Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse

Chapter 201: Spreading Brohood

Brock walked into a garden laden with mist. It was thin; thin enough that he could see through it.

Animals lumbered all around him. He spotted deer drinking from a pond; squirrels jumping from branch to branch and gliding to the ground; a large, gray, scaled beast resting on a hot stone. Each of those animals was at least as strong as him.

Brock could not read the letters above the entrance, but he had heard others call this place, Beast Garden. It felt perfect.

He was alone, too. Dog Bro and Girl Bro had gone in other directions, as had most of the other cultivators. Which, again, suited him perfectly. If there were other people around, they would be envious of the great treasures he would undoubtedly secure.

The problem was, where could he find those? The garden was expansive in all directions. Searching for treasure would be like searching for a pine tree in the forest.

Thankfully, the way of the bro had an answer for all cases.

Brock walked up to the deer and greeted them politely. He then asked for directions to treasure. The deer bros, after staring at him for a moment, angled their heads in a certain direction. One of them mimed something tall, then touched a stone with its horns.

Brock and the deer didnt share a language, but bros didnt need to speak to communicate!

Thanks, bro, said Brock. He fist-bumped a deer before continuing.

As it turned out, the garden animals were very friendly. Anytime Brock asked for directions, they showed him the way forward. Some were even polite enough to make small talkin mime language. Brock was a good bro, so he was polite and friendly back. Before long, the animals here had become his friends. A squirrel treated him to a nut, and a chimp hanging from a tall branch handed him a fruit with a smooth skin. The moment Brock took a bite, he found it was overflowing with juiceswhich made him dizzy in a pleasant way.

He also discovered there were plenty of treasures here. Not all animals pointed to the same one. Brock, however, decided to take them one by one. When an animal gave him contrasting directions to the others, he would mime high and stone. The animal would then exclaim in understanding and point him towherever he was headed.

A few hours later, Brock finally reached his destination. A tall stone obelisk emerged from the mist. It was surrounded by shorter stone slabs, erected to form a ring around it.

Brock approached slowly. He entered the ring of stone, looking around him in wonder. These stone slabs were huge! Who had set them up?

Then again, Big Bro could probably do it. Soon, so would Brock.

Welcome, young one, a feminine voice rumbled. Brock looked around. A figure walked out of the mista large beast, three times as tall as Brock and many times as long. It walked on all fours, had the body of a lion, the wings of a bird, and the face of a human woman. Her eyes were clear and deep, so piercing that Brock thought they were cutting right to his soul.

He didnt mind. His soul had nothing to hide or be ashamed of.

He could also see a set of fierce fangs lining her mouththe kind of fangs that could easily tear a brorilla apart. Moreover, he could sense that this creature was far stronger than him. It was similar in strength to the strongest cultivator bros hed met in this place.

Hello, Brock replied to its greeting. Me, Brock.

The creatures sharp fangs warped to resemble a smile. Welcome, Brock, to the Misty Stone Ring. I am a sphinx by species and Eterazel by name. You can call me whichever you prefer.

Okay.

I am pleased to see you have manners the sphinx said, relaxing slightly. She walked to a stone platform before the obelisk and lay on it, crossing her front legs before her massive body. You would not believe how many disrespectful cultivators I have to eat every season. They are all give me this and give me that, and all sorts of rude comments. Distasteful, dont you think?

Brock considered it. Going to another persons home and being greedy or rude wasnt nice. Therefore, he nodded.

Good. Now, Brock, I see you are no cultivator, but you are not a creature of this garden, either. Am I right to assume you have come here for my treasure?

Yes.

The sphinxs sharp fangs warped into a smile again. A bone was revealed on the stone before her, like it had always been there but Brock had failed to notice. It smelled very tasty.

This is the Sphinxs Bone, the lion-eagle-woman bro said. Sucking its marrow enhances your body, mind, and soul. It is most effective on those not already strengthened by the Systemthat is, beasts like you and me.

Brock nodded. That sounded very good.

However, if you want this bone, you have to answer three questions of mine first. Do you want to try?

Brock nodded.

Be careful, though. If you fail, I might eat you.

Brock nodded again. If this bro wanted to eat him, she could do it anytime. Therefore, answering her questions came at no cost. Even though he wasnt very smart, he hoped that his Very Big Thought of Brohood would lead him to the right answers.

Very well. The sphinx relaxed further, lowering her body until her jaw touched the stone. The first question: what life do you dream for yourself?

Brock took his time to ponder. What did he dream about, really? Following his big bro to the ends of the world? Helping all his bros lead better lives? Spread the legendary Bro Code to the clearly clueless cultivators? Rejoining his pack and working out with them?

It was all of thosepartly.

Having realized his answer, Brock finally started expressing it. He couldnt say it with words. He resorted to mimingwhich, despite his proficiency and practice, was a particularly hard endeavor. It took him more than a minute just to get it out, let alone all of the sphinxs clarifying questions and follow-ups.

The sphinx, however, did not lack patience. The two of them embarked on a conversation that lasted around half an hour, with Brock trying to get his point across as clearly as possible and the sphinx striving to understand every word of it.

In the end, the answer that Brock settled on was something like, I want to act as bro as possible. Be faithful to my path. Lead a life that is enjoyable and beneficial to the good people around me. Make all the brave choices, laugh a lot, and let the world guide me where I am needed most. That is the life I dream. What about you?

The sphinx nodded. Excellent. Then, second que Wait. What did you say?

Brock pointed at her again.

Me? the sphinxs eyes widened. She pulled her head back a bit. Why are you asking me? I am the one asking the questions.

Brock shrugged, then mimed that it was the polite thing to do. Besides, she seemed like an interesting person, so he was interested in what she had to say.

The sphinx was clearly flustered. She lost her words a bit. I Thank you. Um, what life do I dream about This, I guess. What my mother, grandmother, and all my ancestors did before me. I stay here and ask questions to the cultivators, then either eat them or reward them based on Ahem. Nevermind.

Oh, Brock exclaimed. He then asked the sphinx if she ever dreamed of leaving this place and exploring the wide world.

It never occurred to me, she replied. I have a purpose in life. I juststay here and wait, mostly. Its great, if a bit lonely. I dont interact with the other animals much.

Now, it was Brocks turn to widen his eyes. He asked if she had no friendshe called them bros, actually, but the sphinx understood friends.

Not really, she responded. Suddenly, she seemed a bit bashful. The other animals are afraid of me because I eat them sometimes. My relatives are all in different places. I usually just stay here and try to come up with better questionsbut no answers. I handle questions only. Garden policy.

Brock didnt know what those last words meant, but he found it sad that the sphinx just wasted away her years here, all alone and broless. He suggested that he could be her bro, if she wanted.

My friend? Her face reddened visibly. I I have no friends.

Which was why Brock suggested becoming one.

Okay then Yes, I guess. Yes, we can be friends. I I dont see whats so bad about that. I would like to have a friend. She seemed confused a bit. But I still may eat you later, okay? Rules are rules.

Brock nodded. Inwardly, he thought that she could benefit from eating fewer potential friends, but preferred not to say that out loud. Or mime it, in any case.

Then, second question, littl Friend Brock. What is your greatest fear?

Brock didnt need to consider it, this time. He mimed that his worst nightmare was being weak, alone, and abandoned by all his bros.

The sphinx nodded. She was starting to get the hang of Brocks miming by now, which made communication easier.

Finally, third question: What animal walks on four feet in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?

Brock was stumped. Unfortunately, this was not something his Bro Code could help with. He thought deeply about the riddle. He considered all animals he knew. Unfortunately, nothing even came closehe had never heard of an animal growing more or fewer legs as it grew.

Finally, he shook his head.

You dont know? the sphinx replied, inching closer. Her fangs filled Brocks vision. Are you sure?

Yes.

Aha! So you failed a question!

Brock nodded. He then mimed the question of whether she was going to eat him.

Well, no, she replied, pulling back. I naturally cannot demand that everyone knows this random riddle. My questions are meant to test peoples integrity. Sphinxes can smell dishonesty. If you tried to trick me at any point, I would eat you. Since you didnt Well, you succeeded. Congratulations, Friend Brock! You passed my test. The Sphinx Bone is yours.

Brock pumped a fist into the air. He had never once doubted his success. The path of the bro never went wrong.

Out of curiosity, he asked what the answer to the last riddle was.

The Egalitarian Tripede, the sphinx replied. I dont expect you to know it. Its a pretty rare animal. Although, many cultivators try to claim that the answer is humans, for some reason. It makes no sense. Humans dont grow any extra legs, and if I wanted to mean the phases of the day metaphorically, I would just say so. I think its just a rumor one of them spread after failing my riddle. I know who it was, too; I should have eaten her. Too bad she was respectful. Pretty girl, too. Her hair was nice.

Brock nodded. He also didnt see how humans had four legs, then two, then three. Cultivators could be coocoo sometimes.

He then approached the sphinx. She expected him to pick up the bone. Instead, he walked past it to shake her paw.

I What? she said, absent-mindedly letting her paw be shaken. Are you not afraid that I will eat you?

Brock was pretty sure she wouldnt eat him.

But everyone else is.

Good thing Brock wasnt everyone else. He laughed and indicated that hed enjoyed their conversation. He then asked if she wanted to leave this place and travel with him, since she was clearly unhappy here. But she would have to promise not to eat everyone.

The sphinx got even more flustered. I Thank you for your offer, Friend Brock, but I cannot do that. I am happy here. This is how sphinxes live. We guard places and ask riddles. We really dont enjoy traveling.

Brock considered it for a moment, then nodded. Everyone had their own preferences. He still mimed that she should try to find friends nearby. Even if she didnt like leaving her Misty Stone Ring, she could invite them here to spend some quality time together. He also suggested that maybe not eating everyone would help her make friends.

That is not a bad idea, she agreed thoughtfully. I dont know why it never occurred to me before. Okay. I will try.

Brock nodded happily. Another successful bro intervention. It was incredible how many people needed a good bro to show them the way.

Thankfully, he was here.

He then grabbed the bone and inspected it. It was a bone. How was he supposed to suck its marrow? Should he just break it?

You can twist its top, the sphinx suggested. Brock did as she said and found that, indeed, the top was easily twisted. It popped off like a cork, revealing a thin line of red marrow. He brought it up to his mouth and sucked.

Instantly, thick liquid filled his mouth, and intense life energy flooded his entire being. Everything, from his toes to his soul, were strengthened. Brock felt his muscles contract and harden, becoming like iron cords. He felt his mind sharpen and the world coming into focus. He even felt his soul grow by a bit.

In just a moment, he had gotten much stronger than before. It reminded him of the pink pill he swallowed in the Trialwhich, in turn, reminded him that he still had to think about the Big Thought of Density.

Hopefully, he would find some time later. For now, he had to get as many treasures as possible, both for himself and his other bros.

Theres something more, the sphinx said, hesitating over something. A moment later, she told him, Wait here! and rushed away into the mist. When she returned, a small pouch hung from her mouth, which she deposited to Brocks feet.

He made a questioning gesture. This pouch resembled a closed lotus flower, and it was filled with a sort of white powder.

This is called Beast Growth Powder, the sphinx said. A cultivator of the past tried to bribe me with it after failing my test. I ate him, of course, but I kept the powder. I never discovered how to use it, so it remained in my lairuntil now.

Brock mimed whether she had tried to eat it, as she liked doing to anything else.

Of course not, the sphinx replied. It is powder. Who eats powder?

Brock considered it for a moment, then nodded. It made sense. He then asked why she was giving it to him.

Suddenly, her face reddened a bit. Were friends now, right? Friends are supposed to exchange giftsright?

What?! Brock quickly mimed that he couldnt accept this. He had no gift to reciprocate!

Its okay, the sphinx replied, smiling in her particularly carnivorous way. You became my friend and gave me advice. Take this as a token of my gratitude.

Refusing any longer would be un-bro-like. Brock accepted the powder, sticking it in his pocket. Maybe Big Bro would know how to use it.

Thanks, bro, he told her. She made an awkward happy expressionher mouth was used to poising threateningly, not smiling.

I thank you, Friend Brock. You were a welcome break in my mundane life. I wish you all the best.

Brock nodded. He shook her paw againa motion as awkward as the first time, but letting that stop him would be un-brothen waved goodbye and turned to leave. He really wished she would find some friendsbut, in the end, it was her choice. Good bros should help people achieve happiness by their own strength, not hand-hold them into it.

He hadnt taken two steps outside the stone circle when two beasts landed to his right and left. One was a frog the size of a person, with yellow skin and green eyes. The other was a desert lizard reminiscent of the ones hed seen in Village Ring.

Brock paused. Each of these beasts was much stronger than him. What was going on?

I got you, a voice came from up ahead, as a humanoid figure walked out of the mist.

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