Gathering Wives with a System Chapter 437: New Genes, Levelling Up Skills

Ascending the ridge demanded a bit of time.

The trail was rough and strewn with scattered rocks, yet the soldiers navigated it with ease. Isaac and Alice trailed behind Gael as the remaining troops encircled them in a relaxed setup. No weapons were aimed their way, but the spacing between each soldier was precisely calculated. This formation suited guarding unknowns.

Upon reaching the summit at last, Isaac grasped why Gael mentioned the main army awaited beyond the ridge.

The vice general stood out unmistakably.

She dominated the heart of a modest clearing ringed by troops. Her frame loomed enormous, thrice that of an ordinary human. Brown stone slabs shaped her arms and body, stacked in heavy layers resembling not a golem but armor forged for a colossal fighter.

Isaac's gaze sharpened a touch.

The build evoked a mechanical exosuit more than a living being. Robust panels overlapped at her joints, with subtle magical runes pulsing faintly in the crevices.

"That's Vice General Ida," Gael explained.

"Is it a golem?"

"Not quite. And don't refer to her as 'it' to her face—she's definitely a she," Gael warned.

Isaac gave a nod.

By that point, the vice general could overhear them. The earth quivered faintly as the stone colossus advanced.

A lengthy debate ensued. Vice General Ida resisted hosting Isaac and Alice as guests in their fortress, while Gael rejected treating them as captives. Pressed for reasons, he claimed it was classified.

The pair argued back and forth extensively.

Isaac stayed quiet amid the dispute. He had foreseen such resistance. A military outpost rarely embraced outsiders, particularly those from foe territories.

At length, talks veered toward agreement.

Ida crossed her weighty stone arms.

"Fine," she rumbled deliberately. "If you're set on welcoming them as guests, I'll permit it with stipulations."

"What stipulations?" Gael inquired.

"They'll submit to our mages applying binding spells."

"What sort of binding spells?" Gael pressed.

"The spells that block secret outreach to external powers via concealed artifacts or charmed items."

Gael paused briefly.

"That's fair enough," he conceded.

But Ida pressed on.

"I demand restraint seals too. Ones barring teleportation and curbing spellcasting."

"No," Gael shot back instantly.

The swift denial drew even Isaac's glance.

Ida's tone boomed, "You're courting needless dangers."

"I'm upholding essential faith. Basic binding spells suffice. Nothing more," Gael countered.

They locked eyes once more.

After minutes of strained haggling, Ida offered a curt nod.

"Very well."

She faced the nearby mages.

"Ready the spells."

A handful of cloaked figures approached. Isaac and Alice were told to hold position as the mages formed a casual ring around them.

The casting proved gentle. Subtle rune circles flickered momentarily over their forms before dissolving.

Isaac sensed the spell probing his body.

It hunted for concealed relic transmissions and outside magic ties. He detected its attempt to uncover comms channels too.

Yet the spell skimmed the surface. More precisely, it matched SSS-rank prowess.

Soon after, it vanished entirely.

Ida observed them intently, then nodded once more. "That suffices."

"Great. Shall we proceed?" Gael asked with a yawn.

The soldiers reformed swiftly thereafter.

Rather than trek onward, they clustered in a broad glade amid the ridges. A mage triggered a concealed teleport array under scattered debris.

Brilliant light erupted.

Isaac experienced the customary warp of space compressing.

Suddenly, reality altered.

As the glow ebbed, they stood elsewhere entirely.

The surrounding terrain lay desolate and parched. Fissured, barren soil extended hundreds of meters. At the wasteland's distant edge, thick woods commenced.

Ida strode toward the woods sans explanation.

Isaac and Alice trailed with the troops.

At the treeline, Ida lifted a gigantic stone arm.

Then she seized the void.

Literally.

Her fist clamped empty air, yanking sharply.

Reality ripped asunder.

The space ahead shredded like cloth torn apart. The woods faded behind the rift, exposing an alien vista beyond.

Isaac's eyes tightened faintly.

Beyond the breach lay another realm.

Golden grasses blanketed a vast plain dotted with orderly tent lines. A low evening sun cast a gentle amber sheen over all.

A sweet scent wafted from the portal.

Herbs. Blooms. Rich earth.

Tranquility reigned, a stark serene contrast to the outer desolation.

"This is our primary bastion," Gael stated.

Troops started crossing the spatial gash.

Isaac and Alice advanced alongside. Crossing over transformed the ambiance utterly. Warmer air enveloped them, the golden rays lending the camp a serene radiance.

With the final soldier through, the rift sealed shut.

The woods and wastes disappeared.

Just the encampment endured.

"You two, follow me," Gael directed.

He navigated the lanes amid tents.

Troops bustled in disciplined flows. Some drilled, others readied gear or conferred softly.

A few spotted Isaac and Alice.

Hostility marked their responses.

Most just glared. Their striking looks drew eyes, marking them as war foes instantly.

Gael halted before a mid-sized tent offset from the camp's hustle.

"Make use of this spot," he offered.

Isaac peered within.

The interior surprised with comfort: twin beds, a solid table, chairs aplenty, and storage crates.

Gael lounged at the flap.

"This is your quarters from here on."

Alice nodded. "Got it."

"Feel free inside," Gael went on. "But steer clear of roaming the camp. Sightings could spark fights. Best hunker here and wait."

"Wait for what?" Alice queried.

"Master's return." Gael added, "She'll oversee the truth probe then. You'll lay it all out to her after."

Isaac nodded deliberately.

"Fair deal."

Gael departed shortly.

As Isaac and Alice moved to enter, Gael's voice resonated telepathically in their minds.

’One more thing.’

The tone rang steady yet resolute.

’Never reveal you're from the future.’

Stunned by the abrupt mind-link, Alice and Isaac nodded briefly.

’Not everyone here merits trust. Guard that secret till master arrives.’

The link severed.

They slipped into the tent soundlessly.

Comfort exceeded Isaac's hopes. Beds yielded softly, the table stood firm, and luminous stones near the top provided steady glow.

They settled silently for a spell.

Then hours ticked onward.

Against Isaac's fears, no disturbances arose.

He later discovered the cause.

Gael had stationed shadow sentries round the tent. These unseen watchers deterred any aggressive approaches.

Thus, camp life flowed peacefully.

Meantime, Isaac's primary form labored alongside Selene.

Despite the prior binding spells from mages, his duplicates operated flawlessly. The enchantments held power, yet fell short against superior tiers.

Isaac deemed the spell under SSS-rank.

His clone ability persisted unimpeded.

Collaborating with Selene yielded vast gains.

In days, Isaac amassed huge genetic hauls.

Crop seeds. Mystic flora genes. Animal specimens.

Collections swelled.

By week's close, nearly one hundred fifty novel crop genes and twenty animal ones filled his stores.

Certain trials sparked surprises.

Combat eluded them, but utilities shone. Auras bolstered nearby growths, fruits brimmed with vital nutrients.

Skill alerts pinged daily.

Gene Reaping skill has reached Level 1 → Level 3

Seed Imprinting skill has reached Level 1 → Level 3

Seed of Providence skill has reached Level 3 → Level 5

Isaac reached out to Avery too.

He tasked her with sourcing exotic flora from Divine and Hell Realms.

"I can't promise swift results. Timelines and chaos hinder seed hunts," she warned.

"No issue. Just attempt it," Isaac urged.

A slim shot sufficed.

Those yields proved vital for his Class Quest.

Further days elapsed.

Seed Imprinting skill has reached Level 3 → Level 4

Seed of Providence skill has reached Level 5 → Level 6

Almost twenty days lapsed before shifts occurred.

One dawn, Isaac glanced up from the tent table.

"She's returned. A runner informed us to prepare while you bathed," he noted.

Alice's eyes snapped to him.

"The Sword Maiden?"

Isaac affirmed. "Summon likely imminent."

Alice's face grew taut.

The truth test unnerved her.

Particularly over Isaac.