I opened my Advanced System Controls.
A/N: This menu is starting to get pretty large and it's taking up like 10% of the chapter. I'll find a way to make it smaller, probably by only showing relevant sections at a time. This way it's not consuming like half the length of the chapter. This is the last time you'll see the entire thing at once for a while.
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<Advanced System Controls>
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[Resource Division] (106 Minions)
- 3x Woodcutter Minion
- 11x Miner Minion
- 35x Scout Minion (Farming)
- 21x Scout Minion (Mining)
- 33x Scout Minion (Woodcutting)
- 6x Scout Minion (Hunting)
~
[Combat Division - Standard] (177 Minions)
- 1x Advanced Warrior Minion
- 2x Warrior Minion
- 43x Scout Minion (Swordplay)
- 64x Scout Minion (Archery)
- 71x Scout Minion (Combat)
~
[Combat Divison - Magic] (50 Minions)
- 6x Scout Minion (Fire Magic - Residential Heater)
- 3x Scout Minion (Fire Magic - Projectile Controller)
- 3x Scout Minion (Fire Magic - Flamethrower)
- 4x Scout Minion (Water Magic - Ice Warrior)
- 4x Scout Minion (Water Magic - Arctic Wind)
- 3x Scout Minion (Water Magic - Water Manipulator)
- 5x Scout Minion (Wind Magic - Defensive Wind)
- 2x Scout Minion (Wind Magic - Visceral Turbine)
- 2x Scout Minion (Wind Magic - Projectile Enhancer
- 2x Scout Minion (Earth Magic - Brute)
- 3x Scout Minion (Earth Magic - Solid Control)
- 8x Scout Minion (Earth Magic - Land Scaler)
- 12x Scout Minion (Magic)
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[Utility Division] (26 Minions)
- 13x Builder Minion
- 12x Scout Minion (Utility)
- 1x Minion Manager
!
~
The menu was starting to get quite cramped. However, in response, the menu started to cover up some of the information using tabs. As I opened it again, it was a lot more comfortable to the eyes.
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<Advanced System Controls>
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[Resource Division] (106 Minions)
[Show More]
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[Combat Division - Standard] (177 Minions)
[Show More]
~
[Combat Divison - Magic] (50 Minions)
[Show More]
~
[Utility Division] (26 Minions)
- 13x Builder Minion
- 12x Scout Minion (Utility)
- 1x Minion Manager
!
~
Ah, that was a lot less jarring to look at. Anyways, the main thing was that I needed to further specialise some of my Minions. All of the different Minions had some way to be specialised, I didn't really have anything in particular that I especially needed at this time, so I just spread them out pretty evenly. However, in the future, I might need to pay more attention to which specialisations I picked.
After sorting out some of the learning, I sent them off similar to the previous day, in little groups with escorts. The number of escorts I had increased, now there should be a little bit more protection for the resource-gathering Minions.
I was just confused as to how they were being slain in the first place. I guess they must have been ambushed by zombies, but even so, they should technically last long enough for the escorts to take out the zombies. My only other thought was that some of the tall lanky zombies might have been using some strategy to kill my Minions.
I didn't really have a good way of figuring it out. I could only join in with one or two groups at a time if I wanted to go with them and it just wouldn't really make much logistical sense.
I decided to just wait and let it be unless there actually major damage to my army. At the moment, the losses were pretty negligible.
Now that everyone was doing something, I decided to gather some resources myself as well. Not only for the resources themselves but to improve my fitness as well. At the moment, I was significantly weaker than Chloe in terms of brute strength, granted she did seem abnormally strong, but it meant I had much to improve on.
No matter how strong my Minions were, if someone managed to kill me, even by surprise, the sheer number of Minions I had would be meaningless.
I took the [Fine Logger's Axe] out of my inventory and started walking toward the forest. I kept Rook and Knight by my side just in case I was attacked. I had sent out Bishop with Chloe earlier as an escort as well.
[+6 wood]
[+4 wood]
[+1 coal]
[+8 wood]
[+6 wood]
[+5 wood]
[+6 wood]
[+6 wood]
[+7 wood]
Despite everything, I still felt as if my stamina had significantly increased since I came here. Between the grind for [Mayuri-Luc-Ei] and all the fights I had been in, my arms were rather strong, at least stronger than the average person's.
I took a few seconds to catch my breath before raising my axe once again.
[+6 wood]
[+8 wood]
[+6 wood]
[+5 wood]
[+6 wood]
[+4 wood]
[+1 coal]
[+6 wood]
[+7 wood]
The number of resources I was gathering was negligible in comparison to the amount my Minions were gathering, however, there wasn't really much I could do other than this. I didn't want to just sit around wasting my time either. I pushed my arms to the limit, swinging my axe until I physically couldn't go on anymore.
After that, I would simply take a short break before standing back up, frantically swinging my axe at the rough bark of the tree once again. Almost an hour later, I decided to grab an apple and eat it as I rested my arms. To be completely honest, this life wasn't even too bad, now that my life wasn't constantly in danger from zombies, there wasn't too much to worry about.
I figured that things would be getting a lot more hectic once Killer Winter ended. People would be migrating around and exploring. I would probably get into a lot more conflict, so I should increase my strength as much as possible right now.
[+6 wood]
[+1 coal]
[+8 wood]
[+6 wood]
[+5 wood]
[+6 wood]
[+4 wood]
[+6 wood]
[+7 wood]
[+1 diamond]
Ah nice, a diamond.
Time flew by as I continued to push my body to the limit. Turns out that being in the apocalypse and having to fight other people is quite motivating... I felt as if I had infinite energy, swinging through the pain. The muscles in my arm were getting numb, it was clear from the fatigue, but it seemed to make it easier like I was in a trance.
After several more hours, I finally decided to take a long break. I sat down on a large, moist log and shook my arms.