User Kaden has sustained 1 HP damage.

From now on, I need to be smart. Whenever I'm getting ready to go off, I'm going to use my magic to encircle my Creeper body with earth to prevent me from flying off and smacking trees. The better idea may be to completely encircle or bury myself, but it's probably not a good idea to box myself in with enriched dirt that acts as a barrier. No telling what happens if I can't get back to my body or generate my form whilst inside of the ground.

Things went pretty well. I feel like I may have missed what was happening at the end there but I can't just defy my timer. Hopefully, they'll respect my wishes and not move my things.

Allowing a few hours to pass is the best idea: their tender isn't supposed to be absent for long, yet there's no estimate on when she'll return. A few hours gives me time to either focus on resting, gathering, or hunting. All three sound pretty good but it's probably best to do one of the latter two; resting will be a good idea for my mental state, yet I need worms, Bomber needs more flowers, and my dungeon could definitely use more gemfawn or boneback materials. It's not as if I hadn't imagined losing my items, but collecting more material will serve to make replacements and upgrades.

For starters: my staff. Creating one entirely out of magosbone would allow me to properly and most effectively test just how potent it is as an MP catalyst. I could see it whenever I touched the weapon's bone, yet not while holding the crystal; my knife is an effective tool but far from practical in that reason for a magical tool. All I'm saying is creating something from Magosbone with crystal grips should be my next goal for upgrading my potential power. Magos' Form aside, the crystal will allow me to carry my staff and pack on even more MP without even mentioning the main crystals on the end of it.

So between gathering and hunting, it's obvious: take the method of riskier experience and hunt alone.

Bomber, you stay here. Time for me to pick up some experience by myself.

The ranbli opens his eye from within his burrow but doesn't come out. Looks like he's too cozy to even bother arguing.

Just a few hours... I wonder what I'll be able to find before I start on my way back.

Growth!

My mana dings lower whilst I slip backwards, holding my staff across so it blocks the boneback's maw without letting it bite on it. Thankfully the wood of my weapon is thicker near its base or it'd probably splinter it with those crystal-breaking jaws in its mouth.

Why does it feel so much easier even when I'm alone? Sure, I'm fighting it at full power, but... did one level actually make me this strong without even raising my strength?

... No. It's not that I'm stronger but that I'm not afraid. After all, comparing my strength to the others puts me in last place; I'm an entire three points of STR behind Ivy. Physical strength, or at least the stat, in this world is merely explosive force, something that can be lessened with one's own steadfast resistance. Brogdar's game-like mechanics are something that influences or guides, such as health meaning far less when I score a hit that should kill something like destroying its brain.

And right now, even being pushed around by a boneback is a prime example of my strength being weaker but not completely dominated.

Gemskewer!

My staff's crystals shine brilliantly, seconds before the crystalline rod explodes upward from the earth and buries itself in the boneback's neck. All of its weight pressing against me stops, finally letting me relax and lower the wooden tool.

I've only found one, but this fatass should be enough to provide plenty of material for both a new staff and some additional armor. Inventory.

The bear flickers out of reality and off to my dungeon's storage, turning my gaze back toward the village.

It should be about time to go check on things. Resolving things with the echowings should be-

You certainly are fond of wasting time.

... It isn't like I'm intentionally doing it to anger you, I-

The box closes on its own, opening a new window with an aggressively lower-pitched alert and the same red from when I was first led to the village.

I DON'T CARE.

Your ways are boring. As strong as you are, why not just kill them?

As strong as I am? I can literally burn to death from a torch.

Are you really so oblivious? The only things you've encountered in the valley's woods so far, you've been able to face alone once you've determined their strengths.

What do you think echowings hunt that requires teams that you've still not seen?

That... is a good observation. I had figured it was something further out near the mountains or simply in part of the woods I'd not been to, but...

When I look at it from an outside-in perspective, I've walked and spent multiple days in the woods by now. There was never any sort of indication of the echowings beyond the abandoned house, nor of anything beyond worms, bears, and deer. Between those three and the bats, shouldn't I have at least heard or spotted a trail by now? I'm not experienced in woodsmanship, but it's undeniable that something dangerous enough to warrant multiple echowings to hunt would've at least been indicated by the environment.

This... why am I even considering it?

Even if I acknowledge I'm strong, they outnumber me. It'd be stupid to think I'd kill all of them. They're not my enemies, either. So unless you're going to applaud me for my ingenuity or offer an idea that isn't suicide, kindly fuck off.

...

Good. No more boxes. I'm glad that the system or whoever is bossing me around at least understands that they shouldn't try to push me around too much. Even if they can destroy me, they clearly needed my help if they're tolerating my methods up to this point.

Grey Man laughs, watching the failures of Faceless Red unfold in real-time through his screens.

"My my," he wheezes, tapping his cane and poking it off the shared camera of Kaden's vision. "This bush is even better than I imagined! Rebelling against the chaotic wench! Truly a grand sight!"

The god's cane taps the floor, reaching his left hand out to grab a glowing, silver orb. A portal opens and he tosses it in, feeling his grin turn sinister.

"It's only fitting to reward him... and stir up doubt in this hijacker. We're going to get our son out, sure... but on my terms, not just hers!"

Alright... not much further now. Bomber's tree should be somewhere around-

[Notification]

You receive an ominous warning from the god Grey Man.

Echowings are not so simple; a grudge once made can never be forgiven. Until balance is restored, they will not rest.

O...kay. This warning is supposed to-

Why is Grey Man sending me an ominous warning? I figured it wasn't him operating the system before, but the system runs on its own, too, right?

... Wait. Red? Wasn't one of the other gods named Faceless Red? If that's the case, wouldn't it stand to reason that they're the one ordering me around? The goddess of evil would be logical to explain trying to get me to attack the echowings. Even if I'm strong enough to win it, the act of murdering them when I could have resolved it peacefully would be inherently evil. Self-defence can't defend the morality of it, either, especially if I know I'm stronger.

But then why is an evil god tolerating me if I'm not-... no.

No. No no no.

Is she only tolerating this because there's still a chance I'll just steal it!?

The notification window closes, leaving me gritting my mental teeth and trying my hardest to stomp my way over to Bomber's tree.

To imagine I'd actually hate a god more than the randomizing lunatic I reincarnated under! She threatens me and then puts on an air of tolerance just because she's hoping I'll kill the echowings! If Grey Man is telling the truth, then it's far eviler because if I anger the echowings they'd become my enemies until I helped them!

If that's the reasoning, then all the more reason now to continue pursuing diplomacy. If that goddess had any real power, she'd have just kept threatening me! Pissing off a goddess isn't normally a great idea, but her followers are evil anyway; there's no reason to be on her good side!

Before I steal the artifa- no. Before I earn it, I need to figure out more about the echowings. This grudge of theirs sounds like it's inspired by balance. If that's the case, I may be able to earn their trust and favor. The lot of them seemed respectful of me once the elder bowed his head... so if I can earn his loyalty, then I'll be secure.

Just you wait, you red bitch!

The echowings hustle around the village far more actively than before; the entire walk into the camp left me feeling as if I'd missed something big. A few glances around can tell you a lot, yet nothing is more telling than seeing even the elder of the village on full alert issuing orders. It'd be a lot easier to deduce what's going on if I could understand their language... but beggars can't be choosers.

Thankfully for me, these bats are true to their word: they left my things more or less where I could reach them, resting atop a table.

The instant I grab hold of the knife and cord, shouts from one of the nearby males causes all the commotion to end. I put the signs back on and turn around just in time to see dozens of the echowings dropping to the ground to bow at my feet. The elder approaches and bows his head, too, with a tremble in his previously confident voice.

"Mage Kaden, w-we are humbled by your presence. But currently, we... are unable to bring our tender to see you. If you desire, I shall send for Faeh to keep you company until things are resolved here."

Resolved? Damn it... he's going to make me carve.

The boards rattle, settling to a new slate so I can carve out my response. The lengthier nata, however, momentarily vanishes so I can put my knife to the reply to his own offer.

No. Tell me what is going on. You said the tender would be back by now.

Despite their inability to read it well, the elder's worried frown immediately causes the echowings at my feet to whimper and beg. I think. The elder himself raises his head, raising a hand to gesture behind him off toward the northern end of the village.

"We truly do not mean to make you wait. It's simply that she is currently needed to aid us with a pair of boneback adults that approached our village. Their young ones may have been hunted the last few days, as they often get agitated whenever we slaughter too many. At first, only one had shown up and their team believed it would be easy to slay... but they returned and the village has been trying to keep them well away while trying to deal the finishing blows."

... Oh. Well, this sounds like it might be my fault. I never saw or had reason to believe these bonebacks weren't fully grown, but I suppose the possibility was undeniable. There are stranger things since both Bomber and Ivy evolved from rabbits to rabbit-like kids able to stand and wield weapons. If ranbli change so much, why wouldn't bonebacks have a bigger-size or adult-size?

And based on what the evil goddess said before, it's not unlikely that I'd be able to kill these adults if they're not too different from the youth. Bonebacks rely on their natural armor to avoid damage, so as long as I can hit between it I should be able to kill one that's bigger. Additionally, they'd likely only be in parts of the woods that can sustain them.

Maybe it also means that gemfawn can be older, too. Holy shit, their antlers must be so co-... no, Kaden, don't get distracted now. Just focus on replying to the concerned and worried echowing.

I will help you...

Although the echowings around me can't seem to read this message, the elder lets out a sigh of relief and calls out to the rest of the village to share the good news... I think. They all immediately leap up, celebrating and seemingly oblivious until the elder notices me still carving. The gathered bat-people all turn back and look just in time to see the last part of my message.

But to do so, I will need you to escort my two summoned creatures.

"... Summoned creatures?" The elder tenses up, looking at the sign for a long time. "You're... a summoner and an illusionist?"

... This feels... like a very dangerous moment.

None of them can hurt me, but... all of the echowings are so tense that it feels like I stepped on a landmine without it detonating. This doesn't seem like something they'll let me explain if I guess wrong, so... fuck it.

Yes.

The knife's clatter is met with a painfully long and awkward silence. Not for the villagers but for me, since all of them look to the elder for guidance and a decision. Yet all that tension explodes as a grumbling roar rings out across the village, forcing the man to yell in their language before facing me.

"Faeh shall go with you to lead them here. You have my word that we shall not harm them... so long as you did not lie!"

I hope he remembers those words... especially once they see what my real body looks like. Otherwise, this gambit might turn into what that goddess was after from the start...