Ultimate Level 1 C.256: Perks of Being Max’s Friends

“How did that pick you up? Why didn’t your armor’s ability keep you from moving?”

“I have no idea,” their warrior stated, color finally returning to his face. “One moment I felt like I was stuck to the ground, the next I relived that dwarf on ice moment.”

Fowl didn’t want to discuss his recent ride any more as he washed off with a few flasks of water.

Max and Tanila studied the head that had been cleaved off, seeing a system of gears, pistons, and a jewel inside the metallic head.

“What else are we going to face?”

Max sighed as he picked up the head and stored it.

“I do not know. Until the previous floor, I didn’t know one could do this with engineering or whatever this is,” he replied, motioning at the ants with metal legs. “Everything about this feels weird, and Everett and Tom both said that nothing like this has been reported before in their records.”

“Which means it has to do with just you.”

Bobbing his head, Max frowned.

“No stats yet either which makes me wonder what I’m maybe missing.”

His book was out and Max showed Tanila a few lines.

“I’d expect the stats to be somewhere around the two hundred and fifty range or so but I can’t tell. None of these things are smart or fast enough, I guess to grant me a stat increase. My other question is, does the equipment or robotic parts they have change what I can get from them?”

“Like a magical item granting bonuses? Tanila asked, her eyes widening slightly.

Grimacing, Max shrugged.

“Maybe. For now, all we can do is finish the tower floor and see what we find. Hopefully Fowl won’t play around like that anymore.”

Redness filled her face as she snorted, unable to keep herself from laughing.

***

Five ants came as they pulled the ones outside from the opening closest to them, one of the metal heads getting rooted along with the one with the enormous metallic abdomen.

The three quick ones died easily and Tanila sent an ice spear at the newest one they faced.

As the spell tore through its body, the party found themselves knocked back even though they were fifty yards away, a large crater where the ant had been immobilized.

Half of its ally with the metal head was gone, bodily fluid gushing out from the back, half that was missing.

“WHAT WAS THAT?” Fowl shouted

“WHAT?” Batrire replied

Fowl started to yell again when Max held up one hand while the other was pressed against his temples.

The sound of the explosion had hurt his head because of his sonar skill and his ears were repairing themselves with his regeneration.

Tapping his ears, everyone nodded, realizing they could not hear.

A few heals later, everyone gathered together and the grim look on their faces spoke about the danger of what had just happened.

“If we face one of those in a tunnel, that could bring the whole thing down upon us!”

Batrire nodded as Fowl stuck his finger in his ear again after speaking.

“Either we continue or take four days off, hoping that whatever we face next isn’t as bad,” Max stated. “I can’t see this being any more dangerous than anything else we’ve faced yet.”

***

Max’s scouting and ability to pull ants allowed them to make it safely through the tunnels without too many issues. They were twenty yards wide, and this time a swirling mushroom pattern grew along the walls. Blue ones ran in a line from one side, up and overhead, until moving back along the walls and ceiling of the tunnels.

Occasionally, a pair of exploding ants would be found and Max would lead them and some others into one of the side tunnels. His new fire damage with the help of his elemental, made defeating the ants easy.

The only problem was the amount of times Max had to use Demonic Teleportation to get out from caves that sometimes took place when the ants blew up.

Almost ten hours passed as they made their way steadily further and further down the tunnel system before they came across a massive cavern without a single ant and just the exit portal.

“Seems a bit like a trap,” Cordellia said as she glanced around the empty cavern.

Other tunnels led inside or out of the two hundred wide area but nothing could be seen.

“I don’t see any traps or sense anything,” Max stated as he pointed at the exit. “Best thing we can do is make a break for it. If anything happens, I’ll grab everyone and run.”

As a group, they raced toward the exit, nothing appeared as they reached it. Without fanfare, they stepped into the portal with ease.

***

“Everett, in all my life I have seen nothing like this,” the older elf woman muttered. “There have been rumors about stuff like this, but that was a thousand years ago…”

Her voice trailed off as the entire party watched the three older members of the Faction inspecting the different robotic parts.

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“Alfreda, can we even do anything with any of these parts?”

She shrugged at Tom’s question and tapped a few of the gears and parts inside the metallic ant head.

“There are some things that we can melt down and re-use but as Seth pointed out, those crystals which supply power inside differ from any I have ever seen. Even though they appear to be similar to the tower crystals, it’s an original power of some kind.”

Grunts came from the three before Everett finally left them and moved to where the party was waiting.

“I need to talk to the five of you in my office real quick,” he said.

Even though his face appeared to be expressionless, Max could barely make out the tension in the man’s jaw.

***

“I need you all to know that our Faction has seen an increase in potential applicants, though I’m certain you’re well aware of this already.”

Cordellia snorted as she shook her head.

“There have been more people downstairs than I can remember,” she replied. “Most of them have googly eyes whenever they see Seth over here.”

Everyone chuckled as Max sighed, sinking deeper into the green couch next to Tanila.

“Yes, that is one of the obvious signs. I have also been dealing with some potential networking between other Factions that want to join our current rise to the top,” their leader said.

“Some of them were quicker than others, recognizing the power shift after the fight with Dexic and Seth. What this means for us as a whole is you five will be granted a free pass in dungeons if you encounter another group.”

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Nodding at Fowl, Everett pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to the dwarf.

“If you encounter another group, they will allow you to go ahead and have first access to whatever might be available.”

“Why would they do that?” Cordellia asked.

“They’re afraid of being challenged,” Tanila replied before Everett could.

The older man chuckled and nodded.

“Right now we are in a very rare position and I am working hard to keep us safely on top for a very long time,” Everett explained. “Even the Queens are actively involved in some changes that have us in a very special position.”

Everyone flinched as he spoke one word differently and used his fingers for air quotes.

“Right now we have gone from a middle of the pack Faction to a place our brothers and sisters haven’t seen in over five hundred years. The council is working with me to ensure that those favors we have not called in are best used, providing the greatest opportunity for growth security. With that said…”

Five different keys appeared, and Everett handed them out slowly.

“You five are now in a room that hasn’t been used for a while. It is basically an apartment on the top floor and is better warded and protected from any potential intrusions.”

A smirk appeared as he said those words, and the old man gave Max a wink.

“No one should be able to enter a window or those doors unless it is Tom, myself or you. When you first use the key, it will bind you to the door and from that moment, each of you will reside there.”

A roll of paper appeared in Everett’s hand, and he spread it out over the table between the couches.

Everyone gathered close and a few whistles came as they recognized what it was.

“You’re going to construct more buildings?”

Grinning, their Faction leader nodded at Cordellia and tapped one of the new additions.

“We are going to construct a new area designed just for crafting. With the current materials we are acquiring, the influx of people looking to join us and the need to keep things safe, we plan to become one of the greatest areas for crafting.”

“This can’t be cheap!” Fowl muttered as he studied the six-floor building that was designed to be built mostly underground. “How much is this going to cost?”

Bags of coins began to fall from Everett’s hand onto the floor, each one clinking with the weight that immediately let the dwarf know they were gold.

“Someone was gracious enough to drain the coffers of not only our recent rival but also the local bookies in town. The two extra fights were highly skewed in our favor and we had a line of individuals all more than content to place wagers in their name for a percentage of the win.”

“Can I ask how much?” Tanila inquired as she leaned forward, grinning in a way Max hadn’t seen in a while.

Wincing, he shook his head from side to side for a moment before nodding.

“Over a hundred thousand gold.”

Coughs came from everyone at the knowledge of how much impact that kind of wealth could bring in the hands of a Faction overnight.

Clearing his throat, Everett then tossed a small leather pouch to everyone but Max.

“Inside is an item from the recent fight that took place. Those are your items, courtesy of Seth. He told me what you most likely needed, and I tried to make the best decision about who got what.”

Gasps and eye bulging came from Fowl, Cordellia, and Batrire as they inspected the jewelry they had been given.

“With that said, all I can say is to be smart and safe. You have the entire council backing you five and there aren’t many requests I will turn down, provided they aren’t impossible or completely ridiculous.”

Batrire elbowed Fowl as he was about to speak, causing him to grunt and close his mouth.

? After a moment of silence, Max stood and shook Everett’s hand.

“As always, we appreciate you.”

Chuckling, the older man nodded and moved toward his desk.

“If you five don’t mind, I need to review about fifty applications and prepare to do some duties that fall under my purview.”

Everyone got up and began walking toward the door, grinning as they prepared to check out their new room.

***

“This place is bigger than it should be!” Cordellia exclaimed as they moved about the room.

“Spatial magic,” Tanila said as she nodded. “The walls and rooms are part of a pocket… this thing must be very old and extremely expensive.”

Max realized the two women were right as the door they entered looked no different from the others on the floor except upon opening it, light streamed in from a few skylights above, even though there wasn’t an actual window on top of this floor. Couches and cushioned chairs were some of the many ornate decorations that awaited in the first room and down a few different halls and areas were sleeping quarters, a cooking area and multiple private bathrooms.

“How do we decide who sleeps where?” Fowl asked as he came from one bedroom down a hall.

“Just pick one,” Max said as he let out a gentle moan, finding the chair he had just sat down in was softer than anything he had ever reclined in before.

“Oh, that’s easy then. I’ll take the one with the lowest bed so I don’t have to toss Batrire into it each night.”

Laughter came as Batrire chased Fowl around the room, the pair dodging tables with flowers and other furniture obviously not meant to be part of a brawl.

I could get used to something like this…

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