Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse

Jack stood in silence. Yesterday morning had been full of tension. Today, grief.

Two brorillas and eleven gymonkeys had given their lives against the black wolves. They were brave. They could have chosen cowardice or half-measures, but every single one of them went forth to fight knowing that their lives might be forfeit.

There were many injured, too, but the ice pond had healed them. That wasn’t a pretty sight either. Oz had been forced to keep some monkeys in the pond for a few moments, as their mental fortitude wasn’t enough to handle the searing pain.

However, at the end of the day, they were alive, and that’s what mattered. All injured gymonkeys thanked Oz for helping them, while he only nodded stoically. His wide forehead was wrinkled further, and his grumpy eyes were filled with sadness.

Monkeys didn’t do much with their fallen brothers and sisters, only dumped them somewhere far away for the parasites and fungi to do their job. Jack wasn’t having that. After the injured were healed, he organized a funeral and taught the monkeys how to handle death.

In the process, he’d also taught them the concept of death, which they didn’t understand too well.

The morning sun illuminated a forest wet from the night’s moisture. Droplets hung from leaves like teardrops, and the light was refracted through them to reveal all colors of the rainbow. The birds and critters were quiet today as if sensing the heavy mood, and the wind didn’t dare blow too hard.

Jack stood in a peaceful glade, surrounded by twenty-five monkeys: nineteen gymonkeys, five brorillas, and Harambe. This glade was situated behind the monkey forest gym, close to the edge of the nature reserve, and Jack had chosen it for its scenery. There was something about the sparsity of trees and the harmony of foliage that gave this place a serene, holy sensation.

It was also close enough to the monkeys’ residences that they could visit whenever they wanted, and far enough that it wouldn’t be a bother.

Thirteen graves had been dug and refilled. They didn’t have coffins, but they didn’t need them, either. The monkeys were part of nature in life and death. Jack stood by the side, facing both the graves and the downcast monkeys.

“We are now brothers and sisters,” he declared somberly. As he could speak well, the weight of goodbye fell on him. “You are all brave. I am proud of you. And I am most proud of those who fell, because they were perfect. They gave their lives to protect the rest of us. That is an achievement we, who are still alive, cannot claim. We owe our lives to the fallen.”

Silence fell. Nobody dared speak or even breathe loudly. Their gazes alternated between Jack and the graves.

“We will not let their lives go to waste,” he continued. “This is a rough, unknown world, but we will carve out a home. We will protect ourselves and our children and create a future. We will be united like the fingers of a fist, and we will defend each other as they defended us.”

A monkey shivered. Another sniffed. A few tears were rolling.

Jack turned to the graves and bowed. “You have given everything. You are worthy. Now, rest in peace…and we will handle the rest. In the name of the strong primates, Jack Rust, and the Bare Fist Brotherhood, we will lead lives that will make you proud. This, I swear.”

As his speech finished, the monkeys erupted into mourning. They cried loudly, shedding fat tears. Some fell to the ground and punched it, while others tore off tufts of their fur and threw it on the graves. The brorillas left a bunch of bananarms before each grave, then flexed their muscles as tears rolled down their hardened faces.

Harambe, the big bro of the monkeys, also stepped before the graves after the brorillas were done. He flexed his large muscles hard enough for his eyes to pop out, then bowed deeply and spread some soil on his face while crying. All monkeys followed.

This was their form of tribute. Jack didn’t understand everything, but he let them do their thing. He put some soil on his face, too, to honor their customs. No tears left his eyes, but his heart was filled with sadness. They had fought together, and they had died because he couldn’t protect them. Had he been stronger, everyone would still be here.

He vowed to remember this.

It took half an hour before things calmed down a little. During that time, Jack remained still as a rock. When the monkeys began dispersing, he stepped beside the big brorilla.

“Harambe,” he said, “walk with me.”

Harambe nodded at the brorillas, who nodded back, then followed Jack deeper into the forest, heading back towards the forest gym.

“What are you planning to do, Harambe?” Jack asked. “The world is large, and there are many things we don’t know, many dangers we cannot fathom. I feel that the only way to survive and be free is to get stronger. I plan to leave this place, enter the human world, and see how everything has changed. What do you think?”

The gorilla remained silent for a long moment. His thoughts weren’t the fastest, but that was okay. Jack waited. They crossed glades and forest paths, stepped over rocks and roots. Finally, Harambe turned to Jack and shook his head. His big knuckles tapped the ground.

“You’ll stay here?” Jack asked. “Are you sure? There could be others like you in the wide world, maybe even on this planet. Don’t you want to meet them?”

Harambe shook his head again. He pointed at himself, made a scary face, then flexed his muscles.

Jack’s eyes mellowed. “You want to get stronger, too…”

The System didn’t consider the monkeys sapient, like him. They couldn’t level-up or do anything like that. They were simply classified as monsters. To get stronger, they had to toil away at their forest gym, lifting weights and sparring against each other.

“You have it right, my friend…but you are not monsters. I don’t care what the System says; it is wrong. And I swear to you that, when I’m strong enough, I will force it to reconsider. I’ll find a way to let you in.”

Harambe nodded, then tapped his knuckles on the ground again.

“You’ll stay here until then… Yeah. I’m sorry for doubting you. That is a sensible choice. On my part, I’ll make sure all nearby areas know not to mess with you—though, from what I imagine, they can’t, even if they wanted to. The System won’t let you in my faction, but this area is marked as mine. I need you to be the guardians of this place, and in return, everything here will belong to you. Even if more people come, you’ll still be the owners of the forest. What do you think? Is that a good offer?”

Harambe nodded, bringing a hand to his chest. Then, he stretched a hand out to Jack.

He looked at the hand for a moment, then chuckled. He grabbed and shook it. “You have a deal, my friend. Take good care of your little bros while I’m gone. I’m counting on you.”

For the first time since they’d met, Harambe grinned. Jack grinned back. The monkeys were in good hands.

“Then, this is goodbye for now. I will be back as soon as I settle things out there, whatever they are. Try not to kill humans, if you can, but I’ll handle the fallout if they force your hand. Oh, and if you see anyone bearing a”—he looked around, then picked up a jagged stone of peculiar shape—“bearing this stone, know they were sent by me. They’ll give you my name, anyway.”

Harambe nodded. Then, unlike his usual stoic self, he pulled Jack into a big hug.

“Oof! Dude! This would have killed most people!” Jack laughed as he hugged back the gorilla. After bathing in the ice pond, everyone was clean, and the waters remained as crystalline as ever.

Jack had checked the wolf cave for rewards but found nothing. Fair, I guess. I already got plenty. He'd also entered the waterfall again but got little benefit. He could sense that he’d already reaped all he could from there. To advance his Dao, he needed to experience more things. That was another reason why he was in such a rush to leave. The first was that the System’s hints about inter-galactic empires had instilled a sense of urgency inside him. Plus, he needed to find out if the professor was okay.

“See you, big bro,” Jack said, waving, and made to leave. However, Harambe suddenly shook his head. “Hmm?” Jack asked. “What is it?”

Harambe pointed somewhere, and Jack turned to look. They’d reached the forest gym by now, and Harambe was pointing towards its far end, where the bananarm tree stood.

“What is it, Harambe?” Jack asked again. “Do you want to show me something?”

The brorilla nodded and started walking over, slowly. Jack was suddenly curious. Why did Harambe say goodbye before showing him whatever this was? It was clearly deliberate but made no sense.

He followed.

“Where are you taking me, Harambe?” Jack muttered as he followed Harambe behind the bananarm tree, where he always liked to rest. The vegetation was denser here; moist bushes with long leaves and vines hanging from the trees above. It looked more and more like a jungle, which had no business being here, in biology’s humble opinion.

The analytical part of his mind whispered that this was ridiculous. Everything else reminded him that, after everything the System had done, a little change in topography was nothing.

Harambe led Jack through thick bushes and foliage until they were a couple minutes away from the clearing. Jack got more and more curious. What could Harambe be hiding?

Another E-Grade resource? His heart sped up.

Eventually, Harambe approached the base of a large tree. Its roots formed an alcove over the soil, and nestled inside them was a gymonkey that eyed Jack warily. He frowned. What was it doing here? They were all supposed to be at the funeral—but come to think of it, he did notice one missing.

Harambe said something to the gymonkey, in a tone Jack hadn’t heard from him before. It was soft, almost caring; not the sound of a big bro, but of a partner.

Then, the monkey moved, and Jack was left staring at the smaller monkey hiding behind. It was as tall as his forearm was long, had short brown fur, big ears, a long, flexible tail, and looked at him with wide eyes. It resembled a child gymonkey.

A moment later, it snarled and jumped at him. Jack raised his arms in surprise.

Harambe growled. He grabbed the little one from the top of the head mid-air and growled something in its face. The small monkey flailed ineffectively for a moment—it was still airborne—then crossed its arms and glared at Harambe.

Jack looked between the two of them, observing the dynamic, before finally managing to say, “Is that your son, Harambe?”

Harambe nodded. He presented the little monkey—still holding it from the top of the head—which stared at Jack as defiantly as it had at its father.

Brorilla, Level 2

A gorilla variant from planet Green. Brorillas usually live with Gymonkeys and train them in the ways of working out. It is due to the Brorillas’ unmatched pecks that Gymonkeys use poop to fight—they consider themselves too weak for anything else.

Brorillas are usually calm, measured animals. However,

if anyone harms their little cousins or invades their territory, they go

bananas.

This particular brorilla is a variant that visually resembles a gymonkey. Though not weaker than other brorillas, the members of this variant are often shunned due to their lack of bulging muscles.

“He’s cute,” he said, leaning in. The little monkey tried to claw at him, infuriated at the name, but he pulled back. “And feisty,” he added.

Harambe nodded in pride. He was so much bigger than his son that it looked ridiculous. The little one could sit on Jack’s shoulder, and Jack could probably sit on Harambe’s.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” he asked.

Harambe growled, making animated descriptions with his arms. The little monkey flew around, as he still held on to its head, and tried to grab his forearm but failed, making it even more pissed.

“He’d want to join the fight?” Jack tried deciphering Harambe’s meaning.

Harambe nodded.

“I see. Congrats, man. And who’s this lucky lady?”

He approached the gymonkey, who shook his hand gracefully. Her pecs were more pronounced than most of the gymonkeys—probably why Harambe liked her.

“I’m happy to have met your family, bro,” Jack told Harambe. “That makes us real bros. Next time, let’s drink together.”

Harambe chuckled, then shook his head.

“You don’t want to drink?”

More shaking.

“No; it’s something else? What are you trying to tell me, Harambe?”

Harambe looked at his partner. They exchanged a look that was only too human; Jack saw pain, resolve, and deep longing in those eyes. Then, Harambe brought his son before his face and growled harshly. The little one tried to glare but finally succumbed under his father’s hard stare.

Harambe held his gaze at the little one for a while. Then, he simply turned it around and placed it in front of Jack’s feet. Jack blinked in surprise. “What?” he said.

The little monkey glanced at Jack, considering attacking him, then remembered its father’s warning and calmed down.

“What are you trying to say, Harambe?” Jack asked hesitantly.

Harambe reached out and pushed the little one towards Jack with his knuckles. Then, he took a step back and passed an arm around his partner, who looked at their son with sadness.

“Wait.” Jack realized. “Are you entrusting your son to me?”

Harambe nodded. The little monkey’s eyes widened. Suddenly, it wasn’t so wild anymore; it rushed at its parents so hard it tripped, but when it got there, Harambe grabbed it and unceremoniously tossed it at Jack, who had to grab it in a hug. He thought it would go wild, but it didn’t; it rushed out of his arms without hurting him, then jumped at Harambe who tossed it back again.

“Wait,” Jack said, “what is happening?”

Harambe grabbed his child by the head, placed it in front of Jack, and growled sternly at it. He pointed at it, then at Jack. The little monkey tried to complain, but a second growl, even sterner, cut it short.

“Harambe,” Jack said again, putting a little bit of force into his voice, and Harambe looked up. “What is happening?”

Harambe then proceeded to mime a long series of things.

“You are entrusting me with your son?” Jack deciphered. “You want him to adventure alongside me? You think I can protect him and make him into a proper brorilla? Let him see the world?”

Harambe nodded.

“Harambe! That’s…” Jack was lost for words. He looked down at the little one, taking it in carefully. It had understood its father’s words. It was gazing at its parents with longing, but when it looked at Jack, he saw a hidden desire there. The same one he’d felt before the System’s arrival. The call of adventure.

“That’s such a responsibility…” he finally managed to say. “You are putting a lot of faith into me…”

Harambe growled in question. He seemed anxious, hoping Jack would say yes.

“It’s not about me accepting or not. You have to know that my life will be dangerous,” he said. “I don’t know what’s out there. I might die tomorrow and take this little one with me. I might make enemies.”

Harambe’s eyes were resolute.

“My adventures could be painful, Harambe, and they might not end well. Are you absolutely certain that you want to entrust your son’s life to me, knowing you might not see him again soon or ever?”

Harambe nodded. By his side, the gymonkey whimpered, two salty tears appearing in her eyes before she blinked them away. She made sounds of agreement, taking Harambe’s hand in hers.

Jack’s heart was heavy. “Why would you do that?” he finally forced out, unable to comprehend.

He wasn’t planning on anyone tagging along; he would take the monkeys if they asked him, but a child? What did he know about them? Could he protect it? Raise it?

Should he?

He stared deep into Harambe’s eyes and saw the truth. The gorilla wanted his son to become something better than him, to surpass him. At the same time, he knew he couldn’t offer that; and not just because this child was doomed to remain less muscular than other brorillas.

Harambe saw the futility of his existence, the hard limits set on him by the System. He had been created—spawned—as an adult; even if he was never despawned, there was only so much he could progress. But his son was more fortunate. He was still a child; if life treated him well, he could ascend to heights that Harambe himself had no hope of reaching.

And Harambe couldn’t offer that. He didn’t have access to the System. Only Jack had.

Harambe didn’t want to part with his son, give it for another man to raise. Who would? But he steeled his heart and did what was best for it. And he trusted Jack.

Jack had never felt like this before. His heart was filled with equal parts pride, warmth, and weight. He didn’t know if he was ready.

But if Harambe could part with his own son, Jack could at least accept it.

“My bro…” Jack kept his voice even as he held out a hand. Harambe grabbed it in a firm handshake, then pulled Jack in for a hug. The two men—one human and one brorilla—held each other tight for a long moment before letting go. Then, Harambe turned to the side and pulled his wife into a hug, who grabbed the little one, too.

Their family hug was tighter than Jack’s, and it lasted longer. It was a very touching moment; so touching, in fact, that Jack felt guilty, and salt threatened to roll down his cheeks.

Sometime later, the magic was broken. The family slowly withdrew, Harambe pushing the little one into Jack’s hands while his partner buried her face in his fur. Harambe’s eyes were resolute, however—and, surprisingly, so were the little one’s.

Jack stared at it in wonder, giving a smile whose emotions even he wasn’t certain of. “What’s his name?” he asked.

Harambe made a sound, slowly and purposely.

“Brock?” Jack asked, just to be sure, and Harambe nodded. His partner held on tighter.

“Brock…” he repeated, turning to look at the little one. “What do you think, Brock? Would you like to explore the galaxy with me?” It looked back at him. It was a brave one; not only had it tried to attack Jack when he first appeared, despite the size difference, but when it met his gaze now, it wasn’t as grief-struck as a human child’s would be.

Maybe it was because animals were less attached to their parents. Or, maybe, this one had a strong soul. In any case, it stared deep into Jack’s eyes, pouted its lips to keep them from trembling, and nodded despite the tears rolling freely down its face.

“You are a very brave monkey, Brock,” Jack said, petting it on the head. It let him. “I would love to have you along.”

Harambe made an odd sound, and his cheeks tightened. It was time to leave.

“We will go, then,” Jack said, holding a fist to his heart. “I promise to come visit you again soon—as soon as I can. And I vow on my very soul that I will keep your son safe, even if it kills me. No matter what.”

Harambe nodded, his face spasming with effort to stay still. The gymonkey looked at her son, eyes dripping, then at Jack, with a depth of emotions he never expected from an animal. But, then again, that was an outdated thought. These were people.

“See you both,” Jack said. He took Brock by the hand, turned around, and walked away. Brock kept looking back, but Jack didn’t; the sobbing sounds made him think his bro wouldn’t want to be seen like that.

And so, a human and a monkey that barely reached his knee walked into the bushes and faded away, each leading the other by the hand.