Ch 88

  When Matt awoke, he was greeted by the sight of Emily, Apricity, and Zara all huddled together in their sleep. He blinked a few times, trying to process the scene, as a cold sweat began to creep up his back. His mind quickly imagined a future where the three of them collaborated towards a common goal that would bring a smile to Greg's face, and he shuddered at what that might mean for him. Despite this unsettling thought, all he could do was stand up and stretch with a sigh, as the few people from whom he might seek advice were, for all he knew, scattered across the universe. The mere idea of consulting his mother made him shudder for an entirely different reason, knowing she would inevitably inquire about which one of them would provide her with the most grandchildren before discussing anything else.

  Matt pushed those thoughts aside and instead concentrated on his current goals now that their group had expanded to nine members. Staying in one place didn't seem worthwhile, especially since he wasn't concerned whether Tana and her team were among those Tempormr mentioned could appear in their current location. Matt believed that the only sensible plan was to leave the safe room and embark on a quest to find another one, then continue the pattern until they either reached the surface or returned to Earth. The success of this strategy hinged on their ability to combat successive groups of monsters without needing breaks, ensuring they could progress from one safe room to the next.

  With that thought in mind, Matt gently nudged Greg awake and led him away from where the others were sleeping to have a private conversation. Their discussion centered on the roles they believed each member should assume and the areas they needed to focus on developing. Apricity's potential as a scout emerged as a top priority. Although Matt was uneasy about the risks involved, her skills were simply too perfectly suited for the task. To reduce the inherent dangers, Greg proposed that Bob accompany her. The idea was that if any trouble arose, Bob could alert Matt from a distance, though the range of this communication still required testing. Just as they were delving deeper into their plans, Eleanor interrupted by clearing her throat to draw their attention, signaling that she had something to say.

  "Perhaps we all should be involved in any planning meetings now that we're all here. We haven't even discussed the updated situation back at the fort yet."

  "Can I be terrible and admit that I'm only mildly interested in the situation at the fort now that what I consider my core group is here?" Matt replied with a wry smile. "As for the planning, Greg and I are mainly focused on the roles each of us will play as we venture into this dungeon. I can already tell you what our priority is starting today: exploring this dungeon and leveling up."

  "Are we trying to reach the surface or go deeper?" Emily asked thoughtfully. "Because our navigation strategy will depend on that more than anything else. After all, if Physics holds true, the deeper we go, the less gravity we will experience, which could change our approach entirely."

  "After all the things that defy physics now that the system has taken over, do you really think gravity will behave as we expect?" asked Rose, raising an eyebrow with curiosity. "For all we know, no matter where we venture, the system might have a predetermined value set as the universal gravitational constant."

  "I doubt that," replied Greg thoughtfully. "It's not that the system can't adjust gravity to whatever it desires, but the idea of it maintaining a constant everywhere seems unlikely."

  "I believe it can operate beyond gravity's limitations, bending reality when necessary, yet it usually adheres to physics to simplify matters for itself," remarked Emily, tapping her chin in contemplation. "After all, it has only just begun unlocking functionalities on our interfaces now that we've reached level 9. For all we know, that might be a strategy to conserve computational power or something similar."

  "Let’s not get lost in unraveling mysteries that have likely already been pondered over for generations when our own survival should be our sole focus," stated Zara firmly, her gaze sweeping over the group. "Yes, that means we all concentrate on getting back to Earth and not on what happens once we arrive there."

  "Agreed," said Matt, seizing the offered lifeline with a nod of determination. "This isn't the time to try and impress me or anyone else, for that matter. We need to collaborate and put aside our personal wants and desires in favor of what ensures we all get through this alive."

  "I will thank you now for not saddling me with the role of being the other guy in a party where the leader is romantically involved with all the women in the group," commented Greg, only to receive a chorus of death glares from nearly everyone. "I mean, not that that was where things were headed. I am totally sure that all of this will work out in a way that doesn’t end in a bloodbath, particularly not one that sees my guts strewn about," he added, trying to lighten the mood with a nervous chuckle.

  "Perhaps you should consider putting your desire to share every thought you have on hold for the time being," suggested Emily with a hint of exasperation. "That way, it might be easier for all of us to set aside our urge to see your guts strewn about."

  "There will be no physical violence against party members permitted," stated Matt firmly. "However, I might approve some form of disciplinary action if it seems someone is determined to make life difficult. And no, Greg's mouth hasn't reached that point yet. In some ways, I think he's willingly becoming the target for certain frustrations for the good of the group. Even if I can't fully comprehend the exact rationale behind his decision."

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  "You're the leader," Rose pointed out, as if it should have been obvious, before letting out a sigh and elaborating. "Your unwillingness to even consider exploring compatibility with any of us has left most of us feeling frustrated. By allowing himself to become the focus of those frustrations, Greg makes it easier for us to follow you, even if it means having to listen to him during combat. Thus, he plays the fool for the benefit of the group."

  "Don't give him that much credit," retorted Emily. "He might be aware of the benefits, but he couldn’t stop himself regardless. Just think about the time after Matt left us stranded in those caves. We’re still waiting for an apology for that, even if it was the right decision; the way he went about it was terrible."

  "You might be right," Matt commented, shrugging slightly. "But I won't apologize when I felt like I was racing against time. Saying what I did probably made things harder for me. I'm just grateful that everything worked out in the end."

  "Almost everything," Zara interjected, raising an eyebrow. "Remember Kal? She went to the fort, and we all forgot that only humans could come and go freely. But it was also that rule that got Mando to back off when Jaelyn spun it as Kal being a prisoner under interrogation for ways to combat the goblins."

  "Cool, I wish them the best of luck with that mess," replied Matt, rolling his eyes.

  "So, you can't free her?" Zara asked, her voice tinged with concern.

  "I can when I move the fort to Earth. Until then, I think she's stuck," Matt explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "Unless you want me to let goblins come and go freely from the fort in general, which would be a whole different problem."

  "Perhaps we shouldn't go that far," suggested Zara. "I'm certain Kal will be fine. It's not as if she's going to level up by any means necessary and hunt us down once she reaches level 9. You know what, maybe we should erase any evidence of our presence here and quickly find a new safe room far away from this location."

  "I think I'm missing some context here," remarked Apricity. "Matt, what's this about a goblin named Kal coming here?"

  "I'll fill you in later. Just know she isn't anything we need to worry about," replied Emily with a reassuring tone. "Right now, we need to concentrate on the plan moving forward."

  "Alright, then if our plan is to leave this area and expand our area of operations, why don't we just go?" inquired Apricity. "From what Greg mentioned, all of you are accustomed to fighting together, so integrating Bob and me shouldn't be too difficult."

  "There is more to it than that," Greg asserted. "We need to sort out details like how long we plan to proceed before turning back and who will take positions at the front and back of the formation."

  "No, we just need to go," Apricity insisted. "There are eight of us available to keep watch, which means even if we have to rest in the middle of the dungeon, we should at least be able to take naps. As for who’s in the front and back, well, let people choose where they want to be."

  "I agree with you that we can rest in the tunnels," Emily chimed in. "However, we need to establish defined roles before we engage in any fights. Still, we all know that Matt will be our main frontline force. Greg and I will stay in the middle, Yumiko will position herself just ahead of the rear guard, and the rest will be split, with two up front and the others bringing up the rear."

  "No, only one will be up front with me for the moment," declared Matt firmly. "Apricity and Bob aren't powerful enough to be relied upon if things really get bad, and I just need one—"

  "I'm going to stop you right there," interjected Greg, his tone resolute. "Both are good enough to handle rear guard duties, and you need two others up with you where the main fighting should be happening. If the rear starts looking like it will be overwhelmed, those of us in the middle can focus our efforts there. I'm thinking that having Zara and Rose with you makes the most sense, as their swords offer the greatest advantage in the type of fighting we should expect."

  "I actually think Zara should be the one focused on the rear," countered Emily thoughtfully. "She is the strongest fighter among us, and Matt can compensate for Eleanor's lack of form a bit better than I would expect from Bob and Apricity. Sorry, but your axe swings can get a bit wild, and we are going to be fighting in a restricted space."

  “It’s fine,” Eleanor replied, sighing slightly. “Perhaps I should consider changing my main weapon. I just wish all our efforts to establish a network of crafters hadn't resulted in nothing worthwhile in the short term.”

  “Yeah, even the arrows they produced were far from ideal,” Yumiko commented, shaking her head in disappointment.

  “Alright, that settles it. We’re aiming for the surface,” Matt declared decisively. “Unless we find a way to acquire gear while we’re down here, our current stockpiles will run dry of everything but monster meat.”

  “Is your spatial storage already that close to empty of goods?” Yumiko inquired, concern etched on her face. “I was hoping you’d have some wood that could be made into spears at the very least.”

  “Nope, all the wood I had has pretty much been used up, and none of it was very good for making weapons,” Matt admitted, looking into the distance thoughtfully. “I still have some rocks and a giant pile of gold, but other than meat and rendered fat that we can use for cooking, it’s rather empty at the moment. Not to mention, I’ve been advised not to advertise having a spatial storage ability if we encounter others.”

  "Did you use up the leather and cordage as well?" Emily inquired. "Because if you need to conceal the fact that you possess a spatial storage skill, having some kind of bag with you would be a smart idea."

  "Oh, I forgot about those," Matt remarked, scratching his head in realization. "I think they got buried when I looted the massive pile of wealth the goblin king was hoarding. Give me a second."

  After a bit of rummaging, Matt unearthed the buried leather and cordage. Emily requested a knife and promptly set to work, skillfully crafting a basic drawstring bag from a round piece of thin leather. In terms of volume, Matt estimated it could hold a little more than his head could comfortably fit, but it was something. He slung it over his back, adding some of the steel hound bones into it. He figured he should at least use it a bit so it wouldn't look too conspicuous when others saw it later.