Genetic Ascension

"But if they're able to not only deal with the 25 gnolls and still have enough strength to kill both Max and Jared, they're more of a problem than I originally thought. And, if they have someone with an <Advanced Scouting> Skill, which they almost certainly do, they'll know it was us, The Enclave, that attacked."",

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[City Leaderboard]

[3. The Enclave - Grade 7 Rudimentary Village]

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"What do you suggest, Benjamin?" Darius looked up and met his Steward's eyes.

"We have lost two powerful warriors, City Lord. But we still have the advantage of the informant."

"Couldn't they have died already? They'll certainly speculate that there's a spy."

"Yes, but you know as well as I how well they are able to hide themselves."

"Therein lies the potential problem," Benjamin nodded. "The informant isn't one of our own. They just believed that it was more worthwhile to take a gamble on us as opposed to Casstle Main.

"I do not believe that the informant, given their abilities, would make a mistake. In that case, whatever circumstances led to the death of Max and Jared should be outside the expectations of the informant as well."

"Meaning?"

"We wait." Benjamin said. "If the informant contacts us within the day, it means that they believe that we are still the better bet despite the changes. If not, then we will need to pivot."

"Toward?"

"We are still unaware of the informant's origins. It's possible that they could be from another city and attempting to use a borrowed knife to clear away some of their enemies.

"Casstle Main is a decent distance from us. It took three days' travel for Max and Jared to make it to the gnoll village. Though most of that was due to the danger of the beasts in the region, that will be to our advantage.

"Even if the informant chooses Casstle Main, the impact on us won't be felt immediately. There's no need for us to waste time shoring up defenses or things of the like. We were already given an extremely advantageous starting locale.

"Instead, I think we should make a push toward bolstering our Professions."

"Like Casstle Main."

"Yes. The informant alluded to the fact Casstle Main was leagues ahead of us in terms of armory. We need to change that. For the Grade 8, Grade 9 and Village upgrade, I suggest focusing it all on Profession spawns.

"We have an advantage that others do not. We need very little defenses, so we can send out far more warriors to collect resources. This will be our advantage.

"In fact, whether the informant contacts us again or not, I believe that this is the path forward. The fact they have taken so long already means that they are wavering.

"Such an ally is not one we should rely on."

Darius agreed with a nod. "This will still put a huge strain on our coins. Gather everyone for a meeting. We won't break the news to them immediately. We'll wait until next week for that."

**

Sylas rushed through the forest. He had made his departure clear, but honestly, he wasn't exactly sure of how long he would be gone. He only got a vague sensation of direction from the map and, for all he knew, it could be half-way across the world.

Honestly, though, even if it took him months, from what he had come to understand about this current world, an FF+ Dungeon was too great to pass up.

He wasn't sure of the ranking for the Slithering Madness Dungeon, but it was no doubt the reason for his success today. Despite losing three months of time, he could easily keep up with those around him, and that meant a great deal.

Plus, Cassarae wasn't a child who needed her hand held, as much as he seemed eager to clear the path for her. She had survived three months without him, and she could survive another three again.

Soon, though, the first day waned.

Venturing deeper and deeper into the forest, Sylas found that the creatures were becoming more dangerous. Although he had still yet to meet a Level 1, the standard was rising to an astonishing degree.

He hadn't realized just how shallow a depth he had been in, but as he waded deeper into these murky waters, it became clearer and clearer.

Luckily, he had traded for something quite important before leaving.

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[Requirement: 10 Mental]

[Use this Skill to illuminate the darkness around you]

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That wasn't the only thing he had gained, either.

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[Common Arts Enthusiast (F-)]

[You are a jack of all, master of none. However, your efforts have given your style of combat a unique flare and an air of unpredictability that strikes fear in your enemies]

[+1 Dexterity]

[+10% success in absorbing related Genes]

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He had managed to claim the full Title and his Dexterity had actually risen to 51… and no small cost of pain and misery. It seemed that the pain was even worse when you were at to your Stat Limit.

'Eating these animals really does keep me awake, though. I can't tell if it's more like coffee and I'm harming myself, or if this influx of Aether can really replace sleep…'

After gathering up so many beasts after a day's work, Sylas could more than afford to ask the Madness Key, so he did so, using Common Genes instead of Fragmented ones.

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[Can eating Aether-infused meat replace sleep?]

[Digested Aether gives the body a sense of freedom and lightness similar to a night's rest, but it cannot do the same for the mind. Extended periods of time without sleep, unless one is an Ascended Being, can be very detrimental to progress]

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Sylas noted this. It couldn't replace sleep, but it seemed there was another benefit he had neglected: healing. It couldn't help his mind recover, but it certainly could help his body too. This meat would be important for keeping himself in tip-top shape.

Deep into the night, Sylas set up another item he bought.