Ch 174.
Matt grinned as all of his puppets hit the 50% mark, the threshold that seemed to be the maximum for their stats. With this achievement, three of them ventured into the entry area of the dungeon, while the others scoured the island for any lurking monsters. According to Radoznaormr, to prevent the creatures from escaping the dungeon, Matt needed to reach the deepest chamber where they had begun to emerge. This meant he had to navigate to the area where level 36 monsters were spawning to put an end to the chaos.
Before plunging into the dungeon, Matt accessed his spatial storage and summoned the crystal sphere that lay at its center, a device that allowed him to manage his fort’s controls. As he navigated through the menus, he arrived at the option to relocate the fort.
Move fort?
Yes/No
After selecting yes, a warning message flashed on the screen, alerting him to the consequences.
Warning: Moving the fort will cause the current structure to disintegrate, and 75% of all resources used in its construction will be lost. Proceed?
Yes/No
Matt felt a rush of relief at the message on his screen; he had braced himself for the worst, expecting to lose every scrap of material in the process of relocating the fort to a new planet. The prospect of keeping 25% of his resources was a pleasant surprise, and with a determined nod, he chose to proceed with the transfer. In an instant, he found himself gazing down at the area surrounding the dungeon entrance, a familiar sight that now held new possibilities. The outline of his fort and its various buildings glimmered in a vivid red against the backdrop of the landscape, stark and clear.
Initially, this revelation left Matt puzzled; he had anticipated a straightforward action, merely selecting the option to move the fort. But as he contemplated the implications, it dawned on him that he would have been frustrated if the fort were repositioned in an undesirable orientation. The realization sparked a sense of excitement within him as he discovered he could do far more than simply replicate the existing structure. A comprehensive list of options unfolded before him, allowing him to customize the fort to his exact specifications. He could adjust the type of fort, determine its size, and decide how many buildings to include, among other features.
What thrilled him even further was the ability to zoom out, granting him a panoramic view of the surrounding terrain. His gaze swept over the landscape, landing on the summit of the mountain which turned out to be a dormant volcano. The volcano was encircled by a mile and a half of flat land and sandy beaches, an idyllic yet strategic location. Amused by the thought, Matt whimsically attempted to extend the fortifications so they would encompass the volcano entirely, pushing the boundaries an additional half mile outward. To his astonishment, the walls adjusted seamlessly, incorporating numerous points designed to preserve the advantages of the selected star fort. Yet, with another flick of his finger, he altered the design to replace those fortifications with a smooth, sleek wall that he was considering for a simpler design.
Matt continued to experiment with the myriad possibilities, delving into each feature as if he were unearthing hidden treasures. One option caught his eye: it could level the mountain and repurpose everything within the new perimeter to construct the fort. However, a wave of uncertainty washed over him. He realized he wasn’t the best choice for determining the fort’s design. Instead, he felt it would be wiser to let either Greg or Emily take the reins on this decision. But which one should he consult? After mulling it over, he opted to use his call feature to reach out to Greg, sensing that it had been too long since their last conversation.
“Finally decided to remember that I exist,” Greg greeted him, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Honestly, I would have thought you’d call me sooner.”
“Sorry if I don’t want to listen to you complain about having to run away from women because of what you’ve said in the chat,” Matt shot back, unable to suppress a grin. “Though it’s amusing that you’re asking for advice on how to get them to leave you alone.”
“Yeah, well you’ve never had a bunch of useless women trying to pull you down. Even if you know what it’s like to be chased by multiple women, at least they were all trying to improve themselves to be with you.”
“Sure, but I still want them to just move on,” Matt replied, feeling a twinge of sympathy mixed with frustration. Greg's demeanor seemed to deflate at his words, prompting him to shift the conversation.
“So, why are you calling me anyway?” Greg asked, curiosity piqued.
Matt took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before diving into the details about placing the fort and expressing his belief that Greg could make a better decision than he could. As Matt spoke, he could hear Greg’s excitement building; questions poured forth, each one more insightful than the last, illuminating aspects Matt hadn’t even considered. By the time they both sensed the call was nearing its end, Greg was still weighing several points, his mind racing as he prepared to make a decision.
“This is tough; there are just too many enticing options, and we still don’t have a clear picture of the threats we might face. Are you more focused on keeping things out or trapping what’s already inside?”
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“With the dungeon nestled within the fort and its ability to ensnare anything that crosses the threshold, I’d say keeping intruders out is our top priority,” Matt replied, his voice tinged with fatigue.
“Right, I totally overlooked that aspect. In that case, we definitely don’t need a prison-style setup. Plus, being situated on an island already gives us a significant natural defense. I suggest a wall that traces the shoreline about half a mile in to minimize damage from storm surges. However, based on your description, you could probably get away with positioning it just a quarter mile from the current wave peaks, especially given the raging storm.”
“I doubt this storm resembles a natural one; the winds are much gentler, and they die down right before reaching the beaches.”
“Understood. Then let’s keep the wall at the half-mile mark, ensuring it stands at least 15 feet tall and 20 feet thick.”
“Sounds good, but what about the buildings within the fort?”
“Keep the areas adjacent to the walls clear, but the more structures we can fit inside, the better—”
Before Greg could finish his thought, the call abruptly ended, leaving Matt to exhale in frustration. He set to work, meticulously following Greg’s suggestions for the fort’s design. Hours slipped by as he placed one building after another, hoping he wasn’t exhausting the mountain’s stone reserves. He was certain, however, that he was depleting the available wood supply. Fortunately, the guild exchange would make acquiring both wood and iron straightforward. Once he finalized all the settings, Matt selected the option to start production and soon received a new notification.
Fort settings confirmed.
Resources detected within perimeter.
Adjusting time for auto harvesting of resources.
Total resources once auto gathering is complete:
Stone 91%
Wood 34%
Iron 6%
Time before all automated resource collection and construction using current resources is complete: 17,280,000 seconds.
Time will increase once all resources are gathered.
Matt shook his head, contemplating the resources he would need, particularly the wood that was essential for more than just the fort. Yet, with access to a wider array of materials beyond Earth’s offerings, he felt confident that gathering the rest wouldn’t pose much of a challenge as he retrieved Radoznaormr’s anchor from his pack. “I can see you didn’t hold back when constructing your fort,” Radoznaormr remarked immediately, a hint of incredulity in his tone. “I thought I instructed you to use the fort primarily to contain the monsters, not to blanket the entire island with it.”
“Oh, well, too late for that now,” Matt shot back, a smirk playing on his lips. “Besides, this will streamline my organization’s efforts to transform this place into a formidable stronghold.”
“That outcome would have occurred regardless,” Radoznaormr countered, his voice steady. “What’s done is done. So, what did you wish to inquire about?”
“I wanted to know if there’s a way to speed up the completion of the fort.”
“Sure, you could reduce the mountain to rubble yourself. However, doing so would mean less material for the fort since it’s currently being processed with precision. You'd need to gather more stone afterward if you take that route.”
“Got it, so essentially do nothing,” Matt replied, rolling his eyes. “Now, how about you tell me where the monsters that are lurking are hiding?”
“Leave the anchor next to the dungeon entrance and let your puppets manage that. You should hurry and enter the dungeon.”
“I was planning to let my puppets handle clearing the dungeon. Sorry, but I’m not in a rush to plunge underground and miss out on the sunlight just yet.”
“You’re squandering the time you have and—”
“I don’t really care,” Matt interjected firmly. “I’m not some soulless killing machine who’s solely focused on becoming stronger. Honestly, once I gather the necessary wood and iron for the fort to construct itself, I might just leave this island and go save Rose.”
“You truly love her, don’t you?”
“No, but I do care for her deeply,” Matt admitted, his gaze shifting to the horizon. “I know I need to end things with her since we won’t work out, but it’s more about the realization that my life seems destined to be a series of wanderings from place to place.”
“Yet, through your puppets, you could be with her constantly,” Radoznaormr suggested, matter-of-factly.
“Not really,” Matt replied, his voice heavy with resignation. “My puppets will never be able to protect her like I can. Even if I left a hundred of them to guard her, someone with my level of power could easily overpower them all. And even if I could force injuries back onto the attackers, it wouldn’t matter if their goal is to kill those I love. So, I’ve decided I’m never going to love again.”
“You realize the man holding her has plans to make her kill you, right?” Radoznaormr said, a hint of amusement creeping into his tone.
“What do you mean?” Matt asked, brows furrowing in confusion.
Radoznaormr chuckled, his tone filled with mischief. “Honestly, if I knew what you were capable of, I’d put you in a situation where you’d rather die than win. Killing those you love is foolish when manipulating them to drive you to self-destruction is so much easier.”
“Is that really something to laugh about?” Matt shot back, irritation lacing his voice.
“For me, it is,” Radoznaormr replied, with a slight chuckle. “And for you, that’s a good thing, because the moment you start to bore me, I’ll likely be the one to ruin you.”
“At least you’re honest about it,” Matt said, crossing his arms defensively.
“So, you still hold a grudge against Tempormr then? You should really consider the danger of sowing such terrible karma with him. Regardless of the how and why, he went out of his way to help you in those early days.”
“Would forgiving him entertain you?” Matt asked, his tone laced with skepticism.
“Very much so, as I anticipate what would follow would be quite amusing to witness.”
“Who knows what the future holds, but I’m finished with him until I can truly stand as his equal.”
“How can you ever be certain you’re his equal? Even if you managed to fight him and win, it could simply mean he was holding back to avoid killing you.”
“Well, then I’ll just have to reach the same level as him,” Matt muttered, determination flickering in his eyes. “Would you say that those at your level pose a threat to you?”
“Yes, for all I know, they might be just as powerful as I am.”
“No, the power you wield surpasses your level in most situations. I’ll concede that a few counters to your abilities exist, but if you faced 10,000 enemies one-on-one at your own level, you would likely emerge victorious around 9,997 times.”
“How oddly specific,” Matt remarked, raising an eyebrow.
“Don’t dismiss my words,” Radoznaormr insisted, a serious tone creeping into his voice.
“I won’t. Now, if you would be so kind as to tell me where the monsters are hiding.”
“Venture into the dungeon to level up and don’t stop doing so until you reach level 65,” Radoznaormr commanded. “If you wish to rescue anyone, you need to achieve B rank and adapt to the changes that will accompany it. Furthermore, it’s your responsibility to ensure the dungeon reaches its full potential.”
Matt felt the urge to argue, but he realized that reaching B rank was a sufficiently short-term goal, especially since the fort wouldn’t require additional materials anytime soon to maintain its progress. With a quick message sent to inform the other leaders of Scattered Stars, Matt stepped into the entrance of the dungeon.
