Chapter 197: Intimidation

Chapter 197: Intimidation

While sprinting, Gabrielle wiped her tears with the back of her sleeve. As she approached, the two hunters guarding the boar pen furrowed their brows.

"Oh, it's little Gabrielle. Is there a problem?"

"Open... the... pen..." The teenage girl could barely speak, her breath short.

The two guards exchanged uncertain glances. Despite her status as an apprentice apothecary, Gabrielle was too young to command them.

"I know you're not one to spout nonsense, but I need to know why," one of the two men said.

Gabrielle opened her mouth, stifled a sob, and closed it again. Seeing the orphan's condition, the two guards understood something serious was happening.

"OPEN THE PEN!"

Broli was rushing towards them and his panic convinced the guards.

A few minutes later, Gabrielle, Broli, and half a dozen Gaeserts reached the clan's mess tent. A dozen docile boars followed them. The scene could have been astonishing, each beast being a Tier 2 known for its vicious nature, but no Gaesert present was bothered by it.

"Mama Apo, here they are!" Gabrielle entered the main tent. Broli followed, grimacing at the heavy scent of blood. The tables had been cleared to accommodate the unconscious bodies of about forty people.

"How is he?" Broli asked, approaching the clan's healer.

A woman who had seen many seasons gestured for him to be silent. "Fewer words, more actions. Bring in Prasher."

Broli complied. Gabrielle moved away from the entrance as the ground trembled. A boar of almost five tons entered behind Broli. As the clan's oldest and most powerful domesticated animal, the Tier 3 was terrifying. Mounted on legs higher than men and thicker than tree trunks, the beast approached Mama Apo to look.

When it saw the scarred warrior lying on the table, blood oozing from Èvery orifice, the boar's eyes turned red. Beside him, Broli swallowed, realizing that his uncle was between life and death.

"I need some of your blood to save him," the apothecary asked calmly.

The boar calmed down before lowering its head. With a light touch, the old woman opened the thick leather of the Tier 3. A stream of blood flowed out before stopping in mid-air as a large sphere.

"Come closer, Gabrielle; one day, it will be your turn to do this."

Gabrielle approached, observing her master at work.

"Galgo is a Tier 3 warrior. To optimize his healing, I will transfuse blood of the same tier."

Tossing some herbs into the blood orbs, Mama Apo watched the blood boil and turn into fiery red before nodding.

"Prasher is the boar breeder. We regularly inject him with small amounts of snake venom to produce antibodies. These herbs temporarily increase the effectiveness of the antidote."

The blood globe split into nine beads that flew toward the suffering warrior. Each penetrated an orifice before disappearing. Gabrielle heard Broli gulp behind her but paid no attention. She had long understood that saving people was a dirty job.

"If I had more time, I would separate the antibodies from the blood to administer a concentrated serum."

"What about our stock?"

"I injected the huntresses with it. Why did I make this choice?"Diisscover new chapters at novelhall.com

The warrior's body began to convulse, and Mama Apo approached. With one hand, she calmed him and applied her magic. One of her abilities allowed her to stimulate her patients' vitality and direct it in the right direction.

"You used the serum on the huntresses because boar blood would be fatal to them. On the other hand, the transformation of our warriors makes them compatible with this blood," Gabrielle replied.

Like Broli a few weeks earlier, each clan fighter merged with a boar's core during their coming-of-age ceremony. The operation transformed them like a weak bloodline, altering their metabolism. Their physical attributes increased, and they awakened defensive talents.

"Is that the only reason?"

Gabrielle took a moment to think.

"The huntresses are physically weaker. If you had waited, they would have died before I brought back the boars."

Mama Apo turned to Gabrielle, a sad smile on her lips. "Even so, not all of them will make it... Broli, your uncle will live."

"Really?!"

"The poison was too weak to spread the necro corruption."

"Thank you, Mama Apo!"

That was why Mama Apo had saved him first. Of all the men, the Chief's brother had the best chance of survival. And the clan couldn't afford to lose a Tier 3.

Broli smiled, unaware that his uncle's survival meant the death of another man.

"Gabrielle, we still have about ten warriors to treat," said the old apothecary, heading to the next table.

Gabrielle followed suit, leaving Broli to calm the enormous boar and watch over his uncle.

A life is saved, but how many will die today? wondered the teenager. She felt powerless.

Cries temporarily drowned out the groans of the Gaeserts. These savages know how to use their vocal cords to mourn their dead.

With a gesture, Ophis, Chief of the Snaherts, dismissed his scribe as the tent flaps opened.

"Five of my huntresses. Three of my warriors. Dead. Twelve others are in a coma, poisoned!" Braato's rage was genuine, and Ophis frowned.

Four guards entered the tent, weapons ready, but none tried to intervene. The Chief of the Gaeserts was a colossus capable of tanking attacks from a Tier 5. It was ridiculous to think the four Tier 3s had a chance, but they were doing their duty.

With a slight nod, Ophis dismissed his men.

"I'm aware, and I'm sure you know I'm innocent."

In different circumstances, Ophis would have loved to reduce the number of Gaeserts sharing his island. However, the Necro event was raging, and he needed all the allies he could get.

"If I had any doubt, I would have already knocked your jaw off," growled Braato. Ophis rolled his eyes but made no comment. "I want you to find whoever did this."

"Why me?"

"Because the skulc’s butthead who did this thinks like you. The coward prefers to divide us rather than strike head-on."

Ignoring the insult, Ophis narrowed his eyes. Braato raised an interesting point.

"The enemy knows us. We must stand united to thwart their plans."

"United? My clansmen are demanding payback. None of them will be willing to step up to the front lines during the next corrupted attack to defend your Snaherts. Politics isn't our strong suit."

It was the understatement of the century.

Ophis suppressed a grimace. Without the Gaeserts to tank the assault, his fighters would be injured. How many would fall against the Necromoon’s slaves?

"We stand as allies, and I treat this assault with utmost gravity," declared Ophis. "I shall conduct an investigation. In the interim, may I dispatch our Shaman to attend to your wounded?"

Mama Apo was an exceptional healer, but poison was the Snaherts' business.

"The poison ain't the problem; it's just a carrier for necro corruption."

"Our adversary abides by no rules," Ophis grumbled. The Necromoon claimed the souls of those it killed. For the tribesmen, it was a profound insult. "Can't the Sun Shop aid those in a coma?"

The System provided pills to combat necro corruption. Although they came at a price, Braato would have paid without hesitation to save his clansmen.

"The pills we can get our hands on are just too weak."

"... Thus, only one solution remains: The Auctions."

"Solid and well-defined walls would allow us to build other structures and protect our guests."

Priam turned to the Forum. The Guardian of Secrets wasn't at much risk, but Ymir's bison wouldn't fit into Log-a-rhythm. In case of an attack, it would die.

"Can't we do both?"

"Being average everywhere is being good nowhere. The idea is not to abandon one or the other strategy but to prioritize one. We need to choose a direction and an identity for Oasis. As the Lord, it's your responsibility," declared Hyshana.

"What do you mean?"

"Does Oasis aim to be an offensive outpost built around Log-a-rhythm, or do you want to invest to create a solid and habitable base?"

Priam looked at Log-a-rhythm, the first gift he had received from the System. Vibrant with green, gold, and crimson, the tree seemed to sing as the wind swayed its leaves. Soaring into the air, it seemed to defy the universe to bring it down again. A defiance echoed by Priam.

"I chose the name Oasis for a reason. This base will be a sanctuary for my loved ones in this terrifying world. A home that will welcome us after every journey. A haven of magic to study the mysteries of aether and the System... The outpost will be Concepts Archipelago. Oasis will be a home. Yours too, Hyshana."

"You sound more like a Shield than a Spear."

"A Spear for humanity; a Shield for those I love."

Something changed in Hyshana's gaze. "Then let's upgrade the wall. Here's the hoplite's contribution: forty thousand Sun points."

"Thank you."

Priam opened the Sun Shop.

Sun Shop:

Territory:

Some infrastructures are available as blueprints at half the cost.

Protective Barrier II (10 000 points) - A protective barrier capable of covering 1 000 square meters and stopping attacks from an average Tier 0 Elysian Baron.

Camouflage II (10 000 points) - A camouflage enchantment covering 1,000 square meters, disrupting the senses of an average Tier 0 Elysian Viscount.

Alarm I (5 000 points) - An alarm covering 500 square meters, detecting most common Tier 0 intruders (Elysium standard).

...

Necro Purification Ritual I (5 000 points) - A ritual purifying the ambient aether from the curse of the Necromoon. Covers 500 square meters.

Natural Growth Ritual I (5 000 points) - A ritual accelerating the growth of living beings, particularly effective on plants. Covers 500 square meters. Possibility to add organic remains to enhance the ritual's efficiency.

Guardian of the Forest Ritual III (25 000 points) - A ritual elevating the status of a Guardian of the Forest. Strengthens the symbiotic relationship between the two parties. Increases the Guardian's domain size to 2,000 square meters.

...

Holy Guardian V (100 000 points) - Develops the power of your Holy Guardian and grants it the potential of a Duke. Only a High Tribulation can improve your Holy Guardian's Soul Tier.

Properties: Immune to the Necro curse. Resistant to the Necro Concept. Cannot leave your Territory. Development speed x5. Number of available resurrections: 5. Natural affinity (Moon): 100% (50% (base) + 50%).

...

Tribulation Chamber II (10 000 points) - Improvement.

Rampart III (25 000 points) - Improvement.

...

Sun points: 155 244

"I think we'll be able to upgrade more than just the rampart," smiled Priam.

Status:

PHYSICAL:

Strength 557

Constitution 860

Agility 552

Vitality 840

Perception 714

MENTAL:

Vivacity 505

Dexterity 587

Memory 413 (+28)

Willpower 1 028

Charisma 631

META:

Meta-affinity 430

Meta-focus 350

Meta-endurance 354

Meta-perception 221

Meta-chance 230

Meta-authority 33

Potential: 5 268

Tier 0

Sun points: 155 244 (+40 213)

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: PRIMED.

[Tribulation]: Three Tribulations pending.

Future Tribulations delayed until:

Time: 164 days 21 hours 3 minutes 59 seconds.

Next thresholds: 6 attributes > 600 / 3 attributes > 900 / 1 attribute > 1 200