After Finn returned with sparkling eyes I didn’t give them time to discuss anything among themselves since there was no need.

“I’ve trapped four of them,” I said. “It works like a pit trap.” I gesture with my hands as if they were the grate on top. “The grate on top was tampered with. Can’t hold a croc’s weight.”

“So, you trapped four of those… things?” Gareth asked, his voice laced with awe.

“Yes,” I replied, nodding. “They can’t climb out. They’re defenseless against ranged attacks. Hence the need for Finn to stick with me while you go butcher rats.”

I turned to Finn, the archer of the group. “I suppose that you can take them down quite easily,” I said. “With your bow. Shooting from the shafts.”

Finn’s eyes lit up. “You’re right,” he said, a grin spreading across his face. “That’s… brilliant.”

“The sewers cover most of the underground layer of the instance,” I explained. “And I’ve already cleared most of the debris. Getting to the trap won’t be difficult. Or dangerous. It might not be as fast as taking out some rats, but it’s the only way I can hunt down here.”

“And we could take down all of them,” Bronwyn said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “If we wanted.”

“Exactly,” I said. “And there’s another advantage. Time.”

“We can spend a significant amount of time inside, dealing with the rats and hunting those creatures, while only a fraction of that time passes outside,” I explained.

“That’s… effective,” Elara murmured. “We could gather a lot of resources in a short amount of time.”

“There’s only one thing I’m worried about,” I said, my voice becoming more serious. “Supplies. What I have left will only last about a week, at most. And I haven’t located the cafeteria yet. Even if I do, I’m not sure there will be any food left.”

The group erupted in laughter. I looked at them, confused.

“What’s so funny?” I asked.

“Vincent,” Gareth said, still chuckling. “You have four giant lizards waiting to be turned into pincushions. That’s more than enough food for us.”

My eyes widened. I hadn’t even considered that. People did eat alligators, I supposed. It wasn’t that different.

“If we make jerky out of them,” Rhys said, “we’ll have food for weeks. And that’s if we don’t manage to kill more in the meantime.”

I felt my cheeks flush slightly. I had been so focused on the strategic aspects of my plan that I had overlooked the most obvious solution.

“And there's more,” Elara said, smiling. “I have a skill that purifies meat from monsters. It removes any toxins or impurities, making it safe to eat.”

A wave of relief washed over me. That was incredibly fortunate. A skill like that was invaluable in this world, where so many creatures were likely poisonous or diseased.

“That’s… excellent,” I said, nodding. It was a solid choice for a “gift” from the System. Efficient, practical, and essential for survival. I approved, even if I didn't say it out loud.

Everything was falling into place. My plan was solid, the group was on board, and we had a reliable source of food. It was time to put everything into action.

But I also noticed that they might have more than one of those gifts. Elara got two so far. The one to detect deception and this one to cleanse meat. No telling how much or what they are still choosing not to share with me.

“So, it’s settled then,” Gareth said, his voice decisive. “We’ll deal with the gators tomorrow, secure our food supply, and then start exploring the sewers, and the rat dungeon, for more resources.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I said, a smile spreading across my face. My plan, not yours, Gareth.

The rest of the day was spent preparing. They checked and rechecked their gear, sharpened their weapons, and discussed a little bit of strategy. I explained the layout of the sewers, the location of the trap, how to reach the grate to reset it when needed, and the best way to approach it.

As the sun set and the fire crackled, a sense of anticipation filled the camp.

“So, when you said your final move was bleeding all over the place and screaming alone at a dark corner…” Finn said, amused.

I simply nodded. “The gators are dangerous prowlers and lurkers, yes. But not exactly smart. When they hear the noise, they cautiously come check it out, then they smell the blood and go for the grate before falling down the pit.”

Finn smiled. The guy appears to be happy to have a task only he can fulfill. I can use that.

After a few boring topics related to people in crystal coffins and the challenges that might surface when trying to restore society to a certain degree, everyone finally decided to sleep. I retreated to my own little exclusive chamber and used my makeshift shield as a makeshift door. Never saw a rat out here, but I’m not going to take any chances.

It was a rather quick night. One blink and it was morning. I didn’t feel rested at all. But they were all ready to go. Today was croc hunting day. Or should I call it croc shooting day? I already did the hunting, it was more like shooting fish in a barrel.

The four trapped creatures were still there, seemingly asleep with their eyes opened. Creepy.

Luckily, for Finn, their eyes had a little glow in the dim light. I supposed they also get some good night vision. Noted. No night hunting if possible.

Finn took aim with his bow, his arrow finding its mark with deadly accuracy. One by one, the creatures fell, their hisses and snarls fading into silence.

The fun had begun. The work was done, it was time for profit.

The initial excitement of the successful hunt quickly gave way to a chilling realization. As we prepared the fallen creatures for processing – a gruesome task that Elara handled with surprising efficiency, her meat purification skill proving invaluable – the group began discussing the cost of our return to the instance.

I, as the first to enter, had done so for free. But the others…

“Ten shards for me,” Finn said.

“Thirty for me,” Bronwyn added.

“Sixty for me,” Rhys muttered.

“One hundred for me,” Elara said, a slight frown creasing her brow.

“And one hundred and fifty for me,” Gareth concluded, shaking his head.

The numbers echoed in the damp air of the sewers, each one a reminder of the System’s relentless economy. Ten, thirty, sixty, one hundred, one hundred and fifty… That was a total of three hundred and fifty spirit shards.

Three hundred and fifty.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

My stomach churned. That was an exorbitant amount. I had only started with ten, and I had spent over half of them just to get some basic information. It took me days to get back to ten and get out of the instance. The thought of spending that much on a single trip into an instance made me feel faint.

I looked at the group, my expression a mixture of gratitude and apprehension. “I appreciate you guys doing this,” I said while frowning. “But that’s a lot of shards.”

They looked at me, a mixture of amusement and reassurance in their eyes.

“It’s no problem, Vincent,” Gareth said, clapping me on the shoulder. “We believe in your plan. And we’ll make it back, and then some.”

“Besides,” Elara added, smiling. “Three hundred and fifty split six ways isn’t even sixty shards each.”

Six ways. They were already including me as a member of their group. The realization warmed me slightly, but it also increased my sense of responsibility.

“We’ll make it back from these big lizards easily,” Finn said, gesturing towards the carcasses. “There are dozens of them around, and unlike the rats, they drop multiple shards each.”

“And don’t forget the rat den,” Bronwyn added. “A proper rat den always has plenty of rats to kill, and at least one broodmother or one rat king, if not both. And that means a chance for a magic item.”

“A magic item?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

“Yes,” Gareth confirmed. “A powerful artifact, imbued with spirit essence. They’re incredibly rare and incredibly valuable.”

“We’ve only heard rumors,” Elara said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “But they say a magic item can go for at least two thousand spirit shards, if you can find someone willing to sell one.”

Two thousand shards. The number was staggering. It was more than enough to buy several “gifts” from the System, or to rescue dozens of people from instances.

The group continued to work on the carcasses, preparing the meat for jerky. The thick hides were also a valuable resource.

“The skin would make excellent armor,” Gareth said, running his hand over one of the hides. “But it’s way too tough for us to work with. We’d need a special skill for that.”

He looked at Finn. “If it wasn’t for your accurate shots, aiming for their soft spots, and especially their eyes, these beasts wouldn't have gone down at all. This instance is a nightmare.”

I nodded slowly, realizing just how dangerous these creatures were. I had been lucky to escape with only a bite wound… from a rat.

“I remember something,” I said, drawing their attention. “Did any of you query the system about the status of this place when it comes to people and such?”

“Finn?” Gareth asked, tilting his head.

“Just looked for survivors.” Finn said while shaking his head. “Only got one. You. And that’s it.”

“Eight thousand four hundred and sixty nine in total.” I said nonchalantly.

“Eh… What?” Finn asked. Bronwyn widened her eyes. The others looked a little confused.

“Are you serious?” Bronwyn asked, her tone rather serious.

I just nodded. I would’ve smirked, but somehow it didn’t seem right.

“What? What?” Finn asked while looking at me and then at Bronwyn.

Gareth and Elara seemed to have realized what I meant. Rhys, if he did, he didn’t care.

“There are over eight thousand people trapped in this instance.” Elara said, with a hand covering her mouth. She does seem to do so quite a lot. Also, flustered. Again.

Gareth just grunted while rubbing his head.

Rhys eyes’ glinted and he looked straight at me. Yes, Rhys, this means there aren’t dozens of these crocs around, there are hundreds. And all of them will be hunted by the six of us. Or at least this is what I hope the man is thinking.

Finn is just standing there with his mouth agape. Looking at everyone as if deciding what should be the proper response. And, as expected, he harrumphed and crossed his arms while looking down and doing his best to look worried or something like that. Mimicking Gareth.

The silence that followed was heavy, laden with the weight of that staggering number. Over eight thousand people, trapped in crystal, scattered across this merged landscape.

“Imagine the amount of shards needed to get everyone out,” Bronwyn said, her voice grim.

The thought was overwhelming. A seemingly impossible amount. They all looked burdened.

The mood had shifted dramatically. The initial excitement of the hunt had been replaced by a somber realization of the scale of the challenge that lay ahead. I couldn’t really understand why. Nothing has changed, the strategy was the same, the approach was the same, the difficulty was the same.

I felt a pang of guilt. I had brought these people into this instance, and had, even if not knowing how it works, encouraged them to spend their precious shards. And now, they look like they wished to never set foot in here. Couldn’t they see the potential?

But I also felt a renewed sense of purpose. This wasn’t just about making some shards and rescuing Mark anymore. It was about finding a way to survive in this new world. And I could see this group could have what it takes, they certainly got the abilities. But can they keep their heads in the game?

I looked at the group, my gaze steady. “We can do this,” I said, my voice firm. “We just need to take it one step at a time.”

Finn nodded at me and was about to smile, but then he realized no one did and then he just returned to his somber mood, following their lead. Tiresome. Better let them deal with it, for now.

As the pile of alligator meat grew larger, the group seemed to be recovering. But a new concern began to gnaw at me. We had successfully hunted the creatures, but we were now faced with the challenge of preserving the meat.

We had a lot of it, far more than we could eat in a few days. If we didn’t find a way to preserve it, it would spoil, and all our efforts would be wasted.

I voiced my concern to the group. “We have a lot of meat,” I said, gesturing towards the growing pile. “But we don’t have much time to eat it all before it goes bad. Shouldn’t we go find some firewood to make a smoker or something like that?”

Elara smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Vincent,” she said. “My purification skill also works on preservation. It’s like… recasting the meat, resetting its expiration date.”

That was sort of incredible. Her skill wasn’t just about making the meat safe to eat; it was also a powerful preservation tool.

“It’s actually the only skill I took to the next stage,” Elara continued. “It cost five hundred shards, but it was worth every single shard.”

Five hundred shards? Ouch. But I could see why it’s well worth it. In a world where food spoilage was a constant threat, a skill like that was invaluable. It was almost a cheat code for survival.

“Wood won’t be a problem either,” Finn said, gesturing towards the massive redwood that had become a central feature of this merged landscape. “My gift lets me create arrows directly from wood, magically. And they work just fine as improvised skewers. And firewood.” He grinned, and the others chuckled.

I had noticed the perfectly crafted arrows he used, but I hadn’t realized they were created through a magical ability. That was another significant advantage. An endless supply of arrows, and makeshift skewers and firewood to boot.

“My gift is also quite useful for survival,” Bronwyn said, her voice quiet but confident. “I can extract clean, drinkable water directly from plants.”

“And the next stage of your gift would allow you to preserve the benefits the plant could offer,” Elara added. “If used on a healing herb, like the ones I used on Vincent’s wound, it would create a makeshift healing potion of sorts.”

“That’s our next goal,” Gareth said. “Getting Bronwyn’s skill to the next stage. It costs fifteen hundred shards, so it will take some time, but it would almost remove the need for a dedicated healer in our party.”

I nodded slowly, impressed by the group’s balance. They had clearly chosen their “gifts” carefully, focusing on practical skills that enhanced their chances of survival. I didn’t know what other gifts they possessed, but I suspected they were equally useful.

Although Gareth and Rhys, which I assume were the frontline tank and ambush damage dealer of the group, if it works like that, didn’t tell me about their abilities at all. Noted.

I didn’t bother asking, though. It wasn’t my place. Not yet, at least.

As the group began the process of turning the alligator meat into jerky, I turned my attention to the next phase of our plan: the rat hunt. I knew Gareth was quite confident, but we can always improve the efficiency by preparing better.

For that, I needed to build raised platforms. I had observed the library before the merging, and I remembered seeing several book carts. They were sturdy, designed to handle heavy loads, and they all had wheels. They would be perfect for that. Mobile barricades to funnel or even block rats.

I made my way back to the library, carefully navigating the tunnels. The library was still eerily quiet, the rows of bookshelves standing like silent sentinels. I found the book carts exactly where I remembered them, lined up against a wall in the main reading room.

I also found several sturdy shelves, which I planned to use as barriers on the platforms. The shelves were heavy, but I managed to drag them to the nearest access point to the sewers.

The next challenge was getting the carts and shelves into the dungeon. The tunnels leading to the Rat Warrens were narrow and twisting, and some of them were quite short. There was no way for me to move the assembled platforms through them.

I would have to assemble them inside the dungeon.

I started by disassembling one of the book carts, carefully removing the shelves and the wheels. I then started to carry the individual parts through the tunnels. I assumed it would be a rather tedious process, but I was determined to do it right. But I didn’t get to try it.

Turns out Rhys was keeping an eye on me all along and I never got to make the first trip.