Ch 55

  Matt eventually caught up with Greg, finding him engrossed in practicing his new spells. Now that he had reached level 4, Greg had chosen the wind magic path—a decision that had unlocked two intriguing spells. One spell allowed him to forge a blade from swirling wind, while the other delivered what felt like a forceful punch upon impact. Although Matt had heard of these abilities, he had yet to witness them used in battle. Greg was determined to master both spells before risking their use in combat, wary of the possibility of inadvertently harming an ally due to imperfect control.

  “You know, we won’t always have the luxury of time to perfect our skills before they’re thrust into battle,” Greg remarked. “Hey Matt, it’s good to see you back on your feet,” he added with an oddly light tone.

  That awkward inflection left Matt uneasy, as if there were hidden layers to the situation beyond what he had seen or heard since waking. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

  “Yeah, I just think things were better when it was only the seven of us in the dungeon,” Greg replied with a sigh.

  “Is it a matter of numbers, or is something off with the new group?” Matt probed further.

  “Both, honestly. Every one of us was an outcast or a recluse back on Earth, so some tension was expected. Yet, the new group’s behavior feels strangely unnatural—there’s a void where the usual discord should be, and I can’t quite figure out why.”

  “There’s more to Jaelyn than meets the eye,” Matt mused. “At least, that’s the narrative the one pulling the strings wants us to believe.”

  “What?” Greg questioned, clearly unsure.

  “Listen,” Matt continued, “I’m going to be away for a few days. While I’m gone, I need you to lead a group that’s focused on reaching level 6. All I require from you is to assert that I hoped you’d prove you were capable of managing our main line of defense. This is the assurance that will let me venture out longer in the future.”

  “Matt, I’m not following you,” Greg admitted.

  “You don’t need to, really,” Matt explained with a hint of impatience. “If I tried to elaborate any further, you’d just end up more confused. Just repeat the line I just gave you.”

  “Alright,” Greg said cautiously, “but is it the truth?”

  “Yes, absolutely. I genuinely hope to spend a week out in the wilderness without worrying about those remaining here,” Matt reassured him.

  “I miss the days when Steve acting like an ass was the biggest concern for our group’s dynamics,” Greg noted wryly.

  “Nah, your constant harem talk and general knack for being annoying only compounded the problem,” Matt laughed. “Steve just craves a sense of importance; as long as I give him that, he’ll keep clinging to it. By the way, make sure he’s in your leveling group, no matter what.”

  “Really? You’re going to do me like that?” Greg queried in disbelief.

  “Your role now is overall command,” Matt clarified, “but I can’t risk having Zara, Rose, Eleanor, or Yumiko with you at this time. With Emily coming along with me, those four need to stick together to avoid being overwhelmed by the new group.”

  Suddenly, Steve emerged seemingly out of nowhere. “You should send them out too,” he declared. “Don’t ask about my skills or why they are what they are—just know that I hear more than you think. I appreciate your honest opinions about me.”

  “God damn,” Greg muttered under his breath. “Were you spying on Matt or me just now?”

  “Matt, of course,” Steve replied coolly. “You’re simply not worth the energy required to keep this skill active. Whatever’s happening around here is clearly destined to push me into the shadows, so I might as well embrace that role and make the most of it.”

  Matt frowned, clearly unaccustomed to Steve’s unexpectedly cooperative manner, given his usual antagonism toward both Greg and himself. Yet here Steve was, offering advice as though Matt would undoubtedly heed it, and even showing off a new set of abilities he must have gained at level 4—much like the extra wind spells Greg had acquired. All of this only complicated matters further as Matt responded.

  "I can’t allow Eleanor to leave if I’m to maintain any semblance of leadership," he said, his voice edged with responsibility.

  "What about me?" Steve interjected, his tone a blend of curiosity and challenge.

  "Steve, do you really believe anyone would trust me if I appointed you as my representative?" Matt asked, a hint of skepticism underlying his words.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  "None of those who just arrived know enough to find it odd—and my group—" began Steve before Greg cut in sharply.

  "—has already spilled the beans," Greg stated dryly. "You can say whatever you want, but the way we’re organized is already known. If you want Matt to trust you, prove your worth by helping out during the couple of days he’ll be away and gain Eleanor’s approval. Don’t try to bypass the chain of command like you’re doing now—"

  "There is no set chain of command," Matt interjected firmly. "Everything ultimately leads back to me, and while I do delegate responsibilities, this isn’t the military. Everyone is free to leave if they wish."

  "You say that, but is that truly the reality we’re living in?" questioned Steve, his eyes narrowing as he considered the situation. "The core team that went into the dungeon with you defers to you on every important matter. That’s why your absence for one day—spent healing others—created so many issues. Not to mention, your willingness to heal earned us some much-needed leeway."

  "Can you stop acting like you have my best interests at heart?" Greg snapped, frustration evident in his voice. "With everything else going on, your attitude just adds to the feeling that something is off."

  "He’s adapting," Matt calmly stated. "Just as we all must. Steve, I’m not putting you in charge, but go ask Eleanor to come by here, and I’ll tell her to rely on you a bit more for the next few days."

  With a curt nod, Steve turned and left, making sure he was out of earshot before Matt continued speaking with Greg.

  "Whatever you do, don’t stray more than 20 minutes from the fort while leveling up over the next few days. Constantly rotate out all but the essential members by saying you’re looking for the best combination."

  "Matt, relax," Greg replied, his voice carrying both reassurance and concern. "I’ll handle my part. But frankly, what’s the fallback location if things go south here?"

  Matt pondered that question for a long time, as no suitable location came to mind that was unique to both Greg and him. However, as he continued to think, one location did stand out. Greg would need assistance to find it, and Matt just hoped that one of the others could help him as he began to speak. "The place where I spent my first night here should work. Hopefully, Eleanor or one of the others will remember enough to locate it again, but that means you need to have at least one of them with you at all times."

  "Got it. Hopefully, it won't be necessary, but I think I can manage that," Greg replied.

  With that, their conversation shifted to less pressing matters until Steve returned with a very annoyed Eleanor, who seemed ready to announce her resignation as she spoke. "What is it now? I'm already juggling half a dozen reassignments with Emily insisting she's going with you this time."

  "I need you to collaborate with Steve more while I'm away. From what I've heard, you already have some tasks that he could assist with," Matt suggested.

  "Matt, what happened to letting me figure out the best ways to accomplish things?" Eleanor questioned.

  "I'm only making a suggestion, but we need to ensure Steve is being utilized, especially since he seems to have developed a knack for sneaking around and eavesdropping on others' conversations," Matt replied.

  "I'm not going to undermine everyone's trust by having someone surreptitiously listening in on their conversations. This isn't a medieval fantasy drama with plots within plots and countless fools vying for power," Eleanor retorted.

  "Are you sure about that?" Steve interjected. "Because whoever controls this fort could very well return to Earth with a substantial faction under their command."

  "The only person who controls this fort is me," Matt stated firmly. "Unless someone is prepared to kill me and then face the dungeon and survive to claim the control I have, they should just forget about it. Oh, and feel free to spread the word that if I die, everyone in the fort will be trapped until the dungeon is cleared."

  "Come again?" Eleanor asked, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

  “Steve, the only reason all humans can come and go is because Matt allows it,” Eleanor said. “If you ever want to test it, lure a monster in and then run out of the fort. You’ll see that they are trapped inside by something beyond our understanding. It’s why only a fool would ever try something as reckless as taking over the fort—Matt can simply change it back so that only those who complete the dungeon can come and go freely.”

  “You misunderstand,” Steve replied, his old tone resurfacing. “You’re trying to control people with threats rather than inspiring them with good leadership?”

  “No,” Matt interjected firmly. “Just make sure everyone knows: the only time I would use that ability willingly is if I felt backed into a corner. As you all know, once I hit level 9, I’ll be gone shortly after. One other person will likely join me, but beyond that, I doubt anyone else will be allowed. Which is why, if I come off as a tyrant in the meantime, you all need to put up with it, knowing that Eleanor will be expected to handle whatever transition is necessary afterward.”

  “Have I mentioned how terribly you’ve been treating me lately?” Eleanor retorted. “The least you could do is secure my exit from this world.”

  “Let’s not assume that the place I’m headed to next will be any better,” Matt replied coolly.

  “It will let you continue to grow,” Steve stated thoughtfully. “Matt, while many of us just want to survive, you should remember that Greg isn’t the only one who sees benefits in finding a way to excel. Perhaps you should allow others to make their cases on why they should be the one you choose.”

  “This isn’t some trashy reality TV show, like ‘The Bachelor,’” Eleanor snapped. “Matt isn’t looking for a winner—he’s looking for—”

  “Someone he can rely on to have his back,” Steve cut in. “Ultimately, that is all whoever goes with him needs, if I’m not mistaken.”

  “You are,” Matt confirmed. “No ticket out of here comes free, and this one comes with several strings attached. Strings that I’m not even fully aware of myself, and I’m not sure if I’ll end up regretting the deal I made or not. Now, unless there’s a good reason to continue talking, I’d like to end this conversation here.”

  “Just take a minute to explain to Zara, Yumiko, and Rose why Emily is going with you, and not them,” Eleanor stated firmly.

  “Very well.”

  After Matt closed with that, nothing else was said. An hour later, after spending a bit of time with three disappointed women, Emily found Matt accompanied by three others. Each of them wore worried expressions, yet none had accepted his previous offer to trade places with anyone else when he first proposed it. Instead, they only asked him to confirm that they would be free to speak their minds once they left the compound, without suffering any consequences. Once he confirmed, all three seemed to harden their resolve. Realizing that there was nothing left to do but move forward, the five of them departed in the opposite direction of where Matt had gone before.