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Chapter 1088 - Nectar of Life
🕑 Added 2022-12-12 03:10:52 +0000 UTCThe Church of the Path is founded on the belief that all things born of the Dungeon belong to the Old Races. The resources that are found there, the territory and space, the mana and, perhaps most importantly of all, the monsters.
Monsters give experience when killed, allowing the slayer to grow stronger. They also contain valuable materials, their cores, primarily, but also the precious substances that make up their bodies, things that often cannot be found any other way.
A globe-spanning entity with adherents in every one of the old civilisations, the Church is a powerful entity with a simple mission: the complete and utter domination and exploitation of the Dungeon.
This view has put them at odds with other organisations, such as the Legion, who view the Dungeon as a danger and threat, but they remain undeterred.
Among the most important secrets of the Church has been their development of the Elixir, otherwise known as Dungeon Nectar. A miraculous beverage that can empower others simply by drinking it, the method of its manufacture is known only within the Church, though many would commit dark deeds to learn it.
- Excerpt from “Power and Influence: Church of the Path” by Hip Bys
The monster twisted in agony, suspended from hooks anchored into the stone ceiling. Senior Priest Alir tsked loudly as he looked up from his desk.
“Try to be still, stupid beast,” he grunted as he stood.
A quick tour of the chamber showed that the array was still functioning as intended. As he watched, another drop of golden liquid dripped down from above into the receptacle and he nodded, satisfied.
“You will serve your purpose in death, monster,” he said as he sat once more and turned his attention to the report that had filtered to him from the Cardinals.
Cardinal Horace had remembered Alir was the one to first report contact with the ants and ensured the document found its way to him. Quite considerate.
What he read was… fascinating, to say the least. Monsters, actively working with others, seizing territory, reports of a tier seven ant, the first in recorded history. Rather than a ravenous horde of mindless insects, these ants appeared to be building an empire.
Unusual, would be one way to phrase it, unheard of, another. There was something different about this, but then, these were unusual times.
Mana continued to rise across the Dungeon, repeated waves, so close together. The Church could clearly see what was coming. Thousands of years of preparation were coming to a head, any change or new factor had to be carefully considered.
What to do with these ants then?
It was hard to put them out of his mind. There had to be millions of them, most of them tier four, and a mythic as well. Such a resource. Should they be properly harvested, a veritable river of Elixir would flow through the Church. It could be just what was needed to fortify them before the Ancients rose.
Or it could come back to bite them. Kicking the anthill at the wrong time wouldn’t pay off, rather the opposite.
Alir glanced down at the letter the Cardinal sent.
There are plans underway already, but I value your input. In fact, I wish you to be a key component of our council. We must not make missteps at such a critical time.
It was a summons, drawing the High Priest away from his critical work. Still, he understood it, he was an Elixir specialist, and these ants would make a fine brew indeed.
He needed to think.
He stood once again and walked a slow circuit around the monster that continued to thrash weakly above. The array carved into the stone continued to burn with a dull light as it worked its magic on its target. The result of hundreds of years of research from tireless priests who demanded that the Dungeon yield to them, this array was one of the greatest achievements of the church, or indeed, of civilisation.
After all, why should a monster only yield a portion of its experience? The System was the Path on which all must walk, but who’s to say it could not be improved? Extract all of it, that had been the dream of those early pioneers. They had very nearly succeeded. The Elixir wasn’t perfect, but it certainly was close.
A million ants, just what would Alir do to get his hands on a crop like that. But how? They couldn’t be underestimated, that much was certain. They had survived an attack from the Legion, nothing to sneeze at. It would not be a simple endeavour to launch an undertaking of this magnitude.
They would need allies. It may be possible to draw on the Legion, though unlikely, they would be too focused on the upcoming cataclysm. The Ka’armodo, the Empire of Stone, perhaps even the underwater kingdoms of the Brathian, surely someone would be willing to assist if promised enough Elixir.
Alir chuckled darkly to himself.
With enough Elixir, the Church could make the whole world turn. Perhaps even the Tower, or the Golden City could be made to move for wealth of this magnitude. Everyone knew what was coming, even the silver beards buried in their libraries had to be clear on the danger.
Now would be the worst time to have a burgeoning Ant Kingdom rising.
Yes. Yes, that was how he could sell it. This was a threat that needed to be extinguished now, before the Ancients rose and turned all monsters into their ravenous slaves. From that point of view, he could say that this mission wouldn’t be drawing away from their defence against the cataclysm, but striking an early blow against it.
It made sense, the logic worked.
He looked up at the monster twisting above, continuing to have its essence ripped away and dripped down into the pool below. Another three hours and this creature would no longer exist except as a hunk, ready for the Dungeon to reclaim.
He stepped carefully to the centre of the array and reached down with one hand, scooping a small handful of the precious liquid and bringing it to his lips.
The taste was dreadful, as was to be expected from anything extracted from monsters, but that was hardly the point.
[You have gained experience.]
That was what made the world go around.
Comments
ManguKing
WherWhere's 1087?
Rahsheem Reid
Yeah this makes the most sense especially if Anthony goes on a “everyone can get fucked tour” after they attack the colony
Rahsheem Reid
We need that for sure!!! But now that I think about it his wife said he will be in the “big leagues” if that is the Praetorian where she is taking him Anthony will need a lot more help.
Colin Fortin-Ballay
Am I the only one who want to see a rematch between Anthony and Titus
Thunderhoof
Does that mean Anthony wouldn't waste time anymore in Core shaping since he won't bother on his pets anymore
stubs
I was totally expecting the thrashing monster to be revealed to be an ant in the end. Also, think you meant husk, not hunk.
Gonvas
That skill is useless now. It helps the pets grow to their regular size and strength since when they are reconstructed they are small and weak. Share XP is a higher tier skill that probably isn't available to him since he barely invested in pet skills.
kev mil
On the nectar front being unwholesome. Don't forget that the ants could use the nectar wholely on the vile centipede they hate so much.
Thunderhoof
How does his Pet skill fare now? Didn't he take the Growth Speed skill? I just re-read the chapter "Spendin'". Also does his pet share a fraction of their exp to him or is it just a higher tier Pet skill?
Brandon14754
welp either that or they found a way to make a magical soul blender
Anthony Romanov
As was said most ants are level 4. Worker ants have little of reason to raise their level. So what if ants voluntarily sacrificed their exp into Nectar for other ants? Or harvested on massive level demons spawning?
Colin Fortin-Ballay
If they attack after the wave Anthony will Have the time to get all of his pet to tier 7.
Gonvas
My guess is that he will max his mutations or close to it with the wave. Most of the XP to T8 will come from the war. I expect an attacking army in the 6 digits. And after a successful defense, a phase in the war where the Colony is the one attacking sapient territory.
Gonvas
No way. During the last wave, he gained only 5/6 lvls. He needs 320 to reach T8.
Louis Cypher
Anthony will probably be Tier 8 by then lol.
Tyrunex
Aphids actually make the most sense. Through some core engineering they could work like the array
Brandon14754
I don't think they found a way to extract all exp but instead a way of converting biomass to exp. It'd make sense that it be possible as it leaves them a husk and it'd be fair to non-monsters who miss out on half the rewards of killing a monster, the biomass.
Gonvas
Why do people think the Church wants to mobilise during the 3rd wave? I'm pretty sure the holy war is after the wave.
Mitchell
What happened to chap 1087?
OneAngle Heaven
Aphids!!! Specially breed Aphids that give Exp nectar and a little bio, feeding of captured and bounded monsters.
David Burchfield
I don't know about all this the colony using Nectar, It seems like a pretty unwholesome process to create. I do see them getting involved in an epic war led by the Church though, leading to those lore entries on the war that destroyed some great shining city, and the colony being as merciless to its enemies as it was loyal to its allies.
Byte core
Also now allied with a pissed tree out for revenge, soon probably with the Folk and also ready to build their own portals.
Thunderhoof
Hahaha I'd imagine the Colony stealing the technique from the Church then perfecting it and applying it to their farms. Or even better using the Ancient as an Exp well. I recently just watched Kurzgesagt's video about the slaver ants.
CUI13
During a record wave, very quickly after another record wave, he's gonna try and get forces to assault the Ants -- a monster force spanning tiers 3-7, and with a presence on the surface, and floors 1-4 of the Dungeon. The Legion already fought them once, and had to pull back because of the Wave. The Ka'armodo have already skirmished with them, and had a plan thwarted by them, and a high ranking Ka'armodo is already kinda on Anthony's side. The Golgari lost a not insignificant number of men, and that was when the colony was fighting a 2 front war. Between the Demon ancient making moves, and the fact that the war would span 4 floors -- during a wave! -- I don't think the Church is gonna get the support they think they will. Any forces sent to combat the ants might also encounter Tier 7 or 8 demons.
Crazy Abe
oh easy- by opening massive holes in their defenses and leaving civilians to die so they can empower more parasites.
Dan K
And how does he think they are going to find troops to spare for an attack during one of the strongest waves in centuries?
Quyan640
Furthermore, with nitro boosters to boot. Imagine the ants stealing or reverse engineering the experience potion. It has already been used, but what about another ant champion to solve this case? Antemist? Brewiant?
Samuel Lim
Not really, the colony got saved by a wave
inkaral
Now, will these rituals work on this "priest"?
xXChrisdogXx
Apparently he hasn't realized it wasn't only the legion attacking them, they repelled the Golgari and the Legion at the same time and came out on top, not to mention that was a good while ago
Kiongku
I am sure Anthony would also be pleased to learn how to extract the experience points for his pets
Rahsheem Reid
Xp potions
Panzer
New enemies to fuel The Colony’s growth, I see.
