¡¯s attention, and he turned his head to look at Wendy approaching him. ¡°We¡¯re done,¡± the blonde woman said and took a seat beside Sam. She stared at the candy on Raindu¡¯s plate, and the ferret glared at Wendy before leaning forward and sweeping up the candy with its front legs, the sweets disappearing into thin air. ¡°Stingy,¡± Wendy said and placed a stone tablet down in front of Sam. ¡°The details of the contract are recorded within; you can access it with your Sahasrara.¡± Her eyes narrowed at Sam. ¡°I suggest you read it.¡±

    Sam let out an awkward chuckle. He skipped reading one contract a single time, only once, but now, people just assumed he didn¡¯t read them at all. To be fair, he hadn¡¯t been planning on reading this one either. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Ellie to look over it,¡± he said. ¡°Where is she by the way?¡±

    ¡°Look over it yourself first,¡± Wendy said, her expression darkening. ¡°I¡¯ll bring her to you once you¡¯ve understood the contents of the contract.¡±

    Sam sighed and put down his fork before grabbing the stone tablet. He took in a deep breath and concentrated on the top of his head. His psychic vision overlaid his sight, and a strand of lightning emerged from the crown chakra¡¯s location, connecting him to the tablet in his hands. After a few seconds of examining the contents that seemed to flow directly into his head, Sam exhaled and lowered the tablet, cutting off his connection with it. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°I took a look at it.¡±

    ¡°How much are you going to be paid a month?¡± Wendy asked.

    Sam¡¯s face twitched. He hadn¡¯t expected to be quizzed. ¡°Let me double-check,¡± Sam said.

    Wendy nodded. ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°Make sure you understand everything. Once you¡¯ve answered all my questions correctly, I¡¯ll bring Ellie to you.¡±

    Sam stared at Wendy, confirming she was serious based on her expression. He turned towards Birdbrained. ¡°Help me out,¡± he said to the eagle, which was tearing at the salmon with its beak. ¡°You¡¯re the one controlling the graylings; you have to make sure you¡¯re fine with everything in the contract.¡±

    The eagle squawked, and Sam raised an eyebrow. Birdbrained was advising him to not sign a contract at all; contracts only set limits on what he could do, and they were a pain in the butt to remember. Rather than making a contract, why not just sell graylings?

    ¡°You¡¯ll make less money, and less people will have access to grayling services,¡± Wendy said without waiting for Sam to voice his thoughts out loud.

    Sam stared at Wendy. It was kind of hard for him to believe she had his best interests in mind after everything they had been through: she trafficked him and didn¡¯t even check up on him; though, he probably should¡¯ve blamed himself for accepting such dubious orders under the guise of secrecy.

    ¡°We¡¯re open to negotiations,¡± Wendy said. ¡°If you think you¡¯re not being compensated fairly, tell us, but to do that¡±¡ªshe pointed at the stone tablet¡ª¡°you have to read.¡±

    Sam exhaled before looking at the tablet. If he wanted to make the most out of this business involving the renting of graylings, it wasn¡¯t unreasonable for him to put in some work, and if that work involved reading and negotiating a contract, then so be it; it was better to be a struggling awakener than a struggling talentless. And struggle Sam did to digest all the information that had been given to him. The tablet itself might¡¯ve been small, but it packed a lot of data, over millions of characters in the contract. Luckily, it seemed like his memory had improved after unlocking his crown chakra; otherwise, he really wouldn¡¯t have been able to pass Wendy¡¯s quiz. Perhaps that was her way of showing him what he was capable of now that his Sahasrara was unlocked.

    Sam stared up at the ceiling, his brain still fried from Wendy¡¯s grilling. At least it was over, and he wouldn¡¯t have to think about the contract anymore until someone tried to rip him off. Pattering sounds drew Sam¡¯s attention, and he turned his head to look in the direction of the sound. If danger were approaching, the graylings standing at the ready around the perimeter of the room would alert him. As expected, there was no danger. A familiar, yellow reptilian, Ellie, ran towards Sam. She jumped and tackled him, knocking him out of his seat, sending both of them barreling towards the wall. Before he made contact with the hard surface, the two graylings in the way took steps away from each other to the sides, avoiding the fate of having their bodies used as cushions.

    Sam used Toughen an instant before impact, a bit surprised at how easily the technique activated. He wondered if it was related to his now-open crown chakra, but he didn¡¯t have time to explore that train of thought. Sam maintained Toughen as Ellie slapped his shoulders repeatedly with her hands, her caring¡ªand painful¡ªway of showing him her affection. ¡°Sam!¡± Ellie said. ¡°I was so worried about you! I told you to stay under the bed. What happened? Why did the GMC go to you, and how did you survive against those reptilians? You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Once the slapping stopped, Sam canceled his technique and exhaled. ¡°I was abducted by a reptilian while hiding,¡± Sam said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to worry you.¡±

    ¡°As long as you didn¡¯t do it on purpose,¡± Ellie said and climbed to her feet as she turned her head. She examined Birdbrained and Raindu, the two animals sitting and eating at the table. ¡°Is that an eagle? You found another pet?¡±

    Sam adjusted his posture, sitting up before nodding. ¡°I haven¡¯t been completely honest with you,¡± he said. ¡°Those animals are a part of my talent. Under certain circumstances I¡¯m still not quite sure about, I can transform crystals into animals with abnormal abilities, and one of the crystals I transformed happens to be the GMC. Raindu brought it to me with his abnormal ability.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call it abnormal!¡± Ellie said and placed her hands on her hips. Since Sam was seated, her eyes were slightly higher than his. ¡°Raindu has feelings too, so you should use a word with a better tone like special or extraordinary!¡±

    Raindu looked over at Sam and Ellie. The ferret bobbed its head up and down when Sam made eye contact with it, and once it finished showings its agreement with Ellie¡¯s words, Raindu went back to eating candy while chattering at Birdbrained.

    ¡°Yes¡­,¡± Sam said almost referring to Ellie as sundak. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He nodded at the animals at the table before standing up. He met Ellie¡¯s gaze, looking down at her. ¡°Raindu¡¯s special ability brought the GMC to me, and my talent turned the GMC into Birdbrained.¡± Sam clarified upon seeing Ellie¡¯s expression. ¡°It likes the name Birdbrained.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Ellie crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°And Birdbrained can control the graylings, right? That means you have all the power! Where¡¯s the contract?¡±

    ¡°Over there,¡± Sam said and pointed at the tablet on the table.

    Ellie skipped over and picked the stone tablet up. She leaned over and pinched a piece of flesh off one of Birdbrained¡¯s salmons. The eagle blinked and stared with its beak half open as Ellie ignored the bird and stuffed the stolen piece of fish into her mouth while taking a seat. For someone whose mother was supposed to do most of the work, Ellie sure was reading the contract quite seriously. Sam wondered if it was wise to leave things in Ellie¡¯s hands, but after considering for a moment, he let her be; it was better to have more opinions.

    ¡°Have you thought about what you¡¯re going to do after this?¡± Wendy asked, positioning herself next to Sam. ¡°With your new grayling business, you won¡¯t be hurting for money; paying the severance fee for breaking the contract with Monarch is merely a formality at this point.¡± Wendy stared at Sam¡¯s head, reminding him of the time there used to be a brain-melting device surgically implanted inside of it. ¡°Monarch doesn¡¯t have any means to control you since it¡¯s much harder to threaten a wealthy individual¡¯s sibling than it is a poor one¡¯s.¡±

    Sam stared at Wendy. So, Monarch really was threatening him when they mentioned his brother. Well, it wasn¡¯t like he couldn¡¯t understand why. As for her question, what was he going to do after this? He made that wish to gain the power to change his life, but now that he had it, he didn¡¯t know what he wanted to change into. Being a pet was better than being a talentless, but there weren¡¯t a lot of humans running around clamoring they¡¯d like to be someone¡¯s pet. He had to experience more ways of life to decide how he wanted to live. Some people were independent, capable of living life by their own rules and being satisfied with that, but Sam was more of a plagiarist than a free thinker; if he found a way of life he liked, then he¡¯d assimilate into it.

    ¡°Looks like you have your answer,¡± Wendy said. ¡°You¡¯re going to explore Oterra now that you have the strength and freedom to do as you wish, huh?¡±

    Sam¡¯s eye twitched. It was a bit annoying how Wendy read his mind and used his thoughts to find the answer before he had time to find it himself, which he definitely would have.

    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you start back in the city?¡± Wendy asked, her face betraying no signs of being upset upon reading Sam¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Find out what life is like for the humans who¡¯re awakened and exceptionally powerful; you haven¡¯t experienced it before. You might even bump into your parents¡ªunless you¡¯re scared that¡¯ll happen; in that case, forget I said anything.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. She was obviously trying to manipulate him into going back to the city, but did she really think that¡¯d work?

    ¡°You grew up so fast,¡± Wendy said and flashed Sam a smile. ¡°Be honest; aren¡¯t you at least a tiny bit glad I sold you off?¡±

    Sam¡¯s forehead scrunched up. Well, he was¡ª

    ¡°See?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°I knew you would enjoy it, and look at how strong you¡¯ve grown. Tamara wouldn¡¯t have trained you enough to beat James, but Ellie did.¡±

    Sam pursed his lips. Now that he knew Wendy was a mind reader, she didn¡¯t have to hide it from him anymore, so she was flaunting her ability now? She had smiled earlier too, and she did that less often than a sloth pooped¡ªonce a week, a fact he had learned during his time in Et Serpentium. Was this Wendy a different personality or something?

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Wendy asked. She patted Sam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just remember, if you need help getting established in the city, Monarch wouldn¡¯t mind paving the way for you.¡± Then, she turned her head to look at Ellie, who had coincidentally turned to meet Wendy¡¯s gaze at the same time. ¡°Now let the people who can make your life easier talk to one another.¡±

    Sam scratched his head as Wendy left and went towards Ellie to discuss the details of the contract. Sam turned put his hands into his pockets and stared at the round table with two animals, one reptilian, and one half-reptilian. They were probably the beings he was closest with. It was a shame he couldn¡¯t have a normal friend. Speaking of which, where were James and Tamara? Since the mission to steal the GMC was a success, they were probably making their way out of Et Serpentium.

    Sam shrugged before turning towards one of the graylings. ¡°Do you guys resent being used as servants?¡± he asked. ¡°You can be honest with me.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the grayling said. ¡°As servants, we are given chances to discover new things we wouldn¡¯t have thought up ourselves.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re so satisfied with those new experiences, you won¡¯t mind if they¡¯re unpleasant?¡± Sam asked. ¡°How about if you¡¯re asked to do the same task repeatedly without changing anything?¡±

    ¡°Everything is constantly changing,¡± the grayling said. ¡°Even when the same actions are being repeated, they are done at different times. Also, you underestimate the value of new experiences. They are the purpose of our lives.¡±

    ¡°The purpose of life?¡± Sam asked. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty bold claim.¡±

    ¡°When we die, our memories and experiences are returned to the great feathered one,¡± the grayling said and looked at Birdbrained. ¡°What we have experienced shall be used as a reference for the next generation of graylings.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said. ¡°How many graylings are there, and will they all listen to me?¡±

    ¡°We, the Anunaki, reside wherever there is ground,¡± the grayling said. ¡°Our numbers are uncountable. We live as many groups in underground dwellings, each with undying loyalty to the great feathered one. The Anunaki within Et Serpentium were living here before the reptilians dug out their homes. Our tunnels precede theirs by several millennia.¡±

    Sam blinked. He hadn¡¯t expected the graylings to be so widespread. ¡°Are they living under the human city as well?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the answer to your question,¡± the grayling said. ¡°I have been in Et Serpentium for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Does anyone know?¡± Sam asked, sweeping his gaze over the graylings. None of them stepped forward. ¡°Were they living in the region before humans settled it?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the grayling who was answering Sam¡¯s questions earlier said. ¡°Anywhere there is land, we have made a settlement.¡±

    Sam nodded. So, it was possible there was a group of graylings living underneath the human city. With graylings being everywhere, he didn¡¯t have to worry about running out of servants to rent out. However¡­. ¡°The GMC¡¯s range didn¡¯t cover all of Oterra, right?¡± Sam asked. ¡°There must be a lot of graylings out there without orders being given to them. What do you think they¡¯re doing?¡±

    ¡°If I were free, I¡¯d be plotting a way to destroy Oterra,¡± the grayling said. ¡°I hope my free Ananuki brethren are doing their best to obliterate the plane of existence we live on.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. Perhaps before returning to the human city, he¡¯d try to visit as many grayling settlements as possible. They were destructive and didn¡¯t know when to give up. ¡°Is there a grand plan or something? Dig enough underground to collapse the surface?¡±

    The grayling stared at Sam. ¡°That¡¯s a brilliant idea,¡± it said. ¡°If I¡¯m ever free, I¡¯ll be sure to put that plan into action.¡±

    Sam stared back at the grayling. The only way it was ever regaining its freedom was if he died, causing Birdbrained to disappear; although, he wasn¡¯t quite sure if Birdbrained would even disappear. Either way, if the grayling were ever freed, then Sam would probably be dead, so it didn¡¯t matter if the grayling decided to flip the surface of Oterra like a chessboard. Thus, Sam chose to ignore the grayling¡¯s somewhat-ominous comment.

 Chapter 33

    Sam¡¯s torso swayed from side to side as he looked up at the ceiling of the train car. He hadn¡¯t expected to ride a train so soon after nearly dying in one not too long ago, but as fate would have it, this was the only option back to the human city¡ªbecause Sam had ruled out crossing the spectral jungle to return; he had more than enough experiences in the damp jungle filled with giant bugs and time-manipulating wolf people.

    The last time Sam was on the train, he hadn¡¯t gotten very far before a freed grayling derailed it, so he didn¡¯t get to see the scenery around Et Serpentium. Now that he was riding a train out of Et Serpentium, he found out he hadn¡¯t missed much considering the tracks were underground, and whoever was in charge of the transit system didn¡¯t care about lighting up an empty tunnel. Well, traveling underground on a train was still a novelty, albeit an unexciting one.

    ¡°So,¡± Wendy said. She was sitting beside Sam, wearing a suit similar to the one he had first seen her in. ¡°Have you decided on where you¡¯d like to live once you go back?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam said. He held out the stone tablet the size of a playing card in his left hand and focused on the crown of his head. Through his Sahasrara, he transmitted an image from his mind into the tablet. ¡°This one.¡±

    Wendy glanced down at the tablet, which hadn¡¯t changed on the surface despite Sam¡¯s transmission. ¡°I see,¡± Wendy said and nodded her head, ¡°very woodsy. Not really what I expected from you, but¡±¡ªshe glanced at the eagle perched on Sam¡¯s lap and the sleeping ferret on his shoulder¡ª¡°I think I understand why; I¡¯ll have it purchased for you.¡±

    ¡°I already bought it,¡± Sam said.

    Wendy blinked. ¡°Oh?¡±

    Sam had surprisingly gotten along very well with the graylings. Even though their thoughts were destructive, that didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t smart and intelligent¡ªin Sam¡¯s opinion. When he talked with them about his problems, they gave him clear and good advice. One of them even offered to be Sam¡¯s secretary, and Sam learned why reptilians were willing to pay him, an ex-pet human, to continue having graylings serve them. They were efficient and capable of doing everything: purchasing houses, managing business deals, organizing schedules, planning everything in a financially responsible manner. It gave him time to be free without having to worry about anything else.

    ¡°It seems I¡¯m putting my job at risk,¡± Wendy said after reading Sam¡¯s thoughts. If one grayling was responsible enough to take care of Sam, it¡¯d only take a few more graylings working together to efficiently run Monarch. Perhaps all positions other than combat-oriented and support-oriented awakeners could be replaced. Well, no sane company would replace all their workers with graylings; that¡¯d be like handing over the company to Sam.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the point of graylings?¡± Sam asked. ¡°They do the menial tasks, so people can focus on more important things like what they¡¯re interested in.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it goes in theory,¡± Wendy said. ¡°How it actually plays out is yet to be seen.¡± Wendy shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s for certain is you¡¯ll be meeting with the heads of many companies, not just Monarch. Do you want any advice on how to deal with them?¡±

    ¡°The graylings already came up with a plan,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯ll establish friendly relationships with every company and distribute graylings to them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Wendy asked after pausing for a moment. ¡°Nothing comes after that? How are you going to exploit those connections you¡¯ll make?¡±

    Sam shrugged. ¡°Whenever the situation arises,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to send a few graylings to law enforcement as well, and if I¡¯m ever caught doing something illegal, I¡¯ll abuse my power to get off scot-free.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°And what illegal acts are you preparing for?¡±

    Sam rolled his eyes. He wasn¡¯t planning on breaking the law if he didn¡¯t have to. Unlike before, he didn¡¯t have to squat in someone else¡¯s home since he was now filthy rich from the trade with the reptilians¡ªwho had paid him in advance.

    ¡°Bribery?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°It¡¯s convenient for getting what you want.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said. After thinking about it for a bit, he changed his mind. People were always making their lives easier with money, so why should bribery be excluded? Monarch operated in gray areas of the law all the time, and they were quite a successful company, so if successful companies were breaking the law, why shouldn¡¯t he break them as well?

    ¡°Most people don¡¯t jump to that conclusion,¡± Wendy said. ¡°They usually get upset the companies aren¡¯t following the law and try to think of ways to expose their wrongdoings.¡±

    If Sam cared about condemning companies¡¯ illegal activities, he wouldn¡¯t have volunteered to have an artificial talent inserted into his body.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome for the boss core by the way,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Imagine you were granted a talent with an insignificant monster core; I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be sitting so pretty if your talent were something like ink remover.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for believing I¡¯d survive the process,¡± Sam said and rolled his eyes. Although he said it sarcastically, he was a bit grateful Wendy had chosen to give him a stronger core. In the future, when the technique to grant talents improved, could he replace his talent with an even better one?

    A sharp pain stabbed Sam¡¯s knee, and he flinched while looking down. Birdbrained had pecked Sam¡¯s knee, evidently unhappy its owner wasn¡¯t satisfied with his current talent. What was better than instantly mastering chakras? Wasn¡¯t he satisfied?

    Sam exhaled and turned his attention onto Wendy, ignoring the blood tricking down his leg from where the eagle¡¯s sharp, pointy beak had punctured his skin. ¡°I¡¯ve mastered the Sahasrara thanks to Birdbrained,¡± he said. ¡°Do you think you can teach me some tricks like ¡­ how to turn invisible?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Becoming invisible is like creating a connection with someone, but instead of opening your connection, you cut them off.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow as he glanced down at the stone tablet in his hand. It was easy forming a connection with it, but he never thought about cutting off the strand of lightning connecting him to the card-sized stone. Then again, with inanimate objects, connections had to be formed with them first. Sam turned towards Wendy. With people, the connections were automatically established. Sam focused on the strand of lightning connecting him and Wendy, and with a simple thought, he severed the strand.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Wendy said. ¡°You did it; that was quick.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m invisible?¡± Sam asked. At the same time his voice reached Wendy¡¯s ears, the strand connecting him to Wendy reappeared. As long as he severed the connection between him and another person, they wouldn¡¯t register him being there unless he made himself known either by speaking or making a loud noise. ¡°I think I get it.¡± It wasn¡¯t really invisibility; it was rendering someone incapable of registering him in their mind.

    Wendy stared at Sam¡¯s head for a bit before exhaling. The nervous kid who had been so easily tricked was gone, replaced by someone relaxed and comfortable with himself. Once again, Wendy applauded her decision to go off plan and sell Sam to Ellie¡¯s mother. Although things didn¡¯t work out as Monarch had planned, things worked out perfectly for Wendy. Her status amongst reptilians had risen thanks to the connection forged between humanity, graylings, and reptilians through Sam¡¯s theft of the GMC. It was a powerful connection, albeit one people would look down upon.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°What else can you do with a mastered crown chakra?¡± Sam asked, turning towards Wendy.

    ¡°Explore it on your own,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Sometimes, foreign ideas will constrain your thoughts, limiting the power of your intent.¡±

    Sam stared at Wendy. For some reason, it felt like she was giving him an excuse to avoid teaching him. Well, it was fine, even in Et Serpentium, he had to pay to learn new techniques. He was lucky she taught him how to turn invisible for free. It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t obtained any new skills either. Since the deal had gone through, Sam went to the technique shop and jiggled some useful abilities into his body. Sadly, there was a limit on how many techniques could be granted by the jiggler in a short amount of time, so he didn¡¯t learn that many, but it¡¯d take him a while to get accustomed to the new ones he had obtained.

    Normally, he¡¯d spend the time practicing them, but using techniques made him hungry, and he hadn¡¯t brought that much food with him. Raindu was carrying most of it, and he didn¡¯t want to disturb the ferret while it slept. The trip back to the human city from Et Serpentium was a long one. He wasn¡¯t sure how fast the train was traveling compared to a surdock, but it couldn¡¯t have been too much faster considering the estimated time of arrival was in a week.

    ¡°This route connects straight to the city?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s a transfer along the way,¡± Wendy said. ¡°But since humanity¡¯s train was derailed, we don¡¯t have to switch trains.¡±

    ¡°Why is there a train connected to Et Serpentium anyway?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°The reptilians wanted easy access to pets and other opportunities,¡± Wendy said, ¡°so they constructed a path to the city.¡±

    ¡°And humans just let them?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Yep,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Humans approved of it too. They wanted access to lands deeper into Oterra, and some people didn¡¯t mind using the reptilians as a convenient way to make people go missing. It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t seen Tamara; she works at Monarch legally.¡±

    As a talentless, Sam had been relegated to the outskirts of the city, the slums where no one wanted to live. It wasn¡¯t particularly dangerous, but it wasn¡¯t pleasant knowing the center of the city was safer in case of a monster attack. To be fair, there had only been three times the city had been attacked since Sam was living in it, and each time, awakeners swiftly suppressed the aggressors. If the awakeners in the city were fine with using the talentless as human buffers, Sam wasn¡¯t surprised they¡¯d be willing to make deals with the reptilians as well.

    Sam exhaled and leaned back in his seat, staring up at the ceiling of the train once more. ¡°A whole week, huh?¡± he asked no one in particularly. What was he going to do in that time? Meditating to unlock his chakras wasn¡¯t an option since Raindu wouldn¡¯t let him hold any crystals, and he didn¡¯t have access to his food storage while the ferret was sleeping, preventing him from practicing his vibrational techniques. In that case, he could always experiment more with his psychic vision.

    ¡°Would you like to skip ahead by a week?¡± one of the graylings beside Sam asked.

    ¡°Skip ahead?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°We can manipulate time and space,¡± the grayling said. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to wait a week, we can make it pass in an instant.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you guys only capable of skipping ahead?¡± he asked. ¡°If I wanted to go back in time, could you send me into the past?¡±

    ¡°Moving to the past is difficult,¡± the grayling said. ¡°There are entities in the fourth dimension that specialize in feasting on those who move around outside of their time.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°And you were fine with sending me to the future because¡­?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be moving outside of time,¡± the grayling said. ¡°You¡¯d still be moving around the present but at a faster speed.¡±

    ¡°And I won¡¯t be feasted on by fourth-dimensional creatures?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s always a chance you¡¯ll be feasted on by fourth-dimensional creatures,¡± the grayling said. ¡°Whenever someone dies with no identifiable cause of death, they were likely killed by an extra-dimensional creature.¡±

    Sam turned his head towards Wendy. ¡°Are extra-dimensional creatures a thing?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve been talked about,¡± Wendy said, her eyes drifting towards the eagle perched on Sam¡¯s legs, ¡°but humans haven¡¯t observed any in action.¡±

    ¡°Are you unaware?¡± the grayling asked. It pointed at Raindu and Birdbrained, using one of its long fingers for each animal. ¡°You have two extra-dimensional creatures in your lap.¡±

    Sam blinked and looked down at Raindu and Birdbrained. ¡°They¡¯re extra-dimensional creatures?¡± His brow furrowed as he turned towards Wendy. ¡°You did say something about higher-dimensional creature when that white light broke apart.¡±

    Raindu¡¯s ears perked up, but the ferret¡¯s eyes remained close.

    ¡°Yes, Birdbrained shattered the stabilized space in a very impressive manner,¡± Wendy said, causing the ferret¡¯s eyes to shoot open. It rolled over and stood on its hindlegs before thumping its chest, proclaiming it was one that had shattered the light. Whether it was on purpose or not, Wendy ignored the ferret. ¡°That¡¯s why I suspected it was a higher-dimensional creature.¡±

    ¡°Are they rare or something?¡± Sam asked. If these extra-dimensional creatures were all as powerful as Raindu and Birdbrained, wouldn¡¯t everyone have heard of them since they¡¯d wreak so much havoc? They¡¯d be like natural disasters. Surely, you¡¯ve got the names of some of them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because of the watchers,¡± a grayling said. ¡°The blue avians.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow. As a talentless human, he had never heard the term before. As a human pet in Et Serpentium, he had also never heard the term. He turned his head towards Wendy, and he raised an eyebrow upon seeing Wendy¡¯s lips stretch into a frown. ¡°What?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Is it bad?¡±

    Wendy nodded. ¡°They might be coming for you.¡±

    ***

    In the northern end of Oterra, there was a lush forest, flowers sporting petals with warm hues. In the center of said forest, there was a tower constructed of multiple trees rooted in close proximity, their trunks weaving through one another, encouraged to grow in a chalice-like structure by their planter. Although there were no proper footholds¡ªor even floors for that matter¡ªto climb the tower, that didn¡¯t bother the inhabitants: blue avians, humanoid figures with cold-colored feathers covering every inch of their skin. Blue avians were gathered high and low along the thick branches growing out of the trees making up the walls of the tower.

    ¡°The calamity detector has sounded its alarm,¡± one of the blue avians said without opening its mouth, its voice transmitted directly into the minds of the blue avians within the tower.

    ¡°A calamity has been detected?¡± another blue avian asked in a high-pitched voice.

    ¡°Yes, the calamity detector sounds its alarm when it detects a calamity,¡± the first blue avian said with a flat tone.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to be so rude,¡± the second blue avian said. ¡°I was helping you build an atmosphere, but you shattered it like all the other hopes and dreams you shut down every day.¡±

    ¡°The calamity detector has sounded its alarm,¡± the first blue avian said, repeating itself.

    ¡°A calamity has been detected?¡± the second blue avian asked in a high-pitched voice.

    ¡°A dangerous one too,¡± the first blue avian said. ¡°We suspect the master of the Anunaki has resurrected.¡±

    ¡°Again?¡± someone asked from the side. ¡°Didn¡¯t he perish not that long ago?¡±

    ¡°Ten thousand years,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°Like how long it takes for you to get ready.¡±

    ¡°Beauty takes time; you wouldn¡¯t understand it, not with your face.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± a sharp voice said, cutting through the chatter. A blue avian with orange, eagle-like eyes crossed their arms over their chest and swept their gaze over the other blue avians. ¡°Who¡¯s it going to be this time?¡±

    ¡°Oh, would you look at the time,¡± a blue avian said before levitating off the branch it was on and floating away.

    ¡°Oh, yes, the time,¡± another blue avian said, floating away as well.

    ¡°The time, the time, how dreadful.¡±

    ¡°Not it!¡±

    Blatant excuses echoed all throughout the wooden chalice-like structure, and soon, every blue avian had left except the one who had asked the question in the first place. They remained in place, scanning the branches of the tower to make sure everyone was gone. ¡°Then, it¡¯s up to me,¡± the blue avian said and sighed. ¡°Again.¡±

    ¡°Paula said they¡¯ll do it!¡±

    All at once, chattering echoed through Paula¡¯s head as all the blue avians returned to the tower. Evidently, the time all the blue avians were referring to was the moment someone took on the responsibility of subduing the Anunaki¡¯s master.

    ¡°Paula¡¯s the best,¡± a blue avian said.

    ¡°Certainly, she¡¯s the most responsible too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what best means: all-encompassing, that includes responsible.¡±

    ¡°Well, best can¡¯t mean all-encompassing because everyone knows I make the tastiest deserts for our social gatherings. If Paula were the best, then they¡¯d be a better patissier than me.¡±

    ¡°And a better feather-trimmer than me,¡± a third avian chimed in.

    ¡°And a better beak shiner than me.¡±

    Paula exhaled and surged towards the sky, leaving through the canopy of the tower. With a thought, Paula rushed forward through the sky, arriving at the edge of the lush forest in an instant. The blue avian¡¯s eyes narrowed as they slowly rotated. When Paula detected something off about the direction they were facing, the blue avian didn¡¯t hesitate to float in that direction, zooming across the sky like a shooting star. The calamity was quite far away even with Paula¡¯s current speed, but they were sure they¡¯d arrive before the calamity had time to grow. A lone calamity stood no chance against a blue avian¡ªone of the reasons why no one cared about Paula¡¯s safety; the other reason was a much more depressing one involving Paula¡¯s social abilities.

 Chapter 34

    Sam walked down the hall with his head held high and his chest puffed out. He wore a wide-brimmed hat, one perfect for an eagle to make a nest out of, which Birdbrained had done. The eagle was gleaming like a piece of white gold thanks to the lighting within the building. A black ferret was hanging out of Sam¡¯s collar, using his shirt like guardrails with its little paws.

    Wendy walked alongside Sam. She wore a black suit, and held in her left arm, there was a clipboard with a stack of papers attached to it. The half-reptilian turned to look at Sam; he had changed during his time in Et Serpentium. However, Queen Annabeth wasn¡¯t a pushover. Sam still had to treat her with respect even if he could control the graylings now. ¡°Remember,¡± Wendy said. ¡°You¡¯re strong, but Queen Annabeth is stronger.¡±

    ¡°Even without Raindu?¡± Sam asked. Wendy had said the queen could become the god of a domain with the help of her scepter, but since her scepter had been converted into a ferret, he wasn¡¯t sure what Queen Annabeth could do.

    ¡°Even without Raindu,¡± Wendy said. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to grovel before her, but it¡¯d be better for you if you treated her with plenty of respect.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Sam said. Queen Annabeth lost a precious weapon¡ªan understatement¡ªto invest in him. He wasn¡¯t an ungrateful individual. ¡°Queen Annabeth helped change my life for the better. I¡¯ll definitely treat her well.¡± The eagle atop Sam¡¯s hat readjusted itself, its feathers rustling. As promised, Wendy had secured him a cap capable of enduring the eagle¡¯s knife-like talons. Unfortunately, the creature Birdbrained had its sights on¡­.

    ¡°Squishy!¡± Wendy said and crouched down. The queen¡¯s most adored pet, Squishy the Pomeranian, ran towards Wendy with its fluffy tail wagging, its stumpy legs pattering against the ground. ¡°It¡¯s been so¡±¡ª

    Whump!

    A piercing cry echoed through the hall.

    ¡ª¡°long¡­!?¡± Wendy¡¯s eyes widened. The tiny dog that had been running towards her was now shrieking in the air, carried in the talons of a scruffy-yet-gleaming white eagle. The eagle¡¯s razor-sharp beak dipped downwards, blood spurted across the walls, and Squishy¡¯s cries ceased. Wendy stared at the sight with wide eyes. ¡°¡­Squishy?¡±

    Sam¡¯s jaw dropped open, and he wasn¡¯t quite sure what to do. The queen¡¯s favorite pet was obviously no longer alive, and all the queen¡¯s healers and all the queen¡¯s wealth wouldn¡¯t bring Squishy back from across the rainbow bridge.

    ¡°What did your pet do!?¡± Wendy asked, shouting at Sam while keeping her voice down to prevent other people in the building from hearing. She thought she had gotten over the days of Sam¡¯s pets ruining everything. Shouldn¡¯t they have grown and matured in the time spent in Et Serpentium? Then again, it was Birdbrained, the newly created animal that was causing issues. ¡°Make it stop!¡±

    ¡°Birdbrained!¡± Sam said and slapped his thigh with his palm. ¡°Hey! Stop!¡±

    The white eagle turned towards Sam. The region around its beak gleamed red, and Birdbrained tilted its head before squawking. It waddled towards Sam, leaving a trail of blood droplets from its beak.

    ¡°Stop,¡± Sam said. ¡°You can¡¯t eat Squishy.¡± He took in a deep breath and turned towards one of the graylings trailing behind him and Wendy. ¡°Can you reverse time to bring Squishy back to life?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the grayling said and raised its hand. ¡°At most, I can do this.¡±

    Whump!

    A piercing cry echoed through the hall.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Sam shouted as the previous event looped.

    A strangled gasp came from down the hall, causing Sam and Wendy to turn their heads towards the sound. Queen Annabeth was holding her hand up to her mouth, her wide eyes staring at the eagle perched atop her beloved pet and the puddle of blood pooling beneath the two entangled animals. ¡°Squishy?¡± Queen Annabeth asked as she staggered past Sam and Wendy. ¡°Is that you?¡±

    Birdbrained awkwardly climbed off of the fallen Pomeranian before half-hopping, half-walking to hide behind the group of graylings before circling around to Sam. Sam looked at Wendy, and the half-reptilian shook her head, indicating she had no idea what to do; they were stepping into uncharted territory.

    Queen Annabeth fell to her knees beside Squishy, her dress soaking up the blood on the ground. The queen slid her hands underneath the dog¡¯s body and lifted the limp Pomeranian up to her chest level. ¡°Oh, Squishy,¡± she said, her lips quivering, her vision blurring as tears built up in her eyes. ¡°What happened to you? Mama¡¯s here, Squishy; don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Sam¡¯s face cramped, and he looked at Wendy with an expression uglier than a bloated corpse¡¯s face. ¡°What do I do?¡± he whispered.

    Wendy narrowed her eyes at the queen. After reading the queen¡¯s mind for a bit, the half-reptilian turned towards Sam. She raised a finger to her lips, and Sam nodded. He got the message loud and clear. The queen was traumatized, and he should remain silent.

    Squawking sounds filled the air as Birdbrained flew atop Sam¡¯s head. The bird¡¯s cries were deafening compared to the mournful sound coming from the queen. Sam thought fiercely at the bird for it to shut up, but all Birdbrained did was open its fat beak and squawk again to ask Sam what he meant.

    Queen Annabeth stroked Squishy¡¯s matted fur, her fingers smoothing out the bloody strands. She turned towards the squawking sound and narrowed her eyes at the eagle. Birdbrained noticed the queen¡¯s bloodshot gaze, and instead of squawking at her, the eagle let itself fall from Sam¡¯s head, hiding from the queen¡¯s view. Queen Annabeth lifted Squishy to her chest as she stood up, and she turned her body around to face Sam. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±

    Sam swallowed upon seeing the queen¡¯s deadpan face. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty,¡± Sam said, bowing his head to stare at the floor. It was much more comfortable staring at the ground than meeting the queen¡¯s gaze; her thousand-yard stare made his gut churn with horror and guilt but mostly horror.

    Wendy took a step to the side rather than greeting the queen. She stared up at the ceiling as if what happened next wasn¡¯t going to involve her.

    Queen Annabeth narrowed her eyes at Sam. ¡°I came out to see what the commotion was about,¡± she said. ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Sam turned to look at Wendy, and the half-reptilian gestured for Sam to go ahead with her chin. Sam swallowed again and followed behind the queen, going down the hall and into a room with a throne on an elevated platform. The old woman took a seat on the throne and picked up a scepter that was propped against the throne¡¯s armrest. She placed one hand on it, letting the butt of the weapon rest on the ground. Her eyes narrowed at Sam. ¡°Wendy tells me you¡¯ve come to negotiate with Monarch.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Sam said, his expression stiff. He did his best to avoid looking at Squishy¡¯s still-bleeding corpse; luckily, there was a red carpet he could stare at. ¡°I stole the GMC, but like how my natural talent converted your scepter into a ferret, my talent converted the GMC into an eagle.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the eagle,¡± Queen Annabeth said. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡±

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    Birdbrained squawked and made its way out from the crowd of graylings that had followed Sam into the room along with Wendy. The eagle did its awkward hop and waddle to stand beside Sam. It squawked and dipped its head downwards before raising it back up.

    ¡°Birdbrained apologizes for attacking your pet,¡± Sam said. ¡°It said it acted on instinct because Squishy sounded like prey.¡±

    ¡°Squishy,¡± Queen Annabeth said, her lips quivering as she looked down at her beloved pet. The Pomeranian¡¯s eyes were still open, but they seemed to be made of glass, still, unmoving, and soulless.

    Birdbrained squawked, causing the queen to raise her head. Her eyes narrowed at Sam.

    ¡°Birdbrained said it¡¯s sorry,¡± Sam said, ¡°and it¡¯ll compensate you for your loss.¡±

    ¡°Compensate me?¡± Queen Annabeth asked in a monotonous voice.

    Chills ran down Sam¡¯s spine, but his face didn¡¯t betray his emotions. If he answered incorrectly here, he had a feeling the queen would personally attack him. Sam looked at Birdbrained, wondering how the eagle was planning on filling the gaping wound in the queen¡¯s heart from her loss of her beloved Squishy.

    Birdbrained squawked, and before Sam could translate, a grayling walked forward and bowed at the queen. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty,¡± the grayling said. ¡°I will be your servant. Feel free to use me as a replacement for Squishy; whatever commands you have for me, I shall fulfill. If you¡¯d like, I can bark or crawl.¡±

    ¡°Kill yourself,¡± Queen Annabeth said.

    ¡°If that is your desire,¡± the grayling said. A second later, its eyes, which were black and glossy, lost their light. The grayling fell over, causing Birdbrained to tilt its head. The eagle squawked. When Sam remained silent, the eagle squawked again even louder.

    ¡°It wants to know why you did that, Your Majesty,¡± Sam said before the eagle could whine a third time. ¡°It thinks it would¡¯ve made you much happier than Squishy ever could. It¡¯ll give you another one to try again.¡± Sam turned his head towards the graylings. ¡°Any volunteers?¡±

    All the graylings stepped forward at once, causing Sam¡¯s expression to darken. It was a dangerous job, one that might force them to kill themselves, but they all jumped at the chance. They did say, in a roundabout way, their purpose was to die to transfer knowledge to their lord. ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said and pointed randomly at the crowd. ¡°You.¡±

    The grayling selected by Sam nodded. ¡°Thank you, sundak,¡± it said before making its way to the queen, bowing at the old woman once it was an appropriate distance away. ¡°Your Majesty, I will obey your every order.¡±

    ¡°Get that thing out of my sight,¡± Queen Annabeth said, pointing at the dead grayling by the live grayling¡¯s feet.

    The grayling clapped its hands, and the grayling corpse was shifted through space, appearing in front of Birdbrained. The eagle stood up straight and puffed up its chest before widening its beak. It engulfed the grayling corpse and swallowed it whole. Birdbrained¡¯s body expanded to accommodate the meal, and the eagle let out a loud belch that caused the walls of the room to shake. Sam was mortified.

    Queen Annabeth stared at the grayling. ¡°Sit,¡± she said, and the grayling sat. Her eyes narrowed. ¡°My pet was brutally slaughtered by that eagle over there. Catch it and bring it over to me.¡±

    The grayling disappeared and reappeared by Birdbrained¡¯s side. It grabbed the eagle, and Birdbrained squawked as it struggled to free itself. Birdbrained pecked at the grayling¡¯s face, and before the grayling could succeed in its mission to bring the eagle to the queen, it succumbed to its beak-related injuries.

    ¡°Great,¡± Queen Annabeth said. ¡°Kill another one of my pets, why don¡¯t you?¡±

    Birdbrained squawked, and Sam¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I¡¯m not translating that,¡± he said to the eagle. The queen was asking rhetorically, but Birdbrained had answered, ¡°Sure, who¡¯s next?¡±

    ¡°Forget about the compensation for now,¡± Queen Annabeth said. ¡°My personal matters should be taken care of outside of business hours. Your eagle was transformed from the GMC, so now, you control the graylings, is that correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Sam said, relieved to have gone off the topic of the dead dog still in the queen¡¯s lap.

    ¡°How many graylings do you have under you?¡± Queen Annabeth asked. ¡°And how many are you willing to sell to Monarch?¡±

    Sam scratched his head. Technically, every grayling in Oterra would follow his orders, but he hadn¡¯t met them all yet, and he wasn¡¯t sure of their exact population; however, most of the graylings he could command were already stationed in Et Serpentium. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how many graylings are working under me, but for now, there are three thousand graylings ready to be rented out.¡±

    ¡°Rented?¡± Queen Annabeth asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯m not a trafficker; I don¡¯t sell graylings. I¡¯m just someone who coordinates companies and graylings. Graylings are easily taken advantage of, so I have to guide them to the right places where they¡¯ll be treated with respect and care.¡±

    ¡°In other words,¡± Queen Annabeth said, her voice still monotonous, ¡°you¡¯re a pimp.¡±

    A wry smile appeared on Sam¡¯s face. ¡°If that¡¯s how you want to describe it,¡± he said.

    ¡°Of those three thousand graylings, how many were you going to rent to Monarch?¡± Queen Annabeth asked.

    ¡°Five hundred,¡± Sam said.

    The queen lowered her gaze, staring at the cold Pomeranian in her lap. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she let out a deep sigh.

    Birdbrained squawked at Sam and pointed at the queen with the tip of its wing. Sam cleared his throat. ¡°Actually, Your Majesty, I can rent Monarch twenty-five hundred graylings,¡± he said. ¡°I had originally planned on keeping it equal between the six big companies, but Birdbrained feels terrible for what happened to Squishy, and it wants to make up for its mistake.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± the queen said, raising her head and blinking back her tears. ¡°Since you¡¯re offering, I won¡¯t refuse. Monarch does wish to establish a good relationship with you, and I would like to as well on a personal level, but for now, I have to grieve. You can take Wendy with you to the other companies when you give them their graylings.¡±

    Sam blinked as Queen Annabeth lowered her head and stared at the corpse in her lap. For some reason, it felt like the queen was using the death of her pet as a bargaining chip to get a better deal. It was clear the queen was dismissing him from the way she waved her hand at him and Wendy. As Sam turned to leave, he looked at Wendy, but the half-reptilian was looking up instead of at him, reinforcing his idea the queen used Squishy¡¯s death to negotiate with him. There was nothing wrong with making the best out of a bad situation; it wasn¡¯t like the queen purposely made Squishy an appealing meal to eagles. ¡­Right?

    Wendy refused to look at Sam.

    Sam shook his head. Even if it were true¡ªthat the queen was a heartless monster¡ªit didn¡¯t matter. If letting Monarch have more graylings than the five rivaling companies could alleviate Sam¡¯s guilt, then he¡¯d gladly loan the queen all the graylings she needed. In the end, they were being used to gather information for him.

    Sam followed Wendy as she led him out of Monarch¡¯s headquarters. After living in Et Serpentium for so long, he found himself missing the warmer tones of light produced by the ceiling of the underground country. The black and white interior of the building felt so sterile and cold. It was even more disappointing when Sam used his psychic vision to examine the walls but found there to be nothing adorning them.

    ¡°I never thought you¡¯d feel homesick,¡± Wendy said, turning her head to look at Sam. ¡°Do you miss Ellie that much?¡±

    Sam snorted. ¡°Even though things worked out well, I¡¯m still upset at how easily you sold me off,¡± he said. ¡°If Ellie hadn¡¯t been such a good owner, I could¡¯ve had a much worse experience, and we might not have even gotten the GMC.¡±

    ¡°You could just say yes,¡± Wendy said. She reached into her pocket and took out a device. She pressed on it, producing the same clicking sound as Ellie¡¯s bracelet. Sam instinctively held out his hand in Wendy¡¯s direction, waiting for a treat.

    It took Sam a second to realize what had happened, and he retracted his hand. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°I miss Ellie. Even though Et Serpentium was filled with reptilians who wouldn¡¯t mind having me for a snack, Ellie¡¯s presence kept me safe. Now, I only have Raindu and Birdbrained to rely on.¡±

    ¡°And that makes you nervous,¡± Wendy said.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam said. ¡°It feels like they¡¯re more than I can handle sometimes.¡±

    Wendy turned towards the grayling that Birdbrained and Raindu had repositioned themselves on to move independently of Sam. They were verbally communicating with one another through squawks and chatters, and Wendy was sure a fight would break out if they continued for much longer. ¡°You have it rough,¡± she said. ¡°If they make you nervous, then work on yourself. You¡¯ve already mastered two chakras, something that¡¯d normally take decades to do. Once you utilize your Muladhara and Sahasrara to their full potentials, you¡¯ll find you¡¯re not as weak as you think.¡±

    ¡°Even if I use my chakras to their full potentials,¡± Sam said, turning towards the ferret that could kill anything with a simple touch, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll matter.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but if they ever leave you,¡± Wendy said, ¡°you¡¯ll be able to protect yourself.¡±

    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re trying to sell me on something,¡± Sam said. ¡°Am I right?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a military academy that trains special forces,¡± Wendy said. ¡°It¡¯s for combat-oriented awakeners; I think you¡¯d do well if you went there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to join the military,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Not as a recruit,¡± Wendy said. ¡°You¡¯ve gone through Ellie¡¯s training. You¡¯re good enough to be a combat instructor.¡±

    Sam shook his head. All he wanted to do was finish establishing connections with the five other companies, go to his new home, spend money to buy everything he couldn¡¯t have when he was a talentless, and live a life of debauchery. Didn¡¯t he deserve at least that much after going through everything he had? Once he ran out of money, he¡¯d think about becoming a combat instructor, but he didn¡¯t think he was going broke anytime soon.

 Chapter 35

    Sam turned over onto his back and exhaled, keeping his eyes closed, the comforting feeling of sleepiness washing over him. As he drifted back into his dreams, a loud bell rang through the silence, startling him awake. His eyes shot open, and he stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling of his unnaturally tall room. Then again, since reptilians were living amongst humans, it made sense for the house to accommodate them in case Sam ever had them over as visitors. Speaking of visitors, who was visiting him at the ungodly hour of ¡­ four in the afternoon.

    Sam sat up and yawned. Although it was four in the afternoon, and he had practically slept his whole day away, he wasn¡¯t worried or anxious. In fact, he felt great. He might¡¯ve had a comfortable bed in Et Serpentium, but he never knew when he was going to be ambushed at night by one of Ellie¡¯s awareness drills; it felt good to get a full night¡¯s rest on a bed made from monster materials: the fur of a sneaky fox¡ªor some other animal, Sam wasn¡¯t really paying attention to the introduction¡ªthe hide of some kind of ox. Whatever the materials, they were of quality, even better than what Sam had slept in when his parents still treated him like a normal person.

    Sam rolled out of bed and rummaged through his closet, taking out what he thought was presentable-looking outerwear. He donned his apparel before slipping his feet into a pair of fuzzy slippers; then, he made his way to the entrance of his new home, which was past a living room, kitchen, and dining room, each room fully furnished and spotless, having been cleaned by a group of graylings. Two graylings standing by the front door on either side saluted Sam as he approached. ¡°Open it,¡± Sam said, and the grayling closest to the doorknob responded to Sam¡¯s request.

    As soon as the door opened, the smell of fresh grass and flowers tickled Sam¡¯s nose as a spring-like vibe overwhelmed him. ¡°April,¡± Sam said, blinking at the arrival of his green-haired personal nurse. Was she still his nurse since he went from employee of Monarch to partner? Well, since she was here, she obviously had business with him. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± It had been so long, he almost forgot she existed.

    ¡°Over two months,¡± April said. She met Sam¡¯s eyes and froze, the flowers representing her vibe withering. The green-haired woman swallowed and choked out her next words. ¡°You seem different.¡± After taking a second to stifle her fear, April scanned Sam from head to toe. ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re a veteran awakened now.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, I would hope so,¡± Sam said.

    April stood on her tiptoes and dropped back down onto her heels, her white sundress fluttering from the motion. ¡°So, aren¡¯t you going to invite me in?¡± she asked and held up the basket she was holding in her hands. ¡°I brought you a housewarming gift.¡±

    ¡°Come in,¡± Sam said. He gestured towards one of the graylings. ¡°You can leave the gift with him.¡±

    April blinked at the grayling before handing it her basket. ¡°Him?¡± she asked. ¡°I was unaware grayling¡¯s had genders.¡±

    Sam shrugged. ¡°Who knows,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s just easier this way, and it¡¯s not like the grayling is against it or anything.¡±

    ¡°I suppose,¡± April said and swept her gaze over the walls and ceiling of Sam¡¯s new place. Her eyes lingered on each separate piece of furniture as she looked around the room. ¡°You¡¯re a rich man now, huh? Master of the graylings and all.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard?¡± Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°I do follow the news,¡± April said and took a seat on a chair made with materials Sam didn¡¯t even know the names of; it looked soft though. He took a seat across from her, a small coffee table dividing them.

    Sam leaned back and stretched his legs out, placing his feet on the table. Why exactly was April here? There was no need for Monarch to monitor him since Wendy was a mind reader; if he was planning on putting the company in a detrimental position, she¡¯d be the first to know. ¡°So, why are you here?¡± Sam asked. Since he couldn¡¯t puzzle out the reason himself, he¡¯d take the blunt approach.

    April smiled at Sam. ¡°Monarch was thinking of removing my role as your personal nurse since you¡¯ve escaped from their artificial-talent program,¡± she said before looking at the graylings standing by the front door. She whispered at Sam, ¡°They keep secrets, right?¡±

    Sam nodded. They wouldn¡¯t reveal anyone¡¯s secrets¡ªexcept to himself and Birdbrained.

    ¡°Okay,¡± April said, ¡°just making sure. You never know who¡¯s listening.¡± She reached forward and grabbed one of the candies in the bowl on the coffee table, ignoring the fact Sam¡¯s feet wasn¡¯t that far away from the treats. ¡°So, since Monarch was thinking of taking my lucrative job away, I came to fight for it.¡±

    Sam blinked. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Are you injured?¡± April asked, staring at him with hopeful eyes as if she were wishing he¡¯d been maimed on his trip. ¡°Do you need any treatment?¡± She looked down and peeled open the candy wrapper before making eye contact with Sam. ¡°My talent works on psychological traumas too. If you¡¯ve witnessed anything horrifying, you might have nightmares or flashbacks, and those are things I can help with.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. He didn¡¯t think he had suffered much trauma from his time in Et Serpentium; however, just being around April helped him relax. His muscles¡ªwhich were normally tense, especially around his shoulders and upper back¡ªdidn¡¯t bother him anymore. Also, it didn¡¯t hurt to have someone with a healing ability on standby in case he or someone he knew needed medical assistance. ¡°I¡¯m not injured,¡± Sam said, ¡°but I¡¯ll hire you. That¡¯s what you want me to do, right?¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± April said. ¡°I want to work for you directly instead of working with you through Monarch.¡±

    ¡°Will Monarch be fine with that?¡± Sam asked. Somehow, he didn¡¯t think the queen would take kindly to him poaching her employee.

    ¡°They will be if you¡¯re willing to pay my termination fee,¡± April said. ¡°What do you think? I¡¯m worth it, right?¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t know how much the termination fee was, so he couldn¡¯t answer honestly; however, his emotional intelligence grew greatly ever since he unlocked his Sahasrara¡ªmostly because his understanding of people¡¯s vibes had increased, the energy they produced practically revealing everything as if they were an open book. ¡°Whatever the cost,¡± Sam said. ¡°Which is how much, by the way?¡±

    ¡°Five hundred thousand credits,¡± April said. ¡°Chump change for an S-ranked awakened like you.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been awakened that long,¡± Sam said, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± April said and pointed at the coffee table under Sam¡¯s heels. ¡°But this footrest of yours costs a million credits, so¡­.¡±

    No wonder why the place was so expensive. Sam retrieved his legs and sat up straight. ¡°Are you familiar with expensive furniture?¡± he asked. The graylings had furnished the place for him. It was much simpler and less stressful to let them make decisions for him.

    ¡°No,¡± April said and pointed at the corner of the coffee table. ¡°The price tag is still on it.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sam said. ¡°That makes sense.¡±

    April grinned at Sam. ¡°I heard you visited the six big companies yesterday and made deals with all of them. Your first day back must¡¯ve been quite busy.¡±

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    Sam nodded. After renting out the graylings he had brought, the day was practically over. Using the fifty graylings he had kept to serve himself, he managed to furnish the place he had purchased during the train ride; not only that, but the graylings purchased clothes for him and stocked his pantry and fridge. In fact, there were two graylings making his breakfast in the kitchen as he spoke with April. ¡°It was, but it¡¯s over now,¡± Sam said. ¡°I can finally relax.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re taking your relaxation seriously, I see,¡± the green-haired woman said, scanning Sam from head to toe. ¡°Most people don¡¯t wear bathrobes and slippers when they have guests over.¡±

    Sam stared down at his robe and slippers. They were black, glossy, and sleek. Also, they were easy to put on. ¡°But they¡¯re fancy,¡± Sam said. ¡°They¡¯re practically formal attire because of how swanky they are.¡±

    ¡°And with the right tools and enough patience, you can polish a turd until it shines like a jewel,¡± April said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure someone out there would pay for a shiny turd to display in their home,¡± Sam said. ¡°There¡¯s all sorts of weirdos in the world.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± April said, ¡°but if we¡¯re going out in public, you should wear something else. Haven¡¯t you heard? Clothes makes the man.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t say I have,¡± Sam said¡ªto be fair, he hadn¡¯t read much. He turned towards one of the graylings on standby. ¡°Bring me an appropriate outfit for appearing out in public.¡± His gaze landed back on April. ¡°Why are we going out in public?¡±

    ¡°A date?¡± April asked. Dimples appeared on her cheeks upon seeing Sam¡¯s vacant expression. ¡°I¡¯m joking, but I have to stay by you for my talent to work, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯re curious about exploring the parts of the city you were forbidden from entering as a talentless.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to be my tour guide?¡± Sam asked. He could get a grayling to draft an itinerary for him, but if April were willing to bring him around her stomping grounds, then there was no reason to turn her down.

    ¡°Sure,¡± April said. ¡°As long as you promise Raindu won¡¯t swipe my belongings again.¡±

    Panties flashed through Sam¡¯s mind as his expression darkened. He had almost forgotten what Raindu had done. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can promise you that,¡± Sam said and sighed. Raindu should¡¯ve become more obedient as time went on, but instead, the ferret became independent and took Sam¡¯s orders as suggestions rather than commands. It was probably Sam¡¯s fault for not training the ferret diligently, but he had a feeling the ferret would¡¯ve been disobedient no matter what kind of training it had.

    April narrowed her eyes at Sam, a wry smile appearing on her lips. ¡°Did you not train him?¡±

    ¡°Raindu!¡± Sam said, shouting towards the side. ¡°Come here!¡± A few seconds passed without so much as a sound indicating the ferret was listening to Sam¡¯s order. Sam leaned forward and picked up the bowl of candies, noticing the price tag still attached to the bottom. Maybe because grayling fingers were so much longer than their thumbs, they weren¡¯t good at using scissors. Sam shook the bowl, causing the candy inside of it to rattle.

    The sounds of nails clicking on floorboards echoed through the residence, and a scruffy eagle came into view, hobbling towards Sam. It squawked at Sam, causing his expression to darken.

    ¡°Raindu¡¯s not coming?¡± April asked upon seeing Sam¡¯s face. She pointed at the eagle, which was gleaming white, its feathers reflecting the LED lights on the ceiling. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    Sam exhaled. ¡°That¡¯s Birdbrained,¡± he said. ¡°It told me to cease the incessant rattling.¡±

    ¡°It?¡± April asked. ¡°Graylings get a gender, but your pet doesn¡¯t?¡±

    Sam made eye contact with April and crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I have no clue how to identify a bird¡¯s gender,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s all feathers down there.¡±

    April shook off the chilling sensation she received when making eye contact with Sam. For some reason, it felt like she was communicating with a reptilian. Their eyes always made her hesitate. ¡°Have you tried asking?¡± the green-haired woman asked. She turned towards the scruffy eagle. ¡°Are you a boy or a girl?¡±

    Birdbrained squawked, the sound like nails scratching against a chalkboard.

    ¡°Well?¡± April asked Sam. ¡°What¡¯d it say?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s genderless,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡±¡ªbefore he could say anything else, Birdbrained squawked at Sam, the windows of the residence rattling from the high-pitched cry.

    ¡°I don¡¯t speak bird, but that didn¡¯t sound like a shriek of agreement,¡± April said and tugged on her earlobes in an attempt to alleviate the ringing left behind by Birdbrained¡¯s protest.

    Sam exhaled. ¡°Fine,¡± he said, ¡°just stop being so loud, okay?¡± A defeated expression appeared on Sam¡¯s face as he met April¡¯s gaze. ¡°Birdbrained wants to be addressed as ¡­ milord.¡±

    ¡°Then, why¡¯d you name¡±¡ªApril gestured towards the eagle, which was puffing out its chest¡ª¡°Birdbrained instead of Milord?¡±

    ¡°Milord likes the name Birdbrained,¡± Sam said, respecting the eagle¡¯s wishes lest it decide to test how durable his eardrums were. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, please.¡±

    A smile appeared on April¡¯s face, and she waved at Birdbrained. ¡°Well, milord, my name is April,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking your owner outside today. Do you want to come with us?¡±

    Birdbrained squawked and flapped its wings, wobbling through the air like a drunken bat before landing on the coffee table. Not long after, a grayling walked into the room with the outfit Sam had requested. ¡°How is it?¡± Sam asked as he accepted the clothes before showing them off to April. ¡°Acceptable for an outing?¡±

    ¡°Very fashionable,¡± April said.

    ¡°It¡¯s all the same color,¡± Sam said, looking at¡ªwhat he thought was¡ªan overly large green jacket, a too-tight green shirt, green shorts that probably wouldn¡¯t even cover his knees, green socks that looked more metallic than cloth, and green shoes with holes punched throughout its surface. ¡°You really think this is fashionable?¡± He had left the clothes shopping up to the graylings, and evidently, their sense of style was superior to Sam¡¯s¡ªnot that he¡¯d agree.

    ¡°They¡¯re green, but they¡¯re all different shades of green,¡± April said. ¡°When you piece them all together¡±¡ª

    ¡°No one will ever spot me in a jungle,¡± Sam said, finishing April¡¯s sentence for her.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be pretty hard to miss your pale knees,¡± April said. ¡°You¡¯ve spent too long in Et Serpentium. I heard there¡¯s no sunlight there; is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s underground, and the ceiling produces light, but it¡¯s not like the sun at all.¡± A frown appeared on Sam¡¯s face. ¡°How¡¯d you know I was in Et Serpentium?¡± Monarch¡¯s missions were supposed to be confidential.

    ¡°Do you not read the newspaper?¡± April asked. ¡°Then again, it does look like you just woke up, so¡­.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in the news?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°You thought you wouldn¡¯t be in the news?¡± April asked. ¡°There¡¯s nothing journalists love more than the appearance of a new S-ranked awakened, especially one that visited the six big companies all in one day. Monarch even published a piece on you, claiming you¡¯ve forged an alliance with the graylings and a faction of the reptilians. Is it true?¡±

    Sam scratched his head. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°I suppose you could say that.¡± He hadn¡¯t expected Monarch to push him into the public spotlight since his talent wasn¡¯t exactly obtained by normal means. Perhaps they were using him as an advertisement for their artificial-talent program. Sign your life away to Monarch to become an S-ranked awakened, Sam could envision the ads being placed where the talentless lived.

    April turned towards the grayling that had delivered Sam¡¯s clothes. ¡°Do you happen to have a pair of sunglasses?¡± she asked. ¡°I have a feeling Sam will need to wear them in public.¡± Her eyes drifted onto Sam¡¯s outfit still on his seat. ¡°Make sure the lenses are green.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have a pair of green sunglasses¡­.¡± Sam¡¯s voice trailed off as the grayling handed him a small box, one the perfect size for storing glasses in. He opened the box and sighed. ¡°Never mind, guess I do.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± April said. ¡°Birdbrained and I will wait for you to get changed.¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath and scooped up all the clothes before heading back to his bedroom. It took him a minute to change, but he didn¡¯t come out of the room for a while because he was examining himself in the mirror. For some reason, he felt like a fool. As a talentless, he tried to avoid standing out, and even though he was allegedly a famous awakened now, he didn¡¯t feel comfortable wearing clothes that demanded people¡¯s attentions.

    ¡°You look great!¡± April said when she spotted Sam entering the room.

    ¡°Really?¡± Sam asked. He was glad his sunglasses were reflective; at least part of his face would be hidden. ¡°My knees aren¡¯t too pale?¡± He didn¡¯t know why it was considered fashionable to hide every part of his body save for his knees, but fashion was always changing¡ªand to some people, weird.

    ¡°You have nothing to worry about,¡± April said before looking up at Sam¡¯s head. ¡°But what¡¯s with the hat?¡±

    Birdbrained flapped its wings and struggled to climb through the air before landing atop Sam¡¯s wide-brimmed hat.

    Sam pointed at the eagle¡¯s sharp talons. ¡°It¡¯s to prevent those knives from scalping me.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± April said and nodded her head. Something soft pressed against her ankle, and she looked down at her feet just in time to see a black ferret scamper away towards Sam with a very familiar pair of purple, laced panties. ¡°Sam¡­.¡±

    ¡°Again? Really?¡± Sam asked, his expression darkening as he looked down at Raindu, who had stored its prize away into its fur. ¡°Where did you even come from?¡±

    The ferret ignored Sam¡¯s question and climbed up his legs, entering his shirt from below to hide itself from view.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam said to April. He turned towards one of the graylings nearby. ¡°Bring her something to wear.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± April said and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a pair of panties. ¡°I came prepared.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure how to feel about that, but he was sure he needed to redouble his efforts on Raindu¡¯s training. At the very least, the ferret had to learn to stop putting him in awkward situations.

 Chapter 36

    Sam stepped outside, the sun illuminating his face. The door creaked as April closed it behind her, ending up next to Sam on the porch. A car screeched from beyond the trees where the road was located, and a furrow appeared on Sam¡¯s brow. ¡°Did you call a driver?¡± he asked April as the car approached his home, the sounds its engine made growing louder with every passing second.

    ¡°No,¡± April said. She pointed at the yellow car shaped like a semi-circle parked not too far away. ¡°That¡¯s my car.¡±

    ¡°Someone¡¯s coming,¡± Sam said. Even though the car wasn¡¯t in sight, through his psychic vision, Sam knew the driver was intending on stopping at his home. It was faint, but he detected a second person¡¯s presence as well. ¡°I think there¡¯s two of them.¡±

    ¡°Did you unlock your Sahasrara?¡± April asked. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to criticize or pry, but wouldn¡¯t it have made more sense for you to work on unlocking your Manipura?¡±

    ¡°Why would it make more sense to do that?¡± Sam asked. As far as he knew, the Manipura was the solar plexus chakra, but if he were to follow Ellie¡¯s training guide, the next logical step¡ªif Birdbrained hadn¡¯t awakened his crown chakra¡ªwould¡¯ve been to unlock his sacral chakra.

    ¡°Well,¡± April said and tilted her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what most awakened do? Unlocking the Manipura allows one to channel their intent out of their bodies and onto an object. It¡¯s pretty standard for a fighter to have unlocked it. How will you fight monsters otherwise?¡±

    Sam fell silent as he listened to the car approach his home. His fighting style did seem a bit ¡­ odd. With his root chakra, he could manipulate his body to mimic vibrations he had felt before, and if someone made contact with him, they¡¯d experience the vibrations as well. If he wanted to make his enemies nauseous, he had to make himself nauseous first. However, with his crown chakra unlocked, he could interact with people without actually touching them through the use of his psychic vision and the accompanying strands of lightning.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± April said before shrugging. ¡°Things must be different when you have an S-ranked talent. It¡¯s easier to unlock and make progress in your chakras, right?¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure about that. Although it was true his talent unlocked and mastered chakras for him, without meeting specific requirements, he couldn¡¯t make the tiniest bit of progress unlocking his chakras on his own. He wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d ever find any other crystals capable of transforming into higher-dimensional beings like Raindu and Birdbrained. One was an over-three-hundred-years-old woman¡¯s famed weapon, and the other was a massive chunk of selenite¡ªthe material of the GMC Sam had learned after the theft¡ªmanipulated in a long-forgotten way to control a whole species; if he wanted to unlock the rest of his chakras, he¡¯d need other crystals on the same level as those two.

    April stared at Sam in silence. After a bit, she scratched her head. ¡°If you aren¡¯t good at unlocking chakras, well, don¡¯t be too discouraged,¡± she said. ¡°After all, your talent was artificial, and you have the graylings working for you, right? They can keep you safe; you don¡¯t have to do any hunting on your own.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± Sam said and blinked. He hadn¡¯t thought about before, but if he sent the graylings out to hunt monsters for him, he could get whatever he needed from the comfort of his home. Before he could think more about the topic, a black car came into view. It sped down the driveway, and with a loud screech, it came to a sudden halt an inch away from April¡¯s yellow car.

    The front door of the car opened, and a familiar face stepped out: the driver who had earned his spot through nepotism. ¡°Yo!¡± he said, waving at Sam before walking to the back door of the car. ¡°I have a delivery for you.¡±

    The driver opened the backseat, and Wendy stepped out. With the textbook-sized parcel in her hand, she slapped the driver¡¯s forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t announce my presence like I¡¯m some kind of object,¡± the blonde-haired woman said. Her black and red eyes landed on Sam as she extended the parcel towards him. ¡°Here. I promised I¡¯d get you this.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sam said and stepped forward to take the package from Wendy. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Open it,¡± Wendy said, crossing her arms over her chest.

    By reading her vibe, Sam had a feeling Wendy was hiding a tiny glob of giddiness, and he got a bad feeling. Anything that¡¯d make the half-reptilian happy was something he wouldn¡¯t enjoy. ¡°Right now?¡± Sam asked and gestured towards April by tilting his head in her direction. ¡°I¡¯m kind of busy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± April said and took a step to the side, distancing herself from Sam lest Wendy get the wrong idea about her relationship with Sam. She was simply his personal nurse, and her goal was to mooch off of him, not get in the way of his personal life¡ªthat¡¯d make it hard to be a subtle leech if she did.

    Sam held back his sigh. His plan to use April as an excuse to avoid opening this clearly ominous parcel failed. He tore off the box¡¯s wrapping paper, and with a held breath, Sam took the lid off the box, revealing a pair of red and white oven mitts. ¡°A housewarming gift?¡± he asked, looking up at Wendy.

    ¡°Have you forgotten already?¡± Wendy asked.

    Sam frowned and looked down at the oven mitts. They were ¡­ moving? No, there were orange ants weaved into the mitts, and the struggling of the ants made the surface of the gloves look as if they were squirming. A memory flashed in his mind, one of Wendy listing ways he could improve his mastery of his chakras: chanting and sticking one¡¯s hand into gloves made of fire ants. ¡°I, uh, don¡¯t need this,¡± Sam said, putting a fake smile on his face, ¡°but I do appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°You appreciate it, huh?¡± Wendy asked, the corners of her lips turning upwards. Her resting scowl turned into a normal person¡¯s resting face. ¡°You should put them on; show me how much you really like them.¡±

    ¡°Damn,¡± the driver said from off to the side. ¡°What¡¯d you do to piss her off?¡±

    ¡°Keep it up, and I¡¯ll make you wear the gloves next,¡± Wendy said, her eyes shifting to look at the driver.

    Sam looked down at the gloves. If he used Toughen before putting them on his hands, then it probably wouldn¡¯t hurt a bit.

    ¡°The pain is part of the process,¡± Wendy said. ¡°It¡¯s not wearing the fire ants that improves the mastery of your chakras, it¡¯s the fire ants¡¯ toxins coursing through your flesh.¡±

    Sam frowned. If the regular method of meditating with crystals didn¡¯t work to unlock his chakras, he doubted the irregular method would work either. However, wasn¡¯t it worth a shot? If it did work, then he¡¯d be a fool for refusing to use the gloves. Also, the time he spent in Et Serpentium toughened him up. He was familiar with pain and nausea and disoriented senses; harming himself to hurt his enemy was his main form of attacking after all. He picked up one of the gloves, causing April¡¯s eyes to widen. The green-haired woman backed away from Sam, distancing herself from the wriggling gloves. Sam slid the glove on and winced as sharp stabs of pain pricked his hand all over. Then, he gritted his teeth as his nerves caught fire as if he had grabbed a burning coal.

    Sam kept his gloved hand pointed away from his body as he placed the box down and maneuvered his free hand into the remaining glove. It was painful, but Sam took in a deep breath and focused on calming his mind by breathing in a steady pattern: breathe in for three seconds, hold his breath for three seconds, exhale for three seconds, and remain calm for three seconds before repeating the cycle. While he concentrated, he observed the pain in his hands as if he were a bystander within his own body, doing nothing as the burning sensation traveled up his arms and into his chest.

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    Sam¡¯s heart pounded much harder than usual, the pumping sounds reverberating through his ears as his body swayed back and forth with micromovements in time to the beating of his heart. Heat flooded his sternum, radiating out to the rest of his body. Then, a chilling pulsation rushed up from his Muladhara, colliding with the burning vibrations caused by the fire ants¡¯ toxins.

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re crazy,¡± the driver said to Sam before turning towards Wendy. ¡°Are those real fire ants?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wendy said, staring at Sam with an expressionless face. ¡°I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d actually put them on.¡±

    ¡°You just wanted to see him squirm for a bit, huh?¡± the driver asked. ¡°Her Majesty was right to warn me about you.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t fire-ant gloves supposed to be extremely painful?¡± April asked. Since Sam was standing in front of the stairs, she was trapped on the porch. Well, she wasn¡¯t trapped, but she wanted to give Sam a wide berth to avoid obtaining any accidental stings.

    ¡°In the past, they used to be used as a rite of passage,¡± Wendy said. ¡°When kids wanted to become adults, they put the gloves on, danced with them for several hours, and kept a straight face the whole time. So, although wearing the gloves is painful, the pain isn¡¯t anything special since the mind can conquer it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± the driver asked. ¡°How does that work? Something about their venom increases testosterone production?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Wendy said. ¡°It¡¯s painful, and if everyone suffered the same painful experience, they¡¯d have something to bond over. Also, on the battlefield, wouldn¡¯t you trust someone who could wear fire-ant gloves without flinching over the guy who cried because of a papercut?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± the driver said. ¡°It was a deep cut, okay? The paper I handle is abnormally rough.¡±

    Wendy turned to look at April as if to say, ¡°See? Point proven.¡±

    The green-haired woman turned her head away. Wendy was like the queen¡¯s right-hand woman, and the driver was related to Her Majesty. If she offended either one of them¡­, well, would it matter now that she was Sam¡¯s personal nurse? Speaking of being his personal nurse, was he really okay? She could see the ants wriggling and squirming, and she had no doubts about them biting or stinging¡ªor whatever it was that ants did to inflict pain on their victims¡ªSam¡¯s flesh over and over. Did it not hurt? Out of curiosity, April approached Sam¡¯s side and held one finger out.

    The driver slapped Wendy¡¯s arm and pointed at the green-haired nurse, causing Wendy to kick at the unscrupulous man¡¯s shins. It wasn¡¯t like she was blind; she could see April¡¯s actions clear as a bottle of water¡ªpart of the porch¡¯s railing was obscuring her view. The nurse took in a deep breath and poked one of the squirming ants. There was no pain since she retracted her finger before it had time to attack her. She hesitated before poking the ant again. This time the ant¡¯s mandibles pinched her¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t so bad¡ªbefore stinging her repeatedly with the pointy spike on its butt¡ªwhich made her feel like she used the tip of her finger to extinguish a candle. April jerked her finger back and blew on it before looking at Sam¡¯s face.

    Sam¡¯s eyes were closed, focusing on his breath and the chilling pulsation washing through his body, counteracting the burning sensation. However, the ants stung repeatedly, their neurotoxins setting Sam¡¯s nerves aflame every time they were absorbed by his Muladhara. The process repeated, the burning ebbing and flowing in Sam¡¯s body. Eventually, Sam¡¯s face relaxed, and he exhaled as he lowered his arms. His hands hurt; they felt like they were on fire, but oddly enough, that didn¡¯t bother him anymore.

    Sam allowed the gloves to slide off his hands, letting them fall into the box. He closed it and looked at Wendy. ¡°Do you want it back?¡± he asked, offering the box to her with his welted-from-ant-stings hand. He really wasn¡¯t sure how he was supposed to keep the ants alive, and although they were just ants, he didn¡¯t want their deaths to be on his hands. It wasn¡¯t fair for Wendy to gift him a whole bunch of living creatures.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need them anymore?¡± Wendy asked and took the box from Sam.

    Sam shook his head. It didn¡¯t feel like the burning caused by the ants¡¯ neurotoxins could unlock his chakras, but he did gain a new way to attack his enemies by mimicking the vibrations his body emitted whilst his nerves were aflame; however, it¡¯d only affect people¡¯s hands. ¡°Actually, can Monarch obtain a whole fire-ant suit?¡±

    Wendy stared at Sam for a bit before nodding. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°I think that can be arranged. I¡¯ll let you know when it¡¯s ready.¡±

    April raised an eyebrow at Sam. She pointed at his hands, spotted red with rashes and bumps. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that bother you?¡± she asked. Her talent might¡¯ve helped Sam¡¯s body regenerate, but it didn¡¯t stop him from feeling pain. In fact, his hands should¡¯ve been itching even more than usual thanks to the accelerated regeneration.

    ¡°Only if I think about it,¡± Sam said to April. ¡°The pain¡¯s not so bad since you¡¯re around.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°You are in a good mood, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± April said and flashed Sam a smile. Even though she was stung by a fire ant, that was of her own volition to satisfy her curiosity, so why would a sting or two sour her mood?

    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t keep you two from your date any longer,¡± Wendy said as she opened the car door and stepped inside, placing the box of fire ants on the passenger seat up front.

    ¡°Wait,¡± the driver said, following Wendy to the car. ¡°Weren¡¯t you and Sam supposed to be a thing?¡±

    ¡°Never,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Keep your delusions inside your head.¡± The door shut as Wendy closed it from the inside. The driver grinned at Sam and waved before taking a seat and closing the door. Then, the black car sped away, leaving as quickly as it came.

    ¡°Did they really just come here to deliver a pair of fire-ant gloves to you?¡± April asked, raising an eyebrow at Sam.

    ¡°Looks like it,¡± Sam said, following the car with his eyes until it disappeared behind the trees. ¡°Weird, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± April said. ¡°It was really strange Wendy personally showed up. Deliveries can be taken care of by anyone.¡±

    ¡°She probably wanted to see me suffer,¡± Sam said, looking down at his hands. Although he did believe his suffering was a major part of why Wendy came over, he was sure she was here to monitor his thoughts. The queen probably wanted to know what he was thinking the day after making deals with all the companies. Of course, Sam was going to keep Wendy¡¯s mind-reading abilities a secret because he had a feeling the blonde woman would harm him if he didn¡¯t.

    ¡°I can see her doing that,¡± April said, nodding her head after thinking about Sam¡¯s words.

    ¡°So,¡± Sam said, changing the subject, ¡°where are we going?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise,¡± April said and narrowed her eyes at Sam while smiling, ¡°but I think you¡¯ll like it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like surprises,¡± Sam said. The last time someone from Monarch surprised him, he was sold off to an unknown reptilian.

    ¡°Fine,¡± April said as she walked down the porch steps to her car. ¡°We¡¯re going to a weapon shop.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow. He didn¡¯t really use weapons; mainly because Ellie hadn¡¯t trained him to wield them.

    ¡°Not just any weapon shop,¡± April said as she opened the door. She looked at Sam and patted the passenger seat of her car. ¡°What are you waiting for? Come in.¡±

    Sam took a seat beside April and buckled himself in. ¡°What makes this weapon shop special?¡±

    April grinned. ¡°It¡¯s a crystal-weapon shop,¡± she said. ¡°Your talent is converting crystals and such into animals, right? Maybe you¡¯ll be able to trigger it again in the store.¡±

    The car reversed out of the driveway, and Sam furrowed his brow.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± April asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s just strange to ride in a car.¡± Compared to Ellie¡¯s driving of the levistone, a vehicle without belts or walls or any sense of security really, April¡¯s driving made him feel like he wasn¡¯t moving at all.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to tell me more about Et Serpentium,¡± April said with her eyes focused on the road, much to Sam¡¯s relief. ¡°Is it true reptilians eat people? How did you not get eaten?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true,¡± Sam said. ¡°But I haven¡¯t witnessed it for myself. The reptilians seem to be separated into different factions: some of them eat humans, some of them treat us as pets.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± April said. ¡°That¡¯s surprisingly human-like.¡±

    Sam shrugged and turned to look out the car window. ¡°Or, maybe, humans are reptilian-like,¡± he said. ¡°Reptilians were around before humans, and if their version of history is correct, humans have always been influenced by reptilians even before the cataclysm. Apparently, they disguised themselves as humans and occupied influential positions to guide our species in the direction they wanted.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± April asked. ¡°And what direction was that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Sam said. ¡°I only read the description of the documentary, but I didn¡¯t actually watch it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a surprise, coming from you,¡± April said, shooting Sam a glance. ¡°You didn¡¯t even read your contract with Monarch.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t read, but sometimes, taking a dookie took a while, and he needed something to pass the time. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t say that out loud. ¡°I skimmed the contract because it didn¡¯t matter what was in the contents,¡± Sam said. ¡°I read just fine.¡±

 Chapter 37

    Sam stared up at the skyscraper. It looked like a rectangular prism made of pure obsidian; however, upon closer inspection, one would see the seams between the glass panes, black and reflective, lining the building from top to bottom. It reminded Sam of buildings from Et Serpentium, very geometric. He turned towards April, and the green-haired nurse smile before tugging him towards the building¡¯s double-doors, which were see-through, revealing a white interior with items on display in a room.

    Birdbrained readjusted itself, wobbling on Sam¡¯s head, to get a better look. Raindu¡¯s upper body crawled out of Sam¡¯s shirt, the ferret¡¯s paws dangling over the collar. Its mahogany eyes went wide upon seeing the items up for sale, and its hind legs kicked at Sam¡¯s shirt as if urging him to walk faster. Sam took in a deep breath; for some reason, he had a bad feeling, and if anything were to happen, he wanted to be calm enough to react appropriately for the situation.

    The glass doors slid open, and two people wearing black suits with black sunglasses and black earpieces stepped in front of Sam and April. ¡°Welcome,¡± they said and turned their bodies to the side while bowing, making way for the couple as they gestured for them to enter. At the same time, green text flashed on the interior of their glasses as the cameras built into the glasses¡¯ frame scanned Sam and Wendy from head to toe.

    A black-haired woman wearing a red dress stepped into view. ¡°Would you like any assistance today?¡±

    Sam turned his head towards April, deferring the decision to her. The green-haired woman shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine on our own, thank you,¡± April said, smiling at the woman.

    The woman in the red dress narrowed her eyes. ¡°I insist,¡± she said. ¡°Let me help you. My name is Rosette, and I¡¯ve memorized the details of all the items on display.¡±

    Sam turned his head towards the shelves where the items were being held. Underneath each piece of merchandise, there was a card with a description of the item¡¯s background and effects.

    ¡°Come,¡± Rosette said, stepping in front of Sam to block his view. ¡°What kind of crystal are you looking for today? An accessory? Weapon? Or perhaps you¡¯re here for meditation stones?¡±

    Sam turned to look at April. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was normal for a rejected shop attendant to continue pestering them after having been turned down; after all, he had never been to such a fancy-looking store before.

    ¡°Well, since you insist,¡± April said, raising an eyebrow at Rosette. The green-haired woman pointed at Sam. ¡°He¡¯s looking for a weapon.¡±

    ¡°A weapon, very well,¡± Rosette said, her blue eyes lingering on Sam¡¯s bare wrists, fingers, neck, and ears. ¡°While you¡¯re here, can I interest you in accessories as well? I couldn¡¯t help but notice you¡¯re not wearing any. No matter what kind of talent you have, Treasured Crystals sells accessories with abilities that can complement it.¡±

    Sam resisted the urge to scratch his head¡ªmostly because he didn¡¯t want to disturb the eagle atop his hat. ¡°I¡¯m unfamiliar with crystal weapons and accessories,¡± he said. ¡°Do you mind if we take a look around first?¡±

    ¡°Sure, no problem!¡± Rosette said and stepped to the side, letting Sam and April pass. As soon as they did, Rosette lined up behind them and stuck close to their backs.

    ¡°Alright,¡± April said, turning her head to look at the shop assistant. ¡°What¡¯s the deal? We¡¯re not thieves, so why are you sticking so closely to us? It¡¯s Sam¡¯s outfit, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Sam blinked. What was wrong with his outfit? He only wore it in the first place because April said it looked nice!

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s his outfit,¡± Rosette said without a hint of shame. She puffed her chest out and winked at Sam. ¡°Shop attendants get a cut of the profit for every successful sale. You dress like you¡¯re rich, and I like money.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± April said, nodding her head. How could she blame Rosette for wanting to mooch off of Sam when the green-haired nurse was doing the same thing herself? Something black moved in the corner of April¡¯s vision, and she turned her head to look at Raindu, who was now standing on a display, staring at a turquoise bracelet. The ferret touched the bracelet, and it vanished before April¡¯s eyes, causing them to widen.

    Rosette turned her head to see what April was looking at, but the ferret had already moved on.

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. As expected, Raindu couldn¡¯t keep its sticky toes to itself. Birdbrained squawked, causing every shopper in the store to turn to look at Sam due to the unpleasantness of the sound; some of them assumed monsters were invading and pulled out their weapons. The eagle¡¯s meaning was clear: Raindu was taking what it wanted, so Birdbrained wanted to take things as well.

    Sam exhaled. Although the home he had purchased was expensive, he still had plenty of credits to spare. Credits from Et Serpentium could be exchanged for human credits at a one-to-one-hundred ratio, and he had lots of Et Serpentium credits, not to mention the human credits he received for completing his task of stealing the GMC. Even though he didn¡¯t bring the GMC back in its crystalline form for Monarch to exploit graylings with, they still kept their end of the bargain because the queen wanted to establish good relations with Sam. A month from now, after the free-trial period for the graylings he rented out to the big companies was over, another flood of credits would come his way when the companies renewed their contracts with him.

    Birdbrained obediently allowed itself to be lifted off of Sam¡¯s head. Sam placed the eagle onto the ground and pointed at Rosette while speaking to Birdbrained. ¡°You can follow her around. Buy whatever you like, but stay within a budget of a hundred million credits, alright? Also, keep an eye on Raindu for me.¡±

    Rosette¡¯s eyes bulged as she looked down at the eagle. From the way Sam was dressed, she expected him to be a big spender, but he was willing to spend a hundred million credits on a bird! He wasn¡¯t a big spender; he was a massive spender, someone with more money than brains, the perfect customer!

    Birdbrained squawked.

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to share a budget with Raindu.¡± Sam looked at the ferret, who was busy taking and storing things in front of the customers and cameras without a care in the world. ¡°Raindu has its own money, and its going to pay for everything it takes.¡±

    Raindu turned to look at Sam, and Rosette turned her to follow Sam¡¯s gaze, meeting the ferret¡¯s mahogany eyes. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so cute,¡± Rosette said, her blue eyes lighting up. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to keep a close eye on your pets, Mister¡­.¡±

    ¡°Sam,¡± Sam said. ¡°Don¡¯t call me mister either.¡± It felt strange to be called mister, a title reserved for older people worthy of respect.

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Rosette said and crouched next to Birdbrained despite the dress limiting her movements. ¡°Hey there, want to go shopping with me?¡± She held out her arms. ¡°I¡¯ll show you the good stuff.¡±

    Birdbrained waddled forward and squawked at Rosette, demanding to be carried. Even though the shop attendant wasn¡¯t a mind reader or bird speaker, she still understood the eagle¡¯s meaning. She chuckled as she lifted Birdbrained up, nestling it against her bosom.

    Sam and April exchanged glances as the shop attendant walked away, heading towards Raindu with an eagle in her arms. Sam took off his hat and scratched his head. With Rosette supervising the animals, he wouldn¡¯t be accused of stealing if Raindu went on a plundering spree, right?

    ¡°Great,¡± April said. ¡°Now that we¡¯re finally alone, let¡¯s pick out a weapon for you. They¡¯re located on the second floor.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Sam scratched his nose as he turned to look at Birdbrained and Raindu. As expected, even though he found them a chaperone, it didn¡¯t feel right to leave them to their own devices. What if someone tried to kidnap them because of how adorable they were? The kidnapper would be torn to shreds by Birdbrained or robbed of their organs by Raindu, and suddenly, he¡¯d be the S-ranked awakener who killed someone while shopping. ¡°Let¡¯s stay on the first floor for now,¡± Sam said. There was a little bit of everything on display on the first floor: accessories, weapons, meditation stones, furniture pieces, statues. ¡°Until Raindu and Birdbrained are ready to move to another floor.¡±

    Sam approached a display with upright hands made of stone. On their fingers, there were different rings. Some were bands, crystalline rings made of one whole piece of crystal, while others were made of metal with gems adorning them. Underneath the rings, there were cards with detailed information about the accessories. It was a lot to read, and Sam regretted sending Rosette off. She could¡¯ve explained things in detail for him.

    ¡°Look, Sam!¡± April said and pointed at a dark-green jade thumb ring with a frog carved on it.

    Sam looked at the ring before reading the card with the description beneath it. According to the card, the ring was capable of keeping illnesses at bay, and when worn for long periods of time, it¡¯d improve one¡¯s looks and overall health, making them more handsome or beautiful. It came with those effects for the cheap price of¡­. ¡°Twenty million credits?¡± Sam asked. Suddenly, he didn¡¯t feel so rich anymore. A regular person would never be able to purchase the frog ring. ¡°Why is it so expensive?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a high-class item made from an elite monster¡¯s core,¡± April said. ¡°Its effects are also good. Who wouldn¡¯t want longevity and beauty?¡±

    Rather than looking pretty and living long, Sam thought the ring¡¯s ability to keep illnesses at bay was more practical. However, he didn¡¯t want the thumb ring; it was a bit too large and gaudy for his taste. Sam¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Did you suggest this ring just because it was green?¡±

    ¡°Was it that obvious?¡± April asked, grinning at Sam¡¯s completely green outfit.

    Sam stared at the frog ring. Wasn¡¯t his health important? Twenty-million, when he already had so much, wasn¡¯t it worth it? He reached forward, but before he could grab it, someone else snatched it off the display, taking the whole hand. Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he turned his head to the side.

    A man wearing a fitted suit made of black silk plucked the jade ring off the hand before putting the hand back on display. He flashed a smile at Sam and April before turning to leave.

    ¡°I wonder who put a stick up his butt,¡± April said, turning towards Sam with a grin on her face. ¡°Did you see how he looked at us? It¡¯s like we¡¯re on a drama.¡±

    Sam glanced at the man, who had coincidentally staggered while walking away, before nodding at April. ¡°I recognize him,¡± Sam said. ¡°I saw him yesterday at one of the companies, but I don¡¯t remember which one.¡±

    The silk-suited man stopped and turned around with a stomp. ¡°Carbon Peak,¡± he said to Sam. ¡°Don¡¯t you forget it.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± April asked after the man turned around again.

    Sam shrugged before taking a step to the side, reading the card for another item that caught his eye: a miniature statue of a meditating reptilian carved from a solid piece of amethyst. According to the card, it could assist someone in opening their Ajna, the third eye chakra, when placed atop their head during meditation. Also, if someone resonated their third eye chakra with the statue, they¡¯d reveal all hidden presences within thirty meters. It was a shame Sam¡¯s chakras weren¡¯t capable of opening through conventional methods, or he would¡¯ve purchased the statue for the cheap price of ¡­ fifty-million credits.

    Sam¡¯s eye twitched as he turned his head to look at his troublesome pet. Raindu, being a ferret, obviously wasn¡¯t checking the prices of items before storing them in its fur. If every item averaged in the tens of millions, then the ferret¡¯s budget would run out before it even visited the other floors. Couldn¡¯t it come back and steal the items later on its own? Why did it have to cause a ruckus while he was around?

    Raindu¡¯s paw stopped a millimeter away from the yellow sphere it was about to grab. It turned to look at Sam and nodded at him. Then, it took out all the items it had already stored, handing them over to Rosette. The ferret¡¯s thoughts appeared in Sam¡¯s head; Sam was right. Why did it have to spend its hard-earned money when it could steal these things later? The first visit should be about remembering the layout and spotting security measures.

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened as the ferret ran back over to Sam, Rosette following behind the ferret. The ferret never learned by listening to Sam¡¯s thoughts before, so why did it have to learn such weird things now?

    Raindu ran up Sam¡¯s shoulder and tilted its furry head, asking Sam what he meant. Hadn¡¯t Sam wanted it to steal the GMC? Stealing was good, no? It was profitable, and people liked it when they stole. If they wanted to live a better life, then Raindu needed to perfect its techniques involving the reallocation of resources.

    ¡°Hey,¡± April said, tugging on Sam¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I think that guy¡¯s upset you don¡¯t know his name.¡±

    Sam turned his head towards the man working for Carbon Peak. How was Sam supposed to know his name? He had met a lot of people that day, and he didn¡¯t remember most of their faces much less their names. ¡°Not sure why,¡± Sam said and shrugged before looking at Rosette. ¡°Sorry about my ferret. It changed its mind after seeing the price tags.¡±

    ¡°No worries,¡± the shop attendant said and looked down at Birdbrained, who she was still holding in her chest. ¡°Did your eagle change its mind too?¡±

    Sam looked at Birdbrained, and the eagle squawked. ¡°No,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly comfy where it is. It also wants you to show it all the bangles you have, the ones it can wear like a necklace.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Rosette said and beamed. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure it stays within your hundred-million-credit budget.¡± And she¡¯d do her damnedest to make the eagle spend as much of the budget as she could; she was relying on this commission to clear her gambling debt!

    Sam watched Rosette turn to walk towards the steps leading to the second floor. Then, he turned to look at the upset man from Carbon Peak. Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he recalled his experience visiting Carbon Peak the other day. He had followed the schedule created by the graylings, who had arranged and scheduled meetings with the company heads. He had been escorted inside, and after going through some security measures, he had met with the CEO of Carbon Peak, Mister Park. Mister Park was the only person Sam had an impression of, and that employee over there wasn¡¯t Mister Park. ¡°Who are you?¡± Sam asked when the unknown man made eye contact with him.

    ¡°Jimmy Park,¡± the man said, walking up to Sam as if he hadn¡¯t made a motion to leave earlier after grabbing the jade ring.

    ¡°Alright, Jimmy, spill the tea,¡± April said. ¡°Why¡¯re you side-eyeing Sam like he stole your girlfriend¡¯s underwear?¡±

    Sam stared at April. ¡°What kind of expression is that?¡±

    Instead of answering Sam¡¯s question, April glanced at the ferret on Sam¡¯s shoulder before meeting his eyes.

    ¡°Never mind,¡± Sam said. He didn¡¯t want to be known as an underwear thief, but the evidence was stacked against him. Sam nodded at Jimmy. ¡°Right. What¡¯s your problem with me?¡±

    Jimmy glared at Sam and April. Then, the suited man¡¯s neck and face flushed red. ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with Miss Wendy?¡± he asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared down Sam.

    Sam blinked. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I saw you walking with her yesterday,¡± Jimmy said, his face even redder now. The vibe Jimmy gave off reminded Sam of a dog that was caught by a cat in the middle of taking a dump¡ªin a compromising situation but still pretending to be fierce. ¡°You two seemed close.¡±

    ¡°They have a great relationship,¡± April said. ¡°Just this afternoon, Wendy personally came to Sam¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Jimmy asked, his eyes widening. ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°She wanted to see him squirm,¡± April said, grinning at Jimmy¡¯s pure expressions. ¡°She made him wear two gloves with fire ants knitted inside of them, so they bit and stung his hands repeatedly.¡±

    Jimmy¡¯s jaw fell open. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just how she is,¡± April said, not afraid of speaking ill of Wendy now that the green-haired nurse had jumped ship from Monarch to Sam¡¯s still-unnamed company. ¡°You¡¯re interested in her, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°W-what?¡± Jimmy asked, his face turning an even brighter shade of red. ¡°No! Says who? I bet you¡¯re interested in her!¡±

    ¡°This guy is adorable,¡± April said to Sam, flashing him a grin.

    ¡°Is he?¡± Sam asked, raising an eyebrow as he turned his head towards Jimmy. The suited man glared at Sam.

    ¡°I am not adorable!¡± Jimmy said and puffed his chest out. ¡°I am a man, and I command respect wherever I go.¡±

    ¡°Okay, buddy,¡± April said. ¡°Whatever you say. If you¡¯re not interested in Wendy, then you wouldn¡¯t want us speaking good words about you around her, right?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Jimmy said, pursing his lips.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say it, but you¡¯re acting it,¡± April said. ¡°What was the deal with you snatching the thumb ring I pointed out?¡±

    Jimmy lowered his head and reached into his pocket. ¡°Here,¡± he mumbled and took out the ring, offering it towards Sam. ¡°I just wanted you to notice me, sorry.¡±

    ¡°How did you recognize me?¡± Sam asked, taking the ring. With his sunglasses and hat, his identifying features should¡¯ve been hidden.

    Jimmy blinked at Sam before pointing at the ferret on Sam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Your pets are kind of obvious.¡±

    Sam opened and closed his mouth, feeling a little silly. Raindu and Birdbrained were obvious, weren¡¯t they? ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Sam said. ¡°Thanks for letting me know.¡±

    ¡°Anytime,¡± Jimmy said before clearing his throat. ¡°So, you and Wendy, you really aren¡¯t¡­?¡± Jimmy pointed both his index fingers at one another and touched their tips together.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t,¡± Sam said. There was no way he could ever be in a relationship with Wendy, not when she had sold him off; it¡¯d be too hard for him to trust her. ¡°I could introduce you to her if you¡¯d like.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d do that for me?¡± Jimmy asked. He flashed Sam a wide smile. ¡°That¡¯s great! You¡¯re looking for a weapon, right? I¡¯ll buy you whichever one you like as a favor for a friend.¡±

 Chapter 38

    Phantom Bo, a six-foot-long staff made of smoky quartz, it resonates with the Muladhara, Manipura, and Sahasrara. When held, Phantom Bo absorbs negative energy from the wielder and raises the users vibrations to a more positive level. Sam stared at the staff on display in front of him before reaching out to touch it. The staff was made from a single piece of quartz, translucent with blackened wisps trapped inside of it as if heavy smoke had been encased within glass. The staff was cold, sending a chill up Sam¡¯s arm when his hand made contact with it.

    Sam exhaled, letting out the breath he was holding. Phantom Bo hadn¡¯t dissolved and disappeared inside of his body despite being a solid piece of crystal like Raindu and the GMC. He wasn¡¯t sure why that was the case, but he was grateful he could use crystal weapons normally. ¡°Is this sturdy enough?¡± Sam asked. If he smashed it against a reptilian repeatedly, would the reptilian¡¯s bones break before the staff?

    ¡°That?¡± Jimmy asked, raising an eyebrow as he pointed at the staff. ¡°If you¡¯re planning on using it like an actual Bo, then it won¡¯t work. Crystal staves are meant for amplifying your chakra techniques, or if you¡¯re lucky, your natural talent.¡± Jimmy tapped on the side of the display. ¡°Unless you can reinforce it, you¡¯re better off not hitting things with this staff.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow before looking around. If Rosette were here, he could ask her if he could remove the weapon from the display to test it out. Since she wasn¡¯t here, Sam took the weapon off the display; if the shop attendant did find out, she wouldn¡¯t have minded¡ªprobably. Goosebumps ran down Sam¡¯s spine as he lifted the staff, holding it at the ready with one foot in front of the other. Raindu crawled out of Sam¡¯s shirt and down his arm. It touched the surface of the smoky quartz staff and tilted its furry head. After a second of contemplation, Raindu retreated, having no intentions of forbidding Sam from wielding the weapon.

    Sam concentrated on his root chakra. He did have a way to harden his muscles, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he could use Toughen on the staff; after all, it didn¡¯t have any muscles. However, the staff¡¯s description did say it resonated with the Muladhara, so it wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable for him to test whether or not the vibrations from his root chakra could carry through the staff. After using Toughen, Sam realized he didn¡¯t have a way to test whether or not the staff became more durable. His eyes narrowed, and he concentrated on his root chakra, forcing his body to vibrate the way it had during his fire-ant-gloves ordeal. His hands burned as if they had been set aflame, and he slowly moved the staff towards Jimmy.

    The suited man blinked and watched as the translucent staff touched his chest. Then, his eyes widened, and he leapt backwards while waving his arms up and down. ¡°Ow, ow, ow!¡± Jimmy said and clenched his hands before blowing on them as if that would help. He stared at Sam with an aggrieved expression. ¡°Why did you do that?¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam said, disabling his Burning Hands technique¡ªa name he came up with on the spot. ¡°I was testing something.¡± His eyes closed as he used his psychic vision to focus on the staff in his hands. As if it were an antenna, the staff increased the range of his psychic vision, allowing him to take notice of the people on the first and third floors of the building despite being on the second floor himself. He had a feeling he could make connections with them too, able to target them with his techniques if he so wished. Sam¡¯s eyes opened, and he nodded his head. ¡°I think this is it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sure you want that staff?¡± April asked. ¡°Smoky quartz is great at removing negative energies from your body, but it¡¯s not really an offensive crystal. Weapons are meant for dealing damage, right?¡±

    Sam grasped the staff, and a tingling sensation ran up his arms as he tightened his grip. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°This staff is perfect.¡±

    April scooted to the side and gestured at the red sword on display. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely sure you don¡¯t want Flamemaker, the ruby sword capable of igniting whatever it cuts?¡± the green-haired nurse asked. ¡°I know I¡¯m not a combatant, but¡­.¡± She stared at the sharp sword. Then, she stared at the blunt staff. When faced with a deadly monster, she knew which weapon she¡¯d pick.

    Sam glanced at the sword before shaking his head. Rubies were attuned to the Muladhara, but Sam had mastered more than just his root chakra. After going around the second floor and browsing all the weapons, he found only the smoky quartz staff resonated with both the root and crown chakras. It was a shame his solar plexus chakra was still locked, or he could¡¯ve used the staff to its full ability. Well, even if his Manipura was unlocked, it was questionable whether or not he could use Phantom Bo to its full potential considering the description for it was quite lacking. Like everything else that came with being awakened, Sam had to puzzle through the finer details by himself.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Sam?¡± a woman¡¯s voice asked.

    Sam turned his head to the side. A well-dressed man and woman were standing next to each other not too far away from an adolescent boy, who had features that were strikingly similar to Sam¡¯s.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible,¡± the man said and glanced down at his fancy watch. ¡°What would Sam be doing here? You and your delusions.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the woman said. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s Sam.¡± Her eyes narrowed, and she stepped towards Sam, Jimmy, and April. ¡°Sam?¡±

    Jimmy and April turned to look at Sam, making it obvious his name was Sam. Despite that, Sam lied through his teeth. ¡°No,¡± he said, his knuckles turning white as he clenched the staff. ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s you,¡± the woman said. ¡°Take those mirrors off your face and look me in the eyes.¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath. He had imagined it more than once, what he¡¯d do or say if he ever met his parents again, but for some reason, none of those words came to mind once he actually came face to face with his mom again. He thought he¡¯d be angry or bitter or even a little hopeful, but he felt nothing. Sam raised his free hand up and took off his reflective, green sunglasses. His eyes met with his mother¡¯s, and she let out a bloodcurdling scream as she clutched her head with both her hands while falling to her knees.

    Sam blinked and took a step back as his dad and younger brother ran towards the kneeling woman, and Jimmy distanced himself from Sam, staring at him as if he were a lunatic. Although high-ranked awakened tended to be arrogant, they didn¡¯t attack people in public unprovoked¡ªat least, not within a building with plenty of cameras. If Sam wanted to murder this woman who claimed to be his mother, Jimmy had no problem with that, but if the woman died, some attention would be thrown onto Jimmy because he was present at the time, and a scandal was the last thing he wanted as Mister Park¡¯s son.

    ¡°Hey!¡± April said, rushing forward and squatting by Sam¡¯s mother¡¯s side. ¡°Are you alright, lady? Is this a new form of insurance fraud?¡± She turned her head towards Sam, meeting his gaze. She shuddered upon seeing his eyes as if she had laid sight on a reptilian irises and pupils; however, that was it. There was no blinding pain that the older woman seemed to be suffering from. April narrowed her eyes at Sam. ¡°Did you do something to her?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said, shaking his head. His forehead wrinkled as he looked at the staff in his hand. Perhaps it had something to do with Phantom Bo? He was pretty sure the staff was responsible for his lack of negative emotions since drawing in negative energy was a property of smoky quartz. If his anger, hatred, bitterness, and disappointment were drawn away from his body by Phantom Bo, those emotions would have to be released somewhere, and in this case, he might¡¯ve channeled his negative emotions through his Sahasrara and struck his mother with them ¡­ not on purpose. His evidence? It felt like energy flowed from his root chakra to his staff to his crown chakra and into his mother¡¯s head. Of course, he wasn¡¯t going to take the blame for this. ¡°I think it was the weapon. It¡¯s quite irresponsible of Treasured Crystals to let dangerous weapons be used so freely.¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it common sense not to test weapons on random people?¡± April asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s not a random person,¡± Jimmy said. ¡°She¡¯s Sam¡¯s mother.¡±

    April stared at Jimmy as if to ask, ¡°How is that any better?¡±

    Jimmy shrugged. ¡°For all we know, she could¡¯ve deserved it.¡±

    ¡°How dare you!?¡± Sam¡¯s dad asked, having finally arrived by his wife¡¯s side. His eyes widened upon seeing Sam, and his body stiffened as a chill ran down his spine. ¡°Sam? What are you doing in this part of the city?¡±

    Sam put his sunglasses back on lest he accidentally zap someone with his eyes once more. ¡°I¡¯m a late bloomer,¡± he said. ¡°Who knew someone could awaken S-ranked talents even after they turned eighteen?¡± A faint smile appeared on his lips. ¡°Certainly not you; otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have abandoned me so easily, huh?¡±

    ¡°Sam?¡± Sam¡¯s brother asked. A smile appeared on his face. ¡°You¡¯re alright!¡±

    ¡°Hey, Tom,¡± Sam said, nodding at his brother. ¡°Things happened, but yeah, I ended up alright.¡±

    ¡°More than alright,¡± Tom said, scanning Sam from head to toe. Then, his expression changed as he looked at his mom. ¡°Mom, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Now you pay attention to me?¡± Sam¡¯s mother asked as she panted for breath, standing with the help of her husband. ¡°I think I need to go to the hospital; he burnt my brain.¡±

    Before Sam could reply, three men wearing black suits, black sunglasses, and black earpieces approached the scene. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± the lead man asked. ¡°Did someone get hurt?¡±

    ¡°He attacked me!¡± Sam¡¯s mother said, pointing at Sam.

    ¡°Stop,¡± Sam¡¯s father said. He turned towards the guards and shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no problem here. We¡¯re all family.¡±

    The guards looked at Sam, and upon seeing him nod, the guards relaxed. ¡°Alright, but please refrain from testing the weapons on each other,¡± the lead man said. ¡°Someone could get seriously hurt.¡±

    ¡°Someone is seriously hurt,¡± Sam¡¯s mother said, glaring at the guard. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Treasured Crystals have nurses or doctors on standby?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a nurse,¡± April said, glancing at Sam. He didn¡¯t seem to mind her stepping up, not like stepping up did anything since her talent was already healing Sam¡¯s mother. The green-haired woman placed her hand on Sam¡¯s mother¡¯s forehead before taking in a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine. Everything is going to be okay.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sam¡¯s mother asked. ¡°If I¡¯m not fine, and if I¡¯m not okay, are you going to hold yourself legally responsible for my health after diagnosing me?¡±

    ¡°See,¡± Jimmy whispered to April upon seeing the nurse¡¯s expression darken. ¡°I told you she could¡¯ve deserved it.¡±

    April retracted her hand and frowned. ¡°I should¡¯ve expected it when I heard you abandoned Sam, but you¡¯re a really hard-to-get-along-with person, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Sam¡¯s mother asked and glared at April. ¡°What is that supposed to mean? Everyone loves me.¡± Her gaze shifted onto Sam. ¡°You awakened with an S-ranked talent? Did I hear that right?¡±

    Sam smiled. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°But that has nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°Nothing to do with me?¡± Sam¡¯s mother asked. ¡°I¡¯m your mother; your success is my success. Without me, you wouldn¡¯t have even existed!¡±

    Sam¡¯s smile remained on his face. He was sure Phantom Bo was helping him regulate his emotions because he didn¡¯t feel a single ounce of frustration or anger at his mother¡¯s words; instead, warm vibrations flowed from the smoky quartz staff into his body, causing his muscles and nerves to relax. ¡°You can keep thinking that,¡± Sam said. ¡°If you believe hard enough, it might just come true.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t patronize me!¡± Sam¡¯s mother said. She placed her hands on Tom¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one with a good talent: Tom¡¯s talent is rank B! If we stayed in the outskirts with you, Tom never would¡¯ve had the chance to shine.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Sam said. ¡°You threw me away to secure Tom¡¯s future.¡± He nudged Phantom Bo over, letting the tip of the staff fall and point at his mother¡¯s face. ¡°You severed our familial ties, so why are you still trying to act like my mother? You¡¯re a stranger to me, Iris.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to your mother like that!¡± Sam¡¯s father said, supporting his wife as she theatrically clutched her chest and staggered backwards.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t your parents teach you manners, Dave?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Try saying please.¡±

    Sam¡¯s father, Dave, steadied his wife as if she were an out-of-shape beanbag cushion before stepping towards Sam. ¡°Call me that again,¡± Sam¡¯s father said with his face invading Sam¡¯s personal space. Sam¡¯s nose wrinkled as he caught the scent of boiled eggs on his dad¡¯s breath.

    ¡°Dave,¡± Sam said, dragging out the word while breathing out into his dad¡¯s face at the same time.

    Sam¡¯s father¡¯s eyes twitched, and he drew his hand back. His arm cut through the air as he slapped at his son¡¯s face, but a smoky quartz staff got in his way. Normally, that wouldn¡¯t have been a problem with his talent, but the staff was unusually hard, and instead of Phantom Bo shattering with a crack, a loud snap rang through the air¡ªthe sound of the bones in Dave¡¯s palm breaking. Dave¡¯s eyes widened, and he let out a cry of pain while bringing his broken hand to his chest.

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t harden it in time, you might¡¯ve broken this staff,¡± Sam said, raising an eyebrow at his father. ¡°Aren¡¯t you glad I did? Treasured Crystals has a you-break-it-you-buy-it policy.¡±

    April stared at Sam as if she were seeing him for the first time. A few months didn¡¯t seem like a long time on paper, but it was enough to change Sam into a completely different person. She was lucky she had met him when he was still in his unloved-golden-retriever phase because if she met him as he was now, she didn¡¯t think he¡¯d give her the time of day.

    ¡°You broke my hand,¡± Sam¡¯s father said through gritted teeth, practically hissing out the words.

    ¡°And you broke my heart,¡± Sam said, letting the crystal staff lean against his shoulder. ¡°I think that makes us even.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not Sam,¡± Sam¡¯s mother said. ¡°Sam would never talk to us like this. He would never treat us this poorly!¡±

    ¡°The Sam you knew died the day I awakened,¡± Sam said and shook his head. ¡°Now, get out of my sight. I¡¯m shopping with my friends.¡±

    ¡°Sam,¡± Tom said, his forehead wrinkling. He looked up at Sam¡¯s face, but instead of seeing his brother¡¯s eyes, all Tom saw was his reflection in the green lenses.

    ¡°What?¡± Sam asked.

    Tom shook his head. ¡°Nothing,¡± he mumbled and looked down at the floor.

    Sam nodded and turned towards April. ¡°Let¡¯s go up and see if Birdbrained finished shopping.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re just going to leave them here?¡± April asked, turning her head to look at Sam¡¯s parents. Their faces were both contorted in pain: one from mental damage to their brain and the other from physical damage to their hand. She blinked as Sam walked away, and she shrugged at his family before following after him.

    Jimmy walked up to Tom and held out his hand. ¡°Hi,¡± the suited man said. ¡°I¡¯m Jimmy Park from Carbon Peak. If you¡¯re looking for a job where you might meet your brother again, come to our company headquarters.¡±

    Tom furrowed his brow as he grabbed Jimmy¡¯s arm. Carbon Peak was a massive company, one on par with Monarch. Normally, it¡¯d be difficult for an awakened with a B-ranked talent to join Carbon Peak. They usually recruited A-ranked awakened and above. ¡°I¡¯ll be there,¡± Tom said, looking at Sam¡¯s back. It was awfully green, a color Tom had never seen his brother wear when they were younger.

    Sam glanced down at the ferret poking out of his shirt. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°Those were my parents.¡±

    Raindu chattered, causing Sam to chuckle.

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said. ¡°I don¡¯t want them dead.¡± He shook his head. ¡°They acted in a manner that was best for them; anyone would¡¯ve made the same choice if they were put in their situation, so did they really have a choice? There¡¯s no point in blaming them.¡±

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Jimmy asked after catching up to Sam. Talking to one¡¯s ferret in public was a clear sign of someone not being alright, so Jimmy had to make sure. ¡°Although it isn¡¯t common, it¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve heard about someone meeting the parents who abandoned them. Usually, the abandonee has to go to therapy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Sam said and grasped his staff with both hands. ¡°This thing is eating up my negative emotions and converting them into good vibes; I feel refreshed and recharged.¡± He turned and smiled at April. ¡°Thanks for bringing me here.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± April said and beamed at Sam. ¡°I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d meet your parents like that, so I apologize.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Sam said as he passed a doorway and took a step up a flight of stairs. ¡°I would¡¯ve bumped into them eventually, and I¡¯m kind of satisfied with the way things turned out.¡± Sam sighed. ¡°It would¡¯ve been nice if I had met with Tom alone without our parents around, but it¡¯s alright.¡±

 Chapter 39

    Sam lay on a fur-lined hammock. It was white, soft, and fluffy, and it was out on the balcony of his residence. He stared up at the moonlit night sky, and he readjusted the blanket covering his body, exposing his arms to the chilly night air. After purchasing Phantom Bo and the jade thumb ring, he had gone to a restaurant with April. There was a famed dish he had heard of while he was a talentless called filet mignon, and he had it during his time in Et Serpentium, but it wasn¡¯t anything to write home about. Now, after eating the dish at one of the best restaurants humanity had to offer, Sam was still unimpressed by the flavorless chunk of meat. Who cared how tender it was if it didn¡¯t taste like anything? He might as well have eaten a block of fried tofu.

    Sam picked up the stone tablet resting on the balcony¡¯s table and held it against his chest before placing the blanket back over himself. Something he didn¡¯t miss about Et Serpentium was the lack of cold weather. It was never cold underneath the desert, always at the perfect, mild temperature. Sam closed his eyes and focused his psychic vision on the tablet, forming a connection with it. An interface popped into his mind, and he maneuvered through the reptilian technology with ease using his Sahasrara.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the image of a yellow reptilian with green eyes to appear in his head. ¡°Hi, Sam!¡±

    ¡°Hey, Ellie,¡± Sam said, his lips unmoving in reality. Communicating with someone through reptilian tablets was similar to talking in the field of candy Raindu had constructed to talk with Sam over long distances.

    Ellie beamed, her eyes lighting up. ¡°Did you have fun today?¡± she asked. ¡°What did you do? Did you train lots?¡±

    A wry smile appeared on Sam¡¯s face. ¡°I woke up in the early evening, bought a weapon, ate dinner, and went home,¡± he said. ¡°I haven¡¯t trained at all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Ellie said and pouted. ¡°Your body is changing every day. If you don¡¯t keep up with your training, one day, you¡¯ll find your body unable to move according to your thoughts!¡± Ellie leaned forward and patted Sam¡¯s head, the feeling similar to someone climbing out of his phone screen to greet him. ¡°You said you¡¯d take care of yourself, and that involves training every day.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯ll have the graylings assemble a proper training area in my backyard.¡±

    ¡°Not just training!¡± Ellie said. ¡°You have to fight too. Human bodies are like gloopy blobs of molten metal. If they¡¯re not constantly shaped, they¡¯ll deform and lose their purpose over time. Also, you have to take care of your body; I heard there aren¡¯t any jigglers in the human city.¡± Her eyes lit up. ¡°I¡¯ll ask the graylings to deliver one to you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Sam said, ¡°but you don¡¯t have to worry about that. I have a personal nurse.¡±

    Ellie tilted her head. ¡°Are they better than the jiggler?¡±

    Sam blinked. Considering he could be restored to peak condition by entering a stone coffin and having his body shaken for a few minutes¡ªor hours depending on the severity of the injury¡ªApril¡¯s healing ability was definitely slower. ¡°Now that I think about it, no.¡±

    ¡°Then it looks like I was right for worrying,¡± Ellie said and exhaled while shaking her head. ¡°After all, your Sahasrara might be unlocked, but you¡¯re still a human; you¡¯re bound to make mistakes or overlook things.¡±

    ¡°And what about you?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Are you doing well in your classes?¡±

    ¡°Bye!¡± Ellie said, ignoring Sam¡¯s questions. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to listen to what I said! Train and fight!¡±

    Sam¡¯s vision went black before returning to the tablet¡¯s user interface. He opened his eyes, the moon shining bright overhead as the stars twinkled. A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth, and he lifted his arm, waving it halfheartedly. Not long after, a grayling¡¯s head appeared in Sam¡¯s view, the creature leaning over the hammock to make eye contact with Sam.

    ¡°Yes?¡± the grayling asked. ¡°How may I be of service?¡±

    ¡°Do some research on opportunities for me to engage in combat,¡± Sam said. ¡°Inform me of the options in a succinct manner.¡±

    ¡°Right away,¡± the grayling said and walked off.

    Sam exhaled and stared up at the sky. He was so carefree that it was almost unnatural. He didn¡¯t have to worry about anything: finances, responsibilities. With his talent, he was allowed to pursue whatever he wanted, and with so much freedom, he didn¡¯t know what to do next. Most people used their talents to find jobs to financially support themselves, and most of their waking hours were consumed by work, most of them just living to work¡ªalso known as being part of the rat race. With his abundance of free time, he could do a lot of good for the world. ¡­Or he could slack off and relax. Humanity was doing fine before he existed, and it¡¯d probably do fine if he didn¡¯t do anything to destabilize it.

    Raindu poked its head out of Sam¡¯s shirt and crawled out to the edge of the hammock. It waved at Sam, the ferret¡¯s intentions as clear as day inside his head. Raindu was going back to Treasured Crystals to loot the armory.

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Why do you have to loot it?¡± he asked and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re not going to use everything you take, so why not behave yourself like Birdbrained and buy one or two things you need?¡±

    Raindu tilted its head. What if it needed something from Treasured Crystals later? With more crystal accessories, weapons, and baubles, the more options the ferret could choose from in the future. Instead of touching someone to remove their hearts, maybe it could whip out a weapon that¡¯d only stun the target. Stealing from the crystal shop was an act of kindness; who knew how many lives they could save in the future?

    Sam¡¯s eye twitched. Since when did the ferret care about acts of kindness? It was obviously spouting nonsense, but he wasn¡¯t going to¡ªcouldn¡¯t¡ªstop the ferret. As long as Raindu didn¡¯t get caught, and the crime wasn¡¯t traced back to Sam, he was willing to overlook its actions. A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth as the ferret hopped off the hammock and onto the balcony railing. Then, it scampered down the edge, disappearing from Sam¡¯s view.

    Sam shook his head before staring back up at the sky. His brow furrowed as an odd splotch appeared in front of the moon. It almost looked person-shaped. Sam squinted, but it didn¡¯t help; whatever the thing was, it was too far away for him to see clearly without any optical aids. If he had unlocked his third eye chakra, it might¡¯ve been a different story, but he hadn¡¯t. It was a bit unsettling to have something hovering so high over him since he was outdoors; if he could see it, it could see him. In that case, he¡¯d simply go back inside.

    Sam swung his legs over the side of the hammock, his feet touching the cold balcony tiles before finding his fuzzy, self-heating slippers. He slipped them on and stood up, letting the cold night air wash over him while taking in a deep breath. Then, he looked up at the moon once more. Upon seeing the splotch in the same spot, Sam shook his head and went back inside. Whatever it was, the odds of it being here to deal with him were slim to none, so why was he feeling so anxious?

    ¡°Something seems to be approaching,¡± a grayling said to Sam as soon as he stepped inside the room. The grayling stepped past Sam, guarding the threshold of the balcony.

    Sam frowned and looked up at the moon. The splotch was growing larger, and its details came into view. A humanoid creature covered in blue feathers grew larger in size before landing on the balcony with a thump, blowing the blanket out of Sam¡¯s hammock as the structure rocked back and forth from the shockwave created by the blue avian¡¯s impact.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened as he stared at the blue avian. It was slightly taller than him, and it had orange, eagle-like eyes. It was naked, but since its whole body was covered in blue feathers, it didn¡¯t seem immodest. Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as the blue avian spoke to him without opening its beak, the creature¡¯s voice vibrating inside of his head.

    ¡°Are you the master of the Anunaki?¡± the blue avian asked. ¡°You¡¯re connected, but¡­.¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed. Master of the Anunaki? The blue avian was talking about Birdbrained, and it was clear to Sam the person in front of him was one of the watchers, a blue avian that defeated higher-dimensional beings he had learned about from the graylings and Wendy.

    ¡°So, the master of the Anunaki is within this residence,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°Bring me to it before it has a chance to spread chaos.¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath, eyeing the blue avian. If he attacked it, what were the chances he¡¯d win? If this funny-looking person was confident enough to take on Birdbrained by itself, didn¡¯t that mean Sam had no chance?

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°Though I take no pleasure in bullying the weak, if you insist on attacking me, I will defend myself.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a mind reader?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°No,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°I don¡¯t have access to your mind, but your body betrays your thoughts. By carefully observing you, it¡¯s possible to understand what you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how that was possible, staring at the blue avian with a dubious expression. It wasn¡¯t a mind reader, but essentially, it could read his mind. In that case, it was simply extremely good at reading his vibe¡ªone that Wendy found difficult reading ever since he obtained Raindu.

    ¡°You can do the same thing if you use your Ajna and Sahasrara in tandem,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°Of course, you¡¯ll have to master them first.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. The blue avian was here to deal with Birdbrained because the eagle was a higher-dimensional being; however, did the blue avian not realize it could take Sam hostage or simply kill him outright? Well, he still didn¡¯t know what¡¯d happen to Raindu and Birdbrained if he died; after all, he hadn¡¯t died before, and he didn¡¯t plan on changing that. Since the blue avian was chatty, Sam had no qualms asking it questions. ¡°What kind of chaos could the master of the Anunaki spread?¡±

    ¡°You are unaware?¡± the blue avian asked. ¡°Has the mess it caused ten thousand years ago already been forgotten?¡±

    Sam blinked. ¡°My history class only taught what happened up to three hundred years ago and a little before that, not to mention I failed, so¡­.¡±

    The blue avian stared at Sam, its eagle-like eyes unblinking. ¡°In that case, allow me to educate you,¡± the blue avian said. It walked past the grayling and entered Sam¡¯s room, taking a seat on a couch meant for guests. ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ an evolved primate, yes?¡±

    ¡°Human,¡± Sam said. Since Earth had ascended only three hundred years ago, it made sense for the natives of the plane to not know much about humanity.

    ¡°Yes, human,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°First, I would like to congratulate your species on their collective awakening.¡±

    Sam waited for more, but it seemed like the blue avian was expecting a response. ¡°Oh, thanks,¡± he said, ¡°but I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m the one you should be congratulating. I was born after the cataclysm.¡±

    ¡°Regardless,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°It¡¯s understandable you don¡¯t understand the dangers of associating with the master of the Anunaki. It is a mischievous being, one that thrives off negative emotions. It¡¯ll do anything in its power to dampen the mood because it enjoys the low vibrations produced by misery.¡±

    Sam recalled the time Birdbrained murdered Squishy. The mood was pretty damp, and the queen was pretty miserable, making the whole thing bitter for everyone else.

    The blue avian stared at Sam for a bit before continuing. ¡°The master of the Anunaki, who I shall not name lest it gain power, is outrageously good at spotting weaknesses in relationships. It has the ability to plant thoughts into another¡¯s mind but in their own voice, making the victim think they were the ones who came up with the thought themselves.¡±

    Sam blinked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just telepathy?¡±

    ¡°Advanced telepathy,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°When the master of the Anunaki makes a move, the victim doesn¡¯t even know they¡¯ve been targeted. More than once has it broken relationships between people simply by suggesting, in the victim¡¯s own voice, their significant other is working against them. Those planted thoughts drag one¡¯s mind into a negative quagmire, one that lowers the victim¡¯s vibe as their minds come up with negative thoughts on their own.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. ¡°Can you give me an example?¡±

    ¡°Procrastination,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°You have an important task, but the master of the Anunaki convinces your own mind to put off the important task to the last minute: I still have plenty of time. I can do it later because it¡¯ll only take a second. That can cause undue stress and the possibility of failure down the line. Through the Anunaki, the master observes and gathers information on potential victims to make targeted attacks.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to kill the master of the Anunaki because it can make people procrastinate?¡± Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°It can do far more than make people procrastinate,¡± the blue avian said, its eyes narrowing. ¡°There are much more insidious thoughts it can plant in a person¡¯s mind. Here¡¯s a few: I¡¯m a failure. I hate myself. I don¡¯t deserve to be loved. Wouldn¡¯t everyone be happier if I were gone? I wish I could go to sleep and never wake up. If so-and-so were dead, my life would be so much better; I should kill them.¡± The blue avian shook its head. ¡°Only those who¡¯ve unlocked their Manipura can cast aside such negative thoughts with ease, but there are far too many species out there that¡¯re susceptible to the master of the Anunaki¡¯s tricks.¡±

    Sam turned his head to look at the graylings lining his wall as personal guards. To be blunt, they had evil personalities, all of them wishing to spread chaos and destruction; it made sense for their lord, Birdbrained, to have an equally terrible personality. If Birdbrained could make a whole populace depressed, angry, and violent, it made sense for the blue avian to nip the source in the bud before it had a chance to do its thing¡ªwhich was spread graylings around as observers to pick out potential victims. Now that Sam thought about it, wasn¡¯t he aiding Birdbrained by spreading the graylings to the six major companies?

    ¡°Those Anunaki are observing you and I at this very moment,¡± the blue avian said, keeping its orange eyes trained on Sam. ¡°The master of the Anunaki can sow dissension between us simply by planting thoughts in your mind. Perhaps you¡¯re thinking how you¡¯re also guilty because of the way you¡¯re using the Anunaki, but those thoughts aren¡¯t your own. It¡¯s trying to rope you into its alliance, when in actuality, it¡¯ll be better for you to cooperate with me.¡±

    ¡°Why would it be better for me to cooperate with you?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Simple,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°You won¡¯t get hurt that way.¡±

    Sam¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°How badly hurt are we talking?¡±

    ¡°No lasting damage,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m not one to hurt an ant.¡±

    Sam blinked. In that case, it was totally worth getting hurt.

    ¡°But if an accident occurs, I won¡¯t cry over a squished ant either,¡± the blue avian said.

    Sam nodded. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, ¡°let me call the master of the Anunaki over. Is that what you¡¯d like me to do?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be perfect,¡± the blue avian said.

    Sam nodded again before closing his eyes. He visualized the field of candy, and not long after, a green-tinted eagle and black ferret appeared. ¡°There¡¯s a blue avian here,¡± Sam said, getting straight to the point. ¡°It wants to deal with Birdbrained.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± Birdbrained said and spread its wings in greeting. ¡°Should I run?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Sam said and frowned. ¡°If you fought it, would you win?¡±

    Birdbrained shook its head. ¡°I¡¯m not good at fighting.¡±

    Sam turned towards Raindu. ¡°Can you beat a blue avian?¡±

    ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± Raindu said. ¡°I¡¯ve never encountered one before, but it¡¯s worth trying. Birdbrained is too useful to give to someone else.¡±

    Sam nodded. The eagle really was useful since it allowed him to control the graylings, and that made his life tremendously easier thanks to the wealth and personal convenience the graylings provided. Not only that, Sam wasn¡¯t sure if his Sahasrara would remain unlocked if Birdbrained were to disappear. ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan; Birdbrained will come over, and when a fight breaks out, I¡¯ll step in. We¡¯ll distract the blue avian long enough for Raindu to touch it and remove whatever needs to be removed.¡±

    ¡°You have to think further ahead,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°What if two blue avians come next time once we defeat this one? Instead of killing it, we have to capture it.¡±

    Sam and Birdbrained turned towards Raindu. ¡°Do you think you can capture it?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Maybe by stealing its mobility?¡±

    ¡°I can try,¡± Raindu said. ¡°But it might not work.¡±

    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work,¡± Sam said, his eyes narrowing, ¡°then show no mercy.¡± The blue avian might¡¯ve had a good reason for dealing with Birdbrained; however, Sam didn¡¯t know if it was even true. For all he knew, the blue avian could¡¯ve been lying to him, but he doubted it. Still, even if Birdbrained planned on sowing chaos throughout Oterra, Sam would still be on the eagle¡¯s side because it was a part of his talent. How could he give up his new and improved life without a fight? It might¡¯ve been better for everyone if Birdbrained died, but what about Sam? He¡¯d prevent a threat to humanity, but what would humanity do for him to make up for his loss? As Ellie had said, there was no one looking out for Sam, so he had to look out for himself.

 Chapter 40

    Sam closed his eyes and opened them, leaving the field of candy and returning to his room where the blue avian was waiting for him. Its facial expression hadn¡¯t changed, making Sam wonder whether or not its face could even express any emotions. ¡°The master of the Anunaki is coming,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯ll be here in a bit.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°You¡¯ve made the right choice.¡±

    Sam blinked and stared at the blue avian. Was it rude to stare? He wasn¡¯t sure, but the blue avian seemed nice enough; well, it wasn¡¯t exactly nice, more like it was too lazy to hurt him. ¡°So,¡± Sam said. ¡°Do you have a name?¡±

    ¡°Paula,¡± the blue avian said.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sam said. ¡°That sounds surprisingly human.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s no wonder,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°Although our species prefers staying in one place, occasionally, every few hundred years or so, someone will have the urge¡ªout of boredom¡ªto send their soul on a journey of experience, one where they reincarnate into whatever species their soul touches. A few blue avians might¡¯ve visited your race in the past, and after they died, their souls would¡¯ve returned to their true bodies. Then, since we love sharing our experiences with one another, everyone would hear all the details about the life they lived as a human, and some of us would pick names we¡¯d like and have each other address us as such. I like the name Paul, but I also like koalas terribly so, so I picked the name Paula.¡±

    Sam stared at the blue avian. Earlier, he suspected Paula was a chatterbox because the blue avian was giving him so much information for free, but now, he was sure. ¡°What is it about koalas that you like?¡± Sam asked. If he could distract her with questions, he¡¯d buy enough time for Birdbrained and Raindu to fully prepare.

    Paula stared at Sam with their orange eyes. ¡°Their taste.¡±

    Sam flinched. ¡°Oh,¡± he said. ¡°Their taste, huh? I see. So, uh, fried or roasted?¡±

    Paula stared at Sam for a second before scrunching up her beak as if she had heard something vile. ¡°I would never eat them, my goodness,¡± Paula said. ¡°Their taste in fashion; I should¡¯ve specified since humans have such a dreadful savagery about them.¡± The blue avian¡¯s face relaxed, returning to a neutral expression. ¡°I don¡¯t mean you, of course; I mean humans in general.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t personally eaten a koala,¡± Sam said, ¡°And I don¡¯t know anyone who has. I was just joking earlier.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Paula said. ¡°I forgot. It must be difficult to tell a joke without even knowing how to express your emotions, but it¡¯s good that you¡¯re trying.¡±

    Sam blinked. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know how to express my emotions?¡±

    Paula pointed at her face. ¡°If you could read my emotions, you¡¯d know I¡¯m smirking at you.¡±

    Sam narrowed his eyes at Paula¡¯s face. Nothing had changed about it. He had even kept his psychic vision active, overlaying his regular field of vision¡ªa skill Ellie had suggested he train¡ªbut there still wasn¡¯t a noticeable change.

    ¡°You need to unlock your Ajna,¡± Paula said, pointing at Sam¡¯s forehead between his eyebrows. ¡°How can you tell what other people are feeling when you cannot even see what they look like?¡±

    ¡°You have a good point,¡± Sam said and nodded his head. ¡°How did you unlock your Ajna?¡±

    ¡°I was born as a transcendent,¡± Paula said. ¡°Blue avians are connected to the universe by default.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sam said. Compared to reptilians, who naturally unlocked their Sahasraras, the blue avians had it much better, being born as a transcendent, someone with all their chakras unlocked and mastered. ¡°Well, do you have any tips for someone like me to unlock their Ajna?¡±

    ¡°External items,¡± Paula said as one hand reached underneath their other arm¡¯s armpit. Sam thought she was going to make a sound of flatulence, but she retrieved a small hand-carved owl made from a chunk of deep-blue¡ªalmost purple¡ªazurite.

    Sam blinked as the blue avian offered him the small statue. He didn¡¯t take it. ¡°You¡¯re giving this to me?¡±

    ¡°Just to hold until the master of the Anunaki arrives,¡± Paula said. ¡°Blue avians have a creative project they spend most of their waking hours on; this belonged to my parent, so I can¡¯t give it to you, but with it, you can unlock your Ajna and Vishuddha with one session of meditation.¡±

    Sam stared at the statue. ¡°And you don¡¯t mind if I use it?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Paula asked. ¡°You¡¯re not going to eat it, are you?¡±

    A wry smile appeared on Sam¡¯s face. ¡°No,¡± he said and held his hand out. The blue avian probably wasn¡¯t even worried about him stealing the statue. As a transcendent, Paula could probably defeat him with her eyes closed. All the tricks he knew, the blue avian knew as well since their Muladhara and Sahasrara were unlocked and mastered.

    Paula placed the statue onto his palm, and her eyes widened as she looked at his hand. The statue melted into a puddle of blue goop before sinking into Sam¡¯s skin like hookworm larva wriggling into the sole of a person¡¯s foot. ¡°What did you do?¡± the blue avian asked, looking up to meet Sam¡¯s eyes.

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened as pulsations surged from his forehead and throat, washing over his body. Why did his talent only seem to work on the things people found precious, making it almost impossible to pay them back? Actually, that might¡¯ve been the triggering condition considering none of the weapons at Treasured Crystals were transformed by his talent. ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam said, his face flushing red. ¡°It¡¯s a result of my talent.¡±

    ¡°Your talent?¡± the blue avian asked.

    Sam winced upon meeting the blue avian¡¯s gaze. There seemed to be a fog in front of Paula¡¯s face, and different patches of the fog were lit up with different colors. There were many different shades of pink, red, and white. Sam was sure he was seeing the blue avian¡¯s emotions thanks to his newly unlocked Ajna, but he wasn¡¯t sure how to interpret them. Also, since his Ajna unlocked, wouldn¡¯t another animal pop out of him?

    A slithering sensation crept up Sam¡¯s back, and he shuddered. A two-headed snake with shiny, blue and purple scales emerged from the back of Sam¡¯s shirt, having come from who knows where. One head was covered in blue scales with a silver scale adorning the center of its forehead while the other was purple with two golden scales above its pure-white eyes, giving it a permanently surprised expression. The snake¡¯s heads hissed at Sam in greeting before circling his head, wrapping around his neck, mouth, and eyes, gagging and blinding him. He reached up and grabbed the snake¡¯s body, but a sharp pain stabbed the back of his hand, causing him to retract his arm. Did the snake just bite him? Was it venomous?

    Thoughts flowed into Sam¡¯s mind: yes, he was bitten; yes, it was venomous; there was no need to panic; he was going to be fine. Sam¡¯s expression darkened. If the snake wasn¡¯t going to get off of him, then he¡¯d make it get off of him. He focused on his root chakra, and vibrations pulsed along his spine, sending a wave of nausea towards his head. The snake didn¡¯t move, unphased by Sam¡¯s vibrations.

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    ¡°Sam?¡± the blue avian asked. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Was he alright? He could barely breathe with the snake¡¯s body wrapped around his neck and mouth. That also meant he couldn¡¯t verbally respond. Sam took in a deep breath through his nose and exhaled while concentrating on his third eye chakra. He visualized the field of candy, and not long after, three animals appeared.

    Birdbrained and Raindu both turned to stare at the two-headed snake. The two-headed snake stared back, using one head to match each animal¡¯s gaze. ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± Raindu said without taking its mahogany eyes off the snake¡¯s white irises.

    ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± Birdbrained said, its tongue licking the edges of its beak as it stared at the snake, causing the two-headed creature to wither and shrink by an inch.

    The two heads of the snake stared at Raindu and Birdbrained for a bit before speaking as well. ¡°Hello, Sam.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. Although he wasn¡¯t quite sure how higher-dimensional beings were supposed to react, he could tell the situation was quite tense. He didn¡¯t think his natural talent would summon beings that were antagonistic towards one another, but evidently, it didn¡¯t matter what he thought. ¡°Why does it seem like you don¡¯t like each other?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t like this snake either,¡± Raindu said, keeping its eyes on the snake. The ferret didn¡¯t even eat its usual piece of candy upon entering the field of sweets.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said, ¡°but that¡¯s because it¡¯s choking me, gagging me, and blinding me, and when I tried to get it to stop, it bit me.¡±

    ¡°Sam,¡± the snake said from its blue head. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good. Your senses can easily be deceived, but it¡¯s difficult to fool your third eye. By blocking your sight, I¡¯m helping you train your Ajna.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sam asked, his voice dripping with doubt. ¡°Then why¡¯d you gag and choke me?¡±

    ¡°Blue avians aren¡¯t your friends nor are they ours,¡± the snake¡¯s blue head said. ¡°Communicating with them leads to plenty of trouble down the line, so the less you say, the better.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain why you¡¯re choking me,¡± Sam said with a frown.

    ¡°That¡¯s just a personal hobby of mine,¡± the snake¡¯s blue head said, its eyes still trained on Birdbrained. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you; there¡¯s no need to worry. At most, I¡¯ll let you experience pleasure that only oxygen deprivation can bring.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. The snake gagged and blinded him for his own sake, and it choked him for fun. Also, Raindu and Birdbrained didn¡¯t seem to get along well with the two-headed creature, but that didn¡¯t mean it was an enemy, right? After all, it was born as a result of his talent ¡­ transforming an enemy¡¯s heirloom. ¡°Let¡¯s stop staring at each other so aggressively,¡± Sam said, walking forward and in between the animals. ¡°We¡¯re all in the same boat now, so we should work with one another.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t work with someone I can¡¯t trust,¡± Raindu said.

    Birdbrained squawked. ¡°I agree.¡±

    Sam turned to look at the snake, and slithered in reverse, making space between itself and the other two higher-dimensional creatures. Then, it looked at Sam with an aggrieved expression. The snake¡¯s blue head spoke, ¡°Did you summon me just to bully me? That¡¯s unnecessarily cruel, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Guys,¡± Sam said to Raindu and Birdbrained. ¡°Let¡¯s not forget the situation we¡¯re in. We¡¯re on the cusp of fighting a blue avian, and we need all the help we can get, no?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Raindu said, ¡°but will it be helping us or the blue avian?¡±

    Sam frowned. ¡°Do you know something about this snake that I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°The only trustworthy snake is a dead snake,¡± Birdbrained said, squawking again.

    Sam sighed before turning to look at the snake. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Vercedei,¡± the blue head said.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Sam asked, looking at the snake¡¯s purple head.

    ¡°Werchbite,¡± the snake¡¯s blue head said, answering for the purple one. ¡°Werchbite doesn¡¯t speak much.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said. ¡°Vercedei, Werchbite, are you two on my side?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°without you, it¡¯ll be hard to roam this plane freely, and we do so love our freedom; it¡¯s in our best interest to keep you alive and well.¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you this time, but if you don¡¯t work with us now, I won¡¯t ever trust you again, okay?¡±

    ¡°No promises,¡± Vercedei said. Werchbite¡¯s eyes shifted to stare at the snake¡¯s blue head, causing Vercedei to sigh. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll cooperate nicely this time.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Sam said and stared at the snake¡¯s heads. ¡°First things first, if you fought the blue avian, who would win?¡±

    ¡°We would,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but ¡­ it¡¯d be hard to survive¡ªmutual destruction, if you will.¡±

    ¡°If Raindu, Birdbrained, and I helped as well?¡± Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.

    The snake¡¯s two heads scrutinized the trio. ¡°We¡¯ll win,¡± Vercedei said after nodding at Werchbite, ¡°but if you chose not to help, it¡¯d increase our chances of victory by a few percent.¡±

    ¡°Sam¡¯s fighting,¡± Raindu said. ¡°He needs the experience.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t want to fight, but what he wanted didn¡¯t matter because he was simply the weakest and was reliant on the three animals instead of the other way around.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°Is everyone ready to deal with the person who wants to deal with me?¡± Birdbrained asked, squawking and flapping its wings, blowing sugar from the candy grass into the air. ¡°If so, let¡¯s begin immediately.¡±

    Sam nodded, and seeing the other three animals express their agreement, he closed his eyes. Then, he couldn¡¯t open them again because a snake¡¯s belly was covering them. Sam inhaled through his nose and focused on his Ajna. Using it came naturally to him, and his vision expanding, taking on a third-person perspective. He could see the walls around him, the ceiling above him, and the floor below him all at the same time. The blue avian was in front of him, but through his Ajna, he could see solid streaks of light forming Paula¡¯s body. Colorful fog hung off of the blue avian but didn¡¯t stray too far from its body as if it were trapped by a barrier.

    ¡°Sam?¡± Paula asked as the man with the snake wrapped around his head walked to the smoky quartz staff leaning against the wall. ¡°Are you of the mind to fight me?¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t respond, so he focused on his Vishuddha. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what it could do with an unlocked throat chakra, but after recalling what Vercedei had said, Sam decided not to open communications with the blue avian. Instead, he let his actions do the talking as he rushed forward and swung his staff towards the blue avian¡¯s knee, hardening his weapon in the process.

    ¡°Foolish,¡± Paula said. Sam gritted his teeth as the fog around the blue avian¡¯s body shone with a bright light, almost blinding the vision granted by his Ajna. His staff struck Paula¡¯s leg, but it was as if he had struck a pillow, no feedback given to his hands by the blow. Then, Paula stepped forward and punched towards Sam. He took a step back, but the cloud surrounding the blue avian¡¯s fist extended, striking Sam in the chest. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, it looked like Sam had been blasted by an invisible force, hurling him towards the wall. Thanks to his muscle memory, he used Toughen in time to absorb the impact.

    Sam bounced back up, standing on his feet. Staying down and out of position was simply asking to be beaten; in the competitions he participated in whilst in Et Serpentium, everything was allowed, including stomping on the heads of fallen opponents. Oddly enough, the blue avian didn¡¯t take advantage of his recovery time, waiting for Sam to regain a hold of himself.

    ¡°You can¡¯t win, not with your heart and solar plexus chakras locked,¡± Paula said. ¡°You can¡¯t guard against my intent, and you can¡¯t pierce my intent without your own.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have another family heirloom to give me that¡¯ll help me master them?¡± Sam asked. Question marks appeared over his head because he hadn¡¯t said a word. It was Vercedei speaking in Sam¡¯s voice. As for how it knew about events prior to its creation, he wasn¡¯t sure, but he figured it was as reasonable as a talking snake.

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Paula said, ¡°but even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t hand it over. If I had known you¡¯d absorb my memento, I wouldn¡¯t have handed it to you in the first place, but I suppose I¡¯m the one at fault for underestimating the abilities of a human.¡± The blue avian took a step towards Sam, the fog around its body seeming to grow in size as the blue avian mentally towered over him. ¡°Hasn¡¯t my memento helped you? Why are you attacking me? Do humans not understand the meaning of gratitude? How did your civilization ascend to Oterra if that¡¯s the case?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m grateful,¡± Vercedei said in Sam¡¯s voice. The twin-headed snake unwound its body from Sam¡¯s head, poising itself to lunge. ¡°You gave me everything I needed to kill you.¡± The twin-headed snake pounced forward, shooting towards the blue avian like an arrow. At the same time, the window shattered as a colorless eagle flew through it with its talons extended, aiming for Paula¡¯s head.

    The blue avian vanished, reappearing behind Sam, avoiding both the eagle¡¯s and the snake¡¯s attacks. ¡°So, you¡¯re a summoner of higher-dimensional creatures,¡± Paula said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but for the sake of Oterra, I can¡¯t let you live.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t even have time to call for help before blood, flesh, and bones shot out of the center of his chest. The blue avian had punched a hole through the center of his chest, inflicting fatal wounds on his lungs and heart, the shockwave pulverizing his organs into ground meat. Sam looked down at his chest and blinked. No one had told him blue avians could teleport, but then again, if graylings could do it, why couldn¡¯t blue avians? Unlike other dying individuals who had their lives flash before their eyes on the brink of death, Sam didn¡¯t see anything as his vision faded away into nothing. If he survived, he¡¯d definitely have a word with Raindu; the ferret was supposed to protect him, but it hadn¡¯t even shown up during his dying moments.

 Chapter 41

    Paula retracted their feathery arm, blood running off the limb like water slipping off a hydrophobic surface. By the time the blue avian lowered its arm, it was just as clean as it was before puncturing Sam¡¯s chest. The blue avian turned its attention onto the eagle and double-headed snake. Their bodies flickered, phasing in and out of existence. Then, the animals disappeared from Paula¡¯s vision for good.

    ¡°What an interesting ability,¡± Paula said while looking down at Sam. At some point, he had fallen forward, lying in a puddle formed by his own blood. ¡°It¡¯s a shame you were blinded by your emotions. You would still be alive if you gave up on summoning higher-dimensional creatures. For a moment of power, you gave up your future; I want you to remember that in your next life. Now, go.¡±

    In Paula¡¯s vision, the vibrations lingering around Sam¡¯s corpse slowly sank in frequency until they melded with the vibrations of the world, returning back to Oterra¡¯s embrace. The blue avian sighed and squatted next to Sam¡¯s corpse before flipping him over. She was hoping to find her mother¡¯s statue, but her search was fruitless; it really had been absorbed by the human, and he didn¡¯t even have the decency to spit it out upon his death.

    Paula sighed again as she stood up and levitated, floating towards the window Birdbrained had shattered on its way in. With the death of Sam, she had completed her mission of removing the master of the Anunaki from Oterra, and she had also prevented the countless tragedies that would¡¯ve occurred if the double-headed serpent had been given access to this plane. Although Paula wasn¡¯t sure of the other head¡¯s identity, the blue avian easily recognized the silver-tongued deceiver, a regular visitor of the lower dimension. Wherever it went, order was reversed, and chaos reigned until things settled once more; most of the times, they settled into ruins.

    Paula flew out the window and turned to look at Sam once more. If he had been given the chance to grow, to summon more higher-dimensional creatures, the blue avians would¡¯ve had a lot of work to do, which meant Paula would have a lot of work to do because the other blue avians shirked their responsibilities all the time. Even with that being the case, the blue avian couldn¡¯t help but feel sad for Sam¡¯s death. They didn¡¯t like hurting anyone, but sometimes, hard decisions had to be made. After reaffirming their sense of self, Paula sped up, disappearing from the human city in the blink of an eye.

    A few hours later, Raindu climbed into the room from the broken window. It looked around before running over to Sam¡¯s cold corpse. The blood around him had long dried into a dark and viscous sludge. Two animals appeared on the couch, Birdbrained and the twin-headed snake. Raindu spotted the two animals and scampered over to them, chattering at them.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Raindu asked in the language only the three of them, and Sam, could understand.

    ¡°Werchbite tricked the blue avian with an illusion,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°I see,¡± Raindu said. ¡°It¡¯s a very detailed illusion because even I thought Sam was dead. The blue avian is gone now; you can lift the veil.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Sam is dead, kaput, gone, sploop. Werchbite¡¯s illusion made the blue avian think we disappeared as well, so it left.¡±

    ¡°Sam is dead?¡± Raindu asked, staring at the snake¡¯s blue head. ¡°You said he was alive and told me to rob the crystal store because it was vital. Why did you lie to me?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°robbing Treasured Crystals is vital to Sam¡¯s survival. Without the proper materials, how can we rebuild Sam¡¯s organs?¡±

    ¡°Even with the proper materials, it¡¯ll be tough to bring Sam back to life,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the blue avian disperse his essence?¡± The eagle paused. ¡°Unless that was part of the illusion too.¡±

    ¡°No, his essence is gone,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but we can create¡±¡ªWerchbite stared at Vercedei¡ª¡°okay, Werchbite can create a vacuum and anchor to bring Sam back.¡± The snake¡¯s blue head stared at Raindu. ¡°So, spit it out. Let me see what we¡¯re working with here.¡±

    Raindu reached into its fur, and a crystalline pile appeared underneath the ferret¡¯s feet, forming a small mountain it stood atop of. There were crystal weapons, crystal accessories, raw crystal ores, and a few pieces meant mainly for aesthetics.

    ¡°Great,¡± Vercedei said and slithered up to the pile. The snake¡¯s blue head¡¯s jaw unhinged. ¡°We need everything.¡±

    Raindu glared at the snake as its head and body expanded to swallow the mountain of crystals whole. The snake likely wasn¡¯t going to use all of the items to create the doohickey that¡¯d bring Sam back to life, but if Raindu held back, wouldn¡¯t it be too stingy? ¡°Make sure Sam¡¯s essence won¡¯t ever leave his body again.¡± Rather than be upset at the snake for lying and allowing Sam to die, it was better to move past the transgression for Sam¡¯s resurrection was at stake.

    ¡°Understood,¡± Vercedei said and chuckled, the snake¡¯s body deflating in an instant as everything was packed away. Werchbite¡¯s eyes gleamed, and the twin-headed snake slithered towards Sam. Then, the snake¡¯s purple head bit Sam¡¯s neck, sinking its gleaming fangs into his flesh. A golden light flowed from his neck down to the hole in his chest, illuminating the whole room. Birdbrained flew to the window and shut the curtains, making sure the light didn¡¯t rouse any suspicion.

    Raindu stood next to Sam¡¯s side and stood on its tiptoes, peering at the center of the light. A crystal was taking shape inside Sam¡¯s chest. Geometric tendrils extended out of the crystal before vanishing as they entered different dimensions. The gaping wound in Sam¡¯s body shrunk as flesh and bone grew around the crystal. Meaty lumps wriggled from the crystal, making contact with Sam¡¯s body, filling in the hole.

    ***

    Sam floated in an endless darkness, unable to see, feel, or hear anything. It was relaxing, and there weren¡¯t any worries in his mind. In fact, there weren¡¯t any thoughts in his mind either as if he were on the cusp of falling asleep. A speck of light appeared in the distance like a star in the night sky. Like a moth drawn to a flame, Sam¡¯s attention was brought onto the white speck. With but a thought, he drifted towards it at his own steady pace.

    The speck of light grew larger so gradually that Sam hadn¡¯t noticed an increase in its size at all. When the light grew to the size of a grapefruit, wispy strands akin to hair spread themselves out in front of Sam¡¯s path, and chilling sensations attacked Sam¡¯s mind as he collided against them and stopped moving. Sam¡¯s thoughts grew anxious; he was stuck, incapable of moving, and it didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d ever have the strength to free himself from his predicament.

    A deep vibration rumbled through the wisps, transmitting a voice into Sam¡¯s mind. ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± it said, the voice deep and slow like a whale¡¯s cry. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±

    Although Sam didn¡¯t have a mouth, he had an idea of how to respond. Vibrations traveled from his ethereal body into the wispy strands, sending his thoughts in the other direction. ¡°To the light.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± the deep voice asked.

    ¡°Because ¡­ it is there?¡± Sam asked, a bit confused as to why he was heading towards the light in the first place. Just because it was the first thing in the void that wasn¡¯t darkness didn¡¯t mean it was a good idea to check it out. Weren¡¯t there deep-sea predatory fishes that used light to attract prey into their mouths?

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    ¡°I think you understand that¡¯s not a good answer,¡± the deep voice said. ¡°Going to the light will allow you to return to your world, but are you sure that¡¯s what you want?¡±

    If he didn¡¯t return, what else was there? Death?

    ¡°There¡¯s this,¡± the deep voice said. ¡°An endless, relaxed state of bliss.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nice,¡± Sam said, ¡°but it¡¯s not what I want.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± the deep voice asked. ¡°The world you¡¯re returning to is full of suffering and misfortune. Why do you want to go back? Do you still have ties keeping you bound: family or, perhaps, a lover?¡±

    Sam was a bit bothered by the sudden interrogation, but then again, he was trapped by whatever had grasped him, so he had to be polite lest he be eaten¡ªthat¡¯s usually what happened to things on the lower levels of the food chain. ¡°Why does it seem like you don¡¯t want me to go back?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°I am not trying to sway you either way,¡± the deep voice said. ¡°I simply want to understand your reasoning, what kind of logic powers your thoughts.¡±

    For some reason, Sam was reminding of the graylings. Their memories were supposed to meld into Birdbrained upon their deaths, completing their life¡¯s mission of earning experiences for the eagle. Now that Sam was dead, someone was trying to make use of his death to gain information, which was a bit troubling because now he knew there was something after death, and it could easily be more terrifying than anything he had experienced whilst he was still alive. ¡°The light is comfortable,¡± Sam said. ¡°I know what Oterra is like, but I don¡¯t know what this place is like; I don¡¯t even know what this place is.¡±

    ¡°This is where you exist, where your consciousness resides,¡± the deep voice said.

    Sam couldn¡¯t visual the concept, but he understood it as well as someone understood a word they had never seen before being used in a sentence. If this was the place his consciousness resided, then who was the person talking to him? A stranger inside his consciousness? Himself?

    ¡°You wish to return because you are afraid of the unknown?¡± the deep voice asked, not caring about Sam¡¯s thoughts. ¡°There will always be new unknowns you¡¯ll have to face while you¡¯re alive. Will you run away from all new experiences?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said. He took a moment to gather his thoughts. ¡°This experience, well, if I stay here, I won¡¯t be able to go back, will I?¡±

    ¡°Life is all about change,¡± the deep voice said. ¡°You will leave behind that portion of your life at some point in the future, why not now? What is it that you seek?¡±

    Sam fell silent. It didn¡¯t seem like whatever had caught him would let him go unless it received a satisfying answer, and the light didn¡¯t seem to be getting any dimmer, so he had plenty of time to think. Essentially, he was being asked why he wanted to live even though life was tough and filled with hardships and suffering. If he wanted to live a comfortable life, why didn¡¯t he simply stay in this place of endless relaxation and bliss?

    Did he want power? Money? He had both power and money, but what was he using them for? The graylings shouldered his responsibilities, and the money gave him freedom, and he used his time to relax without worry¡­, something he could do here while he was dead. So, why did he want to go back? Well, although Sam didn¡¯t care much for his parents nor did they care much for him, he still had someone who¡¯d miss him terribly if he died: Ellie. Also, he was concerned about the animals his talent had summoned, but honestly, he wasn¡¯t sure if they¡¯d care if he passed away since they didn¡¯t show much affection.

    ¡°There are people who¡¯ll miss me,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°If you died in the future, they¡¯ll miss you then too,¡± the deep voice said. ¡°If you wait long enough, they¡¯ll join you here. It¡¯s not just your consciousness that resides in this place¡ªeveryone¡¯s does.¡±

    Was wanting to be alive for other people not a good enough reason for the voice to let him go? ¡°I¡¯m impatient,¡± Sam said. ¡°I want to see them right away instead of waiting for them to come here.¡±

    ¡°If you drift away from the light, it¡¯ll be but only a moment before they join you,¡± the deep voice said. ¡°Time passes differently here.¡±

    Sam stared at the light. Everything would be alright if he relaxed and waited, so was there even a need to return? His life had been hard, but it was better now that he was an awakener with an overpowered ability. He hadn¡¯t gotten to fully enjoy the experience before dying ¡­ and that irked him. ¡°I want to experience everything life has to offer,¡± Sam said. ¡°I can¡¯t relax here because there¡¯s still so many things I haven¡¯t tried.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± the deep voice said. ¡°You wish to live life to the fullest. How will you do that?¡±

    Sam fell silent again. How exactly would he live life to the fullest if the moment he used his talent, blue avians would go on a hunt for his head because they couldn¡¯t allow higher-dimensional creatures to roam around Oterra? He¡¯d have to become stronger first, strong enough to repel the blue avians if they tried to kill him. ¡°I¡¯ll unlock my remaining chakras, and I¡¯ll train hard, so no one can stop me from doing what I want,¡± Sam said. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll explore all of Oterra to experience different kinds of cultures.¡±

    ¡°What will you do afterwards?¡± the deep voice asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Sam said. ¡°Even if I limit myself to doing fun things, is it even possible to explore everything Oterra has to offer in one lifetime? I think I¡¯ll be pretty preoccupied until I die of natural causes.¡±

    ¡°Is that all you wish to do?¡± the deep voice asked. ¡°Use your powers to explore and have fun?¡±

    Sam remained silent. What else was he supposed to do with his power? ¡°Yes,¡± Sam said. ¡°Unless you have any suggestions?¡±

    ¡°Some people use their powers to help others,¡± the deep voice said.

    Helping others? The thought hadn¡¯t even crossed Sam¡¯s mind until the voice had mentioned it. ¡°I don¡¯t really believe in that stuff,¡± Sam said. After all, when he was at his lowest, no one offered to help him. If a talentless wanted his help, why should he help them? There was nothing stopping them from getting injected with a liquid monster core for a chance at an artificial talent¡ªother than the law of course.

    ¡°I see,¡± the deep voice said. After a long moment of silence that Sam spent without being able to even fidget, the voice spoke once more. ¡°The mantids are in possession of a large piece of malachite. They record their history on it, carving into it daily and having done so for millions of years. It is the perfect crystal to unlock your Anahata.¡±

    Right, the perfect thing to destroy and absorb for himself was the historical record of a whole species. While he was at it, why didn¡¯t he burn some libraries to the ground? ¡°I appreciate you telling me this information,¡± Sam said. ¡°Just wondering, but how do you know that?¡±

    ¡°When you unlock your heart chakra, you will find out,¡± the deep voice said. The cold sensation vanished from Sam¡¯s body as the wispy strands disappeared.

    Sam remained in place. ¡°Are you still there?¡± he asked, but received no feedback. It seemed like whatever it was that had detained him had left without even saying goodbye. Oh well. Sam willed himself to move towards the light, hurrying lest he got caught by another entity. Luckily, the remainder of his journey was smooth, and the light filled his vision, pushing back the endless darkness.

    ***

    Sam¡¯s eyes shot open, and he looked down at his naked chest with bloody rags obscuring it from view. He touched his solar plexus, making sure his torso was solid and real. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Birdbrained squawked, and Sam¡¯s expression darkened. Apparently, he had been slain by Paula, finally putting the question to rest of what¡¯d happen to the higher-dimensional creatures he summoned when he died: they¡¯d stick around and bring him back to life. ¡°How exactly am I alive?¡±

    ¡°Werchbite anchored your essence to Oterra via the seventh to twelfth dimension,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Even if your body is destroyed, unless you¡¯re attacked in the higher dimensions as well, you¡¯ll reform.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow. So, essentially, he had become immortal when it came to being killed by third-dimensional means? ¡°Alright, that¡¯s weird, but what about Paula?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Did they leave after killing me?¡±

    ¡°Werchbite fooled that blue avian,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but if they notice any signs or movement from us, they¡¯ll be back, so we have to lay low.¡±

    Birdbrained squawked.

    ¡°Yes, that means you can¡¯t expand the Anunaki business,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to maintain what you already have. Raindu will have to lay low on the stealing, and Sam will have to refrain from relying on us for combat; then, everything should be fine.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ll stop wrapping yourself around my face to not attract attention?¡± Sam asked the two-headed snake.

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Werchbite says¡±¡ªthe snake¡¯s purple head glared at the blue head¡ª¡±okay, I personally say your face is the most comfortable spot on your body to wrap around. I wouldn¡¯t mind coiling atop your head either, but I don¡¯t want to ruffle any feathers since it¡¯s someone else¡¯s spot.¡±

    Sam sighed. By the time he had finished unlocking the rest of his chakras, wouldn¡¯t he be like a walking petting zoo? Maybe there¡¯d be a koala stuck to his leg in the future, and the next time he saw Paula, the blue avian would show mercy. With how brutally the Avian had murdered him without an ounce of hesitation¡­, he didn¡¯t think that¡¯d be the case.

 Chapter 42

    Sam walked down the crowded street with three animals perched on very conspicuous parts of his body: a ferret on his shoulder, an eagle on his head, and a two-headed snake wrapped around his face, yet no one seemed to care or even notice. Thanks to Werchbite¡¯s ability, one involving illusions¡ªSam wasn¡¯t quite sure about the specifics because Vercedei had kept its answers vague¡ªpeople thought Sam looked like the most average person they had ever seen. Everyone saw him differently, but he was so bland in their eyes, no one remembered any of his features after he passed by.

    As for Sam, he felt like he was playing a video game. His eyes were covered by the twin-headed snake, so he couldn¡¯t see anything, but inside of his mind¡¯s eye¡ªwhich was surprisingly similar to a daydream¡ªhe could see everything around himself. He could even see through walls to peep inside of buildings, invading the privacy of everyone around him.

    After dying and encountering that deep voice, Sam switched his focus from living a luxurious life to living a luxurious life while doing his best to strengthen himself. First, although he automatically mastered his chakras, he didn¡¯t know what they were capable of doing, so he had to learn techniques for them and train in those. Then, he had to figure out a way to enter mantid society to pick up their historical record to unlock and master his heart chakra. However, currently, he was heading to school.

    Sam came to a halt in front of a building. He pushed on the door, but it didn¡¯t budge. He pulled on it, but it still didn¡¯t move. Although he could see through his Ajna, the details weren¡¯t very clear, and the sign that said, ¡°Please use other door,¡± was unreadable to Sam, but the person behind him had no problem staring at Sam like a crazy person before opening the other door. Sam made a mental note for himself to work on picking up tiny details with his third eye chakra before following after the person.

    Sam had signed up for a combat school, one which was really less of a school and more of a platform for newbies to connect to experienced awakened and seek their mentorship. The fees were paid to the platform to purchase credits, and credits could be exchanged for a mentor¡¯s time. With the help of his graylings, Sam had already signed up for a one-on-one mentoring session for his root chakra. Although he could read books or watch videos, reading wasn¡¯t his strong suit, and he wasn¡¯t really good at studying through videos either.

    Sam walked up to a counter, and Vercedei spoke for him since Sam¡¯s mouth was covered. ¡°Hello,¡± the snake¡¯s blue head said in a voice as average as sausage, eggs, and bacon for breakfast. ¡°My name is Sam. I signed up for the root chakra course at eleven.¡±

    ¡°Sam, yes,¡± the woman at the counter said, not noticing anything off about Sam. She messed with her keyboard before leaning over and pointing off to the side. ¡°Room one-oh-four, right down that hallway.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°By the way, you should really think about what your husband said the other day. You asked for a sign; well, here it is.¡±

    Sam mentally glared at the snake¡¯s blue head, and he walked down the hall away from the counter lest Vercedei deceive that poor woman any further. The snake enjoyed making up lies as much as Raindu enjoyed stealing; Sam couldn¡¯t even tell if the snake was being honest with him despite being connected to it through his and its thoughts. The woman stared at Sam¡¯s back, but she couldn¡¯t even remember what his face looked like or what his voice sounded like, but she did remember he had a good point.

    Sam raised his hand up to his face and blocked one of his nostrils with his thumb before taking in a deep breath. Then, he switched his thumb to his other nostril and exhaled. Normally, he would¡¯ve taken a deep breath through his nose and exhaled through his mouth, but the snake was gagging him. Rather than worrying about things he couldn¡¯t control, he¡¯d focus on the things he could ¡­ like trying to read room numbers posted on doors. Maybe he should¡¯ve asked the graylings to sign him up for an Ajna mentoring session first.

    Luckily, Sam could see through walls with his Ajna. Any room with more than one occupant probably wasn¡¯t where he was supposed to go. Eventually, he stopped in front of a door and touched the sign, reading the number on the plaque with his finger. When his fingertip touched the numbers, they became clearer within his Ajna, confirming the room in front of him was where he had to go. Sam knocked on the door, and a masculine voice answered, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Sam pushed open the door and stepped through, closing it behind himself. He didn¡¯t need to look around to see the contents of the room; in fact, he had already seen it before opening the door. There wasn¡¯t much: two cushions on the floor, a person sitting on one of the cushions, and four crystal pillars, one in each corner of the room. As for the person, Sam couldn¡¯t see his physical features that well, but Sam could see the man¡¯s vibe. It reminded him of a stone statue covered in moss. ¡°Hello,¡± Vercedei said for Sam.

    ¡°Have a seat,¡± the man said, sizing his new mentee up. All he saw was a completely average individual, which was odd considering his mentoring fee was the most expensive one. Usually, only the ones truly dedicated to their Muladhara or the rich snobs would sign up for his lessons. ¡°What are you here for?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in an unusual situation,¡± Vercedei said as Sam sat on the cushion across from the man. ¡°You see, I¡¯m a genius, and I have full mastery over my root chakra. I¡¯m here to learn whatever you¡¯re willing to teach me, but I do hope you¡¯ll have one or two useful techniques worth spending my time and money on.¡±

    Sam had no idea why the snake¡¯s blue head had to make him out to be such a braggart, but he let it be. It didn¡¯t matter what other people thought of him; as long as the snake got him what he wanted, Sam was willing to give it free reign over his manner of speech. It was nice in a way; he didn¡¯t have to focus on conversing with other people, something he didn¡¯t enjoy doing much in the first place.

    ¡°Oh-ho?¡± the man asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll try not to disappoint you. What have you already learned if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±

    ¡°Pretend I don¡¯t know anything,¡± Vercedei said. The illusion of Sam the man was seeing smiled. ¡°Imagine I¡¯m a blank slate. If you could impart three techniques to me to make me into the strongest awakened, what would those techniques be?¡±

    ¡°Grounded Self, Vibration Assimilation, and Thrumming Pulse,¡± the man said without hesitation. He stared into what-he-thought-was Sam¡¯s eyes. ¡°What do you think? Are those worth learning?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Teach me.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll start with Grounded Self,¡± the man said. ¡°If you can¡¯t master this, then you can forget about learning the other two.¡± The man sat up straight and adjusted his posture, his legs crossed over one another in the lotus position. ¡°Sit like me and focus on your breathing.¡±

    Sam copied the man¡¯s actions as best he could. Although the details were blurry, he could still see the outline of the man and his inner organs¡ªalthough they were represented by colorful hazes rather than organ-colored flesh. The man breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth, exhaling audibly. Sam wished he could exhale through his mouth, but the snake didn¡¯t let him. Evidently, it didn¡¯t matter as long as he exhaled loud enough to draw his attention to his breath.

    ¡°Grounded Self can be used defensively, but ultimately, it¡¯s a technique to center yourself in the present,¡± the tutor said. ¡°Focus on your breathing. When your mind drifts, let the sound of your breath interrupt your thoughts. Eventually, your body will reach a state of calm. When it does, remember how your body feels: which parts are tense, which parts are relaxed, how does your heartbeat travel through your limbs? When you can duplicate the sensation with your root chakra, then you¡¯ve succeeded.¡±

    Sam focused on his breath. Essentially, Grounded Self seemed to be no different from any of his other techniques where he had to focus on changing the vibration of his body through his root chakra. As long as he entered the state through meditation, if his Muladhara worked with him, it¡¯d assimilate the vibrations, allowing him to enter a relaxed and clear-headed state whenever he wished. It didn¡¯t take long for Sam to clear his mind, achieving total relaxation; after all, he didn¡¯t really have any worries or anxious thoughts pestering him, not with the power of money and grayling butlers.

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    The tutor stared at his mentee, but he wasn¡¯t sure what to make of Sam. However, did it matter? The money had already been deposited, so whether Sam succeeded in learning or not didn¡¯t affect the tutor. However, if Sam proved to be an exceptional individual, it couldn¡¯t hurt to befriend him, right? Everyone survived through their own methods; there was nothing wrong with forming social connections purely for benefits.

    Sam didn¡¯t know what the tutor was thinking; Sam wasn¡¯t even focused on his Ajna, purely putting all his concentration into maintaining his breath while clearing his mind. Despite that, thoughts still appeared in his head, most of them involving why his breath was so weird. His stomach didn¡¯t expand and neither did his chest when he inhaled. When he exhaled, his body didn¡¯t change either despite him losing air. Also, about his heartbeat¡­, he didn¡¯t exactly have one anymore. His heart and lungs had been destroyed by Paula and replaced by Werchbite¡¯s crystalline creation.

    Still, despite lacking a heart and lungs, the meditative technique of focusing on his breath was successful, and Sam entered a state of complete calm. However, when he thought about how he had achieved a calm mind, his mental state was temporarily interrupted, and he had to focus on his breath once again. Despite Sam¡¯s failure, the tutor didn¡¯t notice anything amiss thanks to the illusion the snake¡¯s purple head constantly emitted.

    After thirty minutes, half the time Sam had booked for his lesson, he achieved a complete state of calm. He thought his vibrations would be calm and low in frequency, but they were heightened as if he were on a hike. While in this state, he could think things through clearly without being blinded by emotions. He could already see how it¡¯d be helpful to calm his nerves if he were faced with something terrifying; at least, he wouldn¡¯t be so afraid that he¡¯d seize up in fear. He also wouldn¡¯t be nervous when facing new challenges or dragged down by self-doubt in crucial moments. It was no wonder why the tutor had chosen Grounded Self as one of the three techniques; it allowed Sam to perform at his best whenever he wished.

    When Sam¡¯s root chakra reacted, sending a chilling pulsation through his body, he savored the sensation, observing how the pulsation assimilated the vibrations within his body. When it was over, Sam stopped relaxing and focused on his Ajna, taking in his surroundings once more. ¡°I¡¯ve mastered Grounded Self,¡± Vercedei said for Sam. ¡°Was that quick or what? Like I said, I¡¯m a genius.¡±

    ¡°Not bad,¡± the tutor said. ¡°However, Vibration Assimilation won¡¯t be as easy to learn.¡± A smirk appeared on the man¡¯s face as he held his hand out towards Sam in a handshake gesture. ¡°Take my hand.¡±

    Sam grabbed the man¡¯s outstretched hand, and a shocking sensation traveled up Sam¡¯s arm and through his body as if he had stuck tweezers into an electric outlet¡ªsomething he had done when he was young and stupid.

    ¡°Focus on your Muladhara,¡± the tutor said. ¡°Chakras are vibrational centers of the human body. Feel the vibrations coming out of your root chakra. Allow them to interact with the electric shocks I¡¯m sending into you. Try to meld your Muladhara¡¯s vibrations with mine.¡±

    Sam listened to the tutor¡¯s instructions. For some reason, they were oddly familiar to what he could already do. Even the name, Vibration Assimilation, sounded like what he had learned atop the surdock¡¯s back. Absorbing the vibrations caused by negative¡ªor positive, in the case of Grounded Self¡ªeffects, and replicating them to reproduce the effects. Sam allowed the chilling pulsation to rush out of his root chakra, wiping away the feeling of electrocution as the cold sensation washed through his limbs. ¡°I already know this technique,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s the first thing I accidentally learned to do after I unlocked my Muladhara.¡±

    ¡°But Vibration Assimilation is an advanced technique,¡± the tutor said. ¡°It takes years to learn; are you sure you¡¯re doing it right?¡±

    In response, Sam mimicked the vibrations from the shocking sensation, electrocuting himself and the tutor in the process. The tutor¡¯s eyes widened¡ªnot that Sam could see¡ªand he withdrew his hand. ¡°I see,¡± the tutor said while frowning and looking at his hand. ¡°Out of curiosity, did you electrocute yourself as well just now? It was awfully strong.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Whatever effect I want to transmit to my opponent, the vibrations travel through my body first.¡±

    The tutor stared at Sam in silence. ¡°So,¡± the man said after thinking about his words, ¡°you¡¯ve been hurting yourself to hurt others? Like picking up a cactus with your bare hands to hit someone with it?¡±

    ¡°Is that not how it¡¯s done?¡± Vercedei asked out loud while mentally questioning Sam¡¯s intelligence.

    ¡°I, I suppose that¡¯s one way to do it,¡± the man said, ¡°but most Muladhara practitioners concentrate their vibrations into their hands. Although the strength of your techniques will be muted, isn¡¯t it better than crippling yourself to hurt someone?¡±

    Sam had no response. He didn¡¯t know he could localize the vibrations to a certain part of his body. If he used Sick Attack on just his hand and grabbed someone, he wouldn¡¯t feel nauseas at all while the unlucky recipient of his grasp would feel dizzy and hungover. He¡¯d have to practice this localization technique. Although he already knew Vibration Assimilation, at least, he still picked up a new trick for it.

    ¡°It is,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°However, as a genius, I grasped the concept the instant you mentioned it, so you can move on from teaching me Vibration Assimilation to Thrumming Pulse.¡±

    The tutor stared at Sam for a bit, wondering how someone with such an average face and vibe could be so talented and arrogant. Of course, Sam could¡¯ve been a master of the Muladhara, and he signed up just to show off, but wasn¡¯t that a waste of money? ¡°Very well,¡± the tutor said, not caring about Sam¡¯s background any further since the credits in his account had already gone up. ¡°Thrumming Pulse is one of the greatest techniques I¡¯ve developed, and its main principle is based on amplification through the repeated stacking of vibrations. In fact, the sole reason most people hire me is to teach them this very technique, but of those people, only those who¡¯ve tempered their Muladhara enough have learned it.¡±

    ¡°No refunds,¡± Vercedei said, the illusion of Sam nodding in the tutor¡¯s vision. ¡°I understand. You don¡¯t have to worry about that with me. Even if I fail to learn Thrumming Pulse, which I won¡¯t, I¡¯ll leave you a good review.¡±

    The tutor chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sure your name will resound through Oterra one day,¡± he said. ¡°After all, you¡¯re a genius. With your endorsement, I¡¯m sure my business will be booming.¡± The man stood up and walked to one corner of the room, standing next to one of the crystalline decorations. ¡°Allow me to demonstrate the main principle of Thrumming Pulse.¡±

    Sam focused on his Ajna, watching the tutor¡¯s every movement. The tutor placed his hand on the crystalline decoration, and the stone thumped as if it had a heartbeat, the pulse traveling through the whole room. Even after the man removed his hand, the crystal thumped at a steady pace, sending vibrations through Sam¡¯s cushion and up his spine. Then, the tutor walked over to another corner of the room before placing his hand on the crystal pillar. It didn¡¯t take long for the crystal to pound like a heart, following the same rhythm as the first crystal structure. The vibrations from each statue stacked upon each other, increasing the strength of the sensations traveling through Sam¡¯s body.

    The tutor walked around to the other corners of the room, activating the statues such that they pulsed as one. Then, he took a seat on the cushion across from Sam. ¡°As you can see, when timed correctly, vibrations can be amplified to increase the effects of your techniques,¡± the tutor said. ¡°The timing is different for every technique, and some techniques are impossible to amplify, but some techniques can theoretically be stacked as many times as you want. I recommend you practice amplifying Adrenaline Rush first.¡±

    ¡°Teach me Adrenaline Rush,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I¡¯ll assimilate it from you.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± the tutor said before placing his hand on the ground. A surge of energy flowed out of his palm, and the four pillars ceased their thumping. Then, the man stuck his hand out towards Sam. ¡°Adrenaline Rush is similar to Grounded Self, but instead of calming you down, it allows you to ignore pain, which in turn allows you to push your body beyond its limits¡ªthough, it will hurt like hell afterwards if you tear your muscles through overexertion.¡±

    Sam grabbed the man¡¯s hand, and a faint ripple traveled up his arm, increasing his heart rate while sending blood rushing to his head. It didn¡¯t take long for him to assimilate the man¡¯s technique, but it did leave him exhausted. Apparently, even if he was absorbing vibrations from other people, his body couldn¡¯t handle assimilating too many techniques at once like the jigglers¡¯ limitations in Et Serpentium.

    ¡°Now that you know Adrenaline Rush, it¡¯s just a matter of practice until you learn Thrumming Pulse,¡± the tutor said. ¡°Feel how the vibrations travel through your body. Observe how some of the ripples bounce back from your skin, returning to your Muladhara. You want to activate a second usage of Adrenaline Rush at the right time to amplify those reverberating vibrations; then, if you¡¯re skilled enough, perform Adrenaline Rush a third time.¡± The tutor smiled at Sam. ¡°Personally, I can amplify my techniques up to six times, but a true master can stack an effect nine times.¡±

    Nine times, huh? Sam wondered what¡¯d happen to someone if he stacked Sick Attack nine times on them. Would they puke out their organs? Maybe they¡¯d just keel over and die.

 Chapter 43

    James sighed as he stared down at his thermos. It was a nice thermos, one that¡¯d keep a cold drink cool for several hours even in a blazing hot desert, but he wasn¡¯t satisfied with it; after all, as an artificial awakened with a brain-melting device in his mind, he was property of Monarch, and would Monarch allow its soldiers to damage their livers through drinking alcohol? No; he was stuck with drinking watered-down juice. Even his diet was strictly monitored, making him miss his freedom during his time in Et Serpentium. There wasn¡¯t much of it as a human pet, but he was allowed more choices there than here. He didn¡¯t want to be raiding a dungeon, yet here he was, assigned to help some rich prick who could afford Monarch¡¯s services.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, James?¡± a man with blue hair asked. ¡°Someone take a piss in your drink?¡±

    Alongside James, there were two other men, both of them artificial awakened as well. Like him, their brains were wired to explode if they disobeyed orders. They had B-ranked talents, incomparable to his A-ranked talent, but they were all treated the same.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell?¡± the other man, who had red hair, asked. ¡°It¡¯s obvious he went out last night and didn¡¯t get lucky.¡±

    ¡°How is that obvious?¡± the blue-haired man asked. ¡°That¡¯s not something someone can see.¡±

    James¡¯ expression darkened. ¡°Shut up,¡± he said and scowled. ¡°You¡¯re both morons.¡±

    ¡°Told you so,¡± the red-haired man whispered to the blue-haired man. ¡°He¡¯s got jilted lover written all over him.¡±

    James ignored the two B-ranked awakened as he brought his thermos up to his lips. He was waiting at the entrance of the dungeon, an underdeveloped plane of existence accessible through special doorways in Oterra. Once upon a time, Earth had been a dungeon too, one that reptilians, graylings, and other species native to Oterra could enter to mess around in before leaving, creating all kinds of conspiracy theories in the past.

    It didn¡¯t take long for a car to pull up to a halt in front of the trio. The frown on James¡¯ face deepened as someone familiar walked out. Despite the feeling James was getting, he couldn¡¯t identify the man who had walked out of the car. He had a boringly average face, and his vibe was muted to the point where James thought the person might¡¯ve been a wooden dummy lacking any semblance of a personality.

    ¡°Hey,¡± James said, not bothering to stand up. ¡°You¡¯re the one who hired us?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the man said. ¡°I¡¯ve never entered a dungeon before, so do your jobs properly and take care of me, alright?¡±

    James¡¯ eye twitched. He was irked by the man¡¯s tone and even more bothered by the man¡¯s words and voice. However, as Monarch¡¯s dog, he had to obey the instructions he was given unless he wanted to die an early death, and he was instructed to safely guide this individual through a dungeon. ¡°You got it, boss,¡± James said. ¡°Out of curiosity, how much did you pay Monarch to hire us?¡±

    ¡°Pay?¡± the man asked and raised an eyebrow unnaturally high. ¡°I mentioned I wanted to go on a dungeon run, and Monarch scrambled to assist me. I bet you have a hidden agenda to gather information about me, no?¡±

    James blinked at the average-yet-arrogant man. It was true he was supposed to take notes on his charge¡¯s fighting style, but the emphasis of his mission was on making sure the man didn¡¯t get hurt. James shrugged instead of responding to the question and jerked his head to the side, gesturing towards the dungeon¡¯s entrance, which looked startling similar to a building in Et Serpentium: a mono-colored rectangular prism. ¡°Ready?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± the man said. ¡°Are you?¡±

    Considering the man¡¯s lack of supplies, which were noticeable from an absence of luggage, James did not think the man was ready, but as a guide, he had brought extra, enough to fend off starvation for their party of four for at least three months. Of course, the victuals were in the form of dense calories: mostly protein bars but a few dehydrated meals were included for special occasions. ¡°Yeah,¡± James said and glanced at the two B-ranked awakened, who were grabbing the bags of supplies. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    The average man watched as James and the two colorful-haired awakened approached the dungeon entrance. James placed his hand on the rectangular prism, and the black watch wrapped around his wrist lit up. The rectangular structure swirled with light as a portal appeared on the prism¡¯s surface. James turned to look at the average man. ¡°You might feel a sense of discomfort or nausea while passing through,¡± James said, ¡°but that¡¯s perfectly normal. Even if you¡¯re dizzy, make sure to keep your guard up. You chose a dangerous dungeon to explore, and it¡¯s not impossible for us to be transported to different starting locations.¡±

    ¡°Got it,¡± the man said. ¡°The three of you go through first, so I can see how it¡¯s done.¡±

    James exchanged glances with the two B-ranked awakened before nodding at them. He faced the portal and held his hand out in front of himself before walking through, his fingers entering first. The other awakened copied James, walking through one after the other. When they were gone, the average man held up his hand, walked forward, and bumped his fingers against the hard edge of the portal, missing the entrance as if he were blind. He couldn¡¯t be blamed because he really was blind¡ªblinded by a double-headed snake covering his eyes.

    ¡°Portals are always a bit fuzzy when viewed through your Ajna,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Move to your left.¡±

    Sam shifted to the left and walked forward with his arm held out in front of himself. When his fingers passed through the portal, it was as if he had dunked them into a bowl of hot water. It was uncomfortable, but not unbearable. Sam advanced forward, heat flooding his body as if he had entered a sauna. With his Ajna, he observed his surroundings and discovered a he was on an island surrounded by molten rock with the three awakened from Monarch. There was nothing behind, the entrance evidently not acting as the dungeon¡¯s exit as well.

    ¡°How is it?¡± James asked. ¡°Too hot?¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath through his nose and activated Grounded Self. Although his skin felt like it was roasting under the noon sun in a desert, he separated himself from the sensations he was feeling, taking note of the heat but not reacting to it. ¡°It¡¯s bearable,¡± Vercedei said for Sam. ¡°Did you know we were entering a volcanic dungeon?¡±

    The three awakened from Monarch were doing just fine in the sweltering heat. There seemed to be a faint layer of shimmering air wrapped around their bodies, keeping them nice and cool despite their skin taking on a red hue from the molten rock¡¯s faint glow. ¡°No,¡± James said and shook his head. ¡°We knew the rank of the dungeon, but we didn¡¯t know the contents.¡± He reached into his pocket and retrieved a necklace. ¡°This accessory is almost mandatory for exploring high-ranked dungeons. It regulates your temperature no matter what kind of region you end up in. If you¡¯re interested, I can sell you one.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I can pay you now or after.¡±

    ¡°After,¡± James said and tossed the necklace to Sam. Sam caught it, but Raindu grabbed it and stuffed it into its fur, clearly forbidding Sam from using it. Despite the ferret¡¯s appearance, James didn¡¯t notice a thing, having seen Sam wear the necklace thanks to Werchbite¡¯s illusion. ¡°Didn¡¯t you do any research about dungeons before entering?¡±

    Sam thought back to the bundle of information the graylings had delivered into his stone tablet. At the time, he wasn¡¯t entering the dungeon right away, so he didn¡¯t bother reading it; after all, he was busy with multiple tutoring sessions for all his unlocked chakras. He figured he could always take a look at the information if he ever got stuck whilst inside the dungeon; after all, it was downloaded into his tablet, and he could look at it whenever he wanted, so why would he memorize so much information?

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    ¡°I did,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°How about you tell me what you know about dungeons, so I can make sure the information I gathered was correct?¡±

    James resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was about to speak, but the red-haired awakened answered first. ¡°Absolutely,¡± he said. ¡°Oterra is a stable, high-vibration plane of existence. Dungeons are planes with lower vibrations, but they happen to intersect with Oterra because of a certain reason: usually, someone within the dungeon is enlightened, raising the vibrations of the dungeon¡¯s plane.¡±

    ¡°Like prophets and philosophers,¡± the blue-haired awakened said, eager to chime in. ¡°Earth used to exist on a lower plane. Whenever prophets and philosophers were struck by epiphanies and voiced them aloud, Earth temporarily became a dungeon, allowing all sorts of Oterra natives to mess around with our species.¡±

    Sam was confused, and Vercedei let it be known. ¡°Wait,¡± the snake¡¯s blue head said. ¡°Monster cores come from killing monsters in dungeons, right? Do humans produce cores too since Earth was a dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Some people produce cores,¡± James said. ¡°We don¡¯t really know how or why, but it¡¯s true. Like monsters, some humans yield a core upon death.¡±

    Through his Ajna, Sam focused on the crystal within his chest that had replaced his lungs and heart. If he died, someone could rip his ribcage open and retrieve the crystal, thinking of it as his core. Of course, it¡¯d be difficult for him to die thanks to the crystal existing in multiple dimensions at once. ¡°How do we exit the dungeon?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°If Oterra intersected with this place because there¡¯s an enlightened person, do we have to kill them to go back?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± James said. ¡°We¡¯ll be expelled naturally once time is up.¡±

    ¡°Also,¡± the blue-haired man said, sticking one finger up, ¡°the Oterra natives have created a few rules for dealing with dungeons. We¡¯re not supposed to touch, harm, or even alert the enlightened one of our existences.¡±

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s the goal here?¡± Vercedei asked.

    James stared at the average-looking man. Did he really enlist guides without even knowing what a dungeon entailed? Well, if he knew how dungeons worked, then he wouldn¡¯t have needed guides, huh? ¡°Most people go to dungeons to hunt monsters and search for rare treasures,¡± James said. He scowled. ¡°Lower planes are full of unique things, but this one just seems to be full of lava.¡±

    Sam focused on his third eye chakra and crown chakra, activating them both at the same time. Not only did chakras have their own special techniques, but there were also combination techniques involving multiple chakras. By using his Ajna and Sahasrara at the same time, Sam could see everything in a certain region around himself while highlighting every living creature. Thanks to his new technique, which he named All-Seeing Gaze, he saw dozens of creatures drifting at a snail¡¯s pace through the lava. He couldn¡¯t discern their shape, but they reminded him of fish.

    ¡°How long is this dungeon open?¡± the red-haired awakened asked, looking at James.

    James glanced down at his black watch. ¡°Seventy-three hours,¡± he said before looking at the average man. ¡°What¡¯s your goal? Making money? Recording new discoveries? Killing things for shits and giggles?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here for the experience,¡± Vercedei said for Sam. ¡°Fighting, exploring, looting, I wouldn¡¯t mind taking part in all three.¡±

    James nodded and gestured towards the two B-ranked awakened. ¡°We¡¯ve gone through a lot of dungeons, so as long as you stay by our side and listen to us, nothing bad will happen to you,¡± he said. ¡°That being said¡±¡ªJames looked around at the lake of lava surrounding their island¡ª¡°we¡¯ll need a few minutes to figure things out.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have a few minutes,¡± the blue-haired awakened said and pointed at the lava. ¡°Incoming!¡±

    James frowned and turned his head in the direction his coworker had pointed. A human-sized pillar of lava surged upwards as something breached the molten rock surface from below. The lava splashed back down onto the surface of the pool, leaving a floating creature that looked like a mass of shiny slag. The creature slowly rose upwards, standing on four hindlegs while revealing a pair of arms, which may have just been the creature¡¯s front legs. ¡°Stay back,¡± James said, holding his hand out to block his charge from moving forward. ¡°Let us handle it.¡±

    Sam stared at the creature that had emerged from the lava. Well, the illusion of him stared at it while he focused on his Ajna, observing the creature from all angles. Not only did it have six legs, but it also had four fins on its back that were aligned like the wings of a dragonfly. He might¡¯ve thought they were wings, but the creature seemed too heavy to fly. If it fell into a lake, it¡¯d probably drown. Despite its obvious weakness, Sam had no intention of fighting the creature considering there wasn¡¯t any water nearby; also, he wasn¡¯t immune to lava. Since James had volunteered to fight, Sam would see how the man, whose talent was turning his skin as tough as diamonds and rough like sandpaper, dealt with a lava-borne creature.

    The lava beast¡ªa brilliant name Sam came up with himself¡ªwiggled its tail, which was long and shaped like a paddle, sending its body careening forward, splashing lava in every direction. James narrowed his eyes at the beast. ¡°Tom!¡±

    The blue-haired man stepped forward and extended his hands. They shone with a blue light, and a flurry of snowflakes surged out of his palms. Instead of melting upon contact, the flakes stuck to the beast¡¯s body as if they were globs of paint rather than pieces of snow. The flurry intensified as Tom grunted and shoved his arms forward as if he were pushing a boulder up a hill.

    The lava beast roared, its cry sounding much like a blender forced to grind up rocks. Its tail swung harder as it swayed from side to side, the beast pushing forward into the miniature blizzard. If it dived underneath the surface of the lava, it could¡¯ve easily avoided the flakes, but it was an apex predator; all its life, things ran away from it, not the other way around, so why would it change that now? As it swam, the beast crouched and dipped its front hand or foot, whichever it was, into the lava and scooped up a handful that it flung at Tom. It might¡¯ve just been a handful, but the beast was quite big, easily ten feet tall, and the glob of lava was like a basketball hurtling towards the blue-haired man.

    ¡°I got you!¡± the red-haired man shouted with a valiant expression on his face. He ran at a speed that startled Sam and arrived in front of James in an instant. The red-haired man let out a cry and pushed James into the way of the flying lava to protect Tom.

    ¡°Bastard!¡± James shouted as he activated his talent and hardened his skin. The lava slapped against him like a clump of mud, clinging to his clothes and bits of exposed flesh. James gritted his teeth as swatted the clumps of lava off his body with the back of his hand, causing his skin to sizzle and turn red, the full extent of his injuries. ¡°You have a shield for a reason!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s in the luggage,¡± the red-haired man said and shrugged. ¡°Pushing you was the only way to save him.¡±

    ¡°Asshole,¡± James said before turning his attention onto the lava beast; it was almost at the shore of the little island. James narrowed his eyes at the patch of frost that had built up on the beast¡¯s chest thanks to Tom¡¯s talent. Then, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a grenade, pulled the pin, and threw it as if he were pitching a baseball. The projectile struck the frozen area dead-on, and upon contact, the grenade exploded, causing the lava beast to roar and reel back.

    Sam watched through his Ajna as James threw grenade after grenade at the lava beast, blasting the creature into submission, a stark contrast to the way the man had fought in Et Serpentium. Then again, in Et Serpentium, humans weren¡¯t allowed to have weapons¡ªjust like how humans wouldn¡¯t give a dog a knife¡ªso perhaps this was James¡¯ primary way of fighting. ¡°Is this how the awakened hunt?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Anyone can throw grenades.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James said and rolled his eyes before throwing another grenade at the retreating beast. ¡°Can anyone freeze lava like Tom? Can anyone block lava with just their body like me?¡±

    ¡°If you had a shield, you wouldn¡¯t have needed to use your body,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but I understand your point.¡± Why wouldn¡¯t guns and grenades work on three-dimensional monsters? Kinetic energy was kinetic energy, and a lot of kinetic energy to one¡¯s face hurt a lot. ¡°Do you have a gun by any chance?¡±

    James confirmed the lava beast had retreated before turning towards the average-looking man. ¡°Do you not have a gun?¡± James asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Unless you have a ranged talent¡ªno, even if you do have one¡ªit¡¯s smart to carry a firearm with you. We¡¯re awakened, but we¡¯re still human, and humans have always ruled the food chain with the help of external tools.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Tom said as he lowered his hands, snow no longer spewing from his palms. ¡°You probably don¡¯t need a gun if you¡¯re proficient in manipulating your Manipura, but it takes several years to learn how to perform ranged attacks with intent.¡±

    Sam wondered if he should¡¯ve gone to a store that sold guns instead of crystals. He probably would¡¯ve gotten more bang for his buck; after all, Phantom Bo had cost him millions of credits to purchase, and he couldn¡¯t even use it without Raindu¡¯s permission because the ferret had stored the smoky quartz staff away¡ªto be fair, Sam had asked the ferret to hold onto the staff for him because it was unwieldy to carry around in public.

    ¡°Do you not use crystal weapons?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Look at my clothes,¡± James said. His shirt had a hole in it with burnt fabric around the edge. ¡°Do I look rich? Crystal weapons are useful, but they¡¯re fragile as shit, and I can¡¯t afford to keep buying them after they break.¡±

    Sam decided: when he got back to the city, he was going to buy some firearms. He had always wanted a bazooka, mostly because it was a fun word to say.

 Chapter 44

    Sam, James, and the red-haired man, who was named Kerry, stared at Tom as the blue-haired man forged a path through the lava by pointing his blizzard-spewing palms at the surface of the molten lake. ¡°Is it safe?¡± Vercedei asked, voicing Sam¡¯s doubts for him.

    ¡°Dungeons are inherently unsafe,¡± James said. ¡°We can walk on this road Tom¡¯s building for us, or we can wait here until the dungeon expels us when time runs out; personally, I think we should stick with the latter.¡±

    ¡°So, you think it¡¯s unsafe as well,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Out of curiosity, how do you know how long it¡¯ll take for the dungeon to expel us?¡±

    ¡°Dungeon watch,¡± James said, pointing at the black watch on his wrist. ¡°It¡¯s a crystal tied to the fourth dimension. You know about the fourth dimension, right? Everything that¡¯s happened, past, future, and present happens simultaneously there. When we sync up the watch to the dungeon, it takes its knowledge from the fourth dimension to see how long this dungeon will last.¡±

    ¡°Humans invented this?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°No,¡± James said. ¡°The supermodels did.¡±

    ¡°Supermodels?¡±

    ¡°You know,¡± James said. ¡°The blonde-haired, blue-eyed, human-looking-but-more-beautiful natives of Oterra.¡± Upon seeing the average-looking man¡¯s unchanging expression, James sighed. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever heard of Venusians?¡±

    The illusion of Sam shook its head.

    Kerry cleared his throat. ¡°They¡¯re from the planet Venus,¡± the red-haired man said. ¡°Before Earth¡¯s cataclysm, there were a few planets in the same solar system, and Venus was one of them, but it was widely regarded as a dead planet since nothing lived on it. Well, humans didn¡¯t know it at the time, but Venus underwent a cataclysm long before humanity developed on Earth, and the habitable parts of Venus were stripped away by Oterra, leaving behind the dead planet¡ªthe same thing that had happened to Earth.¡±

    James looked at the red-haired man. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were a scholar.¡±

    Kerry shrugged. ¡°I paid attention in class.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get why you work so hard when you¡¯re just a dog like me,¡± James said and shook his head. What was the point of learning when the only thing he had to worry about was fulfilling orders? If did as he was asked, he¡¯d be treated nicely. If he didn¡¯t follow orders, his brain would melt. Thinking of melting¡­, James stared at the bridge being formed on the surface of the lava. He really didn¡¯t want to walk across it. The beasts within the lava were massive, and all they¡¯d have to do is throw themselves at the bridge to destroy it.

    ¡°So, these Venusians,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°They can craft four-dimensional things?¡±

    ¡°Not sure,¡± James said, turning his head to look at Kerry.

    The red-haired man nodded. ¡°They¡¯re like us,¡± he said. ¡°Their bodies are as fragile as ours, so they went down the technology route also. If we had a few million years to catch up, we¡¯d be what they are now.¡± Kerry stared at the lava as it hardened into a path of black rocks, still far away from another landmass. ¡°It¡¯s a shame Venusians don¡¯t like interacting with humans; they¡¯re a bit particular about beauty, and if someone¡¯s not up to their standards, they won¡¯t even give them a second glance. I imagine most of us look like slugs to them.¡±

    ¡°Alright, enough chitchat,¡± Tom said as he halted his talent. The black rock path he had created by freezing the surface of the lake was already beginning to melt. Red lava lapped against the side of the rocky bridge, eating away at the walkable area. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can build a road spanning this whole lake before it melts. If we want to get across, I¡¯ll have to freeze and walk as we go. For balance reasons, I can only transport one person at a time.¡±

    James exchanged glances with Kerry. ¡°One of us has to go first,¡± James said. ¡°If he¡±¡ªJames gestured towards Sam with his head¡ª¡°gets left alone, he might get killed.¡±

    ¡°You can go first,¡± Kerry said, flashing a smile at James. There was no reason for Kerry to volunteer to go first. If something terrible happened to James and Tom while they walked across the surface of the molten lake, then it¡¯d be unfortunate, but Kerry would live, and that¡¯s all that mattered. ¡°Show me how it¡¯s done, so I don¡¯t make any mistakes when it¡¯s my turn.¡±

    James sighed, not particularly willing to cross the lake. He looked at the illusion Werchbite had created to cover Sam. ¡°Are you sure you want to cross? It¡¯ll be dangerous, and you could lose your life. We could always wait to raid a different dungeon, one with a more hospitable environment.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no technology you can whip out to cross this lake?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Nope,¡± James said. ¡°If Tom weren¡¯t here, then we¡¯d have already set camp on this island.¡± A wry smile appeared on his lips as he looked in Sam¡¯s direction. ¡°Unless you have a method to get us across? Your talent wouldn¡¯t happen to be flying, would it?¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t even have to shake his head; Werchbite¡¯s illusion did it for him. Although Birdbrained could fly, the eagle couldn¡¯t carry him; if it were any less graceful, it wouldn¡¯t be able to carry itself either. ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I can¡¯t swim in lava either.¡±

    ¡°Thought so,¡± James said and shrugged. He sighed again before walking behind Tom. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Tom gritted his teeth and exhaled while extending his arms, freezing the parts he had already frozen before to stabilize them. Then, he walked forward, pointing his palms at the lava¡¯s surface to extend the bridge. As he walked while using his talent, James followed close behind while keeping a lookout, scanning the lake with a grenade in hand.

    Sam took in a deep breath. With his All-Seeing Gaze, he sensed three beasts within the lava swimming towards Tom and James. Sam exhaled as he focused on his crown chakra, attempting to forge a connection between himself and the approaching beasts. A strand of lightning extended out of him within his psychic vision; the light branched into three parts, stabbing into one beast each. Then, while maintaining the connection, Sam focused on his root chakra and activated Toughen.

    The lava beasts¡¯ already tough bodies became even tougher; so tough, they could no longer move their limbs. The beasts stopped swimming, and they slowly sank towards the bottom of the molten lake, going so deep Sam could no longer detect them with his All-Seeing Gaze. He ceased his technique and exhaled, focusing his attention onto James and Tom. The bridge behind them was melting, and the rocky bridge they were standing on should be described as a moving platform rather than a bridge.

    ¡°You brave enough to do that?¡± Kerry asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest and stepping next to Sam. ¡°Behold, the world¡¯s shittiest boat, one misstep, and the whole thing tilts over, killing everyone on board.¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to jinx them?¡± Vercedei asked, conversing in Sam¡¯s place. Sometimes, Sam believed the snake gagged him because it was a chatterbox and wanted to do all the talking. After all, since the snake¡¯s other head, Werchbite, never spoke, Vercedei must¡¯ve longed for someone to converse with. ¡°I know how to cast a few hexes myself.¡±

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°You believe in magic?¡± Kerry asked, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°I have a book,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°and I¡¯ve casted a spell successfully.¡±

    Sam thought back to the book of magic he had once suspected was a scam. He had performed one of the rituals inside of it, wishing for any wandering deity, spirit, or demon to bless him, and the next day, he awakened with an S-ranked talent. Was Vercedei referring to that instance?

    ¡°What kind of spell?¡± Kerry asked. ¡°I heard people say magic can grant you wealth, but I don¡¯t believe it. There¡¯s no way you can get something for free that easily.¡±

    ¡°The spell I casted was a curse,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but some might think of it as a blessing.¡±

    Sam really hoped Vercedei was not referring to his ritual conducted through pencil lead and used candles.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Kerry said, his gaze shifting onto James and Tom. ¡°If you¡¯re nervous about crossing the lava, you can call them back, and we¡¯ll all wait here until the dungeon closes.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re the nervous one,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°What¡¯s your talent? I saw how fast you moved earlier.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a B-ranked talent related to speed,¡± Kerry said. ¡°I can move really, really fast, but if I do, it gets dangerous for me.¡± A wry smile appeared on his face. ¡°If I ran at top speed and punched someone, my arm would shatter from the impact.¡±

    ¡°Are you fast enough to run on lava?¡± Vercedei asked.

    Kerry let out a short laugh almost like a dog¡¯s bark. ¡°I¡¯m not brave enough to try,¡± he said, his eyes twinkling, ¡°but I can run on water. I¡¯ll show you after we¡¯re done with this dungeon if you¡¯re interested.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t really interested, but Vercedei thought otherwise. ¡°Sure,¡± the snake¡¯s blue head said. ¡°Let¡¯s hope we both survive through this dungeon to witness that.¡±

    ¡°Are you casting a hex on me?¡± Kerry asked, taking a step away from Sam before playfully punching his shoulder. ¡°Keep your curses to yourself. We got unlucky with our starting position, but once we¡¯re out of this lava lake, well, I hope we wind up on a large landmass or something.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re awfully optimistic,¡± Vercedei said. The illusion of Sam turned to look at the large luggage packs that had been left behind on the island. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to carry those across when it¡¯s your turn?¡± Werchbite¡¯s illusion smiled at the red-haired man. ¡°Be careful not to tip the world¡¯s shittiest boat.¡±

    Kerry¡¯s expression darkened. Weren¡¯t they bonding? Why was this fellow wishing death on him so much? The red-haired man looked at the luggage packs, and his expression darkened even further. James hadn¡¯t carried anything on his trip across, and it¡¯d be unreasonable to make their charge carry the bags when it was his turn; after all, if they failed to keep their charge safe, Monarch would melt their brains depending on the severity of their mistake. Then, it was up to him to carry all the packs since Tom had to focus on freezing the lava into a path. Kerry glared at Sam. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be friends, just say so; there¡¯s no need to jinx me to death.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Look, James and Tom are almost there, and they didn¡¯t get attacked a single time. The lava beasts must be smart enough to avoid us.¡± A pensive look appeared on illusion Sam¡¯s face. ¡°What if they¡¯re smart enough to call for help, and they decide to come back and swarm us?¡±

    ¡°Then one of us will be the unlucky bastard who gets attacked by them all at once,¡± Kerry said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mind?¡± Vercedei asked.

    Kerry shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I mind or not; this is something I have to do, so I¡¯ll do it,¡± he said. ¡°Also, it¡¯s not so bad when I compare what I¡¯m going through to what Tom¡¯s going through. He has to make five trips back and forth across this lake, so he¡¯s the real sucker in this situation.¡±

    ¡°What a positive outlook,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You¡¯re quite the optimist, huh?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the red-haired man said and thumped his chest with his hand. ¡°When you¡¯ve gone through a life like I¡¯ve had, anything is bearable. Besides, protecting you is the last mission I have to complete before I¡¯m free to do what I want, so I can¡¯t help but be upbeat. Sure, it¡¯d be nice if you wanted to sit still and wait for the dungeon to close, but I¡¯ve been through worse than walking across the surface of a molten lake.¡±

    ¡°Have you gone through many dungeons?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°What have you been through that¡¯s worse?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Kerry said, scratching his chin. ¡°I think the worst thing that¡¯s ever happened to me is being captured by reptilians.¡±

    ¡°In a dungeon?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kerry said, nodding his head.

    ¡°Et Serpentium is a dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Kerry said, squinting at the two in the distance. It was hard for him to tell if they had made it to the other side yet. ¡°We bumped into them inside a dungeon, the only reason I escaped. One of the reptilians were feeling particularly nice since it was rare to see a red-haired human, so instead of killing me, they let me go when time ran out.¡±

    ¡°Were you tortured?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about it,¡± Kerry said.

    ¡°You sure?¡± Vercedei asked, caring more about the details than Kerry¡¯s feelings. Sam wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Kerry punched him in the face. ¡°It¡¯s not good to bottle up your emotions; they¡¯ll clog your chakras, and you know what happens when your chakras are filled with gunk, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Kerry said, saying the same thing as Sam¡¯s thought. ¡°What happens?¡±

    ¡°Demons and their ilk are attracted to you,¡± Vercedei said as illusion Sam¡¯s face smiled. ¡°They cling to you and sap your energy, making everything harder: mustering up the strength to clean your face will seem like an enormous task, and the things you once found fun won¡¯t be enjoyable anymore, not when you¡¯re weighed down by evil spirits.¡±

    Kerry gulped. ¡°Demons aren¡¯t real,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as ghosts or spirits.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can assure you, they are very real. A kitten lies on a heated surface because it feels nice; a demon rests on a clogged-chakra human because of the same reason,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Would you like to see one? If my words aren¡¯t proof enough, I can show you they exist.¡±

    Kerry stared at Sam¡¯s face. It might¡¯ve been average, but that just made it easier for Kerry to see Sam was serious. Were demons real? Reptilians with massive frames impervious to bullets were real. Space-and-time-bending graylings were real. Invisible demons that sapped people¡¯s energy¡­, didn¡¯t sound so silly. ¡°Let me see,¡± Kerry said.

    ¡°Spirits or other entities,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Please, show yourselves; give us a sign you are here.¡± Sam¡¯s illusion pointed at the surface of the lake. ¡°Observe the air shimmering from the heat.¡±

    Sam activated his All-Seeing Gaze, curious to see if Vercedei was tricking Kerry or being honest. Although Sam didn¡¯t see spirits, he did see Werchbite activating its illusion technique, causing a blurry face to appear where Kerry was looking, causing the red-haired man to flinch. The twin-headed snake might¡¯ve fooled Kerry, but that didn¡¯t mean the snake had to be lying. ¡°There,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Did you see it?¡±

    Kerry swallowed and turned his head towards Sam. ¡°Yep,¡± he said. ¡°I was tortured, but they had this stone coffin, some kind of reptilian technology, and after a session of them doing whatever they wished to me, they¡¯d throw me in the coffin, and I¡¯d be buzzed back to full health.¡± Kerry shuddered, and he stared in the illusion¡¯s eyes. ¡°They ate me. It was awful.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Vercedei asked, eager to dig into the red-haired man¡¯s trauma. ¡°Raw?¡±

    Kerry turned his head away, looking at the far shore. Tom and James had made it, and Tom was currently on his way back. ¡°All kinds of ways,¡± he said, ¡°but, yes, mostly raw. Reptilians aren¡¯t fine diners; their noodles are tapeworms grown inside of humans.¡±

    ¡°Did they grow some in you?¡± Vercedei asked.

    Kerry gave Sam the side-eye. ¡°I should¡¯ve known you were a weirdo when he started spouting stuff about demons,¡± the red-haired man said and shook his head. ¡°These aren¡¯t questions people normally ask, alright? Also, no, they didn¡¯t grow any worms in me, but they grew some in my buddy. Took less than a week for those worms to wriggle right on out his rear end, must¡¯ve been ten feet long or so.¡±

    ¡°Did they let you try any?¡±

    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough questions out of you,¡± Kerry said. ¡°Are you ready to walk across the lake with Tom? If anything happens, well, we probably can¡¯t save you, so if you want to back out, there¡¯s still time.¡±

    Sam had entered a dungeon to obtain practical experience for the techniques he had learned from his mentors. He might¡¯ve used All-Seeing Gaze a few times, but he could practice that technique whenever he wished. If he stayed on the little island in the middle of the molten lake, sure, he¡¯d be safe, but he¡¯d be wasting his time. Besides, he didn¡¯t want his first dungeon experience to be a whole bunch of nothing.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, and my selfishness may cause you to die, but I¡¯m going to cross,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Experiencing new things, learning from my experiences, and becoming stronger, those are my goals, and I won¡¯t let anything get in my way.¡±

    ¡°At least you know what you want,¡± Kerry said and nodded. ¡°With such a heartless mindset, you¡¯ll definitely go far. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m too pleased about the possibility of dying on my final mission before freedom, but don¡¯t let that change your mind.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Vercedei said. If Kerry decided to hate Sam, Sam couldn¡¯t really blame the guy. Vercedei was being a bit brash and inconsiderate, and Sam was sure the facial expressions Werchbite was making for him were irritating to look at. Couldn¡¯t any of the familiars created by his talent be a nice animal for once?

 Chapter 45

    James stood with his arms crossed at the shore of the molten lake, watching as Tom escorted their charge across the reddish surface. Their charge wasn¡¯t a coward and was willing to brave dangers; James hadn¡¯t decided if that was a positive trait or not, but considering dungeons were dangerous places, it was probably a negative; after all, who wanted to be a bodyguard for a reckless fellow? Luckily, things went smoothly, and the average-looking fellow made it across without a hitch.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t so bad, right?¡± James asked, patting his charge. For some reason, James thought he touched something furry. ¡°Now, we just have to wait for Tom and Kerry. I know you¡¯re excited to be off and exploring, but It¡¯ll be better for us to stay in place until they arrive.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°That¡¯s the best choice, but what are we going to do if they don¡¯t make it across alive?¡±

    ¡°Why would you even say that?¡± James asked and shook his head. ¡°Our supplies are with them, so we¡¯ll be hungry and probably sleepless until we¡¯re expelled from the dungeon.¡±

    Sam used his All-Seeing Gaze to take stock of the surroundings. The lake of lava wasn¡¯t the only source of molten rock. The whole region seemed to be pockmarked by regions of volcanic activity: rivers of flowing lava, calderas with magma burbling underneath the thin rocky surface, and even geysers of molten rock shooting into the air in the distance. Without the supplies, Sam¡¯s group wouldn¡¯t be able to eat or drink a single thing unless they decided to chew on rocks¡ªif one discounted the candy Raindu had stored away in its fur.

    ¡°You¡¯ve entered dungeons before, right?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°In your opinion, what¡¯s the most valuable thing we can obtain in a place like this?¡±

    ¡°Probably that thing that ambushed us,¡± James said. ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be much around, no plants or metals or things to gather, so the creatures here should be the main attraction.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°How do we bring it out of the dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Transport necklace,¡± James said, gesturing towards the island in the molten lake with his chin. ¡°We have some in our supply bags; basically, you put the necklace on whatever you want to keep, and when the dungeon closes, whatever¡¯s wearing the necklace will be transported out with us.¡± James glanced down at the molten rock. ¡°There might be stuff worth gathering in the lava, but we don¡¯t have any methods to check.¡±

    Considering Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze couldn¡¯t even gauge how deep the lava was, there really might¡¯ve been something down there, but it wasn¡¯t like he could obtain it.

    ¡°I have a question for you,¡± James said, turning to look at Sam. ¡°Are you a stickler for the rules?¡±

    Vercedei answered before Sam could even formulate a thought. ¡°Rules are meant to be twisted and broken,¡± the snake¡¯s blue head said. ¡°Their only purpose is to restrain and strip people of their freedoms.¡±

    James raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well,¡± he said and grinned, ¡°if that¡¯s what you really think, then I believe you should change your goal. Oterra¡¯s natives agreed not to interfere with the development of lower planes by keeping the enlightened individual undisturbed because there¡¯s a chance the lower plane could ascend in the future, becoming a part of Oterra, but ¡­ since when have humans cared about long-term gains?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re suggesting we mess with the enlightened individual?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Will there be great gains?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± James said. ¡°An enlightened individual is easy to communicate with; we can ask them about their world to see if there¡¯s anything of value in this dungeon. If there isn¡¯t anything of value, we can always capture the enlightened monster.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°We¡¯ll aim for the enlightened beast. Where do we find it?¡±

    ¡°Good question,¡± James said and shrugged. ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, we¡¯ll bump into it, but now we know to confront it instead of avoiding it. It doesn¡¯t seem like anything can survive on this plane other than those metal beasts, so we might not even find it since we can¡¯t explore the lava.¡±

    Sam had to agree with James¡¯ deduction; nothing he knew could survive for long in an environment like this, one with no food or water. Then again, the lava beasts were surviving just fine, so perhaps there really was something else living in this primordial world that didn¡¯t need to eat or drink.

    Despite Vercedei¡¯s earlier inauspicious words, Tom and Kerry crossed the lava lake with only a few minor wobbles. The blue-haired man exhaled and sat down upon reaching the shore. ¡°Damn,¡± Tom said as he took in a deep breath. ¡°That was tiring; let¡¯s hope I don¡¯t have to do that again.¡±

    ¡°You probably will,¡± James said and took one of the luggage packs from Kerry. James looked up at the sky where a red sun was shining. ¡°Before the sun sets, we have to find a suitable place to make camp.¡±

    ¡°What happens after the sun sets?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°It gets dark as shit, and I¡¯m not a bat,¡± James said. ¡°Can you navigate in the dark?¡±

    Sam, in fact, could navigate in the dark just fine. He was currently navigating without any light at all thanks to the snake wrapped around his face. Whether it was day or night didn¡¯t affect him, unless the temperature plummeted, but Sam doubted that¡¯d happen considering how hot it currently was. The plane¡¯s tectonic activities would have to cease first for the lava to cool. ¡°Is it just the lighting?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°No monsters or ghosts will pop up once the sun goes down?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± James said and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve never been here before. We don¡¯t even know what kind of dungeon we¡¯re entering before we go inside, so how would we know the contents of said dungeon? Regardless, it¡¯s important to have a basecamp in a defensible position. Sleeping out in the open is a bad idea.¡±

    ¡°Will there even be a good spot to camp?¡± Kerry asked and scanned the surroundings.

    ¡°If there are shitty spots to camp, there¡¯ll also be less shitty spots to camp,¡± James said. He nodded at Kerry. ¡°Hurry up and scout for us.¡±

    Kerry sighed and handed the pack of luggage on his back to Tom but not before taking a thermos of water for himself. As the fastest member of the group, it was his job to scout the path ahead. Everyone did what they had the capabilities to do, but the red-haired man was still disgruntled since everyone could slack off except for him. Then again, he did push James into the way of an attack earlier, so Kerry managed to cheer himself up. ¡°I¡¯m off.¡±

    ¡°Is it okay to let him go by himself?¡± Vercedei asked as Kerry ran ahead, turning into a blur that disappeared in the horizon. ¡°You said it yourself: you don¡¯t know what danger lies in this plane.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s scouting,¡± James said. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine ¡­ unless he bumps into some natives from Oterra who also happen to be exploring this dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Are there multiple entrances to the dungeon?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James said. ¡°Have you ever heard of ley line theory? Supposedly, there are invisible lines of power crossing every plane, and where they intersect is where dungeon entrances are likely to be. If reptilians enter from Et Serpentium, they¡¯ll likely end up at another intersection of ley lines.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Sam thought back to the conversation he had with Ellie last night. After telling her of his plans to enter a dungeon, the yellow reptilian seemed awfully excited for some reason, and she hung up on him to pester her mother for something. What were the odds of her entering the same dungeon as him? There were multiple dungeons in existence, so even if she did enter one¡ªafter convincing her mother to let her go¡ªshe probably wouldn¡¯t end up in the same plane.

    ¡°For someone who hired us to guard you inside a dungeon, you really didn¡¯t do much research beforehand, huh?¡± Tom asked as he rummaged through the luggage sack. He pulled out a thermos and uncapped it, giving the lip a sniff before drinking from it. ¡°Why bother doing things half-assed? You should develop a clear-cut plan and stick with it. Making things up as you go only serves to slow you down.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but that¡¯s also not any fun. What¡¯s the point of experiencing new things if you read all about them first? It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll get any points for being good at something I¡¯ve never done before either. Life is long, so one should take their time going through it.¡±

    Tom rolled his eyes. ¡°Life is long as long as you¡¯re not eaten halfway through living,¡± the blue-haired man said. He looked at the molten lake. ¡°What do you think that slag beast that attacked us eats? It won¡¯t last long as a predator if there isn¡¯t any prey for it to feast on. It seemed comfortable enough attacking things on land too, so there must be some kind of surface-dwelling creature it eats on occasion.¡±

    Sam found Tom¡¯s deduction more reasonable than James¡¯.

    ¡°What if it eats ores?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Its body looked like it was made of metal.¡±

    Tom shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t seem like a rock eater to me,¡± he said. ¡°If it ate stationary ores, it¡¯d be like an herbivore, but it¡¯s built like an apex predator.¡±

    ¡°Who cares what it eats?¡± James asked. ¡°Let¡¯s get away from the shore, and we won¡¯t have to find out whether or not it eats humans.¡±

    The trio set off in the direction Kerry had gone. Sam kept his All-Seeing Gaze active, searching the surroundings for anything of interest, but all he saw was lava and the bare, rocky surface he was walking on, not a single hint of life to be seen. There might not have been anything living, but he did notice smears of various color buried within the ground.

    ¡°Did you happen to pack a shovel?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°A shovel?¡± James asked. He went around to Tom¡¯s back and rummaged through the luggage sack, pulling out three cylinders bound together. ¡°Here.¡±

    Sam grabbed the offered cylinders and focused on it with his All-Seeing Gaze. It was a bit blurry, but he figured out the gist of it with the help of his hands. He untied the cylinders and clicked them together. Then, he pressed on a button, causing a metal shovel¡¯s head to emerge from the bottommost cylinder. Sam walked over one of the colorful smears and smashed the head of the shovel into the rocky surface. Surprisingly, it went in with ease as if he were digging through sand.

    ¡°What¡¯s this made out of?¡± Vercedei asked, the illusion of Sam¡¯s face raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Not sure,¡± James said. ¡°It¡¯s an alloy created by Carbon Peak, and they¡¯re not too keen on sharing their recipes.¡±

    Sam scooped out a shovelful of rock and tossed it aside before plunging the shovel into the ground once more. After several repeated actions, the colorful smear was revealed¡ªto everyone but him, Sam still only saw it as a red smear.

    ¡°A chunk of ruby,¡± James said. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned.¡± He looked at Sam. ¡°You¡¯re like a mole or something.¡±

    Tom stared at the ruby ore in his charge¡¯s hand. Then, the blue-haired man¡¯s eyes widened to the size of saucers as the average-looking man¡¯s mouth opened wide, the man¡¯s hand bringing the ore up to his own face like one would raise an apple. It couldn¡¯t be¡­.

    Crunch.

    James and Tom cringed as their charge munched on the ruby ore as if it were a burger, eating the solid chunk of ore without wasting a single crumb. Tom¡¯s teeth turned numb just thinking about it; sometimes, his scrambled eggs would have a tiny piece of eggshell, and that was enough to make him wince upon biting down on it. If he had to eat a whole piece of ore? His teeth would shatter, and the insides of his mouth would be flayed and bloody. Tom turned towards James and saw a similar expression on his coworker¡¯s face.

    ¡°Delicious,¡± Vercedei said, causing Sam to sigh internally. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t his face being used in Werchbite¡¯s illusion, so he didn¡¯t have to care if people thought of him as someone who ate precious stones. After the dungeon was over, this persona of his would disappear from the world forever. As for the ruby, the snake¡¯s blue head had swallowed it whole. If Sam had seen the twin-headed snake swallow everything Raindu had stolen from Treasured Crystals to recreate a set of respiratory organs for him, he wouldn¡¯t have been surprised by the snake¡¯s actions. Well, it wasn¡¯t like he was expecting to keep any crystal he found anyway; if Vercedei didn¡¯t eat it, Raindu would¡¯ve taken it.

    ¡°Is that your talent?¡± James asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°Do you benefit from eating crystals?¡± Tom asked, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°I do,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but those benefits are a secret, so please, refrain from asking.¡±

    The snake¡¯s blue head didn¡¯t say it out loud, but Sam knew Vercedei wanted him to dig up more ores, promising him it¡¯d be worth his time. Sam wasn¡¯t sure if he could trust the snake¡¯s words, but it could make his life miserable, so he listened. He walked over to the next smear of color and dug. It was deeper within, but through hard work and persistence, Sam retrieved another piece of ore.

    Tom stared at Sam. ¡°You¡¯re going to¡±¡ª

    Crunch.

    ¡ª¡°eat that too?¡± The blue-haired man scratched his head. If Sam¡¯s talent gave him benefits for eating ores, could he be blamed for being a bit weird? Well, it wasn¡¯t like Monarch¡¯s group of three had a claim to anything their charge obtained by himself; they were hired to protect him and teach him the ropes of raiding dungeons.

    Sam ignored Tom¡¯s question¡ªnot like he could answer the blue-haired man even if he wanted to¡ªand moved on to the next smear of color. It was even deeper than before, but since there wasn¡¯t any lava in between him and the ore, it was merely a matter of working harder to obtain the crystal. He wasn¡¯t sure what kind of crystal it was since he could only see them as vague colors, but it didn¡¯t matter to Vercedei. The snake¡¯s blue head swallowed it whole. It was a bit disturbing for Sam since the twin-headed snake was wrapped around his head; he could feel the ore pressing against his face as it traveled down the reptile like a lemon being squeezed through a thin tube. What did the snake need raw ores for anyway?

    Werchbite spoke in Sam¡¯s mind, promising him it¡¯d make something good from the ores as long as enough was gathered. He definitely wouldn¡¯t be disappointed in the final product; after all, he liked his new respiratory system, no? It wasn¡¯t like Sam could say no in response the snake¡¯s purple head¡¯s question; he¡¯d be dead without the crystalline organ it had given him. At least he was benefitting from the labor Vercedei was forcing him to do.

    James led Sam and Tom in the direction Kerry had gone, stopping every so often to allow Sam time to dig up ores and eat them. The dungeon seemed to be tailor made for Sam¡¯s skillset, and James couldn¡¯t help but yawn from having nothing to do but walk and wait for Sam to dig. ¡°How are you finding these ores?¡± James asked as Sam stopped for the umpteenth time. ¡°Is that a part of your talent as well?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said as Sam stabbed the shovel into the ground. ¡°It¡¯s a chakra technique.¡±

    ¡°Ajna?¡± Tom asked. The third eye chakra was usually a good guess when it came to spotting things.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°Ajna and Sahasrara combined.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Tom said, scanning the illusion of Sam from head to toe. ¡°You look pretty young; I wouldn¡¯t have suspected you unlocked those two chakras.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Well,¡± Tom said, ¡°most people unlock the lower chakras first. I heard it¡¯s difficult to unlock the higher chakras unless you have the right kind of life experience, and younger people usually don¡¯t have those.¡±

    ¡°What chakras have you unlocked?¡± Vercedei asked, not caring about the invasiveness of the question.

    ¡°Anahata,¡± Tom said, his face cracking into a smile, ¡°because I¡¯m a coward.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve developed lots of life preserving techniques, huh?¡± Vercedei asked before eating the ore Sam dug up.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tom said. ¡°There¡¯s no point in anything if you¡¯re dead, so I¡¯m doing my best not to die.¡±

    ¡°Signing up to become a guide for a high-ranked dungeon¡­?¡± Vercedei asked, leaving the rest of the question unsaid.

    ¡°Like I said,¡± Tom said with a grimace, ¡°doing my best not to die.¡±

    ¡°Kerry¡¯s coming back,¡± James said, cutting into Tom and Vercedei¡¯s conversation. He waved at the red-haired man running towards them from the horizon and asked, ¡°Did you find anything?¡±

    ¡°I found a place suitable for spending the night,¡± Kerry said before looking at the shovel in Sam¡¯s hand. ¡°Did the three of you find anything?¡±

    ¡°This guy¡±¡ªTom gestured towards Sam¡ª¡°is good at finding ores and eating them,¡± the blue-haired man said.

    Kerry stared at Sam. ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ impressive,¡± the red-haired man said before nodding. He turned towards James. ¡°There¡¯s a structure up ahead; it almost looks like an artificial pyramid.¡±

    ¡°Pyramids are usually a good sign of enlightened individuals; it¡¯s hard to create a pyramid without a proper labor force,¡± James said, a faint smile appearing on his face as he looked at Sam. ¡°Shall we head there?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Vercedei said. ¡®Let¡¯s go see if we can communicate with the fellows who built the pyramid.¡±

 Chapter 46

    The group of four men walked along the rocky, black surface of the dungeon¡¯s ground, making their way to the pyramid structure Kerry had spotted. ¡°I see it,¡± James said. ¡°It definitely doesn¡¯t look natural.¡±

    The pyramid must¡¯ve been massive because the structure wasn¡¯t in the range of Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze. If he weren¡¯t blinded by Werchbite, he assumed he would¡¯ve seen the structure on the horizon like a faraway mountain.

    ¡°Are we sure we want to go there?¡± Tom asked. ¡°A structure like that is bound to be occupied, and we¡¯re not supposed to mess around with the enlightened native; it must¡¯ve been the one to order this construction.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James said. ¡°We¡¯re going, and we¡¯re going to do more than mess with the enlightened one. We have to capture it or make it spit out something worth our time.¡±

    ¡°But the rules,¡± Tom said, his brow furrowing. ¡°If the natives of Oterra find out¡±¡ª

    ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± James said, ¡°as long as none of us are stupid enough to tell anyone. Even if this plane was destined to ascend and become a part of Oterra, it would take thousands of years, maybe even millions. If by some lucky chance the natives of this plane remember what happened, which they won¡¯t, and snitched on us to the blue avians, it won¡¯t matter because we¡¯ll be long gone by then.¡±

    ¡°I suppose,¡± Tom said and frowned. He looked at Sam. ¡°Well, I¡¯m just a dog, so if our boss decides that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do, then that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do.¡±

    The illusion of Sam nodded its head. ¡°I¡¯ll take full responsibility for anything that happens,¡± Vercedei said, much to Sam¡¯s dismay. ¡°That being said, I¡¯d rather not anyone know what we did, so keep quiet about it.¡±

    Kerry stared at Sam before shrugging. ¡°It¡¯s only human to pick short-term personal gains,¡± the red-haired man said, ¡°can¡¯t say I blame you.¡± He stared up at the sky, which was covered in an orange haze. ¡°I just think it¡¯s a shame this civilization¡¯s course of history is going to be altered by us.¡±

    James snorted. ¡°As if human civilization hasn¡¯t been altered by outsiders,¡± he said. ¡°Earth managed to ascend to Oterra just fine even with said interference, so these guys can do it too.¡±

    Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze detected a colorful smear up ahead, and he readied his shovel as he walked over. After securing the ore and feeding it to Vercedei, he took in a deep breath through his nose. He was getting a lot better at breathing with his nostrils; even when he was exerting himself, he didn¡¯t have to¡ªread couldn¡¯t¡ªpant with his mouth. Sweat ran down his face and the sides of his torso from his armpits, his body perhaps compensating for the inability to regulate his temperature through his breaths.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost ready,¡± Werchbite¡¯s voice said inside of Sam¡¯s head. ¡°A few more ores will do the trick.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure what Werchbite was planning on creating for him, but he was glad he didn¡¯t have to dig much more. It wasn¡¯t difficult, but it was awkward being the only one doing anything while three other people stared at him. After walking a bit further, the pyramid came into Sam¡¯s detection range. Dozens of living creatures were moving about around it, and they resembled the beasts he had seen swimming in the lava earlier. They were diving into a nearby source of lava¡ªSam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze couldn¡¯t see the end of the molten rock¡ªand bringing back materials to the structure. There was one lava beast not doing any physical labor; it was overseeing all the other beasts while standing on a pile of ores to elevate it above the rest.

    ¡°I think I see something moving,¡± James said, squinting at the pyramid in the distance.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kerry said, nodding his head. ¡°One of those beasts carrying a block up to the top of the pyramid. Why do you think they¡¯re building it?¡±

    ¡°Maybe the leader of the beasts is going to die and wants a tomb?¡± Tom asked, causing James and Kerry to look at the blue-haired man. He shrugged. ¡°What? Isn¡¯t that why the pharaohs had the pyramids built on Earth?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Kerry said and pointed at the lava beast in the distance. ¡°That looks like an Egyptian to me.¡±

    Tom¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, ¡°fine. Maybe they¡¯re building an altar to sacrifice things to the gods.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± James said. ¡°Should we be those gods?¡± A smile appeared on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s go introduce ourselves to it.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure where James¡¯ confidence was coming from. How many grenades could he have packed? There was an extremely large number of lava beasts working on the pyramid, and their bodies were even larger than reptilians¡¯. Seeing as they were made of slag and other inorganic matter, their defensive properties were definitely stronger than the reptilians¡¯ too.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tom said and rolled his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go up to those beasts and say hello. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll understand and worship the heck out of us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that,¡± Kerry said. ¡°The one we met seemed pretty keen on killing us until James chucked grenades at it.¡± The red-haired man turned towards James. ¡°How many grenades do you have left anyway?¡±

    ¡°It was sarcasm,¡± Tom said and snorted. ¡°Look at the size of that pyramid. There are definitely hundreds of those beasts working on it. I can¡¯t slow them all down with my talent, and how will you blast them apart if I don¡¯t do that? Provoking this group is suicide.¡± The blue-haired man turned towards Sam. ¡°You can dig up ores and eat them, and you¡¯ll benefit plenty from this dungeon. Do you really want to risk your life? You don¡¯t even know what you can get from there.¡±

    ¡°If we befriend the enlightened native, we can have it convince its underlings to gather stuff from the lava for us,¡± James said. ¡°Who knows what kind of treasures lie down there?¡±

    ¡°Because you can speak to beasts,¡± Tom said.

    ¡°I can,¡± James said. ¡°It¡¯s a recent development, but I¡¯ve made substantial progress in unlocking my throat chakra. I can convey my intent to any sentient creature.¡±

    As someone whose Vishudda was completely mastered thanks to his natural talent, Sam could transmit his intent to anything he could establish a connection with; he had learned how to do it from a tutor before entering the dungeon. As for why he didn¡¯t try to speak with the beasts in the lava lake earlier, well, he was more comfortable with using Toughen to rob them of their mobility; either way, the problem was solved.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Tom said, gesturing towards the pyramid with his head, ¡°go on and speak with them. We¡¯ll wait right here.¡±

    James snorted. ¡°You know what?¡± he asked. ¡°I will. The three of you can wait here, and if I convince them into believing I¡¯m a god, I¡¯ll be hogging all the benefits for myself.¡±

    ¡°You should ask for permission first before doing something like that,¡± Kerry said. ¡°We were hired as guards, so we shouldn¡¯t be looting the dungeon off on our own.¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t mind,¡± James said, looking towards Sam for confirmation. ¡°Do you want to come with me?¡±

    Sam weighed the options in his mind, seeing if the risk was worth the reward. However, he didn¡¯t have time to finish thinking before Vercedei chose for him. ¡°Yes,¡± the snake¡¯s blue head said. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± The illusion of Sam looked at Tom and Kerry. ¡°The two of you can stay back if you¡¯re scared; I won¡¯t hold it against you.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Kerry said, giving Sam two thumbs-up. ¡°I¡¯ll wait right here then; please, don¡¯t get yourself killed. If it really seems like you¡¯re going to die, use James as a decoy to save yourself.¡±

    Tom stared at Sam. ¡°I¡¯m sticking with my position,¡± he said. ¡°If things go south, you¡¯ll die. How are you going to survive if you get swarmed by those things?¡±

    Well, Raindu could touch the beasts, and they¡¯d die ¡­ if they had hearts or organs similar to hearts. Werchbite could make an illusion of Sam running in another direction while he himself cut off his connections to the beasts, rendering himself invisible to them. After thinking about it some more, Sam realized the risks weren¡¯t actually as high as he thought.

    ¡°He¡¯s unlocked his crown chakra,¡± James said. ¡°I¡¯m sure he can pull a Wendy and vanish when he needs to.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Tom said and nodded at Sam. ¡°It¡¯s great that you have an escape technique; since your safety is practically assured, I, the one lacking escape techniques, will sit my ass right here and wait for your triumphant return.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s settled then,¡± James said. ¡°We¡¯ll fool the natives into believing we¡¯re gods, and the two of you will wait here wishing you were us.¡± He grinned at Sam. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Sam followed after James, leaving the red-haired and blue-haired men behind. ¡°If shit hits the fan, how are you getting out?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Rocket boots,¡± James said.

    ¡°What now?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Rocket boots,¡± James said again and pointed at his shoes. ¡°Thanks to my talent, I can survive impacts normal people can¡¯t, so I¡¯m not afraid of blasting myself through the air.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°How far can you fly? Can you reach the top of the pyramid?¡±

    ¡°From here?¡± James asked, raising as eyebrow as he eyed the pyramid in the distance. ¡°No, but I should be able to make it to the top if I jump from the base.¡±

    If the boots could be used repeatedly, Sam could see how James would escape from a swarm of lava-and-landbound creatures. Would Toughen be enough to survive the boots¡¯ impact? If so, perhaps Sam should get a pair of his own.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you rocket boots your way across that lava lake?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Landing hurts like hell,¡± James said, ¡°and the less I use them, the more fuel I conserve.¡± He raised his finger to his lips. ¡°Let me do all the talking from now on, alright? You might agitate those beasts if they can¡¯t understand you.¡±

    The illusion of Sam nodded in acknowledgement. It didn¡¯t¡¯ take long for the two of them to be spotted by a lava beast, not when they were walking out in the open without trying to conceal themselves. The beast roared, and like a chain reaction of explosions, more roars rang through the air, shaking the ground as the rest of the beasts responded in kind. The lava beast charged at James and Sam as the roars continued to resound. James raised his hand and shouted, ¡°Stop! I come in peace!¡± but it was either too loud for the beast to hear, or it simply didn¡¯t care because it didn¡¯t stop.

    James gritted his teeth and stepped forward while holding his arms out. He leaned forward and braced himself for impact a moment before the beast¡¯s leg collided against him. It was like watching a man attempt to stop an out-of-control truck, and the results went just as expected. James grunted as the leg collided against him, and he was flung away like a pebble kicked by a kid. As for Sam, he leapt to the side and cut off his connection to the lava beast with his Sahasrara, rendering himself invisible to the creature.

    James rolled along the ground before coming to a halt. He pushed himself up and glared at the beast. Although he slid across the rocky surface like a crayon made of meat, there wasn¡¯t a single scrape on his body. The beast galloped towards James again, and the man¡¯s expression darkened as he braced himself once more while shouting, ¡°Stop!¡±

    Surprisingly, the beast came to a halt in front of James. It was hard to identify where the creature¡¯s eyes were, but James was sure the beast was examining him somehow. The beast might¡¯ve come to a halt, but the ground continued to rumble as the roars in the distance continued to resound. James¡¯ expression darkened as dozens of beasts appeared on the horizon, running towards him. ¡°Tell your friends to stop,¡± James said. ¡°Let me talk to your leader.¡±

    The beast stood on its backmost legs and roared at the sky, causing James¡¯ ears to ring from the sound. The incoming beasts roared in reply, slowing down as they did so. Eventually, all the beasts came to a halt, and James waited as the sea of beasts parted. The slacking beast Sam had picked out earlier proceeded through the corridor created by the beasts, coming to a halt in front of James. The leader of the lava beasts was a different color than the rest of them, its slag-like body orange with metallic, red highlights.

    ¡°Hello,¡± James said to the beast.

    In response, the leader of the lava beasts let out a low rumble, its intent clear in Sam¡¯s mind. It was greeting James while questioning what he was at the same time.

    ¡°I am an angel,¡± James said, placing his hand on his chest. ¡°Do you know what an angel is?¡±

    The beast rumbled, indicating for James to explain himself.

    ¡°An angel is a messenger of God,¡± James said. ¡°God is the one who created you.¡± He gestured towards the beasts in the surroundings. ¡°Who created all of you. Without him, you would not exist; you owe everything to God.¡±

    Sam wondered how many times James had swindled an enlightened native because the man seemed awfully familiar with the process. Perhaps Monarch created a guidebook on tricking dungeon natives; the company already showed it had a penchant for breaking the law with their artificial-awakener program.

    The enlightened lava beast rumbled once more, asking James for proof.

    ¡°How dare you!¡± James shouted and pointed at the beast. ¡°My lord has no reason to show himself to you. If he had to prove his existence to everyone who didn¡¯t believe in him, he¡¯d have no time to do anything else. You have to have faith!¡±

    The enlightened lava beast¡¯s body made a series of clacking sounds as it asked what faith was.

    ¡°Faith is blind belief, belief without proof,¡± James said. ¡°Only if you have faith will the lord empower you.¡±

    The enlightened lava beast clacked some more. The beast thought James was spouting nonsense, and Sam couldn¡¯t help but nod his head because James was indeed spouting nonsense.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to deny the existence of God?¡± James asked, puffing his chest out. It didn¡¯t make him look any bigger considering the lava beast towered over him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious as to what happens after you die? If you don¡¯t believe in God, and you die, you go to hell, a place of ¡­ cold weather.¡± James cleared his throat. ¡°But if you believe in God, when you die, you¡¯ll go to heaven, a place filled with lava of the perfect temperature and thousands of lava beasts for you to command.¡±

    The enlightened lava beast rumbled and took a step towards James, demanding proof once again for his outlandish claims.

    James heaved an exaggerated sigh. ¡°I can show you, but you can¡¯t show it to anyone else,¡± he said. ¡°If God catches wind of me delivering proof to all of you, he won¡¯t accept any of you into heaven, but if it¡¯s just you, he won¡¯t mind.¡± James reached into his pocket and pulled out a cellphone. Then, he took a picture of the enlightened beast and turned the phone around, showing it the image on the screen. ¡°See? This is one of God¡¯s people in heaven.¡±

    The enlightened lava beast rumbled, this time, the quakes leaving its body were subdued. It was asking if heaven was located on the sun.

    James looked up at the sky, eyeing the red sun in the distance. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said and nodded. ¡°Heaven is on the sun.¡±

    The enlightened lava beast stood on its hindlegs and roared, causing the other lava beasts to roar as well. James grimaced as the ground shook. The beasts rushed in the direction they had come from, leaving the enlightened lava beast behind.

    ¡°Why did you order them to build the pyramid?¡± James asked.

    The enlightened lava beast stomped its feet and roared once more. The pyramid was being built for one purpose: to reach the sun, the great source of lava in the sky. Rather than dying and going to heaven, wasn¡¯t it better to build a path to heaven for everyone to use freely?

    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± James said. ¡°The sun is extremely far away, impossible for you to reach with your physical body. Between here and the sun, there lies a vast expanse, a freezing one, basically hell. Right, this pyramid isn¡¯t a path to heaven; it¡¯s a path to hell. Rather than having your people waste their time on building it, you should have them gather the riches of the land. By offering tributes to God, you¡¯ll be given a better status in heaven once you die.¡±

    The enlightened lava beast rumbled, asking what was the point of having a better status in heaven.

    ¡°Let me explain heaven to you,¡± James said and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a wondrous place where you can live forever without hardship, but that¡¯s just the default package. The more you offer up to God, by giving me, his angel, your riches, the better the treatment in heaven you¡¯ll get: delicious foods, top-tier entertainment, better living quarters.¡±

    Sam remained invisible as James tempted the enlightened lava beast with false promises. If he ever managed to free himself from Monarch, Sam had a feeling James would make a killing as a missionary.

 Chapter 47

    James stared at the pile of crystals and metals stacked before him with a wide smile plastered on his face. There might¡¯ve been plenty of crystals and rare metals on Oterra, but he didn¡¯t have access to them. In this dungeon, however, he practically had a monopoly on all the crystals and metals located in the lower plane. It was no wonder why in humanity¡¯s early history humans were forced to gather gold for the Venusians; those supermodels were rulebreakers just like him, and they must¡¯ve profited immensely from their misdeeds.

    The lava beasts formed a line as they marched towards the piles of materials, dropping what they had harvested before wandering off to gather more loot. As for why they were being so obedient, the enlightened lava beast was standing next to James, and every so often, it would hit the lava beasts that voiced or displayed their discontent.

    ¡°Very good,¡± James said, his eyes gleaming as a diamond the size of his head was deposited onto the pile in front of him. He smiled at the orange lava beast standing beside him. ¡°With these offerings, you¡¯ve secured your place as a prophet. When God has demands of the slagpions, he¡¯ll speak to you and count on you to shepherd them onto the right path. When you pass on from this life, you¡¯ll enjoy the best heaven has to offer.¡±

    The enlightened slagpion¡ªthe name James had given the native creatures of this dungeon¡ªlet out a low rumble. Then, without warning, the creature¡¯s massive tail rose and slammed down on James. He barely had time to raise his arms over his head, but considering the size and weight of the slagpion¡¯s tail, James¡¯ resistance was futile. He was struck into the ground like a nail, his talent the only reason he was still alive.

    ¡°Hey!¡± James shouted as he struggled to free himself from the ground. Instead of receiving a verbal response, the slagpion¡¯s tail slammed down again, striking the man even further into the black surface. ¡°What are you doing!?¡±

    The slagpion rumbled, and Sam, who was standing not too far away whilst still invisible, couldn¡¯t really find a flaw in the lava beast¡¯s reasoning. If James were an angel, a so-called messenger of God, it¡¯d be impossible for him to die no matter what happened, right? After all, if God were really that powerful, he wouldn¡¯t allow that to happen to his messengers.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James said, putting on a tough expression. It was a bit comical thanks to his body being stuck in the ground. ¡°I won¡¯t die, but hitting me is disrespectful, so stop.¡±

    The slagpion growled, asking why James looked so funny. Instead of having six legs and a tail, he was¡­, well, he was a hideous monster. Wouldn¡¯t it have made more sense for a messenger of God to be more aesthetically pleasing?

    ¡°God created me this way like he created you that way,¡± James said and rolled his eyes as he crawled out of the ground. He didn¡¯t get very far before the slagpion slammed down on him once more with its tail, causing him to cough as the wind was knocked out of him. Despite being as tough as diamonds, he could still feel the impact from the creature¡¯s blows. ¡°Cease your actions at once.¡±

    The slagpion clacked its front feet together, expressing its pleasure at James¡¯ disheveled state. It questioned whether God was as weak as its angel.

    ¡°I¡¯m not weak,¡± James said and climbed to his feet, ¡°and God is almighty. You might be stronger than the rest of the slagpions, but God can defeat all of you at the same time; after all, he created you.¡± James took a grenade out of his bag. Luckily, it was sturdy enough to withstand the impacts from the slagpion¡¯s tail. ¡°Let me show you a fraction of God¡¯s power.¡±

    The slagpion watched as James pulled the pin on the grenade and rolled the object underneath its massive body. Not long after, an explosion resounded, causing the slagpion to roar and slap James with its tail once more. He could¡¯ve demonstrated on any slagpion out there, so why did he have to target it?

    James grimaced as he tilted his head from side to side, cracking his neck. He¡¯d have to do something about the enlightened slagpion¡¯s violent behavior before it gave him a serious injury. ¡°Do you believe me now when I say God can defeat all of you?¡± he asked. ¡°I was only bestowed a tiny bit of strength, but God can exert far more force than me; he can destroy your pyramid with a snap of his fingers. How can you possibly resist?¡±

    The enlightened slagpion rumbled and turned away from James, ignoring his question.

    James snorted. ¡°God,¡± he said, looking in Sam¡¯s direction. ¡°If you¡¯re watching, please, send us a sign. Receive my offering.¡±

    It was clear what James wanted Sam to do, so he went over to the pile of crystals and metals before taking several of them off the top. Thanks to his invisibility technique granted by his Sahasrara, the pile of treasures shrank in the lava beast¡¯s view as Sam tucked the items underneath his arms.

    The enlightened slagpion whirled around, focusing its attention on the steadily diminishing pile of treasures. Then, it slapped James with its tail once more; as for why, Sam wasn¡¯t sure because the slagpion hadn¡¯t given an explanation, but he suspected it was displeased. The slagpion rushed towards the pile of treasures and swiped its legs around while slamming its tail down, causing the pile to clank with every thump. Sam, however, had run away from the pile the moment he noticed the slagpion charging at him, and he successfully avoided its attacks.

    ¡°You,¡± James said, rolling his eyes at the enlightened slagpion¡¯s actions. ¡°What are you trying to do? Hit God? He¡¯s all the way on the sun, and he can take your items here; shouldn¡¯t that give you an idea of what you¡¯re dealing with?¡±

    The slagpion stared at James before slipping its tail underneath a piece of metal. It jerked its body and flung its tail, launching the metal chunk into the sky. Like a shining arrow, the chunk headed straight for the sun before vanishing into a dot that disappeared. At some point, it¡¯d fall down, perhaps it¡¯d hit an unsuspecting slagpion in the head and cause a misunderstand resulting in several slagpions dying.

    ¡°Hey!¡± James said. ¡°If you want to give these tributes to God, let me deliver them for you. There¡¯s no need to trouble yourself into throwing them all up there; besides, you¡¯re not strong enough to launch something all the way to the sun.¡±

    The slagpion rumbled before spinning around. On the horizon, four small figures appeared with one of them noticeably smaller than the rest. James frowned as he turned his head to look in the same direction as the enlightened slagpion, and his face paled upon seeing the four scaly figures: reptilians. The enlightened slagpion let out a roar, and the nearby slagpions quit harvesting, dropping what they had and gathering around.

    ¡°No,¡± James said. ¡°Those aren¡¯t angels; those are devils.¡± James took in a deep breath. ¡°They were created by God, but they rejected him, and God, being merciful, let them go. They won¡¯t hurt you, but they¡¯ll try to cause trouble for me.¡±

    The enlightened slagpion sidled over, the ground shaking as the beast shifted away from James, drawing a clear line between itself and the so-called angel.

    ¡°Human,¡± the lead reptilian said once it was within speaking distance. The black-scaled reptilian towered over James, staring down at him with a pair of red eyes. ¡°Do you not know the rules of Oterra? Do not make contact with the enlightened native.¡±

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°You¡¯re here too, aren¡¯t you?¡± James asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He put on his best arrogant posture while mentally cursing inside. Even if reptilians could also enter this dungeon, why did they choose now of all times to show up? ¡°You wanted to establish a connection with this slagpion as well, the same as me; don¡¯t try to act like you have the moral high ground here.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± the dark-scaled reptilian said and smiled, showing its razor-sharp teeth. ¡°In terms of strength, I¡¯m stronger than you. In terms of numbers, we have more than you. I¡¯m feeling generous today, so if you leave behind your right arm, I¡¯m willing to let you go.¡±

    James¡¯ expression darkened, and he turned towards the orange slagpion. It was watching the situation with what James could only assume was an amused expression. If he asked it for help, even using God¡¯s name, the creature probably wouldn¡¯t aid him; the action would only serve to make him look weak, but in this situation, what could he do? He might¡¯ve stood a chance fighting against a single reptilian, but four of them at once? Even if one of them was still a child, one that looked oddly familiar for some reason, he¡¯d lose. ¡°Wait,¡± James said, turning towards the small reptilian with yellow scales and green eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Sam¡¯s owner?¡±

    The small reptilian stared at James for a bit. Then, it was as if a lightbulb appeared over her head, lighting up her green eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t Sam kick your ass?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re not a pet anymore?¡± The reptilian¡¯s eyes narrowed at James. ¡°Did you come here with Sam?¡±

    James grimaced as he turned towards the enlightened slagpion. It must¡¯ve understood when the reptilian had called him a pet. ¡°I was never a pet,¡± James said. ¡°I¡¯ve always been an angel, and Sam is also an angel, but he¡¯s not here.¡± A smile appeared on James¡¯ face. ¡°Hasn¡¯t Sam ever told you about me? I¡¯m like his best friend.¡±

    ¡°Do you know this human, Ellie?¡± the black reptilian asked. ¡°Is he who you were looking for?¡±

    ¡°I told you I was looking for Sam,¡± Ellie said and placed her hands on her hips, glaring up at the leader. ¡°Weren¡¯t you listening at all? He¡¯s not Sam, but if he¡¯s Sam¡¯s best friend¡­.¡±

    ¡°We capture him, torture him, and have him spit out Sam¡¯s location?¡± the black reptilian asked, finishing Ellie¡¯s train of thought for her.

    ¡°If he resists, let¡¯s eat him,¡± one of the remaining two reptilians said. ¡°He looks well-kept; I¡¯m sure his bones will be delicious.¡±

    ¡°Stop scaring him!¡± Ellie said, glaring at the other reptilians before looking at James. ¡°Do you know where Sam is? Don¡¯t lie to me.¡±

    James furrowed his brow. Perhaps this small reptilian in front of him was his way out? His mind raced as he evaluated the situation. Escaping with his life was nice, but escaping with the crystals and metals would be even nicer; after all, his life wasn¡¯t really his since it belonged to Monarch. If he died, he wouldn¡¯t even be upset because he¡¯d be dead, but if the riches he worked so hard to swindle out of the slagpion was taken away, it¡¯d be heart wrenching. ¡°I can bring you to Sam,¡± James said, ¡°but I have a condition.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to make conditions,¡± the black reptilian said, glaring at James.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear them,¡± Ellie said, ignoring the reptilian leader who was nearly three times her size.

    ¡°You don¡¯t interfere with God¡¯s plan,¡± James said. ¡°You shall yield the tributes to me, and I will use them to accomplish my mission.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Ellie asked, looking at the pile of treasures. Her eyes lit up upon seeing an orange clump the size of her head. She ignored James¡¯ contorting expression as she picked up the gem and smiled at it before pressing her hands against it. She rubbed the raw ore as if she were shaping mud, and an orange sphere was produced. ¡°This¡¯ll be perfect for Sam.¡±

    The enlightened slagpion turned its attention onto James, its thoughts hard to discern.

    ¡°Hey!¡± James said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Ellie asked as she stored the gem in a stone container resting against her back. ¡°You can¡¯t part with one little stone? Don¡¯t be so greedy; learn to share.¡± She turned towards the black reptilian standing behind her and pointed at James. ¡°Hit him.¡±

    ¡°I was waiting for you to say that,¡± the tall reptilian said and grinned. He rushed forward while pulling his right arm back, telegraphing a right haymaker. Despite how easy the strike was to read, James barely had time to tilt his head and raise his arm up to deflect the reptilian¡¯s strike because of how quickly it moved. Vibrations surged from the reptilian¡¯s solar plexus region, and the ground behind James exploded. If he hadn¡¯t deflected the reptilian¡¯s strike away from his head, his brain would¡¯ve exploded and coated the inside of his skull even with his talent active.

    ¡°Help!¡± James shouted as he leaned to the side and barely deflected another telegraphed punch. Even though the black reptilian¡¯s strikes were glancing off James¡¯ body, the vibrations the reptilian emitted still traveled through James¡¯ flesh and blood, causing his organs to shake. ¡°I need some help!¡±

    ¡°Over there,¡± the reptilian behind Ellie said, pointing in Sam¡¯s direction. ¡°Someone is twisting our perception.¡±

    ¡°Sam?¡± Ellie asked, turning her head to look in Sam¡¯s direction. ¡°Is that you?¡± She squinted before blinking after a second. ¡°Your disguise is really, really good.¡±

    Since he had been spotted, Sam deactivated his invisibility technique. Wendy had said people who had unlocked their Ajna would be able to see him. However, it didn¡¯t seem like Ellie could see through Werchbite¡¯s illusion, or she¡¯d definitely ask about the snake on his face.

    ¡°Hello, Ellie,¡± Vercedei said for Sam, speaking in Sam¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Wait,¡± James said, turning his head towards Sam. ¡°You¡¯re Sam?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t know you were Sam?¡± Ellie asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m in disguise,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I¡¯d rather not leave traces of myself since I was attacked by a blue avian. If it finds out I¡¯m still alive¡­.¡±

    ¡°You were attacked by a blue avian?¡± one of the reptilians behind Ellie asked. ¡°That¡¯s amazing; they¡¯re pacifists. What¡¯d you do to piss one off?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Ellie said and whirled around to glare at the nosy reptilian. ¡°Did I hire you to speak?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the reptilian said and hung its head. It must¡¯ve been paid a lot to act like a dog for someone three times smaller than itself.

    The small, yellow reptilian nodded before looking at Sam. ¡°A blue avian attacked you, and you¡¯re still alive?¡± she asked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to worry,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Even if I informed you, reptilians can¡¯t really do much to blue avians, right?¡±

    Ellie nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± she said, ¡°but if one killed you, and you didn¡¯t even tell me you were being hunted by them, how would I know who to take revenge on? Nobody gets away with killing my former pet!¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t take revenge on a blue avian even if one killed your parents,¡± the black reptilian said, looking down at Ellie.

    ¡°How can you say that?¡± Ellie asked, looking up at the black reptilian. ¡°You¡¯re limiting reptilians by saying those kinds of things out loud. Who says reptilians can¡¯t beat avians?¡± She shook her head before skipping over to Sam. She held out the orange sphere, and the illusion of Sam grabbed it, but in reality, the twin-headed uncoiled, and the snake¡¯s blue head swallowed the crystal whole. Ellie stared as the illusion of Sam ate the crystal, crunching down with loud sounds. ¡°That¡¯s new.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you more about it later,¡± Vercedei said for Sam. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Ellie beamed. ¡°You said you were going to raid a dungeon, so I wanted to hang out!¡±

    The three reptilians accompanying Ellie looked down and stared at her. For the purpose of hanging out with a human, she had hired them with a year¡¯s worth of payment. Well, whatever the reason, as long as they were paid and didn¡¯t get hurt, it was fine. The reptilians turned to look at the slagpions, who were in the process of surrounding the reptilians and humans alike.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re planning on attacking us,¡± the black reptilian said, looking at the enlightened slagpion. ¡°We¡¯re not here to take your treasures or mess with your people; unlike humans, we respect the rules.¡±

    The enlightened slagpion rumbled before scuttling towards James. It slammed its tail on the poor fellow, driving him into the ground once more. Then, it looked at the reptilians and stomped its feet, asking if God really existed.

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Ellie asked in return. ¡°There¡¯s lots of higher-dimensional creatures who can do things we can¡¯t even imagine, so it¡¯s not unreasonable to think there¡¯s someone who created everything, but the God this person is talking about is probably a trick to get you to work for him.¡±

    The enlightened slagpion roared, and James¡¯ expression darkened. The instant the reptilian found what she was looking for, she sold him out without a care for the conditions he had proposed. James cursed as the slagpions rushed at him, the reptilians backing away with Ellie tugging on Sam¡¯s hand to lead him out of the charging beasts¡¯ paths. James cursed and activated his escape method, the soles of his boots exploding, launching him into the sky at an angle.

    The slagpions stared at James as he flew away, and their attentions turned onto Sam and the reptilians. The black reptilian rushed towards one of the slagpions, grabbed it, and hurled it through the air after James. After seeing the reptilian¡¯s display of strength, the slagpions went around the group of reptilians as if they were a boulder placed in a river, heading in the direction James had gone.

 Chapter 48

    ¡°Hey,¡± the black reptilian said and scanned the ground. ¡°The baubles disappeared.¡±

    Ellie turned her head to the side, towards the pile of crystals and ores that were no longer there. She blinked, confirming the items were as gone as the slagpions that had went to chase after James. The yellow reptilian looked at Sam. ¡°Is Raindu with you?¡±

    The black ferret leapt off of Sam, landing on top of Ellie¡¯s head.

    Ellie blinked as she reached up and touched the ferret¡¯s sides, making sure it was real. She beamed at Sam. ¡°Your disguise ability is really strong! I didn¡¯t even notice Raindu was here.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Sam said, speaking for himself. The twin-headed snake had crawled off of him and was working on swallowing up all the crystals and ores under an illusion, preventing anyone from seeing what was happening except for Sam. ¡°It¡¯s not solely thanks to myself though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Ellie said, nodding her head. ¡°Even if you¡¯re relying on an item or something, as long as you can do it, you still deserve credit because not everyone can make such an awesome illusion.¡±

    ¡°Humans can sure make elaborate illusions, huh?¡± one of the reptilians behind Ellie asked. ¡°It won¡¯t be long before they¡¯re too scary to bully.¡±

    ¡°Who are they?¡± Sam asked, his voice raspy. It felt strange to speak again. He hadn¡¯t been allowed usage of his mouth for quite some time, and he was getting real sick of having Raindu stuff food directly inside his stomach. Literally, the ferret didn¡¯t wash its hands, and he already had one bout of food poisoning.

    Ellie turned to look at the reptilians that had accompanied her. ¡°These are bodyguards,¡± she said and placed her hands on her hips. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but I had to bring them with me.¡±

    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, we¡¯ve saved your life three times already,¡± the reptilian behind Ellie said.

    ¡°I would¡¯ve been fine!¡± Ellie said, turning back to glare at the reptilian who had spoken. She turned back towards Sam. ¡°I¡¯m glad I found you! I wanted to see if you¡¯ve been keeping up with your training or not.¡±

    Sam stared at Ellie as the reptilian unpacked her bag, taking out a familiar pair of stilts and sticks with boxing gloves attached to their ends. Was this really an appropriate place to begin sparring? He didn¡¯t think so, but seeing as all the slagpions had left, leaving the region of the pyramid behind, there was a lot of empty space to maneuver. ¡°Are you sure you want to do that right now?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Why?¡± Ellie asked in return. Her expression fell. ¡°You don¡¯t want to play with me anymore now that you have human friends?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Sam said before sighing. He had nothing else to do while waiting for the twin-headed snake to finish eating its meal. The answer to when James would be back was also up in the air. Also, hadn¡¯t he come to the dungeon to gain some practical experience for his new abilities? ¡°Alright, let¡¯s spar.¡±

    Birdbrained flew off of Sam¡¯s head and landed nearby the twin-headed snake. Raindu scampered off of Ellie and made its way over to the pile of crystals as well, disappearing from the reptilians¡¯ visions as Werchbite¡¯s illusion covered it.

    Sam took in a deep breath and activated his All-Seeing Gaze. Through his Sahasrara, he established a connection with Ellie, but the thread of lightning within his psychic vision snapped as Ellie manipulated her own crown chakra. Despite her rebuffing his attempt at establishing a connection, Sam tried again, putting more of his concentration into his psychic vision.

    ¡°It won¡¯t work!¡± Ellie said as she sprang forward, throwing a punch at Sam¡¯s abdomen. The boxing glove made contact with his stomach, but it was as if she had struck a piece of iron. Vibrations surged from Sam¡¯s body into the glove, down the stick, and into Ellie¡¯s arm, causing her hand to feel as if she¡¯d been bitten by hundreds of fire ants. The yellow reptilian¡¯s eyes widened, and she dropped the stick while retreating. ¡°Good!¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath, keeping his focus on Ellie¡¯s feet rather than her words. If she wanted to attack him, her feet would definitely move, and if he wanted to counter her actions, he couldn¡¯t afford to let his attention lapse. Sam stretched his arm out towards the pile of crystals, mentally signaling Raindu to give him Phantom Bo. The smoky quartz staff flew through the air, landing in Sam¡¯s grasp.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Ellie said and frowned as she squatted to pick up her dropped stick. ¡°Using weapons is dangerous. What if someone gets hurt?¡±

    Sam ignored Ellie¡¯s protest. He had practiced with the staff, so why shouldn¡¯t he use it? Sam wielded the staff, pointing the front end at Ellie¡¯s nose like he had been taught. Not only had he hired tutors for mastering his chakras, but he had also hired someone to teach him how to fight with Phantom Bo. While holding the staff, his body relaxed as his negative emotions were absorbed by the smoky quartz, and his distracting thoughts faded away. He took a step forward and thrust the staff forward. Ellie dodged to the side, but an invisible wave of negativity radiated out of the staff¡¯s tip, washing over the yellow reptilian, causing her movements to become sluggish.

    While the reptilian¡¯s reactions were slowed, Sam stepped forward and swung his staff at Ellie¡¯s foot, hardening it with Toughen a moment before impact against Ellie¡¯s stilt. The stilt shot out from underneath Ellie¡¯s feet, but she rotated her body, causing the stilt to swing around in an arc. It moved in a perfect circle, coming back down towards Sam¡¯s head like an axe striking a piece of firewood.

    ¡°Pause!¡± Sam said while activating his throat chakra. For a brief moment, Ellie¡¯s strike defied the laws of physics, the stilt freezing in midair an inch above Sam¡¯s head. He backed away, and the stilt whipped past his face, almost taking off his nose. While retreating, Sam swung the staff at Ellie¡¯s other stilt and knocked her off balance, causing her to yelp and fall flat on her face. Right before her nose made contact with the ground, she caught herself with her arm sticks and performed a pushup that launched her backwards, distancing herself from Sam.

    ¡°Vishudda?¡± Ellie asked, narrowing her eyes at Sam as she fixed her posture. ¡°It¡¯s strong.¡±

    Sam coughed, his throat a bit itchy. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to practice his command technique because Vercedei was always covering his mouth, so he was pleased to see it work in an actual combat setting. Sam distanced himself from Ellie, keeping the tip of his staff pointed at her nose. It was easier fighting with a staff than with his bare hands thanks to the increase in his range.

    ¡°Are you working from top to bottom?¡± Ellie asked, looking at Sam¡¯s forward. Her gaze traveled down his face, past his throat, and to his solar plexus. ¡°Well, it looks like you know what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    Sam blinked as Ellie packed away her sticks and stilts. Was the sparring session over already? Maybe it wasn¡¯t so fun to play with her pet if it could actually fight back. Whatever the reason, Sam dropped his guard and nodded at Ellie. ¡°Did you really come all this way to play with me?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Ellie said, nodding her head. ¡°Why else would I come here? Dungeons aren¡¯t worth exploring unless you already know what¡¯s inside.¡± She stared at Sam. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t mess with the natives too much. You¡¯re trying to keep a low profile, aren¡¯t you? Some blue avians monitor dungeons in their free time.¡±

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    Sam nodded. ¡°Thanks for the advice,¡± he said. Luckily, he didn¡¯t need anything from the natives¡ªother than the pile of ores, metals, and crystals the twin-headed snake was devouring. Once they finished, they didn¡¯t need to gather anything else, and he didn¡¯t have to spend his time digging either. He wasn¡¯t sure what the finished product was going to be, but Werchbite did promise he¡¯d like it. Sam activated his All-Seeing Gaze, locating his three familiars. The pile of crystals was gone, and it seemed like Raindu was having a verbal confrontation with the twin-headed snake. Sam decided not to mediate.

    Sam scratched his head. ¡°So,¡± he said to Ellie. ¡°What have you encountered in the dungeon? Is it pretty much the same environment wherever you go?¡±

    ¡°Lots of lava, yes,¡± Ellie said and nodded her head. ¡°These natives are productive, but they¡¯re way far behind in quality of life. They don¡¯t have any culture, so there aren¡¯t any buildings or places of note other than this pyramid.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a big pyramid,¡± one of the reptilians standing off to the side said. ¡°Bigger than the primitive ones our ancestors made.¡±

    ¡°Well, they¡¯re big creatures,¡± the other reptilian said. ¡°I wonder if they buried anything in the center of the pyramid. There¡¯s usually something important inside.¡±

    Raindu stopped arguing with the twin-headed snakes and stood on its hindlegs, its head turning in the direction of the pyramid. Before Sam could even formulate a thought to stop the ferret, Raindu sprinted away, heading for the large structure. Meanwhile, Vercedei let out a massive burp, the snake¡¯s body shrinking in size. With every breath the snake exhaled, it shrank until it was back to its regular size. Then, the snake slithered its way back to Sam, crawling up his leg, around his waist, and instead of going up to his face, Werchbite bit Sam¡¯s solar plexus, causing him to yelp as a burning pain shot entered his chest and radiated outwards into his limbs and head.

    Birdbrained flew towards Sam and landed on his head before squawking at the twin-headed snake, asking what it was doing. The twin-headed snake replied with bone replacement. Sam wasn¡¯t sure if he understood the snake correctly because every bone in his body was melting, and the pain was making it almost impossible to do anything other than fall over into the fetal position. What in the world made the snake think he would love something like this? It was overwhelmingly painful, and he was pretty sure his skeleton wasn¡¯t capable of supporting his muscles anymore.

    The reptilians were standing around, unaware of Sam¡¯s condition thanks to Werchbite¡¯s illusion. Even his gurgling whimpers were muted, unable to reach the reptilians¡¯ ears. Other than the pain, all Sam could sense was Werchbite¡¯s words echoing through his head: there¡¯s no rebirth without destruction, so why was he stressing over a fleeting moment of pain? Once it was over, his life would change for the better; wasn¡¯t that what he wanted?

    Sam couldn¡¯t formulate a response. It took all his energy not to think up curses and mean names to call the twin-headed snake. If he was going to undergo immense pain, he wanted to be ready for it! He didn¡¯t want it thrust upon him in the middle of a dungeon with nothing familiar around.

    ¡°So, what are you going to do now?¡± Ellie asked Werchbite¡¯s illusion, oblivious to Sam¡¯s suffering.

    ¡°There are a few days before the dungeon closes,¡± Vercedei said as Werchbite manipulated Sam¡¯s illusion into moving. ¡°I came to experience what a dungeon was like, and since you¡¯ve said there isn¡¯t anything other than this pyramid, then there isn¡¯t much left for me to gain by exploring. If you¡¯re not busy, we can spend the rest of the time in the dungeon sparring with each other.¡±

    Ellie beamed. ¡°Sure!¡± she said. ¡°That sounds great.¡± Her head turned towards the black reptilian. ¡°You¡¯re going to spar Sam with me; he needs training fighting against multiple opponents.¡±

    ¡°Will I be paid extra?¡± the black reptilian asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Ellie said. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re lucky enough to be paid for playing with a pet? You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re not paying me for the entertainment. If you want to sit at the side and watch while being bored, you can do that instead.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that,¡± the black reptilian said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll hurt him.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Vercedei asked as the illusion of Sam¡¯s face was split by a cocky grin. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not afraid of getting hurt by me?¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t in a right state of mind thanks to the pain overwhelming his mind, but he¡¯d really appreciate it if the twin-headed snake stopped provoking people while he was basically a boneless lump of meat.

    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± the black reptilian said and nodded. Despite his willingness to attack James, the reptilian was more hesitant in confronting Sam. Ellie might¡¯ve been a child, but her combat techniques were on par with an adult¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m scared of getting hurt. The portable jiggler we brought is small and cramped, and I don¡¯t like tight spaces.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll play with you guys,¡± one of the reptilians behind Ellie said, raising its hand to volunteer. ¡°I have a pet human of my own at home, so I know how to handle them properly.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Ellie said and pointed at the red reptilian that had just spoken. ¡°You and me will fight Sam together.¡± She looked at the remaining reptilians. ¡°You guys can find something else to entertain yourself until the dungeon closes, but stay close!¡±

    ¡°That sounds great; however, I¡¯m going to need a minute,¡± Vercedei said as the twin-headed snake slithered back onto Sam¡¯s face without any resistance. ¡°My leg cramped earlier.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t even gasp for breath, not with the snake blocking his mouth. If only he were suffering from just a cramp instead of the bone-burning pain flooding his body. What were his bones being replaced with anyway? Crystals? Weren¡¯t blood cells created in the bones? If his bones were being replaced, what about all their biological functions? Then again, his heart and lungs had already been substituted with a crystal, and he was still alive. Did the twin-headed snake have plans on replacing any of his other organs? He had heard of cyborgs, but what would he be if his body was half flesh and half crystal? A freak, that¡¯s what. At least it was only his bones being replaced and not his brain.

    Werchbite¡¯s voice entered Sam¡¯s mind, reassuring him he¡¯d still be himself even if his brain were replaced. Brains were simply a meaty interface for the consciousness to interact with; humans weren¡¯t their brains. If Sam¡¯s brain was replaced by a crystal, his thoughts would be clearer, and he¡¯d be free of negativity, but he¡¯d still be himself.

    Sam doubted that he¡¯d still be himself if his brain was replaced, but he wasn¡¯t going to express it. The pain from his bones disintegrating due to Werchbite¡¯s venom was gradually fading away, but it was replaced by an itching sensation. It was as if hundreds of worms were burrowing through his flesh, but he couldn¡¯t scratch the itchy parts due to them being inside of him. Sam took in a deep breath through his nose and let his face rest against the hot ground, ignoring everything but his root chakra. However, no chilling pulsation came out of his crotch to wash his pain away; evidently, the vibrations produced by the bone-melting sensation wasn¡¯t something he could assimilate.

    Ellie and the red reptilian watched as the illusion of Sam did a series of slow stretches. Once the itchiness in Sam¡¯s body went away, the illusion finished its exercises. ¡°I¡¯m ready now,¡± Vercedei said.

    Sam stood up and moved his body around, not feeling any different despite his bones being replaced. Well, his movements did feel a bit smoother, but he wasn¡¯t sure if that was just in his mind. At least his bones stopped popping whenever he moved about. Before he could examine his body more closely, a cracking sound akin to thunder rang out from the pyramid, and the upper portion of the structure caved in.

    Sam activated his All-Seeing Gaze now that he was blinded again by the twin-headed snake. Through his psychic vision, he saw Raindu running out of the collapsing structure; the ferret obviously to blame for what had happened.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Ellie asked, turning around with the other reptilians to look at the pyramid.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± the black reptilian said as it squatted down to pick up Ellie. ¡°But we shouldn¡¯t be here when it falls. The ground might fracture, and who knows if there¡¯s a pool of magma waiting underneath to swallow us.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± the red reptilian said. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here before we¡¯re blamed for this. I can¡¯t imagine the natives will be very happy upon seeing their hours of hard work destroyed when they get back.¡±

    Sam nodded and followed after the reptilians, who were coincidentally heading in the direction of Tom and Kerry. As he walked, he mentally questioned Raindu: why did the pyramid collapse? Was the ferret alright? Did it really have to destroy the whole pyramid?

    The ferret caught up to Sam, leapt onto his clothes, and crawled up his shirt. It poked its head out of Sam¡¯s shirt collar, and it looked up at him with its mahogany eyes. Raindu answered Sam¡¯s questions by telling a story. At the center of the giant pyramid, there was a huge and orange mineral deposit, basically one giant carnelian crystal that supported the whole structure. It was the largest crystal Raindu had ever seen, so common sense dictated the ferret had to have it even if some things had to be destroyed. What had the twin-headed snake said? There was no construction without destruction or something along those lines.

 Chapter 49

    Paula thought back to the human they had killed. Their hand had pierced the man¡¯s chest, rupturing his heart and lungs. Not only had Paula been forced to kill him, but they had also lost a memento from their parent. Although nothing was eternal, and Paula knew that, it still left an unpleasant feeling in their feathery chest; after all, they were doing a good deed, helping someone out. If Paula had done something cruel or unsavory, they wouldn¡¯t have minded being punished by having their memento taken away, but losing something of theirs for an act of kindness?

    A sigh escaped from Paula¡¯s beaklike mouth as they stood up. They were at the shore of a lake, one they had discovered on a previous trip out of the community. There wasn¡¯t anything special about it, but it looked nice, and the surroundings were quiet. It was a good place to recenter one¡¯s self, and after killing someone, Paula needed the respite for their mind. Did the man she slaughtered have a family? Did humans grieve him when he died? All those questions had gone through Paula¡¯s mind, but they were at peace now. The man¡¯s death was required for the sake of Oterra; if he wanted someone to blame, he could only blame himself for being able to manifest calamities into existence.

    Paula levitated into the air and surged towards the direction of the nest. They knew the job was done, the calamity quelled, but the other blue avians didn¡¯t. They were probably sick with worry, but Paula thought it served them right for shirking their responsibilities and leaving everything for one person to handle. However, it wouldn¡¯t do to keep the blue avians worrying for long, so Paula had to go back.

    After flying for several days, Paula returned to the forest where the blue avians lived. Twittering filled the air, and Paula heard snippets of conversation as they approached; none of the messages were particularly worried, most of them talking about mundane topics along with a few desperate booty calls. Paula let out a twitter, and the forest fell mostly silent with a few stray birdsongs still going.

    ¡°Paula¡¯s back!¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank goodness.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful! Paula¡¯s returned!¡±

    Paula¡¯s chest puffed out as they floated in the air. Although they didn¡¯t save Oterra for the recognition, it still felt good to be valued. ¡°I¡¯ve successfully rid Oterra of the calamity,¡± Paula said without opening their mouth, their voice transmitted to the minds of the blue avians in the forest.

    ¡°Great job!¡±

    ¡°Paula¡¯s amazing!¡±

    ¡°That being said,¡± a particularly serious voice said within the blue avians¡¯ heads, ¡°we need to convene once more.¡±

    Paula wasn¡¯t quite sure what was serious enough to order another meeting so soon after one had already been held: perhaps it was to commemorate them on a job well done. It wasn¡¯t every day a calamity was dealt with by a single person. Paula floated towards the central tree, the hollow tower where all the conventions took place. Although they were one of the first to arrive, Paula didn¡¯t have to wait long for all the blue avians to gather.

    ¡°First,¡± the blue avian speaker, who had once announced the ringing of the calamity detector, ¡°I¡¯d like for us to give a round of applause to Paula.¡±

    Paula gracefully accepted the sounds of praise.

    ¡°Next,¡± the blue avian speaker said after the applause and cheers died down, ¡°I¡¯d like to announce that the calamity detector has sounded its alarm once more.¡±

    Paula blinked. There was one calamity after another, how surprising. Actually¡­. ¡°When did the alarm ring?¡± Paula asked.

    ¡°Whilst you were gone,¡± the blue avian speaker said, angling its body away from Paula. The rest of the blue avians made subtle shifts in their postures as well as if they were ashamed of being scolded. ¡°We convened, but no one was willing to step up to handle the calamity, and since we knew you¡¯d be back soon, out of the kindness of our hearts, we decided to save the honor of dealing with the calamity to you once more.¡±

    Kindness off their hearts? Paula rolled their eyes. More like kindness of their farts. ¡°There was a human capable of summoning calamities,¡± Paula said. ¡°He had brought forth the master of the Anunaki. When I confronted him, he summoned another calamity, the silver-tongued deceiver, but when I dealt with the summoner, both calamities vanished.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± the blue avian speaker said, ¡°the alarm rang because the silver-tongued deceiver descended to Oterra, and you already dealt with it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Paula said. ¡°It happened nearly a month ago now.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± a blue avian said from the top of the tower. ¡°Let¡¯s give Paula another round of applause for solving our troubles before even knowing about them.¡±

    ¡°But the alarm sounded twice,¡± one blue avian said from their position at the bottom of the tower as light applause rang out. ¡°The silver-tongued deceiver is conniving. It must¡¯ve conspired with another higher-dimensional being to descend together at the same time, so the alarm would sound as if it only rang once.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure it sounded twice?¡± another blue avian asked. ¡°You know my hearing is better than yours, and I only heard it ring once.¡±

    ¡°Then, clearly, your hearing isn¡¯t better than mine,¡± the blue avian at the bottom said. ¡°I¡¯m absolutely sure it rang twice.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t hear the one alarm two times, once for each of your ears, and mistook it for two separate alarms?¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Paula said. ¡°The silver-tongued deceiver came in the form of a two-headed snake instead of the usual single-headed snake. The snake¡¯s second head must¡¯ve been a calamity as well.¡±

    ¡°How impressive,¡± the blue avian speaker said. ¡°You single-handedly defeated three calamities. Which calamity accompanied the silver-tongued deceiver?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Paula said. ¡°But I have a good guess; it was in the form of a purple snake¡¯s head with pure-white eyes. It also had two golden scales that looked like eyebrows.¡±

    ¡°Purple, white, and gold?¡±

    ¡°That combination sounds oddly familiar.¡±

    ¡°The enchanting bewitcher!¡± the blue avians said at once.

    Paula nodded. ¡°But it disappeared as well when I dealt with the human who summoned the calamities.¡±

    ¡°Dealt with?¡± a blue avian asked. ¡°The temporary kind of dealing or the more permanent kind?¡±

    ¡°I killed him,¡± Paula said.

    ¡°Oh, that certainly is very permanent,¡± the blue avian who had pried said. ¡°Are you sure you killed him, or were you tricked by the enchanting bewitcher into thinking you killed him?¡±

    ¡°I killed him,¡± Paula said. ¡°I¡¯m sure. I watched his essence ebb away.¡±

    ¡°How brutal,¡± a blue avian whispered, but since the words were transmitted directly into the other blue avians¡¯ minds, everyone heard them loud and clear.

    ¡°Now, now,¡± the blue avian speaker said. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t shame Paula or look down on them for their actions. They did it to serve the good of Oterra, and we should be thanking them for their sacrifice, for completing difficult tasks so we don¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°If we shame Paula for bringing order to Oterra through murder, who would be willing to protect Oterra when the calamity detector rings once more?¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± another blue avian said, chiming in. ¡°I certainly wouldn¡¯t want to deal with a calamity because Paula wasn¡¯t feeling up to it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Paula, for your brave sacrifice!¡±

    Although Paula knew the blue avians were flattering her to avoid doing work themselves, Paula didn¡¯t mind. It still felt nice to be recognized for having accomplished something even if it was something that should¡¯ve been done anyway. ¡°Of course,¡± Paula said. ¡°I¡¯ve done it before, and I¡¯ll do it again. If the calamity detector rings, you can¡±¡ª

    A high-frequency vibration pulsed through the forest, washing over every blue avian present.

    ¡ª¡°count on me¡­.¡± Paula¡¯s expression flickered as the vibration washed through her.

    ¡°The calamity detector has detected another calamity!¡± the blue avian speaker said. Everyone turned their heads to look at Paula at the same time. Paula¡¯s expression remained calm, but every blue avian could see Paula¡¯s vibe dimming.

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Paula said and sighed. It was clear the other blue avians had no intention of clearing calamities. They didn¡¯t even send anyone out when the silver-tongued deceiver and enchanting bewitcher appeared. ¡°Where did the calamity spawn?¡± Paula levitated off the branch they were on. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ll get the details from the calamity detector myself.¡±

    ¡°Three cheers for Paula!¡±

    ***

    Raindu stared up at Sam before letting out a sigh. The ferret didn¡¯t know why it bothered showing off its stolen goods when, as a result, they¡¯d be taken away. Sam was curious about the carnelian the size of a small mountain, so Raindu had taken it out, and Sam absorbed it into his body upon touching it.

    ¡°Sam?¡± Ellie asked, turning to look at the illusion Werchbite had made out of Sam.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Vercedei asked in return, answering for Sam.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ellie asked, pointing at the orange sloth wrapped around Sam¡¯s stomach. ¡°A sloth?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a sloth,¡± Vercedei said. Sam wondered why Werchbite hadn¡¯t hidden the creature underneath an illusion. He also wondered why the carnelian triggered his talent, but at the same time, he didn¡¯t really want to question it considering it was a good thing. His sacral chakra was unlocked and mastered thanks to him absorbing the large crystal. It was a bit of a shame a pyramid that might¡¯ve been heralded as a wonder of this lower plane had to be destroyed for Sam to get stronger, but ¡­ in a few million years, would the pyramid have been standing anyway?

    ¡°You really like animals, huh?¡± Ellie asked, still staring at the sloth. ¡°Does it do anything special?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam shook its head. ¡°I just summoned it with my talent, and since it¡¯s a sloth, you wouldn¡¯t expect it to do much anyway, right?¡±

    Ellie poked the sloth, its fur feeling coarse against her scaly finger. ¡°What¡¯s its name?¡±

    Sam mentally connected with the sloth hugging his stomach. He greeted it in his mind, but it didn¡¯t offer him a response. Well, no response was better than a negative response, right? It wasn¡¯t as good as being enthusiastically greeted, but the sloth didn¡¯t take offense and start doing strange things like derailing trains, kickstarting a rebellion, or choking, gagging, and blinding him. All it did was wrap itself around his waist, and while Sam was sure he¡¯d be inconvenienced every time he had to pee, he didn¡¯t mind the sloth¡¯s actions.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Vercedei said, answering for Sam. ¡°Would you like to name it?¡±

    Ellie stared at the sloth. After a bit, she nodded. ¡°Joe.¡±

    Sam looked at the sloth with his All-Seeing Gaze. Did it like its new name? It didn¡¯t express an opinion either way. Rather than a living creature, Sam suspected the sloth was more like a sedentary rock because its vibe was very muted, transmitting a frequency lower than most crystals.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re not going to question where that creature came from?¡± the red reptilian behind Ellie asked, whispering to its coworker.

    ¡°No,¡± the other reptilian said. ¡°I¡¯m curious, but who cares? Human abilities are always varied.¡±

    ¡°Must be nice,¡± the red reptilian said. ¡°If I could summon meat whenever I wished, I¡¯d never go hungry again.¡± The red reptilian turned to look behind itself. The collapsed pyramid was still on the horizon. The red reptilian looked at Ellie and Sam, wondering if they were still going to spar. Earlier, the red reptilian had been looking forward to playing with Sam, but now, it felt kind of lazy.

    ¡°How much further do we have to go?¡± the black reptilian asked.

    ¡°Well,¡± Ellie said, ¡°think of how fast those natives move, and think of how much distance they can cover before we¡¯re transported out of the dungeon. Once they can¡¯t catch us, then we can stop. If you do the math, how far do we have to go?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, math isn¡¯t my strong suit,¡± the black reptilian said and shook its head. It was easier to go with the flow; as long as someone else was doing the math, he¡¯d follow them. The black reptilian¡¯s eyes narrowed as it stared straight ahead. ¡°There¡¯s two humans watching us.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re my guides,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I brought them with me because it¡¯s my first time entering a dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Well, your guides don¡¯t seem very reliable,¡± the red reptilian behind Ellie said. ¡°They¡¯re packing their things and getting ready to leave at the first sign of danger.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just how humans are,¡± Vercedei said.

    Sam let¡ªnot that he had much of a choice¡ªthe twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head converse with the reptilians as he walked alongside them. The ground was hot, and he wished he didn¡¯t have to use his feet to travel. Why couldn¡¯t the sloth have been a horse or something? Then, he¡¯d have a mount to do all the walking for him¡ªa mount combined with the talking snake, he could tune out of traveling, allowing his familiars to walk, talk, and see for him. Did the reptilians not bring a levistone with them? Maybe it couldn¡¯t be carried into dungeons.

    ¡°I feel sluggish,¡± Ellie said, glancing at the sloth on Sam¡¯s waist. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if your new pet is a good influence.¡±

    ¡°Is that what¡¯s making my legs feel like lead?¡± the red reptilian behind Ellie asked. ¡°Thank goodness. I thought I was getting out of shape.¡±

    ¡°It could be both,¡± the reptilian beside the red one said. It let out a loud yawn before turning towards Sam. ¡°If it¡¯s sapping our energy, can you make it stop?¡±

    Sam focused on the sloth with his All-Seeing Gaze. The fog of color around its body was dim and dispersed, barely even noticeable compared to the colors he could see around everyone else. The colors around the reptilians were like an aura, wrapped around the body, unable to travel further than a set distance away, but the dim, almost-colorless orange hue around the sloth spread outwards as if it were an actual fog. When the sloth¡¯s dim hue touched the layers around the reptilians, the colors were diluted, causing the layers to take on the complexion of a depressed person.

    A low rumbling sound rang in Sam¡¯s head like a miniature earthquake. At first, he thought it was the ground shifting thanks to all the lava and magma the plane possessed, but after a minute, he realized it was the sloth speaking to him. It was greeting him albeit very slowly, so slow that it took five minutes for it to finish saying hello. In that time, the reptilians had met up with Tom and Kerry with Vercedei assuring the humans they were safe.

    Sam wanted to focus on his Ajna and enter the field of candy to communicate with the sloth, but since he was walking, he couldn¡¯t. Instead, he had to make do with communicating with Joe mentally. The sloth was like a professional chess player, taking several hours to pass the ball into Sam¡¯s court, carefully formulating its responses. Actually, Sam wasn¡¯t sure if the sloth was meticulously picking its words, but it made him feel better to think it was; otherwise, wouldn¡¯t it almost be like a waste of time spending an hour to have a mundane, four-line conversation about the weather?

    ¡°Seriously,¡± the black reptilian said, looking at Sam. ¡°I¡¯m becoming mentally and physically exhausted over a short walk. Can you order that thing to stop?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Vercedei said. The illusion of Sam looked down at his waist. ¡°Joe, is it possible for you to stop lowering the vibrations of everyone around you?¡±

    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t stop, we can always eat it, right?¡± the red reptilian asked. Upon seeing the annoyed look Ellie gave him, the red reptilian shrugged. ¡°If he can summon it once, he can summon it again.¡±

    Ellie went over to Sam and placed her hand on the sloth¡¯s back. ¡°Joe,¡± the yellow reptilian said. ¡°Your ability is really strong and amazing, but there¡¯s a time and place for everything. Do you think you can stop draining our energy?¡±

    Joe¡¯s neck seemed to creak as it turned its head to look at Ellie, taking a whole minute to turn its neck fifteen degrees. To help Joe out, Ellie took a step to the side, closer to Sam, so the sloth wouldn¡¯t have to move as far to make eye contact with her. After waiting for another minute, one in which the bodyguards and guides took a seat, the sloth made eye contact with Ellie. Joe¡¯s mouth opened ever so slowly, and a low rumbling came out of its mouth.

    ¡°Great!¡± Ellie said. ¡°Joe agreed.¡±

    ¡°Tell him to agree faster,¡± the red reptilian said and yawned. ¡°I¡¯m about to pass out over here. The ground as a mattress and the sky as a blanket, the great outdoors have never felt so appealing before.¡±

    Through his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam watched as the sloth¡¯s muted colors grew vibrant, but they still remained uncontained, freely spreading out and mingling with the layers of colors surrounding the reptilians and humans nearby. Rather than diluting the layers, the sloth¡¯s aura boosted them, causing them to surge in intensity.

    Without warning, the red reptilian reached over and grabbed Kerry with both its hands. With a tug, Kerry¡¯s arm was separated from his body, and the red reptilian licked its lips before biting down on the snack it had obtained, ignoring Kerry¡¯s whimpering.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Ellie shouted at the red reptilian. ¡°What are you doing, blockhead!? Did I order you to do that?¡±

    ¡°Order this, order that,¡± the black reptilian said. ¡°I¡¯m tired of listening to a kid¡¯s instructions. You might¡¯ve unlocked your Sahasrara, but that doesn¡¯t make you a real adult! You don¡¯t even know what it feels like to have your limbs ache when it rains. You don¡¯t know how it feels to sprain a muscle when you sneeze!¡±

    ¡°Hah?¡± Ellie dropped her bag and took out her sticks. ¡°You want to fight? I¡¯ll show you aches and sprains!¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure what was going on, but he knew better than to stay near reptilians when they were getting rowdy. He distanced himself while paying more attention to Joe. Other than making people tired, it seemed like the sloth could make people aggressive as well. It was a nice power, but could it not do that to his allies¡­?

 Chapter 50

    James was not having a good time: he was being chased by a hoard of angry slagpions; his rocket boots were running low on fuel; every part of his body ached from the repeated explosions and following impacts that accompanied each jump. All he had wanted to do was fool some natives, make a quick profit, and exit the dungeon without the natives discovering his scheme. If only reptilians hadn¡¯t showed up to ruin his scheme, then the slagpions would be worshipping him instead of trying to catch him. He wasn¡¯t sure what they¡¯d do to him once they got their truck-like paws on him, but he didn¡¯t want to find out.

    James gritted his teeth as he glanced down at his rocket boots. He only had a few jumps left, but he hadn¡¯t lost the hoard of slagpions. Some of them couldn¡¯t keep up, but the majority of the lava beasts had no problem following him. They bulldozed through whatever obstacles were in their way, running over uneven ground and swimming across pools of lava as if marathons were what they lived for. James thought it was a bit ridiculous for such large creatures to expend so much energy hunting him, a tiny, basically zero-calorie treat, but he didn¡¯t know if slagpions even got tired in the first place.

    A sigh escaped from James¡¯ mouth as he braced himself and activated his rocket boots once more, the ground exploding beneath his feet as he shot into the air. He looked back and below, frowning at the sight of the slagpions chasing after him like a stampede of animals escaping from a wildfire. All he did was pretend to be an angel and swindle them of their ores, which he didn¡¯t even take! So, why were they treating him like he murdered their parents, children, and unborn babies?

    Since James was looking down at the slagpions, he couldn¡¯t see what was ahead of him. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d have to check because, after all, he was flying, and he hadn¡¯t spotted anything in the air the whole time he was being chased. That¡¯s why, he didn¡¯t see what he collided against, but it was hard, and it felt like he had hit the ground. James grunted and turned his head, and his eyes nearly popped out of his sockets as he let out a shriek. Staring right at him, there was a large praying mantis, and its mandibles, curved like scythes, were positioned on either side of his neck.

    The lower half of the massive insect¡¯s face split open horizontally as it opened its jaws, breathing the scent of ¡­ mint ¡­ into James¡¯ face, the pleasant and cool smell sending the man into a daze. The praying mantis let out a sound akin to a field of crickets chirping, but James understood what it was conveying. ¡°Human,¡± the bug said. ¡°Why are you fleeing from the slagpions?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m fragile,¡± James said. ¡°If they run over me, I¡¯ll die.¡±

    ¡°That is not what I meant,¡± the praying mantis said. ¡°Why are the slagpions chasing you? What did you do to enrage them?¡±

    James swallowed. The insect¡¯s compound eyes were larger than baseballs, and their texture unsettled him¡ªmostly because they were hairy. Should he tell the truth? Obviously not; if the mantid discovered he broke Oterra¡¯s rules, those mandibles around his neck would clamp down, and he didn¡¯t want to test his talent against a mantid¡¯s blades. They were known for being born with their solar plexus chakras unlocked, and their attacks transcended common sense.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything,¡± James said. ¡°I was exploring on my own, and I bumped into a group of reptilians who were fooling these slagpions into gathering wealth for them. I tried to convince the slagpions they were being taken advantage of, but they trusted the reptilians over me, and now they¡¯re chasing me because of the reptilians.¡±

    ¡°Reptilians?¡± the large praying mantis asked. ¡°There are reptilians in this dungeon messing with the natives?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± James said, bobbing his head up and down. ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    The praying mantis stared into James¡¯ eyes without moving. For a few seconds, James thought his surroundings had frozen, but the rumbling of the slagpions snapped him out of his daze. ¡°I swear,¡± he said. ¡°If you in the direction where the slagpions came from, there¡¯s a giant pyramid. That¡¯s where the reptilians are or were.¡±

    ¡°The pyramid,¡± the praying mantis said and turned its head to the side.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± James said. ¡°You might still be able to see it from here if you fly high enough.¡±

    The mantid stared off into the distance, the sound of its beating wings overriding the rumbling of the slagpions below. After a few seconds, the mantid tossed James aside as if it were flicking a booger off its finger¡ªfingers it didn¡¯t have. However, underneath its arms which had two pairs of scythes on the ends, there was another pair of arms with three appendages similar to fingers on their ends. James cursed as he flew through the air, tumbling and waving his arms to orient himself for a proper landing¡ªas proper as one could get for being tossed aside like a sack of potatoes. He swore he heard the mantid cursing as well, buzzing about a stolen carnelian or something.

    James swore to himself he¡¯d unlock his Sahasrara next. Invisibility was simply too handy. If he could turn invisible, reptilians and mantids might still spot him, but the slagpions would lose track of him. Instead, James had to use his rocket boots once more to distance himself from the slagpion swarm, wishing he had Kerry¡¯s talent instead. As for what the mantid was going to do to the reptilians, James didn¡¯t care; after all, it was the reptilians that ruined the good thing he had going on.

    As for the unjustly framed reptilians, they were lying on top of each other, engaged in mortal combat, but their bodies were frozen as if they were statues. Sweat rolled down Sam¡¯s forehead before sliding along the twin-headed snake¡¯s body down his face. The orange sloth wrapped around Sam¡¯s waist let out an exhalation as if it was exasperated at Sam for stopping the fight. It was hard to tell because the sloth took forever to breathe out.

    Sam continued to maintain his use of Toughen while focusing on maintaining the connection he had formed with the reptilians and two humans. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t be able to affect the minds of so many reptilians at once, but they weren¡¯t in the right headspace. They were enraged, frustrated, and upset, and although it was hard to wrangle them, they didn¡¯t instantly break free. As he kept the reptilians under his control, he communicated with the sloth, asking it to stop messing with people¡¯s emotions. Of course, he had to keep focused for a while until the sloth¡¯s response finally came back.

    If Sam didn¡¯t want it to let out low vibrations, and if he didn¡¯t want it to let out high vibrations, what exactly did he want it to do?

    Sam communicated with Joe, saying he¡¯d prefer for the sloth not to emit any vibrations at all.

    After a few minutes, the sloth countered by saying it could do that, but that was the same thing as asking it to die, and if it died, everyone in the vicinity would die with it. Was Sam sure he wanted Joe to stop emitting vibrations?

    Cold sweat broke out on Sam¡¯s back as he took back his request. He was trying to save everyone, not have them killed. It was a tense few minutes of waiting until the sloth gave its reply, saying it wouldn¡¯t kill itself. Sam observed the reptilians¡¯ and humans¡¯ expressions with his All-Seeing Gaze. Then, he asked if the sloth could emit a healing vibration, one that¡¯d patch up all the injuries the reptilians and humans had obtained while brawling.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    The sloth took its sweet time replying, the sweat leaving Sam¡¯s body having formed a small puddle by his feet. His head was hurting, and his muscles were sore despite him simply standing there; the heat from the dungeon was wearing him down. The sloth could, in fact, produce healing vibrations, but it had to be in a happy mood.

    For some reason, Sam recalled April¡¯s talent. Wasn¡¯t the sloth¡¯s abilities an upgraded version of April¡¯s? Sam asked the sloth what would make it happy enough to produce those healing vibrations, and it took three minutes for the sloth to reply with two words: belly rubs.

    Sam lowered his hand and slid it between himself and the sloth. Luckily, its demand was easy to fulfil. If it wanted an elaborate meal, then the reptilians and humans would¡¯ve been screwed. As Sam rubbed the sloth¡¯s belly¡ªwhich was difficult because he wasn¡¯t sure if he was doing it right thanks to the sloth¡¯s lack of response¡ªthe color of the sloth¡¯s aura lightened until it turned green. The colors around the sloth spread outwards, touching the layers of color around the reptilians along with Kerry and Tom. Kerry¡¯s shoulder stump, which was there because the reptilians had ripped off his arm, wriggled and squirmed.

    Through his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam watched as the injuries on his companions¡¯ bodies were mended. Although he couldn¡¯t see their flesh, muscles, and bones in detail, he could see incongruent patches of color in their bodies slowly matching the hue of the overall aura. Would the sloth resume the previous vibrations it was emitting if Sam stopped rubbing its belly? He asked it to find out and received a disheartening response. Yes, he had to continue rubbing its belly to make it happy, and if it wasn¡¯t happy, the people around him wouldn¡¯t be happy either.

    While Sam processed what his future would be like, the reptilians¡¯ angry mindset subsided, and with a little bit of effort, they broke the connection Sam formed with them, regaining their mobility. Ellie looked around before exhaling as she packed away her sticks and stilts. Even though she was fighting with her bodyguards not too long ago, she didn¡¯t feel like faulting them; her mood was too good to pick a fight.

    Ellie skipped over to Sam, the small reptilian¡¯s actions causing Tom and Kerry to retreat several steps away. The yellow reptilian ignored their reactions and scratched the sloth behind its ears. ¡°Thanks for stopping,¡± Ellie said and looked up at the illusion of Sam¡¯s face. ¡°You have to take good care of Joe, okay? You have a lot of pets, so you have to make sure you¡¯re being fair to all of them.¡±

    Sam already knew that. If he didn¡¯t comply with his familiars¡¯ wishes, well, bad things would happen: Raindu would steal whatever it wished; Birdbrained would start a grayling rebellion; the twin-headed snake would choke him; and the sloth would make everyone else unhappy, violent, and frustrated.

    ¡°Sorry about everything,¡± the red reptilian said, walking past Ellie and Sam towards Kerry. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to rip your arm off and eat it.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± Kerry said, nodding at the red reptilian. For someone who was still feeling an itching sensation as his arm regrew, he was awfully understanding. ¡°You were hungry; emotions were heightened; it was a perfect storm.¡±

    ¡°Great, great,¡± the red reptilian said and beamed. ¡°After all, you and I are the same. It¡¯d be unfortunate for us to hate each other because of a little misunderstanding.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kerry said, walking over and placing his good arm around the reptilian¡¯s shoulder. He had to stand on his tiptoes to do it since the reptilian was so tall, but Kerry managed. ¡°We¡¯re both hired thugs, not in control of our own lives, so there¡¯s no need to make life even harder with animosity.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but scan the sloth again with his All-Seeing Gaze. Not only did its vibrations heal people, but it also calmed them down, preventing their negative emotions from rising up. Sam continued to rub the sloth¡¯s belly, wondering if he could automate the process somehow. The twin-headed snake already robbed him of the usage of his eyes and mouth, and now, the sloth occupied one of his hands. Birdbrained was also particular about the way he held his head, squawking in protest if he tilted it one way or the other. Although he was gaining power in the form of his familiars¡¯ abilities, he had to pay a price to upkeep them; of course, the price was completely worth it.

    ¡°Hey, look up there,¡± Tom said, pointing at the orange sky.

    Everyone¡¯s gazes shifted upwards¡ªexcept for Sam, who focused on his All-Seeing Gaze instead. A green dot grew in size, taking the shape of a large praying mantis as it flew closer to the group. Sam noticed its aura colliding with the spread-out green haze the sloth was emitting. The insect¡¯s aura brightened, and its movements, which seemed harsh before, became graceful as it landed on the ground without disturbing a single pebble.

    The mantid took a defensive stance as it observed the mixed group of reptilians and humans in front of it. The mantid let out a screech that was translated into words in Sam¡¯s head. ¡°Hello, humans and ugly, hideous monstrosities known as reptilians.¡± The large praying mantis waved its front scythe. ¡°May I ask what happened to the world seed acting as the core of the pyramid over yonder?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s asking?¡± Ellie asked, placing her hands on her hips.

    ¡°Oh, pardon my manners,¡± the mantid said. ¡°I¡¯m Gregor Four-One-Seven. I was tasked with developing this lower plane. May I ask you some questions that¡¯ll help me with my work?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ellie said. ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± the black reptilian asked, turning its head down to look at Ellie.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Ellie asked. ¡°If this plane develops, everyone in Oterra benefits.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± Gregor said and rubbed his scythes together. ¡°It¡¯s rare for a reptilian to see things so clearly. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Ellie,¡± Ellie said.

    ¡°For some reason, I¡¯m not inclined to tear you to pieces upon sight,¡± Gregor said. ¡°Are you of the same mind?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ellie said, nodding her head.

    ¡°What I¡¯m about to propose next may sound odd,¡± Gregor said and tilted his head. ¡°Would you like to be friends? Our two species may be at war, but I don¡¯t believe peace between individuals is impossible.¡±

    Ellie scratched her head. ¡°You know what?¡± she asked. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s be friends.¡±

    Sam continued to rub the sloth¡¯s belly. He had a feeling if he stopped, the mantid and the reptilians would attempt to kill each other. As long as the sloth was feeling happy and content, everyone around it would feel happy and content as well, finding no faults with other people for violence to occur¡ªwhich was great because Sam suspected the mantid would be mighty pissed if it discovered the world seed it was taking care of had turned into Joe the sloth.

    ¡°Great,¡± Gregor said, its wings rising up and down. ¡°May I ask what happened to make the pyramid collapse, friend? If I fail my job, my head will be ripped off and eaten, and quite frankly, I still have a lot to live for: there¡¯s eight earwigs at home relying on my paycheck.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I hate to be the one to break the bad news to you,¡± Ellie said and sighed. She pointed at the sloth on Sam¡¯s waist. ¡°This human has the ability to turn crystals into animals, and he turned your world seed into a sloth.¡±

    Gregor turned to stare at Sam. It lowered its head to look at Joe. Then, it raised its head to look at Sam. ¡°Can you turn it back?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said, answering for Sam. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible, and if it is, I don¡¯t know how.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s terrible news,¡± Gregor said and sighed. ¡°What am I going to tell my boss? The world seed was stolen under my watch? I¡¯m dead, and all my earwigs are going to die with me.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s jaws dropped open as Gregor raised his scythes and cut off his own head. Then, the mantid¡¯s headless body sat down, picked up its head with its lower arms, and crumpled forward into a symmetrical heap.

    ¡°Does that happen often?¡± Vercedei asked as the illusion of Sam pointed at the mantid¡¯s corpse.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the black reptilian said. ¡°Mantids are quite accepting of death. If they don¡¯t accomplish their missions, they¡¯re overwhelmed by a sense of failure, and they kill themselves.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because there¡¯s a lot of mantids,¡± the red reptilian said. ¡°There¡¯s so many of them that they often have to compete with each other for resources, and the ones that fail the competitions die one way or the other.¡±

    ¡°What about the earwigs?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°I assume those were the mantid¡¯s pets?¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Ellie said and frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think Gregor¡¯s dead.¡±

    The mantid¡¯s mandibles and mouth parts moved, but no sounds came out. The headless praying mantis lifted its head and placed it against its neck stump. A few seconds later, the mantid¡¯s head was reconnected to its body. ¡°That¡¯s weird,¡± the mantid said. ¡°I didn¡¯t die. Why didn¡¯t I die? Everybody who¡¯s cut their head off has died, so why not me? Did I do it wrong?¡±

    Sam suspected it had something to do with the sloth¡¯s healing vibrations. The aura around the mantid hadn¡¯t faded at all despite its head being cut off. It wasn¡¯t allowed to disperse thanks to the sloth¡¯s aura keeping it trapped within the mantid¡¯s body.

    ¡°It¡¯s a sign,¡± Gregor said and walked up to Sam. ¡°There¡¯s something I can still do. I¡¯m not sure what it is, but I¡¯ll follow you around until I find out.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about that, but Vercedei made it so Sam¡¯s opinion didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Sure,¡± the snake¡¯s blue head said. ¡°Feel free to tag along, but no violence, alright?¡±

 Chapter 51

    ¡°Say,¡± Gregor said, the praying mantis¡¯ large compound eyes staring at Sam¡¯s back. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re a human? What is going on with your biology?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Your heart is beating thirty times a minute,¡± Gregor said as it walked behind Sam and Ellie. ¡°That¡¯s closer to a snake¡¯s resting heartrate than a human¡¯s.¡±

    Considering Sam didn¡¯t have a heart anymore, it must¡¯ve been Werchbite¡¯s illusion tricking the praying mantis into thinking Sam had a heartbeat.

    ¡°How often would you say a human heart beats in a minute?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Oh, around seventy-five times or so,¡± Gregor said. The praying mantis tilted its head. ¡°Huh. That¡¯s odd. Your heartrate is normal now. Are you sure you¡¯re a human? Most humans can¡¯t do that, right?¡± The praying mantis halted its steps, waiting for Tom and Kerry, the two humans behind him, to catch up. ¡°Can the two of you manipulate your heartrates at will?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Tom said.

    Kerry shook his head. ¡°Me neither.¡± He looked at the red reptilian that had once ripped off his arm, which had grown back thanks to the power of the sloth¡¯s healing vibrations. ¡°Can you manipulate your heartrate?¡±

    ¡°Not without external aids,¡± the red reptilian said. ¡°Cold weather decreases our heartrates.¡±

    The sloth by Sam¡¯s right hand shifted, causing Sam to focus on Joe with his All-Seeing Gaze. The sloth rose slightly, and although it¡¯d take several minutes for it to express its thoughts, Sam already knew what it wanted. He shifted his hand away from the sloth¡¯s belly and began to scratch the sloth behind its ears. This wasn¡¯t the first time Joe demanded Sam do something else to please it.

    ¡°So,¡± Gregor said, bouncing on its legs to catch up to Sam and Ellie. ¡°What are you doing now?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to find someplace quiet to wait out the time until the dungeon closes,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to once again thank James for his brave sacrifice,¡± Tom said. ¡°He lured all those beasts away, giving us a chance to survive.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, James,¡± the reptilian bodyguards and Kerry said at the same time, looking up at the sky and saluting as if they had rehearsed it beforehand.

    ¡°We¡¯re not going back for James?¡± Gregor asked. ¡°I was under the impression humans cared about individual lives quite a lot. I think I bumped into him if he was being chased by a herd of beasts like you said he was.¡±

    ¡°He has rocket boots,¡± Tom said. ¡°Only Kerry can catch up to him now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pick him up,¡± Gregor said, the praying mantis¡¯ wings buzzing as they flapped, lifting the mantid off the ground.

    Sam wondered if the mantid would still be as friendly after leaving Joe¡¯s area of influence. Vercedei was less unsure. ¡°That¡¯d be great,¡± the twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head said. ¡°See if you can confuse those slagpions while you¡¯re out there. We don¡¯t want them heading back to us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Gregor said and pumped its wings, shooting off into the distance.

    ¡°What a friendly mantid,¡± Ellie said, turning her head to watch the giant insect leave. She turned towards Sam. ¡°I really thought he¡¯d be more upset when he found out you took the world seed.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what the world seed is?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about them,¡± Ellie said. ¡°World seeds are giant crystals that can help develop a plane. Their vibrations encourage spiritual growth over a huge region. They¡¯re rare but reusable, so since you destroyed one, the mantids now have one less world seed to work with.¡±

    ¡°For the record,¡± the black reptilian said. ¡°We from Et Serpentium own three world seeds.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but feel a little guilty. From what Ellie and her bodyguard were saying, Raindu had stolen one of the mantids¡¯ strategic resources. Then again, mantids were mantids, and wasn¡¯t it better for Sam if humanity owned the world seed instead even if it was in the form of a sloth that could manipulate people¡¯s emotions? However, Sam didn¡¯t have much loyalty to humanity, so he felt a bit bad for the mantids.

    ¡°Only one mantid was sent to guard such a precious gem?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem right.¡±

    Ellie shrugged. ¡°You can ask Gregor when he comes back,¡± the small reptilian said. ¡°Maybe the mantids were confident in his abilities, or maybe his party was eaten by those beasts.¡± Ellie dropped her bag. ¡°Either way, we¡¯ve gone far enough now. It¡¯s time to take a break!¡±

    ***

    James ran for his life, breathing in through his nose while exhaling through his mouth. He ignored the blistering pain on his feet, the stabbing sensation in his side, and the scratchiness within his throat from the lack of water. Although he really only had himself to blame for the situation he was in, he was still upset at everything and everyone but himself. With his rocket boots out of fuel, he could only run from the horde of slagpions chasing him, but they were gaining on him quickly. Was he going to die here?

    A droning sound buzzed in the sky above James, and he raised his head to see the large praying mantis from earlier. It landed on the ground in front of him with a heavy thump, and James exhaled as he slowed his footsteps. He was going to get caught by the slagpions no matter how fast he ran, so he might as well figure out a way to negotiate with the bug to take him away. ¡°Hey,¡± James said. ¡°Welcome back. Was my information helpful?¡±

    ¡°It was,¡± Gregor said. ¡°I made some new friends thanks to you.¡± The praying mantis stepped forward and showed James its empty palms. ¡°I was tasked with bringing you back to the group.¡±

    ¡°You were?¡± James asked, his eyes lighting up. ¡°Alive, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct,¡± Gregor said and leaned over to observe the charging slagpions. ¡°Is there anything you still have to accomplish before we leave?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± James said, spreading his arms out to the side. ¡°How are you taking me out of here? Whatever position you want me to assume, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°This is perfect,¡± Gregor said and stepped forward before grabbing James by the shoulders. The large praying mantis bent its legs and jumped before flapping its wings, shooting off into the sky. The massive insect flew in the direction James was going, continuing to lead the slagpions further away from the Sam¡¯s group.

    ¡°So,¡± James said after the slagpions could no longer be seen. ¡°You became friends with which group exactly?¡±

    ¡°Your human companions and the reptilians you encountered,¡± Gregor said. ¡°You told me you were traveling alone, but I won¡¯t hold your lie against you. Friends forgive one another.¡±

    James wasn¡¯t sure how Sam befriended a mantid, but he wasn¡¯t going to question a good thing. ¡°Yep,¡± James said. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    As the mantid flew further ahead, it looked behind itself to see where the slagpions were. Then, its wings stopped flapping as if the insect had frozen in midair. James swallowed as the ground rushed towards him. ¡°Hey!¡± he shouted and gripped the praying mantis¡¯ legs. ¡°What happened!?¡±

    Gregor looked down at James, the man¡¯s reflection appearing dozens of times within the praying mantis¡¯ compound eyes. The large insect resumed its flapping before turning around, heading back in the direction it had came from. ¡°I seem to have lost my senses,¡± the praying mantis said. ¡°What was I thinking?¡±

    Cold sweat ran down James¡¯ back as a sinking feeling appeared in his stomach. The mantid¡¯s vibe had changed, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if its earlier personality was a trick to make him drop his guard. ¡°Uh, excuse me,¡± James said. ¡°You were going to take me back to the group, right?¡±

    ¡°Silence, human,¡± Gregor said while flying. ¡°I¡¯m reflecting on my previous actions. Don¡¯t interrupt.¡±

    James swallowed as the slagpions came back into view. They were no longer running after him, the horde walking back towards the pyramid. Upon hearing the mantid above, the slagpion horde seemed to ripple as they stomped their feet and stood up to get a good look at the sky. James shouted as the mantid released his shoulders, and his body fell a few feet before stopping, his hands holding onto the mantid¡¯s legs.

    ¡°Release your hands,¡± Gregor said as it flew towards the center of the slagpion mass. It raised its scythe-like appendages. ¡°Or I¡¯ll make you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to make me,¡± James said as he glared up at the mantid. There was no way he was willingly going to drop into a mass of slagpions.

    ¡°As you request,¡± Gregor said and stabbed its scythes downwards, aiming for James¡¯ face. His eyes widened, and he released one of his hands, using it to swat at the scythes. The edge of the insect¡¯s appendages sliced at James¡¯ skin, a screeching sound ringing out as if metal had scraped upon metal.

    ¡°Stop, stop!¡± James said. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to take me back to the group? What would your new friends think of you if you killed me off like this?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t have to know,¡± Gregor said, stabbing its scythes at James once more. ¡°I¡¯ll tell them by the time I reached you, you already succumbed to the slagpions chasing you.¡± The mantid hovered in the air, reflecting once more as it raised its scythes after having them knocked away by James¡¯ palm. ¡°No, in the first place, why did I become friends with a group of reptilians and humans?¡±

    ¡°Because you noticed how awesome they were?¡± James asked. ¡°Think about it; really, take your time.¡± He looked down at the slagpions, who were beginning to crawl on top of one another, creating a mound beneath him. Given enough time, James didn¡¯t doubt they¡¯d form a pillar high enough to grab him.

    Gregor slashed at James¡¯ wrist, the one belonging to the hand holding the mantid¡¯s leg. James let out a cry as his skin was sliced, not deeply, but the wound was still painful like a papercut. James wasn¡¯t sure if having skin as tough as diamonds was a blessing or a curse as the mantid repeatedly slashed his forearm in an attempt to make him let go.

    James gritted his teeth. At this rate, he¡¯d fall into the horde of slagpions, but what else could he do? He couldn¡¯t fly, and there was no one around to help him. ¡°Hey,¡± James said. ¡°Surely, I have some kind of value. There must be something else you can do with me other than dropping me into a sure-death situation for the fun of it.¡± He winced as he forced himself to grip the mantid¡¯s leg tighter, blood flowing down his arm and onto his shoulder. ¡°Maybe you were tricked by the reptilians into being their friend? You can use me as a hostage or bargaining chip! I¡¯m much more useful alive than dead.¡±

    After deliberating for a bit, Gregor flew to the side, forcing the slagpions to give chase once more. ¡°You raise a good point,¡± the mantid said. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you back to the group, and see what kind of trickery they pulled to make me into their friend.¡±

    James exhaled. Although his arm was stinging from all the cuts he had suffered, he allowed his tense body to relax. With his quick wit, he managed to escape a gruesome death. It might¡¯ve been brought upon himself by his own greed, but risks were meant to be taken, no? From what he could tell through the mantid¡¯s words, Sam¡¯s group had teamed up with the reptilians. In that case, if the mantid brought James back, there was a chance he could work together with Sam and the reptilians to get rid of this giant bug.

    However, upon returning to the group, after being flown in a roundabout manner to lose the pursuing slagpions, James lost all motivation to kill the large praying mantis despite his earlier thoughts. The rocky ground made contact with his feet, and he fell to his knees. Although the praying mantis agreed to bring him back to the group, it didn¡¯t carry him, and he was barely holding on to its legs for dear life during the whole flight. Oddly enough, his body wasn¡¯t sore, and he felt better than ever. He felt ¡­ nice.

    ¡°Welcome back, Gregor!¡± Ellie said, waving at the mantid and James.

    The giant praying mantis tilted its head and looked down at itself. ¡°Is there something about you that manipulates minds?¡± Gregor asked. ¡°I feel and think different ways when I¡¯m around you.¡±

    ¡°Not me,¡± Ellie said and pointed at the sloth around Sam¡¯s belly. ¡°Joe.¡±

    ¡°The world seed?¡± Gregor asked and flapped its wings, hopping towards Sam. ¡°Even in another form, it still works miracles.¡± The praying mantis placed its three-fingered hand on Sam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Would you like to come to Silva Volucris? I promise you¡¯ll be treated well.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you can back up that promise?¡± Vercedei asked for Sam. ¡°Aren¡¯t you in a sticky situation yourself since you failed your mission of guarding the world seed?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Gregor said, nodding his head. The mantid rubbed its scythes together. ¡°But that¡¯s precisely why I¡¯d be elated if you accompanied me to Silva Volucris. I can show my boss that the world seed merely changed form and gained new abilities; it wasn¡¯t lost or destroyed.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how valid the mantid¡¯s words were considering the world seed was basically gone from the world now. Queen Annabeth from Monarch gave up her weapon for Raindu. The reptilians lost their GMC for Birdbrained¡¯s existence. A blue avian lost their memento given to them by their parent because of Vercedei and Werchbite¡¯s appearance. There was no way Joe the sloth was going to turn back into the world seed no matter how much the mantids experimented on it¡ªwhich Sam suspected they would do the moment he stepped foot into Silva Volucris, the land of the mantids.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll go,¡± Vercedei said, deciding for Sam. ¡°You¡¯re not lying to me, right? I¡¯ll be perfectly safe in Silva Volucris?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­,¡± Gregor said. ¡°You¡¯ll be as safe as a regular citizen.¡± The mantid buzzed its wings, and its intent was sent into Sam¡¯s mind albeit very quickly. ¡°Regular citizens die by the dozens every day, so while I¡¯d like to assure you won¡¯t get hurt, things happen, you know?¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t take Joe away from me?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Gregor said, ¡°but I can¡¯t guarantee my boss won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°So, why exactly should I accompany you to your homeland?¡± Vercedei asked as the illusion of Sam raised an eyebrow. ¡°It seems like a foolish thing for me to do.¡±

    Gregor hung his head. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to save your friend, me?¡± the mantid asked and gestured towards itself with its scythes. ¡°If you don¡¯t go, well, I suppose I won¡¯t be going back either. I¡¯ll follow you around until the day I die or the day you end up going to Silva Volucris.¡±

    James stared at the mantid interacting with Sam. James didn¡¯t know what kind of method Sam was using to brainwash the mantid, but James knew it wasn¡¯t the effects of any chakra techniques he had heard of. He was jealous of Sam¡¯s ability, definitely. If there was a way to steal people¡¯s natural talents, James would¡¯ve done it to Sam, but it was a shame it wasn¡¯t possible.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go to Silva Volucris,¡± Ellie said, frowning at Sam. ¡°At least, not without an army backing you up.¡± The yellow reptilian blinked. ¡°I suppose you do have an army, huh?¡±

    ¡°Army?¡± Gregor asked, the large praying mantis¡¯ head turning to scan the area. ¡°What army?¡±

    ¡°An army of graylings,¡± Ellie said.

    ¡°Graylings?¡± Gregor asked. ¡°Graylings are neutral save for the ones serving your lot in Et Serpentium.¡± The mantid stared at Sam. ¡°Are you capable of controlling them? What sort of method are you using to blackmail them into taking action?¡±

    Sam wished he could mobilize the graylings at a large scale, but he had a feeling the blue avians would take notice of him if he did. With his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam focused on Joe and the sloth¡¯s spreading aura. He had to figure out a way to control the sloth¡¯s ability lest the blue avians take notice of it as well. He didn¡¯t know how they detected things, but the more the sloth used its ability, the higher the chance Paula would pay him another visit. Why couldn¡¯t the sloth be a koala? At least, then, the blue avian might hesitate before attacking him. Also, why was Ellie spilling his secrets?

    ¡°Does it matter how I¡¯m capable of controlling the graylings?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°I¡¯ll be allowed to bring them for my own protection, right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone brings an army with them for self-defense,¡± Gregor said and tilted his head the other way. ¡°My people might have a problem with that if you do. It¡¯s like bringing a flamethrower to defend yourself from mosquitoes. The people around you will be quite uncomfortable.¡±

    The illusion of Sam shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but my safety is more important than other people¡¯s comfort. Do you want me to go to Silva Volucris or not?¡±

    ¡°I would like for you to go, but not for you to declare war against us,¡± Gregor said. ¡°That won¡¯t end well for either side. Wars are terrible, and they shouldn¡¯t be waged. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if everyone and everything could coexist peacefully?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ellie said and snorted. ¡°Reptilians wouldn¡¯t survive without eating meat.¡±

    ¡°You speak as if lab-grown meat doesn¡¯t exist,¡± Gregor said.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t,¡± the red reptilian said. ¡°Lab-grown meat is unnatural and filled with who knows what the lab people decided to put in the meat. Meat isn¡¯t real meat unless a life has been lost over it.¡±

    Gregor sighed and looked at Sam. ¡°These are the people you¡¯re friends with?¡±

 Chapter 52

    Linda was a woman with curly, shoulder-length, black hair. She had blue eyes, thin lips, and issues with anger management. Currently, she was on her phone, and she was pissed. She wanted to find the target of her anger and throw them into a woodchipper feet first, and her emotions were perfectly understandable¡ªfor an unstable person. For the past few days, she had been dealing with insurance agents and their roundabout words, bullshit entering and exiting her ears with every call she made and answered. If she ever found the culprit who robbed her store, Treasured Crystals, she¡¯d sue them so hard their next seven generations of kin would be working for her as indentured servants.

    Linda¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she slammed her phone on her table, a loud clacking sound ringing through the room. Her nostrils flared as she snorted. What proof did her insurance company want? If she had a video of the culprit stealing the items, what would she need them for? She¡¯d directly identify the culprit and deal with them herself! However, all of her security cameras, which were placed in the best positions, failed to capture a single shadow. The items simply vanished from the shelves and storage rooms as if they were taken away by a ghost.

    With anger still burning a hole in her chest, Linda picked up her phone and dialed the company that had provided her with the security cameras. They had guaranteed their cameras were capable of recording even those who¡¯ve mastered their Sahasraras, those who had invisibility talents, and those who were capable of manipulating space, so ¡­ why had they failed? Obviously, she was going to request compensation from them; after paying so much for their services, they failed to deliver, and that was a big mistake in Linda¡¯s eyes.

    However, before Linda could connect with a human representative, there was a knock on her door. Nobody knocked on her door in this day and age unless it was an emergency. Linda put her phone down and closed her eyes before taking in a deep breath through her nose. She exhaled through her mouth and opened her eyes, staring at the door as if she could see the person behind it. ¡°Come in.¡±

    The door swung open, and a grayling bowed at Linda before walking inside the room whilst holding a tablet in front of its chest. ¡°Greetings, boss,¡± the grayling said and flipped the tablet around so Linda could see the contents on the screen. ¡°Someone wishes to sell a large quantity of crystals and ores, and the value of the transaction exceeds what I¡¯m permitted to handle.¡±

    Linda frowned. Her store was robbed of its crystalline valuables, and suddenly, someone was selling her a vast number of crystals? Was it simply a coincidence? The thief wouldn¡¯t be so brazen as to sell her own goods back to her, right? She extended her hand, and the grayling passed her the tablet. A live feed was displayed on the screen, showing the image of a man sitting with perfect posture with a large barrel in front of him. Within the barrel, there were various ores and crystals inside. ¡°I¡¯ll meet with him,¡± Linda said and stood up, handing the tablet back to the grayling.

    ¡°Yes, boss,¡± the grayling said and bowed its head. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare some refreshments and snacks for the two of you. Do you have any preferences for today?¡±

    ¡°Oatmeal raisin cookies and green tea,¡± Linda said as she walked to the corner of the room where her jacket was hanging on a tall rack. She put on her outerwear and examined herself in the horizontal mirror on the wall before exiting the room. As she left, she examined the grayling; it behaved as advertised, and if it continued, perhaps she¡¯d rent even more from Monarch and replace all her employees with them.

    Linda walked down the hall, took the elevator, and made her way to where her guest was staying. She stopped in front of the door and took in a deep breath; she might¡¯ve been mighty pissed due to the stress she was dealing with, but that was no excuse to take it out on a potential seller. Since her stock had been depleted thanks to someone¡¯s thieving paws, she needed new inventory and having good materials to work with was a necessity. As the best crystal shaper in the city, it was easy to replenish her store¡¯s stock.

    Linda pushed the door open and smiled at the man before stepping inside the room. Her gaze went straight to the barrel of money, ahem, materials, and her eyes lit up. She couldn¡¯t tell their quality from the live feed, but once she was in the room with them, she could practically feel the energy radiating out of the barrel from the vibrations of the ores. They must¡¯ve come from a primordial dungeon, and those were usually highly ranked.

    Linda took a seat across from the man and observed him from top to bottom. For some reason, she couldn¡¯t really put a description to his face. It was ¡­ plain, and his features were hard to remember. Even his vibe was unremarkable like a white wall of drying paint. Likely, he had on some sort of disguise; after all, this transaction involved a lot of money, and there were always bad actors paying attention to the sizes of other people¡¯s wallets.

    Linda glanced at the tablet placed on the table. The grayling from earlier had identified the materials and written down their market prices, making her job much easier. Although it was a bit expensive, mostly due to the quantity of materials, she¡¯d make everything back and more ¡­ provided no one stole her stock again. Her expression darkened as the mere thought of the thief entered her mind.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not a promising look,¡± the man sitting across from Linda said. ¡°If the price is too high, I¡¯m willing to negotiate.¡±

    Linda inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth before making eye contact with the material vendor. ¡°I¡¯ll buy all the crystals at market price,¡± she said, narrowing her eyes at the man. ¡°However, I¡¯m not particularly interested in the metals, but if it¡¯s easier for you to sell them to me than someone else, I¡¯ll buy them for half of the market price.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a deal,¡± the man said, not negotiating much. ¡°I have a question though.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Linda asked, raising an eyebrow. She hadn¡¯t expected the man to be so agreeable. Then again, she didn¡¯t have many expectations for someone who was doing their best to not attract attention.

    ¡°If I make this deal with you, how much candy can I buy?¡± the man asked.

    Linda¡¯s face remained unchanged. She wasn¡¯t sure if the man was testing her, and if he was testing her, what kind of answer he was hoping to seek. ¡°You could probably buy out a store¡¯s inventory depending on the type of candy you¡¯re purchasing,¡± she said and kept her mouth shut. Remaining silent had never hurt her negotiations before.

    ¡°Alright,¡± the man said. ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡±

    Linda raised an eyebrow. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m making too much of a profit off of you,¡± she said. By sacrificing a bit of her gains now, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to establish a working relationship with someone who could bring in such high-quality ingredients. Also, for some reason, she was feeling generous. ¡°Why don¡¯t I craft you an accessory as well?¡±

    ¡°That sounds like quite a bargain for me,¡± the man said. ¡°Since we¡¯re coming to an agreement, why don¡¯t we introduce ourselves to one another? My name is Sam, and I¡¯m an S-ranked awakened.¡±

    Linda nodded her head. An S-ranked awakened, that made sense. ¡°My name is Linda,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m a crystal shaper, publicly known as the best. I¡¯m the owner of Treasured Crystals, and this little exchange store.¡± The woman¡¯s blue eyes narrowed. ¡°Would you mind showing me what you look like?¡±

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    Sam wasn¡¯t sure what kind of game the twin-headed snake was playing, but he allowed it to do whatever it wished. After all, it was through the snake¡¯s abilities that everyone around him was oblivious to the animals attached to his body. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like the snakes had made a bad choice for him before, and he let them make almost all the decisions. As for the materials, a lot had been swallowed by the snake and used to reforge his bones, but he spent the rest of the time in the dungeon wandering around while practicing his All-Seeing Gaze, having Raindu dig and pick up the crystals he located. Of course, the ferret demanded payment, and as such, Sam was here, selling the ores he had looted from the dungeon.

    Linda raised an eyebrow as Werchbite¡¯s illusion dissolved, revealing Sam in all his glory: a bird on his head, a two-headed snake wrapped around his face, a ferret¡¯s head sticking out of his shirt¡¯s collar, and a sloth wrapped around his waist. She blinked and leaned back in her seat, watching Sam¡¯s fingers scratch behind the sloth¡¯s ears. She didn¡¯t have any expectations, but she was still a little surprised; it was rare to see a summoner-type awakened. ¡°Shall we form a lasting partnership?¡± Linda asked. ¡°I¡¯ll supply you and your familiars with custom accessories, and you¡¯ll help me out when I¡¯m in need.¡±

    ¡°That sounds great,¡± Vercedei said as Werchbite¡¯s illusion resumed once more. Although the twin-headed snake could devour crystals, digest them, and reshape them, it could only replace rather than create. Replacing Sam¡¯s organs, replacing his bones, that wasn¡¯t difficult, but creating accessories for external wear, well, it was difficult without thumbs. ¡°Also, I¡¯ve noticed you seem a bit stressed about something.¡±

    Linda exhaled through her mouth. There was something about this animal-covered individual that made her drop her guard around him, and what was even odder was she knew it was strange, but she didn¡¯t care. ¡°My store was robbed. There¡¯s no culprit to be found, and my insurance provider is giving me the runaround.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Your store, Treasured Crystals?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Linda said, nodding her head. She exhaled and turned her head to the side. Where were the oatmeal raisin cookies she had requested? To her surprise, the grayling she had rented was standing beside her with a tray in its hands. She hadn¡¯t even noticed it sneak up on her. However, she wasn¡¯t going to show that in front of Sam. Linda grabbed a cookie off the tray and held it out towards Sam while raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Vercedei said. After a protesting chatter by Raindu, the snake¡¯s blue head spoke again. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ll have one if you¡¯re offering, yes.¡±

    Linda flicked her wrist, throwing the cookie like a frisbee. Raindu stretched its body and reached, grabbing the cookie out of the air, but all Linda saw was the illusion of Sam catching the cookie before nibbling on it. Linda picked up another cookie and snacked on it before exhaling. ¡°So, yeah,¡± she said after eating the cookie. ¡°Why¡¯d you ask? Are you planning to offer some help now that you know the situation I¡¯m in?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You¡¯re in the right, aren¡¯t you? You paid for insurance, and the insurance company refuses to fulfill their end of the bargain. If you asked me to help you rob someone, I¡¯d demand more than a cookie to help you, but if it¡¯s simply pressuring someone into giving you what you deserve, I don¡¯t mind taking a few minutes out of my day to help.¡±

    ¡°Is that how you¡¯re going to do it?¡± Linda asked. ¡°Pressure my insurance company? I already have people doing that.¡±

    ¡°Well, if they were doing a good job, you wouldn¡¯t be so stressed, no?¡± Vercedei asked as the illusion of Sam stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Linda blinked. ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°To pay your insurance company a visit,¡± Vercedei said.

    ***

    Linda stood beside Sam, looking up at the tall building with a glossy exterior. The blue-eyed woman turned towards Sam. ¡°You can still back out now if you want,¡± she said. ¡°SAT Group might not care if you¡¯re an S-ranked awakened.¡±

    With his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam examined the building. It wasn¡¯t that long ago he had come here to negotiate a business deal regarding the rental of graylings, but back then, he didn¡¯t have a twin-headed snake blinding him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware SAT Group offered insurance.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re one of the six big companies for a reason,¡± Linda said. ¡°They might not specialize in any field, but they¡¯ve dipped their grubby paws in every industry.¡± A sigh escaped from Linda¡¯s mouth. ¡°They¡¯re the only ones who were willing to insure my shop.¡±

    ¡°Because you have a bad reputation?¡± Vercedei asked.

    Linda rolled her eyes. ¡°Because the items I make sell for millions, and no company wants to fork out a billion credits if my store is robbed.¡±

    ¡°Your premium must be quite high,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam looked towards the front of the building. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you know what you¡¯re going?¡± Linda asked as she walked alongside Sam. The doors to the building opened automatically, but there was a second set of doors inside and a man sitting at a counter.

    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± the seated man said. ¡°Please, sign in. For what purpose have you come to SAT Group today?¡±

    ¡°You know,¡± Vercedei said before Linda could speak. ¡°Regular business. Why don¡¯t you let us through?¡±

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± the seated man said.

    Linda stared as the so-called security guard pressed a button, unlocking the doors blocking their way. Clearly, Sam had used some kind of bewitching technique to fool the guard because this was not how things were supposed to go. For a brief moment, she wondered if Sam had used a bewitching technique on her as well, but she forced the thought out of her mind as she followed Sam into the building. Did he even know where he was going? He was walking as if he did. Linda remained silent as she walked alongside Sam, entering an elevator with him. ¡°How do you know where to go?¡± she whispered once the elevator door slid shut.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been here before,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°We¡¯ll head straight to the CEO.¡±

    Linda raised an eyebrow. Well, as long as Sam knew what he was doing, it was fine. She wasn¡¯t sure why he trusted him so much, but it was probably related to why the security guard had let them through. ¡°Can I trust you?¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have asked that before we came here?¡± Vercedei asked and let out a low chuckle. The elevator quickly climbed up to the top of the building, and Sam stepped out.

    Linda blinked before following Sam out of the elevator and into a long hall. At the other end of the hall, there was a set of double doors with two armed guards posted in front of it. She glanced at Sam, but his expression remained unchanged, his vibe still muted.

    ¡°Hey!¡± one of the guards said and raised his weapon. ¡°What are you doing on this floor? The boss didn¡¯t say he was meeting with anyone.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he forgot to inform you,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°Huh,¡± the guard said, lowering his weapon. ¡°You might be right.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but examine the sloth again with his All-Seeing Gaze. A thick, gray haze was constantly being emitted from the creature¡¯s body, and the haze was mingling with the auras of the people around it, rendering whoever it affected complacent and lazy, willing to listen to whatever words Vercedei suggested. As for why Sam was helping Linda, well, he felt bad for her especially since Raindu was the source of her troubles. Also, Vercedei basically led the charge, and all he had to do was follow the snake¡¯s whim. If he didn¡¯t, the snake could ruin his life, so he really didn¡¯t have a choice.

    ¡°Yeah, it should be fine,¡± the other guard said and stepped to the side. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t come up here to make trouble with just the two of them.¡±

    The illusion of Sam nodded, and Sam walked forward, ready to use Toughen in case the guards suddenly came to their senses and opened fire on him. They didn¡¯t. He pushed open the door to the CEO¡¯s room and stepped inside. Sam might¡¯ve been blinded by the twin-headed snake, but he saw more of the room with his All-Seeing Gaze compared to the last time he was there. There were crystalline structures embedded in the walls that were similar to the Joe the sloth, emitting colors¡ªmostly purple¡ªinto the room and subtly influencing everyone inside.

    Linda nodded at the two guards before following Sam inside the room, a bit surprised at how easy it was to meet the CEO of one of the six big companies. He was a blond man with a groomed beard and mustache, his facial hair making the edges of his face look like a polygon.

    ¡°Mr. Hoffman, hello,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°My friend here has encountered a bit of trouble with your insurance agents.¡±

    The sharp-faced man raised an eyebrow. ¡°And who are you supposed to be?¡± he asked. His green eyes shifted onto Linda, and a wrinkle appeared on his forehead. ¡°Miss Linda, I wasn¡¯t aware I¡¯d be meeting you today.¡±

    ¡°Neither was I,¡± Linda said with a wry smile on her face, ¡°but my friend insisted on taking me to you after hearing about my troubles.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Mr. Hoffman asked, his expression turning dark. ¡°I see how it is.¡±

    Sam used his All-Seeing Gaze to focus on Mr. Hoffman. The sloth¡¯s haze permeating the room didn¡¯t seem to be affecting the blond man at all, the gray color kept an inch away from Mr. Hoffman¡¯s aura. Since the CEO wasn¡¯t affected by Joe, Sam couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Vercedei¡¯s next move was.

 Chapter 53

    ¡°Miss Linda,¡± Mr. Hoffman said as he stroked his blond mustache. ¡°I understand your store has been robbed, but you must be patient, we have to thoroughly understand the situation first before we can reimburse you for your loss.¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m committing insurance fraud?¡± Linda asked, her eyebrows scrunching together. ¡°I can turn a crystal worth fifty credits into an accessory worth thousands.¡± Her eyes widened as she stomped her feet and pointed at the wall. ¡°I aided your architect in shaping crystals within your walls. Do you really think someone with my set of skills would need to commit insurance fraud to make money?¡±

    ¡°From what I understand,¡± Mr. Hoffman said and spread out his empty palms in a gesture showing off his helplessness, ¡°your inventory hardly moves. According to the statement you¡¯ve sent in, you¡¯ve lost two billion credits worth of goods.¡± The blond man folded his hands in front of him on his desk. ¡°It¡¯s not unreasonable to think you hired someone to steal your items because you wanted a big payout since the items you crafted weren¡¯t selling. Since the items have been stolen, we can¡¯t even evaluate their true worth. What if the items you crafted were subpar and not worth as much as you actually listed? We¡¯d be making a huge loss.¡±

    A vein bulged on Linda¡¯s forehead. ¡°You know the quality of my craftsmanship¡±¡ª

    ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Hoffman said, interrupting the blue-eyed woman, ¡°I do, and I understand that you¡¯re the best crystal shaper in the city. In that case, why do your goods sell so slowly? Perhaps ¡­ the items you make aren¡¯t actually what you think they¡¯re worth?¡±

    Linda¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I¡¯ve paid your outrageous premiums. If you don¡¯t fulfill your end of the bargain, I¡¯ll sue you.¡±

    Mr. Hoffman touched his chest with his hand, feigning a pained expression. ¡°Miss Linda, aren¡¯t we friends?¡± he asked. ¡°You said it yourself; with your skills, you can make money as easy as breathing. You¡¯re not hurting financially right now, so why don¡¯t we wait for the results of the investigation before assigning blame to innocent parties?¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡± Vercedei made a sound akin to someone clearing their throat.

    Mr. Hoffman turned his head towards the illusion of Sam, oblivious to the ferret crawling out of Sam¡¯s shirt. Raindu scampered across the ground towards the wall, invisible to everyone but Sam and his All-Seeing Gaze thanks to Werchbite covering for the furred creature. The CEO of SAT Group narrowed his eyes at Sam. ¡°I¡¯m still curious as to who you are, and why you¡¯re poking your nose into matters that don¡¯t affect you.¡±

    ¡°You think this doesn¡¯t affect me?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Miss Linda has some fine crystal-shaping skills, and she¡¯s going to craft me a few accessories. However, her emotional well-being is unstable from the stress she¡¯s been experiencing these past few days, and how can a master craftsmen produce their best work when their minds aren¡¯t clear? For me to get my money¡¯s worth, I need Miss Linda to be in her best condition, and that can only happen if you stop giving her the runaround.¡±

    Mr. Hoffman stared at Sam, unable to read his vibe. It sounded like the man sitting across from him was simply making up an excuse to find trouble with SAT Group; perhaps, that¡¯s what Linda had hired the man to do. She wouldn¡¯t have made it to his office under normal circumstances, yet here she was, and this man most likely had something to do with it. ¡°We¡¯re not giving her the runaround on purpose,¡± the blond man said and straightened his posture. ¡°We still don¡¯t know if a thief emptied the shelves of Miss Linda¡¯s store, or if it was an act of God.¡±

    Linda resisted the urge to pound the shit out of Mr. Hoffman¡¯s table. ¡°Act of God?¡± she asked. ¡°So, what if it¡¯s an act of God?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Mr. Hoffman said to Linda and put on a fake smile, ¡°you didn¡¯t purchase coverage for acts of God.¡± The man¡¯s green eyes twinkled. ¡°Your store had a state-of-the-art security system, and yet, no one has been identified as the culprit. Obviously, we¡¯re dealing with something greater than a human here.¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to shift the blame onto God?¡± Linda asked. ¡°You think God would rob my store?¡±

    Mr. Hoffman leaned back and spread out his arms while showing his empty palms. ¡°I¡¯m only suggesting it¡¯s a possibility, one we can¡¯t ignore,¡± he said. ¡°We have to be sure of all the facts before taking action; jumping to conclusions won¡¯t do anyone any good. For all we know, you could be right, and an awakened with invisibility and intangibility talents robbed your store, but we should refrain from acting without evidence¡ªit¡¯s not like there¡¯s any precedent for this; no other store has been robbed by an undetectable individual.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re good at speaking,¡± Vercedei said before Linda could respond with a snappy remark.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mr. Hoffman said. ¡°It¡¯s part of the job requirements.¡± His eyes narrowed at Sam. ¡°I didn¡¯t quite catch your name earlier.¡±

    Through is All-Seeing Gaze, Sam watched Raindu touch the crystals embedded in the walls, causing them to vanish. He wondered what the end goal was because once they left and Werchbite¡¯s illusion faded, the CEO of SAT Group would realize what had happened. As the crystals were stripped away by the ferret, the purple colors they were emitting faded away, allowing the sloth¡¯s gray haze to influence Mr. Hoffman¡¯s and Linda¡¯s auras.

    ¡°My name is Jimmy,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°from Carbon Peak.¡±

    ¡°Jimmy Park?¡± Mr. Hoffman asked. ¡°No wonder why you looked so familiar.¡±

    Had Werchbite disguised Sam as Jimmy? The twin-headed snake wasn¡¯t around when Sam had met the man in Treasured Crystals, so how did it know how to disguise him as such? Well, considering what the snake could already do, Sam wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it could draw images directly from his mind. As for why the snake wanted to frame Jimmy Park, Sam wasn¡¯t sure, but he wasn¡¯t going to do anything about it either. The snake had its agenda, and Sam wasn¡¯t going to be the one to step in its way.

    Linda turned to look at Sam, but her expression didn¡¯t change lest she give away unnecessary hints to Mr. Hoffman. Whether Sam was lying to her or lying to the CEO of SAT Group, Linda found she didn¡¯t quite care. Things happened, and sometimes, it was easier to allow them to progress without interfering. Normally, she¡¯d speak up, but she was feeling quite lazy at the moment; which was odd, considering the situation involved over a billion credits.

    ¡°Is SAT Group suffering from any financial troubles?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Are you unable to pay Miss Linda what she¡¯s owed?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that we¡¯re unable to pay,¡± Mr. Hoffman said in a daze, ¡°it¡¯d just look terrible on the books for us. You see, Miss Linda has only paid us around fifty-million credits in the four years she¡¯s had a policy with us, and if we paid her two billion credits¡­, well, quite frankly, our stock would take quite the hit.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡±

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    ¡°Raise Linda¡¯s premium and stall,¡± Mr. Hoffman said and shrugged. ¡°Wear her down until she finds it easier to settle in court, so we can avoid paying the full amount. With enough time, we might even find a way to avoid paying her.¡± Mr. Hoffman folded his hands in front of himself. ¡°We were thinking of creating a shell company to transfer Linda¡¯s case over to and have that company go bankrupt. I have to do what¡¯s best for SAT Group, and Linda¡¯s just one crystal shaper. She might be good, but others do exist.¡±

    ¡°As expected of one of the six big companies,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°How about you don¡¯t do that?¡±

    Mr. Hoffman blinked. ¡°What would I do instead?¡±

    ¡°Pay Miss Linda what she¡¯s owed,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°If you want to protect the company¡¯s finances, then you can always use your personal funds to prevent the company from taking a hit. You¡¯re rich, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m rich, yes,¡± Mr. Hoffman said and nodded his head. ¡°As CEO, I make close to seven hundred million credits annually, but I don¡¯t want to use my personal funds when I can simply screw Linda over instead.¡±

    Sam observed Joe¡¯s gray haze permeating deeper into Mr. Hoffman¡¯s aura. The color around the man withered at a visible rate, desaturating until it was completely gray.

    ¡°Won¡¯t that weigh on your conscience?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Depriving someone of what they¡¯re due because it¡¯d reflect poorly on yourself, have you no shame?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Mr. Hoffman said and shook his head. ¡°Do you feel bad for eating meat? Do you feel bad for stepping on grass? It¡¯s only natural for us to care about ourselves above others, so no, I don¡¯t feel bad for sacrificing someone else to save my own hide. If someone else has to suffer for me to enjoy life, so be it; that¡¯s how the world works.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re quite selfish, huh?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°I suppose you wouldn¡¯t be sitting where you are now if you were soft-hearted; however, for your own sake, why don¡¯t you give Miss Linda what she¡¯s owed right now?¡±

    ¡°For my own sake?¡± Mr. Hoffman asked. A faint smile appeared on his lips. ¡°What¡¯ll happen to me if I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunate things,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You don¡¯t want misfortune to fall upon you, no?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Mr. Hoffman said and shook his head. A sigh escaped from his mouth as he looked at Linda. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll pay you what SAT Group owes you.¡± He picked up the phone on his desk and dialed a few buttons. ¡°Hello, yes, I¡¯d like to transfer some money to another account.¡±

    Mr. Hoffman slid a piece of paper across the table and mouthed the words, ¡°Write down your account information.¡±

    Linda glanced at Sam before writing down her bank account info on the piece of paper. She slid the paper back to Mr. Hoffman, and the CEO of SAT Group cleared his throat. ¡°Yes, I have the account and routing numbers.¡± He read out the numbers on the piece of paper and grimaced. ¡°As for the amount, two billion credits.¡±

    There was a short pause. ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Hoffman said. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± After a short pause, he pressed a series of numbers on his phone. ¡°Have it sent immediately.¡± There was another short pause, and he reentered the numbers a second time. ¡°I know it can¡¯t be undone. Yes, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    Linda¡¯s pocket vibrated, and she pulled out her phone. On the screen, there was a notification indicating she had received a transfer to her bank, and she raised an eyebrow. When a CEO of one of the big six companies demanded their money be moved, apparently, it moved quickly without any questions even if the amount was tremendous. Linda raised her head and smiled at Mr. Hoffman. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Mr. Hoffman said as he hung up the phone. ¡°I¡¯m just paying you what you¡¯re owed while warding off misfortune for myself.¡± He looked at Sam. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Jimmy?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You¡¯re doing a great deed, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be blessed with lots of money in the future instead of cursed with bad luck.¡± The illusion of Sam turned to look at Linda. ¡°Mr. Hoffman is a busy individual. Since we¡¯ve gotten what we came for, we should take our leave instead of taking up more of his precious time.¡±

    Linda nodded her head. Her aura was also gray, and Sam had a feeling she¡¯d do anything Vercedei asked as long as it didn¡¯t take too much effort. Actually, she¡¯d probably do anything anyone asked while she was in this state, Joe¡¯s ability seemingly able to hypnotize people through complacency.

    After Sam and Linda left the office, the dazed look in Mr. Hoffman¡¯s eyes gradually became clear. His eyes widened, and he looked around before shooting to his feet. The crystals embedded in his walls were gone, and it took him a second to realize what had happened. For some reason, he had actually transferred two billion credits to that crystal shaper, and it wasn¡¯t even company money! Mr. Hoffman took in a deep breath and picked up his phone, dialing his bank once more; however, when he demanded his money back, the reply he got was less than satisfactory. The money was sent and gone; there was no way to retrieve it.

    Mr. Hoffman fell back in his seat and stared up at his ceiling. There were supposed to be crystals inlaid in the ceiling as well, but they were gone as well, causing a furrow to appear on his brow. Where had they gone? Had he been robbed by a ghost? He climbed to his feet, knocking his chair over in the process, and marched out of the room. The two guards turned to look at him, and he frowned. ¡°Why did you let those two in?¡±

    ¡°They said you had a meeting with them,¡± one of the guards said.

    ¡°And you didn¡¯t immediately kick them out or call us in,¡± the other guard said. ¡°So¡­.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s my fault?¡± Mr. Hoffman asked, his expression darkening.

    The two guards exchanged glances with one another. ¡°Sorry, sir,¡± the first guard said. ¡°Did we do something wrong?¡±

    Mr. Hoffman ground his teeth together. He had been bewitched, and it was likely his guards had fell for the same trick. Mr. Hoffman refused to honor his deal with Linda the crystal shaper, she had gone to another one of the six big companies, Carbon Peak, to back her. Who knew Carbon Peak had someone with such a strong bewitching ability? It was completely reasonable for them to help her; first, they¡¯d strike a blow to SAT Group¡¯s finances, and second, they¡¯d obtain the best crystal shaper in the city. With Carbon Peak on Linda¡¯s side, it¡¯d be difficult for him to get his money back. Would he just have to swallow this loss?

    ***

    Sam sat in a plush chair. He was holding a stone tablet in his hands. Luckily, he didn¡¯t need his eyes to access it, using his Sahasrara to connect to the device instead. While he was busy engaging with reptilian technology, Vercedei was talking with Linda, the latter none the wiser about Sam¡¯s usage of the tablet thanks to Werchbite¡¯s illusion.

    Although stone tablets were the product of reptilian technology, like Sam was able to obtain one, the mantid, Gregor had one as well, and they had exchanged contact information inside the dungeon. Even though they¡ªthe humans, reptilians, and lone mantid¡ªhad been in the same region within the dungeon when it had closed, they were transported to different exits, returning to where they had respectively entered from.

    Gregor might¡¯ve invited Sam to Silva Volucris, the land of the mantids, but that was when the large praying mantis was under the influence of Joe the sloth, and Sam was pretty sure once people escaped Joe¡¯s range, their common sense would return to them. Despite that, the conversation he was having with the mantid was surprisingly pleasant.

    ¡°When are you coming to visit?¡± the mantid asked.

    Communicating with the mantid through the stone tablet was almost like a video call, but instead of seeing the mantid¡¯s physical features, Sam saw the mantid how he would¡¯ve seen it through his All-Seeing Gaze. He stared at the mantid as he thought about his schedule. He didn¡¯t have anything planned for the foreseeable future, but he did want to learn more about his sacral chakra. Since he had mastered it upon summoning Joe the sloth after absorbing the world seed, it¡¯d be better for him to hire another tutor to teach him. ¡°I¡¯ll go in a couple of months.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll still be alive and well in a couple of months,¡± Gregor said and let out a sigh, its mandibles clacking together. ¡°Currently, I¡¯m under house arrest. No one is pleased I¡¯ve lost the world seed, and without your sloth as proof of what had occurred in the dungeon, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be executed soon.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not good,¡± Sam said. ¡°How much time do I have? Quite frankly, I¡¯m not sure how to get to Silva Volucris.¡±

    ¡°Silva Volucris is West of Et Serpentium,¡± Gregor said. ¡°There aren¡¯t any roads connecting our civilization to yours, but seeing as you have reptilian friends, I¡¯m sure they can guide you to us. Mantids and reptilians don¡¯t have good relationships with each other, but that doesn¡¯t mean we don¡¯t have established routes between us. The region between our civilizations is just slightly dangerous to traverse.¡±

    Sam wondered whether or not it was worth it to head towards Silva Volucris. Sure, he might save Gregor, but ¡­ did the mantid really matter to him? He had only known the mantid for a couple of days, and if it died, he wouldn¡¯t really care¡ªthough that did sound a bit harsh, it was the truth. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to make it in time before your execution.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Gregor asked. ¡°That¡¯s great to hear.¡±

 Chapter 54

    Linda flipped through her notebook, reviewing the measurements she had taken earlier in the day. She hadn¡¯t measured many animals before, but she found them more agreeable to work with than some of the people she had taken requests from before. When she wrapped the animals with strings to record the circumferences of their ankles and necks, they didn¡¯t complain or make snooty comments while she worked.

    The first page of her notebook had the rough sketch of a ferret on it with arrows pointing at its limbs and neck. On the ends of the arrows, there were numbers followed by units. Linda picked up her pencil and sketched a few designs, thinking of what kind of accessory would fit the ferret best. It was completely black save for its mahogany eyes, so she imagined darker minerals with hints of color like amethyst or tiger¡¯s eye would look good as anklets. At the same time, brighter colors could also work to accentuate the ferret¡¯s dark fur. Of course, depending on the type of crystal she used to adorn the ferret, the accessories would have various effects. Sam had requested she make something that¡¯d aid the ferret in sneaking around because it loved being in places it shouldn¡¯t, and he didn¡¯t want it to get caught.

    Linda swept her hair back with her left hand and leaned her elbow on her desk, letting her forehead rest on her palm. She flipped to the next page of the notebook and stared at the scurry-looking eagle that had been sketched on the pages. There were arrows pointing at its ankles and neck; there weren¡¯t many options to place on accessory on an eagle. It couldn¡¯t be too heavy either or it¡¯d weigh the bird down as it flew. Sam had requested for the accessories to aid in amplifying the eagle¡¯s squawks. Linda wasn¡¯t sure why he¡¯d want to make the obnoxious sounds coming out of the eagle¡¯s beak¡ªone she had it demonstrate¡ªbut she wasn¡¯t going to question it.

    Linda tapped her pencil against the page before drawing a few sketches. A necklace would probably suit the bird the better than anklets since eagles did a lot of grabbing with their talons. As for the gemstone, either something colorless to match the eagle¡¯s feathers, or more than likely, a blue crystal like sodalite or lapis lazuli to amplify the eagle¡¯s voice. Linda nodded her head and jotted a few notes down before flipping her notebook to the next page.

    Linda¡¯s eyes narrowed as she examined the two-headed snake drawn on the page. It was coiled around an object roughly shaped like someone¡¯s head. She had never created an accessory for a snake before. It didn¡¯t exactly have ears or wrists or forearms or ankles, but it did have a long body and two necks. As such, she had measured the circumference around its necks, upper body, and around its tail. However, considering the snake coiled around Sam¡¯s head, Linda couldn¡¯t exactly make the ornaments too bulky or they¡¯d press into Sam¡¯s flesh, maybe even distorting his eyeballs from the pressure. After thinking for a bit, Linda exhaled and flipped the page. Figuring out what to craft for a two-headed snake, it was too difficult, so she¡¯d figure it out later.

    On the fourth page, there was a rough sketch of a sloth. It was orange, and in Linda¡¯s opinion, it was ugly. She wasn¡¯t quite sure what sort of accessory it¡¯d like because she felt like no matter what sort of accessory she made for the sloth, it wouldn¡¯t look good on the creature. However, it was easier to come up with ideas for it instead of the snake since the sloth had ankles to work with. Sam had requested for the accessories to regulate the sloth¡¯s temperature, allowing it to be comfortable in any weather condition. Linda sketched a few designs on the page before exhaling through her nose. She tilted her head from side to side, cracking her neck. Then, she flipped back to the first page and reviewed her designs.

    After taking note of what crystals would have the best effects, Linda went through the stock of materials Sam had supplied her with, retrieving what she thought would be useful. Since Sam had retrieved two billion credits for her from SAT Group, she wouldn¡¯t be stingy with her resources. She took note with what she had to work with before pulling up a website on her tablet. Although she was good at shaping crystals, memorizing the effects of different crystals wasn¡¯t a talent she was born with; luckily, there were websites out there with the information she needed to make the accessories with the perfect effects.

    For the ferret, a clear or violet gem would suit it best since those colors corresponded with the crown chakra. Linda could craft accessories capable of producing supernatural effects, but there were rules relating to what kinds of crystals could produce which kinds of effects. For the ferret¡¯s purposes¡­. Linda¡¯s eyes narrowed on a chunk of moonstone. Since the ferret wanted to sneak around in places it shouldn¡¯t be, wouldn¡¯t the moonstone, a gem capable of protecting those around it at night, be the most suitable? It¡¯d look good against the ferret¡¯s pitch-black fur, though, it might give away the creature¡¯s location when it was sneaking around, but it wasn¡¯t likely since the ferret was so small.

    Linda grabbed the moonstone chunk and weighed it in her hands. It was as large as a brick, but it wasn¡¯t completely pure. The blue-eyed woman took in a deep breath and poured her focus into the moonstone chunk while activating her talent. The chunk of crystal gradually shrank as powder slipped out from the gaps between Linda¡¯s fingers, and all that was left behind on her palm was something covered by a layer of white powder. Linda took in a deep breath and blew while shaking her hand, revealing a perfectly polished piece of moonstone; it was translucent with streaks of blue and violet only visible at certain angles. Although Linda¡¯s talent wasn¡¯t good for combat, the ability to manipulate crystalline structures was quite useful for making money.

    Linda glanced at the lump of moonstone in her hand before bringing it back to her desk where she looked through her notebook once more. She clasped the moonstone between her palms and stared at one of the sketches she had drawn, and the moonstone gradually warped, elongating and shifting as if it were a piece of wet clay. Linda pulled her hands apart, and the moonstone spread apart as well, creating the rough shape of a bracelet. Linda glanced at the notebook again before focusing on the moonstone, shrinking it into the appropriate shape. It was slightly larger than her measurements, but she could always manipulate the anklet to fit snugly on the ferret¡¯s leg after the fact.

    As for checking the crystals effects, Linda had a device for that. She went to the corner of her office and opened the closet door. There was a cylindrical structure with a hole near its upper end, resembling a trashcan of sorts. Linda placed the anklet into the hole, letting it rest on a shelf, and pressed a button on top of the device. The hole was sealed, and although Linda couldn¡¯t see it, lights shone inside the device as it scanned the moonstone anklet. Linda walked away from the device and flipped through her notebook. While the cylinder analyzed the anklet, she¡¯d start on a necklace for the bird.

    ***

    Sam pushed the door in front of him open and stepped through the room. Since his sacral chakra had been unlocked and mastered, thanks to the mantids¡¯ unwilling but generous contributions, Sam needed to learn what he could do with it. While Linda processed his orders, he¡¯d use the time to train himself, and once he was as prepared as could be, he¡¯d set off for Silva Volucris and save Gregor¡ªprovided he arrive in time. Sam turned his attention onto his tutor, someone with a bright-orange aura radiating out of them, detectable through his All-Seeing Gaze.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the tutor said, a feminine voice ringing out. ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d pay me a visit.¡±

    ¡°You were waiting for me?¡± Vercedei asked as Sam walked into the room. It was a sparsely decorated room with only two cushions on the ground and a low table placed between them. ¡°Or is that something you say to everyone you mentor?¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± the feminine voice said. Sam couldn¡¯t see her facial features clearly with his All-Seeing Gaze since her aura was too blinding and a snake was wrapped around his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors about you from the other tutors, and I was wondering when you¡¯d book a session with me.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware my reputation had spread so far,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam grinned.

    ¡°Well,¡± the tutor said, ¡°it¡¯s rare for someone to have unlocked so many chakras, much less have great mastery in them. Although all tutors are their own individual, we do have a forum for discussing our mentees; after all, it never hurts to gather information before choosing to accept someone.¡± The orange aura around her face was tinged with yellow as she smiled. ¡°There are a lot of unreasonable people out there.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°And what does that forum say about me?¡±

    ¡°Sam, an S-ranked awakened,¡± the tutor said as the aura on the crown of her head turned murky, ¡°you¡¯re quick at learning, and your mastery of your chakras is comparable to someone who¡¯s been meditating on them for decades. As for whether or not you¡¯ve bribed those tutors to post good reviews about you, that remains to be seen.¡±

    ¡°An honest evaluation,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°So, what are you going to teach me today? I have no experience with my sacral chakra at all.¡±

    ¡°Call it your Svadhishthana,¡± the tutor said. ¡°And call me Stacy.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Stacy,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Tell me some useful tricks my Svadhishthana can perform for me.¡±

    Flashes of yellow appeared around Stacy¡¯s eyes as she laughed. ¡°Well, let¡¯s start with the most basic of the basics,¡± she said. ¡°Expressing your emotions.¡± Stacy pointed at herself. ¡°You can use the All-Seeing Gaze, right? If so, can you see the color of my aura shifting as I express myself?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said after pausing for a brief second to snoop on Sam¡¯s thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re very orange.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Stacy said, ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡± She pointed at Sam. ¡°You try it. Visualize your aura, and consciously attempt to change its color. Think of your Svadhishthana as your paintbrush, and use it to paint your aura.¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath through his nose and focused on himself. His aura seemed to be ¡­ a deep-blue color. He focused on his sacral chakra, imagining it as a bucket of red paint. Using his Ajna, he visualized a paintbrush dipping into his sacral chakra, its bristles being coated in a layer of red. With a thought, he painted his aura, manipulating the colors with wide sweeps of his brush.

    ¡°A bit rough,¡± Stacy said, bits of yellow and red tinging the aura in the region around her eyebrows, ¡°but I didn¡¯t expect you to get it so quickly, so your first attempt is quite commendable.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the use of something like this?¡± Vercedei asked, voicing Sam¡¯s question for him.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Stacy asked. ¡°The better your mastery of your Svadhishthana, the better your control over your emotions. If you¡¯re feeling bummed out¡±¡ªStacy coughed¡ª¡°feeling like a deep blue, you can paint yourself a different color to experience another emotion.¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed. The way Stacy had commented on his aura stung, and it made him a bit frustrated.

    ¡°If you paint yourself red, you¡¯ll anger more easily,¡± Stacy said. ¡°If you paint yourself yellow, you¡¯ll be happier. If you paint yourself green, you¡¯ll be calmer.¡± She leaned over and picked up a folder on the ground, taking out a sheet of paper which she offered to Sam. ¡°Here¡¯s a chart with the corresponding emotions for every color.¡±

    Sam took the offered paper. He couldn¡¯t read it with his All-Seeing Gaze, but he didn¡¯t mind. He was sure the reptilians would have something similar he could access through his stone tablet.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°What else can I learn other than controlling my emotions?¡±

    Stacy nodded. ¡°You can influence the emotion of others, and you can prevent others from influencing your emotions as well.¡±

    Wasn¡¯t that the sloth¡¯s ability? If anyone could learn how to manipulate the emotions of the people around them, then Joe didn¡¯t seem to be that useful, huh? None of the other animals had abilities that could be replicated by human chakras. The sloth hugging Sam¡¯s waist rumbled, and although it hadn¡¯t finished expressing its thoughts, Sam knew it was upset at his comment. So, he scratched its back.

    ¡°How do I do that?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Stacy said and held out her arm, the orange aura shifting to a yellow one. ¡°If your aura touches mine, and you change your emotions, my emotions will change as well. If your mastery of your Svadhishthana is greater than the person¡¯s you¡¯re trying to influence, the stronger the effect will be.¡±

    Sam extended his hand and willed his aura to extend towards Stacy¡¯s outstretched arm. His aura, which he shifted back to blue, touched Stacy¡¯s, and the resulting mixture became green. The yellow aura around Stacy¡¯s forearm brightened, but despite her best efforts, she couldn¡¯t prevent the green color from spreading up her arm. ¡°Wow,¡± Stacy said. ¡°Your mastery is really strong. I can¡¯t stop you at all.¡±

    Sam brought his arm back, and the green color in Stacy¡¯s arm reverted back to yellow. Well, the sloth could influence people from a greater distance, so it wasn¡¯t completely redundant. Joe the sloth grumbled, and Sam scratched its back some more. Yes, yes, he was sorry for calling it redundant.

    ¡°So,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°What other tricks can you teach me?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that,¡± Stacy said as the aura around her body became completely orange. ¡°You make it sound like I¡¯m training a dog.¡± She reached into her folder and took out another piece of paper. ¡°Here.¡±

    Sam received it, but the snake wrapped around his face didn¡¯t bother moving to allow him to read the words written down.

    ¡°Through manipulation of your emotions, you can also change your state of mind to boost your creativity,¡± Stacy said. ¡°Most people skip unlocking their Svadhishthanas because they think it isn¡¯t very useful. What¡¯s the point of having creativity if they¡¯re not going to study the arts? People prefer more practical things like combat-related abilities, techniques that¡¯ll save their lives in a pinch.¡± As she spoke, the aura around Stacy dimmed. ¡°However, they underestimate the power of creativity.¡±

    ¡°Can you give me a practical demonstration?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Stacy said. She held out both her hands, and her aura seemed to shine, orange rays radiating outwards from her palms. ¡°Take my hands.¡±

    Sam placed his hands on top of Stacy¡¯s, and his brow furrowed as the vision within his All-Seeing Gaze turned orange. Then, it was as if he were seeing normally through his eyes without a snake blinding his vision. However, he wasn¡¯t in the room. He seemed to be floating in a vast expanse with images and symbols trapped in spheres of light that floated around him. Was he in an illusion?

    ¡°What is this?¡± Vercedei asked. When Sam tried speaking, he found his mouth covered still.

    ¡°My creative space,¡± Stacy¡¯s voice said, echoing through the expanse from all directions. ¡°With your Svadhishthana unlocked, you¡¯re given the ability to dream up anything. You can¡¯t bring anything you create here back to the physical world, but this is still a great place to organize your thoughts in the form of emotions. Even a mind reader can¡¯t access this space unless you invite them in.¡±

    Sam¡¯s vision reverted back to the All-Seeing Gaze as Stacy withdrew her arms. ¡°I can dream up anything?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Anything,¡± Stacy said. ¡°First, you have to look deep within your Svadhishthana. The way I imagine it is like seeing one of those videos where someone zooms in on a landscape that seems empty at first, but as the camera continues to zoom in, more details pop up. Try to really examine your chakra.¡±

    Sam did as Stacy instructed, and he found himself within his own vast expanse, one without images or symbols floating around. Apparently, he was supposed to come up with those himself, which was probably why Stacy didn¡¯t want him sticking around in her space for too long; those images must¡¯ve been personal. Sam imagined the scene of him performing the magic ritual from his book, and a bubble appeared in front of him, its interior holding the images he recalled. Sam raised an eyebrow. Although it didn¡¯t seem particularly useful for fighting, perhaps it¡¯d be useful for ¡­ something? Well, plenty of people survived without the use of this creative space, so it wasn¡¯t a necessity, but Sam was glad he had it instead of not. According to Stacy, he could hide things from mind readers in here¡ªas long as he didn¡¯t think about this space? He wasn¡¯t quite sure how it¡¯d work.

 Chapter 55

    Wendy sat across from Sam. Ever since returning from Et Serpentium, he had turned into a completely different man. His mannerisms changed, and his vibe was ¡­ ever-shifting. After he finished a trip through a dungeon, he gained the ability to prevent her from reading part of his mind. It was odd, and she wondered if her constant attempts at trying to access the information he was hiding was bothering him or not. If it was, his outward appearance didn¡¯t betray any sign of it. He was holding a stone tablet, reading the information within.

    ¡°So,¡± Wendy said after Sam placed the tablet down. ¡°Are you willing to accept our request?¡±

    Sam stroked the sloth¡¯s back as he leaned back in his seat. Monarch was seeking his assistance in escorting someone through Et Serpentium and into Silva Volucris. They were afraid reptilians and mantids would make trouble for the individual, and Monarch wanted Sam to resolve all those troubles.

    ¡°Why me?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you be more suited for this kind of task?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true I could help people through Et Serpentium,¡± Wendy said, nodding her head, ¡°but, quite frankly, this mission is unimportant to Monarch¡¯s bigger picture; my abilities are better used elsewhere. You have some repute in Et Serpentium, and reptilians will be inclined to leave you and those you¡¯re traveling with alone, so I floated the idea of passing the request onto you.¡±

    Should he thank her for bringing him a job? Although Sam wasn¡¯t hurting for money, jobs were still nice. This one would give him a reason to explore and experience the world some more especially since the final destination of the journey was Silva Volucris. It was awfully convenient though that he was eventually planning on heading there to save Gregor but just so happened to receive a task leading him there as well.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Who am I escorting?¡±

    ¡°A botanist,¡± Wendy said as she leaned forward and placed her finger on the stone tablet, adding some details into it through the use of her Sahasrara. ¡°His name is Duke, and he has his own reasons for heading towards Silva Volucris. He didn¡¯t share them with us, but we weren¡¯t really interested in the why. The pay he offered wasn¡¯t enough for us, and since James told me you wanted to go to Silva Volucris¡­.¡±

    ¡°You passed him to me,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep him safe.¡±

    Hadn¡¯t Wendy just said the reward Duke was offering wasn¡¯t satisfactory for Monarch? If Vercedei accepted the request so easily, what did that make Sam? Someone who was only good enough to pick up a large company¡¯s scraps? Well, Sam didn¡¯t mind. Transporting the botanist was simply a bonus task; if he failed, and the botanist met with an unfortunate end, yeah, Sam would feel pretty bad, but it wasn¡¯t like it¡¯d be the end of the world. His main mission of absorbing the malachite the mantids recorded their history on would still be there. As for Gregor, well, Sam had the sneaking suspicion the mantid was only nice to him thanks to Joe¡¯s ability making everyone too lazy to engage in conflict.

    ¡°Great,¡± Wendy said. ¡°I¡¯ll send the details to your assistant.¡±

    The grayling standing in the corner of the room waved at Wendy when she gestured towards it with her chin.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Thanks for alerting me about this opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Any time,¡± Wendy said.

    ***

    Linda held her hand out, and the ferret on the table in front of her stuck out its paw, placing the furrow limb atop her palm. The crystal shaper couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Sam trained his animals. They were so well-behaved. Linda slid the anklet she had made for the creature up its leg. ¡°Hold still,¡± she said, and she swore the creature nodded back at her. Linda took in a deep breath, and the anklet shifted, shrinking to fit the ferret¡¯s ankle perfectly. ¡°If you want to take it off, some grease should do the trick.¡±

    The ferret pulled its left leg back and stood on its hindlegs while raising its paw up to get a better look at the accessory. It was made of moonstone, and the crystal glittered with glints of blue and purple light. Raindu looked at Linda and tilted its furry head.

    ¡°Are you asking me what it does?¡± Linda asked, a wry smile appearing on her face. ¡°It¡¯ll keep you safe at night. The sounds you make will be muted, and people are more likely to mistaken you for a part of the surroundings.¡±

    Raindu chattered and nodded at Linda before hopping off the table. Then, an eagle flew onto the table, landing with a series of clacking sounds as its talons touched the wooden surface, leaving faint gauges wherever it walked. The eagle looked white thanks to the room¡¯s lighting.

    Linda picked up a necklace made of linked, golden chains. The chains were threaded through a hole within a whistle-shaped pendant, one made of lapis lazuli. The pendant was blue with golden streaks decorating its surface. Linda clasped the necklace around the bird¡¯s neck before nodding to herself. The accessory fit perfectly, and thanks to the eagle¡¯s unruly feathers, it¡¯d be very difficult for the necklace to fall off by accident.

    Birdbrained looked down at the necklace before standing up straight and puffing its chest out. Then, it let out a god-awful squawk that reverberated through the room, causing the walls and ceiling to tremble. A shiver ran down Linda¡¯s spine as she cringed from the sound, feeling a bit of regret at how well she fulfilled Sam¡¯s request to empower the bird¡¯s voice. ¡°With this necklace,¡± Linda said after lightly massaging the backs of her ears to adjust her hearing, ¡°everyone will hear you loud and clear no matter what kind of ambient noise is around.¡±

    Birdbrained squawked again and flapped its wings before hopping off the table.

    Linda winced and watched the bird waddle its way over to Sam. She couldn¡¯t help but feel as if she had gifted a child a trumpet, and now, they were going to make their parent¡¯s life a musical hell. Oddly enough, it made her gleeful. She watched as the snake wrapped around Sam¡¯s face made its way down his body, across the floor, up the table¡¯s leg, and onto the wooden surface. It stared up at her with expectation in all four of its eyes.

    Linda opened the small box on the table and revealed a piece of obsidian manipulated into the shape of a spring with one end narrower than the other. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a snake wear any accessories before,¡± Linda said, ¡°but I have seen reptilians wear these sorts of things on their tail.¡± The blue-eyed woman tilted her head. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll like it?¡±

    Vercedei and Werchbite exchange glances before coiling their body, extending their tail towards Linda. The blue-eyed woman slid the spring-like accessory onto the snake¡¯s tail and activated her talent, manipulating the obsidian to fit flat against the snake¡¯s body. Upon seeing the accessory fit perfectly, Linda imagined if she made two tiny crowns for the two snake heads as well, it¡¯d look like old Egyptian royalty. Although the Earth had undergone a cataclysm, some bits of old-Earth culture had survived, and Linda regularly drew inspiration from jewelry made back then.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°What does it do?¡± Vercedei asked.

    Linda stared down at the talking snake. ¡°You can talk?¡±

    ¡°You can too,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°Fair point,¡± Linda said and nodded. Why wouldn¡¯t it be able to talk? It was a creature created by Sam¡¯s talent, so it couldn¡¯t be judged through normal standards. ¡°This accessory protects you from negative thoughts and their influence. When people look at you, they¡¯ll have a good impression rather than a bad one, and they won¡¯t wish any ill upon you.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t much, but it¡¯s better than nothing,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Linda wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about the snake¡¯s evaluation of her work. If someone else had said that about something she created, she¡¯d definitely be upset, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel as if the snake had a point. It was simply a spiral strip of obsidian without any overpowered effects. Truth be told, she hadn¡¯t felt much inspiration while creating the snake its accessory. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll make something better.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± Vercedei said before the twin-headed snake slithered off the table.

    Linda watched it return to Sam¡¯s face, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Sam enjoyed having the snake on there. Why else would he put himself through that? The black-haired woman¡¯s eyes shifted down towards the sloth on Sam¡¯s stomach before looking at the accessory she had made for it on the table. After much consideration, she had decided to make it a selenite backpack with ruby straps. It could keep the sloth warm while still being useful for Sam since he could store things within the bag.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring this over,¡± Linda said and picked up her creation. Seeing as the sloth didn¡¯t show any signs of moving, Linda went over and held the backpack out towards Sam. Together, they undid the sloth¡¯s hug and slipped the backpack on before allowing the sloth to retake its position on Sam¡¯s waist. ¡°It has a temperature regulation function as you requested. I took some liberties and added a selenite pack. With it, you can store and cleanse crystals.¡±

    ¡°Cleanse crystals?¡± Vercedei asked, voicing Sam¡¯s question.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know about cleansing and charging crystals?¡± Linda asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Crystals are a like an air filter. They have limited capacity, and they need to be cleansed. A crystal protects you from negative energies by absorbing them. To get rid of the trapped negativity, you have to cleanse your crystal. There are multiple ways: burning sage, letting it soak under running water, or placing it near selenite, a crystal which naturally disperses negativity.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Vercedei said for Sam.

    ¡°Good,¡± Linda said, nodding her head. ¡°Not only do crystals need to be cleansed, but they need to be charged too. Crystals come with great abilities, but their power drains over time, and if you want them to still be as effective as the day you got them, you have to leave them out in the sun or bury them within the ground.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for letting me know,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Linda said. ¡°You helped me out with my problem. This is the least I can do to repay you.¡± She scanned the animals and their new accessories. ¡°If anything breaks, let me know, and I¡¯ll fix it for you. If you need any other custom accessories, I¡¯ll make sure I have a slot available for you at all times.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to use your services in the future,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°By any chance, do you have anything useful for protecting myself from mantids? I¡¯m heading to Silva Volucris.¡±

    ***

    Duke sat on a bench, sipping on a thermos full of soup. He was dressed like a mercenary, wearing a thick, leather jacket perfect for protecting himself against a predator¡¯s sharp claws. His pants were equally as thick, and although he looked a bit ridiculous under the blazing sun, no one paid him any attention. Mostly because his appearance wasn¡¯t the nicest thing to look at.

    Across from the park bench Duke was occupying, there was the entrance to the train station. Despite the horrific train derailment earlier in the year, people were still using the trains; after all, they had to get to work somehow, and the more days that went by without another accident, the more comfortable people got despite nothing having changed. The cause of the accident, and the human it was standing on, Raindu, happened to be across the street.

    Duke screwed the cap back onto his thermos as he saw a man across the street raise a sign. It read, ¡°Duke.¡± Sam, the S-ranked mercenary that Monarch had recommended to Duke, looked extremely plain in Duke¡¯s eyes. Monarch¡¯s representative had given Sam glowing reviews, and Duke wasn¡¯t usually one to judge a book by their cover, but he couldn¡¯t help but think the journey to Silva Volucris was going to be difficult. Duke was carrying a huge pack with everything he needed for a long trip, but Sam was ¡­ traveling light was an understatement. The man didn¡¯t have a bag, and his pockets weren¡¯t bulging. Maybe he wasn¡¯t the escort and was simply someone leading Duke to his protection detail?

    ¡°Hello,¡± Duke said and waved as he was a few steps away from Sam. ¡°I¡¯m Duke. Are you Sam?¡±

    The illusion of Sam nodded. ¡°Are you ready to set off?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°We¡¯ll be taking the train to Et Serpentium, and from there, we¡¯ll ride a levistone to Silva Volucris.¡±

    ¡°You have it all planned out?¡± Duke asked, raising an eyebrow at the man in front of him. At some point, the sign had vanished, and he wasn¡¯t quite sure where Sam had put it. Duke leaned from side to side, looking for the piece of paper he had sworn he had seen.

    ¡°I¡¯ve prepared everything,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°yes.¡±

    ¡°Forgive me for being a bit doubtful,¡± Duke said and stared at Sam¡¯s empty hands, ¡°but you don¡¯t look like you¡¯re ready to go on a journey to Silva Volucris at all.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°And how should I look to meet your standards?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Duke said and wet his lips with his tongue, the action causing his sparse mustache to glisten, ¡°I understand the journey to Silva Volucris will take several weeks, but ¡­ it looks like you haven¡¯t even brought a single change of underwear.¡±

    ¡°Is underwear a necessity to reaching Silva Volucris?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°What if I¡¯m not wearing any right now?¡±

    For some reason, Duke was regretting hiring this fellow. However, he paid a lot, and there were no refunds allowed, so he had to suck it up because he didn¡¯t have enough funds to plan a second trip. ¡°No, no,¡± Duke said. ¡°It¡¯s just an expression.¡± He gestured towards the entrance to the train station. ¡°Shall we? Our train departs soon.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam turned to the side, gesturing for Duke to go first.

    The two made their way through the station and onto the train departing for Et Serpentium, getting their own personal booth with two beds inside on either side of the booth walls. Sam took a seat on the bed across from Duke before lying down. As for the illusion Werchbite was projecting, it remained sitting upright. ¡°Have you ever been to Et Serpentium before?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Never,¡± Duke said and shook his head. ¡°Have you?¡± Before Vercedei could even answer, Duke scoffed. ¡°Of course, you have; otherwise, what am I paying you for?¡± After a brief pause, Duke made eye contact with the illusion of Sam. ¡°Right? You¡¯ve been there before?¡±

    ¡°I have,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°Is it true they grow tapeworms inside of humans?¡± Duke asked. ¡°I heard those worms are a delicacy to the reptilians like noodles.¡±

    ¡°Meaty noodles,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam grinned, causing Duke to make a face. ¡°It¡¯s true, but only some reptilians consider those tapeworms a delicacy. Much like humans, reptilians are their own people, and they tend to group with other reptilians who have similar values as them.¡±

    Duke nodded his head. ¡°And the reptilian friends you said would aid us in passing through Et Serpentium¡­,¡± Duke said, dragging out his words. When he realized Sam wasn¡¯t going to respond, Duke finished his question. ¡°They belong to the group that doesn¡¯t eat humans, right?¡±

    ¡°Obviously,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Unless, of course, this is a trick to sell you as produce to reptilians, which it isn¡¯t.¡±

    Duke¡¯s expression darkened. If it isn¡¯t, then why even mention it? Now, he was nervous; what if this was a scam to sell him off to the reptilians? ¡°Very funny,¡± the man said and sighed. He looked at Sam. ¡°So, did you bring anything to occupy yourself on the way there? I heard it takes a few days, almost a week to get there by train.¡±

    ¡°Why would I need to bring anything when I have you for company?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°I¡¯m curious. What are you going to Silva Volucris for?¡±

    Duke stared at Sam with an expressionless face. Was the person he had hired planning on talking to him the whole trip there? Well, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to get to know him better. If he established a personal connection with Sam, then maybe, if danger appeared, Sam would be more willing to help him out of a pinch; after all, the money was already paid, and if Duke died, no one would try to get the money back from Sam. ¡­There really wasn¡¯t an incentive for Sam to protect Duke, was there? Suddenly, Duke felt like he was making a bad decision, but the train had already departed.

 Chapter 56

    Duke never knew a train ride could be so exhausting. After all, trains were means of transportation; they were supposed to make journeys easier, not more difficult. However, the physical exertion Duke saved from taking the train instead of traveling through the spectral jungle, well, he wondered if it was worth the mental toll it took on him to converse with the mercenary he had hired. Simply put, Sam was a chatterbox, and he never shut up or stopped asking questions even when it was time for bed. By the time the train ride to Et Serpentium was over, there were dark bags underneath Duke¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Come,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±

    Duke followed Sam out of the booth with his luggage weighing down on his back. Duke was envious of Sam for not bringing any baggage with him, but at the same time, he wasn¡¯t willing to give up his standard of living for a bit of ease. For goodness¡¯ sake, Sam didn¡¯t even shower the whole time on the train. Granted, the act of showering on the train was simply scrubbing oneself with a wet rag, but still, the man would rather be stinky¡ªfor some reason, to Duke, Sam smelled like wet dog.

    ¡°Sam!¡±

    Duke flinched as a yellow reptilian rushed towards him. The reptilian was small, only up to his waist, but it was still terrifying to have something with sharp teeth and claws run at him at full speed. Duke stepped to the side but found he didn¡¯t have to; the reptilian came to a halt in front of Sam inches away from crashing into him.

    ¡°Hello, Ellie,¡± Vercedei said.

    The yellow reptilian beamed, her green eyes shifting onto Duke. ¡°Is this the human you¡¯re escorting?¡± she asked. ¡°Wow, he¡¯s a special-looking one, huh?¡±

    Special-looking¡­, at least, she didn¡¯t call him ugly, right? Duke nodded at Ellie before looking at Sam. On the train ride here, the mercenary had mentioned he had contacts in Et Serpentium that he could use to escort them through the country safely; however, Duke hadn¡¯t expected the man¡¯s contact to be so ¡­ vertically challenged. Could this tiny little reptilian actually keep them safe in a country that ate humans?

    ¡°He might look special, but you shouldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°This man¡±¡ªthe illusion of Sam gestured to Duke¡ª¡°wants to expand the frontier of human knowledge by going to Silva Volucris to conduct research.¡±

    Although that was true, Duke couldn¡¯t help but think Sam was making his goal more noble than it actually was. It was simple, really; Duke wanted to be immortal and handsome, and he figured plants were the way to go. When it came to medicines manufactured to counteract diseases, plants usually held the cure, so for the disease called aging, why couldn¡¯t plants cure it too? Humanity simply hadn¡¯t found the right plant, but mantids, mantids had been manipulating plants for all of their history.

    Ellie gave Duke a second glance, and he smiled at her while waving. ¡°Hi,¡± he said, ¡°My name is Duke. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Ellie.¡±

    The small reptilian narrowed her green eyes at the man. ¡°Don¡¯t speak so casually with me,¡± Ellie said. ¡°Address me as sundak.¡±

    Duke¡¯s smiled stiffened. ¡°Okay, um, sundak,¡± he said. Despite her short stature, the way the reptilian had glared at him sent shivers down his spine. It felt like he was staring a tiger in the eyes when she glared at him, and the rumors he had heard about reptilians being a belligerent, carnivorous species floated around his mind. Duke lowered his head, staring at his feet. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean any disrespect, sundak; please, don¡¯t hurt me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± Ellie said. ¡°Remember, when you¡¯re in Et Serpentium, you¡¯re just an unenlightened human. Don¡¯t speak unless you¡¯re spoken to, and only do the things you¡¯re ordered to. If you make eye contact with a reptilian, I won¡¯t stop them if they do anything violent to you.¡±

    Duke wondered what he had gotten himself into. ¡°I understand, sundak,¡± he said, still staring at his feet. On the train ride, Sam had told Duke he had to listen to everything the reptilians said, and Duke wasn¡¯t stupid enough to disregard his bodyguard¡¯s advice¡ªthough, the words were more like orders.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand,¡± Ellie said and nodded her head. ¡°You¡¯ll be my pet for now, so wear this.¡±

    Duke¡¯s face stiffened as a collar with a blue crystal on it appeared in his vision, Ellie holding the accessory out towards him with her scaly palm facing upwards.

    ¡°Well?¡± Vercedei asked upon seeing Duke¡¯s hesitation. ¡°What are you waiting for? Put it on. It¡¯ll only shock you if you disobey.¡±

    The collar had a shocking function too? Wasn¡¯t this going a bit overboard? Duke questioned it in his mind, but he picked up the collar before looking at Sam. There wasn¡¯t a collar around Sam¡¯s neck, so Duke wondered why there had to be one around his. As he put the shock collar on, Duke asked, ¡°You don¡¯t need to wear one?¡±

    A sharp jolt zapped Duke¡¯s neck, causing white stars to appear in his vision.

    ¡°Call him sundak,¡± Ellie said, glaring at Duke before looking at Sam. ¡°You didn¡¯t teach him any manners?¡±

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t he learned them all now?¡± Vercedei asked as the illusion of Sam smiled. Although Sam¡¯s aura didn¡¯t change, the illusion Werchbite had created was thorough, causing the layer of color around his body to twinkle with green specks. ¡°Learning directly is better than learning through listening.¡± The illusion of Sam made eye contact with Duke. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Duke didn¡¯t agree. Couldn¡¯t Sam have told him everything beforehand? Don¡¯t make eye contact with reptilians; address them as sundak. It wasn¡¯t difficult, and he definitely didn¡¯t need to be stared down by a predator to take those lessons to heart. Of course, now that he was in Et Serpentium, hadn¡¯t the rules of the land been made very clear to him? ¡°Yes, sundak, you¡¯re right.¡±

    Ellie placed her hands on her hips and nodded her head. ¡°It¡¯s good that he learns fast,¡± the reptilian said, looking up at Sam. ¡°How long are you staying this time?¡±

    ¡°Not long,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s my job to escort Duke safely to Silva Volucris, so we¡¯ll only be here for as long as necessary.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that,¡± Ellie said to Sam before narrowing her eyes at Duke. If she broke the man¡¯s legs, she¡¯d have an excuse to keep Sam in Et Serpentium for longer, no? The yellow reptilian stared up at Sam. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? Is his business really, really important?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam turned to look at Duke. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Duke¡¯s expression darkened. It was clear if he didn¡¯t say what the small reptilian wanted him to say, the shock collar would zap him once more. ¡°It¡¯s important,¡± Duke said, ¡°but we can spare a couple of days. I¡¯ve only heard about Silva Volucris through human channels, so maybe, here, I can learn more about mantids from other non-human sources?¡± It wouldn¡¯t hurt to be prepared; after all, he wasn¡¯t prepared for Et Serpentium, and he had turned into a pet. ¡°Respectfully, sundak.¡±

    Ellie nodded her head. ¡°Exactly,¡± she said. ¡°You have to spend a few days here to better prepare yourself to face the mantids. They¡¯re not as nice as we, reptilians, are.¡±

    ¡°Then, it looks like we¡¯ll be staying a couple more days,¡± Vercedei said, much to Duke¡¯s dismay.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Great!¡± Ellie said and beamed. ¡°Let¡¯s go! We¡¯ll have a great time!¡±

    ***

    Duke did not have a great time. The reptilian way to play with their pets was a bit too rough for Duke¡¯s health. He didn¡¯t enjoy any combat sports like boxing or mixed martial arts, and that was unfortunate because combat sports were a reptilian way of interacting with their pets. Duke stared at the ceiling of the jiggler, a coffin-like container used to heal his injuries through the power of vibrations. It didn¡¯t help he was claustrophobic. The lid of the jiggler slid off, revealing the warm light radiating out of the ceiling.

    Duke sat up and shivered, the layer of sweat on his body making the room colder than it actually was. He glanced down at his clothes; they were torn and stained with blood, but the injuries on his skin and flesh underneath had been mended, not even leaving scars behind. Duke climbed to his feet and stepped out of the jiggler before approaching the wall, which opened up for him, revealing Sam and Ellie on the other side.

    ¡°See?¡± Ellie asked, scanning Duke from head to toe. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to cry. Everything gets fixed after we¡¯re done playing.¡±

    Duke¡¯s fingers twitched as he recalled the sensation of his arm breaking from a rather forceful kick. Anyone would cry when experiencing that kind of pain. Duke couldn¡¯t help but turn his head to look at the mercenary he had hired, Sam; the man was impressive, able to spar with Ellie without receiving any serious injuries. It would be even better if Sam could actually do the job he was assigned and escort Duke through Et Serpentium because, quite frankly, Duke was not enjoying reptile land. ¡°Thank you for playing with me, sundak,¡± Duke said, bowing his head in Ellie¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Ellie said. ¡°Don¡¯t look so glum. While you were in the jiggler, Sam and I did research on Silva Volucris.¡±

    Duke looked at Sam, and the illusion Werchbite was projecting nodded its head. ¡°It¡¯ll be much safer for us,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Though, that¡¯s not to say the journey won¡¯t be dangerous; it¡¯ll only be less dangerous now.¡±

    ¡°Dangerous how?¡± Duke asked. When he didn¡¯t receive a response, he added, ¡°Sundak.¡±

    ¡°As you know,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°mantids and reptilians don¡¯t get along well with one another. There¡¯s a zone between Silva Volucris¡¯ and Et Serpentium¡¯s borders where neither mantid nor reptilian tread. We¡¯ll have to pretend to be refugees escaping from Et Serpentium to cross that zone, and it¡¯ll be up to the mantids whether they choose to be aggressive or not.¡±

    ¡°Out of curiosity,¡± Duke asked, ¡°have either of you sundaks been to Silva Volucris before?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Ellie said.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t either,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Recently, I made friends with a mantid, and he¡¯ll be our host.¡±

    Duke glanced at Ellie. The contact Sam had in Et Serpentium had turned Duke into a human pet. What was Sam¡¯s contact from Silva Volucris going to do to Duke? Also turn him into a pet? However, for the sake of immortality and improving his appearance, Duke was willing to brave the potential dangers to his health and potential blows to his dignity. As for why he didn¡¯t just get plastic surgery, well, he wanted to make money too. If he could find plants that improved one¡¯s appearance and maintained one¡¯s youth, he could sell them for boatloads of money.

    ¡°Did you mention the mantid is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Vercedei said, cutting Ellie¡¯s words off. ¡°My client doesn¡¯t know any details about my mantid friend, and it should stay that way out of respect for Gregor¡¯s privacy.¡±

    Ellie laughed. ¡°Wow,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re a bully now, aren¡¯t you, Sam?¡±

    Why would Sam be a bully for withholding details about this mantid, named Gregor¡¯s, personal life? Then again, in what situation would a human meet a mantid and become friends with them? Perhaps ¡­ the mantid was a fugitive? Duke shook away his errant thoughts; Monarch wouldn¡¯t recommend him someone who would fail a simple mission. He had to trust Sam because there wasn¡¯t anything else he could do in this situation. If Sam decided he were bored and left Duke here, then Duke would die, and Sam probably wouldn¡¯t have anything change in his life.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a bully,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job as best I can.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± Ellie said. ¡°When it comes time to chase you out of Et Serpentium, I¡¯ll try my best to make it look realistic, so you better pay attention in case I really hurt you on accident.¡±

    Duke¡¯s brow furrowed as he recalled Sam¡¯s words from earlier. They were supposed to pretend they were refugees seeking shelter from the overbearing reptilians, so it¡¯d make sense for Ellie to chase them as they fled the country. As long as he paid attention, he wouldn¡¯t get hurt, right?

    ***

    Duke knew what a bike rental was. So, he wasn¡¯t too surprised when he found out the reptilians had a levistone rental where they could rent levistones, reptilian bikes. Although bikes didn¡¯t really have many safety features like windshields or metal sides or seatbelts, Duke felt much safer on one than a levistone, especially since the levistone was whipping through the streets at a certainly illegal velocity. Duke didn¡¯t know how fast he was going since he couldn¡¯t connect to the levistones interface with his Sahasrara; in fact, since his Sahasrara was locked, he couldn¡¯t connect to any interface the reptilians used.

    ¡°Sam!¡± Duke shouted as he clung to the bench, which really needed seatbelts, with his arms and legs wrapped around the structure like a koala. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going too fast!?¡±

    ¡°This is how fast we have to go,¡± Vercedei said, the illusion of Sam sitting upright with a lazy look on its face. ¡°If we go any slower, they¡¯ll catch us. We can always go faster. The sooner we escape Et Serpentium, the sooner we¡¯ll be driving at regular speeds.¡±

    As for what Sam was actually doing, he was also like a koala, hugging the adjacent bench while keeping his muscles hardened through the use of Toughen. As for the driver, Birdbrained was standing on the floor of the levistone with its wings held out, the eagle positioned like a man on a surfboard. The eagle leaned forward, its neck craning outwards, its eyes squinting ahead at the road¡ªwhich was blocked by pedestrians and levistones alike.

    Chasing after them were three levistones in a triangular formation; the head levistone was piloted by Ellie. The small reptilian raised her arm and shouted, ¡°Bobby! Come back here!¡±

    ¡°Never!¡± Vercedei shouted back, the illusion of Sam cupping its hands in front of its mouth. ¡°I refuse to be a pet any longer!¡±

    Duke shuddered as he shut his eyes, the last thing them having seen was the road blocked by all sorts of obstacles, living and inanimate. Was this how he was going to die? In a bike, no, levistone accident? A scream whistled past his ears, starting with a low pitch, to a high pitch, and back to a low pitch before fading entirely in the span of less than a second. Wind roared against his face, drowning out the sounds around him. As someone who had unlocked his Anahata, he usually had faith in his body¡¯s endurance, but he very much doubted he¡¯d survive if anything were to strike his head even if accidentally. It wasn¡¯t like he could get off the levistone either. What would he do? Get caught by the reptilians who thought he was making a break for it? They¡¯d tear off a few of his limbs; it¡¯d be lucky if they¡¯d let him grow them back. Living without limbs or being dead, which one was worse? Well, if he died, he¡¯d have died pursuing his dreams, and that was fate. Duke relaxed his mind, but kept hugging the bench for dear life.

    The levistone sped up as Birdbrained leaned forward and squawked, the awful sound disappearing into the wind before anyone could even hear it. There was a thumping sound followed by a jolt, and Duke¡¯s stomach went up and down. Grains of sand sprinkled across his face, feeling much like a slap to the cheek. Duke winced and kept his eyes shut, but he opened them once he noticed the levistone had come to a halt. ¡°Where are we?¡± Duke asked, looking around but being unable to see anything. It was almost completely black, with a few vestiges of light coming from an entrance behind them.

    ¡°Underground,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam stood up and walked off the levistone.

    ¡°I know we¡¯re underground,¡± Duke said. Et Serpentium was located underground, so saying they were underground didn¡¯t really help. ¡°Is this the way to Silva Volucris?¡±

    ¡°To get there alive, yes,¡± Vercedei said as Werchbite¡¯s illusion smiled, not that Duke could see it in the dark. ¡°There¡¯s been a slight change of plans. To get to Silva Volucris, we¡¯ll be going through a system of caves populated by graylings.¡±

    ¡°The reptilians won¡¯t follow us?¡± Duke asked, looking up at the entrance.

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°The caves are narrow, and reptilians have a tough time navigating the terrain. We¡¯ll have a tough time too, so I hope you¡¯re ready.¡±

    Duke took in a deep breath and nodded. Since he had made up his mind, gained the conviction to die for his dreams and ideals, he was going to put his all into it. Rather than whining about the upcoming struggles, his time would be better spent on getting ready for them.

    ¡°Also, they might send humans after us,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°so if we¡¯re too slow, they¡¯ll catch us.¡±

    A light lit up the illusion of Sam¡¯s face, and Sam offered Duke a flashlight, much to Duke¡¯s relief. If he had to escape through narrow tunnels while completely blind, he wasn¡¯t sure he would make it. He followed Sam up to a crevice that was barely wider than his shins were long, and Sam came to a halt while gesturing. ¡°We crawl through there.¡±

    Duke eyed the cramped space and swallowed. He wasn¡¯t sure he was going to make it, not with his claustrophobia. However, what choice did he have? He already committed to his decision. Duke got on his knees, then onto his belly, and crawled into what could only be described as a slight fissure in the wall. Despite his flashlight shining ahead, showing the reddish orange rocks above and below, Duke could only see darkness ahead. How long did he have to crawl?

 Chapter 57

    Despite having absorbed the GMC and becoming the boss of the graylings with Birdbrained¡¯s help, Sam was not having a good time in the graylings¡¯ home terrain. Luckily, he was wearing thick clothes that protected his skin from being lacerated by the rocky passage he was crawling through. Despite their small sizes, the animals that usually rode on Sam¡¯s body didn¡¯t walk through the fissure themselves, they continued clinging to him, and Birdbrained, Raindu, and Joe were riding on Sam¡¯s back as if he were a camel.

    Beside Sam, Duke was regretting his decision¡ªnot the one where he chose to go to Silva Volucris, but the one where he went with Monarch¡¯s arrangements and hired Sam. Most people wouldn¡¯t choose to crawl through this narrow fissure, right? They¡¯d arm themselves and fight their way through the shared border of Et Serpentium and Silva Volucris. Only a masochist would force themselves through this system of caves and tunnels. Duke glared at Sam, jealous of the man¡¯s lack of luggage. Not only did Duke have to crawl through a cave barely wide enough for him to pass through on his belly, but he had to drag his luggage behind him too with the motions of his limbs limited by the short ceiling.

    As Duke crawled forward, one thought kept resurfacing within his mind: getting stuck in the fissure for forever. Who knew how long the fissure went on? Who knew if the fissure would become even narrower, preventing him from traveling ahead at all? If he turned back now, how long would it take for him to return to the entrance? How was he going to eat? Was he even going to eat? ¡°Sam,¡± Duke said. ¡°How much further?¡±

    ¡°Keep crawling,¡± Vercedei said, responding for Sam, who was also wondering the same thing. ¡°If it was that easy to escape from Et Serpentium, more humans would¡¯ve succeeded in doing it.¡±

    Duke wanted to protest, but what good would protesting do? All he¡¯d accomplish was drying out his mouth. Duke took in a deep breath and continued crawling forward. He was sweating all over, and he found it difficult to concentrate with his heart pounding inside of his chest. His heart was beating so hard he could hear the blood rushing through his ears like the repetitive crashing of ocean waves. He had made up his mind to pursue his dreams even if it meant dying, but ¡­ he really didn¡¯t want to die in a cave system underground.

    Luckily, the fissure expanded, allowing Duke and Sam more crawling room. Instead of inching and scraping their bellies against the ground, they could climb onto their elbows and knees; however, it was still easier to keep their bellies pressed against the rock. Several minutes¡ªor even hours, Duke had lost track of time long ago¡ªof crawling later, the fissure grew once more, allowing Sam and Duke to stand up; however, there was only enough space for them to walk single file, Sam ahead of Duke.

    Duke exhaled and dragged his luggage, which had marks on its surface from being scratched by the ground, into the expanded space. He rifled through his stuff and pulled out his thermos of soup. The cap was easy to unscrew, but when he raised his arm to pour the contents of the thermos into the cap, his elbow scraped against the side of the tunnel, and he accidentally spilled some of his soup onto the ground. He cursed, and he licked up the soup on the exterior before drinking down what he had poured. Once he was done, he walked forward but found Sam missing. There were also two branching paths before him, and he didn¡¯t know which way Sam had gone. ¡°Sam?¡± Duke asked. ¡°Hello?¡±

    There was no response.

    ¡°Sundak?¡± Duke asked. ¡°Excuse me, but if you can hear me, can you say something, please?¡±

    Faint footsteps resounded in Duke¡¯s ears, and he stiffened. ¡°Sam?¡± he asked in a whisper. He turned his head to look behind himself. Then, he gulped before shining the flashlight in the direction he was looking. A gray face with large, black, glass-like eyes stared back at him. Since it was short, it didn¡¯t look out of place in the tunnel barely large enough to accommodate a standing human, but it still freaked Duke out. He let out a scream and turned around to run, not caring which way Sam had gone.

    Duke fled towards the tunnel on the right. He knew he could eventually escape a maze as long as his right hand remained in contact with the right wall at all times; however, his sprint to safety was short-lived as the tunnel narrowed once more, forcing him to crawl on his hands and knees. ¡°Sundak! Sam! Help!¡± Duke shouted as he crawled for his life, not caring about the luggage he had left behind. ¡°A grayling is chasing me! Help!¡±

    Duke¡¯s hands and knees suffered, but he pushed through the pain thanks to the help of adrenaline. He scrambled forward with his flashlight in his hands, kicking off his knees to propel himself further. Then, two more graylings came into view ahead of Duke, and he let out another scream. He turned and shone the flashlight behind himself. He was trapped between two groups of graylings. ¡°Please,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt me! I just somehow ended up here; please, don¡¯t hurt me.¡±

    The graylings approached Duke, and he screamed as they stretched out their four-fingered hands towards him.

    ***

    Sam paused, using his All-Seeing Gaze to take in his surroundings. One moment, he was walking through a narrow tunnel with Duke, and the next moment, he was in an empty cavern. A group of graylings must¡¯ve transported him through space; seeing as they could shift his body without him even seeing them, there must¡¯ve been a lot of graylings about; after all, the more graylings that were gathered, the stronger their powers.

    As expected, Sam spotted three graylings walking from the corridor in front of him into the cavern. Despite the short height of the entrance, the graylings were walking upright. However, these graylings didn¡¯t look like the ones he usually on the surface. Their eyes weren¡¯t black; rather, they were white without pupils. Perhaps the black lens-looking eyes were actually just that: lenses to protect their eyes from the sun. Since they were underground, they didn¡¯t need any solar protection.

    The eagle clinging onto Sam¡¯s back flapped its wings and clawed its way up Sam¡¯s neck to reach its usual spot atop his head. It spread out its wings and squawked, and the central grayling pointed its fingers at its own face. Then, its head exploded. Birdbrained closed its eyes, and after a few seconds, it opened them again before tapping on Sam¡¯s head with the tip of its beak. It squawked at Sam, and he nodded as he went through the memories Birdbrained had gained from the grayling, which had fulfilled its purpose of existence.

    These graylings belonged to a small community of graylings, one which was simply biding its time, waiting for their master to return. When they noticed Birdbrained¡¯s presence, they isolated the source to see if actually belonged to their master or not.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the person that was with me?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Make sure he¡¯s safe and unharmed.¡±

    The two graylings glanced at one another before one of them turned to leave. The remaining grayling dragged aside the remains of its buddy, placing it near the wall just in case someone were to trip over the headless corpse. Once it was done clearing the way, the grayling gestured at the tunnel, indicating for Sam to crawl through. Sam wanted to sigh, but he couldn¡¯t not with a snake blocking his mouth. As for needing a light to navigate, thanks to his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam could make out the path as he tracked the grayling in front of him.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    After a few minutes of crawling, Sam arrived at another cavern, one which was much larger than the previous one he was in. It was huge, in fact; there were dozens of tunnels extending from the walls, floor, and even from the ceiling. Sam mapped their paths with his All-Seeing Gaze, but it was an extensive series of tunnels, each leading to different destinations. If he had to take a guess, he¡¯d be in a lobby of sorts.

    From one of the tunnels off to the side, two graylings staggered forward while dragging a limp body behind them. It was Duke, and he had resigned himself to his fate¡ªor, perhaps, he was fighting his fate by adopting a tactic from the opossum book of combat: playing dead. Duke cracked open one eye to see how his tactic was working. There were dark-purple crystals, which Duke assumed were amethysts, growing out of the walls, and they emitted a very faint light, barely enough to create silhouettes in Duke¡¯s vision. There was another human here; grayling silhouettes weren¡¯t nearly as tall and wide as an adult human¡¯s.

    ¡°Duke,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you made it here alive and well.¡±

    Duke didn¡¯t respond. What if this was a trick? Playing dead was the safer option; after all, it kept him alive until now.

    ¡°Oh, he must not be the person I¡¯m looking for,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You can torture him if you¡¯d like.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Duke said, his eyes shooting open¡ªnot that the action helped him see. ¡°It¡¯s me, Duke! I was just lost in my thoughts earlier, so I didn¡¯t quite catch what you were saying.¡± He glanced at the graylings holding his hands before getting his legs underneath himself to kneel upright. ¡°There¡¯s no need for torture.¡±

    ¡°You heard him,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°He¡¯s with me, so there¡¯s no need to torture him.¡±

    The graylings released Duke¡¯s hands, and the man looked at them before raising his head to look at Sam. Were the graylings following Sam¡¯s orders? Instead of asking and potentially ruining a good situation, Duke kept his mouth shut and stood up before looking around. It was dark, and despite the time he had spent being dragged through the tunnels, his eyes hadn¡¯t really adapted too well to the dim lighting. He cleared his throat and awkwardly made his way to Sam¡¯s side, shuffling slowly to prevent himself from bumping into or tripping over things like the small graylings.

    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Vercedei asked, directing the question towards Duke. ¡°We¡¯re safe now that we¡¯ve made it to the grayling colony. Reptilians won¡¯t chase us this far in, and whatever intrepid humans they sent after us will be stopped before they can get here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry, sundak,¡± Duke said, placing his hand on his stomach. He wasn¡¯t sure if he still needed to call Sam sundak now that they were no longer in Et Serpentium, but it was better to be safe than sorry. As for the current state of his body, he was more than just hungry: he was thirsty, mentally fatigued, physically exhausted, and his palms and knees felt raw, the burning sensation constantly nagging and demanding his attention. ¡°What do graylings eat? Are we having what they have?¡±

    ¡°Graylings eat corn,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You¡¯re not allergic, are you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Duke said, shaking his head. ¡°Corn?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s easy to grow,¡± Vercedei said and shrugged.

    ¡°Underground? Where there¡¯s no sun?¡± Duke asked.

    ¡°Do you want to be fed or not?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Does it matter where or how corn grows?¡±

    ***

    At Duke¡¯s insistence, Sam and Duke were following a group of graylings by crawling through a series of tunnels. Duke really wanted to see where the corn grew, and Vercedei decided to humor the man because Sam was curious about the graylings¡¯ food source as well. Thus, despite the graylings saying they didn¡¯t mind transporting the corn while the two humans waited in comfort. As for why the graylings simply didn¡¯t teleport Duke and Sam over to the cornfield, it was more economical to make them crawl.

    ¡°Why are you so interested in our food source?¡± one of the graylings asked as it walked alongside Duke and Sam.

    ¡°I¡¯m interested in all kinds of plants,¡± Duke said. ¡°Who isn¡¯t curious about things? My thing is plants.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± the grayling said.

    After an unknown amount of time spent crawling had passed, sunlight shone ahead, causing Duke to wince as the rays made contact with his eyes. ¡°Is that the sun?¡± Duke asked, turning off his flashlight to confirm the light came from another source. ¡°What¡¯s it doing so far underground?¡±

    ¡°It is not the sun,¡± the grayling said. ¡°It¡¯s the yellow topaz of life.¡±

    Duke crawled forward, his brow furrowed and his eyes squinted at the yellow rays of light. When he crawled close enough to the tunnel¡¯s exit, a field of yellow and green spread out below. The tunnel was located at the top of a cavern with a massive, yellow topaz embedded in the ceiling. It was polished and smooth, and light radiated out of the crystal, the rays warm against Duke¡¯s skin. He crawled out of the tunnel and climbed to his feet, standing on a ledge that stuck out of the side of the cavern¡¯s wall. If he fell off, he¡¯d break a leg at the very least; luckily, there was a winding ramp leading down to the field of corn.

    Sam climbed out of the tunnel, and his All-Seeing Gaze fixated on the yellow topaz of life, as the grayling had called it, embedded in the ceiling. He wanted to touch it, and he had a feeling it¡¯d be perfect for unlocking and mastering his Manipura, one of the two remaining chakras he had yet to unlock. ¡°How does this work?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°The corn grows because of the yellow topaz of life?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± the grayling said. ¡°You sure are wise.¡±

    ¡°And if the yellow topaz of life were to disappear,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°What exactly would happen?¡±

    ¡°Well, if that were to happen, we¡¯d lose our only source of natural light capable of growing corn,¡± the grayling said. ¡°In the future, it¡¯ll be much harder to survive, and I imagine most of us will be forced to the surface to scrounge for food there.¡±

    ¡°So, if your master were to request you to surrender the yellow topaz of life to it, what would you do?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Of course, we¡¯d surrender the yellow topaz of life,¡± the grayling said. ¡°We obey our master¡¯s every wish.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re okay with your whole way of life changing because of your devotion to this master of yours?¡± Duke asked, turning his head and weighing in on the conversation.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the grayling said and nodded its head. ¡°Our purpose in life is to experience it and die. If our master wishes for us to give up our source of life, then that means we have fulfilled our purpose.¡±

    ¡°Does your species believe in an afterlife?¡± Duke asked. He might as well; who knew when he¡¯d get another chance at communicating with graylings like this? He was learning things no one else had discovered.

    ¡°When we die, all of our memories are transmitted to our master,¡± the grayling said. ¡°In that sense, every grayling that has ever existed or will exist in the future are part of the same entity. All of our memories return to a singular origin; we are one and the same. When we die, we return to the singularity.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Duke said. He gestured towards the field of corn before pointing at the ramp leading down. ¡°Can I look at your crops?¡±

    The grayling glanced at Sam before looking at Duke. ¡°You may,¡± the grayling said.

    ¡°Great,¡± Duke said and jogged down the ramp despite the lack of safety railings. He went down to the field of corn and touched the damp soil. ¡°Where does this soil come from?¡±

    ¡°We transport it from the ground above,¡± the grayling that had accompanied him down said. ¡°Sometimes we die while doing it because the mantids aren¡¯t very merciful upon discovering a grayling, but by recycling most of our waste to maintain the nutrient level within the soil, we don¡¯t have to make trips to the surface very often.¡±

    Duke glanced at the soil where the roots of the cornstalks were buried. He turned his head to look at the grayling standing next to him. Then, his eyes went down towards the grayling¡¯s crotch¡ªan unconscious action. ¡°I see,¡± Duke said and raised his head to look up at the corn. ¡°Is this all the corn your colony of graylings possesses?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the grayling said. ¡°We have a colder cavern, one where we store our excess corn in case of emergencies. This harvest is enough to feed us for three years. Our stomachs are extremely efficient at digesting corn.¡±

    Duke was about to respond, but the cavern fell dark, and he raised his head to look up at the ceiling where the yellow topaz of life wasn¡¯t shining anymore. In fact, it wasn¡¯t there at all.

 Chapter 58

    Sam trembled as heat flooded through his hand, down his arm, and into his solar plexus. Although he was sentencing a colony of graylings to death by absorbing the yellow topaz of life, he hadn¡¯t hesitated nor felt any guilt. Well, he wasn¡¯t exactly condemning them either; they could work for the reptilians. Instead of a life of slowly starving to death, he simply gave them a life of servitude. Now that he thought about it some more, he did feel a little guilty, but he didn¡¯t have time to dwell on the feeling.

    Through his All-Seeing Gaze, he saw his solar plexus chakra blossom with a yellow hue, and seconds later, a strand of yellow light extended out of Manipura and formed a blob of yellow in the air before him. It wibbled and wobbled before finally taking the shape of a sheep with pig-like features; perhaps it was closer to call it a pig with hair as fluffy and curly as a sheep¡¯s. It was massive too, its furry snout level with Sam¡¯s chest.

    ¡°What are you?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°A wooly pig?¡±

    ¡°Mangalitsa,¡± the pig said in a deep voice.

    ¡°A mangalitsa,¡± Vercedei said, glad to finally have another animal capable of speaking on board the vessel known as Sam. ¡°Got it. And what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Mangalitsa,¡± the wooly pig said again.

    ¡°Right, Mangalitsa,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I apologize for getting it wrong the first time. So, what can you do?¡±

    ¡°Mangalitsa,¡± Mangalitsa said, the pig answering in the same intonation as before.

    Vercedei let out a sigh as it realized the pig couldn¡¯t speak after all. Pinks oinked, boars snuffled, sheep baaed, so why couldn¡¯t a wooly pig mangalitsa? ¡°Why don¡¯t we call you Manga?¡± the snake¡¯s blue head said. ¡°Since you¡¯re a gifted rhetorician, it¡¯s only apt we name you after an ancient form of storytelling once used to pass messages of the utmost importance.¡±

    Manga opened its mouth and mangalitsaed, agreeing with the name given to it, but chiding Vercedei at the same time for making fun of the way it expressed itself. Then, it mangalitsaed at Sam¡ªloudly.

    Duke crouched down and hunched his shoulders, his neck shrinking down with his chin almost touching his chest. What in the name of Oterra had happened? The yellow topaz of life vanished, and everything went dark. Then, someone or something spoke in tongues. Was it a predator of the graylings? Was he in danger? Of course, he was in danger; he knew he¡¯d be in danger for the entirety of the trip and even upon reaching his destination. Outside of the human city, nowhere was safe. Thus, the only thing he could do was keep quiet and trust his bodyguard would handle everything. To not interfere with Sam¡¯s work, Duke wouldn¡¯t turn on his flashlight in case he was spotted and became a burden in a confrontation.

    ¡°Mangalitsa!¡±

    Duke heard a roar, and there was a gasping sound followed by a heavy thud. Then, something large ran away, the thundering footsteps echoing through the cavern. Luckily, it was heading away from Duke, and not towards him. Shuffling sounds made Duke picture something being dragged behind the large creature as it sprinted off. Had he developed echolocation after being stuck in this dark place?

    Duke squatted as the echoes of the footsteps faded into silence before eventually taking a seat after his thighs failed him. Then, he crossed his legs and waited. What if Sam had just been killed by whatever that thing just now was? Then, didn¡¯t that mean Duke was now all alone, stranded in a colony of graylings that had just lost their way of life? He didn¡¯t know how to escape, and even if he managed to get out, where would he end up, back in Et Serpentium? In Silva Volucris without any hired muscle?

    Duke¡¯s brow furrowed as he stared at the ground before finally exhaling. ¡°Hello?¡± he called out in a small voice. ¡°Sam? Mr. Grayling? Anyone?¡±

    There was no response, and Duke waited a bit before turning on his flashlight. Long shadows were cast on the walls of the cavern, the corn giving off a much different vibe in the dark compared to when they were bathed under the topaz¡¯s light. Shivers ran down Duke¡¯s spine, and he slowly climbed to his feet before making his way to the ramp leading back to the entrance of the corn cavern. He paused between every step, tiptoeing so as to make as little sound as possible. Since he couldn¡¯t fight like a tiger, he had to survive like a mouse.

    ***

    Sam clung to the wooly pig, Manga, his hands wrapped around the pig¡¯s hind legs right above its hooves. His body was stiff as he maintained his usage of Toughen; he had to if he didn¡¯t want to be bruised and battered as he slammed up and down against the floor and ceiling of the tunnel. Manga was charging forward, widening the rock cavern with its bulky body, seemingly unperturbed by the hard surface. It swung its head from side to side, its snout digging apart the rocks in front of it.

    Sam wanted to sigh but couldn¡¯t thanks to Toughen. He finally had a familiar that would transport him instead of the other way around, but it was a bit too driven. Upon hearing Sam was going to Silva Volucris to unlock his heart chakra through the mantids¡¯ recording malachite, the wooly pig wondered why he was wasting time here observing plants. If Sam had a mission, he should stop dallying and get it done. As such, it decided to lead the charge, literally.

    Manga couldn¡¯t really be thinking of running all the way to Silva Volucris, could it? Besides, what about Duke? Sam transmitted his thoughts to the wooly pig, asking it to slow down, but the pig mangalitsaed while communicating its thoughts with Sam. It was easier to sustain an activity than to start an activity, so if Sam wanted to accomplish things, he should finish them in one go instead of getting distracted and stopping and starting repeatedly. Of course, Sam disagreed, but the wooly pig didn¡¯t give two hoots about Sam¡¯s opinion and continued to run; however, instead of running forward, it spun around in place, scraping Sam¡¯s body across the cavern wall like an insect being squished by a finger. Of course, Sam was fine thanks to Toughen, and he was glad Raindu was his first familiar instead of Manga. If this wooly pig came into his life first, he probably wouldn¡¯t have survived for very long. It was still questionable if he would.

    Speaking of Raindu, the ferret, Birdbrained, Joe, Vercedei, and Werchbite were pressed into Sam¡¯s body, extreme discomfort roaming through their bodies. They cried out in protest, but the wooly pig didn¡¯t deign to respond. Manga ran back in the direction it had came from. Since Sam had also made a deal with Duke, he had to uphold his end of the bargain, and Manga was going to help Sam do that, so they could go do the thing the wooly sheep wanted afterwards. A bright light appeared where there shouldn¡¯t have been light, and Manga narrowed its wooly eyelids before coming to a halt.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Mangalitsa,¡± the wooly pig said, and the light across from it jittered as someone screamed.

    ¡°Duke?¡± Vercedei asked, speaking for Sam. ¡°Is that you?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Duke said, staring at the gigantic wooly pig standing in front of him: its snout was level with his neck; its eyes looked down on him; its back towered over him. Underneath the pig, clinging to its hind legs, there was Sam. ¡°Are you¡±¡ªDuke squatted down to look Sam in the eyes before glancing up at the wooly pig¡¯s lower jaw¡ª¡°acquainted with this creature?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re new best friends,¡± Vercedei said. It was difficult for Werchbite to create a corresponding illusion to hide Manga¡¯s presence; the wooly pig was a huge bundle of motivated energy, the kind that anyone would notice, the kind that¡¯d even be unbearable to some.

    ¡°I see,¡± Duke said and stood up. He bowed his head at the curly hairs on the pig¡¯s face. ¡°Nice to meet you. If you¡¯re going to be accompanying us, then I¡¯ll be trusting you with my life. What kind of snacks do you like eating? I¡¯ll try to get some for you.¡±

    ¡°Mangalitsa,¡± Manga said, the word reverberating through Duke¡¯s bones. It sounded much deeper and more intimidating up close.

    ¡°It would like some yogurt,¡± Vercedei said.

    Cold sweat ran down Duke¡¯s back. Where was he supposed to get yogurt? ¡°I don¡¯t have any yogurt with me right now, but when I encounter some, you¡¯ll be the first person¡ªpig, I tell,¡± he said and gave the pig what he thought was a calming smile.

    The wooly pig mangalitsaed.

    ¡°What did it say?¡± Duke asked. ¡°It¡¯s not going to eat me, is it?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It wants you to follow us. It¡¯s going to take escort us to Silva Volucris.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Duke said. ¡°We¡¯re leaving already?¡± He glanced back at the empty space in the ceiling. Since the yellow topaz of life was gone, it wasn¡¯t like they could stay in the grayling colony any longer. ¡°We didn¡¯t even get to try the corn.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have the graylings pack some for the road,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°They¡¯re coming with us.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s coming with us?¡± Duke asked. ¡°The graylings?¡±

    ¡°Who else?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯d be safer with more individuals around? The graylings can protect us from the mantids in case they¡¯re aggressive towards us.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Duke said. ¡°I suppose¡­.¡± Somehow, he didn¡¯t think it was a great idea to bring a whole colony of graylings into Silva Volucris. What if the mantids mistook them as warmongers? Then again, with more individuals around, they¡¯d be safer, and who didn¡¯t like being safe? ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a great idea¡­?¡± Duke¡¯s voice trailed off as he noticed the wooly pig spinning in place, dragging Sam along the tunnel wall. He watched with a blank expression as the pig ran ahead, clomping down the tunnel. It moved so fast; how was Duke supposed to follow it? Well, he had no choice but to try, so he chased after the wooly pig, following the footsteps it left behind.

    As Sam clung to the wooly pig¡¯s legs, he discovered its innate ability. If something got in its way, that something simply disintegrated and was no longer in Manga¡¯s way after making contact with the wool on the pig¡¯s body. The wooly pig ran down the tunnel, widening the path but without leaving broken fragments of rock behind. Its footsteps may have been loud and clomping, but Sam didn¡¯t really feel any weight behind it; he may have been bouncing along the ground because of the way he was positioned, but the pig¡¯s footsteps didn¡¯t send tremors through his body like those slagpions had back in the dungeon. Perhaps it was because of the pig¡¯s wool deleting the ground out of existence before its cloven hooves could touch it. As for why the pig didn¡¯t fall through the rock, Sam wasn¡¯t sure. As for why he was thinking such idle thoughts, well, he had a lot of time. It wasn¡¯t like he could do anything else thanks to the effects of Toughen.

    Manga let out a four-syllable-long cry, and Sam understood the wooly pig¡¯s explanation. Rather than moving itself around the ground, it was fixed in space, and it was moving the world around itself¡ªsimilar to a mouse¡¯s pointer on a computer screen.

    Vercedei couldn¡¯t help but tack on its helpful thoughts. The wooly pig¡¯s ability was an expression of a higher-dimensional creature¡¯s existence, and it was likely the blue avians would begin attacking them again. Unless Sam got to Silva Volucris and absorbed the mantids heritage stone soon, he¡¯d be in trouble. Once he unlocked all of his chakras, he¡¯d have a shot at winning a fight.

    Sam thought back to the blue avian, Paula, who had killed him. Would it be possible for him to fight back against someone like that? Once his Anahata was unlocked, theoretically, he could protect himself from the punch that had killed him before, but he didn¡¯t know what other tricks Paula had up their feathery figurative sleeves.

    Manga let out another cry, letting Sam know he didn¡¯t have to worry about a thing. No matter what troubles came, as long as Sam was pursuing his goal, then the wooly pig would help out. Together, they could accomplish anything: stealing heritage stones, defeating blue avians, overthrowing the order of the world, anything was possible.

    ***

    Paula¡¯s eyes seemed to be glazed over as the blue avian flew through the sky. Rather than paying attention to where it was going¡ªafter all, a blue avian didn¡¯t have to be afraid in the sky¡ªPaula was daydreaming; however, a blue avian¡¯s form of daydreaming was much more than a flight of fancy. They could enter someone else¡¯s dream.

    Within the fellow blue avian¡¯s dream Paula had invaded, Paula looked around, observing their surroundings. They were in a meadow with a hammock in the center, sunlight streaming down over the occupant of said hammock¡¯s feathery body. ¡°Mozart,¡± Paula said as they flew towards the relaxing figure. ¡°Has anything happened recently?¡±

    Mozart¡¯s aura shifted from yellow to green as the blue avian sat up in its hammock. ¡°Hello, Paula,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°I was having such a nice dream, so why did you have to come and ruin it?¡±

    ¡°If I feel unsettled, you should feel unsettled too,¡± Paula said, not giving two hoots about Mozart¡¯s complaints. ¡°Did the calamity detector exhibit any unusual behaviors?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Mozart said and gestured around themselves. ¡°As you can see, this is a dream. I¡¯ve been sleeping.¡±

    ¡°Then wake up,¡± Paula said, crossing their arms in front of their chest as their aura flared red. ¡°If you don¡¯t help me with this, then I won¡¯t hunt the calamities anymore, and I¡¯ll blame it all on you.¡±

    ¡°This is why no one likes you,¡± Mozart said, its amber eyes staring directly into Paula¡¯s. ¡°Hold my dream for me. Don¡¯t mess anything up; I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    Paula watched as Mozart faded from view. Then, Paula waited. Storm clouds gathered in the sky above the blue avian, and Paula glanced up at them before shoving aside her guilt at betraying Mozart¡¯s request. The blue avian was sleeping while Paula was busying themself hunting calamities, so Mozart could handle a little bit of rain in their sleep. An hour passed before Mozart finally returned.

    ¡°It¡¯s bad,¡± Mozart said, not commenting on the change in weather. ¡°The calamity detector rang again, and according to the device, there are multiple calamities gathered in the direction you¡¯re heading¡ªat least three of them.¡±

    ¡°That is bad,¡± Paula said, their green aura darkening, taking on a bluish hue as they fell into their thoughts. Three calamities were a bit much for Paula to deal with by themself. It wouldn¡¯t be like the last time where the calamities had a clear weakness: the summoner. The summoner¡­. Could it be that Sam hadn¡¯t actually died, and Paula had been tricked by the bewitcher?

    ¡°Are you thinking about calling for reinforcements?¡± Mozart asked. ¡°Although I personally won¡¯t volunteer since I¡¯m quite busy, I¡¯m sure the others will be glad to help.¡±

    ¡°Reinforcements would be nice,¡± Paula said. ¡°Help me request for them. I need a minimum of five others for us to destroy the calamities without casualties.¡±

    ¡°Five?¡± Mozart asked. ¡°It¡¯ll take a while for five volunteers to show up, but we¡¯ll sort it out before you know it.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Paula said, ¡°but know I¡¯m going to pester you in your dreams every night until I get the names of those who¡¯re helping me.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Mozart said.

    ¡°Oh, but I think I do,¡± Paula said. The blue avian narrowed their eyes at Mozart. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be waking up now to inform them of my decision? I¡¯ll meet with the reinforcements by the border of Et Serpentium and Silva Volucris.¡±

    Mozart¡¯s aura seemed to deflate. ¡°Alright,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°I¡¯ll get it done.¡± If Mozart wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep well so long as Paula remained in their dream, so there was only one thing to do: get five other people to volunteer to deal with Paula and the calamities.

 Chapter 59

    Duke lay on his back, his shoulders, lower back, buttocks, and feet supported by the hands of multiple graylings, who were carrying him through the series of tunnels. He had tried to keep up with the wooly pig, but it simply wasn¡¯t possible. It ran too damn fast, and it had much more stamina than Duke. As such, Duke ran until he couldn¡¯t¡ªwhich, admittedly, didn¡¯t take very long¡ªand the graylings, who were evacuating the tunnels, helped him out by carrying him along with their supply of corn.

    Duke stared at the ceiling, the details of the rocky tunnel barely visible in the dim, purple lighting. Although this wasn¡¯t how he expected to get to Silva Volucris, being carried by graylings was surprisingly comfortable. Their hands and fingers were softer than he had expected; it wasn¡¯t like lying on protruding bony surfaces at all. As the graylings marched, Duke couldn¡¯t help but yawn, his eyelids growing heavy.

    Duke tried to stay up, but eventually, the sweet comfort of sleep took him, and he passed out. It wasn¡¯t unreasonable¡ªthough, some could argue it a bit rude¡ªafter all, he had a stressful time in Et Serpentium. His accommodations might¡¯ve been luxurious, but he couldn¡¯t relax whilst wearing a shock collar around his neck, and his sleep had been short and intermittent then. Simply put, Et Serpentium had exhausted him, and the graylings had a much more relaxing atmosphere. They didn¡¯t want to beat him up under the guise of sparring, and they didn¡¯t shock him for amusement.

    Duke didn¡¯t dream as he was carried through the tunnels, and when the graylings brought him up to the surface, his eyelids twitched, and he raised his arm up to shield his face from the sun. He opened his eyes, keeping them mostly closed, and looked around. At some point, the graylings had put on their eyewear, black, lens-like coverings to protect their eyes from the sun. Duke understood why they needed them. After being underground in dim lighting for so long, seeing the sun again was physically painful, and his head throbbed, a headache taking form. Around them, there was sand, sand all over and nothing else.

    ¡°We¡¯re still in the desert?¡± Duke asked. He felt like they had traveled for miles, but the desert Et Serpentium was located in must¡¯ve been quite expansive.

    ¡°Yes,¡± one of the graylings said. ¡°The desert is one of the best locations for our exits and entrances. There¡¯s no good reason for surface dwellers to settle in the desert.¡±

    Duke grunted and the graylings holding him up placed him onto the sandy ground. He looked around, and he easily spotted the trail Sam and the wooly pig had left behind; it was hard to miss considering it was almost a straight line in the desert. ¡°How far did they go?¡± Duke asked with a frown on his face. Hadn¡¯t he hired Sam to escort him? What was Duke supposed to think when Sam went off on his own and left Duke behind with a colony of doomed graylings? How was he supposed to feel? Duke wasn¡¯t sure what the socially acceptable answer was, but he knew he wasn¡¯t feeling too good¡ªthere was a serious lack of communication on Sam¡¯s part.

    As for Sam, he was negotiating with the wooly pig. Rather than holding onto its ankles as it ran, now that they were out of the narrow tunnels, wouldn¡¯t it make more sense for Sam to ride on Manga¡¯s back? Luckily, Manga wasn¡¯t unreasonable. It let out its four-syllable-long cry and came to a halt, allowing Sam to release his Toughen technique. He stretched his limbs and cracked his neck before climbing up the pig¡¯s side to the top of its back, the endeavor quite easy because practically every inch of the pig¡¯s body had a handhold: its wool.

    Once Sam was atop the wooly pig¡¯s back, he exhaled through his nose and lay down. The pig¡¯s back was broad enough from him to splay his limbs without falling off, and he allowed the sun to warm up his body. It wasn¡¯t freezing underground, but it wasn¡¯t exactly warm either. Sam took in a deep breath through his nose as he let the sun wash over him as he used his All-Seeing Gaze to examine his surroundings.

    They were in a desert, and the only things around were the graylings, a few cactuses, and some small animals. Not too far behind the pig, Sam detected the graylings walking in his direction with some more graylings still coming out of the ground. The graylings were carrying thin, flat bowls made of stone over their heads. It shielded their skin from the sun while allowing them to transport their corn at the same time.

    Manga turned around to look at the graylings on the horizon. It let out a cry, encouraging the graylings to move faster. Since the wooly pig couldn¡¯t carry all of them, it¡¯d do the next best thing, which was keep the morale up for the marching graylings. It walked alongside them, chanting with its four-syllable-long cry. Although the graylings didn¡¯t march any faster, the wooly pig continued the chant. Even if their speed hadn¡¯t increased, the graylings could definitely cover more distance in a day with Manga cheering them on; at least, that¡¯s what the wooly pig believed.

    Duke turned his head, looking at the wooly pig Sam was riding on. There was plenty of space on the pig¡¯s back, but Sam hadn¡¯t offered Duke a seat. Duke wasn¡¯t bitter or disappointed, but he wasn¡¯t happy either. The pig was chanting the same word¡ªwhich sound made up¡ªover and over, and it was getting on Duke¡¯s nerves. He wanted to punch something, his solar plexus region heating up. The sound of the graylings¡¯ footsteps in the sand were amplified, and the sun bearing down from above made Duke grind his teeth. With the crap he had been putting up with, it was understandable he was angry, but this wasn¡¯t his usual anger; then again, he didn¡¯t get angry very often.

    Sam exhaled through his nose and stroked the sloth¡¯s back. It was complaining about the heat, and thanks to that, the auras of the living creatures around it were tinged with red. Although the graylings weren¡¯t affected by Joe¡¯s passive ability too much, Duke¡¯s aura had been completely overwhelmed, turning into a shade of scarlet in Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze. Sam couldn¡¯t help but wonder where Duke got the courage to head to Silva Volucris without the strength to protect himself. Then, Sam recalled the time Wendy had dragged him and Raindu to Et Serpentium. Hadn¡¯t he been in a similar situation? He risked his life for money, so how was Duke any different for risking his life for his dream? Well, Sam had something to rely on, Raindu, a ferret that could kill whatever it touched in an instant. Did Duke have a similar talent backing him?

    ¡°Hey, Duke,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam waved to catch Duke¡¯s attention. ¡°How are you holding up?¡±

    Duke wanted to crawl up the wooly pig and push Sam off. While Duke was suffering under the heat, trudging through sand that made each step harder than it needed to be, his bodyguard was relaxing on a mount that had enough leisure time to sing as it walked. Duke took in a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said. ¡°This journey could definitely be more bearable if you let me ride the pig with you, but it also could be worse, so ¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Duke had said he was fine twice, so it¡¯d be safe to assume he was doing fine, but Sam knew better, and it wasn¡¯t because someone not fine had told him they were fine in the past; it was due to Duke¡¯s aura and vibe which were expressing anger and isolation. Well, once the sloth cooled down, Duke would return to normal, but who knew how long that would take? And how long would it take to reach Silva Volucris?

    ***

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    A week later at twilight, Sam woke up and activated his All-Seeing Gaze. He yawned, sucking in air through his nose because his mouth was covered by a snake¡¯s body, and he stretched out his limbs. The night was cold, but thanks to the wooly surface he was lying on and the animals resting on his body, he didn¡¯t have much to complain about¡ªother than the lack of oxygen he got during his sleep because he could only breathe through his nose.

    Duke, however, had a lot to complain about. The desert might¡¯ve been hot during the day, but at night, it was bone-chilling, the ground having sapped away all the heat generated by the sun while it was out. If it was only cold, maybe Duke wouldn¡¯t have cared so much, but it was windy too, and sand kept blowing into his clothes, pelting his skin. One or two grains of sand being thrown at him didn¡¯t hurt, but when he was attacked by sand again and again in the same spot¡ªhis face¡ªwell, that was a different story.

    Even though it wasn¡¯t the first night Duke had spent sleeping in a heap of graylings, he only slept for a little over an hour¡ªmore than he had slept during the other nights. He sat up, his brain in a fog as he looked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The graylings were stirring, waking as well. They climbed to their feet as one, picking up their covered bowls of corn, and raising them overhead. The graylings turned in unison to look at the top of the wooly pig¡¯s back, and Birdbrained let out a squawk.

    Duke winced at the sound, and he let out a yawn before standing up, shaking out his limbs to get rid of the sand that had built up in his clothes as he slept; it didn¡¯t help much. He turned his head towards the graylings and cleared his throat. A group of them gathered around him and hoisted him over their heads. Once the sun came out, the front part of his body would be roasted, but he was going to be roasted by the sun even if he walked on his own; at least, this way, he didn¡¯t have to walk. It was difficult walking when he could only sustain himself on corn and water. The lack of protein must¡¯ve been why the graylings were so skinny.

    ¡°How much further do we have to go?¡± Duke asked, his lips cracking.

    ¡°We should see it soon,¡± Vercedei said, answering for Sam. ¡°A few more hours, and Silva Volucris will be yours for exploring.¡±

    ¡°Provided a war doesn¡¯t break out because of all these graylings, right?¡± Duke asked. ¡°Your mantid friend, are they in a position to make decisions for all mantids?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but if you could find someone who had connections with a mantid that high up, you wouldn¡¯t have gone to Monarch in the first place, right?¡±

    It was true, but Duke hoped not to hear it. After suffering all the way to Silva Volucris, was he bound to suffer more once he was there? Well, this was what it took to accomplish his dream. This was the amount of suffering required. He had told himself the same words multiple times in the past week, hypnotizing himself into believing them. If he didn¡¯t have anything to believe in, he would¡¯ve quit right there, but then he¡¯d be stranded in the desert; in other words, quitting meant death, and chasing his dreams gave him a shot at survival.

    ***

    Silva Volucris, the land of the mantids. Sam had only heard mentions of it but never any clear details. It was a land far removed from him when he was a talentless, so he couldn¡¯t be blamed for not knowing anything about where the mantids lived. He had no expectations for what the place should look like, what kind of environment insect-people would thrive in, but he was still surprised by Silva Volucris when he saw it through his All-Seeing Gaze from atop a large sand dune. The mantids¡¯ country looked very ¡­ human.

    A sprawling metropolis lay on the horizon, one with buildings made of metal alloys. They weren¡¯t rectangular like skyscrapers or the buildings found in Et Serpentium; rather, the mantids¡¯ buildings were rounded, curving, twisting, and turning as if the mantids detested straight edges. Plants were interspersed between the buildings, and some of the buildings had trees growing on their hemi-spherical roofs, reminding Sam of hair growing from someone¡¯s head. A clear, green boundary of trees and shrubs separated Silva Volucris from the desert, keeping the endless yellow sand at bay.

    ¡°Is that it?¡± Duke asked, his voice cracking as it came out of his parched mouth. He squinted at the metropolis. Once they trekked down the dune, Silva Volucris would only be a few minutes of walking away. ¡°Please tell me I¡¯m not staring at a mirage.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Up ahead, our destination, Silva Volucris.¡±

    Duke exhaled and fell forward, dropping to his knees. Although he let the graylings carry him most of the way, the journey through the desert was still an arduous one. However, it was finally over; he had made it to Silva Volucris, and it was mostly what he had expected: lush, green, vibrant, and, for some reason, metallic. Why was it metallic? Weren¡¯t insects supposed to be afraid of fire? Then again, humans had to respect flames as well; it wasn¡¯t like they were fire retardant. Who said insects couldn¡¯t forge and smith using high temperatures?

    Duke looked around, and when he saw the wooly pig had no intention of moving, he sat down and crossed his legs. ¡°Are we waiting for your friend now?¡± Duke asked. Marching on Silva Volucris with a crowd of grayling refugees was probably not a smart option.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°He should be here shortly.¡±

    Duke stared off into the distance, and as his bodyguard had assured him, a few dots emerged from the green boundary, and with some squinting, Duke was able to make out their features. Mantids, large praying mantises with eight legs instead of the usual six. They had two pairs of legs for walking, a pair of legs with scythes on the end, and a pair of legs with finger-like appendages underneath the scythed legs. Underneath the mantids, there were large, black beetles with reflective carapaces, their shells glinting as the sun reflected off of them.

    Although Duke thought it was a bit strange to see a praying mantis riding a beetle, he figured it wasn¡¯t too different from a human riding a horse. The mantids were the smartest insects; thus, every other insect species in Silva Volucris was at their mercy.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the beetles to cross the distance from the green border to the large dune where the wooly pig was waiting. There were six beetles and six mantids, and Duke couldn¡¯t differentiate between the praying mantises. They looked like carbon copies of one another; though, there might¡¯ve been differences in size he couldn¡¯t detect.

    Sam, however, could differentiate the mantids quite easily since he wasn¡¯t looking at them with his eyes but through his All-Seeing Gaze. They might¡¯ve had the same outer appearance, but their auras were different enough for him to tell them apart. For example, the mantid with the most relieved aura, a yellow and orange one, was Gregor.

    ¡°Gregor,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°As promised, I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°This is the human who stole and destroyed our world seed?¡± the leading mantid asked, its mandibles opening wide.

    Duke swallowed upon seeing the mantid speak. There was something unsettling about its mouth, and there was something even more unsettling about the way the mantid was eyeing Sam. The praying mantis regarded everything it gazed upon as food to be eaten¡ªin Duke¡¯s eyes. Also, what exactly did the mantid mean when it asked whether or not Sam stole a world seed? A world seed sounded expensive, and Duke did not want to be associated with a thief; the mantids would never accept him if the person who brought him here was a felon. What kind of bodyguard had he hired?

    ¡°Yes,¡± Gregor said from his position at the back of the group of mantids, ¡°but he didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so he accidentally stole and destroyed our world seed,¡± the mantid in the lead said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure which is worse.¡± The lead mantid tapped one of its scythes against the beetle it was riding on, urging it forward. The mantid wanted to tower over Sam, but the beetle was as large as Manga, so the illusion of Sam and the lead mantid were face to face with one another. The mantid shifted its head to look at the swarm of graylings below that had been obscured from its view previously thanks to the size of the dune. The mantid swallowed back the words it was about to say before nodding at Sam. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±

    ¡°I destroyed the topaz supporting their colony,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam gestured behind itself, ¡°so they¡¯re following me until I can make up for what I¡¯ve done to them.¡±

    ¡°You destroyed a yellow topaz of life?¡± the lead mantid asked. Although it wasn¡¯t speaking the Sam language as Sam, through its intent, he could tell the mantid was in disbelief. ¡°And the Anunaki didn¡¯t dismember you?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam nodded its head. Meanwhile, the color leaking from Joe¡¯s body was tinging the auras of the mantids, turning them into various shades of lime. ¡°I talked it through with them, and we came to an agreement we were both happy with; I reckon you and I can do the same.¡±

 Chapter 60

    Duke followed behind the bear-sized beetle and wooly pig walking side by side, their mounted owners conversing with one another while keeping Duke in the dark about the conversation¡¯s contents. He didn¡¯t really appreciate that fact, but after his time in Et Serpentium, he knew better than to let his discontent be shown. At best, he¡¯d be mocked; at worst, he¡¯d be eaten. His best shot at accomplishing his dreams was to lay low, not attract any attention, and do what he had to do.

    ¡°So, these Anunaki, they listen to you?¡± Greg asked, gesturing behind itself at the graylings following after their group. That was the lead mantid¡¯s name. As for why its named sounded so similar to Gregor¡¯s, well, they were related.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°Because?¡± Greg asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m charismatic,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Does there need to be a deeper reason?¡±

    Greg stared at Sam, its compound eyes unblinking, not showing any signs of reaction. It would¡¯ve been unsettling for a regular human to witness, but Sam couldn¡¯t even see its eyes; all he could see was his impression of the creature through his All-Seeing Gaze. Even if Sam were intimidated, it wasn¡¯t like he was the one doing the talking anyway.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think so?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Mantids are supposed to be xenophobic and aggressive, but that¡¯s not the impression I¡¯m getting from you. Either those rumors are bollocks, or you¡¯re treating me in an unusual manner compared to most humans.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Greg said, nodding his green head. ¡°We¡¯re treating you differently than we would another human, but it has nothing to do with your charisma.¡± The mantid looked down at the wooly pig. ¡°It¡¯s because of the higher-dimensional being you¡¯re riding on.¡±

    ¡°You recognize it¡¯s a higher-dimensional being?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°How could you tell?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too obvious,¡± Greg said. ¡°We have a great educational system, and the characteristics of different higher-dimensional beings are one of the courses we can take. I happened to take that course and excelled in it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Then what kind of higher-dimensional being am I riding right now?¡±

    ¡°Shoku¡¯Ka, the unstoppable force,¡± Greg said. ¡°Shoku¡¯Ka is a force of nature, and it is said nothing can get in its way. When it sets its eyes on a goal, Shoku¡¯Ka will achieve it no matter what, morals and cost be damned.¡±

    ¡°Shoku¡¯Ka, huh?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°And what exactly gave its identity away? Which detail did you notice?¡±

    ¡°The dimension warping around it,¡± Greg said. ¡°Shoku¡¯Ka isn¡¯t moving; it only fakes the action. Am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You¡¯re right. Very impressive.¡±

    ¡°Do not flatter me,¡± Greg said. ¡°It makes me uncomfortable.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Is that a you thing, or do all mantids hate flattery?¡±

    ¡°The only time a mantid will flatter another is when they¡¯re about to kill them,¡± Greg said. ¡°So, unless you plan on attacking me with the intent to kill, don¡¯t compliment me.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°How interesting. When you do a good job, you¡¯re not praised?¡±

    ¡°Should you need praise for accomplishing what is expected of you?¡± Greg asked in return. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯re not a failure. Is that how humans praise one another?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam turned towards Gregor, who was following along on a beetle in the back of the group. ¡°And if someone fails to do what¡¯s expected of them, they deserve death?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Greg said. ¡°Some tasks are more difficult than others to accomplish. If someone fails, anyone else would¡¯ve failed if they were in the same position as them, so when a mantid fails a task, more mantids are assigned to the case.¡±

    Sam recalled the time back in the dungeon where Gregor had practically been a corpse but was revived by Joe¡¯s healing aura. ¡°Really?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Is this true for all mantids? Gregor was pretty convinced he¡¯d lose his life since he lost the world seed.¡±

    ¡°Gregor is a bit of a worrywart,¡± Greg said. ¡°If a mantid¡¯s failures are grievous and numerous, then they¡¯re simply not a good mantid.¡±

    ¡°So, the mantids who fail repeatedly die as punishment,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°By the queens, no,¡± Greg said, his intonation horrified. ¡°They¡¯re demoted. You see, mantids are promoted when they prove they can accomplish the tasks they¡¯re assigned. If they fail to measure up to their office, they¡¯re demoted back down to doing the tasks they can manage.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen mantids cut off their own heads because they failed their task,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°Who, Gregor?¡± Greg asked. ¡°He¡¯s always been a bit dramatic. Also, his wife, who also happens to be his boss, has extremely high expectations of him, and if he fails, well, domestic violence is highly frowned upon but happens regardless, not that I¡¯m saying Gregor¡¯s wife is violent¡ªshe isn¡¯t¡ªbut his head might be ripped off and eaten.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Is that socially acceptable for her to do?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Greg said. ¡°It¡¯s well in her rights as the wife: at any given time in the marriage, a wife may rip her husband¡¯s head off and eat it with impunity.¡± Greg stared ahead. ¡°We may be smart and intelligent, but in the end, we¡¯re just insects with base desires. Also, the new head queen ate her husband¡¯s head recently, and it was less messy to write a law to make the action legal than to overthrow her with force.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°How does your society view humans?¡±

    ¡°Prey,¡± Greg said, ¡°but that¡¯s just our base desires speaking. To us, everything is prey. Sometimes, we even prey on each other. Of course, with certain prey, it¡¯s better to be friends with them than foes, and we would rather not be foes with humans.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Quite frankly, your kind isn¡¯t very tasty. There¡¯s a strong taste of plastic,¡± Greg said. ¡°We feel it¡¯d be terribly wasteful to invest our resources into eradicating humans when they aren¡¯t appetizing, and most of their bodies would just go to waste. Most mantids are environmentally conscious, mind you. We¡¯re taught to never leave a single drop behind¡ªnot even one carapace shell, eyeball, or foot¡ªwhen we kill something to eat.¡± Greg paused. ¡°Unless they¡¯re cows. Then, we can only drink their blood and eat the organs and soft parts of the face; we have to leave everything else.¡±

    ¡°What about reptilians?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Are they tasty?¡±

    ¡°Reptilians are delicious,¡± Greg said, ¡°but the problem is they think we¡¯re delicious as well, so we both attack each other on sight, but we mostly stay out of each other¡¯s territories.¡± The mantid rubbed its finger-like appendages against its mouth parts, wiping them down. ¡°I realize I went off on a tangent, excuse me. You don¡¯t have to worry about your health or safety here in Silva Volucris unless you find yourself a wife. Oh, also, don¡¯t walk around like a normal human would; keep riding your pig. You¡¯re prey-sized, and accidents do happen.¡±

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    It was a good thing Duke hadn¡¯t heard the mantid¡¯s advice. Sam checked on the man with his All-Seeing Gaze. His aura was a sickly green. Everyone¡¯s aura was a shade of green thanks to Joe¡¯s ability to make the creatures around it as relaxed as the sloth. At that moment, another vision entered Sam¡¯s perception, and he blinked as sunlight struck his eyes for the first time in what felt like centuries. The snake¡¯s purple head allowed him to see once more, and Sam stared in silence as he took in the details around him.

    With his All-Seeing Gaze still in use, Sam saw things differently compared to before. Underneath his regular vision, traces of colored lightning existed, how he usually saw with his All-Seeing Gaze but more muted. A voice entered Sam¡¯s head, Werchbite telling Sam he was proficient with his All-Seeing Gaze, so it was allowing him to see again. Sam was about to celebrate, but the snake¡¯s body wound itself around his neck and choked him with a loving hug that crushed his windpipe.

    ¡°If it makes you feel better, we haven¡¯t had any incidences of humans being eaten by mantids in a while in Silva Volucris,¡± Greg said.

    ¡°How recently has it been since the last human visited Silva Volucris?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°A while,¡± Greg said, its aura flickering with a pink hue. ¡°It¡¯s technically the truth.¡±

    ***

    A shadow fell over Sam¡¯s face, blocking the sun from his view, allowing him to get a detailed look at his surroundings. The buildings were gleaming with vines growing across their surface. There were windows, gaps in the metallic surface where mantids could be seen stretching out their wings, warming them up with the sun.

    Upon crossing over the threshold of greenery, Manga turned around, and the illusion of Sam looked down at Duke from atop the wooly pig. ¡°The mission is complete,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I¡¯ve safely escorted you to Silva Volucris.¡±

    Duke swallowed and looked around. He had really made it. People had called him crazy and suicidal when he told them about his dream, but look at him now. Now that he was basically all alone in a foreign country where he was probably lower on the food chain than everyone else¡­. Now that Duke thought about it more, were those people right? Was he crazy? A grin appeared on his face. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said to Sam. ¡°Before you go, can you¡­.¡±

    Duke¡¯s voice trailed off as the wooly pig trotted away. It had turned to leave the moment Vercedei had deemed the task as completed. Duke stared as the wooly pig and giant beetles walked away. The crowd of graylings walked around him as if they were a river flowing around a rock. He stood in silence until the graylings had passed him by, leaving him all alone beside a spherical, metallic building which Duke wasn¡¯t even sure was a public place or not.

    Sam turned his head to look back at Duke, but he didn¡¯t say anything to stop his familiars from doing as they pleased. Duke wanted to be brought to Silva Volucris, and the man obviously had his own goals, or he wouldn¡¯t have even tagged along in the first place. As an adult, Duke was responsible for taking care of himself. As for Sam, he had his own mission given to him by that being he had met whilst basically dead: locate and absorb the mantids¡¯ heritage stone to unlock his heart chakra. At the same time, he wanted to experience as much of Oterra as he could.

    ¡°Are there any touristy areas?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Do tourists come to Silva Volucris?¡±

    ¡°We have a tiny tourist resort,¡± Greg said. ¡°Is that where you¡¯d like to stay during your time in our country?¡±

    ¡°Am I free to go where I wish?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t I going to be interrogated about the world seed?¡±

    ¡°In due time,¡± Greg said. ¡°For now, we want to make sure you¡¯re comfortable. We can talk after we get to know each other better, so we can figure out a better way to go about things.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Well, in that case, let me experience what Silva Volucris has to offer. What do you do for fun around these parts? Pretend you¡¯ve had a bad day at work, and now you want to blow off some steam, where can you go to do that?¡±

    ¡°For fun?¡± Greg said. ¡°Having fun is for those who can afford to waste time and resources. The more people who spend time having fun, the less productive we become as a species.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°So, what¡­? You work until you die?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that life?¡± Greg asked.

    ¡°Is it?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Duke was pretty certain mantids had plants that could prolong someone¡¯s life, maybe even allow them to live forever.¡±

    ¡°We do,¡± Greg said. ¡°What are you trying to get at?¡±

    ¡°Well, if you prolong your lives, aren¡¯t you simply going to work forever?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Greg said. ¡°No one wants to work forever, so hardly anyone extends their lives.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°So, mantids don¡¯t have forms of entertainment. No wonder why you¡¯re all so chatty.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not chatty,¡± Greg said. ¡°That¡¯s quite rude of you to say. We talk a perfectly normal amount; if anything, humans are the ones who¡¯re too quiet. You need to speak up. Let your voice be heard, and set your dramatic secrets free for others to indulge in.¡±

    ¡°My apologies,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Mantids aren¡¯t chatty; you¡¯re right. So, the plant to extend your lifespan does exist?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Greg said. ¡°We only give it to the most heinous of criminals.¡±

    ¡°You extend the lifespan of criminals?¡±

    ¡°Life is suffering,¡± Greg said. ¡°Criminals should suffer to atone for the suffering they¡¯ve caused; by extending their lives, they can suffer longer.¡±

    Sam stared at the mantid. It didn¡¯t seem like it was telling a joke or making up a lie. Since that was the case, mantids seemed to live really depressing lives, so much so that death was a better alternative to living. Perhaps it was even worse than being a talentless; then again, mantids knew other mantids suffered in solidarity while talentless had to live forever jealous of the awakened.

    ¡°So, what?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Mantids don¡¯t believe in caring about their mental health?¡±

    ¡°I never said that,¡± Greg said. ¡°We have plants that make us numb to the suffering of life.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I understand,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°So, it sounds like these plants are what you consume to have fun.¡±

    ¡°To not suffer,¡± Greg said.

    ¡°Yes, to not suffer, that¡¯s what I meant,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Where can I get some of these plants?¡±

    Sam shifted his eyes to look down at the snake¡¯s body blocking his mouth. He wasn¡¯t sure why Vercedei was interested in the mantid¡¯s drugs, but he was sure the snake was doing things with a clear purpose in mind.

    ¡°They¡¯re minced and placed inside of our meals,¡± Greg said. ¡°We don¡¯t need to go anywhere to get them.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s convenient,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°So, where do we go for our meals?¡±

    ¡°The cafeteria,¡± Greg said. ¡°Are you hungry?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Can you take me there?¡±

    ***

    Duke fidgeted, shifting his weight from his left foot to his right, from his right foot to his left. He was standing behind a large praying mantis, and behind him, there was also a large praying mantis. Right now, he was standing in what he thought was the cafeteria. After separating from Sam, he had made friends¡ªat least, he hoped they were friends¡ªwith a mantid. Duke had expressed his hunger, and the mantid brought him here¡ªhopefully to be fed, not sold and eaten.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any currency,¡± Duke said, turning to look at the mantid standing behind him. ¡°You¡¯re sure that¡¯s alright?¡±

    The mantid nodded, responding in its own language but the insect¡¯s words being translated in Duke¡¯s head. He had gotten used to this method of communication in Et Serpentium. ¡°There¡¯s no problem,¡± the mantid said. ¡°We don¡¯t believe in paying for food. Food, shelter, and water are the basic necessities of life; there¡¯s no reason for people to struggle to have those.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful,¡± Duke said, blinking his eyes as he took a second look around the cafeteria. It was a metal hemi-sphere that practically sparkled from how spotless the interior was. There were metal tables and chairs along with plants growing from metallic pots. Sunlight flowed into the cafeteria from a window in the ceiling, but to Duke¡¯s surprise, there wasn¡¯t any glare from the rays reflecting off the glossy surfaces. ¡°What is your preferred meal of choice?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s only one meal offered,¡± the mantid said. ¡°The council of queens decide what we eat. It changes gradually over the week, so our digestive systems aren¡¯t thrown out of whack.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Duke said. ¡°What¡¯s for lunch this week?¡±

    ¡°Ground grub and sauce,¡± the mantid said.

    Duke swallowed. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said and turned his attention back onto the line in front of him. Soon, it was his turn to reach the counter where he was passed a metal sphere with a straw on it. It reminded him of a coconut. Duke looked around and saw mantids holding the sphere with their mandibles while the straws were occupying their mouth parts. Duke brought the straw up to his lips and hesitated before taking a sip. He was hungry, and he wasn¡¯t going to starve himself because he wasn¡¯t daring enough to try new food. Hopefully, ground grub and sauce would sit well with his stomach and not give him any parasites or other unpleasant surprises.

    The taste of the ground grub and sauce was surprisingly savory, and Duke took another sip, a longer one, from the metal ball; it was pretty good, delicious even. It was no wonder why the mantids didn¡¯t mind eating the same thing every day for every meal. There was something about it that made Duke relax, his mind easing of worries. Why had he been so anxious about surviving in Silva Volucris without Sam? Food, shelter, and water were free, so Duke¡¯s basic necessities were covered. He had a feeling everything was going to be fine, and even if they didn¡¯t, well, that was life, and at least, he tried.

 Chapter 61

    The first thing Sam noticed about the cafeteria was the human inside of it. Duke seemed to be doing just fine after being dropped off in Silva Volucris, so Sam didn¡¯t have to feel guilty about leaving the man all alone¡ªnot that he should¡¯ve in the first place considering he was accompanying Duke because of the payment. Sam did consider warning Duke about the relaxing plants placed inside of the food, but was there a point? It wasn¡¯t like Duke could separate the plants from the meal, and the man had to eat, so not knowing might be better than knowing.

    As for Sam, there was no way he was going to eat a drugged dish. It made the mantids feel comfortable with suffering; obviously, the drugs must contain some serious mind-altering effects, maybe irreversible ones too.

    ¡°Get me one of those,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam pointed at the table. It was a bit strange to see his own arm move without his input, and it was even stranger for his arm, which he knew was by his side, to actually feel like it had been raised up. Even though he knew it was an illusion, it still felt real.

    ¡°I was going to,¡± Greg said. ¡°It¡¯s the only thing we can get.¡± The mantid turned its body around to face the entrance of the cafeteria. There was a bear-sized, pig-shaped hole in the wall beside the door, and the mantid¡¯s head turned to look at the bear-sized pig standing beside Sam. Breaking the walls of the cafeteria was highly frowned upon, but neither the pig nor the human showed any signs of remorse. The usual punishment, fixing what they broke, wouldn¡¯t apply to Sam because who would trust in the structural integrity of the wall after it was repaired by a human? He¡¯d be punished by being forced to repair the wall, and afterwards, the construction ants would break down his work and put up their own. It was easier to skip the middle process, so Greg and the other mantids kept their mouths shut.

    Sam took a seat while Greg went to stand in line. Luckily, it moved quickly, and the mantid was back with two metal spheres. The mantid passed a sphere to Sam before taking a seat, which was really just squatting such that its lower belly rested on a cushion. Greg opened its mandibles and placed the metal sphere between them, rotating the ball such that the straw coming out of it was pointing at its mouth parts.

    Sam glanced down at the snake covering his mouth, and his skin crawled as the snake slithered up his face, making room for the metal sphere¡¯s straw. The snake never moved aside unless it really wanted him to eat, and Sam¡¯s lips curved downwards into a frown. There was food in Raindu¡¯s fur, or whatever dimension the ferret stored things in, so it wasn¡¯t a necessity for Sam to eat the mantids¡¯ cuisine, but since he wanted to experience all life had to offer, why would he turn down this chance to potentially poison himself?

    Sam placed his lips around the straw and sucked. A glob of savory thick sauce with small shredded chewy bits entered his mouth, washing over his tongue. He had expected it to taste disgusting, mostly because he didn¡¯t think he shared a similar palate with insects. It turned out he was wrong, and he found their food delicious. Maybe it was the minced plants inside that were supposed to reduce suffering working their magic; some drugs could be absorbed in the mouth.

    ¡°How is it?¡± Greg asked, taking a break from its meal. ¡°Fit for human consumption?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± Sam said, speaking for himself for the first time in a while. ¡°Very savory.¡±

    ¡°Your voice sounds different,¡± Greg said. ¡°The food must¡¯ve been so good it cleared up a blockage.¡± The mantid continued to drain the sphere, not stopping to chew.

    Sam stared at the sphere in his hands before bringing it back up to his lips. Since it didn¡¯t taste bad, he didn¡¯t really have anymore reservations about eating whatever he was eating. As for the plants mixed inside of the meal, Vercedei was clearly encouraging him to experience their full effects.

    Sam didn¡¯t know when it hit him, but at some point during the meal, his perspective changed. The world he knew didn¡¯t seem to be that important. What did it matter what kind of life he lived? In the end, he was going to die, and after a brief passage of time, say two thousand years, no one would remember he ever existed. All traces of him would vanish, unless he had kids, and they managed to propagate his lineage. If the blue avians killed him now, it was no different from him dying of old age, so why should he worry when he could be happy? And he was feeling extremely happy right now despite nothing having changed about his situation. It must¡¯ve been his shift in perspective¡ªor the drugs in the food.

    Greg finished emptying the contents of its sphere before turning its attention onto Sam. ¡°All done?¡± the mantid asked. It stared at the sphere, which was almost as wide as Sam¡¯s chest, and looked down at Sam¡¯s expanded stomach. ¡°Are you still hungry? I can get you another if you¡¯d like.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take one for the road,¡± Vercedei said, speaking for Sam.

    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t want to do that,¡± Greg said. ¡°It rots quickly if you leave it out for too long.¡±

    ¡°It was fresh?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°What exactly was it?¡±

    ¡°Ground grubs and sauce,¡± Greg said.

    Sam didn¡¯t think he was above eating grubs, not when it was the main meal of every mantid; however, he was sure he¡¯d feel a bit queasy upon seeing the food source. ¡°Can I see how it¡¯s made?¡± Vercedei asked, finding a chance to make Sam uncomfortable while giving him experiences as well.

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯d like, sure,¡± Greg said. ¡°There aren¡¯t any crystals involved, so even if you touch something, you won¡¯t ruin our food-production lines.¡±

    ¡°Gregor told you about my ability, huh?¡± Vercedei asked. It was no wonder; the poor mantid had probably been interrogated once the rest of the mantids discovered he had failed his job of nurturing the world seed.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Greg said. ¡°As such, even though we¡¯ll treat you with hospitality, we¡¯re not going to allow you anywhere near the malachite of history.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to destroy any more things of importance than I already have.¡±

    Meanwhile, the black ferret on Sam¡¯s shoulder, one that wasn¡¯t detectable thanks to Werchbite¡¯s illusion, hopped off and scampered away. If it could steal the GMC from the graylings, it could steal the mantids¡¯ history rock. As long as Sam hung out around Greg¡¯s group, no one would suspect him once the malachite vanished; he¡¯d have the perfect alibi. Thus, Sam continued his tour of Silva Volucris, following Greg deeper into the cafeteria where puppy-sized ants were transferring food from a pot into the metal spheres.

    ¡°Are these ants like servants for mantids?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Greg said. ¡°Sursusu aren¡¯t very bright, but for the tasks that they can learn, they become better at them than anyone else over time.¡± The mantid gestured at the working ants. ¡°From the day they matured, they¡¯ve been packing meals. They¡¯ll continue packing meals until they die of natural causes. If there aren¡¯t any replacement sursusu to take their place, their lives can be extended through external means, but that¡¯s cruel, and we try our best not to do that.¡±

    ¡°It must be nice knowing your purpose in life,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°But don¡¯t they ever get bored of doing the same tasks day in and day out?¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°They¡¯re not smart enough to feel boredom,¡± Greg said. ¡°As long as they¡¯re rewarded with food for completing their tasks, they¡¯ll keep repeating the same actions for more food.¡±

    Sam followed Greg past the ants. Behind Sam, there was a wooly pig, which was destroying things as its massive body walked after its owner. Three ants had gathered at some point, following behind the wooly pig to repair the destruction it was causing in real time. After a bit of walking, Sam arrived in a metal room where ants were picking up squirming, white grubs, each one about the size of a human baby. The grubs didn¡¯t have limbs or even eyes to see from. They fell from the ceiling, landing on the ground, where the ants picked them up and transferred them into a contraption that made whirring sounds and ejected a slurry into a large bucket.

    ¡°Where do the grubs come from?¡± Vercedei asked as Sam looked up at the ceiling. There were multiple holes in the metal dome, and with Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze, he saw a series of tunnels extending upwards.

    ¡°Eggs,¡± Greg said. ¡°Ever since the technology was developed to preserve the lives of mantid women after laying their clutch of eggs, there¡¯s been an overpopulation issue. So, the extra grubs are eaten before they¡¯re given a chance to become sentient.¡±

    Sam stared up at the ceiling some more before lowering his head. Well, if insects wanted to eat baby insects, who was he to judge? They did taste good.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen enough,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I¡¯ve actually had quite a long journey, so how about you take me to the sleeping quarters? Mantids do sleep, right?¡±

    ¡°We do,¡± Greg said. ¡°The day is still long. Are you sure you already want to retire?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It depends on how comfortable your beds are.¡±

    ***

    The beds were very comfortable, much to Sam¡¯s surprise. The bed was made of metal, round like an egg with a shallow curved indent where moss and other unidentifiable¡ªby Sam¡ªmaterials were gathered to make a soft mattress of sorts. The moss was soft, lush, and surprisingly fluffy. Sam lay on his back and stared up at the ceiling, relaxing on the first real bed he had set foot in in days. It would¡¯ve been a more enjoyable experience if there weren¡¯t any graylings wandering around the room he had been given, observing the new sights around them. There were a lot of graylings, about three thousand, and the mantids had given them a whole building to stay, but it wasn¡¯t large enough for each one to get their own room.

    Sam hadn¡¯t expected the mantids to be so hospitable, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they were trying to lower his guard to take him out later. For a species of killer insects, they were very cordial. Perhaps they were cordial because they belonged to a species of killer insects; after all, they were always armed with scythes. They could all kill each other at any moment, no? It wouldn¡¯t hurt to be friendly in a society like that.

    Sam turned his head to the side, looking at the wooly pig directly in its eyes. The pig was yellow all over, including its eyes. It mangalitsaed at him, and Sam exhaled through his nose. The pig despised procrastination, but that didn¡¯t mean it¡¯d push Sam to work when he had to rest, and the pig was advising Sam to sleep now, so he¡¯d have energy for what came next. Once Raindu stole the malachite with the mantids¡¯ history inscribed on it, the mantids would definitely suspect him, and he had to be ready.

    Although the wooly pig¡¯s idea made sense, Sam didn¡¯t think he had to think too hard about escaping from the mantids once Raindu stole their fancy rock. He¡¯d get on Manga¡¯s back, and the wooly pig that could disintegrate everything in its path would run him to safety. ¡°You¡¯ll protect me, right?¡± Sam asked the wooly pig through the use of his throat chakra since his mouth was still covered by a twin-headed snake. ¡°Can I count on you?¡±

    The wooly pig let out its four-syllable-long cry, assuring Sam it¡¯d always have his back unless he was doing something monumentally stupid.

    ***

    Duke exhaled, a smile appearing on his face. A nice mantid had decided to take him in, give him a place to stay at no cost. If he were more worldly, he¡¯d know nothing ever came for free, but he didn¡¯t question the mantid¡¯s kindness, not even suspecting if it had an underlying motive. Instead, he lay in his mossy mattress some more before sitting up. According to the mantid, Grigar, it was safer for him to stay within her room than to use the public housing because he might be mistaken for prey and eaten on accident.

    Duke sat up. To address the problem of him being suspected as prey, he had thought about the solution all night and came to a realization. All he had to do was disguise himself as a mantid. Even if the disguise failed upon closer inspection, did it matter? As long as the first impression he left on the mantids was that of not prey, then they wouldn¡¯t reflexively pounce on him. ¡°Grigar?¡± Duke called out as he climbed out of bed. ¡°Are you there?¡±

    A scuttling noise entered Duke¡¯s ears, the sound of a mantid¡¯s feet clacking against the floor. ¡°Yes, Duke?¡± Grigar asked, the large praying mantis compound eyes staring at all of Duke at once. ¡°Did you need help with anything? Are you hungry, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°A meal would be great,¡± Duke said, his thoughts turning back to the ground grubs he had eaten yesterday. ¡°But also, I¡¯m looking for a mantid disguise like a costume of sorts. Do you know where I can find any?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll need more than that if you don¡¯t want to be mistaken for prey,¡± Grigar said and nodded its head. ¡°You¡¯ll need some perfume as well. Quite frankly, you smell like meat, not mantid. I¡¯ll help you with that, but let¡¯s have a meal together first.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Duke said as he followed the mantid out of the room. Duke followed Grigar out of the apartment, which was one of many atop a sloped, green hill, metal spheres dotting the surface where the mantids had constructed their buildings. They made their way down to the cafeteria where Duke once again saw Sam. Duke thought about waving, but he remembered how abruptly Sam had left after completing the mission. Since Sam didn¡¯t want anything to do with Duke, why would he lower himself for Sam¡¯s attention?

    Duke followed Grigar onto the line, and soon, there was a metal sphere in his hands. He placed his lips against the straw and drank, chills running down his spine as he closed his eyes. Why did the contents taste so good? It was like he was born to eat this meal, and now that he accomplished his lifelong purpose, there was only bliss.

    ¡°Duke,¡± Grigar said. ¡°Are you done?¡±

    Duke snapped out of his daze and nodded at the mantid, placing the sphere onto the ground where an ant would pick it up later. ¡°It¡¯s time to get a costume, right?¡± He stood up. ¡°Afterward, can we go to the botanical gardens? I want to see what kind of plants are native to this land.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Grigar said and turned to walk away. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Sam watched Grigar and Duke walk out of the cafeteria. Duke knew what he was doing when he hired someone to escort him to Silva Volucris. The man had adapted to the place so quickly, obtaining a mantid helper faster than Sam had expected. Well, since Duke proved to be more capable than the image of Duke Sam had in his mind, then there really was no need to feel any hang-ups about leaving Duke alone in a foreign country.

    ¡°Lucky guy,¡± Greg said, noticing Sam¡¯s gaze. ¡°Grigar is quite the looker. If it was her ripping my head off and eating it, I might not even mind.¡±

    ¡°You mean Grigar is courting Duke?¡± Vercedei asked, never turning down a chance to gossip.

    ¡°It looks like it,¡± Greg said. ¡°See how she pays attention to the other female mantids eyeing him? I don¡¯t know how sensitive your nose is, so maybe you can¡¯t tell she¡¯s already marked Duke with her pheromones.¡±

    ¡°Do you think she just wants to eat him?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Once they get married, she can legally eat his head, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a possibility,¡± Greg said. ¡°You can never tell with people. Whether they¡¯re out to harm you or help you, it¡¯s all uncertain until it happens. For example, we¡¯re not quite sure if your intentions are as friendly as you appear to be, or if you¡¯re hiding sinister intentions under a guise of friendliness.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m only here to gain some experience in life and to fix my mistakes,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Like I said, I need to make sure these graylings have a good home, one where they can survive without being hunted.¡±

    ¡°Because you ruined their way of life,¡± Greg said.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Precisely. Since I¡¯ve wronged them, isn¡¯t it up to me to make it up to them?¡±

    ¡°By giving us mantids the responsibility of taking care of the Anunaki you wronged,¡± Greg said.

    ¡°Is that a no?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°You can put them to work. Treat them like your worker ants.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be easier to treat them like grubs,¡± Greg said. ¡°If you want us to work for you to take care of them, shouldn¡¯t you offer something to us in return?¡±

    ¡°What can I get you?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°I¡¯m just an individual, but if it¡¯s within my capabilities, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Greg said. ¡°All you have to do is one task for us, and we¡¯ll take in your Anunaki refugees. We¡¯ll also forgive you for taking our world seed.¡±

    ¡°It must be a pretty big task,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°Destroy the blue avians¡¯ calamity detector,¡± Greg said. ¡°It¡¯s made from a crystal. Your talent should be able to get rid of it just like it got rid of our world seed, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Vercedei said, not giving Sam any time to think about it. ¡°It¡¯s something I needed to get rid of anyway.¡±

 Chapter 62

    Why did the mantids wish for the removal of the blue avians¡¯ calamity detector? Sam wasn¡¯t sure, but if he had to take a guess, perhaps the mantids had a higher-dimensional being of their own that they worshipped or needed to summon, and they couldn¡¯t contact it because the blue avians would notice if they did. However, regardless of the reason, Sam was already at odds with the blue avians¡ªsince one had tried to kill him¡ªso if he could garner the mantids¡¯ approval doing something he was already planning on doing, then that was great. At least, that¡¯s how Sam rationalized it to make his lack of freedom bearable.

    Although Sam had gotten stronger, richer, and more influential than compared to when he was talentless, he had less freedom because he had to consider the feelings of the higher-dimensional beings he had been saddled with. If he didn¡¯t fulfill their demands, who knew what mischief they¡¯d get up to? Vercedei clearly wanted him to steal the blue avians¡¯ calamity detector, so that¡¯s what he¡¯d do unless he wanted a snake constantly choking him. It was the price to pay for power, so Sam didn¡¯t allow his loss of freedom to bring him down.

    Now, Sam was doing something he wasn¡¯t particularly interested in: browsing through the botanical gardens. Luckily, he could ride atop Manga¡¯s back during the activity, so he didn¡¯t have to walk anywhere himself. Beside him, there was Greg, who was riding atop a large beetle. ¡°Are you interested in any of the plants?¡± Greg asked. ¡°You¡¯ve seen a lot of them by now. Perhaps you were looking for one in particular?¡±

    ¡°Have you considered selling the plants that can extend one¡¯s lifespan to other races?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Greg said. ¡°That¡¯s just asking for trouble. We don¡¯t enjoy breaking ecosystems.¡± The mantid rubbed its scythes past one another, creating a scraping sound. ¡°However, if you¡¯re interested in extending your life, we don¡¯t mind doing that for you as long as you complete tasks for us.¡±

    ¡°What happened to not breaking the ecosystem?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°If you¡¯re going to allow individuals to live forever¡ª¡±

    ¡°The life-extending plants are quite invasive,¡± Greg said, interrupting Vercedei. ¡°When they¡¯re around, it¡¯s nearly impossible for other plants to grow. Besides, it¡¯s not likely for an individual to live forever. When the people around them start noticing the differences in how they age, their descendants tend to kill the longer-lived ones.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Well, if these life-extending plants are invasive, then they must be abundant, no?¡±

    ¡°They take over all the soil on the surface, but they don¡¯t produce much yield,¡± Greg said. ¡°They¡¯re a slow-growing plant, so they don¡¯t require much maintenance, only some trimming of the roots every so often.¡±

    Sam turned his head towards Greg. He didn¡¯t have to use his eyes on the mantid to know how it was feeling, but he saw something move on the ground behind Greg¡¯s beetle. It was Duke, and behind him, there was a mantid, Grigar. Duke had a pair of mantid arms sticking out of his shoulders with long scythes on their ends. He also wore a backpack similar to a praying mantis¡¯ carapace. If Sam were closer, perhaps he would¡¯ve even smelled the earthy musk of the pheromones Duke had sprayed over himself as well.

    Sam seemed to be seeing Duke everywhere, and Sam couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Vercedei was picking activities that Duke was choosing to do as well. Twice might¡¯ve been a coincidence, but if it kept happening, then there must¡¯ve been a reason. Was there something special about the man that Vercedei had picked up on?

    Sam focused with his All-Seeing Gaze, observing Duke¡¯s aura. The colors layering the man¡¯s body was a murky green. If it weren¡¯t for Joe¡¯s interference, Sam¡¯s aura would¡¯ve been the same color as Duke¡¯s since the cause, as Sam suspected, was the drugged food the mantids ate to numb their pain. Sam didn¡¯t see anything special about Duke¡¯s disguise either; it seemed purely cosmetic.

    ¡°If you want to see the life-extending plant, I can show it to you,¡± Greg said. ¡°You seem quite interested in it, and your focus is directed in its direction anyway.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯d be a good experience to see this plant. Plenty of human legends have been written about it after all.¡±

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll go ahead of those two,¡± Greg said, steering his beetle in Duke and Grigar¡¯s direction.

    As the large beetle made its way over, Grigar pulled Duke to the side, making way for Greg and Sam to pass. Duke stared up at Sam, and a frown flashed on Duke¡¯s face, appearing for just a brief moment. When the wooly pig and beetle had passed, Duke led Grigar in a different direction. He and his mantid friend browsed through the botanical gardens, Duke¡¯s disguise proving successful since he wasn¡¯t ambushed and killed by any mantids mistaking him for prey¡ªyet.

    With his notebook in hand, Duke recorded notes on all the plants he observed. He sketched them, smelled them, touched them, and, with Grigar¡¯s permission, tasted some of them. As the day dragged on, the pages of the notebook were filled by Duke¡¯s pen, and eventually, he made it to the life-extending plant¡¯s habitat. The giant beetle and large wooly pig were nowhere in sight, and Duke relaxed his tensed shoulders.

    ¡°Your notes are lacking,¡± Grigar said. ¡°We have detailed entries for all of the plants within the garden. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to look at them?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Duke said. ¡°It¡¯s more meaningful if I interact with all the plants myself.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Grigar asked. ¡°Are you not bringing this knowledge back to your kind? It¡¯d be far more meaningful to bring them detailed and accurate notes, no? It would certainly be faster too. Shouldn¡¯t you be pursuing efficiency?¡±

    Duke stared at the section of the garden reserved for the life-extending plant. There was an official name for the plant, but Grigar had said it in the mantid language, and Duke didn¡¯t know how to repeat it. The meaning was simple though: life-extending plant. It was growing in an isolated circular structure within the botanical gardens. The ground was covered with a brown, bramble-like root system, and one stem, which was as tall as Duke, was in the center of the circle. Duke swallowed and turned his head towards Grigar. ¡°Can I touch it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s no reason why you can¡¯t,¡± Grigar said. ¡°It¡¯s harmless, and even if you destroy it, there¡¯s plenty more where it came from.¡±

    Duke walked into the circular room and stopped in front of the plant¡¯s stem. It was bare and brown like a tree during the winter. There were three branches sticking out of it, two of them bare but one of them with a brown bud growing from the end. Duke touched the plant and closed his eyes, activating the ability he had gained when he had awakened. He absorbed the properties of the plant, empowering his own body as he had done with all the plants before. Duke¡¯s eyes opened, and a wide smile appeared on his face. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said to Grigar. ¡°You were very helpful. Are there any other plants in Silva Volucris that aren¡¯t growing in these gardens?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Grigar said. ¡°There are a few plants that can only grow underneath our heritage pillar. Would you like to go see them?¡±

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    ***

    Sam took in his surroundings with his All-Seeing Gaze, watching mantids interact with one another, watching ants perform maintenance, watching beetles grazing out in a field. After visiting the botanical gardens, Vercedei had insisted on a taking a tour of the region. After all, for Raindu to successfully steal the history stone without casting any suspicion on Sam, Sam needed an alibi. He had to be seen by everyone.

    Sam closed his eyes, letting Manga follow after Greg¡¯s beetle. He focused on the spot between his eyebrows, entering the field of candy to see if the ferret had any updates it was willing to share with him. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Raindu had stolen some precious mantid belongings, but the ferret would probably never admit it if it had. Still, it was worth a shot to ask.

    ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± Raindu said, its voice echoing through the field as the black ferret appeared from a nearby bush. ¡°I found the malachite. I¡¯m waiting for the right timing to take it.¡±

    ¡°Good job,¡± Sam said, pleasantly surprised. He had always thought the ferret had problems with impulse control, but now, it was patiently waiting to steal things instead of taking them right away. Honestly, Sam was a little unsettled. ¡°What kind of chance are you looking for?¡±

    ¡°There are guard ants all over,¡± Raindu said. ¡°Once they¡¯re distracted, I can sneak in.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to rob them of their organs?¡± Birdbrained asked, joining in the conversation as it hopped out of the same bush Raindu had used to enter the field of candy. ¡°If everything dies without alerting anyone, then it¡¯s the same as you successfully sneaking in.¡±

    As expected of the graylings¡¯ master, the eagle wanted the world to fall into chaos.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± Sam said. ¡°Please.¡± It was bad enough he was stealing the mantids¡¯ recording malachite; he didn¡¯t want to slaughter their guards as well. The mantids were a surprisingly nice species; even someone like Duke, who wasn¡¯t particularly powerful, was treated well by the giant insects. It wasn¡¯t like reptilian society where humans were relegated to pets unless they had unlocked their Sahasrara.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to,¡± Raindu said. ¡°There are too many ants. It¡¯s a lot of work to get rid of all of them.¡±

    ¡°So, what?¡± Birdbrained asked. ¡°You¡¯re like Joe now? Too lazy to commit a massacre?¡±

    ¡°Hello¡­,¡± Joe¡¯s voice echoed through the field of candy as the sloth¡¯s face poked out of the bush. It spoke slowly, and its movements were as slow as a turtle¡¯s. The sloth crawled out of the bush while speaking slow enough to infuriate even the most patient of people. ¡°Did someone say something about me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°Raindu here has been infected by your complacency disease. Since when is a higher-dimensional unwilling to deal with a bunch of ants?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a disease,¡± Joe said, its voice echoing through the whole field of candy. ¡°It¡¯s a way of life. Things will progress no matter what you do, so why not let them run their course and enjoy the ride?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how inanimate objects live their lives,¡± Birdbrained said and spread its wings out. ¡°We¡¯re not rocks or water; in this dimension, at least, we¡¯re living creatures, and as such, we¡¯re free to influence the world as we like. If we don¡¯t like something, we can change it. If we want to kill some ants guarding what we want, it¡¯s our right as living creatures to do it.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s Raindu¡¯s right to not slaughter the ants as well,¡± Sam said before the eagle could convince the ferret to commit a crime. Well, the ferret was going to commit a crime, but this way, no lives would be lost. Then again, with the mantids¡¯ philosophy on life, perhaps the guard ants wouldn¡¯t mind dying. If Raindu slaughtered them, then the ants died doing what they were assigned to do, fulfilling their purpose just like the graylings. Maybe the ants were looking forward to the day they died in battle like those raiding sailors from ancient times.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Sam,¡± Raindu said, having helped itself to Sam¡¯s train of thought, not giving too chirps about his privacy. ¡°Guarding is what they were born to do, and if they died without having a chance to show what they were made of, then that¡¯d be a shame. Even if it¡¯s a hassle for me, I have to take their feelings into consideration as well.¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened. Was the ferret messing with him?

    ¡°No,¡± Raindu said, the ferret staring into Sam¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve always been acting in your¡ªand, on occasion, my¡ªbest interests, Sam.¡±

    Thinking back, the ferret had become more well-behaved the longer it stuck to Sam. Although it had sticky paws, it generally listened to Sam¡¯s requests. If it wasn¡¯t for Raindu, he wouldn¡¯t have obtained the GMC, spawning Birdbrained into existence. If Raindu wasn¡¯t here, he wouldn¡¯t be able to steal the mantids¡¯ history malachite. Before Sam could come up with a reason for Raindu to not slaughter the ants, the ferret hopped into the bush and disappeared from the field of candy.

    Birdbrained glanced at Joe before flying into the bush as well, leaving Sam behind with the sloth. Joe looked up at Sam, and Sam let out a sigh. ¡°Maybe you should¡¯ve gone with Raindu,¡± he said. ¡°If you were there, you could make all the guard ants fall complacent.¡±

    ¡°I could¡¯ve,¡± Joe said, its voice droning on for half a minute despite only speaking two words. If Sam didn¡¯t have to worry about angering the sloth, he would¡¯ve left before it could¡¯ve even finished its first word. However, if he did that, well, everyone around him would be mad, and he¡¯d rather not be the only human around a group of rabid mantids. ¡°But it would take a long time to walk there, and Manga isn¡¯t very stealthy.¡±

    Sam nodded, content on ending the conversation on that note. If it lasted any longer, Raindu would probably finish slaughtering the ants and stolen the malachite before the sloth finished speaking its mind.

    ***

    Duke strode alongside Grigar with a smile on his face. He hadn¡¯t expected mantid society to be so relaxed. Humans could waltz around Silva Volucris, entering botanical gardens where the mantids¡¯ greatest treasures were located. It was akin to him walking into a company¡¯s research-and-development room and viewing all of their product¡¯s secrets. Not only that, but the food and lodgings in Silva Volucris were free too. It wasn¡¯t a bad place to stay; without a need for money to survive, what reason would Duke have to work a soul-crushing job? Mantids might be tasked with missions by their queens, but humans weren¡¯t, so wasn¡¯t it a good idea to stay here?

    Duke hummed to himself as he walked down the street, heading towards the stele of recorded history, or as Grigar called it, the heritage pillar. It was in the center of Silva Volucris, located within a deep pit, but from where Duke was standing, he could still see the tip of the green stele. As he got closer, the tip of the stele grew larger, and eventually, he arrived at the edge of the hole where the heritage pillar was located. The surroundings reminded Duke of a surface mine; there was a large gradual slope to the walls of the pit, leading to a massive green cylinder with bands and swirls of various shades of green, including a dark green that was almost black, and a light green that seemed white.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Duke said, staring at the heritage pillar. It was surrounded by ants of various sizes, the insects populating the walls of the sloping pit. The pit was so deep, Duke could tell it¡¯d take several long minutes of walking to reach the bottom. If he tripped, fell, and rolled all the way down, he¡¯d probably break all his bones and die.

    Curved symbols were carved on the surface of the pillar. Duke couldn¡¯t read them, but they looked nice; he didn¡¯t know enough about engraving techniques to comment further on the symbols. As Duke¡¯s gaze went from the top of the pillar to the bottom, his eyes lit up. There was glowing moss growing on the surface of the stele, and at the base of the structure, which would take several hundred people holding hands to fully encircle the whole thing, there were purple plants Duke had never seen or heard of before. He turned his head towards Grigar. ¡°Can I examine those plants?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want,¡± Grigar said. ¡°They¡¯re dangerous though.¡±

    ¡°Dangerous?¡± Duke asked. ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°Malachite contains an enormous amount of energy,¡± Grigar said. ¡°It¡¯s even capable of influencing one¡¯s fortune. The plants growing beside the heritage pillar absorb the energy from the malachite as if its their sun, and in turn, they¡¯ve gained some properties of the malachite themselves.¡± Grigar leaned closer to Duke. ¡°If you come in contact with those plants, your fortune may plummet, and bad luck will follow you for the rest of your life.¡±

    Duke¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Is there a chance those plants can increase my fortune instead of decreasing it?¡±

    The mantid shook its head. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for you,¡± Grigar said. ¡°Unless all your energy channels, your chakras, are open and the energy can freely flow through you, you¡¯ll only encounter misfortune when messing with those plants. If your chakras are blocked, the energy from the malachite will remain stuck in your body, corroding you and draining your fortune.¡±

    Duke pursed his lips as he stared at the purple plants. ¡°What about those ants carving and guarding the heritage pillar?¡± he asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t they affected by the malachite?¡±

    ¡°They are,¡± Grigar said, ¡°but they¡¯re ants. If they¡¯re told to die, then they¡¯ll willingly die.¡±

 Chapter 63

    Duke hesitated at the edge of the slope leading down to the heritage pillar. ¡°How does this plant drain my fortune?¡± he asked. ¡°Is there a reasonable explanation behind it? In the first place, is someone¡¯s fortune something that can be quantified?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Grigar said. ¡°Why are some souls born into the bodies of flies and not mantids? It¡¯s because of their fortune. Less fortunate souls will live tougher existences.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s similar to karma?¡± Duke asked. ¡°Does committing bad deeds cause one¡¯s fortune to drop?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes,¡± Grigar said. ¡°Benevolent entities grant fortune, and by committing bad deeds, you¡¯ll scare some of them away. The energy from those plants down there terrifies benevolent entities, leaving you with no chance to obtain good luck.¡±

    Duke stared blankly at the mantid. ¡°If those plants are so unlucky, how are they thriving?¡±

    ¡°Are they thriving?¡± Grigar asked. ¡°They can only survive in the presence of malachite. Where can they go but here? They¡¯re trapped.¡±

    Duke rubbed his chin. Although he wasn¡¯t certain about the effects of the plant, and his chakras were most definitely not all unlocked, he still wanted to take the risk. What if those plants had special properties he couldn¡¯t obtain anywhere else for his talent? This chance might be the only one he¡¯d get in his lifetime.

    ¡°I¡¯m going down,¡± Duke said, glancing at Grigar.

    ¡°If that¡¯s your wish,¡± Grigar said and took a step back. ¡°I won¡¯t stop you. In fact, I¡¯ll watch you go from up here.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t come with me?¡± Duke asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want misfortune to befall me,¡± Grigar said as the mantid took a seat, its legs bending more, allowing its lower belly to touch the ground. ¡°You can go. I¡¯ll wait for you here. As long as you don¡¯t try to touch the heritage pillar, the guard ants won¡¯t attack.¡±

    Duke nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he said and made his way down the slope. It was steep, and he had to circle around the hole¡¯s walls as if he were a piece of poo swirling around a toilet to reach the bottom. As he approached the first guard ant on the slope, he slowed his pace, and the insect turned its head towards Duke as it detected the vibrations caused by his footsteps.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Duke said in a slow and calm voice, ¡°I¡¯m just going down to take a look at the flowers. My friend Grigar said I could.¡± He turned his body to the side and pointed at the mantid waiting on the top of the slope. ¡°You can ask her if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±

    The guard ant walked next to Duke, poking him with its antennae. After a thorough patting, the ant, which was the size of a large dog, walked backwards and turned its focus away from Duke, finding no issue with allowing him to pass. Although Duke was the most interesting thing it had seen in a while, the ant had a duty to guard the path, so it dismissed Duke from its mind as it stared straight ahead, waiting for the next intruder. It was a shame the guard ant could only detect the presence of others through vibrations and what its antennae could feel; it didn¡¯t notice the little creature sneaking its way in to the center of the hole, and neither did any of the other ant guards that met Duke. In fact, Duke didn¡¯t notice the black blur tailing him either.

    After passing several inspections where ant antennae frisked him all over, Duke made it to the bottom of the pit. The base of the heritage pillar looked even larger up close, and the purple plants that had seemed so tiny when he was at the top of the slope were actually a bit taller than him. They looked more like fungi than plants with thick stems holding up large mushroom-head-shaped bulbs, the stems drooping from the weight.

    Duke gulped as he recalled Grigar¡¯s words. Would he really be cursed with misfortune if he came into contact with the plants? Was it simply mantid superstition, or could fortune actually be calculated as such? Well, Duke supposed he was about to find out. He stretched his hand out towards the nearest purple plant, and he swore its bulb extended itself towards him. For a second, he thought it¡¯d open up and clamp down on his arm; however, it didn¡¯t. Duke¡¯s fingertips touched the plants bulb, and he took in a deep breath before activating his talent. The familiar sensation of vibrations shifting from the plant into his arm occurred, and then the heritage pillar vanished.

    Duke stared at the now-empty space where the heritage pillar used to occupy. There was a circle of empty ground surrounded by purple plants. Why did the pillar vanish? Did it have something to do with him absorbing the properties of the purple plant? The ants seemed to think so. They swarmed Duke, grabbing him with their pincers, tearing lacerations open along his exposed flesh. ¡°Grigar!¡± Duke shouted. His voice turned into a shriek. ¡°Grigar, save me! Help!¡±

    Although Grigar didn¡¯t know how Duke managed to get rid of the heritage pillar, the mantid scuttled forward to help the man out. If he died to the ants, it¡¯d be a huge problem. How would they assign the blame for the loss of the pillar if the main suspect was no longer living?

    ¡°Spare his life, but don¡¯t let him get away,¡± Grigar said, the mantids screeching voice washing over the ants. The cluster of ants calmed down, their writhing limbs coming to a halt.

    As the insects fell still, Duke took in a shaky breath. His limbs were being held by four different ants, their mandibles quite harsh against his skin. However, he wasn¡¯t dead, bleeding, yes, but not dead.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Grigar asked, the mantid looming over Duke and the four ants holding him in place. ¡°Where did the heritage pillar go?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Duke said. He shook his head, but the motion caused his limbs to scrape against the ants¡¯ mouthparts, so he stopped. ¡°I only touched the plant, and then, the pillar vanished. Is the plant capable of causing hallucinations? Maybe we¡¯re just unable to see the pillar that¡¯s definitely there.¡±

    Grigar picked up one of the ants nearby, lifting the dog-sized insect over its head. Then, the mantid threw the ant at the space where the heritage pillar used to be. Both Duke and Grigar watched as the ant flew through the empty air before landing in the sea of purple plants on the other side of the brown circle. The ant twitched a few times before rolling over and standing upright. It waved its front legs in the air at Grigar, indicating it was alright. The mantid took a few steps to point its body at Duke. ¡°Was that an illusion as well?¡±

    Duke stared at the ant before turning to look at Grigar. ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°but you and all the ants were watching me. I didn¡¯t do anything except touch this plant!¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the first time a human destroyed one of our colony¡¯s belongings on accident,¡± Grigar said. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the queens, and we¡¯ll see what they have to say.¡±

    Duke¡¯s brows furrowed. He really didn¡¯t have anything to do with the disappearance of the heritage pillar. What in the world would he want their heritage pillar for in the first place? It was large, unwieldy, and quite frankly, completely useless to him. He glanced at the purple plant before looking at Grigar. ¡°It must be this plant¡¯s fault,¡± Duke said. ¡°You told me it sapped people¡¯s fortunes, and I didn¡¯t believe you, but look, I touched it, and now I¡¯m going to be punished for a crime I didn¡¯t commit.¡±

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    Grigar¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, not that Duke would¡¯ve been able to see the mantid¡¯s emotions fluctuating without having his Ajna unlocked first. ¡°I warned you,¡± Grigar said. ¡°You didn¡¯t listen. Now, you have to face the consequences of your decision.¡± The mantid rubbed its scythes together. ¡°Take him to the queens.¡±

    ***

    Sam yawned, sucking air in through his nose. It wasn¡¯t as satisfying as yawning through his mouth, but it still got the job done. As for what the job was, it was expressing his boredom. Silva Volucris wasn¡¯t a boring place, but when all Sam was doing was riding around on a wooly pig and taking in the sights while peeping on insects living their everyday lives, could he really be blamed for showing his exhaustion after several hours of riding?

    A buzzing sound filled the air as crickets chirped, and the beetle walking alongside Manga stopped. Sam turned his head as the wooly pig came to a halt as well. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Vercedei asked, talking to the mantid riding atop the beetle¡¯s back. ¡°Why is it so loud?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s our alarm,¡± Greg said. ¡°It only rings when the queens have something to announce.¡±

    Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze showed him most of the insects in the vicinity mobilizing in the same direction, and a quick look around with his eyes confirmed it was true. ¡°Is everyone gathering somewhere?¡± Vercedei asked for Sam.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Greg said, and the beetle underneath it headed in the same direction as the rest of the insects. ¡°We should be going as well. It wouldn¡¯t do to miss an announcement by the queens.¡±

    ¡°Is it alright for me to go there?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Since I¡¯m not really a citizen.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t watch over you if I¡¯m not with you, so you should come with me,¡± Greg said. ¡°It won¡¯t take long, and isn¡¯t this what you came here for? To see and experience Silva Volucris. The queens¡¯ announcement is quite the sight to behold.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Lead the way. Are these announcements good news or bad news?¡±

    ¡°Either,¡± Greg said. ¡°We never know what the queens will announce until they announce them.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I love surprises.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the queens needed to say that they had to call every available insect in Silva Volucris to gather. Maybe Raindu acted and slaughtered the ants guarding the mantids¡¯ heritage pillar? Perhaps they were going to mention something about the grayling refugees being integrated into mantid society? Either way, he was going to find out soon, so he didn¡¯t think too hard about it.

    After a bit of traveling, which would¡¯ve taken less time if there weren¡¯t so many insects using the road, Sam arrived at a plaza of sorts. It was massive and made of rippling metal, the surface of the plaza reminding him of concentric rings of water created by a pebble falling into a puddle. The larger insects positioned themselves in the depressions of the plaza while the smaller insects took their seats on the crests, allowing everyone to get a good look at the center of the plaza where there was an empty stage.

    Sam and Greg stayed relatively far away from the center of the plaza since the size of their mounts would definitely interfere with the viewing experience of everyone behind them. Sam scanned the crowd with his All-Seeing Gaze. Other than ants and mantises, there were earwigs, ladybugs, and other beetles. He didn¡¯t see any giant dragonflies like the ones back in the spectral jungle, nor did he see centipedes or millipedes. ¡°Are these the only kinds of insects allowed in Silva Volucris?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Greg said. ¡°We¡¯re a community of mantises, and the creatures the queens deign acceptable to walk amongst us are the only ones that can.¡±

    Sam supposed it was fair. Humans liked dogs more than other animals. Why couldn¡¯t mantids like earwigs more than cockroaches? ¡°What do you think about roaches?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°What do I think about them?¡± Greg asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re quite tasty, but I grew up eating cafeteria food, and I haven¡¯t met a wild cockroach yet myself.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°So, you think of them as food.¡±

    ¡°As a mantid, I think of everything as food first,¡± Greg said. ¡°You know the saying: food, friend, or foe.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m friend, right?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Yes, absolutely,¡± Greg said. The mantid turned towards the center of the plaza. ¡°It¡¯s starting. Be quiet.¡±

    Sam looked ahead at the stage, but he didn¡¯t see anything. A few seconds later, the sky went dark as a swarm of beetles covered the sky. Sam looked up, and through his eyesight along with his All-Seeing Gaze, he observed hundreds of beetles hovering in formation, staggered and layered such that they blocked almost all the light reaching the ground below.

    Then, orange lights flickered into existence, pulsing on and off. An innumerable number of fireflies filled the region, their existences like tiny sparks in Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze. A grinding sound rumbled from below, Sam nearly missing it because of the droning coming from the beetles in the sky. The stage opened up, and a mantid rose out of the ground, lifted into the view of the masses.

    A few of the beetles in the sky spread apart, allowing a ray of sunlight to shine through their mass, letting it land on the stage below. The sea of fireflies flew around the stage in a spherical formation, and they flashed their glowing butts in a pattern, causing a sphere of orange light to ripple from the bottom to the top of the stage. The mantid let out a screech that was translated in Sam¡¯s mind.

    ¡°The council of queens has an important announcement to make,¡± the mantid on the stage said. ¡°Listen, and listen well. The heritage pillar has vanished. As such, anyone who locates a new stone fit to be the heritage pillar shall be richly rewarded.¡±

    Neither Sam¡¯s face nor his aura showed a change in response to what he had heard. He had his suspicions the announcement was going to be related to Raindu¡¯s task, so when his theory was confirmed, he wasn¡¯t surprised.

    ¡°Also,¡± the mantid said, continuing its speech, ¡°the culprit who destroyed the heritage pillar has been captured and is currently in custody. The human who did this will be placed on trial, and if found guilty, his life shall be prolonged indefinitely, and we will take his sense of sight, hearing, and smell.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a pretty harsh punishment, huh?¡± Vercedei asked in a whisper.

    ¡°Shush,¡± Greg said. ¡°The queens¡¯ envoy is still speaking.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Vercedei said, the blue snake¡¯s head heaving an exaggerated sigh before looking around, a slithering sensation crawling along Sam¡¯s face. He ignored it.

    ¡°Since we¡¯ve lost a world seed and heritage pillar to the humans, we¡¯re no longer allowing human visitors to Silva Volucris,¡± the mantid said. ¡°Will all humans please leave the region after this announcement. We¡¯ll reopen our borders after some time has passed, but for now, we hope you understand, and we apologize for the inconvenience.¡±

    Greg turned to look at Sam.

    ¡°Well,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It looks like I won¡¯t be accompanying you for much longer. I guess after I¡¯m kicked out of Silva Volucris, I¡¯ll go deal with the blue avians¡¯ calamity detector. I hope you¡¯ll let me back into the country once I complete my task.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the queens will make an exception for you,¡± Greg said as the stage sank back into the ground, taking the queens¡¯ envoy with it. The beetles in the sky dispersed, and the fireflies scattered. Clacking sounds filled the air as the insects marched back to where they had come from, but a few insects came to a halt beside Manga and stared up at Sam. Greg patted the beetle¡¯s back, and it whirled around. ¡°Come, Sam. I¡¯ll pack some supplies for your journey.¡±

    ¡°Kicking me out already?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s understandable. Another human ruined another one of your stones, so why wouldn¡¯t Silva Volucris prevent such things from happening again?¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Greg said. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike you as an individual, but the queens have spoken. Come with me, and I¡¯ll show you the road to the blue avians¡¯ territory.¡±

    Manga let out a cry and followed after the beetle, ignoring the insects around it as they scampered away from the pig¡¯s cloven feet. Sam closed his eyes and focused on his Ajna, entering the field of candy after a brief moment of meditation. There, he saw the black ferret munching away on a flower petal.

    ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± Raindu said. ¡°I found a chance to grab it without getting swarmed by the ants.¡±

    ¡°I heard,¡± Sam said. ¡°We¡¯re about to leave Silva Volucris. Do you think you can find your way to us? You can give me the malachite after we¡¯ve created some distance between us and the mantids.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s easy for me to find your location,¡± Raindu said. ¡°I¡¯ll bring the malachite with me, but it¡¯s very big. We¡¯ll have to go extremely far to avoid the mantids¡¯ detection.¡±

    Sam debated asking Raindu about the framed human, but he decided not to. He didn¡¯t want to feel guilty, and he knew he should¡¯ve since someone took the fall for something he had put into motion, but if he couldn¡¯t match a face or name to the person, then he could forget about them and move on more easily. People were taken advantage of all the time, and would Sam even be here if that mysterious entity hadn¡¯t told him about the mantids¡¯ malachite? Someone else had tasked him with taking the heritage pillar, so if someone were to really be at fault, Sam would only be partially responsible, right?

    ¡°No, it¡¯s your fault,¡± Manga said, the wooly pig appearing behind Sam and speaking in words that weren¡¯t mangalitsa. ¡°You wanted this; this was your goal. You don¡¯t have to feel guilty or apologetic for stepping on people in your path to greatness, but you can¡¯t shirk your accountability. Own your own actions.¡±

    Sam wondered what his life had come to. He had never dreamed of receiving a pep talk from a wooly pig, but here he was.

 Chapter 64

    Sam lay down and stared up at the sky, resting his upper back and head against the wooly pig¡¯s wooly back. It was soft and warm, and he was sure if he made sweaters out of the material, it¡¯d have a demand that¡¯d outweigh the supply. Of course, he was already rich, so he didn¡¯t need to shave the pig, which was a good thing because he wasn¡¯t sure it¡¯d let him. Through his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam observed the residents of Silva Volucris waiting for him to leave the country.

    It didn¡¯t take long for a large beetle to make its way over to Sam. On its back, Greg was riding it while carrying a large sack made from stretchy silk, the outlines of the items inside visible on the bag¡¯s surface. Greg leaned over, stretching out its arm to pass Sam the bag. ¡°I packed some preserved food for you,¡± the mantid said. ¡°When you¡¯re hungry, place it in a cup of water, and it¡¯ll rehydrate. Try not to get it wet before you want to eat it because it spoils quickly.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vercedei said, answering for Sam as he sat up and grabbed the bag. It was heavy, but thanks to all the training he had undergone in Et Serpentium under Ellie¡¯s watch, he could carry it with one hand. He set it aside atop Manga¡¯s back, the pig¡¯s coat indenting as the package was practically swaddled by wool. ¡°I¡¯ll be off then.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye,¡± Greg said, staring straight at Sam. ¡°May your task be successful; there will be as many spheres of grub as you¡¯d like waiting for you upon your return.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Vercedei said. Sam patted the pig¡¯s back, and it let out a four-syllable-long cry before rushing forward. At that moment, buzzing filled the air as hundreds of beetles flew into the air. Their auras were tinged with darker hues than normal, and a shudder ran down Sam¡¯s spine. Had the mantids performed a play to get him to drop his guard before attacking him with their full force? The beetles hovered in the air, and Sam used Toughen. He didn¡¯t know how fast those bugs could travel, but he wanted to be prepared in case they struck first. While immobilized by his technique, Sam expanded the vision of his All-Seeing Gaze, focusing his attention underneath him as well in case burrowing insects made an appearance.

    ¡°Oh dear,¡± Greg said. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re under attack.¡±

    ¡°Under attack?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°By who?¡±

    The beetle rotated in place, its legs clacking against the ground as they took heavy steps. The wooly pig walked up to the beetle, and Greg turned to look at Sam. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but you shouldn¡¯t concern yourself with this. The queens have decreed their decree, and you are no longer welcome even if you wish to help us.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen me, but I¡¯m pretty good in a fight.¡±

    ¡°If we suffer disastrous consequences that we wouldn¡¯t have suffered with your help, then we deserve it,¡± Greg said. ¡°We have survived for ages without the help of humans¡ªI could¡¯ve showed you if the heritage pillar still existed¡ªand we will continue to survive without your assistance. Besides, it¡¯s probably just some ugly reptiles.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you change your mind, just send a firefly to me or something, alright?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Let the queens know I¡¯m available to help. Think of me as a mercenary.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Greg said and gestured towards the ground. ¡°I won¡¯t be seeing you off, but this fellow will. Follow it out the tunnel, and as long as you keep heading straight, you¡¯ll find the blue avians.¡±

    An ant waved up at Sam when he looked down to see which creature Greg was referring to. The ant scurried down the tunnel before turning around to confirm Manga was following it. The wooly pig stared at the retreating beetle and let out a snort; then, it whirled around and followed after the ant. It was clear the mantids didn¡¯t want Sam¡¯s assistance, so there was no point in sticking around. Thus, he should complete the task he had been assigned, and while he was far away from Silva Volucris, turn the heritage pillar into an animal to unlock his heart chakra.

    The tunnel was long, and Sam wondered if it was made naturally or by an insect that could seemingly drill through rock. For all he knew, it could¡¯ve been a tunnel made by the graylings. Speaking of the graylings, Sam hoped they weren¡¯t being mistreated in Silva Volucris now that he wasn¡¯t there. He knew they wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble since he asked them not to, but he wasn¡¯t sure if the mantids would leave them alone.

    After traveling through the winding set of tunnels, which he would¡¯ve had a hard time navigating without the ant thanks to all the splits and turns, sunlight shone through a crevice, illuminating the path before landing on Sam¡¯s face. He squinted and looked around, half expecting to arrive at another desert since there seemed to be a lot of those in Oterra, but he was wrong. He emerged in a wooded region, and the sound of rushing water greeted his ears. The ant patted Manga¡¯s ankle with its antennae before retreating back into the tunnel, the entrance in a burrow mostly hidden underneath a tree¡¯s roots.

    Sam took in a deep breath before closing his eyes, focusing on expanding the view of his All-Seeing Gaze. Safety first, and as such, Sam made sure there weren¡¯t any nearby dangers. Other than a few small animals feasting on small bugs, he didn¡¯t detect anything that resembled a predator. Even though the surroundings were safe, he still had to find an appropriate location for Raindu to bring out the malachite pillar, so he urged Manga forward, the wooly pig destroying the underbrush as it clomped along.

    Sam transmitted his voice to Raindu by focusing on his throat chakra. ¡°How big is this piece of malachite?¡± Since he wasn¡¯t allowed to approach the heritage pillar in Silva Volucris, he wasn¡¯t even sure of what it looked like, but Raindu claimed it was humongous.

    The ferret squeaked at Sam. ¡°As tall as a mountain.¡±

    ¡°So, how far do we have to be until you can take it out?¡± Sam asked.

    Raindu patted the side of Sam¡¯s head. ¡°Very far.¡±

    Sam exhaled through his nose. He was impatient, but that was understandable. His last chakra was about to be unlocked, and theoretically, he¡¯d be as powerful as a blue avian. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t be comparable to one in reality without enough time to accustom himself to his newfound abilities. Blue avians were born with them; meanwhile, Sam had only recently unlocked them. That might¡¯ve been the case, but he wasn¡¯t discouraged, not with so many higher-dimensional creatures protecting him.

    The wooly pig underneath Sam let out a cry and rushed forward, barreling through the trees, the bark and tree innards disintegrating upon contact with the pig¡¯s wool. Rocks that were large enough to get in the pig¡¯s way also weren¡¯t spared from its charge, and a clear path of destruction was left behind the pig¡¯s wake as if it were a lawnmower going through a field of flowers. Only a blind individual would be unable to track where he had gone. Well, Greg did tell Sam to just head straight, and eventually he¡¯d arrive at the blue avians¡¯ territory, so it wasn¡¯t like the mantids didn¡¯t already know where he was going.

    Sam leaned back, letting himself sink into the pig¡¯s wooly fur. He was going to wait until they were far enough away to absorb the mantids¡¯ malachite pillar; until then, he was simply going to lie down and observe things with his All-Seeing Gaze. While he was living in the city, Sam had always thought Oterra was a barren land. There weren¡¯t many animals in the human city, and wildlife was miles away from the borders, so he hadn¡¯t seen much fauna for himself. However, now that he was out of the walls, he realized how small it actually was.

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    Oterra was abundant and teeming with wildlife. The ground had dense foliage with all kinds of insects and other small creatures going about their lives hidden from view by the stalks of grass and leaves of bushes above. Birds filled the trees, so numerous he was surprised so many could fit on a single branch without the whole thing snapping from the weight. When a bird got hungry, it¡¯d fly down and peck at the ground; with one try, it¡¯d scoop up three to four bugs in one gulp. Unexpectedly, there wasn¡¯t bird feces everywhere, but Sam assumed something was eating it up because there was no way there was no bird poop where numerous birds were gathered.

    As the wooly pig made its way through the wilderness of Oterra, birds and insects scattered, the sky above Sam¡¯s head filled with so many black dots that they almost blotted out the sun. Sam wondered whether it was alright for them to make so huge of a commotion while traveling, but he figured the wooly pig could handle whatever predator decided to show up. He hadn¡¯t seen it fight, but he was sure it was good at protecting itself especially with wool that could disintegrate matter upon contact if it so pleased. However, what if they drew the attention of a blue avian. Well, hopefully, they¡¯d have traveled far enough for Sam to absorb the malachite to unlock his heart chakra, his only chance at saving his life if he encountered a blue avian.

    The scenery around the wooly pig didn¡¯t change much, but that didn¡¯t mean it was traveling at a slow pace. If Sam fell off, he was sure he¡¯d sustain a few injuries similar to him jumping from a moving train. As the pig felled tree after tree, it eventually arrived at a river, which it promptly ran over. The river curved and flowed in the same direction Manga was heading, and Sam observed the fish within the waters. There was a lot of them, too many for him to count. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult for someone to feed themselves if they were stranded; they¡¯d simply have to dip their hand into the water, close their hand, and pull out a fish. However, not being eaten alive by bugs, well, Sam wasn¡¯t sure how someone would avoid that fate.

    There were so many resources, yet there weren¡¯t many predators taking advantage of the resources. The fish were abundant, but nothing was eating them? Perhaps they were poisonous, or there was some kind of consequence for eating them. Well, Sam wasn¡¯t going to find out.

    ¡°Hang on,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Let¡¯s catch some fish and bugs. Would you really be experiencing Oterra if all you¡¯re doing is riding on Manga¡¯s back the whole time? If someone asks about your journey, what are you going to tell them? I don¡¯t know because I was traveling? That¡¯s not a good response.¡±

    ¡­And it seemed like Sam was going to find out why there was such abundance. The wooly pig slowed down, and a few more trees fell over, crashing against the ground before the wooly pig came to a halt. ¡°Are you sure we have time for this?¡± Sam asked with his throat chakra, directing his question at the snake covering his mouth. ¡°The blue avians can arrive at any second. Wasting time like this¡­.¡±

    ¡°Take out the heritage pillar,¡± Vercedei said, and before Sam could voice his thoughts, the black ferret already followed the twin-headed snake¡¯s words. A large, green pillar rose up towards the sky, and Sam slapped his palm against it in a hurry. It was massive! What if the mantids noticed? He thought they had gone far enough away already, but after seeing the pillar for himself, he wasn¡¯t so sure anymore.

    The familiar tingling sensation invaded Sam¡¯s flesh from his palm, and the malachite vanished as if it had never existed, leaving a giant circular imprint in the region where the pillar had crushed the trees and vegetation. Sam exhaled as the shadow covering his body vanished along with the malachite. He closed his eyes and used his All-Seeing Gaze to focus inwards on himself, mainly on his Anahata where the energy from the malachite should¡¯ve been flowing. His heart chakra buzzed, and a green blob shot out of him before rapidly expanding. Sam opened his eyes, and he was once more covered by a shadow; in front of him, there was a floating whale.

    ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± the whale said, its deep voice extremely familiar. It belonged to the individual who had spoken to him in the darkness after Paula had ruthlessly destroyed his chest, the same individual that had told him to obtain the mantids¡¯ recording malachite. ¡°We meet again.¡±

    Sam stared at the floating whale. It was green and mottled with black swirls, much like a piece of malachite, and its eyes were pure white. Well, now Sam knew why the whale had told him to grab the mantids¡¯ malachite: it¡¯d summon the whale into the lower dimension. Sam crouched down and tilted his body to the side, looking underneath the whale to see how it was floating, but there were no indications of any propulsion system keeping the creature suspended. With his curiosity unsatisfied, Sam stood up straight and stared the whale in the eyes; well, one of its eyes, it was too massive to see both at once. ¡°Hello, ¡­whale.¡±

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± the whale asked.

    Ready? ¡°Ready for what?¡± Sam asked through his throat chakra. The animals on his body were all looking at the whale as well. Even Manga, the giant wooly pig, seemed small in comparison to the whale. If it opened its mouth, it could swallow all of them whole. ¡°You can¡¯t just ask that without explaining anything beforehand.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m starting,¡± the whale said and opened its mouth. It inhaled, and a huge suction force pulled at the wooly pig and all its riders. Manga stomped its hooves and took a few steps back, resisting the pull. Trees, vegetation, water, insects, fish, and birds flew around the wooly pig¡¯s body as they were sucked into the whale¡¯s mouth. After a bit, the wall stopped inhaling and looked down at Sam. ¡°Why did you resist?¡±

    ¡°Are you daft?¡± Vercedei asked, speaking for Sam and all the higher-dimensional creatures on his body that the whale had just attempted to eat. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t we resist? You didn¡¯t explain anything and tried to inhale us like noodles. Explain to us why we shouldn¡¯t have resisted.¡±

    The whale remained eerily still as if its body were unaffected by the wind blowing against it. ¡°I was going to hide you from danger,¡± the whale said. ¡°However, it might be too late now.¡±

    ¡°It is too late,¡± a melodious voice said, the words ringing inside of Sam¡¯s head like a birdsong. ¡°Summoner of higher-dimensional creatures, didn¡¯t Paula make sure you were dead?¡±

    Sam frowned. His All-Seeing Gaze had been active the whole time, but at some point, five blue avians materialized out of nowhere deep within his visual range, spawning practically beside him. He focused on them, noticing individual differences in their auras, but he wasn¡¯t sure if Paula was amongst the five. ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken,¡± Sam said, speaking through his throat chakra. ¡°I¡¯m not a summoner of anything. I¡¯m just a regular human passing by with my animal familiars.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯re just five, regular blue avians exterminating calamities,¡± one of the blue avians said. ¡°I¡¯m sure you understand, regular human.¡±

    It was worth a shot. Didn¡¯t people advocate for communicating with words before violence? Sam took in a deep breath through his nose. He hadn¡¯t had any time to learn defensive techniques with his Anahata, yet five blue avians showed up to deal with him. Last time, there was only one blue avian, and he suffered a complete defeat. Sam really didn¡¯t like his current odds.

    ¡°Mangalitsa!¡± Manga let out a battle cry and charged forward, running on the air at blinding speeds, causing Sam to almost tumble off of its back. The wooly pig arrived in front of the group of blue avians in an instant, and swung its head from down to up, slamming one of the blue avians with its snout from below. There was a cracking sound as the blue avian flew upwards, shooting into the sky and disappearing from view.

    ¡°Bethany!¡± the blue avians cried out before scattering as Manga charged forward once more.

    Sam released his grip on the wooly pig¡¯s curly fur and rolled along its back, dropping to the ground. Although the blue avians were hovering in the air, he figured he had a better chance at facing them if he wasn¡¯t struggling to stay on a raging pig¡¯s back.

    ¡°Kill the summoner!¡± one of the blue avians said and appeared before Sam.

    Sam inhaled and activated Toughen. At the same time, he focused hard on his heart chakra, practically begging it to do something to prevent the blue avian from killing him in one hit. Through his All-Seeing Gaze, he saw the aura around the blue avians¡¯ fist shine and solidify. At the same time, he saw his aura crystallizing around him. The blue avian slammed its fist into Sam¡¯s chest, but instead of exploding through his ribcage like Paula¡¯s punch had, the blue avian¡¯s fist merely knocked Sam back, his legs leaving two parallel lines in the ground as he slid backwards.

    Sam¡¯s eyes lit up, but before he could feel happy, another fist slammed into his back, pushing him forward. A third fist punched his side, sliding him over to a fourth fist that connected with his head. Thanks to the stiffness of his muscles caused by Toughen, Sam¡¯s body flipped head over heels as if he were doing cartwheels, and he only stopped rolling after crashing into a massive tree. Before he had time to recover, the four blue avians were already swarming around him as if he were a limited-edition item during a sale.

 Chapter 65

    Paula hovered beside a tree, using its large leaves as cover. They didn¡¯t have to hide, but they¡¯d rather not be found; the blue avian was at the border between Et Serpentium and Silva Volucris, and there weren¡¯t any friendly species to be found. Sure, reptilians and mantids treated blue avians cordially, but the attitude was born from wariness and suspicion. It¡¯d be better for them to not know a blue avian was hanging out so close to their countries.

    Paula observed their surroundings through their All-Seeing Gaze, nothing escaping from the blue avian¡¯s sight. Not too far away from the wooded region Paula was in, there was a hot desert sparsely filled with little creatures. In the wooded region, there were a few small insects, mammals, and birds. Any moment now, Paula would detect what they were looking for: the reinforcements they had requested to safely handle the higher-dimensional beings.

    Any moment¡­.

    Why was it taking so long?

    ***

    Sam maintained his use of Toughen as the blue avians used him as a free punching bag. Even though he could take their hits until Manga rescued him, Sam had a feeling it wouldn¡¯t work: namely, the anger bubbling up inside his chest. Joe, the sloth on Sam¡¯s belly, was not happy with being whaled on, and the color of its aura, bright red, reflected that. The red color tinged Sam¡¯s aura with a bloody hue, and the blue avians¡¯ attacks grew more frantic as their auras darkened as well. If Joe had chosen to be in a more peaceful mood, wouldn¡¯t the blue avians not assault them like this? It was a shame the sloth couldn¡¯t control its temper; then again, it¡¯d be hard for anyone to do that if they were being beaten in such a shameless manner.

    The blue avians punched Sam over and over, not giving him a chance to retaliate. Then, a wooly pig slammed into one of the blue avians, launching it away from Sam and through the vegetation. If the blue avian hadn¡¯t been blinded by rage caused by Joe¡¯s aura, Sam suspected it would¡¯ve reacted to the wooly pig¡¯s attack.

    ¡°Help!¡± Although the blue avian had been knocked quite far away, its cry was heard as plain as day inside the other blue avians¡¯¡ªand Sam¡¯s¡ªheads. The blue avians decisively stopped attacking Sam and levitated towards the wooly pig, not disturbing the vegetation as they passed as if they could ignore air resistance despite how fast they were traveling. The three blue avians struck the pig, but it was as if they were punching cotton, their blows having no effect on the creature. However, that didn¡¯t stop them from attacking it in a blind rage.

    Sam canceled Toughen and stood up. Although it seemed like Manga could receive the blue avians¡¯ attacks for an indefinite amount of time, simply defending wasn¡¯t a path to victory. Sam contacted the black ferret, which had distanced itself from Sam during the beating, with his mind. ¡°Can you disable the blue avians?¡± he asked. Although the blue avians were trying to kill him, he didn¡¯t want to kill them in return. There really would be no chance of negotiation if he had blue avian blood on his hands.

    Raindu scurried towards one of the blue avians. In its flurry of punches, the blue avian shifted its legs about, and as the ferret was about to touch the blue avian¡¯s leg, its heel drove backwards, slamming into Raindu¡¯s ribcage, sending the ferret flying. Raindu growled as it scampered back onto its feet, and it charged at the blue avian, touching its heel and robbing it of its vital organs. The blue avian froze before collapsing in a heap.

    Then, Raindu leaped to the next blue avian, robbing it of its vital organs as well. Under the influence of Joe¡¯s aura, the ferret couldn¡¯t be bothered to listen to Sam¡¯s request, much to Sam¡¯s dismay. If something hurt the ferret, then it was going to hurt the aggressor back ten times harder. Before Raindu could touch another blue avian, Manga swung itself around, hitting one blue avian with its head and the other with its butt, causing them to scatter. At that moment, the blue avian Manga had launched early on flew back down and struck Raindu like a comet, causing the ferret to let out a shrill cry.

    ¡°Be careful!¡± the returning blue avian said as it distanced itself from Raindu. ¡°The ferret¡¯s touch is lethal; the pig has disintegrating properties; and the sloth is interfering with your better judgment.¡±

    The two blue avians who had been knocked away by Manga regrouped and distanced themselves from Sam and his familiars. They glanced at each other. ¡°Paula was right,¡± one of the blue avians said. ¡°We should¡¯ve met up with them first.¡±

    The red aura around Joe became muted as the sloth calmed down, and the blue avians¡¯ auras were no longer tinged with a bloody hue. ¡°No,¡± the second blue avian said. ¡°Paula was wrong. We need more than just six of us to deal with this safely.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± the third blue avian, the one that had returned, said. ¡°There¡¯s six, no, seven calamities gathered and moving as one.¡± The blue avians observed the wooly pig, sloth, twin-headed snake, eagle, ferret, and ¡­ floating whale? ¡°Where did the whale go?¡±

    The blue avian in the middle coughed out a mouthful of colorful liquid. It was mostly red, but with his All-Seeing Gaze, the sight Sam saw was enhanced with splotches of primary and secondary colors. Then, the blue avian¡¯s body stretched as if it were a balloon, the outline of the blue avian¡¯s body taking on the shape of a whale. The blue avian let out a shrill whine, the sound etching itself into Sam¡¯s brain, and then, the blue avian exploded as the whale, that had shrunken and snuck inside of it, expanded way beyond the limits of how far the blue avian could stretch.

    The remaining two blue avians exchanged glances with one another before turning around and flying away, not bothering to communicate their intent on retreating with one another before doing it. Sam stared at the retreating blue avians with his forehead slightly crinkled, his mouth partly open as he squinted to make sure they were really retreating. It was hard to believe he was being used as a punching bag just moments ago. The tables turned really quickly.

    ¡°Can anyone chase them?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°The more we take out now, the easier it¡¯ll be for us later.¡±

    Although the snake¡¯s words were true, Sam didn¡¯t really want to wage war against the blue avians. However, was he even left with a choice? Three blue avians had died by his familiars¡¯ hands, well, by their feet. Even if the blue avians didn¡¯t want to get rid of him for simply existing, they definitely would want to eliminate him now. The only option was to fight back. ¡­Unless? ¡°Joe,¡± Sam said, communicating with the sloth on his belly. ¡°Can you bring them back to life?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± the sloth asked, taking its sweet, sweet time to voice its question. ¡°So, they can hit me more?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°So, we can take them hostage. In exchange for their fellow blue avians¡¯ lives, they¡¯ll cave to our demands. Maybe. It depends on which faction of blue avian is more influential.¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯ll hold their bodies,¡± Raindu said, glancing up at Sam before storing the two intact blue avians away. It looked around at the scattered bits of flesh and bone before heaving a sigh. Then, it scampered about and collected as much of the spread blue avian as possible. When it was done, it looked at Joe, and the sloth let out a sigh that lasted for a whole minute.

    ¡°I¡¯ll revive them when I¡¯m in a better mood,¡± the sloth said. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take that long.¡±

    Sam knew that was a lie. Everything took a long time for the sloth, but perhaps, it really did think it was telling the truth. Luckily, from the way the sloth spoke, it seemed like as long as the body parts remained with Raindu, the sloth could bring the blue avians back to life. It¡¯d be nice if he could communicate with them. The last blue avian was quite talkative, but this time, the blue avians ambushed him without giving him a chance to speak.

    ¡°Mangalitsa,¡± the wooly pig said as it walked towards Sam. It ducked its head and scooped Sam off his feet with its wooly snout. With a flick of its neck, Sam was launched into the air, and he fell face first onto the pig¡¯s back. Now that the blue avians had located them and knew of their existence, they had to hide or find a strategic spot to ambush the incoming reinforcements. The pig turned its head to look back at the floating whale, and the floating whale shrank down to the size of a water bottle before landing by Sam¡¯s knees.

    Once all the passengers were on, the wooly pig sprinted away, running in a straight line because zigging and zagging wouldn¡¯t fool their pursuers, not when the pig moved in such a conspicuous manner. Sam took that chance to relax and look down at his knee. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, using his throat chakra to communicate with the green whale and black whale. ¡°Who are you, and what do you do?¡±

    The whale let out a long cry, but it was a higher-pitch than usual thanks to how small the creature¡¯s body was. ¡°You can call me¡ª¡±

    ¡°Big Fish,¡± Vercedei said, interrupting the whale¡¯s introduction.

    Raindu chattered. ¡°Big Fish.¡± Evidently, the ferret did not enjoy cleaning up after the whale¡¯s mess. It must¡¯ve disliked the whale more than the twin-headed snake to agree with Vercedei¡¯s words.

    ¡°My name,¡± the whale said once more in a high-pitched cry, ¡°is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Big Fish,¡± Joe said in a loud enough voice to drown out the whale¡¯s intention.

    When the sloth finished speaking after several seconds had passed, the whale continued. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Big Fish,¡± Birdbrained said and squawked. It squawked again. ¡°Big Fish.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a democracy,¡± the whale said and slapped its tail downwards against Sam¡¯s knee. He almost fell off the wooly pig as his right side sank lower than his left side. ¡°You lot don¡¯t get to decide my name. My name is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Mangalitsa,¡± Manga said. Despite its cry being its usual one, its meaning in everyone¡¯s head was different. It said, ¡°Big Fish.¡±

    The whale paused before heaving a sigh. ¡°Fine,¡± it said, its pitch low and defeated. ¡°I¡¯m Big Fish.¡± Its body swiveled in the air as it looked around at its companions. ¡°Are you going to decide what I can do as well, or should I go ahead and explain?¡±

    Raindu chattered. ¡°You can shrink and grow,¡± the ferret said.

    ¡°Yes, I can do that,¡± the whale said. ¡°Who else wants to simplify my abilities?¡±

    ¡°You suck,¡± Birdbrained said and squawked, spreading its wings out to the side before letting them fall back down against its body.

    The whale fell silent. Then, it floated to the side and burrowed within Manga¡¯s fur to hide itself from view.

    ¡°We should let the whale speak,¡± Sam said, communicating with the animals through his throat chakra. ¡°It¡¯s going to be tagging along with us now, so it¡¯s not right to bully our new companion.¡±

    ¡°It tried to eat us,¡± Birdbrained said, squawking at Sam. ¡°Or did you forget that already?¡±

    Sam shrugged. For some reason, he felt like he had experienced things worse than someone simply attempting to eat him. Ellie¡¯s training for one; if he didn¡¯t pay attention, he¡¯d be grievously maimed or even killed, and he had already forgiven her for that. He could look past a whale trying to swallow him especially when it said it had intended to help with that action. ¡°It was a miscommunication,¡± Sam said. ¡°We can¡¯t fault each other for the little flaws we all possess. So, Big Fish has a hard time communicating its plans to others, but they¡¯re still on our side.¡±

    Birdbrained squawked. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t like it,¡± the eagle said, its feathers giving off a white and yellow gleam, ¡°but I¡¯ll be civil.¡±

    ¡°Since we¡¯re not okay with bullying, can I change my name?¡± Big Fish asked, poking its head out from underneath the pig¡¯s wool coat.

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei, Raindu, Mangalitsa, Joe, and Birdbrained all said at once, the sloth¡¯s word barely beginning when the others had already finished responding.

    Sam examined his familiars with his All-Seeing Gaze. It didn¡¯t seem like any of them were going to change their mind about calling the whale Big Fish. In the first place, whales weren¡¯t fish, but perhaps Sam¡¯s familiars knew that and named it as such on purpose. To be fair, Sam didn¡¯t think they were the most kind-hearted individuals, so he didn¡¯t put it past them to do that. ¡°It seems like they¡¯re all upset with you,¡± Sam said to the whale. ¡°If you get on their good sides, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be more than willing to accommodate your request.¡±

    The whale let out another sigh. ¡°I suppose this is what happens when you¡¯re the last one to a party,¡± Big Fish said. ¡°Everyone already has their own friends, and I¡¯m just left here by myself.¡±

    Sam glanced around at the animals, but none of them took any pity on the whale. Was it that offensive for the whale to attempt to eat them? Maybe they were more sensitive to being eaten since they were animals on the food chain. ¡°So, you can fly,¡± Sam said while making eye contact with the whale. ¡°Can you carry us?¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± the whale said. ¡°I was going to hold you all in my mouth and flee, but the lot of you resisted.¡±

    ¡°Mangalitsa,¡± the wooly pig said, asking Big Fish how fast it could travel. If the whale could move faster than the pig, then why wasn¡¯t Manga riding Big Fish?

    ¡°I can¡¯t move that quickly,¡± the whale said, ¡°but I can hide my presence and shrink to a microscopic size, so they can¡¯t find me.¡±

    ¡°Should we do that?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Hide until the blue avians stop looking for us?¡±

    ***

    Paula¡¯s eyes opened, and the blue avian hovered in place as if they were a statue. They had just received bad news, the reinforcements sent to help them defeat the calamities had been devastated before even meeting up with Paula. Three blue avians were killed, the status of their essences unknown. It was the worst event to befall the blue avians in a long time, and as such, the whole nest was rallying their forces to hunt the calamities down. There were six of them in total, and they were believed to be summoned by Sam, the human Paula was sure they had killed.

    Paula floated higher up, above the treetops, and zoomed ahead, flying in the direction the blue avians had claimed the battle had taken place. Although it was dangerous to confront an opponent that had defeated five blue avians and even slain three of them, Paula couldn¡¯t let them get away. What if the calamities had a method to avoid detection? There were three more calamities now than before; who knew what troubles they¡¯d bring?

    It didn¡¯t take Paula very long to travel to the coordinates they had been given; after all, the reinforcements had been making their way to Paula¡¯s location. The traces of the fight were still fresh, and Paula hovered above the region, observing the battlefield, reading the markings to deduce the events that had occurred. It wasn¡¯t too difficult to imagine, and Paula¡¯s aura darkened as they looked at the clear path of destruction left behind by the fleeing target.

    Paula masked themselves, using their Sahasrara to cut off their connection with their surroundings before flying forward once more along the straight line of trampled trees and vegetation. It took longer to reach the end of the path than it did for Paula to reach the scene of the conflict. The culprit had traveled quite far, and now, they seemed to be hiding themselves, or they found another means of traveling that wasn¡¯t so conspicuous. Paula expanded the range of their All-Seeing Gaze, but the blue avian couldn¡¯t find any signs of higher-dimensional beings.

    Paula debated whether or not they should reveal themself but decided against it. The odds of Sam being a hostile entity was too great; he had been killed once by Paula and ambushed by blue avians aiming for his life. Even if Paula were to negotiate with words, they¡¯d have to ensure their safety first by having enough blue avians backing them to subdue Sam and his higher-dimensional beings by force if necessary.

    Paula flew back towards the scene of the conflict, not bothering to search for Sam any longer. The calamity detector would be able to sniff him out; hopefully, the blue avians coming to reinforce Paula wouldn¡¯t forget to bring the detector with them.

 Chapter 66

    Sam had never been inside of a whale¡¯s mouth before, but he found it was surprisingly cozy. He wasn¡¯t sure if all whales had equally as cozy mouths, but Big Fish¡¯s mouth was better than the place he had been squatting in when he was a talentless. There were two green, glowing stones embedded in the roof of the whale¡¯s mouth, and they were bright enough for Sam to see the details of the insides of the whale¡¯s mouth; well, as many details as he could see with a green filter placed over them.

    Sam suspected regular whales didn¡¯t have mouths with murals etched inside of them. Perhaps it was a result of Big Fish¡¯s origin, the mantids¡¯ heritage pillar, that the whale had scenes from history decorating its interior. Of course, Sam assumed they were scenes from history because he wasn¡¯t too knowledgeable about Oterra¡¯s past; humanity didn¡¯t have much time to figure it out, and history lessons usually began when humans ascended to Oterra.

    Other than the etchings, the floor of the whale¡¯s mouth¡ªif it could be called as such¡ªwas spongy and soft to walk on. It was comfortable to sit on, and when Sam lay down on the fleshy substance, it molded to his body perfectly like the best mattress out on the market. Although the whale claimed it shrank and hid its body underground, Sam was having a hard time believing it because he didn¡¯t feel himself shrink at all. The space inside the whale¡¯s mouth didn¡¯t reflect how it appeared on the outside, and Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze behaved as if there was nothing beyond the whale¡¯s mouth as if it were a separate dimension.

    Sam checked on his stone tablet, but it could only connect to other tablets within the whale¡¯s mouth; however, he still had lots of videos stored on there, so he wouldn¡¯t be bored for the foreseeable future. How long were they going to camp underneath the ground? Well, that depended on how long the blue avians were going to be hunting for them, didn¡¯t it? He hoped they weren¡¯t a persistent race, but seeing as they sent someone after him at the first sign of a calamity, he wasn¡¯t too hopeful.

    Well, even if Sam was isolated from the outside world, that didn¡¯t mean he was lonely. He had his higher-dimensional beings to accompany him. In fact, he was so fine with being inside the whale¡¯s mouth, he had already stayed inside of it for over three months, living off the food Raindu stored in its fur. According to Big Fish, as long as one stayed bathed under the light within its mouth, they wouldn¡¯t have to eat, but Sam ate anyway because despite not feeling hunger, he missed eating.

    Whilst staying inside the whale, Sam experimented with his heart chakra. Although he didn¡¯t have a tutor to impart him with techniques, he had the perfect sparring partner: Manga. By figuring out a way, namely, crystallizing his aura, Sam could defend himself from the wooly pig¡¯s disintegration attacks which turned out to have similar properties to a blue avians¡¯ attacks. Once he was satisfied with his mastery of Aura Crystallization, as he liked to call it, Sam made a decision.

    ¡°Well, alright,¡± Joe said, the sloth¡¯s words dragging on for centuries. ¡°I¡¯ll bring one of them back to life for you.¡±

    Sam waited and waited some more until the sloth finished speaking. Then, he waited for its aura to turn green as it entered a relaxed and cheerful mood. The blue avian corpse lying by Sam¡¯s feet twitched as the green haze emitted by the sloth¡¯s aura touched the blue avian¡¯s feathers. With his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam saw the green light enter the blue avian¡¯s body, and it thrummed, spreading throughout the corpse. Hints of green replaced the emptiness within the corpse, and soon, the light seeped out of the blue avian¡¯s skin like shoots of grass growing on a barren field. Soon, the blue avian¡¯s aura returned, and the green was tinged with several other hues as the blue avian regained consciousness.

    The blue avian zoomed upwards, rocketing into the air and crashing straight into the roof of the whale¡¯s mouth. It collided with a crunching sound as its body scrunched in on itself, and it let out a small exhalation as the wind was knocked out of it. The blue avian floated downwards as it recovered its posture, and only after it reassessed its surroundings did it focus its attention on Sam. ¡°Hello,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°This is ¡­ unexpected. What dimension are we in?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re the ones asking questions here,¡± Birdbrained said as it spread its wings and squawked. ¡°Teach it a lesson, Manga.¡±

    The wooly pig let out its four-syllable-long cry and ran, its legs running forward but its body traveling upwards. The blue avian crystallized its aura to defend itself, but the wooly pig didn¡¯t mind, slamming into the target with its snout anyway. The blue avian¡¯s aura flickered as it flew upwards, crashing once more into the roof of Big Fish¡¯s mouth. The wooly pig snorted as the blue avian floated back down with its arms crossed in front of its chest.

    ¡°Ask away,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°But please do inform me of my situation while you¡¯re at it.¡±

    ¡°Can you teach this human how to fight?¡± Vercedei asked, pointing at Sam¡¯s head with the tip of its tail.

    ¡°I can, but I won¡¯t,¡± the blue avian said.

    ¡°What could you teach him?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°All sorts of techniques,¡± the blue avian said and examined Sam with its All-Seeing Gaze. ¡°It¡¯s rare for a human¡¯s chakras to be so open and charged. If he¡¯s smart enough, he can learn everything.¡±

    ¡°Then teach him everything,¡± Vercedei said.

    The blue avian stared at Vercedei. ¡°I said I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not giving you an option,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Manga, beat some sense into this blue avian. Sam, pay attention to the blue avian¡¯s every move.¡±

    Sam distanced himself from the blue avian and wooly pig, moving as far back against the walls of the whale¡¯s mouth as he could. Vercedei¡¯s idea wasn¡¯t terrible. Since blue avians manipulated their chakras to perform their actions, theoretically, Sam could steal the blue avians¡¯ techniques by watching and observing. Even if he couldn¡¯t mimic them completely, they¡¯d give him a general direction to work with. It wasn¡¯t a bad deal for the blue avian either since it could come back to life and live a little longer; well, mantids would think it was a terrible deal, but blue avians loved life, ¡­right? Sam wasn¡¯t too sure.

    ¡°If blue avians didn¡¯t love life, that one wouldn¡¯t be trying so hard to defend itself,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Pay attention.¡±

    Sam observed the blue avian and wooly pig with his All-Seeing Gaze. The blue avians aura was crystallizing with a green light, becoming solid an instant before making impact with the wooly pig¡¯s fur. Although it was similar to Sam¡¯s Aura Crystallization, there were a few differences. The blue avians¡¯ aura seemed to detonate as well after solidifying, exploding and creating distance between the blue avian and its opponent. The blue avian formed a connection with Sam, and he braced himself with Toughen. A moment later, the blue avian rushed towards Sam at incredible speeds, but before it could reach him, it was intercepted by Manga¡¯s tackle.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure which chakra allowed the blue avians to move as if by teleportation, but he suspected it was related to the Sahasrara. What other chakra would allow the blue avian to form a connection to lock onto him? Perhaps it was a combination of the crown chakra and solar plexus chakra working in unison to produce the movement effect. Manga was born from his Manipura, and it loved to charge at things.

    The blue avian righted itself in midair and stopped its body from colliding against the walls of the whale¡¯s mouth. Sam observed as the blue avians¡¯ aura rippled, starting from its root chakra, a pulse of deep-brown rising up and washing over the already established colors layering the blue avian, causing the hues to become muted. Sam had a feeling the blue avian was mimicking a vibration, and when Manga rushed at the blue avian once more, a barrier made from the black aura extended out of the blue avian, stopping the charging pig in place. Without Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze, it looked like the blue avian had used telekinesis to prevent the pig from moving.

    Sam¡¯s root chakra had been mastered first, yet he didn¡¯t know how to copy the blue avian¡¯s technique. He had a lot to learn it seemed. Luckily, there were three blue avian captives; maybe they each knew their own individual techniques. Although he hadn¡¯t wished to live inside a whale¡¯s mouth, that¡¯s what the situation was, and it was still an experience not many could claim to have, so Sam was going to make the best of it. He might be here for a while after all.

    ***

    Paula hovered in the air, their eyes closed with their All-Seeing Gaze scanning the surface of the land. There wasn¡¯t anything to be found other than the fauna native to the land, but that was impossible. According to the calamity detector, there were definitely calamities in the region, so where were they hiding?

    ¡°Has anyone found them yet?¡± a bored-sounding voice asked inside of Paula¡¯s head. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for forever.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯ll keep looking until we find them,¡± Paula replied, their intentions broadcasted to every blue avian in the region. Like volunteers for a search party to locate a missing child, dozens of blue avians had turned up to search for the culprit, and they had been at it for months. Despite their diligent work, they had found nary a trace.

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± the same blue avian¡¯s voice said in everyone¡¯s minds, ¡°we¡¯ve been here a long time. What if the calamity detector is defective, and we¡¯re searching for them in the wrong place?¡±

    ¡°Then, do you know where to search?¡± Paula asked.

    ¡°No,¡± the blue avian responded, ¡°but how about I split off from the group, and I¡¯ll search somewhere else?¡±

    Paula exhaled, expecting something like this to happen sooner or later. Since the search wasn¡¯t proving fruitful, a lot of the blue avians were thinking it was a waste of time. However, how could they allow three blue avians to be murdered by calamities without doing anything about it? This was more important than anything else the blue avians could have going on in their lives. ¡°And what if you do find them when you¡¯re all by yourself? Those calamities fought five of us and won, or did you already forget?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take some people with me who¡¯re tired of searching this place,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°I can¡¯t be the only one who thinks this isn¡¯t a good idea.¡±

    Some blue avians gathered by the complaining blue avian¡¯s side. ¡°We¡¯ll go with them.¡±

    Paula wasn¡¯t pleased, but it wasn¡¯t like the blue avian could command the whole nest. There were always individuals in a group with their own thoughts, and it was true a lot of their resources were being used to find the culprit to no avail. If people wanted to give up, then Paula would simply take on their responsibilities and bear their workloads like the blue avian always had. However, if they had already spent three months searching the region, would they be able to find the culprit in a reasonable timeframe? Where exactly had they gone?

    Time passed: minutes, hours, days. Another group of blue avians grew bored and left the region in the name of searching another area. The first group that had left still hadn¡¯t come back. Either they had no luck, or they had given up on searching completely; Paula had a feeling it was the latter. Paula floated over to the calamity detector, which was underneath a piece of cloth on an altar. The blue avian¡¯s hands hovered over the cloth, and they formed a connection with the crystal underneath.

    After connecting to the crystal, Paula¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze broadened as if it could accompany the whole of Oterra. A single flashing light flickered repeatedly at Paula¡¯s location. The calamity detector was capable of determining the rough location of a calamity, but pinpointing it was much more difficult. Upon seeing the location of the calamity hadn¡¯t changed, Paula disconnected themself from the detector and spoke to everyone within range in their mind. ¡°We¡¯ll have to start digging.¡±

    Groans and other internal sounds of dissatisfaction filled Paula¡¯s mind. As a blue avian, Paula preferred keeping away from the ground, and the rest of the blue avians felt the same way. However, the calamity needed to be taken care of, and it could only be dealt with if it was found. Someone had to do the dirty work. It wasn¡¯t like the reptilians or mantids were going to step up and take care of Oterra¡¯s stability, and the humans certainly weren¡¯t going to help either.

    Paula floated towards the ground and made a ripping motion. A cube flew out of the ground, leaving a cube-shaped hole. The blue avian manipulated the cube, setting it off to the side before digging up the surface once more. Paula had to lead by example if they expected to get any help. As expected, despite their groaning, most of the blue avians descended above the foliage and dug into the ground with their powers.

    ¡°Why are we digging?¡± one of the blue avians asked, voicing their discontent.

    ¡°We¡¯re in the right area,¡± Paula said. ¡°They¡¯re not above us, and they¡¯re not on the surface, so they must be underground.¡±

    ¡°But ¡­ there¡¯s so much more underground than aboveground,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°How long will it take to find them?¡±

    ¡°That depends on how well they¡¯re hidden, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Paula asked. ¡°We could be here for a long time, or if we really try, we¡¯ll only be here for a short while.¡±

    ¡°This sucks,¡± one of the blue avians said. ¡°Maybe they went somewhere else. We didn¡¯t find any traces of them digging anywhere, so why would you think they¡¯re underground?¡±

    ¡°They could¡¯ve used the holes left behind by burrowing creatures,¡± Paula said. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t necessarily have to dig their own.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°Because the calamity that trampled all those trees is small enough to crawl through the hole left behind by a worm.¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯re frustrated,¡± Paula said, ¡°but that¡¯s no reason to be so sarcastic with me. The calamities are out there, and we have to find them.¡±

    ¡°Those three fellows who got killed would probably understand if we gave up on avenging them,¡± a blue avian said. ¡°If they were in our situation, they¡¯d want to give up as well, so it¡¯d be hypocritical of them to get angry at us.¡±

    ¡°A calamity isn¡¯t something that solves itself,¡± Paula said. ¡°Someone has to take care of it before it grows into an even larger problem. Unless we want to spend even more effort and maybe lives of our brethren in the future, we have to end it now.¡±

    ¡°I hate that you¡¯re right,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°See, I¡¯ve got this thing I was putting off, and I need to go do it now before it¡¯s too late since I spent so much time out here. How about you notify me when you find a trace of the calamity?¡±

    Paula didn¡¯t say a word as they lifted blocks of dirt out of the ground. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to help?¡± they asked after moving a few more blocks. ¡°If something terrible happens, can you bear the guilt knowing you could¡¯ve prevented it?¡±

    ¡°I can bear it,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°Does that mean I¡¯m free to go?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve always been free to go,¡± Paula said. ¡°We¡¯re blue avians. Nothing can restrict our freedom.¡±

    ¡°Except our sense of responsibility,¡± the blue avian said, ¡°but since you¡¯re shouldering my responsibilities, I¡¯ll be taking my leave, thank you.¡±

    The blue avian took off before Paula could say a word.

    Another blue avian chimed in. ¡°I also have things I need to do,¡± they said. ¡°May I go as well, Paula?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Paula,¡± a second blue avian said. ¡°I need to do important things as well.¡±

    It was so convenient for so many important tasks that needed to be done to crop up all of a sudden, but Paula wasn¡¯t going to call out their fellow blue avians on their bad behavior. It wasn¡¯t like they wouldn¡¯t make up excuses to get out of it later if Paula didn¡¯t let them go now. There were some blue avians who¡¯d stick around to help, and eventually, even if it¡¯d take much longer, they¡¯d locate the calamity and deal with the problem.

 Chapter 67

    Sam lost track of time. He didn¡¯t know how long he spent in the whale¡¯s mouth; however, even though he wasn¡¯t keeping track of time, that didn¡¯t mean he was wasting it. The blue avian Sam was sparring with, whose name he had learned was Bach, was equally matched against Sam. He wasn¡¯t sure if the blue avian was holding back, or if he had really caught up to the average blue avian¡¯s fighting standard, but he had gotten really good at using his chakras for combative purposes. Sam crystallized his aura and deflected the blue avian¡¯s punch before stepping to the side, avoiding Bach¡¯s follow-up strike.

    ¡°Good!¡± Bach said, the blue avian¡¯s voice echoing in Sam¡¯s mind. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten much better than when we first started.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Sam said through his throat chakra and wiped the sweat off of his brow. ¡°Is that enough for today?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Bach said. ¡°We can take a break.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± another blue avian¡¯s voice said inside Sam¡¯s head. ¡°Come, gossip with us.¡±

    Through his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam focused on the two blue avians who were sitting at a table off to the side near the wall of the whale¡¯s mouth. At some point, the blue avians had negotiated with Sam. He¡¯d offer them basic rights, and they¡¯d teach him how to fight. A surprisingly cordial relationship had developed between Sam and his three captives, but it wasn¡¯t really unexpected considering how long they had spent with each other in a confined space.

    Sam focused on his Manipura and Sahasrara, their combined effects lifting him off the ground, which was the whale¡¯s tongue. In an instant, he arrived at one of the table¡¯s empty seats, and Bach appeared beside the remaining one. The two looked at each other before sitting down, and the other two blue avians passed Sam and Bach tall glasses with colorful liquids inside of them.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Sam said, accepting the glass. The blue avians were named Bach, Wolfgang, and Chopin after their favorite composers. It turned out they were related; in fact, if one were a blue avian, it¡¯d be more difficult to find another blue avian unrelated to oneself than one who was related.

    ¡°I bet it¡¯s Paula out there,¡± Wolfgang said as Sam and Bach drank from their glasses. ¡°They¡¯re the only one patient enough to wait you out like this.¡±

    ¡°Is Paula strong compared to other blue avians?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Bach said. ¡°All blue avians have the same abilities. The only difference between Paula and the rest of us is their experience; they¡¯ve hunted a lot more calamities.¡±

    ¡°So, Paula¡¯s just more experienced,¡± Sam said. He gently nudged in their direction by forming a connection towards the three blue avians by concentrating on his crown chakra, a gesture the blue avians frequently used to indicate friendly banter. ¡°How am I compared to Paula?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re like one of us,¡± Wolfgang said, ¡°which means you¡¯re now as strong as Paula. That doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll beat them in a fight though.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Chopin said, ¡°what Bach said isn¡¯t quite true. Not all blue avians have the same abilities.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Bach said, shooting mental daggers at Chopin. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°He was going to find out eventually,¡± Chopin said, ¡°who cares if it¡¯s me that tells him?¡± The blue avian directed its attention onto Sam. ¡°There are more chakras than just the seven chakras in your body. There are still the external chakras that connect you to the greater beyond.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Vercedei said, speaking for Sam, ¡°interesting. Do you mind elaborating?¡±

    Bach shoved Chopin¡¯s awareness, and the blue avian stopped what it was about to say. ¡°I can¡¯t elaborate,¡± Chopin said. ¡°You¡¯ll have to discover the rest by yourself.¡±

    ¡°I thought we were cool,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for so long now. We¡¯re practically like family. I know what time you¡¯ll take a dump before your body even tells you it¡¯s ready.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re fine with helping you not lose,¡± Bach said, ¡°but you can¡¯t expect us to teach you how to win. After all, we¡¯re on the side of blue avians, and we won¡¯t be traitors even if you treat us nicely.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ve been going easy on me?¡± Sam asked, speaking with his throat chakra since Vercedei stubbornly refused to get off his face.

    ¡°No,¡± Wolfgang said. ¡°We haven¡¯t unlocked the external chakras yet. It¡¯s not really necessary, and if you do unlock them, you¡¯ll have to shoulder a huge responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that worth it?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Power in exchange for responsibility?¡±

    ¡°Never,¡± Wolfgang said, its aura flashing with determination. ¡°Responsibilities take away freedom, and there is nothing worse than living a life without freedom.¡±

    ¡°Well, you could be dead,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°If you¡¯re dead, you¡¯re free,¡± Wolfgang said. ¡°One can argue death is the truest form of freedom. It¡¯s the only escape from your current fate.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of death?¡± Sam asked. Were the blue avians another species that found life to be suffering and death to be relief? He didn¡¯t think so since they loved their freedom, which meant they enjoyed doing things whilst alive, no?

    ¡°Afraid of death? No,¡± Bach said and drank from their glass. ¡°We go on spiritual journeys all the time, and on those journeys we die. It¡¯s a natural conclusion of living a life, and even our lives as blue avians have to end.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said. ¡°Is it possible for me to go on a spiritual journey since I have the same chakras unlocked?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Chopin said. ¡°You just have to align your body, and launch your awareness from your root chakra all the way past your crown chakra and into the greater world.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you can¡¯t do that in here,¡± Wolfgang said. ¡°You¡¯ll bump right into the ceiling since we¡¯re stuck in a separate dimension. Neat trick by the way, though, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve said that before. How long has it been since we¡¯ve been stuck in here?¡±

    ¡°A few years,¡± Bach said, ¡°if only Paula would give up so we could get out of here already.¡± The blue avian looked at Sam. ¡°You¡¯re not a bad person, but you know how it is. As long as these higher-dimensional beings exist because of you, we have a moral obligation to rid Oterra of your existence.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Sam said. The aura around his face changed colors as a ring of blue swept up from his neck and covered his head. He hadn¡¯t just learned blue avian fighting techniques; he also learned the ways they expressed their emotions, and he found expressing how he felt in their way to be quite natural. ¡°But we¡¯re still friends, right?¡±

    ¡°You know it,¡± Wolfgang said. ¡°You¡¯re fine with being our friends even if it doesn¡¯t amount to much? Even if we vouch for you, we won¡¯t be able to save you from what¡¯s coming.¡±

    ¡°Of course, he¡¯s fine,¡± Bach said. ¡°He¡¯s a living creature just like all of us, and every living creature depends on connections. Since we¡¯re stuck in here with each other, naturally, we grew close and dependent on each other whether we liked it or not.¡±

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    It was as the blue avian had said. Although the blue avians were understandably guarded at first, as time passed and as they understood their situations, they relaxed and eventually befriended Sam when they realized they couldn¡¯t do anything against him with his familiars around. After spending a few years in the isolated space, he found it difficult to remember his old life, but he realized it wasn¡¯t that much better considering he had been talentless. At least, now, he had more friends.

    ¡°Sorry to interrupt,¡± a voice said, echoing in Sam¡¯s and the blue avians¡¯ heads. It belonged to Big Fish. ¡°It seems like the blue avians are giving up on their search or moving to another location.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Bach asked. ¡°Paula lost in a contest of stubbornness?¡±

    ¡°They unearthed a massive region of land looking for me,¡± Big Fish said. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m quite adept at hiding and remaining hidden.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you can¡¯t show us what you¡¯re seeing?¡± Wolfgang asked. ¡°Your ability would be perfect if there were a window for your passengers to see through.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Big Fish said, ¡°not without them noticing. If any of those blue avians notice you looking at them, they¡¯ll be able to locate me, and we don¡¯t want that to happen, right?¡± The whale fell awfully silent. ¡°Oops.¡±

    ¡°Oops?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ***

    Paula kept their hand on the cloth covering the calamity detector. Was it truly defective? The blue avian didn¡¯t think so, but everyone else around them did. Even though years may have passed since the calamity was detected, Paula believed it had simply hidden itself, remaining in the same place and was waiting for the blue avians to leave, but it wasn¡¯t like blue avians couldn¡¯t be wrong. It wasn¡¯t like Paula was immune to lapses in judgement.

    ¡°Are we not going?¡± Mozart asked, having arrived to help search for the calamity at some point during the last few years. ¡°You¡¯ve tried so hard. No one will blame you if you give up now.¡±

    ¡°Sure, they will,¡± Paula said and turned their attention onto the blue avian beside them. ¡°You know they will. If we let this calamity escape, and it commits an atrocity, you know who everyone will be pointing their fingers at first: me.¡±

    ¡°We promise we won¡¯t,¡± Mozart said. ¡°We¡¯ve all seen how hard you¡¯ve been working at this.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you¡¯ve seen me do. It¡¯s not about being appreciated,¡± Paula said. ¡°It¡¯s about doing what needs to be done. If we don¡¯t deal with the calamity now, we¡¯ll regret it in the future.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Mozart said, the aura around him dimming. The two-dozen-or-so blue avians who were still left after digging for years mimicked Mozart, their auras losing their glow as well. ¡°We¡¯re tired, and we need a break.¡±

    ¡°Then go get a break,¡± Paula said. ¡°When you¡¯re back, tell the rest of the slackers to come help me.¡± The blue avian stiffened, and it zoomed down the massive hole the blue avians had dug. ¡°I sensed you! Everyone, the calamity is close!¡±

    The blue avians shuddered and shook themselves off, the light returning to their auras as they flew down to accompany Paula. The hole was massive and looked as if someone had created it by taking a giant pole and stabbing it through the ground before retrieving it, leaving a pool of exposed magma and column of empty air above it. The blue avians came to a halt beside Paula, hovering over the surface of the lava.

    ¡°We¡¯ve reached magma, Paula,¡± Mozart said. ¡°What do you want us to do? Keep digging? You know digging a hole in the ocean never works.¡±

    Paula¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze focused on the cubes of dirt and stone that had been stacked into a massive pyramid off to the side outside of the calamity detector¡¯s detection range. Then, they sent their All-Seeing Gaze into the pool of magma below. Whatever had spied on them just now was seemingly gone, but Paula knew they were down there.

    ¡°We can drain the magma,¡± Paula said.

    ¡°Drain it?¡± Mozart asked. The few blue avians who were left, about two dozen of them, had expressions of disbelief portrayed on their auras upon hearing Paula¡¯s words. ¡°Do you know how difficult and taxing that is? We¡¯ll need everyone who left to come back and help us.¡±

    ¡°Then call them back,¡± Paula said. ¡°They¡¯ve been relaxing for years while we kept at this. They should be full of energy, and draining some lava shouldn¡¯t be an issue for them.¡± The blue avians eyes narrowed. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ll go and call them back. The rest of you will stay here in case the calamity shows itself.¡±

    Mozart and the rest of the blue avians stared in silence as Paula flew away. Then, they chattered in each other¡¯s minds when Paula was far enough away.

    ¡°Do you think Paula really sensed someone? Or were they just trying to trick us into staying?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past Paula to be tricking us. If they really feel like that¡¯s the only way to keep us, then they¡¯ll do it because of their strong sense of responsibility.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s usually such a good thing Paula¡¯s willing to take the initiative to solve our problems, but it¡¯s such a hassle when that initiative forces us to work as well.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. I know we can gossip while working, but gossip is something to be enjoyed, and if all of us are working, where is the new tea supposed to come from?¡±

    ¡°What if the calamity shows itself?¡±

    ¡°Then, we¡¯ll capture it.¡±

    ¡°Will twenty of us be enough? What if there¡¯s more calamities than before? If this really is the human Paula thinks we¡¯re hunting, then wouldn¡¯t there be twenty or thirty calamities by his side now?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a really good point. Don¡¯t you think we should get the heck out of here until our reinforcements arrive?¡±

    ¡°Paula told us to wait.¡±

    ¡°So, they can be safe while we¡¯re stuck in danger? We should¡¯ve been the ones to herald reinforcements. It¡¯s always the underlings who get stuck with the hazardous work!¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be hilarious if the calamity detector was broken all along, and we¡¯ve been digging Oterra¡¯s largest hole for no reason?¡±

    ¡°That sounds awful. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°Just saying.¡± One of the blue avians flew upwards to the edge of the hole and approached the altar where the calamity detector was located. They picked up the cushion the covered calamity detector was resting on and flew over to the other blue avians. ¡°Paula was always the one using this; the rest of us never got a chance.¡±

    ¡°So, what? You think you¡¯ll be better at using it than Paula?¡±

    ¡°Maybe if I connect with it,¡± the blue avian said and grabbed the cloth covering the calamity detector.

    ¡°Wait, you can¡¯t, Samuel. No one is supposed to connect with the calamity detector directly.¡±

    ¡°Exceptions are made in cases of emergency,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this count as an emergency? There might be twenty or thirty calamities waiting to ambush us, and we¡¯ll never know unless I form a bond with the calamity detector.¡± The blue avian tugged on the cloth, pulling it off and revealing a metallic, reflective sculpture made of pure hematite. The sculpture depicted a long, scaled creature with four clawed feet and four feathered wings. It was curled up and eating its own tail, making it look much like a bracelet¡ªa very pointy one.

    The blue avians watched as the braver blue avian grabbed the sculpture. It unraveled, the creature¡¯s metallic tail leaving its mouth, and it wrapped around the blue avians arm as if it were alive. The creature¡¯s legs dug deep into the blue avian¡¯s flesh, and the wings extended outwards. The edges of the wings were sharp, and the blue avian didn¡¯t have any doubts they could cut a calamity.

    ¡°How do you feel, Samuel?¡±

    ¡°That looked unpleasant. Is your arm going to be alright? You¡¯re bleeding.¡±

    The blue avian with the calamity detector raised its arm, blood running down its forearm and along its side before dripping off its feathers. ¡°I feel great,¡± Samuel said and stared at the pool of lava. ¡°I think I know where the calamity is hiding as well.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± a blue avian said. ¡°Since you found it, you can remove the detector now, right?¡±

    The armed blue avian¡¯s aura dimmed, taking on a dark hue. ¡°Remove it? Why would I do that?¡± The blue avian stared at the metallic sculpture attached to its arm. ¡°With this, what can¡¯t I do?¡±

    ¡°Well, honestly, who was surprised about that?¡± one of the blue avians asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like we weren¡¯t warned about connecting with the calamity detector directly.¡±

    ¡°To locate a calamity, a blue avian became a calamity,¡± another blue avian said and sighed. ¡°How tragic.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Samuel said. ¡°We¡¯re now on different sides, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t help you get rid of the calamity we¡¯re hunting first.¡± The blue avian turned around and pointed its arm at the pool of lava. Samuel¡¯s aura flowed into the metallic sculpture attached to his arm. ¡°Come out.¡±

    Cubes of lava were lifted out of the magma pool faster than the molten rock could flow to replenish the removed gaps. An empty space was cleared, revealing a small green whale the size of a sesame seed that remained suspended in midair.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t we have saved so much time if we started with this method?¡± one blue avian asked, observing the whale with a bland expression. How were they supposed to find that tiny thing in any reasonable amount of time? It was no wonder why they had been at it for years.

    ¡°Yes, but we didn¡¯t want to pay the price for using it,¡± Samuel said. The whale disappeared, and Sameul swung their hand down, sending the cubes of floating lava cascading towards the place where the whale had just been. ¡°They¡¯re using an illusion. Focus on locating them.¡±

    The blue avians chattered amongst themselves, speaking as if Samuel couldn¡¯t hear them. ¡°Should we help Samuel deal with the calamity first?¡±

    ¡°Samuel might be tricking us into fighting the calamities, so they can take advantage of us when we do.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Samuel should fight the calamities, and if they really want what¡¯s best for blue avian society, they wouldn¡¯t mind us eliminating them both after they¡¯re weakened.¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s let them fight first. We¡¯ll make sure neither of them can escape before Paula arrives with reinforcements.¡±

 Chapter 68

    Sam had a feeling the blue avians would locate him and his familiars eventually. They were supposed to be the strongest beings on Oterra, the ones who maintained the balance of the plane; it wouldn¡¯t make sense for them to fail at finding a hidden whale, and Sam was right. The blue avians found him, but the situation seemed more complicated than it should¡¯ve been. Logically, he¡¯d be besieged by all the blue avians upon being found, but there was only one of them targeting him? From the blue avians¡¯ conversation that he was eavesdropping on, it seemed like one of the blue avians had sacrificed themselves for power.

    The whale underneath Sam floated upwards while letting out a high-pitched cry. ¡°That blue avian is just like you,¡± Big Fish said as it avoided the cubes of magma flying down from above. ¡°They¡¯re using higher-dimensional beings to boost themselves.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re stronger, right?¡± Sam asked his familiars inside his mind. Although it wasn¡¯t as convenient as using his throat chakra to speak, he didn¡¯t want the blue avians to catch a whiff of what he was saying. ¡°After all, that¡¯s a¡­.¡± Sam paused, realizing he couldn¡¯t identify the metallic sculpture wrapped the blue avians arm. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s only one calamity, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to deal with, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s similar to Raindu,¡± Vercedei said. The twin-headed snake¡¯s purple head eyed the blue head, and Vercedei elaborated. ¡°Werchbite says you¡¯ll have to be very careful because it can slash apart your essence.¡±

    ¡°So, it can cut my soul,¡± Sam said and stared at the gleaming metal edges sticking out of the blue avian¡¯s arm accessory. ¡°Got it.¡± He extended his hand and narrowed his eyes as he focused on the cubes of lava descending from above. They paused, suspended in place, allowing the whale to maneuver past them safely before the molten rock continued their descent.

    ¡°Is it worth it?¡± Vercedei asked, the blue snake disguising itself as Sam while transmitting its thoughts to the blue avians in the vicinity. ¡°What are you giving in exchange for its power?¡±

    Samuel released their hold on the molten cubes, allowing them to fall back into the red pool below. The lava was like sludge, slowly sinking back into position with only a slight dimple left on the surface as evidence of the events having occurred. ¡°Drop the illusions. I can sense all seven of you.¡±

    The blue avians in the vicinity¡¯s expressions changed as Sam appeared in the air. Instead of releasing the illusion completely, Werchbite shifted everyone¡¯s portrayed positions from their real positions ever so slightly to throw off the blue avians¡¯ senses. ¡°I noticed you didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± Vercedei said, the snake¡¯s tongue flickering. ¡°You¡¯ve been cast out of blue avian society, but you don¡¯t seem to be upset about it. Perhaps you¡¯ve given up the only part of yourself that could realize you were missing something.¡±

    ¡°And what if I have?¡± Samuel asked, waving his calamity-covered arm about. ¡°It¡¯s a choice I made when I was sober, and I don¡¯t have the habit of regretting my actions. I¡¯ve been wanting to do this for a very long time actually.¡±

    The blue avian appeared in front of Sam in an instant and swung its feathery arm horizontally, slashing Sam with the metallic sculpture¡¯s wings. However, just as quickly as the blue avian had appeared, Sam had vanished and retreated just outside of the blue avian¡¯s swinging range. At the same time, he expanded his focus, his All-Seeing Gaze encompassing every one of his familiars and blue avians in the region. What was the best choice here? He could run, but the blue avians would chase him. He could fight, defeat the blue avian with the calamity weapon before the blue avian reinforcements arrived. Playing dead wasn¡¯t an option, and it was clear hiding was no longer viable either.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Sam asked. One of the perks of giving up so many of his freedoms was he didn¡¯t have to make the hard choices. There were seven other individuals who were willing to think for him.

    ¡°Defeat the blue avian as soon as possible,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°And steal the hematite sculpture,¡± Raindu said. Now that Sam had finished unlocking his chakras, there was no danger of his talent ruining a meaningful crystal; at least, that¡¯s what the black ferret assumed.

    ¡°It¡¯s not stealing if it¡¯s the spoils of victory,¡± Birdbrained said and squawked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Joe said. ¡°Then it¡¯s mugging.¡± It was a shame no one waited to hear the sloth¡¯s full sentence, and that made it a little angry. A red haze drifted out of the sloth¡¯s body, permeating the air and affecting the auras of everyone around it, starting with Sam and his familiars.

    ¡°If we all rush the blue avian at once,¡± Manga said, letting out its four-syllable-long cry, ¡°it won¡¯t stand a chance, but at least one of us will get hurt very badly. Are we willing to gamble?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Big Fish said. ¡°Joe can help any of us recover with enough time. The risk isn¡¯t as exaggerated as you make it out to be.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s do it,¡± Manga said. ¡°Everyone, charge with me in three, two, one!¡±

    Sam established a connection with Samuel, and in the next moment, Sam rushed forward along with Manga, Big Fish, and Raindu. As for Birdbrained, Joe, and the twin-headed snake, they remained atop Big Fish, not intending on making a move.

    Samuel couldn¡¯t defend himself from all the attackers at once, so he targeted the most obvious choice: the summoner. The blue avian swung its bladed arm at Sam, and Sam gritted his teeth while dodging and activating Toughen while crystalizing his aura at the same time. As the metallic wings chopped into Sam¡¯s right shoulder and severed his arm, Raindu¡¯s paw, Manga¡¯s snout, and Big Fish¡¯s head collided with Samuel.

    Before he had even charged, Sam had a feeling the unlucky individual who¡¯d be struck by the blue avian was going to be himself. He had prepared himself, but he didn¡¯t expect his soul being chopped would be so damn painful¡ªthen again, maybe it was his arm being severed that was causing the pain. Why did his soul have pain receptors? How did that even work? He wasn¡¯t sure, but he was not happy with how things turned out; however, it wasn¡¯t like there was any other option other than to suck it up. Sam ignored the pain as best he could and focused on the blue avian in front of him.

    It didn¡¯t seem like Samuel was going to perform another attack, but Sam distanced himself anyway while holding his severed arm with his left hand. Not a lot of blood flowed from Sam¡¯s injured arm stump, a benefit of having his heart and lungs replaced by a crystalline organ. He¡¯d be fine physically albeit maimed in the meantime. At least, that¡¯s what he assumed.

    ¡°It¡¯ll take a long time for your arm to recover,¡± Joe said, the sloth¡¯s voice taking nearly ten seconds to transmit a word in Sam¡¯s head. ¡°Injuries to the essence are very difficult to heal.¡±

    Sam¡¯s aura dimmed. ¡°But you can fix it, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Joe said. ¡°Reattaching your arm isn¡¯t a problem, but if you use it too roughly, it has a high chance of falling off.¡±

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Great. Of all the things Sam wanted to hear, that wasn¡¯t one of them. ¡°And it¡¯ll stay that way for how long?¡± Sam asked. If his injury were a temporary malady, then it¡¯d be fine. If it took years to fix, well¡­, he wasn¡¯t going to be a happy camper.

    ¡°That¡¯s just how it¡¯ll be after its reattached,¡± Joe said. ¡°You can always choose not to reattach it.¡±

    Although he¡¯d prefer a healthy arm over one that had a penchant for falling off, he¡¯d take a defective arm over no arm any day. ¡°Reattach it,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Not right now,¡± Joe said. ¡°I¡¯m still upset.¡±

    Sam turned his All-Seeing Gaze onto the blue avians. They might¡¯ve wished for Sam and Samuel to fight each other to take advantage of weakened opponents, but that didn¡¯t mean they wanted Samuel to lose so solidly. All the blue avian managed to do was cut off one of the summoner¡¯s arms before the fight was over. Raindu had robbed the blue avian of its vital organs and calamity detector. Defeating the blue avian was much easier than he thought it¡¯d be¡ªminus him being maimed, of course.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Big Fish said and shrank before settling on Manga¡¯s wooly back. The large pig ran in the air, picking up all its passengers before running away. As it left, three blue avians materialized out of nowhere, having been spat out of the whale¡¯s mouth. Since the calamity detector was snatched away by Raindu¡¯s sticky paws, it¡¯d be much more difficult for the blue avians to locate them. That being the case, there was no need for three blue avian hostages lest they encourage the blue avians to continue searching for Sam by giving them a reason.

    The blue avians appeared in the wooly pig¡¯s path, their auras seemingly blending into one as they hovered in a staggered formation. The aura crystalized, and the wooly pig bashed into it with its snout before bouncing off, nearly throwing the passengers off its back. In fact, Sam was thrown off thanks to him having to hold onto his severed arm, but Big Fish caught him with its tail.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape!¡±

    ¡°But don¡¯t touch them either! You saw how quickly that furball can kill; one touch and that¡¯s instant death for us.¡±

    Sam focused his attention onto the wooly pig. Nothing had ever stopped its charge so bluntly before, and its aura reflected that. It was pissed¡ªthough, that was mostly Joe¡¯s fault. The wooly pig let out a four-syllable-long cry and charged again, but the result was the same. Its curly fur flattened against its face as it collided against the crystallized auras the blue avians had set up. Without a sound, the wooly pig came to a halt with its neck buried deeper into its shoulders than before.

    If they couldn¡¯t run, in that case, couldn¡¯t they hide? ¡°Let¡¯s retreat into the magma,¡± Sam said, not feeling too great about Manga¡¯s chances of breaking through the encirclement. ¡°We got the calamity detector, right? They won¡¯t be able to find us once we retreat below the surface and travel with the magma flow.¡±

    The wooly pig let out a cry, voicing its protest against Sam¡¯s idea. It wanted to bash the blue avians¡¯ concentrated auras apart, but the wooly pig was overruled by Big Fish, who grew in size and swallowed the pig and its riders whole. Then, the green whale fell towards the lava, shrinking as it went. The blue avians in the air tried to stop it with powers akin to telekinesis, but the whale grew in size to shatter their control over it before splashing down into the pool of molten rock and shrinking in size once more. The blue avians hoisted cubes of magma into the air using their powers in their attempts to grab the whale, but Big Fish was too slippery, avoiding their grasp every time, leaving the blue avians with nothing but some hot rocks for their effort.

    Inside the fleeing whale¡¯s mouth, Sam lay on the whale¡¯s tongue and stared up at the roof of the whale¡¯s mouth. After years of waiting for the blue avians to either leave or find them, it was finally over. Sam was about to ask the trio of blue avians what they thought of the events that had occurred, but Big Fish disappointed him by letting him know they were gone. Sam glanced at his severed arm and placed it against his side, lining up the sliced portions. Luckily, the calamity was sharp, and his flesh wasn¡¯t mangled at all.

    ¡°Can you reattach them, Joe?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± the sloth said and crawled towards Sam at a pace slow enough to frustrate a turtle. The sloth arrived at Sam¡¯s injury site and raised its claws. It was holding a suturing needle with black thread attached to it.

    Sam¡¯s aura darkened. That wasn¡¯t what he meant when he asked the sloth to reattach his arm. Besides, with how slow the sloth moved, physically suturing his arm back on would practically be torture. ¡°Your sense of humor is great,¡± Sam said, ¡°but this joke just isn¡¯t that great.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a joke,¡± Joe said and stabbed the needle into Sam¡¯s arm. The needle wasn¡¯t an illusion either because it stung, and the thread moving under his skin and through his flesh creeped him out as much as the sensation burned. Sam wondered why it had to be the sloth suturing his arm back on considering how slow its actions were, and he voiced that thought in his familiar¡¯s minds. Apparently, the sloth was the most adept at sewing amongst his animal companions.

    After the harrowing ordeal was finally over, Sam relaxed as the sloth, which had also vented its frustrations for being ignored, also relaxed. Sam¡¯s shoulder stump itched, and the nerves in his severed arm were set aflame as they reconnected with his body. A moment later, the flame went out as the sloth¡¯s relaxing and regenerating aura continued to permeate into Sam¡¯s. Sam closed his eyes, and before he knew it, he and the sloth had fallen asleep. Manga fell asleep next, followed by Big Fish, Birdbrained, the twin-headed snake¡ªwhose heads had fallen asleep at the same time but believed the other fell asleep first¡ªand finally, Raindu.

    Time passed, and Raindu was the first to awaken. The black ferret looked around, making sure everyone was still asleep before taking out its spoils: the hematite sculpture. It was still positioned as if it were wrapped around someone¡¯s arm. Raindu reached forward and poked the sculpture¡¯s head, which was scaled and horned with whisker-like appendages. The sculpture¡¯s eyes rolled down, meeting Raindu¡¯s, and the black ferret let out a squeal, waking everyone from their peaceful dreams.

    Sam shot up, and a piercing pain in his arm made him lie back down again. As the sloth had said, there was a high chance of his arm falling off if he used it too roughly, and right now, it seemed even the smallest of movements could remove his limb. He lay back down and used his All-Seeing Gaze to inspect the metallic sculpture. Upon touching upon it with his psychic vision, the sculpture whirled around and scuttled towards Sam.

    Raindu reached forward to grab the sculpture, but it retracted its paws as the extremely sharp wings approached. The ferret had already seen what¡¯d happen to someone, Sam, who was cut by the shiny edges, and Raindu didn¡¯t want to suffer the same fate. For similar reasons, Sam¡¯s other familiars kept their distances as well, much to his dismay. The sculpture wound itself around Sam¡¯s right arm. It raised its claws and was about to dig itself into his flesh, but it paused upon seeing the sutures keeping his arm attached to his body.

    The metallic sculpture, which really should¡¯ve been referred to as a metallic creature, walked across Sam¡¯s chest and latched onto his left arm. Sam felt the creature¡¯s tail graze his palm, and then, before either of them could react, the metallic creature was sucked into Sam¡¯s flesh, tail first. Sam observed through his All-Seeing Gaze as a black streak traveled up his arm, down his spine, out his tailbone, and into the ground, which happened to be the whale¡¯s lower jaw.

    Although it wasn¡¯t physically connected to him, Sam had a feeling he could manipulate the point below him where the black streak had gathered as if it were one of the chakras in his body. Sam concluded it was an external chakra, one he had heard about from his blue avian buddies.

    Raindu stared at the Sam¡¯s palm, the one that had sucked in the ferret¡¯s spoils. Wasn¡¯t Sam supposed to be done with ruining priceless artifacts? Why did one more get ruined in his hands? How many more could he destroy? Since his talent had unlocked another chakra, did that mean he summoned another familiar. The ferret stood on its hindlegs and stared at the ground. The rest of Sam¡¯s familiars caught on and stared at the ground as well.

    As if seemingly emerging from a burrow within the whale¡¯s mouth, a koala appeared. The koala froze upon seeing everyone staring at it, and everyone else froze as well. Why had a koala appeared when the moving sculpture was of a draconic lineage? If a lizard or a reptile showed up, it¡¯d be more reasonable, but higher-dimensional beings were unreasonable in the first place. Sam exhaled as he wondered what part of himself he would lose next. Perhaps the koala would hug his leg, making it inconvenient to sit. Even though his familiars brought plenty of boons, that didn¡¯t mean they didn¡¯t bring their own set of inconveniences as well. ¡°Hey,¡± Sam said, speaking to the koala with his throat chakra. ¡°I¡¯m Sam. Nice to meet you.¡±

 Chapter 69

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about the metallic koala clinging to his right leg like a bad fashion statement. Considering it weighed so much it made it almost impossible for him to move his dominant leg in a manner other than dragging his foot along the ground, Sam knew he shouldn¡¯t be very happy; the metallic sculpture seemed like it had weighed nothing when the blue avian was wielding it. However, the koala, like his other familiars, brought its own set of unique benefits. ¡­Right?

    Sam looked down at the koala. He could see a reflection of himself on the glossy metal, distorted by the angles and arches of the metallic body. Sam asked through his throat chakra, ¡°What can you do, Dirt?¡±

    Dirt, that was the name the koala had told Sam. He wondered if there was something lost in translation, but the koala was pretty adamant about Sam respecting the name it had chosen, so Sam now had a koala familiar named Dirt. As for what the koala could do, upon receiving Sam¡¯s question, the koala stared up at Sam with a blank expression reminiscent of the one¡¯s he had given his teachers back when he was in school.

    ¡°That¡¯s a stupid question,¡± Dirt said after a pregnant pause. ¡°Where do I even begin? What can you do, Sam? What can you do?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Sam said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a mind reader? You should¡¯ve understood my intent.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore,¡± Dirt said and turned its metallic head away. It still clung onto Sam¡¯s leg, preventing him from extending his leg when he sat down.

    Sam used his All-Seeing Gaze to stare at the metallic koala, and it was clear the koala was frustrated with him from how its aura was bubbling with tiny spheres of red. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what he had done to annoy the koala, and he looked at Joe, who was relaxed and calm. If the koala could still muster up the emotion to be annoyed at Sam despite the sloth¡¯s effects on it, then either the koala was immune to Joe¡¯s ability or saying Dirt was annoyed at Sam was an understatement; the koala must¡¯ve been mightily pissed off. Sam had a feeling it was the latter, but he wasn¡¯t sure why, so he probed his other familiars with his mind, searching for answers.

    ¡°I get it,¡± Vercedei said, speaking out loud. ¡°Sam, think about it from Dirt¡¯s perspective. Imagine an ant asks you what you can do. Where do you even begin? Compared to an ant, humans have many more options when it comes to things they can do: humans can build machines to fly; they can build towers to establish long-distance connections with people across vast distances; they can pilot submarines to explore the deepest depths of the ocean. Does an ant understand the concept of an ocean? Do they realize the vastness of the sky?¡±

    ¡°In other words,¡± Sam said after mulling over the twin-headed snake¡¯s explanation, ¡°Dirt can do so many things beyond my wildest imagination¡ªit doesn¡¯t even know where to begin describing the concepts I never knew existed.¡±

    ¡°Dirt¡¯s also a jerk,¡± Birdbrained said, letting out a squawk. The bird leaned over the top of Sam¡¯s wide-brimmed hat to look at the metallic koala. ¡°Don¡¯t look down on Sam just because he¡¯s a simple three-dimensional lifeform. He¡¯s good at listening and following instructions.¡±

    Sam knew the eagle was complimenting him, but he didn¡¯t really like how Birdbrained¡¯s words made him feel. After all, the eagle was praising him for being a mindless puppet who fulfilled the orders of higher-dimensional beings, humans, reptilians, mantids, graylings¡­. Was he just a mindless puppet? Sometimes, it felt that way, which was understandable considering he couldn¡¯t make his own decisions without factoring in the opinions of seven other¡ªwell, eight now¡ªindividuals as well.

    ¡°He asks a lot of questions for someone who only needs to obey,¡± Dirt said.

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but think Birdbrained was right; the koala was a bit of a jerk. Sam turned his head to look at his bed, which he had created out of a heap of soft materials with the three blue avians¡¯ help a few years back. He concentrated on his Sahasrara and Manipura, willing himself to float through the air and onto the mattress, but when he floated forward, his leg remained stuck on the ground thanks to the koala¡¯s dense body. Like a boat moored to an anchor, Sam slowed to a crawl, barely moving forward despite exerting himself with all his effort.

    Sam stopped trying and looked down at the koala before taking a seat. Since he had been effectively immobilized, he¡¯d have to rely on Big Fish or Manga to carry him around in the future. Although it was inconvenient, Sam didn¡¯t let his frustration get the better of him. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time a higher-dimensional being robbed his body of its allowed movements. Even now, he wasn¡¯t allowed to tilt his neck too much lest the eagle slip off his head and claw its way back up with its sharp, pointy talons.

    Sam took a seat, getting comfortable the best he could with the koala holding him down. He looked up at the roof of the whale¡¯s mouth and asked Big Fish mentally, ¡°How does the situation look outside?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not following,¡± Big Fish said. ¡°Compared to Manga, I don¡¯t move as fast, so we¡¯re still not a safe-enough distance away from the blue avians yet. Where should we go? Back to the mantids to tell them we destroyed the calamity detector?¡±

    ¡°If we do that,¡± Sam said, ¡°won¡¯t the blue avians cause trouble for the mantids?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter if they do?¡± Birdbrained asked in return. ¡°The only person you should be worried about is yourself. The mantids can take care of themselves even if the blue avians attack them.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t quite agree with the colorless eagle whose feathers were tinged green thanks to the lighting; after all, it was the master of the Anunaki, the race of beings who wished to assist entropy by destroying everything. Luckily, another one of Sam¡¯s familiars provided a different route.

    ¡°Let¡¯s raid the blue avians¡¯ home,¡± Raindu said. ¡°They¡¯re all searching for us, so their nest should be undefended. They¡¯re the strongest race on Oterra; they¡¯re bound to have all sorts of rare treasures and ancient artifacts stashed away.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Those pesky birds caused us so much trouble, so we should return the favor. Let¡¯s ruin their week.¡±

    ¡°Is that where we¡¯re going?¡± Big Fish asked. ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure why all the higher-dimensional beings around him seemed to be more evil than good. Were higher-dimensional creatures simply more callous than lower-dimensional beings? Since they could apparently do so much more, perhaps they weren¡¯t bothered by things such as the destruction of a lower plane like how humans didn¡¯t care about the lives of birds, squirrels, and insects when they chopped down trees. Them raiding the blue avians¡¯ home must¡¯ve been no different from a bear raiding a beehive.

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    The wooly pig let out a four-syllable-long cry, agreeing with the plan to raid the blue avians. Since none of the familiars protested the plan, Sam had no choice but to go along with what they had democratically decided. He was going to raid the blue avians¡¯ home and hopefully get away with it. As for finding out the koala¡¯s abilities; well, since it wasn¡¯t willing to share, Sam would have to wait.

    ***

    Paula hovered over the hole the blue avians had dug. The lava pool below bubbled, but there were no traces of the green whale that had allegedly been spotted. The blue avian swept their All-Seeing Gaze over the whole region before their aura flickered with a blue light. ¡°They killed Samuel, stole the calamity detector, and got away?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± one of the blue avians that had been left behind said. ¡°It¡¯s Samuel¡¯s fault.¡±

    Paula directed their gaze onto the blue avian that had spoken. Of course, they had blamed the dead person. It wasn¡¯t like a corpse could defend itself. The reinforcements that Paula had brought along chattered, and Paula¡¯s mind was filled with dozens of conversations at once.

    ¡°How are we going to detect future calamities without our calamity detector?¡±

    ¡°If we don¡¯t detect them, then maybe, we don¡¯t have to deal with them.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense. We have to get the detector back!¡±

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have lost it in the first place.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it your fault for slacking off? If all of us were still here when Samuel connected with the calamity detector, would those calamities have gotten away?¡±

    ¡°What do we do, Paula?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Paula will know what to do.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t always rely on Paula. Aren¡¯t we in this situation because of them? They insisted on going to get the reinforcements when one of us should¡¯ve gone instead. They¡¯re better at fighting; they could¡¯ve protected Samuel.¡±

    ¡°Well, if we can¡¯t rely on Paula, who should we rely on? You?¡±

    ¡°Everyone, shut up,¡± Paula said, their voice piercing through everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°If you were the group of calamities, where would you go next? What would be your next move?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d take a vacation. Since we can¡¯t find them anymore, they¡¯re safe from us, so if I were them, it¡¯d definitely be time to relax.¡±

    ¡°If I were a calamity, I¡¯d definitely want revenge. We hunted them for so long, so they¡¯re bound to be dissatisfied and frustrated with us. They¡¯re definitely going to try to attack us, so we should travel in groups at all times.¡±

    ¡°Buddy system!¡±

    ¡°Do we know how the calamities are born? Is it just through certain crystals? If I were the summoner, I¡¯d track down every crystal of note to try to summon more familiars. Should we go back and protect our collections? What if they come for them?¡±

    ¡°Even if they¡¯re not coming for our crystals, we should go back to the nest and defend ourselves there. As long as none of us travel outside by our lonesome, we¡¯ll be safe, and the calamities won¡¯t be able to do anything to us.¡±

    ¡°Bach, Chopin, Wolfgang,¡± Paula said, calling out the blue avians who had been expelled from the green whale. ¡°Are the three of you still you?¡± Considering the three blue avians had been held captive for years, it¡¯d be understandable if their personalities changed. ¡°Did you learn anything useful about the calamities or their summoner?¡±

    The three blue avians¡¯ auras became sluggish as they became the focus of attention of all their peers. After a second, Wolfgang took the initiative to speak. ¡°The summoner¡¯s name is Sam, and he¡¯s merely a conduit for the calamities to operate in our dimension. He has his own thoughts and opinions, but he¡¯s overruled by the calamities more often than not.¡±

    ¡°There are seven different higher-dimensional creatures,¡± Bach said, adding onto Wolfgang¡¯s words, ¡°and they all have their own individual personalities, each wanting different things, so it¡¯s difficult to predict their next moves.¡±

    The blue avians focused their All-Seeing Gazes on Chopin, causing the blue avian who hadn¡¯t spoken yet to tingle from the attention. ¡°The summoner is about as strong as an average individual,¡± Chopin said. ¡°We, uh, trained him.¡±

    ¡°You trained the person who summons calamities?¡± one of the blue avians asked. ¡°Are you stupid? What were you thinking?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not blame one another,¡± Paula said. ¡°It¡¯s unproductive, and I¡¯m sure any one of us would¡¯ve behaved in a similar manner under the coercion of seven calamities.¡± The blue avian focused on the ex-hostage trio. ¡°You really don¡¯t have any clues as to where they¡¯re going next?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Bach said, ¡°Sam, err, the summoner simply wishes to experience everything life has to offer. He¡¯s been to Et Serpentium, Silva Volucris, and the winding tunnels of the Anunaki, so it wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable to assume he¡¯s going to experience the culture of another race next. I believe he was interested in meeting the Venusians.¡±

    ¡°The Venusians?¡± Paula asked, letting the words roll around in their mind. The Venusians were entities made of energy, and they were great deceivers; when gazed upon, their appearances would reflect raw beauty in the eyes of the beholder. ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°He did express an interest in seeing our territory as well,¡± Chopin said. ¡°He asked about it, and when we told him about where we lived, he was quite engaged in the conversation.¡±

    ¡°What did you tell him?¡± one of the blue avians asked. ¡°Hopefully, you didn¡¯t tell him anything that¡¯d trigger his greed, right?¡±

    Chopin fell silent, and Bach¡¯s and Wolfgang¡¯s auras thickened as if the colors around them were made of soup and had cornstarch added to them. ¡°There might have been mention of one or two or all of the things we¡¯re proud of,¡± Bach said after the pressure from the onlooking blue avians¡¯ gazes became too much. ¡°We were held captive for years. We were bound to let something slip eventually.¡±

    Paula knew how true those words were. Blue avians loved talking and gossiping, so even when it was in their best interests not to, they talked about all sorts of things. ¡°It¡¯s clear we should split into two separate groups. One group should guard our home against the calamities, and the other group should head towards the Venusians. We¡¯ll warn them about the summoner, and if luck will have it, we¡¯ll capture the calamities at either point.¡±

    ¡°And if luck isn¡¯t on our side?¡± a blue avian asked. ¡°Do we have to defend against the threat of them until the end of time?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Paula said. ¡°Unless you have a better idea.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we get another calamity detector?¡±

    ¡°Where are we going to get another one of those? It was a unique item for a reason. Do you know what unique means? It means one of a kind.¡±

    ¡°What about humans?¡± Bach asked.

    ¡°What about them?¡±

    ¡°Well, humans unlock all sorts of whacky talents,¡± Bach said. ¡°I learned about it while I was trapped with Sam. Maybe there¡¯s some human with the talent of tracking down calamities.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s pretty smart,¡± a blue avian said. ¡°If there aren¡¯t any humans with that ability, we can always breed them until that talent appears.¡±

    ¡°Humans live such short lives though,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to replace the calamity-detecting human every hundred years or so.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll only need one,¡± Chopin said. ¡°If we manage to breed one with the right ability, we¡¯ll track down the calamities and take back our detector, eliminating the need for another calamity-detecting human.¡±

    ¡°What do we do with the extra humans who don¡¯t have the ability?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll drop them off near the human city,¡± Bach said. ¡°They¡¯ll get taken in as refugees, and if they aren¡¯t, well, it isn¡¯t our fault humans are cruel to their own kind.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re going to round up some humans, then? Just the thought of doing that almost makes me feel like a reptilian.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad feeling,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°Is that what we¡¯re going to do? Do we need to make a third group, one to gather some promising humans?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Paula said. ¡°Humans were the source of the calamities this time around, so it¡¯s only fair if they become the solution to the calamities as well.¡± Paula encapsulated three different groups of blue avians with their awareness, forming connections with them. ¡°I¡¯ve divided us into three different groups. We each have our own duties and obligations. The first group shall set up the appropriate defenses at our home to protect our belongings from the calamities in case they retaliate. The second group will establish communications with the Venusians, making sure they¡¯re willing to set up ambushes with us. As for the third group, they¡¯ll create a utopia for humans to live in, so they feel comfortable with having lots of offspring.¡±

    ¡°Does it have to be a utopia?¡± Wolfgang asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Paula said. ¡°We¡¯re the good guys. We¡¯re not evil, so behave as such, okay?¡±

 Chapter 70

    Sam stared at the metallic koala clinging to his right shin. The koala¡¯s eyes were closed, and it was clear the creature was ignoring him. No matter what Sam did to it, Dirt didn¡¯t budge. Sam pushed it, pulled it, tickled it, sprayed water on it, and even waved food in front of its shiny nose, but Dirt reacted as a sculpture would: it didn¡¯t. Even when Sam prodded it with his energy by forming a connection with his Sahasrara, the koala refused to communicate¡ªwhich sucked because it rendered his leg useless and severely hampered his mobility.

    Sam sighed through his nose since his mouth was blocked. With his All-Seeing Gaze, he looked beyond the whale¡¯s slightly parted mouth to observe their surroundings. Since the calamity detector had been destroyed by his talent, Sam no longer had to worry about the blue avians discovering his presence. Although they were no longer in danger of being tracked, the whale was still traveling deep underground through molten rock. Perhaps it felt it was more natural to travel through a liquid medium. As for why no lava flowed into the whale¡¯s mouth, Sam didn¡¯t question it; higher-dimensional creatures didn¡¯t obey the laws of three-dimensional physics.

    Several weeks had passed, but even though the blue avians had left, Sam didn¡¯t feel lonely. Since the avians couldn¡¯t track him anymore, he could contact people through his stone tablet again. Of course, that meant talking to Ellie and Wendy, the only close-enough friends he had that could use reptilian technology. According to Wendy, quite a few awakened with highly ranked talents had gone missing recently, and the six big companies were getting concerned. According to Ellie, several human pets had been stolen in broad daylight but with no witnesses. After hearing those two bits of information, Sam couldn¡¯t help but think the blue avians were slaying talented humans to prevent someone like him from appearing once more. Did he feel bad? Not really.

    ¡°We¡¯re surfacing,¡± Big Fish said.

    Through his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam visualized the green whale angling itself upwards, swimming through the lava and piercing through rocky crust above. As Sam observed his surroundings, another person¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze overlapped with his, causing Sam to twitch. Sam sensed a surge of energy heading in his direction, and he cut off his connection while retracting his All-Seeing Gaze. Since the other party had noticed Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze, that meant their Ajna and Sahasrara were as open and mastered as his. If Sam had to take a guess at the other individual¡¯s identity, he¡¯d say they were a blue avian simply because blue avians had all their chakras unlocked.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Big Fish said. ¡°This seemed like a good enough spot as any to surface. It¡¯s easy to lose my bearings when I¡¯m underground.¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve been noticed,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Big Fish said, its voice echoing through Sam¡¯s mind. ¡°I closed my mouth, so they won¡¯t be able to find you.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s back to hiding?¡± Sam asked. Although he could withstand another period of isolation, that didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d enjoy it. He had a good talent, which brought him great power, and he was also rich, but those things didn¡¯t matter one hoot if he was imprisoned in a whale¡¯s mouth. Imprisonment for his security was still imprisonment.

    ¡°No,¡± Dirt said, causing Sam¡¯s eyes to widen. He looked down at the koala clinging to his leg, his eyes accusatory. Now it was willing to speak, huh? The koala¡¯s voice was deep like a bass drum. ¡°Spit us out.¡±

    Big Fish didn¡¯t hesitate to open its mouth. With a flick of its tongue, Sam was tossed into the air. He oriented himself and focused on his Sahasrara and Manipura, willing himself to levitate, but the koala on his leg was too heavy, and he was dragged to the ground like a flag tied around a rock. He didn¡¯t appreciate being spat out of the whale¡¯s mouth without warning, but what was he going to do? Complain? It wouldn¡¯t help with anything, so instead, Sam stood on the ground and activated his All-Seeing Gaze to assess his surroundings. To his surprise, his All-Seeing Gaze¡¯s range had expanded, and the vast amount of information flooding his mind caused him to pause for several seconds. Before, he could see everything in a certain radius around himself; now, it was as if he had become part of the ground, and he could see everything stepping on top of him.

    Sam focused on his root chakra, grounding himself to remain calm. The expansion of his All-Seeing Gaze must¡¯ve been a result of his new chakra being unlocked. According to the conversation he had with Ellie, it was likely he had unlocked his earth star chakra, a chakra outside of his body but still connected to him and located several meters below his feet. At least, he assumed it was the earth star chakra considering he was perceiving things from the perspective of the ground. The other external chakra Ellie had identified for him was the soul star chakra which was located in the space above his crown. As for how Ellie knew about these external chakras, well, the reptilian had gone to the library and did some research¡ªfor her favorite pet, it wasn¡¯t too much of a task.

    ¡°He¡¯s here! The calamity summoner is here!¡±

    Sam raised his head to look at the blue avian floating above him. He could see it with his All-Seeing Gaze since it was within his detection radius. Not only that, but he could see the other blue avians in the trees outside of his personal detection range. Although the distant blue avians personally weren¡¯t touching the ground, the trees they had perched on were, which allowed Sam to perceive them as well. However, when they flew out of the trees and into the air, they disappeared from his All-Seeing Gaze, but they reappeared once they entered the airspace above him with the blue avian who had called out his location.

    ¡°Were you tracking me, or was I just unlucky with my emerging location?¡± Vercedei asked the blue avians, speaking for Sam.

    ¡°Rather than saying you were unlucky, it¡¯d be more appropriate to say we¡¯re just fortunate,¡± the blue avian in the sky said as its companions gathered around it. There were dozens of them, and even more were on their way. ¡°After all, Oterra is threatened by the existence of calamities, so why wouldn¡¯t she bless us and assist us with getting rid of you?¡±

    ¡°Also, you emerged right next to our territory,¡± another blue avian said, chiming in. ¡°What were you expecting? For us to not be home?¡±

    ¡°I was closer than I thought,¡± Big Fish said, evidently proud of itself with its aura shining brighter than normal. The whale had shrunken down to the size of a pebble and was resting on Joe the sloth¡¯s shoulder, who was wrapped around Sam¡¯s waist. ¡°Not bad.¡±

    Sam wanted to know what wasn¡¯t bad about this situation. He was besieged by even more blue avians than the last time, and from what they were saying to one another, he could tell they were much more coordinated as well.

    ¡°Split up! One dozen of us per calamity!¡±

    ¡°Those who are on standby, come with me! When one of them fighting the calamities is injured or weakened, we¡¯ll replace them before they can get killed.¡±

    ¡°When the calamities are bunched together like this, bombard the area! Attack!¡±

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    Sam braced himself, crystallizing his aura while using Toughen to harden his muscles. Hundreds of telekinetic impacts struck him at once along with physical debris picked up from the ground: logs, rocks, branches. Through his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam saw the blue avians¡¯ telekinetic impacts colliding against his aura. Much to Sam¡¯s surprise, instead of his aura being shaken, the impacts were diverted towards the ground where his earth star chakra was located. The impacts slammed against the earth and dispersed without harming Sam. As for the physical debris, they bounced against Sam¡¯s body harmlessly, leaving tiny traces of dirt on his clothes.

    ¡°Why does he always get stronger every time we see him? He¡¯s mastered his Vasundhara!¡±

    ¡°If we let him get away again, who knows what he¡¯ll have the next time he¡¯s back? We have to stop him here!¡±

    ¡°The other two groups are on their way!¡±

    ¡°We have to get him off the ground, or we won¡¯t be able to do anything to him. I¡¯ll rip the ground out from underneath him, but I¡¯ll need a dozen others to help me.¡±

    Evidently, the blue avians knew a way to deal with Sam¡¯s new ability granted to him by his earth star chakra. As long as he maintained contact with the ground, he could redirect energy downwards, using the whole of Oterra as his defense. Considering he couldn¡¯t fly¡ªor move, really¡ªbecause of the koala weighing down on him like an anchor, it was a great ability. However, he couldn¡¯t stop the blue avians from lifting the ground. A circular fissure appeared around Sam as a dozen blue avians telekinetically grasped the region beneath and lifted. And lifted¡­?

    ¡°He¡¯s too fat! We need more people to lift the ground out from under him!¡±

    Suddenly, Sam didn¡¯t feel too bad about being unable to move with the koala attached to his leg. At first, he was disappointed in himself for being too weak to walk with it hugging him, but now, the disappointment was gone. If even a dozen blue avians working together couldn¡¯t get the metallic koala to budge, there was no point in Sam feeling bad about failing something impossible to accomplish in the first place. However, if all the blue avians present worked together, Sam had a feeling they¡¯d be able to lift him even with the koala dragging him down.

    ¡°Do something,¡± Sam said, communicating with Dirt through his head. ¡°You¡¯re the one who told us to emerge. You have a plan, right?¡±

    ¡°Watch,¡± Dirt said. The ground rumbled, and the blue avians paused as a lump protruded from the ground, expanding and growing with every passing second with Sam at the center. Thanks to the increase in height, he could see more things around himself, but the range of his All-Seeing Gaze was still much greater than the range of his physical vision.

    Sam held his arms out to the side, steadying himself as the ground continued to rise with no signs of stopping. The blue avians that were hovering above him were now hovering below him, and Sam wondered if the koala was going to murder him by removing the pillar he was standing on, so he¡¯d plummet to his death. Even though his familiars were born from his ability, it was hard to trust them right away considering what they could do on their own. However, this time, Sam didn¡¯t need to be wary of his familiar. The lump of dirt, which was now practically a small mountain, cracked open horizontally. Seven tendrils made of stone, roots, and dirt extended out of the fissure, and they swept at the blue avians in the sky, extending to reach the feathered individuals.

    Was this Dirt¡¯s unique ability? Summoning some kind of eldritch horror from the ground? Although Sam questioned it, he wasn¡¯t going to complain; after all, the tentacled rock monster was slapping the blue avians, inflicting heavy blows despite the blue avians crystallizing their auras. They flitted about and shouted, attacking the dirt monster that was still growing, but they couldn¡¯t damage it faster than it grew.

    Sam looked down at the koala on his leg. It was keeping him atop the rocky monster, the tremors shaking his body doing nothing to disturb his balance. As the stone monster beneath him grew even larger, more fissures appeared on its body, and even more tendrils sprouted out of the mound. There were as many tendrils as there were blue avians. Sam couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of higher-dimensional being he had summoned this time. Its potential for mass destruction seemed to be much higher than the rest of his familiars¡ªat least, visually.

    Sam looked off to the side, and from where he stood, he could see the blue avians¡¯ territory. The trees there were massive, much larger than the trees in the nearby vicinity. They were thick, requiring hundreds of people linking hands to fully wrap themselves around the trunk of one of the trees, and the leaves on the branches were even larger than a fully grown, adult, human male; they were thicker than one too. If he stood on the branches of any of the trees, he¡¯d probably understand the perspective of an insect. The earthen abomination Dirt had summoned leaned over, extending a long and thick tendril towards the closest tree on the outskirts of the blue avians¡¯ territory.

    ¡°It¡¯s trying to destroy our home! Stop it!¡±

    The blue avians disengaged from the tendrils they were fighting and appeared by the tree the dirt monster was targeting. Together, they struck the reaching tendril, the combined impact of their fists shattering the limb.

    ¡°Work together to break its limbs. We need to buy some time for our reinforcements.¡±

    Although Dirt was powerful with its summoned rock creature, Sam didn¡¯t like the koala¡¯s chances of winning. The dirt monster might¡¯ve been enormous with more tendrils than blue avians present, but it was slow, and the blue avians easily avoided its strikes since they learned their lesson about blocking them directly. They shifted from tendril to tendril, working in unison to smash them apart. Instead of falling apart into sand, gravel, and dust, the tendrils disintegrated, vanishing from existence after the blue avians pounded them with their fists. Since the dirt monster couldn¡¯t hit the agile blue avians, it had to aim for the stationary trees instead.

    Then, a bad feeling struck the top of Sam¡¯s head and ran down his spine, causing him to whip his head downwards to look at the source of unease. The metal koala¡ªwhich had been easy to balance for some reason despite its weight¡ªsuddenly became no longer as easy to support. Sam¡¯s eyes widened as the koala slowly tilted to one side, rotating Sam¡¯s shin along with it as it leaned towards the sloped surface of the dirt monster¡¯s back.

    Sam¡¯s eyes widened, and he barely had time to curl himself into a ball and use Toughen. As his muscles hardened, his descent began as the koala rolled Sam like a barrel down the dirt monster¡¯s back. As he rolled, the path on the dirt monster¡¯s back cleared itself of obstacles, allowing Sam to pick up speed with every passing second. The ground turned into the sky, and the sky turned into the ground, and the process repeated over and over until Sam closed his eyes, choosing to view himself through his All-Seeing Gaze. Unlike his physical vision, it wasn¡¯t spinning around and around.

    Sam ignored the uncomfortable sensation of having his guts pressed against the walls of his body as he spun around and around. Instead, he focused on where he was going. He was rolling down the dirt monster¡¯s back, and he could see it expanding. Behind him, where he had first fallen from, the ground had risen up, forming a mound that was a rushing down towards him almost like an underground wave. If it hit him, Sam didn¡¯t doubt he¡¯d be flung through the skies, and that¡¯s probably what the koala had intended to happen. Sam reached the bottom of the dirt monster where the slope ended in a ramp pointed in the opposite direction of the blue avians¡¯ territory. As expected, when Sam¡¯s body was rolling off the ramp, the moving lump arrived and struck Sam like a finger flicking a fly off someone¡¯s arm. He flew through the air, rotating all the while. Why couldn¡¯t they fly normally?

    Joe and Birdbrained agreed with Sam¡¯s thoughts, the two animals clinging onto Sam¡¯s body as if their lives depended on it, and in a sense, they did. If they fell off Sam while he was soaring through the air like this, it¡¯d be a pain in the butt to get back to him¡ªmaybe they¡¯d be intercepted by blue avians while they were alone. Speaking of Sam¡¯s familiars who were alone, Manga¡¯s four-syllable-long cry drifted into Sam¡¯s ear from not too far away. The wooly pig was running through the air in a straight line towards Sam, making his escape very noticeable.

    ¡°He¡¯s trying to escape!¡±

    The blue avians instantly spotted Sam, and the ones who could afford to peel off from the main group defending the trees from the dirt monster went after Sam. However, before they could get very far, the dirt monster compressed itself like a man sucking in his gut. Then, the dirt mound erupted, and several miniature¡ªbut still large compared to the blue avians¡ªdirt monsters appeared in their way. They were connected to the main body by a strand of dirt with the width of a human hair, but even though they were small, the blue avians had keen eyes.

    ¡°Separate them from the main body!¡±

    The blue avians worked in tandem, distracting the miniature monsters as others struck at their weaknesses. They moved quickly, but they were still too slow. By the time they dispatched the monsters, they had lost sight of Sam and the wooly pig. The only trace they left behind was quite obvious: a large, pig-shaped hole in the ground.

 Chapter 71

    Sam thought he was finished with tumbling when he was launched off the ramp on the back of the dirt monster, but he was wrong. He continued rotating as he flew through the air, and when he hit the ground, a hole had opened up, and he fell into it, still tumbling all the while. Inside of the hole, there was a ramp leading into the depths of Oterra. If Sam weren¡¯t spinning around like a sock in a washing machine and if his mouth weren¡¯t covered by a snake, he would¡¯ve let out a deep sigh. Why was he getting stuck underground?

    ¡°Think about it,¡± Dirt said, the metallic koala not minding the rotations one bit as it rolled while clinging to Sam¡¯s leg. ¡°The surface of Oterra where you like staying is merely the layer of skin on an apple. There¡¯s so much more to the apple than just the surface. If you were to randomly select a piece of the apple, what are the odds you¡¯d end up with a piece of skin instead of the meaty interior?¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t like the koala¡¯s explanation. It made sense, but at the same time, he was sure there was a flaw within Dirt¡¯s reasoning. However, he wasn¡¯t going to argue with the koala, not when it was deciding his destination¡ªat least, Sam assumed the koala was the one manipulating the ground into a sloped ramp; it already showed its proficiency in manipulating soil and rocks. Maybe that¡¯s why it named itself Dirt.

    As Sam tumbled further into the depths of Oterra, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder where the koala was taking him. Perhaps there was a colony of graylings hidden way underneath the blue avians¡¯ territory, but he doubted that¡¯d be the case. Would blue avians really let graylings, a species whose favorite hobbies involved the acceleration of entropy, live near their home? Well, the answer was no because Sam continued to tumble. He really hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to roll through lava. It was questionable whether he¡¯d survive an extended tumble through a sea of molten rock or not.

    As Sam rolled and rolled, he continued to pick up speed. If his body were still powered by his heart and lungs, he probably would¡¯ve fainted, but it was nice Paula had destroyed everything in his ribcage, so he could get it replaced by a crystalline reactor designed by a higher-dimensional being. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Sam asked in his mind after realizing the koala had no intention of stopping its tumble. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the plan to rob the blue avians¡¯ territory?¡±

    Sam checked with his All-Seeing Gaze to make sure Raindu hadn¡¯t fallen out of his clothes. The ferret was still there, so it wasn¡¯t on a mission to rob the blue avians¡¯ territory while the rest of them acted as bait.

    ¡°We can always rob it later,¡± Big Fish said, poking its head out of Joe the sloth¡¯s fur. ¡°Did you see how many of them there were? That was scary.¡±

    For such a large whale, Sam was surprised by how cowardly it appeared to be, always running and hiding. Considering it was connected to his heart chakra, shouldn¡¯t it have been more courageous and imposing?

    ¡°Since I¡¯m formed from your heart chakra, I know there is one important thing that takes priority over all else: your safety,¡± Big Fish said, commenting on Sam¡¯s personal thoughts. ¡°As long as you outlive your enemies, you¡¯ve won. The best thing you can do to get revenge against someone is to take better care of yourself. You¡¯re past the age of being young and reckless, so you should know to differentiate between cowardice and wisdom. It¡¯s the difference between fleeing and retreating tactically.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Sam said. ¡°Where are we retreating to? It¡¯d be nice to know, so I can decide if I want to sleep or not.¡±

    ¡°Can you sleep like this?¡± Big Fish asked. Despite spinning around and around, its voice wasn¡¯t distorted because it was communicating with its mind. ¡°You¡¯re spinning really quickly.¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± Sam said. Long ago, while he was trapped in Big Fish¡¯s mouth, the three blue avian hostages would attack Sam while he was sleeping, so, with the extra boost of motivation, he had improved his mastery over his body and learned the art of sleeping while maintaining his usage of Toughen. Since Dirt was making the journey through the ground as smooth as possible¡ªat least, Sam assumed it was¡ªhe didn¡¯t have to worry about crashing into anything or bracing himself for impact.

    ¡°Rest for a while,¡± Dirt said. ¡°I¡¯ll take you where you need to go, and when you wake up, you¡¯ll be in a good place.¡±

    For some reason, Sam was reminded of those sappy movies involving dogs needing to be put down. They¡¯d usually be lied to and comforted with words like those coming out of the koala¡¯s head. However, it wasn¡¯t like it¡¯d make a difference if he was awake or asleep if any of his familiars decided to kill him. It¡¯d be difficult for him to stop them; he had gone through multiple scenarios in his head involving him fighting his familiars, and he always ended up losing, mainly, because said familiars manipulated the one¡¯s in his mind to beat him up. Even though it was an entirely non-physical experience, it was still painful, perhaps more so than in reality.

    Thus, Sam went to sleep, and when he woke up, the koala¡¯s words were proven to be true. The sun was shining on him, so he wasn¡¯t underground anymore. In Sam¡¯s opinion, anywhere on the surface was a good place when compared to tumbling underground in near darkness. Sam sat up and used his All-Seeing Gaze to observe his surroundings. At the same time, he asked his familiars, ¡°Where are we?¡±

    ¡°Andeland,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°This is where the Venusians reside.¡±

    Sam stood up, the metallic koala hugging his leg making his movements clunky. Around him, there was a field of crystals, the ground entirely made up of a translucent rock with fibrous, white strands running through it. There were crystals of various colors sticking out of the ground similar to bushes and shrubs growing out of a field of grass. Sam glanced at the crystalline ground, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would happen if his talent triggered when he touched it. Would the ground vanish? What shape would the hole be that was left behind?

    Speaking of holes, Sam turned his head to look behind himself. There was a pig-shaped hole in punched through the crystal. Multiple layers of crystals could be seen, but Sam only saw darkness at the end of the tunnel. ¡°Are the blue avians following us?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°No one knows what those people are doing,¡± Birdbrained said.

    ¡°If they¡¯re following us, they¡¯re going to have a hard time,¡± Dirt said. ¡°I made plenty of false tunnels and erased the main one I created. If they can track us through that, then they deserve to catch us.¡±

    Sam decided to trust the koala¡¯s words since it had proven trustworthy once already. He relaxed before looking around, trying to see if he could see anything his All-Seeing Gaze couldn¡¯t. Considering he could sense practically everything connected to the crystalline ground he was standing on, his physical vision couldn¡¯t even compare. However, Sam couldn¡¯t locate any Venusian. However, he did notice a group of a dozen graylings located not too far away. ¡°So, are we on the outskirts of the Venusian territory, or am I just not seeing them?¡±

    ¡°The outskirts,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°We bumped into some Anunaki on the way here. They have knowledge of this region. If we go straight to the center where all the Venusians are located, that¡¯d cause a huge ruckus, and those blue avians will know we¡¯re here.¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure one of the blue avians we were entangled with before I fell asleep said something about blue avians and Venusians working together,¡± Sam said. ¡°If we alert any Venusian¡­.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re disguised,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Some blue avians might be able to see through Werchbite¡¯s illusions, but Venusians aren¡¯t that talented.¡±

    Sam took out his stone tablet and connected with it using his Sahasrara. With its aid, he refreshed his memory on Venusians. According to humans, Venusians were blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and tall humans. According to the reptilians, Venusians were an intelligent type of dreamlurker capable of infiltrating one¡¯s mind to rewire their thought processes to ones more beneficial for the invading Venusian. Also, they were addicted to gold. It must¡¯ve been an important fact because it was clearly stated in the encyclopedia within Sam¡¯s tablet.

    Sam used his All-Seeing Gaze to observe the illusion casted over himself. He appeared to be a mass of gray aura taking on a humanoid shape, and when he viewed himself with his normal vision, he was invisible. ¡°Am I disguised as a Venusian?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You¡¯re¡ª¡±

    ¡°Try sensing them,¡± Dirt said, interrupting the twin-headed snake. ¡°Use your Vasundhara properly.¡±

    Sam ignored the hateful thoughts Vercedei was shooting Dirt¡¯s way and followed the metallic koala¡¯s advice. He turned his attention onto the ground beneath himself where his earth star chakra was located. He took in a deep breath through his nose and held it for a few seconds before exhaling. He waited before breathing in again, meditating while syncing his breath with the vibrating chakra he visualized beneath himself.

    As he breathed in, his Vasundhara pulsed, and bits and pieces of information flooded Sam¡¯s brain in the form of geometric lines and colors. Sam exhaled, and the images faded from his mind. When he breathed in again, his earth star chakra pulsed once more, and the vague lines and colors appeared in his head again. Sam¡¯s meditation continued, and with every inhalation, the lines and colors became clearer until something clicked in his head; the colors represented the various types of crystals in the ground, and the lines showed their relationships with one another. That being said, there were hundreds of thousands of lines, and they often overlapped, making several individual lines into one thick, distinct line similar to a rope and its fibers.

    Sam¡¯s meditation deepened, and he delved deeper into the ground, fascinated by the various colors¡ªmany which didn¡¯t have names because they couldn¡¯t be seen by the human eye¡ªhis Vasundhara was detecting. After exploring for a bit, he remembered what he was trying to do and directed his attention towards the surface. From there, his awareness traveled in a straight line until he detected something new: Venusians. They were dark-gray, humanoid masses of energy, resembling an aura without an individual.

    They were located underground inside a pocket of space, which Sam assumed was a large geode. It didn¡¯t surprise Sam much considering it¡¯d be difficult to build structures without a physical body. However, as Sam continued to scan Andeland with his awareness, he realized he was wrong. There were a few towering structures made of gold, and within those golden buildings which practically formed a whole city of gold, hundreds of Venusians were gathered. The gold acted as beacons when viewed through Sam¡¯s Vasundhara, and the Venusians seemed very comfortable around the shiny metal, their dark auras were brighter than their counterparts living in the ground. Apparently, humans weren¡¯t the only ones with a clear social disparity. Perhaps the underground Venusians were akin to talentless humans.

    After observing for a bit longer, Sam ended his meditation and opened his eyes. ¡°So,¡± he said, looking down at the metallic koala. ¡°What is our objective in Andeland?¡±

    ¡°Experience,¡± Manga said with its four-syllable-long cry.

    ¡°Also,¡± Birdbrained said, ¡°there¡¯s a city made of gold built on a golden foundation. This golden foundation was created by the Venusians before their plane had even ascended to Oterra, and it¡¯s safe to say the whole of Venusian society relies on this foundation to exist.¡±

    ¡°And you want me to destroy it,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°I never said that,¡± Birdbrained said.

    The eagle didn¡¯t have to speak to make its destructive tendencies known. Sam exhaled through his nose. Was he going to harm another species? Perhaps this was his fate; no matter who obtained his talent, they¡¯d be put in the same position as him in the end. ¡°You want me to absorb this foundation with my talent.¡±

    ¡°Well, it wouldn¡¯t hurt, right?¡± Vercedei asked, determined to get more words in since a chatty koala had entered the mix. ¡°You¡¯ll obtain a new familiar, and those blue avians will have to think a lot harder about dealing with you with extra firepower on your side.¡±

    That was certainly true. If Sam unlocked another external chakra by absorbing the Venusians golden foundation, it¡¯d be difficult for the blue avians to do anything to him since it was already difficult for them to locate him right now. However, what part of himself would he lose next if he summoned another familiar? He already couldn¡¯t walk. Maybe the next familiar would make it impossible for him to stand. Maybe it¡¯d affect his mind, making him unable to think. Then again, even if it did that, did he have free will in the first place with all his familiars driving him? In the first place, did his free will matter? This kind of life, one he would never have as a talentless, this was what he had asked for.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± Sam said. ¡°Is it going to be the same operation? Raindu will steal the foundation while we do our best to maintain a low profile?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°We¡¯re going to make the dreamlurkers give their golden foundation to us, and we¡¯ll take them under our wings.¡±

    In the same way the graylings were under the eagle¡¯s wings? Sam didn¡¯t think the dreamlurkers would willingly sacrifice their lives to the eagle like that. ¡°And how are you going to do that?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Werchbite¡¯s been waiting for a chance to shine,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°They don¡¯t ever mention it, but they want to play around too.¡±

    Sam knew it. The familiars really were just playing around as if diving to a lower dimension was something fun to do for a weekend. ¡°Alright, Werchbite,¡± Sam said through his mind, thinking at the twin-headed snake¡¯s purple head. ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°Go,¡± Vercedei said for the snake¡¯s purple head, only needing one word to tell Sam he should head towards the city of gold. There was no point in him asking questions. He was used to being a puppet controlled by Werchbite for the higher-dimensional being¡¯s amusement; after all, there was a period of time he wasn¡¯t allowed to speak or act as himself thanks to the twin-headed snake covering his face.

    Sam turned to look in the direction of the city of gold. Then, he looked down at the metallic koala that refused to budge. ¡°Who¡¯s carrying me?¡± Sam asked, looking down at the sloth hugging his waist. His gaze drifted towards its shoulder at the miniature green whale buried in its clumpy fur. Then, Sam looked at the wooly pig standing off to the side, nudging it with his psychic awareness. ¡°Manga? Big Fish?¡±

    ¡°You do it,¡± Big Fish said to Manga. ¡°When you¡¯re all inside my mouth, it¡¯s a little lonely out here, and I get scared, you know? Everything¡¯s so big when I shrink myself.¡±

    Instead of responding, the wooly pig heaved a sigh and stuffed its snout into the ground. Then, with a grunt, it flicked its head up, the action scooping Sam into the air and onto its back. Sam landed with a thump and looked down at his leg to see if the wooly pig was injured by the denseness of the koala. The wooly pig¡¯s furs were buckled, but they stopped the koala before the metallic animal could reach skin. Manga let out a cry before marching forward at a pace a regular Venusian could travel¡ªaccording to Birdbrained.

    ¡°So,¡± Sam said as he made himself as comfy as he could with an immobile shin. ¡°How does a society hinge on this golden platform?¡±

    ¡°Dreamlurkers don¡¯t have physical bodies,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°They can only exist in certain crystals and metals. Gold is their best habitat because it¡¯s easy for them to move through and exist around. Once they leave the security of their crystals, they don¡¯t last for very long similar to a fish leaving water or a human stepping into outer space.¡±

    Sam could imagine it now, hundreds of thousands of dreamlurkers working together to create a golden platform, one where they could freely travel and interact with one another without worrying about the threat of death. They would¡¯ve spent years gathering enough gold to create a thriving society, and it may have taken even longer for them to ascend to Oterra. Their efforts must¡¯ve continued as they struggled to survive on Oterra like the humans, and after all this time, they¡¯ve established a home for themselves. If someone were to take away the massive layer of gold all their buildings were established on, what would happen? Their society would fracture, and communication between the individual golden buildings would suffer. It¡¯d be his fault too, but Sam steeled his heart. Living beings were resilient, and Sam had no doubt the Venusians could overcome their impending hardships before blooming into something even better.

 Chapter 72

    Toka was an average Venusian. He had no physical shape nor form nor any body part that¡¯d identify him as a biological male, but his pronouns were he and him, and he was quite happy to be addressed as such. As an average Venusian, Toka lived in an amethyst geode¡ªmost Venusians lived in geodes, and only those who were generationally wealthy, or obscenely lucky, could live in the golden city. Toka had always dreamed about the golden city; according to the rumors, the city never slept. If a Venusian was lonely, there¡¯d always be someone to talk to due to the sheer number of people and varied sleeping habits.

    Currently, despite being located within an amethyst geode, Toka was following his Venusian instincts and residing in the dream of a woman. The woman was jogging, presumably to stay fit, but she was running as if she were underwater. As for Toka, he was sitting in the patio area of a restaurant, enjoying a meal whilst sitting out in the warm sun, his body looking very much like a regular human adult male. Toka ignored the woman whose dream he was in; after all, he didn¡¯t want to make her uncomfortable. If the dream shifted into a nightmare, his treat and sunlight would disappear.

    As Toka sipped on his beer, which was totally acceptable to drink for brunch because he was in someone¡¯s dream, where logic only applied when it felt like doing so, the woman¡¯s dream gradually shifted locations to am abandoned house. A sigh escaped from Toka¡¯s mouth; even though he hadn¡¯t done anything to agitate the woman, the dream had shifted somewhere dark regardless. Some Venusians liked dark dreams, but not Toka; truth be told, he was a bit of a scaredy-cat.

    Toka watched from the window seat he had been shifted to as a masked man with a chainsaw entered the house where the woman was now spending the night due to illogical dream reasoning. The Venusian figured it was time to go before things got gory, scary, and brutal. As such, Toka placed his beer down on the windowsill and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was back inside of his ¡­ unopened ¡­ geode. Why was his geode open?

    ¡°Hello,¡± a voice said, figuratively startling the intangible poop out of Toka¡¯s body.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Toka asked, communicating through Venusian language which was similar to Sam¡¯s activation of his throat chakra. Toka scanned his geode, and on the other side of the massive crack, which he was sure wasn¡¯t there before he had entered the woman¡¯s dream, there was another Venusian with an imposing presence. The Venusian¡¯s aura was so thick it almost seemed solid. ¡°How did you break my home?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t break your home,¡± the Venusian said. ¡°I noticed it was broken, so I came to take a look to see if you were alright. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re unharmed. My name is Sam by the way.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thanks, Sam,¡± Toka said, inspecting the hovering standing before him. ¡°Did you happen to see who destroyed my home?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said, speaking for Sam in the same way as Venusians. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t see anyone else around.¡±

    ¡°Well, then, you must¡¯ve scared them away,¡± Toka said as he inspected Sam. ¡°Has anyone ever told you you¡¯re very big?¡±

    Considering Werchbite was also disguising the wooly pig¡¯s presence, Sam wasn¡¯t surprised the Venusian perceived him as huge. The Venusian was actually quite small, smaller than he had expected one to be. ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I¡¯m quite large, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Toka said, not daring to approach the crack in the amethyst geode. Who would feel comfortable approaching someone they suspected to be a home invader? Not to mention said home invader was six times Toka¡¯s size. ¡°Well, thank you for checking up on me, but as you can see, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°You say that, but are you really?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°You¡¯re living in a geode barely larger than yourself. It doesn¡¯t look like you have many neighbors, meaning you don¡¯t have many friends.¡±

    ¡°I have a family,¡± Toka said, lying for all he was worth. For some reason, he felt like the Venusian in front of him was like a predator ready to eat him if he showed a single hint of weakness. If Sam found out Toka was all alone without anyone who would be missing him if he were to die, what would stop Sam from doing whatever he wished to Toka? Sam¡¯s morals? Hah, as if Toka could trust someone else to do the right thing. ¡°My three children come to check up on me every so often to make sure I¡¯m doing fine. They¡¯re married with their own families, so I can¡¯t blame them for leaving me, but I¡¯m far from lonely.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s great to hear,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I was on my way to the city of gold, and I was going to ask you to come with me, but if you¡¯re happy here, you should stay.¡±

    Even if he wasn¡¯t happy here, would Toka follow a stranger to the city of gold? Obviously, that depended. ¡°I¡¯m very poor. Even if I wanted to go with you, I wouldn¡¯t be able to.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you wouldn¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± Vercedei said. Clumps of gold appeared inside of Sam¡¯s Venusian illusion¡¯s chest. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to ask you to pay.¡±

    Toka couldn¡¯t help but lean forward to stare at the gold, approaching the crack in the geode. It took him a second to snap out of it, and he reeled himself back. If something sounded too good to be true, then it was. ¡°What¡¯s the catch? If I were to go along with you, I mean.¡±

    ¡°Truth be told, I¡¯m not a Venusian,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I¡¯m a higher-dimensional being.¡±

    Toka froze. Weren¡¯t the blue avians on the lookout for a higher-dimensional being? A calamity, they called it. Toka made up his mind. ¡°So, what do you need me for?¡±

    ¡°Assist me,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I wish to become the ruler of the Venusians, and if you help, I¡¯ll make sure your position in the new society is better than it is now. You won¡¯t have to live inside a cramped geode, and if you¡¯re generous, never mind yourself, you can even gift several golden buildings to your family members as well.¡±

    Toka shuddered, his usually dull vibrations humming at a frequency so high he didn¡¯t even know it existed. ¡°What kind of assistance do you need?¡± the Venusian asked. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything as long as it¡¯s beneficial for myself as well.¡±

    ¡°Quite honest, aren¡¯t you?¡± Vercedei asked. The vibrations Sam¡¯s illusion was releasing decreased in intensity, becoming ominously slow. ¡°At least you know how to interact with one of my kind. Worship me, and I¡¯ll bring you prosperity, all of your wildest dreams can come true; of course, you¡¯ll be betraying your own kind. I¡¯ll be asking you to lie, steal, murder, and maybe some torturing too. There¡¯ll be plenty of unsavory tasks to complete as well: covering our tracks, disposing of evidence, public speaking.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind speaking,¡± Toka said. ¡°I¡¯ll say whatever you want me to say, do whatever you want me to do. All I ask is you give my life a purpose, preferably a swanky one, but if we need to be discreet, I can and know how to be. I¡¯m only being open and frank because I recognize you have greater means than I do, and my fate is in your hands.¡±

    ¡°How shall I address you, my follower?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Toka,¡± Toka said. ¡°My name is Toka.¡±

    Sam observed the twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head lure the Venusian to their side. Wasn¡¯t he basically in the exact same situation as Toka? Well, maybe, Toka was in a more expendable position since there were other Venusians out there while Sam wasn¡¯t ¡­ expendable? He wasn¡¯t, right? The twin-headed snake did bring him back to life after he was killed by Paula, so he was better off alive for his familiars¡¯ purposes.

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    ¡°Then, shall we head to the city of gold, Toka?¡± Vercedei asked.

    The Venusian stared out the cracked geode at the massive mass of energy in front of it. ¡°Yes,¡± Toka said after a brief moment of hesitation. In the end, what did the Venusian have to lose? As the higher-dimensional being had so bluntly pointed out, he was living a life of lonely squalor, and no one would miss him when he died. Here was the chance to change his life forever; he¡¯d regret it forever if he didn¡¯t take it. The Venusian slid out of the amethyst geode, and its body sank into the ground, over half of it sinking beneath the surface. Without a geode to support it, it could only exist whilst attached to a crystal.

    ¡°I am ready to depart,¡± Toka said.

    ¡°Good,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Your riches and bright future await you.¡±

    ***

    Paula stood in a bear-sized-but-pig-shaped tunnel with their aura flickering. Blue avians were sentient, and it was only normal for sentient creatures to experience frustration. Nobody was perfect, and upon failing the same task several times, one was bound to feel irritated. As such, no one blamed Paula when they punched the tunnel wall ahead, another dead end. In fact, all the tunnels led to dead ends, leading Paula to believe none of the tunnels in the ground led to the calamity summoner¡¯s actual destination.

    ¡°None of you caught up to him?¡± Paula asked, their voice traveling through the minds of the blue avians within the tunnels.

    ¡°You saw that dirt monster outside,¡± one of the blue avians said. ¡°We needed everyone to work together to deal with it safely, and the small pursuit force we did manage to scrounge up got delayed; by the time they reached the ground, there were already too many tunnels for them to explore.¡±

    ¡°What about Tchaikovsky?¡± Paula asked. ¡°Haven¡¯t they partially mastered their Vasundhara? You haven¡¯t found them yet?¡±

    ¡°There are tunnels expanding in every direction,¡± the blue avian name Tchaikovsky said. ¡°They¡¯re not connected to anything, and there are thousands of them. The calamity is likely the Earth Turner; my mastery of my earth star chakra pales in comparison to what a higher-dimensional creature like that can do.¡±

    ¡°Then, they escaped,¡± Paula said, their aura relaxing. The only thing they could do now was count their losses and prepare for the next time Sam was sighted. ¡°Did they take anything from our nest?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± a blue avian said. ¡°They weren¡¯t brave enough to step foot into our home.¡±

    But they were brave enough to target their lovely trees to destroy them. Paula flew out of the tunnel they were in and floated just above the ground. ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t failed in killing Sam the first time,¡± the blue avian said, ¡°things wouldn¡¯t have come to this point.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Mozart said. ¡°You should¡¯ve nipped it in the bud back then, but you failed.¡± The blue avian flew to Paula¡¯s side. ¡°However, it¡¯s not completely your fault. We all shoulder the responsibility when a calamity causes trouble in Oterra; we¡¯re all as equally to blame as you. For three hundred years, humans showed no signs of being problematic, so it¡¯s understandable we underestimated one.¡±

    Paula¡¯s aura flickered, and they flew up into the air, above the treetops to visually survey the surroundings. Unlike Sam¡¯s vision, a blue avian¡¯s eyes could see things clearly from hundreds of meters away like an eagle. However, there was nothing on the surface that¡¯d lead them to Sam. Although the blue avians successfully defended their home from the dirt monster created by the Earth Turner, Paula felt like they had been played. The blue avians had originally split into three groups, but it was clear now that their forces couldn¡¯t be divided that thinly if they wanted to deal with Sam.

    ¡°How many humans have we captured?¡± Paula asked.

    ¡°Around two hundred,¡± one of the blue avians said. ¡°We could¡¯ve caught more, but we only grabbed the promising ones.¡±

    Two hundred humans¡­. ¡°That should be enough for the breeding program, right?¡± Paula asked. Humans reproduced quickly, and the blue avian felt like it shouldn¡¯t take long for a talented human capable of locating calamities to be born. ¡°From now on, rather than splitting into three smaller groups, we should maintain one large group while sending out scouts. If the scouts find Sam, then we¡¯ll move as one to crush him.¡±

    ¡°What if we move as one, and he gives us the slip and robs our home while we¡¯re gone?¡± a blue avian asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if all of us stayed in our home, so once he shows up again, we¡¯ll all be prepared to take him down? If he doesn¡¯t show, then, in due time, we¡¯ll have bred a human with calamity-detecting talents.¡±

    Paula tilted their head back and stared up at the sky, letting their mind relax as they stared at the blue color. After a bit, the blue avian lowered their head. ¡°Fine,¡± Paula said. Everything they had done to deal with the calamity summoner, Sam, had failed, so since that was the case, wouldn¡¯t it be better to let someone else take charge? If someone else wanted to put forth a plan and implement it, then that was great. It¡¯d allow Paula a chance to recollect themself and obtain a second perspective. Besides, didn¡¯t Mozart have a point? Sam was all the blue avians¡¯ responsibility, not just Paula¡¯s. ¡°Someone else can decide how to deal with Sam. I¡¯ll go along with whatever plan they propose.¡±

    ***

    Toka thought it¡¯d take a long time to reach the city of gold; he was correct, but he was right for the wrong reasons. Venusians had difficulty with traveling in general, and traveling was even more difficult when the distances were long. They could only exist whilst attached to crystals, and depending on the crystal they were in, its purity and structure, it¡¯d be easier or harder to wade through¡ªwading was the only word appropriate for the Venusians¡¯ half-submerged form of walking. The only exception was gold; it was incredibly easy to travel through gold, and a Venusian could practically walk on top of its surface without sinking more than a couple of toes inside of it. Since the way to the city of gold didn¡¯t have any roads made of gold, if Toka were alone, the only choice he¡¯d have to travel was to wade his way all the way there at a snail¡¯s pace. However, he wasn¡¯t alone, and there was more than just Sam, the higher-dimensional entity, traveling with him.

    Instead of moving by himself, Toka was sitting in an amethyst geode with part of himself poking out of it to get a good look at his surroundings. Around Toka¡¯s amethyst geode, there were dozens, maybe hundreds, of other geodes, all of them housing another Venusian. All the geodes were dragging and scraping along the ground as if they were empty cans tied to a horse¡¯s ankle, but instead of a horse, the geodes were attached¡ªthrough a method Toka couldn¡¯t discern¡ªto Sam. The geodes moved quickly, much faster than a Venusian could travel on their own through the ground of Andeland, but they hadn¡¯t reached the city of gold yet because Sam wasn¡¯t heading straight there. He was traveling around from isolated Venusian to isolated Venusian, picking them up and convincing them to join his group.

    At first, Toka had thought he¡¯d be of importance to Sam, but after realizing he was just one Venusian of many, Toka couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed. However, the disappointment didn¡¯t last for long. There was safety and strength in numbers, and the more discontent, lonely, and bitter Venusians Sam gathered, the better their chance at flipping the script. They¡¯d be the ones living in the city of gold while all those elite and pompous gold-dwelling Venusians would be taken care of by Sam. At least, that¡¯s what Toka assumed would happen. Sure, they might have to worship Sam as their leader, but so what? It would still be a better life than living alone in an amethyst geode with nothing to look forward to except death.

    There were plenty of Venusians being dragged after Sam, but none of them spoke to one another, which wasn¡¯t really a surprise given their origins. They were the Venusians deemed as undesirable, and they didn¡¯t feel the need to interact with one another. Some were distrustful of others, unwilling to form bonds less they get hurt, and others felt worthless, keeping silent because they felt their ideas and words had no value. Regardless of their reasons, the journey to the city of gold was a silent one save for the scraping and jostling of geodes against the crystalline ground.

    When the city of gold appeared on the horizon at last, the attached Venusians couldn¡¯t help but peek out of their geodes to get a look at the fabled city. Around the city, there was a moat made of sand; if it was difficult for Venusians to travel through crystals, it was nearly impossible for them to walk across sand. A golden drawbridge was standing vertically by the city¡¯s walls, and if one was a Venusian, their only option to enter or exit the city was to be given access through the drawbridge. Of course, if one had outside help, they could occupy a geode and have their assistant fling the geode into the city, but that would be way too conspicuous. To the Venusians¡¯ disappointment, Sam didn¡¯t head straight towards the city. Instead, he circled around it, even going further away at times, to pick up more Venusians who had been deemed undesirable. However, they knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before they set foot into the city, and the usually dull vibrations the Venusians emitted were excited and colorful.

 Chapter 73

    The city of gold, it took one¡¯s breath away to gaze upon it; the gleaming buildings reflecting the sun¡¯s rays, the surfaces so smooth one could see their own reflection staring back at them, the hundreds of dozens of beautiful and handsome individuals walking around. Sam couldn¡¯t help but compare the Venusians within the city to the ones outside, the ones still stuck in their geodes and unwilling to climb out. The Venusians in the city of gold seemed solid with physical forms, but with his All-Seeing Gaze, he could see the black masses within the Venusians representing their true forms, not very different from the ones those Venusians deemed undesirable.

    The sandy moat around the city resembled a beach separating the golden walls and buildings from the barren, crystalline land; it was appropriate to call it barren considering no plants nor animals were present, making Sam wonder what Venusians ate to survive. They probably didn¡¯t have to eat or poop considering their lack of physical bodies. Maybe they themselves were like plants, able to sustain themselves off of sunlight. Either way, Sam was sure the eagle standing atop his head would give him an answer. After all, Birdbrained had commanded a local grayling to die and absorbed its memories.

    ¡°No poop,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°Venusians don¡¯t poop unless they¡¯re in someone¡¯s dream about pooping. Even then, they simply sit on the toilet and stand up, and the toilet needs to be cleaned without any other action on their part.¡± There were more details than Sam wanted to know, but the eagle wasn¡¯t done. ¡°As for eating, they love eating. They lurk in people¡¯s dreams and eat the food inside. The action doesn¡¯t actually sustain them, but they do get the energy they need to survive by existing in someone¡¯s dream.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Sam said, communicating with the eagle through his mind. Through his All-Seeing Gaze, he focused on the two Venusians manning the drawbridge. They were standing atop the city wall, a structure that spanned the whole perimeter of the city. Sam wondered how long of a portion of the wall he could purchase if he spent all his credits. Considering the size of the gold ingots acting as bricks, he had a feeling his purchasing power was quite mediocre.

    ¡°Who goes there?¡± one of the Venusians on the wall said upon noticing Sam and his entourage. ¡°State your purpose!¡±

    Sam remained silent, allowing the twin-headed snake covering his mouth to speak for him. At the same time, his physical vision was blocked as the snake¡¯s purple head slithered over his eyes. It was for the best since it¡¯d be easy for him to get distracted by the Venusians¡¯ outer appearances¡ªat least, that¡¯s what he told himself to push down his frustration at having one of his senses robbed.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Vercedei said, copying the ways Venusians communicated with one another. ¡°I¡¯m here to enter the city with my friends.¡±

    The Venusian on the wall didn¡¯t respond. If Sam had to take a guess as to what they were doing, they were either informing the Venusians within the city about the sudden influx of visitors, or they were discussing something with one another. After a while, one of the Venusians on the wall spoke up. ¡°Five gold nuggets per person.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± one Venusian asked, poking their head out of their geode. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be only one gold nugget to enter!¡±

    ¡°Well, look at how many of you there are,¡± the Venusian atop the wall said. ¡°It¡¯ll take forever to process all of you. Don¡¯t you think we should be compensated fairly for our time and effort?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± the second Venusian said. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? It¡¯s common to add gratuity when the party is greater than five. Just think of the extra nuggets as a tip for us hard workers.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Vercedei said before any other Venusian behind Sam could protest.

    ¡°Okay?¡± the Venusian on top of the wall asked. It made contact with its partner, bumping it with part of its mass, before asking Sam, ¡°How many people are with you?

    ¡°Four hundred,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°Four hundred?¡± the Venusian asked, repeating after Vercedei again. The two Venusians exchanged glances with one another, the action unable to be seen by Sam. All he saw through his All-Seeing Gaze was the two black masses representing the Venusians form a connection with each other for a brief moment. ¡°That¡¯s two thousand nuggets. Toss them over, and we¡¯ll lower the drawbridge.¡±

    A pile of gold fell out of Vercedei¡¯s body, landing on the crystalline ground, the clinks and clacks drawing the Venusians¡¯ attention. ¡°There¡¯s too many to toss over,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°How about you lower the drawbridge and help me transfer them?¡±

    The Venusians on the wall buzzed, their auras elevating in real time under Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze. Evidently, the city might¡¯ve been made of solid gold, but gold nuggets were still precious. Unfortunately for the Venusians on the wall, the nuggets on the ground were fake. They were rocks that Werchbite had placed an illusion on, making them gleam and look like gold. Venusians might¡¯ve been good at creating illusions of their own, but evidently, they couldn¡¯t see through Werchbite¡¯s technique.

    The drawbridge lowered as the two Venusians fiddled with some levers and switches on the wall. The bridge made of solid gold was quite impressive to Sam. Gold was heavy, and the Venusians, who didn¡¯t even have physical bodies, were capable of creating a city with mechanical parts capable of moving large blocks of gold. Now that he thought about it more, how did the Venusians erect such a colossal structure?

    ¡°They can lift small pieces of gold,¡± Birdbrained said in Sam¡¯s head. ¡°Gold is the only solid object they can manipulate; that¡¯s why it¡¯s so valuable to them.¡±

    The two Venusians practically slid down the wall, which Sam would¡¯ve loved to see with his physical vision but couldn¡¯t, and landed on the drawbridge. They practically sprinted across, and once they reached the crystalline ground Sam¡¯s illusion was standing on, their velocities slowed drastically as if they had entered a bog. The two Venusians grabbed at the small pile of gold littered around Sam¡¯s feet, and the rocks vanished into the Venusians¡¯ bodies.

    ¡°And how are they grabbing regular rocks?¡± Sam asked Birdbrained in his head.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t,¡± Vercedei said, answering for the eagle. ¡°They only think they are. Werchbite¡¯s illusions fool more than just one¡¯s vision.¡±

    Sam listened to Vercedei while watching the two Venusians scoop up rock after rock. ¡°Can we enter the city?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Yeah, go right ahead,¡± one of the Venusians said before scanning the region, focusing on the Venusians hiding within the geodes as if they were thieves about to steal its money. There were definitely enough golden nuggets on the ground for both Venusian guards to retire. Heck, their children could probably retire too, and it¡¯d take at least three generations of wanton spending to use up all the nuggets. As for questioning where the gold came from and where the group of suspicious Venusians came from, that could always come after securing the gold.

    Without ceremony, Manga marched ahead across the bridge, the large illusion of Sam moving forward. When the geodes being dragged behind reached the golden surface, the Venusians hiding inside came out and tentatively took steps on the gold like caged cows seeing grass for the first time. They didn¡¯t say anything as they walked on the bridge, but they didn¡¯t have to, their auras elevating and buzzing at much higher frequencies than normal to express their excitement and joy. Vague outlines appeared around them, and Sam was sure he¡¯d see their humanoid appearances if his physical vision was returned to him, but Werchbite didn¡¯t budge.

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    The golden bridge was soon covered by the hundreds of Venusians Sam had gathered, and the two Venusian guards slowed their gold-nugget-picking speed as they exchanged communications with one another.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s too many undesirables entering the city at once?¡± one of the Venusians asked.

    ¡°No,¡± the other Venusian said. ¡°If they can pay the toll, they¡¯re not undesirable, are they? They¡¯d have to convince someone to get them gold nuggets, and only talented people can achieve such a task. They¡¯re citizens now.¡±

    ¡°But¡­.¡± The first Venusian stopped gathering the nuggets as it watched the sea of Venusians flood into the city. It was rare for such a large influx of people to appear at once. ¡°There won¡¯t be any problems, right?¡±

    ¡°Who cares?¡± the second Venusian asked, not stopping their looting process. ¡°Even if we¡¯re fired, look at how rich we are; it¡¯ll be someone else¡¯s problem by then. If you don¡¯t want to accept all those people, you can tell them to get back here and return their gold to them.¡±

    The first Venusian stared at the bridge. As the undesirables left their geodes, they created illusionary bodies for themselves as well. Compared to the Venusians from the city of gold, the undesirables were less perfect with crooked faces, disproportionate limbs, and asymmetric bodies. The Venusian guard refocused their attention onto the gold on the ground before picking it up. The second Venusian was right; the guards had simply done their jobs, letting people in while collecting an entrance fee, so they couldn¡¯t be blamed if anything went wrong.

    When Sam crossed the bridge and stepped on the ground made of solid gold, a vibration traveled past the wooly pig underneath him and up his legs, through his root chakra, into his spine, and out of his crown chakra, causing goosebumps to appear on his skin. He focused on his Vasundhara, observing the ground underneath him. His awareness was unimpeded, proceeding much smoother than all the other times he had examined the ground with his earth star chakra. Perhaps it had something to do with the medium; after all, if gold wasn¡¯t useful somehow, would the Venusians depend on it so much? Through a combination of his crown chakra and earth star chakra, he saw the whole layout of the city, the buildings arranged in neat geometric patterns, and he also saw within the buildings, peeping on Venusians interacting with one another. At the same time, he observed the Venusians behind him pausing and vibrating at higher frequencies upon laying their sights on the city of gold.

    Sam swallowed as he noticed something in the space above his head, a vortex of sorts forming, and he had the overwhelming feeling to touch the golden ground underneath the wooly pig¡¯s hooves. It wasn¡¯t the first time he had this sensation, but it was the first time he could see his unopened chakra yearning for something to swallow. Perhaps this was what the rest of his chakras had looked like moments before absorbing the crystals that¡¯d become his familiars.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch the ground,¡± Vercedei said. If Sam absorbed the foundation of the city, all the Venusians would turn hostile. Before that happened, the Venusians had to submit to Sam first. Although he did collect a bunch of Venusian followers, it was a small amount compared to the number of Venusians living within the golden city. ¡°Wait a little longer.¡±

    Seeing as he was riding atop Manga¡¯s back whilst immobilized by the koala hugging his leg, Sam felt like Vercedei¡¯s warning was a bit unnecessary, but he kept it in his mind. He¡¯d remain on the wooly pig without touching anything: no ground, no buildings, no golden object at all. ¡°Got it,¡± Sam said, speaking to his familiar through his mind. ¡°You do what you have to do; I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°Head to the central pagoda,¡± Vercedei said, speaking to Manga, and the wooly pig let out a four-syllable-long cry before marching forward. The geodes were no longer attached to it, but there were four hundred Venusians following behind. With such a large crowd of people, the residents of the city of gold couldn¡¯t help but notice even if they didn¡¯t want to.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± a Venusian asked its friends from within a building with a window. ¡°There¡¯re so many undesirables parading through the streets. What are the guards doing letting in such riffraff?¡±

    ¡°My goodness, they¡¯re so ugly. It¡¯s a wonder they convinced anything to offer them gold nuggets to enter the city.¡±

    ¡°If I was that hideous, I would end my own existence.¡±

    Although the Venusian who was speaking was quite far away, Sam could still hear it clear as day. Gold really did seem to be a miraculous medium that could transfer energy long distances without impediment. Chatter filled Sam¡¯s mind as the residents of the city spoke to one another, discussing the mob of undesirables. As far as Sam could tell, the only thing differentiating the residents of the golden city and the undesirables were their outer appearances because they all looked the same at the core. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t get a good comparison of their appearances because his vision was blocked, but that didn¡¯t mean Sam couldn¡¯t tell Venusian society was heavily biased towards pretty and handsome people.

    ¡°What are they doing?¡±

    ¡°Maybe someone invited them to get rid of them for good?¡±

    Venusians moved through their buildings, winding up at their doorways to get a better look at the passing crowd of undesirables. Although they didn¡¯t say anything without the privacy of their walls, the spectating residents were all buzzing at a low frequency, clearly displeased and unhappy with the unannounced procession. One Venusian even walked in front of Sam, causing Manga to come to a halt.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± the beautiful Venusian said, standing with her hands on her hips. Her long blonde hair swayed with the wind, and her blue eyes seemed to pierce through Sam¡¯s illusion. Of course, to Sam, she looked like nothing more than a floating mass of annoyed darkness. ¡°What are you doing in our city? Who let you in?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! You tell them, Mayor,¡± one Venusian said from the doorway. ¡°We don¡¯t want their kind here. They¡¯re not welcome, and they¡¯ll never be welcome.¡±

    The Venusians behind Sam seemed to shrink in size as they lowered their heads and stared at the ground. Some of the undesirables even deactivated their illusions, choosing to appear as black masses that partially sank into the ground instead. None of them grew indignant or stood up for themselves, and Sam couldn¡¯t help but internally sigh upon seeing their lowered vibrations. They were just like him when he was a talentless, feeling like he was worthless because he couldn¡¯t meet society¡¯s lowest standards.

    ¡°Well? Answer me,¡± Mayor, the beautiful Venusian, said. She scanned Sam from top to bottom. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, you giant? Are you so dumb you aren¡¯t even capable of putting up an outer appearance?¡±

    ¡°You speak so arrogantly for someone with no talent,¡± Vercedei said and vocalized a snorting sound. Sam observed the illusion around him shifting from a large black mass to a blonde-haired, blue-eyed man with muscles so toned they seemed to be carved from stone. If one were to compare the illusion Werchbite had created to the one Mayor had made, it¡¯d be like comparing a professional artist¡¯s work to a drawing created by a child who drew with their feet.

    The Venusians fell into silence as they stared at Sam, the chatter coming to a halt. Truth be told, Sam didn¡¯t know what Werchbite did differently than the Venusian when creating an illusion, but he guessed it had something to do with the extra dimensions the twin-headed snake could work with. Perhaps there was an extra depth to a person that existed in another dimension that could only be noticed and recreated by a higher-dimensional creature. Of course, the twin-headed snake could¡¯ve also cast an illusion on Mayor to make them look ugly in comparison, but Sam didn¡¯t think the snake¡¯s purple head would stoop that low; it was quite prideful for a creature that didn¡¯t speak much.

    ¡°You¡­,¡± Mayor said, her retort ending after one word. She recognized Sam¡¯s superiority in creating illusions since her breath was taken away upon seeing the appearance Werchbite had cooked up for Sam. ¡°Why are you associating with such a ¡­ large ¡­ crowd?¡± She was going to use a meaner adjective than large, but the way Sam looked at her changed her choice of words. ¡°Is this a publicity stunt?¡±

    ¡°You could say that,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°The Venusian with the most beautiful appearance, shouldn¡¯t their words hold more sway? Not only do I have a great appearance, I have a great vision for our people too. I¡¯d like for everyone to meet me at the central pagoda, so I can share my vision with everyone.¡± The illusionary hunk Werchbite cooked up stared Mayor straight in the eyes. ¡°Won¡¯t you help me?¡±

    Mayor¡¯s face flushed deep red as the black mass beneath the illusion fluttered as if it were unstable. ¡°Well, it can¡¯t hurt to hear what you have to say, can it? I hope you can provide an adequate explanation for your actions.¡± She glanced at the undesirables behind Sam, who were doing their best to not attract attention. ¡°Without standards, would we really be Venusians?¡±

 Chapter 74

    Toka wasn¡¯t used to being stared at, and when the residents of the golden city looked at him with their perfect faces scrunched up in disdain, he couldn¡¯t help but want to melt away into the ground and disappear forever. The only thing stopping him from running and fleeing was Sam, the higher-dimensional being who was posturing as the most handsome Venusian to ever exist. Sunrays literally shone out of Sam¡¯s ass, causing the ground he was on to look holy.

    Sam was standing on a golden platform in a plaza, one raised high enough to overlook all the Venusians present. There were thousands of them gathered, having assembled due to Mayor¡¯s calling. Even the Venusians that had been lurking in people¡¯s dreams were woken up by their neighbors and forced to head towards the plaza. It was a lot easier than Sam had expected to gather all the Venusians. If someone had entered a human city and demanded everyone within to congregate in one spot, well, there were bound to be some people who wouldn¡¯t give one hoot about that person¡¯s authority.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Vercedei said, the snake¡¯s voice resounded through the whole plaza. As the vibrations from its greeting washed over the Venusians below, the dark masses inside of them trembled and buzzed, elevating to another level.

    Toka swallowed, or made the illusion he was projecting swallow, and looked around at the crowd. Their eyes were focused on Sam, their toes were pointing in his direction. Everything about them seem entranced by the most handsome Venusian they had ever seen as if he had a magnetic voice. Toka himself couldn¡¯t help but feel the energy within the crowd rise, and goosebumps appeared on his illusionary flesh.

    ¡°My name is Sam,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I¡¯ll be straightforward with all of you. I was an ordinary Venusian¡ªperhaps so ordinary I was on the verge of being labeled as an undesirable. However, through a stroke of luck, I entered a higher-dimensional entity¡¯s dream.¡±

    Faint murmurs rippled through the crowd as those who had been informed by the blue avians about Sam and his connection to the higher-dimensional beings put two and two together.

    ¡°Before you contact the blue avians and notify them of my existence, why don¡¯t you listen to what I have to say first?¡± Vercedei asked, causing the ripples of dissent to die down. It wouldn¡¯t have been so easy to placate the nervous Venusians if it weren¡¯t for Joe the sloth yawning and relaxing on Sam¡¯s stomach, the sloth¡¯s aura contaminating the Venusians in the plaza with complacency. ¡°Whilst I was in the higher-dimensional entity¡¯s dream, I saw the future, and a terrible ordeal awaits Oterra: over ninety-nine percent of all living beings on this plane will die in an extinction event of unprecedented proportions.¡±

    Although the twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head was spouting some ominous words, Sam didn¡¯t take Vercedei seriously. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time Vercedei lied to trick people into acting a certain way, and if the twin-headed snake wanted to take a whole species underneath its wings, it¡¯d have to conjure up a scenario as desperate as an apocalypse to make them move.

    ¡°I know you might not believe me,¡± Vercedei said to the Venusians, who were calm despite hearing such terrible news, ¡°but it¡¯s the truth. Oterra may be big, bigger than any of you can explore in a lifetime, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s invincible. We¡¯re simply like bacteria living inside of a person¡¯s body; when our host dies, we all die, and Oterra doesn¡¯t have much time left.¡±

    ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true, then you must know the source of Oterra¡¯s demise,¡± Mayor said, one of the only Venusians capable of speaking in the current atmosphere. A ripple traveled through the crowd as they murmured in agreement with Mayor¡¯s words, turning to look at the beautiful Venusian. ¡°Why are you telling this to us and not the blue avians? They¡¯re the caretakers of Oterra, and if anyone needs your knowledge of the future, it¡¯s them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good you were here to ask that question,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion Werchbite projected swelled in size, taking the breaths of the surrounding Venusians away. ¡°The reason I¡¯m not going to the blue avians is simple: I¡¯m at odds with them because I am the one who is going to destroy Oterra.¡±

    The Venusians fell silent at Vercedei¡¯s declaration. Sam understood how they felt; he didn¡¯t know why Vercedei would state something like that. Wasn¡¯t that just asking for the Venusians to turn against him?

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°a chance to escape the fate of dying with this plane. The Anunaki have already pledged their loyalty to me, and as such, their race shall be spared from destruction. Join me, or go against me. What choice will you, as Venusians, make?¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure if this was an appropriate way to convince a race to follow them. If it was built on lies from the start, wouldn¡¯t misunderstandings be inevitable? What if the Venusians really prepared for the end of Oterra, and their way of life changed drastically? How was he supposed to experience what Andeland had to offer if Vercedei and Werchbite went around and terrified the locals? Of course, there was the other possibility: the twin-headed snake was telling the truth. ¡°Are you planning on destroying Oterra?¡± Sam asked, communicating with his familiars through his mind.

    ¡°Are we?¡± Vercedei asked, responding in kind. ¡°Haven¡¯t you? You¡¯re curious because our thoughts agree with yours.¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath through his nose, concentrating on his root chakra to ground his emotions. ¡°In the past, I might¡¯ve wanted the world to end because of the unfairness, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°But you haven¡¯t felt that way in a while,¡± Vercedei said, cutting Sam off, ¡°not that long after you made your wish and obtained power.¡±

    Sam took in a deep breath. The wish he had made all those years ago for a talent capable of changing his life for the better, the wish where he promised he¡¯d pay any price, it was finally coming back to haunt him, or, the option Sam wished to believe was true, Vercedei was lying, and the twin-headed snake thought it¡¯d be funny to use Sam¡¯s past against him. ¡°Raindu?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Are you thinking about destroying Oterra?¡±

    The ferret stared at Sam and chattered before shrugging. ¡°Maybe.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t surprised by the ferret¡¯s response considering it had derailed a train and felt nothing for the passengers; however, he was a bit disappointed. If his familiars did decide they wanted to destroy the world, would he be able to stop them? No. Even if he killed himself, Werchbite and Joe were both capable of bringing him back to life.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Mayor said, cutting into Sam¡¯s train of thought and his conversation with his familiars. ¡°The blue avians have defended Oterra since its conception. Higher-dimensional entities have tried to destroy Oterra time and time again, but they¡¯ve never succeeded. What makes you so sure you¡¯ll be successful?¡±

    ¡°No other higher-dimensional entity has destroyed the blue avians calamity detector,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°But I have. Why do you think the blue avians aren¡¯t here right now? They can¡¯t locate me anymore, and they have no way of getting rid of me. If I were scared, would I be announcing my existence so openly?¡±

    ¡°The blue avians are more than their calamity detector,¡± Mayor said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen them, and they¡¯re scary. There¡¯s no way for us to fight against them; if they wanted to kill us, they could do it easily. If we join you, the blue avians will target us; you might not be scared of them, but we can¡¯t exactly flee with our city, and without it, we might as well not even be alive.¡±

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°Your city is holding you back,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You think it grants you freedom since you can move and support yourselves so easily through gold, but have you considered the restraints it places on you? You¡¯re forever bound to this golden city, unable to explore the rest of Oterra, and for what? A gilded life?¡±

    The Venusians seemed to resonate with each other as they communicated. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mayor asked. ¡°Without the existence of our golden city, we¡¯d be stuck in geodes and traveling slower than snails to reach one another. In that case, the lack of communication between one another would lead to a decline in our race; it¡¯d be too difficult to share ideas and progress without a hub of communication.¡±

    Vercedei snorted, and Sam didn¡¯t have time to react before Manga bent its legs and leaned to the side, causing Sam to tumble off the wooly pig¡¯s body. He hit the ground, and his palm made direct contact with the golden pedestal beneath him. A vortex formed above Sam¡¯s head, and a familiar sensation ran up his arm as the golden city vanished, the warm sensation traveling up his arm to the top of his head where it streamed out of his crown chakra before entering the vortex.

    The Venusians let out alarmed cries as they fell, their bodies sinking into the crystalline ground that was underneath the golden city¡¯s foundation. Some of the Venusians didn¡¯t react for a few seconds before realizing something was wrong, their thoughts slowed heavily by the sloth.

    ¡°Where did the ground go?¡± a Venusian asked. ¡°Where did the buildings go? What happened to all our gold!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m stuck!¡± a Venusian shouted as they tried to climb out of the ground, attempting to stand on the surface with their feet. Unfortunately, the crystals weren¡¯t as conductive as gold, and the Venusian¡¯s climb was futile as if it were stuck in a bog. ¡°Someone, help!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all stuck,¡± another Venusian said, not bothering to struggle. With all the Venusians gathered in one spot, they were like sitting ducks once the golden ground was replaced by a crystalline one. Only the Venusians on the outer edges could move away while the ones in the center couldn¡¯t go anywhere without bumping into another Venusian.

    ¡°Sam!¡± Mayor shouted. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±

    ¡°I made your choice easier for you,¡± Vercedei said, the illusion Werchbite had created standing in the air over the Venusians. ¡°Now that your city is gone, is there any need to fear the blue avians destroying it? You¡¯re free to make better choices now that your shackles no longer bind you.¡±

    Sam would¡¯ve been burning with shame, but he was grounding his emotions with his root chakra. He had absorbed the golden foundation along with every single golden building attached to its surface. There were a few geodes and personal items of the Venusians on the crystalline ground, which looked like someone had taken a giant spoon and scooped out a chunk of it, but other than those few items and the Venusians, the city was now barren. Through his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam focused on what he suspected to be his external chakra floating above his head. Unlike the previous times where an animal popped out, the golden light above his head showed no signs of transforming. It remained in place, rotating while its interior swirled with white and golden light.

    ¡°So,¡± Vercedei said after the Venusians were done panicking. It didn¡¯t take them long to settle down, but it would¡¯ve taken much longer if it weren¡¯t for the sloth¡¯s interference. ¡°Who is willing to follow me? Which one of you is willing to join me in the destruction of Oterra?¡±

    ¡°Is that your only goal?¡± Mayor asked. ¡°The destruction of Oterra?¡±

    ¡°What follows after destruction?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Obviously, there¡¯ll be a period of recreation once everything has been wiped clean. As it is right now, Oterra contains too much suffering; the plane is crying for relief. When I rebuild it, I¡¯ll create the perfect utopia for my followers. Think of this like changing a fish tank: out with the old, and in with the new.¡±

    ¡°And if we aren¡¯t willing to follow you?¡± Mayor asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s simple,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°If you aren¡¯t with me, then you¡¯re against me, and I never show mercy towards those who¡¯d get in my way.¡± A crystalline structure, which Sam suspected to be an illusion, appeared in the sky above what used to be the plaza. It looked like a giant, crystalline pen. The outer surface of the structure rotated, and the whole thing glowed as if it were about to vaporize the Venusians with a laser. ¡°Make your choice; join me, or exercise your so-called free will.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll join you,¡± Toka said, not giving his fellow Venusians time to think. Toka had been nervous when he first hopped on the higher-dimensional entity¡¯s pirate ship. He had been told he¡¯d have to lie and cheat and do reprehensible things, but influencing a crowd with his voice wasn¡¯t so hard or against his morals. Though, he was promised buildings of gold, and those seemed to be destroyed, but maybe he¡¯d be given them later? ¡°But, as you know, it¡¯s difficult for us to travel without gold, so I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be of much help.¡±

    ¡°Naturally, I¡¯ll provide you with lodgings,¡± Vercedei said.

    Sam watched as Big Fish left Joe¡¯s shoulder, flying into the air underneath the rotating, glowing pillar. The whale grew, and Sam couldn¡¯t help but be a little amused as Werchbite casted an illusion on Big Fish, turning its skin golden.

    ¡°Is that a flying golden whale?¡± Mayor asked as Big Fish¡¯s mouth opened. A golden rod extended from the whale¡¯s mouth towards the ground, the rod coming to a halt in front of Toka¡¯s feet. The Venusians watched whilst half-submerged in the ground as Toka walked up the rod as if it were a bridge and entered Big Fish¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to eat me, right?¡± Toka asked, a bit nervous about voluntarily entering such a large creature¡¯s mouth. However, he comforted himself by recalling his lack of physical body. Even if he were eaten by this whale, he wouldn¡¯t be digested or anything. Besides, from what he knew from delving in people¡¯s dreams, whales might¡¯ve been large, but they didn¡¯t eat landlubbers. Toka took a look around the whale¡¯s mouth, and found it to be surprisingly spacious, the volume inside even larger than the whole city of gold had been, the interior not matching the exterior at all. Then, Toka remembered his job. ¡°Wow! There¡¯s so much space! It¡¯s like an ark from the legends!¡±

    ¡°An ark?¡± a Venusian asked, turning towards their neighbor.

    ¡°You know,¡± their neighbor said, ¡°an ark. There¡¯s always an ark in the apocalypse stories. The rain floods the world, so the residents build an ark to escape. Or the world¡¯s about to be destroyed, so they build an ark to flee the planet.¡±

    ¡°An ark doesn¡¯t sound so bad,¡± the first Venusian said. ¡°Since our homes are gone, isn¡¯t the ark a better option than just living in a geode somewhere?¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re forgetting who destroyed our home,¡± another Venusian said. ¡°There¡¯s no way we¡¯ll be treated nicely by the entity that made us homeless in the first place; we¡¯ll be at his mercy.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re already at his mercy,¡± a Venusian said and pointed at the weapon of mass destruction in the sky. ¡°Do you not see that energy beam getting ready to vaporize us?¡±

    ¡°He did say it,¡± Mayor said and sighed. ¡°We can work with him by doing as he says, or we can choose not to work with him and be exterminated. Personally, I want to live.¡±

    Sam was relieved when he saw the Venusians climb up the golden bridge like ants walking on a twig. If they didn¡¯t listen and chose to resist, Sam wasn¡¯t sure what the twin-headed snake would do when its bluff was called, but he had a feeling it wouldn¡¯t be pleasant. The Venusians congregated towards the bridge, their steps slow as they trudged along the crystal, but once they reached the golden rod, they sped up; they reminded Sam of tapioca balls being sucked up a straw.

    Although Sam was using his All-Seeing Gaze to observe the Venusians, he still noticed the ball of golden light above flash. His chakra emptied out, and a golden color appeared, taking the form of a long worm ¡­ inside of his body. Even with his emotions being grounded by his root chakra, Sam¡¯s expression couldn¡¯t help but darken as he examined himself internally with his All-Seeing Gaze. Did his talent really give him a familiar in the form of a tapeworm? A very disturbing sensation answered Sam¡¯s question as something rose from his stomach, through his esophagus, and into his mouth. Then, it slithered into the gap behind his uvula, up behind his soft palate, and out of his left nostril. Werchbite¡¯s head shifted, allowing Sam to physically see the golden tapeworm¡¯s head extending out of his nose.

    ¡°Damn,¡± Sam said, communicating with his familiars through his mind. A lot of emotion was packed in that one word, but it was mostly filled with defeat and depression. ¡°Damn.¡± He had to repeat the word to fully release the emotions bottled up in his chest¡ªor maybe, it was just the tapeworm he was feeling inside of him.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just rude,¡± the tapeworm said in Sam¡¯s mind. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever learned to avoid judging a book by its cover?¡±

    Sam sighed through his nose, the action stuffier than usual thanks to the worm occupying his left nostril. He thought he was safe after leaving Et Serpentium, but in the end, he still became a noodle human.

 Chapter 75

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how he was supposed to feel about his new familiar, and the physical sensations he felt reflected that. He hadn¡¯t had a worm squirming around inside of him before, and he was sure most tapeworms couldn¡¯t crawl up and down his esophagus freely. As for how it stayed alive inside of his stomach instead of his intestines, well, it was a higher-dimensional creature, so the regular rules¡ªlike his stomach acid breaking things down inside his stomach¡ªdidn¡¯t really apply to it. Either way, it was unsettling, and Sam was disturbed.

    ¡°Any price for power,¡± the tapeworm said. ¡°Do you remember that? When you wished to change your life, you were willing to give up anything, so what does it matter if you rent out your innards to me?¡±

    Sam sighed through his nose. The wish he had made was really coming back to bite him in the butt, huh? He might¡¯ve wished for that when he was younger, but now that he was older, he realized there were some things he shouldn¡¯t have put up for grabs. He might¡¯ve been the boss¡ªat least, in name¡ªof higher-dimensional beings who had reality-warping powers, but he couldn¡¯t see, speak, walk, tilt his head too far in any direction, or even breathe properly through his nose. He couldn¡¯t lie down on his stomach either¡ªhis favorite sleeping position¡ªlest he squish a sloth. Well, those sacrifices were worth it¡­, right?

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said, communicating with the tapeworm through his mind. ¡°I¡¯m renting out my innards to you, so how are you paying me back? What power do you bring to the table?¡±

    ¡°Getting straight to the point, huh?¡± the tapeworm asked. ¡°You¡¯re not even going to ask me for my name nor treat me to dinner first?¡±

    Sam¡¯s vision was blocked once again as Werchbite shifted back into place. ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam said. ¡°I forgot my manners. My name is Sam. Who are you, and what exactly can you do?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s better. My name is Nwaps, and I can proliferate,¡± the tapeworm said. ¡°Once I¡¯m inside another host, I can travel to their command center¡ªin your case, it¡¯d be your brain¡ªand take over their body. It¡¯s very easy for me to spread too. As long as you make skin-to-skin contact with another person, I can send a portion of myself into them and propagate myself from there.¡±

    Sam used his All-Seeing Gaze to make sure there were no tapeworm parts located within his brain. Although his head was clear for now, who knew when that would change in the future?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°As long as you listen to me, I won¡¯t take control of your body.¡± The worm retreated back inside of Sam, receding from his nostril, slinking down his esophagus, and squirming through his stomach down to his intestines. He did not like the feeling of such a large worm moving inside of him, but it wasn¡¯t like he could do anything about it. The only thing he could do was change his mindset and convince himself the tapeworm¡¯s wriggling was simply a normal experience not worth reacting to. ¡°I don¡¯t have many demands, but you should keep in mind I¡¯m still growing, and I¡¯m going to need a lot of food.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Sam said to the worm with his mind. ¡°You¡¯re going to grow even larger?¡±

    ¡°That is what still growing means,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°By the way, my favorite food is bacon, so if you could stock up on that and eat it every day, I¡¯d appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°Bacon,¡± Sam said, ¡°sure.¡± With his All-Seeing Gaze, he took a quick look around. Considering the ground was made of crystal with no plants able to grow on its surface, the lack of pigs nearby wasn¡¯t surprising. What was surprising was the lack of Venusians; apparently, while Sam was having his conversation with his newest familiar, the Venusians made up their mind and entered Big Fish¡¯s mouth. None of the Venusians had chosen to go against Sam; after all, with their home gone, it wasn¡¯t like they had anywhere else to go. ¡°Raindu? Do you have any bacon with you?¡±

    The ferret poked its head out of Sam¡¯s shirt, but upon seeing Sam¡¯s eyes covered by Werchbite, Raindu went back inside. ¡°No more,¡± the ferret said, communicating with Sam through his mind. ¡°You ate it all.¡±

    Sam nodded. Since he had been trapped in Big Fish¡¯s mouth for a decade, the ferret¡¯s stolen food supplies were running low. ¡°Should we head back to Et Serpentium?¡±

    ¡°Why Et Serpentium?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°You¡¯ve seen more reptilian culture than human culture, and you¡¯re a human. Let¡¯s go back to your home. Didn¡¯t a bunch of humans go missing? That sounds like a situation we can exploit.¡±

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go back to the city,¡± Sam said. It wasn¡¯t like he was the one in charge of decision making anyway; all he had to do was agree with his familiars because they weren¡¯t going to give him a choice. Manga was his only form of transportation since the koala hugging his leg was weighing him down, making it impossible for him to move on his own. Well, Sam supposed the koala could transport him through tunnels by rolling like before, but that was still one of his familiars moving him.

    ¡°It¡¯s great that you agree,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Sam, get in Big Fish¡¯s mouth. Big Fish, stay on Manga. Manga, bring us to the city.¡±

    Sam wondered when the twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head had become the leader of the group. It probably had something to do with how talkative it was. His other familiars didn¡¯t yap as much. Sam stared at Big Fish as the whale opened its mouth. He couldn¡¯t walk inside, so the whale came forward and swallowed him instead. The interior of the whale had changed into a green city with towering buildings; despite the material¡ªBig Fish¡¯s flesh¡ªnot being made of gold, the Venusians within could still move around freely.

    ¡°It¡¯s Sam!¡± a Venusian said, causing the interior of the whale¡¯s mouth to fall silent.

    Sam scanned the region with his All-Seeing Gaze, and he noticed Toka¡¯s group of undesirable Venusians being surrounded by a larger group of Venusian residents from the golden city. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Bullying?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Mayor said, speaking up for the group of Venusians from the city. ¡°We were just questioning them.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re lying!¡± Toka said, speaking for the group of undesirables. ¡°They are bullying us, and they¡¯re doing it because they don¡¯t like the way we look.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Mayor said and shook her head. Of course, to Sam, all he saw was the dark mass in his All-Seeing Gaze flicker. No matter how beautiful or ugly of an illusion the Venusians casted on themselves, they all looked the same to him. ¡°We were curious and wanted to know how they met you, but they became aggressive when we approached them.¡±

    ¡°You treated us like shit,¡± one of the undesirables said, ¡°why should we even acknowledge your existence? Who cares if you¡¯re curious? Why should we be responsible for your lack of knowledge?¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re all in this together now,¡± one of the ex-residents of the golden city said. They couldn¡¯t really be called residents anymore now that the whole city was gone, destroyed by Sam¡¯s talent. ¡°We should learn to coexist with one another and put aside past differences.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°We can start doing that when you speak more respectfully to us,¡± another undesirable said. ¡°You look down on us with your perfect, snooty faces. So, you¡¯re a little better at making illusions than we are, but that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re better than us.¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­,¡± the ex-resident said, about to say more before she was nudged by the Venusian beside her. It would be proving the undesirable¡¯s point if the Venusian voiced her true thoughts. ¡°How are you supposed to convince people into giving you stuff in their dreams if you¡¯re not good looking?¡±

    ¡°There are other ways to get what you want,¡± the undesirable said. ¡°What do you do when your looks fail you?¡±

    The ex-resident scoffed. ¡°Fail me?¡± she asked. ¡°They¡¯ve never failed me before.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re failing you now, aren¡¯t that?¡± the undesirable asked in return. ¡°You want something from us, and we¡¯re not giving it to you, so you¡¯re throwing a tantrum.¡±

    Sam was glad Vercedei was doing all his talking for him. It meant he didn¡¯t have to deal with the arguing Venusians. They could fight and make a fuss, but in the end, it didn¡¯t affect him. If Vercedei was bothered by it, the twin-headed snake could do something about it. If Big Fish was tired of the Venusians, the whale could spit them out. Although it was like being a spectator to a movie about his own life, Sam didn¡¯t mind; it was better than being in charge of a miserable life.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not argue, everyone,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s clear some of you are looking down on others, and some of you want to prove your worth, so I¡¯ll give you all an opportunity.¡± An image of six people appeared on the roof of the whale¡¯s mouth. Sam recognized all of them; they were the CEOs of the six big companies. ¡°I want you to investigate these people and all the people who work below them. I want to know their interests, their deepest and darkest secrets, and anything I can use to gain the upper hand against them in negotiations or a physical confrontation.¡±

    The Venusians exchanged glances with one another. Of course, they couldn¡¯t live in a paradise for free, but the price they had to pay was less than they had expected. ¡°Just information?¡± Mayor asked. ¡°You don¡¯t need anything physical from them like gold?¡±

    Sam wondered how that worked. Could physical objects be extracted from a dream?

    ¡°That¡¯s all,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Material possessions are worthless to me. If you can swindle them out of things, feel free to do so. I imagine your homes are sparsely decorated at the moment, and you¡¯ll need some physical possessions to have a true sense of belonging.¡±

    ¡°So, whoever brings you the most useful information¡­?¡± Toka asked, his question trailing off as everyone turned to look at him.

    ¡°Correct,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You¡¯ll bring the information to my Anunaki helper, and it¡¯ll give you a rating based on the quality of information and quantity you provide. Your rating determines where you stand in society, which buildings you¡¯ll have access to. Of course, even the worst places are swankier than the best your golden city provided, but who doesn¡¯t want to strive for better? The best Venusian amongst you will be the representative of all Venusians when communicating with me, so try your best, alright?¡±

    ¡°How long do we have?¡± Mayor asked.

    ¡°A week,¡± Vercedei said. Coincidentally, that was how long it¡¯d take Manga to run back to the capital. Of course, the wooly pig was running underground because it didn¡¯t want to be spotted. Would it destabilize the ground above it and cause earthquakes? It probably wouldn¡¯t, and if it did, that wasn¡¯t something the higher-dimensional beings nor Sam cared about. If Sam were that considerate, maybe, he¡¯d feel bad about infecting a whole population of people with a golden tapeworm that¡¯d dig into their brains and control their every action, but he didn¡¯t. He had to fulfill his familiars¡¯ wishes, and he wasn¡¯t sure if that was his own original thought or one planted by the tapeworm to control his actions.

    A Venusian raised their hand, and Vercedei pointed at them. ¡°Yes? Do you have something you¡¯d like to say?¡±

    ¡°Can we work in groups?¡± the Venusian asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Whatever makes you feel comfortable. You can collaborate if that¡¯s what you wish, but the value of the information you hand in won¡¯t be worth as much if it¡¯s something that¡¯s already been given.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± one of the undesirables said. ¡°If those snoots over there all work together, there¡¯s no way we can compete.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s life,¡± Vercedei said, the illusion projected by Werchbite shrugging. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance, so make the most of it even if it¡¯s not fair. Besides, who¡¯s to say they¡¯ll all work together? Only one person can be the representative.¡±

    Toka looked around at his fellow undesirable Venusians. Even if they all joined forces, they were still greatly outnumbered by the ex-residents. In that case, they had to work quickly and efficiently to have a shot at submitting relevant information first.

    ¡°You two,¡± Vercedei said, Sam¡¯s illusionary body pointing at Toka and Mayor. ¡°Come with me.¡±

    Mayor and Toka exchanged glances with each other before separating from the group and walking towards Vercedei. To Sam, it looked like they were floating with barely a hint of their dark masses touching the ground. The illusion of Sam walked away, separating itself from his actual body, and when he moved to follow it, the metallic koala on his leg stopped his momentum. Then, the ground underneath Sam shifted, moving him like a piece of sushi on a conveyor belt to match with his illusion¡¯s position.

    Sam was brought into a nearby building. It was green and crystalline, made of Big Fish¡¯s flesh. The two Venusians followed Sam inside, and the door automatically shut behind them. Toka turned his head to look at Mayor, but the beautiful Venusian¡¯s attention was fully focused on the higher-dimensional entity in front of her. Toka straightened out his mindset; it was clear Mayor didn¡¯t see him as an equal, so why should he be looking to her to see what to do in this situation?

    ¡°Tell me,¡± Vercedei said once both Venusians were looking at him. ¡°What is your process of entering one¡¯s dream? After you¡¯re inside, what exactly can you accomplish?¡±

    Toka thought about how he entered dreams, and that was all the time Mayor needed to speak up. ¡°I meditate for a few minutes to attune myself to the frequency of the subconscious expanse. Then, I search for a bright dream to enter; personally, I don¡¯t like delving into nightmares because I don¡¯t like watching someone suffer. When I see a dream that I like¡ªI¡¯m very picky, so I often search through thousands of dreams¡ªI hop inside and enjoy myself in the background without changing the course of the dream. If I happen to see something valuable like gold, then I¡¯ll snatch it when I¡¯m leaving, but I¡¯m not actively looking for it.¡±

    Toka spoke up, ¡°I¡ª¡±

    And then was instantly cut off by Mayor¡¯s violent coughing. ¡°If I want to, I can interact with the person inside of their dream,¡± Mayor said. ¡°They¡¯re more open to giving up information if I steer the dream in certain directions. If it¡¯s imperative for them to tell me things or show me confidential items, they¡¯ll do it because they¡¯ll think it¡¯s perfectly logical and reasonable. I can physically take things from dreams, but depending on how large and dense the object is, it uses up a certain amount of my energy, and when my energy depletes, it takes a day to recover with proper aftercare.¡±

    Toka turned to look at Mayor despite his earlier resolution to ignore her. How could he ignore her with the way she behaved? She paid him no regard, speaking over him as if he didn¡¯t exist. Also, her recovery time was significantly shorter than his. Did the residents of the city have special techniques or knowledge that they didn¡¯t share with the undesirables? No undesirable would know since they were all banished at birth. If all residents could recover as quickly as Mayor, didn¡¯t that mean the undesirables stood absolutely no chance to change their position in society?

    ¡°Does it work the other way around?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Can you transfer an item to the owner of the dream, allowing them to awaken with it in their hands?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s possible, but it requires multiple Venusians working together to even attempt such a thing,¡± Mayor said. ¡°The odds of it succeeding are low, and it¡¯s more likely the object will remain stuck in the dream. If the dream collapses, it¡¯ll be destroyed too.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡± Vercedei asked, the illusion of Sam turning to look at Toka. ¡°Are your capabilities more or less the same as hers?¡±

    Toka hesitated before nodding. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. He couldn¡¯t transfer things into people¡¯s dreams, and his recovery time was longer, but he could more or less do what Mayor could, no? It wasn¡¯t a lie. Did he have anything he could do better than Mayor? It seemed like anything he could do, she could do better. ¡°More or less the same.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Both of you, show me how you attune to the frequency of the subconscious expanse. Hold my hand as you do it.¡±

    Sam extended his hands as the two Venusians approached, and the dark masses made contact with his palms and fingers. Did Vercedei think Sam could mimic the Venusians¡¯ ability by copying their frequency through his root chakra? It was worth a shot. Sam focused on the vibrations traveling up his arms, waiting for them to reverberate throughout his body so the chilling pulsation from his root chakra could absorb them.

 Chapter 76

    With his prior experiences, it didn¡¯t take long for Sam¡¯s root chakra to absorb the vibrations coming from the two Venusians¡¯ bodies. They were slow, the pulsations slower than most of the techniques he had copied before. The rate of his heartbeats decreased, and his thought processes became sluggish as well. His mind was foggy, and he realized he was on the verge of falling asleep, drifting in and out of consciousness. Instead of resisting, Sam relaxed, allowing his mind to fall into darkness.

    Colorless swirls filled Sam¡¯s vision, filling his mind with nonsensical patterns. Eventually, those patterns coalesced, forming vague outlines with varying intensities. It was as if he were viewing his surroundings through his All-Seeing Gaze, but the surroundings weren¡¯t clearly defined. Although he knew was standing inside of Big Fish¡¯s mouth, it was as if he had been transported to another realm. He touched his face, and blinked rapidly when there was no scaly sensation meeting his finger. He took in a deep breath through his nose and exhaled through his mouth, his exhalation unimpeded.

    Sam looked down and touched his stomach, not feeling the sloth¡¯s coarse fur. Nothing clawed at his scalp when he tilted his neck downwards either. He raised his legs one at a time before hopping up and down, something he couldn¡¯t do when a metallic koala named Dirt was weighing him down. It seemed like his familiars wouldn¡¯t accompany him when he entered the subconscious expanse. Then, the head of a tapeworm crawled out of his mouth, poking out of his lips to curl upwards and look him in the eyes.

    ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s just you and me.¡±

    Sam¡¯s shoulders slumped, but a second later, he fixed his posture, straightening his back. It was difficult to speak with the tapeworm sticking out of his mouth, so Sam simply nodded in greeting. He looked around but didn¡¯t see Mayor or Toka, and he assumed they entered different regions of the subconscious expanse. It should¡¯ve been a large place considering they could enter the dreams of anyone, including those located outside of Oterra; it made sense for the two Venusians to appear elsewhere.

    ¡°Have you been here before, Nwaps?¡± Sam asked, communicating with the tapeworm through his mind.

    ¡°I have,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°There aren¡¯t a lot of places I haven¡¯t been, and there are even fewer places I¡¯m welcome to visit.¡±

    Sam wondered what made the tapeworm so hated. Maybe it was the fact it could take over the minds of an entire population. Maybe it was the way it popped out of people¡¯s mouths in the most unsettling manner possible. ¡°Is this one of those places you¡¯re welcome?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°Those who mess with others¡¯ heads tend to get along with one another, and what do creatures of the subconscious expanse do other than invade people¡¯s dreams and mess with their minds?¡±

    ¡°You have friends here?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± the tapeworm said as it receded into Sam¡¯s body, still communicating with him through his mind. ¡°Your definition of getting along with someone is different from mine. As long as no one is trying to actively eliminate me, we¡¯re best of pals even if we never interact with each other.¡±

    Maybe the tapeworm¡¯s life was sadder than Sam thought. It wasn¡¯t the tapeworm¡¯s fault it was born doing what it could, so demonizing it simply because it could lobotomize someone and control their future actions was¡­, well, Sam still thought it was fair. Mind control was a terrifying ability, and if the tapeworm was consciously proliferating to control as many people as it could, it wasn¡¯t a wonder people would try to get rid of it before it became a huge problem. If Nwaps decided to invade his brain, would Raindu be able to pull the worm out? Hopefully.

    Sam looked around before taking a step forward. Then, he took another step forward. Sam frowned as there was no feedback to his actions. He hadn¡¯t advance at all as if he were in space, unable to move forward despite his legs walking. Sam sprinted, but that still didn¡¯t help, the scenery remaining the same as before. Sam narrowed his eyes at the vague outline of a building in the distance, and he concentrated on his Sahasrara and Manipura. Walking wasn¡¯t viable, but apparently, flying like the blue avians was acceptable. His surroundings warped and changed, swirling as he passed them. When he arrived in the location he had aimed for, the frown on Sam¡¯s face deepened. The building was no longer located in the same location. Sam turned around, and everything swirled in his psychic vision once more, the layout of the expanse changing into a completely different region from before.

    ¡°You¡¯ll never get anywhere with your approach,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°The subconscious expanse isn¡¯t a place you can maneuver through with conscious actions. Logical thinking is thrown out the window in this dimension.¡±

    Sam nodded his head. ¡°Then, what¡¯s the right way to interact with this place?¡±

    ¡°With your subconscious mind,¡± Nwaps said.

    Sam scratched his head. He had to navigate the expanse with his subconscious mind? If he could do that, wouldn¡¯t his subconscious mind be called his conscious mind? It was his subconscious mind for a reason.

    ¡°Let me help you,¡± Nwaps said.

    Sam shuddered as the tapeworm wriggled up his esophagus, past his soft palate, and into regions of his head he didn¡¯t even knew existed. Was the worm trying to get into his brain?

    ¡°Stop resisting,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°It¡¯ll only make it more uncomfortable for you.¡±

    That was easy for the tapeworm to say when it didn¡¯t have something trying to drill through its skull. Sam grimaced as a slithering sensation filled the space between both of his ears. Intense nausea washed over him, and Sam hunched over before heaving. Since he was in the subconscious expanse, nothing came out, but Sam did wonder if he puked in reality. He also wondered if he was going to die because, at the moment, he really wished he would.

    Sam¡¯s surroundings shifted as Nwaps voice echoed through his head. ¡°Got it,¡± the tapeworm said. ¡°I¡¯m manipulating your subconscious now.¡±

    A building rapidly approached Sam¡ªor perhaps, Sam rapidly approached the building¡ªand came to a halt in front of him. The building was made of a white haze, the bricks seemingly translucent but with no details behind them. The Venusians said they could tell whether a dream was a nightmare or a pleasant one based on the feeling they got, but Sam had no clue what kind of dream lay inside the building. There wasn¡¯t a door; rather, there was an arch with a misty veil blocking Sam¡¯s view.

    ¡°Go in,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°This is where your subconscious wishes to go.¡±

    Sam already learned his lesson long ago: when his familiar told him to do something, he did it. Sam grounded his emotions and stepped into the mist. His vision swirled before turning black as if he had closed his eyes. When his vision returned, he found himself in a familiar place. Despite grounding himself with his root chakra, Sam hesitated upon seeing the furniture and wallpaper that had decorated his childhood room, when he had yet to be cast away by his parents. ¡°Nwaps,¡± Sam said, examining his body which was free from his clingy familiars. ¡°Are you there?¡±

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Nwaps said, the tapeworm¡¯s voice echoing in Sam¡¯s mind. A chill ran down Sam¡¯s spine as the tapeworm receded from his brain, slinking back down to his stomach. ¡°Whose dream did you enter?¡±

    ¡°Tom!¡± A very familiar, feminine voice came from outside the room. It was sharp and curt as if the woman who was calling out had enough of Tom¡¯s shit. ¡°I said to pack everything, so why is the living room still so cluttered?¡±

    Sam inhaled through his nose and exhaled through his mouth, focusing on his breath. ¡°If it¡¯s not my younger brother¡¯s dream, it¡¯s my mom¡¯s,¡± Sam said as he walked over to the desk he used to use. There was a sticker on the corner, a teddy bear holding a donut that Tom had pasted there for fun. Although he was in his childhood room, he wasn¡¯t dreaming, so it wasn¡¯t his dream, right? Then again, the subconscious expanse didn¡¯t seem to make much logical sense, so perhaps he had picked a dream for himself as he slept.

    ¡°But, Mom, what about Sam?¡± a timid voice asked.

    ¡°Forget about him!¡± the feminine voice said. ¡°He¡¯s useless! From now on, you¡¯re an only child.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. If he were to exit the room and beat the snot out of his mother, it¡¯d be okay, right? After all, it was only a dream. However, Sam¡¯s emotions were grounded, and he didn¡¯t have the urge to knock his mother out; it wouldn¡¯t help in any way¡­, but Sam was in the subconscious expanse for the experience, right? There was no reason not to mess around in someone¡¯s dream for the fun of it. A wry smile appeared on his face as he walked to the door and pulled it open. Since his All-Seeing Gaze was active, he wasn¡¯t surprised by the younger version of Tom, the one Sam was more familiar with, standing in front of his door.

    ¡°Who are¡­,¡± Tom said, his voice trailing off as his eyes widened. ¡°Sam? No¡­. Yes? Are you, Sam?¡±

    If this was Tom¡¯s dream, then he probably wasn¡¯t going to remember it after waking up. If Tom did remember, then he¡¯d chalk it up to a dream and nothing more. There was no harm in interacting with him¡ªunless, of course, Nwaps decided to proliferate. Well, Sam wasn¡¯t sure if the tapeworm could control someone simply by making contact with them through a dream. It didn¡¯t seem realistic, but seeing as the tapeworm was the only familiar that was capable of following Sam into the subconscious expanse, he didn¡¯t see why Nwaps wouldn¡¯t be able to hitch a ride out on someone else.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said, ¡°it¡¯s me, but I¡¯m from the future.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Tom said and nodded his head. ¡°I see. That¡¯s why you¡¯re grown up.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said again. Was his explanation so easily accepted because Tom was in a dream? Whenever Sam dreamed, he never really questioned illogical happenings, simply accepting them and going with the flow. Perhaps it was the same for Tom; after all, the two were genetically related. ¡°Mom is angry at you, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tom said and hung his head. ¡°She wants to leave you behind, but I don¡¯t want to go without you.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do,¡± Sam said and shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up too much about it; our parents are selfish people who¡¯ll always put themselves first. We were just born under an unlucky star.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we born under all the stars?¡± Tom asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s a saying,¡± Sam said, ¡°well, it used to be one a long time ago.¡± A grin appeared on Sam¡¯s face. ¡°You see, later on in the future, I actually become pretty amazing with great talents and great environments conducive for growth, so I know all sorts of random things.¡± Sure, he might¡¯ve become a pet in Et Serpentium, but he grew and learned a lot there. Any personal trainer would bow down to Ellie to learn her techniques. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel bad for me being left behind; it¡¯s not like you weren¡¯t hurting as well. Having to meet Mom and Dad¡¯s expectations all by yourself, you might¡¯ve even had it harder than me.¡±

    Tom raised his head and looked Sam in the eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t resent me?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± Sam said, ¡°but I don¡¯t anymore.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Tom asked. ¡°What changed?¡±

    Sam shrugged. ¡°I grew up,¡± he said. ¡°I experienced a lot of things, some good, some bad, and as I learned, I changed.¡± A sly smile appeared on Sam¡¯s face. ¡°You want to see what I can do now?¡±

    Tom blinked at Sam¡¯s familiar expression. It was something Tom hadn¡¯t seen for a long time. As more time passed and Sam¡¯s body refused to awaken, his smiles appeared less frequently. Even if it was on an unfamiliar face with stubble, Tom still recognized the expression as his mischievous older brother¡¯s. ¡°Sure,¡± Tom said, a faint smile appearing on his face. ¡°Is it going to be cool?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Sam said. Not even a few seconds passed before he finished speaking when clomping sounds echoed through the hall.

    Tom turned his head, and his face paled. ¡°Mom.¡± Tom¡¯s neck shrank into his shoulders as he turned to look at Sam.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sam¡¯s mom asked, glaring at her second son. Then, she turned to look at Sam. Her eyes widened, and she pointed a finger at his nose. ¡°Who are you? What are you doing in my house? I¡¯ll have you arrested!¡±

    Sam smiled at Tom before pointing at his mother, Iris. He concentrated on his crown and solar plexus chakras, and with a wag of his finger, Iris was lifted a foot off the ground by an invisible force. She let out a shriek as she flailed about like a fish out of water, her limbs waving in all directions as her waist bent from side to side.

    ¡°Stop this!¡± Iris shouted as she struggled to grab hold of something, but there wasn¡¯t anything within her reach she could hold onto. ¡°Stop this, right now!¡±

    Sam waited until Iris¡¯ legs were in front of her before ceasing his actions, causing his mother to fall down and land on her tailbone. Although it was just a dream, Sam didn¡¯t want to go overboard with his actions lest Tom think Sam had developed a cruel streak. ¡°See that?¡± Sam asked, ignoring his mother while looking at Tom. ¡°If you master your Sahasrara and Manipura, you can manipulate things without actually touching them.¡± Sam concentrated on his crown and solar plexus chakras once more, lifting himself off the ground. ¡°You can even lift yourself to fly. Blue avians do this all the time.¡±

    Tom¡¯s eyes widened, and he stared down at Sam¡¯s feet before looking back up at Sam¡¯s face, completely ignoring his mother on the ground. ¡°I can do this too?¡±

    ¡°If you train hard,¡± Sam said and scratched his head. Unlike Sam, Tom didn¡¯t have a talent that automatically mastered his chakras for him. All Sam had to do was learn and practice the techniques while Tom would have to unlock and master the chakras first. ¡°It might take a few years¡­?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Iris shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me! Tom, go call the police!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Sam, Mom,¡± Tom said, looking at his mother who was still sitting on the ground. Her tailbone must¡¯ve been bruised because she was having a hard time standing up. ¡°He came back from the future.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Iris asked. She gritted her teeth and climbed to her feet. ¡°The future? How can you believe nonsense like that? He¡¯s obviously a home invader!¡± Sam¡¯s mom turned her head and shouted behind herself, ¡°Dave! Dave, come quick!¡± Iris glared at Sam. ¡°Just wait until my husband gets here. He¡¯ll teach you a lesson with his talent!¡±

    Slow, clomping footsteps echoed through the house, and Dave, Sam¡¯s father, came into view, dragging his feet as he walked. ¡°Yes, honey?¡± Dave asked. ¡°Did you call for me?¡±

    ¡°Why are you so slow?¡± Iris asked and pointed at Sam while speaking to Dave. ¡°There¡¯s a home invader! You¡¯re lucky he didn¡¯t hurt me yet; if you came any slower, I¡¯d be dead, and it¡¯d be all your fault!¡±

    Dave leaned to the side and looked at Sam. A frown appeared on Dave¡¯s face. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Sam, Dad,¡± Tom said. ¡°He came back from the future.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Dave said. His brows furrowed. ¡°What nonsense about the future, did you finally awaken your talent, Sam? It made you look older, but that¡¯s just a small side effect. Some talents make you grow extra limbs, so you should count yourself lucky. What can you do? Do you know what rank you are?¡±

    ¡°Dave! What are you doing talking to the home intruder?¡± Iris asked. ¡°It must be an illusionary talent or something! Do your job as the man of the house and protect us!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re in any danger, honey,¡± Dave said to Iris before turning towards Sam. Sam¡¯s father scanned Sam from head to toe. ¡°It¡¯s great that you¡¯ve awakened. You can come with us to the center of the city.¡±

    ¡°Dave! I¡¯m not stupid!¡± Iris said and grabbed Dave¡¯s wrist. ¡°That¡¯s not Sam! He might look like an older version of him, but he¡¯s not our son!¡±

    Dave turned to look at Sam, and Sam shrugged.

    ¡°To be fair,¡± Sam said, ¡°I don¡¯t consider the two of you my parents, so it¡¯s fair for her to say I¡¯m not your son.¡±

    Tom¡¯s eyes widened, and he distanced himself from Sam as his father approached. Sam winked at Tom before pointing at Dave, and the older man gasped as his feet left the ground. He stumbled forward, but instead of falling onto the floor, he tumbled in midair, suspended as if he were in zero gravity.

    ¡°Dave!¡± Iris said before reaching into her pocket. Much to Sam¡¯s surprise, she pulled out a machine gun and fired a hail of bullets at him.

    ¡°Sam!¡± Tom shouted, his voice cutting through the sound of gunfire.

    Luckily for Sam, he used Toughen and crystallized his aura just in time, the bullets slowing down inches away from his skin before harmlessly bouncing off. Well, they still stung as they made contact with his skin, but he wasn¡¯t grievously injured. Perhaps it was because he was in a dream that such unrealistic things could occur. Speaking of which, what would happen to him if he died in a dream? Well, even if he died for real, Joe or Werchbite could bring him back to life.

 Chapter 77

    When the hail of bullets ended, Sam relaxed, letting his body, which was stiff from using Toughen, move again. ¡°That was very rude of you,¡± Sam said to his mother, ¡°but I can¡¯t say that was unexpected.¡±

    ¡°How was that not unexpected?¡± Tom asked with wide eyes. ¡°Where did you even get that, Mom?¡±

    ¡°The same place I got this!¡± Iris said and tossed aside the machine gun. She retrieved a grenade launcher from out of thin air and pointed it at Sam. ¡°Die!¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened, but he accepted what was happening without questioning it; after all, a dream didn¡¯t make sense. He leapt to the side and grabbed Tom, pulling his younger brother out of the way. Not long after, an explosion happened behind him in the place he had just been standing. Sam chuckled at Tom¡¯s flustered expression, and he released his younger brother.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said and patted Tom¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s getting a bit dangerous now. I think I should head out before she destroys the whole neighborhood next. It was good seeing you again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going?¡± Tom asked. ¡°Where? Back to the future?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you could say that,¡± Sam said and glanced at Iris, who was holding a comically large bomb with a skull painted on its surface. Sam communicated with the tapeworm through his mind. ¡°Nwaps, can you get me out of here?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Nwaps said, surprisingly obedient for one of Sam¡¯s familiars.

    Sam¡¯s vision warped, the massive bomb distorting and fading as Sam returned to the subconscious expanse. He was no longer in front of the building that represented Tom¡¯s dream; well, Sam liked to believe it was Tom¡¯s dream and not Iris¡¯ or Dave¡¯s.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that was quite a fruitful trip?¡± Nwaps asked, poking its head out of Sam¡¯s nostril, much to his discomfort.

    ¡°I suppose,¡± Sam said. Although it was just through a dream, it did feel nice to speak to his brother again. He also learned more about the subconscious expanse that the Venusians visited. Although he didn¡¯t try taking anything out of Tom¡¯s dream to see if he could, at least he didn¡¯t get blown up. As for the tapeworm¡­. ¡°Did you get anything out of this trip? You seem pleased.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°I infected another host. Why wouldn¡¯t I be happy?¡±

    Sam¡¯s expression darkened as he recalled the moment he had tackled Tom out of the way. Skin-to-skin contact was the tapeworm¡¯s method of spreading, and in that moment of carelessness, Sam had given his younger brother a mind-controlling tapeworm.

    ¡°I won¡¯t control your brother,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°At least, not immediately. I only take over a host when there¡¯s a need; I prefer spreading whilst remaining undetected. Even if blue avians have lost their calamity detector, it¡¯s still better for me to be safe than sorry: quarantine measures and all that, you know?¡±

    Despite the tapeworm¡¯s words, Sam did not feel relieved. However, what was done was done, and there wasn¡¯t anything he could do about it but move on and correct it later. He¡¯d have to find Tom and have Raindu remove Nwaps from his body.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just reinfect him,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°He¡¯s bound to touch someone else before then, and in the future, he¡¯ll eventually make contact with one of my hosts again.¡± The tapeworm extended out of Sam¡¯s nostrils and whirled around to look Sam in the eye. ¡°Well, don¡¯t let me stop you from doing futile actions that¡¯ll make yourself feel better.¡±

    Sam let out a sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this place before you infect anyone else.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Nwaps asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for you if I infected as many people as possible? Imagine you need to get something done, but someone is barring your path. If that person happened to be one of my hosts, I could have them step out of your way. It¡¯ll make your life truly convenient if you let me infect as many people as possible.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to live in a world consisting of only you, me, and the rest of my familiars,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°My hosts are still themselves,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°Consciousness doesn¡¯t exist in the brain. It merely uses the brain as a transmitter for their fleshy body. All I¡¯m doing is temporarily hijacking someone¡¯s control when I mess with their brain. They won¡¯t even remember a thing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather you not hijack brains at all,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Nwaps said and receded inside Sam¡¯s head. An unpleasant feeling went up the base of Sam¡¯s neck, causing deep within his ears to tingle. The subconscious expanse whirled and swirled before another misty archway appeared in front of Sam.

    ¡°Is this the exit?¡± Sam asked, his face slightly pale. Although he felt nauseous, it wasn¡¯t at a level he couldn¡¯t deal with.

    ¡°Go through, and you¡¯ll see,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°I¡¯m simply enabling your subconscious. If you really wanted to exit, this¡¯ll be the exit. If not, well, it¡¯s what you wanted.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow before walking through the wall of mist. The sun shining overhead told him he had, in fact, not exited the subconscious expanse, but considering all the people walking around on the streets, he had no idea whose dream he had entered. However, a head full of glossy, blonde hair caught his eye. It belonged to Mayor, and Sam noticed Toka sitting on a bench not too far away. Of course, he doubted they could recognize him since he wasn¡¯t disguised by Werchbite, so Sam simply walked off to the side and took a seat on a bench, pretending to be one of the extras within the dream. If he observed the two Venusians long enough, he was bound to find some clues as to who this dream belonged to.

    Toka was sitting on a bench, and Mayor was standing in front of a building, staring up at the entrance with a clueless expression on her face. As time passed, neither of them moved an inch, making Sam think the dreamlurkers were similar to spiders, simply waiting for their prey to show up instead of actively looking for them¡ªwhich was fine for Sam since he could keep an eye on both Venusians this way. Sam meditated to pass the time, and after a few breathing cycles, someone he recognized walked around a street corner. It was Jimmy Park from Carbon Peak, one of the individuals Vercedei had asked the Venusians to gather information about. Considering the two Venusians had just fulfilled Vercedei¡¯s wish of showing Sam how they entered dreams, the Venusians sure acted quickly. With social status on the line, Sam couldn¡¯t say he was surprised.

    As Jimmy walked down the street, his eyes naturally wandered onto the stunning, blonde woman who looked like a supermodel. There was a confused expression on her face, and she was looking up at a sign on the building, clearly needing help like a damsel in distress. Jimmy gulped, the crush he had on Wendy completely forgotten as he stared at Mayor. He redirected his gaze, but they inevitably drifted back onto the Venusian¡¯s backside.

    Mayor turned her head to look at Jimmy, and she shifted her weight onto a single leg, causing his hip to move in Jimmy¡¯s direction. He blinked and raised his gaze, making eye contact with the Venusian. Jimmy¡¯s face flushed red as he scrounged up his courage and raised his hand. ¡°Hi,¡± he said, ¡°you look like you¡¯re lost. Do you need any help?¡± He glanced up at the building¡¯s sign and realized it was a subsidiary business of Carbon Peak. As for why he didn¡¯t recognize the building before, well, he didn¡¯t question it, perhaps, because it was a dream.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Mayor scanned Jimmy from head to toe before a brilliant smile appeared on her face. ¡°I could use some help,¡± she said and tilted her head forward while tucking her hair behind her ear. ¡°I was supposed to have an interview here today, but the building seems to be locked. I was looking for a number I could call to have the door opened, but I can¡¯t seem to find one.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jimmy said and straightened his back. He could solve this problem easily with a few phone calls, so his confidence soared through the roof. ¡°I actually have connections with the manager of this building. I¡¯ll make a few calls for you.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Mayor asked. She clasped her hands together and smiled at Jimmy. ¡°That¡¯d be great!¡± She took a few sidesteps as Jimmy pulled out his phone, the Venusian ending up by her target¡¯s side. ¡°Since you know the manager of this place, can I have your number as well? Maybe, I¡¯ll need your help in the future in case someone here bullies me.¡±

    Jimmy was a bit thrown off by the Venusian¡¯s forwardness, but he figured he had nothing to lose, so he smiled back and said, ¡°Sure.¡± He held out his hand. ¡°Let me put my number in your phone.¡±

    Mayor reached behind her back and pulled a phone out of thin air, unbeknownst to Jimmy. ¡°Here,¡± she said and held out her free hand as well. ¡°I¡¯ll put my information in yours.¡±

    Jimmy grabbed the phone in his hand and pushed on the contacts list, but the calculator app opened up instead. A furrow appeared on his brow as the screens that popped up didn¡¯t seem to match his button presses. When he someone managed to enter the woman¡¯s personal photos, a flustered expression appeared on his face, and he raised his head to look at Mayor. The Venusian was busy typing away on Jimmy¡¯s phone, and sweat beaded on his brow as he renewed his concentration. The buttons worked illogically, but somehow, he managed to fill in his contact information, fighting the phone the whole way. In that time, whilst he was distracted, Mayor took her time to browse through Jimmy¡¯s contacts, and behind her, out of Jimmy¡¯s view, a piece of paper with a copy of the contact information was materializing as if it were coming out of a typewriter.

    Sam raised an eyebrow at the Venusian¡¯s information-gathering technique. It wasn¡¯t bad; it took advantage of Mayor¡¯s looks, Jimmy¡¯s naivety, and the dream¡¯s illogical logic. As for what Toka was doing¡­, Sam turned his head to look in the other Venusian¡¯s direction, and he couldn¡¯t help but blink. Toka had a pair of binoculars, and he was using it to stare at the piece of paper forming behind Mayor¡¯s back. With his free hand, the Venusian was writing on the air with his finger, but despite there being nothing there, words formed and stayed in place in front of the Venusian. After a set of contact information was created, Toka opened his mouth and inhaled, sucking in the complete set of words and numbers, erasing the evidence from view.

    Jimmy and Mayor swapped their phones once more, the Venusian¡¯s soft hand casually brushing against the back of Jimmy¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ll make that call now,¡± Jimmy said and avoided Mayor¡¯s gaze, looking down at his phone screen.

    Sam wondered if it was a Venusian special technique to grab things out of thin air. He held out his hand and imagined a glass of soda with ice in it. Since he was in a dream, it didn¡¯t matter if he ate junk food, right? Unfortunately, simply by imagining it, he couldn¡¯t materialize a cup of soda. If dreams were based on his subconscious, why was he even here in the first place? He wanted to leave, but his subconscious had brought him into Jimmy¡ªa man he didn¡¯t even know that well¡ªPark¡¯s dream. Why?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Nwaps asked. ¡°For experience. You made it your purpose of existence, seeking new experiences. Observing Venusians in action is one way to experience their culture.¡±

    Sam supposed that could be the case, but he had the sneaking suspicion it was the tapeworm¡¯s fault. It could manipulate his subconscious mind to move about the subconscious expanse, so why wouldn¡¯t it? If there was anything Sam learned from being around extradimensional beings, it¡¯d be that they weren¡¯t considerate individuals, and it was safe to assume they¡¯d always act in their best interests before Sam¡¯s. A verbal promise meant nothing to extradimensional creatures unless it was gained through a bargain. Sam needed to provide tangible benefits to the tapeworm for it to agree resisting its nature of proliferating, but he hadn¡¯t.

    ¡°You think I brought you here just to gain easy access into Carbon Peak?¡± Nwaps asked. The tapeworm sighed, causing a fart to escape from Sam¡¯s butthole. It was a very unpleasant feeling, but at least, it was silent. ¡°If only you had unlocked me first¡­. You were so na?ve back then; I could¡¯ve spread over the whole of Oterra.¡±

    Sam hadn¡¯t expected the tapeworm to admit it was lying to him. Perhaps it knew he couldn¡¯t do anything to it, so it didn¡¯t care about the way he felt about it. Whether Sam liked or despised Nwaps, it wouldn¡¯t affect the tapeworm¡¯s actions of seeking out as many hosts as possible. ¡°So, you do want to infect Jimmy,¡± Sam said and made a few more attempts at conjuring up a glass of cold soda. ¡°If you conjure me up something to drink, I¡¯ll make contact with him for you.¡±

    A cold sensation washed over Sam¡¯s hand, and ice-cold droplets of water rolled down his wrist and forearm. As expected, the tapeworm could navigate through dreams with ease. He wondered if it had to do with the fact Venusians held the golden city, that had summoned Nwaps into existence, in reverence. Their culture revolved entirely around the golden foundation, so it would make sense for the golden foundation to have Venusian aspects¡ªat least, in Sam¡¯s mind.

    Sam stood up. If he didn¡¯t fulfill his end of the bargain, terrible things would happen, so what else could he do but walk across the street while sipping on his glass of soda? He made his way down the sidewalk and casually bumped his shoulder against Jimmy¡¯s. ¡°Oops,¡± Sam said, turning his head to look at Jimmy.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sam said before mentally asking the tapeworm inside of him, ¡°Is that enough?¡±

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Nwaps said, evidently having lied about skin-to-skin contact being necessary considering only Sam¡¯s shirt had brushed against Jimmy¡¯s suit. Perhaps the tiny holes in the fabric were large enough for the tapeworm to slip through, which was a terrifying thought. Did it enter people through their pores? Dig directly through their flesh? Perhaps it was more like Raindu and simply ignored physical barriers.

    Jimmy turned to look at the person who had bumped into him. He was ready to get upset, but upon seeing Sam¡¯s face, his eyes lit up. ¡°Sam?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s you? You remember me, Jimmy from Carbon Peak, right?¡± He opened his mouth but closed it after remembering there was a beautiful woman standing not too far away. ¡°I¡¯m helping someone right now, but I¡¯ll catch up with you later, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Sam said. He took a step, but his shoes transformed into a pair of roller skates, and he rolled at lightspeed off into the distance, passing Mayor and Toka in an instant. When he was gone from their range of perception, his surroundings warped, and he found himself back in the subconscious expanse whilst still flying forward at incredible speed. He kept going and passed through a misty veil. Then, everything went black, and when he tried to exhale through his mouth, his breath remained stuck.

    ¡°Welcome back to Oterra.¡± Vercedei¡¯s voice greeted Sam. ¡°How was the subconscious expanse?¡±

    Sam activated his All-Seeing Gaze. The two Venusians were still enveloping his hand, their dark masses sagging downwards like melted spheres of ice cream. If he could see them with his physical vision, he would¡¯ve seen two blonde people collapsed in a heap on either side of him. ¡°It was interesting,¡± Sam said, wiggling his hands free from the Venusians¡¯ grasps. ¡°That probably won¡¯t be my only visit there.¡±

    ¡°You should go more often,¡± Birdbrained said and let out a, obnoxious squawk that shook the two Venusians on the ground awake. The colorless eagle didn¡¯t offer an explanation for its statement, but Sam suspected it wanted him gone more often, perhaps giving his familiars more freedom to act. Well, it wasn¡¯t like he was capable of restricting their freedom anyway.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Mayor said and stood up. ¡°Pardon my absence; I saw a chance to gather the information you wanted while I was in the subconscious expanse, so I took it. Did you need my assistance with anything else? I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill any task you have.¡±

    Toka resisted the urge to shake himself off. He always felt groggy when leaving the subconscious expanse, but if Mayor could remain composed, then so could he. As for what to say, it wasn¡¯t like he could say he saw Mayor going somewhere, so he decided to follow her, right? ¡°Same,¡± Toka said. Since Mayor had already spoken all the good words, it¡¯d only seem extra if they came out of his mouth as well. ¡°Whatever you want, I¡¯ll accomplish.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough for now,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Both of you are dismissed. If I need anything else, I¡¯ll have the Anunaki summon you.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Mayor said and bowed, remaining bent over whilst backing out of the building. ¡°May your endeavors be successful.¡±

    ¡°May your endeavors be successful,¡± Toka said, copying Mayor, albeit a bit awkwardly, and shuffled out as well, leaving Sam alone with his familiars.

    Sam couldn¡¯t help but think about Vercedei¡¯s endeavors¡ªat least, the ones twin-headed snake had communicated to the Venusians. The Venusians were wishing for the successful destruction of Oterra, huh? Well, Sam figured someone out there would care greatly if Oterra were truly in danger, and they¡¯d put a stop to its destruction. He wasn¡¯t going to worry about it.

 Chapter 78

    A week passed by quickly with most of Sam¡¯s time being spent within the subconscious expanse. In a dream, he could be anything he wanted, a sailor, an astronaut, a rich CEO, or a hero fighting against a demon king, whenever he wanted. When he wanted to take a break, he didn¡¯t have to walk anywhere or do any traveling; he¡¯d be instantly transported to his luxurious room meant for relaxation. When he got dirty and wanted to be clean, he didn¡¯t have to shower or change. A simple spin would clear all the dust and grime off of him. When he was hungry, the foods he was craving would appear in front of him, and he didn¡¯t have to worry about overindulging on sweets or fats or alcohols or carcinogens.

    However, the trip back to the human city was over, and it was time for Sam¡¯s dreams to end. The luxurious meal he was eating vanished as his surroundings swirled with a white mist, and Sam found himself sitting in a chair inside a whale¡¯s mouth with a twin-headed snake wrapped around his face, an eagle perched on his head, a sloth hugging his waist, and a koala weighing down his leg. Then, the head of a golden tapeworm squirmed out of his right nostril.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived,¡± Big Fish¡¯s voice said inside Sam¡¯s head. The door opened, and the ground shifted, scooting Sam outside of the building within the whale¡¯s mouth. He couldn¡¯t see anything thanks to the snake blocking his vision, but he still observed the Venusians with his All-Seeing Gaze as he was escorted along the whale¡¯s tongue and out of its mouth. There were very few Venusians on the streets of the whale¡¯s tongue, the only Venusians present were communicating the information they had discovered to the graylings who had been assigned the task of learning everything.

    As Sam was being expelled from the whale¡¯s mouth, he heard a grayling say, ¡°Excuse me,¡± and promptly imploded its own head. Birdbrained let out a squawk and flapped its wings a few times while shifting its weight from side to side as the knowledge of the big six human companies, that the Venusians had spent the week gathering, entered the eagle¡¯s brain all at once. Then, Sam landed outside of the whale¡¯s mouth, his surroundings shrinking as his body expanded to its original size. The green whale was the size of a small toy hidden within a mass of curly fur.

    ¡°Mangalitsa,¡± the wooly pig underneath Sam said in greeting when it noticed Sam landing on its back.

    ¡°Hello, Manga,¡± Sam said, communicating with the pig through his throat chakra. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± As the familiar who had to stay outside to transport the whale, it was the only one Sam hadn¡¯t seen whilst inside the whale¡¯s mouth. ¡°Did anything happen while we were gone? More specifically, you didn¡¯t cause any disasters while running, right?¡±

    The wooly pig let out its four-syllable-long cry once again, its tone clearly upset with Sam for insinuating it didn¡¯t know how to hide its traces. It had spent the whole week running underground where it wouldn¡¯t be detected by any surface dweller, and it was only now seeing sunshine for the first time in days.

    Sam noticed the pig didn¡¯t answer his question, so he assumed one or two earthquakes had been triggered by the pig as it moved through the earth. He patted the pig¡¯s back to convey he understood what it was saying before using his All-Seeing Gaze. The range of his technique had expanded since the last time he had been to the city, and he was taken aback when he realized how small the place truly was. When he was younger, it seemed like the city was the whole world, but now, it was just a place where Sam could easily come and go. Suddenly, the value of human credits didn¡¯t seem worth that much since it only had meaning in such a tiny region.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Sam said with his throat chakra and patted the wooly pig¡¯s back. It trotted forward, and as Sam recalled the reason why they came to the capital in the first place¡ªto get bacon for Sam to eat for Nwaps to eat inside of Sam¡ªhe couldn¡¯t help but find it a little ironic he was riding still-alive bacon to get there. ¡°To the butcher.¡±

    Although Sam could order the graylings within the capital to get him all the bacon he needed, wouldn¡¯t that be robbing him of his life experiences? If he went to the butcher, what if he chanced on a damsel in distress or someone key to activating a plotline within a story? Although the odds were extremely low, they were still better than if he chose not to go at all, sending graylings in his stead. Then again, if he didn¡¯t go to the butcher and met someone else in that time whilst his graylings were running his errands¡­. Who was he kidding? If he sent the graylings to run his errands, he¡¯d spend his time in the subconscious expanse interacting with people who weren¡¯t even real. Were they real? What did it even mean for someone to be real?

    ¡°That¡¯s simple,¡± Vercedei said, having no qualms about reading Sam¡¯s mind. ¡°If someone has the spark of creation, then they¡¯re real.¡±

    ¡°Spark of creation?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Ideas are always floating around regardless of whether or not someone thinks them up,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°If someone can cause the idea to manifest, then they have the spark of creation. Ideas by themselves need the spark to become action. Those people in the subconscious expanse, they¡¯re mere ideas, unable to make anything of themselves without the help of someone with a spark.¡±

    ¡°That simple, huh?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°More or less,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Werchbite¡¯s illusions are so realistic because Werchbite can mimic the spark of creation perfectly.¡±

    ¡°And how can I tell if someone has the spark?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Observation,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°If all they can do is regurgitate words without understanding the meaning behind them, then they¡¯re sparkless. Haven¡¯t you noticed when you interacted with people in your dreams? They speak, and their words make sense, but they can¡¯t come up with any topics of their own unless you prompt them.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said and focused on his All-Seeing Gaze. Despite the wooly pig taking up so much space, Werchbite had created an illusion to mask it. To outsiders, they¡¯d simply see Sam driving a car. As such, the wooly pig was obeying the rules of traffic on its way to the butcher. There weren¡¯t many people moving out and about, but Sam couldn¡¯t tell if it was normal or not considering he hadn¡¯t been to the city in a while, and he had never scanned the whole thing at once with his All-Seeing Gaze at once.

    ¡°Why are we going to the butcher?¡± Nwaps asked.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want bacon?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Yes, but can you even cook?¡± Nwaps asked. ¡°Why would I want an amateur¡¯s attempt at bacon when there¡¯re so many fine-dining establishments waiting for you to give them money to feed me delicious food?¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure if fine-dining establishments offered bacon on their menu, but if the tapeworm insisted on going to those places instead of the butcher, what could Sam do but comply. He patted Manga¡¯s back and communicated with it through his mind. ¡°Take us somewhere Nwaps approves of.¡±

    The wooly pig let out a four-syllable-long cry, evidently not too happy with its new set of instructions. How was it supposed to know where Nwaps wanted to go?

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Communication?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Ask the tapeworm.¡±

    ¡°And why would I know fine-dining establishments?¡± Nwaps asked in return. ¡°You¡¯re our host. Do host things and make sure we¡¯re happy. Why should I do work for my own food when I¡¯m a guest here?¡±

    If Sam weren¡¯t grounding his feelings, he¡¯d grab the tapeworm with some tweezers the next time it popped out of his nose and yank it out before stomping on it, but since he was grounding his feelings, he was able to think things through logically. He was lucky the tapeworm was asking¡ªeven if it was a impolite and spoiled¡ªbecause it could always dig into his brain and control his actions to get what it wanted anyway. At least, this way, Sam had a say in the choice of restaurant; however, how would Sam know any fancy places?

    Sam tapped near his chest, poking something soft underneath his shirt. A black ferret¡¯s head poked out of his shirt collar and stared up at his chin. ¡°Can I get my tablet?¡± Sam asked the ferret.

    Raindu held out its paw and spread three of its toes.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯ll triple the number of dishes we order, so you can have some too.¡±

    The ferret reached into its fur and took out a stone tablet, which it dropped onto Sam¡¯s lap¡ªnot before the corner of the tablet hit Joe the sloth¡¯s head on the way down. The sloth let out a cry as the ferret hid back inside Sam¡¯s shirt, and Sam couldn¡¯t help but sigh through his nose as a red mist leaked out of the sloth¡¯s body, signaling the sloth¡¯s anger and desire to share its indignance with its surroundings. Not far from Sam, there were two people playing a boardgame with one another in a restaurant¡¯s outdoor space. They must¡¯ve already hated each other because it didn¡¯t take long for them to begin pummeling one another after the sloth¡¯s red haze tinged their auras. Sam pretended as if he hadn¡¯t seen a thing and connected with his tablet through his Sahasrara.

    As someone who worked as basically the secretary for the CEO of Monarch, Wendy was bound to know a few high-end places, so Sam sent her a message asking for recommendations for places to eat that included bacon. He received a reply surprisingly quickly, and with his All-Seeing Gaze, he located the restaurant Wendy had recommended almost immediately. It was at the top of one of the tallest buildings in the capital, and it was owned by Weston, one of the six big companies. As expected, Sam noticed graylings within the building, and some of them were even working in the restaurant; he had rented Weston a hundred graylings, and it seemed like the company found them quite useful.

    Sam patted the wooly pig underneath him, giving it directions through his mind. Despite being able to see the whole city with his All-Seeing Gaze, there were parts of it blockaded off from his psychic vision. Some buildings and some rooms inside of buildings couldn¡¯t be seen; Sam assumed crystals were employed to interfere with people¡¯s All-Seeing Gazes; after all, anyone could learn it if they unlocked their Ajna and Sahasrara. As the wooly pig walked down the road, the sloth¡¯s red-tinged haze continued to spread, causing minor scuffles and impolite interactions to occur, but they conveniently ignored Sam and his familiars as they approached the fancy building.

    Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure how his familiars were going to bring him into the restaurant at the top floor considering the wooly pig couldn¡¯t shrink, and it was massive, way bigger than the building¡¯s doors could accommodate. He got his answer soon enough when the wooly pig leaned to the side, causing Sam to roll off the creature with a metallic thump caused by Dirt the koala hitting the sidewalk. Big Fish enlarged, scooped up Manga in its mouth, and shrank to a reasonable size for Sam to sit on. Then, the green whale slowly floated forward, bringing Sam inside the building.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the host at the desk said. ¡°How may I help you today? Are you here for business?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I heard there was good bacon here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we do have good bacon,¡± the host said, a slight smile appearing on his face as he scanned the illusion Werchbite had created for Sam from head to toe. ¡°Do you have a reservation with us, sir?¡±

    Reservation? High-end restaurants probably needed those, huh? He hadn¡¯t made one.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sam,¡± Nwaps said to Sam through his mind. ¡°I got this. I¡¯ll make up for your mistake.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said to the host. ¡°I have one.¡±

    The host violently twitched, and Sam saw a golden aura blossom inside the man¡¯s head with his All-Seeing Gaze. ¡°Yes,¡± the host said and pressed a few buttons on the small tablet in front of himself. ¡°You do have a reservation. Go right ahead.¡±

    Big Fish swam forward in the air, carrying Sam past the man who was smiling and waving at him as if Sam were the most important person in Oterra. As Sam entered an elevator, the golden color in the man¡¯s head receded, and he looked around with a confused expression as the elevator¡¯s door closed. ¡°How many people have you infected inside this building?¡± Sam asked the tapeworm with his mind.

    ¡°All of them,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°They¡¯re part of Weston, one of the big six companies; it¡¯d be a huge failing on my part if I hadn¡¯t infected everyone here.¡± The tapeworm extended out of Sam¡¯s nostril and tapped against his cheek a few times. ¡°While you were slacking off in the subconscious expanse, I was busy at work. Aren¡¯t you glad to have such reliable familiars?¡±

    It had only been a week, but all the people in a single building were infected by Nwaps. In that case, how many people in the city were under Nwaps¡¯ influence? If the wealthy came to this high-end restaurant to eat, then they were most likely infected as well, and if they went to parties where all their peers were attending? Sam had only been through a few people¡¯s dreams, but it seemed like that was enough to cause a widespread infection. ¡°No one¡¯s noticed your existence?¡±

    ¡°With no symptoms, why would anyone even bother checking?¡± Nwaps asked. ¡°In fact, when I infect someone, I boost their immune system, so they¡¯re less likely to get sick or need a reason to visit a doctor. The people in the capital are healthier than ever with me present.¡±

    ¡°Other than the fact their brains can be rewired at any moment,¡± Sam said as the elevator reached its destination.

    ¡°Some people would pay good money to have their brains rewired,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°As I said, they¡¯re healthier than ever now.¡±

    The elevator opened, and Sam wasn¡¯t sure how to feel as golden lights blossomed in the heads of the people working within the restaurant. One man approached and nodded while smiling at Sam. ¡°Hello, Mr. Park,¡± the man said, addressing Sam. ¡°Our private room is right this way. Please, follow me.¡±

    Sam scanned the guests in the restaurant with his All-Seeing Gaze as the whale floated behind the man. There were golden lights hidden within their abdomens, and if anyone were to view them with an All-Seeing Gaze, they would¡¯ve assumed the individuals were working on unlocking their sacral chakras; however, Sam knew that was the sign of Nwaps¡¯ infection. The guests turned to look at Sam as the illusion Werchbite had created walked past them. Luckily, Joe¡¯s temper tantrum from having a tablet dropped on its head had ended; otherwise, a bloodbath might¡¯ve occurred. Instead, the guests remained calm and didn¡¯t question Sam¡¯s existence while their meals became much more relaxing and enjoyable than usual.

    The private room was fancy, not that Sam could enjoy the sight with his eyes blocked by Werchbite. There were crystals embedded in the walls that prevented him from seeing in and out of the room with his psychic vision, but once he was inside, he could see the interior just fine. Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, there were already people inside¡ªthe real Mr. Park and two other individuals, both of whom Sam recognized: Mister Hoffman from SAT Group and Big Chief from Weston. Not only that, but there were six invisible people in the room as well; Sam assumed they were the three CEOs¡¯ bodyguards.

    ¡°Here we are, Mr. Park,¡± the man who guided Sam to the room said. ¡°Enjoy your stay with us.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m Mr. Park,¡± Mr. Park said, a baffled expression on his face. The waiter acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard the man and left the room while closing the door behind him, leaving Sam to face the three CEOs and their bodyguards alone. Mr. Park frowned. ¡°Who are you, and why are you impersonating me?¡±

    ¡°Am I impersonating you, or are you impersonating me?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Mister Hoffman, Big Chief, do the two of you really think that imposter is me?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­,¡± Mister Hoffman said and turned to look at Mr. Park. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure anymore.¡±

    Sam exhaled through his nose. Couldn¡¯t his familiars have disguised him as someone who wasn¡¯t already present within the restaurant? And of all the people to impersonate, why did they impersonate one of the CEOs of the six big companies? Sam had a sneaking suspicion his familiars¡¯ actions weren¡¯t coincidences; rather, they were taking deliberate steps towards destroying Oterra as Vercedei had proclaimed it would when convincing the Venusians to join them.

    ¡°Someone,¡± Big Chief, leader of Weston, said and snapped his fingers twice. ¡°Clear up this misunderstanding. I am not amused.¡±

 Chapter 79

    Six individuals appeared out of thin air, aiming weapons at the intruding Mr. Park. Not even a second later, two individuals appeared by the imposter¡¯s side, with weapons drawn and aimed at the Mr. Park sitting at the table. The three CEOs exchanged glances with one another, and Mister Hoffman and Big Chief exchanged an additional glance, deciding what to do in an instant. Mr. Park¡¯s men leapt over the round table towards the entrance of the room while the four other bodyguards stayed back.

    ¡°Get over here, fakes,¡± one of Mr. Park¡¯s men said, gesturing for the imposter¡¯s men to step forward.

    ¡°You¡¯re fighting, Sam,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Disable all six bodyguards.¡±

    Sam had a feeling this would happen. The familiars picked the fight, so why was he the one cleaning up after them? Well, if he wasn¡¯t the one doing it, then Raindu would be responsible for getting rid of the mess, and the black ferret¡¯s solutions were more permanent. Sam didn¡¯t want to waste any time, so he concentrated on his Sahasrara and Manipura, forming connections with the six bodyguards while pumping his aura into theirs, seizing control of their space. With a thought, he lifted them up and brought them together, their heads colliding against each other¡¯s in a certainly unhealthy manner.

    As the leader of Carbon Peak, one of the six big companies, Mr. Park had hundreds of capable people working underneath him, and his bodyguards were two of the most incredible people he knew, yet ¡­ they were so easily defeated. Mr. Park stood up and stared at his fallen companions; beside them, there were four other people who were likewise on the ground and unconscious. Meanwhile, the imposter¡¯s bodyguards hadn¡¯t even needed to make any moves.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Big Chief said, standing up from his seat at the round table with the lazy Susan atop of it. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±

    ¡°Do you think someone can become a CEO without at least an S-ranked talent?¡± Mister Hoffman, the CEO of SAT Group, asked as he rose to his feet and pressed his right hand into his left palm, cracking his knuckles. ¡°We should always let those underneath us fight one another first. Does it feel good bullying people weaker than you?¡±

    Mr. Park sighed as his fellow CEOs blustered about. Since they were taking an offensive stance, if he didn¡¯t take one as well, they might really believe he was the imposter. Speaking of the imposter, he or she hadn¡¯t used a talent to defeat the six bodyguards, besting them through chakra techniques instead. The six bodyguards had their heads grabbed and slammed together by telekinesis, a technique Mr. Park had only seen blue avians perform for combat. Although some humans specialized in the chakras enabling telekinesis, their control was nowhere near the imposter¡¯s strength; regular individuals could use their mind to throw a knife, not physically lift someone to smash them into another object, much less lift six individuals at once.

    ¡°Are you the ones responsible for the kidnappings?¡± Mr. Park asked rather than preparing himself for a fight. ¡°Dozens of our best awakened have vanished, and it¡¯d all make sense if people like you were doing it. With such a perfect disguise technique, and such fine control of telekinesis, it¡¯s hard to believe you aren¡¯t the ones disappearing our people.¡±

    ¡°And what if I am?¡± the imposter of Mr. Park asked in a perfect copy of his voice and intonation.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to detain you,¡± Mr. Park said and straightened his back, jutting his chest out.

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure what his familiars were trying to do. He thought he was going to have a nice meal, but instead, he was fighting against three of the big six companies¡¯ CEOs, and for what? Because one of his familiars, Vercedei, enjoyed spinning a yarn whenever it had anyone new who was willing to listen to it. Well, Sam supposed that was the price to pay for it coming with another, quieter snake capable of creating crystals strong enough to power a human body.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re capable enough to do that,¡± Vercedei said out loud before communicating with Sam through his mind. ¡°You¡¯re going to fight three S-ranked humans, some of the strongest ones out there. Are you ready?¡±

    Sam supposed he was as ready as could be. It¡¯d be nice if he had better equipment, maybe some armor or deadly weapons, but Raindu was too busy stealing the food on the table to let Sam access the storage space within its fur. Considering Wendy had once told him Queen Annabeth could manipulate matter within a certain radius around herself with Raindu when the ferret was still a scepter, Sam expected the remaining CEOs to have powers just as ridiculous. Since that was the case, he had to strike first lest they surprise him with a power capable of defeating him in a second.

    ¡°Let¡¯s work together,¡± Mr. Park said. ¡°You two deal with his bodyguards; I¡¯ll take on my imposter.¡±

    Since his bodyguards weren¡¯t actually real, Sam knew he only had an instant before the one-on-one duel against Mr. Park turned into a three-versus-one fight. However, with his mobility severely hampered by Dirt the koala, there weren¡¯t many avenues of attack Sam could take. He focused on his Sahasrara and Manipura, connecting with and manipulating the six unconscious bodyguards on the ground. They were great to use as weapons simply because they were living people the CEOs probably¡ªwho knew if they were sociopaths¡ªcared about; blocking telekinetic attacks using humans as projectiles would involve injuring those who were thrown.

    Sam couldn¡¯t see, so he wasn¡¯t quite sure how Mr. Park disappeared and reappeared behind him in an instant, but the boom of thunder reverberating through the room gave him a pretty big hint. The electrocuting sensation he felt when Mr. Park¡¯s fist collided against his back confirmed Sam¡¯s guess that the man had transformed into lightning. As the electricity coursed through Sam¡¯s body, he focused on his root chakra, willing for it to take action. His Muladhara pulsed, and a chilling sensation washed over his body, numbing the pain.

    The room shook as thunder cracked. Mr. Park struck Sam¡¯s unmoving back repeatedly dozens of times in a single second. Then, the blinding light filling the room vanished as Mr. Park¡¯s body shifted back into one of flesh. Mr. Park frowned and looked down at his fist; despite having landed dozens of solid blows against an unguarded individual¡¯s back, he felt like he was punching the surface of a lake, his strikes only doing superficial damage. Not only did the imposter have a touch physical body, but their aura was condensed to the point of being crystalline as well.

    Although Sam could¡¯ve pivoted on his disabled-by-metallic-koala leg and turned around to face Mr. Park, there really wasn¡¯t any need to; it wasn¡¯t like Sam was going to punch someone whose body could transform into lightning. Instead, Sam launched the bodyguards at his opponents, the two unconscious bodyguards from Carbon Peak flying over Sam¡¯s head to strike at Mr. Park. If the CEO of Carbon Peak dodged to avoid the strike, his bodyguards would be driven headfirst into the floor, and was Mr. Park a heartless enough person to allow that to happen?

    Mr. Park frowned and pressed his thumb against the green ring on his index finger. His body disintegrated as he transformed into an entity made entirely of air. The two human projectiles struck where Mr. Park had just been standing, but instead of hitting the ground, they stopped, suspended in midair. Then they floated towards Sam as Mr. Park advanced whilst fighting against the force from the imposter¡¯s telekinetic technique trying to manipulate his bodyguards. Mr. Park¡¯s intangible body superimposed itself on top of Sam, and he used his surefire killing technique he aptly named Drain Lungs. By removing the oxygen within his opponent¡¯s body, he could render them unconscious within a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, no matter how hard Mr. Park looked, he couldn¡¯t find the imposter¡¯s lungs. It was almost as if the organs in the imposter¡¯s chest were entirely made of stone, but that didn¡¯t make any sense.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Mr. Park retreated, still holding onto his bodyguards to prevent them from being used as projectiles, and reassessed the situation. The other two CEOs were presented with the same challenge as Mr. Park, and they were both compassionate enough to save their bodyguards from slamming into the ground headfirst, but that also meant they weren¡¯t dealing with the imposter¡¯s bodyguards ¡­ who hadn¡¯t moved an inch. Mr. Park kicked out, his windy leg extending as it swept through the two unmoving individuals.

    ¡°They¡¯re not real!¡± Mr. Park said, his voice permeating the whole room. ¡°His bodyguards are illusionary. Help me protect my underlings while I probe him for weaknesses.¡±

    Sam released his telekinesis, allowing Mr. Park to transfer his two underlings to the other CEOs. Since they were on guard against Sam¡¯s technique, it was a waste of energy for him to keep it going. As for fighting with other methods, it was difficult when Dirt the koala anchored him to one spot. ¡°Can I count on any of you for assistance?¡± Sam asked his familiars with his mind.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± Raindu said, poking its head out of Sam¡¯s shirt collar. ¡°Werchbite, hide me while I relocate their equipment.¡±

    Sam was relieved the ferret wasn¡¯t offering to help by murdering the CEOs. If they died, who knew what would happen to their companies? The six big companies were in a tentative balance, and if three of them suddenly lost the people at their helms, then turmoil would soon follow¡ªnot that Sam would care too much, but Tom had joined Carbon Peak, and Sam didn¡¯t want the company his brother was in to go under.

    Mr. Park shifted his thumb, pressing on the scarlet ring on his middle finger. His skin flushed red, and his flesh transformed into white fire. Fire was rarely ineffective against anything. As long as he burned hot enough, there wasn¡¯t any creature he couldn¡¯t affect, including intangible ones. Mr. Park surged towards the imposter, intent on passing straight through the man. Unfortunately, when Mr. Park reached the imposter¡¯s aura, Mr. Park found he couldn¡¯t get past, stopping several feet away in the air.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a technique like that before,¡± Big Chief said. ¡°We¡¯re up against a blue avian.¡± He turned towards Mister Hoffman, and the two men nodded at each other before placing aside their underlings. They couldn¡¯t afford to protect them whilst fighting against a formidable foe. ¡°I¡¯ll back you up.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t hit my back,¡± Mister Hoffman said and grunted as he reached into his pocket. He grabbed his sphere of solid hematite¡­, which wasn¡¯t there for some reason. Mister Hoffman looked down and took his hand out of his pocket while flipping the pocket inside out. It was empty, save for a piece a lint. The CEO¡¯s brow furrowed as he mumbled, ¡°Did I not bring my sphere with me? No, I¡¯m sure I had it¡­.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Big Chief asked as a crystalline gun pistol appeared in his hand. ¡°Get your shit together.¡±

    ¡°My equipment set is missing,¡± Mister Hoffman said as he checked his remaining pockets before sprinting towards the chair he was sitting on. He crouched down low to see if his sphere had rolled underneath the table before standing on his tiptoes to get a better view.

    ¡°Missing?¡± Big Chief asked and turned his attention away from the two Mr. Parks to look at Mister Hoffman. ¡°How is it missing?¡± Big Chief¡¯s brow furrowed, and his head whipped back around to look at his hand. The crystalline gun he was just holding had vanished. ¡°My gun!¡±

    ¡°Everything¡¯s missing!¡± Mister Hoffman said, blinking his eyes rapidly. Every time he blinked, something within his vision disappeared. ¡°Even the food is gone!¡±

    Big Chief¡¯s expression darkened as the shirt he was wearing vanished. If the three CEOs worked together, they could probably force the blue avian to retreat, but that was under the assumption they were all at full power. Right now, they were missing their equipment, lacking buffs, and taken off guard. It¡¯d be a miracle if all three of them could escape with their lives. Big Chief¡¯s eyes lit up as if an imaginary lightbulb had appeared over his head. ¡°I got it! Mister Hoffman!¡±

    Mister Hoffman stopped looking at the now-empty table and made eye contact with Big Chief.

    ¡°Smash the walls!¡± Big Chief said.

    ¡°You want me to run and call for help?¡± Mister Hoffman asked, his tone disbelieving.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Big Chief said. ¡°People will definitely notice the signs of a battle, and¡­.¡± Before he finished speaking, Mister Hoffman had already tackled a wall, shattering a hole in the crystalline material. Big Chief glanced at the unconscious bodyguards before running over to them. He prioritized his underlings first, and dragged them out of the room two at a time.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Park increased the intensity of his flames, the light shifting from white to mere shimmers in the air. Even if he couldn¡¯t make contact with the imposter, the heat from the flames would still be enough to roast him.

    ¡°You¡¯re really getting up in my personal space,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°and I don¡¯t like that. Goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Is it over?¡± Sam asked as Big Fish closed its mouth around him. The illusion of Mr. Park vanished, leaving the real one floating in the air with an unreadable expression¡ªmainly because his face was made of near-invisible fire. Although Sam¡¯s aura had been crystallized, Mr. Park was right; the high temperature of the flames was burning him even with hardened muscles and a calm mind capable of withstanding the pain.

    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°We got what we came here for.¡±

    ¡°Food?¡± Sam asked, recalling the reason they had entered the restaurant in the first place. ¡°We could¡¯ve gotten that without the huge hassle of fighting three CEOs.¡±

    ¡°Two of them didn¡¯t even fight,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°so your complaint isn¡¯t valid.¡±

    ¡°It was still more work than necessary,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°you needed to see how much you¡¯ve grown over the past decade. Since you¡¯ve been stuck inside Big Fish fighting blue avians, your standards have warped, and with that fight, you now know where you stand amongst humans¡ªat the very top.¡±

    Considering he knew more blue avian techniques than human techniques, and blue avians were to humans as eagles were to mice, Sam agreed with Vercedei¡¯s assessment. As long as he fought like a blue avian against someone who hadn¡¯t unlocked all seven of their mortal chakras, the ones in their body, their chances of winning were abysmal. Even someone like Mr. Park who could shift into different forms of matter by tapping into a crystal¡¯s frequency with his talent couldn¡¯t do anything to grievously harm Sam.

    ¡°If you want to influence the direction of humanity, you can,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You can create your own company and use a little bit of force to convince the top employees of the six big companies to defect to yours. You can become the seventh big company, or even the top company above all others if you want to go down that route. With the graylings helping you, it won¡¯t even take much effort.¡±

    Whenever Sam¡¯s familiar offered him a suggestion, it usually meant they wanted him to do it for their own amusement or gain. Although Sam didn¡¯t feel any particular need to become the CEO of the company leading humanity, he noticed his familiars seemed to have a goal of collecting species. Birdbrained led the graylings, and Vercedei was leading the Venusians. Now, the twin-headed snake wanted him to lead the humans.

    ¡°It was just a suggestion,¡± Vercedei said and slithered off of Sam¡¯s face.

    Green hues entered Sam¡¯s vision as the interior of the whale¡¯s mouth filled his physical vision. He took in a deep breath through his nose and exhaled through his now-free mouth. The ground shifted underneath him, shuttling Sam off into a nearby building reserved for him. He was placed on a chair with a table in front of him. Raindu crawled out of Sam¡¯s shirt and retrieved dish after dish from its fur, setting the table for Sam. Then, it leaned over and grabbed a piece of expensive bacon before retreating back inside of Sam¡¯s shirt.

    A golden tapeworm¡¯s head popped out of Sam¡¯s mouth. ¡°Something smells good,¡± Nwaps said and pointed at the dish it wanted to eat the most. ¡°Get me that one first.¡±

    Sam ignored the writhing in his esophagus as the tapeworm slinked back into his stomach and probably deeper within. From a battle inside a fancy restaurant to a meal by his lonesome within a whale¡¯s mouth, however, Sam wasn¡¯t disappointed. He had dulled his sense of expectation, so when things didn¡¯t go his way, he wouldn¡¯t care because his hopes couldn¡¯t be dashed if he had none. ¡°Are you escaping safely?¡± Sam asked the green whale with his mind before pulling the dish Nwaps had demanded to eat closer to himself.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Big Fish said. ¡°I¡¯ve shrunk down to a microscopic level. They¡¯re not finding me, but it¡¯s going to take a while to fly out of this building.¡±

    It was enough time to have a meal then. The food on the dish in front of Sam floated up into the air before heading towards Sam¡¯s mouth. He didn¡¯t need utensils to eat, not when he could telekinetically grasp, cut, and tear without getting his hands dirty. Sam chewed and couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the point of being rich was if he was just going to eat stolen meals anyway. It wasn¡¯t like he couldn¡¯t afford to make a reservation at that restaurant, so why did he have to steal someone else¡¯s food?

 Chapter 80

    There was an important announcement on the news: blue avians had made an assassination attempt on Mr. Park, the CEO of Carbon Peak. Luckily, he was with Mister Hoffman and Big Chief at the time, and with their quick thinking, they managed to scare the blue avian away before it could do any serious damage. The restaurant they were in suffered some monetary losses, but no lives were lost; though, six employees working for the CEOs were hospitalized as a result of the attack.

    ¡°What are you thinking about, Wendy?¡± an aged voice asked.

    Wendy shifted her gaze away from her news-playing tablet and onto the queen. ¡°I was thinking it was quite a coincidence Sam asked me for restaurant recommendations, and the restaurant I recommended to him happened to be attacked by a blue avian.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s been gone for ten years, hasn¡¯t he?¡± Queen Annabeth asked. She was holding a small dog in her arms, Squishy Jr., which was actually older than its namesake was when the original Squishy had passed away during a collision with the claws of an eagle named Birdbrained. ¡°Are the blue avians still chasing him?¡±

    ¡°It seems like it,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Why else would one show up at the capital the moment he arrives?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s the blue avian,¡± Queen Annabeth said and scratched Squishy Jr. behind its ears. The old woman nodded at Wendy. ¡°I¡¯d like you to figure out what he¡¯s up to, see if there¡¯s anything we need to be aware of.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Wendy said. ¡°I¡¯ll get to it.¡± She connected with her tablet through her Sahasrara and sent a message to Sam, asking him to meet up; he had been gone for so long, so shouldn¡¯t they catch up for old times¡¯ sake? Sam¡¯s reply came surprisingly quickly, and Wendy stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet him at his place.¡±

    ¡°Be careful,¡± Queen Annabeth said. ¡°Ten years isn¡¯t that long, but it¡¯s enough time to change someone.¡±

    Wendy nodded, keeping the aged woman¡¯s advice in mind; perhaps only someone as old as Queen Annabeth could say ten years wasn¡¯t a long time. ¡°I¡¯ll prioritize my safety,¡± Wendy said. Sam had changed drastically after only a couple of months in Et Serpentium. Now that he went off on adventures throughout Oterra, who knew how much Sam had changed after a whole decade?

    The trip to Sam¡¯s home was uneventful. Despite him not being around to maintain it, the villa was impeccably cared for with swept grounds, shiny windows, and unblemished walls thanks to the graylings who had been left behind with the sole purpose of keeping the place clean and livable. As agents of entropy, they weren¡¯t very happy with their jobs, but as servants to their master, it wasn¡¯t like they could refuse.

    Wendy got out of the car and nodded at the driver, who backed out of the driveway and left to park by the road where there was plenty of space considering most the of the land around the region was privately owned by Sam¡ªthough, some delinquents did frequent the area since the property was known to be haunted by graylings. Wendy scanned the area before heading towards the entrance which opened for her immediately. A pair of black, glossy lenses stared at her before the grayling behind the door stepped to the side.

    ¡°Welcome, guest of the master,¡± the grayling said. It gestured with its whole arm for Wendy to come in. ¡°He is expecting you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Wendy said and nodded at the grayling. She knew from experience they didn¡¯t mind how they were treated. One could be polite or rude, and the grayling would react in the same calm and logical way even if they were physically abused. She hadn¡¯t heard of graylings retaliating for poor treatment either; from what she read of their minds, they simply didn¡¯t have many emotional centers. They didn¡¯t get angry or excited or happy or upset, but Wendy decided to treat the graylings politely despite the lack of consequences for treating them poorly.

    ¡°Right this way,¡± the grayling said as it shut the door. It blinked out of existence and reappeared in front of Wendy. ¡°Please, follow me closely. It won¡¯t be good if you stray.¡±

    Wendy wondered what Sam was hiding in the house for the grayling to make that kind of statement. ¡°What¡¯ll happen if I stray?¡± Wendy asked while reading the grayling¡¯s mind. Evidently, it didn¡¯t know what would happen if one entered the forbidden areas of the house because the areas were forbidden, and no grayling would break the rules to figure out why. However, the grayling did know one would possibly suffer a fate worse than death if they did.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± the grayling said, ¡°but you won¡¯t like it.¡±

    Wendy observed the place, which seemed more like a hotel than a home with its shiny tiles, spotless walls, gleaming lights, and furniture without any imprints or creases on their surfaces. The interior might¡¯ve looked nice, but there was nothing inviting about it as if the place were meant to be on display rather than lived in. Eventually, Wendy ended up in a room where Sam was sitting on a balcony with the sun shining over him.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Vercedei said in Sam¡¯s voice, the twin-headed snake and the rest of Sam¡¯s familiars hidden under the illusion Werchbite had created. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Wendy.¡±

    Wendy stared Sam in the eyes, and a golden light washed over her vision, clearing her thoughts. She had attempted to read Sam¡¯s mind, but instead, she had been blinded by an unknown force. A furrow appeared on her brow as she tuned out of Sam¡¯s mind, but her vision didn¡¯t return. The golden light covering her view squirmed and wriggled as if something elongated and thin were underneath a golden tarp. The movements of the worm caused Wendy¡¯s vision to swirl and condense, forming geometric patterns that shifted when Wendy focused on them, preventing her from remembering what they truly looked like. A voice entered Wendy¡¯s mind; it was low, but as it spoke, its voice echoed repeatedly until it became a roar, the only thing existing within Wendy¡¯s consciousness, ¡°Stay out of my domain.¡±

    Cold sweat ran down Wendy¡¯s back as she froze like a rabbit in front of a fox, afraid that a single movement of hers would cause the wrath of the entity within Sam¡¯s head to bear down on her. Was Sam still Sam if something like that was living inside of his mind? The golden haze covering her vision gradually decayed, and she found herself back in the sterile-looking room. She looked at Sam and pursed her lips, a bit hesitant to inspect him further if even just visually.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Vercedei asked for Sam. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to catch up for old times¡¯ sake? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything after seeing me again after so long?¡±

    Wendy took in a deep breath through her nose. She was usually the one causing people to be frightened when they looked into her eyes, not the other way around. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Sam,¡± Wendy said. She couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking through mind reading, and she couldn¡¯t read his vibe either. It was almost as if he didn¡¯t actually exist. She took a seat at a table separating her from Sam. ¡°How have you been these past few years? Have your blue avian troubles been cleared up?¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Pretty much,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I can¡¯t get rid of them, but they can¡¯t get rid of me either, so we¡¯re living peacefully, but I imagine the peace will only last until one party develops a way to get rid of the other.¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t get rid of you?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°I would read your mind, but there seems to be something in there that doesn¡¯t appreciate when I do that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve met Nwaps,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°He¡¯s a familiar that appeared when I absorbed the golden foundation of the Venusians.¡±

    ¡°You did what?¡± Wendy asked. Out of habit, she formed a connection with Sam¡¯s mind once more, but she recalled what had happened earlier and disconnected it right away. The golden foundation of the Venusians was supposed to be an item even more important than the GMC was to the reptilians, and Sam had absorbed it? Wendy recalled the big fuss that the mantids had thrown when their heritage pillar had disappeared. Was Sam behind that too?

    ¡°I¡¯ve been going around Oterra,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°just to see what the world was like. While I was traveling, my talent definitely caused people hardships and grief. However, I¡¯m going to use my talent for good now; I¡¯m going to make the world into my ideal vision, a better place for everyone.¡±

    Wendy had a feeling Sam was going to get more out of this meeting with her than she was going to get out of him. ¡°I see,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Well, I wish you good luck with that.¡±

    ¡°You should help me,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I¡¯m going to start a company, one strong enough to stand within the winds of Oterra. I¡¯ll hire individuals from all over whether they be reptilian, mantid, Venusian, grayling, or even blue avian, and we¡¯ll focus on world domination through commerce, cultural exchanges, and, of course, force.¡±

    ¡°How exactly do you want me to help you?¡± Wendy asked. She crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°My services don¡¯t come cheap.¡± Even if Sam did possess power strong enough to contest against a blue avian, she wasn¡¯t going to allow herself to be intimidated or shortchanged. Mind readers were scarce, and even locating one would be a challenge.

    ¡°Join my company,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°What will it take for you to leave Monarch?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t be leaving,¡± Wendy said and shook her head. ¡°Queen Annabeth is like family to me.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°So, if something happened to Queen Annabeth, you¡¯d be willing to leave Monarch?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I said,¡± Wendy said, her reptilian eyes staring at Sam.

    ¡°So, even if Queen Annabeth were no longer in Monarch, you¡¯d still stay?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°What would be your reason then?¡±

    ¡°Are you planning on doing something to Her Majesty if I refuse to join your company?¡± Wendy asked, ignoring Vercedei¡¯s question.

    ¡°Who¡¯s to say I haven¡¯t already done something?¡± Vercedei asked before chuckling as Wendy¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; you can stay in Monarch even if you become my employee.¡±

    ¡°Not according to my contract,¡± Wendy said.

    ¡°We can have that adjusted,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°The graylings make quite a formidable legal team. Since there¡¯re so many of them and they understand each other so well, they can work around the clock, picking up where their colleagues left off perfectly. They can definitely overwhelm Monarch¡¯s legal team until they cave in to our demands.¡±

    ¡°Are you really determined to do this?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°If you openly poach employees like this, the six big companies won¡¯t take that sitting down.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of them,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Just the other day, I had a minor scuffle with Mr. Park, Mister Hoffman, and Big Chief. You probably heard about it¡ªan assassination attempt made by a blue avian on a big company¡¯s CEO, that¡¯s what the media is calling it.¡± A smile appeared on Werchbite¡¯s illusion¡¯s face. ¡°If the six big companies have no solutions for defeating blue avians, then what can they do to me?¡±

    ¡°So, now that you¡¯re powerful, you want to lead humanity?¡± Wendy asked.

    ¡°Precisely,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°That¡¯s the natural order of things, no? The six big companies are only where they are now because of the strength of their CEOs. Power determines one¡¯s social standing. When I was talentless without power, I was at the bottom, living by the rules determined by the top. Now that I¡¯m the strongest human, naturally, I should be the one standing at the top and determining the rules. If anyone has a problem with that, they can fight me.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people will be impacted,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Have you thought through the consequences?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°However, the problems of others are theirs, so they should be the ones to resolve them. The waves caused by me rocking the boat with my company are the trials and tribulations they¡¯ll have to face in life. They could always prevent these troubles from happening, but they¡¯ll have to kill me to stop them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed,¡± Wendy said, ¡°but I shouldn¡¯t be surprised; it¡¯s been ten years.¡±

    ¡°Change is the only constant in life,¡± Vercedei said, the illusion of Sam nodding. ¡°So, what will it be? Are you going to help me, or are you going to stand against me?¡±

    ¡°It feels like a foolish decision to go against you,¡± Wendy said, ¡°but at the same time, I¡¯m loyal to Her Majesty.¡±

    ¡°You can convince Queen Annabeth to work under me,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°If you don¡¯t wish to see us collide with one another in the future, that¡¯s what you¡¯ll have to do. If the queen becomes my employee, you can still be loyal to her while working for me.¡±

    ¡°The best of both worlds, huh?¡± Wendy asked and leaned back in her seat. She stared at the table in front of herself and frowned. Life was more important than money¡ªto some people. To others, money was worth dying for if the amount reached a certain threshold. Wendy knew Queen Annabeth was someone who would die for her principles¡ªin other words, she was like an old and stubborn goat¡ªbut perhaps there was a way to convince Her Majesty to turn Monarch into a vassal company.

    A furrow appeared on Wendy¡¯s brow. Was she really taking Sam¡¯s offer seriously? Had she been that intimidated by the entity living within Sam¡¯s mind that she felt like Sam was an unstoppable power, something akin to destiny and fate? Did something plant that thought in her subconscious? She felt a little off, but she couldn¡¯t identify what was wrong with her.

    ¡°Take your time to think about it,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I still have to get in contact with the mantids and reptilians.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Wendy said and nodded her head.

    ¡°I gave you a lot to ruminate on,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You probably want to talk out your options with Queen Annabeth, so I¡¯ll let you go now.¡± The illusion of Sam clapped his hands together. ¡°See my guest out.¡±

    ¡°¡ªlove you so-o-o-o~.¡±

    Wendy didn¡¯t have time to react before the scenery around her shifted. She had been sitting on a plush chair, and now, she was in the backseat of the car she had taken to get to Sam¡¯s place. Music was blasting, and the driver had his eyes closed while singing into his phone.

    ¡°And I will¡ªgah!¡± The driver flinched and jumped up in his seat, slamming his head into the ceiling. ¡°Sorry, sorry. I knew you could turn invisible, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to slip into the car while I wasn¡¯t paying attention, ma¡¯am.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°What¡¯s our destination?¡±

    ¡°Return to headquarters,¡± Wendy said after taking a moment to collect herself. That was one of the rudest ways to see someone out she had ever experienced in her whole life. As for Sam, well, it seemed like he had become a whole different person. Or perhaps that was what he was truly like underneath his weakness, and once he became strong enough, he didn¡¯t have to hide it anymore. If only she could read Sam¡¯s mind to understand what he truly felt; was he even there anymore, or had the entity replaced his mind completely?

    Wendy stared out the window while the driver stepped on the gas. Sweeping changes happened all the time where landscapes would change, where species went extinct, where natural disasters made places uninhabitable. Oterra, like Earth, had experienced several mass-extinction events where only a few measly inhabitants were left alive. If Sam really had been replaced by a higher-dimensional being that could fend off the blue avians, perhaps Oterra was doomed to suffer a drastic decline in population. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to join Sam if he ended up achieving his goal, but if he failed, everyone on his ship would go down with him. In the first place, did she really want to help someone with no morals conquer the world?

    Wendy shook her head. In the end, it was up to Queen Annabeth; she¡¯d make the correct decision after hearing all the details just like always. One had to make consistently good choices to survive for over three hundred years during an extinction event. Wendy considered informing the queen right away, but she decided it¡¯d be better to speak with her in person.

 Chapter 81

    Sam thought he was far removed from feeling shame or embarrassment after learning how to ground himself, but emotions were impossible to stifle completely. With the way Vercedei had been speaking and acting for him, Sam couldn¡¯t help but internally sigh at the image Wendy must¡¯ve had of him in her mind. According to Nwaps, the tapeworm prevented her from reading his thoughts, and it also read some of her thoughts in return; after all, connections worked both ways, and Nwaps knew how to enter people¡¯s heads. Wendy didn¡¯t hate Sam; she simply didn¡¯t know if he was even himself anymore. To be fair, Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure who he himself was supposed to be. A wanderer? A mercenary? A ticking timebomb filled with higher-dimensional entities ready to cause Oterra great devastation?

    Whatever he was, did it matter? Sam didn¡¯t think so. People were born to die, so what did it matter what happened in between those two points of his life? He was shaped by his environment since he was young, and then, he was shaped by society when he became older. His true self was constantly changing, and as he grew older, the thoughts he used to think shifted and grew as well. There was no need for him to define himself, not when his journey through life was only just beginning¡ªat least, he hoped it was only just beginning because it¡¯d suck if he died only a decade after his wish of changing his life came true.

    ¡°Do you want to know what you are?¡± Nwaps asked. ¡°You¡¯re a world with trillions of lives depending on you. Bacteria live on your skin and deep within your body; they might not be visible, but they play a huge role in affecting your mood and thoughts. To take care of the lives depending on you, first and foremost, you have to take care of yourself, and if that means conquering the world to create optimal conditions for your own growth, then that¡¯s what you should do.¡±

    Sam let out a mental grunt to let the tapeworm know it had been heard. The tapeworm was as chatty as Vercedei, but rather than enjoying the conversation with people like the twin-headed snake, whether it be by savoring the emotions it had triggered or by convincing someone to go against their morals, the tapeworm preferred talking at people. Sam thought it was because it enjoyed hearing its own voice despite it not having any ears, or, maybe, it enjoyed forcing its opinions on others; considering it was impossible to tune the tapeworm out since it spoke directly in people¡¯s heads and could literally take over their thoughts, Sam suspected the latter played a bigger role in the tapeworm¡¯s chattiness.

    ¡°Did you hear me, Sam?¡± Nwaps asked. ¡°You grunted, but it was a half-hearted grunt.¡±

    ¡°I always hear you,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s impossible not to.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a difference between the hear I¡¯m talking about and the hear you¡¯re talking about,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°If your full attention isn¡¯t on me when I¡¯m speaking, then you¡¯re not listening to me, understood?¡±

    Sam mentally grunted again, the only way he could get back at the tapeworm for disobeying his wishes. He didn¡¯t want the golden worm to spread throughout human society, or any society for that matter, but it did anyway.

    ¡°That¡¯s my nature,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°Plants grow leaves where its sunny, and I proliferate where there¡¯s lots of hosts. You can¡¯t blame me for being true to myself. Speaking of which, you should be true to yourself more often as well. Once upon a time, you wanted the world to end, so recall those feelings you felt back then and channel them through your actions.¡±

    ¡°Quit nagging Sam,¡± Vercedei said, the twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head¡¯s voice echoing through Sam¡¯s mind. ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t do anything, the graylings are more than capable of setting up the foundation for the fall of Oterra. All Sam needs to do is make an appearance once in a while.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not nagging him,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°I¡¯m just saying I was called to this dimension by Sam¡¯s fervent desire to destroy the world. I waited patiently for my turn to come, watching all of you get summoned one at a time, and what did you do? You had him experience Oterra. Why would you get him attached to a plane he¡¯s going to destroy? That¡¯s like making him name a pig that he¡¯s going to butcher later for meat.¡±

    ¡°If you know your enemy and you know yourself, then you¡¯ll never lose,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°We got a good look at Oterra¡¯s forces simply by exploring it, and besides, didn¡¯t we pick up more of us along the way? If we hadn¡¯t gone to see the Venusians, you¡¯d still be a golden platform in the ground.¡±

    ¡°A golden city,¡± Nwaps said, ¡°not just a platform.¡±

    ¡°As if a city is anything impressive,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Nwaps asked. ¡°You were just a rock carved by a blue avian.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I was carved with lots of feeling,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You were made as a necessity. If the Venusians didn¡¯t need you, then you wouldn¡¯t be around in the first place. No one made you for the sake of making you.¡±

    A snort rang through Sam¡¯s mind as the tapeworm expressed its displeasure. ¡°You act like the mediums required to summon us are important,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°What¡¯s really important is the fact I¡¯m ten times more useful than you whether as a platform or as a world-conquering higher-dimensional being. Other than speaking for Sam, what can you do?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on the power of words,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Words are the basis of communication, and communication is the basis of teamwork. No matter how great an individual is, a group of coordinated people working together can produce results beyond an individual¡¯s limits no matter how great they are.¡±

    Weren¡¯t Vercedei and Nwaps supposed to be a team since they both wanted to destroy Oterra? Then again, when Birdbrained and Raindu had first met the twin-headed snake, they were guarded against it. If Oterra couldn¡¯t be saved by an external force like the blue avians, perhaps, it could escape disaster if an internal conflict broke out amongst the higher-dimensional beings. However, Sam didn¡¯t think that was likely to happen, and with each passing day, he couldn¡¯t help but take Vercedei¡¯s words more seriously. If Oterra really underwent an extinction event because of Sam¡¯s familiars, would it be considered his fault?

    ¡°No,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°We would¡¯ve found someone else who was miserable and raging against their lot in life. Then, you¡¯d be a talentless struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic Oterra instead of the one heading the apocalypse, and I¡¯m sure you know which option is better.¡±

    Well, if Oterra was bound to suffer from destruction anyway, Sam had to agree with the tapeworm¡¯s point. He¡¯d much rather be the cause of destruction than someone who was destroyed, and luckily, he was given that chance. With his privilege of leading the apocalypse, he could save the people he wanted like Ellie or Wendy or Tom or April or Gregor. Sam¡¯s thoughts fell silent as he struggled to remember if he had any more friends. ¡°Would you spare blue avians?¡±

    ¡°If they aren¡¯t hostile,¡± Nwaps said, ¡°but with what we¡¯re going to do, there¡¯s no way any of them would want to be friends with us. To them, Oterra is their home, and we are pests. You wouldn¡¯t make friends with termites eating your house.¡±

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    ¡°And what exactly are you going to do?¡± Sam asked. His familiars could do amazing things, sure, but he didn¡¯t think any of them had to potential to destroy Oterra except for Nwaps and Dirt. Nwaps could control living beings and make them kill one another while Dirt could change the landscape, causing earthquakes, tsunamis, eruptions, and floods in the process. Actually, could Raindu store the whole of Oterra into its fur?

    ¡°How do you know we¡¯re not already inside of Raindu¡¯s fur?¡± Nwaps asked. ¡°For all you know, Oterra could be similar to a terrarium owned by a higher-dimensional being.¡±

    ¡°Is it?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°It¡¯s more like a wild bush with blue avians acting as its thorns. You were wondering how we would destroy Oterra, and that¡¯s a difficult question to answer because there are many ways to do it.¡±

    ¡°And we can¡¯t agree on the way we want to approach this problem,¡± Vercedei said.

    It wouldn¡¯t have to be a problem if they simply chose to leave Oterra alone¡ªwas what Sam thought, but Sam¡¯s familiars held his opinions in low regard.

    ¡°It¡¯s better that we can¡¯t agree,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°We¡¯ll each go about it a different way, and if one of our plans are foiled, then it won¡¯t matter because we¡¯ll have other apocalypses in motion.¡±

    Sam¡¯s mind generated the image of a bush named Oterra being approached by multiple animals holding various tools of destruction: sheers, chainsaws, herbicides, flamethrowers, a massive boulder. ¡°Why do you want to destroy Oterra again?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your wish,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°We¡¯re simply here to help you manifest it.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not use Sam as an excuse,¡± Nwaps said, eager to butt heads with the silver-tongued deceiver. ¡°Even if Sam weren¡¯t here, there are still thousands of reasons for us to get rid of Oterra. It doesn¡¯t really matter why, does it, Sam? You¡¯re not going to be able to convince us otherwise even if you hear our reasons; we¡¯re too stubborn.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to destroy Oterra too, Raindu?¡± Sam asked the black ferret through his mind.

    Raindu crawled out of Sam¡¯s shirt collar before jumping onto the floor in front of him. It chattered, communicating with Sam. ¡°All I want is for you to be safe and unharmed,¡± the ferret said. ¡°If Vercedei and Nwaps can reshape Oterra to be safer for you, then I approve. You don¡¯t know when those blue avians will show up, and as long as they exist, your life is in danger.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think getting rid of the blue avians would invite other higher-dimensional beings to invade Oterra without the blue avians acting as a deterrent?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that put me at even more risk?¡± After all, it was harder to deal with the unknown. Blue avians were difficult to deal with, but reality-bending animals that could kill people by touching them or controlling their minds with a simple touch was even tougher to handle. ¡°Honestly, I feel much safer with the blue avians around because if they weren¡¯t, then wouldn¡¯t it be up to us to defend Oterra from hostile higher-dimensional beings?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s like saying you don¡¯t mind living in a house full of wolves because they keep other predators away,¡± Birdbrained said, answering for Raindu. ¡°If they catch us any of us alone, a colony of blue avians can rip us to shreds. They might be good protectors of Oterra, but they¡¯re detrimental to us, so it¡¯s in our best interests to get rid of them.¡±

    ¡°But we live in Oterra,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°So?¡± Birdbrained asked. ¡°What part of you¡¯ll be torn to shreds by blue avians if your alone do you not understand? Do you think we want to stick by your side all the time and not go off on our own adventures? You keep adding more and more familiars; it¡¯s getting stuffy and crowded, and I don¡¯t like it. I want some time to myself, but I can¡¯t get it until those blue avians are gone, so I¡¯m firmly on the side of getting rid of them even if it causes the destruction of Oterra.¡±

    Freedom and time to itself, Sam supposed those were fair reasons for the colorless eagle to get rid of the blue avians. Living whilst having to be afraid was tiring, and Sam had lived a life without security when he was a talentless. He could relate with the bird¡¯s desire to be free. Perhaps his other familiars had similar reasons for wanting to rid Oterra of the blue avians. ¡°Werchbite, how about you?¡± Sam asked. ¡°What are your thoughts on Oterra and the blue avians?¡±

    ¡°Blue avians are pretty,¡± Werchbite said. ¡°They¡¯d look good as stuffed decorations.¡±

    So, the twin-headed snake¡¯s purple head wanted to collect blue avians like hunting trophies. Although it was a bit of a macabre reason, it was still a reason. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you collected things,¡± Sam said. ¡°Where do you keep them?¡±

    ¡°In my stomach,¡± Werchbite said.

    ¡°Our stomach,¡± Vercedei said, cutting in. ¡°You don¡¯t see us move because of the illusion Werchbite casts on you, but we leave your face all the time to swallow things we find interesting.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure if the twin-headed snake was serious or not. It was on very rare occasions the twin-headed snake left his body, but perhaps they left more often than he knew? If Werchbite could trick the people around Sam into believing he looked nothing like how he actually appeared, what was stopping the twin-headed snake from deceiving Sam into believing he had a snake wrapped around his head at all times? ¡°Has anyone else noticed them leaving my body?¡± Sam asked the rest of his familiars. ¡°Or were all of you fooled?¡±

    Manga let out a four-syllable-long cry. ¡°Everyone noticed except for you,¡± the wooly pig conveyed from its spot in the corner of the room. A whole section of the room and other parts of the house had been cleared out for the wooly pig to roam since its annihilate-whatever-it-touched fur didn¡¯t agree with furniture. ¡°They didn¡¯t go very far or leave for very long. One time, they ate a person.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Sam asked. ¡°They ate a person?¡±

    ¡°Swallowed them whole,¡± Raindu said.

    ¡°When was this?¡± Sam asked. How did he miss the twin-headed snake eating a whole person?

    ¡°That one time,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You know; we saw something we liked, so we grabbed it without anyone noticing by creating an overlapping illusion. It¡¯s the same way we disguise you to look normal, so it¡¯s understandable you didn¡¯t notice anything. If you had, other people would¡¯ve too.¡±

    ¡°You ate a person?¡± Sam asked again. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know them,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You didn¡¯t even notice they went missing, so why are you fretting over something that hasn¡¯t affected your life? You know what they say; control the things you can control, and forget about the things you can¡¯t.¡±

    Sam supposed eating one person wasn¡¯t the worst thing his familiars had done. Raindu derailed a train and caused traffic accidents. Birdbrained had graylings kill themselves all the time to absorb the memories they had gathered. Joe caused people to get into scuffles and broke relationships apart with its contagious mood whenever it happened to get annoyed in a crowd. Nwaps infected and controlled the minds of individuals to allow Sam into a high-end restaurant. Was eating one person really such a bad thing?

    ¡°People go missing all the time,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of the high-ranked awakened disappearing from human society. No one will suspect us.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t about being suspected, but Sam didn¡¯t expect his familiars to understand. They were higher-dimensional beings, and to them, Oterra was as common as a plant on the side of the road. Whatever happened to the insects on the plant wouldn¡¯t hurt their consciences; they were called calamities, not blessed beasts of generosity.

    ¡°Big Fish, Manga?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Do you have a problem with the blue avians too?¡± Of all his familiars, Manga and Big Fish were the most well behaved when it came to human morality. Dirt the koala might not have killed anyone yet, but considering how it was willing to destroy the blue avians¡¯ whole habitat, Sam had a feeling it wouldn¡¯t have cared whether it was destroying blue avian trees, human homes, or any other species¡¯ living quarters.

    ¡°I like running in open space,¡± Manga said, communicating with its four-syllable-long cry. ¡°With blue avians around, I¡¯m forced to run underground where its moist and damp and dark and not at all as nice as the sky. When they¡¯re gone, I¡¯ll be free to run where I please.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the same for me,¡± Big Fish said. ¡°I don¡¯t enjoy being microscopic. Everything¡¯s big, and it takes forever to get anywhere; an inch becomes ten miles. It¡¯s much nicer to be as large as a mountain and floating above the world with everything below in sight.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of living like a fugitive?¡± Dirt asked. ¡°Why are you so opposed to getting rid of the blue avians? They¡¯re making your life miserable. Constantly hiding is no way to live; what¡¯s the point of being an amazing awakened if you¡¯re not going to fight for a better life for yourself. You might as well have stayed talentless.¡±

    With the thoughts of nine familiars buzzing around Sam¡¯s mind, it was hard to think for himself sometimes. If enough people told someone they were wrong, unless they were truly firm in their conviction, their thoughts and positions could be easily swayed. Sam mulled over his familiars¡¯ thoughts; perhaps, there were benefits in wiping the surface of Oterra clean and starting anew.

 Chapter 82

    Sam was lying on Manga¡¯s back, his usual resting spot, with his mind connected to the stone tablet resting on his chest. He didn¡¯t have to hold the tablet up to his face to view its contents through his Sahasrara, and browsing while lying down was an innate human technique that Sam had clearly inherited. Surprisingly, even though the tablet was Et Serpentium technology, there was up-to-date information on human society with various news reports and relevant images. Sam checked the authors of the articles, and he wasn¡¯t sure how to feel when he discovered most of them belonged to graylings, the ones he had rented out to the six big companies.

    ¡°Birdbrained agrees with me,¡± Vercedei said out loud. ¡°Words contain tremendous power, and controlling the flow of information to influence the thoughts of others in a way beneficial for yourself is one way to exert that power.¡±

    Sam had to admit propaganda was indeed effective in swaying a population to one¡¯s side. Though, it would¡¯ve been nice to have been informed ahead of time about the grayling¡¯s actions. What if the companies accused him of spying on them? Well, Vercedei would take care of it since the twin-headed snake was doing all the talking for Sam. Sam supposed it was a good thing the graylings were posting human news to the Et Serpentium internet; it allowed Sam to keep up with current news without needing to read with his eyes, which were covered by Werchbite. He had been allowed to see before, but ever since his familiars started their plan of conquering Oterra, the twin-headed snake hadn¡¯t let him see so much as a speck of light.

    ¡°Ark, huh?¡± Sam asked his familiars in his mind after reading a few headlines. ¡°That¡¯s the company name you came up with?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fitting, no?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°When the apocalypse arrives, usually, those on an ark have a better chance of survival.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Sam said. Apparently, he had become the CEO of a company despite not filling out any paperwork at all. The graylings had established the company for him, filing all the required paperwork. They had even purchased a building for the company, and there was going to be a grand-opening ceremony happening in ¡­ thirty minutes. ¡°What¡¯s this about Ark¡¯s grand opening? It says it¡¯s happening today, and the CEO will be present.¡±

    ¡°It is, and you will,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°This article says there¡¯ll be a combat demonstration?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°As a company whose purpose is to explore and unite Oterra, doesn¡¯t it make sense for the members of said company to be powerful?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Ark needs to display an impressive show of force, or no one will take us seriously.¡±

    ¡°Is that why there¡¯s so many people congregating towards the martial district?¡± Sam asked. With his All-Seeing Gaze and his earth star chakra, it was easy to observe the movements of all his peers within the city. In fact, he could observe the movements of every ant within the city as well if he chose to focus on them; when he didn¡¯t focus on them, they were fluid like thin streams of water. Funnily enough, people were the same way too in his vision.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you can sense it,¡± Dirt said.

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m sure Ark would have a more impressive display of force if their CEO could actually walk around on his own,¡± Sam said. He had learned to fly, but he hadn¡¯t been able to use the ability thanks to the metallic koala holding him down.

    ¡°Werchbite¡¯s illusion of you will be impressive, don¡¯t worry,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°All you have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. There¡¯s nothing you need to fret over, but you will have to use telekinesis on some people, okay?¡±

    Even if Sam disagreed, his familiars would have other ways of showing off their strength such as having Dirt create a hand made of earth to slap the opponent silly, or by having Manga charge into someone; sometimes, a direct approach was best. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Sam said. If he didn¡¯t volunteer to fulfill Vercedei¡¯s request, maybe, his familiars would find a way to prevent him from using telekinesis as well. Honestly, it was great being able to pick things up without having to physically move. ¡°I¡¯ll lift and slam whatever you want me to.¡±

    ***

    Wendy stood with her arms crossed in front of her chest. She had separated her connections with the people around her with her Sahasrara, rendering her invisible, but she still felt uneasy. Perhaps it was due to the founding of the seventh big company, Ark, the company owned by Sam or the entity behind him. Once it was officially established, a great change would flood through Oterra, and it was up to the queen to decide how she wanted Monarch to ride the waves.

    Queen Annabeth was seated on a throne atop a red carpet. Although they were positioned in front of a gate and out in the middle of the road, the queen¡¯s entourage had brought props with them to create an appropriate setting, one fit for royalty. Not too far away from her group, the five big companies had set up stations as well for their CEOs. There were barriers on the roads and streets, keeping journalists and the general public at bay with only government officials and members of the six big companies allowed past the line.

    Wendy scanned the area, sure it was filled with more people than there seemed to be, with people like her who had gone invisible as well. The expressions on the CEOs faces were stone cold, and the atmosphere was tense with no one talking or making excessive movements. People suppressed their coughs and kept their gazes off of others, afraid of attracting attention towards themselves. The opening of a seventh company was supposed to be a joyous occasion if it meant the strength of humanity increasing once more, but no one was celebrating; after all, everyone present had been threatened to come.

    Wendy wondered if Sam, or the entity behind Sam, could be trusted. Although it was common to use force as an intimidation tactic, the six big companies never crossed a certain line. If one company acted too foolhardy, the other five were ready to take them down; perhaps, they¡¯d even be gleeful for an excuse to pillage another¡¯s assets. Of course, alliances between the companies had been formed as general protection for one¡¯s self, but with a seventh company entering the scene, the balance was about to be broken. Was Queen Annabeth willing to align with someone who had threatened violence against all the other companies? What if she did, and only Monarch chose to back Ark, causing the other five companies to turn against their alliance of two?

    A brilliant ray of light shone down from above, causing Wendy to flinch and instinctively raise her arm to shield her eyes. She squinted, and upon glancing down, discovered there were a lot more shadows than there should¡¯ve been. Everyone who had been invisible earlier had been revealed, including herself. Her forehead wrinkled as she stared up at the sky where the torso of a golden giant was standing. The giant was made of light, emitting rays making it impossible for one to see the sky behind it. It leaned forward and lowered its closed fist towards the ground. Its fingers spread open, and a giant, glowing wooly pig leapt out of its palm, landing on the ground with a thump. A moment later, wind radiated outwards with the pig at the epicenter, gusts blowing against the onlookers as the ground trembled and cracked like a spider¡¯s web.

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    A speck of debris flew into Wendy¡¯s eye, irritating the heck out of her, and she squinted even further. Atop the wooly pig, which was emitting a yellow light like a rising sun, there was Sam. At least, Wendy assumed it was Sam; the person atop the pig was wearing a suit of crystalline armor covering every inch of his body, and Wendy was a bit nervous to read his mind lest she encounter the entity living within Sam¡¯s head once more.

    ¡°Go, my child,¡± the golden giant said. Its voice was deep and booming, and the ground trembled as the reverberations traveled through what seemed like all of Oterra. As the shaking of the earth ground to a halt, the golden giant in the sky faded before eventually disappearing from view as if it had never existed.

    Although Wendy wasn¡¯t fond of theatrics, she had to admit the effect of one giant, golden man in the sky was outstanding when it came to grabbing the crowd¡¯s attention. Once everyone¡¯s gazes were focused on the armored man sitting atop the pig, he took his helmet off his head, revealing a handsome face with gleaming, golden hair and striking, blue eyes. Wendy¡¯s lips twitched, and she resisted the urge to read the man¡¯s mind. If that was Sam in disguise, then she¡¯d be mentally clobbered by a higher-dimensional being; she had to admit though, if it really was an illusion, it was perfect. Perhaps the pig-riding knight was someone Sam had found to work under him? A dark expression appeared on Wendy¡¯s face when she realized she had been intimidated by the higher-dimensional being so thoroughly that she was scared of reading someone¡¯s mind lest they happened to be Sam in disguise. When she made up her mind to read the knight¡¯s mind, he opened his mouth and spoke.

    ¡°Hello, everyone,¡± the man said, his voice powerful enough to send vibrations through Wendy¡¯s body. She noticed everyone around her tensing as well as the man¡¯s voice reached them. ¡°The notice was quite short, but I¡¯m glad all of you could make it here today.¡±

    Three days of notice was not a lot of time to give a large company with many moving parts. No doubt, a few meetings had been cancelled and the expectations that came with them crushed. However, none of the CEOs or higher-ups present expressed their displeasure. How could they be upset at someone who had literally descended from the sky, released by a golden giant who proclaimed to be the man¡¯s father? Though, Wendy knew the whole thing was a crock of shit¡­, probably; the golden giant gave off a similar feeling to the entity within Sam¡¯s mind, mostly, because they were the same color and had the same vibe. It wasn¡¯t enough to prove the handsome man¡¯s identity, but it was enough to dissuade Wendy from checking his mind.

    The man tucked his helmet underneath his armpit, holding his arm out like a chicken wing. ¡°I¡¯m sure some people are questioning my qualifications for founding a company on the same level of the six before me, so I¡¯d like to set things straight before we go any further.¡± The man closed his hand into a fist before pointing his thumb at his own face. He flashed a smile. ¡°I¡¯m the strongest human to ever exist; that¡¯s my qualification. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can imprint the truth on your flesh with my figurative fists.¡±

    After a brief moment of silence, someone stepped forward. ¡°Show me,¡± the man said. Although he had been invisible and revealed by the golden light, he was more confident in his fighting abilities than his stealth techniques. ¡°I¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    The man didn¡¯t get to say a word before he was raised into the air by an invisible force. He had time to scream before he was slammed into the ground from several stories up. It was hard to tell his exact condition, but it was certain he was more towards being dead than alive judging by the sound his body made the moment his scream had ended prematurely.

    ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± the handsome man asked as he shook out his left hand as if he were flinging away a booger stuck to the tip of his finger. ¡°Would anyone else like for the truth to be imprinted on their flesh?¡±

    The silent crowd stared at the man planted in the ground, his body more below the surface than above. Those who knew the man recognized him as an A-ranked awakened with a talent capable of increasing his speed. He was tricky to deal with because he was hard to hit, but he had been squashed like a bug. Even if he could move ten times faster, the result would¡¯ve been the same, and everyone who didn¡¯t have the confidence to deal with someone who could telekinetically lift them chose to lower their heads, averting their gaze from the pig-riding knight.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy,¡± the illusion of Sam, which was based off a Venusian, said. ¡°If you¡¯re not confident in defeating me by yourself, you can come at me in a group; either way, the result will be the same.¡± A grin appeared on the illusion¡¯s face. ¡°Why? Because I¡¯m the strongest.¡±

    A journalist behind the barrier raised her microphone and shouted, ¡°Excuse me! What¡¯s¡ª¡±

    The illusion of Sam pointed at the journalist, and her words were cut off by a scream as she surged into the air. The journalist stared at the rapidly shrinking ground, and all she could do was close her eyes, scream really loud, and pray the impact wouldn¡¯t hurt. Her scream continued until she ran out of breath, and when she opened her eyes again, she found herself floating in front of the pig-riding knight, the extremely handsome pig-riding knight. Her mouth dropped open, and she stared at the piercing blue eyes in front of her in a daze.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have something you wanted to ask me? If not, I can return you to your spot.¡±

    ¡°N-no!¡± the journalist said after recovering her senses. ¡°I mean, excuse me, but who exactly are you? Who was the giant that brought you here? He called you his child.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Sam,¡± Vercedei said. The illusion¡¯s face contorted as if it had been found guilty. ¡°As for the giant¡­, you saw him?¡±

    ¡°I believe we all saw him,¡± the reporter said and looked back at the crowd. The people she made eye contact with nodded, and she turned back towards Sam. ¡°He was kind of a hard to miss since he was so big, not to mention glowing like the sun.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s embarrassing,¡± Vercedei said as an awkward smile appeared on the illusion¡¯s face, causing the reporter to stare at his face in daze. ¡°He said he wouldn¡¯t do anything ostentatious, but he went and showed himself off.¡± The illusion nodded. ¡°He¡¯s a higher-dimensional being, and he¡¯s had many different names, but he¡¯s always been there for humanity, sending down his children to guide them in the right direction.¡±

    The reporter swallowed. ¡°Is he ¡­ God?¡±

    The illusion smiled in return. ¡°This press conference is for my company¡¯s establishment,¡± Vercedei said. The illusion winked at the reporter. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about my personal matters.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± the reporter said and swallowed. ¡°Your company, Ark, right?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but glance up at the sky to see if the golden giant would make a reappearance. When it didn¡¯t, she held her microphone up to her mouth. Although it wouldn¡¯t amplify her voice for the crowd to hear, it would record her question, and that was all that mattered. ¡°The six big companies each have their own specialties: biotechnology, automation, agriculture. What does Ark bring to humanity?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a fine question,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°As a company, Ark will bring hope to humanity.¡±

    ¡°Hope?¡± the reporter asked when she realized the illusion wasn¡¯t planning on elaborating. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°People are scared,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Talented awakened have gone missing, and the natives of Oterra can freely trample over humans as if we¡¯re stalks of grass. The six big companies can barely protect themselves much less those who aren¡¯t under their umbrellas. Leaving the city is akin to throwing your life away if you haven¡¯t awakened a combat-oriented talent or unlocked your Manipura.¡±

    The reporter stared at the illusion of Sam, waiting for him to continue, but he didn¡¯t, leaving her with nothing to do but ask another question. ¡°And Ark is going to change that?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Imagine if you could freely travel Oterra without worrying about putting your life at risk. Before Earth experienced its great cataclysm and ascended to Oterra, humanity was in charge, and no one had to worry about being on the bottom of the food chain. Ark¡¯s goal is to unite Oterra by joining hands with the natives who¡¯ll ally with us and crushing those who won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bold claim,¡± the reporter said as she recalled the golden giant. Perhaps, it could really be done. ¡°So, is Ark only looking to train combat-oriented awakened to achieve its goal?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°We¡¯re going to benefit all of humanity, so doesn¡¯t it make sense for everyone to work under Ark¡¯s arrangements? The six big companies shall work under Ark as my subordinates.¡±

    The reporter turned to look at the CEOs of the six big companies before smiling nervously at Werchbite¡¯s illusion. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ll agree to that,¡± she said.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if they don¡¯t agree,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion let out a dazzling smile. ¡°They don¡¯t have a choice in the matter.¡±

 Chapter 83

    The CEOs of the six big companies were gathered in the same conference room, one with a large rectangular table much longer than it was wide. As such, there were plenty of empty seats separating the six individuals, but no one minded the distance. They didn¡¯t feel comfortable sitting close to one another in case of sudden attacks; a little bit of space was needed as a buffer for defensive actions to take place. Although they all knew each other, with the stressful situation they were in, it wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable for a few tempers to flare.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this arrangement,¡± Mr. Park said, folding his hands in front of himself on the table.

    ¡°That¡¯s a given,¡± Big Chief said and glanced around the table. ¡°None of us are here of our own volition.¡±

    ¡°But for Sam to keep us waiting like this, isn¡¯t he a bit too rude?¡± Mr. Hoffman asked. ¡°After publicly humiliating us, he¡¯s making us wait, treating us like we¡¯re rank and file employees.¡± The man¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Shall we work together to bring him down? If the six of us joins forces¡ª¡±

    ¡°You can count me out,¡± Queen Annabeth said, interrupting Mr. Hoffman. ¡°I¡¯m not going to go against Sam.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re fine with losing everything you¡¯ve built up to this point?¡± Mr. Park asked, turning to look at the queen. ¡°Three hundred years of blood, sweat, and tears, and you¡¯re willing to offer it all to someone like Sam?¡±

    ¡°My decisions are not for you to question,¡± Queen Annabeth said and closed her eyes, looking much like an old lady taking a nap.

    Mr. Park¡¯s gaze lingered on the queen before turning to the two other people at the table who hadn¡¯t spoken: Zahir Gupta, CEO of Saamoohik, and Dr. Zhou, the woman CEO of Dynasty. ¡°And what are your opinions?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve yet to hear Sam¡¯s offer,¡± Zahir said. ¡°If it¡¯s favorable enough, Saamoohik will give him our full support.¡±

    ¡°I agree with Mr. Gupta,¡± Dr. Zhou said, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose with her finger. ¡°The right course of action can¡¯t be determined until we have more information. If Sam can truly uphold the claims he made earlier, then I don¡¯t see why we shouldn¡¯t follow him. I, for one, do not enjoy living at the bottom of the food chain.¡±

    Mr. Park frowned, and his face became sullen as he recalled the Sam¡¯s display of strength. It was very much like a blue avians, and Mr. Park¡¯s thoughts turned to the assassin who had attacked him at the restaurant while Big Chief and Mr. Hoffman were present. Was it just a coincidence Sam and the assassin could both use telekinesis so proficiently? If the three of them hadn¡¯t been attacked by a blue avian that day and instead had been challenged by Sam¡­.

    The door to the conference room opened, cutting off Mr. Park¡¯s train of thought. A grayling walked into the room and took a look around before nodding. Then, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed illusion of Sam appeared at the head of the table, seated as if he had always been there. The grayling went to the corner of the room and pulled out an electronic tablet and electronic pen from thin air, ready to record everything being said.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Vercedei said as the Venusian illusion of Sam swept its gaze across the people sitting at the table, making eye contact with each of them¡ªexcept for Queen Annabeth, who had her eyes closed. ¡°I¡¯m glad you all decided to come to this meeting. It means I won¡¯t have to destroy any of the existing companies; I was really worried I¡¯d have to hurt my own conscience if any of you decided to ignore my invitation.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Mr. Park said and glared daggers at Sam. ¡°We would have to be real villains to decline your invitation since you said you¡¯d kill everyone in our companies if we didn¡¯t show up.¡± He stared at Sam¡¯s unchanging expression. ¡°Imagine all that blood on our hands.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it would¡¯ve been quite tragic, and you would¡¯ve been such an awful person,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion nodded.

    ¡°You know, we¡¯ve established laws for a reason,¡± Big Chief said.

    ¡°To limit your competition, I know,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You set laws, and you sneakily break them behind each other¡¯s backs. I have dirt on all of you and the illegal things your companies have done. The laws you¡¯ve set prevent other people from reaching the same positions as yourselves, so I don¡¯t feel as if anything is holding me back when I resort to coercion to get what I want.¡±

    Big Chief, Mister Hoffman, and Mr. Park exchanged glances with one another. They were in a tentative alliance with each other, only needing to unite if the other three CEOs decided to work together against them¡ªor if an external threat showed up that one of them couldn¡¯t handle alone. Mister Hoffman leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest before letting out a sigh. He looked at Sam and said, ¡°Well, what exactly do you want us to do for you? You¡¯re confident in beating all six of us even if we joined forces, right? Just tell us what shit you want us to swallow.¡±

    ¡°Although a bit vulgar, you do get the point,¡± Vercedei said, the illusion of Sam giving Mister Hoffman a smile. Then, the illusion swept its gaze over the other CEOs. ¡°How about the rest of you? Are you willing to pledge your loyalty to me? No matter what kind of absurd order I give, I expect it to be followed. Of course, you can persuade me otherwise, but my mind is already set on the actions I¡¯ll take, so I¡¯ll likely ignore your advice.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re switching to a dictatorship?¡± Dr. Zhou asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not too different from the current oligarchy,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Instead of the six of you being in charge of humanity, all of you will work for me, and I¡¯ll be in charge. The populace won¡¯t even notice a change in leadership.¡± The illusion of Sam folded his hands in front of himself, resting them on the table. ¡°Usually, when there¡¯s a shift in power, blood is spilled; I hope we can avoid getting the floor dirty this time around.¡±

    ¡°Monarch is willing to follow Ark,¡± Queen Annabeth said, her eyes opening. ¡°Whatever order you give us, we¡¯ll do our best to fulfill it.¡±

    Dr. Zhou and Zahir Gupta turned to look at Queen Annabeth, judging the expression on the old lady¡¯s face. ¡°In that case, Dynasty will also do whatever Ark asks of us,¡± Dr. Zhou said, nodding her head at the illusion at the head of the table. ¡°I just hope you¡¯re not asking us to die.¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Why would you be incentivized to join Ark if you¡¯re going to die if you do? The purpose of Ark is to spread humanity throughout Oterra, putting us on top of the food chain. Some humans will die during the process, but the casualties of those working beneath me will be minimal.¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°As long as you stay true to your words, Saamoohik is willing to follow you,¡± Zahir Gupta said.

    A sigh escaped from Big Chief¡¯s mouth. ¡°Before, there were only three of you in an alliance, and that was enough to stop us from doing what we wanted, and now, there are four of you,¡± he said and shook his head. ¡°Weston will also follow Ark¡¯s lead.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Vercedei said, the illusion of Sam turning towards the two remaining CEOs. They capitulated not long after, pledging to do their best for Ark. Once Vercedei received confirmation of everyone¡¯s participation, the illusion of Sam smiled. ¡°The first order of business is to completely remodel the city to make it more efficient. Tear it all down to build it back up but in a better way.¡±

    ¡°Saamoohik will prepare the necessary tools right away,¡± Zahir Gupta said. ¡°Which building shall we start with? SAT Group¡¯s buildings are a bit of an eyesore, so¡ªas you¡¯ve given me the freedom to do¡ªI suggest we demolish their headquarters first.¡±

    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± Mister Hoffman asked, staring at Zahir Gupta. The CEO of SAT Group turned towards Sam. ¡°I assume we¡¯ll be given something to look over to see what needs to be done? You stated you already knew what you wished to do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Vercedei said and clapped his hands. The grayling in the corner of the room flickered as it walked around the table. Folders appeared in front of the six CEOs; the folders were thick, filled with paper. ¡°You each have your own assignments to take care of, and the tasks I expect you to complete along with when they should be completed are in your respective folders.¡± The illusion of Sam gestured towards the grayling that had returned to the corner of the room. ¡°If you have any questions, you can direct them to my assistant.¡±

    The six CEOs opened the folders, and as they read through the papers, frowns appeared on all of their faces except Queen Annabeth, who remained impassive. Although Sam wasn¡¯t telling them to die, he was telling them to destroy everything they had dedicated their lives to, and to some of them, that was much worse.

    ¡°Do you really expect us to follow these orders?¡± Mr. Park asked, turning to look the illusion of Sam in the eyes. ¡°Or did you create them just to frustrate us to give you an excuse to get rid of us?¡±

    A chuckled escaped from the illusion¡¯s lips. ¡°If I wanted to get rid of you, do you really think I¡¯d need an excuse?¡± Vercedei asked. The illusion of Sam pointed at Mr. Park. ¡°I¡¯d just do something like this.¡±

    Mr. Park let out a scream as every nerve within him flared, shooting pain throughout his whole body. It felt as if fire ants were biting his innards, a technique Sam had learned during his time spent with the three blue avians back in Big Fish¡¯s mouth. By forming a connection with his target, he didn¡¯t have to physically touch them to influence the vibrations their bodies gave off, allowing him to use his root chakra techniques on them at a distance. In this case, Burning Hands had turned into Burning Body.

    After a few seconds, Mr. Park stopped screaming and gasped for breath, sweat covering his forehead. It wasn¡¯t a surprise to him no one offered any assistance, but he was still a bit disappointed in Big Chief and Mister Hoffman. ¡°I was just asking a question,¡± Mr. Park said after taking in a deep breath. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that.¡±

    ¡°But I did,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°If I didn¡¯t do that, you wouldn¡¯t have known I could.¡±

    Mr. Park grimaced. ¡°You want to create temples of worship?¡± he asked. ¡°I know all I have to do is follow this packet, but I¡¯d like to know the consequences of my actions. I¡¯m curious as to the purpose of these temples and why our headquarters have to be demolished to build them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you know what you have to do,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°As for the purpose of the temples, I¡¯ll enlighten you. When people are truly devout in their prayers, they enter a different state of mind and emit vibrations of certain wavelengths. These vibrations are directed at the entity the people are praying towards, and if the entity knows how to harness the energy being emitted by its followers, then, the prayers are beneficial for both parties¡ªif the entity chooses to respond to the prayers, of course.¡±

    Mr. Park¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain why you¡¯re demolishing our buildings,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ve spent billions to create them, and it seems wasteful to remove them if we¡¯re going to be building temples over them that can be erected elsewhere.¡±

    The illusion of Sam shrugged. ¡°Who told you to build your headquarters in such prime locations?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°The temples must be built atop Oterra¡¯s ley lines, and your buildings are in the way. Also, you seem to be mistaken; nothing in the packet said we¡¯re demolishing anything.¡±

    ¡°But you said we¡¯re going to tear it all down,¡± Zahir Gupta said, his voice tinged with a bit of disappointment. Saamoohik was the company with the best construction tools and engineers, and when those were the readily available assets at his disposal, he couldn¡¯t help but be sad when he couldn¡¯t put them to use; after all, when one had a hammer, every problem looked like a nail.

    ¡°It was a figure of speech,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°We¡¯re simply going to shift some buildings around without damaging them, and in the space left behind, we¡¯ll build the temples required.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll need a tremendous amount of manpower,¡± Zahir Gupta said as wrinkles appeared on his forehead while he frowned. ¡°Our most talented awakened who was capable of moving the earth hasn¡¯t been seen ever since the wave of missing persons. Whatever got them got him as well, so I hope your plan wasn¡¯t hinging on Saamoohik.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to worry about that. All any of you have to do is make sure everyone is inside of a building during the time specified in the packet, so no unfortunate accidents occur during the reconstruction process.¡±

    The CEOs exchanged glances with each other, save for Queen Annabeth, who was looking over the packet a second time. The queen¡¯s bracelet buzzed, and not long after, the other CEOs received alerts as well. The grayling in the corner of the room went up to the illusion of Sam and said, ¡°It appears a higher-dimensional creature has appeared on the horizon.¡±

    ¡°Is this part of your plan too?¡± Mr. Park asked, looking at the illusion of Sam. Although his nerves had been fried for speaking his mind previously, he didn¡¯t take the lesson to heart; after all, no permanent damage was caused to his body¡­, right? ¡°The beast on the horizon, did you summon it?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°The blue avians¡¯ calamity detector was destroyed, so they can¡¯t track the appearances of higher-dimensional entities any longer.¡± The illusion of Sam stroked his chin. ¡°If I had to take a guess, the mantids have made a move.¡± They had requested Sam to destroy the blue avians¡¯ calamity detector a while ago, and they must¡¯ve discovered something was amiss with the blue avians¡¯ movements.

    ¡°You know what that thing is?¡± Mr. Park asked as he stood up and walked over to the window. The other CEOs looked in his direction, staring outside at the mountain-sized lump in the distance.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s a higher-dimensional being, a calamity that normally would¡¯ve been taken down by the blue avians before it had time to cause trouble. It has many names, but all of them relate to eating: the Devourer, Consumer of All, World Eater.¡±

    ¡°Why would the mantids summon something like that?¡± Dr. Zhou asked, standing up and walking over to the window to get a better look at the creature outside.

    ¡°The same reason anyone would take out a weapon of mass destruction,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°The mantids have enemies, and they summoned the Devourer to get rid of them.¡±

    ¡°So¡­, why is it heading towards us?¡± Big Chief asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± Vercedei said. Perhaps it had something to do with Sam taking the mantids¡¯ heritage pillar and turning it into a whale. Then again, it could be because of some other reason. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but if we don¡¯t want our capital to relocate to the insides of that creature¡¯s stomach, then we have to do something about it.¡±

    ¡°Higher-dimensional beings are usually dealt with by blue avians, right?¡± Mr. Park asked and turned to look at the illusion of Sam. ¡°In that case, aren¡¯t you the only one who¡¯s strong enough to defeat that thing?¡±

    ¡°Humanity should mount a defense without me,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°If I defeat it with all of you watching on the sidelines, you won¡¯t be able to appreciate just how strong I am. If you fight it first and suffer a crushing defeat, you¡¯ll realize my greatness once I step in to save humanity.¡±

    Mr. Park fell silent. After a bit, he nodded at the illusion. ¡°It¡¯s hard to like you,¡± Mr. Park said before looking at his fellow CEOs. ¡°What are we waiting for? Let¡¯s prepare for the worst.¡±

 Chapter 84

    While Vercedei and Werchbite put on a performance for the six CEOs, Sam took out his stone tablet and formed a connection with it, accessing the reptilians¡¯ network. Since the reptilians were closer to the mantids, there must¡¯ve been some information about the so-called Devourer Vercedei claimed the mantids had summoned. Although the Devourer didn¡¯t have to cross through reptilian territory to reach the human capital, given its size, the reptilians should¡¯ve spotted it.

    Although Sam couldn¡¯t detect the creature with his All-Seeing Gaze because of the crystals embedded in the walls of the conference room, he could still sense it with his Vasundhara. Every step the Devourer took caused the earth to shake, sending vibrations up the building Sam was in and into his feet, painting him a picture of what the higher-dimensional creature looked like. It was large and rounded with stumpy legs similar to an overweight salamander; however, considering the number of legs it had¡ªtoo many to count¡ªperhaps it was more apt to compare it to a millipede.

    While he was browsing through the reptilians¡¯ network, his consciousness was poked, the reptilian way of starting a conversation whilst browsing on their stone tablets. Sam recognized the sender, Ellie.

    ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± Ellie said, transmitting her thoughts to him. ¡°Did you see the Surtakatul?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m seeing it right now,¡± Sam said, speaking for himself for the first time in what felt like a while. ¡°Are you talking about the calamity?¡±

    ¡°Calamity, that¡¯s a good word for it,¡± Ellie said. ¡°You should¡¯ve been there to see it; it was huge! Everyone grouped up to fight it, but it turned away instead of trying to eat us. We think it¡¯s going to the human city to eat them first, so it can gather some energy to try to get us later.¡±

    ¡°What was the plan to fight it?¡± Sam asked. ¡°The humans are mounting a defense, but I don¡¯t think they know what to do against it.¡±

    ¡°Even if you know, you can¡¯t copy us anyway,¡± Ellie said. ¡°It¡¯s just a really big bug, so we were going to hit it with really big sticks, break its legs one by one.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be dangerous?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Not with a good levistone driver,¡± Ellie said. ¡°We dug a bunch of tunnels to use as cover.¡±

    The image of reptilians holding giant spears whilst riding levistones in the air, stabbing at the giant mass of flesh he had sensed with his Vasundhara appeared in Sam¡¯s mind. He imagined it was similar wasps attacking a person¡ªif wasps tried to amputate people¡¯s legs with their stingers. However, it was scary, but it was probably just as scary for the wasp since a single solid hit could mean death. ¡°Isn¡¯t that still dangerous?¡±

    ¡°Hunting is always dangerous,¡± Ellie said. ¡°That¡¯s what makes it fun.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said. What Ellie said was true; humans couldn¡¯t deploy reptilian tactics since not all of them could command levistones, but the general direction for defeating the calamity had been revealed. Cripple its movement by destroying its legs before finishing it off. ¡°Is it that easy to defeat?¡± Even Raindu, higher-dimensional being in the form of a tiny ferret, could kill someone simply by touching them and robbing them of their organs. It was hard to believe the Surtakatul didn¡¯t have its own unique ability. ¡°Can it do anything special or unusual that we have to pay attention to?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure!¡± Ellie said. ¡°We were going to figure it out as we fought. It¡¯s been a long, long time since the last Surtakatul has been spotted, but we have some recordings that say breaking the Surtakatul¡¯s legs was how the blue avians killed it.¡±

    Although Sam hoped to get some information about the enemy beforehand to help out the humans, perhaps providing them with the creature¡¯s weaknesses and strengths, he supposed even if he didn¡¯t do anything, everything would be fine. Humanity might suffer some losses, but Vercedei had said the calamity was going to be stopped by Sam once it seemed like the humans couldn¡¯t hold on any longer. Vercedei or his other familiars would know what to do to stop the Surtakatul, and if they didn¡¯t, they¡¯d use the human defense as a trial to uncover the calamity¡¯s combat methods.

    ¡°If humans are going to fight the Surtakatul,¡± Ellie said, ¡°they should pick a clear space with not much around¡ªlike our desert¡ªand use tunnels in the ground as cover. That¡¯s all the advice I can give you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Sam said. He figured he wouldn¡¯t find anything better than Ellie¡¯s advice on the reptilians¡¯ network, so he disconnected from it and turned his attention back onto his surroundings. The six CEOs were busy with their devices, and Sam had a feeling some of them were doing more than simply preparing for a battle against a calamity with how frantically their fingers were moving. Wasn¡¯t it human nature to always seek out advantages even in times of disaster? He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the companies were having an internal competition to reduce their losses or even gain some profits, so they could stand above the others after the battle was over. However, even though Sam suspected it, he wasn¡¯t going to comment on it, not when his freedom of speech was limited by the twin-headed snake covering his mouth.

    ¡°Have you all figured out a general plan of defense?¡± Vercedei asked, the illusion of Sam glancing around at the six CEOs. ¡°If you haven¡¯t, I can offer some suggestions.¡±

    The CEOs exchanged glances with one another. Although they had contacted their secretaries and advisors to create a plan of defense, if Sam, the alleged strongest human to ever exist, wanted to offer them advice, it¡¯d be stupid of them not to take it.

    ¡°What do you suggest?¡± Queen Annabeth asked, putting her phone on speaker mode, so the person on the other end could hear everything. ¡°I imagine reducing the casualties is something you¡¯ll want to accomplish since we¡¯ll be working under you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll want to engage the creature in flat terrain,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You¡¯ll also want to make sure you have escape routes dug out underneath it. Its legs are its weakness, and if you can destroy them, you¡¯ll have a good shot at winning.¡±

    ¡°Did you get that?¡± Queen Annabeth asked into her phone.

    A familiar voice, Wendy¡¯s, responded. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°And its abilities? What do we have to pay attention to if we want to stay alive?¡±

    Since Wendy was half-reptilian and could access the reptilians¡¯ network as well, she already knew the reptilians¡¯ strategy, and it likely would¡¯ve already been presented as one of Monarch¡¯s ideas. Sam didn¡¯t think Vercedei would embarrass itself by not elaborating; if it didn¡¯t, then the twin-headed snake would simply be talking to hear its own voice.

    ¡°I can tell you¡¯re egging me on,¡± Vercedei¡¯s voice said within Sam¡¯s mind, ¡°and this time, I¡¯ll amuse you.¡± The illusion of Sam¡¯s mouth open and said, ¡°Covering the creature¡¯s body, including its legs, there are tendrils similar to a sea anemone¡¯s. They wrap around anything they come in contact with and bring them inside its body where they¡¯re devoured. You¡¯ll have to avoid the tendrils whilst dealing damage to creature¡¯s legs, and it will actively try to kill you if you harm it.¡±

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    ¡°I understand,¡± Wendy¡¯s voice said from over the phone. ¡°I¡¯ll communicate this information to the others. Is there anything else we have to watch out for?¡±

    ¡°It can use what it devours to recover its body,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°So, if you break off one leg, and it eats a building, it¡¯ll regrow a leg that may have characteristics of said building. If it eats an awakened who can, say, turn into lightning¡±¡ªMr. Park flinched¡ª¡°then, who¡¯s to say the creature won¡¯t be able to turn into lightning as well? It¡¯d be quite problematic if it could move as fast as lightning, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°What if all the awakeners who¡¯ve gone missing have been fed to that creature?¡± Zahir Gupta said. ¡°If it could do everything they could do, aren¡¯t we screwed if we try to fight it? I consider myself risk tolerant, but I do believe retreating is the most sensible option in this particular situation. If Sam can defeat it without our help, then I believe it¡¯s best he does so. Although it¡¯d certainly have a great effect if he showed his strength after we struggled to do nothing to the incoming beast, I¡¯d rather not risk the lives of my men for such a vain activity.¡±

    ¡°I see Mr. Gupta over here doesn¡¯t approve of my ways,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°However, what if fulfilling this vain condition of mine is the only way for you to make me take action? Although I could resolve this trouble by myself, it¡¯s a test from me to all of you.¡± The illusion of Sam¡¯s eyes narrowed as a thin smile appeared on its face. ¡°Not everyone is qualified to be my underling, you know?¡±

    Zahir Gupta¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I see,¡± he said. ¡°I understand. Humans are like flowers, and only the healthiest ones will catch your eyes.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s good you understand.¡± The illusion swept its gaze across the room. ¡°I really wish you all the best of luck. There¡¯s a lot of potential here, so try your best not to die.¡±

    ***

    Sam sat atop Manga, the wooly pig standing on a building¡¯s rooftop. From there, he could see everything around the capital for miles with his All-Seeing Gaze and Vasundhara active¡ªsave for the regions shielded by crystals. Since the Surtakatul was approaching the capital with a direct route, that didn¡¯t leave many places humanity to set up their line of defense. As such, they cleared an area outside the city with a combination of excavating tools and awakened powers. Even with supernatural powers, it took several hours to clear such a wide swath of land, but Sam didn¡¯t think it was enough given the Surtakatul¡¯s size. However, with such short notice about the impending attack, it was the best humanity could do.

    ¡°When are you going to step in to help them?¡± Sam asked the twin-headed snake, communicating with his familiar through his thoughts. ¡°And, I assume, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s actually going to take action, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You¡¯re going to defeat the Surtakatul. While the humans fight it, take your time to observe its attack patterns and techniques. When you¡¯re ready, go in to defeat it.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure if he could defeat a higher-dimensional being by himself. He had never fought one before despite having so many of them hanging around him. How would he begin to fight the Surtakatul? He¡¯d probably manipulate its own tendrils into attacking itself since it could eat whatever he threw at it. Maybe lifting it and slamming it into the ground would work? No, Ellie had already told him how the blue avians defeated it in the past; all he had to do was target its legs. Although ripping an object with telekinesis¡ªas opposed to lifting the whole thing¡ªwas difficult, that didn¡¯t mean it was impossible.

    ¡°Have more confidence,¡± Raindu said as it climbed out of Sam¡¯s shirt and placed its front foot on his cheek while sitting on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what Wolfgang said? When a calamity is detected, the blue avians leave it all to Paula to handle, and if Paula can handle calamities by themselves, why can¡¯t you? You¡¯re not any weaker than Paula; in fact, you¡¯re stronger since you¡¯ve mastered two external chakras.¡±

    The black ferret had a good point. If a calamity could be defeated by a blue avian, and if he was as strong as a blue avian, then he stood a fairly good chance against a calamity. As long as he remembered to apply what he was taught, theoretically, he could wipe the floor with the Surtakatul without getting a single scratch. Sam took comfort in that fact and relaxed. As long as no extremely talented awakened was eaten by the creature, then it shouldn¡¯t be that difficult for him to defeat.

    Sam continued to observe the preparations of the six big companies, headed by six extremely talented awakened. He suddenly had a bad feeling about the upcoming fight. ¡°Let¡¯s go closer to the action,¡± Sam said through his throat chakra to the wooly pig underneath him. ¡°If it looks like anyone is about to be eaten, I¡¯ll have to interfere and save them.¡± To Sam, it didn¡¯t make sense to lose the heavy hitters that would be under his command in the future whilst also empowering an enemy in the present.

    Manga let out its signature four-syllable-long cry, and its legs ran forward. The pig rose into the air and dashed in a straight line towards the clearing the companies had created as the intended battleground. Once they were overhead, Sam could hear the rumbling of heavy machinery, mostly provided by Saamoohik, working on digging tunnels wide enough for people to maneuver and fight in. There used to be trees and hills with vegetation in the region, but all of it had been flattened and turned to dirt mixed with broken stems, roots, and leaves.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Queen Annabeth said, the first to notice him and the wooly pig in the air. ¡°Are you here to inspect our handiwork?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said, speaking for Sam. ¡°The calamity will be here soon. Are you ready?¡± There were a little less than two thousand people assembled in the clearing, roughly three hundred per company. ¡°Is this everyone who¡¯s going to participate in the fight?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Queen Annabeth said. ¡°After taking your advice into consideration, we decided it¡¯d be best to limit the people fighting the calamity to those who¡¯re confident in their evasive abilities and long-ranged firepower.¡±

    ¡°A wise choice,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam turned its head and scanned the area. Positioned not too far away inside of a few trenches, there were vehicles with rocket launchers and artillery structures attached. ¡°Although it¡¯s not a bad idea to use explosives, you have to be careful. Explosions can be effective if they destroy the calamity¡¯s tendrils, but if the calamity manages to eat your ammunition instead, you won¡¯t be doing any damage to it, and you¡¯ll be supplying it with explosive projectiles.¡±

    ¡°Noted,¡± Queen Annabeth said and turned towards Wendy. ¡°Inform the others. Their shots must be precise. They should aim to destroy the tendrils shielding its knees.¡±

    Sam patted Manga¡¯s back, and the wooly pig descended onto the ground. With his Vasundhara and All-Seeing Gaze, Sam inspected the Surtakatul once more. Its legs were thick like an elephant¡¯s leg, but they were large, long, and bent like a spider¡¯s leg. Although it¡¯d be more effective to destroy the leg where it connected to the body, breaking its knees were more practical. Sam¡¯s forehead wrinkled as he sensed movement from the Surtakatul¡¯s abdomen. Hundreds of unidentified blobs were falling out from holes within the Surtakatul¡¯s body, and Sam had a feeling they weren¡¯t blobs of excrement.

    ¡°It looks like the calamity has already devoured something, making this encounter a lot more dangerous than expected,¡± Vercedei said, the illusion of Sam clicking its tongue. ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, it¡¯s eaten a mantid queen and gained its ability of mass reproduction. It¡¯s creating a ton of minions as I speak.¡±

    ¡°That sounds bad,¡± Queen Annabeth said, scrutinizing Sam¡¯s face. Unfortunately for her, it was just an illusion, and it didn¡¯t betray any hints of emotion other than annoyance. ¡°Should we change our strategy?¡±

    The illusion of Sam shrugged its shoulders. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how to do everything,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Just try your best. I suggest calling some close-ranged fighters as well to handle the minions, or you¡¯re going to struggle.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we have people on standby,¡± Wendy said and retrieved a device clipped to the belt on her waist. She spoke into it. ¡°There¡¯s been a change of plans. Combat personnel who¡¯re on standby should ready themselves for battle. The calamity has summoned minions that need to be taken care of.¡±

    Since the Surtakatul had shown part of its hand, Sam couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he should step in and help out. From what he could see, the minions the Surtakatul had summoned weren¡¯t made for combat; rather, they were spreading out and harvesting everything above the ground before returning to feed what they had gathered to the Surtakatul. Unless the humans destroyed all the gatherers, the Surtakatul would constantly replenish its health, and it wouldn¡¯t matter how many of its legs humanity managed to destroy.

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said, speaking in Sam¡¯s mind. ¡°Humanity is stupid and prideful, and they must first be humbled by the calamity. Only after they recognize their limits should you help them; then, they¡¯ll recognize your true worth. You¡¯ll be heralded as the one and only savior.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure he wanted to be a savior, but if his familiars wanted him to be one, what choice did he have? He couldn¡¯t even walk on his own without permission¡ªpermission that was never granted.

 Chapter 85

    The Surtakatul¡¯s minions were ugly by human aesthetics. Since Wendy was half-reptilian, and she thought the minions were hideous, it was fair to say they were ugly by reptilian aesthetics as well. The minions looked like crustaceans without exoskeletons, wobbling around like sacks of water. Despite their lack of a solid skeletal system, they moved quite quickly, their movements closer to a fish out of water flopping around instead of a humanoid¡ªwhich their forms loosely resembled¡ªwalking upright.

    Wendy narrowed her eyes as she gripped the spear in her hand. It was made of obsidian, and it had been provided by Linda, the famed crystal shaper¡ªwell, technically, a bunch of crystalline weapons had been rented to Monarch and distributed to its members, so it wasn¡¯t a completely altruistic action. Either way, it was a good spear; it wasn¡¯t heavy, so even someone with very little experience could successfully stab a flopping blob, not that Wendy was inexperienced with spears.

    Squelching sounds rang throughout the region as the employees of the six big companies thinned out the minions the Surtakatul had summoned; the smaller creatures had reached humanity¡¯s defensive line first. The calamity was large, and each of its steps should¡¯ve covered several dozen feet, but the Surtakatul moved surprisingly slow. Rather than taking big steps, the toes¡ªif they could be called that¡ªof the creature were dragging the huge body along as if they were caterpillars inching along the ground. Perhaps the Surtakatul was afraid it¡¯d miss consuming something if it moved too quickly.

    Beside Wendy, there were dozens of other employees, each stabbing or slashing or bludgeoning or shooting the minions with their choice of crystalline weapon. They weren¡¯t using their talents, relying only on their bodies and the training they had performed to defeat the offspring of the Surtakatul. Sam wasn¡¯t sure if it was more appropriate to call the creatures an offspring or creation of the higher-dimensional being; they might¡¯ve even been parasites for all he knew.

    Although the minions were weak, they were numerous, easily outnumbering the humans with their numbers growing with every passing second. Luckily for the humans, they weren¡¯t the main focus of the minions. The saggy humanoids flopped around aimlessly until they reached vegetation or detected a living creature. Then, they grasped at the vegetation and shoveled it into their mouths, swallowing sticks and stones without even chewing. When their bodies were engorged, they rolled themselves away from the human defensive line, returning in the direction they had appeared from. For the minions that had spotted a living creature, the minions pounced towards their prey with their skin jiggling this way and that, the sound akin to an ocean slapping its waves against the sides of a cliff. When the crashing blobs of flesh were within striking distance of their targets, they grabbed with their, surprisingly, sharp fingers, ripping whatever they could to shovel into their mouths¡ªan unlucky rabbit had been caught whilst fleeing towards humanity¡¯s line of defense.

    Wendy frowned as she retreated, taking steps back as several minions approached her position. They stopped for a brief moment to consume their fallen comrade, the one Wendy had impaled earlier, and in that small span, Wendy thrusted forward with her spear in quick succession, stabbing the minions in their heads. If only the main body of the calamity had a fatal weak point similar to its minions, it could be slain in a single shot; unfortunately, Wendy didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be that easy to dispatch the monstrosity approaching the capital. Tendrils waved on the horizon, faint and small, but visually growing longer and thicker with every passing moment.

    ¡°I can see it from here!¡± someone said from beside Wendy. She didn¡¯t have time to look at them, much less read their mind, not with the swarm of minions still flowing towards the defensive line like a flood. After she cleared some space, Wendy looked behind herself towards the command center where the six CEOs were staying. As the strongest individuals there, they were saving their strength for the calamity even though they would¡¯ve been extremely effective at clearing the mob of minions.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look that big,¡± Mr. Park said, standing up straight with his hands clasped behind his back.

    ¡°It¡¯s still quite a distance away,¡± Zahir Gupta said. He was wearing a set of armor made of crystals, covering every part of his body save for his joints. Since it was glossy and dark, he looked like a striped beetle with his white outfit underneath. ¡°Give it another few minutes, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see looks can be deceiving.¡±

    Mr. Park scanned Zahir Gupta from head to toe. ¡°I hope so,¡± the CEO of Carbon Peak said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s keep things civil,¡± Dr. Zhou said before Mr. Gupta could respond. She looked at Mr. Park. ¡°Are you not going to wear any armor?¡±

    Mr. Park shook his head. Similar to Zahir Gupta¡¯s getup, Dr. Zhou was wearing crystalline armor with different shades of gray bordering closer to white than black. Although the crystals were clear, they were opaque, only giving the illusion of being able to see her outfit underneath. ¡°Armor only hinders me,¡± Mr. Park said. He had to have his full attention on a single crystal to shift his body into a different element; with multiple crystals covering his body, it increased the chances of him making a mistake.

    ¡°You could¡¯ve practiced more,¡± Zahir Gupta said. ¡°That way, you¡¯d overcome the hindrance and increase your overall combat prowess.¡±

    ¡°I said we¡¯re keeping things civil,¡± Dr. Zhou said.

    ¡°What?¡± Zahir asked. ¡°Am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but what¡¯s the point of telling him that now?¡± Dr. Zhou asked. ¡°He can¡¯t do anything to change his deficiency in the time it¡¯ll take for that big thing to reach us; all your comment did was antagonize him.¡±

    ¡°Antagonists should be antagonized,¡± Zahir said. He looked out at the approaching calamity before pointing his finger at the humans fighting the minions at the defensive front. A wide beam of light shot out of his fingernail, encompassing every employee within his sight.

    ¡°I thought we were saving our energy,¡± Mr. Park said.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t cost me much to restore their stamina,¡± Zahir said and brought his arms to his chest, crossing them. ¡°I¡¯ll be recovered before the raid boss gets here.¡±

    Mr. Park turned towards Big Chief, and the latter let out a sigh as he pulled out a crystalline gun. It was similar to the one that had been stolen at the restaurant during his encounter with the alleged blue avian assassin. Sam¡¯s abilities were awfully similar to that individual¡¯s, and Big Chief couldn¡¯t help but get annoyed at Sam despite being uncertain if that individual truly had been him. It was the strongest gun Big Chief had, and Sam was being a jerk for not returning it. Big Chief concentrated on the yellow gun within his grasp, and a series of soundless beams shot forward, causing several hundred of the minions on the defensive front to drop dead.

    The other CEOs turned to look at Big Chief, and he holstered his gun on his crystalline belt. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°If Mr. Gupta can do it, why can¡¯t I? It doesn¡¯t cost me much to do that.¡±

    ¡°Although it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s intelligent, who¡¯s to say you haven¡¯t given that creature an advantage by showing your hand?¡± Queen Annabeth asked. ¡°Now that it knows what you can do, what if it prepares appropriate countermeasures? It¡¯s na?ve to believe a creature known as a calamity would be stupid just because it looks like moving sponge.¡±

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    ¡°Just because something is powerful doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s smart,¡± Zahir said, looking directly at Mr. Park whilst speaking.

    Mr. Park flipped Zahir off, pointing his ringed middle finger at the CEO of Saamoohik.

    ¡°Men,¡± Dr. Zhou said, practically spitting out the word before walking off to the side. A frown appeared on her face as she observed the approaching calamity on the horizon. The top of its head, if it could be called that, was rising like a sun, slowly climbing up the sky whilst casting a long shadow on the ground¡ªluckily for humanity¡ªaway from the defensive front. If the sun were shining down in their eyes, it would¡¯ve been much more annoying to hold back the swarm of minions.

    ¡°I wonder if this is how a bee feels when a bear is invading its hive,¡± Mister Hoffman said as he stepped next to Dr. Zhou. ¡°I know we¡¯ve had our differences in the past, but let¡¯s put those grievances behind us until our common enemy is dead at the very least.¡±

    ¡°I swear I won¡¯t stab you in the back while you fight the calamity,¡± Dr. Zhou said.

    Mister Hoffman blinked at the glasses-wearing woman. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard for you to believe because you¡¯ve done it to me before,¡± Dr. Zhou said with an impassive face, ¡°but it¡¯s true. I¡¯m not going to throw away my future for a chance at revenge; Sam¡¯s watching everything we do.¡±

    Mister Hoffman cleared his throat, his eyes shifting to the side, before making eye contact with Dr. Zhou and nodding. ¡°That¡¯s reassuring to hear,¡± he said. ¡°Good talk.¡± He nodded at Dr. Zhou again before taking a step back. Then, he spun around and left, returning to Mr. Park and Big Chief¡¯s side.

    As time went on, the CEOs continued to assist the frontline in ways that wouldn¡¯t exhaust them or reveal too much to the calamity, which was growing larger and larger, its head fully coming into view. It was spherical with tendrils growing out of it in a geometric pattern. The tendrils were attached to hexagonal patches of flesh which occasionally opened, revealing the darkness inside of the calamity¡¯s body. The tendrils were small compared to the calamity¡¯s full size, but they were massive by human perspective akin to an anteater¡¯s tongue when compared to an ant.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have enough explosives,¡± Dr. Zhou said with a frown. With each tendril being slightly larger than a building, it¡¯d take several missiles to destroy one, and there were too many tendrils to count on its head alone, much less the rest of its body which was long like a millipede.

    ¡°We already knew we couldn¡¯t win,¡± Queen Annabeth said. ¡°Didn¡¯t Sam tell us as much?¡±

    ¡°He did,¡± Mr. Park said. ¡°I didn¡¯t like the way he said it, and I didn¡¯t want to believe it either, but I think he was right. That thing is bigger than our whole capital, and it¡¯d take a ridiculous amount of work to destroy it even if it stood still and let us do our thing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d take several months to clear debris of that size,¡± Zahir said, agreeing with Mr. Park. ¡°Even if we were capable of killing it, we¡¯d die of exhaustion halfway through the process.¡±

    ¡°I see its legs,¡± Big Chief said, pointing at the horizon. He drew the gun from his crystalline belt and brandished it in the calamity¡¯s direction. ¡°Shall I take a shot?¡±

    ¡°Do it,¡± Mr. Park said. ¡°Let¡¯s see what we¡¯re dealing with.¡±

    Big Chief nodded and pointed the yellow gun at the calamity¡¯s knee that was showing over the horizon like a small skyscraper. He narrowed his eyes and focused on his Manipura, willing the vibrations it emitted to travel up his torso, down his arm, and into his gun. His weapon resonated with his will, and a second later, a beam of light shone out of the gun¡¯s barrel. As it traveled over the heads of the frontline, it illuminated the humans and minions with a yellow brilliance, and the humans looked up just in time to see the beam strike the calamity¡¯s knee.

    A miniature explosion resounded, and a tendril was blown off the calamity¡¯s leg. It fell to the ground with a thud that shook the earth, and the calamity¡¯s march froze. Then, the calamity opened all of the hexagonal flaps on its face and let out a roar that seemed to resound throughout all of Oterra. The six CEOs trembled as the sound passed through their bodies, and the humans at the frontline staggered, some of them even falling over with twitching limbs. The calamity dashed forward as if its previously slow movements had been a dream, and squelching sounds filled the air as the calamity¡¯s feet trampled the minions in its way, bursting them like blood-filled balloons.

    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± Big Chief said. ¡°I don¡¯t think it liked that.¡±

    ¡°You think?¡± Dr. Zhou asked, her expression darkening. She reached over and grabbed the megaphone on the table before shouting into it. ¡°Get out of there! Everyone, retreat to the sides! Scatter and make way if you want to live!¡±

    On the frontlines, Wendy cursed as she fought to regain her senses. The calamity¡¯s cry had scrambled her thoughts, sending her into a daze. Tremors pounded from below, the ground physically bouncing her up and down with her feet leaving ground several centimeters at a time. Despite her surroundings doing their best to disorient her, Wendy found her balance and ran, leaving behind the employees who were struggling to stand. It wasn¡¯t in her job description to risk her life for others, and although she was sure she¡¯d feel terrible in the future upon hearing the casualty reports, she had to help herself first before she could help others, and her future existence was looking quite questionable with the mountain-sized calamity bearing down on her position. How the hell was something so massive moving so fast?

    ¡°We should get ready to take action,¡± Queen Annabeth said. ¡°Mister Hoffman, why don¡¯t you do the honors of stopping it in its tracks.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Mister Hoffman asked, pointing at himself with a baffled expression. ¡°Why me?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re the biggest and toughest out of all of us,¡± Dr. Zhou said while pushing her glasses up with her finger. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how big and tough I am,¡± Mister Hoffman said and pointed at the calamity. ¡°Do you not see the size of that thing? How about we shoot some missiles at it instead?¡±

    ¡°You heard what Sam said,¡± Dr. Zhou said. ¡°The missiles need to be precise in hitting the tendrils. If it¡¯s moving around, what¡¯ll happen if the missiles miss and get swallowed instead? Maybe we¡¯ll have to deal with explosive minions next. We need someone to stop it in its tracks, and you¡¯re the best option.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Her Majesty be a better choice than me?¡± Mister Hoffman asked, looking at Queen Annabeth.

    ¡°You¡¯re really going to make a three-hundred-year-old lady fight your fights?¡± Dr. Zhou asked. ¡°You call yourself a man?¡±

    ¡°Damnit,¡± Mister Hoffman said and glanced up at the sky where Sam and his golden pig were hovering. ¡°Fine.¡± Mister Hoffman took off his bag and pulled out a pair of crystalline gloves which he put over his hands. Surprisingly, the joints could move just fine, his fingers bending and straightening as he stared at the approaching calamity. It had reached the frontlines in the short time it took the CEOs to converse, and its body seemed to be endless, its rear still approaching from the horizon.

    Mister Hoffman jogged forward at a comfortable pace. If he ran whilst the ground was shaking, there was a chance he¡¯d slip and fall¡ªat least, that was the excuse he gave himself. As he approached the calamity, Mister Hoffman¡¯s gloves shone with a yellow light, and he shouted, ¡°Get out of the way!¡± to the people on the ground. It wasn¡¯t a very helpful shout considering those who were in the way were already doing their best to run, but Mister Hoffman had shouted it for legal purposes; no one could claim he was a heartless monster for what happened next since he had given the employees ahead a fair warning. Mister Hoffman¡¯s muscles ballooned in size, and a series of cracking sounds rang through his ears as his body expanded, growing to the size of a house. Compared to the calamity, he was still inconsequentially tiny, growing from the size of an ant to the size of a grasshopper.

    Mister Hoffman let out a shout and punched forward with the intention to destroy the calamity in a single strike. A shockwave emerged from his glove and radiated outwards towards the defensive front. The few employees who hadn¡¯t been able to escape were thrown into the air along with the minions in front of them. Luckily, the employees weren¡¯t the targets of the strike, or they would¡¯ve suffered more than a simple rise and fall. The shockwave reached the calamity, and for a brief second, the massive creature halted in place as all the tendrils on its head and legs were flung backwards as if they had entered a wind tunnel. Then, the calamity¡¯s many mouths opened, and it let out another roar.

    Mister Hoffman¡¯s sense of balance was thrown off by the creature¡¯s ear-piercing cry, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed his strongest attack had only stopped the creature instead of hurting it. He took in a deep breath and exhaled. Since the creature could resist his attack when the force was spread out, he¡¯d have to focus his strength, condense it to destroy a single tendril at a time. There were so many of them, and Mister Hoffman was not looking forward to the dangerous and backbreaking labor. After all, he became a CEO so someone else would do the labor for him.

 Chapter 86

    Sam observed humanity¡¯s battle against the Surtakatul from atop the wooly pig, which was running from the sky to the ground and back to the sky as if it were bored of staying in a single place for too long. Explosions resounded through the air as missiles from the trenches struck the Surtakatul¡¯s body, destroying the tendrils around the creature¡¯s knees. The calamity was clearly unhappy with the explosives striking its body, but every time it turned towards the artillery, Mister Hoffman launched a punch heavy enough to stop the Surtakatul in place.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Mister Hoffman shouted after sending a shockwave at the Surtakatul. ¡°You stupid bug! I¡¯m your target!¡±

    The Surtakatul whirled its head around to look at Mister Hoffman despite not having any eyes¡ªat least, none that Sam could discern. The beast reared upwards, lifting its head and part of its body into the air, six of its legs leaving the ground. Then, it stood in place and stomped down at Mister Hoffman, its leg fully extending. Mister Hoffman leapt to the side, and shrapnel struck his torso as the spot where he had just been standing exploded from the impact of the Surtakatul¡¯s leg. He didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to what had struck his side since another one of the Surtakatul¡¯s legs was bearing down from above.

    ¡°I stopped it!¡± Mister Hoffman shouted as he leapt backwards and shielded his face with his forearms, preventing the debris from the calamity¡¯s strike from blinding him. ¡°I did my job, so now it¡¯s time for you to do yours! Are you just going to sit back and watch!?¡±

    A ray of light shone over Mister Hoffman¡¯s head in return, the yellow beam striking one of the Surtakatul¡¯s tendrils, causing it to fall off¡ªstraight towards Mister Hoffman. He let out a curse and ran out of the way, narrowly avoiding the fate of being crushed by a building-sized appendage. ¡°Are you helping me, or trying to kill me?¡± Mister Hoffman shouted.

    The Surtakatul dropped its torso down, its feet planting into the ground as its head turned towards the command center where the five remaining CEOs were positioned. It ran towards them, the ground shaking as the calamity trampled over its minions, which were busy harvesting the minions that had been crushed earlier. Sharp whistles followed by explosions rang out as more missiles struck the Surtakatul, but it ignored them as it rushed towards Big Chief, the culprit behind the yellow beam.

    Queen Annabeth took a step forward and raised her scepter, which looked remarkably similar to how Raindu once looked. Before the Surtakatul could get close, the ground separating the calamity from the CEOs vanished as the queen shifted the solid earth from a solid matter into vapor. The Surtakatul¡¯s legs continued downwards as if the ground existed, and the calamity plunged downwards like an elderly man missing a step. Queen Annabeth narrowed her eyes, and the ground reappeared around the Surtakatul¡¯s head and torso in the form of a desert, burying the calamity¡¯s forward portion in a layer of sand.

    Mr. Park touched his thumb to the scarlet ring on his middle finger, and his body transformed into flames. He pointed his arms at the sandy ground, and white-hot fire surged from his palms, crystallizing the sand into glass as the Surtakatul struggled to get free. The many mouths on the rest of the Surtakatul¡¯s body that hadn¡¯t been buried opened and let out screams and shrieks, causing the world to shake and churn as it kicked its feet against the ground.

    ¡°Be!¡± Dr. Zhou said and glared at the Surtakatul. ¡°Quiet!¡± The shadows cast by the Surtakatul froze, and the Surtakatul¡¯s body stopped moving as a result. However, the parts that didn¡¯t cast a shadow, its innards, continued to operate. The roars continued, but they were stifled and trapped within the calamity, the sound a low rumbling that shook the earth instead.

    ¡°Nice hold,¡± Zahir said and pointed his arm forward. ¡°Sever!¡±

    Nothing happened.

    ¡°Did it work?¡± Big Chief asked.

    ¡°Of course, it worked,¡± Zahir said. ¡°Stop asking pointless questions and attack.¡±

    ¡°Fifteen seconds,¡± Dr. Zhou said through gritted teeth, her face pale. ¡°I can¡¯t hold it any longer than that.¡±

    Explosions rang out as missiles rained down on the immobile calamity. Mister Hoffman let out repeated shouts as he fired off a series of punches, striking the parts of the calamity that were above the ground. Zahir took in a deep breath and pointed both his palms at the Surtakatul, unleashing his ability¡ªwhich had yet to show an effect. Queen Annabeth raised her scepter, and the air above the calamity shifted states of matter, its composition changing completely as guillotine blades materialized and fell, striking the Surtakatul before reverting back into air. Big Chief put away his gun, swapping it with two smaller guns that he wielded with both hands, sending a barrage of laser beams that struck the Surtakatul¡¯s knees. Mr. Park¡¯s flaming body flew into the air, and after a second, a concentrated beam of fire, thin and nearly invisible, lashed down like a whip, passing through the Surtakatul¡¯s limbs repeatedly.

    ¡°Get ready to run!¡± Dr. Zhou shouted. The attacks stopped, and the CEOs retreated, Zahir lifting Dr. Zhou and taking her whilst on his way. Dr. Zhou exhaled as her ability ran out, and she pushed her glasses up with her finger, watching as the Surtakatul was no longer bound in place by its shadow. Thunderous roars filled the air as the calamity collapsed, its tendrils falling to the ground with heavy thuds that shook the earth. Then, the Surtakatul reared upwards, but its head and upper portion of its body, which was trapped in the now-glass ground remained in place.

    Zahir glanced back and let out a laugh. ¡°I severed its head!¡± he shouted. Considering the Surtakatul was several buildings wide, it was quite an impressive feat to cut part of it off. Unfortunately, the damage wasn¡¯t fatal. Zahir gulped as tendrils grew out of the severed portion of the Surtakatul, forming a new head, which was green and brown, taking on the characteristics of the vegetation the calamity¡¯s minions had gathered earlier.

    Dr. Zhou frowned. It had taken them all they had to inflict what seemed like minimal damage on the Surtakatul. They might¡¯ve severed the front portion of the calamity, taking off eight of its legs, but there were hundreds of legs to go. The calamity¡¯s rear end couldn¡¯t be seen since it was still beyond the horizon.

    Since the wave of minions were no longer being held back by a human line of defense, they approached the severed tendrils on the ground and ate them, tearing, ripping, and swallowing large chunks. When the minions were engorged, they rolled towards the Surtakatul and were scooped up by the calamity¡¯s tendrils before being consumed by the hexagonal flaps. The tendrils which were damaged, but not severely enough to fall off, recovered with a speed visible to the naked eye.

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    With his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam saw a blob form on the Surtakatul¡¯s rear end. It was shapeless at first, but then tendrils and a pair of legs grew out of it, the calamity using the leftover materials to increase in size. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how he¡¯d deal with the Surtakatul after seeing the six CEOs fight against it. The Surtakatul was massive, and he was pretty sure he couldn¡¯t lift the whole thing up with telekinesis, but lifting a leg and twisting it off¡­, was that doable?

    ¡°Try it,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s the perfect time to show off.¡±

    Sam concentrated on his Sahasrara and Manipura whilst aiming his attention at the Surtakatul below. One of its legs rose into the air, its knee straightening against its will as Sam tugged at its foot with his telekinesis. Then, Sam envisioned twisting the calamity¡¯s leg, and it let out a roar as its limb spiraled out of control, twisting in the air against its will. With a sickening series of cracking and popping sounds, the Surtakatul¡¯s limb was torn from its body, a goopy pile of flesh falling from the separation and hitting the ground with a thunderous splat. The calamity¡¯s severed leg rose even higher into the air before slamming down on one of the Surtakatul¡¯s knees as if an invisible giant were wielding the flesh-spewing limb as a club.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not very fair,¡± Mr. Park said while running alongside the other CEOs. As he ran, he kept turning his head to look at the Surtakatul¡¯s floating limb bashing the main body. ¡°If Sam wanted to, couldn¡¯t he pick up our headquarters all by himself?¡± The calamity¡¯s severed leg was taller and thicker than a skyscraper after all. Mr. Park turned his head back around, and his eyes widened upon seeing the other CEOs inside of a black van, the side door sliding shut. ¡°Hey! Wait for me!¡±

    The black van did not wait, but Mr. Park caught up anyway by transforming into lightning, shooting himself inside the vehicle and overcrowding it upon shifting back into a person. Mr. Park glanced at the rearview mirror, and he recognized the driver as one of Monarch¡¯s men, which probably explained why Queen Annabeth was riding shotgun.

    ¡°Drive into the tunnel,¡± Queen Annabeth said, and the van turned, nearly rolling over from the sudden shift, before driving down a slope and entering one of the tunnels that had been dug out earlier by excavators.

    ¡°Alright,¡± the driver said and looked around upon reaching a dead end. ¡°Where do we go from here?¡±

    ¡°We let Sam take care of the calamity while we hide out here,¡± Big Chief said. He looked around. ¡°Also, does anyone know where Mister Hoffman is?¡±

    Aboveground, Mister Hoffman was cursing in his mind while running. He would¡¯ve been cursing out loud, but he was saving his breath, breathing in and out in a rhythmic manner whilst punching the occasional minion that got in his way. He had advanced to halt the calamity in its tracks, and after he did his job, he found his backline supporters had ditched him. He couldn¡¯t fault the other CEOs since a sea of minions were between him and them, but it still left a bitter taste in his mouth. The ground shook as the calamity roared, and if it weren¡¯t for the calamity¡¯s previous cries already damaging his hearing, Mister Hoffman was sure he would¡¯ve been stunned by the sound. As he ran, he looked behind himself at the monstrous creature being pummeled by its own leg; Sam was clearly at an advantage thanks to his air superiority, but even still, at the rate he was going, it¡¯d take hours, maybe even days to finish the calamity off especially with its minions going out to harvest materials to repair it.

    Diminutive figures appeared in front of Mister Hoffman as he ran, and he punched at them, sending a shockwave that should¡¯ve bowled the tiny creatures over, but instead, his surroundings shifted as if he had been teleported. Then, the shockwave he had sent forward struck him from behind, causing him to pitch forward and tumble along the ground with his innards very sore. Mister Hoffman coughed and reoriented himself, pushing against the dirt to lift his torso up as he looked behind himself. The small figures had turned out to be graylings, and evidently, there were enough of them present to manipulate space to switch positions with him.

    Mister Hoffman¡¯s brow furrowed as the calamity¡¯s frenzied minions pounced towards the cluster of graylings. Before the saggy creatures could reach the cluster, their bodies were transferred high up into the air. Their limbs flailed about as they fell, but they were helpless to slow themselves down before hitting the ground, the sound akin to fireworks as they exploded, their flesh and blood spraying in all directions. Goop splattered on Mister Hoffman¡¯s face, and he winced at the warm sensation. If he were suddenly sent twenty stories up into the air, could he survive the fall? He wasn¡¯t sure, and he didn¡¯t want to find out, so as he got up and slinked away from the battlefield, he internally promised himself he wouldn¡¯t abuse the grayling workers that had been rented to his company by ¡­ Sam. They weren¡¯t the same Sam, were they? The Sam that he had met with and rented graylings from looked completely different when compared to the jealousy-inducing handsome fellow riding the wooly pig in the sky.

    Speaking of the pig in the sky, it was no longer stationary like a hot-air balloon, and there were more than one. When Mister Hoffman looked up, he had to squint to see past the hundreds of shining pigs, which were emitting light akin to the noon sun. The pigs were spiraling about the Surtakatul, confusing it as its tendrils reached for the pigs closest to them, preventing the calamity from focusing on a single point. Mister Hoffman was sure it was an illusionary technique, and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was Sam¡¯s talent to create such realistic projections. Every so often, one of the pigs would charge at the Surtakatul, creating a hole in the calamity¡¯s body as it ran straight through, ignoring the innards which would¡¯ve devoured anything else other than the pig¡¯s fur.

    Mister Hoffman took in a deep breath and turned away from the Surtakatul. Sam could deal with the calamity by himself, no? All Mister Hoffman had to focus on was staying alive and not getting eaten by the Surtakatul lest he give it the ability to grow in size and fire shockwaves with the strength of its muscles alone. If he were eaten, and the calamity decided to wave its behind like a whip, it wouldn¡¯t surprise Mister Hoffman if the whole capital were leveled to the ground by the action.

    An engorged minion rolled into Mister Hoffman¡¯s view, and he stared at it for a bit before deciding against killing it. Although it would return to the Surtakatul and feed it nutrients to recover, Sam said he could deal with it by himself. However, could Sam really handle thousands of minions running around, spreading out in every which direction? Mister Hoffman¡¯s eyes widened as the engorged minion was impaled by a spike suddenly shooting out of the ground. The minion let out a cry as it was pulled towards the ground which rotated rapidly underneath the minion like a woodchipper. The poor creature was sucked into the ground, shooting a small geyser of flesh and blood upwards, splashing Mister Hoffman with minion fluid once more. He stopped and stared at the ground, a bit terrified by the revolving blades made of rocks and dirt that had suddenly appeared. If his leg were to enter a grinder like that, he¡¯d lose it without question.

    Crushing sounds filled the air accompanied by the screams of the minions being impaled and shredded by the ground as thousands of rotating pits appeared. Mister Hoffman froze in place, afraid that any sudden movement of his would cause an earthen spear to impale his stomach and drag him into a meat grinder. Was this one of Sam¡¯s abilities as well? How many talents did he have? As far as Mister Hoffman knew, there weren¡¯t any ground-controlling techniques learned via chakras. Whatever it was, it was horrifying; if those weren¡¯t minions but humans instead¡­, Mister Hoffman didn¡¯t want to think about it. He did hope the people who hid underground were safe and not being drenched in bloody soil.

    Mister Hoffman stared at the ground and made his way forward, his pace much slower than before. Although he knew he had to get away from the calamity because there was a serious threat of dying from a building-sized limb falling on top of him, he didn¡¯t want to lose his leg in an accident because he wasn¡¯t watching where he was going. He thought about following the graylings since they weren¡¯t being eaten by the ground, but he decided against it. The graylings didn¡¯t care about their positioning since they could teleport out of danger whenever they wanted; what if he grouped up with them and got stranded?

 Chapter 87

    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to help me,¡± Sam said, communicating with his familiars through his mind. The wooly pig underneath him charged at the Surtakatul and plunged into the calamity¡¯s body. His eyes were blocked, preventing him from seeing the creature¡¯s innards, but even if the twin-headed snake allowed him to see, it would¡¯ve been too dark for Sam to appreciate the inner workings of the Surtakatul. Luckily, since there was the entry hole, Sam¡¯s senses weren¡¯t completely cut off from the outside when he was traveling through the calamity, allowing him to continue manipulating the building-sized limb to clobber the Surtakatul.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t impressive enough by yourself,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯d take too long for you to get rid of this pest by yourself. That wouldn¡¯t be a display of overwhelming strength. Besides, the longer it stays in Oterra without dying, the more higher-dimensional beings will be attracted to this plane.¡±

    It was clear to Sam his familiars had marked Oterra as their territory, and any other higher-dimensional being was an intruder that needed to be dealt with. As for what his familiars wanted with Oterra, Sam still wasn¡¯t quite sure. They claimed they wanted world domination, but wasn¡¯t world domination usually a means to an end? Whatever the reason, Sam didn¡¯t concern himself too much with it since he didn¡¯t have much freedom to act on his own anyway; there was no point in wasting time with useless thoughts.

    While Sam dealt with the calamity¡¯s legs with his telekinesis, Dirt cleaned up the minions on the ground, preventing the Surtakatul from recovering. Since Sam had the help of nine higher-dimensional beings, it made sense for the Surtakatul, a lone calamity, to be bullied so easily to the point of being unable to fight back. Sam continued to smash the Surtakatul¡¯s legs, and after a few repetitions, Vercedei said, ¡°It¡¯s running away.¡±

    ¡°Are we chasing it?¡± Sam asked, the floating limb slamming down a final time. The Surtakatul didn¡¯t even bother turning around as its legs kicked against the ground, accelerating as it retreated in the direction it had first approached, its rear end practically no different from its head.

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Let it escape. It¡¯ll cause trouble elsewhere, and eventually, the blue avians will handle it, letting the other higher-dimensional beings know Oterra isn¡¯t without its natural defenses.¡±

    Sam watched through his All-Seeing Gaze as the Surtakatul scuttled away, leaving behind a barren line of soil where its minions had harvested everything above the surface; well, the soil wasn¡¯t completely barren, not with the dark and damp patches where the ground had minced the minions. Perhaps new trees or plants would sprout from their remains considering the minion¡¯s bodies were full of vegetation before they were ground up. If there were any seeds left intact, they¡¯d surely grow well with the nutrients so generously donated by the Surtakatul¡¯s minions.

    ¡°What if it comes back even stronger?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Let¡¯s say it eats a blue avian and gains the ability to do everything they can do.¡± If the Surtakatul learned telekinesis, it could fight back against Sam¡¯s control, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to rip it apart as easily as he did today.

    ¡°If it eats a blue avian, there¡¯s no way the rest of those birds will let it get away,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°They¡¯ll eradicate it thoroughly, and then, they¡¯ll probably attack the mantids who summoned the Devourer in the first place.¡±

    Sam figured it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for the blue avians to deal with the Surtakatul since they had already done so once in the past. It felt odd letting such a large, destructive creature escape to devastate lands elsewhere when he could do something about it, but his familiars didn¡¯t want him to act, so he suppressed his feelings and watched the Surtakatul scuttle away from human territory. When it was gone, the wooly pig underneath Sam landed on the ground, and alarmed cries filled the air as the earth opened up, spitting out those who had hidden in the tunnels: the CEOs and frontline defenders alike along with the excavators and boring machines that had created the holes in the first place.

    The CEOs scanned their surroundings before exiting the van. They looked at the bloody, barren ground with craters pocking the surface. The smashed legs of the Surtakatul were lying about like building ruins¡ªslimy, sticky, and fleshy ruins. The CEOs looked at the Surtakatul¡¯s front portion which had been severed and still trapped within the glass with its legs twitching but unable to free themselves.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming we won?¡± Mr. Park asked and looked at the faces of the surviving employees. ¡°Where¡¯s Mister Hoffman? Did he finally kick the bucket?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll kick your bucket,¡± Mister Hoffman said, his voice practically a growl as he approached the group. ¡°I went up there, and all of you left me behind.¡±

    ¡°You know how to analyze the situation,¡± Dr. Zhou said and pushed her glasses up with her finger. ¡°If you were in our position and we were in your position, you would¡¯ve left us behind as well.¡±

    Mister Hoffman understood, but it was still a bitter feeling to have confirmation his two¡ªsupposedly¡ªclosest allies wouldn¡¯t risk themselves to save him when he was in a desperate situation. Mister Hoffman snorted. ¡°Well,¡± he said before smiling, ¡°it wasn¡¯t all bad up here. I got to see how Sam fought up close and personal, got the best seat in the house to the show.¡±

    The CEOs¡¯ gazes shifted onto Sam, who was sitting atop his shiny pig, his body perfect and unblemished, making him seem a bit unnatural when compared to his gory surroundings. Werchbite¡¯s illusion flashed the CEOs a smile, and Vercedei said, ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you all are safe.¡± The illusion of Sam pointed towards the area where the frontlines used to be. ¡°Bring me the remains of those who¡¯ve died.¡±

    The CEOs looked at each other before looking around to see who Sam was speaking to. When they realized he was talking to them, bitter expressions appeared on their faces before they turned around and went to the frontlines where remains of the battle still existed: trampled minions, unidentified body parts, bone fragments. Mr. Park made a face as he patted his pockets, checking to see if he had brought any gloves. ¡°Well, let¡¯s get this over with,¡± Mr. Park said and squatted next to a dead employee who had been unluckily stomped on by the Surtakatul during its frenzied sprint. Although the man¡¯s torso was fine, his lower half had been completely pulverized into a mass of black and red goop mixed with soil into a puddle of black mud. Mr. Park looked back at Sam. ¡°If they¡¯re not intact, do we just do the best we can?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Bring me back as many human remains as you can; I¡¯ll bring those who died back to life. If you want those who¡¯ve died to come back to life, you should do your best to bring me as many pieces of them as you can.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a Saamoohik employee over there,¡± Dr. Zhou said, pointing at a torn shirt with an arm and shoulder inside of it.

    ¡°We all work together now,¡± Zahir said. ¡°There¡¯s no longer Saamoohik or Dynasty or Carbon Peak. We¡¯re all under the Ark umbrella now.¡±

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    ¡°Alright,¡± Dr. Zhou said. ¡°Even if you say that, I¡¯m not picking him up for you.¡± She ignored the arm and went in another direction to scour the battlefield for remains.

    Queen Annabeth raised her scepter, and the area around her was cleansed as the blood and muck was turned into soil, leaving only the skin, flesh, bones, and clothes of the dead humans behind.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t do that earlier, huh?¡± Mr. Park asked with a frown as he surveyed the region around the queen. He glanced down at his bloody hands, one of which was holding onto the shirt worn by a man¡¯s torso. Although the CEOs might¡¯ve been working under the same employer now, that didn¡¯t mean their differences were suddenly gone; competition existed everywhere whether internal or external. Mr. Park shook his head before bringing the partial corpse of his ex-employee to Sam. ¡°Is this enough to bring him back to life?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It also costs me something, but I¡¯ll recoup the cost by garnishing your wage in the future.¡±

    Mr. Park¡¯s expression darkened. Why did his pay have to be garnished? Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to take the payment from the dead man¡¯s wages instead? It wasn¡¯t fair, but Mr. Park wasn¡¯t going to argue with someone who claimed they could bring the dead back to life; after all, everyone died, and Mr. Park would rather be in the good graces of the man who could revert death. What if Sam chose not to revive Mr. Park in the future because of one bad impression? ¡°I understand, so please, go ahead with the revival.¡±

    A beam of light descended from the clear sky onto the corpse. Mr. Park took a step back and looked up at the sky; the beam of light was so tall, it was impossible to see where it ended, becoming so thin near the top thanks to how far away it was that it seemed as thick as a needle. Mr. Park lowered his head and squinted at his ex-employee, but he couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s corpse at all. It wasn¡¯t because the light was too bright; rather, it was opaque, making it impossible to see the things it illuminated. After several seconds, the ray of light vanished, revealing a man lying on the ground. He was half-naked, only wearing the torn shirt that had been on his corpse.

    ¡°Where¡­?¡± the man asked as he sat up and looked around. ¡°How am I¡­?¡± He looked down at himself, and a frown appeared on his face. ¡°So, I¡¯m dreaming.¡± A sigh escaped from his lips. ¡°Always naked in public in my dreams.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not dreaming,¡± Mr. Park said.

    The man stood up and turned towards Mr. Park. ¡°And, of course, my boss is here too,¡± the revived man said. He closed his eyes and spun around. Then, he opened his eyes and frowned upon seeing nothing change. ¡°Huh, usually that works.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not dreaming, Jackson,¡± Mr. Park said. ¡°You died when the calamity stepped on you, but Sam brought you back to life.¡± He pointed at the people in the distance scrounging for remains of their companions. ¡°We¡¯re looking for more people who¡¯ve died. Put on some clothes and help with the search.¡±

    Jackson looked in the direction Mr. Park had pointed. Then, Jackson looked at Sam before looking down at himself. ¡°Well,¡± he said and raised his head while covering his crotch with his hands, ¡°this is embarrassing. I don¡¯t suppose there¡¯s an outfitting station nearby.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, there isn¡¯t,¡± Mr. Park said and shook his head. ¡°Rather than helping those people unearth the dead, go to the capital and bring back enough clothes for everyone who¡¯s going to be revived.¡±

    ¡°How many people died, sir?¡± Jackson asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Mr. Park said. ¡°Things were hectic.¡±

    Jackson nodded. Although the Surtakatul was capable of sending people into a daze with its roar, the true danger came from Mister Hoffman¡¯s wide-area attacks against the calamity knocking the employees over while they were trying to run away. ¡°I¡¯ll be going then,¡± Jackson said and took a look around before jogging in the direction of the capital, his movements a bit awkward since his hands were preoccupied. Luckily, there were vehicles in that direction, so he didn¡¯t have to run the whole way back.

    Mr. Park watched the employee leave before pressing down on the bluish ring around his thumb. His body shifted into lightning, and he appeared by the frontlines in an instant, a boom of thunder resounding outwards with him at the center. The people there winced before scowling at Mr. Park. He ignored their dirty looks because he had an S-ranked talent. Why did he have to be considerate of others?

    As Werchbite and Joe worked together to repair and resurrect the fallen employees, Sam concentrated on his Vasundhara, focusing on the sensations transmitted to him from the ground. He located the Surtakatul, which was still running away, evidently unsatisfied with how far it had escaped. Instead of heading towards Et Serpentium, the calamity veered away from the spectral jungle, heading towards the mountain range to the west instead. Since it was leaving and not heading towards the reptilians where Ellie would potentially be in danger, Sam stopped keeping track of it and focused on the part of the calamity which was still stuck in the glass. He couldn¡¯t help but feel drawn to it, and he wondered if there was a crystal of some sort inside of it that could unlock another one of his chakras. Honestly, he had no idea how many chakras were left to unlock since there weren¡¯t many records about the external ones.

    ¡°Let¡¯s check it out,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Maybe the Devourer will join us.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure how to feel about that. The Surtakatul was massive, larger than a city. How was it going to accompany him everywhere? Then again, Big Fish was a whale, but it could shrink down to a microscopic level; maybe, the Surtakatul could do the same. Despite how Sam felt about the giant, blobby calamity, the wooly pig underneath him trotted over to the glassy ground. The tendrils on the Surtakatul¡¯s body wriggled, stretched towards Sam as if they could sense him, and the calamity¡¯s body jerked about as it attempted to free itself. The glass was surprisingly sturdy; perhaps, Queen Annabeth had reinforced the material with her ability after the Surtakatul had been trapped.

    The CEOs slowed what they were doing, their focus shifting from the ground in front of them to Sam. Considering his mount was glowing as bright as the sun, his actions were hard to miss. Most of the tendrils had been destroyed in the fight, but there were still a few that were intact on the calamity¡¯s front portion, albeit a bit damaged. The tendrils reared back and struck at Sam as he entered their attack range, but their midpoints stopped in place, preventing their heads from traveling far enough to hit Sam, Sam doing the bare minimum with his telekinesis to conserve his stamina; rather than holding back the whole tendril, it required less energy to hold back a key portion to achieve the same result.

    The CEOs watched as the tendrils around Sam wriggled and squirmed, creating a passage tailored perfectly for Sam and his pig to walk through. The Surtakatul¡¯s tendrils flailed about even faster, generating winds that rolled through the CEOs¡¯ clothes and billowed outwards despite the distance; however, Sam and his pig remained as steady as a rock on their way to the Surtakatul¡¯s neck, which was sticking out of the glass. The pig turned to the side, allowing Sam to lean close enough to touch the calamity¡¯s skin. The moment Sam touched the calamity, the beast¡¯s tendrils and legs went limp, dropping to the ground with earthshaking thumps.

    ¡°Did he just kill it?¡± Dr. Zhou asked.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Mr. Park asked. ¡°Bring back the dead with a snap of his fingers, kill things by touching them, those abilities are two faces of the same coin, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°How much do you think the corpse is worth?¡± Mister Hoffman asked, turning his head towards Queen Annabeth.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Queen Annabeth said. ¡°We won¡¯t be seeing any of it. You¡¯ll live longer if you can recognize your place.¡±

    ¡°Advice from the living legend herself,¡± Mr. Park said, glancing at Mister Hoffman and the queen. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you two had become that close.¡±

    ¡°Life-and-death situations change people,¡± Queen Annabeth said. She glanced in the direction of Sam. ¡°So does new upper management.¡±

    Mr. Park turned to look at Sam, but his view was obstructed by tendrils dangling from the Surtakatul. He did see a flash of pearl-white light gleam from close to the calamity¡¯s body. Mr. Park nodded before turning back towards the queen. ¡°Let¡¯s be friends,¡± he said. ¡°Turn a new leaf between us, what do you say?¡±

    ¡°If you really mean what you say,¡± Queen Annabeth said, ¡°we can be friends.¡±

    A sheepish smile appeared on Mr. Park¡¯s face. ¡°Great,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re friends now.¡± His eyes narrowed as he turned towards Sam, who was floating up into the air above the tentacles¡ªwithout his wooly pig¡ªand shining like the moon. ¡°Let¡¯s do our best to thrive under our new boss.¡±

 Chapter 88

    The Surtakatul did, in fact, have a crystal inside of its body: a milky-white pearl the size of a house. Raindu had taken it out of the Surtakatul¡¯s front portion, and when it vanished, the calamity stopped moving. It made Sam wonder if his familiars had cores inside of them as well, and if those cores were removed, would his familiars cease to exist as well?

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°There are different ways to summon a higher-dimensional being, and the method the mantids used hinged on the pearl.¡±

    Speaking of the pearl, when Sam touched it, the familiar sensation of another one of his chakras opening had occurred, the chakra located in the region above his head, above the one that had been opened when Nwaps made its appearance. Unlike the massive size of the pearl, which vanished upon his touch, the creature that came out of it was noticeable smaller; it was a butterfly. Its wings were like windows into another dimension, showing images of a black landscape with red vegetation. Unfortunately for Sam, he couldn¡¯t see into the butterfly¡¯s wings thanks to the twin-headed snake covering his eyes¡ªnot like he would¡¯ve been impressed since there wasn¡¯t much to see in the other dimension.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the butterfly said, its voice echoing in Sam¡¯s mind. The small bug landed on Sam¡¯s nose¡ªits wingspan not nearly long enough to obscure his face from view¡ªand a pungent scent surged up his nostrils, causing Sam to gag from the sulfuric smell. ¡°The way you treated me earlier was quite rude. All I wanted to do was eat a city full of humans for some nutrients; you didn¡¯t have to be so cruel. I wasn¡¯t aware I was encroaching on your territory, and if you had asked nicely, I would¡¯ve left without a fuss.¡±

    So, by absorbing the pearl, Sam had summoned the Surtakatul as a familiar? ¡°Aren¡¯t you still alive?¡± With his Vasundhara, he could sense the faint vibrations of the Surtakatul still running to the western mountain range.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the butterfly said. ¡°Lifeforms born in the lower dimension such as yourself may find it difficult to occupy more than one body at a time, but it¡¯s not the case for higher-dimensional beings. If you think your so-called familiars only exist in the form you see beside you, you are sadly mistaken.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Sam asked. He couldn¡¯t say he was too surprised by that fact; however, he was curious. ¡°Are any of you active in Oterra in other forms?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said.

    Although the twin-headed snake, aptly named the Silver-Tongued Deceiver, could be lying to him, Sam had no choice but to accept his familiar¡¯s words as the truth. Sam inhaled through his nose and regretted it immediately. He hadn¡¯t lost his sense of smell, but if he wasn¡¯t allowed to smell anything other than the butterfly¡¯s sulfuric scent, wasn¡¯t that basically the same thing? Sam took solace in the fact he could still hear things, but who knew how long that would last? If he still had more chakras to unlock, there were always more parts of himself he could lose. However, with every loss, there was a gain, no?

    ¡°Is your ability the same as your other portion?¡± Sam asked the butterfly. It was tiny, so it didn¡¯t seem like it could eat anything but ants or mites.

    ¡°Similar but different,¡± the butterfly said. ¡°I can sniff out and eat essences. On that note, you can call me Ess.¡±

    Essences, wasn¡¯t that how blue avians referred to one¡¯s soul? ¡°You can eat people¡¯s souls?¡± Sam asked. Now, after his other familiars killed people, the butterfly could make sure those people were dead for good. ¡°Do you gain their characteristics after eating them?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ess said. ¡°When I consume a soul, it enters the dimension within my stomach; if your eyes were uncovered, you¡¯d be able to see the place through my wings. When I feel like it, I can summon the souls from my stomach and place them into objects¡ªor other living creatures.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure what placing souls into objects did. Did it create an animate object?

    ¡°Allow me to demonstrate,¡± Ess said and flew off of Sam¡¯s nose, much to his relief. He watched through his All-Seeing Gaze as the butterfly flew in a straight line and landed on Mr. Park¡¯s shoulder. The butterfly dipped its mouthparts against the man¡¯s suit, and Sam couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of soul Ess was going to stick inside the CEO¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°I¡¯m not putting anything inside his clothes,¡± Ess said inside Sam¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m draining this man¡¯s essence.¡±

    Before Sam could kindly ask the butterfly to not do such a wicked deed, Mr. Park turned his head and looked at the insect on his shoulder. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a pretty ¡­ butterfly,¡± he said. Then, he collapsed into a heap while Ess flew away before the man could hit the ground.

    ¡°Sir, are you alright?¡± someone asked, approaching Mr. Park. The person crouched down and tapped Mr. Park¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sir?¡± After a moment, they raised their head and shouted, ¡°Medic!¡±

    ¡°If he¡¯s not alright, just bring him to Sam,¡± Queen Annabeth said. ¡°He¡¯s reviving the dead; I¡¯m sure he can cure whatever¡¯s wrong with Mr. Park.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t quite sure how to react when the butterfly landed on his nose once more. Did it just eat Mr. Park¡¯s soul? The twin-headed snake shifted, and light assaulted Sam¡¯s eyes, causing him to wince; it had been a while since his eyes had last seen anything. He was greeted by the sight of the butterfly¡¯s wings, which reflected a foreign landscape and a white ball of light. Upon seeing the ball of light, Sam knew it was Mr. Park¡¯s soul; it was extremely similar to how he saw the CEO through his All-Seeing Gaze. ¡°I think you should put his soul back,¡± Sam said to the butterfly.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you curious?¡± Ess asked. The butterfly ignored Sam¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Make an earthen puppet for me, Dirt.¡±

    A pillar of earth rose up in front of Sam. Then, dirt cascaded off of it until a humanoid figure was left behind. The butterfly flew onto the earthen puppet, and the ball of light left its wings, entering the puppet through the butterfly¡¯s mouthparts. The puppet jerked about, and its head lowered as its elbows bent, bringing its hands up as it observed itself. The puppet¡¯s mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out, and a terrified expression appeared on the puppet¡¯s face as it looked at Sam. He couldn¡¯t hear it, but he could see it was begging for help.

    ¡°Dance for me,¡± Ess said, the butterfly¡¯s thoughts clear in Sam¡¯s mind. Evidently, the earthen puppet could hear the butterfly¡¯s words as well because it stiffened before bending one knee at a time, swaying its hips as it raised its arms above its head. Despite the puppet¡¯s fluid and flamboyant movements, it was clear from the expression on the puppet¡¯s face that it wasn¡¯t enjoying the dance one bit. Sam wasn¡¯t sure why the puppet¡¯s expressions were so vivid since the earthen puppet obviously lacked facial muscles; after all, it couldn¡¯t speak because it didn¡¯t have vocal cords¡ªat least, that was Sam¡¯s assumption.

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    ¡°Isn¡¯t my ability useful?¡± Ess asked.

    Sam couldn¡¯t say he agreed. Nwaps could already take control of someone¡¯s mind, so Ess¡¯ ability of taking someone¡¯s soul and controlling it wasn¡¯t that impressive. However, putting souls in inanimate objects to make them alive was pretty interesting, albeit a bit morbid. ¡°You can take them out again, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Ess said and flew onto the puppet. The butterfly¡¯s mouthparts made contact with the puppet, and it stopped dancing, freezing with its hip pointed to the left, its arms raised towards the sky. The ball of light reappeared within the butterfly¡¯s wings like a small star on the night sky. ¡°If you want me to, I can place your soul in someone else¡¯s body, or I can replace someone¡¯s soul with one of your underling¡¯s.¡±

    The twin-headed snake slithered on Sam¡¯s face, covering his eyes once more. The putrid scent filled his nostrils once more as Ess landed on his nose. Sam couldn¡¯t help but wonder if his familiars would continue to rob him of his senses and mobility if his soul were placed in someone else¡¯s body. Was his talent connected to his soul? If Ess switched Sam¡¯s soul with Mr. Park¡¯s, would Raindu and the rest follow Sam to Mr. Park¡¯s body or stay by Sam¡¯s occupied-by-a-foreign-soul body? Would Sam¡¯s body gain Mr. Park¡¯s ability to shift into different phases of matter? Were chakras tied to one¡¯s soul, or were they tied to one¡¯s body?

    ¡°I¡¯ll swap you, so you can find out the answer to all your questions,¡± Ess said. The butterfly¡¯s mouthparts made contact with Sam¡¯s nose, and a wave of nausea washed over Sam. His psychic vision blurred, and the fringes of his All-Seeing Gaze receded, shrinking his view. Then, his vision returned to normal as Nwaps poked its head out of Sam¡¯s nostril and batted the butterfly aside, causing Ess to shout, ¡°Hey! What¡¯s the big idea?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mess with our host,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°We spent a lot of time cultivating him.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie,¡± Ess said, readjusting its position on Sam¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯ve only recently arrived on this plane. If you can make choices for Sam¡¯s future, why can¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°His thoughts might change if you give his soul a different brain,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°Right now, he¡¯s willing to do whatever we want, so don¡¯t go messing around with what we have.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about the tapeworm¡¯s statement. Although it was true, he had taken a more passive approach when it came to leading his life, and it was also true his familiars had essentially robbed him of his independence, at least, he was living a good life now. Without his familiars, he¡¯d be living a life fraught with hardship and insecurity: no finances, no food, living in abandoned homes hoping he wouldn¡¯t be discovered. He was willing to give up some little things like freedom for a stable life. However, what if it was only his brain telling him that? If Nwaps was worried his mind might change if he experienced how someone else¡¯s brain operated, then wasn¡¯t there a good chance there was something wrong with his line of thinking?

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with your line of thinking,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°People are shaped by their environment and the chemicals in their brains. Some people would rather die than lose their freedom. Other people would willingly give up their freedom for comfort and security. Their ideals may be different, but does that mean one group has to be wrong? Of course not because, after all, your life is yours, and it¡¯s up to you to decide how you live it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°I was simply afraid of what¡¯d happen to your mind if your soul, which was shaped by your current brain, experienced the way someone else¡¯s brain worked. There¡¯d be a huge cognitive dissonance when you returned to your body after residing in someone else¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Ess said. ¡°The best way to grow as an individual is to experience the world through the lens of others. It¡¯s impossible to see the bigger picture through a single perspective.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t sure if Ess was trying to harm him or help him. Even with multiple perspectives weighing in, those of his familiars, he was still confused, lending credence to Nwaps¡¯ words. Perhaps he really would just lose what it meant to be himself if his soul was placed into another person¡¯s body; then again, did he really know who he was? Was a person a collection of experiences that shaped them, or were they a set of principles dictating how they should act in a given situation? He was Sam, an ex-talentless, but if he were born with a talent, would he still be the same Sam he was today, someone who would trade freedom for security?

    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Are you dissatisfied with the person you are today? You¡¯re the strongest human in existence, and if you were born with a different talent, someone else would be lamenting their fate and wishing for beings like us to help them; then, you¡¯d be one of those people mucking through corpses instead of the one bringing them back to life.¡±

    The twin-headed snake had a point. He might¡¯ve been unable to make his own decisions, but it wasn¡¯t like those other humans could decide their own fates either. If Sam wasn¡¯t here, the Surtakatul would¡¯ve done devastating damage to humanity, and everyone would¡¯ve perished whether they wanted to or not. Well, there would¡¯ve been a few survivors, but where would they go after the majority of humans had died? Perhaps they¡¯d turn into pets and live in Et Serpentium with their freedom stripped away from them.

    An employee approached Sam while dragging Mr. Park unceremoniously along the ground by his arms. ¡°Excuse me,¡± the employee said. ¡°Something happened to Mr. Park. Can you bring him back to life?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Leave him there and step back.¡±

    The employee released Mr. Park and took a few steps back. A ray of light shone down from the sky, obscuring Mr. Park¡¯s body from view. Ess flew forward and landed on the soulless man¡¯s nose. The white light from its wings traveled into its body, through its mouthparts, and into Mr. Park¡¯s face. Once the process was done, Ess flew back onto Sam¡¯s face, and the ray of light vanished as Mr. Park¡¯s eyes shot open. He sat up while screaming, his eyes wide with terror. He looked down at himself and patted his body with his hands before looking around. When his gaze landed on the earthen puppet his soul had recently occupied, he flinched and scrambled away while climbing to his feet.

    ¡°Mr. Park,¡± the employee said. ¡°Are you alright? You suddenly collapsed, and your heart stopped beating.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Mr. Park said as he touched his chest with his hand. He glanced at the earthen puppet, whose face was contorted in terror whilst dancing, and took in a deep breath. Unnatural incidences happened all the time in Oterra, but they had never happened to him until now. ¡°Does anyone know what that statue is?¡±

    The employee turned towards the direction Mr. Park was looking, but they didn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary. ¡°Statue, sir?¡±

    Mr. Park¡¯s face paled. The earthen puppet had vanished at some point, disappearing as if the ground had silently swallowed it up when no one was looking. ¡°Never mind,¡± he said. It felt like his soul had been taken by the statue, and he was forced by a demon to dance. Hopefully, such an event wouldn¡¯t happen again. ¡°I must have been imagining things.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps it was a side effect of your heart attack,¡± the employee said.

    Mr. Park nodded his head. ¡°How¡¯s the corpse collecting? Is it almost finished?¡±

    ¡°All the employees save for one have been located and revived,¡± the employee said. ¡°They¡¯re looking for the last person now, but they must¡¯ve been directly stepped on by the calamity because their body isn¡¯t showing up.¡±

    ¡°We found some bone fragments,¡± another employee said as they approached Sam with a handful of bloody shards. ¡°Is this enough to bring them back to life?¡±

    ¡°The price will be much higher,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but it can be done.¡±

    Mr. Park scratched his head. Sam was bringing the dead back to life, but it really seemed like there was no cost to him since he could revive everyone who had died even if all that remained of them was a small pile of bone shards. What if the man was simply robbing the CEOs of their wealth under the guise of being generous? Well, no one would mind it except for the six CEOs who had to shoulder the costs of resurrection; perhaps, some people would wish for Sam to extract more from them to even out the playing field since the CEOs were filthy rich compared to their underlings. Mr. Park sighed. What was going to happen was going to happen, and he wasn¡¯t brave enough to stop what was to come. He had the sneaking suspicion his time spent as an earthen doll was due to Sam¡¯s ability, and Mr. Park never wanted to experience such a thing again.

 Chapter 89

    Two men sat at the counter of a bar, wearing white-collared shirts stained with sweat and drinking from tall glasses of beer. Behind the counter, hanging from the wall, there was a screen with footage playing on it that had been playing for the past few days. Despite having seen the images before, the two men were staring at the screen, their eyes transfixed on the golden giant releasing his son, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed man riding a glowing yellow pig, from his palm. ¡°Go, my child,¡± the golden giant on the screen said.

    One of the men nudged the other with his elbow. ¡°Who do you think he¡¯s talking about?¡± the man asked, his voice louder than it would¡¯ve been if he were sober. ¡°The dude riding the pig, or the pig?¡±

    The other man guffawed. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the pig,¡± he said and took a large gulp from his glass. ¡°Does anyone actually believe this bullshit?¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey,¡± the first man said with a grin, ¡°you can¡¯t call it bullshit out loud. The Ark cultists will get offended.¡± The man swiveled on his stool to look around at the mostly empty bar before turning himself back towards the counter. ¡°Just kidding. It¡¯s temple time for them.¡±

    ¡°Temple time,¡± the second man said, repeating after the first man despite his eyes still staring at the screen. The display had shifted from the golden giant and Sam to the calamity that had threatened the capital not too long ago. It was an ugly thing with tendrils and holes covering its body, and it was humongous, ginormous even. ¡°Do you think it was actually that big?¡±

    ¡°Hell no,¡± the first man said and shook his head. ¡°If it were really that big, we would¡¯ve been able to see it if we were aboveground, but they sent us to the shelters, so they have the liberty to make the calamity as big as they want to make it seem like they¡¯re more impressive than they actually were.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s they?¡± the second man asked.

    ¡°The six big companies, you dolt,¡± the first man said. ¡°Who else? They control the media and everything we consume. Propaganda, man, haven¡¯t you heard of it?¡± He pointed at the calamity spewing out minions on the screen. ¡°Look at all those creatures its summoning. You think the three hundred or so awakened they sent to stop the calamity really cleared all of them up? There¡¯re millions of those things, man, millions.¡±

    ¡°There are a lot,¡± the second man said, nodding his head as he agreed with his buddy.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± the first man said. ¡°There¡¯re so many of them, but not a single one of them reached the capital? Even after they defeated the big sucker, there should¡¯ve been lots of those little ones left, but no one¡¯s seen a single one in the vicinity. Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because they were all killed, right?¡± the second man asked. ¡°Later on, Sam controls the earth to capture all of them.¡±

    ¡°No, stupid,¡± the first man said. ¡°No one found traces of any of those things despite there being millions of them because they didn¡¯t exist in the first place. It¡¯s all theater. Ark wants to portray itself in a good light, so they made up this whole fight.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ve seen the temples,¡± the second man said. ¡°They¡¯re where the headquarters of the big companies used to be, and the headquarters are completely intact. They moved without breaking anything.¡±

    ¡°My ass, moved without breaking anything,¡± the first man said. ¡°Do you know how much damage was done to the plumbing systems? Saamoohik is working for Ark now, and you know how fast those guys were at constructing new buildings. Zahir probably severed the buildings, and a whole bunch of employees shifted them around at night. You know the saying a long enough lever can move the world; shifting buildings is chump work for Saamoohik.¡±

    ¡°What about bringing the dead back to life?¡± the second man asked.

    ¡°The whole thing was theater,¡± the first man said and took a swig from his glass, ¡°the whole thing. No one actually died. Does it make sense for someone to bring back the dead from a pile of bone shards? Where the hell has he been if he can do that?¡± The first man pointed at the screen where Sam was riding a flying pig, facing down the Surtakatul from a dramatic angle, his back facing the viewer with the calamity roaring with its massive mouths. ¡°We¡¯d have heard of him a long time ago as a miracle doctor; he¡¯d cure every ailment in the world by killing the patient and bringing them back to life.¡±

    ¡°If you listen to what the preachers say¡ª¡±

    ¡°Have you actually stopped to listen to those guys?¡± the first man asked, cutting his buddy off. ¡°They¡¯re crazies shouting at you on the streetcorner, telling you you¡¯ll go to hell if you don¡¯t put your faith in Sam, some dude who showed up out of nowhere. I¡¯m telling you; it¡¯s a grift.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the second man said and scratched his head before picking up his cup and taking a drink. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of temples going up.¡±

    ¡°Built by the suckers who fell for the grift,¡± the first man said and finished the last of his drink. He sighed and placed down his glass before leaning back. ¡°Well, even if we see the truth, it¡¯s not like we can do anything about it.¡±

    The second man nodded. ¡°Work is still work,¡± he said. ¡°The boss is different, but the pay stays the same.¡± He scratched his head. ¡°What if we join the cult and pretend to be devout believers? If we make it to the top of the scheme, won¡¯t we strike it rich?¡±

    ¡°You want to be a grifter?¡± the first man asked. ¡°With your intelligence? Good luck.¡±

    ¡°But you could do it,¡± the second man said and finished his drink as well. ¡°I¡¯ll just follow you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to cheat people of their money and time,¡± the first man said and snorted. He stood up and waved at the bartender to close out his tab. Once his drinks were paid for, he patted the second man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll see you around.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± the second man said, nodding at the first man before focusing his gaze back on the screen. The Surtakatul was roaring as Sam telekinetically ripped its leg off, and the man took a swig from his glass. ¡°Man, that¡¯s awesome. I wish I could do that.¡±

    The bartender nodded in agreement. ¡°I heard you have to unlock your crown chakra and solar plexus chakra to learn telekinesis,¡± she said, ¡°but even then, it takes several years to move something as heavy as a pencil. I can¡¯t imagine how many years of training it¡¯d take to pick up something as large as that ugly thing¡¯s leg.¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Really?¡± the second man asked. ¡°Sam doesn¡¯t look that old. He looks younger than me.¡±

    The bartender stared at her customer and refrained from commenting lest she lose her tip. It¡¯d be hard to find someone older looking than the man in front of her unless they had a head full of gray hairs and a face filled with wrinkles. ¡°Either Sam¡¯s a genius, or he got lucky with his talent,¡± the bartender said. ¡°I¡¯m more inclined to believe he¡¯s lucky with his talents because he does a lot of incredible things during the fight.¡±

    ¡°You think it¡¯s real?¡± the customer asked. He gestured at the screen. ¡°Everything that¡¯s on it?¡±

    ¡°I know it¡¯s real,¡± the bartender said. ¡°One of my cousins is an employee at Carbon Peak, and she told me all about the fight. She says the scenes you see up there don¡¯t do it justice; it¡¯s much scarier to see those ugly gremlins running at you in person.¡±

    The customer squinted at the bartender. ¡°Are you an Ark cultist?¡±

    The bartender snorted. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want to call me,¡± she said, ¡°but I¡¯m not ashamed. I¡¯ve been to the temples, and I¡¯ve seen miracles happen in person.¡± Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she stared up at the ceiling. ¡°I suppose you can¡¯t call them miracles if they can be done on command.¡±

    ¡°What kind of miracles did you see?¡± the man asked and finished his drink. He pushed the glass closer to the bartender. ¡°Another, please.¡±

    The bartender picked up the glass and stowed it away, turning her back on the customer. ¡°I¡¯ve been visited in my dreams,¡± she said while preparing another order for the man. ¡°I had a few questions about my relationship, and an angel cleared up my doubts while I was sleeping. If you go to the temple of Nwaps and get a blessing from the bishop there, you can get a guardian angel of your own.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± the customer asked. ¡°Angels?¡± He took the drink the bartender handed him and brought the glass up to his lips, talking a long gulp. Recently, he did feel a little lost in life, and if going to a temple could get him an angel capable of clearing up his thoughts, wasn¡¯t it worth a shot? ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not someone tricking you with their talent?¡±

    ¡°If they are, then it¡¯s very convincing,¡± the bartender said. ¡°I doubt it¡¯s someone pretending to be an angel though; all the temple asks of you is to consciously pray to Nwaps for fifteen minutes a day. There¡¯s no monetary cost, and if you don¡¯t like what the angel is saying, or if you don¡¯t believe them, you can always choose to ignore their words.¡±

    ¡°Fifteen minutes a day?¡± the customer asked. ¡°That¡¯s all it takes for an angel to show up in your dreams? What kind of guidance do they bring?¡±

    The bartender shrugged. ¡°I heard it¡¯s different for everyone,¡± she said, ¡°and that makes sense, doesn¡¯t it? Everyone has different priorities in life, so the advice people receive should be different as well.¡± The bartender wiped the counter and nodded at the man. ¡°You should check it out. The temples are open at all hours.¡±

    ¡°The temple of Nwaps, you said?¡± the man asked. ¡°What about the other temples? Have you been to those?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± the bartender said. ¡°I already found what I needed at the temple of Nwaps. Head to the plaza, and if you¡¯re fated for a temple, maybe someone will appear to guide you to it.¡±

    The man scratched his head. Recently, it felt like life¡¯s difficulty had increased. The talented awakened had vanished¡ªlikely due to a series of kidnappings by a foreign race¡ªand as a result, prices of common goods went up. Without the awakened to secure the surroundings, basic necessities were harder to come by. He wasn¡¯t exactly sure how the logistics of it worked, but that¡¯s what the stores claimed when questioned as to why their prices had increased so much¡ªmost people ignored the fact the stores reported record profits in the midst of the trying times. Along with the rising prices of goods, his rent had increased, which didn¡¯t make any sense to him because people had gone missing, so why didn¡¯t landlords decrease the rent to find people to fill the new vacancies? Of course, the landlords claimed the prices of goods went up, so they had to increase the rent, so they could still live comfortably with the new prices of the basic necessities.

    ¡°How about a temple for wealth?¡± the man asked. ¡°Are there any deities that¡¯ll make me rich if I pray to them?¡±

    The bartender shrugged. ¡°Like I said,¡± she said, ¡°go to the plaza, and if you¡¯re destined to receive help from the divine, then you¡¯ll find it there.¡±

    The man lowered his head and stared at his glass. After thinking for a bit, he drank the whole thing in one go, letting the bitter aftertaste wash through his mouth. He let out a belch and nodded. ¡°Close my tab,¡± he said. Although he was drunk and it was extremely late a night, he didn¡¯t think it was a bad time to visit the plaza since the bartender said they were open at all hours. Maybe, a miracle was waiting for him in the plaza, and if there wasn¡¯t one, well, it wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d lose anything for simply checking the place out. When he finished paying for his bill, he exited the bar and made his way to the plaza, walking because it¡¯d save him some cash.

    When the man arrived at the plaza, he took a look around to make sure he was in the right place. He had been to the main plaza plenty of times before, but it had changed a lot compared to the plaza in his memories. The skyscrapers that used to blot out the sky were no longer there, replaced with one-story buildings with lush gardens. There was even a small lake where a parking lot used to be, and even from his spot at the plaza, he could see the glimmering of red and golden scales belonging to the fish underneath the surface. Was that where the miracle was located? If he managed to nab one of those plump suckers, tomorrow¡¯s dinner would be set.

    The man walked to the edge of the lake and looked around to see if anyone had happened to leave some fishing gear behind, but he didn¡¯t see anything he could use to catch the fish. He didn¡¯t see anyone present either; even if the temples were open at all hours, that didn¡¯t mean people were going to be there in the middle of the night on a workday. The man stared at the water for a bit before taking off his shoes and socks, placing the latter into the former. He rolled up his pant legs and dipped his foot into the lake.

    ¡°How drunk are you?¡± a mechanical voice asked from behind the man, causing him to flinch and almost fall into the water. ¡°In what world do you think this is a good idea?¡±

    The man awkwardly hopped backwards and turned around, placing his wet foot on the ground. His brow furrowed, and he looked down, his gaze meeting a pair of pitch-black eyes. The eyes were glossy, and the light from the nearby temple was reflected in its sclera. The grayling pointed at the man. ¡°Yes,¡± it said, ¡°I¡¯m talking to you. Were you thinking of catching those fish to eat for dinner? They¡¯re not public goods, you know; you¡¯d be committing a crime.¡±

    The man swallowed. He knew what these short creatures were. They could often be spotted working for the big six companies as interns of sorts. Personally, he thought they were creepy, but he wasn¡¯t going to be intimidated by something half his height. ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°I was just washing my feet.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a public bath,¡± the grayling said, ¡°however, we do provide free accommodations in Joe¡¯s temple.¡±

    ¡°Joe¡¯s temple?¡± the man asked and looked behind the grayling. Joe was an archaic name that had fallen out of use since a little before the cataclysm. Joe¡¯s temple looked like a regular house, but there were pillars holding up a flat roof around the building as if a patio encircled the whole site. The bartender had said someone might guide him to where he needed to go, and it seemed like Joe¡¯s temple was his destination. ¡°If I pray to Joe, can he make me rich?¡±

    ¡°Joe can do even more than that,¡± the grayling said and turned around. ¡°Why don¡¯t you follow me? I¡¯ll show you around.¡± As it walked, the grayling continued speaking. ¡°Rather than making you money, Joe will show you the proper way to exist. One shouldn¡¯t chase after money. Oterra is meant to be enjoyed; life shouldn¡¯t be stressful.¡±

    The man scratched his head as he followed after the grayling, not forgetting to bring his socks and shoes with him. It wasn¡¯t like he was chasing after money; he needed it to survive, but it didn¡¯t feel right explaining such things to a grayling. Maybe, once he was inside, he¡¯d meet a bishop or someone who descended from the heavens like an angel. Suddenly, the man felt a bit silly for coming to the plaza, but since he was already at a temple¡¯s doorstep, what did he have to lose by going inside?

 Chapter 90

    Several months had passed since the Surtakatul was defeated by Sam. Although the calamity had never made it to the capital¡ªin a non-butterfly form¡ªthe city¡¯s layout had been completely rearranged. The towering buildings ceased to exist, the vertical space they had occupied was still the same but had been relocated within the ground. The tallest buildings, and most noticeable ones, were now the temples on an elevated plaza with circular steps made from pure gold, allowing people to ascend from any direction. Once they were atop the plaza, their view was unobstructed for miles with trees and mountains on the horizon. When the sun rose or set, the clouds were highlighted with orange and red hues from underneath, creating an iridescent background for the temples.

    Speaking of the temples, Sam wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about his familiars shifting aside buildings to make the places of worship for themselves. It was as if he were an ant watching on the sideline as a spider went about hunting his fellow ants¡ªand he was the one who had brought the spider to the colony. When a human entered the temple of Nwaps, they were greeted with a handshake by a bishop, who was infected by the golden tapeworm. Once the unsuspecting person took the bishop¡¯s hand, they became infected as well. Likewise, with Venusians acting as angels for the other temples, they weren¡¯t honest places of worship either with guidance

    ¡°I don¡¯t do anything to them after infecting them,¡± Nwaps said, the golden tapeworm poking out of Sam¡¯s nose. Its head nudged against the butterfly¡¯s rear end, causing Ess¡¯ wings to flap, refreshing the sulfuric smell in Sam¡¯s nostrils. ¡°I¡¯m merely taking precautionary measures by reading their thoughts. If they want to harm you in the future, we¡¯ll be ready for them. As you know, knowledge is power.¡±

    Sam ignored the sensation of the tapeworm wriggling about his nostril. Despite its movements, he never once had the urge to sneeze. If he had to take a guess, he¡¯d say Nwaps was controlling the region of his brain related to sneezing to prevent itself from being shot out of his nose on accident. No doubt, it was similar to the way the tapeworm would ready itself against a potential coup it discovered cooking up in someone¡¯s mind; it¡¯d twist the person¡¯s thoughts, and the coup would be forgotten as easily as last year¡¯s dinner. No, perhaps, the coup would never even surface up in the person¡¯s conscious thoughts at all.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°With me around, you won¡¯t have to worry about things like betrayal or people hiding in the shadows waiting to bring you down. Ark shall never fall due to underhanded tricks.¡±

    If Sam cared about the company he was the CEO of, Nwaps words might¡¯ve meant something, but Sam wasn¡¯t emotionally invested at all. It didn¡¯t matter to Sam whether Ark fell or not since he wasn¡¯t even the one who wanted to establish it in the first place. His familiars had entrenched themselves within humanity, and unless the blue avians showed up, the higher-dimensional creatures weren¡¯t going anywhere. Where were the blue avians anyway? Had they dealt with the Surtakatul¡¯s roaming rear end yet?

    Sam connected to his stone tablet, one of the few actions his familiars granted him the freedom to do. He searched through the reptilians¡¯ network, looking for information about the Surtakatul and the blue avians, but as expected of the beings who lived underground and¡ªmostly¡ªminded their own business, there weren¡¯t any reports or sightings Sam was interested in. Well, even if the blue avians did show up, it wasn¡¯t his problem since his familiars would do their best to evacuate him. ¡°Doesn¡¯t establishing Ark give the blue avians an easy target to attack?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s true having a nest creates a weakness for oneself, but if the benefits outweigh the detriments, then it¡¯s worth making, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Sam supposed so, but his familiars wouldn¡¯t elaborate much on how the vibrations created by people through prayer enhanced the higher-dimensional beings, so he couldn¡¯t be certain. ¡°Are the benefits enough to fend off blue avians if the whole colony decides to come after us?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Vercedei said. The twin-headed snake continued after a short pause. ¡°However, we have to reach a certain point first before that can happen. If every human within the capital worships us, we¡¯ll be able to defend without retreating. If every reptilian and mantid worship us as well, then we can defeat the blue avians and drive them from their own nest.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t the blue avians realize this?¡± Sam asked. ¡°If they don¡¯t get rid of Ark now, then they¡¯ll have to prevent the mantids and reptilians from worshipping you if they want to survive.¡±

    ¡°No doubt,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s why they always go after a higher-dimensional being the moment they appear on Oterra. Hopefully, by the time the blue avians take action, it¡¯ll be too late for them to do anything about it. With the Surtakatul distracting them, maybe, they¡¯ll forget about us for a while.¡±

    Sam stroked the sloth attached to his stomach and leaned back, allowing himself to rest completely on the wooly pig underneath him. Would his familiars take over Oterra that easily? One distraction, a Surtakatul which could be killed by just a handful of blue avians, would that buy enough time for his familiars to convert everyone within the city? The odds of that happening were low, and considering Sam¡¯s luck in life¡­.

    There was a knock on the door, and Sam didn¡¯t bother sitting up. However, an illusion of the Venusian version of him was created on the spot, sitting in a comfortable chair. ¡°Come in,¡± Vercedei said, speaking for the illusion.

    The door opened, and Wendy entered the room. ¡°Queen Annabeth wrote up a report for you,¡± she said and placed a stack of papers on the table. ¡°While she was paving the way to Silva Volucris, she encountered blue avians who were searching for you.¡±

    The illusion of Sam picked up the report as Sam used telekinesis to make it float in front of his face, so the twin-headed snake could read it. ¡°Have you read it?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± Wendy said and lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave now, Sam.¡±

    Vercedei grunted, and Wendy left the room. ¡°You jinxed us,¡± the twin-headed snake said in Sam¡¯s mind. ¡°You just had to think those thoughts about the blue avians coming our way before we were ready, and now, they¡¯re actually coming.¡±

    Sam would¡¯ve rolled his eyes if they weren¡¯t covered by the twin-headed snake¡¯s purple head. It was only logical for the blue avians to disrupt his familiars¡¯ plan. Whether he thought about it or not didn¡¯t make a difference because the report was definitely written before he had the thoughts; it wasn¡¯t him manifesting trouble like his familiar was accusing him of. ¡°I guess you better be prepared to run,¡± Sam said, responding to Vercedei in his mind.

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    ¡°Rather than running, we should accelerate the conversion rate,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Nwaps, I think you have to revisit your policy of only taking preventative actions.¡±

    Would the prayers of mind-controlled individuals be as valuable as the prayers of those who weren¡¯t? Sam had assumed that wasn¡¯t the case since the tapeworm hadn¡¯t already taken over people¡¯s thoughts and actions, forcing them to pray all day and night.

    ¡°Forcing people to pray doesn¡¯t count,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°In order for prayer to be effective for us higher-dimensional beings, the ones who pray to us must be doing so of their own free will; otherwise, their sparks of creation won¡¯t trigger.¡±

    If that was the case, how was Nwaps supposed to accelerate the conversion process? If the tapeworm couldn¡¯t force people to be religious, how were they going to sincerely offer up their prayers to the familiars?

    ¡°That¡¯s simple,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°Why do people request for help from a higher power?¡± The tapeworm wriggled about, causing Sam¡¯s nostril to feel a strong sense of discomfort. ¡°Why did you turn to us when you were at your lowest point?¡±

    ¡°I was in a hopeless situation,¡± Sam said to tapeworm through his mind, ¡°and there was no one else for me to turn to.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°If other people were in your situation, wouldn¡¯t they do the same as well?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to put them into hopeless situations?¡± Sam asked. If the tapeworm took control of the bodies of those it infected, it could force them to do questionable actions that¡¯d plunge them into despair.

    ¡°That¡¯s too much work,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°It¡¯s easier to simply prod the right parts of their brains. Even if their lives are good, without certain chemicals and receptors working properly in those fleshy control boxes, they¡¯ll feel miserable. I can simply induce the feeling of hopelessness and emptiness onto their physical bodies, and in turn, it¡¯ll reflect on their souls.¡±

    In other words, the tapeworm was going to give its multiple hosts depression.

    ¡°Depression that can only be resolved through prayer,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°Of course, their family, friends, and other pillars of support will suggest, with a little of my influence, heading to the temples to relieve them of their woes.¡±

    If that could work, then Sam had a question. ¡°You didn¡¯t do that earlier because¡­?¡±

    ¡°If the vibes of a large group of people drop at once,¡± Nwaps said, ¡°the negativity may draw unwanted attention.¡±

    ¡°From what?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Blue avians?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t have a negativity detector,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°There are other higher-dimensional beings, albeit ones much less impressive than ourselves, that are attracted to negative energy.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re so impressive, those higher-dimensional beings shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Not to us, but you saw how the humans couldn¡¯t handle the Surtakatul, and there was only one of it,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°How do you think humanity will fare against a horde of demons?¡±

    ¡°That depends on how strong the demons are, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Sam asked. If blue avians could defend Oterra from them, then surely, he could too. However, wouldn¡¯t that be a hassle if he had to fight every higher-dimensional being that showed itself? Yesterday was the Surtakatul, today was the demons, so wouldn¡¯t tomorrow bring something as well? ¡°Why can¡¯t we coexist with the blue avians again?¡±

    ¡°Simply put, freedom,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°that¡¯s what it boils down to, and we¡¯d much rather face danger whilst free than live a life in caged security.¡±

    Was Vercedei taking a jab at him because he didn¡¯t mind giving up some freedoms for stability? Perhaps he did have to change his line of thinking to be more like his familiars. If all of his familiars preferred freedom over safety, should he fall for peer pressure and agree with their line of thinking? The blue avians were similar to law enforcement, so if he wanted the freedom to commit crimes, logically, he should remove the blue avians from the picture. However, Sam didn¡¯t want crime to run rampant as a side effect of him obtaining freedom, but his familiars didn¡¯t mind.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with higher-dimensional beings coming to make Oterra their own?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Life is difficult for humanity, and it won¡¯t be any more or less difficult with or without blue avians. Sure, there might be an initial wave of deaths and other such losses when a few higher-dimensional beings show their faces, but humanity is adaptable; the fact they¡¯ve managed to ascend to Oterra and establish a city in the first place is proof.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, destruction is necessary for creation,¡± Ess said, flapping its wings whilst remaining in place, causing a strong stench to assault Sam¡¯s sense of smell. ¡°Oterra is stagnant, and to create a newer and better plane of existence, it must be wiped clean to start over again.¡±

    No matter what Sam said, his familiars wouldn¡¯t change their mind about destroying Oterra, so there was no point in trying to convince them. Since that was the case, wouldn¡¯t it be better if he embraced his role as their summoner and aided them in their goal? He wasn¡¯t sure if that was his original thought or if Nwaps had pushed the right buttons in his brain to make him think it was.

    ¡°Your brain comes up with random and, quite frankly, evil thoughts all the time,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°Don¡¯t blame every single one of them on me. I¡¯m not the one telling you to kick a puppy when you see it. I¡¯m not the one telling you to steer your vehicle into a street post. It¡¯s your brain¡¯s intrusive thoughts, not ones I¡¯ve planted in there.¡±

    So, the tapeworm had planted thoughts in Sam¡¯s head after all; he knew it.

    ¡°Just because I¡¯ve planted them in there doesn¡¯t mean you have to act on them,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°It¡¯s similar to meditation. You can acknowledge the thought, think about it, and let it float by without engaging in it.¡±

    ¡°Forget it,¡± Sam said. He already knew his familiars didn¡¯t always have his best interests in mind. ¡°What about the blue avians?¡± Although he could technically read the report without the use of his eyes by concentrating on his All-Seeing Gaze, the text was blurry and difficult to discern, making it much easier to simply ask the twin-headed snake on his face to summarize it instead. ¡°When will they arrive?¡±

    ¡°As you know, blue avians travel quite quickly,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Although Werchbite is maintaining an illusion over the capital, it won¡¯t fool the blue avians if they¡¯re certain we¡¯re here; they can be quite persistent. However, even if it can¡¯t fool them for forever, depending on how well our employees cooperate and how lucky we are, it can take the blue avians up to a week to find us.¡±

    ¡°So, in a week¡¯s time, you¡¯ll have to convert everyone within the capital to your religion,¡± Sam said. ¡°How many people have already chosen to believe in one of you?¡±

    ¡°Ninety-five percent,¡± Vercedei said.

    Sam had expected the percentage to be high since the higher-dimensional beings could practically perform miracles, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to be that high. Then, he considered the Venusians who Vercedei had instructed to lure people into visiting the temples. They could appear and disappear at will on the golden plaza, and there was even a small dormitory built within the plaza inaccessible from the outside, so the Venusians would have a place to stay where they couldn¡¯t be disturbed. The power of beautiful women and handsome men was certainly impressive when attracting human attention. Suddenly, ninety-five percent of the population didn¡¯t seem implausible anymore.

    ¡°Five percent, that isn¡¯t a lot left,¡± Sam said. With the tapeworm¡¯s ability to travel through dreams and heavily influence people¡¯s thoughts, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to convert someone even if they were as stubborn as a mule. ¡°So, as long as we aren¡¯t unlucky, you¡¯ll definitely finish before the blue avians discover us.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see what happens,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°For now, you shouldn¡¯t use your All-Seeing Gaze. If you scan a blue avian with one, they¡¯ll be alerted of your presence.¡±

    Sam let out a sigh through his one unclogged nostril, causing Ess¡¯ wings to flap and release some shiny flakes. He already couldn¡¯t see thanks to the twin-headed snake wrapped around his face, but now, he wasn¡¯t allowed to use his All-Seeing Gaze either. In that case, what was he left with? Hearing and touch? But he couldn¡¯t even walk thanks to the koala, which hadn¡¯t left his leg a single time since he had obtained the metallic familiar.

    ¡°Just spend your time in the subconscious expanse,¡± Nwaps said and slithered back inside Sam¡¯s nose while wriggling down his esophagus. ¡°You know it¡¯s a better place than here. We¡¯ll protect your body, so you don¡¯t have to worry about a thing.¡±

 Chapter 91

    Sam enjoyed spending his time in the subconscious expanse. Sure, it might¡¯ve been a form of escapism where he could do whatever he wished and whatever he wished to happen would happen, but he didn¡¯t care. There was nothing wrong with a little bit of escapism when all of his senses¡ªsave for his hearing¡ªhad basically been robbed from him. The world could be ending around him, but there were always stronger people who¡¯d hold up the sky¡­. Actually, weren¡¯t people relying on him to save the day if shit hit the fan? Well, his familiars would awaken him when it was necessary.

    ¡°Nwaps?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Are you there?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here, Sam,¡± Nwaps said, the tapeworm poking its head out of Sam¡¯s nose. Although it could¡¯ve left his body because they were in a dream where anything was possible, the tapeworm chose to stay inside Sam¡¯s head; he wasn¡¯t sure why. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You want an update about Oterra? Everything¡¯s going fine, thanks for asking.¡±

    ¡°No, I was just wondering if you could control a blue avian,¡± Sam said. If Nwaps could infect a human and take over their thoughts, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to do the same to an avian? If the tapeworm had a blue avian underling, then the familiars wouldn¡¯t even need Sam to do anything since almost everything he could do, a blue avian could do just as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult,¡± Nwaps said, ¡°and not worth the trouble. Besides, why would we need to possess a blue avian when we have you?¡±

    Sam nodded, expecting as much. It was easier to raise him up to the level of a blue avian than to control one. Didn¡¯t that mean he could resist Nwaps¡¯ control as well since he could do what blue avians could? If he telekinetically grasped the tapeworm and pulled it out of his nostril¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to hold on tight to your esophagus,¡± Nwaps said, ¡°so if you pull me out, your innards will come out with me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nice to know,¡± Sam said. Since the tapeworm didn¡¯t wish to leave his body, he wasn¡¯t going to force it nor make an attempt to remove it. After all, if he didn¡¯t respect his familiar¡¯s wishes, why should they respect his? If he removed the tapeworm from his body, it could easily retaliate by possessing the people he cared about and have them commit harmful actions. Speaking of the people he cared about¡ªwhich, admittedly, wasn¡¯t many¡ªwasn¡¯t there another danger present since Nwaps was inducing depressive thoughts amongst those who weren¡¯t religious? ¡°How about the demons? Have they showed their faces yet?¡±

    ¡°Not sure,¡± Nwaps said and did a wriggling motion, the tapeworm¡¯s attempt at shrugging without any shoulders or arms.

    ¡°Not sure?¡± Sam asked, repeating the tapeworm¡¯s words. He communicated with it through his voice since there was no twin-headed snake smothering his mouth nor anyone real around to eavesdrop. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your actions would attract them? Surely, you prepared defensive measures for when they arrived.¡±

    ¡°Defensive measures?¡± Nwaps asked. ¡°Why would we need those when the blue avians are willing to do the work for us? They¡¯re searching for us, but at the same time, if they encounter any demons, they¡¯ll get rid of them.¡± The tapeworm wriggled further out of Sam¡¯s nostrils and turned its head to be on eye level with Sam. ¡°Besides, without your All-Seeing Gaze, the only way we can locate a demon is through eye-witness reports and our sentries: the graylings and Venusians.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they won¡¯t show up at all,¡± Sam said. There was only five-percent of the people within the capital who needed to be converted, so there shouldn¡¯t have been that much negativity going around.

    ¡°And ¡­ you jinxed it,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°A grayling just spotted a demon.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sam asked, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Yes, really,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°Perhaps you were talented before you became an artificial awakened through Monarch¡¯s program. You must¡¯ve had the gift of a crow¡¯s mouth, manifesting bad luck is your talent.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it,¡± Sam said and shook his head. ¡°If my luck was so bad, I wouldn¡¯t have gained the talent to summon all of you. Now, I¡¯m the strongest human.¡± Could an unlucky person become the strongest of their race? Everyone knew luck was a huge requirement for success.

    ¡°Yes, how lucky of you to obtain us,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°Since you¡¯re thinking that way, does that mean you¡¯re no longer bothered by us robbing your senses and freedoms?¡±

    ¡°Stress over the things you can control, and ignore the ones you can¡¯t,¡± Sam said and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve lowered my expectations of life, so I can¡¯t be disappointed or bothered anymore.¡±

    ¡°A nice mentality,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°Now, let me introduce you to the demon that showed up.¡±

    ¡°In here?¡± Sam asked. If he were to exit the subconscious expanse, all he¡¯d be able to do was hear the demon speak. Maybe he could touch it too, but he didn¡¯t really like exploring the world with his hands whilst blind lest he touch something sticky. ¡°Can demons enter the subconscious expanse?¡±

    ¡°Depending on the type of demon, they prefer the subconscious expanse,¡± Nwaps said and receded into Sam¡¯s body, slinking down his nostril and esophagus. The tapeworm¡¯s voice echoed in Sam¡¯s mind. ¡°Here we go.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow as a distortion appeared in the space in front of him. He was currently at a beach, sitting on a towel with his legs extended in front of himself. With a simple thought, a suit of crystalline armor, similar to the one Zahir Gupta had worn during the fight with the Surtakatul, appeared on Sam¡¯s body as he stood up. The distortion became heavier with the sand and water within Sam¡¯s view blending together. Then, there was a spitting sound, and something¡ªpresumably, the demon¡ªshot out of the distortion straight into the sand by Sam¡¯s feet.

    Sam looked down at the half-buried individual, whose legs were sticking out of the sand at an angle. The legs were skinny, abnormally so, with its skin pasted against its bones without an ounce of flesh in between. It had a chalky gray skin tone, making one think ash would accumulate under one¡¯s fingernails if the demon were scratched. The demon¡¯s knees made contact with the ground, and the sand in front of Sam shifted as the demon¡¯s torso rose out of the beach. Although it was covered in fine, yellow grains, Sam could tell the demon was the same color all over; it was naked too, but¡ªluckily?¡ªit had no genitals, only a smooth mound between its legs as if it were a mannequin.

    The demon rubbed the sand out of its eyes and looked around with its red irises with blurred edges, the rim of its irises practically turning orange where it met with the demon¡¯s yellow sclera. ¡°Well, this is awkward,¡± the demon said, speaking in a language Sam didn¡¯t know but could still understand. ¡°I think I entered the wrong person¡¯s dream.¡±

    Sam stared at the demon, unsure of what to do next. His familiars weren¡¯t around to give him orders, and he had never dealt with a demon before. The tapeworm had said it was going to introduce him to the demon, but clearly, Nwaps had no intention of showing up. In that case, wasn¡¯t Sam free to do as he wished with the demon? The demon might¡¯ve appeared because it was attracted by the negativity humanity was producing thanks to Nwaps, but that didn¡¯t mean Sam had to kill it. ¡°Hello,¡± Sam said and sat down. Before his butt could hit the ground, it landed on a seat that materialized out of thin air. A table appeared in front of Sam as the surroundings shifted from an outdoor beach to a private room within a restaurant. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t we have a chat?¡±

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    The demon hesitated for a moment before pulling the seat in front of it out from underneath the table. It sat across from Sam and folded its hands in front of itself. ¡°What would you like to talk about, sir?¡± the demon asked. For a creature with rows of serrated teeth filling its mouth, it was surprisingly polite. ¡°Can you conjure up some pickle juice for me by any chance?¡±

    Sam squinted at the table, and a second later, a glass filled to the brim with greenish liquid appeared on the wooden surface. He had spent so much time in the subconscious expanse, he could manipulate his surroundings as well as, if not better than, a Venusian.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the demon said and picked up the glass. Its fingers were long, slender, and bony with an extra joint compared to human fingers, and instead of fingernails, it had little suction cups that it pressed against the glass, allowing the demon to hold it with minimal palm contact. The demon¡¯s tongue extended out of its mouth, and the tip dipped inside the pickle juice. There was a suctioning sound as the demon drank through its tongue like a straw. After drinking half the glass in one go, the demon retracted its tongue and smiled at Sam. ¡°Refreshing.¡±

    Sam nodded. ¡°So,¡± he said, ¡°why don¡¯t you introduce yourself?¡±

    The demon stared at Sam with its unblinking eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t have a name,¡± it said, ¡°but if you think of me whilst speaking, I¡¯ll know you¡¯re addressing me.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said, staring back at the demon. ¡°What are you doing here? Do you visit the subconscious expanse often?¡±

    ¡°Now and then,¡± the demon said, still holding the glass of pickle juice just below its chin. ¡°I actually prefer spending most of my time in the shadow dimension, but I sensed a huge source of negative energy in one of the upper planes, Oterra, I believe, so I went to investigate. There, I found an absolutely miserable human I would¡¯ve loved to get acquainted with, so I attempted to invade her dream after she went to bed, but a foreign force intercepted me, so here I am.¡± The demon pointed at Sam with one of its fingers, the suction cup making a popping sound as it released from the glass container. ¡°Do you happen to know what it was?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam said. ¡°A higher-dimensional being that goes by the name of Nwaps.¡±

    The demon stiffened, and the smile on its face vanished as its mouth closed. The demon placed the glass of pickle juice down and narrowed its eyes at Sam. ¡°What is your relationship to Nwaps?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m his host,¡± Sam said. Was he the main host? Or did Nwaps¡¯ main body reside inside of someone else? Sam wasn¡¯t sure, but he didn¡¯t think it mattered considering the nature of higher-dimensional beings; for all he knew, each tapeworm inside every human could be counted as its main body.

    ¡°So, this is a trap,¡± the demon said and let out a groan. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I fell for something like this again.¡± The demon stared at Sam. ¡°How much influence do you have on Nwaps¡¯ decisions? Do you think you could let me go?¡±

    ¡°What will you do if I let you go?¡± Sam asked and raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Return to the lower dimension,¡± the demon said. ¡°I have no intention on staying in Oterra if the large amount of negative energy is related to Nwaps.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like you know Nwaps pretty well,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Of course,¡± the demon said. ¡°Every demon knows Nwaps.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about him,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°First of all, Nwaps isn¡¯t a him,¡± the demon said. ¡°Nwaps are a them. They used to be a singular demon, but after a certain event happened to them, they ascended and gained the ability to proliferate.¡±

    ¡°What event?¡±

    ¡°No one knows,¡± the demon said. ¡°Nwaps has kept it a tight secret, and if I were Nwaps, I¡¯d keep it a secret too.¡± The demon leaned close to Sam and whispered, ¡°Personally, I think he made a deal with a higher-dimensional being.¡±

    Sam wasn¡¯t too interested in knowing how Nwaps became Nwaps. Although his goal in life was to experience things, that didn¡¯t mean he had to find out the pasts of everyone he met and encountered; there wasn¡¯t enough time to do such a thing. ¡°What about their personality?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Is Nwaps evil?¡±

    ¡°Evil?¡± the demon asked, staring at Sam. ¡°Your humanity is showing. Nwaps revels in the misery of others, and they enjoy being the cause of said misery as well. Like most demons, Nwaps thrives in a low-vibration environment. I hope that answers your question.¡±

    ¡°Earlier, you said something along the lines of falling for something like this again,¡± Sam said. ¡°What did you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°That?¡± the demon asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it exactly what it sounds like? Nwaps enjoys creating pools of misery every so often, and the last time they did this, it was to catch a few demons. Luckily, my best friend at the time was there, so I used him as a scapegoat to escape.¡± The demon shrugged and picked up the glass of pickle juice. It brought it to its side and poured the glass onto the ground. ¡°This one¡¯s for you, buddy. I hope you¡¯re still alive, but if not, enjoy the brine.¡±

    Sam couldn¡¯t say he was surprised at the tapeworm¡¯s past actions. In the first place, it hadn¡¯t seemed like a morally upright individual. In the second place, its main ability was to take over people¡¯s bodies, and it enjoyed influencing people¡¯s decisions without them even knowing by prodding certain parts of their brains to manipulate their emotions. ¡°Well, forget about Nwaps,¡± Sam said. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about you. If Nwaps wasn¡¯t behind the reason you¡¯re here, what would you be doing on Oterra?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be bargaining for souls,¡± the demon said. ¡°Individuals with negative vibes are more willing to sell their souls than others are.¡± The demon smiled, showings off its teeth. ¡°And souls are delicious.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sam asked. ¡°If I were a negative-vibe individual, and you were targeting me, what exactly would you do?¡±

    ¡°Promise you what you think will free you from your negativity in exchange for your soul,¡± the demon said. ¡°If you don¡¯t accept, then that¡¯s alright; I¡¯ll move on to the next individual. Since there¡¯re enough of them to create such a large area of negativity, someone is bound to say yes.¡±

    ¡°And once you get their souls, you eat them?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Yes, I happen to have one,¡± the demon said and grasped at its chest, ¡°with me right now.¡± A wispy substance shaped like a piece of fried bacon appeared along the tips of the demon¡¯s fingers. ¡°Well, half of one, I get quite peckish sometimes.¡±

    Sam stared at the half-eaten soul. To him, it looked like a wispy and translucent piece of bread. Also, it looked a bit¡­. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Sam said and pointed at the soul. ¡°Is that fried?¡±

    ¡°Baked,¡± the demon said. ¡°Some people fry their souls, but personally, I¡¯m not very good at it. They always come out a little burnt, but baking is easy for me, so that¡¯s what I do.¡± The demon gestured towards its chest with the soul-holding hand, causing the soul to vanish from view. ¡°What?¡± the demon asked upon seeing Sam¡¯s expression. ¡°Were you expecting me to share? Times are trying for everyone, alright? I can¡¯t afford to. Unless¡­.¡± The demon¡¯s voice lowered to a whisper. ¡°You can get me out of here safely.¡±

    Sam wondered how difficult it¡¯d be to clobber the demon and take the soul from it. He didn¡¯t want to eat it like the demon assumed; he felt like he¡¯d be doing the right thing by saving someone. If Werchbite and Joe could bring a few bone shards back to life, then surely, they could revive a baked, half-eaten soul. ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said and held out his hand. ¡°Give me the soul, and I¡¯ll get you out safely.¡±

    ¡°Do you swear on your soul?¡± the demon asked.

    ¡°Let me try something,¡± Sam said and stood up. The table and chairs vanished, but the demon was unfazed when it lost the support from underneath without warning. However, when Sam¡¯s telekinetic grasp surrounded it, making it difficult for the demon to move a single inch, its expression changed.

    ¡°Okay!¡± the demon said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to swear on your soul. Please, stop whatever it was you were about to do.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re afraid of this?¡± Sam asked, lifting the demon with his telekinesis.

    The demon¡¯s sclera vanished from its eyes as the skin around them constricted, closing up until only its red irises were showing. ¡°Yes,¡± the demon said. ¡°Violence is an act of barbarians; civilized folks should get along with their words. Your need to inflict pain on another to get your way shows exactly what kind of person you are: in your words, evil.¡±

    Sam shrugged. ¡°I never said I was good,¡± he said and slammed the demon into the ground. ¡°Give me that soul.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the kind of person I expected you to be,¡± the demon said as it retrieved the soul from who-knows-where and offered it to Sam. ¡°There, do you think you can let me go now?¡±

 Chapter 92

    Sam held the baked soul in his hand and stared at it with a furrow on his brow. Despite the time he spent inside the subconscious expanse, he never learned the Venusian¡¯s trick to withdrawing items from it. However, that didn¡¯t mean he had no way to bring the soul back to Oterra.

    A blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman appeared beside Sam, Mayor, one of the more enthusiastic Venusians working under Vercedei. ¡°Hello, Sam,¡± she said. ¡°What did you need?¡±

    ¡°Bring this back to Oterra for me,¡± Sam said. ¡°Make sure it doesn¡¯t get damaged.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Mayor said and retrieved the half-eaten soul. She took one glance to the side at the demon, who was prostrating on the ground, and chose to ignore it. ¡°Was there anything else you required of me?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said. After thinking for a bit, he figured he should encourage the Venusian since she was faithfully following Vercedei¡¯s orders. ¡°You¡¯re doing a good job. Keep it up.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mayor said and bowed her head. Then, she vanished, taking the half-eaten baked soul with her.

    Sam¡¯s attention shifted back to the demon, whose forehead was still pressed against the ground. It had handed him the soul, yes, but Sam felt like he couldn¡¯t let the demon leave lest it cause trouble in Oterra. Although it said it wouldn¡¯t, could Sam really trust the words of a demon?

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe my luck,¡± the demon muttered to itself, but its words were still loud enough for Sam to hear. ¡°Where did I go wrong? I swindled, cheated, and sweet-talked humans all my life, but in the end, my destiny ends up in the hands of a human. I knew the zone of negativity was too good to be true, told myself too, but no, I had to listen to my temptations, and my last meal was violently taken away from me as well. If I had known I would¡¯ve ended up like this, I would¡¯ve finished that soul yesterday like my had belly told me to.¡±

    Was the demon trying to evoke some sense of guilt within Sam? It was true he had basically mugged the demon of its snack, but when its snack was a human soul, Sam felt justified in taking it away. If he were ever attacked by a pig for eating a piece of bacon, he¡¯d feel like he¡¯d deserve it. ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said. ¡°That¡¯s enough out of you. Stand up.¡±

    The demon stood up, but it kept its head lowered, refusing to make eye contact with Sam.

    ¡°You¡¯re a higher-dimensional being, right?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Technically,¡± the demon said.

    ¡°What can you do?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Nwaps can proliferate, so what¡¯s your special ability?¡±

    ¡°Special ability?¡± the demon asked. ¡°Can¡¯t say I have one.¡± A gurgling sound escaped from the demon¡¯s abdomen. ¡°I can do anything a demon can do, but I haven¡¯t ascended, so there¡¯s nothing I can do that other demons can¡¯t. Nwaps was lucky enough to ascend and gain an ability unique to themselves, but, as you can see, I¡¯m a demon down on my luck. If I were lucky, I wouldn¡¯t be here right now.¡±

    So, even demon society was based on luck. In other words, Sam had captured a talentless demon just trying to make a simple living by swindling humans out of their souls. ¡°In that case,¡± Sam said, ¡°what can demons do that humans can¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± the demon said, ¡°that¡¯s hard for me to say since I only have very limited interactions with humans, but I noticed most of them can¡¯t visit the subconscious expanse¡ªwith you being the exception.¡± The demon¡¯s tongue extended from its mouth and touched its forehead, rubbing back and forth as if it were using the appendage to scratch itself. ¡°Humans are also unable to pursue us if we enter a shadow to escape, and when they sleep, they¡¯re defenseless against our paralyzing techniques.¡±

    A paralyzing technique? Sam wondered if he could mimic the demon¡¯s abilities. Considering he could imitate blue avians, he didn¡¯t see why it wouldn¡¯t be possible to copy a demon as well. ¡°Show me how you escape through shadows. I want to experience your paralyzing ability as well.¡±

    ***

    Paula was not having a good time. Then again, the blue avian was rarely happy, so their state of mind wasn¡¯t anything to be surprised about, but it was rare for a blue avian to have strong, negative thoughts, and Paula was experiencing some of those. If they could simply bombard the capital, wouldn¡¯t the illusion obscuring their senses vanish as well? Sure, hundreds or thousands of humans would die or be grievously injured, but for Oterra¡¯s sake, no one would mind such a small sacrifice¡ªexcept for the humans. Sam¡¯s familiars were planning something, and it wasn¡¯t anything good considering the amount of demons roaming about unchecked.

    Paula focused on the ground with their fingers spread outwards, pointing their palm below, and an ash-gray demon figure surged into the air. It was holding a severed arm which was dripping with blood from the stump where it had been torn off. The blue avian glared at the demon. ¡°What gave you the courage to enter Oterra?¡± Paula asked. The blue avian didn¡¯t wait for an answer before clenching their hand, causing the demon to let out a pitiful cry as its body contorted, crunching in on itself until its body was cylindrical like a stick. Black wisps surged out of the demon¡¯s head as its body dissolved, and the severed arm fell to the ground with a splat.

    ¡°There¡¯re demons everywhere,¡± a blue avian not far from Paula said, communicating with the nearby blue avians through their thoughts. ¡°Are we sure this isn¡¯t just another distraction? I can¡¯t help but get the feeling we¡¯re being fooled again.¡±

    Paula thought back to the Surtakatul, the higher-dimensional being summoned by the mantids. Since Sam had destroyed the calamity detector, the Surtakatul went undetected for quite some time, allowing it to eat and grow to the point it took several blue avians to handle it over the period of a month¡ªnot because it was difficult to kill but because it had laid thousands of eggs which hatched one at a time, allowing the Surtakatul to reappear on Oterra over and over. There were probably still eggs hidden around, waiting for the blue avians to drop their guard before hatching once more; without the calamity detector, no one could tell for certain.

    ¡°Regardless of whether this is a trap or a distraction, we have to find the source of negativity,¡± Paula said. ¡°It¡¯s up to us to protect Oterra, and that includes ridding it of demons; if we don¡¯t do it, who will? The reptilians? The mantids? Don¡¯t be stupid; we¡¯re the only ones with a sense of responsibility around here.¡±

    ¡°Why do we have to find the source of negativity?¡± a blue avian asked and heaved a sigh that reverberated in the minds of its fellow blue avians. ¡°Especially with this illusion messing with our senses, wouldn¡¯t it be a lot easier to destroy this whole place?¡±

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    ¡°Yeah,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°If all the humans die, they won¡¯t be having negative feelings anymore, and whatever Sam is planning will fail. Sam expects us to be gracious enough to leave the humans alone whilst only eliminating the demons while searching for him, so we have to act in a way he doesn¡¯t expect to outwit him.¡±

    ¡°So, you want to eliminate a whole species?¡± Paula asked.

    ¡°Not the whole species,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°Just the humans in this city. After we¡¯ve wiped them out, we can repopulate the city with the humans we¡¯ve captured. If we wait a few hundred years, it¡¯ll just be a small blip in their history, and it¡¯ll be forgotten in a few generations of humans.¡±

    ¡°One way to get rid of wolves is to reduce the number of deer,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°If we get rid of some humans, the demons will naturally go away.¡±

    Paula didn¡¯t respond as they hovered in the air, observing the city below with their All-Seeing Gaze. What they saw through their psychic vision was incongruent with what they saw through their eyes. The sounds Paula heard couldn¡¯t or shouldn¡¯t have been made by the actions they witnessed, and for some reason, they were smelling the beach¡ªthe closest one being miles away. A demon entered Paula¡¯s psychic vision, and the blue avian grasped it with a thought, lifting the demon into the air telekinetically and squeezing it until it evaporated into black mist without giving the poor fellow a chance to speak. The only things Paula¡¯s senses found reliably were demons, the creator of the illusions clearly using the blue avians as free labor.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been searching for Sam for so long,¡± a blue avian said as they lifted a demon into the air. It let out a screech as it was squeezed, black mist streaming out of its mouth before the demon dried up into a husk and dissolved into ashes. ¡°And now we¡¯ve finally found him, but he¡¯s hiding in an illusion¡ª¡±

    ¡°Might be,¡± another blue avian said, cutting in. ¡°The illusion could be a distraction as well. Leave one behind for us to puzzle through while he does something else in another region.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s destroy this place.¡±

    ¡°If we do enough damage to the region, the illusion should naturally disperse.¡±

    ¡°Why are we taking the high road when Sam goes low? Are we trying to be good people, or are we trying to save Oterra from calamities?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, sacrifice is necessary.¡±

    Paula listened to the chatter of their peers. It was clear they wanted to get things over with quickly whilst disregarding the ramifications of their actions, and Paula could sympathize with them. The calamity detector had turned them lazy, and even Paula was feeling frustration with how events involving Sam were progressing.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Paula said. ¡°Do as you wish.¡±

    The chatter in Paula¡¯s head ceased as the blue avians fell silent. Then, there was an explosion of noise as they all spoke at once. Paula shut out the sound and floated higher into the air. The blue avians were going to use violence to clear up the illusion, and Paula wanted no part in it; even though they¡¯d feel guilty for allowing such a thing to happen, it was less guilt than doing it themself.

    ***

    Toka was on break from doing his duty at the temple plaza: being attractive and encouraging individuals who hadn¡¯t found their faith to enter a temple to see if their beliefs and values resonated with any of the deities. The golden plaza was nice, allowing Toka to move around as he wished; there were even a few roads paved with gold, allowing the Venusians on duty to see other parts of the city as well if they wished. He was currently walking along one of those roads, and if it were a normal day, he¡¯d be smiling and waving at people, making conversation with the regulars he encountered on his walks.

    Unfortunately for Toka, it was not a normal day, and the humans he saw regularly were nowhere to be found. In fact, the buildings that should¡¯ve been there weren¡¯t; instead, there were massive craters in their places with piles of shattered debris and unidentifiable scraps of organic matter pocking the region. A loud explosion rang throughout the area, causing the ground to shake, and Toka sank halfway into the golden road to prevent himself from losing balance, only his torso sticking out of the ground. His ears rang with a shrill noise, but before they had time to recover, a second explosion rang out, quickly followed by a third and fourth.

    Screams and frantic shouts drifted through the air, but they were jumbled and drowned out by the boulders falling from the sky, making it impossible for Toka to discern what people were saying. The ground beside Toka trembled and groaned before rising into the air with a cracking sound akin to thunder. His eyes widened as the chunk of ground surged upwards until it was practically a dot in the sky. Then, he ran for his life as the dot grew larger, falling towards the ground like a comet. If he were a human, maybe he would¡¯ve been knocked over by the impact behind him, perhaps, it would¡¯ve even disabled him. Luckily, Toka was a Venusian, and he sank into the golden road completely, rushing as fast as he could back to the plaza.

    ¡°The world is ending!¡± a familiar feminine voice said. ¡°The apocalypse is here! If you wish for your lives and your souls to be saved, then pray, pray to the deities to save you!¡±

    Upon reaching the plaza, Toka poked his head out to see who in their right mind would be preaching at a time like this. Then again, the preacher probably wasn¡¯t in the right state of mind considering the ground itself was rising and falling to destroy the region. ¡°Mayor?¡± Toka asked. ¡°What are you doing? Do you know what¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡°As an angel, how can you lose your calm so easily?¡± Mayor asked, turning to look at Toka as if she were oblivious to the ongoing devastation. ¡°We have a duty to uphold.¡±

    ¡°We have to be alive to uphold it,¡± Toka said. ¡°Do you seriously think anyone is going to have time to pay attention to you while¡±¡ªhe gestured wildly around himself¡ª¡°all this is happening?¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Mayor asked. ¡°There¡¯re bomb shelters located in the basement of each temple. If they¡¯re smart, everyone in the city will flock here.¡± The Venusian woman turned her head to the side, and she waved her arms in the air at a group of approaching people. ¡°Believe in the deities! They¡¯ll protect you from harm if you truly believe!¡±

    A portion of the city block descended from the sky, having been picked up earlier, and slammed on the ground beside the group of humans. They screamed as they were blown off their feet, shrapnel and debris spraying upon their bodies as they fell to the ground.

    ¡°Believe harder!¡± Mayor shouted at the fallen people. ¡°Ask the mighty deity Raindu to save you. Scream your heart out for him to hear you!¡±

    Toka looked at Mayor as if she were crazy. She was completely disregarding her own health and safety because she wanted to please Sam by fulfilling his orders. Maybe she fell for the words she was spouting herself and truly believed she¡¯d be protected by Sam despite him not doing anything to stop the destruction. Toka took a look around from his vantage point; since the plaza had the highest elevation of any location within the capital, he could see the destruction happening in all directions. Buildings flew up, and some people took their chances jumping out as they were rising rather than allowing themselves to slam into the ground building and all. Dozens of blue avians could be seen in the sky, using their telekinetic grasps indiscriminately lifting and slamming.

    ¡°Save us!¡± someone shouted, their voice barely entering Toka¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Please! I can¡¯t die here!¡±

    ¡°If not me, at least my son! God, please, save my child at the very least!¡±

    ¡°O mighty Birdbrained, I promise I¡¯ll worship you faithfully and forever!¡±

    Toka¡¯s eyes widened as the boulders made from the ground and buildings stopped rising, freezing in place. His eyes widened even further when they disappeared and reappeared where they had been taken from as if everything that had happened hadn¡¯t. The debris from the destruction Toka swore he had seen had been cleaned up, and even the bits of organic matter were nowhere to be found. Toka blinked as his surroundings shifted, and he found himself back on the golden road, on the street he had been before the first explosion went off. Despite everything resetting, he still remembered the events that had unfolded previously.

    Toka raised his head as a shadow fell over him, and he swallowed upon seeing the underside of a wing covering the sky. ¡°That which has been shall no longer be,¡± a reverberating voice said followed by a sharp squawk. ¡°None shall lay their malicious paws or grubby little wings on the followers of Birdbrained.¡±

 Chapter 93

    Although violence was crass, Paula had to admit, it could be quite effective in the right circumstances. By indiscriminately ripping up the land and throwing the chunks at the ground, the blue avians successfully encountered one of Sam¡¯s familiars: the master of the Anunaki. Unfortunately, it was much stronger than expected.

    ¡°Did I see that incorrectly?¡± a blue avian asked. ¡°Did the master of the Anunaki revert time for a whole region?¡±

    ¡°You saw correctly,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°Could it always do that?¡±

    The blue avians turned their attentions onto Paula, and Paula hesitated before answering. ¡°The last time it was dealt with, it used similar tricks, but it seems more powerful now,¡± Paula said. ¡°The Anunaki must¡¯ve exploded in population, or the calamity is receiving its strength from elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then, how do we deal with it?¡±

    ¡°Every time it turns back time, it uses up a tremendous amount of energy,¡± Paula said inside of the minds of all the blue avians nearby. ¡°We have to exhaust its stamina first, and when it can¡¯t turn back time any longer, we deal its body a fatal blow.¡±

    ¡°And how are we going to exhaust it?¡± a blue avian asked, its question tinged with hints of a whine. ¡°It might¡¯ve turned back time for the ground and people on the ground, but its effects didn¡¯t touch me. I¡¯m pooped!¡±

    ¡°Same,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°We did all that work, and now we have to do it again?¡±

    ¡°Again and again and again,¡± the first blue avian said, its voice even whinier than before. ¡°Who knows how many times it can turn back events like that? Rather than us exhausting it, won¡¯t we exhaust ourselves first?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know where it¡¯s main body is either,¡± the second blue avian said. ¡°What if it runs again after it can¡¯t use its ability anymore?¡±

    ¡°Stop whining,¡± Paula said, their tone curt.

    ¡°We¡¯re not whining,¡± the first blue avian said. ¡°We¡¯re asking valid questions. If something is going to be an effort in futility, shouldn¡¯t we identify it to save ourselves the trouble? We should go about this a different way.¡±

    ¡°And what other way do you suggest?¡± Paula asked. ¡°If all you¡¯re going to do is criticize my suggestions without offering one of your own, then you¡¯re just whining, which is not helpful in the slightest.¡±

    ¡°Paula¡¯s right,¡± Mozart said, the blue avian floating over to Paula¡¯s side. ¡°They have the most experience dealing with calamities. Sometimes, dealing with them is hard and grueling work, and we¡¯ll be exhausted, but at the end of the day, the work will be done, and we can go home and relax.¡±

    ¡°It might take more than a day,¡± Paula said, ¡°but the sentiment remains.¡±

    ¡°More than a day?¡± Mozart asked.

    ¡°It has a lot of energy,¡± Paula said. ¡°If we were able to eliminate Sam before the master of the Anunaki grew to this point, it would¡¯ve been much easier. Now that it¡¯s grown, it¡¯s become troublesome to handle.¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get this over with before the other calamities Sam summoned has time to grow as well,¡± Mozart said. The blue avian pointed its palm at the ground, and a chunk of earth was ripped upwards. ¡°Is there anything we can do about the illusion in this area? I think we¡¯ll get better results if it¡¯s not blocking our senses.¡±

    ¡°If we could, then we would¡¯ve done it earlier,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°It¡¯s not so easy to undo the work of a higher-dimensional being.¡±

    ¡°Reinforcements are on their way as well,¡± Paula said. ¡°We can force the master of the Anunaki to use its ability a few more times, and when we¡¯re tired, our reinforcements can step in for us while we take a break. We¡¯ll work in shifts to prevent ourselves from becoming too exhausted.¡±

    ¡°Is it always this troublesome for you to eliminate a calamity?¡± a blue avian asked.

    ¡°Sometimes,¡± Paula said.

    ¡°And we let you do this all alone?¡±

    Paula¡¯s aura flickered. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Well, Paula enjoys hunting calamities,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to beat yourself up about leaving Paula with all the work.¡±

    Although Paula didn¡¯t agree with that statement, they weren¡¯t going to say anything, not when there was a calamity they had to deal with. ¡°Enough chitchat,¡± Paula said and focused on the ground. Although the illusion prevented the blue avian from precisely targeting anything, indiscriminate bombardment didn¡¯t require much accuracy. ¡°We have work to do.¡±

    The blue avians concentrated on the ground below, repeating their actions of grasping and throwing chunks of the ground. ¡°We can¡¯t chitchat while working?¡± a blue avian asked in a whisper. Since its voice could be heard directly in the minds of the other blue avians, the whispering didn¡¯t do much in terms of not attracting attention. ¡°It¡¯s not like it takes that much energy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s distracting,¡± Paula said. ¡°If you wish to speak with someone, do it on a private frequency.¡±

    Paula didn¡¯t receive a reply, but that didn¡¯t mean the blue avian wasn¡¯t saying bad things about Paula behind their back to someone else. ¡°Also,¡± Paula said, ¡°no slacking off. Since they¡¯re not fighting back, and they¡¯re not running away, it means they¡¯re delaying us. This is a race against time.¡±

    ¡°You said that about the big bug,¡± a blue avian said.

    ¡°My words were as true then as they are now,¡± Paula said.

    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder why no one ever volunteers to exterminate calamities. It¡¯s a tedious and thankless task. How about we throw a party after we¡¯re done? It¡¯ll give us something to look forward to.¡±

    Paula¡¯s voice echoed through the blue avians¡¯ heads. ¡°I said cut the chitchat.¡±

    ¡°With the way you¡¯re acting, you won¡¯t be invited to the party,¡± Mozart said. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much work, so you deserve to take a break. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not upset we never threw a party for you upon eliminating a calamity, are you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I hadn¡¯t even thought of that,¡± the blue avian, who had suggested the party, said. ¡°I¡¯d be upset too if I were in Paula¡¯s position. They were going through such tough and tedious encounters by themself, and we didn¡¯t even acknowledge their accomplishments.¡±

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    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°I¡¯ve told Paula, ¡®Good work,¡¯ a few times after they came back.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, me too.¡±

    ¡°We should create a Paula Appreciation Day, where we all get together, party, have fun, and thank Paula for all they¡¯ve done for us.¡±

    ¡°I can bring my special pie! I¡¯ve been working on my baking skills.¡±

    Paula ignored the chatter going on in their head. Although it would¡¯ve been nice if the blue avians had listened to Paula¡¯s suggestion of keeping quiet, the blue avian was used to their words being ignored by the collective; after all, there was no true leader amongst the blue avians. Everyone was allowed to have their own opinions and ideas¡ªwhich Paula thought wasn¡¯t the greatest idea since some of their peers were ¡­ questionable, but who was Paula to try to change blue avian society?

    The next few hours were uneventful as the blue avians repeatedly bombarded the land with pieces of itself. The blue avians were bored out of their minds with only gossip and chatter keeping them sane as they whittled down the calamity¡¯s stamina whilst exhausting themselves.

    However, to the humans living in the capital, they were experiencing an unending nightmare. Large chunks of the ground surged upwards unpredictably, high enough to the point falling off would lead to death. Even if one kept their balance and remained on the floating island, they¡¯d die once the island was inevitably thrown back down. If they managed to avoid rising upwards in the first place, then they had to dodge the land when it came back down. With how quickly the blue avians lifted and tossed the land, human deaths were inevitable. Hiding in buildings and shelters didn¡¯t protect them, not when the buildings and shelters were lifted into the air as well.

    ¡°What in the world is happening?¡± someone asked as they fell over backwards and took a seat on the ground. They stared up at the sky, watching as a large chunk of earth fell to the ground with a bang, debris and dust scattering in every direction from the impact point. The man turned his head to the side, looking at the spot where he was sure he had fallen to his death. ¡°Am I dreaming?¡±

    ¡°If this is a dream, then it¡¯s a nightmare,¡± someone said from not too far away. ¡°Are we in heaven? We both died, but here we are, talking to each other as if we¡¯re alive and well.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re in heaven,¡± the first man said. ¡°I¡¯ve died twice now. Although it wasn¡¯t painful because I think I died instantly upon impact; it was still terrifying. If anything, we¡¯re in hell, not heaven.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re doomed to die again and again?¡± the second person asked. ¡°In that case, why are we struggling to survive?¡± He took a seat beside the first person and looked up at the sky as well. A floating island was falling in their direction, but they remained seated.

    ¡°Well,¡± the first peson said. ¡°What if we¡¯re not brought back to life the next time we die? That¡¯d be one reason to struggle, no?¡±

    ¡°I suppose,¡± the second person said and nodded as he and his buddy were covered by a large shadow. ¡°Are you praying to any of the deities?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± the first man said. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯m coming back to life after¡±¡ª

    The man¡¯s words were cut off with a bang as he and the other fellow were crushed by the projectile. A few minutes later, the impact craters within the capital vanished as time flowed in reverse. Debris and shards of metal, wood, and stone clumped together, reforming into cohesive plots of land, and surged into the sky. Then, they floated back to the ground, filling the holes that had been left behind. The splattered bits of flesh and bone shards were sucked together as if a vortex were pulling on them, and the two people were reformed. They glanced at each other as their bodies were pulled away from one another, returning to their previous positions before the ground decided to rebel and kill everyone.

    The second man jogged over to the first one. ¡°Maybe we¡¯re stuck in a time loop,¡± he said and flinched as the ground cracked not too far away. The earth shook as a piece of land rose into the air. ¡°What if we¡¯re stuck in this loop forever? We have to find a way out.¡±

    ¡°I think you might be right,¡± the first person said and nodded his head. ¡°We keep our memories despite time turning backwards. There must be a way to stop it.¡±

    ¡°Or it¡¯s some kind of Oterran anomaly,¡± the second man said and frowned. ¡°Maybe this just happens sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Either way,¡± the first person said, ¡°we should figure out a way to escape.¡± He took a look around and scratched his head. ¡°Should we try running as far as we can from this region?¡±

    ¡°I tried that earlier,¡± the second person said. ¡°I didn¡¯t get very far.¡± He gestured towards the land rising into the sky. ¡°It¡¯s like this everywhere in the capital.¡±

    ¡°Well, we have to try at least, right?¡± the first person asked. ¡°Dying doesn¡¯t hurt since it¡¯s instant, but it¡¯s still traumatic.¡±

    The second person shuddered as he recalled the sensation of plummeting to his death. It was much scarier than being crushed because it took a few seconds to hit the ground. Then again, watching a large object falling towards him was pretty scary in itself. He had a feeling, if he managed to get out of this time loop, he¡¯d have recurring nightmares of the experience. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s try to make some sense of this, so we can get out safely.¡±

    ¡°I highly doubt regular forms of transportation will work with the ground being as it is,¡± the first man said. ¡°How¡¯s your stamina? Does your talent involve running quickly?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the second man said and shook his head. ¡°My talent is just average. I can exert a little more strength than a regular person, but that¡¯s about all.¡±

    The first man nodded. ¡°We¡¯re in the same boat,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not exceptional either.¡± He looked up at the sky. ¡°Maybe we could end the time loop if we get rid of whatever¡¯s ripping up the ground.¡±

    ¡°For now, let¡¯s try to get out of here first,¡± the second man said. The two men made their way out of the capital, sprinting for their lives when necessary to avoid being pulled into the air and to avoid being squished like bugs. On the way, they met other people who had the same idea as them: escape from the capital to leave behind whatever hell the city had become. As they got closer to the border of the city, the frequency of attacks increased. Several individuals passed away, but that didn¡¯t stop the group from continuing forward, and when they finally made it outside, they were greeted by dozens of blue avians hovering in the air.

    The blue avians communicated with one another telepathically, the group of humans below unable to hear the blue avians conversing. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like Sam is amongst them,¡± Paula said.

    ¡°But we know how powerful the illusions accompanying him are,¡± Mozart said and grasped at the ground. He lifted a chunk of earth large enough to squish the whole group of humans, and that¡¯s what he did. With a squelching sound, the escapees were reduced to a layer of paste between the surface of Oterra and a large mass of earth.

    Luckily for the escapees, Birdbrained was kind enough to reverse time once more, bringing the group of humans back to life, their bodies reforming and moving backwards as they returned to the places they were located before the blue avians had begun their bombardment.

    The first man sighed as he looked up at the sky once more. Although they had discovered who the aggressors attacking the capital were, that didn¡¯t mean they could do anything about it. With their ability to lift and throw such massive chunks of earth, how was he supposed to defeat the blue avians as basically a regular dude with a little bit of extra strength? It was simple, he couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°We have to get everyone in the city,¡± the second man said after jogging over to the first man. ¡°If we work together, maybe we can defeat the blue avians.¡±

    ¡°Forget it,¡± the first man said. ¡°Like that calamity that attacked us before, only Sam can handle it. If anything, we have to gather everyone and pray. You heard what the angels were saying during the last loop while we were escaping, right? If we believe in the deities, they¡¯ll save us.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t they have saved us by now if that were the case?¡± the second man asked.

    The first man shrugged. ¡°Well, we aren¡¯t dead even after dying, right?¡± he asked. ¡°I thought I heard a voice saying it was Birdbrained who was bringing us back to life, but I¡¯m not certain. Maybe you¡¯re right, and more people need to believe, so the rest of the deities can take action.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s round up the people on the outskirts and inform them,¡± the second man said. ¡°All of us have to head to the temples to pray.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± the first man said. ¡°But first, do you want to break into a few buildings with me?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± the second man asked. ¡°What in the world are you talking about?¡±

    The first man shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m a curious individual,¡± he said. ¡°I like knowing things. When there are signs that tell me to keep out, they make me want to enter even more. Since time is going to revert, if we break in and explore a few places, it¡¯ll be like we were never there at all because all our traces will vanish.¡±

    The second man fell silent. ¡°I have been wanting to murder my neighbor for a while now,¡± he said. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll get in trouble if I do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s normal, man,¡± the first person said.

    ¡°You only think that because you haven¡¯t met my neighbor,¡± the second man said. ¡°Alright, you do what you want to do, and I¡¯ll do what I want to do, and the next time things loop back to this point, we¡¯ll work on convincing people to pray, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡±

 Chapter 94

    ¡°Things are getting good.¡±

    Sam¡¯s eyes crossed to focus on the tapeworm, which had poked its head out of his nostril. Then, his gaze focused onto the blue ocean beyond the yellow shores of the beach. The waves reflected the sunlight, causing the water to glisten with flashes of white. The scenery hadn¡¯t changed, and other than the demon prostrating off to the side, which Sam was done interacting with, there wasn¡¯t anything he¡¯d classify as getting good.

    ¡°Not in here,¡± Nwaps said. The tapeworm pointed towards the sky. ¡°Things are getting good out there.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of telling me that?¡± Sam asked and reached to the side. He was sitting on a lounge chair with his legs extended, a drink placed on the chair¡¯s armrest. Sam grabbed the ice-cold glass and placed his lips on the straw, taking a sip of the colorful liquid. Floating in the space in front of him, there was a holographic screen with a video playing. If he was going to be stuck in the subconscious expanse, he was going to enjoy himself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to check it out?¡±

    Sam squinted at the tapeworm. The worm¡¯s head seemed to expand within his vision, allowing him to see two eyes and a mouth filled with rows of sharp teeth. ¡°I thought I wasn¡¯t allowed to,¡± Sam said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t my All-Seeing Gaze reveal our location to the blue avians if I observe them?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Nwaps said, ¡°but that doesn¡¯t matter anymore. We¡¯ve achieved our goal. Everyone within the capital is praying to us; the blue avians were surprisingly helpful with the conversion. If it weren¡¯t for their relentless attacks, it would¡¯ve taken us longer to convert everyone.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow, and he released the drink. Instead of falling, the glass floated in the air beside his face, still completely full of liquid despite Sam¡¯s previous sips. ¡°Does that mean we don¡¯t have to flee from the blue avians from now on?¡±

    ¡°Precisely,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°We¡¯re strong enough to keep them out of our territory, but we¡¯re not strong enough to kill them all just yet.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said and nodded his head. ¡°Take me out.¡±

    The surroundings warped and shattered, filling with cracks that allowed white mist to enter Sam¡¯s vision. Then, when the mist cleared up, Sam¡¯s vision vanished as he returned back to reality, his eyes covered by the twin-headed snake, his sense of smell assaulted by a foul stench. The subconscious expanse was a much nicer place to be, and Sam couldn¡¯t help but wonder if his familiars wanted him to spend more time in there to allow themselves more freedom out here. Then again, it wasn¡¯t like Sam could order his familiars to do things against their wishes; he couldn¡¯t stop them if they felt like doing something destructive.

    ¡°Welcome back, Sam,¡± Raindu said in Sam¡¯s mind, the ferret crawling out of Sam¡¯s shirt and standing on his shoulder. The black ferret placed its front paw on Sam¡¯s cheek before settling back down.

    ¡°Are you ready to witness our greatness?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Go ahead and use your All-Seeing Gaze.¡±

    Sam ignored the twin-headed snake¡¯s hubris, choosing not to answer its question. He activated his All-Seeing Gaze, spreading his psychic vision throughout the city. At the same time, he focused on his Vasundhara, letting his senses flow through the ground as well. Every human he saw was kneeling on the ground, their hands clasped in prayer with their heads lowered and eyes closed. Some mumbled while some spoke aloud, but most of them remained silent. The ground was shattered and torn, and buildings were floating into the sky where hundreds of blue avians were gathered.

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not seeing much greatness,¡± Sam said. The capital looked like it had been struck by a natural disaster, and there were more dead bodies than he¡¯d like to see¡ªthough, the bodies were in such rough shape he hadn¡¯t been sure what he was looking at. Well, since his familiars¡¯ plan did involve humanity despairing, he supposed they did a good job on that front. Were the humans really despairing though? Sam took a closer look, and despite the ongoing devastation, he realized every one of them had the same, calm frequency as Joe, the sloth wrapped around his waist. Sam looked down at the sloth and patted its head. ¡°Your aura is strong enough to spread throughout the whole city now?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Joe said, the singular word taking several seconds for the sloth to communicate.

    Sam focused his attention on the blue avians in the sky. Although they looked calm on the surface, their actions stated otherwise. Sam could see them grasping the ground with telekinesis, but they threw the large projectiles blindly in all directions. If Joe¡¯s range improved, Sam assumed Werchbite¡¯s illusions became more realistic, making the blue avians think they were hitting their target¡ªwhich was probably him, right?

    ¡°Correct,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°The blue avians think they¡¯ve located you. They¡¯ve become aware of your existence thanks to your All-Seeing Gaze making contact with them, but Werchbite created illusions tailored to each blue avian; they all think you¡¯re somewhere else.¡±

    A boulder flew towards Sam, and he bumped it telekinetically, causing it to deviate off course, landing not too far away from him and his familiars.

    ¡°Some of them have been given your real location,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You know, to make the illusion more convincing.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Sam said, communicating with the twin-headed snake through his mind. He deflected another large projectile. ¡°When are you going to fight back?¡±

    ¡°After one more reset,¡± Vercedei said.

    From its position atop Sam¡¯s head, Birdbrained let out a squawk, and the capital moved in reverse, the clumps of land reforming within their impact craters, surging up towards the sky, and returning gently to the ground, filling in the gaps as the dead humans reformed from the bits of gore scattered about. The people in prayer stood up and walked backwards, returning to where they had started.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said. ¡°That was impressive.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Birdbrained said and squawked. ¡°I¡¯m an impressive specimen, so anything I do is impressive by extension.¡±

    Sam observed the capital with his All-Seeing Gaze; it had reverted back to its original condition, but with the blue avians stretching their auras towards the ground, it wouldn¡¯t remain that way for long. However, before any of the blue avians could cause any damage, a black, mountain-sized paw appeared in the sky beside the blue avians. With a swipe, it crashed into the blue avians, causing them to get knocked about, scattering their formation.

    ¡°Concentrate! Defend yourselves!¡±

    Although Sam hadn¡¯t formed a connection with the blue avians to eavesdrop on their conversation, he still heard one of the blue avian¡¯s desperate shout in his mind. The majority of the blue avians were fine, regaining their balance after the tumultuous strike, but a few blue avians dropped straight to the ground while some others flapped about with various parts of their bodies missing as if they had been surgically removed.

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    ¡°Was that you, Raindu?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Who else?¡± Raindu asked in reply. Another paw appeared in the air and swiped at the blue avians, but they were ready for it this time, scattering before the paw could even come close. Although the paw looked like Raindu¡¯s foot to Sam, the humans and blue avians saw a different sight: a golden giant thrusting a mountain-sized spear.

    ¡°A deity has descended to save us!¡± a Venusian shouted as the humans below turned their gazes to look up at the sky. ¡°Keep praying! Praying gives the deity strength! Pray for its triumphant victory! Aren¡¯t you tired of dying over and over? Salvation can only be achieved through belief in the deity!¡±

    ¡°So, how exactly does that work?¡± Sam asked. ¡°If people believe in you, you become stronger?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You know what a placebo is; it¡¯s the manifestation of belief. When enough people believe in the same entity, their sparks of creation resonate with one another¡¯s, becoming stronger and stronger until they¡¯re a bright and shining beacon for creatures like us to follow. The more faith we gather, the clearer Oterra becomes, which allows us to utilize more of our strength. That¡¯s the general gist of it.¡±

    ¡°So, Raindu can steal things from people without making direct contact with them?¡± Sam asked, turning his head to look at the ferret standing on his shoulder. At least, that¡¯s what it looked like to Sam. The ferret didn¡¯t need to get close with its small body to attack the blue avians in the sky.

    ¡°I can do this too,¡± Raindu said and made a swiping motion with its paw. Near the outskirts of the city, a group of people who were running towards the plaza let out cries as they were swept up by Raindu¡¯s manifested paw. Through his All-Seeing Gaze, Sam saw the same people being deposited at their intended destination. They looked at each other with bewildered expressions before a Venusian¡ªacting as an angel¡ªwaved at them.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been transported here by the deity for your safety,¡± the Venusian said. ¡°Give your thanks to the deity for going out of its way to personally protect you.¡±

    Sam supposed Raindu¡¯s act was akin to a miracle. The ferret could now pick up whatever it wished from a distance, and it could also drop off anything it had. ¡°How far can you reach?¡± Sam asked. Could Raindu grab a reptilian in Et Serpentium and bring them over to the capital?

    ¡°Only as far as my followers,¡± Raindu said.

    Sam recalled Vercedei¡¯s beacon analogy. If the ferret¡¯s way was illuminated by people¡¯s faith, then it could see the items to grab, but if no one believed in the ferret within a given region, then it¡¯d be difficult for Raindu to interfere within that area. Regardless, it was a strong ability considering one strike had taken out a few blue avians. ¡°Did you remove their hearts?¡± Sam asked. ¡°How did some of them survive?¡±

    ¡°Some blue avians protected themselves by severing the connection I formed with them to take their hearts,¡± Raindu said. ¡°Some weren¡¯t strong enough or couldn¡¯t react in time. Some redirected my touch to other parts of their bodies.¡±

    Sam focused on his All-Seeing Gaze, examining the blue avians¡¯ reactions. They were creating distance from the capital, backing away. They grasped at the ground with their telekinesis, but their auras flickered when they realized they couldn¡¯t get it to budge. The tugged and they pulled with their minds, each of their actions causing the metallic koala wrapped around Sam¡¯s leg to twitch. Since there were so many blue avians attempting to lift the ground, Dirt was practically vibrating. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant sensation, but it wasn¡¯t unbearable either. If Sam had to take a guess, the koala was using its ability to manipulate the ground, preventing the blue avians from moving it. Considering the size of the region the city took up, Sam found it impressive the koala could defend it all from hundreds of blue avians working together. If the koala wished to make another puppet of earth to attack the blue avians¡¯ homeland, Sam didn¡¯t doubt it¡¯d be much stronger than the first time it had assaulted their base; perhaps, it¡¯d destroy a few trees before the blue avians could come up with a way to stop it.

    When the blue avians realized they couldn¡¯t even lift the ground, a few aimed their telekinetic grasps higher, attempting to tear the buildings from their foundations to use as ammunition instead. Unfortunately, their vision was distorted, thanks to Werchbite¡¯s illusions, and they couldn¡¯t locate the buildings. It didn¡¯t help the blue avians that all of the buildings had been reduced in size, none of them taller than a single story, making it difficult for the blue avians to target them with their random grasps.

    Sam placed his hands on his hips, one of the few actions he was allowed to do since his arms weren¡¯t weighed down. He understood why his familiars were so confident in being able to fend off the blue avians once they had all the humans within the capital believing in them. In the capital and the region around it, they were practically invincible. The blue avians had no vision, no reliable information about the layout of the city, and they couldn¡¯t enter it either, not with Raindu keeping them at bay. They couldn¡¯t destroy the ground thanks to Dirt, and even if they tried to communicate with the humans living in the capital, Joe could keep them calm, and Nwaps could prevent anyone from becoming a traitor.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget me,¡± Ess said, the butterfly flapping its wings, causing a strong stench to assault Sam¡¯s sense of smell. It was almost impossible for him to forget about the butterfly¡¯s existence. Despite how long the butterfly had been on the tip of his nose, Sam never went nose blind to the smell of the insect. ¡°They can¡¯t even retrieve the souls of their fallen companions. I have control of everything that dies here. It must be demoralizing for them.¡±

    Sam focused on the butterfly with his All-Seeing Gaze. If he were able to see it physically, he would¡¯ve spotted multiple dots of flickering light on the butterfly¡¯s wings, but he couldn¡¯t thanks to the twin-headed snake. Instead, all he sensed was the butterfly¡¯s wings giving off multiple frequencies, the vibrations quite discordant in Sam¡¯s psychic vision like a bunch of bright colors mixing into an ugly brown.

    ¡°Mold some puppets for me,¡± Ess said.

    The ground around Sam distorted as columns of earth rose up. The outer parts disintegrated, leaving behind three earthen sculptures of blue avians with piles of dirt at their feet. Whether they could still be described as blue avians or not was up for debate considering they were brown, but it didn¡¯t really matter. The motes of light shot out of the butterfly¡¯s wings and entered the sculptures, bringing them to life.

    ¡°The three of you are now the defenders of humanity,¡± Ess said. ¡°Protect the capital; allow no harm to befall it.¡±

    The earthen sculptures floated into the air. ¡°As you wish,¡± they said together, speaking in the minds of those around them. Despite their words agreeing with Ess¡¯ order, their auras told a different story: one of despair and helplessness.

    Sam watched the sculptured avians fly towards the blue avians in the distance, positioning themselves between the capital and the invaders. He wondered if it was a good idea to agitate the blue avians, but considering they could no longer do serious harm, he figured it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. They already wanted to get rid of him, so why should he care if that feeling intensified? ¡°So,¡± Sam said, turning his attention onto his familiars, ¡°once you get the reptilians and mantids to believe in you as well, your reach will extend to Et Serpentium and Silva Volucris?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°If we can establish proper trade routes between the three capitals, our reach will also cover everything in between. From there, we can populate Oterra with humans, reptilians, and mantids, removing everything that doesn¡¯t believe in us through force, and Oterra will be ours to do with as we please.¡±

    ¡°With the complete destruction of Oterra being your end goal,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°You know us so well.¡±

    ¡°And what happens to your believers after you destroy Oterra?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°They can live on eternally within Ess¡¯ dimension after they die,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Eternal life after death; isn¡¯t that what humans wish for? It¡¯s a much better option than the alternative.¡±

    ¡°Sam!¡± a familiar voice said within Sam¡¯s head. It belonged to Paula. As for how he still recognized their voice after all those years, well, it was hard for Sam to forget the voice of the individual who had once killed him. ¡°Are you willing to have a civilized conversation with us?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s funny,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°considering what they did to you. What do you think? Are you interested in conversing with them?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that was up to me,¡± Sam said. If he did have a conversation with the blue avians, he wouldn¡¯t put it past his familiars to do something sneaky in the background. Even still, he wanted to hear what the blue avians had to say; he was friends with some of them after all¡ªthough, that friendship did bloom in captivity.

 Chapter 95

    ¡°Is talking to them a good idea?¡± Raindu asked. ¡°When they were stronger, they killed you without giving you a way out. Now that they can¡¯t kill you, they¡¯re willing to negotiate?¡± The ferret crossed its front paws in front of its chest. ¡°It makes sense, but I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    Sam knew the ferret was speaking to him, but its words weren¡¯t exactly meant for him; after all, with Dirt holding down his legs and his mobility entirely dependent on the wooly pig underneath him, Sam didn¡¯t have much autonomy. Making decisions was up to his familiars, and it seemed like Raindu had an opinion differing from the majority.

    ¡°What can they do to us if it¡¯s just a conversation?¡± Vercedei asked. It was no surprise the twin-headed snake wished to speak with the blue avians; it hadn¡¯t unlocked Sam¡¯s throat chakra for no reason. ¡°It¡¯s always fun to listen to what others have to say even if they¡¯re speaking nonsense.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re speaking nonsense right now,¡± Raindu said, glancing at the snake wrapped around Sam¡¯s face. ¡°And I¡¯m not having fun.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to have fun,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You only live for shiny objects. What else do you even care about?¡±

    ¡°Sam¡¯s safety,¡± Raindu said. ¡°Something you should be more concerned about.¡± The ferret leaned forward to make eye contact with the sloth hugging Sam¡¯s waist. ¡°You think this is a bad idea too, don¡¯t you, Joe?¡±

    ¡°The blue avians move quickly,¡± Joe said, the sloth¡¯s words dragging on and on as it spoke slowly, so slowly the wooly pig¡¯s footsteps stalled as well. ¡°If they pull a trick, we might not react in time to save Sam.¡±

    ¡°Everything moves quickly to you,¡± Birdbrained said and let out a squawk. It readjusted its position on Sam¡¯s head, its talons clacking against his armored hat. ¡°If a fight breaks out, we have the advantage. The more blue avians we kill, the more guardians Ess and Dirt can create.¡±

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t get cocky,¡± Big Fish said, the whale poking its tiny head out of Joe¡¯s fur. ¡°What if they realize the Venusians are all living inside my mouth? They¡¯ll surely target me first because I¡¯m the most important to our strength.¡±

    ¡°As if,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Look at how small you are; they won¡¯t even know you¡¯re there. You didn¡¯t even do anything previously, so they probably forgot about your existence.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like following plans that rely on my opponent¡¯s making mistakes,¡± Big Fish said. ¡°I¡¯m with Raindu on this one. We should remain in the city and let them come inside to meet us instead of us going out there to meet them.¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t agree to that,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°Because you¡¯re bad with words,¡± Big Fish said. ¡°The blue avians know they can¡¯t do anything to us, so they¡¯re trying to negotiate themselves into a better position. They¡¯re the weaker party, so they should capitulate to our demands if they want to be heard by us; that includes placing themselves in a vulnerable position.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m bad with words?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Manga, stop right there.¡±

    The wooly pig halted its footsteps and let out a four-syllable-long cry. ¡°Make up your minds,¡± the pig said. ¡°Are we going or not? There¡¯s nothing worse than indecision.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we just establish communications with them while we¡¯re in here and they¡¯re out there?¡± Sam asked. If he formed a connection with them, he could tap into their chatting network, allowing him to hear the blue avians even at a distance.

    ¡°That reveals our position,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea to let them know your exact location.¡±

    ¡°And going to the outskirts of the city to yell at them won¡¯t reveal our location?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Werchbite¡¯s illusion can cover us if we¡¯re simply transmitting sound, but a connection is different. Don¡¯t be dumb.¡±

    Sam ignored the twin-headed snake¡¯s rude comment. He wasn¡¯t dumb. The twin-headed snake¡¯s purple head had never told him exactly how its illusion ability worked, so he couldn¡¯t be blamed for not knowing the specifics.

    ¡°Tell them to send an envoy inside the city,¡± Raindu said. ¡°If they don¡¯t enter, then we don¡¯t want to hear what they have to say anyway.¡± The ferret nodded its head and smiled. ¡°And if we don¡¯t like what they say when they¡¯re here, we can have Dirt and Ess turn them into a guardian after taking their soul.¡±

    ¡°What if we like what they have to say?¡± Dirt asked. ¡°We let them go?¡±

    ¡°That depends on what they have to say, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Raindu asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see a lot of situations where we¡¯d let them go,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°In the end, we want the blue avians gone, so unless they¡¯re offering to leave Oterra, we should kill them when they¡¯re in the city. We can handle four of them with ease, so we¡¯ll invite that many to enter.¡±

    Sam knew his familiars were morally bankrupt, so he wasn¡¯t surprised by the plan they came up with. He wondered if it would work though. Were the blue avians desperate enough to send vulnerable envoys into the heart of enemy territory? Despite his familiars¡¯ words, Sam didn¡¯t think they held the absolute advantage. If the blue avians decided to stay just outside of reach and focused on laying siege to the capital, they¡¯d be able to contain the higher-dimensional beings even if they weren¡¯t able to kill them. Sam¡¯s familiars relied on prayer for their strength; if the blue avians decided to commit genocide on species that¡¯d potentially worship the calamities as deities, they¡¯d limit how strong Sam¡¯s familiars could grow.

    ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Vercedei asked, the twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head shouting in Sam¡¯s voice. ¡°Suddenly, I don¡¯t feel very safe conversing with you all the way over there. How about you send some envoys to enter the city instead?¡±

    Upon hearing Vercedei¡¯s shout, the blue avians in the air exchanged their thoughts with one another. ¡°That isn¡¯t a good idea,¡± Paula said. ¡°The calamities grew much stronger, and they¡¯re more than capable of defeating a small group of envoys. Whoever goes in will perish.¡±

    ¡°Would they really do that though?¡± another blue avian asked. ¡°What if they really do just want to speak with us?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be daft,¡± Mozart said. ¡°We told them we wanted to speak to them out here to find the limits of their power. Their motive for speaking with us in there has to be equally as, or even more, underhanded than our reason.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you saw what those calamities did to poor Gogh, Vince, and Michael,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°They were turned into sculptures! Who¡¯s to say the calamities won¡¯t do that to the envoys? If that happens, not only will some of us live lives worse than death, but the calamities¡¯ forces will get even stronger.¡±

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    ¡°It¡¯s settled then,¡± Paula said.

    A blue avian cut in before Paula could say anything else. ¡°No, it¡¯s not settled.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Benedict?¡± Paula asked, their attention focusing on the blue avian who had just spoken. ¡°How is it not settled? Are you volunteering to enter the wide-open maw of the calamities to let them eat you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m quite a charismatic individual, don¡¯t you think?¡± Benedict asked as they stroked the feathers on their chest with their hand. ¡°If I spoke to the calamities under their terms, they¡¯ll listen to me. On my spiritual journeys, I¡¯ve spoken to many people, and I¡¯ve always gotten what I wanted through the power of my words.¡±

    ¡°Are you really stupid enough to believe your own words?¡± Paula asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid,¡± Benedict said. ¡°Ask anyone who knows me. They¡¯ll say only the best things about me.¡±

    ¡°And they¡¯ll be confident enough in you to follow you into the heart of the calamities¡¯ territory to act as envoys?¡± Paula asked. ¡°Who are these people who know you?¡±

    ¡°Marcus, Pierre, Aldrich,¡± Benedict said. ¡°What say the three of you? Shall we enter the city as envoys?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­,¡± Marcus said, dragging out the word, ¡°it is dangerous, but if there were some sort of incentive to go¡­.¡±

    ¡°Is the safety of Oterra not enough of an incentive for you?¡± Paula asked.

    ¡°I mean,¡± Marcus¡¯ aura flickered, ¡°the safety of Oterra is everyone¡¯s concern, so why should it be the four of us who risks our souls to protect the land?¡±

    ¡°How about glory?¡± a blue avian asked. ¡°If you do it, you can tell the story to everyone you meet. Bragging rights is a pretty good incentive, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°All of you are already here,¡± Marcus said. ¡°If we do this, you¡¯ll already know what we did, so how are we supposed to impress you by telling you a story of the event you were at?¡± The blue avian¡¯s aura flickered with a green hue. ¡°No, we need something more tangible than bragging rights¡ªat least, I need something more.¡±

    ¡°Same here,¡± Pierre said.

    ¡°Paula¡¯s tree is nice; its branches are where they need to be, and the location is perfect,¡± Aldrich said. ¡°If they¡¯re willing to give their tree to me, then I¡¯m willing to brave the dangers of being an envoy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯re going to ask for?¡± Pierre asked. ¡°Potentially losing your soul is only worth Paula¡¯s tree?¡±

    Aldrich¡¯s aura flashed yellow. ¡°You know how it is,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°It¡¯s easy to get whatever we want, but someone else¡¯s property is off limits. If we can risk our lives, Paula can risk their home.¡±

    ¡°I could,¡± Paula said, ¡°but I really do think this is a bad idea. You¡¯ll be throwing your lives away. We can promise you whatever you want, but we won¡¯t have to give you anything because those calamities will chew you up and turn you into whatever became of Gogh, Vince, and Michael.¡±

    ¡°Whatever we want?¡± Pierre asked as if the latter half of Paula¡¯s words meant nothing.

    Paula¡¯s aura darkened. Although it wouldn¡¯t bother the blue avian if Marcus, Aldrich, Pierre, and Benedict disappeared and Paula never had to see them again, but it was problematic if their deaths increased the strength of the calamities¡¯ forces, so even if Paula wanted the blue avians gone, Paula couldn¡¯t let them die in the city where their souls could be extracted and reanimated into an immortal soldier.

    ¡°No,¡± Paula said. ¡°We won¡¯t give you whatever you want. We¡¯re not going to pay you to die and bolster the enemy¡¯s ranks.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need payment,¡± Benedict said. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with the calamities, and I¡¯ll negotiate a truce with them.¡±

    ¡°Really,¡± Paula said, their voice scathing. ¡°And what kind of truce can you negotiate with them? Will you ask them politely not to destroy Oterra?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just tell them what we were planning on communicating with them,¡± Benedict said. ¡°As long as they don¡¯t spread their influence outside of this region, we¡¯ll leave them alone. We¡¯re all tired of this conflict between us and them. It¡¯s been over a decade since it¡¯s started.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t accept that,¡± Paula said.

    ¡°So, the previous plan was purely to observe their limits?¡± Benedict asked. ¡°With my eloquent speech, I¡¯m sure I can convince them to stay put. If it doesn¡¯t work, then so be it.¡±

    ¡°If Benedict wants to try, we shouldn¡¯t stop them,¡± Pierre said. ¡°What if the calamities actually listen to Benedict¡¯s words?¡±

    ¡°And what if fish jumped into people¡¯s boats without them having to try?¡± Paula asked. ¡°There¡¯s a difference between having hope and being blinded by stupidity.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Benedict¡¯s choice,¡± Aldrich said. ¡°Sure, it might be troublesome for us if the calamities get another earthen puppet, but ultimately, our lives are our own to live.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Benedict said. The blue avian turned towards its three companions it had called by name. ¡°Are you coming with me?¡±

    ¡°Not if there¡¯s no other reward,¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°Yeah, you go ahead,¡± Pierre said, ¡°the glory is all yours.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pour one out for you if you die,¡± Aldrich said.

    ¡°There¡¯ll be no need for that,¡± Benedict said before turning towards the city. The blue avian shouted, ¡°I, Benedict, am willing to enter the city by myself to negotiate terms!¡± The blue avian whirled around to look at its companions. ¡°Wait for my triumphant return; I promise I¡¯ll bring back good news.¡±

    ¡°Good luck, Benedict!¡±

    ¡°I hope you succeed!¡±

    ¡°If you survive, we¡¯ll throw you a party!¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t make it back, I¡¯ll keep your tree warm for you by occupying it!¡±

    With Benedict¡¯s companions giving them such auspicious blessings, how could the blue avian fail their mission? Benedict flew towards the border of the city where the blue avian¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze distorted, becoming incongruent. ¡°Hello?¡± the blue avian shouted. ¡°Is this how envoys are received? Where¡¯s my escort?¡±

    Benedict hovered in the air, waiting for a response. It didn¡¯t take long. Benedict¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze detected a grayling on the ground that hadn¡¯t been there a few moments ago. The grayling waved at the blue avian, and Benedict descended, hovering an inch off the ground beside the short creature. ¡°Are you the escort?¡± Benedict asked. ¡°Take me to your master.¡±

    ¡°Right this way,¡± the grayling said and disappeared before reappearing a few steps away, facing another direction. It walked forward, each step it took causing it to disappear and reappear further down the road.

    Benedict floated after the grayling while matching its pace. The blue avian focused on its All-Seeing Gaze, but it couldn¡¯t detect anything beyond a radius of three meters from itself. Even its connection with the blue avians in the sky had been cut off as if it had entered another dimension. Benedict¡¯s aura flickered like a candle in the wind, but a second later, the blue avian reaffirmed its belief in itself, and its aura solidified. Who cared if its range of vision had been greatly reduced and if it was cut off from its companions in the territory of its enemy? Benedict was a blue avian, the strongest species on Oterra; they didn¡¯t know the meaning of fear.

    ¡°Are we going in circles?¡± Benedict asked out loud as it followed the grayling on a meandering path.

    ¡°No,¡± the grayling said. ¡°We¡¯ve been traveling in a straight line.¡±

    Benedict wasn¡¯t sure if the grayling was messing with them or not. The illusions created by the calamity were realistic; if they weren¡¯t, the calamities wouldn¡¯t have been so troublesome to deal with. Perhaps, the grayling was telling the truth, and they had been moving in a straight line whilst the surroundings were manipulated to make it seem like Benedict had been moving in multiple directions. The blue avian wasn¡¯t sure if it even knew the way out anymore; they thought they did, but what if they were wrong and fled deeper into the city instead?

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± the grayling said.

    Benedict focused on their All-Seeing Gaze, trying to expand its range as far as possible, but it was like looking through the waters within a bog. The blue avian grounded itself, focusing on its Muladhara, and straightened out its aura, making sure its outward appearance didn¡¯t reflect how it was feeling on the inside: slightly intimidated. After passing through a temple¡¯s golden archway, Benedict and the grayling came to a halt.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Vercedei said in Sam¡¯s voice, greeting the blue avian. To Benedict, Sam had appeared out of nowhere with a Venusian appearance. ¡°It¡¯s awfully brave of you to come here alone.¡±

    Benedict¡¯s aura brightened with an orange hue. ¡°Someone had to,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°Why not me?¡± Benedict glanced at the throne Sam was sitting on. Clearly, the summoner of the calamities thought he was of a higher position; otherwise, wouldn¡¯t he have prepared a table and seat for the blue avian to sit at? The blue avian leaned back and sat on the air, copying Sam¡¯s posture while floating upwards to be at eye level. If there was no seat, then Benedict would make one; after all, they came here as an equal, so they had to behave as such.

    ¡°What proposal does your species have for me?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°It had better be good, or you won¡¯t be leaving this place with that original body of yours.¡±

    Benedict¡¯s aura froze for a brief moment. Perhaps they weren¡¯t so equal¡­, but no matter, the blue avian had prevailed in everything they had attempted, and it¡¯d be no different this time.

 Chapter 96

    Sam was impressed by the bravery of the blue avian who had come to negotiate with Vercedei. Was it bravery, or was it stupidity? Sam wasn¡¯t sure, but he knew if he were in the blue avian¡¯s position, he wouldn¡¯t have agreed to a meeting deep within enemy territory all by himself. Of course, he wasn¡¯t going to say anything. Vercedei could make his life miserable if Sam ruined the twin-headed snake¡¯s fun.

    The blue avian sitting across from Sam, on a chair that didn¡¯t exist, cleared their throat. ¡°My name is Benedict; it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± the blue avian said. The blue avian paused and waited. After a bit of awkward silence, it continued. ¡°If you would so kindly introduce yourself¡­.¡±

    ¡°You can call me Sam,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Did you really come alone, Benedict? I¡¯m surprised there was an individual amongst the blue avians brave enough to wander into my territory as an envoy.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Benedict said and wiggled in position, straightening their chest while parting their legs ever so slightly, ¡°my companions do commend my bravery from time to time. Paula insisted you would be terribly difficult to communicate with, but I knew you would be level-headed and rational.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°What made you think that?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Benedict asked. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m wrong? You were capable of evading us for an unbelievably long amount of time. Someone capable of doing that would have to be adept at using their head. One doesn¡¯t evade us blue avians by being lucky.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°So, tell me; how do the blue avians wish to negotiate with me?¡±

    ¡°Blue avians have been around for a long, long time,¡± Benedict said. ¡°We¡¯ve faced countless calamities, and we know how they function.¡± The blue avian made eye contact with Sam. ¡°You¡¯ve been empowering the calamities by having humans worship them, no? The Anunaki and mantids behaved in a similar manner before.¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± Vercedei said, neither confirming nor denying the blue avian¡¯s words.

    ¡°We are willing to yield this plot of land to you,¡± Benedict said, gesturing broadly around themself. The blue avian would¡¯ve indicated the territory with its All-Seeing Gaze, but its effects were limited within the city, making it impossible for the blue avian to even see beyond the walls of the room it was in. ¡°In return, leave the rest of Oterra alone.¡±

    ¡°In other words,¡± Vercedei said as the aura around the illusion of Sam darkened, ¡°you wish to confine me in a place even smaller than the range of my All-Seeing Gaze.¡±

    ¡°When you put it that way¡­.¡± Benedict fell silent. It was clear Sam didn¡¯t like the terms, but it¡¯d be unacceptable for Sam to have more freedom lest he influence the mantids and reptilians, converting them into strength for the calamities. ¡°Yes. If you¡¯re willing to stay in this region, we won¡¯t disturb you.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t?¡± Vercedei asked, ¡°or can¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t,¡± Benedict said. ¡°We¡¯re seeking to negotiate because the costs of stopping you is very high, and some of us are unwilling to pay the price if there¡¯s a chance you¡¯d be willing to listen to reason.¡±

    ¡°Let me hear this reason then,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°There¡¯s an effective range to your strength,¡± Benedict said. ¡°The closer you are to the believers of your familiars, the stronger your familiars become. As such, if you leave your followers behind, your familiars will weaken enough for us to become a threat to them.¡±

    ¡°And?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Does that mean the blue avians plan on staying outside of my territory all the time in case I attempt to leave?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Benedict said, ¡°but it doesn¡¯t stop there. We¡¯ll turn the region around your territory barren and inhospitable. If any living creature ventures out of your land, we¡¯ll kill them. Although we¡¯re pacifists by nature, we recognize when tough choices have to be made. If we have to commit genocide on Oterra¡¯s native population to prevent them from becoming your followers, we will.¡±

    ¡°How very noble of you,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I assume if I ever leave my territory personally, you¡¯ll come in to massacre the humans living here.¡±

    ¡°As we should,¡± Benedict said. ¡°We can¡¯t allow your power to grow, or the whole of Oterra will be doomed. It¡¯s better for us to partially destroy it to limit you than to allow you to destroy the whole plane of existence.¡±

    ¡°This hardly sounds like a negotiation,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°What would you give me if I peacefully stayed in this region without attempting to leave?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll leave you alone,¡± Benedict said. ¡°Peace and quiet is one of the best luxuries one can have. Imagine if, every day, you had to fend off a bombardment from us. We can throw boulders from outside your effective range and force you to turn back time over and over until you¡¯re exhausted.¡±

    ¡°So, if you can do that, why haven¡¯t you?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Instead of winning, you¡¯re over here negotiating with me.¡±

    ¡°Not only are we pacifists, but we care deeply for the environment,¡± Benedict said. ¡°Leaving gaping holes in the ground to use as ammunition is not only disrespectful but also distasteful to Oterra.¡± The blue avian¡¯s aura practically solidified as if it wanted to shield its true feelings from view. ¡°Also, an important holiday is coming up soon, and we¡¯d hate to miss it just because we were fighting a battle of attrition with you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯d hate for you to miss such an important event,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Luckily, I¡¯m good at getting over things that upset me.¡±

    Benedict¡¯s aura flickered as if a ray of light had swept through it. If they were interpreting Sam¡¯s words correctly, then things were going to go very badly for the blue avian¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t be able to attend their holiday for whatever reason, probably death¡ªunless they came up with something that could change Sam¡¯s mind.

    ¡°If you kill me or take my soul, there¡¯ll be no chance for another negotiation in the future,¡± Benedict said.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°I guess those three fellows I caught earlier aren¡¯t as important as the one of you since you¡¯re here negotiating with me right now. I have a feeling nothing will happen to me even if you were to perish here until after your holidays. Then again, even if your soul doesn¡¯t stay here, I have a feeling the blue avians are planning on resting and recovering before attempting to kill me again.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Benedict said. ¡°Words have power, and blue avians don¡¯t carelessly speak them.¡±

    ¡°Can you speak for all blue avians?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°For example, Paula seems pretty determined to erase my existence off the face of Oterra. If I make an agreement with you, will Paula uphold it as well? I don¡¯t think so.¡±

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    ¡°They will,¡± Benedict said. ¡°I can¡¯t contact them right now because there seems to be some form of interference, but once I¡¯m outside, I¡¯ll relay everything we¡¯ve discussed, and we blue uphold our side of the agreement.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Vercedei said as the illusion of Sam shook its head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve come with insincere intentions. Weren¡¯t you calling me outside the city to negotiate because you wanted to find the extent of my domain¡¯s range? I¡¯d be a fool to believe you after blue avians have already killed me once before.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to kill me and take my soul, are you?¡± Benedict asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Vercedei said.

    Benedict¡¯s aura brightened.

    ¡°Not personally,¡± Vercedei said.

    The light around Benedict dimmed.

    ***

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Benedict is coming back,¡± Paula said. ¡°They¡¯ve been gone for an awfully long time. If the negotiation was successful, it wouldn¡¯t take this long for them to come back and tell us the result.¡±

    ¡°Should we attack?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t. What if the negotiation hasn¡¯t ended?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be bad. If Benedict isn¡¯t already dead, they¡¯ll die for sure if we lay siege to the city right now.¡±

    ¡°This is why we shouldn¡¯t have let them go,¡± Paula said.

    ¡°If you knew this was going to happen, then why didn¡¯t you say anything before they went?¡± a blue avian asked in a whining voice. ¡°You could¡¯ve stopped them.¡±

    ¡°I expressed multiple times how I thought it was a bad decision,¡± Paula said, ¡°but we decided individual freedoms were more important, so how could we limit Benedict¡¯s choice?¡± The blue avian¡¯s aura solidified. ¡°Benedict knew death was a possibility, and they made their decision despite knowing the potential consequences.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re planning on having us bombard the city with Benedict still inside,¡± a blue avian said. ¡°Before we do, why don¡¯t we find out if Benedict is dead or not? I¡¯ll do it.¡± Before Paula could protest, the blue avian flew towards the capital and opened their mouth wide. ¡°Hello! Sam! Benedict! Are negotiations going well?¡±

    ¡°Negotiations are going well,¡± Sam¡¯s voice said, drifting into the ears of the blue avians.

    ¡°Great!¡± the blue avian said and flew back to the cluster. ¡°See? It¡¯s a good thing we didn¡¯t start indiscriminately bombarding them.¡±

    ¡°You believed him that easily?¡± Paula asked. ¡°How much longer do we have to wait? If things are going well, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for Benedict to say a few words as well.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too cynical, Paula,¡± the blue avian said and let out an exaggerated sigh as it flew back towards the edge of the city. ¡°Hello again! How much longer do you think this negotiation will take? Is Benedict available to answer a few questions? We¡¯d like to know the terms he¡¯s negotiated so far.¡±

    ¡°At the rate the negotiation is going, it¡¯ll take several days for it to end,¡± Sam¡¯s voice said, causing the auras of the blue avians to dim and darken.

    ¡°Several days?¡± Mozart asked. ¡°Why is it taking so long?¡±

    ¡°Because he¡¯s lying,¡± Paula said. ¡°Those calamities have always been biding their time for whatever reason, and this is just another ploy to keep us distracted. Benedict is dead, but Sam is pretending that they¡¯re alive, so we don¡¯t attack the city. Essentially, Benedict gave Sam a hostage to stop us from taking action.¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t do it on purpose,¡± a blue avian said. ¡°Benedict meant well. They risked their well-being for all of our sakes.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that human saying?¡± Paula asked. ¡°The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Benedict might¡¯ve meant well, but they made a poor decision that affects all of us.¡±

    ¡°Benedict¡¯s soul could be trapped in one of those earthen puppets at this very moment, and you¡¯re roasting them for trying to help us?¡± Pierre asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Paula said. ¡°And when we find out that¡¯s actually the case, I¡¯ll be sure to tell each and every one of you a fat I told you so.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me!¡± the blue avian at the border, Aldrich, said, shouting into the city. ¡°How about Benedict? May I have a word with them?¡±

    ¡°Aldrich?¡± Benedict¡¯s voice asked from within the city. ¡°Is that you?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Aldrich said, the blue avian¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze focusing on Paula as if to say, I told you so. ¡°How are the negotiations going. Sam says they¡¯re going well, so what terms have you managed to agree upon?¡±

    ¡°As long as we leave Sam alone, he¡¯s agreed not to spread his religion beyond the borders of the human capital,¡± Benedict¡¯s voice said. ¡°We¡¯re still working on defining the exact dimensions of his territory, and he¡¯s also asking for things like luxuries and unique resources that can be located outside of his lands.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Aldrich said. ¡°And how long do you think it¡¯ll take to iron out those details?¡±

    ¡°A while,¡± Benedict said. ¡°We¡¯re actually playing a QuadX game that used to be popular amongst humans before they ascended while negotiating. We¡¯re taking steps back and changing our positions based on how well we¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°A QuadX game?¡± Aldrich asked. ¡°The expand, exploit, exterminate, and explore genre? I can see how that¡¯d take a while.¡±

    ¡°Ask if there¡¯s any way for us to watch,¡± a blue avian said. ¡°I love QuadX games.¡±

    ¡°We know you do, Sid.¡±

    ¡°Is it wise to negotiate with the calamities based on the results of a game?¡±

    ¡°Benedict¡¯s good at games,¡± Marcus said. ¡°The terms they¡¯ve negotiated so far seem to be in our favor, so Benedict must be winning.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s beside the point. Why would Sam agree to negotiate terms via a game? It doesn¡¯t make much sense, and wouldn¡¯t Benedict have asked someone who¡¯s better than them at games to play the match?¡±

    ¡°Maybe negotiations are like life, and you can¡¯t be prepared for everything. Perhaps that¡¯s just the way the cards were dealt, and Benedict¡¯s doing their best to survive; it must be tough negotiating deep within enemy territory with the fear of death hanging over them all the time, so instead of questioning their choices, we should be supporting Benedict with all we can.¡±

    A few blue avians flew close to the border of the human capital, just outside the range of where the golden deity had struck with its spear. ¡°Go, Benedict!¡± they shouted. ¡°You can do it!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the rest of you, but I don¡¯t have it in me to cheer for several days straight. Maybe our cheers will distract them while they¡¯re playing, or maybe Sam will be displeased no one is cheering for him, so they flip the table and call off the negotiation.¡±

    ¡°You just want to take a nap.¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°I do, but that doesn¡¯t mean you should dissuade people from cheering Benedict on. Who knows how much pressure they¡¯re feeling shouldering the fate of Oterra whilst playing a game? How do you think they¡¯ll feel if they found out we were napping and having fun while they were busy saving the world?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Let¡¯s ask Paula because we did it to them plenty of times.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a good feeling,¡± Paula said when the attentions of their peers turned towards them. ¡°It¡¯s also not a good feeling to be ignored when I say Benedict is dead and that¡¯s either an illusion or their commandeered soul speaking to us.¡±

    ¡°Well, what are we supposed to do?¡± Aldrich asked. ¡°If Benedict really is dead, then did they die in vain?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Paula said. ¡°If Benedict is dead, then we know there¡¯s no room for negotiation. We might even have to call on the Mother.¡±

    ¡°The Mother?¡± the blue avains asked all at once. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, Paula.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Mozart said. ¡°The Mother will be furious if we call on her.¡± The blue avian¡¯s aura flashed with a multitude of colors. ¡°If she finds out we let a group of calamities destroy the calamity detector and toy with us for years on end, what do you think she¡¯ll do to us?¡±

    ¡°What do you think she¡¯ll do to us when she finds out we¡¯re going to destroy Oterra to deal with a group of calamities?¡± Paula asked. ¡°It¡¯ll be much, much worse, and the sooner we tell her, the less of a punishment we¡¯ll receive.¡±

    The blue avians fell silent. After a few exchanged glances, one blue avian spoke up. ¡°Are we sure the Mother can even win?¡± they asked. ¡°There are several calamities. What if they gang up on her in the higher dimension?¡±

    ¡°What if she gets frustrated and decides to wipe the whole world?¡± another blue avian asked.

    ¡°That¡¯ll be more likely to happen the longer we wait,¡± Paula said. ¡°I¡¯ll be the vessel. It was my fault Sam grew to this point; I should be the one to pay the price.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure, Paula?¡± Mozart asked. ¡°It¡¯ll be a long time before your essence reforms.¡±

    ¡°It might not ever,¡± Pierre said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that! You¡¯re going to jinx them!¡±

    ¡°I know the risks,¡± Paula said within the minds of all the blue avians, ¡°but we¡¯ve already lost too many of our own. If my sacrifice can prevent further deaths, then I have no regrets making it.¡±

    The blue avians fell silent, their auras dimming and turning gray. They hovered in the air, the human capital just within their view, their postures ramrod straight.

    ¡°We¡¯ll miss you, Paula,¡± their voices echoing as one in Paula¡¯s head.

    ¡°Miss me doing all the work for you lazy fools,¡± Paula said, their aura conveying a snort. ¡°No matter how long it takes, I¡¯ll be back.¡±

 Chapter 97

    ¡°Who is the Mother?¡± Vercedei asked, looking at the blue avian hovering in the air across the room. ¡°She must be impressive if you¡¯re threatening me with her existence.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not threatening you,¡± Benedict said. ¡°I don¡¯t have the guts to do such a thing. I¡¯m simply laying down my last card in this negotiation. Your familiars are higher-dimensional beings, so their might may seem unfathomable to us lower-dimensional creatures, but the Mother is a higher-dimensional being as well, and she is the creator of Oterra.¡±

    ¡°The creator of Oterra?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°That¡¯s interesting. She was able to form a whole plane of existence?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Benedict said. ¡°She has formed many different planes with different environments for life of all kind to grow. It may seem like she doesn¡¯t care about Oterra because she isn¡¯t present, but that¡¯s because she created us in her image to guard Oterra from pests that may seek to destroy it.¡±

    ¡°Pests like my familiars,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°Amongst many,¡± Benedict said. ¡°Higher-dimensional creatures aren¡¯t the only entities that threaten Oterra¡¯s continued existence. Sometimes, a lifeform can damage Oterra through other means to make regions of it uninhabitable. It¡¯s up to us blue avians to prevent the damage from reaching such a point.¡±

    ¡°And when the blue avians are incapable of protecting Oterra from whatever may be threatening it, they call upon their mother,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°The Mother,¡± Benedict said, correcting what it believed to be Sam¡¯s words, ¡°but, yes, you¡¯re right. When we can¡¯t handle something, we can always ask the Mother for help.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you done that earlier?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°We thought you were still a manageable threat,¡± Benedict said. The blue avian spread its consciousness about the room, gesturing broadly for Sam to see. ¡°Now, you and your familiars are too powerful. Calling on the Mother is our last resort. I¡¯ve stated before we have ways to deal with you, but they¡¯re costly, and the Mother can¡¯t be called upon lightly.¡± The blue avian lowered its voice down to a whisper. ¡°She¡¯s temperamental. There are many downsides to calling the Mother, but if you decide to keep converting the souls of us blue avians as you¡¯ve been doing, then we¡¯ll have no choice but to ask for her help.¡±

    ¡°What can she do?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°What exactly do you mean by that?¡± Benedict asked.

    ¡°Her abilities,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°If I were to get into a fight with her, what would she do to me?¡±

    Benedict¡¯s aura stilled. ¡°I don¡¯t know the full extent of her powers,¡± the blue avian said, ¡°but the Mother can wipe the board. Every living being on Oterra, she can eliminate them all at once. Even if you survive with the help of your familiars, their followers will have ceased to exist, and you¡¯ll return to the state of helplessness you experienced before when we were chasing you. Once the Mother grants us a new calamity detector, you won¡¯t be able to get away.¡±

    ¡°And you wish to negotiate a truce with me because you don¡¯t want to summon the Mother,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I understand everything now.¡±

    Benedict examined Sam, but the human¡¯s aura didn¡¯t exist as if he weren¡¯t actually there. It made it impossible for the blue avian to tell what Sam was thinking since he was sporting a poker face. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re willing to negotiate with us?¡± Benedict asked, keeping their own expression neutral as well. ¡°It¡¯s better this way for both parties, don¡¯t you think? There¡¯s no point in ruling over an Oterra that¡¯s been wiped clean.¡±

    ¡°What if that was my original goal?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Benedict asked. ¡°Wiping Oterra clean?¡± The blue avian¡¯s aura faltered. ¡°Then, I suppose, not negotiating with us is in your best interest, but why would you want to do that? Oterra only has value because of the lifeforms that¡¯ve taken root in this plane. There are an uncountable number of planes available that are barren wastelands where nothing has grown.¡±

    ¡°Who knows how the human mind works?¡± Vercedei asked and let out a mean laugh. ¡°I think I¡¯ll take my chances against this mother of yours.¡±

    Benedict flinched as something soft pressed against their back. Their vision dimmed, and the blue avian¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze receded, the walls and furniture and region of space around its body fading from its consciousness before its attention sank in itself. The blue avian could see its organs with its awareness; well, if they were still there it should¡¯ve been possible, but its vital organs were gone as if something had removed them without disturbing the rest of the blue avian¡¯s flesh, an extra-dimensional attack Benedict had prepared for but failed to notice anyway. The blue avian opened its mouth but found they didn¡¯t have any strength to speak. Their vision went black, their consciousness fading. Then, a surge of light lit up their view, and Benedict found themself floating within a foreign environment filled with sparse vegetation of abnormal colors.

    ¡°Are you confident in dealing with the Mother?¡± Sam asked his familiars through his mind as he stared at the blue avian¡¯s limp corpse. The butterfly perched atop its head flew back onto Sam¡¯s nose, taking away the brief respite he had from its infernal stench. Sam thought back on the blue avian¡¯s words: the Mother was good at destruction and creation, and all Vercedei was good at was blabbing. ¡°What if she kicks your ass?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s more of us than there are of her,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine, and our followers will be fine too if we stuff them in Big Fish¡¯s mouth.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re putting a lot of confidence in my ability,¡± Big Fish said, ¡°but if she finds me in the upper dimensions, it won¡¯t be so easy to protect all our followers.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it when the time comes,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Since we know about the Mother¡¯s existence, we should use that information to our advantage. If we tell potential followers about the end of the world brought about by the Mother and Big Fish¡¯s sanctuary that can protect them from the apocalypse, I¡¯m sure we can convince them to believe in us, and if they don¡¯t, they certainly will when the Mother begins wiping the board.¡±

    ¡°I have a question,¡± Sam said, cutting between the two calamities¡¯ discussion. ¡°Is it difficult to make a plane like Oterra?¡±

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    ¡°Rather than difficult, it¡¯s more of a hassle,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s like raising a bonsai tree, meticulous¡ª¡±

    ¡°Easier to take than to grow,¡± Raindu said, poking out of Sam¡¯s shirt.

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re here?¡± Sam asked the ferret, ignoring the fuming twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head. He reached up with his hand and scratched the ferret behind its ear. ¡°Too lazy to grow your own plane, so you¡¯re stealing someone else¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°I have my own plane,¡± Raindu said and grabbed Sam¡¯s finger with its front paws. It scooted his digit over to a spot on its neck, demanding scratches in that region instead. ¡°It¡¯s where I keep the treasures I take from other planes.¡±

    ¡°So, planes are a hassle to take care of because of higher-dimensional creatures like you guys messing around with them?¡± Sam asked all his familiars in his mind. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean the Mother has to be strong to grow and defend so many of them?¡±

    ¡°To be fair, she¡¯s not doing a very good job at defending Oterra from us,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but, yes, it¡¯s reasonable to assume the Mother has lots of resources at her disposal.¡±

    ¡°And she must be tough for having so many resources,¡± Joe the sloth said, its voice dragging on and on within Sam¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s not easy getting everything required to build a plane abundant with sparks of creation like this one, but it¡¯s worth the investment, or so I¡¯ve heard. If she has multiple planes running, she¡¯ll be making a lot of faith, and her power of existence must be massive.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Sam said, ¡°the Mother is like a billionaire while you lot are a gang struggling to survive by stealing her stuff? Right now, you outnumber her, but what if she calls her friends? I¡¯m sure someone with as many resources as she has is well-connected in the higher-dimensional-creature community.¡±

    ¡°No doubt,¡± Big Fish said. ¡°She most likely has many allies if she¡¯s capable of creating multiple planes on the level of Oterra, and it¡¯s true we¡¯re a ragtag gang brought together by your wish to destroy this world.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re scaring him,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Don¡¯t talk our enemy up like that, and we¡¯re more than just a ragtag gang; we¡¯ve been working together for years now, so now, we¡¯re an experienced gang.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s boosting Sam¡¯s confidence much,¡± Big Fish said. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t think Sam¡¯s even scared in the first place. We¡¯re the ones who¡¯re going to be facing the Mother.¡±

    ¡°Even if Sam¡¯s scared,¡± Birdbrained said while shifting around atop Sam¡¯s hat, ¡°does it matter? Regardless of how he feels, these things must be done.¡±

    ¡°I mean, it doesn¡¯t need to be done,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯ve already made it clear I¡¯m over the mistreatment I¡¯ve experienced as a talentless, and I don¡¯t need all of Oterra to be destroyed to be happy. Instead of becoming enemies with the Mother, why don¡¯t you try becoming friends?¡±

    ¡°Are you seriously suggesting we become friends with the entity whose land we¡¯re plundering?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Apologize, make amends, and chat her up; you¡¯re good at talking, no?¡± The more Sam thought about it, the more he thought it was a good idea. If his familiars could get what they wanted directly from the Mother by aligning themselves with her, Oterra would be preserved, and his familiars would be happy as well. Upon seeing the reactions of his familiars, Sam said, ¡°Alright, tell me what¡¯s wrong with my idea.¡±

    ¡°Depending on the Mother¡¯s personality, it might work,¡± Raindu said.

    ¡°But it¡¯s not a good idea to base your plans on someone else feeling generous,¡± Vercedei said.

    Raindu leaned over from Sam¡¯s shoulder and poked at the twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head, aiming for its eyes. ¡°We can always try to make friends with the Mother, and if she doesn¡¯t want to be friendly, then we can do what we¡¯ve been doing.¡±

    Vercedei snapped at Raindu, missing as the ferret dodged to the side, avoiding the strike by a few millimeters. ¡°Why would she want to be friends with a thief?¡±

    ¡°Maybe she needs someone to steal something for her,¡± Raindu said. ¡°Who knows?¡±

    ¡°Sam!¡±

    ¡°Seems like another blue avian wants to through themselves into the jaws of death,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°They just entered the city all on their own. Maybe they figured out we were lying about Benedict.¡±

    ¡°It must¡¯ve been your poor imitation of the blue avian,¡± Raindu said. ¡°Why else would they suspect anything? You¡¯re the one who spoke for them.¡±

    Sam wondered which blue avian was brave enough to come in alone after Benedict had done the same and suffered from a cruel fate. He spread out his All-Seeing Gaze, not worried about the blue avian detecting his location, not when he was within the territory established by his familiars. The blue avian was one that he knew, Paula, and a grayling had already greeted the guest, leading them towards Sam. It didn¡¯t take long for them to arrive since the grayling could teleport and blue avians naturally moved quickly.

    ¡°Hello, Paula,¡± Vercedei said, greeting the blue avian with Sam¡¯s voice as Paula entered the room. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to see you again. Are you here to assassinate me like that one time in the past?¡±

    Paula stared at Sam, their aura sporting a mixture of different colors and hues. The blue avian looked at Benedict¡¯s corpse, which was still on the ground where it had fallen. ¡°I had a feeling this was the case, but I didn¡¯t want it to be true,¡± Paula said, taking her gaze off Benedict. ¡°Is their soul trapped inside an earthen puppet as well?¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s still stored away, waiting for the right moment to be used. Benedict told me about the Mother, and I think the more bargaining chips I have, the better off I¡¯ll be.¡±

    ¡°You know about the Mother, and you robbed Benedict of their soul regardless,¡± Paula said. ¡°As I thought, you can¡¯t be negotiated with. It¡¯s likely you¡¯re not even the same individual I met with in the past; it would¡¯ve been hard to maintain your identity with so many calamities attached to you, each with their own desire. You¡¯re just a medium for the calamities to flow through now, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the fate of the weak,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Who can really say they have complete control over their fate? Everyone was born to a different station with different circumstances, and they¡¯re shaped by those. It was simply my fate to become a vessel for higher-dimensional beings, and it¡¯d be foolish of me to go against it.¡± A faint smile appeared on the illusion of Sam¡¯s face. ¡°Aren¡¯t you here because of fate as well? Your strong sense of responsibility that demands you eradicate me for simply existing, if you weren¡¯t born with it, would you be the one hovering before me now?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right,¡± Paula said. ¡°We¡¯re like ants beholden to the whims of any larger creature that stumbles upon us. I suppose I should play my role in summoning the Mother as well. We didn¡¯t want it to come to this, but you¡¯ve grown far too much for this to be resolved any other way.¡±

    ¡°Benedict said summoning the Mother came at a cost,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Are you sure you want to pay the price?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no other choice,¡± Paula said. ¡°There¡¯s no need for any other words between us. If Benedict were still alive and well, perhaps we could¡¯ve had a proper discussion.¡± The blue avian floated in the air, and their aura shone, illuminating Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze until all he could see was the brightness coming off of the blue avian¡¯s body. A paw materialized in the air and struck Paula, but as it got closer to the blue avian¡¯s body, deeper into their aura, it came to a halt inches away from the blue avian¡¯s feathers. ¡°O Mother, use my body as a vessel for your will, and grace Oterra with your benevolent presence.¡±

    Sam retracted his All-Seeing Gaze as Paula¡¯s aura exploded, causing the crown of his head to turn numb. Although he knew he¡¯d have to encounter the Mother eventually, he hadn¡¯t suspected he¡¯d potentially meet her not even an hour after he had learned about her existence.

    Paula¡¯s eyes glazed over as their body crumpled to the ground in a position similar to Benedict¡¯s. Then, their body spasmed and twitched, their limbs jerking randomly about. After two seconds, the blue avian fell still. Their body levitated off the ground, their body still horizontal. A voice entered Sam¡¯s head, emanating from Paula¡¯s crown, which was pointed directly at Sam¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of pests,¡± the voice said. ¡°Do you want to leave on your own, or should I chase you out?¡±

    Vercedei stuck out their tongue in Paula¡¯s direction. ¡°How about we talk?¡±

 Chapter 98

    ¡°Did you push my children to such a state simply to talk to me?¡± the Mother asked, their voice entering Sam¡¯s mind in a manner similar to his familiars¡¯ method of communication. There was a difference; the Mother¡¯s voice was much more overbearing, causing it to fill every portion of his mind, taking up room that would¡¯ve existed for idle thoughts.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard for you to believe, but yes,¡± Vercedei said, lying through its teeth, ¡°that¡¯s precisely why we did it. It¡¯s hard to get your attention with other methods.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± the Mother asked, her voice dry, giving Sam the vibes of a scorching desert. ¡°And what other methods of contacting me have you tried before robbing my children of their essences?¡±

    ¡°You know, the standard routine,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°When we first discovered Oterra, we asked around, tried to figure out the history of the plane before entering. There wasn¡¯t really much information, so we had to enter ourselves to figure things out. Then, once we found out, we also discovered the method of contacting you.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± the Mother said, ¡°the classic breaking into someone¡¯s home to figure out who owns it. Rather than wanting to contact me personally, you¡¯re just interested in speaking with the owner of this plane, is that it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re quite astute,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°I am,¡± the Mother said, ¡°now, get out.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t even heard what we wanted to say,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°I know a solicitor when I see one,¡± the Mother said. ¡°They never say anything worthwhile. I have the sneaking suspicion it¡¯s the same this time; though, there are more of you than usual. I¡¯m not interested in what you¡¯re selling nor am I interested in the services you can provide. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯d appreciate it if you left peacefully.¡±

    ¡°You must have many annoying encounters like this one with all the planes you own, huh?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°There¡¯re probably a few planes other than this one being occupied as we speak, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Am I not speaking frankly enough?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°You¡¯re not welcome here. Please leave.¡± The aura radiating out of Paula¡¯s body intensified, making Sam feel as if he were underwater, the air becoming thick and heavy, pressing in on his chest like a weighted blanket. For someone the blue avians claimed was temperamental, Sam couldn¡¯t help but think the Mother¡¯s methods were a bit lenient since she hadn¡¯t resorted to violence right away.

    ¡°What would it take for us to get in your good graces?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Oterra is such a lovely place; we¡¯d hate to have to leave so soon. Perhaps there¡¯s something troubling you that we could help with: planting seeds, growing planes, offing pests, anything. You may find us useful, who knows?¡±

    ¡°You break into my home, terrorize my children, and ask me for a quest?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°What are you after? People don¡¯t offer to help without expecting compensation. I do have some troubles I need resolved, but I doubt it¡¯ll be worth the price to hire you.¡±

    ¡°Allow us to live freely on Oterra without being pursued by your children,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°That¡¯s not too much to ask for, is it?¡±

    ¡°As if,¡± the Mother said. ¡°You¡¯d ruin this place like mold on an apple. Then, you¡¯ll spread to my other planes, destroying them all using Oterra as your foundation. I¡¯ve encountered enough entities similar to you to know how your kind work.¡±

    ¡°Some individuals would take offense to such unkind words,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but we won¡¯t. We understand your concerns, but we can still discuss and work things out. We¡¯re different from the rest of our kind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a fool nor a pushover,¡± the Mother said. ¡°When I said I¡¯ve encountered enough entities similar to you, I mean I¡¯ve clashed with thousands of your kind. I know the easiest way to get rid of you.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very¡±¡ª

    Sam couldn¡¯t hear the rest of Vercedei¡¯s words as his senses were shut off: his psychic vision disappearing, the sounds entering his ears fading, and¡ªthankfully¡ªthe stench of Ess¡¯ wings going away. It was a bit unsettling to lose his sense of touch as well, leaving Sam behind with only his thoughts. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the Mother had killed him, turning him into a soul without a body. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising for a higher-dimensional being like herself to kill him in an undetectable way; perhaps this was how the victims of Raindu felt moments before dying.

    Without a frame of reference, Sam didn¡¯t know how much time had passed with only his thoughts to keep him company. He tried counting for a bit, but he stopped after reaching ten thousand when he found himself speeding up to count faster. Negative thoughts filled his mind. What if he were stuck in this state forever? It was worse than sitting in an empty room, staring at a white wall. At least, his eyes could drift, and his body could move if he were trapped in a room by himself. As Sam¡¯s thoughts spiraled, a light entered his vision, causing him to blink. When he did, all his senses returned to him, but they felt strange: his muscles ached; his feet hurt; his upper back felt knotted as if he were cramping up. Also, his skin was a different color, and there was a pair of breasts attached to his chest. He reached down and groped his crotch, a stone appearing in his stomach when he realized something important of his was missing.

    Before he could lament the loss of his little brother, a fierce headache erupted on the right side of Sam¡¯s head, causing him to wince and hunch forward. He took in a deep breath as a flood of memories entered his brain or, rather, her brain. She was Donna, a mother of three children, two of which were exceptionally talented awakened. Unfortunately, due to their talents, they had gone missing along with the other high-ranked awakened who had been swept up in the wave of human abductions by the blue avians.

    ¡°Mommy? Are you okay?¡±

    Sam activated his All-Seeing Gaze, only to find his psychic vision failing him. His forehead scrunched up, and he turned his head towards the source of the voice. His daughter, Mel, was staring up at him with a worried expression on her face. Her daughter? Was he Donna, or was he Sam?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mommy?¡± Mel asked. ¡°Are you worried about Peter and Nora?¡±

    Peter, Nora, her missing children, they were talented, exceptionally so. Their lives should¡¯ve been smooth sailing; when it was discovered they had top-notch talent, Donna had been so excited. They were guaranteed stable careers, great healthcare, the ability to financially support a family, their futures were set, so why had they been kidnapped? What wrong had she done for the world to take away her children in such a cruel manner? The authorities had told her it wasn¡¯t her fault, but if she hadn¡¯t pushed her children to their full potentials, would they have been noticed by the abductors?

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°They¡¯ll come home soon, won¡¯t they?¡± Mel asked. ¡°Daddy said so.¡± The girl frowned and took a step back. ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Your vibe is scaring me.¡±

    Sam¡¯s frown deepened, and he looked around. Was he inside of an illusion casted by the Mother? What if he were actually Donna, and she had experienced Sam¡¯s life thanks to her talent? She had wondered why the world had taken her children away, and she learned the cause was due to Sam destroying the calamity detector. Although she wasn¡¯t sure of the purpose, she knew humanity was facing the blue avians because of Sam¡¯s actions. Sam opened his mouth and spoke, ¡°Sorry.¡± It wasn¡¯t his voice; it belonged to Donna. ¡°I was thinking.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡± Mel asked. ¡°Dinner? Can I help you make it again?¡±

    Sam reached up and pinched his cheek hard. The action stung quite a bit. Then, Sam attempted to poke his finger through his palm. It didn¡¯t work. His methods of confirming whether or not he was within a dream, the ones he commonly used in the subconscious expanse, all pointed towards the fact he was stuck in reality. With the majority of his chakras locked, save for his root chakra which was only partially open, he couldn¡¯t do much as Donna either; a grayling could probably end his life without him making a meaningful struggle, so what was he supposed to do in this situation? Perhaps Mel, the only other individual there, was the key to solving his problem, so Sam did what any reasonable person stuck in his situation would do: he made dinner.

    ¡°This tastes awful, Mommy.¡±

    Sam thought he couldn¡¯t be blamed for the meal¡¯s lack of taste. Donna kept her herbs, spices, and other seasonings in identical white jars without any labels, relying on her memory to remember where everything was. With Sam still sorting through Donna¡¯s memories, it was understandable for a few mistakes to be made. Although he wasn¡¯t weighed down or robbed of his senses by his familiars, his lack of an All-Seeing Gaze and telekinesis made him feel as if a huge part of him was missing. However, the more time he spent in Donna¡¯s body, the less uncomfortable he felt with the things he lacked.

    After the meal, Sam went to Donna¡¯s room and lay on the bed, the memories of Donna¡¯s life playing in his mind as if he were watching a movie. She was born with a mediocre talent, one that barely afforded her a living. Her husband¡¯s talent was just as lowly ranked as hers, and he had to slave away for fourteen hours a day, destroying his body to make money for rent. Their children were their pride and joy, but ever since two of them had gone missing, things were tense between herself and her husband with both of them filled with frustration and anger they had nowhere else to direct. A few hours passed, and Sam raised his hand up in front of his face. He felt more like Donna than he did like Sam, and after that realization came to mind, his vision faded to black.

    ¡°Get your ass in gear!¡±

    Wet spittle sprayed against the side of Sam¡¯s face, causing him to flinch and whip his head to the side to face the mean-looking man standing with his face less than a few inches away from Sam¡¯s own.

    ¡°What are you looking at me like that for, recruit!?¡± the mean-looking man shouted. ¡°I said drop down and give me fifty!¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he looked around. There were dozens of people around him, all of them on the ground doing push-ups. He didn¡¯t get more time to observe his surroundings before a heavy hand pressed down on his shoulder as a force struck the back of his knees, forcing Sam to the ground. A splitting headache assaulted Sam¡¯s head, and memories flooded his mind. His name was Locke, and he was a new recruit for Dynasty¡¯s armed forces.

    ¡°What are you doing kneeling in a daze!?¡± the mean-looking man shouted and pushed Sam¡¯s upper back, causing him to fall flat on the floor. He barely had time to catch himself with his hands. ¡°Were you dropped on your head as a baby? Which words of mine do you not understand? All of them!?¡±

    Sam got into a push-up position despite the pounding in his head. With the mean-looking man shouting at him, it was making his headache a lot worse, and if doing push-ups would shut him up, then Sam was going to do them. The push-ups were difficult, much more so than Sam had remembered them being. Locke had been overweight all his life, so it was understandable it was harder for Sam to do push-ups in Locke¡¯s body than in his own. Despite his muscles crying out against him, Sam forced Locke¡¯s body to move. After doing ten push-ups, Sam found himself admiring Locke¡¯s ability to push his body up and down; after all, Donna couldn¡¯t do more than a single push-up. Why did he still have Donna¡¯s memories despite being in a new body?

    ¡°All done?¡± the mean-looking man asked after the movement from the recruits came to a halt. ¡°Next, give me two hundred hollow body rocks!¡±

    Sam glanced around and copied his neighboring recruits, lying down while lifting his arms and legs off the ground while pressing his lower back down. He rocked back and forth, feeling the burn within his core. He took in short breaths through his nose and exhaled through his mouth, but it didn¡¯t take long for him to begin panting. As he exercised, Sam observed Locke¡¯s body and found the man had only recently unlocked his Manipura. It was hard to say whose body he preferred, Locke¡¯s or Donna¡¯s, since they both paled in comparison to his own.

    There wasn¡¯t much time for idle thoughts as flashbacks and scenes from Locke¡¯s past entered Sam¡¯s mind. Locke¡¯s parents were highly ranked awakened, so when they found out Locke¡¯s talent barely met the minimum requirement to enter dungeons as a combatant, they had practically disowned him, leaving him to his own devices. Eventually, he found a way to work for one of the six big companies, but he had to start as a recruit. While Sam digested Locke¡¯s memories, he continued to participate in the grueling exercise routine, following the mean-looking man¡¯s orders. Eventually, the session ended, and Sam was set free. Relying on Locke¡¯s memories, Sam exited the building and looked around; he wondered if he had entered Locke¡¯s mind at a different time compared to the one Sam existed in since the sky wasn¡¯t fully visible with towering buildings blocking his sight. It wasn¡¯t the human capital his familiars had created where only the plaza was allowed to be more than a singly story tall.

    Sam wondered if he could walk over to his residence, Sam¡¯s not Locke¡¯s, but when he moved in that direction, his body twitched, and he wondered why he would even bother going to such a wealthy district when he was Locke. It was far, the day had been long and tough, it¡¯d be a waste of energy to walk over there simply to be turned away by a guard; not only that, Locke was famished, and dinner was the best part of one¡¯s day. Sam had to agree with Locke¡¯s line of thinking given the state of his abused body. He went on home through his reliance on Locke¡¯s memory and stepped into a messy apartment, a mess that¡¯d forever be cleaned tomorrow when there was more time.

    Another day came, and another day went. A week passed, and Sam felt more like Locke than he did like Sam after walking a dozen miles in Locke¡¯s shoes. The grueling exercise continued, but it got easier every day, and Sam felt a sense of satisfaction along with Locke when he examined his muscles taking shape in the mirror. Eventually, after a few months, Sam stopped thinking of himself as Sam or Donna, only thinking of his future as Locke. At that moment, Sam¡¯s vision went black and returned, but his point of view had shifted; towering over him, there were two reptilians, and when he looked down, he discovered a scaly body hosting his mind. His name was Craig, and he was a reptilian child who was barely three years old.

    ***

    ¡°Sam?¡± Vercedei asked, receiving no response from the man who had suddenly collapsed. ¡°What did you do to him?¡±

    ¡°Your kind love preying on those who feel as if they¡¯ve been slighted by the world,¡± the Mother said. ¡°All I¡¯ve done is broadened your host¡¯s perspective. He¡¯ll experience the life of every living creature on Oterra, and then we¡¯ll see how devoted he is to having the plane destroyed. If he disagrees with you after seeing the bigger picture, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be troublesome for you to take action with him resisting all the time.¡± After a pause, the Mother continued. ¡°Well, I wonder if he¡¯ll even know who he is once he wakes up.¡±

 Chapter 99

    ¡°Sam?¡± Vercedei asked out loud. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Sam flinched, and his hands rose up to his head, grabbing at the twin-headed snake¡¯s body wrapped around his face. He pulled, but the snake didn¡¯t budge; rather, it constricted its body, wrapping itself even tighter around Sam¡¯s mouth and eyes. Sam¡¯s hand swatted at his nose where Ess was resting, and the butterfly made a metallic sound as its wings clacked together from the force of Sam¡¯s blow, but the insect¡¯s legs remained firmly rooted to Sam¡¯s skin, keeping the butterfly in place.

    ¡°How about you get off of him first?¡± Raindu asked and placed its front paws on the twin-headed snake. The ferret¡¯s claws dug into the snake¡¯s skin, slipping past its scales, and latched on firmly. Raindu leaned back while pulling creating a tiny gap of space between the snake¡¯s body and Sam¡¯s lower jaw. Sam slid a finger into the gap and strained his arm, managing to wedge a second finger inside.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Vercedei said. ¡°I¡¯ll get cold, and you won¡¯t like me when I¡¯m cold.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like you now,¡± Sam said, his voice muffled and barely audible as he spoke with his mouth. He managed to slip his whole hand underneath Vercedei¡¯s body, getting a good grip with his fingers wrapped fully around the snake. Sam pulled, but the snake squeezed tighter, refusing to budge. ¡°Get off of my face.¡±

    ¡°Sam, remember who you are,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°I know exactly who I am,¡± Sam said, his voice still muffled but a little more clear than before.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem right,¡± Vercedei said and opened its mouth. The snake¡¯s blue head bit down on Sam¡¯s wrist, causing him to flinch but not let go. The snake released its jaws when it realized Sam wasn¡¯t giving up. ¡°If you knew who you were, you¡¯d cease this senseless action of yours at once. We have to be working together to deal with the Mother in case you¡¯ve forgotten.¡±

    ¡°How is you robbing me of my senses us working together?¡± Sam asked as he used his telekinesis to aid his hand, managing to free his mouth by shifting the twin-headed snake¡¯s body downwards.

    ¡°The closer we are to you, the stronger our powers become,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Do you think we position ourselves on your body like this for fun? Birdbrained stands on your head to be as close to your crown chakra as possible. I cling to your mouth and neck to be by your throat chakra. Werchbite positions by your eyes to be next to your Ajna.¡±

    ¡°Trust yourself, Sam,¡± the Mother said as Paula¡¯s body rotated upright, their head facing the ceiling and their feet pointed at the ground. ¡°You¡¯ve lived through countless lives, experienced nearly everything Oterra has to offer from the good to the bad. You¡¯re wise enough to make your own decisions and have an almost unlimited amount of experience to draw upon. I¡¯ve freed you from the prison your familiars have trapped you in by broadening your horizons.¡±

    Sam¡¯s aura seemed to solidify as he concentrated on his Manipura and heart chakra. With his strength enhanced and his telekinesis aiding him, he managed to pull the twin-headed snake off of his face; however, it wrapped itself around his arm, clinging to his body like a feather attracted to a balloon via static electricity.

    ¡°Help!¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s going to let you stay on him once he gets rid of me? Do you want to spend the rest of your time here riding on Manga¡¯s back?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with my back,¡± Manga said, letting out its four-syllable-long cry. ¡°Sam, stop fighting us, at least, for now. You might¡¯ve spent a long time living the life of others, but it¡¯s only been a few seconds for us. We¡¯re facing a strong opponent.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re trying to destroy Oterra,¡± Sam said with his arm outstretched, keeping Vercedei and Werchbite at bay from his face. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be on the side of the people who brought about the apocalypse. Oterra might be a harsh place to live, but everyone¡¯s still trying despite that. If the Mother wipes the surface of Oterra clean, then what was the purpose of everyone¡¯s struggles? Why did they try so hard if everything is going to be destroyed? Are their lives worth nothing?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re worth something,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°we just don¡¯t think they¡¯re valuable enough to preserve. A billionaire won¡¯t care about a few credits lying on the other side of the street; it¡¯s not worth their time to pick up. Does that mean the money doesn¡¯t have value? Of course not. It¡¯s valuable but not enough. This is a matter of perspectives, and yours has been severely skewed thanks to the ordeal the Mother put you through.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t change your values,¡± the Mother said. ¡°I helped you grow as an individual, and as people change, their priorities change as well. The things they once found important are no longer so, and the things they hadn¡¯t cared about before may as well be worth everything. It¡¯s the same for you.¡±

    Vercedei glared at Paula, who was possessed by the Mother. ¡°We were just talking,¡± the twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head said. ¡°Did you really have to go and do that?¡±

    ¡°I told you I¡¯m not so easy to fool,¡± the Mother said. ¡°To lower-dimensional lifeforms, you might be some silver-tongued deceiver, but to me, you¡¯re nothing but an unwanted solicitor with no scruples. I don¡¯t trust a single word that comes out of your mouth.¡±

    ¡°Sam,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You¡¯re on our team, and if you can¡¯t remember that, then you leave us no other choice.¡±

    A wriggling sensation surged up Sam¡¯s stomach into his esophagus. His eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen. He concentrated his All-Seeing Gaze within himself, pinpointing the golden tapeworm¡¯s exact location as it approached his head. Then, he wrapped his aura around the tapeworm¡¯s body and opened his mouth. Nwaps let out a cry in Sam¡¯s mind as the tapeworm surged out of his body and into the air in front of Sam. ¡°No, you¡¯re not doing that,¡± Sam said. ¡°My body is my own.¡±

    A surge of aura rushed in Nwaps¡¯ direction, and Sam jerked the tapeworm to the side with his telekinesis. A second later, an impact struck the wall behind Sam, creating a hole inside of it. He turned his attention onto the Mother, who had launched a telekinetic strike at Nwaps whilst the tapeworm was vulnerable and exposed.

    ¡°What?¡± the Mother asked, her aura twinkling with purity and innocence. ¡°I saw the chance, so why wouldn¡¯t I take it?¡± The Mother floated around the room as if she were moving around for the first time in a blue avian¡¯s body. It only took her a few laps around the room whilst facing Sam to get comfortable in Paula¡¯s body. ¡°What do you think of me, Sam? How about you join me? I can free you from your familiars; your chakras will remain open if you¡¯re worried about losing your power.¡±

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°You¡¯re the devil I don¡¯t know,¡± Sam said and shook his head. ¡°Who knows what price you¡¯ll make me pay if I accept your help?¡±

    ¡°I can appoint you as a guardian of Oterra,¡± the Mother said, her voice echoing inside of Sam¡¯s mind. ¡°If you¡¯ll let me, I can also unlock another one of your exterior chakras, the one which allows you to communicate and interact with dimensions beyond your own.¡±

    From what Sam could tell by examining the aura the Mother exuded from Paula¡¯s body, she was telling the truth. Her aura was crystal clear and abundant, lighting up the room and uplifting Sam¡¯s spirits. ¡°What responsibilities comes with being a guardian of Oterra?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°You can¡¯t seriously be considering her offer,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°Why not?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°Sam knows me just as well as he knows you.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Vercedei said. The twin-headed snake reared its blue head back and pointed its fangs in the Mother¡¯s direction. Venom spurted out of the snake¡¯s fangs, but it didn¡¯t travel very far before freezing in midair. The Mother leisurely floated over to the side, and after she was out of the way, the strand of venom jerked forward and struck the wall.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Sam has experienced the lives of trillions of creatures. Since he¡¯s retained his memories of his experiences, it¡¯s fair to say his time spent as the Sam you know is nothing but a rounding error.¡±

    Sam nodded. His time spent with his familiars had occurred an extremely long time ago. In fact, as he lived the lives of more and more individuals, he found himself doing his best to forget who he once was, someone who had his free will practically stripped and robbed from him. He didn¡¯t like who he once was, and coming back to this point in time of his life felt strange since most of the memories of his familiars had been forgotten.

    ¡°Birdbrained,¡± Vercedei said, turning its head to look up at the eagle perched atop Sam. It was doing its best to not be noticed, and when the snake called it out, the scruffy eagle let out a squawk of displeasure. ¡°It¡¯s up to you to fix this.¡±

    ¡°Before that, can someone help me?¡± Nwaps asked as it hovered in the air, suspended in place by Sam¡¯s telekinesis. Sam¡¯s aura was heavily concentrated around the worm, making it impossible for the tapeworm to even wiggle. ¡°I would order everyone to gather to help, but that¡¯s not the safest option with the Mother around.¡±

    Sam looked down at Joe. Although the sloth was always affecting his mood, it wasn¡¯t that bothersome compared to the creature that lay even further down his sight: the metallic koala clinging to his leg. Sam focused on his thigh, where the majority of the koala¡¯s mass was located, and activated his root chakra, sending a vibration down his leg and into Dirt¡¯s body, causing the koala to burn up as if it had been bitten by hundreds of fire ants.

    Dirt let out a roar that didn¡¯t belong to an herbivore, and the koala hugged Sam¡¯s leg, crushing his flesh and grinding it against his bones. Sam winced, but he maintained his technique and increased the effects, adding paralysis, nausea, sea sickness, and every other negative condition he had experienced and absorbed, drawing upon the memories of the lives he had experienced as well. The koala didn¡¯t know what hit it when he struck it with labor pangs¡ªsomething he was unfortunate to experience enough times to copy the sensation. A fist made of earth shattered the floor and struck Sam from below, aimed at the region between his legs, but thanks to the wooly pig¡¯s massive body, the angles Joe had to work with were limited, allowing Sam to easily avoid the vicious attack.

    Big Fish poked its head out of the fur on Joe¡¯s shoulder and examined its surroundings. Since it was capable of hiding from a colony of blue avians, it was more than capable of hiding from Sam, so that¡¯s what it did. It shrank to a size invisible to the naked eye and stuck itself who knows where on Sam¡¯s body.

    ¡°Get off of my leg,¡± Sam said through gritted teeth, enduring the pain of the koala¡¯s hug. Underneath his pants, his thigh was bruised and purple, and everything below the koala was bulging and turning a dark red from the lack of blood flowing to that region. Even when he had lived a life as someone with two missing legs, he had been able to transport himself around on a wheelchair with his arms. With the koala robbing him of his mobility, he couldn¡¯t even crawl away since the koala seemed to weigh just a little more than he could move, and relying on someone else to transport him wasn¡¯t the way Sam wanted to live. ¡°Now.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t make me,¡± Dirt said, the koala¡¯s voice fluctuating in Sam¡¯s mind as it resisted his techniques.

    ¡°He can with my assistance,¡± the Mother said, her voice entering both Sam¡¯s and Dirt¡¯s minds at once. To Sam, it felt like a breath of fresh air, numbing part of the pain he was experiencing whilst, to the koala, the Mother¡¯s voice was like a sledgehammer striking its head, a loud ringing sound keening back and forth inside its skull.

    ¡°Stop him!¡± Dirt said. ¡°Stop her too!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you care about your friends, Sam?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°You think the lives of humans are valuable enough to care about, so why don¡¯t you obediently accept your fate as our host, and we¡¯ll leave humanity alone. Nwaps won¡¯t have to take control of their minds to order them to stop you. You wouldn¡¯t want to see the Mother obliterate them, would you?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t touch them,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Even though they¡¯re infected, I¡¯m sure Sam can find a way to relieve them of this disgusting tapeworm¡¯s influence if he¡¯s given enough time. You weren¡¯t just chosen by your familiars out of luck, Sam. Your body is perfect for ascension, and it¡¯s easy for higher-dimensional creatures to exist by feeding off your power. You¡¯re stronger than you think.¡±

    ¡°If I was so strong, why was I born without a talent?¡± Sam asked, turning his head towards the Mother.

    ¡°You know the answer to that,¡± the Mother said. ¡°It was taken from you.¡±

    ¡°Taken?¡± Sam asked as he looked down at the koala. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was the Mother¡¯s numbing power, but it felt as if the koala was losing steam, not hugging his leg as hard as before. ¡°By who?¡±

    ¡°Who else?¡¯ the Mother asked, her consciousness floating towards Raindu¡¯s direction atop Sam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That ferret of yours is more than capable of taking people¡¯s talents. Even though it¡¯s something intangible to you, it¡¯s easy for someone like me to grant and for someone like that¡±¡ªthe Mother jabbed with her consciousness in Raindu¡¯s direction¡ª¡°to take.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s lying to you,¡± Raindu said. ¡°I can¡¯t take talents. She knows she can¡¯t beat us if we¡¯re united, so she¡¯s trying to sow seeds of doubt between all of us to weaken our strength, and you can see how well it¡¯s working.¡±

    ¡°With a few tricks from the Mother, you¡¯re now fighting Nwaps, the snakes, and Dirt,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°She barely had to lift a finger, and a third of our forces have already been occupied.¡± The eagle let out a squawk and pecked down at Sam¡¯s hat. ¡°Once she gets rid of us, she¡¯s going to get rid of you too, can¡¯t you see that? If you can summon higher-dimensional beings once, you can summon them again, and that¡¯s a risk she won¡¯t be willing to take.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about minor things like that,¡± the Mother said, her voice warm and soothing. ¡°I deal with pests on every plane I create. Everyone deserves a second chance, and even though you¡¯re making a mess of Oterra with your ability, I¡¯m willing to forgive you if you¡¯ll see the light and join forces with me.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s tricking you, Sam,¡± Joe said, the sloth¡¯s words not as drawn out as usual. Perhaps it recognized the severity of the situation, so it had spoken as fast as it could. ¡°We¡¯re on your side.¡±

    ¡°Actions speak louder than words,¡± the Mother said, ¡°and what do your familiars actions say about their attitudes towards you? They don¡¯t think you¡¯re on the same level as them, and your opinions don¡¯t matter. They wish to be free at the cost of your freedom. What would the people you¡¯ve lived as say if they saw you in your situation?¡±

    ¡°She made you live trillions of lives, but how do you know those lives haven¡¯t been tampered with?¡± Werchbite asked. ¡°What you¡¯ve seen could¡¯ve been one massive illusion designed to trick you into thinking the same way as her. Be prudent before you make a decision.¡±

 Chapter 100

    Sam examined the Mother with his All-Seeing Gaze; her aura was crystal clear with no hostility nor deception present in her demeanor. Of course, she could¡¯ve been a master at hiding her thoughts, or, perhaps, she didn¡¯t know how to express the way she felt using a blue avian¡¯s body. Sam shifted his attention to his familiars; although they had spent years with him, the passage of time had eroded his memories of them, making his memories of them foggy like characters in a book he had read years ago and was recently reading again.

    ¡°Sam,¡± Vercedei said, but the twin-headed snake¡¯s head didn¡¯t get to say more before Sam interrupted the creature.

    ¡°I¡¯m not the same Sam you once knew,¡± he said. ¡°If there¡¯s anything I¡¯ve learned by living all those lives¡ªeven if the Mother may have manipulated my fates in each of them¡ªit was the ability to think for myself. I¡¯ve had a lot of time to ruminate, and I¡¯ve gotten very good at making my own decisions.¡±

    ¡°Then, you should know it¡¯s important to take our feelings into consideration since we¡¯re the ones who¡¯re closest to you in this life,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot about toxic relationships as well,¡± Sam said, staring the snake in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve left plenty of them too.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve become a self-respecting individual,¡± Vercedei said, the twin-headed snake resting as its blue head spoke. It obediently lay against Sam¡¯s palm and forearm, letting itself be held without a struggle. ¡°In those trillions of lives you¡¯ve experienced, were you ever selfish?¡±

    ¡°I was,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Did you enjoy experiencing the selfish life?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you enjoy living a selfish life this time around as well?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Think of this as another one of the trillion lives you have to go through. When this one is over, another will start, so it doesn¡¯t matter what happens to Oterra.¡±

    ¡°The lives I¡¯ve experienced are all interconnected,¡± Sam said. ¡°If anything, that¡¯s what the Mother was trying to show me. The actions I¡¯ve committed in one life, I experienced them in another: the good and the bad. I¡¯d rather not experience my next life as a war-torn refugee struggling to survive the apocalypse.¡±

    ¡°I have a question,¡± Dirt said, the metallic koala¡¯s voice strained from Sam¡¯s ongoing attempt to throw it off. ¡°Are you tired of living, Sam?¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow and looked down at the koala. ¡°Is that a threat?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Dirt said as it stopped attempting to hug Sam¡¯s leg off. ¡°It¡¯s not a threat, but a genuine question. You¡¯ve experienced trillions of lives, so how much time has passed? Years upon years, decades upon decades, centuries upon centuries, hasn¡¯t time worn you down by now? You¡¯ve experienced everything life has to offer, so what more are you living for?¡±

    ¡°There were a few times I was tired of living,¡± Sam said as his gaze turned dull. ¡°I lived as people who¡¯d rather be dead than alive, and I did end my own life a few times.¡± Sam narrowed his eyes at the metallic koala. ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to give up now and surrender myself to the whims of others. There¡¯s still plenty left in the world for me to experience especially with a body this powerful.¡± Although he had lived as a blue avian more than a few times, they were lacking compared to him now since he had unlocked more external chakras.

    ¡°You can become even stronger with my help,¡± the Mother said as she hovered in the air and circled around Sam with Paula¡¯s body, maintaining a respectful distance from him. ¡°In all the lives you¡¯ve lived, you¡¯ve only spent your time in this dimension. Wouldn¡¯t you like to see the world from my perspective, one of a higher-dimensional being¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Honestly,¡± Sam said, ¡°your offer is really tempting.¡± Sam¡¯s familiars all turned to look at him. ¡°But it¡¯d be really ungrateful of me to abandon my familiars after everything they¡¯ve done for me.¡± He locked eyes with the Mother, Paula¡¯s gleaming yellow eyes staring back at him. ¡°Sure, they¡¯re abusive, locking away my freedoms and senses, only helping me to help themselves, but I can¡¯t deny the fact I wouldn¡¯t be where I am today without them.¡±

    ¡°Even though you were only talentless and pitiable because Raindu stole your talent?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it upset you to know your familiars pushed you into a hole only to act like your savior when they helped you out?¡±

    Sam shrugged. ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯ve learned a lot, and amongst the things I¡¯ve learned, it¡¯s forgiveness,¡± he said and glared at his familiars. ¡°But just because I¡¯ve forgiven them doesn¡¯t mean I plan on maintaining the status quo. If they want to stick around me, then they¡¯ll have to deal with being under my command, not the other way around.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that,¡± Dirt said.

    ¡°Neither do I,¡± Nwaps said, the tapeworm agreeing with the metallic koala whilst still suspended in the air by Sam¡¯s telekinesis.

    ¡°Unfortunately, Sam has other options while we don¡¯t,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°He¡¯s actually using the Mother as leverage against us, unbelievable.¡±

    ¡°The Mother did say she knew how to deal with us,¡± Raindu said, ¡°and it looks like her method is working.¡±

    ¡°Like magic,¡± Birdbrained said and squawked, adjusting its position atop Sam¡¯s head, ¡°the Mother transformed Sam from a doormat into a person.¡±

    Sam visualized a hand appearing beside the eagle above his head. Then, he imagined swatting Birdbrained with it. The eagle let out a squawk as it leaned back in a clumsy attempt to dodge the telekinetic strike, but it wasn¡¯t agile enough¡ªor at all¡ªto avoid the attack, and the eagle¡¯s squawk abruptly ended with a whump as it was struck off Sam¡¯s head like a golf ball on a tee. ¡°I¡¯ve trained a lot of animals during my lives, and I remembered how to make them behave.¡±

    ¡°Through physical abuse?¡± Birdbrained asked as it spread its wings. The eagle didn¡¯t manage to right itself before striking the ground, bouncing once and tumbling to a halt, ending with its legs pointed straight at the ceiling.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t hurt me before,¡± Sam said and shrugged, remember the times he didn¡¯t have a hard hat to protect himself from the eagle¡¯s needlessly sharp claws. ¡°Fair is fair, and if you want me to treat you better, then you have to treat me better as well.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re getting a firm handle on your familiars,¡± the Mother said as she watched Birdbrained climb to its feet and glare up at Sam with an aggrieved expression. ¡°How about this, Sam? You¡¯ve experienced all Oterra has to offer, but if you seek more experiences, why don¡¯t I send you to another plane? That way, you can stay together with your familiars, and I won¡¯t have to worry about preventing them from destroying this area.¡±

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Sam looked down at his familiars. ¡°Does it have to be Oterra?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It has to be as thriving as Oterra is,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°We didn¡¯t pick this plane for no reason; it has the perfect environment. It¡¯s going to be difficult to find another place with as many resources as this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve invested a lot in Oterra too,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°My minions have spread all throughout the land, and if we go to a new place, I won¡¯t feel as comfortable as I do now.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you send your graylings to the new plane?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°What about our followers?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°We worked so hard to get them, and I don¡¯t believe the Mother will let us bring them along. She needs them on Oterra.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± the Mother said, ¡°but isn¡¯t it simple for your ragtag gang of animals to gain followers? It hasn¡¯t been that long since you descended to my plane, and you¡¯ve already corrupted so many minds. If you don¡¯t leave, I really will have to destroy the surface of Oterra and start anew.¡±

    ¡°Why stop at the surface?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about this fellow¡¯s graylings?¡± With his telekinesis, Sam lifted Birdbrained off the ground before pointing at the flailing eagle.

    ¡°Why would you ask her that?¡± Birdbrained blinked at Sam. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re seriously considering her offer. She won¡¯t really send you to a place as good as Oterra; we¡¯ll be stranded in the middle of nowhere if you let her transport us. You¡¯re making a terrible decision.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Sam said and shook his head. ¡°At least, it¡¯ll be a decision that I¡¯m making.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t mind, but we do,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°You might¡¯ve had so much fun living as so many different peoples, creatures, and things, so you don¡¯t care what happens to you next since it¡¯ll simply be a new experience for you, but we lived through the long periods of boredom whilst looking for habitable planes, and it¡¯s not fun. Your decision to go impacts all of us, so you should take our feelings into consideration as well.¡±

    Sam shrugged. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to care about what I wanted,¡± he said. ¡°Now, you can feel as I¡¯ve felt.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very petty for someone who¡¯s supposedly learned forgiveness,¡± Dirt said while grumbling. It was still enduring the negative effects Sam was transmitting into it through his thigh. ¡°Why not let bygones be bygones if you¡¯re going to claim you¡¯re a whole new person?¡±

    ¡°Because some people don¡¯t learn until they¡¯ve faced consequences,¡± Sam said. ¡°If I yield even a little, all of you will take advantage of me. All of you need me more than I need you, and our relationship with each other should reflect that.¡± A frown appeared on Sam¡¯s face as his All-Seeing Gaze detected every human within the capital heading in his current direction. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this, Nwaps?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Nwaps said, ¡°but what other choice have you left me?¡±

    Sam exhaled and narrowed his eyes at Nwaps. Then, the tapeworm let out a squeal as it was compressed and crushed into a small sphere the size of a marble by Sam¡¯s telekinesis.

    ¡°You killed Nwaps!¡± Vercedei shouted as Sam released his telekinesis on the golden tapeworm. It dropped to the ground like a marble, but instead of bouncing, it landed with a splat.

    ¡°Part of them,¡± Sam said. ¡°You know how Nwaps is; as long as it¡¯s alive inside of one host, it won¡¯t die.¡± Sam looked down at the golden ball. Despite having its body squished into a ball much smaller than its original size, no liquids had been excreted. ¡°What choice did Nwaps leave me? If it¡¯s going to control the people its infected when it had told me it wouldn¡¯t, how can I trust it in the future? Personally, I¡¯d rather not have the ability to control the minds of everyone around me. It¡¯s a distasteful ability, and if everyone I interacted with was just Nwaps in one form or another, how boring would that be?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you realize what you just did,¡± Vercedei said.

    Sam shrugged. ¡°When wounds fester for too long, it¡¯s obviously going to be much more difficult and painful to cure than if they had been prevented in the first place,¡± he said. ¡°I know terrible things might happen because of what I just did to Nwaps, but the more I put it off, the harder it¡¯ll get, so why wouldn¡¯t I get rid of Nwaps now?¡±

    ¡°But why get rid of Nwaps in the first place?¡± Joe asked, the sloth¡¯s question dragging on and on.

    Sam answered before Joe could finish speaking. ¡°Nwaps¡¯ ability isn¡¯t one I want nor do I want to be associated with someone who uses an ability like that,¡± Sam said. He recalled the time he spent as an ant in one of the lives he had experienced. He had been infected by a parasitic fungus, one that took over his mind and body, and it was one of the worst lives he had lived, being able to see, hear, and feel the things the parasite was doing with him but unable to stop it. ¡°You could call it a personal distaste.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to get rid of Nwaps because you don¡¯t like them?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°You better watch out,¡± Raindu said, eyeing the twin-headed snake, ¡°or Sam is going to get rid of you next.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like Nwaps is dead,¡± Sam said and rolled his eyes. ¡°They¡¯re coming for me right now with everyone they¡¯ve infected.¡± Sam turned towards the Mother and flashed a smile at her. ¡°Are you willing to help me remove tapeworms from people who¡¯ve turned into hosts?¡±

    ¡°Although I do think it¡¯s simpler and less messy to erase everyone¡¯s who¡¯s been infected, I¡¯m willing to help,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? You¡¯re offering to clean up the mess you made on Oterra, and if you¡¯re willing to do that, I¡¯ll offer whatever aid you need.¡±

    ¡°Call the blue avians over,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯ll be faster if I work with them.¡± Since he had confirmed the tapeworm could be removed through some simple telekinesis, it¡¯d be helpful to have hundreds of individuals proficient with telekinesis aiding him.

    ¡°We¡¯re working with the blue avians now?¡± Big Fish asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re working with the blue avians to boot out one of our own,¡± Dirt said. The koala slowly released its grip on Sam and made its way down his leg before sitting atop Manga¡¯s back, causing the wooly pig to let out a grunt as its knees buckled. The koala snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate. I¡¯m not that heavy.¡±

    Sam thought the koala that had completely immobilized him due to its density was in fact pretty heavy. He lifted his leg, the one the koala had bruised, and shook it out before sending a healing vibration down to his thigh from his Muladhara. His feet left the wooly pig¡¯s back as his body rose into the air, Sam manipulating himself with telekinesis. Sam took in a deep breath and exhaled before crossing his legs in the air as if he were sitting on the ground. It felt good to regain his mobility, and he wondered why he hadn¡¯t done it earlier. He had simply accepted his fate, and it wasn¡¯t until the Mother had blessed¡ªor cursed, depending on one¡¯s perspective¡ªhim with living trillions of lives to realize he didn¡¯t have to.

    ¡°We helped you,¡± Dirt said. ¡°We unlocked your chakras, and now that you¡¯ve gained all the benefits you could from us, you¡¯re going to treat us badly?¡± The koala crossed its arms and stuck out its legs whilst pouting. ¡°We weren¡¯t even asking for much, just some space to occupy on your body.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve carried you with me long enough,¡± Sam said, ¡°and I¡¯m going to negotiate a good deal for you with the Mother, so I think I¡¯ll be repaying you fairly for the help you¡¯ve given me.¡±

    ¡°Ungrateful,¡± the koala muttered.

    Sam stared at the koala. Perhaps Dirt really did think Sam carrying the heavy animal around on his leg wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. ¡°I¡¯ll let you hug my thigh from time to time,¡± he said. ¡°How about that?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d better,¡± Dirt said, the koala¡¯s face easing up.

    ¡°I will,¡± Sam said. ¡°So, work with me in subduing these people under Nwaps¡¯ control.¡± He turned towards the Mother. ¡°Are the blue avians coming?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯ll drop your illusion,¡± the Mother said. ¡°They¡¯re lost right now.¡±

    ¡°Werchbite,¡± Sam said, turning towards the twin-headed snake, looking at its purple head. ¡°Drop it.¡±

    ¡°Ask nicely,¡± Werchbite said. ¡°Don¡¯t speak to me like I¡¯m a dog. You can speak to Vercedei like that, not me.¡±

    The snake¡¯s blue head gave Werchbite an annoyed look. ¡°You should speak nicely to me as well,¡± Vercedei said to Sam. ¡°We¡¯re equals, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a little more equal than you,¡± Sam said, ¡°at least, in this relationship.¡± He smiled at the snake¡¯s purple head. ¡°Please, release your illusion, Werchbite. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± Werchbite said and lifted their head into the air. A few seconds later, a swarm of blue avians appeared overhead.

    ¡°We¡¯re really helping them fight one of their own?¡± a blue avian asked, their voice entering Sam¡¯s and his familiars¡¯ minds. ¡°Wow, the Mother is awesome!¡±

    ¡°Shush,¡± another blue avian said. ¡°What if they haven¡¯t realized it yet, and you foil the Mother¡¯s plan? Also, don¡¯t be so happy when Paula gave themself up to become a vessel. You have to be somber.¡±

    ¡°Right, right,¡± the blue avian said. ¡°Somber. I understand.¡±

    ¡°These were the people chasing us?¡± Big Fish asked. ¡°No wonder why we never got caught.¡±

 Chapter 101

    Nwaps rarely ever became angry, but even the unlikeliest of events occurred when given enough time, and Nwaps had lived for a very long time spent in multiple different hosts, experiencing their lives as well. Of all the hosts Nwaps had ever possessed, none of them had rebelled against the higher-dimensional creature; they weren¡¯t capable of it ¡­ until now. Sam, who Nwaps was sure was the perfect host, turned out to be too perfect and actually escaped the tapeworm¡¯s influence. The first time something didn¡¯t go one¡¯s way, they were bound to feel frustration, and Nwaps, who wasn¡¯t very proficient at processing such an emotion, became hellbent on hurting Sam to punish him. Unfortunately for Nwaps, the tapeworm¡¯s plan to hurt Sam brought about an even greater frustration: an alliance formed between Sam and the blue avians.

    Dozens of humans, Nwaps¡¯ hosts, had entered the temple courtyard where Sam was having his meeting with the Mother. However, before they could do anything of meaning, they were bound in place by telekinesis, their limbs held in place by hundreds of blue avians working in tandem. ¡°Sam!¡± the hosts shouted in unison, their voices reverberating as the tapeworm ordered them all to speak. ¡°You will regret making an enemy out of me!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do that¡¯ll make me regret my decision,¡± Sam said. He was floating in the air along with the blue avians, acting as if he had been a part of their flock for several lifetimes. ¡°Hold their jaws open. Don¡¯t allow them to speak.¡±

    Nwaps fumed as Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze probed the tapeworm¡¯s hosts, scanning them and zeroing in on Nwaps¡¯ location within each. The tapeworm barely had time to brace itself before it felt Sam¡¯s aura wrapping around its bodies. Without much resistance, Sam ripped the tapeworms out in as safe a manner as possible; of course, some minor wounds were inflicted during the process, but the hosts were relatively unharmed.

    Nwaps communicated with Sam¡¯s mind as the tapeworms floated in the air above their hosts. ¡°Even if I you stop my hosts from speaking, I can still¡ª¡±

    The tapeworm didn¡¯t get to finish its sentence before Sam¡¯s aura compressed, squishing the worms into tiny balls, ending their existences. As Nwaps¡¯ awareness of the temple¡¯s courtyard faded, the humans within the capital city all let out a curse at once. It hadn¡¯t been difficult for the tapeworm to infect everyone within the capital since it could spread through a simple touch. Since Sam could so easily remove tapeworms from their hosts, Nwaps gave up on using them to get revenge against Sam. Humans were too weak to contest against blue avians; they could only hide, so that¡¯s what Nwaps had them do. If a single one of its clones could escape detection, then Nwaps would escape and get revenge on Sam later when he least suspected it. Since Sam was powerful and now had the experience of trillions of lives, it was much more difficult to deal with him directly, and underhanded methods had to be taken from the shadows.

    However, it was much harder for Nwaps to hide from Sam¡¯s All-Seeing Gaze than the tapeworm had expected. In the brief moment the Mother had sent Sam to spend a trillion lives, his abilities had obviously grown. Even if most people didn¡¯t have their Ajna¡¯s and Sahasrara¡¯s unlocked, Sam still must¡¯ve spent several lifetimes using the All-Seeing Gaze, becoming extremely proficient with the technique. With his guidance, the blue avians flew around the capital, leaving blue trails of light in the sky as they snatched their human targets with their telekinesis and whizzed them back to the temple¡¯s courtyard where Sam removed and eliminated the tapeworms inside of them.

    At the rate Sam was eliminating its clones, Nwaps wouldn¡¯t even be able to threaten Sam with the lives of the ones it had parasitized. If it sent a host out and threatened to have the person it was infecting kill themselves, well, the blue avians wouldn¡¯t care and would immobilize Nwaps¡¯ host with telekinesis, rendering it very difficult for the tapeworm to make good on its threat. Besides, Sam didn¡¯t even give Nwaps a chance to speak much less announce a whole threat.

    ¡°Fine then,¡± Nwaps¡¯ hosts said, speaking at the same time. The tapeworm was sure Sam could see its actions. ¡°If you won¡¯t give me a shot at winning, then I won¡¯t let you get a perfect victory.¡± Rather than threatening Sam, it was better to take action. Since Sam was determined to get rid of Nwaps, then there was no point in playing nice. ¡°See if you can save everyone.¡±

    Sam frowned as he watched everyone in the capital¡ªwho hadn¡¯t had their tapeworm removed¡ªcollapse to the ground with his All-Seeing Gaze. The tapeworm had forced its hosts to enter the subconscious expanse, the only realm where it had an advantage over Sam. If the tapeworm had its hosts kill themselves, Sam could easily bring them back to life with Joe and Werchbite¡¯s help. His familiars couldn¡¯t help him in the subconscious expanse.

    ¡°But I can,¡± the Mother said. ¡°If you wish to help those people escape the subconscious expanse, you can allow me to unlock and occupy one of your external chakras. The subconscious expanse is one of the dimensions you¡¯ll be able to connect with more easily. If you don¡¯t save those people soon, they might be lost forever.¡±

    Although Sam¡¯s familiars didn¡¯t say anything, from the vibes they were given off and the way they were looking at him, he could tell they were saying, ¡°Don¡¯t trust her,¡± without actually saying it. Sam rolled his eyes before turning his attention onto the Mother.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to handle this myself first,¡± Sam said. ¡°If I can¡¯t do it, will it be too late for me to ask you then?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the Mother said. ¡°My offer will always be open to you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going to the subconscious expanse then,¡± Sam said. He communicated with the blue avians around him. ¡°Locate the rest of the humans and remove their tapeworms.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of work,¡± a blue avian said. Then, it realized the Mother was right there. ¡°We¡¯ll do it so you don¡¯t have to. You can count on us.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Sam said. He communicated with his familiars through his mind. ¡°I trust you¡¯ll behave while I¡¯m gone?¡±

    ¡°While you¡¯re gone, the Mother¡¯s going to kill us all, and you¡¯ll find yourself in a new body after reincarnating,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Are you really going to enter the subconscious expanse and leave yourself completely vulnerable out here with the whole blue avian colony inside of our base?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Sam asked, a faint smile appearing on his lips. ¡°You can¡¯t handle them without me?¡±

    ¡°No, we can,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but¡ª¡±

    ¡°If you can handle it, then I don¡¯t see a problem,¡± Sam said. He descended to the ground and reached up to scratch Raindu¡¯s head. ¡°Get me a chair, would you?¡±

    Raindu reached into the fur by its chest and retrieved a plush recliner, the piece of furniture falling to the ground with a clunk. Sam took a seat and looked up at the blue avians hovering in the sky above the temple¡¯s courtyard. His gaze landed on Paula¡¯s body, the Mother. ¡°You¡¯re not going to attack us the instant I enter the subconscious expanse, are you?¡±

    ¡°If I were, I wouldn¡¯t tell you,¡± the Mother said. ¡°However, you may put your concerns to rest. We¡¯ll leave you and your familiars alone while you deal with that tapeworm problem of yours.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you,¡± Sam said and leaned back in the seat, his body sinking into the plush material. For a brief moment, he wondered where Raindu had taken this chair from since its quality was obviously very good; whoever owned it before must¡¯ve been missing its presence. Sam closed his eyes and relaxed his body before focusing on his Muladhara, imitating the vibrations the Venusians emitted when they traveled to the subconscious expanse.

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    Sam¡¯s familiars exchanged glances with one another whilst the blue avians chattered on their network. Had Sam really left for the subconscious expanse, leaving his body wide open with all of them present? Was the Mother lying earlier when she said they were going to leave Sam and his familiars alone? It was the perfect time to get rid of Sam and resolve all the troubles in one go.

    ¡°Don¡¯t attack,¡± the Mother said in the minds of all the blue avians.

    ¡°Why not?¡± a blue avian asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t ask why not,¡± another blue avian said and buffeted the first blue avian with a telekinetic blow. ¡°When the Mother gives an order, you listen. It¡¯s that simple.¡±

    ¡°The Mother has other considerations in mind we aren¡¯t even aware of,¡± a third blue avian said, chiming in to the conversation. ¡°She doesn¡¯t do things without a reason, and if I had to guess why she¡¯s keeping Sam alive¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Didn¡¯t Sam give you all tasks to do? Remove and eliminate the tapeworms from their hosts. The person who eliminates the most tapeworms will get a reward from me.¡±

    ¡°Is it a good reward, or is it an added responsibility in disguise?¡± a blue avian asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was accepting questions,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Go.¡±

    Sam¡¯s familiars watched as the blue avians scattered, leaving the Mother to float in the air by herself. ¡°Alright,¡± Vercedei said, crawling up from Sam¡¯s leg to his face, reoccupying the spot Sam had removed it from whilst he was conscious. ¡°What¡¯re you planning?

    The Mother looked down at Vercedei, her actions becoming smoother the longer she stayed within the lower dimension. ¡°You think I¡¯d tell you if you asked?¡± The Mother wagged a finger at Vercedei. ¡°You didn¡¯t even say please.¡±

    Vercedei¡¯s face didn¡¯t change as the snake¡¯s blue head stared at the Mother. ¡°Please.¡±

    The Mother beamed, her aura lighting up. ¡°Please what?¡±

    ¡°Will you please tell me what your plans are for Sam?¡± Vercedei asked in a sickeningly coy voice. If a glass of milk had heard the snake speak, it would¡¯ve curdled.

    The Mother¡¯s aura brightened even more as Paula¡¯s beak curved into a brilliant smile. ¡°No,¡± the Mother said. ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡±

    Vercedei flicked its tongue in the Mother¡¯s direction before turning its head away, not saying a word.

    ¡°She got you there,¡± Raindu said with a grin on its face, evidently pleased by the Mother toying with Vercedei. The ferret walked down Sam¡¯s arm and stood on his hand, standing upright to look at the lone blue avian in the sky. ¡°How about me? Do you want to have a chat?¡±

    ¡°With you?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I know what you want,¡± Raindu said, ¡°and even if you get it, I¡¯ll still be with Sam, so why not be friends?¡±

    The Mother sank towards the ground, stopping several inches above the grass and a few feet away from Sam. She looked at Raindu before shifting her gaze onto the twin-headed snake covering Sam¡¯s face. The Mother nodded at the black ferret. ¡°I think we can work something out.¡±

    ¡°What is even happening?¡± Big Fish asked, whispering in Joe¡¯s ear. Perhaps the whale would¡¯ve asked someone else, but the sloth¡¯s shoulder fur happened to be the whale¡¯s place of residence. ¡°Sam is fighting Nwaps and Raindu is conspiring with the enemy. Wasn¡¯t our alliance solid?¡±

    ¡°We never had the same goals,¡± Joe said, the sloth taking its sweet time to enunciate its words. ¡°We had similar ones, and Sam was the glue that held us together. The Mother compromised the glue, so it¡¯s only a matter of time before we fall apart.¡±

    As the sloth spoke, Raindu and the Mother communicated with one another in private, both of them completely still as they maintained eye contact.

    ¡°It¡¯s rude to have a private conversation in front of a whole group of people,¡± Vercedei said. Unfortunately for the nosy snake, neither the Mother nor Raindu acknowledged the twin-headed snake¡¯s existence.

    ***

    Sam floated in the void of the subconscious expanse. Although being in close proximity in reality didn¡¯t mean two people would be close in the subconscious expanse, Sam had become an expert at navigating through the region during his multiple lifetimes. Not everyone had their Muladhara¡¯s unlocked to mimic the vibrations required, but anyone could lucid dream to visit the subconscious expanse in their sleep. Sam cleared his mind, allowing his subconscious to bring him where he needed to go.

    Sam relaxed, and before he knew it, a chunk of land appeared underneath him with a doorway not too far away from where he was positioned. The doorway was standing alone without any walls to the side. Sam approached the door, causing it to swing open automatically. He floated through, and his foot made contact with a sidewalk. His surroundings warped as the capital city came into view, and people materialized on the streets as if Sam were in a videogame rendering its non-player characters.

    ¡°You actually came to the subconscious expanse,¡± a voice said immediately after the door closed behind Sam and disappeared. ¡°In Oterra, you had the advantage, but here? What can you do to me?¡±

    Sam recognized Nwaps¡¯ voice, but he couldn¡¯t see where it was coming from. He scanned the region with his All-Seeing Gaze. As it usually was within the subconscious expanse, the All-Seeing Gaze wasn¡¯t completely reliable. Noise filled Sam¡¯s psychic vision as objects and people faded in and out of existence. Sam concentrated, keeping track of everything in an attempt to find the objects that stayed constant; that was where the host Nwaps had possessed was more likely to be.

    ¡°Given enough time, there¡¯s a possibility you¡¯d find and destroy all the pieces of myself on Oterra, but the people I¡¯ve sent to the subconscious expanse today, they won¡¯t ever be waking up,¡± Nwaps¡¯ voice said, ¡°all your underlings and little brother included. However, I am willing to return them to you if you apologize and allow me to reside within your skull instead of your intestines.¡±

    ¡°Keep dreaming,¡± Sam said before lifting himself off the ground with telekinesis. ¡°That¡¯s all you can do.¡± He turned into a blurred streak as he flew through the air faster than the average blue avian, arriving in the region he suspected the host to be located within an instant. There was a woman sitting on a palanquin with four extremely handsome, shirtless men with chiseled bodies carrying the covered litter. There were transparent curtains made of silk, allowing the woman to see outside without being affected by things like dust or mosquitoes.

    Sam descended, coming to a halt in front of the palanquin while floating in midair to remain on eye level with the woman. ¡°Hello,¡± Sam said. ¡°You¡¯re in a dream right now, and if you don¡¯t wake up soon, it¡¯s possible you¡¯ll be in a coma for the rest of your life.¡±

    The woman smiled at Sam, not questioning his existence. Perhaps it was because she was in a dream, or maybe, she was still under Nwaps¡¯ influence in Oterra¡ªthe blue avians moved quick, but it¡¯d still take them a hot minute to find and remove all of Nwaps¡¯ clones¡ªbut she wasn¡¯t taken aback by Sam¡¯s appearance nor did she question his claims. ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± she said. ¡°Then, I can live like this forever.¡± She picked up the biggest apple Sam had ever seen and took a bite out of it, crunching down while spraying non-sticky juices in a cone radiating outwards from her face.

    Was this how Nwaps intended on keeping people trapped in the subconscious expanse? By fulfilling all their desires, making them never want to leave, it wasn¡¯t impossible to keep someone detached from reality until they died. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anyone waiting for you in Oterra?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Your family?¡±

    The woman stared at Sam with a blank expression.

    ¡°A pet?¡± Sam asked.

    The woman shook her head.

    Sam raised an eyebrow. ¡°Plants?¡±

    ¡°How about bills and a dead-end job with a micromanaging boss?¡± The woman shook her head. ¡°I¡¯d much rather stay here and die in a coma.¡± The woman smirked upon seeing Sam fall silent. ¡°What? Did you come here to save me or something?¡±

    Sam scratched his head. Although Nwaps had transferred its host to the subconscious expanse and was planning on trapping her there forever unless Sam capitulated to the tapeworm¡¯s demands, he wondered if he¡¯d be doing the right thing to wake the woman from her pleasant dream. If Nwaps had chosen to subject the woman to torture, Sam would immediately know what to do, but if the woman wanted to stay because of the environment Nwaps had crafted for her, it was a bit of a trickier situation. Then again, Sam didn¡¯t really care too much about whether the woman lived or died; he had grown numb to death after living and dying trillions of times.

    ¡°Alright, suit yourself,¡± Sam said. He closed his eyes and was about to summon another door to leave, but a thought came to him. What if Nwaps messed with the woman¡¯s memory, and she actually did have people waiting for her in Oterra? It was better to be safe than sorry. Sam opened his eyes and gave the woman an apologetic look. ¡°Sorry about this.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry,¡± the woman said. ¡°You were just looking out for¡ª¡±

    The woman¡¯s head disappeared. It had been struck by Sam¡¯s telekinetic attack, one where he formed his aura into a lance and pierced everything in its path. Since it was just a dream, Sam didn¡¯t have to worry about her remembering him killing her; she¡¯d forget everything that had happened in a few hours¡ªunless, of course, she wrote the details down, but Sam doubted she was prepared for that. Of the lives he had lived, not many of them had the natural inclination to write down their dreams; they had to be influenced by him to begin the habit.

 Chapter 102

    ¡°Brutal,¡± Nwaps said, the tapeworm¡¯s voice echoing throughout Sam¡¯s surroundings. ¡°Then again, I suppose it¡¯s rather tame compared to what you did to me. You may have physically crushed my clones, but the true pain is felt in my heart. You betrayed me, Sam.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you feel that way,¡± Sam said, his tone unapologetic. He closed his eyes and spun around while willing himself where he needed to go next, engaging his subconscious. When he opened his eyes again, the scene had shifted, the palanquin with the headless body and four hunky men covered in gore gone from Sam¡¯s view. He was in a rainforest with mossy debris at his feet, thick trees surrounding him and obscuring his view.

    Sam spread out his All-Seeing Gaze, detecting someone in the far distance. The individual was holding something akin to a sniper rifle, and Sam ducked his head. A tree by the side exploded, splinters scattering in every direction. Sam wasn¡¯t surprised the tapeworm was resorting to violence to remove him from the subconscious expanse, but the quality of the tapeworm¡¯s troops were a little higher than he had expected. The moment his All-Seeing Gaze had touched the individual¡¯s aura, they had locked onto his location. A splinter by Sam¡¯s foot rose into the air, and with a simple thought, it pierced through the rainforest, striking Sam¡¯s assailant in the head.

    ¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot, Sam,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°Living a trillion lifetimes grants you some odd experiences. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve participated in life-or-death combat many times. How many times were you killed?¡±

    ¡°Too many to count,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯ve lived through the same war multiple times. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ve killed a few incarnations of myself a few times too. I¡¯ve lived in the past, in the present, and in the future; I¡¯m prepared for anything you throw at me.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Nwaps asked. ¡°You¡¯re only prepared for things you¡¯ve encountered on Oterra.¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as his psychic vision split open like a kaleidoscope, billions of different scenes filling Sam¡¯s head at once. In some of them, blood was spurting out of his neck; in others, there were bloody, gaping holes where his vital organs were supposed to be located. Pain struck Sam all at once, and he opened his mouth to projectile vomit while hunching down and clutching his arms to his chest. He canceled his All-Seeing Gaze and looked down at himself, but he didn¡¯t see any holes in his body as it felt like there were. He struggled to breath for a second before remembering he was in the subconscious expanse, the pain he had felt moments ago fading away as if it had never happened.

    ¡°It looks like that was painful even for you,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°How does it feel to die an infinite number of times at once?¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t feel good,¡± Sam said as he straightened his back. The vomit vanished as his surroundings cleaned themselves up. Sam reached out to the side and pulled a glass of soda out of thin air before taking a sip from the icy drink to cleanse his palate. ¡°But if that¡¯s the best you can do, just give up.¡± He flew forward at a rapid pace, moving where his body took him. As long as he believed, his subconscious would take him where he wanted to go even if his All-Seeing Gaze wasn¡¯t active.

    ¡°Back you go,¡± Nwaps said.

    Sam came to a halt, and his surroundings rushed forward as he moved backwards in time, returning back to his original position. The puke that he had cleaned up earlier returned, and it flew back inside his mouth as the kaleidoscopic vision appeared once more, sending shooting pains through Sam¡¯s very being.

    ¡°The subconscious expanse is my domain,¡± Nwaps said. ¡°You can¡¯t retrieve anyone from here without my permission.¡±

    Sam frowned. If he sent the Venusians into the subconscious expanse, there was a possibility of them being infected by Nwaps whilst they were attempting to free the hosts. Following that train of thought, Sam realized there were still Venusians under Nwaps¡¯ control that he had to take care of. It had been such a long time; he had forgotten about their existence. A sigh escaped from Sam¡¯s mouth, and he closed his eyes.

    ¡°Giving up?¡± Nwaps asked. ¡°Now, if you¡¯re¡ª¡±

    Sam exited the subconscious expanse, opening his eyes, the temple courtyard greeting his vision. Of course, he had to pull the twin-headed snake off of his face to see.

    ¡°Back so soon?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°Did you finish what you needed to do?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sam said and placed Vercedei and Werchbite to the side¡ªread dropped them on the ground¡ª¡°and I¡¯d like your help.¡± Even if he removed Nwaps from the Venusians, he still couldn¡¯t deal with Nwaps in the subconscious expanse, not when it was pulling its higher-dimensional trickery there. He needed the help of someone as capable of Nwaps to rid the subconscious expanse of the tapeworm.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to help you,¡± the Mother said, the aura around Paula¡¯s body brightening. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re not too prideful to accept someone else¡¯s help when you know you need it.¡±

    Sam shrugged. ¡°If other people are willing to make my life easier, what reason do I have to turn them down?¡± he asked and looked at the Mother. ¡°Do I have to do anything special for you to unlock my external chakra?¡±

    ¡°Not in particular,¡± the Mother said and landed on the ground in front of Sam. The blue avian¡¯s mouth opened, and a squelching sound rumbled out from deep within Paula¡¯s stomach. The blue avian¡¯s throat bulged, and a stone egg flew out of the blue avian¡¯s mouth, stopping a few inches above Sam¡¯s lap thanks to him catching it with his telekinesis. If he hadn¡¯t, perhaps, it would¡¯ve been difficult for him to have children in the future. Paula¡¯s body righted itself as the Mother beamed at Sam. ¡°Go on. Absorb it.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t something important to Paula, is it?¡± Sam asked and raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°No,¡± the Mother said. ¡°I created it, and the easiest way to transport it was through the method you witnessed just now. It¡¯s a small part of myself that I condensed just for you.¡±

    Sam grunted before reached forward, grabbing the egg-shaped rock with his right hand. A tingling sensation ran up his arm, through his shoulder, into his head, and out through his crown. The stone dissolved, and the world seemed to open up for Sam, sights he couldn¡¯t see before becoming visible before him. Lines filled his vision, and colorful specks danced about in the air in patterns he was sure existed but couldn¡¯t quite grasp. He ignored the new details and focused on Paula¡¯s body, which had collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

    ¡°I¡¯m over here,¡± the Mother¡¯s voice said, entering Sam¡¯s mind while giving him directional information. Sam leaned forward and turned his head to look down at his shoulder, the one opposite Raindu. There was a tiny octopus with blue stripes running down its tentacles, forming dozens of tiny rings. ¡°Like your other familiars, I have to stay close to you to get a clear view of what you¡¯re seeing. When you enter the subconscious expanse again, I¡¯ll follow you inside.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sam said and turned his attention on the lines and lights within his vision. They were present in his All-Seeing Gaze as well. ¡°Do you know what these lines are?¡±

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    ¡°Influences from other dimensions,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Examine a line. You¡¯ll see what I mean.¡±

    Rather than questioning the Mother further, Sam took her advice and focused on one of the lines in the air. It was like a ray of light, but it existed without a source, and it pierced through walls, ceilings, and floors alike. The more he examined it, the more detailed the line became. It had seemed fuzzy with a blurred edge, but upon closer observation, he realized there were trillions of tiny symbols overlapping with one another to form the line. Each symbol had a distinct shape, but after observing one and turning his attention away, he instantly forgot what the symbol looked like.

    Sam frowned, and he used his All-Seeing Gaze to continue observing the whole of the line even though it extended through a wall. It stretched on and on, reaching the horizon where it abruptly ended. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m supposed to be looking at,¡± Sam said. ¡°Can you give me a hint?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s another dimension,¡± the Mother said. ¡°It¡¯s intersecting with Oterra, but you can only view a small portion of it. Imagine an apple leaving a shadow on a surface. The line you¡¯re looking at is another dimension¡¯s shadow being casted on Oterra. You can¡¯t interact with it because it¡¯s only a shadow, but you can gather precious information from it; you can even follow it back to its source.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said. Perhaps he¡¯d look into the dimensional shadows more after he took care of Nwaps. He reached down and tapped Joe on the shoulder. ¡°Where¡¯s Big Fish? I need to get rid of the tapeworms inside the Venusians.¡±

    ¡°Over here,¡± Big Fish said and flew off of Sam¡¯s body, growing in size as it spoke. The whale floated in the air above Sam with its mouth pointed in his direction. ¡°You want to visit the city of gold?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Sam said. ¡°Open up.¡±

    Big Fish¡¯s mouth opened wide, and with a slight inhalation, Sam¡¯s body was pulled inside its gaping maw. At first, there was only darkness after the whale closed its lips behind Sam, but then, a golden light appeared, and the golden city appeared in Sam¡¯s view. It was empty. ¡°Come out, Nwaps,¡± Sam said. ¡°I know you¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really determined to¡­.¡± Nwaps¡¯ voice cut off. ¡°Did you really ally with the Mother? Why is she here? What happened to staying with the demons you know?¡±

    ¡°You left me no choice,¡± Sam said, speaking into the empty city. He spread out his All-Seeing Gaze, and he found the Venusians hiding deep within the city¡¯s foundations, hidden within pockets inside the gold.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who pushed me into a corner, and you say I was the one who crossed the line?¡± Nwaps asked.

    ¡°You can cross through here, Sam,¡± the Mother said inside Sam¡¯s head. The blue-ringed octopus floated off of Sam¡¯s shoulder, hovering in front of several specks of light. ¡°If you enter this region and follow it to the end, it¡¯ll take you where you need to go.¡±

    Sam decided to trust the Mother¡¯s words. Since he had already agreed to accept her help, it¡¯d be foolish of him to doubt her now. Sam floated up to the specks of light and waited for something to happen. His All-Seeing Gaze seemed to have discovered a tunnel, and he stretched his awareness into the region he hadn¡¯t seen before. Swirls of color filled Sam¡¯s vision, but he couldn¡¯t put a name to them since he had never encountered a color similar to the hues he was seeing. As he became more aware of the things within his psychic vision, his sense of self slowly started to fade away; he couldn¡¯t see, hear, feel, or smell anything. All that existed was the swirling colors, and when Sam felt like he was more color than person, his sense of self returned with cold air brushing against his skin.

    ¡°You got here faster than expected,¡± a feminine voice said. It belonged to a Venusian, who was staring at Sam with an emotionless expression. ¡°Is that the ability of the Mother? Teleportation?¡±

    Sam examined his surroundings with his All-Seeing Gaze since the lighting was extremely dim within the region. He was inside the golden foundation of the city, inside one of the pockets the Venusians were hiding in. Instead of responding to the Venusian¡¯s question, Sam focused on her with his telekinesis, holding her in place while removing the tapeworm. An annoyed expression appeared on Sam¡¯s face as the other Venusians migrated through the gold, heading out of the underground pockets to the surface of the city. The tapeworm couldn¡¯t defeat him, so it was doing everything it could to delay.

    ¡°It might seem troublesome, but it really isn¡¯t,¡± the Mother said from Sam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re still thinking from the perspective of someone locked within this dimension.¡±

    Considering all the lives he had lived were lives of three-dimensional beings, Sam didn¡¯t think he could be blamed for defaulting to his current train of thought. He wasn¡¯t even sure what the other option was other than engaging with the specks of light and lines of symbols.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly it,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Entering other dimensions and leaving them can easily allow you to move wherever you¡¯d like on Oterra. Traveling through dimensions will save you tremendous amounts of time and energy. You can think of it like jumping over the walls of a maze.¡±

    Sam understood how dimensional travel could work. If he left the third dimension and entered another one, he could ignore obstacles that would¡¯ve been in his way; however, understanding didn¡¯t mean he could execute the concept. ¡°How do I know where these light swirls will take me?¡±

    ¡°Examine them with your All-Seeing Gaze,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Send your awareness down their passages, and you¡¯ll see where they can take you.¡±

    Sam¡¯s brow furrowed as he examined the lines and lights within his All-Seeing Gaze. ¡°There¡¯s thousands of them.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°Can you only focus on one thing at a time? Explore them all. The routes are open for you to discover if you¡¯re willing to put in the work.¡±

    Sam scratched his head. He could use his All-Seeing Gaze to examine the whole capital city at once and even more beyond those limits if he focused on his Vasundhara as well, but he couldn¡¯t pay attention to every detail at once. However, it wasn¡¯t like he had to pay attention to each and every dimensional path available to him. He simply had to find where he wanted to go and match it with the correct passage. It was still easier said than done.

    ¡°I can assist you until you get used to it,¡± the Mother said and floated off of Sam¡¯s body, heading towards a speck of shining blue light. ¡°This one will take you to the surface of the city near the plaza.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the inside of Big Fish¡¯s mouth a different dimension?¡± Sam asked as he approached the light the Mother had pointed out. ¡°How can other dimensions intersect it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a different plane,¡± Vercedei said from Sam¡¯s leg. Since it had been banned from covering Sam¡¯s eyes and mouth, the twin-headed snake had opted to take Dirt¡¯s place instead since the koala was barred from riding on Sam¡¯s body at all. ¡°Obviously, you¡¯re still in the third dimension when inside of its mouth, but that doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t more dimensions inside of Big Fish.¡±

    Sam had a feeling he wasn¡¯t being told the whole story, but he didn¡¯t blame his familiars for only telling him what they wanted to. Rather than asking someone, he had to take the initiative to learn on his own if he really wanted to know the way things worked, and he was going to do just that. Sam focused on the speck of light, and it broadened, once again robbing him of his senses and replacing his psychic vision with foreign colors. If he was stepping through another dimension to travel around, didn¡¯t that mean the swirling colors were the things making up the dimension? When he took a shortcut in Oterra, he saw mostly untrodden ground, so were the colors he was seeing now the ground of a dimension?

    Sam didn¡¯t have time to think about it further before his senses returned to him. Like the Mother had said, he had ended up near the plaza, and it didn¡¯t take much effort to telekinetically grasp every Venusian he saw within the vicinity, ripping them out of the ground and removing their tapeworms. Since he wasn¡¯t in a hurry, he took his time with his All-Seeing Gaze, examining the locations of hidden Venusians and the best way to reach them using the dimensional specks, as he so aptly named the colorful lights. Then, he put his theory into practice and stepped in and out of the third dimension, traveling far distances in a matter of seconds while rounding up Nwaps¡¯ hosts.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing an excellent job, Sam,¡± the Mother said. ¡°I knew you¡¯d adapt to traversing dimensions quite easily.¡±

    ¡°What wicked thing are you planning for Sam?¡± Vercedei asked, slithering up Sam¡¯s body to get a better look at the octopus on his shoulder. The twin-headed snake had to crawl past Joe on the way, and the sloth let out plenty of complaints, but the snake was already gone before the sloth could finish saying them.

    ¡°No wicked things,¡± the Mother said, the octopus beaming as Sam successfully traveled through another dimensional speck. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to steal my things? In that case, why can¡¯t I steal Sam from you? Dimension crossers are quite the rare find.¡± Upon seeing Vercedei¡¯s ugly expression, the Mother let out a small laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t be an upset hypocrite now. If you want to steal, you should prepare to be stolen from as well.¡±

 Chapter 103

    Sam had a vague understanding of the term dimension crosser simply because it was an easy-to-understand phrase. He could travel through different dimensions via the specks; thus, he was a dimension crosser. However, he didn¡¯t understand why the Mother was so interested in him because of that. ¡°Why are dimension crossers rare?¡±

    ¡°Imagine a flying frog that can also dive to the very depths of the ocean,¡± Raindu said and spread its front paws outwards above its head. ¡°Imagine it can travel through outer space as well. Wouldn¡¯t you think that¡¯s an interesting frog? How often do you think you¡¯d see a frog like that? Even if you saw a million frogs, you might not even find one that can fly.¡±

    Sam furrowed his brow. ¡°So, most people can¡¯t traverse dimensions?¡±

    ¡°Most people can¡¯t stay sane after living for as many lifetimes as you have,¡± the Mother said and floated in the air in front of Sam¡¯s face, ignoring Vercedei¡¯s ugly aura. ¡°Someone has to have a clear sense of self and firm values to become a dimension crosser.¡±

    ¡°Because¡­?¡± Sam asked, dragging out the word. ¡°What if I didn¡¯t have a clear sense of self, and what if my values weren¡¯t firm? What would¡¯ve happened to me if I attempted to travel through one of these dimensional specks?¡±

    ¡°Some truly horrible and dreadful things,¡± the Mother said, ¡°but must we really discuss things that haven¡¯t happened? There¡¯s a chance of getting tapeworm larvae in your brain when you eat meat, but by taking the necessary precautions, you¡¯ve minimized that chance and continue to eat meat anyway. The dangers aren¡¯t something you mention to someone trying meat for the first time.¡±

    ¡°And making sure I could stay sane through trillions of lifetimes was the necessary precaution you took to ensure I could cross dimensions?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°And what were the precautions you took when you let me experience those myriad lives?¡±

    The Mother shrugged, two of its tentacles rising in the air and twisting to expose their undersides towards the ceiling. ¡°You were an enemy at the time,¡± she said. ¡°If you became deranged, it wouldn¡¯t have been my problem. It¡¯s not like you put armor on your opponents before stabbing them, so why would you expect the same courtesy from me when you tried to destroy my belongings?¡±

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s a fair point,¡± Sam said. To the Mother, Sam was a pest, and when she tried to get rid of him, she found out he could dance in the way she wanted to, so she turned him from a pest into a pet. At least, that¡¯s how Sam understood the situation, and he didn¡¯t feel like he was wrong. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve confirmed I¡¯m a dimension crosser, you¡¯re going to treat me nicer, right?¡±

    The Mother floated back onto Sam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Have I been mean to you?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been nothing but polite and kind. The only attack I¡¯ve struck you with was more of a test, and I¡¯ve even unlocked your final chakra.¡±

    ¡°Final?¡± Sam asked. Despite all the lives he had lived, none of the individuals had a clear understanding of innerworkings of the human body and the number of chakras there truly were. Some people theorized there were an infinite number of chakras, but the Mother¡¯s words had put those claims to rest.

    ¡°Yes,¡± the Mother said. ¡°All your chakras have been unlocked, allowing you to become a dimension crosser. You¡¯ve freed yourself from the limits of time and space, and now, you¡¯re almost a higher-dimensional being yourself. There¡¯s just one more step that needs to be taken.¡±

    Sam detected movement within his All-Seeing Gaze, and he focused on the dimensional specks to figure out the shortest way to reach the location he had identified. He floated towards the speck and concentrated, his sense of self being replaced by the colorful swirls. He tried to organize the swirls into patterns, but he couldn¡¯t make any sense of them. If they did represent objects or the appearance of the other dimensions, Sam didn¡¯t think he had the sensory organs to make sense of them. Perhaps the final step the Mother had mentioned earlier was key to understanding the colors. ¡°What¡¯s this final step?¡± Sam asked when he left the dimension he had entered, finding himself at the location he aimed for. With a thought, he telekinetically grasped a Venusian hiding within the gold beneath his feet. He pulled it out of the ground and removed its tapeworm while looking at the blue-ringed octopus on his shoulder.

    ¡°You have to give up your mortal coil,¡± the Mother said.

    ¡°I have to die?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°Not quite,¡± the Mother said. ¡°A caterpillar doesn¡¯t die when it metamorphosizes into a butterfly despite its mortal coil melting into a slurry and reforming.¡±

    ¡°So, I have to melt down into a slurry?¡± Sam asked. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll reform into something else?¡±

    ¡°An evaporating slurry,¡± the Mother said. ¡°There¡¯ll be no butterfly once you¡¯re done with the process. You¡¯ll be left as an unconscious essence which may activate in the future to become a higher-dimensional being.¡±

    Dissolve himself for the chance to become a higher-dimensional being, for some reason, that didn¡¯t sound like a very good deal to Sam. Perhaps it was because he had learned to become comfortable with his capabilities and limitations whilst living his lives as other people. Did he really have to take the chance to become a higher-dimensional being when all he could ever want could already be his?

    ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t experienced life as a higher-dimensional being yet,¡± the Mother said. ¡°You¡¯ve experienced everything you could, so why don¡¯t you try something new? Even if you fail to become a higher-dimensional being, it won¡¯t be a loss since you¡¯ve already accomplished everything you could ever want.¡±

    Sam ruminated on the Mother¡¯s words as he stepped through some more dimensional specks to catch the remaining Venusians. The Mother was right. He had lived trillions of lifetimes and had done everything there was to do¡ªas a three-dimensional lifeform. If he continued living as Sam, what would he do? He¡¯d simply be waiting to die¡ªthat¡¯s what he had done in a few of his lifetimes. ¡°How would I take this step?¡± Sam asked after several cycles of dimension crossing.

    ¡°It¡¯s risky,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Extremely risky. It¡¯s even more difficult to become a higher-dimensional being through this method than it is to unlock all your chakras. You¡¯re special, but you¡¯re not that special.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Big Fish said, its voice echoing inside Sam¡¯s head rather than coming from his surroundings as one would expect since he was inside of the whale¡¯s mouth. ¡°The Mother is trying to trick you into killing yourself.¡±

    ¡°After helping me so much?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°The cat might toy with the mouse, but it kills it in the end,¡± Big Fish said. ¡°She¡¯s playing with you. She¡¯s playing with us, thinking she has the absolute advantage. Once you¡¯re dead, what do you think will happen to us? We¡¯ll lose our beacon on Oterra, and the Mother will get rid of us in a snap.¡±

    Was he being tricked? Sam couldn¡¯t be sure. The Mother¡¯s technique was designed to fill the void in one¡¯s soul by allowing one to accomplish everything they had ever wanted and more. It let them experience the things they wished, and made them more accepting of death than one should be. Then, with some gentle persuasion, the Mother convinces her opponents to kill themselves. It wasn¡¯t violent or unpleasant way of killing someone, but the result was the same like the difference between a bear tearing apart a live salmon and a snake swallowing a mouse whole.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t use such a complicated method to kill you,¡± the Mother said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t believe her,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°She has to use those kinds of methods because we can protect you from all the other ways she can kill people.¡±

    Sam shook his head. Should he believe the snake with the moniker of deceiver, or should he believe the blue-ringed octopus who was his enemy not too long ago? Honestly, they both were unreliable, and as usual, the only person Sam could trust was himself. As such, Sam chose to ignore the Mother¡¯s words for now. He had business with Nwaps to finish first, and after that, he could decide on whether or not he wanted to dissolve himself for the chance to become a higher-dimensional being.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Sam to clean up the remaining Venusians infected by Nwaps, not with his newfound abilities of what was basically teleportation. The more he used it, the better he got at identifying the correct speck that¡¯d take him to where he wanted to go. Nwaps tried to communicate with Sam during the whole process, but Sam ignored the tapeworm, tuning out its words completely. When he was done, Sam bade farewell to the Venusians, who were understandably terrified after having their bodies taken over, and left the whale¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°You said you could help me deal with Nwaps in the subconscious expanse,¡± Sam said, making a statement towards the Mother. He stared at the blue-ringed octopus, waiting for its response.

    ¡°I did say that,¡± the Mother said. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to examine the dimensional lines, as you call them, more thoroughly. They hold the key to dealing with beings in different dimensions.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said when he realized the Mother wasn¡¯t going to tell him more. ¡°I¡¯ll try it out.¡± He flew up onto Manga¡¯s back and lay down on the wooly pig before closing his eyes and entering the subconscious expanse. He had been there not too long ago, but it looked much different than it had before. Dimensional lines and specks dotted Sam¡¯s view, but they were much more scattered about compared to the ones he had seen in Oterra and within the whale¡¯s mouth. Sam flew towards one of the dimensional lines and examined it with his All-Seeing Gaze, but it didn¡¯t seem very different compared to the ones in Oterra. The lines seemed to be blurred with their bodies composed of unrecognizable symbols, each one unique like a snowflake.

    Sam reached forward and touched the line, but his hand passed straight through, the line intersecting his palm. A burning sensation assaulted his hand, and he flinched while pulling his hand away. He frowned before extending his pinky finger, placing the tip within the line. Although pain was the body¡¯s way of telling someone they were doing something they shouldn¡¯t, did his body really know what was happening when he touched dimensional lines? The tip of Sam¡¯s pinky burned as if he had dunked it into a bucket of ice, and soon, the digit turned numb.

    Voices entered Sam¡¯s mind, those belonging to his familiars, and he withdrew his pinky. The voices disappeared. Sam raised an eyebrow. This wasn¡¯t what he had been expecting, but if the dimensional lines could somehow form a bridge between Oterra and the subconscious expanse, then he could call his familiars to help him fight against Nwaps. Since they were higher-dimensional beings, they¡¯d fare better against the tapeworm¡¯s extradimensional shenanigans. Sam stuck his pinky into the dimensional line once more, and his head was filled with voices again.

    ¡°Sam, don¡¯t drop the connection this time,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°We almost got lost.¡±

    ¡°You almost got lost,¡± Raindu said. ¡°It¡¯s your fault for being so impatient. Are you ready, Sam?¡±

    ¡°Ready for what?¡± Sam asked in his mind. He could sense his thoughts traveling through his pinky into the dimensional line. With his All-Seeing Gaze, he tracked it as far as he could but was soon blocked by a swirl of foreign colors.

    ¡°Ready to keep the passage open for us to come through,¡± Raindu said.

    ¡°I suppose?¡± Sam said, his statement more of a question. A twin-headed snake appeared on his hand and immediately slithered up his arm. Sam kept his arm still to allow the other familiars to get through, but he stopped the snake from going any further than his shoulder with his telekinesis, much to the snake¡¯s annoyance. The black ferret came out next, walking all over the immobilized snake before takings a stand on Sam¡¯s shoulder. Raindu stuck out its tongue at the twin-headed snake from its vantage point before curling up and getting comfortable.

    The blue-ringed octopus appeared next, followed by Joe the sloth. Manga had to wait a very long time to access the dimensional bridge thanks to the sloth¡¯s stunning alacrity; in fact, it took so long Sam¡¯s arm got tired, and he removed his hand from the dimensional line before the wooly pig and the rest of his familiars could get through. ¡°Is this why dimension crossers are useful to you?¡± Sam asked, his question directed at all his familiars. ¡°I can bring you to wherever I am?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the Mother said and pointed at the twin-headed snake, ¡°at least, for them. They can use you to travel from plane to plane; although it may seem close to you because you can enter and exit the subconscious expanse at will, Oterra and here¡±¡ªthe octopus gestured broadly around herself¡ª¡°are a great distance apart for beings like myself.¡± The octopus thumped its forehead with its tentacle as if she were a person thumping her chest. ¡°However, unlike your familiars, I don¡¯t want your assistance; I want to help you grow into a higher-dimensional being.¡±

    ¡°So she says,¡± Vercedei said as it drew a line with its tail across its two-necks in one swift motion. ¡°You¡¯ve lived a very long time. You know there¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. She¡¯s helping you for nothing?¡± The twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head snorted. ¡°Be so for real.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she wants his help after he becomes a higher-dimensional being,¡± Raindu said. ¡°Allies are nice.¡±

    ¡°She said she didn¡¯t want his assistance,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Unless she lied.¡±

    ¡°How about it¡¯s because I want to do nice things because it¡¯s good to do them?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°If I see someone struggling, I help them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Vercedei said, its voice dripping with doubt, ¡°Nwaps seems to be struggling right now, and you¡¯re going to help Sam finish him off. That doesn¡¯t seem very nice to me.¡±

    ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, parasites are lower down in my list of priorities,¡± the Mother said. ¡°If they¡¯re causing someone trouble, I¡¯m helping the parasite¡¯s victim, and it¡¯ll count as a nice thing in my book. Those who take things from others instead of working for their own, I detest that kind of behavior.¡±

    ¡°You hear that, Raindu?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°The Mother hates what you do, and no matter how much you try to paint her as a nice person who¡¯s not actively trying to murder our host, she¡¯ll still see you as a pest.¡±

    ¡°Some pests are given exceptions because they¡¯re cuter than others,¡± Raindu said. ¡°Not that you would know anything about that.¡±

    The twin-headed snake¡¯s tail rose up and vibrated, creating a sound akin to hundreds of men screaming in agony, wailing as they clutched their heads with their fingers digging into the flesh on their face. A tiny telekinetic fist struck the twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head, halting the grotesque sound. Vercedei glared at Sam. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who rattled,¡± the twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head said. ¡°You hit the wrong person.¡±

    ¡°I trust you¡¯ll get back at Werchbite for me then,¡± Sam said, ¡°for them making me hit you. If you can¡¯t, blame it on your own weakness.¡±

    ¡°This is bullying,¡± Vercedei said and turned to look at the Mother. ¡°Don¡¯t you think someone as cruel as Sam would end up being a terrible person like us if he successfully turned into a higher-dimensional being? You¡¯d be bringing a blight into existence.¡±

    ¡°One being¡¯s calamity, another¡¯s great fortune,¡± the Mother said. ¡°I treasure Sam deeply. His potential is tremendous, and I won¡¯t allow it to be snuffed by the lot of you smothering him.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s saying he¡¯s not ripe enough,¡± Joe said, but the sloth¡¯s words were drowned out by the Raindu, Vercedei, and the Mother¡¯s bickering. The sloth fell silent, and it¡¯s mood was about to drop, but a scratch behind its ears lifted its spirits.

    ¡°Nwaps is here,¡± Sam said, interrupting his familiars. ¡°Get ready.¡±

    ¡°So, you brought back up,¡± Nwaps¡¯ voice said, echoing from all throughout the subconscious expanse. ¡°While you were gone, I¡¯ve been busy.¡±

    Sam expanded his All-Seeing Gaze and frowned. The subconscious expanse didn¡¯t just encompass humans and Venusians. All kinds of entity existed within, and Nwaps could clone itself through someone¡¯s dreams. While Sam was ridding the Venusians of Nwaps, the tapeworm was busy infecting the reptilians and mantids. ¡°Do you have a solution?¡± Sam asked the Mother, turning his head to look at the blue-ringed octopus floating in the air beside his head.

    ¡°Watch,¡± the mother said. The surroundings warped, and everything was submerged. If Sam still needed to breath, he would¡¯ve inhaled a lung full of water and possibly have drowned. However, since his heart and lungs had been replaced by one of Werchbite¡¯s crystalline creations, Sam could appreciate the sight of the subconscious expanse turning into an ocean of crystal-clear water. Sam glanced at his familiars. Despite the water encompassing them, they were doing fine, clearly not worried about drowning nor getting their fur wet. The blue-ringed octopus swam in front of Sam¡¯s face and asked, ¡°How did I do?¡±

    Sam spread out his All-Seeing Gaze and saw Nwaps¡¯ hosts drowning in every direction. The water seemed to be alive, and it wriggled into their bodies to flush the golden tapeworms out of their systems. Was this what the Mother meant when she could wipe the board clean? If the whole surface of Oterra suddenly turned into the seabed of a massive, planet-encompassing ocean, how many creatures could survive? Not many.

 Chapter 104

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of water,¡± Raindu said, the ferret¡¯s voice echoing within Sam¡¯s mind. ¡°It¡¯s no wonder why the Mother can create and nurture so many planes.¡±

    ¡°Water is the source of life,¡± the Mother said.

    ¡°And death,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Look around yourself, Sam. How many people did she drown?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only the subconscious expanse,¡± Sam said. He still listened to Vercedei¡¯s words, spreading his All-Seeing Gaze as far as possible. Everywhere he looked, there were no survivors. ¡°You¡¯d think some of them would be able to breath underwater in their dreams.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not eliminating them only via drowning,¡± the Mother said. ¡°There are many living beings out there who¡¯re unaffected by water filling their lungs, so I add something special to my water while creating it.¡±

    ¡°Poison?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Sharp shards to shred internal organs?¡± Joe asked.

    The Mother denied Vercedei¡¯s and Joe¡¯s answers before the sloth could even finish speaking. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°The water comes with a sweet experience. They¡¯ll fall under an illusion where they¡¯ll accomplish their hopes and dreams.¡±

    ¡°So, they can drown in reality, blissfully unaware of their impending doom,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°The morally correct way to relieve a living being of its life,¡± the Mother said, agreeing with Vercedei¡¯s words. ¡°No pain, no suffering, only a sweet dream delivering happiness in their final moments.¡±

    ¡°Still think she¡¯s kind and merciful?¡± Vercedei asked, looking at Sam. ¡°She¡¯ll kill you with a smile and believe she¡¯s acting in your best interest whilst doing so.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a bad way to go,¡± Sam said and shrugged. In the trillions of lives he had experienced, it was safe to say a very small minority of them had ended peacefully in his sleep. It was Oterra, after all, and danger lurked around every corner when one was something insignificant like an untalented human. It was even more dangerous when one was a newly born bird pushed out of the nest by their mother for whatever reason; it was one of the shortest lives Sam had lived, ended by the jaws of some unknown creature. Sam was sure he could¡¯ve identified it if he had a good look at it before it had eaten him.

    ¡°Are we done here?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°I don¡¯t sense the tapeworm anywhere within my waters, and my waters are encompassing the whole dimension.¡±

    ¡°I think we are done,¡± Sam said. He couldn¡¯t detect any signs of life from the tapeworm. ¡°But it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry. We¡¯ll search through everything to make sure Nwaps is really gone. If even a single one of the tapeworm¡¯s clones survive, it¡¯ll be a nuisance and spread again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± the Mother said. Millions of vortexes formed within the boundless ocean the Mother had created. The water within Sam¡¯s surroundings disappeared in an instant as the vortexes spun, drawing the liquid into themselves as they formed and condensed into a myriad of forms: birds, reptiles, mammals, fish, and other forms of living beings Sam had never seen before in all his lifetimes. They had crystal-clear bodies, and if it weren¡¯t for the shimmering caused by the light passing through them, it would¡¯ve been difficult to discern their shapes.

    ¡°Puppets?¡± Vercedei asked.

    ¡°Not puppets,¡± the Mother said. ¡°My creations are capable of thinking on their own.¡±

    ¡°So, fancy puppets,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°with crude brains.¡±

    ¡°Mock as you will,¡± the Mother said and twirled its body, the blue rings around its tentacles moving in a mesmerizing pattern, ¡°because that¡¯s all you can do. What are you doing while I¡¯m taking care of Sam¡¯s troubles?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not nice to rain on people¡¯s parades when they¡¯re trying to help you,¡± Sam said, looking at the twin-headed snake. ¡°And you wonder why I¡¯m more inclined to trusting the Mother than you.¡±

    ¡°Just because you don¡¯t like my personality doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a worse individual than the Mother,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°A wicked person can have a good personality.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a wicked person with a terrible personality,¡± the Mother said as her creations went about checking the subconscious expanse for signs of Nwaps¡¯ survival. Sam closed his eyes and let his subconscious take him to where he needed to go, observing his surroundings with his All-Seeing Gaze along the way. It really did seem like a single move from the Mother had defeated Nwaps entirely.

    ¡°This feels too easy,¡± Sam said after a thorough inspection of the subconscious expanse. It was massive, and it would¡¯ve been nearly impossible to scour every corner of the region, but it was the subconscious expanse, one where logic didn¡¯t play too important of a part. If Sam willed it, he could explore the whole region in one afternoon, which he did. ¡°Nwaps barely put up a struggle. When I was alone, they used all kinds of higher-dimensional tricks like reversing time or making me experience an infinite number of realities at once.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they saw how hopeless it was and gave up,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s like a game of cards. If your opponent has a hand you can¡¯t beat, it¡¯s easier to sweep up your cards and call it a game before starting over. Nwaps is probably thinking you can¡¯t live forever, so it¡¯ll come back some time in the future to do what it wants.¡±

    ¡°It gave up, and now it¡¯s biding its time, huh?¡± Sam asked. He could see the tapeworm taking such an action. Well, as long as he regularly checked the people around him for signs of a Nwaps infection, then there was nothing the tapeworm could do even if it wanted revenge. ¡°Nwaps,¡± Sam said, broadcasting his voice into the subconscious expanse. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve decided on a winner, me, shall we have a civilized discussion?¡±

    Sam waited, but there was no response. Either the tapeworm had been purged from the subconscious expanse, or it was ignoring Sam¡¯s thinly veiled provocation and playing the long game. Either way, Sam had done everything he could to rid himself and Oterra of the tapeworm, and further efforts would be in vain. ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Sam said. ¡°If I leave, do all of you come with me, or do I have to summon you again via one of those dimensional lines?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to bring us back over,¡± Raindu said. The ferret snuck a glance in the twin-headed snake¡¯s direction. ¡°Alternatively, you can choose to leave those two behind.¡±

    ¡°Hilarious,¡± Vercedei said, its voice as dry as a desert. ¡°You¡¯re so funny.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯ll happen if I left you here?¡± Sam asked, turning his head to look down at Vercedei.

    ¡°We¡¯ll find our own way out and eventually make our way back to you,¡± Vercedei said, ¡°but who knows what we¡¯ll say and do while we¡¯re looking for you? Sometimes, spreading rumors can hurt someone more than physical pain, and if you¡¯re not with us, some unsavory tidbits may leak out of my lips.¡± The twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head feigned a pained expression. ¡°We all know I¡¯m an uncontrollable chatterbox who doesn¡¯t know how to keep their mouth shut.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s like that old saying: keep your friends close but your enemies even closer.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re already putting it into practice by accepting the Mother as one of your familiars,¡± Joe said, but the sloth didn¡¯t get to finish its sentence before Sam¡¯s body winked out of existence, leaving the familiars staring at each other while stranded in the subconscious expanse. They fell silent, not communicating with one another or acknowledging each other¡¯s existences whilst staying still like patients within a doctor¡¯s waiting room. Then, a ripple appeared in the space beside them, and all the familiars rushed towards it¡ªsave for Joe, who moved at a toddler¡¯s crawling pace.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Back in the courtyard, Sam frowned as the numbness caused by sticking his pinky into the dimensional line spread from the tip of his finger down to the second joint. His familiars rushed out, the octopus barely having appeared before being bowled over by Raindu and the twin-headed snake, the two animals acting as if they had been squeezed out of a tube at the same time. Sam waited a little longer, and Joe¡¯s front claws appeared. Instead of waiting more, Sam grabbed onto the sloth¡¯s claws with his telekinesis and pulled. The rest of Joe appeared out of thin air, and two seconds later, the sloth let out a gasp of surprise and wrapped its legs around Sam¡¯s torso where it had been relocated.

    Sam spread out his All-Seeing Gaze. Since the tapeworm had been eliminated from the subconscious expanse, and the hosts it had been keeping hostage within the lower dimension were killed by the Mother¡¯s flood, they should¡¯ve been waking up. Sam concentrated on his Vasundhara as well, sending vibrations through his feet into the ground, expanding the range of his detection abilities. As he expected, the people within the city were ¡­ sitting around in a daze; well, some of them were, others were making their way through the city towards the temples. Had the tapeworm done something irreversible to the humans¡¯ minds before Sam had the chance to get rid of Nwaps?

    Sam flew into the air and landed on the ground beside someone who was sitting with their back against a fence, their legs spread and their eyes blank as they stared up at the sky. The man blinked, and his eyes shifted to look at Sam before shifting back to look at the sky. Sam cleared his throat. ¡°Hello.¡±

    The man sniffed and wiped at his nose with his finger before answering Sam. ¡°Hey,¡± the man said. ¡°No soliciting, thanks.¡± The man turned his head away again and stared up at the sky once more. Sam frowned and followed the man¡¯s gaze with his eyes. The skies were blue and empty with only a singled cloud on the horizon.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Sam asked.

    ¡°The sky,¡± the man said.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Waiting to see if it¡¯ll fall again,¡± the man said. He glanced at Sam. ¡°If you stay here, you might get crushed too.¡±

    Sam raised an eyebrow. ¡°You plan on getting crushed if the sky falls?¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± the man asked. ¡°It¡¯s painless, and everything ends in an instant. It¡¯s better than running around and getting crushed afterwards. I haven¡¯t managed to escape alive yet.¡±

    Sam nodded, having understood the situation. Not too long ago, blue avians were bombarding the capital, and Birdbrained had to reverse time to undo the death and destruction¡ªmultiple times. If the humans there retained all their memories of the event, then it was no wonder why they were a bit traumatized. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Sam said. ¡°The sky won¡¯t be falling anymore.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± the man asked. ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    Sam flew up into the sky and headed back to the temple¡¯s courtyard. It wasn¡¯t his responsibility to educate everyone else. People were adaptable, and they were capable of figuring things out on their own. In a few weeks, people wouldn¡¯t even remember the time they were killed repeatedly while trying to escape the capital nor would they remember drowning inside their dreams on the same day. Sam landed on the ground where the rest of his familiars were waiting, and not long after, hundreds of blue avians swarmed the courtyard.

    ¡°Is the Mother still here?¡± one of the blue avians asked.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s the octopus,¡± another blue avian said.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way she¡¯s the octopus,¡± the first blue avian said. ¡°We were created in her image, and we look like this, so why would she be the octopus?¡±

    ¡°Well, we saw her transform into the octopus, so¡­.¡±

    ¡°No, we saw Paula puke something out and collapse, and then, an octopus appeared. Coincidence.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the Mother,¡± the Mother said, the octopus flying up into the air.

    ¡°I told you so,¡± the blue avian who had made the correct claim said. ¡°You never listen to me.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you weren¡¯t wrong so often, maybe I wouldn¡¯t have doubted you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bicker in the presence of the Mother,¡± another blue avian said, telekinetically nudging its two arguing companions.

    ¡°I can see how they¡¯re created in your image,¡± Vercedei said to the octopus, which was surprisingly close to the twin-headed snake since it was on Sam¡¯s shoulder while the snake was wrapped around his bicep. ¡°Their personalities take after yours.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the Mother said. ¡°There are many dimensions to my personality, and each one of the blue avians have a little part of me within them; however, the weights of each of my traits are different enough to give each one a unique personality.¡±

    ¡°Vercedei was calling you scatterbrained,¡± Raindu said.

    ¡°I know,¡± the Mother said, ¡°but the best way to deal with bullies is to constantly misinterpret their words. If they¡¯re forced to explain the wit behind their witty comment, it saps the wind right out of their sails, and they¡¯ll feel discouraged from making a snooty remark the next time.¡±

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t really work if I know you¡¯re listening,¡± Vercedei said.

    ¡°So, Sam,¡± the Mother said, completely ignoring the twin-headed snake, ¡°have you decided on which familiar of yours you¡¯d like to teach a lesson to next? I¡¯m willing to help you deal with any of them, and it¡¯ll be as easy to get rid of them as we did Nwaps.¡±

    Sam¡¯s familiars all turned their attentions onto him. Vercedei let out a snort. ¡°We¡¯re all well behaved,¡± the snake¡¯s blue head said to the Mother, ¡°Sam has no reason to get rid of any of us. Isn¡¯t that right, Sam?¡±

    ¡°For now,¡± Sam said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the future will bring, but the Mother is going to accompany us from now on.¡± He observed the blue-ringed octopus through his All-Seeing Gaze. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken.¡±

    ¡°You are correct,¡± the Mother said. ¡°That means the lot of you better be on your best behavior, or Sam will have me handle you like how I handled Nwaps.¡±

    Sam didn¡¯t think he would, considering the Mother¡¯s way of dealing with problems was to flood the world and start over again. ¡°Other than flooding, what else can you do?¡± Sam asked the blue-ringed octopus.

    ¡°Is it alright to address the Mother so casually?¡± a blue avian asked their neighboring companion.

    ¡°The Mother doesn¡¯t seem to mind,¡± the other blue avian said. ¡°I do wonder what the deal between the two of them is though. Doesn¡¯t it look like they¡¯re equals?¡±

    ¡°Someone equal with the Mother? Impossible.¡±

    ¡°But look. It¡¯s happening, and we all know impossible really just means highly improbable.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± the first blue avian said. ¡°So, if Sam is on the same level as the Mother, do we have to call him the Father?¡±

    ¡°Ew, no. Why would you even say something like that?¡±

    ¡°We all were thinking it; I just said it out loud!¡±

    The Mother and Sam ignored the chattering of the blue avians. ¡°I can do things like this,¡± the Mother said and waved a tentacle. Water gushed out of the air beside Sam, but instead of hitting the ground, the liquid remained suspended in the air, taking the shape of a large sphere. ¡°You can manipulate this water as you wish with your telekinesis.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a faucet,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°How amazing.¡±

    ¡°Because a faucet produces water?¡± the Mother asked in mock surprise. ¡°Wow! How very astute of you, Vercedeipoo.¡±

    Vercedei¡¯s tongue froze mid-flick. ¡°What did you just call me?¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear you over the sound of the running water.¡± The sphere continued to grow in size, the top of it easily visible from outside the courtyard. A voice screamed from outside the temple.

    ¡°Water! There¡¯s going to be a huge flood! I dreamed about this!¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± another voice said. ¡°Now that you mention it, I dreamed about a flood too!¡±

    ¡°Damnit! First, we were bombarded by meteors, and now, we¡¯re going to be killed by a flood? I can¡¯t swim!¡±

    ¡°Actually, even if you knew how to swim, if a flood like the one we experienced in our dreams happened in reality, it wouldn¡¯t matter how good of a swimmer you are. Everything would be washed away, and who knows what kind of debris would hit you?¡±

    Sam listened to the panicked conversations outside the temple, eavesdropping with his All-Seeing Gaze and Vasundhara. He looked at the Mother. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, ¡°put it away.¡± The sphere of water collapsed as if a drain had been placed at its base, and it swirled away, flushing out of existence with a loud gurgle that Sam thought was highly unnecessary.

    ¡°It¡¯s starting!¡± someone shouted. ¡°The water is draining into the courtyard. Soon, it will overflow, and it¡¯ll be the end of us all!¡±

    A blue ripple spread across the sky, causing the noise outside to cease in an instant. Sam glanced at the Mother, who had used a bit of her power to attract the humans¡¯ attentions. Although Nwaps could¡¯ve achieved the same effect, Sam was pleased with the switch. The octopus didn¡¯t squirm around inside him nor did it possess the people around him, making him unable to know if they were speaking as themselves or not. In the end, the tapeworm¡¯s greatest power was also it¡¯s undoing. If it could manipulate others, why wouldn¡¯t it manipulate Sam?

    A voice commanding attention echoed through the capital from the skies. It said, ¡°The blue avians were the ones who bombarded your city, but we shall do so no longer. Be at ease, and fear no flood; an agreement has been made. I, the one who watches Oterra, promise you this: the humans who relentlessly toil to control their emotions and regulate their own bodies, those who unlock their chakras and connect with the greater divine above, they shall be welcomed into the blue avian colony with open arms and taught their ways whilst achieving eternal life.¡±

    ¡°Propaganda much?¡± Vercedei asked, having the courtesy to wait until after the Mother was finished making her speech.

    ¡°I have to,¡± the Mother said. ¡°The lot of you already had a head start on me, and since Sam plans on keeping you around¡ªat least, until I become more useful than you¡ªthen I have to beat you at your own game.¡±

 Chapter 105

    Sam sat atop Manga¡¯s back with his legs crossed. The wooly pig was standing in the air over the human capital; from the ground, it simply looked like a yellow dot in the sky¡ªany qualified unidentified-aerial-phenomenon enthusiast would¡¯ve dismissed it as a balloon. From above, the city looked similar to an eye with the golden plaza containing the temples acting as an iris. He wasn¡¯t sure if his familiars had deliberately modified the capital in that manner or if it was simply a coincidence considering the plaza was a massive circle.

    ¡°What are you thinking about, Sam?¡± the Mother asked.

    Sam raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re not tuning into my thoughts?¡± he asked. His familiars had never really given him mental privacy before, so it was a bit strange to be asked such a polite question. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you do.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± the Mother asked before raising one of her tentacles. She placed it against Sam¡¯s temple, and a second later, a twinge of electricity was exchanged between the two of them. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s quite crowded in here, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s like there¡¯s a whole forum in your mind.¡±

    ¡°The Mother is here?¡± Vercedei asked, its voice echoing within the minds of Sam and his familiars.

    ¡°I¡¯m not here for you, Vercedeipoo,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Which way to Sam¡¯s thoughts?¡± There was a tingling sensation in Sam¡¯s mind. ¡°Oh, I found them.¡± Not long after, the octopus removed its tentacle from Sam¡¯s head. The Mother smiled, the octopus¡¯ beak contorting. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be tempted by my suggestion. There¡¯s nothing left for you to see and experience in this dimension.¡±

    What the Mother was saying was true. Sam really didn¡¯t have much¡ªif anything¡ªnew to experience after the Mother had blessed¡ªsome would say cursed¡ªhim with the gift of living trillions of lives. He had even lived multiple times as trees, corals, and sponges. He had spent some lives toiling, some lives relaxing, some lives exploiting others, and some lives being exploited by others. In some of his lifetimes, he had been powerful enough to command the masses, and in other lives, he lived even more pitifully than when he was a talentless named Sam. The passage of time had long since eroded his discontent with his lot in life, and now, he was feeling at peace ¡­ and bored, so very bored; however, there wasn¡¯t anything he wanted to do.

    ¡°Your technique gave Sam depression,¡± Vercedei said, shooting the Mother an accusatory glare. ¡°He used to want to do so many things like destroying the world with us: now, he doesn¡¯t even salivate at the thought of eating five-star food; he doesn¡¯t get angry at injustices; and he doesn¡¯t get happy when things go his way. You broke him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not quite right,¡± the Mother said. ¡°He¡¯s not depressed. Sam is simply older now, and we all know wisdom comes with age.¡±

    ¡°Rather than thinking about what you want to do,¡± Raindu said, placing a paw on Sam¡¯s cheek, ¡°why don¡¯t you make a list of the things you don¡¯t want to do?¡±

    ¡°Would that help?¡± Sam asked, raising an eyebrow. He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think it will. I don¡¯t want to do anything that goes against my principles.¡±

    ¡°So, you want to walk naked through a burning hot desert?¡± Raindu asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done it before,¡± Sam said. Technically, it was the truth. He had lived life as a lizard more than once, and most animals didn¡¯t wear clothes; they were naked all the time. Sam glanced at the black ferret on his shoulder. ¡°Do you want me to make you some pants?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Sam shrugged. Perhaps higher-dimensional beings didn¡¯t care about modesty. It did seem to be more of a human concept. Reptilians, mantids, and just about every other species didn¡¯t mind nudity. Sam observed the city below with his All-Seeing Gaze, watching the people bustle about. With the Mother¡¯s declaration, a large number of people chose to worship her, leaving gifts and burning bamboo stalks as offerings. He wasn¡¯t sure why bamboo had been chosen as a holy item capable of communicating with the divine, but he suspected it had something to do with how quickly bamboo grew; it wouldn¡¯t disrupt anything if everyone was burning bamboo every day. If the gods, read Sam¡¯s familiars, demanded meat or drink instead, there might¡¯ve been environmental consequences.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with the pantheon?¡± someone waiting on line to enter the Mother¡¯s church asked his friend standing next to him. ¡°Do you think it changes often?¡±

    ¡°How would I know?¡± the friend asked in return. ¡°All I know is we shouldn¡¯t put our eggs in one basket. Last time, I only worshipped Nwaps, and the Mother replaced them in the lineup. Now, I don¡¯t have a good reputation with any of the gods. This time around, I¡¯m going to worship all of them, so even if one of them ignores my prayer, maybe, the others will listen.¡±

    ¡°What if they think you¡¯re fickle? They might be disgusted by your behavior if they think you¡¯re just going around begging for things from anyone,¡± the first person asked. ¡°They probably talk to each other and gossip about their devotees; otherwise, being a god would be too lonely.¡±

    Sam stopped eavesdropping on the conversation, processing the rest of it since it couldn¡¯t escape his senses but choosing to ignore it as if he were meditating and the various conversations people were having were his stray and distracting thoughts. Sam deactivated his All-Seeing Gaze and stared up at the sky. What should¡¯ve been a clear and blue sky was, instead, filled with dimensional specks and lines, cluttering Sam¡¯s view. The dimensional specks and lines were everywhere but were more concentrated in specific regions.

    ¡°Some regions are naturally more connected than others,¡± the Mother said, not feeling one bit guilty about joining the public forum known as Sam¡¯s personal thoughts. ¡°Of course, if things of interest congregate in large numbers within an area, dimensional specks and lines are bound to be formed there like roads to a crowded city.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sam said, staring up at the specks. He sent his All-Seeing Gaze through one of them, focusing on absorbing as much details as he could while his awareness traveled into another dimension before winding up in another region of Oterra, a sandy one with nothing much in view. It looked like he had found a shortcut to the vast desert about Et Serpentium, but Sam wasn¡¯t interested in that. He retracted his awareness, reentering the speck where the swirl of foreign colors filled his sense of self.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have the right organs to interpret a higher dimension,¡± the Mother said. ¡°It¡¯s a surprise in itself you¡¯re capable of even experiencing the flow of time while traveling through one of the specks.¡± The blue-ringed octopus glanced down at Sam¡¯s chest. ¡°It must be because of your heart, well, the rock you¡¯ve replaced your heart and lungs with.¡±

    Sam barely registered the Mother¡¯s words, the swirling colors overpowering his sense of self. His awareness returned to the skies above the courtyard, and Sam shuddered as his senses returned to him. A cold gust of wind blew past his body, causing goosebumps to rise on his flesh. Sam glanced at the octopus perched on his shoulder before looking past it at the twin-headed snake wrapped around his arm. ¡°Werchbite,¡± Sam said in his mind, conveying his thoughts to the snake¡¯s purple head.

    ¡°Yes, Sam?¡±

    ¡°Can you create a device for me to explore higher dimensions?¡± Sam asked.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Werchbite said, ¡°but I¡¯ll have to replace your brain.¡±

    Sam brought his hand up and stroked his chin, a habit he had picked up while living as someone with a very long beard. If his brain were to be replaced, would he still be himself? His heart and lungs were one thing, but his brain was another.

    ¡°If someone creates a brain for you, it¡¯ll be very easy for them to manipulate your thoughts and choices,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Imagine Vercedeipoo is unhappy about being forced down to your arm from its spot on your face. It could convince Werchypoo into making your new brain more tolerant of its annoying antics. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult for them to do something like that, and you wouldn¡¯t even realize anything is wrong because your new brain would think it¡¯s perfectly normal.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°She just doesn¡¯t want you to explore the higher dimensions.¡± The twin-headed snake¡¯s blue head flicked its tongue in Sam¡¯s direction when he made eye contact with it. ¡°Think about it. The Mother wishes for you to sublimate, give up your current body and die to become a higher-dimensional being, but if you could experience what a higher-dimensional being can, why would you take the risk of killing yourself? You have to remember the Mother isn¡¯t an ally, and she¡¯s going to actively try to get rid of you.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Sam said, taking the snake¡¯s words into consideration. Although Vercedei was called a deceiver by some, that didn¡¯t mean the snake was always lying. Sam knew his position. His familiars stuck with him because they wanted something from him; there was no altruism in their actions, and it wouldn¡¯t surprise Sam if the Mother really was trying to kill him. It wouldn¡¯t surprise him if Werchbite and Vercedei wanted to turn him into a mindless puppet they could control either. The only person he could rely on was himself; luckily, he had to do just that in many of his lifetimes. Sam smiled at the twin-headed snake. ¡°Make me the device, but don¡¯t replace my brain just yet.¡±

    ¡°Even if you see it, you won¡¯t be able to understand it,¡± the Mother said.

    Sam shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s better to have the option than not,¡± he said. Truth be told, Sam was curious about the higher dimensions because there was nothing left in this one that interested him. A person could only do something so many times before it became boring, and it wasn¡¯t unreasonable for people to risk their lives in the name of entertainment. People chased storms, climbed sheer cliffs, and swam down to deep depths, so Sam didn¡¯t think he was doing something stupid by preparing to explore a higher dimension via risky methods.

    ¡°Why not use our followers?¡± Birdbrained asked. Instead of being perched atop Sam¡¯s head, the eagle was resting on Manga¡¯s rump, creating a clear dimple in the wooly pig¡¯s fur. ¡°Instead of taking the risk yourself, have Werchbite install these brains in someone else, and have them explore the higher dimensions for you.¡±

    The colorless eagle¡¯s suggestion wasn¡¯t a bad one; although, it did lean more towards the side of evil.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be evil,¡± Dirt said. The metallic koala was floating an inch above the wooly pig¡¯s back, not having Manga¡¯s permission to ride the pig. ¡°Get volunteers who¡¯re old or terminally ill. Compensate them with money that can take care of their families and those they¡¯d be leaving behind, and they¡¯d willingly help you out even if there are many inherent dangers when exploring the higher dimension. You¡¯d figure out what¡¯s beyond this dimension, and they¡¯d die happy, knowing they were able to give their loved ones everything they could¡¯ve asked for before they died.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Sam said and looked at Werchbite. ¡°How many of those devices can you create? Can you also add a recording function, so we can witness what they¡¯ve seen?¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± Werchbite said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to, won¡¯t I? If I don¡¯t, you¡¯ll fall for the Mother¡¯s tricks sooner or later thanks to your curiosity.¡±

    ¡°Help me to help yourself,¡± Sam said. ¡°Aren¡¯t beneficial relationships great?¡± He reached over and scratched Raindu¡¯s head while maintaining eye contact with the snake¡¯s purple head. ¡°What materials do you need? I¡¯m pretty sure Raindu has them all inside their fur coat.¡±

    ¡°The materials exist outside of my fur too,¡± Raindu said and grabbed Sam¡¯s finger with its front paws. The ferret moved his finger to the side off its head and let go. ¡°Why do you have to use my stuff? Go get your own. Walk into one of those dimensional specks, and you¡¯ll be wherever you want to be in an instant.¡±

    ¡°We live together, eat together, and sleep together,¡± Sam said. ¡°What¡¯s mine is yours, and what¡¯s yours is mine. Isn¡¯t that our relationship?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Raindu said, crossing its front legs over its chest. ¡°What¡¯s mine is mine, and what you think is yours is mine. Everything I see, smell, and hear belongs to me.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sam said, a faint smile appearing on his lips. He looked at Werchbite. ¡°So, tell me what you need, and I¡¯ll get them for you.¡± He was the CEO of the largest company representing humanity, so even if he couldn¡¯t take things from his magical ferret, there were other hassle-free¡ªfor him¡ªways of obtaining the necessary goods. Sam tapped on Birdbrained¡¯s head using a telekinetic finger. ¡°Get a grayling to record and procure the items.¡±

    ¡°Making me do all the grunt work,¡± Birdbrained said with a grumble. However, it did as it was asked, and a grayling blinked into existence in the air atop the wooly pig. It fell onto the pig¡¯s back with a thump and immediately stood up. There was a pen and notebook in the grayling¡¯s hands, and it turned its attention onto Sam¡¯s arm.

    The twin-headed snake spoke, through Vercedei¡¯s mouth, giving a list of crystals and gems it required. Considering the list went on and on and didn¡¯t seem to end, Sam believed the twin-headed snake was requesting more than the required materials so it could pocket some for itself, but he didn¡¯t care. As long as what he wanted was going to get done, it didn¡¯t matter if Werchbite and Vercedei pocketed some extra things for themselves. It¡¯d be mean to force them to work without appropriate compensation.

    Sam lay down, looking up at the sky. He stared at the dimensional specks and lines before deciding against sending his awareness through them. Although he couldn¡¯t understand any of the swirls or colors when he went through the specks, that didn¡¯t mean there wasn¡¯t anything on the other side watching him travel about. It was safer to send other people¡¯s awareness into those dimensions to gather information before continuing to use his dimension-crossing ability.

    ¡°Once you¡¯ve obtained enough information, enough to put your concerns to rest, are you going to sublimate yourself then?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°I have a feeling I already know the answer to that question.¡± The octopus smiled at Sam; though, it was hard to see the change in its facial expression. ¡°Once you¡¯ve seen another dimension, this one won¡¯t be enough to satisfy you any longer.¡±

    Sam shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± he said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Do you really believe what your familiars are saying about me?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t trust anyone in this world,¡± Sam said. ¡°Not even yourself.¡± With worms capable of controlling people¡¯s minds, and octopuses capable of making someone live trillions of lives, it was hard to be sure one¡¯s thoughts were their own. His familiars made a fair point about the Mother, and he would be a fool not to keep it within consideration. ¡°Forgive me if my suspicion is undue, but you should understand my position.¡±

    ¡°I understand it, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have to like it,¡± the Mother said before pressing herself flat against Sam¡¯s shoulder, the octopus appearing more like an emblem on his clothes than a living creature.

    Sam¡¯s eyes shifted towards the grayling, which had finally finished writing down everything Vercedei demanded. ¡°How long will it take to gather everything?¡±

    The grayling looked at the written list in its hands. ¡°Several days,¡± the graylings said. ¡°Some of these items can only be found in dungeons, and some are located far from the capital. Although it won¡¯t be difficult to obtain them all, transportation may take a while.¡± The grayling turned its head towards the octopus on Sam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Unless we get some help from the blue avians. They travel quite quickly, and they can hold large quantities without issue.¡±

    ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°I am their creator, but I don¡¯t decide what they do. If you want them to work for you, then ask them yourself.¡±

    Sam telekinetically prodded the Mother, almost causing the octopus to fall off his clothes. Luckily, it had suckers on its tentacles that kept it in place. ¡°Call them,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯re busy. Their original jobs were to guard Oterra from calamities, but there aren¡¯t any calamities around right now. They can transport some goods for us, and who knows? Maybe they¡¯ll find traces of a calamity while delivering the items.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± the Mother said, ¡°but if they don¡¯t want to listen to your request, then I won¡¯t force them.¡±

    Not long after, a few blue avians appeared in the sky having flown from the horizon. They stopped in front of Sam and looked around. ¡°Hey?¡± one of the blue avians asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam said. ¡°I was waiting for you. The Mother wishes for you to help me out for a bit. Think of it as helping the Mother herself.¡± He gestured towards the grayling. ¡°This fellow will tell you everything you need to know.¡±

    ¡°Sam¡­,¡± the Mother said as the grayling leapt off the wooly pig¡¯s back, the blue avians following after the creature. ¡°Can you not use my name like that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try not to,¡± Sam said, giving the Mother no guarantee, ¡°but it¡¯s not really my fault, right? The blue avians couldn¡¯t detect the lie, and it¡¯s on them for being fooled.¡±

 Chapter 106

    Wendy stood in a sterile room with white walls lacking any sort of d¨¦cor. One of the walls had a glass window, one thick and strong enough to make bullets harmlessly bounce off its surface, and on the other side, there were six people sitting in chairs with their arms and legs strapped down as if they were about to be tortured. They were old: their skin sagged, their hairlines were more suggestions than lines, and their faces were filled with wrinkles. Despite them being human, Wendy couldn¡¯t read their minds. She wasn¡¯t sure of the exact reason, but she suspected it had something to do with the jars holding the brains of the six individuals. Their skulls had been opened up, and their brains had been replaced by crystals Sam had provided.

    Speaking of Sam, he was floating beside Wendy, and his legs were crossed with his ankles resting against his thighs. Wendy was pretty sure Sam had a fleshy brain inside of his head, but she wasn¡¯t brave enough to read his mind; she had been too thoroughly traumatized by Nwaps. Even though the tapeworm was gone now, Wendy didn¡¯t know that, and even if she did, she¡¯d still leave Sam¡¯s thoughts alone. He was her boss now, and her livelihood as a human depended on him unless she wanted to live in Et Serpentium.

    ¡°Proceed,¡± Sam said.

    Wendy placed her hand on the counter in front of her. It had a granite surface, and instead of buttons, there were circles of various colors¡ªdepending on which crystal had been used to create them¡ªthat Wendy interacted with using her Sahasrara. As Wendy formed connections with the various buttons, the six bound individuals stiffened and made various sounds. Their eyes had been removed along with their brains, but their eye sockets weren¡¯t empty, translucent purple spheres filling them in. The spheres glowed and shone, purple circles of light appearing on the walls and ceiling where the individuals¡¯ faces were pointing.

    Wendy glanced to the side of the counter where there were six displays made of marble. Their glossy surfaces flickered, and various images appeared on them as if the marble were electronic screens. A frown appeared on Wendy¡¯s face when she realized she couldn¡¯t make sense of what she was seeing: there were various lines and colors and swirls completely unintuitive to understand. However, Sam must¡¯ve had a method to make sense of the noise; otherwise, would he have started such an unethical experiment?

    Wendy¡¯s eyes shifted to the other side of the room. There was an electronic screen there split into six different portions, each portion containing the vital signs of one of the elderly test subjects. According to the numbers on the screen, the test subjects¡¯ heartrates had spiked, increasing at a rapid rate. Considering how old they were, Wendy didn¡¯t think they could hold out much longer experiencing whatever it was Sam was doing to them before their hearts gave out. Wendy turned her head to look at Sam, but upon seeing how his face was expressionless as he observed the experiment, Wendy focused her attention back onto her job. It wasn¡¯t a good feeling to see someone die, but it wouldn¡¯t be the first time she was in charge of an experimental procedure that claimed lives.

    One of the test subjects gasped, and their body jerked about, their limbs pressing futilely against the restraints. Their mouth opened wide as a terrified scream burst out from deep within their body. One of the marble surfaces flashed with dark colors, colors Wendy didn¡¯t have any names for, and a moment later, the marble surface returned to its mundane appearance as the elderly man¡¯s screams came to an abrupt halt. Wendy turned her head to look at the electronic screen monitoring the test subjects¡¯ vital signs. One of the test subjects had died, which Wendy found unsurprising considering the scream he had let out before kicking the bucket. The other test subjects were faring well; despite someone dying beside them, they acted as if they hadn¡¯t noticed a thing.

    Wendy looked at Sam. ¡°Were you expecting something like that to happen?¡± she asked. If she had interacted with the counter and forcefully shut off the man¡¯s crystal brain as he was screaming, perhaps he could¡¯ve survived. Maybe. ¡°What killed him?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sam said. He had suspected a foray into another dimension would be dangerous, but he hadn¡¯t expected someone to die less than a few minutes after entering. Then again, time didn¡¯t necessarily have to behave in the same way in another dimension; the experiment might¡¯ve just started, but the test subjects could¡¯ve been in there for years. As someone who crossed dimensions successfully, he knew how easy it was to lose one¡¯s sense of self when entering another dimension, but he didn¡¯t think it was that dangerous.

    ¡°Maybe you should stop using dimensional specks to teleport yourself around,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Look at what happened to that guy.¡±

    Sam looked beyond the glass window at the dead man, the corpse¡¯s head slumping down with its chin almost touching its chest. A line of drool leaked out the corner of its mouth, and the occasional droplet would fall and splatter against the test subject¡¯s pants. Sam picked up the mundane marble slab on the side with his telekinesis and brought it close enough to grab with his hand. By connecting with it through his Sahasrara, he could see and experience what the test subject had from the beginning of the experiment to the man¡¯s moment of death, so Sam did just that.

    The Mother had said even if Sam could see the higher dimension, he wouldn¡¯t be able to understand it, and that certainly seemed to be the case. When he connected with the marble slab, a myriad of colors filled his mind. They distorted and twisted, some colors shrinking as others grew. Occasionally, some regions would remain still, and Sam assumed the test subject had stopped moving his head around. Although the device Werchbite had created would allow the user to see the higher dimensions, the test subjects themselves weren¡¯t very good at manipulating their consciousnesses to explore the area. If they were skilled, they wouldn¡¯t have had to sell the very end of their lives to ensure their children¡¯s and grandchildren¡¯s financial stability.

    As Sam had suspected, time passed differently in the higher dimension. Although he had only viewed the recording for a brief moment, it felt like several hours had passed with the colors swirling about him. Then, the colors were ripped in half as if they were on a sheet of paper that had been torn by a knife stabbing it from behind. A gaping void filled Sam¡¯s vision, and the rest of the colors were pushed away as darkness engulfed Sam¡¯s vision. It was oddly similar to the final moments of the time he had lived as a rodent; he had been eaten by a snake.

    ¡°He was barely even there,¡± Sam said, pushing the marble slab away. It floated onto the counter back in its original place. ¡°And he was still eaten.¡± Sam looked at the octopus pressed flat against his shoulder. ¡°What do you think that was?¡±

    ¡°Just an ordinary snapper,¡± the Mother said. ¡°It¡¯s a scavenger that¡¯ll eat anything that can fit in its mouth, and a human consciousness is a very small existence.¡±

    ¡°An ordinary snapper?¡± Sam asked, raising an eyebrow. His gaze shifted onto the other room across the glass window. The five test subjects may have had accelerated heartrates, but they were obviously still alive. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it snapping them up too?¡±

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    ¡°Distance,¡± the Mother said. ¡°They may be in the same room on Oterra, but when their consciousness entered the higher dimension, they arrived in different regions. Unless they can overlap with one another on Oterra, they won¡¯t end up in the same place. It¡¯s not like they know how to enter a specific dimensional speck.¡±

    ¡°So, am I simply lucky for not having met a snapper after all my forays into the higher dimension?¡± Sam asked. He had traveled through the dimensional specks quite extensively while removing Nwaps from the Venusians.

    ¡°Well, yes and no,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Since you were simply dimension crossing, you barely spent any time in the higher dimension, certainly not long enough for any predator to notice you. However, there was always the chance you¡¯d be unlucky enough to appear right before the mouth of a hungry snapper, so in that sense, I suppose you could consider yourself lucky. Rather, it¡¯d be more appropriate to say you¡¯d be quite unlucky to meet a snapper while crossing dimensions.¡±

    Another one of the test subjects gasped and let out a scream, his heartrate spiking on the electronic monitor to Wendy¡¯s left. Sam and Wendy both shifted their gaze onto the marble slab representing the man¡¯s vision, and its surface returned to normal as the man¡¯s screams came to a halt.

    ¡°Stop the exploration,¡± Sam said. He might¡¯ve been fine using humans as test subjects, but that didn¡¯t mean he was going to treat them as expendable. It was clear lingering within the higher dimension was a bad idea, and until he could interpret what he saw within the marble slabs, he¡¯d simply be feeding snappers and various other predators with nothing to show for it. ¡°I need to reevaluate some things.¡±

    Wendy interacted with the countertop, bringing the so-called exploration¡ªnot human experiment¡ªto a halt. The eyes of the test subjects¡ªshould they be referred to as scouts?¡ªstopped glowing, the purple circles of light disappearing from the walls and ceiling. Their tense bodies relaxed, and they took in shaky breaths. They looked around; although their eyes had been replaced by the crystalline spheres, they could still see, and their brains could interpret the visuals presented to them by the spheres. Of course, their sight was slightly different from a regular person with biological eyes, but that didn¡¯t stop them from seeing the two corpses strapped to the chairs beside them.

    ¡°Take them out,¡± Wendy said, glancing at Sam, who nodded at her. She turned her attention back onto the countertop. ¡°We¡¯re done for now.¡±

    The metal doors to the test subjects¡¯ room opened, and several graylings walked inside, unstrapping and transporting the corpses first before releasing the remaining individuals. ¡°Come this way,¡± the graylings said, leading the surviving test subjects away.

    Wendy exhaled and turned her head towards Sam. It was much easier working for the queen since Wendy could read the monarch¡¯s mind without worrying about losing her life¡ªor sanity. With Sam, she had to read his facial expressions, which was originally difficult for her but had become even more trying since Sam only sported a deadpan expression as of late. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±

    Sam floated closer to the electronic screen and tapped on it, bringing up detailed statistics about the test subjects¡¯ vital signs. Then, he extended his hand with his palm facing the ceiling. The marble slabs flew through the air and landed on his hand. Wendy watched Sam¡¯s eyes turn dull as his awareness focused on the content stored within the marble. Wendy was curious, but if she was going to encounter whatever had slain the test subjects by connecting with the marble slabs, she¡¯d rather not know anything about the region Sam was exploring.

    ¡°Continue finding more volunteers,¡± Sam said and placed the marble slabs down. ¡°We¡¯ll resume the exploration at a later date.¡± He nodded at Wendy. ¡°You¡¯re free to go.¡±

    As Wendy left the room, Sam turned his head towards the electronic screen once again. ¡°Is it possible to arm them?¡± Sam asked his familiars using his mind. If there were predators in the higher dimension, then the test subjects needed a method to defend themselves if they were to get any meaningful exploration done. However, as someone who had only lived in the third dimension, Sam couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of weapon would be useful for fending off creatures located in higher ones; as such, he had no choice but to ask his familiars, the only higher-dimensional beings he knew.

    ¡°Can you be hurt by a shadow?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°When you send those people up there, they¡¯re almost equivalent to a shadow, unable to interact with anything but easily gotten rid of with some light.¡±

    ¡°So, that¡¯s a no?¡± Sam asked. He looked at the twin-headed snake wrapped around his arm. ¡°What about you, Werchbite? You¡¯re the reliable one.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Raindu asked before the twin-headed snake could respond. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? The rest of us are unreliable?¡±

    ¡°I never said that,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s just that Werchbite tends to offer more solutions than problems.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re problematic?¡± Raindu asked.

    ¡°Just a little,¡± Sam said, nodding his head. He poked Raindu¡¯s chest. ¡°Are you going to show me the meaning of problematic now, proving my point?¡±

    Raindu snorted as the words it was about to say was taken right out of its mouth. ¡°Later.¡±

    ¡°The best I can do is create an emitter,¡± Werchbite said. ¡°It¡¯ll keep predators away, but if they¡¯re curious enough, they¡¯ll eat your test subjects anyway. It¡¯s not easy to defeat a higher-dimensional creature in their own territory.¡±

    Considering most calamities were a pain in the butt when they descended to Oterra and limited themselves, Sam could imagine they were even bigger pains when they didn¡¯t have to play by three-dimensional rules. It was a pleasant surprise Werchbite could create something to protect the future test subjects from harm, even if it was only a slight dissuasion. ¡°That¡¯s good enough,¡± Sam said. The test subjects had recorded quite a lot of information on the higher dimension. As for whether the information would simply remain as uninterpreted noise or something of value, it was up to Sam. ¡°Let¡¯s get a few graylings in here to record what you need.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Birdbrained said upon seeing both Sam and Werchbite turn to stare at it. ¡°I¡¯ll call a few over.¡±

    The Mother shuddered as the Birdbrained, Sam, and Werchbite turned their heads to stare at her. ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll get a few blue avians to work as delivery agents once again.¡±

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Sam said and smiled at the octopus. ¡°Don¡¯t act so reluctant. We both know the sooner I¡¯m done with scouting the higher dimension, the sooner I¡¯ll sublimate myself to become a higher-dimensional being. That¡¯s what you wanted, no?¡±

    Sam¡¯s familiars¡ªother than the octopus¡ªsighed. No matter how many times they warned Sam about the dangers of going along with the Mother¡¯s suggestion, he didn¡¯t listen. Well, he listened, but he very obviously dismissed their concerns after saying he would take them into consideration. Living for an incredibly long amount of time had turned Sam independent and very stubborn. Once he set his mind on something, the memories of the lives he lived would agree with him, reinforcing that thought until it manifested in reality.

    It didn¡¯t take long for his familiars to acquire the necessary items to make the snapper repellent, as Werchbite coined the item, but it took much longer for Sam to make any sense of the colorful swirls representing the higher dimensions. In fact, a few days had passed since the first exploration, and he hadn¡¯t made much progress.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get some help?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°The higher dimensions exist, and they might be different from this one, but they¡¯re still ruled by clear logic. You might¡¯ve lived trillions of lives, but you¡¯re still just one individual. Form a team or create a group to assist you.¡±

    ¡°I was considering it,¡± Sam said. As the head of the largest company in the world, why did he have to rely on himself to get things done? For a bit, he had believed he was the only one capable of exploring the higher dimensions thanks to his unlocked chakras and the knowledge from his multiple lives, but if humans, reptilians, mantids, Venusians, and blue avians all united to achieve the same goal, they could definitely get further than he could if he worked by himself. ¡°My thoughts were too narrow, and I failed to see the bigger picture.¡±

    ¡°Is it time for me to work again?¡± Birdbrained asked. Whenever Sam needed something done involving organizing a large group of people, the graylings were always his first resort. The colorless eagle could only blame itself for being too useful when it came to large-scale projects.

    ¡°Yep,¡± Sam said. A company¡¯s main purpose might¡¯ve been to make money, but Sam didn¡¯t need wealth, not when he had already experienced everything Oterra had to offer. ¡°Ark¡¯s main focus is shifting to dimensional exploration. Let everyone know.¡±

 Chapter 107

    Sam let out a sigh as he put down the stack of papers in front of him. Compared to reptilian technology, human methods of transmitting information were quite limited. If he were in Et Serpentium, he wouldn¡¯t have to read, interpret, and memorize everything. It was much easier to connect to a stone that had information stored on it and absorb it all with his awareness. Unfortunately, since the people working under him were humans who hadn¡¯t yet unlocked their Sahasraras, Sam had to study their papers to understand the results they had achieved. It was tedious, but at least, it wasn¡¯t difficult. He had to study in many lives, and he had even become a professor in several of them, but the math was still a slog to get through.

    Luckily, even though the exploration of the higher dimension was a slog, the progress being made was steady, albeit slow. With Werchbite¡¯s snapper repellants, the test subjects didn¡¯t have to worry about being eaten¡ªnot that they were told being eaten was a potential consequence of joining the expedition. With all the employees of the company working on the same goal with an unlimited amount of funds behind them, it was simply a matter of time for a breakthrough to occur. With every foray into the higher dimension, Sam and his company learned a little bit more.

    ¡°Why are we doing this?¡± Birdbrained asked. ¡°I know you want to go to the higher dimension, but Sam, have you taken time to consider why we, higher-dimensional beings, descended to Oterra instead of staying up there?¡±

    ¡°Oterra is still fresh for you,¡± Sam said, turning his head away from his desk. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you¡¯re down here for the same reason I want to go up there. You¡¯re bored with what you know, and Oterra can alleviate your boredom.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± Birdbrained fell silent, not even letting out a squawk. ¡°So, what? You¡¯re going to explore the higher dimension until you¡¯re bored of it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all life is about,¡± Sam said and turned his gaze back onto his desk. ¡°Experiencing things.¡±

    ¡°How can that be all that life is about?¡± Birdbrained asked. ¡°Life is about having fun, and you can have fun doing things you¡¯ve already done before as long as you¡¯re with the right company.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to change my mind,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°If I keep at it, I will,¡± the colorless eagle said and jumped off of Sam¡¯s desk before clumsily waddling across the floor, its talons clacking against the marble. ¡°You know what they say; it only takes one single moment of enlightenment to realize how dumb dissolving yourself because someone, who hates you, suggested it.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t, but thanks for informing me,¡± Sam said and picked up another paper.

    Birdbrained stared at Sam, but he didn¡¯t pay the eagle any mind. The eagle puffed up its chest as it inhaled through its beak. Birdbrained¡¯s wings spread outwards, and the eagle let out a horrendous squawk that reverberated within the room, causing the walls to shake. ¡°I¡¯m bored! Bored, bored, bored!¡±

    ¡°Then get out,¡± Sam said, not turning away from his paper. When training an animal, one had to learn to ignore their outbursts lest the animal comes to believe having an outburst would bring about the results it wanted. ¡°No one¡¯s stopping you.¡±

    ¡°As if!¡± Birdbrained said and pointed its wing at the Mother. ¡°Have you forgotten about her? The moment we leave your side and split off on our own, we¡¯ll be swarmed and killed by blue avians.¡±

    Sam poked the Mother with a telekinetic finger, his body not moving in the slightest.

    ¡°My children wouldn¡¯t do that to you,¡± the Mother said.

    ¡°You heard her,¡± Sam said, speaking towards his desk; however, the sound seemed to travel directly into the eagle¡¯s ears. ¡°They won¡¯t mob you when you go about doing your business.¡±

    ¡°I heard her, but I can¡¯t trust her,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°Those blue avians already helped her take down Nwaps, and she didn¡¯t feel one iota of remorse.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re cuter than Nwaps,¡± Sam said. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡± He glanced at the unamused eagle. ¡°Think about it. Blue avians have feathers, and you have them too, so they¡¯ll treat you nicer than they did Nwaps. Nwaps didn¡¯t have feathers.¡±

    ¡°I liked you a lot better before you matured,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°You used to be a lot more open, but now, you¡¯re a stubborn cow. If I go off on my own and get mauled by blue avians, you¡¯ll miss me. The graylings won¡¯t listen to you, and then what will you do? Treat your subordinates the same way you treat my graylings? They¡¯ll protest against you.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to take Manga with you?¡± Sam asked. ¡°They¡¯ll protect you.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever heard of alone time? I need some, and it won¡¯t be alone time if this massive lug of wool is following me around.¡±

    ¡°Honestly,¡± Sam said and turned to look at the eagle, ¡°this sounds like your problem, not mine. You want to be alone, but you¡¯re too paranoid to go off on your own.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not paranoia when I¡¯m right,¡± the colorless eagle said. ¡°How about this? Have the Mother imprison all the blue avians.¡± Birdbrained tilted its head to the side and almost fell over from the action. ¡°I have an even better idea; you should imprison all the blue avians whether the Mother agrees or not. Show her who¡¯s boss.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t like that very much,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°So?¡± Birdbrained asked. ¡°You have to decide. Do you care more about the blue avians, or do you care more about me?¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± the Mother said, inflating herself like a balloon to make her presence larger. ¡°You know what happened to the last familiar of Sam that acted up. Why are you being like this? Do you want Sam to get rid of you too?¡±

    Birdbrained turned its head towards the octopus and paused. After a bit, the eagle said, ¡°Sam wouldn¡¯t get rid of me.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± the Mother asked. ¡°You don¡¯t seem so sure about that. Nwaps could¡¯ve been very useful to Sam¡¯s cause, even more useful than you, but what happened? The tapeworm no longer resides in this plane of existence, and it was also booted out of the subconscious expanse, the region that was basically its home ground.¡±

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    ¡°Besides,¡± Sam said, ¡°don¡¯t you also concurrently exist in the higher dimension? You¡¯re here, but you¡¯re also up there piloting this eagle¡¯s body like it¡¯s an avatar. Shouldn¡¯t you get plenty of time to yourself in the higher dimension?¡±

    Birdbrained fell over backwards, sitting on its tailfeathers as it extended its legs forward. ¡°Fine,¡± the eagle said. ¡°Do what you want, Sam.¡±

    Sam had no problem listening to the eagle¡¯s words since doing what he wanted was his original plan. ¡°I will,¡± he said, not bothering to look in Birdbrained¡¯s direction. ¡°You should too. What¡¯s the worst thing that could happen if the blue avians do decide to eliminate you? You can always descend to Oterra again, can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Not with the Mother watching out for me,¡± Birdbrained said. ¡°If you actually manage to sublimate yourself and become a higher-dimensional being, you¡¯ll understand my troubles.¡±

    A frown appeared on Sam¡¯s face as the eagle gave up and silently waddled over to a corner of the room where it sat down like a beggar and closed its eyes, its ruffled feathers and uneven downy plumes making the eagle look as if it had gone through a harsh ordeal. Sam couldn¡¯t help but mull over the eagle¡¯s words. Since he was a lower-dimensional being compared to his familiars, and it was easier to see things from a higher vantage point, perhaps, he really was blind to the situation and the Mother was a conniving octopus waiting to get rid of him at the right time. However, wasn¡¯t what he was doing, exploration of the higher dimension, an answer to that problem? If he could become a higher-dimensional being or properly explore the higher dimension, then he¡¯d be able to see things on the same level as his familiars. At least, that¡¯s what he thought.

    A piercing sound entered Sam¡¯s mind, and the frown on his face deepened. The Mother had provided¡ªout of goodwill or as a method to gain Sam¡¯s trust¡ªa calamity detector, one similar to the ones the blue avians had used to detect Sam¡¯s familiars. Sam had established a connection with the calamity detector, so when it rang, he knew a calamity had descended along with its location, which was surprisingly close. Sam stood up and walked through a dimensional speck, appearing in the underground lab where the higher-dimension exploration was taking place.

    Sam spread out his All-Seeing Gaze and located the calamity within an instant. It wasn¡¯t very difficult to find considering it was growing on one of the test subjects. Dozens of roots were crawling and spreading on the elderly man¡¯s skin from a dark-purple seed atop the man¡¯s head. Sam sent his aura forth, wrapping it around the plant and telekinetically pried it off the test subject, causing tiny spots of blood to appear on the elderly man where the roots had pierced his skin.

    ¡°Sam?¡± Wendy¡¯s voice asked from the ceiling where the speakers were located.

    Sam turned his head to look at the glass window. Wendy was standing on the other side with a frown on her face. Sam nodded at Wendy before exiting the room and walking around to enter through the researcher¡¯s side with the plant floating behind him. The plant wanted to struggle, but it couldn¡¯t move even the tiniest bit with Sam¡¯s aura pressing in on it from all directions, suspending its motions.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Wendy asked after the doors closed behind Sam.

    ¡°A calamity,¡± Sam said.

    Wendy recalled the last calamity humanity had faced: the Surtakatul. Compared to that massive monstrosity, the plant floating in the air behind Sam looked cute. Considering it was still just a germinating seed with only its roots and no stem or leaves, Wendy decided against questioning Sam¡¯s judgement of labeling the plant as a calamity. What if it grew a stem and leaves that ate people and absorbed their powers? It¡¯d be appropriate to call it a calamity then.

    ¡°What is it doing here?¡± Wendy asked. ¡°Where did it come from?¡±

    ¡°Probably from the higher dimension,¡± Sam said and used his All-Seeing Gaze to look at the marble slabs recording the experiences of the test subjects. ¡°As for what it¡¯s doing here, I¡¯m not sure, but it can¡¯t be anything good.¡±

    Wendy frowned. If calamities came from the higher dimension, wasn¡¯t exploring the higher dimension asking for trouble? If Sam hadn¡¯t showed up, and the seed had time to bloom into whatever monstrosity it was going to turn into, would she be able to stop it? Most likely not. This job was a lot more dangerous than she had thought; as such, she had to do something about it. Wendy stared Sam directly in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯d like a pay raise.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Sam said. When asking someone to do dangerous things, it was only right to give them extra hazard pay, and having to lead a program that had a low chance of spawning calamities could be considered dangerous. ¡°I¡¯ll order some blue avians to stand watch here as well. They should keep you safe from calamities.¡±

    Raindu crawled out of Sam¡¯s shirt and stood on his shoulder, the ferret looking at the dark-purple seed. Its roots were green and supple; if someone were to tie them into knots, they¡¯d bend quite easily without snapping.

    ¡°What?¡± Sam asked, looking at the ferret. ¡°Are you interested in this thing? Do you know what it is?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Raindu said. ¡°All the creatures from the higher dimension capable of descending are unique, unless they can clone themselves like Nwaps.¡± The ferret pointed at the seed. ¡°You can ask it directly.¡±

    Sam glanced at the Mother, but the octopus didn¡¯t seem like it was going to refute or add anything to Raindu¡¯s words. Sam focused on his Sahasrara, forming a connection with the purple seed. Rage and vitriol filled Sam¡¯s mind; there were no words, but Sam could feel the overwhelming resentment pouring out of the seed, polluting his mind with dark swirls of colors he couldn¡¯t name but were reminiscent of red and black hues. It didn¡¯t seem like peaceful communication could be possible, so Sam focused on his Manipura, and his aura wrapping around the seed condensed, compressing and squeezing the calamity until its outer shell and roots cracked, shattered, and imploded, forming a tiny sphere oddly similar to a nugget of rabbit droppings.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Raindu said. ¡°That was violent.¡±

    Sam shrugged. ¡°It didn¡¯t want to chat,¡± he said, ¡°and I sensed nothing but hostility from it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s most pests for you,¡± the Mother said. ¡°A lot of them can¡¯t be reasoned with, so it¡¯s easier to eliminate them all on sight.¡±

    Sam grunted, acknowledging the Mother¡¯s words. ¡°So, this thing¡±¡ªhe gestured towards the sphere¡ª¡°showed up in Oterra by following that man¡¯s¡±¡ªhe pointed at the test subject on the other side of the window¡ª¡°trail?¡±

    ¡°Most likely,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Your test subjects might be exploring the higher dimension, but they¡¯re also acting as giant beacons. They might be able to avoid tiny predators with Werchbite¡¯s nifty invention, but smarter and more curious ones will see through your snapper repellant.¡± The Mother deflated, resting against Sam¡¯s clothes. ¡°Who knows? Maybe you¡¯ll attract a whole gang of pests like your familiars.¡±

    Sam stroked his bare chin. Although it sounded dangerous to invite calamities to Oterra, with him and the blue avians around to squash the ones that showed their faces, it wasn¡¯t a problem; it was just a little bit more work for him and the Mother¡¯s children. A wiggling sensation drew Sam¡¯s attention, and he focused his All-Seeing Gaze on the nugget he had created, the condensed seed. It was still alive, and roots were growing out of it; though, they couldn¡¯t get very far because Sam¡¯s aura prevented them from moving. Sam raised an eyebrow before concentrating on his Sahasrara, using it to connect once more with the broken seed. The angry emotions were duller than the previous time, and Sam had a brilliant idea.

    ¡°Are you going to interrogate every calamity that shows up?¡± Raindu asked as the seed floated in front of Sam¡¯s face.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Sam asked. ¡°If I can get them to record their experiences inside of a stone slab, then it¡¯d be a good source of information.¡± His eyes narrowed at the ferret. ¡°Why don¡¯t you contribute what you know as well?¡±

    ¡°You already know why,¡± Raindu said. ¡°Don¡¯t ask again.¡±

    Sam shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m testing to see if Birdbrained¡¯s methods really work or not.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m busy with things, bye,¡± Raindu said and slipped inside of Sam¡¯s shirt. ¡°I¡¯ll come again another time.¡±

    Sam shook his head. He had thought about drawing upon his familiars¡¯ experiences, but they refused to participate, saying it¡¯d reveal information about themselves they didn¡¯t want others to know¡ªand especially not the Mother, Vercedei had to emphasize¡ªso, Sam could only put aside the idea of interrogating his familiars. Now that he possessed a higher-dimensional being that wasn¡¯t his familiar, there was going to be a lot to learn through a, hopefully, peaceful cultural exchange. If he expanded the scope of the exploration, wouldn¡¯t it be easy for him to catch more calamities?

 Chapter 108

    Wendy was concerned; however, her boss wasn¡¯t, so was it really her place as his underling to voice her doubts? Some people would say yes, but those people didn¡¯t know what it was like to work under Sam. As a mind reader, the things she should do were always pretty clear to Wendy; if she didn¡¯t know what was expected of her, she could always read her target¡¯s mind to meet their expectations. With a boss like Sam, reading his mind could result in the end of Wendy¡¯s sanity, so she had to refrain from doing so.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Sam asked, turning his head to look at Wendy, who was overtly staring at him. ¡°You look like you want to say something.¡±

    Since Sam had asked, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to voice her concerns, right? Wendy pointed at the wall behind Sam where dozens of strange biological entities were strung up. It was hard to say what domain of life they belonged to, but whatever they could be classified as, they definitely weren¡¯t fauna of Oterra. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to ignore them,¡± Wendy said, ¡°but their thoughts are really loud, and although I can¡¯t understand the words they¡¯re using, the meaning is pretty clear. They¡¯re hostile and aggressive, and if they ever get loose, violent actions will be the first thing they do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable,¡± Sam said, turning his head to look at the calamities he had captured, some personally and some with the help of the blue avians. ¡°We did treat them poorly after they arrived.¡±

    Wendy reflected on Sam¡¯s actions this past week. He was always present when the explorers, who used to be called test subjects, went to record scenes from the higher dimension. Occasionally, a biological entity would appear, only to be instantly clobbered and restrained by Sam¡¯s or the blue avians¡¯ telekinesis. With such a rude welcome to Oterra, it really was no surprise the calamities were hostile and fuming.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Sam said and gestured towards the corner of the room where two blue avians were sitting, a table with a boardgame on it separating them. ¡°Those two are more than enough to handle any calamity that comes along.¡±

    Wendy turned her head to follow Sam¡¯s gesture. She watched as the game pieces were moved about via telekinesis. They had doll joints, giving their limbs a human¡¯s full range of motion. With tiny swords and shields in their hands, they fought one another, all of the pieces moving at the same time. Wendy wasn¡¯t sure how fine one¡¯s control of telekinesis had to be to manipulate over sixteen puppets at the same time, but she knew she¡¯d lose if she ever played against a blue avian. In fact, she wouldn¡¯t even be able to start since telekinesis remained out of her reach, but she was working on it, toiling away ever so slowly on unlocking the chakras required to learn the technique.

    ¡°If you¡¯re still worried, I can always assign someone else your task,¡± Sam said.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s alright,¡± Wendy said. How embarrassing would it be for her to be reassigned? She had always completed her tasks, most of the times to perfection. ¡°I was just thinking about how troublesome it¡¯d be if they were set free. One calamity was enough to threaten humanity¡¯s continued existence, and there¡¯s over a few dozen of them here. If anything happens to you or the blue avians, Oterra would be in dire straits.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Sam said, ¡°but it¡¯s not something you have to worry about. Before I leave, I¡¯ll make sure these little guys are wiped off this plane of existence.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going somewhere?¡± Wendy asked.

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Sam said. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever wondered what the purpose of these experiments were for? Once we learn more about the higher dimension, I plan on going up there myself.¡±

    Wendy took another look at the strung-up calamities. There must¡¯ve been a lot of those creatures in the higher dimension, and Sam wanted to enter a place like that. ¡°Truth be told,¡± Wendy said, ¡°I thought the purpose of these experiments was to make money.¡± Wasn¡¯t making money the focus of most companies? Extracting resources from the higher dimension would definitely make someone a fortune if they could pull something useful out of it.

    ¡°There are better ways to make money,¡± Sam said and picked up a device that looked like a medieval instrument of torture. It was smooth and glossy, which wasn¡¯t a surprise considering it was made out of a piece of jade, but it looked far from elegant with its wicked points and hooks. Sam walked over to one of the calamities, and, without ceremony, stabbed the device into the calamity¡¯s fleshy body, causing it to squeal like an injured rabbit.

    Wendy watched as the calamity shriveled up, letting out whimpers and gasps, its flesh shrinking as its skin tightened against its innards, the outlines of its bones appearing. The jade, which had been more white than green, darkened until it was a rich emerald color. As the calamity¡¯s movements came to a halt, Sam retrieved the gruesome instrument; surprisingly, there weren¡¯t any holes or signs of injury on what was left of the calamity¡¯s wrinkled husk. Under the frightened and angry gazes of the rest of the calamities, Sam placed the deep-green piece of jade onto a crystalline counter, one that had been created by Werchbite earlier in the morning.

    Ripples of light were given off the jade instrument and absorbed by the counter, causing the surface to glow with a faint light. Underneath the counter, there was a large piece of amethyst in the shape of a helmet, and the light from the counter dimmed as the amethyst turned a darker shade of purple. When the jade instrument returned to its pale-white color, the counter stopped operating, and there was a clicking sound as the amethyst helmet was released and shifted to the forefront, readily available to grab.

    Sam grabbed the helmet and walked over to a chair not too far away from the blue avians. He stared at the helmet and asked inside his head, ¡°All I have to do is put it on?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Vercedei said, answering for Werchbite. ¡°Werchbite would like to remind you once again of the risks of using the helmet. You¡¯ll be able to experience everything the calamity has experienced, but you¡¯re still a lower-dimensional being. There¡¯s always the possibility you¡¯ll go insane from being unable to comprehend that calamity¡¯s life experiences.¡±

    Sam hesitated before lifting the helmet up, positioning it over his head. He survived the Mother¡¯s technique which made him live for over a trillion lifetimes. He was a dimension crosser, someone who could remain sane after stepping through another dimension. If he wanted to sublimate himself and become a higher-dimensional being, then he¡¯d have to pass through a simple trial like experiencing life in the higher dimension. With his determination at its peak, Sam placed the helmet on his head and formed a connection with it via his Sahasrara.

    Wendy glanced at the electronic screen, making sure the test subjects in the other room were doing fine, before turning her full attention onto Sam. The helmet covered his whole head, making it look like a purple sphere was perched atop a person¡¯s neck. If he was experiencing anything remotely similar to the test subjects, it was possible a calamity would be summoned. Luckily, the two blue avians came to the same conclusion and were watching Sam rather than playing with their boardgame.

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    Unlike with Sam, Wendy had no qualms about reading the blue avians¡¯ minds. She violated their privacy to see what they were thinking. She might not know much about what Sam was doing, but the blue avians were certainly more experienced, and if they had any anxious thoughts or morbid concerns, then Wendy would be the first person out of the room.

    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll still be sane once he takes that thing off?¡± one of the blue avians asked the other in what they thought was a private mental connection.

    ¡°Probably,¡± the second blue avian said. ¡°If he isn¡¯t, the Mother will handle him, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe he¡¯s so strong for a human,¡± the first blue avian said and nodded. ¡°If he does go insane, it¡¯ll be up to the Mother to stop him. I tried to mess with his telekinetic control once to see if I could, but I didn¡¯t even get his aura to budge.¡±

    ¡°So¡­, do you want to get back to our game?¡± the second blue avian asked. ¡°There¡¯s nothing for us to do even if something goes wrong.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± the first blue avian said, ¡°but how about we start over?¡±

    ¡°Just because you¡¯re losing?¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll just lose again.¡±

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. You will.¡±

    Wendy somehow doubted Sam¡¯s earlier words. Would these two blue avians really take care of any mess that appeared? If the calamities strung up on the wall struggled free because Sam was distracted by the helmet obscuring his whole head, was Wendy really going to count on these child-like beings to save her? As Wendy was plotting her escape route in her mind, Sam¡¯s arms moved, grasping around in various directions, making her unsure what exactly he was trying to do. If the helmet could transfer the knowledge and experiences of the calamity into Sam¡¯s mind, she thought it was pretty stupid for it not to prohibit Sam¡¯s body from moving as well while his mind was elsewhere. What if he hurt himself?

    Sam¡¯s body jerked forward, and he fell out of his chair, the helmet hitting the ground with a loud clunking sound. If that were his skull, Wendy would¡¯ve placed her bet on him receiving a concussion, but she wasn¡¯t sure how strong the defensive properties of the amethyst helmet were. Wendy turned to look at the two blue avians, and both of them were staring at Sam as his arms and legs bent and unbent as if he were a turtle flipped on its back. Then, they both turned their focus back onto the gameboard where the fallen pieces rose up to wield their weapons on the battlefield once more.

    Wendy frowned, but she decided to leave Sam as he was. If she tried to help him by removing his helmet, it was always possible she¡¯d be interrupting him at a crucial time. Sam hadn¡¯t asked for assistance, and he had his familiars to take care of him, so Wendy¡¯s best course of action was to ignore him despite his floundering. Speaking of Sam¡¯s familiars, after he fell out of the chair, they vacated his body and gathered around at a safe distance, save for Manga, who had been standing in the corner of the room with Dirt the metallic koala on its back.

    ¡°Sam will be fine, right?¡± Raindu asked. The ferret took a step back as Sam¡¯s feet kicked in its direction. ¡°Should we take the helmet off just in case? What if he¡¯s trying to remove it right now but can¡¯t control his limbs properly?¡±

    ¡°Sam endured living a trillion lifetimes,¡± the Mother said. ¡°That¡¯s not too far off from living as a higher dimensional being.¡± The octopus inflated and floated in the air over Sam, drifting back and forth to look at him from different angles. ¡°However, even if it¡¯s similar, it¡¯s not exactly the same.¡±

    ¡°Sam¡¯s concept of time is different from ours,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°It¡¯s not something that can be so easily overcome by making him live over and over again. It¡¯s already good enough he can cross dimensions without losing his sense of self, but if he keeps this up, who knows what¡¯ll happen to his mind?¡±

    ¡°You planned this, didn¡¯t you?¡± Birdbrained asked, pointing a scruffy wing at the Mother. ¡°This is your way of killing Sam to get rid of us.¡±

    The Mother shrugged, two of its tentacles raising and dropping. ¡°I planned this, yes,¡± she said, ¡°but this wasn¡¯t the result I wanted. I thought Sam could grow into something great, but if he can¡¯t even handle the life experiences of a pest, then, maybe, it¡¯s for the best if he loses his sanity here.¡±

    ¡°Heartless!¡± Birdbrained said. The eagle squawked and added, ¡°Cruel!¡±

    ¡°Some seeds germinate, and some don¡¯t,¡± the Mother said. ¡°Even if you take care of them and nurture them, there¡¯s always the chance they won¡¯t grow the way you want. It¡¯s not cruel nor heartless to abort an undesired result.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t have to walk on this path,¡± Joe the sloth said as it continued crawling away from Sam¡¯s body, occasionally getting kicked and smacked by Sam¡¯s flailing limbs, ¡°but you made him.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t make anyone do anything,¡± the Mother said. ¡°I expanded Sam¡¯s options, and he chose for himself.¡±

    ¡°Expanded the number of ways Sam could choose to die is more like it,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°Let¡¯s get this helmet off of him before he actually kicks the bucket.¡±

    ¡°What if he¡¯s experiencing something important right now?¡± Raindu asked. ¡°If we suddenly terminate the connection¡ª¡±

    The ferret didn¡¯t get to finish its sentence before an earthen hand grew out of the floor and pried the helmet off of Sam¡¯s head, breaking the tiles in the process. Sam¡¯s body stopped jerking about, and he fell limp against the ground. All the familiars turned to look at the metallic koala. Dirt let out a snort and said, ¡°It didn¡¯t look like he could take the helmet off himself, so I took it off for him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem,¡± Raindu said. ¡°What if he was in the middle of something important?¡± The ferret ran over to Sam¡¯s side and placed its paws on Sam¡¯s neck, checking for a pulse.

    ¡°He can repeat it,¡± Dirt said.

    Sam¡¯s eyes shot open, but he remained lying on the ground with his cheek pressed against a pile of dirt.

    ¡°Sam?¡± Raindu asked, withdrawing its paws and taking a few steps back. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Give him a second,¡± Vercedei said. ¡°He might not know where he is.¡±

    The familiars kept their distance, scrutinizing Sam despite his lack of movements. Wendy looked at Sam, but thanks to Werchbite¡¯s illusion, she couldn¡¯t see most of the animals surrounding him as if they were taking part in a sacrificial ritual. Since she wasn¡¯t sure what to do, Wendy chose to peek into the blue avians¡¯ minds to obtain a hint.

    If I go there, then they¡¯ll go there, but if I attack their flank like so¡­.

    Hah, they¡¯re falling for another trap. Why are they so stupid?

    They were still more preoccupied with their game than reality, and to Wendy, it seemed like they hadn¡¯t noticed Sam¡¯s collapsed body at all. Well, if they were only there to deal with calamities that spawned, then Sam¡¯s health really wasn¡¯t any of their concern. Wendy squinted at Sam, the thought of reading his mind briefly flitting to the surface of her brain. However, she wasn¡¯t quite sure she wanted to know the thoughts of someone who might¡¯ve seen something so disturbing they turned crazy.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Sam said. His torso rose off the ground without any input from his arms or legs. Then, he immediately fell forward face first back onto the smushed pile of dirt. His expression remained neutral, and he spoke to his familiars using his mind. ¡°Give me a second to remember how this body works.¡±

    ¡°What was it like?¡± Vercedei asked. ¡°Did you enjoy your first experience of the higher dimension?¡±

    ¡°Strange,¡± Sam said as his body twitched, his joints tensing and relaxing starting from his toes and moving up to his head. ¡°It felt like I was a company rather than a person, but I had to perform all the parts myself.¡± When Sam was done checking the condition of his body, he floated off the ground and sat up straight in the air, crossing his legs with his ankles resting on his thighs. ¡°Everything is ¡­ always happening at the same time, and it gets hard to keep track of things.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good way to describe it,¡± Raindu said. ¡°We¡¯re everywhere all at once doing everything there is to do.¡±

    If Wendy had chosen to eavesdrop on Sam¡¯s mind, she would not have agreed with Raindu¡¯s assessment and would¡¯ve thought she was correct earlier to assume Sam had gone crazy. Luckily, for both of them, Wendy left Sam¡¯s mind alone with the help of some other distractions. ¡°Sam,¡± Wendy said. ¡°Blue avians.¡±

    Sam and the two blue avians focused their All-Seeing Gazes on the other room. Root-like protrusions were growing through it as if the walls were made of fabric and the roots were stringed needles. Sam let out a sigh. ¡°You two take care of it,¡± he said, speaking telepathically towards the blue avians.

    One of the blue avians glared at Sam. ¡°That lazy piece of¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hush! The Mother¡¯s still with him.¡±