NOVEL NEXT Chapter 53: How Can I Not Agree?
Dominic was standing in another clearing. This one was much bigger than the previous, though it was a different shape entirely. Behind him, the rest of the pride were carefully making their way along the path he’d just cleared.
After the first snake and pit trap, there had been two more snakes, and two more environmental traps, though the dungeon hadn’t repeated the same combination again. The next one had had a tripwire just before the next tree that was planted in the middle of the path. Triggering that had led to a standard log swinging across the path.
Once it had come to a stop, Dominic had been able to go under it, though he’d had to crouch and make sure his wings were pinned to his back. He’d have gone over it if not for the ropes that he worried would get in his way. He’d definitely got bigger: that log was designed to hit the average human about mid-chest, probably breaking either an arm or ribs in doing so.
To add insult to possible injury, the tree hadn’t even had a snake in it. Dominic had to admit that he rather admired the dungeon master’s ability to predict what explorers were likely to do and expect. The previous version of the dungeon had shown similar inclinations, but what he had seen so far was more developed.
The next snake hadn’t actually come from a tree at all. Instead, it had shot out from behind an innocent-looking branch lying beside the path. Although it had also been identified as a ‘boomslang’, it was brown, which is why Dominic hadn’t spotted it lying there. He didn’t know if that was just a dungeon thing, or if the snake actually did come in two colours naturally.
After that, there had been another snake which dropped from a branch overhead and then another pit trap almost at the end of the path – no doubt there to catch explorers eager to get out of the jungle.
Dominic had dealt with both snakes easily enough: being on his guard, he’d been able to avoid their strikes. He was quick enough himself to finish them as soon as they’d struck and made themselves temporarily vulnerable.
He’d kept an ongoing commentary in the Pride chat, letting the rest of his group know what to avoid, just in case the traps reset once he’d passed or other snakes decided to attack. He was hoping not: the snakes were probably venomous and he didn’t know whether the rest of his pride was quick enough to deal with them the way he had. Then again, the amesheks would probably be able to freeze them with their vibration attack which would leave them easy prey for the lions to attack.
While he waited for the other five to join him, Dominic pulled out the snakes’ carcasses and found their Cores. Getting information about each of them – all level 8s – revealed that, predictably, their basic Ability was called Venomous Bite. Since this was actually something Dominic was interested in adding to his repertoire – as long as it didn’t accidentally combine with the acid in his teeth to cause problems for him – he was quite happy.
Of the half-step Abilities, two of the Cores held Quick Strike – another reasonably predictable Ability for a snake. The third held something more interesting: Hypnotise.
[Hypnotise (T1): By making and holding eye contact with your opponent, use small movements to control their focus. The longer you control their focus, the harder it is for them to look away or to move themselves. Injury or significant sensation can shock them out of their controlled state.]
He made a mental note to not look the snakes in their eyes if he could avoid it: he didn’t want to risk getting caught by that Ability.
Given what he’d learned from Selessa about what he soon should be able to do with the help of their Place of Power – if this dungeon run was successful – Dominic did his best to nudge that Core towards Hypnotise and the other two towards Venomous Bite.
Checking his status screen after absorbing all three Cores, he was pleased to discover that he’d got exactly what he wanted: 28% towards Venomous Bite, and 14% towards Hypnotise.
He also noticed something else exciting.
Progress to Evolution: 635/615 PP level up
‘Yes! Level up is waiting!’ he exulted. ‘What shall we upgrade this time; so many options!’
‘We also need to decide whether to accept Sonic Attack and Vibrating Body,’ pointed out Leo.
‘That’s true,’ admitted Dominic. He wanted the benefits of both Abilities, but wasn’t sure about whether he’d have to grow antennae to gain them. And if so, whether he wanted things sticking out of the top of his head, other than their ears and mane.
Then again, the alternative was turning the Abilities down which seemed like a rather bad idea since neither of them seemed to have obvious drawbacks. At least, not from what he remembered of the descriptions. Not like Bloodied Stalwart which he remembered being a berserker Ability which put allies at risk as much as the enemy as part of the Ability itself.
‘We can accept the Abilities but just choose the option with the least physical changes,’ Leo reminded him. That was a good point. It might mean that they wouldn’t end up as powerful as the amesheks’ Sonic Attack, but since it was an accumulative effect, that shouldn’t matter too much. Actually, that was a good thought – three of them with Sonic Attack should mean that the attack was more powerful than with just the two amesheks.
‘Alright, let’s do that,’ agreed Dominic. ‘Now, what about our two enhancement options? I’d really like to enhance our wings so we can fly as soon as possible. But I don’t know if that’s the best choice at the moment.’
‘I still don’t fully understand your desire to enter the realm of the birds, but I’ve accepted your arguments about the benefits of being able to attack from the air. However, I don’t think that now is the time.’
‘But-’
‘Think about it,’ Leo continued, relentlessly bulldozering through Dominic’s attempt to interject. ‘We’re going into a dungeon which mostly takes place inside a temple. While the dungeon master has no doubt changed things around significantly, I doubt he’s created rooms with enough space to make being airborne a good prospect.’
Dominic stopped trying to talk. He had to admit that Leo had a good point there, one he hadn’t considered.
‘If the area around the temple had been like before, an open grassland area, it might have made more sense. Being able to fly would have given us advantages against any ground-bound opponents. With our battleground most likely to be in the jungle, however, trying to fly just doesn’t seem tactically viable.’
‘Huh, ‘tactically viable’? You’ve been studying, Leo. I’m impressed.’ Dominic said with mock surprise to cover his genuine surprise – and that he really did find it impressive. ‘Alright then, what do you think we should take?’
‘Darken our mane twice over,’ Leo replied immediately.
Dominic almost exploded at him for such a vain suggestion.
‘Why on Earth would you think….’ then he felt the mischievous humour drifting from his companion. ‘Oh ha ha. Very funny. Come on, be serious – what would you really suggest?’
‘Brain,’ Leo answered more seriously, though still smugly amused at catching Dominic out. ‘Maybe for both slots. Or maybe Brain and Nervous System with a focus on reaction speed.’
‘Interesting,’ commented Dominic. ‘Why those?’ he had a feeling he knew where Leo was going with this, but wanted to make sure.
‘We have speed that we can’t fully use for fear of not being able to react in time to things in our path. Part of this is because of reaction speed – we simply can’t turn fast enough to avoid an obstacle – but part of it is because our brain is not reacting fast enough either. Consider the most recent fights. Most of the time we were reacting on instinct more than carefully thought-through actions.’
‘It worked for us, though,’ commented Dominic to play devil’s advocate.
‘So far. But that’s only because we were slightly quicker to react than the snakes, and the snakes themselves were not thinking through their actions. I don’t think that this is something we can assume will be the case in the future. Consider the fact that last time the lowest beasts were the level three roaming trodils. This time, the first beasts we’ve come into contact with – by design of the path – were level eight. If it had been a level ten or even fifteen snake, I’m not sure we would have done so well. And at level twenty-two, soon to be twenty-three, we really should be able to take on a level fifteen snake without needing luck!’
Dominic listened with a good deal of interest. Compared to the lion who had first awakened in the previous version of this very dungeon, Leo had changed considerably. He was sounding more and more like Dominic himself – which in some ways was slightly worrying since Dominic had noticed that he was reacting more and more like Leo on various occasions.
‘I agree,’ he said quickly.
‘So you see, we should…wait. You do?’ Leo sounded completely blind-sided. Dominic didn’t know why. It wasn’t like they argued every time this subject came up. Just most of the time. And when they did disagree, it usually took longer to resolve. OK, he could understand Leo’s surprise.
‘Yeah. You make a good argument there – very logical. Well thought-out. How can I not agree?’ Especially when his first – joking – suggestion had been to darken his mane.
Bafflement wafted across from Leo’s side of things.
‘Well…good.’
‘The next question is whether to do it as soon as the pride arrives, or save the level up for when we actually need it. I’m very tempted to do it now, but also recognise that it could be a life-saver.’
‘That’s true,’ agreed Leo, sounding like he was managing to get his thoughts back in order. ‘But I think we should do it now. Hopefully the new Abilities and the enhancements I’ve suggested will help us to not get into the problematic situation in the first place. And if we do, we have our Regeneration, Second Wind, Consume, and the healing of the young male to help us.’
‘Yes, exactly,’ agreed Dominic affably. ‘Plus, if we do have physical changes from Sonic Attack and Vibrating Body, we don’t want that to happen in the middle of a fight.’
Since they had managed to come to a consensus, Dominic waited impatiently for the rest of the pride to join him. The traps hadn’t reset, so while they took their time joining him, they weren’t in any actual danger. Once they had done so he triggered the level up.
Picking his two enhancements – Brain and Nervous System – he quickly moved onto the next part of the process.
Dominic was a little surprised at the first Ability that came up to be accepted or rejected.
[You have 3 new Abilities available to be acquired. First new Ability: Easy Landing (T0). Would you like to acquire this Ability?]
‘Where was that one from?’ Dominic asked before answering his own question a moment later. ‘Oh yes, the kesh. Shall we take it? It might help us if we fall, or later on, when we’re flying if something goes wrong.’
‘No reason not to,’ agreed Leo. Dominic agreed to accept the Ability, only for the next Ability to come up.
[Second new Ability: Vibrating Body (T1). Would you like to acquire this Ability?]
‘Yes.’
[Warning: Vibrating Body (T1) requires minor change to the User’s physiology.
Option 1: Continue with Vibrating Body (minor physiological changes)
Option 2: Transform Vibrating Body into a different Ability which is more suited to the User’s current form (minor physiological changes)
Option 3: Reject Vibrating Body]
Dominic hesitated for a moment. Both of them said ‘minor physiological changes’. The question, really, was whether to carry on with the Ability that he knew or risk something unknown which could be better…or much worse.
‘Option one?’ he checked with Leo.
‘Option one,’ the lion agreed, both of them in agreement that it was better the devil one knows.
[Third new Ability: Sonic Attack (T1). Would you like to acquire this Ability?]
‘Yes.’
[You have chosen to acquire Sonic Attack. You have an Ability and an Ability in the course of being acquired which have adequate synergy with Sonic Attack: Majestic Roar; Vibrating Body. Would you like to combine these Abilities? Note: features of these Abilities may be changed or maintained. Note: the final product may be better, worse, or equivalent to the Abilities singularly.]
‘Well, it worked out last time…?’ Dominic hesitantly suggested to his companion. Leo took a moment to think it through, but then agreed with equal hesitancy.
‘I don’t like the idea of pinning all our hopes on a single cub here, but last time we combined Abilities, our Roar came out significantly more powerful than it was before.’
‘Alright, here goes, then,’ Dominic agreed, feeling more than a little nervous.
