Level Up The Colony
Chapter 40: Etche

Chapter 40: Etche

[Status]

Name: Timothy Walter

Title: Goblin Slayer, Dominion Seat

Trait: Hybrid <Unstable>

Level: 27

HP: 9300

MP: 80

Fatigue: 20

Strength: 60

Stamina: 50

Agility: 45

Intelligence: 40

Perception: 45

Free Stat Points: 18

[Skills]

King <Unknown> – Lv. Max

Dash – Lv. 2

Pheromones <Passive> – Lv. 4 freēNovelFire.com

Armament <Enhanced> – Lv. 1

Tenacity <Passive> – Lv. 1

Colony Genesis <Active> – Lv. 1

Force <Passive> – Lv. 1

[Colony] <1>

Silverback Termite <Gray> – Lv. 27

Skills: Scout – Lv. 3, Mind – Lv. 1, Predation – Lv. 1, Trainer – Lv. 1

---

Timothy carefully scanned his status, going over every detail.

A few changes stood out immediately, his level had increased, as expected, but what caught his attention was his new title.

He had expected something supportive, maybe even prestigious, but instead, he got Mount.

Not a mount, but just Mount.

For a moment, he wondered if the system had a sense of humor.

Then, the title’s description popped up:

Title: Mount

Reduces stamina drain slightly and improves stability when controlling or riding any beast-type monster.

Timothy’s expression darkened.

This had to be the system mocking him for his little stunt riding a wyvern.

At first glance, it seemed useless, but he dismissed it without much thought.

Shaking off the mild annoyance, he focused on his new skill; Force.

Unlike his other abilities, it was oddly vague.

It felt like a defensive skill, yet he had no real control over it.

Even when he tried to activate it manually, nothing changed.

It seemed to enhance his agility somehow, but beyond that, he had no clue.

Deciding to put it aside for now, he moved on.

His gaze then fell on Gray’s section of the status.

Interestingly, the system didn’t list his temporary summons under the colony.

Maybe they weren’t considered permanent members yet?

Then there was Gray’s new skill; Trainer, acquired at level 25.

Timothy grinned.

The system really seemed to tailor rewards based on their experiences.

---

Trainer (Passive)

Effect: Emits a subtle aura that accelerates learning and growth in newly added or summoned colony termites, granting minor stat boosts and smoother integration.

Limitations: Only affects colony termites.

Too many recruits at once weaken its effect.

---

Now Gray had his own colony skill; he spawned a colony, and Gray trained them.

Satisfied with the colony’s progress, Timothy moved on to his own level 25 reward.

He opened his inventory, expecting something grand only to find a single item among his usual gear: a black card.

It looked like some kind of key card, smooth and cold to the touch, heavier than it should be.

The second he picked it up, the system chimed in.

---

[Key Card: An Entrance to an Opportunity]

Grade: S+

---

That was it.

No further details, no explanation.

Just a mysterious black card with an ominous description.

Timothy sighed.

"Why is mine always different?"

With no immediate answers, he tossed the card back into his inventory and pulled out his phone.

The long journey ahead wasn’t getting any shorter.

Without much thought, he sent Ralph a simple message: Yo!!

His social media handle already displayed his name, so there was no need for introductions.

Putting his phone away, he allowed himself to drift into a semi-conscious state, his mind filled with swirling thoughts and fragmented images as his imagination worked its best.

---

Two hours later, familiar buildings and landmarks came into view.

It had been years since he last visited.

The last time was when his uncle’s wife had given birth, and he had been just thirteen at the time.

This uncle was from his mother’s side, Timothy had no ties with his father’s side for... reasons.

As the car moved deeper into the rural outskirts, he had to direct the driver multiple times.

The roads were confusing, winding through undeveloped areas.

He was surprised he could still remember.

At one point, the driver even voiced concerns about being led into a trap, but Timothy reassured him with a simple response:

"I’m a hunter."

That seemed to ease the man’s nerves.

Hunters were seen as protectors here, a mix of warriors and survivalists, so the driver relaxed and kept going.

After another thirty minutes, the vehicle finally reached a dead end where the road was too rough for cars to continue. Timothy sighed, paid the driver, and even threw in a generous tip for the trouble.

Now on foot, he stood at the entrance of a makeshift dirt road, motorcycles and mini-buses maneuvering around muddy patches while vendors crowded the roadside, selling farm produce and other resources.

It was chaotic, a far cry from the quiet place he remembered.

Still, despite the congestion, he couldn’t help but smile.

"This place has changed a lot."

Just as he finished speaking, a passing vehicle sped by without warning, splashing murky water all over him.

Timothy’s smile twitched.

"...Yep. Definitely changed."

With his two bags of gifts in hand, he stayed on high alert, wary of pickpockets as he navigated through the bustling market.

Timothy flagged down a motorcycle taxi, yes, they were available for hire and gave the rider his destination.

This was the part of the journey he dreaded the most: riding on a two-wheeler speeding at 40 miles per hour over bumpy roads, driven by people who seemed to believe they had nine lives.

At least, that’s how it felt to an ordinary person.

The ride took just under fifteen minutes, and as they approached, Timothy could already see children playing outside.

His uncle’s house was large, set apart from others by a stretch of land filled with crops.

As soon as the motorcycle came to a halt, Timothy paid the fare and stepped off, only to be met with the confused stares of the children.

It had been over seven years since he last saw his uncle’s kids.

Though he was never particularly fond of children, he didn’t mind playing with them occasionally.

However, these kids didn’t even recognize his face.

Squatting down, he struck up a lighthearted conversation with them.

None of them had the faintest memory of him, which he found amusing.

Two kids, and not a single one could recall who he was.

The youngest, a boy of about seven, looked at him with curiosity.

Even the eldest, a girl just two years older seemed baffled by his presence.

Timothy asked about their father, and thankfully, he was home.

His uncle had three children, but he noticed one was missing, the middle child, also a girl.

However, instead of jumping to conclusions, he simply made his way inside.

Knocking lightly three times, he was soon answered by a tall, slim woman who appeared quite young, possibly around six feet tall.

She was dressed as though she was about to head out, and the moment she laid eyes on him, she froze in shock.

Rubbing her eyes as if shaking off a hallucination, she stared at him.

"Tim?" she asked, still unsure, and Timothy responded with a small smile, bowing slightly in greeting.

"Come inside," she said, breaking into a smile before calling out to the children playing outside.

Stepping into the house, Timothy took in his surroundings.

There was no electricity at the moment, and four children sat around a table engaged in a board game.

No other adults were in sight, only passageways leading to other parts of the house.

Among the kids, three of them immediately recognized him; it had only been a month since they last saw him, while the fourth child remained unfamiliar with his face.

Though he remembered her, the third child of his uncle.

"You all have seen your brother, right? Come greet him while I get your uncle," the woman instructed, directing her words at the children before disappearing into one of the passageways.

"Brother Timothy?" The twins, who were around six or seven years old, immediately lit up with excitement and rushed toward him, wrapping their small arms around him in a bunny hug.

Laughing, he knelt down and hugged them back before lifting them into the air playfully.

They were energetic boys, always running around, which wasn’t surprising in a world where superheroes actually existed.

Every child wanted to be one.

The twins happily introduced him to the rest of the family, and Timothy, in turn, teased each of them with memories from their childhood.

To him, everyone here was family, even if they didn’t share direct blood ties.

The twins weren’t related to him by the flesh, but that didn’t matter; family was family.

He wasn’t about to act like a stranger, so he simply enjoyed the moment.

However, after a couple of minutes, his attention shifted.

His sister.

Unlike the others, she hadn’t said a word to him.

She hadn’t even looked in his direction since he arrived.

Whether it was fear, guilt, or something else, she was doing everything she could to avoid eye contact.

While the others had abandoned the board game in favor of greeting him, she remained seated, staring at the board as if it were the most important thing in the world.

But her tense posture betrayed her.

Under the table, her hands were clenched into fists, trembling slightly.

She was restless.

Like someone who had done something wrong.

Curious about her behavior, Timothy walked up behind her and spoke with a teasing smile.

"You seem comfortable."

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