[D'sP] Tree (Earth) - Chapter 468

Back in the Dungeon, Doyle is satisfied with how the town is reacting. 

On the other hand, Ally mostly ignored that part of things, instead doubled over in laughter. ‘Hah! Love that lady. Paid twice and even after they found out, she still got away with it!’

Doyle shakes his core, ‘I guess, but she’s not particularly strong. Getting paid is important, but can she do more?’

Ally shrugs, ‘Oh sure, she isn’t even equal to one of the non-combatants from the inner circle. But who else can really compare to them? They started off running and haven’t slowed down since. Of the regular people? She’s middle of the pack, but at the front of the middle, if that makes any sense.’

Doyle, ‘Upper middle class in power just means when the strong decide something, you’ve the most to lose.’

Ally, ‘Meh, nothing we can do as a dungeon core. They’ll have to work together themselves. It is a little harder when dealing with actual strength instead of just someone having more money, but the many can succeed against the few on top.’

Doyle, ‘Anyway, now that we know they aren’t freaking out or planning to do something drastic, I figure it is time we do some active gathering. Can I use the pseudo-souled kobolds to get stuff like I did with the quest?’

Ally shrugs, ‘It should work? Admittedly, I assume the system allowed for the pseudo-souled kobolds to keep a tighter leash on the normal kobolds. Still, nothing to do but test it.’

Doyle nods, ‘I’m thinking one of the goatherd kobolds instead of a companion of the boss. Send them out with four kobolds and two goats. That should give us an idea of what’s around us.

‘Though speaking of which, why is our view kind of restricted? My territory is even smaller here than the portal building Ace has built around me.’

Ally, ‘That will just slowly grow until it matches your existing range. You’re fighting for ground against nature and whatever other magical influences are endemic out there. Which by this point, and given how much the natural density of world energy has risen? There WILL be something out there.

‘Nature, as always, finds a balance. However, that balance is not kind or cruel, rather, just a reality one must face. Beasts of myth and legend, from tall tales and campfire stories, sprung up from nightmares and the fluffiest of dreams will all begin to pop up.

‘They will gather in areas where magic is densest and depending, this world may never be fully tamed again. Or rather, the land may never be tamed again. Since you lacked native sapients in the oceans, those were already a lost cause.

‘We shall see what your scouts discover. However, I suspect we’re quite far from any community, likely between two or more growing powers. Otherwise, that odd squirrel wouldn’t be the only critter to wander in so far. Chances are, your monsters won’t return, the only indication you’ll have that they’re gone is the return of the leader’s pseudo-soul to the fifth floor’s boss.’

With a thought, Doyle causes the fully realized monsters he wants to move towards the fifth floor’s entrance. ‘Well, that just means I better send these guys out now! Otherwise, we might get stuck inside for another reason. Though for my next group I’ll need a little more.’

He turns to a small reserve force of monsters and creates a number of goat harness saddle things. All set up to allow the goats to carry things and pull stuff.

Doyle nods, ‘There we go. It will take a little, but being the fifth floor, the overspill from six should fully realize that gear soon enough. Let’s get this show on the road!’

Ally, ‘Before that, decide the specifics of what you expect of them. Do you want them collecting plants? Hunting animals? Collecting bugs? And how quickly should they run from a fight?’

Doyle, ‘Ah, good point. Would be annoying for them to die after collecting a bunch of stuff when they could have run. That, or if the squirrel was still out there, have them run back in after it aggressively chatters at them.’

It takes a little longer, but those details are settled, even if a little simple. After all, it’s kind of hard to expect the kobolds to understand the value of any specific item they find and how that affects when they should run.

Now satisfied, Doyle sends the order to his expedition. ‘Go explore, fight as you will, retreat to the dungeon if you lose anyone including one of the goats.’

The goatherd leader doesn’t quite salute, not knowing such things, but it is clear they’ve received their orders. The kobold leads their companions out of the dungeon.

Doyle watches as the small group takes a moment to look around before heading off directly away from the portal, soon leaving his territory and sight. ‘Well, here’s hoping this works.’

Ally shrugs, ‘You could always send more groups. The fifth floor won’t miss the other four goatherds. Well, not right away. Though it is interesting to learn that any copies vanish as long as they aren’t in an active instance. And I bet those that do remain won’t pass on their memories if the source isn’t back by the time they are finished off.’

Doyle, ‘I expected that, honestly. Regular monsters, even those that have been trained, are pretty mix and match. A sapient dungeon monster? Or even those pseudo-souled kobolds? They’re special and without a soul around? Them collapsing makes sense.’

Outside, the small group of dungeon monsters make their way through the forest. The trees would be familiar enough to Doyle, mostly oak with a smattering of other trees, which were also present in the forest next to Wolf’s Rest.

While the kobolds and goats walk through the trackless wilds, they grab samples of everything they can. Ferns, bark, berries, and more. Though the first trouble rears its head quickly enough.

They can catch bugs. That isn’t a problem. What is a problem is that they have nowhere to keep them.

The goatherd reflexively sighs, as she looks around and shrugs. They can grab a bug or two on the way back. A time that comes a lot sooner than Doyle is probably expecting. This first trip is either quite successful or quite the failure, depending on how you view it.

Not a half hour later, the group re-enters the dungeon, carrying a bunch of stuff.

Doyle is careful not to gulp down all the new stuff, taking a moment to observe what is there. Though he doesn’t resist squashing a few ticks that latched onto the monsters. They’re pests and don’t even give the prey insect pattern a level. Though after the kobolds squash the few insects, they could keep a hold of, it does go up by two to level 23.

Watching all of this Ally laughs, ‘They aren’t all that good at figuring out what is actually different, are they?’

Doyle mentally sighs, ‘I don’t blame them. This leaf looks different from that leaf and likely came from different places. They’re both still oak leaves of course. Same as that there is an oak branch.’

Ally, ‘And no animals. I’m kind of shocked about that.’

Doyle tilts to the side, ‘I feel you might have simply forgotten what just happened.’

Ally, ‘Huh?’

Doyle laughs, ‘A glowing magical portal that is pumping out a bunch of fresh power pops up. Likely accompanied by some form of magical burst of power. And you expected there to be all that much moving around?’

Ally blushes, ‘Oh right. Yeah, that would send things to ground, if only for a little.’

Doyle nods, ‘Easy to miss. After all, we weren’t there for it.’

Ally, ‘Anyway, do you have a plan to improve what they bring? I’m a bit suspicious that the quest might have enhanced your monster’s reasoning ability while they were there.’

Doyle shakes his core, ‘I don’t think it went that far. There’s the simple fact that everything was a lot easier to tell apart and they had a lot more space and time to work with. In fact, maybe these gals would have done a better job if they had stayed out there longer and were forced to toss things to grab others.’

Ally, ‘Yes, that might be true, but it doesn’t change that you need some better way for them to gather stuff. And speaking of stuff, absorb that all and let’s see what you get.’

Doyle nods and focuses on the stuff.

{

Tree pattern goes from level 72 to 77

Dungeon Soil pattern goes from level 6 to 42

Clover pattern goes from level 53 to 54

Mint Pattern goes from level 44 to 51

Tree (earth) pattern acquired at [-20]

Vine pattern goes from level 41 to 57

Grass pattern goes from level 47 to 54

Vine pattern goes from level 57 to 58

Shrubbery pattern goes from level 56 to 61

}

Doyle begins to read the list, but upon seeing the soil entry, stops. ‘Oh right, should get a sample of air as well.’ Which is easy enough to do.

{

Earth Standard Air Mix pattern goes from level 3 to 56

}

Doyle, ‘Huh, maybe I should remember to keep on top of that one? I could have done that even with my original portal.’

Ally, ‘You likely wouldn’t have gotten that many levels. Nothing against city life, but the air quality around human towns tends to not be the best.’

Doyle, ‘Fair, but it would have given me some levels! Speaking of which, what does higher-level air even do? And why hasn’t anyone noticed my low-level air?’

Ally, ‘It is like living with a smell. Eventually, you begin to ignore it. Admittedly, many dungeons don’t even have an air pattern because they don’t make it, instead their entrance isn’t a portal and so the stuff just flows in and out. The dungeon simply had to keep it fresh.

‘Anyway, a higher level air isn’t some massive improvement. It isn’t going to be like being at the top of the mountain and then suddenly at sea level. Air level tends to be more important for certain sapients, like elves who are sensitive to such things, and growing plants. Well, I’m sure some alchemy and rituals need it?

‘But, like, unless it is an ingredient, airs air. While it doesn’t hold power that well, losing it quickly when moving to an area less dense in the stuff. It also gains it just as fast. Anyway, look at the levels of everything you gained.’

Doyle nods, ‘Yeah, I noticed as well. It would be one thing if it all pegged at 99. For them to instead average around the mid fifties? Well, besides the tree pattern, but I’m assuming that’s because we somehow picked up an earth-aligned tree somehow.’

Ally, ‘Yep, the area outside of this new portal is a high-level region. Ace and crew could probably hang, but the regular townsfolk? Not so much. And any monsters or predators will be even worse.’

Doyle, ‘Maybe I should pull in higher-level monsters for this?’

Ally, ‘The only problem is that you need one of the fifth-floor kobolds and their pseudo-souls to really take advantage of things. And for some reason, I doubt the connection to the fifth floor boss will survive you moving that goatherd to a deeper floor and raising their level.’

Doyle, ‘Yeah, I have the same doubts, though backed up by a slight bit of instinct. I guess I could restrict the kobolds to scavenging plants and such? Not like the animals won’t be coming to me soon enough. Though even insects might be a problem for them?’

Ally shakes her head, ‘Not most insects. In fact, I bet your kobolds could likely capture most regular beasts out there. A high-level area doesn’t mean a place filled with optimized combatants. That squirrel? It’s just a squirrel doing squirrel-like things. Oh sure, a squirrel with hundreds of levels under its belt might be able to no-sell everything the town could throw at it right now. That doesn’t mean you won’t run away if make noises at it or move too suddenly.’

You Can Close One - Chapter 467

It Works, Technically - Chapter 469