NOVPUB
Chapter 378: 378
With the collective intellect of the mages, a plan was devised. The only challenge was how to implement this "solution" among the ratmen without causing dissent. Observing the current crisis with the hybrids, Gurnak saw an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone: test the Empire’s solution on the ratmen while simultaneously addressing the hybrid threat.
The Empire was no longer interested in nurturing a technological route; they needed a relentless, rampaging force capable of tearing through demon ranks.
Gurnak placed his green, clawed hand on the tank, initiating its draining process. Once the liquid was gone, he muttered a spell under his breath.
Deep underground, the ratmen noticed an unsettling phenomenon. A faint green mist began to seep into their cavernous city, subtle at first but gradually growing in density and spreading throughout the tunnels.
The mist lingered for two days before dissipating, leaving the ratmen uneasy. Whispers of hybrid involvement spread like wildfire, but the true origins of the mist were known only to the goblin mages, who watched the events unfold with bated breath.
This experiment, if successful, would pave the way for large-scale deployment of the solution on the Empire’s ratmen forces, bolstering their effectiveness in battle.
However, the goblin mages had overlooked one critical factor: the hybrids. This oversight was not entirely their fault, as they had yet to capture or study a hybrid specimen to fully understand their biology and mechanics.
Unbeknownst to the mages, someone else was well aware of the unintended consequences.
In the shadowy halls of her castle, Demon Queen Vorenza’s laughter echoed, startling her spider-demon underlings. It had been ages since their queen had laughed with such genuine delight.
She and the fifth-stage demon spider overseeing the hybrid breeding watched with glee as the situation unfolded. The initial hybrids had been born from demon spiders and ogres, but now, after they were throen into the cavern, new hybrids were emerging—this time from ratmen and demon spiders.
This mist wasn’t designed to unlock potential but to forcibly enhance the ratmen’s physical attributes. The Empire, aware of the ratmen’s naturally sealed mana cores, had devised a chemical solution that would saturate the air with mana. This was intended to bypass the limitations of their cores and forcefully trigger physical evolution, creating a stronger, more resilient force capable of direct confrontation with demons.
Vorenza was thrilled by the unexpected development. In her excitement, she issued a rare order: no attacks on the goblins today. Her forces would rest and prepare, eagerly awaiting the transformations to come.
Back in the ratmen council chambers, decisions were finally made. Before launching any further offensives, they agreed on one priority: understanding the enemy. Blind charges into the tunnels had cost them dearly; information and reconnaissance were now paramount.
Thanks to the Empire’s influence, the ratmen were no longer shackled to hiding their talent on steam technology. With renewed determination, they began experimenting with new devices and strategies. A team was assembled, not to fight the hybrids, but to observe, gather intel, and return with answers.
The ratman reconnaissance team, although inexperienced in warfare against the demons or the Empire, relied on their ingenuity and resourcefulness. Their equipment was a patchwork of steampunk creations—compact steam-powered gadgets, clockwork mechanisms, and crude but effective tools designed to aid their mission.
The team consisted of Krelth, a cautious and sharp-witted leader; Skirrek, a scout with an uncanny ability to move unseen; Vrix, the group’s tinker, who carried an assortment of gadgets designed to analyze and record; and Lokar, a miner-turned-soldier with a knack for improvising in dangerous situations. While none of them had faced enemies as fearsome as the hybrids, they understood their tunnels better than anyone.
The team set out from the council chambers, equipped with steam-powered lanterns, spring-loaded crossbows, and small devices crafted by Vrix to detect vibrations and gather samples.
Krelth addressed the team as they prepared to leave. "We don’t need to fight. We need to think. Stay hidden, observe, and learn. If we’re caught, we don’t stand a chance."
The tunnels grew darker and more oppressive as they ventured deeper into contested territory. The air was thick with the faint metallic tang left by the green mist. Along the way, Lokar examined claw marks and strange web-like structures, muttering, "These things have been here longer than we thought."
The team set out from the council chambers, equipped with steam-powered lanterns, spring-loaded crossbows, and small devices crafted by Vrix to detect vibrations and gather samples.
Krelth addressed the team as they prepared to leave. "We don’t need to fight. We need to think. Stay hidden, observe, and learn. If we’re caught, we don’t stand a chance."
The tunnels grew darker and more oppressive as they ventured deeper into contested territory. The air was thick with the faint metallic tang left by the green mist. Along the way, Lokar examined claw marks and strange web-like structures, muttering, "These things have been here longer than we thought."
After hours of careful exploration, they reached a cavern lit by a faint bioluminescent glow emanating from strange fungal growths. The scene before them was unlike anything they had ever imagined. The hybrids moved with an eerie precision, their bodies grotesque blends of ratmen and spider-like features. They were larger, faster, and stronger than anything the team had seen before.
Skirrek crouched low, his sharp eyes scanning the area. "There’s a structure deeper in. Looks like... webs? They’re using it like a nest."
Vrix adjusted his goggles, which had a series of magnifying lenses that clicked into place. He began sketching the hybrids’ movements on a pad. "They’re too organized," he said, his voice trembling. "Almost like they’re following orders."
Lokar scanned the area for weak points, muttering to himself. "Whatever made these things, it’s turning them into killers. If they come for us, we’ll need more than gadgets to survive."
As the team observed, they noticed small hybrid ratlings emerging from a tangled mass of webs deeper in the cavern. These juvenile hybrids were grotesque, their transformations incomplete, but they were already adapting to their environment.
Krelth whispered, "That’s what they’re doing to our kind. Those poor souls never had a chance."
The team’s observations were interrupted when a hybrid screeched nearby. The sound was ear-piercing, echoing through the tunnels. One of Vrix’s vibration detectors began clicking furiously, signaling approaching movement.
"We’ve been spotted," Krelth hissed. "Skirrek, lead them off. Lokar, prepare a distraction. Vrix, grab what you can and follow me."
Skirrek darted into the shadows, tossing a spring-loaded flare that hissed and sparked. The hybrid charged after him, its many legs skittering across the rocky floor. Lokar pulled out a small explosive device he had rigged—a crude combination of gunpowder and shrapnel encased in a copper shell—and hurled it into the tunnel behind them. The resulting blast collapsed part of the passage, buying them time to escape. 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝒐𝒎
When the team returned to the council chambers, they brought vital information. Vrix displayed the air samples and sketches.
Skirrek recounted the hybrids’ alarming speed and coordination. Lokar described the terrain and possible ways to collapse tunnels to slow their advance.
The council getting all this report understood one thing "The hybrids need to be handled outside their marked turf, they need to draw out the hybrids in groups to take care of them. Right now they have the advantage of number, if the tactics works they might draw out the one controlling them"
"The problem now is the mist," Chief said as he held the device that contained the mist.
"Changes have been seen in a lot of our people, strength never seen before, speed and agility that catches up to the our previous performance with the help of our tech"
"It clearly is now obvious that the mist has nothing to do with the hybrids, leaving us with only one option "The mages"
Everyone hearing that tensed up "is this their retaliation against us after declining their offer" One ratman said.
Skrag, second in command shook his head "How can this be a retaliation, our people are evolving and getting stronger. It should be seen more as a gift"
Chief eyed Skrag second in command "It can really be considered a gift when the side effect has been shown clearly"
"Our people because of years of suppression always have a mellow and weaker mentality but that helped us in our path to technology, whatever the mist did it came with a great price"
"Those changed by it are easily irritable and confrontational, a behavior rare for us. Ratmen now have the strength to lift a boulder with ease, many now see no use in using the tools that have helped them before"
The council chamber fell into a heavy silence as the weight of the chief’s words sank in. The ratmen, a race known for their ingenuity and reliance on technology, were now experiencing a shift that threatened the very foundation of their society.
Skrag’s second-in-command stood firm, his voice cutting through the quiet. "Chief, with respect, perhaps this is the evolution we’ve been waiting for. For too long, we’ve been dismissed, overshadowed by others in the world above. If the mist gives us the strength to rise, then maybe it’s time we embrace this change."
