Ch 185.

  Matt’s puppet remained seated, gazing intently at the bustling activity surrounding the nearly finished ship as the day unfolded. A sense of tranquility enveloped the scene, yet beneath the surface, Matt’s puppet sensed the lingering tension from the attack the night before, palpable in the way people moved and interacted. Initially, he had anticipated a dull watch, merely concentrating on staying out of the way and conserving energy. However, his attention was soon drawn to a young man who stood apart from the others, an air of uncertainty clinging to him as if he were grappling with how to proceed in this chaotic environment. With curiosity piqued, Matt’s puppet rose and stepped forward, determined to investigate further.

  “You look like you’re lost,” Matt’s puppet said, stepping closer until he was about five feet from the young man. “What’s your name, and how long have you been here?”

  “Louie,” he replied, glancing around nervously. “I followed Jaelyn, but I don’t want her to know I’m here. You’re Matt, the one she’s always talking about, right?”

  “Yes and no,” Matt’s puppet responded, a frown creasing its features. “Why don’t you want Jaelyn to know you’re here?”

  “Because she wouldn’t let me join the group heading to the dungeon. She thinks I’m too weak,” Louie admitted, his voice trembling slightly. “I—I just struggle with standing my ground and facing danger.”

  “You seem to be doing fine right now. You do realize I could end you with a single sweep of my arm, right?”

  “Yes, I understand that, but that’s not who you are. You’re a protector, aren’t you?”

  Something about Louie intrigued Matt’s puppet; it sensed there was more to him than he was revealing. Beneath the surface, the young man held potential, waiting for the right moment to flourish. Yet, Matt’s puppet didn’t have the luxury of time to nurture a single frightened kid.

  “Yes, but I’m not going to protect those who run and hide when things get tough.”

  “Right, but you agree that everyone should be given a chance to overcome their fears.”

  “Louie, that responsibility lies with those who harbor the fears; they are the ones who must stand their ground. So, unless you’re asking me to throw you into a cage to face a monster, I suggest you look elsewhere.”

  Louie’s eyes widened at that warning, panic flickering across his face as he stammered, “I—I see, then I suppose that I am wasting my time here as I—”

  “Run the moment things get hard,” interrupted a new voice. A young woman stepped out from behind a cluster of logs, her posture confident and assertive. “Name’s Paige. I’m a friend of Louie and the one who brought him here. I think tossing him in a cage could be a good idea, as long as the monster can’t take him out in just a few hits.”

  “Paige, you said you would let me talk to him,” Louie replied, sounding annoyed at her intrusion.

  “And you did, but you were about to run away, and I didn’t hike all this way just to watch you bolt,” she countered, crossing her arms defiantly.

  “Alright, Paige, what do you think Louie needs to break free from his fear?” asked Matt’s puppet, appreciating her straightforwardness.

  “No option,” she declared firmly. “Anything else will accomplish nothing, and even this approach has a high chance of him curling up into a ball and just giving up.”

  “What are you saying!?” Louie exclaimed, distress evident in his trembling voice. “Paige, I thought we were friends.”

  “We are, but I’m simply helping you grow,” she replied with an intensity that sent a chill through Matt’s puppet. The way Paige spoke raised red flags in its mind, yet it chose to set aside its concerns as a plan formed. Without warning, it lunged at her.

  “What are you doing!” Paige screamed, her eyes wide with shock.

  “That’s easy; I’m attacking you. Unless Louie can muster the courage to defend you, I’ll kill you.”

  Matt’s puppet observed Louie freeze, his eyes wide with fear, as Paige turned to flee. In a swift motion, Matt’s puppet seized her wrist, its other hand morphing into a jagged bone blade. With a deliberate pull, it drew back its arm, the blade glinting ominously in the light. The puppet locked eyes with Louie, its intentions unmistakable; it would plunge the blade through Paige's back if Louie remained passive. As it shifted its gaze to Paige, noting the sheer terror etched on her face, a flicker of satisfaction surged within it when Louie lunged forward, tackling the puppet with all his might.

  Though Matt’s puppet barely moved under Louie’s feeble assault, a grin spread across its features as it reverted its hand back to normal and released Paige. Louie, lost in his frantic attempt to pin the puppet down, failed to notice the shift in dynamics. His struggle only widened Matt’s puppet’s grin as it easily pushed Louie onto the ground, the earth crunching beneath him.

  “See? You can grow a backbone when needed,” it taunted, amusement dancing in its voice.

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  “What?” Louie stammered, glancing around in confusion.

  “I didn’t say you had to stop me, just that you should try to defend your friend. Most cowards don’t grasp this truth: it’s those they care about who pay the price for their inaction. Eventually, they find themselves isolated, as everyone who stood by them has already suffered the consequences, leaving them utterly alone.”

  “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a jackass?” Paige asked, brushing herself off after the sudden attack.

  “More times than I care to count,” Matt’s puppet shot back, a hint of amusement in its tone. “Still, it worked. Now, Louie, from this moment on, your task is to ensure that Paige doesn’t die while the two of you spend a week battling anything aggressive lurking in this area. Return to me and prove that you can stand your ground against monsters, then tell me what path you plan to take after reaching level 18.”

  “I’m already at level 20,” Louie declared, a spark of pride lighting up his features. “My path focuses on buffing; being near me grants bonuses to others when they defend.”

  “That complicates things. What exactly can you do?”

  “Let’s see,” Louie replied, his brow furrowing in concentration. “My speed increases when I dodge danger, and my friends gain extra stats when they protect me. I can heal most minor wounds, cook meals, and honestly, if it’s not combat-related, there’s little I can’t handle.”

  “Um, at least you made an effort to support those you were leaving to fight alone,” Matt’s puppet remarked, recalling its own abilities to enhance allies by assisting them. “Perhaps you should consider developing skills that provide bonuses for fighting alongside your companions.”

  “I don’t know,” Louie said, his uncertainty evident in the way he shifted his weight. “I would hate to get in the way, and I think it might be better if I just—”

  “Could be relied on,” Matt’s puppet interjected firmly. “If you were a leader of a nation or held a position that prioritized your survival over theirs, what you’re saying would make sense. However, you’ve expressed a desire to explore the dungeon and grow stronger, and that means fighting.”

  “What is it like in the dungeon?” Louie asked, his curiosity evident as he attempted to steer the conversation in a new direction. “I mean, that’s where the real you is right now, right?”

  “Yes,” Matt’s puppet replied, a smile creeping across its face. “But what I know will differ from what you experience, as I am facing it alone. Its current form shifts based on how many are in a group. Everyone must pull their weight; otherwise, they doom the entire team. As for what you should expect, prepare for endless waves of monsters that grow increasingly difficult as you progress toward each checkpoint. Once you enter, you can’t change your party, and if someone dies or refuses to return with you, the challenge will only intensify.”

  “That sounds brutal,” Louie said, a frown forming as worry etched itself across his features. “I thought it would be a place where I could confront my fears.”

  “Oh, it is that,” Matt’s puppet continued, “but who will want to team up with you knowing that they’ll be stuck with you?”

  “I’ll do it,” Paige interjected, her voice sharp and determined, reminding Matt of her presence. “Even if it’s just the two of us—”

  “Does he know that you’re in love with him?” Matt’s puppet interrupted, its tone laced with mischief. “I won’t question what you see in him, but are you really trying to get yourself killed just to grab his attention?”

  “No, I just know that if he can overcome his fear, he will become the greatest—”

  “Is one of your skills brainwashing those around you?” Matt’s puppet shot back, casting an appraising glance at Louie. “Better yet, what do you know about the attack from last night?”

  “There was an attack last night?” Louie asked, his eyes widening in disbelief. “Sorry, we just arrived and made a beeline for the ship, hoping to figure out how to board when the expedition set off.”

  “I think it’s time we speak with Jaelyn,” Matt’s puppet suggested, its voice steady, “because I have a feeling she’s going to have more than a few questions for you two.” As the words left its mouth, Matt’s puppet noticed Louie shifting nervously, contemplating escape. “If you try to run right now, I will kill you,” it warned, the threat hanging heavy in the air. “That’s going to be your new reality. You want to grow strong, but you’re a coward. So, if you run, it will cost you a life—either Paige’s or your own.”

  “You really are nothing but a bastard,” Paige spat, her fists clenching at her sides. “Who are you to decide that for Louie?”

  “I think Louie has more blood on his hands than he knows,” Matt’s puppet replied coolly, convinced the young man was either cursed with a passive ability that unknowingly influenced others or was a true monster himself. “Louie, tell me, was your only desire to take the ship to the dungeon when you came here?”

  “What does that have to do with anything?” Paige interjected, her brow furrowing in confusion.

  “Did you happen to meet with others in the area to gather information?” Matt’s puppet pressed, its gaze sharp and probing.

  “Isn’t that just good sense?” Paige countered, her voice laced with worry as she shifted her weight.

  “If there hadn’t been a group of seemingly mind-controlled people attacking last night, sure,” Matt’s puppet agreed with a dismissive shrug. “But my gut tells me things aren’t adding up, and your constant defense of him while he cowers only reinforces my suspicion.”

  Louie turned to flee, but instead of pursuing him, Matt’s puppet seized Paige, who had been poised to strike. “If you run, I will actually kill her!” it shouted, the threat slicing through the air. Louie stumbled, glancing back in shock as Matt’s puppet became acutely aware of the shipworkers observing the escalating confrontation. In a sudden frenzy, several of the weaker crew members, seemingly driven mad by the tension, surged forward, their faces twisted with fear and confusion. Acting swiftly, Matt’s puppet hoisted Paige over its shoulder, her protests muffled against its side, and sprinted toward the beach, the sound of pounding feet echoing in the chaos behind them.

  As he sprinted, he shouted for anyone nearby to fetch Apricity and Jaelyn, praying that one of them would have the answers they desperately needed. Meanwhile, Paige was clawing at him like a wild animal, her fury unrestrained, until Matt’s puppet abruptly hurled her into the ocean just as she began to regain her senses. The same fate befell those pursuing him; they were met by the crashing surf, which washed over them with a wave of relief that seemed to snap them back to reality. He hadn’t been certain that this tactic would succeed, but now Matt’s puppet was convinced that Louie needed to be dealt with, one way or another.

  The problem was that the chaos had provided enough cover for Louie to slip away, and Matt’s puppet doubted he would return. That was why it had already enlisted Bob to keep watch, scanning the crowd of bewildered individuals who were slowly regaining their composure. As Matt’s puppet focused on Paige, it pondered how best to approach her, uncertain of how deeply she had been ensnared by manipulation. The look she shot him, a mix of confusion and defiance, suggested she might still be under the lingering effects of his influence, just as Apricity rushed toward them, her expression a blend of concern and bewilderment.