——— POV: DM Blueberry ———
"Muahahahaha! Things are going just as planned Batson!" I pat his head with a mana tendril.
I'd been monitoring the situation through the eyes of a few birds. They are not as weird as the eyebats. I mean, if anyone ever saw an eyebat fluttering nearby they'd definitely shoot it down.
The hostile goblins have been wiped out. Much quicker, I must admit, than expected. I'd thought that by making them clash unprepared it would be a more even fight, but the rangers were quick to set up an ambush.
The goblins were... disappointing to be honest. Even their chief needed my help to even take down one of the weakest humans. This just reinforces my decision to remain hidden. Low key is the way to go.
A ranger eliminated, and another injured forces the rest of the group to journey home. Sadly it seems they have decided to bring the body of the fallen home to be buried.
"Bod Keeneye, what an interesting person, eh Batson?" I overheard his name while spying on the ranger. I liked how he didn't kill any of the animals watching him, even when I had them act extra weird as an experiment. He seems to be quite connected to nature and it surprised me when he suddenly cast a spell causing the roots to grab Bluefang. That's not normal.
I mean, I guess the presence of mana, my current state, and other things should have clued me in on the fact that magic is a very real thing in this world, but it hadn't really sunk in until now. That was a spell! Like what I'd expect a Druid or something to cast.
"Wow! I love magic!" I can't help but exclaim when remembering the sight. I wonder if I'll get to that stage some day. I'm suddenly pumped about cultivating and leveling up my mana control some more.
I wait for the rangers to pack up and leave, which isn't very long. As I follow them through the eyes of a bird flying above them it gets increasingly strenuous to maintain that connection. If I could sweat, I would be sweating for sure.
Eventually, the connection drops, and I feel exhausted. What was that? Low signal strength? Lack of cellular coverage? Got to test that range some more later.
An hour later, the bird returns to confirm that they've left the forest.
"Excellent" I reward my little lookout with a gem berry. It leaves delighted, carrying the giant berry back to its favorite perch in the trees outside.
Sending out the eyebat squad to watch the perimeter along with some more birds. I gather my gobs.
"Alright crew! We've got a huge haul waiting for us outside. The rangers haven't been gone for that long, so it's a little risky, but we've got a flying patrol keeping watch. Trip, I want you to organize a couple gobs to keep watch in case the birds spot something."
"Berry'wart, I want you to gather all weapons, tools, and miscellaneous items in a pile over here in case there is something useful."
"Stronk, have a some henchmen make Snekky spit out the gob it swallowed and escort them both back to the dungeon. The gob, which hopefully is still alive, might provide us some info."
"I want the rest of you to carry the dead gobs back here and dump them in the melting pit. Oh and Stewbag, you should follow that bird to where their campsite was. You might find something interesting left behind by their chef."
"When we finish, we'll have a feast!"
They set off, and I absorb another mana wisp from a slime core before switching to eyebat view.
It doesn't take long before the first few gobs are back, dumping the bodies into the pit trap As I've instructed. DP starts rising quickly, and I'm wondering what to invest in next.
It's clear that gobs are superior minions, but with the danger of alerting humans and bringing a hunting squad down on me before I'm ready I'd rather not have them outside at all.
My critters have been reliable and efficient for their DP cost. I mean, that's what got me this far in the first place. It's just clear that as I grow stronger, they'll not be able to stay relevant.
I decide to invest more in the actual dungeon. What was previously the slimes' cavern, with all its stalagmites and stalactites, is now all mine. Currently there is little growing there apart from some mushrooms and plants I'd had the gobs help spread there. Considering it being physically deeper, one could say it is my 2nd floor.
As I only have the forest biome available so far, I set the 2nd floor to that as well. Mana grass, blueberry bushes, gem berries, all bought in bulk. I have the meat shrooms grow up the side of the stalagmites, while glowshrooms cling to the stalactites above.
It's looking a lot better. I designate it the gobs' new home so that the 1st floor is mainly critters and plants.
I set my dig team to work carving tunnels for water leading to the 2nd floor and drainage channels to avoid flooding. I buy another slime and have it just patrol the dungeon like one of those robotic floor cleaners, dissolving all the trash that has built up. I make sure to set to avoid dissolving my plants, but they seem to not like eating wood anyway.
As the next few goblins drop off their loads,
I remember to send out my ants, rodents and bats.
"Batson! It's time to earn your keep. Go help gather stuff with the others!"
Batson looks at me with pitiful watery eyes.
"Yeah that might have worked if you actually looked cute, and if you didn't have stuffed cheeks and berry juice dripping from your face and hands."
Resigned, Batson brings his buddies to 'help'.
Stewbag is back, and he's got a new cleaver, an apron, and a small pouch of what looks like low quality salt. That or it's sand.
He immediately gets to work harvesting berries and meatshrooms before catching minnows from the pond. Looks like it's going to be a fishy feast.
Ah! There's my snake! I've hardly interacted with this creature ever since a bought it way back when I exploded the first snake that intruded upon my territory. I'd been pretty busy with leveling up and dealing with gobs ever since.
Looking at how large it has become, I figure Berry'wart found it and fed it pillberries and other growth stimulants.
"Great job out there... ahhh.. Snekky" did I have a name for it yet? I have no recollection of naming it officially, so I'll just go with it.
Turning to the runt of a gob being restrained by two strong fighter gobs, in glad to see he alive and compliant.
"Why hello there!" I project my voice at the newcomer, causing it to flinch and look around in fear. This should be easy.