Chapter 42

Chapter 42

On the outskirts of Roothaven, where the meager illusion of civilization faded and the swamp seeped, I perched above in a canopy meant for birds larger than human. Moss every branch such that any wrong step could be fatal.

Fatal for the regular climber, that was.

My clone was one of many, scouting the area, and eyeing the wildlife. By now, all my clones save for the unreachable were renewed. First was still with the group from the library, vying for the end of the swamp. I checked in on him, on occasion, watching through my own eyes a journey I might make myself in truth.

In the meantime, I did my best to catalog the wildlife and, more importantly, the dangers of this apocalyptic swamp. As Gary had said before, the most dangerous thing to roam the place was probably burnt to a crisp, but that didnt mean the swamp was any less hazardous. One of those not-quite-wolves could kill just as easily as rootmother mind control.

I ducked as a large insect buzzed around my head, swatting it away. Somehow, the bugs were the worst annoyance. My increased CON came with an improved ability to regulate temperature. Normally, Id be sweating right now, but with the influx of stats, along with the symbiote, the humidity and heat were only a small nuisance. The bugs, however

My clone was among three others in this particular scouting party, crouched low in the branches above, observing a group of goblins from three different vantages. A wooden bow with string made of spider silk in each of their hands, a dozen arrows to each quiver.

The breeze shifted, arrows pulled against bowstring. I sighted and

cant have them do this! A man, one who had just recently returned from the [Sleepywood], albeit for only a day, was complaining among a gathering of people whod actually delved the Dungeon.

Its a huge natural resource. Gary nodded. Blitz wont be able to hold control of it, not with too many of us complaining about it.

Weve managed to gather a number of useful Items from it. Said a person wearing what looked like a leather cuirass. If Blitz controls it his power will cement.

Then we overthrow him, easy. Another person.

And risk bloodshed?

And why the hell not? Ive already seen people die! That Dungeon, I swear it spawned as a result of the Field Boss dying, it has to be our key to survival! His voice elicited a chorus of agreement.

Ive got a new Skill too!

Shove off, man. Theyre higher level, which means they have more stats. Theyre stronger, faster. We cant just fight them without risk! We already have the swamp creatures to worry about!

I confirmed the last effect and glanced back down to the book. What exactly are you? I said slowly, trying to remember the room I had found it in.

The memory came easy, likely an effect of my enhanced mental attributes. It had been some kind of study. A storeroom of academic objects, oddities, and peculiarities. Literature, mostly. But this book, among all the scrolls, containers, diagrams, and all else stood out the most to me.

And the moment we had left the ruins, the [Twilight Elemental] had killed my clones. Just a flash of moonlight, that was all I could remember before we were being chased.

Did me leaving the ruins with something trigger the Area Boss? I asked myself, the timing fitting. I doubt it was this book in particular.

I sighed, opening it once more. This time I welcomed the dancing symbols. Symbols that seemed to dance in my minds eyes, crawl across the pages, and wrap around the iris. Symbols that curled around the ears, flooded the nose and caressed the skin.

Symbols that spoke to each sense and told me of

My eyes widened as I was suddenly reading. The symbols no longer danced, they took shape instead, formed images, sounds, scents, and touch, flittering at the speed of my own thought and comprehension. They fluttered fast, moving on between concepts, taking full use of my mental capacity.

And then three things happened.

First, there was a feeling. A new one beyond even [Solos Instinct], like a spark of electricity, a rush of energy from my very being. Then it faded before I could even grasp it. My attention whisked away to more important matters.

The second came from the perspective of my clones. I stood upon the branches, familiar perches by now, and spotted what was perhaps the largest gathering of goblins Id yet seen. The noise, the din of their being, was enough to drown out the buzz of insects, replacing it with chatter and gibberish. There were easily hundreds of them, crawling across the roots, hooting at each other, brandishing weapons, and stripping the swamp.

I stared, recalling the increased patrols. Thats why I was seeing more of them. Forward scouts. Its a whole tribe. Were they reclaiming the area lost to the Field Boss?

And lastly, an ember of hope. That humanity wasnt yet lost.

[World Notice]: Gerard Malou has achieved a feat worthy of global recognition! He is the first to establish a Settlement, [Skyeward], and the first to settle the Floating Islands of Allow!

I blinked as the meeting quieted. Murmurs all around, the arguments stilled. I cocked my head and the question I had was in everyone else's thoughts. It took only a few moments for someone to voice it.

Whats a Settlement? And when he asked it, the word had the ring of the system about it.