The morning was cold enough to make my breath mist in the air. I stood at the edge of Ironwood Apartments, my pipe resting across my shoulders, my goblin and bat already in position beside me.
> [Current Crystals: 7]
Not enough for what I wanted. Not yet.
I wanted three new monsters.
Three more bodies to guard my territory, fight my battles, and make my enemies regret stepping into my radius.
That meant killing. A lot of killing.
---
We headed east — I'd seen movement there the day before. The cracked road was littered with overturned cars, their insides gutted for scrap by… something.
Our first encounter was a cluster of rat-wolves, each the size of a large dog. Their red eyes glowed in the shadows.
"Goblins, bait. Bat, blind."
The goblin let out a hiss and charged, the bat darting overhead. I followed behind, waiting for the perfect moment. When the first rat-wolf lunged, I swung my pipe upward into its jaw, breaking it instantly. The goblin gutted it before it could recover.
> [Monster Killed]
[+2 Crystals]
---
By midday, we'd cleared a street of insectoid scavengers, a massive toad with spines, and three more rat-wolves.
Every fight was bloody. Every fight ended with me delivering the final blow.
And every time I heard the crystal chime in my head, my grin got just a little wider.
The goblin noticed.
The bat noticed.
And I noticed them inching just a little farther away from me between battles.
---
By sunset, we were walking home with the pouch heavy at my side.
> [Current Crystals: 15]
Enough. More than enough.
---
Back at Ironwood Apartments, I stood in the center of the lobby and opened the Summon Menu.
> Goblin – 5 Crystals
Bat – 3 Crystals
"Two more goblins," I said. "And one bat."
The room lit with red summoning circles. The first goblin appeared, taller than my original, holding a spear made of jagged rebar. The second was smaller but carried a crude bow.
The bat flapped out of the last circle, smaller than my first but with a sharp, impatient screech.
I stood before them, five pairs of glowing eyes fixed on me.
A real squad.
"Welcome to Ironwood Apartments," I said. My voice was calm, but my heart was pounding with something close to joy. "We're going to make this place feared."
---
[End of Chapter Crystal Count: 2]