I couldn't figure out the reason behind my increased mana cost on a human brain, but I'm aware of another method that may help me more.
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Monsters
Total EXP: 265
Monster I Cost
Mouse I 100 EXP
Lesser Bird I 120 EXP
Lesser Wolf I 300 EXP
Lesser Sapient I 1000 EXP
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To acquire the Lesser Sapient, it seems like my only option.
For now, I'll keep creating Gobwolf's to increase my minions. By the way, I need to make a boss monster and prepare my second floor. I've decided on a mage Gobwolf, who might become my strongest minion. I hope he chooses magic instead of body enhancement. He's making good progress, gradually infusing mana into his body. It's slow, but we're getting closer.
I've realized my minions have developed a basic language. It helps me understand my surroundings a bit. I order a group of quick Gobwolf's to scout the area and report back.
They respond with something like "as you wish" or "understood," not exactly sure. They swiftly leave the cave.
Meanwhile, I start working on my second floor. First, I create stairs going down behind the future boss room where my core is located.
With the stairs complete, I design the first room like a dungeon with stone-carved walls and floors resembling bricks.
I make a passage straight from the room but stop as my scouts return.
They say, "Lots of trees within ten miles, many animals around, and a wall ten miles from the cave." I let them continue their tasks.
So, it seems I'm in a forest with many animals, which I already knew. There's a wall if you keep going straight from the cave. I wish they could describe it better, but their language isn't refined. If I ask them, I doubt I'll get much information or it might confuse me more. Hopefully, their language naturally expands as they use it more with each other.
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Congratulations
Your Monster has learned a skill
Mana Flow (0)
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It appears that my minion has developed a skill involving mana. That's a positive development since it can progress to the next stage, which involves shaping the mana into a ball or something simpler. Perhaps it will enhance itself using its own mana. While I observe its actions, all I can see is the movement of mana through its body. I had hoped the mana would increase in speed, but it has only improved marginally. Maybe it's attempting to quicken the flow of its own mana. However, watching it consumes a significant amount of my time, so I decide to shift my focus elsewhere.
I have an idea for a new monster, but I require more information about the bodies of various animals. However, acquiring the Lesser Sapient should remain my priority for now.
My crafter has completed the study of the equipment, and it is currently being distributed. Some of my minions are now wearing armour, although some pieces are too big for them, while others fit reasonably well. Unfortunately, the crafter did not gain any new skills from the study. As for the builder, I have largely ignored the new skills they have acquired for the time being. However, it seems they can construct wooden pillars and are attempting to create a furnace. The furnace looks dilapidated, with countless holes exposing its rocky interior, delicately arranged. It is far from finished and may undergo further changes.
Come to think of it, if I can create living beings with mana, perhaps I can also manipulate mana to create inanimate objects.
For now, I intend to begin with a ro- my train of thought is interrupted by distant sounds emanating from outside my cave. These sounds differ from the usual background noise I typically hear. There are shouts, screams, and a loud thudding noise. While I would normally send my minions to investigate, I prefer not to know what could be causing such disturbances. Moreover, I don't want to inadvertently assist humans. What concerns me most is that the screaming is growing nearer, while the thudding noise seems to be following behind and increasing in speed.
I promptly order all my minions outside to swiftly return inside and fortify themselves. I hope that whatever is happening won't directly impact me, as I have no desire to deal with a large number of humans or the entity responsible for the thudding noise, which sounds both sizable and formidable. It sounds powerful enough to reduce a human to dust.
My minions, who were outside, have now returned and are preparing for the worst. Even the mage who was in the midst of training is included in my order. I instruct them to pile rocks to cover the entrance. They work diligently, stacking one rock upon another, while I remain vigilant. When they finish, the rocks are violently pushed inward, propelled in all directions at high speed. By the end of the chaos, none of my minions have been harmed or killed. However, the traps that were being prepared have been completely shattered, leaving a dent in the ground with a rock at its centre. The resulting noise reverberates throughout the cave, akin to a sonic boom or thunderous clap. I cannot determine which is closer, but now is not the time to ponder that. It seems that the humans have also heard this sound.