Lair

Chapter 006 - Minerals

By Skalsar

Rumors travel fast.

Very fast.

According to "Hivemind", the humans have an ability to travel great distances with a skill.

It's like the [Portal] to enter and leave the hive.

Only that it's limited to villages and citys.

Seems like I left some gem with the human.

Because I'm the one who created it, after converting a core for a [Hiveworker], it had a special property of saving up small amounts of magic power.

Normally, such things are only possible to be taken from strong creatures on the deeper layers.

For humans, it's a great treasure. Dropping it on the lowest layer got them curious.

Now the settlement grows steadily with humans that wish for great treasure.

Stupid humans. Pushing their luck.

"Hivemind" on the other hand is overjoyed.

Seems like they are weak prey.

And he likes weak prey.

Even small humans might try to get lucky.

He isn't very interested in them, because of the weak magic power, but he won't ignore them either.

I might get to taste one. Lucky!

The "Hivemind" is very proud of me and gave me more freedoms, as long as I don't do something dangerous.

Other creatures seem to like me, too.

Looking up to me, for my way of thinking.

Even those that are far older than me.

Considering that I wasn't created that long ago, I seem to be something called a genius.

I don't really know what that means. Neither does "Hivemind".

But it seems to be a human term for more intelligent ones.

Because "Hivemind" already consumed so many humans, more memories and words enter his mind.

Therefore, our knowledge about them grows.

I'm kind of curious.

Maybe I should test these humans out some more.

Sending my [Hiveworkers], I scout the area ones more.

They started building the wall.

It's made of some weird stone. Stopping my ability to create a [Portal] outside of it.

More like, something is mixed with the stone.

Some kind of mineral.

Oh. I see. That's funny. I recognize it.

Humans really have developed a way to turn some of the treasure minerals into that.

They make it into a pulver and mix it with broken down stones, water and earth.

Heh, we can do that too.

I can't believe humans could help us come up with stuff like this.

Did they really believe their inventions can only be used by them?

"Hivemind" likes my idea.

Lucky!

He is now consuming some of the minerals.

After we breeders break it down and mix it with nutritions of course.

The inside of the hive has a stonelike substance too.

Unlike the body of most creatures, animals, monsters and humans.

That's why, "Hivemind" can mix minerals to some "rooms".

A "room" refers to a area inside a layer of "Hiveminds" body.

Within every layer, there are many rooms, connected through small passages.

The creatures gather in these rooms.

By growing his body like this, "Hivemind" can make sure that not too many humans enter at once.

Since they have to go through the small passages and to the rooms.

They then have to search for the right room that connects to a deeper layer.

Lower layer and deeper layer seem to be wrong terms I believe.

Humans are refering to them as levels.

The lowest layer is the first level, while the deepest layer is the last level.

"Hiveminds" body has fiftysix layers right now. So the fiftysixth layer is the last level.

Not counting the [Lair] and spawning zones.

In that case, deepest would mean highest?

No. That is wrong too.

Irritating. I will stay with deep and low for now.

It isn't very likely that anybody would ask me about it anyways.

'Hello, human. I came to talk about my hive. Would you be interested in listening before I eat you?'

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The settlement was growing fast.

After selling the gem for the brothers, Rego couldn't stop his grinning.

Sure, the brothers will leave with all that gold.

But because of the rumor that a [Queen] gave treasure to a human and a [Magic Orb] at that, everyone is more than curious.

The settlement is swarmed with adventurers.

Even the [Adventurer Guild] is establishing an outpost right now.

Finding new workers will be a piece of cake.

Maybe even a [Village] will be build soon.

With this rate of arriving and leaving people, even a city might be possible in the not too far future.

A dreamlike possibility, as long as the dungeon doesn't pose too much of a threat.

But the settlement might have to stop strong adventurers from killing the [Dungeon Lord].

For that, they have to speak with their [Local Lord].

After losing a [Village] not long ago, he isn't too willing to send [Heroes] or strong adventurers.

But you never know.

If he decides to get rid of the dungeon, the settlement might perish.

But the rumor should reach him, too.