Helen left after another 15 minutes of offering more advice and conversation. Soon after Emma and Fellette dropped by. They did not stay long. Both of them were clearly shocked by what he had showcased. After only a minute, they quickly departed. Fellette was clearly nervous. Peter knew what the ape type core was worried about. The pachyderm core was still in the running. The next oldest beast type would be him. Fellette was hoping they would not proceed down to challenging him. Perhaps the older core was a bit worried about seeming friendly with Peter right now. Already he was becoming a bit of a pariah. He tried not to dwell on it.
While they waited for Gabriel to finish things up, Elyra, Gretchen, and himself discussed their situation. There had been several other battles between the two elementals and the reptile faction. As well as Cobra’s battle with the newt type core, who almost definitely had the 9 life specialization. Newt was still around, as was Salamander and Cobra. But Brine and Starlight had taken out the other two reptiles. Perhaps it was because Cobra had taken out lightning a few years ago, or perhaps they had just wanted to battle. Peter’s group had been declared off limits and the insects were the biggest and strongest group remaining. The reptiles would have been the only option.
Once Bonefied was eliminated that would leave just 18 cores left since he had also taken out Stone Golem. Exactly half were now made up of the insect faction… That was with lumping in the traitorous sea insect core. Either the pair of elementals or the reptile faction would make a supreme difference in offsetting the imbalance in next year’s battle if they were to agree to join up with his group.
Perhaps with his display, it might not be too difficult to convince a group to throw their lot in with Peter’s group. Both Gretchen and Elyra agreed on approaching the elementals first. They were far more likely to agree to join up. Of the millennial factions the millennials outlier to the leader’s core group were far more accommodating, like Emma. Brine certainly would not be invited to join the core group. Starlight seemed only a bit more likely.
“What did I miss?” Gabriel asked only minutes after eliminating the final demon rookie. Unlike Peter, he had immediately made his way up. Perhaps he had seen that he was the last to finish his battle, or perhaps he was more patient and less driven by his eagerness to see all his new goodies. Regardless, Elyra immediately spilled the beans on Peter.
The fallen core just looked at Peter for a moment with an annoyed expression. His black tipped white wings drooped. Then he laughed. “Hahahha… I knew you would be a step ahead, just not three of them. I thought I was something already having 8 S tiers, but Elyra’s right you got to quit showing everything new as soon as you get it.”
Peter sighed. Listen, I don’t know why you guys think I don’t have something in reserve,” Peter said looking around. “I actually have a third SS tier and a few others that I held back, but it won’t matter since I will just have to use them next year… I’m assuming we are still all agreed on doing this?”
Elyra’s greed flared again, hearing that he had even more that he had not shown them all. She was not exactly discreet herself, so had perhaps been hoping he was the same. She soon controlled her expression since the others had turned towards her, all assuming that she would be the first to ‘Roger up’. “Of course, I did not sit out this year, only to give that fish shit eater a pass.”
Gabriel was next, but he immediately agreed. “We are going to be too busy dealing with those above us in a few years. I’m not going to let Eli slink his way through the transition. Worse case is we all get targeted until we are eliminated, and that bottom dweller slinks on.”
They all turned to Gretchen since Peter was obviously in. Gretchen looked a bit more uncertain. She was far more reserved then the rest of her group. Perhaps most would think that she was the weakest in their group, but the fact was that she had survived Eli’s betrayal during the group war, when Predator and the others had not was telling. She also had not lost a battle since the tutorial, her worst showing being a draw.
She might not be a heavyweight fighter like Peter or Gabriel, taking down cores year after year. She did not have the type card to draw in uneven trades like Elyra. In fact trading seemed to be pretty difficult for her, probably why she had gone from group to group those first few years. Regardless of not having a notable edge or even having revealed a single S tier, she was still here with them. “To hell with it. If you guys go down, I won’t last much longer on my own anyways.”
“Should have had a better guide, and not picked a humanoid core type,” Elyra admonished with a smirk.
“Whatever, lets just go talk to the damn elementals,” Gretchen said, rising to her feet. The other three followed suit.
However, as they made their way to the other side, they all noted something else. Cobra and the other two reptiles stood and made their way to a stairwell as well. When they ascended the opposite side’s upper level, they found that Agatha, Hive, and Fire ant were also headed their way. Cobra and his group popped up out of a different stairwell a moment later. They started heading in the same direction as Peter’s group… as the insect group. It looked like there was going to be a little impromptu gathering of the remaining of the rookies, the lesser insect cores and the traitor excluded.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Elyra of course could not hope but to refer to that latter fact. “Just figures, group meeting and he’s trying to hide in the rank and file.”
Peter paid her no mind as he studied the other groups. It was clear that convincing the elementals to join would not be so clear cut now. Starlight was a male core. A short bald dude wearing an old World war style brown bomber jacket. The guy had an intense gaze and a resting pissed off look every time that Peter had seen him, and the brine core had stood out to him from the very beginning. A female that looked like a stereotypical witch complete with the tall pointed hat and greenish gray skin. She had not changed a bit, perhaps had chosen the Brine type for just such a reason.
Agatha looked creepy as always. The large black upper eyes and smaller black humanoid eyes were ominous. The hive core was actually a male, so Peter could not recall what he had looked like initially since he had paid the guys less attention. Now however, the core had old Victorian era beehive styled hair. A nest or hair swept up above his head. The guy's skin was amber like the color of honey. He had definitely changed himself over the years from the first congregation since Peter would have surely noted and remembered something so outlandish. The fire ant had once been a guy with brown leathery skin, now he just had a set of antenna.
As far as the reptiles… Well they were all fairly similar. They had all been human or something similar initially. Now they all had notable scales. They were all bald having shed their hair in a matter of years. Their noses however were still in the process of smoothing down into a snout like face. The only difference between the three was that Cobras scales looked more rough, whereas Newt and Temperance’s scales looked wet and sleek.
Nothing was started until the final one of the group’s arrived. It was Agatha who started the proceedings. “Hahaha…haaaa… What a mess this has all become. The concept cores run to the elementals for help, and the lizards slither up, afraid of being left out.”
“Well it seems like you are a bit afraid of being left out yourself,” Peter challenged.
Elyra snickered, while Agatha glared angrily. “Of course they were. They know we would easily win if we recruited more. Would not expect anything more from a group that recruits traitorous cowards. Elementals… Reptiles… Either of you guys want to join up. I would offer it to both, but I doubt they would dare accept that match up.”
“No thankssssss,” Cobra said immediately. Starlight and Brine just waited to see how things would develop.
Agatha opened her mouth to reply, but Hive cut her off. “I don’t know why you would imagine we wouldn’t. That would be only 9 on 9. We would still have the numbers,” Hive said with a crooked grin. It was clear in regards to numbers he spoke of the unending hordes that insect cores were known for. Since he along with many of the other insect cores had not battled since the tutorial they would have an ample amount of resources.
Everyone turned to Cobra, the clear leader of the reptiles. “Like I sssaid, no thanksssss. We only came to make sure that the elementals don’t join up with the concept group and defeat the insectsss. We are content to take a break next year.”
“Take a break! You basically just farmed your victory from an ally today,” Elyra snapped before Gabriel clamped down on her mouth with his hand. She clearly did not appreciate it, although she did not struggle thanks to being in the presence of other groups.
Cobra grinned wickedly. “The ssstrong eat the weak. It'sss natural. We will ally with the food,” he said glancing at the insects, “If the elementalsss join.”
Everyone turned toward Starlight, the clear leader of the pair. “What, they haven’t even made their sale’s pitch yet, before you all intruded in. We won’t decide for now.”
“Jussst be warned,” the Cobra type core said, turning. Newt and Temperance turned to follow. The latter flashed Peter a glare.
“I’m sure we would be fine on our own, but we would be glad to save resources,” Hive called after them. He turned back toward Peter. “I guess there you have it. The four of you can take on all nine of us, or you convince them to join and make it a 12 on 6.”
Hive was clearly smug. Agatha did not contrast the other’s statement although her silent agreement came with clear frustration at having to give way to the other . She had once been the dominant insect faction rookie. As a spider she had been above the others, even over an elite type core like Hive, but after her loss it was clear her control had slipped. The fire ant core just stood there with a neutral expression, featureless muscle. Perhaps they had brought him along since Cobra had two lackeys and they did not want to come with less.
“I guess there is nothing more that needs to be said…” Agatha said angrily. She stormed off. This time it was Hive’s turn to follow suit with a clearly annoyed expression.
Starlight waited for them to get out of earshot. “Okay, I would have loved to allow you guys to promise the heavens and earth, but I don’t see how it would change anything now. If we join up with you guys then so will the reptiles, and the odds would basically be the same. Sure the two of us are probably a better addition than the three of them, but why would we chance it. If we can get to Cobra before he farms another victory off of Newt then we can try to take him and the others out, but our spots are not guaranteed in the intermediate division, same as you. We cannot risk depleting all our resources to partake in some epic battle.”
The short bald intense man looked at Brine for agreement. “Agreed, if we joined we would basically just be agreeing to allow unceasing insect armies to intrude in our battle with the reptiles.”
“Sorry, but the answer seems to be a hard no,” Starlight said with finality. Then he eased up slightly. “But if we all survive, and you guys don’t immediately get obliterated during the integration in a few years then hit us up. You have drawn too much attention on yourselves, but if you do survive the older dungeons we would be happy to consider even joining up with you guys…”
“Like he said, we are pretty much as factionless as you are. If you’re strong enough to survive first blood in the next division, then you would be good allies to have.”
