I was previously going to simply dine and dash.

The only reason I didn’t was curiosity. While something like that normally kills vermin, it has no effect on me. Besides, who wouldn’t want to know what unspeakable things happened here ages ago?

I say ages, because it is quite obvious due to soil erosion, natural weathering, the movement of the sun and clouds, and other factors. Without enough time passing I’m also completely sure the creatures around here would be reduced to piles of magically radioactive sludge.

Of course, this hasn’t happened because these goblins came here ages after whatever caused the crater. That means the most likely place for the source of the magical energy waves is underground!

Hmm…

It’s not that I’m claustrophobic.

I just don’t like going underground.

I’m not suffering from any trauma due to being dumped into a hostile Dungeon ages ago.

No.

Not this Tree.

I’ll turn over a new leaf and…

I think I’ll investigate this when Dryad wakes up.

Yes!

Splendid idea, hah!

I really do come up with the best things sometimes.

So, should I administer the antidote for the sleeping gas now…

Wait, wait, if I administer the antidote now, then Dryad wakes up, and then things could get sticky. I mean, I have a totally believable excuse, but sometimes female intuition is sharp. Like an inquisitor’s torture chamber of secret revealing sharpness, the kind of sharpness that Death would use for their scythe.

Yes, on second thought let’s just go check out that forest from before.

It isn’t like the magical energy source that has been slowly radiating the goblins for untold ages is going to get up and walk off.

The probability of that is less than 0.0001% so I feel reasonably certain it won’t occur.

Still…

There’s no reason not to leave someone behind to make sure things don’t go wrong.

My senses fall upon the newly made Chaos Ogress.

Perfect!

A few runes of Servitude, Power, Agelessness, Beauty, Charm, and Obedience later…

And the grasslands now have a new ruler!

Stronger! Faster! Younger! Sparkling’er!

I’m sure the Ogress won’t mind taking care of the small details around here.

With her charm and beauty runes it’s highly unlikely she can’t consolidate the grasslands under her rule now.

Hah! That lucky fellow that saved her can also enjoy the fruits of my labor.

I consider briefly for a moment doing more, and decide not to.

It takes time to open a person up, rewire their brains, rewrite their dna, alter bone structure, and so forth.

These runes are a shortcut, and shortcuts have costs.

For example if I was to rank my creations in power, well…

Robert would be No.1 of course, I mean just the willpower of a peasant is enough to crush opposition. At least when placed in the body of a highly advanced test subject with a plethora of my memories.

Next would of course be Emily, it’s no coincidence that both of them are No. 1 and 2, as I spent the most time creating them.

Ven would round out at a solid No. 3 to be sure.

Ah, these are personal rankings though…

I mean I’ve been out of contact for at least a thousand years so who knows what the best or worst of them are now…

Well, the point is that this Ogress would be something like, #9,999 compared to my previous creations.

Sure for this world I bet she’s an overpowered monster of unparalleled beauty, but that’s it.

The power structure, of the limited amount, that I’ve seen so far is nothing like previous world.

It kind of feels like after going through Hell Mode I’ve made it to a safe zone?

That type of feeling, yes.

I like this feeling.

Hmm….

Perhaps I should restrain some of my power?

If both Dryad and Me are so powerful that the world around us is akin to a paper tiger, then, we need to take steps.

Soul Seal!

With 95% of our power sealed, things should be much more fun!

Ah, to give an accurate estimate I used the Ogress as a measurement.

Since she is equivalent to about 0.01% of my reserves.

I’m placing a restriction on myself, not attempting suicide.

Being less powerful, is not the same as being powerless.

I still want enough that I can use the break in case of emergency soul seal.

At that point, unless we are fighting a Divinity, I think things will be ok.

With this new setting we can get that ‘traveling while strong’ yet not completely broken feeling.

With everything set up and handled appropriately it is time to visit the forest.

Ah…

If it has elves, I’ll probably burn it down just to be safe.

It’s not an anger issue, no.

I just really don’t like elves…much.