"So what do you think?" Dan said into the walkie-talkie as he looked at the horizon, "When would you be done? Over."

  "A bit after sunset, maybe?" Nik said from the other side, Dan could hear other people speaking all around him, as if he were in a busy market. "They've already helped push us beyond the schedule, we are doing great. Over."

  "That's great to hear, I will have the Voyager go to the eastern cliff wall later at night, we can't waste any more time," Dan said. He then thought for a second and added, "How are they doing though? Are all of them good?"

  "Yes, you don't have to worry," Nik answered, "At first, we only had a few whom Arkus had called to help, but as time passed, more and more of them joined in after noticing what was happening. Right now most of the able natives on the island are here, it's a true blessing. Over."

  "What about the metal ores?" Dan asked about another point of interest of theirs on the island, "Are they also on there? Over."

  "Yes, a few of them worked together and carried some of the ores the young man, William and the others had specified," Nik said, "I think we should be ready on all fronts here. Over."

  "Make sure to take care of them," Dan said. The people had come to their help on their own accord, showing them appreciation was a must. "Send someone to the kitchens and make sure that good meals are waiting for them at the end of the day. Use the best ingredients the guards had, and if they are light on those, get some from Voyager. Over."

  "Already on it," Nik's voice had the hint of a smile to it, "Don't worry, captain, they shall have a feast!"

  They talked a bit more beyond that before Dan cut the line, falling back to his chair as his mind wandered. As expected, the Harvesters had attacked a bit around midday, and their number was even bigger than the last time. Still not that dangerous for the Voyager, but they were starting to be beyond what Sam and his Swarmers could handle, Dan was getting worried about what was coming. That the tamer was near a tier up to tier 3 was the only bright side they had in that situation.

  With the young man achieving tier 3, Dan would have to put himself in control of the auras and lead the attacks against the Harvesters again, hoping to get some levels. He didn't have much hope for his own skill choices, but hitting level 18 and getting another skill for the Voyager was more than enough for them.

  They were even expecting another attack before nightfall, with the frequency at which they were happening, it was almost certain. Of course, if the pattern that they wouldn't attack after sunset got broken, then they were in for a nasty surprise. Not that Dan, or any of the guards, were that trusting of that pattern, they would be on high alert the whole night, ready to move at the earliest notice.

  He tapped the table in front of him as he considered tomorrow's plans. The first thing he had decided on was that they needed to move the rescued natives to the Voyager at the earliest opportunity. With the possibility of a night attack and all the problems at the ocean at night, Dan decided to go for early morning as the time of their coming operation.

  As expected, just a bit before sunset, they were met by an attack from the Harvesters. The gigantic bugs coming at them with their biggest wave yet. It was so big that Sam wasn't able to hold them back on his own and Dan had to bring the dark aura under his control and deal with the remaining ones.

  It wasn't all doom and gloom though, the end of the fight saw the birth of their first tier 3.

  "I've made it, I'm tier 3!" Sam shouted as the attack ended, his forehead still covered in sweat and his breaths coming short, it was clear to all that the fights were putting a lot of pressure on him.

  "Congratulations!" Dan said as he patted him, a huge smile on his face.

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  The young man was a bit rash and was holding back on sharing what his Class truly was, but he was part of the family and Dan trusted him to be there for the Voyager and everyone on it when it was needed. Plus, the stronger anyone got on the Voyager, the better it was for them.

  "How was the strengthening this time? For your body I mean," Dan asked after everyone was done giving their congratulations.

  "It was way more obvious this time," Sam said, a huge smile on his face, "My thoughts feel faster and more focused, and even my eyesight is a bit clearer. And of course, I feel stronger."

  Dan could understand what Sam had been feeling somehow, even the jump from tier 1 to tier 2 was something he felt, he could somehow guess the difference the jump to their 3 was going to come with. Granted, he did have Advantage, but it was enough for him to understand what the tier up could bring.

  "What about your taming skill? How many monsters can you control right now?" He didn't even bother asking the young man about which skill he had tiered up or whether he had chosen to acquire a different skill.

  "60," Sam answered as he looked into the air, "Much lower than last time's growth, but that's not the only effect the skill gave me this time. Besides making my willpower stronger and helping with the control and communication with my tamed creatures, it also added another effect, the skill strengthens any creature I have under my control. The longer they remain under my control, the stronger the skill would make them."

  Dan knew he shouldn't have been surprised, the skills were supposed to branch out, encompassing more effects the higher they went, but the new effect that Sam mentioned still surprised him, it was for no other reason than a simple idea that sprung into his mind as soon as he heard it; Swarmers were already a scary existence in this world, so scary that they were a nightmare to any creature in the ocean, he couldn't imagine what such creatures would turn to after getting a buff.

  Shuddering at the thought, Dan watched the excited young man talking animatedly with Keith and the others on the bridge, he couldn't believe that if he got the chance, he would probably become one of the scariest existences in the ocean. Dan casually wondered if they should see if any Swarmers' territory was close to the Dynasty, they could see about getting more of the wrathful demons. After all, Sam was able to use 10 Swarmers to lead close to 90 others, with 60 under his control, he might be able to control... 600 Swarmers, the number was scary.

  After the bridge calmed down, Dan was told that Nik had returned to the Voyager. The man had been waiting for the Harvesters' wave to end before returning to the ship.

  "Nik, is everything ready?" Dan asked the Supply Keeper, having gone to meet him.

  "Yes," Nik nodded. The man was clearly tired, Dan didn't know how overusing his Inventory would affect him, if it even did, but the man didn't seem that well. "All the mana crystals and the metal ores the others are interested in are waiting at the eastern cliff wall."

  "Thanks for your hard work." Dan patted the man's back, he wanted to pat him on the shoulder, but he would have had to stand on his toes to do so. "Go have something to eat and rest."

  "Already ate." Nik smiled. "Together with the natives, it was quite the lively atmosphere."

  They had a few more sentences before the man left as Dan waved him off. Dan looked at him for a few more seconds before he took a deep breath and contacted the Voyager:

  "Hey big girl, let's head to the eastern cliff wall, I have a feast for you there~"

  Dan was sure that the little girl knew what he was talking about, probably from listening to what was happening on her, the anticipation she had was more than proof for that, she was so excited that she fell back into her habit of only sending emotions. Dan felt like he was leading an excited skipping child to their favourite candy store.

  When Voyager got close enough to the island for a connection to be established, he brought his walkie-talkie and called Old Raily.

  "I fear what the coming waves are going to bring," he said to the old veteran after the connection was established, "I think that it would be for the best if we send the rescued natives to the Voyager as soon as possible. Over."

  "So what are you thinking?" Old Raily asked, "Tomorrow morning? We can do that I think. Over."

  "Soon after sunrise," Dan said, "I know it's kinda insensitive after they had spent most of the day helping us, but I fear what might happen if anything unexpected comes to be. Over."

  "You don't have to worry about it," Old Raily said, "As you've said, we've spent the whole day with them, and I realised something, getting off the island isn't something they would hate waking up early for, or spending the whole night preparing for, they just want out of here, as soon as possible."

  "Well, tell them they are leaving tomorrow morning then," Dan said, "Freedom awaits."

  As always, a huge thank you for our newest patron Alexander! Thanks a lot for the support~~

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