Propagate: A survival litrpg

Day 6 | Secondary

Camping sucks!

Ever since I got brought here I've been repeating the same thing over and over. I wake up and hunt monsters. Then I look around for any non-poisoned fruits, which is harder than I thought. I do that for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For the rest of the time I just keep heading west, with my army in tow of course.

I can't start a fire, so I have to snuggle up with my monsters, which is still pretty scary!

Ive been using appraise on almost everything I come across. Trees, monsters, fruits, it can even Identify land masses. Though, almost every fruit I've appraised was poisonous in some way.

I've been diligently heading west ever since I got that lore fragment three days ago. I'm kinda losing hope, because so far I haven't really seen anything, though it's not like this huge group of monsters is very fast.

In the meantime I've been practicing magic as much as possible, and it's super hard. There are three stages of magic. First stage is ‘touch’. While I can kinda see the mana strings, touching them is a whole different deal.

If I put even the tiniest whisper of extra force into my arms, the string will dissipate. I've only succeeded in touching the strings three times. And even then, I still can't grab them. From what I understand, the other stages are ‘movement’ and ‘formation’. Grab the mana, make shapes out it, then activate the shaped mana. How? No clue.

As we've been traveling, I've noticed something. It's about my soul magic. I've been trying to figure out all of its uses. I know I can sense souls, and I can kinda gauge a creature's strength, though I can just use my [Super Appraisal] for that.

I can bind souls as well, which is how I'm adding to my army. I'm not sure how to explain it, but it's like I'm putting these white chains around their souls, and asserting influence over them with that. I don't know how I did it though. When I got the skill I just.. Knew how to do this. It's crazy.

The thing is, the chains I have around their souls feel kinda weird. Like their …. Slipping or something. The more creatures I add, the more loose the chains feel.

Out of nowhere, we stumble on a group of huge turtles, with pikes sticking out of their shells. I dont even have to say anything, as my army begins rushing at them. Its at this time [War conduction] kicks in, and starts feeding me information about the battle.

Hmm, just rushing at them doesn't seem like a good idea. The wolves and jumpyier monsters are climbing onto the turtle's back, and they keep dying. Ugh, that's so gross. The legs are armored, but the underside isn't, maybe these aren't turtles? I swear the shell would go completely around… meh, whatever.

I start sending commands, urging action through the chains. The monsters reluctantly listen, though some of the stronger ones need constant urging.

I order those with spikes on their back to position under the creature, then I get ones with ranged attacks to aim for its belly. My biggest concern is it doing a crushing attack, but with the spiky ones under it, it'll take damage regardless.

Ten minutes of relentless tearing later, and the last turtle falls dead.

< Phalanx Turtle Slain x3 890 XP acquired>

< Soul Absorption Success. Level Increased. 11 → 12 | +1 Stp +1Skp >

Class - Grand Paragon | lv 12/200 ******

Race - High Human

Name - Lily f

Skp- 5 Stp- 4

Stats -

Strength 5

Speed 13

Stamina 9

Dexterity 10

Intellect 39

Sense 20

Vitality 20

Spirit 10

Charm 17 {locked}

Skills -

Mana Perception | lv3

Mana Manipulation | lv1

Mana touch | lv2

Water Affinity | lv1

Lightning Affinity | lv1

Class Skills-

Super Appraisal |||||| lv2

Soul Exploitation |||||| lv2

War Conduction |||||| lv1

Ill use my points to just round off some of my stats.

Class - Grand Paragon | lv 12/200 ******

Race - High Human

Name - Lily f

Skp- 5 Stp- 0

Stats -

Strength 5

Speed 15

Stamina 10

Dexterity 10

Intellect 40

Sense 20

Vitality 20

Spirit 10

Charm 17 {locked}

Skills -

Mana Perception | lv3

Mana Manipulation | lv1

Mana touch | lv2

Water Affinity | lv1

Lightning Affinity | lv1

Class Skills-

Super Appraisal |||||| lv2

Soul Exploitation |||||| lv2

War Conduction |||||| lv1

I wish I knew how to use my skill points. The system never bothered to mention how I could spend them outside of the skill shop at the start. I guess I have to wait for a lore tidbit to spill the beans.

< Lore Tidbit Cooldown: 2:46:51 >

Still three more hours huh?

I look up at the sky, a few clouds dotting a mildly yellow atmosphere. Its just barely becoming dusk.

It's at this time that I hear running water. I command my army to move faster as I feel the soul chains rattle uncomfortably. After a short trot, I find a massive island surrounded by a diverged river that fuses back into one. Rather than flat, it's like huge stone plates were put on top of each other, with different biomes atop each.

I make sure the wolf I'm riding on is able to swim, then I order all of the monsters across. This order stresses the soul chains even further, causing them to shudder and crackle with fragile energy.

Once across, with only around half of my army intact, we begin shouldering through the dense forests, climbing slopes and prancing up steep rock walls. It's clearly dusk by the time we make it up to a large clearing with a great view of the sunset. I hop off my great wolf with intent. But it's with that action that I feel a painful snap resounding somewhere within me.

One of the soul chains cracked.

A bead of sweat rolls down my brow as I hear an aggressive growl from behind me. Its okay, even if one breaks out, I still have the rest of them. This thought was quickly brushed aside as more fear inducing cracks began pounding throughout my insides. Break after break after break. The monsters began stalking towards me.

I ordered the rest of the monsters under my control to take them out. They didn’t move. More cracks, and more of the monsters sweep their heads towards me in animalistic fury. With only a few soon to break chains left, I realized I only had one option.

RUN!!!

I started booking it immediately, only getting a short distance before I was cut off by a large plant monster, resembling a bundle of vines.

I stumbled before running to the left, and watched as a dozen wolf monsters lept towards me, teeth gnashing. I attempted to climb up the steep dirt wall bordering the clearing. If I could just reach a tree, maybe they'll leave me alone after a long time.

I get maybe a foot up before my feeble strength fails me and I tumble down and fall almost into a monster's gaping maw. Tears stream down my face as I continue to run out of options. A weasel covered in blade-like fur dives at me, clipping into my arm and shearing away small strips of skin. I scream in pain.

“ GGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH”

I run, tripping over everything as I search for any avenue of escape, another cut, I realize these things are just toying with me. Every ounce of intellect is channeled into finding any way to live a moment longer.

Moment after moment I narrowly avoid death, prolonging my desperate suffering for another second. Another instant.

“ SOMEONE! PLEASE HELP ME!!! “

If there really is another person, now would be a really good time for them to show up. My body is exhausted, every ounce of strength gone as I fall back into the dirt wall I tried so desperately to escape moments before. I topple to the ground, covered in dirt, tears, and small cuts still gushing blood.

I look up at the sky. It's pretty. Why… did it have to be like this? What did I do to deserve a fate like this? As I lament, a monster unhinges its jaw and prepares to crunch down on me. I just hope it doesn’t hurt too much.

In that moment, what I can only describe as a miracle happens, as the wolf monster explodes to the side. I see a dark blur rocketing after. The being unfurls it's cloak and slams into the ground, halting its momentum after driving deep rivets into the floor.

The being stands up and I take in the sight. The creature is at least twice my size, with strips of green coiled around its arms and legs. It's bipedal too. I look up and see a human face twisted in cold fury, emerald eyes glowing green.

The large man slams his foot into the ground and rushes over to the main group of monsters, who had stopped paying attention to me. I watched in horror as one of the wolves ripped a chunk out of the man's arm, and to my greater horror, he didn’t even flinch as he stabbed into its head so hard the ground broke.

He lifted the purple blade and began hacking and slashing the hoard of monsters. They constantly threw everything they had at him, while he continued pulverizing everything in his sight.

I watched for minutes as the vicious battle continued. Once the man was covered in twice as many injuries as it should take to kill someone, he raised his blade and stood stock still for a single second. Then, in a blur of motion, he swung down with thunderous power, and every single monster in front of him was torn to shreds by some invisible force, eventually rending a faraway tree as well.

With almost a fifth of the army taken out in a single move, the tide of battle had clearly turned to his favor. More hacking and slashing and earth shattering punches later, and every monster lay dead at his feet.

I notice his labored breathing as he seems to study the carpet of corpses lay strewn beneath his feet. I hold my breath as he turns towards me, his face covered in blood and painted with cold indifference. s-[Super Appraisal]!!

Class - Thresher | lv 17/50 | 525/3400 xp **

Race - Modular Human m

Achievements- The Special | Self indulgent | (+6)

Name - Maximilian | Condition- Curse of Soul Fray

Emotional State- Worried

Hp- 2458/3400 | St- 6500/6500

SkP- 7 | Stp- 3 |

Legacy: Sky Wyrm ( Wind | Draconic )

Ability’s: Chaos Potential | Overload | Resonation

Stats -

Strength 52

Speed 63

Stamina 66

Dexterity 61

Intellect 51

Insight 10.1

Sense 85.8

Vitality 34

Charm 16

Special Skills -

Existential Empower ||| lv9/20

Death Resistance \ lv3/99

Corruption Resistance ||| lv1/20

Defense Orientation | lv4

Class Skills -

Desperate endurance || lv3

Schematica (⅖) || lv2

High Hound || lv3

Defense Orientation || lv4

Passive Skills -

Complex Crafting ||| lv1/20

Multishot || lv8/10

Tracing || lv8/10

Adv Dismantling ||| lv1/20

Grinding || lv5/10

Storm Wise | lv1/5

Greater Deft || lv7/10

Toxicology || lv6/10

Targeting | lv9/10

Travel ||| lv3/20

Night Owl | lv1/5

Strafe Lith || lv1/10

Greater Regen || lv3/10

Terrain Memorization || lv3/10

Stitching | lv1/5

Evasion || lv4/10

CQC || lv1/10

Feather Foot | lv2/5

Tree Hopping | lv1/5

Active Skills -

Brash Dash ||| lv1/20

Spring 3/3 || lv 1/10

Power Boost || lv3/10

Meditation | lv4/5

Pierce | lv3/5

Smash | lv4/5

Slash || lv1/10

Supplementation ||| lv2/20

Resistances -

Greater Pain res || lv6/10

Shadow res | lv1/5

Force Res | lv4/5

Oh my god. He's only five levels above me, and his class is at a way lower tier, but he has so many skills! his intellect is only a bit higher then mine, but all of his physical stats are insane. No wonder he tore all those monsters to shreds!

I keep my eye on only one thing: Emotional state. That'll be my best indicator if he decides to kill me.

The man looks at me, eyes moving as if studying me. I look at his body, the pressure of meeting his gaze too much for my stressed mind. He's covered in blood, though I'm unsure how much of it is his. The place where he got a chunk of arm ripped off is almost fully healed, all the muscle regenerated with only the skin needed to cover it. Most of the small cuts were fully healed, though the bleeding had stopped only seconds after he got the wounds.

“ … hey. “ Starts the mysterious and hulking man, still covered in the blood in guts of various monsters.

I look up at him, having to painfully crane my neck upwards to look into his eyes as his massive form made deep shadows over me. As if noticing my discomfort, he gets down on his knees and begins speaking a touch quieter.

“ Are you okay? “

Afraid of what he would do, I decided to speak up, lest I anger him with my lack of response. As I do so, I keep my eyes trained on his emotional state.

“...No…” I said in a small voice.

It sounded unbelievably pathetic. I'm too tired to even feel embarrassed.

“ Shame. “ He pronounced in the same monotone, emotionless tone he opened with.

As soon as he replies, I feel fear wash down my spine as his emotional state changes.

< Emotional state: Embarrassed, Awkward >

Huh?

“ My Name's Max. I assume you're an other worlder?”

How did he know?!?! And what's the deal with his emotional state? It's a complete contrast to what I'm looking at!

“...What gave it away?...” I was still looking down in a desperate attempt to avoid that intense gaze.

“Your clothes. Also, why would a kid be out in the middle of nowhere? Unless you got unlucky with your spawn like I did. I was really hoping for a village, or at least near one, but NOPE, random forest.” Emotion gradually rushes into his words, like every letter brought life back into him. As if he hasn't spoken in a long time, as if he had forgotten.

The stranger. No, MAX stands up, and looks at me for a second. His emotional state changes to thoughtful, and after a moment, he offers me his hand.

“ Cmon, let's get out of here. My house is near- well, I wouldn't call it a house but, my place is nearby. “ The glow in his eyes was completely gone, as well as his intense and unreadable expression. He looked like a completely different person than the one that was tearing wolves apart with his bare hands moments ago.

He looks at me pointedly.

Max: “ Unless you’d rather stay here? Stranger danger and all that, I get it. At the very least I could give you some supplies. How’s that sound?“

I'm terrified. Of the forest, of monsters, the future, of the night. But I'm afraid of him too. He's unpredictable, a wild card. But I can't go out there again. I just can't! Maybe it's risky but, maybe I can put some trust in him? He seems to not mind my existence at least? Ah, whatever! It's do or die!

I take his hand, and he helps me up, almost lifting me off the wall. He sets back down again with great care, looking me up and down again to make sure I'm unharmed.

“ Hmmm… we might need to get those scratches looked at. “ He muttered thoughtfully, looking me up and down with a critical eye.

“ T-thanks, I could really use… anything, right about now. “ I Look into his eyes and gauge his reaction.

“ Thought so. Follow me. ” He whirls around with a small smile on his face, gesturing with one hand in a following motion.

The sky grows visibly darker as time winds on. We walk through twisting paths and clamber over small rock walls. Eventually we walked through a small and winding ravine. With tall dirt walls with gnarled roots running channels through them. I walk directly behind him, with not enough room to comfortably walk next to each other. Not that I'd want to..

“ How much further? ” I hesitate to ask, not wanting to initiate too much conversation. The more we talked, the higher chance he'd come to regret taking me in, and something bad would happen. I finally relented when I felt my legs deform into noodles. I should have invested in more stamina.

Max: “ We are~... about four fifths of the way there. Once we turn here, we just have to walk through the forest for a bit…… By the way, how high is your sense stat? “ He gestures with his right arm, bending his whole hand to the right in an L shape. Then, he slows down a bit to turn to me while still walking, keeping one eye trained on my face, probably to gauge my reaction.

“ ….N-not very. Why? “ I tried my best not to sound nervous. I don't think it worked.

“ Well, it's starting to get dark. As you put more points into sense, your night vision gets better. Mine's pretty high, so I can see perfectly fine at night.“ It's true, my sense was only a fourth of his, yet I could see pretty decently in the dark. Clearly not as well as his though. Not that he needs to know that.

“ How long have you been here? “ I strike up a bit of conversation. Might smooth out the mood a bit you know? Calm the nerves. Which reminds me, that's what dad used to say before he'd drink from these fancy glass bottles, and then mom would usher me into my room. No one ever explained what was up with that.

“ Three weeks. You? ” His face remained stoic, reminicent of a rock wall.

“ That long!? Today's only my sixth day… U-um, how's life? ” Honestly I was surprised he hasn't been here for three years, considering the stuff he’s wearing.

“ It's been rough. But, what can you do? ” He said the last part quiter, wistfully staring off into the sky.

Our awkward questions continue on as we slowly start to warm up to each other. Through the exchange, I've come to realize that Max isn’t some monster, but a regular person. He's just a bit frazzled by this crazy situation. I'm sure that once I get to know him better, I’ll internalize that he’s just a normal, run of the mill g-.

Suddenly, he stops and whirls his head to the left. A moment later and he shoves me roughly to the right and behind him. A huge beak snaps out of the bushes right where I was standing, mouth wide and showing off its wicked teeth.

In a thunderous blur of motion, Max grabs the bird's beak and roughly pulls it out of the bushes. The force brings the monster to the floor, and Max dives onto its head, knife at the ready. With one sickening crunch, he stabs his purple sword right into the bird's eye and through its brain. In less than three seconds, the fight is over.

I watch Max's maniacal grin soften into a warm smile as he turns to me. Still reeling from the fast action, near death experience and maxes ability to change gears so quickly, his next words catch me completely off guard.

“ Sweet! Looks like we got dinner! “ There’s not an ounce of sarcasm or deception, but only pure glee evident in his declaration.

Suddenly, the absurdity of the day combined with my depleted energy crashes into me all at once, and the world falls away to complete blackness.

---

Suddenly, I snap awake and sit up. I look around and take stock of my surroundings. It's dark, but the moon is only just making its appearance. Not much time has passed.

First thing I see besides the moon is Max sitting on a log and poking at a fire just a few feet away from me. “ Oh! You're up! I was gonna wake you if you weren't up by midnight. Or whatever it's called when the moons above us. By the way, I never got your name. I'm so used to just waiting for other people to say it I almost forgot how to ask. “

“ ... I'm Lily. “ I say simply in a tired voice.

“ Nice to meetcha, here's dinner. “

He hands me a rough wooden plate with roasted chicken stacked high on top. I start salivating from the smell, my stomach begging me to take a bite, but I resist.

“ Do you have a fork? “

He looks at me confused.

“ ..It's chicken. Just use your hands. “ He speaks incredulously, as if such an act was obvious and intended.

“ I'm not a wild animal. “ I speak up indignantly, despite my lingering fear telling me to submit.

“ Coulda fooled me.. “ He spoke quietly and off to the side, though my enhanced senses let me pick it up anyways. I decide to play along.

“ What was that? “ I shouted, jokingly accusatory.

“ Nothing! Man, this chicken is dry. Wish I had seasonings. I also wish I could cook.. “ He shouted at first, before retreating back vocally and mumbling ruefully to himself.

We sit in silence as we both munch on the dry chicken. Despite the taste of sand, I savor the flavor. I've been eating nothing but fruit and grass for days. I hear loud crunching from next to me, and I watch with abject horror as Max takes massive bites out of the rib he's munching on. He's literally eating the bone.

“ Um … Are you supposed to eat it like that?”

“Like what?”

“ …Bone and all? “

“ Oh, you're one of those? I bet you get your pizzas boneless too. “

We start lightly bickering, occasionally bringing up memes we had no rights to be bringing to this world. Once I finish my chicken, stuffed to the limit, I sit and watch as Max stuffs a truly astonishing amount of food down his gullet. With almost the entire bird gone, and Max eating the bones that I picked out, we both sit near the fire and watch the stars. At least I do, Max just stares into the flames, contemplating something.

“ Welp, it's about time I go to bed. I've got an early start tomorrow. You can have my hut, it's over there.” He points to the dome of sticks and leaves I noticed earlier. “ And I'll just sleep in some tree nearby. “ He finished, acting as if that was a normal thing that people normaly do. Still, im greatful. I have no clue how to work out the sleeping situation otherwise.

“ I already took a small nap, I doubt I'll be able to go to sleep tonight.” Though the fatigue still hasn't worn off, my mind is still fresh. Max's eyes reflect a twinge of amusement.

“ Well I can always try and knock you out. I can’t really control my strength though, so it'll be a learning experience for both of us. “ I can hear the humor reverberate throughout his voice as he speaks, not an ounce of intention pertaining to executing such a statement.

“ Ya know now that I think about it, I'm really tuckered out. I'll probably fall asleep as soon as my head hits the floor. “

“ Mmm. I'll give you the full tour in the morning. Until then, you go to sleep and I'll go make you a blanket. “ So saying, he disappears into the darkness and starts routing around in one of the tall piles I saw upon awakening.

I stand up and stretch, feeling my back pop all around until I'm satisfied. I walk over to the hut, and lay down in the surprisingly soft bed of white leaves. Time passes as my eyelids drift shut, and darkness overtakes me. In my semi sleep state, I only barely feel something heavy coat my entire body. The warmth seeps into me, further propelling my mind into the comforts of sleep.