Zark'thul woke from his healing stupor in the medical pod. Elspeth waited outside as usual, holding out a fresh suit of clothing.
He quickly changed and followed her out the door, pausing only to look back once at the pod where his previous attire lay bloodied and shredded.
She led the way to the Nexus Room.
"What about the others?" Zark'thul asked, noting the absence of his Agents.
"They're resting at the barracks. Shall I notify them of your readiness?"
Zark'thul considered, but shook his head. "Let them recuperate. I'll be at the Command Room."
Elspeth bowed. "Of course, sir. Have a nice day."
As she left, Zark'thul wondered at her phrasing. A "nice" day? Did this automaton not realize she served an eldritch being, or did she just think he was human enough to appreciate mortal platitudes?
Pushing those thoughts aside, he entered the Command Room, walking over to a long central console with an enormous holographic screen at its center. With a tap, Zark'thul began sifting through his screens.
First and foremost, the next order of business was to maximize his Agents' survivability, which meant he needed to level them up. They'd still suffer from a lack of power, true, but that would come with time. Zark'thul considered his AetherLink's Storage section, finding plenty of Experience Cores to fulfill his plan:
[Experience Core (Basic) x16] Allocating a core gives 250 EXP to an Agent.
[Quintessence Shard x 100] Used to recruit more agents or promote current ones.
The only real option at the moment was to feed the cores to them to get them stronger and save the shards for later use in case he needed to acquire more Agents. With the increased Agent Pool Size granted from his level up, Zark'thul had that bit of flexibility.
His attention wandered to the other available gear and equipment he'd gathered from their earlier fights—nothing special, just a bunch of nondescript weapons and armor. Granted, it was of slightly better quality than what the Agents were equipped with when initially summoned, so he figured it wouldn't hurt to hand it over for the Agents to improve their kit.
He turned to one of the many free-standing consoles behind him and accessed the Agent Deployment menu. Each Agent appeared on-screen with their own profile, which included details about their performance and status.
After a moment, Zark'thul divided the Experience Cores and dragged them to Agent Two and Three's profiles. From what he'd observed, their damage output and overall effectiveness exceeded the others', making them the ideal first candidates.
[6x Experience Core (Basic) allocated to Agent "Two"]
[6x Experience Core (Basic) allocated to Agent "Three"]
Once the transaction completed, he checked their status.
> image [https://i.imgur.com/G6BVuvn.png]
>
> Name: Two
> Type: REDLINEs, Female
> Role: Assassin
> Rarity: ☆ (Common)
> Level: 3
> Health (HP): 168
> Defense (DEF): 13
> Magic Resistance (MRES): 12.5
> Attack (ATK): 51
> Speed (SPD): 32
> Critical Rate (CRIT): 12.8%
> Dodge Rate (DODGE): 11%
> Special Ability: Shadow Strike (Deals 20 bonus damage when attacking from stealth)
> image [https://i.imgur.com/gyiOdSp.png]
>
> Name: Three
> Type: REDLINEs, Female
> Role: Sniper
> Rarity: ☆ (Common)
> Level: 3
> Health (HP): 140
> Defense (DEF): 12.5
> Magic Resistance (MRES): 12.5
> Attack (ATK): 62.5
> Speed (SPD): 17
> Critical Rate (CRIT): 10.8%
> Dodge Rate (DODGE): 6%
> Special Ability: Snipe Shot (Deals 10 bonus damage when attacking from long range)
Zark'thul frowned. A marginal improvement, at best, considering how many cores he fed them. Still, they'd perform much better in combat from here on. But it seemed their rarity remained the main bottleneck for their growth—and he needed to find ways to alleviate that. Even common trash deserved the chance to ascend.
He had his work cut out for him.
Still, the rewards seemed underwhelming in comparison to the risk he put himself through during those nine attempts of the same mission. Then again, Elspeth did say that he wasn't required to take part in the missions, and that he could sit back and let his Agents handle things on their own.
But that... wasn't Zark'thul. Eldritch being or not, he was no coward to be protected while his minions faced the fray. He preferred to stand side by side with them on the field.
Of course, for that, he would need more power.
The Tower clearly intended to force him to progress step-by-step, regardless of how trivial the gains felt. Such an inefficient design. If he couldn't rush his way up its floors, then he would take it slow.
Well, no—maybe not slow. Perhaps there were alternate methods he could use to circumvent some of the grinding. If he could understand the rules and exploit them for himself...
One way or another, he'd find a way.
At the moment, the most efficient path forward would be to continue repeating the same mission, earn more resources, then invest those into improving his Agents even further. A guaranteed victory had a great deal of appeal—so long as he continued receiving adequate rewards from completing them.
Despite the randomness of the encounter, he'd at least learned enough of the murk beast's movements and attacks to devise some reliable strategy, or at the very least a solid opening. Knowing what to expect next had given him an edge.
----------------------------------------
[Directive 1-1: Slay the Murk Beast complete!] Repeat Reward: 100 Experience (EXP), 10 Quintessence Shards (QSP), 2 Experience Cores (Basic), 1 Steel Spear
[Squad morale decreased by 4%!]
Zark'thul suppressed the urge to throw his AetherLink against the wall and smash it. Instead, he calmly slipped the device into his coat pocket and exited the Nexus Room. Behind him, his squad of Agents marched in grim silence, their shoulders drooped, heads lowered as they made their way toward the Infirmary.
For the next ten cycles, their work ethic held steady, and Zark'thul had no reason to doubt it ever would. But now, after repeated runs against the same adversary, something changed within them. Gone were the confident gazes and steadfast demeanors—replaced with despondence and boredom.
Each time they slayed the beast, there was less urgency, less tension—simply because of the tedium. By now, Zark'thul and his Agents could complete the mission with ease, as if on autopilot.
Yet their morale waned... Why?
They should be content with their efficiency! He was the one who always received the burnt of the creature's attacks, who had to endure the worst of it. What right did his Agents have to feel lethargic? He gave them purpose; he even made sure to optimize their success at each turn.
And now this? No longer interested in the mission?
Of all the things—
Zark'thul paused in his stride, running a hand down the length of his face. Deep breaths helped settle his mind, but a deeper understanding proved harder to grasp.
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He needed to think this over—the morale issue, and how to address it. It was a threat to efficiency. And if Zark'thul wanted to get anywhere, he had to eliminate inefficiency at all costs.
He spotted Elspeth ahead, waiting at the junction by the Command Room, and approached her. She bowed as he drew near, then tilted her head in question.
"Is there something I can do for you, sir?"
Zark'thul walked passed her and entered the room, making for his large console. With a gesture, he brought up the screens with his data, skimming through it—both old and new.
Elspeth followed suit, taking her position beside him with a curious look on her face.
"The mission went well," Zark'thul answered. "It took longer than I expected, though. And my Agents' morale dropped. Do you have any idea why?"
"Have you repeated it recently?" she asked.
"I have." Zark'thul furrowed his brow, confused, and searched for clarification. "Too much...?"
"Well, sir, it's understandable that an Agent's morale may decrease if you ask them to perform the same tasks multiple times without variety. They can tire of monotony. Think of it like being human—if someone repeats the same routine over and over, it might grow stale."
Think of it like being a human? What a preposterous thing to suggest, as if he'd ever entertained such nonsense. Just because he now resided in this human body doesn't mean he thought himself as one.
Nevertheless, he saw her point.
"...I suppose that does make sense, now that you mention it," he said. "They bore easily, is what you're implying. Then what, exactly, do you advise I do about this? There's no reason for them to feel uninterested in the work if the work itself is meaningful and efficient."
"Hmm. It sounds like it would be helpful if you found other missions that provide your Agents with different challenges and experiences," she replied. "Alternatively, if their performance suffers, you can use various methods to raise it."
"Such as?"
"For example," Elspeth replied, tapping lightly at the console's holographic screen to change the interface into one she selected, "your Agents' performance is affected by multiple factors, including their personalities and roles, as well as certain interactions with other Agents they engage in." She pointed at several highlighted points within a database displaying lists upon lists of stats, percentages, and variables.
"Go on."
"As mentioned before, each Agent possesses a 'morale' rating," she said, touching another section of the data and magnifying it with a gesture. "Morale influences an Agent's overall performance. Currently, your Agents have decreased morale due to repetition, as well as likely insufficient positive reinforcement or personal comfort."
Zark'thul peered closely at the screen. If personal comfort influenced the Agents' performance, it certainly wasn't marked down anywhere, yet Elspeth explained it in such a way that implied it did affect them, even if indirectly. Personalities? What a hassle.
Truly, Zark'thul ought to receive a reward for putting up with all this. All the inconvenience...
That was that, he supposed. Never thought a time would come when he'd miss the drones... no personalities—only pure obedience and effectiveness. That was what he preferred to work with.
"To increase morale," Elspeth continued, "you should provide variety, offer them feedback, or allow them leisure periods."
"Leisure?" Zark'thul cut in.
Elspeth nodded. "It's best for both your Agents and yourself to get adequate rest, mental stimulation, and the occasional reward, both material and social. Taking a break from rigorous labor will help restore and increase their performance."
Zark'thul doubted that rest would do anything at all. This body healed quickly enough that he was ready for a new mission after as soon as a day after his regeneration cycle finished.
Mental fatigue? What was this? For a being of his level to succumb to such mortal trivialities was ridiculous.
He shoved his worries aside and refocused his attention back to Elspeth. She continued speaking on about things Zark'thul found dubious at best, but he paid attention to her. He couldn't afford to let her notice his absent-mindedness. Who knows what the Tower will do if she suspects anything off about him.
"—which is why I highly recommend taking a break every once in a while to relax. Also, remember to make an effort to improve interpersonal relationships between you and your Agents, and between themselves as well."
"Why would I do that?" Zark'thul protested.
She glanced over at him and shrugged. "Think of it like strengthening their team dynamics. I may be an automaton, sir, but I am fully aware of the positive effects a healthy connection between teammates and leaders can have on their performance."
She smiled at him, with just the corners of her mouth lifting a touch, as she gestured towards the main database again, one showing an image of his Agents in their barracks, as though she meant to remind him of that fact.
"Wouldn't it be better to eliminate inefficient methods of increasing their performance?"
"No," she responded instantly.
That caught him off guard. What sort of logic was this automaton running on? Where was the efficiency in it all?
That pause went unnoticed by the automaton, and she proceeded to speak again, "Satisfying their psychological needs for attention, love, and stimulation will contribute to their sense of accomplishment and willingness to serve you. You yourself will feel far more fulfilled in your role as leader of the group by strengthening such bonds."
"But these... REDLINEs, they aren't the same humans I've dealt with in the past. Aren't they bred to serve their purpose? To live, die, and repeat?"
Elspeth tapped on the data pad in her hands. "REDLINEs are indeed created solely to serve, sir, but they aren't mindless drones. They do think. They feel. It's simply that they have a stronger compulsion to serve, regardless of whether they necessarily want to."
"So, we have come full circle, why again would I pursue methods that only cater to these beings' capricious desires? The sooner I finish these directives, the sooner I can leave this place."
"While true," Elspeth said, "if you want to be a more effective leader, then you must do more than merely command. Inspire your subordinates to work for the team instead of being told to do it. Encourage camaraderie. People tend to perform better when they're treated well than when they are given no other choice but to follow their orders, despite any ulterior feelings they may harbor. REDLINEs are no different."
Zark'thul held his hands behind his back and paused in his stance. He considered her words.
His time subsuming that human world taught him much about the minds and psyches of these lower beings. They did everything inefficiently. It was what cost them their very world. Was this the Tower's design? To subject him to inefficiency over and over in the hopes that it'd make him one of them?
Out of the question.
Yet his body was now that of a human's—this much he couldn't ignore.
What kind of needs does he now require? Aside from healing his injuries, which the medical pod provided, he didn't need to eat or drink, nor did he feel any sensations of thirst or hunger. Did he even need sleep?
Perhaps it had something to do with the residual connection his new body carried with his eldritch essence. A symbiosis between flesh and ethereal energies that maintained homeostasis within his system...
Curious. Very curious.
Still, the effects of this mortal weakness didn't escape his notice. Emotions have already stained his ancient mind, causing his perception of events to shift and alter. Things that he hadn't cared about in the past, now commanded his attention. His instincts, once fueled solely by pure will, had now morphed into mere echoes of those former principles.
Now, even the briefest inkling of uncertainty or concern wormed their way into his psyche—though so far he'd proven capable of controlling them, before they could take hold too deeply. Zark'thul was confident he could adapt, at least...
"—sir, is everything alright?"
Elspeth's voice drew him from his reverie, and he met her inquisitive gaze with a measured stare. He hadn't realized his brooding had gone on for so long. Even he let the mask slip.
He stood abruptly and leaned against the chair, resting his hands on it. His fingers traced the fine leather stitching as he met Elspeth's unblinking eyes.
Elspeth tilted her head. "Were my words not helpful?"
Well, she made some fair points. Perhaps he'd misunderstood her logic.
"Your suggestions have... merit."
Her brightening expression told him he'd spoken the right words.
He could sense something behind those unblinking bright green orbs, something beyond mere machine calculation—something familiar. Something... alive.
A feeling of déjà vu, perhaps? A sense of familiarity to that enigmatic gaze, as if he had seen them somewhere before? What an odd thing to consider.
Zark'thul blinked and banished the errant thought from his mind. He gave a barely audible sigh. "While I don't often make decisions based on advice from others, in this case, I'm willing to experiment."
Elspeth offered him a small nod in response, but Zark'thul's focus had already drifted elsewhere. No more did he study those strange green eyes that continued to draw his attention with such unwavering magnetism.
"All right then. That should suffice for now," Zark'thul replied brusquely before taking his seat again. He needed to concentrate on reviewing his Agents' statuses now, rather than indulge any further tangents.
"Of course, sir," Elspeth said. "Do let me know if you require any assistance. I am always here for you."
She gave him another bow, this one more formal than the previous, then stepped away from his side and exited through the door. The thought of her green eyes lingered at the edge of his thoughts but would have to wait for later pondering.
He began focusing his attention back onto his screens, with newfound clarity. The work that lay ahead would require undivided care and discipline, lest his work become undermined by his own undisciplined mind. Though Elspeth had given him much to think about, it didn't stop there.
After several hours of scouring through their performance analytics, Zark'thul pushed himself from his chair paced across the room, stopping short of the window overlooking the bustling city below. Behind him, the dim lights flickered as his reflection mirrored his movement.
He looked out at the skyscrapers sprawled before him, the streets dotted by bustling crowds, vehicles speeding back and forth amidst the night. Not a sight he was particularly accustomed to. Never in his ancient existence had he experienced civilization from this perspective—as a part of it.
The architecture and technology of the world outside this pane of glass bore a resemblance to some of the human worlds he'd subsumed in the past, but try as he might, he had no recollection of this place. No recognition.
A different dimension, then? The only conclusion he could fathom.
Even stranger, the Tower itself seemed to reside within this cityscape, in plain view for any and all to see. But whether this society had any awareness of what lay inside the Tower's confines eluded him.
Elspeth had mentioned that the Tower existed inter-dimensionally. A structure that existed here, yes, but existed everywhere all at once. What he viewed beyond that window might simply be an echo of one of many locations where the Tower stood simultaneously. Similar reflections, with slight variances.
But such observations presented more questions. Why this particular cityscape? And this dimension in particular?
Where is he, and how much of what Elspeth told him about the Tower thus far could he believe?
Too many variables to consider.
Zark'thul raked a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. Enough musing—he needed to figure out how to keep his Agents motivated. Yes. There was no value in overthinking.
He swiveled from the window, stalking back to his console, fingers itching to continue his research. Best keep moving forward.