Ch 136

  "So that's what is going on," stated Greg after Matt had used the sand to write out a detailed explanation of everything. By this point, Matt's puppet was roughly the size of a grape after consuming as much as he dared several times. It was just him, Bob, and Greg present, as to call the process of eating, processing what he consumed, and discharging waste products gross was an understatement. The fact that Matt's current body was naked didn't help matters, and the last thing he wanted was to give any of the women a show, knowing they were, in fact, interested. Still, as Greg continued to talk, Matt pulled off another chunk of meat about a tenth of his size and started eating.

  "I wonder if your stats will increase at all when you're at full size, and I'm curious about what skills you're using to create a puppet like this. It suggests that our essence skills must be far more adaptable than I initially believed. Either way, it seems you won't be gaining any more levels before we return to Earth, and it won't be safe for us, no matter what we do. Do you have any ideas on how we can avoid being killed?"

  Matt frowned, then used a stick to draw an 'N' in the sand.

  "I see," Greg said, nodding thoughtfully. "So, do you have any plans that we should be aware of?"

  Matt bent down again and etched a 'Y' in the sand.

  "Great," Greg replied, a hint of relief in his voice, "so you should focus on growing for now while I go talk with the others. Oh, and make sure to decide whether you're going to resume your relationship with Rose while in this form or wait until you're back in your real body as you grow."

  Matt frowned as he pondered the situation. Although he had managed to explain much of what was happening, there were still several details that remained unaddressed. This included the necessity to manage the compound on the surface and, in his mind, lay claim to the world they were on for Scattered Stars. He was confident that individuals above level 128 were unable to leave the compound, yet he wasn't certain if this was a strict rule or merely a guideline followed for the safety of the world. After all, he was convinced that A-ranked individuals could pose significant threats to most of those ranked C and below simply by existing together.

  If the Owl-man, who had attacked and attempted to kill him over the slightest provocation, was any indication, it left Matt pondering what might occur if A ranks began battling in a densely populated city or even within a dungeon not designed for them. Undoubtedly, they would cause extensive destruction and inadvertently kill many innocents who simply found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Matt was acutely aware that his particular skill set could easily exploit such chaotic circumstances to deliver a significant blow to Godfrey Enterprises, should he choose to do so.

  The only problem was that Matt was certain this was the worst course of action he could take. He needed to devise a plan to rally the entire planet against Godfrey Enterprises and sever their ability to retaliate. Convincing the horned rabbit-man to join his cause and commit fully was essential. Unfortunately, Matt didn't consider this a likely outcome without gaining much more insight into the man's character and motivations. Furthermore, reaching him would require infiltrating the compound where Matt had previously been imprisoned, which would put the puppet he was controlling at significant risk. Additionally, there remained the uncertainty of whether he would even be able to maintain control over his puppet outside the confines of the instance dungeon.

  Matt found himself sitting and pondering these matters until he was approximately three inches tall, at which point Greg returned. Although Matt anticipated resuming their conversation, Greg simply shook his head and explained that Apricity needed to rest, and they expected the dungeon to launch an attack. Consequently, Matt found himself perched on Bob’s back as they formed a protective circle with Apricity and Bob in the center. Matt wore a piece of leather draped like a skirt to cover his privates. As Apricity unleashed her skill, the first noticeable change was the shifting of the surrounding sand, from which hundreds of crabs, each the size of basketballs, began to emerge, their sharp claws snapping in anticipation.

  Matt watched in awe as what appeared to him as house-sized monsters surrounded the group. However, Greg managed to obliterate a third of them with a single, powerful spell. On the other sides, Rose, Zara, and Eleanor effortlessly held the line, displaying a synchronized strength, while Yumiko swiftly took care of the few creatures attempting to slip through the gaps in their formation. It was a sight to behold. With Kal acting as Greg’s main defender, displaying unparalleled agility, and Emily tending to the minor injuries with healing magic as if it were second nature, Matt felt like he was witnessing the group’s true potential for the first time. It wasn't that he didn’t understand their movements; rather, he realized they executed them with a natural ease and coordination that surpassed anything he had seen before.

  As the crabs perished, they were swiftly replaced by a swarm of birds swooping down at the group. Despite the relentless attacks, both Bob and Apricity seemed unfazed, as they attempted to drift into slumber under the chaotic sky. Meanwhile, Greg unleashed a wave of electricity into the air to ward off the birds, his expression focused and determined. Observing this, Matt frowned as he dismounted from Bob and began to dig a hole large enough to dispose of the waste his body was producing from processing the food necessary for his growth. To Matt, the entire scenario felt surreal; even amidst all the experiences he had endured since being integrated, the act of sitting and eating to grow while watching others engage in battle was a novel one.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Greg had already shared with him how it reminded him of several anime series he had watched, which in turn made Matt recall one of the few such shows he had enjoyed as a child. That particular series had focused more on fighting than anything else, yet it also featured characters who seemed astonishingly capable of consuming several times their body mass and recovering by doing so. Inspired by this, Matt decided to approach the situation as if he were embodying those characters, continuing to focus on eating as the scene transformed. The birds were replaced by what appeared to be giant hermit crabs, their enormous shells varied in design and color. Despite their differences, it was obvious that these creatures were more than just physically resilient, as a single wave of magic proved insufficient to defeat them.

  This became the theme for about an hour: Greg and his group would defeat one wave of monsters, only for a more powerful wave to follow it. Thankfully, nothing started to attack from beneath the sand, but as time dragged on, it was clear that everyone was wearing down slightly. Still, they finally finished off the last of the foes as Greg ordered everyone but Rose and Eleanor to get some rest. Meanwhile, Matt, now the size of a football, prepared himself to talk with Rose. He quickly ensured that his privates were covered and then followed her to the front of the group, where she was standing watch. There, the two stood in silence under the dimming sky until, after around ten minutes, Rose finally voiced the question that had been on her mind.

  “Do you consider this body being here the same as if you were here in person for the purposes of having a relationship?”

  Matt frowned—he hadn’t considered it exactly like that—but after a moment he found his answer.

  “Normally, no. Definitely not, unless I can restore this body to its proper size,” he said, running a hand thoughtfully over his miniature arm. “But with my main body out of commission at the moment, I suppose I’m willing to consider it…provided you won’t feel cheated.”

  Rose smiled helplessly as she responded. “I understand. I want the real you, of course, but I’ll settle for this version if it means you’ll be a bit freer with your affection.”

  “That isn’t how it works,” Matt replied, shaking his head. “Even if this isn’t my original form, it feels entirely real to me right now. For all I know, the consciousness inhabiting this shell will remain here forever—and when my main body finally wakes, it’ll only remember up to the moment time froze.”

  Rose chewed her lower lip, her brow furrowing in thought. “I see. Then tell me this: if you could create five independent copies of yourself, would you…be with all five of us?”

  He shook his head so firmly that a strand of dark hair fell into his eyes. “No. It’s not the idea of each of you having your own copy that bothers me, but the notion of mass-producing myself for that purpose. Sorry, but it just feels wrong. If a few accidental duplicates came into being and they found love on their own, that’s one thing—but I won’t engineer that scenario. Besides, you all deserve better than a puppet, a mere shadow of my true self.”

  A relieved smile spread across Rose’s features. “Good—I’d have to yell at you if you actually considered that. That said, I’d like to pick up where we left off, if you’d want to as well.”

  “I would,” Matt admitted, his voice softening as he reached for her hand. “Believe it or not, I actually missed the feeling of being near you when I was taken. Wanting to get back to you was one of the worst parts of that ordeal—aside from, you know, almost dying.”

  Rose’s eyes glinted with a mixture of relief and mischief. “Am I terrible for feeling happy about that? Part of me even wants to take back what I said about letting you date all the others, no matter what—because I know that could cost me my best chance at having you.”

  He let out a small sigh, gently squeezing her hand. “Most people are terrible,” he said with a rueful smile. “Myself included. But I don’t think I’d hate being with someone who’s a little flawed—so long as they’re honest about it, and it isn’t in some truly evil way.”

  A prolonged silence followed those words, as the two of them seemed to have finished their conversation for the moment. After a while, Matt found himself seated and eating once more, mulling over everything. Being back where he could physically reach out and touch Rose was a wonderful feeling, yet he could also sense that the others were yearning for their emotions to be acknowledged as well. Even though they all refrained from voicing their thoughts, Matt understood that if he ignored them and concentrated solely on Rose, it would lead to complications. It appeared Rose was aware of this too, which was probably why she refrained from responding to his words. Had she done so, it would have likely set them on a course towards being together immediately, which would be detrimental to the group as a whole.

  These reflections consumed Matt’s mind as time ticked by, and after more than three hours without any further attacks—at least, that was how long it felt—Rose and Eleanor began rousing the others. Just like that, they were poised to truly discover what the dungeon had in store for them. Matt found himself perched on Greg’s shoulder since he needed to move the least. However, if things turned dire, Matt knew he would need to concentrate on dodging, allowing Greg to focus on the fight.

  With that resolve, they began to move forward towards the water, as Greg was convinced that they needed to head there at some point and preferred to deal with whatever was there first. However, they were only a quarter of the way there when they found themselves halting, as several lumps of sand started to shift ominously. Matt counted five in total, and they quickly began circling the group, prompting Greg to curse under his breath. Matt couldn’t blame him, as he instinctively sensed that attacking whatever the lumps were before they attacked was a bad idea.

  “Defensive formation!” called out Greg, right before Zara leapt forward. “Get back now!”

  It was too late; Zara had swung with all her might, only for the sand to absorb the blow as a massive shark, the size of a train car, lunged into the sky. This sent Zara flying backward, blood spraying from her front, and Matt found himself moving instinctively before anyone could tell him not to.

  Feedback is always welcome, especially if it is constructive as I am experimenting with following this route for this series.

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