Chương 252: Chapter 243

Sam stepped inside the settlement and stopped to take in the sight. Buildings were mostly made from tightly compacted clay, stone, and wood. They were square and had small openings, probably to protect the population from the sudden intense winds that made the savanna their home. Aside from that, it was a very colorful settlement. He could see colorful awnings made from woven cloth dyed every color imaginable, while people were wearing just as many colorful things.

While not shown, he also knew that most settlements in this savanna had at least one layer of underground construction. These were mostly for food storage, but some used them as workshops or, in case of attacks, as last-chance emergency shelters. Sadly, most of the raiders were from the same place, so they knew about these shelters. However, against rampaging monsters, invaders, or environmental disasters, those shelters had great success rates.

In bigger settlements, towns, or even cities – as the people of the savanna lacked the knowledge in the past on how to build bigger multistory buildings – the underground constructions were even more expansive. Sometimes they even reached down several miles, ending in confusing underground labyrinths, home to monsters and men alike. Back in the future some people thought that there were several lost cities buried in those tunnels underground and launched several expeditions.

Last the other Sam heard they found some unfathomable monsters and some treasure but no hidden cities. The guard who let him in seemingly had enough of his observation and woolgathering and cleared his throat.

"So, traveler, why has the wind brought you here?" he asked looking Sam over with careful eyes.

"Just a little stopover as I head down south," he replied simply.

"To Sunspot?"

"Yeah. Wanted to see the city and heard there have been things happening even more south," Sam answered. Sunspot was the biggest city in this part of the continent, practically the capital city of the savanna, setting aside the fact there was no actual country to speak of. However, most of the most influential people lived there, thus it was treated as a capital city by everyone. As for the name?

Legend had it that the first settlers chose the spot for the city because they found a nice spot to bask in the warmth of the sun after a particularly cold winter. Instantly, the man's face tightened. Clearly, he also heard of the situation.

"Want to join? Here to seek fame and fortune?" he asked, his tone perfectly conveying what he thought of people who did that. Sam shook his head.

"Nothing like that. I'm here to… scout the situation," he replied with an even voice, placing a little more emphasis on the word scout. The guard instantly picked it up and stood a little straighter, eyeing Sam with renewed interest.

"Scouting you say…" Sam nodded.

"Yes. We're very worried about the news coming in and thus I decided to journey south and check it for myself," he answered with a mysterious smile. He wasn't part of a bigger task force, but his words suggested so, and seeing the face the guard was making, he inferred that Sam was just one of the many. Which made the guard very happy.

"I see, I see…" he began, nodding wisely while surreptitiously looking around. He then leaned a little closer and began to whisper.

"I heard that old Garen has a nephew in Sunspot and he sends a letter every week." Then the guard straightened out and began speaking normally.

"Welcome to Groundwater. We have the cleanest groundwater in the area! Guaranteed to quench your thirst!" Then he turned around and started walking to his guard spot. Sam watched him leave with a funny smile. He wanted to point out that the man didn't tell him where he could find old Garen, but the guard looked so proud of his 'subterfuge' that Sam didn't have the heart to ask about it. Plus, while the settlement was busy, it wasn't that big that he would need to spend ages to search it.

With a jaunty wave at the back of the guard, he also began to move. For some time, he just walked through the settlement, taking in the sights. He saw people coming and going, children playing, old people complaining and everything in-between. Most of the people cast him suspicious gazes, the children ran around him with some even dragged away by worried guardians on his approach. Sam wasn't really bothered by it.

One, they were NPCs, two it was pretty normal to be worried about strangers here in the wilds where shapeshifting fauna and flora made a game out of tricking people into getting themselves eaten. Entering one of the shops he looked around and saw all sorts of pelts and other fauna-related products being proudly displayed.

Seeing some kind of meerkat of all things stuffed and posed on one of the shelves, shining with mana to his other senses, he walked toward it and leaned in closer, trying to figure out what it was for.

"Ah, the totem!" came a voice from behind him. Sam glanced back and saw someone who was probably the proprietor, dressed in colorful poncho-looking clothing and wearing a hat that was topped by the stuffed head of a lion holding the stuffed head of a meerkat, which was gnawing on a stuffed mouse.

"A totem!"

"Indeed, my wind-brought guest!" the man exclaimed enthusiastically, the hat bouncing with every word.

"A totem to defend the shop and our home!"

"Ah! One of those ground-manipulating meerkats?" If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"You're well informed, traveler! Indeed, it is! Those little blighters love to 'help' building stuff. So, the shaman used their body to create a totem that would deter them. Fascinating, isn't it?" The man explained, gently petting the totem on its head.

"Maurice has been protecting this shop for the last twenty years and hasn't failed once!"

"Then why place it here where it can easily be damaged? Why not in a vault somewhere?" Sam asked curiously, already having dozens of ideas on how to make use of this kind of magic. The shop owner awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"Ah, we tried that, we did. Alas, as the shaman told me when I was young, the totem lets out a smell that deters those insufferable blighters. It's of no use if it is hidden away behind closed doors and impenetrable vault doors."

"Well, that makes sense…" Sam murmured, still eyeing the totem, trying to figure out the spell behind it.

'Probably some kind of ritual… Maybe they would be willing to trade for it?' he mused as he probed the item with his mana. Gently, though, as he didn't want to damage it. Then the shop owner continued to speak.

"But I reckon the wind didn't blow you in here to learn about Maurice, traveler! How can this humble shop owner help you?" the man asked and Sam could see the glimmer of greed in his eyes, showing that despite their genial countenance, they were a trueborn merchant. Sam moved away from the shelf and ran his eyes through all the available merchandise. He didn't actually need anything, but needs must and all that.

"I was thinking about surprising my friends back home with something soft. You have anything like that?" he asked finally.

'Maybe we could use them as decoration in the Heavenly Forest?' The man's eyes lit up and moved toward one of the shelves and removed a reddish-brown pelt the size of Sam. He unfurled it on his counter and began to gesticulate.

"This here was hunted from a Hazefox. A big one at that. Female, so it didn't face hardships, leaving its fur in pristine condition!" The man dragged Sam's hand to the fur and continued.

"Hazefoxes use fire magic, so the fur retains that heat even after harvest. Perfect for that cold winter night!" Sam ran his hand through the fur, and it was incredibly soft and slightly warm to the touch. He smiled.

"How many do you have?"

"Oh, dear traveler, we have all that you need!" came the expected answer. Sam nodded, hearing that.

"I want all of them."

"E-excuse me?" the shop owner asked, taken aback by Sam's declaration.

"You want how many?"

"As many as you have," Sam stated calmly. Then took out a bag of gold – prepared for a scenario just like this – and plopped it down on the counter, causing the jingle of coins to echo through the shop. It took a moment for the shop owner to compute his request but then the widest grin appeared on his face and the man became a whirlwind as he went about fulfilling Sam's order without asking any more questions.

"Anything else, great traveler?" the man inquired as he bowed while escorting Sam out of his shop, the grin on his face looking like it would become a permanent fixture. Sam wasn't really surprised about that. Even after haggling, the man no doubt made enough money that he wouldn't need to work for a year.

"Ah, yes. I was looking for a man named Garen. Could you point me in the right direction?"

"Old, young, big or small, Garen?" came the unexpected question from an apologetic shop owner.

"Garen is a pretty popular name."

"Ah, I was told he was old," Sam replied.

"Excellent, then I'm able to help you, traveler!" the show owner replied, the grin back on his face.

"Old Garen is one of the hunters. He returns after sundown at the west gate. You can catch him there."

"Much thanks!"

"It was my honor to help you, traveler! May the winds carry you!" Not having too much to do, and wanting to speak with old Garen after the game system gave him a pretty big hint, he spent his time organizing his inventory and making sure his new equipment and clothing were in working order. Poor Lucky was staring at him from his shadow the entire time with puppy eyes, begging to be let out to play with children.

However, as much as it pained him, Sam had to deny the request as he wanted to keep Lucky's existence as a trump card. Plus, by now, he was pretty well known and Lucky, thanks to being an adorable puppy, was even more popular with the netizens. He didn't want to chance somebody recognizing the excitable wolf.

The sun was going down, painting the quaint settlement in all shades of orange holding back the encroaching darkness when Sam, sitting on a crate and simply playing with mana cracked an eye open as he began hearing shouting. Unfortunately, it was not happy shouting. As he began to stand up and reach for his sword, the shouting began to grow and the guards began to rush around while the rest of the people began to anxiously watch the gate.

He didn't have to wait long as the gate was practically slammed open and several people charged through, all disheveled, bleeding from several wounds, and lacking almost any equipment that any hunter worth their salt would have with them. One of them, breathing heavily, was carrying an old unconscious man on their back.

"Close the gates! Close the gates!" one of them yelled and the guards moved instantly, not even questioning him, closing the door and moving several crossbeams down, locking them. Sam watched as the old man was lowered carefully on an already waiting stretcher – his identity, with Sam's luck, no doubt would be old Garen – and the younger hunters began to yell once again.

"They are coming! We must prepare!" Another guard stepped forward, Sam following from a little away.

"What is coming? Speak!"

"The bloodbeasts! Something riled them up and they are rampaging!" cried the young man, practically collapsing onto his knees in despair.

"We were scouting the valley and noticed they're agitated. Sunny went to check them but he…"

"He what?" the stone-faced guard asked prompting the young man to continue.

"He got his hand cut on one of the sharper stones…it drove them into a frenzy!" finished the man and broke down into sobs.

"Wh-where is Sunny?" an older woman asked from the watching crowd, worry etched into her sun-worn face.

"I'm sorry," the man sobbed.

"T-they tore him apart…" Sam listened to the wailing of the living as he contemplated the issue. Bloodbeasts were some of the most peaceful monsters of the savannah. Herbivores all the way. Unless they smelled fresh blood. That would cause them to turn aggressive. Normally, a wound like that would be only enough to make the herd the hunters were scouting agitated.

'Probably all the blood magic… And now they're hunting for more blood…'

"Brilliant…" he murmured under his breath.

"They really chose their starting positions perfectly…" He was interrupted by an older guard, probably their leader calling out to everyone.

"Come people of the earth! Let us defend what is ours and let the wind carry the song of our victory!" he exclaimed – rather heroically to Sam's eyes – and raised his sword in the air, causing people to let out a muted cheer. It was understandable as it was pretty hard to cheer while several people were sobbing their souls out next to them. He was about to approach the leader of the guards when a screen appeared in front of him. [New quest acquired!] [Call to action!] [The town of Groundwater is being threatened by bloodbeasts driven mad by the machinations of mages leagues away. The guard called those able to action. Are you willing to help them or are you going to leave them doomed?] [Time limit: Until sunrise] [Penalty: Guilt] [Reward: Honor]"Well, hard to say no to that!" Sam chuckled as he accepted the quest. Dismissing the window, he made sure no more would appear and began to make his way to where the rest of the warriors were congregating.

It was time for good old-fashioned tower defense. Or rather town defense...