《Redo! Last Chance for a Dying World!》


 Prologue

    Prologue


    "This catastrophe can''t be prevented" The old man looked wearily at thest few members of humanity.


    The Council had done everything they could to preserve their way of life, now the human race was almost extinct. Thest hundred survivors were standing in this very room.


    The Elves and Dwarves had been eliminated. The Dragons were losing the war against the Demons. The Demons themselves were currently knocking on the doorstep of humanity''sst stronghold!


    The old bearded man looked down at the intricately carved Formation on the floor. Manyplicated Runes lined the walls.


    He turned his gaze towards the other surviving humans. Collectively, they raised three fingers to their left shoulders in a small salute.


    A loud explosion shook the entire underground cavern. The old man looked at each member of the Council.


    "It''s time."


    They all nodded, everyone present moved to one of one hundred and one small formations. The circles they stood in were all woven together.


    As one, the group began to chant. The massive Formation began to light up.


    Bright Runes shined from the walls and cast themselves down to individual mages. The pain was intense, but they didn''t dare to stop chanting.


    Inside of their minds, a strange urrence was taking ce. The vast ocean of Mana that made up their consciousness was being shredded to pieces.


    One by one, thest members of the human race began to drop to the ground, blood bursting from every orifice. Soon, only the Council was left chanting. Their immense Mana pools took much longer to split.


    More of the Council began to fall. Their bodies almost burst to shreds as their Mana absorbed into the Formation.


    Thest standing were the old bearded man and three beautiful elderly women. He smiled at each of them gently while carving intricate Runes into the air with his fingers.


    Two of the three women soon fell to the ground, smiles offort resting on their bloody faces. Thest of the women was barely holding on.


    "I love you," She whispered gently before falling to her knees.


    He smiled lovingly down at her, "Let''s live our next life in happiness."


    The old man began to shed tears as the Runes began to form ever more furiously from his fingertips. The lights in the room became blinding as the old man disintegrated.


    An extravagant amount of Mana flooded the room. The Formation and Runes greedily consumed it all before gradually fading into nothingness.


    ****


    Hourster, a strange creature forced its way into the underground room. Its body was built from tentacles and eyes. A slick substance was constantly secreted as it moved.


    Inside the room, it found the bodies of almost one hundred humans broken and bleeding on the floor. The creature began shaking as the tentacle sttered more of the liquid.


    "Ha! Hahaha!" Oddughter emitted outward from the creature. It looked around the room. It was empty apart from the bodies and blood that sttered across the floor.


    It made its way back to the surface. "Lord, the humans are finished. It seemed they preferred to die rather than let us assimte their power."


    "Very good. Then we will shift our focus to the Dragons." A hulking figure looked at the creatures around it. "Move out.

 Chapter 1: Comets

    Chapter 1: Comets


    **Make sure to scroll up and read the Prologue**


    It was already two in the morning, the kids had finally passed out. Silence filled the house. Taylorid his head back on the couch and shut his eyes, not wanting to breathe for fear of ruining the moment of peace.


    It had been a rough year, even though the start had been smooth. Taylor had been fired on Christmas Eve of the previous year and hadn''t been sure what to do next.


    Luckily, he''d made a nice chunk of change in the stock market in February that had let him pay off his wife''s car and buy a cheap truck. Taylor had started a small business as a repairman and managed to get by throughout the year.


    The kids stayed fed, he had plenty of time to stay home with his wife and children, and he had a bit of free time. Overall it had been a good year.


    Of course, things could never stay that way. It was already October, Taylor hadn''t received a job for almost two months. They didn''t have the money to make the mortgage payment this month. If it wasn''t for his wife, Michelle, picking up work making shirts for a small boutique, they likely wouldn''t have made it this long.


    He looked down at his four-year-old daughter, who had fallen asleep in hisp. Taylor ran his hand through her hair, smiling. There was nothing he wouldn''t do for his three children, and he knew that he was cutting it close to the wire.


    After four interviews, he still hadn''t been epted even with a decade''s worth of experience. Even offering to take a cut in pay, these ces wanted salesmen, not someone who could actually diagnose and make repairs to equipment.


    Taylor stood up and picked up the little girl in his arms, carrying her to bed and pulling theforter up over her shoulders.


    "Sweet dreams, little one," He whispered. He then crept out of the room while avoiding the obstacle of toys between the bed and door.


    He poked his head into his sons'' room and found his wife asleep on the bed with their three-year-old snuggled up to her neck. His eight-year-old son''s bed was empty. He was across town with his mom since he had school tomorrow. Taylor looked at the bed for a moment, hoping that summer woulde back around soon so that he could see his son more than every other weekend.


    Turning the light off, he went out to the backyard and stood in the brisk wind of the night. The chilly weather and the dark atmosphere were something he highly preferred over the heat of the summer.


    Laying back in the grass, he looked up at the stars and hoped for a chance toe along.


    Just as the thought crossed his mind, a streak flew by in the night sky. Shortly after, another flew by, followed by hundreds and thousands. It looked as if a massive meteor shower was passing by the Earth.


    As someone who regrly followed the announcements made by NASA and other research departments, he knew that this was unexpected. The phenomenon continued for about five minutes before the sky returned to normal, almost as if it had never happened.


    Something he did notice was that the stars looked strange. He couldn''t find any of the constetions that he would typically look at. Not even the moon was in the sky tonight for him to use as a guide.


    He shook his head, thinking that he really needed to get some sleep. Maybe he''d find an interesting article on it to read in the morning.


    He stood in front of the mirror, brushing his teeth before bed. He looked over how much he''d changed over the years. Not quite thirty yet, but his hair was already receding. He had bright eyes that would alternate between a light blue or a bright grey. A thick, braided, brown beard covered his chin and ran down to his chest.


    He still had the same broad shoulders, strong arms, and thick chest from working out in high school and for a few years after. Taylor had thick muscr thighs and calves. Mostly from toting around an 80-pound toolbag up and downdders and across rooftops through the years. Though, he sneered in disgust at the belly in the middle, holding it all together. Manyte nights drinking with friends and being spoiled by his wife''s delicious cooking had taken him from washboard to beer belly.


    After rinsing off and preparing for bed, hey down and scrolled on his phone. He wondered if anyone was talking about the change in the sky from earlier. As it turned out, hundreds of people were posting about it in some of his groups. Not a single announcement had been made by any of the actual astrologists.


    Since there wasn''t any relevant information, he switched to his light novel app and read the newest release chapters from that evening. Once those were out of the way, he thumbed through the anime apps and became disappointed. There was not a single new episode for him to watch.


    As he was about to plug his phone up and go to sleep, his wife walked sleepily into the room, rubbing her eyes.


    Taylor smiled at her,ughing a bit at her shuffling feet. "It seems like we''re staying upter every night getting the little creatures to sleep." He chuckled while she crawled in bed and pressed her body up against his side.


    "Maybe the next one will be easier." She teased and smiled while clinging more tightly to him.


    He just closed his eyes and held her. They both knew that the circumstances weren''t right for having another one.


    "Hey, you missed something crazy earlier. There were thousands of..." He looked down at Michelle to see that she was already back asleep. "Good talk." He said whileughing and rolling over to close his own eyes.

 Chapter 2: Strange Awakening

    Chapter 2: Strange Awakening


    *Squelch* *Squelch*


    The warm rays of the sun were shining down, rousing Taylor from his sleep. He didn''t bother opening his eyes. He was used to sleeping in.


    *Squelch* *Squelch*


    ''Ugh, how the hell am I supposed to sleep with that noise.''


    Suddenly a chill breeze swept by, startling him and rousing him further. Rolling over and reaching for a nket, his hands brushed across the slick feel of morning dew on the grass. He felt something gooey moving on his right foot with a small amount of pain.


    *Squelch* *Squelch*


    This time he bolted upright, rubbing his eyes to adjust to the brightness of the ring sun. Once his eyes adjusted, he looked at his foot and saw a strange mass covering his foot.


    ''What the fuck?!'' He quickly jumped up and kicked the thing off of him. It looked more like he was pulling his foot out of the gooey substance.


    Taylor stomped on the thing a few times and jumped up and down on it until it was sttered into a messy paste and was no longer moving.


    ''What the fuck was that thing, and why the hell am I outside?'' He thought to himself, and then the world around him came into view.


    Michelle wasying on the ground less than a foot from him, wearing a thin brown gown that looked almost like a bup sack, albeit a muchfier version. She looked beautiful lying there, her purple-dyed hair shining in the sun along with the morning dew.


    She was only 5''2" with a thin build, contrary to his thick stature and height of 6''0". She had slightly toned legs, a light tan, and a voluptuous chest. Her charming features were only interrupted by her open mouth with the drool running one corner.


    He shook his head and looked around to better understand the situation. He saw his children lying in the grass, 20 to 30 yards away. They were both sleeping peacefully with those same brown sacks covering their bodies.


    Looking further around the area, he could see that they were in a vast in. A couple of small hills could be seen not too far into the distance. He could see other people lying throughout the field, the closest being about 150 yards out.


    From that distance, he could clearly tell that it was his neighbors. ''Based on where everyone''sying, including my own children, it seems that we''re about ten times further apart than what we should be. Were we drugged and brought here? No, that isn''t right.''


    Seeing that everyone was safe, he looked down at the small jelly-like mass that he had smashed before and bent down for a closer look. The creature was somewhat transparent and had a red shade to it. There were multiple light orange lines inside of its body that closely resembled veins.


    Looking down at his right foot, he saw a couple of small areas where his skin looked burnt. There were also small, hard to notice singed areas on the grass where the creature had been sitting.


    Suddenly, while he was bent over looking at it, one of the gel-like pieces wobbled slightly. Taylor instantly reacted, smashing down on it with his hand. This time, he noticed a small, egg-shaped item inside of the gel. He picked it up and examined it. It was kind of like a red, see-through ss, simr to marble.


    Within moments after removing the egg-shaped marble, the gel-like creature stopped moving and the substance tuned to a liquid, puddling across the ground. At that instant, a mechanical voice sounded in Taylor''s mind, causing him to jump. What the strange voice said filled him with both curiosity and excitement.


    "Congrattions User, for being the first to reach Level 1!"


    "Congrattions User, for being the first to reach Level 1! Please pull out your Grimoire and choose your reward."


    ''Grimoire?'' The moment Taylor thought this, a very dull, tattered-looking brown book appeared hovering in the air in front of him. The book was incredibly thin. It had an almost cardboard cover and no more than five leaflets of paper inside.


    He reached out to grab the book. It was almost weightless. Letting go of it would just cause it to stay in ce.


    The first page was nk, aside from a simple prompt: Name?


    ''Hmm, is it asking for my name or an alias?''


    In response, a new line appeared on the page: This is the name that will appear to others upon inspection and will be my Title. It is rmended to not use your True Name. Simply think your name to choose.


    ''Okay, that answers that. The only name I''ve used in games in the past was Geth, so I''mfortable with it. Short and simple.''


    As the thought urred, the writing on the top of the page was reced with the four-letter name. A sh appeared as the page became filled with intricate runes that barely stood out on the paper.


    The cover also slightly changed, going from tattered to more of a worn book. A warm sensation enveloped Taylor''s mind, and he could feel another presence apart from his own thoughts.


    The page once again began forming words: Please turn to the second page and choose your reward.


    Unable to hold his curiosity back, Taylor decided to do as instructed. Flipping to the second page, he found three lines:


    ***


    Automatic Reward:


    Talent: Inspection - Able to inspect and gather simple data on low-level objects and creatures.


    Option 1; 1 SP and a small inventory pouch


    Option 2; 1 SP and a rusty dagger


    ***


    Without hesitation, he chose the first option. The words disappeared from the page... A small light shed as a tattered bag appeared on the ground in front of him. It was no bigger than a small zip lock bag, with two stringsing off of it.

 Chapter 3: Evolution

    Chapter 3: Evolution


    He stooped to pick it up, wondering about the item. The Grimoire hovering in front of him flipped back to the cover page on its own and began showing information:


    Small Inventory Pouch - Capable of storing 25 pounds worth of non-organic material or items. No weight will be felt by the bearer. Thinking of the item as you reach into the pouch will cause it to be moved to the top of the space.


    Page 4 will allow you to keep track of items in your possession.


    ''How useful!'' He quickly tied the pouch to his wrist, not sure of where else to keep it at the moment. ''I wonder what the other pages of the Grimoire are for.''


    Again, words started to appear on the cover page.


    ***


    This page allows connection between User and Grimoire. Basic questions can be asked, and the Grimoires intelligence will grow over time with the growth of the User.


    Page 1: User Attributes


    Page 2: Choice and Battle Log


    Page 3: Map


    Page 4: Inventory


    Note that more pages will appear as you learn new Talents.


    ***


    "Wow, this is very simr to a game." Taylor mused out loud while looking through the information and quickly turning to the first page.


    ***


    Geth: Level 1


    Exp: 5/100


    HP- 60


    MP- 0


    Strength- 5 + (Physical damage)


    Agility- 5 + (Movement speed)


    Defense- 5 + (HP and physical resistance)


    Wisdom- 5 + (MP and magical resistance)


    Intelligence- 5 + (MP and magical damage)


    TP- 0 (Talent Points)


    SP- 1 (Skill Points)


    AP- 5 (Attribute Points)


    Note: There are many hidden effects behind each Attribute, Grimoire level not high enough to detect.


    ***


    ''Hm, I suppose that there are no resets, so how you build is very important.''


    As expected, the Grimoire turned to its cover page and responded: Correct. The way that you build along with your actions and thoughts also affects the Talents that you are offered on every 5th Level.


    ''That''s almost dangerous!'' He thought quickly, ''If my thoughts can affect my growth I''m screwed.'' He chuckled and the Grimoire moved back to the 1st page.


    ''Put 3 AP in Defense and 2 in Wisdom please.''


    A searing pain suddenly burned his skin causing him to scream out. Taylor fell to the ground, writhing in pain as his skin fell, showing the red muscles beneath. Blood poured over the ground and new skin began to cover the exposed muscles. Tissue quickly grew and he once again became whole.


    As this was happening to his body, the opposite feeling was urring in his mind. A cool and soothing sensation enveloped the inside of his head, as his thoughts began to speed up. As a moment of rity was reached, both feelings were dispersed almost as soon as they had begun.


    Hey there panting, cursing the Grimoire for not warning him.


    It promptly cut into his thoughts, turning back to the cover page: To begin your growth, your body and mind must first be rebuilt with the energy of this ce so that it can adapt.


    Looking over at his wife he couldn''t help but wonder. ''Grimoire, how could she sleep through that? No one in the vicinity has budged.'' He looked around, also quickly noticing that he could see the neighbors further away with much more rity.


    : Their bodies are currently being rebuilt slowly, as yours was just a moment ago. You were woken early due to imminent danger. The rebuilding process will bepleted in 19 hours, and they will begin to awaken on their own 10 hourster:


    ''Thank you.'' Taylor thought to the Grimoire while deciding what to do. He walked over and picked up his daughter, Melody, and brought her over toy beside her Michelle.


    She was barely taller than 3'' and had long dirty blonde hair. He then picked up his youngest son, Kael, andid him on her other side.


    ''I wonder how Berry is, I wish this had happened while he was with me over the weekend.'' After thinking for a moment he shook his head ''Hopefully Alex was there with him and his ex fiance when this happened, not working ate night. All I can do is try to meet up with them.''


    ''Grimoire, can others see you?''


    : No. Each User has a Grimoire that will activate upon killing a hostile creature. Grimoires can only be shown to others by Usermand:


    ''Show me the Map page.''


    The Grimoire flipped to page 3 showing a small ck dot where Taylor was standing, but only a small area of green around him. The Grimoire then flipped back to the cover page.


    : Map will be updated and saved as User explores. The current world is the same as your previous on a 10x scale:


    ''Thank you, again.''


    He then took out the red egg he had found earlier and asked his Grimoire to inspect it.


    : Slime Core- This was once the Core of a Slime that had weak ties to the fire element. Can be used to imbue tools or weapons with a very weak warming sensation, or crushed to gain experience equivalent to killing the creature:


    After thinking about it for a moment, he decided to store it in his pouch. ''It may not be useful for making a strong weapon, but maybe to create something simr to a lighter.''


    He expected many days of living in the woods in theing days. Looking towards the southwest, he started thinking again. ''If we head that way, based on the 10x difference, my Mom''s house should be around 30 miles out. My oldest son should only be another 30 miles further.''


    He sighed as he thought about all of the work that needed to be done. It was almost certain that the road ahead wouldn''t be an easy one.


    "Welp," He stretched his arms and legs. "There''s nothing to it but to do it!"

 Chapter 4: Investigation

    Chapter 4: Investigation


    He doubted things would be as simple as stepping on Slimes for long. ''The best thing to do would be meet up with family and take turns watching the children while we all get stronger.'' Being born into a family of rednecks and country folk wasn''t looking too bad in this situation.


    ''Well, I''m certainly not going to sit here while there''s fun to have!'' Taylor thought as he started walking further into the ins towards the hills where no houses or businesses had been built.


    Luckily, based on where everyone was lying, he could get a general sense of direction.


    ....


    After about two hours at a light jog, he finally came close to the base of the hill and bent over while breathing hard. ''Holy shit, I wished I''d done some cardio and not just lifting weights asionally.''


    *Squelch* *Squelch* *Squelch*


    Recognizing that noise, he became excited, and it sounded like more than one was around. Taylor quickly ran up the hill and looked down the other side.


    There were Slimes everywhere! Yellow, red, blue, green, clear. He couldn''t help but grin.


    "I don''t know who or what to thank, but thank you for providing this early grinding farm!"


    He didn''t want to dive in just yet, so he looked for slimes hanging out near the edge. The first one he approached was a yellowish color and didn''t look quite as gooey as the first one he''d killed.


    These things weren''t big, and they were extremely slow. This one was about the size of a rabbit. Taylor bent down to look at it and was able to make out its core in the center. He brought his hand up and pped it down towards the middle of it, hoping to extract its core like he had the first one.


    As soon as his hand met the top of the creature, it felt like he''d pped a thin sheet of drywall. The top of the creature cracked a little, but his hand didn''t sink into it.


    ''What the hell, this isn''t slimy at all. Grimoire, inspect it please.''


    :Slime: This Slime has spent time-consuming dirt and many of the rocky materials on the ground. It has slightly taken in the properties of the Earth element.


    HP 16/20


    Grimoire level too low to detect other attributes:


    As he was examining the creature and reading its information he felt a dull pain on his skin. It felt like someone had thumped him. He looked down and noticed a small pebble on the ground.


    The next moment he managed to see another pebble being spat out by the Slime and hitting his left arm. It didn''t hurt, so Taylor decided he would experiment with the creature. Flipping over to the first page, he saw that his health had gone down by one point. He currently had 80 HP after adding the 3 points to Defense.


    ''Well, pping the creature did 4 points of damage to it. I wonder if there''s a difference between how I hit it or how much force I put behind it.''


    He raised his hand and chopped down on it like he was chopping through a block of wood.


    :Slime; HP- 8/20:


    Next, he tried punching it.


    : HP- 3/20:


    ''Not enough left to test anything now.'' He thought as he pped it one more time and removed its core.


    :Slime Core- This was once the Core of a Slime that had weak ties to the Earth element. It can slightly harden an object or can be crushed to gain experience:


    ''Slightly harden an object, huh?'' He mused at the lewd thoughts before moving on to more practical means. ''I suppose that it could be used to harden this cloth to form a weak armor. Or maybe use it on a stick to form a makeshift weapon.''


    As he thought about it, his Grimoire chimed in: These items cannot be used unless you have unlocked a crafting Talent:


    ''Oh bummer, I''ll save the new ones I get for now and crush any doubles that I find.''


    Looking around, he found another yellowish Slime not too far away that also had 20 HP. This time, he kicked the Slime and checked the damage.


    :13/20:


    ''That did less damage than chopping it.'' Next, he tried an ax kick, although it was awkward due to the small stature of the creature.


    This time, it died instantly, but he had realized the difference. I was because the Slime was solid. The moves that had a shing-type motion did more damage than the crushing attacks.


    ''I wonder if weapons will have different effects against different creatures as well.'' Taylor picked up the core and crushed it, watching the dust turn into small light particles and flow into his Grimoire.


    This time he looked around for another red Slime like the first one he''d killed. He located one and didn''t hesitate to attack. This time he tried to pierce through the creature directly with his fingertips in an attempt to grab and pull out the core in one move.


    Surprisingly, it worked! Though after looking at the Battle Log in his Grimoire, he found that it only had 10 HP in the first ce.


    ''The Earth Slime had a higher defense, so it would make sense that it has more HP if creatures'' attributes are simr to our own.''


    ncing at the Battle Log again, he found that he was getting the same 5 Exp from each Slime, plus 5 Exp from the two cores he''d shattered. 15 more Slimes or cores before he would reach the next level.


    Taylor jumped to it without hesitation, clearing out a small patch of the Slimes and this time storing all of the Cores. He wondered if he could give them to his family to use as their first "kill." He couldn''t picture the children killing anything yet.


    Once he reached level 2, he was happy that it still only took 100 Exp to reach the next level. He continued walking around stomping on as many slimes as he could.

 Chapter 5: Party With the Slimes

    Chapter 5: Party With the Slimes


    ''This would be a strange sight for someone first waking up. I look like I''m out here stomping on different colored jello.''


    Level 2 only gave him 3 AP, which he decided to save for now. Even kicking around four or five Slimes at once, his HP was replenished as fast as it was taken.


    ''Grimoire, are these Slimes supposed to be this weak?''


    :User has woken up early. At the appointed time, these Slimes should reach between Levels 3 and 5. They are currently only Level 1. The slimes in the center will be stronger than these in the outer area:


    ''Couldn''t you have told me this before?''


    :As User gains Levels, Grimoire has ess to more information:


    ''Ah, I see.''


    It hadn''t taken long to kill the 15 Slimes, so he continued killing more, making a small dent in the few hundred Slimes in the area.


    ''1.. 5.. 20.. 30.. 45.. 60'' After the 60th Slime, Taylor received a new prompt from his Grimoire.


    :User Geth has reached Level 5. Gained 5 AP, 1 SP, 1 TP. First Talent avable:


    The Grimoire then turned to page 2, where there were two options avable.


    :Talents avable;


    Option 1: Thick Skin - User has an aptitude for taking damage with a grain of salt. Grants 1% extra physical resistance.


    Option 2: Mana Sense - User has grown a small Mana pool. To ess this pool, and learn future abilities, User must be able to sense Mana:


    "Although I don''t want to pass up Option 1, I''ll definitely be taking Option 2. I mean, who in the right mind would pass up the opportunity to use magic!" Taylor said, talking out loud to his Grimoire without caring about the slimes inching towards him. They were barely moving at a snail''s pace.


    As soon as the thought was finished, he was felt a breeze brush by and start to spiral around him. His beard blew up in his face from the pressure.


    ''How inconvenient.'' He chuckled, closing his eyes and trying to feel if there was a difference. ''It''s almost as if I can feel a very light breeze moving around me...'' He reached out towards one of the thin currents and felt that he could slightly guide it. Out of curiosity, he used it to draw a few circles in the air.


    While starting the third circle, he felt his mind begin to feel the cooling sensation from his initial level up. As the third circle finished...


    *BOOOOMMMMM*


    An unseen force pressed outwards from the tip of his finger, causing a small explosion. He was thrown back well over 20 yards, tumbling head over heels.


    His wrist snapped backward while multiple abrasions and contusions appeared over his body. Blood was pouring from the cuts on his forehead, arms, and legs.


    "Aggghh fuck!" This wasn''t nearly as bad as the pain from his skin ripping off but damn if it didn''t hurt. ''Fuck. I definitely can''t walk.'' He looked towards the Slimes to make sure that they couldn''t take advantage of his wounded state.


    To his surprise, arge chunk of the Slime army had dispersed. Cores were lying everywhere. Once that threat was confirmed to be out of the way, he looked at his injuries.


    ''I definitely should have broken more than just my wrist from that tumbling.'' The Grimoire floated in front of his face.


    :User has invested in Defense. Bones, skin, tendons, etc. are more difficult to prate or break. User has suffered from Magical Bacsh. This can ur by drawing a Rune incorrectly, attempting to use a Spell that costs too much MP, or a mixture of both:


    Taylor tried blinking away the blood running out of his eyes while reading the Grimoire. He could barely concentrate. ''I''m going to end up bleeding out long before the others wake up.'' He thought.


    Before his eyes closed, he noticed new words appear on his Grimoire as he struggled to remain conscious and focused.


    :User has reached Level 6 and has acquired 17 unused Attribute Points. Allocating these into Defense will increase your physical recovery speed exponentially while putting some into Wisdom will increase your magic resistance and allow your body to expel the Mana Poisoning faster:


    ''Oh great, Mana Poisoning too?!?! Put 10 in Defense and the rest in Wisdom.''


    As soon as he said this he felt a surge of warmth throughout his body and a strong chilling sensation inside of his mind and behind his eyes. This time there was no pain, only a refreshing feeling.


    The pain from his injuries hadn''t gone away, but it had dulled. He opened his eyes and wiped away some of the blood with the back of his unbroken hand. The blood leaking from his injuries had slowed to a trickle.


    He watched as a long cut on his forearm stopped bleedingpletely and a scab was building across it at a speed visible to the naked eye. ''Well, it isn''t super regeneration or anything, but I should be healed within 3 or four hours. This really is amazing!''


    :Defense has the hidden attribute of increasing HP recovery, while Wisdom has the hidden attribute of increasing MP recovery. There are many hidden abilities for each attribute, though I can only learn deeper information in the Talent levels:


    ''Did you say "I"?''


    :Yes, I do possess my own intellect. Looking at your history, I suppose a Grimoire could beparable to what you call artificial intelligence. When you learn, so do I. When you grow, so do I. In a way, you and I are one, but we still carry our own individualities:


    "Interesting, then should I just talk to you out loud like this?" Taylor asked while thinking about the implications behind what his Grimoire had told him.


    :There is no need. We share the same mind in a way. The feeling that there is something extra there is me, while I can feel something simr in regards to you:

 Chapter 6: Albus

    Chapter 6: Albus


    ''Well, in that case, I feel like you deserve a name. I won''t feelfortable calling you Grimoire knowing that you have your own thoughts.''


    :If that''s the case, you can feel free to give me a name. Though I am cognizant, I don''t have any memory of a life before:


    ''Well, a name fitting for a magic book huh?'' Taylory back and thought for a moment. ''How about Albus? It may be a bit clich using a movie character, but he was a wise wizard and had a great impact on my childhood.''


    :I can ept that. You should be able to move shortly, I suggest collecting your cores before the area bes overrun by Slimes again:


    ''Shit, you''re right.''


    :Well, it''s one of your thoughts, I''m just reminding you:


    ''Man, I wish I''d always had a magic book around. Though, talking to a book on normal Earth, I absolutely would have beenbeled crazy.'' He mused while dragging himself to his feet.


    There was still a massive amount of pain, but the wounds had already stabbed over with fresh scabs. He also had a massive ache in his left wrist, though after the initial movement of the bones going back into ce it was bearable.


    He approached the area of the explosion to find arge pit. The pit was almost 10 yards in width and about 5 feet deep. He could sense the untamed rush of the disturbed Mana fighting to return to its original order.


    He nced around and began picking up and stuffing cores of all colors into his pouch. ''Albus, how did the pouch survive while my clothing was ripped off? I''m topless and look like I''m wearing a torn-up skirt.''


    :Magical items have much more durability than any basic garment:


    ''That''s a relief.'' After checking the Battle Log and recounting the cores to make sure he''d collected them all, he had picked up 71 cores. ''Wow, that explosion really did a number.''


    ''Albus, how are we supposed to learn Spells?''


    :Well, like any world without previous civilization, we will have to learn from scratch. As you learn Talents and crush new cores, I can sketch the runes for us to study and create newbinations. Of course, it will be dangerous:


    ''Cores have Runes on them?'' Taylor asked rhetorically as he pulled one from his storage pouch. He examined it closely and could see a very dull Rune etched into the center. This was a clear core that hadn''t had an element attached to it.


    :You can see them now due to your Mana Sense and the increased amount of Wisdom:


    ''Interesting. How much longer do we have until the 24 hours are up?''


    :You have about 11 hours left. Of course, even after the limation process, it will be 10 hours before most wake up. Some exceptional Users who have a strong connection with their Grimoire can wake up early:


    ''Do you have a way to wake me up?''


    :Yes:


    ''Wake me in 3 hours or if there is any danger. I don''t want to waste this opportunity of being the only hunter at the moment.''


    :Understood:


    He climbed to the top of the hill andid down, closing his eyes and quickly falling asleep.


    ****


    An ufortably warm heat began to invade Taylor''s mind. His eyes twitched as the heat increased and he finally couldn''t ignore it. His eyes snapped open and he saw Albus hovering over him.


    "What a strange thing to wake up to." He grumbled, watching the book hovering around him.


    Now that his mind wasn''t so dulled from the pain, he noticed that Albus looked a lot different. His cover was no longer ragged-looking. It seemed to be a nice brown leather cover, though it was still very in. There were also a few more pages.


    ''Albus, you''ve changed quite a bit already.''


    :Yes, my growth rate is parallel with yours. I have three new pages, one being your Inspection Skill, the other two pages being your Mana Sense:


    ''How do the Runes in your pages affect me?''


    :When the Runes appear in my pages, they also inscribe themselves into your mind, or onto your body based on what they do. The same thing happens as you level Attributes, there are millions of small Runes etched into your cells causing your body to harden. I can''t tell you where theye from, it''s beyond my capabilities:


    Taylor felt a bit strange knowing that information, that meant that something wasn''t changing just Albus, but for him as well.


    ''Well, there''s nothing I can do about it.'' He thought as he headed to the other side of the pit and proceeded to hunt Slimes for the next 7 hours.


    ****


    ''Man, that was a cakewalk. I''m d these cores weigh next to nothing or else they wouldn''t have fit in my pouch.'' The pouch still amazed him, no matter how many cores he threw in, there wasn''t even a bulge on the side.


    The terrible injuries he once had were now barely red scars across his body. His wrist waspletely back to normal, not even a bit swollen.


    In that 8 hours, he''d used 7 to storm right through the army of Slimes until he reached the inneryer where he''d stomped around killing as many Slimes as possible. They couldn''t even hurt him anymore.


    ''If it wasn''t for Albus I wouldn''t have a clue how many I''d killed, quite a few in that area were level 2.'' He''d managed to kill another 182 level 1 Slimes and 60 level 2 slimes which granted 10 experience each.


    Taylor had made it to Level 10 after a full day of grinding, and he was ready to use his next Talent Point. The levels became much harder to grind after Level 10. Levels 5-10 had required 300 Exp per level, now it seemed Levels 10-15 would take 900 Exp per Level.

 Chapter 7: Waking the Wife

    Chapter 7: Waking the Wife


    ''Albus, let me see page 1.''


    ***


    Geth: Level 10


    Exp: 65/900


    HP- 300 (Rec. 0.5/Second)


    MP- 95 (Rec. 0.48/Second)


    Strength- 5 (P.Damage/Stamina Recovery)


    Agility- 5 (Mov.spd./Dexterity)


    Defense- 25 (HP/P.Res./HP Rec.)


    Wisdom- 24 (MP/M.Res./Mana Recovery)


    Intelligence- 5 (MP/M.Dmg.)


    TP- 1 (Talent Points)


    SP- 3 (Skill Points)


    AP- 0 (Attribute Points)


    Note: More of each Attribute''s hidden effects will be shown as Grimoire reaches a higher understanding.


    ***


    He had a hard decision to make with his Talent Point, and he just couldn''t make his mind up. He''d been contemting over it for thest hour while running back towards his family. ''Albus, switch back to page 2, I''ve made up my mind.''


    ***


    Option 1: Upgrade an existing Talent


    Option 2: Thick Skin


    Option 3: Recovery Doubles HP and MP recovery rates. This Talent can not be upgraded.


    ***


    ''Option 3.'' He thought. Taylor really wanted to get Thick Skin since Albus said it could be upgraded along with Mana Sense. However, after that near-death experience earlier, along with witnessing the amazing recovery speed, he would prefer to have that as a trump card.


    Doubling his HP. Rec. meant that he couldpletely heal up in 6 minutes. Of course, the injuries themselves would be tender and take longer to heal perfectly, but he would be able to fight at full capacity.


    He continued running and finally, his family was back in his sights. Something unexpected had urred, however. His daughter was up and walking around!


    As he was running towards them he saw her bending over and poking her mom''s forehead. Taylor couldn''t help butugh.


    Once he was close he stopped and called out to her. "Melodyyy!"


    She excitedly jumped up and turned around. "Daddy!" She ran to him and tackled his leg while smiling. Looking up at him she pointed back and said, "Daddy, Mommy, and Kael sleep."


    Then she inspected him again and looked at him all over, "Daddy, a bunch of boo-boos."


    "Haha, I know baby, let''s go try to wake Mommy up." He picked her up onto his shoulders and carried her back to where they were sleeping.


    Looking down at Michelle sleeping there he thought, ''Albus, is there any way for me to wake her up without putting her in danger?''


    :Not that I''m aware:


    ''Is it just pain? Or do I have to drag her 2 hours away and let the Slimes bite her?'' He startedughing at the thought. Melody startedughing too, even though she didn''t know why.


    He put her down and waited for Albus to answer.


    :It isn''t necessarily the pain, it''s the damage. She would have to take enough damage to lose a Health Point:


    ''Oh is that all? You should have led with that!''


    After ncing around to make sure no one else had woken up, he quickly rolled her over. He grabbed the makeshift skirt that looked more like a bup sack and pulled it up, exposing her toned rear.


    ''This wouldn''t be so awkward in the bedroom.'' He mused, whilst rubbing his hands together. Drawing back above his head he mmed his palm down as hard as he could.


    There was a crisp smacking sound as he watched the meat jiggle, smiling. A bright red handprint quickly formed on her ass, already forming a small purple bruise in the middle.


    "Damn that was clean!" He whistled and startedughing.


    Taylor didn''t even have time to pull her skirt back down she woke up quickly and started yelling.


    "Taylor, what the fuck is wrong with you!?" She pped at his face, but he quickly dodged, afraid that his hardened skin would break her wrist.


    He picked the sleeping Kael up off the ground while quickly backing away. Seeing the sleeping boy in his arms, she quickly cooled off, and suddenly realized they weren''t at home.


    "Um, what the fuck is going on? Is this one of your pranks?" She asked.


    "I''m afraid not babe, I''ll exin, but it''s gonna be wild. We should walk while we''re talking." He quickly picked the direction of the Slime field and started walking leisurely. He wanted to make sure that she had time to Level up before people realized what was going on.


    They would also need to get a group to clear out and camp the Slime field or the entire area would get overrun. While he''d been closer to the center of the Slime field, he''d noticed a cave entrance embedded into one of the hills in the distance. His first thought was a dungeon, even though it seemed a bit clich.


    It turned out that his thoughts were correct, Albus was aware of dungeons and said that there were many to be conquered. If they weren''t regted, creatures would overrun the territory the dungeon was in.


    Of course, most creatures wouldn''t have even made it to the cave entrances at this point, but Slimes reproduced at an extremely fast rate.


    They reproduced by fragmentation. The moment one gained its Elemental trait, a small clear core would fall out and quickly produce a new Slime with no traits.


    Michelle limped up beside him while gingerly expecting her left cheek. "Damnit, I think this is one of the worst ones you''ve left in a while."


    Heughed and said, "Nah, you''ve just gotten soft." Looking back he called for Melody to walk with them and held her hand as they proceeded forward.


    Taylor took the time to exin the situation while they were walking. Around a half-hour into their walk, he stopped and looked at her. "So, what do you think?"


    She took a moment to respond. "Well, I have no reason to doubt you but are you sure that the situation wasn''t too stressful on you. Waking up to something eating your foot? The flying, talking book is a bit hard to believe."


    He just chuckled at her, "Albus is much more than a book, babe."


    "Albus... Really?" She looked exasperated.


    "Hey, a genius book deserves a great name! Anyway, take this and crush it, you''ll see in just a moment." He pulled out one of the Level 2 fire cores that he''d gotten earlier and hand it to her.

 Chapter 8: Problems with a Name

    Chapter 8: Problems with a Name


    "Pretty!" Melody yelled and reached for it


    He promptly pulled another one out of his pouch and handed it to her. It didn''tst long in her hands and was crushed almost instantly. She really didn''t know how to be easy.


    Michelle was inspecting the one that he''d given her when she heard Melody yell and point, "Mommy! Book!"


    She nced over at her daughter, then back at Taylor. "Well, I guess Albus is real, but you''re still insane. What would have happened if you''d blown yourself up?"


    "I would have died." He said while shrugging. "Now go ahead and crush that core so that you can get used to things."


    She just looked at him and sighed while doing what she was told. "I''m going to blow you up myself if you don''t start caring more about yourself." She muttered.


    They walked along in silence for a while. Taylor noticed that she continually made gestures in the air, or moved her eyes like she was reading pages. Melody had tried chasing her Grimoire around more than once and he had to keep catching he as she pulled too far away.


    "Hey, what do you think I should do?" She asked after a while.


    He frowned a bit and replied, "It isn''t for me to say. Even though I can make suggestions, whatever you choose is going to change how you live from now on. Your decisions will also affect the passive Talents that you''re offered, which can dramatically change the way that you take on enemies, or protect the children."


    She nodded and thought for a while about what he''d said before making a decision. "I''ll just go with what I''mfortable with then. As much as magic interests me, based on what you said, it will beplicated until there''s already some collective information floating around. I''ll add my points to Strength and Agility to make sure we can kill things quickly."


    He nodded at her choice, it was a smart move. She already had an idea of how to y a melee fighter roll in a party from the games they used to y. Even though this was real, he imagined that groups would be built simrly, and the same strategies would be applied the majority of the time.


    "Very well." He pulled out all of the Level 2 cores that he''d found and gave her enough to Level 4. This left him with 29. He didn''t want her to get to Level 5 right away, her Grimoire needed to know which talents would best suit the way she thought while she was fighting.


    ''Albus, is there any type of party system?'' He asked while she was crushing the cores.


    :Yes, your Inventory page can toggle between the Inventory and what you would call a "friend list". It''s a bit moreplicated than that, however. The process actually links Grimoires in a way that lets them know you''re friendly. Different abilities that can apply to multiple targets are affected by the link. You wouldn''t want to cast arge scale curse and kill your friends, so to speak:


    ''That''s more useful than I thought He wondered about theplexity of Albus'' abilities before asking, ''what do I need to do to initiate a link?''


    :You just tell me who and leave it to me. You should let her know that she will receive a prompt to create the link shortly:


    "Hey babe, you''re about to get something simr to a friend request from Albus. Don''t take it lightly, it''s a link between Grimoires and not a friend list like in a game." He made sure to give her the same warning.


    Shortly after, a name popped up in a right-hand column of the Inventory page. ''Zolis huh? She''s using the same name as our D&D sessions.''


    :I suggest you start using these names regrly, if you could forget your given names it would be even better. Multiple kinds of magic can affect a being by using its true name. Your given name and your True name aren''t exactly the same of course, but humans are so attached to their given name from birth that it has a slight effect on one''s soul:


    ''That''s... going to be a bit difficult to get used to. Maybe not for the children, but most adults will have issues with it.'' He quickly ryed this information over to Michelle, and both of them agreed that they would forsake their given names and go by their alias names from then on.


    After the trip wasplete, they stood at the top of the first hill and looked over the Slime field. There were noticeably more Slimes around from the first time Geth had visited the ce.


    It looked like Albus was right about their reproduction rate. The overall number in the field was around 500 at this point.


    Zolis saw therge puddle of dried blood on the foot of the hill from where Geth had crashed into it. She realized now that he''d actually almost died, and decided that it was definitely a good idea to stay away from magic for now.


    Geth walked over to the edge of the hill, pulled up his kilt a bit, and started pissing down the other side. He looked over his shoulder, "All right, go on and have some fun. Stay closer to the edges until you''refortable with taking them out."


    She rolled her eyes at him again and nodded before heading down the hill. He looked to where he''did Melody and Kael. She had fallen asleep just a few minutes before they arrived, and he still hadn''t woken up.


    Carrying the two of them and walking instead of jogging had slowed their pace to a crawl. It had taken them nearly three and a half hours to get there.


    He watched his wife walk down the hill and towards the Slimes that were further back than before. The first one she came to was blue, ording to Albus they had likely taken on the water element by absorbing the morning dew on the ground.


    He watched her somewhat timidly ball up her fist and punch out at it. It was really awkward, but the effects were amazing. That awkward-looking hit sttered the creature and then sunk slightly into the ground.

 Chapter 9: Getting Outpaced

    Chapter 9: Getting Outpaced


    Heughed as she took a couple of pulls to get her hand out of the dirt. "A bit of overkill, don''t you think?" He called out, teasing her.


    "Shut up, you''re just mad that you actually have to try." Zolis grimaced a bit. She was trying to be serious, but he always wanted to joke around.


    He called out again, "With that Strength, you can probably just run around stomping on them. Be careful of the green ones, they are kind of like porcupines!"


    What they did was form a small bit of air over their head that was difficult to see. The air was made of a few small currents of wind that were a bit sharp. With his Defense stat, he didn''t have to worry about them at all, but he wasn''t sure how she would fair with them.


    She took his advice and began running around stomping on them. At first, her feet would sink slightly into the ground, but she quickly learned to control herself. Some of her stomps would even kill two or three Slimes at once.


    Once he was confident that she would be fine, he started a conversation with Albus. They had talked a bit about how to link with his children''s Grimoires but were still working on a solution.


    He was pretty sure that Melody would understand. She had just recently turned 4 and her brother 3, she could spell some simple words but they had only just begun to prepare her for school in theing years.


    They had pulled the kids out of pre-school when he''d started staying home. They weren''t being taught anything and were only picking up bad habits. In the same pre-school when he was a child, he had learned to read and write well, was forced to look up words he didn''t understand in the dictionary, and even taught how to swim while he was still 3.


    The American education system had be a joke, maybe having to start in this new world will weed out those in power. He began specting about how the older generation that ran the country would perform in this current environment.


    ''Albus, we have to get strong fast. I''m not too worried about the old costs, but it''s hard to tell what the military will do. The only bright side is that they will have tens of thousands of members in one ce who have to share experience, it shouldn''t be hard to stay ahead here in the country.''


    Albus took a minute to thumb through his memories before responding.


    :We should clear this dungeon quickly before the others that are waking up wander this way. Help Zolis clear the outer area quickly and then we can take the dungeon alone. If you move the children to the foot of the hill I will be able to keep an eye on them while you''re working:


    Geth simply nodded and did as suggested, letting his wife know the current n. They would clear the area quickly, and she would stay with the kids while he cleared the dungeon.


    She had been ughtering the Slimes that were mostly Level 2 and 3 at this point. Of the 500 or so that had made their way into the clearing, she had already smashed a hundred. Cores littered the ground to pick upter.


    He quickly joined in, and they had the area cleared within the next hour, Zolis taking out the majority. Once he''d gotten within a certain range of her, he''d realized that he was getting a small share of the exp she was farming. Around 10% or so per creature, Albus exined that this was due to their Grimoires being linked, and the percentage would change based on how much work each person put in on a specific enemy.


    Zolis worked from the outside in, killing all of the weaker Level 2 Slimes quickly, while Geth rushed closer to the mouth of the cave and dealt with the lower number of Level 3 Slimes and asional Level 4.


    The Level 3''s took him two hits each to kill while the Level 4''s took him multiple hits. He could tell how much the difficulty was increasing, but so was the experience. Level 3''s gave 15 exp while Level 4''s were giving 20.


    Zolis had quickly caught up to him, both reaching Level 12, she was 420 exp ahead of him at this point. His pride was kind of wounded. "So much for a head start," Geth muttered.


    She had killed 350 Level 2''s and 50 Level 3''s in the time it had taken him to kill 80 Level 3''s and 9 Level 4''s. He called out to her "It won''t be long before you''ve passed me at this rate."


    She shed a smile his way "Jealous yet?"


    "I don''t know, I lost about 10 HP there, how are you looking?"


    Her smile instantly fell, she had a few cuts and multiple bruises. Even though she was fine fighting Level 2''s, the 3''s beat her up pretty bad. She had watched how Geth had taken the attacks from the Level 4''s almost nonchntly.


    "Well, I''ll just say it''s good that we automatically get 10 health every time we Level up. I''m sitting at half right now." She sighed. "I''ll leave the rest to you, I''m going to sit with the kids."


    Kael had started to stir and it looked like he might wake up soon. He nodded and turned towards the dungeon.


    He''d already distributed his AP, 3 into each Defense and Wisdom, bringing them to 28 and 27 respectively. The mouth of the cave was packed tight, and Slimes were already trying to crawl out again. Albus had kept the inspection going and informed him that about a quarter of them were already Level 4.


    ''These things are growing so fast, there''s no telling what would happen if they were left unchecked. Albus, how are they Leveling up?'' He thought out of curiosity.


    :I believe that they are killing each other on their way out, due to how packed they are. They are essentially absorbing the cores of those they are trying to crawl over:


    ''I see, well that bodes well, to be honest. That means that stronger creatures that don''t reproduce as fast would still be in the beginner Levels.''

 Chapter 10: Talent

    Chapter 10: Talent


    The cave wasn''t veryrge, maybe wide enough for two grown men to walk and still have a foot of space between them. Geth trudged through, killing Slimes as he went. Just moving 5 feet forward required killing eight Slimes on average.


    It took him almost half an hour to reach the first bend, the Slimes were now mostly Level 4 and Level 3''s were far and few between.


    After turning the corner, he looked down the next portion of the cave and found that there were far fewer Slimes than before. Where they were packed tight previously, they were spread out here, almost as if they were avoiding each other.


    That wasn''t the only difference, they were also muchrger. Where the other''s had only been a foot or so in height, these came up to his waist.


    Geth quickly slipped back behind the corner he''de from and nced back towards the entrance. It was almost 50 yards away at this point, littered with cores and Slime goo sttered everywhere.


    Now that he was no longer surrounded by Slimes he had the time to consult Albus.


    :You''ve killed 240 Slimes of which 90 were Level 3 and 150 were Level 4. You have 11 AP to ce, 1 TP, and 4 SP:


    ***


    Option 1: Upgrade an existing Talent


    Option 2: Thick Skin


    Option 3: Reflection Reflects 1% of damage taken back to the attacker as True Damage.


    ***


    His eyes immediately lit up when he read through his options. ''Option 3, no doubt. I''m really going to need to upgrade my Talents eventually though.'' He frowned a bit at the thought and hoped he wasn''t making wrong decisions.


    Albus lit up momentarily, two new pages appeared at the back of the Grimoire. As the pages dulled down and the shine stopped, Geth could vaguely feel the shape of runes floating in the Mana that surrounded his body.


    He upped his Defense to 35 and Wisdom to 31. ''Albus, would there be much of a change if I used SP on inspection?''


    :Inspection''s fully upgraded version can identify top-tier magic items along with reading the Runes that make up theirposition. When ites to enemies, it will highlight weak points, help with tracking and finding traps, and can vaguely show the trajectory of movements. It, like most Special Skills, has 10 Levels to upgrade:


    He instantly lost all hesitation at the thought. At the moment it was his only Skill, so he directly used an SP on it.


    Albus glowed dimly again, another page appearing in the section where the Inspection Skill was located. As the page dulled, Geth''s eyes shone with the same light, a Rune lightly etched itself onto his pupil. There was no pain, just the now-familiar chill of Mana.


    Now that his upgrades werepleted he peeked around the corner and observed therge Slimes. The difference was immediate.


    He could see the dull glow where their cores were located. It would have been impossible to see them initially in that mass of gel. He could also make out a dull light towards the top of their bodies that definitely wasn''t there before.


    Before he had the chance Albus was writing :These creatures don''t have eyes, what you are looking at is an organ that allows them to vaguely sense the Mana in the atmosphere. They can likely feel therge amounts of Mana inside of each other and instinct is keeping them apart:


    Geth decided to sit back and monitor the situation. Every now and then, a Level 1 or 2 Slime would crawl from around the next bend and start working its way through this area.


    Any time they would get too close to one of therge blobs, a section of goo would reach out and pull it into its body. With his new Inspection Level, he could see the small Slime enter their bodies, and then the Mana slowly being dispersed causing them to grow slightlyrger.


    These big blobs consisted of two Level 7''s, five Level 6''s, and thirteen Level 5''s. They were spread evenly throughout therger section cave that was before him.


    After observing for a while longer, there was nothing else that could be learned. It was time to make his move.


    Geth rushed towards the closest one on the left, which was brown. It was slightly darker than the brown ones that he''d been killing. As he got closer to it, he spun on his left foot, sending a roundhouse kick towards what he''d thought was the creature''s head.


    His foot sunk through the creature and slowed down quickly. It felt almost as if his foot had sunk into thick mud.


    He pulled his foot back out and backed up quickly while looking at the results.


    :Slime; HP- 185/200:


    He hadn''t been able to see the creature''s health from his previous distance.


    ''Fuck, this is way worse than what I''d expected.''


    He moved back in to cause some more damage while the creature worked on twisting its wide-body to face him. There was another brown Slime to the right who had already noticed themotion and was inching its way over.


    Keeping track of the creature''s "eye", he was able to stay behind it and continued making swipes with his foot or piercing with his hand.


    His goal was to dig to the creature''s center and grab its core for an instant kill before the other one reached him.


    :175/200:


    :170:200:


    :155/200:


    As he continued attacking the Slime''s head, he suddenly felt ufortable and looked off towards the other one. Instead of seeing the monster inching towards him, he saw a rock the size of a softball just inches from his face.


    As he tried to jump to the side, his leg felt suddenly trapped and he toppled backward instead. The projectile missed his head, but still mmed into his shoulder. It was painful, but nowhere near as much as he''d expected.


    :Geth; HP- 489/500:


    Before he even had a chance to nce away from Albus'' warning, his HP had already ticked up to 490.

 Chapter 11: Stronger Slimes

    Chapter 11: Stronger Slimes


    ncing down at his leg, he saw that it was the first creature that had caught him. Dark brown mud had moved up from the ground and wrapped around his right ankle. It wasn''t enough to hold him down, but certainly, enough to cause him to trip when it wasn''t expected.


    Even though it wasn''t intentional, he was grateful for the assist. If he''d fallen unconscious from being struck in the head, he would likely die there.


    Albus had exined to him that regardless of his high Defense or HP if a de sharp enough was to decapitate him, he would die. Of course, if someone tried to slit his throat and didn''t finish the job, his insane Recovery could heal him before he bled out.


    Snapping out of his thoughts, he sent another kick towards the mud Slime and freed himself from the trap. This time, he stayed on the opposite side from the Rock Slime.


    Now, when the rock Slime''s attacks would be thrown at him, they would whittle down the mud Slime''s HP instead.


    ''It''s a great thing that these creatures have little to no intellect.'' Even once the mud Slime hadpletely faced him, the most it could do was grab at his feet weakly with its mud ability while it tried to extend its body to pull him in. There was no contest.


    With the help of the rock Slime, the first creature''s HP proceeded to drop to 0. The bulky body of the creature fell to the floor in a wet mess. Along with it fell a core and another small item that was covered in mud.


    Geth was immediately intrigued, but the stone that was now flying at his head let him know he didn''t have time for his curiosity. He dodged to the left and watched the rock Slime, he wouldn''t charge in blindly.


    He started luring it back towards the first corridor while timing its throws. The next rock came flying after about 10 seconds. The one after was also 10 seconds.


    After letting the Slime attack for the next two minutes to confirm there were no other tricks he made his move. As soon as the next rock appeared in front of the creature''s midsection, he dodged to the right and sprinted forward.


    He kicked the Slime twice and moved back to wait for the next stone while checking its HP.


    :Slime; HP- 230/250:


    An exasperated sigh left his lips. "I really need a weapon of some sort." He muttered to himself.


    This process continued for a few minutes dodging, sprinting, kicking. Each kick took off a decent chunk of rock, his skin had strengthened to be as hard as rock on its own. He actually took a single damage every time his kicks connected, and each move stung a bit.


    A blister was trying to form on his heel, but it would always mend itself before it could show anysting effects.


    This process went on for the next six minutes before the creature finally crumpled into a pile of rubble. The rubble turned to dust and settled to the floor to reveal a core in the middle. This core was definitelyrger than the ones he''d collected so far.


    He snatched it up and went to the remains of the mud Slime, feeling through the mud until he found its core along with the other item. The item was rectangr and the shape and size were extremely familiar.


    He quickly wiped off the mud. "What the fuck?!" He eximed, "This is a damn trading card."


    Right on cue, Albus chimed in :This could be simr to a trading card in your past, yet it would be much more valuable. When creatures reach Level 5, they receive their first Talent, the same as you. The only difference is that they typically don''t learn passive Talents, they learn Skills. When you kill a creature, there is a slim chance that one or more pages from its Grimoire can survive.


    The higher the level of the creature, the more likely it is for it to drop a page or more. That isn''t because they are more likely to do so as much as they simply have more pages that can drop:


    ''Well, what are the odds then?''


    :Actually, since this was the first creature you''ve killed that had a Grimoire, it was guaranteed. From this point on, the chances will be one in one thousand per page individually. For example, a Level 5000 creature would be almost guaranteed to drop one unless you are just ridiculously unlucky:


    ''I absolutely would not have killed Muk over here first if I''d have known that, Albus.'' He thought, quite annoyed that he could have gotten the flying stone ability. He really needed an ability for dealing damage.


    :Don''t me me, I didn''t receive the information until you touched the card. Quit whining:


    ''Ooooh someone''s getting a bit touchy.''


    He looked down at the card and saw that it had a hand-shaped mass of mud reaching out of the ground. The description read; The ability to force solid earth to change state to form mud. Can also be used to turn mud into solid earth. In the initial stages, creating and controlling a small puddle of mud is the limit, will not be able to turn mud to earth.


    ''This isn''t as bad as I thought.'' Geth wondered about the many different applications in theter stages.


    :You can also trade the card off for different abilities: Albus reminded him.


    ''I think I''ll keep it. Now that I have this information, I should get Zolis to kill one of these creatures as well. There likely aren''t many creatures with elemental abilities at this stage.''


    He looked back into therge cave, the Slimes had spread a bit further from each other due to the now vacant space.


    ''It looks like I can fight the rest without attracting another''s agro. Albus, how do I learn this?''

 Chapter 12: Jokes

    Chapter 12: Jokes


    :Just ce it on the cover page and I can absorb it:


    Geth did as he was told and ced the card on the cover page. The card quickly turned into particles of light and fell through the pages. Another page was formed just in front of his Inspection Skill.


    ''What determines the page cement?'' He asked curiously.


    :Well, there are multiple grades and types of Skills. I''m not sure of the ranks beyond Inspection at this point. The Grades that I know are Common, Umon, and Rare. The Skill you just learned is Umon, while Inspection is a Rare Skill. Items have simr Grades.


    ''Sounds eerily simr to a video game.'' Geth squinted his eyes at Albus.


    :Whatever created us likely wanted humans to adapt smoothly, so they used concepts that the majority of you understood:


    ''Well, thank you again to whatever being made it easy to adapt.'' He refused to call it a God, he stopped believing in omnipotence long ago.


    Geth walked back towards the mouth of the cave to ask Zolis if she wanted to kill one of the big Slimes for a Skill. He certainly wouldn''t force her.


    It would be safer for them inside the cave as well, he didn''t want the other nearby people to sneak upon them. This was a strange situation, and he wasn''t sure how the others would react.


    Once he stepped out of the cave, he found that it was starting to get dark outside. The deep shades of pink, red, and orange could be seen to the west.


    Melody was running around with his Inventory Pouch like a purse and had almost finished collecting all of the cores that wereying around. Kael had some in his hands and was chasing her, trying to put them in the bag.


    He walked up behind Zolis, speaking up once he''d gotten close. "Looks like we''ve got a good clean-up crew." Heughed.


    She just sighed and shook her head. "We would have been done already if Kael hadn''t dumped the bag out shortly after he''d woken up."


    He shook his head and quickly briefed her on the situation. She nodded in agreement and they quickly finished picking up the cores, also cleaning those up on their walk back through the dungeon.


    While cleaning up, Geth Leveled his State Change: Earth Skill twice. It took one SP to Level it once and two SP to get it to Level 2. Getting Inspection to Level 2 would have taken three SP.


    He tried it between levels and found that with each level, he could create arger amount of mud and that it was easier to manipte.


    The best he could do as far as turning it back into a solid was making a small spike. It was about the length of a fork and was barely sharp on one end. It reminded him of a small railroad spike.


    The Mana cost was insane when he first started, but the better he''d gotten with his control, the lower the cost had be. At this point, it cost him 20 MP to turn a 4-foot section of earth into the mud, the effects were only about 6 inches deep.


    It cost 1 Mana per second to manipte a strand as thick as a garden hose. He only had enough concentration to manipte two at once, and the cost shot up to 4 per second.


    Turning a small section into the spike cost 50 Mana! He couldn''t believe it, the thing was almost useless. With his current 130 Mana, he could only make two at most in battle.


    After having this thought, he started using the mud maniption to grab onto cores and hand them to his daughter. She wouldugh every time the tendril slithered towards her.


    It took a lot of concentration and was using about 3 Mana per second, but he was able to dry a small bit of mud on the end of the tendril to use like tongs.


    He could sense the Runes that had been etched in his mind. As he used them, they would try to heat up, and the Mana would cool them back down. He had tried to use three tendrils at once and the Runes heated up to a point where they actually caused him damage!


    Through their walking, he managed to learn quite a bit. It didn''t take long to reach the end of the tunnel, just before the bend.


    "All right, the big Slimes are right around this corner. Melody, can you and Kael go y over there?" He pointed as he asked and handed her some stone marbles he''d made while practicing his maniption Skill.


    "Since that''s settled, let''s get started."


    Geth brought Zolis around the corner to show her the situation. The Slimes were still evenly spaced out, but now they couldn''t see the bend, and could barely see the next Slime in the tunnel.


    "Holy shit, that''s way bigger than before!" She eximed.


    He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at herment. She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Even in this situation, you can make jokes, huh?" She asked but still smiled a bit.


    He smiled and turned serious, "All but two of them have been affected by the earth element, while two are water. You have to choose which one you want a Skill from. The earth Slimes have either a rock-throwing ability or my mud maniption.


    I don''t know about the water Slimes, the few that were outside never used abilities. And there''s no sunlight or strong winds in here, so I highly doubt there will be other options further in."


    She didn''t even bother to think as he finished exining. "I definitely want the rock Slime ability." The constant pelting of the small pebbles from earlier still weighed on her mind.


    She had finished healing at this point but realized that she had no recovery in battle, her HP only replenished while resting.


    The three Slimes closest to them were all light brown rock Slimes. "I''ll show you how to deal with them without getting hurt."

 Chapter 13: Do I Even Need to Dodge?

    Chapter 13: Do I Even Need to Dodge?


    He approached the first one, which soon noticed his presence. The range of their "eye" was just under 5 yards. He waited a moment until it fired its first stone, which he dodged. Then counted out loud for ten counts so that she could hear.


    After the second stone was sent hurtling his way, he quickly dodged and sprinted forward. Geth kicked the Slime twice and then backed into his original space. During this time he was still counting out loud, he''d made it back to his position on the 8th second.


    He continued this process with consistency until the creature died and he''d retrieved its core. He walked back towards the bend and smiled at her, "Your turn!"


    She shook her head at his nonchnt attitude. "You know, even though it''s very simple, a lot of people are going to die before what you just did besmon knowledge."


    He just shrugged, "Other people aren''t my problem, you and the three little ones are. If I can handle teaching and protecting more of my family and friends then I will, but they aren''t my priority."


    She just nodded. He''d been like that for as long as she could remember. Zolis moved forward and attracted the attention of the next Slime in line.


    She repeated the same method but had a much easier time dodging the stones. She used the first four boulders to get the count right. Once she wasfortable, she quickly moved in and threw a punch at the Slime.


    The hard body of the creature instantly split and cracked, multiple sections falling off as debris. She struck out two more times before returning to her original spot.


    Geth just stood there staring, he watched the creature''s HP plummet.


    :Slime; HP- 184/250:


    ''Bull shit.'' He thought but didn''t say anything out loud for fear of distracting her.


    :119/250:


    :57/250:


    The next stone was itsst, he watched as the creature went from full health to dust in less than 40 seconds. ''What awesome farming speed. It''s a shame she can''t keep it up consistently, one hit from that stone would probably take more than a third of her HP.'' He wouldn''t say it out loud, he didn''t want to ruin her moment.


    She spun around excitedly and stuck her tongue out at him. ''Maybe I should have said it.'' He thought, rolling his eyes andughing.


    She picked up the core and card from the dust. "Wow, this kind of reminds me of a pokemon card." She said, bringing it back to him. "Do you want to read it before I use it?"


    "Sure, why not." He took the card to check it out. There was a picture of arge boulder hovering over a field. It wasn''t really possible to make out its size due to there being nothing topare it to. The card read; The ability to slightly manipte earth, raising a stone from the ground and willing it in a certain direction. Can even be used for travel. Can only form a small pebble in the initial levels.


    "Wow, this will actually be extremely useful in the future." He could instantly see the possibilities ."Maybe I''ll start calling you ''pack mule'' instead."


    "Don''t you dare," She replied. She snatched the card back and ced it in her Grimoire.


    After the assimtion process, she looked back into therger tunnel. "I''ll take out the rock Slimes, but until you have a strategy for the others I''ll have to stay out of it. Just lead them over here and make sure that the kids don''t interrupt."


    "Yes ma''am, not a problem." He replied, giving her a sarcastic salute while chuckling. He peeked around the corner to nce at the little ones first, then ran towards the closest rock Slime.


    Once he''d grabbed its attention, he didn''t lead it to Zolis right away. Watching how much stronger she''d be as a Level 12 made him wonder just how much he had changed.


    It only took a moment for the "eye" to turn his way. Once it caught sight of him, the Slime immediately formed and shot out a stone.


    This time Geth didn''t bother dodging. He held out his right hand to catch it. The stone flew towards him, shing with his palm. He simply wrapped his fingers around it and held it in his hand, as if he''d just caught a softball.


    "That was a lot less painful than I thought." He muttered quietly. It had stung slightly, but no more than catching a baseball with a glove. He nced at his health to find that he''d only lost 2 HP.


    "Are you insane!? What if that had broken your wrist?" Zolis cried out from behind him.


    Heughed and shrugged his shoulders. "Then it would have broken my wrist. It would have just healed in a couple of hours anyway."


    "Unbelievable." She pouted a bit. She knew that he didn''t care about the pain and that their limits should be tested. Still, she didn''t like how carefree he was about his experiments when they could hurt him.


    "Alright, I tested what I wanted. Would you like to kill it for the experience?" He didn''t want to waste any more time here, and she could clear the rest of the rock Slimes much quicker than him.


    "Sure."


    Geth caught the next stone as well, and she promptlynded three hits on the Slime and backed away. He nodded, and then went and sat with the kids while he waited.


    He had a few minutes, so he tried to use his mud maniption to make toys for them to y with. They weren''t anything crazy, but he did manage to control the Mana enough to craft four basic toy soldiers and only caused himself a small migraine.


    The practice was definitely increasing his capabilities, but he could tell that the constant use and recovery of Mana was making him tired. They needed to get this dungeon cleared and get some proper rest.

 Chapter 14: Boss

    Chapter 14: Boss


    Just a few minutester Zolis came back around the corner looking smug. She''d already cleared the rest of the rock Slimes, it didn''t even take her ten minutes.


    He swapped ces with her and moved into therger cave. Of the original 20 Slimes, only 8 were left, including the two Level 7''s that were both water.


    She had taken out three of the Level 6s, leaving him with mud and water to fight. The four Level 5''s that were left were all mud Slimes, which he disposed of first.


    Once the trash mobs were out of the way, he waited a moment for the remaining four to spread out further. They were higher levels, so he was sure that they could "see" further.


    He moved towards the closest, which was one of the Level 7''s. He still didn''t know what the water Slimes could do, so he proceeded with a bit of caution.


    He made his way forward quickly, watching closely to see if any projectile would shoot his way. He made it to the Slime with no incident and pped it with his palm.


    Arge portion of the water was sshed out and the Slime became slightly smaller.


    :Slime; HP- 327/350:


    The Slime still didn''t attack him. Simply reached out and tried to cover him, like any of the normal Slimes. The simple attack did way more damage than it should have.


    p after p could be heard, it sounded like sshing water in a swimming pool.


    :298/350:


    :262/350:


    :213/350:


    Geth kept on hammering the creature, curious how it had even killed enough other Slimes to make it to Level 7. He soon found out.


    Once its health dropped below 100 HP, the water in the area that had sshed out began to quiver. He quickly jumped back, a bit wary of what would happen next.


    They started jittering harder and floated into the air. Once it looked like the droplets couldn''t hold themselves together anymore, they shot towards the Slime.


    :Slime; HP- 295/350:


    "You have got to be shitting me!" Geth yelled out. "I have just the thing for you." He said grumpily.


    He went back to pping the water out of the Slime. This time, he watched closely as the water fell to the ground, and would create a small patch of mud to absorb the water.


    The next time the creature attempted to heal, it only managed to gain 10 health and he quickly killed it. If that hadn''t worked he would have just asked his wife to handle it, her damage outssed its healing capability by arge margin.


    He quickly took out thest two water Slimes and then took his time fighting the mud Slime. Finally being done with thisrge walkway, he decided it was time to have a peek at what was around the next corner.


    While walking towards the exit, two Level 1 slimes crawled around the corner that he''d killed on his way. ''This means that wherever the Slimes areing from is just up ahead. If there were more high-level enemies, they wouldn''t have made it this far.''


    He peeked around the corner, and something shoved him forward from behind. He looked back and saw a shimmering barrier had blocked his path back.


    He squinted his eyes together and sighed. This could only mean one thing. Geth slowly turned around to face the room he was forced into, and what he saw proved him right.


    A towering 12-foot tall gtinous mass was sitting in the middle of a massive cavern, surrounded by 100 or so Level 1 Slimes, and 5 Level 5 Slimes. All of them were clear and hadn''t obtained an element.


    The room itself was enormous, the ceiling was t and he could see arge circle of Runes ringing the area. There was a small pond to the right side, along with some moss and greenery.


    The left side was bare with a raised tform.


    What caught his attention the most was therge core that was in the big mass, and the information that Albus was showing him.


    :Slime Lord, Level 10 (BOSS); HP 1500/1500:


    "Fuck."


    This was not an ideal situation. He didn''t even have a chance to scout the area. ''Well, as unexpected as it is, it doesn''t look like I have a choice now.'' He thought while ncing back at the barrier.


    "There better be some good loot!" He called out, not to anyone in particr. ''Fighting a boss in a brown skirt with no weapons. What a fucking joke.''


    He had managed to make four more of those spikes during his time practicing, so he had 5 in total tucked in his waistband. Still, he hadn''t thought of a proper use for them on the elemental Slimes he''d been fighting earlier.


    Geth took his first step and stood fully in the room, all of the Slime''s ''eyes'' seemed to lock on him instantly. The familiar squelching sound ensued as the mass of creatures started slowly dragging their forms towards him. Therge eye of the Lord Slime was patiently watching.


    He didn''t want to waste any time. Running forward, he stomped on all of the small Slimes in his path, instantly killing them. It wasn''t anything impressive, being they only had 10 HP, but it was enough to boost his confidence a bit.


    The closest Level 5 was his first target. With all of the mobs around he didn''t have time to worry about taking damage. When he got into range, he noticed that every now and then, another Level 1 Slime would split from the Level 5''s.


    Each time this happened, the Slime''s HP would drop by 10. These Level 5''s had the most HP he''d encountered thus far, sitting at 400. ''So this is where the Slimes areing from, the untainted Slime''s ability is to create more Slimes at the cost of HP.


    :Slime; Level 5; HP- 390/400:

 Chapter 15: Lord Slime

    Chapter 15: Lord Slime


    Geth crashed through the smaller Slimes like a madman and finally reached the creature. As soon as he was within arm''s distance, he sent out a flurry of punches. He didn''t rely on kicks due to the smaller Slimes surrounding him.


    Each time a small Slime woulde into kicking distance, he would send a stomp their way. In this manner, he continuously whittled down the health of the Level 5 in front of him, while watching the others that were inching ever closer.


    As the Slime''s HP hit 200, the core inside the Lord Slime suddenly shined with a blinding light, soon causing the core in the Slime he was facing to glow as well. It would release a faint pulse every 3 seconds.


    With each pulse, its HP would be replenished by 10 points. ''Great! No wonder these fuckers reproduced so quickly, every time their HP became low from creating Slimes, they would be healed back up.''


    The only thing he could do at this point was to allow the creature to deal damage to him so that he could punch faster. He had to outpace the healing effect.


    He was managing to deal 40-50 damage between each healing tick and was only taking around 15 damage in return. It wasn''t like the Slime could physically attack him, but its absorption capabilities were simr to acid eating at his skin.


    By the time he''d finished off the first Slime, two of the others had managed to get in reach of him. Geth danced around them as best he could, dealing damage as fast as he could.


    This was a bad situation for him. He was never in great shape, to begin with, his breathing was heavy, and sweat was running down his body.


    ''If I get out of this, I''m doing cardio every day. This is ridiculous.'' Regardless of the simrities, this was not a game, it was real life. His back pain and the ache in his left knee were reminding him of that as well.


    Ignoring the tiredness, for now, he worked to kill off the remaining Level 5 Slimes.


    :Geth; HP 316/500:


    As the fourth Slime fell, he was not in the best shape. There were multiple areas of skin that had been eaten away, they looked simr to how spider bites would rot and peel.


    If it wasn''t for his recovery constantly stabbing over the wounds quickly, he would likely have bled out already.


    There were very few of the Level 1 Slimes left, 20 at most. Just as he was about to face thestrge Slime, a change urred in the Lord. He''d noticed its "eye" blink rapidly, and then its HP dropped by 400 points!


    :Lord Slime (Boss); HP- 1100/1500:


    Then, two new Level 5 Slimes peeled away from its massive body. "Are you fucking kidding me!" He was already exhausted, one Slime was still easy, but now there were three again.


    To make matters worse, the Lord Slimes core began to pulse and its health began to recover. The rate was the same as before, one tick every 3 seconds for 10 HP.


    ''Great, if it can keep casting that, then it will be at full health again in two minutes. If I''m quick, I can kill these three in that time, then I''d only have two to deal with at once. I should be able to deal some damage to the Lord on the next round of summoning.''


    He sighed heavily, this was definitely meant to be taken on by a party, not an individual. Continuing to press forward he destroyed all three of the Slimes, along with the remaining Level 1''s, in just slightly over 2 minutes.


    The Lord Slime had already summoned two more helpers and began its healing process as he smashed his foot on thest baby Slime. Again, he started fighting the two Slimes as they ate away at his skin, opening many of the wounds again that were trying to scab over.


    Blood littered the ce, every time he swung his fists or threw a kick, blood would stter out onto the ground. Geth was running out of steam.


    He''d had an idea while finishing off the first of the two summons, but he wouldn''t be able to implement it until the next round of creatures.


    :Geth; HP- 207/500:


    There were still had about a minute and ten seconds. He pummeled thest Slime to paste, leaving himself and the Lord Slime alone.


    Not wasting any time, he rushed the Lord and started punching and kicking frantically. There were only 20 seconds left to do as much damage as possible.


    While he was up close, he shoved the five spikes he''d crafted into the clear body of the creature. He jumped away as soon as the "eye" started shing again, and he watched its HP plummet.


    :Lord Slime (Boss); HP 879/1500:


    Once the two new Level 5''s left its body, the healing process began again. This time, Geth ignored the Level 5''s and put some distance between them. He turned the ground beneath the Lord into mud and controlled a thick tendril to snake up into the Lord''s body.


    On its way up, he formed a rough hand that absorbed the five spikes that he had left in its body earlier, forming a w... His Mana was dropping by 6 per second, he didn''t have long. The Runes in his mind were scorching, the chill of his Mana struggling to cool them.


    The hand snaked its way 12 feet up into the creature''s body. Once he''d made it to the top, he used the w to pierce the Lord Slime''s "eye" over and over again.


    Each time he did so, its HP would drop by arge amount, its healing couldn''t evene close to keeping up. Each pierce would do between 50-80 damage.


    He kept it up for as long as he could, the heat from the Runes hadpletely overtaken the Mana''s chill at this point. Blood started running from his nose and eyes as his health started dropping quickly.


    :Geth; HP- 76/500, MP- 11/130:


    :Lord Slime (Boss); HP- 191/1500:

 Chapter 16: Victory

    Chapter 16: Victory


    He struck three more times and watched the massive creature copse into a pile of goop. Quickly, he canceled his Skill, the mud sttered to the ground, along with a veryrge core and a glowing rectangle.


    The chill from his Mana quickly invaded his mind as his recovery speed showed its magic. The bleeding slowed and his health stopped dropping.


    Geth didn''t have time for excitement yet, there were still two Level 5 Slimes which had already produced another six Level 1''s. He kept his distance, allowing his recovery to close his wounds before taking an offensive.


    Less than three minutester, thest Slime copsed to the ground, and he dropped to his knees.


    "Congrattions User, for clearing a Team Dungeon. Please select a reward."


    "Congrattions User, for being the first to clear a Dungeon. Please select a reward."


    "Congrattions User, forpleting a Team Dungeon solo. Please select a reward."


    "Congrattions User, for being the first clear a Team Dungeon solo. Please select a reward."


    "Congrattions User, on being the first to kill a Boss-type monster. Please select a reward."


    Five prompts quickly entered his mind from the mechanical voice he''d heard when Albus had first appeared.


    "Ha... Haha... Hahahaha," Geth startedughing like a madman as he fell onto his back, waiting for his recovery to help him move again. The very slight movement was enough to rip his scabs back open and cause bleeding.


    ''Albus, how you doing buddy?'' He asked as the Grimoire floated before him.


    :I can honestly say that I''m doing much better than you:


    Geth just chuckled at his response.


    :Would you like to choose your rewards now?:


    ''No, I''m going to rest a bit and collect our loot. We managed to get quite a few Level 5 cores between this room and thest, plus the massive core and card from the Boss.'' He nced over at the entrance he''d walked in. The clear barrier was still blocking the path. ''Plus, I don''t think we''re finished, the barrier hasn''t dissipated.''


    Albus didn''t respond but started hovering around a bit, scanning for signs of danger. He''d gained quite a bit more freedom since Geth had hit Level 15, being able to move about 8 feet from him now.


    After what felt likeying around for a half-hour or so, Geth finally felt that he could move again without hurting himself. All of the wounds hadpletely closed, leaving behind angry red scars in their ce.


    ''Zolis is going to end up killing me if nothing else does.'' He just shook his head. Before collecting the loot, he made his way over to the pond and drank deeply. This was the first time he''d managed to quench his thirst since waking.


    After drinking heavily and pissing off in a corner of the cave, he made his way to where the Boss had copsed.


    The goop that was once piled high, had mostly evaporated into the air. Puddles were left behind here and there that were disappearing quickly. In the middle of where the Lord had crashed were his five spikes and three other items. The core was the most outstanding, it shined dully like a weakly enchanted weapon in a game and he could clearly see Runes etched onto its surface.


    The other two items were a Skill card and a small wooden chest, no bigger than a briefcase. He decided to open the chest first, inside were a strange five-sided crystal, a pair of boots, and a pair of pants.


    He inspected the boots first. They looked like they had been made from bearskin. They were a rough brown on the exterior, and extremely soft on the interior, with fur along the top section. The soles on the bottom were like the padding on an animal''s paw. It made him think that someone tried to make a pair of Uggs with something they''d killed. They were also giving off a very faint green glow.


    :Enchanted Hide Boots (Umon); Gives wearer +5 Defense, +5 Agility. ''These boots were crudely crafted from a Mana creature''s hide.'':


    ''These would be nice for Zolis.'' He thought. His Defense was high enough he might as well have been wearing steel-toed boots. He had also noticed that after punching the rock Slimes, she had small cuts and bruises on her knuckles and fingers. ''Maybe this Defense can harden her skin enough to not hurt herself in a fight.''


    The next item he inspected was the pants. They were made from some type of ck leather, and the interior was lined with a very soft ck fur. There was a dull blue glow surrounding them, definitely more noticeable than the faint green on the boots.


    :Enchanted Leather Pants (Rare); Gives wearer +10 Defense, +5 Agility, +5 Strength. ''These pants were well crafted from the skin of a Mana creature.''


    "Now this is exactly what I need." He said out loud, looking down at his naked state. That bup skirt hadn''tsted long through the Slime''s absorption. "It''s a shame that they are way too small."


    :All magic items adjust to fit the wearer: Albus moved in front of his face to force him to read.


    He stayed silent for a moment, thinking about what kind of creature could have designed the world to be so much like a game.


    He shrugged. He moved to thest item in the small chest. He grabbed the crystal, and as soon as he touched it he could feel a wave of Mana rush out that resonated with the Mana in the cave.


    :Dungeon Crystal (Lvl 0); Congrattions on clearing and iming ownership of this Dungeon. Crystal holder controls the barrier of the Dungeon, which can be ced anywhere within the premises. Holder controls the entrance of the Dungeon, which can be re-sized and sealed at theirmand. Holder can create a Guardian for the dungeon by cing the creature core inside of the Dungeon Crystal.


    Note; Guardian can not leave Dungeon:

 Chapter 17: Restoration

    Chapter 17: Restoration


    After he finished reading the item description he sat in awe. Essentially, he could be a God in this cave. He looked around at the vast space he was in, realizing just how good the Dungeon rewards were.


    There was a natural spring and vegetation to the right, arge t teau that was perfect for building small structures to the left, and soft ground throughout the middle that could be easily cultivated. It was giving the homeless a safe ce to stay.


    Geth stood up and spun in ce estimating the space. It was around 20 feet tall, the ceiling waspletely t with no stctites, just the circr Rune formation that resonated with the crystal in his hand.


    The walls of the cave hadrge stones jutting out, ringing the top near the ceiling. The stones emitted a dim light, which was what allowed him to see. They were spaced perfectly at 15 feet or so apart.


    Without measuring, he guessed that the area had to be at least 5 acres. He could just about fit four football fields inside. A smallmunity could easily survive in this ce.


    Next, he picked up therge core and the card that had fallen. Looking at the card, he became excited instantly.


    :Restoration; 50 MP, casts a healing orb around target healing them over time. Duration affected by Wisdom, amount healed per tick affected by Intelligence and caster''s HP:


    He didn''t hesitate as he ced the card on Albus'' cover page and watched him absorb it silently. Two pages appeared in Albus'' binding, cing themselves between State Change: Earth and Inspection.


    He felt the heat of a new Rune appearing in his mind instantly. Closing his eyes, he could see that it looked like liquid fire. The Mana that constantly swirled around in the space flew towards it and cooled it down.


    The Rune quickly hardened and became a permanent glowing existence inside of his mind. The Rune looked like clear blue ss. It sat snuggled beside his State Change Rune, which was colored a clear brown.


    After the assimtion process finished, he thought that Zolis had to be worried. The battle had taken almost an hour on its own, and he felt he''d been standing here for almost another hour looking through his rewards and tending his wounds.


    He rushed back towards the first path in the cave, ignoring the cores scattered on the ground. Once he got to the bend and ran around, he saw Zolis sitting against the wall flipping through her Grimoire, the kids were chasing each other around with the figures he''d made them.


    She didn''t look at him and just asked "You finally finish that hallway? I was starting to get bored." She teased him.


    "I''m sorry I was gone so long." He huffed, thinking she was upset.


    At that, she looked up and saw the hundreds of angry red scars that covered his body, along with the fact that he was naked. "What the fuck did you do? It hasn''t even been an hour. Don''t tell me those water Slimes have such a strong ability."


    She looked extremely worried.


    "Oh I was..... wait, what do you mean it hasn''t been an hour? I''ve been gone for well over 2 hours." He looked at her strangely, then directed his voice to Albus. "How long has it been since we split up?"


    :Approximately 53 minutes: A simple and direct response.


    ''What the hell?'' He thought.


    Albus responded again, realizing the problem. :Just like how Defense makes your body strong, Wisdom also makes your mind strong. Your thoughts run much faster than they did before you''ve arrived here, Approximately three times as fast. It''s likely the reason you''ve felt so much time has passed:


    ''I''m not sure that I like that.'' After realizing the reason he just shook his head and turned back to Zolis. "Follow me, the kids can pick up the cores along the way."


    As they walked, he exined the situation and showed her the Lord Core and the Dungeon Crystal. They helped the kids put the cores in the Inventory pouch along the way, iming the rest of the 20 cores that had been earned in therger passage.


    Once they entered therge cavern, her eyes lit up at the sight in front of her. Now that all the Slime goop had evaporated the ce was really quite wondrous. It reminded her of the background pictures she would use of ces that fairies would live, mysterious and beautiful.


    The light from the walls was reflecting off of the 200 or so cores that littered the floor. The kids were already running around picking them up.


    Geth brought her over to the middle where he handed her the boots from the chest. She was excited even though she couldn''t see their description.


    She wasn''t used to walking around barefoot and the cave terrain had been killing her. It was different for the kids, she had struggled to keep shoes on their feet for years.


    Geth was still standing around naked, he told her the stats and description of the boots and pants. After that he exined to her the function of the Dungeon Crystal, also letting her know that its controls only worked while they were under the formation on the ceiling.


    After that, they washed up well in the pond and he finally put his new pair of pants on. His body instantly felt a bit lighter and stronger, his HP even shot up by another 100 points. He thought that they would look great on him if he lost his belly.


    Right now he felt he looked like a shirtless biker wearing nothing but a pair of leather chaps. The tattoos on his right arm and his beard and belly certainlyplimented that idea.


    After the bath, he felt quite refreshed. He walked to the center of the formation and took the chest over to the small teau. There was plenty of room to build a few small homes if they wanted, it was about an acre and a half on its own.

 Chapter 18: Selecting Rewards

    Chapter 18: Selecting Rewards


    The pond and vegetation area were about half an acre in size, while the rest of the area was about three acres.


    He pulled out the Lord Core and tried to insert it into the Crystal.


    :Error, can not use Boss cores for Guardian summon:


    ''Ah, bummer.'' Since that was the case, he took out one of the Level 5 clear Slime cores that he''d gotten. After cing it in the center of the Crystal, the formation on the roof of the cave lit up brightly. After a few moments a simr, but much smaller, formation appeared over in the center of the cave.


    A 4-foot tall clear Slime slowly emerged from the floor in the middle of that formation. Through the Crystal, hemanded it to go into therger of the two hallways and defend the area.


    Even though he had the Level 7 Slime cores, they couldn''t produce more Slimes to help defend. He didn''t want to close up the cave yet because he found that it could only be closed and opened once every 7 days.


    ''Now, it''s time to look through the other rewards.''


    ''Albus, can you switch over to page 2 please?''


    :Congrattions User, for clearing a Team Dungeon. Please select a reward.


    Option 1: 1 TP, 2 SP, 1 random piece of Umon equipment


    Option 2: 2 TP, 2 SP:


    ''Is it possible to see all of the rewards at once?''


    :The following prompts will not show until the first is closed out:


    ''That''s a shame, it would be easier to choose that way. How many points does it take to Level up a Talent?''


    :Talents are ranked like Skills, the Common ones are cheaper than those beyond. The first upgrade is 1 TP regardless. The difference ends there, the amount of TP to upgrade again is much more than SP for a Skill:


    Geth looked at the prompt again. Thanks to his Wisdom attribute, he was able to remember the exact wording of the other prompts.


    ''Based on the wording, this shouldn''t be unique, meaning that clearing any Team Dungeon would give a reward. So it''s possible to earn more TP through other Dungeons.'' He thought. "I should already be way ahead of most, if not all, of the poption in Levels, Skills, and Talents. The thing we arecking right now is equipment.''


    He nced over at his wife and children. ''Eventually, everyone will have to be outfitted, we can always hunt monsters. It may be quite some time before Crafters emerge, and even then, materials will be hard toe by for a while as well.'' He''d made his decision. ''Option 1.''


    The TP and SP showed up on his Attribute page, while a small chest appeared in front of him.


    ''Hmm, it''s also nice that these can be used for personal storage here in the cave.'' He thought as he opened thetch. Lifting the lid, a faint green glow appeared as the item inside was revealed.


    It was a simple wooden band, aside from the barely visible green glow there was nothing special about it.


    :Band of rity (Umon); Gives wearer +5 Wisdom, +5 Intelligence. A simple band created by a skilled craftsman. Designed to calm the mind and increase harmony with Mana. Can be worn as a choker, headband, or armband, size will adjust as needed:


    ''Now that was worth it.'' He slipped the band up onto his left bicep. Flexing a few times, he couldn''t even tell it was there. There were no restrictions on his muscle, he watched as the wood would flex itself every time he moved. ''It''s like it isn''t even a solid''


    He stored the small wood chest over with the slightlyrger one the Boss had dropped. ''All right Albus, let''s move on to the next one.''


    :Congrattions User, for being the first to clear a Dungeon. Please select a reward.


    Option 1: +1 TP, +1 SP, 1 random piece of Rare equipment


    Option 2: +1 TP, +1 SP, 2 random pieces of Umon equipment:


    This time there was no hesitation in choosing Option 1. Again, the TP and SP showed up on page 1 and a long box appeared in front of him.


    The box was well designedpared to the other two, it was around 5 feet in length, a foot in width, and wasn''t more than 6 inches in depth. The lid was designed with carvings of vines and leaves running its length.


    Geth flipped the lid open to find a long wooden staff. The dull blue glow was obvious, but the staff wasn''t really spectacr. It was smooth all the way up until about the 4-foot mark, then it split into two branches. The branches intertwined and formed an 8 shape on top with two openings, one on top of the other.


    :Staff of Cunning (Rare); Gives user +10 Intelligence, +5 Wisdom. A staff created by a skilled artificer. Increases the user''s aptitude for spell casting. Two sockets:


    ''Albus, is a socket what I think it is?'' He asked.


    :I have stated before that one way to use cores is to craft them into items to create Umon grades and above. A socket, which a very skilled craftsman can create, allows one to insert cores into an item without any crafting ability. The cores can be removed, but it would destroy the item:


    He instantly thought of the Boss core that he was still holding onto. Grabbing the core out of one of the chests, he held it up to the staff.


    :Imbue Lord Slime Core into Staff of Cunning?:


    ''Yes''


    The core quickly turned into a bright light and was pulled into the shaft of the staff. The light flowed up the staff, dividing at the branches, and moving towards the top opening.


    Once it reached the opening, light spilled out from the branches and formed a shining orb that floated in the center. asionally, arcing white lights would jump from the orb and hit the branch that it was contained in. There was now an additional line under the item''s description.

 Chapter 19: Selecting Rewards (Cont.)

    Chapter 19: Selecting Rewards (Cont.)


    :Socket 1: Lord Slime Core; This staff has been imbued with the power of a Lord Slime. +100 HP +100 MP


    Socket 2: Empty:


    ''Wow, what a jump!'' With only two of the rewards, he''d already increased his battle capability quite a bit. He moved on to the next one.


    :Congrattions User, forpleting a Team Dungeon solo. Please select a reward.


    Option 1: +1 TP, +1 SP, 2 random pieces of Umon equipment


    Option 2: +2 TP, +2 SP, 2 random pieces of Common equipment:


    ''This is the other one I''ll have a chance of obtaining again, although I doubt there will be any other Team Dungeon easier than the Slimes. Option 1.''


    This time, a wardrobe appeared in front of him, being 6 feet tall and 4 feet across. The depth was around 2 feet. ''What the hell, this thing is massive.'' He reached and opened both of the doors. A faint green light seeped out as he viewed the contents.


    There was a massive wooden mallet. It looked almost like someone had reached into a tree and pulled it out. The head was 4 feet in length and had a diameter of about 2 feet. The shaft was as big around as his bicep.


    There were iron handholds attached along the shaft for being able to grip and carry it. Geth tried to lift it but was barely able to drag it out of the wardrobe. The thing had to be over 600 pounds.


    ''Well, maybe Zolis can use it..?'' He thought a bit reluctantly, he wasn''t sure exactly how strong the Strength attribute had made her.


    He checked the description quickly to let her know what it could do. It would give +10 Strength, but also -5 Agility unless Strength was over 50. It had one socket avable.


    The other item was an Inventory Satchel. It was the size of a backpack and also had two straps on it for that purpose. The bag held 100 pounds worth of items, arge step up from his pouch.


    He threw the bag over his shoulders and moved on.


    :Congrattions User, for being the first to clear a Team Dungeon solo. Please select a reward.


    Option 1: +2 TP, +2 SP, 1 random Skill Card


    Option 2: +4 TP, +4 SP, 2 random pieces of Umon equipment:


    He raised his eyes at that one, it was definitely a hefty prize, and no one else in the world could receive it. This decision was tough, it wasn''t easy to get TP, and 4 was either 20 levels or 4 Dungeons worth. Plus, he''d still get two pieces of Umon equipment.


    Even then, he knew that Skill Cards were hard toe by after the first one. Albus told him the only reason he''d gotten a second is because a Boss is guaranteed to drop one. This time he was quite reluctant, but he went with Option 1 again.


    The Skill Card appeared, floating in the air in front of him. He grabbed it gently out of the air and viewed its description.


    :Corruption Aura; 150 MP, casts a dark aura in the vicinity around the caster. Aura causes damage over time to those standing within. Duration of 60 seconds. Range affected by Wisdom, amount of damage per tick affected by Intelligence:


    Albus barely had time to turn the page before Geth hadid the card down. Two new pages formed, this time between Restoration and Inspection. The Rune that burned into his mind this time was a ssy purple, but it seemed the mist was constantly flowing in the Rune.


    This was a massive boon and could be considered better than all of the other rewardsbined, despite its high Mana cost. Now, there was only one more reward left to grab.


    :Congrattions User, on being the first to kill a Boss-type monster. Please select a reward.


    Option 1: +2 TP, +2 SP, 2 random pieces of Umon equipment


    Option 2: +2 TP, +2 SP, +10 AP:


    This one made him hesitate again, but he ended up going with Option 2. They might need equipment, but those 10 AP were too precious. As usual, he distributed them between his Defense and Wisdom, along with the 3 AP he''d gotten from hitting Level 16.


    Looking back at the Battle Log, he found that he''d killed 11 Level 5 Slimes and 190 Level 1 Slimes. The Level 5''s were giving him 30 Exp each and the 6''s and 7''s from earlier gave 35 and 40 respectively.


    The Lord Slime had given him a whopping 750 Experience. He wasn''t sure what a normal Level 10 would give him yet, but he knew it wouldn''t be so much. After distributing AP, there were 7 TP and 8 SP left to spend.


    The first thing he did was bump his two new Skils to Level 1, leaving him with 6 SP. Based on the cost to upgrade from 1 to 2, they were the equivalent rarity of State Change. Based on the costs, he could either upgrade State Change to Level 3, or he could upgrade two of his other Skills to Level 2.


    Geth decided to go with the second option, Leveling his two new Skills once more, leaving him with 2 SP. He was now 1 SP short of upgrading Inspection to Level 2, but the new Skills were now much more useful.


    :Restoration (Lvl 2) 75 MP


    Duration=30 Seconds+(Wis x 0.3)


    Healing/3 Seconds=10+(Int x 0.2)+(HP x 2%):


    :Corruption Aura (Lvl 2) 200 MP


    Range=2 Feet+(Wis x 2%)


    Damage/5 Seconds=10+(Int x 0.2) Lasts 60 seconds:


    Now for the 7 TP he''d collected. There was no upgrade for Recovery, so he only had Mana Sense and Reflection. It only cost 1 TP each to move them both up to Level 1 from 0, so he started with that.


    He noticed that Mana Sense only cost 3 TP to get to Level 2, while Reflection cost 5 TP. ''Albus, you said that Talents are Graded as well, right?''

 Chapter 20: Dungeon Crystal

    Chapter 20: Dungeon Crystal


    :Yes, Mana Sense is Common, as any and everyone who increases their Intelligence or Wisdom Attribute will get that option on their next major Level. Reflection, on the other hand, is Umon. It is given to a Defense user who has constantly taken direct damage:


    ''Ah... I''m not sure if that''s an insult or apliment. Either way, Reflection barely caused any damage in thest battle. For now, let''s spend 3 TP on Mana Sense and save the other two.''


    Mana Sense was upgraded to Level 2, its description only showed that he now had a 2% reduction in Mana cost when using spells. Even though the description was simple, he could feel a massive change in how well he could feel the Mana flowing around him.


    Reflection moving to Level 1 simply caused the damage reflected to go from 1% to 2%.


    After finishing going through and distributing all of his rewards, he found that his power had increased tremendously. Looking at his current Attributes:


    ***


    Geth: Level 16


    Exp: 1344


    HP- 780* (Rec. 2.08/Second)


    MP- 460* (Rec. 1.88/Second)


    Strength- 5 +5 (P.Damage/Stamina Recovery)


    Agility- 5 +5 (Mov.spd./Dexterity/Reflexes)


    Defense- 42 +10 (HP/P.Res./HP Rec.)


    Wisdom- 37 +10 (MP/M.Res./Mana Recovery/Processing Speed/Memory)


    Intelligence- 5 +15 (MP/M.Dmg./Learning Speed)


    TP- 2 (Talent Points)


    SP- 2 (Skill Points)


    AP- 0 (Attribute Points):


    Before he could leave, he had to properly set up their amodations. He couldn''t just let his wife and childreny on a cave floor while he went on an adventure.


    Now that everything else was out of the way, he had more time to examine the Dungeon Crystal. He''d noticed that it had Level 0 marked beside it earlier and wanted to investigate. The Dungeon needed to be as safe as possible before he left.


    Albus didn''t take long to chime in once he''d heard his thoughts. :The Dungeon Crystal can be Leveled by feeding it monster cores. New functions are added to every Level. Its current experience is at 0/10,000:


    "Pheeew" Geth huffed out loud at the thought. ''Aside from the 82 Level 1 cores used between Zolis and the kids, we still have close to 1500 cores. Even then, 10,000 experience just for moving to Level 1 is a pretty good chunk of our savings.''


    He could already see how things were going to go, cores were going to be this new Era''s currency. ''Any early investment will likely pay off in the future.'' He thought while counting out cores.


    436 Level 1 core, 410 Level 2 cores, 220 Level 3 cores, and 21 Level 4 cores were dumped onto the ground. Geth looked a bit disheartened, what he had left were 3 Level 1''s, 138 4''s, 23 5''s, 5 6''s, and the 2 7''s. He had just dumped out enough cores to almost jump to Level 20.


    ''Even being so ahead right now, if other''s use their cores for experience as they get them, I''ll be overtaken fairly quickly.'' He sat the Dungeon Crystal on the ground in front of the pile.


    It started glowing brightly and a visible line of Mana extended from its topmost point. When the line reached the edge of the pile, it split into two, circling the cores.


    Runes quickly floated up around the circle as the pile of cores shattered and turned into a massive amount of dust. The dust seemed to turn into particles of light as it entered the Runes and was funneled down into the Dungeon Crystal through the initial strand of Mana. The process was over quickly, taking no more than a few seconds.


    Geth looked around the cave, it didn''t look as if much had changed. One of the Runes was glowing a bit brighter than the others on the ceiling formation, but everything else was the same. He used Inspection to see the change.


    :Dungeon Crystal (Lvl 1) Lvl 0 functions are still active. Number of Guardians increased to 3. Barrier HP increased from 1,000 to 5,000. Resident System unlocked. Current limit of 10 Residents.


    Resident System: Residents can be registered by having their Grimoire interact with Dungeon Crystal. Residents can pass through Barrier without hindrance. Residents can offer cores to Level Dungeon, Contributions will be recorded. Can select one Regent for Dungeon.


    Note: If any Non-Resident enters Dungeon, Guardians will be hostile.


    Owner: Geth:


    ''This.... is much moreplicated than I thought. So this means that aside from us, only 6 more people can live here.'' He took out the two Level 7 water Slime cores and summoned them through the Dungeon. They were sent to stand guard with the Level 5 from earlier.


    ''Need to rece them with something stronger as soon as possible. They aren''t that difficult to kill, but it''s better than nothing.'' He sighed.


    Geth walked over to where his wife and kids were ying by the pond and had Zolis register. It took almost a half-hour of exining to the children before they were finally registered as well.


    They left the kids to y and walked towards the teau. On the way, Zolis pointed towards the center of the cavern. There, precisely in the middle of the formation, was a 4 foot tall stone pedestal with a red gem floating over the top.


    "How the hell did I not notice that?" He wondered out loud.


    "You need to slow down." She replied.


    "I''ll slow down once all my children are here, I still have to find my son. Anyway, let''s go and check it out real quick." As they approached, he saw that the gem was made of the same material as the Dungeon Crystal.


    It was embedded into the top of the stone and protruded in the shape of a pentagon. It wasn''t very tall, maybe 6". Geth tapped the crystal and a holographic disy shot out of it. As futuristic as it looked, he could sense that the Mana around the area was forming it.


    :Please designate Tab; Contribution Ranking, Dungeon Ranking, Regional Ranking, Continental Ranking, World Ranking:


    "No way!" Zolis let out in surprise "I wonder if this is one of the reasons we had to choose an alias."

 Chapter 21: World Ranking

    Chapter 21: World Ranking


    Geth just shrugged and clicked on the World Ranking tab. It showed the top 5 highest Levels in the World at this moment.


    1. Geth (Lvl 16)


    2. Xan Yiu (Lvl 14)


    3. Zolis (Lvl 12)


    4. FatPussy69 (Lvl 12)


    5. SwolePapi (Lvl 11)


    Zolis was quick toment. "Wow, that has to be really embarrassing. I bet the person in 4th ce is going to shit when he realizes the whole world will see this eventually."


    He just nodded but didn''t respond, he was still staring at the 5th name on the Leader Leaderboard. ''What an idiot.'' He thought. ''I''ll definitely have to find him as soon as matters are settled with my family.''


    "Maybe after we get things settled and Level the ce a little, we should bring some of our closest friends in." He said.


    Zolis replied quickly "That would be nice. It''s going to get boring around here fast. When do you n on leaving?"


    "In a week at the longest. First I want to see if we can do anything about the housing and sleeping arrangements, can''t leave you guys on the ground." He chuckled.


    They quickly arrived at the t raised acre and walked towards the back up against the cave wall. He turned an area to mud with a diameter of 16 feet at the cost of 78 MP.


    Once that was done, he walked slowly around the edge and turned chunks of mud into earth. He was currently able to harden an area of around 216 cubic inches at the cost of 49 MP. What he was crafting now were bricks, at a size of 3" in height, 6" in width, and 12" in length.


    Geth had arge Mana pool and an amazing recovery. He could craft 8 bricks quickly, and it would only take about 4 minutes for his MP to recover. At 80 bricks an hour, he estimated that he could make about a thousand a day. In four days he should have enough to make a simple structure for them to use as a home.


    He intended to use the wall of the cave as one of the walls for the structure to save time. It happened to be morning at that time, so he worked constantly throughout the day. He would take breaks asionally to build structures.


    He''d built a few basic 4 legged chairs and a bunk bed for the kids out of some of the bricks. To secure the structure, he would manipte mud to seep in-between the bricks, and then harden it.


    The result was actually sturdier than cement and much faster. After crafting the basic structure, he would run a super thinyer of mud over and around the item, then quickly harden it. This kept the finish very smooth, so it would be more like sitting orying on a floor, rather than on the hard ground.


    The day progressed in such a way, he would asionally make a cup or bowl when the bricks had be too monotonous. Zolis would bring him cups of water while he was crafting. She would always have one or two pebbles zooming around her in different patterns.


    ''I''m d to see that she''s been practicing her Mana control. I still haven''t asked her what build she''s going for. It''s fine for now, but I''ll need to know to make ns for future explorations and what gear I should save.'' Her characters in the games she yed rarely ever used magic, almost always relying on brute force.


    She had also been practicing hard through the day with the hammer that he could barely drag around. While working, he would watch her swing the hammer around with ease, sweat causing her body to glisten in the cavern''s light.


    By the time the evening hade, he''d made a small room with no roof around the bunk bed. He''d also managed to make a nice fire pit and rack for grilling if they were able to find meat. Food was definitely something he had to secure in the future. For now, sweet fruits were growing in the vegetation near the pond. They were half the size of watermelon but had the taste and texture of an apple. There was at least a month''s supply for just a few people.


    The cave lights dimmed, signaling that the sun had finally dropped down from view on the outside. Geth was covered in mud and it was time to rest, a pile of over 400 bricksying to the side.


    He checked in the small room and found that the kids were both asleep on the top bunk. "Maybe I should have just made two normal beds for them." He said while shaking his head. He then turned away from where the living area would be and headed to get clean.

 Chapter 22: **Under the Blue**

    Chapter 22: **Under the Blue**


    ***Chapter contains explicit actions. Skip Chapter if you are under 18 or are not interested***


    ***


    Geth slowly walked towards the natural pond, admiring the beauty of the cave during the night. The lights were dimmed heavily, the formation on the ceiling giving the ce a dull blue sheen. The moss and vegetation were glimmering, and a bit of very thin mist began to form around the area.


    He reached the edge of the pond and peeled off the pants he''d been wearing. Walking over to one of the trees, he grabbed a strange vine and ripped a section off. They''d found that the vine had a simr feel to aloe but smelled like citrus. They had decided to use it as a soap.


    A small cloud floated in the water for a moment as he dunked his pants into the water. Geth squeezed some of the juices out of the vine and scrubbed the fur lining until clean. The leather had essentially cleaned itself on contact with the pond.


    He hopped out long enough to hang them on a nearby branch. Before he could dive back in, Zolis walked around the tree he''d just been at. She''d just finished practicing with the hammer. Her clothing was drenched in sweat, clinging to her body and showing off her curves.


    He watched as she pulled off her boots and set them to the side. She nced over at him and smiled. "Are you just going to watch, or are you going toe over here and help?"


    "I think I''d rather sit back and enjoy the show." He chuckled and walked back into the water.


    She blushed and rolled her eyes while loosening the sash that was around her waistband. Geth watched as she gripped the bottom hem of her skirt and slowly peeled the dress up and off of her body.


    The dull blue glow from the formation reflected off of her smooth, tanned skin. Her purple hair dangled over her shoulders,plimenting the blue tint that was highlighting her figure. She looked alluring, like a fairy from an old storybook.


    When she caught his stare, she blushed while smiling gently at him. She couldn''t help butugh at his expression, "We''ve been together for almost 7 years and have had two kids together. You can stop gawking at me now," She teased him while slowly easing herself down into the water.


    The coolness of his eyes eased, and his hardened face melted into a softer expression. "Seeing you now is like seeing you for the first time all over again." He waded over to her and pushed her hair back behind her ears.


    Tworge fingers gently lifted her chin as his other hand wrapped around the small of her back, pulling her close. Her chest pushed into him as she looked up into his eyes. She finally let her emotions go and dropped the facade that she''d put up since she''d awoken.


    Tears started to well up as she buried her face into his chest. "I don''t want you to go. What if you don''te back?" She asked, her voice slightly muffled.


    He didn''t reply. There was no way that he could promise that. This ce wasn''t the Earth that they knew, and he had no clue what all dangers were out there.


    He lifted her face once again and leaned down slowly. Her lips parted in anticipation the moment she felt his breath on her skin. His left hand pulled her tighter while his right slid up the back of her neck, gentlycing into her hair.


    Their lips met, and they kissed passionately, standing only thigh-deep in the water. The blue lights reflected off of the surface and shimmered in the mist. Their tongues teased each other''s lips, trying to savor every taste.


    He gripped his hand lightly inside of her hair, pulling back while gently running his wettened lips down to the smooth skin of her neck. He gently bit down on the soft skin, causing her to release a light moan.


    He moved his left hand down and gripped hard onto her thigh. Using one hand, he pulled her up onto him while she wrapped her legs around his waist.


    Geth walked forward to the edge of the pond while moving his lips down towards her shoulder. She pulled at his back, with her nails gently dragging against his skin. He sat at the water''s edge and released his grip, pulling back his head to look into her eyes.


    She rested her knees on the ground and slowly moved her hips back and forth. Once her breathing started to pick up, Geth traced his left hand tenderly up her stomach, up to her slender neck. He gently gripped her neck, applying light pressure.


    His right hand slid down between her legs, fingers not stopping as they caressed that sweet spot down below. He rubbed in a circr motion as her hips slowly began moving back and forth.


    For many hours into the night, a soft moaning could be heard echoing from the cavern walls. The blue lights danced along with the noises. It was as if a beautiful symphony was being yed out beneath the tranquil wave of the mist.

 Chapter 23: Is the Mana Alive?

    Chapter 23: Is the Mana Alive?


    The next few days carried the same routine. The nights were filled with secret whispers moving through the mist, while Geth would spend his days building. Zolis would practice her movements, both wielding her weapon and practicing her Skill.


    The kids would run back and forth across the acreage, even learning how to swim in a short amount of time. Geth had created a type of canteen so that he could store water for his journey. They were very simple, they had no lid, and he had to snap the top open to drink the liquid. This being the case, he had to form the bottles underwater.


    He''d made them thin so that they wouldn''t take up too much weight. His Inventory Pouch now had nothing but water in it and its weight was maxed out. He''d put another 20 pounds of fruit into his Satchel as well. With the cores he had left, that left him with around 77 pounds to spare. He would make sure to collect as many cores and as much material as possible on his journey.


    They needed salt, meat, and fur to make clothing and bedding. His staff was in his hand, Satchel slung over his shoulder with the Pouch tied to it. His ck leather pants and armband being the only clothing that he wore.


    During this time of fighting, finishing the small home during the day, and the intense cardio every night, his stomach had slimmed down quite a bit. Albus also told him that when evolving to take on the Mana of this world, their bodies would constantly evolve to reach their maximum potential.


    He had decided to spend one more day after finishing his preparations before leaving. Geth spent time running around and ying with his children, chatting with Zolis, and double-checking things in the area.


    The easiest way he could exin his leaving to the kids was that he was going to go and look for their brother. They were excited at the thought of seeing him again, he was one of their favorite people. They gave him hugs and kisses as he tussle their hair.


    "I''m going to miss you guys, try not to be too much trouble for mommy, okay?" He looked at each one of them. "I love you two."


    "Love you, daddy." They both responded in unison, making him smile.


    He turned to Zolis next and put his arms around her. "I love you, too. Make sure to talk to the kids more about their Grimoires. Albus said that after the assimtion, their learning capabilities should have increased tenfold. Maybe you can help them get a general understanding."


    She nodded in understanding. "I''ll make sure to do that. I don''t want them ruining their future, but it would be safer for them to have some Attributes."


    He had left enough cores for each of them to get to Level 4 in one of the chests he''d gotten rewards in. They weren''t to use them until they had a general understanding of what it would mean for them in the future.


    "Be safe out there, make sure toe back in one piece. I''ll pull the barrier back to the bend and put the Guardians in front of it until you return." She kissed him gently. "I love you."


    After that, there was nothing more to be said, he walked towards the exit. On his way out, he stopped to check how his status had fallen behind over these 5 days.


    :World Leaderboard;


    1. Geth (Lvl 16)


    2. Xan Yiu (Lvl 16)


    3. Wang Bao (Lvl 15)


    4. SwolePapi (Lvl 14)


    5. Zhao Ju (Lvl 14):


    ''Wow, it seems that the Chinese have really adapted quickly. I wonder what happened to the Pussy guy?''


    :He either has less overall experience than the other Level 14''s, or he died:


    ''Hmm, the second option is more likely. I don''t see many people stopping as I did. I wonder if he tried to face a Dungeon?''


    He let his thoughts wander as he left the cave, casting Restoration on the Level 5 Slime on his way out. About 30 Level 1 Slimes were hanging out with it.


    He quickly reached the entrance of the cave to see a big, round, double door blocking the way. He smiled at how much the door looked like a big version of a hobbit door. He smiled and stepped out into the sunlight, this was the true beginning of his adventure.


    The sunlight struck his eyes, causing him to squint and lift his hand up to block the light. As his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he opened them to reveal that thendscape in front of him hadpletely healed from his previous battles.


    Even the pit from the Spell backfiring on him looked as if it had been hilled in, fresh grass had grown over the top. Albus responded to the questions forming in his mind.


    :This world is filled with Mana, and Mana doesn''t like change. Aside from the inside of the Dungeon formations, the Mana won''t allow changes to be made. If structures are built out in the open, it is likely to cause the Mana to react violently. It can''t interfere directly, but there would be natural disasters and constant attacks from beasts:


    ''Is the Mana alive?'' He wondered, getting no response.


    Just from that little bit of information, Geth had realized just how important the Dungeons would be. "Strengthening and protecting them will be a major thing in the future, I wonder if there are more Dungeons in the area."


    Flipping over to the map page, his exploring progress was piss poor. The area he''d walked between where he''d awakened and the Dungeon were highlighted, but that was it. ''Based on the size change, I''ve barely explored the field behind my neighborhood.'' He chuckled a bit.


    After thinking for a while, he decided to head back towards where he''d woken up. If he went back to where his home once was, he could get his bearings and be more precise on which direction to walk. Albus had already marked the Dungeon on his map, so he could find his way back no matter where he was.

 Chapter 24: Tracking

    Chapter 24: Tracking


    Geth began his trek in a leisurely fashion. As he was walking, he would test out his abilities. With his Inspection Skill now Level 1 he was able to see a very faint trace of footsteps across his path.


    It looked almost like a very dull blue outline of a footprint. If he hadn''t been looking down manipting mud as he''d walked, he never would have seen it. Stooping down, he ran his hand across the dull outline and found that the earth waspletely solid, there were no signs of tracks.


    "Albus?" He questioned his partner out loud, which had be a moremon urrence as the days went by.


    :Since the Mana doesn''t allow changes to the world, physical tracks fade very quickly. Even if that is the case, the Mana is a glutton. It won''t allow a single trace of history to be forgotten. Right now, you are weak, and can only see tracks from recent events. As you be powerful, you''ll be able to see the history stored within:


    For a moment he stopped examining the footprint, ''I would be able to see this history that the Mana has recorded? That means that this isn''t some new world, more likely ancient, and it is living.'' Geth wasn''t sure what to think about it for now, but it wasn''t something that would easily slip his mind.


    He looked more closely at the dull outline, even paying attention it wasn''t the easiest to make out. It was about the size of a small child''s, but it only had four toes. Based on the direction it was pointing, if he''d gone directly to the east instead of the south-east, he would have been fighting these creatures instead.


    Standing up to examine the area, he noticed that there wasn''t just one dull outline, but tens of them. They were all heading in the same direction he was now. There may have been some other type of creatures he could think of being that size were Goblins or Kobolds.


    To the direct east was arge wooded area. ''There must be another Dungeon.'' He thought. ''Well, I have other matters to tend to. I was lucky to run into the Slimes first. If the creatures were humanoid, I would have likely died quickly.''


    Geth couldn''t imagine facing creatures that could think while he was Level 1. ''Hell, they could have even had weapons.'' He grimaced at the thought of him looking like a pincushion.


    He picked up his pace, he was close to where he''d woken up, and it was obvious the creatures had headed that way. He needed to go southwest to find his family from where his old home was. This detour had taken him a couple of hours out of the way, but he wanted to make sure he was heading in the right direction before getting lost.


    It had been worth the extra time, he''d likely found a second Dungeon location after all. As he crossed over a small hill, he began to be able to make out figures moving around in the distance. There were also some small, dingy-looking structures.


    It was a bit hard to make out, being over half a mile away, but he could still tell that there was a fight going on. There were humans mixed in with something else.


    Geth picked up the pace. He didn''t care much about his neighbors, but if he didn''t hurry he might lose out on some easy experience. He wasing from behind the creatures, and could easily catch them off guard.


    He wasn''t cruel towards his own kind, per se. He would help in passing, especially if it could benefit him. There were also children there, and he preferred that they would have both of their parents to look after them.


    As he got closer, he could make out the scene clearly. Green humanoid creatures with pointy ears were attacking a group of around 15 adult humans. There were 6 kids behind them and two bodiesying on the ground.


    ''Goblins.'' They were easy to recognize.


    Geth could see that 21 Goblins were attacking the group and 4 wereying on the ground with sticks having impaled their stomachs or necks. The creatures had various weapons, mostly daggers made of sharpened stone or clubs, but there were a couple of rusty swords as well.


    Geth focused on his feet and did his best to run as silently as possible, he pulled out one of his stone spikes with his left hand. Running with the staff in his right hand was a bit awkward.


    A couple of the men had noticed him but quickly looked away, not wanting the Goblins to turn around.


    It only took him a moment to reach the rearmost Goblin, stabbing the spike deep into the back of its neck. The Goblin''s body dropped to the ground.


    :Goblin (Lvl 8); HP 0/325:


    He cast State Change and arge section of mud suddenly formed underneath about 8 of the Goblins. The ground suddenly disappearing from beneath them caused them to stumble and fall to the ground. Geth jumped over the closest one and started bashing it in the chest with the butt of his staff.


    After so many hits, its chest crumpled and the staff pierced through the skin, breaking bones along its path. The other 7 Goblins had returned to their feet and had aggro''d onto him. Theypletely ignored their original targets.


    Geth didn''t mind, he preferred fighting groups. He rushed into the middle of the enemies and cast Corruption Aura. He watched as the enemies'' HP bars dropped by 14 points.


    Three of the closest creatures stabbed towards him with their daggers. He kicked away one while grabbing the other one''s arm with his hand. He couldn''t do anything about the one behind him.


    The third dagger ran into his skin and simply bounced off, leaving a small cut behind. He smirked and slung the Goblin he was holding at the fucker who''d tried to stab him in the back.

 Chapter 25: Bit of Advice

    Chapter 25: Bit of Advice


    The sound of one Goblin''s head smacking against another was oddlyical, sounding like a character hitting their head in the old cartoons. He didn''t let go of the one he was holding, pulling it in and kneeing it in the stomach.


    The other 4 Goblins, along with the one he''d pushed away, all jumped him at once. He cast Restoration on himself andpletely ignored the daggers and clubs that were shing and beating down on him. In return, he pummeled them with his staff, while watching 14 Damage fall from their HP every 5 seconds. Between the 168 damage from his Aura over 60 seconds and his constant bashing, he quickly killed all of the Level 8 and 9 Goblins.


    During this time, the others hadn''t been idle. With the loss of 9 Goblins, the human group now outnumbered the rest. It was still a tough battle, but a couple of the men had managed to wrestle some clubs away and proceeded to beat the dagger holding Goblins to death. There were still a few injuries, and the sword-wielding Goblins were easily causing wounds to the other members.


    :Goblin (Lvl 10); 411/450 HP:


    Geth blocked its next sword strike with his staff, causing it to turn his way. Its eyes took on a look of anger when it noticed itspanions'' bodies on the ground.


    It wasted no time changing targets, brandishing its sword even more quickly than before. A red Aura started to shine over its body and the attacks became even more fierce. Geth backed away from the survivors and cast Corruption Aura again.


    He struggled to block the Goblin''s erratic attacks while letting his Aura whittle down its HP. Two of the attacks managed to hit him, causing longcerations on his left arm and shoulder. They were bleeding, but he could tell that they didn''t cut deep.


    After 30 seconds, the red aura diminished and the Goblin could barely hold up his sword. Geth didn''t waste this chance as he tackled the creature to the ground and started bashing it in the head with the butt of his staff. His third strike pierced through the creature''s eye, killing it instantly.


    He nced over at his old neighbors. The two with the clubs had finished off the weaker Goblins and ganged up against thest one with the sword. Geth watch one strike after another bashing it in the head, its death was inevitable.


    It was obvious that the creatures relied on greater numbers to win a fight than any type of actual Skill. He sent a small but deep mud puddle under one of its feet when he noticed that red Aura starting to seep from its pores. The creature''s leg sunk, causing it to fall and interrupt the Skill.


    After that, it only took a few seconds of bashing for the men to finish it off. Once it died, he noticed a card fall beside its sword. Geth didn''t speak to them at first, he just casually walked around the field, picking up the cores from the creatures he''d killed. ''These would be decent for protecting the Dungeon.'' He thought.


    The men of the group watched him, as the women consoled their children. He finally nodded towards them after he''d stored all of the weapons and cores from the Goblins he''d killed. He wouldn''t touch their loot, they earned it themselves.


    The two men with the clubs stepped forward after his greeting, one of them looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "Hey, aren''t you..."


    He was quickly cut off. "Sorry, but it''s best that you forget that name. I''ll be going by Geth for now."


    The man quickly nodded. "Alright Geth, thank you for helping us, this is the third time these fuckers have ambushed us. There were more this time, and they were stronger."


    Geth just nodded as he listened, and when the man was done speaking he pointed to their makeshift shelter. "That''s the reason the creatures are being lured to you. If you don''t destroy that and leave, the next group will likely be more than you can handle." After saying that, he thought for a moment. "It could also be used as a way to Level up quickly, but you have your families to consider."


    The man just looked at him confused and asked, "What would they want without shelter? It''s barely a shack."


    Geth gave him a simpler exnation of what Albus had told him. The man''s eyes briefly shone with understanding, and then hesitancy. How could he provide shelter if they couldn''t build?


    Geth could understand what he was thinking. "It wouldn''t be asfortable, but you can use therge leaves from the trees and hang them on lower branches. Make a type natural structure, it seems to me that the Mana doesn''t want the pureness of this being interrupted." He said. "You may still receive an asional attack from creatures, but it shouldn''t be to this scale."


    Relief showed on the man''s face, he knew that it was spection, but at least it was a direction that they could go in. He asked a few more questions, about how Geth had gotten so strong, where his family was, and where he''d gotten his equipment.


    He short answered most of the questions, but he did exin a bit to them about Talents and Skills. "It looks like most of you are Level 5, so you should have received a TP and an option for your first Talent, your Grimoire can exin to you exactly what those are."


    Geth walked over and picked up something from the Level 10 Goblin''s corpse. "This is a Skill card, when you kill your first enemy creature that has its own Grimoire, it''s guaranteed to drop a Skill." He handed it over to the man he was talking to, as he''d delivered the final blow.


    "Pick up these weapons to keep, they are free gifts along with the experience and cores. And the biggest piece of advice I can give you is to not look at your Grimoire as a book but as a sentient being. They are intelligent, and you could have learned this information from them this whole time."

 Chapter 26: Lay of the Land

    Chapter 26: Lay of the Land


    The group looked a bit surprised, he just shook his head. ''How could they not realize this, also Albus, why didn''t most of these Goblins drop Skill Cards for them?''


    :Goblins are stupid creatures, they don''t get a Grimoire until Level 10, even then, its intelligence is typically wed:


    Geth chuckled a bit but didn''t say anything. One of the women walked up to him. "Is there any way you can take us with you?" She asked, looking at one of the children. Her husband was the man he''d been talking to.


    Geth shook his head, "I''m sorry, but I have my own family to think of." The woman and her femalepanions listening all looked disheartened. The men, on the other hand, all had solemn gazes, they understood his decision.


    He looked a bit perturbed by this, these women were all acting like they wanted to be taken care of. ''If they don''t step up and get strong themselves they''ll just end up dead.'' He thought, thinking of how much a burden they would be for their husbands. They would need to change their mindsets to survive in this ce.


    The first man just shook his head and looked at everyone. "I think Geth here has given us more than enough help, no one died today thanks to him." He stuck out his hand, "Call me Hulk."


    Heughed as he said his own name. Geth chuckled a bit as well and shook his hand. Hulk told him, "I n to keep my family in the area, likely in the woods to the west. If you ever need help,e and find me."


    Geth nodded and prepared to leave. Before he left, he took the time to cast Restoration on everyone who was injured. They called out their goodbyes as he started walking southwest. He simply waved his hand over his shoulder without looking back.


    ***


    As he continued on his journey, he would asionally run into small groups of Goblins again. Each group was led by a Level 10, and the groups always had 8 Goblins.


    He could typically deal with each group in about three minutes. Their attacks were monotonous and he learned their patterns pretty quickly. ''It seems that there are multiple Dungeons, there''s no way that these creatures came this far from the eastern woods.


    A pensive expression crossed his face, he tried to think about what theyout of thend would be without humans. There should be arge river about 15 miles to the north of his starting point, it would head off to the west and curl around.


    It would cut off the path directly west as well, after about 35 miles or so. The eastern side would be a vast area of fields and forests. Directly south, likely 5 to 10 miles past the cave would be a swamp.


    Thinking of the southwestern direction, he could only picture wooded areas and fields if the roads were taken away. There may be a couple of wet areas, but nothing as big as the swamps.


    Further south, after around 150 to 200 miles in this world, another river would be cutting him off. He was d that he didn''t need to go that far. ''Even to the east, there would be a massive body of water after... 800 miles in this world. Well, it''s arge area, but it should be possible to clear it over time.


    This world really is massive, 10x doesn''t sound like much, but without any means of transportation its vastness can''t be underestimated.''


    Maybe it wouldn''t be too bad with the increased Agility. Even though he only had the bonus 5 from his pants, he could tell that he was faster. Normally, he would have to go all out to run 11 mph, but he was jogging at 6 mph right this second. He felt that going all out he might break 12. At most a 5% increase from the 5 points.


    ''Albus, do you happen to know if there are horses here?''


    :All of the fauna and nt life from your Earth also exists here, though there are many other species that you will be unfamiliar with as well:


    The journey continued in this fashion, killing the asional patrol and asking Albus questions. He continued walking towards the southwest, using Albus for guidance.


    He was walking through the woods at this point. Once he stepped out from the other side, he would have cleared around 20 miles by his estimation. 10 miles beyond that, he would be in the general vicinity of his mother''s home.


    ''There should still be another 5 miles or so of these woods, and the number of Goblin patrols I''ve run into have increased.'' He wasn''tining, it was easy experience and he''d already Leveled up once. It did make him worried for his mom and sisters though, but her husband was quite capable so he shouldn''t worry.


    Another Goblin patrol was approaching, he tucked himself behind a bush and waited for them to pass by. Just as he was about to warp the ground under them, a figure dashed out from the other side of the path.


    The figure was wearing a ragged cloak and holding two rusty short swords. Geth could make out that it was a male, but not distinguish any facial features. The cloaked man ran straight for the Level 10 Goblin, ignoring the others that had just noticed him.


    Caught off guard, the Goblin barely had time to raise its sword. As it tried to block Geth tripped it up by altering the terrain slightly. Between its surprise and the sudden loss of footing, it stood no chance.


    The cloaked man quickly decapitated it and moved on. Geth assisted from the sidelines, tripping up the Goblins as the man would approach them. ''The guy must have a speed-based build.'' He thought.


    He stayed hidden even as thest Goblin fell. The man wiped his rusty swords on a nearby leaf and started looking around. "You cane on out now, between the missing experience and the ease of the battle I know someone was helping."


    ''Huh, this guy is pretty observant, and his voice is familiar too.'' It sounded like the man was forcing his voice to be deeper so it was a bit hard to tell. Curiosity got the best of him, so he stepped out from behind the bush.


    The man turned to greet him but stopped short. There was a moment of silence before he said quietly, "Taylor..?" This time, Geth recognized the voice, he knew it well. The man reached up and pulled back his hood.

 Chapter 27: Surprise Encounter

    Chapter 27: Surprise Encounter


    As the man''s hood was pulled back, Geth was looking into the face of his step-dad. The man was a bit shorter than him, being around 5'' 8". Stubble was showing on his once clean-shaven face, and he had the same beaming smile as always.


    His hair was cut short with shaved sides and a t top, simr to how you would see in the military. A few tattoos could be seen on his arms and legs.


    He was witty and had always been quick to notice details, so Geth wasn''t surprised that he''d been found out. Smiling at the man, he walked forward and stretched out his arm. He was received by the same gesture and they gripped each other''s forearms, then they pulled in for a quick hug.


    It was something they''d been doing for years. "What should I call you now?" He asked the man.


    His stepdad scratched the back of his head and said "I guess I''m going by Time Lord now."


    Geth couldn''t help butugh at him. They had both been Doctor Who fans for years. "Trust me, it could be worse." He thought back to the names he''d seen in the Ranking lists. "I''m going by Geth now. If you don''t mind, I''m going to call you TiL for short, it would feel awkward otherwise."


    Til just nodded. "Where are your wife and the kids?"


    "Ahh, I''ll exin once we''re with mom. She and the girls are near here, right?" He asked.


    "They aren''t too far, follow me." They started walking back the way from which Til had arrived. "Nice staff, it looks like it would attract a lot of attention though."


    "Well, I haven''t really designed my build around being sneaky." He shrugged. "Where''d you get your cloak?" He didn''t think someone would have taken out a Goblin Dungeon already.


    "Ahh, there are actually Goblin Assassins that sometimes follow behind the patrol squads. They don''t typicallye out unless you''re struggling. I''ve seen two of them and only managed to kill this one by luck." He said as he pointed towards his hood.


    It''s been helpful, it adds Agility and makes you slightly harder to detect when the hood is up. What about your equipment? You seem to be doing well."


    "That''s kind of part of what I need to exin, so I''ll tell you soon. How are the others doing? Mom... isn''t exactly the type to be doing okay through this." Geth thought about his out-of-shape mother. She still had a pretty face but had be out of shape due to the years of pampering by Til.


    Til had been very good to her and treated her well, to the point of spoiling her. She sat around and shopped online most days, and would spend at least two days a week out working on her garden. She could survive, but he couldn''t picture her running from enemies.


    His sisters were simrly spoiled. The oldest of them was a bit of an anime nerd like he was, so she probably adjusted fast. The middle one was just like his mom, in almost every way. The youngest one was into multiple sports, so she would probably be in the best position for fight or flight.


    His direct family he felt a bit of obligation to take care of, they had raised him well and there were only a few sparse disagreements throughout his life. Still, he could only house so many people, and he needed to make sure that his choices were based on survivability as well.


    They could certainly use his mom''s hand with growing and tending the fields. Til would absolutely be a great fighter, while they were walking and talking, Geth could tell that he''d even been having fun!


    "Well.. she isn''t getting on too good, neither is Mick," Til said.


    Geth nced at him, "No nickname?"


    Til just sighed and shook his head. "She decided to ignore the warning, saying how "stupid" it was."


    "Geez, I''m d this happened before mine became teenagers." Geth sighed.


    They talked strategy for fighting the Goblins while they walked, Geth exined a couple of his Skills and Til told him he''d gotten a sneaking Skill from the Goblin Assassin. He happened to kill it just a few moments before the Level 10 Goblin that had the berserk Skill.


    At its current Level, it made him a bit harder to detect in shaded areas, and his first attack while hidden or while the opponent was surprised would do a bit of extra damage.


    He''d originally tried using daggers, but the ones the weak Goblins were using were too short. He decided to go with the rusty swords instead until he found something more to his liking. After a while of catching up, they reached a massive fallen tree lying across the ground.


    They proceeded around one end of it, where they found arge hollowed entrance. As they walked in, Til lifted a cover made from four of therge tree leaves found outside. "Look who I found!" He called out as he stepped in.


    Four pairs of eyes turned to look as Geth stepped into the space. "Brother!" His sisters all cried out at once. His mom was the first one to her feet, running over and wrapping him in her arms.


    Tears quickly formed in her eyes and she started sobbing. He fought off the urge to roll his eyes and patted her back until she calmed down. Eventually, she calmed herself and dried her eyes, "Where are Michelle and the kids?" She asked.


    Geth let out a ''Tsk'' noise and red at her for a moment. "We don''t use our real names anymore. She goes by Zolis now."


    She rolled her eyes, "That''s nonsense. I used my own name, so did your sister."


    He responded promptly and coldly, "and you''re idiots for doing so. This isn''t the same world we came from. There are ways to use your real names against you. What''s worse is that people can actually see the names you picked when forming groups, so it''s impossible for you to hide it now."


    "Oh, it''s not such a big deal."


    He really felt like pping this woman right now. ''Whatever, as long as they stay in the cave, they should be fine.''

 Chapter 28: Send Off

    Chapter 28: Send Off


    He gathered everyone around him and started exining most of what happened to him since he''d woken up early. Told them about the mechanical voice, the lucky rewards, and the Dungeon. There was some information he kept to himself of course.


    As he was about to exin to them how to get to the Dungeon, Albus interrupted him.


    :Tell them to pull their Grimoires out and ept your link:


    He ryed the message and they did as they were told. His "Friend List" quickly grew.


    Til, Crystal, Mick, Misa, and Gemma.


    :Now tell them to flip to the map:


    Albus, flipped to his own map as Geth ryed the message. Once everyone was done, Albus started glowing brightly. Shortly after, Geth could see five Mana tendrils extending from his binding and connecting at points in front of his family.


    After approximately three minutes, the tendrils withdrew back into his Grimoire. He looked back at Albus and noticed that there were no changes. ''What did you do?''


    But before Albus could respond, Til had already spoken up. "So we just need to head to this dot here right? It looks like it should only be about 15 miles directly East."


    "Ahh, yeah that''s the Dungeon location, make sure not to wander too far southeast. I have a feeling different creatures are lurking in the swampy areas." He then turned back to Albus. ''How did you do that?''


    :Well, I just used Mana to share a coordinate point with their Grimoires. The surrounding area will still be a nk space, but I can drop them markers:


    ''Good to know. Can you save this log as a marker? it would be a good ce to camp in the future, I feel there may be a Goblin Dungeon near here as well as back towards the northeast a bit.''


    A new dot appeared on the map, it was simplybeled ''log''. He turned back towards his family, Crystal was looking at him. "You''re not going to take us back?" She asked worriedly.


    "No, I have other matters to tend to. I need to keep going south and find my son, we also have family in that direction. I n to find him, and if I happen to bump into any of our other family I''ll send them your way. Though, it will be a while before they can actually enter the cave."


    She was going to argue that it wasn''t safe and that he should head back with them, but Til stopped her. "I''ll go with him. You guys head-on and meet with Zolis and the little ones. You''ll arrive well before dark, Gemma and Misa arefortable killing the things out there."


    Crystal calmed down hearing this, she''d feel much morefortable if her son wasn''t alone. The girls all gave them hugs and headed out, all of them carrying at least one dagger, Misa carrying multiple. Gemma was armed with a short sword.


    It was strange watching his teenage sisters walking around with weapons while wearing bup sacks for clothes. After they were out of sight, he turned to Til and nodded. They both left towards the south. Til didn''t say it in front of the women but, he was worried about his grandson.


    They didn''t stop jogging until they''d hit the edge of the treeline.


    The duo stopped at the woodline to take a look at the situation beyond. They still had to walk another 5 miles to the west and then head south for about 30 miles.


    Til spoke up "It''s getting dark quick, we should set up a ce to rest on one of the branches. The Goblins be more abundant at night."


    Geth nodded in agreement and they started climbing to one of therger low hanging branches. Once he found a thick enough section of the branch toy in, he grabbed two leaves to use as both cover and to keep warm.


    ''I should really grab a few of these.'' The leaves were both soft and tough at the same time, almost like leather. He thought they could be cut and tied together for makeshift clothing, it would be better than a bup sack anyway.


    He fell asleep on the trunk, asking Albus to keep a lookout for any dangers below.


    ***


    As he entered a deep slumber, the world around him changed. Geth wasying by Zolis'' side in their king-size bed. He quickly sat up and looked around... Melody had crawled onto the foot of the mattress and fallen asleep, Kael was cuddled up to his mother.


    Something was off, ''was the other world a dream?'' He thought. Geth quickly shook Zolis awake, rousing her from her slumber. She sat up, a bit annoyed, wiping the drool from the corner of her lips.


    Even in that situation, Geth had to chuckle. "Baby, what did we do yesterday?"


    Zolis looked at him a bit oddly, "We didn''t do much. I didn''t have to work, and you mostly yed outside with the kids." After a moment she dropped her annoyed expression and looked more closely at him. "Are you okay? You seem a bit flustered."


    He just nodded his head, unsure of what to think. ''Was that really just a dream? Everything seemed so real. Maybe I just spend too much time reading fantasy novels.''

 Chapter 29: Apocalypse

    Chapter 29: Apocalypse


    He stood up decided on soaking in the tub this morning instead of getting a shower. Once the tub was full, he sat in and soaked in the water after turning on the jets.


    During his soak, he thought back on everything that had happened and how real it had seemed. ''I suppose things like that couldn''t actually happen.'' His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the kids waking up, so he drained the water and stepped out.


    After drying off and cleaning up, he threw on some jeans and a t-shirt and spent the day ying with his children again. asionally he would hop on his phone and check on his investments. The date was the same as the night of the dream, where he''d woken up in a strange world.


    Throughout the day, he constantly had Deja Vu, the same things were happening as the day before the world changed. He was beginning to get a massive headache.


    Things continued to y out the same as he remembered, he even adjusted a couple of trades and made more money than he had the first time. In fact, he''d made enough for them to live for the entire following year.


    Regardless of how well the day went, everything the ovepped memories crossed, he would get a splitting headache. Eventually, everything calmed down and the kids went to sleep. It was after midnight, once the calm hit, the headaches went away.


    Instead of hanging around the house, Geth decided to go out for ate-night drive. He didn''t want the headaches toe back if he did the same thing.


    He jumped into his little blue pickup truck and headed down the back roads. After about a half-hour of driving, a more upbeat song came on and he hit the gas. Before the song was over, Geth was pulled to the side of the road with red and blue lights shing behind him.


    "License and registration." The officer had walked up to the driver''s side window, cing his hand on the tail light as he approached.


    Geth sighed and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, grabbing his registration from above the visor. After handing the information over, he waited patiently.


    The officer shined his light into the pickup quickly and then handed the paperwork back. "Any reason you were driving so fast, Mr. Geth?"


    "Well, a good song came on and I lost track of.... wait.. what?" He looked at the officer strangely and nced at his ID. His name read Geth and his Attributes reced the normal information.


    It was at that moment that the sky lit up, the officer step back and looked up. He didn''t move when Geth hopped out of the pickup and stood beside him.


    They both stared up into the sky as thousands of bright-tailed meteors flew by the Earth. The headaches started toe back, stronger than they had been all day. Everything became fuzzy.


    The ground started to shake and split apart, the officer''s patrol car started to fall into arge ravine that was opening behind it. "Come on!" Geth yelled as he jumped in the truck, the officer jumping beside him in the passenger seat.


    They took off, trying to outrun the deep ravine that was chasing them. To their left, massive mountains were growing from the ground, water pouring from their sides.


    Houses were being lifted into the air and cars were falling from unimaginable heights. Screams could be constantly heard, even with the loud rumble of thend and the sound of the engine roaring. The officer was horrified in the passenger seat.


    Just as they had finally pulled away from the ravine, arge root protruded from the ground, hitting the bed of the truck and rolling it multiple times. Through the rolling, Geth could feel multiple bones fracturing. He was bleeding from many wounds and had arge piece of ss stuck in his arm.


    He grabbed his knife that was tucked tightly beside his console and cut away the seat belt. There was no way out from the crushed door, he kicked out the windshield and crawled onto the hood cutting himself worse with ss as he made his way off.


    Once he was on solid ground, he looked back at the officer. The man''s neck was twisted at an unnatural angle and his right arm was crushed between the crushed door and console. Blood was pouring from arge wound on his head.


    Geth shook his head, nothing he could do for the man now. The ground was still shaking, he watched as roots the size of normal tree trunks burst from the ground, growing through houses and ripping up the asphalt of the road.


    The normal trees in the woods expanded, bing as wide as cruise ships and growing quickly into the sky, bing as tall as skyscrapers. The devastation continued, massive ravines kept forming and rumblings kepting from the continent. Lava began spewing from some of the openings.


    Smaller ruptures began appearing across the destroyednd and in the mountains that climbed to the sky. From these openings, tens of thousands of creatures began pouring out.


    Geth saw living skeletons, humanoid lizards, massive earthen creatures that stood over 20 feet tall, huge Dragons who could barely be seen through the dust in the air, it was unbelievable. He even recognized Slimes and Goblins running around in the ruins.


    The creatures were all tearing at each other''s bodies, along with chasing around the humans that had survived. Geth was just standing there, being ignored by everything around him, almost as if he didn''t exist.


    Soon, his body disappeared and he was just an essence floating around. There was no controlling his movement, he was just along for the ride. This essenceunched into the air, rising above the massive trees and huge mountains.


    He looked down and around at the scenery. There were hundreds of thousands of beasts, many he recognized, and many he didn''t. Even flying through the air, there were creatures muchrger and more terrifying than those dragons.


    The Earth waspletely warped, everything had suddenly expanded and grown almost a thousand timesrger than before. He had no time to think any longer, the essence rushed towards the ravine and fell into the darkness. As all of his senses were stripped from him...

 Chapter 30: Fools

    Chapter 30: Fools


    Geth woke up, soaked in a cold sweat. He looked around, his staffy beside him and he wasying on the giant branch from before. After patting himself down quickly, he pressed his palms to the sides of his head, he had a terrible headache.


    The dream he''d just had was already trying to escape from his mind. He grasped at it as best he could, but it soon faded away, leaving only whispers in his mind about what he had dreamt.


    There was no sleeping with his head hurting the way it was. The dream had nowpletely slipped his mind, the most he could recall was the feeling of sorrow and the sight of a massive tree.


    He shook his head and looked up at the stars through the canopy of the trees. This world was beautiful, with no city lights hindering the view. There was something different from before he fell asleep.


    The Mana in the air was easier to see. It was beautiful. Soft blue mist-like tendrils slithered back and forth in the air. The Mana would asionally take vague shapes of many odd-looking creatures. It reminded him of what clouds would sometimes look like when they took on odd shapes.


    Albus shortly interrupted his observations.


    :An unknown force has entered your mind. Mana Sense has been upgraded to Level 3:


    ''What...?'' He didn''t know what to think. Geth simply spent the rest of the time observing the different forms of the Mana, until the dawn broke and Til started to stir.


    There were no incidents, and no patrols came near them during the night. Before they left the woodline, they shared one of therge fruits from the Dungeon.


    Geth handed him one of the makeshift canteens so that they could drink while they walked. Til was pretty impressed by his creation and asked him for more details of what he could do.


    "I can pretty much make anything 6 cubic inches in size or less, though it can''t beplicated. It can be pretty difficult working in details at my current level." He''d told him.


    "What about arrows?"


    "Well, I could make arrowheads, the shaft would probably be too heavy if the entire thing was stone." Geth thought for a bit before continuing, "It might be possible with the crazy Strength one can obtain now, but you would have to have a bowstring strong enough not to snap as well."


    ''It''s likely that there are creatures that can provide materials for that. If someone had some crazy 1000 pound draw bow they should easily be able to fire stone arrows. With enough practice, I could make the shafts hollow to make them lighter, but it would still require an unnaturally strong bow and draw strength.''


    Thend they were walking through was arge hilled area, it was barely possible to make out the next wooded area they had to cross far in the distance. As they were walking over the next small ridge, Geth noticed a body at the foot of the hill.


    They had to head in that direction. As they approached, the smell of death assaulted them. Geth pushed the body over with his foot and found a Goblin corpse underneath. Both bodies had been stabbed multiple times.


    He looked at the face of the man and felt that he looked familiar. He thought for a while and realized that the guy was a cop in his area. He didn''t know the man, but he had a vague feeling he''d been pulled by him before.


    He scratched his head for a minute and shrugged it off, picking up the daggers that both the man and creature had and storing them. ''The decay rate is unnaturally fast, it must be the Mana trying to maintain a clean environment.''


    He could see the misty lines of the Mana eating away at the corpses, seemingly using them as sustenance. As the Mana slowly dposed their bodies, the mist would grow slightly thicker.


    Geth was interested in the process, but they had to keep going. The two of them walked to the top of the next small hill. A breeze drifted up just as they peeked the top and a vile smell assaulted their senses.


    Once crossing over, they looked down at the backside of the hill into the small valley below. Corpses were piled in the middle and littered the sides of the surrounding hills. Most were mutted beyond recognition.


    There were men, women, children, and Goblins all scattered throughout. It looked like there had been some deaths by stabbing initially, but the bodies looked mangled as if some type of beast had interrupted the fight.


    Blood dyed the light green of the hills and had run down to form a small pool in the valley. At this point, the pool was nothing but a massive clot, with bits and pieces of organs and flesh stuck inside.


    It was a truly gruesome sight. Both men''s faces paled, and they began to look around for an idea of what they had been facing. "Whatever it was, this must-have happened early on," Til called out to him. "All of these Goblins are either holding normal sticks or those small daggers. Likely, there were none above level 4 or 5. That should ce this incident around four days ago.


    It sounded likely and looking at the debris scattered around, it looked like these people had tried to build a shelter in the bottom of the valley.


    "Fools," Geth said, looking at the broken bodies of the small children. "Even if building a settlement is natural, this is the second set of idiots I''ve seen try to do it out in the open. There''s no cover or territorial advantage here.


    Come on, whatever ended this fighting shouldn''t be around anymore. The only reason it came was to destroy this settlement. It''s either back at its Dungeon, or destroying someone else''s hope."

 Chapter 31: Survivors

    Chapter 31: Survivors


    There was no reason for them to stick around. They continued walking over the hills, where they witnessed multiple simr scenes to the dead officer. There were no other urrences like the small massacre.


    Geth was a bit worried, he hoped that the area beyond the next set of woods wasn''t as unlucky. The further they crossed in this field of death, the more concerned he became about whether or not his son and his ex-wife would make it.


    Them being split up didn''t make him hate her, they just weren''t good together. They still remained friends, and he was even pretty close with her current husband. The man did just as much to help provide for his son as Geth did, he could never fault him for that.


    Walking the rest of the way was rather quiet, they were both having the same thoughts. The smell of death lingered on them after having walked through the hills.


    They ended up having to face a few Goblin patrols throughout their travel. Since Til was now linked to his Grimoire, Geth''s Corrupted Aura didn''t have any negative effects on him.


    With this being the case, the patrols were wiped out fast. Since both of them were actively participating in the battles, the experience was shared 50/50.


    As they approached the woods, they began to run into more Goblins more frequently. The patrols also becamerger, likely due to the appearance of whatever beast tore through their troops before.


    Of course, this only meant more experience for the two of them. Geth would rush into the center of the crowds, drawing attention and casting his corruption aura.


    As the enemies were focused on him, they never saw Til rushing up behind them. It was toote. By the time they noticed, their heads were flying up in the air. Trails of blood followed behind like an odd disy of art.


    The battles ended quickly, they even managed to kill another Goblin Assassin and Geth got his own cloak. He tucked it in his bag, for now, the extra Agility would be nice but he didn''t want the weaker Goblins knowing they could kill their superiors.


    After the fourth big group of 13, they''d found like that Geth spoke up. "I really think that there''s a Dungeon near here. Once we find them we should try to clear it. Hopefully, it''s a group Dungeon. We need equipment."


    Til definitely brightened at the thought of the Dungeon. He didn''t care about the equipment as much as the adventure. He was closing in on 60 and hadn''t had this much excitement since his military years.


    "Well let''s hurry and get through these woods. The sooner we get to them, the better the chance they are alive."


    "We already have more than enough cores to upgrade the Dungeon once we get back. I was worried about not having room for everyone but seems like it was unwarranted." Geth said. "I wonder how it will upgrade next, I really hope ites with a toilet. I''m tired of having to find ces to take a shit."


    They both broke outughing at that fact. Not only was it a bit unhygienic, but it also left one exposed to enemies too. The other would have to stand close by until they were finished.


    He imagined that if he were to develop his State Change Skill enough, he would be able to create a sewer system inside the Dungeon. For now, they just had to make due.


    This patch of woods wasn''t very big, its length was probably five miles or so, but they only had to walk a mile to get to the opposite side.


    On the other side, they saw something that finally gave them some relief. There were multiple decaying bodies of Goblins lying around, but no humans.


    This likely meant that the people on this side were strong enough to survive. Their first goal was to find a group and gather information. Walking around aimlessly would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.


    They didn''t have to search for long. As they left the edge of the woods, people stood up from under tied-together leaves about a half-mile away. There were only five of them, and they were each carrying a short sword.


    The men seemed surprised to see humans stepping out of the woods. They were suspicious but harbored no ill will.


    Two of them stepped forward while the other three stayed back. The four men walked towards each other and met halfway.


    "What brings you here? There isn''t much that''s worth trying to cross the hills on the other side, we barely made it out ourselves." One of the men spoke up, he was a burly man with short ck hair and a small mustache. Standing about 6'' 4" Geth had to admit that the guy looked a bit intimidating.


    He responded to the man solemnly, "I''m looking for my son and his mother. Seeing that there are strong survivors on this side has definitely given me hope." He proceeded to exchange their names and features while the man listened.


    "Ahh, I know exactly who you''re talking about. The wee runt has tried following us out here multiple times. His mom and the baby are with the others, the man helps us with watching the woods but is off exploring at the moment. I''ll lead you back!"


    They stepped towards the others and all introduced each other. Til decided to stay back and take the burly man''s position so that they wouldn''t be short-handed in case of trouble.


    "That''s a good man." The big guy said as he patted Til''s shoulder. "Come on young man, let''s head to the shelter."


    Geth''s face quickly turned from optimistic to worried. He now knew why they were posted up at the woods, ''They''re defending from beast waves, and they probably think that it''s normal.''

 Chapter 32: Under Attack!

    Chapter 32: Under Attack!


    His worries became vindicated as they crossed a small ridge and came within view of their shelter. ''This thing is practically an entire settlement!''


    He couldn''t me them, they didn''t know. The only reason he knew about the waves is that Albus learned the information from the Dungeon Crystal. Without a proper formation, this ce would be demolished.


    Geth looked around the ce as they walked, there were over a hundred women and children. The men number less than 50, likely most were killed off during the ongoing waves.


    There was a bit of a dilemma about whether or not he should warn them. If the news spread and caused a panic, it could do more harm than good. Even worse, he may not be able to get his people out during the ensuing chaos.


    For now, he wanted to get to them and be on his way as soon as possible.


    The man he was following had named himself Bruce. While they were walking he''d told Geth that the shark character from Nemo was his daughter''s favorite character.


    Something he noticed but didn''t mention was the semicolon tattoo on his left arm with a set of dates on either side. The shark character, Bruce, was tattooed swimming right above it.


    Geth''s heart tore for the man, the dates showed that she was only 17 when she passed away. The date was the same year that he''d graduated high school.


    He knew the girl, and he remembered when it happened. There were a couple of weeks around the school where even the most chipper of students had remained sullen. This must be her father then.


    ''If it''s possible, I''ll bring him with us too. I remember reading in the paper that he was actually a cksmith back when it happened.'' Even if he hadn''t been useful, the girl had been a friend of his. He would try his best.


    They arrived at a small shack built from crudely stacked branches. A young boy was walking around the side carrying a small bundle of sticks, presumably for a fire.


    He was tall for an eight-year-old, almost four and a half feet. He had brown hair and brown eyes, just like his mother. The boy was thin but had some small muscles visible.


    As he finished rounding the corner and saw Geth his eyes widened. He dropped the sticks he was carrying and rushed forward while yelling "Daddy! How''d you get here?"


    Geth stooped down on one of his knees and embraced the boy. Picking him up and slinging him around. His mom had heard themotion and rushed outside. As soon as she left the door frame, her hand covered her mouth.


    After putting him down and tousling his hair, Geth responded. "I walked here of course buddy. I even found your Papi on the way and he walked with me."


    "Dad, are you going to stay here with us now?"


    Geth just smiled at him, then his face turned serious as he''d turned towards his mom and gestured to Bruce. "I think we should talk inside."


    People were watching the scene with smiles, he didn''t want what he had to say overheard.


    "So what are you going by now? It''s dangerous to use real names." He looked at the woman as she picked up the infant that had just woken up.


    She had long brown hair that dropped towards the middle of her back. Her height was around 5'' 10", she had long legs and a very nice figure. Freckles were dotting her cheeks.


    "I''m going by Jen now." She replied.


    "Easy enough." When they were younger, if they''d had a girl they would have named her Jenna. It wasn''t something he would forget.


    "So, here''s the deal..." He proceeded to exin to them about the Dungeon he''d conquered, and the implications behind the ownership. He also made sure to include that there were limited slots.


    The pair listened on with interest, but their faces slowly twisted into horror as he exined to them that the Mana would forcefully have creatures target settlements.


    The bigger the settlement, the stronger the waves. Each wave getting progressively more difficult. After he was finished exining, Bruce quickly stood up.


    "I need to gather the men as quickly as possible to rip down the structures." He said, but before he could take a step, two men ran through the doorframe. They werepletely out of breath. It was as if they''d sprinted there.


    Til was one of the men, the other was Alex, Jen''s husband. Alex was a shorter man, around 5''8", he had blonde hair and blue eyes. His arms were muscr, but otherwise, he was a bit out of shape. Mostly from his time spent streaming games.


    Still, he was in much better shape than Geth when he''d first fallen into this mess. Alex took a moment to collect himself, before letting out, "The woodline... Goblins... Hundreds!" He was struggling to speak through the heavy breaths.


    Til caught his breath quicker and said in his ce, "There''s an army of Goblins over at the treeline. All of them are sword carriers! There are also Assassins and what look like Mages mixed in! They are just standing there, it looks like they are waiting for something."


    Everyone stood there in silence, Bruce just gaped. He then nced back at Geth, thinking about the information he''d just given him.


    They all jumped into action. Geth quickly added Jen to his Grimoire link and sent her the coordinates for the Dungeon. He told Til to get her, the baby, and his son, who was now going by Luke, out of there.


    Alex agreed with the decision and made sure he said his goodbyes before they took off. Bruce looked at Geth strangely.


    "You''re not going with them?" He asked.


    Geth just smiled at him, while pping his shoulder "And miss out on this experience? Are you kidding?"


    Bruce seemed like he was about to tear up. He thought that Geth just didn''t want to admit that he was staying to help them. Geth knew what was on the man''s mind, but he didn''t bother correcting him, he was actually staying for the experience.

 Chapter 33: Level 20

    Chapter 33: Level 20


    ''Til said that he estimated around three hundred Goblins, there''s no way I would miss out on this chance. It may even be possible to upgrade the Dungeon twice! Also, all of the Goblins are Level 10 or higher, so there''s almost a 33% chance of Skill Cards dropping.''


    Bruce had already jogged off to gather the rest of the men in the camp. Geth turned to Alex, "So what am I calling you now?"


    "Filthy is fine." He replied. "I probably would have gone with something else if I''d have known"


    "Yeah, most people feel the same. So, what''s the situation here, how are everyone''s levels?" Geth asked.


    "It honestly doesn''t look good, most here are Level 8 or 9 outside of a few. The men you met on the way in are all Level 12 or 13, Bruce and I are 15."


    "Well you two should be fine, most of the men will likely die." Geth just shrugged.


    He''d already Leveled up multiple times on his way there and was just shy of 20. He might use a few cores to gain thest couple hundred experience he needed. It would be nice to gain a Talent before such arge battle.


    There was a chance he could take on the army almost on his own, he knew the swordsmen and Assassins could barely scratch him, especially if he kept up Restoration. He was a bit concerned about the mages though, he''d not gotten the chance to test his magic resistance yet.


    There was one other thing that bothered him, they were waiting for something. ''If there''s some kind of boss creature leading them, I''ll definitely need to test the waters before charging in.''


    Filthy then asked him, "What about you, how do you think you''ll fair?" He nced at the staff as he said this, along with a quick look at the rest of his equipment. It was obvious that he was impressed.


    "Oh, I''ll manage" He smiled a bit, not sure whether it would be a good or bad thing to tell him that he was the highest Level in the world at the moment.


    "Once this is over, I need to take you and a couple of others to a few locations. We need to grind up and get everyone Skills and proper equipment."


    They made it to where the guys had been hiding under tree leaves. The men were all extremely tense, waiting for the creatures in the forest to make a move.


    The guys seemed relieved when the two of them showed up, it was apparent that Filthy had a high status among them. A few minutester, the rest of the men showed up, with Bruce in the lead.


    Only 30 of the 50 or so men had actuallye. Some had started gathering the women and children, while some had turned tail and ran. Geth spat at the ground, ''What cowardice.''


    He didn''t want those types of people around, it was one of the reasons he was being so picky. As he started to get lost in his thoughts, a loud squeal sounded from the woodline. It sounded rough, almost as if someone was screaming after swallowing nails.


    Most of the men started shuffling back and forth on their feet, their nerves starting to kick in. Shortly after the squealing stopped, a loud thumping noise could be heard, followed by the ground shaking lightly.


    The thumping became heavier and the vibrating more profound. In moments, six massive Goblins lumbered out of the woods. They were all carryingrge clubs and were standing almost 9 feet tall!


    Another ten of the men turned and fled instantly, leaving only the five from the front line, Filthy, Bruce, and fifteen of the guys who hadn''t reached Level 10. Geth nced at them they were scared but staying, he would make sure that they received some reward after this.


    Quietly and imperceptibly, he crushed a few cores between his fingers. A prompt suddenly shone on Albus'' pages. "Well, this is what I was waiting for." Geth smiled as his blood began to boil.


    Geth read the words that were brought up before him.


    ***


    Option 1: Thick Skin- User has an aptitude for taking damage with a grain of salt. Grants 1% extra physical resistance.


    Option 2: Mana Skin- User has an aptitude for ignoring magical effects. Grants 1% extra magic resistance.


    ***


    ''Well, I''ve been putting it off since the beginning, I''ll go ahead and take Thick Skin.'' He thought to Albus. As he did, a single page grew in the Talent section.


    His skin took on a small change, feeling a bit rougher, but it was hard to notice. It was kind of like his skin had suddenly be calloused, but it swiftly healed over.


    After receiving the SP for reaching a major Level, he now had 3. With the uing battle, he upgraded his Corruption Aura to both increase its range and damage per tick.


    Then he threw all of his Attribute Points that he hadn''t added between Defense and Wisdom. Of course, he wouldn''t do any different.


    He was now sitting at a total of 60 Defense and 53 Wisdom. This his was including equipment bonuses. His HP had soared to 900 and his MP reservoir was strong with 490.


    This time he would actually be able to go all out and properly test the extent of his defensive Attributes. Looking at the numbers and Levels of the enemies, he could probably even reach the next major Level.


    ''The enemies should be acting soon.'' He thought as he observed from afar. There was still a 30-yard gap between them, which would soon turn into a bloodied arena.


    Something odd that he noticed was that they kept ncing around. Even the big guys seemed a bit on edge, he couldn''t quite tell their Level from this distance but they had to be 20 or higher.


    ''What could possibly make them worry in an area that''s filled with beginner mobs?'' He nced around cautiously as well. Scoping out the Mana with Inspection didn''t reveal anything unnatural.

 Chapter 34: Spell Defense

    Chapter 34: Spell Defense


    The rest of the men got into some makeshift formation that he didn''t recognize. Geth just looked at them with his brows raised. ''Just because we don''t have guns now, you''re going to fight like medieval soldiers?''


    He shook his head and started walking forward, he was tired of waiting. Filthy saw him stepping forward but didn''t take a step to stop him. If his friend was confident then he wouldn''t interfere.


    Bruce was busy scolding the other men when he noticed some movement out of the corner of his eye. He spun quickly, thinking the enemy was attacking.


    The sight was quite different, a single man was walking out in the soon-to-be battlefield. He was already over halfway across.


    Geth walked forward while looking at the enemies, there were only 10 yards between them now. He could clearly see their Levels. He''d definitely estimated right.


    All of the Swordsmen Goblins were level 10, all of the Goblin Assassins and Goblin Mages were Level 15, and the 6 big guys were Level 20. He was also able to see that the big ones were called Hobgoblins.


    ''Hmm, it looks like something changes between Level 10 and Level 15 that makes them have to make a choice. The choice may be at Level 10 since some Goblins didn''t have the Berserk ability. It must be a choice between Berserk and Mana Sense.''


    He deducted this information rather quickly while wondering what two Spells the Goblin mages could possibly know. There were 30 of them, so he assumed 15 could use one Spell while the rest of the Mages could use the other. This guess was based on the two slightly different types of staves


    Therger creatures were even uglier than the other Goblins, even with their massive bodies, their heads looked too big to fit. All of the Goblins had multiple bumps, rashes, and warts. These big guys also had them, however, most of them were bursting open with a yellowish puss.


    They really were grotesque creatures. As he came within 15 feet of the small army, the Goblin Mages raised their staves. Half of them were glowing with a light blue aura, while the other half was a light red.


    A small bombardment of mes rushed towards him. He didn''t intend to dodge, it was time to test his Wisdom Attribute. He did make sure to have his Restoration ready to cast.


    As fifteen fireballs flew towards him, he could feel the heating off of them at ten feet away. At five feet, the small hairs on his arm slightly singed. Then, they copsed into him.


    The mes licked at his skin, causing the hair to burn and his skin to redden and then slowly blister. He watched the damage closely. It was painful, but it was more like standing in a shower where the water was way too hot. It certainly didn''t feel like standing in a wave of fire.


    :Geth; HP- 824/900:


    He cast Restoration on himself, raising his HP by 32 on the first tick and turning the blisters back into a small reddened area. A visible white Mana swirled around his body.


    An unexpected event also took ce, the white mist slightly pushed away the mes, keeping them from touching his skin. He was still taking damage but it wasn''t as significant.


    It seemed that the mes didn''t instantly disappear. There was slight burn damage, but it was only temporary. Soon the mes dispersed.


    Just as they were about to go out, the Goblin Mages with the light blue staves fired spikes of ice his way. Each spike was about two feet in length and sharp at the end. Only one was fired per creature.


    The 15 spikes all charged for him at once, this was nothing. He swung his arms and shattered the thin ice. There was a chilling effect that slowed his movement for half a second, but that was it.


    They may be effective in the future, but their Level was too low. After the small volley of spells, the entire army started to surge forward. Around 170 angry Goblin swordsmen rushed towards and surrounded him. He justughed.


    They could hardly hurt him beforehand, even with their numbers piling on him, six at most could attack him at once. Geth rushed straight to the middle of the crowd, activating Corruption Aura as he went.


    Now that it was Level 3, the Aura released thin ck wisps that caused the area around him to darken slightly. As he rushed through he took note of the damage that was being caused.


    :Goblin Swordsman (Lvl 10); HP- 435/450:


    The damage per tick hadn''t seen a significant change but the range was now almost 4 feet in any direction. It was even affecting those Goblins 2 rows back from the front, hitting close to 30 at once.


    He didn''t stand and just allow the creatures to hit him, he had his staff in one hand and a rusted sword in the other. asionally, the ground would liquefy below an enemy, causing them to falter. He didn''t hesitate to swing the sword across their weak points.


    The men standing on the opposing side of the battlefield were amazed.


    "Can he really kill them all on his own?"


    "Are you crazy, look at their numbers, it''s like he''s in the middle of a pond!"


    "He isn''t even getting hurt!"


    Bruce watched from the side quietly, his eyes wide. He could see that Geth wasn''t really struggling.


    He spoke up, "It doesn''t matter how strong he is, he doesn''t have infinite MP. Let''s move in and start mowing them down while their backs are turned!"


    Once he hadpleted his orders, Bruce and the other men ran forward. Filthy was nowhere to be seen, he''d slipped away as soon as the Goblin Swordsmen rushed forward.

 Chapter 35: Slaughter

    Chapter 35: ughter


    Geth continued his ughter, bodies piling up around him. Every so often, he would adjust his position to avoid being trapped by the corpses.


    He couldn''t continuously use Corruption Aura. With his current recovery, he could essentially cast it once every three minutes. If he didn''t have to save MP for Restoration and State Change, it would be every two.


    ncing back, he found that the ally fighters had finally joined the fight. They''d just crashed into the backline of Goblins that were climbing over each other to get to him.


    The moment the other men began their assault, the Goblin Assassins slipped forward from the woodline, along with the Hobgoblins.


    Things proceeded almost exactly as he''d thought they would. Geth and Filthy had discussed the battle on their way to the grounds.


    They''d yed many get together in the past and had exceptional teamwork. Both of the men had also usually been responsible for nning raids or skirmishes.


    The Hobgoblins stepped forward and let out what could only be described as a roar. It was more so the sound of a dying cow.


    During this moment, arge portion of the remaining Goblin Swordsmen started steaming. Their skin began to turn a dull red color as their attacks gained a renewed fervor.


    Geth''s natural recovery speed was no longer keeping up with the damage he was taking. On the bright side, the Goblins were easier to kill since they were no longer defending.


    As he continued to tear through the Berserk Goblins, the Hobgoblins began pushing their way towards him. They were more than twice the size of the normal ones and were causing multiple injuries as they moved.


    On the other end of the battlefield, some of the men from the settlement were being pushed back by the enraged creatures. One of the men tried to push forward, only to be stabbed in the stomach by a Goblin Assassin.


    He fell forward and was quickly overtaken. Further from them, the Goblin Mages were preparing to cast another barrage of Spells towards Bruce and his group. The situation began to look grim.


    The situation was looking quite dire. Bruce and his men were slowly being overwhelmed, and a wall of mes and ice were about to head their way.


    Just when Bruce was thinking of calling for a temporary retreat, one of the fire casters dropped to the ground. A brief momentter, another fell, then another.


    The Mages stopped their casting and began looking around in confusion. Another of the fire mages dropped. This time, a shoddy-looking arrow could be seen protruding from the back of its head.


    When the creatures saw this, they seemed to startmunicating. The fire casters turned and faced the woods, while the ice casters restarted their Spells.


    Soon, another arrow flew out from a location near the edge. The fire casters instantly released their spells towards that location, setting some lower branches aze.


    Another arrow from further to the right, another round of fire. This cat and mouse game continued as the battle was raging.


    Fifteen ice spikes appeared and tore through some of the men. Most of the wounds received were superficial, but there were some fatal instances. Four men died from a single wave, had the fire casters also had their way, the battle would be lost.


    Geth was standing on his own, the bodies around him numbered close to seventy. The enemy army was being thinned greatly.


    He nced over to see that even though Bruce''s crowd was struggling, they''d taken out most of the Assassins. Geth and the group were facing about thirty Swordsmen each, thest of them.


    ''By my estimate, there should be around 15 seconds left of the Berserk Skill.'' The Hobgoblins were only a few steps away now, there wasn''t time to finish off the weaker ones.


    Geth took the initiative and rushed towards the first Hobgoblin, making sure that his Corruption Aura was active. The creature was surprised to see this small creature running towards it. The surprisested long enough for him to swing hard at its ankle with his rusted de.


    The de cleaved through the skin and muscle, getting caught halfway through the bone. A pained yelling was heard as the creature fell to its left knee, causing the ground to shake.


    Just after it hit the ground, it swung the massive club that it was holding, colliding directly with Geth''s chest. Air was knocked out of his lungs as he slid almost 8 feet back into the crowd of Goblins.


    Even after that huge blow, he still remained on his feet. Checking his health, he''d lost 87 HP from that single strike.


    :Geth; HP- 672/900:


    It was time to switch to a defensive fighting style and whittle his opponents down. He''d been on the offensive against the lower leveled Goblins.


    Geth cast Restoration, instantly recovering 32 HP. He would heal for 16 more ticks before it timed out, bringing him to full HP with some to spare.


    Ignoring the ants that were trying to swing their swords at him, he rushed back at the kneeling creature. It swung its club directly at Geth''s head.


    He grabbed his staff with both hands and dived forward, rolling and using it for bnce to bring him right back to his feet. The club sailed through the air, missing him entirely.


    Geth slid into the Hobgoblin''s wounded ankle, kicking the sword and forcing it through. As the creature''s foot was separated from its leg, the huge form toppled to the ground.


    Hurriedly snatching up his sword, he stabbed it into the wailing beast''s eye and shoved it down to the hilt. Blood and green mucus sttered from the wound, staining his chest and arms.


    The Hobgoblin iled momentarily before its life faded away. Three sets of angry eyes peered heavily towards him.

 Chapter 36: Danger

    Chapter 36: Danger


    He''d definitely managed to draw the ire of the three Hobgoblins who''d witnessed the fight. The other two had made their way to stand between the Mages and Bruce''s group.


    Corpses of fire castersid on the ground, with only two left standing. There were only a few enemy Swordsmen against Bruce''s group now, but the Hobgoblins had crushed all but five of his party.


    Bodies of both speciesy mangled, broken, and torn all over the field. This wasn''t a ce for weaker men.


    The rest of the Berserk Goblins finally fell started settling down. Their skin turned from red to a very pale and sickly green. Swords fell to the ground as the creatures copsed.


    Geth didn''t waste any time waiting for the other Hobgoblins to arrive. He quickly pulled his sword from therge skull and started shing and stabbing the weakened Goblins like a madman.


    Threerge pairs of feet shook the ground as they charged towards him, crushing the corpses of the Swordsmen that were once their allies. Geth still needed time, he used State Change and created arge pit of mud just in front of them.


    The first one toppled, and the other two quickly tripped over it. It wasn''t long, but he''d only needed to buy a few seconds. He continued sweeping the battlefield, finishing off the maimed and weakened Goblins.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, things hadn''t been going as smoothly. Thest of the fire casters had fallen, but as soon as the first ice caster was injured, one of the two Hobgoblins split off and went to search the woodline.


    Due to this, the threat from the arrows disappeared, and the Mages were back to focusing on attacks. The five remaining men and Bruce were trying to whittle down the Hobgoblin''s HP, but they were constantly dodging or taking injuries due to the ice spikes.


    A few of the men had the spikes sticking through their arms or legs, slowing their movements severely. They didn''t have the Magic Resistance that Geth had.


    Not only were the spikes slowing them through the pain, but also the added freeze effect. Once they were hit, that limb would be either extremely slow orpletely useless depending on the damage.


    Finally, thest of the Swordsmen were dead and Geth could react to the situation. He nced at the three Hobgoblins and saw two climbing to their feet. The third was stillying in the mud, unconscious.


    He wasn''t sure how it happened, but he wasn''tining. Geth wasn''t sure he could take those two alone, not with the time it took for his MP to recover.


    Without hesitation, he ran towards the other small party. Their Hobgoblin was facing away from him. He sprinted the 15 yards with two angry creatures hot on his tail.


    As he approached the one facing away, he brought his sword up high in his right hand. When he was close enough, he swung down as hard as he could, smashing the sword in the tendon behind the gigantic foot.


    The creature stumbled backward as Geth passed by, leaving the sword where ity. After passing, he stood between thest of the Goblin army and the few survivors.


    Turning his head slightly, he called back to Bruce. "I''ll tank as many of the attacks as I can and leave the damage to you guys!"


    It wasn''t very hard for him to draw the aggro, the ice casters remembered him from earlier. Of course, the Hobgoblins had their own reasons to be angry.


    They waited until all three creatures were on him. As they swung their clubs, Geth would cast State Change under their feet and cause their swings to run off course. Sometimes they would bash one another''s clubs, causing their confusion and anger to grow.


    The Mage Goblins were firing shots slowly as their MP replenished, but not many spikes woulde close. There was just too much movement from the Hobgoblins to get a clear shot.


    :Hobgoblin (Lvl 20); HP- 0/1650:


    The creature with the torn foot was the first to be in, the corpse falling hard and crushing one of the Mages on its way down. The pressure on Geth eased up tremendously.


    The few hits that managed to connect, he would block with his staff. The impact only caused him to take a couple of steps back when he was ready for it. There was even time for him to cast Restoration on the injured men, causing their DPS to soar.


    Just as things were turning in their favor, something changed. A loud howl could be hearding from further down the woodline. The howl was loud and shook the minds of those present.


    The two Hobgoblins instantly stopped their attacks and dropped their clubs, crushing one of the survivors in their attempts to flee the area. The Mages were no different.


    The survivors present were stunned, and soon realization hit that they''d won! Two of the men even chased after the backs of the Mages, the heat of battle still in their hearts.


    Geth wasn''t so excited, he remembered how worried the Goblin army was before the battle even began. He quickly busted open the skull of the Fallen Hobgoblin, sttering blood and innards everywhere.


    Once the opening wasrge enough, he reached in and pulled out arge bloodied core. Next, he ran over to the one he''d killed first and did the same.


    He wouldn''t let the unconscious Hobgoblin core go to waste either, picking up a sword from the ground and piercing the back of its neck. After its body shuddered and life left it, he performed the same actions.


    The survivors who didn''t run off watched on, feeling a bit sick to their stomachs. One even retched and walked away.


    Bruce on the other hand became worried, seeing that Geth was in a hurry. He decided to help by repeating the process on the fallen Mages, handing the cores over once they were done.


    Being that they''d only fought Goblins up to this point, Bruce wasn''t aware of the core''s existence. After all, the cores weren''t visible like they had been for the Slimes.


    Just as they were finishing up, two more howls came from the woodline, this time extremely close. Geth looked up and peered into the trees.


    Just momentster, three enormous wolves slowly stepped out of the shadows. Two were a very dark grey while one was almost ck. They were almost as tall on all fours as the Hobgoblins had been standing.


    The others were afraid, but only Geth knew just how scared they should be. This was the first time he''d truly been in danger.


    :Direwolf (Lvl 50); HP- 31500/31500:

 Chapter 37: Escape

    Chapter 37: Escape


    The three Direwolves were horrifying. They continued treading from the woodline, walking lowly and watching the tiny humans. Their jaws were bloodied, and small pieces of human and Goblin flesh were dotting their teeth.


    It became apparent that the Goblins that had run off, nor the men chasing them, woulde back alive. The men watched as blood fell to the ground.


    Bruce gritted his teeth. There had been much loss of life that day, and it looked like there was about to be more.


    Geth was already prepared to cast State Change, hoping that it could buy enough time to get away. What happened next was strange to everyone present.


    The two dark grey wolves standing to the sides circled around the small group and darted past them. It was apparent that their goal was to destroy the structures behind them, not necessarily the people on the field.


    While the two wolves took off, the ck one remained and stared down at the small party. The look that it was giving off was that of contempt. It was as if it were saying they weren''t worth its time. It casually strolled forward, letting out a low growl as if warning them not to move.


    ''As if I would sit still and wait to be eaten.'' Geth thought. ''Albus, do you have any ideas?''


    :This creature relies on Agility. It definitely has Strength superior to yours, but it shouldn''t be enough to kill you. Still, there''s no chance of you defeating it. The best option would be to blind the creature and make a break for it:


    A thought urred as he read Albus'' words. He felt dumb for not having tried it before. The only problem was if it didn''t work, the wolf would likely target him right away.


    Behind his back, a premade earth brick appeared in his hand from his satchel. The men behind him were shaking, and just at that moment, one of them took off, trying to escape. The wolf''s attention was instantly split.


    Geth used the opportunity to make his move. He threw the brick as hard as he could towards the wolf''s head. The Direwolf noticed the movement and looked directly at the brick flying towards its face. An amused expression showed on its face and it seemed to scoff at the small object.


    It was exactly what Geth needed. He activated State Change and the brick instantly turned into a liquid, sttering over the Direwolf''s wide-opened eyes. The creature yelped in surprise, suddenly unable to see its targets.


    "Run!" Geth yelled, and the group scattered. The remaining men ran off in different directions, while Geth and Bruce sprinted past the wolf towards the woodline. As they passed, the wolf could hear their steps and swung its ws low and to the left.


    The sharp ws tore through the meat in Bruce''s thigh, shredding through muscle and severing the bone. His leg dangled in ce, pouring fresh blood onto the ground.


    Geth jumped under him as he fell to the ground, hoisting the man onto his back and casting Restoration on him. Even if it didn''t have vision, the wolf still had its sense of smell. The blood on thempletely gave away their position.


    Bruce had already fallen unconscious and Geth was supporting nothing but dead weight. The Direwolf was slowly gaining on them, smelling at the ground and following the smell of iron.


    Just when the wolf was less than five yards from the duo, an arrow came whistling out of the woods, burrowing itself in the creature''s backside. The wolf stopped following Geth as it angrily sprinted in the direction the arrow hade from.


    Geth sighed in relief, tossed Bruce upon his shoulder, and started sprinting towards the woods again. With his Strength being so low, and Bruce having such arge build, his movement was slowed tremendously.


    As he entered the woods he nced back, a feeling of regret showing on his face. There were enough cores out there to Level two or three dungeon systems. It was really a waste.


    He sighed, then turned and continued dashing into the brush. As he was running, a figure silently appeared beside him. Filthy was running next to him, with Geth''s ck cloak making him difficult to see in the shadows. They nodded at each other and kept sprinting.


    ****


    After running for what felt like hours, they had not only left the first set of woods but crossed over the hilly area with the dposing bodies. It had only been half a day since he''d first been here with Til, but the features on the bodies had already begun to fade into nothingness.


    Geth watched as the Mana ate away at thest bits of skin. The thought urred to him that the Mana he was using could be derived from the energy or life force of others. Albus didn''t interrupt that thought, which he took as an affirmation.


    When they''d finally made it to the next set of woods, Geth put down Bruce''s body. He''d casted Restoration constantly until the bleeding stopped, but he hadn''t had a chance to look at the damage. Filthy carefully removed the shredded bits of clothing.


    The wound was terrible, though Restoration had stopped him from bleeding out, it couldn''t repair the damage. Shreds of meat dangled from the man''s lower thigh. Most of his bone was exposed, showing that it had beenpletely shattered down to his knee. The lower half of his leg was just dangling uselessly, barely hanging on to the upper portion.


    Filthy spoke first. "It would be best to remove the damaged parts while he''s still unconscious."


    Geth nodded in agreement while taking one of the swords out of his Inventory Satchel. This one had almost no rust on it, and it was a bit sharper than the others. He gave the sword to Filthy, his Strength was much higher and they needed to make sure it was a clean cut.

 Chapter 38: Emergency Surgery?

    Chapter 38: Emergency Surgery?


    Filthy raised the sword up while Geth held Bruce down. He''d ced a rock below the healthy portion of the thigh, making sure that there would be no ground to stop the swing. The de swung down, making a squelching sound as it passed through skin, muscle, and bone.


    The cut was clean but it started bleeding heavily shortly after. Geth cast Restoration almost instantly. The bleeding slowed as the outer portion started scabbing up. It would take a while before they could move.


    They could finally be at ease. Geth pulled out a few of his makeshift canteens, handing one over to Filthy.


    "Thanks," Filthy nodded and continued. "How long can you keep that up. It can''t be a cheap Skill."


    Geth nodded and exined, "It isn''t exactly cheap, but I''ve heavily upgraded my Wisdom attribute. With my recovery, I can keep it up indefinitely outside of battle. That''s not to say it doesn''t wear on my mental state. The Rune heats up more if I use it without rest."


    "I see."


    "Now it''s your turn. How the hell are you able to fire those shitty arrows so smoothly? The bow isn''t even made that well," Geth asked.


    "Ahh, it''s a Talent I was offered at Level 5 called Precision. The first thing I did when I woke up was head to the woods. I found a suitable branch for a makeshift bow. The trees are different here, and the vines were tensile enough to make a bowstring. It isn''t much, but along with the Talents and Skills I''ve picked up, it works."


    Geth nodded again. "Maybe I should have taken you up on those offers to go bow hunting back in the day." He chuckled, "All I''ve managed to do was be a good punching bag."


    They both startedughing, and a third strainedugh even joined in. The younger men both nced over at Bruce. It seemed the ache had finally woken him up. He spoke up, "How can you boys share a good joke without me?"


    The guy had a great sense of humor. Both of the young men smiled at the older fellow. "Sorry about your leg, old man. Restoration can handle most wounds, but it can''t rece the parts that had gone missing." He sighed as he handed the man his canteen.


    Geth intended on using thest of his canteens to wash off the blood. He was still worried that Direwolf could follow the smell if they didn''t clean it off. Bruce thanked him and took a few long drinks.


    They all took time breaking bottles and cleaning as best they could. Geth and Filthy helped Bruce as best they could without damaging the scab that was forming. The dim white light from Restoration consistently filled the space.


    "We should keep on moving while we have the night''s cover." Filthy suggested while taking out two more cloaks he''d taken from Goblin Assassins.


    The other men agreed with that assessment, donning the cloaks and keeping the hoods up. Geth and Filthy took turns assisting Bruce while heading east.


    After many hours of slow walking, they could make out the doors of the Dungeon in the distance. The light of dawn was just peaking over the horizon, bringing warmth to their dirty and battered figures.


    Geth smiled and looked at the other two, who were looking at the strange set of doors. He chuckled at them and said, "Wee home, boys."


    Geth was quite happy to see the doors leading into the Dungeon. The other two were looking at them in confusion. Til was leaning on the wall outside of the cave.


    When Til noticed them, he walked forward to greet them. "d to see that you made it back... mostly in one piece." He gestured towards Bruce''s missing leg.


    Bruceughed loudly, "You should have seen the other guy!"


    Geth shook his head at the antics of the two older men. "I''ll head inside, I''m still not sure of the specifics, but capacity should increase once I upgrade the Dungeon."


    He opened the door to the Dungeon and strolled in, happy to be back. It still hadn''t quite taken, but he was starting to consider this ce home. As he walked down the long first corridor, he watched the Slimes that were guarding it.


    ''Seems that Zolis has moved them to the front. We will be recing them shortly anyway.'' He thought of the three cores he''d gotten from the Level 20 Hobgoblins.


    Just as Geth was about to round the bend, he was tackled to the ground. Startled, he started to cast a spell. Before he had a chance, he felt the familiarity of the two soft lumps pressing against him. He smiled.


    He rolled the woman onto her back and held her down by the arms, looking into her eyes. Zolis was beaming up at him, excited that he''d made it back. He scolded her jokingly, "It''s probably best to call out before surprising someone like that. I could have hurt you."


    "I might would have liked it." She replied, sticking her tongue out.


    He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. Her soft lips hugged his as they pressed together. She wrapped both arms around his neck, craving more. He nibbled on her bottom lip, then kissed her deeply. A soft moan echoed through the cave.


    Geth pulled away from her, looking longingly down into her eyes. She stuck her tongue out again and pushed him away.


    He just rolled his eyes and got off of her, then helped her to her feet. "So, how are things here? Is everyone getting along?"


    "Yes, everything is fine at the moment. The cave hit capacity when Til made it back with Jen and Stark. Some wood has been brought in for makeshift huts, but we haven''t had time to start building. Your mom made sleeping bags from some of therge leaves."


    "Stark, huh? Well, I''m d he didn''t name himself Iron Man."

 Chapter 39: Valhalla

    Chapter 39: Valha


    Geth was satisfied with the progress, he hadn''t been gone that long, and someone always had to stay back to watch the children. "How''s the situation with enemy creatures or other people approaching?"


    "I''ve only encountered Goblins out in the woods, mostly lower Levels with an asional 10 or 15. As far as other people are concerned, we had arge group of individuals show up and demand entry." She replied. "They were all lower Levels. None were worthy of concern. I scared them off."


    Zolis looked proud at thatst statement. Geth couldn''t help but wonder what she''d done to scare a group of people. "All right, have you added any cores to the terminal?"


    "Those of us that have been out gathering have donated a few cores, but nothing substantial yet."


    Geth nodded as they walked through the barrier. He nced around and saw a pile of materials gathered near the living area. The kids were chasing each other around with the toys he''d made a while back.


    After walking towards the middle of the cave, he stood in front of the pedestal. He began pulling cores out of his Inventory Satchel.


    It was a shame that he couldn''t clean out the cores lying on the battlefield. Even so, he and Til had managed to gather over 160 Goblin cores on their travels.


    He had also managed to grab the Level 15 cores from all 30 Goblin Mages. He couldn''t have achieved that without Bruce''s help. Touching the pir caused it to project a screen and begin a prompt.


    :Cores detected nearby. Dungeon experience is currently 21,445/100,000. Would you like to contribute? Yes / No:


    Geth was quite surprised. He hadn''t expected his family to earn so much in that time. He clicked the ''Yes'' option floating in the air. The familiar formation started to branch out and light up. Cores began to disintegrate, causing the small mountain to slowly turn into a small pile of dust.


    :Enough experience gathered to upgrade, continue absorption? Yes / No?:


    ''That''s a nice feature.'' He selected the ''No'' option and stored the cores. Albus had told him they had many uses, and he was curious.


    :Dungeon Crystal (Lvl 2) Lvl 1 functions are still active. The number of Guardians increased to 7. Barrier HP increased from 5,000 to 25,000. Resident Limit increased to 25.


    Cavern expansion avable, dwelling area will increase in size by 1 acre. Two upgrade options are included in the expansion.


    Station Upgrade, Options:


    Option 1: Basic Smithy- Simple station used to craft equipment.


    Option 2: Basic Enchanter- Simple station used for Enchanting equipment with cores and gems.


    Resource Upgrade, Options:


    Option 1: Simple Iron Mine- Can harvest the basic resource, Iron Ingot. Small chance to find umon resources.


    Option 2: Simple Gem Mine- Can harvest basic gems. Small chance to find umon gems.


    Note: Stations and Mines can be upgraded using cores.


    New Contribution and Inventory Systems unlocked. Residents can further contribute to Dungeon by supplying ores or gems. Contribution points can be traded in for donated equipment or Skills in Dungeon Inventory.


    Owner: Geth:


    Geth clicked Option 1 for both prompts. There was no need for thinking. What was the point in having the items and the ability to upgrade equipment? They had no equipment to upgrade.


    A bright shing light interrupted his thoughts. The formation on the cave ceiling lit up brightly, one of the Runes began glowing a bright green. Tremors began to rock the entire Dungeon.


    The shaking grew more and more intense until a bright sh blinded Gethpletely. Rubbing his eyes for a few moments, he opened them to find he was outside of the Dungeon, along with the rest of the residents.


    ''This is definitely something I''ll have to remember,'' He thought while everyone looked around incredulously. Luckily, no one had been caught in an awkward situation. As everyone was looking around, they noticed Geth and the other men standing with them.


    The children thought it was a game and started running around again. As soon as the three of them saw Geth, they jumped on him. All three of them kept trying to talk at once.


    "Calm down, calm down, one at a time." Heughed at their enthusiasm while everyone else was smiling.


    "Dad, are we gonna live here forever?" Stark asked, the excitement apparent in his eyes.


    "Well, it''s possible. For now, we just need to make sure that everyone is safe." He smiled and tousled his oldest son''s hair.


    Geth then looked up at the questioning gazes of the others, "I''m honestly not sure why we ended up out here. Why don''t we go and take a look at the changes?" He just shrugged.


    The door in front of them had changed. There had once been thin wooden doors embedded in the rock. It was apparent that a major change had taken ce. The outer area had once just been a hill with a big hole dug in it.


    Now, the face of the hill waspletely ttened. It had turned into a hard stone that would be difficult to dig through. In the opening of the cave was a 10 foot tall set of double doors. The doors were a dark-colored wood and looked very thick, iron-studded the outer edges and down the middle.


    In the middle joining the two doors, was a five-sided crystal that looked very simr to the Dungeon Crystal. Geth was the closest to the entryway. He pressed his hand to the Crystal to open the door. As he did, a prompt was projected in the air.


    Most of the people behind him gasped at the holographic screen that appeared before him. After all, even back home, it wasn''t basic technology.


    :Owner, Geth, detected. Wee to your Dungeon. As Dungeon has reached Level 2 and be an appropriate size, the Owner must select a name:


    ''Hmm, well, there is only one name I ever used for my guilds andmunities back in the games I yed.''


    He looked towards the door again and spoke a single word.


    "Valha!"

 Chapter 40: Exploring the Upgraded Dungeon

    Chapter 40: Exploring the Upgraded Dungeon


    Before pressing on the stone, Geth turned and smiled at the group of people behind him. "Wee home, everyone."


    He touched the stone lightly and the doors creaked as they opened on their own. He stepped into the once dimly lit cave and found it full of light!


    The walls in the long front passageway were now embedded with crystals that shone with a pale blue light. They had been evenly spaced down the walls.


    The cave had changedpletely! It no longer looked like a naturally formed cave. The walls and ceiling were arched, just like the door had been.


    The height of the hallway was close to 15 feet while the width was around 12 feet. Every section of the hallway waspletely smooth, no longer the jagged stone from before.


    Til and Filthy stepped in while helping to support Bruce. The dim blue of the crystals suddenly turned a dark red. Zolis pulled out the Dungeon Crystal that she''d been put in charge of.


    It was vibrating and glowing red as well. A holographic prompt appeared from its peak.


    :Intruders detected, initiate defense sequence? Yes / No?:


    Zolis quickly selected ''No'' and shamefully walked back to initiate the men as residents. All of the other residents startedughing at her blushing cheeks and awkward smile.


    When the process had beenpleted, they moved forward. The passageway was approximately 50 yards in length.


    At the end of the tunnel was the barrier, which then led into the main living area. The barrier looked like arge bubble blocking the path.


    Geth nced around and noticed something odd. Where the path used to veer to the right, there were now tunnels leading in either direction.


    He stepped into the right-hand tunnel and found that the Slimes were sitting inside. There was ample space, 20 or more Direwolves could probably fit.


    After observing for a moment, he stepped into the other entryway. Here, he found that there was a short tunnel with three paths branching off. The paths were also very short and dead-ended.


    Two carts that resembled wheelbarrows and two pickaxes inside each cart were present within the cave.


    Geth showed the areas to the rest and exined the description of the mine before heading towards the main area. It wasn''t quite what he''d expected at all.


    There was arge open space with a very visible holographic formation floating on the floor. Lines extended in multiple directions from the formation. The room itself was a circr shape, maybe 15 yards in diameter.


    In the center of the room was a crystalline pedestal with a Dungeon Crystal floating 6 inches above it.


    There were five doors in different directions of the room, the opening behind them didn''t have a doorway. Geth stepped up to the Dungeon Crystal, activated the hologram, and erged it for everyone to see.


    :Wee to Valha! Congrattions on upgrading Dungeon to Level 2. As a reward for being the first Dungeon to make a major change, some basic resources will be added to the Dungeon Inventory:


    A 3-D map pulled up and hovered in the air. Each door wasbeled, with a Level for the location underneath.


    :Current Locations;


    Guardian Sanctuary (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Mine (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Dungeon Inventory (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Barracks (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Farm (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Mana Pool (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Forge (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Locations are upgraded individually, more locations can be added by Leveling up Dungeon. Individual locations can be directly upgraded by offering Dungeon Crystals:


    A light gasp was hearding from Bruce. Geth turned around and saw the man staring at thest location. "It''s all yours if you think you can keep up production, old man."


    Bruce was startled from his reverie, looking at Geth with his eyes slightly watered. He wasn''t sure what the old man was thinking, but he''d heard that Bruce had stopped working a forge when his daughter passed.


    The old man stood as tall as he could, lightly supporting himself on Til. "Equipment will be top quality, I''ll make sure that it''s worthy of protecting everyone here." He looked around at the people present, his teary eyes lingering on the children.


    Everyone smiled a bit sadly at him. They were all from the same town and had an idea of how he was feeling. Geth nodded, "Then we''ll have to rely on you."


    Til and Geth helped the man towards the room that wasbeled Forge. Opening the door and looking around, it seemed very basic. All of the necessary tools were in ce, nothing extra or noteworthy.


    There was a furnace for smelting down and purifying metals. Hammers, tongs, some y to shape molds, an anvil, trough for dowsing, and other misceneous pieces.


    After checking the ce out, Bruce nodded in satisfaction. It wasn''t even close to being modern, but it had everything he needed.


    The next room they were curious about was the Mana Pool. Geth opened the door and led everyone in to look around. It was as if the area with the beautiful forest and pond were moved into an area of its own.


    Geth could clearly feel the Mana around him and see thin tendrils snaking around the room. It was very thick. The description said that meditating in the pool would increase one''s understanding.


    They went through the rooms one by one. Next was the Dungeon Inventory, which others could only enter with the permission of Geth or Zolis. Inside the room, there was a pile of raw ore and a pile of coal. A much smaller pile of dull-looking gemsy to the side.


    Shelves were running down the walls on both sides. They were mostly empty but contained a few scraps of leather and cloth and some extra pickaxes. Nothing else was inside.


    The fourth room was the Farm room. As expected, therge rectangr room contained the 3-acre field that had been in the cave originally.


    Last, they stepped into the Barracks. The name certainly didn''t match the looks of the ce. Arge 3-acre oval appeared before them. Green grass covered the cavern floor, making the room look like a meadow.

 Chapter 41: New Home

    Chapter 41: New Home


    Instead of being empty as expected, a ring of 13rge trees lined the outer area. Each of the trees had an ornately carved door in the center of the trunk.


    The six trees on either side of the oval wererge enough to fit small families. The final tree, standing in the middle at the far end of the oval was different.


    It was twice the size of the others in height and width. Natural stairs made of vines led up the trunk and onto a balcony made up of intertwining branches.


    The location was perfect for both observing the area and making speeches. A podium with a Dungeon Crystal floating above stood in the center of the balcony.


    ''It looks as if it can project images that everyone can see easily.'' Geth thought, examining the location.


    After that, he let everyone choose their new homes. His mom and Til took one close to the entrance. Jen, Filthy, and the newborn took the one across from them.


    Stark could run back and forth between their homes as he pleased. Geth''s three teenage sisters excitedly chose their own homes, happy to not be directly up under their parents.


    Bruce would temporarily stay with Geth''s mom and Til. He''d already begun mumbling about crafting something to help him get around. The old man really didn''t seem happy to impose on others.


    Geth liked people like that, he would likely be extremely loyal in the days toe. He wouldn''t tolerate any dissonance in his sanctuary. Family, friends, or otherwise, the threat would be directly removed.


    Everyone inspected their unfurnished homes, and Zolis took the children to show them around their new quarters.


    Geth''s face slipped. The smile quickly faded, and his true apathetic nature took its ce. He promptly turned and walked back out into the corridor.


    He didn''t notice that Bruce was leaning against a nearby doorframe. He also didn''t notice that the man''s face showed a hint of fear on seeing the sudden change.


    Geth had never been some happy-go-lucky person. His goal was to build a strongmunity to help provide for and protect his family. Aside from Zolis and his mom, no one really knew how cold he could be.


    He had to force himself to not speak in a t, monotone way, and keeping up false facial expressions made his muscles a bit sore. His mom had taken him to therapy quite a few times as a child, but there weren''t any medications that could fix it.


    Aside from those who were close to him, he really had no issues shutting others out. There was a very slim soft spot for children. For anyone else, however, they could be torn apart in front of him and he wouldn''t bat an eye.


    Thatck of empathy was going to be needed for what was next. Geth knew what woulde if he didn''t act first. He already noticed the footprints of the group that tried to force their way in while he was away.


    It was time to begin annexing those around him. There was also the matter of his friends he would like to find. They numbered very few, but he could almost guarantee they would fit in perfectly in this world.


    He thought about the old gaming squad. "I suppose I could try bringing the old team together." He muttered.


    He stood by the podium, thinking about where the rest of his old gaming team could be. There was no way he would start conquering dungeons with people he couldn''t trust. It would be best to strengthen his own people and not potential enemies.


    Geth used the podium to pull up the current Rankings. The list for Dungeon Rankings that had once been grayed out was now lit.


    1. Valha (Lvl 2)


    2. Burning Demon Sect (Lvl 2)


    3. Soaring Winds Sect (Lvl 2)


    4. Frank (Lvl 1)


    5. Theold (Lvl 0)


    ''Looks like those in the east are really ahead of the pack. I wonder if it''s because of their numbers or if it''s because reading and anime had them more prepared for a simr scenario.'' He pondered for a moment before ncing at the World Rankings.


    He was still at the top, but someone from the east was also Level 20. There were two more, both at Level 18, and then what looked like a Russian name at Level 19. As he thought, he was beginning to lose his advantage in Levels. He had used very few cores to boost his experience.


    A new ranking list had appeared since thest time that he checked. This one was called "Local Rankings", which was rather convenient for him at the moment. It was always good to have an idea of who your potential enemies were.


    "The only problem is, there isn''t anything letting you know just how far ''Local'' reached before changing to ''Regional''." He muttered. Even so, he opened the page anyway.


    1. Geth (Lvl 20)


    2. de (Lvl 18)


    3. Swole Papi (Lvl 17)


    4. Thorn (Lvl 17)


    5. Filthy (Lvl 16)


    ''The Local Rankings are a bit higher than I thought. But based on World rankings, there shouldn''t be anyone else over 18 on the western continents.'' There was definitely a light here. Three of the Local top 5 were people he could trust.


    There was still the need to find Swole Papi of course. ''The fact that he''s local means that he was caught on this side of the river when we were sent here. I wonder if his wife and kids happened to be with him?''


    Geth knew he should try to locate him quickly. If needed, they could form a party to go retrieve his family. There wasn''t a need for him to make the dangerous trek alone.


    Even if Geth wascent towards others, he was quite loyal towards those closest to him. If his friend needed to bring his family back, he would be beside him in doing so.


    He also still wanted to find three other friends of his. ''One''s name should be zemancer, and the other he wasn''t sure of since he would choose new names for every character.''

 Chapter 42: Guardian Sanctuary

    Chapter 42: Guardian Sanctuary


    Thest hadn''t been one to y games with them. The guy was a man he met through work who had helped him through some rough times. That would be another one difficult to find, not having a name for him.


    ''Albus! Do you happen to know the approximate size of each Ranking region?''


    :The Local Ranking is based on what you would call the ''county'' you used to live in, of course, on a 10x scale. Regional would be what you called the state, while Continental is actually your country and not the entire continent:


    ''That makes things much easier, thank you.''


    :Don''t mention it:


    ''The size of our county was around 400 square miles, give or take. That means that currently, there should be about 4000 square miles to search.


    It was longer than it was wide. If Geth were to take a guess, it would be around 100 miles in length and 40 miles in width.'' He sighed. ''Best to check usual locations first.''


    The space was massive. Geth thought it would be almost impossible to locate any of his friends. It would be even more unlikely to find anyone that had been visiting another city.


    Though he was annoyed at the aspect of finding people in such arge area, he was thrilled when he understood just how much newnd there was to explore.


    Based on his current encounters, there should be a Dungeon at least every 20 square miles! That meant another 19 Dungeons for them to conquer just in their county!


    He switched the Dungeon Crystal over to the Guardians page. Geth canceled the current Guardian roster, leaving all of the slots free.


    Once this was done, he pulled 7 cores from his Inventory Satchel. These included the 3 Hobgoblins, 2 ice Goblin Mages, and 2 fire Goblin Mages.


    With the cores inserted, he left for a moment to check on his new Guardians. Passing through the barrier, he took an immediate left and stepped into the Guardian Sanctuary.


    Three massive Goblins were sitting against the walls, drawing on the dirt floor with the butts of their clubs. The four Mages were standing to the side leaning on their staves.


    As Geth entered, the entire group stood straight up and gave him a slight bow. Geth found the behavior a bit odd.


    :The Guardian creatures Intelligence is based on the Dungeon''s intelligence. You can think of the Dungeon as an A.I. system as well, but not asplex as a Grimoire.


    Though, once its Level is high enough, it can probably make incredible changes to the Dungeon. It should also be able to performplexmands rather easily:


    Geth nodded and inspected the creatures. The newfound intelligence and the respect that they were giving were something new. There really weren''t any other differences.


    He found that he could see the creatures'' Attribute and Skill pages through his Dungeon Crystal. From what he could tell, the Guardians would reach different heights based on the Level of the Guardian Sanctuary.


    He found that his assumptions were correct in Goblins having to choose between Mana Sense and Berserk at Level 10. It also seemed the Hobgoblins had a choice of some sort as well. Their Berserk Skill wasn''t the same as at lower Levels. They were able to force other Goblins into the Berserk state but the Skill could no longer be used for themselves.


    His findings were quite interesting, but he didn''t dawdle. He gave them simplemands on how they should form their defensive line in case of intruders. The creatures nodded as if they understood, he thanked them and moved along.


    Next, he ventured over to the mine. He didn''t intend on being in the Dungeon often, so he wanted to make sure that everyone could do their part safely and efficiently.


    Walking over towards one of the wheelbarrows, he grabbed one of the pickaxes and headed towards the leftmost of the three partial hallways. Geth had no idea how to mine or, or anything else for that matter.


    He''d had some experience in running heavy equipment and installing drainage for ditches. With that, he had some ideas on keeping the tunnels supported as they dug, but actually pulling out ore was a bit different.


    The t end of the pickaxe swung over his head and pulled a small section of the rock wall. Swinging the pickaxe in different directions yielded different results. He found the most efficient method quickly and began a monotonous series of swinging.


    The ringing sound of metal hitting the hard surface of the rock echoed constantly throughout the area. After the sound continued for what seemed to be hours, it stopped.


    Back in the tunnel, Geth was looking at the wall while stroking his hand over his beard. He was looking at a spot that caused the pickaxe to bounce off. The area looked like red y, much like the rest of the wall.


    He attempted to clean the area with his hand, but that didn''t quite work. Next, he gently tapped the pickaxe in a circr motion, listening to the sounds. Once he''d marked the general location, he started easily digging around it.


    By this point, he was already drenched in sweat. The dull light from the gems would constantly gleam off of his body. He dug gently for another hour before he managed to pull the rock from the wall.


    Looking at it, he still couldn''t tell a difference between it and the other y and stone he''d dug up along the tunnel. Just when he was about to throw it in the wheelbarrow, he was pulled from his thoughts by a tapping sound behind him.


    Geth became alert instantly, grabbing his staff that was leaning nearby and turning around. He saw that it was the old man, Bruce, hobbling over on a pair of makeshift crutches from tree branches. Geth quickly forced his mask back on, trying to hide the expressionless face that was his true self.

 Chapter 43: Forming a Team

    Chapter 43: Forming a Team


    The old man chuckled at him, "You don''t have to try hiding from me, boy. I was the same way after finding my daughter..." Bruce paused at this point, allowing his own mask to fade, bringing out a look of hate and self-loathing.


    He quickly switched back to the bubbly and carefree manner that he usually showed. "We all have a past, and we all have our own quirks. You can be yourself with me." The man said.


    Geth''s impression of him rose a bit, he could see the man''s sorrow from losing his daughter. He could also see that the man hated himself, presumably for not knowing his daughter''s intentions.


    "Let me see that rock in your hands," Bruce called. Geth walked over and handed it to him. The man then pulled out the rest of the water Geth had given him hours ago.


    He poured the water on the rock slowly while wiping it off with his hands. After a few moments, a dull metallic sheen could be seen reflecting off of the stone.


    "This is iron, boy. It''s raw. I''ll have to melt it down multiple times and pull the impurities from it, but I could likely get a golf ball''s size of workable iron from it." He said.


    Geth was quite surprised, the raw ore in question was the size of a small football. "So, it''s going to take a lot of digging to gather up enough to be useful, isn''t it?"


    Bruce nodded, "That''s right, but once we get a team set up and teach them a bit, efficiency will increase. We can likely farm a few weapons worth a day, but it will take a while to smelt into something useable." Heughed loudly. "You can just leave that to this old man."


    Geth looked at him for a few moments before nodding. "Then I''ll leave you to it. I''ll be heading out for a few days, I hope to see some progress when I return." He patted the old man on the shoulder as he walked past him.


    His current goals were to recruit the people he could trust, strengthen the Dungeon, and find seeds to bring back for the Farm. Since the other matters were settled, it was time to form a party and begin exploring.


    Geth was a bit less stressed while heading back towards the Barracks. Now he needed to decide who would be best to bring with him on this trip.


    They would need something close to a basic party formation. Though he had abilities for most situations, he was essentially just a tank. There was still a need for DPS. For now, he believed that he could handle the healing as long as they nned properly.


    ''Filthy is an obvious choice, range DPS is a necessity. Zolis would be my next pick, but I''m not sure if she''ll want to leave the kids.'' He thought for a moment, then chuckled to himself. ''Who am I kidding, she probably can''t wait for a break!''


    ''The ideal party would be six members, with both ranged magic and physical DPS, a close-range heavy DPS, a tank, a healer, and someone who could act as an off-tank/DPS. The off-tank could be swapped depending on the situation.''


    He was stroking his beard as he thought about what his old friends would have built themselves for. As he walked into the Barracks, he found that there were already some people waiting for him.


    "What can we do to help?" It was Til speaking, standing beside Geth''s mother and three sisters.


    Geth looked at them all for a moment before speaking. "I''ll be leaving shortly. Til, Bruce is going to need help with mining, we don''t have many men right now, so I''ll have to rely on you. Bruce will take care of smelting the ore that you harvest into ingots."


    He looked at his mom and sisters. "If any of you wish to mine with him, you can. Otherwise, one person will need to spend time washing and cleaning the mined ore. Someone will have to deliver the ore between the mine and the Smithy."


    "The other two of you can choose between helping in the mines or prepping the Farm area. Mom, when I get back I''m hoping to have seeds to nt and I hope that you''ll be in charge of the Farm. Even if you struggle with other jobs, you''ve always had a green thumb."


    "We will try to bring back as many cores as possible to distribute between the people staying here and the Dungeon itself. Even if you aren''t out fighting, we can''t have any low levels around while others are pushing into the upper realms. You''ll just be a liability."


    Everyone nodded in understanding, all of them headed towards the mines to see what they could do to help. Geth nced at their backs in satisfaction, d that they were willing to work. He had no doubts about Til, but the others were pretty spoiled.


    He turned back and walked towards the house where Filthy and Jen were staying. Geth knocked on the door and waited patiently, not having to wait long before Filthy opened the door.


    "Come on in, man. Let us know what we can do to help." Filthy said.


    This young man had also always been a hard worker. This was one of the reasons Geth never had any issues with him helping raise his oldest son. Geth stepped into the home and smiled at Jen, who was leaning back against the wall nursing the baby.


    "I''ll keep this short," Geth said. "You''ve always been better outdoors than I have and I could use someone to apany myself and Zolis. We need to find a nearby ce to hunt for meat."


    "On top of that, there are some folks I would like to find and recruit, and we need to clear some Dungeons to improve our current habitat." He finished.


    Filthy didn''t hesitate in his response. "I''m d you asked, it would be a bit stifling for me to stay around here."

 Chapter 44: Innocence

    Chapter 44: Innocence


    Geth nodded and turned to Jen, "I was hoping that you could take care of my children while we''re away."


    "Of course, you can count on me." She said.


    "Then that''s settled. It''s already afternoon, so take your time to spend with your family tonight and we will leave in the morning. I''ve been busy handling things here and haven''t had the chance to spend time with the children yet." Geth told them.


    "Also, while we''re gone Jen, feel free to use our home, it will have more room for all of you."


    He turned and walked out after saying his goodbyes. Then, a bit impatiently, he walked towards his own home. He''d definitely been busy and he was ready to spend some time with Zolis and the kids.


    Geth was able to see the kids ying on the balcony before he''d made it there. Zolis was off to the side, still practicing with her hammer. Her Leveling had stagnated a bit at Level 15, but she was still diligent about increasing her proficiency with her weapon.


    He stood back and watched them for a while before moving towards them. It warmed him a bit to see the people he cared about happy.


    First, he went up the stairs and yed with his kids on the balcony. They would take turns climbing on his back or being thrown up in the air.


    Stark dragged him downstairs and had him make a hollowed ball from the earth with his State Change. The two of them spent the next hour throwing the ball back and forth. The two younger children were chasing the ball between them, trying to run off with it.


    It was an enjoyable experience, and he couldn''t help but sigh. Even though he wanted it tost, he needed them to grow up. This world wouldn''t be easy for the innocent to live in.


    Eventually, Zolis finished her training and came over to y with the kids as well. Geth asked her about traveling with him and Filthy.


    "Are you kidding me? Of course, I want to go! Why would you even ask?!" She eximed. "You think I''ve been swinging this hammer around to stay here and watch crops grow?"


    Geth couldn''t help butugh at her enthusiasm. "All right then, make sure you have everything you need ready. I''ll spend the next hour or so until dark making some beds and toys for the kids."


    It wasn''t very difficult to make a few simple toys. Some marbles, more small army men, and a couple of rough toy cars were added to their collection.


    The beds that he made were very simple, he didn''t have a lot of time to make anything nice. ''At least it''s something to keep them off the floor.'' He thought.


    He used therge leaves from the trees in the Mana Pool room to make the firm bed softer and give them something to provide cover. While he was there, he made and filled hundreds of new canteens. By the time he was done, it was starting to get dark, and time to get the kids to bed.


    They had some of the sweet fruits for dinner and the young ones quickly went to sleep. "Stark, if you want to spend any time with Filthy before he leaves with us in the morning, now is the time to do it. It will be a week or more before wee back."


    "Okay, dad. You guys stay safe, I love you." Stark gave both Geth and Zolis big hugs before running off towards his mom''s ce.


    "We love you too!" Geth shouted back, shaking his head at the boy''s enthusiasm.


    Geth and Zolis headed to the Mana Pool and bathed while satisfying their lustful urges. The pond left them feeling refreshed, but the time spent pursuing satisfaction drained the energy that had been gained.


    They made their way back to the barracks, holding hands andughing along the way. Their night was spent on the balcony, rxing under the beautiful lights of the formation. It wasn''t long before they fell asleep in each other''s arms.


    The next morning, Geth woke up to the casually brightening glow of the formation and mana stones in the wall. The change was the perfect rm clock, Geth wasn''t sure what caused the phenomenon.


    He shook Zolis awake. "Mmm... morning... already..?" She asked between yawns.


    "Yes, it''s time to head out."


    They went into the home and kissed the still sleeping kids goodbye. Jen was already outside with Filthy and the baby.


    Jen walked forward and gave Geth and Zolis a quick hug, telling them to be careful, and then headed into the home.


    Filthy nodded, indicating that he''d said his goodbyes and could leave anytime. Geth loaded all of their necessities into his Inventory Satchel, then handed Filthy his old Inventory pouch.


    He didn''t take a single look back, it was time for them to head out.


    Geth had already spoken with Albus a little bit about the situation;


    ****


    ''Albus, are there any upsides to taking over other Dungeons? I don''t see a point in owning more than one.''


    : Multiple different boons cane from owning more than one Dungeon. When you take over another Dungeon, you take the Dungeon Crystal with you.


    When you use that Crystal to upgrade your own Dungeon, the Dungeon you took the Crystal from would be subservient to Valha. The Dungeon in question would never be able to have its own Inventory, and the cores donated would Level Valha.


    In a way, it would be a secondary branch, and eventually, you could take control of the entire Local zone. Each subservient branch would have to have its own leader, but decisions you make could not be easily circumvented:


    ''Good, what we need most are resources and manpower. I don''t want anyone that I can''t trust in Valha. This, however, means that I can haveborers under my thumb without bringing them near my family.'' Geth responded.

 Chapter 45: Meeting

    Chapter 45: Meeting


    He checked his Attribute page to make sure that he was as prepared as possible.


    ***


    Geth: Level 21


    Exp: 4200/6500


    HP- 930* (Rec. 2.48/Second)


    MP- 495* (Rec. 2.16/Second)


    Strength- 5 +5 (P.Damage/Stamina Recovery)


    Agility- 5 +5 (Mov.spd./Dexterity/Reflexes)


    Defense- 52 +10 (HP/P.Res./HP Rec.)


    Wisdom- 44 +10 (MP/M.Res./Mana Recovery/Processing Speed/Memory)


    Intelligence- 5 +15 (MP/M.Dmg./Learning Speed)


    TP- 3 (Talent Points)


    SP- 0 (Skill Points)


    AP- 0 (Attribute Points)


    ***


    Geth still continued to hold on to his 3 TP, unsure of what talents would be offered at Level 25. He also wouldn''t mind upgrading Mana Sense again, but at this point, it would cost him 8 TP!


    ****


    The trio exited the door of the Dungeon, stepping into the ring light of the morning sun. Their first heading was the woods near where he believed his neighbors were camping.


    Geth intended to take the Dungeon that he believed was in that area. While he was at it, he would offer the Dungeon to them, if they agreed to be a branch of Valha.


    There was nothing in the world that was free, this world even more so. If the group wanted the benefits that Geth could provide, they would have to work.


    Geth thought of Hulk. The man wasn''t a bad guy, always helping out in the neighborhood. He was constantly in the yard working on something while his kids were ying.


    The guy already had a group of people following him. Quite a few of them were men. It would be a big step if Geth could coerce them to his side. Safety was the most someone could offer at this time, and Geth held the monopoly.


    There were multiple reasons for trying to recruit arge group of people. The only problem was that he didn''t want to bring him to his family for now. The Dungeons would be a big help for that.


    The trip was only 15 miles or so. They came within view of the woodline before the sun waspletely over the horizon. Geth was the slowest, but even jogging with his 10 Agility allowed him to befortable at 8 miles per hour.


    If he hadn''t been holding the other two back, they could have made it in 30 minutes. The disparity in speed made him wish for some equipment that could increase his movement.


    As they approached the wooded area, two men jogged out to greet them, holding on lightly to the rusty swords at their hips. They soon rxed when they noticed Geth was among the trio.


    "Geth! What brings you this way?" One of the men asked. Even though Geth had saved them, the man was still a bit cautious. Geth was actually d to see this, it meant the group had started adapting.


    He responded "Is Hulk still leading your group? I have some business with him."


    "Yes, I''ll take you to him."


    The group jogged into the woods, the trio following the two men. Geth wasn''t particrly worried about an ambush, but he constantly kept an eye out with Inspection.


    There were no odd tracks on the ground. He saw asional footsteps, or wandering Goblin groups. The two men in front of him were only Level 12 so they were no concern.


    The names Albus had for them were Harris and Farris. The two of them were brothers and lived together back home, but he still thought the rhyming names were a bit much.


    The group came to a small clearing not too far from the edge of the woods. Harris turned to look towards them. "I''ll head over and grab Hulk." He dashed into the woods in the direction they''de from.


    ''Hmm, they are a bit more cautious than I would have thought.'' Geth thought to himself. He looked over at the other man. Farris was actingpletely normal, though he would constantly peak over at Zolis.


    Geth didn''t mind, she was beautiful, he was proud that she could draw looks in that fashion. Zolis was spinning therge hammer like a top. It was still strange to see her wielding it. From top to bottom, she was barely taller than it.


    He chuckled while watching her soothe her boredom. Filthy was throwing short daggers into a tree trunk and retrieving them. Part of the reason was for practice, but he also wanted anyone watching to feel a bit intimidated.


    Geth nodded. He''d thought the same thing, this was a good location for an ambush. There was no reason for him to be on edge though. Not only was he leagues stronger than everyone there, but he''d also lived beside these people for a few years.


    It took close to a half-hour, but they finally heard some rustling in the brush. The four looked over with hands on their weapons.


    Geth was the first to see the man in the shadows. He signaled the rest to calm down. Hulk stepped out with his hands raised and a goofy smile on his face.


    "Damn, it looks like a party over here!" Heughed at his little joke, then his face became solemn. "I''m sorry my guys didn''t bring you to the camp. Someone attacked one of our scouts the other day. We were only able to run them off with numbers."


    A slight frown appeared on Geth''s face, but in his mind he was thankful. This would simply seal the deal for his offer. "That''s terrible, and they were strong enough to get away from your whole group?" It was time for him to nt the seed.


    "Yes, they were particrly fast but could cause a lot of damage. We couldn''t evenpare." Hulk replied. Geth nced at Albus and saw that Hulk was still only Level 13 himself.


    "That happens to be part of the reason I came here." Geth got to the point. "I want to help you guys out."


    "And how exactly can you do that?" Hulk asked.


    "Sit down. I''ll tell you a bit about what I''ve been doing, along with what my ns are. It will take some time." Geth said.

 Chapter 46: Agreement

    Chapter 46: Agreement


    Zolis jumped and chopped down on a couple of nearby low branches, dropping them to the ground. She and Filthy dragged them to the center of the clearing. Geth took a seat with them and gestured to the opposing log for Hulk, Harris, and Farris to take a seat.


    The three men looked at Zolis with a bit of anxiousness. Just how strong did she have to be to chop through a 2'' thick branch with one strike? Most of their group had wanted their Attributes to be well-rounded.


    As the three took a seat, Geth began to exin to them the process of taking over a Dungeon, taking ownership, and some of the benefits that it provided. Then he finally gave his pitch.


    "There is a Dungeon not far from here. It''s one of the reasons you''ve suffered constant attacks from Goblins. I want to offer to help you take the Dungeon as a ce to live." He said directly.


    Hulk became a bit solemn and thought about it. After a moment he asked, "And what do you get out of this, exactly?"


    "When we finish the Dungeon, you will im ownership, but I will take the portable Dungeon Crystal. When I get back to base, your Dungeon will be annexed into my Valha and you will be a sub-branch off of us.


    When you contribute cores, metal, or other necessary materials, they will be sent directly to our Dungeon Inventory. In return, as we craft weapons, armor, or find Skill Cards, they will be ced into the Dungeon hub.


    From there, they can be bought with the contribution points earned from donations. Also, you will gain extra Guardian slots based on the Level of Valha. I can ce stronger Guardians at your entrance than you currently have the capability of hunting.


    From my understanding, with each Dungeon annexed, every Dungeon under our jurisdiction will also gain extra member slots. I''ll be honest, we aren''tcking in skilled craftsmen or strong warriors. We arecking manpower for farming and harvesting materials. Otherwise, I would have no interest in pursuing this."


    For a while everyone was silent. Hulk leaned his chin on his fists while he was thinking. Both Harris and Farris seemed to be in thought as well.


    Farris was the first that spoke up. "I think we should go for it, Hulk. It''s better Geth, who we''ve known for years, than ending up being forced to serve under someone like the two who attacked Goki."


    Then it was Harris'' turn to speak. "I agree, and we haven''t Leveled as fast as the monsters. It will be more difficult for us to kill them as time goes on. If Valha''s parties are taking the risks, I don''t mind contributing for funds to gear ourselves."


    Hulk stayed silent. After a few minutes, he came to a decision. "Very well then." He stood up and looked Geth in the eyes, Geth did the same. They shook each other''s hands while Hulk said, "Our lives are in your hands. Now, where do we go from here?"


    After searching for a few hours, Geth and the others found the entrance to the Goblin Dungeon. It was quite a bit different from the Dungeon that Geth had conquered.


    This Dungeon seemed to delve into the ground beneath arge tree. The entrance was sloped into the ground, giant roots framing the opening and also acting as stairs heading downward.


    ''Damn, this is cool. It seems like it would be an easier location to protect.'' He nced at the surrounding area. ''Then again, it wouldn''t be a hard location to ambush peopleing in and out of the Dungeon.''


    There were six of them hiding in the thick brush. Arge open clearing wasid out in front of them with the Dungeon tree perfectly in the center. 4 Goblin Swordsmen and 6 Goblin Mages were guarding the entrance.


    Filthy had already scouted the area and killed a few Goblin Assassins that had been hidden among the trees. He gave the cloaks he collected to the three neers.


    "Filthy, will you be able to take the mages out from here? If needed I can bring them closer." Geth asked him. There were almost 100 yards between them.


    He wasn''t insulting the man, but the ranged equipment he had was in rough shape. Even the arrows were barely more than sticks with some arrowheads Geth had made.


    Filthy thought for a moment before speaking. "Get them within 50 yards and I can pick them off. If you can keep them apart, I''ll start with the ones in the back and work up. They won''t know that theirrades in the rear had fallen."


    "Got it, I''ll do what I can." He stored his cloak and moved away.


    Geth moved in a wide circle, heading away from the area where his party was hiding. Eventually, he''d made his way to the opposite side of the grove from the others.


    It wasn''t that they couldn''t rush out and take the Goblins. He was worried that if they managed to spot the entire group, the creatures may flee into the Dungeon, alerting the Dungeon mobs.


    Once Geth was settled on the other side of the grove, he jumped out of the brush and ran to the right of the creatures. He had crossed about a fourth of the distance to them when the first Mage spotted him.


    It shrieked loudly, alerting the rest in its group. They all turned to see a single shirtless human with a glowing stick running towards them.


    After a brief moment of confusion, the creatures became angry at the sight of the intruder. What creature would have the audacity to take on ten of them head-on?!


    The Swordsmen started sprinting in his direction while he made his way closer to the Dungeon entrance. The Mages started preparing to cast their spells.


    The spells met with Geth before the Swordsmen could get close. four Fireballs and two Ice Spikes mmed into him. He brushed the fire off, while the spikes barely left scratches.


    Gethughed loud enough for them to hear. At the same time, he barreled through the Swordsmen, knocking them all to the ground.


    The fury of the creatures took over the small amount of sense that they had. Not only did this human intentionally provoke them, but now he wasughing?!

 Chapter 47: Enter the Dungeon

    Chapter 47: Enter the Dungeon


    All ten Goblins started chasing him across the grove. Gethughed even louder. To hispatriots hiding in the brush, he looked like a madman!


    Geth would asionally cast State Change, causing some of the Goblins to fall behind. The Swordsmen were faster than him and the Mages. Once they regained their footing, they quickly ran past the Mages and caught up to him.


    ''Perfect,'' He thought. The Mages were almost in a single file line further behind while he took some hits from the Swordsmen on his bareback.


    The moment he passed into thest section of the grove, he briefly saw an arrow arch high above the trees. It struck the Goblin trailing the furthest behind directly in the top of the head.


    ''Wow, impressive.'' Geth mused. ''He arched the arrow over the trees instead of shooting straight at the creature.'' To be urate in that fashion was quite imposing.


    Four more arrows found their targets in the same style. Thest arrow shot straight from the trees and plunged its way directly through the Mages left eye.


    This time, the Swordsmen didn''t miss the action. They stopped their pursuit and turned to see the bodies of the dead Goblinsying in a trail.


    They tried to run back, but it was toote. Geth cast State Change beneath the group and quickly moved himself to block their path.


    As agreed, Hulk and his two men jumped out of the brush and rushed the trapped Goblins. Geth nned to try to push Level 25 this Dungeon, but he wanted to make sure these guys became strong.


    He wouldn''t leave one of his branches to be run by weaklings, but he also couldn''t have them as strong as his main force. There had to be a proper bnce for his ns to work.


    With Geth blocking the Goblins'' path, the trio quickly took them out. Hulk took the head off of one and plunged his sword through the next one''s back before the other two could even kill their one.


    ''The guy seems to be a natural in swordy. Seems like he may have been a good choice after all.'' Geth pondered for a moment.


    They looted the equipment from the Goblins. Geth intended to see if Bruce could melt down the weapons. He also wondered if the elemental-powered staves could be recycled somehow in the future.


    Zolis and Filthy walked out of the woods, nodding in satisfaction. They''d agreed that if the trio wasn''tfortable pursuing and killing the Goblins then they couldn''t be a part of the raid.


    They knew that the trio had killed to protect their families, but it was different when it came to hunting and killing the creatures of one''s own volition. If they couldn''t handle that, Geth wouldn''t allow them to run the ce.


    Being soft would get you killed.


    The party moved on to the Dungeon entrance and stood, looking down into the dimly lit tunnel. This wasn''t like the Slime Dungeon, which had Mana Stones asionally embedded in the walls.


    This Dungeon waspletely dark, though Filthy pointed out a few crude torches that it looked like the guards had used. He took some stones out of his pocket, striking them together until a spark lit one of the torches.


    "We will just keep one burning for now, and light the next one when it''s about to go out." Filthy suggested, holding the torch above his head. No one disagreed.


    Geth was the first to walk into the Dungeon, the trio behind him, and then Zolis followed by Filthy. This was the best setup, since Geth was both the tank, and could see with the glow from his staff.


    "Why is this tunnel so big?" Hulk asked. "The Goblins are barely four feet tall, yet this tunnel is close to 20 feet. It''s almost as tall as a two-story house!"


    The trio just nced at him, Zolis was the first to answer. "You haven''t seen a Hobgoblin yet, have you?" She responded, thinking of the ones that Geth had guarding their home.


    The fact that he''d fought those creatures angered her a bit, he really didn''t care for his own safety. She couldn''t imagine how she''d feel if he never came home.


    Zolis gripped her hammer tighter, thinking about smacking him in the head with it. Hulk looked back at her and noticed her quickly changing expressions. He picked up his pace and walked closer to Geth.


    The group remained quiet for most of the trip, for Geth and Zolis this was their second Dungeon. Even then, this thing was on a muchrger scale than their home!


    After walking for a solid half-hour, they managed to reach arge cavern. The smelling from the opening was enough to peel one''s skin back.


    Filthy flitted forward and peeked through the entrance while Zolis and the trio were making retching noises. He came back quickly and made a report.


    "There aren''t many enemies, but the situation is... odd." Filthy stated. "There are twelve Hobgoblins and one massive Goblin hanging out in the center.


    The smell ising from hundreds of Swordsmen and Mage corpses lying around on the floor. The biggest Goblin is holding arge staff. From the looks of the corpses.... they''ve been eating them.."


    The other four had a brief look of shock while Geth just frowned a bit. ''It''s a bit how the Slimes were Leveling up.'' Geth thought briefly. "Did you see anything else?"


    Filthy continued, "Several small tunnels are leading out of the cavern and two morerge tunnels. Likely, these aren''t the only enemies. The small ones are probably scattered throughout the tunnels, while the big ones wait for them toe out looking for food."


    Geth nodded. "Very well then." He turned towards the others, "Here''s the n.."


    ***


    Geth was standing ahead of the rest of the group. He nced back at them, "Are you ready?" He asked. One by one, they all nodded at him. "Good, then let''s begin."


    The rest of the group ran far back down the tunnel, putting on their cloaks and merging into the shadows. Geth waited for 120 seconds and once he thought they would be in ce, he peeked his head around the corner to confirm the situation.

 Chapter 48: Clearing the Hobs

    Chapter 48: Clearing the Hobs


    The Hobgoblins were all close to breaking through to the next major Level.


    :Hobgoblin, Level 24; HP- 2900/2900:


    The twelve Hobgoblins weren''t too much of a threat for him, but the bigger creature was strange. It was an extremely fat Goblin that had likely evolved from one of the Mage sses.


    It was sitting in the middle of the room, its rolls of fatying over its legs. The way the Hobgoblins were handing it corpses made him think that it couldn''t move. This creature made him excited.


    :Goblin Gourmand, Level 25 (SUB-BOSS); HP- 11,750/11,750:


    ''Albus, what exactly is a sub-boss in these Dungeons?''


    :A sub-boss would be best described as a creature that has be powerful on its own. It earned its own name during evolution, be it through killing other types of creatures or through unnatural means.


    There can be multiple of these creatures in one Dungeon. The main difference between them and a Boss is that the Boss was already that powerful upon arrival here. A sub-boss would have to kill a boss and consume its core to evolve further:


    ''Ahh, I see... wait... Did you say upon its arrival here? Are you saying these creatures weren''t here before?'' a vague vision of dragons flying through smoke-filled air shed through Geth''s mind, and then quickly dissipated.


    :Yes, the information I can gather from the Mana tells me that all species appeared here at the same time:


    Geth nodded. Between his Inspection Skill and his Mana Sense, he could feel that in the future he would be able to gather information as well. He shifted his focus back towards the mobs.


    Reaching down, he used State Change to push his hand down into the ground and pull out a baseball-sized chunk of earth. He waited a moment until a pair of the Hobgoblins walked in his direction to collect more corpses.


    Once he judged they were close enough, he threw the ball at their feet, causing a ttering sound. One of the creatures grunted and pointed towards it with his club.


    As they were both examining it, Geth stepped slightly out of the tunnel and threw another one. This time, hitting one in the foot.


    Both creatures looked towards the tunnel angrily. Then, their irritation peaked when they saw that it was such a small creature who dared disturb them.


    The two of them quickly jogged into the tunnel. Geth was already gone from the edge and running down the hall. He turned back and waved his staff so that they would see the light.


    With it being dark, the creatures instantly reacted to the taunt and lumbered after him. After clearing enough distance, Geth stopped and waited for the two 9'' tall Hobgoblins to reach him.


    ''This should be about right.'' He thought. ''This far in, the others shouldn''t hear them squeal.'' Gethughed to himself as he cast State Change in the darkness.


    When they came within 15'' of where he was standing, they tumbled into the mud trap that he''d made. Geth activated Restoration on himself, quickly lighting the area.


    Four bodies jumped as soon as therge creatures hit the floor. Twonded on each one''s back, smashing and swinging down with their weapons.


    Filthy came quickly from behind the creatures and shed the tendons on the backs of their feet. The Hobgoblins were thrashing around, asionally throwing Harris or Farris off of them.


    The two would jump back on top of them quickly and start shing again. Geth made sure that Restoration stayed active on them.


    Zolis and Hulk were having no issues with holding on. Zolis was impressive, every swing from her hammer would crush the bones of the creature. Its HP dropped close to 200 points per swing.


    Geth just stayed out of the way, they needed the three new guys to hit their next major Level. "Zolis! That''s enough."


    :Hobgoblin, Level 24; HP- 182/2900:


    It was bleeding out and couldn''t move anymore. She nodded and hopped off of its back, moving to whittle down the HP of the other one.


    Geth looked at the mess of the monster in front of him. She had smashed its elbows and knees to paste. The damn thing sure couldn''t move.


    ''If experience was based on damage, she would certainly get most of it.'' He thought. Between him and Albus, they had run experiments and found that 50% would always go to the person who managed to get thest hit. The other half would be divided up by performance during the fight, not just damage alone.


    It wasn''t long before he called out to Zolis again. She came over and leaned on his shoulder, smiling up at him. The blood stter on her face caused her to look a bit freaky instead of giving off the cute look she''d meant to.


    The trio finished off the two Hobgoblins quickly after that. Geth headed back towards the cavern and peaked into the room. Three hobgoblins were walking around, looking into the tunnels for theirpanions.


    They had just finished checking out the two tunnels behind the sub-boss and were trudging towards Geth. Two more of the Hobgoblins were on the other side of the room picking up corpses for the Gourmand.


    As the first three approached, Geth used the same method to piss them off. He turned and ran with them hot on his tail.


    ''If that glutton of a creature isn''t an idiot, we will only be able to do this one or two more times.'' Geth thought.


    He sprinted to the same location and skirted around the drop that he made. Coming to a stop on the opposite side.


    The three creatures toppled over and the same process repeated itself. This time, instead of whittling down their HP, Zolis focused on crushing their limbs.


    One of the enormous clubs held by the Hobgoblins managed to smash into Farris'' leg, cracking the bones. Due to the Restoration already surrounding him, it was mending quickly.

 Chapter 49: Clearing the Hobs (Cont.)

    Chapter 49: Clearing the Hobs (Cont.)


    He managed to finish his creature off and went to sit down, leaning against the wall. "If that thing had hit me in the head, I would have died instantly." He looked at Geth while he was talking.


    Geth nodded at him and cast Restoration again. "There is nothing safe about this, but it has to be done."


    Farris looked at Filthy and Zolis who had no trouble dodging the attacks or causing damage. He knew that they were holding the three back.


    If it weren''t for them, Geth and his team could probably charge straight into the room without these tactics. His eyes shone with much more respect towards them.


    Of course, Geth didn''t miss the change. It was part of what he wanted, the people under him needed to know their ce in the hierarchy.


    With Geth''s constant use of Restoration, Farris'' leg healedpletely within 5 minutes or so. Once everyone had a bit of time to rest, Geth headed back down the tunnel.


    His goal was to whittle the numbers down by half, then drag thest half into the tunnel. This time, he managed to pull two again. The process went by much quicker than the first run.


    Now it was time to drag thest five down, it wouldn''t be as easy for the newbies. ''This will be an actual fight, I wonder how they''ll hold up.'' Geth mused.


    He didn''t bother peeking the corner again, striding right into the room like he owned the ce. The sub-boss was the first to notice him, letting out a yell that shook the interior of the cave.


    Thest 5 of the Hobgoblins turned and started running towards him at once. Geth was relieved when he saw the sub-boss trying to move, it waspletely stuck in ce.


    He turned and peeled down the hallway towards the others. This time, the others were spread further down the hall.


    Geth skirted around his trap quickly, and this time kept running. Two of the beasts fell to the ground while the other three trampled over them.


    Geth didn''t stop or look back, Zolis and Filthy were waiting for him to lead the three further. They would take care of the ones confused and injured from the fall.


    Once he''d crossed an adequate distance, he cast State Change to make one small puddle to trip up the Hobgoblin in the back. He kept running.


    ''Farris and Harris should have been following closely behind the group, they can handle that one.'' Geth continued leading thest two down the hall, they were oblivious that their group was dwindling.


    Once Geth was able to make out the light of the Dungeon entrance, he stopped and turned towards thest two. He quickly cast both Restoration and Corruption Aura.


    The sudden sh of light blinded them momentarily, and they didn''t notice Hulk jumping from the side and shing at their calves. Geth already had a sword in his left hand and was doing the same to the opposing creature.


    Hulk stepped back into the shadows by the time the creatures recovered. Geth moved in front of them, his back towards the opposing wall from Hulk.


    Keeping their attention and aggro, he would create opportunities for Hulk to cause light damage from behind them. Each swing from one of their clubs would be blocked by Geth''s staff or sword, causing minimal damage.


    Between the 50+ damage attacks from Hulk and the constant damage from Geth''s Aura and Reflection passive, they managed to bring one creature''s HP to critical. As it dropped to its knees, Hulk jumped out and dealt a final blow to its neck.


    Now that it was two on one, they stopped with the tactics and fought the beast head-on. Geth would continue to tank and hold aggro until Hulk managed to finally bring the beast down.


    Geth walked up and patted the man on the shoulder. "You did a great job, it would have taken a long time for me to take them out on my own."


    Hulk looked at Geth with a hint of reverence, there was no longer any doubt in his mind that he''d made the right decision to follow him. The man didn''t have any issues taking hits from those two creatures, his blocks seemed almost casual.


    Geth shook his head at the man''s gaze. It wasn''t that he didn''t try, his facial expressions just naturally stayed the same throughout the fight. He couldn''t keep his mask on while still concentrating on the battle.


    The pair collected the beast''s cores and headed back down the hall. They would collect cores along the way, and Geth had to cast Restoration on the brothers. He was satisfied with the light amount of wounds the two had sustained.


    Soon, the party hade back together. They headed down the hallway towards the sub-boss.


    The party stepped into the chamber. It was apparent from the surprised look on the Gourmand''s face that it hadn''t expected humans. The shock soon turned into a look of hatred when it realized that its minions had been killed.


    Geth was the first to act, running at the obese creature before it could make a move. He had to make sure he maintained aggro, there was no telling what the beast was capable of.


    As Geth got closer he realized just how monstrous the thing was. It was just as tall as the Hobgoblins and it was stuck sitting down. The Gourmand would probably be over 12'' tall if it wasn''t too big to stand up!


    When Geth came within range of the creature, he took the initiative by activating Corruption Aura. The Gourmand quickly became enraged.


    Its staff swung down at Geth like it was hitting a golf ball. He quickly used both of his weapons to block the strike.


    Even with a perfect block, Geth couldn''t stand steady. He slid back almost 5 feet and then had to roll back to stop the momentum.


    :Geth; HP-872/930:


    Regardless of the damage, he wasn''t willing to back off. There was no room for mistakes.

 Chapter 50: Gourmand

    Chapter 50: Gourmand


    The creature took a few seconds between attacks, allowing Geth to get in a few sword swings and his Aura tick.


    Most of his sword strikes were doing 8-15 damage. It wasn''t much, but stacked with his Aura, it added up over 60 seconds.


    :Goblin Gourmand; HP-11,306/11,750:


    ''It''s not enough. I need to at least drag it below 11,000 before the others move in.'' Geth thought. He had considered how quickly they would do damage and was worried he would lose aggro.


    After one more round of his Corruption Aura, he called out to the others. "Now, pile in behind him. Attack for precisely four seconds, then move at least five feet back.


    After two seconds, attack again. Filthy, stay at a range, and never attack from the same spot twice. We''ve yet to see what its magic is, so stay cautious!"


    After his instructions were called out, they all moved in sync. The four melee fighters started attacking the creature''s back and sides. Filthy began to shoot arrows while running in a circr motion.


    Goblin Gourmand''s HP plummeted, dropping close to 400 per second. Geth still didn''t rx. He was waiting to see a change in its movements.


    Nothing happened for about 15 seconds. Then, the battle became much more dangerous as the monster''s HP dropped below halfway.


    Gourmand opened its mouth unnaturally wide. Geth watched as a suction force made of Mana began to form in the opening.


    Through his Mana Sense and Inspection, he was able to see the Mana pulling from the corpses littering the ground. He had a bad premonition for what wasing next.


    "Everyone get in the tunnels, NOW!" He shouted as loudly as he could. No one wasted time in heeding hismand. As they ran, Geth cast Restoration on the five of them. This dropped his MP dangerously close to 0.


    He was confident in his resistance but he still jumped back all the same. It would be close to 30 seconds before he could use Restoration on himself.


    The suction onlysted a few moments, Geth watched as the creature''s HP rose from 5,500 back to 8,000. This negated almost half of the work they''d put in.


    When the suction stoppedpletely, Gourmand raised its staff in the air and grunted strangely. The tip of its staff began to glow a burning red, Geth could feel the heat pouring off of it.


    Gourmand mmed the glowing end of the staff into the ground, leaving a small crater on impact. The red light from the staff burst! A wave of fire over 6'' tall surged out in a circle around the sub-boss!


    ''A burst AOE!'' Geth thought, ncing at the others receding backs. They wouldn''t make it to the tunnels in time. "BLOCK!" He yelled loudly.


    He crossed both his staff and his sword in front of him, kneeling to make himself a smaller target. Geth was much closer than the others, who were only a few yards from the tunnels.


    mes surged over him, scorching his forearms and singeing the hair on his head. He was ted to find that his beard survived the wave!


    Filthy and Zolis turned in time and saw the wall of fire rushing towards them. Both leaped into the air without hesitation,pletely avoiding the mes.


    Hulk and Farris blocked with their swords and forearms, kneeling in the same fashion as Geth. Harris wasn''t as lucky.


    He had tried to jump over the mes, imitating Filthy and Zolis, but his Agility was severelycking. Both of his lower legs were consumed by the fire, melting his skin and cooking the muscles beneath.


    "Harris!" His brother called as he watched the man fall limply to the floor. The wave continued past them and smashed into the wall, leaving light scorch marks on the earth.


    "Grab him and drag him into one of the tunnels!" Geth called. "Let the spell do its work, it will be some time before I can cast it again.


    Farris didn''t bother responding as he quickly scooped his brother into his arms, running off towards one of the smaller tunnels. ''It was a tough lesson, but they have to learn.'' Geth shook his head at the man''s stupidity.


    He wouldn''t die. As long as the legs weren''tpletely destroyed, muscles could heal, and skin would grow back. It was likely that he would remain unconscious for a while.


    Geth then called out, "Alright, when I call out, Zolis and Hulk get into the tunnels. Filthy, you hang close to the tunnels at that point and keep shooting. Run when its staff starts glowing!"


    "Roger!"


    "Okay!"


    Filthy just nodded, showing that he understood.


    Geth moved forward and continued blocking the beast''s strikes. Zolis and Hulk resumed attacking from behind, while Filthy stayed near the outer edges. He was saving his arrows for when he was needed.


    Its HP was decreasing a bit slower, but it wasn''t a dramatic change. ''7500, 6100, 5000, 4200. That''s it.''


    "NOW!" Geth shouted.


    The two melee fighters quickly ran to the tunnels. Once they were safe, Filthy nocked and fired 2 consecutive arrows. Gourmand''s health dropped under 4000 and it opened its mouth again.


    Geth paid attention to the Mana being drawn from the corpses around him. The cores that he could once see in most of their skulls werepletely gone. More cores were disappearing into the mouth of the beast.


    ''The amount of Mana it''s pulling is considerably less than the first time.'' Geth noted, waiting to observe the effect.


    He didn''t have to wait long. The glowing staff soon mmed into the ground. Billowing mes poured out, causing a four-foot wall to st in every direction.


    The heat wasn''t anywhere near as intense as the first wave. Geth simply blocked his face and stepped up to face the beast again. The fierce battle continued as the party whittled at the beast''s HP.


    This process continued for two more waves before Gourmand ultimately fell. As decided beforehand, Geth took thest hit.

 Chapter 51: Skill Upgrades

    Chapter 51: Skill Upgrades


    "Congrattions User, for defeating a Sub-Boss. Please select a reward. Options avable will be based on performance."


    The mechanical voice sounded inside of all of their minds. ''Ah, this is a nice boon. There was no way the others could have proceeded with their current abilities.'' Geth was a bit worried about the final Boss as well.


    He walked over and cast Restoration on the sleeping Hattis before going back to the boss room. His wounds were already mostly scabbed over.


    Geth had gained a majority of the experience. The amount of experience was much more than expected, instantly Leveling him twice! As usual, Albus had an answer before he had time to think of a question.


    :The enemy was a much higher Level than you. You may not have noticed against the Hobgoblins before, but you gained increased experience from their Levels.


    Goblin Gourmand was 4 Levels above you, so you gained its usual experience of 3500, x1 per Level above you. Therefore, you gained 12,400 experience x80% for thest blow and put in a majority of the effort.


    The total gained was 9,920 experience:


    ''Well, well, a thesaurus and a floating calctor.'' Geth thought.


    :Ha. Ha:


    Geth chuckled at Albus, and then his attention was drawn by the enormity of the Mana Core he could see inside of the big guy. ''Man, this is going to be fucking gross.''


    The core was in the center of its stomach, likely the reason for its suction ability. He pulled two of the rustiest des from his Inventory Satchel and started hacking his way in.


    Everyone else was busy iming their rewards. It took a few minutes, but eventually, he had dug out enough fat to reach the stomach. He stabbed one of his swords into it, ripping it open.


    Everyone in the room began retching including Geth, the smell was vile. The core looked like it was floating in arge sack that had formed into its stomach liner.


    Holding his breath, he ripped out the football-sized core. As he did so, a simrly sized wooden chest fell out from the sack.


    ''What a strange way to give rewards.'' He thought as he reluctantly reached into the stomach contents to retrieve the chest.


    Retreating far from the grotesque corpse, Geth began pouring water over himself from his canteens. Once he could stand to breathe again, he looked towards his Attributes and the other rewards.


    Geth distributed his Attribute points earned evenly between Defense and Wisdom, putting three in each. He didn''t intend to change his routine.


    Next, he asked Albus to flip over to page 2.


    :Congrattions User, for defeating a Sub-Boss. Please select a reward.


    Note: User had the highest contribution, and creature Level was higher than User. Options adjusted to match feats.


    Option 1: 1 TP, 2 SP, 1 random piece of Rare equipment


    Option 2: 2 TP, 3 SP:


    ''That 3 SP can upgrade Restoration, Inspection, or State Change. At the same time, having another piece of Rare equipment could be useful.'' Geth pondered about it for a while before making a decision.


    ''Albus, let''s go with Option 2 this time.'' He thought. After thinking about it, he decided that the SP would currently be more useful for clearing this Dungeon. After all, if the Sub-Boss was Level 25, the Boss could be 30 or higher.


    It was quite difficult for him to decide which Skill to upgrade. All three Skills were extremely useful, but he only had enough points for one.


    He was quite reluctant in doing so, but he decided to upgrade Restoration. He had originally wanted to upgrade State Change, thinking he could start using it to cause damage.


    After quite a bit of hesitation, he rejected the idea. The party currently had enough DPS, what they needed were more defensive measures.


    When he checked the new effects of the spell, he no longer had any qualms about his decision.


    :Restoration (100 MP); casts an aura around the target that heals wounds over time. Heals on the initial cast and once every 3 seconds until the end of the duration.


    Additional Effect: Target receives Barrier for % of caster''s max HP. Barriersts the duration of Restoration, or until broken.


    Duration = 30 seconds + (WIS x 0.4) [53]


    Healing = 10 + (INT x 0.25) + (HP x 2.5%) [40]


    Barrier = 2.5% of caster''s max HP [25]:


    Geth was delighted. The barrier could tank the brunt of a hit, but more importantly, it would grow with him. It couldn''t do much right now, but he would eventually build up an excessive amount of HP.


    On top of that, his heals would now ''tick'' 18 times. Healing for a total of 720 HP throughout the duration of the spell.


    He walked over to cast the spell on Harris to see the new effect. Along with the usual wisps of bright light, a very thin and hard-to-see translucent film covered his body.


    The wounds on his legs began healing far faster than before. Instead of scabbing over, Geth watched as skin seemed to grow and stretch directly from his muscle.


    Shortly after the process began new, slimy, pale skin hadpletely regrown on the man''s legs. The new rate of recovery was extraordinary!


    Harris'' paleplexion had died down and blood was returning to his face. ''It shouldn''t be long until he wakes up thanks to that.'' Geth thought. Farris had fallen asleep beside him and hadn''t witnessed it.


    He shook his head at the pair again. They were sitting in a small tunnel, who knew whether or not regr Goblins were still running around here.


    Letting out an exasperated sigh, he turned towards thest reward. This was the box that had fallen from the Goblin Gourmand''s stomach.


    A slight shiver ran through him at the thought of how he''d obtained it. Geth hoped that he wouldn''t have to do something so grotesque again. Thetch came loose as he gently lifted the lid.

 Chapter 52: We Have to Push Forward!

    Chapter 52: We Have to Push Forward!


    Inside were two items. The first was a quiver, Geth picked it up to use Inspection on it.


    :Endless Quiver- Rare Item; This is a special item that can produce unlimited arrows. Once an arrow is ced inside, a copy can be drawn infinitely until a new type of arrow is inserted. Gives User +2 Agility.


    Note: This item can currently only produce copies of normal arrows. Item will have to be enhanced to copy Mana imbued arrows:


    Geth was dumbfounded. ''What an amazing item!'' It would go to Filthy. He was someone that Geth could rely on, plus he had earned it.


    The other item in the box was a Skill Card. He hurriedly picked it up to see what Skill it would give.


    :Ring of Fire (50 MP); User ms weapon on the ground, causing waves of fire to spew in every direction.


    Notes: Once this Skill Levels further, it can decimate many enemies within a wide range!:


    ''What an awesome loot box!'' Geth no longer had any negative thoughts about the methods used to get this crate. It had been worth it.


    He took the Skill Card over to Zolis, and the quiver to Filthy. Both of them thanked him profusely. He just waved them off, of course, he needed his team to be strong.


    In return, Filthy gave him the Umon equipment item he''d gotten from his rewards. It was a pair of open-fingered gloves with Runes drawn on them.


    They increased both Intelligence and Wisdom Attributes by five and gave another two points to Defense. Geth certainly wouldn''t turn them down.


    Zolis had also chosen the equipment option, hers was Rare. She''d received a breastte that greatly increased both her Defense and Strength.


    It looked like Hulk got arge buckler, the circr shield covered his entire forearm. It looked quite in, but it was leaps and bounds better than taking damage head-on.


    He''d offered the item to Geth, but he refused. ording to Albus, all future options were chosen based on the way a person fought, along with their personality.


    A shield wouldpletely go against the strong body and mind that he was trying to build towards. Geth''s priority was to control the battlefield. There was no better position than being a tank or healer for calling orders.


    Hulk and both brothers had directly jumped to Level 15, even if they hadn''t contributed as much as the others, they still received a 12-13x boost for the Level difference. Zolis and Filthy Leveled a couple of times as well.


    ''We need to farm until everyone reaches Level 20.'' Geth thought. He asked Filthy to scout some of the small tunnels and bothrge tunnels while they waited for Harris to finish recovering from the shock.


    He was to report back every half hour. If he didn''t make it back, then the party would check thest tunnel he''d ventured into before proceeding.


    After he''d left, Hulk went and sat by the brothers. Zolis walked over and grabbed Geth''s hand, pulling him out of earshot of the others.


    "Baby, do you think we''ll be able to continue? Filthy and I should be fine, but I don''t know if these guys can handle it." She asked.


    "I thought the same, but the two of you were only Level 16 and 17 before the boss. Hulk said that he''d reached 16 just now, so the other two should have hit 15.


    That major Level plus the new equipment will make a world of difference. The main reason I sent Filthy to scout was to locate the nest of Goblins that should be here.


    The corpses in this room only numbered a couple hundred, there should be thousands. My goal is to power level everyone here to Level 20 before proceeding to the final Boss." Gethid out most of his n for her.


    He didn''t tell her the statistics Albus hade up with, but there should be two to three thousand Goblins in this Dungeon. The number was plenty to jump multiple Levels.


    If they could find and ughter them all, there was also a high probability of getting two to three Skill Card drops. More if luck was on their side.


    "Okay, as long as you have a n. I don''t know these guys well, but I don''t want to see them die from you being rash. They do have families waiting for them." Zolis reminded him.


    Geth just nodded, ending the conversation there. His motives were to expand and help where he could. He couldn''t do everything for them, they had to be strong enough to protect and sustain themselves once he left.


    Every half hour, Filthy woulde back and report. There were a total of 11 smaller tunnels. He''d had them all scouted within around 3 hours, Harris had long woken up.


    Filthy was reporting in from thest tunnel. "So, every tunnel is a straight shot to the end, leading to small caverns.


    Every cavern is filled with between 200-500 Goblins. If I had to guess, the total number would be around 4000. I didn''t check either of therge tunnels."


    "It''s best if you didn''t," Geth replied. "If you identally step into the boss room, the Dungeon barrier will lock you in, and you either kill the Boss or die."


    Filthy nodded in understanding. "I marked the tunnels with how many Goblins were at the end of each."


    Geth stood up and addressed the others. "Well then, it''s time for us to take over the leaderboards!" He startedughing loudly while everyone else just stared.


    The only thing they could see was his shoulders shaking withughter as he walked down one of the tunnels.


    There were 11 tunnels, Geth decided to take the routes with the least amount of enemies and they would work their way up. There wouldn''t be a single Goblin left after this Raid waspleted.


    He could tell that Harris was following along a bit hesitantly. Even so, the man''s wish to get stronger and his recent idolization of Geth''s party had pushed him forward.


    The room he was currently leading them to had around 150 Goblins in it. The majority were only Swordsmen, with very few Mages and Assassins. It would be a good chance to boost the three men''s confidence back up.

 Chapter 53: Testing the Newbies

    Chapter 53: Testing the Newbies


    As they were closing in on the entrance, Geth looked back and told the men, "This room is all yours. Filthy will take out the Assassins and Mages from here.


    If you can''t handle the normal Swordsmen on your own, our deal is off. Weak men don''t deserve the opportunity I''m trying to give. I''ll keep you healed, your goal is to Level up here."


    Hulk and his men took the words to heart and their expressions became serious. They knew if they couldn''t prove they could protect the Dungeon, then they didn''t deserve to have it given to them.


    Geth then looked at Zolis and winked. "The next room is all yours, babe. I want to see what that new Skill can do."


    Zolis smirked at him, "Since this was my first Skill worth Leveling, I had plenty of SP to use on it. Don''t let it scare you away." She scrunched her nose at him yfully.


    "You still haven''t upgraded that rock-throwing Skill? Did you take my pack mule joke so seriously?" He joked. She blushed and walked off angrily.


    After listening to the exchange, the men were pumped. How could they be scared if such a small woman was going to do the same thing solo?


    Filthy peeked from the corner, seeing that there were only 8 Mages and 5 Assassins in the small horde. He quickly picked them off, only one of the Assassins happened to see him. It was too far from the entrance for that to matter.


    The Swordsmen who had been sitting andzing around in the small cavern were all alerted as they noticed the bodies falling. They began looking around, some even starting a fight with the other Goblins.


    "These things really are stupid," Geth muttered quietly upon witnessing the scene. "All right guys, you''re up."


    Hulk stepped boldly into the room. Harris and Farris followed a bit more timidly behind. One by one, the eyes of all of the Goblins turned towards them.


    After a brief pause, the small creatures started trampling over each other to get to the trio. They were crazed, acting as if they hadn''t eaten in days.


    "Harris, Farris. Let''s lure them back into the tunnel, it will be easier if we are only fighting five or six at a time." Hulk suggested. The two nodded and retreated down the passageway, Hulk following behind.


    They hadn''t receded too deep, just enough to funnel the Goblins. Hulk kneeled in front with his shield raised.


    "All right, push on my back to help stop their rush. As soon as their momentum is lost take out as many as you can." Hemanded.


    Geth, who wasn''t too far behind nodded his head, agreeing with his n. The bodies would soon pile up, causing the Goblins to slow and crawl over the corpses. If executed properly, he wouldn''t even need to heal them.


    He leaned up against the wall and watched their performance with Filthy and Zolis. On the initial impact, they were pushed back a few steps, but then the speed of the Goblins faded.


    shing swords and green mucus-filled the hallway. It reminded Geth of some of the old hacks and sh video games. There was no style to the movement, just swinging carelessly to kill the enemy.


    Goblins copsed left and right, and as he''d predicted, a small wall of corpses began to form across the floor. The creatures began to trip and be pushed over by those behind them, making it easy for the trio to stab at them.


    The longer the battle went, the easier it became. Soon, the wall was as tall as the 4-foot creatures and they had to crawl over to get to their quarry.


    Only three or four Goblins were emerging at a time, Hulk had suggested to the others to let them gain their footing. He wanted to practice his movements with the sword and shield while there was no danger.


    Geth watched on. ''Albus, I''ve noticed that Zolis has be quite proficient with her hammer, and these guys are also quickly getting ustomed to their weapons. Why is that?''


    :Think of them as hidden Attributes or Skills. As you stated, the term is Proficiency, and it can be applied to most things. Weapon usage, swimming, carving, cooking, etc. The Mana assists in increasing your Proficiency as you repeat certain actions.


    It''s one of the ways the Mana chooses which Talents to offer you. As you battle or live in a certain way, your Proficiency increases. This increases the Rarity of the Talents, Skills, or Equipment you can obtain throughpleting missions or reaching Major Levels.


    It won''t be long before I can ess your proficiency sheet, I cannot sense it at the moment. Like I''ve said before, we are one. As you be stronger, so do I. The higher our Level, the more information I can ess through the Mana:


    Geth nodded and watched as the trio finished off thest of the Goblins. They were already wielding their equipment as if it were familiar.


    ''Hmm, what am I proficient at?'' Geth thought. He soon started chuckling inwardly. ''Getting beat up I guess!''


    Hulk spoke with the others and then informed Geth of their progress. "I managed to Level twice, reaching 18, while they both reached Level 16."


    "Good. Go sort through the bodies, drag them to the cave one by one. We don''t want to miss any loot." Gethmanded.


    He already knew that there was a Skill Card lying below the bodies, it would only be the Berserk Skill, which the trio already had. Geth thought that they were smart not to use it, the side effects were terrible.


    Either way, it would make a nice addition to their contribution rewards. Skills were typically more valuable than equipment, after all.


    While the trio was gathering the loot, Geth took Zolis and Filthy to the next tunnel. They skipped a few and went directly to a tunnel that had around 300 Goblins. Close to 50 of them were either Mages or Assassins.


    "Alright babe, time to shine." Gethughed as he spoke to her, then looked at Filthy. "Pick off the Mages while they''re trying to cast. Let her handle the Assassins."


    "Can do." He replied.

 Chapter 54: Power Leveling

    Chapter 54: Power Leveling


    Zolis wasted no time throwing herself into the group of Goblins, clearing a wide path with every swing of her hammer. The face of the hammer was almost as big as the Goblins, it turned their bodies limp as they flew into the distance.


    The Mages quickly noticed the situation and began to cast their spells, though only a few of them had a clear shot. Two arrows tore through their necks before they could finish casting.


    Geth quickly cast Restoration on Zolis as the third Mage finished casting. An Ice Spike shot at Zolis, shattering the Barrier but stopping the spike shortly before reaching her.


    Zolis had just reached the middle of the room. Geth was able to see arge influx of Mana pulling towards her hammer as the creatures surrounded her.


    While she was casting, two Swordsmen shed at her. Minor wounds appeared on her arms that were quickly healed by Restoration''s effects.


    Then the hammer started glowing a hot red as if it were metal pulled from a forge. She mmed the weapon onto the ground.


    A four-foot wall of mes flew out in every direction surrounding her. The Goblins who had just hit her, along with all of those in the immediate vicinity, were incinerated.


    The wall of mes stretched out almost 15 yards in each direction. All of the creatures within the first 5 yards were turned to ash.


    Those that were up to 10 yards out died from the scorching mes, as those in thest 5 yards were severely burned. They were still on fire and taking more damage every second.


    :Goblin Swordsmen (Level 13); HP- 210/550:


    Geth whistled as he looked at the damage, that particr Goblin had been at the very edge of the me. Looking around Zolis, Mana Cores littered the area where Goblins had once stood. Geth could also make out two Skill Cards from the Mana surrounding them.


    Close to half of the Goblins in the room had been destroyed in that one move. She turned and grinned at Geth, calling out to him, "I''ll be on the top of the leaderboards soon!"


    He just flipped her off. But she was probably right. Thanks to his healing, he received 14% of the experience from those kills. The number was insane, she had to have jumped up to Level 20 or 21.


    :Geth (Level 23); XP- 2654/6,500:


    He had only been at 87 experience after defeating Gourmand, then received about 1,000 from the trio''s efforts. The rest hade in just that one moment!


    ''One swing of her hammer and I gained over 1500 experience, Filthy should have gotten 1000 or so. That means she gained over 9000. What an incredibly effective way of dealing with trash mobs!''


    The rest of the mobs were cleared in another wave of fire as Geth and Filthy were finishing off the Mages. Filthy thoroughly inspected the area before they left and found a small wooden chest near the back wall.


    Zolis opened up the small box that Filthy had found before gathering the loot. Inside were two Skill Cards!


    One of them was Common while the other was Umon. The Umon Skill was a type of protective barrier that Geth didn''t hesitate to take.


    The Common Skill was called ''Sight'' and it was a dulled-down version of Geth''s Inspection. It was a passive Skill that would allow the user to see an enemy''s name, level, and health. Also, it was able to see the name and effects of equipment. It couldn''t be upgraded.


    Geth allowed Filthy to take it since it would be very useful for him when scouting. The trio began picking up the Mana Cores and Skill Cards that Zolis had earned.


    One of the Mages dropped the Common Ice Spike Skill, while one of the Swordsmen had dropped another Berserk. Geth thought about learning the Ice Spike Skill, but he didn''t want to divert from his current build.


    On top of that, he was starting to spread his SP pretty thin. If he kept on picking up Skills, they would have to conquer hundreds of Dungeons and earn more SP to make them all useful.


    ''Maybe Skills aren''t as hard to find as I thought. Albus, what gives?''


    :The first Dungeon you took over was just filled with Slimes. Did you really think you would get much from a Dungeon that you could solo clear under Level 15?:


    Geth was enlightened, but he felt a bit dumb. How could hepare his current experiences with this Dungeon? There was a world of difference in difficulty.


    ''I''m d that I''m a bit overpowered. If possible, it would be better to conquer all of the Goblin and Slime Dungeons before working our way up.'' He thought. ''Thoughe to think of it I haven''t seen a single Slime since then.''


    He wondered what other creatures were in their local region. He was still pretty close to the north end, up by the river. They still had a long way to go before reaching the southern end.


    They finished clearing the loot and headed back to where they''d found Gourmand. When they arrived, the trio was waiting for them. They had green goop covering them from where they were harvesting corpses.


    "Geth!" Farris jogged up to him quickly, pulling out a wooden box. "Here, we found this tucked in the back of the cavern."


    Geth raised his eyebrows at the small loot crate, then epted it. "There must be one in each room." He told Farris.


    Opening up the small box, he found a Skill Card and a ring. The Skill Card was another Common "Sight" card. The ring was an umon item that gave a 1 Mana per second regen rate.


    Geth gave the ring to Zolis, he wanted her to use the Ring of Fire Skill as often as possible. It also made collecting the loot very convenient. Bodies would be burnedpletely, but the Mana Cores would remain intact.


    Filthy had reached Level 20, Zolis was Level 21, and Geth was over halfway to 24. "Hulk,e here real quick."


    Hulk jogged over and stood before him with his hands behind his back. Geth shook his head at the guy''s antics.

 Chapter 55: Power Leveling (Cont.)

    Chapter 55: Power Leveling (Cont.)


    "Here, take this Skill Card and use it. I want you to take Harris and Farris with you. Use the same tactics as before and get to Level 20 before meeting us again.


    You guys will start with the weaker rooms. We will go straight for the room with over 500 mobs and work our way down to meet you. Once we''re finished clearing the sub rooms, we can go down therge tunnels together.


    What we gain here will likely be ourst chance to Level up before facing the Boss. Make sure to get as much out of it as you can.


    Also, check every nook and cranny for loot crates. I suspect every room has one with contents fitting for the difficulty."


    Hulk took the Skill Card from Geth gratefully, "Thank you, sir. We won''t let you down."


    Geth gave the empty crate back to Farris, who put it in the Inventory Pouch he''d gotten as a reward for the Gourmand fight. Harris had received one as well.


    Geth sighed as he thought of all of the weapons being left behind. He was currently storing them in his Inventory Satchel and then dumping the contents into the center of the room.


    ''Hopefully, there will be an easier way to carry themter.'' He couldn''t help but think of how much gear Bruce would be able to craft after melting down and purifying all of those materials.


    Geth and his party headed towards the most dangerous of the smaller tunnels. As they came to the end, he was a bit surprised to find some Goblins he hadn''t seen before.


    Peeking around the corner, he could quickly see that there were closer to 600 Goblins in the space. only 200 or so were Swordsmen, not a single one under Level 14. Close to 350 of them were Mages or Assassins between Levels 15-19.


    Thest 50 or so of the creatures were still Goblin Mages or Assassins, but they looked different. They were all Levels 20-24 and looked rather intelligent.


    Luckily, aside from a few, their equipment was no better than their weaker counterparts. Other than the awareness, the Assassins were more muscr and a bit taller. The Mages had all grown thin goatees and Geth could see a muchrger Mana pool inside of them.


    He turned to look at the others. "Those 50 or so Goblins on the tform across the room may be dangerous. I''ll run in and grab the attention.


    Zolis you follow once their backs are turned and thin out the herd. Filthy I need you to circle around to the left and take out the Mages with the facial hair on the tform."


    "Can do!"


    "Got it."


    "All right, give me 15 seconds," Geth told them as he prepared to rush in. He checked through his Skills one more time and then rushed headlong into the room.


    Geth barreled through the Goblins closest to him, taking them by surprise. The moment he came into contact with the first group, he activated Corruption Aura.


    The Goblins on the tform noticed the change quickly and began issuing orders to surround him. It didn''t matter, whether there were 200 Goblins or 2000, 1 damage was still 1 damage.


    It didn''t matter how many times the Swordsmen or the lower leveled Assassins shed at him, he would take 1 or 2 damage at most. Even with therge numbers, only so many could get to him at once.


    Geth quickly forced his way closer to the tform, earning the ire from the creatures upon it. The Mages were about to react. Then, Geth heard a massive booming from behind him, followed by a light wave of heat.


    Reaching Level 20 had given her thest point she''d needed to upgrade Ring of Fire, so now Zolis'' mes were a bit taller and traveled further. With the damage based on Strength and Intelligence, the Skill was quite formidable.


    Geth nced behind him momentarily to see over a hundred Mana Cores falling to the ground, his Level hit 24 and he quickly threw the points into Def and Wis. The Assassins on the tform angrily dived down into the horde, splitting up and heading for both Geth and Zolis.


    The higher leveled Mages began casting. Some of them summoned dual Fireballs or multiple Ice Spikes. Others began to chant something unintelligible, as they chanted, Geth could feel his Defenses falling.


    "Shit!"


    The damage he was taking from the surrounding Goblins jumped to 5-7 per strike. With their numbers, it made a major difference. He cast Restoration, the barrier it gave quickly shattering.


    His HP remained full, but the high-leveled Assassins were moving in fast. Swinging his sword in a wide arc, he managed to take the heads of two of the Swordsmen.


    With the free space garnered, he quickly cast his new Barrier Skill, forming a semi-transparent wall in front of him. The Assassins were temporarily stuck on the opposing side. It didn''tst long, the Fireballs and Ice Spikes from the Mages quickly destroyed it.


    He turned around in time to witness another wave of fire scorching through the enemy ranks. The higher-level Assassins heading towards Zolis simply jumped high over the wave.


    Geth managed to cast State Change at the spot where a few of them wouldnd. The most he could do at the moment was lessen her burden. That wave of the fire pushed him halfway to 25. Between that and the Goblins dying to his Corruption Aura, his Level was rising swiftly.


    ''Damn this weakening effect.'' He thought. He had just taken another round of shes over his body. He couldn''t do much to help the others or he wouldn''t be able to keep up Restoration.


    Things were beginning to look bleak.


    Just as he was beginning to worry about the situation, he felt the weakening effect lessen. Geth looked up on the tform and saw two of the chanting mages had dropped.

 Chapter 56: Class Change?

    Chapter 56: ss Change?


    Filthy had already moved to the third, stabbing it in the back of its neck. The next wave of Mage attacks split targets. Some flying towards Geth, others being danced around by Filthy''s swift figure.


    Geth took the brunt of the spells that were cast at him, he had no way to dodge. He raised his hands and cast Barrier directly in front of him, soaking a few of the spells.


    Two Ice Spikes mmed into his hands, while a Fireball managed to burn into his side. A figure of 117 shed, dropping from his max health.


    ''Shit, if all of those hit at once I would be in trouble.'' Geth thought as he watched filthy picking off the Mages while dodging.


    The higher level Goblin Assassins had closed in on Geth, they were much faster than their weaker versions. Geth could only parry one out of every three attacks.


    Every hit would take off 15-20 HP, but the damage reduced a bit each time one of the chanting Mages was killed by Filthy. Without having to worry about the spellcasters, the fight became manageable.


    Geth had cast one more round of Restoration on each of them and wasn''t using his other spells. His Mana regeneration allowed him to constantly heal, even if that was all he could do for now.


    Another wave of heat approached his back as he fended off the three Assassins that were attacking him. This time, the wall pressed on him and damaged the Goblins he was fighting.


    "Hey, watch where you swing that thing!" Heughed as he managed to kill one of the charred creatures. Most of the weaker ones that had been surrounding him were on the ground writhing in pain.


    The other two of the stronger Assassins were still fighting back, but he was slowly whittling them down. Zolis'' move had helped tremendously.


    One of their arms had been burnt in the st, which was hanging limply by its side. The other was burnt from the waist down, and could barely move.


    After a few moments, Geth managed to kill the two of them. Both ended up bleeding to death from the multiple cuts and blistered skin.


    He checked on the others and found that both of them were finishing off their respective enemies. It had been a tough battle, but very rewarding.


    "Congrattions User, on being the first to reach Level 25. Please select a reward."


    :User has reached Level 25, please select a ss:


    Geth''s interest was certainly peaked, but first, they needed to finish clearing the room. There were still Goblins squirming around on the floor, burnt and in pain from Zolis'' continuous assault.


    The battle really hadn''tsted that long. In its entirety, it really took just under five minutes to clear all 600 Goblins.


    After Geth stabbed through thest of the squirming creatures, he and Filthy spread out to look for a hidden loot crate. Zolis gathered all of the bodies into the center of the room and used Ring of Fire to incinerate their corpses.


    Filthy was yet again the one to find the loot crate, particrly since he could cover ground much faster than the others. The loot crate was nicer than the simple boxes that they had found before.


    It was lined with iron bracing, looking like a crudely built chest. Filthy opened it up to reveal three Skill Cards and a bracelet.


    All three Skill Cards were the Common Sight cards. He handed one to Zolis and then took a look at the thin silver bracelet.


    :Circlet of Deftness (Rare); Gives wearer +10 Agility, +5 Intelligence. A well-crafted bracelet, made by an apprentice craftsman for a loved one. Designed to increase one''s physical speed and thought process:


    ''Hmm.. why would this be "crafted for a loved one"? Are these not gifts from the Mana like I thought they were? If that''s the case, who could have crafted it, humanity just arrived here..''


    Just that one line filled Geth with questions. He didn''t have an answer for them.


    The bracelet would have given him a bit of a boost, but he decided to let Filthy and Zolis y rock, paper, scissors for it. After a few ties, it ended up going to Zolis. This Dungeon had been quite generous to her.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want it, but the fact that how you built influenced the Mana''s decisions became more apparent to him as they progressed. Before he even had the opportunity to look at the Level 25 notices, Zolis ran up to him with questions of her own.


    "Hey babe, what''s with this ss option?" Zolis asked, Geth nced over and saw that she had also leveled to 25.


    "I was just about to find out myself. Based on all of the previous choices we''ve been given it should be simr to a game. It will be a decision that affects how we handle ourselves and the choices we receive from now on." He responded to her.


    "Just make sure that you choose what will be best for you personally, and everything will be okay." Geth smiled and patted her on the head.


    She shrugged him away and turned back to her Grimoire. Geth rolled his eyes. ''Albus, let''s take a look at what options we were given. Make sure to throw in any advice if you know something I don''t.''


    :Based on User''s choices and experiences up to this point, three basic sses are avable. Your choice will affect the future ss upgrade options and ss Skills that you will receive. Do you wish to proceed?:


    "Yes." He and Zolis said at the same time, making them bothugh.


    :Congrattions User, for reaching Level 25. Please select a ss.


    Option 1: Cleric- User has shown a strong aptitude in the usage of Mana for healing. With this ss, Mana will be easier to understand, healing Spells will be easier to cast, and healing Spells will have a greater effect.


    ss Bonus; +15 Wisdom, +10 Intelligence


    Option 2: Warrior- User has shown a strong aptitude for being on the front lines in battle. With this ss, fighting up closees naturally, the speed of learning melee proficiencies increases.


    ss Bonus; +15 Strength, +10 Defense


    Option 3: Knight- User has shown a strong aptitude for tanking damage and defending against enemy attacks. With this ss, blocking enemy attackses naturally, the speed of learning shield or armor proficiencies increases.


    ss Bonus; +15 Defense, +10 Strength:


    Geth wasn''t particrly fond of any of the choices. Then again, it seemed the choices were based on those in a game. Only the most basic of sses could be offered for the first evolution.


    Being aware of that fact, he had to look towards the future instead of the present. He would have to look at his choices carefully and think of the different ways they could branch off in the future.


    Warrior didn''t stand as an option in his mind at all, though he did think briefly about the possible choices in the future if he chose it. It didn''t take long for him to forget about itpletely and choose between Knight or Cleric.

 Chapter 57: Cleric

    Chapter 57: Cleric


    He focused carefully on the words for Cleric. ''Healing spells will have a greater effect.'' He repeated. To him, this meant that his already high health would further stack into his ability.


    Geth also didn''t have any interest in using shields. Being a front-line defender was certainly in the cards for him, but he would prefer using spells than relying on gear.


    ''Albus, does being a Cleric require any type of religious oath?'' This would certainly hinder him from choosing this path.


    :Although the idea may still be the same to some extent, the Mana is currently the only entity that can supply you with power.


    Your body has been rebuilt by the Mana, and any ss you choose will be powered by the Mana. So, to answer your question.


    No, you do not have to follow any Deity to gain power. Power and other abilities are gained through your actions:


    ''I understand. Then I wish to choose Cleric as my ss.''


    A bright light surrounded him. Momentster Zolis experienced the same, the effect was blinding enough that Filthy had to cover his eyes. Geth could feel a great change as the light died down.


    Once the light surrounding the two of them died, Geth began to observe the changes to himself. His body didn''t feel much different, but his mind was far from the same.


    He could feel his Mana pool almost freezing behind his eyes. It had only grown by 175 points with the Attributes gained, but the Mana itself was different.


    Geth focused on looking into the nk space that had formed near where he could feel Albus. His Mana pool was now inside of arge dome-like structure.


    It had once just been Runes floating in a nk space with wisps of Mana floating around. Now it seemed that the Dome held arge amount of cold liquid Mana.


    Visibly chilly wisps of Mana could be seen floating atop the Manake. The Runes floating around the edge of the dome had a thinyer of frost creeping over their surfaces.


    The Restoration and Barrier Runes in particr were fully covered. It was like looking at a frozen window pane on a winter morning.


    Geth cast Restoration on himself, observing the reaction on the Rune. Instead of the usual warm sensation, he would get when casting, a cool chill was felt in his mind.


    As the Rune heated up, trying to melt theyer of frost, liquid Mana reached up towards it. The tendrils of Mana slowly caressed the Rune, causing the frost topletely cover the surface again.


    Geth opened his eyes to observe the effects of the Spell. The hard to detect shield that it offered was much thicker than before.


    The sensation of the healing from the Spell was much more profound. It seemed to give him a small boost of energy every tick.


    As he was observing the Spell, he noticed Albus floating in front of him. The Grimoire had changed entirely.


    Geth was used to him being a brown, neat-looking, leatherbound book. Now, however, Albus was floating in front of him as arge pure white tome.


    His pages were much thicker, his cover had thin traces of a royal purple around the edging with an oval gem mounted in the center. The gem was also royal purple, and inside Geth could see the hint of a floating white me.


    ''Albus, you''re looking good!'' Geth thought to his partner.


    ''It isn''t just my looks that have changed.'' A deep and handsome voice spoke directly into Geth''s mind.


    ''ALBUS!?'' He eximed.


    ''That''s right, the power of the Mana inside of me has increased enough that I canmunicate with you directly. Also, take a look at your friend and wife.'' Albus directed.


    Geth looked over at hispanions, and couldn''t help but exim a bit in shock. Their Levels, HP, and Mana bars were clearly visible floating around them.


    Not only that, Geth was able to see their Grimoires! Filthy''s Grimoire was still a nice-looking, brow, leatherbound book. Zolis'' was fully ck, with red trim and a red gem in the center.


    Just as he was wondering if Zolis could see the same thing, she skipped over to him.


    "You must be Albus!" Zolis let out, looking directly at where Geth''s Grimoire was floating.


    Albus opened his cover to show the first page, :It''s nice to meet you formally: The flourishing words materialized on the cover page. Zolis giggled and turned back to her own Grimoire.


    "So you can''t speak with her directly?" Geth asked him out loud.


    ''No, but I can "speak" with her Grimoire clearly through the Mana now. So battle instructions will now be much easier to convey.'' Geth heard Albus'' voice in his mind again.


    Zolis had gone back to looking at her Grimoire, likely assigning Attributes from the Levels they had gained. Geth decided that he would look over his reward options and then do the same.


    :Congrattions User, for reaching Level 25 and earning a ss. Please Select a Reward.


    Option 1: +1 TP, +1 SP, ss specific item.


    Option 2: +3 TP, +3 SP:


    ''Albus, let''s go with Option 1.'' Geth thought. A light appeared in front of him as a small white chest appeared on the ground. He didn''t open it and looked at the next prompt.


    :Congrattions User, for being the first to reach Level 25 and earning a ss. Please select a reward.


    Option 1: +2 TP, +2 SP, 1 ss specific item.


    Option 2: +4 TP +4 SP:


    ''Let''s go with Option 1 again, Albus.'' Geth nced at the prompt briefly. He''d only beaten Zolis by a hair, it was time to admit that others were closing the gap that he''d earned from waking up early.


    Another sh of light, and another box formed in front of him. Still, he had two more prompts to go through.


    ***


    User has broken through a Major Level. Please select a Talent. Note; Talent Options have been reced with those suitable for both your ss, build, and fighting style.


    Option 1: Healer''s Light: User has taken on the duty of a healer. All healing Skills will receive an increase in effectiveness and decrease in Mana cost. Grants 10% extra effect and 10% reduced cost.


    Option 2: Protector''s Aura: User has taken on the duty of a protector. User gives off the feeling of a guardian. This feeling pours out to others, giving them the protection of the User. Grants those linked to User''s Grimoire 10% of User''s Physical resistance, Magical resistance, and HP recovery.


    ***


    ''Albus, Option 2 without a doubt.'' How better to protect those he cared about? This Option was essentially giving them free Attributes. Finally, it was time for hisst choice.


    ***


    User has chosen the Cleric ss. Please select the first ss-based Skill.


    Option 1: Mass Heal (250 MP)- User casts area of effect heal. The amount of healing is dependant upon Intelligence, Wisdom, and max HP.


    Option 2: Mass Blessing (200 MP)- User casts area of effect Skill that can buff one Attribute for a specific amount of time. The amount of the buff depends on Intelligence, while the amount of time depends on Wisdom. Blessings can not stack. The buff with the highest effect will prevail.


    ***

 Chapter 58: Effects of a Class Change

    Chapter 58: Effects of a ss Change


    Geth took in a sharp breath upon reading his options for choosing a ss Skill. ''Both of these have amazing effects, and there really isn''t one that''s better than the other.''


    The heal would be very useful when fighting with a party, but the buff was something that could be useful for multiple situations. After a very long hesitation, he finally decided on Mass Blessing.


    It was very regretful that he couldn''t take both Skills. He would be on the lookout for any enemies that would have the chance of dropping Mass Heal.


    He then turned to Albus and looked at his information page. He had 19 Attribute points to ce and definitely wanted to use his earned TP and SP for his new abilities.


    After noting that he''d received 10 AP for reaching Level 25, he quickly threw 7 points into both Defense and Wisdom, while he threw the other 5 into Intelligence.


    Next, he opened up the white marble chests that had appeared before him. Inside of one was a white glowing orb that reminded him of a Mana Core. Inside the other was a white robe that had purple trim around its edges. It matched Albus quite well.


    :Robe of Magnus (Epic); Gives +25 Wisdom, +20 Defense, +15 Intelligence. This robe was once owned by a genius spellcaster. It does not provide as much Defense as te armor, but it can strongly increase one''s spellcasting capabilities. Sockets avable: 3


    Spirit Orb (Rare); When installed into an item socket, increases Mana by 500. This Orb was crafted by a skilled apprentice Enchanter using gems found in a gem mine:


    The rewards were enough to make Geth''s eyes open wide. Just the Attributes from the two items were worth over 20 Levels. ''It looks like one day, gear will be just as important, if not more important, than someone''s Level in a fight.''


    He quickly socketed the Spirit Orb into the robes and donned them. He felt a bit silly like he was cosying some character in a game.


    He then looked over at Zolis, who was strapping on some ck te armor to her thighs and shins. She was beginning to look more and more like some type of warrior, he wondered what ss options she''d received.


    With the 8 TP he had he upgraded his new Talent, Protector''s Aura twice. He used one of his 4 SP to upgrade Mass Blessing as well, leaving him with 3 saved Skill Points.


    After everything was said and done, he looked over his Attributes and Skills. While doing so, he didn''t miss the massive increase in experience needed to Level.


    ***


    Geth: Level 25


    Exp: 173/100,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 1110 +100 (Rec. 3.56/Second)


    MP- 1005 +600 (Rec. 4.04/Second)


    Strength- 5 +5 (P.Damage/Stamina Recovery)


    Agility- 5 +5 (Mov.spd./Dexterity/Reflexes)


    Defense- 59 +32 (HP/P.Res./HP Rec.)


    Wisdom- 66 +40 (MP/M.Res./Mana Recovery/Processing Speed/Memory)


    Intelligence- 20 +35 (MP/M.Dmg./Learning Speed)


    Points Avable:


    TP- 0 (Talent Points)


    SP- 3 (Skill Points)


    AP- 0 (Attribute Points)


    Talents:


    Recovery (Max)


    Mana Sense (Lvl 3)


    Reflection (Lvl 2)


    Thick Skin (Lvl 0)


    Protector''s Aura (Lvl 2)


    Skills:


    Inspection (Lvl 1)


    State Change; Earth (Lvl 2)


    Restoration (Lvl 3)


    Corruption Aura (Lvl 3)


    Barrier (Lvl 0)


    Mass Blessing (Lvl 1):


    While they were heading towards the old Gourmand room, Geth and Zolis told Filthy about the ss change. He was only a few hundred experience from Level 25 and would go through it himself after the next room clear.


    Geth gave the two of them a general summation of his Cleric ss and told them that he wanted to try the buff before they stormed the next room. Zolis had chosen another basic ss called Fighter.


    She had also been given the choices of Warrior and Knight. Warrior had offered her high Strength and light Defense. The Fighter ss she''d chosen gave her Strength and Agility.


    She also said that her new Talent naturally made her attacks area of effect, though the area wasn''t huge. On top of that, the new Skill that she chose was an area of effect ability, but she wouldn''t say what it was.


    ''I guess that she intends to go entirely for a mob farming build.'' Geth thought. It wasn''t a bad thing, but she would likely start to fall behind on single target damage in the future.


    Filthy had fallen silent, trying to think ahead to what kind of ss he would want to choose. Agility was a must, but he wasn''t sure which direction he would go for theplimentary Attribute.


    It didn''t take long for them to reach the next chamber. While they were still some ways from the entrance, Geth asked which Attribute they would like for him to buff. Both had answered with Agility.


    Geth focused on the Rune for Mass Blessing in his mind. 8 small Runes were surrounding the onerger Rune for the spell. Three of those Runes were greyed out and unavable.


    The other 5 each represented an Attribute, luckily Albus was able to teach him which Rune matched which Attribute. Geth focused on the smaller Rune for Agility and cast the spell.


    Arge formation appeared on the ground, expanding for almost 25'' in every direction of where he was standing. Light shined below the three of them momentarily before the formation faded away.


    Geth and Zolis were clearly able to see the effects of the buff hovering like a small icon over everyone''s health bars. Filthy had to look into his Grimoire.


    The effect was a boost of 23 Agility thatsted for 31 minutes. Geth was quite satisfied with the results, and he became much faster than before.


    "Well, I guess I won''t hold us back too much in our travels from now on." Heughed at his joke. The other two ignored him as they admired the effects of the buff.


    Without waiting for him, the two of them rushed into the new chamber. It wasn''t very dangerouspared to thest, just a handful of the stronger Assassins and Mages. The rest were Level 15''s with the asional swordsman among them.

 Chapter 59: Earthquake

    Chapter 59: Earthquake


    Geth decided to watch from the edge. A Barrier or Restoration from time to time was the most help he could be. Zolis wiped over half the room with her first Skill. She mmed her hammer down, causing mes to erupt.


    What surprised Geth was the second effect. The ground began to shake. Strong ripples forced their way in a circle around her, causing the ground to warp and bend. Multiple Goblins fell to the ground as the mes overtook them.


    The quaking didn''t just stop at the first ripple. It continued, a wave every second for 5 seconds, each losing a bit of power until thest faded away. Zolis had sent a message through her Grimoire and Albus.


    ''She said that the Skill is called Earthquake. It does a set amount of damage based on her Strength, and the distance and number of ripples are based on her Intelligence.'' Albus informed him.


    He was quite impressed by the wide variety of Skills that the Mana could provide them. Geth thought about it as he cast Barrier behind the Goblins running from Filthy.


    The sudden appearance of the barrier caused them to m into it, making it easy for Filthy to pick them off. Geth could see that he''d already reached Level 25.


    ''I wonder how the other 3 are doing, they may actually reach Level 25 on their own as well. Our group should reach 26 or close to it by the time we meet up.'' Geth nced at the experience needed again.


    100,000 experience per level meant that it would take half a million to reach Level 30. It also made him realize how much of a difference there was between himself and the Direwolves.


    Originally, Geth had nned on staying 1 Major Level above his subordinates at all times. It looked as if he would have to set that idea to the side for now.


    Zolis and Filthy quickly cleared the entire room. Close to 400 creatures had died in a matter of moments. Between her new ss, levels, and ss appropriate item, Zolis had jumped up over 30 points in Strength.


    The damage from Ring of Fire was much more than before, not including the Earthquake that she could stack with it. Of course, she only had so much Mana so she would have to be smart about using them.


    Zolis ran up to Geth and spoke with him while Filthy was working on his ss change. "What do you think? It''s a bit costly, but the effects were nice."


    Geth nodded, "Yes if the quake hits first, it can cause enemies to struggle when avoiding the me wall. Just make sure to be conservative with your Mana."


    She smiled and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, then ran off to start collecting all of the Mana Cores. Geth looked at the number of them, then began to fill his emptied Satchel with the weapons.


    "I really need to upgrade our storage eventually." He sighed. 100 pounds wasn''t a lot when it came to the more than one thousand weapons they had collected so far. "Bruce is going to have a lot of work ahead of him."


    Another boon from this ce was that he had enough weapons to arm everyone in both Dungeons. They had been very sessful so far.


    Even so, Geth was still concerned about the Boss. Its level would likely be nothing to scoff at. The six of them would have to do their best to take it down.


    It didn''t take long for them to finish collecting the materials. In the middle of it, the same blinding light shined from Filthy.


    His Grimoire took on a deep green color with golden yellow trim. The stone in the middle was a translucent yellow.


    When Filthy opened up the chest he''d gotten as a reward, a longbow could be seen sitting inside. The bow looked like it was made from the ashes of burnt wood. There were two separate strings on it, Geth really didn''t know the difference.


    Its height was close to 4'', much shorter than a traditional longbow. For some reason, Geth didn''t think that would affect its range of power.


    Filthy hung the weapon on his back, there was a clip built onto his quiver that could be used for holding it. His old bow had been too crudely made to fit.


    Geth stored the bow that he had made himself and the chest from the new weapon, then they started dumping equipment in the Gourmand room. This process of killing and shuttling weapons continued until all of the small rooms had been cleared.


    As Geth had expected, he and Filthy had barely reached 26. Zolis was already around halfway to 27. The other three had all made it to 25 and selected their sses. It was time to check out the tworger tunnels.


    While Filthy was scouting, Geth gathered information from the others to prepare for the uing battle. Hulk had chosen the Knight ss, while Harris and Farris had both gone with Warrior.


    Hulk had donned a very nice-looking chest te, Farris was wearing a horned leather helmet, and Harris was carrying a long two-handed sword. They gave Geth the loot crates they had found in the caverns.


    Since he still had time to wait, he opened the chests they had given him plus the ones found by his own group. Mostly, there were Skill cards. 7 more Sight cards, 2 of the Curse cards, and a Fireball card.


    Geth chose to learn the Curse Skill, then stored the rest to add as Contribution Rewardster. The Curse Skill would reduce an enemy''s highest Attribute at the cost of 5 Mana per second.


    The downside was that Geth would have to concentrate on only that spell to use it. There weren''t many situations for it, but he could use it to help one of his party members in the future.


    Filthy finally made it back with a report. His face was dark, and Geth knew that his assumptions about the Boss must have been correct.

 Chapter 60: Plan

    Chapter 60: n


    "This is going to be tough, even with all of us having sses now." Filthy got straight to the point. "The two paths both lead to the boss room, but each path is guarded by Level 30 creatures. I was barely able to get a glimpse of the Boss itself, and it seemed to be a Level 35 melee ss."


    "The Level 30 creatures each had around 20,000 HP and the Boss had just over 50,000." He finished up with a description of the creatures. "The Level 30''s were therger version of Hobgoblins. The boss, however, wasn''t asrge. It was maybe 7'' tall and had four arms, each wielding a sword."


    Everyone in the group began to frown, they were d they weren''t fighting some giant, but the Goblin didn''t sound weak at all. Even if their proficiency and abilities had risen, none of them were expert fighters.


    "Well, we''vee this far. The entire Dungeon has been cleared except for the Boss room. We have to make a choice of whether to proceed or to go back." Geth nced at Filthy and Zolis who both nodded, looking a bit excited for the fight toe.


    He then turned towards the other three. "Hulk, Harris, Farris. This fight will bepletely different from our fight with Gourmand. I can''t promise that you''ll live." While saying this, he looked each one of them in the eyes and waited for their decision.


    Hulk stepped forward on his own. "We''vee this far, mostly thanks to you. I won''t abandon you in thest stretch. On top of that, if we can''t finish this, what would be of my family? I won''t have my children be killed by some Goblin in their sleep."


    There wasn''t a hint of doubt in his eyes, he wanted to proceed. Geth shifted his gaze to the two brothers, waiting to hear their decision.


    Harris looked over at his brother first, Farris looked back and nodded. They didn''t say anything, but the two of them stepped forward in the same motion.


    "It looks like everyone understands the risks." Geth nodded and then looked over to Filthy. "Will we be able to lure the tworger beasts away? Where are they located in ordance to the entrances?"


    Filthy thought for a moment and then pulled an arrow from his quiver. He drew an oval in the dirt that Geth assumed was the Boss chamber. Grabbing a few rocks that were near him, he ced them in the drawing and then marked the entrances.


    "I wasn''t able to get a good view, but I could make out the center areas of the chamber. Against the back wall, here." He pointed towards the back center of the oval. "Is close to where the Boss is."


    "There is a waterfalling down into arge pond, the Boss looked like it was meditating in the center." The shaft of the arrow moved and sat over the other two stones that were next to each other. "The two Level 30 creatures are just standing in the center of the cavern."


    "Therger Hobgoblins have no weapons, but their size is nothing to scoff at. They were both at least 12'' tall and wearing some type of studded leather armor. Their position is approximately 100 yards from the entrance, the Boss is around 250 yards."


    Filthy finished the briefing and Geth stared at the map for some time. "Filthy, Zolis, how fast would you be running at full speed?"


    "I could probably cover 100 yards in about 5 seconds" Filthy answered.


    Zolis thought for a moment. "It would probably take me 7. If you buffed us with Agility we could probably both knock a second off."


    Geth then looked over at Hulk. "You chose the Knight ss, where are your stats sitting right now?"


    "Well, I wasted some in the beginning so I''ve got 15 Agility and Wisdom, 25 Intelligence, 35 Strength, and 52 Defense. With my gear included my Strength is close to 50 and my Defense is over 75." Hulk responded.


    "Harris, Farris, what are your Defenses sitting at including equipment?"


    "40"


    "52"


    Geth nodded and looked at the map again. "Zolis, I want you to sprint to the Hobgoblin on the left and get its attention. Filthy, do the same on the right but make sure not to outpace Zolis."


    "You will each lead your target back to the entrances that you came from. Hulk, you will be waiting here for Zolis." Geth pointed at the left-hand entrance.


    "Harris, Farris, you will be waiting here near the right-hand entrance for Filthy. Alternate tanking the creature while Filthy helps kill it quickly." Geth instructed. "Hulk, are you good tanking on your own?"


    He shrugged, "I''mfortable with it, but I don''t think the brothers have quite enough Defense."


    "I''ll handle that," Geth replied. "Now, just make sure that everyone enters the Boss chamber at the same time, if anyone gets left out, we probably won''t survive."


    "Filthy, how long will it take for us to walk to the end of the tunnels, and would we be able to see each other from the opposing entrances?"


    Filthy answered quickly, "Two minutes at most, and yes it''s a bit of an angle but we will be able to see each other clearly."


    "Very well, everyone will rush into the room on my third count and start with the n immediately."


    Harris looked up from the small map. "What if the boss reacts?"


    "I''ll be taking care of the Boss," Geth said. "Just kill your beasts as quickly as possible, I''m not sure how long I can hold it back. When one Hobgoblin is dead, team up on the other and take it out quickly."


    Everyone looked up at him a bit worriedly. They knew that he was strong, but they were all essentially the same Level. They all knew that there was no way in hell they could attempt to tank a Boss almost 10 levels over them.


    "Geth, are you sure about that..?" Hulk asked him.


    Geth just looked at him, then noticed the expression on the other''s faces as well. He didn''t see what the big deal was. "Yeah, I''ll be fine." He shrugged.

 Chapter 61: Defense Buff

    Chapter 61: Defense Buff


    The brothers looked at him incredulously while Zolis rolled her eyes. He hadn''t let his face slip much in this Dungeon. The other three didn''t realize how little Geth cared about the situation. She knew that he felt like tanking the Boss would be the same as tanking the Hobgoblins.


    Geth was quite satisfied. Before he had learned about the ss changes and reviewed his new Attributes, he was worried. Now, as long as everyone did their part, he believed he could give them a wless victory.


    "All right, everyonee and stand around me," Gethmanded as he moved to the center of the two tunnels.


    Everyone gathered around Geth and he closed his eyes. His focus turned towards the small Rune indicating Defense as he cast Mass Blessing.


    The Rune started to heat up in his mind as liquid waves from the Mana pool reached up to cool it. Arge formation formed around him as a yellow mist surrounded the group.


    Everyone''s HP jumped up 250 points as their Defense rose by 25 and health regen went up by almost 0.5 per second. Hulk and the brothers were amazed, while even Zolis and Filthy were surprised by the effects.


    "Alright, if we hurry to the room we will have just under 29 minutes of Blessing for the battle. Split up and don''t waste any time. Once in position, move in on my signal." No one wasted any time in heeding Geth''s orders.


    Filthy, Harris, and Farris went down the right tunnel. Zolis, Hulk, and Geth took the left. Zolis grabbed Geth''s hand while they were walking. She knew he was confident, but this still wouldn''t be easy.


    She thought of the kids and her eyes teared up slightly when she imagined them growing up without Geth or herself. Geth noticed this and smiled, he instantly knew what she was thinking about.


    He ced his palm on her cheek and wiped away the small tear that had formed under her eye. "Don''t worry so much, if we can''t handle some simple Goblins how could we expect to give them a future?"


    She stared as he let out one of his rarely seen smiles. It wasn''t a part of his mask, he was genuinely happy that she cared so much for their children.


    Zolis couldn''t help but straighten her back up and smile back at him. Her excitement for the uing battle began to take over again. Looking at him, she felt that nothing would be able to stop them as long as she was by his side.


    In turn, Geth knew that he wouldn''t be able to proceed without her. In their previous life and now, he built how he lived with her in mind. If she wasn''t there to support him, he would lose more than half of his capabilities.


    They soon reached the end of the tunnel. Two hulking figures could be seen far into the center of the room. Both creatures'' backs were facing the entrances, their faces pointing towards the waterfall.


    Geth could make out the other creature sitting in the pond. Four swords crossed each other in a star pattern, in front of the Goblin''s muscr chest. It looked as if the monster had been built for fighting.


    He nced at the two beside him, both of them nodded in his direction. He then looked across the cavernous room and found that the others were watching him.


    Geth raised his hand high into the air. Everyone''s muscles tensed, all of them were ready to take action. He looked one more time, seeing that everyone was ready, he waved his hand hard towards the ground.


    At once, everyone took off. It was time to fight.


    Geth didn''t have time to watch what the others were doing. He made a beeline straight for the Boss. As he''d expected, it opened its eyes the moment the barriers locked the party in.


    He was the closest one to the monster, instantly attracting its attention. Before long, Geth had sprinted over 150 yards, putting the creature within range of his Inspection Skill.


    ''Filthy must have some kind of Talent that enhances his vision'' Geth thought.


    :Chief Goblin Bane (Level 35); HP- 52500/52500:


    Now that he''d experienced a ss change, he was able to visibly see the HP and MP bars floating above the Boss'' head. He still wasn''t able to see the numerical value of the enemy''s MP.


    ''Damn this will be way more convenient than trying to read in the middle of a battle. Albus, what do I need to do to see MP values?'' He asked.


    ''The next Level of Inspection will offer that.'' It was a simple answer.


    There wasn''t much time for conversation, whenever Geth came within 50 yards of the pond Bane leaped from the small rock in the center. Itnded at the edge and sprinted in Geth''s direction.


    ''Fast!''


    Geth barely had time to block with his staff as two des mmed down towards his head. The other two des swung from opposite directions towards his chest.


    While jumping back, he managed to dodge one of the des but the other cut into his side.


    :Geth (Level 26); HP- 1422/1460:


    The wound was quickly closing, but if he were to take all four des at once he would take over 120 damage. He needed to create some distance between the two of them and maintain it, holding aggro at the same time.


    An opportunity soon presented itself. As the Chief Goblin was preparing for the next attack, the ground began shaking beneath their feet. The boss looked towards where the shaking had originated.


    "Zolis," Geth muttered. She had unknowingly given him a chance.


    He quickly cast State Change beneath one of the Boss'' legs, causing its foot to sink. The sudden loss of footing startled the Chief and it had to stab its swords into the ground to keep from stumbling.


    Geth didn''t waste any time circling the Boss and swinging his staff at the back of its head. At the same time, he cast Corruption Aura.


    THWACK!


    The Chief Goblin let out an angry yell, which sounded more like a pig squealing. First, he had smacked the Boss in the back of the head. Just after that, the tick of damage from his Aura caused it even more pain.


    He''d properly done his job in pissing it off.

 Chapter 62: Holding Aggro

    Chapter 62: Holding Aggro


    Geth was a bit surprised at the increased range to his Aura. The damage had only increased to 24 per tick, but the range had extended to almost two yards.


    Even with the Chief Goblin''s range from its long arms, it couldn''t quite cover that distance. ''If I can keep it at the edge of my range I''ll be fine.''


    :Chief Goblin Bane (Level 35); HP- 52446/52500:


    Still, Geth groaned at the low amount of damage that he''d managed. He knew that no one else could have taken the Boss'' hit so well, but if he were alone it would take ages to kill this thing. Even his Reflection Talent was almost useless, 3 percent of 38 was barely over 1 damage reflected.


    After taking damage, the Boss quickly regained its bnce and dislodged its swords. It turned to sprint at Geth.. and mmed right into a semi-transparent wall.


    The wall was 11'' tall and wide and hosted a solid 219 HP.


    ''Barrier must be included as one of the Cleric ss spells.'' He thought, looking at the additional 10% size and health, along with the 10% lower Mana cost.


    Chief Goblin Bane didn''t take kindly to his face mming into the Barrier. It brandished its swords, taking the wall down with five strikes.


    It didn''t take long, but it was enough time for Geth to cast another Barrier behind it. He made sure to consistently maintain a 6'' distance to keep his Aura damage going.


    ''This may not be a fair fight but it has certainly pissed the guy off. Once the others get here I should be able to maintain aggro easily.''


    The two of them went like this for a few more rounds. Geth would slightly back up and cast Barrier each time the Boss would crack the previous one.


    One time, the Chief had tried going around the Barrier but Geth cast it again, blocking him in. With Barrier still being Level 0, and the 10% reduction from his ss, it only cost him 36 MP to cast.


    He could go on like this for a while, with his MP recovering by 4 per second, the cost was actually closer to 27 MP per Barrier. As he was going over the numbers, the Boss shattered another Barrier. Of course, he simply cast it again.


    This time wasn''t the same, the Chief stopped for a moment. Geth could see its MP bar slowly beginning to decrease.


    Fumes began to appear in the air around its four swords, soon spreading around the monster as well. Momentster, mes erupted from the swords!


    ''Ahhh shit. Why is it ALWAYS fire?'' Geth spat on the ground in annoyance.


    The Chief shed at the most recent Barrier with two of its des,pletely shattering it from the strike.


    "Fuck."


    Geth quickly cast another, which was demolished just as quickly. The back and forth had be much more fierce.


    His Mana was depleting as he cast Barrier left and right, every 5 seconds the tick from his Aura would do another 24 damage. The Boss'' MP was also draining quickly, but it would still have a bit over half by the time Geth was bottomed out!


    There was no time to nce back and check on his party. He was constantly jumping backward or to one side to avoid the me. Each time a Barrier shattered he would hastily throw up another.


    The dance between the two continued for some time, Geth only had a few hundred MP left. The Boss was just a bit under three quarters, its HP had been chipped down under 50,000.


    :Chief Goblin Bane (Level 35); HP- 49981/52500:


    asionally, the mes would brush past him, causing a very low amount of damage. Luckily, Reflection''s minimum damage was 1, so every time he took damage so would the Boss.


    At this point, Geth was no longer recklessly casting Barriers. After one was shattered, he would block, dodge, and tank attacks for a few seconds before casting another. This gave his recovery enough time to make the Barrier spell almost free.


    This came at a cost though. His right side was doing fine from blocking with his staff. On his left side, he had to use his arm to block fatal blows.


    He was tanky enough that the Chief couldn''t lop off his arm, the bone wouldn''t break so easily. It was a different story for his skin and muscles.


    The skin on his left forearm was nearly gone. His muscles, smoldering from the me, were tearing and bone could be seen beneath. Geth didn''t dare use the 90 MP to cast Restoration just yet, he would wait until his bone started to crack.


    :Geth (Level 26); HP- 892/1460:


    After he blocked another strike with his left arm, he cast Barrier and tried to create distance again. There were about 40 seconds left in this round of Corruption Aura, he couldn''t afford to cast it again.


    The damage to the Boss stagnated after that, the only thing keeping it from recovering was Reflection constantly causing it 2-4 damage. Geth was at a major disadvantage.


    Chief Goblin Bane swung two of his swords at one, the des finally causing the bone Geth''s forearm to crack. He quickly cast Restoration, the soothing light alleviating the pain that almost caused him to drop to his knees.


    The bone quickly mended, the smoldering stopped, and the muscles and tissues began to quickly heal themselves. 61 HP recovered instantly when the spell was cast and a thin membrane covered his body that would block the next 37 damage.


    For the next 75 seconds, Geth fought against the Chief. He would tank blows that would instantly heal on the next tick, blocking and counter-attacking with his staff every chance he could. Instead of casting Barrier, he would randomly cast State Change to trip up the Boss and give himself openings.


    It wasn''t much, but he caused a few hundred damage with all of the bashing. Still, it barely seemed to bruise the Goblin, and Geth was losing HP and MP a bit faster than he was recovering.


    This all-out brawl continued for the next 3 minutes. Geth couldn''t cast another Restoration. On top of that, his current one only had a few ticks left. His HP had dropped below 500.


    Just as things started to look grim, an arrow pelted itself into the Goblin''s shoulder!

 Chapter 63: Intense Fight

    Chapter 63: Intense Fight


    The distraction from the arrow gave Geth enough time to throw up a Barrier and retreat. Of course, it wasn''t long, but it helped. By the time the Chief focused its attention back on Geth and the Barrier he''d had another tick of healing and regained some MP.


    Geth nced towards where the arrow hade from and he saw that the entire party had made it unscathed, he sighed in relief. They were only 50 yards away or so.


    The Boss had looked behind him, but seeing the party wasn''t enough to redirect its fury. As it shattered the barrier, Geth saw Hulk lean unnaturally far forward with his shield.


    When he was almost parallel with the ground, his body sprang forward like it had been shot from a cannon. The man flew for thest 25 yards and his shield smashed into the back of the four-armed boss.


    The Chief was startled and lost its bnce, stumbling a couple of steps forward but not falling. Geth took the opportunity to create some more distance while yelling towards Hulk.


    "Do you think you can tank it?" Geth called.


    Hulk yelled back, "I can give you two minutes at most!"


    Geth nodded and created more distance while casting another Barrier. Hulk''s shield momentarily shined red and the boss''s aggro was instantly changed.


    ''An aggro Skill?'' Geth thought with intrigue. ''Something like that would keep me from having to bait for so long.''


    It was like the Chief hadpletely forgotten about him for the moment. Based on Hulk''s response, Geth assumed that the Skill would hold aggro for two minutes, and then the Boss would go back to its most hated target.


    ''Two minutes is more than enough. I can recover over 400 MP even after casting Restoration on Hulk once.''


    Another arrow fired at Chief Bane from a distance, this time hitting it in the front of the same shoulder. It looked as if Filthy was trying to cripple one of its arms.


    Geth watched as Hulk blocked two des with his shield and parried another with his sword. The fourth deing from the creature''s injured arm seemed to have lost some power. It still struck Hulk in the thigh, causing 60 damage.


    ''If all of its arms can be crippled like that, I should be able to tank with no issue.'' He thought, noticing that Zolis had just appeared beside him.


    "What is this monster''s deal? You look pretty beaten up." She grimaced and nodded towards his heavily scarred left arm.


    "You can see the mesing from its des. They are consuming its MP quickly, I was only able to burn him down close to half.


    We need to make the thing burn through its Mana and the rest of the fight should be easy. Get closer to Filthy and send him a message to keep crippling its arms.


    Hulk and I will alternate tanking while the brothers whittle it down from behind. The moment it runs out of MP get in and start dealing heavy damage." Geth gave his instructions quickly and Zolis didn''t waste time taking off.


    The brothers had just gotten to Hulk. Harris and Farris were standing on each side of him, when they could do so safely they would block one of the Boss'' strikes. Even after blocking, all of them would take a bit of damage over time due to the reach of the mes.


    Geth nodded, the three had definitely learned to better fight as a group.


    ''Albus, he should have 30 seconds of aggro left. Inform the three of them to deal as much damage as possible to its arms while I tank. Also, tell Hulk to only grab aggro every five minutes.''


    ''Very well.'' Albus responded calmly.


    The brothers nced his way and nodded a momentter. Hulk didn''t respond, he couldn''t afford to be distracted. Geth cast Restoration on him to let the shield give him some reprieve.


    He could tell that the man felt relief as he started to be more aggressive with his movements. ''15 seconds to go.''


    The Boss had already lost a few thousand health, bringing it very close to 45,000. Filthy''s arrows were doing a few hundred per hit, one of them had hit for over 800.


    Time was up. The Chief red for a split second at Hulk and then turned to charge at Geth.


    ''I guess I really did piss it off.'' He chuckled as he raised his staff to block the swords that were already being directed at his neck. The other two bit into his freshly healed arm, ripping the recently repaired skin apart.


    Geth could tell that the attacks had been greatly weakened. Even though his flesh was cut, the des barely bit into his muscle. The fight had be much easier.


    The trio had already closed in on the Chief, hacking at the backs of its four shoulders. Its physical resistance was extremely high, but the constant attacks were enough to wear it down.


    Chief Bane''s HP dropped gradually while Geth was tanking. ''Once Zolis joins this should be over quickly.''


    :Chief Goblin Bane (Level 35); HP- 40,752/52500:


    Three shes to its top left shoulder.


    :Chief Goblin Bane (Level 35); HP- 34,361/52500:


    Two more arrows to its right bicep.


    :Chief Goblin Bane (Level 35); HP- 28,448/52500:


    BANG! An up-close hit from Hulk''s shield charge.


    :Chief Goblin Bane (Level 35); HP- 19,962/52500:


    At this point, the Chief''sst quarter of MP plummeted to 0 all at once. The monster''s body slowly began to erge as his skin turned into a pale red.


    It was Hulk''s turn to tank and he still had about 10 seconds left. Chief Bane''s swords erupted into a muchrger me as the creature swung all four down onto Hulk at once.


    Hulk raised his shield above his head, bracing with both hands. Geth quickly cast Barrier twice between the shield and the iing swords.


    The Barriers were smashed through instantly, arge explosion urred blinding everyone in the area.

 Chapter 64: Fall of Bane

    Chapter 64: Fall of Bane


    "Hulk!" The brothers both shouted out at once. As the dust started to fade, he was nowhere to be seen.


    "Look out!" Geth yelled at them. The Chief didn''t run back towards Geth, it sprinted straight towards Harris. Geth was close so he jumped in between them after slowing the Boss with multiple Barriers.


    Chief Bane crashed through all of the Barriers, barrelling straight towards Geth. He used thest of his MP to cast Restoration and Corruption Aura on himself, then braced for impact.


    As the Chief was running at him its back was being filled with arrows. Filthy no longer bothered aiming for vital points and just dished out damage as fast as he could.


    Geth swung out with his staff at the same moment the Boss swiped at him with all four swords. The impact slid his body sideways several feet. His protective membrane shattered and he took over 200 damage.


    The Boss wouldn''t let him go that easily, dashing to the side and following up with another swing. Just as Geth was bracing himself to be tossed again, a loud cracking sound could be heard.


    The Chief flew past him, skidding to a stop after almost four yards. Zolis was standing where the monster had just been.


    Geth nced back, looking at Chief Bane''s health. It had lost over 3500 from just that one strike! Blood poured down from the monster''s backside as it struggled back to its feet.


    ''Ahh, I see. Her hammer smashed in multiple of Filthy''s arrows that had slightly pierced its muscles.'' Geth realized. Chief Bane was taking bleeding damage every second. ''It must have pierced some of its internal organs as well.''


    The brothers, still blind with rage, ran over and began to rain blows onto the monster. Geth and Zolis didn''t waste time in joining their beatdown.


    :Chief Goblin Bane (Level 35); HP- 14126/52500:


    Bang! A hammer to the head.


    :Chief Goblin Bane (Level 35); HP- 9426/52500:


    Squelch! Geth smashed his staff, driving more arrows deeper into the creature''s back.


    :Chief Goblin Bane (Level 35); HP- 3682/52500:


    The Chief waspletely battered, it couldn''t even stand again. The mes from its swords had long since died out. It let out the sounds of a dying pig as it writhed and was brutally beaten.


    It wasn''t long before it had let out itsst squeal, Geth barely managing to get thest hit. Really, it had been his Aura that took thest of its 12 HP from Zolis'' previous attack.


    "Congrattions User, for defeating a Boss-type monster. Please select a reward. Options avable will be based on performance."


    "Congrattions User for clearing a Team Dungeon. Please select a reward. Options avable will be based on performance."


    Filthy wandered over and stood beside Geth. The two brothers and Zolis all looked dejected, not even looking at their rewards. They were just standing there, staring sadly at the bloody mess of the monster before them.


    Geth suddenly startedughing loudly, quickly earning the ire of those around him. Harris'' face turned beet red and yelled.


    "Was this your n all along? To use us as cannon fodder!!"


    Geth just shook his head and pointed behind the three of them. Harris and Farris quickly turned, jumping backward at the sight before them.


    Some type of monster was crawling out from a deep puddle of mud near where they were standing. As it stood it bellowed at the two brothers.


    "You two buffoons think you can count me out just like that?!" Hulk yelled at hisrades yfully.


    "But... How..? We all saw that monster smash you to dust!?" Farris yelled out.


    Hulk just startedughing and holding his belly. Once he''d gotten ahold of himself, he wiped his eyes and pointed towards Geth. "Just ask our bearded friend here."


    Everyone except for Filthy looked towards him questioningly.


    "I wasn''t sure whether or not he would survive thatst strike so I used almost all of my Mana to form a 7'' deep pool of mud below him. He simply sunk down so that the strike missed him." Geth shrugged, not understanding how they hadn''t alreadye to that conclusion.


    "It left me just enough for that final Restoration and Corruption Aura, but as you can see, it was effective."


    The light in the brothers'' eyes began to shine brighter as their respect for Geth soared to new heights. He just waved them away.


    "Alright, let''s get our rewards straight so that I can walk Hulk through how the Dungeon Crystal works. Zolis, collect the swords and clean up the body with your mes please." There was no sense in digging through the remains if she could just vaporize them.


    Everyone else walked well out of range before she began her work. Soon, a tall pir of mes erupted and spread out from near where the boss had died. During that time, Harris and Farris had ventured off to collect the loot from the two Level 30 creatures.


    Geth walked across the smoldering earth, looking at his wife who was standing smugly in front of a loot crate and some other items. Unbeknownst to her, she looked quite menacing standing amongst the ashes that were spread on the blood-stained ground.


    She ran up and grabbed his arm, dragging him hurriedly over to the loot. He smiled at how enthusiastic she was being.


    ''She must have found something good.'' He thought.


    When they made it over by the chest, she bent over to grab something off the ground. Of course, Geth couldn''t help but lean back a bit to admire the view. He even whistled at her for good measure.


    She quickly stood up, blushing brightly andughing, "You''re such a pervert."


    Geth just shrugged in acknowledgment.


    "Alright, quit your flirting," Hulk''s voice came from behind the couple. "What kind of haul did we get from this guy?"


    Zolis quickly turned from embarrassed to excited. She shed a Skill Card in front of everyone that depicted a ming sword.


    "It actually dropped the Skill that it was using on its weapons!" She said hurriedly. "The thing is, it only works with swords."

 Chapter 65: More Rewards!

    Chapter 65: More Rewards!


    She was a bit dejected while saying thatst line, but she knew it would still benefit Valha greatly. She handed the card over to Geth, waiting for his decision on what should be done with it.


    "Hulk, I would love to give this to you, but I don''t think that your build would allow it to be used to its full potential." Geth was a bit upset himself, none of their current party would find it useful.


    Hulk responded while waving his hands. "I would have rejected it anyway. Our builds have already been messed up, it would be better in someone else''s hands."


    Geth gave the man a grateful look as he stored the card. He then looked towards the Boss chest.


    It was quite ornate, a veryrge dark green chest with silver iys and hinges. It was at least two feet in height and width and had a length of four feet.


    He utched and threw the lid back, revealing an assortment of 10 items. ''Wow, I suppose Team Dungeons really aren''t stingy.''


    ''Well, you''ve beaten a Slime and now a Goblin Team Dungeon. Creatures don''t get much weaker than those so keep in mind that this is just minor loot.'' Albus responded after hearing his thoughts.


    Geth kept that in mind, he already thought that this chest was quite generous. He turned to the others.


    "The brothers should be here in a moment. I propose that we each get a choice of one item and the rest goes to the Contribution System."


    No one present had an issue with that. Gethid out 9 items in a neat disy while setting one to the side. It was arge circr tablet with a formation on it, it had a two-foot diameter and looked almost like the top of a coffee table.


    There were 10 rectangr slots around the outer edges of the circle. A series of intricately drawn lines and Runes connected them all to a single rectangr slot at the center of the table.


    "This item is not a part of the picking, it''s something necessary for Valha as a whole." He showed everyone the round tablet before reading its description out loud.


    "This is a transmutation table. If you can collect 10 of the same Skill Card, this is used to upgrade that card to the next rarity. It will destroy the original 10 ingredients, and cost a certain amount of Core experience."


    Everyone''s eyes widened, this was certainly a great asset for Valha. Geth admired the piece for a while longer before putting it to the side.


    ''I wonder what the Umon version of the Sight Skill is. Albus hinted earlier that Sight was the Common version of my Rare Inspection Skill.''


    What woulde after Inspection? He could already see tracks in the Mana, along with very cloudy and brief glimpses of history.


    It would still take a bit longer for the brothers to get back, so he decided to go through his rewards. ''Albus, if you don''t mind.''


    :Congrattions User, for clearing a Team Dungeon. Please select a reward.


    Note: User had the second-highest contribution. Options adjusted to match feats.


    Option 1: 3 TP, 3 SP, Rare item suitable for ss


    Option 2: 6 TP, 6 SP, 6 AP:


    ''Interesting, Zolis must have gotten first with how many Goblins she ughtered. Albus, let''s take Option 1.''


    The familiar light appeared in front of Geth and a small crate appeared on the ground. He opened it up to find a pair of white boots giving off a faint blue glow.


    :Boots of Light (Rare)- Gives wearer +15 Agility, +10 Defense, +10 Intelligence. A pair of boots crafted for magic users can help get to or get away from a battle quicker:


    "Ah, very nice!" Speed was something he''d beencking for a while now. ''Next, Albus.''


    :Congrattions User, for defeating a Boss-type monster. Please select a reward.


    Note: User had the highest contribution, and creature Level was higher than User. Options adjusted to match feats.


    Option 1: 4 TP, 4 SP, 2 random pieces of Rare equipment.


    Option 2: 8 TP, 8 SP, 8 AP:


    ''This time we''re going with Option 2, Albus.'' There was no way he could turn down the number of points offered and not regret itter. As long as they continued clearing Dungeons, there would be no shortage of gear for Valha.


    Geth also looked over the experience gained for defeating the Chief. He had gotten 72% of the experience from his efforts. Then with the 9x bonus from Level difference he''d gained just over 100k experience.


    Geth had instantly hit Level 27, putting himself slightly over Zolis again. She had also reached 27 from the fight, but not by much. Geth was already a quarter of the way to 28.


    ''It''s not like she''ll take long to pass me again.'' He chuckled. She was certainly going to gripe about itter.


    At that moment, Harris and Farris showed up. Hulk informed them of their deal for the loot, surprising the brothers who thought they would get nothing. A safe ce to live had been enough for them.


    Everyone lined up in the order that they had performed in the Dungeon. Zolis, Geth, Filthy, Hulk, Farris, and then Harris inst.


    Zolis walked forward and picked the pair of Epic bracers, they heavily boosted her Defense and Strength, with a small amount of Intelligence as well. Geth''s choice was a new Inventory Satchel that could store over 1000 pounds!


    Filthy chose a pair of Rare boots that enhanced his Agility and Defense. Hulk swapped his shield out for arger metal one that was Epic, massively increasing his Defense and slightly increasing his Strength.


    Harris chose a Rare vest that added Agility and Strength, along with light Defense. Farris grabbed a Rare horned helmet that added more Defense along with some strength.


    Everyone agreed unanimously that the rest should go towards the Contribution rewards. Both brothers and Hulk had decided that no matter what Gethmanded, they would abide by his rules.

 Chapter 66: Valhalla Expands!

    Chapter 66: Valha Expands!


    Feeling that he hadpletely gained their loyalty, along with showing them that he was to be feared, Geth felt more assured with their deal. Geth gestured to Hulk to follow him.


    He then picked up the Dungeon Crystal and walked to the center of the formation to begin the process.


    While walking over, Geth socketed the new Boss Core into his Robe of Magnus. Particles of light poured out of the core, quickly filling one of the two avable socket locations that lined his cor.


    The process didn''t take very long. The once empty socket now contained a neon green gem. Inside of the gem was a green mist that was constantly circling it. Geth checked the additional Attributes given by the robe.


    :Gem of Bane +250 HP, +150 MP, +25 Defense, +10 Agility:


    ''Another nice increase.'' He thought about the Attributes of the Chief and wondered how they were distributed into its core. Surprisingly, Albus didn''t answer. ''Maybe it isn''t information we have ess to right now.''


    Geth and Hulk made it to the center of the formation before he had time to ask Albus about it directly. From Geth''s Inventory Satchel, he poured out a hundred pounds worth of Goblin Cores.


    He''d already lent his 1000 pound bag to Harris and Farris to start bringing in all of the gear and cores they''d stored in Gourmand''s room. There were hundreds of thousands of experience worth of cores for upgrading the Dungeon.


    When the bag had been emptied, Geth pulled out the Dungeon Crystal.


    :Dungeon Crystal (Level 0) Experience 0/10,000


    Can be upgraded using Monster Cores.


    Owner- Geth


    Owner is already in possession of a higher Level Dungeon Crystal. Would you like to subordinate the current Dungeon to Level 2 Dungeon, Valha? Yes / No:


    "Yes."


    :Congrattions on obtaining subordinate Dungeon. Subordinate Dungeons are directly leveled in conjunction with the primary Dungeon, Valha. As this is arger Dungeon, the number of resource locations is greater.


    Five Options can be chosen for the current expansion. The expansion willmence once decisions have been made.


    Option 1: Simple Iron Mine


    Option 2: Simple Gem Mine


    Option 3: Simple Hunting Grounds


    Option 4: Simple Training Grounds


    Option 5: Basic Smithy


    Option 6: Basic Enchanter


    Option 7: Basic Tailor


    Option 8: Basic Tavern:


    After thinking over it for a few moments, Geth made up his mind. ''This ce should have the necessities, those can then be purchased from Valha with Contribution Points.'' He thought.


    ''Albus, let''s leave them with the Simple Iron Mine, Simple Hunting Grounds, Simple Training Grounds, the Basic Tailor, and the Basic Tavern.'' He listed his choices off. If his Subordinate Dungeons could take care of the basics, he could focus on Upgrading Valha for the rarer materials.


    He had thought about it for a while during his travels. If he were to upgrade the Iron Mine, would that mean they couldn''t get basic metals anymore? He couldn''t imagine Bruce using some type of Mythril or high-grade steel for making a simple cup or utensils.


    :Current inhabitants will be teleported outside as arrangements are made:


    Geth barely had time to read the words before he and everyone else were standing on the ground outside. They all looked around before focusing on the massive tree in front of them.


    The Dungeon entrance had changed quite a bit from its original hole in the ground. In front of them, it seemed as if the tree had grown twice its original size.


    A pair of beautiful wooden doors were embedded into the trunk of the tree. Roots came up from the ground in an arch, acting as a frame for the doorway. Vines now wrapped in a spiral around the tree, making it look as if it had been designed.


    A green gem was embedded in the center of the two doors. Before opening, Geth walked over to the trio and had them join the residency through the Dungeon Crystal.


    They entered the Dungeon through the trunk of therge tree, walking down thefortably shaped steps the roots provided. The light was much cozier than before, Geth looked at the familiar crystals embedded in the walls. There was no longer a need for torches.


    The spiraling steps carried them downward for a much further distance than before. Once they reached the bottom, they crossed a small threshold that led them to an opening. After passing through the opening, even Geth and Filthy couldn''t help but gasp in shock.


    The chamber they were standing in was enormous, forget acres, this thing was a couple of miles in diameter!


    Geth looked back behind him to see the massive trunk of the tree extending all the way to the ceiling. The stairs they''d climbed down were part of this tree!


    The tree was in the dead center of thend they were standing in. He looked around for a moment and found another set of stairs going upward to a balcony of branches high above them. These stairs were made from vines and wrapped upward around the trunk.


    He didn''t waste any time taking the lead and advancing towards the balcony. When they made it to the top of the stairway they were surprised once again.


    The balcony was made from hundreds of closely-knit branches extending in a circle around the trunk. More branches and vines did the same about 10 feet above them creating a roof-type structure, the thing reminded Geth of a treehouse.


    Hammocks of Vines hung all throughout the area from the ceiling and a short wall of branches lined the tform to keep people from falling off of the edge. Geth found what he was looking for on this wall, there was a small set of stairs leading to a smaller tform.


    On that tform was a familiar 5 sided crystal hovering just over a podium of branches. He quickly made his way over with the others following behind him.


    Once he made it to the tform, he activated the crystal and watched as a holographic disy appeared in front of him. Hulk and the brothers gasped, but the rest were used to the sight by now.

 Chapter 67: Will to Follow

    Chapter 67: Will to Follow


    Geth gave Hulk administrative privileges of the ce and stepped aside so that he could learn to navigate the screen. Hulk nodded in appreciation. It didn''t take him long to figure out some of the different functions and he quickly pulled up the Location tab.


    :Current Locations;


    Guardian Sanctuary (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Dungeon Inventory (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Barracks (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Farm (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Mine (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Tavern (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Tailor (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Training Grounds (Lvl 1) 0/100,000


    Hunting Grounds (Lvl 1) 0/100,000:


    An interactive map appeared in front of them, showing them the vastness of the ce. It was as if they were standing in an underground forest. What they were standing in was the Barracks. Surrounding the massive trunk reaching towards the cavern ceiling were 5 more massive trees.


    Each tree was marked as Training Grounds, Tailor, Tavern, Guardian Sanctuary, and Dungeon Inventory. Hulk tapped on the floating Rune above the Training Grounds.


    :Training Grounds (Lvl 1); A multi-floored training facility for the advancement of weapon proficiency. One floor will be added for each Level. Each floor increases proficiency 1% quicker than the previous.


    The current floor has wooden training dummies for practicing basic stances and uses of most weaponry. A small archery range is included:


    Geth thought that he should send some of the warrior types from the main branch over to practice and spar with Hulk and his men. While he was thinking this Hulk clicked on the Hunting Grounds that covered the entire cavern.


    :Hunting Grounds (Lvl 1); This Dungeon is naturallyrge, providing a vast amount ofnd. A teleportation formation has connected this area to the surface. This formation activates when small creatures pass over it, sending them to random areas in the Hunting Grounds.


    Only typical creatures based on Dungeon owner''s species will be transported. At the current level, only rabbits and small avians can be transported. Upgrade Hunting Grounds forrger game:


    Harris and Farris both whistled after reading that, they were avid hunters before, though more for sport. They still knew how to prepare and clean most game for meals.


    Hulk continued exploring the interactive map, finding that the Mine was off to the southern edge of thend. It happened to be right next to the farm area. Geth then gave him 3 of his Hobgoblin cores, 2 of the higher level Mage cores, and 2 higher level Assassin cores to set up his Guardians.


    Geth and Hulk walked over to view the different areas while the rest either lounged around or went exploring. Geth felt that his little cave could be better defended, but overall this section was much nicer.


    ''You shouldn''t have to wait long. As more cores are donated towards boosting the overall Dungeon level, an option should be avable for teleportation formations.'' Albus'' voice resounded in his mind.


    He nodded, remembering that Albus had mentioned something before about Dungeons being connected. ''Then we will just have to gather more cores. My intentions still haven''t changed.''


    ''I''ll conquer all of the Dungeons the Local Region has to offer.''


    ****


    While Hulk and Geth ventured around the new Dungeon. Harris and Farris set off to retrieve their families after a brief rest. The brothers were currently walking through the woods and talking about the events of the past couple of days.


    They wanted to set out immediately, but Hulk had made them get some sleep first. It wasn''t a bad idea, the events of the Dungeon Raidsted more than 30 hours. The entire party was worn out, the brief rest periods leaning up against the cave walls hadn''t done much for them.


    "I can''t believe how gracious Geth is, did you see the size of that ce?!" Farris asked. "Do you think that he''s actually going to conquer more?"


    Harris was walking with his hands behind his head, looking up at the sky. After seeing the beauty of the Mana stones and the formation on the ceiling of the cave, the sky itself had lost some of its natural beauty.


    "I believe that man can achieve anything he wants to," Harris responded after thinking about it for a moment. "I also believe that we can trust him as a leader, even if he''s only making decisions to better his own family''s position."


    He wasn''t quite as naive as his brother. Harris could tell from overhearing Geth''s and Hulk''s talks that his main goal was to stabilize the area to ensure his family''s safety. Either way, he would follow the man anywhere, he could tell Geth was the type of guy that would protect those loyal to him.


    Farris fell silently into his thoughts, thinking about what his brother has said. It didn''t matter to him what Geth''s reasoning was, he provided an opportunity to protect his family. Farris would do anything he could to pay the man back.


    They walked through the woods without saying much. It would be a few hours before they made it back to the Dungeon. Once they reached the camp in the next ten minutes or so, everyone would want to pack up their belongings.


    After that, getting the kids to stay still long enough to move them to the Dungeon would take a bit longer. It was fortunate that the size of the ce caused their Citizen capacity to increase. It was double that of the main Valha branch.


    Their group had just over 30 members including the children, and two of the women were pregnant. Hulk had looked for and gathered up as many of their neighbors as he could find after that first day that Geth had helped them out in the ins.


    When the duo wasn''t too far from the clearing their families were hiding, crying, and yelling could be heard from that direction. Harris and Farris nced at each other and took off in that direction.


    As they came within earshot, the two slowed down and hid behind one of the nearby trees. Harris poked his head around slightly to get a clear view of the situation.

 Chapter 68: Rage

    Chapter 68: Rage


    "--have a Dungeon to keep you safe, you can forget about your kids growing up. How about youe and warm my bed tonight? I''ll make a good step-daddy." Harris could see that the man talking was holding tightly to the arm of Hulk''s wife.


    Two men from his neighborhood wereying beaten and battered on the ground, he couldn''t tell if they were alive. There were two more men not far from the tree where the brothers were hiding. Both were holding onto two children with knives to their throats.


    One childy on the ground, Harris could see the blood pooling under him. He could also see the mother sobbing amongst the others from the neighborhood. It looked like the only thing holding the men back from acting were the two kids that were currently being held, hostage.


    One of the children was Hulk''s child, the other belonged to another of his neighbors. Harris was seething with rage. The child thaty on the ground wasn''t moving, he could assume the worst.


    Harries gestured to Farris to remain silent and sent a general idea of the situation to him through his Grimoire. Two of the enemies were Level 18 and the other was Level 20. He motioned to go around the other side of the trunk and get the drop on the two close to them.


    The big man spoke up again. "You women should havee quietly when de and Thorn asked kindly the other day. There are quite a few of us now, all I have to do is give the word and we will take you anyway."


    The men in the group gritted their teeth but knew the man was right. They weren''t strong enough, most of them being well under Level 15. Even if they were, they couldn''t tantly attack the men and let two more children die.


    Everyone''s eyes were ring at therge man as he finished ripping the top off of the woman''s chest. Her arm had already begun to bruise heavily under the man''s grip. He beganughing loudly as he fondled her breasts.


    Hisughs were loud enough that he didn''t hear two bodies dropping behind him. His eyes didn''t even have time to change from mocking to surprise as his world turned upside down.


    The man''s lifeless body fell limp as his head fell through the air, rolling away across the dirt. Hulk''s wife turned, the man''s painful grip had been reced with a gentle stroke as a cloak was draped over her shoulders.


    "It''s alright now." Harris patted her back and helped her pull the cloak over her bosom.


    Tears fell from the woman''s eyes as she buried her head into his chest, allowing the anger from the situation to finally die down into fear and sorrow. Farris was gently cradling the body of the fallen boy, tears could be seen slowly falling from his eyes.


    Farris cleaned the blood as well as he could and took the body over to the crying mother. No one could know how she was feeling, she had always been a very cheerful woman.


    She would regrly walk through the neighborhood smiling with the boy and a young girl trailing behind her. Her husband had died in a work ident years before, and she''d been a single mother since, refusing to go out until her children were grown.


    Everyone watched as Farris sank down on both knees, gentlyying the limp body before her. The womany down and held onto the child as her wails filled the clearing.


    Many of the women started crying as the men held tightly to them and their children. It was dangerous to make so much noise in this world, but at that moment no one cared. There were even long howls in the distance as if the wildlife could feel the woman''s anguish.


    Harris stepped away after Hulk''s wife, Sara, had calmed down a bit. He went to check on the two fallen men. Both of them were breathing, but barely, their wives sat by their sides crying. All around it was a very depressing scene.


    The two injured men would have to be carried to the Dungeon, and the body of the boy had to be buried. For now, he just let everyone shed their emotions. They had been strong since they''de to this world, the true cruelty had just now shown itself to them.


    While everyone was shedding tears, Harris walked over to the man that he had knocked unconscious and kicked him awake. The guy was still woozy and having trouble focusing his vision.


    Harris tossed the head of the big guy into hisp. Only then did the man quickly realize his situation.


    "Pl... Pl... Please forgive me. I didn''t know they were going to kill a child. W.. We were only sent here to recruit new mem--- bluahh!"


    The man puked blood onto the ground as Harris shoved his fist into the guy''s stomach. The puking man had barely seen his captor''s arms move, he was terrified!


    "You keep your fucking mouth shut and listen. Take this head back to de and Thorn. Tell them that if they evere near our people again.. they will have a simr look on their faces as their heads roll across the ground." Harris shoved the head into the man''s arms before kicking him to the side.


    Some of the men watched this happen and smirked satisfactorily at the man''s helplessness. They didn''t know how the brothers had be so strong, but they vowed they would do the same. Their families would never have to suffer such hardships again if they could also gain such power.


    Harris walked over to his own wife and two children and exined the situation to them. They were d to see he was okay, but even that joy couldn''t cover the pain they were feeling. The boy who died was one of his son''s friends and had spent a lot of time at their home.

 Chapter 69: No Room for Doubt

    Chapter 69: No Room for Doubt


    After a couple of hours, everyone had calmed down. Harris and another man carried the injured men, while Farris carried the body of the child. The boy''s mother and sister wouldn''t leave Farris'' side. Farris nned to bury the boy somewhere near the Barracks in the Dungeon, he wanted the mother to be able to visit often.


    And so they marched quietly through the woods, each person feeling the pain differently. Some decided to keep their families hidden, while most desired the power to destroy anyone who tried to harm them.


    Geth and Hulk had finished looking over the outskirts of the Dungeon. The two of them were wandering around while Geth would consistently use Inspection on the Dungeon''s formation.


    He had been really curious to know if he could glean any information from therger amount of Runes here. His interest in formations and Runes grew more and more as he further increased his knowledge of the Mana.


    While they were out, they''d manage to catch two rabbits that were wandering the forest. For the most part, they should be left alone to procreate, but it had been a while since either of the men had eaten meat.


    On the way back to the Barracks area, they ran into Filthy who was carrying a dozen rabbits neatly tied together on a vine. "You really like to show off don''t you?" Hulk asked.


    Filthy just shrugged. "Been a while since I''ve had meat, wanted to dry some jerky for when we leave here."


    Geth rubbed his beard thoughtfully, "That would certainly be great travel food. We will have to ask whoever''s going to man the tavern to keep packs up in the Contribution Rewards."


    The formation in the Dungeon Inventory could keep foods fresh for longer, it also seemed that the Inventory items had a simr feature. "It seems that the Mana had many different uses, I wonder if it will mostly rece science one day?" He wondered out loud.


    The others looked at him curiously. They also began wondering about this question.


    "I don''t know about all of that, I''m just d the gear and Mana cores that we''d saved up didn''t go to waste." Hulk blurted out.


    Geth had to agree, he was a bit worried about them since they were teleported before they could move it. The Formation had automatically sent it all to the Dungeon Crystal. He nned to upgrade the ce to Level 3 before heading to the next Dungeon.


    Also, the Crystal for this Dungeon had be practically useless. His core for Valha had gained a new tab for this branch. This made him morefortable with using it to upgrade the mine when he made it back home.


    The trio continued walking and discussing things about the new world. As they made it to the entrance, Harris was standing there waiting for him. Unlike his usual joyful self, he looked quite crestfallen, and they could see that he''d shed some tears.


    Hulk sprinted forward to greet him, a look of worry forming on his face. Geth and Filthy made it to the two in time to catch the end of the conversation.


    "---same two who we''d manage to run off before. It looks like they''ve recruited some minions. We killed two of those that were sent, but... they weren''t weak, Hulk, if it weren''t for our experience here we couldn''t have done anything." Harris was saying.


    "How''s Sara?" Hulk asked quickly.


    "She''s...." Harris described what had happened through clenched teeth as Hulk started seething. His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails cut into his Mana hardened palms.


    Harris also described how the child had died, and how he''d handled the bandits. "Our people are upstairs now. Two are injured heavily and need Geth''s attention." Hulk sprinted upstairs before he could finish speaking.


    "Here." Geth handed his rabbits over to Filthy. "Go ahead and start prepping a meal for them, they could use it more than us." He then walked up the stairs with Harris.


    When Geth made it to the top of the stairs, Hulk was a distance away holding his sobbing wife. He recognized everyone present but hadn''t really gotten out of the house enough to know their names.


    All of them recognized him as soon as he stepped through the vine archway. Harris had described everything he''d done for them on their walk back to the Dungeon.


    All of the men came up and shook his hand. Thest of the men showed him to the two injured men who had beenid down beside a nearby stone. Their wives looked at Geth like they didn''t trust him as he approached.


    One of them stepped in front of him, "I don''t know you, I won''t allow you near my husband."


    Geth didn''t say a word in response. He looked the other woman in the eyes and waited. She wrung her hands, but after a minute she nodded for him toe closer.


    Without wasting time, he cast Restoration on the man. Both women looked incredulously as the broken bones and deep gashes all began healing at an impossible pace. The color had fully returned to the injured man''s cheeks.


    After waiting for the effects to diminish he cast it one more time just to be safe. Geth then turned and walked away.


    "Wait!"


    He stopped briefly and looked back.


    "Aren''t you going to help him too?" The first woman asked while pointing at the broken man beside her.


    "If he wakes up, tell him his death was caused by your own hands." Geth turned back and continued walking as the woman dropped to her knees.


    Harris witnessed the entire interaction, he sneered at the woman and her stupidity. He''d described Geth''s character to the group and how he had already done so much for them, even almost dying himself.


    As for Geth, he had no time for those who would question him. If they had doubts now, they would only increase when he wasn''t around.

 Chapter 70: Second Chance

    Chapter 70: Second Chance


    The two injured men and their wives could also be made examples of, for now, everyone had been watching. Geth didn''t want them thinking he was some benevolent pushover. There would be rewards for their fealty, there would be no room for those who could be unruly.


    ''I''ll give her one more chance, but not until the point gets across.'' He thought, wondering if he would have kept himself from approaching Zolis in that situation. Regardless of his own thoughts, he wouldn''t waver, he could never look weak in front of those he nned to lead.


    He walked directly over to Hulk. "You ready to get everyone inside?"


    Sara left his embrace and stifled her tears while gesturing for him to go ahead. Hulk then turned to Geth and nodded.


    "Good. Then let''s go ahead and get this over with." Geth walked back towards the double doors with Hulk following behind.


    Those who were standing in the path quickly stepped to the side to let them by. Once they reached the doors the two of them turned to face the waiting crowd.


    "Alright," Geth spoke loudly so that everyone could hear. "It has be clear to me that you have witnessed just how cruel this new world has be."


    He stepped over to the woman and sister who were grieving for the young child nearby. His tone became softer "I am very sorry for your loss. If you decide you would like to raise your daughter here, I will make sure that your son is buried where you can visit him daily."


    The woman wiped her tears and nodded, she couldn''t just leave him in the woods. Geth stood and turned back to the crowd, this time looking at the other men and women.


    "We may not know each other by name, but we are familiar with each other. We''ve lived in the same area for a few years and some of my children are friends with yours." He then looked over towards the woman who had stood in his way earlier.


    "I will give you one chance, and one chance only." He cast Restoration on the man, the ragged breaths ceased and his wounds began to close. "I can offer all of you a safe ce to live... But if anyone stands in my way, I will not hesitate to cast you out."


    "My goal is for all of you to be strong enough to survive in this world. Of course, my reasons aren''t selfless. You all bing strong will help provide for and protect my family, just as I intend to help protect yours. If anyone here disagrees with any of this, you may leave now."


    The woman whose husband he''d just healed hesitated, but ultimately she stayed after seeing that he had beenpletely healed. No one else budged. Geth waited for a moment before he looked around and nodded.


    "Those of you, men or women, who wish to be fighters line up here to my right." He indicated with his staff.


    There were a total of 7 young children. The others were men and women who were grown or in their teens. He watched as two teenage boys rushed forward to be first in line.


    Behind them, ten men and three women followed behind. There was only one older man left in the group of five that didn''t want to fight. Geth raised his eyebrow at him but didn''t question it.


    As he went to speak to the others, the old man stepped forward and spoke up.


    "Sir, it isn''t that I''m not willing to fight. I served our country, but I was almost discharged when they found I wasn''t willing to take another human life..." He hesitated. "I ended up working the kitchens. If it''s alright, Sir, I would be willing to hunt game out here in these woods and provide meals for those on the front lines."


    Geth turned his full attention to the man, "What''s your name?"


    "I go by Chum here, Sir."


    "Very well Chum, request granted. I would like for you to choose a couple of the women behind you to help in the kitchens. I know that one baked for a living. There will be a lot more mouths to feed than what you see here."


    Looking at thest two women he asked, "Do either of you happen to be adept at sewing or working with clothing?"


    Both women shook their heads, but the grieving woman stepped up for a moment and spoke. "I ran a small boutique, we made and sold our own clothing."


    "Then if it is alright with you, I would like you to continue that work. Of course, the decision is up to you." He looked at her. The woman''s eyes were strong, even after the hell she''d been through.


    "If I can help in any way, I''m willing."


    "Very well." He nodded. Then looked to thest two women who were unwilling to fight. "As for the two of you, I will expect you to watch and educate the children throughout the day. Is this something that you can handle?"


    Both women nodded vigorously.


    "Then it''s settled." Geth pointed his staff to the green gem on the arched door. "Step forward one at a time to ce your hand on the door."


    The first teenage boy in line for the fighters did so, Geth swiftly added him as a resident.


    "Wee to Valha."


    It didn''t take long for everyone to line up and be brought into the Dungeon. None of them knew what to expect, but every one of them was amazed as soon as they stepped off of thest stair. The sadness that most of them felt was immediately washed away.


    "I thought this was going to be some kind of cave!"


    "It''s so beautiful!"


    "Is this actually where we''ll be living?"


    "How is all of this underground?"


    Geth couldn''t help but chuckle a bit at thest question. ''At least one of them thinks reasonably.'' He thought.


    He turned towards Farris, who was carrying the young boy''s corpse. Geth gestured to him, the mother, and the young girl. "Come with me."


    They followed him for a couple of hundred yards to one of therge trees surrounding the Barracks area.

 Chapter 71: Burial

    Chapter 71: Burial


    "This is the Tailor area where you will be spending most of your time." Geth informed the young mother. "Would you like to choose a site somewhere near here?"


    The woman nodded and looked around the area, choosing a location that was surrounded by a bed ofrge flowers. Geth nodded and headed towards the center.


    ''Albus, upgrade State Change please.'' He still had the 14 SP after conquering the Dungeon, 3 points were used to bring State Change to level 3.


    After the additional page finished forming in Albus'' bindings, Geth could feel the Rune in his mind growing a stronger foundation. He raised his staff and created a rectangr puddle that was close to 4 feet in length, 3 feet in width, and a bit more than 6 feet deep.


    Concentrating, he forced the mud to seep down into the dirt. After many moments, the once rectangr puddle became a smooth-walled hole in the earth. Geth then gestured to Farris.


    Farris walked over to the young woman and her daughter, gentlyying the body on the ground. "If you would like to say your goodbyes, you can do so." He and Geth then backed away to let them have their moment.


    As they did so, every other resident slowly started walking out of the woods. Everyone stood quietly at a distance, wanting the woman to know that she wasn''t alone.


    When the young family finished saying their goodbyes, Farris carefully dropped into the hole with the body. Hey the boy''s arms across his chest and brushed the hair from the kid''s eyes before jumping out.


    Geth filled the hole with the surrounding ground, mud pooled up to the brim of the grave where he soon solidified it. At the head of the grave, Geth created a small earthen pot to act as a marker, along with something the woman could nt flowers in.


    Everyone present stayed silent. The silence persisted until the woman stood and looked around at everyone present.


    "Thank you. It really means a lot to me that you decided to be here." She then walked over to Geth and Farris. "I am grateful. Anything that I can do for either of you, I would be happy to do so."


    Zolis quickly came up from behind Geth and took the woman by the hands. "You don''t have to worry about anything like that right now, take as much time as you need to grieve. Why don''t you two follow me? There is a resting quarter in the Tailor workshop that can give you some privacy."


    She led them off and gave them a ce to be alone together. Farris then turned and spoke to Geth.


    "Thank you for doing all of this, it means a lot to me. Not many people know, but my wife and son died in a car ident 7 years ago. Seeing that family like that..." His voice quivered a bit and he stopped speaking.


    Geth reached over and patted the man on the shoulder. "There''s no need to say anything, just make sure that you take care of them and all of the other families here."


    Farris nodded, Geth could see that a fire had lit in the man''s eyes. It was obvious that he would do everything he could to protect those around him.


    "The three of us will be leaving soon." Geth continued. "Before we do, I want you to sit down with me and tell me everything you know about these de and Thorn characters."


    Even if he hadn''t shown much, Geth was furious. Though the agreement still hadn''t been made, he had agreed to take these people in. Acts like this were something he wouldn''t stand for.


    It would also be a good opportunity for them. From what Harris had exined earlier, these ass holes were staying in a Dungeon.


    ''I wonder howfortable the others here will be with killing another human.'' Geth sighed. It was something everyone would have to get used to.


    Filthy, Harris, and Hulk were already waiting for them at the base of the Barracks area. Words didn''t need to be said, the five men took the long climb back up to the surface.


    Harris led them back to the clearing that had once been their encampment while Harris repeated everything that happened, not skipping any details. Geth was a bit impressed with his intimidation tactic, not many would be toofortable handling a human head.


    With the group running at a light jog, they soon came to the clearing. Just as they were about to continue, a rustling noise came from the brush behind them. Their weapons were unsheathed before they could make a full turn.


    Zolis walked out of the tall grasses red-faced and angry. "Don''t you dare think you can leave me behind just because I''m a woman!"


    Geth scratched the back of his head while the rest all looked in random directions. Zolis wouldn''t let them off the hook that easy.


    "You think that I can''t handle it? What if that had been one of our children? I won''t let you do this without me. Every one of them will die before I let them have their way this close to our own kids."


    Geth let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. But don''t go weak in the stomach on me, and don''t make any mistakes. These guys aren''t the same as the unintelligent creatures we''ve faced so far."


    "I can handle myself, thank you."


    Geth shrugged, there was nothing he could do. He turned back to the others and had them scout the area while he had a word with Albus.


    ''Albus, how many points to upgrade Inspection?''


    ''You have 11 SP avable and it costs 3 SP to upgrade Inspection. You still have 11 TP as well.'' Albus responded.


    ''If I upgrade Inspection, what''s the best way to utilize thest 8 SP?'' Geth asked.


    ''For the current situation, I believe the best route would be to upgrade Inspection and Mass Blessing. Then use 2 SP to bring Barrier and Curse to Level 1. For thest 3, you should choose between taking Barrier or Curse to Level 2.''


    Geth trusted his Grimoire and didn''t hesitate. ''Then we will go with what you suggest, and upgrade Barrier to Level 2.''

 Chapter 72: Clarity

    Chapter 72: rity


    Albus burst into bright light as multiple pages appeared in his bindings. The others all turned to witness the scene.


    For Geth, the entire world had gone dark. The Runes behind his eyes burned with fury before his Mana began to wrap itself around them.


    The cooling sensation quickly dulled the pain, but Geth found that he was still unable to open his eyes. That didn''t change the amazement that he was feeling.


    With his eyes closed, he was still able to ''see'' the Mana swirling around him. It was as though his Mana Sense had been upgraded along with his Inspection Skill.


    They weren''t the same, Geth was able to tell some subtle differences. His Mana Sense allowed him to feel the Mana around him, along with being able to slightly manipte its shape and direction even without spells.


    He could feel some of the feelings of those whose emotions had been etched heavily into the Mana. Never had he been able to see the Mana that he''d previously been manipting.


    At the moment, even with his eyes closed, he was able to see the bright glowing blue Mana swirling around him. It was as if the Mana he''d been feeling had been shaped and given life.


    He remained standing in that position with his eyes closed. Inside of his mental sphere, he found another change. The Runes that had been etched into his mind were fluctuating.


    It was barely noticeable, but it made Geth feel that they were breathing. The other Skills that he''d upgraded had all be much more prominent in his mind. Once he''d finished inspecting his inner self, he forced his eyes open.


    The entire world shone with new rity.


    As Geth''s eyes were opened, they radiated with a bright blue light. His new view of the world astounded him.


    Looking around, he was able to see light traces of the bright blue Mana encircling everything. Around the trees, in the air, each de of grass was even giving off its own faint aura.


    It was beautiful. The world lookedpletely invigorated in his eyes, it was like he wasn''t even in the same ce. In the Mana itself, he could see the faint shape of a rabbit hopping by, a deer leaping over a nearby bush, and.... a young boy falling to the ground.


    Geth watched the scene with a bitter interest, this was the same boy that he''d recently had to bury. The corpseying on the ground did nothing, but Geth could see another figure pushing itself up from the body.


    He stepped closer to observe, and as he did, the figure turned and looked directly at him. It was the same little boy who had been murdered here. The boy looked at Geth with what seemed like recognition in his eyes.


    After a brief moment, the little boy smiled at him, waved, and then was dispersed back into the wisps of Mana. ''....Albus... Are souls real?''


    Geth waited, but there was no response. He''d be used to Albus ignoring some of his more philosophical questions.


    After the initial wave of the upgrade, his vision died down. He was still able to see some of the wisps of Mana naturally, along with very brief glimpses of things that had happened in the area. Though, they were so brief that he had to question what he''d seen.


    One thing that was certainly better than before, he could see the tracks in the Mana from where creatures or people had crossed. The number of footsteps from Hulk''s people was a bit overwhelming.


    "Harris!"


    The man came jogging over quickly. "Yes, Sir!"


    "Which way did you say that man ran?"


    "I threw the head at him here, and he ran off in that direction." Harris jogged over to a nearby tree while pointing in the distance towards the northeast.


    "Oh, and I found three Skill Cards that they''d dropped as well." He handed them over to Geth. "I don''t know why they were just holding on to them, they didn''t have any storage items."


    Geth stroked his beard for a moment before storing the cards. "If we head that way, we would run into the river within 20 to 30 miles. Maybe there are Dungeons on the far edges of the Local Region as well."


    "Everyone! We''re heading North!" The group nodded and headed into the woods, Geth led them as he followed the bright blue footprints of the frightened man.


    During their travel, Geth used his 11 TP to bump up his Thick Skin Talent. With 9 points it shot up from Level 0 to Level 3, its bonus gave him a 7.5% increase to his Defense Attribute.


    It only scaled off of his natural Defense and not his equipment bonuses. With this said, his Defense increased by 5, his HP by 50, and his HP Recovery by 0.1/second. This left him with 2 TP, which wasn''t enough to use on anything else.


    ''If Thick Skin is going to increase by 2.5% per Level, maybe I should invest more time into it. It will scale heavily as my Level increases.'' Geth thought.


    Along with his thoughts, he regretted not taking the simr Skill that had the same increase for Wisdom. That boost would have been better overall.


    He grumbled about it for a while. Their trip would take a good portion of the afternoon, he nned on reaching the ce at nightfall.


    Zolis came up beside him and intertwined her fingers with his, humming a tune while she walked. Geth looked over at her, it was still strange to him seeing that the three-hundred-pound hammer was hanging on her back.


    She waved it around like it was nothing, while he knew that he struggled to drag it around. "Hey Zolis, what''s your Strength sitting at right now?"


    "Hmm?" She nced up at him and then turned and looked at her Grimoire. "Minerva, show him our Attribute page."


    "Minerva?" Geth raised his eyebrow at her.


    "Hey! You named your Grimoire Albus!"

 Chapter 73: Zolis Grimoire

    Chapter 73: Zolis'' Grimoire


    He chuckled as Minerva floated over in front of him.


    ***


    Zolis: Level 27


    Exp: 11,463/100,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 970 (Rec. 1.5/ Second)


    MP- 355 (Rec. 0.32/ Second) + (1/ Second)


    Strength- 65 + 65 + (5) (P.Damage/Stamina Recovery)


    Agility- 35 + 15 (Mov.spd./Dexterity/Reflexes)


    Defense- 5 + 60 + (10) (HP/P.Res./HP Rec.)


    Wisdom- 5 + (11) (MP/M.Res./Mana Recovery/Processing Speed/Memory)


    Intelligence- 25 + 10 (MP/M.Dmg./Learning Speed)


    Points Avable:


    TP- 6 (Talent Points)


    SP- 4 (Skill Points)


    AP- 0 (Attribute Points)


    Talents:


    Mana Sense (Lvl 1)


    Growth (Lvl 3)


    Carry Weight (Lvl 3)


    Flex (Lvl 4)


    Second Wind (Lvl 2)


    Skills:


    Sight (Lvl 2)


    Rock Throw (Lvl 2)


    Ring of Fire (Lvl 4)


    Earthquake (Lvl 3)


    ***


    "What are these three Talents?" Geth asked her.


    "Growth increases my Strength by a certain percentage of my base Strength.


    Carry Weight makes things a lot lighter as my Strength goes up, I can barely tell I''m carrying this hammer now.


    Flex increases how much damage I do and is based on the Level of my enemy. Right now, I do four times the damage against anything 15 Levels below myself or more. Anything one Level below me receives an extra 10% damage.


    And Lastly, Second Wind automatically recovers all of my Mana when it hits 0. It can only happen once every 12 hours right now, but that time cuts in half with each Level. It started as two days."


    Geth looked over at her, d that she''d been thinking about these Skills and Talents as she moved forward. "I have to say, I''m a bit jealous of that Second Wind ability."


    She scoffed at him, "Are you serious! Do you know how much more overpowered you would be if you could instantly recover almost 2,000 Mana at our current Levels? You can already almost solo a Boss!"


    The other guys in the vicinity beganughing loudly.


    "How much more can you ask for?"


    "You can already take us all on at once!"


    "You guys are exaggerating." Geth rolled his eyes.


    "Well, they aren''t wrong," Zolis said. "Not only did you get a lot of bonuses from starting early, but you are also pretty much only dividing your points between two Attributes. On top of Strength, I have to have Agility to help defend myself, and Intelligence to be able to use my Skills."


    Geth nodded. She was right, but at the same time, he still didn''t really have a way to damage his enemies. Even if he was overpowered, he had to rely on them to get the job done.


    The walk continued on as everyone flipped through their Grimoires and made anyst-minute preparations.


    ****


    Darkness had fallen. There was arge open-mouthed cave down near the running river water. The rushing sound of the water blocked out any of the noise from the forest behind them.


    "Man, why the hell do we have to sit out here in the cold?"


    "Quiet down, what if the boss hears you."


    "So what if he does. I mean it, what''s the point? We have almost 15 people Level 20 or higher, and de and Thorn already have sses. One more Dungeon and we will all be on that level. Who''s going to mess with us?"


    "Yeah, well whoever killed Frank is no joke. The man was the first of us to im a Dungeon before Thorn took it from him."


    "It isn''t that big of a deal, the only reason he got this Dungeon is that it belonged to Slimes."


    "Still, our group is too powe-- eckhh--"


    "Hahaha, did you swallow another fly?" The man got up and went to pat his partner on the back.


    The moment he did, the body fell forward, an arrow lodged in the back of his neck.


    "Oh sh--"


    He never had the chance to finish. A knife slid neatly across his throat as he fell forward into the river. A dark figure stepped out into the light, whistling over the sound of running water.


    Five more figures soon came out from the darkness in front of the cave.


    "Good work, Filthy. Search their corpses and store any decent gear they have." Gethmanded.


    He bent down to look at the bodies and saw that there was a Skill cardying by each of them. Albus'' voice quickly interrupted his thoughts.


    ''Not all species have Grimoires. Some, like Goblins or Slimes, learn Skills from the Mana as they get progressively stronger. There are intelligent species aside from humans who have the same type of Grimoires that you do.


    Whenever a member of one of these species dies, their Grimoire will form into the Skill or Talent that that individual relied on the most. Before you mention it, I believe that one of the cards Harris gave you must have belonged to that young boy."


    Geth thought about his new information as he stored the two cards.


    "Well, it looks like we will gain more from this than I initially thought."


    The party of six rushed inside, Geth staying in the lead and Hulk hanging towards the back in case of any surprise attacks. Their movement didn''tst long as they rounded a corner and found arge set of double doors in front of them


    Geth looked back at the others. "I suppose it''s time for us to figure out how to raid an owned Dungeon."


    He walked up to the door and examined it. As he did so, the dark blue core at the center of the door began to glow. A holographic screen popped out giving him a set of choices. The first option was greyed out.


    ***


    Option 1: Request residency.


    Note: Dungeon Owner detected, cannot request residency. Options altered.


    Option 2: Request Trade


    Option 3: Raid Dungeon


    ***


    "Well guys, it looks like we will be announced the moment I make a choice," Geth spoke for everyone to hear.


    "Go for it!"


    "We don''t want to fight like cowards anyway!"


    "Let''s make theme to us!"

 Chapter 74: A Gruesome Sight

    Chapter 74: A Gruesome Sight


    Geth gave a thumbs up over his shoulder and tapped down on Option 3.


    ***


    Dungeon Raid will soonmence, please choose the type of Raid.


    Option 1: Raid - This option will lead you through enemy Guardians and Barrier, Barracks will be blocked off. To finish Raid sessfully, must reach Dungeon Inventory.


    Upon sessful Raid, 10% of Inventory resources will be teleported along with the Raiding party to a random location within 50 miles of Dungeon Entrance.


    Option 2: Dere War - Valha deres war on Thorn. During this Raid, the Raiding party must clear all Guardians, destroy enemy Barrier, and destroy Dungeon Crystal in the center of the formation.


    Dungeon Crystal has its own Barrier that must be destroyed. Once Crystal is shattered, it will reform and establish Valha as the new owner. Dungeon will retain Level, Inventory, and Location Levels. An extra reward will be given upon victory.


    ***


    Every member of the party became excited upon reading that.


    "Waaarrrr!" Both brothers cried at the same time.


    Geth rolled his eyes and selected Option 2. He intended to take this Dungeon from the start, there was no reason for him to think about it.


    As he chose Option 2, the light of the Crystal slowly went out as therge double doors crept open. The Mana crystals on the walls glowed a dim red running down into the tunnel.


    Geth pushed forward, moving swiftly and remaining observant. The rest of the group tagged along behind, this time Hulk stayed up front with Geth.


    They hadn''t gone far from the double doors when they stepped into arge open room with a pool of water in the center. One long stctite extended down from the ceiling and a constant stream of water ran from it into the pool.


    Fiverge openings were leading away from this room. One of them hosted a milky white Barrier, it was difficult to see through.


    Just as the party began to move forward, a noise could be heard from one of the entrances. The group stopped and waited.


    *Squelch* *Squelch*


    Geth was stunned momentarily. This was definitely a sound that he recognized. After all, it''s the first sound he hearding into this world.


    *Squelch* *Squelch*


    "Hahahaha" Geth began letting out a heartyugh, soon wiping tears from his eyes. Seven big Slimes came jiggling out of the cave that he assumed was the Guardian Sanctuary.


    "Alright, guys." He said after he''d finally managed to calm down. "It doesn''t look like we''ll be having too much fun today, these guys are ill-prepared... Zolis, begin taking down the Barrier.


    Hulk, stay with her in case anyonees through. Harris, Farris. Deal with the Slimes. Filthy, you check out the other three tunnels. Just check to make sure no one wille from behind. I''ll hang back for now and guard the entrance, Zolis, yell once the Barrier''s hp is low."


    Everyone quickly split up to handle their assigned roles. ''Zolis shouldn''t take too long, the Barrier at Level 2 only has 25,000 hp... Still, something seems off. They had guards posted at the front, but no one has rushed out of the Barracks since we''ve arrived?''


    ''Maybe they aren''t living here?'' Albus suggested.


    ''It''s possible, they could be using this ce for storage. They could also just be waiting to ambush us once the Barrier is down.''


    He stood vignt by the edge of the entrance, he couldn''t hear anything aside from the rushing of the river outside. Filthy made it back quickly, apparently, the tunnels weren''t that deep.


    "Of the three tunnels, one appears to be a gem mine, one is a farming area, and thest is the Dungeon Inventory." He reported.


    Geth nodded, "This Dungeon is smaller than the one that we''re housed in. I wonder if it was a solo Dungeon."


    ''Solo Dungeons are for storage and nothing else.'' Albus chimed in. ''This was just a very weak team Dungeon.''


    Before Geth could respond, he heard Zolis yell out. "Almost done over here!"


    The rest of the party ran over. Harris and Farris had long since handled the Slimes and had been sparring a bit to the side.


    :Barrier (Level 2); HP 127/25,000:


    Zolis was soaked in sweat from where she''d been hammering away on the Barrier. Even so, she was looking quite lively at the moment.


    Her hammer swung into the Barrier onest time. A small rumble resounded through the cave as the Barrier cracked. The rumbling grew louder as the Barrier shattered, and then ceasedpletely.


    The group readied their weapons, Geth being the first to walk into the wooden barracks thaty before him. The interior looked like that of arge log cabin, with a view of a small underground river running behind it.


    It would have been a very nice ce... if it wasn''t for the blood sttered on the floor and walls. Or the sight of the beaten and abused womenying around throughout the space.


    Geth quickly turned and cast Barrier on the entrance, keeping everyone else from entering. Only he and Hulk had stepped into the room.


    "What the devil is this?" Hulk asked.


    Geth didn''t respond as he stepped towards one of the women closest to him. She was a young girl in her early twenties with light brown hair. One of her eyes was ckened and her lip busted open.


    Other bruises covered her naked body, particrly around her legs. Geth, who typically remained stoic in such cases, became infuriated. His face twisted into a look of hatred for the people who had done this.


    "Hulk, let the others know not to worry." He instructed.


    He then began walking around the cabin, casting Restoration on all of the women as he sat them in morefortable positions.


    Once he made sure that they were all alive and healing properly, he stepped out of the front door of the cabin. Outside was a small but beautifulndscape with arge stream running up against the opposing cave wall.


    On either side of the flowing stream, a Barrier kept anyone from traveling in or out through those openings. The Dungeon Crystal was on the familiar pir, sitting just in front of the stream.


    Another milky Barrier surrounded it with the same hp as before. Geth cast Mass Blessing to increase his Intelligence Attribute.

 Chapter 75: A Talk Among Men

    Chapter 75: A Talk Among Men


    He cast Corruption Aura as he sat and leaned his back against the Barrier. At the moment, he needed to calm down before speaking to the women.


    "Hopefully, one of them managed to hear where these bastards went." He muttered to himself.


    Every five seconds, the damage would tick on the Barrier. With his natural damage, plus the increase in his Intelligence, it would hit for 36 damage. He quickly calcted that it would take him close to an hour to destroy the Barrier that way.


    *Sigh* ''I''ll just go and grab Zolis once I''ve calmed down.''


    He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.


    ****


    About 30 minutes earlier, miles away there was a group of about 20 men heading downriver. All of them were over Level 20 while three of them were Level 25.


    "Damnit de, how much longer do we have to walk?"


    "You are too impatient Thorn, it should be just another mile or two further south. The Team Dungeon should be much more generous than the Solo Dungeons we''ve found so far." de responded.


    Thorn scoffed. He wouldn''t have even joined up with de if it wasn''t for the promise of women and treasures.


    As they continued to walk, Thorn felt a burning sensation in his mind. He pulled his Dungeon Crystal from his Inventory Satchel. Thorn folded his eyebrows inward.


    :Valha has dered War against Thorn. Party Valha, has entered Dungeon:


    "Whatever, let them have our scraps." He soon chuckled heartily, there was much more to be had in this world. He couldn''t let the loss of a few whores get to him.


    "What''s the matter?" de asked.


    "Oh nothing, it just looks like we''ll have a few cockroaches to crush in the future.


    Not long after, the Dungeon Crystal shattered and turned to dust in his grasp.


    Geth had already smashed the old crystal and watched as the new one reformed. No one teleported out as he had expected, there was just a bright light as the current Dungeon reset itself.


    The dried blood that had once spattered the cabin was gone. Even the bodies of the dead Slimes were gone as the cores found their way into the Dungeon Inventory.


    He was currently sitting inside of the Barracks. He''d already ced Hobgoblins and Mages into the Guardian Sanctuary.


    Once that was taken care of, he used State Change to craft some sitting arrangements for the cabin. Of course, he made sure that there was enough for everyone present. Crafting details had be much easier since upgrading his Skill.


    The party was sitting around waiting for the women to wake up. Hulk had exined the situation to them with a bitter taste in his mouth.


    Geth made sure that the men were sitting further away from the women while Zolis was closer to them. He didn''t want them waking up and being worried that they would be attacked again. Now he was d that Zolis insisted on tagging along.


    She had cried upon hearing what had happened, Geth was d that she hadn''t walked in on the scene. Zolis had him walk outside and craft arge stone bath and a couple of buckets to fill it with water. She told him that the women would want to wash as soon as they could.


    He didn''t refute her statement and did as she asked. At the bottom corner of the bath, he even made a tube with a removable cap so that dirty water could be drained between sessions.


    The men were all facing away and conversing when the first woman awoke, they didn''t want to appear lustful. The first one to wake up was the young brte that Geth had healed first.


    She woke quickly and looked around in fear, her arms habitually covering her chest and legs. First, she spotted the men facing away on the other side of the room. Just as she was looking around for a ce to run, she saw Zolis sitting next to her with a sad smile.


    The young girl was taken aback, she hadn''t seen a healthy woman since she''d been drug into this ce a week ago. Zolis slowly extended her hands, one holding a ck cloak while the other holding a cup full of water.


    Unsure of what to think, the young woman epted the gifts timidly. Zolis sat next to her and spoke quietly, Geth couldn''t hear what she was saying. He gestured to the rest of the men to head back out into the cave for now.


    They each grabbed a chair and headed out through the backside of the cabin, sitting around the pond and listening to the stream of water in the center. Geth wondered where the water wasing from, he assumed that they somehow ventured under the river.


    "Dungeons are strange." Hemented to the others as they all stared at the water streaming from the ceiling.


    "This whole world is strange," Harris responded.


    Geth looked at him for a minute. "Is it? I mean, it''s literally our world, just on a muchrger scale. On top of that.... there''s something extremely familiar about the Mana here." He had this strange feeling every time he saw some type of shape or figure in the blue wisps constantly floating past him.


    Everyone else looked at him a bit strangely. None of them felt the same way.


    "I don''t know anything about this world. What I do know is that I''m going to hunt those bastards down no matter where they go." Farris said.


    Hulk, Harris, and Filthy nodded. They were all itching for blood after the things they''de across so far. Four pairs of eyes then turned towards Geth.


    "Yes. We will hunt them down and ughter them. I intend on taking the entire Local Region for Valha, and these types of actions are something we cannot allow." He responded.


    The others smiled in approval as they continued to discuss amongst themselves. A whileter, Zolis came out of the Barracks area and summoned Geth to the cabin.

 Chapter 76: Alise

    Chapter 76: Alise


    Before going in she stopped him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She had a dark look and puffy eyes.


    "I don''t know if we''ll be able to help them all..." Zolis said.


    Geth wasn''t sure what she meant, but he held onto her back and gently stroked her hair until she regained herposure. When she''d calmed down she wiped her tears away and led him into the cabin.


    As they entered, Geth looked around and saw seven of the women sitting in the extra chairs that he''d made. He noticed that one of them was missing.


    Most of them had puffy eyes and were staring down at the floor, there were two that even flinched as soon as they looked at him. The brown-haired girl seemed to be holding herself together best, but there was still a hint of fear in her eyes.


    Geth approached her slowly and sat on the floor a few feet from her. She pulled back slightly but didn''t flinch or turn away.


    He spoke as softly as he could. "Can you tell me your name?"


    The woman hesitated before responding. "I... I go by Alise here."


    "I go by Geth, it''s a pleasure to make your acquaintance Alise." He replied. "I won''t force you to answer my question, nor will I ask you to talk to me at all. The only question I have is whether or not you know what those bastards are up to?"


    He stood up slowly and headed out of the back door, he found it strange that the other woman was still missing. Zolis nor Alise had mentioned anything, so he decided to check for himself.


    As he took a step outside, he took in a deep breath. All of the women looked away from him, even Zolis stared down at the floor.


    In the bath that he''d made, thest of the eight womeny unmoving. Her arm was hanging over one side of the tub, blood running from her wrist down into the running water of the stream.


    Geth let out his breath in a long, sad sigh. He walked over towards the woman to see if she was still breathing, though he already knew the answer.


    She was younger, no older than 19, her blonde hair swayed in the light breeze. Her eyes were closed and there was a soft smile on her lips, she looked like she was at peace.


    Geth reached down into the tub and pulled her body out of the water. He found a nice spot near the edge of the running water and dug yet another grave. After covering her gently with a cloak, he crossed her arms over her chest andy her down before burying her.


    Before heading back into the cabin, he formed a small tombstone with the image of a flower engraved on it. He stood quietly by the graveside for a few moments before dispersing the tub he''d made and heading back into the cabin.


    The other women watched on respectfully. Some of them almost envied the peace that the youngdy had found after her struggles. They were too scared to take that step.


    Geth sat back down on the floor, Zolis sat beside him and held his hand while tears fell from her eyes again. Some of the other women were also crying.


    Alise looked at Geth again, this time there was no fear in her eyes, only respect.


    "They headed along the edge of the river. I heard that the one called de had found a Team Dungeon somewhere south along the riverbank." She spoke firmly. "What do you n on doing?"


    "Hmm?" Geth looked at her seriously. "I n on killing them, of course."


    All of the women turned to look at him in surprise, even Alise dropped her jaw momentarily.


    "Wh... What... What do you n to do with us..?" One of the other women asked timidly.


    Geth turned and looked her in the eyes, causing the woman to flinch back.


    "That ispletely up to you. I am willing to help you, but nothinges for free." He said. "I''ll give you sufficient time to recover ande to terms, but you''ll have to decide on your own if you wish to follow us or not.


    We currently have two settlements that are both thriving with families and children. All of the adults are expected to work and help provide for ourmunities.


    This Dungeon will be added to our assets and we will bring in some men and women to work the mine and the farm. If you wish to stay then we can promise to help protect you, along with making sure you remain well fed. In return, we expect you to help in our growth as well."


    The woman nodded and didn''t respond. A few of the women looked hopeful after hearing those words, they were scared that they would be thrown out.


    Alise then stood up and looked at Geth and Zolis resolutely.


    "I choose to follow you, but only if you let me apany your party to kill Thorn''s men."


    Geth inducted all of the women into Valha for the time being but set their permissions to only stay in that particr Dungeon. He set a few Level 22-24 Guardian creatures up and checked the Inventory.


    It was practically empty, there were a handful of cores and some basic gear. They had gotten better gear off of the two guards that they''d killed on the way in.


    Something else that Geth had done before leaving was to check the Leaderboards, it would help to know if their enemy was as strong as them.


    :World Dungeon Ranking;


    1. Burning Demon Sect (Lvl 3) Sub-1


    2. Valha (Lvl 2) Sub-2


    3. Soaring Winds Sect (Lvl 2) Sub-1


    4. Vodka Kings (Lvl 2) Sub-1


    5. Canucks (Lvl 2)


    Local Level Ranking;


    1. Geth (Lvl 27)


    2. Zolis (Lvl 27)


    3. de (Lvl 26)


    4. Thorn (Lvl 25)


    5. Hulk (Lvl 25):

 Chapter 77: Eagle Eye

    Chapter 77: Eagle Eye


    The party was currently walking along the riverbank silently. Geth had his fingers wrapped around Zolis'' hand as they walked. Filthy was walking on his other side. The tracks therge group had left were easy to follow, he mostly had his mind on the uing battle.


    ''So based on what I gathered from the Leaderboard both de and Thorn are higher in experience than the rest of our party. They could even Level up again by the time we reach them.'' Geth thought.


    That wasn''t really a big deal. ording to the information Alise had given him, de''s group had another Level 25 and multiple Level 24''s. If they didn''t catch up soon enough, they may have to face off against multiple enemies with sses.


    Geth racked his brain to think of a way to take them out. He had a n... but it would be dangerous for everyone involved.


    At this point, using cores to get everyone to Level 30 was out of the question. If he had estimated properly, they should have close to 1.5 million experience worth of cores.


    Not only was that not enough to push everyone to Level 30, he felt it would be better used in upgrading Valha. He also felt that once things started to settle down, cores would end up being used as currency.


    Proper nning would be the better way to proceed. Geth thought about the current advantages that they had over their enemy.


    ''Every one of our members already has their sses. I''m willing to use cores to power level Alise, it will take less than 50,000 experience to bring her to 25. Still, it''s seven against twenty or more.''


    "Filthy?" Geth looked over at him.


    "Hm?"


    "Do you mind sharing what ss you ended up choosing?" He asked.


    "Sure, I went with a Rogue ss. It was between Rogue or Thief." Filthy answered. "They both offered Agility as the main Attribute, the only difference was that Rogue offered Wisdom and Intelligence while Thief offered Strength and Intelligence."


    Geth stroked his beard thoughtfully, "In games, both were adept at tracking and sneaking. Do you have any sneaking Skills?"


    "Well, I have a Tracking Talent and Sneak Skill."


    "Good. That''s going to be important for what I''ve got nned." Geth then proceeded to inform Filthy and Zolis of his idea for the uing fight.


    ****


    About six hourster, the sun was just breaking over the horizon. Filthy was hiding in some branches looking towards the Dungeon entrance. There were two guards posted, and he''d been waiting there for about an hour now.


    He''d been holding his position with an arrow nocked and bow drawn for close to ten minutes now, sweat was starting to run from his brow. As the sun began to crest, he saw his chance. Both men raised their hands and squinted to block the iing sunlight.


    Filthy gently released his grip on the bowstring, the arrow whistled through the air and struck his first target through the back of the neck. With no hesitation, he snagged another arrow from his quiver, firing it quickly.


    Again, it was a clean shot. He waited for a few moments, making sure that no other guards were posted inside of the entrance where he couldn''t see. His worries were for naught, as no one came rushing out to check on theirpanions.


    Filthy jumped out from the branches, gingerlynding without a sound. He crept forward and looted the bodies of the two men. One of them had a nicer Inventory item than he did, he quickly kept it while stripping them of their other belongings.


    Once he was finished, he pushed their bodies into the river, making sure that there was no sshing sound. With all of that done, he turned and looked into the cave entrance. From what he could tell, he should be able to proceed safely.


    The Talent that he''d picked up on receiving his ss was quite useful. It was a passive ability that was always active, but he was still somewhat struggling to get used to the effects.


    :Eagle Eye- Grants User the ability to see further and clearer than normal human eyesight will allow. As Talent Level increases, so do the distance and the rity of User''s vision:


    He currently had the Talent upgraded to Level 3 and was able to clearly see small insects crawling on branches from 20 yards away. It took him quite a bit of training to get used to firing his bow again, but now he was more urate than ever.


    Even more so since Geth had designed a new arrow for him. It was based on the old carbon arrows that he''d used to fire when shooting targets. Geth had made it of earth, but the shaft was hollowed for lighter weight.


    It was properly bnced and Filthy had used the feathers from a wild dove-like creature for the fletching. Luckily, he only had to have one well-made arrow and his quiver would constantly produce more.


    Filthy decided to save his Mana for now and ducked into the shadows as he slowly made his way into the cave. The walk was long and grueling due to him being cautious, but it eventually paid off.


    This Team Dungeon was much more straightforward than thest one they had taken on. There were Goblin corpses strewn here and there along the way. Unlike their Dungeon, which had many rooms going out of a central room, this one was a straight line with multiple caverns on the route.


    He crept forward, he was now in the third cavernous room where he found the corpse of a strange Goblin. Upon inspection, he found that it had been a Sub-Boss creature. The blood was still fresh and had yet to coagte on the body.


    ''I must be getting close.'' He thought.


    He activated his Sneak Skill, which began consuming 1.5 Mana per 5 seconds. At its current Level, it muffled the noise of his movements by 60% and created a type of haze around him that made him more difficult to see. It wasn''t perfect, but it was a Skill he wanted to develop much further.

 Chapter 78: Strategy

    Chapter 78: Strategy


    He crept into the next tunnel, his movements unnaturally quiet. After traveling for almost 30 yards he began to hear voices. Another 25 yards and he could hear what they were saying.


    "Alright, there are currently ten of those Level 30 Hobgoblin creatures, and the boss is Level 40. We need to split up and spread them apart.


    It will be best if the fifteen of you run in first and lure away therger ones, The four of us will go straight for the Boss and hold it down long enough for you to cut them down. Make sure not to dick around, this Boss is a mage, no one can tank it for long."


    Filthy could hear a bit of nervous shuffling.


    "B... But de... Only a few of us have managed to get sses since we''ve entered the cave. Wouldn''t it be safer if we get the rest of the grou...."


    SMACK!


    Filthy heard a loud and crisp smacking sound as a stray tooth flew through the ttered on the ground by his feet. The bloodied tooth continued rolling for another yard before stopping.


    "You will not question my orders."


    "Y... Y... Yesh shir" A muffled voice sounded, almost as if the speaker''s cheeks were swollen.


    "Hahaha... That''s what you get you little shit."


    "Thorn shut the hell up. I''ve already had to deal with your woman kink, don''t make me regret working with you further."


    Theughing stopped, but not before Thorn had made a loud scoff and grumbled some.


    "All right." The voice belonging to de continued. "You fifteen file in, remember that even though you can enter the Barrier after it pops up, there is no leaving.


    Don''t make any mistakes, as soon as you pull the aggro of the majority, we will follow in behind you. As usual, loot will be separated based on hierarchy. If you perform exceptionally well, you''ll move up in our ranks."


    Filthy could hear the stomping of many pairs of feet marching forward quickly. He used the cover of that noise to back out and run back to Geth and the others.


    They were sitting in a clearing less than two minutes sprint from the Dungeon. Geth looked up as Filthy entered the clearing.


    "They just entered the Boss chamber. You were right about the Barrier, anyone can enter it once it''s in ce. They have neen men total, I took out the two guards at the entrance.


    The Boss is a Mage-type Goblin at Level 40, it had ten Level 30 Hobgoblins as its guards. The enemies are currently split up amongst the creatures."


    Geth nodded as he assessed the information and then looked around at the group of people with him. He took in a deep breath.


    "It''s time."


    The sound of the Goblin''s roaring could be heard resonating throughout the tunnels. Geth and his party rushed ahead until they could hear the shing of weapons and the sound of men struggling.


    As they approached the semi-transparent Barrier, Geth held up his hand signaling everyone to stop. He and Filthy proceeded forward to watch the ongoing battle.


    Inside of the chamber, they could witness a ferocious battle unfolding. Seven enormous creatures were facing off against twelve men.


    It looked as if each party had lost some members, blood was sttering the floor around three smaller crushed figures. The bodies of the three dead Hobgoblins were constantly spilling blood from the multitude of wounds they had sustained.


    On the opposite side of the battlefield was a smaller group of four men fighting against a smaller Goblin. The Boss was short, just under 5'' tall. Its size didn''t equate to its ferociousness.


    The small beast was extremely nimble, dashing from side to side while dodging the men''s attacks. A multitude of bright colors was shing as it would cast lightning or fire-based spells at the men surrounding it.


    That wasn''t to say that it still didn''t receive damage asionally. One of the men was constantly closing in and making a swipe towards one of the monster''s vitals. Another was always trying to stay behind the beast and keep it from gaining any distance.


    The other two men were standing a bit away, casting freezing spells and trying to slow the creature down. It was a bit of a mess, but they managed to keep it contained.


    "What do you think?" Filthy asked, drawing Geth''s attention away from the ensuing fights.


    He thought for a moment, looking at the disarray amongst the group of men fighting the Hobgoblins.


    "I believe that if they were more coordinated, we would probably find ourselves losing this battle. As it stands, however, we should be able to pick them off and still handle the mobs."


    He and Filthy headed back around the bend just a bit to talk it over with the others.


    "Alright, this will probably be one of the most dangerous things we''ve done so far. Even so, it will probably be the most rewarding." He told them.


    "We''ve seen what these guys are willing to do when their lives aren''t on the line. This time, they will have their backs against the wall. Make sure that you take them out quickly as soon as you get into range."


    Filthy stepped forward slightly, "Hulk, Harris, Farris, I think it will be best if you guys sneak in before they push the Hobgoblins too far. Mingle in with theirrger group and try to cause some... "idents" while also taking out the creatures."


    The three of them nodded, grinning mischievously. Geth did not doubt that they could handle their mission so he spoke to the two women.


    "Zolis, you will hang back, and as soon as there are less than five Hobgoblins left I want you to jump in and use Earthquake, Ring of Fire, or both. Guys, make sure you are prepared to block, jump, or just be out of range." He told them, making sure they nodded before continuing.


    "Alise will follow behind Filthy and I. Filthy, your goal is to pick off the two guys casting spells. Alise, assist with this as best you can, your Thief ss and knife throwing Skills will help there. I will be responsible for the two up close to the Boss."


    Zolis sucked in a sharp breath. "Are you going to be able to tank both of them with the Boss attacking you as well?"


    "I''ll be fine. Our group won''t be moving in until you have caused a distraction. When they lose focus due to your Ring of Fire, we will begin our assault."


    Geth then turned and looked meaningfully at Alise.


    "I know that you''ve been through a lot. Even so, do not step forward until we''ve received our signal. We have to y this safe so that everyone can make it out alive."


    Geth then lowered his voice and his tone became icy. "If you get antsy and risk any of our lives, I promise that you won''t even make it beyond the Barrier. You can forget about your revenge."


    Alise mmed up a bit, she knew that he wasn''t exaggerating. Either way, she steeled her resolve and looked into his eyes. "I understand."


    Geth stared at her for a moment before nodding. "All right then, you four take off, Zolis don''t let them see you until it''s time."

 Chapter 79: Blade

    Chapter 79: de


    The four of them ran off through the Barrier without wasting time. Geth watched as Zolis skirted around the edge of the chamber. It wasn''t long before the others had merged into the small crowd, their presence wasn''t even noticed.


    He and Filthy were able to see when one of the brothers would step just a little too far, interrupting someone''s block. Hulk exaggeratedly slung back his shield one time after blocking, striking one of the enemy members in the head. The already injured man fell unconscious to the ground.


    If it wasn''t such an intense situation, Geth would probably find it a bitical. He was even able to see Zolis grinning widely while watching the show. Rolling his eyes, he turned his attention to the brothers again.


    ''With the... assistance.. of Hulk and the brothers, the enemies are dwindling fast.'' Geth mused. Another of the Hobgoblins had fallen, and six more men were lying on the ground unconscious or dead.


    With the extra numbers added by the three, the six that still remained hadn''t noticed their numbers dwindling much. Geth turned and looked at the others, he gave a signal to follow closely.


    He walked through the Barrier, feeling the cool sensation of the Mana as he crossed. They covered ground slowly at first, but as a Hobgoblin took out the next of the enemies Geth picked up the pace.


    Zolis sprinted forward, leaping into the middle of the fray. Harris and Farris quickly crouched behind Hulk as he activated some type of defensive Skill.


    Zolis'' hammer hit the ground and the earth began quaking throughout the cave. A wall of fire shot up, catching the unsuspecting Hobgoblins and enemy party by surprise.


    The event caused the four fighting the Boss to lose concentration. The man with the ax was struck by one of the Boss'' lightning spells, which then chained over into one of their mages.


    ''Perfect!''


    Geth sprinted forward and cast State Change under the temporarily stunned axeman. It wouldn''t take him long to recover, but it could buy him some time. A deep puddle formed, dropping the stunned man under the surface.


    The man with the sword snapped his head back to see the unfamiliar face sprinting towards him. A look of incredulity showed on his face, soon turning over to anger.


    "Stop that man!" He shouted loudly at hispanions.


    His order was useless. One of the mages was still stunned and the other already had two arrows buried into his thigh. The injured man looked at his boss in a panic.


    "de, do som---!" The man''s scream was cut off as he managed to dodge an arrow hurtling towards his head. He followed the direction the arrow came from and spotted Filthy running in the distance.


    He began casting different frost spells towards the archer, trying to slow him and get some damage off. Small walls of ice formed in front of him, protecting his vitals. Even so, arrows would still graze his arms or legs as he reached around to cast Ice Spike.


    de didn''t have time to worry about hispanion, before Geth was even on him he''d taken a hit for almost 30 hp and he couldn''t tell where it was from. On top of that, the Boss had gained some distance in the confusion and was charging up another spell.


    ''The best way to kill him would be to let the Boss aggro him and take him out while he''s distracted. He''s slow, I''ll get to the Bosses backside quickly.'' de thought.


    He turned and began to sprint towards the Boss. de had barely made it three yards when he noticed the space in front of him distorted. Stopping quickly, he found that a semi-transparent 30-foot wall had appeared,pletely blocking his path.


    The sudden stop caused Geth to get within four feet of him. Again, another tick of almost 30 damage dropped from his hp.


    de became angry, he couldn''t let this go on. Even with his gear equipped, he had less than 1,000 HP. Thirty more hits like that and he would die, not even knowing where the damage wasing from.


    de rushed forward with his sword raised high, he was much faster than his current adversary. In a blink, he appeared in front of Geth, a wide and wild grin showing on his face.


    ''This man must be a mage, he can''t even turn his head fast enough to see my movements!'' de thought. His sword swiftly swung into the man''spletely open neck. He beganughing maniacally at this fool who dared to approach him.


    It was only a momentter that hisughter was cut short, a lump caught in his throat. The man''s eyes were staring straight into his, and he had a wry grin stered upon his face.


    de looked back at his sword. He found that where his sword had met the man''s skin, a mere scratch had appeared on his neck. Fear made its way to his face as the wound closed faster than he could even jump back.


    The strange man spoke as another tick of damage threatened his health points.


    "Damn, you really thought you had me huh?"


    Geth chased down the man who''d just leaped away from him, casting Barriers to keep him in range of Corruption Aura. de was fast.. much faster than Filthy or anyone else he''de across, but the mancked power.


    ''It''s like he hasn''t added a single Attribute outside of Agility, maybe some Intelligence?'' Geth could see the guy''s MP but he was moving too fast to read the actual number. It was less than four digits, as was his HP.


    He continued trying to stay in range as de kept skirting away. Every now and again the man would slip in, deliver a weak blow, and then dash back. His antics were annoying, and Geth was in a hurry.


    The Boss was constantly firing spells, shattering the Barriers after a mere few blows. It had to be noted that his Barriers boasted a whopping 676 HP without him having any buffs active.


    ''I haven''t had the opportunity to test my magic resistance against something so powerful. I suppose that I''ll find out my limits today.'' He thought while taking another of des'' sword strikes. This one he managed to block with his left hand.


    Just when the man''s health bar had dropped a bit under 75%, Geth heard an angry yell from behind him.

 Chapter 80: Agility Boost

    Chapter 80: Agility Boost


    "Who the hell do you think you are?!?" The yell came from a burly figure that was covered in mud.


    The man ran towards him, closing in too fast for Geth to cast a Barrier. It had to be noted that he wasn''t as fast as Filthy, let alone de.


    He didn''t have time to dodge the iing ax, but he had plenty of time to block. His staff came up to meet the ax... and he never felt the expected impact.


    Thorn had already shifted his body weight and spun in a full 360,pletely avoiding the staff and driving his ax into Geth''s thigh. Blood spurted out as the man withdrew his weapon and jumped back a few paces, standing beside de. Both of them took a tick of damage from Corruption Aura.


    Geth watched as his health dropped by over 90 points. It wasn''t a massive number, but he would only be able to take twenty simr blows. The wound in his upper thigh was sunk deep into his muscle, though stopped long before it could reach the bone.


    "What the fuck is this!?" Thorn yelled angrily. "That blow should have cleaved him in half!"


    de nced over at hispanion. "Be d that you can even hurt him. Most of my attacks do two or three damage at most."


    Thorn looked over at de with wide eyes before ncing back at their enemy.


    "This must be that guy sitting on top of the Leaderboards." de then told him. Even if he was a natural fighter, Thorn wasn''t bright enough to put the pieces together.


    "Geth!" de called out.


    ''Ahh, so he realized,'' Geth thought, raising his eyebrow quizzically while maintaining a defensive posture. The wound on his leg had already stopped bleeding, much to the bewilderment of Thorn.


    "What business do you have with us?" The man called out. "As far as I''m aware, we haven''t struck any enmity with you."


    Geth nodded at the man''s observation before responding. "You''re right, not directly. Some of your men tried to take away some of the women under my protection. On top of that, we happened to run across your... prostitution ring." He really couldn''t think of what else to call it.


    de cursed under his breath and looked angrily at Thorn. It was something the man had already begun before they met, he wouldn''t have followed him if he didn''t allow it. Geth didn''t miss the look, but it didn''t matter. If de had allowed it, he should die too.


    Thorn turned beet red, bing angry as he realized the man in front of him had taken his Dungeon away. He didn''t wait for any more of their chit-chat.


    The man kicked off of one leg, barrelling towards Geth, like a bull who had seen red. Geth cast State Change in front of him, but the man leaped over the mud and came into close quarters.


    Thorn''s ax swung quickly down towards Geth''s head, he didn''t have time to block. He shifted himself to the side, the ax skirting by his ear and burying itself into his shoulder. This time, over 130 health faded from his HP as blood began sshing around him.


    During this time, Thorn had suffered two more ticks of damage while de hadpletely vanished. The ax was pulled from his left shoulder, blood spraying as the metal slipped away. His left arm dangled limply by his side.


    Geth barely had time to block the next blow, adjusting his staff just in time to block the deing at his side. As he did so, a strong st of lightning struck him in between the shoulders, 53 damage shed before him.


    Luckily, the lightning jumped and hit Thorn who was standing right in front of him as well. The damage that Thorn took was minuscule, but the numbing effect he received allowed Geth to back off.


    ''My magic resistance must keep me from feeling the numbing sensation. His Strength is high, but he isn''t that fast. If I can match his Agility, I''ve won.'' Geth thought. As he did so, arge formation stretched out from beneath him.


    Mana flowed from his mind and into the formation, it wasn''t long before the effects took ce. Geth''s Agility jumped from 35 to 69 in a matter of moments. He could feel his senses bing more alert as his speed increased.


    At that moment, Thorn fought off the numbing effect and jumped forward. His ax swung down towards Geth''s head again, quickly changing directions and heading for his chest.


    Geth smiled as he blocked the blow, causing him to slide back a few feet. Thorn was surprised but pressed on.


    Geth blocked blow after blow while throwing up Barriers to block the Boss'' strikes. Thorn''s HP constantly decreased due to the damage from Geth''s Corruption Aura. It didn''t take long for him to start sweating as his health dropped under half.


    Thorn started to grow concerned. Even his blocked hits were causing a little damage but the man had too much damn health for it to matter.


    On top of that, whatever this dark mist was kept depleting his hp. The other man''s wounds had already stopped bleeding, the one on his thigh closing up. For the first time sinceing to this world, Thorn began to feel weak.


    With that feeling of doubt biting at his conscience, he began making mistakes. At first, they weren''t noticeable, but Geth started noticing. He managed tond a hit or two with his staff, causing 20 to 30 damage andrge bruises.


    Coupled with his Aura, the man''s health began to deplete faster. Geth did notice that as his health dropped under 50% and then again at 30%, Thorn''s attacks became increasingly stronger. Blocking the man''s attacks was starting to numb his arms and he was taking more damage.


    Geth continued pushing until Thorn crossed under 15%, at that point the battle took a turn. Thorn''s Agility and Strength both seemed to double. There was no longer any chance for him to block, the most he could do was make sure that the ax didn''tnd anywhere vital.


    ''Left, left, right, from up top.'' Geth tried his best to keep up, but he couldn''t move fast enough. As his health dropped under 1200 he cast Restoration, instantly closing most of the wounds he''d sustained. Seeing this, Thorn became even more ferocious in his attacks.

 Chapter 81: Shaman

    Chapter 81: Shaman


    ''This man has 0 Mana, yet I can see more and more gathering around him as his health drops even lower.'' Geth thought. ''What a powerful ability.''


    The attacks wereing so fast now that he couldn''t block. He finally gave up and began to focus his attention on attacking instead. The two were so intent in their bout that they bothpletely neglected the presence of the Boss.


    The Goblin Shaman had been circling his staff above his head for some time, dark clouds were forming at the top of the chamber. No one below noticed the change until the first bolt of lightning split the ground near Hulk''s feet.


    The man froze instantly, arge club swinging into his shield and throwing his numbed body over twenty yards away. Zolis quickly jumped forward, smashing her hammer against the Hobgoblin''s knee.


    Therge creature dropped to the ground where she continually bashed its head until the skull shattered. She looked towards Harris and Farris who were facing off against the only survivor of Thorn''s men.


    That had been thest of the Hobgoblin''s as well. She looked back at Hulk who was slowly climbing back to his feet, giving her a thumbs up. Then, she looked up.


    Massive dark clouds flowed in circles around the top of the cavern, bolts of lightning crashed to the ground every three seconds. At first, it was just one bolt, but after 15 seconds it became two, and after 30 seconds it became three.


    She shuddered to think what would happen if the storm kept growing. Hulk made his way slowly over to where she was standing.


    "We need to take that creature out fast." Hulk pointed towards where the Boss was, and where Geth and Filthy could be seen fighting against more of the enemy party. "If this goes on, I suppose only your husband could end up surviving."


    She nced at him, her face solemn. Harris and Farris both thrust their swords through their opponent''s chest at the same time and then ran over to them. Lightning sted where they had just joined up, causing all of them to dive in opposite directions.


    "Alright, it''s time for us to end this," Zolis said as the four of them took off running towards the ongoing battles.


    Lightning was raining down around them. Debris from the earth would stter up, interrupting their battle as they each tried to push the other back.


    Corruption Aura had finally drug Thorn down to about 8% of his health. His attacks were so fierce that Geth was taking more damage than Restoration could handle.


    He was struggling to stay on his feet against the force of the man''s attacks. When he thought he''d put some distance between them, the de of the ax dug into his forearm.


    The damage wasn''t light, his bones were exposed and he was struggling to keep hold of his staff. It was at that moment, two bolts of lightning arched down hitting both of the warriors.


    Geth took some damage and was actually stunned for a very brief second. His opponent, however,y on the ground convulsing with one of his arms missing entirely.


    The heat from the lightning scorched Thorn''s skin as it ripped through him, cauterizing his wounds. Geth''s face turned down at the smell of burnt flesh that filled the area.


    He immediately looked around, worrying about Zolis and the rest of his party. The damage caused by that creature''s lightning was immense.


    In the distance, he could see that Zolis and the other guys were running his way. Geth turned back towards Filthy''s fight in time to witness Alise slit the mage''s throat from behind while he was distracted.


    de was nowhere to be seen. Geth didn''t have time to look for him, he simply looked in the direction of the Goblin Shaman. Thorn was no longer a concern.


    Geth tried to cast State Change beneath the Shaman to interrupt its casting but something was interfering with the Mana. Albus exined the situation to him.


    ''That Shaman has been channeling Mana for a while now. It will be very difficult to reach. When the Mana is used to this extent, it starts to favor those using it. It will be very difficult for any outside source of Mana to be used near it.''


    ''Thanks for the warning.'' Geth would have wasted a lot of Mana before figuring that out. ''The only way to disrupt the spell is by getting to it then.''


    He rushed forward, closing the distance between himself and the Shaman quickly since his buff was still active. The Shaman noticed his presence and sneered.


    Just when Geth managed to get within ten yards of the creature, four sts of lightning shot from the sky and directly into his chest. He was sent flying and tumbling over twenty yards backward.


    A hefty figure of over 250 dropped from his health as he looked down at his smoldering skin. Amazingly, his robe didn''t seem to be damaged, even with the smolderinging from his bare chest beneath.


    There was a long burnt section of ground starting from where the lightning had struck him backward. Geth was amazed at the power behind it, he didn''t know how they were expected to get in close.


    Just as he was getting back to his feet, the rest of his party managed to gather near him. Everyone was spattered with blood aside from Filthy, though he was sweating profusely from his drawn-out fight with the mage.


    "What''s the n?" Harris asked.


    Before anyone had a chance to say anything, fiverge sts of lightning came down from the clouds heading straight for their position. The group scattered, with Hulk and Geth both managing to take the brunt of the damage while the others escaped.


    Geth sent out a message to the rest through Albus.


    ''Make sure not to group up, keep its attacks spread out, and make sure to dodge. Filthy, see if arrows can reach it, we need to disrupt its casting.'' He told them.


    Everyone looked towards him and nodded in acknowledgment. Filthy began firing arrows while Alise started throwing daggers towards the Shaman.


    None of the attacks hit, electric arcs started spreading up from the ground and disrupting the paths of the projectiles. The Shaman began cackling wildly, enjoying the struggle of the humans running around before it.

 Chapter 82: Unlikely Aid

    Chapter 82: Unlikely Aid


    The sixth bolt of lightning began to shoot out with the rest. It was almost to the point where there was a bolt for every party member. Geth was distressed at the fact that the Shaman still had more than 90% of its Mana pool.


    ''At this rate, lightning will fill the chamber before it runs out of Mana.'' He sent out through Albus. ''Zolis, see if your earthquake or fire can disrupt it.''


    ''I can only use one or the other. I''ve already used up the extra Mana I get for the day.''


    "Fuck" Geth mumbled under his breath. The fire might not make it past that creature''s Mana field, but the Earthquake Skill would probably be the same. Maybe it can at least distract it, we only need a moment.


    ''Use Earthquake. I''ll make another rush at it so that it can''t strike you when you get in range. Last resort we all have to rush it at once... but not everyone will make it.''


    He was very hesitant to add thatst bit, but it needed to be said. He knew that if only one st of lightning hit him, he could power through and reach the Shaman.


    The only problem was, for that to happen the others would each have to tank a bolt themselves. Geth didn''t think that Zolis, Alise, or Filthy would be able to take a hit head-on. At that range, the sts were too fast to dodge.


    He noticed that Hulk rushed in with him as both sprinted towards the Shaman. Zolis followed some five yards or so behind them.


    Once they reached the ten-yard mark, three sts of lightning shot towards both him and Hulk, he threw up a Barrier to tank two of them. The Barrier shattered as each of them took two sts, slinging them both backward for a distance.


    It still gave Zolis the time she needed to use her Skill. The earth began rumbling as it cracked and busted apart. Ripples shot out across the ground, debris following closely behind.


    Everyone got ready to close in on the Boss as the waves of earth began closing in. Just as the ripples made it within five yards of the creature, they suddenly vanished. It was as if they were never there in the first ce.


    "Shit!"


    Geth knew that the Shaman was well within her range. The disruption in the Mana must have protected it from her ability.


    ''Alright, there is only one way left to disrupt it.'' Geth sent out to the others. ''Filthy, Zolis, Alise... I''ll be as fast as I can and get Barriers in front of you to tank the damage from the lightning.


    You''re the fastest, so it will be up to you to strike it before the wave hits. Don''t take any unnecessary risks, my Barriers can only block two strikes at most.''


    ''Right.''


    ''Got it.''


    ''No problem.''


    ''Then we''ll go as soon as we dodge the next wave.'' Geth sent out.


    Nine bolts of lightning shot out in all directions. Two towards him and Filthy, the rest spread towards the other party members. Geth had to tank one as he dodged the other. Filthy managed to dodge both.


    As soon as the bolts dispersed, seven people rushed towards the Shaman at different paces. With only three seconds between each strike, even Filthy couldn''t make it to the creature in time.


    ''One... Two... Three!''


    Just before Geth counted the third second, he cast multiple Barriers, protecting the three lowest health members of the party. He and the other three tankier men each took the lightning head-on.


    Ten bolts of lightning spread out, all three of his Barriers shattered. The Boss'' additional lightning strikes were growing every cast instead of every 15 seconds now, it was something he hadn''t ounted for.


    He pushed through the pain and sprinted ahead with the three runners, making sure to stay in range for the next set of Barriers.


    ''One... Tw... Fuck!''


    He quickly cast Barrier after Barrier as multiple strikes came down at himself and the three runners. The time between sts had cut in half and the number of strikes had increased again.


    All of his Barriers shattered instantly as a st of lightning hit all three of the runners. He was struck with two bolts, pushing him back just enough where he couldn''t reach the Boss by the next wave.


    They were going to die, there was no way that they could get in range at this point. Geth looked around at his fallen party members as he continued to sprint forward.


    Zolis, Filthy, and Alise were all convulsing on the ground, blood escaping from their noses and ears. As he ran he cast Restoration on all of them, hoping that it would be enough.


    He was close to the Shaman now, but he expected to be blown back by twelve or more bolts of lightning. He braced himself for the impact while throwing a few Barriers in front of him.


    Surprisingly.. even after three more seconds.. the sts never came. He looked up to the boss and saw de standing behind it,pletely stunned from the Boss'' lightning field, his sword lightly jammed into its back.


    de was staring at Geth and let out through tightly gritted teeth.


    "What... Are you... Waiting for? Get this son of... A bitch!"


    Geth didn''t waste any time in dispersing his Barriers. He ran and tackled the 5'' tall creature, rolling with it across the ground. Lightning kept jumping from its body in an attempt to numb him, but his resistance was too high for it.


    He pinned the creature down and began pummeling it with both his free hand and his staff. He wouldn''t give it a chance to use thatrge-scale spell again.


    A weaker bolt of lightning shot into his ribs, pushing him back enough for the creature to scurry to its feet. It jumped back, putting some distance between them while st after st of lightning shot from its staff.

 Chapter 83: Just Desserts

    Chapter 83: Just Desserts


    The sts were much weaker than before, but Geth was struggling to get in close. He noticed that de was no longer anywhere to be seen.


    With Corruption Aura active, Geth began using State Change and Barriers to lead the Shaman back towards his party. Zolis and Filthy were already back on their feet, while Alise was sitting up and holding on to her head. Geth drove it in a path directly for Zolis, who was waiting with her hammer thrown behind her shoulders like a bat. She wasn''t happy about being struck with lightning earlier.


    He cast a Barrier on either side of the creature, forcing it to run straight into her while casting lightning back towards Geth. Zolis swung her hammer hard, mming into the small creature.


    The Shaman went flying,pletely shattering through a Barrier that Geth had ced to stop it. He ended up having to throw up another three Barriers to keep it from flying out of range.


    Filthy was already on it by the time it mmed into the wall, firing arrow after arrow as it was falling towards the ground. The Shaman crashed into the earth, multiple arrows protruding from its back.


    Though its Mana was abundant, this Boss didn''t have insanely high health like thest one they fought. Every strike, the party was able to see its hp decreasing.


    Even so, the fight wasn''t easy. The only way the melee fighters could get in range was for Geth to force the beast in their direction.


    If he wasn''t controlling its movements, the Shaman would simply stun the others and dash away. It really was an irritating little creature.


    With everyone grouped together, Geth determined that the best Attribute to end the battle quickly would be Strength. He used Mass Blessing again, recing his own buff and increasing the power of everyone present.


    Even with the loss of Agility, Geth was still able to control the Boss'' movements. It had some speed, but it seemed like all of its Attributes were in Intelligence.


    Another small st of lightning flew towards Hulk as multiple fireballs flew in Geth''s direction. Hulk was stunned for a moment while Geth brushed the embers off and continued his chase.


    Every strike from Zolis would send the creature flying while every arrow from Filthy seemed to cause critical damage. The Shaman''s speed was dropping with every arrow that hit. Alise even managed to throw a few daggers into it, but most of them were dodged.


    The long and tedious fight continued. By the time they finished the Boss off, Geth had depleted half of his Mana reservoir. There had never been a moment that at least two Barriers weren''t up at once, forcing the Boss in specific directions.


    "Congrattions User, for defeating a Boss-type monster. Please select a reward. Options avable will be based on performance."


    "Congrattions User for clearing a Team Dungeon. Please select a reward. Options avable will be based on performance."


    Geth sighed as he watched his Level increase again. Just as the Boss'' HP had fallen into the double digits, everyone backed off and didn''t attack. They forced him to get thest hit.


    It wasn''t that he wasining, but this was a difficult fight. Everyone had worked hard and deserved the final blow.


    He shook his head as he turned to look at the ripped body on the floor. Thorn was stillying there unconscious. Geth nced over at Alise and gestured to the man.


    It wasn''t his ce to get revenge for her. The entire group walked away, leaving her to do as she pleased.


    It didn''t take long for screams of pain and pleading to soon fill the chamber. Geth smiled at the man getting what he deserved.


    He was the only one that didn''t look away, he was still wary of de showing up again. After a full hour, the screams finally died as Alise slit the man''s throat.


    de hadn''t shown his face, Geth assumed he''d already made his way out of the Dungeon. Still, after Filthy finished going through his rewards he had him keep watch.


    Zolis had already burned the body of the Boss after taking its staff and ne. Both were made of bone, the top of the staff hosting an open-mouthed Goblin skull.


    The chest thaty on the ground was muchrger than he''d expected, bigger than the Goblin itself. Everyone was waiting at the sides for Geth to divvy out the rewards.


    He cracked open the chest, the first thing that he saw was a beautiful bow. It was a bit creepy, the entire thing was structured from some kind of bone. The string looked more like clotted blood than any type of material he''d seen.


    After looking beyond that, he found that everything in the chest was equally dark. He stepped to the side to let everyone observe the items.


    Zolis looked on with interest as Alise scrunched up her face. Geth smiled at the difference between his wife''s reaction and that of the other woman.


    After everyone took a look, he pulled all of the items out of the chest one by one. In total, there were twelve items.


    Of course, the bow went to Filthy without question. He relinquished his ce in line for a reward as the others had already decided to gift him with the bow.


    Geth had the highest performance out of their party, but he was still second-highest for clearing the Dungeon. The only possibility was that de had earned the top position through clearing all of the other chambers.


    He looked slowly over the remaining eleven items, there were two that caught his eye. Whichever he didn''t grab, Hulk was sure to snag the other one.


    There was a single pauldron that could be equipped to one shoulder. The other item was a set of leg bracers to cover one''s shins. Both items were Epic grade.


    After thinking about it for a moment, Geth went with the pauldron. After his fight with Thorn, he realized that even if he could block his right side with his staff, it would leave his neck and shoulder wide open on his left.

 Chapter 84: Bones

    Chapter 84: Bones


    The pauldron was a yellowish-white skull of some animal. The snout reached over the shoulder while the top of the skull curved upwards to cover one''s neck. A row of small spikes ran across its forehead while arger spike curved backward from its snout.


    It was an intimidating-looking piece. Geth read over the information before equipping it.


    :Pauldron of the Basilisk (Epic)- Gives wearer +45 Defense, +25 Wisdom. A pauldron that was crafted from the skull of a young Basilisk. Basilisks are known for their imprable Defense and their high Mana recovery rates. Sockets avable: 2:


    Geth was more than satisfied, the two sockets avable were each of the skull''s eye sockets. He couldn''t help but think how cool the equipment would look with its glowing eyes.


    Even if the world was in its current situation, there was no reason not to enjoy the little things. He equipped the piece and watched as his health soared 450 more points, pushing him over 2000.


    "You keep going like this and you''re bound to be a Boss yourself." Hulkughed teasingly behind him.


    "If Geth''s a Boss then I''ll be his minion!" Farris yelled.


    Geth rolled his eyes and let the others choose their gear. Zolis was second since Filthy had given his spot for the bow.


    She surprisingly picked a storage item, it had the same capacity as Geth''s 1000 pound sack but was in the form of a ring. The ring was crafted from bone and had a blood-red gem embedded into the top.


    Next was Hulk, who grabbed the bone shin guards Geth was eyeing. His health shot up by 300 and it was apparent that his speed increased as well.


    Harris and Farris each grabbed one of the two matching belts. They looked strange, the belts were made of the same coagted blood as Filthy''s bowstring. Thetch was made from two small bony hands that grasped each other.


    Alise chose a long dagger that looked more like a long, sharpened w. All of the equipment that came from the chest was either Rare or Epic, except for one Umon item. The rest would be ced into the Contribution System.


    Lastly, Geth turned and grabbed the Boss core, socketing it into his new pauldron. One of the eyes began to glow a deep red as his Mana pool shot up by 1000 points.


    Next, the group collected thest of the items. This included a Skill Card dropped by the Boss, and the 18 Skill Cards dropped by the in men. There were a couple of repeats, but most were Skills that the group hadn''t seen before.


    ''What a really convenient way to stock up on Skills..''


    Geth made sure that all of the loot had been grabbed and everyone was ready to leave. He grabbed the Dungeon Core and began the familiar process of choosing Locations.


    This Dungeon was quite a bit different from the others, the options that he was given were... strange.


    :Dungeon Crystal (Level 0) Experience 0/10,000


    Can be upgraded using Monster Cores.


    Owner- Geth


    Owner is already in possession of a higher Level Dungeon Crystal. Would you like to subordinate the current Dungeon to Level 2 Dungeon, Valha? Yes / No:


    "Yes."


    :Congrattions on obtaining subordinate Dungeon. Subordinate Dungeons are directly leveled in conjunction with the primary Dungeon, Valha. As this is arger Dungeon, the number of resource locations is greater.


    Four Options can be chosen for the current expansion. The expansion willmence once decisions have been made.


    Option 1: Simple Gem Mine


    Option 2: Simple Prison


    Option 3: Simple Training Grounds


    Option 4: Simple Graveyard


    Option 5: Basic Enchanter


    Option 6: Basic Potionology Lab


    Option 7: Basic Library:


    He was quite curious about some of the newer options. Without much thought, he chose the ones that Valha didn''t already have.


    Pressing down on the holographic keys, he chose Simple Prison, Simple Graveyard, Basic Potionology Lab, and Basic Library. The Dungeon teleported them out and they found themselves standing outside by the rushing water.


    It was dark out and everyone was exhausted. Geth, Filthy, and Zolis hadn''t had much rest since leaving the main Dungeon. The others had been pushing forward with them since they''d met.


    "Let''s take a break here for the next day or two while we discuss our next step." He informed the others. Geth then pressed on the gleaming purple crystal that was nestled into the newly formed doors.


    Almost everyone let out a sigh of relief, they hadn''t slept in two days. The Mana coursing through their bodies had certainly increased their stamina, but they still needed meals, water, and sleep.


    They followed Geth into the newlyid out Dungeon, which was much different from the ones they''d seen so far. The whole ce was just... gloomy!


    The doors immediately opened into a long, wide, misty corridor that hosted gravestones and mausoleums on either side. It wasn''t exactly the most weing entrance.


    The mausoleums themselves were massive structures built into the walls around the ce. Torches holding dimly glowing Mana crystals decorated the walls and doorways.


    There was no opening at the end of the graveyard, just more tombstones. They turned to look towards the mausoleums.


    "You think... That the rooms are in those..?" Farris asked a bit hesitantly.


    "Only one way to find out!" Zolis walked towards the closest one.


    The rest of the group followed along, Geth didn''t say anything. He was too busy looking at his surroundings and speaking with Albus.


    ''The Mana in here is extremely dense. Why is that?''


    ''You''ve killed close to twenty enemies, not including the bodies of the Goblins. In the Graveyard, their dposition rate is faster as the Mana turns their bodies into fuel.


    Keep adding bodies, eventually, the ce will be so saturated with Mana that it forms a liquid. Much like the pool in your mind, except this Mana can be harvested.


    The liquid Mana can be used in strengthening materials, potion crafting, or can be swallowed down as is to replenish Mana.'' Albus took the time to exin the situation to him.


    ''So you''re saying that when it looked like the Mana was eating away at those bodies..''


    ''You are correct. I wasn''t sure myself at the time, but it seems that the Mana itself is fueled by the energy released after death.''

 Chapter 85: Library

    Chapter 85: Library


    Geth was silent for a moment, stroking his beard as he contemted. It wasn''t a concept that bothered him, he was always under the impression that energy would always circte throughout the gxy.


    What he was thinking about was new life in this world, was Mana the source? If a child was born, would the Mana have to breathe life into them?


    Albus didn''t have any answers to those questions. He supposed that the only way either of them would know was to witness a birth themselves.


    It was strange to Geth how Albus seemed to know so much, yet so little at the same time. It was like he had all of the answers, but he couldn''t ess those answers until he''d experienced a certain situation.


    Zolis opened the door to the mausoleum while he was trapped in his thoughts. This one was the furthest from the Dungeon entrance.


    The party stepped inside and looked around. The space was small but very well lit. It hosted a few chairs, a table, and shelves lined the wall from top to bottom.


    There were a few books here and there on the shelves. Geth counted twelve hardback covers, arge stack of papers sitting on top of a small cupboard, a quill, and a few pots of ink.


    It was extremely bare, seeing how the shelves here could likely hold a couple thousand volumes of the same size. He walked over to the closest one and picked it up.


    It was a very in leather novel with a picture of a Slime on the front cover. Curiously, he opened it up and began to read.


    :Slimes are very simplistic creatures. Upon forming, they have no thoughts, no feelings, and no reasoning, they just are.


    The instinct built in their core drives them to consume, as such, they are likely the most dangerous of creatures if left unchecked. They have no concept of supply or demand. They would consume the world and force themselves into extinction without realizing it:


    It was a very simple introductory page. Geth flipped over to the next page to see pictures of four Slimes that he recognized. They were the basic me, water, earth, and wind he''s already encountered.


    :Slimes not only consume, but they also absorb. Anything that they consume can be a part of their being.


    If a Slime slides across a pebble, it can absorb the hardness of the rock. If a Slime sits for too long in the heat of the sun, it can absorb the heat and take on simr properties.


    If a Slime begins to absorb other Slimes, it can grow without end:


    Geth flipped through the rest of the volume. There were pictures of hundreds of different types of Slimes based on things that they had consumed before. He finally made it to thest page, which had an excerpt that made him raise his brow.


    :All of the pictured Slimes are creatures that I have either studied in the field or captured and forced them to absorb different materials myself. They can absorb almost anything, from water to the most precious of metals.


    My next experiment will be to have them absorb sentient beings. I need to know. My biggest fear is that an unchecked nest of Slimes bes aware.


    If this could happen... these simple creatures could be humanity''s greatest threat.


    -A:


    The statement itself was very interesting, but even more so... the fact that someone had performed these experiments and written these notes. It made Geth think of the small notes he could see on item descriptions "forged by a great crafter" or anything simr.


    ''Just what is going on here.'' This waspletely new. ''All of humanity was just recently brought to this realm... right..?''


    Albus still remained quiet. A fleeting image entered Geth''s mind of destruction and strange creatures running amok on a quickly expanding earth. The image quickly disappeared, as if it hadn''t been on his mind, to begin with.


    Geth turned to the other novels and began to tear through them as if he was starved of the knowledge inside. The others could see that he was engrossed in something and left to explore the rest of the new Dungeon.


    As he moved from book to book, he found information on multiple creatures. Goblins, Lizardmen, Direwolves, Skeletons, Zombies, and multiple other creatures that he was aware of but wouldn''t have normallye to mind.


    Geth leaned back in his chair, looking at the scattered books across the table with deep interest. He''d read through them all twice already, spending quite a few hours in ce. A few of the books weren''t about monsters, but about the basics of crafting, enchanting, potionology, and even farming.


    The information was a lot to absorb. All of the books on monsters were written by -A, while the books on other subjects had multiple authors.


    He slowly moved his head back and forth across the information again, it was then that he noticed some very light carvings etched into the table. He set all of the books neatly onto the shelves and turned back to the table.


    The table had an intricate formation on it, with an open rectangr shape in the middle. He followed the etchings of the formation across the table, over the lip, and down the legs. The carvings continued onto the floor running towards the waist-high cupboard.


    Geth shifted the papers sitting on top of it and found that there was a bright purple gem beneath. Excitedly, he ced his hand on it causing a holographic screen to pop up.


    :Wee to the Library. Current Library Level 0 (0/100,000).


    The library contains information garnered by sentient beings of all races who have once roamed thisnd. The quality of information that can be provided will increase as the Library level increases.


    The Library is moreplicated than other Locations, upgrading the Library will not make new information appear. To gain new texts, you must provide cores for the specific creature you wish to learn about.


    To gain crafting blueprints, you must sacrifice the equipment to the Library core. To gain information on sses, you must sacrifice Skill cards for that ss to the Library core:


    ''This... this is a game-changer!''

 Chapter 86: Hot Spring

    Chapter 86: Hot Spring


    Geth had been in the Library for hours at this point. He ran his fingers through his unkempt hair and felt the grit from thest few days.


    ''Ahh, suppose I should find somece to wash up.'' If there was anything he despised, it was the feeling of being unclean. This world really hadn''t helped him with that.


    He turned away from the Library Crystal and headed out the door, hoping that the Barracks had a source of water. Having not left the Library during this time, he had no clue which mausoleum held the Barracks.


    The first one he tried opened up into some type of fruit tree farm. After that, he opened up the Potionology room.


    It was a room simr in size to the Library. A few vials and beakers were lying about on the tables.


    The most eye-catching thing was a dull red cauldron in the center of the room. A glowing green formation webbed out from beneath it.


    He was tempted to inspect it but decided to wait for another time. The third door he tried opened up into the Barracks.


    It made him think of one of the old crypts where he would fight the undead in video games. An arched tunnel ran a few hundred yards to a dead end. There were arched openings on either side with doorways inside of them.


    ''I suppose this certainly fits the eery theme that this ce was going for,'' He thought.


    Geth wandered down the hallway, ncing into the doorways. All the doors were closed, and he didn''t want to intrude if a room was already taken.


    Just as he was about to start knocking, one of the doors behind him opened up. Hulk walked out, yawning and stretching as he did so.


    When therge man opened his eyes, he noticed Geth wandering the hallway. The big guy shed him a smile and pointed towards the dead end.


    "Your ol''dy is down there on the right if that''s what you were wondering," Hulk informed.


    Geth gave the man a nod, "Thank you. Where are you heading off to? Difficult to tell in this ce but, I believe it''s evening."


    "Well, while you had your nose in those books, most of us were sleeping." The man shrugged. "I felt like checking out the prison. The way the cells and chains locked intrigued me."


    Geth noted what Hulk had said, deciding that he should take a look as well. The two waved each other off as Geth headed to the back of the crypt.


    He pushed open the door gently just in case she was sleeping. As he did so, he heardughtering from inside.


    When the door was fully opened, he saw Zolis and Alise sitting by a lit firece and chatting merrily. The room was furnished with a few chairs and arge bed. Of course, the framing on all of the furniture was bone.


    Geth walked in and smiled at his wife, "d to see you two getting on alright. Is there somece to wash up around here?"


    Zolis jumped up and wrapped her arms around his waist, "Hey, babe. Yes, just walk around the side of the firece."


    Geth then noticed the arched opening in the corner of the room. He gave Zolis a kiss and nodded towards Alise while passing by.


    As he rounded the corner, he found himself in a circr stone room. Therey arge circr pool in the center. It reminded him of one of those built-in hot tubs.


    He was pleasantly surprised to find the water steaming. It was like it came from some underground hot spring.


    Geth stripped down and eased himself into the in-ground tub. The warm water quickly washed away all of the dirt and grime that covered him. He looked down at his body through the steam.


    ''There sure are way more scars than when I came to this ce,'' He thought. Staring at one scar, in particr, brought back memories.


    It was a dull red mark on the right side of his stomach, about as long as a pencil. Geth recalled that night when some drugged-up fool busted through his back door.


    His daughter hadn''t been far from the man, so he''d tackled him, running straight into the guy''s knife. It tore open his stomach, but he still managed to wrest it away.


    He had taken that same knife and jammed it into the man''s throat. Geth passed out from blood loss before an ambnce could arrive.


    In addition to that, he now had hundreds of new scars. Thanks to his high healing rate, most of them had faded into a very dull white, bing almost unnoticeable.


    There were still a couple of bright pink ones, particrly on his left arm where he''d taken all of those sword strikes. Even after the Shaman''s storm, Geth felt that the four-armed Boss was one of his closest battles.


    ''I really need to go through all of the loot we managed to get. Albus, let''s take a look at our rewards for taking this Dungeon.''


    : Congrattions User, for clearing a Team Dungeon. Please select a reward.


    Note: User had the second-highest contribution. Options adjusted to match feats.


    Option 1: 3 TP, 3 SP, Rare item suitable for ss


    Option 2: 6 TP, 6 SP, 6 AP:


    ''Let''s go with Option 2, Albus. I feel like my personal abilities are what put me so far ahead of people like de and Thorn.''


    : Congrattions User, for defeating a Boss-type monster. Please select a reward.


    Note: User had the highest contribution, and creature Level was much higher than User. Options adjusted to match feats.


    Option 1: 5 TP, 5 SP, 5 AP 2 Rare items suitable for ss


    Option 2: 10 TP, 10 SP, 10 AP:


    Geth let out a low whistle. This was a really nice reward, making it hard for him to choose. He sat and thought about his current gear for a moment.


    ''What else do I need? I have pants, boots, a chest piece, a shoulder piece, some essories, and a good weapon,'' He wondered. ''I suppose a belt? Maybe a cape or something? More jewelry?''


    His next thought was that a piece of equipment he already had would appear, which could be wasteful. If it wasn''t an Epic option, he wouldn''t choose it.


    ''Albus, let''s just choose Option 2 again.''

 Chapter 87: **A Night in Ecstasy**

    Chapter 87: **A Night in Ecstasy**


    ***Chapter contains explicit actions. Skip Chapter if you are under 18 or are not interested***


    ***


    Geth now had enough extra points to make another breakthrough with any of his Skills or Talents. It could wait until the next day. He hadn''t realized how drained he was.


    Geth pulled his body up out of the water and grabbed a nearby fur he''d found to dry off. He couldn''t help but look down and admire his body as he did so.


    The once fattened beer belly had whittled down into a thick set of muscles. His arms and legs had both grown thicker, veins protruding through his skin. He looked almost like one of those strongmen he used to see throwing around logs and carrying boulders.


    ''The Mana really is something, isn''t it, Albus?'' He looked at hispanion as well. There was a tremendous difference between the slim book from before and the thick volume he was today.


    ''Zolis has probably kicked Alise out and gone to bed by now.'' He had soaked for over an hour. Geth used the fur to dry off and wrapped it around his waist before proceeding into the living space.


    After rounding the corner, he stopped short, taking a second look at the scene before him. Alisey exposed on the bed, her frosty skin shining from the dimmed Mana Crystals.


    Shey as if waiting for an artist to paint the scene. Her long legs crossed loosely, highlighting the thickness of her thighs.


    One arm covered her bare chest while the other propped up her smiling face. After taking a moment to absorb the image, Geth looked away and cast his eyes around for his wife. He wasn''t sure how to reject the young woman without hurting her feelings.


    Before he could say anything, he felt a soft pair of hands running up his back and resting on his shoulders. Zolis pulled spun him around, showing her bare body and giving him a lewd smile.


    "Alise wanted to properly thank you for everything you''ve done for her. Who am I to turn down such a noble request?" She said with a gracefulugh.


    Geth looked back at the woman lying naked on his bed. She patted the sheets beside her.


    Looking back at Zolis, he said, "Can''t turn down a request, huh? You sure it''s not because she''s just your type?"


    Zolis'' cheeks turned red, and she stuck out her tongue. She pulled off the fur that was wrapped around his waist and dragged him over to the bed.


    She crawled onto the sheets beside Alise before slowly running her fingers through the young woman''s hair. Alise let out a low breath at the soft touch.


    She moved in slowly and lightly ced her lips on Zolis'' neck, her hands slowly moving up the other woman''s chest.


    Geth sat for a moment at the foot of the bed. He didn''t intend on ruining their moment. It had been some time since he''d watched his wife y with another woman.


    Zolis pulled lightly on the young woman''s hair, tilting her head back and forcing their lips to meet. The two women''s tongues intertwined, each trying to vie for dominance over the other.


    Soft moans could be heard between the two, the noise being exaggerated by the echoes of the stone room. Zolis'' hand slowly ran down the other woman''s stomach,ing to rest in between her thighs.


    Alise spread her legs slightly and let out a pleasant moan as her lips separated from Zolis. It was then that Geth decided to join in.


    Zolis continued to please Alise. While she did, he crawled onto the bed and began kissing his wife. Starting with her ankle and then moving up to her calf, leg, inner thigh. She opened her legs wide as hisst kissnded in the center of her waist.


    Geth slowly ran his tongue down until he tasted the sweet juices flowing from inside of her. He grabbed her waist with hisrge hands, pulling her closer towards him and causing her to fall back on the bed.


    "Mmmm," A sensual noise escaped her lips.


    Alise used this opportunity to climb on top of her so that Zolis could pleasure her with her tongue. Moans resounded through the room as both women were continually pleased.


    Fluids began to run out onto the sheets. Geth stopped and positioned himself between his wife''s hips. Alise leaned forward before he could make a move and pulled him in for a kiss.


    Their lips collided as light noises escaped from the young woman. Zolis was still pleasuring the woman, her face buried under the girl''s thick thighs.


    After sharing their passionate moment, Alise released him. She leaned over and pressed her chest t on Zolis'' stomach, moving her lips down and gently sucking on his wife''s flower.


    Zolis let out a delightful sigh. She wrapped her arms around Alise''s waist and pulled the woman''s thighs tighter around her cheeks. Geth reached down to explore her cave with his fingers while the women pleasured each other.


    A few minutester, Alise looked up from her feast, fluids dribbling down her chin. She stared entranced at Geth''s manhood and then shifted her eyes up to look into his.


    "Please?" She asked in a soft voice.


    He motioned for her to do as she wished. The young woman grabbed his rod, sliding her tongue slowly across the head.


    Geth was surprised as she guided him to prate his wife''s vagina. She then rubbed on her clit while he was sitting deep. Zolis moaned even more pleasurably, the voice muffled by the thick thighs around her.


    Once Zolis'' essence covered him, Alise pulled him out and began to lick the juices from his skin. He let out a soft breath as the woman then took all of him deep into her throat, gagging slightly from the pressure.


    After he was licked clean, she moved him back to Zolis. He moved back and forth, filling Alise''s throat after taking his wife''s essence.


    The motion continued until he finally released himself deep inside of Alise. Alise wouldn''t let him go, greedily swallowing every drop. When she''d had her fill, she rolled over, pulling Zolis along with her.


    Geth slid the women around so that he was now in between Alise''s sulent thighs. Zolis looked up and smiled at him, a moan slipping out and her face red with pleasure.


    Geth grabbed her by the neck and slid himself into her opened mouth. She took all of him, pleasurably humming as he filled her throat.


    He pulled out and inserted himself into Alise''s soaking core. The young woman let out a loud cry of pleasure as he moved back and forth inside of her.


    Zolis smiled up at him while he held her by the neck. After some time, he pulled out of Alise and shoved himself back into his wife''s waiting lips.


    Yet again, he released himself, filling her mouth with his fluids. When he was finished, she opened her mouth, showing him the white nectar that she was holding inside.


    Zolis climbed off of Alise and pulled the woman into her embrace, their lips shing again. Alise opened her mouth wide and epted all of Geth''s sweetness, savoring every drop. She even licked around Zolis'' lips to make sure that none had gone to waste.


    Both women looked at him and then at each other. They pushed him back onto the bed, taking turns riding his face and staff long into the night.


    The night was filled with ecstasy. Noises of their endeavors traveled through the small catbs, visions of blissful nights ran through everyone''s dreams.

 Chapter 88: Talking to a Book

    Chapter 88: Talking to a Book


    Geth rose sleepily from a deep slumber. He looked over at the cuddling women that were still asleep by his side.


    Zolis had her arms wrapped around the young woman while Alise had been clinging to his bicep. Geth slid gently away from the pair and made his way to the small hot spring.


    ''Damn, what a night. We haven''t done anything like that since having kids,'' He thought. ''It''s incredible how much better shape Zolis and I are in from first arriving here.''


    Geth had ample timest night to notice how her skin was taut, her chest was perky, and her muscles had be refined. The Mana of this world had erased the adversities of childbirth.


    After washing off the night''s pleasures and getting his gear equipped, he decided to check out the rest of the Dungeon. They would stay here for another day or two and then get back to Dungeon clearing.


    ''I would like to secure a proper defense back home. Maybe after clearing the top half of the Local Region, we can spend some time with the children.'' He was walking through the Graveyard with his hands sped behind his head.


    "Albus, how long do you think it would take to search for the rest of the Dungeons in the northern half?" Geth asked out loud.


    Albus turned to his map page and then circled him, almost like he was pacing. Eventually, he stopped and answered.


    ''Based on your memories, you are looking at covering slightly over 4000 square miles for the Region. The northern half would, of course, cover 2000 square miles. You don''t seem to realize the shape or size of your county.''


    Geth had to interrupt him before he continued, "What exactly do you mean by that?"


    ''Well, it isn''t shaped the way you thought. You were only picturing the towns more familiar to you and not the whole county.''


    "And how do you know that?" Geth raised his eyebrow curiously.


    ''I have ess to the same memories you do. Only, I can see them with more rity. The old maps that you''ve looked at became crystal clear to me when your Wisdom broke 100.''


    "I see... I noticed that it''s be much easier to retain information or think of solutions quickly. I didn''t realize that it also affected you to such an extent."


    While he was talking, Albus had begun to form aplete map of his county, highlighting the location of the river. It was a lot wider than he remembered.


    ''Based on this, you are just south of the river. The river runs through the center of the Region, Valha being barely south of that. The main Dungeon is essentially the center of the county.


    What you and your party have conquered thus far is only the center of the Region. It would be better to travel south, take out all of the Dungeons there, and find a way to cross the river in the future.''


    Information flowed into his mind as Albus spoke. Small pins appeared on the map.


    Arge bright green pin appeared for Valha. The subservient Dungeons were marked by smaller pins of the same color.


    Geth couldn''t help but sigh. Based on the highlighted area, they had barely covered a fifth of the Region.


    ''The world has truly grown,'' He thought to himself.


    Albus had highlighted the different sections of where he thought Dungeons would be. The Grimoire had a hunch that the Dungeons would be pretty evenly spaced out.


    ''By these calctions, there should be 11 Team Dungeons south of the river and 9 of them to the north. Hopefully, there will be a smaller crossing somewhere on the eastern side of the river.'' Geth stroked his beard while contemting.


    His idea of the types of creatures that could be located near certain terrains had increased as well. This was due to how much time the two had spent discussing ideas in the Library.


    Due to the types of territory in this Region, there should be Slimes, Goblins, Lizardmen, and Skeletons or Zombies. The Direwolves were a given.


    Albus assumed that there would be a Direwolf Dungeon on either side of the river. From their earlier discussion, the pair decided that Direwolve''s were probably the Mana''s greatest asset.


    ''Then where did this Basilisk skull pauldrone from? And based on its sizepared to the myths, it was just a baby,'' He couldn''t help but wonder.


    "Before we check out the Potionology room, let''s use the Points that we''ve recently earned. Also, how much experience did I get from that Shaman?" Geth asked as Albus shifted his pages.


    ''The Shaman was Level 40 while you were only Level 27. You weren''t in range to receive experience from the Hobgoblins the others killed.


    Due to the 13 Level difference and your performance, you moved up to Level 30 after obtaining 236,519 experience. 71% of the experience went to you, while 29% was split between the rest of the party.''


    "Why such a high percentage? 50% for thest hit, but another 21% for tanking? I didn''t do nearly as much damage as the others." He questioned.


    ''You also fought the Shaman for more than twice the time of the others.''


    "Oh, I see," Geth replied. He opened up his Attribute page to browse through his avable points. "So 18 TP, 17 SP, and 27 AP."


    He decided to think things through. There was no reason to rush after all. The only thing that made him hesitant in spending Attribute Points was Intelligence.


    If he could increase the effects of his Mass Blessing Skill, the party''s traveling speed and survivability would improve tremendously. The only thing that held him back was his ss.


    He wasn''t sure what would be offered in the future, but he knew he wanted to primarily remain a tank. After weighing the pros and cons, he made up his mind on how to distribute his AP.


    "Let''s ce 4 into Wisdom, 6 into Defense, and 17 into Intelligence. Whateveres of it, we will deal with in the future."

 Chapter 89: Runes

    Chapter 89: Runes


    Geth looked at his Attributes and nodded, satisfied. His Intelligence was catching up to his Wisdom, which he was still a bit on the fence about.


    "There are many Intelligence-based sses that I can picture showing up in the future, but nothing that focuses on Defense," He spoke to Albus.


    The Grimoire just lifted the two corner tips of his open pages. It was as if he were shrugging. Geth focused back on his remaining TP and SP.


    "Alright, let''s start with our Skills. I want to level Mass Blessing as high as we can." The following Level would cost him 5 points, and he was sure there would be another jump beyond that.


    5 Skill Points disappeared as the Rune in his mind began to warm up. As usual, the Mana began to enshroud it, quickly cooling it down.


    Geth nced at the pages again. Level 4 would take 7 Skill Points. "All right, go ahead with the next as well."


    His avable points were reduced to 5 as the Rune began to heat up again. This time it looked as if it was melting and cooling rapidly, forming a more solid structure.


    It reminded him of how weapons were crafted. The cksmith would heat the metal up before bending it into shape. Once the steel was cooled, he would heat it and re-shape it again.


    The process continued until the metal was thin enough to form a de but solid enough to cut through bone. It appeared to Geth as if the same process happened between Runes and Mana.


    Once that was upgraded, he browsed through his other Skills. Inspection also required 5 points to get to Level 3, so he used thest of his points there.


    Next were his Talent Points, of which he had 18 avable. Looking through the prices of each one, he found them exorbitantly expensive.


    The cheapest and most practical was his Common Talent, Thick Skin.


    It would cost him 7 TP to upgrade to Level 4.


    "Upgrade the Thick Skin Talent, Albus." Another sh as pages appeared in Albus'' bindings. Geth closed his eyes and watched as runes spread from his Mana pool, imprinting themselves all throughout his skin.


    He opened his eyes again and found that to improve to Level 5 was exactly the 10 TP that he had left. He took a moment to think about it.


    ''I''m already gaining a bonus of 10% to my base Defense now... do I really need to improve that?''


    In time, he shrugged and proceeded with Leveling Thick Skin again. Instead of it upgrading, he received a prompt.


    :Thick Skin will reach Level 5 and undergo an evolution. Do you wish to continue? Yes / No:


    "Hmm?" He questioned. Albus didn''t respond to his query, so he continued. "Yes!"


    :Thick Skin has reached its stage of Evolution. Talent will be upgraded from Common to Umon. Please select which path you would like to follow;


    Option 1- Dense Skin


    Theposition of User''s skin begins to change, taking on the properties of ancient creatures.


    +15% Base Defense


    Option 2- Thick Frame


    The quality of User''s physique improves. With ites power.


    +10% Base Defense +2.5% Base Strength:


    "We will definitely be going with Dense Skin," He said once he''d made his decision. Thick Frame would be nice, but it only increased based on the Base Attribute and not the total.


    As soon as he made his decision, he felt his body begin to change. Geth closed his eyes and sensed the Mana changing within him.


    His skin began to shiver as the Runes forced their way deeper instead of lying just under the surface. It looked strange on the inside, so he opened his eyes.


    Geth watched as his arms began to lose theirposition. It wasn''t painful. On the contrary, it was almost soothing.


    The skin itself soon began to ke away. It was simr to recovering after a terrible sunburn.


    He stripped his gear and clothing in the middle of the graveyard. Geth watched as all of his skin fell to the ground.


    ''Have I turned into a snake?'' Geth wondered, looking himself over.


    He peered closely at his skin. It looked as if the small wrinkles and ridges he was used to were gone. In their ce were minute, tough to see, shining scales.


    ''They are barelyrger than my pores,'' he thought while observing. His pores were still in ce, but it seemed each one was in the middle of a scale.


    After moving around a bit and getting used to the smooth skin, he donned his armor and took a look back at Albus. There wasn''t much left for him to do, so he decided to test his new abilities.


    Geth used his Inspection Skill and peered around the graveyard. The effects exceeded his expectations.


    He was not only able to see the footprints from where everyone had walked but also knew at a nce who every track belonged to. Geth cast his eyes around, able to see every step that the brothers or Hulk had taken.


    Even the fingerprints from them tapping on the tombstones couldn''t escape his gaze. He then turned his head towards the ceiling, following the long trails of Mana floating upward.


    It was then that he realized the true extent of the Inspection Skill. Standing there, staring at the ceiling, he was able to read the meaning of a handful of Runes.


    His previous experiments hadn''t been forgotten. He attempted to draw the simplest one he could make out.


    It was a small circle with a sh through the middle. A small dot rested just off of the top of the shape.


    The Rune meant warmth... he had actually been able to read it! Not just that, but many of the simpler Runes could be understood as well!


    Geth used his Mana Sense to bend the surrounding Mana to his will. It followed hismand and marked out the shape in the air.


    Once he finished drawing the main structure, he ced his pointer finger where the small dot should be. The area in his immediate vicinity became warm!


    He was actually controlling the Mana!

 Chapter 90: Current Standing

    Chapter 90: Current Standing


    ***


    Note from Author: This will be a rather boring chapter with a lot of numbers and statistics. A rundown of his Skills and Talents will be given, and a list of his items and the Attribute bonuses he receives from them.


    If you are not the type to care, you can skip this chapter after reading about the Runes. If you are the mathematical type of reader and wonder where his damages and healing amountse from, this chapter was written just for you!


    ***


    He dragged the small dot around the right side of the circle, the temperature heated up to an extreme. Geth promptly pulled the point back to its start.


    His next move was to start on the opposite side of the sh and move the point down. As he did so, the temperature in the surrounding area plummeted! His breath was visible in the air as frost formed on the ground!


    Just momentster, Geth felt that he was running a temperature. He quickly dispersed the formation and looked inward towards his Mana pool. It waspletely empty!


    "This is dangerous," He said while leaning on a frosted tombstone nearby.


    ''You should focus on using those Runes alongside Formations. Once stamped onto a formation, they will pull in the Mana around them.


    Using them directly as you just did may be more powerful, but it will draw straight from your Mana pool. If you use them for too long after your pool is drained, the Mana will try to erase you.''


    "I see."


    Geth wandered on the implications. Feeling nostalgia from his first attempt at using the Mana, he decided to check his progress.


    "Albus, let''s have a look at page 2."


    ***


    Geth: Level 30


    ss: Cleric


    Exp: 19,234/130,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 2180 +350 (Rec. 7.62/Second)


    MP- 1485 +1750 (Rec. 5.6/Second)


    Strength- 5 +25 (P.Damage/Stamina Recovery)


    Agility- 5 +40 (Mov.spd./Dexterity/Reflexes)


    Defense- 70 +112 +[11] (HP/P.Res./HP Rec.)


    Wisdom- 75 +65 (MP/M.Res./Mana Recovery/Processing Speed/Memory)


    Intelligence- 41 +45 (MP/M.Dmg./Learning Speed)


    Points Avable:


    TP- 1 (Talent Points)


    SP- 0 (Skill Points)


    AP- 0 (Attribute Points)


    ***


    Talents:


    Recovery (Max)-


    Doubles HP and MP recovery rates.


    Mana Sense (Lvl 3)-


    Allows User to sense and manipte Mana. Creation Runes can be drawn if they can be understood, necessary for crafting.


    3% reduction to all spell costs.


    Reflection (Lvl 2)-


    Reflects damage to attacker in the form of true damage.


    3% of the damage taken is reflected.


    Dense Skin (Lvl 1)-


    User''s Skin structure is altered, making it more resistant to physical damage.


    Defense = +15% increase to User''s Base Defense


    Protector''s Aura (Lvl 2)-


    Grants all party members within a certain range bonus resistance Attributes.


    Wisdom Increase- 15% of User''s Wisdom


    Defense increase- 15% of User''s Defense


    ***


    Skills:


    Inspection (Lvl 3)-


    Cost (10 MP/sec) Ability to see the Mana. Can clearly see the flow of Mana. Tracks left in the Mana are easier to follow for a longer period.


    Stealth-type techniques are easier to see through. Glimpses of history shown by the Mana are not as blurred. When looking at Runes, will understand some of the simpler terms.


    State Change; Earth (Lvl 3)-


    Cost (25 MP) Can turn arge section of soft earth directly into mud. For stone or other hard materials, size is affected greatly. Current size- 16 square feet.


    Cost (2 MP/sec) Manipting mudes naturally. Can control mud to move in intricate patterns without much concentration.


    Cost (60 MP) Can change a four-square-foot section of mud into stone.


    Restoration (Lvl 3)-


    Cost (125 MP) You can temporarily ess Mana''s need to bring things to their natural order. Provides an aura that heals the target over time. Additionally, provides a temporary shield from physical or magical damage.


    Healing = 10+ (Int x 25%) + (Caster''s HP x 2.5%)


    Shield = Caster''s HP x 2.5%, shieldsts for the duration of the spell, or until shattered.


    Duration = 30+ (Wisdom x 40%) in seconds. Healing urs on the initial cast and once every 3 seconds for the duration.


    Corruption Aura (Lvl 3)-


    Cost (225 MP) A dark misty form of Mana surrounds the caster. This Mana is simr to that which destroys unnatural structures. Causes damage over time. Duration of 60 seconds. Causes damage on initial cast and once every 5 seconds for duration.


    Damage = 10+ (Int x 25%)


    Range = 2.5+ (Wis x 2.5%) in feet.


    Barrier (Lvl 2)-


    Cost (75 MP) Mana forms a Barrier at the target location. If cast in an enclosed space or between two objects it will alter shape to fit.


    HP = (Int x 140%) + (Caster''s HP x 30%)


    Size = Wis x 30% in feet. Square structure, same length, and height.


    Mass Blessing (Lvl 4)-


    Cost (400 MP) Area Skill that provides Blessings through the Mana. All party members within 20 yards affected.


    Buff = 30+ (Int x 30%)


    Time = 30+ (Wis x 30%) in minutes.


    Curse (Lvl 1)-


    Cost (10 MP/sec) Caster reduces the enemy''s main Attribute. Single target spell. Caster has to stand still to cast. Attributes can not be pulled under 0.


    Reduction = (Int x 15%) + (Wis x 15%)


    ***


    Equipment:


    Inventory Pack- 1000 pound limit


    Band of rity- +5 Wis +5 Int


    Staff of Cunning- +10 Int +5 Wis (2 Sockets) [Slime Lord Core +250 HP +150 MP]


    Enchanted Leather Pants- +10 Def +5 Agi +5 Str


    Caster''s Gloves +5 Int +5 Wis +2 Def


    Robe of Magnus +25 Wis +20 Def +15 Int (3 Sockets) [Goblin Chief Bane Core +100 HP +100 MP +20 Str+20 Agi] [Spirit Orb +500 MP]


    Boots +15 Agi +10 Def +10 Int


    Pauldron +45 Def +25 Wis (2 Sockets) [Goblin Shaman Core +1000 MP]


    ***


    Geth smiled at his current status. He really hade a long way from being a shirtless guy in a skirt.


    Thinking about his first few days was almost funny at this point. All of that just meant that he was ready to improve more. He thought of the Direwolf that had actually caused him to feel fear.


    "We will be meeting again soon." Geth grinned.

 Chapter 91: Geth the Engineer?

    Chapter 91: Geth the Engineer?


    Geth intended on running a few more tests before leaving. At first, he hadn''t nned to make use of the Potionology room.


    Things changed now that he could read some of the simpler Runes. Studying the ceiling, he had Albus record the ones he could understand. The list was short, only consisting of 18 of the Runes.


    The Rune that had changed his mind was one called "Gather." It was a simple spiral shape where the outermost line of the spiral was attached to the formation.


    If he was right, that Rune gathered the Mana in the area to power the formation. He wanted to use this function to speed up the Mana condensing process.


    ''It may not work, but if it does...'' He felt excitement growing at the thought of what he could achieve.


    After reaching the Potionology room, Geth sorted through the different beakers and cauldrons that were lying around. Eventually, he came across a set of ss beakers and sks about the size of his hand.


    Gathering the ssware and one of therge iron cauldrons, he headed back into the graveyard. He activated Inspection and found the area with the highest concentration of Mana.


    Located in arge clump of gravestones, the Mana was so thick it looked like fog. Geth sat in the middle of the stones and began his first experiment.


    Using State Change, he created a small and hollow rod of stone. It was the closest thing to a pen he could think to use.


    Geth focused on the Mana in his mind, controlling it to umte in his fingers. After some practice manipting his own Mana, he slowly fed it into the pen he''d made.


    It worked out better than he''d imagined. He picked up one of the beakers and drew the "Gather" Rune on the bottom of the ss.


    The moment he finished the final stroke, Mana started flowing in quickly. He sat the beaker on top of the nearest gravestone and watched as it slowly filled up.


    "Albus! It worked!" Geth pped his hands together, ready to begin the next step.


    As he was about to pull the cauldron out, he froze. Looking back at the beaker, Geth found that the cloudy Mana was spilling over the edge.


    After observing the situation, he found a problem. The Mana wasn''t condensing. It was simply filling the container and then spilling over the edge.


    *Sigh*


    Geth was a bit disappointed, but he''d proven that the Runes would work. He needed to find a way to let the contained Mana build up pressure to condense into a liquid state.


    His next experiment involved a stone jar. He crafted an enclosed beaker-sized jar out of stone with a small orifice in the top.


    Using the pen, he etched another of the spiral symbols with his Mana. The center was connected directly to the small opening.


    Mana began siphoning itself into the jar, not stopping even after several minutes. Geth sat for hours watching his experiment and waiting for something to happen. Eventually, something did.


    *Criiii*


    Geth stood at the strange sound and went to check on the jar. When he was just a few steps from it...


    *BOOOOM*


    The jar shattered, sending stone shrapnel and turbulent Mana flying in every direction. Geth blocked his face but didn''t bother doing much more.


    When the dust settled down, he could see pieces of jar lying inside of a small crater. A small amount of liquid Mana slowly seeped into the ground.


    ''Progress,'' Geth thought. He sat down for a moment to think. When he was still working, he had to understand how to change liquid to gas and vice versa.


    ''If the Mana works like most gaseous substances, it can definitely be condensed into a liquid... The only problem is how much pressure it needs to be under.'' He stroked his beard.


    ''When I worked with refrigerants, the gas would bepressed into a small tube. Thepression superheated the gas and sent it through the pipe at high pressures.


    The tube would run into a coil that was cooled by pulling air across. As the high-temperature gas cooled down, it would condense into a liquid.'' Geth sat for a moment contemting and began talking to himself.


    "What I need to do is catch it after the coil," He said. "Albus, do you think that I can craft stone hard enough to handle the pressure of superheated Mana?"


    ''Doubtful. But of the 18 Runes, there are two that can help you out. One is a Hardening Rune. The other is the Temperature Rune,'' Albus answered.


    Geth thought about it. ''So first I need to harden the structure itself, then I can use the Temperature Rune to cool the coil before the liquid leaves. If I make the coil long enough, it can stabilize the pressure.''


    "Alright! Let''s get to work!"


    Late into the night and into the next day, Geth designed his contraption. While he was working, Zolis came out and sat with him, asking him to join her and Alise again.


    He waved her off and told her to enjoy herself. There would be time for thatter.


    Hulk and Harris had stepped out to help. Filthy and Farris had left the Dungeon earlier that day and were out hunting.


    "Alright, line these barrels in a circle around the center here," He instructed. The two men moved the eightrge stone barrels he''d built into a circle around him.


    Geth used State Change and every ounce of his Mana. He created a raised tform at the center of the basins.


    The terrace was about 2 feet in diameter. A pole stuck out from the tform, attached to another simr-sized barrel.


    Eight coiled-up tubes spiraled down from the bottom of the center barrel before running off and opening into the outer ones. Each of the coils had a fair amount of frostyering them.


    "So, are we finally done?" Hulk asked while eyeing the contraption. It looked a bit like a strange octopus to him.


    "Yes, we are done. Good work, guys. Now, let''s enjoy the fruits of ourbor!"

 Chapter 92: Health Potion

    Chapter 92: Health Potion


    Geth climbed onto the top of the tform. He took his time drawing arge "Gather" Rune in the bottom of the barrel.


    Before he could even get his head pulled out, Mana began pouring into the basin at an extreme rate. The Rune that he''d drawn wasrge and branched off into eight smaller spirals at each orifice.


    The effects were amazing! Arge mass of Mana hurled its way to the center and quickly siphoned off into the thin tubes.


    Geth closed his eyes and felt the Mana running through his stone contraption. He could sense the Mana heating up as it forced its way into the pipes.


    The high-temperature Mana swiftly made its way down into the chilled coils. As the heat dispersed, Geth could sense the Mana changing into a liquid state!


    He jogged over to the closest barrel and waited. Very soon, a slow but steady stream of liquid Mana began to pour out into the barrels.


    They would take days to fill up, but the operation had been a sess. Harris bent down and studied the translucent blue liquid. It was glowing, causing a dull light to show around the mouth of the barrels.


    "So... is this what Mana looks like?" The man asked.


    "Keep upgrading your Sight Skill. You may be able to see this world as it really is in the future," Geth responded.


    He grabbed all of the ssware near him. Handing what he couldn''t carry to the others, the group hastily made their way back to the Potionology room.


    He grabbed the small tome he''d found when first exploring the ce. Geth ced his vials on the counter and gestured for the others to do the same.


    "ce everything on the table there while I look through all of these formations." There were 12 small circle formations on the floor that led to a single one in the center.


    "What is it with Mana and circles?" Geth muttered while he looked around at the disy.


    Now that he could understand some of the Runes, the more modest formations were like open books. Even though he couldn''t read some, he recognized them from the Mass Blessing Rune in his mind.


    "There''s Agility... And this one over here is Strength, Intelligence..." He continued looking around the room. Geth noticed all of the Attribute Runes before finally finding the one he wanted.


    "Restore." It was such a simple term. The Rune matched his current Skill with a slight variation.


    In Geth''s mind, the Rune looked like a cross but was broken apart in three sections along the longer end. He supposed the three strikes had something to do with the three-second intervals.


    The Rune on the ground had the same shape without the three breaks. It was at the bottom of a formation.


    A line ran between it and the center of the room, connecting with therger circle. Geth looked around again, studying the area.


    Once he was satisfied, he picked the small book back up. Opening the tome, he began to read.


    :Potionology isn''t for the light-hearted... or the weak-skinned.


    If you want to learn Potionology, you need to be equipped with quick reactions and the gear to handle explosions. There are 4 things you''ll find necessary before crafting a potion;


    1: Have a sufficient amount of liquid Mana.


    2: Have a basic understanding of Runes and Formations.


    3: Have sufficient control of Mana as a whole.


    4: Have the correct Mana Core for what you intend to craft. Every race''s Core can provide different effects.


    A list of creatures, along with their effects, is provided in the index of this book. If you can''t see all of the monsters, your Potionology room is not a sufficient Level:


    Geth turned to the back of the book and found a small list of 8 creatures. To their right was an effect and an amount of liquid Mana needed.


    :Monster Index, from weakest to most dangerous;


    Slime - Restore - 1 oz


    Goblin - Stamina - 2 oz


    Skeleton - Agility - 3 oz


    Zombie - Strength - 4 oz


    Kobold - Wisdom - 4 oz


    Lizardman - Intelligence - 4 oz


    Orc - Defense - 4 oz


    Ghost - Stealth - 10 oz:


    This list didn''t seem to include the Direwolves or the Nagas that he''d seen in the Library. He continued on.


    :To initiate potion creation, take the Monster Core to its Rune counterpart. ce the Core in the center of its formation.


    Once that isplete, ce an empty vial in the center of the nk formation. This formation is closest to therge one in the center. Make sure there is no stopper on the beaker or vial.


    Next, you will sit inside of the center formation. Pour the liquid Mana into the carved-out section of the floor.


    This liquid will sense the Core and move to dissolve it. Your job is to keep the formation active with your own Mana. If you can not do so, the liquid Mana will attempt to return to its original state.


    Notes: The liquid Mana is already a potion on its own. You can drink it to restore a small amount of Mana. All Cores can enhance this effect.


    The stronger the Core, the greater the effect of the crafted potion. Also, the stronger the Core, the more of your own Mana it will take to power the formation:


    And that was the end. It was a small book, but it gave Geth all of the information he needed. Without wasting time, he ced a Level 5 Slime Core in the "Restore" formation. He then ced a vial in the nk circle.


    "You guys might need to step out in case this goes awry." He said while looking towards Hulk and Harris.


    The two left the room before Geth could blink. Once they were gone, he sat inside of the center formation and pulled out a small vial.


    He poured the contents of the vial into a deep groove on the floor. As soon as it was emptied, he could feel the Mana in his mind pulling out of him.


    He activated Inspection and observed. A dome had appeared in the room, blocking off the area from the Mana outside.


    Geth noticed no Mana was inside the dome aside from his and the liquid he''d just poured out. His MP constantly drained into the formation. He watched as it supplied the barrier.


    He didn''t actually have to do anything, just make sure that his Mana didn''t run out. The liquid Mana surrounded the Slime Core and burned through it like acid.


    As it did so, the original liquid Mana turned into a bright red substance. That fluid fell into the grooves and made its way back towards the empty vial.


    It seemed as if the liquid merged through the ss,pletely filling it. Geth sat and watched as every drop ran into the tube.


    When the process was done, the dome shed a few times and faded away. His MP was still sitting around 2900.


    He reached over and picked up the small vial. 2 oz of bright red liquid sloshed around inside. After using Inspection on it, he grinned.


    He''d done it. Geth had made a health potion!

 Chapter 93: Glass Maker

    Chapter 93: ss Maker


    :Basic Restoration Potion -


    Drinking this substance can cure wounds and instantly replenish a set amount of health!


    HP recovered - 150


    Effects; Can cure trivial wounds, slow bleeding, and heal most bruises:


    "This much of an effect from just a Level 5 core!?" Geth eximed. If Valha had enough supply, then other parties could begin clearing Dungeons without him.


    He was starting to regret having used all of those Slime Cores on upgrading his first Dungeon. Just as he was about to curse himself, he remembered something.


    "Filthy said that one of Thorn''s guys had taken thatst Dungeon from Slimes..." Geth headed out of theb.


    Hulk greeted him as soon as he exited, "Ahh, was it a sess, boy?"


    Geth just grinned and tossed him the corked vial of liquid. Hulk and Harris both inspected it closely.


    "Is this what I think it is..?" Harris was the one to speak this time. He wasn''t as old and had yed some games in his free time.


    "That''s right!" Geth''s grin widened, "Just a few of these, and you lot can clear a Dungeon without me."


    "Well... What is it?" Hulk grumbled something under his breath about how rude the younger generation could be.


    "It''s a Health Potion," Harris exined. "You drink it, and it will heal your wounds."


    Hulk''s eyes widened in acknowledgment and appreciation for the liquid. He then turned to Geth without hesitation.


    "What do we need to do to mass-produce this?" Hulk asked.


    Geth responded quickly, "I need you to use the tools and measure out precisely one ounce of liquid Mana for every vial we have avable.


    I can create containers. The ss itself is hardened by the use of Runes, which I can handle.


    The thing is, I don''t know how we can go about making more portable tubes. Changing gas to a liquid is one thing, but I don''t know much about creating something new."


    He thought of Bruce back in the Smithy. He could probably do it, but he needed to focus on crafting equipment.


    "I have a guy," Harris spoke up suddenly.


    Geth raised his eyebrow and gestured for the man to continue.


    "Remember the guy that you were going to let die because his wife didn''t trust you?" He asked.


    Geth nodded. Harris kept on, "Well, that fe is actually a ssblower for the medieval festival our state had every year. He used to demonstrate how ss was made and how to shape it."


    "That is quite convenient. I suppose it''s a good thing I didn''t turn the two out right away." Geth chuckled as he remembered the woman''s ashen face.


    "Then we need to get him here and have him exin what type of equipment he needs. I should be able to craft him a sturdy furnace or any other necessary tools."


    Geth stroked his beard for a moment before speaking. "Next time you see Filthy, tell him to bring that couple here. Also, see if there is anyone interested in crafting potions or researching monsters."


    Hulk nodded and set out in search of Filthy while Harris grabbed two cauldrons and some vials. Geth left in search of Zolis. She had looted most of the dead bodies.


    He made his way into the catbs and to the back room. He opened the door to find Zolis and Alise lying exposed on the bed sleeping.


    Alise had one of her legs wrapped around Zolis, who in turn was using the young woman''s chest as a pillow. Geth chuckled at the two of them and wondered to himself if this would be permanent.


    He didn''t mind. He knew that he struggled with showing emotional affection. It would be a nice change for Zolis to have someone she could share that bond with.


    Geth crawled onto the bed and kissed both women''s necks, stirring them from their peaceful slumber. Alise woke first and smiled, grabbing his beard lightly and pulling him in for a light kiss.


    Zolis woke up as well and climbed into hisp while still holding hands with Alise. She snuggled her head under his chin and closed her eyes.


    Geth gave her a moment before speaking, "What did you do with all of the loot we got from Thorn''s crew?"


    "Mmmm..." She opened her eyes a bit, freeing her hands to stretch out.


    *Yaaan*


    "My satchel is somewhere..." She looked around a bit and then leaned over the edge of the bed.


    Geth grinned and pped her bare cheeks when she bent over.


    Yelp!


    "You asshole..." She smiled while rubbing the fresh red handprint on her ass. Alise was giggling with her hand over her lips.


    Zolis fished the bag out from her loose gear that was strung across the floor. She pulled it up onto the bed and handed it to him.


    "Why didn''t you just store it in your ring?" He asked.


    She shrugged, "I would rather keep my personal things separate from the rest of the loot."


    Geth nodded and searched through the contents. Alise took her turn sitting on hisp while Zolis went to wash in the hot spring.


    He lightly caressed her peaks with one hand. Using his other, he sorted through the mess in the bag. Eventually, he found what he was looking for.


    There was another storage item inside of the bag. It was actually an earring.


    He used his Mana Sense to look inside and found that it was filled to the brim with Slime Cores! The highest Level was a Boss Core at Level 25.


    "This is great!" He let out suddenly. Alise lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him curiously.


    "What is it that you''ve been working on? I thought we were taking a break for a few days." She looked pointedly at hisp as she spoke.


    "Ahh, this is something that will hopefully give us more free time in the future." Geth smiled at her.


    She nodded and gave him a light nibble on the neck before heading to join Zolis in the bath. Geth left and headed back to the Potionologyb.


    Harris had brought in three cauldrons full of liquid Mana and was carefully measuring it out. The two of them nodded at each other and got to work.

 Chapter 94: What Exactly Are You?

    Chapter 94: What Exactly Are You?


    Hourster, Geth stretched and left the center formation. The work hadn''t been as easy as he thought.


    Harris had non-stop handed him vials of liquid Mana. Most, he had to drink to keep his MP full.


    The liquid Mana tasted very simr to Gatorade. Each ounce of the liquid could restore about 50 Mana.


    "I need to refine these. I wonder what its effects will be if I merge it with a Goblin core?" He''d said to Harris. Even so, he decided to focus on his current priority.


    It surprised him the first time he''d grabbed a Level 20 Slime Core. It had cost him 1600 MP to liquify it. A majority of the Cores he had avable were Level 20 or higher.


    After the first few rounds of potion crafting, he''d decided to use Mass Blessing to increase his recovery and MP by a bit.


    "Harris, how many potions did we end up making?" Geth queried.


    The man finished stacking thest of the vials and turned around, "It ended up being 208 before we ran out of vials. Can we still produce it in arger container?"


    "Yes, we can and will. For now, I need a break. My mind is burning from using Mana constantly." He said.


    Harris nodded, "I''ll tidy things up here then. You get some rest. Filthy should be back with ss in the next few hours."


    "Hahaha. Did the guy actually name himself ss?"


    "Yeah, he told me that he''d thought it on the spot and his Grimoire epted it before he could change his mind." Harris Shrugged.


    Geth shook his head, "Well, it certainly isn''t the worst I''ve seen."


    Harris shooed him away after that. Geth took his time heading back to the catbs. He needed sleep, and more so, he needed a bath.


    For now, he was looking inside of his mind. The dome that housed his Runes and Mana was a dull red color.


    Some cracks had taken shapes in the walls. Now that Geth had stopped, his Mana was easing itself up the walls and filling the damages.


    ''You should be careful. If it wasn''t for your high Recovery rate and Magic Resistance, the world''s Mana could have forced its way in and killed you.'' Albus warned him.


    "But I thought that my body and mind had been reformed by the Mana?" Geth asked.


    ''That is true. The Mana reformed your body so that it treats you like a native. Your mind is a different story.


    The dome was created by formations that are built into my pages. As you gain power, the Mana is purified through me and bes a source of your own.


    If it weren''t for that, you wouldn''t be able to use Skills or Talents naturally. You would have had to personally etch Runes on your body or draw them out in the air for effects to take ce.''


    Geth stopped walking and looked at Albus floating in front of him. His white cover gave off a bright purple luster.


    Purple Runes were etched across his bindings, giving him the look of something ancient. The Grimoire would constantly grow alongside Geth.


    "What exactly are you, Albus?"


    *Sigh* Geth heard the sound in his mind.


    ''I honestly don''t know. I have no memory from before you first killed that Slime.


    I can see vague pictures at times. I''ve seen thend expanding and monstrous creatures roaming the skies.


    I''ve seen humans in chains. I''ve seen blood soaking the ground.


    It doesn''t matter what small vision I get. I can''t ce myself in any of those situations.


    Whenever you Level up ore across something new, it''s like memories rush into me. Those memories make me feel like I had some past before you.''


    Geth was silent. He really didn''t know how to respond. Albus was already sentient...


    Was he shoved inside of a book or something? What about the Grimoires that were part of everyone else?


    Both of them stayed silent for a while, neither really sure what to say. It was a bit of a dark subject if you thought deeply about it.


    Geth walked into the catbs and into his room. The girls both jumped whenever he opened the door.


    Alise was posed on top of Zolis. Both of their faces held a shade of red as sweat glimmered on their bodies.


    "Am I interrupting?" He grinned as he looked at the two beautiful women.


    "Huu... You shoulde and join us," Zolis said sweetly.


    "How about the two of you join me for a bath, and then we get some rest. I n on us heading out the morning after tomorrow.


    Zolis, I expect you to be ready. Alise... you''ll need to decide what you want.


    If this was just a fling between the three of us, then that''s fine. If you really want to be with us, then I suggest we talk things through."


    Geth pulled off his gear andid it on a nearby chair. He adjusted the pauldron so that it looked like the basilisk was guarding his equipment.


    It looked cool to him, but both of thedies started snickering at his childishness. He shook his head at them and headed for the bath.


    Zolis and Alise followed him in. He sat back and rxed as the two women bathed each other.


    "So, where are we going from here?" Alise asked.


    Geth opened one eye and looked at her. He could feel his blood rushing while watching her hands run across Zolis'' chest.


    "I still n on taking over the Region. Albus has drawn up a more urate map, and we have a general idea of where each Dungeon will be.


    The next step will be to find and recruit some survivors. Finding trustworthy survivors will be difficult, however."


    Zolis stoppedthering Alise and looked at him, "Why don''t we head towards the schools. I''m sure you''ll find plenty of teens to train.


    Their parents may have headed in those directions as soon as they woke up. Young minds will be easier to bend, and young men are always looking to prove themselves.?


    Geth thought about it for some time. It was a damn good idea, and he felt dumb for not thinking of it first. He nodded in approval.


    "All right," He said. "Now enough business,e over here and show me what you two have been up to!"

 Chapter 95: The Short Man

    Chapter 95: The Short Man


    *Sigh*


    A long, drawn-out sigh came from a branch in the forest.


    Filthy was staring off into the distance about half a mile behind him. He knew that Geth needed this guy... But he was so slow!


    ''It''s no wonder he got his ass handed to him. He''s barely improved since waking up!'' Filthy thought.


    The distance between the two dungeons was, at most, 150 miles. He hadn''t even taken 5 hours to make it to them.


    It irritated him that he was so close to Jen and the kids. It didn''t matter. He hadn''t had the time to stop.


    When Filthy first learned about the size of the ce, he had worried a bit about traveling and transportation. Now that he had over 100 points in Agility, he wasn''t concerned with it.


    He had estimated that he was running close to 35 miles an hour during his trip. It wasn''t his top speed, either.


    Looking at the two women and three men that were following him, he sighed again. Their Agility was all under 30. At a sprint, they could run just over 20 miles per hour.


    They would have to spend the evening in the woods and continue their trek tomorrow. They should make it back to the Graveyard a bit after noon the following day.


    As Filthy watched the small group slowly catching up, he noticed that something sounded off. He closed his eyes and activated his tracking Skill, which enhanced his senses.


    He didn''t hear anything, even after waiting for a full minute. He opened his eyes and continued to monitor the group, but he kept his Skill active.


    Just as the group was nearing his tree, he heard the noise again. In the distance, Filthy detected a loud crashing sound.


    His eyes darted off to one side, he signaled down to the small crowd to stay put. The man nodded and had the others climb into the lower branches.


    Filthy darted off, a blur whose shape could only be seen briefly amongst the limbs. There were too many trees in the way for him to use his eyesight.


    He would have to get closer to find the creature causing themotion. It wasn''t curiosity. He just needed to make sure it wouldn''t be a threat to his slow followers.


    His ears perked up as he hopped to the next tree. A violent roar could be heard as the limb he stood on began to tremble.


    ''Goblins?''


    Filthy would recognize that squealing pig sound anywhere, but this was different. The yell was much more harsh, sounding more like a bear than a pig.


    It was close. Filthy jumped forward through the branches. After jumping a couple more trees, the cause of themotion became clear.


    12 Level 27-31 creatures were surrounding a shorter man. Another 8 of their bodies were lying dead or unconscious on the ground.


    They definitely weren''t Goblins. These monsters hosted pale grey skin, hulking figures, and small tusks curving up from their lower lips.


    Their faces boasted tiny eyes and slits where their noses should be. Filthy also noticed that the creatures didn''t have ears.


    ''I feel like I know that guy...'' Filthy tried to recall the man.


    He was a shorter guy with ck hair and a scanty, tangled beard hung from his chin. His body was tanned and well-built.


    Muscles and veins bulged as the guy swung two spiked maces towards the encroaching beasts. Both made contact with one of the brutes as it was sent flying into a nearby tree.


    The bark busted as the tree shook violently. Filthy, who happened to be in that very tree, struggled to keep his bnce.


    ''What crazy Strength!'' Filthy thought. ''He has to have twice the Strength of Zolis.''


    He inspected the man more closely and saw that he only had about 40% of his health. In a normal situation, he wouldn''t help, but he was sure he knew this guy from somewhere.


    He nocked an arrow and drew back the bloody bowstring. As Filthy pulled, a strange aura surrounded the projectile.


    A low breath escaped his lips. The world around him went quiet as he concentrated on the monster furthest from him.


    After thest bit of breath was let out, Filthy released the string. A dark object whistled loudly through the air and struck his target, directly piercing into its neck.


    ''Hmm... That arrow should have easily pierced through its neck.'' Filthy thought. ''These creatures must have a high Defense Attribute.''


    While he was thinking, a small stream of dark Mana floated back and absorbed into the bones making up his bow. It was an effect he''d learned of while hunting.


    The bow would absorb some Mana from each creature he killed. He wasn''t sure what it did yet. Also, when he drew back, the arrow would be covered in a dark cloud, making it impossible to see at night.


    Another of the grey monsters was knocked into the tree. This one tried to stand back up.


    Filthy dropped down with an arrow in each hand, using the momentum to drive them into the back of the beast''s neck.


    The already weakened creature dropped, leaving nine of them to contend with. The man noticed Filthy''s arrival and quickly gestured for him to back up.


    His eyebrow raised as he watched the man take another blow, but Filthy still jumped back up into the branches. It was only an instant after he positioned himself that his confusion faded.


    Just as the man''s HP dropped below 25%, he began to grow. His muscles bulged as he became a foot taller than the already 7'' creatures around him.


    His body began to spin quickly. Both maces extended out as his body turned into a small whirlwind!


    As the weapons made contact, the beasts were flung back in every direction. The sound that drew Filthy to the area resounded again as all of the creatures began crashing into trees.


    Filthy was amazed as the man shrunk back to his original size, his health suddenly back over half.

 Chapter 96: SwolePapi

    Chapter 96: SwolePapi


    Filthy began targeting the creatures that were flying through the air. Three arrows tore through their targets before the monsters could hit the ground.


    Most of the beasts were dead or unconscious. Filthy could see that their chests and ribs had been caved in.


    The creatures that were Level 30 or higher were different. They had deep, dark grey bruising, but they still managed to get back on their feet.


    There were still 5 of them, and they were furious. Once the beasts were fully standing, Filthy could feel something change in the air.


    A rich earthy smell took over the area, and the ground began to quake. The earth itself began to churn as the bulky creatures stooped down.


    Filthy sprinted over to the shorter man, appearing beside him in an instant.


    "Don''t dodge until thest second." The short man spoke after a brief nce at Filthy. He didn''t exin his words. There was no time.


    The five monsters suddenly stood tall. A massive, spiked, earthen wall sprouted before them and began to move forward.


    It was swiftly making its way directly towards them. The wall was at least 40'' tall and covered the entire width of the clearing.


    ''The only way to dodge is up.'' Filthy nced at the injured man next to him, wondering how someone with only Strength could dodge.


    Filthy started to move, but the man grabbed his arm and shook his head. He wasn''t sure what the guy was getting at.


    Naturally, he was very cautious. There was something familiar about this guy that told Filthy he should trust him.


    After a brief mental struggle, he decided to stay in ce. Just when the spike wall was about to reach them, the man turned into hisrger form again.


    His two maces swung forward and struck at the same time. The enormous wall let out a groan as it cracked across the bottom.


    It reminded Filthy of a vehicle running into an immovable object. The wall mmed into the man and toppled!


    "Jump forward, NOW!"


    He did as instructed. The two jumped between the top and bottom sections of the wall just before it copsed. Debris and giant tree limbs fell as the structure came tumbling down behind them.


    He noticed that the man was back down to 20% health for some reason, and he was panting heavily.


    Filthy was quick to fire arrows towards the now visible monsters. The projectiles let out a small burst of Mana as they hit their targets, causing them to slide backward.


    It was as if he were firing bricks instead of pointed objects. The piercing damage was heavily reduced when he used this Skill, but he wanted to buy time for the other guy to catch his breath.


    ...


    SwolePapi watched as the archer seemed to endlessly pull arrows out of his quiver. He recognized the guy. He was the stepdad of one of his friend''s kids.


    There would be time for introductionster. The creatures were being held back, but they would be able to cast that wall again soon. Swole couldn''t do anything without getting in close.


    "Let theme to us," He spoke up so that the archer could hear.


    The man nced over at him and nodded, canceling his Skill. The next few arrows pierced into the beasts'' chests while they quickly closed the gap.


    Swole ran directly towards them, activating his Blood Berserker Skill again. His body grew in size as he looked down at the creatures.


    He began to quickly lose health, pushing him below 100 HP. Swole swung at the closest Orc with one of his maces, striking it hard in the chin and knocking him into the air.


    The next Orc managed tond a hit with its club, but he stood firm. He swung both maces at this creature, catching it in the side and crippling its arm.


    Swole''s HP jumped from under 100 to over 250 in just those few powerful strikes. He continued to beat the Orcs, and with the assistance of Filthy''s arrows, quickly took the group down.


    As thest Orc dropped, Swole promptly canceled his Skill, which had cost him another 50 HP in just that brief moment of not fighting.


    ''Damnit,'' He thought. ''I still struggle to maintain that form for long.''


    He turned around to talk to the archer. When he did, he found that the other guy was standing right beside him!


    "Holy shit!" Swole eximed. "Warn somebody!"


    "Sorry about that. It''s be a bad habit of mine." The man replied. "You look familiar. Did we work together somewhere?"


    "Nah. I''m friends with your stepson''s dad." He replied.


    A look of realization struck the other man''s face, and heughed, "I knew I recognized you. Stark talks about you a lot. He calls you "The short tattooed guy."


    Swole shook his head. ''Is that really what everyone knows me for?''


    He offered his hand out to the archer, "My name here is SwolePapi, but you can call me Swole."


    "Filthy," The archer replied while taking his hand. "And your friend is going by Geth. I''m on my way back to meet him now. Would you like to join?"


    "Sure, I keep seeing that asshole''s name on the top of the rankings. Maybe he can help me conquer another Dungeon."


    Filthy raised his eyebrows at that, "Oh? We are working on taking the entire Local Region. Do you have a party already?"


    "Nah, just myself and my wife. She''s in a Skeleton Dungeon that we conquered not far from here with two of our kids."


    Filthy nodded and then thought about what he said. ''So Skeletons too, huh? I wonder what other creatures are out there.''


    "Well,e on, I have a small group waiting nearby." Filthy started to walk out of the clearing, then stopped.


    "On second thought... We should grab these cores first. Do you happen to know where they are located?"


    Swole looked at him, "Nope, this was only my second time facing the Orcs. This group followed me from their Dungeon."


    Filthy let out a sigh, "I guess we have to get our hands dirty then."

 Chapter 97: Chained

    Chapter 97: Chained


    Geth wrinkled his nose. A foul mix of rotting flesh and feces assaulted his senses.


    His eyelids pried open, trying to find the source of this putrid odor. As the air touched the surface of his eyes, the burning almost forced them closed again.


    Geth''s vision was heavily blurred. He blinked rapidly, trying his best to regain his sight. His body was battered and aching, and he could feel some type of restraint tearing at his wrists.


    He struggled briefly and found that it was difficult to move. It felt almost as if his joints weren''t in ce. He could feel his appendages, but the most he could do was make the muscles twitch.


    After a bit of struggle, he finally managed to blink through the burning of the rotten odor. As his vision cleared, a strange scene appeared before him.


    He found himself in a vast underground space. It reminded him of a Dungeon before it had been conquered.


    It was dark. Very little light radiated from the encircling crystals.


    The location isn''t what he found strange... It was the picture that was disyed before him. Hundreds of corpses were lying in the area surrounding him.


    Feces and bile littered the few open spaces between the decaying bodies. A few of the bodies were moving. They seemed to be broken and struggling just as Geth was.


    He turned his head towards himself. Geth needed to get a better idea of his condition.


    The first things were his hands. His fingers were all broken in odd angles, bits of bone protruding between them.


    The hands themselves were heavily swollen and bruised. Geth''s wrists were cuffed together by a block of earth.


    Blood flow was cut off to his fingers by the heavy stone. If it wasn''t, he would probably bleed to death.


    Struggling to turn his neck, he found that his arms were hanging limply from his shoulders. His legs weren''t in any better shape, limplyying on the ground in front of him.


    He noticed that the bodies around him weren''t just human. There were Lizardfolk, Goblins, and even some of what he thought were Dwarves and Elves.


    The Elves had their eyes gouged and ears ripped off while the Dwarves were missing limbs. It looked as if the hair had been ripped from their faces.


    The Goblins and Lizardfolk were mutted even worse. In all, it was a truly gruesome sight.


    Every creature was bound or crippled in some fashion. It seemed that the humans were the least tortured.


    Geth shuffled slightly, causing the stone weighing down his arms to drag against the floor.


    "Who... who''s there..?" A nearby voice strained the words out.


    Through the pain, Geth managed to turn his head towards the whisper. What was left of the broken body looked like an old elf.


    The man''s skin was old and wrinkled. Even with the scars of torture, Geth could make out the lines of muchughter near where his eyes should be.


    He tried to reply but found that he couldn''t form words. His actions weren''t his own as his body toppled towards the old man.


    Geth could feel the searing pain as his shoulder began to move, dragging himself towards the tortured elder. He came to rest just beside him.


    The old man seemed to sense his movement as he got closer. A smile briefly lit the old man''s face before he forced himself to speak again.


    "A... human? How fitting. Hah-" A rough fit of coughing interrupted his briefughter before his face turned serious.


    "There is only one," *Cough* "Chance to make things right."


    The elder''s forehead pressed up against Geth''s. A chilling sensation ran through his mind as pressure began to build.


    It felt like his head was going to explode, but he couldn''t move. His eyes closed. He could feel something foreign enter his mind.


    An unfamiliar shape was emerging. With closed eyes, Geth could see the form of arge dome. He wasn''t sure how, but he knew that the object had be a part of him.


    Another alien presence began to surround the dome. Geth watched as a strange blue tendril approached the edge of the new structure.


    The tendril began to carve out a shape on the outer walls. The pain was excruciating, worse than being tortured one thousand times.


    The lines that were drawn glowed an angry red. The burning sensation it gave off resonated through his entire being.


    Just as Geth''s consciousness was about to fade away, a powerful frigid sensation reced the heat. Once he could focus again, he found that the blue substance was being siphoned through a spiral etched into the dome.


    As the dome was filling, thousands of strands of the odd liquid began to reach out. Intricate drawings were burned into the structure as its outer edges expanded.


    The size continually increased as information began to flood Geth''s mind. When the process wasplete, millions ofplex markings filled the inner space.


    The old man let out a tired breath, "Humans really are resilient creatures."


    "Hopefully, the next time our races meet, we won''t let our pride get in the way." A bright smile lit the old man''s face just as his life faded away.


    ****


    Geth woke in a cold sweat, jerking his body up and startling the women beside him awake.


    "Babe, is everything okay?" Zolis asked while worriedly looking around the room. Concern showed on Alise''s face as she looked at him.


    Geth looked at the two women before answering, "Just a bad dream. I''m going to walk around a bit. You two get some sleep."


    He kissed them both gently before donning his gear and leaving the room. Geth didn''t like lying to them, but he wasn''t sure what he should say.


    He knew it wasn''t just a dream. There, on Albus'' pages, was the only proof he needed.


    :An unknown force has entered your mind. Mana Sense has been upgraded to Level 4.


    Additional Talent learned. User has gained Talent, Absorption.


    Absorption (Max)-


    The wall standing between you and the surrounding Mana has thinned.


    Mana Recovery has doubled.


    Experience gained from all sources has doubled:

 Chapter 98: Glass

    Chapter 98: ss


    Geth was sitting in the catbs waiting for Filthy to arrive. He had already emptied the half-full barrels of liquid Mana that morning.


    Closing his eyes, he focused on the Rune for "Gather" that was etched on the upper wall of his Mana pool. There was no way that it was a simple dream.


    Mana was constantly pulling in through the spiral. As the Mana slipped in, it condensed into a liquid. The liquid fell gradually into theke below.


    His mind also yed scenes of a dream he''d had a month or more back. The sudden expansion of the Earth and the appearance of hundreds of different creatures.


    It all seemed to have happened at some point. One thing that Geth didn''t understand was the difference in size.


    In his current situation, the world had expanded about ten times over. In the apocalyptic nightmare, the Earth had grown at least one hundred times in size.


    There was nothing he could do with this information. Albus hadn''t spoken to him all morning, as if something was on his mind.


    Geth had his suspicions, but it wouldn''t make a difference anyway. Albus knew everything that he did.


    At the moment, he was looking at the two women sprawled across his covers. His beautiful wife and the young Alise really were eye-catching... Particrly in their current state.


    The three had talked the night before. Zolis was ted that Alise wanted to be with them, and she had shown her joy the night before.


    Geth was still on the fence about it. It wasn''t that he hadn''t started to develop feelings for Alise as well.


    He was simply worried that she was using them to ovee her recent trauma. Zolis would grow attached quickly. Geth didn''t want her to be hurt if the younger woman suddenly changed her mind.


    *Sigh*


    It was then that a light pounding could be heard on his door. He stood and headed out into the hallway.


    A disheveled-looking Farris was waiting for him. The man looked like he had skipped a night''s sleep.


    "Boss, I found a new Dungeon southwest from here. It seems that the creatures there are the Zombie types that you told me to look out for."


    Geth raised his brow, "Could you tell what Level the creatures were?"


    Harris shook his head, "I''m sorry, but I couldn''t get close. The Zombies were swarming the ce."


    He thought for a moment and added, "They seem to have a long-range of smell, too."


    "The information that I''ve read on them say that they can detect living beings within 50 yards. Also, they aren''t faster than a normal human, but they have an obscene amount of Strength." Geth replied.


    Farris just nodded in agreement. "The few Zombies that did chase after me were already in the high Level 20''s. There''s no telling how strong those in the Dungeon are."


    "The only thing we can do is handle it wh-" Geth stopped when he heard the sound of someone approaching.


    He turned his head to see that Hulk was walking his way. "Geth! Filthy made it back!"


    "Hmm? It''s still a bit early. I wasn''t expecting him to until the afternoon." Geth responded. He gestured to the others to follow. They headed out into the Graveyard.


    Filthy was sitting on top of one of the gravestones waiting for him. Geth was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face standing beside him.


    A short, shirtless man withrge muscles was grinning towards him. His tanned body was covered with tattoos. Hanging from his face was a thinned beard that reminded Geth of something you would see on a goat.


    The short man flipped him the bird and yelled at him, "Good to see you haven''t been skewered yet, you fat bastard!"


    "Hah! I didn''t know that dwarves were brought here too, you short prick!" Geth yelled back at him, returning his gesture. "Filthy, where''d you find this guy?"


    Filthy hopped onto his feet before responding, "Bailed him out of some trouble. I recognized him and brought him along.


    Five people decided to make the trip over, including the ssmaker. It should be enough to keep this ce operational."


    Geth nodded at the news. He then proceeded to look over those that were present. The three men and two women were looking around the ce curiously.


    He was pleased to see that none of them had been freaked out by the location. It would take a unique mindset to stay here and keep your sanity.


    As he stepped closer, the wandering eyes stopped. Everyone looked towards him. They had already witnessed his power, two of them experiencing it personally.


    Harris stepped forward to introduce the group, "This is ss. He''s the man that you healed. This here is his wife, Pharma."


    Geth raised his eyebrows as the couple rushed to exin. The wife was the quickest to answer.


    "We chose our names based on our jobs. We weren''t sure what else to put." She gave an embarrassed smile, "So, my name is Pharmacist01."


    "I simply put down ssMaker." The man extended his hand. "I greatly appreciate you helping me, even after my wife was so rude to you."


    Geth shook the man''s hand and nodded. "I''m sorry that I had to make an example of you. I have to make sure that I can trust those following me."


    "I understandpletely," ss responded. "So, I was told that you needed my assistance with work here? I''ll help in any way that I can!"


    Geth reached into his satchel and pulled out one of the health potions. He held the vial out for the man to inspect.


    "We need thousands of these crafted. They must be sturdy and have the capacity to hold 2 ounces of liquid," Geth exined.


    "As far as the Runes that are etched onto the ss to make breaking it difficult, I will be teaching those to you and your colleagues."


    ss took the strange vial and looked into it, "What exactly does this liquid do?"


    "It will heal you or others when I''m not around to do so."


    A look of understanding dawned on the man''s face as he nodded vigorously. He handed the bottle back to Geth.


    "I heard there was a Library? Let me have a pen and pad. I can draw the equipment that I''ll need. We can get started right away!"

 Chapter 99: Threat Levels

    Chapter 99: Threat Levels


    Geth spent the rest of the day forming the equipment that ss would need. He also met with all of the new inhabitants of this Dungeon.


    The youngest man in the group was interested in studying and writing down his findings on the monsters. He had named himself MattHarris, but he preferred to go by Matt.


    He was a part-time author back on Earth, and it was something he didn''t want to stop doing. Geth didn''t see any problem with it, so he showed him around the Library.


    Thest couple was a bit older. The couple had joined since there were too many people around the other Dungeon. They had named themselves Ross and Rachel, after an old TV series.


    Both of them were fighters, but they had been police officers in the past. Geth asked them to hunt the creatures in the vicinity and bury their bodies in the Graveyard.


    Of course, he didn''t give them instructions without exnation. Geth informed the group of the importance of the Graveyard and the Mana condenser he had built.


    They were all a bit proud that he had asked them to handle such important work. In Geth''s mind, there weren''t any other options.


    He would let them think as they pleased. If they became more loyal because of it, then all the better.


    It ended up being quite a long day. Zolis and Swole carried around the freshly made equipment where ss needed it.


    By the time everything was set up, a small smithy had been built in the Graveyard. Geth used his knowledge of the Runes to set up a fire fueled by Mana.


    ss still wasn''t Level 25, but he had poured all of his Attributes into Intelligence and Skill Points into Mana Sense. This being the case, Geth was able to teach him how to control the temperature.


    On top of that, the man quickly picked up the basics of etching Runes. He said that the next day he could begin production.


    The man''s wife, Pharma, had dumped all of her points into Wisdom and Intelligence. Geth showed her to the Potionologyb and taught her how to create the potions.


    During the experiments, he experimented with the newly found Orc cores. The oue was quite pleasing.


    :Basic Potion of Hardening -


    Drinking this substance can increase Defense for a short time!


    Defense gained- 31


    Duration: 10 minutes


    Effects; Causes health and health recovery to increase based on the Defense gained. Increases physical resistance:


    "Ha! This could have been named better." Geth rubbed his forehead thinking about the jokes that woulde from this.


    Even Pharma couldn''t help but giggle at its name. Even so, the effects were nothing to scoff at.


    Having 31 extra Defense for 10 minutes was the equivalent of a Rare piece of gear! It could mean the difference between life and death for a Strength or Agility build in a pinch.


    Geth stored the vials, nning to disperse them to his party memberster. He did give one to Pharma, telling her to use it if the Dungeon came under siege.


    It wasn''t something he was concerned with. The strongest people in the Local Region were all here for the moment. The guards at the front were from the rest of the Orc Cores that Filthy had given him.


    If Filthy and Swole struggled as much as they had, then he was assured it would be almost impossible for others. Even worse since they would be fighting in an enclosed area.


    Geth had already passed admin privileges for this Dungeon over to ss. He made sure to exin to him how to properly operate the ce.


    An emphasis was also made that all Cores needed to be split up evenly. Some had to be buried, while the most focus should remain on the Library, Potionologyb, and Graveyard.


    If the Library was upgraded, maybe the information avable would include enemy weaknesses. For now, it was just general information.


    ''I wonder how things have grown at the home base?'' Geth thought to himself. ''The sooner we finish things in the South, the better.''


    He already had some ideas. With that thought in mind, he went to find Hulk.


    "So, you''ve finallye to visit this old man? Haha!" Hulk joked as Geth knocked on his door.


    Geth smiled to acknowledge the man''s tease, "I was afraid if you were left alone too long, your hair would finish turning grey!"


    Both of themughed for a moment before Geth brought up why he was there.


    "Do you think that you could manage a Dungeon party on your own?" He asked.


    Hulk opened his eyes in surprise, "n on splittin'' us up already?"


    "Yes. We have a lot of ground to cover. With the new potions, I think a second team could safely handle the weaker Dungeons."


    Hulk crossed his arms over his chest and pondered. Geth waited patiently. He wasn''t asking the man to pick up groceries, after all.


    "I suppose that shouldn''t be a problem. When would you like to start?" The older man asked.


    "Let''s take on this Zombie Dungeon together. It will give us an idea of the Boss'' power from here on out.


    ording to my reading, there is a ranking system for monsters. The order goes by Threat Levels of 1 to 10.


    Slimes are a Level 1, Goblins and Skeletons are Level 2. The Threat Level for all of the other Dungeons is Level 3.


    This excludes the Direwolves and Ghosts, who are both Level 4."


    Geth finished his exnation and let Hulk take it in. Understanding quickly dawned on him.


    "So what you''re saying is, as long as we stick to the Level 3 and under Dungeons, we should be fine?" The man asked.


    "That''s right. Tomorrow I would like to gauge the difficulty of a Level 3 Dungeon. If you feel like you can manage simr Bosses, we can put a team together." Geth replied.


    "I''m sure a group can take on a single Direwolf now. But... What of the other six Threat Levels?"


    Geth thought of the Direwolves he''d already run into.


    "If you run into them, hide and hope for the best."

 Chapter 100: Zombies

    Chapter 100: Zombies


    Twelve figures stood in the immense branches that hovered over arge cemetery. Geth and his party were looking down on thousands of Zombies creeping amongst open graves.


    The Zombies weren''t all human. Some were raised from the corpses of Goblins, while they could see some Lizardmen and Kobolds.


    All of them held somber faces. Four hulking figures were walking amongst the thousands of lurking creatures.


    Geth couldn''t tell, but he was sure they would be the Sub-Bosses. This Dungeon was the first he''d seen that was above ground.


    "Albus, do you have any idea why this isn''t an underground Dungeon?" Geth asked. Everyone had agreed that their Grimoires wouldmunicate during this trip.


    ''I am not confident, but this does mean that the weaker Zombies have already spread throughout the Region.


    It doesn''t bode well for any survivors who were in this area. It looks as if the Formation is keeping the Boss in, but the Sub-Bosses can freely leave.''


    Everyone received those words through their own Grimoire''s, so there was no need to trante. Geth looked at the others to see if they had anything to say.


    Swole was the first to ask a question, "How are we supposed to find loot in this mess? The Dungeons I''ve been in had a small crate in every room."


    "Almost all of the tombstones have faded names. Some arerger and marked with an ''X,'' I would imagine we have to dig it up," Filthy stated while looking out over the graveyard.


    Geth watched Swole squint his eyes to try and make out the tombstones. He couldn''t help butugh at the guy.


    Ross stood next to him with a worried look on his face. Geth knew that the couple hadn''t been involved in a Dungeon raid before.


    "Don''t worry too much, Ross. You two are very close to Level 25. We will lure just a few Zombies for you until you get used to it." He told the couple, along with young Matt.


    Matt hade along as well. He wanted to study the creature''s behaviors andpare them with the information in the Library.


    "Filthy, lure some groups back towards the clearing we passed earlier. No more than 20 until we see what they are capable of."


    The man nodded and vanished. Geth could barely make out the Mana tracks from his departure.


    ''What a neat ability.'' Filthy had focused heavily on stealth and uracy in his build. Alise had a simr ss but focused more on criticals and damage output.


    They had a decent teamposition at the moment, but he felt they werecking magic damage. He understood that it wouldn''t be a popr choice due to the low survivability.


    ''I wonder where he''s at right now?'' Geth thought. Another of his friends was always the mage in their DnD campaigns. It was likely that he would build in a way he was familiar with.


    "Alright, let''s get back to the clearing. Matt, Rachel, Ross, you three need to be ready," He instructed. The group then made their way down the branches and back to the clearing.


    He would have preferred to let someone else lure the creatures while Filthy kept a lookout. The problem was their sense of smell.


    If any of them got within range, they could likely aggro the entire horde. Filthy''s ability made his presence harder to detect, smell included.


    Before climbing the branches, Geth had already prepped the area. He used State Change to make a massive pit.


    The mindless creatures would fall in, and the three could safely handle them. It wasn''t perfect, but it should keep them from taking too much damage.


    The weaker creatures weren''t like the Zombies they''d seen in movies. These Zombies could only create more undead from freshly killed corpses. Getting bitten wouldn''t be an issue.


    Soon, a rustling noise came from the forest. Most of the party stepped back while the three weaker members waited near the pit.


    Filthy jogged out of the woods and leaped over the cavity. Hended gently on the opposing side and turned to watch the brush.


    Rushed footsteps sounded from the other side. Shortly, just over 30 figures sped through and copsed on each other inside the hole.


    Geth cast his Barrier just behind those in the back, causing them all to fall in. He then stepped a bit closer to the trio.


    "All right, one of you hop in and take care of them," He said.


    "Wha... Why just one of us?" Matt asked.


    Geth chuckled, "Obviously, so you don''t have to split the experience. You need to growfortable with being outnumbered.


    Don''t worry. Nothing will happen to you." Geth cast his Mass Blessing spell as he said this, granting them 56 additional Defense.


    It was Rachel who stepped forward first, "I''ll handle the first batch if you don''t mind."


    Geth gestured toward the pit and watched the woman jump. He found it amusing that she was less hesitant than the two men.


    Rachel carried a long two-handed sword and wielded it with ease. She already had it unsheathed when the Zombies noticed her.


    She swung the de horizontally before they could get close. Geth could see a wide arc of Mana leaving the weapon and cutting through the closest five Zombies.


    The bodies were cleaved in half and fell to the ground. The next swing only managed to cleave three of the monsters in half.


    Then, the group was upon her. Ross made a move to jump into the pit with her, but Geth ced his hand heavily on the man''s shoulder and shook his head.


    A bit hesitantly, the old man just watched his wife''s suffering in silence. The Zombies tore and bit at her skin as she tried to dice them apart.


    The creatures had great tenacity. Even after being split apart, the top half would crawl forward and tear at Rachel''s legs.


    Geth noticed that they had zero health regeneration.


    ''It seems once these things are damaged, there is noing back for them.''

 Chapter 101: Scribe

    Chapter 101: Scribe


    Geth continually healed his weaker party members. It reminded him of when he would y a healer in video games.


    The power leveling of the trio went smoothly. Rachel managed to reach 25 first and the other two shortly after.


    The average Levels of the Zombies had been around 28, so they were getting bonus experience while farming. In total, they had killed close to a hundred of the creatures.


    The leveling process went a lot quicker than Geth had expected. He assumed that individually, they would struggle to kill the Zombies.


    Geth was proven wrong. The Zombies were extremely weak! The only thing intimidating about them was how difficult they were to kill.


    Even Matt, whose build wasn''t for fighting, found them easy to handle with me magic. The group of 34 that he had faced quickly burnt to a crisp.


    Ross had the most troublesome time since he was a purely physical build. All of his Skills were more focused on single target damage.


    At this point, everyone had achieved their ss selection. Geth was waiting for them to make their choice so they could continue.


    Ross didn''t waste any time selecting the Fighter ss. Rachel chose the Knight ss after finding that it would help increase her ability with the sword.


    Both received some powerful equipment from their ss change as well. Geth raised his eyebrow when he saw Matt''s serious expression.


    The young man was staring down at his Grimoire with his thumb ced under his chin. His eyes squinted tightly together as if he were contemting something.


    After almost 15 minutes, a bright light finally shed from his direction. Geth''s curiosity peaked as he noticed that Matt''s Grimoire had turned into a scroll.


    The scroll was thick and reminded him of something in an old Egyptian museum he''d visited. He intended to ask about it, but Matt approached him first.


    "I had a hard time deciding. Sorry for taking so long," Matt spoke as he walked over.


    Geth nodded, "Some tough choices?"


    "Yes, I was offered a ss that suited me. The only problem is, both the survivability and battle ability are low. After some dilemma, I decided to choose it anyway."


    Geth didn''t say anything and just raised his brow. He waited patiently for the young man to continue.


    Matt seemed relieved that Geth wasn''t angry, "I chose the Scribe ss. It will allow me to perform my work in the Library better."


    "That''s interesting. I wondered if there were sses geared towards utility instead of just battle." He stroked his beard while he wondered about Bruce and the others back home.


    "Well, the Skill that I received is called ''Inscription.'' It allows me to directly inscribe my thoughts to a surface at the cost of Mana.


    The Talent I chose gave me two awesome perks! One is that I can receive experience through the number of pages I write.


    The other is that I also get experience based on the value of information that I learn. I can pretty much Level up just by researching and writing about monsters!"


    "Hmm? A different way to Level? That is certainly going to be a boon for you," Geth told him.


    ''It seems that there are still many things unknown to us about this ce,'' He shook his head before gathering the group together.


    "Well, I''ll leave it to you all to decide. Should we charge directly in, or do you think that we should pick the creatures off?" He asked the group.


    Alise spoke up first, "If all of the Zombies are so weak, it shouldn''t be a problem to charge in. It doesn''t seem like the corpses have any abilities at all."


    ''You are correct. These corpses seem to have been raised with weak magic.


    Most are incapable of retaining their intelligence or abilities from their previous life.'' Albus transmitted the message through everyone''s Grimoires.


    Filthy nodded, "Knowing that, I agree with rushing. The only problem is, how are you going to hold the aggro of Boss and Sub-Bosses while we thin the herd?"


    "I don''t think we''ll have to worry about the Boss as long as we stay away from the center. Harris and Farris can handle one of the Sub-Bosses.


    Hulk has just as much Defense as I do at this point. He can handle one or two as long as their abilities are physical.


    I''ll take care of any that can cast spells if needed. I don''t think that we will have any issues."


    Zolis was the next to speak, "Just leave the mobs to Rachel and me since we have AOE Skills. Everyone else should work on the Sub-Bosses.


    Start with the one Harris and Farris are tanking. Once it dies, move down the line. We can secure the loot before touching the Dungeon Crystal."


    Everyone nodded in agreement. It would make the process easier and safer for the tanks.


    Filthy left for a moment to scout the area. The tanks would try to enter as close as possible to the enemies they would be facing.


    The rest of the group would run with the brothers. Zolis and Rachel would stop a bit short of where they would be fighting.


    Most of the Zombies would run towards the living, so it would be easy to bait them into the girls'' attacks. Their job was just to massacre.


    ''Well, the big lead I had will be eaten up today,'' Geth chuckled to himself. ''Both of these women will surpass all of us, even if one person gets all of thest Boss hits.''


    It didn''t bother him. He''d known for a while that he would have to rely on the many bonus points and the equipment he had to stay ahead.


    While he was thinking, Filthy made it back to the clearing. The others gathered around to listen.


    "The lowest Level of the Sub-Bosses is on the eastern side. The highest two Levels are both standing near the center. Thest is off to the west."


    He looked at Geth before speaking again, "Our assumptions were wrong. All four of therge creatures were Sub-Bosses. I can''t find the Boss anywhere."


    Geth thought about it for a moment. No Boss? Did it find a way to leave the formation?


    "I''ll take the center and see if the Boss shows up. Once you''ve finished with the first Sub, kill the Zombies around the perimeter and help Hulk.


    Don''t go anywhere near the middle. Let''s get it done quickly and hope we don''t run into any surprises."


    The group nodded and began to split up. Albus spoke to Geth as he began to trek towards the northern side of the cemetery.


    ''I may have been wrong. The information that I have ess to shows that the Bosses shouldn''t have the ability to leave their area.


    It''s possible that some of the Runes here were altered. All of the other Dungeons have been inside caves, where the Formations were challenging to ess.''


    Geth thought about what that implied. Was there someone around with the capability to edit the Formations? If so, that would mean that they understood the Runes better than him.


    ''But what could they hope to gain from freeing a Boss?''

 Chapter 102: Fighting the Horde

    Chapter 102: Fighting the Horde


    Geth watched as mes and electricity burst in the distance. The loud noises caused a majority of the Zombies to turn their heads.


    In unison, the creatures shifted their bodies and shuffled towards the light. They had the speed of an average human back on Earth.


    He had to wait for the majority to shuffle by to find a clear path to the center. He could already see the experience rolling in from the girls'' rampage.


    Aside from the Sub-Boss in their direction, the rest hadn''t made a move. Geth still couldn''t see any sign of a Boss.


    Using Inspection, he could see that the Mana was acting wildly. Instead of floating calmly along, it rushed back or forth through the air.


    Albus was currently inspecting it as well. Other than the strange movement, nothing seemed out of ce.


    He turned his attention back to the mobs. The once densely packed area was now only sparsely saturated with the monsters.


    Looking towards where the action was taking ce, it seemed as if the Zombies were trying to crawl over one another to get closer. Geth was d that he''d buffed everyone with Defense before separating.


    ''Hopefully, on the next Inspection upgrade, I''ll be able to see a creature''s base Attributes.'' Even without that ability, he estimated most of the Zombies'' Strengths were less than 25.


    ''With the bonus Defense on top of their gear, they should only be taking 2-10 damage per hit. With the health potions, they will be safe for some time.''


    He nodded and then moved from the trees. He had cast the Agility version of Mass Blessing onto himself.


    Geth moved between the gravestones and headed straight towards the center. His destination was still a ways off when the two Sub-Bosses came into view.


    :Raised Forsaken, Lvl 35 (Sub-Boss); HP- 32,761/36,000


    Raised Forsaken, Lvl 35 (Sub-Boss); HP- 33,248/36,000:


    ''Something has damaged these in the past. It looks like even the Sub-Bosses of the Zombie ss can''t regenerate health,'' Geth thought to Albus.


    The creatures were lofty, but they were still shorter than the Hobgoblins. These Forsaken stood around 8 feet tall.


    They didn''t really have any impressive features, either. Their bodies were just stitched together parts from different races.


    The only thingmon between them was the sewed on human heads. Their bodiesprised bits of Goblin, Human, Lizardman, and Orc.


    Neither were holding weapons nor did they have an MP bar. It looked like the only means for damage were the hooked ws embedded in their fists.


    Geth was nning on simply monitoring them while they just stood there. There would be no reason to approach if they weren''t heading towards the rest of the party.


    He tucked himself behind a gravestone and looked on Albus'' pages. A new page had been introduced that allowed him to keep an eye on the party''s status.


    Of course, it wasn''t anything special. The Grimoires were just keeping each other updated.


    Still, it made Geth morefortable when splitting up. Due to the range, it was slightly dyed, but it was still better than nothing.


    ''Hulk should be monitoring his Sub-Boss by now as well.'' The man''s health and Mana bars were full, so Geth wasn''t worried about him.


    Zolis had already reached Level 30, and Rachel wasn''t far behind at Level 28. Just from the residual experience Geth was getting, he had gained 40,000 experience.


    It looked like he would hit 31 while just sitting here. As he was looking over his party members, he heard a shift behind him.


    Geth turned his head and found that the two Sub-Bosses were looking directly towards his gravestone. They were already walking in his direction.


    ''So much for taking it easy,'' He chuckled to himself. ''Their senses are out of this world!''


    He stepped out from the shadows and strolled towards the beasts. It didn''t seem as if they were in a hurry to reach him, either.


    When they were but a few feet apart, all three of them stopped and looked at the other. Geth was surprised to recognize one of the faces of the Forsaken.


    ''I went to school with that guy. The face is aged, but it''s definitely him.'' The other face was a very young woman that he didn''t know.


    The female Forsaken made the first move, swinging its wed hand towards Geth. He simply raised his staff and blocked it.


    The impact was even weaker than he thought. He didn''t budge, but the creature took a slight step back.


    He activated his Corruption Aura and stepped forward as the two beasts attacked. Something beyond his expectations happened at that moment.


    Instead of taking damage from his Corruption Aura, the two creatures began to heal! They gained 32 HP as the stitches on their bodies began to meld together.


    Geth quickly jumped out of their range as the two Forsaken lumbered forward. He threw up two Barriers to keep them at bay for the moment.


    ''Albus, what the hell is up with that?'' He asked.


    ''You''ll have to get them in range again. Let a few ticks hit them, and I''ll see if I can sense what the Mana is doing.''


    Geth nodded and moved around the edge of the Barrier. The creatures had barely managed to damage it.


    He danced around the sluggish beasts while allowing his Aura to heal them. The stitches began to sink into their skin as they gained some of their health back.


    ''Alright, get away from them. It seems that these Forsaken were created from the same corrupted Mana that your Aura uses.


    If you continue using it, not only will they heal, but they will begin to grow stronger.''


    Geth quickly cast another Barrier and retreated once more. He watched and noticed their damage had slightly increased.


    It was nothing significant, but he could tell that Albus'' words were correct. Then, he had an idea.


    He voiced it out loud, "Albus... What would happen if I were to heal them?"

 Chapter 103: The DPS Cleric?

    Chapter 103: The DPS Cleric?


    Geth intended to try anyway but decided to wait for Albus'' answer. He nced at his spells quickly, a bit disappointed that he didn''t have more healing Skills.


    Albus soon answered, ''Theoretically, it would have the opposite effect of your Corruption Aura.''


    "Well, only one way to know for sure!" Geth told him as he pointed his staff towards the closest Forsaken.


    Geth kept Inspection active as the Mana swiftly surrounded the creature. The blue haze turned into a sparkling white as the spell formed.


    As the initial healing tick hit the creature, its face twisted and mouth opened. A scream of agony escaped its lungs. The noise was almost deafening.


    A damage of 169 briefly shed in Geth''s vision. His smile widened as he realized just how powerful being a healer would be against the Undead.


    He cast Restoration on the other Forsaken as well. The same squeal of pain escaped from it.


    Both of the monsters tried to rush towards him. Geth threw up a Barrier to block the way.


    At this point, his Barriers boasted 880 HP. The creatures were causing, on average, 50 damage per swing.


    At this point, Geth''s confidence soared. Over the next 86 seconds, Restoration would strike the creatures 29 times for 95 damage per tick.


    ''If these abominations don''t have any tricks up their sleeves, I can handle them on my own,'' Geth thought to himself.


    He was still keeping his eyes open for the appearance of a Boss. Nothing in the immediate vicinity had changed.


    ''It''s a shame I can''t stack my Restoration.''


    ''You could try Mass Blessing to see if it would affect them the way Curse affects you. It uses the same wavelengths as your healing spell.'' Albus mentioned.


    Geth shrugged and decided to try it out. The creatures were still stuck behind the Barrier, so he didn''t have any reason not to.


    ''Right now, Mass Blessing can add 56 Defense or the equivalent of 560 HP. Let''s see what happens.''


    He stamped the butt of his staff into the ground and watched as the formation spread out. The moment it passed through the Barrier, both creatures dropped 560 health!


    "No way!" Geth couldn''t help to voice out.


    Not only did the Skill cause damage, but it also lost its over time effects instantly. He stood and cast the spell again, and the creatures lost yet another 560 health!


    "Ha! Hahaha!" He tossed up a few more Barriers between himself and the creatures.


    Once he was ready, he began to spam the spell. The Forsaken lost over 4000 health in the blink of an eye.


    With his recovery speed doubled again, he replenished over 650 MP per minute. It wasn''t enough to kill the beasts.


    He pulled out four vials of Mana potion and held them between each of his fingers. Each time his Mana would run out, he uncorked it with his teeth and swallowed the contents.


    The creatures didn''t stand a chance between the constant Blessings and the ticks from his Restoration. The two monstrosities quickly fell before him.


    A significant increase of 77,500 experienced jumped him to Level 31. With the crazy experience from the distant ughter, he was already halfway to 32.


    ''Damn, the regr Zombies only have around 3500 HP. I should steal- I mean, help the others kill them,'' Geth grinned.


    Zolis would indeed surpass him one day, but it wouldn''t be today! Gethughed as he jogged towards the swarm of thousands of undead creatures.


    He barreled into the middle of the swarm. Soon, he found an area densely packed with creatures over Level 30.


    Geth pushed to the middle, ignoring the swings and shes of the mob. Damages of 1 and 2 consistently floated above him.


    His HP recovery alone was enough to ignore these weak creatures. This was nothing but an experience farm.


    Geth quickly arrived at the center of the higher Level Zombies. cing his staff on the ground, he began spamming his Mass Blessing Skill.


    After the sixth cast, tens of Zombies dropped. By the eighth cast, thousands had already died, leaving just a few that were Level 35 or higher.


    He found it interesting that the Zombie corpses disintegrated if he cast the Skill again after their HP had hit 0. Geth stood in the center of therge opening and waited for more creatures to fill the void.


    He repeated the process when he felt that enough of the monsters had surrounded him. This went on for quite some time.


    Between groups, Geth would down as many Mana potions as he could. There were times when he had to stand and take damage while waiting for his Mana to recover.


    His experience was increasing at an insane rate! In just a few minutes, he had already gained over 1.2 million experience and was rapidly approaching Level 40!


    ''If I''m Leveling this fast, I wonder how much the girls have jumped,'' He wondered. At the moment, he didn''t have time to nce at Albus.


    The experience slowed tremendously after breaking through Level 35. He was now at a higher Level than the Zombies and received a 5% penalty for each Level a creature was below him.


    Still, with the thousands of Zombies avable for ughter, he could likely reach Level 40. After the next wave disintegrated, he took a moment to look at the other''s health instead of replenishing his Mana.


    Harris and Farris were around 75% health, while the rest were close to full. Swole''s health randomly jumped from max to 30% and back up again.


    ''That guy always has something odd going on.''


    Geth turned his attention back to the next wave, finding that it was much smaller than before. He cleared it out and looked around.


    The ten thousand or more Zombies that had once flooded the ce now numbered less than two thousand. It was still arge number, but it didn''t seem so with the size of the area.


    Geth turned in a circle and spotted the other Sub-Bosses. Hulk''s was still off in the distance, strolling around. There was now enough space to see the other group fighting the remaining Sub-Boss.


    ''Well, Hulk and I can take thest one then.''

 Chapter 104: That Easy?

    Chapter 104: That Easy?


    Geth ran to the opposite side of the cemetery after sending Hulk a message to be ready. The distance was at least 20 football fields, but he still crossed it quickly.


    With Geth''s Blessing active, his Agility shot to 101, causing his speed to increase from 23 miles per hour to almost 37. During his and Filthy''s experiments, they found that each point in Agility increased one''s speed by approximately 2%.


    He was even more impressed by the increased reflexes. He had no issues dodging or vaulting over the obstacles, even while sprinting through the thousands of headstones.


    In the distance, he saw the final Forsaken make a move. Geth watched as a shady figure burst from its hiding spot and tackled the beast.


    The sewn-together creature stumbled backward before roaring in anger. The wed hands swung down in an attempt to y their target.


    As Geth closed in, he could see Hulk raise his shield and firmly stand his ground. The man used his Enrage Skill just in time for Geth to make it to him.


    He cast Restoration on the monster immediately. Hulk raised his eyebrow but didn''t let his curiosity distract him.


    The aggro Skill would onlyst for so long. Geth didn''t waste the opportunity.


    He repeated the same process that he had with the other Undead. Damages of over 550 constantly pelted the Forsaken while it was distracted.


    All of Hulk''s blocks were perfect, causing the creature to stagger slightly. The man used those opportunities to carve the creature''s health down further with his sword.


    By the time the first Enrage timed out, the Forsaken had already lost half of its health. With its mind no longer clouded, it swung its ws towards Geth.


    He raised his staff to block... and watched as it was cleaved in two! The w continued to scratch his chest lightly, a small figure of 20 damage shing above him.


    "What?!" He eximed, looking at the broken piece of wood in his hands. It seemed that he still received the bonuses from the Sockets while holding it, but the Attributes from the weapon itself had gone grey.


    Hulk cast Enrage before the creature could strike again. Geth spat on the ground in annoyance.


    "Pfft! What a pain in the ass!" Gethined. This would mean that he would have to choose reward boxes instead of bonus Points for this Dungeon.


    He drank more Mana potions and angrily spammed his Mass Blessing. The pain in his mind from the overheating Rune just further irritated him.


    The beast soon dropped to the ground, turning to dust as its core left its body. Geth walked over to grab the loot crate and stored it in his satchel.


    "I''m sorry about your staff," Hulk said to him as he walked over.


    Geth looked down at the old piece of wood. It had multiple scorch marks, dings, and scratches from the battles thus far.


    "Let me take a look at your sword," Geth stated. Hulk nodded and handed it over.


    The de was chipped in many ces. There was even a tiny crack forming along the most used edge.


    Geth asked out loud, "Albus, how often should magic equipment be repaired?"


    ''It depends on the quality of the equipment, but the higher the rarity, the better the craftsman is needed. You would be hard-pressed to find someone at this point that can repair Epic equipment.''


    Geth looked over the clothing he was wearing. His Epic gear was fine, but his Umon supplies were almost in tatters. Even his Rare equipment was showing signs of wear.


    *Sigh*


    Geth let out a long huff of breath. It seemed that they would need to have a craftsman of some type in every party.


    He handed the sword back to Hulk and voiced his thoughts to the man. Even if this were a strange situation, he wouldn''t mind brainstorming a bit.


    "Well, I think it would be a good idea in general. We are constantly finding different materials.


    It would be nice to have someone with us who can upgrade our equipment as we travel. If equipment needs to be repaired, then I suppose now it has be a necessity.


    Just imagine if a tank''s shield were to shatter in battle due tock of maintenance. It could be detrimental to the entire group."


    Geth nodded, "Very well. We will try to recruit more once we get into the more popted areas.


    In the meantime, we will need everyone to keep a backup set of equipment in their storage devices. Once your equipment looks like it may break, swap over to the secondary gear."


    Just as the two finished discussing the issue, the rest of the party rushed over. Some of them had odd looks on their faces as they scanned the area, looking for the Sub-Boss.


    Geth spoke up, "The Sub-Boss is taken care of. Dig up as many of the loot crates as Filthy can find."


    Filthy nodded and began leading everyone towards the ''X'' marked stones. Geth sat on the ground and closed his eyes.


    He had heavily overworked his Mass Blessing Rune. With his eyes closed, he could see that the ss-like material was beginning to shatter.


    Focusing, he began to move the Mana from his mind towards the broken structure. The liquid Mana began to seep into the cracks and mend the damage slowly.


    It would take him a few hours to reverse the damage. In the meantime, he had Albus scan the area for any misshapen Runes or breaks in the Formation.


    Geth still wasn''tfortable with the fact that the Boss was missing. It seemed that something strange was at work here, and he wasn''t sure how to handle it.


    There were still many more Dungeons to conquer, and he didn''t want to run into any problems along the way.


    ''As soon as this one is settled, we need to begin forming multiple parties. I believe that Hulk can handle his own at Tier 3 and below,'' Geth thought.


    As he was thinking, he heard footstepsing from behind.

 Chapter 105: Mysterious Man

    Chapter 105: Mysterious Man


    Geth cracked open one of his eyes and turned his head slightly. He saw a man slowly approaching him. To his astonishment, it was someone he''d nned to look for.


    "What the hell are you doing out here?" Geth asked while pushing himself a bit unsteadily to his feet.


    The man chuckled a bit and responded, "You know me, I can''t get away from the dark and gloomy."


    The man was in his early 30''s. He had a lean but muscr build, hidden beneath a long dark grey cloak.


    A short staff was in one of his hands, and Geth could make out a dagger strapped to his side. His long dark hair could be seen hanging in a ponytail with his hood down.


    A bit of stubble covered his jaw. He had a naturally merry look, even if his eyes portrayed a bit of sadness.


    "Can I assume you''re going by your old wizard''s name?" Geth asked him.


    The man showed a bit of a smile. Geth could feel the Mana circting even more fiercely in the air as it rushed towards the man.


    Geth used Inspection and watched as the Mana flowed in circles around him. The air picked up, and his cloak began billowing out behind him.


    "That''s right! I am zemancer! Ancient wanderer and seeker of truth!" The theatrical sight forced Geth to hold back hisughter.


    The Mana died down. ze showed a genuine smile, "I''ve been wanting to do that for a while now."


    Both of the menughed. A simr scene had urred during one of their D&D games. Of course, it hadn''t been as dramatic.


    "It''s nice to see you doing well. How long have you been standing back there?"


    ze ced his thumb and forefinger to his chin, "I managed to see you ughtering tons of Zombies. I''m a bit jealous that I didn''t make it here first."


    "That long? Why didn''t you join us?" Geth asked.


    "And be torn apart by the rest of your party who hasn''t met me? No thanks!"


    Geth rolled his eyes and sat back on the ground. He still needed to repair the damage to his mind.


    "Well, have a seat and wait for the others. I''ll introduce you when they get back." He patted the ground beside him.


    ze took a seat and began drawing in the air. Soon, several tiny eyeballs appeared, floating in the air, before flying out in different directions.


    Geth was curious, but he could askter. He needed to make sure he was in his prime if danger arrived.


    As he began to focus on his mind, he noticed that the repairs were going more smoothly than before. Concentrating was more manageable, and it seemed that the cracks were recovering faster.


    ''I wonder if it has something to do with ze.'' Geth ventured. The first thing he''d noticed was his friend''s immense Mana pool.


    The man was sitting just over 5,000 Mana. It was surprising since he was still only Level 29.


    Still, what should have taken Geth 3 hours turned into one and a half. He managed to finish mending the cracks before his party made it back.


    "So, what was with those eyes you sent out?" Geth asked him.


    "I managed to pick that Skill up from a loot crate. There are loads of strange Skill Cards in the Undead Dungeons!


    These Zombies were a bit above me, but I cleared two Skeleton Dungeons on my own. The eyes are a detection Skill.


    I can expend Mana to see everything in a particr area. The range is pretty broad, and they can give me an excellent ariel view."


    Geth nodded, "What a helpful Skill."


    "It''s how I found you all. I''ve been monitoring the area since I noticed the Boss had gone missing.


    It was wandering around the edges of the Dungeon about a week ago. I didn''t dare try to clear the Zombies out with a Level 44 Boss being so close."


    Geth''s eyebrows raised at that, "So you''ve seen the Boss? Albus and I were trying to figure out how it escaped."


    "Albus?"


    "My Grimoire," Geth responded.


    "Ahh, I see. Pleased to meet you, Albus. My Grimoire is Bael."


    ''Pleased to meet the two of you,'' Albus sent the message through Bael.


    "Anyway, what Bael and I believe is that the Boss was a Necromancer. The Sub-Bosses or other corpses constantly brought bodies to him.


    Once the Boss left, all the other creatures just began standing there unless something living came close. We concluded that even the Sub-Bosses didn''t have intelligence and were manipted by the Boss."


    "Hmm..." Geth stroked his beard. ''If it''s a necromancer, won''t it continue to raise corpses during its travels? But how did it escape in the first ce?''


    "Have you seen anyone else in the area for the past few weeks?"


    ze didn''t take long to think. His Intelligence seemed incredibly high, giving him an almost perfect memory.


    "Exactly two weeks ago, a strange man wearing a dark cloak walked into the Dungeon. None of the monsters bothered him.


    He walked towards the middle, said something, and then left. The other humans that havee by were attacked immediately, even after the Boss left."


    "So, it''s likely that person had something to do with the Boss breaking free. I wonder what they did to cause it. More importantly, why would they do something so dangerous?"


    ze seemed to be thinking about it as well. It didn''t bode well for the already low survival rate for humans.


    "Did you notice any of the man''s features?"


    "No, he was wrapped in that dark cloak and never looked up. On top of that, a strange mist surrounding him made it difficult to see."


    Neither had the chance to say anything else. A loud ttering sound came from close by.


    Geth looked over and found Zolis running towards them after dropping some loot crates. She grabbed one of ze''s hands and pulled him into a loose embrace.


    "It''s been so long since we''ve seen you. Where''s your wife?" Zolis asked while releasing him.

 Chapter 106: Night King

    Chapter 106: Night King


    ze had to take a minute to catch his breath, "Damnit, Geth, what have you been feeding her?"


    Geth couldn''t help but chuckle this time, but he was also waiting for his friend''s answer. He had known ze''s wife since high school.


    The two had kept in touch over the years. She invited him to a new years party after she''d gotten married.


    Geth and ze had hit it off instantly and became great friends over time. Game night became a regr thing for them for a while.


    "Pebbles is doing well. She is looking after our nieces and nephews in a Dungeon south of here."


    Zolis nodded. She knew her friend always prioritized the children.


    "Is the rest of the family with her?"


    ze seemed to hesitate a bit, "Actually... We haven''t found her youngest brother. The kid''s parents died to Direwolves not long after we arrived."


    The three were silent for a moment. The weight of young children losing their parents was unbearable.


    The silence was broken by the sound of nking and approaching footsteps.


    Harris and Farris were carrying arge crate between them. It sounded as if many itemsy inside.


    The other party members began to filter in, each carrying a crate or a handful of glowing objects. Geth noted Alise waving a long ck sceptre in the air as if she were showing him.


    He smiled and waved her over. She walked over proudly and stood on her toes to kiss his lips.


    ze raised one of his eyebrows up questioningly and nced over to Zolis. She justughed at the man as sheced her fingers into one of the younger woman''s hands.


    Both of ze''s eyebrows shot up at that gesture. For once, he seemed at a loss for words.


    A loud thumping sound distracted all of them. It was as if a giant were approaching.


    The group turned to see Swole sauntering forward from between the gravestones. He carried a massive block of metal on his back, and it seemed like he was struggling.


    The moment he spotted Geth, he dropped the thing to the ground, causing the earth to shake. Geth just looked at the man incredulously.


    He walked up to his friend and handed him one of the green Stamina potions he had made.


    "You know... you could have just asked me to look instead of bringing that all the way here, right?" He asked the out-of-breath man.


    Swole looked at him and opened his mouth to say something. No words came out, and he just smacked himself in the forehead.


    The short man epted the potion and gulped it down. His flustered appearance was instantly reced by a calm but energetic aura.


    Gethughed at his friend and then moved to inspect the b of metal.


    :Manatite; Grade 3


    Can be used to craft weapons or equipment. A novice is guaranteed to achieve Umon equipment.


    Apetent Craftsman can create Rare equipment. An expert Craftsman can possibly produce Epic grade equipment:


    "This is a nice find! Good job, Swole, Filthy." He nodded towards the two men. Both seemed to be proud of themselves.


    He wondered how much the thing weighed. It would take up a lot of space in a storage pouch.


    Geth walked back to inspect the staff that Alise had found. Hopefully, it would be suitable to rece his broken one.


    :Staff of the Night King (Epic);


    This staff was crafted for the sole purpose of bringing light to the dark. Initially, it was pure and could freely cast light on its surroundings.


    The Night King stole it from an Oracle during his push for power. The Night King ughtered many innocents, and their souls tainted the purity staff.


    Gives user +45 Intelligence, +30 Wisdom


    Sockets Avable (3):


    "Well... that certainly solves that issue. I can avoid wasting the Dungeon clear on items now," Geth stated. He really wanted to gain as many SP and TP as possible.


    He ripped the Boss Core from his old broken staff. The staff disintegrated as soon as the core was removed.


    It was as if the power from the core was holding it together. Geth frowned a bit.


    That staff had carried him this far. It would have been nice to keep it as a souvenir.


    He inserted the Boss Core into one of the avable sockets on his new staff. The small amount of HP and MP that he had lost was restored.


    The rest of the loot was all piled into the party''s center. There was the massive crate the two brothers carried.


    On top of its lid sat multiple pieces of jewelry and smaller armor pieces. Aside from that, armor, weapons, cores, and gems lined the ground.


    "Well, guys, it looks like a Tier 3 Dungeon is much more lucrative than what we''ve been through thus far. Let''s splurge a bit, and each gets two pieces from this haul."


    Everyone''s faces lit up upon hearing that. They felt that they were being rewarded for a job well done.


    He shook his head at the expected reaction. It was something that Geth decided when he first saw the chest.


    ''It isn''t that I''m rewarding them. I would just feel morefortable if everyone''s capabilities increase before we split the party.''


    Albus spoke privately to him, ''Even if that''s the case, you are increasing their loyalty to you further. Most of them would already die for you just like they would their families.''


    *Sigh*


    "All right then. Let''s check everyone''s cement and line up how we usually do. ze, jump in the back of the line. There is plenty to go around for now."


    ze squinted his eyes. He already knew what Geth was up to.


    Still, he didn''tin. He wanted to increase his own power as well.


    The group lined up. This time, Geth managed to take the highest rank, so he was the first to approach the pile of treasure before them.


    "Wow, it''s going to take some time to sort through all of this."

 Chapter 107: Gems!

    Chapter 107: Gems!


    Every item in the pile was either Rare or Epic. The loot from this one Dungeon was more bountiful than all of the other Dungeonsbined.


    ''If this is what a Tier 3 Dungeon can give, wouldn''t a Tier 4 be enough to supply a group of 20 or more?'' Geth wondered as he began to sift through the pile.


    He used State Change to make a long table and lined the equipment on top of it. It held the thirty items lying on the ground and chest.


    Now that Geth had uncovered the chest, it was time to reveal its contents. He had Hulk assist him with removing the top.


    An intense glow lit everyone''s faces as the contents were revealed. The party quickly gathered around the chest to inspect the inside.


    Hundreds of shining gemstones reflected their faces as they looked into the chest. Some were embedded in pieces of jewelry, but most were loosely piled in the crate.


    "There have to be at least a thousand of them!" Alise eximed.


    Geth was already using Inspection to get the finer details of the jewels. Names of different enchanters or crafters appeared on every gem or piece of jewelry.


    The gems could be socketed. Most of them increased primary Attributes, HP, MP, or Recovery. Some gems even increased what Geth would call "hidden attributes" in games.


    Those were quite interesting. Geth saw many additional effects that he hadn''te across before.


    Some of the effects were barrier, bleed, burn, detection, freeze, lifesteal. Others increased effects of specific Skills, some of which he also hadn''t heard of.


    With the number of gems to choose from, he felt that 2 choices per person weren''t enough. He sorted through the chest and pulled out all of the jewelry that had already been socketed.


    Once it wasid out on the table, there were 63 items to choose from, apart from the thousand gems. Geth turned and looked at the others.


    "All right, this changes things a bit. We will still have two choices amongst those on the table.


    After the choices are made, choose the best gems for your ss. I want every piece of socketed equipment filled before we leave here today."


    Geth turned back to the table without looking at their reactions. The survivability of each party would increase tremendously from this, and that was all that mattered.


    He approached the table and looked over the disyed equipment. One piece, in particr, had caught his eye.


    It was a belt that had 10 sockets on it. It boasted no Attributes nor special abilities but was still considered an Epic gear.


    :Belt of Customization (Epic);


    This belt was made by a craftsman who believed that one should not be stuck on a single path. The craftsman wanted to show that anyone could perform any role if they had the right equipment.


    Sockets Avable (10):


    Geth grabbed the silver metal belt and wrapped it around his robe, tying it together. After reading through the other equipment, he found another piece that would suit him.


    :Eldritch Crown (Epic)


    This hat was crafted by an old witch specializing in tailoring and enchanting. She simply wanted to look stylish without losing the power that her previous headdress offered her.


    Gives user +30 Intelligence, +30 Wisdom, +20 Defense


    Sockets Avable (1):


    The headpiece reminded him much more of a witch''s hat than a crown. The only difference was that it was white in color.


    The band that ran around it was purple, simr to Albus'' cover. It had a silver metal buckle in the middle that hosted a gem or core socket.


    Zolis stepped up to take her turn as Geth moved over to look through the gems. He was really a bit overwhelmed. He had never even filled the sockets of his original equipment.


    On top of that, he still had multiple AP and SP to use from leveling up and hadn''t received the Dungeon clear rewards. It was a lot to take in at one time.


    While the others were choosing their rewards, he decided to sort through the gems. It was difficult since colors or shapes didn''t match the given Attribute.


    He had Albus make a list as he went.


    :Strength- 242


    Agility- 79


    Defense- 114


    Wisdom- 48


    Intelligence- 173


    HP- 104


    MP- 97:


    He divided them into piles and decided to sort them into separate storage pouches. Another two hundred or soy to the side that helped with Skills or had other effects.


    Geth had plenty of sockets to fill, the first being the two left in his new staff. He chose the best of the Intelligence and MP gems for it.


    His Intelligence increased by 40, while the MP gem gave him an extra 600. He decided to put an additional Defense gem in his Pauldron, increasing the Attribute by 45.


    He had picked a red gem that would match the color of the Pauldron''s other eye socket. To his surprise, the equipment gem a few extra points if socketed into a fitting piece of equipment.


    ''If you put a Defense gem into a piece of equipment meant for defending, you will gain a small bonus. Likewise, if you socket an Agility gem to your boots, it will acquire a small bonus as well.


    This only applies to Attribute gems. Nothing extra will be gained from the others,'' Albus spoke to him when Geth started questioning it.


    Geth looked down at his boots in disappointment, ''I''ll have to find a pair with a socket or two avable!''


    He continued picking through the gems. There was one more socket to fill on his robe. Albus told him that Defense or HP would get a small bonus in armor, so he chose another Defense gem worth 35 points.


    The belt wouldn''t provide any bonus Attributes, so he would use it for Skills or extra abilities. Geth turned his attention towards thest of the piles.


    Zolis sat down next to him and looked as well, "This is going to take a while. There are very few with the same effects."


    Geth just nodded and got to work.

 Chapter 108: Multiple Talents

    Chapter 108: Multiple Talents


    While sorting through the gems, he allocated the points he received while Leveling up and chose his new Talents. Geth had never selected a Talent for reaching Level 30, so he had three choices to make.


    ''Albus, how much experience did we gain today?'' He asked.


    ''You gained a total of 3,774,287 experience between your own kills and the party''s kills. You jumped from Level 30 to Level 43, which was very impressive.


    You managed to kill just under 5000 of the Zombies from spamming your Mass Blessing. It seems that the corrupted Mana inside of them was attracted to the cleansing Mana that the Cleric spells provide.


    That caused more of them to run directly towards you than towards the chaotic Mana on which the girls'' elemental spells are based,'' Albus exined.


    ''Sounds like we will need a crash course on the different types of Mana in the future,'' Geth informed him.


    :Geth, Level 43 (155,053/270,000):


    ''Wow, the cost to Level has increased by quite a bit. How many Attribute Points do we have avable?''


    ''43.''


    ''Add 9 to Intelligence, 15 to Wisdom, and 19 to Defense, then pull up the Talent options, please.'' Bringing his base Intelligence to 50 would make himfortable if he found himself without a weapon again.


    :Congrattions, User, on breaking through multiple major Levels. Please select your first Talent for the following option to be avable.


    Option 1- Mana Skin (Common)


    Option 2- Last Chance (Umon)


    -Upon falling to 1 HP, Mana will be lost instead of health when receiving damage. User will still remain in a heavily injured state during this time:


    Geth chose Option 1. He had put off grabbing that Talent for a while. Now that he knew what Thick Skin and Mana Skin were capable of, he didn''t want to drop it again.


    The next set of options was then disyed on Albus'' pages.


    :Congrattions, User, on breaking through multiple major Levels. Please select your second Talent for the following option to be avable.


    Option 1- Last Chance (Umon)


    Option 2- Bane of the Undead (Umon)


    -User has in arge number of Undead. This Talent increases damage done to Undead by 5%. An aura of light surrounds User. Any Spectres, Ghosts, or Spirits that would usually phase through physical attacks can be struck or held by User:


    This one stumped Geth for a moment. He had initially intended on snagging the lifesaving Talent, Last Chance. The second option made him hesitate.


    The books in the Library had very little information on the Tier 4 Ghosts or Direwolves. The description of this Talent gave him a warning on how difficult they could be to deal with.


    ''Albus, let''s take Bane of the Undead. Maybe the next choice will be less difficult,'' Geth thought.


    :Congrattions, User, on breaking through multiple major Levels. Please select your final Talent.


    Option 1- Last Chance (Umon)


    Option 2- Fearless (Umon)


    -User tends to not hesitate in the face of danger. Assists with making logical decisions without being affected by the situation.


    Whening under the effects of a Fear spell or Mental attack, User gains a 5% chance to resist. This is an additional Fear resistance on top of that given by the Wisdom Attribute:


    ''Fuck.'' Geth was given a tough choice yet again. One bit of information on the Ghosts was that they could induce fear in weak-minded enemies.


    He thought back to the intimidation he felt from the Direwolves naturally high Levels. What if he ran into some Spectre that had a higher Level on top of the Fear Skill?


    He was confident in his mental defense against Tier 4 creatures his own Level or a bit higher. It was those crazy exceptions or Bosses that he was unsure of.


    ''Albus. Let''s go with option 2 again,'' He thought with a bit of hesitation. It was tough for him to turn down a lifesaving Talent like Last Chance.


    Thest thing he wanted to do before choosing his gems was to look through the stack of Skill Cards dropped by the Zombies. Only one of the Sub-Bosses had dropped a Skill card, and it was of no use to him.


    As he was flipping through the seventy or so cards that dropped, he found that they were all the same.


    :Tenacity (Common)-


    Cost (100 MP/second) At the cost of Mana, continue to battle as if you are in top shape, no matter how bad your wounds:


    "Well, it''s incredibly costly, but it''s certainly something worth all of us learning," He said to himself. Geth proceeded to walk around and hand everyone one of the cards, except for Swole.


    Now it was time to fill the sockets in his belt. He''d already gotten an idea while he was choosing his new Talents. He had Albus list them out to look over before installing them.


    :1- Strength +55


    2- Agility +35


    3- Defense +35


    4- Wisdom +30


    5- Intelligence +35


    6- MP +450


    7- Lifesteal- 5% of all damage done is returned to User as HP


    8- Mana Recovery- Increases Mana Recovery by 15/second


    9- Restoration- Increases effects of Restoration Skill by 10%


    10- Reflection- Doubles the effects of the Reflection Talent:


    Geth looked over his choices and was quite satisfied. He had wanted to double up on Intelligence gems but found that the belt wouldn''t ept two jewels of the same Attribute.


    ''I guess that the craftsman who made it was serious about not wanting people stuck on a single path,'' He thought. Still, he could feel that his power had soared.


    Geth felt like an entirely different person with the bonus Strength and Agility. He thought he could actually do some damage if he was forced to fight physically.


    Geth watched as the others chose their gear and gems, waiting for them to finish before grabbing the Dungeon Crystal. They wouldn''t receive their Dungeon clear rewards until he did so.


    ''This was quite a bit different without the Boss being here. Albus, why didn''t it take the Dungeon Crystal with it?''


    ''That is information that I don''t have. If it had, this would have been considered a war instead of us going through it like a normal Dungeon Raid.


    Maybe it didn''t want to have any connection with this ce? It also might have had to leave it to escape,'' Albus replied.


    Geth pondered over it while he walked toward the center to grab the Crystal.

 Chapter 109: The Tower

    Chapter 109: The Tower


    Geth nced over to ensure that the loot was stored before grabbing the Crystal. The moment he touched it, words could be heard in the minds of all those present.


    "Congrattions, User, for clearing a Team Dungeon. Please select a reward. Options avable will be based on performance."


    Words began to appear on Albus'' pages.


    :Congrattions, User, for clearing a Team Dungeon. Please select a reward.


    Note User had the highest contribution. Options adjusted to match feats.


    Option 1: 6 TP, 6 SP, Random Epic item


    Option 2: 12 TP, 12 SP, 12 AP:


    "Option 2." It was a quick response. However, if Geth had been offered an Epic Item suitable for his ss, he might have chosen differently.


    :Dungeon Crystal (Level 0) Experience 0/10,000


    Can be upgraded using Monster Cores.


    Owner- Geth


    Owner is already in possession of a higher Level Dungeon Crystal. Would you like to subordinate the current Dungeon to Level 2 Dungeon, Valha? Yes / No:


    "Yes."


    :Congrattions on obtaining subordinate Dungeon. Subordinate Dungeons are directly leveled in conjunction with the primary Dungeon, Valha. As this is an open Dungeon, there are only two Locations offered.


    Location 1: Wall


    Location 2: Barracks


    Note: This is User''s first open Dungeon. Open Dungeons can be built in by those with a Craftsman ss when essing the Dungeon Crystal.


    Owner can choose to ept or deny the structure, no matter where they are located. This Dungeon is at the center of the southern Local cluster.


    Conquer the surrounding Dungeons to create a connection. This Open Dungeon will be the central hub.


    More information will be offered when Owner is in possession of all southern Team Dungeon Crystals.


    Current Crystal count (6/10):


    There was no teleportation like he had been expecting. The ground began to shake as the gravestones started to move.


    At first, they were just vibrating in ce. A few momentster, they ripped themselves from the ground and flew out in all directions.


    The giant headstones settled at the far edge of the Formation, soon merging together. They created a ten-foot-high wall around the perimeter.


    Some smaller headstones began to attach themselves to the wall, forming stairs and notches on top. Most of the shorter tombstones flew into the air and floated around the Dungeon, taking on a dome-like shape.


    The ground began to quake even more as the earth cracked in the center of the Dungeon. A tower slowly began to rise from the foundation.


    It took several minutes for the entire structure to be revealed, only stopping when its peak spire touched the centermost floating headstone.


    As the two made contact, a small explosion took ce. Likendmines going off, all of the tombstones shattered into a fine dust.


    Geth was watching all of this take ce with Inspection active. As the dust spread in the air, another formation arched out in every direction.


    Arge dome of Mana covered the entire grounds. It started from the tip of the spire and ended on the outsides of the walls.


    Multiple Runes spun in opposite directions around the dome, causing it to constantly move. It reminded Geth of the forcefields seen in sci-fi movies.


    The Dungeon was bare. Only the tower, standing more than 120 feet, took up any space on thend.


    From the sides of the tower to the wall, there was more than a mile of space in every direction. Hundreds of smaller buildings could fit inside.


    ''It seems like it was set up this way to build a small city,'' Geth thought. ''Albus, do you have any insight?''


    ''All I can suggest is that we take thest two Dungeons and see what happens,'' He responded.


    ''Last two?''


    ''Yes. Your friends, ze and Swole, both currently have a Team Dungeon Crystal and multiple Solo Dungeon Crystals on their person. Take a nce at them using Inspection,'' Albus answered.


    He did so and found that he could see a familiar light surrounding their storage items. ''Well, I guess I should have put that together before now.''


    Geth turned to look at the others and saw them spinning in circles to view the wall and tower. He noticed that ze was looking directly at the Runes on the dome.


    Walking over to him, Geth asked, "What do you think of it?"


    "This is very different from the Formations in the cave type Dungeons. Look at the massive Rune directly above the tower," ze told him.


    Geth did as suggested and noticed a very intricate Rune hovering in the air. Multiple minor Runes were above it and branching out from it.


    ze continued, "That Rune means Convergence. I don''t really understand its purpose, however. All of the minor Runes making up the dome are Defense Wards."


    ze began to drawplex lines in the air, eventually forming a Rune very simr to those floating above.


    "Punch it," ze told him.


    Geth stepped in front of the Rune and threw his fist out at it. A loud ringing could be heard as his fist smashed into the Rune.


    A tiny crack formed on its corner. Other than that, Geth couldn''t push his fist through.


    Both of his eyebrows raised a bit. It reminded him of the Barrier Skill that he often used.


    He cast Barrier to the side and examined it closely. Upon an up-close inspection, he noticed that the same Rune was etched lightly in multiple ces across the spell.


    "Ahh, so that''s how it works," He mumbled. "ze, does that mean that you can use any spell as long as you know the Rune?"


    "Yes, I can. The only issue I''ve found is the increased Mana cost, and the time to cast is severely lengthened.


    The issues would be resolved if I could find a way to etch Runes inside my mind as the Skill Cards do." He pulled up his sleeve to reveal an ugly scar on his forearm.


    "This was something I tested. It is possible to cast spells instantly if the Rune is carved into your skin. The only problems are location and drawing the Rune perfectly."


    Geth looked at the scar with great interest. His friend hadn''t been idle during this time.

 Chapter 110: Higher Rarity

    Chapter 110: Higher Rarity


    He nced at ze again, who seemed to be studying the Runes of the Formation. The two of them would spend some more time togetherter.


    The 12 AP that he''d received from his reward went straight into Defense and Wisdom. Doing this moved the base value to 95 and 96, respectively.


    Geth had gained 2 SP and 2 TP from the two new major Levels. This gave him a total of 14 SP and 15 TP to use for upgrades.


    ''This is the perfect opportunity to see how a rarity upgrade would work for a Skill.'' He''d been eyeballing thatst Level of Mass Blessing ever since his Common Thick Skin Talent had upgraded to the Umon Dense Skin.


    The upgrade cost for taking the Level 4 Mass Blessing to Level 5 was a steep 10 SP. He still happily paid the price.


    :Mass Blessing will reach Level 5 and undergo an evolution. Do you wish to continue? Yes / No:


    "Yes."


    :Mass Blessing has reached its stage of Evolution. Skill will be upgraded from Rare to Epic. Please select which path you would like to follow;


    Option 1- Universal Blessing


    User has realized the importance of increasing the power of their ranks. The reach and longevity will increase tremendously.


    Radius = 1 Mile


    Buff = 40+ (Int x 40%)


    Time = 24+ (Wis x 40%) in Hours


    Option 2- Mass Invocation


    The quality of User''s Blessing has grown extensively. Not only is the power of the Blessing increased, but a second Attribute may also be invoked through the Mana.


    Primary Attribute = 80+ (Int x 80%)


    Secondary Attribute = 40+ (Int x 40%)


    Time= 80+ (Wis x 80%) in Minutes:


    Geth almost couldn''t believe his choices.


    ''Is this really the power of an Epic ranked Skill?'' He wondered. It was actually hard to decide.


    ''Option 2 would definitely be the best for current circumstances,'' He thought. ''Option 1, though...''


    With the distance of a mile, he could damage all of the Undead in a massive area. On top of that, with his current Wisdom being just under 250, the buff wouldst five days!


    ''It would be the ideal spell to support arge group of people.'' Geth stroked his beard.


    What would be the chances of needing to support an army-sized group of people any time soon? He swiftly calcted the increase in Attributes the second option would give.


    ''Let''s see... the primary buff would give a whopping 268 Attribute bonus!'' Geth had to do a double-take on that. ''Such an unbelievable increase just from this loot.''


    He didn''t hesitate to calcte the secondary Attribute and the Time, ''So, 134 for the secondary Attribute, giving exactly half. The new Time would be just over 4.5 hours.''


    "Albus, we will take Mass Invocation!"


    An extreme amount of information flooded his mind as he made his decision. The Mass Blessing Rune began to melt in his mind as a slightly different shaped Rune took its ce.


    One of the minor greyed Runes surrounding it gained color as the process waspleted. Geth was surprised that this new minor Rune matched the Convergence Rune that floated above their heads.


    There were still 4 SP and 15 TP to be used. He wanted to make sure that he upgraded the rarity of his abilities as much as possible.


    ''The Common Skills and Talents are much cheaper to get to Level 5 than the rest. I''ll save the 4 SP and upgrade Barrier or Tenacity to Umonter.''


    Barrier, Curse, and now Tenacity were his only Common Skills. He moved his eyes over to the Talent section.


    ''After that strange dream, Mana Sense is now Level 4. I have enough TP to take it to Level 5 and have some leftover for my new Talents.''


    There wasn''t a doubt in his mind that this was the way to go. Geth quickly chose to upgrade Mana Sense.


    :Mana Sense will reach Level 5 and undergo an evolution. Do you wish to continue? Yes / No:


    "Absolutely."


    :Mana Sense has reached its stage of Evolution. Skill will be upgraded from Common to Umon.


    Mana Sense typically only upgrades in a linear direction with no Options. Unique Option has been detected due to User''s special knowledge.


    Please select which path you would like to follow;


    Option 1- Mana Perception


    Your maniption of the Mana has reached a new level of control. The cost of using Skills is reduced.


    Additionally, you can vaguely sense the intentions of the Mana. When the Mana is manipted by an opposing party, you have a general idea of what the effect could be.


    Skill Cost Reduction - 10%


    Unique Option- Rune Comprehension


    You have begun to walk the path of the Runes. The path of the Runes leads to one being able to alter the will of the Mana.


    Runes will be easier to read and understand. The bacsh from incorrectly drawing a Rune will be significantly reduced:


    Geth nced over at his friend ze again, ''Is this why he has such an easy time manipting the Mana?''


    "Albus, Option 2."


    Once his choice was made, his legs became unsteady beneath him. The world around him began to spin.


    He sat on the ground and crossed his legs, closing his eyes to try to ignore the dizziness. Geth noticed something strange inside the dome housing his Mana as he closed his eyes.


    The walls of the dome began to shimmer. He watched closely as the original t surface began to shift towards the bottom.


    Runes rapidly formed all the way around the bottom section of the dome. His consciousness moved in to have a closer look.


    Ten rows of Runes were now etched into the dome''s walls on the surface. They wrapped aplete circle around the perimeter.


    The setup looked highly simr to the hieroglyphs once carved into the Egyptian monuments. What was more, Geth knew the meaning of every single one.


    As the Runes sunk into the wall, their meaning became unmistakable in his mind. The thousands of Runes were as familiar to him as his own alphabet.

 Chapter 111: Blazes Knowledge

    Chapter 111: ze''s Knowledge


    Geth looked at his friend again and understood the Runes he was drawing. They meant detection. He could see that each Rune drawn had a small stream of Mana running in the direction the eyes had dispersed.


    He began looking around the Dungeon again. There were Runes that he couldn''t see before.


    Some seemed to make thend fertile, while others kept the weather inside the dome in check.


    ''I wonder if the other Dungeons have simr controls,'' Geth wondered. He couldn''t see the subtle Runes before, only those in the glowing Formations.


    After looking around for a moment, he turned back to his Attributes and Talents. There were 5 TP left over for use.


    Geth chose to upgrade each of his new Talents to Level 1. He was rather pleased with the effect of leveling his Rune Comprehension.


    The Talent now reduced Skill cost by 6%. It also added another row of Runes to what the Talent called his ''Library.''


    The first few rows consisted of things that could make everyday life lessplicated. This new row seemed to help set up small traps for hunting or weaker monsters.


    Like Thick Skin, upgrading his Mana Skin Talent to Level 1 increased its bonus to 2.5% additional base Wisdom. Picturing the 15% Dense Skin gave him, Geth couldn''t wait to evolve this Talent as well.


    Next on his list was Bane of the Undead. It simply increased his damage output against Undead from 5% to 7.5%.


    It was a big jump, but it wasn''t like he was pure DPS. It would be beneficial if another party member received that Talent as well.


    Fearless was the same. It increased his chances of resisting strong Fear type Skills from 5% to 7.5%.


    Next, he turned back to his Attribute page. It was a bit out of sorts due to the new bonuses from his Sockets.


    He was a bit disappointed that his Defense had overtaken his Wisdom by so much. He looked through the gems again and found a gleaming purple gem to socket into his new hat.


    The gem boosted his Wisdom by another 40 points. Geth''s thoughts began to surge even faster after donning the cap again.


    He took a moment to check all of his gear to confirm that no Sockets had were empty. In the next Dungeon, his priority would be a pair of boots for fitting an Agility gem.


    ***


    Geth: Level 43


    ss: Cleric


    Exp: 155,053/270,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 3950 +350 (Rec. 14.28/Second)


    MP- 3720 +2800 (Rec. 38.12/Second)


    Strength- 5 +80 (P.Damage/Stamina Recovery)


    Agility- 5 +75 (Mov.spd./Dexterity/Reflexes)


    Defense- 95 +247 +[15] (HP/P.Res./HP Rec.)


    Wisdom- 96 +190 +[3] (MP/M.Res./Mana Recovery/Processing Speed/Memory)


    Intelligence- 50 +185 (MP/M.Dmg./Learning Speed)


    Points Avable:


    TP- 1 (Talent Points)


    SP- 4 (Skill Points)


    AP- 0 (Attribute Points)


    ***


    His progress amazed him. Particrly his Mana recovery, he would be hard-pressed to run out of Mana in the future.


    Geth started to inspect hispanions. All of them had gained a great deal from this Dungeon.


    ze was now choosing his own set of gems. It looked like he was picking nothing but Intelligence and Agility.


    He approached his friend to talk to him once he was finished. The others began to load up all of the loot and carry it into the unexplored tower.


    Swole began the long trek with the enormous b of Manatite. Though, it looked as if he was having a much easier time than before.


    "What ss are you, if I may ask?" Geth asked his friend.


    ze looked at him and smiled, "I''m a Mage, of course! Why would I ever pick anything else?"


    Geth looked at him thoughtfully, " Do you intend on joining our party, or will you be going back to your wife?"


    "Of course, I''m joining you! There is no way I wouldn''t after witnessing all of this excitement!" He pulled a Dungeon Crystal out of his pocket and tossed it to Geth.


    "I can see in the Runes that ten of these are needed for something to happen. I''ve sent a message to Pebbles and asked her to bring the kids here.


    Now that most of the Undead are gone, I''m not concerned with her traveling. The Boss that left here headed North-East, so she won''t run into it."


    Geth stroked his beard, "Speaking of the Runes, have you upgraded Mana Sense already?"


    "Yes, I had the option to take Rune Comprehension. I''ve already leveled it to 4 and am saving up for the next upgrade."


    Geth nodded. He wasn''t surprised that ze would focus on something he could study.


    "Have you added anything outside of Intelligence?" Geth asked.


    ze turned his Grimoire around, "Only a few pints into Wisdom. I intend on getting it to 50 for the increased thought processing.


    For my gear, I''ve been focused on Agility Attributes. I won''t waste any points for it, but it helps to be able to dodge while casting." He shrugged.


    Geth nodded, "What types of Runes have you learned from leveling your Talent past Level 1?"


    "When you reach Level 2, you''ll get some slightly more advanced ''ease of life Runes.'' At Level 3, you learn some very basic attack Runes.


    They seem to be the building blocks of some Spells. Level 4, you don''t learn any new Runes, but you suddenly understand multiple ways to connect them into a Formation."


    ze bent down and began drawing on the surface. Geth recognized the Rune as a basic entrapment Rune, but there was something additional there.


    "Stand back." ze finished up his drawing and moved back with Geth. He picked up a small stone from the ground and threw it into the trap.


    Instead of locking the stone in ce, a small prison of mes burst from the ground and scorched the stone''s surface. The rock became molten as it fell to the ground.


    Geth lifted his eyebrows, impressed by his friend''s use of Formations. He looked at ze to find him grinning as if he was proud of his work.

 Chapter 112: Local Formation?

    Chapter 112: Local Formation?


    The me trap left a deep impression on his mind. Geth wondered if he could make simr setups that could heal when run across.


    The most he could do was learn from ze. Once he reached Level 4 Rune Comprehension, he would begin his own experiments.


    For now, Geth turned his attention towards the tower. He could see that the remaining party members were standing around the entryway.


    ze looked over with an eyebrow raised, "Why do you think they haven''t gone in?"


    "Let''s find out," Geth shrugged. He was curious about the tower as well.


    The two ventured over while chatting about the potential use of Runes and Formations. The others looked toward them when they came close.


    Geth spoke up, "No one wanted to check out the tower?"


    "It''s locked."


    "Locked?" Geth walked up to the door to examine it.


    The door was almost 10 feet tall. Arge white gem was set into the doorway around chest height.


    A Formation stretched out from the gem, extending to 9 open sockets. Each of the fist-sized sockets had a Rune etched into it.


    "Albus, show me the map," Geth said while he traced out the Formation. The shape was odd, looking like a strange ax with a bent handle.


    He looked at the map section that he and Albus had uncovered and marked. Each of the existing Dungeon locations matched up with one of the sockets.


    He focused on the Runes that were etched into them. The ones that he could understand matched the generalposition of the Dungeon.


    "Oasis, Forest, Water, Grave... These are the four that we''ve conquered." Geth pointed at each empty socket while speaking to his party members.


    Swole walked up then and pointed at an empty socket directly north of the gem. The Rune in the center meant ''Fertile.''


    "This is the Skeleton Dungeon that I managed to take." He then pointed towards another northeast of that one.


    "This is another Dungeon that I found with some of those Orc creatures. I was looking for help to take over that one when Filthy found me."


    ze stepped up next, pointing at the socket directly south of the gem. It looked as if the location was nearby.


    "This is where Pebbles and the kids are. The Rune here means ''Gather.'' The Mana density in the ce is extremely heavy."


    He then pulled out a blue Dungeon Crystal and pressed it into the open slot. The doors vibrated as the gem and Dungeon Crystal shed brightly.


    At first, both stones were shing randomly. After a few minutes, the shing began to resonate.


    As the gems began to glow in sync, the earth began to shake! The tower started shining with the gems as a Formation spread out from its base.


    Most of the party looked surprised and wondered what was going on. ze and Geth ignored their questions as they stared carefully at the new Formation.


    "It seems as if the Formation from the door is forming in this Dungeon in a circr pattern!" ze called out as he tried to brace himself against the tower wall.


    Geth nodded and continued looking in the southernmost direction of the Dungeon. The lighting from that area resonated perfectly with the Dungeon Crystal.


    The earth began to tremble as the lights became blinding. Geth had to close his eyes at the sudden re.


    "Ahhh shit!"


    "What''s going on?"


    He could hear theints of his friends as the ground stopped quaking. Geth rubbed his eyes and blinked them rapidly to regain his sight.


    He felt yet another strong appreciation for the Mana as his vision returned. A small, crude set of structures appeared before the party in the southern section of the Dungeon.


    It was some distance away, but it looked like a small vige had taken the ce of the barrennd in that area.


    What''s more, humanoid figures could be seen timidly roaming around, poking their heads from the buildings. ze was the first one to react. His floating eyes had already positioned themselves around the perimeter.


    "Pebbles..?" He muttered.


    Everyone present could hear him clearly. The group looked at each other with a bit of excitement as they began to move south towards the structures.


    "Geth... Does this mean that we can bring all of our families here?" Hulk asked with a voice full of hope.


    "That may be the case. Let''s check out the changes before making any drastic moves. As long as it''s safe..." He trailed off.


    Geth couldn''t wait to see his children again. It had been over a month since they''d left the Slime Dungeon.


    He had nned to stop in for a week before heading to the Direwolf Dungeon, but this would change things. Still, he had to consider whether or not he wanted his family mixed in with the others.


    Zolis grabbed his free hand and looked up at him with a hint of tears in her eyes. She hadn''t been away from the kids for this long since they''d been born.


    Even Filthy was looking off to the north. Anyone could tell that his thoughtsy on seeing his wife and daughter again.


    Geth let out an inaudible sigh. He wasn''t sure what his decision would be. It really depended on the defense of this ce more than anything else.


    A small crowd quickly formed in front of the structures and waited for them. ze ran ahead, soon leaving the others behind.


    They caught up quickly. There was less than a half-mile between the tower and the small vige.


    Geth could see ze waving his arms wildly while exining things to his wife. Pebbles looked towards the approaching group and gave them a big smile.


    She was a plump woman with a radiant smile and cheerful aura. The first impression she gave was that of a southern mom in a movie.


    The entire party''s mood lightened as they came closer to the woman and the children standing around her. Zolis let go of Geth''s hand and ran up to hug her.

 Chapter 113: Albus?!

    Chapter 113: Albus?!


    "I''m so d that you''re okay!" Zolis cried.


    Pebbles patted the shorter woman on the head and smiled even more brilliantly.


    "I''m d that you guys are safe too. How are the little ones?"


    Geth smiled and allowed them to talk while looking around at the structures. The buildings were elementary.


    The walls were made of mud, while to rooftops were covered with straw. They reminded Geth of the homes he attempted to build in the first Dungeon.


    The buildings were set up in arge circle. A singlerger structure was erected in the center.


    The shelter in the center wasid out like a small temple. Crudely carved pirs held up a simple stone roof.


    In the center of the temple was a stand with a blue gem glowing at the center. It matched the color of the Dungeon Crystal that was now embedded into the tower door.


    Using Inspection, Geth could see that the Mana amongst these homes was much more densely packed than anywhere else. It became even thicker the closer it came to the crystal.


    Eight different Skeletons stood around the edges of the temple as if they were guarding it. The bones belonged to multiple creatures: humans, Goblins, a Lizardman, and an Orc.


    Apparently, this temple had something to do with the Mana density that ze had mentioned earlier. Geth could even feel his mind clearing further the longer he stood in the area.


    His thoughts already raced much faster than any Human''s ever should. At the moment, it was reaching a new peak.


    Multiple thoughts flooded his mind at once, but he could keep track of every thought, unlike before. It felt like there were numerous versions of himself thinking and solving problems simultaneously.


    His eyes widened, and he stepped back out of the Formation between the homes. His thoughts returned to normal.


    Geth could still think about a few things at once, but it wasn''t the same experience as inside the thick Mana. ze walked up to him and grinned as he patted him on the shoulder.


    "It''s crazy, isn''t it?" He asked. "I haven''t figured out the mechanism to make it work, but spending some time here really helped me understand the Runes and Formations more quickly."


    Geth nodded toward his friend. He could certainly see how spending time in this ce could help one learn faster.


    ze continued, "If you spend enough time in this ce, it bes permanent. I''m currently able to handle around twenty different thoughts at once.


    If I try to go beyond that, one of my consciousnesses will lose the train of thought it was on." ze frowned a bit like he was unhappy with that fact.


    "Consciousnesses?" Geth asked.


    "I''m not really sure what else to call it. All of the thoughts are mine, but it''s as if they are happening in different pockets of my mind."


    Geth nodded again. He wasn''t sure what a good term would be for it either.


    Looking at the ground in the center of the homes, he could see aplex Formation leading towards the center. Some of the Runes were recognizable, but most were beyond his knowledge.


    Stepping back inside the circle, he closed his eyes and focused on his Mana pool. The area around it began glowing and became brighter the closer he came to the temple.


    Geth sat cross-legged on the ground and focused on therge Runes floating in his mind. His consciousness quickly entered the shimmering dome that he had be familiar with.


    As his ''avatar'' passed through the barrier, it split into multiple copies! He could see a dozen translucent versions of himself floating inside the dome!


    The thoughts of the 12 different avatars assaulted him at once. At first, the information was jumbled and hard to understand.


    Each avatar moved awkwardly as they tried to avoid running into one another. Some tumbled and fell as others awkwardly stood in ce.


    After many minutes of theical scene, a few avatars found their footing. They soon began to confidently move about the dome.


    There was still a mass of jumbled information, but three solid streams of thought made it through the mess. Geth dismissed six of the stumbling avatars, bringing the total to six.


    Thest three soon began to rx and find their confidence as well. Soon, six holographic images of himself were wandering around the dome.


    Geth had never experienced anything like it! Soon, another consciousness added itself to the multitude of thoughts.


    "This is a good opportunity for you."


    One avatar turned its head to see an elderly man floating upside down beside him. He was grinning widely and had a long white beard that somehow stayed pointed towards his belly.


    "That voice..." The avatar''s eyes opened wide as he stared at the long-haired man. A pair of bright purple eyes stared back into his.


    "Albus?!" Geth looked at the old man in astonishment.


    "That''s right. Bael mentioned that I would be able to join you once you could control your ''selves.'' So, here I am!"


    "So... you''re here? Just like that?"


    "Well, it was actually pretty simple. I already send my thoughts to you through this dome.


    I just needed to project one of my own consciousnesses here. When you stepped into this Formation, I gained the ability to single out my own thoughts as well."


    Geth thought for a moment before asking, "Will it be permanent?"


    "If we can make a smaller version of this Formation in our shared mental sphere, then it can be. Even without drawing it ourselves, a Skill should develop naturally over time if we stay here," Albus replied.


    He nodded in response before ncing at the burly old man again. Albus reminded him of a monk who liked to work out too much.


    He was dressed in a purple robe that clung tightly to hisrge muscles. The man waspletely bald, aside from his long white beard.


    Remarkably few wrinkles were etched on his face, mostlyugh lines around his squinted, purple eyes. If Geth had to guess, he would say that the man was Chinese.


    The mostpelling feature of the man was the purple crystal embedded in the center of his forehead. It looked exactly like that on the middle of his Grimoire cover.

 Chapter 114: Six Geths?

    Chapter 114: Six Geths?


    While this avatar was speaking to Albus, two of the avatars were having a stimting conversation of their own. Both of Geth''s ''selves'' were hovering near the Mass Invocation Rune.


    "What if we could light up these minor, greyed-out Runes? Do you think we would be able to turn the spell into Universal Invocation?" Geth asked himself.


    The other avatar looked at him with wide eyes, "Are you crazy?! What if you do something wrong, and our entire mental sphere explodes?"


    "Hey, hey, hey, I''m just specting!"


    His other ''selves'' were hard at work as well. Two were monitoring the Absorption and Recovery Talents hovering just outside the sphere.


    Thest avatar was floating around outside the sphere studying the different Talent Runes. Not a single Talent appeared in the mental sphere, which he found rather vexing.


    ''Every Talent is etched somewhere inside of the body. It''s like the Mana carved tattoos out inside of us.


    Can we do the same on the exterior of our skin? It may be something to experiment withter.''


    And so time passed. Geth already had an insanely fast thought process due to his high Wisdom.


    Time seemed to slow down with six of his ''selves'' working together. This was definitely something that needed to be permanent.


    Geth had all the avatars focus on creating a Formation simr to the one they were currently sitting in. Albus was looking at the Formation itself while Geth''s consciousnesses were studying the Runes.


    There were Runes of Amplification, Gathering, Agility, Wisdom, and Intelligence. Outside of those, many others weren''t in his vocabry.


    As he and Albus wereing up with a miniature Formation, he felt a tug on his shoulder. One of his ''selves'' dropped what he was doing and took control of his body.


    Geth looked over his shoulder and found Zolis looking at him with an odd gaze. She raised one of her eyebrows before her expression went back to normal.


    "How long have I been sitting here?" He asked.


    "It hasn''t even been 5 minutes," Zolis responded. "Why are your eyes glowing?"


    "Hmm, it feels like it''s been at least an hour? What do you mean my eyes are glowing?"


    "Your eyes have a slight blue glow around them," She said. "It''s kind of hot."


    Geth just shrugged. He was sure it had something to do with six of his ''selves'' using Mana at once.


    The other five were still working with Albus at the moment. He used this opportunity to inspect his body to see if there were any further changes.


    Everything seemed normal, though there was an additional white hair in his beard. For as long as he could remember, there had only been one.


    He always hoped that his hair would turn pure white like his grandpa''s one day instead of grey like his dad''s. Since everything was normal, he decided to get up and leave the Formation.


    "Wait... You don''t feel anything strange being in here?" Geth asked his wife.


    Zolis stopped and closed her eyes for a few seconds before answering. "I feel like my thoughts are a lot clearer than usual.


    Also, before walking in here, I know I was excited about possibly spending some time with the kids.


    Right now, I don''t really feel that. It''s almost like I''mcking emotion."


    Zolis turned her head slightly and looked at Geth, "Is this how you always feel?"


    Geth really wasn''t sure what she was going through. Nothing in his emotional state seemed to change.


    "I guess. Let''s go check out the Tower again. If I close my eyes, I may end up spending all day here."


    Albus and Geth''s avatars faded from his mental sphere as the two left the circle. He was pleased to find that one of his ''selves'' was left after leaving the Formation.


    Geth let his avatar do as it pleased while heading towards the Tower with Zolis. She held his hand and hummed while they were walking.


    Most of the party was hanging around near the temple, but a few were waiting at the Tower. Alise, ze, Swole, and Pebbles were all standing at the entrance waiting for them.


    Geth nodded at them before walking up to the door and cing his hand on the white Gem. The Gem began to shimmer as the group waited for the usual holographic screen to appear.


    To everyone''s surprise, no screen appeared. Instead, a projection of a tall man in a butler''s uniform appeared before them!


    The man looked exactly as a butler should. His curling white mustache was prominent below his pointed nose.


    He used his gloved hand to push up on his spectacles as he observed the crowd before him. Before speaking, the man pulled off his cap and gave everyone a slight bow.


    He revealed a perfectlybed head and two pointy ears upon removing the cap. His voice was almost musical as he spoke to them.


    "Wee to the Tower. My name is Larzen. You may call me Larz."


    Geth gave a slight and awkward bow back to the projection before replying.


    "My name is Geth. It''s nice to make your acquaintance Larz," He spoke formally since he wasn''t sure what to make of this yet.


    "May I ask what you are doing here with this Tower? This is the first Dungeon that we''ve conquered that has had some type of Guardian."


    Larz furled his brows as if the question was strange to him. He shut his eyes and pressed a finger to his temple as if he was trying to remember something.


    After a few minutes, he began to speak, "I''m sorry, but I can''t recall how I came to be here. I simply know that it is my duty to assist the Tower''s new owners."


    Geth marveled at the projection standing before him. It reminded him quite a bit of a Grimoire''s individual personality.


    ''You aren''t far off. I believe that the being standing before us is essentially the Tower''s Grimoire.'' Albus responded promptly.

 Chapter 115: Slave Contract

    Chapter 115: ve Contract


    Geth looked at the butler again, pausing on the man''s pointy ears for a brief moment. Larz seemed to notice but didn''t make any mention of it.


    Geth spoke up after a moment, "Larz, what is it that you are supposed to help us with?"


    "I am simr to the Dungeon Crystals of which you have previously interacted. However, I can also assist with the Tower''s defense and the city''s infrastructure, as well as handle certain procedures while you are out exploring."


    "Can you open the Tower so that we can have a look?" Geth asked him.


    "I''m sorry, master, but that is something of which I am currently incapable. The only way to enter the Tower is to collect the nine Dungeon Crystals from the southern half of this Region.


    As you can see from inserting the Gather Dungeon Crystal, filling the slot will teleport the Dungeon and its inhabitants to this location. This includes all those whose names have been inducted into the Dungeon, not just those residing inside."


    Geth responded with another question, "So what happens to the original Dungeons? Also, how much control do you have over this ce?"


    "The original Dungeons cease to exist, leaving behind a hidden mark until all Dungeons are teleported under the Tower''s defenses. The marks keep the Formation you see behind me in ce.


    Once the final Dungeon has been teleported, the marks cease to exist. The Dungeons are expressly set up in this Formation to be teleported to this location."


    Larz then closed his eyes and kept them shut. Geth could feel a light tug on his mental sphere a few secondster.


    The self that was still inside him was already inspecting the new Rune glowing lightly in front of him. Albus briefly read out a prompt to him.


    ''Larz is attempting to form a contract with you. The Rune floating before you is called "ve."


    If you decide to ept this Rune, you will haveplete control over all of his actions. You will also each know at once if the other has perished, as the contract will break.''


    Geth didn''t interact with the Rune immediately. He studied it for a while before cing his hand above it and using his own Mana to ept.


    ''I''m not particrly happy knowing that this type of ve contract exists. For now, I''ll agree to the terms.


    If I can control Larz from anywhere, my children will be safer here, rather than being somewhere I can''tmunicate with them.'' Geth looked at the projection as he opened his eyes.


    He could feel a small portion of the man''s consciousness sitting inside his mental sphere. Geth could sense that he could enter the man''s mental sphere at any time, but Larz couldn''t do the same.


    "Alright. When the other Dungeons are brought here, what happens to the different locations inside of them?" He asked.


    "Each Dungeon has a specific use. The heart of the Dungeon and the Barracks appear immediately.


    You have already seen this with the Gather Dungeon. The rest of the ''locations,'' as you call them, are stored until the Tower is open.


    Once the Tower is open, you can design the area as you please. The city''s perimeter increases by a half-mile radius each time the Tower is upgraded."


    Geth nodded and continued, "What about the upgrades that have already been performed on the locations or Dungeons themselves?"


    "For every level beyond Level 2, the Tower will gain one level."


    Geth nodded. Valha had reached Level 3 some time ago.


    ''It should actually be very close to Level 4 if the hunting parties have been doing well. Things will undoubtedly be much easier to keep track of with Larz.''


    Geth was done hesitating. He gestured to Swole to insert his Dungeon Crystal as he pulled out the four in his possession.


    Larz waved his hand when all five were visible. The different colored stones floated into the air before either of the men could step forward to insert them.


    "Are you sure that you wish to bring these Dungeons here?" Larz looked at both of the men and waited for an answer.


    "Yes." Swole agreed quickly.


    Geth also nodded his head. Larz examined the stones for a minute before looking at Geth again.


    "Would you like for the town''s name to be Valha?"


    "Yes."


    "Very well." Larz closed his eyes as the five Dungeon Crystals floated away from him and simultaneously set themselves into their sockets.


    The ground beneath them shook in a much more drastic way than before. Looking into the distance, the group could see the walls moving away as bright lights began to appear in every direction.


    The five different colored lights stayed stagnant for many minutes as the walls pressed out to their new location. Geth estimated that the walls moved a full mile out, indicating that Valha was already Level 4.


    It was odd watching the wall expand. The trees on the opposing sides simply seemed to melt into the wall, causing it to grow further.


    The barrier projecting from the top of the Tower expanded with it. It wasn''t until the walls stopped moving that the lights began to change.


    One by one, the lights grew to a blinding brilliance as different-style homes and structures began to appear. Geth cast his eyes to the north, looking for the familiar tree house type Barracks.


    He found them quickly, but not before Zolis. She was already sprinting that way the moment the lights began to dissipate.


    Geth smiled as he began to chase after her. The vige of trees wasn''t far from the Tower, less than a half-mile.


    The two of them quickly spotted many of their friends and family members wandering around with their weapons drawn. Geth''s mom was the first to see them.


    The woman began to cry as she saw the two of them closing in. She patted Til on the shoulder and pointed.


    Geth could see her mouthing, ''go get the kids,'' as she pointed. Zolis slowed as they reached the edge of the ring of trees.


    Geth took her hand, and she squeezed it tightly while smiling at him. She was already beginning to tear up.

 Chapter 116: Full Sentences?

    Chapter 116: Full Sentences?


    Crystal wrapped her arms around Geth as he walked up to her. She cupped one of her hands around his cheek and smiled before turning to Zolis.


    "He hasn''t given you too much trouble, has he?" She asked.


    Zolis couldn''t help butugh while wiping her eyes.


    "Nothing that I can''t handle. Where are the kids?"


    "Til is heading to get them now. He''ll be back in just a minute," Crystal answered. "Catch me up on what you two have been doing."


    Geth interrupted the two women this time.


    "That can wait for a bit. We will gather everyer, and I''ll handle the briefing from there."


    His mom pouted a bit and still pestered Zolis with her questions. Geth just rolled his eyes.


    He waited impatiently for Til toe back with the children. They hadn''t been in the Dungeon when the transfer took ce.


    His mom said as soon as the glowing started, they became worried. Bruce led the children out of the Dungeon along with his sisters.


    ''Larz, where were those who weren''t present in the Dungeon teleported?''


    The soft voice of the butler quickly responded to him.


    ''All of the inhabitants outside of the Dungeons at the time of teleportation were sent to the North Gate. I can directly transmit a message to every living being within these walls if you wish.''


    ''Tell everyone to meet at the Tower in the center. Do you have a headcount?''


    ''There are eighty-nine currently inside the city, not including the Guardians. Would you like for the Guardians to proceed to each of the four Gates?'' Larz responded promptly.


    ''Sure. We will head to the North Gate and will return swiftly.''


    "Zolis, let''s head to the North Gate."


    "Why?"


    "Aren''t you ready to see the kids?" Geth chuckled.


    Zolis didn''t ask any more questions and followed him as he headed to the north. His mom stood in confusion, wondering how he knew where the children were.


    Geth exined his small chat with Larz along the way.


    "Eighty-nine? Hulk''s group or the women from the Water Dungeon must have done some recruiting." Zolis stated.


    Geth nodded, "I believe so. It''s unlikely that our family took many people in. ze and Swole''s groups should have only been around ten total between the two of them."


    "When do you n on taking thest three Dungeons?" Zolis asked a bit hesitantly.


    Sigh


    "I hate to say it, but we need to get it done quickly," Geth answered. "There''s no telling what''s happening in the Regions around us."


    Zolis fell silent as those words sunk in.


    "Don''t forget, we also have that Boss and hooded figure wandering around as well," Geth added.


    "There''s also that de guy."


    Geth thought back to his fight with de. He also hadn''t forgotten that they would be dead if not for the man.


    "I don''t think he''s as bad as he seems. It''s likely that he just joined up with the first group he could to stay safe. Can''t say that I wouldn''t have done the same in his shoes."


    Zolis thought about it for a moment before realizing that he was right. Even the women she had spoken to said that de had looked disgusted at Thorn''s "inclinations."


    "All inhabitants of Valha, please report towards the Tower in the center of the city. Geth will be along momentarily to speak with you."


    Larz''s voice resounded inside the pair''s heads as they continued traveling north. It didn''t take long for them to see multiple figures walking from the North Gate.


    As the figures grew closer, many familiar faces came into view. Zolis released Geth''s hand and ran forward when she saw the kids walking next to Bruce.


    Bruce raised his hand and waved towards Geth. He returned the gesture with a nod as he nced across the group of almost forty individuals.


    He was familiar with most of them. Though there were some that he could tell were new, they were still folks that he had bumped into around town.


    Geth smiled back at Bruce as he quickened his pace. His daughter ran right past Zolis andunched herself into his arms.


    His usually impassive face quickly melted as a genuine smile formed. Geth caught Melody out of her small leap and held her close.


    "Daddy!" She eximed as she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck. "I missed you!"


    "I missed you too, baby."


    Melody pushed herself away and tugged at his beard, "Did you kill a bunch of monsters while you were gone?"


    "Who told you that? Yes, Mommy and Daddy have killed a lot of monsters these past couple of months."


    Geth was quite surprised with how articte she had be. She was barely speaking whole sentences just a few months ago.


    "Anna helped me put points in Intelligence and Wisdom. Kael''s Grimoire helped him too! He''s even smarter than me!"


    "Elsa?" Geth asked.


    "I named my Grimoire Anna after I named myself Elsa. It''s what I yelled out when she asked for a name..." Melody then trailed off as if she was embarrassed about her name choice.


    "Hahaha, you could have done worse. It''s nice to meet you, Anna." Geth looked at her Grimoire as he spoke.


    ''She said it''s nice to meet you, too.'' Albus spoke up.


    "Just call me El if you don''t mind. It isn''t as embarrassing." She told him.


    "I can do that, El. Now, let''s go see your brothers."


    Geth sat her upon his shoulder as he walked towards Zolis, who was talking with the boys. Melody fell from his shoulder and into Zolis'' arms when they reached them.


    Kael ran up to him and tugged on his robe. Geth stooped down and hugged him tightly.


    "I''ve missed you."


    "I''ve missed you too, Dad!"


    Geth was a bit taken aback yet again. El had already told him about them adding Attributes, but it was still hard to take in.


    "So, what name did you pick?"


    "...I would really rather not say. Can you just call me Peter?" He asked.


    "Peter..." Geth rubbed his chin for a moment. "Did you name yourself Spiderman?"


    "Well... you know I wasn''t talking very well before. It came out as Piderman..."


    Geth burst outughing. It was the first realugh he''d had in quite some time.

 Chapter 117: Marvels of the Grimoires

    Chapter 117: Marvels of the Grimoires


    Zolis quickly pulled Peter''s attention from him before they had the chance to talk anymore. Geth turned his head to Luke, who was patiently waiting for him to the side.


    "Hi, Dad."


    "Hey, Son." Geth put his free hand on the boy''s shoulder while inspecting him. He had grown quite fit while they''d been gone, most likely due to the Grimoire''s interference.


    He pulled his son in and held him for a moment, "I''ve missed you, boy. Have you been doing alright?"


    "Yeah! Papi has even helped me learn to fight! I killed my own Goblin!" Luke let out excitedly.


    "Oh yeah? That''s great!" Geth tousled his hair, causing the boy to blush.


    Most people wouldn''t like the idea of an 8-year-old child killing, but Geth was d for Til exposing him to it. It was much better to be prepared than caught off guard.


    "And what did your Mom think about that?" Geth chuckled as he asked.


    "Mmm, she told me to treat it like when Filthy took me hunting."


    Geth nodded. That was an excellent way to look at it to get started. The only fault he could find was that the creatures were still humanoid.


    ''It wouldn''t be good to think of all races outside of humans as creatures to be hunted.'' Geth pictured Larz''s pointy ears and the elves and dwarves chained up in his dreams.


    He would introduce the people to Larz soon enough. Still, he didn''t want to reveal his inhuman nature until speaking with the man about it.


    "How''ve ya been, young man? It''s been mighty quiet ''round the Dungeon without you. Where the hell are we?" Bruce hobbled over and asked him.


    Geth quickly noticed that the man carried a thick club and used it as a walking stick. He looked down and saw that Bruce had made a peg leg out of metal and hide.


    Bruce spoke up before Geth could. The man tapped on his leg with the club, "Aye, it''s the best I can do fer now, but I''ll make an improvement one day."


    Geth nodded and then responded to the man''s second question, "We are in a safe ce. I''ll exin everything when we get to the Tower."


    Geth pointed over his shoulder as Bruce shifted his gaze. The man gave a thumbs up with his free hand and began walking that way, with the others following.


    Jen walked up beside him as he turned and headed towards the Tower with Zolis and the kids. She didn''t say anything, so he took the initiative.


    "Thanks for keeping the kids for us. They didn''t cause too much trouble, did they?" He asked.


    "Not at all. In fact, once the kids began using their Grimoires, there was no longer any need to do much outside of feeding them.


    They are still immature, of course, but they''ve bepetent. Peter, in particr, has blown my mind."


    Geth nced over at Peter, holding Zolis'' hand and walking confidently beside her. The boy seemed to feel his stare and turned to smile at him.


    Geth couldn''t help but marvel at the intelligence shown in his eyes. He smiled back and turned his head back to Jen.


    "And what about the baby?" He looked at the now four or five-month-old child asleep in her arms.


    Jen pressed her free palm to her forehead before responding. "Would you believe it if I told you she picked up her crib not long after she unlocked her Grimoire?"


    Geth raised his eyebrows as a slight smirk appeared on his face. "You actually let the baby break a monster core?"


    "No, you can me Peter for that one." She looked at the little boy who was still looking towards them. Peter caught the gaze and quickly looked away.


    Geth couldn''t help butugh again. It looks like his kids had caused some headaches after all.


    "And did all of you have time to go hunting?"


    "Yes, almost everyone here has already chosen a ss, including your children. Most of us were very excited when we found out there were sses that didn''t involve fighting.


    Your Mom, for instance. She had the option to choose the Farmer ss. She gains experience through her crops bing fully fertilized or creating a new crop species."


    Geth was once again amazed at the Grimoires'' capabilities. ''Would humans even stand a chance in this world without them?''


    ''I highly doubt it!'' He heard Albus call to him telepathically.


    During all of this, Geth''s other self spoke with Larz. He wanted to make sure that he understood the city before speaking to the crowd.


    "So, what you''re telling me is, this city is actually designed to fend off waves of monsters?" Geth asked with a frown on his face.


    "Yes, Dungeons were also designed with a simr function in mind. Though most only have a single entrance, and it would end terribly if the entrance was overrun." Larz responded.


    "Why haven''t there been any issues up to this point? And you said designed, who''s design."


    "I don''t have the answer to your second question. I can feel that most of this information is new to me. I don''t even remember my life before you touched the Gem."


    Larz scrunched his face again, slightly in pain. It seemed that every time he tried to recall his past, he felt some form of difort.


    "I''m sorry," Geth said sadly. "Please, continue when you''re ready."


    Larz nodded and gathered his thoughts again.


    "The protective Formations will eventually be eaten away by the surrounding Mana. The Dungeons alone only have a year, at most before the Mana has found them."


    Larz''s image in Geth''s mind closed his eyes again before continuing.


    "By my estimates, with all ten Dungeonsing together, the Tower can provide double that time.


    On top of that, there are many functions that the city can provide. These include defense, offense, research, living, and of course, crafting."


    Geth''s other self nodded as he took in the information. He continued to learn as much as he could from Larz as the group made their way to the Tower.

 Chapter 118: Questions and Answers

    Chapter 118: Questions and Answers


    Geth stood before the small crowd of people in front of the Tower. The projection of Larz was standing by his side.


    He looked out into the group and mainly saw familiar faces. Everyone was standing in groups based on the Dungeon they hade from.


    Some were waiting with excitement, while other faces were wrought with trepidation. Those that looked worried were the women from the Water Dungeon and those few new faces.


    Geth rolled his eyes internally. Between the separate groups and the hints of doubt, he could tell that it would be challenging to run a tight-knitmunity.


    He raised his staff off the ground, and the muttering in the crowd quickly quieted down. He nodded in approval as only the asional shuffling of feet could be heard.


    "Since there are a few new faces here, I will introduce myself. I am called Geth. Most of you have been living in the Dungeons conquered by myself and my friends here."


    He waved his staff to indicate his party members standing off to his side. Harris and Farris waved to the crowd like they were on parade.


    Geth chuckled at their usual childishness and continued, "There are some new faces in the crowd, so I will state the rules once again.


    All of my or my party members'' orders must be followed in times of danger. If you do not follow our instructions, and something happens to you or your loved ones, then that will be on your conscious and not ours."


    Geth paused for a second to let that soak in.


    "Furthermore, there will be no free rides in thismunity. There is too much work to be done.


    Of course, you are wee to choose what you do from a list I''ve mocked up. Everyone present will also be put throughbat training, regardless of the role they take.


    This includes women, children, and even the elderly. If you have any questions before I move on from this subject, you may raise your hand to ask."


    A whining voice spoke up from the back of the crowd almost instantly.


    "And why the hell should we listen to anything you have to say?"


    The crowd turned their heads back. A young man was standing there with a confident look on his face.


    Most of the people sneered at this idiot. Of course, a few seemed to want to know this answer as well.


    "Larz?" Geth nced at the figure beside him.


    "Edge. Age, 22. Level, 23. Been a part of the Forest Dungeon for less than two weeks." The butler replied.


    The young man''s confidence slipped from his face for a brief second, but he quickly regained hisposure.


    "Edge, I hope that you can find a safe ce to hole up before theing atrocities. Larz."


    The butler drew a simple Formation in the air, and the space behind the young man''s body began to distort. Two hulking figures stepped through the distortion and grabbed each of Edge''s arms.


    They were two of the Orcs that Filthy and Swole had recently killed. The stenching from their mouths even reached Geth at the front of the crowd.


    "Escort this young man from the premises," Gethmanded.


    The two Orcs nodded and began to pull the young man away.


    "Wait! Let go of me, you ugly fucks!"


    Edge continued to kick and scream as he was dragged towards the East Gate. Thest thing Geth could make out was something about killing him one day, to which he rolled his eyes.


    "All right, now that themotion is over. Is there anyone who has a legitimate question?"


    Some people seemed too afraid to speak up, but those who knew him already had a lot to ask. He decided to start with those who may have concerns rather than those just curious.


    Geth pointed at one of the women who had their hands raised. She was one of Thorn''s victims from the Water Dungeon.


    "What kind of work are you expecting in return for us staying here?"


    Geth could hear a hint of suspicion in her voice. He couldn''t help but sigh inwardly.


    "We need hunters, cooks, and farmers first and foremost. There are a lot of mouths here to feed." He indicated the entire crowd with a wave of his hand.


    "There will need to be parties set up for expeditions, researchers, explorers. Some will need to be well versed in construction as well, though I''ve heard there is a Builder ss thates with Skills to make building easier."


    Geth stroked his beard for a moment, "In fact, there is a ss for almost every job. We will need those willing to ept some of those sses instead of sses for battle."


    The woman nodded and then seemed to fall into thought. Geth motioned towards an older man that he hadn''t met yet.


    "You mentioned that children and the elderly would have to learn to fight as well. I used to train some local MMA fighters.


    I had to stop eventually because of shoulder problems. Thanks to my Grimoire, I feel fitter than ever! I would like to help with training!"


    "Very well, Hulk here," He paused and pointed at the man. "Is going to bemanding most of the parties. You are wee to speak with himter."


    The old man smiled in satisfaction and stepped back to his ce in the crowd. Geth felt that the man would make a great asset and decided to make proper introductions soon.


    "You, Miss. What is your question?" He pointed at a middle-aged woman in the crowd.


    "The Football, Wrestling, and Track teams were all at school with their coach when the incident urred. One of the coaches was the astronomy teacher, and they were supposed to stay overnight..."


    The woman seemed to hesitate a bit before asking her question, "I haven''t seen my Son in months... I don''t even know if he''s alive. If you can help me find him, I''ll do anything you ask."


    Geth smiled at the woman before speaking. "Yes, we intend to make an expedition south soon enough. I would love to help in finding your boy."


    He was hoping to recruit most of the school boys anyway. This just gave him another way to secure his position.


    He didn''t miss that some other men and women in the crowd had some worried looks on their faces when the woman asked her question.

 Chapter 119: Questions and Answers (Cont.)

    Chapter 119: Questions and Answers (Cont.)


    "Are there any other questions on job positions or training? The list of needed jobs and avable positions will be posted before the day is over.


    I expect each child between the ages of five and eighteen to choose a job they wish to study. I''ll also expect each of the adults in those positions to take on one to two apprentices."


    Geth looked around to see if there were any more questions before moving on.


    "The next order of business is to exin what the future holds and why I am being so strict. Edge should have kept his mouth shut until I''d gotten to this point."


    Geth''s face became much more severe as he thought about what wasing. He decided it would be best to tell the people now so they could make an informed decision.


    "In six months'' time, the protection that the Dungeons give will fade away. Hordes of monsters will push try to push into the Dungeons and kill those residing there."


    Gasps sounded out from the crowd and his party members that he hadn''t spoken with yet.


    "The walls that are surrounding this unbuilt city can provide us with an extra year to prepare. We need to make sure not to waste any of that time."


    A light shone in many people''s eyes as they looked at the high walls surrounding them. The people gained a new appreciation for the ce and the man who owned it.


    "Once that time is over, the beasts wille in waves. They will start small and be progressively more challenging to fend off as time passes.


    It will take a solidmunity to survive the issues we will face in the future. On top of that, we will need mighty structures and defenses that can help us stay alive. Any questions?"


    This time, almost every hand in the crowd was raised. Even some of Geth''s party members had questions to ask.


    He pointed to Hulk first.


    "Does this have anything to do with us needing to conquer thest three Dungeons in the Region?"


    "Yes, it does. We can not open the Tower until all nine Dungeon Crystals are set in ce.


    Once the Tower is open, we can build and upgrade defenses. Along with that, we can build slightly more modern crafting buildings, farms, hunting grounds, and other amenities.


    Our quality of life will never go back to what it used to be. Still, we don''t have to live like cavemen, either."


    Over half of the hands in the crowd dropped as he finished. This time, he pointed towards one of the men from his old neighborhood.


    "Will there be rewards for fighting?"


    Geth smiled, "Of course, there will be. We will be working on a merit system that will act as our source of currency in the city."


    He thought for a moment and then added, "I also n to introduce a physical currency as well. It won''t really be helpful amongst those living here.


    I do feel, however, that as other Regions build up their own cities, a simr currency will eventually show up. The coins will be different qualities of Monster Cores that have been reformed."


    The man seemed satisfied with that answer as he put his hand down, along with some others. Geth pointed towards another man in the group.


    "Will equipment be provided for those of us without it?"


    "Yes. I can see that some of you have already bought some of the equipment that we''ve ced in the shared Dungeon Inventory over the months.


    I would like to thank you for your contributions. Everyone present will get a starting set of gear made up of Common and Umon equipment.


    More Umon and higher rarity pieces will be avable through the merit system. We will also try to provide adequate meals daily, as we have been up to this point.


    Everyone present will be given one thousand merit points to start with. From this point, all new entrants to the city will be given two hundred and fifty.


    Your Grimoires will automatically keep up with your merit points once you''ve signed in to the city registry." Geth motioned to Larz to step forward when he noticed no more hands were raised.


    Larz spoke to everyone while waving his hand. Two white stone pedestals rose from the ground in front of him.


    "Everyone who wishes to remain in Valha, please line up and ce your Grimoire on the right-hand marker." His smooth voice floated across all of those present.


    "Anyone who wishes to pursue their own path is wee to head to the North Gate. It will open itself to let you out."


    Everyone present decided to get in line without a single person leaving.


    Geth''s original party members were the first in line. He watched as Zolis ced her Grimoire on the pedestal.


    It glowed momentarily, and Larz smiled at her. He then gestured to the plinth on his left.


    "Now, choose a job from the list provided. I rmend choosing something you are sure about, as it could affect Skills offered through the Tower in the future."


    Everyone present perked up when they heard that even Skills could be bought. Geth had been excited about that the moment Larz had told him.


    While everyone was busy signing in, he turned and looked up at the Tower.


    ''I wonder how long it will take to ess the tenth floor.''


    ''Well, we should be able to upgrade the city pretty fast. The third floor will be enough for the craftsmen to make Rare gear.'' Albus said to him.


    ''I think it''s odd that Larz doesn''t know what''s beyond the fifth floor.''


    ''Why? I''m only able to ess things as wee across them. I suppose that his situation is simr to mine.''


    Geth nodded. Albus was right, but he was still curious.


    Wasn''t Larz supposed to be the Tower''s Grimoire? Or was something else going on?


    Geth nned to confront Larz about his race once the signing process was done. He needed to know if there were more Elves or Dwarves around.

 Chapter 120: Back to the Temple

    Chapter 120: Back to the Temple


    After everyone finished signing in, Geth told the people to assign their Grimoires to one of the avable housing units. He gave them the rest of the afternoon and the following day to explore the city.


    The facilities were much more ideal than in the Dungeons. Even though the buildings were more like hand-built cabins, they still had Formations for necessities.


    Water was avable through Formations that could be turned on and off like a faucet. Even a toilet with a Formation inside would disintegrate feces or urine.


    Geth enjoyed inspecting the Formations in the houses and even gained a few ideas from them. ording to Larz''s memory, he had designed these facilities himself, but they''d since been downgraded.


    Geth decided that he would continue staying in one of the treehouses. For some reason, he felt morefortable in them than in the simple structures.


    The kids still seemed strange to him, especially Peter. Seeing a three-year-old studying Runes as if he was doing calculus would be strange no matter the situation.


    El had put a lot of points into Intelligence, and Til had bought her one of the Goblin''s Ice Shard spells. Since that was the only ability she''d had, one of the Talents she''d received helped to enhance her ice magic capabilities.


    ''I wonder if I would be able to buy a State Change: Water Skill for her?'' Geth had already been contemting what Skills his family and party should get when they upgraded the Tower.


    One thing that was desperately needed was more healers. Every party would need one in the future.


    ''We need to rush to clear thesest Dungeons.'' Geth sighed to himself. Not everyone could handle being away from their families for long.


    Still, he was impatient to get started. From a logical standpoint, what was the point of spending time with your family if they would die from you notpleting your objectives quickly enough?


    He sighed again before standing up and heading towards the temple. Soon enough, he was sitting on the ground meditating while six of himself ran around in his mental sphere.


    Instructions had already been given to all of his citizens. Everyone was to report to the Tower for training with Hulk and the old man.


    Geth learned that the old man''s name was Yue. He''d chosen it after some historical martial arts master that he admired.


    He intended for himself and his party to set out within the next few days. There were only three Dungeons left to clear in the Region.


    Four of his selves worked on unraveling the new simple Formations he''d discovered inside the residences. One continued working with Albus to make a small Formation to keep his form in their shared mental sphere.


    Thest one had his mind on Alise. He hadn''t introduced the children their family to her yet.


    ''It seems that she does have feelings for both Zolis and me, but the rtionship is more for Zolis'' benefit than mine. I certainly don''t mind, she needs someone she can share her feelings with, and that''s something that I''m incapable of.''


    Geth''s self was floating upside down near the top of the mental sphere while he was thinking. He stroked his beard out of habit.


    ''Maybe after the Dungeons are cleared, we can discuss things further. I just need to make sure that Alise is up for themitment and not just the fun.''


    He wasn''t worried about Zolis. She was a grown woman and could handle herself.


    What he didn''t want was for the children to be attached to someone, just for them to leave. The kids came above anyone else outside of their mother.


    ''I have to admit that I have grown attached to her. Maybe after a bit more time, I''ll be willing tomit as well.''


    He moved on to other matters and let that issue lie. They could continue having a bit of fun for the time being.


    Joining Albus and his other self, he found that they had made significant progress in the Formation.


    "Just a few finishing touches, and it should be operational." Albus gestured to the markings they had etched into his mental sphere.


    The three of them were currently floating at the very depths of his Mana pool. At this point, it could bepared to a smallke rather than a pool.


    The Formation was drawn precisely in the center of the sphere. Geth could already feel the Mana density near it increase slightly.


    "What do you need toplete it?" He closed his eyes and allowed his other self''s experiences to flow into him. "Ahh, so you just need another of these drawn on the top?"


    "That''s correct. Once it''s drawn, a column should extend between the two and give me a ce to anchor when we aren''t near this temple.


    Your capabilities should increase as well, though there is no telling by how much." Albus shrugged after finishing his statement.


    Geth headed up to the tip of the sphere and found the direct center. Another self soon joined him, and the two began drawing the Formation.


    It was rtively simple. The Formation was two crescent moons with the tips pointing towards each other.


    Once the tips of the moons met, the Runes for Gather and Thought were drawn in their center. The only thing that made itplicated was that the moons had to connect simultaneously.


    Still, it wasn''t a challenge with two of the exact same minds working on it. They mirrored each other''s movements perfectly.


    As the final flourishes were ced on the Runes, the edges of the Formation began to turn a deep red. Geth could feel a massive amount of heating from it, something he hadn''t experienced for a while.


    The Mana pool below him began to swirl as the dense liquid began to rush towards the top of the sphere. Just as the Mana poured into the edges of the crescent moons, something miraculous happened.

 Chapter 121: Immersion

    Chapter 121: Immersion


    Just as it seemed that the Mana wouldpletely erase the Formation, the smoldering stopped. The liquid Mana cascaded down from therge Formation as if it were a fountain.


    Geth watched as the Recovery and Absorption Runes started to move. The two Runes rotated until they aligned perfectly with the new Formation.


    The more significant Absorption Rune floated ten feet or more above the tip of the dome. The Recovery Rune rested just in the center below it.


    The Mana being pulled in from outside flowed swiftly into the Absorption Rune. The Mana intake was much quicker than before!


    An upside-down cone seemed to form as the Mana passed through the massive Rune, then through the Recovery Rune, and made its way into the Crescent Formation.


    Geth could feel the density of Mana in his mental sphere increase significantly! It was even more potent than that of the temple that stood before him.


    Albus flew upwards and pointed his finger in the air with a mischievous smile on his face. A glowing group of words was projected above him as if Geth were reading straight from the Grimoire.


    ****


    User has created a Formation inside his mental sphere that resulted in the fusing of two Talents. As a result, a new Talent has been constructed.


    Immersion (Max)-


    User has further opened the wall between himself and the outside Mana.


    As a result, maniption of Mana has be almost natural. Mana costs have decreased drastically while recovery has increased.


    Mana Recovery- 8x natural rate


    Experience Bonus- 2x natural rate


    Mana cost- 50% reduction for all Skills. Can not be reduced further.


    ****


    Geth looked at the words hovering in the air before ncing back at Albus.


    "Does this mean that you''re here for good?"


    "I should be able to stay here and work with your other selves now, yes." Albus'' face took on a relieved look. "You have no idea how cramped it can be inside of that book."


    Geth couldn''t help butugh at the old man. He had some questions about what it was like in the Grimoire, but he would askter.


    For now, he wanted to check his mental capacity. Geth focused heavily on his selves.


    It wasn''t long before they began to separate into the twelve that had been in his mental sphere originally. This time, none of them were stumbling around.


    The new group of his ''selves'' directly began flying around his mental sphere and studying its different aspects. Geth could feel a torrent of information flowing into him all at once.


    One of his ''selves'' took control of his body and stepped outside the temple''s range. None of the eleven Geth''s inside his mental sphere disappeared.


    He could barely even tell the difference in the density of Mana around him. It was like the quality of the Mana in the world had dulled down to scraps.


    Geth saw ze leaning against one of the huts and grinning at him. He walked over as soon as he was noticed.


    "I see you''ve finally figured it out! Wee to the club!" ze pped his hands together in a joking manner.


    Geth shook his head at his unorthodox friend, "I can''t believe that you were able toe up with this method with the little Wisdom you have."


    "Well, I sat in the presence of the temple for almost a month." ze seemed to count on his fingers as he said it.


    "I stopped at thirty Wisdom just for the recovery. There really isn''t any reason for me to add more after learning Immersion." ze shrugged.


    "I agree, but I think that the magic resistance aspect is essential. Even with your most powerful spells, you probably couldn''te close to injuring me," Geth teased.


    "Oh? You wanna have a little duel and find out?"


    "Hahaha, maybe one day, my friend. For now, let''s try not to kill off half of our poption."


    ze lifted his finger for a moment but put it back down. Geth was right. If he even cast one of his most potent spells, it would instakill anyone who wasn''t a tank.


    "Well, I need some action! When are we heading to conquer these new Dungeons!?" ze almost yelled in excitement.


    "It won''t be long. Let''s just give everyone a couple of days with their families, then we will head out."


    ze nodded, "So who is the main squad going to be?"


    "Me, you, Zolis, Alise, Swole, and Filthy for now," Geth answered.


    ze rubbed his chin for a moment, "We could use another mage, maybe one that has a bit of Agility or Defense. We need a true tank as well, no offense."


    "None taken, I agree," Geth replied. "I haven''t found anyone yet who would fit the bill.


    On our way to thest of Dungeons, I want to recruit as many kids from the high school as possible. Maybe some good candidates will show out in training."


    ze raised his eyebrows, "Trying to garner respect from a young age? Those members of themunity would be quite loyal."


    "That''s the n. We need amunity that is both loyal and powerful. I didn''t give out all of the information at the meeting.


    The beast waves are just the beginning. Two and a half years from now, something even more powerful ising," Geth divulged.


    ze''s eyes opened wide, "Even more dangerous than the threat of other humans? Wars for resources will likely break out in the near future."


    "Much, much more dangerous. You noticed that Larz is an elf, right?"


    "Yes, I did."


    "And you''ve also never seen an elf?"


    "No, no, I haven''t."


    Geth looked his friend in the eyes, "The Earth isn''t done expanding. Ten times the size was only the beginning."


    He waited for ze''s eyes to be clear before he continued.


    "The next time the Earth expands, the racesing will be mightier than anything we''ve seen. In the meantime, we need to be as strong as possible."


    As the words sunk in, ze''s face became stiff. He hadn''t even reached the Level of Geth''s other party members yet.


    Geth patted him on the shoulder, "Don''t worry. I n on protecting everyone."


    ze watched his friend''s back as he walked past him and headed to the Tower.


    ''If anyone can do it, it''s you.'' ze thought before turning and heading to spend some time with his wife.

 Chapter 122: Geths Departure

    Chapter 122: Geth''s Departure


    Geth approached the Tower to check the Formation set up on therge double doors. He wanted to get as close to an exact location of the Dungeons as possible.


    ''ording to the Tower Formation, there should be a Dungeon southwest of here.'' Along with that, he wanted to run south and check out the Gather Dungeon that ze had conquered.


    Geth was curious what became of the Dungeon and how hard the connection Rune for the Formation was to spot. He had already informed Zolis and his kids that he would be gone for two or three days, at most.


    Once he made it back, the party should be prepared to set out. Geth didn''t n on wasting any time.


    Hulk''s party would go to the Orc Dungeon to the northeast. On the other hand, Geth''s party would travel beyond that to the Direwolf Dungeon.


    If everything went smoothly, they should have thest three Dungeon Crystals within two to three weeks.


    Geth didn''t need to look at the door again with his near-perfect memory. Still, he wanted to make sure there wasn''t anything he''d missed around the Tower''s base.


    After a quick inspection, he took off towards the South Gate. Along the way, he passed between the temple area again and noticed some of the citizens meditating.


    ''I''m d people aren''t wasting this opportunity.'' He then smiled when he noticed a tiny figure sitting on the temple stairs.


    The figure snapped his eyes open and saw Geth running by almost a hundred yards away. Peter smiled and waved before shutting his eyes again.


    Geth raised one of his eyebrows in curiosity. ''His awareness is on another level. I wonder if it''s due to a Talent or Skill.''


    He quickly arrived at the South Gate. It was his first time seeing the wall up close.


    ''This thing is enormous!'' He looked up and struggled to make out the top of the wall. It had to be at least 40'' tall and was close to 20'' wide.


    There was a set of stairs to each side of therge gate. The South Gate alone had to be close to 20'' tall.


    He took the set of stairs to the right and headed to the top of the wall. Geth found a few Skeletons armed with bows looking down from the top.


    Further down the wall, he saw a few citizens walking and enjoying the view. The three guys walking waved excitedly towards him, so he decided to meet them before leaving.


    He waved back and headed over to where the trio was standing. They were all older men in their 50s or 60s and had traveled in with the Forest Dungeon.


    Geth was surprised to see that all of the men were over Level 30, the highest sitting at 32. He shook the men''s hands when he came close.


    "Nice to meet you, young man. My name is Bob," said the highest Level of the three.


    "Bill."


    "Brad here!"


    "Nice to meet the three of you. My name is Geth." He replied cordially.


    "Yes, my brothers and I are very aware of who you are, young man. The stories they told about you back in the cave were quite exhrating!" Bob replied excitedly.


    "Your stories are what drove us to be hunters instead of craftsmen like most of the other men our age have done."


    Geth chuckled while replying, "Well, we certainly need more people up forbat. Even so, every job avable is important at this point."


    "So how do we upgrade the city? Is it simr to the Dungeons needing monster cores?" Bill was the one who asked this.


    "Not anymore. The Tower records the amount through your Grimoires as you earn merit points.


    Therger themunity, the quicker the Tower can gain experience. I''ll then use the stored experience to upgrade the structures as needed.


    Some structures can only be upgraded if we have specific craftsmen of particr Levels avable, however." Geth gave a rtively direct answer.


    "Do those merit pointse out of our own pockets?" Asked Brad, thest of the brothers.


    "No. Your points belong solely to you. You can think of it as every point you earn, the Tower gains experience point."


    Brad nodded, "Excellent. We were wondering how the system would work."


    "Are you wandering around this evening as well?" Bob asked.


    "I''m actually about to head to the final Dungeon in the southwest. I''ll take care of it before we head north to finish conquering the Southern Region."


    All three of the men raised their brows as they looked around them. Bill even nced over the wall to see if anyone was by the South Gate.


    "You aren''t nning on going alone, are ya?" He asked after seeing that no one was there.


    "I am," Geth responded. "Don''t worry about me. I''ll be back in just a couple of days," He assured them.


    The older men nodded in reluctance. He could tell that they were unsure whether they should let them go.


    Geth chuckled over their concern but didn''t give them a chance to respond. He cast Mass Invocation.


    His and the old men''s Agility and Strength skyrocketed! He used their moment of surprise to leap down from the 40-foot wall and take off to the south.


    The old men just stared in amazement in the direction he''d run. The branches could be seen shaking for a moment, but Geth was gone long before the first leaf fell.


    "The stories they told in the Dungeon aren''t even close to the truth!" Bill eximed.


    Bob nodded in agreement, "I thought they were exaggerated, but it looks as if they didn''t exaggerate enough."


    "Holy shit!"


    "What is it, Brad?"


    "Just check your Attributes!" Brad yelled at his older brothers.


    The men did as he suggested and saw the crazy increase of 268 Agility and 134 Strength. The brothers stared in awe for a moment before Bob spoke up.


    "It evensts just over five hours!" He said excitedly. "Let''s not waste this gift! We need to clear as many Solo Dungeons as possible in this time!"


    The other brothers nodded as they swiftly ran down the stairs and out of the South Gate.

 Chapter 123: Speed

    Chapter 123: Speed


    Geth sprinted through the tree''s enormous branches at deathly speeds for an average person. The feeling was exhrating!


    It was one of the few times outside of being with his family was that he felt something aside fromcency. With the buff, he was sitting at 348 Agility!


    He was leaping from branch to branch at over 60 miles per hour! Geth felt that he could hit 80 on t ground if he pushed to a sprint.


    ''If it weren''t for my high Wisdom, I wouldn''t be able to do this. I wonder what Filthy''s top speed would be if his mind could keep up?''


    Geth hadn''t missed that Filthy had been grabbing gear with Wisdom bonusestely. It seemed that his mind being too slow had be a problem at some point.


    He continued flying through the woods, enjoying the rush of adrenaline that came with it. It took him less than an hour to arrive at his first destination.


    The Gather Dungeon that ze had conquered was nowhere in sight. The only ce that looked like it may have had a Dungeon was a small crevice between two boulders.


    After inspecting the area for almost a half-hour, Geth finally found what he was looking for. A tiny marking, almost entirely concealed by moss, was on the tip of one of the boulders.


    Gently lifting the edge of the moss, he was able to see a very fine carving of the Gather Rune. He would never have found it if it wasn''t for the Mana being slightly denser in that one spot.


    He ced the moss to better cover the symbol on the stone and then carved a slightly more obvious Gather Rune on a nearby tree.


    ''There. If someone does happen to try and ruin the Formation, maybe they''ll destroy this one instead.'' Geth looked at his handiwork briefly before darting off to the southeast.


    The brush became thicker as he went, so he was forced to make his way back into the branches. The next Dungeon should be close to 150 miles out by his estimations.


    ''I''ll travel about a hundred miles and then stop to rest.'' It was already afternoon, and he didn''t want to sleep too close to the Dungeon.


    Not that it mattered too much. Albus was always avable, and his awareness had increased tenfold since he was free in Geth''s mental sphere.


    Albus and his other selves were going over further uses for Formations at the moment. It was actually a different ''self'' than the one controlling the body that suggested leaving a false Rune behind.


    Geth was happy to be free of the burden of party members at this moment. He knew he needed them, but his social meter had long run dry.


    There was only so long he could fake caring before his face started to slip. Some time away from others would give him the boost he needed to finish the Dungeons.


    Once that was done, he would likely lock himself in the Tower when he wasn''t out trying to Level. Geth nced at his Attribute page again.


    ***


    Geth: Level 43


    ss: Cleric


    Exp: 155,053/270,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 3950 +350 (Rec. 14.28/Second)


    MP- 3720 +2800 (Rec. 61.24/Second)


    Strength- 5 +80 +(134) (P.Damage/Stamina Recovery)


    Agility- 5 +75 +(268) (Mov.spd./Dexterity/Reflexes)


    Defense- 95 +247 +[15] (HP/P.Res./HP Rec.)


    Wisdom- 96 +190 +[3] (MP/M.Res./Mana Recovery/Processing Speed/Memory)


    Intelligence- 50 +185 (MP/M.Dmg./Learning Speed)


    Points Avable:


    TP- 1 (Talent Points)


    SP- 4 (Skill Points)


    AP- 0 (Attribute Points)


    ***


    His Mana Recovery rate was genuinely remarkable. Geth would be able to upgrade any of his constant use spells at this point without the worry of their cost increasing.


    ''Hopefully, the Solopletion bonus still stands for clearing a Team Dungeon. I need the extra Skill and Talent points.''


    This was Geth''s main reason foring this far on his own. He had no qualms about taking this Dungeon alone.


    ze had already inspected the Dungeon, saying it was filled with Tier 2 Undead. He would have cleared it himself, but he hadn''t been strong enough the first time he''de across the ce.


    Skeletons wouldn''t be an issue after having dealt with thousands of Zombies. He was more concerned that he wouldn''t gain more than a single Level out of this.


    ''Hopefully, they''ve been left alone long enough to gain some decent Levels.'' With his 2x experience bonus and them being higher Levels than him, maybe he could approach Level 50.


    ''I shouldn''t be too optimistic. If this Tier 2 Dungeon has developed that much, I can''t imagine how much we would struggle against the Direwolves.''


    Thoughts like these continually urred throughout his journey. Geth eventually came to rest upon a high branch after he''d traveled a bit over two hours.


    Using his new knowledge, he etched a ''Shade'' Rune into multiple areas on the sides of the branch. It would cause this spot to be darker than the surrounding area, making him harder to detect.


    Of course, if anything were to fly over, it would cause the area to stick out like a sore thumb. Geth couldn''t help but have a small shback of the mountainous Dragons that he''d witnessed in his dream.


    Since his Wisdom had risen to such a degree, the memories of those dreams became vivid in his mind. It was one of the many reasons he was apprehensive about the future.


    Not just the Dragons, what other Race could have driven humanity, the Elves, the Dwarves, and the other Races into very? It was something he thought about quite often.


    Albus had no knowledge of the other Races outside of the Elven Race. He only had a bit of information on them due to Larz''s recent appearance.


    ''Larz, how are things back at the Tower? I''ve managed to locate and cover the Gather Rune.''


    Due to the distance, it took a moment for the message to be received.


    After half a minute, Geth had his response.


    ''No changes on our end, Master. The three men you met by the South Gate have also taken off. It seemed as if they were motivated by your meeting.''


    The three had undoubtedly left a good impression on him.


    ''Tell Hulk to take them into his party when they return. I think they will make powerful assets. I''ll touch base tomorrow after I''ve cleared this Dungeon.''


    With that, Gethy on the branch and gazed at the stars until he drifted off to sleep.

 Chapter 124: Obvious Trap

    Chapter 124: Obvious Trap


    Geth awoke to the bright rays of the sun gleaming across the treetops. He stood and stretched while patting down his ruffled beard from a good night''s sleep.


    After casting Mass Invocation again, he sprinted the final stretch between himself and the Dungeon. The sun had barely made it over the distant tree line as he stared down into an open pit.


    He looked around. There was nothing but tnd in almost every direction.


    ''I remember this being farnd before.'' Geth thought back to when he''d spent the summer working in a nearby field.


    Very few Skeletons wandered around nearby, twenty at most. Geth remembered that their cores were used to make Agility potions, which would be essential for travel in the future.


    As such, he didn''t n to let a single one slip by. These creatures were different from the Zombies.


    Where the Zombies had no Mana, these Skeletons seemed to be held together by it. A weak aura simr to his Corruption Aura Skill held their bones together.


    A light green core floated inside of each creature''s rib cage. Most of their Levels were in the range of 35-38.


    ''They are higher Levels than I expected. Maybe I''ll find some over Level 40 deeper in.''


    He ran around the clearing, getting the attention of the wandering Skeletons. When they surrounded him, he stood and waited for the one closest to him to swing its sword.


    The de''s sharp edge struck his right shoulder and simply bounced off. After that weak strike, Geth couldn''t help but let a smug grin show on his face.


    He cast Mass Invocation, causing 2680 damage to the surrounding Skeletons. After casting it a second time, the bones turned to dust, leaving nothing but the green cores lying on the ground.


    ''These creatures are incredibly frail. Agility and Intelligence must be their only assets.''


    He gathered the cores and weapons into one of his storage items. The items were surprisingly high quality, all being Umon.


    Geth then ventured down the spiraling stairs, disappearing into the darkness of the chasm.


    He didn''t have too much trouble seeing in the dim hallway with inspection active. A dim light shone from gems that were embedded in the walls.


    The ce was built from stone instead of being a natural structure. Geth ran his hand along one of the walls as he proceeded.


    After traveling just over a hundred feet, his hand slipped into an opening that he probably would have missed. It was a rectangle opening in the wall the size of a small doorway.


    He looked forward down the hallway and could tell that there was still quite some distance to cover. Geth stepped through the doorway and found himself in a massive circr room with a chest in the center.


    The room was exceptionally darkpared to the hallway. The only light source was a stand on either side of the chest with eerie blue mes glowing.


    He looked around and found that hundreds of Skeletons lined the walls. A single giant Skeleton stood against the far wall behind the chest.


    ''Someone with poor vision would have only seen the chest and nothing else,'' Geth thought. ''What a tantly obvious trap for a Dungeon.''


    He still shrugged and proceeded into the room. It wasn''t like a bunch of Skeletons could hurt him.


    There was also the off chance that the chest had something decent in it. Plus, he wasn''t one to let free experience slip by him.


    He sauntered into the center of the room, watching the Skeletons and waiting for them to make a move. They still hadn''t budged by the time he was standing before the ornately decorated chest.


    Geth peered into the darkness at thergest Skeleton of the group. It was around nine feet tall, boasting thick armor and a sizeable double-ded ax.


    :Skeleton Knight, Lvl 41 (Sub-Boss); HP- 29,500/29,500:


    ''Its health is so low.'' He nced around at all of the normal Skeletons as well.


    :Skeleton Guard, Lvl 40; HP- 5200/5200


    Skeleton Raider, Lvl 39; HP- 3600/3600


    Skeleton Archer, Lvl 40; HP 2650/2650:


    ''These things are all incredibly fragile. It''s no wonder ze and Swole had no issues with soloing these Dungeons.''


    ''The two of them also have their own unique sets of abilities that make it easier for them to fight against a crowd,'' Albus added.


    Geth reached down to grab the chests sp while listening to Albus speak. The instant his fingers brushed against the chest, multiple braziers around the room lit up.


    The sudden light almost blinded him. At the same time, the Skeletons around the room began to close in.


    He stood and waited for them toe closer, casting a Barrier between himself and the area with the most Skeleton Archers.


    He judged that he could cover about half of the room with the current size of his Mass Invocation circle.


    He didn''t forget to remind himself that if he''d gone with Universal Blessing, he could probably clear this entire Dungeon while standing at the entrance.


    The Skeletons swiftly made it into his Skill''s range. They did have high Agility, after all.


    He cast Mass Invocation twice and instantly wiped out all the small fry. The Skeleton Knight was weakened but kept pushing forward.


    By the time the monster took its first swing, Geth had cast his Skill for the tenth time and watched the behemoth turn to dust before him.


    The enormous ax fell onto the ground, the sound of metal echoing throughout the room and down the hall. He shook his head as he looked at the size of the thing.


    ''I really need to start picking up more storage items.''


    He then flipped the chest open and found a single item inside. Geth reached into the deep chest and stood back up with a nk card.


    :Taming Card (Umon);


    This card can be used to tame any creature Tier 2 or below. This card can not tame Bosses or Sub-Bosses.


    The first time you use the card, you will gain the ''Tame Creature'' Skill. Sess rates will increase with the Skill''s Level.


    To learn the Skill, simply imbue your Mana into the card:

 Chapter 125: Strange Battle

    Chapter 125: Strange Battle


    ''So, it''s possible to have monsterpanions?''


    Geth looked at the card with interest.


    It was a brown metal card with rounded corners. The backside had the Rune for ''Tame'' engraved, while the front was nk.


    He imbued some of his Mana into the card as directed. The card lit up a light blue, and a Rune appeared on its surface.


    As Geth stared at the Rune, he could feel its outline being burned into his mental sphere. The Rune simply meant ''Tame.''


    Geth looked over the information for the Skill.


    ***


    Tame Creature, Common (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (500 MP/Tier) Ability to use Taming Cards to tame monsterpanions. Companion kills grant half of all earned experience to the caster and the other half to the Companion.


    Current sess rates:


    Tier 1: 80%


    Tier 2: 40%


    Tier 3: 10%


    Tier 4: 0.05%


    Sess rates can increase or decrease based on the creature''s Levelpared to the caster. Creature has to be unhurt to cast.


    If taming fails, the caster must wait 1 hour to cast again on the same creature. Cannot tame beyond the limits of the Taming Card.


    If Taming fails, card is destroyed.


    Tame limit- (0/5)


    ***


    ''Well, I suppose I would rather try it on a Skeleton than a Goblin,'' Geth thought. At least the Skeleton wouldn''t smell bad.


    ''I''ll wait until I find something decent and try my luck.''


    He stored all of the items except for the ax, leaning it up against the wall near the entrance. It was a couple hundred pounds on its own, and he wasn''t sure what else he would find.


    Geth made his way down the hall again, running his hands along the walls on both sides. He found three simr rooms, each with chests.


    After clearing them, he found that every chest contained one or two Umon Taming Cards.


    He now had six of them in his possession and intended to try one beforepleting this Dungeon. Just before the end of the hallway, he found a fifth circr room on the left.


    After walking into the room, he found it was the same as all of the others. There was a single ornate chest in the middle, with foot soldiers and a Sub-Boss in the shadows of the surrounding walls.


    Geth approached the chest in the center of the room while scouting his potential targets. The Skeleton Archers were his targets.


    If he could have a few of them adding damage while he aggroed a creature, maybe soloing a Boss outside of the Undead would be possible.


    The chest was a bit different this time. It was still ornately dressed, but there was something different about it.


    ''I can''t tell what it is... Albus, do you see a difference between this chest and the previous ones?''


    Albus examined it before responding, ''It doesn''t look any different to me.''


    Geth had Inspection active constantly these days. The chest looked normal to him, and he could see two glowing objects in the bottom, just like the others.


    ''Maybe I''m overthinking things,'' He thought as he reached his hand out to open the lid.


    As soon as his fingers brushed thetch, the Skeletons against the wall became active. However, that wasn''t the only thing that happened.


    The chest''s lid snapped open on its own, revealing two long rows of very sharp teeth!


    "What the hell!"


    Geth jumped back away from the chest and closer to the iing Skeleton Guards. He threw up a Barrier to hold the archers back while he cleared the room.


    The Guards and Raiders didn''t stand a chance, dying only after two casts of his Invocation. The chest was a different matter. It wasn''t taking damage at all.


    He rotated around the room and mmed the Sub-Boss with his staff, doing a significant amount of damage. He cast Restoration on the beast while attacking it.


    The Archers had already torn apart his Barrier. They were too close for him to use Mass Invocation without affecting them too.


    ''How irritating!'' Geth thought.


    The Restoration was still doing considerable damage to the creature. At 177 damage per tick, it was nothing to scoff at. The Barrier it was supposed to provide also instantly caused an extra 110 damage.


    Right at 9300 damage would be done by the end of the 2 and a half minute duration.


    ''It will take around fifteen minutes or so, but it''s the best way to avoid causing damage to the Archers.'' Geth stood and allowed the Sub-Boss to attack him.


    This one had a spear, and with his current Agility, he was able to dodge most of the attacks. The few that the creature did manage tond on him healed long before he was struck again.


    He allowed the arrows from the Archers to hit him. They barely caused a scratch.


    Even if the Archers used a Skill to empower the shot, it didn''t phase him.


    His main problem was the chest. The damn thing was Level 50.


    Geth''s only solution was to keep the chest caught within Barriers or keep a mud pit formed under it.


    The strange monster was quite spirited, constantly trying to break free and make its way to him.


    The fight was quite strange, a big man dodging an evenrger spear. All while keeping an angry treasure chest from trying to eat him and arrows bouncing off of him like toothpicks.


    ''I may have to leave this part of the story out,'' Geth chuckled to himself. He was sure that his party would ask about the raid when he returned.


    The Skeleton Knight turned to ash about seventeen minutester and melted into the stone floor. He formed a deeper pull of mud below the chest and threw up some more Barriers.


    His attention turned towards the Archers as he pulled out one of the Taming Cards.. He concentrated on one of the Skeleton Archers as he circted his Mana through the Rune on the back of the card.

 Chapter 126: Taming Skeletons

    Chapter 126: Taming Skeletons


    The card began to glow as a circr Formation appeared over the head of the selected Skeleton. A semi-transparent cylinder dropped down from the Formation, covering the creature.


    The cylinder let off a light blue glow, and the Skeleton began to bash its bow up against the walls. It struggled hard to get out, even slightly cracking the ss-like surface.


    After about half a minute of struggle, the creature finally began to rx. Geth watched curiously as the Skeleton stood inside the ss, looking towards him.


    The other Skeletons were still firing arrows, oblivious to the struggles of theirrade.


    The cylinder faded away, the creature disappearing along with it. Geth looked down at the card in time to witness a picture of a weakened Skeleton and its info materialize.


    He didn''t take the time to look at the card. After putting one of his free SP into the Skill to move it to Level 1, his sess on Tier 2 creatures had moved to 44%.


    He got to work, choosing to use the cards to capture as many Archers as possible. The process was simr for the others.


    A cylinder would appear and entrap them. If the creatures broke the Formation, the taming failed.


    If they couldn''t break the Formation within half a minute, the taming was sessful.


    In total, Geth managed to tame 4 Skeletons. The other two Taming Cards shattered in his hands.


    He cast Mass Invocation, killing the remaining Archers. The room was empty, aside from himself and the absurd treasure chest.


    Geth watched the thing struggle to leap out of the mud. It didn''t have arms or legs, just a big mouth and sharp teeth.


    "Well, it doesn''t look like you''ll be going anywhere for a while," He said while looking down at the creature.


    Geth leaned his back against a nearby wall andid the four Taming Cards out on the ground. The Skeletons depicted in them all had simr poses and appeared incredibly fragile.


    His eyes turned towards the information projected from the card, and he understood why.


    ***


    Skeleton, Lvl 1


    HP- 20


    MP- 50


    Strength- 1


    Agility- 10


    Defense- 2


    Wisdom- 2


    Intelligence- 10


    Skills:


    None


    Equipment:


    None


    ***


    Geth looked at the weakened creatures in disappointment.


    "So it looks like I have to train these guys from scratch." Geth let out an exasperated sigh as he poured Mana into the cards again.


    Four Skeletons appeared before him, their bones barely staying in ce.


    "Geez, I feel like I could sneeze, and you''ll be blown to pieces."


    Geth looked around in his storage items and soon found enough pieces of Rare equipment to outfit them. Their Attributes shot up from the bonuses, instantly making them stronger than before the Taming process.


    "That''s better, but we still need to get you Leveled up." He looked over at the chest stuck in the pit.


    :Mimic, Lvl 50; HP-8,036/8,400:


    Geth pulled a few hundred arrows out of his storage and allowed them to pile on the ground.


    "Kill it."


    He watched his new tames pick up the arrows and struggle to draw back the bowstrings.


    Some arrows would fall harmlessly to the ground, while others would bounce off the Mimic. The highest damage figure he saw was 13.


    Sigh


    "I guess I''ll be sitting here for a while."


    After sifting through his storage items some more, he found a few Strength Gems to socket into the Skeleton''s gear.


    ''It doesn''t help with their terrible aim, but at least they can draw the bowstrings back.'' He chuckled at the creatures.


    Most arrows flew way over the Mimic and skittered uselessly across the floor. The ones that struck were causing around 50-60 damage.


    ''It''s a start,'' He shrugged.


    Geth leaned back against the wall and rested while he watched the Skeletons. The pile of arrows was long depleted before the Mimic was killed.


    It wasical watching the Skeletons run around the room to pick up the stray arrows.


    ''Albus, will they die if I use my Skills to buff or heal them?''


    ''No. The Skeletons are now held together by your Mana.


    Any ally, party member, or citizen of your city can use healing magic on them. An enemy''s healing will have adverse effects, however.


    I suggest making sure they have plenty of Wisdom Gems in their sockets to keep that from happening.'' Albus closed with that final statement.


    Geth cast Mass Invocation and buffed them all even further with a massive amount of Strength and Wisdom. With their minds working faster, it didn''t take as long for their precision to increase.


    The Mimic died only 10 minutes after buffing his tames. The chest was skewered with hundreds of arrows, making it look like a giant pincushion.


    The Levels of all of the Skeletons skyrocketed after killing the Mimic! The Skeleton that dealt the final blow instantly jumped to 25!


    The other three Skeletons each gained just over 10,000 experience each and reached Level 16. Geth was a bit upset when he thought about how long it took him to switch sses.


    Even after his time in this Dungeon, he''d only gained two Levels, pushing him to 45. He turned back to the Skeleton''s information.


    ''Oh? That''s interesting. I get to control the path that they take?'' He thought as he looked at the holographic disy.


    Each of the four cards disyed Skills to choose from for every Major Level that they hit. On top of that, they had earned just as many Attributes to distribute as a Human would have.


    Geth nced over the creatures and back through the weapons that he had avable. He swapped one of their bows out with daggers and a set of throwing knives.


    ''Maybe I can have this one be some type of Assassin. It''s toote for the one that already reached Level 25,'' He thought.


    ''You should choose their Skills carefully. Remember, you only have five slots avable for tames.'' Albus reminded him.


    Geth nodded and turned again to look at the avable Skills to choose from.

 Chapter 127: Build A Skeleton!

    Chapter 127: Build A Skeleton!


    Tame, Skeleton, has entered its first Major Level.


    Please choose a Skill suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Agility Boost


    At the cost of Mana, Skeleton gains a small burst of Agility for a short time.


    Option 2: Dark Aura


    At the cost of Mana per second, Skeleton gains an Aura that slightly darkens the area around it.


    ***


    He didn''t have to think hard about the choices, as all of the Skeletons received the same prompt. He chose Option 2 for the Skeleton he would train to be an Assassin and another of the Level 16''s.


    The Level 25 and the remaining Skeleton each received the Agility Boost Skill. The following prompts were a bit different.


    ***


    Tame, Skeleton has entered its second Major Level.


    Please choose a Skill suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Agility Boost


    Option 2: Precision


    At the cost of Mana, heavily increases the Skeleton''s focus when firing or throwing a projectile.


    ***


    This was the prompt he received for the two who had chosen Dark Aura before. He decided to give the potential Assassin the Agility Boost Skill and chose Option 2 for the Archer.


    ***


    Tame, Skeleton has entered its second Major Level.


    Please choose a Skill suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Dark Aura


    Option 2: Precision


    At the cost of Mana, heavily increases the Skeleton''s focus when firing or throwing a projectile.


    ***


    The other two Skeletons received this prompt, and he gave them both the Precision Skill.


    The subsequent prompt contained a new Skill for the Assassin.


    ***


    Tame, Skeleton has entered its third Major Level.


    Please choose a Skill suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Precision


    Option 2: Vital Strike


    At the cost of Mana, Skeleton is guaranteed tond a blow in a vital location. Causes extra damage.


    ***


    Geth chose Option 2 almost immediately, finishing up the choices for the future Assassin. Next was the other Skeleton with Dark Aura.


    ***


    Tame, Skeleton has entered its third Major Level.


    Please choose a Skill suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Agility Boost


    Option 2: Pierce


    At the cost of Mana, Skeleton adds an aura of sharpness to its arrow, giving it a higher chance to prate armor or tough skin.


    ***


    Geth went with Option 2 for this one and moved on to the final Level 16.


    ***


    Tame, Skeleton has entered its third Major Level.


    Please choose a Skill suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Dark Aura


    Option 2: Pierce


    ***


    He chose Pierce for this Skeleton as well, along with the Level 25. The three Level 16''s were done with, so he distributed their Attributes.


    Each of the Skeletons had 56 Attributes to distribute. Geth upgraded each of their Defense and Wisdom to 10. He couldn''t have them being so flimsy.


    This left him with 40 Attribute points to spend on each. For the Assassin, he upgraded its Agility to 25 and Strength to 26.


    For the other Skeleton with Dark Aura, he upgraded its Agility to 20 and Intelligence to 40.


    The final Skeleton that was just a basic Archer received 20 points in Agility, 10 towards Strength, and 10 towards Intelligence.


    Each of the Skeletons also had 3 SP to use, though the use of a monster''s SP was quite a bit different than a Human''s.


    :When upgrading a Tame''s Skills, 1 SP will increase the Rarity of the chosen Skill.


    Tames will receive 1 SP per Major Level and 2 SP per ss change. There is no other way for a Tame to gain SP.


    Note: This is also the way that wild creatures upgrade Skills:


    Geth found it interesting and wondered if that was how he''d gained such rare Skills from Bosses.


    He''d also noticed that most of the Bosses or Sub-Bosses only had one or two Skills that they used instead of a small arsenal.


    Geth chose to upgrade the Rarity on Dark Aura for the two Skeletons who had this Skill. He was pleasantly surprised to find that one of the choices was Corruption Aura, which he gave to the high Intelligence Skeleton.


    The other option was Dark Cloak, an Aura that covered the entire body but only had the shadowing effect. This, of course, went to his Assassin.


    He also upgraded Vital Strike twice, turning it into a Skill called Critical Impact. It caused a high amount of damage and threw the target away from the caster.


    Pierce was upgraded twice on the pure Archer to a Skill called Deep Pration. Geth chuckled a bit heartily over the wording but chose it anyway.


    The Skill bypassed almost all light armor and most heavy armor. For the Mage-like Skeleton, he upgraded Pierce once, giving it the Pration Skill.


    Thest Skill that he upgraded on the Mage was Agility Boost, which became Attribute Boost. The Skeleton could choose which Attribute it wished to increase.


    Finally, he could focus on the strongest of his tames. The fourth choice on the Skeleton became a bit more interesting.


    ***


    Tame, Skeleton has entered its fourth Major Level.


    Please choose a Skill suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Dark Aura


    Option 2: Subtlety


    At the cost of Mana over time, decreases the possibility of gaining aggro on an enemy, regardless of damage caused.


    ***


    Geth went with Option 2. He wanted this one to cause as much damage from a distance as possible.


    ***


    Tame, Skeleton has entered its fifth Major Level.


    Please choose a ss suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Archer


    The Archer focuses primarily on Skills with the bow and is adept at facing multiple enemies or single targets.


    +15 Agility +10 Intelligence


    Option 2: Hunter


    The Hunter can use bows or daggers to get the job done. Focuses on high damage single target attacks. Struggles against multiple enemies.


    +15 Agility +10 Strength


    ***


    "It may be better to choose Hunter for the other Skeleton. I''ll go with Archer here."


    He chose the ss and watched as the Skeleton was pulled back into the card.


    The Skeleton''s information was changed to Skeleton Archer, and he had a new prompt to choose its new ss Skills.

 Chapter 128: Skeleton Archer

    Chapter 128: Skeleton Archer


    Tame, Skeleton Archer has achieved its first ss.


    Please choose a Skill suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Needle Rain


    Mana is imbued into an arrow before release. Once at its peak, the Mana rains down as if 10 arrows were shot at once. The number of arrows based on caster''s Intelligence.


    Option 2: Impact


    Mana is focused on the tip of the arrow. On impact, the Mana spreads out, knocking the target back over 20 feet.


    Knockback distance is based on the target''s size and caster''s Strength Attribute.


    ***


    ''Well, this one isn''t an easy choice. On the one hand, Ick AOE spells against regr enemies, so Needle Rain would be perfect.


    On the other hand, the knockback effect of Impact could be essential for an Archer. If he fires fast enough, the target can''t reach him by the time it''s taken out.''


    Geth pondered for a moment before choosing Option 1. He decided it would be best to think of the Tame as one of his own Skills instead of its own entity.


    ''That just leaves distributing Attributes and leveling its Skills.''


    The Skeleton had 6 free SP and 92 Attribute points. He decided to upgrade the Skills before determining how the Attributes should be distributed.


    He upgraded Pierce to Umon, turning it into the Pration Skill. Agility Boost was upgraded once to Augment Agility.


    Subtlety was upgraded to Soft Steps. Precision was upgraded to urate Shot.


    Thest two SP he saved explicitly for the Arrow Rain Skill.


    ***


    Skeleton Archer''s Needle Rain will undergo an evolution from Common to Umon. Do you wish to continue?


    ***


    "Yes."


    ***


    Option 1: Arrow Rain


    The number of projectiles in Needle Rain increases. Base amount of shots increased to 50.


    Number of shots increases based on Intelligence.


    Option 2: Needle Hail


    The number of projectiles remains the same. The projectiles fall in two waves in a chosen location.


    Number of waves increases based on Wisdom.


    ***


    ''So one option is an increased range while the other is a damage over time,'' Geth recapped. ''I''ll go with Option 1 and see what a second upgrade offers.''


    ***


    Skeleton Archer''s Arrow Rain will undergo an evolution from Common to Umon. Do you wish to continue?


    ***


    ''Of course.''


    ***


    Option 1: Freezing Rain


    The number of projectiles in Needle Rain increases. Base amount of shots increased to 50.


    Additional effect of slowing all enemies in the targeted area.


    Number of shots increases based on Intelligence.


    Targets'' Agility decreased based on Wisdom.


    Option 2: Torrent Rain


    The number of projectiles in Arrow Rain increases. Base amount of shots increased to 100.


    Number of shots increases based on Intelligence.


    ***


    This was tough, but he had to think about what would help him most if he wasn''t alongside his party. As such, he decided to go with Torrent Rain.


    He could already slow enemies down with his State Change Skill. Geth needed the Skeletons to make up for what hecked, which was Area of Effect Skills.


    After the Skills were chosen, it was apparent that Agility and Intelligence would be this Skeleton''s most essential Attributes. He divided them out as such and then admired the creature''s stats.


    ***


    Skeleton Archer, Lvl 25


    HP- 770 +450


    MP- 1130


    Strength- 1 +45


    Agility- 50 +70


    Defense- 2 +50


    Wisdom- 2 +35


    Intelligence- 62 +40


    Skills:


    Augment Agility, urate Shot, Pration, Soft Steps, Torrent Rain


    Equipment:


    Straugh''s Bow, Quiver of Holding, Helm of Wisdom, Sturdy Boots, Light Bracers, Leather Pants, Leather Jerkin


    ***


    He couldn''t equip any more gear to the creature. It was incapable of wearing essories or odd pieces of armor.


    The Taming Card only allowed for the five basic armor slots, a weapon slot, and a secondary slot.


    If Geth wanted to increase its power through equipment, he would have to find pieces that had more sockets avable.


    He summoned the Skeleton Archer and looked it over. The tame was much more impressive than it was before.


    "Now that that''s finished..." Geth walked over and opened up the lid of the dead Mimic.


    The inside of the creature looked like any normal chest. Two itemsy in the bottom.


    One was the creature''s core. The other was another Taming Card, but this one was different from the others.


    :Enhanced Taming Card (Rare);


    This card can be used to tame any creature Tier 4 or below. This card can not tame Bosses or Sub-Bosses


    This Taming Card has been imbued with a Rune of Luck. Doubles odds of sess:


    Geth memorized the Luck Rune on the back and then slipped the card into his satchel. He turned and looked at the group of Skeletons standing beside him.


    "Time to test you guys out against some real danger then," Geth said.


    To his surprise, the Skeleton Archer nodded its head and seemed to sh a quick grin.


    Geth walked in the lead with the four Skeletons following behind. The three lower Levels all made slight rattling noises as they walked, but the Archer walked almost as quietly as him.


    The group didn''t take very long to reach the end of the stone hallway. Before stepping through, Geth cast Mass Invocation, increasing both the Defense and Wisdom of himself and his tames.


    After confirming that everything was prepared, he walked into the final room. The four Skeletons followed closely behind him.


    The room wasn''t as big as he thought it would be, only the size of the circr rooms from earlier. Two things stood out to him immediately.


    One was the massive pile of bones that led up to a throne at the peak. The other was the deafening noise of multiple creatures fighting the moment he stepped past the doorframe.


    :Skeleton King, Lvl 50 (Boss); HP- 59,876/79,500:


    A monstrous Skeleton with extremely thick bones was facing a much smaller creature that looked like a small and sickly old man.


    :Necromancer Draug, Lvl 55 (Boss); HP- 134,731/145,000:


    Aside from the two Bosses, there were Raised Forsaken Sub-Bosses fighting against a group of ten Skeleton Knights.


    "Well, it looks like I won''t have to go looking for you."

 Chapter 129: Shitty Encounter

    Chapter 129: Shitty Encounter


    "Well, it looks like I won''t have to go looking for you."


    Geth heard a strange voice speaking behind him. It sounded unnatural and hateful, almost like it was from another world.


    He turned around quickly to see who the speaker was, only to find himself trapped inside of the Boss room''s Barrier.


    The speaker was standing on the other side of the Barrier, grinning devilishly at him. It was an extremely light-skinned individual with a very in face.


    Bright red eyes looked at Geth with what seemed like a burning rage. The strange man''s teeth were sharp and crooked, a pair of small horns protruded from his temples.


    ''The man in the ck cloak!'' Geth instantly thought of the person who had let the Boss free.


    "Cat got your tongue, Human?" The creature asked, spitting the word human out like it was some curse.


    "No matter. Your words are worth less than the ground you stand on." The creature continued, not letting Geth speak.


    "Though, for a human, I have to admit that you aren''t as pathetic as the others. This early on, even the best of you should have just recently gotten your first ss."


    The creature paused for a moment. Geth was about to respond when he was once again cut off.


    "No matter. If you survive this, Albus, I''ll be seeing you again."


    The humanoid creature then began drawing through the air. Both of his hands drew out Runes so quickly that Geth''s eyes couldn''t keep up.


    A rumbling sound could be heard. Geth turned in time to witness the entire pile of bones beginning to surge up like a tidal wave.


    He nced back at the man and saw nothing but a red puff of smoke as the creature vanished. The smell of sulfur filled his lungs as the smoke swirled past him and into the mountain of bones.


    Geth turned again and found that not only were the bones shifting, the previously in Skeleton Knights and Raised Forsaken had stood up with maximum health.


    Even the two Bosses ceased their fighting and turned his way. At once, all of the creatures in the room began slowly striding in his direction.


    "Fuck."


    The pile of bones hadn''t stopped shifting, and he wasn''t sure what woulde of it.


    ''I''m willing to bet it won''t be anything good,'' Geth thought. ''What the fuck was that thing? I couldn''t even see its Level!''


    There were over fifty Sub-Bosses and the two Bosses walking towards him right this second. He cast Mass Invocation, swapping the buffs out with Agility and Intelligence.


    "All right. You four head to the outer walls before they get too close. Pick them off from a distance, and don''t pull any aggro.


    Archer, use your Torrent Rain and make sure you hit everything before I kill it. You guys are at least getting some Levels out of this."


    The Skeletons sprinted away as soon as he''d finished speaking. A dark cloud enveloped two of them as they ran, making them difficult to see.


    ''All right, time to get started. Albus, any advice?''


    ''Don''t die.''


    ''Thanks, buddy.'' Geth rolled his eyes and barreled his way into the sea of Bosses before him.


    Weapons swung in his direction, tearing into his skin and sttering blood across the ground.


    He habitually cast Restoration on himself. Any wound that he sustained was healed near instantly.


    After Geth had dived far enough into the creatures, he began spamming his Mass Invocation Skill. Tremendous amounts of damage was caused as the Sub-Bosses writhed in agony.


    Every Undead creature within the spell''s range began to fume. Tendrils of smoke erupted into the air, obscuring the iing hail of arrows that was now falling from the ceiling.


    The arrows didn''t seem to do much to the Skeleton Knights, but the Raised Forsaken were soon filled with the projectiles.


    It didn''t take long for the first Sub-Boss to turn to ash. It was soon followed by another, and then another.


    Geth''s experience skyrocketed as the creatures fell in droves until only ten remained standing. He turned his head towards the two Bosses and the surrounding Sub-Bosses.


    It seemed as if some type of Aura was emanating from the Necromancer. It reminded Geth of his own Corruption Aura, and it was almostpletely negating the effects of his Mass Invocation.


    The damage he was causing was being slowly healed by the Boss'' magic. There were only two options.


    "Either we cause damage quicker than he can heal, or we take him out first. Which is more usible, Albus?"


    One of Geth''s selves asked inside of his mental sphere. Albus seemed to contemte for a moment before answering.


    "It has a very simr build to us. There is no way to kill it while we defend ourselves from the other creatures.


    The most we can do is increase our damage output. We are strong against Undead. The disadvantage we have here is that those Bosses have upgraded sses."


    Geth nodded. He knew that this would be a struggle as soon as he saw the Necromancer''s Aura. The remaining creatures barreled down on him.


    The Skeleton King sprinted forward at an unbelievable speed and struck him across the stomach. Geth skidded back, leaving deep ruts in the stone where his feet had dug in.


    He wiped his mouth to find that he''d actually coughed up blood from that strike.


    ''Note to self: Not all Skeletons are pushovers.''


    He charged back at the Skeleton and waited for it to strike. Just as it began to swing its sword, he forced its stance to drop by liquifying the stone below it.


    Geth narrowly dodged the swing and brushed past the creature while turning the liquid back into a solid.


    ''That won''t keep him busy for long. I need to take out these Sub-Bosses fast.!''


    "Aim for whatever creature I''m targeting!" He yelled orders at his tames.


    Geth arrived at the furthest Skeleton Knight from the Necromancer.. He cast Restoration and bashed it with his staff while casting Mass Invocation.

 Chapter 130: Trading Blows

    Chapter 130: Trading Blows


    The effects of Restoration helped counter the healing effects of the Necromancer''s aura. Geth cast his spell repeatedly while his Skeletons pelted the monster with arrows.


    He dodged and tanked as many of the other creature''s hits as he could. The number of enemies and weakening effect from the aura caused him to take more damage than usual.


    Cuts and bruises began to build up on his skin as he took the blows. Even so, he continued to cast his buff until the Knight was on its knees.


    One of his tames appeared just when the Skeleton Knight''s health dropped to critical levels. It shed both of its daggers in a cross at the Sub-Boss.


    The Knight was flung away and crashed lifelessly against a nearby wall. His Skeleton tame stepped back into the darkness and faded away.


    ''This isn''t fast enough.'' Geth nced over at the Skeleton King that was struggling to break free.


    The stone that its leg was trapped in began to crack. Geth didn''t have long to thin the herd.


    He threw up as many Barriers as possible to separate the Necromancer from the Sub-Bosses. The Barriers wouldn''t hold long. He could already see the Boss'' aura tearing through their health.


    Geth went back to spamming Mass Invocation. His Mana almost ran out when another Skeleton Knight dropped along with a Raised Forsaken.


    ''Seven left.''


    Geth suddenly felt as if he were in danger. He jumped back out of instinct.


    A gigantic sword swung down directly in front of him, cleaving a Raised Forsaken in two.


    He had little time to react as the sword was pulled back and then swung in an upward arc towards him in the same motion.


    Geth gripped his staff with both hands and held it perpendicr in front of him.


    The sword made impact. A jolting force ran up his arms and threw him upwards towards the ceiling.


    His body crashed hard into the stone, a figure of almost 400 damage shed in front of him. He watched as his health drained by nearly 10%.


    Geth''s back was partially embedded into the ceiling, briefly keeping him held in ce. At that moment, Necromancer Draug managed to catch his eye.


    Extending below the Boss'' small figure was a Formation in which its aura was contained. Tens of decaying corpses could be seen inside the Formation, quickly disintegrating.


    ''Albus! What do you think?''


    ''I think you could be onto something. It seems like it''s using the corpses as fuel to heal the other Sub-Bosses.''


    It was just a theory, but at least it was something to go on. What really disturbed him was the immense pile of bones swirling like a tornado in the middle of the room.


    ''Just what did that strange creature do?''


    Geth dislodged himself slightly and set his feet on the ceiling. He cast Mass Invocation on himself, increasing his Strength and Agility severalfold.


    The stone against his feet shattered as he exploded out of the small crater. His target wasn''t the Skeleton King or the Necromancer.


    His body shot straight as an arrow, rocketing through the air and colliding into one of the Raised Forsaken. The creature lost half of its health as it soared out of the Necromancer''s Formation.


    Geth didn''t give it the chance to react. He used the momentum to sprint forward, utilizing thest of his Mana to take it out while it couldn''t be healed.


    The Skeleton King didn''t n on letting him rest. Geth scarcely had time to spin and block as the Boss swung its de towards his back.


    With the boost in Strength, he managed to parry the strike and deliver a blow of his own. He used the strike to push himself away from the monster.


    He only needed a few minutes to regain most of his Mana. The potions he had on him were practically useless.


    It would take him two minutes of not casting to recover all of his Mana. Geth nced at his Skeletons, which were firing at one of the monsters in the Formation.


    The Sub-Bosses in the Necromancers range weren''t moving, even with the damage they were taking from the arrows.


    "Pick one and knock it out of the Formation!" Geth yelled. He wasn''t sure where the Assassin was hiding, but he hoped it would hear him.


    The Skeleton King closed back in on him, but it was enough time for him to gain a couple hundred MP. He cast Restoration on himself and sprinted forward to meet the creature.


    His selves were working furiously to determine the King''s moves. The two began to trade blows, the waves from each sh causing nearby debris to scatter off.


    Geth leached off some of the Skeleton''s health with each sessful strike. The Lifesteal Gem glowed brighter with every hit.


    None of the damage caused by the Boss could keep up with his regeneration.


    ''If this were just a one on one it wouldn''t be any trouble.'' Geth took a brief moment to nce at the Necromancer.


    It still hadn''t moved from its position, but he could see that his Skeletons were fighting a Sub-Boss outside the Formation. The extra Wisdom he''d given his tames was showing now.


    Each of the Skeletons alternated firing from the corners, keeping their damage equal. The Forsaken that had been thrown out didn''t seem to be in range of the Necromancer''s orders.


    The creature kept switching targets before reaching one, unsure of which tame to pursue. Its health was dwindling rapidly from being pelted with arrows and daggers.


    ''Good, that''s one less problem. Only five more after that,'' Geth thought to himself while shifting his focus back to the Skeleton King.


    The battle went on as such until he had fully recovered his Mana. He took a few significant blows in that time but managed to heal up before the monster couldnd another hit.


    "Hahaha! You''re finished now!" Geth yelled at the Boss the moment his Mana Pool hadpletely refilled.

 Chapter 131: Necromancer Draug

    Chapter 131: Necromancer Draug


    Geth used over five hundred Mana on the spot to form a pit of liquid concrete. The Skeleton King was caught by surprise as its body dropped into the ground.


    He expended another thousand Mana to solidify the stone and entrap the Boss once again. This time, it was utterly trapped from the waist down.


    :Skeleton King, Lvl 50 (Boss); HP- 22,146/79,500:


    "Finally!"


    Geth moved out of the King''s reach and began to spam Mass Invocation, quickly ending its life. The sword ttered to the ground as a chest took the ce of its ashes.


    ''Something I will never understand,'' Geth shook his head as he turned away from the chest.


    Sometimes they were in some corner of the room. Other times they would drop from a corpse. Geth just couldn''t wrap his head around the way the loot appeared.


    ''Too bad you turned it to ash. Maybe there was some storage Formation drawn into its body,'' Albus suggested.


    Geth let one of his selves think on it while he went to assist his tames. They had already killed the Forsaken and were whittling down one of the Skeleton Knights in the same fashion.


    ''Five left. After that, it''s just the Necromancer.'' Geth nced at the Boss. It was still standing in ce chanting, which seemed odd to him.


    Geth changed direction, heading straight for the Boss instead of helping his own Skeletons. There were only four Forsaken left in the Formation. They couldn''t cause much damage.


    Geth''s Mana had already been restored again. On top of that, there was no strain from overusing Mass Invocation thanks to Immersion.


    He ran into the Necromancer''s range with Restoration already cast on himself. The effects of the ck mist instantly started taking their toll.


    The Boss made no move to defend itself as Geth began taking damage every second, even with Restoration active. He mmed his staff at the creature, only to be pushed away by a Barrier.


    The Forsaken were running towards him, but they were much slower than their Skeleton counterparts. They wouldn''t catch up before he could cause some damage.


    Geth cast his Invocation spell. Necromancer Draug took very little damage, just under 800 dropping from his max health.


    :Necromancer Draug, Lvl 55 (Boss); HP- 144,231/145,000:


    "Shit."


    Geth backed out of the Formation as the Forsaken caught up to him. He looked at the Boss from a distance, its health rapidly restoring as some of the corpses on the ground further dposed.


    ''This is my first time fighting a creature with high Wisdom. How can I break through that Barrier?''


    ''I feel like it''s biding time. Damage the Forsaken and force it to wipe all of the corpses from the area. It shouldn''t be able to sustain that aura without them.''


    "Great, now my selves are talking to each other," Geth shook his head but ultimately agreed.


    He looked back to find that his tames had just finished off the Skeleton Knight.


    "Target one of the Forsaken. Don''t force it out of the circle!"


    He cast Restoration on each of the remaining Sub-Bosses and waited at the edge of the Formation. His Skeletons constantly pelted them with arrows as they lumbered towards him.


    Their health continually replenished as the corpses rapidly began to disappear.


    ''It''s working.''


    He increased his own Strength and Agility again and ran forward to engage with the beasts. The fog may weaken his spells, but his physical abilities weren''t affected.


    Geth pelted the creatures with his staff. Every strike caused hundreds of damage and sped the process up even further.


    The Zombies may have been strong, but they weren''t fast at all. Not a single strikended on him as he danced around them.


    The process went on for several minutes before thest of the corpses faded into nothingness. His next hit dropped over 300 health from one of the beasts, but this time it stayed off.


    Seeing this, Geth wanted to end them quickly. He spammed his Invocation spell until all four of them turned to dust at his feet.


    The Formation disappeared, and it was finally time to set his sights on the Necromancer. His Skeletons surrounded the Boss from all sides.


    They fired their arrows at once while Geth watched from a distance. Every arrow bounced off the transparent Barrier as if they had been fired by children.


    The Necromancer stood uncaring in the center of the Barrier. Its eyes were closed, seemingly oblivious to the world around it.


    After multiple rounds of arrows, Geth approached the Barrier himself. He tapped on the screen with the back of his knuckles.


    A ripple appeared in the air before him. It looked simr to a stone being tossed into water.


    Geth walked around the still creature, tapping the air on every side. Each side produced the same ripple-like effect.


    Even Inspection didn''t seem to pick up anything out of the ordinary, so he began examining the Boss instead. It was a small creature, its size between a Goblin and a Human.


    There weren''t many features that could be made out. It was practically mummified by ck wraps.


    The creature had no legs. Instead, a grey fog extended beneath it, holding it off the floor.


    Geth tried casting Restoration on it. It was taking damage per second, but it still remained unfazed.


    The damage that Necromancer Draug was taking per tick was massively reduced.


    "This thing''s damage reduction is close to seventy-five percent!" He eximed.


    Each tick was only dropping its health by around 45. Geth struck the Barrier with his own strength.


    A massive wave extended from the point of impact and spread all the way around the creature. The rippling continued for many minutes before the space became still again.


    The Tornado of bones began to spin faster than before, the sound of rattling filling the surrounding space.


    It was at that moment that the Necromancer opened its eyes.. A pair of red eyes that looked just like the devilish man''s stared at him from inside the Barrier.

 Chapter 132: Demonic Skeleton

    Chapter 132: Demonic Skeleton


    The creature showed a smirk as the Barrier sted apart. Geth and his tames were flung over fifty yards where they mmed into the walls of the room.


    His three lower Leveled tame''s health plummeted into critical levels. Geth recalled them quickly back into their cards and stored them away.


    His attention was now entirely on Necromancer Draug. The humanoid creature was hovering near the spiraling bones in the center of the room.


    "Do you really believe that you Humans can survive against us? We''ve already conquered your kind once. We will have no trouble doing it again."


    A guttural voice resonated throughout the room. Geth felt as if his head were about to explode from the sheer volume.


    The creature turned its head backward unnaturally to peer at Geth with its blood-red eyes. His inner selves began to shiver as if it was staring straight into his mental sphere.


    Geth could tell that it wasn''t him that the creature was looking at. Albus was the center of its attention.


    The old man stood calmly and peered back out at Draug. The creature let out a violentugh, causing Geth''s hair to stand on end.


    "You really have so little memory of us?! After we ughtered all of your people?! Ha... Hahaha! Then let me remind you!"


    Albus'' eyebrows folded inward as if he were in pain. His legs wobbled as he struggled to stay on his feet.


    Geth noticed that his own mental sphere started wobbling. He hurriedly controlled his Mana to wrap around the dome and stabilize it.


    Albus managed to fight off the creature, but his eyes shone with understanding. He steadied himself and looked back at Draug.


    "How is the Demon n already here? You should be held back by theary Formation for another two years!"


    Albus seemed to have a look of genuine confusion on his face. He nced meaningfully at Geth and sent a thought saying that he would exinter.


    "Hahaha! The Demon n? As long as you''ve lived and you''re still so naive!"


    Draug forced his hand into the bone tornado. Geth could see an ugly blood-red Mana seeping from his body and into the bones.


    "I''ll leave you with this little gift. Barbas, who you saw earlier, is waiting on my return."


    Albus'' face turned deathly pale. Geth could tell that the name Barbas was familiar to him.


    "This was ourst day in this Region. If your little meat puppet can survive, maybe you can y with my creations again in the future!"


    With that, the smell of sulfur flooded the room, and Draug disappeared into a puff of red ash. The stench caused Geth to be slightly nauseated, even with his high endurance.


    "Alfred, what the hell is going on?"


    ''I''ll tell you once we get out of here. For now you ne... JUMP!''


    Geth didn''t have time to see why Albus yelled at him. He leapt with all of his strength to his right side.


    Before hended, a loud explosion came from behind him. The shockwaves disoriented him, and hended back first on the ground nearby.


    Geth swiftly jumped to his feet and looked towards where he was just standing. An immense crater was precisely where he''d been leaning up against the wall.


    The crater wasn''t the shocking part. A massive hand was dislodging itself from the rubble and pulling back towards the center of the chamber.


    Geth followed the arm with his eyes. His knees almost gave out when he saw what it was attached to.


    A colossal creature stood in the center of the room. Every aspect of the beast was terrifying.


    The monstrosity was massive, having to stoop just to fit in the room. Standing straight, it would have to be at least 25'' tall!


    Its arms and legs were as big as tree trunks. A distorted face with glowing red eyes sat upon its shoulders.


    In fact, its entire body was glowing red. The red Mana seemed to be holding the bones in this form.


    "Is this... what Humans are up against..?" Geth couldn''t help but question his resolve.


    :Demonic Skeleton, Lvl 70 (World Boss); HP- 997,863/1,000,000:


    ''Hurry and get out of the way!'' He heard Albus'' cry again but wasn''t quick enough to react.


    A giant hand, twice his height, mmed into his side palm first. Geth shot like a projectile towards the furthest wall, his body embedding into the stone.


    It was nothing like when the Skeleton King assaulted him. He lost over half of his health on impact, and he could feel that multiple bones had been shattered.


    His selves began to alternate control over the body so that he wouldn''t lose consciousness.


    He looked back at the giant, slowly turning to face him again through bleary eyes. A loud ringing filled his head, keeping him from hearing his own thoughts.


    His body struggled to move. One of his selves managed to cast Restoration during his few-second turn in control.


    The healing effects were quickly taking root, but he didn''t have much time. Every instant, the giant''s body was turning further in his direction.


    He had only managed to reach 4,000 health by the time the monster was looking his way again. It shot another fist in his direction.


    His mind was working fast. The world around him seemed to be moving in slow motion.


    The Demonic Skeleton''s fist wasing towards him at a snail''s pace, mere inches at a time. Geth blinked rapidly as the ringing in his head subsided.


    "...eth! Geth! Can you hear me?!" Albus was standing in front of one of Geth''s selves and shaking his shoulders.


    "Al... Albus..?"


    "Yeah, it''s me, buddy. You have choices to make, and you need to hurry!"


    "Choices..?" Geth peered outside again and saw that the fist was stilling his way in slow motion. "What the hell happened?"


    Albus pointed, and a hovering Attribute page showed up, showing that his Wisdom had been buffed.


    "One of your selves increased your Wisdom. Time isn''t slower. You''re just thinking faster."


    Geth nced around and found that the other-selves had dispersed, leaving only himself and the one keeping his body awake.


    "So this is what it''s like when my consciousness isn''t split?" Geth stared around in wonder.


    "We don''t have time for that! You need to make your choices now!"

 Chapter 133: Oracle

    Chapter 133: Oracle


    "What choices, Albus?" Geth asked.


    Albus smiled and pointed at the air in front of him. Words projected in front of him as if he were looking at the pages of his Grimoire.


    :Congrattions, User, on breaking through multiple major Levels. Please select your second Talent for the following option to be avable.


    Option 1- Last Chance (Umon)


    Option 2- Taming Novice (Common)


    -User has tamed their first creature. As a result, the taming Talents have been unlocked. Increases the intelligence of tames, their experience gained, and User''s chances of sess when taming:


    "Multiple major Levels?" Geth wondered out loud as he chose Option 1. He would be lying if he said that the giant fisting his way didn''t sway his decision.


    "Congrattions User, on being the first to reach Level 50. Please select a reward."


    :User has reached Level 50, please select a ss Upgrade:


    "Did thest of those Sub-Bosses finish up Level 49?"


    ***


    Based on User''s choices and experiences up to this point, two Advanced sses and one Special ss is avable. Your choice will affect the future ss upgrade options and ss Skills that you will receive. Do you wish to proceed?


    ***


    "Yes."


    ***


    Congrattions User, for reaching Level 50. Please select a ss upgrade.


    Option 1: Priest- User has shown a strong aptitude in the usage of Mana for healing and providing blessings. With this ss, all healing and blessing spells will be cheaper to upgrade.


    Basic attack spells using creation magic will be avable in Tower shop. Intermediate healing and blessing spells will be avable in Tower shop.


    ss Bonus; +50 Wisdom, +25 Intelligence


    Option 2: Temr- User has shown a strong aptitude in both healing and defending. With this ss, all healing and defensive spells will be cheaper to upgrade.


    Basic attack and blessing spells will be avable in Tower shop. Intermediate healing and defensive spells will be avable in Tower shop.


    ss Bonus; +25 Wisdom, +25 Defense, +15 Intelligence +10 Strength


    Option 3: Oracle- User has shown a strong aptitude in using the mind to control situations or the surrounding Mana. With this ss, all blessing and control spells will be cheaper to upgrade.


    Basic attack and healing spells will be avable in Tower shop. Intermediate control and blessing spells will be avable in Tower shop.


    ss Bonus; +75 Wisdom


    ***


    Geth quickly read through all of his options. This really wasn''t a time that he wanted to be rushed.


    "Every option is worth choosing!"


    The fist was working its way closer to him. At this point, it had covered almost half the distance.


    Geth took a deep breath before clicking on option number three. He wasn''t sure exactly why he went with that, but he wouldn''t second guess his decision.


    His mind cleared even further as the ss upgrade took ce. Geth looked up at the top of his mental sphere and watched as a shimmering light wrapped around it.


    A new dome built itself on top of the one he was currently standing in. It stretched all the way around until his mental sphere was covered by it.


    The fist slowed further still as his Wisdom grew. More distance had been covered by then, bringing death within 15 yards.


    Geth looked at the next set of choices avable to him.


    ***


    User has broken through a Major Level. Please select a Talent. Note; Talent Options have been reced with those suitable for your ss, build, and fighting style.


    Option 1: Foresight


    User has been through many life and death battles. User has made a habit of using their Wisdom to predict the foes'' moves before they are made.


    As an Oracle, this prediction bes much more astute. User has a natural sense of knowing what''sing next.


    Option 2: Mind Protection


    User has a strong mind and an unbending will. As an Oracle, an extrayer of protection is added to User''s mental sphere.


    This Talent provides an extrayer that can improve in the future.


    +1 Mental Protection


    ***


    Geth instantly thought about how Draug had so easily prated his mind. Even so, the current situation called for option 1.


    "All right," Albus spoke up. "Time for your ss Skill. Choose wisely."


    Geth nodded and looked at the final set of words floating before him. The rewards would have to wait untilter.


    ***


    User has chosen the Oracle ss. Please select the first ss-based Skill.


    Option 1- Time Dy


    User has dabbled in the arts of control and maniption. User can force others to perceive time differently.


    Cost- 200 Mana/sec


    Option 2- Mind Reach


    User''s mind has be powerful. User gains the ability to reach into another''s mind to damage or gather information from their mental sphere.


    Cost- 500 Mana


    ***


    Geth was at a loss for words. Both of these were insanely influential Skills.


    Either one could be used to change the course of a battle or take down powerful enemies. Only one of the two would help him right now, though.


    ****


    Draug watched through the eyes of his creation from and thousands of miles to the south. He smirked as he saw the fist closing in on the shattered body of the young Human.


    "Hah. That''ll be the end of Albus for good then." He chuckled to himself whileying on the back of his mount.


    His wicked smile became more brilliant as the fist shattered the wall. He pped his hands as if he''d just enjoyed a fantastic show.


    "And now it should be smoo- WHAAT?!?" He screamed out, startling his steed and almost falling off of its back.


    Through the eyes of the Demonic Skeleton he watched the dust settle down. Standing on top of the creature''s massive arm was the same young man he''d expected to be crushed.


    Draug told the creature to p down with its other arm. It should be as easy as squashing a bug.


    The Skeleton heeded his orders and mmed down on its arm with its free hand. A simr scene took ce.


    The young man was standing on top of the beast''s hand this time, grinning wildly up into the Skeletons eyes.

 Chapter 134: Cat And Mouse

    Chapter 134: Cat And Mouse


    Geth opened his eyes and pushed himself away from the crater he''d been standing in. His eyes glowed with a golden light as his Mana quickly depleted.


    He looked at the Demonic Skeleton, and its arm suddenly stopped moving. It was almost as if the beast were frozen solid.


    Geth heaved a sigh of relief and allowed the Restoration to finish healing him before jumping onto the beast''s arm.


    He deactivated Time Dy and stood as the fist crashed harmlessly into the wall. Dust and debris sttered everywhere, but Geth remained unharmed.


    He waited for the dust to die down and studied the creature. He had noticed something rather odd about it while it was sitting still a moment ago.


    :Demonic Skeleton, Lvl 70 (World Boss); HP- 974,362/1,000,000:


    Even while it wasn''t moving, the beast was losing health constantly. Every second it dropped by close to a thousand health.


    ''This being is made from the Mana of someone else. It has no Mana of its own,'' Albus stated.


    ''To use any abilities, or even to exist, it has to feed on the same Mana that gives it life. I''m sure that Draug expected us to die long before it killed itself.''


    Geth looked at the monster with a dull face. He would have found a way to beat it anyway, but the things life was ticking away.


    Another hand was quickly racing towards him. Just when it almost struck him, he activated Time Dy again.


    He stepped backward and allowed the creature to crush its own arm before jumping onto the back of its hand.


    The Skeleton''s health dropped by almost 15,000 when its attack hit. Geth waved to his own Skeleton and had it start firing arrows from behind the monster.


    The damage wasn''t much, but it would add up after a drawn-out battle. A cry of rage escaped the Demonic Skeleton as it realized it had been avoided again.


    Geth wasn''t freezing the beast in time. It was more like apse in thought.


    It was closer to the monster going into a cryogenic state. Its mind was still working, but it had been slowed to a point where one thought could take days or weeks.


    Three or four seconds had passed for Geth, but almost no time had passed at all for the Skeleton.


    It was dangerous. The momentum from the creature''s swings could still cause the strikes to hit.


    That is... if the creature wasn''t just a puppet. Albus spected as much when its fist stopped the first time.


    ''This won''t be easy. We need it to go down fast.''


    Geth tried casting Restoration on the monster and found that it didn''t work.


    ''This is a Demonic creature, not an Undead. Most of your magic will have zero effect on it.''


    Sigh


    Geth couldn''t help but be disappointed. Now, his only choice was to kite and hope that the puppet gave out before he did.


    ''My best options right now are Wisdom and Strength.''


    He cast Mass Invocation on himself, keeping the vast Wisdom boost and gaining an immense amount of Strength as well.


    ''The first thing I''m doing when the Tower opens up is buying attack magic.''


    He mmed his staff down on the Skeleton''s wrist and used the force to propel himself out of its immediate reach.


    :Demonic Skeleton, Lvl 70 (World Boss); HP- 942,366/1,000,000:


    ''We can use its size to our advantage.''


    Geth watched as the crouched figure tried to turn and follow him. He could tell that it wasn''t slow, but there wasn''t much that it could do in that hunched-over position.


    He stayed on the edge of the monster''s vision while making sure that his tame stayed out of sight. A giant hand swung in his direction, but he nimbly avoided it.


    The three figures continued this game of cat and mouse for many minutes. Geth could tell that the creature was getting flustered when it started iling its arms about, destroying the room as it did so.


    ''Shit. It must be Draug. He''s giving us fewer ces to run.''


    Dodging the giant fists became much more challenging amongst the rubble. Even more so because the Skeleton quit aiming for him and persisted with making debris rain down.


    ****


    "Ah, I see. This young man has some sort of mind maniption ability."


    Draug continued staring through the Demonic Skeleton''s eyes. It was apparent that whatever the man had been doing before didn''t work on inanimate objects.


    The falling debris almost crushed him multiple times, yet that ability wasn''t used again. If he could, he would likely use it to move away from the wreckage.


    "Let''s confirm that theory, shall we? Attack him directly."


    The giant arms quit iling about as a balled fist flew towards his opponent. The man suddenly appeared a few feet away, as if the Skeleton had only hit an after image.


    "I see," Draug mumbled. "It seems that he''s causing the puppet to lose time. It''s obvious now."


    The stones and debris that had been falling before the punch were all lying on the ground. Even the dust had started to settle down.


    It seemed as if four or five seconds had passed since the beginning of the punch. And the puppet had no way to perceive that it had happened.


    "What a dangerous ability. It seems that Albus has gotten lucky in choosing his host. No normal human could learn something like that."


    There was no need for him to continue preserving the beast. He would lose this battle if he continued attempting to utilize its size and power.


    ''Only half of its health is left. It will die quickly, but maybe it can take out the runt.''


    Draug drew Formations in the air with both hands and chanted in a dark and unknownnguage. The red Mana inside of the puppet went wild, erupting from its body.


    "Even if he does survive, he''s likely to be buried under the rubble! Hahahaha!"


    Draug continuedughing as his connection to the puppet was severed.. He remained in high spirits throughout his trip to the southern continents.

 Chapter 135: Osmosis

    Chapter 135: Osmosis


    Geth continued to avoid the monster''s blows while allowing the monster''s health to dwindle. He hadn''t avoided every strike, but he would bepletely healed by the time anothernded.


    ''Just a little longer!''


    He was exhausted. Mentally, he was fine.


    The problem was his body. Each time Geth healed after he''d been broken by the giant fist, a considerable amount of his stamina was expended.


    It wasn''t something that had been quantified, but he could feel the drain on his body.


    ''That''s alright, almost halfway there. I can make it!'' He thought to himself.


    Geth skirted around another swing, just barely managing to dodge. The beast had finally dropped under half health.


    :Demonic Skeleton, Lvl 70 (World Boss); HP- 499,876/1,000,000:


    ''Something doesn''t feel right...'' Albus made sure that both of them could hear. Geth noticed it too.


    The creature had stopped moving entirely. The blood-red light was gradually fading from its eyes.


    Geth stopped running and examined the monster. The Mana holding its body together slowly pulled into its chest, causing the creature''s limbs to fall to the ground.


    "Congrattions User, on being the first to defeat a World Boss!"


    "Congrattions User, on defeating a World Boss Solo!"


    ''I don''t like this...'' Geth sprinted to the entrance to find that it was still blocked off by a Barrier.


    "Fuck!"


    He turned back around and witnessed the creature''s bones absorbing into a massive red sphere of Mana. The floating orb shrank and became even denser as more bones were absorbed into it.


    Geth felt a pulling forceing from the dark red orb as it shrunk even further. The edges of his robe began drifting towards the center of the room.


    ''Albus..?''


    ''Geth... you need to find cover, and you need to do it quickly.''


    By Albus'' tone, Geth knew that his guess was correct. The giant orb had gone from the size of a house to the size of a small car.


    The pull became more potent as it shrunk, the bones and weapons in the room soaring towards it.


    The Skeleton Archer standing on the other side of the room suddenly lifted into the air, its body pulling towards the orb. Geth managed to recall the summon just before it became more fuel for the sphere.


    He could feel his own feet dragging against the stone as well. The blood-red orb began to look more like a tomb than it did a dense mass of Mana.


    The pull became almost unbearable. Geth struggled to keep his feet on the ground.


    He threw multiple Barriers between himself and the orb, hoping to buy time. It turned out that doing this was a mistake.


    The Barriers swiftly shattered, the sphere pulling the Mana in and bing even more rampant. Geth could see the Mana in the air start to swirl around it.


    Before long, a vortex was formed around a basketball-sized center that continued to shrink. There was nothing left in the room outside of Geth and the dark whirlpool.


    Geth swiftly stored his staff and struggled to reach the far edges of the room. There was only one thing that he could think to do.


    He cast Mass Invocation to increase his Strength and shoved his arms down into the stone, his fingers breaking as he pierced the concrete.


    The pain was nothingpared to the threat of death looming over him. He concentrated his Mana, trying to liquefy and harden certain areas in the stone to pull himself deeper.


    The floor under the floating maelstrom buckled, bits of rubble rising from the ground and further strengthening the orb.


    "Shit!"


    He didn''t have time to think about the consequences. His legs were already in the air and pulling towards the center of the slowly shattering room.


    "Aggghhh!"


    Geth felt the bones in his shoulders rip from their sockets as the pull became too strong for his body. The wounds continually mended, causing the same pain repeatedly as he struggled to maintain consciousness.


    The self in his mind worked overtime to think of a solution. He soon turned to Albus and demanded.


    "I don''t care what the rewards are! Pick every Option that gives the most Skill Points right away!"


    Albus nodded and did as he was told without raising questions.


    "You have over 50 Skill Points avable."


    "Upgrade State Change until it evolves. Now!" Geth wasn''t concerned with niceties at the moment.


    Albusplied with his orders, "Done. Hurry and choose its upgrade!"


    ***


    State Change: Earth has reached its stage of Evolution. Skill will be upgraded from Umon to Rare. Please select which path you would like to follow;


    Option 1- State Change: Solidify


    User has be adept at changing the state of liquids to solids and back again.


    User has be capable of solidifying any liquid source with ease. User is in the beginning stages of solidifying any form of matter.


    Cost (10 MP/sec) Manipting liquidses naturally. Can control liquid to move in intricate patterns without much concentration.


    Cost (150 MP) Can instantly solidify any liquid form if User is physically touching the source.


    Cost (1000 MP) Can solidify any matter with much concentration, skipping the liquid phase and going straight from gas to solid.


    Option 2- State Change: Osmosis


    User has be adept at changing the state of solids to liquids and back again.


    User has be capable of changing the state of most solid matter with ease. User can slightly alter their ownposition to phase through porous materials.


    Cost (10 MP/sec) Manipting solidses naturally. Can control most solids to change shape without much concentration.


    Cost (150 MP) Can instantly liquify almost any solid form if User is physically touching the source.


    Cost (500 MP/sec) Can alter body''s state to phase through any porous material. If User runs out of Mana and solidifies inside a firm material, death is imminent.


    ***


    Geth really didn''t want to pass up on option 1, but that wouldn''t save him right now.


    "Option 2!"


    Geth gave himself to his instincts after the upgrade wasplete. The stone around his arms swiftly turned to liquid as a small section stayed solid and pulled him in.


    He held his breath as the stone pulled him deeper into the earth.. Behind him, he could feel the ground shaking as the earth itself was pulled into the sphere.

 Chapter 136: Last Second

    Chapter 136: Last Second


    Geth continued to dive into the earth. Many minutes had passed since he''d left the stone room far behind him.


    Even so, the Mana in his surroundings was still being pulled back towards the ever-strengthening vortex.


    He was surprised at how long he''d been holding his breath. Albus informed him that a mixture of his Wisdom and Defense Attributes made it possible.


    Geth was using much less Mana now that he was swimming through mud rather than the liquified stone above. It was to a point where his recovery was greater than his expenditure.


    ''It feels like the pressure has stopped...''


    Geth stopped pulling himself downward and focused on the surrounding Mana and felt that it had gone stagnant rather than pulling upward.


    There was something off. He could feel that something was happening above him.


    ''What is it..?''


    Geth spread his senses as far as he could before realizing what was going on.


    ''Dive!''


    He drove himself further downward, propelling himself quickly forward. After so many more feet, he ran into an almost solid material that was excessively difficult to liquify.


    ''Fuck.''


    Geth looked at his Mana pool to find that he was still sitting just over 3000. Immense pressure was rushing down at him from up above.


    ''I only have six seconds. Seven with my Mana recovery... I''ll have to time this perfectly!''


    Geth had no vision so deep into the earth. He was relying on his touch and Mana senses to guide him.


    He sat and waited, trying to let his MP recover enough to buy him an extra second. His senses extended upward as he felt the rapidly encroaching mass of Mana.


    ''Not yet...''


    It was still five or six yards above him. The thickness of the earth was buying him precious time.


    ''Three yards... Two yards... Three feet... Now!''


    Geth activated his Osmosis Skill and sank quickly into the firm earth below him.


    The feeling was awkward, or rather... theck of feeling. None of Geth''s senses were avable to him.


    If it wasn''t for his ability to sense the Mana, he wouldn''t even know if he''d moved.


    ''I''m definitely inside of the rock.''


    He could feel the destructive Mana pressing against the stone above him. It didn''t seem like it would be able to get through.


    ''Just what kind of rock am I in? Bedrock?''


    Geth attempted to move but to no avail.


    ''How the hell am I supposed to get out of this shit?''


    He focused on his rapidly depleting Mana bar. 1500 Mana had already been consumed.


    He iled his arms, attempting to get a reaction. Or at least, he thought he did.


    Nothing happened. No amount of movement in this state affected his body.


    Finally, he sensed himself forced upwards when he focused a bit of Mana beneath his feet. The Mana was still tearing into the dirt above him. It wasn''t time to move yet.


    ''Hurry up!'' Geth shouted in his mind.


    He had four seconds left in that state. Any longer than that, and he was as good as dead.


    ''Two seconds.''


    Geth was about to risk the danger above anyway when he sensed that it had subsided.


    ''Yes!''


    He propelled himself upward quickly by controlling the Mana to push him upward. Just in time, he broke through the surface as his body became physical.


    His eyes were still closed, and he attempted to turn the dirt around him into mud... only to find that there was no dirt around him.


    ''What the hell?''


    A light breeze gently touched his skin. The smell of fresh air mixed with the stench of sulfur that surrounded him.


    Geth slowly forced his eyes open. A blinding light made it difficult for him to focus.


    As his vision finally ceased to blur, an unimaginable scene appeared before him.


    He was standing in the middle of a massive crater! It wasn''t just some hole in the ground.


    It looked as though a nuclear warhead had been dropped where he was standing.


    Red fumes constantly floated in the breeze. Areas of molten earth sizzled and hissed all around him.


    The size was incredible. Geth had to be at least a few dozen yards below what had once been the surface.


    ''I... Survived this..?''


    Geth dropped to his knees. Sinceing here, he had been through many rough battles and tons of pain.


    But this... this was too much. Some of the walls that hid his emotion melted while taking in his surroundings. He finally broke down.


    Tears began to stream down his cheeks. Geth reached up with one hand and touched the watery substance.


    He looked at his wet fingertips in surprise. It had been many years since he''dst seen his own tears.


    A mocking smile showed on his face as he ridiculed himself.


    "What would your children think?" He muttered. A man had to be strong. He couldn''t break down now.


    After all. He''d won!


    Geth saw two scorching hot gems lying nearby. He attempted to stand up but fell back on his knees.


    ''Well...''


    Geth crawled over and picked up the two gems. He felt himself falling and managed to store the gems away, just before he finally lost consciousness.


    ***


    "Man, what do you think that was? It looked awesome!" A chubby young man walked through the forest with his friends.


    "I don''t know, but I hope that it''s a really big monster!" Another young man spoke excitedly. This was very fit and carried arge sword on his back.


    Sigh


    A girl with long ck hair sighed and shook her head. She carried a tall shield and wore a gleaming set of heavy armor.


    "That''s easy for you guys to say. You aren''t the ones that have to let it hit you!"


    "Quitining. You always get the first choice in rewards." A thin young man said quietly while adjusting his sses.


    "So what. That wasn''t some normal explo-." The girl started to talk again but was cut short as they left the woodline.


    As wide as ten football fields, an enormous crater stretched out before them. A foul stench filled the air as red wisps asionally escaped the crevice.


    "There''s something down there...." The boy with the sses whispered while pointing directly to the middle of the destruction.

 Chapter 137: A Beauty On Top?!

    Chapter 137: A Beauty On Top?!


    "So, the problem has been dealt with?"


    A man with ashen skin and bright red eyes sat atop a strange reptilian beast. The Mana around the man was so profound that it could be vaguely seen with an untrained eye.


    "The explosion was much more concentrated than I had anticipated. I would be surprised if any living creature within two or three miles survived, sire."


    Draug pulled his beast up beside his master''s. He stared up in awe at the horned man beside him.


    "I''ve told you to stop calling me that. I am but a soldier in the lord''s army," Barbas replied. "Did you confirm their deaths?"


    Draug hesitated, "Well... no."


    Barbas cut his eyes at the mummified figure beside him.


    "Tch! No matter, that was but a small piece of a muchrger puzzle. Whether or not he''s alive shouldn''t affect our ns."


    Draug continued to ride along while he thought about the young man he''d met. The way he distorted the Demonic Skeleton''s memory didn''t sit well with him.


    ''He couldn''t have lived through that... right?'' He wanted to ask Barbas about it, but the man was already cultivating the surrounding Mana and converting it into Demon Energy.


    Sigh


    Draug closed his eyes and began to recover his Energy as well. Creating the Skeleton had used up most of it.


    ''I should be up to snuff by the time we get to our destination.''


    Along with their riders, the two strange mounts continued heading southward. It wasn''t until monthster that they would reach their destination.


    ****


    Geth awoke to the feeling of something warm and wet rubbing up and down his thighs. The crackling of a nearby fire could be heard, as well as some boisterous voices.


    He felt a pair of soft hands gently stroking his rod while simultaneously rubbing his sack. His eyes fluttered open in surprise when he remembered that he''d just been in a life or death battle.


    Instinctively, his hand shot out and grabbed the throat of the person sitting above him. He quickly took in his surroundings while trying to grasp the situation.


    Geth was lying naked on some type of fur. He was inside of a makeshift tent built from branches andrge leaves.


    His clothes and storage items were piled in a nearby corner, along with a set of heavy armor and arge shield. A small fire burned close by.


    Geth turned his eyes towards the person above him, only to be rendered speechless. The throat he was gripping belonged to one of the most beautiful girls he''d ever seen.


    She was straddled over one of his legs with one hand still between his legs and the other gently touching his wrist. The girl was almost entirely naked.


    Only a short bit of cloth was wrapped around her chest and waist. Geth could feel her wet lips rubbing gently against his thigh.


    He noticed the warm cloth resting on his waist and suddenly realized what was going on. His hand loosened its grip around her throat.


    He didn''t miss the soft moan that escaped her lips. The girl''s cheeks turned a bright red as she raised her hands to her face and peeked through her fingers.


    "I.. I''m sorry.."


    She was speaking so softly that Geth could barely hear her. He dropped his hands down to his sides.


    "No, I''m the one who should be sorry. You startled me, is all."


    Geth closed his eyes so that the girl could continue. He knew that she would be too embarrassed for him to watch.


    He briefly checked his body. Everything was thoroughly sore, something that hadn''t really happened since he''d started piling points into Defense.


    "What''s your name?" He asked the young woman that was now scrubbing his chest.


    "Sindri," She whispered quietly.


    "Thank you, Sindri. How long have I been out?"


    The girl took a minute to respond, "You''ve been unconscious for almost three days now. You were covered in blood whenever we found you."


    Geth didn''t respond, allowing his memory to rey the events up until he passed out. He heard Sindri speak up again.


    "Was... Was it you who caused that crater?"


    Geth smiled. He felt the girl stiffen and her legs tighten around his thigh.


    "No, I barely managed to survive it."


    "But even after I cleaned you off the first time, you didn''t have a scratch on you!"


    Geth wasn''t sure what to say. He could sense that his body had piled on over a hundred new small scars that hadn''t been present before.


    Something else surprising was how defined and built his muscles were now. Even his package had gottenrger!


    It was then that he realized he still had a strong erection that hadn''t gone down yet. He chuckled and spoke to the girl.


    "Is there any particr reason that you aren''t wearing any clothes?" He asked.


    Her legs tightened once again, "Well, I couldn''t wash you very well if I was wearing that metal armor, could I? Hmph!"


    Geth opened his eyes again. This time the girl didn''t shy away from his gaze.


    He looked her over again. She really was beautiful!


    The girl had silky ck hair that ran down most of her back. Her legs were long, and her thighs were thick, almost crushing his own.


    She had a small but perky chest. Her nipples could be slightly made out through the thin cloth.


    Sindri looked at him with her golden eyes while he looked over her body. She didn''t shy away, although her face remained blushed.


    Geth wasn''t sure what country she was from, but she wasn''t from America. If he had to guess, she came from somewhere in eastern Asia.


    She looked away after a minute and started washing his shoulders. Geth attempted to raise himself up but found that he struggled to move.


    ''Larz, can you hear me?''


    ''Master! Ipletely lost connection with you for some time. Is everything okay?''


    ''Yes. I''ll be a few dayste. Tell everyone not to worry.''


    ''Understood.''


    Geth closed his eyes and fell back asleep.. Thest thing he felt was Sindri moving the warm cloth back down to his thighs.

 Chapter 138: Disbelief

    Chapter 138: Disbelief


    Geth woke up again a few hourster, this time with his pants on. He looked around the makeshift tent.


    Light filtered through the makeshift canvas, causing him to squint his eyes. After a few seconds of adjustment, he found Sindri sleeping on some furs not far from his.


    Shey still with her arms crossed over her chest. The light shining through the canvas highlighted her already prominent features.


    Geth stood andy his nket over her before donning his equipment once more. He found that his body seemed rtively weak without it.


    ''Well, let''s see what the rest are like,'' Geth thought. He could hear the ruckus from outside making its way into the tent.


    "-indri see in this guy anyway? We should have just left him in the pit." One of the voices said in an annoyed tone.


    "Now, you know that isn''t her character. She wouldn''t leave anyone in a ce like that."


    "Yeah, but why does he get to stay in the tent?!" The first voiceined again.


    Geth chuckled softly and lifted the tent p, stepping out into the morning sun. Three heads turned to look at him, two with curiosity and one with a re.


    He nodded at the three young men and proceeded to look around the area. They were somewhere inside of a forest.


    It looked like they hadn''t traveled too far from where the Dungeon once was. Geth could sense odd Mana fluctuations and pick up on some of the strange red Mana as well.


    "Morning, fes. I appreciate you boys looking after me while I was out."


    "Boy? Who does this man think he is?" Geth caught the swordsman muttering under his breath.


    The boy was tall and carried an impressivelyrge sword on his back. His reddish-orange hair stood out in the morning sun.


    A chubby boy beside him elbowed him in the gut and red at him. Therge boy had brown hair and a bit of a cleft chin. A few undersized axes hung from his waist.


    "It''s nice to see you awake, sir. My name is Peter, my rude friend here is Jack, and the guy with the sses is Rift. I suppose you''ve already met Sindri."


    Geth nodded, "It''s a pleasure to meet all of you. And yes, Sindri took great care of me."


    Geth gave a meaningful stare to Jack as he said this. It seemed like it would be fun to get the boy riled up.


    It turned out that his hunch was spot on. Jack''s face flushed, and his re only became more irate.


    "Hahaha! I like this guy!" Rift touched the rim of his sses andughed at Jack''s distress.


    Jack became even more flustered and stomped off into the woods. This left Geth with the two he found worth his time.


    "Don''t mind him. He''s had a crush on Sindri since she first transferred to our school," Peter informed him.


    "Ha! Sorry about that. I was able to tell and couldn''t resist the fun." Geth walked over and sat on a log near the two boys.


    "So, what were you guys doing out this way?" Geth asked curiously.


    "We aren''t the only ones, sir. Hundreds of the others saw the explosion and came to investigate. We just managed to get here first!" Peter answered him.


    "Ahh, you can drop the sir if you like. My name is Geth, and I''m probably no more than ten years older than you lot."


    "Well, Geth, may I ask what you were doing bloodied and past out in the center of that cmity? And even more important, how could you survive something like that!?"


    The thin young man with the sses leaned forward as he asked this. His long ck hair was pulled back into a ponytail.


    ''This guy really looks like an anime character.'' Geth couldn''t help but notice the resemnce to most of the cocky characters with sses he''d seen.


    "The Boss of the Dungeon that was there self-destructed. I managed to get lucky, is all." It wasn''t that far from the truth.


    "You''re saying that you made it to the final Boss of a Team Dungeon all by yourself? Pfft. Could you be any more of a liar?"


    The red-haired young man walked back to the encampment from behind a nearby tree. Geth knew that he hadn''t actually walked away.


    The sensation of his Mana was almost tant. His presence was akin to a small beacon to Geth''s senses.


    Geth just shrugged. He didn''t particrly care what they thought of him, though he was thinking of using them.


    ''Based on their ages, they should be recent graduates or seniors in high school. I may be able to find more recruits through them,'' Geth thought.


    "Why do you have to be such a dick, Jack?" Peter asked him.


    Jack red at his friend, "You really believe this guy''s nonsense?"


    "Who cares?" Rift asked while shrugging. "Even if it is a lie, which I doubt, it wouldn''t hurt anybody."


    Jack stomped his feet a few times while huffing. After his tantrum, he drew his sword and pointed it at Geth.


    "Fight me!"


    Geth just raised one eyebrow and looked at the guy, ''What an idiot.''


    "No."


    "See, guys? He''s just a little bitch!"


    Sigh


    Geth stood up from where he was resting and looked at the clown. He pulled out a Strength gem from his storage space.


    "I tell ya what, kid. If you manage to scratch me with that toothpick you have, I''ll give you this."


    All three of the boy''s jaws dropped.


    "We''ve only managed to find a few of these. And look at the quality! Ours can''tpare."


    "De-"


    "Wait!" Rift cried out before Jack opened his mouth, earning him another re. "What do you get if he loses?"


    Geth''s lips curled up into a smile, "Not much. I just want to meet with whatever group you came from. You said there were hundreds, right?"


    Rift touched the brim of his sses and looked into Geth''s eyes. After a minute, he nodded to Jack.


    "Deal!"

 Chapter 139: Duel

    Chapter 139: Duel


    "Don''t you regret this when you have to give up that pretty rock!" Jack screamed as he ran at Geth.


    Geth just chuckled at the boy. His Foresight Talent showed him a vague outline of the weapon''s trajectory.


    He just waited for the young man to get close and side-stepped the wide de at thest moment. Geth couldn''t help but reach up and flick the man''s forehead as he passed.


    A light giggle was heard from back near the edge of the tent. Geth nced over and saw Sindri standing at the entrance and wearing her armor.


    Geth put on a broad smile and waved to her. She covered her mouth as another cute giggle escaped and waved back to him.


    These actions didn''t go unnoticed by Jack. His face flushed even further, and heshed out wildly with his de.


    Geth easily avoided his strikes. He could tell that each of the young man''s swings aimed to kill.


    ''Good, this young man has resolve,'' Geth thought as he gave him another thump in the head. ''Too bad he''s an idiot.''


    The de swung for Geth''s legs. He activated Time Dy on all four of those present.


    The sword slowed to a crawl as it lost most of its momentum. Geth hopped lightly onto the wide de as if it were a tform and canceled the ability.


    The sword resumed its pace, the sharp edge meeting nothing but air. As Jack tried to locate his target, gasps could be heard from the three others.


    Geth sat atop the de that was already positioned to the young man''s side. He chuckled inwardly and thumped the young man on the back of the head.


    Jack angrily snapped his head sideways to find Geth standing on top of his sword. His cheeks burned bright red when he realized the man was just toying with him.


    He tried tounch Geth off of the sword. Geth disappeared briefly and showed up in front of him again.


    Jack''s jaw dropped. ''Teleportation? No way!''


    "That''s not fair!" Jack whined and pointed his sword at Geth again. "Quit running away if you have any balls!"


    Geth raised his eyebrows, ''What an irritating guy.''


    "Fine, I won''t move from this spot. Put everything you have into the next swing."


    Geth nted himself steady and waited for the meathead to react. It only took a second for the young man to change his attitude.


    Jack beamed as if he''d already won. Geth watched the young man''s Mana change as his skin turned a light shade of red.


    His muscles began to twitch and grow slightly more prominent. Even his height seemed to increase by a few inches.


    "Jack, no!" Sindri yelled, but it was already toote.


    Jack swung his de directly for Geth''s neck. It moved from its initial position so fast that a slight ''boom'' could be heard.


    Geth smiled and lifted his hand between his neck and the sharp edge of the sword. A small explosion urred as his palm and the de''s sharp edge made contact.


    BOOOOM!


    A light wind extended in all directions, stirring up dirt and shaking the high branches of the surrounding trees. The three onlookers covered their eyes as the pressure almost knocked them back.


    The dust settled down around the two men quickly. Geth was standing in front of a panting Jack.


    His hand held on to the sword as if it were a butter knife. He looked at the young man with a light smile and let go of the de.


    Jack almost dropped to the ground as the sudden weight of the sword took over. He looked up at the robed man incredulously.


    "You... Really didn''t move."


    Geth smiled and tossed the Strength stone over to the huffing boy.


    Jack looked at him in disbelief.


    "But I didn''t win!" He cried.


    "I never said you had to win." Geth turned his palm to show the young man. A long scratch quickly healed up before his eyes.


    "The deal was, you had to scratch me. That wasn''t an awful move, kid."


    Geth turned to walk away. He looked back before his first step.


    "Just keep something in mind. If that were a real fight, you would have died the moment that strike failed."


    "Wait! Don''t leave."


    It was actually Jack who spoke again, which surprised him.


    "I can''t consider that a win. We''ll take you with us back to the Dungeon. Just let me fight you again one day!"


    Geth turned his head and met with the determined eyes of the young man. The hostility was gone entirely and had been reced with a look of respect.


    "Deal."


    Geth sat back in his seat on the log. Sindri rushed over and grabbed his hand.


    Jack''s face flushed a bit, but he didn''t get angry. Sindri pulled a piece of cloth out of her storage item and dabbed it on Geth''s hand.


    "There''s barely even a scar..." She muttered.


    Geth allowed her to finish cleaning the blood off his palm before turning to the rest. He liked the group. Even with Jack''s little outburst, he knew they were good people.


    "All right, do you have any questions for me before we head out?"


    Rift spoke up first, "What Level are you?"


    "Fifty-Two."


    The group sucked in their breaths. It seemed they weren''t prepared for that answer.


    ''Albus, can they not see my Level?''


    ''Your Mental Sphere is too strong for your information to be seen by those weaker than you.''


    ''Ah, I see,'' He thought. "Any other questions?"


    "How strong was the monster that made that hole?" Sindri asked a bit timidly, "Are... We going to have to fight things like that?"


    Sigh


    "Yes. I hate to say it, but you will eventually have to fight creatures like that. It was a Level 70 World Boss."


    "A World Boss? Howe we haven''t heard of anything like that before?" Jack asked.


    "It was a unique circumstance. It''s one of the reasons that I want to meet all of your schoolmates. I''m working on building a smallmunity."


    "You own a Dungeon, too?"


    Geth nodded, "Valha."


    "Wait.... You''re THAT Geth? The one on top of the leaderboards?!" Peter cried out.

 Chapter 140: Legendary

    Chapter 140: Legendary


    "Hahaha! I can''t believe you actually challenged THE Geth to a duel!" Peterughed at Jack for the tenth time since they started walking.


    The group was heading south through the woods. They had long left the county that was part of Geth''s Local Region.


    "Would you can it already!" Jack yelled at his friend. His cheeks were hot with embarrassment.


    "So Geth, what can you tell us about Valha? How many people can you hold?" Rift asked him.


    "Mmm, if I had to guess, we could probably hold a couple thousand at this point. Technically more, but we don''t have enough barracks built yet."


    Geth had already given them some exnation of the Tower and the city setup. The group they were heading to meet had almost two hundred members.


    Most of the members were students, with a few teachers as well. They had tried to set up a ce to stay closer to where the school once was but were chased south by the Direwolves early on.


    Since then, the coaches had taken the lead and helped the group to take over two Dungeons that weren''t far apart. They had upgraded the barracks enough to fit everyone between them.


    Most of the teachers acted as craftsmen, farmers, or cooks and handled other basic necessities. The students worked in parties where the different coaches led them to clear nearby threats.


    "A couple thousand in one ce?" Peter asked.


    "Yes, but we need more citizens to ensure the city''s safety. It won''t survive the next couple of years otherwise."


    Geth hadn''t mentioned the importance of getting out of the Dungeons. He would wait to exin the beast waves to the coaches.


    While Geth was talking with the students, his selves and Albus were having a conversation of their own.


    "You have a lot of information to go through," Albus chuckled as he pointed his finger upwards.


    Multiple messages appeared in the air. Every one of them was some type of reward notification.


    "I thought that we already used all of the rewards on SP?" Geth asked.


    Albus shook his head, "That was only what you''d earned before clearing the Dungeon and defeating the World Boss."


    "I didn''t technically clear the Dungeon or defeat the World Boss. In fact, there isn''t even a Dungeon there anymore!"


    The old man let out augh while holding his belly. Albus was in his usual obnoxious pose, floating upside down while speaking with him.


    "That may be true, but you still fought with it alone, and it died. As for the Dungeon, you did pocket the Crystal before passing out. That should be enough for the Tower."


    Geth nodded, "If you say so. I''m still amazed that we managed to survive that."


    "If it weren''t for that Osmosis Skill, you probably wouldn''t have. I can''t recall a Skill like that existing." Albus stroked his beard and looked at Geth curiously.


    "Speaking of, are all of your memories back?" Geth asked.


    Sigh


    "I don''t remember everything, and it''s a bit cloudy. Draug reminded me of who they were, and I''m able to vaguely recall how I came to be in this Grimoire of yours."


    A look of hate and sorrow passed over him before fading away. Albus closed his eyes for a minute before speaking again.


    "We will discuss it after you ept these rewards. I rmend looking at the World Boss rewards before choosing the options with the highest points."


    Albus waved his hand in the air, and the notifications disappeared. Only one remained for clearing the Dungeon.


    "Also, I''ve been holding on to your ss Change reward. You still received an item from one of the options."


    Geth nodded. He cast his eyes to the floating text in front of him.


    ***


    Congrattions, User, for clearing a Team Dungeon. Please select a reward.


    Option 1: 4 TP, 4 SP, 2 Random Rare item


    Option 2: 8 TP, 8 SP, 8 AP, 5 Umon Taming Cards


    ***


    "Option 2."


    Albus wasted no time in throwing out the next set.


    ***


    Congrattions, User, for clearing a Team Dungeon Solo. Please select a reward.


    Option 1: 6 TP, 6 SP, 1 Random Epic item


    Option 2: 9 TP, 9 SP, 5 Rare Taming Cards


    Option 3: 12 TP, 12 SP, 12 AP


    ***


    "Oh? Definitely Option 2 again, Albus."


    He felt a set of cards appear in his hands on the outside. Geth''s self focused on the next reward.


    ***


    Congrattions User, for defeating a World Boss-type monster. Please select a reward.


    Option 1: 10 TP, 10 SP, 5 Random Epic items


    Option 2: 15 TP, 15 SP, 10 Epic Taming Cards


    Option 3: 20 TP, 20 SP, 20 AP


    ***


    "Option 2."


    ***


    Congrattions User, for defeating a World Boss-type monster Solo. Please select a reward.


    Option 1: 20 TP, 20 SP, 2 Random Legendary items, 10 Epic Taming Cards


    Option 2: 35 TP, 35 SP, 1 Random Legendary item, 5 Epic Taming Cards, 5 Enhanced Epic Taming Cards


    Option 3: 50 TP, 50 SP, 50 AP, 10 Epic Taming Cards


    ***


    "A Legendary item?" Geth was shocked. He expected that there would be something simr, but now he could obtain one.


    "It''s a shame that it isn''t ss-specific. Albus, can we hold off on making it appear until we''re somewhere private?"


    "That won''t be a problem. You do still have some other choices to make as well." Albus answered.


    "Huh?"


    "Your Skeletons all benefited greatly, specifically the Skeleton Archer. It did get a share of the World Boss experience, after all."


    Geth raised his eyebrows. He hadn''t had the chance during the battle to see the progress of his Tames.


    "Do they have enough intellect to choose their own paths?" Geth asked.


    Albus pondered for a moment, "The Skeleton Archer is capable enough. You will have to choose the first ss for the other three, though."


    "Will that be the same for all future Tames?"


    "Yes, they won''t have any individuality until you''ve chosen a ss for them."


    Geth nodded. He was okay with that.


    ''Maybe they will be stronger in the long run if they choose what makes themfortable."

 Chapter 141: An Abundance Of Points

    Chapter 141: An Abundance Of Points


    Geth was quite surprised when he looked at his Skeleton''s progress. All three of the lower Levels had risen over 40.


    His Skeleton Archer was the most impressive, being ready for its ss Promotion. Geth just stared at the information for a moment in surprise.


    "Is my Tame really stronger than my other party members now?" He chuckled as he pictured the Skeleton out-damaging Zolis and Filthy.


    "You survived something that you really shouldn''t have. Otherwise, you certainly wouldn''t have been offered Legendary gear," Albus reminded him.


    He then continued, "Killing that thing granted you two million experience. Your Skeleton Archer received 40% of that."


    "Well, we can look over the Skeletons in a minute. Let''s go ahead and settle the Attributes."


    Albus simply nodded in response.


    "Just bump Defense up to one hundred and put the rest in Wisdom. Pull up my Attribute screen, please."


    ***


    Geth: Level 52


    ss: Oracle


    Exp: 155,053/270,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 4080 +350 (Rec. 14.36/Second)


    MP- 4655 +2800 (Rec. 91.96/Second)


    Strength- 5 +80 (P.Damage/Stamina Recovery)


    Agility- 5 +75 (Mov.spd./Dexterity/Reflexes)


    Defense- 100 +247 +[15] (HP/P.Res./HP Rec.)


    Wisdom- 283 +190 +[8] (MP/M.Res./Mana Recovery/Processing Speed/Memory)


    Intelligence- 50 +185 (MP/M.Dmg./Learning Speed)


    Points Avable:


    TP- 126 (Talent Points)


    SP- 116 (Skill Points)


    AP- 0 (Attribute Points)


    ***


    "That brings my Mana Recovery to almost 92. We need to focus on upgrading Talents that will enhance that," Geth stated.


    After reviewing his Attributes, he was satisfied but still felt that his Skills were too costly. It was as if he had been receiving Skills that were beyond his Level since he''d arrived.


    Albus opened the list of Skills and Talents. The current effects and upgrade costs appeared before him.


    "All right, let''s start with upgrading Mana Skin to an Umon Talent," Geth stated.


    Twenty Five TP was instantly deducted from his count and he was shown a new window.


    ***


    Mana Skin has reached its stage of Evolution. Talent will be upgraded from Common to Umon. Please select which path you would like to follow;


    Option 1- Mana Density


    Heavily increases the effects of Mana Skin. Wisdom bonus increased to 15% of base Attribute.


    Option 2- Mana Dome


    Keeps the current effects of Mana Skin. Has an added effect of increasing Intelligence.


    Wisdom bonus remains 10% of base Attribute. Intelligence bonus increased to 1% of base Attribute.


    ***


    "Mana Density, please, Albus."


    Geth didn''t have any use for option 2. He didn''t intend to increase his base Intelligence anytime soon.


    A wave of Mana rushed around his body on the outside, startling the group he was walking with. His Mana jumped by 175 points, and his recovery increased as well.


    "What a rush!" The increase of 35 Wisdom hitting was quite powerful.


    Albus switched back to the Skill and Talent screen.


    "What would you like to upgrade next?" He questioned.


    "How much to upgrade the Rarity of Reflection and Rune Comprehension?" They were both currently in the second stage of Umon.


    "Sixty-four TP to upgrade both of them," Albus stated simply.


    "Then those are next."


    Two screens suddenly appeared in front of Geth as he felt some changes in his body. Both Talents'' effects moved from Level 2 to Level 4.


    ***


    Reflection has reached its stage of Evolution. Talent will be upgraded from Umon to Rare. Please select which path you would like to follow;


    Option 1- Mirrored Body


    All damage received is reflected back to attacker as true damage.


    Effects increase from 5% to 10%


    Option 2- Spell Reflection


    All damage received is reflected back to attacker as true damage.


    Effects remain 5%


    All non-mental Spells will have a smaller version of the Spell reflected towards attacker.


    Reflected Spell''s Effects- 25% of casted Spell


    ***


    Geth instantly became interested. The first option included all physical and Spell damage he received.


    Still, he tried to picture the effects of the second option in arge-scale battle. The damage wouldn''t matter since it reflected the Spell''s effects instead.


    "Albus, let''s take Spell Reflection here," Geth ventured. He then turned to the Talent he most anticipated.


    ***


    Rune Comprehension has reached its stage of Evolution. Talent will be upgraded from Umon to Rare. Rune Comprehension only has one path;


    Formation Comprehension


    You have begun to dabble in the path of the Formations. You havee to have a deep understanding of the Runes.


    Runes will be easier to connect into small Formations. The higher you Level this Talent, the moreplicated the Formations you can craft.


    A failed Formation is much more dangerous than a failed Rune. Tread carefully.


    ***


    Geth looked around the dome. Not a whole lot actually changed, but ideas were constantly flooding his mind.


    He looked over towards the library of Runes etched into the dome''s walls. They currently filled arge portion of the dome, almost twice his own height.


    The change was more in the way he saw some of the Runes. While staring at the wall, different Runes would stand out to him.


    Geth could make out what would happen if the Runes were inscribed into a Formation together. Though, it wasn''t every Rune that stood out to him.


    The ones currently standing out to him were Water, Heat, and Air. A simple formation appeared in his mind that would cause arge amount of steam.


    "Well, I can''t do anything about teleportation yet," Geth chuckled. He nced around at the hieroglyphics.


    All of the Formations that stood out to him were simple. With this information, he could increase the quality of life in the cabins, but nothing stood out as far as defenses.


    "It isn''t as great of a change as I thought it would be," Geth told Albus.


    "Maybe not, but you are taking a noble path. Formations will be one of the most essential pieces of knowledge for humanity''s survival."


    Albus shook his head.


    "Use up thest of your points and choose your Skeleton''s sses. We have some things to discuss. You have thirty-seven Talent Points left."


    Geth nodded and turned back to the Talent screen. His eyes quicklynded on a Talent he''d been neglecting.

 Chapter 142: Halfway There

    Chapter 142: Halfway There


    "Albus, I would like to put two Levels in Protector''s Aura," Geth dered. He didn''t have enough Points to upgrade it, but he could get close.


    25 points dropped as Protector''s Aura was Leveled to 4.


    ***


    Protector''s Aura (Lvl 4)-


    Grants all party members within a specific range bonus Attributes. Increase is determined by User''s base Attributes.


    Wisdom Increase- 20% of User''s Wisdom


    Defense increase- 20% of User''s Defense


    ***


    ''It will be exponentially more noticeable than before.''


    Not only were Geth''s Attributes higher, the percentage granted increased as well. The increase of over 250 Mana and 200 HP for his party members was substantial.


    "All right, let''s move on to your Skills." Albus swiped the Talents out of the air and dropped the Skill list in front of him.


    Geth looked over the Skills before making a decision. He had an internal debate on how many points he wanted to save for when the Tower''s Skill Shop was open.


    He eventually settled on three Skills that he would upgrade for now. The rest of his Points would be saved for an offense Skill or two.


    "Albus, what would be the total cost of upgrading Tenacity, Restoration, and Corruption Aura?"


    He then took notice that he had begun to rely on his friend more and more. There wasn''t a reason he shouldn''t be doing such simple math independently.


    "It would take thirty-five points to bring them all to the next Rarity."


    "Cheaper than what I thought it would be. Let''s get started, then." Geth responded. He watched the images before him swirl until theyid out his first choice.


    ***


    Tenacity has reached its stage of Evolution. Skill will be upgraded from Common to Umon. Please select which path you would like to follow;


    Option 1- Determination


    The cost and effects of Tenacity remain the same.


    Cost- 75 MP/ Second


    When exhausted, Mana reces User''s stamina.


    Cost- 5 MP/ Second


    Option 2- Perseverance


    The cost of Tenacity is significantly reduced. Effects remain the same.


    Cost- 50 MP/ Second


    ***


    "That''s not exactly what I was expecting." Geth looked over the slight changes.


    "Albus, let''s take Determination."


    Albus nodded. The projected words faded away and were reced.


    ***


    Restoration has reached its stage of Evolution. Skill will be upgraded from Umon to Rare. Please select which path you would like to follow;


    Option 1- Mass Restoration


    Casting affects all members in party instead of single target. There is no longer a temporary Shield on initial cast. Healing per tick is slightly increased from Restoration.


    Cost (250 MP)


    Healing = 10+ (Int x 50%) + (Caster''s HP x 5%)


    Duration = 30+ (Wisdom x 60%) in seconds. Healing urs on the initial cast and once every 3 seconds for the duration.


    Option 2- Rejuvenation


    Casting remains single target. Shield on initial cast significantly strengthened.


    If target is heavily injured, puts target in stasis until wounds arepletely healed. Can regrow freshly severed limbs.


    Cost (500 MP)


    Healing = 10+ (Int x 100%) + (Caster''s HP x 10%)


    Shield = 100 + (Caster''s HP x 15%) shieldsts for the spell''s duration, or until shattered.


    Duration = 30+ (Wisdom x 50%) in seconds. Healing urs on the initial cast and once every 3 seconds for the duration.


    ***


    "Do the choices always have to be this difficult, Albus?" Geth let out a sigh as he asked.


    Albus shrugged, "All spells start at a specific point, and they can evolve in multiple ways.


    A Common Skill will have sixteen potential Legendary Skills into which they can evolve." Albus waved his hand and made an upside-down chart that showed the development of Skills.


    "So my former assumption was correct. I don''t need to acquire Rare Skills. It would be best to learn Common or Umon Skills and develop them to suit me."


    Geth felt slightly regretful that he''d picked up Mass Blessing as a Skill that was already in the Rare state.


    "You shouldn''t feel that way." Albus cut into his thoughts.


    "There are still some Skills that have a higher starting point than others. Your Mass Invocation is one of them.


    There are only four Legendary versions of the Skill, Mass Blessing, only two of which will be avable to you in the future." Albus concluded.


    "Well, there isn''t anything that I can do about it. I would like to take Mass Restoration."


    Another screen quickly reced the one in front of him.


    ***


    Corruption Aura has reached its stage of Evolution. Skill will be upgraded from Umon to Rare. Please select which path you would like to follow;


    Option 1- Corrosive Aura


    Simr effects to Corruption Aura. Range of Aura and Damage are significantly increased.


    Damage = 100+ (Int x 50%)


    Range = 10+ (Wis x 10%) in feet.


    Option 2- Corruption st


    Skill is no longer in the form of an Aura. A small ball of corruption shoots toward target location.


    On impact, projectile spreads into an effect slightly stronger than corruption Aura. Damage significantly increased, Size increased.


    Damage = 100+ (Int x 50%)


    Range = 5+ (Wis x 5%) in feet.


    ***


    "Hmm?" Geth looked at his options.


    "These are both great options again. Albus, is it possible to learn multiple versions of the same spell?"


    Albus smiled at him, "Yes, it is. But this only works for ss-specific spells."


    He continued, "Any healing spell, you could re-learn its base form and then Level it up as you did initially. You won''t have this option until the first Skill bes Legendary."


    "So I wouldn''t be able to get both of these eventually. Then I''ll go with option 2. I need something for long-range situations."


    Albus nodded, and the words disappeared. Geth felt a flood of new information as multiple of the floating Runes and Formations began to warp.


    He found that the changes didn''t affect him as much as before. Usually, he would feel some sort of pain or difort. Now, it almost felt natural.


    "You have grown," Albus stated. "Your mind is too powerful for such things to trouble you. And you are only halfway there."


    Geth nced over at the old man before turning to watch the changes in his mental sphere.. He was curious what Albus meant, but he would ask himter.

 Chapter 143: Skeleton Crew

    Chapter 143: Skeleton Crew


    Geth watched as the Formations in his mental sphere stopped warping. He spun around and looked out across the dome.


    At the moment, he and Albus were standing atop the ocean of liquid Mana contained in the sphere. Geth was amazed at the amount of space in the dome after it expanded.


    "Yes, you have a lot of growing left to do," Albus stated while smiling at him.


    "For now, you should focus on your Skeletons'' growth. Once they have their first ss, you can leave the upgrades to them if you wish."


    Geth gave Albus a thumbs up. The older man snapped his fingers and the two were suddenly on the outer edge of the dome.


    Geth blinked rapidly at the sudden transition. One of his nearby selves looked slightly startled at the sudden appearance of the two.


    Looking at his surroundings, Geth found that four small hallways were leading out of the inner dome. He nced out and saw four smaller mental spheres between the inner and outer walls of his own.


    One of the spheres was quite a bitrger than the other three. Geth nced over at Albus.


    "Are these what I think they are?"


    Albus grinned, "Yes, these are the mental spheres of your Tames. Once they gain enough sentience, you canmunicate with them.


    It''s even possible for them to ess your Mana pool. Of course, that is after you learn the proper Taming Skills."


    Albus walked over to the entryway on the far right. He touched the wall beside it and then beckoned Geth over.


    "This is simr to the control panel of the Grimoire. You can ess all of your Tames'' information from beside each of their spheres."


    Albus nodded for him to give it a try before he walked away. Geth stepped up to the panel and looked through the information.


    ***


    Master''s presence detected. Would you like to open Grimoire for [Skeleton]?


    Yes/No


    ***


    Geth touched the ''yes'' option on the holographic pad.


    ***


    [Skeleton] has multiple Levels avable. [Skeleton] Level to low to self-improve. Would Master like to Level [Skeleton]?


    Yes/No


    ***


    ''Yes.'' Geth touched the screen again.


    ***


    Tame, Skeleton has entered its fourth Major Level.


    Please choose a Skill suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Precision


    Option 2: Subtlety


    ***


    Geth nced through the other information and found that this was the would-be Assassin. ''Subtlety.''


    ***


    ***


    Tame [Skeleton] has entered its fifth Major Level.


    Please choose a ss suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Rogue


    The Rogue focuses primarily on Skills that allow them to get up close while remaining undetected. Usual weapons are daggers or small des.


    +15 Strength +10 Agility


    Option 2: Hunter


    The Hunter can use bows or daggers to get the job done. Focuses on high damage single target attacks. Struggles against multiple enemies.


    +15 Agility +10 Strength


    ***


    Geth quickly chose the ''Rogue'' ss. Another prompt showed before him.


    ***


    [Skeleton Rogue] now has thepetency to make its own choices. Would Master allow [Skeleton Rogue] to continue on its own during next Summon?


    Yes/No


    ***


    ''Yes.'' Geth was still under the impression that the Tames would be more powerful if they made their own decisions.


    ''Albus said I would be able tomunicate with them eventually,'' Geth thought about this as he moved to the next panel.


    This was the Archer that he''d given more Intelligence than the others. He decided to go with ''Dark Aura'' as its fourth choice.


    ***


    Tame [Skeleton] has entered its fifth Major Level.


    Please choose a ss suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Archer


    The Archer focuses primarily on Skills with the bow and is adept at facing multiple enemies or single targets.


    +15 Agility +10 Intelligence


    Option 2: Mage


    The Mage focuses primarily on high damage single target and AOE Skills. Adept at facing multiple enemies from mid to long-range.


    +15 Intelligence +10 Wisdom


    ***


    Geth hesitated a bit on this one but eventually went with Archer. He moved on to thest of the three Skeletons. For this one, he chose ''Subtlety.''


    ***


    Tame [Skeleton] has entered its fifth Major Level.


    Please choose a ss suitable for your Tame.


    Option 1: Rogue


    The Rogue focuses primarily on Skills that allow them to get up close while remaining undetected. Usual weapons are daggers or small des.


    +15 Strength +10 Agility


    Option 2: Hunter


    The Hunter can use bows or daggers to get the job done. Focuses on high damage single target attacks. Struggles against multiple enemies.


    +15 Agility +10 Strength


    ***


    Geth clicked on the ''Hunter'' option and moved to the final door. He didn''t n to disrupt the Skeleton Archer''s choices, but he still had to grant it permission.


    He couldn''t help but look at the Skeleton Archer''s dome out of curiosity. After receiving their sses, the other three had grown, but they still couldn''t match its size.


    ''He must have truly benefited from helping fight that World Boss,'' Geth thought.


    Geth turned to walk away but was stopped by a sudden broken voice from behind.


    "Maaasteer... T.. Thaaank yoouu."


    The voice was slow and struggled to make the vowel sounds. It was intensely hoarse as if sand had been poured down someone''s throat.


    Geth nced back at therge dome he''d just turned away from. He wasn''t sure if the Tame could see or hear him, but he smiled in that direction anyway.


    Albus snapped his fingers and took them back to the center of the mental sphere. Beneath the Immersion Formation, a small section of the Mana Pool had turned solid.


    "Have a seat." Albus gestured to the tform as he sat cross-legged on one side. Geth did the same and looked at the man sitting across from him.


    Looking at Albus in this situation made him feel that he was sitting with a monk in some ancient temple. It was as if he were going to learn some incredible secrets of the universe.


    "Hahaha! Don''t give me that much credit, Geth. I''m simply an old man who knows a thing or two."


    Geth rolled his eyes. He found it annoying that Albus seemed to know all of his thoughts. Then again, the man was living in his mental sphere.


    Albus abruptly turned serious, "But, there are some secrets that will need to stay between us for now."

 Chapter 144: Through The Eyes Of Albus (part 1)

    Chapter 144: Through The Eyes Of Albus (part 1)


    Albus raised both of his hands to his forehead. His fingers pressed together to form the shape of a diamond.


    Traces of Mana seeped in from the area around them, pulling into Albus'' hands as if he were holding a small funnel. Geth looked on curiously while a thin stream of light filtered out from Albus'' head and mixed with the Mana.


    The old man sat this way for a few moments as Geth watched on. One second, he was looking at Albus.


    The next...


    *****


    "Darling, do you really think that we should take those threats so seriously?"


    Geth was startled by the sudden voice. He tried to look around but couldn''t seem to control his own body.


    His eyes slowly opened. Geth found himself lying down, a stunning woman leaning over him.


    The smell of jasmine filled his senses. The feel of velvet sheets brushed against his exposed skin.


    The woman''s green hair dangled loosely around his face as he looked up into her eyes. Her pale blue skin seemed to give off a faint glow that filled the gap between them.


    Luminous green eyes stared down into his. The concern on her face was evident.


    "Yes, Ren. The Demons have encroached too far into our territory. The citizens have been filled with unease since their first attacks."


    Geth felt himself speaking, but the words weren''t his own. He instantly recognized the voice as Albus, though it wasn''t as aged.


    He reached up and pushed some of Ren''s fallen hair out of her face. Geth was quick to notice the pointed ears hiding behind her hair.


    The woman seemed to blush, her cheeks turning a slightly deeper shade of blue. He felt himself wrap his arms around her shoulders and pull her to.


    Her bare chest pressed against his. Her skin felt cool. He could feel himself shiver slightly in her embrace.


    Geth realized that he was experiencing Albus'' memories.


    ''Was this his wife? She''s beautiful!'' He couldn''t help but admire her.


    Their bodies unexpectedly rolled in the sheets, Albus winding up on top and looking down at the blue beauty.


    "Are you two already starting this morning?"


    Geth heard a yawning voiceing from his side. Albus looked to his right, his eyesnding upon another gorgeous woman.


    She was petite, her body having no outstanding features. Even so, her face radiated a natural beauty that could make any man stop and stare.


    Her blonde hair was pushed up wildly around her. She rubbed her eyes sleepily while pouting at Albus and Ren.


    "Hahaha! Don''t bother, Tori. You know how those two are!"


    Albus turned his head. Geth found yet another beauty lying at the foot of the bed and watching them in amusement.


    He could see that she was an elf. Her pale-white skin shone with a dim light.


    Much to Geth''s disappointment, the woman''s long silver hair covered her naked chest. She was almost as tall as Albus and had one of the most voluptuous bodies he had seen.


    ''Damn, Albus. You had it going on.'' Geth couldn''t help but admire each of the women.


    "Don''t be that way, Mara. You can always join in the fun!" Albus let out in his usual merry voice.


    Mara''s piercing blue eyes looked pointedly at Albus. She had a slight look of discontent on her face.


    "As much as you know I would love to, we have things to do today." The elf snapped her fingers.


    Suddenly, Geth found that all four individuals in the room were fully dressed. Albus turned his head back towards Ren and felt himself wink at her.


    "We can continue thister." He teased her neck with his fingers.


    Ren giggled and pushed Albus off of her, sending him to the foot of the bed. Mara pushed him onto the floor andughed at his difort.


    "You''re definitely going to get itter," Albusined as he stood and rubbed his shoulder.


    The group stood and left the room. Geth noticed that of them were dressed in armors.


    They were each wearing a robe of unique design, a hood sewn onto the back of each. Hundreds of Runic designs patterned the fabric.


    Albus walked in the lead, looking around as they headed down the corridor. Geth felt as if they were in some kind of modern-day castle.


    Small orbs lined the stone walls, each giving off a glow simr to a lightbulb. The walls themselves were filled with Runes and Formations.


    Each bulb was somehow tied into the markings. The markings ran across every corridor surface, including the floor and ceiling.


    ''It looks almost like circuitry.'' The patterns almost mimicked some control board designs fromputers and other equipment.


    ''Can Mana be used to bring back technology?'' Geth found himself wondering as the group reached their destination.


    A vast set of double doors opened on their own as the group came close. Geth didn''t miss the lines from the Formations connecting with the doorframe and hinges.


    ''That''s odd. These Formations are almost all linear.''


    Geth had a sudden sense of familiarity as the group stepped into the room. The room was shaped like a massive dome.


    As Albus looked around, Geth could see tens of thousands of Runes and Formations etched into the walls. A blue marble bridge ran under them and extended into the center of the room.


    Below the bridge, liquid Mana filled the entire room. The size was incredible!


    The size of the room was akin to that of arge pond. The diameter was at least a few miles.


    ''Why does this room look so much like a mental sphere?'' Geth''s questions were slowly piling up during this venture.


    Albus and the women continued across the long bridge. Albus looked down into the pond a few times, allowing Geth to see his face.


    It was the same as he remembered it. The only difference was the age.


    Albus'' hair was just beginning to turn white. The wrinkledugh lines were only just beginning to show, unlike the profound ones that Geth was used to.


    It didn''t take long for the group to reach their destination. They stood on arge tform in the center of the pond.


    A single familiar pir protruded from the center.

 Chapter 145: Through The Eyes Of Albus (part 2)

    Chapter 145: Through The Eyes Of Albus (part 2)


    Geth recognized the pir as one of the control modules inside a Dungeon. Albus approached the structure and waved his hand over it.


    A familiar holographic screen was projected from the top, though its contents differed from what Geth was used to.


    It looked simr to aptop''s screen. The date and time were in the corner, with multiple icons to choose from.


    Albus began moving, dragging the icons and throwing them out into the air around them. Each icon turned into an individual screen that hovered in the area.


    Some of the screens were filled with data, while others had images of Runes. There were even multiple screens with live video feeds.


    ''Just what is going on here? We didn''t even have this technology on Earth!'' Geth watched the proceedings in awe.


    Everything around him looked like something out of a science fiction movie. Albus pulled another of the icons out of the screen and pressed it to his ear.


    Geth heard a voiceing in from the other side.


    "Hello? Is that you, A-?"


    Something strange happened at that moment. Geth could make out the A, but the rest of Albus'' name sounded like white noise.


    "Yes, it''s me. How are things proceeding on the front line?"


    "It isn''t good. We''ve issued a full retreat. At least twenty thousand are dead. Another five thousand or more were taken by the Demons."


    The voice made its report, the man''s voice sounding simr to Larz. It wasn''t exact, but it held the same sing-songy tone.


    "Pull everyone back behind the barrier." Albus looked around at the surrounding pond. "We have enough Mana to keep them at bay for a few days."


    Albus flicked away the icon that was pressed to his ear and turned towards his women. He gave them a sad smile before speaking.


    "We are going to have to start working on the Formation..." Albus said carefully.


    Mara took in a sharp breath, "That''s forbidden magic for a reason! My grandfather should never have taught it to you!"


    Albus smiled sadly in response, "I don''t expect you to take part if you don''t want to. The barrier will barely hold three days if that."


    He rubbed his temples with his palms, "Thest members of the Human and Elven races will barely fit in the barrier.


    The Dwarves were annihted long ago. As were most of the minor races. If we don''t do this, then the Demons and Dragons will be all that remain."


    Mara looked down at her feet for a moment before slowly nodding. Albus knew that it was dangerous, and it might not even work.


    Still, something had to be done. The Demons wouldn''t let them live for long. The Humans had proven their mettle time and again, even breaking free from very more than once.


    Albus stomped on the floor, an opening appeared on the tform. A spiraling stairwell twisted down into the depths of the pond of Mana.


    Albus and his women carefully descended the stairs. The walls surrounding them seemed to be a crystalline structure, through which Geth could see the depths of the pond.


    Small gems and stones floated around in the thick liquid. Each of them gave off more light than the surrounding water, causing the inside of the pond to look like a starry sky.


    After the first hour of descent, the light from the Mana was doused, leaving them surrounded by the dull glow of the surrounding crystal.


    "A-, is there any other way?" Tori asked him.


    Geth heard nothing but static again as his friend''s name was mentioned. He didn''t have much time to think about it before Albus gave his reply.


    Sigh


    "Unless we can find the strength to destroy them in one push, then no. The Elves'' pride and the Humans'' weakness have pushed both of us to the brink of extinction."


    Albus nced back at hispanions, and Geth could see the two elven women looking solemnly down at their feet.


    "This won''t do much for the Elves, sadly. Though, it will give Humans a fighting chance."


    Albus continued by saying, "For us, the worlds all merged at once. If we do this, the greater threats will be held back until the Humans are at least close to equal footing."


    The four continued walking in silence. None of them broke it until they reached their destination.


    "We''re here."


    Albus pushed a knob in the rock face at the bottom of the stairs. A slight shift was made, and he pushed the stone open to reveal a doorway.


    The group entered the room. It was a small cavern that looked like it had been excavated by hand.


    The room was perfectly round and had arge tform in the center. The tform reminded Geth a bit of a cylindrical pyramid.


    There was enough room for a single person to stand on the top. Ten could stand on the following level, and maybe one hundred could fit on the next.


    The room was bare aside from the tform, and precisely ny-seven other people standing in the room waiting. Mara walked in front of Albus and caught his attention.


    "You were already nning to go through with this?!" She almost yelled at him.


    "Yes. You know what I''m capable of. We will not survive this war. We have no time to be indecisive!"


    Mara flinched back slightly as Mana surged from Albus'' body with his rising frustrations.


    Albus quickly pulled the escaping energy back and embraced her. Geth felt tears streaming down Albus'' cheeks as he held the woman.


    "I''m sorry... but it''s the only way."


    Mara leaned her head on him for a moment before pushing him away with a sad smile.


    "Then we should get started. Three days is barely enough time to handle this."


    She turned away from him, not allowing Albus or the other women to see her own tears. Ren stepped in front of their group and spoke up for everyone present to hear.


    "Right! You heard them! Quit your gawking, and let''s get to work!"

 Chapter 146: Through The Eyes Of Albus (part 3)

    Chapter 146: Through The Eyes Of Albus (part 3)


    Everyone in the room immediately set to work. Small tools were pulled from their robes that looked simr to magic wands.


    The tips of each wand were sharpened into a fine point. Minuscule Formations led from the end to the base.


    Albus monitored the group as they began to move into position. Ny individuals spread evenly around the circr room.


    Once they were in position, each started to inscribe Runes on the stone floor. Geth felt that something was off about the inscriptions, but he couldn''t be sure.


    The remaining ten met in the center. This included the women who had arrived with Albus.


    Each of the ten spread evenly on the outeryer of the center tform. They took out a simr wand and worked on inscribing the surrounding area.


    The roommenced filling with a powerful wave of Mana, even more potent than the pond floating somewhere above. Geth could sense the energy in the room through the young Albus.


    It was eery. Something dark was contained in the Mana that reminded Geth of the blood-red Mana used by the Demons.


    Albus approached the high center of the tform. He took out his own wand and started to carve into the surface of the stone.


    It was then that Geth noticed something that he hadn''t before. At the base of the wands were small thorns.


    Each of these thorns was incredibly sharp and pierced into Albus'' skin.


    Blood ran from the wounds but never dripped to the ground. The thorns absorbed the blood as it flowed, pulling it into the wand and staining the carvings on the other side.


    ''Are they using blood as the ink for these Formations?'' Geth watched from his ce inside Albus'' mind.


    The Formation being drawn by Albus was much more intricate than anything he had seen before. Not even the Immersion Formation couldpare.


    Albus continued to carve out symbols, each one filling with his blood as he went. The patterns became moreplex the closer he came to the center.


    Around two hours into the process, a dull thud was heard from one side of the room. Albus looked up from his work to find one of the outer members had copsed onto the cavern floor.


    He stopped what he was doing and rushed over to the young man... Or, at least Geth remembered him as a young man.


    As Albus helped the man to his feet, Geth found that his face had aged many years. Wrinkles had formed, and his cheeks were drooping slightly.


    "I''m sorry to have to put you through this, Charles," Albus whispered.


    "Don''t be," The older man wheezed, "Every member of the Council knew what we were getting ourselves into when we agreed to this."


    Albus nodded and ced his hand on Charles'' forehead. A pale blue light surrounded the man. His features slowly returned to that of a young man.


    Albus'' hand looked slightly more aged than before, but it was hardly noticeable.


    Charles shook his head, "It''s amazing how much more life energy you have than the rest of us."


    Albus smiled and looked around at the other members of the Council, "I''ll take your burdens for as long as I can manage. You just focus on finishing the Formation. Leave the rest to me."


    Albus walked around to the other Council members, who looked like they were on theirst legs. He performed the same magic and sacrificed his own life energy for them.


    By the time he had finished, his hands had be slightly wrinkled, and his hair had be dull. Geth could feel Albus'' pain as his body aged close to a decade in mere minutes.


    Albus returned to his own circle and continued working on the center Formation. After having walked around, Geth could see that it was much moreplex than the others.


    The ten Council members closest to him each had their ownplex Formations. It was also in to see that their life energies were much more abundant than those in the outer areas.


    After another two hours, one of the outer circle members copsed again. When Albus went to stand up, he was stopped by a delicate hand being ced on his shoulder.


    Albus looked up and found Mara shaking her head at him. She didn''t say anything, simply walking over to the fallen Council member and performing the same magic.


    Geth could feel the sadnessing from Albus as he watched Mara, her body aging slightly as she took the burdens from those too weak to continue.


    This process repeated for some time. Tori took the next shift, followed by Ren, and then the other inner circle members.


    When the final member of the inner circle had given his life energy, Albus called for everyone to stop.


    "That''s enough for today! Everyone, head to your chambers and rest. The process will continue in eight hours!"


    All of the outer-circle members looked relieved as they lined up and left through one of the two entrances. The inner-circle members all stayed behind.


    Albus looked around at the aged faces around him with a hint of sadness. Every one of them had been in theirte twenties or early thirties.


    It now looked like the room was full of middle-aged men and women. Geth could feel the sorrow welling up inside of Albus.


    "They wouldn''t be able to continue, otherwise. And you certainly couldn''t take all of that on by yourself," Albus turned and found a grey-haired man speaking.


    "Xander, my friend. I''m sorry to have to put you through so much pain." Geth recognized the name as one of the authors from the Library''s books.


    "Stop beating yourself up already!" Another of the inner-circle members shouted. The rest soon followed suit.


    Ren was thest to speak, "Alright, don''t tter him too much. It''ll go to his head!"


    Everyone chuckled at her statement and pped one another''s shoulders as they left the room.


    "You girls go ahead. I''ll see if I can help on the outside and be back soon.." Albus kissed each of the women and swiftly left the room before they had a chance to argue.

 Chapter 147: Through The Eyes Of Albus (part 4)

    Chapter 147: Through The Eyes Of Albus (part 4)


    Geth could feel Albus activating multiple spells as he sprinted up the stairs. The man burst from the entrance with an energy that shouldn''t have been possible for someone in his aged state.


    Albus sprinted across one of the bridges faster than Geth couldprehend. He burst through a set of doors on the other side, not even giving them time to open.


    Albus stepped out onto a massive balcony. To Geth, it looked more like a training tform.


    There were hundreds of different weapons and dummies spread around the ce. Albus breathed in deeply and looked around in excitement.


    Geth couldn''t believe that the man had just aged more than ten years. He was acting like a kid who had just been given permission to leave the house and y.


    Albus looked to the sky with a bright smile on his face. He knelt down on the ground... and jumped!


    Geth felt the stone shattering beneath them as Albus leapt into the air. He waited for them to fall and continue running on the ground, but it never happened.


    ''Are we... flying?!'' Geth looked on in astonishment. ''I knew that magic was amazing, but I never thought that it could lead to this!''


    He used the moment to take in the scenery. The building they had just left was unlike any he had ever seen.


    ''I guess medieval sci-fi would be the best way to describe it?''


    The structure with the Mana pond was a massive crystallized dome, which was pretty much as he expected. That was the only bit within his expectations.


    To either side of the dome was a massive castle. Each structure was made from a different material.


    One was crafted from something that reminded Geth of obsidian. Opposite that was a castle that was almost pure white as if it had been built from pearl.


    Both were beautiful and made Geth think of a yin-yang symbol. Running from the tip of the dome and across each of the castles were the same circuit-type Formations that he''d seen before.


    Mana flowed back and forth across these circuits, simr to how electricity flowed through copper. Massive tubes extended out from the dome perpendicr to the castles.


    These tubes were made of crystalline material. Geth was able to see liquid Mana flowing quickly down the pipes, being carried off into the distance.


    With Albus'' enhanced vision, Geth could see a thriving town below him. Every building was in the shape of a dome, each connected to the pipeline through thousands of light blue circuits.


    Lights shed, and men, women, and children walked about in the streets. A few individuals were flying through the air like Albus currently was, hurrying in a specific direction.


    He didn''t have long to stare. Albus had already turned and flown off, heading in the same direction as some flying patrols.


    Thendscape below them was filled with towns simr to the one left behind. In the center of each living area was a tower connected to one of the immense pipes.


    A light shot out from each tower, covering the buildings in its vicinity in a blue barrier. More families were piling into these barriers,ing from the direction they were flying.


    Geth looked around as much as he could through Albus'' eyes. There were very few trees below them.


    The trees he could see were nted at specific intervals throughout the small cities. Each tree had its own line to the Mana source.


    ''Is Mana required to grow trees here?'' He continued to look around. The sky was blue, and the surroundings were peaceful.


    ''No birds? No clouds? No sun..?'' Geth remembered that they were at war. He could even see the fear on the faces of the fleeing citizens.


    ''Just what is going on here?''


    His answer came soon enough. One moment they were flying rapidly over the top of the beautiful, futuristic cities.


    The next... Geth found they were in a destend full of smoke and fire. It was instant, as if they''d been teleported to another world.


    A slight breeze crossed, causing the smoke to thin out and allowing Geth to view the surroundings. Destruction.


    That was the only word he could use to describe it. Far below them, he could see more small cities being ransacked by vile-looking creatures.


    There were creatures the size ofrge dogs that ran amock in the streets, tearing apart the Humans they could get their jaws on.


    Their bodies looked as if they belonged to spiders. The beasts had small horns on their lizard-like heads.


    The creatures were genuinely disgusting. Strange liquids left a trail, marking their every move.


    Building-sized, bear-like beasts stood to the left and the right. Albus turned his head towards one of them in time to see its fist crash into a tremendous barrier.


    Ripples extended out from the point of impact. The force caused the monster to take many steps back, causing it to crush many bug-like creatures and fleeing citizens.


    Thend extending out from the barrier reminded Geth of the devastation caused by the Demonic Skeleton. The ground was charred, with molten areas that burned anything that dared go near.


    This damage extended far into the distance, even covering the surrounding mountainsides.


    It looked as if thest of Humanity was hiding in the center of an immense valley. Only now, it looked as if hell had flooded over the mountaintops and was swiftly pushing inward.


    Everything was enormous, the mountains, hills, dried-up riverbeds. Everything in Geth''s view exceeded even the current size of his own.


    ''This can''t be Earth... can it?''


    He didn''t have time to think. Albus rushed the nearest beast, his hand turning a scorching red as he approached.


    His speed increased as he dropped towards the giant bear. The scalding fist met with the bear''s skin and shredded through it, pushing Albus into its massive body.


    Albus pressed through the creature''s body, blood and organs sttering across his person. A gaping hole emerged in the monster as Albus burst from its already falling corpse.


    Geth didn''t have a chance to admire the man''s handiwork as he''d already shot towards the next beast.

 Chapter 148: Through The Eyes Of Albus (Final)

    Chapter 148: Through The Eyes Of Albus (Final)


    Albus dived toward the next of the bear-like creatures. His fist drove through its skull before it could fullyprehend what had happened to its mate.


    He continued this ughter around the edge of the dome until a path was cleared for the fleeing Humans. Even from Albus'' point of view, Geth could hardly keep up with the swift movements of hisrade.


    ''Can Humans really achieve this level of power? If Albus was this strong in his weakened state, then why is Humanity dying off?''


    Geth continued observing as Albus tore through the monsters. His control over Mana was astounding.


    Orbs of Mana flew out around him. Each burst into thousands of needles that skewered the insect-like monsters running through the city.


    There wasn''t a single projectile that went off target. Many of the Humans cheered or bowed as Albus flew overhead.


    His friend''s sadness and regret while looking down at the people were overwhelming. These weren''t the feelings of someone who had just saved hundreds of lives.


    "These fools have no idea that you''ve only bought them another day, at most."


    A devilish voice sounded from behind him. The smell of sulfur assaulted his senses as Albus turned to face the speaker.


    "Barbas," Albus almost seem to spit the name out.


    The figure before him was a muscr humanoid creature. Its skin was a dull red, and it wore armor that had been charred ck.


    A pair of wings pped on the muscr creature''s back, though Geth didn''t think that was necessary for the monster to fly. The Mana exuding from the beast was a deep red, reminding him of the Demonic Skeleton.


    The humanoid face looked at Albus with a hint of sadness. Its eyes seemed to constantly shift between a ck and glowing red.


    "When are you going to stop being so cross with me? We are friends, after all."


    "Our friendship died the moment your kind started this war." Geth could feel the pain in his friend''s voice as he spoke.


    Barbas shook his head, "I''ve told you something isn''t right. The Demons aren''t the ones presiding over this war."


    "Then why haven''t Asmodeus or Lillith approached me?"


    A flicker of doubt crossed the Demon''s face, "I don''t know. They haven''t been themselves for some time now."


    "That''s no excuse! Look down there!" Albus waved his hand towards the devastation below, "Those are MY people! I can''t forgive what the Demons have done."


    Barbas frowned, "Then I''ll be taking my leave with a final warning. I know what you''re doing beneath the hall... Be careful. That spell isn''t what you think it is."


    The smell of sulfur became stronger, and a suffocating amount of Mana filled the sky. Albus stood firm, but Geth was frightened by the immense power disyed.


    Barbas disappeared in a sh. The energy faded as if it were never there.


    Geth could feel Albus weaken, though it wasn''t physical. It was as if he''d be mentally worn out by the conversation.


    With the area mostly cleared, Albus flew back into the dome. Geth could tell that he was contemting something and wished to hear the man''s thoughts.


    Geth studied the Formations below since there was nothing else he could do. If there were a way to recreate the circuitry, there was no telling what could be achieved.


    The flight continued without excitement until Albusnded on the training tform. He looked back towards the edge of the shrinking barrier before heading inside.


    ****


    Geth was suddenly back inside of his own mental sphere. A splitting pain ran through his mind.


    "It seems that is as much as I can show you," Albus spoke softly.


    Geth''s self gripped his head and looked around the dome. Small cracks were swiftly being repaired by the Mana inside the sphere.


    "I''m sure you have questions, but you should focus on healing your mind. Your other selves had to disperse. Your body is currently resting in a temporary camp."


    Geth nodded andid back on the tform. He wanted to ask many questions, but looking at the state of his mental sphere, he refrained.


    His eyes closed as he merged back into his body and fell into a deep sleep. On the outside, his body''s ragged breathing once again became normal.


    "That''s a relief..." A tired Sindri whispered from his side. Shey on her own set of furs and fell asleep.


    ****


    Geth awoke to the sound of arguing outside of the tent. It took him a second to make out what they were saying.


    "-an outsider! Why would you bring someone like that back to the rest of us?!"


    It was a female voice that he hadn''t heard before. Geth looked around and saw that Sindri was asleep nearby.


    "You don''t have to worry about him. I believe he''s here to help."


    This voice surprisingly belonged to Jack. He knew that he''d garnered the man''s respect, but not to the extent of defending him.


    Sigh


    ''I can''t ever seem to catch a break,'' Geth chuckled a bit at the situation and rose from his makeshift pallet.


    "What can a single man do to help u-"


    The voice trailed off as Geth stepped out of the tent. He saw a small group of older men and women sitting across from Jack''s party.


    The woman looked at Geth as her words trailed off. Her eyes soon gained a sense of recognition.


    "Taylor?"


    Geth smiled slyly at the woman, "How are you, Mags?"


    The woman''s face turned bright red. She looked down at the ground and shuffled her feet.


    "Y.. You shouldn''t call me that!"


    "Ha, it''s been a while since I''ve seen you all flustered, Teacher," Geth was amused by the woman''s difort.


    "Hmph! Fine, get your things together, and let''s head back quickly!" The woman turned away quickly to hide her blushing face.


    Geth recognized a couple of the others from around town but hadn''t been taught by them directly.. The woman had just begun teaching while he was in his senior year.

 Chapter 149: A Married Man

    Chapter 149: A Married Man


    The other teachers knowingly nced between the two a few times but refrained frommenting. Geth gestured toward Jack to start cleaning up camp.


    He walked back into his tent and leaned down beside the sleeping Sindri.


    "Hey, Sindri, it''s time to wake up." Geth carefully moved the hair out of her eyes and whispered.


    Her eyes slowly opened up, and she gazed at him. A sleepy smile soon shone on her face.


    "I''m d that you''re okay."


    Geth raised one of his eyebrows, ''Was I ever not okay?''


    "Umm, thanks... I think."


    She giggled and sat up, causing the furs to fall off her barely covered body. Geth admired the view for a moment before turning his head.


    "You should go ahead and get dressed. We''re about to head out."


    The girl giggled again as Geth headed walked out of the tent. He shook his head softly.


    ''That''s nothing but trouble,'' He couldn''t help but sigh at the missed opportunity. He was still a man, after all.


    He saw Mags leaning against a nearby tree when he left the tent. Her smile still held a little embarrassment.


    "So, what should I call you now?" She asked.


    "Geth. And you?"


    "Storm." She nced back towards the tent behind him, "Have your tastes moved toward the younger women?"


    Geth scratched the back of his head, "You''ve got the wrong idea. I''m married now."


    Storm smiled, "And why would that stop someone like you?"


    "People change." Geth shrugged, "Anyway, how are things going with the younger ones? I can''t imagine it being easy."


    The woman stopped her teasing and pouted.


    "I guess you have changed. No, it isn''t easy. The older ones aren''t terrible, but the younger ones are different.


    They keep wandering off at all hours of the night, trying to Level up or show off. Some of them never make it back."


    She shook her head.


    "There''s really nothing we can do about it. Less than twenty of the teachers survived the wolves. With over four hundred students, it''s hard to keep track."


    Geth took a deep breath, "Only four hundred? Weren''t there close to a thousand students?"


    ''I knew that things were bad, but... I didn''t expect this.''


    Tears started forming in the woman''s eyes, "We did everything that we could. There were just too many."


    Geth wiped away a tear that fell down her cheek, "It''s okay. We''ve all suffered losses. To save the lives that you have is nothing short of a miracle."


    Geth looked at the woman standing before him. She''d barely aged over the past ten years.


    A pair of intelligent dark-blue eyes looked at him as he observed her. Her long blonde hair was still dyed pink on the end as it had always been.


    She had the same smooth skin as she had before. A green wizard''s robe clung tightly to her hourss figure.


    She''d never been as well endowed as other women, but the shape of her body was near-perfect.


    "Put those eyes of yours away, mister married man." She sniffled and wiped the rest of her tears.


    "If you want toe with us, then that''s fine. Before that, though, I need to know what it is that you''re after.


    I''ve never known you to do anything outside of your own interests. What is it that you''ll gain from this meeting?"


    Geth chuckled and shook his head, "You know me all too well."


    "I ought to," She muttered quietly.


    "I need more people to be citizens in my city. The more citizens we have, the safer the ce will be, and the quicker upgrades wille.


    On top of that, there are many children there already, and I want to set up an education system."


    "Children?" She asked, "Are any of th-"


    "Yes, I have three children. The oldest was born not long after I graduated," Geth interrupted her.


    Storm went quiet for a minute. Geth waited patiently for her to make her decision.


    "All right, but only because it''s you. I don''t know how you''ll fair talking to the leader, though."


    "Leader?"


    "Yes. We were struggling for a while. A man showed up a few months ago and helped us take over our second Dungeon.


    Before that, we had to take shifts living in the one Dungeon we''d managed to take. Most of us just stayed outside the Dungeon and only entered to make contributions."


    "How far are we from the ce now?"


    She touched her thumb to her chin while she thought.


    "I''d say that we''re half a day from the meeting point. The first of the Dungeons would be another day beyond that."


    Geth nodded. Just then, Sindri came out of the tent and waved at the two of them.


    "Miss Storm! I didn''t know that you were here!"


    The young woman walked up and ced her arms around Geth''s bicep.


    "I see you''ve met our hero here! You wouldn''t believe what he''s capable of!"


    Storm nced between the two of them, "A married man, huh?"


    Geth pped his palm against his forehead. There was no way this wouldn''te back to bite him in the ass.


    The group finished packing up the camp and set out. Their traveling speed wasn''t as quick as before.


    On top of more people, they continued running into the other parties that had set off looking for monsters. Everyone seemed to be filled with disappointment from not finding anything to hunt in the area.


    All of the returning parties cast doubtful looks towards him. Some were curious, some seemed resentful for having another person to care for.


    Geth couldn''t me them for their misgivings. If it wasn''t for the city, he wouldn''t want to recruit this many people.


    He continued conversing with the teachers and the party he''d been traveling with. Much to the discontent of the neers.


    Just over half a day had passed when the group reached arge open clearing. A man with a thin sword on his back sat on a small boulder in the center.


    It was someone that he hadn''t thought he''d run into again.


    "de."

 Chapter 150: Second Meeting

    Chapter 150: Second Meeting


    The man sitting on the stone looked up in surprise. That was a voice that he couldn''t forget if he''d tried.


    "Geth?!"


    The man halfway fell off the boulder he was sitting on, gaining his footing before hitting the ground.


    "You didn''t travel very far after ourst encounter," Geth stated. He wouldn''t be rude to the man, but he definitely wouldn''t be polite, either.


    de looked down at his feet, "This ce is still home to me. I couldn''t bring myself to just leave it behind."


    A moment of awkward silence ensued. Geth waited for the man to say more while de just stared at the ground.


    "You two... already know each other?" The silence was broken by Jack. The other students gossiped tales about their possible rtionship.


    Most of the quickly spreading whispers pinned Geth as the bad guy. He shook his head at their naivety.


    de answered before Geth had the chance, "Yes. Geth here saved my life a while back. He also taught me a valuable lesson. I wouldn''t be standing here if it weren''t for him."


    Geth raised one of his eyebrows. He didn''t expect any favorable sentiment from the guy.


    The whispers from the school kids started to grow louder. Even Sindri joined in on the fun.


    "See, I told you he was a hero," She quipped as she elbowed Storm in the side.


    Geth could see the woman''s eye twitch slightly. Storm had never been one for a lot of disruption.


    ''Well, she hasn''t changed a bit,'' He thought.


    "Alright! Everyone quiet down!" Her voice echoed loudly throughout the clearing. The sound drowned out the constant jabbering of the almost hundred kids there.


    ''A sound-based Skill..?'' Geth was quite interested, ''I wonder if that has something to do with a teacher-type ss?''


    Storm beckoned to Geth and a couple of other teachers to follow her. They did as they were asked and walked with de to the opposite side of the clearing.


    de nced at Geth before speaking to the others, "Did you discover anything about that explosion? Do we need to relocate the children further south?"


    "Well..." Storm wasn''t sure what to say. She looked over at Geth, who Jack''s party seemed to think was involved with it.


    "You can''t actually believe that he caused it?" One of the older men caught her stare.


    "Geth..?" de asked him a bit timidly.


    "I didn''t exactly cause it. A World Boss imploded in an attempt to kill me after I cleared a Dungeon," Geth shrugged.


    "A World Boss?" The old man scoffed, "I haven''t heard of anything like it. He even says that he cleared a Dungeon. The only Dungeon in that area was full of Level forty Skeletons."


    The man turned to de, "I say we send this guy away. I don''t know your history, but this guy is obviously full of shit."


    de seemed worried the moment the old man finished speaking. He nced at Geth while sweat formed on his forehead.


    "Don''t insult him like that!"


    "And why not? It''s not like he''s any stronger than us."


    "Unless you want to spend the next fortnight on watch, I suggest you watch your tongue!" de''s aggressive side came out at that point.


    The old man shrunk back to his spot but cast an angry re in Geth''s direction. de turned his head back to Geth.


    "Please excuse Slim''s manners. Could you borate a bit on what happened?"


    Geth exined to him a couple of the things he''d found in the Dungeon. The Taming Cards were the first thing he brought up, since he believed they would increase Humanity''s survivability.


    Next, he exined how he''d defeated the first Boss, not mentioning anything about the Demons. He simply stated that the second Boss had mutated and be a powerful creature.


    "Well, if it was so powerful, just how did you manage to survive?" Slim asked while spitting at the ground.


    Geth usually wasn''t bothered by people''s actions, but this guy was getting on his nerves. He used State Change before anyone had a chance to think about the man''s question.


    Mud rapidly rose from the ground and encased the man in an egg-like shape. Geth then hardened the earth into bars, creating a giant birdcage.


    Once it was formed, he hardened the bars from the inside, making the structure as strong as a jail cell. Everyone jumped at the sudden emergence of the cage.


    "What the hell is this?!"


    The old man went into a small fit of rage and began to beat on the bars. Geth knew that he was a Strength build, so it would make his point all the better.


    "I wrapped myself in solid earth and waited until the explosion was over. I was still injured by the monster''s self-destruction, but I survived," He exined.


    "Let me out of this damn thing! If you don''t let me out righ-"


    Geth snapped his fingers andpletely entombed the man in the earth. He looked at the others standing around in amazement.


    "How do you put up with him?"


    de was the one that responded, "Well, after putting up with someone as sick as Thorn for a month, Slim isn''t that bad. He''s a bit of an ass, but he cares about the kid''s safety."


    Geth flicked his fingers, dissolving the cage in which the old man had been wrapped. Slim gasped for breath as soon as he was free.


    "Well, if you''re done with your questions, I have something to ask all of you." Geth looked at the rest.


    "Would you like to be citizens of my city? I can see that you are handling yourself well down here, but many dangers areing our way."


    Geth looked at de.


    "I''m also extending this invitation to you, though you''ll be monitored closely for a while. Many benefitse with citizenship, and I''ll be happy to exin all of them to you if you can get everyone together."


    The five teachers present and de each looked at one another. Slim just silently sulked to the side, but he didn''t argue. Everyone nodded, and de gave his response.


    "Alright, we can have a proper discussion back at the Dungeon."

 Chapter 151: A Curious Young Man

    Chapter 151: A Curious Young Man


    Geth walked along with the group to the closest Dungeon they''d conquered. de sent word to their sister Dungeon that a meeting would be held in three days.


    Every member of both Dungeons was to be there. Geth would present himself to the teachers, coaches, and ss leaders.


    After that, they would talk it over amongst themselves before casting a vote. A ballot would be set up that all students could participate in.


    It was more of a formality thing in Geth''s opinion. He knew that those who wished to live in the city would follow him regardless of the oue.


    ''This is intriguing.''


    Geth''s eyes roamed about the ce. They had walked through a deep, dried-out riverbed.


    Walking through the riverbed was strange. It reminded him of a time he''d visited the Grand Canyon.


    High walls and cliff faces stood on either side of where the river once flowed. The Dungeon entrance was at the base of one of these cliff faces.


    The group was now standing in front of the Barracks area. It was anotherrge cliff face inside the Dungeon, with over fifty holes bored into the stone wall.


    Stairs had been carved into the stone, leaving paths heading up to the different entrances. The interior of the Dungeon made Geth think of the inside of an anthill.


    The Dungeon''s Barracks area had been upgraded many times, allowing space for all of the students. It was still a bit cramped, with each party having to share one of the caves.


    "You are wee to rest in my quarters..." Storm approached him with a sly smile on her face.


    "I appreciate the offer, but Jack has already invited me to stay with their party while I''m here."


    Geth walked away without waiting for her response, following Jack and the others. He missed Sindri turning to stick her tongue out at his former teacher before chasing after him.


    "I''m d you took me up on the offer," Jack said from the front of the group, "It''s the least I can do after treating you that way."


    "You really shouldn''t worry about it. This world is different. It''s not a bad thing to doubt outsiders," Geth stated.


    After thinking about it for a moment, he added, "Though you should probably learn to get a feel for your adversary. Don''t let a little overconfidence get you killed."


    Jack stumbled up the stairs after hearing that statement. His other party membersughed heartily at the man''s embarrassment.


    ''I didn''t mean it that way,'' Geth scratched the back of his head.


    "So, how did you really survive that explosion?" Rift pushed up the rim of his sses and nced towards Geth. "There''s no way that you survived by just using the surrounding ground."


    He paused for a second before continuing, "The stone around where we found you had beenpletely obliterated! The damage only seemed to stop at that strange ck rock at the bottom."


    Geth looked around to make sure that no one else was nearby. He chuckled at the young man.


    "Like this."


    Geth activated Osmosis and walked straight into the rock wall beside them. He waited a couple of seconds before stepping back out into the open.


    Rift and Sindri stared at him with interest while the other two looked at him like some kind of god. Peter couldn''t contain his excitement.


    "You can walk through walls?! So if I try to hit you, my hand will go through?"


    The chubby young man threw his fist at Geth without waiting for an answer. His fist made contact with Geth''s chest, shattering the bones in his wrist and lower arm.


    Peter pulled back and stared at his arm in disbelief. A momentter, realization kicked in.


    "Aggghhhhhhhh!!!"


    The chubby man cried out in agony and clung to his broken arm. His other party members took a bit longer to understand what had just happened.


    "Why would you do something like that without asking!?" Sindri yelled while examining Peter''s arm.


    Geth pped his hand against his forehead in disbelief. He cast Restoration on the young man sobbing in front of him.


    The four looked on as the swelling subsided. The discoloration in Peter''s arm turned to normal as snapping sounds echoed in the small entryway.


    Peter grimaced in pain with each snap, but the color was quicklying back to his face. Geth shook his head and leaned against the nearby wall.


    "Have we learned anything today?" He asked in a bit of an irritated tone.


    Peter looked up at him in shame, "...Think before you act?"


    "Very good! Would the rest of the ss like to make anyments?"


    Sindri busted outughing. Between Geth''s calm and sarcastic demeanor and Peter''s blushing face, she couldn''t help but find the situationical.


    Jackughed a bit as well, "At least it''s someone else on the receiving end this time!"


    The mood changed as Peter began chuckling at his idiocy. The pain had vanished entirely.


    Rift didn''t join in the fun. Instead, he walked over to Geth and examined his skin.


    "Well, you didn''t phase through the wall. What exactly did you do?" He asked.


    Geth thought about it for a moment, "I''m not exactly sure. It feels as if I''m changing the state of my body to be a liquid. That is also in line with the name of the spell, Osmosis."


    "But how could the Human body possibly survive that?! And what about the equipment you''re carrying?"


    "That''s a great question and one that I can''t answer," Geth responded while thinking for a moment.


    "Our bodies were reformed by the Mana when we first arrived. The only exnation I can think of is that the Mana making up my body turns into a liquid state temporarily."


    He pulled out one of his Mana Potions and handed it to the curious young man. Rift took it, looking at the contents in an intrigued manner.


    He patted the man on his shoulder, "If you really have an interest in how this world works, you''ll apany me back to the city."

 Chapter 152: A Brief History

    Chapter 152: A Brief History


    Much to the party''s disappointment, Geth holed himself up in a corner as soon as he''d found space in their chambers. They couldn''t help but think that the behavior was strange.


    "Do you think he''ll stay this way until the meeting?" Sindri asked.


    Peter looked at the man and shrugged, "I wouldn''t be able to go so long without eating."


    "Just leave him be. We have other things to focus on if we want to go to the city. Let''s tell the others everything that we know so far," Jack gestured to the others to follow him.


    Geth was left alone inside of the stone room, sitting cross-legged in a corner. The ce became deathly silent.


    Meanwhile, inside of Geth''s mental sphere...


    "So you''re saying that Earth was once part of some massive super?" Geth asked.


    Albus nodded, "That''s right. There was once a time where Humans, Demons, Goblins, and many other races thrived!


    Some of the more powerful races were even said to travel amongst the stars! At least, this is ording to some of the Elven knowledge that was passed down."


    "So what you showed me... Is it from the past?" Geth questioned.


    "No," Albus shook his head, "The memories that I was able to show you were a little over three centuries into the future."


    "It would probably be best if you let me start from the beginning. Though I will say that there are still bits of my memories that are missing."


    Geth nodded and waited patiently for Albus to gather his thoughts.


    "I''ll start with the Elven history."


    Cough


    "Long ago, when the was whole, the different Races were constantly at war. Skirmishes broke out regrly over resources.


    There was one resource that every Race hoarded, and that was Mana. At that time, Mana only existed in a liquid form that hid deep in the''s crust.


    It was a fantastic energy source, not unlike the crude oil that Humans fought over on Earth. Individuals who drank this liquid would be stronger, faster, or gain special abilities.


    There were very few Races that could handle the transformation that the Mana caused. You experienced it not long after you woke up."


    Geth thought back to the pain he endured when his body had been ripped apart by the Mana. He shuddered to think about all species going through the same in the hopes of gaining power.


    "There were many races who were left wishing they could harness this power. In every Race, there were some individuals who were an exception.


    Take the Goblins, for instance. They were a feeble race, yet most now have the ability to control Mana.


    This is thanks to those special few who could endure the pain. As the next generations were born from them, it was found that they had less trouble consuming the Mana."


    Geth came to a realization, "So at first, it was plentiful. As more and more generations of the Races were born, it must have be scarce."


    "That is correct," Albus nodded, "And as it became scarce, the asional skirmishes turned intorge-scale wars. Alliances were formed amongst many of the different Races until five major coalitions were born.


    The leaders of these alliances were the Dragons, Demons, Beasts, Gods, and the Elves."


    "Gods?" Geth couldn''t help but interrupt.


    "They were more like monsters. They had once been a beautiful humanoid Race, though there weren''t many of them.


    When the first of them consumed the liquid Mana, it was found that they had the highest aptitude of all the Races. It didn''t take long for the mere hundred of them to partake.


    Over the years, their bodies started to be deformed. Along with the deformations, their powers grew.


    Eventually, they had such incredible capabilities that they could take on entire armies individually. If it weren''t for their shortage of numbers and their low reproduction rate, they could have taken the world for themselves.


    These ''Gods'' were eventually almost wiped out by the other races. Thest of them used their strength to create a Formation that would affect the entire.


    The world was split into one hundred and one minors across multiple realities. Each housed one of the more significant Races and many weaker species."


    Albus paused for a moment to let the information sink in. Geth looked up and asked a question.


    "That Formation... It broke apart, didn''t it?"


    "Yes. Over many thousands of years, the Formation weakened.


    It was actually predicted by the earliest generations of Humans while they still had knowledge of magic. I will say that they were a few years off, but it wasn''t a terrible guess.


    It became known as the rapture, an apocalypse, the end of the world, or any number of other names as Humans forgot where they came from."


    "Are you talking about the Mayan calendar?" Geth asked doubtfully.


    "The very same. Even the different pyramids built across the world acted to slow the deterioration of the Formation!"


    Geth sat back again, marveling at what he was being told. It was all so surreal.


    "So, what about the Gods?" He couldn''t imagine facing something so powerful that it could create different dimensions.


    "That''s something that we never found out. Devastation and mayhem urred when the Formation broke, and all of thes merged.


    Mountains grew into the clouds, monsters tore through much of the poption, Dragons could be seen flying through the air.


    Humans weren''t prepared. Most of my ancestors were enved or tortured, along with many other Races.


    No one knows what happened to the Gods. They never reappeared.


    The reverted to one hundred times the size of the Earth. That is half the size of the world from the past.


    Our best guesses were that the Gods remained separated from the other Races even after the Formation broke down."


    Albus sighed and shook his head.


    "Anyway, now that you know about the world''s history, I can tell you about what happened in the future."

 Chapter 153: Only Hope

    Chapter 153: Only Hope


    Geth became even more attentive. After hearing about the past, he became even more interested in the future.


    "I''m all ears."


    Albus creased his brows as if he were deciding where to start. It was also another reminder that his memory hadn''t fully returned.


    "In the previous timeline, there were less than a billion Humans left at this point in time. We were ughtered in droves when the Formation first broke down.


    Many of the stronger Races put us in chains and took the opportunity to study us. Humans had been one of the few Races that struggled to ingest the liquid Mana.


    We had no way to resist. Guns, knives, and other man-made weaponry could barely rip the skin of these beasts.


    We might have stood a chance with military equipment. Sadly, most of it had been destroyed as the world expanded.


    The giant fissures consumed many of the military bases. Even the floating naval bases couldn''t withstand the onught of the waves and whirlpools that appeared.


    It wasn''t just Humans. Many Races were caught unprepared, suffering the same fate.


    A majority of the deaths were simply due to the sudden expansion of the. More than half of the survivors were enved.


    The first few years were full of death. Demons and Dragons live for thousands of years, and they hadn''t forgotten their origins."


    Albus took a minute to breathe before he continued.


    "A majority of the Races in those two alliances were also very long-lived. As such, they had a significant advantage in the beginning.


    Their armies quickly grew while the other Races struggled to get back on their feet. The leader of the Elves cast aside his pride and began to recruit many of the ''lesser Races.''


    The battles grew over the following decade, pushing the Elve''s alliance to its limits. Many of the Elven elders were captured, along with Dwarves, Humans, Dryads...


    They were dark times. It was actually the Humans that turned the tides of battle."


    Albus looked proud. It was like he was telling some story about his childhood heroes.


    "Earth had received very little Mana after it was separated from the mother. The little that remained was hidden deep beneath the pyramids to fuel the Formation.


    Even so, Humanity began to thrive after many years. We were very innovative and created many ways to make life easier or more enjoyable.


    The same could also be said for the weapons that we had developed. Such incredible technology, primarily used for killing each other.


    Those same innovators found a way to infuse objects with Mana. There was one man in particr who had divined the idea.


    He had once been a ve of the Demons. No one knows how he managed to escape, but the other Races would have faced extinction without him."


    Albus grinned like a small child while recounting the stories he''d heard.


    "The weapons that this man created allowed even the weakest Races to manipte Mana! It wasn''t enough to push the Demons and Dragons back, but it was enough to bring the two sides to a stalemate.


    As this man began to teach Formations to those around him, even more unique ways to control the Mana emerged. Engraving Formations or Runes on the skin became popr for almost a century.


    The powers that one could use were limited to the amount of space on their body. Even so, the Elven alliance was finally able to fight back.


    The Dragons became interested in the Formations. They offered to call a truce in return for what we''d learned so far."


    Albus looked began to calm down as if he''de to the climax of his story.


    "Once the war was over, the four alliances agreed to live in separate quadrants of the world. The Beasts had never been involved in the first ce, but their forces were influential enough to be recognized.


    A loose peace held for the next two centuries. No one knew precisely why the Demons broke the truce.


    Some Humans had even befriended some of the Demons. The technology that the two races had created together changed the world.


    They attacked the Beasts first and without any warning. It was a long and arduous battle that the Demon alliance eventually won.


    The Dragons nor the Elves interfered, which turned out to be a fatal mistake. The Demons controlled half of the world''s Mana supply.


    They used the technology created by Humans and the increased Mana supply to drastically improve their power. The Demons didn''t make a move for almost another hundred years.


    The Beast race had mostly been forgotten. A few stragglers lived amongst the Elven territories."


    Albus'' face took on a pained look. Geth thought of the sorrow that he''d felt when he witnessed Albus speaking to Barbas.


    "Humans had be friends with some of the Demons once again. It was a mistake to trust them.


    The Demon alliance attacked all at once, crushing our forces. The majority of Humans had be soft after centuries of peace.


    Most of the creations in that period had been forfort or enjoyment. Even the Runes that were engraved on their skin were to keep themfortable."


    Albus shook his head.


    "It didn''t take long before we were down to ourst stronghold. You witnessed what happened from there."


    Geth nodded, "But what was that Formation that you were creating?"


    "It''s what brought us here. I was the only Human with a mental sphere.


    It was something that was passed down from the creator of the Council. As the previous Council leader passed away, the next would gain his or her abilities.


    That mental sphere contained a Formation passed down by the first leader of the Council. It was a dangerous tool, and it was only to be used in the most desperate of times."


    Albus suddenly looked aged. Most of the enthusiasm that he''d held in the beginning had faded away.


    "That Formation took the lives of every person you saw in that room, but it was our only hope."

 Chapter 154: Redo

    Chapter 154: Redo


    "If that Formation took your life, then how are you here?" Geth inquired.


    "Creating that Formation required giving our life essence. You witnessed the aging of everyone in that room," Albus started.


    "I can''t tell you how we ended up in this situation. The Formation was supposed to give Humans a chance while using a system that most would be familiar with."


    Albus waved his arms in the air.


    "Your Grimoires were supposed to be nothing but coded machines! Infusing our life essence must have somehow tied in a piece of our memories."


    Geth looked at the older man inquisitively, "But there are billions of Grimoires! How could one hundred one people be enough for them all?"


    "It maye as a surprise to you," Albus said, "But every individual in that room had powers beyond yourprehension."


    Geth looked at Albus doubtfully.


    "You can''tpare them to my abilities back then. My mental sphere was given to me. The others in that circle earned the right to be there."


    "Will all of the other ''Albus'' Grimoires have the same memories as you?" Geth wondered.


    "I don''t know. This is likely a unique situation caused by our run-in with Barbas and Draug." Albus shook his head.


    "I named you Albus, so why did they call you that? They shouldn''t have known."


    Albus shrugged again, "I''m sorry that I can''t be of much use. I don''t believe that they have all of their memories either. Maybe they could see into my bindings before you gained an outer mental sphere."


    "Is there anything else you can tell me about the spell you used and how it''s affected Humans?" Geth asked.


    "That I can do," Albus cleared his throat, "The center Formation that we used is called Redo. It allowed us to alter time to some extent."


    Geth became curious, "So you reset history?"


    "Not exactly. What the spell did was force an alteration in the timeline. What we are living in now is a timeline branched off from the original," Albus exined.


    Geth''s eyes widened, "I can see why it would be ast-ditch effort. I can''t imagine the problems that could be caused by that in the future."


    "I''m pretty sure that it already has. I am almost certain that the spell had been used before," Albus stated.


    "The spell that I''d received was wed, but there was one thing that stood out. It was primarily made from Elven Runes, and it was set up to create the first mental sphere in an individual.


    This suggests that even the Elves didn''t have a mental sphere at some point. The Dragons and the Gods were the only Races who had that unique trait."


    Albus took a breath and continued.


    "With the advances in Formations and Mana technology in the previous timeline, we managed to create a system that would allow every Human to have a mental sphere.


    I found that the Formation to create a mental sphere could be imbued onto an object. That object could then be linked to a specific individual.


    The object had to have room to infuse other Formations and Runes to use as spells. As such, the Grimoires were born.


    There was one major problem with this method. The Grimoire could only be linked to an individual when they first consumed liquid Mana."


    Albus gave Geth a moment before continuing.


    "It was a custom for Mana to be consumed during infancy. It was much safer for a child to drink the Mana than an adult.


    We assumed that it had something to do with the body being prepared for change at that age. After so many centuries, it became an almost natural fusion with minimal pain.


    With that being said, we had begun linking the Grimoires to infants. An academy was opened up for those individuals who were chosen test subjects."


    Albus sighed, "The Demons made their move before the first batch of children had even reached adolescence. I believe that they somehow knew about our advancements."


    Geth looked at Albus for a long time before responding.


    "So, you did something to the Formation that would link Grimoires to every Human as they woke up. You even went as far as forcing Humanity to fuse with the Mana," He stated in an even tone.


    "I was able to make many changes to this timeline. One, of course, being that all Humans would have the capability of linking with a Grimoire that would grow with them.


    We came up with the System to train Humans and gave the Grimoires the ability to absorb the life essence of in enemies. The most significant change in this timeline was the advancement of the apocalypse.


    After years of research, we found a way to force a small part of the apocalypse to happen early. Only ten worlds have currentlye together."


    Geth became more interested in the topic, "And what about the other ny worlds?"


    "They will merge five at a time, at the beginning of each month, starting precisely one year from the day you woke up here.


    There will be a total of seventy worlds already united before the day the apocalypse was supposed to happen.


    On that day, the final thirty worlds willbine with this one. The enemies you face will be progressively stronger up to that point."


    Geth nodded in understanding. "So, we have until then to be as powerful as the major Races."


    "Dungeons will be a thing of the past during the future merges. There was no way to keep such powerful beings contained.


    The most we could do was provide you with the cities. Humanity needs to conquer as many Dungeons and upgrade their cities as much as possible now.


    The beast waves thate every month won''t be easy to handle. The city''s defenses will help you survive."


    Geth nodded, "Got it. Then I''d better make sure that this meeting goes well."


    "You will need as many allies as possible.. The more people you have in the city, the stronger it will be."

 Chapter 155: Meeting

    Chapter 155: Meeting


    When Geth came out of his mental sphere, he found Jack''s party sitting around waiting on him.


    "See, I told you he woulde to before the meeting," Sindri stuck her tongue out towards the others.


    Jack rolled his eyes, "What are you talking about? You''re the one who was begging to let you wake him up."


    Sindri blushed and looked away. She nced at Geth to ensure that he wasn''tughing at her.


    Geth, on the other hand, wasn''t paying attention to them. He''d already left his seat and headed towards the shower.


    He admired the way the room was set up. The wash area was akin to an indoor waterfall. Runes kept the water warm and filled the ce with steam.


    After soaking for some time, Geth donned his armor and joined the others heading towards the meeting location. He made sure to study as many of the Runes and Formations as he could on their way.


    The meeting ce was a small colosseum-type location further into the Dungeon. Geth took a seat near the back and waited patiently for everyone to arrive.


    There were already close to twenty people in the room. As he sat down, he could feel almost every pair of eyes on him.


    The section of bleacher that they were sitting on filled up quickly. The original twenty attendees had be close to fifty.


    Storm had sat near the bottom of the bleachers. He was d that she hadn''t seen him when she walked in.


    Geth noted a few other familiar faces while he waited. The old man, Slim, constantly looked up toward him in an irritated fashion.


    ''I wonder why that old man seems to hate me so much,'' Geth wondered.


    He tried thinking back to his high school days, but he couldn''t remember Slim being a coach or teacher. He wasn''t the janitor, either.


    ''Maybe he was someone who worked in the office,'' Geth shrugged it off. He couldn''t be bothered with the man''s pettiness.


    Sindri nudged his arm, "Do you know what you''re going to say?"


    "Not really. Maybe join or die would be a good way to start," Geth chuckled.


    Sindri''s face turned worried.


    "I''m kidding! Though, that is probably the most urate way to put it."


    Jack looked at him, "I suppose that just telling them the benefits would be enough. I mean, being able to purchase spells is the same as having a better chance at survival."


    Geth nodded. He''d already told them some of the things that the Tower would be capable of when he finished conquering the Region.


    "Look, there''s de," Rift pointed out. de was walking out towards a t space in front of the bleachers.


    Cough. Cough.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen, I apologize for keeping you waiting. I would like to thank each of you for being here."


    de looked around at the crowd, his eyes lingering briefly when he spotted Geth.


    "I''ve called this meeting to discuss moving out of the Dungeons. The-"


    "Moving out of the Dungeons?! Have you gone crazy? We''ll die if we are out in the wild for too long!"


    A voice from the crowd cried out. Geth couldn''t tell who it was, but it hade from somewhere near Slim.


    "If you''ll allow me to continue, please."


    de looked around to make sure that no one else wanted to shout.


    "It has been brought to our attention that the Dungeons are more or less temporary housing. Each Local Region has two major Dungeons that are above ground.


    Once this Dungeon is conquered, it bes a small city. The cities arerge enough to house thousands and have many benefits.


    The meeting today is for us to decide whether it would be in our best interest to conquer our own Region. The other option would be to move into a Region that is already conquered."


    de finished up his speech and then looked towards Geth.


    "I''ll have the man who owns the citye down and give you a brief description of the possible benefits. Please, show him some respect.


    Not only has he saved my life, but he is also the most powerful man in this room. Geth, if you would."


    de sat on one of the bottom benches as all eyes turned toward Geth. He took his time walking down the steps and in front of the bleachers.


    "Good morning, everyone. I''m d that you were able to make it," Geth smiled and looked around at the faces in the bleachers.


    "I''m sure that some of you recognize me as one of your past students. That being the case, most of you here know me reasonably well.


    I''ve been made aware that you had to flee south due to the Direwolve''s earlier attacks. I''m offering you an opportunity toe back home and a way to increase your chances of survival in the future."


    Geth proceeded to tell them a few of the benefits that woulde with the Tower, the amount ofnd avable, and the merit system.


    He showed them the potions he had created and drew a few simplefort Formations to finish his speech.


    "If you have any questions before I take my seat, please feel free to ask."


    Slim stood up from his seat in the crowd.


    "Why should we join your city instead of creating our own?"


    Geth shrugged, "It''s entirely up to you. We only have two Dungeons left to conquer in the southern Local Region. The sooner the Tower can be opened up, the sooner we can all start receiving benefits."


    Slim took his seat. After hearing Geth''s speech and seeing the potions, his attitude had calmed quite a bit.


    "Are there any other questions?"


    No one else stood up. Geth could tell by their faces that they''d already made their decision.


    He headed back to his seat and allowed the next person to speak. The meeting continued on with reports about the Dungeons that had been discovered nearby.


    After everyone had finished speaking, de walked back to the front.


    "All right, a ballot box will be ced here tomorrow. All of you will be required to vote. In the case of a tie, the other residents of the Dungeon will vote as well."


    de looked around at the crowd to make sure that they understood.


    "Alright, dismissed."

 Chapter 156: Stars

    Chapter 156: Stars


    Geth spent the rest of the night outside the Dungeon. He gazed up at the stars in silence from his position amongst the highest branches.


    Albus had pulled his self back into the Grimoire. It had taken a toll on him to transfer his memories to Geth.


    ''Strangely, he can''t remember his name, only that it starts with the letter A,'' Geth pondered. ''I wonder precisely how much of that is coincidence.''


    His thoughts turned to the other potential timelines.


    ''Just how many timelines could there be? I wonder if my family sur-''


    Geth''s thoughts trailed off as he heard rustling from the limbs below. A stunning young woman climbed clumsily onto the branch next to him.


    "Sindri."


    "What are... you doing... way up here?" Sindri asked as she struggled to pull herself up.


    Geth rolled his eyes and assisted the woman onto the tform. While she struggled to catch her breath, heid back in his original position and stared at the stars.


    Sindri eventually caught her breath and walked over to him. She watched him for a moment before ncing into the sky.


    "You really couldn''t see the stars like this back on Earth," Geth exined. He gestured that it was okay for her toy next to him.


    Without hesitation, sheid down and made herselffortable. She wasn''t touching him, but she was close enough for Geth to feel the warmthing off of her.


    Theyy in silence for many minutes before it was finally broken.


    "Do you think that these are the same stars that were in our world?" She whispered.


    Geth pointed to a specific area, "Do you see this grouping of stars here?"


    He used his control over the Mana to make it look like the stars were connected in front of them. With a little more concentration, he drew a man holding a club and shield around the connected lines.


    "This is Orion. It''s one of the most known amongst the constetions that can be seen from Earth."


    He then dispersed the magic and began drawing in the air to their north. Adle appeared in the air before them.


    "This is the Big Dipper. Anothermon group of stars that can be seen all year-round."


    Geth waved his hand and dispersed the magic.


    "To answer your question, yes. I believe that these are the same stars that we could see from Earth."


    The two fell silent again as they looked into the night sky. After almost twenty minutes of quiet, Geth looked over at Sindri.


    ''I didn''t think she would stay quiet for this long,'' He thought while shaking his head.


    The girl wasn''t wearing her armor, sporting a robe and cloak around her shoulders at the moment. Her body would shiver any time there was a light breeze.


    Geth pulled a nket from his storage and ced it over her. He sat his back against the trunk of the tree while snacking on some jerky.


    ''She''s way too trusting,'' Geth sighed. This world wouldn''t always be kind to the naive.


    He continued staring at the sky. He didn''t mention to the girl that many more stars were visible than he believed should be.


    ''Maybe they were the stars that could be seen from the other Earths?'' He wondered.


    ''But if that''s the case... where were the other pieces of the mother?''


    He allowed his mind to wander around the infinite potentials while he waited for daylight. His thoughts always ended on one possibility, the Redo Formation.


    ''My Lord, how are thingsing on your end?'' Larz''s voice resounded in his mind.


    One of his selves answered the call, ''I''ve found all of the young men and women that attended the high school. Their survival rate was less than forty percent.''


    ''Will you be returning soon? Both parties are ready to take thest two Dungeons.''


    Sigh


    ''I n to have returned within the week. How are Zolis and the kids doing?'' Geth asked.


    Larz responded quickly, ''She is starting to get bored sitting around the city. The children are advancing quickly in their training, particrly Peter.''


    ''Ahh, tell him that I''ve found a guy who actually named himself Peter. Maybe he would like to be called with something else?'' Geth wondered.


    ''I''ll mention it to him. The other citizens are getting on quite nicely as well.


    The craftsmen have taken on a few apprentices, as you asked. Everyone is waiting patiently for the Tower to bepleted.''


    ''That''s good to hear. Tell Zolis and the kids that I''ll see them soon.''


    The mental connection was broken just as the sun peaked over the trees. Geth hadn''t realized how much time had passed.


    ''Time seems to move so quickly when I have so many of my selves running about. Still better than the alternative...''


    He couldn''t help but remember waking from his unconscious state and being too weak to summon his other selves.


    With his current level of Wisdom, every second felt like minutes. Every movement that he made seemed agonizingly slow.


    Geth stood and shook off the morning dew that had formed on his armor. He gently shook Sindri awake.


    The young woman slowly opened her eyes against the re of the morning sun. She propped herself up and looked questioningly at the nket wrapped around her.


    "Good morning," Geth said as he stored the nket again. "Don''t n on sleeping all day, do you?"


    "So what if I do?"


    "I guess we would just have to leave you up here once the voting was over," He shrugged.


    She jumped to her feet almost immediately. Her sudden movementnded her too close to the edge of the branch.


    Geth caught her by her waist just before she toppled backward. He looked at her with a bit of a scolding expression while shaking his head.


    "You really n on making my morning difficult, don''t you?" He used jokingly.


    Geth picked her up in both arms and leapt from branch to branch. The twonded softly on the ground before she even had the chance to answer.


    "Don''t expect me to carry you back to the colosseum," Geth chuckled.


    She gave him a fake pleading look, "Not even if I ask nicely?"


    He dropped her on the ground without any hesitation. She looked up at him, stunned.


    "Is that really how you treat your women?"


    "My women?"


    Sindri blushed a deep red and stood up faster than she had on the branch. Her back was soon the only thing Geth could see as she rushed into the Dungeon.


    ''It seems like trouble alwayses looking for me.'' Geth rolled his eyes and headed into the Dungeon himself.


    He quickly approached the colosseum to find that almost everyone from the previous day had already arrived. Many of them waved to him as he passed and reimed his seat in the back.


    A few acted neutral towards him, but no one seemed to be unfriendly. Even Slim gave him a slight nod as he passed by.


    The voting process didn''t take very long. Everyone lined up in front of the stands and wrote one or two on a small strip of bark.


    The bark was then thrown into a chest that looked like it had been taken from a Dungeon clear reward. The process took less than an hour.


    Many of the younger students had entered the ce to watch the process. The stands were filled with hundreds of people at the moment.


    After thest person voted, de stepped forward. He ced his own piece of bark into the chest and then began to speak.


    "We will now tally the votes," He beckoned to two young men that were standing beside the table. Each pulled out another chest to sit beside the first.


    de opened up each chest and turned them towards the crowd, showing that they were both empty.


    "All right, does anyone have anything to say before the count begins?" He waited a few moments, but no one responded.


    "Very well," He pulled out one of the ballots, "One."


    He ced the vote into the left-hand box. The man standing at the box scratched a mark on the side for everyone to see.


    "Two... One... One..."


    The counting of ballots only took around twenty minutes. In the end, forty-two had voted to go to Valha.


    "All right, that''s settled then," He looked around at the students, "Everyone, begin gathering your things. Share storage items if need be. Just make sure to return them once we arrive."


    Geth stood up before anyone could move.


    "To those eight that voted againsting to Valha. I''ll be waiting outside. I would like to speak to you directly.


    Don''t reveal who you are to anyone else if you don''t mind." Geth left the area with those few words.


    Everyone looked at his back, confused, as he walked out of the colosseum.. It didn''t take long for eight figures to disappear from the crowd after everyone began moving again.

 Chapter 157: Im No Hero

    Chapter 157: I''m No Hero


    Geth stood a little ways from the entrance of the Dungeon. He leaned casually against a nearby tree.


    ncing at the sun''s position, he could see that it was nearing noon. It had been a bit over an hour since he''d left the crowd.


    ''I wonder if any of them will show?''


    While waiting, he summoned his Skeletons and allowed them to handle their Skill selections. The creatures looked at him gratefully, but it didn''t seem that they intended on trying to speak.


    Geth was a bit let down that he didn''t get the chance to try and converse with his Skeleton Archer. His Tame had chosen its ss evolution and was instantly recalled.


    Geth sent one of his selves to check its Attributes, but there was a notice on the panel. He pulled out the Taming Card only to discover it held the same statement.


    ***


    Skeleton Archer is currently undergoing an evolutionary period.


    Time untilpletion: 47 Hours 58 Minutes 29 Seconds


    ***


    This was the first time that Geth had been made to wait for anything by the system. He recalled his Tames when he noticed a shadow move slightly near the Dungeon entry.


    "I guessed that you would be one of them," Geth remarked casually.


    de stepped out from behind the tree Geth was leaning on.


    "Hahaha! Even with my sh Step Skill, you had no issue following me. Your abilities are truly marvelous!"


    Geth maintained his position and grinned.


    "Will the otherse?" He asked.


    de shrugged, "That''s hard to say. You never said what this meeting would be about."


    Geth nodded and continued waiting in silence. Another ten minutes passed with no one else making an appearance.


    Sigh


    Geth nced over at de. He could tell that the man had something on his mind but seemed too scared to say it.


    "Go ahead. I''m not going to fault you for it. I don''t think the way that others do."


    de looked at him quizzically for a moment, "Why wouldn''t you hate me for allowing Thorn tomit such atrocities?"


    Geth shook his head, "I only did away with Thorn and hisckeys because I believed they posed a potential threat to my family in the future."


    He turned to face de. He let his mask slip and looked at the man before continuing in a remarkably monotone voice.


    "I''m no hero. Though I may be praised that way in Valha, it''s only due to circumstance that the citizens think that way.


    I have done what I''ve done so far because I see it as the best way to protect my own interests. You were simply doing the same.


    What good would it have done for you or the women to kill Thorn and his men? You would have died in the attempt, and nothing would have changed.


    If you had miraculously seeded, you would have had multiple mouths to feed. Your advancement in Levels would have almost certainly stagnated since you wouldn''t have been in a strong party.


    The only other possibility is that you failed and escaped. This would have left behind a hazardous loose end for you."


    de looked at the stagnant face of the man before him. He couldn''t pick up on a single trace of emotion. It scared him.


    "You aren''t normal, are you?" de asked a bit hesitantly.


    "All things are rtive. Anyway, your friends have arrived," Geth''s mask slowly concealed his face as a light smile took shape.


    "Creepy," de muttered. He looked toward the Dungeon entrance in expectancy.


    Seven people left the Dungeon at once and walked towards them. Amongst them was Storm, which didn''t surprise Geth in the least.


    "de! What kind of lies has he been feeding you!?" An older man stormed out, yelling angrily.


    Geth looked at the old man for a minute before recalling the face. It was the old football coach from when he was in school.


    "You''ve got the wrong idea," de tried to diffuse the man''s hostility.


    "I know better than that! I''ve seen this man hospitalize three of my yers and not even bat an eye!"


    de nced at Geth, recalling what he''d just seen and heard.


    "And you think it''s a good idea toe out here and antagonize him without hearing what he has to say?"


    The old man seemed to be more heated.


    "We have the strength to do as we please! You can''t expec-"


    The old man stopped speaking as he felt a de suddenly pressing against his throat. The man that he''d been speaking poorly of was nowhere to be seen.


    He looked down to find Geth''s hand gripping onto his own dagger that had been hidden in his waistband. Warm liquid ran lightly down his throat and began staining the cor of his robe.


    "Where''s that confidence you just had, old man?"


    The entire group leaped back in surprise. Geth had just appeared there as if he''d materialized from thin air!


    "Please don''t kill him!"


    An old woman cried and fell gently to her knees. He recognized her as well.


    She was the head cafeteriady. The woman disregarded the school''s rules multiple times and made sure that any children without money in their ount had the same lunch as the rest.


    Geth removed the dagger from the old man''s throat and allowed it to fall point first into the ground at his feet. Before the dended, Geth had already appeared in his initial spot, leaning against the tree.


    The old man fell to his knees and grasped at his throat. An expression of sheer terror remained on his face.


    "Now. Are you going to remain calm long enough for us to handle this discussion?"


    The old man nodded, along with everyone else in the group.


    "Very well, then let''s move somewhere a bit more private."


    Geth turned his back to thepany and headed deeper into the forest. He didn''t have to look back to know that they weren''t too far behind him.


    Sigh


    ''Maybe I went a bit overboard.''

 Chapter 158: Your Choice

    Chapter 158: Your Choice


    Geth led the group to a small clearing that he''d scouted out the previous evening. He''d already nned on this from the beginning.


    Multiple stone benches sat in a circle around a small campfire. He took a seat before gesturing to the others to do the same.


    "Anyone happen to know any fire magic?" He asked.


    The old cook nodded and lit the fire before taking a seat. de followed suit, nodding to the others that it was okay.


    Geth sat on the ground in front of the fire. He stared at the mes while speaking to the group.


    "I''d like to hear your reasoning for voting against joining Valha. Make your exnation brief. de, I''d like you to break the ice for everyone."


    Before de could speak, Geth held up his hand, "Make your introductions with your name, Level, and ss as well."


    "de. Level 38. Strider. I would have voted to go if it wasn''t for my history with some of the people in Valha. I believe that it would be in their best interests for all of the students and teachers to go."


    He took a seat and tapped the arm of the woman beside him. The old cook stood up and cleared her throat.


    "Helga. Level 31. Cook. I enjoy traveling the wild and prefer not to get bogged down from political affairs."


    She sat down and gently rubbed the shoulder of the old man who sat beside her. The old coach stood up, still looking pale from their earlier encounter.


    "Ulysses. Level 34. Rogue. The yers you hurt back then would have all gotten schrships if you hadn''t taken away their senior year. I don''t like you."


    He took his seat. Geth chuckled, speaking up before the next person could stand. Ulysses became enraged at the younger man for finding that funny.


    "Maybe you should have taught your ''pets'' some discipline. If they hadn''t tried to force themselves on a girl I was seeing, they would have had their precious schrships."


    Ulysses'' anger faded entirely. He took on a pensive look and seemed to be trying to recall something.


    Geth let him be and gestured to the next man. He was a bit younger than Geth and probably hadn''t been a teacher for long.


    "My name is Troy! I''m Level 36! My ss is Archer! I respect you because de respects you!


    The only reason I voted against going is that de said that he wouldn''t be going! I mean no disrespect!"


    The young man practically yelled his answers before sitting back down. He briefly saw de press his fingers against his temples and found it amusing.


    "Storm. Level 32. Mage. I... have my own personal reasons. It would be better for me to follow de."


    Geth could see her begin to blush as she sat down. He also didn''t miss de ncing away awkwardly.


    The following person who stood up was a schrly-looking man. He had long robes and a short scepter in one hand.


    "My name is Felix, also Level 32. I''m a Cleric. I''ve only stayed here to help look after the younger ones.


    If they go with you and are safe, I would like to explore again. I have no alternative reasons for saying I won''t go."


    Geth was a bit surprised to find another Cleric.


    ''I wonder what path he will choose to follow.''


    Thest two people stood at the same time. They were a man and a woman in their mid-fifties or so.


    Geth recognized the man as the school janitor. He wasn''t familiar with the woman.


    "It''s nice to see you again, Geth. I missed our talks from when you were younger."


    Geth nodded at the man, "It''s nice to see that you''re doing well."


    "Anyway, I now go by Shaka. My wife goes by Zulu. The two of us are both Level 35. We both chose the Warrior ss, but she uses more magic while I act as more of a defender."


    Shaka looked at Geth with arge grin. He ced his fist to his chest.


    "I would be happy to follow you anywhere, but not if I have to sit still in some city. We are looking for adventure, not a home."


    Geth smiled back at the man and looked around to the rest. He stood up and began speaking.


    "My name is Geth. I am Level 52, and I am an Oracle. The reason that I asked you here is to form a party to take over this region."


    Everyone in the group looked at him in surprise. Some because of his Level, others because of his statement.


    "Are you saying that you don''t mean to exile us?" Ulysses asked him a bit timidly.


    "What? No. I need a strong-willed party that can spend months away from others without going insane.


    Most of the people who voted to return with me to Valha are in it for the advantages. The eight of you chose your own paths even after knowing the benefits I can provide."


    de stood up, "I''d be more than happy to serve you, but how do you know we wouldn''t keep this city for ourselves?"


    "That''s easy. If you decided to do that..." Geth allowed his Mana to run free. The pressure he gave off almost brought de to his knees while those sitting broke into cold sweats.


    He pulled the pressure back into his mental sphere. A bright smile shed across his face.


    "I''ll kill you," He shrugged and acted as if it were the most natural answer.


    "I''m not making you do this. It is your choice whether you would like to be part of the kingdom of Valha or not. Our territory will eventually expand with or without you."


    A few in the group wiped the sweat from their brows. Shaka and Zulu both stood up next.


    "As long as we have our adventure, you have a deal!"


    "I''m going anywhere that de goes!" Shouted Troy.


    Felix, Storm, and Helga all stood up and nodded in his direction. Everyone looked toward Ulysses and waited for an answer.


    <em>Sigh</em>


    "Fine! But if we are going to be some elite unit, then we need a cool name!"

 Chapter 159: Marathon

    Chapter 159: Marathon


    Geth left the squad with orders to scout out the location of the above-ground Dungeon that marked the city. He took the time to exin the different Tiers of Dungeons before they took off.


    If they encountered any Tier 4 Dungeons, they would report to Valha. Beyond that, he wanted them to take as many as possible.


    The group took off quietly, without saying their goodbyes. Geth made his way back to the Dungeon entrance, where arge group had already begun to form.


    An older woman, who Geth recognized as his old English teacher, walked forward from the crowd.


    "I''m going by Para, now. I haven''t had the chance to speak with you, Geth."


    He frowned, "And why would you want to? It isn''t like we had developed some close rtionship."


    Para looked taken aback. Still, it didn''t take her long to pull herself back together.


    "Where are the others? Even if they disagreed with this, they are still part of thismunity," She questioned with a bit of an usatory tone.


    He rolled his eyes, "I''ve sent them on a mission that will be of great importance to Valha in the future."


    He looked over the short woman''s head and found that therge crowd had stopped growing. With a quick count, it seemed that just over 300 had arrived.


    "I suppose the rest are going to stay here. That''s fine," Geth muttered. He didn''t wish for the Dungeons to remain unupied, anyway.


    "All right! Everyone stand closely together!" He yelled at the crowd of students and the few teachers.


    Most of them looked confused by hismand but still decided to obey. Geth had to shoo Para back into the crowd.


    Once everyone was in position, Geth cast Mass Invocation. The familiar bright light of the spell filled the area.


    The Agility and Wisdom of everyone in the crowd skyrocketed. Amotion broke out as the excited students took notice of the effects.


    "Quiet!"


    Geth bellowed into the crowd. The noise that had just begun to pick up quickly fizzed out.


    "All right, we have a long road to travel, and we don''t want anyone getting lost. The coordinates for Valha have already been marked in your Grimoires."


    He looked around as the crowd flipped over to their "Map" page.


    "I want everyone to form groups of ten and move individually. Larger crowds have a higher possibility of attracting creatures in the daylight.


    Each group needs to have at least one adult present. Other than that, there are no restrictions.


    I''ve also sent coordinates to our first rest area. Everyone will meet up there when the sun starts to fall. Any questions?"


    Geth waited and saw that no one was going to speak. Jack''s group had already pushed through the crowd with the intent of joining him.


    "All right! You have five minutes to form your groups!"


    The noise of an excited crowd immediately overtook the silence of the clearing. Jack, Sindri, Peter, and Rift quickly clustered around him.


    As time passed, the shuffling began to slow. Only a few singled-out individuals were still walking around.


    "Time''s up! Any stragglers who didn''t manage to find a party will be joining me!"


    A younger girl was the first one who joined his group. She was probably only in her early to mid teens.


    After that, three boys followed suit. All of them were about the same age. If Geth had to guess, they were first- or second-year students.


    "All right, we will make introductionster." He smiled at the nervous teens who were around him.


    "Everyone, move out!"


    The groups took off with enthusiasm. He could tell that even the adults were hyped by the Agility boost he''d given them.


    Geth beckoned his small squad to follow him and took off through the trees. He made sure to run slow and keep his senses on each of his temporary party members.


    His speed gradually increased as he noticed the rest getting used to the boost in Agility.


    ''Wisdom was definitely the correct choice for the secondary Attribute. These kids would have taken all day just to get used to the Agility otherwise.''


    Geth chuckled at the ungraceful movements of his followers. Jack and two of the younger boys had already eaten dirt twice.


    There were still close to nine hours of daylight left. As long as of the groups strayed too far, everyone should reach the campsite with an hour to spare.


    He was actually a bit worried about losing some potential citizens during this escapade. There were close to forty groups, some not quite having ten members.


    ''As long as I set up plenty of stops, they should be fine. It may turn the three-day trip into a five or six-day venture, though.''


    Sigh


    ''Well, I''ve done all I can do to make things proceed smoothly. At least once we get past the halfway mark, the area should bepletely clear of mobs.''


    "How long do we have to run like this?" Jack asked while struggling to keep his bnce.


    "We still have another seven hours for today."


    Jack tripped over his feet and almost face-nted again. He barely managed to catch himself at thest moment.


    "Seven hours?!" Jack groaned.


    "Quit being such a big baby!" Sindriughed at the young man''s disposition. "How long will the trip take, Geth? It doesn''t seem that far on the map."


    "I n on us taking breaks each evening, so five days if we''re lucky. Seven at most."


    "I can''t wait!" Rift leaped in excitement mid-stride.


    Peter huffed, "I... I''m going to... die! Seven days... of this?!"


    "Hahaha, looks like you''re getting some well-needed exe-!" Jack tried to make fun of his friend but tripped over a root.


    Everyone looked back andughed as they watched his face drag through the mud for the third time. Peter especially got a kick out of it.


    "Okay, Captain America, how about you worry about yourself?" Rift called back.


    Geth smiled at the young man''s joke and slowed enough for Jack to catch back up.. The joking proceeded that way well into the afternoon.

 Chapter 160: Arcane Archer

    Chapter 160: Arcane Archer


    Geth had chosen the meeting point at random. He was grateful to find that the wooded area was clear of mobs.


    ''At least everyone should be able to rest easy tonight.''


    Before the vote even urred, he had contacted Larz to see if Filthy would scout out the next two stops. After that, pretty much the rest of the trip would be a safe zone.


    The party was surprised to find that they were the second to make it to the meeting point. A group of six had beat them there.


    Few words were shared between the two parties. Geth traveled around the periphery of the intended campsite marking the trees with Detection Runes.


    The Runes were drawn in pairs. Geth would be alerted through his Grimoire if anything blocked the sight between the two Runes.


    ''Albus still hasn''t recoveredpletely.''


    Geth sighed. With Albus still worn down, he would have to actively be mindful of any alerts the Runes sent him.


    While Albus was still in hibernation, Geth had be used to controlling the Grimoire without him. It was an abnormal feeling at first, but after hours of fiddling, he found that it came naturally.


    Geth made his way to one of the upper branches of the centermost tree. He closed his eyes and entered his mental sphere.


    "Larz, any progress on that scouting mission?"


    Geth could hear the Elven man''s voice respond through the small addition to his mental sphere.


    "Nothing as of yet. Your subordinate set off approximately ten hours ago.


    Based on his Agility, I would expect him back before you set off in the morning. Also, we are having a bit of trouble at one of the Gates."


    "What kind of trouble could you possibly be having?" Geth asked with a hint of surprise.


    Even an upper-ss Direwolf should struggle to break through the city''s defenses. What could possibly be giving them Larz issues?


    "It''s nothing serious, my lord. I''ve not told any of your subordinates of the matter. Only some riff-raff that wishes to have a word with you."


    Geth thanked Larz and cut the connection.


    "I wonder who that could be? I''ve either killed or assimted everyone who I''ve run into so far," He mumbles.


    Geth smacked his fist to his palm when a face came to mind.


    "Gotta be that young man I made a show of exiling," He shook his head. Some new friends must have given the youth confidence.


    He pushed the thought to his side and took a look around his mental sphere. A dozen of his selves were walking around, either noting the Runes that made up his Skills or discussing different theories about the Mana.


    Every time his Wisdom made another significant breakthrough, he would have to create another self to slow down his thoughts. The world became sluggish if he didn''t.


    Geth walked over to the outskirts by his Tame''s mental spheres. He still hadn''t taken a look at the Skeleton Archer''s ss upgrade.


    ***


    Master''s presence detected. Would you like to open Grimoire for [Skeleton]?


    Yes/No


    ***


    "Yes."


    ***


    Arcane Archer, Lvl 50


    HP- 1650 +450


    MP- 1590


    Strength- 1 +45


    Agility- 100 +70


    Defense- 2 +50


    Wisdom- 20 +35


    Intelligence- 99 +40


    Skills:


    Augment Agility, urate Shot, Pration, Soft Steps, Torrential Downpour, Guided Arrow, Mana Arrow, Frost Arrow, me Arrow, Arrow of Entanglement


    Equipment:


    Straugh''s Bow, Quiver of Holding, Helm of Wisdom, Sturdy Boots, Light Bracers, Leather Pants, Leather Jerkin


    ***


    "Hmm? These new Skills are rather interesting. They also vary heavily from the vague Skills given from Levels 1 to 25."


    The Skills that the Skeletons started with could have been used in almost any profession. Those after Level 25 were heavily geared toward their ss.


    "This Arcane Archer ss is interesting as well. I''m looking forward to seeing what you can achieve."


    Geth closed the panel and returned to his body. The sensors had gone off a few times, indicating that multiple groups had arrived.


    He climbed down from the tree and briefly conversed with the teachers. Due to their previous experience, they all understood that they weren''t to set up any structures.


    Satisfied that no one would do anything stupid, Geth took count of the arrivals. Every group had made it without a hitch.


    "It seems that you were worrying for nothing," Sindri came up behind him and interrupted his thoughts.


    "I wouldn''t say that. I won''t consider the trip safe until we''ve all reached tomorrow''s checkpoint."


    Sindri sat on a fallen branch and looked up at him, "You should rx a bit. There are plenty of people to help carry the burden.


    Everyone here at least has a ss. Some are even Level 30 or higher already. You don''t have to do everything all on your own."


    Geth looked at the young woman and sighed. He summoned his Skeletons, startling the poor girl.


    "The four of you watch the perimeter."


    All four Tames bowed to Geth and then took off in different directions. He noted the amount of pressure that came off of his Arcane Archer.


    "What the hell was that?!" Sindri finally found her tongue.


    Geth chuckled, "That was me not doing everything all on my own."


    The girl rolled her eyes and looked towards where the Skeletons had run off. Geth could see the questions already trying to burst out.


    "Here," He cut her off before she had the chance to speak. A couple of Umon Taming Cards appeared in his hand.


    "Start with those. Two cards are plenty to guarantee a Tame if you put some points in the Skill it gives you."


    "Thank you!" She started off excited but then scrunched up her nose as she read the card. "What are Tier 2 creatures?"


    "For now, they would be either Goblins or Skeletons. Slimes are the only Tier 1 creatures that I''vee across so far," He answered.


    The girl''s face scrunched up a bit more. Geth could see that the thought of having a Goblin for a pet didn''t appeal to the girl.


    Still, her presence had lifted his mood.


    "Come on, let''s have a meal with the others before getting some rest."

 Chapter 161: Misfits

    Chapter 161: Misfits


    Around a campfire, a few hundred miles south from where Geth was preparing his meal;


    "I can''t believe that man''s generosity!" Ulysses eximed while looking over his gear.


    de scoffed, "I can''t believe that you actually dared to challenge him. Could you not feel the pressure that was radiating from him?"


    "In any case, these gems that he provided us with increased our party''s capabilities several-fold!" Felix chimed in.


    "He really is a good man," Zulu stated. "Even if it''s for his own gain, we now have a purpose."


    Ulysses rubbed his throat gently, "Well, I think he''s scary."


    "Most wild animals are peaceful until you try to poke them with a stick," Storm said while shaking her head.


    The old Cook, Helga,ughed at the Assassin''s embarrassment. She slopped her most recent stew onto tes for everyone.


    "Dig in! This concoction will increase everyone''s Defense and Strength slightly for the next twenty hours. It has an added effect that will keep you warm throughout the evening."


    "You really are the best, Helga!" de praised.


    She pointed herdle at him, "You have some exining to do. How do you know that young man?"


    "As I''ve said before, Geth saved my life," de scooped a spoonful of meat and tried to avoid answering the question.


    "You might as well tell us the whole story. I think it''ll be better for the party to know a bit about who we''re working for," Felix stated.


    Sigh


    "Fine. I guess it would be a bit easier to start from the beginning.


    I met Geth years ago, though he probably doesn''t remember me. At the time, I worked maintenance at the hospital.


    Geth was one of the technicians brought in when the problems were a bitrger than our crew could handle," de began.


    "I had issues back then. I was constantly in and out of rehab, and I ended up jobless and on the streets.


    Geth saw me behind the hospital one day in the winter. I was at one of my lower points.


    The man fed me, bought me a few outfits, and even paid for a month''s motel fees. He couldn''t have been more than twenty at the time."


    de smiled gently as he recalled some of those memories.


    "He hooked me up with a job as his recement before he went on to pursue better. I would have died behind that hospital if it weren''t for him.


    I abused his gift and fell back into my old ways after five or six years. I stole from my boss and strung myself out again."


    The man stirred the campfire a bit, causing the mes to crackle.


    "Fast forward to this world. I woke up a bit earlier than those around me.


    Due to the extra time, I managed to get slightly ahead in Levels. On top of that, I lucked out in finding a Solo Dungeon that only had a few weak Goblins.


    The more I leveled, the less I experienced withdrawals. I even became addicted to the feeling of growth."


    de stood up and turned away from the group. He hung his head as he finished the rest.


    "I found a group of people who were abusing their new powers. Instead of helping the people they were hurting... I just let it happen.


    Geth didn''t let it happen! As soon as he saw that those people were in need, he did something to help!


    Eventually, Geth came across our group. I''m the only one who survived that encounter, and it''s only because he told his people not to give chase.


    The man saved my life once, and even after such a fuck up, he let me live again."


    Storm ced her hand on one of de''s shoulders, "We''ve all made mistakes. Even more than normal aftering here."


    "You didn''t fill your head with excuses while watching innocent women being abused!" de blurted out.


    "No," Storm agreed. "But I did make excuses while I witnessed hundreds of children being ripped apart by those wolves. We all did."


    Everyone at the campfire turned solemn. It was the truth.


    "For the sake of survival, we''ve all done something terrible," Shaka agreed. "I pushed innocent children to their deaths just to make sure my wife survived."


    Zulu had tears streaming down her cheeks, "And I pretended not to notice! I just let you do it."


    de turned around to look at the couple. Troy stood up to speak.


    "I shot someone else in the leg with one of my arrows to get ahead! That young woman died, but I escaped," The young man admitted. The shame on his face was apparent.


    "I won''t even say what I''ve done. The point is that we are all failures here. This world has broken everyone," Ulysses added.


    de spoke quietly, "Not everyone."


    A moment of silence passed as the group thought about the man who had put them together. Shaka stood and mmed his sword against his shield.


    "The only thing we can do now is better ourselves moving forward! This group of misfits will help build a kingdom where no one has to face such decisions!"


    "Ha! Now that''s a name right there!" Ulysses yelled before jumping up onto his seat. "From now on, we will be known as the Misfits!"


    "Sit down, old man, before you hurt something," de chided. "But I will propose a toast! To Geth!"


    de held up the liquor that had been made by Helga. Everyone else followed suit.


    "To Geth!"


    ***


    "Achoo!"


    Geth rubbed his nose and looked around. He had a sudden feeling that someone was talking about him.


    Everyone had finished their meals and climbed up into the branches for the night.


    His Skeletons had caused a few scares at first. After exining the situation, everyone gradually got used to the undead walking about.


    "Is everything okay?" Sindri whispered from a nearby branch.


    "Leave the man alone and close your eyes, Sindri," Peter remarked.


    "Up yours, chubby!"


    Geth chuckled at their little dispute. He shook his head and made himselffy on the branch.


    "Get some sleep. We have another long run tomorrow."


    Thest thing Geth heard before falling asleep was Peter''s groaning.

 Chapter 162: Experiments

    Chapter 162: Experiments


    By the time morning hade, Filthy had made it back to base. Geth received a transmission from Larz telling him where the next three rest stops should be.


    The next few days proceeded smoothly, ending with every team making it safely to the Southern Gate.


    A long line ran back from the gate, with Larz handling the citizenship process as it slowly shuffled forward. Many of the neers were impressed with the wall that loomed menacingly over them.


    "Is this really where we''ll be living?"


    "Look at this wall. There''s no end to it!"


    "What about all of those monsters standing on top?!"


    "Is that an Elf?!"


    Larz drew more attention than the city did. A torrent of questions were cast his way with each new citizen that he epted.


    Geth chuckled as he moved up to greet the man. Larz smiled as he saw his master''s approach.


    "Wee back, my lord. The trouble I mentioned before is still hanging around the East Gate."


    "They still haven''t given up, huh?" Geth asked.


    "No, and I''ve made sure that anyone who has gone out hunting left through the West Gate. It will leave a better impression if you handle the problem personally," Larz informed him.


    "He has around ten men with him. None of them are above Level 35," The Elf added as if it were an afterthought.


    "Very well."


    Geth thought back to the young man he had tossed out. The boy hadn''t been particrly outstanding in any way.


    He used his Invocation to increase his Agility and Wisdom, which had be a normalbination for him.


    "I suppose this will be an excellent chance to see just how far I can go with my Time Dy Skill," Geth mumbled.


    He ran around the wall in the eastern direction.


    ''I hadn''t realized just how big this ce was. It could easily house everyone who lived in the county.''


    Unfortunately, it was unlikely to get everyone together under one roof, even with that truth.


    ''I would usually take quality over quantity, but the merit system benefits more from an abundance of citizens. Now isn''t the time. I''ll think about it moreter.''


    With his enhanced Agility, the Eastern Gate was swiftlying into view. Geth veered off to the right after deciding to take a dramatic approach.


    ****


    "Attack the door again! Just think of all the treasures a ce like this can have!"


    "Boss, we''ve been hacking at these doors for days and have barely put a dent in them."


    "If I wanted your opinion, I''d fuckin'' ask for it! Hit ''em again!"


    Edge watched from the side, a scheming grin stered on his face. He''d managed to con this small group of thugs into helping him.


    The boss turned to look at him, "You should be helping, runt. If we do all this work on our own, I won''t even give your gear back."


    He''d fabricated the lie that Geth and the others had stolen equipment from many different parties. They were equipped well enough to make his story look true.


    "I can''t do much without any gear!" Edgeined.


    "It''s no surprise these guys stol- ackk!"


    The big guy dropped to the ground. One moment he''d been fine. The next, he was covered in bruises.


    "What the fuck!?"


    Edge quickly backed away from the blood that was running towards his feet. He looked towards the other gang members and found that they were all in simr positions.


    "Did the wall do this?" He questioned, d that he hadn''t attacked with everyone else.


    "I''ll just have to find someone stronger to help me then!" He eximed.


    "That sounds like a great idea!"


    "Huh?" Edge turned his body around swiftly and found himself face to face with a grinning Geth.


    "Long time no see! Life been treating ya okay?" Geth asked the boy.


    "Wha-? Agghhhhhh!"


    Edge suddenly felt an immense amount of paining from his left leg as his body dropped to the ground. He managed to look and found that his knee was facing the wrong direction.


    "Aw man, that looks nasty. Here, let me help." Geth said.


    The pain began to ebb as Edge watched his leg twist back to its original position. He looked up at the older man, full of bewilderment.


    The bearded man was no longer smiling. A t and uncaring look overtook his previously merry features.


    "You had a chance to live, boy."


    His words were t. Edge couldn''t hear any anger or hatred in the voice at all.


    An immense pressure poured out of the elderly man. His knees began to shake as a feeling of fear crept into him.


    ''Why should I be scared of this old man? Wait... I can''t move?''


    Edge tried to look around and found that he couldn''t even bat his eyelids. The man was staring at him with that same creepy look.


    ''What the hell is going on!?" Edge tried his best to move again but to no avail.


    The bearded man moved toward him but at an agonizingly slow pace. It was like watching a movie during some extreme slow-motion scene.


    Edge still couldn''t move. He watched for almost ten minutes as the cloaked man reached out and grabbed one of his fingers.


    Pain surged upward from his hand. His eyes were tilted just enough that he could see his finger bending in some unnatural position.


    ''Agggghhh! Agghhh! Fuckk!''


    He couldn''t even cry out for help as he watched this man break his fingers one by one. The cracking of each bone could be heard for a solid minute.


    Another twenty minutes passed in Edge''s mind as his hands became utterly warped. What made it worse was that the pain had barely started to throb!


    ****


    ''Seems like it''s working just fine,'' Geth thought.


    The young man didn''t seem capable of moving. He just stood and watched for the full five seconds that it took Geth to fracture each of his fingers.


    Geth kicked the young man in his kneecap again, dropping him to the ground. He ended the Time Dy on the young man to recover some of his Mana.


    "Aggghhh! What did you do to me?!"


    "Oh, found your tongue already? Good, I need you to tell me exactly what you just went through."


    It was easy for Geth to speed up time for an individual. This was how he forced people''s minds to think that he''d teleported.


    Slowing time down, on the other hand... Well, he hadn''t really had a way to test that out until now.


    "Fuck you!"


    Sigh


    "You''ll answer eventually," Geth stated.


    He cast the Skill again. This time he not only broke the boy''s fingers but also shattered both of his shins.


    The process only took a few seconds for him. If his Skill worked the way he thought it should, it probably felt like close to an hour for the boy.


    "Aggghhhh!!!" A blood-chilling scream erupted from Edge.


    Geth cast Restoration on the young man and asked him again.


    "So, are you ready to help me with my little experiment? I have all day."


    Edge curled up into a ball and whimpered.


    "This isn''t going to get me anywhere," Geth muttered.


    He canceled his Restoration and put the boy out of his misery.


    ''I''ll have to find someone willing to cooperate,'' He thought.


    Geth walked around gathering the storage items and Skill Cards offthe dead bodies before making his way through the Eastern Gates.

 Chapter 163: Burden

    Chapter 163: Burden


    "And that''s how I managed to get away from the big bad Skeleton!"


    Geth finished his story and took a bite of the steaming mutton before him. The children stared at him, dreams of adventure dancing in their eyes.


    "Show us!"


    "Hahaha, you can''t let your dad eat first?" He questioned.


    "No!"


    He shook his head and put his utensils on the table.


    "All right. I''m only gonna do this once, so watch closely."


    Geth activated Osmosis and filtered his way through the wall of the treehouse. He felt like a grape being mashed as his body oozed and reformed on the outside.


    ''Geez! What a rush!''


    The Skill still made his head spin a bit, but he soon gained his bearings and walked around to the front door. Stark was already standing in the doorway waiting for him.


    "That''s amazing!" He cried.


    His youngest son squeezed between them, "How did you manage to do that? It doesn''t make sense that your body can handle that kind of pressure."


    "There are a lot of things in this world that can hardly be exined."


    Geth finished dinner and spent the rest of the day hanging out with his children. He talked Zolis and Filthy into ying ball with them while Jen watched from the side.


    Things might have felt almost normal if it weren''t for the distant wall and the looming tower.


    Geth''s constant nces in its direction were full of curiosity. Even if he''d just gotten back, he was ready to open it up.


    He pulled Filthy to the side when they''d finished ying ball.


    "I know it''s short notice, but I need you to get everyone together. We set out in the morning."


    A grin shed on Filthy''s face, his eyes already gleaming with excitement.


    "Finally!" He eximed, "Being stagnant isn''t my style."


    The man shed off into the distance, presumably to let the others know. Geth could have asked Larz to do it, but the Elf still had a small line at the Southern Gate.


    Zolis approached him after the kids went over to Jen''s house. They had gotten used to staying with their older brother while Geth and Zolis were off adventuring.


    "We will be down a party member for this raid," Zolis told him.


    Geth thought for a moment, "Alise made up her mind, then?"


    "Yes. Once she saw the kids, reality sank in. She just needed something to distract her while she sorted her feelings."


    "And how do you feel about that?"


    Zolis sighed, "I could tell from the beginning. Still, I think that it was a good experience for us."


    Both were quiet for a moment before Zolis spoke again.


    "You''re a lot easier to deal with when I have someone else to share the burden," She teased.


    "Hahaha!" Gethughed while stroking his beard, "Is that so? Well, how about I show you just how big a burden I really am!?"


    He scooped Zolis over his shoulder and proceeded to carry her into their temporary home. Herughter made him smile as her fists yfully beat on his back to put her down.


    ****


    The rays of the sun peaked over the edge of the Northern Gate. Frost still nketed the des of grass in the wall''s shadow.


    Arge group stood and waited as they watched their rapidly approaching leader. Geth closed the distance swiftly, followed by another small party.


    "Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone," He apologized when he stopped before them.


    "Who are the runts?" Hulk questioned, stepping closer to get a good look at the neers.


    Geth introduced them, "These are some promising recruits. Peter, Rift, Jack, and Sindri. They will be temporarily joining the main party for the Tier 4 raid."


    "Are you sure they can handle it?" ze asked, his eyes filled with doubt.


    "I believe they will be a greater asset than anyone we can pull from the city."


    ze nodded and didn''t ask any more questions. Geth looked at the recruits Hulk pulled into the second party, instantly recognizing three faces.


    Bill stepped forward, "It''s nice to see you in one piece, young man!"


    "I never doubted your return for a second, unlike these two bozos!" Bob called.


    "Hey! You were the one who was worried about him!" Brad retorted.


    The three began to argue while Geth looked on incredulously. He shook his head while heughed at the old men.


    "It''s good to see you old fes haven''t turned to dust yet."


    "We wanted to thank you for that buff you gave us before leaving. We managed to put it to good use in some nearby Solo Dungeons."


    Geth could tell that the three were considerably more powerful than before. He looked around at the other recruits.


    Aside from Harris and Farris, he didn''t know the names of anyone else.


    He did take note of the man who used to train the local MMA fighters. The older man carried a long staff and wore simple leather armor.


    "Are there any questions before we head out?"


    Hulk spoke up, "Even with the new recruits, you only have an eight-man party. How do you intend on taking on a Tier 4 Dungeon?"


    Geth waved his hand. The air behind him turned dark as four figures ambled out of an indiscernible void.


    The Skeletons came into full view. The pressure they gave off weighed on everyone present.


    A handful of the recruits took an involuntary step back. Some hands went directly to their weapons.


    "It would be best if you refrained from doing that," Geth stated. He lifted his hand again, his Tames disappearing into a puff of smoke.


    "Tier 3 Dungeons and above have a chance of containing Taming Cards. Make sure to loot the ce properly."


    "Any other questions?"


    He waited for a minute. When it was evident that there were no more questions, he cast Mass Invocation. A gasp sounded from those who hadn''t experienced it before.


    "Everyone meet at the rally point.. We''ll discuss the rest in detail from there."

 Chapter 164: Progression

    Chapter 164: Progression


    Albus had finally woken up in the morning. Geth spent his time looking over his Skills and Attributes with his partner.


    "You''vee a long way. I still think you should upgrade your Tame Creature and Time Dy Skills. Also, your Foresight Talent rally needs to be taken up a notch as well."


    "How many points do I have left? I want to save some for defensive and offensive Skills once the Tower opens. At the moment, I provide more support than anything."


    "While that may be true, your support Skills will be necessary if you want to keep everyone alive," Albus responded.


    Sigh


    "Do you think that this will be as difficult as what we faced?" Geth asked his friend.


    "This Dungeon will be harsh. Beasts are much more intelligent than the creatures you''ve faced so far."


    Geth thought back to the Direwolves that he''d run into months ago. They were already so strong back then.


    He recalled the light in the beast''s eyes as it smirked at him. It knew that it was more powerful.


    "I understand. That Direwolf knew that it was toying with me back then," Geth stated.


    "Yes, Direwolves are very proud creatures. Every Race of Beast has strong instincts that drive and motivate them. They are sometimes inclined to act on them even when it isn''t in their best interest," Albus informed him.


    Geth made sure to remember those words and turned to his Attribute screen.


    ***


    Geth: Level 52


    ss: Oracle


    Exp: 155,053/1,000,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 4080 +350 (Rec. 14.36/Second)


    MP- 4830 +2800 (Rec. 91.96/Second)


    Strength- 5 +80 (P.Damage/Stamina Recovery)


    Agility- 5 +75 (Mov.spd./Dexterity/Reflexes)


    Defense- 100 +247 +[15] (HP/P.Res./HP Rec.)


    Wisdom- 283 +190 +[43] (MP/M.Res./Mana Recovery/Processing Speed/Memory)


    Intelligence- 50 +185 (MP/M.Dmg./Learning Speed)


    Points Avable:


    TP- 12 (Talent Points)


    SP- 80 (Skill Points)


    AP- 0 (Attribute Points)


    ***


    There were still plenty of Skill Points avable to prepare for the uing battle. Geth had to think of which Skills would be the most useful for his current party.


    ''Should I upgrade the Rarity on any specific Skills, or would it be better to level all of my Skills once or twice?''


    It all came down to the teamposition and the predicaments they found themselves in.


    Geth already had an abundance of support Skills for different situations. He decided that strengthening his weaker Skills would be more critical.


    "I agree with Tame Creature, but let''s take a look at Curse and Barrier before working on something with an already high Rarity. The three of those are still sitting at Common."


    Time Dy was already a Rare Skill when he received it. Albus nodded and pulled up the Skills, along with their descriptions.


    "Curse and Tame Creature are both Level 1. It only costs 28 SP to upgrade both to Umon and only an additional 12 for Barrier."


    Geth stroked his beard.


    "All right, Albus, let''s go with that for now."


    Albus didn''t question his choice and did as suggested. Any improvement was better than leaving the points gathering dust in his eyes.


    He upgraded Curse to a Skill called Unhindered Curse. It kept its weaker abilities, but he could now cast it while moving about.


    He also upgraded all of his choices to Level 1 for good measure.


    ***


    Curse, Umon (Lvl 1)-


    Cost (75 MP/sec) Caster reduces the enemy''s main Attribute. Single target spell. Attributes can not be pulled under 0.


    Reduction = (Int x 30%) + (Wis x 30%)


    ***


    ''At the moment, I''ll be able to reduce an enemy''s most vital Attribute by 225. However, the cost of the Skill rose substantially,'' Geth noticed.


    His next choice was an alteration of Barrier. He was very reluctant to take it but chose to in the end.


    ***


    Protection, Umon (Lvl 1)-


    Cost (200 MP) Target gains a protective shield that protects them from all harm until dismissed or until the shield''s health is depleted.


    This shield in no way hinders the target''s movement or flexibility. It appears as a thinyer covering the target''s body.


    Single target Skill only. Can be cast on multiple targets individually.


    Shield Health = (Int x 180%) + (HP x 50%)


    ***


    ''This is almost just like the protective barrier removed from the Mass Restoration Skill. My only regret with this is that I''ve lost one of my methods to keep enemies at a distance.''


    The Barrier Skill had saved his life many times. It was hard to let it go.


    ***


    Tame Creature [Novice], Umon (Lvl 1)-


    Cost (500 MP/Tier) Ability to use Taming Cards to tame monsterpanions. Companion kills grant half of all earned experience to the caster and the other half to the Companion.


    Current sess rates:


    Tier 1: 99%


    Tier 2: 69%


    Tier 3: 28%


    Tier 4: 8%


    Tier 5: 0.06%


    Sess rates can increase or decrease based on the creature''s Levelpared to the caster. Creature has to be unhurt to cast.


    If taming fails, the caster must wait 1 hour to cast again on the same creature. Cannot tame beyond the limits of the Taming Card.


    If Taming fails, card is destroyed.


    Tame limit- (0/5)


    ***


    There were two choices here. One option seemed to focus on quality, while the other was based on quantity.


    Either choice would have simply added the ''Novice'' tag to the name of the Skill. The only difference was that one increased the number of Tames that one could have.


    ''It looks like Summoner-type sses may start cropping up in the future. Valha will need to find some low-level citizens to set on that path.''


    He could already picture having fifty or so individuals who could summon 20 or more Tames each. It could really be effective in turning the tides of arge-scale battle.


    "Albus, I''m pretty set on saving myst 37 points for new Skills."


    Geth looked around the clearing in which he and Zolis were taking a break. Everyone else had split up to meet at the rendezvous in the evening.


    "Alright, Albus.. Let''s open the Legendary box that we received from defeating the World Boss."

 Chapter 165: Multitudinous Mantle

    Chapter 165: Multitudinous Mantle


    Geth wasn''t sure how to ess the item while Albus was out ofmission. Now that he was awake, he couldn''t hold his curiosity back anymore.


    ''A Legendary item! Just how fierce can such a piece of equipment be?''


    It was still regretful that the item wasn''t ss-specific, but he wasn''t going toin.


    A shining golden box appeared in front of him. Zolis gasped as Mana surged towards their positions from the surrounding area.


    The brightness increased until the entire clearing was bathed in a golden light. Mana swirled around the area, ruffling the branches and causing leaves to fly.


    Geth caught the box as it leisurely fell towards the ground. He examined the box with interest.


    It was a bitrger than a shoebox. Even though it was made from gold, it weighed almost nothing.


    Intricate patterns adorned the lid, with three dark green gems embedded into the metal. The box looked like some rich woman''s jewelry container.


    Geth cracked the top to get a look at whaty inside. To his surprise, he found a simple cloth.


    There was nothing ornate about it. The cloth was arge, unadorned, grey piece of fabric.


    He studied the fabric closely until an item description appeared before him.


    ***


    Multitudinous Mantle (Legendary)


    Once the treasure of Dwarven royalty, this mantle was the pride of an ancient Dwarven craftsman. It was passed down to each sessor of the Manatite Throne.


    This mantle automatically adjusts to the wearer''s qualities. One size fits all, grows with its owner.


    Sockets Avable (5)


    Note: Activate with Mana to see cape''s effects.


    ***


    Geth looked at the unimpressive piece of cloth. The description was interesting, but it still looked like nothing more than a tattered bedsheet.


    He did as the note demanded and infused a bit of Mana into the fabric. A miraculous change took ce.


    As the Mana spread out from his palm, the previously grey color shifted into a pearl white. Golden stitching wrapped around the edges of the fabric.


    The cape gave off an aura that wasn''t there before. Looking at the fabric gave Geth a sense of awe and respect.


    ''This is amazing,'' He marveled.


    Geth picked the cloak up and threw it around his shoulders. It seamlessly attached itself to his current equipment.


    One side merged wlessly into his Robe of Magnus. A golden sp formed on the other corner of the cape, which merged perfectly into his Basilisk Pauldron.


    Geth closed his eyes and used his senses to look at himself. A strange sensation overtook him.


    The mantle was radiating auras of regality and security. He couldn''t help but be astounded.


    ''Are these really... my own qualities?'' He wondered.


    Geth looked at the cape''s information again to find that it had changed.


    ***


    Majestic Mantle (Legendary)


    One of the many forms of the Multitudinous Mantle. This form has only manifested once before in its history.


    Gives User +52 Defense, +52 Wisdom, +52 Strength


    Sockets Avable (5)


    Note: There are many hidden effects in each version of the Multitudinous Mantle.


    ***


    ''156 Attributes AND five sockets? It really deserves to be called a Legendary item.''


    "What is this?" Zolis walked over and lifted the hem of the cape.


    Geth showed her the item information. She turned her head sideways and observed the mantle after reading the data.


    "Hidden effects, huh? I can tell you that it gives off a feeling offort. Standing beside you, I feel like nothing can harm me."


    She smiled up at him, "I already feel that way when I''m with you, but this is different. It''s a stronger feeling than before."


    Geth stroked his beard as he considered the cape''s hidden abilities.


    "Well, for now, I''ll socket it, and we can be on our way. I''m sure its other abilities will show in the future."


    He installed one Gem of each Attribute in the open Sockets lining the upper cor of the mantle. His power skyrocketed once again, further fueling his confidence in this mission.


    The other item that Albus had stored was a random Epic weapon. Geth also asked Albus for it, even though it wasn''t necessary.


    A massive box thudded on the ground before the pair. A slight depression formed due to the weight of the thing.


    "Well, it certainly isn''t something I can use. Looks like it''s your lucky day," Geth grinned at his wife and gestured for her to open the box.


    An enormous battleaxe rested inside. It was an impressive sight with its 5-foot length and massive de.


    The tool looked to be made of Manatite. It was pure ck, looking like a shadow even when exposed to the light.


    ***


    Twilight Dawn (Epic)


    This weapon was carved from a massive block of Manatite by two master craftsmen. One ved throughout the day while the other poured his heart into it overnight.


    Takes on different properties depending on the time. During the day, it assumes the form of a dark battleaxe. After twilight passes, it bes a bright warhammer until dawn.


    Day:


    Gives User +40 Strength, +40 Agility


    Night:


    Gives User +80 Strength


    Sockets Avable (2)


    Note: Requires 300 Strength to wield.


    ***


    "Wow, what a weapon!" Zolismented.


    Geth watched as she casually lifted the weapon from the box. He was dumbfounded.


    "Since when has your Strength crossed over the 300 mark?"


    "Umm, I mainly equipped Strength gems on all of my gear. This weapon will push me over 400," She took on a boastful stance.


    Geth shook his head, "Well, just as long as you don''t sacrifice your safety for Strength."


    "I still have sufficient Agility and Intelligence. Speaking of, see if you have two red Strength gems that I can socket onto this!"


    Geth quickly sifted through his inventory and found a pair. She didn''t waste any time installing them.


    "All right, let''s make our way to the rally point," Geth instructed.


    Zolis nodded, and the two of them dashed away. In mere moments, the clearing was left far behind them.


    The tall box was the only evidence left of their passing.

 Chapter 166: Getting Acquainted

    Chapter 166: Getting Acquainted


    Everyone made it to the clearing just as the sun started to sink. Geth and Zolis were thest to arrive.


    "So, what took the two of you so long?" Harris walked over and started waggling his eyebrows.


    Zolis giggled at the man while Geth just rolled his eyes. Geth also noticed that Sindri looked at them with flushed cheeks and quickly averted her eyes.


    His wife started giggling again, "It looks like someone has a little crush. She''s cute."


    "I''ve already got one youngin'' to deal with," Geth chuckled and patted her head yfully.


    "Don''t you start with me!" She swung her axe at him, to which he responded by activating Time Dy to stall her movements.


    Geth walked around behind her and canceled the Skill. He groped her ass and gave her a light kiss on the neck.


    Her body trembled while her face turned red. Harris and Farris bothughed at her sudden state of distress.


    "Ahhh, to be young again!" Farris teased.


    "Hey Geth, what''s the n?" A voice called out.


    He looked over and found his friend Swoleing out of the woods.


    "I''m d you could make it. I was a bit worried about only having eight party members."


    "I managed to find him, too. He''s already scouting the Direwolf Dungeon and will meet up with us once we arrive."


    "What''s he going by now?" Geth asked.


    Swoleughed, "You remember seeing FatPussy69 as a name a while back?"


    Geth smacked his forehead, "You can''t be serious."


    "As serious as can be. He''s some strange ss. Joker or something like that, I can''t remember what he called it."


    "So, is he useless..?" Geth ventured.


    Swole shook his head and shrugged, "The man has managed to reach Level 38 solo. Seems like he has something going on."


    Geth nodded and summoned his Skeletons. The pressure they released instantly quieted everyone in the area.


    He ordered them to scout the perimeter until he had the chance to ce some Detect Runes. The four dashed off into the brush.


    "Everyone move in close. I''d rather not be unnecessarily loud."


    Geth sat on the ground. The rest of the crowd soon gathered around him.


    "This location is directly between the two Dungeons that we''ll be facing. Remember, these Dungeons won''t bepleted quickly. Take your time and conserve your stamina.


    Swole has the exact coordinates for the Tier 3 Orc Dungeon and will be sending it to you all now. I''ll allow him to exin what he''s found out about the creatures."


    Geth stepped back and let Swole have the floor.


    "Orcs are stupid. They have no Shamans or other magic casters like the Goblins do.


    I can only speak for the foot soldiers, not the Bosses. All Orcs seem to have the ability to control the earth element to some extent.


    They have low Intelligence and Wisdom. That said, they can''t use magic often, but they can cast as a group. Be wary of the spell''s power when they do this.


    The creatures are physically powerful and have decent Defense. Whoever''s tanking, I rmend dodging as many blows as possible."


    Swole stepped back into his ce.


    ''Not bad, Swole. Straight to the point,'' Geth considered his words and stepped back in front of the crowd.


    "Are there any questions from those of you facing the Tier 3 Dungeon?"


    No one stepped forward.


    "Very well. Hulk, take your men and spend the evening talking about your movement patterns and teamposition."


    The group became smaller as the ten men left. Seven men and two women remained standing around Geth.


    "I would like the rest of you to get to know one another. There really isn''t much strategizing that we can do for the Direwolves.


    Be aware that they won''t be like the other monsters we''ve faced. Direwolves are highly intelligent and are good atmunicating."


    Geth looked around to make sure that the others understood. He found that each of his party members took the warning seriously.


    He made sure that everyone had introduced themselves before slipping away. He met with his Arcane Archer around twenty yards from the campsite.


    "Have there been any signs of the wolves'' tracks?"


    "Nnoooo," The Skeleton spoke. Its words could be understood, but they were a bit drawn out, and it had a limited vocabry.


    "Have you decided on a name yet?"


    The Skeleton shook its head.


    "All right. Well, I''m not going to name you. I think that you should have the right to choose for yourself."


    "Thaaank y-yoou, Maaasteerr."


    Geth nodded and began to set up his detection Runes. He was worried about resting this close to the Direwolf Dungeon.


    ''If they manage to sniff us out in our sleep, we''re screwed,'' He thought.


    He added some concealment Runes to be safe. They wouldn''t do too much, but they should help dull down the group''s scent.


    Geth walked back to the campsite after spending a couple of hours making sure the Runes were set up. He found that a fewrge branches had been torn down for seating.


    Swole and Jack were having a little duel in the center. The old trainer was coaching them both on the poor stances that they were in.


    He found Zolis sitting on one of the branches next to Sindri. He noticed that Zolis'' weapon had turned into a fluorescent white warhammer.


    The younger woman noticed him walking out and waved in his direction. Zolis turned her head and winked at him, then the two resumed their conversation.


    ''Well, I certainly won''t interfere. At least I''ve had the chance to get to know this one,'' Geth nodded back and turned his attention toward the fight.


    Swole had just transformed into his Hulk-like form, scaring the shit out of Jack. The young man may have been strong, but he still hadn''t experienced half of what Geth''s party had.


    ''If this group can gain some experience, they''ll make powerful allies. Their mettle will be tested in the morning.''


    "Everyone find a ce to rest and get some shut-eye.. We have a long few days ahead of us."

 Chapter 167: Meeting Felix

    Chapter 167: Meeting Felix


    The night passed quickly and without incident. Both parties were up and stretching before the darkness of the night was broken.


    "Geez, it''s like four in the morning. Why do we have to do this so early?" Harrisined.


    "Quit yerining," Hulk responded. "Geth''s book said the Orcs have lousy eyesight. It''ll be better to catch the ones outside the Dungeon when the sun starts ring."


    "You guys, be careful. Remember not to rush things, even if you''re doing well," Geth reminded them.


    "Yeah, yeah. You''re the ones who should be careful. Don''t let those mutts give ya a hard time," Hulk waved over his shoulder as his party followed him into the woods.


    Geth didn''t buff them before they left. He''d been worried that they would get too reliant on it, causing them to make mistakes when it wore off.


    "Do you think they''ll be okay?" Peter questioned.


    "They''ll be fine," Geth assured him. "Hulk''s a wise man. And they may not look it, but the two brothers are dependable when things get serious."


    ''He''s here,'' Albus informed him.


    Geth nced at the Grimoire and found that one of his Detect Runes had sent an alert. He looked at the brush in the eastern direction.


    The others noticed his stare and turned to look as well. The brush started to shake.


    The leaves that were rustling gently at first soon began to shake violently. A loud howl sounded from somewhere close by.


    "Shit!"


    Everyone''s hands quickly moved to their weapons. ze and Geth were the only two who remained calm.


    Geth spoke loudly, "Quit trying to scare everyone and get out here!"


    The rustling stopped. After a brief moment of silence,ughter could be heard from the other side of the bushes.


    "Aww, man! You should have seen the looks on everyone''s faces!"


    The leaves rustled again, and a man pushed his way into the clearing. He was a tall,nky, dark-skinned man with ck hair and a clean face.


    He was wearing a bright purple robe with a yellow hat and golden staff. Most of his essories and equipment had a simr color scheme.


    "It''s been a while, Geth! How are you?"


    Geth looked over the other man, "We''ve been doing well, happy to see that you''re safe."


    The two men met each other and shook hands. He waved the rest of the party over.


    "Everyone, I''d like you to meet one of my friends..." Geth paused when he was about to say the man''s name.


    "I go by Felix! I... uh... kind of took the naming a little lightly," He scratched the back of his head and showed a goofy grin.


    Gethughed, "I see that you still aren''t taking things seriously. What if Filthy here had sent an arrow your way?"


    "I would have been fine," Felix argued. "Besides, it was worth it."


    "Nice to see you, Felix!" Zolis walked up and punched him in the arm. "That''s for ying games!"


    "Oww! What the hell, girl!"


    Geth put his staff between the two, "Alright, we can exchange pleasantriester. Did you learn anything about theyout of the Dungeon?"


    Felix sighed, "Yeah. It''s going to be a bitch just to get in. Three groups of three Direwolves constantly circle the cave''s entrance.


    Another five groups are steadily rotating in and out of the cave constantly. There''s also one Sub-Boss that sleeps just inside the entrance."


    "What are their Levels looking like?" Jack asked.


    Felix nced at the young man, "Who''s the pipsqueak?"


    Jack''s right eye twitched. Geth shook his head and spoke up.


    "Answer Jack''s question."


    "Fine. Each group has one stronger Direwolf that''s Level 45 or higher. The other two are usually somewhere around 40.


    The wolves that make runs out into the wild are stronger. Sometimes the leader of those groups can be as high as Level 60, while the other two are consistently over 50."


    Geth''s face turned into a frown, "This isn''t going to be easy."


    He looked around at the Levels of everyone around him. Aside from him, only Filthy and Zolis had passed Level 40.


    "It seems like the Direwolves really deserve their Tier 4 rating. They must have been extremely diligent in their hunting," Geth stated.


    "All of you need to get stronger before we push this Dungeon. Our gear makes up for some of the difference, but the difference between the first and second ss is tremendous."


    Rift looked up at him, "Then what should we do?"


    "Felix, how often do the hunting groups leave?" Geth asked.


    Felix tapped a finger to his chin, "Mmm, I would say that one leaves every couple of hours, starting an hour from now. None return until the sun begins to go down."


    "Then we need to catch and kill them some distance from the Dungeon," Geth announced.


    "That''s still dangerous! Their howls can be heard for miles!" Zolis cried.


    Felix stood up proudly, "You can leave that to me! Most of my spells are based on illusions and entrapment! Muffling a bit of sound isn''t a problem."


    Rift instantly became curious, "Is that how you made that howling noise? And made the leaves shake so hard?"


    "Sure is!"


    Geth spoke up, "Sorry to interrupt, but we have more pressing issues. Felix, can you lead us ahead of where each patrol usually goes?"


    "I can."


    "Good, I''ll set up Runes to detect their arrival, and we can n our move. Rift, you''re the lowest Level, so you''ll get the final hits on the first group.


    We''ll go from the lowest Level and work our way up until all of you are 40 or higher. If any of you want to back out now, this is yourst chance."


    The mood became serious as everyone prepared for what wasing. They were about to work their way into a Dungeon full of creatures that were much higher Levels than them.


    "Then let''s head out," Geth used his Invocation to speed everyone up.. "Felix, lead the way."

 Chapter 168: Trap

    Chapter 168: Trap


    Geth sat on the edge of a branch. He was in a position where everyone could see him from their hiding ces, but not the Direwolves that would be running in.


    The first group of wolves was supposed to be running down this path. Their pawprints had left thousands of hardened marks on the ground.


    Using his State Change Skill, Geth made a massive spiked pitfall in the path. It was covered with a fragileyer of hardened mud.


    Thanks to Geth''s astounding memory, he had been able to mimic the pattern of footprints that had initially been there. The small pack shouldn''t be able to spot the difference in time.


    ''What do you think, Albus?''


    ''Theoretically, there shouldn''t be any problems. You''ll be able to get the drop on them, but it''ll only startle them for a moment. These Beasts are as strong as you without equipment,'' Albus gave his opinion.


    ''A moment is all we need. We have a lot of firepower here.''


    The two remained silent after that. A bit of sweat began to form on Geth''s brow.


    ''Get ready. They just passed the first set of Runes,'' Albus informed him.


    Geth lifted up his staff for the others to see. He noticed some slight shifts in the brush before everything became perfectly still.


    A soft thudding could be heard behind him. Geth closed his eyes and listened.


    ''The second set of Runes has been crossed.''


    Even when the creatures started to close in, their steps sounded no louder than bare feet running on carpet. It just reminded Geth of how agile these beasts were.


    ''I hope that Felix''s spell is as effective as he says.''


    The mage had cast an AOE spell that would dull the senses. The wolves would notice a difference, but they shouldn''t be able to sniff out any threat.


    Geth could hear the wolves'' steps falter slightly when they came in range of the spell. He clenched his fists and waited.


    ''Just a few more steps.''


    The creatures were running just below him. He could make out just a bit of dark-grey fur through a small gap in the leaves.


    ''3... 2...''


    The monsters came into full view. The threatening aura that they gave off hadn''t changed from the first time he''d encountered them.


    Crash!


    Thud!


    "Hooowooooooo"


    All three wolves crashed heavily into the pit. Two of them were partially impaled by the spikes, while thest managed tond safely.


    "NOW!"


    Everyone rushed to the edges of the enormous pit. The ranged fighters instantly began casting their spells or shooting arrows towards the uninjured Direwolf.


    Geth summoned his three ranged Skeletons and ordered them to join in the assault. Every time the wolf tried to leap out of the pit, one of the melee fighters would smash it back down.


    Swole, Zolis, Jack, and Peter were responsible for keeping the wolf contained. Geth assisted them by softening the ground under the animal''s paws when it tensed its muscles.


    :Direwolf, Lvl 61; HP- 18,651/57,800:


    The creature''s health was rapidly depleted under the barrage. Geth kept his eyes on the other two, still caught on the spikes.


    Every few seconds, he would notice one of them make a weak snarling noise. When this happened, the free wolf would ignore its pain and go for another leap.


    ''Some type of inspirational Skill?'' He wondered.


    The pack leader copsed to the ground. Geth signaled for the others to stop.


    "Rift, end it fast!"


    Geth felt a massive shift in the Mana as soon as he yelled. He looked over at the young man in surprise.


    A massive ball of green fire formed over Rift''s head. That isn''t what caught Geth''s attention, though.


    ''There''s something deadly in that spell, Albus,'' He thought.


    ''So, you noticed. It seems that the boy has mixed two spells together. On top of the normal fireball spell, there is some kind of poison spell affecting the mes.''


    Geth watched with interest as the fireball wasunched into the pit. It struck thergest wolf head-on.


    The beast howled in pain and bashed its sides against the walls of the enclosure. The green messhed out around the beast''s body.


    The wolf became weaker every second until it crashed helplessly to the ground. When the wolf let out its final breath, the me jumped to the closest enemy.


    Everyone stood in awe as another wolf was turned to cinders by the green ze. The fire puckered out before thest wolf died.


    Geth signaled for Rift to hold back, "Sindri, you finish off thest one."


    Rift had already Leveled up twice, reaching Level 30. Sindri was the next lowest at Level 29.


    ''It may be a push to get everyone to Level 40 before entering the Dungeon. That Sub-Boss at the entrance should do the trick.''


    Sindri jumped down into the pit and approached the heavily breathing wolf. There was barely any life left in it at this point, but Sindri seemed to hesitate.


    Geth was going to say something. Before he could, the young womanshed out with her short-sword, driving it into the beast''s throat.


    Thest of its hp fell to zero as the light drained from its eyes. Zolis and Filthy jumped into the hole to loot the creature''s bodies.


    Geth helped Sindri up, "Are you alright?"


    The girl was despondent, which seemed strange because she had just broken into the next major Level group.


    "I know they are dangerous," She hesitated, "But that wolf... it looked sad."


    Sigh


    Geth patted her shoulders, "These creatures aren''t like the others you''ve faced. They are clever, powerful, and I''m sure they have feelings as well."


    He looked into the pit. Zolis had just turned the body of thest wolf to ash.


    "In the future, you''ll have to be prepared to face a lot more than an animal not wanting to lose its life."


    Sindri looked up at him. He could see the questions forming, but he just shook his head.


    "There will be time for questionster. For now, choose your Talent, and let''s move to the next location."


    The group moved out while Geth followed behind and covered their tracks.

 Chapter 169: The Jig Is Up

    Chapter 169: The Jig Is Up


    The subsequent three attempts were just as sessful. Aside from Geth, everyone was in high spirits.


    ''This is taking longer than I thought it would.''


    During thest ambush, the four younger party members had just reached Level 34. ze was the lowest Level in his original party at 35, and he still hadn''t had the opportunity to gain experience.


    Albus chimed in, ''You really shouldn''tpare them to you. Remember, you gain experience twice as fast as they do.''


    Sigh


    ''That doesn''t make it any less frustrating. We only have one more hunting party before we need to push into the Dungeon.''


    The most they could do was get two more members to Level 35. That would still leave two at 34 and very little progress for most of the others.


    Felix had risen to Level 39 since he had already been close. Geth tried to determine the best route to take from here.


    ''We can''t hold off on pushing the entrance. As soon as the hunting parties don''t return, they''ll be sure to send out scouts.''


    ''You''re overthinking it,'' Albus interrupted. ''You and your Arcane Archer are strong enough to push the entrance alone, never mind the rest of the party.


    Give your other Skeleton Taming Cards to the weaker party members. It''ll boost their overall survivability. It would be best if you tried taming some of these Direwolves.''


    ''Taming Cards can be given away just like that?'' Geth asked.


    Albus responded quickly, ''Yes, we actually used the same method for Taming in my lifetime. Most Humans were weak then, so Tames helped maintain the bnce.''


    ''So, you''re saying I''m supposed to y Pokemon with these Direwolves?''


    ''y what?''


    ''Nevermind.''


    Geth pulled out the Taming Cards that were currently in his possession. He had the Rogue, Hunter, and Archer that he could give away.


    None of them had attempted to speak with him like the Arcane Archer had. As such, he didn''t feel the same closeness as he did with his strongest Tame.


    "Jack, Peter, Sindri! Come over here!" Geth shouted for the three to approach while Zolis cleaned up the bodies of thetest pack.


    "What''s up, Boss?" Jack asked him.


    "The three of you are close-range fighters. That being said, I would like for you guys to have these."


    Geth handed out the cards to who he thought they would be best suited. Jack received the Rogue, Peter the Archer, and Sindri the Hunter.


    The three took the cards, their faces full of curiosity. Sindri was quick to understand the gesture.


    "These are your Skeletons! You can''t just give them away like this. What if you need them?"


    Geth waved her worries away, "I''ll be fine. You guys are the ones who arecking. I also needed to free up some space for future Tames."


    "What about Rift?" Peter asked.


    "Right now, you three are the ones that need some assistance. Rift is a ranged fighter, so he should be fine until we find something suitable."


    Geth had already given some cards to the magic users in Hulk''s group. Supplying some ranged fighters with Orcs wouldn''t be a terrible idea.


    Peter nodded and thanked him. Sindri threw her arms around his neck before running off in embarrassment while hugging the card tightly.


    "You''ve still got it," Zolis walked over and pinched his arm.


    "What was that for?"


    "Because I can. Here are the Skill Cards that we found from this batch. The Level 63 dropped something new."


    Geth took the card and looked it over. A picture of two ws surfaced on the front. One looked like a mere shadow of the other.


    ***


    Phantom sh (Rare)


    Allows User to summon a second de to follow the first. The de looks like an illusion but carries the weaker properties of its counterpart.


    The phantom de will carry any effects from the first de. This can be any spell cast with the de or just a simple strike.


    Spell Damage = 10% of initial spell''s damage + 10% intelligence


    Physical Damage = 25% of initial strike''s damage + 25% Strength


    Cost (50 Mana)


    Requirements: short sword, dagger, or other small ded items; Novice or higher proficiency with weapon.


    ***


    "Hmm, there''s that weapon proficiency again."


    Zolis looked at him, "Is it something you recognize?"


    "Albus said that it woulde into yter. It''s a hidden statistic that we should be able to see at some point," Geth answered.


    He tucked the Skill Card into his inventory and looked around the ambush site. All that was left was for him to cover their tracks.


    "Felix, start leading everyone to thest ambush site. I''ll be alon-"


    "Hooowwoooooooo!!"


    "Hooow!"


    Multiple deafening howls could be heard from nearby. Geth closed his eyes and focused his senses in that direction.


    "The turbulence in the Mana is unmistakable. Arge pack is headed our way. We''ve been found out."


    "Shit!" Felix began casting multiple spells on the path.


    Geth filled in the pit as quickly as he could. There was no time to recreate the previous footsteps.


    "Everyone! Get in the trees!"


    Felix continued casting spells. Geth watched as mist flooded in from the trees. His own senses were somewhat blocked by the fog.


    "It isn''t very dependable, but it may help to mask our presence," Felix informed him as he scrambled up a nearby tree.


    Geth found a low-hanging branch for himself. He wanted to scope out the iing horde.


    ''This is as good a time as any to test my luck,'' He thought.


    He pulled out all of the Taming Cards avable that would work on a Tier 4 creature. A small stack of 15 Epic Taming Cards appeared in his hand.


    ''Albus, how much is the sess rate reduced if the target is a higher Level?''


    ''For every Major Level above you, the sess rate is reduced by 5%.''


    ''So I still have a 7.2% chance to tame a Level 60 and a 6.8% chance for a Level 65. The odds aren''t terrible for the number of cards I have avable.''


    Geth could see Albus giving him a thumbs up in his mental sphere, ''Good luck.''

 Chapter 170: Dangerous Attempt

    Chapter 170: Dangerous Attempt


    ''Albus, send messages to the others not to interfere without my say.''


    ''Got it.''


    Geth closed his eyes and spread out his senses again. The wolves either weren''t bothering with or weren''t able to hide their presence.


    ''Ten... Eleven... Twelve. There are enough for a few tries, but I''ll have to be fast.''


    The Direwolf pack curbed their speed as they entered the thin mist. They became cautious as they moved forward.


    The mist wasn''t enough to block their vision, but the additional properties dulled all of their senses.


    Geth dispersed all of his selves and focused all of his ability. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the wolves stepped below his resting ce.


    ''Now!''


    Geth cast Tame Creature twelve times in quick session. Formations appeared above and below each of the Direwolves, soon trapping each of them in a luminous cage.


    The Direwolves had already started to act when the first Formation appeared. All twelve had been cast in less than a second, but the wolves'' instincts weren''t to be underestimated.


    ''Albus, inform the others to attack any wolves that break out of the cages.''


    The highest Level wolf shattered the Formation before the enclosure had fully formed. A low growl escaped the beast''s throat as the Formation turned to dust.


    The creature''s hair stood on end as the air around it began to crackle and warp. Even the softened ground below the Direwolf''s feet began to bubble.


    The mist on the small path quickly faded away as the wolf released its aura. Its head instantly whipped up towards where Geth was standing.


    Geth wasn''t idly watching the show. He saw what was happening long before the wolf had shifted its gaze.


    The ground beneath the beast softened further, causing the monster to sink. Before Geth had the opportunity to harden the earth, the wolf had already thrown itself to the side.


    ''It''s fast!''


    Even in Geth''s current state, the Direwolf looked like it was moving at a faster than average pace. Any other creature would look like someone had slowed down a recording.


    An arrow flew out of the brush on the opposite side of the clearing, embedding itself into the wolf''s thigh.


    Geth looked on as the arrow''s wooden shaft burnt to a crisp, and the wound slowly started to heal.


    A Rune in Geth''s mind began to glow as a dark aura spread out from both of his hands. He focused the Direwolf as the target creature, and the spell leaped into action.


    The wolf showed a moment''s hesitation as its speed was drastically reduced. A small volley of arrows and spells pelted it from behind as the melee fighters burst from the bushes.


    ''The new Curse spell works wonders!'' Geth didn''t mind casting it now that he could do so without hindering his movement.


    A ckened axe mmed into the creature''s side, cutting a wide gash and sending it tumbling into the dirt.


    Before the creature could retaliate, Sindri had already jumped in front of it and cast Enrage. The Direwolf''s eyes turned red as it leaped up and wed at her shield.


    Geth cast Mass Restoration on all of his party members and shifted his focus to the caged creatures. Four of the cages had be brighter while the rest started to show signs of damage.


    "We don''t have long! Hurry and finish that one off!" Geth yelled.


    He leaped from his position on the branch andnded with a soft thud on the ground. In front of him were three Direwolves that were about to bust free from the Taming Formation.


    Geth summoned his Arcane Archer onto the branch as he was leaping down. The Skeleton already stood proudly, its bow drawn back and a burning arrow fitted onto the string.


    He cast Protection on himself and Sindri. A thinyer with over 5000 health appeared around the two tanks.


    It was cast just in time as two of the Direwolves before him burst through their cages. Geth met them in a head-on sh, the Strength gained from his equipment showing its worth.


    The first Direwolf was tossed back as the second''s ws grazed harmlessly across his protective barrier. He nodded in approval at the new spell''s effectiveness.


    There wasn''t much time to gloat. The third Direwolf smashed through the Formation and rushed towards him.


    A solid ck arrow flew over his shoulder and mmed into the wolf before it could get close. The wolf was thrown back many yards before it finally skidded to a halt.


    Geth nced back to see his Skeleton standing behind him, readying another arrow.


    "Thanks, you keep them pushed back, and I''ll wear them down!"


    The Archer nodded but didn''t speak. Geth''s Foresight alerted him to danger from his right.


    He ducked down just in time for a set of molten ws to graze harmlessly over his head.


    Sweat dripped from his brow as the heat washed over him. Even with his enhanced Defense, he could feel the effects of the beast''s paws.


    Heunched himself from the ground, tackling the belly of the Direwolf standing over him. It flipped head over heels in the air, thudding to the ground a short distance away.


    "There''s too many of them."


    He watched another pair of wolves shatter their cages. Arrows flew over his head in a barrage of colors.


    Each arrow had a different horrifying effect for whatever wolf it was targeting. Even if a wolf managed to dodge it, the Skeleton would control the projectile to turn and attack from the other direction.


    ''What an impressive disy,'' Geth thought.


    He noticed that arrows and spells began to target the wolf that he''d thrown to the ground. Its health had already dropped by half before it could climb to its feet.


    One of the wolves that had just broken free was tossed to the ground by a massive hulk-like figure. Two spiked maces mmed into the creature over and over.


    The wolf didn''t take it lying down. A flurry of ws and fangs assaulted Swole from the front.


    Heughed as he continued his assault. With each strike, every injury would start to close.


    The wolves started to slow their attacks as their confidence faultered.. Two of their highest Levelsy dead on the ground.

 Chapter 171: Forgot To Struggle

    Chapter 171: Forgot To Struggle


    With the Direwolves falling back, Geth had the chance to look at his remaining Taming Formations.


    Three of the Formations had finished forming. The cage bars closed in and created a cylinder simr to what captured his Skeletons.


    Five Direwolves were still struggling in the Taming Formations. Of the seven that had broken free, two had already been defeated.


    Geth switched his Curse Skill to the next target with the highest Level. The stunned wolf faltered long enough to receive a head-on hit from Zolis.


    The mighty axe mmed down. The sheer pressure caused the ground below the beast to split in two.


    Geth was amazed at the resilience of the monster. Even with the Level difference, a de to the skull should have caused more damage.


    ''They are using a Skill,'' Albus informed him.


    "Huh?"


    Geth looked closely at the next wolf that jumped at him. He used his Foresight and high Wisdom to spend as much time studying the creature as possible.


    ''I see it!''


    A thin silver film surrounded the wolf''s body. It was much like the same barrier that the Protection spell provided.


    Albus responded, ''Good. I noticed that it thinned slightly with the death of each wolf. I believe it''s some type of passive that only works when there are so many in a certain area.''


    Geth was enlightened, but there wasn''t anything he could do about it. The most that his party could do was beat them down one at a time.


    ''Focus on the same target as the others. I can stall these three,'' Geth sent a mental message to his Skeleton.


    The arrow that had just been fired changed direction and rocketed towards a weakened wolf. The arrow pierced through one of its rear thighs, causing critical damage to its leg.


    Geth maintained his Curse on that Direwolf while dodging the three in front of him. His Foresight gave him an edge, but there were still some moments that he was caught due to the difference in Agility.


    Even then, his wounds were healed before another hit couldnd. The worst hit took a solid thousand health from his Protection barrier.


    ''This wouldn''t be going so well in an open area,'' Geth looked around at the wolves struggling to nk hisrades.


    The path that they stood on could only wasn''t vast. Only three Direwolves could walk abreast, but only two could fight simultaneously.


    The Direwolves separated Geth from his party, only allowing him to assist from a range. Two of the ensnared wolves were close to freeing themselves.


    ''I need to create some distance,'' Geth decided.


    He started backing up slowly as if he were afraid of the Direwolves in front of him. It wasn''t the best act he''d put on, but it was enough to fool the animals in the heat of battle.


    The Direwolves became more aggressive. With every step, he had to contend with another swing from their ws.


    On the other side of the battlefield, Swole was somewhat holding his own against the weakest of the wolves. The rest of the party was almost through engaging the other.


    ''They are doing fine. I''ll speed this up.''


    Geth sped up his retreat, quickly covering over ten yards. The wolves pursued him relentlessly, teeth and ws constantlyshing out.


    A few well-ced swipes caused him to stagger back. Air came from the ws like des, something he hadn''t been expecting.


    His shieldpletely shattered. Thanks to his Spell Reflection Talent, those spells had rebounded back to the Direwolf who cast it!


    They only caused a few hundred damage apiece, but it was more than enough to stun the brute. It gave Geth enough time tofortably step back a few more feet.


    ''This should be fine.''


    Just as he had that thought, the two struggling Direwolves burst from their cages. One sprinted straight toward where Geth was fighting.


    The other turned and began to bash one of the other Taming Formations from the outside. Cracks quickly started to form in the solid cylindrical walls.


    "Shit! Someone stop that wolf!" Geth yelled as loudly as he could, hoping that the others could hear over the sound of explosions. "Albus, tell them quickly!"


    Geth double-checked the distance and cast Corruption st at his feet. A st of dark-purple gas spread out in a neen-foot radius from the impact.


    180 health instantly drained from the four Direwolves in front of him. The smoke dispersed quickly, making him worry for a moment that the damage was just on impact.


    He was relieved to find that all four Direwolves that were in the st radius had been affected by the Corruption. The damage has also increased to every two seconds.


    He continued to back away from the wolves, leading them further from the pack. After another seven yards, the thin aurayering the wolves vanished.


    ''A range of 50 feet and at least 5 members in a pack for their aura to function,'' Geth made sure to tuck that information away for safekeeping.


    He started alternating between dodging and bashing the front two wolves with his staff. With a well-timed Time Dy on one of the beasts, he could force their attacks to hit each other.


    Every attack that hit him reflected back a minute amount of 15-20 damage. However, the spells that reflected off of his person began to tear into the beasts'' hides.


    The wolves took an extra hundred damage or more with each reflected air st or molten w. Geth turned his Curse toward one of his own attackers after the party had finished off their target.


    With the massive reduction in Agility, it became a simple task to toy with the creature. The two Direwolves in the back became frustrated with not being able to force themselves around their weakened brethren.


    Thanks to their ranged attacks bouncing off of him, it was easy to whittle down the HP of the two up front. He continued to dance around their physical attacks while allowing the spells to hit him.


    Anyone who was watching Geth''s disy would simply think that he''d forgotten to struggle.

 Chapter 172: A Familiar Face

    Chapter 172: A Familiar Face


    Geth''s tant disy of superiority quickly drew the ire of the wolves. The two wolves fighting from a distance ignored the cries of their partners and climbed over them in a frenzy to get to Geth.


    ''They really are prideful creatures,'' Geth smiled smugly and dispersed the hardened mud on the ground.


    He''d led the four of them back to where their spiked pitfall was hiding. A gaping hole opened under the feet of the creatures.


    The beasts plummeted into the depths of the crater. Two of the injured wolves died on impact, while one was pierced through its thigh.


    Thest of the creatures managed tond, though not so gracefully. It gave Geth enough time to inspect the battlefield.


    The two intact Taming Formations were glowing with a bright golden aura. The Direwolves inside had long since stopped struggling.


    The two creatures burst into particles as the cards in his hand grew warm. He took a moment to nce at the cards to see two small Direwolf puppies disyed on the face.


    The cards disappeared into his inventory, and his attention returned to the cavity below him. Both wolves were still taking damage every two seconds.


    :Direwolf, Lvl 56; HP- 12,407/39,600:


    The wolves that remained were all Level 60 or lower. Sindri was tanking the final two wolves on their side while the others bombarded them with attacks.


    "Hooooowoooooooo!!"


    A deafening howl sounded from the dying wolf in the pit. Geth could swear that the Level 56 looked up at him and smirked after its brother''s dying wail.


    Hemanded his Skeleton to switch targets to the helpless creatures in the hollow. It only took seconds before the Arcane Archer finished them off.


    Thud!


    Geth turned his head quickly. A slight vibration could be felt in the Mana around him.


    Thud! Crash!


    The Mana continued to react violently, and branches could be heard crashing in the distance!


    Thud! Crash! Thud!


    ''What the hell is that,'' A massive Mana signature was swiftly moving in his direction.


    "Grrraaauugh!"


    Angry barks started filtering through the trees and brush as the crashing noises came near. A final loud impact resounded as a massive creature stepped out onto the path.


    "Wait... is this..?"


    Arger than average pitch-ck Direwolf stood before him. Between the creature''s eyesy a small scar that looked as if it had marred itself with its ws.


    The Direwolf looked at Geth and shifted its head to the side as if it were trying to recall something. He stared back into its intelligent eyes that shone like starlight.


    Suddenly, the creature''s curious face turned into an angry snarl. The Direwolf slowly prowled forward, drool pouring from its open maw.


    "Yup. Definitely the same one from back then."


    :Direwolf, Lvl 72; HP- 69,420/69,420:


    The pressureing off of the wolf was lower than the World Boss but much more potent than any other creature he''d ever faced.


    ''I don''t think that I can- Wait!''


    Geth swiftly recalled his Skeleton before it had the chance to attack. An empty purple and golden Taming Card appeared in his hand.


    :Enhanced Taming Card (Epic);


    This card can be used to tame any creature Tier 4 or below. This card can not tame Bosses or Sub-Bosses


    This Taming Card has been imbued with a Rune of Luck. Doubles odds of sess:


    ''My current odds of sess are 6.4%. With this card, my chances increase to 12.8%!''


    He didn''t hesitate to cast Tame Creature just as the beast''s strike was shown by his Foresight.


    The two Formations instantly appeared under and over the Direwolf''s massive body. A cage quickly took shape, ensnaring the magnificent creature.


    At first, the wolf was stunned, but the astonishment didn''tst long. It tackled the edge of the cage, putting all of its speed and power into one giant leap.


    The cage rattled but held firm. Its subsequent attacks were a technique that Geth hadn''t seen before.


    A dark mist formed over the Direwolf''s ws. The Mana surrounding the fog seemed to empower the strange gaseous substance.


    The bars of the cage slowly widened to form the golden cylinder. Geth could tell that the thickness of this enclosure was twice that of the other Taming Cards.


    The Direwolfshed out at the bars on the cage. The ck substance leapt from its ws and onto the bars.


    Nothing happened at first, but the beast kept striking the cage. Geth stepped a bit closer to inspect the damage.


    ''I see! It''s just like my Corruption!''


    The bars on the cage were slowly being eaten away by the ck aura. All of the progress that had been made was slowly fading away.


    ''Maybe...''


    Geth cast Curse on the creature. It wasn''t a damaging Skill, so it wouldn''t affect the chances of the Tame seeding.


    He knew it was working when the aura began to weaken. The Direwolf started to panic andshed out in a series of blows.


    Its struggling was for naught. With its spell weakened, the bars grew quicker than what the smoke could eat away.


    "Its main Attribute is Intelligence?!" Geth mumbled excitedly. Just how different was this creaturepared to the other Direwolves he''d faced.


    ''I wonder how it will be affected by the Taming process. It could just revert to a base form like that of all Direwolves.''


    He shook his head.


    ''I need to worry about actually acquiring the damn thing first!''


    He concentrated on the Curse spell and made sure that nothing went wrong in its casting.


    One of Geth''s selves popped up in his mental sphere and controlled the liquid Mana to cool the Curse Rune faster than usual. The Mana cost dropped slightly, the Rune not even having the chance to exert heat.


    Sweat constantly dripped from Geth''s brow for the next thirty seconds. The Direwolf repeatedly thrashed about in the enclosure, but with the thickness of the walls, it couldn''t escape.


    On the thirtieth second, a bright golden glow lit the area.. The card in Geth''s hand heated up as a picture of a pitch-ck Direwolf Cub appeared on its face.

 Chapter 173: Difference Between Tiers

    Chapter 173: Difference Between Tiers


    Geth looked down both sides of the path and found that the battle was over. His Skeleton had finished off the wolves in the pit while his party members had in thest of the beasts.


    After verifying that everyone was safe, he pulled the Taming Cards from his inventory. It was time to take a look at the fruits of theirbor.


    All three of the cards had an image of a young Direwolf on the front. If he hadn''t known any better, Geth would suspect that they were nothing more than gigantic huskies.


    Two of the wolf cubs had a beautiful light grey coat. The one that he had just captured was different, bearing pitch-ck fur.


    ''It looks like the Attributes are different for both of them as well.''


    ***


    Direwolf Cub, Lvl 1


    HP- 150


    MP- 50


    Strength- 15


    Agility- 25


    Defense- 15


    Wisdom- 10


    Intelligence- 10


    Skills:


    Pack Resistance (Passive)


    When in the presence of four more Direwolves of the same pack, gain a bonus amount of Strength and Defense. Increase of 5 Attribute points per pack member in a 50-foot vicinity.


    Equipment:


    None


    ***


    The grey Direwolf Cubs boasted generous base Attributes for being Level 1. He was going to ask Albus about it, but the man began a small lecture before he could even ask.


    "Direwolves are a Tier 4 Race. If you attempt topare such a creature to the Human Race, you will be distressed over the results.


    Humans are merely a Tier 2 existence. We have simr beginning Attributes to Goblins, Skeletons, Lizardmen, and some of the other weaker Races.


    This is one of the reasons that the Elven alliance was so reluctant to take us into their fold. Even then, we were almost always looked down on."


    Albus shook his head and looked at Geth''s other-self. He gestured toward the Arcane Archer''s mental sphere connected to his.


    "The starting Attributes are actually how we devised the Tiers. Tier 1 creatures, such as the Slime, only have beginning Attributes of 10 to 19.


    Tier 2 creatures starting Attributes range from 20 to 34. Tier 3 from 35 to 64, and Tier 4 from 64 to 99.


    The Scaling continues all the way up to Tier 10 existences. There are exceptions to the rule.


    Some members of a Race can be born with higher aptitudes than other members. You won''t find that for a while, as Humans are still adapting to the changes.


    Future generations, however, will have some of these exceptions. It''s one of the reasons we were able to survive as long as we did.


    You''ll see an example of this when you look at the Direwolf that you just tamed."


    Geth nodded and looked at the Taming Card that he was holding.


    ***


    Direwolf Cub, Lvl 1


    HP- 150


    MP- 150


    Strength- 10


    Agility- 20


    Defense- 15


    Wisdom- 20


    Intelligence- 20


    Skills:


    Pack Resistance (Passive)


    When in the presence of four more Direwolves of the same pack, gain a bonus amount of Strength and Defense. Increase of 5 Attribute points per pack member in a 50-foot vicinity.


    Corruption Strike (Umon)


    Cost (25 MP) Embues ws with the power of corruption and dposition. Sessful attacks leave a lingering effect that slows regeneration and causes damage over time.


    Time = 30 seconds+ (Wisdom x 10%) in seconds. Damage tick every 5 seconds.


    Damage = 10+ (Int x 10%) per tick.


    Equipment:


    None


    ***


    ''This is incredibly overpowered,'' Geth frowned.


    Albus chuckled, "Don''t even get me started on the higher Tier existences. Your saving grace against these Direwolves is that they are too proud to use equipment.


    Not that they can really use weapons, of course, but armor sets can be tailor-made for them. Tools are one of the saving graces we have as Humans, but it''s still difficult to ovee raw power."


    Geth listened on with interest. He was learning something new about this world every day, though this information was a bit self-defeating.


    "Another benefit that the higher Tier creatures receive is growing more than we do. Put into the system''s terms, they receive more Attributes per Level."


    ''Great. So we really are at the bottom of the food chain,'' Geth sighed. ''I suppose it''s better than being a Slime.''


    He looked at the cards in his hands and then filtered through his inventory. He still had three Epic Taming Cards avable and four of the Enhanced version.


    ''I''ll give two of these to my current party members. I''ll keep the ck one for myself, of course.''


    Geth had already grown attached to the little guy. Not only was he stronger than the others, but they also had a bit of history between them.


    He looked at the bodies of the four Direwolves in the pit as he passed by. A sigh escaped him. It was a shame that such beautiful creatures had to die like that.


    "Master."


    The Arcane Archer bowed slightly as he passed by. He patted his Tame on the shoulder. Geth really wasn''t sure where he''d picked up on such mannerisms.


    "You''ve done exceptionally well. It''s a bit awkward not having a proper way to call out to you. Have youe up with a name for yourself yet?"


    The Skeleton turned its head sideways at a slightly unnatural angle and looked at him. Its eyes radiated with blue Mana, mimicking someone ying with a dimmer switch for a light bulb.


    "Bane."


    "Bane?"


    "I''ll be the bane of anything that tries to harm my Master."


    The Skeleton pointed a boney finger towards the corpses in the pit. Geth did his best to keep a serious face.


    It wasn''t a bad name. It''s just that the way his Tame described it was a bit amusing.


    "Okay, Bane, I approve." Geth nodded and beckoned for the Skeleton to follow him.


    The two of them approached the rest of the party, who were currently watching Zolis and Rift burn the bodies.


    "It''s a shame that we don''t have more storage space," Filthyined. "Seems like a waste of material that the cksmith or Tailor could use."


    Geth nodded in agreement and joined the group in collecting the fallen loot.

 Chapter 174: Approaching The Dungeon

    Chapter 174: Approaching The Dungeon


    "Three Skill Cards and ten high-level Monster Cores."


    ''Along with the three sessful Tames, this was a great haul!''


    Geth stored the items and nced through his storage. Between his two storage items, he still had around 300 pounds avable.


    "How is everyone''s storage looking? I want to get as much loot as possible from this Dungeon to take back to the city."


    "50 pounds."


    "400."


    "1200."


    "100."


    "Around 80 pounds."


    Geth listened to everyone''s responses. He realized that outside of the members of his original party, everyone''s storage items were sub-par.


    "It should be plenty. Remember to check every nook and cranny of the ce for loot crates. They aren''t all obvious."


    Everyone nodded their heads, and the group proceeded towards the entrance of the Dungeon. After seeing everyone in action, Geth was confident in his team''s abilities.


    That didn''t mean that he would be careless. If possible, he still wanted to take out three groups circling the entrance separately.


    "Felix, what''s the range of the patrols circling the entrance?" Geth asked.


    The man closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Eventually, he picked up a stick and drew a triangle around a rock on the ground.


    "They circle the entrance about a football field''s length apart. They always stop at these three points and sit for around ten minutes before rotating."


    "Are there any trees blocking their vision?" Filthy asked him.


    Felix shook his head, "Nope. It''s arge open area around the mouth of an underground entrance. I can buy some time with my illusions, but we will be found out as soon as we''ve finished the first group."


    Geth thought back to the previous fight.


    ''Swole can handle keeping one Direwolf busy by himself, as long as its Level isn''t over 59.


    Sindri can tank two, albeit she struggles, while all of the DPS fightersy down the hurt.


    I can handle the third group until they''ve finished off the second. As long as Felix''s illusion is solid, we can take the first group together.''


    "All right. Just let me attack first before everyone rushes the first group. I don''t want anyone getting caught up in my Corruption st."


    Geth pulled out the two Direwolf tames he''d just captured and gave one to Zolis and Filthy. He looked at ze and Swole with an apologetic gaze.


    "Sorry guys, we will try our hand taming some creatures inside the Dungeon. It''s likely that we wille across some more Taming cards."


    ze chuckled at him, "Don''t worry about it. I think tools should be given by who would benefit the most anyway."


    "Y''all are just trying to leave out the little guy," Swole harumphed and turned away. He peeked over his shoulder quickly to see if he''d garnered any reaction.


    "Just because you''re short doesn''t mean you have to act like a baby," Zolis mocked him.


    "Hey! You''re barely taller than me!"


    Geth rolled his eyes at their bickering. Everyone else wasughing and having a good time until Felix interrupted them.


    "All right! Everyone quiet down. We''re getting close to their territory."


    He made some strange motions with his hands, and suddenly, everyone''s footsteps became quiet. He motioned for everyone to walk slowly and led them forward.


    The party proceeded through the trees until they reached the edge of a massive clearing. Its size was that of five football fields.


    Multiple wolves could be seen prowling around its edges. There were four prominentndmarks in this clearing.


    Just in the center was a small mountain of piled-up rocks. A gaping hole could be seen at the bottom of this pile, with an immense Direwolf lyingzily at the entrance.


    At specific points around the clearing, there were threerge boulders. They were spread out in a triangr formation, just as Felix had drawn.


    The patroling Direwolves were currently halfway between rotating positions. Felix had led them to one of therge boulders.


    A message was received through their Grimoires.


    ''I''ll wait until they''ve stopped at thendmark. Wait ten seconds for the illusion to take hold and then kill them as quickly as possible.''


    Geth nodded and turned toward the others, sending his own message.


    ''We have to be quick. Rift, ze, attack with your strongest AOE spells as soon as the count is over.


    Sindri, rush straight in. I''ll have a shield on you before you reach them. Melee fighters focus on whichever wolf Zolis strikes first.


    I''ll have its Agility debuffed as soon as she picks a target. The rest of you, focus on whichever beast my Skeleton has chosen.''


    Everyone nodded and hid themselves down among the thick underbrush. Thanks to the Defense provided by their equipment, simple things like thorns and sharp leaves failed to bother them.


    The wait seemed to be taking ages. The Direwolf groups would stop and sniff the air every few feet before moving again.


    ''It really almost feels like raiding a militaryplex. First the scouts, then the small recon group, now a proper monitoring system.''


    The Direwolves were definitely multiple steps ahead of the other enemies they had faced. Geth continuously nced at the Sub-Boss sleeping at the entrance.


    :Weary Wolf, Lvl 65 (Sub-Boss); HP- 82,600/82,600:


    Geth really wasn''t sure what to make of the creature. After facing the Demonic Skeleton, it seemed a bit a bit uninspiring.


    ''Then again, I guess most creatures will look somewhatcking after that event,'' He mused.


    This whole situation appeared too easy. It almost felt as if he was missing something.


    Geth studied thendscape and the path that the patroling wolves were taking. It almost looked like some type of Formation.


    ''Wait... That Sub-Boss can probably move freely in this entire clearing.''


    ''7... 8...'' He heard the mechanical recording of Felix''s voice in his Grimoire.


    ''Shit!''


    Geth had been focused on the Sub-Boss. He hadn''t noticed that the wolves were already at rest near the boulder.


    ''9... 10! Now!''


    He fired his Corruption st in the center of the three wolves. It was toote to change tactics now.


    He would just have to hold back the monster on his own.

 Chapter 175: Broken Formation

    Chapter 175: Broken Formation


    His Corruption st, two massive fireballs, and multiple arrows assaulted the small Direwolf pack. Four different types of damage over time spells took root in the creatures.


    "Hooowwooooooo!!"


    Even though they were taken by surprise, the wolves still managed to howl for their pack. Unfortunately for them, an illusion barrier was cast behind them, preventing any aid from hearing their cries.


    Geth nced towards the sleeping giant in the center. It looked like the illusion was strong enough to prevent its senses at this distance.


    The three Direwolves soon noticed that something was wrong. Even though they were animals, Geth swore that he saw fear in their expressions at the realization that help wasn''ting.


    Zolis swiftly reached the closest creature, forcefully swinging her massive axe into the neck of the beast. It wasn''t enough to slice clean through, but a deep gash appeared, and the wolf was thrown to the ground.


    Geth wasted no time in casting his Curse ability on the fallen wolf. With Curse active, the creature''s movements became sluggish and predictable.


    The melee fighters piled onto the Direwolf that was struggling to move. Without being able to dodge, it didn''tst long.


    The other two wolves had tried to intervene, but their paths were blocked by Sindri and Geth. Arrows and spells repeatedly fired at the beast that Sindri was holding back.


    Things went as smoothly as nned, but Geth knew that this was the easy part. His eyes continually drifted to the sleeping wolf that looked like a small hill blocking the Dungeon entrance.


    He nced at the wolf that he was currently containing. Fear and hate were evident in its eyes.


    Every w swipe or hurried bite showed like an obscured shadow through Geth''s Foresight. He dodged or parried all of the attacks that wereing towards him.


    When the first Direwolf fell... The shadows stopped. The Direwolf in front of Geth stopped attacking and red at him.


    Geth wasn''t sure why the creature stopped attacking. The slightly injured wolf turned on its heels and sprinted towards the Dungeon.


    "Shit!"


    He hadn''t expected this. The Direwolve''s pride should have forced it to stay and fight until it fell.


    Running for help? That was entirely out of character!


    Geth didn''t have much time. His Mana poured out, reaching the ground in front of the fleeing wolf in an instant.


    A massive mud puddle emerged on the ground before it. After bubbling for a moment, the hastily crafted soil surged like a small tidal wave.


    The wave warped and twisted until it formed a giant hand that reached out of the earth. The wolf skidded to a halt, its movements paralyzed momentarily by the hand that appeared between it and the edge of the illusion.


    Geth cast Curse on the wolf as he manipted the hand to smash down like it was crushing a bug. The wolf tried to dodge, but the Curse kept it from moving full speed.


    The hand pped down, hardening just before the crash and crushing the wolf''s back legs. A loud crunch resounded from the impact as hundreds of bones were shattered.


    ''That was close,'' Geth thought as he allowed the fist to disperse back into the dirt.


    The Direwolfy whimpering on the ground. Blood poured from its crushed lower body, where many bones could be seen protruding from its fur.


    "Filthy!" Geth called.


    The man jogged over after firing another arrow at thest struggling beast. Geth pointed toward the injured beast on the ground.


    "Please put it out of its misery."


    Filthy nodded and pulled back his bow, walking carefully to the beast''s head. Geth studied the attack while Filthy poured Mana into the arrow''s tip.


    Air gathered around the arrow until it seemed to distort by the pressure. When the distortions began, Filthy released his bowstring.


    The arrow easily prated the Direwolf''s skull. Geth monitored the Mana and found that the built-up wind burst outward just after its impact.


    He raised his eyebrows, "Remind me not to piss you off."


    The wind from the arrow had exploded in the creature''s head, turning everything inside to paste. Blood poured from all of its orifices, and its eyes had flown from its skull.


    Filthy shrugged and gestured toward the back half of its body, "It would have only felt a brief moment of pain from my attack."


    Geth scratched the back of his head. The two of them turned and watched the rest of the group finish up their own fight.


    "It''s really something," Filthy muttered.


    Geth nced at him, "These wolves were the first real challenge we faced after meeting."


    "Yeah. It''s impressive to see how much Humans have improved in such a short time."


    The first time they had faced the wolves, only Geth''s cheap trick got them out alive. He pulled out his Direwolf card and looked at the young pup.


    A wave of nostalgia washed over him while he looked at the realistic image. He nced at the mountainous wolf behind the illusion and sighed.


    "You think that wolf''s going to attack as soon as the walles down, don''t you?" Filthy interrupted his thoughts.


    Geth just nodded.


    "Can you handle it?"


    "I''m confident."


    A cool breeze blew in from the open in. The men watched as ze burnt the bodies of the two recently in wolves.


    Rift ran over to where Geth and Filthy were standing. His face turned a slight shade of green as he noticed the condition of the wolf that Geth had been fighting.


    Geth patted the young man on the shoulder, "You''ll have to get used to scenes like that eventually."


    The young man nodded and steeled his resolve. Geth could hear his stomach churning, but the young man still managed to burn the body without releasing his dinner.


    None of the wolves had dropped a Skill card this time. Geth stored the three cores they dropped and looked around at the rest of the party.


    "You guys think you can handle thest two groups on your own?" He questioned.


    Everyone looked at him in surprise. ze was the first to realize what he was implying.


    "I can''t believe I didn''t notice. This entire in is a Formation, isn''t it?" ze''s head whipped toward each of the three boulders as he drew a glowing image in the air.


    The image was of a half-finished Formation with three different points of focus. He scrunched his eyes and looked over at Geth.


    "You''re fighting that wolf alone?"


    Sindri gasped, "You can''t! Look at the size of that thing!"


    Zolis patted the younger woman on the back and chuckled lightly.


    "Don''t you worry about a thing," She turned her head towards Geth. "You sure that you can handle it?"


    Geth nodded, "I doubt I can kill it, but I could hold it in a stalemate for hours if need be."


    Zolis nodded, "Then don''t worry about us. I won''t hold back on these minions."


    ze interrupted, "It''ll be more than just the ones that you see."


    He continued drawing in the glowing circle in the air. The Formation was already almostplete.


    Geth was surprised at his friend''s talent in this area. He assumed that it muste from hisputer coding skills that he prided back in the day.


    "As soon as the Sub-Boss is awakened, this Formation will alert three different pockets of wolves in the Dungeon below us.


    The three stones are connected by Mana to three more stones located somewhere underground.


    As soon as the Sub-Boss'' Mana stops feeding the center, the stones in the Dungeon will release a signal. If I''m right, that signal will alert three more Sub-Bosses, along with multiple of theirckeys."


    ze finished his exnation and turned his head to Geth.


    "Are you sure that you want to do this? We can just walk away. We''ll still have to contend with the minions chasing us."


    Geth shook his head and pointed toward a location in the distance. No one else would notice, but ze could probably see it.


    Rift spoke up first, surprising Geth, "Is the Mana warping over there?"


    ze shook his head, "No, the Mana haspletely disintegrated that section of the Formation."


    His hand went up to his chin in thought, "As soon as the Sub-Boss stops releasing Mana, the entire Formation will be disrupted.


    Even the Boss at the end will be able to run free. I didn''t even notice it."


    "I didn''t have time to warn you all before the illusion was cast. By then, it was already toote," Geth shook his head.


    Even if they hadn''t stepped out of the woodline, the Sub-Boss would have noticed after the illusion disappeared. It wouldn''t take much movement for the Formation to crumble.


    "If we don''t proceed, this entire Dungeon will break. These creatures will roam free, and I doubt that we can outrun them all."


    Swole spoke up, "Man, who gives a shit! We came here to kill some wolves, and I n to kill some wolves, damnit!"


    Everyone chuckled and their moods began to lighten.


    Peter grinned, "Yeah, I''m having roasted wolf for dinner tonight!"


    "We aren''t scared! Let us at ''em!" Jack yelled.


    Geth chuckled and looked around at his party members, "Alright then."


    He turned to Felix, who was sweating near the woodline.


    "Felix, how long can you keep up the illusion?"


    "I can keep it up for another hour, but I''ll bepletely out of Mana for the battle."


    Geth nodded, "Just give me ten minutes."


    He turned and faced the others, "Alright, here''s the n...."

 Chapter 176: The Game Plan

    Chapter 176: The Game n


    Geth stood at the edge of the illusion.


    ''It''s almost time.''


    Three Direwolves around Level 55 left the boulder on his right and slowly made their way to the illusion.


    A simr situation was urring to his left. That group of Direwolves was circling the edge of the Formation furthest from them.


    As soon as the other group disappeared behind the hill that formed the Dungeon entrance, it would be time to make their move.


    ''Just a few more seconds.''


    Geth stared at the Direwolf in the center. It was already on alert, staring at the illusion curiously.


    Its eyes had opened slightly when the patrols first began their rotation. As Felix couldn''t make the illusion move, it looked like the three Direwolves they''d defeated were still pacing near the boulder.


    Now that the patrols were nearly halfway, the Weary Wolf was sitting back on its haunches, focusing on the wolves in the illusion.


    Geth stood at the edge closest to the Sub-Boss. He was ready tounch himself into a full sprint towards the beast.


    Everyone had already been buffed with Agility and Defense. He''d stepped back into the woods and increased his own Agility and Wisdom.


    They expected many Direwolves to storm out of the cave. If they weren''t careful, they would be surrounded.


    Based on ze''s estimations for the distance to the inner Formation, they had seven minutes before the first wolf reached the entrance.


    The n was simple. If the party attacks while the second patrol doesn''t have a line of sight, they can quickly tear through the three Direwolves.


    Geth and Bane would rush forward to keep the Sub-Boss busy, which was always the n.


    The party would intercept the second patrol as soon as they finished with the first.


    Geth and Bane would continue to solo the Sub-Boss while the others set up a blockade at the Dungeon entrance.


    It was arge entrance, but it was still better to face waves of five creatures than to be surrounded by an ocean of them.


    Sindri was tost hit all of the dying Direwolves until she reached Level 50. By that time, Geth should have almost finished up and would swap ces with her.


    Zolis would finish the Sub-Boss, which should almost instantly push her to 50. The party would then rotatest hits until they had all gained a Second ss.


    Geth felt that Sindri was the top priority. This was going to be a long and grueling battle. Without a pure tank, even he would get walked all over.


    He went over the n once again in his mind. There were many ws, but there was no time to develop something better.


    ''Once I''ve disentangled myself from the Weary Wolf, I should be able to narrow the Dungeon''s entrance,'' He thought.


    With the amount of wolves ze estimated, they would likely be fighting at the entrance for days.


    Sigh


    The Weary Wolf stood on all fours, towering in the center of the in. It turned its head sideways and sniffed at the air.


    Geth nced behind the enormous creature just in time to see thest wolf step behind the cave. It was time.


    Geth burst from the illusion with Bane in tow. The Weary Wolf, startled briefly, quickly gained its bearings and began charging toward him.


    It wasn''t just the Sub-Boss. The patrol that was to Geth''s right began to move his way.


    ''Perfect!''


    The moment the wolves'' broadsides faced the illusion, tens of arrows and spells soared through the air. The illusion dropped, revealing the party that was charging out of it.


    The patrol had just turned to face Geth and didn''t have time to react. Every arrow and spell hit them squarely in the side, causing massive amounts of damage.


    ''Well, phase one is going smoothly. With all of that damage, they should be able to take out that group in no time.''


    Without the bonus of having five or more wolves around, the Direwolves took a lot of damage. Outside of the one in Geth''s possession, most of the creatures had low to average Defense and Wisdom.


    His sprint didn''t stop until he reached the Weary Wolf. He noticed that, like his own tame, its Attributes were different.


    The low health and the slow speed at which it was running told him that much. He took a cautious approach as he came within striking distance of the creature.


    Bane stopped about 20 yards back and had already fired a few arrows at the beast. The strange thing was... they missed.


    Geth was confused. The monster hadn''t dodged at all. He knew better than anyone just how urate his Skeleton was.


    He looked up at the Weary Wolf that towered over him. With a height of 15 feet, he couldn''t help but admit that the beast was intimidating.


    ''Why isn''t it attacking?''


    Geth cast his Corruption st between the feet of the wolf. A small ck cloud spread out from the point of impact, quickly dissipating into the air.


    He knew that it had sessfully adhered to the wolf the moment its health started to drop. The results were a bit disappointing.


    :Weary Wolf, Lvl 65 (Sub-Boss); HP- 82,527/82,600:


    ''One of this thing''s highest Attributes must be Wisdom,'' Geth concluded. ''Maybe Curse will take care of it.''


    He focused on the creature standing before him and cast his Curse Skill.


    Then he waited...


    And waited...


    ''Why isn''t anything happening? The damn thing still hasn''t tried to attack me either. It''s just standing there.''


    He looked around the battlefield to see that things had changed.


    Geth was standing in the middle of the in. It was the same ce as before, but his party members and the patrol wolves were missing.


    He turned and saw his Skeleton, Bane, standing behind him with empty eye sockets. The sight of his lifeless Tame caused him to feel sorrow, which was strange for him.


    Geth took another look at the wolf that was towering over him.. It was staring down at him with a mischievous, smug grin.

 Chapter 177: Illusion?

    Chapter 177: Illusion?


    Geth met the wolf''s gaze for a while. It almost seemed lifeless.


    The fur, its arrogant grin, and even its breathing were intimidating. But in its eyes... there was nothing.


    Geth walked toward the Direwolf and ced his hand on its leg. He could feel the soft but greasy fur under his hand.


    He turned around and looked toward the edge of the woodline. A dense fog was covering the trees.


    He could see nothing but the in around him. His Skeleton stared forward without moving, almost like an inanimate object.


    Geth walked over to where his party had just been fighting the first patrol. While the Weary Wolf wasn''t moving, he needed to figure out what was happening.


    ''Not a single scuff mark?'' Geth bent down and looked at the ground, ''What is this? Some kind of illusion?''


    He tried to manipte the mud below him, but nothing happened. Shaking his head, he turned to look at the Weary Wolf again.


    When he did, he jumped up in shock!


    "Shit!"


    Bane was standing right behind him with those lifeless eyes. Just standing there,pletely unmoving.


    Geth walked over and tapped on the Skeleton. When it didn''t move, he tried pushing it over.


    ''It won''t budge.''


    Geth looked around the in for any other clues. The Dungeon entrance and the boulders were gone. Only Geth and the two creatures remained.


    ''Well, it doesn''t look like I''ll find a way out here,'' He turned toward the wall of smoke at the edge of the woodline.


    ''Maybe I can just... walk out?''


    Geth walked toward the smoke at the edge of the in. The moment he reached it, he stopped and turned his head.


    Bane had appeared right behind him once again. Or rather, Bane''s corpse? It felt odd looking at his Tame with no life in its eyes.


    ''Albus... can you hear me?''


    There was no answer. Geth couldn''t even look into his mind to see his other selves.


    A sense of istion overtook him. He clutched at his head for a moment to shake off the feeling.


    "What the fuck is wrong with me?"


    This wasn''t the first timetely that he''d felt a stronger sense of emotion than usual. He''d noticed that feelings of anger or excitement would asionally burst out of him.


    Even now, he was feeling angry at himself for having these feelings and not handling the situation at hand. Geth mmed both hands on the ground and pulled himself together.


    A dull look washed over him as he took on his usual stoic expression. He turned toward the mist that floated just beside him.


    ''One hand.''


    Geth thrust one of his hands into the smoke. It was cold and dense enough to feel condensation forming on his arm.


    There was no pain, and nothing questionable seemed to happen. Steeling his resolve, Geth walked straight into the mist.


    After he stepped off of the hard ground and into the dense fog, he found himself floating. It felt like he was drifting inside of an endless ocean.


    The waves of this ocean constantly rocked him back and forth, his body being taken away to some unknown ce. Geth could see nothing but the white of the mist in front of him.


    ''What a strange feeling.''


    He had absolutely no control over his direction. Even if he did, it wasn''t like he knew where to go.


    His eyes closed as his body was taken off by the sea.


    Geth had no sense of time in this ce. He wasn''t sure if he''d been floating for minutes or hours.


    At some point, he felt a subtle change in the pattern of the waves. His eyes snapped open, and he observed the area around him.


    He was still floating, but the mist was slowly fading away. Once the haze finally dissipated, the sight below him caused his brows to crease.


    Geth was hovering over an open expanse ofnd. Below him was a familiar scene.


    Hundreds of bodies were spread across a vast expanse ofnd. Each of the bodies was wearing a bup sack.


    He focused intently and found that this was an exact replica of the area he woke up in. Down to the locations where he had woken up and where his family hadin, everything was the same.


    Not too far from his body, maybe five to ten yards, a small ck slime was making its way across the greenery.


    Before he could further look around, he felt his body being tugged downward. It was as if gravity had suddenly found out he was there.


    He fell from the sky, constantly picking up speed and heading towards where his bodyy. Before Geth could hit the ground, he passed out from the pressure.


    Awaking an unknown amount of timeter, he looked around and tried to understand what had just happened.


    A slight headache overtook him, and he tried to raise his hand to his head. As he did so, he suddenly realized that he had no hand!


    ''What?!''


    Not only did he not have a hand, but he also didn''t have arms or legs. Geth couldn''t feel any appendages!


    Freaking out momentarily, he began to look around. The world around him was strange.


    It was almost ck and white, but it still held some dull shades of color. After a moment, Geth realized that he wasn''t seeing the world around him but sensing it with a weak version of Mana Sense.


    ''How strange.''


    He could ''see'' a few bodies lying in the distance, but he couldn''t tell who they belonged to.


    The grass was melting below his body. It felt as if the ground itself were slowly and subtly disappearing.


    He decided to move and get a better view of what was going on. But... he couldn''t feel or see his arms and legs.


    ''How troublesome.''


    Geth urged his body to make a move. Even if it was just a twitch.


    ''Well, it isn''t like my Mana is gone.''


    He focused his Mana around him and used it to propel himself forward.


    *Squelch* *Squelch*

 Chapter 178: Black Slime

    Chapter 178: ck Slime


    *Squelch* *Squelch*


    ''...What?''


    Geth forced the Mana to propel him forward again.


    *Squelch* *Squelch*


    ''What the fuck?''


    He controlled his Mana Sense and turned it on himself. Though it became blurry, he was able to see what he needed.


    Just where he was sitting was the same small ck Slime that he''d seen from the air. The Slime jiggled as the realization hit him.


    ''Is that me?!?''


    Making sure that he was watching, he propelled his body onward once more. Sure enough, the little ck Slime made another slight movement forward.


    *Squelch* *Squelch*


    ''Well, that''s confirmed, but what the hell is going on?''


    Geth continued moving around, asionally stopping as he ran out of Mana. Even though he still had immense control, this body severelycked capacity.


    When his Mana ran out the first time, he felt an insatiable hunger! He wanted to do nothing more than absorb everything around him.


    As that feeling grew, he noticed the Mana in the atmosphere subtly pulling toward him. Even the Mana that made up the grass below him was absorbed until it withered into nothingness.


    With his curiosity getting the better of him, Geth expended some Mana to expand his range of view.


    He focused his senses on the areas that he''d traveled and where he''d stopped for a period of time.


    ''I wonder why I never noticed that before?''


    A small trail of browned grass followed him to his current location. In the two areas he''d stopped, the ground waspletely bare.


    That wasn''t what concerned him. It was the Mana''s reaction to the areas that had him curious.


    ''Why isn''t the Mana repairing the damage. Isn''t one of its priorities to keep the world natural?''


    Geth thought about it for some time, but he couldn''te up with an answer. Since no progress was being made, he decided to continue exploring.


    He continued moving around until he came to the closest sleeping figure. Expanding his senses, he found Zolis'' body lying peacefully beside him.


    ''I hadn''t realized how much she''d changed.''


    Looking at his wife, he found that her skin was smooth with minimal definition. She had slender arms and legs with a petite figure that he hadn''t seen in a while.


    The Zolis that he knew now was still just as beautiful, but she''d changed drastically. Now she looked more like an athlete, boasting strong, lean muscles with a few scarsyering her previously wless skin.


    Geth found his hunger beginning to interrupt his thoughts. He forced himself to move far away from Zolis and find a fresh patch of grass to recover his Mana.


    ''This is exhaus- hmm?''


    At the very edge of his senses, he saw a familiar tribal tattoo on an individual''s shoulder. After consuming the ground below him, Geth propelled himself towards it.


    He looked at his former body with a bit of pity. His past self was lying there,pletely unaware of his presence.


    Geth forced himself over and looked at his past self''s face. Hey there,pletely unaware that he could die at any moment.


    ''This was where it started.''


    He thought about the decisions he''d made. Geth had no regrets about the path that he''d chosen.


    It was evident that he was leagues above others in many ways. Even the team that he''d formed would likely rival any party that existed at the moment.


    Hunger started to engulf him again. Before he could move, a light breeze caused his fluid surface to move.


    He realized he''d been sitting too close to his former body as he lightly bumped against its skin.


    A rush of exhration surged throughout him. Mana was pouring into him as the skin of his old body started to rot.


    "Mmmmmmrrrrrrrrr"


    He heard a muffled noise from behind him, but he couldn''t pull himself away. The feeling was just too profound.


    He continued to pull the Mana away from his old body. The endless hunger that he''d felt this entire time was temporarily assuaged.


    "Mmmmsssssrrrrrrr"


    The noise could be heard again, a bit less muffled, but he blocked it out. Geth didn''t want anythinging between him and this feeling.


    His Slime body was now partially against his old body''s face. A feeling of euphoria overtook him as the skin further deteriorated.


    "Mmmssttrrr!"


    The sound was much closer this time. Geth could almost make it out.


    A part of his conscious was pulled away from the glorious feeling as he forced his senses to spread out.


    "Mmmsstrrr!"


    "oooww"


    Geth heard the voice clearer than before. He suddenly realized what he was doing and forced the Slime''s body off of his own.


    A feeling of disgust overcame him as he saw the damage he''d caused himself. His face was partially torn, the bones of his cheek and jaw wholly exposed.


    Blood poured out from around the wound, staining the dirt below a deep red.


    Even with the damage caused, the Slime''s center still felt like an endless void. He couldn''t help but feel a sense of yearning while staring at the body.


    "Master!"


    "Oowwooooo!"


    Geth turned the Slime''s body and found Bane standing tall behind him. The Skeleton''s Mana-filled eyes were glowing brilliantly.


    The Direwolf pup stood beside him, wagging its tail and looking at the Slime curiously. It pounced over and began to lick at him.


    The more the pup licked him, the quicker the hunger disappeared. Geth found himself floating upward.


    Suddenly, he was himself again, floatingzily above the body-filled in. He could feel the distance between himself and the ground expanding rapidly.


    Geth took onest look at the scene below before it faded from view. As his eyes fell on the little ck Slime, he couldn''t help but feel sorry for the little guy.


    That hunger was something he would never be able to handle. His body continued rocketing into the clouds above.


    Everything went dark. The feeling of gravity crashed down upon him as if he''d just mmed into a ceiling.


    Geth felt that he was on the ground. He could feel the grass between his fingertips.


    Something soft and wet constantly brushed against his cheeks. He could feel a liquid running down and around his head.


    His eyes snapped open to see a small ck Direwolf happilypping at his face. His confusion grew as he realized that it was the pup he''d just tamed.


    ''Sigh.. Wee back.''

 Chapter 179: Backfire!

    Chapter 179: Backfire!


    Geth heard an exasperated sigh from inside of his mind.


    "Wee back," Albus said.


    Confused, Geth tried to get his bearings. He''d barely opened his eyes before Albus spoke again.


    "You don''t have time to waste! Get up and get to the Dungeon entrance!"


    Geth sat up quickly, a wave of grogginess trying to keep him from moving. It felt like he''d had a few too many drinks.


    His vision was slightly blurred, and his head was pounding. He could feel a massive weight on his legs.


    Shaking his head wildly, his recovery swiftly took care of the drunken feeling. His sight returned to normal, and he looked to see what was weighing him down.


    A massive ck dog was sitting on hisp. Seeing the giant pup, he realized what the liquid dripping off of his face was.


    "Bleh!"


    Geth wiped away the saliva that was partially blocking his vision and hearing. Even his ears hadn''t escaped the drizzle.


    "Quit dawdling! Your seven minutes are almost up!"


    "Seven minutes?"


    Geth instantly recalled everything that had happened as multiple of his selves appeared inside his mental sphere.


    "Shit!"


    He looked around the battlefield and found that almost all his party members were passed out nearby. There were four that were still standing.


    Sindri, ze, Peter, Felix, and Bane were assailing the monstrous Weary Wolf. The bodies of the patroling wolves were nowhere to be found.


    What struck Geth as odd was that the Weary Wolf wasn''t fighting back. In fact, it looked as if it were unconscious!


    :Weary Wolf, Lvl 65 (Sub-Boss); HP- 16,232/82,600:


    Seeing that the beast wouldn''tst much longer, Geth turned his attention toward more pressing matters. Thousands of Direwolves were about to rush out from the caves and surround them!


    "Albus, how long until the waves arrive?"


    "You''ve been unconscious for almost five and a half minutes. You have barely more than a minute before the first of them make it out."


    Geth''s processing speed was ramped up at the moment. He''d instantly dismissed all but one of his selves as soon as he''d regained his memories.


    "Based on what you''ve witnessed while I was out, how long will it take them to finish off the Sub-Boss?"


    "Less than 30 seconds. Faster if you join in," Albus replied.


    Geth nodded and sprinted toward the sleeping monster after casting another nce towards his unconsciouspanions. He ordered his Direwolf Pup to get a few bites in on the Sub-Boss for a quick power level.


    While he was helping kill the beast before it woke up, he asked Albus to exin what had happened to his other self.


    Standing in the center of the mental sphere, Albus looked at Geth with an odd expression. He was silent for a moment and looked as if he were getting his thoughts together.


    "The Direwolf used a type of mental attack using the Formation that we are currently in." Albus began.


    "As you were running toward the creature, the three stones lit up. The Direwolves from both patrols turned to dust instantly.


    One of you fell asleep for each of the Direwolves that was sacrificed. It was probably the worst move that the Sub-Boss could have made.


    You happened to be one of its targets. Your Spell Reflection Talent sent the spell right back to it, albeit a weaker version.


    Even so, it was strong enough that it knocked itself out as well. As soon as those four noticed what was happening, they ganged up on the sleeping creature."


    Geth took a moment to soak that information in. He was relieved that he''d decided to evolve the Reflection Talent.


    He hadn''t been aware that the Spell Reflection would work against mental assaults... but he sure as hell wouldn''tin about it.


    "Why are you giving me that strange look?" Geth asked.


    Albus stroked his beard, "Something else happened while you were asleep. At some point during your little nap, Mana started flowing rapidly into your body.


    The Mana force summoned your Direwolf Pup and also made some other changes.


    It all umted just outside of your mental sphere and... well... it may be better just to show you."


    Albus beckoned for Geth to follow and the two of them made their way toward where his Tame''s spheres were located. He hadn''t been here since before he handed off his spare Skeleton Cards.


    When the two of them arrived, he was met with a strange sight. Where he expected to see two mental spheres, there were three.


    Bane''s mental sphere was massive! It had grown muchrger than thest time he''dpared it to the other Skeleton''s.


    The Direwolves sphere located right beside it wasn''t too far off. Even though the pup was only Level 1, it was apparent how great its potential was.


    The tunnels leading to each of these mental spheres weren''t extremely long. At most, the length of the connecting branch was about a tenth of the diameter of his own sphere.


    It was the new presence that caused him to scrunch his brows. To the left of his Tames, another path existed.


    This path didn''t have an information pad next to it and seemed to be locked up tight.


    Unlike Geth''s Tames, whose pathways were open to allow formunication, this one was sealed and much smaller than the others.


    Not only that, it was as long as the entire diameter as his outer sphere! The distance was so far that he had to fly out and travel the path to see what was at the end.


    Geth swiftly followed the long tunnel, making his way to the end in no time. In his own mind, he was nigh omnipotent.


    What he saw at the end of the tunnel didn''t make any sense. A very tiny mental sphere was attached at the very end.


    It was pitch ck, with a dark shroud surrounding it. Even thetter half of the tunnel was covered by a dark mist.


    The mental sphere itself was norger than a basketball! The tunnel itself made Geth think of something that a mouse would crawl through.


    Looking at the small dark mental sphere, he couldn''t help but picture the little ck Slime.


    ''Just what was that dream?''

 Chapter 180: Funnel

    Chapter 180: Funnel


    Geth forced himself to stop thinking about what just happened and focused on the task at hand.


    Things had to go perfectly, or they wouldn''t make it to the Dungeon entrance in time to stop the horde.


    He used his Strength to beat the Weary Wolf with his staff. It wasn''t as effective as casting his Corruption st, but he wanted to make sure that Sindri scored thest hit.


    ''If everything goes well, this will boost her a few Levels. She needs to get to 50 as quickly as possible before any Bosses arrive.''


    Geth couldn''t be positive, but it was likely that only normal Direwolves would rush the entrance for some time.


    The other Sub-Bosses would definitely push after realizing no progress was being made.


    Of course, that was only if Geth and Sindri could manage to stopper them up at the entrance. He wasn''t sure when the others would rouse from their current state.


    :Weary Wolf, Lvl 65 (Sub-Boss); HP- 436/82,600:


    "That''s enough! Everyone back off and let Sindri finish it!"


    Geth yelled loudly and directly sprinted toward the Dungeon. There wasn''t much time.


    ''Approximately 50 seconds.''


    The Dungeon wasn''t far for him with his boosted speed. He reached it in less than three seconds regardless of being seventy yards away.


    Even as he arrived, he could feel the ground rumbling beneath him. The rocks around the edge of the cave were shaking uncontrobly.


    Geth did not doubt that ze''s estimates were correct. It would take an ample amount of wolves to cause this.


    ''I need to narrow this entrance without making it impossible for the wolves to get through...''


    The entrance was broader than the dying wolf in the field behind him. It would take a lot of Mana to decrease its size as much as needed.


    At least five Direwolves couldfortably walk out at once. Seven could probably squeeze through.


    He set to work, manipting the earth to turn to liquid and forcing the sides of the cave to droop inward. His Mana began depleting rapidly, but he had more than enough to do the job.


    Walking a few yards into the cave, he forced the walls to harden into a cone-like shape leading to the entrance. While he was working, Peter had sprinted over.


    Peter wanted to ask what he could do to help. Unfortunately, he could only stand there dumbfounded as he watched Geth work.


    Geth''s hands danced through the air, a light blue aura constantly pulsating around them.


    With every flick of his fingers, another section of the wall would crumble, only to create a perfect wall momentster.


    Geth worked rapidly and without pause. He was only halfway done by the time he saw the first of the wolves.


    A row of yellow and blue eyes red at him from a distance. The quaking of the ground was so intense that an ordinary man would find it hard to stand.


    Peter was about to call out but found that the man''s rhythm hadn''t changed at all. Squinting to get a better look, he discovered that Geth''s expression was still perfectly calm.


    Looking into the distance, he was able to see more and more wolves pouring out of the darkness. Each of them was the height of an average man or taller!


    Peter''s knees started to shake. He couldn''t help but feel that this mission was suicidal!


    "What did I get myself into..."


    Geth nced back at the young man and shook his head. He knew it was rough, but the guy would have to find his balls sooner orter.


    While he was putting the finishing touches on the entrance, he felt a massive change in his mental sphere. When his thoughts merged with his other self''s, he found that the Direwolf Pup''s Level had leaped tremendously.


    ''It''s to be expected. He shared some of the experience from that Sub-Boss.''


    The Sub-Boss was Level 65, so naturally, even if it were less than 5% of the shared experience, it would be multiplied by 64.


    It would be halved due to the effects of the creature being a Tame. Geth couldn''t help but regret this fact.


    Even so, the pup had directly reached Level 25 and was a third of the way to 26. It was even faster than when he power leveled his Skeletons!


    Being a Tier 4 creature, it was naturally intelligent enough to Level itself. His other self had already handled the settings so that it could do so.


    "Finished! Just in time, too."


    Geth finished the cone-shaped entrance that he had been working on so diligently. At nearly the same time, the first wave of beasts had arrived.


    As they funneled into the trap, the mob was forced to slow down as they began to m into the creatures before them. The wolves became even slower as he had purposely formed many small cavities in the entryway.


    With their momentum gone, the front-runners began moving with caution.


    Geth smiled as he viewed his handi-work and cast a Corruption st into the crowd. Sindri arrived just when the first wolves were almost to the entrance.


    She didn''t hesitate to jump directly in front of them and cast her AOE aggro Skill. The wolves instantly focused on attacking her instead of forcing their way out of the tunnel.


    "I''m d you could join the party!"


    Geth shouted over the growling and howling of hundreds of angry Direwolves. Sindri bashed the front wolf with her shield and shed a stunning smile toward him.


    "Wouldn''t miss it for the world!"


    Geth cast Protection over her, giving her a glowing membrane that could absorb over 5000 damage. It was enough tost through the first few wolves.


    They were pleased to find that the front-runners were a much lower Level than the patrols they faced. Most were only in their 30''s.


    Geth cast his sights as far as he could see and found that those further away ranged in the low to mid 40''s. He couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "What a perfect situation!"

 Chapter 181: Horde

    Chapter 181: Horde


    Geth backed Sindri up as best he could. It was extremely challenging not to let the wolves out with just the two of them guarding.


    "Just hang tight! Things will be a lot easier when the others get over here!"


    Sindri nodded and continued pressing her shield against the wolves. Even so, she was slowly but constantly being pushed back.


    Peter wasn''t much use. He would asionally throw a half-hearted strike when he could reach one of the beasts.


    "Peter! Pull yourself together!"


    Geth could see that the young man''s knees were still shaking. He decided right then to buy some type of encouragement Skill as soon as the Tower was working.


    Swinging his staff, he bashed another wolf in the head before it could press Sindri back again. She''d already been through two of his Protections.


    They needed these in the front to start dying to relieve some pressure. Albus had already sent a message to ze.


    ''What''s the status?''


    Geth cast another Corruption st randomly toward the back of the crowd. He couldn''t risk it affecting Sindri.


    ''Geth! We''re trying to wake them up now. Felix used thest of his SP to evolve a skill that he thinks will handle it.''


    Geth''s Foresight caught another wolf trying to reach around Sindri''s shield. He bashed its arm down before it had the chance.


    A charged-up arrow flew over his shoulder and struck that same wolf in the eye. He could see a damage over time effect already taking hold.


    ''Good. Then get over here and start dropping the health of the wolves grouped in the back.''


    "Good job Bane, excellent work."


    Bane made some strange noise by rubbing his upper and lower jaw together. Geth couldn''t tell if it was augh or a battle cry as it just sounded like bones rattling.


    The Skeleton began loosing arrow after arrow into the front lines of the wolves. Almost every projectile would strike a vital point.


    The beasts started to drop like flies. They were nothing for his Level 50 prowess.


    With every body that dropped, another wolf simply stepped over the top of its fallenrade. Any gap they made in the crowd was quickly filled.


    Geth frowned as he noticed that some wolves would gobble up their fallenrades. He gritted his teeth as he saw they would asionally Level up from consuming the deceased''s core.


    It wasn''t a terrible thing, but he felt a slight pain as the cores got gobbled up. His eye would twitch every time he witnessed it.


    "My loot..."


    Gethined as he watched another core being gobbled up by one of the massive creatures.


    He swiftly took his anger out on the closest Direwolf to him, bashing it in the skull until it turned to mush.


    "Even in this situation, you''re mad about the loot?!"


    Peter cried from behind his back. The boy grabbed the recently killed Direwolf and dragged its corpse out in the open.


    Even if he was scared and struggled to attack the creatures due to the distance, he wanted to help. If all he could do was secure some loot, he would do so.


    Geth nodded at the young man''s actions.


    ''He may be a bit of a coward, but he has some drive. I can work with that.''


    ze quickly made it over and gasped when he saw the scene before him. Direwolves of varying sizes were piled in the cave as far as he could see.


    After the initial shock, he suddenly grinned.


    "What a great gift!"


    A small Fireball instantly spawned over his head and shot into the crowd. He continued firing off these sts at random.


    Each time one of the spells would touch a surface, it would explode and spread out one to two yards. It wasn''t much, but the damage over time effects stacked.


    Geth tried to aim his Corruption sts near the areas where ze''s Fireballs wouldnd. Between the two, multiple wolve''s health bars started dipping rapidly.


    "Remember to let Sindri get thest hit on as many as possible! Once she''s Level 50, she can focus fully on holding the bastards back!"


    ze nodded and nced at the girl, who was still struggling slightly. He was surprised to find that she''d already bumped up to Level 39.


    He''d managed to Level up once from the Sub-Boss, but she''d gotten four. On top of that, she''d already gained one from scoring most of thest hits on the front line.


    Still, he could tell that she was struggling to both defend andnd thest hit when the time came. He understood why Geth had chosen the order that he did.


    "This guy really does manage to think everything through," He muttered.


    Staring at the man''s back and looking at the funnel that he''d crafted in the cave mouth, ze was once again impressed.


    ''To think that he nned out the exact amount of time to do this in the few seconds after he''d woken up. It''s even more impressive that he was able to enact the n wlessly!''


    ze mindlessly cast Fireballs in random locations while absorbed in his thoughts. Now and then, he would get a notification that he''d killed one of the brutes.


    Nothing could be done about the asional mishap, but he tried his best not to hit the same area twice.


    Geth felt a strange but familiar sensation from far behind their backs. He turned his head slightly to get a glimpse and saw a pitch-ck Direwolf running toward them.


    A small crater appeared on the ground beneath it with every step. At first, it looked majestic... but as soon as it saw Geth, it stuck its tongue out, and its tail started wagging.


    If he weren''t busy fending off the horde, he would have facepalmed at this moment. Such a powerful looking beast was, in fact, a goofball.


    Sindri saw the despairing look on Geth''s face. Thinking something was wrong, she nced back to look for the danger.


    Geth frowned as the woman startedughing while ducking behind her shield.

 Chapter 182: Dispel

    Chapter 182: Dispel


    Even though they were being pressed back, Geth had time to make small changes to the structure of his cone.


    At first, the changes weren''t evident, but the others began to notice a difference as time passed.


    Rock and dirt turned to mud and slowly shifted around the mouth of the cave. The earth piled upon itself, forming two walls running back from the entrance.


    Geth began to sweat as his Mana pool was decreasing. His project wouldn''t be an issue if he weren''t also focused on supporting Sindri.


    In fact, he wasn''t even the one casting directly. It was his other self manipting the earth from inside his mental sphere.


    This was something that suddenly struck him as possible when he''d woken up from the Weary Wolf''s spell.


    It primarily stemmed from the fact that the Direwolf Pup had managed to summon itself.


    Geth was happy to find that it worked, but the Mana consumption increased to normal levels. It seemed that the cost reduction only worked when he cast through his physical body.


    The mud continued to stack until the walls were three times as high as the tallest Direwolves.


    ''That''s as much as I can do without recovering some Mana.''


    Sweat trickled across his brow as he finished up the base structure. He''d left just enough Mana to cast another Protection on Sindri.


    ze looked at Geth curiously while sting away at those wolves in the depths.


    ''Just what is he nning? Is it just to make the tunnel longer?''


    It would make sense. Making the tunnel longer would give them plenty of time at the slow rate they were being pushed back.


    The walls were high, and ze could see that they were around eight feet thick.


    What confused him was that Geth hadn''t really extended the tunnel that far, only around ten feet.


    ''Wait... Where did the earthe from that he used to craft this?''


    ze nced around on the ground and didn''t see any signs of the soil having shifted.


    His gaze gradually traveled up the walls towards the top of the cave. There, he saw arge chunk of the ceiling missing, exposing a good-sized section of the cave to sunlight.


    ''I-Is he setting up ramparts!?''


    What the hell kind of person would think of doing this to clear a Dungeon? ze looked at his friend again, impressed with his foresightedness.


    ''So he designed the cone from the beginning with the intention of ranged fighters standing on top. This may be an easier Dungeon clear than any of us thought.''


    He realized that he''d paused his attacks, and the new girl was getting pushed back again. ze quickly reconciled by throwing out a small barrage of Fireballs.


    He would save his big spells for when it was his turn to power level to 50.


    ****


    In the same clearing, a distance away from the Dungeon entrance.


    "Fuck, I hope this works."


    Felix had just used thest of his points to upgrade one of his support Skills. It was a simple Skill called Dispel.


    It allowed him to dispel most weak damage over time or other magic effects that he''de across in the past.


    After upgrading the Skill to Lesser Dispel, it simply allowed him to work his magic on effects that were a bit stronger than before.


    A light glow emanated from his hands as they hovered just over the archer''s head. Felix was terrible with names.


    His Mana drained rapidly as the light started to glow brighter. The look on the archer''s face changed from one of pain to one of peace.


    The man''s eyes fluttered open, and he sat up a bit groggily.


    "Ahhh, my head."


    The man pressed his palms to his forehead and rapidly blinked his eyes. Once he''d gotten himself together, he looked at Felix, paled and sweating beside him.


    "Are you alright? What''s going on?" Filthy asked.


    "Waking... You up... just tool a lot... out of me."


    The man spoke through ragged breaths. Filthy could tell that the man was exhausted.


    "I still... Have work to do." Felix gestured toward the other sleeping bodies and finished catching his breath.


    "Go help the others. Tell Geth that it will take a half-hour to wake them all."


    Filthy nodded and jogged off without asking any questions. Felix nced at his Mana bar, which had dropped down to zero.


    "What a powerful spell. I was barely able to break it."


    He then looked to the Dungeon entrance, where the sounds of battle reverberated across the in.


    ''Just how did he manage to free himself so quickly?''


    ****


    "Geth!"


    Geth turned his head back briefly and saw Filthy entering the walkway he''d created. A sigh of relief escaped him.


    "Good to see you up. Are the othersing now?" He asked.


    "Felix said to tell you that it would take him a half-hour to handle the spell''s effects." Filthy replied.


    "That long? Well, no matter. With you here, we can begin to do this properly."


    Geth''s eyes glowed softly as Mana poured out of him. The walls that he''d created shook as stairs formed on the outer perimeter.


    "Phew... alright, Bane, ze, Filthy, head up top and start picking the health of the wolves close to the entrance. Stop when they fall below 1%."


    The Skeleton and the two men nodded. The three of them jogged out of the tunnel, and he could soon see them up on the ramparts that he''d crafted.


    Single target spells and arrows rained down in front of where Sindri was holding back the wolves. She would sh with her short sword every time she gained an opening.


    Things quickly turned around as she startedndingst hits on the iing wolves. Her eyes shot up as she found that the wolves arriving before her usually had less than 600 health!


    Sindri shifted her footing and began to push back! With it taking only two to three swings to finish the wolves, she was able to make up the ground they''d lost swiftly.


    Peter continuously dragged the bodies away as she shoved them to the side. Geth nodded in satisfaction as he watched the proceedings.


    "Not bad," He muttered and then turned towards the endless throng of Dirwolves before them.


    "Even so, it''s going to be a long week."

 Chapter 183: The First To 50

    Chapter 183: The First To 50


    As promised, the rest of the party was woken up and joined the fray over the next 30 minutes. Geth was still a bit troubled by how potent that sleeping spell was.


    Since Felix wasn''t particrly well-versed in offense, he had the man scavenge the corpse of the Sub-Boss. There should have been some type of drop.


    Geth was correct in assuming this Dungeon would reward them with more Taming Cards. He''d chosen three Epics and some more points for his rewards after its death.


    The reward was the only reason he''d wasted a precious few seconds smacking it before making his way to the Dungeon.


    ''This is even more efficient than I thought.''


    Geth hadn''t made a move in a while. In fact, he was just leaning back against his Direwolf Tame that was lying near the structure he''d made.


    Zolis and Sindri were on the front lines alternatingst hits until they reached Level 50. Geth simply had to keep up Protection and cast Mass Restoration now and then.


    Those on the ramparts were buffed with Strength and Intelligence, while those on the front lines were enhanced with Strength and Defense.


    Jack was patiently waiting his turn while helping Peter drag the bodies away. Swole was sprawled out on top of Geth''s wolf, trying to take a nap.


    "You know, you could help..."


    Swoleughed.


    "There''s barely enough room to drag two corpses through at once. Just wake me when it''s my turn."


    Geth chuckled at his friend. His Direwolf continued to lick its paws.


    ''Want me to knock him off?''


    A rough voice sounded in Geth''s mind. He looked into the eyes of the wolf who was staring at him with mischievous intent.


    ''Nah, let him rest. He''s not like the rest of us. Without Mana, that mind spell probably put arge strain on him.''


    Geth was honestly a bit worried about him. He didn''t get over the grogginess as everyone else did. Maybe some rest would take care of it.


    ''How do you like Kane?'' Geth asked.


    The wolf shifted slightly. Its eyes turned toward the sky as if in thought.


    ''I like it.''


    The reply came after a couple of minutes and another round of Protection spells.


    "Well, wee to the family, Kane."


    The Direwolf didn''t respond, but his tail speedily swayed back and forth in the dirt. It was enough to stir up some dust with his size, making for an amusing sight.


    Geth pushed himself off of Kane''s enormous figure and walked up the stairs to the ramparts. The others had been working for the past couple of hours.


    "Hey, ze."


    Geth called out and waved for his friend to sit on the wall with him. ze quickly took a seat and nced at the ocean of wolves below them.


    Geth spoke first, "How many days do you think it will be before we see the first Sub-Bossese up?"


    "At least three. Even if they wanted to, this swarm of Direwolves likely extends deep into the Dungeon."


    Geth nodded.


    ze had always been good with calctions and reading behaviors. He trusted his friend''s judgment.


    "Sindri should reach Level 50 in the next hour. Make sure to cover hard while I swap positions with her.


    She doesn''t need to feel rushed in making her ss choice. That goes for everyone else as well."


    ze let out a long sigh.


    "Hulk and his group should finish their Dungeon in two to three days. It''s going to be rough until they make it here."


    Geth stood up.


    "You''re right. It is. If all goes well, everyone will be Level 50 before then, and we can power Level their group as well."


    "You wouldn''t rather us get a bigger lead?" ze asked, surprised. He knew how Geth wanted to stay on top.


    Geth shook his head, "There''s no way. Once you get to Level 50, it takes a million experience per Level. Even if we take this whole Dungeon, we probably want pass 65."


    He''d thought about it. It would be beneficial to have his party at a higher Level.


    The problem came when the first waves started to appear. Splitting ten warriors across the city to defend it would be spreading them too thin.


    Twenty still wasn''t enough, but at least then they could afford to put five at each gate. Albus couldn''t really tell Geth what to expect with the waves, only that he wouldn''t be able to handle them alone.


    He turned his attention back towards the current battle. There was plenty of time between now and the first wave.


    Geth watched as Zolis swung her axe down fiercely on an already weakened wolf. Its body split in half on contact, causing a gruesome scene.


    This had happened dozens of times already. Jack and Peter would quickly grab each half and drag them over to Kane, who would consume them.


    Hundreds of cores were already stacked on one side of the entrance. Geth asionally walked over and stored them.


    "Oh, looks like Zolis just hit 50."


    She had already been Level 42 when they''d started, so it was only natural that she would finish first. Sindri was following closely behind at Level 48.


    Geth yelled from the top of the ramparts.


    "Jack! Get in there and swap out with Zolis! Keep it smooth, don''t give the wolves a chance to push back!"


    Jack nodded and sprinted forward. His broadsword was already out and swinging as Zolis shifted to the side.


    The broadsword whistled by her and cleaved the head of a Direwolf. Zolis skipped back and walked calmly out of the entrance.


    It was a smooth disy and showed how well the team had begun to work together. Geth was confident that their teamwork would only grow as their party reached new heights.


    A luminous glow surrounded Zolis just momentster after she''d chosen her ss upgrade. She smiled up at Geth and stuck her tongue out at him, a habit of hers that he''d always found adorable.


    He flipped her off and went back to supporting those on the battlefield.


    ****


    ****


    The end of February is rapidly approaching. Only a few days left!


    Please don''t waste your coins on privilege purchases these next few days, as it will only reset on March 1st. If you wish to buy privilege chaps, I implore you to wait until the first of the month.


    I don''t want to see any of my readers wasting their hard-earned money!


    Note: Messages like this added after the chapter''s original post do not affect word count or chapter cost (:

 Chapter 184: Zolis

    Chapter 184: Zolis


    Zolis sat on the ramparts watching the fight going on below her. She took her time scrolling through her Skills and Talents, deciding what she wanted to rank up.


    Just like the first time, she''d been offered three sses to choose from. Each looked to be an upgrade of the Fighter ss.


    She ended up choosing a ss called Champion, which boosted her Strength, Agility, and Wisdom.


    Zolis had been close to selecting the Mercenary ss that would have reced Wisdom with Defense but decided against it.


    If she''d learned anything from watching her husband, it was that processing the situation faster than your opponents was the most crucial aspect of a battle.


    After thinking that, she couldn''t help but look over to where he was yellingmands. He constantly tweaked their battle strategy while keeping those on the front line safe.


    Every time he told someone to change their casting rate or mentioned for Jack or Sindri to adjust their stance slightly, the battle would be multiple times easier.


    Of course, the changes were subtle at first, but after having fought the Direwolves for hours, it became apparent how much easier they were to defeat.


    Geth''s Protection Skill nowsted for more than ten minutes on each front-liner, whereas it had only held for a minute or so in the beginning.


    The spellcasters originally ran out of Mana after some time, but after adjusting their rate of fire a few times, they were now able to keep up with their recovery.


    Even with the reduced firing rate, the front-liners didn''t start to struggle.


    The ranged fighters were hitting specific targets in the crowd that would cripple the army''s movement slightly, keeping the ocean of wolves moving forward at a bearable pace.


    ''He''s really something.''


    From the moment she and the kids had woken up, Zolis had sensed a change in her husband. It was like this world was made just for him.


    Before this had happened, Geth had been a taciturn individual and a bit of a recluse. Even when they''d met, he hadn''t been very social.


    One of his friends had asked to throw a party at his house. One of her friends dragged her there, almost against her will.


    She was not interested in such frivolity and took a book to upy herself. Zolis was pretty much there to take her friend home once she''d cked out.


    To her surprise, another person seemed to have the same idea as her. The man was just sitting in a corner, sipping scotch, reading, and ignoring the noise around him.


    She''d sat down nearby with her book and waited for her friend. When it was finally time to leave, the quiet man caught her by the hand and quietly asked for her number.


    More out of curiosity than anything, she agreed. A message had arrived not long after she left, asking her toe back another day for dinner.


    Things bloomed from that small meeting. She joined him for dinner, and their date consisted of them sitting on the sofa, drinking wine, and reading quietly.


    It wasn''t something she''d experienced before, but it was warm and peaceful. She quickly found herself bing attracted to the quiet young man.


    The second time she visited, she made a move while they were reading. They ended up in the bedroom, and after that experience, she just couldn''t stay away!


    She looked over at her husband once again, a proud smile blossoming on her face. The changes in him were stimting.


    His stern yet resolute expression. The way that his cape billowed behind him, like a hero from a storybook.


    Even the posture in which he stood fascinated her. Any time she was with him, she felt a sense of security and gained an air of confidence.


    Zolis continued to admire her husband until she realized that she''d started blushing. She shook her head wildly and looked away.


    ''I can think about thatter...''


    Inadvertently she had begun to think of some of the more pleasurable feelings that he brought into their rtionship. Her face heated up even more.


    ''Come on! We''re in the middle of a fight for our lives here. Get a grip!''


    She pped both of her cheeks to bring herself out of it. Her eyes shifted toward the only other woman in the party.


    Sindri was a beautiful young woman. She''d started flirting with Zolis the moment they''d met.


    She knew that the girl admired her husband as well, and from their conversations, someone had told Sindri about the type of rtionship the married couple had.


    Not that Zolis minded. She shook her head again and forced herself to shift her thoughts.


    ''I really need to get my priorities straight.''


    ****


    Unbeknownst to what was going on in his wife''s head, Geth continued to support the fighters on the front line.


    Sindri was only a few kills away from reaching Level 50 herself at this point. Then he would step in.


    He nced at the throng of wolves pushing into his funnel and noticed a slight change in their pace. They had sped up slightly.


    "Filthy! Start targeting the legs of the Direwolves that are under six feet tall!"


    Filthy nodded without ncing at him. His next few arrows eithernded on the thighs or shins of the smaller wolves.


    Howls of anguish could be heard from inside the pack as the wolves fell to the ground. Not wanting to be crushed by the wave pushing behind them, they continued to drag themselves forward.


    Geth nodded as the pace of the wolves slowed to amodate their injured brethren. He''d noticed earlier that even though they would devour the dead, most tried to look out for the injured.


    The pace slowed again, which would make his shift into the defensive position smooth. Right now, the worst thing that could happen was a break in their routine.


    ''This will go so much quicker once it''s time for the damage dealers to power Level,'' he mused.

 Chapter 185: Sindri

    Chapter 185: Sindri


    Just as the effects of Geth''s orders had taken ce, he noticed Sindri''s Level shift from 49 to 50.


    It was his turn to be the meat shield... Quite literally, in his case. He jumped down from the top of the wall,nding just behind Jack and Sindri.


    "Alright, Jack, on the count of three, kill both of the Direwolves that are pushing up, okay?"


    Jack nodded while further weakening the beasts with his broadsword. Geth then moved behind Sindri''s shield and spoke softly to her.


    "For you, on the count of three, raise your shield and move back."


    "But won''t you take the next attack head-on?" She asked.


    Geth smiled and waved her off, "Don''t worry about it."


    It was going to hurt, and he knew it. Still, that didn''t matter to him.


    Geth''s recovery would heal any wound that these half-crippled wolves could cause. Once he''d taken the first hit, he would cast Protection on himself.


    ''Hopefully, the sudden smell of blood will cause them to waver for a moment. They will push harder temporarily, but we only need a second to make the shift.


    His only goal was to allow Sindri to choose her ss so that they could proceed. Once everyone reached Level 50, he intended to push in.


    The transition for Zolis and Jack had been smooth since Sindri could block both wolves for them. Swapping defense wouldn''t be as easy.


    Geth was still waiting for her aggro Skill to wear off to begin the count. He was pressed firmly between Sindri and her shield, waiting for the right moment.


    ****


    ''Level 50! Yes!''


    Sindri nced at her Grimoire that was floating in front of her. The prompts about rewards and upgrading her ss were already showing on the front page.


    She shed out at the wolf on her left and bashed her shield into the one on the right. Sindri was amazed at how little she struggled to deal with these creatures.


    At first, she had multiple issues keeping them at bay. After a few coaching tips from Geth, she''d learned to deflect the attacks to the side instead of simply blocking them.


    Between the improvements in her stance and movements, along with the additional Attribute points, things no longer looked as bleak.


    The ground shook slightly, and she heard a voice giving directions to Jack from behind her. She snapped out of her reverie when she felt a slight rush of air against her neck.


    "For you, on the count of three, raise your shield and move back."


    Her body shuddered slightly in anticipation, hoping that the man would move closer. She was surprised when he did, squeezing himself between her and her shield.


    It was then that she realized what he was asking of her. If she raised her shield, the next strike would hit him directly.


    "But won''t you take the next attack head-on?" She asked worriedly.


    Her heart beat faster when Geth smiled towards her. She stole a nce toward Zolis and noticed that the other woman was grinning at her.


    ''Don''t pick on me like that!''


    She wanted to defend herself but wasn''t really sure what she could say. Another strikending on her shield tore her from her thoughts.


    "Don''t worry about it."


    Geth had already turned away from her and was facing the back of her shield. Sindri prepared to move, knowing that her Enrage Skill would time out in just a few more seconds.


    As if Geth had a timer in front of him, the moment her Skill had three seconds left, he began to count.


    "One."


    ''How the hell did he know that without me telling him?'' Sindri wondered.


    "Two."


    ''Alright, I have to be fast.''


    She felt a w bounce off of her shield at that moment. She braced her legs, ready to move.


    "Three!"


    Sindri snatched the shield upward as fast as she could! She looked on worriedly as Geth took the next attack directly on his unarmored shoulder.


    She couldn''t help but cry inwardly.


    ''Why wouldn''t he at least face it with the shoulder that has armor on it?!''


    The moment she had these thoughts, both wolves seemed to freeze for a split second and turned hungrily toward the fresh wound.


    Before they could seize the moment, a wide broadsword swung down, cleaving both of their heads in their distraction.


    "Good job Jack. I''ll take a few more hits and let the blood aggro the neers. You just keep doing what you''re doing!"


    Geth praised Jack for the clean strikes while two more injured wolves reced the deceased. Peter ran by her and drug one of the corpses to the side.


    ''He purposely took that hit just so the aggro wouldn''t switch to Jack?!''


    Sindri couldn''t help but stare at him with even more admiration than she already felt. What kind of person would be bold and decisive enough to do something like that?


    She felt her heart beating faster once again. It wasn''t until her thighs started to rub that she shook it off.


    ''What the hell is wrong with me?!''


    This wasn''t a situation where it was okay to feel that way. Sindri heard a giggle from behind her as she felt a small hand ced on her shoulder.


    "Don''t worry about it! I can''t help myself with him sometimes either."


    A sweet and almost mesmerizing voice sounded from behind her. She looked back to find Zolis wearing a knowing smile.


    Sindri immediately started to get flustered. Her face flushed with redness, and she felt like she would die from embarrassment.


    "I- I need to go pick my ss."


    She ran behind the closest wall and held onto her chest. Even the young woman''s alluring voice had caused her to heat up.


    Quickly opening her Grimoire, she focused on the words before her as a distraction. She even began to talk out loud to help calm herself down.


    "Pdin, Guardian, or Blood Knight..."


    She looked at the three choices with a curious look.


    "What exactly is a Blood Knight...?"

 Chapter 186: Jack

    Chapter 186: Jack


    Jack couldn''t help but continuously throw nces toward the man beside him. He was so cool!


    The man had swapped ces with Sindri wlessly, and not a single bit of the aggro shifted to Jack. He''d done this at the cost of damaging his own shoulder!


    Jack felt pride swell up inside of him. He was d that he''d decided to follow this guy.


    His original party fell t inparison. Sindri was always the tanker and had chosen the Knight ss.


    He was a Warrior and acted as their front-line damage. Rift, of course, had gone with the basic Mage ss, but he''d managed to find some strange spells in a solo Dungeon he''d cleared.


    Lastly, Peter had chosen the Warrior ss, but he fell short when it came to damage. Jack couldn''t drop the man because they''d been friends since they were children.


    Watching his Level soar now, he realized just how naive he''d been when it came to taking on this world. Jack had thought that being able to hit something hard was the answer to everything!


    Following Geth made him realize that skill, nning, and team synergy were just as important as personal strength.


    In fact, after having looked at Hulk and his group, Jack now believed that even a weaker team could pull off amazing feats even without high Attributes.


    Not that they could handle what his party was currently facing. He was amazed at how easily they were holding back this army of higher Level beasts!


    Jack initially exerted a lot of force with each kill and quickly lost stamina. After a few suggestions from his new party leader, the efficiency of his killing increased drastically!


    He''d been in this position for over half an hour and hadn''t faltered yet! His respect toward the man grew even more.


    ''I can''t believe I tried to fight this guy.''


    He watched as Geth diverted an attack with his staff and forced a beast face-first into the one beside it. It didn''t cause any damage, but the wolf became unbnced.


    Jack didn''t waste the opportunity presented and stabbed forward, just behind the wolf''s front leg. The broadsword tore through its flesh and pierced its organs.


    Filthy had been the one to teach them about where to strike and the proper angles needed to avoid bone.


    Every member of Geth''s original party was so awesome! Jack could only hope to be like them one day!


    Jack pulled back his de and instantly whipped around. He used the momentum to cleave the head off of the beast that was diving toward Geth.


    These easy kills wouldn''t be possible without the assistance of the ranged fighters standing up top. By the time the beasts reached him, they were a mere one or two well-ced hits from death.


    His Skeleton was standing by, sharing some of the experience of its master. Whenever Jack''s timing was slightly off, the Skeleton Rogue would throw a dagger that urately pierced a wolf''s eye.


    ''My turn to reach Level 50...''


    He couldn''t help but be excited as he swung toward yet another Direwolf. His mind constantly wandered, searching for ideas on how he wanted to advance!


    ''Just look at all of these wolves! I''ll die from exhaustion before we even make it through a quarter of them!


    I need something with heavy sustainability. There is no way I''ll be able to survive in the future without a vast amount of stamina.''


    Jack resolved to choose whichever ss upgrade would give him the most efficiency with his movements. He looked at the heavy weapon in his hand that he''d chosen because it made him look cool.


    ''I''ll even change gear entirely if need be!''


    Excitement filled every fiber of his being at the prospect of getting a new ss. Without meaning to, Jack''s next swing contained a Skill that split the earth and killed multiple wolves.


    Multiple wolves had died, but therger than expected opening allowed the following set of wolves to get a running start.


    The two of them were pushed back slightly as a wave of creatures rushed forward. Jack noticed Geth''s eyes fill with light blue Mana for just a brief moment.


    The front two wolves only faltered for a split second, but it was enough for multiple projectiles to pile onto them.


    In no time, they were back to their usual routine. It was almost as if nothing had ever happened.


    "I don''t know what that was just now, but don''t lose your head again. One fuck up like that at the wrong time, and everyone around you is dead."


    Geth spoke in a calm and even voice. Jack looked at him with even more respect as he forced himself to fall back into his previous routine.


    Anyone else would have yelled at him. Geth had used the mistake as a brief lesson.


    ''Left. Left. Upward swing. Stab. Rotate.''


    Jack quickly got back into his groove of killing one wolf every three seconds.


    Any faster than that, and Peter wouldn''t have time to drag the bodies away. Any slower and the encroaching wolves would have been able to push them back.


    ****


    Geth kept his eyes on Jack for some time. The kid made a mistake, but he quickly fell back into a perfect routine of killing the Direwolves.


    He nodded in approval. His speed to adapt would be detrimental to his future.


    A seven-foot-tall Direwolf jumped toward him. He nced to his left and saw that its slightly smallerrade was taking a swing at him.


    Geth used the butt of his staff to turn the smaller wolf''s swing. It wasn''t a drastic change, but therger wolf leaping towards him found itself being mauled by its brethren''s ws.


    Jack stabbed his sword into the smaller beast, killing it instantly. Peter wasted no time in dragging the body back from in between them.


    Geth then stepped into the stronger wolf''s range and drug his arm against the beast''s teeth. A fresh wound opened up just before a new opponent stepped forward.


    It paid no attention to Jack as it stared menacingly at the fresh blood dripping from Geth''s arm.

 Chapter 187: Peter

    Chapter 187: Peter


    Peter watched in awe as Geth and Jack fearlessly repelled the monsters. He could tell that Jack had done something wrong, but he wasn''t sure what had happened.


    All he knew was that he needed to pull the corpses out as quickly as possible... But it was terrifying!


    It took everything he had just to run up and grab a fallen wolf. What if it wasn''t quite dead?! What if he caused one of the others to mess up?!


    His entire life, he''d been nothing but a screw-up. Even his parents seemed to be ashamed of his existence.


    Peter timidly approached and pulled another body from in between the two men. He looked on in amazement as Geth purposely ripped his arm open on a wolf''s teeth just so Jack wouldn''t be targeted.


    ''How can any sane person do such a thing?!''


    Peter knew that if it were just his party here, they would have long been dead. There was no way they could have even handled the earlier groups, let alone this army!


    But here they were, fighting against thousands of wolves without any issue.


    Peter wasn''t even sure if they could call it fighting. It looked more like herding cattle!


    *Sigh*


    ''I don''t even know what I''ll do when my turnes around. I''m not as skilled as Jack, and I''m not tanky like Sindri.''


    He almost would have rather not Leveled up than face these monsters. The only Dungeon that their group had taken so far was a Goblin one.


    That hadn''t been too bad. Most of the Goblins were smaller than him, and he hadn''t been afraid.


    It was when the Hobgoblins hade along that he started to feel fear. Those creatures were something out of a horror movie.


    Now they were facing these wolves that he''d seen rip apart hundreds of his old ssmates. Even being much stronger now, it was hard for him to get over what he''d seen.


    While he was lost in thought, he noticed another two corpses ready for pick up. Peter jogged forward to grab the dead beasts.


    "Jack is almost Level 50, be ready to swap in soon."


    A look of rm showed on his face while he pulled on the bodies of the two wolves. He swiftly piled them on the ever-growing pile of corpses.


    ''My turn...''


    *Gulp*


    He wished that he had time to talk to Jack beforehand. Jack was his best friend and had always looked out for him, even back when he used to get bullied.


    If it weren''t for their friendship, he would have never joined the football team and be popr. Peter certainly wouldn''t have survived in this world without his friends cheering him on.


    Peter looked through his Skills. He really didn''t want to use ''that'' one... but it looked like he might have to.


    ''I don''t know if it willst long enough...''


    Sindri took around two hours to Level up. Jack had only taken around an hour and a half.


    Peter would have to do it in an hour. He knew that once the Skill timed out, he would just be a useless coward again.


    Looking at his main Attributes, being Strength and Wisdom, he sighed again.


    He''d thought the mixture would give him an incredible ss focused on beating an enemy through severe physical damage and wit.


    Little did he know that the choices he received would be Fighter, Warrior, and Bard. At the moment, he regretted not having chosen the Bard ss.


    It wasn''t exactly what he''d been looking for at the time, but his opinion changed when they started facing scarier creatures. At least the Bard had some mid-ranged attacks.


    Peter thought back to the Talents and Skills he had chosen before and after picking the Warrior ss.


    All of his Talents were passive buffs that increased the Attributes of those around him. His Skills were pretty much the same.


    He''d focused entirely on helping his teammates and not being a fighter himself.


    ''I truly am a helpless idiot.'' He thought.


    "Peter! Get ready!"


    He heard jack calling for him. Peter sucked in a breath, tears starting to build up in the corners of his eyes.


    ''I have to get to Level 50 and hope for the best.''


    He walked up behind the two fighters and activated his Skill.


    "Soul Shift: Valor"


    Peter mumbled the words so softly that no one could hear him. The timid boy was no more.


    The young man''s back straightened, and his chest stuck out. With his chin held high, he pulled out two double-sided axes that were around two feet in length.


    The weapons required one to be in very close proximity to an enemy, but they were devastating with enough force behind them.


    They also made excellent mid-range weapons if the warrior was urate enough.


    Peter summoned his Skeleton as he made his way forward. A confident air surrounded the young man as he approached.


    Jack didn''t waste any time slipping back and allowing Peter to take his ce.


    When the bigger boy stepped in, he mmed both of his axes on the head of the closest wolf. It didn''t stand a chance.


    Peter stood proudly and hacked at any beast that darede near him.


    ''Such pitiful creatures!''


    He grabbed the tail of one jumping towards Geth andunched the beast into the air behind him.


    Without looking back, he flicked one of his axes towards the beast and pulled another from his belt. The de sunk deep into the falling wolf''s chest, killing it before it hit the ground.


    Peter continuously beat down every wolf that came near him. No corpse even had time to copse before he''d tossed them towards the ever-growing pile.


    "Hahaha!"


    Gone was the timid young man who had struggled to look at the army before them.


    The new Peter''s eyes lit up as he stared into the depths of the Dungeon. His focus had shifted entirely, leaving behind a true warrior that wouldn''t be afraid of anything thaty ahead.


    He continued tough heartily as the wolve''s blood painted him red.

 Chapter 188: Blaze And Felix

    Chapter 188: ze And Felix


    ze watched the youngd with curiosity as corpses wereunched into the air. Not half an hour ago, the man had been forcing himself just to approach the front line.


    He had always been a perceptive and calctive individual, but he couldn''t figure out exactly what Peter had just done.


    "Just what was that?" ze muttered.


    He''d continued watching the young man closely as he cast spells into the crowd. There hadn''t been much time for him to learn about the neers'' sses or Skills.


    "It wasn''t as simple as a Berserk Skill. The moment that Skill was activated, I felt a change in my own behavior as well."


    This kind of Skill could be both a saving grace and highly detrimental to their party if not used properly. Luckily, he had more than enough points invested in Wisdom to shrug off the effects.


    His eyes consistently strayed across the battlefield, studying each party member''s attitudes since the spell had been cast.


    ''No changes in Geth, that''s to be expected. Filthy and each of the Skeletons seem to be firing faster than before. The rhythm is off.''


    ncing back, ze also noticed that those who were resting had found a new fighting spirit. Each of them was staring longingly toward the crowd of wolves.


    His eyes shifted to Swole, who he was concerned the most with. With no Intelligence or Wisdom, he would likely be influenced the most.


    ''Thank goodness he''s still passed out.''


    Swole was still sleeping peacefully on the back of Geth''s wolf. Zolis and Filthy''s Direwolf Pups patrolled the area but stayed close enough to gain residual experience.


    ze nced at his own experience bar. It was almost pitiful how slowly it was increasing.


    Experience being shared among ten individuals and seven Tames restricted the leveling speed. Even with the snail''s pace for the group, he was impressed at how quickly the front line was leveling.


    "ze, what are the numbers looking like?"


    Felix was sitting next to him, watching the battle. He had been another that frequented their Dungeons and Dragons sessions.


    "If my calctions are urate, the original number would be close to 9000 wolves. That''s only within the three rooms where the stones were used for the Formation."


    He looked over at his friend to see that his brows were creased. He ran his hand across his braids and looked out into the sea of beasts before them.


    The man was almost the exact same as back on earth. The only difference was that his irises had turned pure gold.


    Felix''s parents had moved to the U.S. from Haiti when he was just a kid. They had moved in next where ze''s family was living at the time.


    The two had hit it off quickly and spent most of their childhood pretending to cast magic out of cool sticks they''d found on the ground.


    ze couldn''t help but smile at the fond memories. He even chuckled at the fact that both of them ended up bing mages.


    While he was reminiscing, he felt a slight disturbance in the Mana. One of his selves tried to hone in on the source.


    He sent a message to Geth almost on instinct, but it seemed that theirmunication was blocked.


    ze frowned and tried to send themunication again. He could have yelled, but he didn''t want to disturb the others.


    If there was too much distraction, there was a high probability of the beasts being able to storm through.


    While casting another Fireball, he motioned to Felix.


    "See if you can send me a message through your Grimoire."


    Felix raised his eyebrows but didn''t question his friend''s request. He made a fast motion in the air in front of the shimmering tome.


    A frown soon found its way upon Felix''s face as well.


    "It isn''t getting through. What''s going on, ze?"


    "I''m not sure. I felt a slight disturbance, and I can-"


    ze stopped talking for a moment. One of his selves just managed to pick up on something.


    He turned toward the outer edge of the Formation, near one of the massive stones.


    At that moment, there was a slight movement in the brush. It wasn''t easy to make out, but ze swore that he''d seen a man.


    "Go tell Geth that we''ve gotpany. Be subtle about it."


    Felix''s brows shot high, but he wouldn''t question anything his friend asked. ze made sure not to make a big deal of watching him walk off and cast another Fireball.


    ''I hope that it''s nothing major. Now definitely isn''t the time.''


    ****


    Felix noticed the seriousness in his friend''s expression. Neither of them had ever really been the serious type, so it had to be something serious.


    ze''s face crumpled further after he''d turned his head to look at the forest. That''s when Felix was sure that something was up.


    "Go tell Geth that we''ve gotpany. Be subtle about it."


    Felix couldn''t help the change in his expression. He quickly calmed down and began to act normal.


    ''Who the hell would try to disturb them in an area like this? Usually, Direwolves would be crawling around the ce.''


    He ced his hands on top of his head and casually strolled down the makeshift steps. There were many people with enhanced eyesight now, so he made sure not to act awkward.


    ''There''s no way a single person has the ability to blockmunications from that range.''


    Being someone who focused on debuffs and control magic himself, he was sure that there had to be more than one yer behind this.


    "Hey, what''s going on, Sindri? Have you chosen a new ss yet?"


    Felix even made sure to stop and make small talk. He wanted to be as careful as possible not to be spotted acting abnormally.


    Sindri shed a beautiful smile and nodded her head with zeal.


    "Yes! I think I found the perfect ss! It will help with both sustainability and tanking for long durations."


    Felix was actually quite impressed. He gave her a thumbs-up as he passed by.


    "That''s awesome! I''ll be relying on you to keep my scrawny ass safe!"


    He heard herughing as he continued walking by. He turned the corner and almost ran into Jack.


    The young man leaned on the edge of the wall and watched Peter closely. It seemed as if he was concerned for him.


    "Oh, I didn''t see you there, Felix. Is everything alright?"


    "Everything''s okay. I just wanted to take a nce at what you front-liners see. You know, hanging out at the back can be pretty dull at times."


    Jack chuckled at his senior and patted his shoulder.


    "Just don''t let Peter''s Skill get to you if you wander too close. You might find yourself diving head-first into the wolves just to see if you can handle it."


    Felix was instantly curious.


    "What ss is he, exactly?"


    "He''s a Warrior, like me. Only, he doesn''t have a single offensive or defensive Skill. All of his Skills and Talents are pretty much support since he prefers not to be on the front lines."


    Again, Felix gained even more curiosity about the chubby young man. If he wanted to be a Support ss, why did he end up choosing Warrior?


    Not wanting to get caught up in a long conversation, Felix made his way forward. He looked at the man who''d made it a point to recruit him to the party.


    He''d first met Geth and Zolis at ze''s first Dungeons and Dragons session. His parents had moved away before high school, so he''d never had a chance to meet ze''s friends.


    Felix was curious about the man from the beginning. Geth looked like an extraordinarily genuine and affable guy.


    Even so, Felix always felt ufortable around him. The man scared him, but he never really knew why.


    At least, that was until he watched him ughtering these Direwolves with no care in the world.


    When he fought, his face was utterly void of all expression. Even when he purposely took damage, which was already bizarre, his face remained impassive.


    It was like looking at a robot!


    He approached the cold man on his right side and spoke so that Peter couldn''t hear. Felix didn''t think the man would notice anyway in his battle-crazed state.


    "Geth. There seems to be a problem."


    Felix noticed that there wasn''t a single deviation in the man''s movements. Not even his muscles tensed slightly.


    ''Impressive.''


    "Give me the details."


    t. Completely apathetic.


    "Communications are cut off. Something''s blocking us from speaking through our Grimoires. ze believes that the Formation is being tampered with."


    Geth nodded.


    "I sensed a change as well. For now, continue acting like you don''t know anything. The situation is too precarious for us to veer from our current goal."


    Felix raised an eyebrow.


    "I would like to add; It can''t be a single person. The range is too great."


    Geth nodded again.


    "That''s fine. If they didn''t make a move immediately, they are uncertain about proceeding.


    Our best move is to get as many of us to 50 as possible. Inform Zolis and Sindri it''s time to switch shifts."


    "Got it."


    Felix nced back as he moved away. Geth''s demeanor didn''t change at all.


    He looked over at the young woman swinging around her battleaxe. The gleeful expression on her face was a stark contrast to her husband''s.


    Zolis had always been one to wear her emotions on her sleeve. She could be read as effortlessly as the Grimoire floating in front of him.


    ****


    Geth smiled inwardly. There was only one exnation that he could think as to why someone would be setting up such an borate trap.


    ''So, someone thinks they can swoop in and steal our Boss, huh?''

 Chapter 189: Filthy

    Chapter 189: Filthy


    Filthy picked up on the conversations between Felix and the others.


    His senses had been heightened to the extreme. There was no way he couldn''t.


    He''d noticed the movements in the forest long ago, but he hadn''t made any gestures or warned anybody. He was up on the right-hand wall alone with Sindri''s Skeleton.


    The two were constantly raining arrows down on the wolves below. It was monotonous to the point of being boring.


    Still, watching the asional shift in the brush gave him something else to do.


    ''Something about the formation, huh?''


    There had been something odd about their movements, but he hadn''t understood. Each time they''d popped out of a bush, they would ce an object on the ground and jump back in.


    Filthy ced his hand near his back, another arrow magically appearing in his hand. He drew back the bowstring and aimed at a specific target in the distance.


    TWANG


    "Oowooo- yelp!"


    Another Direwolf received a wound near its thigh, crippling it temporarily. The wolf turned to yank the arrow out with its maw, only to find that the projectile was already gone.


    The wolf scoffed and resumed its slow pace forward. Its recovery would heal it before it had to fight anyway.


    Filthy smirked at the beast. These creatures really were prideful.


    The beast continued to limp forward without another thought. That was... until it realized that it wasn''t recovering.


    In fact, it seemed as if the wound was bleeding even more profusely than it should have been!


    Before it could think about it again, a Fireball and two more arrows mmed into it!


    Filthy didn''t waste any time searching for the next target. He was satisfied with his new Skill upgrade.


    Originally it had been an attack called Poison Arrow, a direct attack that caused damage over time.


    He''d recently upgraded it to a Skill called Venomous Arrow, and it was instrumental in keeping the wolves from recovering.


    ***


    Venomous Arrow, Umon (Lvl 3)-


    Cost (25 MP) User coats the head of a projectile with a toxic Mana. Toxin spreads quickly into the target''s bloodstream, stopping regenerative effects and causing extra bleed damage.


    Dulls target''s senses and movement. This Skill can be merged with others for unique effects.


    Bleed Damage = (12% of initial arrow damage) per second


    Duration of Venom = (Wis x 120%) in seconds


    ***


    Filthy would cancel their regeneration while ze and the Tames would pile on the damage. Most of the damageing from Geth''s Arcane Archer, obviously.


    After watching the Skeleton at work, he almost regretted not choosing a different path. The damage output of the Tame was astronomical on single targets.


    After watching the Tame for some time, he''d noticed that it was merging Skills. That''s when Filthy had realized that he could do so as well.


    The moment that realization had struck, the description of all his Skills included a line informing him of the ones that could and could not take on additional effects.


    This revtion had allowed him to save tons of Mana. He merged Venomous Arrow with another Umon Skill called Arrow Return.


    With this ability, any arrow he fired would be instantly returned to his hand when he willed it. This only worked within a 100-yard distance, however.


    Re-using the same arrow consistently saved him 24 Mana per shot since Arrow Return only cost 1 Mana per arrow.


    Filthy continued picking out wolves in the crowd while keeping his eyes on the surrounding.


    The way the bushes still shook asionally, he knew that Felix''s actions hadn''t warranted any suspicion.


    ''Well, it looks like we''ll see some real action before heading back home.''


    Taking on Dungeons had be rather nd for him. It may have been his own fault since he treated them more like ying a game.


    The simple paths, rooms that obviously held a Sub-Boss or Boss, and even the rewards were boring.


    There was simply nothing exciting about knowing what wasing next. Fighting against other Humans is what he''d grown to be fond of.


    Multiple small raiding parties had attempted to attack Valha while Geth was away. Filthy had ended them all.


    There was a thrill in hunting something that could also hunt you. Tracking, chasing, trapping, those things were exhrating!


    *Sigh*


    He fired another arrow, soon recalling it back while making it look as if it came from his quiver.


    Too many eyes were staring from the outskirts. He didn''t want to make his abilities too obvious.


    ''It may be even more exciting to escape a trap than to set one...''


    Filthy''s eyes shone with newfound enthusiasm. To turn someone''s trap against them would be something worth his time.


    ****


    In his own thoughts, Geth was deliberating a very simr notion. His eyes gleamed with hidden anger as he redirected another attack.


    ''If someone is willing to pilfer our hard work here, then it won''t be long before we have more substantial problems at Valha.''


    The thought of a small army moving towards his family angered him. He simply wouldn''t allow it.


    ''Based on the scale of this Dungeon Formation, we can expect the enemy to number thirty or more.''


    It was too vague for him. There wasn''t enough information at the moment.


    His knowledge of Formations allowed him to understand that they hadn''t altered the Dungeon Formation. They had simply set up some type of thin barrier on the outside of it.


    ''We can be confident that there is at least one magic-user of at least ze''s current Level among them. They''ve grossly underestimated our capabilities.''


    He couldn''t help but chuckle when he thought about how the enemy would react if they could see past these walls.


    "Sindri, Zolis. Swap in!"


    Peter and Geth stepped back while the two women took their ce. It was wless.


    He patted Peter on the shoulder.


    "d you stuck out thosest few minutes."


    Peter''s ability had run out just after he''d reached Level 49. It had taken quite a bit of extra work to make up for the boy''sck of confidence.


    "I''m sorry about that..."


    Peter hung his head in shame. Even so, Geth caught a glint in his eye that he recognized.


    Without another word, Geth proceeded toward his sleeping friend.. Swole had some catching up to do.

 Chapter 190: SwolePapi: The Cost Of Being A Monster

    Chapter 190: SwolePapi: The Cost Of Being A Monster


    "Swole! Youzy fuck, wake up!"


    He could feel someone shaking his arm as he was roused from his slumber. Swole opened his eyes while squinting hard against the afternoon sun.


    "Mmm getnnn uup."


    He barely managed to mumble out some words as he stretched out his arms. Before he could do much else, he felt himself falling.


    Swole''s eyes opened wide just in time for him to see the ground up close and personal. The impact didn''t hurt him, but his anger spiked.


    He jumped up while snatching out both of his maces.


    "Who''s the fucker that thought this would be funny."


    Geth chuckled lightly and pointed to the giant Direwolf that Swole had been sleeping on. Swole could definitely see a tinge ofughter reflected in the beast''s eyes.


    "Ah, you damned mutt."


    He rubbed its side with its hand and picked up his fallen weapons. A menacing look slid in Geth''s direction.


    "The hell you wake me up for ya twat?"


    Geth shook his head, pointing his thumb behind him to where the two women were holding back the swarm.


    "You''re up."


    He couldn''t help but groan as he watched Zolis killing two at a time. The bodies were being dragged away by Jack while Peter decided his ss.


    "What... So, I just stand there and hit two at a time?"


    Confusion and disappointment shed in his eyes when he nced at the two women. His mood instantly became sulky.


    Geth chuckled again.


    "No. I want you to dive in."


    Swole''s eyes widened, and a fiendish smile showed on his face. A fire lit in his chest as his heart began to beat several times faster.


    "Ohhhohoho! I''ve been waiting for this!"


    The creatures were a much higher Level than Swole, but that suited him just fine.


    The higher the Level, the more health they had. The more health they had, the more he could flex his Skills.


    He quickly climbed onto the ramparts with Geth to better view the battlefield.


    "Rift, ze, Filthy, you''re going to work with Swole. Allow him to be surrounded, but make sure the wolves are ten percent health or lower."


    "Got it."


    "Yes, sir."


    Swole noticed that Filthy only gave him a simple nod. The guy was always so quiet.


    "Alright. Proceed when you''re ready. Don''t fucking die."


    Geth patted him on the shoulder and gave him a Protection buff. Swole turned to him, grinning.


    "We''ll see just how good a healer you are today motherfucker!"


    Before he even finished speaking, his body started to expand. His five-and-a-half-foot figure rapidly grew to over nine feet.


    The others looked surprised at his size before he''d only grown to around seven and a half feet. Geth even took note that his health wasn''t decreasing quite as fast.


    Even then, it was a minimal difference. He''d already lost 10% of his health in the time it took him to transform.


    With a sarcastic salute, the hulking figure leaped into the center of the army. He closed his eyes briefly and felt the wind against his face as he fell.


    The best and worst part about his transformation was how heightened his senses became.


    He could smell the blood around the battlefield. Hear the soft prancing of the wolve''s paws.


    Taste the slight traces of poison and sulfur in the air. And worst of all, he could feel the blood evaporating from his body.


    That was the cost of being a monster.


    The startled wolves didn''t have a chance to react as Swolended directly on thergest one''s back.


    Its spine caved in directly. Between his weight of over six hundred pounds and the momentum of his fall, it never stood a chance.


    Swole swung his mace. He could feel the crunching of teeth and bone as his weapon caved the jaw of yet another opponent.


    Blood poured down the handle of the mace and gathered around his fist. Swole relished the feeling as the fresh blood was pulled straight into his pores.


    Intense pain shot through his back, amplified by the curse of his ability. He turned and swiftly found the culprit who dared harm him.


    Both of his maces swung at once, pping together and crushing the victim''s head t between their spikes.


    Blood flowed once again, pouring into his body and thoroughly healing his body. His maces swung in a flurry, never stopping as more and more wounds built up on him.


    They disappeared just as quickly as they came, every wound healing from the attacker''s own blood.


    He felt Geth casting Protections left and right, but without Defense, they did very little against the monsters'' attacks.


    The Restoration was also almost meaningless because it couldn''t heal as much or as fast as he could himself.


    That didn''t mean he didn''t appreciate his friend''s constant casting.


    The pain nullification that it added almost canceled out the excess pain he felt due to his heightened senses.


    Once he realized this, he no longer held back. His body spun like a top, a tornado forming around him.


    The suction force pulled the massive creatures in as his maces tore into them. To anyone looking from the outside, it would be like looking into a very nasty blender.


    Bones, fur, and organs flew all over the ce. Even so, there wasn''t a drop of blood in sight.


    As soon as his Skill was over, he went back to pounding the beasts until he could use it again. It was still his only active Skill outside of his transformation.


    That didn''t mean that this was his only Skill. Swole was even gaining Skills as he fought!


    Even though his ability didn''t allow him to use many active Skills, absorbing the blood of monsters would give him passives.


    It was one of his favorite things about his Growth Skill. While in this form, it would grow and learn from the blood of his enemies.


    With this being the case, there was only one thing he had to do.


    SMASH!

 Chapter 191: Rift

    Chapter 191: Rift


    Rift watched as Swole strode through the sea of wolves as if they were mere chihuahuas. It was amazing.


    He and ze had long since stopped casting and just watched in awe as the hulking figure thrashed monster after monster.


    He nced toward his cousin, Sindri, who was still holding the wolves back at the bottleneck.


    With the devastation that Swole was causing, the pressure on the front line had eased up tremendously.


    "Rift. I feel like we should speed up this process. Why don''t you go ahead and push yourself to 50?


    ze, Filthy, be prepared to swap with him once he''s done. The Tames can have a turn afterward."


    Geth spoke nonchntly and cast another Mass Restoration. The others looked at him questioningly.


    After sending a few arrows into the crowd in quick session, Filthy was the first to respond.


    "I''ll assume it''s due to our guests? That''s a shame. I know you wanted to proceed slowly to allow Hulk''s group a chance to power Level."


    Rift''s hands danced through the air while he watched Swole''s movements. He nced at the archer curiously.


    "Guests?"


    "Don''t worry about it. Just hit 50, and we can talk about itter. You won''t get an opportunity like this very often."


    Geth waved his staff and gestured to the crowd. The massive tunnel was still packed wall to wall with five to seven wolves crammed side by side.


    The scene repeated itself as far back as he could see. There were over a thousand beasts just within a 100-yard area.


    ''He''s right. He''d provided the best possible opportunity for single targets or AOE casters.''


    Any single target caster, marksman, or melee fighter could stand in the bottleneck and Level up freely.


    As for AOE casters or warriors, so many enemies this densely packed in a single area was nothing but an experience farm!


    Rift certainly wouldn''t turn down the man''s kindness.


    His hands began moving faster. Arge cloud made its way down the long tunnel, only stopping close to 50 yards in.


    He made sure that his cast was aimed far enough back that it wouldn''t hit Swole. After forming the cloud, a small ck tendril snaked from the tip of his staff and into the mist.


    The others watched on, interested in what the kid was doing. They all showed a look of surprise when the young man just sat down.


    Rift noticed the looks and grinned. He pointed to the cloud.


    "Just watch."


    ze and Filthy just awkwardly nodded while Geth curiously looked toward the darkening cloud.


    Rift wondered if he could sense the Corruption that he''d merged with the spell. It was something that the two had inmon.


    The once white mist turned into a thick grey cumulonimbus that hovered menacingly above the heads of the Direwolves.


    Rift could see that they were shifting ufortably as their eyes constantly nced up toward his spell.


    It didn''t stop there as the cloud turned pitch ck. Rift''s grin widened as the spell finally built up to the pinnacle.


    Rain poured heavily from the cloud. At first, it was just a regr liquid, but it soon mixed with the Corruption and turned into more of an acid rain!


    "Very nice!"


    Geth gave the young man a thumbs up. Rift swelled with pride, seeing that he''d finally gained some acknowledgment.


    He wouldn''t admit it openly, but he already looked at both ze and Geth as mentors.


    The two were much more knowledgable than him, which he found surprising for a couple of older guys.


    Rift would have thought that they would struggle toe to grips with this world, much like his old teachers did for some time.


    He had been amazed at Geth''s prowess in his initial fight with Jack. Then, his astonishment continually increased as he learned more details about the man.


    Rift watched the ck rain fall onto the Direwolves.


    He could see the looks on their faces. Most of them were almost scoffing.


    His smile turned almost sinister when he realized these mutts were underestimating him.


    Sure, they were only taking around a hundred damage per second. What they didn''t know was that the cloud would stay up there for at least a few hours.


    He could just kick back and patiently wait for his experience to pour in.


    ''Perfect situation for an AOE spell.''


    He''d only used this spell once before. There really hadn''t been any other opportunities.


    The targets could merely walk out before taking much damage in most situations, leaving the rain falling upon an empty field for the following hours.


    "Why do you think the Direwolves haven''t tried jumping out?"


    Rift primarily directed the question to Geth, but he''d spoken in the air for anyone to answer.


    ze was the one who answered him. He sat down beside the young man and cast spells to assist the girls when needed.


    "You haven''t noticed? Close your eyes and focus your Mana Sense on the ground below the open section of the ceiling."


    Rift shifted his sses before closing his eyes and spreading out his senses.


    He didn''t have quite the same range as the other mages since he was heavily invested in Intelligence and not Wisdom, but he could still sense the ground below them.


    What he found surprised him. The earth below the Direwolve''s legs was bubbling!


    It looked simr to a pot of water that was simmering but hadn''t quite reached its boiling point.


    Rift followed the source of the disturbance and found Geth sending Mana down through the wall.


    His eyes shot open, and he turned towards the man.


    There was no strain on Geth''s face whatsoever. He even continued casting Protections and Restorations to assist Swole.


    "Do you have your answer now?"


    ze started chuckling by the young man''s side. Rift shifted his gaze towards the jolly mage.


    "With him around, you have nothing to fear, boy. Just do your best to learn from him while you can."


    Rift nodded his head vigorously. The light continued to grow brighter in his eyes.


    ****


    Geth looked toward the cloud of Corruption once again. He couldn''t help but be curious.


    ''What an ingenious young man. To think that he''s learned to merge Skills already.''


    He was already aware of Filthy''s ability to do so, but that was rtively simple with arrows.


    As a mage, merging spells was utterly different thanbining a couple of simple Skills.


    If one wanted two merge two spells, they would have to find two whose Runes didn''t sh with one another.


    It wasn''t as easy as creating a Formation, where two mismatched markings could cause a bit of an adverse effect.


    In the case of merging Runes, it was much more dangerous. Two Runes that didn''t synchronize would melt down and destroy one''s mind.


    ''To do such a thing in one''s own mental sphere. He''s daring.''


    An external Formation was one thing, but doing something so unstable inside one''s mind was beyond insane.


    Albus chuckled at Geth''s scurrying thoughts. He stroked his beard and looked up at the center of their shared mental sphere.


    ''You''re one to talk. Do you know how dangerous cing those Formations could have been?''


    ''Yeah, yeah.''


    Geth shifted his attention from Rift''s spell over to Swole. He and another of his selves were studying the constant upgrades his friend was receiving.


    Swole had already grown another foot, and Geth could tell his skin had changed. It was subtle, but the hair on his body was growing thicker as he killed the Direwolves.


    Another thing he''d noticed was that another tattoo would appear on his body with every small sign of growth. This characteristic of Swole''s abilities intrigued him.


    ''I''ve already thought of engraving Formations on the skin to empower someone, but his ability just doesn''t make any sense.''


    The tattoos that Swole had gained sinceing to this world weren''t Runes or Formations. They were depictions of the creatures he fought.


    There were Goblins, Hobgoblins, Orcs, and now Direwolves.


    ''You should wait until you unlock the Tower to delve further. In fact, most of your curiosities should be sated once the Tower is functional.''


    Albus responded to him again, but it couldn''t keep his mind from being inquisitive.


    Geth nced around at hisrades. He watched as Peter and Jack opened some reward crates.


    He sighed when he saw this. If he were right, equipment wouldn''t be an issue in the near future. They needed to focus on Points!


    It was their choice, and Geth didn''t n on saying otherwise. The choices one made guided their life, and he didn''t have a right to intervene.


    Rift was the one who spoke up on his behalf.


    "What are you two numbnuts doing! We''ll get plenty of rewards in the Dungeon. Why are you wasting your Level 50 rewards on gear?!"


    Geth couldn''t help but smirk. At least one of them had a brain.


    His eyes moved to Sindri and Zolis. Neither were boasting new equipment, so it seemed that they had invested in Points as well.


    ''Good. Swole should be jumping out shortly. Rift will likely jump to Level 50 in one shot after that.''


    He watched as the wolves under the massive raincloud writhed in pain. At first, they ignored it, but the rain didn''t show any signs of stopping.


    Most of the wolves under the massive cloud were already under half health. It would only take another minute or two for almost 200 wolves to drop dead.


    ''That''s exceptional work.''


    He nodded his head.


    ''Felix will have to Level from the Boss experience.. That only leaves ze, Filthy, and the Tames.''

 Chapter 192: Proud

    Chapter 192: Proud


    As expected, hundreds of wolves dropped dead in quick session. Rift''s Levelsunched and didn''t stop until he''d already reached 51.


    ''Interesting.''


    Based on Geth''s estimates, he should have stopped around 46.


    There was only one exnation that he could think of. The experience bonus for most of them registered as if Rift were still Level 38.


    ''Some kind of real-life exploit?''


    At nearly the same time, Swole leaped out of the pit and onto the ramparts. He shifted back into his original form, looking beaten and battered.


    "Fuck. Just because I can sustain it for long periods doesn''t mean I should."


    Laughing, Geth cast one final Restoration. The short man''s wounds were quickly taken care of, but his exhaustion was apparent.


    Geth kept his eye on the Direwolves, still cautiously standing behind the raincloud. Any species with some intelligence would be hesitant upon seeing so many of theirrades die at once.


    "Filthy, ze, you''re both already over Level 45. Don''t take long. It''s time to press forward."


    "Got it."


    "Yup."


    Both knew that by the time they left this Dungeon, an undisclosed number of enemies would be waiting for them. On the low end, they''d estimated at least 60.


    "Rift, you can stop your spell whenever you''re ready."


    Geth had already seen that the young man had to feed Mana to keep it going constantly. Rift nodded and cut off the Mana supply.


    "It still has enough Mana to sustain itself for about three minutes."


    ze and Filthy nodded at Rift''s words. They would be ready.


    In the meantime, Geth looked below at the fifty or so wolves standing between the bottleneck and the raincloud.


    "Everyone who has a Tame with ranged abilities, clear out thest of the wolves."


    He spoke normally, but somehow his voice traveled just enough for everyone to hear it clearly.


    Those who weren''t already aware began to wonder why he hadn''t just told them through their Grimoires.


    The Hunter and Archer began shooting down into the pit with single target Skills. Neither had really been built for area damage.


    To Geth''s surprise, Kane walked awkwardly up the makeshift stairs and stood on top of the wall with them.


    "Uhhh, everything okay there, big guy?"


    Geth patted the Direwolf''s side while wondering why he''d climbed up.


    Kane gave Geth an awkward grin and raised one paw in the air. A shadowy coating appeared on his ws.


    The Direwolf swung his arm toward the pit, three ck streaks cutting through the air.


    The attack spread out as it traveled, hitting six of the enemy Direwolves at once. Blood sshed upward as long gashes appeared on their backs.


    It didn''t end there.


    ck mes licked up from the wounds and spread out along the wolves'' bodies. The ze continued to spread until it leapt to the other beasts standing nearby.


    Geth observed the Skill that his Direwolf had used. It wasn''t actually fire, but some type of shadow that was spreading through the enemy ranks.


    The shadow wasn''t doing any damage, leaving Geth at a loss. What was the point?


    He found out soon enough when Kane created a small, shadowy patch of fire where he was sitting.


    Geth was close enough to tell that there was no heating off it. The wolf drew a small circle with his w and forced the shadow to follow the shape.


    When the shadow filled in the drawing, Geth was surprised to find that he could sense the battle below through the hole.


    Kane reached in with his paw, casuallyunching another attack. Geth heard a loud yelp and whine from the pit below him.


    He turned his attention to the smaller swarm of wolves and found that one was hacking up blood. The shadows on its body were partially weakened.


    "No fucking way..."


    Geth was amazed. He turned back to his wolf and watched as the creature casually swung its paw back and forth in the hole.


    Kane''s actions reminded him of watching a bear gathering fish in a stream.


    ''What do you think, Master?''


    ''Incredible.''


    That was all that Geth could say. Kane was using some type of spatial magic, and it was awesome!


    Did this mean that Kane may have the ability to teleport one day? Are the mes necessary, or can he reach through any shadow?


    There were just too many unknowns at the moment. The situation didn''t allow for Geth to y 21 questions with his Tame.


    Even though the three Tames'' abilities were impressive, they didn''t do an insane amount of damage to the Level 60 and higher wolves.


    As Humans, Geth and his party had the advantage of multiple pieces of equipment boosting their Attributes.


    The Tames weren''t the same and were primarily reliant on their own stats and Geth''s buff.


    As such, there were still a few wolves left alive by the time Rift''s Corrupted cloud ran out of sustenance.


    Kane had crossed the Level 30 mark, while the two Skeletons hade close to 40. It was decent progress.


    The moment thest drop of rain hit the ground, the Direwolves sprinted forward like water from a ruptured dam.


    "ze, Filthy, you''re up. Zolis, you don''t have to hold back anymore if they reach the bottleneck."


    Zolis pumped her fist in the air while the other two had already begun preparing their Skills.


    ze was drawing intricate patterns in the air while arrows were already flying from Filthy''s bow.


    The speed at which the arrows were being released from the bow was almost godly.


    Geth couldn''t help but wonder just how much more powerful Humans could get.


    ''Human potential this time around is much greater than in my past life.''


    Albus'' voice answered his unasked question. Geth couldn''t help but give a wry smile at the reminder that his thoughts weren''t only his own.


    He looked around at all of hisrades. They were indeed remarkable.


    ''Albus, what''s the likelihood that others have reached Level 50 in the past month?''


    Geth hadn''t had the opportunity to check the world ranking in some time. The mechanism to do soy useless inside of the Tower.


    Even though he was the first, a lot could happen in a month''s time. All it took was a couple of Dungeon clears, and others could achieve simr results.


    ''There are likely some that have already surpassed you in Level. In Attributes, highly unlikely.''


    *Sigh*


    It wasn''t what he wanted to hear, but he had already figured as much. He couldn''t remain on top forever.


    Before he had the chance toment any further, Albus interrupted him again.


    ''Those that are Level 50 already would likely be leading figures at this point. Your party is leagues beyond what others at this point in time should be.''


    Geth nodded. Albus was correct. He could be proud of the team he''d created.


    He looked down toward Zolis and Sindri.


    His serious thoughtspletely copsed when he saw that Zolis was wiggling back and forth in excitement. She looked like a puppy getting ready to jump at a chew toy.


    It was even more amusing when he noticed that Sindri was doing her best not tough at the feisty woman beside her.


    Geth couldn''t help butugh. His Mana boostedughter echoed across the in, even alerting those waiting to ambush them.


    It was the first time he''dughed so jovially in a long time. A feeling of warmth filled his chest as all of his party members cast questioning looks in his direction.


    He wiped the tears from his eyes and shook his head. Luckily, his outburst hadn''t distracted Filthy or ze.


    Arrows were still flying, and ze had justpleted his casting. A massive Fireball tore through the air and burst in the front rows of the wolves.


    It didn''t end there. Fireballs five times the size of his usual spells continued to pour out of the Formation.


    ''This jackass has really created a Fireball machine gun.''


    It was evident that the spell cost a lot of Mana. Even if he had just as much as Geth, it was depleting at an incredible rate.


    The initial sts did massive damage to the Direwolve''s front lines.


    Not only that, as the spells burst, a wave ofva extended back into the enemy ranks. Burn damage tore through them and left them incapable of handling the subsequent explosion.


    It was a beautiful sight. Geth watched as ze and Filthy''s Levels rocketed upward.


    There was a high chance that the whole team could be close to 60 by the time they left this Dungeon.


    ''The higher, the better. My estimates have gone up.''


    Of course, he was thinking about the enemies wrapping the clearing. The moment ze''s spell started causing a ruckus, many of the surrounding enemies had poked their heads through the weeds.


    Geth made sure not to look at them directly, but they couldn''t hide from Albus'' sight.


    ''They are bing apprehensive. They''ll likely call for reinforcements before you leave the cave.''


    Geth smirked. He pictured the number of Skill Cards they would drop upon death.


    ''The more, the merrier.. I have an entire city to provide for.''

 Chapter 193: Mana Geyser

    Chapter 193: Mana Geyser


    ze and Filthy made it to Level 50 in no time, with only a few Direwolves making it past their barrage.


    Those few were taken care of swiftly by the Tames, Zolis, and Sindri, who were waiting for them by the bottleneck.


    Geth was satisfied with their progress. This could have turned outpletely different if the wolves had been allowed to escape into the field.


    Luckily, he had just the right Skill to take care of it. After that, it was practically a 16v5 where the five were packed too tightly to make any substantial advances.


    It was only natural that the Direwolves lost in their rush to leave the Dungeon. Even pushing forward as they were about to do wouldn''t be an issue.


    With the exception of Swole, they couldfortably walk down the corridors without being crammed.


    It was an advantage they would hold until they made it into the Sub-Boss and Boss rooms.


    "ze, do you have an exact count?"


    "Close enough. We''ve killed around 6,400 of the 9,200 that I expect to be pouring out of the alert rooms. Each of those rooms should have a Sub-Boss, though I can''t promise that we won''t meet them in the cave systems first."


    Geth nodded.


    They only had around a third of the creatures left to go. Of course, this wasn''t throughout the entire cave system.


    The estimates only included the number of wolves that should have been in the Formation Crystal rooms. There were likely still many more beasts to be found.


    "Let''s start pushing forward. Swole, Peter. The two of you stay in the back with me.


    Jack, Zolis, Sindri. You''re taking the front. Tames and Felix follow behind and get in hits as often as you can.


    Ranged fighters, make sure they don''t get overwhelmed. We''ll proceed in this formation until we''ve cleared the hallways."


    He conveyed his orders quickly and re-buffed everyone with Defense and Strength. Thanks to everyone''s Talents, multiple other Attributes climbed for the group as well.


    Geth was amazed when he looked at his Attributes. It seemed that most of them had an ability that could share a % of their main Attribute.


    ''It doesn''t look like they stack. It seems whoever provides the most bonus takes precedence.''


    Geth didn''t mind this too much. At least it was the most efficient way for the Talents to work.


    Zolis took the lead, clearing a path for everyone to proceed through the bottleneck. It was already night, and her weapon had shifted back into the massive white hammer.


    She mmed the weapon on the ground. The earth beneath them shook, almost causing those without Strength to fall to their knees.


    mes erupted from the hammer. Instead of surrounding her in a circle, they surged forward like a massive tidal wave.


    The damage caused was beyond belief. Those wolves unfortunate enough to be at the front could only watch in horror as the wall of fire approached.


    Geth could see nothing but the skulls beneath their fur by the time it passed. Even the following row''s eyes hadpletely shriveled.


    It was gruesome.


    The good news for the party was that all of the corpses once blocking their path were no more.


    Hundreds of Monster Cores littered the floor from wall to wall in their ce. Geth''s eyes shone as he thought of the potential crafting that woulde from these.


    "They should be fine for a few minutes..."


    Geth cast Protection on the front line and a Mass Restoration on the group, just in case.


    "You guys proceed slowly. I''ll catch up in a minute."


    He turned and stayed put at the funnel. The surrounding Mana became turbulent as his cloak billowed out behind him.


    The earth bubbled and rose, a deep crater forming as the ground lifted toward the open ceiling.


    The entire entrance had been filled in no time, shrouding the tunnels in darkness.


    Behind him, the battle became fierce. The cave walls dimly bathing the ce with a strange, green luminescence.


    "Hmm..."


    Geth had expected to rely on the light from Restoration to navigate the caves.


    He closed his eyes and spread out his senses. The feedback from his aura left him dumbfounded.


    The density of the Mana in this ce was far beyond that of anything he''d felt before!


    "It''s no wonder these wolves managed to grow so fast."


    For most creatures, the density of the Mana directly corrted with the speed of their growth.


    ''This is indeed surprising. With how deep this cave system runs, it''s likely that a Mana Geyserys below it.''


    Albus stated this as if it were elementary knowledge. Geth couldn''t help but roll his eyes.


    "Mana Geyser?"


    ''An area where Mana is directly leaking out of the''s core. It hastens the growth of wildlife, nts, and minerals.''


    "Well... That''s a cause for concern."


    The Direwolves were already very powerful. Without these cheap tricks, Geth and his party members would have likely died many hours back.


    He hurriedly returned to his friends and took his position in the rearguard. Peter and Swole walked alongside him as they pushed their way into the hive.


    "Uhhh... Geth?"


    It was barely a murmur. If it weren''t for his advanced senses, he likely wouldn''t have heard it.


    "Yes..?"


    Geth''s head turned toward the timidd beside him. Peter was looking down at his feet and twiddling his fingers.


    He was a sorry sight. Geth couldn''t understand how such a hardy young man was so skittish.


    "Umm... Can I have your Taming Cards..?"


    Geth allowed one of his selves to monitor the battle ahead and gave the youth his undivided attention.


    "Is there any particr reason?"


    Peter looked up, his nervous ticks suddenly disappearing. A determined look that hadn''t been there before shone through.


    "I''m tired of being so useless... I finally found a ss that will allow me to help... albeit without having to stand on the front lines."


    The boy had piqued Geth''s interest.


    "Oh? And what would that be?"

 Chapter 194: Passion

    Chapter 194: Passion


    After hearing the young man out, Geth decided to give him a chance. The advance of the party halted.


    "Now!"


    He yelled toward the front line. Sindri dropped her guard and jumped to the side.


    Zolis and Jack sidestepped, allowing multiple wolves to rush through. After counting ten streaks of fur darting by, they mended the broken front line.


    Aside from the vanguard, the others were standing back watching the proceedings. Geth cast his eyes toward Peter and found he was already invoking the Taming Cards.


    Before the Direwolves had a chance to turn on the front line, chambers of light were already forming around them.


    Geth had to admit that he was impressed by the speed. Peter''s new Talent increased his chances of sess, thus increasing the power and speed at which the cages formed.


    The ss that Peter had chosen was called Evoker. It was a ss that primarily focused on quickly raising and boosting the abilities of Tames.


    The requirements were enough Strength to control the beasts and enough Wisdom to impose his will upon them without faltering.


    It was the perfect ss!


    The sight was impressive. Instead of just forming a cage, blinding golden chains rose from the Formations in an attempt to entangle the thrashing beasts.


    Three wolves were soon rendered immobile.


    The others managed to dodge or destroy the chains. This caused a slight bacsh, forcing Peter''s concentration to falter.


    The cages weakened. It was only a brief moment, but two of the Direwolves managed to burst out.


    Arrows and spells soon tore through the escaped wolves. With twelve people and Tames attacking the two, they barely enjoyed a second of freedom.


    Peter regained hisposure and poured his Mana into the Formations once again. It was a slightly different process from a typical Taming cast.


    In the case of an Evoker, the Formations were powered by the caster instead of the card. This allowed them to be much sturdier but also left room for external influence.


    If the Evoker was attacked or became distracted, the Formations could weaken until they were just like any other taming circle.


    While Geth was waiting to see the effects of Peter''s new abilities, he casually walked around collecting Monster Cores.


    This was also the main reason he sealed off the entrance. It was highly likely that the surrounding enemies would forego their initial ns of ambush if they saw the scattered cores.


    The cowards would more likely collect them all and make off with the loot. There was no way in hell Geth would allow some riff-raff to take his loot unchallenged!


    The taming process didn''t take long. Two more Direwolves broke out.


    Unsurprisingly, they were dealt with quickly and without remorse. The other six wolves erupted into beautiful particles of light that flowed into the Taming Cards in Peter''s possession.


    The young man dropped to his knees, his entire person soaked with sweat.


    He looked down at the cards in his hands in disbelief. He had actually done it!


    The pride swelling up within him even affected the other party members. Everyone shared in his sense of achievement.


    ''Another effect of an Evoker. It''s one of the aspects that makes them such good Summoners.''


    Right on queue, Albus'' voice ruined the moment. Even if he was a bit perturbed, Geth wanted to know more.


    ''Summoners?''


    ''There are multiple Summoner sses. The Evoker isn''t specialized in taming.


    The Evoker ss is more suited to raising Tames and buffing them in battle. Evokers tend to be highly passionate, and this intensity can easily carry over to others in their surrounding.


    Tames raised by an Evoker will likely receive more Skills or bonus Attributes than their counterparts. Other Summoners may be more adept at sessfully taming creatures or can summon many at once.''


    "I see..."


    Geth mumbled and looked at their youngest party member. He was quickly reminded of how everyone''s fighting spirits were raised when he had moved to the front line.


    ''Was that effect not part of the Skill?''


    He would ask about itter. For now, they needed to keep pressing onward.


    It was pertinent that they find a ce to set up camp in theing hours. Even if they were fighting 16v5 battles, they had already been going non-stop for more than 40 hours.


    There had never been any pause between setting up the locations for the earlier Direwolf ambushes. They had even been found out when the patrols hadn''t returned before the day was over.


    It allowed Geth to Tame his Direwolf and a couple more, but they had to hurry to the Dungeon before that convoy didn''t return.


    After traveling through the night, they had set up the illusion and faced the Weary Wolf without a break.


    Since then, they had been fighting in the bottleneck from the time Zolis'' weapon turned into an axe and were still going long after it had be a hammer again.


    A proper rest was long overdue.


    Geth nced around at hispatriots. Even though they didn''t show it, he could tell they were experiencing fatigue.


    *Sigh*


    ''This wouldn''t have been a problem before.''


    His original ns were to seal the cave and set up camp in the in. The surrounding enemies put a stop to that n.


    He was confident in killing most and escaping, but he wasn''t optimistic about everyone living through the ordeal without their second ss.


    Killing a small army of Humans at this stage of the game was different from fighting monsters. There was no telling what strange Skills such arge group had picked up.


    Geth helped Peter up and settled everyone back into Formation.


    "ze. How many more?"


    "We should be down to thest 1500."


    Geth nodded.


    "Alright, everyone, listen up! We only have to kill the front row three hundred more times, and we can set up camp! Get your asses in gear!"


    Everyone''s backs straightened when they heard that. Zolis even nced back and shook her hips before looking at Sindri.


    "Why don''t youe put our asses in gear?"


    Geth''s palm instantly flew to his forehead.

 Chapter 195: Camping In A Dungeon

    Chapter 195: Camping In A Dungeon


    For the following hours, the party went through the monotonous task of ying the legion of wolves.


    The Tames took as manyst hits as possible, every one of them earning their second ss.


    Even Felix was close,cking only a single Level. He would take priority on their first Sub-Boss.


    They didn''t run into any trouble until they made it to the back of the line. Thest 60 or so wolves realized what was happening and separated.


    It became an actual battle instead of a one-sided massacre with them not being packed together.


    Even so, with the massive increase in Levels they''d experienced, the party managed to get by with just a few light injuries. Of course, those had been healed by Geth shortly after.


    ''I need to learn everyone''s sses and new abilities.''


    It was bing difficult to control the battlefield. Even though they worked well as a group, some of the Skills used caused more harm than good.


    For instance, Sindri had attempted to use some ability with her shield that seemed to be a smaller version of Geth''s old Barrier.


    Filthy shot a few arrows around the same time that shattered the shield. This left an opening that the enemy shouldn''t have had.


    In another situation, ze and Rift had cast spells of opposing elements that shed and canceled each other out.


    If they had alternated casting those spells instead of casting simultaneously, the effects on the Direwolves would have been devastating.


    The party mainly had had free reign up to this point. Geth usually set up their positions but never told them how or when to use their Skills.


    ''Will I need to call shots like I did back in my MMO days?''


    It was usually the healer''s or the tank''s responsibility tomand the battlefield in the older MMOs.


    Geth had spent countless hours memorizing his guild member''s abilities and stats. He''d been responsible foring up with strategies to beat the new Bosses and Dungeons that were released during updates.


    As the guild became morepetitive, he''d quit even after being offeredpensation to keep ying. It was just too much to juggle between the game, his family, and his former career.


    Thinking back to this, he wondered if he could put those old skills to good use.


    The only thing was...


    ''A party wipe back then just meant losing some experience. Now...''


    He shook those thoughts out of his mind. If they made the same mistakes as earlier in front of a powerful Boss, they would all die anyway.


    Geth just settled on having a discussion about it with everyone.


    It was one thing making some simple decisions. Takingplete control of everyone when their lives were on the line was another matter entirely.


    ''ze could probably handle it as well.''


    Geth continued to ponder while they crept down the hallway.


    Felix had already cast a group silence spell that heavily muffled their footsteps. Even with their armor and boots, it was no louder than someone walking on carpet.


    Geth couldn''t help but be interested every time Felix brought out a new spell. He was like a walking utility ss.


    His eyes turned to inspect the cave that they were in. It had changed from where they were walking previously.


    The other cave they''d entered had looked rtively natural. This wasn''t the case here.


    The luminescent walls of the arched tunnels were perfectly shaped. If he were told they weren''t carved out by hand, he wouldn''t believe it.


    "Let''s head back. We''ll set up camp in the previous tunnel."


    They would likely be safe here, but the ce was throwing him off.


    Geth set up Detection Formations all along the wall on their way back.


    It wasn''t long before they''d reached the original hall that remained littered with Cores.


    The length of the corridor from the Dungeon entrance had been very close to 15 miles. It carved wide spirals down into the earth before they''d finally reached the arched tunnel.


    Geth turned toward a nearby wall and used State Change to melt it down into a 50'' by 10'' open space.


    He walked down the length of this makeshift hallway and made individual rooms for everyone along each side.


    He had a feeling that this Dungeon would take some time to clear. It was best if everyone could rest properly between the more significant battles.


    The others watched him work in silence. They were exhausted, and seeing a safe ce to rest only made them realize just how tired they actually were.


    Geth made a muchrger room at the end that would be used as amon room.


    "ze, can you help out with the next part?"


    The silence suddenly being broken snapped everyone to attention. ze walked into themon room with him.


    "What''s up?"


    "I''m going to close the wall. We need Oxygen Runes, Comfort Runes, Cleansing Runes, and Veil Runes."


    ze nced down the hallway he''d just walked through after listening to Geth''s request.


    "You''re really going all out, huh?"


    Geth nodded.


    "I expect this Dungeon isn''t as straightforward as the rest. We may be here a while."


    ze had that same sensation when the party entered the arched walkway. The Formations he''d sensed were moreplex than anything he''d seen before.


    Without another word, the two got to work. Eventually, Sindri asked what everyone was wondering.


    "What do these markings do?"


    "Veil Runes are ced atop the doorways and act as curtains that are impossible to see or hear through.


    Comfort Runes keep the ce from being stuffy or too hot. Oxygen Runes make it so that we can breathe.


    And finally, Cleansing Runes can be stepped on, and the Mana will quickly take care of any dirt, grime, blood, or even bacteria that''s built up on you during the day."


    Multiple ''oohs and ahhs'' came from the others who watched the men work.


    Felix wasn''t left out. He set up a few Formations on the outside that would use the surrounding Mana to power his illusions.


    A series of spells that would hide their scent and tracks were ced into them.


    Once everything was taken care of, Geth closed the entrance, and they all dispersed into their separate rooms.


    Sindri bit her lip as she watched Geth and Zolis disappear behind their own veil.

 Chapter 196: Interruptions

    Chapter 196: Interruptions


    The rooms were quite sizeable, being 10'' wide and around 15'' to the back wall. Inside their room, Geth began pulling items out of his inventory.


    The first thing he pulled out was a king-size bed andrge furs made from bears that were hunted in the Forest Dungeon''s hunting grounds.


    "We should rece these with Direwolf furs. They''re much softer."


    Zolis sat on the bed and rubbed against the soft material. She had already utilized the Cleansing Rune while he was preparing a ce to sleep.


    Geth couldn''t help but chuckle.


    She had already removed her equipment and wore a flimsy nightgown that had been crafted by one of the Tailors.


    He didn''t understand the purpose of wearing such a thing. If you were going to wear see-through clothes, why wear anything at all?


    "How about we survive first? We''ll see if Filthy will skin one for uster. He''s better at conserving material than I am."


    He followed her example and took advantage of the Cleansing Rune before stripping down and sliding on a pair of wool leggings.


    Geth pulled out a few more items, one being the Transmutation Table. It was something he''d never bothered with since they had previouslycked an abundance of Skill Cards.


    The circr table was around 3'' in diameter. Its size was about that of an average car tire.


    He looked carefully over the different card slots on the board and studied the Formation that would ultimately create a new Skill.


    There was something that struck him as odd while staring at the tablet.


    ''Albus, doe-''


    "Srrnnkkk!"


    Geth was interrupted by a loud snoreing from behind him. He turned and found Zolis passed out at an odd angle, hanging off the edge of the bed.


    "Ha, and she says she doesn''t snore."


    Shaking his head, he lifted her into a morefortable position. Geth draped the covers over her and moved her hair out of her face.


    It seemed that she was watching him but fell asleep before he could do anything interesting. He stared at her sleeping figure for a while before turning back to his work.


    It wasn''t that he wasn''t fatigued, but he could never seem to find enough time to do everything he wanted.


    He intended on giving everyone a couple of night''s rest before trying to take out the first Sub-Boss. It wouldn''t be a simple matter.


    The deeper into the earth that the group traveled, the stronger the fluctuations of the Mana Geyser and the more powerful the Direwolves would be.


    Geth settled back down and calmed his mind once again. He looked back at the tablet before speaking to Albus.


    "Alright, how doe-"


    *Knock* *Knock*


    *Sigh*


    He looked up and found a small hand had reached partially into the room and knocked gently on the cave wall.


    The Veil didn''t stop one from entering, only seeing or hearing what was going on inside.


    ''What could she want?''


    He assumed that everyone would already be passed out. Geth stood up and lightly grabbed the slender hand before pulling her into the room.


    Sindri let out a surprised cry as she clumsily stumbled into him. Her face turned a bright red when she found him barechested and wearing pants that didn''t bother hiding his outlines.


    The furs that she had swathed around herself fell to the ground in her embarrassment. It was his turn to be surprised.


    Geth raised his eyebrow. The young girl was wearing something simr to what Zolis was... In fact, he even felt like it belonged to his wife.


    His face didn''t even flush while he took in the curves of the young woman before him. The first time he''d seen her, Geth had still been dazed from his unconscious state.


    Now that he could enjoy the view, he certainly wouldn''t waste the opportunity. He was married, not homosexual.


    She had been lightly covered the first time, but now she was enveloped by nothing but a thinyer of silk. It had to be said that the youngdy was ravishing.


    She stood stunned for a moment. Sindri was surprised that the lustful stare she was expecting wasn''t there.


    Instead, Geth admired her as if she were a work of art. It was the first time that she''d experienced anything so... arousing.


    It felt like the temperature in the room was rising. Her face flushed even further as her mind filled with delightful images.


    *Cough*


    Geth could see where the situation was going and stooped down to pick up her furs, lightly cing them over her shoulder.


    For Sindri, this just made things worse. The proximity caused by his actions only caused her to writhe even more.


    "So, what did you need?"


    Geth had already receded to his seat by the Transmutation Table. He was sitting cross-legged in front of the tablet and studying it again.


    A wave of embarrassment washed over Sindri when she realized what had just happened.


    "I.. uh.. I jus.."


    She really wasn''t sure what to say. Zolis had given her this outfit and told her it was okay to stay with them.


    The two had gotten quite close since they met, and Sindri was attracted to them both. She hadn''t expected that Zolis would already be asleep.


    Her embarrassment was further fueled when Geth began tough. He already had an idea of what had happened.


    He patted the ground beside him, pulling out another set of furs and cing them on the floor.


    "Come on and have a seat."


    Sindri walked over and took a seat beside him. He looked her up and down once more before going back to his work.


    "What is this thing?"


    She could see that she had interrupted whatever he was working on and couldn''t help but feel a bit ashamed.


    "This is called a Transmutation Table. You can feed it Skill Cards to upgrade them without having to use SP."


    She sighed in relief when she found he wasn''t upset with her. It was even more relieving that he hadn''t sent her away.


    She resigned herself to staying quiet and watched what he was doing curiously.

 Chapter 197: Headache

    Chapter 197: Headache


    Even though she had calmed down, Geth could tell she was still anxious. The Mana around her was whipping around and distracting him from his work.


    "You shouldn''t be so tense," Geth stated.


    The Mana became even more turbulent, causing Sindri''s hair to flutter lightly across her shoulders.


    "I.. I''m not tense."


    Geth could practically see how forced her smile was.


    He could see that her emotions kept shifting from expectant to worried. It was a little trick he''d picked up from studying the Mana constantly.


    ''Not tense, my ass.''


    He ced one of his hands over hers and squeezed gently.


    "Look, I know how Zolis can be. If it''s what you want, that''s fine, but you don''t have to let her rush you into it."


    She didn''t hesitate in giving him a response.


    "It is what I want!"


    Her face instantly flushed, and a stunned look took the ce of her previously nervous one. Sindri looked away quickly, but he could see that the Mana around her had be determined.


    Geth smiled gently at her and took her hand into both of his.


    "Then take your time."


    He ced her hand down and was about to turn back to his work when sheunched herself toward him.


    Her lips met with his, the soft texture of her skin pressing against him. Though stunned at first, he pushed back, causing their lips to mold together and their mouths to be one.


    He opened his mouth, the sweet taste of her breath bing more vital than the oxygen around them.


    The two remained locked together for what felt like an eternity, each of their tongues vying for dominance against the other.


    Geth''s hand found its way to her face. He gently caressed her cheek and pulled himself away.


    Steam escaped their lips as the two separated, and their foreheads pressed together. The pair''s ragged breathing resonated through the small space.


    Sindri closed her eyes, a gentle smile ying on her lips.


    She pushed herself away and smoothed the wrinkles from her nightgown. The furs that hid her body had long since hit the ground.


    "Well.. I think that''s enough... I don''t want to rush, after all."


    She broke the silence with those few words and a lightugh. Geth smiled, a genuine smile that rarely graced the surface.


    "Then I''ll get back to work."


    "Do... you mind if I stay and watch..?"


    He looked over at the younger woman. She hadn''t bothered picking up the fur mantle and remained exposed before him.


    "I would be happy to have somepany."


    She nodded and didn''t say anything else, simply scooting up next to him and looking at the board with interest.


    Her soft skin pressed up against him, her curves and the silk of her dress pressing gently against his arms. Her long, ck hair dangled softly over his shoulder.


    The turbulent Mana around her had long since dissipated, leaving a soft and warm aura flowing outward.


    He took a moment to gather himself before looking at the board. With a wave of his hand, a myriad of Skill Cards appeared in multiple piles beside the two.


    Each stack of cards represented a different Skill. Arge majority were repeats, but the number of each card was considerable.


    "Albus, does this table have the ability to choose paths?"


    ''borate.''


    "If I were to merge twelve cards, do I get a choice of two Skills, is it random, or will it merge them into a specific Skill?"


    ''Do you see the six small gems embedded into the edges of the tablet?''


    Geth looked at the table again and took note of the six gems. There was one embedded between each set of two card slots.


    "Mhmm."


    ''Without testing, there isn''t a way to know, but I believe that each represents a Rarity. Common, Umon, Rare, Epic, Legendary, and...''


    Albus was silent for a while. Geth turned his sights into his mental sphere and saw his friend''s face twisting in pain, something that happened when he tried to force himself to remember something.


    ''Aghh. I''m sorry I can''t remember, but I''m positive there is something beyond the Legendary state.''


    His friend frowned. Geth could tell that not having all of his memories weighed heavily on Albus'' mind.


    ''If you look closely, there is a notch on each of the gems. The two Runes on either side of each Gem represent a one or a two.


    My guess is that the gems act as dials, and you can select the option with them. It will be a game of trial and error as you advance into higher Rarity Skills.''


    "So what you''re saying... is that I can go smoothly from a Common to Epic Skill... and then select a Legendary Skill I''m not interested in by mistake?"


    ''Correct.''


    "Bummer."


    Sindri listened in on Geth''s one-sided conversation. She found his voice soothing, and it was cute that he was talking to his Grimoire out loud.


    Her own Grimoire had taken a small hiatus after she''d selected her second ss. Being beside Geth right now ebbed away most of the loneliness she felt.


    Geth looked at the stack of cards and made a quick calction.


    "To create a single card beyond the Legendary level will take 248,832 Common cards..."


    Even Sindri couldn''t help but take in a cold breath.


    Had their entire party even killed that many monsters? Let alone find that many of the same Common Skill Card.


    Geth shed her an awkward smile.


    "I guess we have a long road ahead of us."


    He didn''t say it out loud, but he knew that there were twelve different potential Legendary oues.


    This meant that same 248,832 cards could be used to create all of the Legendary Skills. Or... they could be used for a single Skill beyond that Rarity.


    Did that mean that there were 24 options beyond Legendary? If so, it would take 5,971,968 Common cards to unlock them all!


    Geth already felt a headacheing on while thinking about it.

 Chapter 198: Mend

    Chapter 198: Mend


    Thinking up to this point, Geth steeled himself and chose a direction.


    ''For now, we need to know all of the Umon and Rare Skills that coulde out of a potential Common Skill.''


    This world was still young. They were running around blind, using their hard-earned Skill Points to Level up Skills in a random path.


    What if the paths were known ahead of time? Wouldn''t this help lower Levels and future generations be even more powerful than their predecessors?


    Geth already had the mind to start a school in Valha. Providing the proper paths for his citizens would heavily reinforce their future military strength.


    He could picture multiple different textbooks that could be unlocked through merits or...


    "Albus? Can Points be traded?"


    ''It... should be possible. The Tower has many mysterious abilities.''


    Geth''s mind raced. Just how indomitable could one be if they were to monopolize others'' Points?


    It was honestly terrifying.


    ''Spreading knowledge to our people is what''s important right now. If it''s possible to trade merits for Points and vice-versa, then so be it.''


    He reached down to one of the stacks of cards. This was the Mend Skill, the first Common Skill he thought could be Restoration.


    ***


    Mend (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (5 MP) Casts a healing light over target. Can heal shallow wounds, at most without scarring. Instantly heals for a set amount of HP based on User''s Intelligence. Takes 10 seconds to cast.


    Healing = 5+ (Int x 5%)


    ***


    He had a few hundred of these, enough to make two Rares and a few Umons. Most hade from loot crates and dropped from Goblin Shamans.


    He ced 12 copies of the ''Mend'' card in their respective slots. It wasn''t until he was done that he realized he didn''t know how to use the table.


    Geth waited expectantly.


    ...


    .....


    ....


    "...Albus?"


    ''If you were waiting for me, you''re out of luck, kid. We didn''t need gadgets like this in my day.''


    Geth was speechless.


    "Didn''t you basically design the entire system for Humans in this timeline..?"


    ''Well, I didn''t do every damn thing. There were thousands of us working on this project.


    I came up with the Grimoires, the Attributes, and some Dungeon and Tower Functions. The Skill Cards were someone else''s idea.''


    Geth frowned.


    "Fine, I''ll just figure it out."


    ''Ahh, I can tell you one thing. If that card does happen to be the Common Rarity of Restoration, you won''t be able to learn it.''


    "...and why not?"


    ''You can''t learn a spell if its Runes ovep with part of another spell. You could take a Rare Skill Card and have it upgrade a Common or Umon Skill.


    However, if you try to ce a Common Skill on top of a Rare Skill, it will simply absorb it. Nothing will happen.''


    "I see..."


    ''You can relearn a base Common Skill a second time after getting the original to Legendary. The Legendary Skill will not absorb the Common, so you can choose a different path the second time.


    Also, you can learn, at most, two Legendary Skills that branch off of the same Common. Anything beyond that and the Runes will start to break down since they are too simr.''


    *Sigh*


    "Isn''t this all information that you should have given me before?"


    ''I only remember things as theye to me. I admit, the System is wed, but... our memories weren''t supposed to be part of the deal.''


    Geth thought about it for a moment. He couldn''t imagine a lifeless Grimoire that just spoke to him like a machine.


    "A machine..."


    He looked at the Transmutation Table before him again.


    "Why would there be a dial for the Common Skill Card? That doesn''t make any sense."


    Each gem was a different color; White, Green, Blue, Purple, Gold, and finally, a Grey gem that seemed to be filled with mist.


    Geth reached for the white gem and found that he was right. It was a button rather than a dial like the rest.


    He pressed down on the gem until it locked in flush with the table''s surface. The tablet before them sprung to life.


    Sindri jumped beside him, startled at the sudden movements of the stone.


    The outer rim of the table began to spin wildly. As it did so, Mana poured into the sides of the table and lit up the massive Formation that was carved on it.


    The twelve cards he''d ced in the open slots seemed to dissolve into the Formation. It reminded him heavily of the potion-making process.


    The melted-down cards flowed through the circuitry and made their way to the center slot. After one more sh of bright light, the table''s edges stopped spinning, and the Mana in the Formation dispersed.


    The process hadn''t taken any more than a minute. Geth reached into the center of the Transmutation Tablet and pulled out the new Skill Card.


    Frost drifted from the card as if it had just been pulled from a vat of dry ice.


    ***


    Minor Healing (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (15 MP) Casts a healing light over target. Can heal some deep wounds, but scarring will remain. Instantly heals for a set amount of HP based on User''s Intelligence. Takes 10 seconds to cast.


    Healing = 15+ (Int x 10%)


    ***


    "Hmm, Maybe Restoration is the other option?"


    Sindri took the Minor Healing card from him and looked at it in awe. The concept of saving Skill Points until a higher Rarity was very appealing.


    Geth switched the dial for the Umon Transmutation from 1 to 2. He pulled out twelve more Mend cards and tried again.


    ***


    Mending (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (20 MP) Casts a healing light over target. Can heal some deep wounds, but scarring will remain. Instantly heals for a set amount of HP based on User''s Intelligence. Instant cast.


    Healing = 25+ (Int x 10%)


    Requirement: Caster must be touching target.


    ***


    Geth raised his eyebrows as he looked at the two spells.


    "So... If Mend isn''t the Common of Restoration.... does that mean I''m free to learn one of these Skills?"

 Chapter 199: Blood Knight

    Chapter 199: Blood Knight


    "Are you nning on learning one?"


    Sindri had her chin on his shoulder, staring at the two cards that he was holding. She had initially only been slightly interested, but after Geth exined the bigger picture, he had her undivided attention.


    ''Being able to choose your Skill path before spending SP? How many resources would it take for him to achieve that for every Skill?''


    Geth''s brows were furrowed as he studied the two cards in his hand.


    ''He says he''s doing it for himself... but is that really true?''


    She just couldn''t get a read on the man.


    Sindri had heard directly from ze, Zolis, and Geth that he only did things if they furthered his own interests. But, it seemed that so many of these things benefited others more than him.


    The more she was around him, the more she found herself appreciating him.


    It wasn''t just him. Even Zolis had her own quirks that she found endearing.


    ''I shouldn''t even think about it right now. He''s working, and I''ll just distract him.''


    Sindri crawled over to the piles of cards and looked for anything that would help her as a tank.


    Things became challenging after the first ss change. For the first 24 Levels, it was possible to learn any Skill if you had the card for it!


    After choosing the Knight ss, it was only possible for her to use Skill Cards that were marked for tank or melee sses.


    She would have ignored the ss choicepletely if she''d known beforehand.


    ''Who am I kidding? I''d be dead if I didn''t choose a ss.''


    Even though it was bothersome, they had dealt with it. But now, things were different.


    She didn''t have many Skills to begin with, a couple of blocking Skills and an aggro Skill for defending. Then, she''d learned the sh Skill just for counter-attacking enemies.


    Outside of those four, she had learned one from each ss upgrade.


    One allowed her to heal for 20% of her HP and doubled her Defense for ten minutes. It had a cooldown of six hours.


    Once she unlocked her new ss, Blood Knight, she found that learning some Mage Skills was also possible.


    The Blood Knight ss was interesting, and she''d even gained a bar simr to her Mana and HP bars. It was a Blood bar.


    As enemies died around her, the blood bar would fill with their life essence. Her Blood Knight Skill needed this essence to be used.


    Additionally, she could also use that essence in ce of Mana for any of her standard Skills, and they could have additional effects.


    She couldn''t learn any spell that mages could, but she found that close-range attack spells weren''t off the table.


    ''I wonder if the others can learn new Skills now?''


    Based on what she had observed, the first 24 Levels took the Skills learned, weapons used, and the Points distributed into consideration whenever offering a ss.


    The ss Upgrade seemed to go even more into depth, reading into your thoughts, fighting style, and even the experiences along the way.


    ''What will the System be looking for in the next section of Levels?''


    All of this was very mysterious to her. She found it odd how Geth would converse about so many things with his Grimoire.


    She''d be friends with her own, but the information her Grimoire had avable wasn''t so abundant. Geth''s even helped him look out for danger while he slept... how?!


    It seemed that there was still a lot for her to learn. But for now, she needed to take up Geth''s offer to upgrade a spell for her.


    "Let''s see... the biggest spell stacks here are Fire and Ice. That''s... so basic. Are these the Common forms of Fireball and that Icicle spell that Goblin Shamans use?"


    She looked over her shoulder at the man sitting behind her. Then, she remembered she was wearing a see-through dress and was on all fours in front of a man she was attracted to.


    To make matters worse, when he looked up from his work, he had that same appraising look that he''d had when she entered the room.


    ''Can he not at least try to hide that he''s checking me out? How can he not even be a little embarrassed?!''


    She watched him admire all of her curves for a minute before his eyes met with hers.


    "Yes. Those were dropped from weak Shamans.


    Months ago, the Skill Cards that began dropping were these Common forms instead of the Skill that was actually being used.


    I can only guess that the Mana that''s been eating away the Dungeon Formations has something to do with it.


    Even the cards dropping from these wolves are mostly ''w'' or ''Hasten.'' I''m not even sure that a Human can learn w."


    He looked over her curves once more before activating the Transmutation Table and creating more healing cards.


    "Hmph."


    Sindri''s face flushed red once again. She couldn''t remember thest time she''d been both this embarrassed and aroused at the same time.


    Looking at the position she was in didn''t help. She was practically bent over like a dog in front of him!


    ''Ugh! Why don''t I ever think before I do things?''


    It was toote to worry about it now. She looked at the descriptions of the two cards before her.


    ***


    Fire (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (5 MP/Second) Fundamental fire maniption. Allows User to slightly warm up the area around them by heating their own body. Can spark a small me in User''s hand that can be used for starting fires.


    Note 1: Maniption bes easier with high Wisdom. me can berger or can radiate more heat with high Intelligence.


    Note 2: Can only learn one elemental maniption Skill.


    ***


    ''This one looks promising.''


    ***


    Ice (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (5 MP/Second) Fundamental ice maniption. Allows User to slightly cool down the area around them by chilling their own body. Can emit a light frost from User''s hand that can freeze some liquids or quickly cool a small space.


    Note 1: Maniption bes easier with high Wisdom. Frost can extend further or freeze the area faster with high Intelligence.


    Note 2: Can only learn one elemental maniption Skill.


    ***


    ''I like this one as well.''

 Chapter 200: Sindris Choice

    Chapter 200: Sindri''s Choice


    Sindri picked up the two stacks of cards and retreated to sit beside Geth again.


    "Are you sure that those are what you want? I didn''t think you could learn magic."


    He cast his eyes toward her and looked at her choices.


    "This new ss will let me use close-range magic. I won''t be able to cast Fireballs or anything like that."


    He set his own cards to the side and grabbed 24 Fire cards.


    "Well, let''s see what we can do with these then."


    She was surprised that he didn''t ask about her ss.


    It would have been the first thing she''d done. She was hoping for the opportunity to ask about his as well.


    The table lit up again, but she didn''t pay it any mind. She was too busy admiring him.


    He had the features of a barbarian. The thick long hair and beard acted as a mane surrounding his lightly scarred face.


    His blue eyes were forever brightened by the Mana that seemed to gush out of him. The air around him was so thick with Mana that she could see it.


    His chest had the same thick, dark hair that embellished his face. He didn''t have the body of a model or anything, but Sindri found that she liked it better.


    His arms and legs were thick, his chest robust, and his stomach showed the outline of abs without being chiseled.


    The thin wool pants that he was wearing couldn''t hide the shape of his leg muscles... or the monster that was hiding there.


    "Mmm."


    "Did you say something?"


    Geth turned to look at her, taking his eyes off the project he was working on.


    "Uh.. Um.. No, sorry."


    ''Oh my god! Did I do that out loud?! And with his wife sleeping behind us!''


    As if in answer, Zolis snored lightly and rolled onto her side.


    "Here, take a look at these."


    Geth handed her two cards that looked simr to the Fire Skill Cards that she''d passed him before.


    ***


    Fire Arrow (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (10 MP) Allows User to create a projectile of me that can fly toward a target. Causes light burn damage over time.


    Damage = 10+ (Int x 2.5%)


    DoT = 1+ (Int x 1%) per second for 10 seconds.


    ***


    "Well, this one is certainly out of the question."


    Even if she liked the Skill, her ss wouldn''t allow her to learn it. She handed the card back to Geth and looked at the second one.


    ***


    me Maniption (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (8 MP/Second) Basic fire maniption. Allows User to heavily warm up the area around them by heating their own body. Can start arge me in User''s hand that can envelop a small weapon for additional fire damage to basic attacks.


    Adittional Damage = 10+ (Int x 1%) per strike


    DoT = 1+ (Int x 0.5%) per second for 10 seconds. DoT will not stack, but resets with each sessful strike.


    Note: Higher Wisdom will allow for use onrger weapons at a higher cost.


    ***


    Sindri stared at the card for a moment.


    ''This is interesting... but I can only choose one element.''


    She looked at Geth, who was patiently waiting for a response.


    "Can we check the option 2 for the Ice spell instead?"


    "Sure! I n on going through all of these over the next couple of days, anyway."


    He picked up 12 Ice Skill Cards and tossed them into the slots as if they were spare change going into a vending machine.


    Sindri couldn''t help but think how many people would cry upon seeing how wasteful they were.


    The table''s edge spun, and lights danced in the room as another card was formed.


    ***


    Ice Maniption [Basic] (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (8 MP/Second) Basic ice maniption. Allows User to heavily chill the area around them by cooling their own body. Can emit a heavy frost from User''s hands that can freeze most liquids and envelop small weapons. Gives additional frost damage and slowing effect to User''s attacks.


    Adittional Damage = 10+ (Int x 1%) per strike


    Slow Effect = Loss of 1+ (Wis x 0.5%) per sessful strike. Can stack up to 5 times andsts for 30 seconds. Timer resets on each sessful hit.


    Note: Higher Wisdom will allow for use onrger weapons at a higher cost.


    ***


    "This one is much better!"


    Geth took the card and read it. He''d handed it to her without looking at it himself.


    "Ahh, I see. This will help a lot with utility and crowd control, particrly against any agile enemies that you manage to aggro."


    Sindri nodded and looked at her Skill Points. She would have almost enough to upgrade the Skill to Epic if she learned it as a Rare.


    Luckily, she didn''t have to feel guilty by asking. Geth spoke up before she had the chance.


    "Well, let''s see what the Rare versions are. It''d be a shame to go down the wrong path, right?"


    Sindri sighed.


    ''How can anyone be so wless?''


    While Geth was making the cards, she looked over toward Zolis.


    The woman had kicked the covers offpletely, her body showing through the transparent nightgown she was wearing.


    ''So pretty.''


    She looked the older woman over. Even though there were about three years difference between the two of them, Zolis looked like she was still in high school.


    Her eyes stopped on the woman''s breasts. Her face turned a bright red once again.


    If there were anything she''d always been self-conscious about, it was her chest. Looking at Zolis just made her think about it again.


    They could suffocate her if she buried her head in them! How could such a short woman dance around the battlefield without them getting in the way?!


    She continued admiring the scenery until Geth had crafted the two Rare Skills.


    ***


    Frost Maniption [Intermediate] (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (20 MP/Second) Intermediate ice maniption. Can emit an extremely potent frost from User''s hands that can freeze almost any liquid and envelop most weapons. Gives additional frost damage and slowing effect to User''s attacks.


    Adittional Damage = 25+ (Int x 10%) per strike


    Slow Effect = Loss of 10+ (Wis x 5%) per sessful strike. Can stack up to 5 times andsts for 30 seconds. Timer resets on each sessful hit.


    Note: Higher Wisdom will allow for use onrger weapons at a higher cost.


    ***


    "Hmm, so this one lost the chilling effects for the body..? How about the other?"


    ***


    Ice Maniption [Intermediate] (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (40 MP/Second) Intermediate ice maniption. Allows User to drastically chill arge area around them and slow enemies by cooling their own body.


    Area Damage = 20+ (Int x 5%) per second


    Slow Effect = Loss of 5+ (Wis x 10%) per second that enemy remains in range. Can stack up to 10 times.


    Note: Effects have a set radius of 7 yards from User.


    ***


    "This one!"


    She almost shouted but remembered to lower her voice.


    Zolis had done much more on the front line than she had. Even though Sindri had spent more time there, she didn''t have to spend as much time dodging.


    With Geth''s heals and Protection, it was pretty much a cakewalk for her.


    "Are you sure that''s the one you want?"


    "Yes!"


    "Alright, just make sure that you let me know what both of the Epic choices are if you don''t mind."


    Sindri threw her arms around him. She could feel the heat releasing from his muscles.


    Before she could get distracted by them again, she gave him a light kiss on the lips and moved back to learn the Skill.


    She was genuinely excited about being of more use to the team.

 Chapter 201: Greater Mending

    Chapter 201: Greater Mending


    Geth nced over at the young girl sitting beside him. The taste of her lips still lingered around his as he turned back to the Transmutation Table.


    Outside of gathering everyone''s ss, Skill, and Talent information, he intended to stay put until he''d used up most of these Skill Cards.


    "If Merit Points will be able to buy the base Skills anyway, it will be more beneficial to create a ''Skill Tree'' that anyone can use for guidance."


    He could hear the old and wizened Albus chuckling inside of his mental sphere.


    ''You''re mumbling again. What will the youngdy think of you if you keep on?''


    Geth just shook his head. It didn''t really matter. If she couldn''t ept his quirks, there was no point in her being here.


    He lost himself in his work. Stacks of Skill Cards that were over a foot tall whittled down until there were no more than a handful left in ce.


    Where there had initially been close to 11,000 Skill Cards of varying types, he was now left with less than 200.


    A majority of those 200 were Umon and Rare cards found before the shift to only Commons.


    "It''s a shame that this machine can''t reverse engineer them."


    Geth felt that it would be better to know the baseponents. Also, if he could do so, he could make multiple Epics, break them down, and then go down another path.


    "I guess that I can''t expect things to be too easy. Still, there were a few surprises amongst the batch."


    One such surprise was a Rare healing Skill that he was thinking about learning.


    Minor Healing had be a set of Skills called ''Healing'' and ''Minor Cure.''


    Healing was essentially the same as its predecessor, healing a target for a specific amount of damage. The effects were obviously much more significant than Minor Healing.


    Minor Cure had the same healing effect as Minor Healing. In addition to that, it could cure poisons or damage over time effects.


    Both of these Skills had a ten-second cool-down, which he wasn''t fond of. Most of his other Skills were actives that could be used at any time as long as he consumed Mana.


    Geth wasn''t interested in them.


    Restoration essentially did the same thing as Cure. It just took a few ticks.


    The branches that came from Mending were more appealing for his build. They were instant cast with no cool-down.


    The only downside was that he had to be touching the target to use them.


    ***


    Greater Mending (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (150 MP) Casts a healing light over target. Can heal deep wounds without leaving scarring.


    Can regrow recently severed limbs (Time based on User''s Wisdom). Instantly heals for a set amount of HP based on User''s Intelligence. Instant cast.


    Healing = 100+ (Int x 25%)


    Time for limb regrowth = 60+ (Wis x 10%) in seconds from time of severance.


    Requirement: Caster must be touching target.


    ***


    "Just the amount of healing I can do with this one is around 170 points without upgrading it. After some upgrades, it would do more than Restoration.


    The limb regrowth is even more impressive, even if I''d only have 2 minutes to cast it. Though, that would be difficult in the heat of battle."


    The other option had turned Mending into more of a buff Skill. It was called Rehabilitation.


    It could only be used once but could bring someone back to full health from 25% or higher. It would also boost all of their base stats by 10% permanently.


    If it weren''t for the single-use restriction, this would have been the choice that he went with. Greater Mending could be used constantly and regrow limbs.


    ''It may not be the right choice... but it will help more in the short term. Maybe the Epic version can regrow limbs regardless of the time that''s passed.''


    His mind turned to Bruce as he thought of this. The old man had lost a lot, yet he was still helping take care of Geth''s family.


    If a Skill could repay him, he wouldn''t hesitate to choose it. Geth ced the Skill Card into his Grimoire and allowed the pages to absorb it.


    Another three-page section of Formations formed amongst its bindings.


    "Albus, you''re getting fat."


    ''Ha. Ha. Now, how about you move that youngdy off yourp?''


    "Hmm?"


    Geth looked down and found Sindri using his thigh as a pillow.


    "Just how long have I been fusing cards?"


    ''Approximately four hours.''


    "I see."


    He waved his hand over the small stack of cards and Transmutation Table, storing them in his inventory.


    There were a few cards he nned on handing out the following day.


    ''Jack, Peter, and Filthy could use a couple of these. I''m not sure that the mages in our group would benefit.''


    A majority of the Skills had been utility or melee abilities. The only spells that he''d acquired were through the Fire, Ice, and Mend Commons.


    *Sigh*


    Geth shook his head and cleared his mind, which was difficult with so many of his selves working at once.


    He scooped up Sindri in his arms as gently as he could andid her on the bed next to Zolis.


    Geth could feel his heart pumping faster when he looked at the two sleeping women. When his wife rolled and draped one leg over Sindri''s thigh, the feeling became almost unbearable.


    "Better not to rush things, anyway."


    He climbed into bed, wrapping himself tightly under the furs. The usual emptiness that he felt subsided in the presence of the women sleeping beside him.


    ''How strange.''


    Multiple times over the past week, Geth had experienced feelings much more concentrated than he had before.


    He''d been angry, scared, even happy... and it was more than just the standard brief sensation.


    ''It isn''t a bad feeling...''


    He mulled over these strange urrences while trying to soothe his beating heart.


    Sindri''s body pressed lightly against his side, not helping with the tent keeping the covers fromyingfortably over his waist.


    Eventually, he managed to calm himself and settle snugly into the feathered mattress.


    Sleep overtook him, the sound of Sindri''s calm breathing and Zolis'' infrequent snores the only things breaking the silence.


    **


    Note1: March Privilege will be 200 coins cheaper and will be 30 chaps instead of 25.


    Note2: This will not affect word count, I added it after chap was posted

 Chapter 202: *Good Moaning

    Chapter 202: *Good Moaning


    *Glup*


    "Mmm..."


    *Glup*


    "Hmm..?"


    ''Mmm... that''s nice. Morning already?''


    Geth raised his arms and rubbed both of his eyes, pushing the sleep away as best he could.


    His eyes opened slowly, and he shifted his stare down. The furs that were once on the bed were nowhere to be found, and in their ce, he found Zolis warming his legs.


    "Good morning, beautiful."


    "Oood Mmoriin... Ahhh!"


    Zolis lifted her head, wiping away the saliva dripping slowly from her chin. A radiant smile yed on her lips while her hand continued moving between his legs.


    "Good morning, babe."


    She moved her head back down. The softness of her lips once again caressed his package.


    "Did someone wake up in a good mood?"


    "Mmmm..."


    Geth closed his eyes to enjoy the moment. His temporary respite was interrupted by a giggling sounding from beside him.


    ''Ahh, that''s right.''


    Opening his eyes, he saw Sindri sitting on her knees beside him. His gaze traversed her body, once again marveling over the beauty in front of him.


    Her golden eyes met with his. Geth could see that her face was flushed, yet there was a sense of longing in her stare.


    "Don''t look at me like that... I''m just watching..."


    Geth slowly lowered his eyes,ing to rest on her open thighs where her fingers could be seen orbiting her clit.


    "Right..."


    Her face flushed further, but she didn''t stop pleasing herself.


    *Glup* *Glup*


    "Mmmm... Why does it seem like your dick keeps getting bigger? I can''t even take the whole thing in!"


    Geth looked down at his wife, who stared at him with her hungry eyes. He really didn''t have an answer to give her.


    "Are youining?"


    *Hmph*


    "As long as I can make it fit, I don''t care how big it gets."


    As if to prove it, she straddled his waist and gently rubbed against him. A soft moan escaped her as she slowly lowered herself down.


    Geth hadn''t realized the difference until now. Even with the fluids dripping from her open lips, she''d only made it a portion of the way down.


    A look of indignation shed on her face. Geth could tell that she would force herself if he didn''t stop her.


    He sat up and threw her onto the bed in one swift motion. Zolis gasped for air, startled by the sudden change.


    His lips trailed gently down her legs. He stopped every so often, listening to both women''s uneven breathing as their anticipation grew.


    Both of Zolis'' hands gripped the feathered mattress. Her legs shook while he teased her inner thigh.


    Geth smiled lightly and ended his wife''s torment. His lips slid across her velvety skin until they hovered over her core.


    His tongueshed out, dancing around the tiny pink flower that wasden with fluids.


    "Mmmm..."


    Zolis'' moans filled the room while Geth''s mind slipped away. He lost himself to the vor and the feeling of his wife''s twitching beneath his tongue.


    His lips found their way around her pearl, and he gently took it into his mouth. Geth gently drew in the skin, lightly pulling on the tiny treasure.


    "Ooh- Mmmm"


    Zolis snatched at Sindri''s hand. She pulled the young woman into her, leading their mouths together and stifling her own scream.


    Sindri pressed her lips against Zolis passionately. A craving almost as intense as she''d felt the night prior taking over.


    Geth pleased his wife until the fluid flowed over and dampened the bed. He moved up and positioned himself between her legs.


    His head moved forward slowly, prating the soaking cave that had previously indulged his appetite.


    Another moan escaped Zolis, allowing Sindri to prevail in their fight for supremacy. Her tongue swiftly entered Zolis'' opened mouth,pping up the sweet juices inside.


    The sight of the two women before him caused his blood to rush further.


    He gradually pressed forward. His wife groaned lustfully as he plunged into her depths.


    The feeling of warmth epassed him the further he dived. Her muscles twitched and gripped as if they were trying to pull him in deeper.


    He didn''t hesitate to oblige. His hips thrust forward, forcing his rod into the back of her cave.


    Geth felt her twitching be more erratic.


    The Mana rushed wildly between the three. It poured out of each of them, a swirl of power and emotions flowing around them.


    "Oohhh..."


    Zolis couldn''t keep up with Sindri any longer. Their lips parted, and she let out the sounds she''d been holding back.


    Sindri watched as Geth pressed into his wife once again. The bulge of his shaft could be seen pressing up inside of her.


    She bit her lip as she watched and crawled across the bed toward the man. Her desires grew as she watched the sway of his hips.


    ''Not yet...''


    She wasn''t ready to give in, but she still wanted a taste of the man before her. Sindri wed her way up onto her knees and pressed her lips against his.


    Geth could taste his wife and Sindri on the young woman''s lips. It was a savory vor that he knew he wouldn''t be able to get enough of.


    He pulled the woman tight against his side, cing one hand on her ass while the other gently teased her throat.


    "Ha.. Harder..."


    Geth''s eyebrows raised.


    "Ask nicely."


    "Mmm... Pl.. Please?"


    His grip tightened slightly on the sides of her neck, and he pulled her lips tighter to his.


    Geth''s other hand found its way to her clit and rubbed while he continued to please his wife.


    The noises and feelings from both women set his senses on fire. Something started to change.


    The Mana the three were excreting pulled together, forming one single entity. At that moment, all three could feel each other''s pleasures.


    Geth gasped.


    The feelings of euphoria were...


    He couldn''t hold back any longer. The Mana warped, and he felt Time Dy act on its own.


    All three lovers climaxed just as the spell activated full force.


    The shared feeling may have onlysted for a few seconds, but for them.... it was hours.

 Chapter 203: Resonance (part 1)

    Chapter 203: Resonance (part 1)


    The trio fell t on the bed the moment Geth''s Mana hadpletely drained. He watched as the Mana that had formed between them split apart and entered their mental spheres.


    "Hmm?"


    Through his ragged breathing, he noticed that something was off. Geth forced himself to calm down and turned his attention toward his mental sphere.


    He didn''t see Albus anywhere. Geth''s senses spread out, detecting Albus had receded into the Grimoire.


    ''I assume he was just giving us some privacy... But why do I feel that something is off?''


    None of his selves were around. They had dispersed when Time Dy auto-activated.


    He split into eight and sent his selves to inspect the mental sphere. Even though it was part of him, it was massive and had tens of thousands of intricate Runes and Formations.


    Just as he was about to walk away, he felt something. It was an odd but... very familiar sensation.


    ''What is... Zolis..? And Sindri? Why do I feel like they''re next to me?''


    Technically, they were beside him on the outside, but he was typically fully isted whenever he entered his mental sphere.


    ''Mmm.. Up?''


    He felt that this oddity wasing from somewhere above him.


    ''What... are those? Ha, what are those!? But seriously. Albus! You around?''


    "Yeah, yeah. Are you done dippin your wick or have yo- Hmm?"


    Albus noticed the oddity as well, immediately shifting his eyes up andunching himself toward the top of the dome.


    Geth followed suit, flying after him and stopping outside of the inner dome. Just above them, inside the outer dome, there were two globes orbiting around the iing Mana from the Immersion Formation.


    One of the spheres was a stunning bright red and was ten times his height in diameter. The sphere gave off a feisty but kind aura.


    Red Mana wouldsh out from time to time, but it seemed more yful than harmful. He felt both joy and passion while staring at it.


    The other sphere was much smaller, being about one and a half times the size of Geth. It was a beautiful orange color that was deep enough to put a morning sky to shame.


    The Mana inside this sphere was calm and would sometimes move as if it were trying to look around. This orb gave Geth the feelings of both tranquility and curiosity.


    "You must really care for these women, boy."


    Geth looked at the older man hovering beside him.


    "What do you mean?"


    Albus gave him a knowing grin.


    "Those orbs mean that you''re married, boy! Hahahahah!"


    "What..?"


    Geth looked at the man incredulously... Albus just stood there grinning, not saying a word.


    "Care to borate..?" Geth ventured.


    "Ahh, sorry. I suppose congrattions are in order!"


    Albus pped his hands, causing a small firework disy to release from his fingertips.


    "So, marriage was a lot different for us than it was in your time. For you, you''d sign a piece of paper or something, right? h!


    In the age of Mana, when people share a moment that connects them, their Mana will unite. Much like the three of yours must have."


    He stroked his beard and looked at the two orbs. Geth didn''t quite understand.


    "But Zolis and I have had sex numerous times since we''ve been here. We even messed around with Alise for a short amount of time. Why did nothing happen then?"


    "Hohoho," Albus chuckled deeply.


    "It isn''t JUST a physical connection, but emotional, spiritual, and mental ones that cause this. Even Mana Resonance matters.


    Your emotions have been stagnant ever since I''ve known you, but that''s changed recently. So, even if everything else matched up between you and Zolis, your emotions wouldn''t allow this to happen.


    As far as Alise goes, both you and your wifecked spiritual connections and Mana Resonance with her."


    Geth looked at the smaller floating orb again. Just the sight of it calmed his mind.


    "And Sindri?"


    "All three of you must have been on the same wavelengths. Though, her Resonance with the two of you needs time to grow.


    She cares for both of you deeply, or this wouldn''t have happened even if everything did line up.


    Mana Resonance may not match at first, but the more you begin to care for someone, the more it falls in line.


    It''s possible the three of you could find someone else in the future, but they would have to line up with all of you, not just you.


    Mine and my wives'' Resonance were the size ofs!"


    Albus began chuckling again as he watched the spheres rotating above them. He seemed to be lost in thought.


    Geth was about to leave and check on the girls when Albus spoke to him again.


    "Make sure that you take care of them. Not that I need to remind you... you''ll understand what I mean by that when you open your eyes."


    Geth nodded and nced at the orbs one more time before moving back into his body.


    His breathing had calmed down, but he didn''t get up right away. He stared at the roof of the cave, thinking over what Albus had just told him.


    What was strange was that he could sense Zolis and Sindri right next to him without looking or spreading his Mana Sense.


    Even more fascinating, he could tell that the signal he was receiving from Zolis was much stronger than that of Sindri.


    Geth sat up and looked toward the two women, curious about Albus''st words.


    The moment heid his eyes on them, his jaw dropped. Both were still lying back with their eyes closed.


    Their looks hadn''t changed. They were just as stunning as they had always been.


    What did change was their aura. He could tell two things from looking at the women.


    One. Geth was much more attracted to them than before. Not just physically, but in many ways that he wasn''t sure how to describe.


    If before they were models in his eyes, they were now Godesses! Both women gave off profound, colorful auras simr to the Mana in their Mana Resonance.


    The orange and red Mana formed bright halos around their heads that sent a shroud of color around their bodies.


    Two. Geth could tell that he would never lose them in a crowd. Sindri''s aura shined like a shlight in the dead of night.


    As for Zolis, she may as well have been a red moon shining in the night sky.. Even without this new sense, he would see her from miles away if thend were t.

 Chapter 204: Resonance (part 2)

    Chapter 204: Resonance (part 2)


    "Beautiful..."


    He muttered the word without even realizing it. When he did, he found Sindri''s aura grow slightly brighter!


    The young woman moved first, her eyes fluttering open and her face burning a bright red. She looked worried, almost like she''d done something wrong.


    Sindri sat up quickly, nning on apologizing and leaving the room.


    The moment she saw Geth, she froze. All of her previous inhibitions washed away.


    He was looking directly into her eyes. The same royal purple aura that she''d seen in her mind formed a crown upon his head and draped down like a cape behind him.


    His eyes that reflected her image shined with awe and adoration. The aura surrounding him gave her the same feelings of shelter, kindness, and sharpness that she''d felt in her mental sphere.


    The two stared at each other for a full minute before Zolis began to stir. She sat up slowly with both eyes wide open.


    Her eyes met Geth first, causing her to jump in shock. She ran her eyes up and down her husband multiple times.


    "Holy shit."


    "Haha. It''s something, isn''t it?"


    Zolis then turned toward Sindri. Her eyes softened as she took in the figure of the other woman.


    She reached out and took both of Sindri''s hands into her own.


    "Wee to the family."


    Zolis shed a beautiful smile that lit up the room as both women''s auras grew brighter. She wrapped her arms around Sindri and held her tight.


    Geth could see tears forming in the corner of Sindri''s eyes. At first, he thought she was upset.


    His mind changed when she smiled and pushed Zolis away to look into her eyes. Sindri pulled her to and pressed her lips against his wife''s.


    The two shared a long and passionate kiss. Geth watched as their auras merged briefly, forming what he could only describe as the colors of a perfect sunset.


    When they finally separated, their auras had grown once again. Geth was astonished.


    ''Is this what Albus meant by it taking time for the Mana Resonance to grow..?''


    He stood and took both women by their chins, pressing his lips to each of theirs in turn.


    Geth moved away from the bed before allowing his feelings to take hold. If they did, he likely wouldn''t leave this room for days.


    ''What''s supposed to happen now?''


    "What..?"


    Both Sindri and Geth jumped, turning their heads toward Zolis.


    ''Do I still have drool on my chin..?''


    Zolis rubbed her face, trying to clean off something that wasn''t there.


    *Cough*


    "Uhh... baby, think something again."


    She looked at him baffled, her mind slowly realizing why he would ask.


    ''Hmm?''


    ''Why would I do that?''


    ''Can you hear me?''


    ''41!''


    ''I want Sindri to crush my head with her thighs!''


    Sindri''s cheeks turned a bright crimson, and she covered her face with both of her hands. Her eyes peeked between her fingers and looked directly at Zolis.


    "You can really hear my thoughts?! This is bad!"


    ''What if she knows I stare at her ass while we''re fighting?''


    ''Oh fuck!''


    ''How do I turn this off!''


    ''Geth doesn''t need to know how much I think about his dick throughout the day!''


    ''Fuck!''


    ''Shit!''


    ''Oh! Let''s try thi-''


    The room suddenly became dead silent. Zolis looked at both of them and scrunched her face like she was trying to send thoughts to them.


    "It''s off."


    Geth shook his head and rubbed his fingers in circles on his temple. Sindri''s red cheeks started to fade, and her giggling sounds filled the room.


    "How''d you do that, babe?" Geth questioned.


    "Well... Whenever I came back to my body, my avatar had been touching both of your mental spheres. Maybe my Mana stayed connected to them when I left?"


    Geth sent tendrils of Mana from the ocean in his inner dome into the two Mana Resonances in his outer dome.


    ''Can you hear me?''


    "Yes!"


    "Mhmm!"


    ''Neat. This works even with the containment barrier that''s been built around the Dungeon. I wonder what the range is?''


    ''Did you see the description that came with it?''


    Sindri''s voice sounded in his mind as well.


    ''No, I didn''t take the time to look.''


    ''Mana Resonance will grant us 50% increased experience and 10% shared base Attributes when we''re together!''


    She looked pleased that she''d been able to contribute. Geth and Zolis both raised their brows and flipped through their Grimoires.


    ''Yup. There it is.''


    Geth cut the connection and looked at the two women once again. He helped them both up from the bed and kissed each of them once more.


    "Let''s get dressed and head to the living quarters. I need to question everyone about their new sses and see if I can get a Skill chart together."


    He nced at his inventory list in the Grimoire, looking through the Skill Cards he''d crafted that he nned to show the others.


    He stepped onto the Cleansing Rune, feeling all of the fluids and stickiness from the night wash away.


    "This thing is even better than a shower."


    Zolis shook her head.


    "I''d prefer to soak in a tub. Nothing beats a hot bath."


    "Mhmm. I could go for a long bath as well!"


    Sindri agreed quickly. Zolis smirked.


    "Looks like I have a bathing partner now since yooouu don''t like to sit with me."


    She stuck her tongue out at Geth and let her nightgown fall to the floor. Sindri simply sent hers straight to her storage space.


    "Albus, is there an item that can instantly equip and unequip gear? It takes ages to change this shit out."


    ''There are some items that can. Maybe some will be avable when the Tower is open. If not, a 2nd ss Enchanter should be able to create one.''


    "Got it."


    He put on his equipment without furtherint and made his way into the hall. Filthy, ze, Swole, and Felix were already standing in themon room.


    "Morning, guys. What''s with the shitty attitudes this morning?"


    Swole spoke up instantly.


    "You''re holding all the food, you fucker!"


    ...


    ....


    "Oops."

 Chapter 205: Proposition

    Chapter 205: Proposition


    ---- I would like to go ahead and apologize for how long and boring these next couple of chapters will be. I''ve been asked multiple times to provide the main team''s stats and Skills, so they will be handled in chaps 205 and 206.


    I''ve also been asked to add how much the MC can heal/damage for with his spells, so that is also tacked onto spell information now. This message does not affect chapter price.---


    *****


    Geth looked around at hispanions. Everyone enjoyed some freshly cooked wolf meat and waited for him to speak.


    "As most of you could tell, we''ve been having some issues with team coordination. With everyone bing more powerful, our Skills and Talents are bing much more unique.


    Because of this, we''ve been wasting Mana by attacking already downed targets or missing entirely from Skills affecting one another.


    It may have been fine on the surface since we overpowered our enemies with Attributes.


    However, as we dive deeper, Albus has a feeling that we are going to run into creatures much more powerful than the fodder we faced before."


    Everyone nodded. There were no disagreements.


    "I believe that we need someone to act as amander during group battles from now on.


    You will have to choose between me, ze, Felix, or Rift. I''m not sure that anyone else''s Intelligence Attribute will be high enough to memorize everyone''s... ''Character Sheets,'' forck of a better term."


    The other nine in the room looked at each other. Jack spoke up first.


    "I''m down. So we just need to show this person our Grimoires? What will they need to know?"


    "They will need to see your Attributes, Talents, and Skills. The Grimoires have the ability to blur anything out if you have anything specific you don''t want to share.


    I also propose that we show everyone to get an idea of what our partners can do. You never know if the one calling the shots will be incapacitated or stuck in a situation where they can''t view the battlefield.


    In such a situation, someone else will need to step up."


    There was a bit of discussion amongst the group after that. Geth allowed them to speak and waited for them to make a decision.


    "I''m not interested inmanding. I don''t want the pressure of messing up to fall on my shoulders."


    ze was the first to respond after having pondered it for some time. Felix was the next to speak.


    "I''m willing to act as a backup, but I would rather watch someone else for a while. I think you and I will be the best for this role, Geth. As supports, we are typically watching the field in a battle."


    "I agree," Rift spoke up.


    "I believe that Geth should act asmander and that Felix should take over a second group if there is a situation where we need to split up."


    Geth stroked his beard and looked toward Felix.


    "I''m okay with this if you are."


    "It works for me. Does anyone here have an issue with it? Sharing your information is a lot to ask in a world like this."


    He wasn''t wrong. If any one of them were to turn on the others, it would be life-threatening.


    "I''m still cool with it," Jack said.


    "Fine."


    "Agreed."


    "Sure."


    "Mhmm."


    Everyone in the room agreed after spending some time thinking it through. Filthy was thest to confirm, but he gave in after some time.


    "Alright then. I''ll start, and everyone else can follow suit... Albus, would you mind?"


    The Grimoire turned from Geth and floated into the center of the room. Everyone instantly became interested.


    Jack and Peter practically fought over who would get to look first. Even the usually calm Filthy seemed curious about his stats.


    A few gathered around the Grimoire and took some time reading it.


    "This... Isn''t this a bit too much!?"


    ***


    Geth: Level 54


    ss: Oracle


    Exp: 826,942/1,000,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 5470 +350 (Rec. 20.92/Second)


    MP- 6770 +2800 (Rec. 110.84/Second)


    Strength- 5 +204 +(20)


    Agility- 5 +250


    Defense- 100 +404 +[18] +(25)


    Wisdom- 289 +259 +[51]


    Intelligence- 50 +335


    ***


    Talents:


    1: Formation Comprehension, Rare (Lvl 1)-


    Runes will be easier to connect into small Formations. The higher Level the Talent, the moreplex the Formations you can safely craft.


    Skill Cost Reduction= 10% [VOID]


    2: Spell Reflection, Rare (Lvl 1)-


    Damage taken from all sources is partially reflected back to attacker for True Damage. Spells cast on User are reflected back in the direction they came from with weaker effects.


    True Damage Reflection= 6%


    Spell Reflection= 27.5%


    3: Dense Skin, Umon (Lvl 1)-


    User''s Skin structure is altered, making it more resistant to physical damage.


    Defense = +17.5% increase to User''s base Attribute [+18]


    4: Protector''s Aura, Rare (Lvl 4)-


    Grants all party members within a certain range bonus resistance Attributes.


    Wisdom Increase- 20% of User''s base Wisdom [58]


    Defense increase- 20% of User''s base Defense [+20]


    5: Mana Density, Umon (Lvl 1)


    User''s mind has beenpressed, density of Mana increased.


    Wisdom= +17.5% increase to User''s base Attribute [+51]


    6: Bane of the Undead, Umon (Lvl 0)


    User has in arge number of Undead.


    An aura of light surrounds User. Any Spectres, Ghosts, or Spirits that would usually phase through physical attacks can be struck or held by User


    Additional Damage to Undead= +5%


    7: Fearless, Umon (Lvl 1)


    Assists with making logical decisions without being affected by dangerous situations. In addition, User has gained a resistance to any Fear effects on top of that granted by the Wisdom Attribute.


    Additional resistance to Fear= +6%


    8: Immersion, Undisclosed (MAX)


    Maniption of Mana has be almost natural. Mana costs decrease drastically, while Mana Recovery increases. Absorbs effects of Recovery Talent.


    Mana Recovery- 8x natural rate


    HP Recovery- 2x natural rate


    Experience Bonus- 2x natural rate


    Mana Cost- 50% reduction for all Skills. Cannot be reduced further, even by other Talents, Skills, or Items.


    9: Last Chance, Umon (Lvl 0)


    Upon falling to 1 HP, Mana will be lost instead of health when receiving damage. User will still remain in a heavily injured state during this time


    10: Foresight, Rare (Lvl 1)


    Gives User the ability to ''sense'' the fluctuations of Mana in the very near future. One tenth of a second can be sensed.


    Can sense further into the future with higher Wisdom.


    Time= 0.2+ (Wis x 0.2%) in seconds [1.4 seconds into the future]


    11: Mana Resonance, Undisclosed (MAX)


    Unbreakable bond between Users. Can sense other Bond''s locations ormunicate within a certain distance. The stronger the bond, the greater the distance.


    If one Bond dies, all suffer bacsh.


    Current Users: Geth, Zolis, Sindri


    Bonus: +50% Experience when together


    Bonus: +10% of top Attribute shared amongst Bonds. Sindri [+25 Def] Zolis [+20 Str]


    ***


    Skills:


    1: Inspection, Rare (Lvl 3)-


    Cost (10 MP/sec) Ability to see the Mana. Can clearly see the flow of Mana. Tracks left in the Mana are easier to follow for a longer period.


    Stealth-type techniques are easier to see through. Glimpses of history shown by the Mana are not as blurred. When looking at Runes, will understand some of the simpler terms.


    2: State Change: Osmosis, Epic (Lvl 1)


    User has be adept at changing the state of solids to liquids and back again.


    User has be capable of changing the state of most solid matter with ease. User can slightly alter their ownposition to phase through porous materials.


    Cost (10 MP/sec) Manipting solidses naturally. Can control most solids to change shape without much concentration.


    Cost (150 MP) Can instantly liquify almost any solid form if User is physically touching the source.


    Cost (500 MP/sec) Can alter body''s state to phase through any porous material. If User runs out of Mana and solidifies inside a firm material, death is imminent.


    3: Mass Restoration, Rare (Lvl 3)-


    Cost (250 MP) You can temporarily ess Mana''s need to bring things to their natural order. Provides an aura that heals multiple targets over time.


    Healing = 10+ (Int x 65%) + (Caster''s HP x 6.5%) [639 per tick]


    Duration = 30+ (Wisdom x 90%) in seconds. Healing urs on the initial cast and once every 3 seconds for the duration. [569 second duration]


    4: Corruption st, Rare (Lvl 1)-


    Cost (75 MP) A small ball of Corruption fires toward target location. On impact, explodes and affects all living beings in the vicinity.


    Causes damage over time. Duration of 60 seconds. Causes damage on initial cast and once every 5 seconds for duration.


    Damage = 100+ (Int x 55%) [312 damage per tick]


    st Radius = 5+ (Wis x 5.5%) in feet. [38 foot st radius]


    5: Protection, Umon (Lvl 4)-


    Cost (200 MP) Target gains a protective shield. Lasts until dismissed or until shield''s health is depleted.


    Shield HP = (Int x 220%) + (Caster''s HP x 70%) [4,921 HP shield]


    6: Mass Invocation, Epic (Lvl 1)-


    Cost (400 MP) Area Skill that provides Blessings through the Mana. All party members within 20 yards affected.


    Primary Attribute = 85+ (Int x 85%) [412]


    Secondary Attribute= 45+ (Int x 45%) [218]


    Time = 85+ (Wis x 85%) in minutes. [9 Hours 54 Minutes]


    7: Unhindered Curse, Umon (Lvl 1)-


    Cost (75 MP/sec) Caster reduces the enemy''s main Attribute. Single target spell. Attributes can not be pulled under 1.


    Reduction = (Int x 30%) + (Wis x 30%) [-295 Points to targets highest Attribute]


    7: Determination, Umon (Lvl 1)-


    Cost (74 MP/sec) At the cost of Mana, continue to battle as if you are in top shape, no matter how bad your wounds.


    Cost (5 MP/sec) When exhausted, consume Mana to restore Stamina.


    8: Tame Creature [Novice], Umon (Lvl 1)-


    Cost (500 MP/Tier) Ability to use Taming Cards to tame monsterpanions. Companion kills grant half of all earned experience to the caster and the other half to the Companion.


    Current sess rates:


    Tier 1: 99%


    Tier 2: 69%


    Tier 3: 28%


    Tier 4: 8%


    Tier 5: 0.06%


    Sess rates can increase or decrease based on the creature''s Levelpared to the caster. Creature has to be unhurt to cast.


    If taming fails, the caster must wait 1 hour to cast again on the same creature. Cannot tame beyond the limits of the Taming Card.


    If Taming fails, card is destroyed.


    Tame limit- (2/5)


    9: Summon, Common (MAX)


    Summons Tame


    10: Recall, Common (MAX)


    Recalls Tame


    11: Time Dy, Rare (Lvl 1)


    Cost (190 MP/sec) User can force others to perceive time differently. The higher the enemy Wisdom above Caster''s own, the higher the MP cost.


    12: Greater Mending, Rare (Lvl 3)


    Cost (150 MP) Casts a healing light over target. Can heal deep wounds without leaving scarring.


    Can regrow recently severed limbs (Time based on User''s Wisdom). Instantly heals for a set amount of HP based on User''s Intelligence. Instant cast.


    Healing = 115+ (Int x 32.5%) [240 HP]


    Time for limb regrowth = 75+ (Wis x 17.5%) in seconds from time of severance. [2 Minutes 59 Seconds]


    Requirement: Caster must be touching target.


    ***


    Equipment:


    -Majestic Mantle (Legendary) +54 Defense +54 Wisdom +54 Strength (5 Sockets) [Str Gem +55][Agi Gem +60][Def Gem +50][Wis Gem +55][Int Gem+ 70]


    -Robe of Magnus (Epic) +25 Wis +20 Def +15 Int (3 Sockets) [Goblin Chief Bane Core +100 HP +100 MP +20 Str +20 Agi] [Spirit Orb +500 MP][Def Gem +35]


    -Staff of the Night King (Epic)- +45 Int +30 Wis (3 Sockets) [Slime Lord Core +250 HP +150 MP][Int Gem +45][Mana Gem +600 MP]


    -Eldritch Crown (Epic) +30 Int +30 Wis +20 Def (1 Socket) [Int Gem +45]


    -Basilisk Pauldron (Epic) +45 Def +25 Wis (2 Sockets) [Goblin Shaman Core +1000 MP][Def Gem +45]


    -Belt of Customization (Epic) (10 Sockets) [Str Gem +55][Agi Gem +35][Def Gem +35][Wis Gem +30][Int Gem +35][Mana Gem +450 MP][Lifesteal Gem +5% of all damage done is returned to user as HP][MP Rec. Gem +15 MP Rec.][Restoration Gem +10% to effects of Restoration Skill][Reflection Gem -Doubles effects of Reflection]


    -Bone Boots (Rare) +20 Agi +20 Def (1 Socket) [Agi Gem +55]


    -Bone Gloves (Rare) +20 Str +10 Def +10 Wis (1 Socket) [Int Gem +50]


    -Bone Leggings (Rare) +25 Def +15 Agi (2 Sockets) [Def Gem +45][Agi Gem +45]


    -Inventory Pouch- 1000 pound limit


    -Storage Bracelet- 1000 pound limit


    -Storage Ring- 2500 pound limit


    ***


    He had hidden both Immersion and Mana Resonance from the others, but what he showed was enough for everyone to be shaken. Geth would show Felix his Mana Resonance so that the man would know why he preferred to stay grouped with the two women.


    After everyone got over their initial shock, they began to send their Grimoires into the center of the room.

 Chapter 206: Character Sheets (part 1)

    Chapter 206: Character Sheets (part 1)


    ---Character Sheets will be a two-part chapter, then we will return to regr releases. Thank you for your patience.---


    *****


    Zolis: Level 55


    ss: Champion


    Exp: 583,917/1,300,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 2800 +750 (Rec. 4.5/Second)


    MP- 3300 +400 (Rec. 2.78/Second)


    Strength- 255 +335 +[70]


    Agility- 127 +177 +[14]


    Defense- 5 +190 +(25)


    Wisdom- 15 +95 +(29)


    Intelligence- 40 +228


    ***


    Talents:


    1: Mana Sense, Common (Lvl 4)


    User has formed a small Mana Pool. Allows User to ess their Mental sphere to learn and use Skills.


    2: Enhanced Growth, Umon (Lvl 4)


    User''s muscles and bones have been reinforced, allowing User to dish out damage without facing bacsh.


    Strength = +20% increase to User''s base Attribute [40]


    3: Carry Weight, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User has lugged around massive amounts of weight for a long period. Reduces weight of equipped items and increases the amount of weight that can be stored in Inventory Items.


    Scales off of Strength. Next reduction increase at 750 Strength. Max Reduction 50% Max capacity increase x10.


    Weight Reduction = 33%


    Increased Inventory capacity - x4 pound limit


    4: Flex, Common (Lvl 4)


    Flex on your enemies. Allows User''s damage to increase for every Level lower the target is.


    25+ Levels lower = 120% Damage increase


    10+ Levels lower = 70% Damage increase


    5+ Levels lower = 40% Damage increase


    1+ Levels lower = 30% Damage increase


    5: Second Wind, Rare (Lvl 4)


    When Mana hits 0, User recovers to maximum MP. Can only ur once in a set time period.


    Limit- Once per 3 hours


    6: Heavy Weapon Mastery [Intermediate], Umon (Lvl 0)


    User has learned more than the basics of wielding heavy weapons. While using heavy weapons, gains increased damage and reflexes.


    Increased Damage = 20%


    Increased Reflexes = 20%


    7: Enhanced Focus, Umon (Lvl 0)


    In battle, User gains excess focus. Mind bes calm and decisions are easier to make under pressure.


    8: Body Control, Rare (Lvl 0)


    User has enhanced control over their own body. Increases both Strength and Agility by using minimal movements to increase damage and speed outputs.


    Strength = +15% base Attribute [30]


    Agility = +15% base Attribute [14]


    9: Extreme Discipline, Umon (Lvl 0)


    User has spent countless hours practicing. Allows User to quickly increase Weapon Proficiency or focus on a single task for long periods.


    10: Conquerer, Rare (Lvl 3)


    User has an indomitable aura. With each kill, aura grows and oppresses non-Boss-Type creatures. Weakens their will and slows their reactions.


    1 kill=.5% loss of Wisdom and Agility in opponents


    Max Kill Stack = 16


    11: Critical Chance, Umon (Lvl 0)


    User has a chance of dealing double damage with a single strike.


    Critical Chance = 10%


    12: Mana Resonance, Undisclosed (MAX)


    Unbreakable bond between Users. Can sense other Bond''s locations ormunicate within a certain distance. The stronger the bond, the greater the distance.


    If one Bond dies, all suffer bacsh.


    Current Users: Geth, Zolis, Sindri


    Bonus: +50% Experience when together


    Bonus: +10% of top Attribute shared amongst Bonds. Sindri (+25 Def) Geth (+29 Wis)


    ***


    Skills:


    1: Sight, Common (Lvl 4)


    Cost (1 MP/sec) Ability to see the flow of Mana. The Mana is vague, User is somewhat capable of sensing changes in the Mana nearby.


    2: Earthen Toss, Rare (Lvl 0)


    Cost (125 MP) Forms a massive boulder that User canunch toward target. The higher the momentum, the higher the damage.


    Damage at peak = 150 + (Int x 50%) [284]


    Cooldown = 15 seconds


    3: Devastating mes, Epic (Lvl 0)


    Cost (375 MP) User ms their weapon on the ground. A powerful torrent of mes flies out in the shape that User has chosen, be it a circle, cone, or concentrated line that can devastate an enemy. Can use as one deadly strike or five powerful strikes.


    One Strike Damage = (Str x 150%) + (Int x 150%) [1392]


    Five Strike Damage = (Str x 25%) + (Int x 25%) [182] per strike


    Cooldown = 1 minute


    4: Earthquake, Rare (Lvl 0)


    Cost (200 MP) User bashes Weapon on the ground, sending out multiple shockwaves through the earth. Causes damage to enemies and pushes enemies and allies back.


    Damage = (Str x 35%) + (Int x 35%) [325]


    Number of Waves = 3


    Cooldown = 2 minutes 30 seconds


    5: Long Dash, Umon


    Cost (50 MP) User gains a massive boost of speed and leaps forward or backward a certain distance in one stride.


    Distance = 15 yards


    Cooldown = 30 seconds


    6: Crushing Blow, Umon


    Cost (25 MP) User ms down on target with heavy weapon. Adds additional crushing force and increases damage.


    Damage Increase = (Str x 15%) [99]


    Cooldown = 10 seconds


    7: Vanquish, Rare


    Cost (1000 MP) A Champion can use this Skill to draw on the power of heroes to y their enemy. Multiplies damage of next strike.


    Strike Damage = 400%


    Cooldown = 1 hour


    *****


    Sindri: Level 53


    ss: Blood Knight


    Exp: 117,110/1,000,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 9430 +2150 (Rec. 75.44/Second)


    MP- 2765 +600 (Rec. 4.18/Second)


    BB- 432


    Strength- 30 +70 +(20)


    Agility- 5 +62


    Defense- 320 +560 +[63]


    Wisdom- 35 +145 +(29)


    Intelligence- 34 +143


    ***


    Talents:


    1: Mana Sense, Common


    User has formed a small Mana Pool. Allows User to ess their Mental sphere to learn and use Skills.


    2: Dense Skin, Umon (Lvl 4)


    User''s Skin structure is altered, making it more resistant to physical damage.


    Defense = +25% increase to User''s base Attribute [+63]


    3: Replenishment, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User has gained increased recovery rate.


    HP Recovery- x4


    4: Hard Body, Umon (Lvl 0)


    User has be used to taking damage from piercing weapons. Gained resistance.


    Pierce Resistance = 20%


    sh Resistance = 10%


    5: Iron Fortress, Rare (Lvl 3)


    User stands strong. If User stands in same position for two minutes without being pushed back, Defense increases.


    Defense Increase = 27.5% [259]


    6: Thorny Surface, Umon (Lvl 4)


    When surrounded by enemies, User''s Manashes out, damaging enemies around them.


    Damage = (HP x 2%) per second [232]


    7: External Bulwark, Umon (Lvl 0)


    User has extremely high defensive qualities. reduction to physical damage taken.


    Reduction = 15%


    8: Defiant Soul, Umon (Lvl 4)


    User finds themself unable to give up in tough situations. User gains Strength the lower their HP falls.


    Strength Gain = 4 points per 1% of HP missing


    9: Sanctuary, Rare (Lvl 0)


    While at rest, User gains a barrier that will protect them during their next battle. Builds up the longer User is at rest.


    Shield HP = (HP x 10%) [116] per stack


    1 stack per hour of rest


    Max 10 stacks


    10: Blood Bar, Rare (Lvl 0)


    As enemies die around User, their blood is absorbed to feed the Blood Bar. Blood Bar can be used to cast Blood Knight Skills or can be used as Mana to cast other Skills. When used on non-Blood Knight Skills, provides additional effects. Upgrading Blood Bar increases maximum capacity.


    Maximum Capacity= 500 Blood


    11: Mana Resonance, Undisclosed (MAX)


    Unbreakable bond between Users. Can sense other Bond''s locations ormunicate within a certain distance. The stronger the bond, the greater the distance.


    If one Bond dies, all suffer bacsh.


    Current Users: Geth, Zolis, Sindri


    Bonus: +50% Experience when together


    Bonus: +10% of top Attribute shared amongst Bonds. Geth (+29 Wis) Zolis (+20 Str)


    ***


    Skills:


    1: Enrage, Umon (Lvl 0)


    Cost (25 MP) User pisses off target and holds their aggro for a set amount of time.


    Time = 1 minute


    Cooldown = 2 minutes


    2: Defensive Rally, Rare (Lvl 0)


    Cost (100 MP) User recovers health and increases Defense temporarily.


    Recovery= 20% Max HP [2316]


    Defense Increase= 100% [943]


    Cooldown= 12 Hours -(Wis x 50%) Minutes [10 hours 17 minutes]


    3: Heavy Bash, Umon


    Cost (40 MP) User ms their shield against opponent, making them stumble and pushing them back slightly.


    Damage = 25 +(Str x 10%) [37]


    Cooldown = 30 seconds


    4: Shield Wall, Umon (Lvl 4)


    Cost (100 MP) User forms a wall of Mana between themselves and the enemy. Can provide a brief respite, or allow opportunities to escape.


    Shield HP = 200 + (HP x 40%) [4832]


    Shield Size = 3 yards High x 10 yards Wide


    Cooldown = 5 minutes


    5: Blood Eruption, Rare


    Cost (200 Blood) User releases built-up life energy. Explodes outward in a sea of destruction. Doesn''t differentiate between friend or foe.


    Damage = 200 + (Highest Attribute x 150%) [1615]


    Range = 5 yards


    Cooldown = 30 seconds


    6:Ice Maniption [Intermediate], Rare (Lvl 0)-


    Cost (40 MP/Second) Intermediate ice maniption. Allows User to drastically chill arge area around them and slow enemies by cooling their own body.


    Area Damage = 20+ (Int x 5%) [29] per second


    Slow Effect = Loss of 5+ (Wis x 10%) [26] Agility per second that enemy remains in range. Can stack up to 10 times.


    Note: Effects have a set radius of 7 yards from User.


    *****


    ImJustFilthy (Filthy): Level 53


    ss: Ranger


    Exp: 276,308/1,000,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 2280 +250 (Rec. 3.4/Second)


    MP- 3765 +250 (Rec. 5.96/Second)


    Strength- 65 +185


    Agility- 235 +477 +[94]


    Defense- 5 +165


    Wisdom- 60 +238


    Intelligence- 70 +165


    ***


    Talents:


    1: Mana Sense, Common


    User has formed a small Mana Pool. Allows User to ess their Mental sphere to learn and use Skills.


    2: Full Concealment, Rare (Lvl 1)


    User is adept at concealing their presence. Can hide from all but the most aware individuals.


    3: Critical Chance, Umon (Lvl 4)


    User has a chance of dealing double damage with a single strike.


    Critical Chance = 20%


    4: Deadly Aim, Rare (Lvl 0)


    User would struggle to miss if they tried. Allows User to instinctively know the proper trajectory and power needed to hit a distant target.


    5: Eagle Eyes, Rare (Lvl 0)


    User has the ability to see for a much greater distance than normal. Can clearly pick out a single de of grass from 100 yards.


    6: Fast Reload, Umon (Lvl 4)


    Speeds up User''s time loading weapon by a certain percentage by doing away with wasted movements.


    Reload Speed = 300%


    7: Total Concentration, Umon (Lvl 0)


    User can directly focus on the task at hand while tuning everything else out. Can focus on single target even in a sea of a thousand enemies. Concentration also allows User to use up to two Skills at once.


    8: Enhanced Reflexes, Rare (Lvl 2)


    User''s Reflexes are greatly enhanced.


    Agility Increase = +40% base Attribute [94]


    9: High Alert, Umon (Lvl 1)


    User has an uncanny sense of awareness. Knows when they are spotted and has a general idea of the target direction.


    10: Deadshot, Rare (Lvl 3)


    User has proven their uracy with a bow. Increased Critical Chance and Damage. Stacks.


    Critical Chance = 40%


    Critical Damage = 140%


    ***


    Skills:


    1: Temporal Shift, Epic (Lvl 3)


    Cost (25 MP - 1000 MP) User has mastered the art of instant movement. Allows User to shift space and bring themselves closer to a target location within view. The further the target, the longer the cooldown and higher the cost.


    Cooldown = 8 seconds - 44 hours


    2: Power Shot, Umon (Lvl 2)


    Cost (5 MP/sec) User pulls back on bow. While holding, feeds the arrow with Mana, increasing damage output and adding a knockback effect.


    Damage = 12 +(Str x 12%) [42] per second held


    Maximum Hold Time = 30 seconds


    Cooldown = 5 seconds per second held


    3: Piercing Arrow, Umon (Lvl 0)


    Cost (10 MP) User''s arrows are imbued with a piercing power, making it easier for them to tear through armor or tough skin and causing bleed damage for 10 seconds.


    Piercing Power = +25%


    Bleed = (Str x 5%) [13]


    Cooldown = 10 seconds


    4: Flickering Arrow, Rare (Lvl 0)


    Cost (50 MP) User has learned to shift space. Arrow can shift to a new location within a specified area without losing momentum.


    Shift Distance = (Int x 10%) [24] yards


    No Cooldown


    5: Venomous Arrow, Umon (Lvl 2)


    Cost (40 MP) Coats arrowhead in a corrosive liquid Mana. Once this substance touches flesh, eats away and stops HP Recovery. Causes damage over time. Effects persist for 10 seconds.


    DoT = (Int x 25%) [59] per second


    Cooldown = 30 seconds


    6: Arrow Return, Umon (Lvl 3)


    Cost (1 MP) User can shift arrow back into possession, allowing them to fire arrow with the same effect without having to wait until cooldown.


    Distance = 260 yards


    Cooldown = 10 seconds


    7: Multi-Shot, Umon (Lvl 4)


    Cost (10 MP/arrow) Allows user to fire multiple arrows at once with uracy. Number of arrows increases with each level.


    Arrow Count = 6


    Cooldown = 15 seconds


    8: Critical Strike, Rare (Lvl 2)


    Cost (75 MP) Guaruntees a critical strike on next hit. Upgrading reduces cooldown time.


    Cooldown = 4 minutes 20 seconds


    *****


    zemancer (ze): Level 53


    ss: Rune Caster


    Exp: 56,428/1,000,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 1860 (Rec. 2.66/Second)


    MP- 9175 +4350 (Rec. 35.68/Second)


    Strength- 5 +35


    Agility- 5 +180


    Defense- 5 +128


    Wisdom- 168 +215 +[63]


    Intelligence- 240 +420 +[42]


    ***


    Talents:


    1: Formation Comprehension, Rare (Lvl 4)-


    Runes will be easier to connect into small Formations. The higher Level the Talent, the moreplex the Formations you can safely craft.


    Skill Cost Reduction= 20%


    2: Mana Force, Rare (Lvl 3)


    User''s mind has beenpressed, density of Mana increased. User''s power is increased.


    Wisdom= +32.5%% increase to User''s base Attribute [63]


    Intelligence= +17.5% increase to User''s base Attribute [42]


    3: Mana Absorption, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User has created an Absorption Formation inside of mental sphere. Weakens sphere, but heavily increases Mana Recovery.


    Mana Recovery- x4


    4: Inventory, Common (Lvl 2)


    Allows User to have their own internal storage separate from storage items.


    Current Weight = 50 pounds


    5: Elemental Aptitude, Rare (Lvl 0)


    User has shown great aptitude in elemental casting. Allows User to learn more than one element.


    Current limit: 2


    6: Cloth Armor Mastery [Basic], Common (Lvl 0)


    User has increased Defense and Agility while wearing all cloth armor.


    Current Bonus = 0


    7: Wand Mastery [Basic], Common (Lvl 3)


    Increases spell damage while using a wand.


    Current Bonus = 7.5% increased damage


    8: Mind Defense, Umon (Lvl 0)


    User has an increased mental fortitude. Extra defense toward mental attacks.


    Resistance = 10%


    9: Rune Casting, Rare (Lvl 3)


    User can cast spells directly through using Runes. Amplifies spell''s effects.


    Amplification = 20%


    10: Merlin''s Mischief, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User has learned more than the basics of Rune and Formation creation. Can alter patterns in the Mana to slightly distort an enemy''s Formation or Rune while they are casting.


    ***


    Skills:


    1: Massive Fireball, Rare (Lvl 3)


    Cost (100 - 1000 MP) User can cast a normal Fireball, or feed up to ten times more Mana into spell to increase size, initial damage, and explosion radius. Does not affect burn damage over time.


    Damage = 25 +(Int x 50%) [376] - 250 +(Int x 500%) [3760]


    DoT = 25 +(Int x 10%) [95] per second for 30 seconds


    Explosion Radius = 5 yards - 50 yards


    Cooldown = 0 seconds - 300 seconds


    2: Wandering Eye, Rare (Lvl 2)


    Cost (25 MP/Eye) Summons multiple floating eyes that can monitor the area and can be observed from mental sphere. Number of eyes that can be formed based on Intelligence. Distance eyes can fly from caster based on Wisdom. Eyesst until dispelled or destroyed.


    Number of Eyes = 1 + (Int x 5%) [35]


    Distance from Caster = 10 + (Wis x 50%)[233] yards


    Cooldown = 1 hour


    3: Rune Cast, Rare (Lvl 4)


    User can store pre-crafted Runes in mental sphere. No cost, cooldown, or time buildup is needed to cast. User expends Mana when creating and storing the spell initially. Spells are weaker than normal cast.


    Number of storable spells based on Intelligence. Nullification of reduction on spell''s effects based on Wisdom.


    Slots Avable = 1 +(Int x 2.5%) [19]


    Reduction = 100% - (Wis x 10%) [55.4%] reduction


    4: Ice Shroud, Epic (Lvl 3)


    Cost (2000 MP) User creates a sheet of ice that floods over arge area. Can both heavily damage and slow arge number of enemies. Size of shroud and slow effects based on Wisdom. Damage caused based on Intelligence.


    Damage = 300 + (Int x 300%) [2406]


    Area Covered = 10 +(Wis x 150%) [679] yards


    Slow Effects = 10 +(Wis x 50%) [233] points taken from enemy Agility. If Agility falls below 0, enemy is frozen solid for duration.


    Time = 5 minutes


    Cooldown = 8 hours

 Chapter 207: Character Sheets (part 2)

    Chapter 207: Character Sheets (part 2)


    ---Finally done---


    *****


    Rift: Level 52


    ss: Sorcerer


    Exp: 420,069/1,000,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 2170 +325 (Rec. 3.2/Second)


    MP- 9525 +4200 (Rec. 9.54/Second)


    Strength- 5 +22


    Agility- 5 +163


    Defense- 5 +155


    Wisdom- 90 +205 +[23]


    Intelligence- 324 +315 +[162]


    ***


    Talents:


    1: Mana Perception, Umon, (Lvl 4)


    User has formed arge Mana Pool. Allows User to ess their Mental sphere to learn and use Skills. Cost of using Skills is reduced.


    Reduction = 20%


    2: Mana Density, Umon (Lvl 4)


    User''s mind has beenpressed, density of Mana increased.


    Wisdom= +25% increase to User''s base Attribute [23]


    3: Reinforce Mind, Rare (Lvl 2)


    User''s mind has been reinforced by ayer of unknown power.


    Intelligence= +50% increase to User''s base Attribute [162]


    4: Staff Mastery [Intermediate], Umon (Lvl 3)


    Increases spell damage when using a staff.


    Damage Increase = 32.5%


    5: Fast Casting, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User''s Skill cooldowns are decreased by half. Cannot be decreased again by any item or Talent.


    6: Merge Spells, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User has a tremendous affinity for spellcasting. Allows User to merge two spells to create something with new effects.


    7: Mind Defense, Umon (Lvl 2)


    User has an increased mental fortitude. Extra defense toward mental attacks.


    Resistance = 15%


    8: Darkness Affinity [Intermediate], Umon (Lvl 2)


    User has an strong affinity for the darkness element. Increases damage when using darkness type spells.


    Damage Increase = +35%


    9: Mana Recovery, Umon (Lvl 3)


    Increases User''s MP recovery by a set amount per Level.


    MP Recovery- x1.5


    10: Chaos Affinity [Basic], Common (Lvl 0)


    User has an strong affinity for the chaos element. Increases damage when using chaos type spells.


    Damage Increase = +5%


    ***


    Skills:


    1: Firebolt, Rare (Lvl 3)


    Cost (20 MP) Fireball has be a morepact spell that can be rapid fired. No cooldown, less cost, less damage.


    Damage = 17.5 +(Int x 32.5%) [278]


    DoT = 17.5 +(Int x 12.5%) [118] per second for 30 seconds


    Explosion Radius = 15 yards


    2: Corruption Arrow, Umon (Lvl 0)


    Cost (35 MP) Arrow of pure Corruption Mana. Causes damage over time and weakens target''s senses.


    Damage = 5 +(Int x 5%) [50]


    DoT = 10 +(Int x 10%) [90] per 3 seconds for 60 seconds


    Cooldown = 5 seconds


    3: Darkness Arrow, Umon (Lvl 4)


    Cost (50 MP) Arrow of pure Darkness Mana. Extremely fast projectile and very hard to detect. Low cooldown, deals high damage on impact.


    Damage = 35 +(Int x 35%) [316]


    Cooldown = 1 second


    4: Haste, Undisclosed (MAX)


    Cost (250 MP) User forgoes all cooldowns and can cast spells freely. Supercools all Runes in mental sphere for 60 seconds.


    5: Darkness Field


    Cost (500 MP) Creates a field of darkness around target area. Double damage to all darkness spells cast in this area.


    Diameter = 10 +(Wis x 10%) [41] yards


    6: Force Rain


    Cost (20 MP/sec) Creates a massive raincloud that pours onto target area. Can provide fresh water when there are no water sources.


    7: Age of Chaos


    Cost (1000 MP) Creates an area around User where chaos ensues. All living non-Boss creatures in this area will go insane and begin attacking the closest thing to them. Party members can also be affected. Wisdom must be higher than caster''s to avoid.


    *****


    SwolePapi (Swole): Level 51


    ss: Colossus


    Exp: 17,629/1,000,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 3290 (Rec. 5.56/Second)


    Strength- 401 +85 +[582] +(586)


    Agility- 5 +85 +(216)


    Defense- 5 +(273)


    ***


    Talents:


    1: Muscle Enhancement, Rare (Lvl 1)


    User''s muscles and bones have been reinforced, allowing User to dish out damage without facing bacsh.


    Strength = +45% increase to User''s base Attribute [181]


    2: One-Handed Mastery [Adept], Rare (Lvl 3)


    Increases damage done with one-handed weapons.


    Damage Increase = 55%


    3: Life Drain, Epic (Lvl 0)


    Stronger pull than Lifesteal. Replenishes health faster when damaging enemies.


    Restoration = 80% of damage dealt


    4: Strength Addiction, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User has ced every point in Strength. Why..? This Talent will double base Strength if no Attribute Points are used elsewhere. [401]


    5: Monstrosity, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User has chosen to forego Intelligence and Wisdom in exchange for monstrous power. Leaves User susceptible to mental attacks. User can transform into a monstrous figure at will.


    Increases all senses, reflexes, and battle instinct significantly. Pain felt in this form is multiplied four-fold.


    In this form Lifesteal will increase significantly, all Attributes (including gear bonuses) will double. User will lose lifeforce swiftly.


    6: Blood Merge, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User absorbs blood through lifesteal. When target dies, absorbs soulforce. Portion of soul leaves its mark on User. User gains a portion of main Attribute through this mark. Only 25% of Attributes gained are avable in Human form.


    If User epts this Talent, only weapons can give Attribute bonus. All other equipment bes useless.


    Current Bonuses:


    Strength- +2345


    Agility- +865


    Defense- +1090


    7: Got Beef?, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User gets annoyed any time someone challenges them. Increased damage to the party that thinks they are better.


    8: Arthur''s Might, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User deals more damage when fighting with fewer party members. Starting at 12 party members, User deals 5% increased damage for every party member less.


    9: Blood Shift, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User gains more benefits from Blood Merge. Monstrosity form takes on some aspects of in enemies, Not permanent.


    10: Colossus, Undisclosed (MAX)


    In this form Lifesteal will increase significantly, all Attributes (including gear bonuses) will quadruple. User will lose lifeforce swiftly. All senses, reflexes, and battle instinct are greatly enhanced.


    Separate from Monstrosity, Colossus is much more powerful but loses lifeforce 5x faster. Pain experienced in this form is multiplied tenfold.


    ***


    Skills:


    1: Whirlwind Smash, Undisclosed (MAX)


    Spin rapidly with weapons extended. Creates suction force that draws enemies into your weapons.


    Duration = 60 seconds


    Cooldown = 180 seconds


    2: Colossus Smash, Undisclosed (MAX)


    When in Colossus form, smash downward with both hands. Gravity increases in a 50-yard area, crushing those weaker than User.


    Damage = (Str x 200%) [8544]


    Cooldown = 6 hours


    *****


    Jack: Level 51


    ss: diator


    Exp: 4,322/1,000,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 3890 +2325 (Rec. 30.42/Second)


    MP- 1250 +450 (Rec. 1.5/Second)


    Strength- 177 +325 +[41]


    Agility- 110 +240


    Defense- 62 +240 +[36]


    Wisdom- 30 +45


    Intelligence- 30 +65


    ***


    Talents:


    1: Mana Sense, Common (Lvl 2)


    User has formed a small Mana Pool. Allows User to ess their Mental sphere to learn and use Skills.


    2: Two-Handed Mastery [Intermediate], Umon (Lvl 2)


    User has learned more than the basics of wielding two-handed weapons. While using two-handed weapons, gains increased damage.


    Increased Damage = 30%


    3: Bodily Reinforcement, Rare (Lvl 0)


    Increases both the sturdiness and power contained in User''s body.


    Strength- +40% of base Attribute [71]


    Defense- +15% of base Attribute [9]


    4: Heavy Weapon Mastery [basic], Common (Lvl 3)


    User has learned the basics of wielding heavy weapons. While using heavy weapons, gains increased damage and reflexes.


    Increased Damage = 7.5%


    Increased Reflexes = 7.5%


    5: Warrior''s Heart, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User has the heart of a warrior. Will never back down from a battle. Effects of Fear type spells cast on User are greatly reduced. Won''t feel nervous even when facing a thousand enemies.


    6: Dense Skin, Umon (Lvl 1)


    User''s Skin structure is altered, making it more resistant to physical damage.


    Defense = +17.5% increase to User''s base Attribute [11]


    7: Advanced HP Recovery, Rare (Lvl 3)


    User has enhanced HP recovery.


    Hp Recovery = x4.5


    8: Heavy Armor Mastery [basic], Common (Lvl 4)


    User has learned how to wear heavy armor while remaining flexible. While wearing heavy armor, Defense is increased, reflexes increased slightly in heavy armor.


    Defense- +25% base Attribute [16]


    Reflexes- +25% increase


    9: Unimpeded Swings, Rare (Lvl 0)


    With every swing that isn''t blocked, Strength is increased by 2% [4] of base Attribute. Limit of 25 stacks.


    10: Colloseum''s Might, Undisclosed (MAX)


    As a diator, User does well when others are witnessing their greatness! Increases all Attributes by 1% per person watching up to 100%!


    ***


    Skills:


    1: Heavy sh, Umon (Lvl 3)


    Cost (25 MP) sh down with a ded weapon. Mana increases sharpness of de, slightly increasing damage.


    Damage = 40 +(Str x 40%) [257]


    Cooldown = 5 seconds


    2: Brute Rush, Umon (Lvl 2)


    Cost (50 MP) User barrels toward a target, disregarding everything in their path. Tackles enemy and causes them to fall or stumble.


    Cooldown = 15 seconds


    3: Crushing Blow, Umon (Lvl 3)


    Cost (25 MP) User ms down on target with heavy weapon. Adds additional crushing force and increases damage.


    Damage Increase = (Str x 20%) [109]


    4: Mana Strike, Umon (Lvl 1)


    Cost (25 MP/sec) User coats weapon heavily with Mana. When swinging, Mana acts as an extension of weapon, increasing range.


    5: Eviscerate, Undisclosed (MAX)


    Mana slices through the air, slicing everything in its path. Phases through all living things for 20 yards in a straight line, dealing shing damage to each. Massive damage, long cooldown.


    Damage = (Int x 200%) + (Str x 200%) [1276]


    Cooldown = 2.5 hours


    *****


    Peter: Level 51


    ss: Evoker


    Exp: 263/1,000,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 2610 +1425 (Rec. 6.3/Second)


    MP- 3060 +1650 (Rec. 9.94/Second)


    Strength- 180 +250 +[32]


    Agility- 5 +60


    Defense- 15 +195


    Wisdom- 189 +265 +[43]


    Intelligence- 5 +60


    ***


    Talents:


    1: Mana Sense, Common


    User has formed a small Mana Pool. Allows User to ess their Mental sphere to learn and use Skills.


    2: Mana Density, Umon (Lvl 3)


    User''s mind has beenpressed, density of Mana increased.


    Wisdom= +22.5% increase to User''s base Attribute [43]


    3: Enhanced Growth, Umon (Lvl 3)


    User''s muscles and bones have been reinforced, allowing User to dish out damage without facing bacsh.


    Strength = +17.5% increase to User''s base Attribute [32]


    4: One-Handed Mastery [Intermediate], Umon (Lvl 1)


    Increases damage done with one-handed weapons.


    Damage Increase = 25%


    5: HP Recovery, Umon (Lvl 2)


    User has enhanced HP recovery.


    Hp Recovery = x1.5


    6: Eloquent Aura, Rare (Lvl 2)


    User''s Aura extends out, shrouding those around them. Enhances the Strength and Wisdom of all party members within range.


    Strength Increase- 15% of User''s base Strength [27]


    Wisdom increase- 15% of User''s base Wisdom [28]


    7: Throwing Mastery [Intermediate], Umon (Lvl 1)


    Increases damage done by throwing weapons. Increases uracy with each Level.


    Damage Increase = 25%


    8: Inspiring Aura, Undisclosed (MAX)


    User has an uncanny ability to affect those around them. User''s mood can alter the moods of those with less Wisdom.


    9: Spirit Guide, Epic (Lvl 1)


    User is guided by the Spirits of their ancestors. With each Level, can visit one Ancestral Spirit and bring back a portion of their essence. Spirit is chosen at random.


    10: Evoker, Undisclosed (MAX)


    As an Evoker, taming creatures bes much easier. Chains bind creatures and increase chances of sessful taming. The higher the User''s Mana, the stronger the chains be.


    Tames sitting in mental sphere receive 50% of all experience earned by User. Can safely Level Tames without risk of them dying.


    Tames that are summoned earn 100% experience from kills and have their Attributes increased by 25%. Party members'' summoned Tames have Attributes increased by 10%.


    Tame limit doubled.


    ***


    Skills:


    1: sh, Common (Lvl 3)


    sh down with a ded weapon. Mana increases sharpness of de, slightly increasing damage.


    Damage = 12.5 +(Str x 12.5%) [70.25]


    Cooldown = 5 seconds


    2: Axe Throw, Common (Lvl 4)


    User has a basic understanding of throwing small axes and hatchets. Can urately hit most targets within 25 yards. Damage scales off of Strength.


    Damage = 45 +(Str x 45%) [253]


    Cooldown = 1 second


    3: Spirit Alteration, Undisclosed (MAX)


    (No Cost) User is able to take on the Spirits of their ancestors. Current Spirits, two.


    Rorand The Fearless


    Toffin The Gentle


    4: Tame Creature [Novice], Umon (Lvl 4)-


    Cost (250 MP/Tier) Ability to use Taming Cards to tame monsterpanions. Companion kills grant half of all earned experience to the caster and the other half to the Companion.


    Current sess rates:


    Tier 1: 99%


    Tier 2: 99%


    Tier 3: 54%


    Tier 4: 18%


    Tier 5: 0.12%


    Sess rates can increase or decrease based on the creature''s Levelpared to the caster. Creature has to be unhurt to cast.


    If taming fails, the caster must wait 1 hour to cast again on the same creature. Cannot tame beyond the limits of the Taming Card.


    If Taming fails, card is destroyed.


    Tame limit- (6/10)


    5: Summon, Common (MAX)


    Summons Tame


    6: Recall, Common (MAX)


    Recalls Tame


    7: Command Words, Rare (Lvl 4)


    (No Cost) User automatically buffs ally summoned Tames. One Attribute at a time, can shift Attributes instantly for varying situations.


    Current Buff = 45 +(Wis x 45%) [269]


    *****


    FatPussy69 (Felix): Level 50


    ss: Illusionist


    Exp: 726,998/1,000,000


    Attributes:


    HP- 1700 +850 (Rec. 2.4/Second)


    MP- 7065 +2175 (Rec. 27.51/Second)


    Strength- 5 +25


    Agility- 5 +90


    Defense- 5 +115


    Wisdom- 285 +430 +[71]


    Intelligence- 115 +206


    ***


    Talents:


    1: Mana Interpretation, Umon, (Lvl 1)


    User has formed a massive Mana Pool. Allows User to ess their Mental sphere to learn and use Skills. Cost of using Skills is reduced.


    Reduction = 30%


    2: Mana Density, Umon (Lvl 4)


    User''s mind has beenpressed, density of Mana increased.


    Wisdom= +25% increase to User''s base Attribute [71]


    3: Staff Mastery [Intermediate], Umon (Lvl 2)


    Increases spell damage when using a staff.


    Damage Increase = 30%


    4: Mind Wall, Rare (Lvl 3)


    User has an increased mental fortitude. Extra defense toward mental attacks.In the beginning stages of creating an outer mental sphere.


    Resistance = 40%


    5: Chain Affinity [Intermediate], Umon (Lvl 4)


    Increases damage with chain magic.


    Damage Increase = +45%


    6: Mana Recovery, Umon (Lvl 4)


    Increases User''s MP recovery by a set amount per Level.


    MP Recovery- x1.75


    7: Illusion Affinity [Adept], Rare (Lvl 1)


    Increases power of Illusions.


    Realism Increase = 60%


    8: Last Chance, Umon (Lvl 0)


    Upon falling to 1 HP, Mana will be lost instead of health when receiving damage. User will still remain in a heavily injured state during this time


    9: Inventory, Common (Lvl 4)


    Allows User to have their own internal storage separate from storage items.


    Weight Limit = 200 pounds


    10: Unparalleled Illusions, Rare (Lvl 0)


    User''s illusions have almost reached the pinnacle. Illusions will now capture the essence of what they are trying to portray, down to the way the terrain shifts from a light breeze. The higher the Level of this Talent, the more difficult User''s illusions are to tell from reality.


    ***


    Skills:


    1: Cast Illusion, Undisclosed (MAX)


    Cost (25 MP/sec) User spent hundreds of hours manipting and studying Mana patterns. Learned the art of manipting the Mana to form images and sounds.


    No cooldown


    2: Muffle, Umon (Lvl 2)


    Cost (10 MP/sec) Casts a veil around User that muffles all noise. Only highly perceptive individuals can hear sounds from within this area.


    No cooldown


    3: Corruption Chains, Rare (Lvl 2)


    Cost (250 MP) Chains crafted from Corruption Mana wrap around multiple targets in an area and lock them in ce. Chains cause Corruption damage over time. Wisdom must be higher than target. Lasts 120 seconds.


    DoT = 15 + (Int x 15%) [63] per 3 seconds for duration


    Cooldown = 180 seconds


    4: Dispel, Umon (Lvl 3)


    Cost (100 MP) Allows User to dispel mental attacks, curses, or DoT effects.


    Cooldown = 120 seconds


    5: Spike Chains, Umon (Lvl 2)


    Cost (35 MP/sec) Summons spiked chains from the Mana. Can control them as one would a whip. Uses Intelligence as a damage factor instead of Strength. Leveling reduces cost.


    No cooldown


    6: Mental Chains, Rare (Lvl 1)


    Cost (500 MP) User creates chains from Mana that wrap around and lock targets'' mental sphere. Keeps target from using Mana until chains are broken.


    Cooldown = 2 hours


    7: Mind Warp, Epic (Lvl 1)


    User can warp the memories of target. Has to be able to look directly into target''s eyes. Can only cast on targets with 75% User''s Wisdom or below.


    Cooldown = 1 hour if sessful, 24 hours + bacsh if unsessful

 Chapter 208: Is Five Enough?

    Chapter 208: Is Five Enough?


    As Geth looked over the Grimoires floating before him, he couldn''t help but admire how intricate Albus and his citizens made the system.


    He could see that most of his team''s Skills were variants of some base Skills that he''d already seen. The Talents also seemed to fit each of their "User''s" personalities.


    ''Albus, just how long did it take you to set the Formation for this system up?''


    ''It took a little more than a decade, with close to 1000 of the best mages, historians, and Formation architects. The cities that I showed you were part of the Formation.


    Once we reached a certain point, the Formation began growing independently, adding things we couldn''t even have dreamed of.''


    ...


    ....


    ''Isn''t that a bit dangerous?''


    ''It isn''t something we could help. We closely monitored the expansions, but the design, quite literally, took a life of its own.


    The Formation we sacrificed our life force to create was simply the centerpiece of a much greater entity.''


    ''I see...''


    Geth took a moment to recall how massive humanity''s final stronghold was.


    ''That entire ce was part of the Formation that caused this...''


    It wasn''t like anything could be helped at this point, but that information further enlightened him. He turned his attention back toward the information on the Grimoires, ignoring their intricacies.


    Aside from Geth and Filthy, the others were chit-chatting about their abilities and asking how they worked. Geth made sure that one of his selves was listening while he was memorizing the information.


    ''Memorizing it and being able to recall every detail swiftly in the heat of battle are two entirely different things... Maybe...''


    Geth closed his eyes and shifted into his mental sphere. He flew to the center, where the concentration of Mana was the highest.


    "My Wisdom is currently high enough for me to summon a dozen selves, each with the processing speed of an average Human..."


    Geth looked around his mental sphere at all of the things he still needed to study. The information was here, but that didn''t mean he understood it all.


    "No. Decisions will have to be made faster than that."


    He promptly summoned five of his selves, dispersing a half dozen from his mind. Thest he left free to roam the grounds.


    Once the five arrived, Geth had them absorb the inflow of Mana pouring through the Immersion Formation. The effects were instant.


    It wasn''t life-changing, but at the cost of a mere 5 MP/second from his regen, it was as if he were only expending the Wisdom for keeping four of his selves out.


    "This works. I''ll still keep one-third of my processing speed, leaving me with 400%. Each of these will run at 200%."


    The five Geths made him think of monks meditating under a waterfall. The liquid Mana washed over them, causing them to emit a profound blue aura.


    After arranging their seating for the best results, Geth essed his memories. His selves had been hard at work, organizing all of his knowledge into a simple and essible database.


    "I feel like I''ve be a walkingputer."


    He shook his head and essed his memories through a self-made disy. After scrolling for some time, he found a folder with the Grimoire information from each of his friends.


    He clicked on their images just like one would a file on aputer screen. Ten exact replicas of his friends and his own Grimoire appeared, hovering regally before him.


    With a flick of his wrist, the Grimoires relocated themselves around the center waterfall. Each of his selves were responsible for monitoring two Geimoires at once.


    With this setup, he could easily monitor everyone''s Health, Mana, Skill usage, and cooldowns.


    "Hey Albus, you around?"


    Albus materialized in front of him almost instantly, as if he''d been there all along.


    "Of course."


    "I have a question about the other''s Skills... Or rather, my own. Why don''t I have cooldowns like the others? Up until now, I didn''t even realize they existed."


    Geth could clearly remember spamming his Mass Restoration spell against the Undead creatures. If there had been a cooldown, he wouldn''t have dared venture into the Skeleton Dungeon solo.


    "Hoho, I feel it''s a good thing that you noticed."


    Albus ran his hand down the long white beard that embellished his chin. His eyes gleamed as he turned and pointed toward the Runes that floated above them.


    "You didn''t quite learn magic like the others, did you?"


    Geth was a bit confused.


    "I didn''t?"


    Albus shook his head.


    "You did... and you didn''t. There are a few significant differences between your mental sphere and those the others possess.


    You went through the rough process of being rebuilt by the Mana, as did our ancestors when they first started using magic to increase their power.


    As such, you are able to get more from it. The ''Elites'' went through a simr process in our society, but there is no point in exining the procedure.


    What you need to know is that the Mana acts friendlier toward you, and it''s easier for you to study. You''ve even been controlling the Mana in your mental sphere since the beginning... that''s the main difference."


    Albus gestured for Geth to follow and flew up to one of the closest Runes. Geth followed behind, hoping for a better exnation.


    "The ''limiter'' that should have been built into your sphere was never ced."


    "Limiter?"


    "Something that we used for many years in newborns and aspiring young mages. There would be a limit to how often you could cast a spell.


    This kept the Rune from overloading and melting the mind. You shouldn''t need me to tell you how painful that experience is.


    There was no chance for other Humans who overloaded a Rune. With no mental sphere protecting them, they would die instantly or even be invalid."


    Geth shook his head. He remembered all too well the pain from his mental sphere cracking.


    "I understand. But, isn''t the limiter making humanity weaker?"


    Albus nodded.


    "It is, for now, but it is also giving those who wish a chance to learn. Humans have close to sixteen months to prepare for the final merge."


    Albus looked at Geth. Sadness could be seen in his eyes.


    "At that point, the Grimoires will cease to be of use."

 Chapter 209: Opinions

    Chapter 209: Opinions


    "What do you mean the Grimoires will cease to be of use?"


    Geth looked at the older man curiously. He didn''t understand.


    "The Redo Formation was designed to teach Humans to use the Mana and give them a fighting chance.


    The power of the Formation will run out on the day that the Apocalypse was supposed to ur. It already took everything that we had to force the weakers to merge safely beforehand."


    Geth was speechless. He closed his eyes and thought for a few moments.


    "Then what happens to you?"


    Albus shrugged.


    "I''m nothing but a memory fragment of someone who''s already passed on. You should be concerned with humanity as a whole."


    Albus looked toward the top of the sphere.


    "The others are waiting for you, by the way."


    Geth red at the man for a moment.


    "We aren''t done with this conversation."


    His figure disappeared and took over his body once again. Albus stayed back and monitored the Geth''s that were left staring at the floating Grimoires.


    "To be this powerful this early. It''s better than we could have dreamed."


    *****


    Geth''s eyes fluttered open. He found the others staring at him, with Swole waving his hands in front of his face.


    "Earth to Geth!"


    Jack interjected, "Can it still be called Earth?"


    "Really-Weird-Super-With-Monsters-And-Magic-That-Resembles-Earth to Ge-! Oh, it worked!"


    Geth just shook his head while the othersughed at the man''s antics. ze spoke up, interrupting the moment.


    "Is there any information you need from us outside of this?"


    Geth shook his head.


    "This is plenty. I already have an idea of everyone''s battle style. Now we need to test it out."


    Geth waved away the Grimoires, and the tomes quickly floated back to their owners.


    "Swole."


    "Yea?"


    "You''re a fucking maniac."


    The short man pped Geth on the back, bursting into another fit ofughter.


    "Alright. Everyone, get your gear and let''s head out."


    The party dispersed, leaving behind ze, Geth, and the two women, whose gear was already equipped. Their weapons were kept in their storage items.


    "So, what do you think, ze?"


    "Hmm, I spent some timest night going over my memories of the Formation. My initial estimates were wrong.


    I believe there should be five levels, each with one to three Sub-Bosses. We will have to break the three crystals on each floor for the next entrance to appear."


    *Cough* "What?!"


    Geth nced over at Sindri to find she was in a state of disbelief. On the other hand, his wife seemed to be pumped up and ready to go.


    Zolis punched the air around her like a boxer getting hyped for his next match.


    "Let''s quit wasting time! We have wolves to kill!"


    Geth turned back to ze.


    "Do you think we''ll be facing the same number on every floor?"


    "It''s hard to say. I think the quality will increase, but the quantity will drop drastically on each floor."


    Sindri''s look of distress calmed a little after hearing that.


    "Thank goodness. Fighting wolves for almost two days wore me out."


    Geth nodded.


    "I don''t n on pushing very far today. We still need to rest, but I would like to clear the Sub-Bosses on the current floor before they venture out to find us."


    "I don''t believe that they would leave their crystals," ze countered. "But I agree that it''s better to be safe rather than sorry."


    The conversation didn''t continue further as Swole and Filthy came out of their perspective rooms.


    "Alright! Let''s get started then."


    Geth walked to the hall and liquified the wall where the entrance had been closed. No alerts had been sent from the Detect Runes, so there were no worries that an enemy could be waiting outside.


    "Filthy, let''s run ahead and scout out the crystal rooms. Zolis, bring everyone else once they''re ready."


    Filthy nodded, and the two ran off without looking back.


    Geth boosted both their Agility and Wisdom before the two quickly made their way down the arched tunnel.


    The glowing walls of the cave filled the area with Mana, making it difficult to spread out his senses.


    It was simr to trying to hear a voice underwater. Everything he sensed came back muffled or distorted.


    "How are your physical senses? I won''t be much use at this stage. There''s too much interference."


    Filthy closed his eyes while the two of them ran. Geth could see his ears twitching slightly.


    "Everything sounds fine to me. I can see clearly as well, but the passage is still spiraling, so sight is next to useless."


    "What do you think about taking a long break once we''ve finished this Dungeon?" Geth asked.


    *Sigh*


    "Even though it sounds nice, I don''t feel like we should."


    "You''re worried about the beast waves too?"


    "Mhm," Filthy responded. "It isn''t that I''m concerned about the waves as much as I''m concerned about other people.


    Just look at the group surrounding us. We''ll likely step on someone''s toes by killing them all.


    That will probably be used as an excuse to attack the city. It''s evident that greed has already gotten the better of them."


    Geth shook his head.


    "I''m not worried about the people at all. Humans are predictable.


    I''m more apprehensive about the worlds merging. Just the first one will expand the size of the current by another 50%.


    Those five worlds will drop more Tier 4 creatures here. Aside from us, who in Valha can handle even a few Direwolves?


    Hulk and his group, maybe? There''s just too much to be done and only a few months left to do so."


    Filthy seemed to think about it for a minute.


    "I see what you mean. The best we can do is take care of issues as they show up...


    Haha! It''s not li-"


    Geth noticed the man''s ears twitch lightly. Filthy closed his eyes and concentrated as the two came to a stop.


    Geth tried to reach out with his senses again, but it was no good.


    "We''re close. I can hear low growls echoing from three different directions up ahead."


    The two jogged a little further, slowing their pace and silencing their steps. Just as he''d guessed, three tunnels were heading in different directions.


    "I guess we''ll start with the left."

 Chapter 210: Chains?

    Chapter 210: Chains?


    Filthy crept silently down the tunnel with Geth trailing ten paces or so behind. He would typically prefer to scout alone, but he would need Geth''s healing to get him out if the situation took a precarious turn.


    The noises that he heard were constantly changing. At first, he could only hear the periodic sounds of growlinging through the tunnels.


    The deeper they explored, the more he could listen. Between the angry and resentful growls, he could hear whimpering and the clinking of metal.


    ''What the hell is that?''


    His ears twitched as he strained, an annoying quirk that began when his senses hit a certain level. It wasn''t worthining over, though.


    If he closed his eyes, he could recreate a blurry image of what he heard with his heightened senses. This quality had helped him many times when sniping a well-hidden target.


    After walking for a few more minutes, Filthy waved for Geth to stand back. The origin of the noise was close.


    ''It sounds like... two wolves.. chained up?''


    He focused further, sensing two separate sets of growls and whimpers. The odd thing was, he could only hear a single set of legs pawing at the dirt.


    Filthy stopped walking normally down the center of the hall, stepping close to the walls and phasing into the shadows. His Full Concealment Talent took full effect, silencing his movements while the darknesspletely drowned his presence.


    It was likely the creature would eventually catch his scent, but not before he''d gathered information and left.


    He slunk through the shadows, crouching low and keeping his movements to a minimum. His breath became quiet and even, his heart beat slower, and his muscles rxed.


    Filthy stepped into the mouth of arge entrance, keeping himself in the shade cast by the much brighter crystals on the interior. He kept his bow strung, ready to draw in case of any mishaps.


    The room was massive, the same as any other Boss or Sub-Boss room would be. The only difference was that it satpletely barren outside of one creature and a single object.


    In the center of the room, a massive crystal pir extended from floor to ceiling. If his estimates were correct, this would be precisely below where they attacked the first set of wolves.


    ''This pir must connect to the boulder above... but what''s with this Direwolf?''


    Next to the pir, a colossal two-headed wolf stood chained to the crystal. The chains looked to be formed from dark red Mana that wrapped around the stctite.


    The bindings reached out and cocooned around the wolf in an impossible-to-break snare. Blood trickled down the tightly bound chains and poured into the crystal.


    ''What the hell is this..?''


    This thing couldn''t harm a fly.


    The most it could do was reach out and scratch at the ground with a bloodied paw. Filthy could see that the earth was gouged and red from the creature''s attempts at breaking free.


    Massive patches of fur were missing, and scars marred its skin. One of the heads gave off an angered growl while the other whimpered in pain.


    As magnificent a creature as it should have been, it was nothing but an abused animal left to die in this cave.


    ''Who could have done this? Even Geth isn''t powerful enough to subdue a Sub-Boss to this extent.''


    His eyes fell on the chains, his mind jumping straight to the multiple chain Skills and Chain Affinity that Felix had shown them not long ago.


    ''It couldn''t be... could it?''


    The dude was only Level 50. There was no way that he could have overpowered this monster.


    He had his doubts, but he needed to be sure. Filthy stepped back into the tunnel and turned to leave, doing his best to ignore the cries and snarls of the creature behind him.


    It only took him a few seconds to reach Geth. He walked by the man without much of a nce.


    Nothing needed to be said. He soon heard the footsteps of his friend falling in stride with his own.


    *****


    Geth followed Filthy out of the tunnel. He could tell that something was wrong from the Mana whipping wildly around his friend.


    Whatever he''d seen, it made him furious.


    He walked along behind Filthy, following him into the next tunnel. Geth found it odd that he didn''t even attempt to hide his presence when stepping into the next area.


    Filthy stepped out again, his face darker than before. This time he wasn''t silent.


    "Step into thest tunnel with me. I just need to see it one more time... It might make more sense from a mage''s perspective."


    Geth nodded, not bothering to ask questions.


    The third tunnel was the exact length as the others. After traveling down the second, Geth realized that the entrances were directly under the Dungeon entrance.


    Each of the branches spread to three different rooms. Geth assumed that these led to the three corners of the Formation that he and ze had studied.


    While Geth was lost in thought, he hadn''t realized they were already at the end of the final tunnel. His guard had been up, but the moment he stepped in, it dropped like a rock.


    "What the hell is this?"


    Geth was as shocked as Filthy had been when he happened upon the first scene.


    A small creature was chained tightly to the massive rock formation in the chamber''s center.


    The wolf was only a few feet tall, but that didn''t take away from its ferocity. It was a bright orange color with dull mes pouring out from its spine.


    Geth could tell that the mes would have burned brighter if its life weren''t being drained away. That''s exactly what was happening here.


    "Was it the same in the other two rooms..?"


    Filthy nodded and walked toward the little wolf. Geth walked beside him, observing both the surroundings and looking intently at the chains.


    His first thoughts had jumped to Felix. He almost turned and ran back toward the rest of the party.


    This wasn''t Felix.


    After looking at the chains, he could tell that this wasn''t some simple Skill. It was a Skill that had been blended terribly with Elven Runes, something that others likely wouldn''t understand.


    "Whatever did this.... it''s dangerous."

 Chapter 211: Flames

    Chapter 211: mes


    ''That''s the Runguage of the beasts! There shouldn''t be any here with enough intellect to do this...''


    Albus spoke the moment Geth had gotten a good look at the script that made up the Formation.


    The Runes looked very simr to the flourishing Elvish that he''d witnessed Albus'' wife working with. The main difference was how rugged it looked, almost like it had been gouged into the chain by a jagged de.


    ''Beasts? Like the ones who fell to the Demons first?''


    ''Yes. They copied the Runic trantions of the Elves but could never be as intricate in their utilization.


    Close your eyes. You can feel how unstable the Mana drawn in by the Runes bes. Their use of the Runes is dangerous, but they manage.


    Don''t mistake the poor copies for childish drawings. Beast Runes are capable of drawing in a more primitive and powerful form of Mana, the cost at which is struggling with their sanity.


    Elven Runes focus on flowing with the Mana, causing them to gain more control over the source. Human Runes may fall short in power, but they are the most efficient of any Races'' attempts at controlling the Mana.''


    Geth nodded, looking at the chains wrapped around the creature. Red life essence flowed from the beast and was absorbed into the crystal.


    ''Are these creatures powering the Formation above?''


    ''No. The blood isn''t running into the Formation but down into the Dungeon. I''m not familiar enough with the script to determine its purpose.''


    Albus knew many things, but he wasn''t a schr. His main purpose had been protecting humanity. His wife, Ren, would be able to read these Runes as if they were English.


    Geth looked at the bound Direwolf once again. Its eyes screamed out for relief.


    ''Albus. Is there anything we can do to help?''


    ''Kill it.''


    Geth nodded. He didn''t have the ability to break these chains. Even if he did, the creature would probably attack him the moment it was free.


    "Filthy. Can you kill it with one hit?"


    He stepped back and allowed Filthy to take a look at the creature. His spells would only cause it further pain before it died.


    ''Let me.''


    Geth jumped. Kane had spoken to him so suddenly, and he hadn''t expected it.


    His Tame''s voices in his mind weren''t like Albus. When they spoke, it was as if something foreign was sending a direct message. With Albus, it was as natural as having his own thoughts.


    Geth summoned his Direwolf and looked at him. He wasn''t anyrger than the form he''d taken at Level 25, but he was much more powerful.


    His ck fur had taken on a purple hue. His eyes and ws burned with a dark purple light.


    Geth had long wondered if he was somehow affecting the color of the things associated with him. Even his equipment tended to show up in a style that suited his interests.


    Kane stepped up to the much smaller wolf, looking directly into its eyes as it approached. Filthy stepped out of the way and watched the pair with interest.


    No one made a sound. The two Direwolves were so close that they were almost touching.


    Geth watched silently. He wasn''t sure what the two wolves were doing, but the Mana between them constantly shifted back and forth.


    ''Are they... fighting for control?''


    ''No, they aremunicating. Beasts are different from Humans. They can share images and feelings almost naturally if they are strong enough.


    We were actually taught how to use mental Skills by Beasts and Dragons. Without them, we would have still been using devices tomunicate in the future.''


    Geth raised his brow. It seemed like a lot of knowledge passed between the Races in their short time of peace.


    He and Filthy waited patiently for close to ten minutes before Kane finally moved. He pressed his forehead against that of the smaller Direwolf''s.


    The mes on the Sub-Boss'' back began to recede swiftly as the Direwolf gave up control of its life force. The chains seemed to lose their pull as the red substance flowed forward into Kane.


    As Geth looked on, he noticed a drastic change in his Tame. It didn''t gain Levels or experience, but it took on a simr appearance to the smaller wolf.


    Bright purple mes burst from his spine and paws. The Mana around him erupted in a wave of heat as a purple sh lit the chamber.


    Geth stepped in front of Filthy and cast a Protection spell on him, just in case.


    Geth found that the smaller was lying lifeless on the ground when looking back at the two wolves. The chains receded slowly back into the crystal, vanishing as if they''d never existed.


    Kane''s eyes were closed, his snout scrunched in a sign of concentration. The heat slowly receded, the Mana dragging back into the ebony wolf''s body.


    When the room returned to a bearable temperature, Geth released the Protection he''d ced on Filthy. The ranger nodded in appreciation kneeled by the small wolf''s corpse.


    ''Master.''


    "Is everything okay?"


    Geth walked up to his Tame and rubbed his hand along its fur. A dull heat permeated his skin and kindled his Mana.


    Kane shook his head back and forth, ''We need to find the one that did this quickly. She said that the creature is getting stronger every second.''


    "She?"


    Geth turned his head and looked back at the corpse. Filthy seemed to be having an internal debate on whether or not to strip it down.


    ''Tell him it will be fine, don''t let her body go to waste.''


    Geth nodded and ryed the message to Filthy.


    ''She thinks that those on the lowest floor have already been drained. The pull on her became stronger some time after we entered the Formation.''


    "That doesn''t bode well. So... what''s with the new look?"


    ''I told her that we would kill the one responsible. In return, she gave me thest of her life essence.''


    Geth''s eyes widened. He figured something like that had happened, but it was still a surprise that a Dungeon creature was capable of such a thing.


    "We will certainly repay her gift."


    ''Well... If we don''t, I''ll die.''


    *Cough*


    Geth almost coughed up blood when those words registered.

 Chapter 212: Inheritance

    Chapter 212: Inheritance


    While he and Filthy walked back toward the others, Geth thought about what Albus and Kane had told him.


    Kane and the Sub-Boss had gone through something called a Lifeforce Contract. It was one of the things that had made the Beast Race so powerful.


    A strong Beast with a powerful soul could give a part of itself to one of its underlings. The more life force offered, the greater the stiptions on the contract.


    In some extreme cases, Beasts could pass on most of their umted knowledge when their life wasing to an end.


    They couldn''t share their power this way, but the Beast that received the knowledge could use it to surpass their predecessor.


    The ''Nobles'' in their domain were those who had years of knowledge passed down from their ancestors. The Beasts used this method until their inevitable fall to the Demons.


    This was the type of contract that Kane had received. If he didn''t meet the terms of the agreement, then he would die.


    In exchange, he learned multiple Skills and even went through an Evolution. Kane hadn''t leveled or gained experience, but he had essentially gained the inheritance of a Tier 5 Beast.


    ''I thought that Direwolves were a Tier 4 race?''


    ''Bosses and Sub-Bosses evolve because their blood is mixed with a creature of a higher Tier. Typically, a Sub-Boss will be one Tier higher than their origin creatures, while a Boss will be two Tiers higher.


    If the other Sub-Bosses are caught in the same circumstance, they will likely be willing to pass on their inheritance to your other Tames. No Beast wants to die and their lineage be wiped out.''


    Geth wasn''t sure how to feel about this. He was all for benefits, but seeing these creatures act more like Humans than animals made him think of them in a different light.


    They even had more empathy than most of the other Humans he knew. Seeing them in such a precarious state brought out feelings that he didn''t understand.


    ''Why does it bother me so much? Sure, they''re in pain. They''re being tortured... but that''s no reason for me to feel like this.''


    In his mind, it should be no different from putting down an animal that some asshole hit on the road and left it to die in misery. They could have at least had the decency to finish the job and not let them suffer.


    But it wasn''t that simple. Somewhere deep down, it was like he could feel their pain.


    Geth wasn''t sure what it meant, but he knew that he wanted to kill the bastard who''d done it. He would have done so even without Kane''s promise.


    "Filthy, did either of the Direwolves in the other two caverns seem like they would work well with you?"


    Filthy thought for a minute before shaking his head.


    "There was a massive two-headed wolf in the first tunnel. I believe that its main Attribute would be Strength from the way it acted.


    The Direwolf in the center tunnel was just a tad taller than a Human. It looked like it may have been built for speed.


    A Direwolf with Defensive properties would be better suited for me. I don''t need a Tame with abilities that I already possess."


    Geth nodded.


    He was right. Every build had its weakness, but having a Tame that could fill those gaps would make them much harder to deal with.


    "And you''re sure it doesn''t have anything to do with Felix?"


    "Positive. Whatever did it looked like a Human but smelled like a wolf.


    Kane received an image of the assant as well. It isn''t anyone that we know."


    Filthy looked at him with his brow raised.


    "So... We are dealing with a magical werewolf that''s just as smart as you and ze..? Fun."


    "Ha..."


    Geth scratched the back of his head. He had the same thoughts.


    Not only was this Beast intelligent enough to create the chains that stole the wolves'' life forces, but he was also powerful enough to subdue multiple Sub-Bosses.


    "There''s a slim chance we''ll weaken it by breaking all of the chains. It shouldn''t be able to move at the moment... I can''t say the same for once thest chain breaks."


    He couldn''t say that they hadn''t gained anything out of it.


    Not only could their Beast Tames all potentially receive an inheritance, but Geth was also pretty sure the wolves were only frenzied enough to drive themselves into his trap due to their anger at the creature.


    It was a terrible situation, but a win either way. They wouldn''t have to risk their lives until the Boss, and they could get out of here sooner than expected.


    It didn''t take long to run into the others, waiting a short distance from the tunnel entrances. Geth felt his Strength and Defense increase slightly when they came into view.


    Zolis was standing ahead of the rest, pacing back and forth with her hands behind her head.


    Swole was leaning back against the wall, twiddling his thumbs.


    The rest of the party was in a heated discussion about something that Geth couldn''t quite make out. Laughter filled the hallway.


    The scene was a stark contrast to the tunnels he and Filthy had just left behind. The aura around Filthy began to calm when he saw the others still having a good time.


    It was a shame they would have to ruin it.


    Zolis ran up to the pair, excitement evident in her eyes. Geth could tell that she was ready for a fight.


    "So what have we got?! Giant wolves? Another army? Something Undead?"


    The others rushed over and crowded around the pair. Even Swole made his way over from his resting ce.


    Geth really didn''t understand the action, he could likely whisper from more than ten yards away and everyone hear it.


    "Spill it!"


    "I hope it isn''t something too big..."


    "Quit being a wuss!"


    "What kind of beasts are we facing today?"


    "Well...."

 Chapter 213: Mana Sick?

    Chapter 213: Mana Sick?


    The excitement of the group had fallen when Geth exined the situation. It became even worse once they''d led the party to the two-headed wolf.


    The once lively conversations died, and a morose aura surrounded the party. Even the Mana wilted and was moving slower than normal.


    He knew that it would be a blow to their morale, but this was depressing.


    Geth watched Zolis approach the creature, which surprisingly didn''t growl nor whimper once she''d walked near it. She summoned her own Direwolf, which prompted a simr response from the Sub-Boss as Kane had.


    Both of the enormous heads leaned down, pressing their foreheads toward Zolis'' wolf. Geth was surprised.


    ''Should it be this easy?''


    ''The others sensed the interaction between myself and theirrade. They are probably already expecting us.''


    Geth nodded.


    Since he could do nothing to help, he turned his attention toward his Grimoire. Surprisingly enough, it had counted Kane''s inheritance as the Sub-Boss being killed by his party.


    Only he and Filthy were in range to receive the benefits, but that merely increased their value. They hadn''t gained experience, but the Points were more than enough.


    ***


    Congrattions, User, for defeating a Sub-Boss. Please select a reward.


    Note User''s Level was far lower than Sub-Boss. Options reflect this disparity.


    Option 1: 10 TP, 10 SP, 2 Random Epic Items


    Option 2: 30 TP, 30 SP, 30 AP


    Option 3: 15 SP, 15 TP, 5 Random Taming Cards


    ***


    Geth nced through the options and picked the second. Peter had mentioned that he would select all options with Taming Cards from now on.


    Between the Points he''d received here and the ones from the Sub-Boss up top, he was starting to build a decent savings again.


    ''I''ll see how many Points we get for doing this as a group before spending them. Although...''


    He eyed the Greater Mending spell. He wanted to choose an Epic version that would significantly boost its healing properties.


    Geth already had more than enough points to bring it to Epic, but there were other Skills that he needed to upgrade as well before the Boss fight.


    It wasn''t long before Zolis'' wolf had finished, and another set of reward options appeared in his Grimoire. He chose a simr option and nced at his avable Points.


    ''So that brings me to 75 SP. As long as I hit 150, I''ll upgrade it.''


    With that in mind, Geth and Filthy proceeded to lead the team to the center hallway.


    Zolis'' Direwolf had grown a second head after gaining its inheritance. He also felt that its Intelligence Attribute had significantly increased.


    As he watched his wife pet the wolf, he could see the Mana constantly shing back and forth between the two faces as if they weremunicating.


    Geth found the idea strange, but he figured there was some point to it. They each had different personalities, the same as the one that had been chained up.


    ''Eh, it suits her.''


    Geth chuckled at his own little joke while they walked, earning strange gazes from the others.


    ''I wonder where the tunnel to the next floor is supposed to be. I didn''t notice any unique Formations or anything.


    If I were confident in handling it alone, I could probably just swim through the earth. Maybe if the creatures were Undead again, but I barely survived that one.''


    He quickly shook those thoughts from his mind. He had built a support build for a reason, and that was to make sure that those he was close to were taken care of.


    Supporting was the most important job on the battlefield, and he wouldn''t trust anyone else.


    In the center Dungeon, one of Peter''s six wolves gained the Agility-based wolf''s inheritance. It shrunk in size but gained an Affinity with wind-based magic in return.


    The second the chains pulled back into the pir, the entrance to the next floor revealed itself. Geth realized that he hadn''t noticed it because it wasn''t powered by a Formation but a simple mechanism instead.


    The entrance was simple. There was a hidden passage in the back of the center chamber that looked to be carved by magic.


    It spiraled down, simr to the one that had brought the party this far. Geth could feel that the disturbances in the Mana were even stronger the further down they traveled.


    If it initially felt like he was trying to ''see'' through water, it now felt like he was spreading his senses through a thick haze. It felt like the Mana was restricting him instead of acting as an extension of himself.


    The group proceeded down into the depths of the Dungeon. His original ns to rest were reced by the urgency of freeing these Sub-Bosses before the mastermind became stronger.


    "You doing okay?"


    Sindri walked up beside him and looked at him curiously. She''d noticed his strange faces and slightly paleplexion while they were walking.


    "Yeah, I''m doing fine. The Mana in this ce is just stifling. It feels like one of my senses is being suppressed."


    She ced her palm against his forehead and looked at him strangely again.


    "Are you sure you''re okay..? There''s nothing wrong with the Mana in here..."


    Geth raised his eyebrow. Could she not feel it?


    "ze."


    "Hm?"


    The other man slowed his footsteps until he fell in stride beside the couple. He looked at Geth a bit curiously, feeling that something was off.


    "You okay, man? You look sick."


    Geth was surprised again. What was that supposed to mean?


    "You don''t feel that the Mana here is strange, either? Is it just me?"


    ze shook his head.


    "Everything is fine. Are you sure we don''t need to go back and rest for a bit?"


    Geth scrunched his brows.


    ''What''s going on? Albus, can you feel it?''


    ''Yes, I can feel it as well. I''m not sure what it is. It seems familiar but foreign at the same time.''


    *Sigh.*


    "I''ll be fine.. We don''t have time to rest."

 Chapter 214: Silver Wolf

    Chapter 214: Silver Wolf


    The further they went, the more stifled Geth felt. He did his best to conceal it from the others, but they could tell.


    Unbeknownst to him, he was giving off a suffocating pressure that the others found difficult to bear. At first, it was minimal, but the more time passed, the harder it was for them to deal with.


    Still, the party persisted without saying anything. They felt that Geth was going through some type of mental struggle.


    Geth was too focused on himself to even notice the sweat building up on the others. The hair on their necks and arms stood on end as if their lives were in danger.


    Albus seemed to be struggling as well. Geth continued to converse with him, using it as a distraction from this strange sensation.


    While this was going on, the party had received the following three inheritances and headed toward the third floor.


    Based on the memories that their Tames had received, these three Sub-Bosses would be thest left alive. Those that were on the fourth floor had long since perished.


    "Have you guys noticed something strange about these Direwolves?" Peter asked.


    Geth''s ears perked up. He would focus on anything to help ignore this ufortable sensation. Swole was the one to respond.


    "What, that they''re chained up like this?"


    "No. Each one of them seems to have a different specialty, very simr to a Human party.


    It''s like they were made to counter any party that may have beencking in a specific area."


    Geth thought about what he said. He hadn''t noticed that fact with his current predicament, but Peter was right.


    If any unbnced party entered, the Direwolves would have destroyed them. Anyone without Wisdom would have been floored by the first or the two-headed Sub-Boss.


    If a party were heavily focused on magic, the Agility Sub-Boss would have torn through them.


    Without Dispel or simr spells, the damage over time from the me Sub-Boss would have countered any possibility of healing.


    The second floor had been the same. Each creature had a specialty that needed a specific counter.


    "I wonder if this will remain true for the next floor?"


    Geth had spoken, but it was so weak the others barely heard him. They nced back, the worry apparent on their faces.


    They were confident in their abilities, but Geth was the pir that their team was built around. If he wasn''t 100%, then neither was the party.


    Peter replied quickly.


    "I''m pretty sure it will be. We still haven''t seen one that focuses on Defense or ranged physical attacks."


    The rest agreed. It would make sense for those to be two of thest three avable.


    Peter still had two Direwolves while Filthy had been waiting for the proper inheritance toe along.


    The Direwolves in Peter''s possession would eventually be given to the rest of the party, but they would grow faster with him.


    As predicted, the Sub-Bosses on the right and left-hand sides ended up with ranged attacks. One was a mage while the other shot spikes from its tail.


    It wasn''t until they''d reached thest creature that they found what Filthy had been looking for.


    Unlike the other wolves, this one stood tall.


    As they stepped into the final chamber, a colossal Direwolf stood in front of the pir. It looked expectantly down toward the entrance with bright silver eyes as if it had been waiting for them.


    The wolf''s silver fur reflected the green light that radiated from the surroundings. It was beaten and battered, and many of the metallic pieces of fur littered the ground.


    The blood seeping from its wounds still traveled down the chains, but it didn''t seem to affect the beast.


    The wolf''s eyes hovered over Geth for some time before shifting to the young Direwolf that stood waiting at the entrance.


    After a few moments of studying both the young wolf and its master, the beastid on the ground and tilted its head forward.


    The smaller Direwolf approached without fear, earning further respect from the massive creature before it.


    The two''s foreheads touched. Filthy''s six-foot tame looked like a pup standing in front of its mother.


    After the pair spent time conversing, Geth could see that the sheen on the Sub-Boss'' fur started to dull. The beast''s life force slowly drained and empowered the smaller wolf.


    It took much more time than the previous transfers had, showing that this creature could have held on longer even if the party hadn''t shown up.


    It didn''t grow anyrger, but Filthy''s Tame took on the metallic properties of the Sub-Boss. Its fur hardened and turned silver while its eyes turned grey.


    After the Sub-Bosses death, the smaller wolf searched around the beast''s corpse for a few moments before returning with something in its jaws.


    It dropped a card in front of Geth before padding over to Filthy. The wolf rubbed up against its master and pointed its nose toward the corpse.


    "He says that the Direwolf wanted you to have that. He also said that we have to take its corpse."


    Geth picked up the card before looking at the body of the massive wolf. He found it hard to concentrate, but he estimated the corpse to be close to eight thousand pounds.


    "Uhh... does anyone have enough storage for it?"


    All eyes turned to Zolis. Everyone had seen the Carry Weight Talent that she possessed.


    "Well... I can, but someone is going to have to take my stuff!"


    She proceeded to empty her storage item with thergest capacity. Hundreds of boxes, chests, corpses, Skill Cards, broken weapons, intact weapons, and many other misceneous items poured onto the floor.


    The rest of the party had to move back multiple paces to keep from being crushed by the discharge of items.


    "All right, that should be i... What?"


    Zolis looked up to find that everyone was staring at her strangely. She nced at the pile before her and then back to the others.


    She shrugged, "I like my loot."

 Chapter 215: The Power Of Auras

    Chapter 215: The Power Of Auras


    Everyoneughed while Geth stored as much as he could. He motioned for the others to gather up as much of his wife''s junk as they could.


    "Prioritize the corpses, weapons, and Skill Cards. If you can fit the other things, please do so.


    Once you''re done, be quick about using your Points. We don''t know if that creature will approach us up here."


    Geth maxed two of his storage items and left the third half full. He hurriedly sat and leaned against a nearby wall, closing his eyes.


    The awkward feeling still hadn''t subsided. He took a deep breath and looked at the card that the Sub-Boss had left for him.


    ***


    Direwolf Cub, Lvl 1


    HP- 150


    MP- 50


    Strength- 15


    Agility- 10


    Defense- 50 +[25]


    Wisdom- 15


    Intelligence- 15


    Skills:


    -Pack Resistance (Passive)


    When in the presence of four more Direwolves of the same pack, gain a bonus amount of Strength and Defense. Increase of 5 Attribute points per pack member in a 50-foot vicinity.


    -Steel Body (Passive)


    Increases the Direwolf''s Defense by turning its fur into armor. Has four stages. Current stage, Defense +50% [25]


    Due to the extra weight, Strength must remain at 20% or above base Defense to function.


    Equipment:


    None


    ***


    He was speechless.


    ''Albus... what is this? Did it put itself here?''


    ''Hmm... I believe that''s its child. How is it in a Taming Card... well, maybe the Sub-Boss forced a ve Contract on it?


    It could have been donest second to keep the creature below us from finding it. Whatever did all of this wasn''t the Boss. Make sure to tread carefully when you proceed...''


    Geth nodded. He didn''t believe that this was the Boss'' doing, either.


    ''All right. Thankfully, the system counted all of these as kills.''


    Staying in his mental sphere helped alleviate some of the awkwardness he was feeling. The fog that surrounded him had now turned into a swamp that kept his senses from working at all.


    He turned to his Skill and Talent list and began dumping Points.


    *****


    The wolf''s Master looked over toward Geth. The feeling that he gave off was that of admiration.


    His wolf sat beside him, also looking with respect toward the man sitting by the entrance. If it weren''t for that man, he likely wouldn''t have received the wolf''s inheritance.


    The Sub-Boss hadn''t left its child with Geth on a whim. It had simply felt the pressure radiating from this man fill the room.


    It was only natural that its child should be with someone who could protect it. It had passed on his inheritance to Filthy''s Tame for the sole purpose of training its child in the future.


    This was the price that he had to pay for the contract. He looked at his Master once again.


    ''Master, you should hurry too. There is no telling when that creature will appear.''


    Filthy nodded. His Tame had shown him the images. The beast was frightening.


    The wolf watched its Master pull up his character sheet from beside him. This was one of the best things thate from bing this man''s Tame.


    Just when he was about to look at his own, he felt a sudden change in the room''s atmosphere. The wolf''s eyes swung to where the strong man was sitting.


    A feeling of foreboding rose up in him. He wanted to flee.


    ''Master...''


    ''It will be okay. Whatever he''s doing, I''m sure he has a n.''


    *****


    Somewhere else in the Dungeon... far below where the party currently resided.


    "It seems that they have finally taken oooouuuut thest of your subordinates. Hahahahoooo! Hoooww exciting!"


    Arge, muscr man sat beside a pure ck Direwolf. The man had patches of gray fur growing from most of his skin, leaving only some of his face clear.


    The Direwolf was around ten feet tall and carried an heir of royalty about it. This aura even permeated through the massive chains that were draining its life force.


    The strange man sat at the wolf''s head. The chains running throughout the underground Dungeon had all led to the object on which he sat.


    Bloodline Aura poured up from the cylindrical object and entered through the man''s pores. He breathed deeply as if the aura were some drug of which he couldn''t get enough.


    "Yooouuuu are stubborn, wolf. We have simr Bloodlines, just give me yooouuuurs and die already."


    The shaggy man scratched at an area behind his ear and stared at the beast. The Direwolf King returned his stare defiantly.


    "Ahh, noooooo matter. Your child is tagging aloooooong with one of these Humans, anyway. We''ll see hoooww well you hold out when I''m killing him in front of yoouuuuu! Hahoowhahahoow!"


    The man had spat the word Humans out like he was talking about mere insects. Some of the defiance dropped from the King''s eyes when he heard this.


    "I can''t believe that yooouuur children all died to a bunch of Huuuuuumans. Disgracef-"


    The man''s body twitched. Something was wrong.


    He looked toward the ceiling. He could vaguely sense the Humans creeping about two floors up... but there was something else.


    "That''s sooooo familiar..."


    It went away as quickly as it hade. He waited but didn''t feel anything else out of the ordinary.


    The Direwolf King stared intently at the ceiling as well. Its instincts were screaming at it to get out of there.


    "Anyway. As yoooouuu can see. If you give up, I''ll just sap your life foooorce and leave. There''s no need for your child to die."


    ''Doesn''t mean that I won''t kill it on my way out, anyway.''


    "Hey! Are yooou fucking listening to me?!"


    The Direwolf King seemed petrified. Even its life force was draining faster, albeit only marginally.


    "Well, at least we''re getting somewhere."


    He closed his eyes to concentrate on absorbing the Bloodline Aura. Before he had the chance... he felt that strange power again.


    "This aura..."


    The peculiar sensation exploded, filling the Dungeon with a highly potent aura. The wolfman looked up in fear.


    His instincts took over. Without a second thought, he fled to the exit in the back of the tunnel.


    Even after leaving all of his equipment there, he never looked back.

 Chapter 216: Test

    Chapter 216: Test


    Meanwhile... at an abandoned location in the center of the Voodoo Bayou in Louisiana, three figures sat meditating. An eerie red aura surrounded them, altering any Mana that passed through.


    "For the umpteenth time, Barbas, yes! I made sure that they were taken care of.


    Both ''Albus'' and that brat that he was tied to. If they didn''t manage to survive something as simple as that, then they don''t deserve the gift that we left for them!"


    *Sigh*


    Barbas took a break from cultivating and spat off into the distance.


    *Ptui*


    "I really hate Humans. They are so fragile that even when you try to help them, you still have to worry about whether or not they survived."


    Barbas shook his head.


    ''If it weren''t for my friendship with him, I would have never wasted my time. That kid was the only one advanced enough to handle unlocking some of his Grimoire''s authentic memories.


    That idiot probably still thinks that the Demons are the ones who pushed to eradicate the Humans. Pathetic.


    Even when the evidence was right in front of him, even the strongest Human didn''t have the power to sense the difference.''


    It was a minute change. Even most Demons couldn''t tell the difference.


    Barbas just happened to have more control over Demonic Energy than most. When the other "Demons" were casting spells, he could tell that the energy wasn''t being used properly.


    There was such a slight difference that he almost didn''t notice it at first. It wasn''t until thousands of Demons had already been infected that he realized something was off.


    By then... it was toote.


    "I don''t understand why you''d try helping that brat again anyway. After not believing you the first time, I would''ve just killed him."


    Draug just couldn''t understand why Barbas would go so far for a Human. They should be strong enough to handle the problem without the weakling''s help, right?


    It was at this moment that the third interjected. She opened her eyes, an aura almost as powerful as that of Barbas pouring out.


    "I don''t believe that his decision was wrong. What I don''t understand is why you didn''t just give it to him. Why all the theatrics?"


    Barbas shook his head.


    "Jiliyah, you know damn well that the effects are exponentially more remarkable if it''s earned, not given.


    Aside from that... If we were able to hijack a spot in the Redo Formation... Don''t you think that those creatures were capable as well?"


    Both of the other Demons fell silent. He was right. There were likely many more of the strange creatures than Demons.


    "We should have plenty of time to get ahead. The other Demons who ended up on this continent should be making their way here.


    The Demonic Energy in this ce is exceptionally thick. It should act as a beacon to any true Demons with no problem."


    Barbas took a deep breath, absorbing more of the potent energy floating around him. He''d lost most of his strength during the transition... but that should be true of their enemies as well.


    He looked back at Draug. He specialized in Formations and was the only reason they''d managed to hitch a ride.


    It took an extreme amount of energy, but they had managed to connect a separate path on the edge of the Redo Formation that allowed 20 of them to tag along.


    Whether or not they all survived was a different story. Even if they did, Barbas and Jiliyah were the strongest, and their power level had been reduced to that of a Tier 6 Race.


    Out of the others, there were likely only one or two Tier 5, and the rest were Tier 4 or below. It was almostical that the Demon Race had fallen so far.


    "You said that the others will be here in a little over a year, right? That''s barely enough time for us to increase Tiers more than once or twice.


    How will we get them to believe us? Unless we had our full power, it''s likely we couldn''t even gain an audience with Asmodeus or Lillith."


    Barbas had the same thoughts. He''d been thinking of a solution but could onlye up with one... and he didn''t like it.


    "Even if we did gain an audience, the Demons are too prideful. They wouldn''t take any precautions regardless.


    It''s risky... but I say that we kill our former selves and take their ce. I was a mere Tier 3 Demon when we first arrived here. It wouldn''t be difficult."


    The jaws of the other two Demons dropped. What had they just heard?


    "Wouldn''t you just cease to exist!?" Draug asked.


    Barbas shook his head.


    "This is an entirely different branch of the timeline starting from the moment that we arrived here. It won''t affect the branch that we came from or any of the other branches outside of this one."


    Draug looked at him curiously, "If we can''t fix our own timeline, what''s the point?"


    Barbas shrugged, "To survive."


    Jiliyah nodded.


    "We couldn''t y dumb for much longer. The Core was already investigating us."


    Draug shuddered when he heard the name. The Core was made up of twenty Demons just as strong as Barbas and Jiliyah.


    Each member led a legion of Demons that were born with the same Bloodline as them.


    Barbas'' Bloodline Trait was that of strength. He was the top Demon in terms of raw physical power.


    Jiliyah''s Bloodline Trait was that of a soul stealer. Her subordinates specialized in stealing life and performing strange magic with Life Essence.


    Draug was a part of Mephisto''s Bloodline. He was an intelligent Demon who specialized in knowledge and mental magic.


    He couldn''t imagine how something had affected all but the two sitting in front of him. Even the leaders of the Core had changed.


    ''Then again... If the enemy had started early enough, wouldn''t it be pretty easy. If I remember correctly, Mephisto should only be a Tier 5 Demon once he appeared here...''


    Unbeknownst to the others, a different n had already begun to form in Draug''s mind.


    Just as these thoughts urred, all three of their heads whipped toward the north. An unmatched Demonic Energy was radiating toward them.


    "That''s..."


    Barbas shook his head. This was impossible.


    "Draug, just how hard of a test did you give him!?"

 Chapter 217: Gods And Dragons

    Chapter 217: Gods And Dragons


    All around the world, heads began to turn and look toward this new source of power.


    The few Demons who managed to gather were stunned. They heatedly discussed the implications.


    Some felt that this must have been the birth of this timeline''s first Tier 9 creature. Some others believed that Asmodeus himself had managed to break into this timeline.


    In a dark cavern, somewhere deep below where the Phugtal Monastery once stood, a strange creature was roused from a deep slumber. Its head turned and looked toward the source of this strange disturbance.


    Somewhere in the west, an ancient power was awakening. The creature rose and stretched its stiff muscles. Its actions caused the entire cavern to shake.


    ''How long hassss it been?''


    The creature looked down into the small pond next to which it had been sleeping. This pond was one of the few sources of Mana left on Earth.


    Its reflection showed in the bright blue water. Its body looked like that of a Human man, its height being just over seven feet.


    The man looked down at his body. The scales that made up his skin were covered in thousand-year-old dust and grime.


    ''To think that the Great Vritra hasssss been pushed to thissss.''


    Many thousands of years ago, the "God" Indra had attacked the great Dragon, driving him into hiding. All because Vritra had stolen some of their precious liquid Mana.


    The self-named "Gods" had ughtered many ancient creatures for trying to gain a bit of power for themselves. The Gods had finally caved in and separated the worlds, taking most of the energy out of reach of the other Races.


    Vritra was one of the many who didn''t participate in the war against the Gods. Indra had injured him too deeply, and he''d been in hiding all this time.


    When the seal was ced, Vritra was forced into a deep slumber. There wasn''t enough Mana on Earth for a creature like him to survive.


    Vritra spread his senses out, finding that the cavern and Mana pool before him had expanded to ten times their original size.


    ''I sssssee... the ssseal hasss sstarted to break.''


    Arge grin red on the scaled man''s face, the thick dust and dirt cracking at the edges. Vritra stepped into the pool of Mana, using his control to circte the liquid and clean off the ancient filth from his body.


    Soon, his eyes that were once welded shut fluttered open. Bright yellow eyes with slit pupils looked into the distance.


    A forked tongue slithered from its dry mouth as it spoke for the first time in many millennia.


    "I''ll have to thank that kid for waking me... but firsssst, I have other mattersss to tend to."


    *****


    Many simr instances urred worldwide as the burst of power woke these ancient beings. One specific being looked toward the source with great interest.


    She had witnessed many of the Demon''s Bloodline Awakening Trials in her time, but she''d never felt anything like this. The amount of power was suffocating, even from here.


    The woman looked across the world, staring at the strange man and hispanions. They were weak but seemed to have much more potential than Humans should have had.


    ''What Demon would waste its power to awaken the Bloodline of a Human?''


    The situation didn''t make any sense. The Races may have joined together against the Gods many thousands of years ago, but Demons always hated Humans.


    ''This Human doesn''t have a trace of Demon''s blood. So why...?''


    A Demon would have to drop down an entire Tier just to provide the energy for an awakening trial. No Demon would do that unless it were for a direct descendant.


    The Bloodline Awakening Trials used to be held every decade. A Higher Demon would sacrifice one Tier''s worth of Demonic Energy to create a powerful creature.


    The young contestants in the trial would fight to the brink of death. They would be rescued just before thest of their life energy faded.


    Depending on how long theysted or how much damage they did to the creature, a certain amount of potential would be unlocked.


    She''d only witnessed two Demons who''d managed to kill the creature in their trial, and they grew to be entities that could rival the Gods.


    This Human''s aura was just as powerful, if not more, than those two.


    *Sigh*


    "This human will need guidance."


    Apate looked at the scene with pity. Whoever the Demon was could have at least stuck around to make sure the trial had ended well.


    She floated into the skies and looked at the world below her.


    ''It''s much smaller than it was in my time. My brothers and sisters really took everything worth taking.''


    She shook her head sadly. Apate had never agreed with the way the Gods treated the other Races.


    Resources were meant to be shared by all, not hoarded by a select few. She had been chased away and almost beaten to death but managed to find a safe ce to hide.


    The Gods then spread her name as a being of deceit, causing her life to be a constant struggle. When she heard about the Gods splitting the world, she''d found a ce to hide away from their senses.


    Simr things had happened to many of the Gods or Goddesses that were thought poorly of. In fact, those were the only ones that attempted to help the other Races.


    Most were dead, but there were still a few that had ended up in other worlds. Apate had been living all of this time in the world of the Undead.


    "Hmm..."


    She looked in another direction.


    "It seems that one of the Dragons has remained on the Human this whole time."


    She spread her senses around the.


    "Four... Six... Nine... It looks like only nine of the higher Races managed to hide away before the split. But what are these other creatures..?"


    She could sense small groups of Demons, Beasts, and a Race that she didn''t recognize. All of these creatures were much more powerful than the others on the.


    ''It looks like the seal has only broken for a few of the weakers. So why are there so many creatures above Tier 4...?''

 Chapter 218: Control (part 1)

    Chapter 218: Control (part 1)


    Geth looked through the Talents and Skills he had avable. His head had started throbbing, but he persisted with using his Points before their big battle.


    Of the 140 Attribute Points he''d gained, he decided to put 50 Points into Intelligence and 90 into Wisdom.


    Even though it was an incredible amount, he had a limit to what he could store in his memory. His Intelligence would need to stay in a specific range so that his learning speed from Wisdom wouldn''t overtake the amount of knowledge he could store.


    He used 17 SP to bring his Greater Mending Skill from Rare to Epic. The Skill that he learned was called Minor Resurrection.


    It couldn''t bring someone back to life, but he could instantly heal someone or something on death''s door.


    It had the added benefit of being able to regrow appendages, no matter how much time had passed. Geth figured that Bruce would appreciate this spell.


    He hesitated before spending any more points.


    ''I can get a few more Skills to Epic... but what about getting this Skill to Legendary?''


    If this was Minor Resurrection, then wouldn''t the next be Resurrection? What capabilities would it have?


    He nor Albus knew how much it would cost to upgrade a Skill to Legendary. If it followed the usual pattern, it would be in the ballpark of 41 SP to bring from Level 0 to the next Rarity.


    Geth decided to upgrade the Skill to Level 4, costing him 23 SP. What he saw after made his heart drop.


    To move from an Epic Level 4 Skill to a Legendary Level 0 Skill was a whopping 100 SP! That was almost all he had left!


    He was about to look through his other Skills when the headache suddenly became worse. It felt like his brain had ruptured.


    Geth was taken aback when his mind withdrew to his mental sphere, his body bing nothing but an empty shell.


    "Albus, what the fuck is going on?"


    He called for his friend, but there was no response. None of his selves were wandering around his usually lively mental sphere.


    Geth tried to summon one but to no avail.


    He closed his eyes and spread his senses, finding that the blockage had finally been removed. Not only that, his senses extended much farther than they had in the past.


    Though it seemed a cause to celebrate, he didn''t have any wish to do so. What he saw didn''t make any sense.


    His body was standing on its own. Or... at least he assumed it was his body.


    Geth''s hair and beard had turned a pure white on the outside. Purple highlights ran along the white.


    His skin had turned pitch-ck, making it difficult to see him. His equipment wasn''t anywhere to be seen.


    The figure stood near the entrance, its eyes were closed, and purple energy was pulsating around it. The rest of his party was scattered around the room.


    It looked as if some force had pushed them back into the walls. Each of them began to stagger to their feet, looking at Geth''s body with both concern and trepidation.


    "Did... I do that?"


    Geth used his senses to observe the purple energy pulsating around him. It was strange.


    It reminded him of a mixture of that Demon Energy he''d seen before, Mana, and his own life force. The aura was so thick that it was practically physical.


    His head turned to the nearby wall. Geth could tell that it had sensed the Mana that the ce had absorbed due to the Mana Geyser.


    At that exact moment, Geth felt the agonizing hunger that this... thing... was feeling. It was insatiable.


    The figure put its hand on the wall, a strong suction force forming in its palm. He could feel the Mana in the wall being absorbed and transitioning into the purple aura around him.


    Jack, being the closest, walked over and tapped him on the shoulder. Geth could feel the sensation and hear the words as if he weren''t in his mental sphere.


    "Uhh... Geth... Is everything all right? Is this some new Skill of you- kk!"


    Geth''s body had turned and grabbed the young man by the throat, lifting him into the air and looking at him curiously.


    "Stop!"


    Geth shouted inside his mental sphere, but it simply echoed back to him. He watched as the creature''s suction ability pulled some of the life force from the man.


    What was worse, Geth could feel the surprise his body felt at the increase in power and then the delight when it realized this was a better source for quelling the hunger that it felt.


    Jack looked on in fear as he watched his health slipping away. Just when Geth started to be worried for Jack''s life, he felt a force m into his side.


    His body slid a few feet, but his grip on Jack loosened, allowing the man to get away. Geth took that moment of surprise and tried to suppress whatever this thing was, but he didn''t know where to start.


    That''s when he found that the ck sphere some distance from his own was giving off that same purple aura.


    That aura had pushed down the long hallway and was seeping through the now open door. It looked like it was trying to consume his outer sphere.


    ''Is that it..?''


    He controlled his Mana to attack the energy that was invading his mind. The moment he retaliated, he felt a burst of power on the outside.


    The creature had definitely felt his attack.


    ''Alright then, let''s see what you think about this.''


    Geth controlled theke of condensed Mana and brought it out full force. It roared as a tidal wave formed and rushed toward his outer sphere.


    ''Hmph.''


    Geth smirked as he felt the creature''s fear. Maybe it could have taken over a weaker mind without much of a fight, but not his.


    While the creature was distracted, chains rose up around his body outside. It seemed his friends were trying to suppress him.


    "Good. Let''s see how you handle your attention being split."


    Thus, the fight for control began.

 Chapter 219: Control (part 2)

    Chapter 219: Control (part 2)


    Each time the Blue and Purple energy shed, both liquids evaporated. At first, Geth was happy with this development, but as time drew on, he realized that his body was pulling more Mana from the environment than his Immersion could replenish.


    The two energies pressed forward, each searching for an opportunity to overtake the other. Geth controlled his Mana to slide around the broken walls of the dome while the purple energy tried to pierce straight through.


    Neither were gaining the upper hand.


    The purple energy had the advantage due to its speed of replenishment, but every time it would get ahead, something on the outside would distract it. This gave Geth the chance to cut it off at the doorway and destroy what had made it into his mental sphere.


    By the time he would clean up the residual aura, a new wave of purple energy would burst from the tunnel. Unless he could stop conserving Mana, this battle would remain a stalemate.


    *****


    Just a few moments ago, Sindri had watched as Geth''s skin took on a pitch-ck color. She thought nothing of it, believing that he''d simply learned a new Skill.


    That was... Until a menacing purple energy reced the calm Mana that usually surrounded him.


    A wave of power washed out from his position, pushing everyone back. No one was hurt. They were just driven back by the slow-moving wave until the wall stopped them.


    Geth simply stood there. He even looked around as if he were making sure everyone was okay before walking toward a nearby wall.


    Sindri sighed in relief. She watched curiously while he ced his hand on the glowing rock face.


    The walls began to dim as the Mana stored in them was siphoned toward his open palm. The purple aura surged outward, bing stronger with every second.


    ''I wonder what kind of Skill that is?''


    The purple aura made her hesitant to walk too close, so she decided to ask him through their Mana Resonance. Sindri connected to his sphere with her Mana...


    ''Huh?''


    That same purple aura surrounded his sphere in her mind and kept her from connecting. At that moment, she realized that Jack had already approached him.


    ''Shit.''


    Before she had the chance to call out to him, Jack had already ced his hand on Geth''s shoulder. The ck figure turned and grabbed the young man by the throat, lifting him into the air.


    Jack struggled against the man''s hold but to no avail. His life force slowly started to fade as the purple aura surrounding Geth became stronger.


    Sindri didn''t hesitate to use Heavy Bash, quickly covering the distance between the two and forcing Geth to stagger multiple steps back. His grip on Jack was loosened, allowing the young man to get away.


    Running into Geth was like mming into a mountain wall. Her arms shook, and her shield almost dropped to the ground.


    Something she noticed was that the purple aura blocking their mental connection had faded for a brief moment. Zolis seemed to catch it as well.


    "Everyone! Find a way to restrain him!"


    ''Sindri, keep trying to break through! The next time his guard is down, we can''t waste a second.''


    She nodded toward Zolis and blocked an attack from Geth. Sindri was pushed back multiple feet, her legs buckling slightly beneath her.


    ''I can''t take many hits like that.''


    Even some of the Sub-Bosses that she''d tanked hadn''t been able to hit that hard. Just what kind of power was this?


    ''At least he doesn''t seem capable of using any Skills.''


    Gethunched from his location, leaving a small crater beneath him, and leapt toward Sindri''s position. She braced herself for the impact... but it never came.


    She peaked over the edge of her shield and found that chains had caught onto Geth''s leg and were slowly winding their way around his body.


    "I can''t hold it for long!" Felix called out, "Whatever Skill he''s using is sapping my Mana through the chains!"


    Felix then nced around the room.


    "Peter, see if one of your Spirits can help calm him! Filthy, prepare your Power Shot to knock him back toward the entrance! Sindri, Zolis, find a way to get through to him!"


    Sindri looked back at Geth while the others made ns to contain him. Those chains wouldn''tst long. They were already beginning to crack under the pressure.


    ''Do you feel the fluctuationsing from him? The block on our connection is fading in and out. I think I can reach him.''


    Sindri tried to sense what Zolis was feeling, but she couldn''t.


    ''Your bond with him is much stronger than mine. I can''t feel any changes. I''ll at least try to keep him busy. Hurry up on your end.''


    The chains around Geth shattered. Felix dropped to one knee, exhausted at having kept him tied down for so long.


    Before Geth could gain his footing, an arrow mmed into his chest, knocking him off his feet and throwing him back toward the cavern entrance.


    Geth used the momentum of the arrow''s push to flip backward andnd on his feet, stopping him from being driven into the hallway. He pushed off the soles of his feet, his muscles bulging as he rocketed toward the nearest target.


    His shoulder mmed into Peter, who was trying to call out his Ancestral Spirit.


    The sudden attackunched the chubby man into the nearest wall. With everyone''s advanced senses, they could distinctly hear multiple bones shattering as Peter''s health dropped under half.


    Geth didn''t halt his movements for a moment, pivoting toward the closest target. Sindri readied herself for the attack, noticing from the corner of her eye that the others were preparing attacks of their own.


    She felt like she was hit head-on by a truck. Her shield pressed into her, and both of her arms cracked.


    Sindri''s shield fell uselessly to the ground. Her arms dangled limply by her sides as tears formed in both of her eyes.


    That''s when she noticed the figure falter. Geth''s body seemed to hesitate, and she could feel the link between them suddenly connect.


    She heard Geth''s voice, but only one word managed to make it through.


    ''Run!''

 Chapter 220: Control (part 3)

    Chapter 220: Control (part 3)


    The feeling of craving and hunger that filled the room briefly scattered, only to be reced by something else. During that moment, their connections took hold.


    ''Run!''


    Zolis could clearly hear his voice. Sindri had fallen in front of him and seemed to be hesitating instead of heeding his advice.


    Not that Zolis nned on running either. Geth''s voice was clear this time, but even before that, she could hear the muffled sounds of him fighting through their Resonance.


    It was faint, and she could only hear it for a second at a time, but it was there.


    ''He''s fighting against something, but what? Is it the Boss of this ce?''


    She didn''t feel that was right. Whatever Geth was fighting, it seemed familiar.


    The aura reminded her heavily of the times he would drop his mask, but there was one significant disparity.


    Geth would generally give off an air of indifference that caused most people to stay away from him. He would show genuine emotion only if she or the kids were involved, and it let her know that he wasn''t hollow.


    Recently, Sindri was added to the small list of people he felt something for. Seeing her broken and crying before him caused Zolis to feel the difference in his presence.


    Whatever he was emitting now was full of emptiness. Zolis could feel it even more due to the connection that they shared.


    She felt terrible.


    How could anyone feel this lonely and empty? It was like his body was nothing more than a shell.


    ''Is this what he''s always been hiding?''


    She let her introspections be and turned to the problem at hand. That empty feeling had once again been reced with hunger, and he was reaching toward Sindri.


    After many months of analyzing and learning to control her body, she found that she could utilize Strength for more than just causing damage.


    Zolis nted both feet on the ground and focused all of her Strength into her legs. Her muscles flexed, and her toes dug into the ground as she propelled herself forward.


    The earth shattered beneath her causing dust to fly into the air. The sudden burst of speed was more than even Filthy could contend with.


    She arrived before Geth in an instant. Her fist met with his gut, causing his body to fold beforeunching backward and caving in a nearby wall.


    Zolis picked up Sindri and quickly moved her away while Geth tried to push his way out of the small crater.


    She leaned Sindri up against the pir in the middle of the room and nced around.


    Jack was unconscious, Peter wasn''t moving, Sindri''s arms were broken, and Felix was still dealing with the bacsh of running out of Mana.


    Swole wouldn''t be much help. Filthy''s skillset was focused on killing. Rift and ze''s spells would just damage everyone in the vicinity.


    ''Well. I''ll see what I can do.''


    She wasn''t sure what Geth needed, but she could tell that she could sense him more every time his body was injured. Could Geth take control if she could keep the creature from absorbing more Mana?


    She didn''t know, but she would find out.


    His body had just broken free from the wall and was sprinting toward her. She met him head-on, her hammer mming heavily onto his fist.


    To her surprise, she was the one who lost the exchange. Her arms felt numb, and she was forced to take a step back.


    Geth didn''t waste time letting her regain her bnce. Heshed out, just barely missing a direct strike to her temple.


    Zolis jumped backward and swung her hammer again, catching his right shoulder and causing his arm to go limp. The two continued their back and forth for several seconds.


    Each strike she managed tond caused her connection with him to stabilize. Each strike the creaturended would drain some of her life force and keep them frommunicating.


    She was on the losing end. Her stamina was quickly running out while Geth''s body continually became stronger.


    When an opportunity arose, Swole joined in. He may not have been fast, but each hit he managed tond was devastating.


    ''Zolis. -- to ge- - off the ground. I won''t be -- --- st-- it --ess its Mana abs--- --wer than mi--.''


    She managed to pick up a broken message from him, which she couldn''t quite make out.


    ''Off the ground, huh?''


    That part was clear enough. She allowed the creature to step in close.


    Her hammer was ineffective for an attack at this range, but...


    Zolis took a direct hit to her chest and used the force to spin with her hammer. The creature tripped over the shaft, falling back first onto the end.


    She used the weapon like a spat, lifting the end andunching Geth''s body into the air.


    *****


    As its feet left the ground, the creature began to spaz out. Geth could feel a mixture of fear and angering from the once empty aura.


    The creation of the purple energy slowed to a crawl, allowing Geth to gain the upper hand. He pushed his Mana forward like a spear and charged toward the ck mental sphere.


    He managed to cut into the long tunnel, vaporizing the purple energy as he went. Geth didn''t have much time, his body was already halfway to the ground, and Zolis was too beat up to make it happen again.


    He continued pushing into the tunnel, determined to crush this ck sphere so that something like this wouldn''t happen again. The tunnel was long, and Geth had only made it a little past halfway when his body hit the ground.


    ''Fuck!''


    He realized that something was wrong. The creature wasn''t even trying to absorb Mana anymore. It was angry.


    A sense of foreboding filled him, and he rushed to cover thest stretch of tunnel before him.


    The creature kicked off once more,unching itself toward Zolis. Geth stopped holding back and used every ounce of his Mana to push himself into the tunnel.


    ''Almost...''


    He could see the door just in front of him. Broken chains wrapped around the ck sphere, the door before him was slightly cracked open.


    Geth knew that all he had to do was close the door, but purple energy was pouring out of it, trying to hold him back.


    ....


    That''s when he felt it.


    His heart and mind suddenly felt like they were about to burst. There was a violent disturbance in his mental sphere.


    His senses spread out, finding that Zolis'' Mana Resonance was beginning to crumble.


    ''What..?''


    He was suddenly able to see through his own eyes clearly, though he still wasn''t in control.


    A sick, sticky feeling drenched his hand. Blood dripped heavily onto his shoulder.


    Zolis'' body hung limply from his arm.

 Chapter 221: Control (Final)

    Chapter 221: Control (Final)


    Geth stared ahead, not believing what he was seeing. He was toote.


    His mind went nk, the Mana he had been controlling fell lifeless, and the purple energy began to surround him.


    Even through this, he just stared at the hanging body of his wife before him. Blood dripped down his arm and fell off of his pitch-ck shoulder onto the ground.


    His heart raced, and he activated Time Dy on himself.


    Time slowed to a crawl. A single drop of blood took over an hour to fall from his elbow to his shoulder.


    He gazed at Zolis, unsure of what to do.


    She was dead.


    Not hurt.


    Not dying.


    Dead.


    A feeling of nothingness washed over him. His eyes lost any semnce of emotion, and a small ck hole appeared in the center of his chest.


    There was no anger, sorrow, grief... Just a deep nothingness and a need to fill it with something.


    Geth still wasn''t in control of his body. He could feel the creature slowly pulling his arm out and looking for another target.


    It would take a while for this to happen.


    He turned and looked at the ck iron door that was cracked open before him.


    At first, he''d just wanted to seal this thing away and find a way to deal with itter.


    Now, he moved to tear the door open and cross the threshold.


    There were no thoughts. No curiosities. His body moved as if running on some primal instinct.


    Geth opened the door. The ck metal siphoned the Mana that was trying to follow him in.


    With a wave of his hand, he sent the Mana back to guard his mental sphere, allowing the purple energy to overtake him.


    He looked into the room, finding it was raven ck, making it impossible to see what waited inside. Geth tried to extend his senses into the darkness, finding it was just as useless as using his eyes.


    With no hesitation, he walked straight into the abyss.


    As his foot crossed the threshold of the sphere, purple energy lit the dome, revealing... nothing.


    Geth looked around the room and found that it waspletely empty. There were no signs that any type of creature had ever inhabited this ce.


    His feet moved forward without pause, taking him further into the room and the swirling purple haze that filled it.


    Geth stopped and sat cross-legged in the center of the chamber. He wasn''t sure how his mind knew what to do, but everything felt vaguely familiar.


    He closed off all of his external senses and focused on the hole that had appeared on his chest. Both of his hands cupped together seamlessly around the opening.


    The space between his fingers began to spin, much like the device he''d made to turn gaseous Mana into a liquid. The purple mist around him crept unhurriedly toward his hands.


    With his senses closed off, he didn''t know what was happening on the outside.


    A massive red orb left his inventory of its own ord. He would have recognized it as the only item outside of the Dungeon Crystal that had survived the explosion of the World Boss.


    The orb hovered in front of him, where a peculiar purple whirlpool had appeared in the center of his chest.


    Sensing the orb''s presence, the suction of the whirlpool increased severalfold. The globe broke down into fine dust and allowed itself to be absorbed by the strange vortex.


    At the same time, Geth''s mental sphere began to grow. A third sphere surrounded the original two, all of them increasing in size.


    Inside the ck sphere, the purple haze raced toward the opening in Geth''s chest. The emptiness inside him continued to fill until he felt that he would burst.


    His cupped palms ttened together, cutting off the ess of the purple mist. The whirlpool hovering in front of him faded out of existence, leaving behind a strange marking on his chest.


    Everything in the room settled. The mist returned to floating peacefully near the ceiling while Geth''s face dropped into his hands.


    The emptiness was gone. Tears fell from his eyes and stained his cheeks when his senses returned to normal.


    As the tears fell onto the ck foundation upon which he sat, a strange development took ce on the outside.


    The creature''s eyes began to sting. It lifted its open hand toward its cheek, seemingly not under the effects of the Time Dy.


    It pulled its hand away from its face and found its fingers stained by a purple liquid.


    What was this..?


    The hunger that it had felt... it was gone?


    What was this feeling that reced it?


    The creature looked toward the woman still hanging limply from its arm. The difort in its chest became worse.


    It carefullyid the woman down on the ground, removing its arm from her chest. The feelings increased as it stood over the bloodied body.


    This was the first time it had known something other than emptiness.


    Geth sensed these developments. He could even see that his skin was returning to its former pigment.


    The thing that caught his eye the most, though... was Zolis. A fragile white light traced around her entire body.


    It was fading.


    The despair suddenly turned into an overwhelming hope that both he and the creature felt. He could feel the beast bing overwhelmed by these new feelings as it seemed to withdraw into the ck mental sphere.


    Geth didn''t have time to exchange pleasantries. He could feel that his connection with Albus had been restored, and he rushed out to meet him.


    "Albus! Albus! I need you to pull up my Skills! Now!"


    Albus shook his head as if he were disoriented. He waved his hand and made the Skill screen appear while trying to get an idea of what had happened.


    His jaw became ck when he noticed Zolis'' Resonance crumbling above him.


    Geth barrelled out of the long tunnel that connected the two spheres. His momentum didn''t slow until he almost crashed into Albus.


    He scrolled down to his newest Skill, Minor Resurrection. Geth pumped in 100 of his SP to upgrade the Skill to Legendary without a second thought.


    There was an unlimited use spell between the two options that could infinitely resurrect someone, but it would weaken them each time, and they would lose some of their memories.


    The second option could only be used on a target once a year, but there were no adverse effects.


    After a bit of internal debate, Geth chose the second option. A blinding sh of light filled his mental sphere as a massive golden Formation reced what was once the Minor Ressurection Rune.


    An immense surge of new information flooded his mind as the Formation etched itself into the air above him. With each flourishing stroke of Mana, another book full of knowledge drove itself into his memory.


    He nced up at the blinding Formation above him, realizing that there was only a limited number of Legendary Skills one could possess without enough Intelligence.


    He didn''t have time to admire the intricacies.


    Without hesitation, he shifted out of his sphere and took control of his body.

 Chapter 222: Purple

    Chapter 222: Purple


    Geth saw through his own eyes for the first time since this shit show had begun. He looked down at Zolis'' body, only to be surprised once again.


    A white orb was hovering just above her body. It was no bigger than a basketball, but the power it gave off was enough to light a city block back on Earth.


    Though Geth had learned the Skill, he realized that he couldn''t cast it instantly. He needed a moment to sort through the information that had been engraved with the Formation.


    The orb didn''t seem to be fading, and now that he was back to normal, time moved incredibly slow for him. With none of his selves out, he coulde close to reproducing the effects of Time Dy without actually using the Skill on himself.


    The first thing he took notice of were the attacks aimed at him. It hadn''t even been a tenth of a second since he''de to.


    Outside of ze, none of his would-be assants had the Wisdom needed to sense the difference before their attacks were fired.


    As Geth predicted, ze canceled his spell almost instantly. Rift had time to weaken his attack but not enough time to cancel it entirely.


    Filthy had already released two arrows, and Swole was in the process of transforming.


    Geth cast his eyes at ze before using State Change to drop himself, Zolis, and the nearby Sindri below ground.


    The three soon fell into a strange chamber that looked closer to ab than a cave. Geth manipted mud from the ground and used it to break their fall.


    ''Geth... Is that really you?''


    He heard Sindri''s voice through their Resonance, but he didn''t have time to respond. Geth just nodded and continued memorizing the new data he''d received.


    Sindri sounded despondent, and he wanted to tell her things would be okay, but he wasn''t sure how much time he had left.


    ''So, this orb is her life essence. The spell essentially allows me to grab onto it and push it back into her chest while simultaneously healing her body.''


    Geth nced at the orb once again, then at his avable Mana. He only had one chance to get it right.


    Something had happened, and his Mana and recovery had both increased, but he still only had around 6000 avable at the moment. The new spell, Resurrection, cost 5000 MP to cast. Even then, it wasn''t a one-and-done spell.


    The spell simply coated his hands with restoring Mana. Geth then had to guide the orb back into her chest and then control it to circte through Zolis'' body until life was restored to her.


    ''Alright, here goes everything...''


    Geth put everything he had into casting both Restoration and Resurrection simultaneously. Both of his hands and her body became covered in a golden aura.


    Zolis'' wounds closed up instantly. The blood, dirt, and grime that had built up expelled itself onto the ground, leaving her bodypletely sterile.


    Geth grabbed the floating orb with both hands and pushed it slowly down into her unmoving chest. The orb had to enter through the center of the sternum while keeping a swift rotating motion.


    He used his Mana to speed the rotation of the orb, causing it to look more like a than a ball of life.


    The whirling globe drilled into her chest, seeping through her pores and losing its shape inside of her.


    Once thest of the orb was inside, Geth could feel a faint heartbeat. It was just once, but he knew he was performing the spell properly.


    Geth adjusted her body so that it formed as much symmetry as possible. The arms had to be extended out while her legs had to remain perfectly straight.


    ''Sindri. Please hold her head in yourp. Make sure she''s looking straight at the ceiling, and DO NOT let her move.''


    Sindri nodded and quickly crawled forward to help. When Geth had cast Mass Restoration, the effects extended to her as well.


    She sat on her knees and lifted Zolis'' head into herp, wiping the hair from her face and ensuring that her head was in line with the rest of her body.


    Geth ced both hands on Zolis'' chest and forced his senses into her body. The rest of the world went dark, leaving only him, her, and the energy that was trying to force itself back out through her pores.


    He quickly contained the energy and began to force it apart inside of her.


    The first location was the heart. He took a sizeable section of life force and carried it to her heart with his right hand.


    His left hand continued to contain the rest of the energy. Once the life force had been molded into her heart, Geth closed his hand into a fist.


    Her heart contracted. He opened his hand back up, her heart expanded.


    Geth continued making these motions until he was able to control them without the use of his hand. His next step was to force her lungs to operate and make her breathe artificially.


    On top of that, he had to guide the blood from her lungs to her heart while simultaneously circting the blood in her veins.


    Geth had already split his inner selves into six, allowing each to control a different organ when the time came.


    The work was tedious.


    He had to make her entire body work artificially and keep it going until the process began naturally. Once the body was circting on its own, he had to send a st of Mana into her, once again locking in her life force.


    Geth regretted not paying more attention in biology. Thankfully, the golden Formation provided most of the information he needed.


    He worked diligently for many minutes, constantly making changes here and there when it felt like he was doing something wrong. Eventually, Zolis'' body finally stopped rejecting the life force and began to run on its own.


    Geth sted thest of his Mana into her body with one shot. Her skin glowed blue briefly until the Mana sunk into her body.


    Geth and Sindri waited impatiently for almost ten minutes before Zolis finally opened her eyes.


    She looked at the two of them. Sindri was crying, the young woman''s tears dripping down on Zolis'' face.


    Geth looked both relieved and genuinely happy at this moment. She couldn''t help but smile at him.


    She had felt every one of his emotions through that entire process. She was surprised at how strong his feelings had be.


    "I know I''ve said I like you deep, but... wasn''t this a bit much?"


    Geth looked at his wife incredulously. Sindri began tough through her tears, constantly sobbing while doing so.


    "You really have a way with words, you know?"


    Geth grinned and took her and Sindri both into his embrace.


    "I promise I''ll never let this happen again."


    The three sat like that for some time before Zolis pushed herself out. She looked Geth up and down before asking him another question.


    "Babe... I never took you for such a diva."


    Sindri and Zolis both startedughing. Geth just looked at them both, confused.


    "I''m... Sorry..?"


    Sindri manipted a pane of ice and turned it to face him. When Geth saw his reflection, he was stunned.


    His once brown hair and bright blue eyes were gone. In their ce...


    "Purple...."

 Chapter 223: Tier 3

    Chapter 223: Tier 3


    Geth looked at the two women chatting merrily before him. He was stunned by how calm the two were being.


    Sindri may not have known that Zolis had died, thinking that she was just heavily injured, but there was no way Zolis didn''t know.


    Those were his thoughts. He really didn''t know what she had experienced.


    "What?" Zolis turned toward him after feeling his gaze for so long. She was shocked to see so much worry in his eyes.


    She felt her cheeks flush, something that hadn''t happened often since they first started dating.


    "I just don''t know what I would do if I were to lose you."


    Geth grabbed both of her hands into his and pulled her to him again, kissing her deeply.


    He didn''t want to let go, but he still hadn''t taken the time to check his surroundings. There were also the changes in himself that needed to be looked over...


    ''One thing at a time.''


    He reluctantly let go of Zolis and spread his senses around the room. Geth was astonished to see how far his range had increased.


    Even the floor above was vaguely visible to him. He was relieved to see Jack, Peter, and Rift were back on their feet, though still a bit unstable.


    He turned his attention toward the room they were in.


    Geth recognized many of the chains they had seen above wrapped around the nearby pir. Three sets of chains were running parallel into a nearby tunnel.


    His senses couldn''t quite make it to the center.


    "We should wait for the others before proce-"


    Before Geth could finish his statement, Kane forced himself out of Geth''s mental sphere and took off down the hallway.


    *Sigh*


    "What is it now? You two head back up and tell the others to hurry up. I''ll follow him."


    He looked back at the two women with some unwillingness. Zolis rolled her eyes.


    "Just go. We can handle walking up to the next floor just fine. If we stay in touch through our Resonance, there''s no need to worry."


    "Ehh, sure."


    Geth would prefer to use that connection sparingly until he figured out what had happened to him. What if that aura somehow used it to take over Zolis or Sindri?


    He cast Mass Invocation, increasing his Agility and Wisdom, and sprinted after Kane.


    ''Why would he run off like that?''


    There had been a moment of apprehension, and then Kane was gone. Geth hadn''t even had a chance to call out to him.


    ''Albus, how did he manage to summon himself?''


    ''Easy, not only is he around the same Level, but he is also a higher Tier. Kane is your Tame, but he has certain freedoms that Bane doesn''t possess.''


    ''So what would happen if I had a Tier 7 Tame?''


    ''Well... let''s just say that you would be the one on a leash.''


    ''I see...''


    Albus settled back near the center of Geth''s mental sphere and spread his senses once again. He was troubled by the changes that Geth had gone through.


    "This is just... Why would the Demons want him to advance Tiers?"


    Albus mumbled to himself as he reyed the events since they''d run into Barbas and Draug.


    ''First the World Boss...''


    The World Boss had been mighty. Stronger than almost any creature on the current as far as Albus was aware.


    At least... that''s what he thought. The Direwolf and Ghost Races should be the only Tier 4 creatures here at the moment.


    How did the Demons get here? Were they trying to stop them from repairing the timeline? Why make Albus and Geth stronger?


    Two and two just wasn''t adding up to four.


    Albus looked around Geth''s three mental spheres. Some of the man''s selves were flying around inspecting the interior.


    The changes weren''t minimal.


    Not only did the third mental sphere appear, but his existing two had doubled in size. Geth still hadn''t asked to view his Attributes, but Albus was stunned silent.


    ''He has actually be a Tier 3 existence.''


    All of Geth''s base Attributes had increased, there were arge number of unused AP avable, and a unique Talent appeared that doubled his maximum Mana.


    Even the Immersion Formation had grown, increasing its initial 8x recovery to 10x!


    Albus understood why Geth had been experiencing so much mental pain and difort.


    He understood that the orb was a reward from a Bloodline Awakening Trial.


    He even understood this explosive increase in power.


    ''Just what was that strange creature that took over his body?''


    Albus stared toward the now open hallway that led to the ck sphere. Purple energy would sometimes seep out, but it didn''t seem harmful.


    There''s no way that Barbas could have known, right?


    While one held their trial reward, they would feel difort slowly build. Their abilities would take a dive, and they would eventually fall unconscious.


    While unconscious, the reward would bestow a single Tier''s worth of power. This process would repeat until the energy in the orb was utterly used up.


    Whatever that creature was, took advantage of Geth''s unconscious state. On top of that, it had absorbed the entire reward.


    Albus had never heard of something like this, and he wasn''t sure what would happen next.


    The most he could do was monitor the situation and share as much of his knowledge as possible.


    ''A Tier 3 Human. Who would have thought?''


    Albus continued studying the changes while Geth finally caught up to Kane.


    This tunnel hadn''t been like the simple tunnels they''d traveled before. This ce was a maze.


    Luckily, someone else had already done all of the grunt work, and he only had to follow the chains to the center.


    The passageway opened into an enormous chamber, no smaller than the Sub-Boss rooms they''d found above.


    Geth spotted Kane near the center, lying next to a giant replica of himself before absorbing the fire wolf''s inheritance.


    The first thing he noticed was the many chains that cut into the wolf''s skin.


    The second was how ragged its breathing was.

 Chapter 224: Direwolf King

    Chapter 224: Direwolf King


    Geth wasn''t sure what he should do. He actually felt a bit awkward in this situation.


    Hadn''t hee here for the sole purpose of killing this creature..?


    Now, he was witnessing his brilliant Tame feeling miserable over the state of this Boss.


    :Direwolf King, Lvl 75 (Boss); HP- 132/365,700:


    ''Kane...''


    His tame looked up from his kneeling position. Geth could feel his sorrow the moment their eyes met.


    ''Come closer, Human.''


    He froze. That was definitely not Kane''s voice.


    ''Fret not. I merely want to meet the one responsible for taking care of my son. And the one who will be taking care of my nephew.''


    With every word, Geth could feel the power of the creature reverberating in his mind. If they had tried to take this beast, he wasn''t sure it could have been done without casualties.


    His instinct told him that everything would be alright. Even if they didn''t, he refused to leave Kane there.


    Geth strode forward with both confidence and respect. Kane shifted into a seated position as he noticed his master''s approach.


    ''You walk with confidence. The way that any pack leader should.''


    The Direwolf King sent its thoughts once again when Geth was in a position to look in its eyes.


    ''I apologize that I have to greet you like this. It wasn''t my intention.''


    "Why would you be so cordial when we''ve ughtered so many of your kin?"


    The Direwolf flinched, and anger shed in its eyes before settling back down.


    ''I don''t me you. We do what we must to gain power. It was one of my own kind that put us in this situation.''


    Its eyes wandered pointedly toward the chain that wrapped around its muzzle.


    ''The Mana in this ce drove my descendants to act as mindless barbarians. Their minds only became more bestial when the wolfman treated them as vermin.''


    A surge of hate appeared in the Direwolf King''s eyes once more as its health dropped by a few points.


    "Wolfman?"


    ''Yes. Most of the upper Tier members of the Beast Race are humanoid. The same can be said for the Dragons and Demons.


    It is said that some share blood with the Gods to make them that way. Though... That was long before my time.''


    The wolf closed its eyes, and Geth could see that it wasmunicating with Kane. He patiently waited to the side, wondering if he should do anything to help.


    Geth wasn''t sure he could even if he wanted, but he could feel the emotions passing between the two creatures. It was heartbreaking.


    ''Albus. Why-''


    *Sigh*


    ''In order to merge the first ten worlds safely, we had to take away the creatures'' minds. Well, to be more specific, the Formations blocked off anything outside of instinct.


    Lower Tier creatures, such as the Goblins, really wouldn''t have mattered.


    However, the Tier 3 and 4 creatures could have easily broken the containment Formations. Not all Direwolves would be as open tomunicating with Humans as what you''re witnessing.''


    Geth tried to imagine these Bosses and Sub-Bosses bursting through the Formations and heading straight for areas with a sizeable Human popce.


    It would be disastrous.


    Before their conversation could develop further, the Direwolf King''s eyes moved back into him.


    ''You don''t have long before many Races will be running rampant. You will need to prepare my son and nephew thoroughly before then.


    Let them spend some time with that chubby man heading this way. He can further unlock their Bloodline Potential.''


    "Is there nothing I can do to free you?"


    Geth looked at the chains tying its body to the stone b. He wasn''t being too trusting. He could end its life with a single attack if it chose to change its tune.


    His mind was on having both a powerful ally along with something that could adequately train the Direwolves that they''d tamed.


    ''Hmph. I can see those thoughts in your eyes, Human.


    Though, I don''t me you. Forming an alliance would be beneficial to both of us in theing days.''


    The Direwolf King looked at its chains once more.


    ''These chains won''t dissolve until my life force is drained. Otherwise, we might could work something out. Just promise to take good care of my pack.''


    Geth nodded.


    ''Good. Then head over to the back wall, you''ll find two hidden doorways.


    One contains items that you and yourrades may find helpful. The other is an exit that leads out into the forest.


    Taking that will allow you to avoid the hateful Humans outside.


    They have enved and mistreated many members of my pack. Should you decide to free them, I would be grateful.''


    Geth really wasn''t sure how to take this information. What''s the difference between Taming and enving..?


    Could it be that those above were just capturing and beating creatures into submission?


    ''There are many types of Tamers, kid. Keep that in mind.''


    Albus'' voice sounded out, being heard by both Geth and the Direwolf King. The giant wolf''s eyes shifted to the floating book.


    ''What a fascinating creature. The wolfman had something simr, though his was rather crude.''


    Both Albus and Geth froze for a moment.


    "Are you saying that the creature that captured you also had a Grimoire?"


    ''A Grimoire..? I suppose so.''


    The wolf looked at the book once more.


    ''The wolfman used it to create these chains. Outside of that, I can''t guarantee that it was the same.


    Now, I don''t have much time. Walk down to my paw and ce your hand against it.''


    Geth looked curiously at the wolf but did as he asked. His hand looked like nothing more than a newborn''s when pressed up against the giant paw.


    A searing heat forced its way into his palm, etching a strange, paw-like Rune there. As this happened, Geth could see the life force of the Direwolf King drop well into the double digits.


    ''That is my seal. There is enough power contained to share with two others. I rmend the chubby Human be one.


    As long as you have that, Direwolves that are part of my Bloodline will treat you as if you are one of them.


    Remember that other packs can also sense this, and not all of us had the most amicable rtionships.''


    Geth nodded and looked toward Kane, who was still sitting beside him.


    "I''ll give the two of you some time. Thank you for your blessing, and I promise to take care of your pack as best as I can."


    ''Farewell, Human.''


    Geth walked away, a strange feeling in his gut. He had killed so many of its pack, and now it wanted him to keep them safe?


    He just didn''t understand.


    *****


    ''Son. That Human is more of a Beast than even the wolfman who captured us.


    Make sure to stay on his good side and work hard to keep up with him. Don''t be a hindrance that he will need to leave behind.''


    ''Yes, Father.''


    The two Direwolves'' foreheads pressed gently together. As therger''s life force faded away, it had one lingering thought.


    ''Whatever that Human really is will change the world.. I only wish for my children to be a part of it.''

 Chapter 225: Lieutenant

    Chapter 225: Lieutenant


    Zolis was screaming on the inside as Geth walked away. Her heart was about to burst in her chest... again!


    That kiss was one of the most passionate they''d ever shared!


    She had wanted to strangle him for killing her but after that...


    *Sshhhhhh*


    She let out a long breath to cool herself off and gripped harder onto Sindri''s hand. Thetter''s shield was still on the ground in the floor above them.


    "Everything okay, Zolis?"


    Sindri was still worried about her. She had been more injured than the rest, after all.


    Zolis nodded her head and smiled, "Everything''s fine. Just can''t get over what happened."


    Sindri naturally assumed Zolis was talking about Geth turning into a monster. Not that she was entirely wrong.


    "Yeah, that was wild! Until he grabbed Jack, I thought it was some kind of Skill."


    Zolis shook her head, "No, that wasn''t a Skill."


    "Well, it certainly wasn''t him."


    Zolis gazed at Sindri for a moment while thinking about that statement. She looked back on her life with Geth, the good and the bad times.


    "I''m really not so sure," She mumbled.


    Sindri raised her eyebrows but didn''t respond, just leaving each of them to their own thoughts. She traced her thumb on Zolis'' hand while they walked.


    Zolis closed her eyes and allowed her senses to guide her. She used the silence to recall the recent experience.


    Geth had utterly lost himself... or had he?


    Sindri seemed to think that something had taken control of him. It was a usible exnation, but Zolis didn''t believe that was the case.


    There had been many times in the past where she''d felt that strange atmosphere around him. That he was lost... empty.


    Most of the time, it may have beentent, but it was there. Countless times she had caught him staring aimlessly at the stars, giving off that same feeling.


    Sometimes she felt that he was looking for something that he couldn''t find. She remembered asking him about it once.


    "There''s more out there than what we can see."


    It was such a simple answer and one that any stargazer would likely respond with.


    Zolis always felt that it held a more profound meaning... and this was the first time she''d seen him in that trance-like state since the "merge."


    ''Could it be that this ce is what he was missing all along?''


    She really wasn''t sure what to think of it and didn''t know if he''d even noticed. She was just happy that he''d finally seemed toe to life in this ce.


    Her thoughts continued to wander while the two made their way to the next floor.


    Just before stepping through the threshold and into the Sub-Boss room, Zolis realized that she hadn''t thought of any way to exin the situation to the others.


    "Fuck."


    *****


    Outside of the Dungeon, standing near the caved-in entrance...


    *nk* *nk*


    "Can''t you fuckers dig any faster! If we aren''t back in the next few days, Cap''s gonna kill us!"


    "Yes, Lieutenant!"


    *nk* *nk*


    *Sigh*


    "Man, I told you to stop doing that. We aren''t in front of the Captain right now."


    The man turned his head and mumbled, "One of you sticklers is prolly gonna get me in trouble for sayin'' Cap. Bunch of losers."


    Horker took in a deep puff from one of the many joints he''d made himself. He looked around at his men, the Goblins, and the Direwolves that surrounded him.


    *nk* *nk*


    The world turned a bright shade of green, then blue, yellow, orange, and finally red before returning to normal. He''d found this strange flower off to the east after reading the descriptions of hundreds of nts.


    These nts weren''t pleasing to the eye. The stems, leaves, and petals were a t grey.


    However, a Botanist could crush the flower with specific Undead Monster Cores to create a unique substance. The product came out as a powder that was both a hallucinogen and a downer.


    *Sigh*


    He pressed the joint on the Direwolf he was riding, putting the embers out on the beast''s skull. The butt of the cigar fell to the ground, quickly beingpped up by the wolf.


    *nk* *nk*


    "What a stupid creature. Aren''t you idiots done digging yet?"


    "We''ve chipped away over two feet, but there are still no signs of the inside, Lieutenant! This stuff is practically rock!"


    "Well, hurry up!"


    *nk* *nk* *nk*


    He didn''t have much of his drug left, and it was the only way to make these mutts listen. They would have to start heading back soon if they didn''t make any progress.


    "Hoow- Yaackk!"


    "Shut up, you fucking mutt!"


    Loud whipping and yelping sounds suddenly rang out over the sounds of the tools shing against the rock. Horker turned and nced at two men that were beating a wolf with cudgels.


    Horker smiled. It looked like things were going well.


    This Direwolf was different from the others the group had Enved. It was rather resilient, and he couldn''t quite get it to drop into that mental state where he could take control.


    Horker had be a Tamer at Level 25. He was nning on bing an Enver when he reached Level 50, just like the Major that ordered his Captain around.


    That man was the only man he knew that had gained his second ss, and he''d done it all from sitting in one ce!


    Unlike a Tamer, the Enver ss didn''t have a limit. The only problem was that the Enved people or creatures wouldn''t be able to Level beyond a certain percentage of the Enver.


    But who cared if you had hundreds of ves!


    *nk* *nk*


    ''I''m so tired of hearing that damned nking! Digging a fucking hole just to scavenge some corpses. The items were probably eaten with their bodies.''


    Horker just didn''t understand what their Captain was after. Before leaving, he even took the time to blockmunication in this area.


    It was just a waste of time and material in his eyes.


    *nk* *-*


    "Lieutenant! They made it through!"


    Horker jumped down from his Direwolf and shoved aside the two Goblins that had been digging the tunnel.


    "Hopefully, they had the courtesy to die near the entr-"


    He stood there,pletely stunned. In front of him, littered from one wall of the cave to the other, and as far back as he could see...


    "Cores...."

 Chapter 226: Potential

    Chapter 226: Potential


    Geth watched from a distance as a few of the men entered the Dungeon. Zolis, Sindri, ze, and Filthy were standing with him.


    Felix should have already set up an Illusion that would keep these guys from traveling too deep. Zolis let loose a sound of annoyance from beside him.


    "Tsk. Can''t we just go kill them?"


    She couldn''t stand the way they were abusing the Direwolves. The one in the back was still being beaten, blood sttering further with each yelp.


    "No. ze needs to finish undoing the alert on this Formation."


    Geth nced at the Sindri and thought, ''Aside from that, I reaalllyyy don''t want to collect all of those Cores. Let them do it.''


    He winked at her and went back to watching the Dungeon. Sindri''s hands covered her lips to hide her giggle... unsessfully.


    ''What are you two talking about?''


    Zolis cut her eyes at both of them. She hadn''t been in a good mood since the moment the clearing hade into view.


    Geth didn''t me her, but he didn''t n on letting the wolf go through much more. He just didn''t want to act rashly and alert whoever had put these Alert Runes in ce.


    The group they were currently looking at was only a little more than sixty strong. They were made up of around twenty-five Humans, twenty Direwolves, and seventeen Hobgoblins.


    Geth found it strange. The Direwolves seemed sickly, while the Hobgoblins looked smaller than usual.


    "Geth, do we have any of the Cores from the Direwolves stored? I need to swap these Cores with something more substantial to rece their Runes."


    Geth nced through his storage items.


    "Yeah, it won''t be a problem. How many?"


    "Just twenty. Hit me with a shot of Agility and Wisdom. I''ll have this done in about ten minutes."


    Geth handed over the Cores and reced the group''s current buff.


    "All right,dies, Filthy. You heard the man, take a breather and be ready once he''s done."


    He closed his eyes and spread his senses around the area. With nothing blocking the way, he could see and hear clearly to the entrance of the Dungeon.


    Since his previous experience, he was able to enter his mental sphere while still having his senses fully extended.


    "Albus, any movement from the ck sphere?"


    "Nothing yet, just the asional purple wisp peeking out of the door."


    Geth nodded. The same thing had been happening for the past hour, but he hadn''t had a chance to enter.


    Albus nor his other selves could even cross the threshold to walk into the tunnel.


    This had be a major priority for him. He couldn''t have himself going mad and randomly killing the people around him.


    Looking at the sphere now, he didn''t feel anything threatening. The feeling that it gave off was that of a newborn who''d had arge meal and needed a nap.


    "Well, I can''t wake it up now," Geth muttered.


    It would have to wait until they''d taken care of their current problem. He needed to be alone before inspecting the contents of the strange sphere.


    "Albus, what other benefitse with Tier 3?"


    The bonus Attributes had been quite the surprise. He received an extra AP with every regr Level while receiving an additional three for every Major Level he''d crossed.


    Not only that, each of his base Attributes had increased by five, putting him in the middle of Tier 3 existences. There didn''t seem to be an increase in TP or SP received.


    "There are no benefits outside of what you''ve experienced. Tiers increase your starting point and maximum potential, but even for higher Tier existences, they have to work to be the tops of their own Tiers."


    Geth looked at his Attributes once more.


    "That''s good to know. Is it possible to help the others increase their Tiers?"


    Albus hesitated, "Well... I''ve not seen a Tier 3 Human to begin with that wasn''t contracted with a Demon or some other existence. You''re the first...


    That said, it may be possible for others to increase their Tiers through you. You would have to ask a Race that''s familiar with the process."


    Geth wasn''tfortable with that.


    "The only other Race that I know would be the Demons, and I''m not sure I wish to meet with them for now," Geth replied.


    Albus had exined the situation to him earlier. He understood the "how" but was also lost on the "why."


    Not just the Demons, why would any race want to help him? He nced at the burned paw print on his palm.


    The more he learned, the more confused he became. Why did the world have to be so damnplicated?


    "Throw all 76 extra AP in Wisdom. We''ll push it to 500 before taking Defense and Intelligence to 200."


    Albus nodded and did as requested. He knew Geth was capable of controlling most of the Grimoire on his own now, but he appreciated that the man was still allowing him to help.


    The truth was, Albus wasn''t sure what he could do for him anymore. He''d be more of an encyclopedia than a Grimoire at this point.


    ''Well, it''s a good sign for Humanity, anyway. I still have a lot to teach him.''


    Geth''s MP jumped well over 10,000, taking him above yet another momentous threshold in such a short time. The Mana in his mental sphere was akin to the greatkes at this point.


    ''He may very well surpass me before hitting his max potential. Hopefully, there are more like him.''


    Albus sighed as he looked through Geth''s senses at the nearby enemy. There wasn''t time for Humans to be fighting amongst themselves.


    There were only a few months until the first merge, and then any Human that wasn''t living in a Dungeon or City would be fucked.


    Albus tried his best to recall which Races were supposed toe in the first wave but to no avail.


    "Alright, Albus."


    Geth interrupted his thoughts with a simple wave.


    "I''m taking off. Let me know if we''ve missed something anywhere."


    His figure disappeared with a sh of light, leaving Albus standing by Geth''s six selves in the center of his sphere.


    *Sigh*


    "Go get ''em, kid."

 Chapter 227: So Its A Giirrrrlll Wolf

    Chapter 227: So It''s A Giirrrrlll Wolf


    "Remember, we don''t want to kill the wolves, just knock them unconscious. But don''t overdo it. If it''s between their lives or yours, kill them."


    Geth dropped underground and tunneled into the center of the enemy forces. As he went, he encased the Direwolves'' paws in the earth.


    It wasn''t much, but with the condition they were in, he doubted they would bother trying to break free.


    *****


    The Direwolf that was being beaten sensed something and shifted its vision around the area. Though it was bloodied and broken, its eyes were still sharp.


    Unbeknownst to the Humans, the Direwolf had let herself be captured. She had stalked the Humans for some time, watching their movements and learning how they''d forced her brothers to behave oddly.


    They had been trying to break into her home for quite some time, and she figured the best time to act was once they opened it. That was... until they breached the strange enclosure.


    She could sense the presence of any of her family inside... and she smelled... blood. A lot of blood.


    Just when she was about to burst from her bindings, she felt that odd feeling again. This time, it was closer.


    It was vaguely familiar, and whatever it was, it was powerful. She nced at her brothers to see if they noticed, but they were still stuck in that strange, dazed state.


    That''s when she felt the presence again! It was much more potent that time.


    Her eyes shifted to one of her brother''s feet and found that it was bound tightly in solid earth. She cocked her head to the side while ''whimpering'' from another beating.


    Her eyes darted around, finding that almost all of her brothers were bound in the same fashion, but none of them were hurt.


    She looked toward the two freed wolves and waited for this unknown binding to reach up again.


    The moment it did, she caught it. The spell had undoubtedlye from a member of her pack!


    But... why didn''t she recognize it? And why couldn''t she see it?


    Suddenly, the presence was right on top of her! She nced around, trying to find this other wolf.


    "What''s this wolf up to? Hit it haragghhhgrrbbb!"


    The Human on her right suddenly fell into the ground!


    She stared with wide eyes at the small puddle of mud that hadn''t been there before. Bubbles and sshes rose from it inrge bursts!


    "Jugo!"


    The other Human dropped its club and ran over. The other Humans dropped what they were doing and ran over as well.


    She was suddenly surrounded! All of the Humans were right next to her!


    This wasn''t what she wanted at all! If she found out which of her brothers was causing this, she''d kill it!


    "This mutt did it! Kill it!"


    The Humans turned from the puddle and stared at her with angered eyes. She looked back defiantly.


    She hadn''t done it, but she''d be damned if she would give them the satisfaction of her giving up at this point!


    A bluish-white aura surrounded the wolf. Her bones quickly shifted back into ce, and her bleeding stopped.


    She stood up swiftly, snapping all of the bindings that were holding her down. The Humans suddenly took a few steps back as she rose to her full height of five feet.


    She was small for a wolf, but the aura surrounding her was still domineering.


    ncing around the small group of Humans, she was unsure if she could take them. Along with the multiple Level 40+ Goblins walking toward her, she knew she couldn''t handle it.


    She was wavering on whether or not she should flee and find help when that presence showed itself again.


    The nine Humans in front of her sunk waist-deep into the ground before they could even take a step! The earth around them hardened,pletely encasing their lower halves.


    The small puddle that the first Human had died in began to bubble once again. Arge, white hat emerged, followed by a Human with a furry face, long white robe, and glowing stick in his hand.


    She looked at this Human, confused. This... was the brother that she couldn''t see..?


    The Human looked toward her, ignoring the livid screams and pleas of its kin standing before it.


    "Who the fuck are you? Let me out of this shi-"


    The Human couldn''t finish what he was saying. Her "brother," that had just risen from the ground, reached out and smacked the screaming Human with its paw.


    The head flew off of the entrapped Human, mming into one of the approaching Goblins and forcing it to stagger back. She could hear her brother mumbling after that.


    "Hmm, maybe using the Strength buff is a bit unnecessary against other Humans..."


    She didn''t know what he was mumbling about, but she knew that the man had killed one. The wolf felt that she should help!


    *****


    Geth looked at the body on the ground before him. A leaflet of paper hit the ground and instantly turned into a Skill card.


    He nced at the strange white wolf once more before signaling the others to enter. Six arrows sped from the would line, piercing directly into six Goblins'' skulls.


    The weakened creatures didn''t stand a chance. They weren''t as bad off as the Direwolves, but their reactions were slow and their movements somewhat clumsy.


    ''Who would even want a Tame that can''t walk properly?''


    It didn''t make sense to him. Not only were their Attributes weakened, but that drug the man had used made them useless outside of basic tasks.


    Zolis covered the distance to the Dungeon quickly, lopping off the heads of thest four Goblins. It was over that fast.


    Geth turned toward the eight men who were trapped in the ground.


    "All right, one of you needs to talk. Who are you, why are you here, why were you targeting us, yada yada. Any and all information is appreciated."


    "We won''t tell you shi-!"


    Geth pped the man''s head, sending it into the distance with a warm trail of blood behind it. Blood sttered from the body,nding on a nearby man''s cheeks.


    Geth gave the rest of them a warm smile, sending chills down their spines.


    "Okay then, seven more chances."

 Chapter 228: Just Kill Him

    Chapter 228: Just Kill Him


    He only had to kill one more before they started spilling all of their secrets.


    Geth learned about the drug and their process of Taming creatures. It was wrong... but effective.


    Their "Captain" would kill random passersby that they found, steal their items, and use the bodies as bait.


    They would stuff the bodies with the drugs that their Lieutenant had created, then set them up in a makeshift structure. When the Mana directed the Direwolves to destroy the structure, inadvertently, they would also consume the drug.


    While the wolves were stumbling around, their Hobgoblins would beat them senselessly until the Captain could cast an Envement spell on them.


    This time, the group''s instructions were to return with thirty wolves ready to be enved. They decided to use Geth''s setup to easily capture wolves as they left the Dungeon.


    Obviously, Geth and his crew would be killed and stuffed with the drug. He learned a lot from their brief chat.


    These guys were once a part of the Army. They had all been grunts and remained that way in this world.


    Their Captain wasn''t actually a Captain but simply the first to get a ss in this world. He had taken control swiftly with his Tames and monopolized the experience.


    If they listened to him, they would get a cut of the Cores as well. In total, they had close to two thousand guys.


    Geth toyed with them to get more information.


    If something sounded useful, he would raise them from the ground slightly. If they told him something worthless, he would bury them deeper.


    He almost cracked up the first time he''d done this, and all of them started spitting information. The most helpful had been one of the men sharing their map with him.


    "All right, I appreciate the information, boys. So let me get this straight, around two thousand guys, and a bit more than double that in Enved creatures and even Humans?"


    "That''s right. Can you let us go now? We won''t bother you again."


    "Sure."


    Geth waved his hand.


    Filthy, who had been standing behind them, released six arrows.


    Six half-buried bodies slumped to the ground.


    Geth picked up the Skill Cards that had fallen from each of the men while Filthy collected their storage and gear.


    It was hard to tell if the Skills were good now that he was only getting the Common Rarities. He stuck them in his collection and turned to look at the female wolf.


    She had been walking around, pressing her muzzle gently against all of the intoxicated wolves. Within seconds after touching them, the wolves would be blossoming with life.


    Geth summoned Kane and asked him to watch over the group while they helped out in the tunnel. He released the bindings on the wolves'' feet as he passed.


    "The others probably don''t need help," Zolis stated.


    These men were weak, their senses were terrible, and the strongest of them was a Tamer with Goblins as Tames.


    "You''re right, but we need to let them know that we''re done out here. ze couldn''t disable themunication blocking Formation without rming the other group."


    "Fine. I wanted to get my Direwolf back anyway."


    Zolis and Filthy had left both of their Direwolves in the Dungeon to help keep the invaders upied.


    It took some time to catch up, but they were surprised at the scene once they did. From their vantage point, it looked as if the invaders and their Tames were fighting more than fifteen Direwolves.


    Each time one of the Hobgoblins would m their weapon down, a wolf would dodge. There were times when the wolves would bite back or be hit and die.


    "He really knows how to put on a show, huh?"


    ze looked at the others and grinned. Sindri and Zolis seemed a bit confused.


    Geth looked at the two women, "Felix is making it look like they are winning. It seems like one of your wolves will pop out for an attack, but the rest are fake."


    The realization caused Sindri''s eyes to shine. She found the scene to beical as well once he knew what was going on.


    For Geth, he had to focus to even see the fantasy. His Wisdom was so high that he was just looking directly at the wolves and his party memberszing around behind the Illusion.


    Only Felix and a single wolf were actually doing any work.


    Geth stepped out into the corridor, garnering the attention of Jack, who had been looking out for them. Jack shed his sword at the others, signaling them to kill the group of soldiers.


    It was over in an instant. Filthy shot six arrows, killing six of the Humans.


    In the confusion, Felix dropped the Illusion. Eight Direwolves surged forward while darkness enshrouded the enemy group.


    Rift cast multiple Darkness Arrows into the shadows. A man could be heard uselessly screaming orders from the center of the abyss.


    By the time Rift recalled the Darkness Field, that man was the only one standing. Chains wrapped around him, holding him just off of the ground.


    "Wh- Who are you people?"


    Zolis answered quickly, "Oh, so you don''t know the people you try to kill? Just go after them without knowing them? Sounds a bit dangerous."


    Geth chuckled at his wife''s sarcasm, "Go ahead and kill him."


    "Wait! Don''t you have any questions for me? I''ll tell you anything if you let me go! You can even have all of my items!"


    Geth looked at the man like he was stupid, "You mean the items I''m going to take after you''re dead, anyway?"


    The man''s lips opened and closed silently like a dying fish. Geth walked away and left Filthy and Felix to question the man.


    He was pretty sure that there was no need, but Felix might pry something new out of him.


    "Jack, Peter, strip the corpses and store the items. Zolis, Sindri, get the furniture and anything else you deem necessary from our room."


    "Where are you going?"


    "I''m going to see if we''ve attained some new recruits."

 Chapter 229: She Wolf

    Chapter 229: She Wolf


    Geth stepped out of the Dungeon once more, walking into the light and straight to where Kane was lying. The silver Direwolf watched him curiously while the others were pacing or shaking off the effects of the drug.


    "So, what''s the situation?"


    ''She''s curious about you, but I can''t guarantee that they will join us. They haven''t exactly had the best first impressions of Humans.''


    "Well, Humans certainly didn''t receive the best first impressions from you Direwolves either."


    Kane lowered his head to the ground and ced his paw over his eyes. He was right... Kane could still remember their first meeting.


    "Something I''ve been curious about... Why don''t you or Bane hate me? I forced you into bing a Tame. Outside of the harsh methods, it doesn''t seem much different from Envement to me."


    Kane recovered from his former embarrassment and looked at Geth thoughtfully. He didn''t realize that the man was unaware of how Taming worked.


    ''Your method of Taming is different from Envement. If I chose not to allow you to Tame me, then I would have broken free.


    Many things happen within those thirty seconds. For the first fifteen, it''s all about our willpower against your Wisdom.


    At the start of the second fifteen seconds, we are shown glimpses of your memories.


    If those memories appeal to us, we can choose to follow you. If they don''t, and we are still struggling at the end of the time frame, the Formation breaks... though, we are weakened and will likely die after.''


    "Really? Then what made you decide to follow me?"


    ''The way that you feel about your pack.''


    Geth faltered after hearing that. What did he mean by pack?


    As far as he was aware, he''d always been somewhat distant... until recently. He could think about it some other time.


    "What about the Tames that I''ve given to others?"


    ''Once we have chosen to obey you, we are bound to the card that you carry. If you give it away, we have to trust that you''ve made the right decision.''


    Once again, that answer left Geth at a loss. His thoughts of Taming creatures for trade withered away.


    ''That isn''t exactly how it works,'' Albus stated. ''Though, it could very well be like that from the creature''s perspective.''


    ''Is all magic so... subjective?'' Geth asked.


    ''Well... yes. Magic and the control of Mana works differently for every Race, even if the foundation remains the same.''


    Geth looked toward Kane and the female wolf once again. Then he had another thought.


    ''Can any Race be... Tamed?''


    ''Any Race can be Enved. Your method of Taming can be used on almost any Race. Ancient treaties epted by the Mana protect Humans, amongst other Races, from most methods,'' Albus answered.


    ''I see.''


    Again, he gained some knowledge, but with this knowledge came more questions!


    Treaties with the Mana? What was that? Were there other types of magic that had simr limits? What if one could bypass this treaty? Is Mana sentient enough to make agreements?


    Geth really didn''t feel as if he knew enough. That feeling only grew worse the more he learned.


    ''Master, she would like to speak with you.''


    He nced up to where Kane was now standing. The female wolf had wandered over and was staring at him curiously.


    Her fur was pure white, and she was around a foot shorter than Geth. Much smaller than many of the other wolveszing around.


    If it weren''t for the peculiar pressure that she was giving off, Geth would think that she was the weakest of the bunch.


    The wolf sniffed around him, her face scrunching up the more she did. After a few minutes of inspection, she lifted her paw toward him.


    Geth looked to Kane for an exnation.


    ''Sorry, take her paw into your hand. She will make a connection so that the two of you can... somewhat understand each other.''


    Geth nodded and reached out.


    His hand brushed against the paw of the wolf. A shock passed between the two, surprising Geth as he felt their minds be linked.


    It wasn''t as prominent as that of his and his Tames or even as straightforward as the Mana Resonance.


    When he concentrated on his mental sphere, he found that there was a minute orb floating just outside of his third sphere. It was pure white and didn''t seem to be very substantial.


    Geth was almost afraid that connecting with his Mana would cause the feeble globe to disperse. Still, he reached out with a tendril of liquid Mana from his reservoir.


    He had the Mana gently wrap around the sphere. Not only did he want to connect with it, but he also wanted to ensure that it was blocked off in case of any possible surprises.


    As he sent a thread of Mana into the orb, a foreign presence entered his mind. It wasn''t a voice like that of Kane or Albus... but it seemed that he could understand the wolf''s intentions.


    Thus, their "conversation" began.


    Geth felt that the she-wolf''s curiosity would have to be satiated before they could have a proper discussion. He looked at the young wolf and tried to think of the best way to describe what happened through feelings.


    Luckily, he found that images and memories could be willingly shared through the connection, so the process became simple.


    He shared images of the chained up Sub-Bosses and Bosses that they''d found... hesitantly showing the earlier ughter of thousands of her brethren.


    She seemed angry and resentful at first. But as he included the necessity of taking over the Dungeon to protect his ''pack,'' her bitterness diminished, albeit only slightly.


    Geth could feel the emotions passing through their connection. The wolf felt pain, sorrow, and finally, fear upon realizing that all of this had been done by one creature.


    Feelings of betrayal and guilt arose when she heard the Wolf King''s exnation of what had captured them. She shared an image with Geth of her leading a seven-foot-tall wolf-man to the entrance of the Dungeon.


    When Geth tried to understand why he found out that the Beast had been injured and weakened from... something. Once it recovered, it must have captured the Boss and Sub-Bosses to increase its power.


    After hashing out some details, the she-wolf agreed to follow him and to work with his ''pack'' on two conditions.


    One, he had to guarantee shelter, rtive safety, and fair treatment for her remaining brothers.


    Two, she wanted help finding and ending the wolf-man who had betrayed her family.

 Chapter 230: Open

    Chapter 230: Open


    As Geth and the others prepared to leave the clearing, Hulk showed up with news of victory and a small ambush waiting outside the Orc Dungeon.


    They had lost one man during the ambush but had managed to glean some information from their attackers. It was another set of soldiers under this Envement user.


    ''Looks like we''ll have some enemies after this.''


    Hulk''s group hadn''t been as efficient as Geth and his party. Two of the enemy had escaped.


    Geth nced around the group standing before him and then at the bundle of furs they''did on the ground. He felt some regret that one of the men had died.


    ''If only it had happened nearby.''


    He shook his head. There was nothing that could be done about it now.


    "Does this man have any family?"


    The man who had volunteered for the position of training neers in hand-to-handbat stepped forward. Geth still hadn''t learned his name.


    "He was a friend of mine. His wife died long before we''de to this world. He had no kids or family to speak of."


    Geth nodded, "Kane, would you be able to carry this man''s body? I would like to give him a proper burial in the city."


    Kane simply nodded his head andy on the ground near where the body was wrapped. Two men loaded the corpse onto his back and strapped ropes around his belly.


    The she-wolf watched with interest. Their connection still hadn''t faded, and Geth could sense a bit of admiration toward his Tame.


    He looked around at everyone in the area. There were now thirty Direwolves and neen Humans standing around him.


    The bodies of the soldiers had all been stripped bare. Surprisingly, there were some fine pieces of equipment between the leader of this group and the group that Hulk fought.


    "Alright, everyone. Let''s go home."


    Geth used Mass Invocation, surrounding everyone in the area. The wolves were surprised as the Formation of light appeared beneath them.


    The group''s Agility increased by 459 while their Wisdom increased by 243. The spell''s effects were constantly growing.


    With an average running speed of around 90 miles per hour and a sprinting speed of well over 120, what should have been a two-day trip was shortened significantly.


    What would have taken them almost two days on foot as normal humans, they ran in two and a half hours, even through the trees of the forest. One hundred forty miles passed in a blur.


    Geth felt a sense of relief as he saw the city''s northern gatese into view. He''d long since informed Larz of their impending arrival.


    The elven hologram was smiling at them in front of the entrance. There were almost fifty people there, anticipating the arrival of their friends and loved ones.


    It hadn''t seemed like long, but Geth realized that a little over a week had passed since their departure. He hadn''t been in contact with Larz, so these families had been waiting anxiously for news of their family member''s well-being.


    All three of his children rushed toward him before he could make it to the gate. Jen also jogged forward with the baby, meeting with Geth, Zolis, and Filthy.


    Filthy took the baby into his arms and began tossing her into the air yfully while Geth and Zolis hugged the other children. Many of the teachers and a few of the students rushed forward to question Jack, Rift, Sindri, and Peter about the experience.


    "Alright, alright, that''s enough. Geth turned toward Kane and motioned for him to follow."


    The crowd parted as he proceeded forward, and they all filed in behind him. The MMA guy, whose name he found to be Tito, walked next to him and the wolf.


    He''d already exined the situation to a few of their friends, and they followed closely behind. It wasn''t long before they came to the almost unupied housing area that once belonged to the Graveyard Dungeon.


    The mausoleum-like homes loomed depressingly over the Graveyard in the center. ording to Larz, this ce worked simrly to the Graveyard in the old Dungeon.


    Upon burying a body, the Mana would be stored and used to power the city''s Formations and defenses. This was amongst many other sources of energy that had once sustained every Dungeon in the region.


    Geth chose a spot between two of the mausoleums, one of which Tito regrly stayed in. He used State Change to dig a deep hole in the ground, allowing Tito and one of their other friends to ce the body.


    Each of them said a few words, along with each of the man''s party members. Once they had finished, Geth buried the body, entombing it in hardened earth that wouldn''t be disturbed.


    It was kind of pointless, but it was the closest thing he could make to a casket on such short notice. No matter what, the body would disperse into Mana to further fuel the world and their environment.


    Well... everyone might not be aware of that now, but he intended for it to bemon knowledge once he opened up a learning facility.


    Not only children, he even intended to make the adults in hismunity enroll in these schools. Knowledge was power, and without it, they were nothing better than the Goblins roaming the woods outside.


    After the burial, Geth headed to the Tower along with a few who decided to follow along. His children, Jen, Filthy, amongst a few others he''d been with for a long time.


    Zolis and Sindri walked beside him, with Larz just slightly in the lead. Larz had already informed them that over twenty more cities had cropped up around the globe in the time they had been gone.


    Out of those cities, one had already opened their Tower, Valha would be the second.


    Geth wasn''t surprised. He had spent a lot of time dealing with that Skeleton Dungeon before, along with recruiting the students of his old school.


    Larz led him up the steps and to the door of the Tower. Geth pulled out three Dungeon Crystals, handing one to each Sindri and Zolis.


    The three of them reached forward, cing each gem in its appropriate slot. A Formation lit on the ground around them, spreading to the entire city as more residential areas appeared and the wall expanded.


    Then, after two long months, the doors to the Tower opened.


    ******


    --End, Phase 1: Growth--

 Chapter 231: Apate

    Chapter 231: Apate


    --Phase 2: Endure--


    *****


    A dark figure hovered high above the city of Valha. It was a beautiful woman with flowing dark hair, golden eyes, and translucent ck wings extending from her shoulders.


    Apate looked down at the strange Human and hispanions from above the clouds. She''d watched everything.


    From his odd transformation to murdering that woman, then bringing her back to life and gaining the recognition of a much higher Tier creature.


    She had intended on stepping in to help him unlock his Bloodline, but it seemed he didn''t need assistance. He even devoured that entire Bloodline Orb in one go!


    He showedpassion to the Direwolves yet ughtered his own kind ruthlessly outside of the Dungeon. It didn''t make any sense.


    She followed therge group to an odd... city?


    Apate could hardly call it a city. It had high-standing walls and was an impressive size for a Human development, but it was so... empty!


    There were a couple of miles between the center and any random point on the wall, but why was there nothing in the interior.


    A ring of homes ran around the inside, seemingly in some random location. It was about a mile in and made an almost perfect circle around an odd tower standing in the center.


    Though the shape and walls were simr to the Human, Beastfolk, and even God''s cities from the past, the rest made little sense.


    Each section of housing in the interior circle was thoroughly different. It reminded her of the abstract art painted thousands of years ago.


    Some of the structures looked like crypts, while some homes were carved into trees. There were wooden cabins, cute burrows built into hills, and even a section that held argeke with a few ready-to-build-on inds on its surface.


    The ce looked more like something the Gods would build in their clouds than something the Humans would create. Humans had always built with efficiency in mind, so what was with this strange wondend?


    Apate continued to monitor the now purple-haired man as he approached the tower with a small group. Most of the crowd from earlier had dispersed toward their individual homes or an area that appeared to be make-shift training grounds.


    The group that headed to the tower stopped just in front of the double doors, not actually entering, which she found strange.


    She examined the elf that had met them at the front gate.


    Though he seemed very lifelike, that man wasn''t alive. Rather, he was closer to one of the Undead Races, a Lich to be precise.


    This body that she was viewing was nothing but a mere projection. She could see the threads of Mana controlling it reaching out from the tower.


    There were other, very simr, towers across the globe. One of these towers gave off much more power than the others on another continent, but she could only vaguely sense it.


    Her senses covered more than half the, which was much smaller inparison to the world in which she used to live.


    Suddenly, her head snapped back. A mighty presence was approaching her location. It was holding back but seemed to be purposefully emanating enough energy for her to sense its presence.


    She stared into the distance, watching a scaled figure flying toward her. Though it was still close to a hundred miles out, she could see its figure clearly.


    "...Vritra?"


    ''Is this the Dragon that I felt earlier? It makes sense. He disappeared long before I''d found a ce to stow away.''


    Though the figure seemed to be moving leisurely, he covered the distance in just a few moments.


    "Long time no ssssssee, Apate."


    The Dragon''s tongueshed out as it spoke. This was a trademark characteristic of their Race.


    "It has been a long time. Are you the one that was trapped in the Human world?"


    "Yessssss. Sssssuch a pitiful ssssse with an almossstpleteck of Mana. Had I not gone into hibernation, my body would have long sssinssse turned to dusssst."


    Apate nodded. For beings as powerful as the two of them, Mana had be as necessary as oxygen on Earth.


    "I was lucky enough to end up on the of the Undead. Spending a century or so at a time awake was possible there."


    The Dragon nodded and turned his head toward the tower and those who were speaking in front of it. Apate stared at him curiously.


    Though they had only had a few brief conversations, he was one of the few who dared defy the Gods. He had once been one of the most powerful of his kind.


    Of course... there were those who sided with the Gods and were granted powers that he could only dream of. Vritra was one of few who managed to steal from the Gods''nds multiple times before getting caught.


    She had assisted him once, though it wasn''t much more than pointing in the opposite direction of which he ran. Her reminiscing was interrupted by a strong force directly below her.


    Apate looked in the tower''s direction, finding that the doors to the tower had finally opened. The walls spread out another mile, collecting the Mana in the earth and trees to supply their growth.


    The circle of housing expanded as well. The three gaps that had been prominent came to life.


    In two sections, cave-like structures appeared. In the other, circr houses with thatch rooves sprung from the Mana.


    It was an odd sight. It reminded her of the teleportation circles once ced in every influential kingdom.


    Though the Gods didn''t give enough to be overthrown, they did provide enough Mana for the other Races to use as fuel. Some chose to strengthen themselves. Others used it to providefort and luxury, while others used it to grow or gather resources swiftly.


    The tower itself glowed a bright blue as arge Formation spread out from its tip. It seemed the barrier she noticed earlier had been deactivated during the upgrade.


    The barrier that covered the grounds now was more substantial than the previous one. By her estimates, it could likely sustain many hits from a powerful Tier 5 existence before shattering.


    "Interesssssting."


    She nced at the Dragon floating beside her. Apate wanted to ask what was on his mind but didn''t feel she had the right to do so.


    "If you dessside to ssspeak to that Human. Give him my regardssss."


    The Dragon nodded toward her and flew off in what seemed like a random direction.. He swiftly faded from her senses.

 Chapter 232: More

    Chapter 232: More


    Apate watched Vritri leave.


    Now that the initial shock of being awoken had faded, the big shots were hiding their auras. It even seemed that the Mana was pressing against her senses, dulling them with every passing hour.


    ''It isn''t surprising. There isn''t enough Mana here for so many Tier 8, 9, and 10 existences to inhabit this ce at once.''


    It wouldn''t be as bad once the seal broke further, but for now, she would have to deal with functioning as a Tier 6 existence at most.


    ''At least the others will be hindered to the same extent.''


    It was impossible to know how the others would act. She also wasn''t aware of what the Humans had going on.


    ''It''s evident that Earth was at the center of this change. The Humans could be nning something.''


    The Formations that locked these so-called Dungeons in ce were strange. They seemed like the same powerful ve seals that the Gods had once used.


    The Races that were caught trying to steal the Gods'' Mana would be thrown into camps with simr Formations. Inside the Formation, one would lose their mind and aimlessly walk around doing what the Runes demanded.


    In the Gods'' case, they forced the prisoners to extract crystalized Mana and stockpiled it. These crystals were used to fuel the Formation that separated thes.


    She remembered watching as they createdary systems. These crystals were the stars that sat at the center and would fuel the Formation until their energy was depleted.


    As the crystals lost their power, they would typically explode before absorbing the energy around them, eventually forming a new crystal.


    It was still too soon for the Formation to have broken down.


    Apate had watched for many years as the lights in the sky went out. Each one signifying a loss in the seal''s power.


    ''Did... the Humans destroy the crystals in order to speed up the merging process..? If so, to what end? And how did they know which crystals were connected to which Race?''


    There were just too many things that she didn''t understand. On top of that... Humans?!?!? Since when were they capable of such magnificent feats!?!


    The more she thought about it, the more interested she became. Apate continued to stare into the dome-like barrier for many minutes after the man she was following had entered.


    Finally, she came to a decision.


    "I want to learn more about them," She muttered.


    *****


    A nket of mist burst from the double doors as they slowly creaked open. Geth was the first to step into the room.


    He contorted the Mana around him into a small vacuum that swiftly pulled the smoke and dust from the room.


    "Huh?"


    Geth cocked his head slightly to the side. He was surprised by what he saw.


    He had been expecting winding staircases and beautiful architecture, but this was... dispiriting.


    The Tower absolutely fell short of his expectations. In fact, it fell short by a long shot.


    The ce waspletely empty!


    There were only two things present: A small obelisk and Larz, who was standing beside it.


    "I have to say. I''m not impressed... yet"


    Zolis stepped in beside Geth and looked up into the empty tower. She could clearly see to the very top with no hindrances.


    Still, the ce was immense. It could easily house ten high-ceiling floors in the upper direction.


    As far as diameter, it was easily one hundred yards across. Many rooms could be built in the ce, if necessary.


    Geth walked toward Larz, with Zolis and Sindri beside him. His youngest son, who had decided to go by Parker, ran along in front of them.


    Apparently, he''d be quite infatuated with Larz. The elf would teach him things in return for curing his boredom.


    "How does this ce work, Larz?" Geth asked as he crossed the distance to the center of the space.


    Larz patted the stone pir beside him. It was in the shape of a pentagon and stood close to eight feet tall.


    "Think of this Obelisk as the brains of the city. Almost everything will be done from here... for now," Larz began.


    The Obelisk lit up once he pressed his palm against it. Thousands of words, numbers, and Runes were projected lightly from its surface.


    "Eventually, this will turn into more of a quest board for the townspeople. For now, it''s how you begin building the city.


    You may be very familiar with the system. As with almost every aspect of this world, this system was created based on *cough* games *cough* from your Earth.


    For this particr system to work, you must gather different resources and bring them into the city walls. Once the resources are avable, knowledge will be bestowed unto those you choose to construct the facility."


    Geth looked at Larz, then back to the Obelisk. He shook his head. There was no way that was it.


    "That sounds too easy, Larz."


    *Sigh*


    "You are correct. It is only that simple for Level 1 structures."


    Larz waved his hand, altering the screen that Geth was seeing and spreading out the projections around the entire base of the Obelisk.


    The projection became an exact scale replica of the city outside of the Tower, with the Obelisk acting as the Tower itself. Geth''s eyes widened in shock.


    As he suspected, this ce wasn''t as simple as he thought. He could see a small dot for each and every person who had been granted citizenship.


    "The initial structures can be built by anyone," Larz waved his hand again. A list appeared before Geth. Every item on the list was very familiar.


    "Are these all of the facilities that each Dungeon contained?"


    Larz nodded, "That is correct, young master. The Tower has saved all blueprints from your previous ventures.


    Any facility, along with its Level that you had in the caves, were integrated into the Towers list of currently buildable facilities."


    Geth scrolled down the list. There wasn''t a single thing missing.


    "And what happens when we''ve built everything on this list?"


    "Well...."

 Chapter 233: Obelisk

    Chapter 233: Obelisk


    "I see," Geth remarked. "So, I have to use merit points earned by the people of the city to purchase the blueprints for other structures from the Tower. That correct?"


    Larz nodded, "Yes. However, you shouldn''t be discouraged."


    The elf showed Geth another menu and allowed him to scroll through it. He looked over it with interest.


    There were hundreds of Level 0 blueprints avable for purchase!


    ***


    Lumber Mill Blueprint, Level 0: 50 Merit Points


    Stone Mill Blueprint, Level 0: 50 Merit Points


    Storage Unit Blueprint, Level 0: 50 Merit Points


    Archery Tower Blueprint, Level 0: 100 Merit Points


    Bakery Blueprint, Level 0: 100 Merit Points


    Small Manor Blueprint, Level 0: 100 Merit Points


    Large Manor Blueprint, Level 0: 150 Merit Points


    Inn Blueprint, Level 0: 250 Merit Points


    Mage Tower Blueprint, Level 0: 500 Merit Points


    Defense Tower Blueprint, Level 0: 1000 Merit Points


    ...


    .....


    ....


    ***


    The list went on and on. Geth could see that the three buildings which cost 50 Merit Points were highlighted in red.


    "Am I to assume that these three at the beginning are necessary before doing anything else?"


    "That is correct."


    Geth backed out of the Menu and pulled up the reward screens for finishing the Local Formation.


    ***


    Congrattions User, on being the second to firmly establish a foothold in these newnds. As your reward, you may choose from the following:


    Option 1: 400 Merit Points, 4 Random Blueprints (Common)


    Option 2: 1 Random Blueprint (Rare)


    ***


    "Larz, what''s the difference between rarities in Blueprints?"


    Larz pulled up what looked like a help screen in front of the group but still read the information aloud.


    "Common Blueprints are under 200 Merit Points, Umon stop at 500, Rare can go up to 1500. Epic and above will not show up until the Tower itself has been upgraded," Larz replied.


    "And how difficult is it to get Merit Points?"


    "I suppose it depends on what you call difficult. Each log or sufficiently sized stone is worth a single Merit Point.


    Beyond that, missions can be taken to gain Merit Points. The tasks range from killing monsters to collecting resources."


    "Are any missions currently avable?"


    The screen changed once again.


    ***


    -Mission Rank (Common) 25 Merit Points


    Bring 100 logs to the Eastern Gate.


    -Mission Rank (Common) 25 Merit Points


    Bring 50 blocks of stone to the Western Gate


    -Mission Rank (Umon) 100 Merit Points


    Clear goblins from the Quarry


    ***


    "Quarry?"


    "As of the moment this Tower waspleted, a quarry was created twenty miles off the western wall. It should have added itself to every citizens'' Grimoire."


    Geth checked his Grimoire. Sure enough, a small mark showed him where the quarry was located.


    Larz spoke again, "I suggest taking at least ten Strength-based citizens. Not that the Goblins will be a problem, but cutting the stone and bringing it back will be difficult until you''ve built some carts."


    Geth nodded and looked at his options again.


    "Well, since we will get Points just from clearing the quarry anyway, I''ll take option 2."


    A single sh of light and a rolled-up scrolly on the ground before him. He picked up the scroll and opened it.


    ***


    Adventurer''s Guild (Rare)


    -Creates a Guild Building where citizens can register for quests that are specifically for hunting monsters, defending the city, or handling the city''s defenses for a set time.


    Cost:


    2500 Lumber


    1500 Stone


    10,000 Core Power


    ***


    "Hmm, so I suppose that this is another way to gain Merit Points. What is Core Power?" Geth asked.


    "If you have a Monster Core from a Level 1 creature, it contains 1 Core power. Sub-Boss cores are ten times their Level and Boss Cores one hundred times their Level."


    *Sigh*


    "It seems like we have an entirely different system that we have to learn now. Has everyone been listening?"


    Geth turned and looked at the others.


    "Yes."


    "Got it."


    "Understood."


    "I mean, it''s definitely moreplex, but it is simr to what the old mobile games would be if you had to leave and collect the resources yourself," Sindri added.


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    "Is there anything else we need to know, Larz? I would like to rest this evening and then start first thing in the morning. At least we won''t have to leave for weeks at a time."


    Larz waved them away, "We can handle the rest as youe across it.


    The other important information won''t be necessary until you''ve built everything you need to Level 1. Just make sure you recruit plenty of crafting sses."


    "Easier said than done, but I''ll keep it in mind. Thank you, Larz."


    Geth and hispanions left and headed to their homes or to see their loved ones.


    He took the kids around and exined each of the Barracks'' locations to them. He even told them about each of the Boss Monsters that had to be dealt with for each of them.


    "Dad, what Level are you now?" Stark asked.


    "I recently hit Level 55."


    His son got excited, "Did you get to pick another Talent for your new ss?"


    "Once you get over Level 50, you no longer receive Talents every five Levels."


    "Really, Dad?" Parker asked.


    "Yes, really. So you better choose yours carefully while you''re Leveling. Looks like you only get ten freebies."


    They continued to walk until reaching the Barracks that came with the Direwolf Dungeon. It was called the Wolf''s Den.


    "I kind of like this ce," Geth muttered.


    Elsa''s eyes lit up, "Dad! I want to go pet the wolves!"


    The Direwolves who had followed him in seemed to have naturally migrated to this area. He hesitated until the white she-wolf saw the group and walked over.


    Her tell wagged as she bent her head down to nudge it against the little girl''s hand. Geth was especially surprised when she reached out her paw.


    "Go on, take it. She''ll be able to talk to you."


    "Really?!"


    Elsa didn''t hesitate to grab the wolf''s paw. Geth could see the Mana passing between the two as theymunicated.


    After some time of his daughter giggling, the she-wolf knelt. The little girl jumped up effortlessly and straddled the wolf''s shoulders.


    Geth could see that the boys were jealous, so he summoned Kane to give them a ride.. He spent the rest of the afternoon watching them run around and ride on the backs of the different wolves.

 Chapter 234: Testing The Noobies

    Chapter 234: Testing The Noobies


    The following day, he gathered a group of ten men and a few of his party members to head for the mines. He didn''t intend on doing anything unless the Levels of the Goblins were something obscene.


    The group left out of the Western Gate while the sun was still low in the sky. A beautiful orange hue shone over the treeline as the party moved forward.


    The weather was turning warm, and Geth could see that some of the men were sweating in their armor.


    ''I''ll have to have a chat with Hulk. It seems that he''s been toox on their training.''


    It wasn''t that they hadn''t been working hard, but that they hadn''t been working in battle-ready equipment. Most still hadn''t received their first ss, meaning that their stamina wasn''t good enough to deal with the warmer weather.


    It had been nine months since thes had merged. It had happened in October, meaning that it was now the middle of July.


    Geth was surprised by how much time had passed. He hadn''t realized that both his and Zolis'' birthdays had passed.


    Zolis was now 24 and would be 25 in November, while he had turned 28 in April.


    ''It doesn''t seem like it''s been that long,'' Geth reminisced while watching the men marching with him.


    Outside of the weather just now bing warm, the sun rising in the west and setting in the east was strange. There were other minor discrepancies, but those were the only two affecting the men at the moment.


    The re of the sun would easily allow for monsters or other Human parties to ambush them.


    ''We should require at least one high-Level sensory ss in each party.''


    It may seem like an obvious decision, and it was. The issue was finding enough citizens who had sensory Talents or Skills and asking them to prioritize them.


    Only support builds that focused heavily on Wisdom would have Mana Sense upgraded enough to be of use.


    Albus couldn''t help but shake his head as he caught wind of Geth''s thoughts.


    ''The only reason Geth''s senses remain powerful is that he is constantly manipting Mana further and further from his person. If it weren''t for his habitual training, then his senses would fall short.''


    Albus didn''t believe that Geth realized he was doing it. The man''s Mana would send a light pulse in every direction every few seconds, even during his sleep.


    Since the incident with his Bloodline Awakening, his control over Mana had increased once again. Naturally, the man''s senses were included.


    "Geth, if you go aroundparing others to yourself, you''ll live in a state of disappointment," Albus spoke to one of the man''s selves that were meditating under the Immersion Formation.


    The clone cracked one of his eyes open and looked at the old man, "My point still stands. Have you noticed anything strange from that ck sphere?"


    "The purple energy that it houses is growing slowly. Otherwise, nothing."


    Geth''s self nodded, "After getting the city upgrades started, I''ll find a secluded spot to check in on it."


    Albus returned to his thoughts while Geth''s attention returned to his surroundings. The party had just reached the outskirts of the quarry.


    "Everyone ready up. There''s a small pack of five Goblins ahead."


    Sindri and Zolis tensed, but Geth waved the two of them to calm down. The Goblins were weak, a single Level 30 Hobgoblin and a few below Level 25.


    It was the perfect opportunity for the inexperienced men to better their teamwork. He nced toward Filthy, who had tagged along, and motioned his eyes ahead.


    The Ranger quietly slipped away, and Geth could feel him leaving the edge of his senses. He wasn''t sure how the Tower graded quest rarities, but he wanted to ensure that this batch could handle it.


    While waiting for a response from Filthy, the Goblin patrol rounded a corner just ahead between a tree and arge boulder. The Hobgoblin became angered upon seeing the approaching Humans.


    It roared orders at the smaller Goblins while brandishing a club that had been on its back. The smaller Goblins jumped to either side of the Hobgoblin, keeping their eyes on the surrounding trees.


    Geth was surprised by their coordination and thoughtfulness.


    ''This must be the effects of the Redo Formation bing weaker. The fog that once forced creatures to act as simple video game mobs is fading away.''


    Albus had warned him that things would be more challenging as time progressed. First the Direwolves, and now this development with the Goblins.


    Still, none of these Goblins were particrly dangerous, and the party acted quickly. Two men who carried small bucklers and short swords shifted to the front of the party while the others stood to the sides.


    Geth listened as one of the men directed half of the others to the woodline, having them nk the enemy while the tanks acted as distractions.


    It wasn''t a terrible n, but Geth wondered how the Goblins would react. He noticed that the smaller Goblins were carefully watching the men by the woodline.


    ''Their intelligence may have increased, but their awareness is still low. If they could see our Levels... I wonder if they would back off or call for help?''


    The Hobgoblin barreled sloppily toward the two defenders. The lumbering giant swung its club the moment it came within range.


    Smack!


    A loud crash sounded in the air as club and shield met. The warrior was pushed back but seemed uninjured.


    His friend leapt toward the Hobgoblin, opting for a quick strike to its abdomen and quickly moving away. Geth was reminded of the coordination between Harris and Farris as he watched the two fighters.


    They would alternate blocking to avoid either of their arms bing numb, while the other would perform a quick attack and retreat.


    Seeing the blooding from their leader, the four Goblins lost their cool and rushed forward. The men waiting by the treeline sprinted around therge trunks and made their way behind the battle.


    At that point, it was over. Pressed between the two forces, the Goblins fell quickly.


    They were off to a good start.

 Chapter 235: Quarry

    Chapter 235: Quarry


    The group continued taking out small patrols on their way to the quarry''s edge. Geth had stopped warning them of the iing dangers and had them fend for themselves.


    After a few surprises in the beginning, the team quickly became used to scouting ahead through the woods and boulders.


    The trees began to thin out as they walked, and more boulders took their ce. Hiding became easier for the group as they slunk in and out of the shadows of the packed rocks.


    After a half-hour of walking through the rocks ughtering Goblin patrols, they finally made it to the edge of the quarry.


    "This is huge!"


    A vast crater spanned the distance before them. Pathways spiraled down into its depths, where Goblins could be seen working with pickaxes and carts.


    The ce looked like a small, open Dungeon. Small groups of Goblins were working in many open crevices, pulling out stones, ore, and the asional gem.


    Down in the center of the pit, a Sub-Boss was cracking its whip and making screeching noises toward the others. Many smaller Goblins tried to avoid its attention while continuing with their work.


    Geth observed their Levels from afar. The Sub-Boss was only Level 35, while the rest of the Goblins ranged between 15-30.


    In total, there were around two hundred fifty of the creatures. Each group of ten had a Level 30 Hobgoblin making sure the nine Goblins followed the Sub-Boss'' orders.


    It looked like something that would be seen in a western movie.


    "You think you guys can take them?"


    Geth directed his question toward Chad, one of the shield wielders.


    Chad looked around the crater, taking note of the three entrances and the distance between the parties of Goblins.


    He looked back toward his team. Most of them had Leveled a few times during their travels over.


    Three had gained their first sses, while the other seven were within a Level or two.


    "I think that we can manage fine if the first few attacks are sessful. If we n properly, everyone will have a ss long before we reach the leader."


    Geth nodded and pulled out all of his health potions, passing them around to the men. He also gave hisst few Mana potions to the one magic-user in the group.


    "I won''t be healing you unless the situation bes desperate. Make sure to use these sparingly."


    They had found out earlier that if Geth intervened at all, even by buffing them, the experience they received would plummet. It seemed that he couldn''t power Level others unless the mobs were close to or above his own Level.


    The men huddled up. Chad informed them of what he thought would be the best action.


    Geth listened but didn''t join in the conversation. He was busy looking at the Goblins below.


    ''Larz, what constitutes as a stone?''


    There hadn''t been any specifics on howrge a rock needed to be to act as "One stone."


    ''There are a few types of stone. If you are looking at the quarry, the lower half should be a hard stone, while the upper half should be y.


    Use the tools in the quarry to carve out a block of stone three feet in width, height, and length. This will act as one stone.


    In the future, the y can be formed into bricks which are needed for specific structures. But that''s a lesson for another time.''


    Geth looked at the primitive tools that the Goblins were using. They were free... but to meet the requirements the city needed with them would be a hassle.


    "Gotta start somewhere," Geth muttered.


    ''One other thing,'' Larz sent him another message. ''You''ll notice that there is a small obelisk in the center of the quarry, simr to that of the Tower.''


    Geth looked down into the pit and noticed a small pentagonal shape behind the Sub-Boss. It was norger than three feet tall.


    ''I see it.''


    ''That stone controls the quarry. You will find the different types of mines that you had unlocked in your previous Dungeons in its memory.


    They will work simr to the city''s blueprints, and the mine itself has blueprints as well. These blueprints include tools, structures, and even defenses.''


    Geth was a bit surprised that the quarry would be so borate. He had some more questions, but they would have to wait.


    The party he''d brought with him had begun to move.


    "Are you sure they''ll be okay?" Sindri asked.


    "They''ll be fine."


    Zolis dangled her legs off the side of the ridge and watched. Filthy sat atop a nearby boulder, seemingly looking through his Grimoire.


    The party met the first group of enemies. The one that they had chosen to start with was working on one side of a sharp bend.


    Chad''s party crept into the small tunnel, using the walls to help silence the battle. The other Goblins wouldn''t see or hear the action.


    It was a bit out of range of Geth''s senses, so he had to sit tight and hope that they came out okay. He didn''t get his answer until around seven minutes had passed.


    The group came out of the crevice with Chad in the lead. He swiftly led them to the next fissure, which only took the group five minutes to leave.


    There would be one or two new Level 25''s out of the bunch with each sessful clear. Geth could see that the battles were bing easier as they continued downward.


    "Brings back some memories, doesn''t it?" Zolis asked.


    Geth looked over at her and nced back at Filthy. They didn''t have such a numerical advantage in their first Dungeon.


    "It certainly does. Let''s just hope they fare well with the Sub-Boss."


    As he watched the group, he thought about making Chad the next Hulk. There was still ack of well-put-together parties in Valha.


    ''I''ll have to find a group willing to work the mine, a group to freight the materials back and forth, and another group to protect those doing the work.''


    His head began to hurt at the thought of all the work needing to be done.

 Chapter 236: Grit

    Chapter 236: Grit


    Chad led his team forward after taking on another group of Goblins. The next target wouldn''t be as simple.


    After killing that group of Goblins, the others had gathered around the Sub-Boss. Many sets of eyes gazed in every direction, searching for the intruders.


    There were still four Goblin work squads left, along with the Sub-Boss. Chad peered at the group from the edge of a nearby fissure, trying to decide the safest way to proceed.


    "Maverick, how many of the lower Levels do you think you can tank?" Chad asked while looking toward the other man with a buckler.


    They had both chosen the Warrior ss, increasing their Strength and Defense. The only difference was that Chad had chosen a defensive self-buff for his Skill while Maverick had chosen an aggro ability.


    Maverick looked over Chad''s shoulder at the smaller Goblins. There were very few at Level 25, and arge majority were closer to Level 15.


    "Mmm, give me two guys to help clear them, and I can aggro all of them. That''s only if we can separate the Hobgoblins."


    Chad nodded and turned his attentions to the only Mage in the party, "Think you can take care of that?"


    "Hell yeah. My Ice spells are purdy good fer single targets. Shouldn''t be too hard to single out the four bigg''uns."


    "Alright," Chad gave him the thumbs up and pointed at two men in the group. "You guys head on with Maverick. You have the highest DPS, so I hope you''ll dispatch the small Goblins swiftly."


    They shifted over to stand beside the tanker while Chad finished speaking.


    "The Sub-Boss hasn''t left its tform for some reason. It seems to be guarding something. Our goal is to finish the other Goblins out of range of its whip and hope that it won''t pursue."


    He motioned for the Mage to get started. The man dive rolled out of the fissure like he was some kind of secret agent and pelted the four Hobgoblins with shards of ice.


    Chad had to admit that the man was urate. Each shard knocked into one of the beast''s chests or shoulders, both drawing their attention and angering them.


    The four creatures let their emotions get the better of them, rushing forward and knocking the small Goblins to the side who still hadn''t seen the Mage.


    "Maverick, go!" Chad hissed as he ran forward to cover the Mage.


    The two jumped from the small ledge they were on and ran to the opposite side of the quarry, four Hobgoblins and five men in pursuit.


    Maverick left the fissure and cast his aoe aggro Skill on the remaining small Goblins before they could chase after the others.


    The Goblins jeered and rushed up the hill, as anger overtook them and their minds became clouded with rage.


    Maverick walked back slowly, keeping his footing in the center of the path and leading th Goblins passed the crevice. As thest Goblin ran by, the two fighters leapt out behind the pack of thirty six Goblins.


    The two men brandished their weapons, making quick work of the many Level 15 Goblins who hadgged behind. Heads careened into the air with each swipe from their des.


    Maverick wasn''t standing idly and allowing the Goblins to pound on his shield. He wouldsh out with counter-attacks to damage and slow the front most beasts.


    Chad breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed the Sub-Boss hadn''t moved from its post. He nced over to Maverick''s squad and found that they had already dispatched half of the enemy Goblins.


    He stopped and turned, waiting for the Hobgoblins to reach him. They were far enough now that even if the monsters'' anger subsided, it was toote to help their brethren.


    The Mage behind him sted shards of ice, focusing on a single Hobgoblin and separating him from his group. Thest five party members caught up to it quickly, surrounding it and bearing their spears toward it.


    Even with the size of its club, the spear wielders had a slim range advantage. They alternated stepping in and stabbing toward it, leaving many superficial wounds.


    The wounds continued to stack until they became fatal, the Hobgoblin fell to its knees and swung its club wildly in an effort to keep the tiny Humans away. It was no use.


    The Mage fired constantly, keeping one of the beasts pushed back while Chad worked wonders to protect him from the other two. He had no aggro Skill, so he struggled to keep the two creatures from bypassing him.


    One of the monsters mmed its club onto his shield, vibrating his arm and putting an immense pressure on his legs. He countered with his short sword, using sh to make up for his shorter arm length.


    The attack hit the beast, distracting it long enough for Chad to stab toward the target attempting to walk around him.


    He nced toward hispanions, they were still rushing forward to catch up to the third beast. The Mage wouldn''t be able to assist him until that one was upied.


    "Shit!"


    Chad grit his teeth as a club caught his sword arm, shattering his elbow and causing his to weapon to drop to the ground. He dived forward as another club whistled toward his head.


    With no other choice, he put some distance between himself and the two beasts, pulling out a health potion and downing it in one gulp. The fluid felt cool falling down his throat, and that same sensation spread to all of his injuries.


    The healing effects were instant for his bruises and numbed shield arm. As for his shattered allow, it only managed to relieve some of his pain.


    There wasn''t enough time to down another potion with the two beasts now looming over him. He thrust his shield toward one of the monster''s swings.


    The creature staggered, caught off guard by the sudden movement. It wasn''t enough to avoid all damage, but he did manage to meet the club before it could build up any momentum.


    Chad stumbled backward, gritting his teeth and hoping that those watching from above wouldn''t intervene.

 Chapter 237: Defiance

    Chapter 237: Defiance


    Geth watched from the top of the small cliff. He was prepared to step in if necessary. The man''s left arm was broken, and his shield arm seemed to be going numb again.


    If it weren''t for that well-timed potion, Geth would have already intervened. He motioned to Filthy to have his bow drawn, just in case.


    "Babe, why don''t you heal him? If they wait until the effects are over, they can still take on the Sub-Boss without us affecting their experience."


    Geth shook his head, "He doesn''t want me to help, but I won''t let him die."


    "If you say so," Zolis rolled her eyes and continued swinging her legs over the cliff''s edge.


    There was only one reason he hadn''t helped to this point. Geth could see the Mana swarming around the man below.


    There was only one word to describe the emotion he saw lingering there.


    Defiance.


    *****


    Chad threw himself forward again, this time activating his Shield Bash Skill. He crashed into the closest Hobgoblin, causing it to stumble backward.


    This gave him enough time to shift his shield onto his forearm. He rolled to the side, snagging his sword with his shield arm and getting back to his feet before either creature had gained their footing.


    ''My shield will be next to useless like this, but at least I''m armed again.''


    He nced toward his broken arm, thinking about using his new Skill. After some time, he shook his head and decided against it.


    ''The cooldown is too long. I''ll have to have it for the Boss fight.''


    Chad didn''t have much time to think. The two injured Hobgoblins had regained their bnce and were trudging toward him. The sight of their shaking legs gave him hope that he could hold out until his party could assist him.


    The monster on his right swung its club like a baseball bat, intending to knock him out of their path to the Mage.


    Chad dove under the weapon, narrowly dodging. Between the Hobgoblin''s weakened legs and the weight of the club, it couldn''t stop the momentum, and the club mmed into its partner''s gut.


    The other Hobgoblin keeled over in pain, dropping its club and holding onto its stomach.


    Chad wouldn''t waste this opportunity. The momentum had turned the first Goblin''s back toward him, making it an easy target.


    He dashed forward, hacking at the creature''s heels three times with his sword until it copsed to its knees. There was nothing he could do to kill it, but he could now rest easy until the Mage could help.


    Chad moved himself out of range of the copsed creatures and began pulling out potion after potion, consuming them all. Bones cracked, and arcs of pain ran up his shoulder as the broken elbow began to mend itself.


    All he could do was grit his teeth and bear it. The healing process was much more painful than the initial break.


    While he was downing thest of his potions, he saw ice begin to bombard the two downed Hobgoblins. Chad nced over at the Mage, who gave him a thankful smile while upturning one of his Mana potions.


    His eyes wandered from the Mage over to the third Hobgoblin, where the spearmen were swarming the creature, and Maverick had caught up to aggro it.


    A sigh of relief escaped his lips, and he crashed to the ground, grateful that his teammates were sopetent. This task would have been impossible alone.


    ''Well... Maybe not for some people.''


    He remembered how powerful Geth and his party had been the first time he''d seen them. They were barely over Level 25 at that time, but he was confident any two of them could have cleared this ce.


    "I wonder if we could be like that?" Chad mumbled.


    His gaze wandered around his current party members. Maverick and the Mage obviously stood out, but a couple of teens amongst the spearmen appeared quite capable.


    The final three Hobgoblins fell, leaving only the Sub-Boss for them to contend with. Chad motioned for everyone to have a seat and rest.


    The Sub-Boss red at them venomously, but it still wouldn''t leave its spot. That''s when he noticed a strange Formation beneath its feet.


    He wasn''t very familiar with Runes or Formations. The only information that his Grimoire held about the things was their names.


    Chad hopped to his feet, moving his left arm in circles and testing the maneuverability of his elbow. It was stiff, but he would be able to wield his de.


    "Alright, is everyone ready?!" He did his best to sound excited, banging the hilt of his sword to his buckler.


    The others followed suit, jumping up and banging their weapons on the nearest object. A rhythmic beating soon resonated in the quarry, followed by the bellows of men charging into battle.


    Maverick aggroed the Sub-Boss the moment he came within range, the whip snaking toward him, only to meet his shield.


    The Spearmen raced to the colossal creature''s back, stabbing at its legs with their spears and bleeding it out. Chad nced at the Mage, who had cast a new spell that sent a chilling gale to surround the target.


    Watching the ongoing battle, he resigned himself to grabbing an aggro Skill as soon as possible.


    ''It looks like saving my Skill was pointless. I won''t even have the chance to tank in this battle,'' Chad scoffed.


    If he''d used it then, there would be no reason for him to have struggled as much. Without knowing why he beganughing.


    It seemed that hisughter was infectious. The entire crew began to chuckle and joked around as they dodged, blocked, or stabbed at the Sub-Boss.


    The men''s movements became natural, even to the extent of flowing like water. Every step they took was that of a man who lived for the thrill of the battle before them.


    It wasn''t long before the creature fell, the sound of the Humans''ughter thest thing it ever heard.

 Chapter 238: Emasculate

    Chapter 238: Emascte


    Geth walked up to the Obelisk that acted as the terminal for this location.


    He pressed on the point of the pedestal. Arge screen came up that showed a map of where they were standing, along with the two areas of the quarry and what could be found there.


    He scrolled through the list of buildings, tools, bonuses, and other things that could be purchased with a mixture of Merit Points and other resources.


    He quickly came to be quite aware of how much moreplex the quarry was than he initially thought. It was almost as detailed as the information at the City Obelisk!


    "Why the long face?" Chad asked.


    Geth sighed, "Nothing too much. It''s just going to take a lot longer than we initially thought to build our facilities from the ground up."


    "Well, we''re up for the challenge!" Maverick shouted, earning yells of encouragement from the other men.


    This had been their first Dungeon encounter. They were surprised by the rewards and bonuses they''d received from clearing it. As such, they were all still in a good mood.


    "I''m d you feel that way!" Geth chuckled, "Everyone, grab a pickaxe and let''s get digging!"


    He cast Restoration on the worn-out party and buffed everyone with both Strength and Agility. A wave of light covered the quarry as the buffs took hold.


    Geth grabbed a nearby pickaxe for himself and headed just outside one of the massive tunnels that the Goblins had been digging in. He nced around at the walls, unsure of where to start.


    Though Bruce had taught him a bit about digging out gems, he really wasn''t sure about how to dig out stone.


    "Do I just... Cut a properly sized section out of the wall..?" He mumbled.


    He knew that miners would spend loads of time nning their excursions. They needed to know where the ceiling should be braced, where to dig without weakening the structure, and how to use the tools properly.


    ''I''ll just stay outside of the tunnel for now and cut away a section of the wall... wait...''


    Geth sat the pickaxe to the side and looked at the wall before him. He hadn''t thought about using his Skill for something that seemed so trivial back when his Mana pool was low, but now...


    He waved his hand, turning a massive section of wall into the liquid state and allowing it to flow into the bottom of the quarry. It looked as if a small dam had been breached.


    Once the liquid stone was away from the wall, Geth built a stone box that was twenty-seven cubic feet. He even molded a stone bar to each side so that two men could easily carry it.


    It took him no time to create fifty of such stone blocks. His eyes nced to the others, who had all stopped working and stood watching him, and surprisingly, Zolis.


    His wife was using her Earthen Toss Skill to raise massive boulders from the ground. It looked like she had upgraded the Skill just for this purpose.


    Chad spoke up loudly, "So... should we even bother?"


    "Hah.." Geth scratched the back of his head, "Well, there is still plenty of work to do in carrying them."


    Each of the blocks weighed over four thousand pounds. It would take teamwork to move them all back to the city''s Western Gate.


    Zolis was the only one who could lift one of the stones alone. On top of that, with her Carry Weight Talent, she had a 50% weight Reduction for anything she carried while Geth''s buff was active.


    The petite woman lifted two of the stones with rtive ease. She even used her Earthen Toss to have a third hover in front of her.


    The others would have to work together, even with the effects of his Strength buff. He could see from their faces that they had beenpletely emascted.


    Geth felt a sense of pride that his wife could cause all of these grown men so much misery. Heughed at their pain as he picked up one of the stones on his own to carry back to the Western Gate.


    The other men grabbed the handles on either side of five stones. Luckily, they didn''t have to strain too much to walk with the blocks.


    With Geth''s buff alone, a grown man would be able to lift close to 1800 pounds. He had picked all of these men because they had most of their Attributes in Strength.


    He had Sindri walk toward the middle of the crowd, where she could effectively move in any direction in case of an ambush. Filthy made his way through the trees, scouting the area between them and the Western gate.


    Though the journey would take some time, it wasn''t all bad. Since no one had to strain, constant chit-chat kept the convoy lively.


    After making it out of the quarry, Maverick started singing a cadence in which the other men and Zolis followed along.


    ''Even with our increased Agility, it will take us two hours to reach the gate...'' Geth cringed as he thought about the need for 1500 blocks to build the Rare Guild Hall Blueprint.


    ''Larz, can I just make the stones out of the ground in front of the gate?''


    He could hear Larz''s chuckle echo in his mind, ''I''m afraid not, Master. The Stone must be retrieved from the quarry. Fret not. Things shall be easier as the quarry progresses.''


    Geth could only take the Elven man''s word for it.


    ''Can you tell me what buildings you rmend pursuing after the essential three are built?''


    ''Hmm, I would say that it depends on your efficiency in gathering materials. If you are slow, you need to get as many defenses built up before the first Waves as possible.


    However, based on how quickly you can craft the Stone, I rmend going for buildings that can increase Merit farming efficiency. Two that are must-haves are the Beacon and the Sub-ss Establishment.''


    ''Did you just say Sub-ss?''


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