Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse

Chapter 202: To Save One’s Bros

Turning, Brock found a human approaching. He was a tall, lanky, young-looking one with an evil glint in his eyes, like a kid about to bully his shortest pack-mate. Brock rummaged through his memory. He had seen this person before. It was the guy that had been present when Big Bro fought the minotaur in the desert, riding the desert lizard that was now on Brocks other side.

Hello, Brock responded. Can I help you?

This was an expression he had specifically tried to learn. He found it cool.

Oh, you can speak, the young man said. Even better, then. Hand over your treasures.

Brock showed his empty palms, indicating that he had nothing.

Dont lie to me. Jack Rust has no pockets, and he treats you very well. You must be holding on to something. Hand it over.

Ah. This was a clever path of thought. It was also wrong, but incidentally, Brock did happen to have some treasure with him. It was the Beast Growth Powder that his newest friend had just gifted him.

Of course, Brock didnt feel like handing it over, but the alternative was pretty clearly death, which would make many people sad. An interesting dilemma.

Hmm Brock thought, channeling his inner bro to find the best solution.

Thankfully, it was unnecessary. The young man suddenly began to float over the ground. The reason was the sharp talon that had hooked his hood. Eterazel the sphinx stood behind the man, ogling him with distaste. The young man, on the other hand, paled like hed seen a ghost. His two beasts froze.

I The sphinx! he said in a high-pitched voice. You are not supposed to leave the circle!

Another foolish rumor. Its not that I cant, its that I dont want to, the sphinx replied. But you are threatening Friend Brock. Friends are supposed to help friends She turned to Brock, suddenly with a hint of hesitation in her voice, right?

Brock nodded. Yes. Thanks.

No problem, Friend Brock.

The young man paled even further. What are you going to do me to me? he asked in a squeaky voice.

Eat you, of course. There is only one destination for people who annoy a sphinx: her stomach.

The young man screeched. Brock no longer felt particularly scared of him.

No, he said. The sphinx looked over.

No?

No.

Brock then reminded her that she should try to eat people less.

Right The sphinx said, clearly dissatisfied. Then, what should I do with him? All I know to do is eat peopleor ask them questions. Should I start asking?

Brock shook his head, pointing at himself.

You want to ask the questions? The sphinx raised a brow. Very well. Its quite unorthodox, but Ill allow it.

Thanks.

Brock then turned to the young man, who still hung from the sphinx talon. His summoned beasts remained frozen. Brock made a questioning gesture.

I am Squirrelborn of the Wide Swirls faction, the man said quickly. A high E-Grade tamer. These are my beasts, Long Tongue and Desert Walker.

Brock nodded. There wasnt much he wanted to learn from this manbut a good bro never let opportunities pass. He fished the lotus-shaped powder pouch from his pocket, pointed at it, then made another questioning gesture.

What that is? the man said. He inspected the powder with his eyes for a moment, then exclaimed, D-Grade Beast Growth Powder! Where did you get that?

Brock shook his hand to indicate that was none of Squirrelborns business, then mimed that he would like to know how to use this item.

Seeing a sliver of a hope, Squirrelborn hid nothing. We tamers use that on our tools. You can apply it on the business end of a fishing hook, a taming circlet, a bird catcher Anything, really. It attracts beasts and lowers their defenses, letting you capture them easily. Its odor is addictive to most beasts, too, so they are more obedient afterward.

Brock nodded. He did not quite enjoy what he heard. This person talked like beasts were tools to seduce and manipulate. That was not the bro way.

He askedin mimeif that was all. In that case, he would just bury the powder somewhere so it wasnt a threat to all animals.

Well The tamer hesitated. A shake from the sphinx evaporated all his doubts. You can also eat it! he added hastily. It can greatly enhance a beasts body, which is why its called Beast Growth Powderbut thats a huge waste! Nobody uses it like that anymore! Its far more efficient as a taming aid. Even if you dont want to tame beasts, you can just sell it and get beast enhancing treasures that are significantly more effective than just eating the powder.

Brock exclaimed in glee. That sounded better. Eating the powder would be better than burying it. Plus, selling it was a no-no. Such a thing should just cease to exist.

He also didnt forget to shoot a raised-brow-smirk at the sphinx. Apparently, she had eaten everything except this powder. She looked away, embarrassed.

The summoner must have noticed Brocks intentions because he suddenly panicked. Wait! he said. That powder is extremely valuable. If you sell it to me, I promise that my faction will reward you greatly! Ill even give you anything on my person immediately! You can have my beasts if you want, too! This powder can help me reach the peak E-Grade, or even become an Elite! Please dont waste it!

Brocks dislike of this person grew by the minute. Purposely slowly, and always maintaining eye contact with the unpleasant tamer, he brought the lotus-shaped pouch to his mouth and poured in all of the powder.

No! the tamer screamed. Please dont waste it! Sell it to me! Ill give you anything!

Brock ignored him and started chewing. It had a sweet flavor. A bit too sweet for his taste, but fine overall.

The tamer made a wordless cry. His eyes almost popped out, and he was so frustrated that he even coughed up a mouthful of blood that marred his robes.

Brock ignored the squirming man. In fact, he even purposely slowed down his eating speed so the tamer could enjoy this sight for longer. Then, after Brock finished his meal, he burped to show that he enjoyed it.

The tamers frustration was so great that he coughed up another mouthful of blood. You You wastrel! How dare you! he cried out. Thats Thats such a waste! A disgrace to all tamers! Do you know how many beasts Ive given away trying to get such a thing!?

Again, Brock ignored him. The sphinx did nothing, too. She was content letting him handle this.

A rush of strength flowed through Brocks body. For the second time in a few minutes, his muscles contracted and became stronger. He was pretty sure he could strangle a tree by now.

But he wasnt done. Having finished the powder, he then turned to the tamers two beasts and raised a brow as if asking, Really? You follow this guy?

The frog and lizard hesitated. Their eyes went to their tamer in fear. Brock was having none of that. He reached up and slapped the young man to display his dominance, then turned to the two beasts and mimed that they should not follow such a person. They deserved to be free, not slaves.

The two beasts hesitated. They obviously wanted to be free, but something was stopping them. Brock felt his wordswhich contained the Very Big Thought of Brohoodwrestle against something implanted in the beasts minds.

He turned and slapped the tamer againharder, this time.

The resistance disappeared. Brock let the spirit of brohood seep into the beasts through his words, helping them escape the tamers control. Suddenly, their eyes lit up. They shook their heads and looked over themselves in confusion, then at Brock in gratitude.

Finally, they glared at their summoner with extreme hatred.

Brock nodded. One more case of brohood helping the world. Really, why couldnt everyone just be good?

He then pointed at himself. Follow me, he meant. You are clearly distraught. I will show you the true way.

The two beasts, realizing that Brock was weaker than them, hesitated. But only for a moment. Then, their gratitude and relief won over, and they inclined their heads at him, recognizing him as their big bro.

Brock nodded. This was good. He had more bros now.

In fact, looking at how happy these beasts were and how this man only saw them as tools, a new plan formed in his mind. He wouldnt just hunt for treasure. First, he would try to find as many tamers as possible and rescue their beasts. He had seen a couple more entering Beast Garden. He could also recruit some native beast bros to helpthe young man whod approached him was one of the weakest cultivators around, so it made sense that the beasts of the others would be even stronger than these ones. He might need some extra muscle.

After miming his plan to his new bros, he found them in perfect agreement. The sphinx, sadly, shook her head.

I will not join, she said. I appreciate your intentions, Friend Brock, but I am a sphinx. I have no desire to leave my circle.

Brock nodded. Joining him would be more bro-like, but if the sphinx wanted to stay here, he wouldnt insist.

Um, excuse me, said the tamer, who had been ignored for the last few minutes as the animals communicated through miming. He had mostly recovered from his previous outrage, tooor, more probably, he was just hiding it. Can I go now? he asked. You already took all my beasts and wasted the most valuable treasure I could ever get. There is nothing left for me. Can I please have your mercy, oh great monkey lord?

Brock considered it. He mimed whether the cultivator had any more beasts.

What? the young man said. After the sphinx relayed the question, he replied, No. These two were already the most my soul could handle.

He is speaking the truth, the sphinx confirmed.

Brock nodded. He considered letting the man go for a moment. He then concluded that being a bro did not mean being stupid. Mercy was good, but too much of it could be harmful.

Therefore, he suggested to the sphinx that, while eating others was generally not a good practice, this man was not a potential friend. After all, she had to eat something.

Really? Her voice was full of elation. Thank you, Friend Brock!

The tamer somehow understood Brocks miming this time. He unleashed a panicked scream that contained hints of a soul attack, but everyone present could easily weather it. Beast tamers were highly specialized. Without their beasts, they were almost harmless.

In any case, this particular tamers attack was interrupted by the sphinxs sharp jaws snapping shut around his throat. She chewed his head and swallowed it.

Much better, she said, blood still dripping from her jawsand erupting as a fountain from the headless corpse she was holding. I told you; cultivators can be so disrespectful sometimes. Anyway, thank you for your advice, Friend Brock. I will return now, to recover from all these friendly interactions and lick the blood from my fur. Best of luck with your quest! Just remember that not all tamers are tyrantssome are friends with their beasts. Those ones are not bad.

Brock nodded, smiled, shook her paw, and walked away. As the sphinx returned to her stone circle, dragging her meal along for later, he went in the opposite direction. The frog and lizard followed him.

He didnt know where the other tamers had gone, but someone must have seen them. Hed just ask around. Recruit native bros, too. Then, after rescuing all the unlucky beast bros and punishing the slave drivers, he would try to collect as many treasures as possible, both for himself and his bros.

He had two missions now, and he would see them both through!

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