Chapter 24

  If there was one thing I’d learned from all my gaming, it was that there were usually two ways to handle battles in monster taming games. One, was to just power your way through with the strongest monsters at your disposal as the option you always summoned. Viable, and in a game where scum saving was an option, also, very effective. However, if you played games on their challenge modes, or took on the various online variations of games that limited your types, levels, applied perma-death and so forth, other styles of battle were introduced. Usually, that meant strategy, and using stat adjusting skills, to set up your team for the kill.

  Generally speaking, it also… encouraged the use of a throwaway monster or two, depending on the situation, to feel out what you were up against, before committing your strongest team members to battle.

  A part of me just wanted to summon Cogberus and get over with it. But, I didn’t know anything about my opponents, nor did I know jack shit about how tamer battles worked in Mutopia. Meaning, caution was definitely the way to go. Even if I was pissed off and in a sour mood.

  Because of this, I summoned not my Cogberus, but instead, my Gearow and Springer. Extremely fast monsters, who could land some early hits hopefully, as I felt out what exactly was happening. What level Muns did Em and Aaron have? What types? Could we use items during battle? Could we switch out Muns without them having to turn to crystals?

  I was working with a lot of Known Unknowns. But, at least one thing was clear. I needed to beat these two, and if that meant letting my Gearow or Springer get turned into their crystal forms to ensure I could win, well, so be it. I was like… ninety percent sure they’d forgive me. After all, my Gearow had nearly been eaten by a Pride Cat, and didn’t hold any ill will towards me best I could tell. So, it should be fine. Right?

  “Hey look,” Aaron pointed at my Gearow as it fluttered into the air before me, “she’s been to Cogni.” He looked at Em, who, I realized, had summoned a Mun I was extremely familiar with. Before her, a Calfer pawed at the ground, flames flickering between its horns. “Wonder if that’s where she was summoned.”

  “Who knows,” Ember shrugged, “and who cares? It just means we probably don’t have to worry about anything too crazy. Her gauntlet is obviously Tier 0, considering our Muns levels.”

  I raised an eyebrow at that comment as my eyes looked at the four Muns. Her Calfer was level 20, as was the Mun Aaron had summoned, one of the gazelle like Muns I’d seen prancing around in the distance. Thin creatures, with horns made of gem rather than black antlers, and crystalline eyes. I’d actually been tempted to try and get one, but the damned things were fast, and fleety. How’d pretty boy get one?

  “Good point,” Aaron said with a laugh, “guess it just makes our lives super easy then.” He pointed at my Springer. “I’ll squash the snake.” As if to drive his point home, his Gemzelle dashed forward, stomping its hooves, which were also made of gemstone, into my Springer. My eyes widened, surprised Aaron’s Mun was fast enough to attack first, sure, but also at the number portrayed above my Springer’s head. It said the Mun was level 20, with 89HP… er, max HP. That stomp had just done 11 HP.

  Either way, it was wrong. My Springer was only level 16, and normally had a max HP of 73.

  I glanced at my Gearow, which was up to attack next. Sure enough, it had a level 20 above its head, which was false, given it too was only level 16. And just like my Springer, it’s HP was higher than it should be.

  “I’m guessing our Muns get scaled to the highest level of the lowest level person?” I theorized out loud as I tried to figure out a game plan. There was a timer counting down in my vision, showing I only had 30 seconds, well 20 now technically, to pick an attack and a target. Interesting. I decided to first go after the Gemzelle, since I didn’t appreciate it outpacing my Muns. Plus, I had a feeling Aaron would have the surprises, since he’d just told me Em was from Cogni. Given I had, in fact, just come from there, it was probable I was familiar with all the Mun she had at her disposal.”

  “They do,” Aaron said, flashing me a smile, even as my Gearow latched onto the Gemzelle’s back, digging its talons into the creature’s flesh as it activated perch. “Not only are you good looking, but you’re perceptive.” He looked over at Em, completely uncaring that a small part of his Mun’s HP had drained as my Gearow took its perch, “at this rate, I am so replacing you with Tay over there when we beat her.”

  “Don’t call me Tay,” I growled, as another prompt appeared in my vision. As I’d figured, it was my Springer’s turn. Considering Em, at the very least, likely knew the move set for my Muns, I figured I couldn’t bait her into attacking it if I used Bounce Strike. So, instead, I had it use coil, wrapping itself around the Gemzelle. It was an attack extremely similar to my Gearow’s perch. The spring thin snake wrapped its wiry frame around the front two legs of the Gemzelle, pulling taught, its metallic flesh digging into the furred legs, drawing thin lines of red.

  Unlike Perch, I wouldn’t be able to use other moves, but conversely, the longer it Coiled, the tighter it would squeeze, and the more damage it would do every turn. I hadn’t found out yet if there was a turn limit for the skill, considering most Mun were turned to crystal after a turn or two from my normal antics. Meaning, well, now I’d get to find out.

  “You’re welcome to her,” Em said, ignoring my statement, as she gave her Calfer an order. Flames burned bright between its horns, before they blasted downwards at my Springer. I flinched as its health dropped, plummeting from the single attack from 89 to 69. Twenty points of damage from a single attack. Ouch. At the very least, far as I could tell, I’d taken about a fifth of the Gemzelle’s HP so far, and hadn’t actually begun to truly attack it.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Aw, even if that means you have find a new partner?” Aaron was completely ignoring me, and it seemed like he didn’t even really feel like I was a threat for this battle. He selected an attack, and his Gemzelle rose up on its back legs, its gem hooves glowing, before it stomped down onto the ground. The crystalline Gems flashed with light, which enveloped all three of the other Muns. That was a first.

  “You and I both know I’ve never wanted to be your partner,” Em continued. I was really starting to get a bit annoyed at them ignoring me. I was already in a pretty foul mood, even more so when I was practically tricked into this two-versus one battle. But now they weren’t even taking it seriously. Because what? They had Tier 1 Gauntlets? Were they that certain they’d win? Was I angry at that fact? Or worried? If I lost, would I really have to join their damned cult? I didn’t know what would happen, but at this moment, I didn’t really give a flying fuck. All I cared about, was the fact they didn’t seem to actually consider me a threat. And that, was a grave mistake.

  My eyes flashed at the options before me. I could, actually, change out Muns apparently. However, items didn’t seem like an option. Nor was there an option to try and flee. That was fine. I wasn’t going to run. And though I couldn’t use items, which was mildly concerning, it also meant, at the very least, they couldn’t either.

  I selected Gear Grind for my Gearow, opting for a bit of strategy, now that it was perched. The little metallic bird fluttered its wings, spreading them out wide, to reveal its chest cavity, full of cogs and whirling gears. A loud screeching erupted from the bird, amplified from its open mouth as well. The Gemzelle and Calfer both shuddered, and the noise finally caused the two cultists to shut up, and look at me.

  As they did, my Gearow’s claws shifted, continuing to dig into the Gemzelle’s back, its health dropping a little more than it had the last turn. And then, as the next turn started, and my Springer’s coil continued, its form tightening against the Gemzelle’s legs, the thin lines of red turned brighter, as the creature’s defenses, lessened by the Gearow, allowed the Springer to do even more damage. Last turn, I’d only done about a fifth of damage to the Gemzelle. Now, it sat at half its HP, and next turn, if they couldn’t kill my Springer, it would be even more damage.

  I saw a flash of concern on Aaron’s face, as he seemed to realize, for the first time, that his Gemzelle was actually in trouble. The man glanced at Ember, as if seeking help. She shrugged, and pointed at the Springer.

  “I can’t stop it in time,” she said, even as the flames atop her Calfer’s head grew as it prepared its attack, “but I’ll make sure its dead before it can cause us any more troubles. After that, maybe do a better job at actually causing damage, yeah?”

  Flames erupted from the horns, hitting my Springer. My eyes widened, as the health dropped, this time by 30 points. The flames, I noticed, danced with a different color of light, the light that had erupted from the Gemzelle. At this rate, my Springer wouldn’t last much longer either.

  “Oh, did I forget to mention,” Aaron grinned, his Gemzelle rising up again, repeating its last attack. The colors grew brighter around the other three Muns. “My Gemzelle’s only role is to make your Muns weaker, and Em’s stronger,” he winked at me, “I’m just the bait, and like to let her bring the heat.”

  I prickled at that. I would probably be able to take out the Gemzelle this turn, but then what? The Calfer was obviously boosted right now, and that meant the glow was likely a debuff on my Muns. I didn’t know there were skills like that. What level were their Muns actually? High 20s? Oh well, all I could do was hope to take the Gemzelle down, and then try and eliminate the boosted Calfer quickly, to even the playing field. These two were smug, and even though they bickered, apparently did know how to work together.

  Now that I knew they had a strategy though, I figured, I could adapt. After all, while this was technically my first battle in Mutopia… that didn’t mean I was a complete noob at monster battles. And these two were in for a surprise. Especially since there was one thing I knew for certain, considering what I’d learned from the Mayor. Ember may be from Cogni, and know the ins and outs of the common Muns there. But, there was no way in hell she would be expecting my trump card. Cogberus would, no doubt, be the deciding factor in this battle. And that meant I would need to pick the perfect time to use him.

  “Clock’s ticking,” Aaron said, pulling me from my thoughts. I had five seconds left to make my attack with my Gearow. I wasn’t going to miss that opportunity, of course, but I had been waiting to think through some things, before I set the next turn into motion.

  “So eager to lose?” I countered, using Peck this time. Gearow’s beak dug deep into the back of the Gemzelle’s neck. Along with its adjusting claws, a good half of the Mun’s remaining HP was removed. A second later, as my Springer’s form tightened, the Gemzelle’s legs were cut in half, though thankfully in that same instant, as the limbs seemed to start to slide apart, it burst into light, and turned into a crystal.

  “Not really,” Aaron chuckled as he touched another crystal on his gauntlet, “just eager to get out a Mun that’s actually fun to use.”

  Light flared in front of him, and where once his Gemzelle had stood, now, a… fish appeared? It flopped left and right on the ground, clearly unable to actually move. With each flop, a flash of mesmerizing light reflected off its silver scales. It reminded me of a very long trout, though, thinner. And made completely of metal, judging by the sound of its body hitting the ground with each flop. Left, right, left right. It would be comical, if it wasn’t so confusing.

  “That’s fun to use?” I asked, reading its name. It was a… Shimmer-ish and was listed at level 20.

  “Yup,” he chuckled even as a blast of fire from Ember’s Calfer melted my springer, returning it to its crystal form, evening the battle once again. What could the Shimmer-ish do? That didn’t really matter, right now. After all, I needed to take out the Calfer. So, whatever.

  As much as I wanted to summon my Cogberus, Aaron’s unknown Mun still had me feeling cautious. Meaning, well, it was time to fight fire, with fire. I summoned my own Calfer, grin growing as the magical system gave me the prompt to command my Gearow. Apparently, it was the start of a new turn, and the Shimmer-ish wasn’t faster than my little murder bird. Perfect.