The Systemic Lands

Chapter 195: Day 431 – A Heated Meeting

We were about to leave Neo Brasilia after turning in our points from the most recent grind session. The cannibals were keeping clear of us.

Body-500; Mind-175; Spirit-200; Perception-175; Aura-175; Regeneration-870 (+250); Endurance-50; Absorption-50 for a total of 2,195 upgrades.

Naran had passed the 1,000 point threshold and had passed me in the Body stat.

Body-700 (+160); Mind-240 (+140); Spirit-100; Perception-70; Aura-70; Regeneration-100; Endurance-30; Absorption-30 for a total of 1,340 upgrades.

We had made quite a bit of progress. I was focusing on Regeneration to boost my grinding speed with my skill while Naran was focusing on Body and Mind to move incredibly quickly. We had practice spars. He would dodge and try to touch me with a stick while I threw stones at him.

He wasn’t able to dodge the stones, yet. That was the key word, yet. He was fast and about 20 feet, or 6 meters, was the breaking point. Where he wasn’t able to close in quickly enough. The practice sessions were incredibly important.

Being able to fight at high speed wasn’t something that was intuitive. Sure, I could just face monsters, but they were only so adaptable. So, while I liked the gargoyles to help me out in this regard, there was very little variation in their attack methods.

I wanted to know in an instant, just by looking at how someone moved, how much they had invested into Body. It was another reason why I wasn’t investing into Body yet. I wanted to see how well I could hold up against someone with higher stats.

Hence the regular dodging and very light sparring. The big thing was the upgrades to Naran’s Mind stat. He was able to react faster, which was key when moving at high speeds in combat. This is where needing energy for my skill hurt me.

I had more stats I would need to upgrade, if I wanted to keep up with him. Still, being able to use my skill with just a thought was a huge advantage. If the upgrades didn’t stick around when I upgraded the skill overall, I would be weaker.

Like a wave, taking a skill to the next level would raise the overall power cap, but it would also weaken my combat ability. When I did upgrade it, I would need to think about getting ten upgrades all at once and having the skill 200 or 400 energy per use. If I didn’t plan for that, there would be a huge period of weakness.

I learned my lesson after the last couple of upgrades that impacted the cost of the skill. While I didn’t regret them, it put me in a difficult position. Just being able to use Acid Shot with just a thought was critical to my fighting style.

The real risk were feints, and that was something Naran practiced and I worked out to try and pick out more accurately. The closer he got the risk increased exponentially for both of us, or what one side could do to the other.

If he got in striking distance, I would lose with the lower Body stat. It wasn’t so much of a question now, as a fact. I wouldn’t be able to hold up. But to close that distance he needed to lower my energy. Each missed stone throw, or Acid Shot, would consume energy.

I had to physically throw stones, but my skill was purely mental. I still had the advantage, but I estimated with another 500 to 1,000 in Body he could completely out speed my reactions. As he got closer to that point, I would have a smaller window to decide if he was engaging in a feint or not.

If he tossed a couple of low cost skills to disrupt my rhythm, things could quickly become troublesome. We were writing the manual for high level combat as safely as we could. But it was tricky, since we couldn’t use our skills.

We approached the exit of Neo Brasilia and there was a group of familiar faces, one in particular. “Champion Michael.”

“Gertrude, and the Emerald Wolves, I believe?” I asked, while looking at the four other women on her team.

“Yes, I was hoping to speak to you,” Gertrude said.

“You couldn’t leave a message with Clarissa in Purgatory?” I asked. I was also concerned she found and intercepted me out here by Neo Brasilia. If she had, that mean other people could as well. Other people who could lay a much bigger trap or attempt to assassinate me in the night.

“I wanted to speak to you, not her. It is about Laura,” Gertrude said.

“Ah. I killed her,” I said bluntly. No need to drag things out. I noticed Gertrude clenched her hands into fists and she began frowning heavily.

“Why, Michael?” She paused for a moment seeing that I wasn’t responding before correcting herself. “Champion Michael.”

“She caused problems at a very high level. It was a combination of factors. But the simple fact is, that Clarissa is my proxy within Purgatory and Laura was making things difficult for her,” I said.

“So you killed her,” Gertrude said.

“Yes. While I don’t owe you or anyone else an explanation, actively trying to undermine how Purgatory is run and not understanding that, will get you killed at a high level. I don’t have the time or energy to micro manage or work around difficult people,” I said.

“She wasn’t being difficult. She was looking out for her people,” Gertrude said.

“Purgatory is my city. She lived there at my sufferance. The same with you, your team, and everyone else. You don’t have the right to question me or complain. Freedom of speech is not a right here in the Systemic Lands,” I said clearly and calmly.

“I meet the requirements. That is why I worked out where you were,” Gertrude said.

“A thousand stats? Really. You think that will be enough? You still have to kill a level 4 monster,” I said.

“I am ready. I have been grinding level 3 monsters myself. You aren’t the only one who can push themselves,” Gertrude said. I was surprised. Well, if she had a skill and upgraded it, it would be possible. I didn’t have a monopoly on level 3 zones. I was curious what level 3 monster she was grinding.

“You really think you can take on a level 4, or you want me as a safety net? Ah, both,” I worked out why she was here.

“And to make sure there is no confusion,” Gertrude said. She clearly didn’t expect me to honor the idea of the Immortal Council and give up power. It would be annoying. I looked at Naran who shrugged a bit. There needed to be three people, and Naran didn’t have a skill or weapon that he was confident in, to do enough damage to a level 4.

I could refuse her, but I was curious to see her fight. To try and work out her stats from her movements. If she tied, it was one less problem for me. “Any of your teammates capable of entering a level 3 zone?” I asked.

“No, but our summoner can send a monster to watch,” Gertrude said.

“That is fine. Well let’s set off. I know a level 4 you can pull and fight. Also if you are stepping onto the Immortal Council, you get to see one of the great secrets of the Systemic Lands,” I added.

“Now I am curious,” Gertrude said. Her team took the lead with Naran clearing a path quickly in the direction of my regular grinding spot. Now that Gertrude was here, it would be time to find another.

“How did you find us?” I asked.

“Well, you aren’t cashing your crystals in Purgatory or Truth, and it was mentioned by some other teams that you were in the area around here,” Gertrude said. I nodded at that. It made sense, and I didn’t ask the information to be kept secret. Still, it was annoying.

“So, what are your plans, if you don’t die? To yell at me a lot?” I asked.

“To protect the dignity of people,” Gertrude said. That told me absolutely nothing.

“You aren’t that naïve to think that order can be maintained without cracking down?” I asked.

“No. But killing Laura, was a step too far,” Gertrude said. Clearly emotional.

“You know that Naran outclasses you,” I said.

“What does that matter?”

“The Immortal Council works on majority vote. That would give me two votes to your one. I mean, you aren’t going to replace Clarissa or disrupt my control,” I said.

“Maybe, but at least I can tell you off,” Gertrude said.

“You can tell me off. That is fine. You will have earned that right. I think you are underestimating how strong and terrifying a level 4 monster truly is,” I said.

“You aren’t going to get me to change my mind,” Gertrude said.

“If people want to kill themselves, that is their choice. I have fought two level 4 monsters so far. Each time has been a battle to the death and not easy to win. I doubt you will win, what do you have, Acid Shot?” I asked.

“I do, but it is upgraded,” Gertrude said.

“Hopefully it is enough. If you fail and waste my time, there should be a penalty, don’t you think?” I asked. I could tell she tensed up at that question.

“What kind of penalty?” I mentally scoffed if she thought I had my head in the gutter. I may have had sex with her, but that was sex, this was power and favors. I wasn’t about to get the two mixed up. That was the classic way for any powerful male to get brought down. Losing focus on what really mattered.

“I am thinking half a million points, if you want me to act as a safety net and spend at least a day dealing with you,” I said.

“Really Champion Michael? Going to extort me? I know you grind far faster than that,” Gertrude said.

“I grind quite fast, but half a million points is half a million points. It isn’t chump change. And that is only if you fail and want a safety net. If you succeed, no fee,” I said. I was curious how determined she truly was. Having a cost for failure was important.

“I can agree to that. I won’t be failing or paying any fee,” Gertrude said.

“The fact you came out here to find me instead of presenting me a level 4 crystal as proof, shows you are afraid and doubt your skills. That is why you want me as a safety net. You don’t understand the true nature of a level 4. There are stories and rumors, but it is different when you are facing one yourself,” I said.

“I am not afraid, I just don’t want you saying I had help and won’t be appointed to your council,” Gertrude said.

“Fair enough. We can set up camp tonight and make the trek tomorrow. There is a level 4 monster you can pull from the pack,” I said. What was a group of golems? I knew different animals had different terms for a large group. Like a group of crows was a murder. A group of gorillas was a troop or band. I had not idea what a group of golems would be called? Maybe just a group, since they animated beings.

Well, everything was animated around here. The golems were basically death but with a different coat of paint in my mind. They were both level 4 monsters at the end of the day. A bit more than a fresh coat of paint, but the sentiment was still the same.