"Well Milord, we may have neglected to inform you of the political structure that had been in place before your ascension" Lord Armeant answered waiting to gauge my reaction. Seeing my face remain impassive he continued.
"The three species of the Fungal Folk was more of a Confederation with the Monarch as the head of said Confederation, technically the Ophiocord was the Fourth Lord but he was the only one of his kind, when you came to challenge him he was trying to force us to help him" he explained the reason, and I knew of a few such confederations back on Earth that had existed. However it led me to the next question, why didn't they help him?
"Then why didn't you guys help him?" I voiced my question to him rasing a single eyebrow. However it was the representative of Lord Alvest that responded.
"Well I was stalling saying we needed a full vote and Lord Armeant along with his kin have always been a reclusive kind so we didn't have a full vote" he explained, and once again their explanations spawned more questions and only pieced together and more parts of the initial question. Lord Armeant picked up where he fell off.
"Then when the system recognized you as a fungi I used the excuse that it was an inner species fight as that is what you appear to us, and hence we couldn't interfere" the Fungal Treant stated which made sense though I didn't know that I appeared as an Ophiocord to their senses.
"Then why centralize? Why did you guys agree to move to the Mycelium Keep?" I asked them, their answers held up logically speaking.
"We needed to change that is why, we had already heard that you wiped out the rats and the ants, when you became the Fungal Monarch by default we held a secret vote while you battled the Ophiocord, if you won we agreed to centralize under your rule" he finished off the explanation. Though they didn't answer my most important question, where did they get wood in a cave?
"Alright thats nice and all, but where do you guys get wood from?" I asked them.
"Oh, we have trees they grow in one place, a sacred grove of our people, there are great crystals that grow from the ceiling of that grove. The trees that grow there require those crystals." He explained, and I would have to see that gro—.
"Your Majesty, and Lords there's a hoard of rabbits pouring in from the caves" a panicked Brownie said, I recognized him he was the courier from yesterday.
"Ah then it's alright then" I responded slowly getting up to see the entertainment. I saw an alarmed look on the couriers face.
"Do you guys want to come with me and watch a few rabbits get absolutely obliterated?" I asked them.
"Of course, sounds like fun" the ancient fungal responded. Getting up from his chair. As he made his way to the door. Lord Urisk beamed with excitement as he took waited.
"Ah, man I apologize Milord, I have to plan ahead the influx of rabbit hides and meat will saturate the market and one of us needs to prepare for it" the Lithoni explained.
"Do you require any help?" Lord Armeant voiced beating me to the punch.
"Oh no don't worry about it if things turn sour having you too their is important, and Lord Urisk no offense is terrible at paperwork" he explained as Lord Urisk gave a deep belly laugh.
"No offense taken old pal" Lord Urisk responded before we departed. The Courier seemed perplexed for a moment before he called in by Lord Alvest's representative. Shesh, I really needed to learn that guys name.
...
Sitting on one of the towers, I watched as Lord Alvest laid waste of the pouring tide of hares. Eventually they learned to evade the large warrior, and lime a river splitting they flowed around and to the walls. Arrows flew from the battlements alongside the flurry of spells, the Hares didn't seem to care trampling over their brothers and sisters.
"So I know that they are led by a single breeding pair but how does that work?" I asked the ever knowledgeable Lord Armeant.
"Hmm, oh yes I had the pleasure of speaking to one of them in my youth, how it worked then according to them every fifty years a new pair of a rabbits are born with a dormant mutation, once they are of age they over from the previous pair." He explained to me like a wise wizard which I suppose he was.
Turning back I watched as the defenders slaughtered the hares. I saw no need to interfere, eventually the hares heard a faint squeak. Then like cockroaches they scrammed off. Unknowingly this little stunt had cost them dearly, as I was perfectly fine with giving them a week however now I would have to kill them. Turning back to the assembled Lords.
"Alright you guys handle everything and when you guys can send a squad to collect the bodies" I explained before I stood up and hopped off the tower sinking Into the ground below.
...
"They aren't going to survive for much longer are they?" Lord Urisk asked his compatriot.
"No, but they were already on a timer anyways, one they sped up." Lord Armeant responding a knowing smile on his face. Those silly rabbits had no idea what they had brought upon themselves, they weren't renown for their intelligence.
...
Flying, or was it swimming? Anyways doesn't matter I was moving through the rock, it took intense concentration as I had turn the rock around me into a liquid state that would solidify as soon as Mana stopped flowing through it. It hadn't been a hard skill to learn, the hard part was knowing it was possible.
I was following the hares to their home, I couldn't remember what they were called. Eventually the one I was following entered a patchwork of tunnels that I saw was filled to brim with rabbits. Oh well time for the dramatic entrance.
With an evil chuckle, I turned oriented my body to be in a standing position under the rock. First I grasped the nearby plants with [Floramancy] causing them to whip into the a frenzy freaking out the hares. Next I created whirlpool of rock above me, now they where really freaking out twitching.
Raising from the whirlpool I spread out arms in each hand was a short sword I had taken from the Ophiocord. Smiling I activated [Warlord's Aura] and I hoped that I didn't look to edgy. However I figured that after it was done no one could tease me about it.
...
In Dorthinoxin's Domain
...
"Oh, boy cousin, going a bit edgy eh? Im so going to tease him about this!" I laughed evilly.
"Sir, you have this paperwork you need to fill out" my assistant dropped a unbelievable amount of papers on my lap.
...
Back to Kien
...
[Bonus Quest]
Your Quest is to kill all of the rabbits that dare attack your base.
(1,676/10,000)
(0/1) The Fore Father
(0/1) The Fore Mother
Rewards: 10 Achievement Points
...
Less than I thought but I killed more than I thought before I remembered all those that died at the failed attempt to attack the Mycelium Keep.
Fearlessly they jumped at me like a tide of furry bodies, at least this time they weren't disease infested. With a smile I began to summon spears of earth and enlarging the nearby plant life. They shrieked in pain still struggling to attack me, slashing at any that got close. Switching quickly to my real claymore I got to work.
Pushing back the tide of corpses that just didn't know it yet I used the long reach of my claymore and a generous amount of magic to maintain my area of control. Working on my domain skill I summoned the tides though the rough sea was still a disappointment. I could achieve what I wanted but I would have focus on it intensely and it would fall apart as soon as I stopped.
Moving I forward I brought my circle of domain with me as I used the tides to push the corpses to the side. After a few minutes of slaughter I manged to get to a bottle neck. I could essentially swing my sword around the narrow gap and I could kill a few.
Pushing them back I pushed more and more back.
...
Two hours later I heard no stirring of them as I sat in pile of corpses, the whole area past the bottleneck was filled with it. I'm pretty sure my Claymore needed a resharpening. Putting the sword back in the ring I summoned my Club and dagger. Around my forearm I grew a shield of hardened rock, this time I also weaved small plants into it having an idea.
Stepping around the piles of corpses and into one of the offshoot tunnels. Finally after some time I found my way to the lair of the Fore Mother and Father. Why is always the last path you decide to take thats the path to take? Like seriously I've been wandering around for half an hour.
Finally as I entered the threshold of the cave I raised my shield due to the warning of [Flow of Combat] and activated [Knight's Bulwark] against the powerful kick I felt coming. Holding my shield steady as one giant hare that looked like it was about to go on an adventure with Santa Claus bounced.
The entire cave I was in fell under my control, truly I was overpowered in the caves. Raising my club I stared down at the hare that just kicked me.
"You first" I said smiling as it much larger mate appeared. They where not adorable, their fur was mangy and eyes black and filled with hatred. I think part of the lack cuteness was the fact that one was size of a tank.
As they both lunged at me I disappeared underground before reappearing behind them and launching off I bashed one in the head before it got launched into the stratosphere or more accurately the side of the wall where a moss plant strangled him holding them for a moment. Before I followed up with a a two piece club and dagger weekly special. Who am I kidding you could order it any day of the week.
The Fore Father writhed in pain before I was forced to doge it's giant hare mate. Leaning against the wall I saw it clutch its mate and weap....
Okay, I was really not liking how this made me feel, deciding to let have moment before the cursed energy ripped the final vestiges of life from the smaller of the pair.
...
[XP Earned]
You have gained XP for killing the [Rabbitkin Fore Father] a Lvl 20 Rank Two mutated rabbit.
...
Ah so it was the guy. The head of the Fore Mother snapped back at me rage burning inside her eyes. It body began to twitch like it was having withdrawals. A bloodcurdling scream erupted from her as she blasted towards me in impressive show of agility for a thank sized bunny. Standing still I raised a [Force Field] at the last second causing it to stop abruptly. I have a feeling the reason they weren't wiped out was how good they tasted.
Dissipating the [Force Field] I bashed the head of the stunned tank sized Hare. Rolling around like a barbershop Twinkie I walked slowly.
Recovering just in time for me to slam it in the head, and with a quick a stab I killed the Hare. Oh boy this was tedious fight, not a fun one. Next time I would leave it someone else. As I waited for the looting party to come and take the bodies.
Then I felt it, something was coming, a few somethings where barreling here.