--- Green ---

Green let herself fall down against the wall as she sighed, pulling out her flask to take another drink. Despite temptations to do something potentially stupid, she’d managed to refrain. Green had simply leapt from the side and used some of her fancy gear to ignore all of the consequences... but once she was back on the ground, she remember why she’d wanted to risk climbing up to the hidden city in the first place.

Sure there was the temptation to lead her two enemies into the infinite palace that she’d picked as clean as possible, or see if she could get them to waste time doing those stupid task in the admin building... but it just hadn’t seemed worth it. Fighting two of them, even with help from the nearby enemies just wasn’t worth it. It was also hard to justify trying to sneak into the other major buildings considering how much of a hassle the two she’d already been in had created.

The problem was... now that she was back on the ground she was reminded how hot it was and how the sand went everywhere! Also, she was realising that the enchantments on the fancier equipment she was now using were STUPID. They’d been tuned for a people that were used to living in a desert. Even if it was cooling her, and Green wasn’t certain it was, she was still sweating massively down here on the ground. It wasn’t so hot that she was being cooked alive. The metal was arguably just above body temperature...

But that was still really hot! Especially when you breathed in the hot air from the surroundings. Green was certain it would protect her from a volcano, and probably from the Winter area... but it apparently did not properly protect her from the heat. Not to her personal standards anyway. Perhaps you could argue it was saving her mana for more important things then powering such an enchantment... but it’s not like she was using it for much else!

What was even more annoying, was that plenty of the desert had been picked clean now. As she wondered around finding hidden secrets... plenty of them had empty chests and clear challenges that no longer contained prizes. The orbs luckily seemed to have reformed in a lot of these cases so she wasn’t at risk of being kicked from the tournament just yet... but it meant she was sort of just spinning her wheels.

Green capped the flask and stuffed it back into storage as she relaxed against the wall further, letting out a small burp as she did so. A small part of her mind chastised her for being unladylike. The rest slapped that part upside the head. Nobody was around, she NEEDED the water and it wasn’t like she’d been stuffing herself. Though it was perhaps not the best way to drink water. Nixilei had mentioned the potential medical complications of not taking the time to properly drink. Not that Green remembered those complications or what the proper way WAS but Green remembered being told them... a few times.

Green sighed again. *Alright what’s the plan now? This place is awful but there is at least some orbs around. My gear is good... so should I just be holding steady? There’s every chance that I move biomes and find even more people and less orbs. Here at least they’re separated between the stuff down here and the city up there. That might be twice as many orbs as everywhere else. Heck, there might even be some deeper tunnels as well.

The ones I’ve found so far are more like... roads almost? Pathways between areas that either have their own challenges inside or just keep you out of the sun for a bit but Thyme mentioned there were treasures underground they don’t quite feel like caves. Then again, perhaps I’m overthinking things or trying to borrow trouble

I need to work out if I can, or even want to keep doing this. How many people have left their starting areas? How many remain here in Summer? Do I want to just keep at it until the middle opens up? And if I do... what should I be doing once the middle DOES open up. Readying myself to raid the area might seem like a good idea but I’m not sure how I stack up.*

"What do you think Timmy? Am I ready for the centre?" asked Green. Timmy of course, had no answers. *Yeah that’s the issue. I’m almost a liability. I’ve got a LOT of great gear... honestly too much. I wasn’t just going to leave it there but now I have to worry about people stealing it off me. Either literally, or by defeating me. If I lose, I’m handing someone a GREAT piece of gear...

And the fact of the matter is I’m not on Kat’s level... I’m not even on Nixilei’s level. Gareth... Kress... that’s harder to say. We don’t really have the same specialties, but that’s the thing. I am an archer and most of my fighting experience is from the back lines. I can distract a monster without it ever seeing me... but I wouldn’t fight most of them head on.

The problem is that my stealth is only passable and I don’t have anything all that great for stealth. I focused on grabbing flashy rewards like an idiot. Bigger, stronger enchantments to ensure that I wouldn’t get hurt... but I should’ve looked for things that make me harder to find. Then again, it’s not like those were on offer most of the time either, so maybe I shouldn’t be too hard on myself about that.

Though while I perhaps can’t criticise myself for the gear I’ve picked up the problem remains. I’m not sure that I can justify going into combat like this. At least, not going looking for it. I just... don’t know what the best play is. I need to keep moving for orbs so never getting into a fight is a little silly, and if I get the drop on someone then obviously it’s worth taking a chance if I think I can win...

But I guess that raises the question. Who can’t I beat? I’m... not really sure. The Rich Dwarves perhaps? I wouldn’t want to risk it I think... but other than them? That’s where it gets harder. I’m not sure there’s anyone on the enemy teams that I can’t win a fight against... but it’s no guarantee either that’s for sure. Like, say, Hedera. Would I fight her if she got the drop on me?

Hmmm... maybe? Or is that just pride talking because of the ’better Green’ jokes? It might be but I don’t think I’d lose. Unless she’s also acquired a bunch of gear. Which is the problem with anyone really. Sure I might be able to take most of them out... but if any of them have some super trump card they found at the bottom of a lake then I’m screwed. Which means that just sitting around on my ass is the right call... or is it?

Am I just trying to find an excuse to rest? Because I AM tired. This has gone on so much longer then I thought it would and I haven’t been getting as much rest as I’d like. Enough to function sure but I sleep a lot more than a normal person and I’ve been pushing that off quite a lot. Sure I got some rest trapped in that expanded space... but I had to constantly wake myself up to make sure I never missed the exit. I slept sure, but not properly or very long.

So... do I need a proper rest? I’ve not been too hard on myself but not that easy either and I have the orbs to get away with something like that... I just wondered if once again I’m trying to find an excuse for myself.*

"What do you think Timmy? Am I just trying to find an excuse to rest? Or am I in serious need of extra sleep. Cause that is like, a real medical condition. I think? Do I have it though? I want to say no... but is that actually just because my Rank lets me push off the effects of it better then a mortal could?" Green pondered out loud.

*If only Nixilei was here to answer my questions. I hope she’s doing alright. I hope everyone is doing alright. I wonder how many of us have fought in that duel thing as well. I think... has it been enough days to cycle through everyone at least once? I wasn’t counting at all and I don’t think there was a failsafe in there that said everyone needed to fight at least once before starting a new pool. Is it random every time and someone has a chance to get super unlucky? No, you know what? I am not adding yet ANOTHER worry to my mess.*