CHAPTER 141: IT’S OK (6)

Lena was right. Just three weeks ago, the average monster was level 40, and around Havenwood it was even lower. Only creatures that lived in nests, like the Vorathid Ants, could use teamwork to hunt, or monsters as strong as the Bark Behemoths, ever reached such high levels.

While the presence of the Broodmother and the colony mentality of these creatures partially explained the levels, it didn’t do it completely.

"I don’t have an answer to this... I can only say that I hope other people are doing their best."

Lena nodded. "The last thing would be to take care of the Broodmother in case she escapes the building. She’s the real threat. How do we take her down?"

Reidar’s voice was steady and sure. "Once we’ve dealt with her minions, the broodmother will be alone, and there won’t be much she will be able to do against my army. Without them, she’s just a monster, albeit a very powerful one."

Lena drew a slow breath, steadying herself. "Then don’t forget to bring Jake. We’ll need to power-level him as much as we can."

Reidar nodded. "Actually, he will need to help. I will share some skills with him, healing ones at most. I need him to take care of healing our summons. With that speed of his, he should be able to cover a lot of ground."

Reidar noticed Lena’s hesitation, her brow furrowed as she glanced at the door where Jake was resting. He knew what she was thinking. The boy was just a kid, despite his high level, and the thought of putting him in harm’s way was disturbing.

"You’re worried about Jake, aren’t you?" Reidar asked. "I see it on your face. You’re not sure about involving him in this."

Lena looked at him with doubt. "He’s just a kid, Reidar. He’s been through enough. I don’t want to put him in more danger."

Reidar nodded, understanding her feeling. "I know, Lena. But Jake is stronger than he looks. He’s already proven himself capable. The apocalypse doesn’t spare anyone, and he’s already lost so much. He needs to learn to fight back, to take control of his own destiny."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "Besides, I doubt he would accept to stay idle, he will want to have a part in this. He will join the fight regardless of what we choose to do with him. With his speed and agility, he could be a real asset. He can move quickly, heal our summons, and keep them in the fight longer."

Lena sighed. "I just don’t want to see him get hurt."

Reidar placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Neither do I. But sometimes, the best way to protect someone is to give them the tools to protect themselves. Jake needs to be part of this. He needs to know he can make a difference, even if it’s scary."

Lena nodded, her mind made up. "You’re right. We’ll talk to him, explain everything, and see if he’s ready."

Reidar nodded. "We leave tomorrow at first light. We’ll need to be well-rested and ready for anything. Jake will guide us around, and then it’s up to us to end this. We’ll need to gather as much information as we can from Jake about the layout of the theater and any potential weaknesses in the spider’s defenses. The more we know, the better our chances."

Lena stood up. "I’ll talk to Jake. You focus on preparing."

Reidar watched as Lena left the room, her steps determined. He knew they were taking a tremendous risk, but it was a risk they had to take.

Creamont was not far from here, and the Broodmother could extend her territory there.

Lena went to talk to Jake, although she had to wake him up. Reidar took out a piece of wood he got from the forest and started carving it.

He never stopped practicing his professions. Between one survival horror and the next, he found moments like this—returning to the rhythmic, grounding work of his hands.

It was a kind of meditation, a small anchor to a world where making things still mattered. Of the three professions Morv’axil had given him, woodworking had become his favorite. He got a real satisfaction from it, which felt strange when one thought about the life he was actually living.

The piece he worked on now was special. A thick, dark length of Ironwood, harvested from the mineral-rich soil near Havenwood’s quarry back then. It was naturally dense, heavy in his hands, resistant to damage, and would make a great wand.

The only problem was that his woodworking only reached level 34, and with no vendor in sight, he had no way to get new recipes, so he was forced to improvise.

He was deep into the second step of the process: Material Preparation. This was the part of the process where the wild wood had to be cured, its chaotic mana aligned and stabilized before it could become a worthy vessel for enchantment.

Crouched on the floor, Reidar poured his mana into the wood, slowly controlling the wild mana and controlling it with his own. The wood started to feel more peaceful and responsive to his touch.

But this was just part of the work. He had already took control of most of the chaotic mana. He was now at the part of the project where he was trying to imbue the element he wanted into the wood so that the enchantment he would then perform would be stronger in that area.

Beside him lay a shallow bowl. Into it, he’d placed a handful of finely ground bone dust, harvested from the remains of his own Bone Militia. Next to it was a smaller clay cup holding the blood willingly given by one of his Primal Pack wolves.

This was element Soaking, an act of intentional attunement. He carefully mixed the components into a thin paste with a few drops of water. Using his fingers, he began working this slurry into the grain of the Ironwood, massaging it deep into the fibers and bringing it deeper using mana.

He was building a foundation.

The bond between the components had to be perfect. A poorly cured piece would just spit out any enchantment, or blow up in his face. But the wood drank in the mixture like it was thirsty.

When the paste was fully absorbed, he moved to the next phase. From his inventory, he produced a small jar of alchemical oil he got from Morv’axil, refined from the sap of a Bark Behemoth.

He applied a thin coat, working it into the wood with a soft cloth. It would protect the item from decay and, more importantly, create a permeable surface that would greedily absorb the magical energy he planned to pour into it later.

Then he started carving.