Master Of None

Chapter 2283: 2283. Clacking Claws



This unexpected group of three was not having any trouble moving around the area. They all were strong enough to handle the broken rocks which has clearly been a result of the world returning to the flow of mana and expanding. However, they were not very happy with the fact that there were many sharper rocks.

This presented evidence that there would be more terrain based dangers all over the world since the rocks here had been hard, but when broken, had created razor sharp edges. The same could have happened elsewhere in the mountains. This meant that every mountain could be a very dangerous place to travel all around.

It also meant that any place which had been hard to travel before could have become much harder now. The icy terrain in the very far north could have broken up which was not something simple. It had been frozen and the same for many years. Therefore, the cracks and holes formed could be hidden under snow.

Important facts to account for when the peoples of Genesis began to explore and look for anything and everything within the world as it was now. So much had changed that the entire known world was being mapped yet again. This wasn't just by the people living within the city of Genesis, it was every kingdom within the alliance.

"I would not send anyone here without prior warning. The desert monsters may be creeping in to the mountains as well." Mordant could smell various monsters in the air. He knew very well that the larger territory might have a lot of better hunting places for them.

"I think we will have to make sure that every adventurer and otherwise that comes out here will need to be at the right levels. The adventurer's guild will need to be clearer on the ranking. Maybe we will need the most experienced adventurers to do preliminary examinations of certain areas.' Walker's idea didn't seem to be a bad idea.

"Brother, if that's the case, we would have to do that as well. We are some of the strongest within the guild even though we are more than just adventurers now." There was a slight laughter in the way that Onyx responded to Walker. Mostly because he found it funny that they might end up just going out to explore after all they had done recently.

"I guess you are right, and if we start to do that we might get in trouble with a few people. Gil might even get locked up in the forest elf territory." Their laughter was a little much as Mordant shook his head. But he also understood that the party had delved in to new aspects of their life.

It had been a lot for them to explore and struggle through in the past years. Time moved very quickly in their world now. Or at least it could be seen that way from the outside looking in. The sheer amount done was extreme walking with the general fact that days could pass to get to their goals.

Their strength also allowed for them to go weeks without needing to stop their pursuit of their goals. Not many people could boast that. All this was beside the fact that the party had changed so much that even their ages were ambiguous at this point. Not because they had gotten younger or overall older. It was due to the fact that their lifespans had extended well beyond that of what a human's should be.

"There are some monsters ahead. They might be the very same we need to deal with to get inside the ruins." Walker broke Mordant out of his thoughts. Mordant wanted to reprimand himself. He had picked up Walker's deep thinking habit while traveling or generally doing anything.

'Thorny rock scorpion

After leaving the desert caves, they have absorbed enough earth mana to revert back to their natural states. This happened so quickly due to their month long growth period which allowed for them to develop rapidly and return to their original forms.

The sharp rock like spikes on their carapaces allow for them to charge at prey or predators and do severe damage. They also like to break apart shart rocks to carry in their claws and swing at their enemies.

Their stingers are not full of toxic venom as other scorpions. Their stingers only contain a pain inducing venom used to cause panic within their prey so that they are easier to capture and defeat.

They will often pursue larger rock dwelling monsters in small groups. They can even be called a swarming species if they are found during a breaking season. During the driest times of the year, they will find a cave and isolate themselves from the world until it rains. After which they will leave and find a partner.

The females are three times larger than the males and will often be extremely violent towards anything that can possibly threaten the nests that the males who swarm with them build for them to test within...'

Walker could have read more about them. But he grasped the reasons why the ruins the three serpents and found might be under attack by these scorpions. "It's amazing in a way. Those scorpions left the desert and during their month long growth process returned to their natural state. They hadn't had enough earth mana to be them in the past."

"They also might be looking for a place to make a nest for that larger female scorpion since it is pretty dry right now." he looked at Mordant and Onyx. "should we do this the easy way or the hard way?" His smile said that Walker would be glad to do either.

"Whatever way is faster." Onyx had started to gather a little dark mana in preparation for a battle. He wanted to handle the issue and know that Walker would be there to support him.

"Then the easy way it is." Walker raised a hand and a large ball of water he had begun to gather above him while he had been standing there flew in to the sky. He had gathered it in just a few minutes. His speed at doing so was much faster than it had been.

"Let it rain and watch them head away from here. They don't need a cave to nest in if they have rain and they can head out to find other thorny rock scorpions to mess with." As the water began to fall, the scorpions that were visible froze. The largest began to click her claws together and then the smaller male scorpions started to move around her.

Many more began to crawl from crevices finally exposing a large cave opening with collapsed rocks around it. They could easily see that the two serpents acting as ruins hunters had broken down the rocks adobe the entrance to keep it covered. The scorpions had barely managed to break in to that stone but caused even more stone to fall and block them.

"They were smart to break the roof above the entrance. However, they also crushed one of the scorpions. I assume there may be another inside." Mordant's focus on the broken carapace and his look untoward Walker was more than just a comment.

"Hold on." Walker tapped his foot as earth mana surged while the fake rain began to subside. It was only one large water ball spread out over a small area. Just enough to make the scorpions want to move elsewhere. And the earth moving was just enough to make a space for the three to move through.

Walker didn't miss the chance to store away the crushed spiky rock scorpion though. Someone will want to research the materials. The wandering blacksmith might even go hunting for them if they didn't bring these to him as new materials to test things here and there on. After closing the stone behind them, Walker made a light orb which floated behind the three of them. But it was easy to what the clacking and scraping of stone from ahead of the collapsed entrance.

Through the stone walls which were more broken than carved any longer, Walker, Onyx, and Mordant followed the sounds. Onyx moved faster than the other two though. He only allowed a little more of his body outside of his shadow but it was enough to make a larger impact on the single living thorny rock scorpion chipping away at a closed stone door which was more of rubble than door.

The crack of carapace as spikes of shadows broke through the carapace was like music to the two injured ruins hunters. "I am here to bring you two home. And I brought my older brother and Mordant the royal dragon." Onyx's pride in announcing this was just too perfect in

Walker's eyes.

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