Chapter 101: Empathy Training (1/2)
Fourth day of the experiment.
Progress had been slow, especially with the final battle against the wicked-yet-forgotten Furibon, but resumed immediately afterward. The Dodo Daycare, or “Dodocare,” was almost entirely operational. [Exp Dodos] could roam the island freely inside vast, demon-guarded pens, interacting with one another and the wildlife the empire would introduce.
With his dwarf lackeys having opened a portal linking the island to Murmurin, Vainqueur had converted the whole island into a minion breeding resort, under Tasty Malfy’s supervision. The fiend intended to build facilities such as hostels, beach services, and cruises. In time, Vainqueur hoped to even open a princess wildlife sanctuary there.
But for now… now it was time for the final stage of the Dodocare experiment.
Vainqueur looked over a group of dodos sleeping beyond a fence, then at his lab assistant. “Minion Victor.”
“I have the slime.” His Vizier raised the chosen creature, a pinkish jelly struggling within his arms. “The [Pink Molester], which can reproduce with anything. This thing is the Mick Jagger of slimes. If it moves and isn’t a minor, it will BLEEP it. Sometimes, it’s not even that discriminate.”
“What about the genes? Does it have perfect genes?”
“It has elite stats in every category. Malfy even told me that some of its offspring… could shine on their own.”
“Like gold?” Vainqueur asked, immensely interested. If true, then his dream of making the ultimate, golden dodo might finally be within his grasp! “Is it willing to breed?”
“Oh yes!”
But clearly not with the bird; the slime simply couldn’t resist Manling Victor’s raw sexual energies, and the Vizier barely kept it from hugging his face. “For… some unexplained reason… it has taken a liking to me.”
“Good. We shall redirect its breeding frustration towards the birds.”
“Are you really sure you want to do it though? Once unleashed, nothing will stop it.”
“Minion, we must save the [Exp Dodos] from extinction, no matter the cost. It is for my own good.” Vainqueur gave the fateful order. “Release the beast.”
And so, Manling Victor painfully threw the lustful slime beyond the fence, introducing the [Pink Molester] to the dodo pen. Sulking angrily at the Vizier’s rejection, it turned towards the birds, ready to breed with every last one of them. It immediately tackled the one nearest to it into a bush.
Manling Victor turned away, too soft-hearted to see what would happen very soon, but Vainqueur could not allow himself to do the same. He had to guarantee the breeding program would stay on track.
So he watched everything.
Congratulations! For creating a wildlife sanctuary for the [Exp Dodos] to save them from extinction (whether they like it or not) and making peace with the lich Furibon, you earned one level in [Witchfinder General] and three levels in [Dungeon Breeder]! You earned the [Improved Hybridization] and [Rabbit Plague] class perks!
+60 HP, +30 SP, +3 STR, +2 VIT, +3 SKI, +3 AGI, +2 INT, +4 CHA, +2 LCK.
[Improved Hybridization]: Your minions can now produce hybrids that should not make anatomical sense... such as the mighty OWLBEAR or the elusive Manbearpig! Monsters that do not share a common [Type] will create a dual-type offspring that possess one type from each parent. This Perk will not affect creatures unable to reproduce at all, such as golems or skeletons.
[Rabbit Plague]: If you or any of your minions use an ability meant to summon another monster, they call an additional creature of the same type. Can you breed the ultimate minion?
Oh yes, he would!
“That’s disgusting.”
Vainqueur glanced at the evil Furibon and his living followers, who vomited at the sight. As if they had never seen a bird and slime breed before! “You cannot understand free love between species, lich,” the dragon said. “I said I would forget you. Do not remind me for too long.”
“Believe me when I say that I do not intend to meet you ever again after we teleport out.”
“I haven’t thanked you for saving my hide from those adventurers,” Victor told the lich. “I still owe you one.”
“You convinced Knightsbane to stop bothering me,” Furibon replied, Vainqueur doing his best to ignore him. “As far as I am concerned, that makes us even.”
“So, what’s next? We’re going west after this ‘experiment’ is done.”
“There is too much of the New World to explore to cross the sea further,” Furibon replied. “Maybe I will try to find this ‘Holly Wood’ you earthlanders keep babbling about.”
“So this is farewell?” Why did the Vizier seem sad? “It was just a one-time deal?”
“At least until Sablar comes after all of our heads,” the lich replied grimly. ”And he will.”
“Furibon is just being gloomy,” his elf cohort replied. “I’m sure we’ll meet again soon. I’ve got the feeling things are about to get funnier as time goes on.”
“Now that you are finished with cliche, stupid lines, I will teleport us away before my diabetes worsens,” Furibon declared, before casting his spell, sending a final glance at Manling Victor. “Dalton.”
“Yes, Bone Daddy?” The minion braced himself.
“You are an unbearable manwhore and a complete screw-up,” Furibon insulted his chief of staff back, making the dragon glare at him. “But I had fun.”
And so, with those words, Furibon finally vanished, allowing Vainqueur to forget him. Finally, they could go back to the truly important thing.
“Minion.”
“Yes?”
“Grab a dodo and help.”
His Vizier made a very strange face, as if he was silently screaming.
“Find them good partners whose loot-worthy Perks can be passed on to the lineage,” Vainqueur clarified his intent, since his chief of staff couldn’t see as far he did.
In three generations, he would have his golden dodo.
Riding on a dodo’s back wasn’t fun for either party.
Victor shifted uncomfortably on the back of his mount, as the bird carried him away from the daycare and towards the beach, where he was to meet with Kia for the purpose of training. While the creature had enough strength to carry his new rider, it clearly had no training with it. It was a constant struggle just to stay on it.
Still, the beast endured with great courage. Victor had decided to name him ‘Dodolion’ to honor his bravery.
As the mighty team strolled through the beach, they caught sight of another unlikely duo training on the sand. Victor couldn’t help but blink at the sight.
“Master!” Gorynych wagged his tail, while Noirceur the horse struggled to sit on his back. “Gorynych gained a level in [Ranger]! Because Gorynych is good with horses!”
Victor and Dodolion looked at the inbred dragon’s rider, who glared back.
“What, you think a horse cannot be a [Chaos Rider]?” the nightmare asked. “You two-legged racist, I will show you.”
Victor and his mighty bird looked at them for a full minute and continued forward without a word.
They found Kia tanning on the sand, wearing only a black swimsuit with her sword and blade within arm’s reach. Hearing them arrive, the Paladin looked at Victor, then at the dodo, and then struggled not to laugh.
“Shut up,” the Vizier said. “I’m doing this for the exp.”
“Is it working?”
Congratulations! For loyally serving as your liege’s hand against Furibon, proving your worth as a true duelist, and fearlessly riding the rarest of all monsters, you earned two levels in [Chaos Rider]! You earned the [White Rider] class Perk!
+60 HP, +2 STR, +1 VIT, +1 SKI, +1 AGI, +2 INT.
[White Rider]: While you fight mounted, when you cast a spell or use a Perk with you as its target (such as a buff), your mount counts as an extension of your own person and will gain the ability's benefits. You can add two more creatures to your marked mount stable.
“Yes.” Incredibly, Dodolion was worth so much exp, that just riding him helped him level up faster. At least now his horse would stop complaining about not being marked. They would stay a few more days to train and then continue the journey west.
Kia glanced at the creature, then decided the extra experience wasn’t worth the humiliation.
Victor couldn’t help but examine her closely, having never seen the [Paladin] without her armor on. As expected, she was the very picture of an amazon, with the body of a professional athlete that would make Chocolatine, Charlene, and probably all the women he knew jealous. He didn’t notice any scar or blemish he would have expected from someone with her lifestyle, which he attributed to her healing spells.