We had been wondering the tunnels for a couple hours every so often we would encounter an ant worker or maybe a small group of them. I decided that I wanted to go ahead and have the goblins train some more so whenever we encountered a lone ant the goblins would fight where as when it was a group then the stronger members of the group would take over and the goblins were on harvesting duty that way they felt like actual members and not just slaves.
I had gotten a good grasp on my new Pheromone Sense thanks to how the ants used it as directions for the others and also as a warning to danger and to alert others for help. I was able to Identify the different pheromones as the ability gained more uses and using that knowledge we started paying special attention to the organs we harvested in order to utilize the glands as either traps or distractions as we further explored the ant cave.
After what seemed like hours we stumbled upon a room filled with different sized eggs. Some were large and twice the size of Sondar while some were as big as Shorunt. But in the center was an egg that was the size of the smaller eggs but it was placed in such a way that it seemed almost like it stood above the others.
"Welp looks like we landed into a bad place if we get discovered here than we are in for a huge beatdown. This is a sure fire way to summon warriors but who else wants to grab that important looking egg over there haha." I laugh as I get the sudden urge to go grab it in the hopes that when it hatches I can contract a queen ant.
"Dude, are you wanting to go grab that egg because you want to tame a queen?" Howy says as the rest of the group look at me with the same thought almost printed on their foreheads.
"Am I that easy to read? I just thought that the potential a tamed queen has outways the risks of this particular situation." I muttered as the gazes of the team start to weigh on me.
"But fine I understand it is super risky so instead lets just back away and hope that we don't get caught what if we start a fire in here that way the ants are to busy with that and we can travel back towards the goblin side of the cave to deal with any stragglers?" Having a quick second to think things through I came up with that plan so that instead we could hopefully find and kill any weakened ants that were trying to escape.
"Boss, why don't we try and use these creatures to fight the red goblins?" Shorunt came up and asked.
"How do you suppose we do that?" After asking that I facepalm as I just thought of the way.
"Nevermind I already know how. But we would need a few of the eggs to use as bait and we would have to go harvest more Pheromone glands from the worker ants. We first use the glands to lure in the workers towards the red goblins side ofcourse we would have to scout out the area first to find out the main base, then smash a few of the eggs then throwing the rest at the goblins along with whatever glands we have left to make sure the ants think they stole the eggs. It will lure the warriors out leaving at most a few royal guard warriors and the queen left over. But we would have to hurry because if they wipe out the goblins and return in the middle of our fight then we are going to be royally screwed."
I went on to further explain some more details of the plan but overall they agreed and we started hunting down the ants. We killed a few more workers before we were to tired to continue so We decided to back out and go to the entrance room that we turned into a rest area to relax and eat some bland ant meat.
"Hey Vexsus what are your plans once we get out of here? I know that I plan on going back home to my family but after getting a taste of adventuring like this I might become an adventurer." Sondar said in between huge gulps of the boiled ant meat.
"I plan on roaming around and gathering strength there are people I need to rescue." I said only the basics as I didn't want to reveal my whole plan of gathering an army and training to fight the Shadow Eaters.
I saw Kitsoma and Sylvania look at eachother after I said that but I was to tired to think much on it. After eating I said my goodnights and curled up in a corner to get a couple hours of shuteye. Sondar and Howy had volunteered for guard duty so the rest of us can sleep.
Those hours spent sleeping were restless as the thoughts of my past life came crashing down on me for some reason. I was back on Earth driving to and from work every day, doing the same things every day, day in day out for years. Back then I watched anime and read webnovels and webtoons about people reincarnating into other worlds filled with magic and so many different ways to live life that wasn't centered solely on a persons bank account. People lived by their strength and abilities, they could live different lives that they chose themselves.
I remember being so depressed when those stories would end and I was stuck back in reality living just to pay another bill. I had a family that I loved more than anything and but when I think about the monotony of my life back then compared to what I'm doing now I feel ashamed to admit but I love it. Yea I have been hurt horribly and have almost died a couple times but the insanity and the excitement that this world has shown me made me fall in love with this new life.
I was woken up shortly after having that dream by Shorunt. "Boss, Boss wake up you sounded like you were having a bad dream." He raised up and stepped back as I opened my eyes and could feel as tears were drying
"Ah yea it appears so I was just dreaming about some painful memories that's all. But enough about that fill me in anything going on while I slept?" I got up and shook the tiredness out as I walked over to munch on some reheated ant meat that the recently wakened Kitsoma had gotten ready.
"Digger came by a few minutes ago and he said he has found the red goblins home but it is in the center of a dozen or so outposts filled with about 30 or so goblins posted at each one. As he got closer he said he could feel that each outpost felt like it had stronger and stronger goblins. He even reported seeing a few human sized goblins wielding various weapons and covered in clad armor almost looking like ogres."
"Ok so the plan is still a go we just need to work on getting stronger a bit longer than expected but seeing as how the ants are respawning at a good rate it means we can farm them for a while before moving ahead with the plan we can turn this room into a good defensible position in the meantime and use this as our temporary base."
The others thought it was a good idea so we got to work. I decided to start by improving my skills mostly my buffs just because it comes in handy in a team setting.
I had Sondar expand the room to make way for a training area of sorts so I could train the goblins a bit as I was the closest to an actual monster.
"Ok so I want Tinoa and Vinoa to take these monster cores we got from the ants and I want you to focus on sending energy anyway you can into it. Shorunt you have your staff so I want you to focus on supplying it with energy and then support Konna and Liosa as they spar with me got it?"
They got to work immediately as the 2 hopeful mages started focusing and meditating over the cores and Shorunt slowly brightened the jewel ontop of his staff with his magic. Konna and Liosa both got into a battle stance as I walked slowly around them.
"Girls I will start by running straight at you I won't use my full strength until you prove yourself capable of handling it but I still want you to do your best." I say before sprinting towards them. I jump as I reach them and land behind them as I send a light tail whip towards Konna. She was just a hair to slow as my tail hits her shoulder as she was raising the newly made carapace shield that had dropped unexpectantly from a tougher than normal worker ant. Konna slid back a few steps but bounced back quickly as she and Liosa ran side by side before splitting up and rushing at my sides.
I was impressed at the quick coordination between the 2 but was still not going to just let them think they pulled one over on me, so I jumped up and sent a small stream of smoke downwards at them. They were able to stop before running into eachother but was now surrounded by the smoke and pretty soon they would have to either escape the area or risk breathing it in if I didn't dissipate it before then.
Before any of that could happen Shorunt's staff glowed bright green and a light flashed and covered the 2 as a slight wind was felt brushing past me as I stalked around the smoke using heat vision to keep my eye on them. After my smoke was blown away I looked over at Sylvania expecting to see her looking away like she had nothing to do with it but she was sitting with Kitsoma watching us. She had a look of surprise on her face and pointed at Shorunt before getting up and rushing towards him.
"Shorunt did you just use wind magic? I thought you could only use nature, At best I though you would use water or earth as those are the combined elements but wind? Were you hiding it?" She asked with a curious but excited tone as she looked him over to examine him incase he used some sort of hidden item that we had not seen before.
"No miss Sylvania I was lucky enough to awaken this magic just now, it was in part thanks to Master who gave me a shard of his power. I felt I could grasp wind magic but I knew I had to work at it and so for the past day I have been silently meditating whenever I could find the time. I finally grasped a small portion of it and was able to unleash a slight gust of wind."
I was shocked at this. Does this mean that I gave them a part of my powers? I sent a mental question at the system.
[User is correct, The use of the taming skill with intelligent creatures has the possibility of granting a part of the Users power.]
'Does that mean that when I gain power they will receive it aswell?'
[No, only the power granted at time of Taming.]
'Dammit and here I thought I just lucked out. Ok so is there a determining factor on what power they gain?'
[Yes, it all depends on what disposition the creature in question has. The minion classified as [Konna] has the disposition of (Warrior) she has gained the powers of your physical attacks and bodily enhancing buffs that do not require magic. Where as the minion classified as [Shorunt] has the disposition of (Druid) so he has gained any magical element you have that is tied in with the element (Nature)]
'AH ok that makes sense. So is there a way for me to find out what powers they gained from me? say maybe a status window as their master or something like that?'
[User has not gained the ability to see into other beings power levels.]
'How do I gain that ability.'
[System is only here to help with known abilities not give handouts.]
'OOOO you sassy ass system, dammit fine I'll figure it out on my own but when I do I expect a bit more active help from you when I do.'
[System generating new User specific task]
[Learn the ability: Appraisal]
[Reward: Minion status window]
'Really system that's the reward? I would be able to do that anyways after getting that ability.'
[User has classified system as (sassy) generated system A.I. using preferred setting.]
'You know damn well your just doing this to piss me off.'
"Vexsus, Vexsus. Are you ok you spaced out there for a bit." Sylvania came over and shook me with a worried look in her eyes.
"Oh man my bad yea I'm good just was lost in thought. So anyways Shorunt it appears that you gained some of my powers does that mean you can use lightning magic? I have resistance and can infuse my muscles with it to an extent aswell?" I wanted to see what else he had that way I can better plan future fights.
"No master it would appear that only the wind affinity you have was passed down. I do however have a greater feel for the mana around me so maybe you have passed down your understanding of it too?" He looks at me with a faint glimmer of hopefulness.
"Hmmm well how about this why not try and focus on the mana around you and see if you can move it. Even if you can make it move at all will determine if you have my Mana Manipulation ability."
I activate my Mana Manipulation that way I could sense it around me and make sure he gained my skill. I watched as he focused and every so often I would see a shimmer in the natural mana around us before it would move slightly towards him. After a few minutes it started to become like a transparent cocoon around him until with a gasp he opened his eyes and breathed heavily.
"Shorunt are you ok? What happened?" Konna asked quickly while helping to keep him steady on his feet.
"I was overwhelmed by the amount of magic around us. After focusing for a short time I was able to gain what I can only call insight into the layers of mana around us and the sheer volume and weight coming from master was intimidating so my mind faltered. I am sorry master I will get better I promise." He spoke as he bowed down to me begging for forgiveness.
"Shorunt, man how many times do I have to tell you don't call me master. For one it makes me feel weird to have a dude call me master and 2. your not a slave your my companion, yes you are technically my contracted monster through my power but I feel a partnership with you and everybody here we are equals. no one is above the other on this team."
"Now aside from that It would seem that you have indeed gained my skill in manipulation mana. With this you have also gained the potential to do so much more. I want you to focus on emptying out your mana and then using your new skill I want you to try and draw in the ambient mana that way you will gain the Mana Absorption skill like I did. There are unlimited number of ways to manipulate mana both to create spells as well as using it as a tool. I will leave it up to you Shorunt to grow stronger as my 1st Minion in the long line of minions to come. I need you to be the strongest in order to lead the others as my second in command."
I don't know what took over me at that moment but I was filled with a joy that he had gained my skills and I was excited over his new potential that I made the split second decision to name him as my second. It was a hasty decision but I feel that he has a certain right as my first and if given the right training and opportunities I feel that he will grow into an amazing minion that I can rely on.
"Oh Master, I cannot express how happy I feel at such an honor. I promise it will be my life's mission to continue to grow stronger so that I will serve you to the best my life can do and should I fail in my duty I will happily accept any punishment you feel is necessary." He almost breaks in half at how low he bends before he finally bends a knee. I didn't really want this to happen but it seems that as my 1st he also gained the most loyalty towards me into an almost religious like obsession.
"Thank you Shorunt now go do what I suggested so that I can get back to training the others." I walk back towards the other side of the training area with the girls as the rest of the team is now interested in the goblins and what other surprises they can show.
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[Pheromone Sense] 0 -> 10
[Pheromone Sense] Lvl 0 -> 1
[Smoke Stream] 4 -> 5
[Mana Manipulation] 15 -> 16
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