Chương 45: B1 | Chapter 39

Aidan A small colosseum begins to grow out of the ground an equal distance away from both the metal building and the portal. Forming a sort of triangle out of the three, with all three facing towards the center of them, and the building being at the top of the triangle in the center of the valley. I watch the colosseum build itself for a moment before walking over to it when it's finished. Then I go inside to find decently sized bleachers large enough for maybe a couple thousand people surrounding an arena.

At the center of the arena is a structure leading into the ground via a stairwell. Which I'm guessing is the Labyrinth. ◊ The City Labyrinth has now been placed! ◊ ◊ The City Labyrinth is available to any who enter the city! ◊ ◊ All users who enter the Labyrinth will enter their own unique instance of it separate from other users. However, users may enter the Labyrinth in parties of up to five users if they are registered at the Labyrinth Terminal as a party.

◊ ◊ 1% of all War Points earned in the Labyrinth will be paid as a tax to the City Lord! ◊ I didn't realize I'd be getting tax points. That's nice. I look around the colosseum a little bit before walking out of it when the next messages appear. ◊ The System City's establishment is now complete! Users of the same or similar species will now be teleported from the Tutorial into the surroundings of the user's System City. ◊ Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what will happen here. Since I'm not human anymore.

At the same time, there were lots of voidlings in the Tutorial. Even if I'm not sure if they'd be considered similar enough to me to be teleported here. And there is at least one voidling in the top one thousand. I know because there's one in the top ten. So, for all I know, all of the voidlings could end up being sent to their System City. I glance around for a moment before breaking into a jog towards the walls. Only to stop halfway there when I see bright lights shining in the distance beyond the mountains.

And quite a lot of them at that. Are those all users arriving…? ◊ Users are currently arriving! ◊ After a brief hesitation, I continue running straight towards the walls before jumping directly onto the walls at the top of a mountain. Which instantly reveals the sight of dozens of voidlings scattered amongst the trees. And that's just in the limited area I can see. Holy shit… The voidlings I see all let out screeches before rushing in my direction.

Then they begin to bow their heads towards me from the base of the wall and all down the mountain. With more and more arriving by the minute. I guess if voidlings are counted as a similar species, then a lot of them would end up here. Since there are so few voidling related species that should have a System City. That said… Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Most of these voidlings look like they're either not sapient or barely sapient.

But there are a few sapient ones mixed in. With one of them in particular that moves closer than the others and bows his head before stating, "R'th'rexithal has decreed prior to the Tutorial's end that he shall find your city through the void and submit his city to you as is proper." I blink at that, feeling more than a little startled by his words. He's not the only one who declares that, though.

Because three more voidlings arrive and repeat similar declarations about three different voidlings that were apparently in the top one thousand ranks. Wait a second, does this mean I'm going to be in charge of four cities, including my own?! The hell?! I am not the leader type! Wait. I can just delegate each city to be under a voidling's control. Right. That'll work. After all of the voidlings relay their messages and end up looking awkward just bowing their heads to me, the first one who spoke speaks again.

Sharing even more surprising and annoying news.

"R'th'rexithal also wishes to inform you that the swarm has discovered news of both the orcs and zelbar grouping together under one banner each," the voidling states, his cold and wispy voice almost sending a chill down my spine amidst the clicks and chirps in his words.

"The orcs are gathering under their Orc King, Zryss the Fangsplitter. The zelbar are gathering under their hive queen, Vex'thara. Both are trying to build a force to conquer their surrounding cities." Okay, that doesn't sound good. In fact, that sound very bad. Extremely bad.

"Send word through the swarm," I declare, growing a lot more serious at the thought of this threat.

"Find every human System City you can and search for my sister. Have every searching group include at least one voidling who has seen her during the fourth floor of the Tutorial join them to be able to recognize her. Then inform her of this, check if she is safe, and if she wishes, bring her and my parents here."

"Understood, Great One," the voidling whose name I don't actually know declares. Which reminds me to identify him. [Ratha'thel'ah – Level 39 Voidling Void Traveler] Right. I'm never going to be able to pronounce these voidling names. Out of curiosity, I identify some of the other voidlings who spoke amongst this still-growing swarm of voidlings here. And all of them have names I will never remember or be able to pronounce. Not to mention that they're all in the mid-to-late level thirties range.

From what I understand, the level displayed in the identify result is just whichever is higher between your Class and your Profession. It doesn't take into account what level the lower level one between the two is. Which is a little dangerous when deciding how powerful an enemy is, now that I think about it.

Anyway, I focus on Ratha – which is what I've decided to call the void traveler – again to find them giving clicking sound orders to the other voidlings before probably about a third of the gathering voidlings leave to search for humans and my family. And also mentioning to them to bring back information on the surrounding cities in the process.

"Do you have any experience with city construction?" I ask out of curiosity, bringing the beady pitch black eyes emitting black mist of each of the voidlings turns to me at once. Which is slightly unnerving.

"Yes, many of the swarm are capable of city construction," Ratha answers in his – I'm guessing it's a he, considering I can't tell the anatomy of large voidling ant-like wolves and his voice is extremely deep – usual tone. Cold yet reverent.

"Would the Great One grant us the incredible honor of constructing his first System City?"

"Yes," I answer with a nod of my head. Finding these voidlings to be very convenient already. I should definitely just leave the management of the city to the voidlings. Maybe even everything related to the city, in fact. Except for some important matters.

"Please rest assured, Great One, for we shall work hard to allow you to grow strong," Ratha declares while bowing its large head.

"We will not disappoint the Great One." All of the other voidlings – which number thousands at this point – bow their heads as well. Making for another odd sight. After a few seconds, the voidlings all begin to move simultaneously. Some of them split off to the neighboring mountains where I see them using their mandibles, and for the ones with scythes somewhere on their bodies, their scythes, to cut down trees and gather wood. Others march into caves on some of said neighboring mountains, likely to mine somehow.

And others crawl over the wall into the bounds of the System City. I'm guessing the last ones are getting the lay of the land to decide on how to design the city? Considering it's mostly the more intelligent ones going inside. Regardless, it's just a swarm of pitch black carapace moving all over the mountain like one massive anthill. Albeit with ants the size of wolves. Some of which being even larger than wolves. And some being humanoid.

If it weren't for how they treat me like some figure for worship, I'd probably be horrified to be in the middle of it all. But thanks to how they treat me, I can't help but feel rather fortunate to have them. Because they certainly make things a hell of a lot more convenient.