Another huge collision dragged us back into the present.
Nightshade, Violala, and I rushed toward the noise, pushing our way through the last of the reeds. As we broke out to the mud clearing around the temple-
-An impact that dwarfed both of the previous two smashed into our faces. Nightshade bit its snake-arms into the ground in order to resist the blast, but the lighter Violala was sent tumbling backward.
Your Skill (Temp) Inferior Adrenaline Rush has grown to Level 11.
Your Skill (Earned) Detection has grown to Level 18.
Yeah, I noticed the EXPLOSION. Almost in irritation at how suddenly Detection was on its best behavior, I reacted the the tumbling form of the Venom Mantis. My first instinct was to dodge out of the way, but I reasoned that the best way to maintain proper diplomatic relations with the surrounding forces was to catch Violala, like the gentle-monster I was.
Yea, that was a lie.
Your Skill (Temp) Dig has grown to Level 18.
You might be wondering why, during such a chaotic moment, I had the spare time to advance the proficiency of my Dig Skill. The thing is, I tried to dodge to the side, but the edge of my bulky digging claws caught a bit of mud. So when I shifted my weight, I ended up just scooping up mud in front of me--
Which, very gallantly, cushioned Violala’s tumble.
Or so I would have assumed, had I not felt a sharp attack move through the mud, hit the edge of my digging claws, and skitter across them.
Warning! Your limb Digging Claws of the Buff Crayfish Mucker has been damaged! Please protect the integrated body parts or you will lose the bonuses.
“Even in moments like this, your focus does not waiver. Interesting, Chosen Tallum, very interesting…” Violala withdrew her sharpened foreleg as though she hadn’t just tried to skewer me. After brushing mud off her legs, she skittered forward into the clearing.
Nightshade turned a head at me and winked. “Heh, already you plant the seeds of inferiority in our rivals. Soon, the venom mantis’s spirit of resistance will be broken over your knee.”
Really, crayfish limbs are just clumsy… I trembled, all of my earlier assurance of being able to manipulate and control a monster economy falling to pieces. Why are monsters such murderous assholes? Meanwhile I-
Okay, well, against crayfish and squirrels, sure, there was a small amount of murder, and snakes, too, so this fang is a bit bloodsoaked, but usually-
“Are you finished?”
My attention whipped around toward Sage’s voice. Finally, I took in the situation in the clearing.
On one end stood the two otters, Takkle and Pukkle, stood. The right otter bore a deep scratch across its chest, weeping slow drops of blood. I had to look away after my second because my instincts were profoundly fascinated by the life offered up by those ruby droplets. Their high Level made their Anima burn in my energy sonar.
On the other side, lazy and indolent, lay Mookt. It used its two floppy pectoral fins to prop itself up. It curled its lip, none the worse for wear. And standing between them, the current object of Mookt’s ire, was Sage. Clearly, after the first two impacts between catfish and otter, she had intervened and used her powerful kick to stall out Mookt.
Her blow assessed our region's dominant bully.
But now, she’s blustering to get Mookt to back down. I felt a tingling in my lavender jelly. I’ve only spent a short amount of time with Sage, but the only reason she wouldn’t just kill him… is that Deviant Mudsucker is strong. Level 24 isn’t just a meaningless label
After a long moment, Mookt spat to the side. “Wasn’t it just for fun? We were sharpening one another. You unnatural things don’t have a monopoly on devouring the weak.”
Sage regarded the catfish for several more seconds. The two otters whispered frantically to one another but didn’t say anything else. So Sage snorted and flapped her tails. “If your zeal has been spent, you may come enjoy the feast that Brother Tallum has prepared.”
I nodded to myself, preparing to step out and lead the group to the location prepared by the spiderlings. However, Sage didn’t give me the opportunity; She crooked one of her sinuous tails. “Follow me.”
Eh?
Only I remained in place while the others trooped through the well-trodden path through the reeds… and stopped right next to the rotfly swamp.
“Hoo- hoo- hoo~. This is indeed a treat.” To my surprise, Old Anta the Wetland Glider was already there, happily swiping a claw through the buzzing swarm and stuffing his prize in his mouth. “Very ingenious, to use a foundational array to trick the flies into containing themselves.”
Your Skill (Earned) Monster’s Wisdom has grown to Level 25(+9).
I realized the owl was right. Whereas before the flies had bulged beyond the edges of their swamp, generally making a nuisance of themselves, the meaningless projected Boundary Array seemed to repel them. They were like a buzzing pillar above the swamp.
But still, My expression darkened further. Definitely, this proves you are a conscious and malicious System! How the hell do I deserve to earn a Skill in Monster’s Wisdom in a decision I made accidentally!? Admit it! You would do anything to sabotage my relaxed attitude!
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…
Well it won’t work. Tsk…
The other assembled monsters trooped forward. Mookt unrolled a massive (and yellow in a way that made me believe he should really visit a doctor) tongue and just scooped huge amounts of flies into his maw. The otters grabbed fistfuls. Violala, pretending like she hadn’t just tried to kill me, demonstrated her horrific talent for spearfishing. One moment she was entirely still, then her arm blurred and four flies were stuck along its length.
I sent a mental message to the spiderlings there had been a change of location for the feast. They dragged over massive leaves covered in the fruits I had them gather over the past few hours.
Again, as seemed to be the theme for the night, before I could even say anything, the group drew their own conclusions about my intentions.
“Ah, Chosen Tallum, you have truly thought of everything,” Old Anta hooted. He swiped out with a claw and picked up a bunch of berries. Obviously, he didn’t eat them. Why would he? Instead, the owl squeezed the berries until the skin broke and juice ran across this talons. And then he tossed juicy berries into the small lip of ground between the array and the edge of the swamp.
Flies swamped closer, excited by the sugary juice. Which made it easier for the owl to scoop up an even larger amount of flies at once and stuff them into his mouth.
The rest of the monsters joined in the fun, making use of the ‘fly-bait’ I had provided. To prevent any loss of leisure, I disassociated from my body. Moving to the far edge of the swamp, I set myself down and began snatching flies to devour to recover some Anima. I lulled myself into a state of emotional recovery with the notifications.
You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +1.
You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +1.
You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +1.
You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +1.
You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +1.
You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +2.
Eh? Anima plus two? For a second my attention returned to reality, but then I shrugged and disassociated once more. Ah, what does it matter if some of the flies are getting chubby? At least I’m feeding them well.
You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +1.
You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +1.
You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +1.
…
You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +1.
Only after my Anima had reached a sated 250 did I achieve my equilibrium. I refocused. I remembered the resolve that had settled in my chest.
My jelly withered and deflated, thinking that it was almost inevitable that my actions be misconstrued. Or that someone would attempt to kill me as a casual monster greeting. Trying to build a home with agents of chaos on all sides could only end one way.
But! I puffed myself back up. You crash all the economies you never start! Don’t let the System sabotage your good ideas.
With more confidence than I felt, I stomped across the muddy ground to stand next to the High Venom Mantis. “Lady Violala. I understand you wished to obtain more of the liquid that helped your Matriarch? It is indeed possible. However, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight another role these gatherings might serve; a hub of trade.”
Mookt had apparently been listening, because he hissed out displeasure from the side. “Trade? A weak human concept. If I have a desire, I simply take what I want.”
Hmph, I’ve been training for this my entire human life! I pivoted and looked at the mudsucking catfish. You haven’t truly argued until you have done so anonymously online. Heh. I almost feel bad for you.
“Ah, but isn’t that a bit limiting?” I mused. “If that is the way you live, you can only want the things you see. But, if we expand the Kami’s domain, how much of it will you truly be able to see? A Kami’s influence is vast. There will be many things you don’t know you want, because you haven’t seen them.”
Mookt blinked at me. A very basic truth about life, even monster life, was that you became used to everything. Even arguments. And when Mookt so arrogantly started in about how he could take anything he wanted, he was very prepared to deal with direct denials of his argument or claims he shouldn’t do so. But by simply taking a different line, the aggressive catfish had been puzzled into silence. So I had more time to speak.
“We will be invading in several directions. And each direction will have its unique rare and precious materials-” This was just an assumption on my part, but this was a fantasy world, so it seemed pretty safe to say. “-that everyone can harvest and gather here. So we’ve-”
The royal we, to imply the inclusion of the Kami…
“-been developing an equitable procedure. For bringing materials here, each individual will be given a certain amount of tokens, coins, depending on the size and value of what you bring. You can then exchange those tokens for some of the materials brought by others. That way, the scope of your desires won’t be limited.”
And once you become used to swapping the tokens, it will naturally start filtering out to other transactions… heh. So long as I control the supply-
Mookt once more began to hiss, perhaps finally catching up and about to announce something like ‘I can just take everything I want from you!’ or whatever. So I began on my next tactic; I gestured and the spiderlings marched out with my basic coins.
Rather than argue, it was better to offer a tainted bribe.
Groups of spiderlings went up to each individual, with my product held aloft with their slim forelegs. The weird black substance wasn’t anything to look at, but each disc glittered with the little bits of energy trapped in the inert substance. From the way Mookt’s pupils dilated, I knew he was the type that was weak to shiny things.
“To begin, I’d like everyone to take five tokens. As we are the leaders underneath the Kami.” I, master orator and relaxed economic guru, pivoted back to the watching Venom Mantis. I tried not to think too deeply about the intensity with which she watched me. “And now, we can discuss how many of your tokens you are willing to give me for the liquid?”
“All of them,” Violala replied rather matter-of-factly.
I blinked. For someone who waits in ambush wearing a ghillie suit, you are really poor at misdirection and bargaining. Is this… finally the area where my human experience will give me an edge-
What I didn’t expect was for Takkle to speak up. “I will give you some of this liquid for four tokens. Some has flowed down the on the river and we have gathered it, noticing its unique properties.”
I gaped. A second supplier?! What the hell is this development! But their inventory-
Violala considered for a moment then nodded. She turned to me and shrugged. “I apologize, Chosen Tallum, but theirs is a better offer.”
“Wait… no… I…” I couldn’t seem to stop blinking, wondering when things had gotten so out of hand.
“I demand more tokens. Can these be eaten?” Mookt hissed and began to chew on his tokens. “Bah. Well, maybe, but the flavor should be improved!”
“Hoo- Hoo- Hoo~” Old Anta laughed so hard he fell over.