[D'sP] It Works, Technically - Chapter 469

Ally, ‘The problem will be the older beasts, monsters, and some predators. Oh, and some space for anything else that is around to become a problem. Even a rock on the side of the road can become an active threat. It is just unlikely to the extreme.

‘But yeah, older creatures? More chances that the points going into their mental stats end up adding some actual thinking and reasoning to their mind. Predators in general also have that chance as well as any animal that has a habit of tool use. Though monsters are the biggest threat from actual danger. A wolf that can breathe ice shards at you doesn’t need to think about how to get you to drop your weapon to be a threat.’

Doyle, ‘Well, that just makes me want to send my kobolds out even more. It just sounds like waiting equals a greater chance of failure.’

Ally shrugs, ‘Time also gives things a chance to settle down. Though yeah, we should probably keep the kobolds out there searching as much as possible. Do you have something to keep the insects in?’

Doyle, ‘I don’t have anything purpose-made. Though one of my preservation boxes could work? I’ll send the kobolds out with one to see how they get on.’

So, once again, the goatherd finds herself back out in the forest. This time with a box to put insects in.

It works, technically.

She is more than able to open the box, toss a bug inside, and then close the box. Perfect. The bugs aren’t even able to get the box open once inside.

Except for one tiny problem. When they opened the box up again? Yeah, the previous bug wasn’t being held in or anything and so could just crawl out.

The solution to this was a bit cruel, but the dungeon only needed the bugs alive. Limbs were not an essential part of the equation. Though the chances of said bugs surviving till they got back to the dungeon went down.

That figured out, the kobolds wandered through the forest, this time heading left from the portal.

The goatherd is a bit frustrated having to lead her fellow kobolds. Though her experience with goats helped her herd them along. This time, they managed to travel much farther. That was mostly because she was to be more careful about not bringing back duplicates.

Squirrel!

All the kobolds look over at the rustling noise and see the small critter. This one seems to be just a normal squirrel, not that the kobolds know that. Whatever the case, they freeze up, and the goatherd gestures to the kobold furthest away with a sling.

The squirrel freezes as the kobold begins to spin the sling. It isn’t cautious enough, though.

Thwack

The squirrel falls off the branch, and a kobold rushes over to check. And yes, it was still alive, but not in good condition.

The goatherd frowns, what to do? They still had room for more stuff, but the squirrel? She shakes her head, don’t look for what might not be when you already have something.

Well, she didn’t quite put it in those exact terms. Though that was the general idea behind it and was connected to her hunting instincts or some such.

The group of kobolds work their way back to the portal, which thankfully the goatherd actually has a sense for where it is. A connection to what lies within. A sense that the other kobolds and the goats don’t have.

Though the way back isn’t easy. The forest is coming alive around them as things return to normal. That includes the predators, one of which, a bear, decides they look tasty.

The goatherd runs ahead of the others, cradling the squirrel with the box under her arm. Behind the group, one of the kobolds, she isn’t sure, but it might be the one that shot down the squirrel, stands firm against the bear trundling towards them.

The kobold remaining behind was chosen as they weren’t carrying anything. Though they aren’t able to do anything against this bear. Well, they can’t hurt the bear, but they are able to stop the bear from chasing the others. After all, the bear is just a normal beast and so once it takes down prey, it isn’t going to keep chasing the others. It has food now, even if kobolds are a bit scrawny compared to a deer.

Not that this means the kobolds and goats slow down. Rather, their panicked escape continues until they’re back in the dungeon.

Doyle notices the fact they’re out of breath, but is disappointed when nothing comes into the dungeon right after them. Though he is somewhat modified when he notices the squirrel.

{

Squirrel pattern acquired at level 12

+20 Monster Adjustment Points

Prey Insects pattern evolved into Insect pattern

Shrubbery pattern goes from level 61 to 62

}

Ally sighs, ‘Okay, we’re already facing diminishing returns on the generic stuff. Obviously, there is something out there which we do want. Let’s have the goatherd report back to her boss and see if we can get any details. Hmm, I do wonder if they’ll manage to speak Draconic on the fifth? That would make this easier.’

While Ally watches the goatherd make their way over to the boss, Doyle glances over to a screen.

{

Monster Naming skill (78,243/100,000)

Common Language pack (938,275/1,520,000)

}

Doyle turns back to what is happening in the dungeon, though mentally makes a note to put more world energy into them. The naming skill is honestly so cheap at this point that not finishing that off is practically criminal.

Of course, Ally has already chatted with the boss. ‘Heyo, a bit distracted? Anyway, they were chased by what I’m going to assume was a brown bear. Their description of it was a little more scattered than that, obviously.

‘Something about a large growl beast. Brown like the trees, but furry. Took sling kobold, let them go.

‘So yeah, that’s a double translation but it sounds about right. They didn’t exactly have a chance to measure how tall it was or anything. Might not even be a bear, but the growl noise the goatherd made sounded about right.’

Doyle, ‘Well, a bear would be pretty sweet to have. Do you think we could toss out a few regular kobolds and just have them run back here when something chases them?’

Ally, ‘Except they might run in the wrong direction. Better to keep using the goatherd. They at least now have experience out there. Which given they’re one of the pseudo-souled, they’ll actually remember it. If anything, I’d get the other goatherds in on this.’

Doyle, ‘Together or as individuals going different directions?’

Ally shrugs, ‘There are only five of them. Either will work. Though I assume predators would be more likely to attack a lone creature. The only problem would be when they end up dying.

‘You’d then have to wait for that kobold to be fully realized again. They’re only all ready because instead of fighting the actual fifth floor, it’s all instances now. Which is honestly overpowered because now your normal monsters on a floor are basically all fully realized at this point.’

Doyle, ‘Meh, not that important for me. Well, at least not until now. I guess they’d be useful to send out and explore for us. Shame that I can’t use the bosses. Well, I could? But I’d have to worry about someone challenging the floor while they’re gone. Neither fifth or tenth is left alone long enough to be worth the risk.’

Ally, ‘Well, you could send them out at night?’

Doyle nods, ‘That could do it, but the night-time is sort of our chance to relax? Not that I’ve made that official, but it feels right to give us all a bit of time off in the day.’

Ally sighs, ‘Worker’s rights? Dungeons don’t exactly need that. Neither Cores or their monsters need it. Even if a monster is exhausted from a fight, they’ll recover extra fast once the floor is clear of delvers.’

Doyle, ‘Whether someone needs rest or not doesn’t matter to me. Besides, it isn’t like I’m giving them true time off. More like having them on-call, seeing as someone could enter during the night. That or simply stay past when the town closes things. Plus, I guess we have to worry about critters from the forest now?’

Ally, ‘If anything, there are likely more than enough nocturnal critters to worry about. Though the question will be whether they can even make it to a boss floor. The squirrel only got us a level 12 pattern. So, I’m guessing that’s going to be the average level for most animals. Bears excluded. That beast was likely closer to the upper fifties, given the pattern levels we’ve been pulling in.’

Doyle, ‘Okay, tomorrow I’ll send out the goatherds from floor five. The first mission will be as a group, that way the original one I sent out can train the others. After they return the first time? Then I’ll have them act as bait to try and pull some predators in.’

Ally, ‘And while I’m all for this, I feel I should remind you that we can just wait. As a dungeon, the local wildlife will naturally be pulled here.’

Doyle, ‘Question. I didn’t think of this when it first came up and then sort of stopped mattering, but wouldn’t that quickly depopulate the area around a dungeon?’

Ally, ‘Yes and no. Not every creature will be pulled to the dungeon. That first squirrel is a good example. While it did enter, that was for the acorn and then once it couldn’t find said acorn, it left right away. Though a big part is the fact that with magic, populations recover a lot quicker.

‘Things such as limited seasons and long gestations are pushed to the side in favor of maintaining a certain density of your own species. At least, for beasts and monsters. It not only allows hunter-gatherer civilizations to grow much bigger than they should, but also can lead to mono-threat danger zones.’

Doyle, ‘But the creatures are still born naturally? They’re just being *2 natural lifespan, but that’s it. They don’t get the extra lifespan you tend to develop from higher levels and stats.’

Doyle dims, ‘That’s honestly worse! At least if it cuts their lifespan, they have a chance to improve it through levels and stats.’

Ally shrugs, ‘They’re animals. Unlike sapients, the biggest goal is to continue their bloodline. So, being able to keep the population stable? Yeah, that’s better for them than being able to survive for hundreds of years personally. Especially when animals tend to soft cap in growth for their area once they reach adulthood. A quickly grown deer is basically going to be as strong as any other deer, even those that have lived for twice what the quick-grow deer can.’

Doyle, ‘Okay, I can see that. Though what if one of them ends up gaining sapience?’

Ally shrugs, ‘No clue. I’d assume that part of the trade-off is that sort of thing is also cut off. They’re animals. While long life and sapience are a possible thing? It isn’t a goal for them. Some even describe it as a curse. Though admittedly, there are universes where such a thing is normal and so I guess it might be a goal there?’

Doyle sighs, ‘I guess I just can’t wrap my head around it. I’ve always been one to think of living forever. And of course, I’m conscious so that’s just a thing I just expect.’

Ally nods, ‘That is a personal bias. Kind of hard to view things from the perspective of a non-sapient animal. It is just one of those truly alien viewpoints, despite the fact you share a world with them. Like, even when their minds develop intelligence similar to a human, it tends to be completely different. Not nature-loving, mind you. That’s a common bit of nonsense, especially among elves who develop the nature around them to match that view. Nah, animals are animals. They’re very clannish and bloodline focused when raised up, even if someone trains them towards more human ideals.’

Tree (Earth) - Chapter 468

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