The Tree of Ascension: A LitRPG Apocalypse (Peril's Prodigy Book 2) by Craig Kobayashi (ebook reader 7 inch TXT) 📕

at capacity already. Auto, Maimon, and the twins had all insisted that it was not a big deal, stating that they'd been sleeping in tents since The Culling. Gary insisted in turn that they at least set up camp within the ten-meter perimeter of the 'inviolate' Guild Hall, and that's exactly what they did.

Garath made a right after exiting the building and hugged the west-facing wall. For a moment he considered getting back at Maimon for the hit-like-a-girl slight the day before by willing Handsome into existence inside of their tent without explanation and giving the demon instructions to scare the shit out of the Rabbi. The Necrologist entertained the idea for a long, gleefully sadistic moment until the opportunity passed when Auto unzipped the door and staggered out, bleary-eyed.

Together, the Necrologist and the Chimerist lethargically filled a few cups with the aromatic brew provided by Gary's boys, then took a seat in the outdoor dining area. It didn’t quite stack up to the Crystillium-Infused Coffee that Garath would have made, but who was he to refuse?

Gary had done a great job with the place, Garath noticed. The bearded man had erected a sturdy pipe structure and then repurposed an oversized flag, which was draped across to form a tent. Gary and his boys had brought couches, and had even constructed a few new tables and matching chairs. Overall, it had something of a white-trash lawn display feel, but it was comfortable and shaded from the sun and rain.

“I know you said to meet you here at dawn, but what the hell are we doing awake at this hour?” Auto asked, then lifted the coffee to his nose and inhaled reverently.

“I’ve actually planned something special this morning just for you,” Garath told him mysteriously. “I think you’re going to love this.”

"Cryptic,” Auto said unenthusiastically. "Are we going to take a portal to another world where every woman I interact with will be unreasonably attracted to me and inexplicably horny all the time?"

“Nope.”

"Bummer," Auto said seriously. "Are we… going to do the same thing we do every night, Pinky?"

"Nope."

“Are we going into another dark forest to slaughter more innocent creatures for our own gain?”

“Almost the exact opposite of that actually,” Garath said, laughing.

“Garath, like my uncle used to say: guessing games are like having a pet bear. At first, they are cute but if you don’t treat them properly, you are an asshole,” Auto said. He sat there for a few seconds, adopting the sage expression he always did when delivering advice from his uncle. “Just tell me what we’re doing.”

Garath smiled and sipped cautiously at his over-hot coffee. “Alright, but before I do I’ve gotta tell you, that is probably the best proverb your uncle ever told. I’ve been messaging a guy that used to be the head zookeeper at the Woodland Park Zoo for the last couple days. I thought we might make a trip that way and get you some more BeastScape forms to bastardize.”

Auto looked seriously at his friend, searching his demonic features for some sign that the Necrologist was just messing with him. Without any obvious signs of betrayal, Auto’s hope swelled, and he set his coffee down. “Are you Being serious? There's no way . . .” Auto couldn’t even finish his sentence.

“Yep. I don’t know how many of the animals made it through the apocalypse, but this Irwin guy, that’s the head zookeeper, and his family all chose the Tamer Class and did their best to keep the zoo intact during The Culling. He said we could come for a visit to get new forms, as long as we’re okay with him accompanying us. He is, well, reasonably nervous about allowing people near his family and he seems just as protective about the animals there. Luckily, he's been following my forum posts and knows about our group of survivors. He said we could come by this morning if we wanted to."

“And you said yes, right? Dude. Do they have elephants? Or, oh my God. Do they have rhinos? Rhino-Bear?!” Auto was losing his shit.

“I thought you might be interested,” Garath said with a smarmy expression.

“Where is this zoo?” the Chimerist said, barely able to control himself at this point.

“It’s pretty close. Like 20 or 30 miles south of here,” Garath explained.

Auto sprang to his feet, all traces of morning fog gone. “We could make that in less than an hour!”

“I told Irwin we’d be coming early, but let’s get some breakfast first. Right?” Garath asked.

In his excitement to unlock new BeastScape forms, Auto talked Garath into eating on the way, something the Necrologist wasn’t thrilled about, but Auto assured him that bugs actually taste great when assuming a bird form. They shifted into flight-capable forms and headed south.

The trip was uneventful and passed quickly, due mostly to Auto's insistence on declining Garath's every attempt to talk him into stopping at every Lair they passed over. The Necrologist was only one Level shy of 30, and he was anxious to hit the threshold. Eating bugs was not nearly as convenient as Auto had led Garath to believe. In fact, Garath didn’t see a single bug the entire flight. Turns out, bugs don’t often hang around the altitude at which they were flying. Garath was sure it was not a coincidence, and that Auto had told him that so they could get a move on. The Necrologist made a mental note to get the Chimerist back with some passive-aggressive savagery when the opportunity presented itself.

A man standing in the distance caught Garath’s eye as they spread their wings to descend. The man appeared to be looking right back at him. Behind the man, an enormous tortoise was chewing on a fern. Garath opened a private message to Irwin as they dropped, but before he entered a letter, he received a message himself.

Private message from Irwin to Garath - 00/00/12 @ 03:18 (GST):

I see you, mate. Come on over. Don’t mind the tortoise, he’s my companion.

*That’s him,*