Chapter 34: Upgrades

Theo made his way back to the square, feeling good about the day. Perg’s order was filled, Ziz had his stoneworker’s workshop, and Fenian was sending his contact to the town. As he passed through the farm, the well-trodden mud streets annoyed him even more. This new body had incredible resistance to infections, because even though his feet were soaked with mud for most of the day they were fine. He inspected the monolith when he arrived at the square.

[Small Town]

Name: Broken Tusk

Owner: Kingdom of Qavell

Mayor: Miana Kell

Administrator: Theo Spencer

Faction: [Qavell]

Level: 8 (1%)

Features:

Alchemy Lab

Blacksmith

Large Farm

Tannery

Tradesmen

Adventurer’s Guild

Upgrades:

[Stone Walls and Gates]

Tresk was right. The town was teetering on the edge of a new upgrade. Theo withdrew a level 30 [Monster Core] from his inventory and offered it to the slab of stone. It accepted the offering hungrily, the core vanishing from his hands as a message appeared in the alchemist’s vision.

[Broken Tusk] has advanced to level 9!

Broken Tusk was 20% into level 9. Another core would send it over the edge and reveal the new upgrade features. Theo hoisted another core and watched as the monolith swirled with energy, snaking out over the town. Everything glittered, motes of white energy falling off the buildings and the walls. Another screen popped up.

[Broken Tusk] has advanced to level 10!

[Broken Tusk] is eligible for an upgrade. As the Administrator, you may make a section of the following:

[Stone Roads]

Your [Small Town] will gain stone roads that cover all interior roads within your borders. The roads will expand as you expand your town.

[Watchtowers]

Your [Small Town] will gain watchtowers placed along the border. The watchtowers will move to match the edge of your borders, should you expand. 12 watchtowers will be placed.

[Water Tower]

Your [Small Town] will gain a single 1,000 unit water tower in its center. The tower will not automatically fill.

The new option was hilariously bad. The town already had a water tower with a higher capacity. There was no way he would pick any other option. Theo mentally selected the [Stone Roads] and waited for them to appear underfoot. The ground shook ominously, the same white energy that danced across the town suddenly covering the muddy roads. Gray cobbles popped up from the ground, sending the alchemist high into the air before slamming down in a tight pattern. Theo fell on the hard stone and watched as mortar spread between the cobbles, forming a tight webwork of sealant.

The process happened like a wave centered on the monolith, crashing out from the center of town. Shouts of surprise came from all directions. Theo ran his hands over the stone. It wasn’t as nice as the stuff Ziz was cutting, but it would do far more than the natural stone could. The roads would extend out when the town expanded, removing the need to lay more stone when the town grew. The alchemist brought himself to his feet and traveled south, to the shop.

Azrug was standing outside The Newt and Demon with Perg. They both had a look of confusion on their face. As soon as they spotted Theo, they understood what had happened. “That was you, wasn’t it?” Azrug asked, laughing.

“Gods. You can always count on the alchemist to upset things,” Perg said. Despite her jab, her eyes were on the road.

“It’s not as soft underfoot, but you won’t get caught in sinkholes,” Theo said, smiling. He withdrew a [Cleansing Scrub] from his inventory and dropped it over his clothes. The light washed away the mud, leaving his moccasins fresh.

“I noticed your shop is bigger,” Perg said, shaking her head. “You stole my workers away.”

“Did you have work for them?” Theo asked, smiling.

“Nope,” Perg said. “I don’t need anyone to work the pits, because there are no pits. You have my gratitude for giving them a job.”

“More than a job,” Theo corrected. “I gave them a way to support themselves. After they pay me back for the cost of the seed cores, I’m giving Ziz the buildings.”

“Absurdly generous of you,” Perg said, shaking her head.

“Hardly,” Theo said, waving her away. “I own the land they’re working. Taking a percent off the top.”

Perg sauntered over to the alchemist and grinned. She placed her hand over his shoulder and smiled. “If anyone asks me, you were born here. Maybe not physically, but you have the spirit of a Broken Tusker. You help your neighbors without question. Everyone in town knows how much those potions cost in the big city.”

Theo couldn’t disagree with her. The moment he set foot in Broken Tusk, he knew he was home. He was even used to the humidity and the heat. Air conditioning was nice, but once he spent a week in the oppressive soup they called air, it wasn’t bad. He placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled.

“Hey, you gonna pay me?” Azrug said, scowling.

Theo withdrew two copper coins from his inventory and handed it over to the boy. Azrug stuffed the coins in his pocket and continued to give the alchemist the stink-eye.

“What about you, Azrug? Any opinion?” Perg asked.

“Well, the demon got me out of the fields,” Azrug said, tapping his chin. “There’s still many people working the farm, making crap for coin.”

“One project at a time,” Theo said. “Once I find reagents that promote growth, they’ll be up to their eyeballs in zee.”

Azrug shrugged, turning to walk up the road. “Can’t change the world overnight.”

Perg and Theo watched the boy stomp off. He kicked at the cobblestone path and shouted, stumbling the rest of the way up the hill. The boy was spiky at the best of times.

“What a tender moment,” a voice came from the shadows near the shop. It was a horrible impersonation of a villain, but an obvious culprit. Perg startled, but Theo did not.

“Tresk is enjoying her new core,” Theo said. He couldn’t see her lurking there in broad daylight, but she dropped her voice about as well as he swung a sword.

“Don’t ruin my fun,” Tresk said, emerging with a grin on her face. She had a look of surprise on her face, as though she just noticed the new roads. “Roads!”

“New core?” Perg asked.

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Tresk explained, in excruciating detail, her new core. Her day in the dungeon went extremely well, the cloak hanging off her shoulders being the proof. It was made of an impossibly soft silk that seemed to have no weight. According to the Marshling, it made her even more light on her feet, empowering her [Sneak] ability even more. She claimed to have walked up to the boss and waved her hand in front of his face before Luras charged, ruining her fun.

Perg departed after a while to plant her seed core. Luras was apparently doing the same thing next door. The Half-Ogre was already in talks about leather supplies, striking a deal to get some of Perg’s stock at a discount. Theo appreciated the gesture of paying it forward, letting some ‌profits remain inside of Broken Tusk. His entire plan from the start was to create that cycle of coin. Production chains that exploited the natural resources of the land, and the swamp had a lot of resources to provide.

Theo and Tresk made their way into the shop. She noticed the lab was mostly untouched from the morning and raised a brow. “You brewed nothing today?”

“I took it easy,” Theo said. “It’s still pretty early, anyway.”

“I thought you’d be all over the new still,” Tresk said. “Did you check on the stone boys?”

Theo laughed, explaining their situation. “They’ll turn a profit within a month. Then they’re on their own.”

“Well, I finally have something nice for you,” Tresk said. “The 10th floor boss was some horrid troll, but he had a few additional friends. Spriggans. They’re these weird little tree creatures that shamble around and throw vines at you.”

Tresk withdrew something that looked like a wooden heart from her bag, holding it out for the alchemist to inspect.

[Spriggan Heart]

[Alchemy Ingredient]

Rare

The animated heart of a Spriggan. Contains the creature’s ability to influence nature.

Properties:

[Growth] ???? ????

Theo suddenly found the solution to the farmer’s problem. The only issue was that his intuition told him this was a volatile ingredient, something he couldn’t handle at his current level. Even the power that flowed from the reagent gave him a bad feeling, his instincts saying not to handle it. He stowed it away in his inventory and smiled at his companion.

“My Marshling investment is finally paying off,” Theo said.

Tresk bristled for a moment, then stuck her tongue out. She beckoned for him to bend down to her level, pressing her forehead against his. A rush flowed through his body and a new status box appeared near his own, showing another set of health, mana, and stamina bars. Another message popped up on his screen to explain it.

[Tara’hek Core] receivedexperience (5%).

[Tara’hek Core] leveled up! Level 5.

[Tara’hek Communication] has evolved, gaining a new effect.

[Tara’hek Communication]

Marshling Bond Skill

Rare

The first step to a Tara’hek is communication.

Effect:

Allows you to communicate with Tresk no matter how far away they are. Others cannot hear your conversation.

Allows you to know the current state of your Tara’hek. Their health, mana, and stamina will appear near yours at all times.

“Woah!” Tresk said. “Your stamina bar is almost empty.”

“So is yours,” Theo said, scoffing.

A knock from the front door broke Theo’s excitement, but only fueled Tresk’s. She squealed with glee, answering it and cocking her head. The bulky frame of Ziz stood at the door, scratching his head and grinning sheepishly.

“I saw the roads,” Ziz said, managing a weak chuckle. He held something behind his back. “Makes me think you never intended to do anything but give me and my sorry lot jobs.”

Theo waved the statement away, shaking his head. “It’s an investment.”

Tresk punched his arm playfully. “Come on. You’re all kinds of nice.”

Ziz moved inside of the threshold, revealing what he concealed behind his back. Three fat steaks, far too fatty to be wolf steaks, glistened in the fading light of the day. “Karatan steaks,” he said, grinning. “I assume you haven’t eaten dinner yet?”

Tresk’s eyes went wide. Whatever playful mode she was in vanished at the sight of the steaks. Theo found it impossible not to be interested. The memory of the steaks at the Marsh Wolf Tavern lingered in his mind. The Marshling bounced up and down, the frills on the side of her head wiggling with her.

“No way!” Tresk shouted. “Let’s eat!”

Tresk darted upstairs, with Theo and Ziz close behind. She had one of the [Flame Artifices] going before they even reached the lab, muttering something to herself and licking her lips.

“We’re really having a good time working the quarry,” Ziz said, smiling.

Theo took stock of the man, noticing how exhausted he looked. They went all out today, trying to produce as many stone blocks as possible. He took a seat by the window, happy to let the Marshling do all the preparation. The scent of the cooking steaks filled the lab, a smell that sent a wave of excitement through the alchemist’s body.

“Hopefully we can keep this momentum up,” Theo said, sighing. “I was lucky to get enough cores to level the town to 10, but it’s going to be slow from here on out.”

“The walls do more than you know,” Ziz said, shrugging. “Everyone feels safer. Gods… not to mention the roads.”

Theo let that thought swirl around his mind for a while as Tresk cooked the steaks. He’d done a lot of good for the town, but it wasn’t just him. He was the catalyst, like the unassuming copper shavings in his potions, that set off a chain reaction. The townspeople of Broken Tusk just needed a firm prodding to get to it, and a clear path forward. He was more than happy to be their lodestone.

The pair watched, chatting idly, as Tresk finished the steaks. When they finally dug into the meal, it was everything Theo expected. Even without butter, it was beyond the wolf steaks in flavor. Something about the fat that laced through the meat elevated it beyond anything the swamp could provide. The alchemist made a mental note to explore alchemical flavor enhancements.

The group ate slowly, heads nodding as tiredness set in. Everyone seated at the table by the window was exhausted, but the company was good. Ziz was in as good of spirits as Theo had ever seen him. Tresk was constantly talking about her new core, but the alchemist doubted it was as much of an improvement as she said. He didn’t have any frame of reference for combat cores, and thought about learning more about them. The chance never came to ask her about it that night.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Ziz bid farewell. The moment he left, Tresk let her shoulders slump. “I didn’t want to be rude but I’m so tired.”

“Me too,” Theo said, struggling to keep his eyes open. “It’s been busy.”

“Let’s sleep.”

The pair made their way to the bedroom, snuggling into their impossibly comfortable beds and leaving the worries of the day for tomorrow.

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