Over the next two weeks Eric's party returned four times, spending a little longer on the second floor each time. It was actually during the fourth visit that they discovered the huckleberry bushes. Bushes it turns out are slightly different from mushrooms. I only get the DP if the entire bush is harvested, or at least 99% of it anyway. The system it seems isn't so stingy as to deny me DP because they missed one or two berries. Luckily that one node caused about twenty bushes to spawn in a 100 meter area. Spread out enough that they aren't bunched up together but close enough to all be in the same general area.
It was actually quite comical watching the party gorge themselves on the huckleberries. Apparently fresh produce had become extremely rare recently. It makes me wonder exactly what they had been eating. Still they did manage to pack up several kilograms worth of berries. It seems they plan to use this as a moral booster and to get people to join them. Working for berries seems like a step down but then again things outside the dungeon may be worse than I think they are. The good news for me is that they stick around much longer than normal thanks to a combination of the moral boost and health benefits of the berries seemingly giving them a second wind.
Unfortunately for them, this lead to them encountering the wolves for the first time. It was only a small group with just four members but this was the first time Eric's party fought an organized group. The only saw one wolf at first and so thought that was all there was. A mistake that almost cost them dearly. While the two melee fighters were squaring off against the lone wolf two more began flanking the group. Luckily It seems Eric's perception was high enough that he was able to warn the others in time. Rachel whipped around an let loose a barrage of fire magic catching one of the flanking wolves off guard. Damien on the other hand was able to raise his sword in time to block the attack. Yes that's right, despite being a healer he hadn't forgotten how to hold a sword. He just didn't have any actual skill for swords or even melee fighting in general.
The wolf who had played the decoy then took advantage of the momentary distraction to launch an attack. Amy however wasn't entirely distracted. She was able to keep her shield between the wolf and everyone else. The fact that she had a skill that basically forced said wolf to focus on her also helped with that. Eric on the other hand went to help out Rachel and Damien. Damien steps back while keeping his guard up allowing Eric to step between him and the wolf. However, this isn't cowardice but strategy. Despite having a sword his strength was equal to someone at level 2 who had focused on strength. Actually, if they put over half of their bonus stat points in strength they would be stronger than him. A gap that can only get more pronounced as the levels go up.
What he did expect, indeed what none of them suspected was that there was a fourth wolf who pounced on Damien from seemingly nowhere. Now because he still had his guard up he was able to block the attack but only just. The attack caused him to stumble backwards ultimately loosing his balance and falling. The wolf didn't waste a second and pounced again. Now the only thing between him and the wolf's teeth was a simple iron sword. It was at this point Rachel had finished flame grilling her wolf and so turned to start blasting the wolf attacking Damien. After the first wolf died the fight was wrapped up pretty quickly.
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After that they all take a quick break to catch their breath. I can't exactly read minds but I could tell just by the look on his face that Eric realizes just how bad this could have ended if he hadn't sensed those two wolves at the last possible second. It was actually while taking a short rest that they noticed the healing effect of the huckleberries. While they didn't sustain any serious injuries none of them got away completely uninjured either. Surprisingly they didn't leave after that. They did however decide to head back towards the entrance a bit. Bears may be bigger and stronger in terms of raw strength but at least the party doesn't have to worry about sneak attacks.
By the time they decide to go home they've given me more DP than their last two delves combined. Thanks in large part to most of this last delve tacking place on the second floor. It would have been more but they took their time going through the first floor most likely wanting to save their energy for the second. They are the first and, so far as I'm aware, only team to realize what I am. The DP I got from this delve combined with the DP from a delve yesterday that managed to reach the third chest gives me just enough to upgrade the fourth loot node to level 4. Honestly, I wouldn't be trying so hard to get the loot nodes upgraded if their was already an established market for magical items. It's up to me to basically establish the market however. Well that and I want them to actually have a chance on the later floors. After all the longer they survive the more DP I get.
Meanwhile back in town
Eric POV
Rachel has done a great job of securing the base and adding structural reinforcement to the places that needed it. According to her the architecture skill she picked up help her see some of the flaws in her original design. More precisely it help her see some weak points she had previously overlooked. The fact remain however that the town as a whole is not going to survive as it is. There are just to many people clinging to the old ways. Even a few religious folks who believe the system is evil incarnate. While some have come around and begun to use the system they are very much in the minority still.
I do have to give credit where credit is due. The mayor and sheriff did organize the town enough to get the wall built. Well, mostly built, there are constant arguments about how big the wall should be and if we even need the wall in the first place. I still can't believe there are people arguing against the wall being built even knowing how most of the wild animals out there have changed. That said we did manage to trade the berries for a generator. The generator was then placed in the garage of the house we've turned into our base. The garage door has been sealed shut forcing us to carry it the long way around. Fortunately the generator doesn't feel nearly as heavy as I thought it would. The reason we chose the garage is because it's the most heavily ventilated room in the house.
Even though it pained me to do so we then traded the last of the berries for about 20 liters of gas. None of us have woodworking magic so some things are still simpler with electricity and power tools. One thing that surprised me however was that there were still a number of television stations broadcasting. Sure most of the news was about evacuations to so called safe zones, but the fact that there is even a station much less multiple still broadcasting means things haven't gotten as bad as I had feared.
We did trade some of the berries earlier on for a few luxury items like toiletries and some canned meats, even a few changes of cloths. There were a few groups who tried to take our stuff by force but our levels aren't just for show. A fact they soon discovered first hand. That's actually one of the reasons we chose a house on the outskirts of town to use as our base despite everyone else trying to get as close to the center of town as possible. I have a suspicion that lawlessness will get much worse before it get's better. Simply because there is nobody both willing and capable of stopping the truly desperate. Sure the sheriffs office still exists but without payment I doubt many will stay on much longer. Honestly I'm surprised they have as many officers as they do.
