After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World - Chapter 423

Chapter 423: The Collective
[53 Days After the Migration]

Grasslands East of Altera.

“Are you alright?” The gentle Eagle handed a bottle of water to his companion, whom he was accompanying in training.

“Ah, thank you.” Sheila smiled at him gently, blushing a bit, feeling both thankful and ashamed.

Sheila needed to be level 10 to even have a chance to become a healer, and when the soldiers arrived, she was only a pitiful level 5. Although she worked harder than others, her talent… was just not in the fighting area.

So… Althea asked for a favor with the barracks, especially assigning her to the guard team to level up. Since Eagle arrived a few days prior, Sheila had partnered up with him. They had been together every day.

Sheila shyly looked at the man who was barbecuing for her and felt incredibly guilty. She didn’t want to be selfish. After all, Eagle was one of the stronger soldiers, training with her like this was such a waste of talent.

Eagle, who had been low-key watching her with his peripheral vision, saw her shoulder slumped and immediately went to face her. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“I… I just feel bad,” she told him, blushing, “I feel like I’m wasting your talent.”

“I… you guys should assign another, lower ranked, person to me…”

“Eh, no,” came his immediate reply. The answer was so quick that it took her aback.

“?”

Eagle blinked and smiled, clearing his throat. “Nono, I mean… I’m best at this,” he told her, tooting his own horn and hers by the way. “The investment on you, a potential healer, is worth it.”

Sheila blushed, “But… it’s not even a guarantee.”

“That’s how important your potential is,” he said, handing her the barbeque.”

“Stop overthinking your worth and focus on increasing it.”

Sheila looked at him before finally nodding, opening her mouth to taste.

This time their lunch was deliciously cooked Sansha meat and vegetables kebabs. There was also Gouji berry powder with spice every few bits of meat, adding a special tang to it.

Eagle… was quite a good cook, she mused, unlike her.

“Thank you,” she said. She also felt bad for making him cook when he was already training her. She had offered to cook before, but he said she was tired from training. She was embarrassed to cook inferior food anyway, so she agreed.

The two sat next to each other on a rock for a bit of rest, knowing that the corpse in front of them would soon attract another mob.

Sure enough, a new monster group sauntered in, it was just that they were in the middle of eating so they had no choice but to put some sticks aside.

The mobs were ugly feathery green monsters with sharp beaks. He judged them to range from level 6 to 7 by their size.

Eagle stood up and partially incapacitated it, the degree of which depended on the level.

Sheila also decided to put to use Althea’s sleeping powder, which she sprinkled on them while they were being handled by Eagle. It was just that the wind blew a bit and a good part of it was redirected to the food…

“…”

“…”

Eagle’s eyes twitched. Pity. And he felt ashamed as a wind user, too, for not sensing that just on time.

Anyway, the few monsters were only level 6, so only minor injuries were given. The powder did fortunately work on the monsters who inhaled it so Sheila only had to deal with two at a time.

Eagle stood aside to give way to Sheila, who was using a bespoke Iron axe the weapon store made for her, swinging according to her past days’ training.

[Slash (E), -2 Mana!]

[Slash (E), -2 Mana!]

[Slash (E), -2 Mana!]

She swung and defended herself against two weakened monsters. But they were still fast and she was almost grazed.

Before the sharp beak touched, a gust of wind passed and pushed the monster a meter away, allowing her to regain her balance and wave her axe again.

[Slash (E), -2 Mana!]

She sliced and axed a monster, sidestepping to avoid its claws. Even if it was slowed down, it was still quite quick for her, so her dress was a little nicked.

Annoyed at the waste of cloth, her attacks became wilder, with her even yelling every attack.

From the side, Eagle watched the petite meek girl yelling as she waved her axe around.

He found it adorable.

Anyway, fortunately, Sheila did grow as a fighter and beat the monster up in the end by herself.

[Killed! Gnomeos (Lv6), +180 Experience, +180 Copper!]

Sheila gasped and was breathless, but her eyes were bright.

Eagle, seeing as the monster was taken down, stopped pushing away the remaining monster, allowing it to attack Sheila.

This time the girl killed it faster. This was not only because the monster got tired from repeatedly being pushed back by Eagle’s gust of winds, but it was also because Sheila was really improving.

[Killed! Gnomeos (Lv6), +180 Experience, +180 Copper!]

[Congratulations! You have now been upgraded to Level 7!]

“KYAAAA~, level 7! I’ve now reached the average level!” She exclaimed, so happy she hugged the warm body next to her.

“…”

“…”

The two awkwardly looked at each other, feeling each other’s warmth for a while before realizing their inappropriate positions.

The two’s faces blushed like monkeys’ butts, and Sheila was quick to step back.

Eagle cleared his throat, a little regretful when she let go. “Congratulations on your level up.”

She shook her head and blushed. “Well, it’s all thanks to you.”

Eagle chuckled and couldn’t help but pat her head. “No, you did it yourself with a bit of help.”

Sheila blushed and looked at anywhere else but Eagle. Her eyes then ended up on their abandoned barbeques, and she blinked in confusion.

Eagle saw this and followed her line of sight, also blinking in shock.

There was still their kebabs alright but, a lot of it—especially the fruits and vegetables—had already been eaten. Then, surrounding the weakened fire pit were small feathery masses, breathing oh-so-lightly.

The two carefully walked over and checked what they were. “Birds??” Sheila mumbled looking at Eagle, who checked very carefully before nodding.

They were definitely the legendary Xeno birds, and there were about a dozen of them sleeping…

“…”

Did they just capture something interesting?

…

This upgrade scene (not the hug scene) was seen in various forests and plains around Altera.

The days that followed the celebration found an upsurge of people trying to level up, whether it was outside or within the training hall.

Even if they weren’t fighters, they didn’t want to be left behind.

What’s more, strong levels meant longer lifespans! Who didn’t want to look like in their twenties when they were in their forties??

Who hadn’t seen and admired Betty!?

Who didn’t want to live longer?

To be honest, this was what inspired them the most.

There was also a certain fear of same-aged people who came with them would start looking younger as they as time went on, while only they aged.

Someone even had a nightmare of greeting someone of the same age, but the other called them ‘grandpa’!

Cringe!

How could they allow it to happen?!

It had to be said that the peaceful and shallow happiness of Alterans was still there.

As such, the new training program allowed citizens to witness massive increases in awakenings and levels the next few days.

Similarly, guards level 8 and above had already accompanied the party going to Ferrol. Like Hugo and Helios, among others. They were expected to return with more massive returns in experience.

In a span of a few days, Altera, a level 3 Terran Village, which had a population of just above 4000 people, had grown to have an average level of 7—not much inferior to the aboriginal equivalents.

Althea and her husband were naturally happy to see this. The new training program, where the guards could be hired to help carry citizens who wished to become stronger, was intensified, with the guards generously giving fighting tips and guidance at the same time.

Not to mention, most of the people who went out to train had awakened some sort of fighting skill.

This amazed everyone, especially the Aborigines who absolutely did not have this concept.

Rowan had noticed that Terrans leveled up quicker, at least those with a military background, primarily because the techniques they used were efficient and powerful.

What’s more, they were willing to teach. Whether it was techniques or skills, the capable weren’t stingy with passing on knowledge to their countrymen.

This wasn’t limited to the fighters, they had heard of life professionals sharing knowledge as well.

In fact, every Aborgine had experienced Altera and had learned a lot, contributing to the movement in their previously stagnant levels.

The aborigines, even if they were born here, didn’t have easy access to skill sets and knowledge. People had to go through the eye of a needle to even get a chance to become an apprentice.

By instinct, wouldn’t people want to keep things that kept them at an advantage? But these people…, even if they kept their own set of knowledge, shared so much.

Sometimes, it was even more than what those stingy teachers passed on to their apprentices.

After so long, they could vaguely understand that this was because everyone had such an intense sense of unity that they could be and act as one: A collective.

It was an atmosphere that surprised them, but also inspired them.

If their world had been like this years ago, how far would human society have gone?