A deformed sprinkler slowly dripped water down onto the burnt remains of the Scaled Squirrels. On the lookout for monsters, Clover ignored the funky smell while the others loaded fresh food into the van. It was an important job, but it was extremely boring. In the approximately two hours since the initial monster attack, they had been undisrupted. Even mundane animals avoided the grocery store.

A familiar ticking of a clock grated at him. He glanced over at its perfectly intact face. 2 hours and 17 minutes - that’s how long he had been sitting here. The good news was that they were almost done. There was still plenty of time left in the day too.

Jeb passed by, pushing a shopping cart. “Guess what I got?” the car salesman said.

“More chicken?” Clover asked.

“More chicken,” Jeb responded. For some reason, the store had an unholy amount of raw chicken. It was probably the city’s number one poultry supplier.

Despite how long it was taking, he couldn’t complain. Their job was to retrieve all the perishable food in the store before it went bad. The more they found, the better. Besides, other groups were doing the same thing around the city, just in less dangerous locations. It wasn’t like he was alone in his boredom.

A warm breeze gently brushed his face. Clover smiled, watching the horizon for monsters through a giant hole in the grocery store. The System had teleported away the back wall of the store. It was a miracle the building hadn’t collapsed. In this case, he was grateful for the System’s indiscriminate reshuffling of reality. The weather outside was nice. He’d have gone crazy if he was forced to stand guard in the cold and dark.

Feeling confident that nothing would pop up out of nowhere and attack him, he opened his [Status Screen] and distributed his Stat Points. While keeping half an eye out for monsters, he put 3 Points into Vitality and 2 Points into Regeneration. Through his limited testing, he had found that these two Stats were the most useful in improving his condition.

A warm rush of energy washed over him, unwinding a knot that had formed in his back. Another step forward - another step closer. He could feel it in his bones - he was racing towards a threshold. Once he passed it, nothing would ever be the same.

Jeb walked back past him on the search for more chicken with a now empty cart.

Clover scanned his surroundings, and once he determined it was safe, he completed the Golem Creation 2 Path for 5 Skill Points. He had wanted to finish it for a long time now. There was no time like the present.

*Achievements detected. The Path has been changed. No benefits have been made available at this time*

On one pale summer's day, a lonely pebble traveled down a solitary path. Unable to reach its home and utterly alone, it met a talking mountain by a withered brook. For the way ahead was evershifting - a maze without an end, the small rock was offered a choice: become one of many, never to be alone again, or continue on its journey with an ashen bone. The pebble’s answer was lost to the sands of time, but its impact was not.

Now it is your turn. Choose one: Increased Golem Control Range or Increased Maximum Golem Number Limit.

It was a choice between having more golems or using what he already had better. On second thought, the distinction between the two choices wasn’t that clear. If he increased the number of golems he could have active at one time, he could make more Moderate golems. Thus increasing his combat power while keeping the actual number of things he needed to control low.

Still, he leaned toward the increased range. Being able to essentially drone strike monsters was appealing. The farther away from the fight he could stay, the safer he would be. An image of him commanding his golems, fighting monsters halfway across the globe from the couch popped into his mind.

[Golem Creation]’s number one weakness right now was its range. For that reason, he chose the first upgrade option. Besides, if he had more golems, how would he even transport them all? It sounded like a logistical nightmare. They probably wouldn’t be able to fit in the van.

The song of the last mountain beckons. A pebble shifts, casting itself far from home. Golem Control Range Doubled.

The range at which he could control golems jumped upward, shooting from 150 meters to 300.

Clover returned to the Paths Screen with a smile, eager to return to his shopping. He liked watching his numbers go up; he liked unlocking new Skills.

Outside, a crow called as it circled low in the sky. Clouds like faces hung heavily in the bright blue sky, inspecting the flowered fields below. Clover watched with squinted eyes as it disappeared. It was the first animal he had seen in hours. Things were looking up.

“Hey, Clover, guess what I got?” Jeb rolled by with a full cart again.

“More chicken?”

Before Jeb could give the same response for the 17th time, a familiar screech - a mix between a squirrel’s squeak, and a snake’s hiss rang out. Outside, the grass began to shake as a horde of Scaled Squirrels approached. He couldn’t get an exact count of how many there were, but there were at least 50 - more than he could beat by himself.

“That’s not good. Let’s meet the others and get out of here,” Jeb said, calm and composed. They had plenty of time to make their escape. The car salesman turned tail and sprinted away, his suit straining to restrain his wild movements.

Clover followed. Inwardly, he wondered how they had managed to get so close without anyone noticing. Despite not giving it his full attention, in the last stretch, he was still looking. A giant group of monsters shouldn't be hard to spot. “Why are you still pushing the cart?” Clover asked as Jeb huffed and puffed.

Sometimes there were benefits to not being able to run.

“I don’t know,” he screamed, not calm and composed. He had never been calm and composed.

“What’s going on?” Ron said as he stepped out of the vegetable aisle, crossing their path.

“The squirrels are back,” Clover said, not bothering to pause his movement. Without further prompting, Ron joined them in their mad dash out of the building.

Congratulations! Driving has reached Level 3.

Claire entered his view, running directly toward them with a panicked expression on her face. “A big group of those Scaled Squirrels are coming in from the front,” she said.

That wasn’t good - their escape route had been cut off. The monsters were approaching from both sides. Though it did make him feel a tad better - she had been the lookout for the front side of the building. Apparently, they had snuck past her too.

The group skidded to a stop. With no other choice, they changed direction, making their way toward Paul, deeper into the store. After failing to find another way out, they had bunkered down in the electronics aisle, creating a semi-defensible position.

Paws scratched against the floor, echoing through the store as the monsters came closer. The mutated animals weren’t in view yet, but they soon would be. His heart rate accelerated, and his breathing grew shallow. Clover unholstered his gun - now wasn’t the time for holding back.

His mind wandered, distracting him from the coming fight. Looking back, they should have tried to burst through the group of monsters blocking their path to the car. Still, their odds of surviving weren’t bad - they had mowed through the first group of monsters; they would do the same this time.

The first of the enemy came into view - less than 50 feet away and by itself. Immediately, Clover launched a mana bolt, blasting the low-Level monster. He’d save his bullets for the more powerful monsters.

Paul launched an attack of his own, finishing off the injured creature.

Congratulations! You have defeated a Scaled Squirrel - Lvl 1. +65 Exp.

As soon as the monster hit the floor, ten more appeared behind it. Wasting no time, they all launched their most powerful attacks. Clover used [Mana Bolt: Barrage], as did Paul, Claire threw a ball of fire, setting squirrels on fire, Ron threw a laptop, and Jeb prepared himself to [Strike] anything that got too close.

A stream of notifications clouded his vision; Clover quickly dismissed them. Their initial attack had decimated the Scaled Squirrels. But more were already on the way, replacing their numbers with higher Level monsters.

As his hands shook slightly, Clover took aim and shot at a particularly large and ravenous-looking squirrel. Somehow the bullets hit their target. The increased Dexterity really was useful.

Congratulations! Class: [Blank] has reached Level 10. +5 Stat Points. +1 Class Skill Quest Unlocked.

Paul kept up a constant hail of [Mana Bolt]s, curving them, so they all landed at vulnerable spots. At the same time, Claire launched another ball of spreading fire, but with their sheer numbers, the monsters were able to advance - some even reaching melee range. Jeb used [Strike], and Ron chucked another laptop at a monster. It died, taken by surprise - their combo attack somehow proving successful.

Clover launched another series of [Mana Bolt]’s, giving Jeb room to work.

Congratulations! Mana Bolt: Barrage has reached Level 5.

Congratulations! Mana Bolt has reached Level 20.

However, Clover was soon forced to send in his golems to hold the line. His consciousness split, a part of himself going to each as they trundled forward. Using its newly improved size, Bob the Elephant bullied the monsters, slapping them down with its trunk and goring them with its tusks. Off to the side, Clover more directly controlled the other golems, having them dash in and out, executing quick attacks.

One unlucky squirrel tried to counterattack. The snakes on its back coiled tightly and then darted towards Bob the Elephant, but its teeth couldn't penetrate deeply into the golem’s hard clay exterior. With a screech of pain, the monster recoiled backward with a cracked tooth. The golem ignored the dazed Scaled Squirrel and continued beating the crap out of the monsters around Jeb.

Congratulations! Golem Control has reached Level 6.

Congratulations! Golem Control has reached Level 7.

Congratulations! Class: [Blank] has reached Level 11. +5 Stat Points.

Another animalistic call rang out in the monster's back ranks. Clover quickly located its source.

Scaled Squirrel - Lvl 13

This one was the size of a wolf - a big one at that. Additionally, it had four large green snakes attached to it: two swayed behind it, acting as tails, and two defied gravity, jutting out of its back. An identical pair of squirrels flanked its sides, acting as guards, Level 7 and 8, respectively.

At its call, another wave of low-Level monsters swarmed Bob the Elephant. Clover frowned. An intelligent monster capable of commanding others of its kind, like the two-headed Bone Rat - that would make things much more difficult. Not to mention that it was the highest Level he had ever seen.

Small monsterized squirrels piled on the elephant-golem, pulling it to the ground, uncaring of the damage they took in the process. Acting quickly, Clover activated the Ability Bob the Elephant had unlocked for incorporating the Bone Rat horn in its design. He could only use it once during this fight because of its long recharge time. Once would have to be enough.

[Thornmail]

Congratulations! Golem Link has reached Level 6.

Small curved thorns made of bone sprouted across the golem’s hide, forming a protective armor. At Clover's command, the elephant violently shook back and forth, cutting the flesh of the monsters. Still, the Scaled Squirrels continued their attack, damaging the golem, but in turn, they took heavy damage.

With that situation taken care of, he trained his gun on the apparent commander of the beasts. A flash of recognition flashed in its dead black eyes; it bounded away, racing toward a grocery aisle to hide behind. Clover grimaced. He needed to get rid of this abomination immediately; it was too smart to be left alive.

He pulled the trigger. Nothing happened - the gun had jammed.

Damnit!

Thinking quickly, he activated [Track] to ensure the monster couldn’t escape. Red footsteps stamped themselves on the ground, recordings the monster's movements.

Clover flinched back as a burst of heat uncomfortably warmed his skin as Claire lit the pile of monsters on top of his golem on fire, the battle still raging on.

Congratulations! Class: [Blank] has reached Level 12. +5 Stat Points.

“Claire,” he screamed. “Shoot the one in the back before it gets away.”

A mere second later, a bullet tore into the monster’s leg, causing it to stumble, but it was too late. It collapsed behind an aisle, completely hidden. However, just because it was hidden didn’t mean it was out of the fight. A green snake peaked its head out from the metal barrier and opened its mouth impossibly wide. A rock the size of a fist covered in a neon green liquid launched out of its mouth, soaring through the store toward Jeb.

The car salesman screeched as he dove out of the way, hiding behind his shopping cart filled with chicken. The rock crashed into it, denting the cheap metal. But that wasn’t the most dangerous part of the attack. The green liquid spread out from the impact site, causing the meat to sizzle and steam.

“I knew I pushed that thing here for a reason,” Jeb said.

Clover chuckled despite the tense situation.

Another acid-covered rock sailed toward them. However, before it got close, Paul shot it out of the air with a [Mana Bolt].

“Calm and composed,” Jeb repeatedly muttered as he rose to his feet, trying to convince himself that he was those two things. “You can do this.”

Clover ignored his muttering as was polite.

Another screech reverberated in the store, and yet another wave of low-Level monsters marched in while their stronger compatriots gathered, waiting for their cue to join.

As Clover blasted the annoying animals with [Mana Bolt]s. The lead monsters strategy registered - now clear as day. They were waiting them out - waiting for them to run out of energy fighting the weaker Scaled Squirrels. Only then would the metaphorical big dogs join the battle.

Another stream of notifications filled in, but he didn’t have the attention to spare to read them. [Track] tugged at him, faintly pointing toward his target. His eyes widened as he spotted a faint red footstep, looping around to the other side of the battlefield. The Level 13 was sneakily trying to change positions and ambush him.

Clover wouldn’t let that happen.

He took direct control of his dog-golem, and carefully maneuvered it toward the monster as if he was driving a remote-controlled car. Hidden within the chaos, the golem was almost unnoticeable.

Congratulations! Driving has reached Level 4.

The blue tether connecting the two vibrated as [Driving] made itself at home inside the connection, allowing the golem to move faster than before. Stray strands of energy sparked down the tether, fraying it at the seams.

Using his increased mental capacity, he continued moving the golem while stabilizing the situation within the tether.

Even though it required constant attention, it was well worth the effort. Just as the wolf-sized squirrel appeared, ready to fire another rock, the dog-golem pounced, taking the beast by surprise. Hard, stone-like clay bit into the root of the monster’s snake tail, maiming it before it could react.

The rock flew wide - off target.

Recovering from its surprise at being ambushed, the Scaled Squirrel roared in pain then its tails acted, spearing toward the golem. Without anywhere to dodge, Clover continued tearing into the injured tail, ignoring the incoming attack.

Sharp teeth crunched into clay, crunching it in its maw. The four-tailed squirrel, now three-tailed, slammed the small golem into the ground till it broke, cracked into two halves.

To add insult to injury, the acidic rock that had flown far off-target hit the end of a metal aisle at the perfect angle and rebounded toward Clover. Sapped of most of its energy, it gently hit Clover’s shoulder. It bounced to the floor, leaving nothing more than a slight bruise.

Clover blinked as his sweatshirt began to lightly steam. Shit. After failing twice due to nerves, he hurriedly fumbled with his sweatshirt and then ripped it off. Not wanting any of the green liquid to leak onto him, he took off his shirt as well.

After disposing of his clothing, he was forced to swerve out of the way as another rock sailed past his head.

How am I so unlucky today?

His bad luck continued as more Scaled Squirrels poured in. Unlike last time, no one was coming to save the day. He’d have to figure a way out of this situation on his own.