Chương 7: The Bone Diplomacy

Recap: You were trapped between fire-breathing goblins and a swarm of giant rats. You voted to OFFER A TRIBUTE to the Rat King. Diplomacy. The art of letting someone else die for you. Or in this case, the art of throwing old bones at vermin. I focused on my stomach. The Old Bone had been in there since before I was Alex the Mimic. It was pre-owned. Slightly acidic. Perfectly seasoned. SYSTEM NOTIFICATIONSkill Used: RegurgitateCost: 1 StaminaCurrent SP: 10/20 PLOTCH.

The bone landed on the straw between me and the Rat King. It was wet with mimic digestive slime. It smelled of ancient decay and… something else. Something fresh. Because my lid was still dripping with Grib's blood. The acid vapors from my open false bottom were wafting out. I smelled like a goblin factory. The Rat King stepped forward. His nose twitched. The glowing red eye narrowed. He sniffed the bone. Then he sniffed me. He chittered. Low. Rumbly. He knew that scent. Goblin. Freshly eaten. I wasn't just a box.

I was a predator. A competitor. Maybe… an ally? The Rat King snapped the bone in half with one crunch. He swallowed it. Then he looked at the tunnel behind me, where the smoke was getting thicker. He smelled the goblins too. His tail flicked. The rusty blade tied to it gleamed in the dim light. He turned to his pack. He made a sharp barking sound. The rats didn't attack me. They fanned out. They moved around me.

They flowed past my sides like a furry river, heading straight for the tunnel entrance where Grumble's goblins were advancing. SYSTEM NOTIFICATIONSurvival Check: SuccessXP Gained: 5 (Successful Diplomacy)Current XP: 15/50 (Level 2) Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. I let out a mental sigh of relief. If boxes could sigh, I would have emptied my lungs. But the victory was short-lived. The first goblin rounded the corner, holding a burning torch aloft. He didn't see me.

He saw the rats.

"Rats!" he screamed. The Rat King didn't hesitate. He launched himself. Chaos erupted. Fur, teeth, spears, and fire filled the corridor. The rats were smaller, but there were dozens of them. The goblins had fire, but fire was hard to swing when a giant rodent was chewing on your ankle. I was sitting in the eye of the storm. A spear flew past my lid. A rat bounced off my side. A drop of burning torch wax landed on my wood. SYSTEM NOTIFICATIONDamage Taken: 1 HP (Fire Tick)Current HP: 12/15 Ow. Hot. Very hot.

I needed to move. The battle was blocking the path forward (deeper into the dungeon) and the path back (the Side Chamber) was filled with smoke. There was a third option. A small alcove in the wall to my right. It looked like an old storage niche. Dark. Tight. Perfect for a chest. But if I hid, I'd miss the loot. When adventurers die, they drop gear. When goblins die, they drop… well, goblin gear. But sometimes they drop silver. Sometimes keys. The battle was raging.

The Rat King was currently wrestling with Chief Grumble. Grumble was swinging wildly, but he was wounded (remember the hand I bit?). He was slowing down. This was my chance to scavenge. Or escape. Current Stats: HP: 12/15 (Fire tick damage) Mana: 4/10 (Tremorsense upkeep) Stamina: 10/20 (Regurgitate cost) Inventory: Spider Web, 3 Pebbles. Old Bone (LOST). Grib (Digesting - 2. 5 hours left). Status: Battle Nearby, Fire Hazard, Looting Opportunity. What do you do? A) SCAVENGE THE BATTLEFIELD Wait for casualties.

When a goblin or rat drops, slide over and eat their gear/body. Gain XP and potential loot. (Cost: 2 SP. Risk: Getting hit by stray attacks. Reward: XP, Loot, HP.) B) HIDE IN THE ALCOVE Slide into the dark niche. Close lid. Activate Camouflage. Let them kill each other. Safe, but no rewards. (Cost: 0 SP. Camouflage Active. Reward: Safety, Regen HP/MP.) C) ASSIST THE RATS Lunge into the fight. Bite any goblin legs you see. Help the Rat King win faster. (Cost: 2 SP. Risk: High combat danger. Reward: Reputation with Rats, More XP.) D) FLEE DEEPER While they are distracted, slide past the battle into the deeper tunnels (Floor 4 direction). Avoid the fight entirely. (Cost: 3 SP. Movement. Reward: Progression, New Area. Risk: Unknown monsters.) VOTING CLOSES IN 24 HOURS. Reply with A, B, C, or D. Most votes wins. [Author Note] Thanks for voting on Chapter 6! Option B (Tribute) worked! The Rat King recognized the goblin scent on you and decided you weren't prey. The battle has begun!