Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 530: Rock Monkey Gorge

CH530 Rock Monkey Gorge

***

As the party of fifty trudged through the barren landscape of the Wildlands, Alex couldn’t help but marvel at the resilience of nature... or rather, life.

Even in an environment where it seemed existence had no reason to prosper or flourish, nature always found a way.

For a moment, he couldn’t help recalling his past life.

One of humanity’s greatest fears before his transmigration to Pangea had been the constantly shifting climate and the desertification of once-verdant ecologies.

Many people had championed causes claiming to ’Save the World’.

Alex had always found that ironic—and, quite frankly, misguided.

Not to be misunderstood, he supported the ideals behind those movements. What had always struck him as a tad bit... fictitious, was the notion that they were saving the Earth.

He didn’t see it as saving the Earth.

He saw it as saving humanity.

Much like the dogged landscape before him, if human activity were to plunge the planet into adverse climate conditions, the planet itself would not fall.

At least, not to the point of destruction.

Instead, it would be humanity—and countless other fragile creatures—that would die out.

Given a few thousand to a few million years at most, nature would recover. New species would rise and replace those lost.

His proof?

Well... just ask the dinosaurs.

So, to claim they were saving the Earth never seemed like the right rallying call to him. It sounded more like grandstanding.

But then again, he understood that people responded best when messages were framed that way.

’People like to delude themselves about their importance in life. We believe we are the main characters of the world. Even I delude myself this way in order to adapt to the world I have been thrust into.

’Making people believe the end of humanity was the same as the end of the ’world’... that was indeed one of the best approaches they could have taken. After all, it had worked throughout history.’

’The two successive hegemons of the world threw their weight around by convincing everyone that only the system of government they followed and endorsed could ever be beneficial to the people... and to the world.’

’One even had her people—for all its educational hegemony—believing that her success or failure was the success or failure of the entirety of the human world. This bred a strong sense of patriotism in its citizens, no matter how misguided the superiority complex that grew alongside it was.’

Alex unconsciously chuckled.

’Humanity is so interesting. Especially the fact that the same fallacies repeat themselves across different planes and civilisations.’

He suddenly shook his head.

’I have let my cynici—no, realism—take me off point again.’

Alex forced himself to refocus on the real matter ahead of them.

Rock Monkey Gorge.

It was a narrow pass one had to go through to reach the area that led to the location where the berserk humans were reportedly gathering.

The gorge was about five kilometres long. It was also just wide enough for roughly five riders on horseback to move side by side.

But that wasn’t the most notable thing about the pass.

As one might deduce from the name, the gorge was occupied by Rock Monkeys.

These beasts were special in the sense that they possessed the ability to merge into the rock faces on both sides of the narrow passage, turning the gorge into a perfect ambush location.

Thinking about the pass, Alex couldn’t help but recall his conversation with Raven Horn on the matter.

--

”The Rock Monkeys aren’t particularly strong. If I am not wrong, the strongest of them only ever reach Peak Silver rank,” Raven Horn said.

Alex nodded. ”As long as they aren’t too numerous, with proper coordination, my party should be able to take them down and make it through the pass.”

”Well, that’s the thing. You can’t kill the Rock Monkeys. Or at least, you can’t kill too many of them,” Raven Horn replied.

”Why?” Alex raised an eyebrow.

”Because the Rock Monkeys are inadvertently protecting the region around Dragonstone,” Raven Horn revealed.

Alex’s eyes flashed with surprise. He waited for the man to continue, but Raven remained silent.

”Surely, you’re not going to drop news like that on me and then keep quiet, right?” Alex stared at him.

Raven Horn shrugged.

Still, he spoke.

”Rock Monkey Gorge—or Ravine, depending on how you choose to see it—sits on a major migratory pathway used by beasts and monsters.”

The man suddenly paused.

”Before that, let me explain something.”

He picked up two broomsticks from the ground and placed them vertically on the map, essentially dividing it into three parts.

He searched around for more broomsticks but couldn’t find any.

”There should be two more broomsticks horizontally here. But you still get the idea like this,” Raven Horn said nonchalantly.

”Imagine this large region around Blood Iron City as the quadrilateral core of the Wildlands. Around this core, these thinner regions formed by the broomsticks and the empire borders are essentially the no-man’s lands between the core of the Wildlands and the surrounding empires.

”Our dear Dragonstone sits on the extreme end of the Lumeria Empire’s no-man’s land, on the Wildlands side. From Dragonstone, crossing through the Rock Monkey Gorge lands you within the true core region of the Wildlands—the real Wildlands infested with all sorts of beasts, monsters, and scum in human form.”

”So, if I understand this correctly, the Rock Monkey Gorge is the screen between this no-man’s land and the true Wildlands. The Rock Monkeys limit the number of beasts, monsters, and human scum from the Wildlands core reaching Dragonstone and the rest of this side’s no-man’s land?”

”Exactly.” Raven Horn nodded. ”So, if you go around killing the Rock Monkeys, you’ll be doing Dragonstone more harm than good.”

”I never thought I would see the day berserk beasts are more useful alive than dead to a human settlement,” Alex commented.

”Well, you just haven’t lived long enough,” Raven Horn replied. ”Live long enough, and you’ll come to see a whole lot you never expected.”

Alex simply nodded.

”So, if we can’t kill our way through, how do we get past the gorge?” he asked. ”Since merchant caravans move between here and Blood Iron, surely there’s a way to cross it.”

”Two, actually.” Raven Horn flashed a toothy grin. Then he added irresponsibly, ”The first is pretty simple. Rock Monkeys are a bit deaf when they are merged into the mountain. Don’t make too much noise, and you’ll be fine.”

”How much is ’too much noise’?” Alex asked.

”Depends.” Raven Horn shrugged. ”Sometimes even the explosion of a [Fireball] spell won’t disturb them. Other times, just kicking the wrong rock while walking through may awaken every Rock Monkey in the gorge.”

”That’s not helpful at all,” Alex said.

”It is what it is,” Raven Horn replied.

Alex massaged the bridge of his nose.

”And the second?”

”Is anyone in your party claustrophobic?” Raven Horn suddenly asked.

Alex raised an eyebrow.

***