Unchosen Champion-Chapter 348: La Piedra

The warriors from the Crossroads drifted into a streamlined formation that was vaguely triangular, conserving energy as they literally just ran down the Pan-American Highway. Sparrows, finches, chickadees, and wrens fled from their path, but the few Primal Constructs that appeared were basically run over. The route was the next segment of planned expansion, so many hunters were already involved in taming the region that left Panama City and worked toward South America.

The aerodynamic pattern of the warriors was reminiscent of their own flock of migratory birds, settling in for a long trip between seasons. They placed Coop in the center, like he was some kind of dignitary in need of protection. Though they were barefoot and lightly armored, they had no trouble following the eroded roads away from the city.

Before they left the confines of Panama City, after Coop recognized the formation, he was on the verge of suggesting he simply mistjump on his own. It didn’t seem like a long-distance run to the next location would be that efficient when compared to applying his movement abilities, but as they picked up speed, he realized that the indigenous villagers that had been hidden away in the Orange Walk District of Belize had progressed far beyond their modest beginnings. They had gained upwards of 200 levels in half as many days, an impressive feat considering they hadn’t been involved in any events since Coop first met them. With the levels had come specialized builds designed for streamlined travel and surgical strikes.

If they hadn’t allowed Coop to cruise in the middle of their formation, he would have been incapable of keeping up on foot. They obviously lacked the raw acceleration of someone like Camila with her Interceptor class, and individually they couldn’t hope to match up to Coop’s raw Agility stats, but their repeated chants allowed them to settle into a smooth rhythm that may have been unbeatable across longer distances. Every step was greater than an olympic long jump thanks to the boosts that were refreshed with each stanza, and every foot placement was perfectly aligned so that their gaits went unchanged no matter how the terrain was altered.

The hypnotic exercise tapped into something subconscious that reminded Coop of his grinds, but it was a shared experience that spread across the entire squad. They all breathed in unison, their feet landing securely without any deliberate consideration, drumming the pavement with a cadence that matched the chants. They shared the burden, boosting each other as much as they were boosted. As the hours went by, none of them demonstrated any fatigue, but the distance that they covered was undeniable.

Coop felt like he was an ancient warrior running down desperate prey that lacked the stamina of his hunting companions, but wasn’t ready to give up the ghost. The impression that their success was inevitable was something Coop ended up enjoying more than he expected. It was a feeling of teamwork he had mostly eschewed in favor of solitary combat, but he couldn’t deny the satisfaction of being a part of such a cooperative element.

The highway rapidly deteriorated as they moved away from Panama City, at first maintaining some semblance of integrity, but quickly relinquishing the hold of civilization to the savage wilds. There was enough foundation for off road capable vehicles to successfully follow the road, if such transportation had still existed, but Coop wouldn’t have considered it safe. The road continued to diminish as they moved, its regression marked by increasingly large potholes and eventually full-blown sinkholes filled with flowing muddy water.

Before much longer, the highway was merely a course of cratered rubble. Then it faded even further, until it was nothing but dirt that seemed rich in nutrients, completely free from the augmentations of human development. The dirt path lasted less distance than the pavement, transforming again so that it was a simple bed of low weeds, finally being swallowed by nature such that it was more of a suggestion than an actual route. It was at that point that Coop was really glad he hadn’t just let his spear rip, since as the jungle thickened, he realized what a challenge navigation became. He had witnessed the entire process of civilization breaking down beneath the erosive pressure of the assimilation, and it had all been along a single road.

The warriors of the Crossroads never slowed down, maintaining their formation even as the trees encroached on their path. They managed to skip across entire rivers, flowing with murky brown water, or trickling between stony ground, without the slightest hitch in their steps. Before Coop knew it, they were traversing through a proper rainforest, one that encompassed millions of square miles throughout the continent of South America, and it was just the beginning: the fringe of something much greater.

The air was sticky with humidity and thick with the scents of damp earth and floral blooms. Sweat dripped from Coop’s brow, despite his controlled exertion. It was the kind of place that would have been difficult to stay cool in even if he remained stationary, and not because of the temperature, but because of the humidity. The air struggled to flow through the dense undergrowth that they briskly passed, weighing heavily on the ecosystem. Even sunlight barely filtered through the canopy, only revealing itself in fragmented shafts before it illuminated the vibrant green hues of outstretched leaves, never quite reaching the forest floor.

The ground was a treacherous mixture of muddy fallen leaves and unseen roots. Coop had no idea how they all padded so confidently through, because every step he took seemed like a gamble, testing his balance against the slope of the hills. If it wasn’t for the party-wide chants guiding his feet, he was sure he would have been stuck hiking through the underbrush for weeks before he made any substantial progress, slipping and tripping as he went. After less than an hour, he already missed the deteriorated highway. For as rough as it had been, it was way easier to follow.

They flashed through the open spaces at the edge of rivers or across the rocky bluffs that were too dubious for larger plants to take root, eating through the distance with the steady gaits of ancient hunters. Their breathing gradually grew more labored, but the jungle was loud, with the chirping of unseen birds, conversing across miles and the buzzing of countless insects as they avoided thick webs of spiders hidden throughout. As fast as the warriors were, the wildlife recognized their presence, tolerating in ways that wouldn’t be afforded to the Primal Constructs.

The constant dripping of water, each droplet splashing a thousand times against overlapping leaves before reaching the ground was even louder than the wildlife. It hadn’t even rained, but the jungle was soaking, as if the air was so wet it couldn’t help but form beads on every surface. Coop felt like he could relate, given how the moisture collected on his skin. He may as well have been swimming in Ghost Reef’s canal.

They smoothly drifted through the trees, prioritizing the relatively flat river deltas and marshlands instead of more mountainous terrain. They were moving fast enough that even when Coop detected the healthy presence of powerful wildlife, he didn’t have the time to hone in on their auras. There was an unbelievable amount of life hidden in the darkness of the thick canopies, with the forest extending in a seemingly endless fashion, but the only humans in the region were within their formation.

They had crossed the border into South America at some point in their journey, but the actual demarcation was an imperceptible line that had gone unnoticed by Coop. The natural environment paid no heed to the arbitrary barriers drawn by humans before Earth had irrevocably changed. Now, it was all just a thick, unforgiving forest.

Coop couldn’t help but bask in the sense of awe as they went. He was an insubstantial speck in the vast untamed wilderness. With all of his stats and aspirations, he was still nothing compared to the enduring power of life and nature. The recognition of the audacity he had exhibited to entertain any thoughts of exceptionalism was somehow a relief. It put his ambitions into perspective.

The incredible breadth of the forest that had Coop feeling numb. It was dense even on a vertical scale. Giant tropical trees had become colossal monuments of damp bark and winding branches, ready to engulf the sun itself as they reached beyond the rich soil.

As he thought of his perceived responsibilities, he wondered about the Primal Constructs. Unfortunately, the alien invaders hadn’t introduced him to any new variants during the run. The Jaguar Sun had expanded all the way throughout Central America, defeating the Elite and Field Boss versions of Ruin Nebulas and Ruin Tracers, and after 400 miles of cross country travel, those were still the only two variants he had caught with Presence of Mind. It would have been a disappointing start had he not been in the process of being guided to locations with more potential.

Eventually, the mountainous jungle gave way to what had probably been a section of pasture lands in its past life. The thick jungle opened up to patches of newer growth and broader vistas, displaying the jagged hills that filled valleys between higher mountains. Even to Coop’s unsophisticated eye, he could tell that the jungle had only reclaimed the region after the assimilation began. The previous sections were just that much more formidable with verdant crowns reaching a thousand feet into the sky.

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With less obstacles, the group picked up speed, sensing that they were drawing closer to their destination. The pastures shifted back into mountains, then on the opposite side, morphed into abandoned agricultural fields that covered the hilly gullies between. Wild crops had spread far and wide, transforming the formation of runners into a wedge that sliced through tall grasses and around hardy banana trees.

They passed by the ruins of some rather large settlements that followed the shifting rivers between mountains, and skirted the edges of what Coop thought must have been a major city, home to millions, before the assimilation began. The vistas were incredible as the weaved across paths, down the sides of the mountains, and Coop couldn’t help his curiosity. While the first abandoned towns were unknown, the warriors of the Crossroads answered his query when he asked about the enormous metropolis, revealing that it was Medellin, the City of Eternal Spring.

The cityscape looked like it had been completely abandoned for centuries, though Coop knew that couldn’t be true. Not only had the assimilation only been going for a bit more than 200 days, but he was sure that at least a few survivors would have continued to occupy the space, with or without a civilization shard, just like Corozal, Panama City, and so many other places.

A complex, mature ecosystem seemed to have developed, with a diverse range of plants visible at a glance. Remnants of the city, like steel beams, concrete foundations, and shattered glass windows had been integrated into the landscape, creating unique blends of nature and urban constructs. It seemed like the disaster that had befallen the city had already concluded, with nature reclaiming its territory in the peaceful times afterward.

A dense canopy of oak, wax palms, and bay laurels had formed, shading the ground throughout the elevated valley that millions had called home. For every two buildings still standing as reclaimed gardens, another had collapsed under the weight of the growing trees and the effects of mana weathering their foundations. But even those piles were saturated with bromeliads, heliconias, and ferns.

The surviving human population had moved, migrating to the nearest civilization shard which was to be his first destination. The warriors of the Crossroads were leading him to the first hub in South America. Rather than hundreds more miles through forest and jungle, they approached the settlement before Coop was done considering the state of Medellin, after maybe just half an hour more.

When they finally stopped, within the perimeter of La Piedra territory, Coop put his hands on his hips and tried to make sense of what he was looking at.

“It’s actually just a huge rock?” He astutely questioned, observing the focal point of the region.

“Yes.” The lead warrior confirmed between barely controlled breaths, though Coop wished he could get an Attenborough style explanation. “They are waiting for you at the top.” The warrior stated before tipping forward to lean on his own knees.

Coop glanced at the rest of the party, realizing that they were in various poses of exhaustion, collapsed on the ground and gasping for air, like they had just barely finished a triathlon. Locals that had apparently been expecting them offered them drinks and fruit while laughing at their pitiful states.

Coop felt great. Seeing how much they had pushed themselves made him feel guilty for letting them lead the way. Even though other people were directing him toward the rock, he made sure they were alright before he thanked them and finished the trip on his own.

Before he mistjumped straight to the top, he glanced at it through his Soul Shroud. To his surprise, it was literally just a massive stone. Somehow he thought it had been deposited by mana, considering how out of place it seemed within the landscape, but the only unusual emanation was clearly from a civilization shard that had been parked at its peak. A pre-mana staircase led to the top, and at its base, there seemed to be a thriving market where residents were trading goods.

It was a bit more chaotic than Ghost Reef, with individual human salespeople establishing their tents wherever there was room. Coop imagined that they had simply expanded on pre-mana structures rather than incorporate system structures to reorganize the place.

Coop skipped the climb, flickering through the mists and landing on the top in the blink of an eye and a throw of his spear. He looked around, ignoring the dozen shocked guardsmen, unable to stifle his admiration of the view.

In the immediate vicinity of the rock, people had created terraced circular roads, lined with the market stalls he had already seen, but to the north, there was a massive lake with a fractal shoreline, dotted with countless peninsulas and small islands, each clearly home to more people. Mountains framed the horizon in every direction, but what really impressed him was just how many shelters had been created, recognizing that they had been almost entirely built quickly and by hand.

It was the first time Coop had seen what a settlement had to look like if it had basically started with millions of residents rather than slowly expanding. The village around the huge rock may have been smaller before the assimilation, but it seemed like the surrounding cities had quickly evacuated their survivors to the safer settlement territory. As a result, the structures they had created were haphazardly placed, bunching around existing landmarks. Compared to the underground layers of Ghost Reef, it seemed like chaos, but he estimated that they would have filled two or three layers by themselves, and all on the surface within shard territory. He couldn’t imagine the density if the same had been done in the courtyard of Ghost Reef.

All of his other experiences with large settlements had been either through the Underlayer, or had been deliberately and carefully expanded, like Ghost Reef. Frankly. He was shocked at the sprawling organization, primarily connected through narrow lanes between construction and the intermediate waterways. In a way, it reminded him of the outer circle of Empress City, the first time he saw it, where people had scraped together what they could, except here they had more time to fortify and renovate, giving everything a natural, lived in feel.

While he was still getting it together, imagining the experience of the local residents, the guards had all given him space, backing away while Coop demonstrated that he was clearly just a tourist. Then, to his surprise, one of the nearby auras rushed toward him, sweeping past the others both physically and in terms of strength. Coop spun around just in time to catch a blur of dark fur and grab both raised paws with his own hands, realizing that the reason he was caught so easily was that there was no killing intent in the air.

Coop inspected the familiar aura, curious about the big cat’s progress as he recognized Felix, the black jaguar.

[Jaguar (Level 432)]

[Soulbeast (Agility)]

[(Bound)]

Luckily, he was rescued before the sandpaper tongue plucked the hair right out of his scalp by the cat’s other half, Juliana of the Jaguar Sun. The Jaguar Elite was already waiting for him, having heard of his plan, and apparently taking point on the first leg of his journey.

“Coop!” Juliana greeted him excitedly as she wrangled Felix, wrapping the cat up despite the size difference between the pair. “You’re a bit early.” She observed, indicating that Coop’s tardiness had been baked into his itinerary. As far as he knew he was right on time.

“Is this the monster hunter?” A middle aged woman asked Juliana, walking forward from behind the protective guards.

Coop inspected their auras for good measure.

[Human (Level 295)]

[Beast Soul (Mind)]

[Bestial (Bound)]

[Human (Level 203)]

[Witchbane (Agility)]

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[Suppressive (Champion)]

Juliana was progressing well, but the other woman was closer to average for humanity, which was still far above the galactic standards. He got the vibe that she was essentially the opposite, in terms of class and affinity, to the types of casters that Charlie and Hai Yun represented.

She had loose black hair that was cut above her shoulders, with a single thick patch of gray that was pushed to one side of where it naturally parted. She wore a simple black short-sleeve shirt that was tucked into camouflage pants.

Coop took better stock of his surroundings now that he wasn’t focused on the view. The guards wore matching dark patterns, though they also had camo bucket hats, the kind that Coop might have worn to go fishing. He supposed that shade was a bit harder to come by when standing on top of a giant rock.

“Yes. This is Coop.” Juliana introduced him. “Coop, this is Ramona Rojas, Champion of La Piedra.”

Coop stood straight and offered his hand. “Nice to meet you, Champion Rojas.” He stated, doing his best to avoid making Juliana look bad despite the sweat and jaguar drool that marred his appearance.

She shook his hand with an entertained smile. “No need to be so formal. We were happy to learn you hadn’t been defeated after all.” She stated. “I understand you’re looking for monsters.” She gestured toward the horizon, inviting Coop to join her back where he had been observing the reservoir. “We’ve got a few.”