Alternate POV
"Run"???
"Help! Please....."???
"I don't wanna die!"????
I need to flee. Nonono, shit. Why did this have to happen. The forest has been so peaceful. NOOO BROTHER!!! Cursed spiders! I'll never forg-....
"What?"????
My guts. Go back in. I need to get away. What.... Is this creature? Not a spider or drow. Wait don-.....
Gin POV
Honestly, I wish I didn't have to watch this. I started hunting a wolf pack after they tried to kill one of Kess' spiderling but, I didn't expect this. The wolves are very expressive and deeply grieve over the death of their kin.... Some cry and start shaking their heads as they know death is coming. Kess' spiderlings are pretty ruthless and chop them down regardless.
I see a slighty larger wolf that has had its guts chopped open by a spiderling.... Whimpering. The spiderlings left it behind so, I walk up to it and put it out of its misery.
*Shhhhnggg
They did start the fight but..... Maybe I should have left these guys go.... Well, what's done is done.
*Clap
"LISTEN UP" Gin
All the spiderlings gather in rows and salute me..... This is surreal. It's like I'm a leader in an army. Anyways, back to the situation.
We need to find enough aggressive monsters to kill to get Kess to level 5. I don't want to kill peaceful monsters. All of the remaining plant monsters and small critters in this forest are passive. The wolves are the only monsters so far that have attacked us of their own will.
They almost immediately regretted it though as half of their numbers got killed within a dozen seconds. The rest fled and we chopped them up. I also got a bestiary log for wolves which is a little interesting.
Wolf(common)- Lowest rank canine monster. Will form packs even without a higher rank leader. Some are as intelligent as the human race but, they all have deep emotions for their kin.
Not many monsters roam the immediate area..... Well this is the former territory of the treants so I doubt anything really threatening is nearby. I can only go further out I guess. For now though I should have the spiderlings collect these corpses.
"It's time to collect the spoils and return. Good job guys.... Wooh" Gin
I awkwardly give a little cheer to the end....
"That was kinda cute master~" Set
Crap. I forgot that I have Set binded to me. She gets quiet when she is bonded to me so I forget most of the time.
-------
We return to the nest to see Kess and Xelu expanding the nest. Xelu and her spiderlings can create web as well so I'm having her build an extension from the top of cliff. The webs bond together into weird blood vessels which will grow flesh around them after they are put in place.
I look up to see the giant pulsing flesh clump on the top of the cliff. Kess helped anchor it to the old nest by reinforcing metal bands to it. A few eyes appear that look around erratically.
*Sigh
"That looks evil as hell." Gin
Now I didn't just leave Kess here to help with reinforcing the flesh section. I have her order Xelu around. I tried to get Xelu to build a new section but if I left her to her own devices she starts making mistakes. When that happens she stops doing anything until new orders are given. So to keep everything going I ordered Xelu to follow Kess' instructions.
I don't know how they communicate. Xelu seems to now what Kess wants though. She does order her subordinates to do some complicated stuff so, maybe it has something to do with that? I call them both down from the cliff. Xelu glides down while Kess.... jumps down leaving a giant crater behind.
"Okay, Set I want you to work with Xelu to scout out the local area. We can probably convert a room into a map room after you look around enough. Kess lets work to get your level up." Gin
Set unbinds from me. I think she is dissatisfied. I know she doesn't like Xelu so I can see why she isn't happy. That and she hates being apart from me but, she has to be the scout. She is the only one that could possibly make a map.
"Xelu make sure you listen to Set's orders." Gin
'Yes.' Xelu
"Set you can ask for a reward once you are done." Gin
'Yes! I'll record everything~!' Set
After motivating Set I head off into the woods with Kess. We bring only a few spiderlings as we have to have a good force behind in case a new force appears to start a war. I also figured Kess would be good at detecting enemies which is why I brought her. When we left the arachne queen's nest Kess seemed to know that there were enemies before we even left the tunnel.
"Make sure to only go after aggresive enemies. If you level up today I'll let you eat as much as you want again." Gin
"Scchreee!" Kess
With that Kess is super motivated. I may need to limit the amount of times I let her feast though. She is looking around frantically while the spiderlings carrying her around are having trouble. Hmmm.....
I need her to lose weight but, she can't even walk normally. Her spiderlings have to carry her around because of that meaning she won't exercise. It's a cycle.... I think I have an idea.
"Kess I'll give you more opportunities. As long as you can walk on your own I'll let you eat from the larder. Deal?" Gin
"Sccchree....." Kess
She agreed but she doesn't seem that motivated about it..... Now that I think about.... Will closed system allow that? Exercise should still allow her to lose weight right? I can't imagine this perk having a fatal flaw like not being able to lose weight. Otherwise, Kess' future would be sad.
She fires herself up again as she remembers the deal about leveling up. After half an hour of searching we come up on something weird. We come up on another cliff but, there is a small brickentrance sitting at the bottom. Torches lie on both sides of it and the inside has a glowing blue portal looking thing. I'm guessing this would be.... A dungeon.
I had an idea that something like this would exist since there were levels and mythical creatures but, I didn't think we'd find one like this. Kess is looking at me for praise. She is similar to Set in some ways. I pat her head and her eyes squint in happiness.
Should we go in? I had been planning to get Kess to level 5 today but, I dont know what kind of dangers may lerk within.... It doesn't look intimidating if that is anything to go off of.
"Kess what do you think" Gin
She has her spiderlings put her down and sends one in....
*sclllopp
The portal makes a liquidy sound. It reminds me of portals from an old sci-fi show I used to watch. A little bit later the spiderling returns and makes noises at Kess. She nods at me, gets picked up by her spiderlings and, heads in. Well, lets see whats in there.