The minutes quickly ticked by, and the number of dogs and rats almost tripled, but the number of birds stopped expanding at around a thousand.
If I were to make sense of it, the lack of trees makes their reproduction harder.
This, in turn, allowed more dogs and rats to occupy more food, allowing a larger population.
It is good news for me since the only annoying ones are the birds.
"Primrose, what is the situation around us?" - I asked.
"God, they are focusing their forces on one side and are preparing for a concentrated attack. Coincidently, our side." - Primrose reported.
"Concentrated attack, hah? Makes sense." - I nodded.
"Should I gather the Soldiers and Stalkers to that side?" - Primrose asked.
"Okay, do it. Those birds can't carry a Minion, anyways." - I nodded.
A minute later...
Our lineup was ready. First were two rows of Minions acting as meat shields, followed by the Soldiers and Stalkers, and then were the other Minions, pressed together like sardines.
And, behind them were Primrose and I, holding two scoped hunting rifles and a shitton of (regular) ammo, guarded by two Stalkers.
Tap*
Tap* Tap*
At this moment, I saw water droplets hitting the open window frame.
It started drizzling.
However, such a light rain was not enough to remove the birds in the sky. Unless it turns into a downpour, those birds will stay.
Perhaps this rain acted as a trigger.
First were the rats.
Imagine a swarm of 30,000 cat-sized rats with sharp claws and teeth charging in your direction, hell-bent on tearing you limb from limb.
I don't have Musophobia. I even walked once in an alley full of rats.
But this?
I have only one word for it.
Terrifying.
Even though I know I am safe behind my trusty meat shield army, this sight can make even battle-worn veterans feel the chill.
The rats soon reached the barricade and climbed on it with ease. As for the barbed wire...
"Sss... How ruthless..." - I took a deep breath, filling a chill as I saw what they did.
The first row of rats purposefully impaled themselves on the wire, allowing the other rats to climb over them uninjured.
And then came the assault.
The second line of rats jumped over the impaled rats onto the first row of Minions. In turn, the Minions raised their hands filled with sharp claws and attacked in kind.
Splat* Slash* Splat* Crunch*
Bloody and gore sprayed as the Minions swept their hands in the air, looking like a bonafide meat grinder. In turn, some rats managed to climb on the Minions and rushed toward their head, clawing and biting them, some collapsing.
Replacing the dead Minions, new Minions stepped from behind and killed the attacking rodents, taking the place of the dead. Meanwhile, more Minions stepped forward and carried the dead bodies, Kin and Rodent, to the back, stacking them in piles of flesh.
It was a meat grinder.
What surprised me, however, was the string of messages I received in my mind.
{Gained 0.12 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.09 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.15 Basic Energy}
{Gained ...}
Hundreds of messages sounded, making me confused rather than happy.
"What the... How?" - I blinked in confusion.
After a few seconds of confusion, I asked, "Trod? What is going on?"
{Your Zealot, Primrose, formed a master/subordinate mental connection with the Kin, using them as living weapons, counting their kills as her kills.} - He replied.
"That works?!" - I retorted wide-eyed.
{Yes.}
"... Fuck yes!" - I cheered in my mind, forgetting the bloodbath in front.
Turning my eyes to Primrose, who was vigilantly looking in front, I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear.
"With her, in the future, I can kick back, relax, and enjoy the points rolling in!" - I thought, my eyes turning into crescents.
Perhaps Primrose noticed my passionate gaze, so she turned her eyes to me in askance.
"God? Do you need something?" - She asked.
"Ah, sorry, sorry. I just thought about how much of a treasure you are." - I smiled and patted her head.
"God, I need to command the battle..." - Primrose blushed and protested but enjoyed my touch.
Cute kid.
"Haha... Sorry, sorry..." - I retracted my hand, a smile still plastered on my face.
I then turned my eyes back to the meat grinder.
In but a minute, a few thousand rats died, either stabbed, slashed, bitten, or trampled.
In turn, the Minion casualties increased, reaching a few hundred. The corpses ferried back already formed piles.
It was at this time the hounds lost their patience.
Bark* Bark* Bark* Growl*
A series of barks and growls sounded as they started their massive charge forward amidst the rats.
In turn, the thirty-one Soldiers raised their shields and weapons, ready to welcome the incoming charge behind the Minion buffer.
Soon, the dogs jumped on the cars, ruthlessly trampled on the still-alive rats speared on the wire, and jumped into the fray.
Crash* Crunch* Splat*
They crushed the first line of Minions through their sheer weight and kinetic energy.
In but a moment, over a hundred Minions got knocked to the ground, breaking some bones. The rats then used the opportunity to attack the heads, killing the downed Minions.
It was mixed tactics.
However, they were not the only ones using mixed tactics.
Splat* Crash* Splat*
"Whimper* Awww*"
The Soldiers, who remained idle until now, attacked with their weapons, killing dozens of hounds in a flurry. More Minions rushed from behind, thrashing the rats and dogs while filling the ranks.
The meat grinder just went from gear 1 to gear 2.
Of course, the hounds didn't remain passive. They retaliated against the soldiers, striking them with their increased size and mass, trying to pin them down.
However...
*Slam Dang* Slam*
The dogs hit the shields, blocking them. The Soldiers were also muscular giants, and the size of the dogs was useless against them. Instead, the soldiers used their shields to slam the dog's heads and slammed their hammers and axes on the dogs.
{Gained 0.8 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.11 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.1 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.7 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.17 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.26 Basic Energy}
{Gained 1.4 Basic Energy}
{Gained ...}
In less than half a minute, a hundred hounds died, along with hundreds of rats.
However, the dogs seemed to realize direct attacks won't work, so they switched tactics.
Bite* Tear*
Instead of attacking the upper body, they targeted the lower body, specifically the legs. They latched on to them and started tearing at them madly. Rats used this chance to climb on the dogs to attack the Soldier's body.
However, the Soldiers didn't kick them away. They had to remain in place... Well, except for biting the occasional rat that climbed on their shoulders.
They were not helpless, however, as they had backup.
Slash* Hack*
The Stalkers behind them lashed out at this time, hacking and slashing the necks of the dogs, killing them. Minions on the sides also killed the assaulting rats climbing the Soldiers, removing the pests.
In just a few minutes, the fatalities on both sides skyrocketed.
The meat grinder officially entered gear 2.
While the fighting was going on, I noticed some dogs grabbing dead Minions and passing them to the wall, letting other dogs carry them out.
However, this was hard, as the wall impeded them.
"Heh. Sure, you can come in, but getting out with my property? Dream on." - I smiled cruelly.
Yes, the wall was not meant to stop the wild animals. No. It was meant to keep them inside!
However, my smirk vanished as I noticed the long-anticipated arrival of the most dreaded foe.
As they swooped from the sky, I saw their figures.
Giant black crows the size of bald eagles, with large beaks and talons made to pierce skulls.
And their targets were the Soldiers and Stalkers holding the line!
"Primrose, put on your earplugs and shoot those damn birds!" - I ordered and put on my earplugs.
Last time, I shot without them, and my ears hurt like hell. I might have even suffered a bit of hearing loss. Sure, I can heal it, but I prefer reducing the damage to a minimum.
"Yes!" - She acknowledged, put on the earplugs I gave her before, and aimed her gun.
And then we opened fire.
Bang* Bang* Bang* Bang*
Some of the shots hit, making them plummet onto the asphalt or the sea of Minions, killing over ten crows in a dozen seconds.
Of course, this was a drop in the bucket, as many more continued to dive.
Just as they were about to crash against the Soldiers' and Stalkers' vulnerable heads, Minions came from the back and jumped on top of them, using themselves as meat shields.
Splat* Crash* Crack*
The crows, who shot themselves like arrows, got stuck in the Minions. This gave a chance for other Minions to attack.
Slash* Bite* Hack*
The Vulnerable crows got ripped to shreds.
Of course, Primrose and I continued to fire at them.
Bang* Bang* Bang* Bang*
When a magazine ran out of rounds, Primrose tossed the magazine while a Stalker gave her another magazine to reload and continue firing. I, of course, just took one out of the Storage.
We continued to shoot for another minute, taking down dozens of birds, but our actions seemed to draw agro.
"Caw* Caw*!"
The crows cawed above, likely communicating with each other, but I was focused on the meat grinder.
"God! Above!" - Primrose shouted next to me.
Turning my sights up, I saw crows diving at us, like death from above.
"Bloody hell! Are you kamikaze birds or something?!" - I shouted and started shooting them.
Bang* Bang* Bang* Bang*
Primrose and I shot at the approaching birds, taking down a few of them, but it wasn't enough.
"Get back!" "God!"
We both shouted at the same time, and we both jumped back.
Woosh*
"Caw!"
Three crows rushed through the window, wanting to attack us, but...
"Cree!"
Slash* Splat*
The two defending Stalkers took action and dispatched two crows.
As for the last one...
Bang* Crash*
I held a still-smoking pistol, watching the giant crow that crashed on the floor beside us.
"Caw!" - The crow struggled in pain.
Bang* Bang*
I double-tapped it, killing it.
"Primrose, are there any more charging toward the window?" - I asked.
"No, God. They are assaulting the Soldiers." - Primrose replied.
"Alright, then we continue!"
And then we continued shooting.
The meat grinder continued for another ten minutes before finally...
"Awooo!"
"Bark! Bark!"
"Caw! Caw!"
After losing half of their forces, the animals finally gave up, carrying some corpses they managed to haul out before retreating.
"It's finally over!" - I breathed out, choosing not to shoot anymore.
Looking outside, I saw a sickly mixture of red and yellow blood flowing like a river, with gore decorating the ground.
Turning my eyes to our room, I saw around a dozen more giant crow carcasses.
"Hell... This was fucking hectic..." - I muttered and sat on a chair since the couch was now covered in crow blood.
Shaking my head, I turned to Primrose, who seemed as composed as a veteran soldier, and asked her while staring at the ceiling, "Casualties?"
"Yes, God. We lost 3,781 Minions, 6 Soldiers, and 10 Stalkers. Our forces are down to 37,562 Minions, 25 Soldiers, and 25 Stalkers." - She reported.
"Fuck... we lost a lot this time." - I cursed.
I wasn't lamenting about the loss of Minions, but the Soldiers and Stalkers. Those are harder to produce.
However, there was also good news.
Most of the corpses stayed here. Those animals barely took a few hundred Minions and no Soldiers or Stalkers.
Also, I reckon the rats lost over ten thousand rats while the hounds lost over a thousand, with the crows losing a few hundred.
In other words, we cut the animal population in this area by a third. Even if they breed like rabbits, it will take time to recover from this.
And, here comes the best news...
Basic Energy: 3,357
I officially broke through the 1,000 mark, reaching over 3,000 in one go.
Also, it seemed to be a threshold to unlock a new Power.
{Power Unlocked: Energy Conversion}
Energy Conversion: Converts Basic Energy to other useable forms of energy. (Only works one way)
Previously, I didn't have the time to ask about it, but now...
"Trod? Why wasn't this unlocked sooner?" - I asked weirdly.
{Because there would be no point using it before that. This is merely a backhand installed for a situation where Enhancement Energy and other types of energy are scarce or nonexistent. For example, if you just chose to go and work in a slaughterhouse, you could safely gather the energy within a week or two.}
"Then why didn't you tell me?!" - I exasperatedly asked.
{You didn't ask.}
"..."1When the MC realizes he is kinda stupid
"All this time, I could have skipped the entire risking my life thing by spending a few months in a slaughterhouse. I could have bided my time, evolved twice or thrice, and THEN gone to the other world, reducing the risk factor by a magnitude of 100. But NOOO!!! I just had to do things the HARD WAY!"
Sighing to myself, I turned to look at Primrose, who was currently focused on the window and couldn't help but smile a little.
"Oh, well. At least I got rewards for my effort. At least saved a few months of effort and got a trusty subordinate." - I thought positively.
While I was thinking that, Primrose turned to me and said, "God, I cleaned the battlefield. What would you like to do with the bodies?"
"Hm... Well, first, gather all the crystals and bring them to me. Oh, right. Do the mutated animals have crystals?" - I asked.
"Let me ask..." - Primrose replied, looking at one of the Stalker guards.
A few moments later, Primrose turned to me and said, "No, God. They don't."
"Guessed so. Then gather all the crystals you can find and bring them to me." - I nodded and said.
"And what of the carcasses outside? Should I select a few Minions to rear into Soldiers and Stalkers?" - Primrose asked.
"Hm..." - I pondered with closed eyes.
After a bit of thinking, I had a eureka moment.
"Trod, can I infuse energy into non-zealots?" - I asked curiously.
{Yes, it is wholly possible to do that. It is usually done as a form of reward to those in the outer circles of the church or outsiders who gained favor with you.}
"Oh?! Then, you mean I can form an army of evolved Kin?" - I widened my eyes.
{Yes, you can. But remember, they are not your Zealots. It is unwise to invest too much in them.}
"Yeah, I know." - I mentally nodded and opened my eyes.
"Primrose, gather 16 relatively intact Minions from the front lines and make sure the larger crystals are separated from the Minion crystals. I want them all gathered in the reception hall." - I instructed.
"Yes, God. It will be finished within ten minutes." - Primrose complied.
"Good. Let's search for a new room in the meantime. This place is filthy now." - I said and looked around.
The once-quality hotel room was now a wreck, full of crow carcasses.
"Yes, God." - Primrose nodded and stood up.
"Oh, right, and give those two the birds. They earned it." - I motioned at the two Stalkers.
"Yes." - She nodded without looking at the Stalkers.
The next moment, the two seemed excited and started eating the birds in the room.
After leaving the room filled with bone-chilling chewing sounds, we searched for a bit and found another room without bloodstains.
After preparing the beds(again), we headed downstairs through the corridors filled with Minions until arriving at the reception area.
Inside the reception area, I saw 16 Minions standing in a row, each sporting different wounds on their body. They included gashes, missing chunks of meat, and even missing fingers and eyes.
Besides that, there was a pile of smaller black crystals on the ground and 16 larger crystals on a table.
"Is this everything?" - I asked Primrose.
"Yes, God. All Crystals have been extracted." - She nodded.
"Hm." - I nodded and checked my current points.
Basic Energy: 3,357
Evolution Energy A: 145.1
Enhancement Energy A: 20.6
"145, hah?" - I muttered.
And then, I looked at the Minions.
"I can test it." - I added.
I then turned to Primrose, "Primrose, instruct the Minions not to move and not resist."
"Yes, God." - Primrose replied.
The next moment, the Minions stopped moving as if their bodies froze.
Without wasting time, I the left-most one and touched its shoulder.
Evolution Energy A: 145.1 -> 138.1
After infusing energy into it, I didn't stop and continued doing so on the other 15.
Evolution Energy A: 138.1 -> 131.1
Evolution Energy A: 131.1 -> 124.1
Evolution Energy A: 124.1 -> 117.1
...
Evolution Energy A: 33.1
After I was done, I walked back a few steps.
"Primrose, have each Minion eat three Minion carcasses before returning." - I ordered.
"God, do you mean in the next three days?" - Primrose asked curiously.
"Hm? No. I meant within half an hour." - I turned to her with a calm look.
"... God, I mean no disrespect, but wouldn't that cause their stomach to rupture?" - Primrose said hesitantly.
At her words, I widened my eyes. It was the first time Primrose had a defiant reaction.
My stare likely caused her to feel uncomfortable, as she lowered her head meekly while fidgeting.
"M-My apologies, God! I spoke out of turn..." - She said in a weak voice.
Realizing my mistake, I relaxed my expression.
"Hah? Ah, no. I was just pleasantly surprised you gave me a contrasting opinion, that is all. Please, by all means, continue doing so in the future. I don't need a yes-man. I need a competent subordinate." - I said with a smile.
"Ah... Yes, God! Then, please forgive me for being rude to you in the future!" - Primrose visibly recovered and said enthusiastically.
"Good. As for the point you raised, don't worry. Just do it. You will understand soon enough." - I said casually.
"Yes, God!" - Primrose nodded.
The 16 Minions then exited the hotel, likely going to the piles of carcasses outside.
"Now, then..." - I muttered and turned to the pile of crystals on the floor.
"Time for the bumper harvest."
The minutes quickly ticked by, and the number of dogs and rats almost tripled, but the number of birds stopped expanding at around a thousand.
If I were to make sense of it, the lack of trees makes their reproduction harder.
This, in turn, allowed more dogs and rats to occupy more food, allowing a larger population.
It is good news for me since the only annoying ones are the birds.
"Primrose, what is the situation around us?" - I asked.
"God, they are focusing their forces on one side and are preparing for a concentrated attack. Coincidently, our side." - Primrose reported.
"Concentrated attack, hah? Makes sense." - I nodded.
"Should I gather the Soldiers and Stalkers to that side?" - Primrose asked.
"Okay, do it. Those birds can't carry a Minion, anyways." - I nodded.
A minute later...
Our lineup was ready. First were two rows of Minions acting as meat shields, followed by the Soldiers and Stalkers, and then were the other Minions, pressed together like sardines.
And, behind them were Primrose and I, holding two scoped hunting rifles and a shitton of (regular) ammo, guarded by two Stalkers.
Tap*
Tap* Tap*
At this moment, I saw water droplets hitting the open window frame.
It started drizzling.
However, such a light rain was not enough to remove the birds in the sky. Unless it turns into a downpour, those birds will stay.
Perhaps this rain acted as a trigger.
First were the rats.
Imagine a swarm of 30,000 cat-sized rats with sharp claws and teeth charging in your direction, hell-bent on tearing you limb from limb.
I don't have Musophobia. I even walked once in an alley full of rats.
But this?
I have only one word for it.
Terrifying.
Even though I know I am safe behind my trusty meat shield army, this sight can make even battle-worn veterans feel the chill.
The rats soon reached the barricade and climbed on it with ease. As for the barbed wire...
"Sss... How ruthless..." - I took a deep breath, filling a chill as I saw what they did.
The first row of rats purposefully impaled themselves on the wire, allowing the other rats to climb over them uninjured.
And then came the assault.
The second line of rats jumped over the impaled rats onto the first row of Minions. In turn, the Minions raised their hands filled with sharp claws and attacked in kind.
Splat* Slash* Splat* Crunch*
Bloody and gore sprayed as the Minions swept their hands in the air, looking like a bonafide meat grinder. In turn, some rats managed to climb on the Minions and rushed toward their head, clawing and biting them, some collapsing.
Replacing the dead Minions, new Minions stepped from behind and killed the attacking rodents, taking the place of the dead. Meanwhile, more Minions stepped forward and carried the dead bodies, Kin and Rodent, to the back, stacking them in piles of flesh.
It was a meat grinder.
What surprised me, however, was the string of messages I received in my mind.
{Gained 0.12 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.09 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.15 Basic Energy}
{Gained ...}
Hundreds of messages sounded, making me confused rather than happy.
"What the... How?" - I blinked in confusion.
After a few seconds of confusion, I asked, "Trod? What is going on?"
{Your Zealot, Primrose, formed a master/subordinate mental connection with the Kin, using them as living weapons, counting their kills as her kills.} - He replied.
"That works?!" - I retorted wide-eyed.
{Yes.}
"... Fuck yes!" - I cheered in my mind, forgetting the bloodbath in front.
Turning my eyes to Primrose, who was vigilantly looking in front, I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear.
"With her, in the future, I can kick back, relax, and enjoy the points rolling in!" - I thought, my eyes turning into crescents.
Perhaps Primrose noticed my passionate gaze, so she turned her eyes to me in askance.
"God? Do you need something?" - She asked.
"Ah, sorry, sorry. I just thought about how much of a treasure you are." - I smiled and patted her head.
"God, I need to command the battle..." - Primrose blushed and protested but enjoyed my touch.
Cute kid.
"Haha... Sorry, sorry..." - I retracted my hand, a smile still plastered on my face.
I then turned my eyes back to the meat grinder.
In but a minute, a few thousand rats died, either stabbed, slashed, bitten, or trampled.
In turn, the Minion casualties increased, reaching a few hundred. The corpses ferried back already formed piles.
It was at this time the hounds lost their patience.
Bark* Bark* Bark* Growl*
A series of barks and growls sounded as they started their massive charge forward amidst the rats.
In turn, the thirty-one Soldiers raised their shields and weapons, ready to welcome the incoming charge behind the Minion buffer.
Soon, the dogs jumped on the cars, ruthlessly trampled on the still-alive rats speared on the wire, and jumped into the fray.
Crash* Crunch* Splat*
They crushed the first line of Minions through their sheer weight and kinetic energy.
In but a moment, over a hundred Minions got knocked to the ground, breaking some bones. The rats then used the opportunity to attack the heads, killing the downed Minions.
It was mixed tactics.
However, they were not the only ones using mixed tactics.
Splat* Crash* Splat*
"Whimper* Awww*"
The Soldiers, who remained idle until now, attacked with their weapons, killing dozens of hounds in a flurry. More Minions rushed from behind, thrashing the rats and dogs while filling the ranks.
The meat grinder just went from gear 1 to gear 2.
Of course, the hounds didn't remain passive. They retaliated against the soldiers, striking them with their increased size and mass, trying to pin them down.
However...
*Slam Dang* Slam*
The dogs hit the shields, blocking them. The Soldiers were also muscular giants, and the size of the dogs was useless against them. Instead, the soldiers used their shields to slam the dog's heads and slammed their hammers and axes on the dogs.
{Gained 0.8 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.11 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.1 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.7 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.17 Basic Energy}
{Gained 0.26 Basic Energy}
{Gained 1.4 Basic Energy}
{Gained ...}
In less than half a minute, a hundred hounds died, along with hundreds of rats.
However, the dogs seemed to realize direct attacks won't work, so they switched tactics.
Bite* Tear*
Instead of attacking the upper body, they targeted the lower body, specifically the legs. They latched on to them and started tearing at them madly. Rats used this chance to climb on the dogs to attack the Soldier's body.
However, the Soldiers didn't kick them away. They had to remain in place... Well, except for biting the occasional rat that climbed on their shoulders.
They were not helpless, however, as they had backup.
Slash* Hack*
The Stalkers behind them lashed out at this time, hacking and slashing the necks of the dogs, killing them. Minions on the sides also killed the assaulting rats climbing the Soldiers, removing the pests.
In just a few minutes, the fatalities on both sides skyrocketed.
The meat grinder officially entered gear 2.
While the fighting was going on, I noticed some dogs grabbing dead Minions and passing them to the wall, letting other dogs carry them out.
However, this was hard, as the wall impeded them.
"Heh. Sure, you can come in, but getting out with my property? Dream on." - I smiled cruelly.
Yes, the wall was not meant to stop the wild animals. No. It was meant to keep them inside!
However, my smirk vanished as I noticed the long-anticipated arrival of the most dreaded foe.
As they swooped from the sky, I saw their figures.
Giant black crows the size of bald eagles, with large beaks and talons made to pierce skulls.
And their targets were the Soldiers and Stalkers holding the line!
"Primrose, put on your earplugs and shoot those damn birds!" - I ordered and put on my earplugs.
Last time, I shot without them, and my ears hurt like hell. I might have even suffered a bit of hearing loss. Sure, I can heal it, but I prefer reducing the damage to a minimum.
"Yes!" - She acknowledged, put on the earplugs I gave her before, and aimed her gun.
And then we opened fire.
Bang* Bang* Bang* Bang*
Some of the shots hit, making them plummet onto the asphalt or the sea of Minions, killing over ten crows in a dozen seconds.
Of course, this was a drop in the bucket, as many more continued to dive.
Just as they were about to crash against the Soldiers' and Stalkers' vulnerable heads, Minions came from the back and jumped on top of them, using themselves as meat shields.
Splat* Crash* Crack*
The crows, who shot themselves like arrows, got stuck in the Minions. This gave a chance for other Minions to attack.
Slash* Bite* Hack*
The Vulnerable crows got ripped to shreds.
Of course, Primrose and I continued to fire at them.
Bang* Bang* Bang* Bang*
When a magazine ran out of rounds, Primrose tossed the magazine while a Stalker gave her another magazine to reload and continue firing. I, of course, just took one out of the Storage.
We continued to shoot for another minute, taking down dozens of birds, but our actions seemed to draw agro.
"Caw* Caw*!"
The crows cawed above, likely communicating with each other, but I was focused on the meat grinder.
"God! Above!" - Primrose shouted next to me.
Turning my sights up, I saw crows diving at us, like death from above.
"Bloody hell! Are you kamikaze birds or something?!" - I shouted and started shooting them.
Bang* Bang* Bang* Bang*
Primrose and I shot at the approaching birds, taking down a few of them, but it wasn't enough.
"Get back!" "God!"
We both shouted at the same time, and we both jumped back.
Woosh*
"Caw!"
Three crows rushed through the window, wanting to attack us, but...
"Cree!"
Slash* Splat*
The two defending Stalkers took action and dispatched two crows.
As for the last one...
Bang* Crash*
I held a still-smoking pistol, watching the giant crow that crashed on the floor beside us.
"Caw!" - The crow struggled in pain.
Bang* Bang*
I double-tapped it, killing it.
"Primrose, are there any more charging toward the window?" - I asked.
"No, God. They are assaulting the Soldiers." - Primrose replied.
"Alright, then we continue!"
And then we continued shooting.
The meat grinder continued for another ten minutes before finally...
"Awooo!"
"Bark! Bark!"
"Caw! Caw!"
After losing half of their forces, the animals finally gave up, carrying some corpses they managed to haul out before retreating.
"It's finally over!" - I breathed out, choosing not to shoot anymore.
Looking outside, I saw a sickly mixture of red and yellow blood flowing like a river, with gore decorating the ground.
Turning my eyes to our room, I saw around a dozen more giant crow carcasses.
"Hell... This was fucking hectic..." - I muttered and sat on a chair since the couch was now covered in crow blood.
Shaking my head, I turned to Primrose, who seemed as composed as a veteran soldier, and asked her while staring at the ceiling, "Casualties?"
"Yes, God. We lost 3,781 Minions, 6 Soldiers, and 10 Stalkers. Our forces are down to 37,562 Minions, 25 Soldiers, and 25 Stalkers." - She reported.
"Fuck... we lost a lot this time." - I cursed.
I wasn't lamenting about the loss of Minions, but the Soldiers and Stalkers. Those are harder to produce.
However, there was also good news.
Most of the corpses stayed here. Those animals barely took a few hundred Minions and no Soldiers or Stalkers.
Also, I reckon the rats lost over ten thousand rats while the hounds lost over a thousand, with the crows losing a few hundred.
In other words, we cut the animal population in this area by a third. Even if they breed like rabbits, it will take time to recover from this.
And, here comes the best news...
Basic Energy: 3,357
I officially broke through the 1,000 mark, reaching over 3,000 in one go.
Also, it seemed to be a threshold to unlock a new Power.
{Power Unlocked: Energy Conversion}
Energy Conversion: Converts Basic Energy to other useable forms of energy. (Only works one way)
Previously, I didn't have the time to ask about it, but now...
"Trod? Why wasn't this unlocked sooner?" - I asked weirdly.
{Because there would be no point using it before that. This is merely a backhand installed for a situation where Enhancement Energy and other types of energy are scarce or nonexistent. For example, if you just chose to go and work in a slaughterhouse, you could safely gather the energy within a week or two.}
"Then why didn't you tell me?!" - I exasperatedly asked.
{You didn't ask.}
"..."1When the MC realizes he is kinda stupid
"All this time, I could have skipped the entire risking my life thing by spending a few months in a slaughterhouse. I could have bided my time, evolved twice or thrice, and THEN gone to the other world, reducing the risk factor by a magnitude of 100. But NOOO!!! I just had to do things the HARD WAY!"
Sighing to myself, I turned to look at Primrose, who was currently focused on the window and couldn't help but smile a little.
"Oh, well. At least I got rewards for my effort. At least saved a few months of effort and got a trusty subordinate." - I thought positively.
While I was thinking that, Primrose turned to me and said, "God, I cleaned the battlefield. What would you like to do with the bodies?"
"Hm... Well, first, gather all the crystals and bring them to me. Oh, right. Do the mutated animals have crystals?" - I asked.
"Let me ask..." - Primrose replied, looking at one of the Stalker guards.
A few moments later, Primrose turned to me and said, "No, God. They don't."
"Guessed so. Then gather all the crystals you can find and bring them to me." - I nodded and said.
"And what of the carcasses outside? Should I select a few Minions to rear into Soldiers and Stalkers?" - Primrose asked.
"Hm..." - I pondered with closed eyes.
After a bit of thinking, I had a eureka moment.
"Trod, can I infuse energy into non-zealots?" - I asked curiously.
{Yes, it is wholly possible to do that. It is usually done as a form of reward to those in the outer circles of the church or outsiders who gained favor with you.}
"Oh?! Then, you mean I can form an army of evolved Kin?" - I widened my eyes.
{Yes, you can. But remember, they are not your Zealots. It is unwise to invest too much in them.}
"Yeah, I know." - I mentally nodded and opened my eyes.
"Primrose, gather 16 relatively intact Minions from the front lines and make sure the larger crystals are separated from the Minion crystals. I want them all gathered in the reception hall." - I instructed.
"Yes, God. It will be finished within ten minutes." - Primrose complied.
"Good. Let's search for a new room in the meantime. This place is filthy now." - I said and looked around.
The once-quality hotel room was now a wreck, full of crow carcasses.
"Yes, God." - Primrose nodded and stood up.
"Oh, right, and give those two the birds. They earned it." - I motioned at the two Stalkers.
"Yes." - She nodded without looking at the Stalkers.
The next moment, the two seemed excited and started eating the birds in the room.
After leaving the room filled with bone-chilling chewing sounds, we searched for a bit and found another room without bloodstains.
After preparing the beds(again), we headed downstairs through the corridors filled with Minions until arriving at the reception area.
Inside the reception area, I saw 16 Minions standing in a row, each sporting different wounds on their body. They included gashes, missing chunks of meat, and even missing fingers and eyes.
Besides that, there was a pile of smaller black crystals on the ground and 16 larger crystals on a table.
"Is this everything?" - I asked Primrose.
"Yes, God. All Crystals have been extracted." - She nodded.
"Hm." - I nodded and checked my current points.
Basic Energy: 3,357
Evolution Energy A: 145.1
Enhancement Energy A: 20.6
"145, hah?" - I muttered.
And then, I looked at the Minions.
"I can test it." - I added.
I then turned to Primrose, "Primrose, instruct the Minions not to move and not resist."
"Yes, God." - Primrose replied.
The next moment, the Minions stopped moving as if their bodies froze.
Without wasting time, I the left-most one and touched its shoulder.
Evolution Energy A: 145.1 -> 138.1
After infusing energy into it, I didn't stop and continued doing so on the other 15.
Evolution Energy A: 138.1 -> 131.1
Evolution Energy A: 131.1 -> 124.1
Evolution Energy A: 124.1 -> 117.1
...
Evolution Energy A: 33.1
After I was done, I walked back a few steps.
"Primrose, have each Minion eat three Minion carcasses before returning." - I ordered.
"God, do you mean in the next three days?" - Primrose asked curiously.
"Hm? No. I meant within half an hour." - I turned to her with a calm look.
"... God, I mean no disrespect, but wouldn't that cause their stomach to rupture?" - Primrose said hesitantly.
At her words, I widened my eyes. It was the first time Primrose had a defiant reaction.
My stare likely caused her to feel uncomfortable, as she lowered her head meekly while fidgeting.
"M-My apologies, God! I spoke out of turn..." - She said in a weak voice.
Realizing my mistake, I relaxed my expression.
"Hah? Ah, no. I was just pleasantly surprised you gave me a contrasting opinion, that is all. Please, by all means, continue doing so in the future. I don't need a yes-man. I need a competent subordinate." - I said with a smile.
"Ah... Yes, God! Then, please forgive me for being rude to you in the future!" - Primrose visibly recovered and said enthusiastically.
"Good. As for the point you raised, don't worry. Just do it. You will understand soon enough." - I said casually.
"Yes, God!" - Primrose nodded.
The 16 Minions then exited the hotel, likely going to the piles of carcasses outside.
"Now, then..." - I muttered and turned to the pile of crystals on the floor.
"Time for the bumper harvest."
