The Gamer Chapter 1650 – Finding the Kobold Kingdom (Patreon)

The Mine’s central elevator rattled. Old gears and old cords went into movement, except that neither the gears nor the cords were old. All of it was just window dressing to give the supernatural resource spawn point the feeling of a deep and mysterious mine. Considering what was below the upper twenty layers and the ever-shifting layout of all of them, the Mine was deeper and more mysterious than any other.

Two additional elevators directly flanked the platform they were on. More shafts were scattered about the various layers. The upgrade to Tier 6 had apparently added various secret shortcuts that veterans of the Mines could use to reach more resource rich depths faster. It was all about spotting patterns in the maps of any given day. There were isolated chambers in layers now that were only accessible by coming in via drops or elevations from above or below.

The expansion of the Mine had only made it more popular. There had already been a subsection of miners that specialized more in combating the dangers in its depths. Those were the same kind of people that tried to find and explore the Guild Hall’s daily dungeons. With more riches on offer, there was a growing class of them. Fittingly, these spelunkers called themselves the Adventurer’s Guild.

John found it entertaining that his powers had given rise to a sort of second generation of people that made their living via grinding derivatives of his Instant Dungeons. An inevitability, given the factors involved, but inevitabilities could be entertaining.

One such group of spelunkers waved at the pair as the elevator rattled lower and lower into the earth. The Mine went deep. Each layer was about five metres thick, including the solid stone ceilings and floors that kept them (mostly) separate. At 100 floors that meant the Mine went a full 500 metres below sea level and, like an upside down funnel, the floors became larger and larger the further they went down.

Somewhere among that ridiculously expansive network of re-arranging tunnels, in the lightless depths of the monster-infested layers of the Mine, was the connection to the Kobold Kingdom.

The elevator came to a clunky halt, the industrial metal hitting the bottom of the shaft. “This is where we stopped last time,” Lydia observed as they stepped off.

John nodded. “The main shafts don’t go deeper than the 50th layer. We’ll have to progress on foot.”

They barely stepped into a randomly selected tunnel connected to the main room, before a warning hiss reached their ears. Unperturbed, the duo advanced, letting the creature aggress on them. It did not take long.

The monster stormed into the light cast by Lydia’s sunray-woven cape.  On six legs, the serpentine monster advanced, glared at them with its four hateful eyes. A paralysis effect washed over John like the brush of an ice cube on his neck. Unpleasant, shocking even, but ultimately harmless.

A pointy projectile the length of a span and as thick as a finger loosened from Strimata and launched itself at the Basilisk. The thick scales covering its forehead were no match for the Celexium alloy. Prismatic metal vanished into flesh and bone. Dozens of spikes then extended from inside the monster’s skull, perforating its brain and ending its life in an instant.

“Someone will find it and pick up the free money.”

“Agreed,” Lydia stated and withdrew the part of Strimata, fusing it back to the rest of the rapier.

The duo was in complete battle regalia, which made them quite the differing sight. John in his suit of black and red was a modern and slightly sinister image. Lydia in her shining white, silver, and golden armour was the embodiment of the word ‘resplendent’. The constant shine that the glowing cape behind her created only added to this. The prismatic rapier, then, finished the set.

“Have you considered a weapon, my love?” Lydia asked casually as they advanced deeper. Basilisks and Kobolds (the regular, more monstrous kind) spawned in great regularity on these layers. The former topped out at level 60, while the latter could only reach level 20. Dangerous to even the above average Abyssals, but jokes to them.

“I do have the open Hand Slots,” John agreed with the thought process. “I haven’t yet worked out if I want one though. I enjoy having my hands free.”

“An extra pair of rings, then?” Lydia casually sheathed Strimata to play with the ring on her left hand. It was a masterful piece of wrought iron and steel, images of oaks and eagles carved into its tiny surface. A ring that had made itself to be hers specifically. On that basis, it was only logical that it fit her even while plated gauntlets covered her slender fingers. “You ought to wear at least one of your own, my love.”

“I’m of two minds on that,” John said and was hit with a demanding glare immediately. “I suppose that means I am of one mind on that.”

“Good. I understand the thought that all of our love is already magically inked into your skin.” A wave at his right hand was all she needed to say on that matter. The various marks of Lover’s Will decorated the visible digits. On the left hand, the layer of obsidian scales that was Purgatory’s activated form blocked that view. “That, however, is as little appropriate for the sign of marriage as the marks on our wombs are.”

“I, ultimately, agree. You just know that I like to think about these things from various angles.”

“With certainty, I declare that you ought to dispense with workarounds in this endeavour and engage in formality. You will wear a ring. It will be just one ring, reason must be heeded, but a ring nonetheless.”

“One ring to marry them all, one ring to find them, one ring to please them all, and in the vows bind them.” The changed recital made Lydia chuckle in her ever so stern manner. “At least we can share in some nerddom.”

“The nerdy universe we can share an interest in is Warhammer, although I will never dabble as deeply in it as you are,” Lydia answered. “Lord of the Rings is not in the domain of nerds, it is an icon of culture in all aspects, especially the heroic western tradition.”

“Maximillian would claim it for the monarchists.”

“Maximillian is of the firm opinion that the royalty is the best way to run the state. I am of the firm opinion that a royalty adds to the function of the state.” Lydia’s armour softly clattered when she folded her hands behind her back. “Fundamentally, that makes us both monarchists, but his vision is much firmer than mine. An ironic factor, considering my consolidation of power and the loss of his office’s strength at the same time.”

“Maximillian lost power?” John asked.

“Not on paper, but an empty treasury and a king that marries a lowborn, a succubus at that, does not make for a smooth and respected return. Maximillian’s vacation has left its mark on his reputation. Luckily for him, he has achieved quarter-elemental apotheosis. A mark of prestige that will allow him to consolidate swiftly.”

A group of Kobolds suicidally launched themselves at the duo. John dispatched them by firing two Arc Rays. One originated from the index finger, the other from his thumb. Carefully moving the digits made the silver beam of light sweep through the four assailants, cutting them all in half.

“These are not the Kobolds we are looking for,” John assured Lydia.

“I recall,” Lydia assured him in turn. They stepped over the corpses. The Kobold Kingdom that had been promised was populated by humanoids more draconic halflings than monsters, rather than these critters, which were more half dragon than humanoids.

That they shared a name was a bit annoying. If John had the sway to christen them with another description, he would have tried. Not that he even had a good idea for a different name at the moment. Plus, the Japanese used Kobold for a variety of dog people, so that got even more confusing.

Chatting casually and slaughtering what was in their path, the duo advanced until they came across a hole in the ground. Lydia jumped immediately. “Not even going to ask if I am keeping track of the way back out?” the Gamer asked.

“My love, I know better than to doubt you on matters of pathing and mapping;” Lydia shouted up. Without moving her eyes away from him, she caught a worm-like creature that attempted to charge her. Its body was as thick as the arm of the queen and made from smooth segments of stone and gem. The head consisted of rings that circled in alternating directions, more a shredder than a maw.

Lydia crushed the head like it was an egg, sending shards of gemstone and metal flying everywhere.

“Beyond that, I believe this Building may be unforgiving and potentially lethal, but not an eternal maze.”

“You would be wrong on that one, actually,” John told her and jumped down. “It is possible to get lost in here, potentially forever, with the alternating layout and what not. Even we may face our death here.”

“Is a Raid boss wandering these halls?”

“No, but thirst and hunger can still kill… me, right,” John realized his mistake after a bit. Lydia could just sustain herself by eating the various metals she could harvest from the monsters. For the walls, she would have needed to take one of the Building-provided pickaxes with her. John, meanwhile, could only eat the Kobold meat, which was arguably a form of cannibalism and definitely not enough for hydration.

It would take a long time, but even he could die of natural causes.

“How swiftly do these changes occur?” Lydia asked.

“Constantly, especially at this level,” John told her. “Don’t worry, though, you’re correct in that I have the pathing and mapping figured out. There’s certain consistencies to the layout of the map segments that’ll always let us find a way back. Cords and other orienting tools have become standard issue for spelunkers though.”

“Do compasses work down here?” Lydia wondered, while they set off in another random direction.

“Apparently, although that won’t do you much good if you follow the needle into a dead end.”

They continued their exploration. Since the upgrade of the Guild Hall a week ago, people had been exploring the new 50 floors, discovering the various dangers and secrets therein. Every ten layers added a new monster to the spawn pool. Some, like the Shredder Worm, were weaker than their upstairs equivalent, but they provided an additional danger through the sheer number or frequency they spawned in.

“Has anyone advanced to the lowest layer yet?” Lydia inquired.

“Not yet,” John denied.

“Should we take that upon us?”

“I contemplated doing that, or at least sending someone down there. Claire could have a set of familiars sweep the layers in a few days tops, but I decided I’d let others have the first exploration for a change.”

“An outlet for the daredevils of the realm,” Lydia stated.

“A nation lives and breathes on the backs of those that maintain it, but it can only become great if it maintains a spirit of adventure.” They jumped down another hole in the ground. “It’s not much of an adventure if I provide all the guides for them. The Mine is already voluntary danger enough. Those that would enter these depths unprepared will either learn a valuable lesson or serve as a warning for others.”

“Crude, but correct,” Lydia concurred. “What layer are we aiming for?”

“70 is where the most kobold sightings occurred.”

“Then let’s not linger at this pace,” Lydia stated and began to run.

Run at a medium speed for her potential, it had to be said. John was far from slow and Lydia not the fastest among his haremettes, yet the gap between them was vast. From the outside, it looked as if both of them were running at top speed. For ease of pace, Lydia was holding back on the degree of mana that strengthened her muscles, rather than go full throttle on that front and then awkwardly jog next to him.

Abyssal speed increases were a bit weird. John was never quite certain if what they were doing was a sheer physical feat or more time dilation. In typical magic fashion, the answer was likely both and neither. There was more esoteric might behind this than straightforward science, even if surface levels of the supernatural phenomena could be reliably recreated.

Whatever the case was, they explored the caves at a rapid speed, blasting past and sometimes through the monsters in their way. Lydia was a streak of gold and mithril, her every step accompanied by the rapid plonking of an excited glockenspiel. John behind her left only a mild orange glow, the fire that enveloped Purgatory pressed flat by the winds of motion.

They were on the 70th layer within twenty minutes, then zapped around at incredible speed for another two before coming to a sudden halt before a small and very stacked creature. Their arrival was so swift that she only reacted with a loud, surprised cry after two seconds.

Lydia inspected her for a moment, then kept a close eye on John. A fact that the Gamer was all too aware of.

She was tiny, no taller than 1 metre 10 centimetres and adorable. She had a roundish but mature face, framed by dark scales that harmonized with her short brown hair, from which four curved horns extended. Her skin was pale enough to hint at a life with little sunlight, yet not pale enough to say she never saw any variety of daystar. White-blue eyes sparkled like little diamonds. Her pinkish lips quivered in fear.

She wore tight clothes. A thick top and sturdy leather pants were both clinging to her skin, likely to prevent them from getting stuck anywhere. A variety of belts was wrapped around her midriff, holding small mining tools and throwing weapons. One of them, a dagger, she now held in her scaled hand.

John couldn’t really pay attention to the steel armament. He was instead focused on the gorgeously wide hips she had to her. A round ass, sizable tits, and a narrow midriff, the entire shortstack package. A ‘true’ shortstack, if one wanted to be puritanical about such a thing, unlike Delicia who was well-endowed and short, but still within human proportions. The tail and scaled, clawed feet only added to the allure. The Gamer loved his monster girls.

That being said, he had meant it when he had said he had his head on straight earlier today. The kobold was attractive, yes, and she technically had a body type missing in his harem. However, he was not using his harem as a trophy house and neither did he plan on violating what he had promised. Adding Ehtra so quickly had already been stretching it.

The dagger suddenly fell to the ground. “I swear eternal fealty to you, shiny one! Me and my people have forever awaited your glorious presence, your magnificence! I am yours to use as you please!” the kobold declared and threw herself at Lydia’s feet.

That… was awkward.